All Over Albany

Eye on potential flooding, mother charged following Troy fire, pressure on school budgets, together for 75 years

Ice jams and potential flooding
The rapidly warming weather this week is prompting concerns about potential flooding along the Mohawk River as ice jams thaw and move downstream. Meteorologists say it's hard to predict how the 17-mile-long ice jam in the Mohawk affect things. [Daily Gazette] [TU]

Mother charged following Troy fire
Troy fire officials say it looks like the house fire on 4th Ave was caused by kids playing with matches or a lighter. The mother of the three children is alleged to have left them alone in the apartment and she's facing misdemeanor child endangerment charges. A passerby and neighbors came to the aid of the kids. [Troy Record] [TU] [WNYT]

Guns and schools
+ One of the recent trends in school design being incorporated by Schenectady and other local districts: "secure vestibules" -- basically two sets of locked doors at school entrances. [Daily Gazette]
+ Talking with local high school students about the national student walkout against school gun violence planned for March 14. [Daily Gazette]

Fatal crash
State Police say a teen from Long Island crashed on the Northway in Colonie early Saturday morning after he fell asleep at the wheel. NYSP say the teen later died of his injuries. [NYSP]

Acquittal in Albany doctor's office robbery
A look at how the man accused of pistol whipping an ophthalmologist at his office in Albany was acquitted after the judge ruled the prosecution failed to prove the police had probable cause when they arrested him down the street from the office. [TU]

Jail healthcare
The medical contractor blamed for mishandling a case in which a man died at the Schenectady County jail -- and mishandling cases at other jails -- is still providing services there, though Sheriff Dominic Dagostino says he's been asking the county since last year explore other options. [TU]

State aid for Albany
Albany's request for a renewal of $12.5 million in state aid was not included in the Cuomo admin's 30-day budget amendments. (It wasn't last year, either, and the city still ended up with the money.) [TU]

Kirsten Gillibrand
New York Democrats have formally nominated Kirsten Gillibrand for re-election to Senate. Gillibrand said at the event in Albany that she plans to serve the full term if elected. [Spectrum] [Politico NY]

NY-21
It's looking like MSNBC host Dylan Ratigan -- a Saranac Lake native and Union College grad -- will jump into the pool to challenge Elise Stefanik as a Democrat. [Daily Gazette]

Lt. governor challenger
NYC councilman Jumaane Williams has announced he'll challenge incumbent lieutenant governor Kathy Hochul for the Democratic line. [TU]

School district budget strain
A look at how rapidly rising healthcare and pension costs have been straining local school district budgets. [Daily Gazette]

Lansingburgh development
The family that owns Standard Manufacturing Co. says it's looking at the possibility of converting at least some of its large factory building in Lansingburgh into apartments. [TU]

What goes in, goes out
Researchers from Columbia University report tests of the Hudson indicate the presence of caffeine, artificial sweeteners, and a whole range of medications. [TU]

Biking to work
Talking with the Niskayuna man who figures he's biked to work every workday day for the last two years. [Daily Gazette]

Thomas Keegan
Remembering longtime Albany judge Thomas Keegan, who once remarked on being judge: "You have to know you're not the sharpest knife in the drawer." [TU]

"Respect one another and don't kill each other"
Talking with the Albany couple who's been married for 75 years. [TU]

Stuff going on today

Brainfood for the Curious
Tuesday: The Brainfood for the Curious series of short lunchtime talks at the State Museum continues with ecologist Denise Mayer talking about freshwater mussels in New York. Tuesday 12:10-12:30 pm, Huxley Theater -- free

Les Misérables
Tuesday-Sunday: A touring production of Les Misérables is at Proctors. "With its glorious new staging and dazzlingly reimagined scenery inspired by the paintings of Victor Hugo, this breathtaking new production has left both audiences and critics awestruck ..." Tuesday-Sunday various times -- $30 and up

Nitty Gritty
Tuesday: The Nitty Gritty poetry series is back at The Low Beat. Tuesday 7 pm

Music: Marc Cohn at Massry Center
Rescheduled from last October. 8 pm -- $35 / $10 students