Officers now say the police chief wanted Monsignor Charles Eckermann removed because he frequented prostitutes, and the bishop acceded.

SYRACUSE, N.Y. - A 30-year-old secret began to unravel two months ago when the Vatican defrocked Monsignor Charles Eckermann over child-molesting allegations.

Two retired Syracuse police officers remembered Eckermann's name.

John Falge remembered how, at a hastily called meeting in 1984, Syracuse's police chief ordered him to deliver a warning about Eckermann to the bishop of the Syracuse Diocese.

Police had seen Eckermann soliciting male prostitutes repeatedly in downtown Syracuse, according to Falge and another retired officer, Thomas Murphy.

In May 1984, then-Bishop Frank Harrison announced that Eckermann would be the principal of Bishop Ludden High School. Police Chief Thomas Sardino wanted to put a stop to it immediately. He called Falge and Murphy into to his office that same day and gave Falge an order, the two officers say.

Falge was told to go to the bishop right away, reveal Eckermann's alleged misconduct, and make an unusual demand, said Falge, who would later become police chief himself.

As Falge recalls it, the chief said: "I want you to go over there and tell him that I, the chief of police, adamantly am opposed to this, and I do not want him in that position, with kids there, because of this guy's conduct. I want you to stay there until he assures you or personally transfers him, right there on the spot."

The next day, Harrison rescinded the appointment and sent Eckermann to a parish in Binghamton.

This back story remained a mystery for 30 years. A newspaper story in May 1984 said only that Harrison had suddenly reversed his appointment of Eckermann the day after making it. He would not say why.

The diocese never warned worshipers in Binghamton or in Syracuse's suburbs about the concerns over Eckermann.

Four years later, Eckermann began sexually assaulting an altar boy at a church in Manlius where Eckermann was assigned, according to the altar boy, Kevin Braney.

Braney brought his allegations to the diocese last year. The diocese determined they were credible.

The Vatican ordered Eckermann removed from all priestly duties this year after confirming the diocese's finding that Braney's allegations were credible.

Falge and Murphy, both police sergeants in 1984, revealed Eckermann's history to Syracuse.com last month after reading a story about the Syracuse Diocese and the Vatican taking action against Eckermann.

John Falge in 2000, when he was Syracuse police chief. In 1984, as a sergeant, he warned Bishop Frank Harrison that police had seen Monsignor Charles Eckermann repeatedly picking up prostitutes downtown. The bishop immediately rescinded Eckermann's appointment as principal of Bishop Ludden High School.Dick Blume | dblume@syracuse.com 

The diocese has no record of the police department bringing its concerns about Eckermann to Harrison, spokeswoman Danielle Cummings said. Two players are no longer alive to tell their story: Sardino died July 14, 2000, Harrison died May 1, 2004.

Eckermann was a big name on the local education scene at the time. He was a member of the Syracuse school board and former president of the board when Harrison appointed him Ludden's principal.

It didn't matter to Sardino, Falge and Murphy said.

"He said 'No way, we're not gonna allow this to happen, not in our community,'" Falge said.

Accuser: Church could've stopped Eckermann

Police could have charged Eckermann with patronizing a prostitute, a move that might've ended his work in education. But the charges would not likely have stuck, Falge said. Officers never caught Eckermann soliciting a police officer working undercover, so any criminal charge for patronizing a real prostitute would've depended on the prostitute's cooperation, Falge said.

"How am I gonna get someone to say, 'Oh yeah, he gave me money?'" Falge asked. "They're not gonna do it. At that time, that was a plague we had, trying to get the prostitutes off the street. They weren't going to give up their livelihood to have someone arrested."

The police had no evidence that Eckermann was engaging in sex with children, including the prostitutes, Falge said.

"If there was ever a minor involved, he would've gone to the can faster than you can blink," he said.

Braney, now 41 and a school administrator in Colorado, said the church should never have allowed Eckermann to be around children after the 1984 warning.

"Tragically for my family and me, the church did not take the steps to protect children from a known predator," Braney said. "The suffering that we have undergone has been indescribable, and to know that it was so easily prevented is heartbreaking."

The diocese's handling of Eckermann 30 years ago echoes others nationwide, said the head of a national organization that advocates for victims of clergy sexual abuse.

"It's a painfully familiar pattern," said David Clohessy, director of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, out of St. Louis. "Syracuse Catholic officials did with Monsignor Eckermann what thousands of Catholic officials have done and usually do with troubled clerics -- at best, the absolute bare minimum and at worst the enabling of extremely hurtful actions that could and should have been prevented."

