Steve Hughes reports for the Times Union that Albany County redistricting commission is beginning its process with the first of four public meetings on March 8. The commission needs to draw new maps for the 39 legislative districts. "The more we can get people aware and interested, the better off we'll be," Commission member Thomas Clingan said. The last three Albany County redistricting efforts led to federal lawsuits, that claimed the maps discriminated against minority neighborhoods in the city of Albany under the Voting Rights Act. Albany County lost all three lawsuits, as the maps were deemed discriminatory and taxpayers were forced to shell out $1.7 million. Legislator William Clay, head of the Legislative Black Caucus, said of the latest redistricting, "We're watching that process but we're watching from a distance." Read more about the story in the Times Union.