All Over Albany

Spotlight on code enforcement staffing and training, Quackenbush Center developer says project being reformulated, boldly going to Ticonderoga

Building and codes inspectors
Lauren Stanforth in a large Times Union review of local building and codes inspection operations: "Code enforcement offices in local governments throughout the Capital Region are beset with low-paid workers, inspectors who face conflicts of interest and weakened state oversight of training and certification." [TU]

Drug addiction
+ A profile of the Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion program -- LEAD -- which aims to divert people with addiction and mental health issues away from the criminal justice system. The city of Albany was an early adopter of the program and former police chief Brendan Cox is now part of the national org. [TU]
+ Local law enforcement agencies say they've seen an uptick in the number of people driving under the influence of opiates -- or even passed out at the wheel. [Daily Gazette]

SUNY Poly
A former GlobalFoundries CEO (and RPI grad) has been picked by SUNY to head up SUNY Poly's research operations and economic development projects as part of a new org called NY CREATES. [TU]

Quackenbush Center
The developer of the proposed mixed-use project next to Quackenbush Square in downtown Albany says construction bids were much higher than expected, but the company is still committed and is reformulating the plan. [TU] [Biz Review]

Gubernatorial election
+ Cynthia Nixon released a bunch of tax docs related to her family's return, the corporate entity that handles finances for her acting, and her family's charitable foundation. [Politico NY]
+ Andrew Cuomo has been a critic of the LLC loophole for campaign contributions -- he's raised more from LLCs since 2011 than all individual members of the state legislature combined, according to a Politico review. [Politico NY]

Congressional elections
Seven Democrats will be on the primary ballot for the chance to challenge John Faso in the 19th Congressional District general election and six are on the primary ballot for the chance to challenge Elise Stefanik in the 21st. [TU]

Marcelle for federal judgeship
"People familiar with the situation" tell the Times Union that Cohoes City Court judge Thomas Marcelle -- who was previously the Albany County attorney, and also once successfully argued a case before the Supreme Court -- is lined up to be appointed as a federal judge for Northern District in US District Court in Albany. [TU]

Residency requirements
+ Amanda Fries reports that a list that was supposed to be created as part of a 2014 blanket waiver of the Albany County employee residency requirement was never pulled together. [TU]
+ The city of Schenectady has granted residency waivers to its public safety commissioner and chief building inspector. [Daily Gazette]

Homeless Action Committee
A look at the overhaul of the Homeless Action Committee program in Albany since a man died after being turned away in sub-freezing weather because was trying to enter the building with a bottle of vodka. [TU]

NXIVM
A state oversight board has accused a doctor of gross negligence, fraud, and incompetence for his work on research related to NXIVM at a Halfmoon facility. [TU]

Bethlehem stabbing
Bethlehem police say a 21-year-old woman has been charged with assault following a stabbing Sunday afternoon in the parking lot of the OTB by Delaware Plaza. [TU]

Schenectady dog owner charged
Schenectady police say the owner of three dogs accuse of biting a 13-year-old boy in Central Park last week
is facing charges related to having a dangerous dog and an unlicensed dog. [Daily Gazette]

Former sheriff David Clarke scheduled to appear in Albany
Former Milwaukee County sheriff David Clarke Jr. is lined up to be the keynote speaker at a New York State Association of Chiefs of Police event at the Albany Capital Center. Yep, that David Clarke Jr. [TU]

1 Monument Square
The city of Troy has picked two firms to help with the next round of public planning meetings for 1 Monument Square. [Biz Review]

Electric City Food Co-op
The Electric City Food Co-op is still short of its goal for moving forward. [Daily Gazette]

To boldly go to Ticonderoga
William Shatner visited the Star Trek (original series) replica set in Ticonderoga. [News10]

Stuff going on today

Tulip tours
Monday-Friday: Albany city gardener Jessica Morgan will be leading a series of tours of the flowers planted in the Washington Park tulip beds. Monday-Friday various times -- free (registration required)