All Over Albany

Cardi B booted by Albany hotel, congestion concerns in Colonie, ethics climate at Capitol "really is not good," work begins on River Street building conversion

Cardi B
Following her show at the TU Center Saturday, Cardi B and her associates were booted from the Hilton Albany after alleged complaints about noise and the odor of marijuana. The rapper said on Instagram that no one in her group was smoking, and attributed their removal to racism (she's since removed videos about the incident). Albany police say they could smell marijuana in the hotel, but there was no evidence it came from rooms connected to Cardi B and the decision to have her group removed was the decision of the hotel. [News10] [TMZ] [TU] [Spectrum]

Constitutional convention
Surveying the various perspectives on whether voters should vote yes or no on whether to have a state constitutional convention, and the "pretty strange bedfellows" created by the topic. [Daily Gazette x2]

Colonie supervisor election
+ An overview of the issues in the race for Colonie supervisor, in which incumbent Democrat Paula Mahan is facing Republican Albany County legislator Frank Mauriello. [TU]
+ Chris Churchill on the traffic, congestion, and development pressures that are the forefront of frustrations in the Capital Region's second most populous municipality. [TU]

Hudson River dredging
Members of Congress representing the Hudson Valley -- including Kirsten Gillibrand and Paul Tonko -- are pushing the EPA to call for additional work on the PCB dredging project. [TU]

Ethics at the state Capitol
The former head of the recently-created Assembly Office of Ethics and Compliance, who left in frustration, tells the Times Union that the office was a "waste of money" and the ethical climate the Capitol is "really is not good." [TU]

Big nano job
A profile of ace state government "fix-it man" Bob Megna and what appears to be his next job: SUNY Poly. [TU]

Stefanik challengers
There are now seven Democrats in the pool to challenge Elise Stefanik for the 21st Congressional District. [TU]

Fatal crash in Saratoga County
The Saratoga County Sheriff's Department says it's investigating the one-car crash that killed two 19 year olds in Milton early Sunday morning. [Spectrum]

Troy vacant home fire
The Troy Fire Department says state and federal investigators are helping investigate a fire at a vacant home Sunday morning. [WNYT]

Colonie hoax call
Colonie police say the large emergency response to an apartment complex Friday night was the result of a called-in hoax that reported a shooting and hostage situation. [News10]

NXIVM
There's yet to be evidence that the alleged experiments being conducted by a NXIVM-connected doctor in Halfmoon included typical measures for ethics oversight. [TU]

Municipal budgets
+ The proposed Rensselaer County budget includes no change in the property tax rate. [TU]
+ The proposed Guilderland town budget includes no change in the property tax rate. [TU]

Troy parking
The city of Troy is planning to issue a request for proposals for outside firms to help it manage parking downtown. [Bix Review]

Schenectady school board terms
Up for discussion: Whether Schenectady school board terms should be longer than three years. (Because New York: By state law, they have to be either three or five years. To make them four years would required the state legislature to sign off on the change.) [Daily Gazette]

Amazon
Sara Foss on the Amazon headquarters competition "The costs -- whatever they are -- will be too high, and will transform the area into something very different: a company town beholden to a massive corporation that will drive up housing prices, create traffic headaches and significantly alter the local landscape." [Daily Gazette]

444 River Street
Work has started on the residential conversion of the building at 444 River Street in downtown Troy. [Troy Record]

Stuff going on today

Rocky Horror
Monday: The Palace will be screening The Rocky Horror Picture Show with live shadow cast The Kids of Albany. Monday 7 pm -- $7

(The Linda is also showing Rocky Horror this Friday with live shadow cast The Whip It Outskirts.)

Amelie
Monday: Proctors is showing Amelie in the GE Theater. Monday various times -- $5

Music Death From Above at Upstate Concert Hall
Punk. With: The Beaches. 8 pm -- $27.50 ahead / $30.50 day of