(Watertown, NY – Sept. 18, 2011) State Police in Watertown Bureau of Criminal Investigation along with the Troop D Computer Crimes Unit announce the conclusion of a month long investigation with the arrest of Fort Drum Army Sergeant Jonathan McGeoch, 27, for first-degree Attempted Dissemination of Indecent Material to a Minor and Possessing a Sexual Performance of a child. (Both class “E” Felonies).

The investigation revealed that McGeoch arranged to meet two underage boys in the Watertown area for the purpose of sexual contact utilizing the social networking site “Facebook.”

McGeoch was arraigned in the Town of Leray Court and remanded to the Jefferson County Justice Center in lieu of $30,000 bail/ $60,000 bond.

(Oneida, Fort Drum, NY – Aug. 16, 2011) Members and friends of The Oneida Nation Elders Program gathered 36 lap quits at the Oneida Nation Children and Elders Center on Tuesday, Aug. 16. The lap quilts, the result of months of tedious work, are destined for soldiers injured in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and were presented to Major William Otis from Fort Drum.

Each quilt has at least one patch that reads, “Presented to wounded and disabled vets. Thank you. Oneida Indian Nation Elders Quilting group.”

This is the largest group of quilts assembled to date. Previously, a smaller group of quilts we presented to the New York State VFW for veterans at three different VA hospitals. The Oneida Elders hope to make this an ongoing effort.

Pictured (left to right): Laurel Parker, Oneida Nation elder; Linda Williams, Oneida Nation elder; and Major William Otis from Fort Drum in Watertown.

(Watertown, NY – Aug. 11, 2011) The State Police in Watertown arrested Reinhart C. Meyers, 57, of County Route 197 Woolworth St., Great Bend on one count of third-degree Burglary, a Class D Felony and one count of Endangering the Welfare of a Child, a Class A Misdemeanor.

Meyers was found in possession of a stolen refrigerator from Ft. Drum barracks slated for destruction. He was detained by Ft. Drum authorities and turned over to the State Police for prosecution.

Meyers is not an active duty soldier. He was accompanied by a 16 year old male.

Defendant was arraigned before Town Leray Town Justice John Hallett and remanded to the Jefferson County Public Safety Building with bail set at $1,500 pending Grand Jury action.

(Fort Drum, NY – Aug. 2011) The Community Mental Health Education Program, a program supported by the partnership of Cornell Cooperative Extension Association of Jefferson County, Fort Drum Regional Health Planning Organization (FDRHPO), and Jefferson County Community Services, is hosting a “Finding Your Way Through the Mental Health Network” training.

The training will take place on Wednesday, Sept. 28 from 9:00 a.m. to 2:20 p.m. at “The Commons” on Fort Drum.  This event will help military and community families, veterans, and the organizations that work with them become more familiar with the behavioral health resources available on Fort Drum and in Jefferson County.  Lunch will be provided free of charge.

To learn more, visit the Community Mental Health Education Program website at: www.jeffcountymentalhealth.com or contact Sue Walling at 788-8450 or slw248@cornell.edu.

Military Families that would like to make reservations for childcare should call Children Youth Services to register for hourly care.  Reservations can be made 30 days in advance once registered.  Please call 772-8675.

(Watertown, NY – July 27, 2011) The State Police in Watertown arrested John C. Lawrence, 23, of 99066A Mountain View Drive, Ft. Drum for third-degree Sex Abuse and Endangering the Welfare of a Child.

The investigation revealed that Lawrence did expose himself and did touch the sexual parts of an underage girl on a trail near the Cresent Wood Housing area on Ft. Drum.

Lawrence was arraigned in the Town of Leray Court and remanded to the Jefferson County Jail in lieu of $15,000 bail.  I

nformation was developed with the assistance with Ft. Drum CID Agents that  Lawrence frequents the bike trails and the basketball court on Ft. Drum and may have solicited other young girls to engage in sexual intercourse or conduct with.

Lawrence is not active military, but a dependant thereof.

Anyone with any information regarding John Lawrence is asked to contact the State Police at 315-782-3691, Case Agent Inv Thomas M Guarasce.

(New York, NY – July 19, 2011) In the wake of President Obama’s recent announcement of the anticipated 33,000 troops expected to return home in the New Year, Operation Homefront of New York and New Jersey is preparing to assist those returning service members from our region by implementing Community Liaisons at Ft. Drum and Joint Base – MDL ( McGuire Dix Lakehurst). The funding to support this initiative was generously provided by a capacity grant awarded by the national Operation Homefront office.

