790 WTNY Headlines

Governor Patterson is vowing to stay in office and focus on the upcoming state budget. The Governor, who appeared last night at an event at Kennedy Airport in Queens, says his problems are small in comparison to the nearly nine-billion-dollar deficit facing New York. The Governor insists his name will be cleared when State Attorney General Andrew Cuomo completes his investigation.

9:01 AM

According to a new poll from Quinnipiac University just 46-percent of New York State voters think Governor Patterson should serve out his term. This is a big drop from the last poll the University released two days ago, when 61 percent of voters felt the Governor should serve out his term. Patterson is facing accusations that he pressured a woman in a domestic violence case that involved one of his top aides. In addition, a state panel says the governor broke ethics rules by accepting free World Series tickets in 2009.

8:57 AM

The US Department of Defense announced Thursday that the Allen-Vanguard Inc. manufacturing plant in Ogdensburg will be the sole facility to produce protective bomb suits under a $24 million military contract. The project could potentially lead the company to acquire more space and expand its workforce. The contract is expected to be complete by March 2011.

8:53 AM

State Police in Watertown are asking for the public's assistance in solving a burglary. The burglary occurred between 4:00 pm on March 2 and 9:00 am on March 3 on Indian Pt. Road, Chaumont, NY in the Town of Lyme. Stolen in the burglary were a Bostich pancake air compressor, Bostich framing sticker nailer, Bostich coil roofing nailer, Porter Cable pancake air compressor, Makita circular saw, and a Dewalt screw gun valued at over $1500. Anyone with information is urged to contact the State Police in Watertown at 315-782-3691.

8:44 AM

A driver of a Chinese food delivery truck took a wrong turn into a train Friday afternoon in the Village of Potsdam. State police said Fa Lin, 54, of Rochester, entered the Cassella property off Route 11 and failed to stop at a private railroad crossing. He struck a five-car CSX train, ripping his truck's rear wheel off, police said. Lin received a bloody lip and declined treatment. He was ticketed for failure to stop at a stop sign. It didn't appear that the train was carrying any cargo. State Police said it appeared Lin does not speak or read English.

8:41 AM

A Potsdam man has been arrested for allegedly assaulting two children on different dates. It is alleged earlier this week that Don Anson, 25, struck a 5 year old child in the eye with a closed fist, causing bruising around the eye area. The second incident occurred on Thursday when Mr. Anson struck a 4 year old child in the lower back with a belt, causing a large welt and skin removal. Mr. Anson was arraigned in the Village of Potsdam court and was released to Probation supervision. Mr. Anson is scheduled to re-appear in in the Village of Potsdam Court on March 10, 2010.

8:37 AM

A unanimous decision was made by the appellate court that upholds the conviction of Ralph "Bucky" Phillips. Phillips is the former fugitive who is currently serving life in prison for killing New York State Trooper Joseph Longobardo and injuring two others while he was on the run. The Saratogian reported that arguments were presented that Phillips only pleaded guilty to some charges against him due to coercion and poor legal representation. This was Phillips third unsuccessful appeal in three separate counties.

8:29 AM

A Rockland County Executive is testing the waters for a possible challenge to Senator Kirsten Gillibrand this fall. Scott Vanderhoef is currently forming an exploratory committee to review his viability as a Senate candidate in the statewide race. Vanderhoef has acknowledged that he faces a fundraising challenge should he decide to run. Vanderhoef's decision follows two high profile names deciding not to enter the race, Harold Ford Junior and New York "Daily News" owner Mort Zuckerman.

8:16 AM

New York State has been named as one of the 16 finalists for the Federal "Race To The Top" Program. The federal Education Department will ultimately distribute four-billion dollars to a handful of states. The federal Education Department's pick of New York comes as a surprise with the state Legislature's failure to approve Governor Patterson's proposal to lift the cap on charter schools and use testing data to evaluate teacher tenure.

8:10 AM

Effective Monday New York Democrat Eric Massa is stepping down from his seat in the House of Representatives. Knowledgeable Democratic officials told the Associated Press that Massa, who has announced he will not seek re-election due to a recurrence of cancer, is resigning from his seat. The House Ethics Panel is reviewing a complaint by a male staffer who reportedly felt uncomfortable in a situation with Massa that had sexual overtones. The freshman lawmaker won a longtime Republican district that was carried in 2008 by John McCain.

8:00 AM

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