Albany | featured news

HALFMOON — Indoor rock climbers have brought their skills to The Edge Halfmoon climbing gym for a day-long showcase. The event is being put on in partnership with LOVE146 host The Lead Revival Sport Open and the bill includes recent national champions for both the sport climbing and bouldering disciplines. Cash prizes are among the attractions.

MALTA -- A town man is accused of punching, kicking and choking a woman during a domestic incident on Thursday, Saratoga County sheriff's investigators said Saturday.

BUFFALO –A former top State University at Buffalo official who stole over $320,000 to use for travel, concerts and Broadway shows was sentenced to probation Friday, the state Inspector General's office said.Dennis Black, 61, former vice president of University Life Services at SUNY Buffalo, who moved to South Carolina amid the investigation, must serve the five years of probation, commit to 2,500 hours of community service and pay a $5,000 fine, the Inspector General's office said.

SARATOGA SPRINGS -- The Saratoga Springs Horse Show, an unbroken 57-year tradition, won't be happening this spring because organizers haven't been able to find a location.In a statement, Tom Fueston, president of the Capital Fund of Saratoga County, which runs the May show, said no temporary location could be found in the area that had the necessary infrastructure to meet the event's needs for 2018.

MILTON -A man accused of cashing a check in another person's name for more than $2,000 is charged with felony grand larceny and identity theft, Saratoga County sheriff's investigators said Saturday.

The H&M in Colonie Center will be holding a grand opening celebration Thursday starting at noon at its new location downstairs in the mall (near the former Sears location).

TROY — A fire Friday night on Ninth Street displaced five people, the Northeastern New York Chapter of the American Red Cross said.Volunteers provided emergency aid to the five adults, including one person who is eligible for veterans' services.

The city planning board approved a major mixed-use development planned for Quackenbush Square last week that would connect downtown Albany with other redevelopment projects happening in the city's warehouse district.

The city of Mechanicville will hire an outside lawyer to conduct an investigation into allegations that Mayor Dennis Baker engages in regular intimidation, harassment, demeaning and threatening behavior against the city's police force.

TROY — Two defendants in a recent gun arrest were denied release from jail Friday after Rensselaer County prosecutors managed to get a certified indictment for them as well as one other co-defendant.State Supreme Court Justice Patrick McGrath denied two writs of habeas corpus filed on behalf of defendants Olajuwon M. Sutherland and Damier M. Klevitch-Gay that called for their release from jail after prosecutors handed up certification that a grand jury had on Thursday indicted the two along with Devonte M. Smith.