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Rep. Ann Marie Buerkle hears about farm problems straight from the source

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During a four-hour swing that took her to an apple orchard, vineyard, dairy farm and organic vegetable farm, Buerkle heard about problems farmers face with immigration, regulations, labor and ever fluctuating milk prices.

buerk.jpgU.S. Congresswoman Ann Marie Buerkle, center, listens to local agribusiness owners make their concerns known during her visit to the Hourigan Dairy Farm in Elbridge.

Elbridge, NY -- Rep. Ann Marie Buerkle, R-Onondaga Hill, got an earful from farmers Friday during a farm tour of her Central New York district.

During a four-hour swing that took her to an apple orchard, vineyard, dairy farm and organic vegetable farm, Buerkle heard about problems farmers face with immigration, regulations, labor and ever fluctuating milk prices.

At the Hourigan Dairy Farm in Elbridge, about 35 people gathered in one of Nancy and John Hourigan’s farm buildings to tell Buerkle what irks them about the federal and state governments.

Hourigan said his top three issues are labor, fluctuating milk prices and the weather.

“The weather, we really can’t do anything about that one,” he said. “But with labor, we have to ease the immigration laws. I believe we need those people in the orchards and on dairy farms to do business. You can’t get Americans to pick apples or milk cows.”

He also said prices farmers are paid for their products, whether it be milk, potatoes, beef or eggs, must be consistent so farmers can make a living.

“The low prices last too long and the high prices last for too short a time,“ he said.

Dirk Young, owner of Twin Birch Farm on Benson Road in Skaneateles, told Buerkle he thinks the government has too much say in how farms are run.

“The government needs to get the hell out and let us work,” he said. “If I can make a (price) deal with the guy picking up my milk, why can’t I get that price?”

Buerkle said she heard from farmers Friday and during an Agriculture Advisory Task Force meeting Thursday that the different branches of government need to be on the same page when it comes to regulations.

She said agencies often contradict each other in their rules for farmers, making it difficult for farmers to figure out what to do.

“After hearing what farmers have said yesterday and today, I want to throw up my hands. I wonder why would anyone be in this business?” Buerkle said. “You’re constantly being obstructed. There has to be a balance. We have to get government out of the way.”

She said she wants to have hearings in the Northeast concerning the upcoming 2012 federal Farm Bill and she wants one of those to be in her district. She also told the farmers to call her office as soon as they hear of a problem or concern.

“We need to get these things on our radar screen,” she said.

In addition to the Hourigan Dairy Farm, Buerkle also visited Beak & Skiff in LaFayette, Anyela’s Vineyard in Skaneateles and Wyllie Fox Farm in Ira in Cayuga County.


Obama: Every tool eyed to stop slaughter in Syria

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The president did not give specifics about what the U.S. or other countries would do to help.

Syria.jpgView full sizeIn this Wednesday, Feb. 22, citizen journalism image provided by the Local Coordination Committees in Syria and accessed on Thursday, Feb. 23, 2012, flames rise from a house from Syrian government shelling, at Baba Amr neighborhood in Homs province, Syria. A French photojournalist and a prominent American war correspondent working for a British newspaper were killed Wednesday as Syrian forces intensely shelled the opposition stronghold of Homs.

WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Barack Obama on Friday declared the U.S. and its allies would consider "every tool available" to stop the slaughter of innocent people in Syria, using his most forceful words to date in response to an increasingly grim crisis that has gripped the world.

The president did not give specifics about what the U.S. or other countries would do to help. Lacking international consensus on any armed confrontation, and with Syrian President Bashar Assad unyielding, the United States has only limited options and leverage.

"It is absolutely imperative for the international community to rally and send a clear message to President Assad that it is time for a transition," Obama said after a meeting with the Danish prime minister. "It is time for that regime to move on. And it is time to stop the killing of Syrian citizens by their own government."

The president added that nations cannot afford to be "bystanders" as the killing continues.

» Follow the latest updates of international news from The Associated Press

Obama spoke shortly after Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton used strong language to denounce Russia and China for protecting Syria, and the president's language about the need for world unity was viewed as a similar condemnation of those two nations.

Obama said he was encouraged by developments out of Tunisia on Friday, where more than 60 nations, in a unified bloc, asked the United Nations to begin planning a civilian peacekeeping mission that would deploy after the Assad regime halts its brutal crackdown on the opposition.

The Tunisia meeting is the latest international effort to end the crisis, which began when protesters inspired by uprisings sweeping across the Arab world took the streets in some of Syria's impoverished provinces nearly a year ago to call for political change.

Assad's security forces have responded with a fierce crackdown. There is no end in sight.

The government blames the violence on Islamic extremists and armed gangs. The situation has grown increasingly militarized in recent months, with opposition forces increasingly taken up arms against the regime. The U.N. estimated in January that 5,400 people were killed in the conflict in 2011. Hundreds more have died since.

Obama's language was stronger than in the past, reflecting the worsening humanitarian crisis and the urgent efforts to help civilians in the short run.

Among the near-term options to help civilians are Red Cross evacuation missions like one that brought at least seven wounded people out of Homs on Friday, and larger international efforts to get humanitarian supplies into the country. The Obama administration has not called for any specific action but would almost certainly be part of any large-scale humanitarian relief effort that might be organized over the coming days or weeks.

A broad humanitarian relief effort would require agreement from the Assad government, perhaps under a negotiated cease-fire.

Assad has not indicated he is willing to broker any deal.

And unlike in Libya last year, there is no international consensus for a military confrontation with Syria.

The U.S. and European allies had sought a resolution at the U.N. Security Council that would have backed an Arab League plan for Assad to leave power, but the measure was blocked by both Russia and China.

Clinton, speaking at the Tunisia meeting Friday, blasted both countries for opposing U.N. action, calling it "despicable." Clinton said she would be willing to go back to the U.N. as often as needed, "but we need to change the attitude of the Russian and Chinese governments."

Obama spoke following an Oval Office meeting with Danish Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt. The prime minister said the situation in Syria is "horrendous" and urged the international community to keep up the pressure on Assad's regime.

Said Obama: "We are going to continue to keep the pressure up and look for every tool available to prevent the slaughter of innocents in Syria." He said he and the prime minister agreed that it is vital "that we not be bystanders during these extraordinary events."