Braney said he hopes his case will demonstrate a need to scrutinize how the church handles allegations of abusive priests. He said he was thankful that Falge and Murphy were willing to speak publicly about what happened in 1984.

Eckermann, 83, did not respond to a letter seeking comment about the 1984 accusations. In October, Eckermann declined to be interviewed about his removal from the ministry or Braney's accusations.

An earlier version of this story said Eckermann lives at The Nottingham, a senior living community in Jamesville. But a spokesman for Loretto, the nonprofit that owns the facility, said today that Eckermann moved out a month ago -- a few weeks after Syracuse.com first reported the accusations against him. The spokesman would not say where Eckermann's living.

'Tell the truth,' bishop tells ex-cop.

Bishop Robert Cunningham, in an interview with Syracuse.com last month, said Falge called him two months ago, when a reporter first asked about the 1984 situation.

"He wanted to know if I had any suggestions," Cunningham said. "I said, 'You should just tell him the truth.'"

It's hard to say how the church would handle the same circumstances today, the bishop said.

Syracuse Bishop Robert Cunningham on Nov. 24, 2014.John O'Brien | jobrien@syracuse.com 

"We certainly would see that the person probably needed counseling and some spiritual direction as to whether he was in the right place as a priest," Cunningham said. "Priests are sinners. Like everybody else, none of us are perfect. We all want to strive for holiness. We all want to do what God expects of us."

In Eckermann's case, after the diocese was put on notice, "unfortunately, we found out that things happened which should not have happened," Cunningham said. "We're sorry about that, terribly sorry about that."

Another man came forward in 2002 with sexual abuse allegations against Eckermann, Cummings said. But that accuser later changed his statement and would not cooperate, she said.

Braney was the first accuser of Eckermann to fully cooperate, she said.

"When that happened, I took the information, acted upon it as quickly as I could, as soon as we found out what the story was, and we moved forward," Cunningham said.

Murphy said he wrote a letter to Cunningham in October after seeing a newspaper story about the diocese taking action against Eckermann over Braney's accusations.

In his letter, Murphy said he wanted to give the back story on Eckermann.

"The diocese knew, and this kid never should've been a victim," Murphy said, referring to Braney. "Eckermann never should've been put back in a parish again."

Cunningham called Murphy after getting the letter.

"He said, 'That would never happen on my watch,'" Murphy said.

Contact John O'Brien at jobrien@syracuse.com or 315-470-2187.

The talks come as Cuomo prepares to launch a comprehensive review of New York's criminal justice system in the wake of Eric Garner's death.

SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- Gov. Andrew Cuomo talked with music moguls Jay Z and Russell Simmons on Wednesday about criminal justice reforms in the wake of the death of Eric Garner, according to news reports.

Cuomo met with rapper Jay Z on Wednesday and talked with Simmons, a founder of Def Jam records, by phone.

Simmons said the governor plans to issues an executive order mandating special prosecutors handle cases of alleged police misconduct, the New York Observer reported.

"Governor Cuomo has said he wants a comprehensive review of the current criminal justice system and has been talking with interested parties to discuss just that," Cuomo spokeswoman Melissa DeRosa said in a statement, the Times Union reported.

Cuomo has called for a comprehensive review of the state's criminal justice system following a Staten Island grand jury's decision not to indict a police officer in the death of Garner.

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

The Today show sent Dylan Dreyer to report from the "Winter Wonderland" in Cazenovia, where 13 inches of snow blanket the ground.

A record breaking snow storm has dropped as much as 20 inches of snow on parts of Central New York, and meteorologists across the country are taking notice.

The Today Show sent Dylan Dreyer to report live from Cazenovia on Thursday morning.

"I feel like I walked into a Christmas card here," Dreyer told Today's Al Roker. Thirteen inches of snow had fallen on Cazenovia at the latest count.

Dreyer went on to describe the "treacherous" driving conditions that closed parts of I-81 yesterday, as well as the situation in Western New York, where I-90 is covered in snow.

In Syracuse and Central New York, schools saw closings and delays on Thursday as "Winter Storm Damon" continued to wind down.

Watch Dreyer's report from Cazenovia in the Today Show video above. App users can view the video on Today.com.

Keep up with the latest CNY closings, driving conditions and weather news on syracuse.com

New rule will require businesses to report any work-related hospitalization, amputation or loss of an eye.

Syracuse, N.Y. — Up to two workers could lose a limb or an eye on the job anywhere in America and their employer would not have to notify federal safety regulators.

