Legislative Column by Assemblyman Dave Townsend (R,WF-Sylvan Beach)

The month of September arrives with certitudes. The end of summer. The start of a new school year. Cooler nights, and shorter days. For Upstate residents, September also marks an important contribution we made to American history nearly 200 years ago. The 1814 Battle of Plattsburgh, also called the Battle of Lake Champlain, was a pivotal moment in the War of 1812, a decisive blow to the naval forces of the British Empire during the latter stages of this broad and world-defining conflict.

An invasion of the northern United States was now out of the question, and Lieutenant General Sir George Prevost’s troops were pushed back into Canadian territory. It was an immense boost to the morale of a fledgling nation and helped to hasten an end to our second war of independence. But now Governor David Paterson has vetoed, for the second time, state funding for the war’s 200^th anniversary, badly damaging our Upstate economy’s growth opportunities and unfairly shifting the cost of any commemoration to localities like Oswego County.

Historical tourism has a direct, positive impact on local economies in the Empire State. Upstate New York is fortunate to have an abundance of these sites and landmarks. In addition to Plattsburgh, parts of Upstate New York that participated in some of the War of 1812’s most significant battles include Sackets Harbor on Lake Ontario and the Buffalo-Niagara area. Governor Paterson’s veto means the state would not play an active part in funding the anniversary celebration. Thus, the same governor who is currently under investigation for taking five free World Series tickets is now giving us, it seems, lessons in fiscal probity and civics at the same time. He’s saying the War of 1812 anniversary is both too expensive and not important enough, all in one grand gesture.

Canada, meanwhile, is moving ahead with its anniversary plans, and will no doubt reap the tourist dollars that New York seems so eager to ignore. State park attendance has gone up this summer, and our long economic recovery means many in our area will still be pursuing activities close to home as the war’s anniversary nears. It’s a shame to deny them a history lesson at an affordable price.

We do no honor to those who perished – including many from right here in Central New York – in September, 1814 for America’s second independence by denying them proper recognition. The 200^th anniversary of the War of 1812 would add to New York State’s historical tourism cachet and bring added revenue to our area. Taxpayers and history buffs alike should come together to support this worthwhile project to commemorate one of the Empire State’s foremost contributions to world events. If Governor Paterson cannot find time for the families of Upstate New York, then the rest of us certainly must.

Two-Year Old Oswego County Gelding Showed Symptoms; Died of Mosquito-Borne Virus

ALBANY, NY (08/27/2010)(readMedia)– New York State Agriculture Commissioner Patrick Hooker today announced the State’s first confirmed equine case of Eastern Equine Encephalitis, also known as EEE, this year. The affected horse was a two-year old gelding kept in Oswego County. EEE is a rare viral disease of horses and humans that is spread by infected mosquitoes. To date, there have been no reported or confirmed human cases of EEE in 2010.

“New York’s abundant water sources and humid climate unfortunately make the perfect breeding ground for mosquitoes and the EEE virus,” Commissioner Hooker said. “Therefore, we highly encourage horse owners to protect their animals and consider vaccinating for EEE. The EEE vaccine has proven to drastically reduce the incidence of the virus in horses and can be easily administered by a private veterinarian.”

The infected horse was a two-year old gelding that was purchased at a New York auction earlier this year. The young horse had an unknown vaccination history at the time of purchase and was not vaccinated after purchase. Last week, the gelding was showing typical signs of EEE, including loss of appetite, circling and leaning against the stall, and after examination by a private veterinarian, was euthanized. Brain samples were sent to the New York State Department of Health’s Wadsworth Laboratory and tested positive for EEE. To date, the other horses on the same premises are not showing any signs of EEE and have since been vaccinated.

EEE is found mainly along the East Coast, affects the central nervous system of horses, and usually results in death in horses. Symptoms in equines include staggering, circling, depression, loss of appetite and sometimes fever and blindness. Humans cannot become infected by handling an infected horse, nor can a horse acquire the virus from another infected horse; however, the presence of an infected horse in the area indicates that mosquitoes carrying EEE are present and infected mosquitoes pose a threat to both humans and horses.

While there is no treatment, or cure for this disease, vaccines are available and found to be effective in protecting horses from this virus. The vaccines are effective for six to twelve months, so horses should be vaccinated at least annually. In an area where the disease occurs frequently, such as Oswego County, most veterinarians recommend vaccination every six months. For the vaccine to be effective it must be handled and administered properly and be given at least two weeks before the horse is exposed to the virus.