Hounds vie to be top dog in Jordan-Elbridge High School's musical

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Auditions draw 11 dogs who tried out to play Toto in the production of “The Wiz.” Watch video

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Bella, a tiny Yorkie, wore a mini-pink hair-tie and pink bow on her head.

Dylan, a black cocker spaniel and poodle hybrid, went for a more rugged look with a red bandanna tied around his neck.

Rocky, a pug and shih tzu hybrid, retrieved and carried his leash every time he was called.

The three dogs, joined by eight others, auditioned Friday for the role of Toto in Jordan-Elbridge High School’s musical “The Wiz.”
The musical, scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on March 16 and 17, is a 1978 version of Chittenango native L. Frank Baum’s popular children’s book, “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz,” and MGM’s 1939 blockbuster film, “The Wizard of Oz.”

The musical was looking for a cute, cuddly, well-behaved little dog. Denise Deapo, the show’s director and a vocal music teacher at the high school, was in charge of judging who would be the best fit.

A cramped high school classroom was the holding room for the dogs and their owners.

Denise Deapo and her husband, Drew, the musical’s technical director, came into the room a few minutes before 9:30 a.m. to tell the group how the auditions would work.

For the auditions, the Deapos’ son, Nick came to get one dog at a time. Christie Smith, a senior who plays Dorothy, called each dog to come to her on-stage, while the director judged how well the dog responded.

Chloe was called first, but her audition barely last 30 seconds. She ran out of the auditorium before Nick Deapo could get anywhere near her.

“Toto just bolted,” Drew Deapo joked.

Skippy — who’s owner Kelsey Gage plays Glinda — auditioned third but she was the first to come when called.

Dylan gave everyone a scare when he lifted his leg next to a stage curtain.

Bella, the Yorkie, and Sally—a shih tzu— were friendly but got distracted, preferring to play with Nick Deapo than respond to Smith’s calls.

Wyatt, a white terrier, was hyper but friendly during his audition. The director said he had good ears for Toto.

Max, a Yorkie, responded to Smith on the second try, but his tiny frame was shaking almost constantly throughout his audition.

When it was all done, Denise Deapo said she was optimistic that one of the dogs would be a good Toto. She told the owners they would be contacted.

“The Wiz” also includes a cast and crew of about 110 students in sixth- through 12th grades, who were also at the school Friday for an all day practice.

Marines release names of 7 dead in chopper crash

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Cause of Wednesday's crash is unclear.

crash.jpgView full sizeThis video framegrab image provided Thursday Feb. 23, 2012 by KPNX-12 News shows an aerial view of a crash site where two U.S. Marine helicopters collided Wednesday over a training site in the desert near Yuma, Ariz.

SAN DIEGO (AP) -- Details of the personal lives of the seven Marines killed in one of the Corps' deadliest aviation training accidents in years emerged Friday as families across the nation expressed their grief.

Those killed included a young man expecting his first child and another who had just gotten engaged to his longtime girlfriend. One had served as a youth pastor before joining the military a decade ago, while another was the son of one.

The Marine Corps released the names of all seven of the dead Marines late Friday, as crews worked to clean up the accident site on a sprawling desert range near Yuma, Ariz.

The dead were listed as Maj. Thomas A. Budrejko, 37, of Montville, Conn.; Capt. Michael M. Quin, 28, of Purcellville, Va.; Capt. Benjamin N. Cerniglia, 31, of Montgomery, Ala.; Sgt. Justin A. Everett, 33, of Clovis, Calif.; Lance Cpl. Corey A. Little, 25, of Marietta, Ga; Lance Cpl. Nickoulas H. Elliott, 21, of Spokane, Wash. and Capt. Nathan W. Anderson, 32, of Amarillo, Texas.

Anderson was based in Yuma and the others were from Camp Pendleton in Southern California, the West Coast's largest base.

"Every single one of these Marines impacted our squadron in their own special way, and the entire Marine Corps aviation community is feeling their tragic loss," said Lt. Col. Stephen Lightfoot, commanding officer of the Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 469. "I ask that you pray for the families and friends of the warriors we have lost."

Officials said it could take weeks to determine what caused two helicopters, an AH-1W Cobra and a UH-1 Huey, to crash in midair during a routine exercise Wednesday night, killing all aboard the aircraft. Skies were clear and the weather was mild.

The accident occurred near the Chocolate Mountains along the California-Arizona border - a sprawling desert range favored by the U.S. military because its craggy mountains and hot, dusty conditions are similar to Afghanistan's harsh environment.

All the Marines were part of the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing. With 17,500 Marines and sailors, including personnel stationed at Camp Pendleton and Yuma, the unit conducts hundreds of aviation training exercises a year so troops can get as much experience as possible before they go to war.

Two of the Marines who died were aboard the AH-1W Cobra and the rest were in the UH-1 Huey utility helicopter. They were flying in a remote section of the 1.2-million-acre Yuma Training Range Complex as part of a two-week standard training called "Scorpion Fire" that involved a squadron of about 450 troops from the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing.

Everett was aboard the Huey as a crew chief, his family said. He had served in Iraq and was about to deploy to Afghanistan.

Everett, who leaves behind a wife, a 5-year-old daughter and a 2-year-old son, left a job as a youth pastor at a Fresno church to join the Marines after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, said his mother, Patsy Everett.

He was a wrestler in high school, played the saxophone as a kid and participated in marching band in junior high school, she said. He also traveled to Mexico for several weeks to serve as a missionary for his church, she said.

"I saw him Sunday night, we came by to visit and he had walked me to my car and hugged me and kissed and told me, `Mama bear, I love you' and I told him, `Baby bear, I love you too,'" she said as she gathered with family to begin making funeral arrangements. "He was a good boy, never been any problem to us."

Little was also a Huey helicopter crew chief and he was married and expecting his first child in September.

He played baseball while growing up in Fayetteville, just south of Atlanta.

"He loved the outdoors," his mother Wanda Little said. "He loved to read. He was a very avid reader."

Cerniglia was the son of senior Pastor Mark Cerniglia at The Lutheran Church of Our Savior in South Carolina, where a memorial service was planned Monday.

The church spoke for the grieving family.

"We grieve for the loss of these talented young lives and pray for all the families and communities that are in mourning also," said a statement on the church website.

Budrejko (pronounced bud-RAY'-koh) grew up in Montville, Conn., before going to the Naval Academy and a career as a Marine aviator. He had deployed multiple times since 2003.

