NEW YORK (AP) — Conservative Republican Doug Hoffman says he plans to run again for northern New York's 23rd Congressional District seat. The Lake Placid businessman, who narrowly lost a Special Election to Democrat Bill Owens last year, e-mailed a letter yesterday to his supporters declaring his intention to formally enter the race this fall. In his letter, Hoffman said he'll "champion the fight for less spending, lower taxes and shrinking the deficit." He also promised to unite Conservatives, Republicans and Independents. The special election was called to fill the seat after John McHugh left to become Secretary of the Army. The rural upstate region had been represented by Republicans for more than a century.

FORT DRUM, N.Y. (AP) — The Department of Defense has confirmed that a Fort Drum soldier from Naagara Falls was killed by an improvised explosive device in Afghanistan. Army Spc. Alan Dikcis died Friday when his vehicle was attacked in Kandahar. The family says Dikcis had just re-enlisted for seven more years and planned to become a helicopter mechanic with Fort Drum’s 630th Engineer Company. The 21-year-old father of one was deployed in July — just two days after his older brother Stanley returned home after spending a year recovering from a similar attack in the same country.

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — A federal jobs bill expected to pass this week in Washington is expected to bring $2.3 billion in budget aid to New York state, and another $700 million to help all 62 counties. Sen. Chuck Schumer says the aid could help the state and counties avoid cuts in spending, layoffs or increased taxes. The assistance will extend a boost in federal Medicaid reimbursements. Schumer says the bill would send New York an estimated $2.3 billion over the first six months of 2011, with upstate New York counties in line to receive an additional $200 million.

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — A new poll shows two-thirds of New Yorkers don't think Attorney General Andrew Cuomo should be investigating the scandals that drove political rival Gov. David Paterson to end his election campaign. The Siena College poll also finds that a majority of voters want Paterson to serve out his term, which ends in December. Although the poll shows most would prefer an independent prosecutor, most also say they trust Cuomo to run a fair investigation. Paterson faces allegations he had improper contact with a woman who accused one of his aides of domestic violence and that he illegally obtained free Yankees World Series tickets.

NEW YORK (AP) — Gov. David Paterson says he met with his personal attorney Saturday amid two scandals that threaten his job. He wouldn't comment further. Paterson was peppered with questions about the state budget in a packed room of New Yorkers in Brooklyn who appeared to care little about the scandals. Paterson also received some support from those attending the budget hearing. One said he supports the Democrat strongly and hopes Paterson will finish his term. Paterson emphasizes that he will use his authority to negotiate a budget with the Legislature.

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — Lt. Gov. Richard Ravitch says a private meeting he had last week with Attorney General Andrew Cuomo was about the whole state budget, even though the attorney general has no major role in budget matters. Ravitch denied that he spoke to Cuomo about the investigation he's leading into scandals that could cost Gov. David Paterson his job. Cuomo is expected to announce his own run for governor soon. Cuomo has refused to comment. Paterson supporters thought the get-together undermined the governor.

(Undated – Store Closings) Price Chopper is wasting no time in clearing out the old P-&-C stores in St. Lawrence County and preparing for closure that will begin a six-week process of conversion in April and May. Yellow banners have been hung at the stores announcing the closing and that “everything must go.” Stores in Massena, Potsdam, Canton and Gouverneur will reportedly close next month and reopen sometime around Memorial Day. Meanwhile, still no word on the future of the Ogdensburg P-&-C which remains under Tops Markets control. And no word yet on the future for current P-&-C store employees, who will likely have to apply for jobs under Price Chopper with no guarantee of being hired by the new owners.

(Massena – Slavins) The St. Lawrence County Legislature has reportedly voted to foreclose on all three former Slavins Furniture properties on Water Street and turn them over to the village of Massena, without any fees. It’s estimated to cost between a quarter-million to a half-million dollars for the properties to be razed, with potentially more cost for any asbestos that would have to be professionally removed. The roof on one of the buildings collapsed two weeks ago, forcing the village of close the lower end of the Street for safety reasons.

