All Over Albany

Investigation of Schenectady gunshot deaths, Troy continues to scrape toward a budget, ban on ballot selfies upheld, last day of business after 96 years

Schenectady Shannon St. gunshot deaths investigation
Schenectady police have identified the two people found dead of gunshot wounds Wednesday night in a residence on Shannon Street -- but police still haven't publicly said what they suspect happened. "An official familiar with the investigation" has told the Times Union the case is being investigated as a murder suicide. [News10] [WNYT] [TU]

APD investigating allegation made against officer
Albany police chief Brendan Cox says the department is investigating the allegation -- made by the man at the center of that Times Union story earlier this week involving allegedly fake checks, a luxury car, porn, and a Schenectady police officer -- that one of its officers had a sexual relationship with a minor: "So far there's no corroboration for anything that's been alleged but I have to complete our investigation." [TWCN] [News10]

Troy budget
The state comptroller's office issued a letter praising the proposed Troy city budget for realistically projecting revenues and expenses, but also warned the city risks the return of state oversight if it doesn't override the tax cap and/or significantly cut expenses. Mayor Patrick Madden and council president Carmella Mantello are still odds over the proposed 28 percent tax increase -- Mantello and other Republicans on the council majority say they won't for the override without larger cuts in spending. [News10] [TU] [Troy Record]

Voter enrollment
Democrats have a large voter enrollment advantage over Republicans in New York State -- and the gap has widened even further during the past year. [TU+]

Ballot selfies
A federal judge has upheld New York's ban on ballot selfies, in part because changing the rule right before Election Day could be a potential problem at polling sites. [TWCN] [TU]

SUNY Poly
The SUNY board of trustees has officially approved Bahgat Sammakia, a VP of research at Binghamton University, as the interim president of SUNY Poly. And Sammakia said afterward that "our primary focus is on the academic mission" of the university. [TU] [Politico NY]

Albany County acquittals
Is a recent streak of defense victories in Albany County criminal cases a coincidence -- or the result of new training and organization in the public defender's office? [TU+]

12 year old and 14 year olds arrested
Albany police say they arrested a 12-year-old and two 14-year-olds for allegedly robbing a 52-year-old man of his mobile phone near Clinton Ave Tuesday night and then striking him with a metal pipe. [APD]

$440k glitch
The Albany Police Department says a problem with a new software system prompted an extra $440k to be mistakenly budgeted for officers. [TU]

Colonie budget
Colonie's town board approved a budget that includes a 1.1 percent increase in the property tax rate. [TU]

Momentive strike
The view from the picket line at the Momentive strike in Waterford. [Saratogian]

Medical marijuana
Albany County's third medical marijuana dispensary is set to open this weekend in a location off Fuller Road in Colonie. [News10]

Nanotech vs. the flu
Researchers at RPI are involved in project investigating whether a nanoparticle treatment can be used against influenza. [Daily Gazette]

Hill's Stationery
Friday is the last day for Hill's Stationery in downtown Troy, which has been open for 96 years. [Troy Record]