"He was funny. He was successful. He was a Renaissance man, but most of all he was kind. He was such a kind person, and really wanted to make a difference - not just in the wider world but person-to-person," said his aunt, Gail Budrejko.

"I think the world was a better place because Tommy was in it." she said.

Quin had just gotten engaged last month to his longtime girlfriend and had received a visit from his fiancee and his two younger sisters last weekend, said his father, Brad Quin.

He said his son was captain of his high school soccer team, joined the U.S. Marine Corps after graduating from the U.S. Naval Academy in 2006 and was training as a Huey helicopter pilot.

"He was a perfect son because he was kind of self-motivated and deferential to others, respectful of people around him," Brad Quin said of his only son.

"When I think about this loss and what it means to me and my family, it wells up. We all live through our kids ... and I've lost my boy and I'm never ever going to recover from that," he said.

It was the fifth aviation accident since March involving the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing headquartered at Miramar Marine Corps Air Station in San Diego. Throughout the Navy and Marine Corps, there have only been two other aviation training accidents in the past five years involving seven or more deaths, according to the military's Naval Safety Center.

Bernie Fine accusers Davis, Lang in Albany Tuesday to support bill to extend statute of limitations for child sex abuse

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Proposed legislation extends the statute five years for criminal and civil cases, to five years after the victim's 23rd birthday.

Syracuse Fine Investigatio.JPGFormer Syracuse ball boys Bobby Davis (left) and Mike Lang (right) flank attorney Gloria Allred during a news conference, Dec. 13, 2011, in New York. The men say they were molested by former assistant Syracuse basketball coach Bernie Fine and have sued the school and men's basketball coach Jim Boeheim for defamation.

The two men accusing former Syracuse University basketball coach Bernie Fine of molesting them when they were children will appear with their lawyer in Albany on Tuesday in support of a bill that aims to extend the statute of limitations for child sex abuse victims in New York state.

The bill would allow child victims of sexual abuse to report the crime up to five years after his or her 23rd birthday. The current law allows a victim to report up to five years after his or her 18th birthday. The proposed legislation extends the statute five years for criminal and civil cases.

Should it be passed, the bill would also create a one-year window during which former child victims could report incidents of sex abuse regardless of when it occurred. California and Delaware have allowed for similar windows, resulting in hundreds of lawsuits, many against the Catholic Church.

Former SU ballboy Bobby Davis first tried to report his allegations of abuse by Fine to police in 2002 when he was 30 years old. Had the proposed statute been in place, Davis still would have been too old for Fine to be charged. However, the one-year window would allow Davis to file suit against Fine since it allows claims of any age.

» Complete coverage of the Bernie Fine case

Sponsored by Assemblywoman Margaret Markey, D-Queens, the Assembly has passed the Child Victims Act three times since 2005 but it has died in the Senate each time. The bill does not have a current Senate sponsor. Republicans fear the one-year window would overwhelm the system with old claims.

“This particular bill is overly broad, and its retroactivity clause could lead to the filing of numerous civil lawsuits,” said Scott Reif, spokesman for the Senate Republican majority.

Opponents of the bill over the years have said the one-year window could create a torrent of old claims that are often difficult to prove. Advocates of statutes of limitations say they are necessary because witnesses die and memories fade.

California offered a one-year window in 2003 for child sex abuse claims of any age. Hundreds of lawsuits poured in, including 800 against the Roman Catholic Diocese in California. The one-year window in Delaware resulted in about 100 cases.

Markey’s office is planning three press events starting Tuesday in the hopes of finding a Senate sponsor or to gain the governor’s support, said Mike Armstrong, a communications and policy aid for Markey.

Markey reached out to former SU ballboys Davis and Mike Lang because of the attention they and the sex abuse scandal at Penn State involving former football coach Jerry Sandusky have brought to the issue of child sex abuse, Armstrong said.

“We are absolutely riding the wave of the attention of the cases at Penn State and SU,” he said. “This has a whole new sector of society paying attention to this issue and it makes people think about things that have been unthinkable in the past.”

The events include press conferences on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday with child sex abuse victims.

Davis and Lang’s attorney, Gloria Allred, said in a press release from Markey’s office that she and her clients support the one-year window to report old sex abuse crimes. Allred said she will be at the Tuesday press conference.

Davis and Lang are suing SU and head basketball coach Jim Boeheim for defamation over comments Boeheim made Nov. 17 when he called them money-hungry liars for accusing Fine of molesting them. A judge ruled last week that the case should be moved from New York City to Syracuse.

Fine, 66, has not been charged and has denied all wrongdoing. SU fired Fine Nov. 27.

Emily Kulkus can be reached at ekulkus@syracuse.com or 470-2184.

Two car I-690 crash in Syracuse closes two eastbound lanes

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Two of the three eastbound lanes of I-690 are closed for about 20 minutes due to the crash.

Syracuse, NY -- A two-car crash tonight on Interstate 690 in Syracuse closed down two of the three eastbound lanes of the highway for about 20 minutes, Syracuse police report.

The crash happened about 8:10 p.m. in the eastbound lanes near the Midler Avenue exit, Sgt. Gary Bulinski said. A 2002 Chevrolet Trailblazer was traveling east when it was cut off by another vehicle, Bulinski said. The driver of the Trailblazer, Michael Williams, 60, of Syracuse, lost control and hit a third vehicle, a 1998 Plymouth Voyager, Bulinski said.

The driver of the Voyager, a 60-year-old woman from Fayetteville, suffered a minor injury and was taken to St. Joseph's Hospital Health Center as a precaution, he said.

There were no tickets issued, Bulinski said.

After a months of turmoil in Yemen, voters choose a new president in a landslide

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Government officials and lawmakers said Hadi is expected be sworn in before parliament on Saturday, earlier than expected.

Yemen.jpgView full sizeA protestor with Yemen's flag painted on his body shouts slogans during a rally demanding the prosecution of Yemen's President Ali Abdullah Saleh, in Sanaa, Yemen. Sal eh has left power as part of a U. S.-backed deal that grants him immunity from prosecution. He is currently in the U.S. seeking treatment for burns sustained during a bomb blast in his palace mosque last June.

SANAA, Yemen (AP) -- Yemen's election commission said Friday that 65 percent of registered voters in the country cast their ballot for Vice President Abed Rabo Mansour Hadi in this week's single-candidate presidential election aimed at bringing an end to months of political turmoil.

