WRGB: Amsterdam Police search for gas station robbery suspect

Amsterdam Police are asking for the public's help in identifying a
suspect in a gas station robbery.

Police are hoping the distinctive pattern of the suspect's jacket -- a
zipper sweatshirt with a hood, yellow in color with some sort of
design on the sleeves -- will bring in information for their
investigation.

Anyone with information is asked to call police at 518-842-1100.

http://www.cbs6albany.com/news/police-1263623-suspect-gas.html

Amsterdam Mayor Money Hungry?

It's all about the money In Amsterdam NY,
All the mayor worries about is the money NOT what the people want. Why would you let this building, that everyone wants torn down, to be changed over to luxury apartments? Because it's all about the money! If you let this be built all the rest of the rental apartments in amsterdam will see there rents go way up. If you think economic times are hard now in amterdam, wait until you see another mass exodus of people from amsterdam. NY already has the highest taxes on everything in the United States.

AMSTERDAM — Mayor Ann Thane believes the city would be throwing away more than $1 million by demolishing the Chalmers building that hovers above the Mohawk River shoreline on the south side of Amsterdam.

Thane announced she’s vetoed the Common Council’s May 5 resolution opposing a developer’s application to list the monolithic factory building on the state and federal historic registers.

Opposing Albany Tech LLC’s request for historic listing jeopardizes the development’s impact on tax revenue and doesn’t shed a good light on the government of a city striving to bring in some activity, she said.

“I think it makes us look foolish,” said Thane, who estimates that developer Uri Kaufman’s plans for a $24 million renovation could net $896,000 in property tax revenue annually.

“People want their taxes to come down. This is how you do it,” Thane said.
Link to rest of Story from the Daily gazette here. http://www.dailygazette.com/news/2009/may/22/0522_chalmersmillveto/

Armed Robbery in Amsterdam

The Amsterdam PD is still looking for a suspect from an armed robbery that occurred last night.

Police say a dark skinned male, standing about six feet tall with a medium build, entered the Mobil station on 165 Church St. brandishing a black pistol.

The five people that were in the station were ordered to get on the floor.

Police say the suspect then took about $100 from the register and fled.

The suspect was last seen wearing a yellow and black hooded jacket with a yellow bandana covering his face.

Kids have nothing better to do in Amsterdam NY

AMSTERDAM, N.Y. -- Two Amsterdam teens are arrested after police respond to a massive fight on the corner of Willard and Union Streets in the city. Police say when they arrived, they saw about 40 people fighting with each other.

Officers say as they were trying to break it up, Marangelys Perez, 19, began fighting with the officer. As the officer was arresting Perez, police say a second girl, Marisol Serrano, 16, jumped on the officer's back.

Both girls were pepper-sprayed during the struggle and eventually arrested.

What Should I Do When Child Protective Services Knocks on My Door
Even if you are a good parent, you might find Child Protective Services at your door someday. What should you do if this happens? Knowing what to do in advance can save you the grief that I went through when CPS took my daughter.
http://www.associatedcontent.comarticle/673397/what_should_i_do_when_child_protective.html

It's That Time Of Year Again

It's that time of year again when people get lazy walking (Must be because it's too hot) that they are turning to stealing bicycles in the city of Amsterdam. Better get the locks out. I tell my stepson all the time to put his bike away and wouldn't you know it last night he did not adhere to my warning and his bike was stolen. Luckily he got it back this time. The police found it at fastrac over on Rte. 30 A/K/A Market st. We live in the vicinity of forest ave. This is the third time in five years someone has stolen his bike. Well maybe the third time will be the charm.

City can’t afford to keep waiting for developer

The clock is ticking.
For each day that goes by and the former Chalmers
knitting mill stands at the end of Bridge Street, the cost
to raze the building gets higher.
A year ago, we implored the city’s Common Council
to vote against giving developer Uri Kaufman a oneyear
option to convert the long-abandoned property
into apartments. Today, as we are approaching the
deadline that council members voted to give Kaufman,
there is talk of extending the deal.
It has been pointed out by officials who support giving
Kaufman this opportunity that the city won’t lose
the $1.42 million earmarked for the demolition in 2006
through the Restore New York Communities initiative
program. What’s not being mentioned is that the city
will have to cover the difference between the final cost
of the demolition and what was put aside more than
two years ago. No one has explained how the city will
come up with additional money that is estimated to be
at least half a million dollars.
Give Kaufman another year, and you might as well
give him 100.
We’re not as impressed by Kaufman as some city
officials are, nor do we believe he has met all the criteria
that would enable him to extend his agreement
with the city. We know Mayor Ann Thane doesn’t
agree with our position, but we hope council members
will.
A vibrant apartment building with market-based
rental units would be a great thing for the city and the
South Side. Knock the Chalmers mill down and sell the
cleared property to a developer. Grant writer Nick
Zabawsky said the city has attracted interest from two
potential investors to build a hotel across from the
mill. If that’s the case, why can’t we attract developers
to build a new apartment complex on prime riverfront
property?
There are too many facets of this project that don’t
make sense for the city — from HUD backing
Kaufman’s mortgager to his plan of pricing rents substantially
higher than the project’s marketing study
recommends.
We also don’t understand why remediation on the
property that was supposed to have been completed by
the city a long time ago hasn’t even started yet.
The city has plenty of other vacant properties it can
give Kaufman the opportunity to develop.