All Over Albany

A look at a year of gun violence in Albany, Cuomo pushes back on free tuition plan criticism, a shortage of "starter" homes

Gun violence in Albany
The Times Union included an extensive look at the past year of gun violence in the city of Albany by Emily Masters:
+ There were 63 incidents of gunfire in the city in 2016 -- injuring 28 people and killing one -- and many of them were in West Hill. [TU]
+ The details of some of the those incidents. [TU]
+ A profile of Albany Cure Violence, the org trying to disrupt the pattern of gun violence in the city. [TU]

Halfmoon standoff
State Police used tear gas to end a standoff with a man in Halfmoon Monday morning. The standoff started Sunday, and police say one shot was fired at them and multiple shots were fired inside the home. [TU] [News10]

UAlbany bus incident
The trial of the two former UAlbany students charged in last year's bus incident is set to start Monday. [TU]

Lake George boat crash trial
Jury selection is set to start Monday in the trial of the man accused of causing the fatal Lake George boat crash last summer. [TU]

Trump tax return rally
Hundreds of people rallied in West Capitol Park Saturday as part of the nationwide series of events calling for Donald Trump to release his tax returns. [WNYT] [TU]

Stefanik and Faso support Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act
Elise Stefanik and John Faso are two of 187 co-sponsors of a bill that would force states such as New York to honor the concealed carry laws of other states when residents of those states travel out of state. [TU]

Stefanik TV town hall
Elise Stefanik willl participate in a TV town hall event May 8 in Plattsburgh, carried on Mountain Lake PBS. [Daily Gazette]

Free tuition plan
+ At the Exeutive Mansion Easter open house Saturday, Andrew Cuomo defended the new public college free-tuition plan and pushed back on critics of the plan. [TU]
+ Talking with students weighing whether the the free tuition benefit is worth the post-graduation in-state live/work requirement. [Buffalo News]

Speed limit reduction for South Pearl
The Albany Common Council is considering lowering the speed limit on South Pearl Street in the South End from 30 mph to 25 mph. (The stretch goes through the Ezra Prentice homes and where 7-year-old son Qazir Sutherland was fatally hit in 2013.) [TU]

Casino
Sara Foss: "Based on what we've seen so far, it's extremely unlikely that Rivers will ever meet its revenue projections." [Daily Gazette]

Housing
Local real estate professionals say there's a crunch in the number of "starter" homes in the area. [TU+]

School stress
A survey conducted by a trio of Niskayuna High School found widespread feelings of stress and anxiety about school among students at the high school, and district officials say they'll be focusing resources on mental health programs. [Daily Gazette]

Food pantry needs a new home
The Mount Ida Community Food Pantry in Troy is looking for help in finding a new home after the building in which it's housed was sold. [WNYT]

A basket of topics
Quick takes from Chris Churchill on a bunch of topics, ranging from Andrew Cuomo and reality to dog poop to 1 Monument Square. [TU+]

Chamber president versus Panera
The president of the Chamber of Southern Saratoga County says the Panera chain are "freeloaders" because they chose not to belong to the local chamber of commerce. [Biz Review]

"That's how my violin story begins."
A look at CHIME, the after-school orchestra program in Schenectady that's expanding. [Daily Gazette]

Stuff going on today

Three Stooges
Monday: The Palace will be a screening a handful of Three Stooges films as part of its annual festival. Monday 7 pm -- $5

National Bird
Monday: The Sanctuary for Independent Media is hosting a screening of the documentary National Bird. "National Bird follows the dramatic journey of three whistleblowers who are determined to break the silence around one of the most controversial current affairs issues of our time: the secret U.S. drone war." A discussion following the film will include Sonia Kennebeck, who made the film. Monday 7 pm -- free

Bill McKibben
Monday: Author/activist/environmentalist Bill McKibben will be at Union for a talk titled "The Adirondacks: Refuge in a Warming World." Monday 5:30 pm, Nott Memorial -- free

Front Parlor
Monday: The Front Parlor storytelling series returns to The Olde English in Albany. This month's theme is "Scars." Monday 7:30 pm

Punk Rock Sketch 'n Sip
Monday: The Punk Rock Sketch 'n Sip is back at The Low Beat. "A D.I.Y sketching event with local artist and educator Robert B. Eaton. Enjoy a complimentary drink while you sketch. All skill levels welcome. Attendees are encouraged to bring their own materials, but we have we have limited materials to get you started." Monday 7 pm -- $15 / $8 students