Fredrick Baunee collects pension and retirement benefits.

Dick Blume / The Post-StandardFormer Syracuse Police Fredrick Baunee, who admitted to running a youth drug ring, has filed for bankruptcy.

Syracuse, NY - A former Syracuse police officer facing state prison for sexually abusing two boys and running a drug ring from his home is also facing financial woes.

Fredrick J. Baunee, 49, of Camillus, recently filed for bankruptcy.

According to the bankruptcy filing, Baunee lists assets of $111,025 and debts of $303,426. He also indicated he has a monthly income of $3,147.97 from pension and retirement benefits but monthly expenses of $3,272.44, including mortgage payments and child support.

Baunee’s bankruptcy papers indicate he receives a $37,776 annual pension. State records, however, place his pension at $49,315. His lawyer, Samuel Costa did not return phones messages Monday and Tuesday.

The court papers indicate Baunee’s debts are primarily consumer debts. The largest debt listed is for $100,000 to the Seneca Insurance Company.

Papers filed in the Onondaga County Clerk’s Office show that is to cover the insurance company for a $100,000 bail bond posted to get Baunee released from the Justice Center jail in August.

Last month, Baunee pleaded guilty before County Judge Anthony Aloi to two felony counts of first-degree sexual abuse involving allegations he engaged in sexual conduct with a 14-year-old boy and a 15-year-old boy while they were sleeping at his home.

He also pleaded guilty to a felony charge of fourth-degree conspiracy involving allegations he sold marijuana to numerous youths and had some of them sell marijuana for him to their friends.

The charges were contained in a 46-count indictment filed against Baunee in May. He’s due to be sentenced next month to seven years in state prison.

Read about the Fredrick J. Baunee case.

U.S. Supreme Court to hear arguments Wednesday.

The Associated Press, 2006Margie Phelps (right) and her nephew, Gabriel Phelps-Roper, then 10 (center), both from the Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kan., protest in 2006 before the start of a memorial service for soldiers killed in combat from the Army's 101st Airborne Division in front of the main entrance to Fort Campbell, Ky. Phelps is set to go before the U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday, Oct. 5, 2010, to represent her church in a case that tests the scope of free speech protections under the Constitution's First Amendment.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The father of a Marine killed in Iraq is asking the Supreme Court to reinstate a $5 million verdict against members of a fundamentalist church who picketed his son’s funeral with signs like “Thank God for Dead Soldiers” and “God Hates the USA.”

The court is hearing arguments Wednesday in the dispute between Albert Snyder of York, Pa., and members of the Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kan. The case pits Snyder’s right to grieve privately against the church members’ right to say what they want, no matter how offensive.

Westboro members, led by the Rev. Fred Phelps, have picketed many military funerals to make their point that U.S. deaths in Afghanistan and Iraq are punishment for Americans’ immorality, including tolerance of homosexuality and abortion.

They welcome the attention the protests have brought, mocking their critics and vowing not to change their ways whatever the outcome at the Supreme Court.

“No American should ever be required to apologize for following his or her conscience,” said Margie Phelps, a daughter of Fred Phelps and the lawyer who is arguing the case for the church.

Snyder undertook the lawsuit after the Phelpses picketed the funeral of his son, Lance Cpl. Matthew Snyder, in March 2006. The Marine was killed in a Humvee accident.

Snyder won an $11 million verdict against the church for intentional infliction of emotional distress, among other claims. A judge reduced the award to $5 million before the federal appeals court in Richmond, Va., threw out the verdict altogether, citing the church’s First Amendment rights.

Carolyn Kaster / The Associated PressAudrey Low, 10, of Reston, Va., holds a sing as she watches from across the street as members of the Westboro Baptist Church dance on American Flags at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Va., Tuesday, Oct. 5, 2010.

For Snyder, the case is not about free speech but harassment. “I had one chance to bury my son and it was taken from me,” Snyder said.

Forty-eight states, 42 U.S. senators and veterans groups have sided with Snyder, asking the court to shield funerals from the Phelpses’ “psychological terrorism.”

While distancing themselves from the church’s message, media organizations, including The Associated Press, have called on the court to side with the Phelpses because of concerns that a victory for Snyder could erode speech rights.