The vote, part of a U.S.-backed agreement to ease out of office longtime President Ali Abdullah Saleh after almost a year of popular protests, made the Yemeni ruler the fourth leader to be pushed from power in the Arab Spring uprisings that erupted early last year. Saleh is the first of the leaders, however, to leave office in an internationally negotiated exit.

Election Commission chief Mohammed al-Hakimi said Friday that 6.6 million votes out of a potential 10.2 million went to Hadi, who is expected to be sworn in Saturday. More than 99 percent of the 6.6 million votes cast were for Hadi. The remaining 25,000 ballots cast were invalid. The only option on the ballot was to vote "yes" for Hadi.

In Washington, State Department spokesman Mark Toner called the election "a positive step forward" and said "it speaks to the fact that Yemenis are ready to move on to their future."

The unexpectedly large turnout for the vote gives Hadi a strong popular mandate to tackle Yemen's myriad problems, which include a growing threat from al-Qaida militants, widespread poverty and a southern secessionist movement.

After the results from Tuesday's vote were announced, fireworks burst over the capital, Sanaa, in a brief celebration in a city that has been torn by strife.

Hadi will take over after months of uncertainty over whether Saleh would step down in the face of the mass protests that plunged the nation into a political crisis.

But the transitional period promises to be a bumpy one, and Hadi faces a slew of challenges. He has to restructure powerful security forces packed with Saleh loyalists, launch a national dialogue that would include members of the southern secessionist movement, and appease a restless religious minority in the north as well as disparate opposition groups in the heartland.

» Follow the latest news in Yemen from the Yemen Observer, the nation's English language news organization.
» Yemen overview from the CIA World Factbook

Many fear Saleh, who has cast a large web of tribal and family relations during his three decades of rule, may still try to pull the strings during the transitional period until a new constitution is written.

Government officials and lawmakers said Hadi is expected be sworn in before parliament on Saturday, earlier than expected. They were speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter with the press.

It is an indication that Yemen's new political powers are eager to officially settle Hadi in office, even before the expected return of Saleh from treatment in the U.S.

Saleh arrived home in Yemen late Friday, the Yemeni Embassy in Washington said. He had spent weeks in the United States for further treatment after an attack on his palace last June that left him badly burned.

Saleh had pledged to return to Yemen for his successor's inauguration. His party said on its website that Saleh would arrive in Sanaa Monday to a large popular reception.

Saleh is the fourth Arab leader swept from power by the Arab Spring. Tunisia convicted in absentia former president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali of corruption after he fled the country last year. He remains in Saudi Arabia in exile. Egypt is trying ousted leader Hosni Mubarak for his alleged role in killing protesters after he stepped out of office last year handing over to a military council. And rebel fighters captured and killed Libyan strongman Moammar Gadhafi last October.

More than 1,500 National Grid customers in Clay without power

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National Grid says 1,513 customers along Henry Clay Boulevard are without power.

Clay, NY -- More than 1,500 National Grid customers in Clay lost power shortly after 9 p.m. due to high winds, according to a spokesperson for the power company.

The 1,513 customers are in an area along Henry Clay Boulevard from south of Buckley Road to north of Route 31 and includes a section of Caughdenoy Road to the east.

National Grid crews are on the scene and its expected the majority of customers will be online very soon and that power will be restored to everyone by 12:15 a.m.


Cayuga County Health Department issues water conservation order

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The water conservation order is in affect due to a pump breaking down at Auburn's filtration plant, officials said.

Auburn, NY -- The Cayuga County Health Department issued a water conservation order today for Auburn residents and those outside the city who use water supplied by Auburn's filtration plant.

Residents are asked to conserve water immediately, the health department said in a press release. The reason for the order is a malfunction in a pump that supplies water to the filtration plant, the press release states.

The repair to the pump could take all weekend, officials said.

Residents outside of Auburn affected by the order are those on public water in the towns of Sennett, Throop, Aurelius, Brusus, Mentz and Montezuma, the water districts of Fleming-Springport and East Brutus, and the villages of Port Byron and Weedsport.

The water conservation order will remain in effect until a public notice is given, authorities said.

The health department website will also be giving updates and residents may call the city of Auburn at 253-8754 or the Cayuga County Health Department's Environmental Division at 253-1405.

A film career brings Marcellus High graduate back to his hometown to work on 'Adult World'

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"There are a bunch of Syracuse references in the script," Camillus native Max Cooke said. "It's going to reflect very nicely on Syracuse."

2012-02-23-ll-maxcooke1.JPGMax Cooke, who grew up in Camillus, gets his boom mic ready for filming Thursday in Clinton Square. He is a member of the film crew working on "Adult World." At left is production sound mixer, Mike Guarino, of Brooklyn.

Syracuse, NY -- One day a few weeks ago while at his Brooklyn home, Camillus native Max Cooke got a phone call about a job.

It was for work on a new movie. That’s not unusual; Cooke, a freelance sound technician, works on TV shows and movies around the country.

“The producer, who I worked with on another film, said be sure to bring a heavy coat because it’s being filmed in this city in Upstate New York called Syracuse,” Cooke said. “I said, ‘I’m a little familiar with that town...”’

The movie is “Adult World,” starring John Cusack and Emma Roberts. It’s being filmed entirely in Syracuse, essentially Cooke’s hometown.

On Thursday, Cooke was at work with the cast and crew in Clinton Square in downtown Syracuse, filming a protest scene for the movie. Cooke is that guy you see on movie sets holding a long pole with the boom microphone, which usually has a furry windscreen cover over it (in film parlance, the “dead cat”).

Cooke hoisted the 20-foot-tall pole and mic over the heads of Roberts, co-star Shannon Woodward and extras, many of them local people, while filming the brief scene Thursday afternoon.

“It’s a complete coincidence I’m doing this here, but it’s funny shooting in my home town,” Cooke said during long breaks between film takes. “It’s great for me. I get to be home. My parents are happy because I get to eat dinner with them.

“The good thing about being here is everyone is so proud of me. To me, I’m just sort of getting by.”

Cooke is a 2005 graduate of Marcellus High School and his parents, Dana and Joann Cooke, still live in Camillus.

