Albany Times Union (Albany, NY) articles from June 2012

Albany Times Union (Albany, NY) archives from June 2012

Berliner Aces His Latest Golf Test
June 12, 2012... Byline: Pete Dougherty June 12--QUEENSBURY -- Scott Berliner already is the dominant player in the Northeastern New York PGA section. Does he really need the benefit of a hole-in-one to win a tournament? Turns out he did Monday at Glens...

Who Leads Mobile Data Race?
June 12, 2012... Byline: Larry Rulison June 12--COLONIE -- If you live in the Capital Region and frequently use your cellphone to do things like post pictures to Facebook or watch video, Verizon Wireless might be your best bet. That's because a study released...

Selling the Farm, Piece by Piece
June 12, 2012... Byline: Larry Rulison June 12--COLONIE -- Equipment, antiques and buildings from generations of the Engel family of Colonie were auctioned off Saturday at the clan's former farm on Albany Shaker Road. Brothers Edward and John Engel have...

County to Buy Family Court Building
June 12, 2012... Byline: Jordan Carleo-Evangelist June 12--ALBANY -- County lawmakers on Monday night overwhelmingly backed the $22.8 million purchase of the county's family court building from the private developer that built it seven years ago -- even as...

Intruder Stuns College President
June 12, 2012... Byline: Paul Nelson June 12--SCHENECTADY -- A Saratoga Springs woman faces felony charges after city police accused her Monday of kicking her way into the campus residence of Union College President Stephen Ainlay and his wife, who escaped...

Drug Oversight Gets Unanimous OK
June 12, 2012... Byline: Casey Seiler June 12--ALBANY -- The sweeping prescription drug oversight legislation known as the Internet System for Tracking Over-Prescribing Act, or I-STOP, passed the state Legislature with ease Monday afternoon. The vote was 58-0...

Top Deputy Abruptly Let Go
June 12, 2012... Byline: James M. Odato June 12--ALBANY -- The top-paid executive at the state Department of Agriculture and Markets was dismissed abruptly this weekend. Robert M. Haggerty, 60, the first deputy under Commissioner Darrel Aubertine, was...

Taxing Matters of Life, Death
June 12, 2012... Byline: Rick Karlin June 12--ALBANY -- Everyone knows that death and taxes are inevitable. Now, some city officials want to raise the cost of dying. And of being born, too. Cities across the state -- from Albany and Amsterdam to...

Graduation Rates Slowly Rising
June 12, 2012... Byline: Lauren Stanforth June 12--ALBANY -- New York's overall graduation rate is continuing to rise, albeit slowly, according to data released by the State Education Department on Monday. Statewide, 74 percent of the students who were...

The Last One in Will Be the Last
June 12, 2012... Byline: Dennis Yusko June 12--MECHANICVILLE -- Many swimmers in Saratoga and Rensselaer counties will have to find a new place for lessons and workouts after the Board of Education eliminated the city school district's nearly 50-year-old pool...

Jury Selection Starts in Park Killing
June 12, 2012... Byline: Bryan Fitzgerald June 12--ALBANY -- Jury selection began Monday in the trial of a city teen accused of stabbing 17-year-old Tyler Rhodes to death in Hoffman Park last spring. Jah-Lah Tyree Vanderhorst, 17, is charged with...

Armory Auction Set for July 24
June 12, 2012... June 12--SCHENECTADY -- The Schenectady Armory at 125 Washington Ave. will be auctioned off July 24, according to the state Office of General Services. The minimum bid is $180,000. The auction will be held at 11 a.m. in Room 110, Schenectady...

In the Day, Tedisco Took over the Court
June 12, 2012... Byline: Marv Cermak June 12--Jim Tedisco, a member of the winningest basketball team in Union College history, recently invited teammates from the 1971-72 season to a 40th anniversary reunion at his home. "How often do you see teams get...

Caring Community: A Hero to All Who Knew Him
June 12, 2012... Byline: Jennifer Patterson June 12--SCHENECTADY -- Jeanne Ryan is thankful for many things, but the time she spent with her father tops the list. Dennis Ryan, a World War II veteran and Purple Heart recipient, died in April at the age of...

