All Over Albany

Faso and Stefanik vote no on federal budget resolution, concerns about Sheridan Hollow microgrid project, shortage of substitute teachers, former brewery building sold

New York and the federal budget
John Faso and Elise Stefanik were among the 20 House Republicans who voted against the federal budget resolution that narrowly passed Thursday. Both cited the potential elimination of the tax deduction for state and local taxes as a reason for their "no" vote. (New York officials -- including Andrew Cuomo and Chuck Schumer -- have been pushing hard against this provision of the Republican tax plan.) [TU] [Daily Gazette]

Microgrid plant in Sheridan Hollow
The New York Power Authority says it will be doing a full environmental impact study on the proposed natural gas-fired cogeneration plant at the state's Sheridan Hollow steam facility that would be used to power a microgrid for ESP and other nearby facilities. The plan is meeting resistance from neighborhood and environmental activists worried about local pollution effects and the use of fossil fuels. Former regional EPA administrator Judith Enck says the use of natural gas for the plant is "a terrible mistake." [TU] [Politico NY]

Sex offender to stay confined
The man who tried to kidnap a Saratoga Springs High School cross country runner in 2005 -- and was set to be released from prison today -- will continue to be confined, the the state Corrections and Community Supervision announced Thursday. The state attorney general's office had filed Thursday morning for civil confinement for the man, and a state Supreme Court issued the order later in the day. [TU] [Daily Gazette]

Rensselaer County DA
+ Rensselaer County DA Joel Abelove is scheduled to testify before the grand jury reviewing his handling of the 2016 fatal police shooting in Troy. [TU]
+ The case against a man accused of criminal weapon possession was recently dismissed on speedy trial grounds after the Rensselaer County DA's office apparently couldn't find the man for arraignment -- even though a simple Google search would have indicated he was being held in NYC. [TU]

Marquis Dixon
Marquis Dixon -- the Albany teen who had been become the face of the "raise the age" push -- has been charged with criminal possession of a weapon for a gun allegedly found following an incident involving his mother earlier this year. [TU]

Renssealer drinking water
Officials say maintenance work on the pipeline from the Tomhannock Reservoir this year prompted levels of a contaminant in the city of Rensselaer's drinking water to rise above state and federal guidelines. [TU]

Substitute shortage
Capital Region school districts say they're facing a severe shortage of substitute teachers. [Daily Gazette]

SUNY's free course on sexual assault prevention
A sexual assault prevention course developed at UAlbany has been given away for free to more than 140 colleges and universities -- similar courses offered by private companies cost thousands of dollars. [TU]

Rensselaer County exec race
Democrat candidate Andrea Smyth has asked the state attorney general's office to look into the events leading up to a Grafton town justice stepping down, opening the way for Christopher Meyer to run for the post, which in turn allowed the Independence and Reform lines on the ballot for Republican candidate Steve McLaughlin. [TU]

Saratoga Springs mayor race
The race for Saratoga Springs mayor: parking garages and affordable housing. [TU]

Niskayuna supervisor race
A short overview of the race for Niskayuna supervisor. [TU]

Capital Region cities
The Capital Region's REDC has been focusing its pitch for state money on projects in the region's cities. [Politico NY]

Starlite redev
The Galesi Group and Ayco are asking for almost $7 million in tax breaks for the financial services company's proposed new offices at the redeveloped Starlite site in Colonie. [Biz Review]

Warehouse District
The huge former brewery building on Erie Boulevard in Albany's Warehouse District has been sold to U-Haul, which plans to use it for self-storage and other services (map). [Biz Review]