All Over Albany

ZBA decision opens way for Saratoga Code Blue shelter, taxi owners criticized proposed Capital Region taxi system, Playdium redevelopment seeking tax breaks

Saratoga Springs Code Blue shelter
The Saratoga Springs zoning board of appeals voted Monday that the city's proposed new Code Blue shelter can be designated a neighborhood rooming house, opening the way for the project to be built on Walworth Street. An attorney for neighborhood opponents of the proposed shelter site say they're considering whether to challenge the decision in court. The director of the shelter says its been housing 41 people a night for more than four weeks during the recent cold at its current location on Henry Street. [Daily Gazette] [TU] [WNYT]

Malta Gardens water problems
Residents of Malta Gardens showed up at the Malta Town Hall Monday to focus attention on the fact they've been without consistent water service for a week -- a problem that management now says might be extend beyond a water main break. [Spectrum]

Troy quadruple homicide
With the Troy quadruple homicide case already involving procedural maneuvering on the part of the prosecution and "suspicions of a possibly improper police interrogation," Rob Gavin asks whether the Rensselaer County DA's office should have more closely monitored interrogations of the two suspects. [TU]

Common taxi system
Reps from taxi companies were at the Schenectady City Council Monday to raise concerns about the common Capital Region taxi system ordinance that CDTA is organizing. [Daily Gazette]

Child Victims Act
Chris Churchill points out that the Child Victims Act -- which would eliminate the statute of limitations on sexual abuse crimes against children -- still hasn't made it through the state Senate, and wonders if Andrew Cuomo will make a stronger push for it this year. [TU]

Gubernatorial race
Sara Foss on the apparent lack of formidable challengers to Andrew Cuomo for governor: "If there's one thing Cuomo 2018 has going for it right now, it's an air of inevitability -- that he is too powerful and has too much money in his campaign war chest to be defeated." [Daily Gazette]

Albany County Legislature
Democrat Andrew Joyce was elected to be the new chair of the Albany County Legislature Monday -- a position his father, Harold, also once held. [TU]

Cohoes riverfront development
An interesting bit from Morse administration's push for a new Cohoes fire boat: almost 10 percent of the city's housing units are along one of its riverfronts now. [TU]

Remsen Street fire
The U.S. Small Business Administration is offering low-interest disaster loans to businesses and residents affected by the massive Remsen Street fire in Cohoes. [Troy Record]

The planning board and the bible
The opening line of Kathleen Moore's story about filling a vacancy on the South Glens Fall planning board: "Citing the Bible, the village Planning Board chairman wants Mayor Harry Gutheil to consider appointing a man to the vacancy on the Planning Board." [Post-Star]

Playdium redevelopment
The developers proposing to redevelopment the Playdium site in Albany with new apartment buildings are seeking $7.73 million in tax breaks from the Albany IDA. [Biz Review]

First Prize Center
The development company that floated the plan to redevelop the First Prize Center site on the Albany/Colonie border says that demolition could start this year -- if there's public assistance for the project. [Biz Review]

Albany Leadership Charter High School
Albany Leadership Charter High School has become a popular choice for immigrants learning English. [TU]

A new, cold home
Talking with refugees in the Capital Region about adapting to the cold winter. [TU]

"She had Schenectady in her heart and Schenectady's best interest in mind."
Remembering Esther Swanker, who volunteered with many Schenectady orgs -- she died last week at age 90. [Daily Gazette]

Stuff going on today

Stories
Tuesday: The Front Parlor storytelling series is back at The Ale House in Troy. This month's theme is "passion." Tuesday 7:30 pm