Loudonville, NY -- New York consumers' confidence in the economy remained gloomy in September, researchers said this morning. But while their confidence lagged, the 676 New Yorkers questioned by the Siena Research Institute said they were slightly more likely to make big purchases in the coming months. "Essentially, consumer confidence is unchanged this month among New Yorkers," said Dr. Doug...

Loudonville, NY -- New York consumers' confidence in the economy remained gloomy in September, researchers said this morning.

But while their confidence lagged, the 676 New Yorkers questioned by the Siena Research Institute said they were slightly more likely to make big purchases in the coming months.

"Essentially, consumer confidence is unchanged this month among New Yorkers," said Dr. Doug Lonnstrom, founding director of the research institute at Siena College. "Call it bad, call it weak, consumers remain more negative than positive about both the economy in general and their family's foothold in it."

The state Consumer Confidence Index for September was 62.8, up 0.3 points from August, Siena officials said. Confidence in current economic conditions remained the same at 63.7, while confidence in future conditions rose half a point to 62.3.

Slightly more than one-quarter of those surveyed said they expected their fortunes to improve over the next 12 months while nearly 20 percent expected more financial trouble, Lonnstrom said.

Researchers found more consumers saying they planned to buy vehicles, homes, computers and furniture in the coming months. A declining number said they planned to make major home improvements.

The outlook among men and women was about the same in September, but confidence among male consumers fell 2.6 points from August while it rose 2.7 points among women.

Democrats, with an overall index of 71.1, tended to be far more optimistic than Republicans, at 50.6, SRI said.

Metropolitan New York City residents were more confident than upstaters, especially over future conditions.

New Yorkers overall tended to be less optimistic about the current economy but more optimistic about the future than respondents to a national survey.

That poll, conducted by the University of Michigan, put the September national Consumer Confidence Index at 68.2, down 0.7 from August. Current confidence reached 79.6, up 1.3 points, but future confidence fell 2 points to 60.9.

See Siena Research Institute's report.

Victor Perez lauded as a hero after ramming suspect's truck, which he recognized from news reports.

APThe hero, Victor Perez.

An 8-year-old Fresno, Calif. girl was kidnapped from her front yard Monday night by a stranger who forced her into a rust-colored Chevy pickup truck with white stripes. An Amber Alert warned everyone to be on the lookout for the truck and the little girl wearing a purple Winnie the Pooh sweatshirt.

Victor Perez, an unemployed construction worker, was watching news reports on the case Tuesday morning when he saw the truck making a U-turn in front of his house. He jumped in his pickup and tried to get the other driver to pull over, finally pulling his pickup right in the path of the suspect's truck. The suspect pushed the girl out of the truck and fled; Perez scooped her up and told her she'd be safe. About 40 minutes later, police caught up with the suspect, Gregorio Gonzalez.

Perez told reporters he was scared and worried he had the wrong man, but all fear dissolved when he saw the little girl's frightened face pop up in Gonzalez's truck during the chase. "I made eye contact with her. And that's when I wasn't scared anymore," Perez told the Los Angeles Times. "I won't kid you, until then I'd thought 'Does this guy have a gun?' But once I met her eyes, I just thought 'I've got to get that little girl out of there.' "

» Concerned citizen helps free kidnapped Fresno girl [Los Angeles Times]
» Samaritan Recounts Dramatic Kidnapping Rescue [ABC News]
» Suspect in kidnapping and assault of 8-year-old girl had previous criminal record, authorities said [Los Angeles Times]
» Victor Perez earns a chair in columnist's personal Hall of Fame [The Chattanoogan.com]

Multimillionaire developer says he would forgo the $179,000 salary or give it all to charity.

View full sizeMike Groll / APNew York Republican gubernatorial candidate Carl Paladino.

After a fundraiser on Tuesday night, Republican gubernatorial candidate Carl Paladino told the Rochester Democrat & Chronicle he would work for free if he's elected.

The multimillionaire businessman from Buffalo said he would either forgo the $179,000-a-year salary or give it all to charity.

"When I say donate it, I mean the whole thing. I think there are a lot of worthy causes that could use the money," Paladino told the newspaper.

Earlier in the day, Paladino created a stir when he called Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver a 'criminal,' while discussing his plans for cutting taxes and government spending at a Crain's business breakfast in Manhattan.

"You can smell there's something wrong when he lets New Yorkers suffer the highest insurance rates in the country," Paladino said of Silver.

