More rain has fallen in the past 30 hours than in the first 26 days of June.

Syracuse, N.Y. -- More rain fell in Syracuse over 30 hours today and Sunday than in the previous 30 days.

The National Weather Service station at Hancock International Airport recorded 2.73 inches of rain from 6 a.m. Sunday to noon today.

That's more rain than Syracuse had seen in previous 30 days. Before Sunday, the region had seen 2.7 inches in July. That was about a half-inch less than the average.

The last few days of June were dry, too.

The most intense rain was this morning, when nearly 2 inches fell from 8 to 11 a.m. More than a half-inch fell in one hour Sunday morning.

A flash flood watch has been issued for most of Central New York as storms continue to bring rainfall of up to 2 inches per hour. The worst of it will be south of Syracuse, the National Weather Service said.

The rain was so heavy in Oswego County today that investigators called off the search for clues in the disappearance of Heidi Allen.

Contact Glenn Coin: Email | Twitter | Google + | (315) 470-3251

Alyson Shontell invited customers to a 50-percent off sale through August.

Alyson Shontell is saying goodbye to Syracutie next month.

The Syracuse University alumna announced on Sunday in an email to her Syracutie customers that she's closing up the online clothing store on August 30, 2014.

The decision comes six years after she graduated with a dual degree in psychology and advertising, and first tried to get her SU-themed startup off the ground. But it wasn't easy to work with the university, Shontell claimed.

She accused her alma mater of "killing" her startup idea in a 2011 column for Business Insider, saying SU was supportive of her brand at first and then turned against her when she tried to trademark the "Syracutie" name. She wasn't allowed to sell clothes on campus and avoided designs in orange and blue for fear of getting sued.

A local lawyer spent 15 months doing pro bono work for Shontell's case, arguing the university had no more right to the Syracuse name than Syracuse residents do. In the summer of 2012, an agreement was reached: The Syracutie trademark was assigned to SU but Shontell retained "certain compensation and certain rights," as well as permission to use SU colors, logos and pictures of Otto the Orange, and to sell her products on campus and at Marshall Street's Shirt World.

"Syracutie, a clothing line inspired by my four years as an Orange undergrad, has come a long way over the past few years. That's thanks in large part to you, and the early support you showed our business," Shontell wrote to her customers.

"We're proud of what we've been able to accomplish. But in our heart of hearts, we know a clothing business based on 'Syracutie' alone is a tough one to run. After a lot of soul searching and an acquisition of our trademark, we've decided to close up our online shop."

For the next month, customers can get 50 percent off all items at americutie.com/syracutie by using the promotional code "THANKYOU." Products include baby onesies ("Orange you a Syracutie"), t-shirts for girls and women, sweatshirts and yoga pants.

Shontell added that closing up her online shop will not be the end of the Syracutie brand.

"We trust Syracuse University and its partnering apparel companies will put the trademark to great use, and you'll be able to continue buying the items for decades to come. And when you do come across a Syracutie T-shirt or onesie, we hope you'll be proud. It's because of you that this brand was able to exist."

Latest design just in! Now all lil 'Cuse fans can look like Otto. What do you think? pic.twitter.com/MsSNYZlgeZ

— Syracutie (@syracutie) August 24, 2013

Team Haudenosaunee U16 lacrosse team won gold, the U19 lacrosse team won silver and 13-year-old Keegan Hemlock won bronze at the javelin throw.

Keegan Hemlock, 13, of the Onondaga Nation, won bronze in the javelin throw last week at the North American Indigenous Games in Canada.Provided photo 

Nedrow, NY -- Onondaga Nation athletes that competed with Team Haudenosaunee at the North American Indigenous Games in Canada brought home medals and memories.

It was an experience that will last a lifetime, chaperones said.

The games, which were held in the city of Regina, in Saskatchewan, ended Saturday and Onondaga Nation athletes, coaches and chaperones returned home Sunday. Team Haudenosaunee U16 lacrosse team won gold, the U19 lacrosse team won silver and 13-year-old Keegan Hemlock won bronze at the javelin throw.

Jennifer Powless, a chaperone and the mother of two of the athletes, said she was extremely proud of all of the Onondaga youth that participated in the games.

"I know it was the greatest experience for me and my kids," she said. "I'm just happy everyone tried their hardest. Some won medals for their efforts and others walked away knowing that they tried their hardest."

Powless' son, Devon Buckshot, played on the U16 lacrosse team and the U19 lacrosse team. Her daughter, Shania Buckshot, played on the U19 softball team that came in fourth place after losing the bronze medal to Team Ontario.

Powless said some of the athletes who will be too old to compete during the next games have already expressed an interest in going back to coach in 2018. Shania Buckshot and Hanna Tarbell want to coach softball and Robyn Johnson, a member of the U19 volleyball team, wants to coach volleyball.

Team Haudenosaunee U19 lacrosse team won silver at North American Indigenous Games in Canada. Eight of the members are from the Onondaga NationProvided photo 

Thirty-eight athletes from the Onondaga Nation joined Team Haudenosaunee to participate at the games. The Onondaga athletes competed for medals in softball, lacrosse, volleyball, girl's basketball and athletics, which is similar to track & field.

Hemlock had never held a javelin before the games, Powless said. He was trained, took a few practice throws and competed against 12 other athletes to win the bronze medal.

"He's a naturally talented young man," she said.

Team Haudenosaunee also claimed two other medals. Nicolette Barcer, from the Tuscarora Nation, won a silver medal in archery and the U16 male basketball team won bronze.