From Marcellus High, Cooke went to Drexel University to study film. He graduated from Drexel in 2009 and has been at work in the film and TV industry steadily ever since, a boom operator working on the sets of reality shows and some movies — but “Adult World” may be his biggest yet, said Cook.

The first movie Cooke worked on was called “A Buddy Story,” and it was filmed in Philadelphia.

“They shoved me in the sound department,” said Cooke. “I started doing that and continued doing it. I like it. I like being on the set.”

From the set of “Adult World,” a call goes out before work is to be done.

“All right, guys,” a production assistant shouts. “Blocking rehearsal for scene 57.”

Part of the cast assembles. Cooke grabs the boom mic. He’s wearing a headset and is in touch with the film’s sound mixer and the director, Scott Coffey — who is also an actor in the film — stationed at Coffey’s “video village,” the equivalent of the old director’s chair and megaphone. Only these days, it’s a chair at a live monitor on which the director watches takes and listens to the sound mix.

“It’s a very precise process,” said Cooke of his work as the boom operator collaborating with the sound mixer.

Cooke, who’s worked on films and TV shows with actors including Kathy Baker, Hal Holbrook, Robert Patrick, Cloris Leachman and others, says he’s not star-struck.

“Mostly, I care if the actors are easy to work with,” said Cooke.

Roberts and Cusack have been, said Cooke.

Emma’s really great. Really fun,” said Cooke. “She’s got a lot of energy. And she loves this city.

“John was really special, really interesting. He’s got a robust personality. He was all about getting it done. He liked doing the takes over and over again.”

Cusack finished his work in Syracuse in six days.

Cooke’s work isn’t done that swiftly. He says the pace is 12-hour days, six days a week with Mondays off.

There’s not much down time and Cooke can’t stay with his parents. He has to stay with the cast and crew at a hotel.

“The job itself is super-grueling. A crazy person has to want to do it,” said Cooke.

But, says Cooke, the film will likely cast a positive eye on his home town.

“I’m pretty proud of this one,” said Cooke. “It’s a great film with great actors. I’ve worked on a lot of crappy films. Scott is a good director, a director who is an actor who understands the process.

“I think he’s getting good stuff. And there are a bunch of Syracuse references in the script, which is nice. If anything, despite the film’s name, it’s going to reflect very nicely on Syracuse. This is a very sweet film, a coming-of-age film.”

 

 

2012-02-23-ll-maxcooke2.JPGView full sizeMax Cooke gets his boom mic ready for filming a scene for "Adult World" Thursday in Clinton Square.

Work on “Adult World” will continue for another week in Syracuse. The producer, director and others tied to the film will return to Los Angeles for editing of the film. Cooke will be back to looking for other freelance jobs.

“It’s month-to-month and very random,” said Cooke. “I’ve been fortunate. It’s kind of worked out and I don’t question it. I’ve had a steady flow of work. I’m very poor, but to me, it’s better than working at Starbucks, which is where a lot of my friends from (Drexel) landed.

“I’m having a good time, paying my bills. So life is good.”

Cooke said many of his friends in their 20s landed back with their parents following college, faced with huge college loans and small professional prospects.

Kind of like the plot of the film he’s currently making, Cooke was told.

“I never really thought about that until now,” said Cooke.

Gunman kills 2 U.S. service members inside the Afghan Interior Ministry

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Update: The Taliban claims responsibility for the attack, says it was retaliation for the Quran burnings; NATO commander recalls all international military personnel working in Afghan ministries in the capital

Afghanistan.JPGAfghan policemen march towards an anti-U.S. demonstration in Mehterlam, Laghman province east of Kabul, Afghanistan, Saturday. Protesters threw rocks at police, government buildings and a U.N. office in eastern Afghanistan on Saturday, kicking off a fifth day of riots sparked by the burning of Qurans at a U.S. base, officials said.

KABUL, Afghanistan — A gunman killed two American military advisers inside a heavily guarded government building in the heart of Kabul Saturday as protests over the burning of the Muslim holy book at a U.S. base raged across the country for a fifth day.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack, saying it was retaliation for the Quran burnings, and the NATO commander recalled all international military personnel working in Afghan ministries in the capital.

U.S. officials said the assailant remained at large and a manhunt was under way.

An apology from President Barack Obama has failed to quell public outrage over what NATO insisted was an accidental desecration of the Quran. At least 28 people have been killed and hundreds wounded since Tuesday, when it first emerged that Qurans and other religious materials had been thrown into a fire pit used to burn garbage at Bagram Air Field, a large U.S. base north of Kabul.

Among those dead were two U.S. soldiers who were killed Thursday by one of their Afghan counterparts while a riot raged outside their base in the eastern province of Nangarhar.

Gen. John Allen, the commander of NATO and U.S. forces in Afghanistan, said he recalled all NATO personnel from the ministries “for obvious force protection reasons” but the alliance remains committed to its partnership with the Afghan government.

He said NATO is investigating Saturday’s shooting and will pursue all leads to find the person responsible for the attack.

“The perpetrator of this attack is a coward whose actions will not go unanswered,” Allen said.

NATO forces have advisers embedded in many Afghan ministries, both as trainers and to help manage the transition to Afghan control and foreign forces prepare to withdraw by the end of 2014. The Afghan Interior Ministry oversees all of the country’s police, so has numerous NATO advisers.

Two Afghan officials said the ministry shooting did not involve any Afghans. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were discussing a NATO incident. One of the officials noted that the shooting occurred inside a secure room at the ministry that Afghan staff do not have access to.

NATO confirmed that two service members were killed, but spokesman Lt. Col Jimmie Cummings said “initial reports say it was not a Western shooter.” He declined to provide further information.

A U.S. official in Washington confirmed that the two killed were Americans. The official spoke anonymously because the information has not been publicly released.

Tensions between the Afghans and the Americans already were high following the Quran burnings. Anti-American sentiment has been on the rise in the war-weary country, and several foreign troops have been killed by Afghan soldiers in recent months. Some of those shootings have been blamed on personal hostilities, while others have been attributed to Taliban infiltrators.

In a statement, Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid said the gunman was an insurgent named Abdul Rahman. He said an accomplice inside the ministry helped him get inside the compound. He said the killings were a planned response to the Quran burnings.

“After the attack, Rahman informed us by telephone that he was able to kill four high-ranking American advisers,” Mujahid said. The Taliban frequently exaggerate casualty claims.

