Getting serious about the Capital Region’s funny business (Metroland – January 6, 2005) It takes only about two minutes for tonight to become one of those “bad nights” they talk about in the comedy business. The comedian on stage is just finishing up his third or fourth bit, doing an impression of himself as a [...]

An Albany Common Council resolution to create a gun-violence task force nears its one-year birthday, and remains unfulfilled (Metroland – December 09, 2004) Clippings of carjackings and armed robberies, stories about shootings and home invasions—this is the stuff of Leonard Morgenbesser’s collection. And unlike most collectors, he looks forward to the day when his subject [...]

The performance and proliferation of charter schools stirs passions in Albany and Schenectady (Metroland – December 16, 2004) It was an educational week here in the Capital Region, but not all of the lessons learned were the sort you want your kids to absorb. On Monday, representatives from various state and local governments joined with [...]

A sudden announcement has put the Wellington Hotel in a wrecking crew’s sights, but questions still surround the controversial plan (Metroland – August 26, 2004) If a historic landmark falls apart in the middle of the city and no one pays attention, is it a problem? Until there’s more than a decade of neglect, a [...]

Coup removes contentious Ward 3 councilman from his leadership position in the Albany Common Council (Metroland – April 15, 2004) Albany’s Common Council experienced a shift in leadership last week, as the sudden ousting of Councilman Michael L. Brown (Ward 3) from his position as president pro tempore created a dramatic finale for the midweek [...]

Most of the Capital Region’s SUVs are frequently breaking the law, just by driving down the street (Metroland – February 3, 2005) Attention SUV owners: Those same laws that keep tractor-trailers from taking a short-cut through your neighborhood might also make the family wagon a trespasser, too. It’s no secret that city and town officials [...]

The Capital Region has been slow to ride the wireless Internet wave, but hot spot access is finally on the way (Metroland – February 17, 2005) As Anthony Hersko, Tom Morgan and I drive around Albany, a web of wires draped over the center console of Hersko’s Chevrolet Cavalier and not one, but two sets [...]

Liquor store owner cries foul over wholesalers’ illegal perks and incentives (Metroland – November 17, 2005) Craig Allen is, to put it mildly, an intense guy. Named one of Entrepreneur’s top young millionaires last year, the 35-year-old owner of All Star Wine and Spirits in Latham has jumped from one legal battle to the next [...]

When a newspaper agressively handicaps a race, does it end up handicapping its own coverage opportunities as well? (Metroland – November 3, 2005) Over the last month, local media have been buzzing about Albany Mayor Jerry Jennings’ style of communication—or, more accurately, his lack thereof—with the press. Where it was difficult before the Sept. 13 [...]

Suspicions in Albany’s Third Ward race are fueled by aggressive interpretation of a single “s” in poll-watcher credentialing rules (Metroland – September 29, 2005) It took a day in court, election-day calls to local police and more than a week after the Sept. 13 primary to sort out who was elected as Albany’s Third Ward [...]