All Over Albany

Incorrect report prompts scare at Colonie Center, Cuomo campaign collecting contributions from appointees, judge accused of stealing millions, the Power Breakfast Club

Scare at Colonie Center
An incident in the food court at Colonie Center late Sunday afternoon prompted word to circulate -- incorrectly -- in the mall that shots had been fired, leading people to take shelter or flee. Colonie police say there was no gun and no shots were fired during an argument between a customer and a clerk -- the man is alleged to have said he had a gun, apparently loud slaps on the kiosk had been interpreted as gunshots. CPD says the customer was arrested on charges that include criminal nuisance. [TU] [Daily Gazette] [WNYT] [Spectrum]

Guns
+ Saratoga County Sheriff Michael Zurlo says he's already been approached by three school districts about placing an armed officer in schools. [Saratogian]
+ Jim Tedisco is proposing a "Guardians For Schools" custom license plate to help fund armed officers and other security measures in schools. [TU]
+ Saratoga Springs mayor Meg Kelly says she's been talking with a church about conducting a gun buyback. [Daily Gazette]

Cuomo campaign cash
The New York Times reports that the Cuomo admin has "quietly reinterpreted" an executive order that bars most state appointees from donating to, or soliciting donations for, the campaign fund of the governor who made the appointment -- to the tune of $890k in contributions. [NYT]

Mechanicville murder gulity plea
On Friday Nikolai Mavashev of Halfmoon pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in the death of David Feliciano, the second such plea in the case. [Daily Gazette]

Judge and financial advisor accused of stealing millions
A Guilderland town justice is accused, along with a financial advisor, of stealing more than $4 million from family trusts set up by two deceased local philanthropists. Guilderland town offices say Richard J. Sherwood has been placed on leave pending the case. [Daily Gazette] [TU]

Trial related to Jay St fire
On Friday in the Jay Street fire trial, prosecutors focused on the training of inspector Kenneth Tyree and his track record inspecting other buildings -- the defense has argued Tyree was too inexperienced to be assigned a building like 104 Jay St. [TU] [Daily Gazette]

Percoco trial
The defense effort in the Joe Percoco trial is shaping up to be perhaps not be as robust as expected. [NYT]

Libraries
Local libraries say they're often overwhelmed with book donations. [Daily Gazette]

One Caroline
One Caroline Street in Saratoga Springs is closing Monday after almost 25 years in business. [Daily Gazette]

Power Breakfast Club
Spending some time with the Power Breakfast Club, a professional development and community support group in Troy for younger adults, many of them people of color. [TU]

Stuff going on today

Casablanca
Monday: The Palace's movie series is showing Casablanca. Monday 7 pm -- $5

Schenectady Restaurant Week
Monday-Sunday: It's restaurant week in Schenectady -- 26 restaurants around the city (and just beyond) will be offering multi-course meals for $25. As with any restaurant week, reservations are a good idea.

Racism and the Future
Monday: Albany Law's first James Campbell Matthews Black History Month Lecture will be from Anthony Paul Farley and it's titled "Racism and the Future." (James C. Matthews was the first African-American to graduate from Albany Law and the first African-American judge in New York State.) Monday 6 pm, Dean Alexander Moot Courtroom -- free

Memory and Monuments
Monday: The Tang Museum at Skidmore is hosting a discussion about memory, monuments, and public spaces with with artist and director of exhibitions at the Harvard Graduate School of Design Dan Borelli, painter and sculptor Titus Kaphar, and sculptor and installation artist Karyn Olivier. Monday 6 pm -- free