(Potsdam – Land Sale) The Town of Potsdam is formally giving up on any plan to establish town offices on Lawrence Avenue at the outskirts of the village. Four years ago, the town bought 29 acres near the Kingston Middle School for $40,000 to plan for a new $3.2 million three-story town office complex. However, in 2008, voters rejected the concept. Last month, town officials declared the land surplus property with the intent to sell it. The Potsdam town council is expected to consider a resolution tonight to begin soliciting bids for its sale.

(Fort Covington – Ice Jams) The recent stretch of warm weather has been a blessing for homeowners in Fort Covington and emergency officials in Franklin County concerned over ice jams along the Salmon River. As temperatures climbed into the upper 40s and low 50s in recent days, the ice has been gradually melting and river has been allowed to flow more freely. Highway crews have been pulling large sheets of ice from the river in recent weeks and monitoring the flows with a webcam Internet feed. Emergency officials have noted the likelihood of rain this coming weekend, but believe it should not cause any additional problems along the river.

(Hermon – Another Charge for Russ) The Hermon man accused of robbing Community Bank in Hermon last year and breaking into a DeKalb home last month was hit with another charge while in jail yesterday. St. Lawrence County Sheriff’s deputies charged 24-year-old James Russ with criminal possession of stolen property for allegedly selling four rifles stolen last month from a home on Crusher Road in Canton and sold for about $330 in Fowler. The activity allegedly took place while Russ was out on probation with a home monitoring device. He was arraigned yesterday and returned to county jail without bail.

(Gouverneur – Fugitive) An inmate at the Gouverneur Correctional Facility was released yesterday – right into the custody of St. Lawrence County Sheriff’s deputies. Officers picked up 24-year-old Adrian Reid of the Bronx, charging him with being a fugitive from Pennsylvania justice. Reid is wanted for a parole violation, after he was originally charged with possession of cocaine and a firearm. Reid was arraigned in Gouverneur town court and remanded to St. Lawrence County Jail without bail, pending extradition proceedings to Pennsylvania.

(Massena – Hidy For Mayor) A former General Motors worker who returned to Massena last August has reportedly announced his intention to run for the mayor’s job in the coming November elections. Today’s Courier Observer says James Hidy – who graduated from the former Holy Family High School in Massena, worked at G-M before being transferred to Detroit in 1988 – has returned to Massena along with his professional recruiting firm. He reportedly hopes to use that expertise in helping Massena rebuild its jobs base, if elected this November. Current Republican Mayor Randy Delosh has not yet indicated if he will seek reelection.

(Canton – Alcohol Operation) State police say their undercover operation to test seven bars and stores in St. Lawrence County for alcoholic-beverage compliance over the weekend showed all seven refused to sell to an underage operative. None of the employees at the seven locations allowed the underage person to buy alcoholic beverages. All seven businesses are expected to be notified of compliance, while authorities will continue their undercover operations. State police credit the efforts of the St. Lawrence County Stop-DWI Program and the “training and dedication of the local establishments and their staff for this remarkable accomplishment.”

(Albany – Impact of SUNY Empowerment Proposal) The union representing State University of New York educators and staff says Governor David Paterson’s proposed SUNY higher-education reforms threaten the university system’s very existence so that the state can make less of a budgetary commitment. United University Professions says the proposal could affect jobs by privatizing the public university system, and pushing up costs to make it unaffordable for the less affluent. They say the governor’s plan is intended to shrink the state’s expense for SUNY by $152 million by allowing SUNY, without government approval, to increase tuition and thrust more costs on parents and students.


March 8, 2010

(Ogdensburg – P-&-C More) Still no word yet from Price Chopper on the plans and timeline for conversion of four former St. Lawrence County P-&-C supermarkets that it bought in recent days. It appears the stores will close and begin undergoing makeovers in April and could be closed for close to two months, with reopenings as Price Chopper stores around Memorial Day. However, there is no word from Tops Markets, which owns P-&-C in Ogdensburg as to what will happen to the one store in the county that was not purchased by Price Chopper which already has a store in the city. Tops officials have only indicated that they are evaluating all P-&-C stores and their profitability in each market.

