All Over Albany

Marking the damage and recovery from Irene, man accused of setting stepfather on fire, search for bikini bandit, Travers victory in record time

The damage -- and recovery -- from Irene
It was five years ago that rain from Tropical Storm Irene caused major, destructive flooding across Schoharie, Greene, and Schenectady counties. So many local outlets looked back over this past weekend:
+ Visiting Prattsville, said to be the spot hardest hit by the flooding, to see how the recovery has gone. [TU+]
+ Recalling the surge of water the inundated Rotterdam Junction, where the rose to a level 14 feet high on a flagpole outside a house. [Daily Gazette] [News10]
+ Looking at the recovery and planning efforts of Schoharie Area Long Term as it looks to the future. Said the former Schoharie recovery director: "I want my son and the future generations of this county to learn from the stories of the resilience of the men and women who I saw achieve amazing things in the wake of disaster." [Daily Gazette x2] [TWCN]

Man accused of setting stepfather on fire
Schenectady police a 29-year-old man was arrested for allegedly throwing gasoline on his stepfather and lighting him on fire Friday. He's facing charges that include attempted murder. The stepfather airlifted to a medical facility in Westchester County for treatment. [Daily Gazette] [TU] [News10]

Troy stabbing
Troy police say they arrested a man Saturday night after an episode of "play fighting" allegedly turned into real fighting and a man was stabbed inside an apartment on King Street (map), suffering serious injuries. [TU] [WNYT] [Troy Record]

Hulett Street fire
Reading through the arguments made by Jennica Duell's attorney for why her client should be sentenced to no more than five years in prison in her perjury case -- among the arguments: police used "coercive techniques" on Duell. [Daily Gazette]

Preet probes
The TU's Chris Bragg: "The Cuomo administration has rejected several open records requests in recent weeks by citing an exemption for the disclosure for documents 'compiled for law enforcement purposes.'" [TU+]

Champlain Canal
Detailing the situation surrounding the proposed dredging of the Champlain Canal, which research indicates contains pockets of PCBs. [TU+]

Troy finances
The state comptroller's office is not happy with the city of Troy's response to the office's proposed recommendations for fixing the city's budget. [Troy Record]

Struggling schools
Albany's Hackett Middle School rebounded from state receivership in one year -- and in doing so, lost the extra funding it used to post improvements. [TU+]

Tedisco and Klueg
Profiling the race between Jim Tedisco and Christian Klueg for the Republican nomination in the election to replace to Hugh Farley in the state Senate. [NYSNYS/Troy Record]

Mohawk Harbor
Getting a look inside the underground system of cables that will power Mohawk Harbor and the new casino. [Daily Gazette]

Backstretch workers
Inside the clinic that's providing low-cost, accessible healthcare to backstretch workers at the Saratoga Race Course. [TU]

United Group
Walking through the story of the drama surrounding the United Group's troubled private dorm project in Plattsburgh. [TU+]

Bikini bandit
From the Troy Record: "The bikini bandit has been hitting the same home since May and the homeowners, who captured the video from a hidden security camera, said they have had 17 bathing suits stolen from their backyard clothesline in recent months." [Troy Record]

The Travers
Arrogate won the Travers this past weekend at the Saratoga Race Course in record time. [TU] [TWCN]