All Over Albany

Local reaction to the SOTU, DeFrancisco announces run for governor, judge questions charges against Morse critic, robbery suspect stopped for pizza

SOTU
Some local reactions to Donald Trump's State of the Union Address on Tuesday.[WNYT][Gazette]

DeFrancisco gubernatorial run
State Senator John DeFrancisco officially announced his candidacy for governor on Tuesday. The Republic Deputy Majority Leader said in his announcement that "the only way to bring prompt, fundamental change is only from the top in the governor's office"[NYT][Spectrum]

EPA on Hudson cleanup
The EPA will continue to study the effectiveness of GE's dredging of the Hudson River before deciding to issue a certificate of completion to the company. [Spectrum]

Percoco

Tuesday in the trial of Joe Percoco

+A former top aide to Andrew Cuomo testified that Percoco went on a profanity laced tirade when pressed to invite a pair of Syracuse businessmen in a "Capital for a Day" event.[Spectrum]

+Testimony that Percoco tried to keep Cuomo aides from leaving and threatened to keep them from getting new jobs. [TU]

Senate sexual harassment policy
The NYS Senate has revamped its decades old sexual harassment policy including the addition of a warning for reporting a false complaint. [NYT]

FBI back in Halfmoon
The FBI is conducting yet another probe of Halfmoon's town government, this time over business dealings between town officials and a developer. [TU]

Robbery suspect stopped for pizza
Rotterdam police picked up the man who allegedly robbed a Cricket Wireless store at knifepoint on Tuesday, after he grabbed a slice of pizza at a nearby shop, then hopped a cab for a getaway. [TU]

Judge questions charges against Morse critic
The judge assigned to the case of a Cohoes man critical of Shawn Morse, who was jailed over alleged harassing Facebook Messenger texts to a relative of the Mayor, denied a request for an order of protection saying there was a lack of sufficient evidence. [TU]

Special Election
Andrew Cuomo is planning to call an April 24th special election to fill 11 vacant seats in the state legislature.
including a Westchester County seat that could be the key to flipping the senate for democrats. [Daily News][NYT]

Sexual harassment arbitration
Andrew Cuomo's budget proposal includes a plan to end arbitration clauses that in employer contracts, that would force victims to go through arbitration rather than file a lawsuit. [TU]

Schenectady train station
Construction is underway on the new Schenectady train station. [TU]

Mechanicville mayor faces harassment allegations
The mayor of Mechanicville is facing charges for allegedly harassing several members of the city and city employees. [Gazette]

Top earners in Saratoga Springs
Saratoga's top earners were members of the city Police Department. [Gazette]

Money in Albany elections
A look at the high price of running for office.[TU]

Ballston Spa Dry Cleaning site
After testing samples, the EPA has announced that the site of the former Rickett's Dry Cleaning facility in Ballston Spa has not been affected by vapor from dry cleaning chemicals. [TU]

Horse show homeless
A Saratoga horse show that helped fund local charities has been forced out of its home on Yaddo owned property adjacent to the Saratoga Race Course. [WNYT]

Scoring leader
A Glens Falls junior scored 44 points on Tuesday, making him New York's all-time high school boys basketball scoring leader. [WNYT]

Stuff going on today

Stage

Paris Time
Today-Sunday: The Rep opens its world premiere production of Paris Time (it was in previews this past weekend):

A gripping and sophisticated drama that looks behind the headlines at anti-semitism in today's France. When Deborah, the wife of a successful American executive based in Paris, becomes an activist defending a young Jewish Frenchwoman, Charles gets caught in the corporate hot seat. Company policy demands him to withdraw from the political limelight or lose his career, but if he won't get involved, he may lose his marriage.

The production runs through February 18. Tuesday-Sunday various times -- $20 and up

The Bodyguard
Today-Sunday: A touring production of the stage version of The Bodyguard is at Proctors. Deborah Cox plays the lead (Whitney Houston) role. Tuesday-Sunday various times -- $20 and up

A Celebration of William Kennedy's 90th Birthday
Wednesday: Albany City Hall is hosting a celebration of William Kennedy's 90th birthday and the 35th anniversary of the NYS Writers Institute, of which he is the founder. There will be a ceremony honoring Kennedy and he'll then give a talk. Wednesday 7 pm -- free

Ice skating

Depending on how the weather shakes out, there could be chances to ice skate this week. (And February starts this week, so there's not a ton of time left for outdoor rinks.) Here are a bunch of ice skating spots around the area.

Music

Wednesday: Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit at The Palace
Alt-country. With: James McMurtry. 8 pm -- $32.50 and up

Wednesday: Turkuaz at Cohoes Music Hall
"Turkuaz is a rock band at its core that blends soulful sounds with potent funk grooves." 8 pm -- $21

Wednesday: Hamell on Trial at The Low Beat
Last night of January residency. 7 pm