All Over Albany

Child dies after being hit by truck at Albany intersection, allegations of care problems at former Saratoga County nursing home, power shut off at mall, eight lives left

Albany police say a four-year-old boy died after being hit by a truck while crossing Central Ave at Quail Street (map). APD says the boy had been crossing with his mother, holding hands, and walking with the light -- an APD spokesman says that information is from surveillance video -- and the truck had been turning left on the green light. The garbage truck belongs to a private company, ICS Waste & Recycling -- a company spokesperson said in a statement that "The child had jumped over a snowbank and out into the road without warning." A crossing guard at the intersection told WNYT of traffic at the intersection: "They don't stop. They don't care. They never stop. They never stop. You gotta jump out of the way." An employee at the Subway on the corner tells the Times Union she saw someone hit at the intersection last summer. [APD press releases] [News10] [TWCN] [Daily Gazette] [TU]

City of Albany crossing guards say their push to unionize isn't just about better pay, but also better training and equipment. [TU]

A Vorheesville father is pushing for state legislation that would allow school bus operators to install traffic cameras on buses that could take photos of the license plates of vehicles that illegally pass school buses and law enforcement agencies could issue tickets based on the photos. [WNYT]

Anonymous family members and an employee tell the Saratogian the quality of care has declined at Maplewood Manor, the Saratoga County nursing home recently transferred to a private operator, and they allege residents' needs are being neglected. [Saratogian]

Andrew Cuomo on the push for outside income disclosure, rather than a ban, for state legislators: "I think the key is people know what you're doing." [State of Politics]

Andrew Cuomo's "classic Cuomo" approach to the issue of climate change. [State of Politics]

Schenectady mayor Gary McCarthy says the doors to city hall will stop being locked at the start of public meetings after the Gazette brought up the issue. [Daily Gazette]

Attorneys for the city of Saratoga Springs have filed a 600+ page motion in state Supreme Court in an attempt to get the lawsuit over the Collamer parking lot deal dismissed. [Saratogian]

The One Monument Square project is going before the Troy Planning Commission next Tuesday. [TU]

National Grid shut off the electricity to the Rotterdam Square Mall Thursday for non-payment. The utility says the power will be turned back on when payment of the outstanding bill is confirmed. The shut off follows an episode this past November when the power was almost turned off, again because of a payment issue. Them mall's owners said they expect the power to be back on Friday. [Daily Gazette] [TU] [Biz Review x2]

Monolith Solar says a recent ruling by the state's Public Service Commission threatens the viability of hundreds solar farm projects and jeopardizes the company's planned move to the Vista (Not Yet) Technology Campus in Slingerlands. [TU]

Despite state Department of Environmental Conservation statement that it shouldn't be done, the state Department of Transportation has been dumping plowed snow into the Mohawk River. [Daily Gazette]

A large portion of the state's list of species that need conservation attention are birds. [Daily Gazette]

Friends of a Guilderland family, in which four of five members have Huntington's Disease, are trying to raise enough money to pay off the family's mortgage. [TU]

Eight lives left: A cat that was literally frozen to a road in Columbia County was rescued and appears to be doing OK. [News10]