All Over Albany

Two drivers charged in fatal I-90 crash, Trump visiting Upstate, figuring out the Excelsior Scholarship, complaints about Albany basketball court shutdown

Fatal I-90 crash
State Police a driver was killed when their car was struck on the eastbound side of I-90 in East Greenbush Saturday afternoon, ended up crossing the median, and was then struck again by a vehicle traveling in the westbound lane. State Police also say the drivers of both the eastbound and westbound striking cars were arrested on vehicular manslaughter and DWI charges, and the westbound driver had kids in the vehicle. State Police are asking any witnesses of the incident to contact them. [NYSP] [TU]

Investigation of apparent infant death in Schenectady
+ On Friday Schenectady police were still sharing few details about the investigation of the body "consistent with that of a child" found behind a residential building on State Street Thursday. And the family of the mother who lived at the building -- and whose infant was reported missing earlier in the week -- said they were frustrated by the lack of details. [Daily Gazette] [TU]
+ Sara Foss: "[I]f it takes a village to raise a child, we need to take a good, hard look at the village where the child's body was found, and ask some difficult questions." [Daily Gazette]

Donald Trump Upstate
Donald Trump will be signing a bill at Fort Drum Monday and then making an appearance at a private fundraiser in Utica -- it's his first visit to Upstate New York since taking office. [TU]

Man injured in Colonie fire
The Stanford Heights Fire Department chief says a man was transported to a Westchester County burn center after a fire at his home Saturday evening. A dog died in the fire, and the home was severely damaged. [TU] [Spectrum]

Excelsior Scholarships
New York's free-tuition Excelsior Scholarship has been popular in its first year, though families and schools have had to learn how to navigate its requirements and restrictions. A policy org reports that the bulk of the students rejected by the scholarship were denied because they didn't have a high enough course load of credits. [TU] [Politico NY]

Andrew Cuomo and Spectrum
Chris Churchill on New York State regulators ordering Charter's Spectrum internet/TV/phone service out of the state after regulators say the company didn't meet conditions of its merger with Time Warner Cable, and a theory the Cuomo admin is somehow pursuing the issue because it's upset about Spectrum TV coverage of politics and/or it's an effort to cultivate union support: "Of course, it would be easier to believe in the purity of Cuomo's motives if we hadn't seen so many examples of him bullying opponents and others who anger him, journalists included. Too often, his instinct is to silence rather than debate." [NYT] [TU]

Andrew Cuomo and the eagle feather
How Andrew Cuomo's family might have unwittingly committed a federal crime by picking up a bald eagle feather. [AP/TU]

Schools and diverse teaching ranks
Schenectady schools superintendent on the district's push to diversify its teaching ranks and that fits with the district's overall mission: "You don't get to work here and not be an activist." [Daily Gazette]

Albany basketball court shutdown
The city of Albany shut down the basketball courts at the Arbor Hill Sports Complex Friday after it says organizers of the annual Joyce E. King Memorial Basketball Tournament didn't file for permits on time and didn't talk with police about security -- a move that also affected other community programs and upset and neighborhood residents. Common Council member Jahmel Robinson: "It sends a message that I believe that the administration is not in solidarity with the community after all the events that have occurred in the city." [TU] [News10]

Schenectady yard paving
The Schenectady City Council is taking up the issue of residents paving their yards without a permit, which can cause stormwater problems. [Daily Gazette]

Farmers markets and SNAP
A look at the disruption in the payments system that allows farmers' markets -- such as the Schenectady Greenmarket -- accept Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program payments. [Daily Gazette]

Horses and loud noises
An exercise rider says a horse she was thrown from a horse at the Oklahoma Training Track -- and both she and the horse were injured -- after it was a spooked by a loud noise from nearby house demolition last week, and the city is looking into whether there was a violation of a construction noise ordinance. [Saratogian]

Bears
Officials say there's been uptick in the number of bears wandering into places such as Wilton looking for food. (A reminder: Don't feed the bears -- it's bad for both the bears and people.) [Daily Gazette]

First Prize Center
The state Department of Environmental Conversation is planning a survey of pollution at the First Prize Center site in Albany/Colonie -- the developers pursuing a big mixed-use project there have applied to be part of the state's brownfield cleanup program. [TU]

Green Island mixed-use development
A look at the large mixed-use development set for the southern end of Center/Starbuck Island just across the river from downtown Troy. [TU]

Stuff going on today

Bites Camera Action RESCHEDULED TO AUGUST 27
Monday: The Bites Camera Action outdoor movie series in downtown Albany continues Guardians of the Galaxy. The movie will be on the big video screens outside the TU Center. South Pearl will be closed from Beaver to Hudson starting at 6:30 pm. And Youth FX films will be screened at 7 pm. Monday 7:30 pm -- free

Music: American Idol Live at The Palace
"[F]eaturing your Top 7 LIVE on stage, including your 2018 American Idol Winner." 8 pm -- $29.50 and up

Saratoga Race Course
The season at the Saratoga Race Course. There's horse racing every day except for Tuesday.