Kumi Tucker

Lyft helps driver who transported Troy gunshot victim Video Player is loading. This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color Transparency Background Color Transparency Window Color Transparency Font Size Text Edge Style Font Family End of dialog window. Lyft is responding, after a ride last week left a Lyft driver's back seat soaked in blood. A Lyft driver who does not want to be identified picked up two men on Grand Street in Troy one week ago. There was one stop, and one of the men got out, and then shots were fired. “So of course I turn on my car and I was going to leave and the guy grabbed me and he said no, you're not leaving, wait. I don't know what is happening. So I just stayed there,” the driver told us Monday. The shooting was in the area of Florence Place and 102nd Street. The now-injured passenger got back into the car. The driver was scared and felt forced to take them to the hospital. “But I wasn't just a driver. They obligated me to drive them. They basically took me hostage.” The back seat was soaked in blood and the driver says the smell is bad. He told us Lyft gave him $750, but he found cleaning estimates are much higher because all the blood is a biohazard. Since our story aired, people have been offering to help, including My Steam Auto Clean out of Greenfield Center, that offered its mobile steam cleaning service right away, if needed. We reached out to Lyft and got a response. A company spokesperson said: “Safety is fundamental to Lyft, and the incident described is deeply troubling. We have been in contact with the driver to offer our support, including the full reimbursement for all car cleaning services associated with this incident. We have also permanently banned the rider's account from the Lyft platform, and stand ready to assist law enforcement with their investigation.” The driver is very grateful. He is eager to get his car back because he uses it in his day job, and also to get to and from work. SIGN ME UP>>

Calls for change after school threats Video Player is loading. This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color Transparency Background Color Transparency Window Color Transparency Font Size Text Edge Style Font Family End of dialog window. A 15-year-old was arrested for allegedly threatening to shoot up Queensbury High School over the weekend. This comes after a number of other school threats recently. and some say it's time to change our laws. Saturday night, a threat was made through Snapchat to shoot up Queensbury High School. State police with the Albany FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force arrested a 15-year-old from Clifton Park. He's charged with making a terroristic threat, criminal impersonation, and making a threat of mass harm. Authorities say he does not go to Queensbury and was using someone else's social media account. Last week, Hoosick Falls got a phone threat– a swatting call. The football game had to be moved. Sheriff's investigators traced the call and made an arrest. “As far as the swattings and everything else, they get caught. But the penalties aren't stiff enough,” said Albany County Sheriff Craig Apple. Recently, Bethlehem had six calls threatening gun violence, also believed to be swatting, disrupting students' lives just as they're getting used to the school year. “Listen I understand everybody goes well this is the world we live in. It doesn't have to be. We can hold these people accountable,” said the sheriff. Apple said information-sharing needs to improve, and he referenced a student with a “kill list” at Guilderland. “The individual showed up unexpectedly at school and was in the same classroom as another child that was on the list,” said Apple. “That's an issue, right? And nobody had answers. And then the answers that were coming out were well we can't share that information.” Apple says there need to be stiffer penalties, and when schools cite laws to protect an arrested student, that leaves the rest of the community in the dark and that has to change. “When Kenneth White was murdered, CPS couldn't share information with us. What did we do? We lobbied with our senators and our assemblymembers and we got those laws changed,” said Sheriff Apple. “So my ask is tell us what needs to happen to be able to share this information so parents can send their children to school without having to worry all day and children can go to school without having to look over their shoulder all day, like oh my God is that person here today or are these threats real or what's going on.” “We have to do a better job of sharing information with parents and letting them know that a child was held accountable and these are the actions that are taken. Is it going to be a little bit embarrassing for that child? Well, probably, but you know what? You wanted to put your big boy pants on when you made the threats, well, you know what, the rooster has come home to roost.”

Troy creates temporary shelter for stray dogs at DPW garage Video Player is loading. This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color Transparency Background Color Transparency Window Color Transparency Font Size Text Edge Style Font Family End of dialog window. Abandoned or stray dogs are staying in a new place-- a public works garage in Troy. It's a temporary fix to a growing problem affecting many communities. Troy, N.Y. (WNYT) – Eight dogs are staying in a temporary shelter at a public works garage in Troy. “You can only imagine not having that temporary shelter. Where do you put the dogs? Humane Society has cut us off,” said Troy Mayor Carmella Mantello. “We have great partnerships. We contract with Saratoga County Animal Shelter, other non profits, but that's for adoption. We needed a place to keep the dogs fed, keep them warm, keep them walking, and keep them healthy.” Next to the shelter is a big fenced-in field behind the Little League. It's been cleared out and spruced up so dogs can play and run around. Dogs come here for about five days or more while the city tries to locate the owner, then they go out to a shelter or foster home. “We have third party rescues that we deal with and they do the background checks, make sure they're going to the right homes,” said Troy City Clerk Maria DeBonis. “We don't adopt them out from the city of Troy. But we transfer ownership over to the rescues and then they do their due diligence on whoever is going to adopt the dogs.” Video Player is loading. This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color Transparency Background Color Transparency Window Color Transparency Font Size Text Edge Style Font Family End of dialog window. The city of Troy has come up with its own unique solution for the widespread problem of stray dogs. They've converted a city garage into a safe haven for abandoned or lost animals. As 13 Investigates reported in March, the problem is so bad that some places have been putting stray dogs in jail cells. The money Troy had budgeted for the humane society was moved last week to hire someone to walk and feed the dogs, and clean the shelter. Mayor Mantello says this is not a long-term fix. The problem is so widespread, it needs a regional solution, but for now, this is Troy's safe haven. “We're doing pretty good here,” said Troy Animal Control Officer Kevin McDonough. “We stay on top of it. We have people helping us walk them, feeding them and everything else, cleaning up. We're doing really well. Everything is fitting into place.” The shelter is not open to the public and it's not a kennel. They are taking in donations through the city clerk's office of food and toys.