A new rule that goes into effect Jan. 1 will change that. The rule will require businesses to notify the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration whenever even a single worker is hospitalized because of a workplace injury or suffers an amputation or the loss of an eye on the job.

Currently, businesses must notify OSHA when any number of workers are killed on the job. But they are required to notify the agency only when three or more workers are admitted to a hospital as the result of an on-the-job injury or at least three workers lose a limb or an eye in a single incident

Rick Whitney, 58, of Bernhards Bay, died from injuries he suffered in an explosion Sept. 11, 2013, at the Canastota wastewater treatment. The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration accused two contractors of safety violations in connection with the worker's death.Provided photo 

So until Jan. 1, if only one or two workers suffer a serious work-related injury, the only way OSHA would find out is through media reports, calls from other sources or in the rare event of a voluntary notification by the employer.

"A lot of people would be really surprised by that," said Chris Adams, OSHA's regional director in Syracuse.

Under the revised rule, employers will still have eight hours to notify OSHA of work-related fatalities. However, they will have 24 hours, instead of the eight they have now, to notify OSHA of injuries that required hospitalizations. Companies face fines of up to $7,000 for not complying with the new notification requirements.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 4,405 workers were killed on the job in 2013.

Last year's workplace fatalities included the death of Richard Whitney Jr., 58, of Bernhards Bay, from injuries he received in an explosion that occurred Sept. 11 while he was welding a pipe at a wastewater treatment plant in Canastota. OSHA has proposed a total fine of $45,720 against Whitney's employer, Joy Process Mechanical, and another contractor, Hubbard Construction Inc., for alleged safety violations.

Whitney's widow, Kelly Whitney, filed a lawsuit Monday alleging that the village and Hubbard did not provide a safe work environment.

In addition, employers reported that three million private sector workers experienced a serious injury or illness on the job last year, the bureau said. That represents an incidence rate of 3.3 cases per 100 workers.

The bureau said over half of the 3 million on-the-job injury and illness cases reported in 2013 were serious enough to result in workers spending days away from work, being transferred to other jobs or being restricted in their work activities.

OSHA said it is hoping that the increased reporting requirements will prevent injuries by eliminating the most serious workplace hazards — ones that have already caused injuries.

OSHA conducts an investigation whenever it is notified of a workplace injury and frequently orders companies to make changes to equipment, training or procedures to improve safety.

Adams said fatal accidents or serious injuries on the job are often attributed by employers to "freak occurrences." In fact, deaths or serious injuries are often preceded by a series of less-serious injuries because of the same unsafe conditions, like machinery without protective guards, he said.

"Oftentimes, we will find that there were a lot of close calls, like near amputations," he said.

How employers can report worker injuries:

Employers can report workplace injuries by calling calling OSHA at (800) 321-6742), going to the OSHA area office nearest to the site of the incident or by filing an electronic form available on OSHA's website www.osha.gov.

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

Ron Ingraham, had been missing since Thanksgiving, when he put out a mayday call saying his boat was in danger of sinking nearly 50 miles from the Big Island.

HONOLULU (AP) -- When the Coast Guard told Zakary Ingraham they were suspending a search for his father, a Hawaii fisherman, he didn't want to believe the parent he had not spoken to for at least 15 years was gone.

His father, Ron Ingraham, had been missing since Thanksgiving, when he put out a mayday call saying his boat was in danger of sinking nearly 50 miles from the Big Island. The Coast Guard suspended the search Dec. 1.

"I thought, well at least dad died doing what he loved," the son recalled. "I was trying to emotionally quell myself. But at the same time, I kind of had that feeling he wasn't gone yet."

In this photo provided by the U.S. Navy, Cmdr. John Barsano, welcomes Ron Ingraham aboard the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Paul Hamilton (DDG 60) after rescuing him on Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2014 near Hawaii.The Associated Press 

Then, he got word his father was found Tuesday, dehydrated and hungry but uninjured after 12 days at sea. Ron Ingraham arrived Wednesday on the Hawaiian island of Molokai, where he lives on his boat that was towed to shore by the Coast Guard.

The agency had no details yet about what went wrong on the boat or how he survived so long at sea.

Efforts by The Associated Press to reach Ron Ingraham on Wednesday through the Coast Guard were unsuccessful.

When the Coast Guard received the Thanksgiving mayday call, officials sought to contact his son in Missouri. They were unable to reach Zakary Ingraham, 43, until the day they decided to suspend the search.

"It's tough to put into words," Ingraham said in a phone interview Wednesday from St. Joseph, Missouri, as his father was en route to Molokai. "You're crushed, and you don't know what to do.