Powless said the games introduced the Onondaga youth to other sports that they can compete in at the 2018 games, which will be held in the United States.

"Now that we have seen the competition we know what skills to train our athletes in for other sports like archery, canoeing, kayaking, swimming and badminton," she said.

NAIG featured about 5,000 athletes from Native American and indigenous communities in North America. The theme of this year's games was "Raising the Bar." The games wanted to recognize the healthy lifestyle choices that the young indigenous athletes have made.

"I'm glad the athletes gained the experience of seeing so many talented and healthy Natives in one place," Powless said.

The athletes and their families fundraised for months to go to the games. The group held craft sales, dinners and other events to raise the money for travel expenses and uniforms.

"Thank you to the Onondaga Nation council and community for supporting all the athletes, coaches and chaperones to make it possible for us all to attend the NAIG 2014 games," said Ev Powless, a chaperone on the trip and Hemlock's grandmother.

Shawna Booth, a parent and chaperone, said she is also very proud of the athletes for their hard work and dedication.

"It just goes to show when one works hard and stays positive, great things can happen," she said.

Sarah Moses covers the northern suburbs of Onondaga County and Oswego County. Contact Sarah at smoses@syracuse.com or 470-2298. Follow @SarahMoses315

Joseph Molina and Wanda Trumble were each arraigned today in County Court.

Wanda Trumble appears in County Court with her lawyer, Ed Klein.Julie McMahon | jmcmahon@syracuse.com 

Syracuse, NY -- They were called back to back today in County Court: a dad accused of killing his daughter and a mom accused of assaulting her.

Both of Nataliah Trumble's parents are in jail stemming from an investigation into her Nov. 9 death.

Joseph Molina, 33, is charged with manslaughter and endangering the welfare of a child. His bail was set at $150,000.

Wanda Trumble, 20, is charged with reckless assault of a child and endangering the welfare of a child. Her bail remains at $50,000 cash or $100,000 bond.

They are both accused of causing brain damage to 5-month-old Nataliah by shaking her in the days before her death.

5-month-old baby Nataliah Trumble was beaten to death by her teenage mother, police said.Provided photo 

In case you missed it, here's what you should know about the case:

• Nataliah Trumble was rushed to Upstate University Hospital Nov. 8 after losing consciousness with severe head trauma. She dies a day later. Both parents say they acted as soon as they knew something was wrong.

• Wanda Trumble was initially accused of causing the fatal injuries after admitting to shaking the baby four days before her death. A brain doctor said the injuries were not new, leading to suspicion against the mother.

• Joseph Molina said he was the last one to watch his daughter. He said he put her down for her hourly feeding when he noticed discoloration on her face. He claims not to know how the baby suffered her injuries.

• Baby Nataliah had a hard life. Neighbors said that a month before her death, she had a small cast on a fractured leg. They weren't sure what caused it. Nataliah had two half-siblings, each by a different father - a 1-year-old brother, who lived with her, and a 3-year-old sister who lives with her father.

• An exhaustive autopsy pointed to the fatal injuries occurring within 24 hours before the baby's death, when Molina was watching her. That's why he's ultimately charged with manslaughter and not the girl's mother.

In court today, prosecutor Mike Kasmarek said Molina gave police numerous statements about what happened, including three videotaped interviews.

Molina was arraigned in a different court Friday on a sealed indictment, but arraigned again today in front of the judge who will hear the case.

County Court Judge Thomas J. Miller scheduled Sept. 25 for lawyers to make legal arguments in both cases. A trial, if necessary, will be held Dec. 1.

Complete results for the 2014 Lake Placid Ironman, searchable by name, hometown, state, country, sex, age.

Nearly 2,300 people completed the Lake Placid Ironman competition Sunday.

We today obtained the times for all the competitors - pro and non-pro - and created a searchable database for Syracuse.com readers.

The top male competitor was South Africa's Kyle Buckingham and the top female competitor was American Amber Ferreira.

Competitors completed a 2.4-mile swim course in Mirror Lake, a 112-mile bike from Lake Placid to Upper Jay, Wilmington and back, twice and a 26.2-mile run from Lake Placid to Wilmington and back.

Thunder and lightning forced race officials to cancel the second loop of the swim for many of the age group, non-pro athletes. So the pro and non-pro completed different amounts of the swim event. More details

Complete results
(Times are courtesy Ironman)

A note from the race organizers on changed made due to the weather:
We apologize for any confusion with the results process from today due to the inclement weather that interrupted the swim portion of the race. We are pleased that all athletes were able to safely leave the water and continue the race. Because of the extraordinary circumstances, we have been working to find the fairest way to asses today's race results for Age Group Awards and IRONMAN World Championship qualification.

The revised criteria for Age Group Awards and IRONMAN World Championship qualification is as follows:

* For men's age groups 18-24 and inclusive of 55-59, the time for entire race (both swim loops, T1, Bike, T2, Run) will be used
* For women's age groups 18-24 and inclusive of 50-54, the time for the entire race (both swim loops, T1, Bike, T2, Run) will be used
* For men's age groups 60-64 and older, the modified time (first loop of swim, bike T2, run) will be used
* For women's age groups 55-59 and older, the modified time (first loop of swim, bike T2, run) will be used

Please note the results currently posted online reflect the one loop swim, bike, T2 and run.