Alleged Intruder Said He Was Owed for Beer
June 12, 2012... Byline: Dayelin Roman June 12--GUILDERLAND -- A 20-year-old Altamont man was arrested early Sunday after the sheriff's office said he refused to leave a home and demanded money from its owner for an alleged beer debt. Cody Lassonde of 5179...

Homemade Bombs Add Fuel to Mystery
June 12, 2012... Byline: Bryan Fitzgerald June 12--COLONIE -- When a neighbor found a two-liter soda bottle in his bushes Monday, Joe Careccia reached to pick it up to throw it out. "Don't touch it!" shouted the neighbor, who was doing some work on...

Guard Suspended in Inmate's Escape Bid
June 12, 2012... Byline: Bryan Fitzgerald June 12--COLONIE -- Sheriff Craig Apple slammed staff at his own Albany County jail Monday after an inmate slipped past three unlocked doors on his way to the facility's booking area, changed into civilian clothes and...

Fireman Placed on Leave after Pursuit
June 12, 2012... Byline: Tim O'Brien June 12--COLONIE -- A first lieutenant in the Latham Fire Department was suspended after his arrest for allegedly leading police on a high-speed chase on a motorcycle. Nabeel Saeed, 23, was arrested Saturday after he...

EDITORIAL: A Plate ?of Privilege
June 11, 2012... June 11--Our opinion: Special license plates can announce local pride, and local connections. However petty, it's corruption, right under our noses. Did you know that in many counties in New York, you can get a special plate from your county...

Times Union, Albany, N.Y., James M. Odato Column
June 11, 2012... Byline: James M. Odato June 11--The Cuomo administration retained a high-powered consultant to help deal with Genting on the now-collapsed $4 billion convention project next to its Aqueduct racino, but gaming companies are worried about the...

Section II Celebrates Softball
June 11, 2012... Byline: James Allen June 11--The Chatham and Greenwich softball teams took two wildly different journeys to capture Section II softball titles. Once they began competing in their respective state tournaments, the Panthers and Witches...

Charity Finds NFL Friends
June 11, 2012... Byline: Rebecca Fitzgerald June 11--ALBANY -- Children and their families were all smiles at the Albany Ronald McDonald House with the arrival of their famous guests. Eleven NFL Hall of Fame players visited on Sunday as part of the Ronald...

3-Sport Star Enjoys School's Finest Hour
June 11, 2012... Byline: James Allen June 11--GREENWICH -- Kids grow up dreaming about excelling playing high school sports. Greenwich standout Dani DeGregory proved you can be dream big. DeGregory proved herself to be a dominating force in three varsity...

Union Rags in Top Colt Picture
June 11, 2012... Byline: Tim Wilkin June 11--ELMONT -- The Belmont backstretch, full of Triple Crown anticipation all week long, was quiet Sunday morning. I'll Have Another, the star of the Kentucky Derby and Preakness, but a no-show in the Belmont because of...

Free Fun, Fare for All
June 11, 2012... Byline: Tracy Ormsbee June 11--Need a reason to leave the Xbox, iPad and television behind and get outside? We can give you a list of them. Zip line. Swimming pool. Rock climbing wall. Pond with paddle boats. Hiking trails. ...

New Schools Chief Likes Big Picture
June 11, 2012... Byline: Lauren Stanforth June 11--When asked to describe the importance of things perched on a windowsill above his desk, new Schenectady Schools Superintendent Larry Spring took down a picture of a woman. "I'm probably the only person who...

For Lawmakers, It's an Easy Finish
June 11, 2012... Byline: Jimmy Vielkind June 11--ALBANY -- This time last year, the eyes of the nation were fixed on the Capitol as lawmakers voted in a late-night session to legalize same-sex marriage after days of dramatic screaming matches. But with...

BRIEF: Guard Suspended after Escape Attempt at Jail
June 11, 2012... June 11--COLONIE -- A 44-year-old prisoner at the Albany County Jail sneaked away from the jail's medical unit, put on civilian clothing and hid in a property room before being discovered 90 minutes later, Sheriff Craig Apple said. The...

