All Over Albany

Guilty plea in fatal Albany hit-and-run, concerns about flooding, South End residents question air quality study, weather prompting produce shortages

Guilty plea in fatal Washington Park hit-and-run
Jose Martinez -- accused of hitting Rajine Martinez while she was in a road in Washington Park last year, and then leaving the scene -- pleaded guilty Thursday to one count of Leaving the Scene of an Incident Which Results in Death Without Reporting. He faces 2-6 years in prison at sentencing. [TU] [Albany County DA]

Sentencing in Hadley murder
Michael C. Norton -- the Hadley man who pleaded guilty to second-degree murder for hitting his wife, Sherry Norton, with an axe last May -- was sentenced to 20 years to life in prison. [TU]

Jeff Klein sexual harassment allegation
Jeff Klein has formally asked the state's Joint Commission on Public Ethics to investigate the allegation that he forcibly kissed a staffer outside a Lark Street bar in 2015. The head of the state Senate's Independent Democratic Conference stated in his letter to JCOPE, "The alleged incident did not happen, period." The request to JCOPE came after Senate Majority Leader John Flanagan said the case didn't fall under the jurisdiction of the Senate's ethics committee. [Politico NY] [TU] [Politico NY]

Potential flooding
The combination of ice build up in the Mohawk River and today's rain has people along the river watching for flooding. [TU] [News10]

Shawn Morse
Shawn Morse said Thursday that it was phone calls and texts to his cousin, not Facebook messages, that prompted the complaint and arrest of a vocal critic of the Cohoes mayor -- a bit that doesn't appear in the complaint filed by city police. Morse also posted a Facebook message Thursday asking for forgiveness if he'd caused embarrassment to the city. [TU x2]

Rensselaer landfill
A group of Rensselaer residents are pushing for the closure of a landfill along Partition Street, citing impacts on a nearby school and cemetery. The city gets $1 million a year in revenue from the landfill. [WNYT] [TU]

South End air quality
Residents of Albany's South End aren't happy with air quality study results from the state Department of Environmental Conservation indicating that levels of vehicle-related pollutants were below limits set by the federal EPA. [The Alt]

Malta Gardens water problems
The operators of Malta Gardens say they're still working on restoring full water service -- and and they were also dealing with a heating oil spill this week. [TU] [WNYT]

Fossil fuels and the state pension fund
State comptroller Tom DiNapoli on Andrew Cuomo's call for the state pension fund to divest from fossil fuel investments: "We believe climate change is real, climate risk is an issue that the pension fund should deal with. We have been dealing with it. But just divesting I don't think is going to put any of these companies out of business." [TU]

Saratoga County Republican chair to Trump admin
Saratoga County Republican committee chair Steve Bulger has been appointed to a job with the federal Small Business Administration. [TU]

Troy development
The United Group says it wants to move ahead with the City Station North project on Sixth Ave, which would include offices, apartments, and a parking garage. [Biz Review]

Bare produce displays
Both Hannaford and Price Chopper/Market 32 say recent weather has prompted delays and shortages of produce. [TU]