(Watertown, NY – Oct. 4, 2011)  Francis T. Morgia II will be arraigned today, (Wednesday, Oct. 5) at 10 a.m. in the Town of Pamelia Court, located at 25859 NYS Route 37 in Watertown on additional charges.

On Monday Oct. 3 at approximately 5:10 p.m. Jefferson County 911 dispatched local police agencies to the Kohl’s Department Store in Watertown where it was reported that an 84-year-old female had her purse stolen, by force, by a male, and that male then immediately fled the store, entered a vehicle, and then left the store property.

Witnesses were able to provide a vehicle registration, and vehicle description. The 84 year-old, female was pushed to the ground, and sustained a minor laceration. She did not require medical attention.

Shortly thereafter, Glen Park Chief of Police Larry Jobson observed the suspect vehicle on East Main Street in the Village of Brownville. Jobson activated his emergency lights and siren, and the suspect vehicle failed to pull over to the side of the road, and a pursuit ensued.

The suspect vehicle proceeded to the City of Watertown, where it entered the city on West Main Street.  During the pursuit, members of the Watertown Police Department, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department and New York State Police coordinated to resolve the actions of the operator.  During the pursuit, the fleeing operator drove in a reckless manner, operating at speeds, at times, well in excess of the posted speed limits.

The suspect vehicle proceeded onto Bradley Street and then onto Route 12. The suspect vehicle then attempted to turn right on to Route 342 in the Town of Pamelia. The operator lost control due to excessive speed, and struck a vehicle that was west on Route 342, stopped at the stop sign, waiting to yield the right of way to other vehicles.

Post collision, both involved vehicles came to rest in the ditch on the North side of Route 342. The operator of the suspect vehicle fled on foot into a wooded area North of Route 342, and was subsequently apprehended by Troopers.

The operator was identified as Francis T Morgia II, 48, who currently resided at the Travel Lodge in Watertown. The vehicle was registered to another person.

As a result of the collision, four occupants received injuries. Three of the occupants were transferred to SMC Hospital, Watertown. They were identified as: William K Rafferty, age 40 (Driver), Jeffrey C Hammond, age 46 (Front Passenger), and Shirley H Hammond, age 75 (Left Rear), all of Brownville. Shirley Hammond subsequently succumbed to her injuries at SMC. A post mortem examination is scheduled to determine cause and manner of death. Rafferty and Jeffrey Hammond were treated and released.

Right rear passenger Autumn Tharrett, 25, was airlifted to University Hospital, Syracuse, where she is in stable condition with a head injury. She resides in Onondaga County.

Francis T Morgia II was charged with second-degree Manslaughter, first-degree Unlawfully Fleeing a Police Officer in a Motor Vehicle and third-degree Robbery.

Morgia was arraigned in the Town of Pamelia Court and committed to the Jefferson County Public Safety building in lieu of $75,000 cash, $150,000 bond, pending further action by the Court.

Additional charges may be lodged at a later time upon consultation with Jefferson County District Attorney.

The investigation at this time continues.

Submitted by Jude Seymour

(Oct. 2011) The Watertown businessman and registered Republican filed paperwork last week with the Federal Elections Commission to become a candidate for Congress, where he will represent northern and Central New York’s interests in Washington.

“While my campaign may technically start today, I’ve been out listening to residents all over northern and Central New York since last November,” Matt Doheny said. “People continue to worry about our country’s lack of forward progress. We need well-paying jobs, but President Barack Obama and his allies continue to stifle growth by pushing an agenda that leads to higher taxes and bigger deficits. That just creates more burdens for both average Americans and for our future generations.”

Doheny is an investor who managed the distressed assets division at a Fortune 500 company for eight years. He had an up-close look at why American businesses failed and gained an expertise in finding ways to turn those troubled companies around.

He’s now formed his own investment firm, North Country Capital, to help start-ups create jobs locally.

Doheny also helps companies by using his expertise in turnarounds and restructurings, either by sitting on their boards of directors or through consulting.

The candidate believes Congress needs more businessmen who understand how our economy works and how we can reverse the current crisis of confidence that Americans feel. He will put the knowledge gained from his private sector career into a pro-growth plan that will create incentives for businesses to get back in the game. That plan will get our economy – and this great nation – moving in the right direction.

Like many Americans, Doheny also understands Washington does not have a revenue problem.

“It has a spending problem,” Doheny said.

Doheny will be proposing reforms that ensure Washington will continue to provide a social safety net, but one that is within the country’s means and does not simply defer problems and put the burdens on generations to come.

The candidate expects his ideas to resonate with New Yorkers looking for real leadership.

While the state Legislature works on redrawing the congressional district boundaries for the 2012 election, Doheny will continue reaching out to local leaders, Republican officials and residents of the many counties who may be part of the eventual district.

About the Candidate

Doheny, 41, was raised in Alexandria Bay. He is a graduate of Allegheny College and earned his law degree at Cornell University. After practicing law in Syracuse, he jumped into the business world.

At Deutsche Bank, he managed more than 130 individuals while helping purchase and restructuring large troubled companies. In 2008, Doheny joined Fintech Advisory, a money-management firm. He left Fintech in 2010 and started his own business, North Country Capital, LLC, which is based in Watertown and primarily serves northern and Central New York.

He also teaches a finance class at Clarkson University, after having previously taught a business course at Jefferson Community College.

Doheny was the Republican and Independence Parties’ candidate in the 23rd Congressional District race in 2010. With just 1,990 votes separating Doheny from incumbent Democrat Bill Owens, the House race was one of the 10 closest in the nation last year.