A new Siena College poll released on Tuesday shows Democrat Andrew Cuomo leading Paladino by 24 points among likely voters. Sixty-one percent of those polled agreed that Paladino is a “loose cannon, who doesn’t have the temperament to be governor.”

What do you think of Paladino's pledge to work for free? Who will you vote for in the governor's race? Leave your comments below.

» Democrat & Chronicle: Carl Paladino would work as governor for free

» AP: Siena poll has Cuomo leading Paladino by 24 points in NY governor's race

» Buffalo News: Paladino tirade ignites brouhaha with Silver

» AP: Cuomo tries to seize momentum in NY governor race

Get more news on Carl Paladino and Andrew Cuomo in the race for governor.

Dryden, NY -- A Colorado woman was killed and an Oklahoma man injured when their car was hit by a tractor-trailer Monday in this Tompkins County town, state police said. Jade E. Moore, 24, of Boulder, Colo., was driving her Honda north on Mineah Road about 3:13 p.m. when the car failed to stop at a stop sign and crossed...

Dryden, NY -- A Colorado woman was killed and an Oklahoma man injured when their car was hit by a tractor-trailer Monday in this Tompkins County town, state police said.

Jade E. Moore, 24, of Boulder, Colo., was driving her Honda north on Mineah Road about 3:13 p.m. when the car failed to stop at a stop sign and crossed the path of a tractor-trailer heading east on state Route 13, troopers said. The truck hit the driver’s side of the car and both vehicles landed in the ditch on the north side of Route 13, troopers said.

Moore was pronounced dead at Cayuga Medical Center.

Her passenger, Bill R. Moore, 25, of Soper, Okla., suffered severe head trauma, troopers said. He was taken to Cayuga Medical, then transferred to Robert Packer Hospital in Sayre, Pa., where he was in critical condition this morning, according to a hospital official.

The driver of the tractor-trailer, Pierre Perron, 58, of St. Madeleine, Quebec, was not injured, troopers said.

Manlius, NY -- State police are on the scene of a crash involving a school bus, according to Onondaga County 911. No school children appear to have been on the bus at the time of the crash, the 911 center said. The crash was reported at 8:34 a.m. at Austin Meadows Drive and Sagebrush Circle.

Manlius, NY -- State police are on the scene of a crash involving a school bus, according to Onondaga County 911.

No school children appear to have been on the bus at the time of the crash, the 911 center said.

The crash was reported at 8:34 a.m. at Austin Meadows Drive and Sagebrush Circle.

Oswego, NY -- Clifford Luther, the other fisherman who was swept away in the Oswego River last week, has died at Oswego Hospital. A hospital nursing supervisor said Luther, 52, of Horseheads, Chemung County, died Tuesday. He and three friends were fishing the Oswego River near the Brookfield Renewable Power Varick dam Sept. 28 when the water level in the...

Oswego, NY -- Clifford Luther, the other fisherman who was swept away in the Oswego River last week, has died at Oswego Hospital.

A hospital nursing supervisor said Luther, 52, of Horseheads, Chemung County, died Tuesday.

He and three friends were fishing the Oswego River near the Brookfield Renewable Power Varick dam Sept. 28 when the water level in the river increased quickly. Luther and Leonard Nichols, 45, of Wellsburg, Chemung County, were swept down river toward Oswego Harbor.

Nichols died that day at the hospital. Luther had been hospitalized in critical condition.

Their companions, Wayne Weller, of Watkins Glen, Schuyler County, and David Robinson, of Hancock, Delaware County, both 46, clung to a sign pole before being rescued by Oswego city fire personnel.

Fishermen who were on the scene that day said Brookfield did not sound an alarm before releasing water down river that day.

A meeting is set for 6 p.m. today at the Econo Lodge in Oswego to discuss safety on the river. Representatives with the city, county tourism, Brookfield power, the Coast Guard, the Port Authority of Oswego, the state Department of Environmental Conservation, local businesses, city agencies and fishing guides and local fishermen will talk about what to do to make the river safer for fishermen.

Also: Shell-shocked military dog finds home with parents of Marine killed in Iraq.

Stockbyte

From The Belmont Citizen-Herald:

A Belmont, Mass. woman faces multiple charges, including assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, after allegedly throwing a feces-filled bag through a car window and striking the face of a man she claims was speeding.