Read the court papers filed in Oneida City Court in connection with the charges filed again Tomas Zavalidroga, who is accused of leaving his 83-year-old mother in the woods in Oneida.

Margaret Zavalidroga, the 83-year-old Blossvale woman whose son is charged with leaving her in the woods, said in court papers filed in Oneida City Court that her son is the one walked her into the woods.

Her son, 52-year-old Tomas Zavalidroga, is charged with second-degree reckless endangerment and third-degree falsely reporting an incident in connection with his mother's disappearance.

He is accused of with leaving her in the woods while reporting to police that she was missing while rescuers searched for her for three days. She was found alive July 21, and told police her son returned to the woods to feed her oatmeal the morning she was rescued. Police are continuing to investigate.

Zavalidroga will be back in Oneida city court Aug. 1. He entered a not guilty plea to the charges Friday.

Read the court papers here:

Court papers in case of woman left in woods in Oneida

The Hotel Syracuse's new owner wants to drop the name in favor of one tied to a top-tier hotel brand.

Syracuse, N.Y. — The new owner of the historic Hotel Syracuse plans to give it a new name after he completes a planned $57 million renovation. But the name has been part of the Central New York scene for 90 years.

What do you think? Should owner Ed Riley drop the Hotel Syracuse name?

Let us know by voting voting in our poll and leaving your comments below.

The hotel, which opened in downtown Syracuse in 1924, has a lot of history to it. It's on the National Register of Historic Places. For many decades, it was Central New York's premier hotel. It was the place to hold weddings, business meetings, holiday parties and other events until it ran into financial troubles and closed in 2004.

But Riley said the hotel's reputation took a bit hit in the years right before it closed because the quality of its rooms and service began to fall along with its finances. He said he will toss the Hotel Syracuse name and replace it with one tied to whichever hotel brand the hotel affiliates with after its renovation and reopening.

Riley said he is holding discussions with several top-tier hotel brands but has no agreement yet.

Contact Rick Moriarty anytime: Email | Twitter | Facebook | 315-470-3148

A federal appeals court has made gay marriage legal in Virginia after declaring the current ban unconstitutional.

RICHMOND, Va. -- A federal appeals court ruled Monday that Virginia's same-sex marriage ban is unconstitutional, the latest in a string of decisions overturning bans across the country.

A three-judge panel of the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond ruled that state constitutional and statutory provisions barring gay marriage and denying recognition of such unions performed in other states violate the U.S. Constitution. The Virginia gay marriage case is one of several that could go to the U.S. Supreme Court.

It was not immediately clear if or when the state would need to begin issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples.

Virginia's same-sex marriage bans "impermissibly infringe on its citizens' fundamental right to marry," Judge Henry F. Floyd wrote in the court's opinion.

In February, U.S. District Judge Arenda Wright Allen ruled that Virginia's same-sex marriage ban violates the U.S. Constitution's equal protection and due process guarantees. Lawyers for two circuit court clerks whose duties include issuing marriage licenses appealed. Attorney General Mark Herring, representing a state official also named as a defendant, sided with the plaintiffs.

"Marriage is one of the most fundamental rights -- if not the most fundamental right -- of all Americans," David Boies, an attorney for the plaintiffs, said in a statement. "This court has affirmed that our plaintiffs -- and all gay and lesbian Virginians -- no longer have to live as second-class citizens who are harmed and demeaned every day."

Gay marriage proponents have won more than 20 legal decisions around the country since the U.S. Supreme Court last year struck down a key part of the federal Defense of Marriage Act. Those rulings remain in various stages of appeal.

More than 70 cases have been filed in all 31 states that prohibit same-sex marriage. Nineteen states and the District of Columbia allow such marriages.

The Virginia lawsuit was filed by Timothy Bostic and Tony London of Norfolk, who were denied a marriage license, and Carol Schall and Mary Townley of Chesterfield County. The women were married in California and wanted their marriage recognized in Virginia, where they are raising a 16-year-old daughter.

Two other same-sex couples, Joanne Harris and Jessica Duff of Staunton and Christy Berghoff and Victoria Kidd of Winchester, filed a similar lawsuit in Harrisonburg and were allowed to intervene in the case before the appeals court.

In 2006, Virginians voted 57 percent to 43 percent to approve the constitutional amendment banning gay marriage. Virginia laws also prohibit recognition of same-sex marriages performed in other states.

A tornado touchdown just a few miles from downtown Boston in the coastal city of Revere.

REVERE, Mass. (AP) -- A storm system that wreaked havoc across the eastern half of the U.S. spawned a tornado just north of Boston on Monday, causing extensive damage in Revere, where roofs were ripped off buildings and dozens of large trees were uprooted.

Officials in Revere, a coastal city of about 53,000, said there no immediate reports of serious injuries, but several people suffered minor injuries, including a baby who was in a car and hurt by flying glass and an elderly woman who suffered cuts.

"Given the magnitude of the storm, it's really a miracle that no one sustained more serious injuries," said Revere Mayor Dan Rizzo.

Communities across the U.S. were cleaning up Monday after strong storms destroyed homes, knocked out power for thousands of people and toppled power lines and trees.

The tornado was spawned by a powerful storm that moved through the Boston area shortly after 9 a.m. Deputy Fire Chief Mike Viviano said his department received dozens of calls reporting partial building and roof collapses, and downed trees and power lines.

Paul and Patty Carrabes said they were both at work when the wind tore the roof off their home.

"I probably would have died if I was in there," said Patty Carrabes said.