"And of course, I'm in Missouri so that made it feel worse I couldn't go out and look for him," he said.

Complicating his feelings was a wave of regret for all the years of lost contact and the fact that his father never met an 8-year-old grandson.

"I always wanted to find him and get in touch with him," Ingraham said. But his father lives on a boat, subsists off fishing and has no known email address or cellphone number.

"We didn't really have a falling out," the son said. "We just kind of grew apart."

Zakary Ingraham lived on the Big Island until age 7, when his parents split and he moved to Oahu with his mother. He eventually moved to the mainland.

He recalled pleading with the Coast Guard to extend the search: "I held on to hope. I knew my dad was tough. So I didn't feel like he was gone."

For Coast Guard officials, calling off a search is the hardest choice they have to make, Lt. Scott Carr said.

"You're making a decision to stop searching when you don't have a resolution," he said. "We searched for five days. ... We used every resource we had, and we weren't able to find him."

A Navy ship was nearby when the Coast Guard received Ron Ingraham's second mayday call Tuesday. Crew members gave him water and food.

"It's the holidays. We all have family who we love and miss, being here stationed far away from the continental U.S.," Carr said. "Anytime we rescue a mariner is a great day."

Zakary Ingraham, a full-time college student, said he's trying to get a loan so he can afford to travel to Hawaii to see his father.

"When I see my dad, I'm going to give him a big hug," he said.

SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- The New York State Fair will offer $3 Thursdays next year, Acting Fair Director Troy Waffner announced this morning at a meeting of the State Fair Advisory Board. The $3 will cover general admission, which is usually $6 for advance sales and $10 at the gate. The goal is to increase attendance on opening day, a Thursday...

SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- The New York State Fair will offer $3 Thursdays next year, Acting Fair Director Troy Waffner announced this morning at a meeting of the State Fair Advisory Board.

The $3 will cover general admission, which is usually $6 for advance sales and $10 at the gate. The goal is to increase attendance on opening day, a Thursday where attendance has grown sluggish in recent years, Waffner said.

"The weekends are great," said Frank Zaitshik, the president and CEO of Wade Shows, the new operator of the Midway. But more promotions are needed for Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays to attract more people, he added.

Other changes for next year's fair include:

• "Wade Shows Wednesday," which includes half-price all-day ride wristbands for the day.
• Replacing the front gate, or Gate 1, at the fair. About two-thirds of all fairgoers enter through this gate.
• A new, free New York state-themed playground to give children and parents another place to spend time.
• Paving of about 2 miles of roads inside the fairgrounds.
• More seating near the International Pavilion.
• Adding vegetarian and vegan vendors, including a maker of vegan donuts.

The 2014 fair set two single-day attendance records. On Labor Day, 122,870 people were on the grounds. Two days earlier, 120,617 attended the fair.

Next year's fair runs from Aug. 27 to Sept. 7, which includes two Thursdays.

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

Timothy Poole purchased the winning ticket last weekend at a convenience store in Mount Dora, near Orlando.

MOUNT DORA, Fla. (AP) -- A sexual predator has won almost $3 million from a Florida Lottery scratch-off ticket.

Orlando television station WKMG reported Wednesday that Timothy Poole purchased the winning ticket last weekend at a convenience store in Mount Dora, near Orlando.

Poole is listed on a Florida Department of Law Enforcement website as a sexual predator.

The television station says Poole was arrested in 1999 for on a charge of sexually battering a 9-year-old boy. Poole denied the allegations but pleaded guilty to attempted sexual battery and was sentenced to time served in jail.

His probation was revoked in 2003 after he failed to show up for counseling sessions. He was sentenced to three years in prison and released in 2006.

Poole tells WKMG he was wrongly accused.

Central New York recorded some of the largest snowfall amounts.

With this snowstorm seeming to be on its way out in most parts of New York state, it's time to see who has the bragging rights for the most snowfall.

That prize for the most snow in the state goes to Jamesville, with 27.5 inches as of the latest NYW report updated late this morning. Second is Tully, with 26.2 inches.

That's based on reports to the National Weather Service's offices across the state as well as Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network, a collection of trained volunteer spotters.

The official snowfall recorded at Hancock International Airport is 11.8 inches. (The National Weather Service originally reported it as 12 inches, but revised it this afternoon.)

In all, we have snowfall reports from 378 locations in 59 New York state counties.

Thank you to all the spotters, professional and volunteer!

Snow storm totals, as of 12/11/14
Update: We updated the snowfall totals at 5 p.m. Thursday with reports from the National Weather Service office filed during the day Thursday.

