Jan. 16, 2012

Samuel A. Smith, 22, of Woodman Road, Eaton, was charged with second-degree harassment (physical contact) and criminal obstruction of breathing/blood circulation, a class A misdemeanor.

Pamela A. Charland, 34, of Lake Shore Road, Cicero, was charged with third-degree assault (intent to cause harm), a class A misdemeanor.

Jan. 18

Karl E. Smith, 52, of Radnor Lane, Morrisville, was charged with a violation of probation on a class A misdemeanor.

Jan. 19

Christine Mason, 54, of Madison Street, Oneida, was charged with failure to appear.

Jan. 21

Archer D. McFall, 20, of Exeter Road, Marietta, Ga., was charged with driving while intoxicated, an unclassified misdemeanor; refusal to take a breath test and speeding.

A 16-year-old Route 26, North Pitcher, resident was charged with third-degree assault (intent to cause harm), a class A misdemeanor.

Jan. 22

Joshua P. Torres, 27, of Dyke Road, Chittenango, was charged with an unspecified order of the Family Court Act.

Nicholas K. Roe, 22, of Williams Road, Hamilton, was charged with second-degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, driving while intoxicated and operating a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol content of .08 percent or greater, all unclassified misdemeanors; drinking alcohol in a motor vehicle, operating a motor vehicle with obstructed vision, unsafe turn/failure to signal and operating a motor vehicle without a license.

Jan. 23

Joshua P. Torres, 27, of Dyke Road, Chittenango, was charged with petit larceny, a class A misdemeanor.

Jan. 25

Michael P. Lowell, 21, of Jones Road, Nelson, was charged with fourth-degree criminal mischief (intent to damage property), a class A misdemeanor.

Stephen E. Shuler, 36, of Leonard Street, Oneida, was charged with a violation of probation on a class E felony.

Jan. 26

Peyton L. Amato, 20,of Red Lake Road, Theresa, was charged with underage possession of alcohol and an open container violation.

Robert E. Widger, 37, of North Main Street, Stockbridge, was charged with third-degree assault, a class A misdemeanor.

Jan. 27

Christopher J. Centro, 20, of Tudman Road, Westmoreland, was charged with unlawful possession of marijuana.

Jan. 28

Alfred Thomas, 26, of Elk Street, Syracuse, was charged with second-degree reckless endangerment, third-degree unlawful fleeing a police officer and seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, all class A misdemeanors; unlawful possession of marijuana, failure to obey a police officer, failure to stop at a stop sign, speeding and an equipment violation.

Tanaia M. Allen, 26, of Bruce Road, Lenox, was charged with third-degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, an unclassified misdemeanor; unlawful possession of marijuana, possession of a controlled substance in non-original container and an equipment violation.

Jason M. Wade, 33, of Route 13, Chittenango, was charged with driving while intoxicated, operating a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol content of .08 percent or greater and third-degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, all unclassified misdemeanors; and speeding.

Andrew L. Kinney-Allen, 21, of Route 12B, Lebanon, was charged with petit larceny, a class A misdemeanor.

A 17-year-old Pleasant Valley Road, Morrisville, resident was charged with second-degree disobeying a judicial mandate, a class A misdemeanor.

Jan. 29

Scott M. Carpenter, 21, of Quaker Hill Road, Brookfield, was charged with unlawful possession of marijuana and an equipment violation.

Emily S. Skinner, 21, of Hawthorne Way, Chittenango, was charged with disorderly conduct.

Timothy S. Dady, 58, of Route 80, Georgetown, was charged with petit larceny, a class A misdemeanor.

(Wampsville, NY – Feb. 2012) A Public Hearing was held Monday, Feb. 6, in the Board of Supervisors Chambers in the Madison County Office Building in Wampsville to discuss the proposed Agriculture and Renewable Energy Business Park in the town of Lincoln.

The public hearing was held to provide an opportunity for the public to comment on the completed State Environmental Quality Review and the draft Generic Environmental Impact Statement for the project.

The dGEIS describes the project and potential impacts this project may have on the environment and proposed measures to mitigate potential impacts. The dGEIS and all of its appendices are available online for review and comment at madisoncounty.org.

Written comments regarding issues to be addressed in the dGEIS will be accepted until 1 p.m. March 14. Submit written comments to the Madison County Planning Department, 38 N. Court St., P.O. Box 606, Wampsville, N.Y. 13163, Attention: Proposed ARE Business Park.

Comments may also be emailed to planning@madisoncounty.ny.gov; indicate “Proposed ARE Business Park” in the subject line of the e-mail message.