(Ogdensburg – Friday Rally) Ogdensburg city and prison officials are hoping that a planned Friday rally will attract lots of concerned local residents to protest the proposed closing of the Ogdensburg Correctional Facility and the loss of 287 jobs with it. The rally will be held at Ogdensburg City Hall on Friday at 4:00 p.m.. Local officials are hoping that with a very large turnout, state officials and the governor will take notice, see that North Country residents are going to rise up in protest and reverse the plan to close the facility.

(Watertown – Gouverneur Arrests) Eight Gouverneur residents were arrested over the weekend for allegedly stealing tens of thousands of dollars in merchandise from several Watertown area stores. The eight – seven women and one man – are facing a total of 45 charges for thefts reported from last November until now. The merchandise was allegedly stolen from WalMart stores in Watertown and LeRay, along with Burlington Coat factory and Price Chopper in Watertown. The value of the merchandise is believed to be in the tens of thousands of dollars. Arrested were 27-year-olds Christopher and Jennifer Blair, 17-year-old Brittany Miller, 20-year-old Melissa Bonnell, 21-year-old Rebecca Lashbrooks, 24-year-old Heather Newcombe, 37-year-old Rebecca Boshane and 39-year-old Brenda Miller. Authorities say more arrests are pending.

(Madrid – Burglary) St. Lawrence County Sheriff's deputies have concluded a burglary investigation in Madrid with the arrest of three people. Deputies say 27-year-old Christopher Allen and 20-year-old Sarah Cochran – both of Madrid – and 18-year-old Azela Green of Canton were arrested for allegedly breaking into a Ruddy Road residence in January. All three were charged with felony second-degree burglary. They were arraigned in Madrid town court and released to probation supervision, pending further court proceedings.

(Potsdam – Mom Charged) A Potsdam woman was charged over the weekend with two counts of endangering the welfare of a child for her alleged involvement in which two children, ages four and five, were assaulted. Potsdam village police say 23-year-old Stacie Henry allegedly knew of the assaults by 25-year-old Don Anson, who was arrested for assault last Thursday. Police alleged that Henry also failed to take proper action to protect the welfare of the children, provided false accounts to Child Protective Services and tried to conceal the alleged assaults. Henry will appear in Potsdam village court this Wednesday to answer the charges.

(Undated – Cougar Sightings) A long list of St. Lawrence County residents believe they have recently seen a mountain lion or cougar in the area, which so far state officials have reportedly denied. A report in yesterday's Advance News indicated that at least 70 local residents have reported sightings from Massena to Macomb. The State Department of Environmental Conservation says New York State has not had cougars since the late 1800s. Some observers are concerned the animals should be trapped and relocated so that someone in the public is not attacked. March 8, 2010

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Salvation Army in northern New York will reunite a Purple Heart certificate with the family of the man it belonged to. The Salvation Army in Massena found a certificate awarded to Sgt. Richard Owen among some donated items in January. Owen was killed on D-Day. The Salvation Army wanted to return the certificate to Owen's family but didn't know who donated it. Bloggers, veterans groups and journalists all tried helping the group. The charity finally learned Owen had been married to a woman named Ruth. Ruth Owen had died, and items from her home were donated to the charity. Her family didn't realize the certificate was among the donated items. Ruth Owen's grandnieces — who live in South Carolina, Virginia and California — will get the certificate back.

ALBANY (AP) — New York state's cash crunch is putting a squeeze on Regents exam that has long been at the core of its high school graduation standards. State officials say as many as 13 of 17 such exams could be cut to save costs. The eliminated exams could include tests for math, social studies and other subjects. Teachers and school administrators are highly critical of the proposal — to be discussed today by the state Board of Regents. Since the Regents affects the curriculum, paring it down would change high school courses and lower graduation requirements for millions of students. Regents exams determine whether graduates meet basic academic requirements. Officials say the cuts could save the cash-strapped state more than $13 million.

NEW YORK (AP) — New York Gov. David Paterson is vowing to serve out his term, in spite of growing calls for him to resign amid two scandals. Paterson said yesterday he was determined to run the state through the end of the year and would "not be daunted or distracted by any forces." The attorney general's office is investigating whether the governor, his staff and his state police security detail illegally contacted a woman who had accused one of Paterson's aides in a domestic violence incident. Separately, the state's Public Integrity Commission accused him of lying to investigators about his intention to pay for tickets he got for the 2009 World Series.

