All Over Albany

Charges in 2015 Jay Street fire, Albany council reviews Palace plan, Sage announces new president

Jay Street fire
A Schenectady city code enforcement officer and a property manager were arraigned Thursday morning on charges that include second-degree manslaughter in connection with the 2015 Jay Street fire that killed four people. Among the allegations in the indictments: the property manager "tampered with or otherwise disturbed" the fire and alarm system at 104 Jay St., and that code enforcement officer failed to take required action after "knowing the fire protective system was out of service." Schenectady County DA Robert Carney is expected to release a report on the investigation into the fire today as well. [TU] [Gazette x2]

Threats to JCCs
Andrew Cuomo visited the Albany Jewish Community Center on Wednesday, decrying the rash of bomb threats locally and nationally and promising New York is fully committed to seeing justice done in the case. Cuomo has also announced he'll be taking a trip to Israel. [TWCN][Gazette][TU][NYT]

Windy
High winds caused falling trees and power polls in the Capital Region overnight, resulting inpower outages, blocked roads and some school delays. High winds are expected to continue today. [TU][News 10][Gazette][WNYT]

SAFE act
Republican lawmakers are seeking to repeal parts of the NY SAFE Act for areas outside of New York City. [TU]

Boy finds gun
A 9-year-old Rotterdam boy found a loaded handgun on his front lawn Wednesday morning. Police say the gun was reported stolen later that day. [Gazette][TU]

Immigrants
Advocates for undocumented immigrants rallied on Wednesday outside a federal immigration center in Colonie to support a Hudson family whose parents could face deportation. [News 10]

Immigration support
Assembly Democrats from upstate cities on Wednesday called for $12 million in state aide to help with refugee resettlement. [TU]

Dog discovered
Police are searching for the owner of a neglected dog whose body was discovered in a garbage bag by a passerby in Rotterdam on Tuesday. [Gazette]

Palace plan
The Albany Common Council got a look on Wednesday at a plan for transferring ownership of The Palace Theater to the not-for-profit running the theater. [TU]

Foam
A proposed Albany County foam container ban is receiving public support. [TU]

Next Sage president
A literature professor and Provost at Shepherd University in West Virginia will be the next president of The Sage Colleges.[TU]

Kaloyeros
A judge says former SUNY Poly leader Alain Kaloyeros can now travel the continental U.S. [TU]

Cohoes traffic diversion program
Cohoes is launching a program to send drivers ticketed for traffic violations to driving safety classes. [TU]

Lead
New York State is launching a pilot program that will allow for free lead testing in drinking water. [TU]

Development plans
Chris Churchill reviews the new Capital Center and the proposed Troy movie theater. [TU+]

For sale
Supermarket store building in Niskayuna. [Gazette]

Stuff going on today

MAAC tournament
Thursday-Monday: The MAAC -- Siena's conference -- opens its men's and women's tournaments at the TU Center, with games running through Monday. The winner of the conference tournament heads to the NCAA tournament. Thursday-Monday various times -- single session tickets $18.50 and up

Music: Slothrust at The Hollow
Indie rock. With: Ian Sweet. 9 pm -- $10.27 ahead / $12 day of