Items tagged with 'Ballston Spa'

Ballston Spa Film Festival 2015

zepo short film still

One of the films on the schedule is Zepo by César Díaz Meléndez, which was animated with sand. Here's a making-of video.

The Ballston Spa Film Festival is back this Friday and Saturday in the eponymous village. As in years past, the "open air, bring your own chair" festival screens a family-friendly slate of short films. Blurbage for this year:

This year's festival will present 45 short films, ranging in length from 1 to 14 minutes each. The films come from young filmmakers, emerging student filmmakers and established (but still emerging) filmmakers. Submissions to this established, local film festival arrive from across the country as well as all over the globe. Many of the films have won awards at other film festivals, while some will be making their world premier at the Ballston Spa Film Festival.

Here's the list of film slates and the schedule. The films are shown at two sites: Ballston Spa High School and Old Iron Spring Park. And it's free.

AOA is a media sponsor of the Ballston Spa Film Festival.

Waffles at Iron Roost

waffle sticks at Iron Roost

By Deanna Fox

The nearest Waffle House is 127.94 miles away from Albany. What a shame.

I'm normally not a big proponent of chains, but few places understand the utility and magnificence of a waffle. Waffles are the superior batter-based, carb-loaded breakfast option. Pancakes are great, don't get me wrong, and so is French toast, but neither can be manipulated the way a waffle can.

Many places in the Capital Region serve waffles, but few embrace the true glory of the waffle the way Iron Roost in Ballston Spa does.

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Ballston Spa Film Festival 2014

mouse_for_sale_short_film_still.jpg

A still from Mouse for Sale, by Wouter Bongaerts, one of the shorts on the schedule.

The Ballston Spa Film Festival returns this Friday and Saturday, August 1 and 2. The family-friendly festival shows slates of short films. Blurbage:

This year's festival will present 38 short films, ranging in length from 1 to 18 minutes each. The films come from young filmmakers, emerging student filmmakers and established (but still emerging) filmmakers. Submissions to this established, local film festival arrive from across the country as well as all over the globe. Many of the films have won awards at other film festivals, while some will be making their world premier at the Ballston Spa Film Festival.

The four slates of films are split up between screenings at Ballstron Spa High School and outdoors at Old Iron Spring Park on Front Street (bring chairs and blankets). Here's the schedule of events.

And it's free.

Earlier on AOA: In-between places: Ballston Spa

Ballston Spa Film Festival 2013

pigeon impossible film still

From Pigeon Impossible, one of the shorts on the slate for this year's festival.

The annual Ballston Spa Film Festival is back this Friday and Saturday in (where else) Ballston Spa.

This year's festival includes 41 short films, both from around the world and locally produced. Films range from 1-11 minutes. Here's the schedule of films.

The outdoor screening part of the festival has a new location: Old Iron Spring Park, at Front Street and Fairground Ave (map) -- attendees are encouraged to bring blankets and chairs. The indoor screenings are back at Ballston Spa High School. Here's the schedule.

All the screenings for the BSFF are free.

Earlier on AOA: In-between places: Ballston Spa

In-between places: Ballston Spa

in between ballston spa composite

By Casey Normile

The Capital Region is full of cities, towns, villages, and hamlets. And some of these places -- like Albany or Saratoga Springs or Troy -- get lots of attention. This series isn't about those places. It's about those other spots -- the "in-between" places.

First up: Ballston Spa.

If you haven't visited in a while -- or have never been -- here are a bunch of facts, tips, and highlights to get you started...

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Checking out the monthly tea tasting at The Whistling Kettle

whistling kettle tea tasting composite

By Casey Normile

I think drinking tea should be more of an affair. Once in a while, it should have a sense of occasion. And for that, there's the monthly tea tasting event at The Whistling Kettle in Ballston Spa.

"There are more tea drinkers than just a few years ago - those who want to expand their horizons or try something new," explains owner Kevin Borowsky.

So for those feeling adventurous, or just curious, the restaurant stays open late one Friday a month and offers a sampling of rare exotic teas from around the world.

At each event they put together a list of teas not available on their menu for you to sample. And to sweeten the deal, they also include their "afternoon tea" menu: a three-tiered meal of two savory dishes of your choice and one sweet. All together it's $19.95 per person.

After attending a recent tasting, here are five things to know about the events...

