Author Archive | Patrick

Michael Guidice and other local urban chicken activists have been trying to get the Albany Common Council to change local ordinances that ban backyard chickens. Most recently they appeared before a code enforcement committee to speak in favor of the proposal and were met with many questions, concerns, and political folly. Which came first the chicken or the unnecessary backyard squabble?

In the end the results were close, forcing the proposal to go to vote with the full council at a later date.

Here is a video featuring Michael speaking a little bit about his efforts:

More on the latest meeting at All Over Albany and the Times Union.

To keep up to date on the backyard chicken dilemma yourself, check back here or follow and join the discussion with the #albchickens hashtag on Twitter.

Brendan Lyons is at it again.

Known for such hits as “the bullseye parking decals” and “machine gun stockpile“, the enterprising local watchdog journalist at The Times Union posted one sloppy cop video today.

The video is from the Menands police department booking room after Brian Lutz, an off-duty Albany police officer, was arrested for falling asleep in his car stopped in the middle of I-787 next to a pile of puke. What a klutz.

Lutz, clearly a class act, was nabbed for DUI 11 years ago – a “good thing” according to the Police Union officials that were able to coach him through his arrest, because it puts him outside the 10 year window. These union reps, along with some outside legal advice, instructed Lutz not to submit to a breathalyzer, a practice pretty common with high profile arrests.

Slurred words and expletives towards the honest local cop that busted him, Lutz at one point cries out “why are you being so mean to me?”

To the rescue? Police Union reps that come in and guide Lutz on how to dodge the most punishment. The result? Don’t blow, bro.

KAB props go to District Attorney David Soares, who is clearly not loved by law-bending cops, as proof by the bashing done on video by the supposedly sober union reps.

Next time? Take a taxi.

Shenendehowa School District of Clifton Park, the alma-mater of many locals, is a mess lately. Here’s the situation:

• A video “went viral” of a principal hardcore tackling a student away from a fight. (wnyt) It has since been removed from YouTube because it violated their terms of service, but not before causing embarrassment and an official response. (TU)

• A 14 year old student stole a car and ran away with some gun-wielding bro. (TU)

• One badass student was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct and resisting arrest. (wten) Apparently he may have been pepper-sprayed after punching a cop. (tumblr)

• A nasty drug-resistant staph infection spread to a few students. (wnyt)

• Kids in the same homeroom for the last two years don’t even know each others names. (twitter)

• Nearly 100 faculty positions may be eliminated because of budget cuts. (wnyt)
• Clifton Park homeowners might be paying 3.51 percent more in taxes for hosting wonderful Shen. (TU)

photo credit: junehymas

High school readers… what else is the hap in the hallways of Shen?

Unrelated: Outpost1 at Fuzebox is Friday and 18+. No teachers!