All Over Albany

The Northway and Clifton Park, libraries responding to opioid epidemic, 300 land bank properties sold, "famous" lemonade stand returns

The Northway
The Times Union pulled together package of articles about the Northway's history, its effects, and the future:
+ How the Northway ended up taking the route it now follows. [TU]
+ A look at the huge effect the highway had on Saratoga County. [TU]
+ Why the highway probably won't be expanded any time soon. [TU]

Clifton Park
Fittingly, the Daily Gazette focused on Clifton Park this weekend:
+ How the Northway, a developer, and the presence of greenfields helped shape the Clifton Park of today. [Daily Gazette]
+ The homes built by that developer -- the Van Patten Homes -- continue to be a key part of the town's housing stock. [Daily Gazette]
+ A look at Clifton Park's attempt to zone and develop for a downtown-style town center. [Daily Gazette]

Andrew Cuomo
+ Andrew Cuomo on his "America was never that great" comment: "The expression I used the other day was inartful, so I want to be very clear: Of course America is great and of course America has always been great. No one questions that." [Politico NY]
+ Chris Churchill: "He was wrong. America is fundamentally great." [TU]
+ At a Brooklyn church Sunday, Cuomo called Donald Trump "un-American." He also compared the president to a "scared, small man in the house with the high fence and the shiny mailbox, afraid of people who are different, afraid of people who are a different religion, who speak a different language, who come from a different place." [TU] [Spectrum]

Cuomo admin and Todd Howe
From a New York Times review of multiple Cuomo admin emails (the subject of long FOIL dispute): "... it was clear that Mr. Howe had entree to the top levels of Mr. Cuomo's administration -- a period that included the years and months leading up to the news of the federal investigation." [NYT]

State Attorney General election
+ Democrat Sean Patrick Maloney is running both in the primary for state AG and for re-election to his Hudson Valley Congressional seat -- can he do that? [TU]
+ The New York Times editorial board has endorsed Zephyr Teachout for AG. [NYT]

Saratoga County DA election
+ A quick look at current Saratoga County District Attorney Karen Heggen and her challenger in the Republican primary, Gerard Amedio. [WNYT]
+ The county party chair has filed an election law complaint against Amedio over campaign account deficits. [Daily Gazette]

Rensselaer County DA election
Troy police are investigating a complaint filed by the Democratic candidate for DA, Mary Pat Donnelly, that alleges a party committee member filed fraudulent signatures on a Working Family Parties petition. [TU]

Saratoga Springs City Hall
Saratoga Springs City Hall is closed indefinitely after it was struck by lightning Friday night. [TU]

Millions for former Rensselaer County jail sergeant in sexual harassment case
An appellate court has upheld the $2.6 million judgement against Rensselaer County for a sexual harassment case brought by a female sergeant at the county jail. [TU]

Albany school district texting harassment case
In a case now with the state Education Department, plaintiffs allege the Albany school district didn't do enough to respond to a situation in which a male student is accused of sending harassing/threatening texts about female classmates. [TU]

Libraries and opioids
How libraries -- such as the Albany Public Library -- are responding to the opioid abuse epidemic by training librarians and taking other steps. [TU]

Albany County Land Bank
The Albany County Land Bank has now sold 300 properties. [TU]

Move over
Cohoes police set up a move-over trap along 787 this weekend to emphasize the state's Move Over Law ahead of construction on the corridor. [WNYT]

Lemonade stand
The Ballston Spa lemonade stand run by a seven year old that was shut down over a question with the state about whether it needed a permit returned this weekend -- with a press conference -- to raise money for a neighbor. [NYT] [TU]

Bears
Don't feed the bears. It endangers both them and people. And it could get you fined. [TU]

Stuff going on today

ValleyCats
Monday-Wednesday: The ValleyCats have a a three-game home stand at The Joe against Brooklyn. Wednesday has post-game fireworks. Monday-Wednesday -- $6.50 and up

Bites Camera Action
Monday: The Bites Camera Action outdoor movie series in downtown Albany continues Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (rescheduled from July) 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

Washington County Fair
Monday-Sunday: The Washington County Fair is at the fairgrounds in Greenwich. It touts itself as the "New York's #1 Agricultural County Fair." Admission is $12 / children 13 and under are free. An all-week pass is $36. Free admission for all active military service members with military ID. Admission does not include carnival rides. During the fair, ride tickets are 20 for $20.

Saratoga Race Course
The season at the Saratoga Race Course. There's horse racing every day except for Tuesday. The highlight this week is the 149th running of the Travers on Saturday. It's the biggest race of the season.

Music: The Black Violin show at SPAC is sold out.