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Ballston Spa Film Festival 2012

DRINKme-EATme-READme, one of the shorts at this year's Ballston Spa Film Festival.

The Ballston Spa Film Festival is back this weekend. This year's festival includes 39 short films from five countries, and a few local filmmakers. Here's the full slate of films.

Screenings are at two locations -- the Ballston Spa High School auditorium and Ballston Spa's Wiswall Park (bring a blanket and/or lawn chairs). There are two sessions each on Friday and Saturday evenings. Be sure to check the schedule for times and titles.

The festival is now in its fifth year. It's a good time -- and free. It's hard to beat that combination.

sPAW City

spaw city indoor dog parkThis could be good: an indoor dog park called sPAW CITY has opened in Ballston Spa. From the blurbage on its Facebook page:

Total of 4,750 sq ft in a climate controlled late 1800's post and beam 2 story barn right on the beautiful banks of the Gordon and Kaydeross Creeks in Ballston Spa, NY. When the weather is just right we have over 60 windows to open. Ahhh smell the fresh air...
2,000 sq ft of social space, coffee bar with seating and free WiFi if you just want to hang out with your "lazy" dog and socialize in a low key way. Yappy Hours, Parties, rentals and special events will be held.
2,750 sq ft of safe open play space with an abundance of toys and play equipment.

Here are photos of the space, the price info (starts at $8 for 2.5 hours for one dog during week days), and rules for the space. There's a grand opening tonight (Friday) from 5-8 pm with free entry.

The people behind the dog park are Keith and Amy Augustine from the gourmet dog treat company The Lazy Dog Cookie Co, according to its Facebook page.

We've thought for a while that someone should open a place like this in one of the many empty big box spaces around the Capital Region (but an old barn works, too). It could be useful during the winter or when it's been raining for days. A good dog is a dog tired from walking or playing.

photo via sPAW CITY Facebook

Ballston Spa Film Festival lineup

Take your blind date to see Blind Date

The Ballston Spa Film Festival is coming up next week, and today it announced its lineup of films. A few highlights:

+Mineville - The BSFF is showing its first feature-length film this year: Mineville, which was shot in Essex County. It's about the struggle of early 1900s miners in the North Country to unionize. It stars William Sadler, Paul Sorvino, and Nick Wechsler.

+ There are two films from Aardman, the animation company behind Wallace & Gromitt: Blind Date (embedded above) and Fly.

+ The Gruffalo - The animated short was nominated for an Oscar this year. It features the voices of Helena Bonham Carter and John Hurt.

+ Films from locals such as Kevin Craig West and Michael Feurstein.

The festival starts August 4. Screenings are free.

The full lineup is after the jump.

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What Abner Doubleday isn't famous for -- but actually did do

abner doubleday civil war major generalTuesday was the 150th anniversary of the start of the Civil War, which prompted a bunch of stories about Abner Doubleday. Yep, the guy who supposedly invented baseball (but didn't).

The Ballston Spa native was second-in-command at Fort Sumter in April, 1861 -- and fired the first Union shot in the war (after a night of bombardment by the Confederacy) [NYS Military Museum]. Wrote Doubleday years later in a memoir:

In aiming the first gun fired against the rebellion I had no feeling of self-reproach, for I fully believed that the contest was inevitable, and was not of our seeking. The United States was called upon not only to defend its sovereignty, but its right to exist as a nation. The only alternative was to submit to a powerful oligarchy who were determined to make freedom forever subordinate to slavery. To me it was simply a contest, politically speaking, as to whether virtue or vice should rule.

The action at Fort Sumter followed an invitation from the Confederate forces, arrayed to pummel the fort with shells, to surrender -- the Union commander very politely declined. The Union troops eventually did surrender. [NYT]

Doubleday would go on to become a major general and fight at the Battle of Gettysburg. He took over command of his corps after its general had been killed, and his outnumbered men held off Confederate forces long enough for backup to arrive. [Saratogian]

After the war, Doubleday was sent to San Francisco to head up recruitment efforts there and was involved with the founding of the city's first cable car company. He was later stationed in Texas before retiring in New Jersey. [Military History About]

The house where Doubleday was born in Ballston Spa is still there. [Saratogian]

About not inventing baseball: John Thorn, baseball's official historian, writes in a new book that the myth of Doubleday being the inventor of baseball was the work of "unprincipled advocates with ulterior motives" -- in Doubleday's case, the sporting goods magnate Albert Spalding. [Baseball America] [TU] [NPR]

photo: New York State Miltary Museum

Stack 'em up

The Saratogian's Lucian McCarty had a fun story today about Ethan Thomas, a 10-year-old from Ballston Spa who's a competitive cup stacker:

The Whistling Kettle

whistling kettle exterior

Even the sign is cozy.