Jude Seymour, 31, is Doheny’s deputy campaign manager and spokesman.

(Watertown, NY – Oct. 2011) Cornell Cooperative Extension of Jefferson County is offering an educational support group for grandparents and other relative caregivers who are currently in a parenting role.

The support group will give grandparents and other relative caregivers an opportunity to share and learn from other grandparents/relatives in similar situations.  Topics will include the changing parenting role and responsibilities that come along with it, child development, discipline and guidance issues, rebuilding a family, acknowledging ambivalent feelings, legal issues and advocacy, as well as other topics of choice from the group.

The PASTA Educational Support group will meet on Wednesday, October 12, 2011 from 6pm-7:30pm at the Cornell Cooperative Extension office at 203 North Hamilton Street, Watertown.

Linda Finerson from Transitional Living Services (TLS) will present information on Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD).  Attachment Disorder is defined as the condition in which individuals have difficulty forming lasting relationships. They often show nearly a complete lack of ability to be genuinely affectionate with others. They typically fail to develop a conscience and do not learn to trust. They do not allow people to be in control of them due to this trust issue. This damage is done by being abused or physically or emotionally separated from one primary caregiver during the first three years of life.

Contact Sue Pappas, Resource Educator at Cornell Cooperative Extension of Jefferson County, at (315) 788-8450, ext. 264, or by email at sep85@cornell.edu for additional information.

(Watertown, NY – Oct. 14-15, 2011) 27 hours of furry fun are planned at the Fall in Love Mega-Adoption event scheduled from Friday Oct. 14 at 3 p.m. through Saturday Oct. 15 at 6 p.m. at 21864 Town Center Dr. in Watertown.

Meet adoptable dogs and cats from several local shelters.

Food, activities and prizes along with adoption specials will highlight.

(Watertown, NY – Oct. 2011) During National 4-H Week, the Jefferson County program salutes all the 4-H members.

4-H gives young people the chance to explore new interests, make new friends, and discover talents they never knew they had.

Make plans to learn more about 4-H this week. Join the 4-H Fall Festival on Saturday, Oct. 8 from 1 to 4 p.m. at Cornell Cooperative Extension of Jefferson County, 203 North Hamilton Street, Watertown.

Free! Fun for the whole family! Archery, pumpkins, apple cider, games, music, and more.

Call 788-8450 for more information.

(Watertown, NY – Sept. 27, 2011) On Sept. 27 at approximately noon, the New York State Police pursuant to a vehicle stop and subsequent commercial vehicle inspection by the NYSP Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Unit, approximately 106 kilos of cocaine was discovered in the sleeper cab of a tractor trailer.

The stop occurred on State Route 11 in the Town of Antwerp, Jefferson County. The operator of the trailer, identified as 48 year-old, Alain Thuot, of Quebec, Canada, was taken into State Police custody, and turned over to Federal authorities, namely the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), Syracuse and held on a Federal detainer.

Thuot will be charged in Federal Court at a later date.

The seized cocaine has a street value of approximately $4.5 million dollars.

(Watertown, NY - Sept 20, 2011) State Police in Watertown arrested 25-year-old Nicole L. Cummings of 619 Bronson St. in the City of Watertown for one count of second-degree Reckless Endangerment and one count of Endangering the Welfare of a Child.

Cummings charged subsequent to joint investigation conducted by NYSP and Jefferson County Child Protective Services that found that she was actively breast feeding her infant child over a period of time in May and June of this year and during this period was actively using cocaine endangering the child.

She was issued appearance tickets returnable in the Town of Rutland Court Sept. 27.

(Jefferson County, NY – Sept. 19, 2011) Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) Association of Jefferson County is announcing the hiring of Kevin Jordan as Executive Director.

Jordan brings his experience and enthusiasm for community projects and administration to CCE of Jefferson County. The Board of Directors is very excited to have him joining the Association, and is confident in his ability to lead and develop CCE of Jefferson County. He will begin his new duties in mid October.

Jordan is originally a native of St. Lawrence County, being raised on his family dairy farm, and has worked in the North Country of NY his entire career. Most recently, he has been employed by the Development Authority of the North Country since 1994, and has been the Director of Community Development since 2005, where he has successfully led many community and regional projects.

Jordan is very familiar with CCE of Jefferson County; he was a board member in 2002 and from 2004-2009, serving as past Treasurer, Vice President, and President.  He has also been involved in many CCE programs, including the 4-H Camp Wabasso Facilities Enhancement project, to revitalize the 4-H Camp in Redwood.

Jordan is a 1983 Graduate from SUNY Plattsburgh and a 1989 graduate from Clarkson University.

Jordan joins the organization at a particularly momentous time as it celebrates 100 years of service to the residents of Jefferson County.

(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.

(Watertown, NY – Sept. 2011) The Greater Watertown – North Country Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce that the North Country Procurement Technical Assistance Center has expanded their primary service area to include Oswego and Oneida Counties.

The PTAC is hosted by the GWNC Chamber of Commerce and continues to service their previous area of Jefferson, Lewis, St. Lawrence Counties and any other county in New York not covered by another PTAC Program.

The North Country PTAC provides free technical assistance and counseling to businesses interested in selling to the government (federal, state, local, and military).  The program is federally funded and within the first three years of the program, their clients have reported 45 contracts awarded totaling over $75million.

Visit the program’s website at www.northcountryptac.com or contact Stephen Barr, Program Manager at ptac@watertownny.com or call 315-788-4400 for more information.