790 WTNY Headlines

A Watertown teenager is facing a total of 14 counts related to an incident in late October involving himself and another teen. A Jefferson County grand jury on Monday indicted 19 year old Jordan Reardon on a charge of attempted murder , as well as assault in the first degree, leaving the scene of an accident, and unlawful imprisonment among others. Reardon allegedly ran down 17 year old Cassandra Marsala on County Route 97 in the Town of Lorraine. Marsala suffered serious injuries in the incident and was hospitalized. Reardon remains held without bail at the Jefferson County Jail.

10:09 AM

A Jefferson County grand jury has also indicted a Ft. Drum woman on charges that she sent lewd photos of herself to a 16 year old boy back in September. Thirty year old Cherisse Umpierre is charged with second degree disseminating indecent material to a minor, endangering the welfare of a child, five counts of second degree criminal contempt, and two counts of forth degree tampering with a witness. Umpierre also allegedly violated an order of protection and told the youth to lie to the grand jury, and also allegedly directed a second individual to do the same.

10:08 AM

The Watertown City Council Monday night agreed to submit a letter of intent, stating in writing it's plan to apply for $2 million from the Restore NY Grant program. A Long Island developer is seeking the money to help turn the former Woolworth Building in Public Square into a luxury hotel.
The City Council also passed a resolution that allows for construction to move forward on the new otter exhibit at the New York State Zoo at Thompson Park. Construction of which is expected to begin soon.

10:07 AM

(Albany, NY) -- Governor Paterson announced yesterday that 34 upstate counties have been approved for a program that gives gas cards to unemployed job seekers. The Workforce Investment Boards, which serve rural counties, is getting access to $250,000 for the cards. The money is being provided by federal funding allocated to New York State under the Workforce Investment Act, with the cards intended to help unemployed residents with transportation expenses to help look for work, go to interviews or use employment services. Each local board will set its own eligibility standards and distribution requirements. Central and Northern New York counties with access to the money are Cayuga, Chenango, Cortland, Jefferson, Lewis, Madison, Oneida, Oswego, Seneca, St. Lawrence, Tompkins, and Wayne.

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Metro Networks Communications Inc., A Westwood One Company

10:06 AM

(Albany, NY) -- Losses continue to mount in the state's public employee pension fund, and school districts and municipalities will have to pony up more in two years. That's according to State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli, who made the remarks in a speech to school board members from across New York Monday. The fund lost nearly 20% of its value during the global economic meltdown of 2008. Increased contributions to the pension fund are often passed on to local property taxpayers. As of the end of the year, the fund was worth nearly $122 billion. DiNapoli says more losses are likely, but won't release any projections for the first quarter.

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Metro Networks Communications Inc., A Westwood One Company

10:05 AM

(Hyde Park, NY) -- "America's Mayor" lends a helping hand to the congressional campaign of Republican Assembly Minority Leader Jim Tedisco. Former New York Mayor Rudi Giuliani appeared with Tedisco at several events in Dutchess County Monday. Giuliani says the election should be a referendum on what he calls massive spending increases in Washington, and says Tedisco has a record of supporting fiscal discipline and lower taxes in the Assembly. Tedisco is facing Democrat Scott Murphy and Libertarian Eric Sundwall in the campaign to replace Senator Kirsten Gillibrand in the 20th Congressional District.

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Metro Networks Communications Inc., A Westwood One Company

10:04 AM

(Albany, NY) -- Desperate times call for desperate measures. That's what U.S. Senator Charles Schumer thinks, and that's why he is looking to the West Coast for help in boosting the Central New York economy. Schumer wrote a letter to director and producer Steven Spielberg, asking the Hollywood giant to consider filming parts of his next project in Auburn. Spielberg is currently in the preproduction phase of new movie about our nation's 16th president, Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln's secretary of state William H. Seward was from Auburn, with his former family home being the current Seward House a museum and national landmark. Schumer also pointed to the recent increase of the state's film production tax credit from 10% to 30%.

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Metro Networks Communications Inc., A Westwood One Company

10:02 AM

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