NEW YORK (AP) — New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg is adding his voice to support the soda tax. He says the state could raise nearly $1 billion a year by taxing sugary soft drinks and New York's state Legislature should adopt a penny-per-ounce tax on sweetened soda. He said the 12 cents a can could raise much-needed money for schools and health care. Bloomberg said the soda tax also would promote good health by discouraging people from buying soft drinks that are loaded with sugar. Gov. David Paterson first proposed a soda tax in 2008, but polls have found that a majority of New Yorkers oppose the idea.

NEW YORK (AP) — Some New York lawmakers are calling for an end to a federal ban on blood donations by gay men. Congressman Anthony Weiner says that overturning the prohibition could save lives at times when blood supplies run low. The Food and Drug Administration prohibits gay men from donating blood, regardless of their HIV status. The ban was put in place in 1983. Weiner says it was implemented amid ignorance of how the virus is transmitted. He says the policy doesn't make blood any safer. On Thursday, a group of 18 U.S. senators called for changes in the law, including New York Democrat Kirsten Gillibrand.


March 5, 2010

(Undated -- Price Chopper) Price Chopper Supermarkets is acquiring five P&C stores in northern New York -- including four in St. Lawrence County -- and one in New Hampshire for $14 million from Tops Markets, which bought them in January from bankrupt Penn Traffic. Price Chopper CEO Neil Golub confirmed yesterday that the P&C stores in Massena, Canton, Potsdam, Gouverneur and West Carthage, along with Lincoln, N.H., will be closed briefly for refurbishing. He said staffing will likely increase by 20-30 percent over the current level when the stores reopen. How long they will be closed has not yet been disclosed. Golub said Price Chopper had a signed contract to purchase the six stores and 16 others when Tops came in with a last-minute offer in January. Price Chopper is suing Penn Traffic for $1.6 million for breach of contract over that sale. Tops CEO Frank Curci, in a statement received by WMSA News, confirmed, "As part of our initial evaluation of all Penn Traffic locations, it was determined these stores were on the outer edge of our geographic footprint and would best be served by another retailer with more familiarity with those markets."

OGDENSBURG, N.Y. (AP) — Corrections officers say Governor Paterson's plans to close four state prisons – including three in the North Country – would endanger the safety of officers, inmates and the general public, and hurt the economies of the prison towns. The corrections officers union rallied yesterday in Auburn to protest the proposal to close Ogdensburg prison in St. Lawrence County, Lyon Mountain in Clinton County, Moriah Shock camp in Essex County, and the Butler prison in Wayne County. Before closing prisons, union officials said the state should first consider cutting the number of correctional services administrators, eliminate the practice of double-bunking inmates and right-size the inmate populations in every prison. Paterson spokesman Morgan Hook says the prisons are on the hit list because they're underused.

(Massena – NYPA Funding) New York Power Authority President and CEO Richard Kessel was in Massena yesterday to formally present a check for nearly $172,000 to the St. Lawrence Local Government Task Force. The check, which is in addition to NYPA's $2 million annual contribution, stems from a relicensing commitment to provide additional funding when the annual net generation at the St. Lawrence-FDR Power Project exceeds a certain level. Water flows and hydroelectric production surged last year during a very wet summer. The extra funding is designated for the towns of Massena, Louisville and Waddington; the villages of Massena and Waddington; the Massena and Madrid-Waddington school districts; and St. Lawrence County. The Power Authority is also carrying out a $281 million Life Extension and Modernization program at St. Lawrence-FDR, with its recently having completed work on the 12th of 16 turbine generators to undergo refurbishing.

(Potsdam – Struck Children) A Potsdam man was arrested yesterday after he allegedly assaulted two young children this week. Potsdam village police say 25-year-old Don Anson allegedly hit a five-year-old in the eye with a closed fist earlier this week. The youth suffered bruising around the eye. Anson was arrested after he allegedly struck a four-year-old in the back with a belt, causing a welt and skin removal earlier yesterday. Anson was charged with two felony counts of second degree assault, arraigned and released to probation supervision, pending a March 10th court appearance.

