All Over Albany

Verdict in Vega trial, SWAT team in Schenectady, council to meet on McCarthy incident, Patroon Island Bridge reconstruction complete

Verdict in trial for the death of Vanessa Milligan
Update: A Rensselaer County Court jury found Gabriel Vega guilty of first-degree manslaughter in the death of Vanessa Milligan in Lansingburgh in 2014. Vega was also convicted on charges of arson and abortion for the incident in which Milligan, who was pregnant with Vega's child, was killed and her home set on fire. The jury passed on convicting Vega on a second-degree murder charge against him. [TWCN] [Troy Record] [TU]

Schenectady SWAT
A SWAT team has responded to a James Street home in Schenectady. A man has apparently barricaded himself in the home. [Gazette]

GlobalFoundries
GlobalFoundries plans to set up a chip fab plant in China, but officials do not expect it to affect operations at its Malta plant, or its plan to open a second Malta plant. [TU][Gazette]

Teen sentenced for murder
An Albany teen was sentenced Tuesday to 22 years to life in prison for his part in the murder of a 27-year-old father of six in a shooting on Lark Street last year. [TU]

Council to meet on McCarthy incident
Schenectady's City Council is expected to hold a short, private meeting tonight to discuss the incident, last week, where Mayor Gary McCarthy followed a woman to the police station after he confronted her because he thought she was breaking into cars. Meanwhile, the woman, Sara Dingley, who claims McCarthy was drunk when he followed her to a police station, is calling for an outside investigation of the incident.[TU][Gazette]

SUNY Chancellor
SUNY Chancellor Nancy Zimpher has announced she will step down after having served seven years in her post. [TU]

START-Up NY leader leaving
The head of the START-Up NY program has announced she will return to the private sector. [Gazette]

Rensselaer County settles $300,000 discrimination suit
Under the terms of a settlement reached this week, Rensselaer County will pay $300,000 to the internal affairs officer who alleged former sheriff Jack Mahar and his successor of making racial slurs. [TU+]

Proof
For the last few months NYS has been asking its employees for proof of identity for spouses and kids to ensure they are, in fact, eligible for medical benefits. [TU+]

Patroon Island Bridge
After two years and $148 million, reconstruction of the Patroon Island Bridge -- which the state DOT says was the largest roadwork project ever in upstate NY -- is complete. [TU]

Petersburgh supervisor
The town supervisor of Petersburg -- who led the town response to he PFOA water crisis -- has resigned due to health issues. [TU]

Mt. McGregor
Two years after the closing of Wilton's Mt. McGregor medium security prison, there are no buyers interested in the property. [Gazette]

Locked out
Locked rest rooms at the Corning Preserve caused problems for visitors over the Memorial Day weekend.
[TU]

Schneiderman/Trump
NY Attorney General Eric Schneiderman and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump have been sparring over a Trump U. lawsuit. [TU]

How things are in Dannemora
How the small town of Dannemora is faring in the wake of last year's highly publicized prison break. [Politico]

Chickens
After a year off because of avian flu concerns, chickens will return to county fairs. [TU]

Duckling
Firefighters in Saratoga Springs rescued a duckling from a storm drain of a South Broadway parking lot, and reunited it with its family. [WNYT]

Happening today

Cooking

Gelato
Wednesday: Gio Culinary Studio has a hands-on class about making gelato and other frozen desserts, including semifreddo and granita. "Students will learn how to make delicious authentic gelato and frozen Italian desserts, all from scratch! We will be using fresh natural ingredients and professional techniques that can easily be duplicated at home." Wednesday 6:15 pm -- $60

Chickpeas
Wednesday: Spoon and Whisk has a class about cooking chickpeas with chef Patrick Mannato. Menu: "Chick Pea Fries with Red Curry Ketchup; Herbed Chick Pea Bruschetta; Gluten-Free Zucchini-Basil Chick Pea Waffles with Shaved Fennel Tomato Salad; Chick Pea Fettuccini with Harissa, Kale, & Olives; Homemade Hummus." Wednesday 7 pm -- $45

Music

Tuesday: Eagles of Death Metal at Upstate Concert Hall
Rock. (If the name sounds familiar for something other than music, they were the band playing at the Le Bataclan in Paris during the attack this past November.) 8 pm -- $25 ahead / $28 day of

Wednesday: The Defibulators outside The Egg
Bluegrass, country, rockabilly. A "Made in the Shade" show. noon -- free

Wednesday: Whitney at The Hollow
Indie rock. Former members of Smith Westerns. With: Hoops. 8 pm - $10 ahead / $12 day of