All Over Albany

Opening arguments in UAlbany bus trial, jury in place for Lake George Boating trial,Emma Willard report on sexual abuse over 70 years

UAlbany bus trial
+Opening statements got underway on Tuesday in the trial of two women charged with falsely reporting an attack on a CDTA bus last year. The defense stated that racial bias was a part of the case, prosecutors told jurors" "You're not here to solve all the racial woes of society; your job is to decide this case based on the facts and the indictment."[TWCN][Gazette]

+Chris Churchill looks at jury selection and the question of race in the trial.

Lake George Boating trial
The trial of Alexander West, charged in the boating crash that claimed the life of an 8-year-old girl on Lake George last summer, gets underway today. [TU][Gazette]

Emma Willard
Emma Willard School has released a 96 page report detailing incidents of sexual misconduct by faculty spanning nearly seven decades. The School says the investigation was done in an effort to "understand, plan and educate about sexual misconduct."[TU][TWCN]

Politicians offer look at tax returns
A number of other NYS politicians are offering a public look at their tax returns, while calling on Donald Trump to release his returns. Andrew Cuomo's tax returns show he netted an extra $218,100 from his not-so-best-selling memoir All Things Possible.[NYT] [TU]

Judge's death now considered suspicious
The New York Post is reporting that police are now treating the death of pioneering judge Sheila Abdus-Salaam last week as suspicious, thought there are no clear indications of criminality. [NYP]

Cuomo/Walker ask Trump to look into dairy practices
Andrew Cuomo and Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker have sent a joint letter to Donald Trump urging him to look into Canadian dairy trade practices that are seen as protectionist and harmful to milk producers in the United State. [TU]

Schenectady won't be a sanctuary city
Schenectady will not be designated a Sanctuary City, but the City Council has passed a resolution celebrating diversity in the city and calling on the federal government to "enact comprehensive immigration reform and enforce the nation's immigration laws in a humane manner that does not disrupt the lives of any residents." [Gazette]

Schenectady community center
A Schenectady group is working to revive a Schenectady Community Center that closed over three years ago. [Gazette]

Chamber president dies
Chuck Steiner, the former president of the Capital Region Chamber of Commerce, died at 66 on Tuesday, after a battle with Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. [Business Review][Gazette]

Bishop Ball dies
Bishop David Ball, who led the Albany Episcopal Diocese from 1984 to 1998, passed away on Tuesday at the age of 90. [TU]

Trees
Albany is slated to make some necessary sidewalk repairs that city officials say will require the removal of some to the trees in the Ten Broeck neighborhood, which has some of the neighborhood residents upset. [TU]

News building
The apartment building that once housed The Record will be called The News Apartments.

Pinkster
Paul Grondahl on how Albany's Dutch Pinkster celebration became a traditional African American celebration. [TU+]

Stuff to going on today

FAN-tastic women
Night two of the It Came From Schenectady Series at Proctors in "which we celebrate the FAN-tastic women who make horror, sci-fi and fantasy cinema." Tuesday's film is The Love Witch. Wednesday's lineup includes Raw and Born of Woman. Wednesday 7 pm -- $9 / $6 students

Dread Scott
Wednesday: Artist/activist Dread Scott will be at Union for a talk. "Scott is widely known for his involvement in the Supreme Court case, 'U.S. v. Eichman et al,' which was instrumental in securing legislation for freedom of speech as opposed to legislation that would have outlawed criticism of the American flag." Wednesday 5:30 pm, Nott Memorial -- free

Albany Wordfest
Today-Saturday: Albany Wordfest returns with events at sites in Albany and Troy. It's a celebration of National Poetry Month and includes readings, open mics, and poetry slams.

Albany Craft Beer Week
Today-Sunday: The first Albany Craft Beer Week includes a handful of events and specials at locations around Albany. And Saturday is the first Albany Craft Beer Festival at the Washington Ave Armory.

Music

In This Moment at The Palace
Metal. With: Motionless In White, Avatar, Gemini Syndrome. 7 pm -- $25 and up

Brit Floyd at Proctors
"The Brit Floyd show has truly become a phenomenon, widely regarded as the world's greatest live tribute to Pink Floyd." 7:30 pm -- $49.50 and up

David Gans at The Low Beat
Guitarist. With: The Deadbeats. 9:30 pm --