By Akum Norder

Not all of winter's pleasures take place outdoors.

Sure, it's exhilarating to be out in the frosty world, crunching the snow under our boots and taking in great lungfuls of crisp, pure air.

But there's something wonderful, too, in seeing a snowy world through the window, relaxed and warm, with a cup of something in your hand.

The Whistling Kettle in Ballston Spa is just the sort of place to enjoy the fact that it's winter outside, and you're not outside in it.

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In Your Face Wrestling

IYFW amateur wrestling slam

He probably knew this was coming. But still... ouch.

By Rob Gierthy

While at The Track Saturday, baking in the August sun waiting for the Travers to begin, I was talking with some guys and said that this was my first time photographing horses. They asked what I normally shoot.

"Roller derby," I replied.

"Seriously, or are you just messing with us?"

My answer was the "I <3 Rollerderby" button that I keep on my camera bag.

We talked about the local teams for a bit and then they told me about a wrestling event -- In Your Face Wrestling -- scheduled for that night in Ballston Spa, and that I should go take some shots.

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The Ballston Spa Film Festival

french roast film still

French Roast, last year's animated short winner, was nominated for an Oscar. It's screening again this year.

Move over Cannes. Stand back Sundance.

This weekend short films from around the world will be screened in Ballston Spa.

The third annual Ballston Spa Film Festival gets underway tomorrow night. 45 short films from as far away as Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Indonesia and as nearby as -- well -- Ballston Spa, will be screened both outdoors at Wiswall Park in the village and indoors at Ballston Spa High School.

A whole weekend's worth of movies, workshops and panel discussions --for free.

A little preview after the jump.

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Paterson attacks rumors, police say listening system reported gunshots first, county sending out prescription discount cards

In an interview with the AP, David Paterson defended himself against the still-unknown accusations that may or may not be included a New York Times article that may or may not be published. The frenzy of anticipation has led outlets to print all sorts of rumors. Rick Lazio called out the NYT yesterday in a letter, writing that if it doesn't have a story, it has "a moral obligation to stop the drama and the psychological warfare" on the governor. Neither NYT officials or reporters are commenting. And now some are saying Paterson might even come out ahead in all this. [AP/Post-Star] [NY Post] [Daily Politics] [Fox23] [NYO]

The bid to override David Paterson's veto of the ethics reform bill failed yesterday in the state Senate. Twenty-five Republicans and one Democratic voted to sustain the veto. Hugh Farley and Roy McDonald both voted to override. [TU] [NYT] [Daily Politics]

Troy police say a man was shot in North Central Friday night -- and they first heard about the shooting via the city's ShotSpotter system. The TPD says the system alerted officials 10 minutes before the first call related to the incident. [TU] [Troy Record] [WTEN]

A 19-year-old from Troy has been arrested for allegedly shooting an 18-year-old last week in north Albany. [TU]

During his State of the City address, Schenectady mayor Brian Stratton said last night that the city is freezing hiring and cutting other expenditures in an attempt to cover an upcoming $12.8 million budget gap. The city council also voted yesterday to move toward freeing itself from being responsible for taxes not paid to the school district. [WTEN] [Daily Gazette $] [CBS6] [Daily Gazette $]

The construction company that's building the GlobalFoundries chip fab at Luther Forest is moving its headquarters to the Watervliet Arsenal. Also: ATIC, the investment company funded by the government of Abu Dhabi, now owns 66 percent of GloFo. [TU] [Post-Star]

Two Ballston Spa teens were charged with felonies over the weekend for sending explicit text message pics. [WNYT]

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Holiday work for SPD union head, bar busted for being jammed with underage drinkers, dog granted order of protection, telethon raises $1.9 million

The head of the Schenectady police union worked for the department on just three days last year -- all of them holidays at 2.5 pay. [Daily Gazette $] [TU]