About 100 people lined a busy Richmond street at noon, holding signing and listening to recordings of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. speeches.

RICHMOND, Calif. (AP) -- A Northern California police chief noted for his community policing efforts raised a few eyebrows when he joined a peaceful protest, holding a sign with the popular Twitter hashtag of "blacklivesmatter."

The Contra Costa Times reported Wednesday that Richmond Police Chief Chris Magnus joined a protest against police brutality in his city on Tuesday. The Tuesday afternoon protest, one of many in the San Francisco Bay Area this week, was organized by a Richmond youth center.

About 100 people lined a busy Richmond street at noon, holding signing and listening to recordings of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. speeches. The city's mayor and several councilmembers also attended.

Magnus said he attended to show the department's commitment to peaceful protest and that minority lives matter.

Has your street been plowed?

SYRACUSE, N.Y. - The city of Syracuse prides itself on being able to take a snowstorm in stride. So how did we do with this one?

DPW crews this morning are still trying to clear many neighborhood streets in Syracuse, where the snow piled up overnight as plows concentrated on the main roads. Plenty of us saw motorists this morning trying to rock their cars out of snowbanks and drifts as they headed to work.

What was your experience? Did you get stuck? Has your street been plowed?

Leave a comment below, or email me directly at tknauss@syracuse.com.

Contact Tim Knauss anytime: Email | Twitter | Facebook | 315-470-3023

Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Clymer becomes appeals chief.

SYRACUSE, N.Y. - The top federal prosecutor for the Syracuse area has appointed the first female criminal chief of the office that covers 32 counties in upstate New York.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Coombe is the new chief of the criminal division of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of New York, U.S. Attorney Richard Hartunian announced this week.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth CoombeU.S. Attorney's Office 

She replaces Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Clymer, who becomes appellate chief for the office.

Clymer could no longer hold the criminal chief's position because of a potential conflict of interests, Hartunian said. Clymer's wife, former federal prosecutor Brenda Sannes, recently became a U.S. District Court judge who will hear criminal cases prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Clymer replaces Sannes as the head of the appeals unit.

Coombe, who works out of Albany, has been deputy chief of the criminal division since 2012. She prosecuted former state Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno, who was convicted of fraud in 2009. After he appealed, a second jury acquitted him of the charges in May.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven ClymerU.S. Attorney's Office 

Clymer, 56, has been the criminal chief since 2010. He was also criminal chief of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of California from 2003 to 2005. While he was an assistant U.S. attorney in that office, he successfully prosecuted two Los Angeles police officers charged in the beating of Rodney King in 1991.

"Steve Clymer has served the district with great distinction as criminal chief," Hartunian said. "His extraordinary legal mind, attention to detail, and demonstrated excellence as a leader, litigator, and educator will make him a superb appellate chief."

Contact John O'Brien at jobrien@syracuse.com or 315-470-2187.

Syracuse moves to No. 3 in the national Golden Snow Globe contest.

Update: Well, that didn't last long. Updated snow totals show the Buffalo airport got 7.7 inches Wednesday -- less than Syracuse, but enough to put Buffalo back in first place in the Golden Snowball with a seasonal total of 28.3 inches. Syracuse's updated numbers should come at 5 p.m.

Syracuse, N.Y. -- The foot of snow that blanketed Syracuse Wednesday was enough for the city to jump ahead of Buffalo for the statewide snow race.

As of now, Syracuse has 24.5 inches for the season. Buffalo, which picked up just 1.3 inches Wednesday, stands at 21.9.

That puts Syracuse in the lead for the Golden Snowball Award, given each year to the snowiest major Upstate city. Poor Buffalo, in fact, sits in the penultimate spot in the Golden Snowball race, eclipsing only Rochester.

With Wednesday's storm, Syracuse jumps to third in the Golden Snow Globe, which includes all U.S. cities over 100,000 population.

More snow has fallen elsewhere, of course. Jamesville reported 27.2 inches just from this storm, let alone the whole season.

For both contests, though, measurements are those recorded at the official National Weather Station station in each city. That's the airport for many cities, including Buffalo. While some areas just a few miles from Buffalo posted staggering figures of 90 inches of snow in just a few days in November, the Buffalo airport has had just 21.9 inches so far this season.

"It has to be official from the National Weather Service," said Pat DeCoursey, who keeps tabs on the snow contests.

The storm that hit Syracuse this week was a nor'easter, a storm that slides up the East Coast and picks up water from the ocean. The farther west you are during a nor'easter, in general, the lower your snowfall will be. That explains why Syracuse got a foot from the storm and Buffalo just over an inch.