Course Participants learn about large animal safety and management practices at the Morrisville State College Dairy Complex.

(Morrisville, NY – Feb. 2012) Do you know youth who are 14-15 years old who want or do work on a farm? If so this course is for them!

The 2012 Agricultural Safety and Certification Program is scheduled to begin in late February. It is against the law for an employer to hire a person less than 16 years of age to operate farm tractors or machinery. An exception is made for the 14- or 15-year-old who has completed this approved safety course.

Even though family members and those over 16 are not required by law to take the course, it is a good idea for any potential new operator. The objective of this course is to reduce the number of injuries and deaths resulting from farm-related accidents, especially with young people in Madison County.

Those who satisfactorily complete the course will receive the certificate, which allows them to work for hire at age 14 and 15. Employers must request a copy of this certificate from young employees.

You must be 14 in order to take this course for a certificate.

Again this year, a special emphasis will be offered involving lawn mowers and other lawn, yard and garden equipment; information gained in this course is applicable to most home and yard work involving younger machinery operators.

In order to qualify for the certificate, participants must attend scheduled class sessions, complete the workbook provided, pass a written exam and complete the practical driving exam. The 4-H Tractor Safety and Certification Course class fee will be $10 for the manual and printed materials. The fee will be collected at the first session.

This program is a cooperative effort of Cornell Cooperative Extension of Madison County, the Madison County FFA Agricultural Programs and Morrisville State College.

Pre-enrollment is required. Contact Cornell Cooperative Extension of Madison County 4-H Program, P.O. Box 1209, Eaton Street, Morrisville, N.Y. 13408 or call (315) 684-3001 to enroll or for more information.

(Madison County, NY – Feb. 5, 2012) Side Hill Farmers, a cooperative of livestock farmers in Madison County, is launching a local-meat-delivery service in Central New York, where CNY residents can go on-line and order packages of the Cooperative’s own beef and pork.  Then, once a month, Side Hill Farmers will deliver the orders to central pick-up locations in communities in the Syracuse region.

Side Hill Farmers has developed a meat CSA to bring their locally-raised meat to Central New York consumers.  Many local-food devotees are familiar with vegetable CSAs (which stand for “Community Supported Agriculture”) wherein consumers buy shares in a farm’s production.

The Side Hill Farmers’ meat CSA is similarly structured, so that consumers buy shares of the Cooperative’s meat production.  Side Hill Farmers’ CSA Coordinator Sue Parker explains that “the meat shares are primarily beef, with pork as an option, all pasture-raised and natural.  We expect to be able to offer pasture-raised chicken in the spring.”  CSA members will also be able to order Madison-County-produced eggs and butter, as well as some other local farm goodies.

Getting meat through the Side Hill Farmers meat CSA is a very simple process.  On the Side Hill Farmers website (www.sidehillfarmers.com), customers select a monthly meat delivery package, pay online via PayPal, select the community they’d like their order delivered to, and then once a month, on a set date, the order is delivered to the hosting pick-up site in the selected community.

The Side Hill Farmers CSA officially launches on Monday Feb. 6; first deliveries will be made the second week of February.  Deliveries will initially be made to five area communities: Skaneateles, Fayetteville, Downtown Syracuse, Hamilton, and Cazenovia.  The meat CSA will soon expand to reach customers in Liverpool/Clay and SU/Westcott.

Five local businesses are partnering with Side Hill Farmers to serve as pick-up site hosts in each of the five communities.  In Fayetteville, CSA members will go to Papa Gallo’s to pick up their order; in Cazenovia, Circa Restaurant; in Downtown Syracuse, Empire Brewing; in Hamilton, the Colgate Inn; and in Skaneateles, the Sherwood Inn.

“These businesses are really supportive of local food, and are making space for our Cooperative and CSA members,” said Parker.

Canastota beef farmer and Side Hill Farmers’ Cooperative member Paul O’Mara says that the Cooperative wants to make a connection to consumers looking for more local, more known, sources of food, particularly meat.

“We’ve formed this Cooperative so that we as farmers can work together to bring our meat directly to the people in our area.  There is no middleman.  The food is going directly from us as farmers to the families who eat it.  Our CSA is for people who care where their meat comes from and how it’s raised, and who want to support the small farmers in their backyard.”

