All Over Albany

Upgrades for state parks planned, Albany parking permit system going sticker-less, former county legislator accused of dumping kitty litter in yards

The Cuomo admin has unveiled a $900 million plan for upgrading state parks. In the Capital Region, it includes facilities improvements for Spa State Park, possibly adding the former Mt. McGregor prison forestland to Moreau Lake State Park, and the construction of the already-proposed Thacher State Park visitor center. [Cuomo admin] [Daily Gazette] [TU] [Troy Record]

The backstory on a temporary state surcharge on health insurance that grew to collect billions and billions of dollars -- which was has been spent with little or no formal oversight, and ended up filling the slush fund from which Sheldon Silver is accused of granting money for his alleged asbestos case referral scheme. [Capital]

About that walkway connecting the TU Center, not-yet-built Albany Convention Center, and ESP: it's not currently clear from where the money for the walkway conversion/renovation/construction will come. [TU]

The Albany residential parking permit system is switching over to a sticker-less system that will include online registration of visitor passes. [TU]

Some context for the $200 million price tag on the proposed renovation of Albany High School. [TU]

Attorneys for the daughter of Daniel Satre, the Ballston Spa man who died last September after being tasered by police, have filed a notice of claim against the county and village (it's a step toward a lawsuit). [Daily Gazette]

A Rensselaer County Court judge has ruled a man accused of a fatal stabbing in Troy last year unfit to stand trial -- over the objections of Parker's attorney. [TU]

A state court officer assigned to Troy City Court is accused of hitting and biting the buttocks of a teen. [TU]

Colonie police say the target of an underage sex sting evaded officers at Colonie Center before eventually being arrested on Lark Street in Albany. [TU] [TWCN]

Tales of former Albany County legislators:
+ Brian Scavo was arraigned on felony charges related to alleged check fraud. His attorney says they're "confident" he'll be acquitted. [Albany County DA] [TU]
+ Bethlehem police say Howard Shafer was arrested for allegedly dumping soiled kitty litter in the yards of his foes. [TU]

Schenectady police say a pedestrian suffered life-threatening injuries after being struck by a vehicle on Route 7 Monday night (map). [Daily Gazette]

The email interface for many state employees now includes a notification of when each message is set to expire, as part of the not-new-but-recently-highlighted mass email deletion policy. The policy has been one angle in the situation surrounding the Wandering Dago's lawsuit against the state. [Capital] [TU]

Saratoga County officials are debating what could/should be done to encourage additional tenants at the Luther Forest Tech Campus. (GlobalFoundaries is currently the only tenant.) Among the points of conversation: Whether a prohibition on the use of PILOTs should be removed. [Daily Gazette] [Biz Review]

A federal judge has allowed the lawsuit alleging wage violations against Stewart's to proceed, minus a handful of claims. [Biz Review]

Concerns about asbestos have closed the Cohoes city hall. There are worries a recent water main break in the building might have disturbed asbestos in the walls. [News10] [Troy Record]

Sewer pipes at the Glenville town hall froze over the weekend, backing up the public bathrooms. [Daily Gazette]

Snow-narrowed streets in Schenectady have prompted a call for the city to use snow emergencies more frequently. [Daily Gazette]

A Schenectady High School student is a state finalist in the Poetry Out Loud competition. [Daily Gazette]

The owners of Funcycled in Troy won $5k on the show Flea Market Flip. [Troy Record]