Snowfall totals for Golden Snowball cities

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

John Osborn appeared in court today to begin tying up more charges stemming from his theft from the United Methodist Church of Manlius.

Manlius, NY -- A Syracuse couple who swindled the United Methodist Church of Manlius owe more than $387,000 in repayment to the church, a prosecutor said today.

John Osborn and Mary Meyer, of 228 Roe Ave., were sentenced to state prison Monday for using their power over the church finances to empty roughly $444,000 from its coffers.

Before now, no specific amount of restitution had been agreed upon. It was understood that the more they could pay back, the more consideration they would get at sentencing.

But the couple had nothing to pay back Monday. That means the church will have to go after the couple for repayment later.

Osborn was sentenced to 5 to 15 years -- the maximum punishment under law -- and Meyer to 3 to 9 years in prison.

Today, prosecutor Beth Van Doren announced her calculations added up to $387,792 in restitution.

That includes $70,000 more that the couple is accused of stealing from 2006 to 2008, but was never convicted of.

Van Doren offered to dismiss those additional charges if the couple agreed to the restitution amount.

There's also an open case charging Osborn with tax evasion for not paying the state on income he stole from the church.

Only Osborn was in court this morning. County Court Judge Joseph Fahey gave both sides until Jan. 7 to work out an agreement on the remaining charges.

He ordered Osborn and Meyer held in the local jail until then.

The $1.1 trillion spending bill means 60 projects in Central New York are eligible for federal grants and loans.

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Federal aid for 60 water and sewer projects in Central New York will be restored under a $1.1 trillion spending bill Congress is set to approve this week, according to U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer.

All told, 340 water and sewer projects in New York state that are eligible for federal grants and loans will be able to move forward if Congress approves the spending plan for fiscal 2015, Schumer said Thursday.

The omnibus bill restores $430 million cut from the federal Clean Water State Revolving Loan Fund earlier this year under President Barack Obama's budget blueprint, a cutback supported by House Republicans.

If the cuts had remained, New York would have lost about $40 million from the program, potentially delaying many of the projects.

Under the spending bill, New York state will now receive a total of $154 million from the fund, more than any other state in the nation, Schumer said.

The senator said it's important to keep the projects on track because New York has some of the oldest water and sewage infrastructure in the nation.

"We just couldn't afford a cut to one of the biggest lifelines that the federal government offers municipalities to get these projects done," Schumer said.

List of eligible 2014 New York state water and sewer projects

In Onondaga County, 14 water and sewer projects are eligible for the grant and loan money, according to Schumer's office. Those projects are in East Syracuse, Marcellus, Fayetteville, Salina and Solvay. Six projects related to the Onondaga Lake cleanup are also eligible for money from the federal program.

Contact Mark Weiner anytime: Email | Twitter | Facebook | 571-970-3751

Central New York will receive $80.2 million in state grants, loans and tax credits for economic development projects in 2015.

Albany, N.Y. — Central New York will receive $80.2 million in state financial assistance for 85 projects in 2015 under Gov. Andrew Cuomo's regional economic development council initiative.

The announcement was made by Cuomo's office at an Albany ceremony this afternoon. Details of what the money is targeted for will be released later this afternoon.

Central New York is one of 10 regions that was seeking up to $750 million in grants, loans and tax credits for economic development projects. The state announced a total of $709.2 million in aid today.

The $80.2 million that Central New York will receive makes it one of the five "top performers" in the initiative, in which regional councils appointed by Cuomo have developed economic development plans and compete for state assistance.

Here is the financial aid that each region will receive:

• Mid-Hudson Valley: $82.8 million (top performer)
• Long Island: $81.9 million (top performer)
• Southern Tier: $80.8 million (top performer)
• Finger Lakes: $80.7 million (top performer)
• Central New York: $80.2 million (top performer)
• North Country: $63.4 million
• New York City: $61.2 million
• Capital Region: $60 million
• Mohawk Valley: $59.6 million
• Western New York: $58.6 million

This was the fourth round of funding under the initiative, which Cuomo started with support from legislative leaders shortly after he became governor. Central New York received $264.4 million for 226 projects in the first three rounds. So in the first four round, the region has received $344.6 million in state aid.

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

Police have arrested and charged a teen-ager in connection with the incident.

Canastota Village Police have arrested and charged a juvenile male with criminal possession of a weapon, a felony, in connection with an incident earlier this week where the student allegedly brought a gun into the school.