(Saranac Lake – Railroad Milestone) The Adirondack Scenic Railroad says it will reach a i milestone in 2010 with its one millionth passenger. The railroad runs three train sets on over seventy miles of track and is expected to hit its milestone this fall.The Adirondack Scenic runs on a seasonal basis on a portion of the track from Utica to north of Old Forge and between Saranac Lake and Lake Placid. They plan to continue to restore the tracks to allow passenger service throughout the entire rail corridor enabling passengers to experience the beauty of the interior of the Adirondack Park. It also provides a viable alternative to transport people and materials to the secluded hamlets and camps along the way.

(Undated – Unemployment) New York State's unemployment rate dipped from 8.9 percent in December to 8.8 percent in January, up from just 7.1 percent in January 2009. Meanwhile, the jobless rates in the North Country soared over 11 percent. St. Lawrence County’s jobless rate climbed to 11.5 percent in January the highest in New York state. It’s up from 10.7 percent a month earlier, and sharply up from 9.1 percent a year ago. That represents 5,600 people out of work. Franklin County listed 10.1 percent unemployment, or 2,300 people now out of work. That’s up from 8.8 percent last month and 9.7 a year ago.

(Canton – Fire Destroys Home) A manufactured Canton home undergoing remodeling has destroyed in a fire yesterday morning on O'Horo Road. St. Lawrence County Fire Control says the blaze was caused by a portable propane heater left too close to combustible items nearby. Five local fire departments responded, but were unable to stop the fully-involved blaze before it destroyed the 28-by-40 foot structure belonging to Cory and Rhonda Dihrberg. There were no injuries were reported.

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — State officials say hunters killed about 222,800 deer in the 2009 season, about the same as the year before. However, downward differences were most noticeable here in the Northern Zone, where antlerless take was down by almost 8 percent and buck take dropped 21 percent from 2008. The Department of Environmental Conservation says deer take seemed strongly affected by a warm November. Both deer and hunter activity slowed in warmer weather, while the lack of snow made for difficult hunting.

NEW YORK (AP) — Former New York Gov. Hugh L. Carey is recovering from emergency cardiac bypass surgery performed yesterday in New York City. Carey's family said in a statement that the 90-year-old former governor was at his winter home in Gulf Stream, Fla. when he began to experience shortness of breath while exercising. Carey was flown to New York for the operation. His family said that he serenaded the flight crew by singing "New York, New York" during the flight. Carey, a Democrat, was governor from 1975 to 1983. He served seven terms in Congress before that.

NEW YORK (AP) — Influential black leaders in New York City say they believe Gov. David Paterson should stay in office amid allegations he and his staff interfered in a domestic violence case involving a top governor's aide. The group led by the Rev. Al Sharpton agreed that Paterson should try to withstand the violence scandal and new ethics charges related to World Series tickets. The meeting came the same day that a third key administration official quit because of the domestic violence scandal. Communications Director Peter Kauffmann said he could not "in good conscience" stay on because of the controversy.

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — New York State has been named a surprise finalist for potentially billions of dollars in federal education funds, even after failing to improve its application by expanding opportunities for charter schools. The U.S. Department of Education announced the 16 finalists yesterday. Getting into the finals doesn't mean New York is certain to get some of the money, but it's a major step toward winning a share of the $4.35 billion in education reform funds. The state Legislature had refused to approve Gov. David Paterson's proposal to raise the cap on the number of charter schools and other measures favored by the administration of President Barack Obama. Paterson said that without those steps, New York lost its best chance for up to $700 million in federal funds.

(Canton – Ammonia Leak) A broken seal on a compressor that helps make ice for St. Lawrence University’s Appleton Arena caused an ammonia leak that forced the evacuation of the building for several hours. Officials say the compressor was turned off. Canton and Potsdam firefighters were called to help cleanup the ammonia and air out the building. Officials say the arena will be ready for tonight’s ECAC opening round series between the Skating Saints and Clarkson University.