Tuesday, February 7

9:00 a.m. 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.: Town of Sullivan Board Meeting of February 1

9:14 a.m. 2:14 p.m. and 7:14 p.m.: Madison County Renewable Energy & the A.R.E. Park

9:25 a.m. 2:25 p.m. and 7:25 p.m.: CMS and You: Children’s Health

9:54 a.m. 2:54 p.m. and 7:54 p.m.: Oswego County Legislature Meeting of January 4

Wednesday, February 8

9:00 a.m. 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.: Oneida Common Council Special Meeting of January 31

11:01a.m. 4:01 p.m. and 9:01 p.m.: Assembly Update with Bill Magee

Thursday, February 9

9:00 a.m. 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.: Tomorrow’s World

9:30 a.m. 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.: Tomorrow’s World

11:00 p.m.:  Ear to the Streets

Duane Martinez, (left) Community Bikes volunteer coordinator, joins Scott O’Mara of Knight Hawk Transport and Derek Busher of Hamilton Village. Thanks to combined volunteer efforts, 75 bikes, helmets and locks along with medical supplies were shipped last week to St. Kitts and Nevis.

Submitted by Constance Mente

(Hamilton, NY – Jan. 2012) Community Bikes recently shipped 75 bikes, helmets and locks, along with medical supplies, to the Caribbean island nation of St. Kitts and Nevis.

Scott O’Mara of Knight Hawk Transport in Canastota wheeled his truck into 44 Milford St. in Hamilton, home of the Community Bikes workshop in space donated by Ed Ray of Ray’s Wayside. Derek Busher of the Hamilton Village crew was on hand with a forklift made available by the Village.

Working together with Community Bikes volunteer coordinator Duane Martinez, the three loaded 75 bikes, helmets and locks, along with a pallet of medical supplies, onto the truck for transport to the air base in Niagara Falls.

From there, the shipment will be transported by the Air Force to St Kitts and Nevis as part of a program to develop a life habit of cycling among elementary school children, and encourage those with an interest in competitive cycling.  The program is being coordinated by the St. Kitts and Nevis Cycling Federation.

Community Bikes’ Chuck Fox said the humanitarian project would not have been possible without the help of community volunteers.

“We are extremely grateful to Scott and Paul O’Mara for donating transportation service to get the bikes to Niagara Falls.  The Madison County work crew, along with several local service groups, did a great job of cleaning and preparing the bikes, and the Village was very helpful in providing use of a forklift.”

Fox also cited Chittenango’s Dr. Cedric Francis, a St. Kitts native who donated medical supplies to be delivered to JN France General Hospital in St. Kitts. The bikes and supplies are scheduled to be delivered to St. Kitts and Nevis on March 9.

Community Bikes collects donated bicycles, refurbishes them and places them with families who cannot afford a bike.  Community Bikes has placed more than 800 bikes with families in Madison County and has partnered with Youth Policy Institute to help send 165 bikes to Malawi in Africa.

Fox said the pilot program in St. Kitts and Nevis has been enthusiastically endorsed by the US State Department and USAID program as part of their initiatives in the eastern Caribbean, and hopes to build off this initial effort.

(Brookfield, NY) The Madison County Fairgrounds Board of Directors is busy making plans for the 2012 Fair slated to take place July 12 through 15.

Over the recent long holiday weekend, five members of the Madison County Fair Board traveled to Rochester to attend the 124th annual New York State Association of Agricultural Fairs Convention At the convention it was announced that once again the New York State Association of Agricultural Fairs and New York State Showpeople’s Association are in process of accepting applications for their annual scholarship program, which will award up to ten $1,000 scholarships in 2012.

These scholarship are available to students who are New York state residents, who currently are (or have previously been) active in a fair that is a member of the NYSAAF or the NYSSA and who plan to attend (or already attend) college in pursuit of a degree.

The fair where you have been active or the NYSSA must endorse your application and will submit it for you. Madison County Fair President Jeff Mayne will gladly accept applications at the Beaver Den Diner in Brookfield or mail to Madison County Fair, P.O. Box 114, 1968 Fairgrounds Road, Brookfield, N.Y. 13314.

The deadline for applications is Friday, April 13.

For further information on the scholarship program and application forms, visit nyfairs.org/scholarship.htm; visit us at madisoncountyfairny.com.

(Madison, NY – Jan. 2012) Spring may be a few months away, but the Madison County Conservation District is already thinking green with its annual 2012 Tree and Shrub Seedling Sale. This year’s sale features a variety of trees and shrubs to fit all kinds of landscaping needs.

Many of the species are ideal for erosion control and many are attractive uses for wildlife food and cover, windscreens, shade, and privacy.

There are 27 different varieties of trees and shrubs offered along with fruit trees, strawberries, ground cover, and variety packs. All of these trees and shrubs are bare root, not balled and sold in bundles of 10 or more.

People interested in ordering can visit the district’s Web site at madcoswcd.com for an order form or can call (315) 824-9849 ext.3. Orders with cash or check payment are due by March 23, and the plants will be available for pickup April 12 at the district’s pole barn at the USDA Service Center in Madison.

