A state judge has ordered the city of Albany to give the Times Union copies of records related to the illegal purchase of dozens of machine guns by Albany police officers.

The gun store investigation was later scuttled, in part, according to people familiar with the probe, because of concern by federal authorities that the Albany police gun scandal would become public.

Either way, McDonough questioned the legitimacy of that now 2-year-old investigation.

"Tellingly, Chief Tuffey fails to identify his or the Albany Police Department's actions as a criminal investigation, makes no mention of any criminal charges that might result from the investigation, and does not discuss the effect that statutes of limitations might have on the viability of such prosecutions," McDonough wrote.

"Moreover, Chief Tuffey fails to offer any explanation as to why the investigation, admittedly initiated in early 2006, has yet to be completed, or describe the need for additional investigatory steps," the judge added.

They're next to my TV -- Sam the Bugler is my prized possession, actually," said John D'Agostino, 32. The Jennings bobblehead will move to the front of his collection. "We're big Jerry Jennings fans."

Do you live in Albany?

"No, Rotterdam," he said. ....

As the gates opened, the less die-hard supporters migrated from tailgating perches to the stadium, seemingly unconcerned that they might not be one of the first 1,500 fans to get the dolls.

"If not, I will murder somebody," said Mike Carbone, 23, who drove from Saratoga Springs to get the bobblehead. His friend Danielle Unser, 26, agreed. "It's all about the bobblehead. Jerry Jennings for president. Alive at Five nationwide."

Today's TU's story entitled, "Access to activities limited", is an article about a group of dedicated ctizens trying to identify the root causes of the gangs, guns and drug problem in Albany. The group identified three main causes for these problems: that too many of Albany's children are living in poverty; poverty is a major cause of the gangs, guns and drug problem in Albany; and that while there are many programs for our city's youth, the means of getting to these programs, i.e. transportation, is lacking.

The group called for the city to invest $100,000 in a transportation project that would safely get our youth to, and back home from, the places the programs are held (Lincoln Park, Boys & Girls Club, schools, the city youth centers, etc.). Sounds reasonable to me. Many other cities provide transportation for this purpose, for example: "GOT WHEELS" in Oakland, CA. So what is the reponse to this suggestion: Mayor Jennings takes his usual posture of not saying what the city will do to solve the problem, but deflects the problem onto others and he blames the school district. But, he even goes further this time, and includes the churches in his "pass-the-buck" answer to any problem that affects the city.

The Inner City Youth and Family Coalition, made up of residents, elected officials, representatives of religious organizations, etc., simply asked for the city to find a way to transport our children to summer and after-school programs so as to keep the youth off the streets. But, the Mayor and his commissioners obviously don't get it. Parks and Recreation Commissioner John D'Antonio (and John and I work very well together) speaks about the city's boxing program on Quail Street and the fitness center in Lincoln Park. And that's the point: How are the kids (already living below the poverty line) in West Hill and Arbor Hill going to get to Lincoln Park? Or, how are the kids in the South End going to get to the boxing program on Quail Street? Transportation is the answer.

But Mayor Jennings, who joined a group of us and sat for two hours a couple of weeks ago with representatives from Providence, RI explaining how they put their youth programs/after-school activities under one umbrella and how they provide TRANSPORTATION to and from the different programs, is quoted in the TU, "I am not sure it just boils down to transportation." The Providence project uses school buses at little or no cost by re-working the schedules of some buses to get the kids to the programs. The "Got Wheels" program uses public transporation. These programs are successful. Since "Got Wheels" went into effect, juvenile crime in Oakland dropped 40%. In Providence, school attendance increased, and truancy decreased after their transportation program was enacted.

Mayor, it's time to stop blaming others (the school district, the churches, the parents, etc.) for Albany's problems and start to take actions to solve the problems. It's time to stop hiding behind stoops (see today's TU editorial cartoon) and time to admit we have a gang, gun and drug problem in Albany. It's time to get involved with our youth and provide the means (TRANSPORTATION) to attend the many programs offered to our youth. It's time, as Sister Natalie Runfola said, to stop abandoning our youth!

Dominick Calsolaro
Common Council Member - First Ward

This is what it took to get Hezekiah Morris through high school: a persevering mother, a best friend serious about education, a prestigious after-school program, an Albany High English teacher and an awareness that without an education, he'd be dead.

On Sunday, Morris graduated from Albany High School with 515 classmates. Morris will be among the 90 percent of the school's largest graduating class pursuing a college degree when he heads to Hudson Valley Community College later this year to pursue a business degree.

Morris, 18, grew up in the Ida Yarbrough homes. Starting in middle school, he saw friends choose guns, drugs and money over school -- one of them indicted just weeks ago in connection with the shooting death of a 10-year-old girl. Morris himself was beaten up by some of the gangs and recruited to join others.

There were moments he was tempted by trouble. Instead, he walked away from fights. He avoided the dangerous crowd. His parents taught him education was the most important thing in life.

"Whatever you want, you can go get it," he said. "You've got to get through high school."

Shortly before he strode into the University at Albany's SEFCU arena on Sunday sporting sunglasses, Morris put his arm around his best friend, Nigel Jennings, who was also wearing a blue graduation robe. The two motivated each other through high school by making it a competition. Without that, Morris said, he might not have made it.

Jennings would boast to Morris when he got the better grades on an algebra exam. Morris would gloat over an extra percentage point on a grade. They smiled when they talked about pushing each other to be better students.

On the weekends, their No. 1 goal was to avoid the streets, where a downtown kid could get a bullet in the head for being in an uptown neighborhood.

This is a test of leadership, and the mayor is failing it.

"People are fearful," said Alice Green, executive director of the Center for Law and Justice. Green has been working with Siena College sociology Professor Mathew Johnson, who recently convened a focus group among inner-city youth. The findings were grim: youngsters in the city's poorest neighborhoods feel hopeless and police are viewed as an occupying force rather than as protectors.

Some police outreach efforts may have had unintended consequences, added Johnson, who said youngsters felt particularly alienated by the mobile unit that police adopted after the city closed the Arbor Hill police station. With the old police stations, Johnson found, youngsters at least had some familiarity with officers who were assigned there