Paesan's in Latham is especially busy on the last day of the special celebrating Paesan's 30 years in business. Any two slices and a drink was just $5, half the usual price.

John Sawchuk, former Columbia High principal, died Picture: East Greenbush School District East Greenbush school officials say former High School Principal John Sawchuk has died. He was principal from 2006 to 2018, when he retired. After his retirement, he moved to North Carolina with his family. Sawchuk was well-known in the school and East Greenbush community. To the greater Capital Region, he was also well-known for being a hero in a school shooting in 2004. He was assistant principal then, when a student came into the school with a shotgun and opened fire. The gunman shot a teacher, who survived. Sawchuk tackled the shooter and helped to wrestle away the gun. School officials say Sawchuk died unexpectedly yesterday. No funeral arrangements have been announced yet.

Crews battle Schenectady fire

Rensselaer County offers online tool to fight deed theft Video Player is loading. This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color Transparency Background Color Transparency Window Color Transparency Font Size Text Edge Style Font Family End of dialog window. Rensselaer County now has a free online tool to help protect homeowners from deed theft. It's a growing problem across the country. If criminals file fake or forged deeds for your property, you might not even know about it. They can then do things like sell it, take out a mortgage, or even rent it. Rensselaer County is offering a free online fraud alert. “They'll notify you if anything comes across the counter with your name on it, so it's a great service for the people of Rensselaer County, and the great part is it doesn't cost us anything and doesn't cost the individual a penny,” said Rensselaer County Clerk Frank Merola. All you have to do is put in your email address and one to three names. You'll get an email alert when a document like a deed or mortgage is recorded in your name at the county clerk's office– the earlier, the better. “Much different if somebody comes in and records a mortgage on a piece of property that you own, and nine months down the road you come in and find out there's a recording on there and you've got a mortgage,” said Merola. Warren County has a similar system. A new state law making deed theft a crime just went into effect in July. It's now a form of grand larceny. It also gives homeowners more time to seek justice. Anyone can be a victim, but popular targets are empty properties, those in foreclosure, or the owner has died. In New York recently, prosecutors say deed theft rings have made a lot of money by selling homes using falsified and forged documents, unbeknownst to their rightful owners. Rensselaer County has been hit, too. “We have,” said Merola. “A few years ago, I think it was about eight years ago now, an individual took some property, foreclosed property, came in, put them in a trust, five or six properties in Rensselaer County. He wound up getting convicted and serving time for that.” If someone does file a phony title, experts say you probably have to get an attorney, preferably one with a real estate specialty, and file a complaint with law-enforcement because deed theft is now a form of grand larceny. Here's a link to the Rensselaer County Fraud Alert: https://searchiqs.com/fraudalert/?CC=NYREN

Donations from Capital Region head to North Carolina Video Player is loading. This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color Transparency Background Color Transparency Window Color Transparency Font Size Text Edge Style Font Family End of dialog window. Advertisement A line of trucks headed out of Rotterdam. They are part of a local effort to help people in North Carolina who have been hit hard by Hurricane Helene. Wednesday morning in Rotterdam, people stood in a circle for a group prayer, as the volunteers got ready for a long trip down south. “Very important, I have approximately 40 generators on my truck that will be distributed to people who really need them,” said volunteer Ron Fonda. “Something that small will make a big difference to some people.” The trucks headed out on the relief operation to people in North Carolina who were devastated by Hurricane Helene. Meanwhile, people are still donating. There are donation sites around the region. At one site at Dagen Trucking in Castleton, there are stacks of goods, everything from blankets and diapers to water and first aid kits. “People have been so generous donating when they don't have any money themselves to pay their bills,” said owner Mary Keim. “Take a look! It's been absolutely unbelievable. We have a bunch of people stopping today, making calls to us asking us what we need and we tell them anything and everything.” Travis Landry brought a carload of items. His family donated bins of brand new shirts in different colors. As we first showed you Monday, donations have been pouring in ever since Justin Sherwin of East Greenbush had an idea to deliver some help. Word spread quickly. One pickup turned into several tractor-trailers and trucks. “We have another truck leaving on Saturday and we'll continue to go as long as we can,” said Sherwin. Volunteers do not know what they will find, but they are buoyed by the generosity of their community, and full of resolve to help their fellow man. Here's a list of drop-off locations for donations: Ac's Towing Rotterdam Towaway Towing Hudson Falls Dagen Trucking Castleton Taste of Italy Latham 43 Farms East Greenbush Deify Salon East Greenbush Watervliet Fire Department Eagle Eye Auto Colonie CK Companies Schenectady