Correction: Corrections
June 11, 2012... June 11--Two Empire State College graduation ceremonies were held in the Capital Region on Saturday. The ESC Center for Distance Learning graduated at the Saratoga Springs City Center and the ESC Northeast Region ceremony was held at The Egg,...

JetBlue, Virgin Side with Schumer
June 11, 2012... Byline: James M. Odato June 11--WASHINGTON -- U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer persuaded two airlines not to join a trend toward charging extra for preferred seating on their airplanes -- although several major carriers seem married to the fees. ...

Train Heritage Museum Revives Bygone Era
June 11, 2012... Byline: Bryan Fitzgerald June 11--SCHENECTADY -- From 1901 to 1969, more than 75,000 locomotives rolled off the assembly lines of the American Locomotive Company and onto rails from California to Europe and Asia. Though often overshadowed...

Work on Crumbling Latham Circle Slated for Next Spring
June 11, 2012... Byline: Tim O'Brien June 11--We start this week's column with two similar questions about one of the region's most well-known and well-traveled spots. Q: Last evening we were returning from dinner, and our route took us north on Route 9...

A Risky Draw for Bikers
June 11, 2012... June 11--GREENWICH -- Warm weather brought out bikers again over the weekend, and with them came more injuries -- including two fatalities -- and another case of a rider operating at speeds well in excess of 100 mph. A motorcyclist and his...

Suit Seeks Diocese's Sex Abuse Records
June 11, 2012... Byline: Brendan J. Lyons June 11--The Albany Roman Catholic diocese's handling of sexual abuse complaints against priests has the potential to be laid bare in a Vermont federal court where a Glens Falls man has filed an unprecedented lawsuit...

Losing Drive to Drive
June 11, 2012... Byline: Tim O'Brien June 11--Growing up, you counted the days until you turned 16 and could make your parents take you to get a permit. A driver's license meant freedom, a chance to take friends wherever you wanted to go as you blasted...

OPINION: Learning Lincoln's Lessons
June 11, 2012... Byline: Rex Smith June 11--Nations often view the crisis of the moment as the most severe ever, so in this time of worry it is worth recalling that 150 years ago, the very survival of the American experiment seemed in doubt. In the...

BRIEF: Cops: Use of Debit Card Links Man to Thefts
June 11, 2012... Byline: Dayelin Roman June 11--RAVENA -- A 26-year-old village man was arrested last week after police said his use of a stolen credit card connected him to a series of car thefts and burglaries. Coeymans police said Joshua Duell had been...

Man Accused of Demanding Cash from Homeowner
June 11, 2012... Byline: Dayelin Roman June 11--GUILDERLAND -- A 20-year-old Altamont man was arrested early Sunday after the sheriff's office said he refused to leave a home and demanded money from its owner. Cody Lassonde, of 5179 Gardner Road was...

BRIEF: Sheriff: Man Threatened to Blow Up DSS Office
June 11, 2012... Byline: Bryan Fitzgerald June 11--SCHOHARIE -- Irate about how a family court case was being handled by the Department of Social Services, a New Jersey man threatened to blow up one of the department's offices in Schoharie, the Schoharie...

BRIEF: Cops: Homemade Bombs Found on Colonie Lawn
June 11, 2012... Byline: Bryan Fitzgerald June 11--COLONIE -- Three small bombs were found on the front lawn of a Verdun Street home, police confirm. Police are investigated the incident after a contractor showed up to a home and found three small...

Chase Leads to Firefighter's Suspension
June 11, 2012... Byline: Tim O'Brien June 11--COLONIE -- A first lieutenant in the Latham Fire Department was suspended after his arrest for allegedly leading police on a high-speed chase on a motorcycle. Nabeel Saeed, 23, was arrested Saturday after he...

BRIEF: Cops Probe Albany Shooting
June 11, 2012... June 11--ALBANY -- A 17-year-old walked into Albany Medical Center Hospital early Sunday to be treated for a gunshot wound, police said. Hospital workers went to the hospital just after 1 a.m. when a hospital official reported that the...