The chapter liaisons will be working at each base and be available to educate troops about Operation Homefront, assist applicants and will execute the programs, community events and casework of Operation Homefront of New York and New Jersey at a local level. Their very presence on base will help put a face behind the name of Operation Homefront and afford service members the opportunity to have a better understanding of the organization’s mission and the service offered to those in need.

The two new Community Liaisons are Tammy Mayer, representing Operation Homefront of New York and New Jersey at Ft. Drum in NY and Robert Day at Joint Base – MDL in New Jersey.

Tammy Mayer served the Program Support Assistant at the Soldier and Family Assistance Center at Fort Drum where she provided technical and program support on all administrative and management functions. Tammy started as a volunteer for Operation Homefront of New York and New Jersey and is thrilled to be a more consistent contributor to helping our mission.

Robert Day is a 26 year Air Force veteran; five locations both domestic & international; widely experienced in Social Services through his experience as a Personality Indicator Trainer and Family Readiness, Administrator. Additionally, Mr. Day is a highly decorated service member with over 25 military awards/uniform decorations and has been awarded the Bob Hope Spirit of Hope Award – 2006.

Operation Homefront is a national nonprofit that provides emergency financial and other assistance to the families of our service members and wounded warriors.  These services include auto repair, moving assistance, gifts of furniture and food, and much more.  The recent news that about 5,000 soldiers from the New York Reserves will be deployed during the 2011 Holiday Season means that the services of Operation Homefront will be in even more demand.

There is a growing recognition among the administration and the New York City community of the debt that is owed to soldiers serving overseas. Organizations such as Operation Homefront are dedicated to providing citizens the ability to help the service members in their area.

To get in touch with either of Operation Homefront’s Community Liaisons, please call 866-401-5541. For more information about Operation Homefront of New York/New Jersey, please log on to www.operationhomefront.net/nynj

(Watertown, July 12, 2011) On July 11 the New York State Police in Watertown arrested Jessica L. Kay, 24, of 8236-A South Lewis Ave., Fort Drum for second-degree Assault (Class D Felony) and Endangering the Welfare of a Child (Class A Misdemeanor).

Kay is alleged to have intentionally burnt her two year old son’s chest with a hot iron, causing second degree burns.  The incident allegedly occurred on July 8 at approximately 11:30 a.m.

Fort Drum CID initiated the investigation because the crime occurred on Fort Drum, but turned the case over to State Police due to Kay’s civilian status.

Kay was arraigned before Town of LeRay Judge Mead and remanded to the Jefferson County Public Safety Building in lieu of $1,000 Cash bail.

Judge Mead also issued an Order of Protection on behalf of not only the 2 year old victim, but also her 1 and 3 year old children.

(Sackets Harbor, NY – June 29, 2011) The Seaway Trail Discovery Center in Sackets Harbor  is now a Blue Star Museum.

The Blue Star Museums program is an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts with Blue Star Families, an organization that raises awareness of the challenges and strengths of military family life- and more than 1,300 participating museums across America. The museums, nature center, historic and cultural sites provide free admission spouses and families of active military.

More than one million children in the U.S. have had at least one parent deployed. The program provides the free admission to affected families through Labor Day, Sept. 5, 2011.

“The Great Lakes Seaway Trail is pleased to partner with the National Endowment of the Arts in this initiative to provide military families with opportunities to learn about the byway region and the activities and destinations found only along our freshwater shoreline,” says Seaway Trail, Inc. President and CEO Teresa Mitchell. “By visiting the Seaway Trail Discovery Center which showcases the entire 518-mile National Scenic Byway, they will discover a diversity of recreational, historic, cultural, natural and scenic travel opportunities.”

The Great Lakes Seaway Trail Discovery Center is located along the Sackets Harbor waterfront in the three-story, native limestone former Union Hotel built in 1817. The free admission will apply to daytime visits and evening programming at the Center.

Upcoming 6:30pm programs feature US Lacrosse Hall of Fame Coach Kirk Ventiquattro on Saturday, July 9 and Onondaga Nation lacrosse stickmaker, coach and retired professional lacrosse player Alfie Jacques on Saturday, July 16.