A state Supreme Court judge has denied the FOIL request submitted by the Daily Gazette and TU for the Schenectady school districts internal report on Steven Raucci. The judge ruled the report was not subject to FOIL and its release could be an invasion of witnesses' privacy. [Daily Gazette $] [TU]

Schenectady County legislature chairwoman Sue Savage is proposing legislation that would require calorie counts on the menus of chain restaurants. Five NY counties -- including Albany County -- and New York City already have such a law. The law would only apply to restaurants with 15 or more locations in the county. [WNYT] [TU] [CapNews9]

The Paterson Administration has finally picked an operator for the Aqueduct racino -- the revenues from which should help fund a bunch of improvements at Saratoga's track. That is, if the money actually comes in. [Paterson] [Saratogian] [NYT]

David Paterson has just $620k on hand right now to spend in a Democratic gubernatorial primary -- Andrew Cuomo has $12 million. But Paterson says he'll raise a lot more. [NYDN] [NY Post]

The smoke-filled room -- which was in Albany this past weekend -- appears to be leaning heavily toward Andrew Cuomo. [WNYT] [TU]

An assemblywoman from Long Island topped the legislature's travel reimbursement list for last year at more than $41,000. [TU]

Saratoga Springs' police chief says budget cuts will make it hard to assign officers to efforts that led to many arrests last year. [Post-Star]

The State Liquor Authority has suspended the liquor license of The Garage, a bar at the corner of Western and Quail in Albany, after a raid last week allegedly found 500 people -- "most appearing to be underage" -- jammed into a space certified for 250. The SLA says the bar had so many it customers it drafted some to be "guest bartenders." The bar's owner wasn't commenting publicly on the raid. The bar is located in the middle of the "student ghetto" -- and the previous operations there have also been tagged for serving minors . [NYSLA] [TU] [Dowd on Drinks]

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Schenectady man accused of torturing dogs, soda tax falling flat, proposal for prayer before common council meetings, family raises $1 million for research

A Schenectady man has been charged with felony animal cruelty after police say he killed two dogs and burned another. Thomas Hendricks is also accused of assaulting his wife -- and police say the alleged violence against the dogs was the an attempt to hurt his wife. Hendricks has denied the allegations. [WTEN] [TU] [Fox23] [CapNews9]

During his state of the city speech last night Saratoga Springs mayor Scott Johnson criticized the "dysfunctional" state legislature for stripping the city of $4 million in VLT money. He said the city would fight new plans to keep the racino open 24/7. Johnson also said that paid parking downtown would start in May. And floated the idea of sharing services with surrounding municipalities. [CapNews9] [Daily Gazette $] [TU] [Saratogian]

There was some flooding in Schenectady's Stockade neighborhood yesterday as ice jams broke the Mohawk. People in the neighborhood seemed unimpressed. [WTEN] [WNYT] [TU]

The woman who died after apparently jumping from the Berkshire Spur overpass on the Hudson this week was an Albany High School teacher. The interim Albany schools superintendent says the woman was "an excellent teacher." She had been teaching math in the district since 1984. [Troy Record] [TU] [WNYT]

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Ford takes shot at Gillibrand and Schumer, TU Center turns profit, second ESP man caver sentenced, Phillip Livingston school up for sale

Harold Ford was in Albany yesterday to make the rounds at the Capitol and ESP -- and take shots at both Kirsten Gillibrand and Chuck Schumer. Ford said on Talk 1300 that both senators were elected to be independent and not act like a "parakeet" for for the Democratic Party. A Gillibrand spokesman shot back: "The notion that [Ford] is independent is completely contrived." Said one legislative intern to the TU after meeting Ford on the ESP concourse: "He should really look into getting a New York accent." [AP/Troy Record] [NYO] [NYDN] [NYT] [TU]

David Paterson said yesterday that his potential gubernatorial campaign opponents shouldn't be hiding in the "candidate protection program." [NYDN]

Annoyed that the governor keeps calling them back for special sessions, the legislature has decided to just not adjourn -- basically blocking more special sessions. [Daily Politics]

Albany County announced that the Times Union Center, which it owns, turned a profit of almost $1.8 million last year -- up from about $900k the year before. That's the second-highest profit in the facility's 20-year history (not adjusted for inflation). [Albany County] [TU]

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Murder in Albany, Schenectady cops could get tasers, Hudson river dredging stopped again, Cohoes considers closing barn door