In Kunduz, the capital of Kunduz province in northeast Afghanistan, more than 1,000 protesters demonstrated against the Quran burnings. At first they were peaceful, but as the protest continued they began throwing stones at government buildings and a U.N. office, said Sarwer Hussaini, a spokesman for the provincial police. He said the police were firing into the air to try to disperse the crowd.

Dr. Saad Mukhtar, health department director in Kunduz, said at least three protesters died and 50 others were injured during the melee.

The U.N. confirmed in a statement that its Kunduz compound was attacked, but said all its staff in Kunduz and in the rest of the country were unhurt and safe.

Manlius police investigating early morning stabbing

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The suspect ran away before police arrived at the scene.

Manlius, NY – Two people were stabbed during an early morning fight at a house party at a home in the 7100 block of Manlius Center Road, Manlius police said.

Police have released few details about the stabbing.

Police said they were called at 1 a.m. to a home in the 7100 block of Manlius Center Road for a report of a stabbing. There they found that two people were stabbed during a fight that took place at a house party.

The suspect ran away before police arrived.

The victims were taken by ambulance to Upstate University Hospital for treatment of non-life threatening injuries, police said.

Their investigation is continuing.

It's perfect weather for a Lake Effect Half Marathon, not so much for driving

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Several crashes are reported, including I-81 and the Thruway.

Syracuse, NY -- Take it easy out there.

The Onondaga County 911 Center reports several crashes on slippery roads in the Syracuse area at about 9:30 a.m. Although there are injuries reported with some of the crashes, none of them are reported to be serious, a dispatcher said.

Most of the crashes appear to be in the southern areas of Syracuse and Onondaga County.

For a look at road conditions go to 511ny.org.

Meanwhile, the Lake Effect Half Marathon is taking place today at Onondaga Lake Park, with more than 500 runners signed up to run in the snow. The race begins at 10:30 a.m. Here's a look at the conditions from staff writer Teri Weaver. Here's a photo posted by Eric Hinman.

The National Weather Service has cancelled its high wind warning, but a wind advisory for the Syracuse area remains in effect until 7 p.m. A wind advisory means the possibility of strong and potentially damaging winds of 20 to 25 mph, with gusts up to 45 mph.

Get the complete forecast and conditions at syracuse.com/weather.

2012 Post-Standard Treasure Hunt medallion found in Onondaga Lake Park

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Mother-daughter team wins $2,000 after finding the medallion behind a tree on the west shore of Onondaga Lake Park. Watch video

2012-02-25-dl-medallion.JPGView full sizeWinners of the Post-Standard Treasure Hunt are Chrissy LaRocca and her daughter Crystal Fontana of Cicero, who found the medallion on the west shore trail at Onondaga Lake Park.

Syracuse, NY – They found it!

Crystal Fontana, 17, and her mother Chrissy LaRocca, 38, of Cicero found The Post-Standard Treasure Hunt medallion at about 6:45 this morning.

They found the medallion worth $1,000 behind a tree on the west shore of Onondaga Lake Park. Although they aren't home-delivery subscribers, they won the $2,000 total prize because they used all of The Post-Standard's media formats to find the medallion.

The mother-daughter team got their win in just under the wire. The contest ends at midnight Sunday.

» Persistence pays off for mother-daughter team

Here are the clues and what they mean:

DAY ONE (Friday)
Stay in Onondaga County
To find our bounty.

We can't give it away too soon,
Keep reading, it could be a boon!

The medallion is Onondaga County.


DAY TWO (Saturday)
Think and stay current to have fun,
But too close to water you should shun
This is a great place to walk and run.

The medallion is in a place where there is water.


DAY THREE (Sunday)
Twelve months a year, seven days a week,
Hit this area to have a peek.

It's open to enjoy for all
Spring, summer, winter and fall.

The medallion is on public property, open year-round


DAY FOUR (Monday)
You'll find lots of these around.
Where the prize can be found.

They're not for pressing,
We're just confessing.

There are benches in the area.

DAY FIVE (Tuesday)
South said it this way
Think this thru and win you may.

Double it and just add some
Don't criticize, just have fun.

Refers to the song "Walk a Mile in My Shoes" by Joe South: …"before you abuse, criticize and accuse" The trail the medallion is on is a little more than two miles long.


DAY SIX (Wednesday)
See no cars,
But they're not far.

You can hear the nearby traffic,
It's not allowed so don't you panic.

No cars allowed on the trail, but you can hear the nearby sound of traffic.


DAY SEVEN (Thursday)
Water pays homage to those who kept fire
The prize will go to those who don't tire.

Keepers of the Fire refers to the Onondagas. There is a bridge nearby.


DAY EIGHT (Friday)
Wired light still remains
Hope this causes you no strain
Start at a bridge and you could gain.

But there's a lack of light
So if you're out at night
It means you're cold
So do as you're told.

There are no lights lit on this trail at night, so follow the rules and search during daytime park hours. Remnants of Lights on the Lake currently remain in the park. This trail is connected by two bridges.


IMG_4779.JPGView full sizeHere's the spot in Onondaga Lake Park where the medallion was found

DAY NINE (Saturday)
Head the way the young man did
To find the treasure we hid.

Snooki and Bruce from this place hail
Stay close to the path and you will prevail.

Go slow like a snail
And think of the trail.

Tells hunters that the medallion is on the West Shore Trail, close to the path. The young man refers to "Go West, Young Man." Snooki and Bruce are from the Jersey Shore.

Today's obituaries: Gabi Ashkar, longtime chairman of St. Elias Middle Eastern Festival

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He was owner and operator of Teall Market until he joined forces with his twin brother at Samir's Imports

o353942ashkar.JPGGabi Ashkar

Gabi Ashkar passed away on Friday. He was born June 11, 1954, in Beirut, Lebanon, to Palestinian parents. Gabi immigrated to Syracuse in 1973. Gabi was owner and operator of Teall Market until he joined forces with his twin brother at Samir's Imports. All the children who came into the store knew and loved Gabi because they knew Gabi had a candy treat for them. He was known as Uncle Gabi the candyman. He was chairman of the St. Elias Middle Eastern Festival for 14 years; in addition, he was a past member of the Parish Council at St Elias Church.

» Read Gabi Ashkar's full obituary on syracuse.com

» View and sign Gabi Ashkar's online guestbook

» See all of today's obituaries from The Post-Standard

» Read local and national obituaries on syracuse.com

Today's obituaries:



Lake Effect Half Marathon lives up to its name

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Hundreds of runners brave the winter race.

