Capital Region News

TROY, N.Y. (AP) — A New York Capital District college plans to establish a new education center in honor of Sandy Hook Elementary School Principal Dawn Hochsprung, who was a doctoral candidate in the college's educational leadership program.

Hochsprung, five other educators and 20 children were killed in the Dec. 14 mass shooting at the school in Newtown, Conn.

In 2011, IBM's Watson supercomputer made national television history when it appeared on the "Jeopardy" program and knocked out two of the show's top champions. Now, the computer is in college.

RPI is the first university in the world to receive a Watson computer system from IBM - Just like the flesh-and-blood students who will work on it, Watson left home to sharpen its skills. Course work will include English and math. It will spend three years in Troy.

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — If you've had your eye on an old conference table, chairs or desk you once saw in a state office, this could be your big opportunity.

New York's Office of General Services is planning to auction surplus office furniture on Monday morning in Albany.

Registration and a preview are scheduled to begin at 8 a.m. at the Harriman State Office Campus, but you can see some items in online photographs at www.nysstore.com .

The 328 lots include 18 vertical five-drawer legal metal file cabinets to a single wooden credenza.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. (AP) — A Saratoga Springs, N.Y.-based raceway and slots company has purchased a casino in Colorado for $28 million.

Saratoga Harness Racing, Inc., which owns the Saratoga Casino and Raceway in upstate New York, announced Tuesday that it completed the deal to buy Fitzgeralds Casino Black Hawk in Black Hawk, Colo.

The new casino will be called "Saratoga Casino-Blackhawk."

The casino, open since 1995, was renovated in 2008 and has about 600 slot machines and 11 table games plus restaurants, bars and a banquet facility.

A reminder for motorists using the Dunn Memorial Bridge to cross the Hudson River .

Beginning Monday, lanes on the Dunn Memorial Bridge will be closed so workers can remove safety screening that was installed back in 2011 to protect peregrine falcon nesting boxes while construction crews worked nearby.