All Over Albany

Abelove recuses himself from investigation of police involved shooting, DEC Commissioner to EPA: dredging may not be finished, Red Cross moves Harvey training due to high volunteer rate

Harvey
+The Red Cross had to relocate a Glens Falls based training for Harvey volunteers to a larger location because the turnout was much higher than anticipated.
+The New York National Guard has been working to provide relief to Hurricane victims in Texas.
+Eric Schneiderman is warning New Yorkers who want to help fund Harvey relief efforts to beware of scams.
+New York has seen a hike in gas prices due to the effects of the storm. [Saratogian][News 10][TU][TU][Spectrum]

Abelove recuses himself from Troy police shooting case
Rensselaer County D.A. Joel Abelove has recused his office from the investigation of the August 15 police shooting of Dahmeek McDonald. Abelove said he determined that a conflict of interest made the move necessary and that he will request a special prosecutor take over the case. Mark Mishler, Dahmeek McDonald's attorney, released a statement praising the move but expressing concern that the Troy Police Department remains involved in the investigation. [Spectrum][Record]][WNYT]

Pair of deaths in Troy likely overdose
Troy police say they suspect the deaths of two men found in a South Troy home early Wednesday were due to drug overdose. [TU]

Overdose Awareness Day
A number of Capital Region groups are calling attention to the rising heroin and opioid abuse problem today as part of Opioid Awareness Day. [TU]

Dredging
DEC Commissioner Bill Seggos warned the U.S. EPA on Wednesday that G.E.'s dredging of the Hudson River should not be considered finished and said that New York has invested $2 million to gather water samples between Troy and Fort Edward for further testing. [TU]

Minorities in Albany workforce
Kathy Sheehan says minorities make up about 28 percent of the Albany city workforce, not 12 percent -- a figure cited in a debate earlier this week -- but admits that number is still low. [TU]

Churchill on Commisso's big ideas
Chris Churchill looks at Frank Commisso's ideas on turning 787 into a boulevard and getting mayoral control of Albany schools-- and shares thoughts on the values of technocrats and colorful idea leaders.[TU]

Foss: Rate hike too high
Sara Foss on the proposed double digit National Grid rate hike. [Gazette]

Center for immigrant students
Albany officially opened the Albany International Center at North Albany Academy-- a program aimed at helping immigrant students learn English. [TU]

DiSiena to close
After 70 years, Mechanicville's Di Siena furniture is closing its doors. [Gazette]

No vegetables and lots of chocolate
101 year old Sylvia Wasserman Alpert's secret to longevity. [TU]

Stuff going on today

The Track

It's the last week of the season at the Saratoga Race Course, which wraps up on Labor Day.

County fairs

County fair season wraps up this week with three fairs around the region:
+ Wednesday-Labor Day: The Fonda Fair at the Montgomery County Fairgrounds. It's the county fair for Fulton and Montgomery counties.
+ Wednesday-Labor Day: The Columbia County Fair at the fairgrounds in Chatham.
+ Wednesday-Labor Day: The Schaghticoke Fair at the fairgrounds in Schaghticoke. It's the county fair for Rensselaer County. This is the 198th year for Schaghticoke Fair -- it's said to be the 3rd oldest fair of its type in New York State.

Arts and sciences

Awkwafina
Thursday: The NYS Writers Institute visiting writers series opens its season with an appearance by rapper/comedian/actor Awkwafina. Nora Lum is a UAlbany grad and she'll be interviewed on stage by Steve Barnes, who was one of her instructors. Thursday 4:15 pm, UAlbany Performing Arts Center -- free

After
Thursday-Friday: EMPAC opens its fall season with a performances of Andrew Schneider's After. "Working over the past year in residence at EMPAC, Schneider developed the show's content in tandem with experiments in new theatrical technology. In an effort to create intimacy and take the audience to the edge of the human condition, AFTER incorporates projection mapping, lighting effects, and sound spatialization technology." Thursday-Friday 7:30 pm -- $18

Baseball

Thursday: The ValleyCats return to start a three-game series with Aberdeen at The Joe (it's 50-cent hot dog night). Thursday 7 pm -- $6 and up

Music

Thursday: Cully & The Chinchillas at The Low
With: Apostrophe S, Precedence, DJ Sato. 8 pm