Other methods of preventing EEE in horses and humans is to control mosquito populations, which can be done by destroying standing water, using insect repellents and removing animals from mosquito-infested areas during peak biting times, usually dusk to dawn. Horse owners and caretakers are also advised to wear light colored clothing, long sleeves and pants when tending horse in areas where mosquitoes may be present.

For more information on how to protect your horse from EEE, please visit http://www.agmkt.state.ny.us/AI/equine/equine.html. For information about humans and EEE, visit: http://www.health.state.ny.us/diseases/communicable/eastern_equine_encephalitis/fact_sheet.htm

(Aug. 25, 2010) New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli today announced his office completed the audit: Town of Hastings – Financial Condition and Internal Controls Over Financial Operations.

“My office’s audits of local governments improve their financial management practices,” DiNapoli said. “To ensure taxpayer dollars are being protected and used for their intended purpose, the Town of Hastings must adopt structurally balanced budgets in all town funds and eliminate existing fund balance deficits carried over from prior years.”

DiNapoli’s auditors noted that as of December 31, 2009, the town’s town-wide and part-town highway funds, as well as several special district funds, had deficit fund balances. The deficits occurred primarily because the board appropriated more fund balance than was available, did not effectively monitor the budget throughout the year and failed to eliminate existing fund balance deficits carried over from prior years. The lack of accurate up-to-date accounting records has also hindered the board’s ability to make informed budget decisions.

In addition, DiNapoli’s auditors noted that the supervisor did not maintain timely and accurate accounting records and reports, did not ensure that bank accounts were reconciled each month and did not submit annual financial reports to the Office of the State Comptroller on a timely basis.

Further, auditors from DiNapoli’s office found that the board did not adequately segregate duties. One employee handled all aspects of the billing and collection of sewer rents. Furthermore, the board did not require timely annual audits of the records and reports of the supervisor.

For a full copy of the audit, see: http://www.osc.state.ny.us/localgov/audits/towns/2010/hastings.pdf

(Great Lakes Seaway Trail, NY and PA – Aug. 24, 2010) The new Great Lakes Seaway Trail GeoTrail Coins are here! The elegant, antique metal-finish tokens celebrate the waters and history of the 518-mile-long America’s Byway that is host to a new 75-cache adventure for those who enjoy exploring by latitude and longitude. The series of five coins features the Flagship Niagara, Niagara Falls and the Maid of the Mist tour boat, Charlotte-Genesee Lighthouse, historic Fort Ontario, and a ship on the St. Lawrence River.

Avid geocachers who have already located at least 10 caches in any of the byway’s five regions (Lake Erie, Buffalo/Niagara Falls, Rochester/Central Lake Ontario, Eastern Lake Ontario, and 1000 Islands/St. Lawrence River) can have their logbooks validated to receive the coin for that region.

All five Great Lakes Seaway Trail GeoCoins are available at the Great Lakes Seaway Trail Discovery Center in Sackets Harbor, NY. Great Lakes Seaway Trail GeoTrail logbook pickup and validation sites are:

Lake Erie Region — Flagship Niagara GeoCoin
•  Tom Ridge Environmental Center, 301 Peninsula Drive, Suite 1, Erie, PA 16505

Buffalo/Niagara Falls Region — Niagara Falls and the Maid of the Mist GeoCoin
•  Niagara USA Official Visitor Center, 10 Rainbow Blvd., Niagara Falls, NY 14303

Rochester/Central Lake Ontario Region — Charlotte-Genesee Lighthouse GeoCoin
•  VisitRochester, 45 East Avenue, Suite 400, Rochester, NY 14604
•  Wayne County Tourism Office, 9 Pearl Street, Suite 3, Lyons, NY 14489

Eastern Lake Ontario Region — Historic Fort Ontario GeoCoin
•  Cayuga County Office of Tourism, 131 Genesee Street, Auburn, NY 13021
•  Oswego County Tourism, 3rd Floor, County Office Building, 46 E. Bridge St.,
Oswego, NY 13126
•  Screwy Louie’s Sport Shop, 596 Main St., Fair Haven, NY 13064

Thousand Islands/St. Lawrence River Region —  St. Lawrence River Ship GeoCoin
•  Seaway Trail Discovery Center, Ray & West Main Streets, Sackets Harbor, NY
13685
•  St. Lawrence County Chamber, 101 Main St., Canton, NY 13617
•  1000 Islands International Tourism Council, 3373 Collins Landing,
Alexandria Bay, NY 13607.