BRIEF: Man Charged with Burglary after North Creek Break-In
June 11, 2012... June 11--NORTH CREEK -- A 29-year-old man was charged with burglary after a break-in on Bridge Street, according to the Warren County Sheriff's Office. After an investigation Sunday, Wiley E. Odell II of River Road was charged with...

Cops: Woman Kicks Way into Home of Union College President
June 11, 2012... Byline: Paul Nelson June 11--SCHENECTADY -- A 57-year-old Saratoga Springs woman faces assorted felonies after kicking her way into and chasing Union College President Stephen Ainlay and his wife inside their home, according to police. ...

BRIEF: Pension Fund Allegedly Robbed
June 11, 2012... Byline: Kenneth C. Crowe II June 11--EAST GREENBUSH -- The chief executive officer of a local company was charged with draining all the money from the firm's pension trust fund, town police said Monday. Shana N. O'Malley, 31, allegedly...

EDITORIAL: New York's ?Real Scandal
June 10, 2012... June 10--Our opinion: The controversy swirling around the governor, a surrogate coalition, and a failed mega-deal underscore the need for campaign finance reform and greater disclosure by advocacy groups. It would be easy to get lost in the...

Times Union, Albany, N.Y., Tim Wilkin Column
June 10, 2012... Byline: Tim Wilkin June 10--ELMONT -- Saturday was supposed to be one of the greatest days in the recent history of the New York Racing Association. Fantastic weather. A crowd of more than 100,000. A Triple Crown on the line. ...

Times Union, Albany, N.Y., Sundays with Tim Wilkin Column
June 10, 2012... Byline: Sundays With Tim Wilkin June 10--ELMONT -- Another spring of racing has come and gone and, for the 34th straight season, there is no celebration of a Triple Crown. After days like Friday, it makes me think there never, ever will be...

State Title for Greenwich
June 10, 2012... Byline: Pete Dougherty June 10--QUEENSBURY -- As much as coaches want to refute it, softball games can be dominated by one player, and that arguably was the case Saturday in the state Class C title game. What's against the norm is that the...

Chatham Rallies to Win State Title
June 10, 2012... Byline: Pete Dougherty June 10--QUEENSBURY -- After only a half inning, softball became a game of Follow the Leader. Chatham was cruising into the state Class B softball championship game behind junior pitching ace Kayla Doty, who had...

Fast Start No Help as Academy Loses
June 10, 2012... Byline: James Allen June 10--BINGHAMTON -- The goal for the Albany Academy baseball team Saturday was playing twice, and the Cadets sort of did that. The Section II Class B champions breezed through the first portion of its state semifinal...

BRIEF: Fort Ann Rallies but Can't Catch Deposit
June 10, 2012... Byline: Pete Dougherty June 10--QUEENSBURY -- The end of the road came close to home for the Fort Ann softball team. The Cardinals, reaching the state's final four for the first time since winning the 2006 championship, made the 15-mile...

BRIEF: Fort Ann Falters in Seventh
June 10, 2012... Byline: James Allen June 10--BINGHAMTON -- Winning a second state Class D baseball title in three years seemed attainable for Fort Ann on Saturday. Senior pitcher Robert Sprague retired 18 straight batters and was one out from forcing...

Currency Swap Just Misses
June 10, 2012... Byline: Mark Singelais June 10--ELMONT -- Currency Swap, trained by Saratoga Springs native Terri Pompay, chased Trinniberg on Saturday in a scene reminiscent of the Grade I Hopeful at Saratoga Race Course last summer. This time, Currency...

BRIEF: Schafer Helps Dutchmen Win
June 10, 2012... June 10--The Albany Dutchmen earned a 7-5 win over visiting Glens Falls on Saturday at Bellizzi Stadium in Albany. The Dutchmen (2-1) scored four runs in the third inning, keyed by a two-run triple by Ryan Gasporra, which scored Zach and Will...

Union Rags to Riches
June 10, 2012... Byline: Tim Wilkin June 10--ELMONT -- By the end of the day Saturday, the disappointment and frustration of a lost Triple Crown had melted into the hazy Long Island sun. There would be no historical run by I'll Have Another into the...

