All Over Albany

Mero sentenced for double murder, Testimony from Jay Street fire survivor, Anti-KKK rally planned today in Saratoga, lock of Washington's hair found at Union College

Jay street fire
A Schenectady County jury heard a tale of a narrow escape from a survivor of the 2015 Jay Street fire who leapt from a fifth floor apartment to escape the blaze. [Gazette]

Mero sentenced
Edward Mero was sentenced on Tuesday to 50 years to life for the murders of two woman whose deaths he tried to cover up in a Coeymans fire. [TU]

Percoco trial
Todd Howe was back on the witness stand Tuesday, following a weekend in jail after admitting to an act of fraud on the witness stand last week. Howe told prosecutors "I'm in a boatload of trouble." [TU][NYT]

Anti KKK rally
Saratoga Springs will hold an anti-KKK rally outside the city's post office on Broadway tonight, in response to the recent KKK recruitment flyers left around the city earlier this week. [Saratogian]

Brighter Choices
Brighter Choice charter school has won approval from state education officials to operate for another three years, but officials sighted several areas where the school will need to improve. [TU]

Fire on railroad track
A railroad vehicle caught fire early Wednesday morning on the tracks near the Green Street railway overpass in Schenectady. [Gazette]

Diesel train
A Saratoga & North Creek Railway diesel train being used to move snow from the tracks in Johnsburg, derailed last week and was left off the tracks with its motor running for nearly a week while the company tried to right it, in an effort to keep the engine from freezing.[Post Star]

$12 million in tax breaks
The Galesi Group is seeking nearly $12 million in brownfield tax credits for environmental cleanup at the Hudson Harbor site. [Gazette]

School delays due to Flu
Scotia-Glenville School District families were are being warned to expect school bus delays this week after a flu outbreak among the district's bus drivers. [Gazette]

Albany police union
Albany's police union, which is currently without a contract, is disputing Kathy Sheehan's statement that her administration has "settled every union contract."[TU]

Shots in Troy
Police are investigating a report of shots fired near Northern Drive in Troy on Tuesday evening. No injuries were reported. [Record]

Flanagan endorses DeFrancisco
State Senate Majority Leader John Flanagan has officially endorsed John DeFrancisco's campaign for Governor. [WNYT]

Sanctuary Cities
Chuck Schumer and Mitch McConnell battled on Tuesday over McConnell's effort to begin the debate over legal status for Dreamers by discussing sanctuary cities. [TU]

Senate aide arraigned
An aide to State Senator Bill Larkin was arraigned on charges stemming from a domestic violence case. [TU]

Opioid addiction treatment
New York has awarded $4 million to develop 10 round the clock centers to battle heroin addiction -- one in Albany County. [Spectrum]

Arsenal order
The Watervliet Arsenal is working on a $50 million order for howitzer cannon systems for India.[TU]

Espey revenue
Espey, a defense and industrial electronics supplier based in Saratoga Springs, says its earnings are way up -- nearly doubling in its second quarter from the same period in 2016. [TU]

Primary day moved
The state legislature has voted to move Primary Day from September 11 to September 13 in observance of Rosh Hashana. [Saratogian]

Deadline for special election
Thursday is the deadline for both parties to have candidates in place for the special election in the 107th Assembly District. [TU]

The Bee
The winner of the Capital Region Spelling Bee. [TU]

Washington's Locks
A lock of George Washington's hair, was discovered by an archivist during an inventory at Union College.

Phantogram in Pyeongchang
Sarah Barthel -- half of Phantogram -- is in Pyeongchang. [Gazette]

Stuff going on today

Stage

Paris Time
Today-Sunday: This is the last week for The Rep's production of Paris Time. The production runs through February 18. Tuesday-Sunday various times -- $20 and up

Film

Oscar-nominated shorts
Both the Spectrum and The Addy at Proctors are showing the Oscar-nominated shorts -- live action and animated -- this week.

Ice skating

We're starting to run out of winter (probably), so there's not a lot of days left at some of the ice skating spots around the Capital Region.

Valentine's Day

It's today. Make someone a card or a macaroni necklace like you used to.

Music

Wednesday: Ashanti at Albany Capital Center
"This Valentines Day Albany Capital Center transforms into a Valentines Experience never before seen in Albany." 7 pm -- $40 and up

Wednesday: Steve Aoki at Upstate Concert Hall
With: Desiigner, Grand Theft, Quix, Max Styler, Samahta, Bok Nero. 8 pm -- $44 ahead / $49 day of

Wednesday: Hippo Campus at Lucky Strike
Indie rock. With: Aces. 8 pm -- $18 and up

Wednesday: Yes Darling at Caffe Lena
Ryan Montbleau and Hayley Jane. 7 pm -- $28