All Over Albany

State DEC questions Hudson River dredging results, focus on state of the former Albany convention center site, potential expansion of medical marijuana

Hudson River PCBs
Said state Department of Environmental Conservation commissioner Basil Seggos during a press conference Monday at Corning Riverfront Park in Albany: "Unacceptably high levels of PCB-contaminated sediment remain in large portions of the upper Hudson River" -- and he called for the federal Environmental Protection Agency to review of the effectiveness of the Hudson River dredging project that ended last fall. And: "EPA must ensure the remediation conducted by General Electric is effectively protecting public health and the environment from exposure to PCBs." Some context on the possible politics at work between the Cuomo admin and the EPA and GE. From a GE statement Monday: "GE is confident that EPA's review will demonstrate that the project achieved the agency's goals of protecting human health and the environment." [Daily Gazette] [NYSNYS/Troy Record] [TU] [News10]

Questions about film hub
Following up on the Central New York Hub for Emerging Nano Industries -- a project near Syracuse connected to SUNY Poly and backed by $15 million in state money that the Cuomo admin initially projected would bring 350 jobs -- and, at least for now, appears to be virtually empty. (See also: The Syracuse Post-Standard's review of the situation from earlier this year.) [NYT] [Syracuse.com]

Downtown Albany
Chris Churchill on the way the former convention center site on the south side of downtown Albany has been allowed to sit and deteriorate by the the Albany Convention Center Authority: "This is not responsible ownership. It's pure neglect, really, and it makes the state and convention authority no better than the out-of-town slumlords who own too much of the city." [TU+]

Albany stabbing, shots fired
Albany police say they're investigating what appears to be an incident in which there was a stabbing and shots fired in Arbor Hill (map) Friday evening. APD says it about a half hour later it stopped and arrested two people at the Lark and State -- both were charged weapons possession charges. APD says it's investigating. [APD]

Alleged counterfeiter
The Albany County Sheriff's Office says it raided a home on Ontario Street and arrested an Albany man with counterfeit cash and seized equipment for making fake money. [TU] [News10]

Suspicious Lansingburgh fire
Officials are investigating a fire a vacant home in Lansingburgh Monday evening. [News10]

Jacquelyn Porreca case
In a British film documentary about the Albany County jail, Michael Chmielewski -- accused of fatally stabbing Porreca at a salon in Colonie -- says to an interviewer: "I'm a killer. I am not a murderer. ... I did not murder her. I did not have any intent to kill her. I never wanted her death. I got no satisfaction from it." [TU+]

Medical marijuana
The state Department of Health is considering expansions of the state's medical marijuana program, which is apparently off to a slow start. [Politico NY]

Petersburgh
Adding to environmental concerns in Petersburgh, which is already facing contamination of its water supply with PFOA: Whatever is leaking of out a landfill there. [TWCN]

Central Park playground
The city of Schenectady has taken much of the playground equipment out of Central Park after a review deemed it unsafe. The park is not on the list of city sites scheduled to get new playground equipment this fall. [Daily Gazette x2]

GlobalFoundaries
A look at one of the products GlobalFoundries has been producing at the chip fab in Malta. [TU+]

Gargoyles
On carving gargoyles at your alma mater. [Troy Record]

Stuff going on today

Park Playhouse
This is the last week for the The Park Playhouse's production of The Little Mermaid, adapted from the Disney film, in Albany's Washington Park. (It runs through August 27.) Tuesday-Saturday 7:30 pm -- free on the lawn / reserve tickets $16 and up

Washington County Fair
The Washington County Fair is at the fairgrounds in Greenwich. It bills itself as "New York's #1 Agricultural County Fair." (Admission does not include carnival rides. During the fair, ride tickets are $1.25 each.) Monday-Sunday -- adults $10 / children 13 and under are free / all-week pass is $30 / free admission for all active military service members with military ID

Music: Train at Tanglewood
With: Andy Grammer. 7 pm -- $28.50 and up

Music: Celtic Thunder at The Palace
"'Legacy' is an exciting new live show that celebrates the influence of Irish and Celtic music around the world and the imprint that such music has made." 8 pm -- $49.50 and up