New York State News Briefs
Quote of the Week
"We'll take the grants. Low-interest loans are nice, no-interest loans
are better, grants are the best. Grants, grants, grants.''
- Corning Mayor Frank P. Coccho, after U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer held
out the prospect of federal aid for sewer-system upgrades, either
through low-interest loans or grants.
Mayor faces DEC charges
WAYLAND - The mayor was in his own village court Wednesday, facing
arraignment on state Department of Environmental Conservation
violations.
Brian McCoy has been charged with several trapping violations, but the
case didn't stay in village court very long, since Justice Thomas
Recktenwald recused himself.
The matter has been forwarded to the Steuben County District
Attorney's Office, and the case will now be heard in Cohocton.
McCoy did not answer a phone call to his home, but a message on his
answering machine said, "Howdy, not home, probably out trapping beaver
or doing mayor stuff..."
Pizza, but no dough?
BATH - The co-founder of a cheerleading organization faces theft
charges stemming from a failure to pay a fund-raising company money it
was owed.
State police have charged Anthony M. Ronchi, 26, of Fairport with
third-degree grand larceny in connection to a fund-raiser with the
Bath-based Northeast Elite Cheerleading. According to investigators,
Ronchi, a co-founder of NEE, failed to pay $9,000 to Better Results
Inc. for a pizza and snack food sale in August 2006. State police said
the company is out both the money and the food.
"At this time, those allegations are false," said Sandy Miller, who
said she was the owner of NEE.
According to the organization's Web site, NEE is a non-profit
organization that provides opportunities for cheerleaders in the Twin
Tiers and Rochester areas to gain cheerleading experience while
emphasizing self-confidence, leadership and teamwork.
Deputies say greeting wasn't friendly
OSWEGO - Richard W. Forsythe, 29, of Fulton has been charged with
second-degree menacing and resisting arrest after he allegedly
attempted to set two large dogs loose on a pair of Oswego County deputies at his home investigating an unrelated complaint.
Forsythe was remanded to the Oswego County Correctional Facility in
lieu of $1,000 cash bail or $2,000 bail bond.
Web company sold for $17.5 million
BRIGHTON - Often embroiled in controversy for its use of humorous
videos, photos and other online media, the Web site eBaum's World is
now laughing all the way to the bank.
The Internet company recently reached an agreement with HandHeld
Entertainment Inc. of San Francisco to be bought for $17.5 million.
"In addition, HandHeld may pay earn-outs of up to $32.5 million over
three years to the owners of the Web site, depending on the
achievement of certain targets.
Before 2006 income taxes, eBaum's World reported making $5.2 million
in revenue and $1.6 million in net income. The company was founded in
1998 by Eric Bauman while he was attending Webster High School in the
Rochester suburbs. In the United States, it ranks among the top 250
most visited sites online.
Navel display at Pagan Pride Day
CANANDAIGUA - The Fingerlakes Pagan Pride Day Festival is set to run
and shimmy from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 8, in Kershaw Park
on Canandaigua Lake.
"Llewellyn" author Deborah Blake will kick off the opening celebration
and sign books. The Gems of the Nile troupe will hold a free
belly-dancing class at noon and a performance at 3 p.m.
Children's activities include an art festival, a free ice cream social
and celebrations. For a full schedule of events, visit
http://fingerlakespaganpride.com/events.html.
Hay bales fuel inferno
TROUPSBURG - Spontaneous combustion is believed to be the cause of a
massive fire - one requiring 100 people and a half million gallons of
water to control - that started in Troupsburg Sunday night and didn't
quit smoking until late Tuesday.
Mike Wilson, deputy fire coordinator for Steuben County, said the hay,
of which 700 bales were thought to be on fire, was baled one month ago
for use by a Pennsylvania man who intended to sell it for mulch in
mushroom-growing operations.
Barnyard humor
PALMYRA - Assemblyman Bob Oaks, R-Macedon, was the intended butt of a
joke at the Celebrity Goat-Milking Contest at the Wayne County Fair
Thursday night.
The goat he was given was too young have teats. But he had the last
laugh, easily winning the contest with a replacement goat. No pulling
the wool over his eyes: He grew up on a farm.