(Ogdensburg – Robbery) An employee of the Ogdensburg Rent-to-Own store was robbed of a deposit bag containing just over $1,000 last evening, just outside the store. Ogdensburg City police say the unknown assailant pushed the employee against the building, grabbed the bag with $1,050 in cash and checks, then fled in a dark-colored Pontiac Grand Am, out East South Street. The man is described as between 6-foot-3 to 6-foot-5, in a dark hooded sweatshirt. The worker -- who was not injured -- reportedly did not get a good look at the man, nor did he see any weapon displayed. Police are asking anyone with information, or who saw anything suspicious, to contact their department at 393-1555.

(Canton – Norfolk Rape Case) A Norfolk teen was found not guilty of one rape charge and a mistrial was declared on the other rape count yesterday in St. Lawrence County Court in Canton. The six-man, six-woman jury found 19-year-old Daniel Rode not guilty of first-degree rape, and was deadlocked 6-6 on the third-degree rape count. Rode, who was 18 at the time, was accused of having forcible sexual intercourse with a 17-year-old female at a party in Norfolk last May. The district attorney’s office will still have the option of retrial on the deadlocked charge only. Rode has been released after posting $10,000 bail.

(Fort Covington – Menacing) A Fort Covington man was jailed after he allegedly slugged another person in the stomach and back, threatened them with a butterfly knife and refused to let them leave their residence. Malone-based state police say 25-year-old Earl Harris was charged with menacing, attempted assault, criminal possession of a weapon and unlawful imprisonment. Harris was arraigned in Westville Town Court and remanded to Franklin County Jail in Malone on $10,000 bail or $20,000 bond, to face later court action.
 

March 4, 2010

(Massena – Power Authority Check) New York Power Authority President and CEO Richard Kessel will be in Massena today to present a ceremonial check to the St. Lawrence County Government Task Force reflecting a supplemental payment for the host communities that partnered with NYPA on the relicensing of the St. Lawrence-FDR Power Project in Massena. That includes the towns of Massena, Louisville, Lisbon and Waddington. The payment will be in addition to NYPA’s annual contribution of two-million for those communities and is tied to above- average water flows last year at the hydroelectric project due to the above-average summer rainfall.

(Canton – Barn Fire) A fire last evening on Sykes Road in Canton destroyed a large barn, several cattle and goats. St. Lawrence County Fire Control says 16 area fire department were called out to the Sam Sergi farm, after the first alarm was sounded around 8:20 p.m. Several family members were able to remove several of the livestock from the burning structure. It is unknown yet how many animals perished in the flames. Fire officials say by the time they arrived on the scene, most of the back section of the barn was engulfed in flames. The livestock barn and another nearby building were destroyed. Another nearby horse building was saved. There were no human injuries reported. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

(Undated – Diabetes) A new health study released by Excellus BlueCross-Blue Shield indicates that one-in-11 northern New York adults has diabetes. The company study shows the tri-county diabetes rate in St. Lawrence, Jefferson and Lewis counties has increased from 8.1 percent to 9.3 percent over the past five years. The rate and the increase were even higher for Franklin, Hamilton and Herkimer counties – up from 6.7 to 9.3 percent. The state's highest rates are in the Southern Tier at 11.3 percent. The company drew a correlation between the increased diabetes rates and increasing obesity rates in an aging population. Excellus also noted the growing cost of diabetes health care in upstate New York, estimated at $2.5 billion annually.

(Canton – Two Officers Leaving) Two St. Lawrence County department heads will be leaving county government soon. County Treasurer Robert McNeil has announced that he will retire and not seek reelection this fall, after 24 years as the county's top fiscal officer. The 65-year-old McNeil was also a St. Lawrence County Legislator prior to taking the treasurer's job. And less than a year on the job, the county's Information Technology Director Robert Hack has resigned, effective tomorrow. Hack will reportedly begin a new job on Monday as director of the Regional Health Information Organization in Syracuse.

(Brasher – Snow Day For Hockey) With no used snow days yet this year for the St. Lawrence Central School in Brasher, the district will reportedly use one of the excess days tomorrow, while its high school boys hockey team travels long distance for the first round of the New York State Hockey Tournament. With the potential for several students to be gone following the team, the day off -- by using an unused snow day -- will allow students and fans to travel to the game against John S. Burke Catholic School way downstate.

