Oswego County TodayNewsFREE Independent News for Oswego County

Maxwells’ Trial Focuses On Cat Waste And A Locked Door

July 30, 2009 Contributor

The trial of Lynn and Lindsey Maxwell will turn on three things: door locks, cat poop and cat pee.Ã‚Â Those three items dominated the opening night of their trial on child endangerment charges in Palermo Wednesday.

They are the father and step-mother of Erin Maxwell, the 11 year old found dying in her bedroom last August 29.Ã‚Â They are not on trial for her death.Ã‚Â Erin’s stepbrother, Alan Jones, is accused of sexually abusing and then killing her.Ã‚Â The Maxwells are accused of having conditions in their home that were dangerous to Erin.

[…]

Scene Around Town: Winners Named in AAO Art Exhibition

July 30, 2009 Contributor

Here’s a pretty picture.Ã‚Â Phillip Moore of Fulton took this photo, which he calls “Quiet”.Ã‚Â It was good enough to take Best in Show honors at the Art Association of Oswego’s annual Members’ Exhibition.Ã‚Â For that, he’ll be able to hold a solo show next year in the Civic Arts Center.Ã‚Â Read the rest of the story to see who won in other categories.

[…]

Legislators Quarrel Over Law Firm Designation

July 29, 2009 Steve Yablonski

One claims the county is wasting taxpayers’ money. Others challenge him to show proof. Of the two firms that bid for the work, the county selected the one that was less expensive, according to the DSS commissioner.

[…]

Health Committee Updated On DSS Plan

July 29, 2009 Steve Yablonski

The county’s Health and Human Services Committee heard an update regarding improvements at the Department of Social Services. DSS Commissioner Fran Lanigan on Wednesday provided the committee information as to what she is doing to improve the department’s performance in the wake of several reports following the death last August of 11-year-old Erin Maxwell in Palermo.

[…]

Correction: Aubertine’s Member Items Were $400,000 Larger

July 29, 2009 Contributor

In our story yesterday, “Oswego County’s Cut Of The Pork Barrel: $600,000“, we missed a large line item for the county.

State Senator Darrel Aubertine secured $100,000 for the Michaud Nursing Home in Fulton to help the nursing home buy and install a kitchen to cook for the nursing home’s residents. The kitchen at Lee Memorial Hospital closed when the hospital closed.

The money was not in a line item under Aubertine’s name, but was part of a package of pork barrel items belonging to the Upstate Senate Delegation. Various coalitions of legislators received pork barrel funds to dole out, including the upstate Senators, a coalition of suburban Senators, separate delegations from Queens, Manhattan, the Bronx and Brooklyn, a conference of black Senators and one of Latin Senators.

Aubertine’s district received $400,000 in that package, bringing his direct total to $1.4 million, and the amount for Oswego County, with Assembly members’ pork items added in, to $700,000.Ã‚Â Aubertine would, therefore, not have the lowest member item amount among majority Democrats.

The Senator’s spokesman, Drew Mangione, led us to this better information and we thank him and make this correction.

[…]

Democrats Set Date To Pick Congressional Candidate

July 29, 2009 Contributor

Democrats won’t wait much longer to pick a candidate for Congress.

In a statement, the chairs of the party in the 11 counties that make up the 23rd Congressional District said that they will meet with each candidate on August 10 in Blue Mountain Lake and choose a candidate that night.

[…]

Police: Man Threatened To Set People On Fire

July 29, 2009 Contributor

The Oswego County Sheriff’s Department alleges that a man from Schroeppel threatened to end a domestic argument by pouring gasoline on two people, setting them on fire and killing them.

[…]

Fulton Library Passes Halfway Point In Drive To Renovate

July 29, 2009 Contributor

The Fulton Public Library is busier than ever and is on the verge of substantial improvements to its aging home.

The library is more than halfway to its goal of raising $204,500 to build its first-ever elevator for the four-story building. The money will also begin the job of fixing up the bottom floor of the library, a place that’s been off-limits for the public for decades.

[…]

County Takes Wait & See Approach To Slaughterhouse Proposal

July 28, 2009 Steve Yablonski

County lawmakers have decided to seek more information from Bion Environmental Technologies before making any decisions regarding the companies plan to start a business somewhere in the county. If Bion’s slaughterhouse plan becomes a reality, it would bring more than 70,000 head of beef cattle into the county.

[…]

Maxwells’ Trial Begins Tonight

July 28, 2009 Contributor

Lynn and Lindsey Maxwell go on trial tonight in Palermo Town Court on charges of endangering the welfare of Erin Maxwell, the 11 year old girl who died last year in a home described by police as deplorable.

[…]