Albany police say a man was shot and killed in his apartment on Western Ave Sunday morning. They say they don't have a suspect, but it appears that shooter was someone the man knew. The location of this shooting, 158 Western Ave, is less than half-a-mile from where UAlbany student Richard Bailey was shot last year. [CBS6] [TU] [Google Maps]

Among the details from the state auditor's Albany ghost ticket report: a former Albany cop was put on the VIP list after he complained about getting tickets while working at his job at the state Education Department -- he then racked up 573 no-fine tickets. Jerry Jennings released a statement Friday that said his administration would be working with the Common Council to "quickly adopt a corrective action plan" for the city's parking ticket system. Said mayoral candidate Corey Ellis in statement released Friday: ""This report clearly shows that Mayor Jennings' administration is incapable of properly managing the issuance and collection of parking fines, a system that should be simple and straightforward." [AOA] [TU] [CapNews9] [Ellis press release not online]

Schenectady police chief Mark Chaires says he pushing for the department's officers to get tasers. The family of the man shot and killed by the SPD last week questioned why a non-lethal measure wasn't used in that situation. [TU] [CapNews9]

The state announced it will be building a new $40 million food safety lab at the Harriman State Office Campus. Where that leaves the plan to turn the campus over to private development is apparently anyone's guess. [Troy Record] [TU]

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Ballston Spa Film Festival 2009

come wander

Come Wander with Me

The Ballston Spa Film Festival is back this year -- and it's added a third day.

This year's schedule gets rolling Thursday night with the premiere of the second season of eScape, the kids series directed by local filmmaker Mike Feurstein. Here's the trailer -- it looks like the second season has some good special effects.

Friday and Saturday nights feature a slate of short films. One of the highlights from Friday: Phillip Van's Come Wander with Me, which looks beautiful and strange.

Many of the screenings at the BSFF are outdoors in Wiswall Park. The Thursday screening of eScape starts at 9 pm. Friday and Saturday night screenings start at 7 pm and 9 pm. Screenings are free.

The Double M Western Rodeo

By Arielle Trimm

Double M rodeo signSo when I saw an ad for the Double M Western Professional Rodeo in Ballston Spa, I was a) puzzled and b) concerned.

Concerned for the welfare of the animals. Puzzled because, well - you know -- the rodeo? Really? In upstate New York?

I wanted to check all this out for myself, so it was off to the rodeo...

Yee-ha!

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Paterson calls special Senate session, twins die in accident, lottery winner allegedly sold crack, man accused of syruping gas tanks

David Paterson is calling the state Senate into special session this afternoon. Whether anything of actual substance will happen is uncertain, though -- in large part because it's not clear who will be running the chamber. Paterson can set the agenda -- and he's putting up 90 largely uncontroversial bills for consideration (he can't make the senators vote, though). When/if the bills are voted on, Paterson says he'll keep the Senate in session for bills related to "reform, fiscal discipline and also civil rights." One of those bills is probably the same-sex marriage bill, though Paterson didn't say that exactly -- probably because Democrat, and outspoken same-sex marriage opponent, Ruben Diaz has been threatening to switch parties if the bill is brought up. [TU] [NYDN] [Buffalo News] [Daily Politics] [PolitickerNY]

While the Senate drama lurched forward yesterday, the Assembly finished its session. [AP]

Twin teenage brothers died Sunday in Rensselaer County after the ATVs they were driving collided head-on. A teen girl was also seriously injured. The teens were not wearing helmets (the TU story says state law requires helmets, the Gazette story says it does not helmets are required). [TU] [Troy Record] [Daily Gazette]

Police say a Schenectady man stabbed his adult step daughter and her friend after the man got into an argument with his wife at a Father's Day party on Sunday. [TU] [Daily Gazette]

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Senate drama twists again, small plane crashes into Mohawk, firefighters pull unconcisous girl from fire, Whole Foods reportedly scouting area

The state Senate drama took another twist over the weekend when Hiram Monserrate -- one of the Democratic switchers -- said he's returning to caucus with the Democrats. Apparently one of Monserrate's demands for returning to the Dems' caucus was that Malcolm Smith had to go as majority leader. Brooklyn senator John Sampson is reportedly going to take over as head of the Democratic caucus -- but Smith might stay on as leader-in-name-only so the Democrats can pursue their case arguing that the Republican takeover was illegal. [NYDN] [NYDN] [NYP] [TU]