The Great Lakes Seaway Trail GeoTrail sponsors include VisitErie, the Niagara Tourism and Convention Corporation, VisitRochester, Wayne County Tourism, the Fair Haven Area Chamber of Commerce, the Cayuga County Office of Tourism, Oswego County Tourism, the 1000 Islands International Tourism Council, the St. Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce, and the Great Lakes Seaway Trail.

Great Lakes Seaway Trail President and CEO Teresa Mitchell said, “This new GeoTrail and our new collector coins are generating a geocaching rush on New York and Pennsylvania’s freshwater America’s Byway. This ‘get outdoors on the Great Lakes Seaway Trail’ initiative is ideal for making healthy living more available, accessible and affordable.”

Learn more at http://www.seawaytrail.com/geotrail.

Early reaction to the new Great Lakes Seaway Trail GeoTrail as seen in web chatter:
· I don’t know how many people we would need in order to get a group discount at a hotel, but wouldn’t it be cool if we could get a block of rooms at a hotel in the Thousand Islands, and spend a weekend doing all of the SLR caches? Or maybe we head West and do a weekend in Erie?

· Depending on when you go, I’d like to join in the overnight road trip too. Sounds like fun.

· A friend picked up a couple logbooks today and they are impressive looking. Much more professional looking than other geotrails books I’ve seen/used. Bravo!

· When I picked up my logbook today, I told the woman working at Visit Rochester to expect to see at least one cacher come back with at least 10 punches before the week was over, thanks to the number of cachers we have around here.

· We’ve had ~600 finds in 4 days so far!

· See more comments online at www.twitter.com/SeawayTrail and www.georoc.org

(Fulton, NY – Aug. 22, 2010) On Aug. 21 at approximately 11:05 p.m. a 2001 Oldsmobile aurora registered to Brad T. Castellino, 29, was traveling south on Route 48 in the Town of Granby and enters a right hand curve at an apparent high rate of speed and exits the east side of the roadway. The vehicle overturns and comes to rest upside down off the east side of state route 48.

Brianna L. Paice, 21, of 12 Henderson Blvd., Syracuse was ejected from the vehicle and pronounced deceased at scene.

Castellino was transported to University Hospital in Syracuse with non-life threatening injuries. The investigation is continuing.

The suspect is described as a white male approximately 5’08″ – 5’10″, normal build, wearing a dark colored hooded sweatshirt, blue jeans, and a white scarf concealing the facial area.  The suspect upon entry into the store demanded money.  No threat, nor weapon displayed during the course of the robbery.  The suspect fled on foot in an unknown direction of travel with an undisclosed amount of US Currency and cartons of cigarettes.  No injury was sustained by the employee.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the New York State Police, Hastings Barracks at (315) 676-2214, or SP Pulaski at (315) 298-1444.  All information can remain anonymous.  The investigation is continuing at this time.

Case Agent: Inv. Eric S. Costello, SP Pulaski BCI (315) 676-2214.

(Syracuse, NY) The 2010 Discover Clean & Safe Boat will be at the Central NY Fall Boat Show & Sale at the NYS Fairgrounds in Syracuse September 10-12. Show manager Drew Wickham says, “We are pleased to add the Discover Clean & Safe Boat to the show as an opportunity for boaters to be reminded about the gear required and recommended for safe and legal boating on NY waters in 2010.”

The fall show, organized by the Boating Industry Association of Upstate NY, features hundreds of new, demoed and clean used late model power and sail boats, cruisers, and sport boats. This show is the oldest and largest fall boat show in New York state.

New York Sea Grant has taken the 19-foot-long “made in New York” Grumman aluminum pontoon boat direct from the Marathon Boat Group assembly line at Marathon, NY, to events throughout the state. The boat is equipped with four types of personal flotation devices (PFDs), safety flares, chartbook, paddle, green cleaning products and other gear —all labeled.

New York Sea Grant Coastal Recreation and Tourism Specialist Dave White says, “The 2010 Discover Clean & Safe Boat is equipped with a bilge sock and fuel nozzle bib that are two easily-used items to reduce or eliminate fuel spills.”