There are 14 Blue Star Museums on Great Lakes Seaway Trail that stretches out with 518 miles for leisure driving and freshwater vacations along the St. Lawrence River, Lake Ontario, Niagara River and Lake Erie in New York and Pennsylvania. Those sites are:

Antique Boat Museum – Clayton, NY
Col. William Bond-Jesse Hawley House – Lockport, NY
Edinboro Area Historical Society – Edinboro, PA
Erie Canal Discovery Center – Lockport, NY
The Erie Maritime Museum & U.S. Brig Niagara – Erie, PA
Great Lakes Seaway Trail Discovery Center – Sackets Harbor, NY
Historic Palmyra – Palmyra, NY
Hornby School Museum – North East, PA
Memorial Art Gallery of the University of Rochester – Rochester, NY
Niagara County History Center – Lockport, NY
North Tonawanda History Museum – North Tonawanda, NY
Seneca-Iroquois National Museum – Salamanca, NY
Seward House Museum – Auburn, NY
Sodus Bay Lighthouse Museum – Sodus Point, NY.

More than 300,000 military families benefitted from the Blue Star Museums program in 2010.

The 2011 Great Lakes Seaway Trail Travel Magazine is being distributed to military personnel at Fort Drum, located approximately 25 miles northeast of Sackets Harbor.

For more information, go online to www.arts.gov/bluestarmuseums and www.seawaytrail.com, 315-646-1000.

(Watertown, NY – June 2011) The Greater Watertown – North Country Chamber of Commerce would like to congratulate the graduates of the Jefferson Leadership Institute Class of 2011. Graduation will be held on Thursday, June 9 at the Black River Valley Club in Watertown. The event will feature special guest, Brian Ashley of WWNY TV 7/WNYF Fox 28. The dinner will begin with a social hour at 6 p.m. and the dinner and program begins at 7 p.m.

JLI is a nine-month leadership development program that immerses participants in community issues.  The curriculum seeks to provide opportunities for students to develop their leadership capabilities build relationships and encourage involvement in effecting positive change in their communities.  Students study the components that make up a healthy community and the critical issues affecting its economic sectors.

The Greater Watertown – North Country Chamber of Commerce established JLI in 1991.  The program is sponsored by Northern Federal Credit Union and Samaritan Medical Center, and currently has over 400 alumni.

The JLI participants are financially sponsored by their employers.  The graduating class, along with their sponsor includes:

Marie Ambrose, Community Action Planning Council

Bonnie Belfield, Northern Federal Credit Union

Hartley Bonisteel, Jefferson County Planning Department

Katherine Caputo, Jefferson Rehabilitation Center

Sarah Colligan, WWNY TV 7/WNYF Fox 28

Jeany Danielsen, Rose & Kiernan, Inc.

Sonja Draught, US Army Garrison Fort Drum

Nathan Hunter, Northern Federal Credit Union

Jeff Kaplan, Samaritan Medical Center

Erich Leonard, New York Air Brake

Jennifer Meagher, Family Counseling Service of NNY, Inc.

Robert Nicholson, Jefferson Rehabilitation Center

Sam Purington, Volunteer Transportation Center

Michael Richardson, US Army Garrison Fort Drum

Amanda Root, Cornell Cooperative Extension

Michael Russell, AmeriCu Credit Union

Andrew Short, Samaritan Medical Center

Tom Spaulding, Transitional Living Services of NNY

Elizabeth Stevens, CREDO Community Center for the Treatment of Addictions

For more information about the event or program, please contact Michelle Farrell at the Chamber at (315) 788-4400 or events@watertownny.com.

(Philadelphia, NY-May 16, 2011) State Police in Watertown investigated a three-car, one-person fatal motor vehicle accident on State Route 11 Town of Philadelphia. The accident occurred about 7:22 am May 16 approximately 2 miles north of the Village of Philadelphia.

The victim, 24 year-old, Nicole A. Lallier from New Windsor was travelling northbound on Route 11. The first involved vehicle, operated by 46 year-old, Richard Martin from Rensselaer Falls was travelling southbound on Route 11. The third vehicle involved was behind Martin and was operated by 30 year-old, Nicole Bellinger from Gouverneur.

For an unknown reason, Lallier left her lane of travel and entered the southbound lane and into the path of Martin. Martin attempted evasive action however struck Lallier’s vehicle. Lalliers’s vehicle continued into path of Bellinger’s vehicle striking same.

Lallier was pronounced at the scene and was transported to the Jefferson County Medical Examiner’s office for post mortem.

Martin was transported to Samaritan Medical Center for complaint of pain.

Bellinger was transported to Gouverneur Hospital for knee and chest pain.

State Police were assisted at the scene by the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, Philadelphia Fire, Antwerp Fire, Indian River Ambulance, and Fort Drum Ambulance.

There were no signs of excessive speed or alcohol use and all parties were wearing their seatbelts.