All Over Albany

Former JCOPE director to join Cuomo administration, Albany County hearing on proposed tobacco law, Earth Day oil spill on the Hudson

Former JCOPE leader joins Cuomo administration
The Former Executive Director of the Joint Commission on Public Ethics has quietly taken a job as a deputy commissioner at the state Department of Taxation and Finance, where she will lead the criminal investigation services division. [TU+]

Hearing on Albany County tobacco law
At a public hearing on Tuesday night, Albany County legislators listened to members of the public comment on the pros and cons of a proposed law that would raise the age for purchasing tobacco products to 21. [News 10][TWCN][WNYT]

Sentencing in Schenectady drug murder
Carlson Nunes was sentenced to 22 years to life in the 2015 murder of Carlos Figueroa. [Gazette]

Three sue Schenectady police
Three people who were accused of injuring Schenectady police officers in a fight are now suing the officers and the police department for false arrest, malicious prosecution and excessive force, alleging the officers used racial slurs, kicked them and tasered one man three times and used a police dog to attack a man in the fetal position on the ground. [Gazette]

Debating a murder case
An open and shut case that wasn't open and shut.
[TU]

Sentencing in Scooby Doo case
A Moreau man who pleaded guilty to his part in burning a vehicle as part of a fight over a Scooby Doo doll from the Saratoga County Fair, was sentenced on Tuesday to six months in jail and five years probation. [TU]

Insurers to cover early Hep C treatments
Seven health insurers have reached an agreement with Attorney General Eric Schneiderman's office to cover pricey hepatitis C treatments before patients reach advanced liver disease. [TU]

Residency for Troy public officials
Troy City Council President Carmella Mantello is proposing that all appointed public officers
in the city be required to live within the city limits. [TWCN]

Schenectady affordable housing conflict
The city of Schenectady claims Union College is holding up a Galasi Group plan for a DSS apartment building because, Mayor Gary McCarthy says, "they did not want poor people there and did not want those people there.". [Gazette]

Smoke-free housing in Saratoga
The Saratoga Springs housing authority buildings will officially go smoke-free beginning this Sunday. [TWCN]

Oil spill
A ship accidentally dumped 20 gallons of waste oil in the Hudson on Earth Day. [WNYT]

Avoiding Zika
During a presentation on disaster preparedness on Tuesday, the associate director of the state Heath Department's epidemiology division suggested emptying water and leaves from surfaces around your home -- including old tires and flower pots. [TU]

"A quiet, handsome gentleman"
The Capital Region's last known Pearl Harbor survivor, Ed Bartholomew, has died. [TU]

Happening today

Silent Film Spectacular
Wednesday: The current season of the Albany Public Library's Silent Film Spectacular series wraps up with a screening of the 1926 Buster Keaton film film The General with live original score from Ryan Devine and Justin Fuld. 7 pm, Washington Ave branch -- free

The Trip to Bountiful

Wednesday-Sunday: Capital Rep's production of The Trip to Bountiful opens Tuesday. (Previews were this past weekend.) The show is the story of Carrie Watts, an aging widow who escapes from the home of her son and goes on a journey to revisit her childhood home. The show stars a number of talented Capital Region actors, including the amazing Barbara Howard, Kevin Craig West, Tony Pallone, and newcomer Joshua Powell. Tuesday-Sunday various times -- $20 and up

Arts and sciences

Creating a racially just social order
Wednesday: Harvard Law School professor Randall Kennedy will be at Union College for a talk titled ""The Racial Promised Land? Creating a Racially Just Social Order." Wednesday 5 pm, Nott Memorial -- free

Turning waste into soil
Wednesday: The Radix Center's Scott Kellogg will be at Skidmore for a talk about community composting and other strategies for turning waste into compost. "In this presentation, Scott Kellogg will discuss how locally focused and community driven composting efforts can at once address food security, job creation, and soil contamination in cities throughout the world." Wednesday 7 pm, Palamountain Hall -- free

Wednesday: American Authors at The Hollow
Indie rock, "Best Day of My Life." 8 pm - $20

Wednesday: WGNA Secret Star Acoustic Jam at Proctors
Country act revealed when that person takes the stage. 7 pm -- $19 and up

Wednesday: Robin Trower at The Egg
British blues rock. 8 pm -- $35.50 and up

Wednesday: Chris Webby at Upstate Concert Hall
Rapper. With: Annoyd, Danny Evans, Mar, Three Kings, Swaggertown, Entreband. 8 pm -- $15 ahead / $18 day of