All Over Albany

Six stabbings at Washington Ave Armory concert, search continues in Jay Street fire wreckage, concerns about number of medical marijuana dispensaries

Albany police say six people were stabbed at a concert at the Washington Avenue Armory early Saturday morning. APD says another person reported being assaulted and robbed in a bathroom at the armory. An APD spokesman said over the weekend that suspects in the stabbings are unknown and the department is investigating. Video from the scene shows a metal barricade being lifted and thrown. A witness who didn't want to be identified described the scene to WNYT: "Just multiple large fights, people getting hit with like barricades, and people getting jumped, basically, multiple people beating up one person." The Armory released a statement about the incident, a clip: "The Armory is deeply disturbed and regrets the unfortunate incidents that took place at the concert on Friday night. While the majority of patrons come to the arena to enjoy a show, there are the few who come to the show with malicious intentions and clearly to ruin the experience for those who attend." Albany city officials say they'll be discussing safety measures at the venue. [APD FB] [News10] [TMZ] [WNYT] [Armory press release] [TU]

Officials are continuing the search for bodies in the wreckage of the Jay Street fire in Schenectady. The building is being demolished piece by piece in order to aid the search and investigation into the cause. Residents of the apartment buildings tell the Daily Gazette they didn't hear the fire alarms until they were outside the building, and recalled multiple unaddressed issues with the building. [TU] [Daily Gazette x2]

The SUNY Charter Schools Committee voted to close the Brighter Choice middle schools for boys and girls. The committee cited problems with both educational performance and finances, the executive director of the SUNY Charter Schools Institute accused schools officials of attempting to use misdirection to divert attention away from problems at the schools. A school official says the schools are considering their options. [SUNY Charter School Institute] [TU] [WNYT] [TWCN]

Colonie police say an 88-year-old pedestrian has died after being hit while crossing Central Ave near the Colonie/Niskayuna border Friday evening. [Daily Gazette]

Medical marijuana advocates say the plan for just 20 dispensaries around the state isn't enough. [TU]

Sheldon Silver's top aide is still making one of the legislature's highest salaries for a staffer. [NYDN]

Question local school districts are struggling with: Where does their authority/responsibility to deal with problems related to students' social media use start and end? [TU]

Anonymous sources tell the Times Union that special trucks bought by the state to help convey Andrew Cuomo through disaster areas are actually pretty useless for that job. [TU]

The Schenectady school district is proposing a plan to the state to overhaul its special ed program. It's also being very specific this year in its request to the state for a funding increase. [Daily Gazette x2]

A Green Island town justice was arrested over the weekend after his wife alleged that he assaulted her. [TU]

A 20-inch water ruptured on Central Ave in Albany Sunday, and was still leaking Monday. The city says the lines and valve at the site date back to 1876. (It also says residents in the area could have brown water from the tap because of stirred up sediment.) It is the latest in many, many water main breaks around the area this winter. [News10] [City of Albany press release] [WNYT]

The closure of the Cohoes Hotel left 10-15 people without a place to go, and the developer who donated the building to the city said the process wasn't supposed to go that way. [TU]

A rundown of recent health inspection violations found in Capital Region school cafeterias. [Daily Gazette]

A Colonie woman says she got two counterfeit $100 bills from a Citizens Bank branch. [TU]