All Over Albany

Sifting through $100 million in Cuomo campaign contributions, Schenectady train station opens, saving the family farm with hemp

Gubernatorial election
The USA Today Network Albany Bureau after reviewing $100 million in campaign contributions to Andrew Cuomo since 2010: "... Cuomo's campaign coffers are filled with donations from companies with business before the state -- and regularly made through a massive loophole in state law." [USA Today Network Albany]

Schenectady train station
The new Schenectady train station opened Wednesday, ahead of the previously announced opening date. [Daily Gazette] [TU]

Schoharie limousine crash
+ Talking with the Amsterdam couple whose four daughters and three sons-in-law died in the Schoharie crash about how their family is coping and working to move forward. [NYT]
+ The final member of the party -- Michael C. Ukaj, an Iraq war veteran -- was buried Wednesday in Saratoga National Cemetery. [TU]

State Attorney General election
An election profile of candidates for state Attorney General, Democrat Tish James and Republican Keith Wofford. [TU]

State Senate staffer accused of harassment
After an allegation that he groped a lobbyist a recent fundraiser, the chief of staff for state Senator Simcha Felder has been placed on leave and "two people with knowledge of his plans" tell the Times Union he is enrolling in an alcohol treatment program. [TU]

Oversight of district attorneys
The association that represents district attorneys in New York State has sued to stop the creation of commission intended to investigation allegations of misconducts against DAs. [TU]

A decade after the Richard Bailey shooting
Chris Churchill reflects on the shooting death of UAlbany student Richard Bailey in Albany 10 years ago. [TU]

Arming school monitors
A group has formed in Saratoga Springs to oppose the school board's decision to disarm security monitors on school grounds. [Daily Gazette]

Stop for school buses
This is why you shouldn't pass stopped school buses. [WNYT]

Code Blue
Albany's Code Blue shelter opened Wednesday night for the first time this season. [TU]

Thruway rest stop upgrades
The state has issued a request for proposals for upgrades at the service areas along the Thruway. [TU]

Forts Ferry development
This week the Colonie planning board approved a mixed-use senior living/office development on Forts Ferry Road, a project that's been in the works for years and faced pushback from nearby residents. [TU] [Spotlight]

Western Ave apartment proposal
A group of residents is once again organizing to oppose the the apartment project proposed for site on Western Ave in Albany near the UAlbany campus. (The project is back before the planning board tonight -- here's what happened the last time it was up in May.) [TU]

Malls
Sara Foss on the closing of ViaPort Rotterdam Kmart and what it means for the mall: "it's not the death knell it might once have been." [Daily Gazette]

32 years as coach
Saint Rose men's basketball coach Brian Beaury retiring after 32 years in the job. [TU]

Hemp
How two sisters turned to growing hemp for the CBD market in an attempt to save their family's farm in Salem.

Stuff going on today

Capitol Hauntings
Monday-Saturday: The popular Capitol Hauntings tours have started up for the season at the state Capitol. "The tour lasts about an hour, but the chilling, ghostly tales might haunt you forever." Monday-Friday 1 pm and 5:30 pm / Saturday 1 pm -- free (but you must make a reservation and they fill up)

Historic Haunted Pub Crawl
Tuesday and Thursday: Historic Albany Foundation, Ten Broeck Mansion, and The Original Albany Ghost Tour have joined up for a series of historic haunted pub crawls. It starts with a ghost tour of the Ten Broeck Mansion and then heads to a trio of downtown pubs with stories along the way. Tuesday and Thursday 5:30 pm, 6:15 pm, 7 pm -- $25

Resiliencia
Thursday: Taina Asili and Gaetano Vaccaro will be at HVCC for a screening of their documentary Resiliencia, which is about Puerto Rico. "In "Resiliencia" (2018, 35 min), filmed and edited by Vaccaro with Asili's original score, four women artists and activists share their stories of resiliencia (resilience) during and after hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017. Asili and Vaccaro traveled across Puerto Rico documenting how the official response to the storms was as devastating for the island's people as the storms themselves, yet the film also captures the indomitable human spirit of those determined to see their communities rebuilt." Thursday noon, Bulmer Telecommunications Center -- free

Amy Wallen
Thursday: Memoirist/novelist Amy Wallen will be at UAlbany as part of the NYS Writers Institute visiting writers series. "Amy Wallen grew up in Nigeria, Bolivia, Peru and elsewhere, the daughter of a blue-collar Southern father employed as an exploratory driller by the oil industry. Her memoir, When We Were Ghouls (2018), is an attempt to recover the elusive memories of her unusual childhood." Thursday 4:15 pm, uptown campus, Science Library -- free

Resilience: The Biology of Stress and the Science of Hope
Thursday: The Sanctuary for Independent Media in Troy is hosting a screening the documentary Resilience: The Biology of Stress and the Science of Hope. After the screening, Urban Grief -- an org that "works to increase awareness about the emotional and mental health impact that results from exposure to violence and death" -- will be hosting a a panel discussion on the subject of trauma and resilience. Thursday 5 pm -- free

Music: Kathy Mattea at Troy Music Hall
An evening with. 7:30 pm -- $29 and up

Music: Bumpin Uglies at The Hollow
Reggae. With: Victory Soul Orchestra. 9 pm -- $15

Music: Elizabeth Cook at Caffe Lena
Nashville singer/songwriter. With: Caleb Caudle. 7 pm -- $24