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September 5, 2009
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Being Nice
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A rare treat. A heart warming tale of sheer kindness.
It’s time again for Jill to answer some of her reader’s e-mails.
Casting for Recovery continues its mission to help survivors.
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APA officials hash out wind turbine policies By Jonathan Alexander denpubs@denpubs.com
Garcia and Sprague spar in DA debate Garcia: G.O.P is a ‘train wreck’ By Jonathan Alexander and Matt Bosley denpubs@denpubs.com
RAY BROOK — Several Adirondack Park Agency commissioners indicated Aug. 20 that they aren’t comfortable with the agency’s restrictive tower policy being applied to residential wind turbines. At the APA Regulatory Programs Committee meeting Thursday, commissioners were faced with two applications for the construction of two proposed residential turbines – one in Essex, the other in Indian Lake. Committee member Dick Booth helped steer the conversation from the two project applications into a debate over the Agency’s imposition of the tower policy in determining whether to approve or deny wind turbine developments. “It seems to me we need to look at this apart from the tower policy,” Booth said. “We have to ponder the question: have these become acceptable structures for residential uses in general?” The APA tower policy was originally drafted to assure the “substantial invisibility” of telecommunications towers. Officials said the intent is to protect against projects that may adversely effect the aesthetic character of the park. Committee member Art Lussi questioned when the policy’s scope was expanded to include wind turbines. “The agency staff determined to apply it to other types of projects,” he said. “Did we actually ever adopt that as a board?” Two other commissioners agreed with the assertion that the tower policy may be inappropriate when considering wind turbines. Agency Deputy Director Mark Sengenberger suggested that the concept of “substantial invisibility” is highly subjective and problematic to impose, but that commissioners should undertake more wind turbine hearings before drafting a new separate policy. APA Board of Commissioners Chairman Curt Stiles said Thursday that the applicability discussion needs to happen, but not while the board is making decisions on particular projects. He said that the agency is attempting to streamline its permitting processes to make them more user-friendly. The committee unanimously approved both individual wind turbine projects, as did the full board on Friday. Regardless of the outcome, APA officials said that issue of using the tower restrictions in reviewing wind turbine projects, is a matter than must be addressed.
ELIZABETHTOWN — Incumbent Essex County District Attorney Julie Garcia and challenger Kristy Sprague faced off in a debate at Elizabethtown-Lewis Central School Aug. 27, exchanging barbs for more than an hour on subjects such as conviction records and fiscal responsibility. Sprague, who has 11 years of experience as an Assistant District Attorney in Clinton County, won a coin toss and was the first to field a question chosen by moderators from public submissions. Sprague challenged Garcia’s skills as a prosecutor and her commitment to fiscal responsibility, claiming that Garcia had inflated her department’s budget. “A drug case dismissed for lack of evidence, another drug case dismissed for lack of evidence and failure to provide the Grand Jury enough evidence and instructions,” Sprague said, brandishing case records. “These are very basic things a District Attorney has to do. If anyone has ever heard the phrase ‘convict a ham sandwich,’ well, this administration couldn’t.” Garcia countered by criticizing Sprague on her ego, accusing her of providing misleading information and using fear tactics to acquire votes. She said the budget in her department has actually decreased 12 percent during her tenure, and said office staff has dropped from 11 employees to
Garcia eight. “When anyone tries to play on the public’s fear, I think it’s completely inappropriate,” Garcia said. “Going through specific cases without giving all of the background information is a tactic; it’s called a fear tactic.” While her records are readily available, Garcia claimed the Clinton County District Attorney had refused requests to release information about Sprague’s record as a prosecutor, making it difficult to make comparisons. “I’ve got nothing to hide,” she said. Sprague blamed Garcia for mounting a lawsuit that aimed to disqualify Sprague’s petition signatures on the basis of her living outside Essex County. She even accused Garcia of sending a registered sex offender whom she had
Sprague prosecuted for rape to her home to serve notice for the suit, which was rejected Aug. 14. At the debate, Garcia said it was her commitment to open government and willingness to ask questions that created a rift between her and Republican leaders. “The Republican party leadership in Essex County is a train wreck,” Garcia said. “I find it very difficult to relate with them on any level. In fact, I think when any party is in control for a long period of time, this is the kind of government that is created.” Both candidates agreed that party politics have no place in the DA’s office. Sprague argued Republican leaders simply chose the better candidate, seeing poor performance by Garcia in the last four years.
“They asked her to do her job, and she didn't do it,” Sprague said. Garcia said her record is above average and that allowing plea deals is sometimes a better exercise in justice than always pursuing a conviction. She pointed to the progress she and her staff have made tackling drunk driving, both by tough prosecution of the crime and strong prevention efforts against underage alcohol use. Sprague, on the other hand, said Garcia avoided taking felony cases to trial, instead choosing to leave them in her staff ’s hands. She also asserted Garcia paid far too much attention to DWIs while letting other, more pressing issues fall through the cracks and making deals with repeat offenders. “Unlike my opponent, I am not afraid of going into the courtroom
See DEBATE, page 7
Be on the lookout for bogus Web sites, DMV warns By Matt Bosley matt@denpubs.com
This site at www.dmvservices.us promises users easy renewal of their vehicle registration online, though the site is not authorized to provide the service. County Clerks across the state are warning vehicle owners not to use the site, which they have confirmed as a scam.
ELIZABETHTOWN — Essex County officials are asking vehicle owners to be on the lookout for a new online scam. Joe Provoncha, who serves as Essex County Clerk, the office that oversees the county’s Department of Motor Vehicles, said a number of motorists in other counties have already been duped by bogus Web sites. DMVAuthority.org and other similar sites claim to offer car owners the ability to renew their vehicle’s New York registration online, avoiding a trip to the DMV where they would likely wait in line. The site appears legitimate, asking users about their county of residence and vehicle weight on a “registration form.” It adds a $10 “processing fee” and $25 for shipping and handling, then asks users for their credit card number. The site claims to mail the registration via first class mail within 10 business days, but according to Provoncha, the deliveries are never made.
See DMV, page 3