If Monserrate really does switch back, it would leave the Senate split 31-31 -- and that could mean epic gridlock. Dean Skelos and Pedro Espada -- the (new, former?) Senate leaders -- would stay in charge of the body. Typically in a 31-31 split the lieutenant governor would cast the deciding vote -- but New York is currently without a lt governor. Republicans are apparently arguing that Espada -- who's the Senate pro tem -- should get two votes. That's not going over well with the Democrats. [Buffalo News] [NYDN]

By the way: Espada still hasn't settled his numerous campaign disclosure violations, as he promised to do. [TU]

Two people are dead and another missing after a small plane crashed into the Mohawk shortly after take-off from the Mohawk Valley Airport in Glenville yesterday afternoon. Witnesses say it appears the plane didn't get enough speed to take off. [TU] [Daily Gazette]

The Troy pizza shop worker who thwarted a robbery last month was shot four times Saturday in another hit on the shop -- he's expected to live. Police say the man confronted the shooter(s) in front of the store because he thought something was up. The shop is a Domino's -- the company is offering a $5000 reward for info. [TU] [Troy Record] [CapNews9]

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Earth gently relieving its stress, Paterson calls for calorie counts on menus, Golisano says state bailed on us, Pink Palace sold, guy wins car with hold-in-one

Today is school budget and school board voting day. [CapNews9]

A geologist at the State Museum says the recent string of small earthquakes in Berne is a good thing because stresses in the earth are being released gently. [AOA] [TU]

Police are continuing to investigate the former doctor who's accused of torching Saratoga Winners for the insurance money. Among the points of interest: alleged paycheck irregularities at his staffing firm and a burned-down hair salon. [TU]

Republican Mary Ann McGinn -- an attorney with an MBA -- says she's running for Albany City Treasurer. The current -- and embattled -- treasurer, Democrat Betty Barnette, is also facing a primary challenge. [TU]

Sixteen schools in New York City have now been closed because of the recent flare up of the emerging H1N1 flu. Public officials aren't sure if the school closings actually help, though. The state health department is trying to get a centralized system together to track student illnesses -- the hope being such a system would help officials identify an outbreak earlier. [NYT] [NYT] [AP/CapNews9]

David Paterson has proposed state legislation that would require chain restaurants to post calorie information on their menus. The rule might even apply to places such as Stewart's. [TU] [Troy Record]

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State budget agreement includes big increase, more trouble for Schenectady cops, IBM to continue investing at Albany NanoTech, forest kindergarten planned

The Three Men in the Room have agreed to a state budget totaling almost $132 billion -- yep, that's $10 billion more than David Paterson's proposed budget and almost 9 percent bigger than last year. Direct spending by the state, not counting federal money, is increasing one percent. (Look how the Three Men buried the budget total in the 7th paragraph of the agreement's press release.) The budget includes a bunch of new taxes and fees, including hikes in the income tax for higher income households. It also kills the STAR rebate checks. The legislature still found room to keep a combined $170 million in "member items" (you know, pork). This budget was composed in "profound" secrecy. State Senate Republican minority leader Dean Skelos called it "the height of irresponsibility." [AP/Daily Gazette] [PolitickerNY] [Buffalo News] [Newsday] [TU] [NYT] [NYDN]

State Senate majority leader Malcolm Smith says the proposed reforms of the Rockefeller Drug Laws will save the state $250 million in expenses. [TU]

Yet another Schenectady cop is in trouble. A patrolman was charged Friday night with taking his girlfriend's car without her permission. The officer was already under investigation for abusing sick time and once lost his gun. "We need to bring the hammer down," mayor Brian Stratton said of the city's troubled police force. [Daily Gazette] [TU]

The APD detective accused of driving drunk through Albany and Delmar in January has pleaded not guilty. The detective is currently suspended with pay. [TU]

The Dalai Lama's emissary says he's OK with the fact that his leader's Albany visit is being sponsored by an organization that's been accused of being cult-like. [TU]

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Siena leaves its mark on the NCAA tournament, Morris calls for more community policing, stabbing in Ballston Spa, baracking

Siena put up a good fight against #1 seed Louisville in the second round of the NCAA tournament, but ultimately lost 79-72. After trailing at halftime by five, the Saints took the lead a little more than 10 minutes into the second half and held it until about four minute mark. [TU] [ESPN]

