All Over Albany

Charges in Schenectady family shooting, Skelos & Son convicted in retrial, Guardian Angels plan Albany recruitment, gun show moves to Schenectady

Charges in Schenectady family shooting
Dushawn Howard was officially charged on Tuesday with three separate counts of second-degree attempted murder in last week's shooting of his former girlfriend and two of her children. Howard, who was also injured in the incident, was arraigned at his bedside in Albany Medical Center and was released into the custody of the Schenectady County Sheriff's Office.[Gazette][WNYT][TU]

Skelos and son convicted in retrial
Former state Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos and his son, Adam, were convicted of all counts on Tuesday in their corruption re-trial.[NYT]

Rally to protest grand jury decision
A rally is being planned to protest the grand jury decision not to file charges against the Troy police officer who shot Dahmeek McDonald during an incident last year. [Spectrum][TU]

Albany violence
The Guardian Angles are headed back to Albany and are planning a recruitment drive and training sessions to show local volunteers how to help handle dangerous situations and mediate conflict. [Spectrum][TU]

Gun show moves to Schenectady
The long running Saratoga Springs gun show that was forced to move when the city council banned the sale of guns or ammunition at the City Center is planning a show at the Schenectady Armory.[TU]

Stolen identities
Two men are facing charges for allegedly stealing the identities of two minority-owned businesses to win millions of dollars in New York State contracts. [Daily Gazette]

State workers sickened after opening letter
Three state workers became ill and were taken to the hospital for evaluation after police say one of them opened a letter from another country. [TU/AP]

Trump explanation
Chuck Schumer on Donald Trump's explanation of his statements in Helsinki earlier this week: "President Trump tried to squirm away from what he said yesterday. It's 24 hours too late." [TU]

New York sues to block tax cap
New York has joined Connecticut, Maryland, and New Jersey in suing to block the federal government's cap on state and local tax deductions. [TU]

Cyber-security in elections
New York is seeking contracts from companies to assess cyber-security risks to the state's voting system. [TU]

Come back to Albany
Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul is among the politicians urging the state Senate to come back to Albany and pass legislation left unfinished, including measures to allow New York city to use speed cameras at schools and measures to strengthen abortion rights protection.[Daily News]

Small donations
The Cuomo campaign's efforts to get small donors include $5 contributions solicited by his daughters, and one man who made 69 $1 donations. [NYT]

Buffalo Billion
It turns out the vote to award the Buffalo Billion to two western New York developers that set off the SUNY Poly bid-rigging scandal violated the state's Open Meetings Law because ballots were submitted by email. [TU]

Trask gateway
Saratoga Springs is preparing to repair the 100-year-old Katrina Trask Gateway on the south end of Congress Park. [Gazette]

Saints Alive
A team of former Siena players going by the name Saints Alive will compete in a $2 million, winner-take-all basketball tournament. [TU]

Stuff going on today

NYC Ballet

Today-Saturday: The New York City Ballet opens its annual summer residence at SPAC. It starts off with two nights of an all-Balanchine program, then later in the week has Romeo + Juliet and 21st Century choreographers. And the ballet gala is Saturday, honoring Jerome Robbins and Leonard Bernstein. Tuesday-Saturday various times and prices

Summer Writers Institute

The NYS Summer Writers Institute continues its schedule of open-to-the-public readings by authors at Skidmore. This week's schedule:
+ Wednesday: Novelist Rick Moody (The Ice Storm, Hotels of North America) and poet Carl Dennis (Pulitzer Prize: Practical Gods, Unknown Friends, Ranking The Wishes)
+ Thursday: Paul Auster (Brooklyn Follies, Moon Palace) and novelist-memoirist Siri Hustvedt (The Shaking Woman, What I Loved)
+ Friday: Poet Robert Pinsky (The Want Bone, Gulf Music) and Novelist Adam Braver (Misfit, 1963, Crows Over The Wheatfield)

The events are in Palamountain Hall at Skidmore. Monday-Friday 8 pm -- free

Stage

Ring of Fire
Today-Sunday: Capital Repertory Theatre continues its production of the Johnny Cash musical Ring of Fire. (It was in previews this past weekend.) Tuesday-Sunday various times -- $25 and up

WTF
Today-Sunday: The Williamstown Theatre Festival continues this week with Artney Jackson by James Anthony Tyler. And on Friday the music Lempicka -- starring Carmen Cusack and Eden Espinosa -- has its world premiere. Tuesday-Sunday various times -- various prices

Park Playhouse
Today-Saturday: The Park Playhouse's first production of the summer season in Washington Park is Damn Yankees. Tuesday-Saturday 8 pm -- lawn seats free / reserved seats $14 and up

Arts and sciences

Lincoln Park walking tour
Wednesday: Historic Albany Foundation's "Walkabout Wednesday" series will be at Lincoln Park for a tour of the park and adjacent neighborhood. "Before Lincoln Park became a park, it was full of breweries and brick factories, manicured country estates, and a notorious squatter's community. The Beaver Kill once ran through its steep ravine, cascading over the Buttermilk Falls. In 1890 the city purchased the area and began the slow process of transforming it into one of Albany's great outdoor spaces. The park includes a landscape designed by noted architect Charles Downing Lay, a stellar WPA-era bathhouse, and layer upon layer of Albany history." Wednesday 5:30 pm -- $10

Free summer concert series

Free summer concert season continues...

Rockin' on the River
The Rockin' on the River series in Troy's Riverfront Park has Gabriel Sanchez Presents The Prince Experience, with The Age. Wednesday 5 pm -- free admission

Lunchtime at the Plaza
Wednesday: The Lunchtime at the Plaza series of lunchtime shows (thus the name) at the ESP has The Swingin' Palms. Wednesday at noon -- free

At The Plaza
Wednesday: The At The Plaza series of events at the ESP has Toots and the Maytals in concert, with Vicgtory. Wednesday 5:30 pm -- free

Freedom Park
+ Wednesday: The concert series in Scotia's Freedom Park has the Screaming Orphans. Wednesday 7 pm -- free

Music

Wednesday: Letdown, Gold Route, One For The Braves, Brain Habits
Punk. 7:30 pm -- $7