All Over Albany

Hearings in Hoosick Falls, third person pleads guilty in Lansingburgh arson case, how 'bout those (smaller) apples

Hoosick Falls
There's a state Senate hearing scheduled for Tuesday in Hoosick Falls about the contamination of the water supply there with PFOA:
+ A look at some of the key questions about the situation. [Politico NY]
+ Chris Churchill on skepticism with which some residents are viewing the hearings. [TU+]
+ State Assemblyman Steve McLaughlin on the apparent delay in officials telling people to stop drinking the water: "It's crucial, I mean this is on a level of Flint, Michigan-type of a problem with government not letting folks know what was going on." [TWCN]
+ The creator of the PFOA Project Twitter account, ahead of the hearings: "Clean drinking water is necessary for survival, and we shouldn't have to fight our state to get it." [TWCN]

In the dumps
The state Department of Environmental Conservation has marked municipal landfills in Hoosick Falls, Petersburgh, and Berlin as "potential state Superfund sites" because of potential PFOA contamination. [TU]

Alleged Schenectady fire attack
The 29-year-old man accused of setting his stepfather on fire last Friday has pleaded not guilty and he's being held without bail. The man's mother tells News10 he suffers from bipolar disorder, and possibly schizophrenia, and had sought treatment in the days leading up to the incident. [Daily Gazette] [News10]

Lansingburgh arson case
The third of three defendants in the 2015 May Lansingburgh arson that caused the death of an 82-year-old woman has pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter and second-degree arson. He faces 22 years in prison. [Troy Record] [TU]

Accused, but not found guilty
Considering what happens to people who are accused of crimes, but not found guilty -- and how that affects their lives going forward. [Troy Record]

Judge to public defender
Now officially announced: Albany County judge Stephen Herrick is set to step down from the bench and become the county public defender. Herrick was facing mandatory retirement as a judge because he'll turn 70 in December. [News10] [TU]

Albany County TSA security check proposal pulled
Albany County Sheriff Craig Apple is pulling his proposal to make it a crime for passengers to walk away from the security check at ALB after being tagged for additional screening. [TU]

Elise Stefanik
Elise Stefanik was endorsed by the US Chamber of Commerce for re-election in the NY-21 Congressional District on Monday. Later in the day House speaker Paul Ryan was set to appear at a fundraiser for Stefanik at the Gideon Putnam. Stefanik is facing Democrat Mike Derrick and Green Party rep Matt Funicello in the November election. [WNYT] [Daily Gazette]

Schenectady schools
At an orientation for new teachers this week, Schenectady schools superintendent called the district's teachers and staff "guardians of equity" for the district's students. [Daily Gazette]

Saint Rose and RPI
Both Saint Rose and RPI have record-large incoming classes this fall. [TU]

Peerless Pool
The Peerless Pool at Saratoga Spa State Park is closed this week because of a lifeguard shortage (it'll be open this weekend). [Saratogian]

Apples
Apple growers are expecting smaller apples this season because of the lack of rain earlier this year. [TU+]