The Canastota Junior Senior High School student, who is younger than age 16, is charged with bringing the handgun into school Monday and showing it to other students, police said. After Canastota's School Resource Officer was tipped about the gun, police searched the Lenox teen-ager's home about 11 p.m. Monday.

Police said they found the unloaded .357 caliber handgun in the student's book bag. No ammunition was found for the weapon, and police say they don't believe the weapon was possessed for the purpose of injuring another person.

Many students and parents informed Canastota police about the gun during the investigation, polices said. The Madison County Sheriff's Office assisted with the investigation and search of the residence.

The teen-ager has been released to his parents, and will appear in Family Court.

Children and spouses of fallen U.S. military from Upstate New York boarded the Snowball Express this morning for Texas.

Syracuse, NY -- Christmas is a particularly hard time of year for Kristen Howell and her three children.

"My husband died just before Christmas in December 2007," Howell said. "We especially feel the loss around Christmastime."

Pfc. George Howell was killed in Iraq. Kristen Howell, of Watertown, was pregnant with the couple's third child at the time.

The Howell family and about 40 other children and spouses of fallen U.S. military service members from Upstate New York boarded the Snowball Express this morning at Syracuse Hancock International Airport. The families are headed to Dallas/Fort Worth for an all-expense-paid vacation.

Snowball Express is a volunteer nonprofit organization that serves children of military service members who have died while on active duty since Sept. 11, 2001. The group, which partners with American Airlines, is flying nearly 1,800 children and spouses from across the country to Texas today for a few days of holiday fun and friendship.

American Airlines provides the majority of the air travel and all flight crews donate their time to participate. The United Service Organizations Warrior and Family Care also provided a grant to help fund this year's Snowball Express.

This is the Howell family's second time on the Snowball Express, which is in its 9th year.

"It's therapeutic for me," Kristen Howell said. "To be around other people who know what you are going through is so awesome. They understand you. We understand each other."

Howell's three children, Niya, 12, Raiden, 8, and Keioni, 6, are excited to participate in the activities that are set up for the children and the families. The activities include a red carpet special premiere of the movie "Annie," a meet and greet with the stars of the Discovery Channel show "Fast N' Loud," a tour of the Perot Museum of Nature and Science, a western cookout at the Sheriff's Posse Ranch and a private concert by Academy Award-nominated actor Gary Sinise and the Lt. Dan Band.

One of the goals of the Snowball Express is to help create new happy memories for the children of military service members who have been killed.

"We're honoring our servicemen and women who made the ultimate sacrifice by honoring their families," said John Walsh, the Syracuse general manager for American Airlines.

When the families arrived at the American Airlines terminal gate this morning they were treated to a holiday party. Members of The Patriot Honor Guard held flags as the families arrived and representatives from the Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots handed out special presents for each of the children.

Sarah Mata, of Greene, in Chenango County, has taken the trip with her two children three times before. She said the trip is a special time for her family.

"It's an opportunity to meet with other widows and for my children to meet with other children who have been through similar situations," Mata said.

Mata's husband, Spc. Ramon Mata Jr., died in a car accident on Christmas Day in 2004, while traveling in Wyoming. He had been stationed at Fort Drum.

"This trip means a lot to us," she said. "It's just awesome."

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

The $1.5 million will help Le Moyne upgrade classrooms and laboratory facilities, offices and other instructional space.

DeWitt, N.Y. — Le Moyne College will receive $1.5 million in state funding to renovate the final two floors of its Coyne Science Center.

The final phase of the Coyne Science Center project, which will cost $8.75 million to complete, will upgrade 25,000 square feet of classrooms and laboratory facilities, offices and other instructional space, the college said.

The renovations will support the continued expansion of Le Moyne's programs in the health fields, the college said. Le Moyne said the upgrades will support programs under development, including expansion of its physician assistant studies program.

Le Moyne College will receive $1.5 million in state financial aid to complete renovations to its Coyne Science Center.Le Moyne College 

The $1.5 million in funding is part of a total of $80.2 million in state financial assistance for 85 Central New York projects for 2015 under Gov. Andrew Cuomo's regional economic development council initiative.

"This project will enable Le Moyne to continue providing the regional healthcare sector with graduates prepared with the skills needed to expand to meet the needs of a growing and aging population," Le Moyne President Linda LeMura said in a statement Thursday. "Once completed and the programs are launched, the new facility will prepare 81 students annually for the high-paying jobs of tomorrow while simultaneously injecting nearly a half million dollars of new money from international sources into the region's economy."

Le Moyne said the final phase of the Coyne Science Center project will create 95 construction jobs. A date for the start of construction has not been set.

