Madden: New leadership and training for Troy police soon, New York hit with $14 million penalty over highway signs, Republican challenger for Kirsten Gillibrand

Troy Police Department
+ A grand jury has handed up a second indictment in the case of an alleged illegal search, and cover up, by the Troy Police Department's drug unit -- it's scheduled to be opened Friday afternoon. [TU]
+ Mayor Patrick Madden says there will be new leadership of the police department by the end of February and it will be training to improve its interaction with the community. Said Madden in his state of the city address: "Policing isn't just about capturing and handcuffing people, it's about working with individuals in the community." [TU] [WNYT]

Schenectady County jail guard discipline
"People familiar with the situation" tell the Times Union that a Schenectady County jail guard is facing a range of sanctions, including early retirement, for allegedly sexually harassing several women on the jail's medical staff -- but he'll be allowed to stay on the job for another 20 months. [TU]

Percoco trial
A Competitive Power Ventures exec testifying Thursday about an arrangement to pay Joe Percoco's wife for "educational consulting services": "When the first answer out of somebody's mouth to a pretty basic question is 'there is nothing illegal about it,' it raises a red flag in my mind." [TU]

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Guilty plea Poestenkill Gorge attempted kidnapping
A Troy man pleaded guilty to trying to kidnap a woman while she another woman were hiking near the Poestenkill Gorge. He faces seven years in prison at sentencing. [TU]

Troy raids
Troy police say they and other agencies executed search warrants at seven properties Thursday night as part of a drug and gun investigation. [TU]

FBI search in Saratoga Springs
FBI agents removed boxes and computers from a home/office in Saratoga Springs Thursday. [WNYT] [Daily Gazette]

Burned cat
Albany police are investigating a case in which it appears someone burned a cat and left it on the ice at 6 Mile Waterworks. [News10]

Fight with feds over highway signs
The federal government is hitting New York State with a $14 million penalty for those "I Love NY" signs because the feds say they're non-compliant -- the state has until the end of September to remove them or reach a compromise. [Democrat & Chronicle] [Daily Gazette]

Republican challenger for Gillibrand
Republican Chele Chiavacci Farley has formally announced she's running for the Senate seat held by Kirsten Gillibrand. Among her criticisms of the incumbent: The recently-passed Republican tax plan penalizes New York, "a clear example of how Kirsten Gillibrand's ineffectiveness is impacting all of us." (Gillibrand is, of course, a Democrat who voted against the plan.) [Politico NY] [TU]

NY-21
A survey of the current field of challengers to Elise Stefanik for the 21st Congressional District -- and how much campaign cash they have. [Daily Gazette]

Gun laws
The New York State Rifle & Pistol Association has filed a federal lawsuit challenging the restrictiveness of New York's concealed-carry laws. [TU]

CDTA
CDTA is asking the state for a 10-percent increase in its operating assistance. [TU]

Albany County and sales taxes
How a late-year shopping surge helped Albany County meet its sales tax targets -- and a look at the future uncertainty because of online shopping. [TU]

Saratoga Springs state of the city
New Saratoga Springs mayor Meg Kelly included the city's commissioners in her state of the city address this year. [Daily Gazette]

RPI, Shirley Ann Jackson, and alumni
A bunch of thoughts from RPI alumni about the recent letter alleging that racism and sexism are behind alumni's criticism of the administration of Shirley Ann Jackson. [@bethanybump]

Siri royalties
Come for the juicy bit about how much an RPI professor appears to have received over a disputed patent related to Apple's Siri, stay for the look at the world of law firms that challenge patents and how universities split the proceeds from inventions with their professors. [TU]

The Green Book
A little bit about the history of The Negro Travelers' Green Book and the Capital Region. [News10] Earlier: In search of a vacation without aggravation

New Daily Gazette editor
Miles Reed has been named as the successor to Judy Patrick as editor of the Daily Gazette. [Daily Gazette]

Tucker West
A profile of former Union student Tucker West, who's competing in the luge at the Olympics. [TU]

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