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Saturday,ÊF ebruaryÊ13,Ê2016
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www.SunCommunityNews.com
In SPORTS | pg. 9
Girls hockey all stars named
Blue Bombers sweep Wildcats in hoop action
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In OPINION | pg. 4
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In ARTS | pg. 7
Frontier Town Broadway Boys again? Really? at the Strand County should give property to OSI
Male Broadway singers coming to Pburgh
Minimum wage hike taking bite out of restaurant biz Local restaurant owners say bump could force them to raise prices and lay off workers By Pete DeMola
pete@suncommunitynews.com
PLATTSBURGH — The increase in the state’s minimum wage has left local restaurants with a bad taste in their mouths. The hike, which went into effect on Jan. 1, has rattled Plattsburgh’s restaurant industry, who say the increase has resulted in slashed hours, higher costs and internal turmoil.
OlympicÊ hopeful
The minimum wage increase consists of three separate poliKovacs pays his employees minimum wage and above. cies. The overall wage of $8.75 was increased to $9 per hour; Larger businesses can control costs better, he said, includupstate fast food workers were bumped to $9.75, while tipped ing bulk purchasing through warehouses. service employees saw their base pay increase by as much as But smaller operations have to absorb the costs somewhere. 53 percent. At least one item on his menu has already gone up, he said. Local business owners say the policy will lead to a domino Minimum wage is not the issue, said Kovacs, but rather effect of increased prices and higher costs. housing. “For small business owners, it’s going to be terrible,” said Joe Kovacs said there needs to be a cost of living adjustment per Kovacs, owner of Smooth Moves, a cafe in downtown Platts- county: a base wage that can be adjusted. burgh. “Everybody has to compensate and it will end up hurtThe cafe owner also criticized Gov. Andrew Cuomo for side ing.” >> Story Continued | pg. 3 Wages are the biggest cost in any small business, he said.
Convicted killer may be released in Plattsburgh
Altona teen bobsledding in Youth Olympic Games in Norway
LAKE PLACID — Standing at the halfmile start point, Sam Beach pushed his sled down the bobsled track for the first time. He began with an immense amount of fear and finished with a new love of bobsledding. Teah “It’s nervewracking,” he said. “But I love Dowling Writer it.” What started as a hobby soon turned into an opportunity to join the United States’ Youth Olympic Team. The 16-year-old hopped a plane on Monday to the Youth Olympic Games in Norway. Sam’s bobsledding journey began three years ago in the Junior Bobsled Program in Lake Placid as an attempt to try something new. Sam’s mother, Rachelle, said she wasn’t nervous when he wanted to try the sport. “I’ve always wanted him to be happy,” she said. >> Story Continued | pg. 5
Terry Losicco, who perpetrated a brutal attack in Westchester County, may very well be released in Plattsburgh next month after spending 35 years behind bars By Pete DeMola
pete@suncommunitynews.com
Pictured here is Sam Beach training with the Junior Bobsled Program in Lake Placid. Photo provided
PLATTSBURGH — In the dark hours of May 25, 1980, two young men entered a well-manicured home in Somers, Westchester County. The pair, residents of a nearby reform school, received a tip that the homeowners, Eleanor and Norman Prouty, were wealthy.
Terry Losicco >> Story Continued | pg. 5