Oswego Daily News

In an effort to reduce the population of mosquitoes carrying the Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) virus, the Oswego County Health Department plans to conduct aerial spraying of approximately 10,000 acres in portions of the towns of Hastings, West Monroe and Constantia Monday evening, Aug. 20. Mosquito samples recently collected from the Toad Harbor Swamp in West Monroe have tested positive for Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) virus, and a horse in West Monroe died of the virus Aug. 9.

On Sunday, August 12, State Police responded to a report of suspicious persons in the town of Orwell. When Troopers arrived, they discovered a “meth lab” located at a campsite on state land off Dam Road, according to the police report.

In honor of the 100th Anniversary of the end of World War I this November, Oswego Mayor Billy Barlow has announced an initiative to clean and restore the many war memorial monuments throughout the city in several parks. The initiative has already started with the Oak Hill Park World War I monument and the World War I memorial bench in Franklin Square receiving attention last week.

The Oswego County Health Department announced today (August 14) that four additional samples of mosquitoes, collected Aug. 6 and Aug. 8 from the Toad Harbor Swamp, have tested positive for the Eastern equine encephalitis virus. The county is working with the state to schedule an aerial spraying of the Toad Harbor Swamp area. A horse in West Monroe died after exhibiting neurological symptoms similar to encephalitis.

State Police arrested Richard D. Kim, 41, from 8003 Summerview Drive, Fayetteville, for Vehicular Assault 2nd degree, a class “E” felony; DWAI – Drugs, an unclassified misdemeanor and Unlawful Possession of Marijuana. The victim was hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries, police said.

This budget is the third city budget I have constructed as mayor. As you know, since taking office in January of 2016, we have implemented and followed a strategic return on investment driven strategy, a complete contradiction to the strategy used by our predecessors.

At Monday night’s Common Council meeting, Mayor Billy Barlow unveiled his tentative operating budget for the coming year. It contains a 2.1% reduction in city property taxes for 2019. This is the first tax reduction for city residents in 20 years, Barlow said Monday night during his annual budget message to the council.