The org that runs New York's electricity market says an arrangement in which buyers of electricity pay more than the lowest bid is a feature, not a bug. [TU]

A study sponsored by a free market academic center concludes that New York State has the lowest level of personal and economic freedom in the country. [TU]

A 2005 report about then-state Senate minority leader David Paterson's office describes an operation with problems very similar to those exhibited during Paterson's first year as governor: chaos, indecisiveness and jumbled communication. [NYDN]

Albany Common Council president -- and mayoral candidate -- Shawn Morris says the APD has shifted its focus away from community policing -- and that's contributed to a recent surge in crime. [TU]

Forty percent of children in Albany County live in poverty -- as do 25 percent of people in Schenectady -- according to a report out from an advocacy org. [Daily Gazette]

The manager of the TU Center says he'd like to see mixed martial arts fighting legalized in New York State. He estimates ultimate fighting could sell out the arena and generate $1 million to $2 million in economic activity. [Daily Gazette]

After two of the three finalists for the job of UAlbany president dropped out, a source tells the TU the search will likely be reopened. UAlbany has been looking for a new president for more than two years. [TU]

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Job anxiety at Capitol, Albany Med planning more development, cell phone prompts school evacuation, NYSTI fighting merger with Egg

The change in control of the state Senate is causing a lot of anxiety for staffers -- many of their jobs are up in the air as resources are being re-apportioned. The state Senate has 1,300 staffers. [NYT]

Albany Med is looking to build an office building, hotel and parking garage on land owned by the VA across New Scotland Ave. The plan would also reconfigure that part of New Scotland into a four-lane street. [TU]

A chunk of ice flew off the back of a tractor trailer yesterday and smashed through the windshield of a Ballston Spa woman's car. (The picture is remarkable.) She says she'd now like to see a state law to making it illegal to drive with ice on your car. [CBS6] [CBS6]

Local auto repair shops say business is booming as people look to hang on to their cars longer because of the economy. [TU]

Police say they're not sure what led to the death of a man found along the side of the road in North Greenbush on Sunday. [Troy Record]

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The Ballston Spa Film Festival?

BS fest.jpg

Cannes, Sundance, Ballston Spa

It may not be mentioned in the same breath as Sundance or Cannes, but this weekend the village of Ballston Spa is hosting a film festival. Dozens of short films from all over the United States, England and Canada will be screened throughout the village on Friday night and Saturday. And yes, there's a bunch of other fun stuff that goes along with a film festival.

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How walkable is your neighborhood?

There's this interesting site called Walk Score, which tries to assign walkability scores to neighborhoods. So, we decided to drop 10 Capital Region locations into the site. Here's how they ranked:

(Scale is 1 to 100, the larger number, the more walkable)


10. Guilderland: 25

9. Clifton Park, Clifton Park Center: 25

8. Ballston Spa: 63

7. Delmar, Four Corners: 69

6. Albany, uptown: 71

The top 5 after the jump...

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The Scoop

For a decade All Over Albany was a place for interested and interesting people in New York's Capital Region. It was kind of like having a smart, savvy friend who could help you find out what's up. AOA stopped publishing at the end of 2018.

Recently on All Over Albany

Thank you!

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Let's stay in touch

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Working on AOA over the past decade has been a life-changing experience for me and it's shaped the way I think about so many things.... (more)

Albany tightened its rules for shoveling snowy sidewalks last winter -- so how'd that work out?

If winter ever gets its act together and drops more snow on us, there will be sidewalks to shovel. And shortly after that, Albany will... (more)

Tea with Jack McEneny

Last week we were fortunate enough to spend a few minutes with Jack McEneny -- former state Assemblyman, unofficial Albany historian, and genuinely nice guy.... (more)

Recent Comments

My three year old son absolutely loving riding the train around Huck Finn's (Hoffman's) Playland this summer.

Thank you!

...has 27 comments, most recently from Ashley

Let's stay in touch

...has 4 comments, most recently from mg

A look inside 2 Judson Street

...has 3 comments, most recently from Diane (Agans) Boyle

Everything changes: Alicia Lea

...has 2 comments, most recently from Chaz Boyark

A few things I think about this place

...has 13 comments, most recently from Katherine