All Over Albany

Paying for contaminated water, government groups say Cuomo is failing on ethics reform, January unemployment lowest since before recession

Petersburgh/Hoosick Falls water
Taconic Plastics will pay for a new water filtration system for Petersburgh. Hoosick Falls homeowners packed a village board meeting on Tuesday night, to argue they should not have to pay for contaminated water.Also, noted: Andrew Cuomo has yet to make an appearance in Hoosick Falls. [TU] [WNYT][Capital NY]

Cuomo and ethics
Three leading good government groups including NYS Public Interest Research Group, say Andrew Cuomo is not doing enough to deal with the state's ethics problem. [TU]

Unemployment down
January boasted the lowest January unemployment rates in the Albany-Schenectady-Troy metro area since 2004.[Business Review]

Student conduct hearing for UAlbany trio
Attorneys for two of the three UAlbany students facing charges for allegedly fabricating a story about being victims of a racially motivated attack said their clients would not attend student conduct hearings scheduled for this morning. [TU]

Arrests in UAlbany robbery
Two non-students from Orange County were arrested on Tuesday in connection with the February 24th UAlbany dorm robbery.[TU]

Memorials
The makeshift memorial to two victims of gun violence in Troy will soon be taken down. Meanwhile, Albany is making plans for a victims memorial garden, where families of victims of violent crimes can have a memorial, while keeping the streets safe and clear from makeshift memorials. [News 10][TU]

Dispatcher sues for hostile work environment
A former Schenectady County dispatcher is seeking $500,000 in damages from the county, claiming he was suspended in retaliation for reporting co-workers for mocking a disabled colleague. [Gazette]

Spa city overtime
Eighty-five percent of the $1.6 million in overtime paid by the city of Saratoga Springs went to public safety. [TU]

$15 wage hike and upstate businesses
A coalition of upstate business owners argued Tuesday that the hike to a $15 minimum wage would hurt small businesses in upstate NY. [TU]

Malta development
A retail service development approved in the 80s may finally be built in Malta. [Gazette]

Registration deadline
If you want to vote in the NYS primary, you have to register by March 25. [TU]

Bethlehem woman recognized by Michele Obama
A Bethlehem native and Iraq veteran was honored by Michele Obama last week for her efforts to help women veterans. [TU]

Meatless sentence
Actress Pamela Anderson wrote to Andrew Cuomo this week suggesting he make New York State Prisons vegan. [TU]

Apples, peaches and weird winter weather
What the unseasonable winter is doing to local fruit crops. [WNYT]

Happening today

Albany Ale
Beer historian Craig Gravina will be at the Albany Institute to talk about Albany's brewing history as part of the museum's 1791 Club series. The evening will start at the Capital Region in 50 Objects exhibit, and then head over to a local venue for happy hour. Wednesday 5:30 pm - $10 admission

The War on Alcohol
Harvard historian Lisa McGirr will be at UAlbany to talk about her book The War on Alcohol: Prohibition and the Rise of the American State. Event blurbage: "She reveals patterns of law enforcement
still familiar today as the war on alcohol was waged disproportionately in African-American, Immigrant, and poor white communities." Here's a NYT Q&A with McGirr from this past December. Wednesday 3:30 pm, University Hall 110 - free

Golubzi | Honest Weight
"In this hands-on class, learn to make a delicious Eastern European staple food: golubzi! These versatile little cabbage rolls are easy and fun to make. We'll fill them with a variety of delectable vegetarian ingredients to create traditional or original versions your family and friends will love." 6 pm - free (registration required)

The Moth and The Flame at The Hollow
Alt rock. 8 pm - $10.27 ahead / $15 day of

Patty Griffin, Sara Watkins & Anais Mitchell at The Egg
"[A]n evening of modern American folk music." 7:30 pm - $35 and up

Roosevelt Collier at Putnam Den
Steel guitarist, backed by members from Dopapod and Turkuaz. 9 pm - $12 ahead / $15 day of