In 2012, Le Moyne received $2 million in regional economic development council awards. That money was used to support the renovation of Mitchell Hall to house the Madden School of Business and earlier phases of the Coyne Science Center.

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

Susan Downey, of Baldwinsville, said she donated because she "felt it was a great opportunity to give back to my roots."

OSWEGO, NY -- The newly formed Oswego County Community Foundation is getting closer to reaching its fundraising goal after Susan Downey, an Oswego native, made a $100,000 donation.

"There are so many organizations and people in need in the Oswego community because of cut backs and limited funding," Downey, of Baldwinsville, said in a news release. "I think it's very important for money to remain in the area, so when I heard about the establishment of this foundation, I felt it was a great opportunity to give back to my roots."

Downey grew up in Oswego and continues to maintain her mother's Oswego residence with the hope that she will move back to her hometown someday. Downey volunteers for the Baldwinsville Public Library and the Baldwinsville Volunteer Center.

"I am hoping that this gift will motivate others in Oswego to step forward and give back," Downey said. "The Oswego County Community Foundation has opened the doors for community members like me to be part of creating a permanent, ongoing source of support for the benefit of the region's charitable organizations. It is a wonderful opportunity to make people more aware about giving locally."

Once the foundation's initial fundraising goal of $500,000 is met, the foundation will award grants to local nonprofit organizations with programs ranging broadly from arts and culture, environment and animal welfare to education, human services, health and civic affairs.

The Oswego County Community Foundation is a component of the Central New York Community Foundation and is a geographically specific endowment that provides a source of permanent charitable dollars for nonprofits serving residents of Oswego County. For more information, visit the foundation's website.

"The OCCF leadership team is grateful for the confidence and trust that Downey has placed in us by making a substantial personal gift to the foundation's unrestricted endowment," said Randy Zeigler, the foundation's interim chair, in a news release. "This gift is getting us closer to the funding goal we need to reach to begin grant making within the county. "

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

No one knows who cashed Joseph Zwiefel's checks after his death in 1977, and it may be too late to solve the mystery.

New York State mistakenly sent Joseph Zwiefel pension checks for 28 years after he died, costing the state pension fund $346,000. But no one knows who cashed the checks and, chances are, no one ever will.

According to USA Today, Zwiefel, a retired New Castle police officer, died in 1977 at age 75, but the pension fund didn't stop sending him checks until one was returned by the post office in 2005.

Zwiefel had lived in Orlando where his widow, Geri Zwiefel, 85, continued to live after he died. She sold the home in 2005. She claims she has trouble remembering things, but that she didn't cash the checks because she "didn't have any income."

The state Comptroller's Office confirmed that Zwiefel was dead in 2006, but did little investigation into the money's disappearance, and has now run out of time to solve the mystery.

The Journal News started looking into Zwiefel in the spring of 2014 because a database of more than 350,000 state retirees showed that he was still drawing a pension at 112 years of age. Here's an excerpt from the investigation by The Journal News:

New York State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli at an editorial board meeting at Syracuse Media Group. May 14, 2014.Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.com 

"A spokeswoman for the comptroller said that Zwiefel had been mistakenly included among active pensioners, even though the checks had stopped nine years earlier...

"'Action should have been taken in 2005 when this matter came to the attention of the previous administration,' said Nikki Jones, deputy press secretary for state Comptroller Thomas Dinapoli. She said the statute of limitations for criminal prosecution and civil recovery expired in 2010 and 2011, respectively.

"While the retirement system has long checked social security records to determine whether pensioners have died, Zwiefel's death was missed because the pension fund had an incorrect social security number for him. That could have been because Zwiefel retired a decade before the retirement system was linked to social security, and it was his responsibility to provide his social security number, Jones said."

According to Jones, the retirement system now matches pensioner information and social security records every month. She said DiNapoli is stepping up efforts to identify pension fraud.

In one high profile case this year, retired Suffolk County police sergeant Terrance Hoffman pleaded guilty to collecting more than $465,000 in pension payments while being paid $112,000 each year as a professor at Nassau Community College, LongIsland.com reported.

In August, DiNapoli and Attorney General Eric Schneiderman announced the arrest of and indictment of Graycelia Cizik on one count of Grand Larceny, according to Long Island Exchange. Cizik allegedly stole $120,000 in pension checks sent to her uncle, David Wynn, a retired Port Authority employee who died in 1988. Cizik reportedly failed to notify the Retirement System of Wynn's death, and submitted false information to his bank indicating that he was still alive.

Read the complete story of The Journal News' investigation into Joseph Zwiefel on LoHud.com.