2012-02-25-dl-marathon3.JPGView full sizeAbout 500 runners take off for the Lake Effect Half Marathon at Onondaga Lake Park.

By Elizabeth Sauchelli
Contributing writer

Runners line up at the starting line, most wearing winter hats and sunglasses. The steady fall of snow that has eluded Syracuse for most of the season is out in full force, but it didn’t stop participants from coming. Spectators line the sidewalk in front of the Salt Museum at Onondaga Lake Park, cheering the runners on.

“We were prepared for anything,” said Todd Robertson, organizer of the Lake Effect Half Marathon. “When you plan an event in Syracuse in the snowiest city in the U.S., you’re prepared for anything.”

Robertson, of Syracuse, started the Lake Effect Half Marathon this year to fill a void in the running community. Between Dec. 8 and Jan. 30, 500 people registered for the race.

2012-02-25-dl-marathon1.JPGView full sizeJamie Campbell of Oneida, adjusts his cap to get ready for the Lake Effect Half Marathon. He was among the 500 runners who took part in the snowy event.

“We chose this time of year because there are many of us who are training for a full marathon in the spring,” Robertson said. “This was a void that was in the race calendar. Selling out in seven weeks shows that the need and the desire is there.”

Proceeds from the event go to the charity TheRun4Life, devoted to setting up family-based fitness and charity events. Vin Gleason, founder of TheRun4Life, helped to organize the half marathon.

“We expected 75-100 (runners) max,” said Gleason, of Auburn. “It fills a gap because there were never any running events this long (in winter). People would have to go out of town.”

Christina Sorbello of Camillus chose to participate in the half marathon as training for a race she is running in this spring.

2012-02-25-dl-marathon2.JPGView full sizeDick Searing, right, on bicycle, acts as the pacer for the Lake Effect Half Marathon at Onondaga Lake Park. He and some of the runners got in some practice in the snow just before the start.

“As the winter got further and there was no snow, what better winter to do a half marathon?” Sorbello said. She was prepared for snow, but did not expect there to be as much as there was.

The results:

Andrew Foxenberg of Chittenango came in first with a time of 1 hour 10 minutes, or a 5:24 pace.

The first woman across the line was Kristin White of Manlius, with a time of 1 hour 32 minutes and a pace of 7:05.

The second- and third-place finishers were Fred Joslyn of Syracuse, with 1 hour 11 minutes, and Jared Burdick of Manlius, with 1 hour 13 minutes.

Obama: No 'silver bullet' to bring down gas prices; GOP: President's energy policies not working

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Weekly addresses from President Obama, Republicans both address the rising cost of gas

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama says there is no easy answer to the problem of rising energy prices and he's dismissing Republican solutions as little more than gimmicks.

"We know there's no silver bullet that will bring down gas prices or reduce our dependence on foreign oil overnight," Obama said Saturday in his weekly radio and Internet address. "But what we can do is get our priorities straight and make a sustained, serious effort to tackle this problem."

Oil prices are approaching last year's highs as tensions increase over Iran's nuclear program. The rise pushed gasoline prices Friday to a national average of $3.65 a gallon, the highest ever for this time of year. A spike in gas prices is normal in spring, but it came earlier than usual this year in large part because of world fears that the growing confrontation with Iran will crimp oil supplies. Iran is the world's third-largest crude supplier.

Obama_2.JPGPresident Barack Obama speaks to students at the University of Miami, Thursday in Coral Gables, Fla.

Rising oil prices weigh on the economy, pushing leisure and business travel costs higher. Every 1-cent increase in the price of gasoline costs the economy $1.4 billon, analysts say.

Obama said Republicans have one answer to the oil pinch: drill.

"You know that's not a plan, especially since we're already drilling," Obama said, echoing his remarks earlier in the week. "It's a bumper sticker."

Obama is pushing what he calls an "all-of-the-above" approach to the problem of limited energy resources, meaning an attempt to seek out alternative energy sources while reducing consumption of traditional fuels.

In the Republican address, Texas Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison blamed the rise in gasoline prices partly on the Obama administration, which she said has blocked some potential new sources of oil and gas.

Kay Bailey Hutchison.JPGU.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison visits with people after hearing a presentation on the Center for Security Studies at Angelo State University Thursday in San Angelo, Texas.

"We can't slow down global demand for oil and gas, but we can do a lot more here at home to assure that we have the energy we need and to halt skyrocketing costs," she said. "President Obama's policy has resulted in an unprecedented slowdown in new exploration and production of oil and gas."

For all the political claims, economists say there's not much a president of either party can do about gasoline prices. Certainly not in the short term. But it's clear that people are concerned — a new Associated Press-GfK poll says 7 in 10 Americans find the issue deeply important — so it's sure to be a political issue through the summer.

The price of gasoline, which is made from crude oil, has soared with oil prices. The national average jumped by nearly 12 cents per gallon in a week, with state averages above $4 per gallon in California, Alaska and Hawaii.

At $3.65 per gallon, gasoline is still below last year's high of $3.98 and the record $4.11 set in 2008.

Persistence pays $2,000 for Cicero mother-daughter treasure hunters

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Meet the winners of The Post-Standard Treasure Hunt Medallion. Watch video

Syracuse, NY – Chrissy LaRocca and her daughter Crystal Fontana used every tool in their arsenal to uncover The Post-Standard Treasure Hunt Medallion on the West Shore Trail of Onondaga Lake this morning.

They read the newspaper for clues, checked the postings on Syracuse.com, looked at The Post-Standard’s Facebook page for tips, and worked with other treasure hunters. See the clues and what they mean.

The Cicero mother-daughter team don’t subscribe to the paper and were only eligible for the smaller $1,000 prize instead of the $2,000 prize awarded to subscribers.

However, in recognition of their use of all of the Post-Standard’s print and digital formats to discover the medallion, the company decided to double their prize to $2,000.

The team found out that they had been awarded the larger amount this morning when they arrived at The Post-Standard’s Syracuse offices to collect their prize.

“That’s so awesome!” gasped Fontana, 17, her cheeks flushing with amazement. “Thank you so much.”

“Do I have to give up the medallion? Ever since we found it I’ve had it clutched in my hand,” she said, unfolding her fingers to show the white circle with green printing on it.

