Metroland

Merry Merry

The Christmas Eve 'toon is this gem with Sylvester, Tweety, Granny and that loud bulldog.

Merry Christmas to all!!

Today's Christmas Cartoon

Here's a too cute and too creepy Christmas greeting from December 1939. Hugh Harman seemed to share James Cameron's dim view of humanity's future.

NXIVM served wrong company in $65 million Metroland suit

Remember that one time that one group of professional eccentrics in Halfmoon tried to sue little old Metroland for $65 million? Remember, it was around the time that the Dalai Lama came to town and gave Jerry Jennings a scarf?

Well, that lawsuit never made it very far: 

In a 2008 Metroland article, “The Stars Come Out in Troy,” [Rick] Ross was quoted discussing Raniere’s previous business, Consumers Buyline Inc. Raniere later claimed that Ross was incorrect in his characterization of that company’s legal issues and that Metroland had conspired with Ross to libel him and NXIVM.

This past spring, it appeared that NXIVM had attempted to sue Metroland for $65 million. However, the company that owns Metroland, Lou Communications Inc., was never served in that suit. Instead, NXIVM attempted to serve the now-defunct former owner of the paper, Metroland Magazine Inc.

The statue of limitations on NXIVM’s potential claim against Metroland has expired.

The Decade's Best Movies

This week, Ann, Laura and I take a look back at the cinema of the oughts.

There really wasn't a logical place for me to drop in my 10 Best of the '00s, so here it is in chronological order:

In The Mood for Love

Mulholland Dr.

Lost in Translation

Dogville

Kill Bill, Vols. 1 and 2

Before Sunset

Team America: World Police

Children of Men

Michael Clayton

Zodiac

Other films I liked an awful lot: Punch-Drunk Love, There Will Be Blood, Anchorman, American Dreamz, A Scanner Darkly, Dancer in the Dark, 2046, Italian for Beginners.

The Washington Ave. YMCA branch targeted for closure

As we first began reporting last Friday, the Capital District YMCA is considering shutting down its Washington Avenue branch.

Seriously considering:

When questioned, [president and CEO of Capital District YMCA David] Brown said that the facility needed 1,800 new members to keep its doors open. He acknowledged that those numbers might be unreasonable to expect by January, but said that enough movement in the right direction could postpone the final decision and allow the facility more time to bolster membership.

Still, to some members of the community, the meetings looked like little more than damage control for a plan that has already been decided.

“That meeting was to tell us they were going to close it,” said Bill Pettit, president of the Washington Park Neighborhood Association. “I asked him point blank, ‘You’re going to close it?’ And he said, ‘Yes, in April.’”

Pettit said that he and other members were told that the official announcement would come out the first of the year. He also said that when asked what would happen if they managed to produce 1,800 new members by January, Brown told him that the facility would still be closed.

It's hard to believe Brown's claim that this is an unfortunate reality that the YMCA haplessly finds itself in:

Unfortunately, several realities undermine the credibility of his statements. For one thing, while the Capital District YMCA has been pouring money into its newer suburban properties, it has not made sufficient investments in maintenance at the Washington Avenue branch to stem the membership decline, nor has it done much in recent years to market the facility to potential new members. Also, by Brown’s own admission, the Capital District YMCA has been exploring alternate uses for the building—insiders suggest it has actively marketed it to potential buyers. Most damning is the timing of the Y’s sudden disclosure: Brown wants 1,800 new members, or at least the promise of 1,800 new members, in little more than a month. That is not enough time, and he knows it.

Scavo: McCoy threatened me

Over at the Times Union Local Politics blog, Albany County Legislator Brian Scavo is claiming that his fellow legislator, Dan McCoy, used threats to try to secure Scavo's support in the recent vote for chairman of the legislature.

THIS MY OPINION IS I AGREE WITH LUCY MC KNIGHT WHEN SHE SAID DAN MC COY IS NOT READY TO GOVERN.
DAN DON’T EVER CALL MY HOME AND THREATEN ME OVER YOUR VOTE FOR CHAIRMAN OR HAVE YOUR BROTHER IN LAW OR FRIENDS TALK ON YOUR BEHALF WITH VAILED THREATS.

YOUR A BULLY DAN MC COY LIKE ALL COWARDS IN THE LONG RUN PEOPLE WILL SEE THE REAL MC COY THAT IN HAVE COME TO KNOW, AND WHAT I SEE I DON’T LIKE AND YOUR NO DEMOCRAT BUT A COWARD.

The above is Scavo's comment, as found at Local Politics. Scavo told me that he wouldn't speak on the record about his allegations, but he did confirm that he was the author of this comment.

When Scavo says that he agrees with Legislator Lucy McKnight's assessment of Dan McCoy, he is referring to the comments McKnight made to Metroland prior to the leadership vote.

Using his position as Democratic chair, McKnight said, McCoy has been “making some promises, making offers that can’t be refused, to win votes.” But with a challenge to Houghtaling’s leadership becoming likely, McKnight said she questions McCoy’s ability to govern.

