All Over Albany

Albany Council approves bond for Dontay Ivy settlement, convicted rapist admits murder plot, police probe Troy shooting, black bear sightings

Dontay Ivy settlement
The Albany Common Council approved a $625,000 bond on Wednesday to pay the wrongful death settlement in the death of Dontay Ivy. Common Council member and Dontay Ivy's cousin, Derek Johnson voted against the settlement and told the TU, "If it had been $16 or a $116 million, it still wouldn't have been enough because you can't replace a human life with a monetary value."[Spectrum][TU]

Murder plot
A 20-year-old convicted rapist admitted in Saratoga County court on Wednesday that he tried to win his freedom by hiring someone to murder a witness in the case. The person he tried to hire was an undercover police officer. [Gazette][Spectrum][TU]

Possible Troy shooting
Police in Troy are investigating reports of shots fired near 4th Street and Congress Avenue at around 11 pm on Wednesday. [WNYT]

Attorney General search continues
Legislators continued questioning candidates on Wednesday in a second day of interviews to replace former Attorney General Eric Schneiderman. [TU]

An effort is underway to draft Preet Bharara to run for the NY Attorney General post.[Politico][Spectrum]

Recycling official allegedly skimmed from Stewart's
The president of a Capital Region recycling firm was arrested for allegedly stealing $150,000 from the Stewart's Corporation.[TU]

Niskayuna burglaries
Niskayuna police are warning residents about a pair of recent home burglaries that occurred in two homes on Friday.[Gazette]

SUNY Central to purchase building
In an effort to save money on space it has been leasing in the Citizen's Bank building at State and Pearl Streets, SUNY Central has announced a plan to purchase the building. [TU]

Pet zone
The NY Attorney General's office has filed a lawsuit against the owners of Pet Zone, charging that the chain sold puppies without having them examined by a vet, and administered controlled antibiotics without consulting a vet. [Spectrum]

Cigarette/marijuana laws
Chris Churchill suggests that efforts to restrict cigarettes and legalize marijuana have an elitist bias.[TU]

urgent care clinic
Ellis Medicine is proposing a primary care/urgent care facility for Mohawk Harbor. [Gazette]

Voter turnout
School budgets are passing but voter turnout in school elections continues to decline. [Gazette]

Saratoga homelessness
With Code Blue shelters having closed for the season, business owners and city officials in Saratoga met Wednesday to discuss what to do about homelessness in the city's downtown. [Gazette]

Bears
Black bears were sighted this week in both Guilderland and Rotterdam.[CBS 6]

SPAC
SPAC is receiving $1.75 million in upgrades to its ramps, lighting and infrastructure. The work is expected to be completed before the start of next summer's season.

Robocalls
Chuck Schumer and the war on robocalls. [TU]

Willow
After public outcry, a new willow was planted in Saratoga's Congress Park on Wednesday to replace the tree that was taken down earlier this month. [Gazette][Saratogian]

Stuff going on today

Slavery in New York
Thursday: The Ten Broeck Mansion in Albany is hosting about the history of slavery and farms in New York State. "Usually considered a Southern issue, slavery played a surprisingly large role in colonial and revolutionary era New York. [Senior Curator of the New York State Bureau of Historic Sites Travis] Bowman will examine how slavery evolved in New York under the Dutch, British, and American systems of government and how the institution was utilized at a local and personal level among the Palatine immigrants and their descendants in the Hudson and Mohawk Valleys." Thursday 6:30 pm -- $5 suggested donation

Workforce Team Challenge

Thursday: The CDPHP Workforce Team Challenge race returns to Albany. (Registration is already at capacity.) The 3.5-mile route starts at the State Museum, heads up Madison into Washington Park, and then returns to the State Museum. So keep an eye out for road closures and parking restrictions. The race starts at 6:25 pm.

Music

Thursday: Remember Jones presents 808s & Heartbreak at Lucky Strike Jupiter Hall
"A 10th anniversary LIVE celebration and revival of the entire KANYE WEST album starring soul sensation Remember Jones + 25-piece orchestra band plus an opening set of super-soul originals from Remember Jones." 8:30 pm --$15 ahead / $20 day of

Thursday: Montgomery Gentry at Upstate Concert Hall
Postponed from March. With: Halfway to Hazard, The Kyle Bourgault Band. 8 pm -- $25 ahead / $28 day of

Thursday: Slaid Cleaves at Caffe Lena
Singer/songwriter. 7 pm -- $24

Thursday: Useless Cans at The Low Beat
EP release show. With: Hospital Corners, Belle-Skinner. 8 pm

Thursday: Keep Flying at Pauly's
Pop punk. With: El Modernist, Lame. 8 pm -- $7

Thursday: Kiefer Sutherland at The Egg
Yep, that Kiefer Sutherland. 7:30 pm -- $34.50