All Over Albany

Preparing for Primary Day, push to reduce grace period for clearing snowy sidewalks, rising tide for Castleton?

Primary Day
Primary Day is Tuesday:
+ An overview of key races around the Capital Region, many of them in the city of Albany. [TU]
+ Kathy Sheehan continues to have a relatively large lead in the Albany Democratic primary for mayor, according to a new Spectrum/Siena poll. [Spectrum] [SRI]
+ A look at where the Albany mayoral candidates stand on the future of the city landfill, which is projected to close in early 2023. [TU]
+ An overview of the seven people running for three Albany city judge seats. [TU]
+ A look at the primaries in Schenectady County. [Daily Gazette]

Don't know what's on the ballot Tuesday for where you live -- or where to vote? Check with your county board of election website.

Steve McLaughlin
Another turn in the recent drama surrounding state Assemblyman/Rensselaer County exec candidate Steve McLaughlin and a staffer. [TU]

Justice Center
The state's Justice Center for the Protection of People with Special Needs has had another of its cases -- this one in Albany -- dismissed after a judge ruled the agency doesn't have the power to pursue prosecution of the case.

Loopholes
Peering through a loophole in state law that allows state lawmakers to use campaign money to fund legal defense expenses -- and not disclose it until years later. [TU]

Schenectady arson charge
A woman has been charged with one count arson for an apartment fire in Schenectady last year -- prosecutors allege she set it intentionally to collect on insurance. [Daily Gazette]

Rotterdam slap case
The man accused of slapping a teen in a Rotterdam convenience store pleaded guilty to a disorderly conduct violation last week and agreed to 50 hours of community service and an anger management course. [Daily Gazette]

Glenville budget
Glenville supervisor Chris Koetzle says the town's budget will be "unsustainable" without a change to the Schenectady County sales tax distribution formula because of an increase in health care costs. [Daily Gazette]

North Greenbush supervisor
The owner of Moscatiello's is suing North Greenbush supervisor Lou Desso, alleging he's still owned more than $5,000 for a campaign fundraiser held at the restaurant in 2015. [TU]

Watervliet City Council
Among the debates among candidates for the Watervliet City Council: Whether members should donate their council salaries and serve for free. [Troy Record]

Albany snowy sidewalks
A Common Council member has proposed removing the extra 24 hours the city gives property owners to clear snow from sidewalks following a complaint. (Current city law requires sidewalks cleared within 24 hours of the end of a snowfall.) [TU]

Contingent faculty
Siena's unionized visiting and adjunct professors have agreed to a contract with the college that will increase per-course pay and includes more job security. [TU]

Pride Center
A group rallied in Albany's Dana Park Saturday to call for new leadership of the Pride Center of the Capital Region. Members said an article posted on the org's Facebook page has prompted concerns about the Pride Center executive director attitudes toward transgender women. The president of the org's board say it continues to support the director. [Spectrum] [WNYT] [TU]

SCCC
Overall new enrollment is up at SCCC this term, but enrollment in the college's casino management program is way down. [Daily Gazette]

Capital Rep
Capital Rep has completed purchase of the former electrical contracting building at the corner of North Pearl and Livingston Ave for $350k. The theater company is planning to use the building for production space, but Philip Morris said it's possible it could be used as a theater in the future. [Biz Review] [TU]

Smart grid
A look at the $1 billion "smart" grid project involving the Gilboa-Blenheim electrical facility in Schoharie County -- the hydroelectric plant basically serves as a giant battery for the state's electrical grid. [TU]

Castleton
Chris Churchill says things are looking up in Castleton-on-Hudson, the tiny village along the Hudson River. [TU]

Boyhaven
Bidding farewell to Boyhaven, the Boy Scout camp in Milton, which is being sold. [Daily Gazette]

Stuff going on today

Troy Restaurant and Craft Beer Week
Monday-Sunday: It's Troy Restaurant and Craft Beer Week. Restaurants around downtown Troy will be offering specials and there will be beer-focused events at many places.