All Over Albany

Preet Bharara is out as US Attorney, early look at casino revenue, Albany school district considers Muslim holidays, Troy as a software spot

Preet Bharara is out
+ On Friday The Trump administration asked for the resignations of the 46 US Attorneys that were holdovers from the Obama administration -- including Preet Bharara, whose office prosecuted Sheldon Silver, Dean Skelos, and as an active case against associates of Andrew Cuomo. And as the high-profile prosecutor declared on Twitter Saturday: "I did not resign. Moments ago I was fired." Bharara's ouster is a bit of a surprise because it appeared he would be staying on after a meeting with Donald Trump late year.
+ Why the change? Speculation includes that Bharara's ouster was a Trump shot at Chuck Schumer (Bharara once worked for Schumer). A group of ethics advocacy orgs had also recently asked Bharara to investigate where Donald Trump was in violation of the emoluments clause of the Constitution, which was noted by the ranking Democrat on the House Oversight Committee. [Politico NY] [NPR] [ABC News]
+ Because New York and politics: "Preet Bharara is out of a job. Will he run for another?" [Politico NY]
+ Among the other US Attorney's let go: Richard Hartunian, whose district included the Capital Region. [TU]

Charge in fatal Washington Park incident
Albany police say the man accused of hitting Rajine Martinez with his SUV in Washington Park and then taking off has been charged with leaving the scene for the February incident. Martinez, who police have said had already been lying in the roadway, later died at the hospital. [APD FB] [TU February 13]

Cohoes fire
A large fire in Cohoes overnight displaced 22 people. [News10] [TWCN]

Arrest in slapping video case
Rotterdam police say they've arrested the man shown forcefully slapping a child in a gas station in February. [Daily Gazette]

Casino fight
The Massachusetts couple charged following that spat at the Rivers Casino in February has resolved the charges against them (she pleaded to a violation, his charge got adjourned in contemplation of dismissal). And they continued to dispute the police assertion that the fight had somehow arisen over a disagreement about group sex. [Daily Gazette] [TU]

Rivers Casino revenue
A look at the early revenue numbers for the Rivers Casino in Schenectady, and the potential payouts for local governments.

School aid
Jim Tedisco and George Amedore say they both support a three-year phase in of the full amount of the state school-funding formula, which would mean millions more for districts such as Schenectady. (Democrats in the state legislature have supported the schedule, but Andrew Cuomo has not.) [Daily Gazette]

Schenectady schools
The Schenectady school district is proposing a $54 million plan for repairs at its elementary schools. [Daily Gazette]

School holidays
Prompted by a rising number of Muslim students, the Albany school district is considering closing for two major Muslim holidays. [TU]

Albany mayoral race
Chris Churchill on Frank Commisso Jr.'s candidacy for mayor of Albany and how a potential three-way race for the office might shake out. [TU+]

FOIL
How some local members of the public have used the state's freedom of information law to press local governments. [TU]

Crosswalks
A look at wait times for walk signals on New Scotland Ave in Albany. [TU+]

Troy as software spot
There are now almost two dozen software firms based in Troy, according to a TU review. [TU]

Harriet Tubman and William Seward
There's a push to get Union College to accept a statue depicting Harriet Tubman and William Seward. [Daily Gazette]

Jack McEneny
Jack McEneny recently had a minor stroke that's affected his ability to read. [TU+]

NCAA tournament
+ The UAlbany women are in. [TU]
+ The UAlbany men fell just short. [News10]

Stuff going on today

The Sting
Monday: The Palace's movie series is showing The Sting, starring Paul Newman and Robert Redford. It won seven Oscars, including best picture, in 1974. Monday 7 pm -- $5

The Big Sleep
Monday: Proctors is showing the 1946 film The Big Sleep, starring Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall. (The script was adapted by William Faulkner from a Raymond Chandler novel.) Monday various times -- $5