McKnight had announced that she would challenge McCoy if the current chairman, Charlie Houghtaling, decided not to seek reelection. Houghtaling, who is seen by many as a puppet of Majority Leader Frank Commisso, did run to keep the leadership seat--and the extra $10,000 or so that comes with it. 

At the leadership vote, which took place behind closed doors at the Democrats' caucus, McCoy beat Houghtaling by 15 to 14. Amusingly, McKnight had ducked out before the vote even went down. Had she stayed to cast her vote, the two men would likely have deadlocked. 

Although McCoy won the straw vote, there is some talk that he could still be toppled when the real vote comes to the full legislature in January. Scavo, who supported Houghtaling (obviously), certainly doesn't believe his side should concede.

TU buys YMCA spin

In Saturday's TU, Jordan Carleo-Evangelist faithfully reported the YMCA's official spin on the fate of Albany's Washington Avenue Y: that the financially struggling facility is merely under review; that Capital District YMCA president J. David Brown hopes people will step up "and help save the Albany Y"; that his Friday morning meeting with three neighborhood representatives (held at a secret location to avoid having to face a larger group of members who were gathering at the Y, hoping to give their input) was to brief them and encourage them to drum up support for the facility.

Well, two people I spoke to who were at that meeting came away with a different impression: that closure is practically a done deal, and that Y officials appear to be spinning the story to make it look like they're making a last-ditch effort to save it before they pull the plug.

Other people with inside knowledge have said plans to close the Washington Avenue Y have been in the works for years, and that the building has been marketed to other organizations.

Among the theories being offered for the closure (and some are obvious: membership has been in decline, and the facility does need serious work), one intriguing rumor is that Y officials hope that some Washington Avenue members will migrate to the new North Albany Y, which so far has not attracted many members.

Carleo-Evangelist did contact the mayor's office, whose tepid response was that Jennings' preference "would be to make sure that every reasonable analysis had been given" to keep that facility open.

When Jennings finally leaves office, certain services important to the fabric of city life--the downtown YMCA, and the neighborhood post offices--may be gone. Is that the legacy he wants to leave?

Republicans: Albany County passed an illegitimate budget

Following up on my earlier post, I have received an apparent copy of the budget document that was voted on in the Audit and Finance Committee and passed to the floor of the legislature Monday night for adoption, as well as a copy of the budget that was submitted to the office of the county executive. These documents appear to substantiate Legislator Richard Mendick's allegation that multiple lines in the county budget were altered after it had been adopted by the full legislature.

"This calls into question the legitimacy of the budget," says Tom Marcelle, counsel for the Republican's minority office. If executive Mike Breslin adopts the budget that was presented to him then the county could be vulnerable to legal challenge, he continued. "If this budget is signed into law, anytime they spend money a citizen could charge that the county is operating under a budget that isn't legal."

Marcelle added that Breslin's office must be seriously considering vetoing this budget.

According to Mary Duryea, Breslin's spokeswoman, the executive's office is going over the budget and hasn't yet decided what steps his office will take if they find Mendick's claims to be true. "We've never encountered this situation before," she said.

Many questions remain and I have put a phone call into Frank Commisso, the chair of the Audit and Finance Committee as well as the majority leader.

Albany County's budget balances itself, by magic?

Albany County Legislator Richard Mendick is alleging today that the budget that was passed Monday night by the 39-person legislature is not the same budget that was sent to County Executive Mike Breslin's office. Mendick is charging that this budget was altered by an unknown person or persons well outside the legislative process. What does that mean? Simply, the executive is now considering passing into law a spending plan that the legislature never saw, never debated, never voted on. Nothing.  

"Changes are made all the time," Mendick told Metroland, "but they are made through the legislative process. not in some back room with closed doors."

Mendick, a member of Republican minority, is calling for an investigation. 

So, what allegedly changed in these two versions of the budget you ask (if you are still reading)? Here is a spreadsheet detailing the changes. More succinctly, according to a press release from the legislature's minority office:

Mendick charges that approximately $2 million in reserve funds, not approved by the Legislature, have been added in attempts to correct budget deficiencies and to balance the budget. Mendick says this is a planned maneuver to deceive both the County Legislature and the taxpayers.

“Having reviewed the budget passed by the Albany County Legislature and the one given to me by the Democrat Majority, I have determined that the changes made are deliberate.”

I have put in calls to Frank Commisso, the chair of the Audit and Finance Committee, as well as the office of Mike Breslin.

UPDATE:

I was sent a copy of a press release issued by Commisso, but not from Commisso.

This is what the majority leader has to say:

"Mendick identified a mistake to staff that needed to be rectified and then cries foul when the mistake is fixed. Mendick is complaining about presenting the County Executive with a balanced spending plan, something necessary and understandable by anyone who understands accounting." . . .

