Builder ordered to pay
James McLagan, 55 of Mechanicville, was ordered by Saratoga County Judge Jerry Scarano to pay $130,650 to residents in Saratoga Springs and Stillwater after McLagan pleaded guilty to two counts of grand larceny. In addition, McLagan was also ordered to pay close to $73,000 to subcontractors whose services were used but who were never paid.
McLagan, who is a well known builder in the area, entered his guilty plea after he allegedly took deposits from several individuals, totaling near $215,000, to construct homes for them. But the money he collected was never used to build the homes, nor was it refunded to his clients.
McLagan, who was initially bailed out of jail by Saratoga Springs Mayor Scott Johnson last year when he was first arrested, has been given until 2012 to pay back the money to his clients, and until 2014 when he must pay the subcontractors. He was spared any jail time and was instead given five years of probationary supervision.
Police support tasers at SPAC
A release issued by the Police Benevolent Association of the New York State Troopers asserts their support for the New York State Parks Police to carry stun guns, commonly known as tasers, during rock concerts at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center to help control, "unruly and criminal behavior of large numbers of intoxicated suspects."
The statement continues, "The request to be equipped with stun guns... is a justified request and would actually increase safety for both the officers and the majority of concert attendees who do not get intoxicated and unruly."
The department believes that proper use of the stun guns will allow law enforcement officers to carry out their duties more effectively and with the least amount of force possible.
Camp McGregor officially closed
The minimum security prison located at the Mt. McGregor Correctional Facility complex, which for nearly 10 years has been threatened with closure, has finally seen its last day. Camp McGregor, which at the time of its closing housed only 90 inmates despite its 300 available beds, was closed as inmates and staff were relocated to new locations. No layoffs were reported as a result from Camp McGregor's closing, as all remaining staff were given the option to transfer to other positions open in the prison system.
Camp McGregor was joined by Camp Gabriels in Franklin County and Pharsalia in Chenango County as they too were closed on July 1. Commissioner Brian Fischer will have until Oct. 1 to decide what, if anything, will become of the three sites.
Drug hearing delayed
Melissa Giove, 37, of Chesapeake, Virginia, and Eric Canori, 30, or Preserve Way in Wilton, have had their preliminary hearings delayed after police caught the two with close to 400 pounds of marijuana on June 16. The hearing has been moved to July 30, after Assistant U.S. Attorney Rick Bellis agreed to allow defense attorneys for Giove and Canori more time to familiarize themselves with the case.
Giove and Canori have been charged with intent to distribute marijuana in an amount exceeding 100 kilograms. During a raid of Canori's residence at 22 Preserve Way, police uncovered additional marijuana, drug paraphernalia and some $1 million stashed in the home.
Missing swimmer feared dead
Jesse M. Lyon, 20, a Navy sailor from Soda Springs, Idaho, is feared to have died last Sunday after disappearing in the Hudson River while swimming with a group of friends. Lyon was reportedly swimming with a group of his buddies near the Rockwell Bridge when they decided to cross from the Hadley side to the Lake Luzerne side. But the strong current got the best of Lyon, who was sucked beneath the surface and disappeared from sight.
Shortly before press time, the police were notified that a body, possibly Lyon's, has been discovered near the Route 9N Bridge along the Hudson. Officials have yet to confirm whether or not the body is indeed Lyon's, but judging from the location, the outcome seems likely.
Murphy approves greenhouse emissions bill
Democratic Congressman Scott Murphy from the 20th District has voted in favor of the House of Representative's bill to limit the amount of greenhouse gas emissions released from factories and power facilities. The bill, which just managed to garner the necessary 218 votes to pass in the House, will now face what is likely to be an even tougher challenge in the U.S. Senate.
If the legislation passes, proponents of the bill have said that investments in clean energy could create many new job opportunities in New York, helping to pave the way towards economic recovery. Still, others are concerned that the bill may have the opposite effect, causing people in the industry to lose jobs because of the increased cost inherent in updating and running on cleaner energy sources.
Teens caught at underage drinking party agree to community service
Two teens, Kaitlyn Wood, 17, and Gabriel Viddivo, 16, were ordered to perform 24 hours of community service by Town Justice Mindy Fisk after the two were caught along with 30 other Ballston Spa High School students at an underage drinking party last month. The teens were initially discovered on June 1 during school hours at the Hudson River Recreation Area, where park police charged 32 teens with underage drinking.
Nearly all of the students involved, save for five, have pleaded guilty to the charges. While Woods and Viddivo technically entered pleas of not guilty, they did agree to community service and Prevention Council classes. Upon completion of the service and classes, the girls' records will be wiped clean.
Price Chopper's Golub Foundation Funds Homeless Outreach Project
Shelters of Saratoga (SOS) received a $500 donation from the Golub Foundation to support the Mobile Homeless Outreach Project.
This initiative is a mobile effort to seek out chronically homeless men, women and youth throughout Saratoga County to provide food, clothing and counseling. Traveling in a Class C RV, the team's mission, through regular contact with these individuals, is to establish a trusting relationship. Eventually the goal is to facilitate connections to available services and programs and to promote continuous and positive self improvement and self sufficiency through education and empowerment.
Shelters of Saratoga is still seeking the donation of a Class C RV to begin the project.
For more information visit www.sheltersofsaratoga.org or contact Windy Wyczawski at (518) 581-1097.
Magazine scam hits Saratoga
A group of teenagers have been reportedly canvassing Saratoga Springs neighborhoods in an attempt to sell false subscriptions to magazines from the Atlantic Circulation Company, officials say. The scam, which has been reported in areas all across the nation, involves asking targets to write a check for a pre-paid magazine subscription that never comes.
The teens were seen moving from door to door Monday night before jumping into a van and speeding off.