According to a police report, an officer on Oct. 1 met with a Belmont man who stated he was driving down Stone Road the previous morning when an object came through his open window and hit him in the face. He soon realized the projectile was “a flying bag of dog feces that splattered across his face, and the remaining matter soiled the front of the car,” the report said.

The day before, on Sept. 30, an officer was dispatched to Stone Road to take a report from a woman about a speeding complaint. The woman reported she was walking her dog down Stone Road and threw a bag at a dark-colored sedan that was allegedly speeding down Stone Road, almost hitting a person on a bicycle.

» Woman sees Jesus in MRI image [WPSD Local 6]

» Not everyone's thrilled about a Florida fence company's "Breast Inspection: Please Have 'Em Out" sign [Ocala.com]

» Arizona woman mistakes Superglue for eye drops [MyFoxPhoenix.com]

» Shell-shocked bomb-sniffing dog finds a home with family of Marine killed in Iraq [The Wall Street Journal]

DeWitt, NY -- Attorney General Andrew Cuomo expects to pick up two endorsements in his race for governor during a visit this afternoon to a DeWitt dairy. Cuomo, a Democrat, has scheduled the visit for 12:30 p.m. at Ultra Dairy, 6750 W. Benedict Road, East Syracuse.

APAndrew Cuomo

DeWitt, NY -- Attorney General Andrew Cuomo expects to pick up two endorsements in his race for governor during a visit this afternoon to a DeWitt dairy.

Cuomo, a Democrat, has scheduled the visit for 12:30 p.m. at Ultra Dairy, 6750 W. Benedict Road, East Syracuse.

Syracuse, NY -- A Syracuse police officer investigating an assault early Monday morning had to use his Taser after a man came out of his apartment ready to fight, police records state. Thomas Naughton, 48, of 1015 Pond St., was charged with menacing, a misdemeanor, following the incident. An officer knocked on Naughton’s apartment door after midnight during his investigation...

Syracuse, NY -- A Syracuse police officer investigating an assault early Monday morning had to use his Taser after a man came out of his apartment ready to fight, police records state.

Thomas Naughton, 48, of 1015 Pond St., was charged with menacing, a misdemeanor, following the incident.

An officer knocked on Naughton’s apartment door after midnight during his investigation into an assault, records state. Naughton, the officer said, profanely asked who was at his door. When the officer identified himself as the police, Naughton peered through the door’s peephole. That’s when the officer heard Naughton say, “You have gloves on, I’m getting mine,” records state.

The officer detailed what happened next in police records:

Naughton was heard walking away from the door and then returned. Naughton opened the door suddenly.

Naughton, who was wearing white leather Road Hustler gloves, came out cursing and said, "Let's go."

Naughton came towards the officer as the officer retreated down the hall. When the officer was backed into a stairwell, he fired the Taser. Naughton, whom officers described as uncooperative and intoxicated, was taken into custody following the shock from the Taser.

The name of baby Ruth was inspired by "The Goonies" movie.

View full sizeFrank Ordoñez / The Post-StandardCounty Executive Joanie Mahoney reaches in to stroke Ruth, the Rosamond Gifford Zoo's baby Hoffmann's Two-Toed Sloth. Zoo Animal Collection Manager Adrienne Whiteley is holding the infant, born Aug. 25.

Syracuse, NY –- The first baby sloth in 16 years has been born at the Rosamond Gifford Zoo and officials think at least two more are on the way.

County Executive Joanie Mahoney joined Director Chuck Doyle and other zoo officials Wednesday to introduce the infant, Ruth, to the media. She's named for the Baby Ruth candy bars favored by "Sloth," a character in the movie, "The Goonies."

Ruth and her mother, Bad Eye, still are being kept in a quiet space, but photos of her are posted in the sloth exhibit and the baby should be on display by the end of October, zoo spokeswoman Lorrell Walter said.

“Oh, my gosh, you are so cute!” Mahoney said as she gingerly accepted the baby from Adrienne Whiteley, the zoo’s animal collection manager, and cradled it in the crook of her arm. “She’s really, really soft. She’s not shaking or anything.”

Ruth has become accustomed to humans, and Bad Eye to humans handling her, since her birth Aug. 25, Curator Ted Fox said. She arrived a little earlier than the normal 11-month gestation for her species and had to take formula for 10 or so days to supplement her mother’s milk, but now is newborn size.