SARANAC LAKE, N.Y. (AP) — A parade to honor local Olympians who competed in Vancouver is being organized for tomorrow by the village of Saranac Lake, the Women's Civic Chamber and the Olympic Regional Development Authority. Among those to be feted are Nordic combined star Bill Demong of Vermontville, who won the first gold medal for the United States in the sport. Also on the list are 16-year-old freestyle skier Ashley Caldwell of Lake Placid, 17-year-old ski jumper Peter Frenette of Saranac Lake, lugers Mark Grimmette of Lake Placid and Chris Mazdzer of Saranac Lake, and biathlete Haley Johnson of Lake Placid. Alpine skier Andrew Weibrecht was welcomed home with a parade last week down Main Street in his hometown Lake Placid. Weibrecht won bronze in super-G at Whistler.

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — State environmental officials say New York's bald eagle population may be at its highest level since restoration work began more than 30 years ago. In 2009, 173 breeding pairs raised 223 young. Eagles from Canada winter in New York, and during a January 2010 survey, 459 were spotted, including 101 along the St. Lawrence River. In 1975, The state was able to document only one, unproductive pair of bald eagles after years of habitat loss, pesticide contamination and hunting.

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — A rally was held yesterday in Albany by New Yorkers protesting Paterson administration plans to close dozens of state parks and historic sites -- including six in the St. Lawrence River region. Earlier this week, parks officials said they had canceled about 350 campsite reservations at 12 of the state parks that could be closed this year. The state parks office has said it will close 41 of 178 parks and reduce services at 23 others and shut down 14 of 35 historic sites because of New York's budget crisis. In Albany, two state lawmakers say blocking $11.3 million of the $20 million in proposed budget cuts to the state parks system will prevent the Paterson administration from closing the state parks and historic sites.

CORNING, N.Y. (AP) — Corning's CEO received compensation valued at $10.8 million in 2009, a seesaw year during which the specialty glassmaker trimmed 3,500 jobs. Corning, Inc. continues to operate a plant near Canton. Wendell Weeks got a performance-based cash bonus worth $4.8 million, far higher than the $301,584 he got in 2008. But $3 million of that is tied to Corning's financial progress this year.

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — New York's Public Integrity Commission has charged embattled Gov. David Paterson with an ethics violation involving a gift of free Yankees tickets for the 2009 World Series that could cost him nearly $100,000 in penalties. The commission says Paterson may also have given false testimony in the case now being turned over to the Albany County District Attorney's office for possible criminal prosecution. Paterson could face a penalty of $80,000 for violating the state gift ban for elected officials. The commission says he also violated a prohibition against using his official position to secure unwarranted privileges. That could cost another $10,000 or more. The commission found Paterson didn't intend to reimburse the Yankees. No immediate comment from the governor's office.

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — The New York State Police agency is once again fending off allegations that its executive security detail doubles as a political attack squad. Officials are once again calling for changes to how the detail is run and checks and balances on what it can be used to do. Assemblyman Hakeem Jeffries says "the unit is out of control." Legislators have long claimed that a "rogue unit" was carrying out political missions for governors. Paterson and the State Police acknowledge contact with the accuser but say it wasn't inappropriate.

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — Gov. David Paterson's chief of staff says the governor is determined to continue his term and fix New York's fiscal crisis. Lawrence Schwartz says the fiscal crisis is Paterson's priority "24/7." Schwartz says he doesn't expect anymore resignations from the administration. Meanwhile, National Democratic Party Chairman Tim Kaine is the latest party member refusing to back New York Gov. David Paterson as scandal threatens his administration.

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — A new poll shows New Yorkers want Gov. David Paterson to stay in office. They also want someone other than his political rival, Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, to investigate the scandal that could sink the governor. The Quinnipiac University polls finds that 61 percent of voters don't want Paterson to resign because of the scandal. The poll released Wednesday showed even most women don't want Paterson to quit. Sixty-one percent of voters prefer an investigation by an independent prosecutor rather than Cuomo, a popular Democrat expected to run for governor.

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — A bipartisan task force has been formed in New York's Senate to investigate state spending for inefficiency and waste. Deputy Senate Majority Leader Jeff Klein of the Bronx will chair the 12-member panel, which was announced yesterday. Lawmakers say the goal is to eliminate waste and provide tax relief as the state faces billions of dollars in deficits.