All Over Albany

Shen land sale passes, Rotterdam police search for bank robber, 3 absentee ballots will decide Troy race, state of emergency lifted in Cohoes

Shen land vote
Voters overwhelmingly approved the $1.1 million deal for the Shenedehowa School District to sell 37-acres of undeveloped forest and wetlands to the town of Clifton Park.[TU][Gazette]

Mero murder trial
Employees of the Albany water department testified Tuesday that former employee Ted Mero, on trial for the Arcadia Avenue fire that killed 23 year old Megan Cunningham, boasted a few weeks before the blaze that he could burn a house down without getting caught. [TU]

Rotterdam bank robber
Police in Rotterdam are searching for the man who robbed the Altamont Avenue branch of the Pioneer Savings Bank on Tuesday afternoon. [WNYT]

Cohoes fire
+Mayor Shawn Morse has lifted the state of emergency in Downtown cohoes following a fire that destroyed 30 buildings and displaced 20 people.
+The Remsen Street Fire in Cohoes last week burned so hot that it melted tires, electric system and hydraulic lines of the Watervliet-Green Island aerial ladder truck.
+The annual Cohoes Winterfest this Saturday will help raise funds for the more than 20 people displaced by the fire that destroyed more than 30 buildings in the city.
[TU][TU][Record]

Inmate who stole keys
The Schenectady County jail inmate that caused a three day lockdown at the facility last week when he stole a set of keys from a guard is facing felony charges in connection with the incident. [TU]

Three absentee ballots
An Acting State Supreme Court justice ruled Tuesday that three Republican ballots that will determine the outcome of Troy's 2nd District City Council race should be opened and counted. [TU]

Tax overhaul and NY homeowners
How the federal tax overhaul will affect New York's housing market. [TU]

Rensselaer County budget
Rensselaer County legislators passed a $340 million budget this week that increases spending by 1.2 percent but keeps property taxes stable. [Record]

Fire at Operation Adopt a Soldier
A fire at a Wilton storage building over the weekend destroyed equipment used to raise funds for Operation Adopt a Soldier. [Spectrum]

Studies on nursing homes in minority neighborhoods
Two recent SUNY research studies found that nursing homes in minority neighborhoods with more low-income patients have notably lower quality and more fiscal stress. [TU]

Schenectady bike plan
Schenectady's City Council is considering a bicycle master plan to expand access and add bike lanes.[Gazette]

Give back day
About 100 Shen freshman stayed after school o scrub lockers, decorate and write thank-you notes to teachers as part of the schools Give Back Day tradition. [Gazette]

Schumer vs. the Grinch bots
Chuck Schumer is joining consumer groups in an effort to get retailers to stop the use of bots that buy up popular Christmas toys and resell them at huge markups. [TU]

Stuff going on today

Stage

Finding Neverland
Today-Sunday: A touring production of the Broadway show Finding Neverland will be at Proctors. It's an adaptation of the film of the same name, about Peter Pan author J.M. Barrie. Tuesday-Sunday various times -- $20 and up

She Loves Me
Today-Sunday: Capital Rep continues its production of She Loves Me. "This confection of a musical is based on the timeless story by Miklos Laszlo that also served as inspiration for the classic film The Shop Around the Corner and more recently You've Got Mail." Tuesday-Sunday various times -- $25 and up

Moscow Ballet's Great Russian Nutcracker
Wednesday: The Moscow Ballet's Great Russian Nutcracker is at The Palace. "Marking the 25th Anniversary Tour, Moscow Ballet's Great Russian Nutcracker features over-the-top production and world class Russian artists. Larger than life Puppets, Nesting Dolls and gloriously hand-crafted costumes bring the Christmas spirit to life." 7 pm -- $31 and up

Hoops

Wednesday: The UAlbany men's basketball team faces Bryant at SEFCU Arena. Wednesday 7 pm -- $8 and up

Startups

Wednesday: The Startup Tech Valley series is back at Revolution Hall. Presenting companies this month are focused on food review, books, energy, and mobile. Bring an unwrapped toy for Toys for Tots and get a free drink ticket. Wednesday 5:30 pm -- free (registration required)

Music

Wednesday: The Regrettes at The Low Beat
Garage rock with attitude. With: Mystery Girl. 6 pm -- $10

Wednesday: Wage War at Upstate Concert Hall
Metalcore. With: Oceans Ate Alaska, Gideon, Varials, Loathe. 6:30 pm -- $15 ahead / $17 day of

Wednesday: Jim Brickman at Troy Music Hall
"A Joyful Christmas." 7:30 pm -- $25 and up