Bob Cronin, the city's sealer of weights and measures, said he was in City Hall when the tornado hit.

Cronin said City Hall was damaged, as were a number of businesses. One auto body shop had its roof ripped clean off, Cronin said.

"This isn't something you expect to happen when you wake up in the morning," he said.

The National Weather Service's office in Massachusetts said it was the first tornado in Suffolk County, which includes the city of Boston and the northern communities of Revere, Chelsea and Winthrop, since the agency began keeping records on them in 1950.

Rizzo said City Hall was evacuated due to damage and will likely be closed for a couple of days. He said he expected the city to open a shelter for any residents who are unable to stay in their homes.

In eastern Tennessee, officials said there were no reports of any deaths or injuries from Sunday's storms, though at least 10 homes were destroyed. Claiborne County emergency management spokeswoman Gina Breeding told The Associated Press it wasn't clear whether the destruction was the result of a tornado, but noted there were strong winds, lightning and heavy thunderstorms.

In Kentucky, National Weather Service forecaster Tony Edwards said some areas got softball-sized hail Sunday.

Massive hail also was reported in Michigan, where winds toppled trees and ripped the roofs off buildings. And in Ohio, some roads had been blocked by flash flooding. In Pennsylvania, nighttime storms knocked out power to thousands.

Consultant warned county that delays in environmental review could push back opening date.

Syracuse, N.Y. -- After calls from a coalition that Onondaga County was rushing the environmental review of an amphitheater to be built on waste beds and a landfill, county leaders may agree to slow things down.

Under a resolution to be voted on next week by the Onondaga County Legislature, the public would get 25 more days to comment on the 654-page environmental report on the amphitheater. The legislature would also hold a second public hearing.

Adding more time to the environmental review could threaten plans to hold the first shows in the 17,500-seat amphitheater during Labor Day weekend next year as planned. A consultant's report said the early September 2015 opening was already "very ambitious," and warned that any delays particularly in the environmental review could scuttle that opening.

In the past two weeks, a coalition of environmental groups and the Onondaga Nation have criticized the Legislature for initially allowing only 30 days of comments and for holding just one public hearing in the middle of a week day. They had asked for up to 60 days more to comment.

Several legislators, including the chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, agreed after last Wednesday's hearing that the public needed more time.

The resolution to be voted on by legislators Aug. 5 calls for extending the comment period to Friday, Sept. 5. It also would set a public hearing for 6 p.m. Aug. 26 in the legislative chambers in the downtown county courthouse.

Legislature Chairman Ryan McMahon said at last week's public hearing he would consider whether to hold another hearing and extend the time for comments. The resolution released by the county today is sponsored by McMahon.

The county released the Draft Environmental Impact Statement in late June, and public comment was scheduled to run from July 9 to Aug. 11. An even larger report, the 723-page conceptual plan for the amphitheater, was released shortly after.

The conceptual plan said the State Fair grandstand concerts would be moved to the new amphitheater.

Here's the county legislative resolution.

DEIS Comment Extended

Contact Glenn Coin: Email | Twitter | Google + | (315) 470-3251

The law targets Google, and makes it compulsory that websites charge the search engine and other major news aggregators a fee to link to their content.

Spanish Congress has passed a new law that makes it an "inalienable right" for news media to charge a fee to anyone who links to their online content.

The reform to the Spanish Intellectual Property Law, or "Google tax," as it's known in Spain, gives members of the Spanish News Publishers Association (AEDE) the right to receive compensation from sites that link to their content and include a "meaningful" description of the work, Quartz reports.

Basically, the law targets Google, and makes it compulsory that websites charge the search engine and other major news aggregators a fee to link to their content.

The Spanish government clarified that social media sites like Facebook and Twitter would be exempt from the law, but much remains unclear about exactly how the law will be enforced.

Quartz notes that the law fails to spell out exactly what a "meaningful" description is, how much will be owed per link, what counts as "exclusive" content, and who will arbitrate disputes. It does, however, make clear that violating the law can lead to a fine of 300,000 euros.

Spain's justice system will still have no jurisdiction over foreign companies that link to AEDE content, but it does give the government the power to close websites within its national territory, Sharecast reports.

Some sites are reportedly already asking Spanish users not to link to AEDE content, and Menéame, a Spanish equivalent of Digg, is talking about leaving the country, according to Boing Boing.

"They want to penalize various forms of social media traffic, and some here believe that this is part of a plan to limit the free expression and circulation of information outside of Spain's few big newspapers," writes blogger Marilín Gonzalo.

The law's "inalienable right" wording has caused some concern, because it means that a site cannot "opt-out" of charging others for using their content.

"Even if I have a blog or a new small digital media publication and I want to let people freely link to my content, I can't opt-out," writes Gonzalo. "They are charging the levy, and giving it to the big press media."

According to Techdirt, this also means that sites operating under the concept of "fair use," or sites that use public domain material, would still be forced to charge, and be charged, for links.

Not surprisingly, Google has protested the law, according to Quartz. On its Spanish blog, Google pointed out that Google News doesn't carry ads, and that publishers can easily remove themselves from search results if they want their content to remain exclusive. That, however, would mean losing a large number of readers.

There are rumors that Google might shut down Google News in Spain over the law, Techdirt reports.

"Spanish media companies could find themselves more hurt by this law than any others really, especially if Spaniards look to other foreign news sources," IG analyst Christopher Beauchamp told Sharecast.