No, she was assured, you don’t have to give it up. The medallion is yours to keep.

Their odyssey began Sunday when the first clues were published in the paper. This was the first time they’ve played the treasure hunt game, said LaRocca, 38.

2012-02-25-dl-medallion.JPGWinners of the Post-Standard Treasure Hunt are Chrissy LaRocca and her daughter Crystal Fontana of Cicero, who found the medallion on the West Shore Trail along Onondaga Lake.

Even though it was mid-winter break week and she could sleep in, Fontana, a senior at Cicero-North Syracuse High School, got up at 6 each morning to begin looking for the medallion.

Fontana searched at least four hours a day alone before her mom, who works at Americar in North Syracuse, joined her after work to look for a couple of more hours.

The women would discuss the search and the clues every night with friends and relatives, she said.

“It’s crazy what this thing does to you,” Fontana said.

At one point they walked 2 miles, almost the entire length, of the West Shore Trail looking for the medallion, LaRocca said.

They saw other treasure hunters in their search. Friday, Fontana hooked up with another woman to scour several areas in Onondaga Lake Park.

She and her mother returned that night, searching along a pier getting drenched by the wind and the rain before they returned home.

“It was really cold when we were out there looking for it. We kind of wanted to give up so many times, but we just had a feeling it was on the West Shore Trail,” Fontana said.

They resumed their search at 5:30 a.m. today after checking the clues posted on The Post-Standard’s Facebook page.

The women walked slowly along the West Shore Trail, at the snail's pace suggested by the clue. LaRocca walked in front of the trees and Fontana behind.

At about 6:30 a.m., they spied the medallion wired to a fallen tree branch about a half mile from the Long Branch Park entrance.

IMG_4779.JPGView full sizeHere's the spot in Onondaga Lake Park where the medallion was found

Other hunters were also in the area. The women said they kept their find quiet until they could unwind the wire that held the medallion to the branch.

Unable to reach someone at the paper at that time of the morning, the women went out for breakfast before claiming their prize. As they ate they checked the medallion chatter on Facebook.

Out of respect for their joint search the day before, Fontana told her fellow treasure hunter that they had found the medallion.

As they were collecting their prize a friend texted them, “You should probably skip the medallion hunt today.”

It’s a good thing they didn't.

Buerkle's town hall meeting faces opposition

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Buerkle told the crowd at her meeting that her opponents were misreading her concerns over the birth control rule.

2012-02-25-jb-buerkle1.JPGView full sizeRep. Ann Marie Buerkle, R-Onondaga, speaks to the crowd in the LaFayette Town Hall.

Rep. Ann Marie Buerkle's 14th town hall meeting since taking office 14 months ago had some competition this time.

As Buerkle, R-Onondaga Hill, made her way to LaFayette Town Hall today for the 10 a.m. meeting, about 50 people stood in a driving snowstorm outside the hall, holding up Planned Parenthood signs to protest the congresswoman's opposition to a rule set by President Barack Obama's administration that requires health insurers to provide birth control coverage for free.

The rule exempts all religious institutions, including churches. Under a compromise worked out last week, religious-affiliated schools, charities and hospitals also will not have to buy or provide the insurance to employees. Instead, health insurance companies will be required to offer contraceptive coverage as a free, preventive service on all employer plans, with no deductibles or co-pays.

Buerkle never saw the protesters this morning. By the time she arrived at the town hall, about 15 minutes late, the protesters had decamped to their "Alternative Town Hall" less than two miles away at the Carol Watson Greenhouse.

About 75 people attended Buerkle's meeting, compared to about 60 who gathered in the greenhouse to express their opposition to her stances on abortion, reproductive rights and other issues.

Buerkle told the crowd at her meeting that her opponents were misreading her concerns over the birth control rule.

"It's not about women's health; it's not about contraception," she said. "It's not about anything but that freedom of religion is granted by the First Amendment."

2012-02-25-jb-protest2.JPGView full sizeJill Fox of Jamesville reads a statement to the crowd that gathered at the Carol Watson Greenhouse to oppose the birth control positions taken by Rep. Ann Marie Buerkle, R-Onondaga, who was holding a town hall meeting at LaFayette Town Hall at the same time.

Participants at the "alternative" meeting, which was led by Dana Johnston of Camillus, vehemently disagreed, saying the issue was all about women's rights to control their own bodies.

"Women should be standing up for own own choices to what happens to our bodies," said Chris Vona of Liverpool. "It's not men's choices, it's women's choices."

The planned featured speaker, M. Tracey Brooks, president of Planned Parenthood Advocates of New York State, did not attend because of illness. But Betty DeFazio, executive director of Planned Parenthood Rochester/Syracuse Region Action Fund, expressed outrage over Buerkle's participation in a recent hearing held in Congress where the first panel featured five men who are opposed to the contraception rule, and no women.

600 Fort Drum soldiers to be treated to Syracuse-Army lacrosse game Sunday

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"We're trying to show Fort Drum that Syracuse cares," says Operation Homefront.

By Julie McMahon
Contributing writier

As part of a program for military families in the region, 600 soldiers from Fort Drum will attend the lacrosse game between Syracuse University and Army at 2 p.m. Sunday in the Carrier Dome.

“We’re trying to show Fort Drum that Syracuse cares,” said Troy Scully, board chairman for Operation Homefront’s tri-state chapter. “The Syracuse-Army lacrosse game was a great opportunity to do that.”

Operation Homefront is a national organization that provides for families of soldiers while they are deployed, and provides for soldiers when they return home from service. Past programs have included gathering school supplies for military children and setting up home repairs for families while soldiers are away.

This event will be the first in Syracuse and will help connect the city to the Fort Drum military community 80 miles north, Scully said. The lacrosse game gives military families a fun outing and builds ties between leaders at Fort Drum and in Syracuse, he said.

Military officials, local business representatives and political leaders, including Rep. Ann Marie Buerkle, R-Onondaga, will attend a reception before the game. The event also brings together SU students and their same-age counterparts who have served in the military.

Uniting those groups under the Dome’s roof, Scully said, will create the awareness that Operation Homefront needs to serve soldiers and military families.

“The great thing that Syracuse can do is welcome them,” Scully said. “We’re looking for ways to embrace these folks. They are just as much a piece of the fabric of our community as anyone else.”

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