All Over Albany

Plea deal for former Watervliet police officer, facebooking with Alain Kaloyeros, local FiOS rollout nearing finish

Plea deal for Watervliet police officer
Former Watervliet police officer Joshua Spratt pleaded guilty a third-degree criminal sex act, a felony, as part of a plead deal over charges that he engaged in sex acts with a 16 year old. He faces six months in jail, 10 years of probabation, and must register as a sex offender. Spratt met the teen -- and a 17 year old with whom he was also accused of having sexual relations -- through his job as a school resource officer. He could have faced as many as 16 years in prison if he had been convicted on all the charges against him. Albany County DA David Soares called the penalties in the plea deal "very appropriate sanctions." [Albany County DA] [Troy Record] [TU] [WNYT]

$15 an hour
The impending minimum wage increase for fast food workers in New York State prompted talk at a state legislative hearing of people potentially leaving health care jobs, such as nursing home aide, for fast food jobs. And various players are gearing up for the fight in the state legislature over Andrew Cuomo's proposed $15-an-hour minimum wage across all industries. [TU] [AP/Troy Record]

SUNY Poly
Gotham Gazette's David Howard King reports that Alain Kaloyeros said via Facebook messenger that he faced the "threat of jail" if he were to talk about US Attorney Preet Bharara's investigation of the Buffalo Billion. [Gotham Gazette]

Schenectady County elections commissioner case
Former Schenectady County Board of Elections commissioner Arthur Brassard pleaded guilty to a disorderly conduct violation Thursday as a part of a deal to resolve the public records tampering case in which he was accused of writing the number ten on a candidate's petition page after it had been filed. Schenectady County DA Bob Carney called the act "stupid more than corrupt." [Daily Gazette] [TU]

Student charged over gun in car
An HVCC student is facing a felony charge for allegedly having a rifle in the backseat of his car while on campus. Officials say there was no ammunition in the car, and the student reported having forgot that it was in there. [TU] [WNYT] [TWCN]

Heroin
The Albany County jail is starting an intensive program for inmates trying to beat heroin addiction. [TU]

Saratoga County sewer suit
Saratoga County is suing contractors for $20 million in damages over what it says were deficiencies in the expansion of the county sewage treatment plant in Halfmoon, the Capital Region's largest such facility. [Daily Gazette]

Schenectady candidates
Among the topics discussed at a forum for Schenectady city council candidates: the budget, the public safety commissioner position, crime, and neighborhoods. [Daily Gazette]

Saratoga Springs budget
The proposed Saratoga Springs 2016 budget includes a small decrease in property taxes. [TU]

FiOS
Verizon says it will be finished with its rollout of FiOS in the Capital Region sometime next year, limiting it to Bethlehem, Guilderland, Colonie, Scotia and the city of Schenectady. (Leaders of other local cities and towns have been pushing for the service as a means of providing competition to TWC). [TU]

Police dogs
How dogs trained by the State Police get their names. [Daily Gazette]

Stuff going on

It's the weekend, finally. Look for our "stuff to do this weekend" post later this morning.