Do you think it's fair to charge a fee for linking to content? Leave a comment on Spain's "Google tax" below.

The mothers of both victims spoke in court today before Justin Dallas's sentencing. Watch video

Liverpool, NY -- The mother of Liverpool homicide victim Brandy Dallas laid bare her emotions this morning as her daughter's husband was sentenced in her murder.

"I pray that every time you hear those prison doors bang shut, that you see her face and regret your actions," Sherry Jones said in court today. "I hope you live in fear for the rest of your days... You are not a human being, you are an animal, and will be treated as such, locked up in a cage."

Justin Dallas, 33, of Syracuse, will spend 46 years to life in prison for the Oct. 28 murders of his wife and her friend, Samantha Rainwater, inside Rainwater's Liverpool residence. Brandy Dallas was stabbed 30 times and Rainwater 41 times.

Related: Victims stabbed 71 times in double Liverpool murder; families lash out at Justin Dallas

"The impact of this crime and the loss of my daughter, Samantha Rainwater, is vast and all-encompassing," wrote her mother, Jennifer Fox.

Noting the 71 stab wounds, she added: "Justin Dallas will be sentenced to prison for a minimum of 46 years. That's not even one year per stab wound."

Another woman, who Dallas threw down a flight of stairs during the attack, spoke in court. Brandy Wilcox was barely audible between her sobs, but told Dallas that he "had no right" to attack the women as they slept.

Firefighters were called to a fire at an abandoned home on Happy Valley Road in the town of Albion.

Williamstown, N.Y. -- An abandoned home caught fire Monday afternoon in northern Oswego County, 911 officials said.

Someone called the Oswego County 911 Center at 3:54 p.m. Monday to report the fire on Happy Valley Road, off Route 104 in Albion, officials said.

Altmar and Williamstown volunteer firefighters responded to the scene. Firefighters extinguished the fire by 4:05 p.m., but remained at the scene after 5 p.m. No injuries have been reported.

Liberia takes an unprecedented step against the Ebola virus and has closed most of its land borders to prevent its spread.

JOHANNESBURG -- Liberia President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf has closed most of the country's land borders, restricted public gatherings and quarantined communities that have seen Ebola outbreaks to try to contain the world's worst outbreak of the deadly virus.

The measures announced late Sunday came after a Liberian official, Patrick Sawyer, 40, flew from Liberia to Nigeria's most populous city, Lagos, last week, falling violently ill on the plane before collapsing on arrival at the airport. He died Friday of the virus.

There are fears that the incurable disease may gain a foothold in Lagos, with the possibility that passengers or crew may have contracted the illness.

Sawyer's flight stopped in the Togolese capital, Lome, on the way to Lagos, raising fears the disease may spread to that country as well. World Health Organization officials have been sent to Lagos and Lome to follow up contacts with passengers and crew on the flight, said WHO spokesman Paul Garwood, Reuters reported.

Nigerian airline Arik on Sunday suspended flights to Liberia and Sierra Leone after Sawyer's death, which amplified fears that the disease may spread to other countries in Africa or elsewhere.

Nigerian health authorities evacuated the hospital where Sawyer died and said Monday it would be closed for a week.

With criticisms that governments in the three West African countries have been slow to respond to the crisis, Johnson-Sirleaf announced the new measures, shutting all but three border points and introducing stringent health checks at those that remain open. She said health tests on all arriving and departing passengers would be carried out at airports.

"No doubt, the Ebola virus is a national health problem, and as we have also begun to see, it attacks our way of life, with serious economic and social consequences," Johnson-Sirleaf said.

The outbreak is unprecedented both in geographical spread and the numbers of casualties, with 672 deaths since February, according to WHO. Doctors Without Borders, one of the main agencies combating the outbreak in West Africa, has described it as out of control.

Last week three doctors caring for Ebola patients contracted the disease, including Texas doctor Kent Brantly, who has been working at ELWA Hospital in Monrovia for a Christian charity group, the Samaritan's Purse. An American missionary at the same hospital, Nancy Writebol, from a group called Serving in Mission, also contracted the virus.

A senior Liberian doctor, Samuel Brisbane, has died of the disease, and Sierra Leone's top doctor, Sheik Umar Khan, has contracted it but was reportedly responding well to treatment, while three nurses he was working with have died.

In Sierra Leone 224 people have died, while the disease has killed 129 in Liberia and 319 in Guinea. Most of the recent cases are in Sierra Leone.

Sierra Leone President Ernest Bai Koroma visited the epicenter of the outbreak in Kailahun on Monday.

The disease kills its victims swiftly, causing fever, vomiting, diarrhea and massive internal bleeding. It is spread through bodily fluids including sweat, and traditional burial methods -- including washing the bodies of the dead -- are believed to have spread the disease rapidly after the initial outbreak in Guinea, near the border of Sierra Leone. It spread mainly through cross-border trade.

With no cure and a mortality rate in the current outbreak of more than 60 percent, some activists and health workers have called for steps to offer experimental drugs to patients.

Communities in West Africa are terrified of the disease and in some cases suspicious of medical staff involved in fighting it. Some villages in Guinea are inaccessible to medical staff because local people blame outsiders for bringing death to their communities.

The fear and resistance to treatment has complicated efforts to fight the disease. Some patients, including the first victim in the Sierra Leone capital, Freetown, have fled health facilities because of fears that few people emerge alive.

Critics claim not enough was done by governments and others to educate populations about the disease and the need to seek treatment to help keep it from spreading to others.

