Albany school board: referendum results will stand, police investigate possible Colonie murder/suicide, Assembly plans hearings on Hoosick Falls water, reasons to brush off snow
Albany High vote
The margin of votes by which the $180 million Albany High School referendum passed dropped from 228 to 189 on Wednesday, following the realization that some votes cast at the Arbor Hill polling place were counted twice. Calls for a third vote on the proposal and threats of a federal lawsuit have been mentioned, but they are not swaying the Albany School Board. School Board officials conceded that the vote was mishandled but said they won't put the project back on the ballot.Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan says she is concerned about the problems with the polls but believes that the people have spoken and hopes the referendum results hold up.[TU][TWCN][Gazette][TU][TU]
Colonie murder/suicide investigation
Investigators are still trying to piece together the details about the fire that may have been a murder/suicide in Colonie. The Times Union reports Colonie patrol officer Israel Roman loaded the family car with some of his 15-year-old son's clothing , money and valuables and moved the vehicle from the garage to the street before the fire broke out. Investigators believe Roman may have shot his wife and younger son before setting fire to the home.Family and friends have set up a fundraiser for Noah Roman, the family's older son, who was not at home when the incident occurred. [TU+][WNYT][News10]
Hoosick Falls water
Elected officials including State Sen. Kathy Marchione, U.S. Sens. Kirsten Gilliibrand and Charles E. Schumer, and Congressman Chris Gibson are saying a timeline that indicates they were notified of PFOA contamination in the Hoosick Falls water in 2014 is incorrect, and that no one told them about the problem until 2015.
The Assembly is set to hold hearings on the Hoosick falls water crisis beginning in April. [TU][TU]
Clifton Park suggests water system upgrade plan
The Clifton Park Town Board recently passed a resolution calling on New York to adopt an annual funding program for upgrading municipal sanitary sewer, drinking water and storm water systems that would be modeled after the Consolidated Local Street and Highway Improvement Program. [TU]
Alleged bank robber charge in second bank heist
The Buffalo man arrested for robbing a Schenectady Key bank has been charged with robbing a second bank. [Gazette]
Driver collides with police car
A 97-year-old driver hit a police car in Saratoga Springs on Wednesday.[TU]
Confederate flag can be sold at county fair
The board of directors for the WashingtonCounty Fair a voted unanimously Wednesday night not to ban the sale of the flag at the 2016 fair after coming to the conclusion that banning the flag could be "a political issue" that could jeopardize the fair's not-for-profit status. [Gazette]
Money for local nuclear programs
President Obama's 2017 federal budget allows $1.42 billion for a naval reactors program that includes West Milton's Kesselring site and Knolls Atomic Power Lab in Niskayuna. [Saratogian]
Street closed for Olander's demolition
State Street between Erie Boulevard and South Ferry Street has been closed off temporarily while crews demolish the former Olender's building. [Gazette]
Key bank/First Niagara
Andrew Cuomo sent a letter to federal officials asking them to block Key bank's acquisition of First Niagara on the grounds that it could threaten competition and mean job cuts.[Business Review]
Snow covered cars
State legislators could soon give you new reasons to brush all the snow
off of your car before driving. [Poughkeepsie Journal]
Happening today
New York State Author and Poet
Thursday: The new New York State Author -- Edmund White -- and the new State Poet -- Yusef Komunyakaa -- will be inaugurated at UAlbany in an event that will also include readings. Thursday 8 pm, downtown campus, Page Hall - free
Digital tech and the arts
Thursday: Hui Su -- the head of the Cognitive and Immersive Systems Laboratory, a partnership between IBM and RPI -- will be at EMPAC for a discussion with EMPAC director Johannes Goebel "as to where and how computing and the human condition meet." Thursday 7 pm - free
Hoops
The Siena men's basketball team takes on Canisius at the TU Center. The Saints are 10-1 at home this season. Thursday 7 pm - $10 and up
Music
O.A.R. at The Palace
With: The Hunts. 8 pm - $29.75 and up
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Comments
I can see the new marketing tagline for Washington County's tourism and economic development efforts:
Come to Washington County for the farms and rolling hills. Stay for the Confederate flags.
... said Bob on Feb 11, 2016 at 11:10 AM | link
Just because you don't like the Confederate flag, doesn't mean you're in the right.
... said karner_blu on Feb 11, 2016 at 12:47 PM | link
That's rich of Clifton Park, after fueling off of the empty calories of unsustainable sprawl, to beg for money to help maintain its vast sewer infrastructure. If we were to adopt the model they are suggesting, funding should be allocated on age (aka first in the ground, first to get funding, so newer suburbs and exurbs) and prioritize denser infrastructure systems (aka cities) over sprawled water districts (aka Clifton Park). Otherwise, like the highway fund, this becomes another subsidy that rewards the bad behavior of build, build, build now and don’t worry about the big maintenance bills that will come due down the road.
... said Rich on Feb 11, 2016 at 1:09 PM | link
Rich - more like stink of untreated Schenectady sewage became too annoying. Bethlehem is likely to join the trend, I would think, since Albany is doing the same thing.
... said Mike on Feb 11, 2016 at 6:03 PM | link