Robert Gavin in The Albany Times-Union reports that after a judge ruled that a jury could hear a racist remark from former sheriff Jack Mahar's successor, Patrick Russo, attorneys for a former police officer and Rensselaer County agreed to settle a federal discrimination lawsuit. Lt. James Karam's case against the county would have started May 31, but instead lawyers are meeting with the judge in the case to go over the settlement. Karam, who is Lebanese, was reportedly told by Russo that he "should shave his goatee or he would be put back on the terrorist watch list." Karam's lawsuit alleges that Russo had "made repeated reference to (Karam's) ancestry during staff meetings, intentionally and/or negligently subjecting plaintiff to ridicule, disparagement, degradation, and humiliation." Read the full story in The Albany Times-Union.