Officially, Ruth is a Hoffmann’s Two-Toed Sloth. Native to South and Central America, adults range from 9 to 19 pounds. They eat, sleep – 15 to 20 hours a day – mate and give birth while clinging to tree branches by their 3-inch claws. They come to ground only to move to a different tree or to go to the bathroom.

The zoo had been a prolific sloth breeding ground years ago, welcoming 42 babies to its fold. Then officials sent its breeding male to another zoo to encourage diversity in the captive sloth gene pool, Fox said.

The lady sloths didn’t like the new male the zoo received, Fox said. Nor did they like the male that replaced him. No babies arrived for a decade and a half.

Then, last year, Beauregard arrived, Fox said.

The ladies took to him immediately. Bad Eye got pregnant and at least two more of the seven females are believed to be expecting, Fox said.

Beauregard has been sent to Atlanta Fulton County Zoo and a new male, Quinto, has arrived from there to diversify the collection further.

Jordan, NY -- A Jordan resident was charged Tuesday with disseminating indecent material, a felony, after deputies accused the man of sending explicit pictures by cell phone to a minor. Robert Hawkey, 45, of 13 Delhi St., also was charged with criminal possession of marijuana, a felony, and endangering the welfare of a child, a misdemeanor. The investigation began...

Robert Hawkey

Jordan, NY -- A Jordan resident was charged Tuesday with disseminating indecent material, a felony, after deputies accused the man of sending explicit pictures by cell phone to a minor.

Robert Hawkey, 45, of 13 Delhi St., also was charged with criminal possession of marijuana, a felony, and endangering the welfare of a child, a misdemeanor.

The investigation began with the Liverpool police and was conducted by the Sheriff’s Computer Crimes Unit. On Tuesday, members of the county Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and village of Jordan police took Hawkey into custody, deputies said.

Several marijuana plants were seen growing inside Hawkey’s home, deputies said. Hawkey was charged with growing marijuana.

Hawkey was arraigned in Jordan Village Court and ordered held on $25,000 cash or $50,000 bond.

Other prominent Republicans, including J. Patrick Barrett and Rick Lazio's campaign finance chairman, have endorsed Cuomo.

View full sizeLauren Long / The Post-StandardDemocratic gubernatorial candidate Andrew Cuomo shakes hands with Onondaga County Executive Joanie Mahoney after receiving her endorsement Wednesday during a visit to Ultra Dairy in East Syracuse.

East Syracuse, NY - Republican Onondaga County Executive Joanie Mahoney today crossed party lines and endorsed Democratic gubernatorial candidate Andrew Cuomo.

Mahoney said that in her political career she has always been willing to support any candidate who would help Onondaga County move forward. She said Cuomo will do that.

Mahoney appeared with Cuomo at a noon news conference at Byrne Dairy's Ultra Dairy plant in East Syracuse.

Mahoney joins several other Republican leaders who have endorsed the state attorney general in his race against Republican gubernatorial candidate Carl Paladino.

J. Patrick Barrett, the former state Republican Party chairman from Fayetteville, is supporting Cuomo. So is Anthony Scaramucci, the former campaign finance chairman for Republican Rick Lazio's gubernatorial campaign, and Republican Assemblyman Joe Errigo.

Paladino beat Lazio in a Republican primary.

Cuomo also announced today that he was endorsed by the Business Council of New York State.

"“I am also proud to have the support of County Executive Mahoney. In the two years that she has led Onondaga County, she has already proven that she is a visionary leader who works across party lines to do what is best for her constituents,” Cuomo said. “I look forward to partnering with her as Governor to ensure that we jumpstart our local economies and create jobs for the people of New York.”

Mahoney said she has met Republican gubernatorial candidate Carl Paladino, but he did not ask for her endorsement.

Mahoney was elected as Onondaga County's first female county executive in 2007 after defeating the Onondaga County Republican Committee's endorsed candidate in a primary. She has said that she has not had a good relationship with leaders of the Republican committee since then.

Contact Michelle Breidenbach at mbreidenbach@syracuse.com or 470-3186.

East Syracuse, NY -- An arrest was made in the Thruway accident in Canastota last week that killed an East Syracuse resident, the New York state police announced today. David J. Gorinshek, 44, of Fairfield, is charged with making a punishable false written statement, a misdemeanor, during the investigation into the Sept. 30 crash that killed Michael W. Almy, 55,...

