All Over Albany

Questions about new state policy regarding shelter for homeless in the cold, Albany trash fee approved, alleged scheme to steal laptops from the state

The cold
Low temps dipped near zero overnight -- the coldest temps here since last March. And the high temp for Tuesday is forecasted to be in the low 20s. [NWS x2]

Homeless in the cold
Leaders of Capital Region governments and orgs helping the the homeless were trying to figure out the implications of the new Cuomo admin policy that calls for shelters to be open when the temperature drops below freezing -- and allows for people to be forcibly removed from the street in such weather. Among the questions: Is there currently enough capacity at local shelters, especially during the day. And whether it's prudent to force someone into a shelter who doesn't want to be there. [Daily Gazette] [NYT] [TWCN] [Troy Record] [News10]

The Capital City Rescue Mission in Albany had provided space for almost 200 people over night Monday to Tuesday. [News10]

Albany trash free
The Albany Common Council passed a measure allowing the city to assess a trash fee on residential buildings with 2-4 units (the fee is $180/unit -- buildings with more than 4 units are already required to hire a private trash hauler). Before the vote the fee continued to face opposition from council members argued the fee unfairly would burden low-income residents. [TWCN] [TU]

Pedestrian death
East Greenbush police say a pedestrian was killed Monday afternoon on Columbia turnpike when, witnesses told police, a vehicle "left the roadway, running over road signs and striking a pedestrian who was walking along the shoulder of the road." EGPD says the driver was taken to a hospital. And it's asking anyone who might have seen the crash to call the department. [EGPD press release] [News10]

$15 minimum wage
Andrew Cuomo formally announced his administration's intent to add SUNY employees to the $15/per hour minimum wage schedule in place for fast food workers. The Cuomo admin says 28,000 SUNY employees are in line to get raises as part of the change, including 1,985 in the Capital Region. The push for a $15 minimum wage will apparently be a central part of Cuomo's State of the State presentation next week. [NYT] [Cuomo admin] [TU]

The state legislature and outside jobs
Republican state Assemblyman -- and Buffalo-area dry cleaning business owner -- David DiPietro on the idea to make the state legislature full time and bar outside work as an anti-corruption measure, to the NYT: "You can't tell someone to give up your lifelong business to be a two-year legislator." [NYT]

A deal on a chair
Noted: Dean Skelos, Tom Libous, and John Sampson -- all disgraced former state Senators -- bought their Senate chamber leather chairs for just $25. [TU]

Schenectady shooting
Schenectady police say they're investigating an incident in which a man was shot in the leg Sunday night in the Eastern Ave neighborhood (map). [TU]

Laptop thefts from the state
The state Inspector General's office says a state ITS employee from Schuylerville and three other people have been arrested in connection with an alleged scheme in which new laptops were stolen from the state and then sold through businesses in Queensbury. [NYS IG]

Catalytic converter thefts
Bethlehem police say they've arrested a person accused of stealing catalytic converters off vehicles at the Elm Ave Park and Ride lot. [TU]

Albany schools
Monday night's Albany school board meeting included a show of support from members of the public for superintendent Marguerite Vanden Wyngaard, whose contract runs out this year. [TWCN]

Developing Cohoes
New Cohoes mayor Shawn Morse has hired former Habitat for Humanity Capital District head Mike Jacobson to be the city's director of economic and community development -- at a salary of $125,000. [TU+]

High Rock
The city of Saratoga Springs got an assessment on the value of the city-owned High Rock parking lots, for which a handful of large development proposals are on the table: $2.9 million. [TU]

Small businesses in Troy
Talking with a handful of small business in owners in Troy about the obstacles to -- and potential of -- starting your own business. [TU+]

Stuff going on today

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
A touring production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat will be at Proctors for a short run. It's the Tim Rice/Andrew Lloyd Webber musical based on the biblical story. Tuesday 7:30 pm - $20 and up

Poetry slam
The Nitty Gritty Poetry Slam series has its first slam of the year lined up at The Low Beat. open mic sign up at 7 pm / open starts at 7:30 pm - $5