"I might expect this from a rookie member, but Mendick has been through this process once before. Perhaps the difference is that this budget was more complicated. Regardless, I have a tough time dealing with such an irresponsible action such as the Mendick's press release. If something were wrong, I would be able to understand the complaint, but not understanding what is going on isn't a reason to put out a press release filled with ignorant allegations. Mr. Mendick should be more careful not to show his ignorance and he should be much more careful on making false accusations."

Y Closing--Why?

The YMCA will announce in January the April closing of its Washington Avenue facility. This in the middle of an urban area that could be serving thousands of nearby resident and workers, as it was doing very well not that many years ago. What has happened since is the classic retreat to the suburbs with gleaming new Ys coupled with the self-fulfilling prophecy of gradually reducing services in the downtown branch. Now they can throw up their hands and say it's losing money and there's nothing they can do. This was avoidable, and it's shameful.

The End of the World

Why sit through 2 1/2 hours of 2012?? The Fleischers destroyed the earth more entertainingly--and in under six minutes!

Metroland Staff, 2004

Funsgiving

Because Thanksgiving involves too much tryptophan, too many relatives, and not enough ridiculous facial hair, the B3nson Family hosts its second annual Funsgiving tonight at Valentine's. Doors open at 7:30 and the lineup includes We Are Jeneric, Scientific Maps, Barons in the Attic, Pinguinos, and Stacy Gets Drunk. $7 at the door, or $5 with a canned good (the event benefits the Capital Region Food Bank).

All manner of ridiculous facial hair is strongly reccomended.

Love for Super 400

Say what you will about the jamband scene and Jambase.com, but editor Dennis Cook is one of the best music scribes in the biz. Check out these kind words he had for local power trio Super 400. 

Prefuse 73 subs for Dan Deacon

I've got some good news and some bad news. Here's the bad news: Due to health problems, Dan Deacon will not be performing tonight for EMPAC's New Nothing series. I know. Bummer, dude. 

Good news: The show must go on. Joining Luciano Chessa and Skeleton$ will be the hella-good glitch-hop DJ Prefuse 73. Not to be missed...

MJ Gallery

So it begins . . .

 

Spot says, "This is an antharia plant, but how fitting."

Yes, Reading!

It's a cool little reading series happening every other week at the Social Justice Center (33 Central Ave., Albany). Tonight, the featured poets are Albanians James Belflower and Anna Eyre. 7 PM.

Selling papers

I wonder if the Times Union realizes that it is being sensationalist and irresponsible when it publishes shit like this?

Schenectady police seemed sure they had their man Wednesday. They had detained a suspect after an attempted abduction report in a community on high alert . . . In the end, the local man in custody turned out to be the child's grandfather, police said.

But the false alarm underscores the balance authorities must strike in ensuring the safety of children without encroaching on the rights of people going about their daily business, which may include interaction with unruly youngsters. The local angst follows a national outcry over the arrest in August of a California couple accused of the horrific kidnapping and rape of a young girl. Jaycee Lee Dugard was abducted in 1991 when she was 11 and held captive for more than 18 years.

Come to Troy, get mugged?

Downtown Troy has been overrun this summer and now fall with a series of muggings--some at gun point, some during daytime hours, almost all of them, allegedly, at the hands of teenagers. Troy PD caught four kids in an undercover operation last week and two of the alleged would-be muggers were 13 years old.

Three days ago, two women were robbed near Russell Sage. Today, RPI sent out the below crime alert. I have lived in Troy for nearly a decade now, and I don't remember a time when downtown seemed this dangerous. People are getting skittish and some have started a neighborhood group. Others are weighing the benefits and risks of living in downtown.

The Tutunjian administration has devoted so much of its effort into making downtown attractive to the affluent, and now, instead, it is attractive to the muggers. 

On Monday October 5, 2009 at approximately 4:50pm on the 8th Street Approach staircase, a male Rensselaer student was approached from behind by two suspects.  One of the suspects struck the victim in the head with his fist.  The other suspect took victim’s cell phone and IPod.  Both suspects fled south on foot.  No weapons were displayed or threatened. 

Surprise: Ellis' campaign is still alive

Just as Councilman Dominick Calsolaro predicted in this week's issue, the campaign for Corey Ellis has finally come back to life today in order to issue a round of press releases criticizing Mayor Jerry Jennings' 2010 budget.

The new budget proposes $2.3 million in additional spending over last year. Ellis maintains that this is unacceptable and the city needs to redo the budget, keeping in mind the economic realities.  We must reduce spending and eliminate the residential tax hike, Ellis said. "The mayor's claim that he has made 'incremental cuts to all departmental budgets' is simply untrue; twenty-six of the departmental budgets have proposed increases for 2010."

Ellis pointed out that the largest "cut" in a departmental budget was $475,000 in the Central Garage budget for gasoline. However, this was not a budget cut but simply reflects the fact that gas is much cheaper than it was last year.

Ellis explained that many departments simply did not cut any spending, such as Department 5010 (Maintenance of Streets) and Department 1490 (Parks Maintenance). There are no cuts to any line items in either of these departmental budgets.