All Over Albany

McCoy signs 21+ law for Albany tobacco sales, Cuomo calls for campaign funding restrictions, Scrimshaw to step down from Sage, a Schenectady tradition returns

Albany Count tobacco law
Albany County Executive Dan McCoy signed legislation on Wednesday that officially raises the age for legal purchase of tobacco products in the county from 18 to 21. Albany County is one of only three New York state Counties that restrict tobacco purchases to people 21 and over. [TWCN]

Ethics
"This is Albany's Watergate moment and instead of the burglars getting arrested, and Albany's equivalent is to give them a parking ticket," NYPIRG Legislative Director Blair Horner on the lack of an agreement on ethics legislation among NYS lawmakers, with only four days remaining in the legislative session. [TWCN]

Campaign funding limits
Andrew Cuomo announced a late session push on Tuesday to tighten restrictions on laws governing money given to candidates through independent expenditure committees. Cuomo called for legislation to address what he says are problems caused by the U.S. Supreme Court's 2010 Citizens United decision that prohibits restrictions on independent political spending and allowing wealthy donors, organizations or candidates themselves to create independent groups that can skirt many campaign finance rules.[NYT][TU][WNYT]

CDTA sued over driver with 64 convictions
CDTA is being sued after the driver of a STAR bus, who had 64 prior convictions, was seen on bus surveillance video abusing a mentally disabled woman. [TU]

Heroin charge
A Saratoga Springs man has been indicted for giving a woman the heroin dose that led to her death in 2015. [TU]

Heroin treatment and people of color
"It took a white face of drug addiction to get the public interested. Communities of color have been ignored for 45 years and we're still being ignored:A policy analyst with the Drug Policy Alliance -- the group that organized a rally at the Capitol on Wednesday to call attention to racial injustice in drug treatment funding. [TU]

Sage president to step down
Susan Scrimshaw announced today that she will step down as President of the Sage Colleges in 2017. [TU]

112th Assembly seat
112th district Assemblyman Jim Tedisco is backing Republican Mary Beth Walsh in the race to replace him. Walsh announced her candidacy on Wednesday. [TU]

Internet speeds
Eric Schneiderman has sent a letter to Charter, calling on the company to "clean upTime Warner Cable's act" and address the many customer complaints about the speed of their internet service. [Gazette]

Albany Airport
Albany International Airport will share in a $10 million grant for airport improvement. [TU]

PFOA contamination
A look at how PFOA contamination has affected one family farm. [News 10]

Parade guidelines
Saratoga Springs officials are creating new parade guidelines after a motorcycle flying a confederate flag made its way into the city's Memorial Day parade. [TWCN]

Habitat Schenectady
Schenectady's Habitat for Humanity is building its 50th home. [Gazette]

Saratoga
Fox sports plans to televise 40 of this seasons stakes races from Saratoga. [Gazette]

Parking amnesty
It's the last week for parking amnesty in Troy. [TU]

Soapbox derby
An old Schenectady tradition, revived after forty years. [Gazette]

Happening today

Chris Hardwick
Chris Hardwick -- comedian and host of The Nerdist -- will be at The Egg for a comedy show. Thursday 7 pm -- $39.50

Murder, morals, and music
The "Murders, Morals, and Music" film series at the Madison continues with a screening of the 1932 pre-code film The Cheat, starring Tallulah Bankhead. Thursday 7 pm - $10

Alive at Five
The first Alive at Five of the season is in downtown Albany -- Dr. John and the Nite Trippers is headlining, with Jocamo opening. This summer's series will be at Tricentennial Park on Broadway, instead of the typical Jennings Landing location (construction on park upgrades prompted the one-summer switch). So keep an eye out for road closures and parking restrictions.

Also, if you're worried about parking, you might think about taking the bus. It's an easy location to reach via bus from a lot of different spot. See the link above for info about scoring a free bus pass for Alive at Five.
5 pm -- free admission

Joan Shelley at Helsinki Hudson
Folk. With: Sam Moss. 8 pm -- $20 ahead / $25 day of