East Syracuse, NY -- An arrest was made in the Thruway accident in Canastota last week that killed an East Syracuse resident, the New York state police announced today.

David J. Gorinshek, 44, of Fairfield, is charged with making a punishable false written statement, a misdemeanor, during the investigation into the Sept. 30 crash that killed Michael W. Almy, 55, of 200 East Yates St.

Gorinshek was arrested after troopers discovered he misled investgators concerning his involvement in the crash. At the time of the crash, troopers said Almy was traveling west on the Thruway when he pulled to the right and slowed to avoid two vehicles stopped in the passing lane because of an accident.

Two trash-hauling tractor-trailers also moved right, troopers said at the time. The driver of one truck, Hal G. Wood, 54, of Clifton Springs, started to move into the right lane and, spotting Almy’s Hyundai Elantra, then tried to move back left, which caused his truck to fishtail, troopers said. Almy’s car was crushed by the truck.

The other truck, which troopers said Gorinshek was driving, left the scene, troopers said. The two trash-hauling trucks actually collided as Wood tried to avoid Almy’s car, troopers said.

Gorinshek told two investigators that he came through the crash scene after the crash and told a third that he came through the crash scene just before the crash, troopers said.

Gorinshek is also ticketed with leaving the scene of a fatal motor vehicle collision and moving from a lane unsafely.

The investigation is continuing and traffic charges are pending against Wood.

Gorinshek is scheduled to appear Oct. 19 in Sullivan Town Court on the misdemeanor charge.

Bob Woodward said an Obama-Clinton ticket in 2012 is 'on the table.' White House disagrees.

J. Scott Applewhite / The Associated PressSecretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton speaks at a conference on the Vietnam War Sept. 29 in Washington, D.C. She said she has no interest in trying to take over Joe Biden's job as vice president to Obama.

From MSNBC:

The White House has emphatically denied any notion that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will replace Joe Biden as President Obama's running mate in 2012.

The latest wave of Hillary buzz was amplified Tuesday night when Bob Woodward, author of the new book "Obama's Wars," told CNN's John King that a possible Obama-Clinton ticket is "on the table." The idea is that Clinton would energize a 2012 campaign — particularly among women. In some scenarios, Biden, former chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, would take over as secretary of state.

But there's a big problem with all of this juicy speculation. The White House has consistently denied any such deal is in the works. "There's absolutely nothing to it," senior aide David Axelrod told the Washington Post late Tuesday.

Auburn has hired Wayne County’s auditor to be comptroller and run the city's finance department, City Manager Mark Palesh said today. The city selected Linda Harissis to succeed Lisa Green, who left the comptroller’s position to become business manager at the Auburn Enlarged City School District last month. “Academically she’s got exactly what we were looking for and she’s got...

Auburn has hired Wayne County’s auditor to be comptroller and run the city's finance department, City Manager Mark Palesh said today.

The city selected Linda Harissis to succeed Lisa Green, who left the comptroller’s position to become business manager at the Auburn Enlarged City School District last month.

“Academically she’s got exactly what we were looking for and she’s got the personality to work in a high-stress environment,’’ Palesh said of Harissis.

Harissis, a Rochester native and resident, is scheduled to start in her new position on Nov. 1. Her yearly salary will be $77,555, according to Palesh.

“This is an excellent opportunity for me,’’ said Harissis, who has a master’s degree in business administration and 10 years experience in municipal financial work. She also worked as treasurer for the village of Spencerport, outside Rochester, for nine years.

As comptroller, she will oversee the daily operations of the city finance department, manage the employees’ retirement fund and serve on the management team that negotiates new employee contracts, Palesh said.

Some 90 people applied for the job and Harissis was selected from a pool of five finalists, Palesh added.

The city has a residency requirement for its employees and Harissis said she intends to move to Auburn. She is married and has three children.

Green worked for 18 years in the comptroller’s office, the last five-plus years as comptroller. Her annual salary was $93,400 a year when she left.

You can reach Scott Rapp at srapp@syracuse.com or 289-4839

Lenox, NY -- State police are looking for the public's help in identifying a man suspected of stealing 30 cartons of Newport cigarettes from the Sav-On gas station in early August. Troopers released images today of the man believed to have taken the "Newport 100" smokes, valued at more than $2,000, from the store at Routes 31 and 13....