Conditions for health workers clad from head to foot in protective gear are horrendous, according to the Samaritan's Purse. In West Africa, where the warm, rainy season is underway, temperatures in the protective suits reach up to 115 degrees Fahrenheit, according to a statement by the organization this month.

Donning the suits takes 30 minutes and decontamination after treating patients takes another half-hour, the organization said, but even with the most meticulous procedures, health workers are vulnerable to infection.

The CNY SPCA is looking to find new homes for cats at whatever price the new owner can afford.

Mattydale, NY -- The Central New York SPCA is offering a deal to anyone willing to adopt a cat: name your price and take home a new pet.

The two-month promotion comes as the animal shelter is overwhelmed by nearly 150 cats seized in animal cruelty cases in recent months. That's on top of the dozens of cats already at the shelter.

To help find these felines new homes, SPCA executive director Paul Morgan launched the promotion that saves new owners the standard $155 adoption fee.

For now, you can pay whatever you can to adopt any cat at least 1 year old.

Of course, Morgan hopes that people will pay whatever they can to the shelter: donations of any amount are welcome.

But the shelter, at 4878 E. Molloy Road, Mattydale, has been reeling from the spate of cruelty cases. In less than two months, the shelter recovered 194 abused dogs, cats, horses and birds from 10 cruelty investigations, Morgan said.

Those interested can call 454-4479 for more details.

Investigators believe someone intentionally set the abandoned mobile home on fire in the town of Albion.

ALBION, N.Y. -- The Oswego County Sheriff's Office is investigating a suspicious mobile home fire Monday, fire officials said.

"Obviously there's some foul play involved," Altmar Volunteer Fire Chief Bill Holcomb said after returning from the fire on Happy Valley Road, off Route 104 in the town of Albion.

Firefighters are still trying to determine the exact address of the mobile home that caught fire Monday afternoon. The mobile home, which had an addition, had been abandoned for years, Holcomb said. There was no running water or electricity, and the home was uninhabitable before the fire, the fire chief said.

Someone called the Oswego County 911 Center to report the fire at 3:54 p.m. Altmar and Williamstown volunteer firefighters responded. Firefighters extinguished the blaze 11 minutes later, but remained on the scene for about two hours. No one was injured.

Firefighters determined the blaze started near the front door, Holcomb said.

"It was obvious it was intentional," he said.

ReThink81, which wants the elevated highway replaced by a street-level boulevard, identified the buildings at risk. State transportation officials says those decisions haven't been made.

SYRACUSE, N.Y. - Building a straighter, elevated Interstate 81 in Syracuse would flatten some of the city's historic buildings, expensive apartments and renovated blocks while adding tens of millions of dollars in property costs to the overall project, according to an analysis by a group opposed to a new viaduct.

The state Department of Transportation says it's too soon to know what properties would be razed, but ReThink81 is making bold predictions.

According to the group, a new straighter viaduct would cut through the McMahon/Ryan Child Advocacy Center, Smith's Restaurant Supply and the Snowden, where more than 100 convicted sex offenders live.

It would shoot through St. John the Evangelist, Nettleton Commons and Webster's Landing.

The middle of a new I-81 and larger I-690 interchange would cover more than a block of Little Italy along North Salina Street, from south of Learbury Centre up to the corner anchored by Rocky's News Stand, ReThink 81 predicts.

Columbus Bakery would remain, according to ReThink's analysis. Thano's Import Market would not.

ReThink81, which wants the elevated highway to be replaced by a street-level boulevard, identified the buildings by taking the centerlines of a new I-81 viaduct and its larger interchange with Interstate 690 from a preliminary, state-produced map. The group then drew those centerlines across the city's streets.

I-81 Project Director Mark Frechette has said repeatedly that it is far too soon to know what properties might be in the way, in part because state and federal officials are at the very beginning stages of figuring out what should replace the deteriorating highway - a boulevard, a tunnel or a new viaduct.

The state has said the straightest version of a new viaduct would cost $1.438 billion and would take out 30 to 40 buildings. ReThink81's analysis found about the same amount of buildings at risk.

ReThink81 is tired of waiting for DOT to identify specific buildings at risk. So it put the city's skyline up against the state's ideas, no matter how preliminary they are.

"We wanted to make it real," said Bob Doucette, a downtown developer who is against any plans that call for replacing the I-81 viaduct, said of the study.

"You figure, that at the Dinosaur Bar-B-Que, the building itself would not be at risk," said Andrew Schuster, a local architect and another founding member behind ReThink81. "But everybody eating there, if you're sitting outside, would essentially be a block away from the underside of a 100-foot overpass."

Their study, which appears at the bottom of this story, illustrates the effects of both another elevated I-81 and an expanded interchange with I-690, a key part of the state and federal project. In fact, about a third of the properties ReThink81 believes could be at risk are because of new ramps needed for the I-690 part of the project, according to Schuster.

In the end, the centerlines bisect or nick more than 100 property tax parcels worth $41.8 million, according to ReThink's analysis. That could cost the city and Onondaga County $1.6 million a year in lost property taxes.

State officials say ReThink81's analysis is premature because the information released so far is conceptual rather than an exact design of where a new highway could go. The I-81 project is in an early, idea phase, according to Department of Transportation spokesman Beau Duffy.

"What we have developed so far are conceptual layouts of the alternatives to determine if they meet the purpose and need of the project," Duffy said in response to questions about ReThink81's report. "They do not reflect the detailed engineering work necessary to determine how the different alternatives could affect specific properties."