Dave Matthews Band's Power, Crowd's Allegiance Still Strong
June 10, 2012... Byline: Shannon Fromma June 10--SARATOGA SPRINGS -- Friday marked the Dave Matthews Band's return to the Saratoga Performing Arts Center after a yearlong hiatus, and it seems little has changed since they last performed at SPAC in 2010, or...

BRIEF: Unlicensed Driver Charged with Felony DWI with Kids in Car
June 10, 2012... June 10--BETHLEHEM -- A Schenectady man was charged Saturday night with felony DWI after state troopers stopped him on the Thruway with two children in his vehicle. Lewis J. Decker Jr., 33, was stopped about 9 p.m. driving with a revoked...

BRIEF: Young Couple Die in Motorcycle/car Accident
June 10, 2012... June 10--GREENWICH -- A motorcyclist and his passenger died Saturday following a collision with a car whose operator turned into their path, State Police said. Troopers identified them as Steven L. Susee, 24, of Salem, the driver, and Shirley...

Horse Racing's Fate, Cursed or Not, Rued by Fans
June 10, 2012... Byline: Mark McGuire June 10--SARATOGA SPRINGS -- Bernie Rivers should know all about sports curses. He's a Red Sox fan. But he's not buying it, not buying there is something sinister hovering over horse racing. Sure, he says, bad stuff...

Rally: We're One City
June 10, 2012... Byline: Tim O'Brien June 10--ALBANY -- Neighborhood activists and members of the Occupy Albany movement joined together Saturday to call for an end to inequality in community assistance. Some 100 people gathered at Albany's Washington Park...

Times Union, Albany, N.Y., Pete Iorizzo Column
June 10, 2012... Byline: Pete Iorizzo June 10--ELMONT -- It came down to the wire. Would she get to the finish in time? "Hold on, hold on, we have to get her in here," a man wearing a Union Rags baseball cap yelled to a photographer. The man walked to...

OPINION: Learning Lincoln's Lessons
June 10, 2012... Byline: Rex Smith June 10--Nations often view the crisis of the moment as the most severe ever, so in this time of worry it is worth recalling that 150 years ago, the very survival of the American experiment seemed in doubt. In the...

Times Union, Albany, N.Y., Pete Iorizzo Column
June 9, 2012... Byline: Pete Iorizzo June 09--ELMONT -- Bill Feingold was walking through the Belmont Park entrance Friday morning when, at 11:23, his iPhone buzzed with a text message. I'll Have Another is being scratched from the field tomorrow. ...

Times Union, Albany, N.Y., Tim Wilkin Column
June 9, 2012... Byline: Tim Wilkin June 09--ELMONT -- Friday morning, I was sure I was going to pick I'll Have Another to win the Belmont Stakes and, in the process, become the 12th Triple Crown winner. Then the day got sour. It was last call for I'll...

Pitcher for Postseason
June 9, 2012... Byline: James Allen June 09--VOORHESVILLE -- Voorheesville senior pitcher Kevin Connolly will play his final game after four years of varsity baseball Saturday in Binghamton. The right-hander, who earned successive wins in the Section II...

Racing World Left Stunned
June 9, 2012... Byline: Mark Singelais June 09--ELMONT -- Billy Turner, the only man alive who knows what it's like to train a Triple Crown winner, found out he'll remain a one-man fraternity when the Belmont Stakes is run Saturday. He wasn't gloating. ...

Small-School Heaven
June 9, 2012... Byline: James Allen June 09--We began the week with 10 regional champions in baseball and softball. We are down to six -- three baseball and three softball squads -- still alive with a chance to win state championships. All six are small...

Car-Sharing Plan Is Getting into Gear
June 9, 2012... Byline: Jackson Wang June 09--With expenses such as gas, insurance and other costs, it's getting harder for people to maintain a car, let alone buy a new one. But traveling around the Capital Region without a car is difficult, and taking...

A Labor of Love for the Forgotten
June 9, 2012... Byline: Paul Grondahl June 09--SCHUYLERVILLE -- Eight maple and oak cylindrical urns gleamed next to crisply folded American flags in the mid-afternoon sun. A military guard stood at attention. Rifle volleys crackled in the heavy air. Four...