Lenox, NY -- State police are looking for the public's help in identifying a man suspected of stealing 30 cartons of Newport cigarettes from the Sav-On gas station in early August.

Troopers released images today of the man believed to have taken the "Newport 100" smokes, valued at more than $2,000, from the store at Routes 31 and 13.

The theft happened at 8:50 a.m. Aug. 6. The suspect is described as a white man, 5 feet, 8 inches tall, with a blue wind jacket and shorts. He was last seen leaving the station in a gold or tan pickup truck headed south on Route 13 toward Canastota.

Troopers released the images after trying to solve the case for two months.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Investigator Chris Altimonda at 366-6046.

Syracuse, NY -- State police and rescue personnel are on the scene of a bad crash in the westbound lanes of the state Thruway just east of the Warners Travel Plaza. Two dump trucks, a commercial automobile transport truck and a passenger car were all involved in the crash, which occurred just before 2:30 p.m. Several fire departments and ambulances...

Syracuse, NY -- State police and rescue personnel are on the scene of a bad crash in the westbound lanes of the state Thruway just east of the Warners Travel Plaza.

Two dump trucks, a commercial automobile transport truck and a passenger car were all involved in the crash, which occurred just before 2:30 p.m.

Several fire departments and ambulances are on the scene. There is no word at this time on whether there were injuries.

Traffic continues to move on the Thruway. The crash occurred in a construction zone and all four vehicles are to the extreme right of the westbound lanes of the highway.

A reporter is on the scene and we’ll post more information as it becomes available.

Syracuse, NY - The wife of the former North Syracuse mayor has pleaded guilty in connection with allegations she misappropriated some of the village’s money. Patricia Heindorf, 59, pleaded guilty Sept. 27 before village Justice Robert Bertrand to a misdemeanor charge of official misconduct, according to Senior Assistant District Attorney Robert DeMarco. DeMarco today said the charge involved allegations that...

Syracuse, NY - The wife of the former North Syracuse mayor has pleaded guilty in connection with allegations she misappropriated some of the village’s money.

Patricia Heindorf, 59, pleaded guilty Sept. 27 before village Justice Robert Bertrand to a misdemeanor charge of official misconduct, according to Senior Assistant District Attorney Robert DeMarco.

DeMarco today said the charge involved allegations that Heindorf accepted funds on behalf of the village’s Beautification Committee that were not all deposited into the proper account. Some of the money Heindorf collected for the committee actually ended up in the defendant’s own account, the prosecutor said.

Court papers indicate Heindorf's misconduct occurred from 2006 through 2009. The official misconduct charge was based on a statement from Mayor Diane Browning.

In her affidavit, Browning said Heindorf had been collecting funds for the village clock through community donations. Treasurer Dianne Kufel reported in August 2009 that she had found approximately $2,787 was missing and that funds Heindorf was responsible for had been co-mingled in various accounts, Browning said.

All of the money was paid back and there is no restitution as part of the plea deal, DeMarco said. He also said there was no allegation that it was Heindorf’s intent to steal the money.

Heindorf was sentenced to a one-year conditional discharge requiring her to stay out of trouble. But the prosecution also asked the judge to impose an additional condition barring Heindorf from ever again accepting a position with any group where she was responsible for the money, DeMarco said.

The District Attorney’s office began investigating Heindorf last December after some village residents voiced concern about possible discrepancies in the Beautification Committee account. Heindorf served as the committee’s treasurer.

That was three months after Heindorf resigned as treasurer of the Northern Onondaga Public Library board after library officials questioned why she had been paid double her annual stipend for two consecutive years. Authorities said Heindorf paid back the extra $10,000 immediately after being questioned about it in August 2009.

Heindorf also has served as secretary of the North Syracuse Education Association and treasurer of the North Syracuse Democratic Committee.

DeMarco said there were no criminal charges relating to Heindorf’s position with any of the organizations other than the village Beautification Committee. The prosecutor said the official misconduct charge was lodged in that matter because Heindorf breached her official duty as an agent of the village of North Syracuse in mishandling contributions that were supposed to go to the committee.

According to DeMarco, authorities arranged to have Heindorf surrender at the District Attorney’s Office Sept. 27. She was issued an appearance ticket to be in village court later the same day to enter the guilty plea.

Heindorf’s husband, John, resigned as North Syracuse mayor in January.

Read previous coverage of this story.