The “clean and green” boat is powered by two electric motors, has a generator and has a plug-in for shoreline recharge.

The boat, sponsored by Marathon Boat Group, the Boating Industries Association of Upstate New York, Great Lakes Seaway Trail, Morgan Recreational Supply, Taylor Made Products, NYS Parks and the NYS Environmental Facilities Corporation is a “descendant” of the engineering that created lightweight, stretch-formed aluminum aircraft use as carrier-based fighter planes during World War II.

For more info on the 2010 Discover Clean & Safe Boating vessel, contact New York Sea Grant, SUNY Oswego, Oswego, NY 13126, 315-312-3042. For more info on the CNY Fall Boat Show, visit http://www.cnyboatshow.com.

Stolen Items Recovered

(Watertown, NY – Aug. 13, 2010) The State Police in Watertown is requesting the public’s assistance in solving a possession of stolen property case.

Oswego County Sheriff’s Office was investigating the theft of numerous outdrives stolen from Mikes Marina in Mexico, NY in July 2010. During the course of the investigation, an outdrive fitting the description was found on Craig’s List. After a controlled buy was conducted in the City of Watertown by the State Police numerous items of property were recovered. The outdrive was confirmed as the stolen item and secured as evidence. The State Police is asking for assistance in finding the owners of the following property -

Yamaha 50 HP outboard motor

Mercury 9.9 HP outboard motor

Mercury 8.0 HP outboard motor

Johnson 4.0 HP outboard motor

Troybilt 42 inch Riding Lawn Mower (Pony)

John Deere 48″ Model LA130

Yard Man 42″ riding lawn mower

Yard Machine 10 HP 24″ snowblower

Homelite 26cs Weedeater

Karcher 2300 PSI pressure washer

Craftsman 1 hp air compressor

Blue Z1R snow helmet

Plastic outboard motor gas can.

These items may be stolen from anywhere in New York State. Marina owners are asked to check stored boats. Christopher L. Clearwater was arrested 08-12-10 for False Personation and a Parole Violation and further charges are pending against him.

Any person with information regarding this property is urged to contact the State Police BCI in Watertown at 315-782-3691

Case agent

Inv Randy S. Pound

Pictured: Authentic used ammo can-caches and Great Lakes Seaway Trail GeoTrail logbooks are ready for geocaching travelers exploring with hand-held GPS to find soon-to-be-75 new caches on the 518-mile byway that runs alongside the St. Lawrence River-Great Lakes shoreline of New York and Pennsylvania.

America’s Byway in NY-PA Welcomes High-Tech Treasure Hunters

(Great Lakes Seaway Trail, NY and PA – Aug. 12, 2010) Sixty-four – count ‘em – 64 Great Lakes Seaway Trail geocaches are now in place, with another 11 to follow soon, for those who enjoy exploring with their GPS (Global Positioning System) unit in hand. Geocaching.com reports there are as many as 4-5 million geocachers worldwide.

At least 10 ammo boxes emblazoned with the new Great Lakes Seaway Trail logo have been placed in each of five regions (Lake Erie, Buffalo/Niagara Falls, Rochester/Central Lake Ontario, Eastern Lake Ontario, and 1000 Islands/St. Lawrence River) comprising the 518-mile America’s Byway that parallels the freshwater shoreline of New York and Pennsylvania.

Each cache has a uniquely-shaped punch that cachers will use to mark their Great Lakes Seaway Trail GeoTrail logbooks. Once cachers find 10 caches in a region, they can have their logbook validated to receive the distinctive Great Lakes Seaway Trail GeoCoin for that region.

The series of five elegantly-designed antique-metal finish coins features the Flagship Niagara, Niagara Falls and the Maid of the Mist tour boat, Charlotte-Genesee Lighthouse, historic Fort Ontario, and an oceangoing ship on the St. Lawrence River.

“This new Great Lakes Seaway Trail GeoTrail provides a new recreational, historic, cultural and outdoor adventure for travelers to experience the full 518-mile length of the byway,” says Seaway Trail, Inc. President and CEO Teresa Mitchell.

Great Lakes Seaway Trail Project Manager Kurt Schumacher says, “This new economic development initiative linking the Great Lakes Seaway Trail to GPS-guided treasure- hunting along the byway’s full length is a fabulous way to drive new travelers into our shoreline communities and their accommodations, restaurants, shops and services.”

