Notes from around town

 What is Troy Mayor Carmella Mantello so afraid of?

As she reaches the halfway point of her first term (assuming she gets re-elected in 2027), Madame Mayor vetoed legislation that would allow for council members and/or citizens to take part in council meetings remotely, something that hasn't happened since the COVID pandemic 5 years ago. She says reopening the remote streams would open the door to abuses of power.

File photo courtesy Albany Times-Union.

But what if you are sick, and can't attend a meeting, Madame Mayor? Then what?

In another attack of idiocy, the mayor's office announced that the annual city tree lighting, which usually closes out the Victorian Stroll, will take place ahead of the Stroll, on Wednesday, December 3. The Stroll is 4 days later, December 7. The graphics department fumbled, though, misspelling December on the announcement. 

Dyslexia, anyone?

One would think people coming to town for the Stroll would stick around for the full six hours (11 am-5 pm) so they can see the tree lighting.

All she's doing is giving people more reasons not to re-elect her in 2 years. Just sayin'.

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There is ongoing road work along Sage Avenue, near RPI, prompting CDTA to reroute a couple of their buses. However, as I was returning from a shopping trip the other day, I could see that there really hasn't been any progress, and crews aren't working on the weekends, with the holidays right around the corner. You'd think they'd want to get this done before RPI students leave town for Thanksgiving break on Wednesday, but we'll see.

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Albany dining icon Jack's Oyster House will reopen next month for a few weeks, then close for full renovations, to reopen for good (we think) sometime in mid-to-late 2026. You know how slow some of these projects can be. The new owners have good intentions, so, again, we'll see.

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More from Mayor Mantello: Madame Mayor took time to appear on Albany Broadcasting's Albany Street Sunday in a phone interview recorded earlier in the week with host Bill Williams, to promote Thursday's Turkey Trot. Mostly nothing burgers.

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Normally, you wouldn't see it happen, but happen it will.

The Troy Foundry Theatre brings back David Girard's one-man production of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, opening December 5 at the Waiting Room on 3rd Street. Two nights prior, the Theatre Institute at Russell Sage College will present a musical version of "Percy Jackson: The Lightning Thief", which runs through December 12. Both productions offer matinees during the Victorian Stroll on the 7th. Tickets start at $15 for both. Hmmmmmmm.