Those details will come during the project's next phase, Duffy added.

The state has proposed six options for I-81 - three for a new viaduct and three for a replacement boulevard and by-pass around the city. The state is holding a public meeting about its recommendations at 6 p.m. Tuesday, July 29 at Toomey Abbott Towers, 1207 Almond St. People have until Sept. 2 to comment on those proposals or suggest their own.

Other founding members of ReThink81 include Bob Haley, Mike Stanton,  Joe Sisko, Jason Evans, Joe Hucko, Matt Oja, and Syracuse Common Council President Van Robinson. The Downtown Committee of Syracuse also supports the group's findings. None of them own any parts of the properties they identified at risk in their study, according to Schuster.

The authors of the study admit their analysis depends on information not yet known --  namely, exactly where the centerline of a new, elevated I-81 would run through Syracuse. And they failed to look at any effects on property south of Adams Street, where a new viaduct could encroach on parts of the Syracuse Housing Authority.

But, they argue, if another set of bridges cuts through the city, it's fair to take a look at what might be in the way based on the very information the state has provided thus far.

Schuster, Doucette and others acknowledge that centerline could tack east or west as the state designs a proposal for a safer, straighter interstate.  "You're just going to move the impact," Schuster says. "You're not going to have a substantially larger or smaller impact. You'll just impact different properties."

Not everyone buys that assessment.

"If this list is not from the DOT then I don't put a lot of credence in it," said Mark Nicotra, the Salina supervisor who helped found Save81, a group that wants I-81 to remain in some form as a federal highway through the city. "The DOT has not said what properties might be at risk. This list is a complete guess. It could have some accuracy, but who's to say."

 

Contact Teri Weaver anytime: Email | Twitter | 315-470-2274

Rethink81 White Paper June 2014

The warnings came on a day of heavy fighting in which nine children were killed by a strike on a Gaza park -- a tragedy that each side blamed on the other

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) -- Signaling an escalation of Israel's Gaza operation, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Israelis Monday to be ready for a "prolonged" war, and the military warned Palestinians in three large neighborhoods to leave their homes and head immediately for Gaza City.

The warnings came on a day of heavy Hamas-Israeli fighting in which nine children were killed by a strike on a Gaza park where they were playing, according to Palestinian health officials -- a tragedy that each side blamed on the other.

Israeli tanks also resumed heavy shelling in border areas of Gaza, killing five people, including three children and a 70-year-old woman, and wounding 50 in the town of Jebaliya, which was among the areas warned to evacuate, the Red Crescent said.

Many Jebaliya residents said they did not dare attempt an escape. Sufian Abed Rabbo said his extended family of 17 had taken refuge under the stairway in their home.

"God help us. We have nothing to do but pray," the 27-year-old told The Associated Press by phone. "I don't know who left and who stayed, but in our street, we are all very scared to move."

Later Monday, Israeli forces fired a large numbers of flares over Gaza City, turning the night sky a bright orange.

The latest bloodshed came despite mounting international calls for a cease-fire and followed failed attempts by both sides to agree to even a lull in fighting of several hours for the start of the three-day Muslim holiday of Eid el-Fitr that marks the end of Ramadan.

The Hamas-run health ministry said 10 people, including nine children under the age of 12, were killed and 46 wounded in the blast at a park in the Shati refugee camp on the outskirts of Gaza City.

Each side blamed the other.

Lt. Col. Peter Lerner, an Israeli military spokesman, said the explosion was caused when a rocket launched by Gaza militants misfired and landed in the park. Palestinian police and civil defense said an Israeli missile hit as children were playing on a swing set.

"The children were playing and were happy, enjoying Eid, and they got hit," said Nidal Aljerbi, a witness.

After three weeks of bloodshed, both Israel and Hamas are holding out for bigger gains and a cease-fire remains elusive, despite an appeal by the U.N. Security Council and growing pressure from the United States.

Israel says its troops will not leave Gaza until they have demolished scores of Hamas military tunnels under the Gaza-Israel border that militants use to infiltrate Israel and smuggle weapons. Hamas says it will not cease fire until it receives international guarantees Gaza's 7-year-old border blockade by Egypt and Israel will be lifted.

Netanyahu defended the Gaza air and ground offensive, saying in a televised speech Monday that "there is no war more just than this."

Israel has said it is defending its citizens against attack from Gaza by hitting Hamas rocket launchers, weapons storage sites and military tunnels. However, there is growing U.S. frustration with the mounting number of Palestinian casualties -- at least 1,072 killed and 6,450 wounded since July 8, the vast majority civilians, according to Hamas health officials.

The Israeli military says 52 soldiers have been killed, including four killed Monday in a mortar attack on southern Israel. Two Israeli civilians and a Thai citizen working in Israel also have been killed.

President Barack Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry have been pressing Israel to accept an immediate and unconditional humanitarian cease-fire.

The Obama administration pushed back Monday against a torrent of Israeli criticism over Kerry's latest bid to secure a cease-fire with Hamas, accusing some in Israel of launching a "misinformation campaign" against the top American diplomat.

"It's simply not the way partners and allies treat each other," State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said.

Her comments were echoed by the White House, where officials said they were disappointed by Israeli reports that cast Kerry's efforts to negotiate a cease-fire as more favorable to Hamas.

Israel had accepted an Egyptian call for an unconditional cease-fire early in its Gaza campaign, but Hamas rejected the idea.