Great Lakes Seaway Trail GeoTrail developer James “Boots” Hooper says he believes this is the longest linear geotrail in the U.S.

“The beautiful landscapes and waterfront, historic sites and natural found only along this unique byway await Great Lakes Seaway Trail geocachers,” says Hooper, a member of the National 4-H Geospatial Science Taskforce, the New York State 4-H Geospatial Leadership Team, and the Rochester-based GeoRoc online community.

Logbooks and coins for all five regions are available at the Seaway Trail Discovery Center in Sackets Harbor, NY. Logbooks and coins for individual regions are found at:
Lake Erie Region
•  Tom Ridge Environmental Center, 301 Peninsula Drive, Suite 1, Erie, PA 16505

Buffalo/Niagara Falls Region
•  Niagara USA Official Visitor Center, 10 Rainbow Blvd., Niagara Falls, NY 14303

Rochester/Central Lake Ontario Region
•  VisitRochester, 45 East Avenue, Suite 400, Rochester, NY 14604
•  Wayne County Tourism Office, 9 Pearl Street, Suite 3, Lyons, NY 14489

Eastern Lake Ontario Region
•  Cayuga County Office of Tourism, 131 Genesee Street, Auburn, NY 13021
•  Oswego County Tourism, 3rd Floor, County Office Building, 46 E. Bridge St., Oswego, NY 13126
•  Screwy Louie’s Sport Shop, 596 Main St., Fair Haven, NY 13064

Thousand Islands/St. Lawrence River Region
•  Seaway Trail Discovery Center, Ray & West Main Streets, Sackets Harbor, NY
13685
•  St. Lawrence County Chamber, 101 Main St., Canton, NY 13617
•  1000 Islands International Tourism Council, 3373 Collins Landing, Alexandria Bay,
NY 13607.

The Great Lakes Seaway Trail GeoTrail sponsors include VisitErie, the Niagara Tourism and Convention Corporation, VisitRochester, Wayne County Tourism, the Fair Haven Area Chamber of Commerce, the Cayuga County Office of Tourism, Oswego County Tourism, the 1000 Islands International Tourism Council, the St. Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce, and the Great Lakes Seaway Trail.

Hooper is busy locating an additional 11 caches throughout the byway region. They will be announced later this year.

GPS coordinates for 100 easily-seen Great Lakes Seaway Trail “outdoor storyteller” signage units at significant points of historic, natural/birdwatching, cultural, maritime, agricultural and architectural note along the byway can be found in the 2010 Great Lakes Seaway Trail Travel Guide online at www.seawaytrail.com.

Seaway Trail, Inc. and the Great Lakes Seaway Trail Discovery Center Gift Shop are official Groundspeak and Geocaching.com merchandise distributors. Learn more at www.seawaytrail.com.

Geocaching 101
*Geocaching is pronounced geo-cashing, like cashing a check

*Geocaching combines geo for geography and caching for the process of hiding a cache, which historically has referred to a hidden treasure or concealed food/provisions/cash

*Who geocaches? More than 4 million people of all ages and interests worldwide

*Where do you find the GPS coordinates for locating the Great Lakes Seaway Trail geocaches? www.geocaching.com lists the coordinates for more than 4 million geocaches around the globe, including those located along the 518 miles of the Great Lakes Seaway Trail. Note: once all are in place, you will find the 75 official Great Lakes Seaway Trail geocaches listed at www.geocaching.com as well as other caches hidden in the byway’s 5 regions by individuals and groups. Only the 75 placed by Seaway Trail, Inc. qualify for the Great Lakes Seaway Trail GeoCoins.

*How are geocaches rated? 1 is the easiest, 5 is the most difficult to locate

*What is in a typical geocache? A logbook or logsheet with information on who set the cache in place and notes from those finding the cache. The Great Lakes Seaway Trail caches have a uniquely-shaped punch for marking the logbooks that cachers carry with them from cache to cache.

(Aug. 10, 2010 - Albany) – New York State Police Traffic Services has recently received numerous inquiries regarding the legality of trailer hitch receiver use when not actually towing anything.

Despite persistent rumors, it is not illegal to leave the trailer hitch ball mount in the receiver on the vehicle when not towing.

State Police also remind motorists when towing a trailer behind a motor vehicle upon the public highways of the state to only use only devices approved by the NYS Department of Motor Vehicles.