All Over Albany

Man charged with murder in Watervliet death, allegations of abuse in state prisons, the Bob & Ron's sign has been sold

Homicide in Watervliet
A Watervilet man -- 49-year-old Michael J. Fox -- is facing a murder charge in connection with the death of a man in a residence on 4th Ave Friday night. Watervliet police say they responded to a call of shots fired, there was a evidence a shotgun had been used, and a standoff ensued. A woman tells News10 Fox had called her to the residence and tried to hold her there with the man who had been shot -- she said she escaped as Fox fired at her with a shotgun. Watervliet police say a tactical team eventually entered the residence and took Fox into custody. [TU] [WNYT] [News10] [TWCN]

Suspicious fire in Troy
The Troy Fire Department says an apartment building fire that displaced 10 people is a suspicious and neighbors are pointing the finger at a neighbor who recently moved in and they say had been acting strangely and had made threatening statements. [TU]

Allegations of abuse in state prisons
From a Brendan Lyons article about allegations of prisoner abuse in New York State prisons: "several inmates and prison employees interviewed" said the practice of guards putting plastic bags over the heads of inmates is "is routine in some prisons." [TU+]

Pedestrian death
Schenectady police say the man struck by a car in crash Friday morning has died. [Daily Gazette]

Robbery, assault along New Scotland Ave
Albany police say they've arrested a man accused of two incidents along New Scotland Ave Saturday -- a robbery and a robbery/sexual assault. [News10]

College for prison inmates
Andrew Cuomo is making another attempt at the plan to offer free college classes to prison inmates, this time with money from criminal forfeiture funds from the Manhattan district attorney. [NYT]

GE jobs
GE got more than $22 million in state and local grants and tax breaks for the battery plant in Schenectady that didn't work -- but the company contends it still met the job requirements for the grants and breaks. [TU+]

NY 19th
Republican state Assemblyman Pete Lopez is taking his hat out of the ring for the 19th Congressional district seat (currently held by Chris Gibson), citing family commitments. [TU]

Affordable housing in Saratoga County
Tenants of an apartment complex in Ballston that had been expanded/built with federal aid for affordable housing say they're feeling squeezed as the complex transitions to market-rate housing. [TU+]

Rotterdam Square Mall
The new name of the Rotterdam Square Mall: Viaport Rotterdam. [Daily Gazette]

Sa'Fyre
The million+ letters and packages sent to Sa'Fyre Terry are now being processed in 20,000-square-foot warehouse in Rotterdam. [Daily Gazette]

On the ballot
Talking with the Colonie man who's on the Democratic primary ballot for President (yes, of the United States) in New Hampshire. [TU+]

2,000 points
UAlbany basketball player Shereesha Richards has now scored more tan 2,000 points in her career at the school. (That's a really big number for a college basketball career.) [News10]

Bob & Ron's sign
The sign from the Bob & Ron's Fish Fry location was sold to a sign collector from New Jersey.