Netanyahu said Monday that Israel won't end its offensive until Hamas' network of tunnels under the Gaza-Israel border has been neutralized. "We need to be ready for a prolonged campaign," he said. "We will continue to act aggressively and responsibly until the mission is completed to protect our citizens, soldiers and children."

Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri responded defiantly. "His threats do not scare Hamas or the Palestinian people, and the occupation will pay the price for the massacres against civilians and children," he said.

Israel's last major Gaza invasion ended in January 2009 after 23 days, one-third of that time with troops on the ground. Already, the current ground operation, which began 11 days ago, has lasted longer than the one in 2009.

In recent days, Israeli leaders have debated whether to withdraw from Gaza after the tunnels are demolished, or to expand the ground operation to deliver a more painful blow against Hamas. Those in favor of an escalation have argued that unless Hamas is toppled and disarmed, a new round of Israel-Gaza fighting is inevitable. Opponents say attempting to reoccupy densely populated Gaza, even if for a short period, could quickly entangle Israel politically and militarily and drive up the number of dead.

In his remarks Monday, Netanyahu didn't let on which way he is leaning. However, he insisted that "preventing the arming of terror groups and demilitarizing Gaza must be part of any solution," indicating that Israel's aims are broader than initially stated.

For now, ground forces have largely operated on the edges of Gaza.

The Israeli military has said it has located 31 tunnels, is aware of the existence of 10 more and has so far demolished close to 20.

Gaza militants have repeatedly used the tunnels to sneak into Israel, including on Monday when several infiltrated into southern Israel. The army said one Hamas militant coming through a tunnel was killed in a firefight, but that searches in the area were continuing.

The Hamas military wing said nine of its fighters infiltrated and attacked an army post.

After three weeks of battle, "our fighters still have a lot of surprises in store for the leaders of the occupation and their elite soldiers," the group said in a statement.

The blast at the Gaza park occurred within minutes of a separate strike Monday afternoon on nearby Shifa Hospital, Gaza City's largest medical facility. Several people were wounded in the blast near one of the hospital's outpatient clinics, Hamas health officials said.

Lerner, the army spokesman, denied Israel was involved in the two attacks. "This incident was carried out by Gaza terrorists whose rockets fell short and hit the Shifa Hospital and the Beach (Shati) camp," he said, adding that the military had identified 200 "failed launchings" so far.

Early Tuesday, the military released aerial photographs that it said showed the paths of two misfired Hamas rockets it said hit the park and Shifa Hospital. It said the rockets were detected by Israeli military radar and sensors.

Gaza's police operations room and civil defense department blamed the attacks on Israeli airstrikes.

Gaza's Interior Ministry spokesman Eyad al-Bozum said he believes that shrapnel found in the dead and wounded is evidence of Israel's role in the incident.

Firefighters cut the driver from the car; the driver, 64-year-old Rose Card, was then taken to Upstate University Hospital.

An Onondaga County sheriff's deputy and a worker from Jim's Service Center, Liverpool, stand at the scene of a car crash Monday evening, across from a Subway restaurant at 5194 West Taft Road, Clay. Gary Walts | gwalts@syracuse.com 

CLAY, N.Y. -- A Liverpool woman driving along West Taft Road in Clay had a medical problem before she crashed shortly after 6 p.m. Monday, Onondaga County Sheriff's Deputy Herb Wiggins said.

North Syracuse volunteer firefighters had to cut the woman from her car after the crash, across from a Subway restaurant at 5194 W. Taft Road.

NAVAC Ambulance took the driver, Rose Card, 64, to Upstate University Hospital, Wiggins said. The deputy described Card's injuries as minor and said she may have possibly had a diabetic issue. The front of the Card's car was damaged after it went over a curb, struck an approximately 3-foot-tall pole and a cement block, then came to rest on top of the pole, emergency responders said.

Rain and scattered thunderstorms are expected during most of the day Thursday. There will be a breeze and temperatures will struggle to get out of the low 70s.

SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- Central New York will be rainy and cloudy with scattered thunderstorms Thursday, a pattern that will continue for us through the weekend.

Rain and scattered thunderstorms are expected during most of the day Thursday. There will be a breeze and temperatures will struggle to get out of the low 70s.

(View live radar map of New York state here.)

An upper-level disturbance will remain over our region into the end of the week causing unsettled weather, the National Weather Service said.

Scattered showers and thunderstorms are expected at some point each day through Sunday. But there will be periods of sun when the bad weather breaks, Time Warner Cable News said. Central New York will beginning warming by Friday when the high will reach into the low 80s.

Temperatures will continue to reach the low 80s over the weekend. On Monday skies will clear and the rain will give way to sun.

Your Forecast

• Thursday: Scattered rain and thunderstorms very likely throughout the day. Slight chance of rain in the evening. Southwest winds up to 10 mph. Highs in the mid 70s. Lows in the high 50s.
  
• Friday: Partly sunny with a slight chance for rain and thunderstorms throughout the day. Southwest winds up to 10 mph. Highs in the mid 80s. Lows in the low 60s.
  
• Saturday: Partly sunny with a fair chance for rain and thunderstorms throughout the day. Highs near 80. Lows in the mid 60s.
  
• Sunday: Partly sunny in the morning with a fair chance of rain and thunderstorms throughout the day. Cloudy later in the day. Highs near 80. Lows in the low 60s.
  
• Monday: Partly sunny. Clear with Highs near 80. Lows in the low 60s.

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