Wanderers’ Rest Humane Association Executive Director Glenn Ivers and volunteer Joyce Leinberger present a plaque to Kime Hardware Store Manager Patrick Kime. Kime Hardware in Canastota donated warehouse space to store and distribute 10 tons of dog food recently donated to the shelter.

Wanderers’ Rest Humane Association Executive Director Glenn Ivers presents a plaque to Doug Tudman, director of sales and marketing for Isadore Rapasadi & Sons of Canastota, whose truck shipped 10 tons of donated dog food from Tech Packaging Warehouse in Berwick, Penn., to Canastota.

By Martha E. Conway

(Town of Lenox, Canastota, NY – Jan. 2012) Joyce Leinberger grew up in Canastota, and after returning home in July, she brought with her animal advocate connections she had made while living in New Jersey.

“I made a friend there who worked for Del Monte – [Donations Coordinator] Carole Slade,” Leinberger said. “I worked with them to get dog food for people who couldn’t afford it.”

When people fall on hard times and can’t afford to feed their pets, those animals frequently wind up in shelters, said Wanderers’ Rest Humane Association Executive Director Glenn Ivers. Helping people feed their pets in times of need helps those animals remain in their homes.

“I asked Carole if there were any distribution centers nearby,” Leinberger said. “The closest was southeast of Wilkes Barre, Penn. She asked me, ‘What do you need?’ They had 15 pallets.”

“But we had to go get it, store it and find those who needed it,” Ivers said, adding that he was skeptical about the effort, which seemed to require so much coordination.

According to Ivers, they really wanted to coordinate the effort with the holidays when people are especially strapped for cash. He credited Leinberger’s coordination efforts and Canastota’s Patrick Kime of Kime Hardware and Isadore Rapasadi & Son’s Sales and Marketing Director Doug Tudman for their unhesitating assistance in the successful completion of the mission.

“Kime’s and Rapasadi’s really came through,” Ivers said, explaining that they were lucky to have Rapasadi’s trucks returning – empty – from that area after making their deliveries there. “Eighteen different agencies received a quantity of the food, and several church pantries have added a dog food section. Thousands of families and their dogs got a little something extra in their stocking this year.”

Agencies Benefiting from Del Monte’s Donation

The 10 tons of first-quality Del Monte dog food brands (Ol’ Roy, Kibbles ‘N Bits, Nature’s Recipe) were distributed during the holidays to:

Angels of Fur Canine Rescue of Central New York; Cazenovia Veterinary Hospital; Dog Daze Pet Food Pantry, Cicero; Dorothy’s Pet Grooming, Canastota; Hamilton Veterinary Hospital; Herkimer County Humane Society; Humane Society of Rome; Humane Society of Syracuse; Kiwanis Pet Food Pantry, Syracuse; Pit Bull Rescue of Syracuse; Rescue Me Purebred K-9 Rescue, Oneida; Spay and Neuter Syracuse Pet Food Pantry, Syracuse; SPCA of Chenango County; St. Lucy’s Church Pet Food Pantry, Syracuse; St. Matthew’s Church Pet Food Pantry, East Syracuse; Stevens-Swan Humane Society, Utica; Village Veterinary Hospital, Canastota; and Wanderers’ Rest Humane Association, Canastota.

Editor’s Note: Wanderers’ Rest Humane Association is an open-admission shelter dedicated to providing the highest-quality care and compassion for the animals entrusted to them while leading the community in creating a more humane society. The Association contracts with Madison County to undertake the housing of stray and impounded dogs picked up by the dog control officers of the various towns and municipalities within the county. The largely volunteer-supported organization always is in need of additional hands. For more information on volunteering or adopting a cat or dog, call (315) 697-2796.

(Georgetown, NY – Feb. 1, 2012) Madison County Sheriff’s deputies are investigating a hit and run accident that occurred at 7:25 p.m. Feb. 1 on State Route 26 between East Hill Road and Bronder Hollow Road in Georgetown.

A 76-year-old male was walking along State Route 26 when he was struck from behind by a passing vehicle. The only description is that the vehicle is a smaller car, dark in color. No make, model or other identifying information is available. The vehicle is missing the passenger side mirror as a result of this accident.

The victim was transported to Upstate Hospital in Syracuse by Georgetown Ambulance with injuries that are described as non-life threatening. His identity is not being released at this time to ensure family members are notified.

Anyone who may have been in the area or sees a vehicle matching this description is asked to contact Madison County Sheriff’s Deputies at (315) 366-2311.