All Over Albany

Albany murder victim named, case tossed out again in Troy double murder, mother in Albany road rage case arrested for false statement, preliminary approval for SUNY tuition hike

Colonie road rage arrests
Police made two more arrests in an Colonie road rage case from last month, and one of the people arrested was the woman who claimed to be a victim. State Police say an investigation concluded that Natia Shim, the mother of the driver, who claimed she and her son were chased down by another vehicle and attacked physically and verbally, was not in the car when the confrontation occurred. Shim was charged with making a false statement to police. Four other arrests have been made in the case. This item has been corrected. [TU][Spectrum][Gazette][WNYT]

Case dismissed a second time in Troy murders
For the second time, a Rensselaer County judge has tossed out charges against two men who were charged with killing a pair of Troy roommates nearly two years ago, saying there was insufficient evidence to tie that crime to the men charged, and cited incorrect instructions given to the grand jury. The defendants will be held until the DA's office determines whether it will resubmit the cast to a new grand jury. [TU][Spectrum]

Albany murder
The shooting death of 20-year-old Equan Fallen on Tuesday, outside a residence on the 400 block of Livingston Street in Albany's West Hill neighborhood, is the city's fourth homicide of 2018. [Spectrum]

State GOP calls for transparency
Republican leaders in the state legislature are calling for immediate action on measures that would strengthen transparency and oversight in state economic development programs.
[TU]

State police crime lab
A Times Union article suggests the NYS Police crime lab is using controversial "junk science" techniques to analyze DNA evidence. [TU]

Gubernatorial election
Sara Foss looks at the latest Siena poll results, and what they say about how Andrew Cuomo's challengers are reaching out to voters. [Gazette]

SUNY eyes tuition hike
A SUNY subcommittee on Wednesday approved a $200 tuition hike that would begin this fall on all of the system's four year campuses. [TU]

Company drops $4 million suit against Ballston
A hot asphalt company has dropped a $4 million suit against the town of Ballston. The suit was filed after the town changed zoning law to keep the company from building a mix plant. A judge had already ruled in favor of the company, which, the town supervisor said, could have been financially devastating for taxpayers.[TU][Gazette]

$1.28 billion
An audit by the NYS Comptroller's office shows New York's Medicaid program paid $1.28 billion in premiums that it shouldn't have over a six year period for people receiving private health insurance, and most of it cannot be recovered. [TU]

Kindlon to leave public defenders office
Veteran defense attorney Terence Kindlon, who came out of retirement two years ago to overhaul Albany County's public defender's office, will leave the office to retire again in July. [TU]

DWI
The driver responsible for a wrong-way highway crash that injured passengers in a minivan in December of 2016 will serve up to 11 years in prison for felony aggravated vehicular assault. [TU]

Reducing crashes
Efforts to reduce crashes on Capital Region roads. [Gazette]

Powassan
A case of the tick-trasmitted Powassan Virus has been confirmed in Columbia County. [TU]

Car in the Mohawk
An empty car that was accidentally left in gear, plunged into the Mohawk River in Waterford on Wednesday. [WNYT]

Stuff going on today

Young Dr. Jekyll
Thursday-Saturday: The workshop production of the new musical Young Dr. Jekyll continues at Proctors. Thursday-Saturday various times -- $30

Walk and talk

Adult scavenger hunt (with beer)
Thursday: Oakwood Cemetery in Troy is hosting a scavenger hunt for adults. There will also be a beer tasting with Rare Form Brewing. Thursday 5-7:30 pm -- scavenger hunt $15 / beer tasting $15 (reservations recommended)

Interplanetary Travel: do we have the heart for Mars?
Thursday: The Science on Tap series will be at the Parting Glass in Saratoga Springs for from talk about traveling to Mars by Dr. Heidi DeBlock. "Dr. DeBlock will discuss the physiological possibility of humans colonizing Mars as well as the health problems our astronauts face. If you are lucky, she may even talk about how astronauts use the bathroom on the International Space Station!" Thursday 7 pm -- free admission

Free summer concert series

Free summer concert season continues...

Alive at Five
Thursday: The Alive at Five series at Jennings Landing in Albany has Albert Hammond Jr., the lead guitarist for The Strokes, with Dark Honey. Thursday 5 pm -- free admission

Mountain Jam

Friday-Sunday: The Mountain Jam music festival returns to Hunter Mountain. This year's lineup is headlined by Jack Johnson, Sturgill Simpons, Alt-J, The War on Drugs, Portugal: The Man, Father John Misty, The Decemberists, and Jenny Lewis. single day passes $110 / festival passes $220

Music

Thursday: The Valerie June show at Caffe Lena is sold out.

Thursday: Making Movies at The Hollow
"Making Movies blends pulsing Afro-Latino rhythms, psychedelic jams and rock 'n' roll swagger into powerful live performances, full of theatrics and cathartic climaxes." 7 pm -- $12

Thursday: Motionless in White at Upstate Concert Hall
Metal. With: Every Time I Die, Ice Nine Kills, The Plot In You. 7 pm -- $20 ahead / $23 day of

Thursday: Emma Dilemma + Morgan Orion at Pauly's
Folk + anti-folk. (Don't let come into contact with each other.) 8:30 pm -- $7

Thursday: Micah Schnable & Shane Sweeney at The Low Beat
From Two Cow Garage. 8 pm -- $6