BRIEF: Ex-Schenectady Schools Leader Is Job Finalist
June 9, 2012... June 09--Eric Ely, former Schenectady schools superintendent, may be on the move again. He is one of four finalists to lead the Dracut, Mass., school district, according to the Valley Dispatch newspaper. It said school leaders are expected...

BRIEF: Two Cars Flip on Albany Street
June 9, 2012... Byline: Cathleen F. Crowley June 09--ALBANY -- Two cars rolled over in an accident on Washington Avenue near Winthrop Avenue around 8:30 p.m. Friday. The car occupants walked away from the accident and one man was taken to Albany Medical...

BRIEF: Troy Man Arrested for Firing Shots
June 9, 2012... June 09--ALBANY -- Investigators arrested a 26-year-old Troy man Thursday who is suspected of firing shots at another man in March, Albany police said. Richard Ely, of Pawling Avenue, Troy, was arrested at his home with the assistance of the...

BRIEF: Greenfield Center Man Indicted on Rape Charges
June 9, 2012... Byline: Paul Nelson June 09--BALLSTON SPA -- A Greenfield Center man has been indicted on 48 criminal charges for allegedly raping two young girls, according to the Saratoga County District Attorney's Office. The charging document was...

Business Group Seeks a Few BFFs
June 9, 2012... Byline: Rick Karlin June 09--TROY -- The state Business Council is boosting its game in electoral politics, and in November plans to aggressively assist legislative candidates it considers pro-business. One sign that the organization is...

Sneezy Season's Suffering Lingers Longer
June 9, 2012... Byline: Cathleen F. Crowley June 09--Allergists call it "seasonal creep." Allergy sufferers call it annoying. The spike of warm temperatures in February followed by a cool and wet spring created a long slog of pollen and mold, melding the...

Bethlehem Garden Club Tour Set for Next Week
June 9, 2012... Byline: Dayelin Roman June 09--BETHLEHEM -- The town's Garden Club will host its 16th annual garden tour and plant sale on June 13 to fund community gardens and educational grants. Those who attend will "get an opportunity to tour some of...

RCS Seniors Suspended over Post-It Prank
June 9, 2012... Byline: Scott Waldman June 09--Dozens of students at Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk High School have been suspended for sticking Post-It notes throughout the hallways of the school overnight. The students took about 5,000 packs of the notes into...

BRIEF: Guilty Plea in Fatal Beating
June 9, 2012... June 09--ALBANY -- A 53-year-old man who beat a Cohoes retiree to death pleaded guilty Friday to murder and faces a sentence of 30 years to life in prison. Mark Richardson attacked John Siakala on Dec. 30 after the 67-year-old city man let...

No Race to History
June 9, 2012... Byline: Tim Wilkin June 09--ELMONT -- The Belmont Stakes became just another horse race at 1 p.m. on Friday afternoon. I'll Have Another, the only horse with a chance to win the Triple Crown, was out. And the most anticipated horse race in...

Shaker Season Ends in OT
June 9, 2012... Byline: Jess Koehler June 09--CORTLAND -- Everything went as planned for the Shaker girls' lacrosse team in the early stages of its Class A state semifinal against Penfield on Friday. The Blue Bison were taking smart shots, their ball...

Nursing-Home Related Bill Socks Albany County
June 9, 2012... Byline: Jordan Carleo-Evangelist June 09--ALBANY -- The bad news is that Albany County owes the federal government $4.8 million it doesn't have in its budget. The good news is, it's probably not the county's fault. More bad news: That may not...

Albany March Calls for Equity among Neighborhoods
June 9, 2012... Byline: Tim O'Brien June 09--ALBANY -- Neighborhood activists and members of the Occupy Albany movement joined together Saturday to call for an end to inequality in community assistance. Some 100 people gathered at Albany's Washington...

Grim Quest Ends
June 9, 2012... Byline: Tim O'Brien June 09--COLONIE -- Paul Gregory DeSorrento's search for his biological father led to an unexpected conclusion: The man was a homeless alcoholic who died at age 45 in Albany in 1989. He may not have been the father...