Sign-ups open, Thanksgiving preps underway in Albany County Video Player is loading. This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color Transparency Background Color Transparency Window Color Transparency Font Size Text Edge Style Font Family End of dialog window. Thanksgiving might seem like a long way away, but there's a lot to do when you're feeding thousands of people. Sign-ups are already open for some annual traditions in Albany County. A Thanksgiving meal is a big undertaking. Try multiplying that by thousands. It seems the need will be bigger this year. “We've been getting calls for Thanksgiving dinner for about a month now,” said Albany County Sheriff Craig Apple. Last year, the sheriff's holiday operation expanded by a lot because Equinox did not deliver meals. This year, they will be looking for some volunteers because of the sheer volume of food that they'll be preparing. “We've already made a lot of calls. We've already made a lot of preparations,” said the sheriff. “We've already got our turkey accounted for. It's getting cooked around November 20 and then flash-frozen and turned over to us, where we'll cut and slice and bring the rest of the team out to Clarksville and cook it up. This year we're looking probably around 3500 meals.” People are struggling. The cost of everyday items has gone up. Last year, with the absence of Equinox deliveries, the city of Watervliet put together its own operation to fill the void. “We're doing it again this year because I think the need hasn't changed,” said Watervliet Mayor Charles Patricelli. “If anything, it's probably gotten worse.” Last year, people went out from Watervliet High School with their delivery lists to about 250 people in 114 Watervliet households that had signed up to get a Thanksgiving dinner delivered. “It's a great community,” said Watervliet Police Chief William Rice. “It's phenomenal to be able to work here in the city. It's a small city, it's unique, and they're definitely willing to help, give a hand.” The mayor says about 15 restaurants have signed up to do the meals this Thanksgiving. It's a large and complicated operation that they make look easy. “I made a few phone calls, just to feel out some of the restaurants, like Arsenal City Tavern, Pat's Pub, and a couple others, Valente's Restaurant. I said, ‘Hey, would you help out with this?' I couldn't even get it out of my mouth, finish my last word, and they said absolutely!” In Watervliet, the meals will be delivered on the day before Thanksgiving: Wednesday, November 27. Registration ends November 21 at 4pm. To sign up, go to www.watervliet.com or call 518-270-3800 For the Albany County Sheriff's Office Thanksgiving Dinner, deliveries will be made Tuesday, November 26. You must reserve by November 22. Call or email to reserve: (518) 487-5440 or [email protected]

Food help available to Amsterdam pet owners Video Player is loading. This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color Transparency Background Color Transparency Window Color Transparency Font Size Text Edge Style Font Family End of dialog window. Rising prices have led some owners to dump their pets. The Amsterdam animal control officer wants people to know there's help available. Amsterdam, N.Y. (WNYT) – Gina Kline has been the animal control officer for the city of Amsterdam for 14 years. “Everybody's full,” she said. “Everybody has animals coming out of everywhere, people are dumping animals, there are animals reproducing that we can't keep up with.” She says this is the worst she's ever seen it. It's an issue affecting many communities. The situation is so bad, some places have been putting stray dogs in jail cells, as NewsChannel reported in March. Kline herself fosters cats for her group Amsterdam Kitten Adoption. Elvis is looking for a forever home, and so is a trio of curious and playful kittens. Kline says people are simply dumping their pets. It's a problem likely made worse by rising prices. “I think the prices have gone up so much, it's crazy,” she said. “My dog's food has gone up $10 a bag in the last two years, so I can only imagine that people are feeling that same struggle having to go out and get food, and some of them aren't finding the food that they were feeding.” She wants people to know there is help available. She has bags and boxes of food donated by places like Target Distribution and Dollar General Distribution. She says people should not be afraid to ask. “It's a better option. It's something we get donated and why can't we help the community? Why can't we use that? You saw how much cat food is in there,” Kline said. There are low-cost spay/neuter programs and rabies clinics. Groups like Fulton County Regional SPCA and Ayres share food and hold pantry days. “To be able to give that out to the community to keep these animals in their homes, which is the best place for them,” said Kline. There is an event for veterans on Veterans Day, November 11, at the Amsterdam Free Library. From 10:30am – 3pm, veterans can adopt a cat, adoption fee waived, plus they will receive a “cat starter kit.” To ask for food, you can contact Kline through the Amsterdam Police Department. A Raptive Partner Site