Individuals who think they might have been involved in the scam are encouraged to cancel their checks as soon as possible, and to report the incident to the Better Business Bureau at www.upstateny.bbb.org.
McLagan, who is a well known builder in the area, entered his guilty plea after he allegedly took deposits from several individuals, totaling near $215,000, to construct homes for them. But the money he collected was never used to build the homes, nor was it refunded to his clients.
McLagan, who was initially bailed out of jail by Saratoga Springs Mayor Scott Johnson last year when he was first arrested, has been given until 2012 to pay back the money to his clients, and until 2014 when he must pay the subcontractors. He was spared any jail time and was instead given five years of probationary supervision.
Police support tasers at SPAC
A release issued by the Police Benevolent Association of the New York State Troopers asserts their support for the New York State Parks Police to carry stun guns, commonly known as tasers, during rock concerts at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center to help control, "unruly and criminal behavior of large numbers of intoxicated suspects."
The statement continues, "The request to be equipped with stun guns... is a justified request and would actually increase safety for both the officers and the majority of concert attendees who do not get intoxicated and unruly."
The department believes that proper use of the stun guns will allow law enforcement officers to carry out their duties more effectively and with the least amount of force possible.
Camp McGregor officially closed
The minimum security prison located at the Mt. McGregor Correctional Facility complex, which for nearly 10 years has been threatened with closure, has finally seen its last day. Camp McGregor, which at the time of its closing housed only 90 inmates despite its 300 available beds, was closed as inmates and staff were relocated to new locations. No layoffs were reported as a result from Camp McGregor's closing, as all remaining staff were given the option to transfer to other positions open in the prison system.
Camp McGregor was joined by Camp Gabriels in Franklin County and Pharsalia in Chenango County as they too were closed on July 1. Commissioner Brian Fischer will have until Oct. 1 to decide what, if anything, will become of the three sites.
Drug hearing delayed
Melissa Giove, 37, of Chesapeake, Virginia, and Eric Canori, 30, or Preserve Way in Wilton, have had their preliminary hearings delayed after police caught the two with close to 400 pounds of marijuana on June 16. The hearing has been moved to July 30, after Assistant U.S. Attorney Rick Bellis agreed to allow defense attorneys for Giove and Canori more time to familiarize themselves with the case.
Giove and Canori have been charged with intent to distribute marijuana in an amount exceeding 100 kilograms. During a raid of Canori's residence at 22 Preserve Way, police uncovered additional marijuana, drug paraphernalia and some $1 million stashed in the home.
Missing swimmer feared dead
Jesse M. Lyon, 20, a Navy sailor from Soda Springs, Idaho, is feared to have died last Sunday after disappearing in the Hudson River while swimming with a group of friends. Lyon was reportedly swimming with a group of his buddies near the Rockwell Bridge when they decided to cross from the Hadley side to the Lake Luzerne side. But the strong current got the best of Lyon, who was sucked beneath the surface and disappeared from sight.
Shortly before press time, the police were notified that a body, possibly Lyon's, has been discovered near the Route 9N Bridge along the Hudson. Officials have yet to confirm whether or not the body is indeed Lyon's, but judging from the location, the outcome seems likely.
Murphy approves greenhouse emissions bill
Democratic Congressman Scott Murphy from the 20th District has voted in favor of the House of Representative's bill to limit the amount of greenhouse gas emissions released from factories and power facilities. The bill, which just managed to garner the necessary 218 votes to pass in the House, will now face what is likely to be an even tougher challenge in the U.S. Senate.
If the legislation passes, proponents of the bill have said that investments in clean energy could create many new job opportunities in New York, helping to pave the way towards economic recovery. Still, others are concerned that the bill may have the opposite effect, causing people in the industry to lose jobs because of the increased cost inherent in updating and running on cleaner energy sources.
Teens caught at underage drinking party agree to community service
Two teens, Kaitlyn Wood, 17, and Gabriel Viddivo, 16, were ordered to perform 24 hours of community service by Town Justice Mindy Fisk after the two were caught along with 30 other Ballston Spa High School students at an underage drinking party last month. The teens were initially discovered on June 1 during school hours at the Hudson River Recreation Area, where park police charged 32 teens with underage drinking.
Nearly all of the students involved, save for five, have pleaded guilty to the charges. While Woods and Viddivo technically entered pleas of not guilty, they did agree to community service and Prevention Council classes. Upon completion of the service and classes, the girls' records will be wiped clean.
Price Chopper's Golub Foundation Funds Homeless Outreach Project
Shelters of Saratoga (SOS) received a $500 donation from the Golub Foundation to support the Mobile Homeless Outreach Project.
This initiative is a mobile effort to seek out chronically homeless men, women and youth throughout Saratoga County to provide food, clothing and counseling. Traveling in a Class C RV, the team's mission, through regular contact with these individuals, is to establish a trusting relationship. Eventually the goal is to facilitate connections to available services and programs and to promote continuous and positive self improvement and self sufficiency through education and empowerment.
Shelters of Saratoga is still seeking the donation of a Class C RV to begin the project.
For more information visit www.sheltersofsaratoga.org or contact Windy Wyczawski at (518) 581-1097.
Magazine scam hits Saratoga
A group of teenagers have been reportedly canvassing Saratoga Springs neighborhoods in an attempt to sell false subscriptions to magazines from the Atlantic Circulation Company, officials say. The scam, which has been reported in areas all across the nation, involves asking targets to write a check for a pre-paid magazine subscription that never comes.
The teens were seen moving from door to door Monday night before jumping into a van and speeding off.
Individuals who think they might have been involved in the scam are encouraged to cancel their checks as soon as possible, and to report the incident to the Better Business Bureau at www.upstateny.bbb.org.
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