790 WTNY Headlines

The race for Congress in the North Country has a new name and face. Sackets Harbor resident Kellie Greene officially announced her candidacy Wednesday night for the Republican nomination to challenge Democratic incumbent Bill Owens this November. Greene is an Oswego native who recently moved back to the area after spending the past several years in Arizona. She calls herself a big conservative who has associated herself with the tea party movement, and is sick of how things are being done in Washington. Greene becomes the second individual to seek the Republican nomination and her candidacy sets the stage for a GOP primary for the seat later this year against Watertown based businessman Matt Doheny, who lost to Owens two years ago.

10:44 AM

Governor Andrew Cuomo says school districts need to get their act together regarding teacher evaluations. On Wednesday, Cuomo reiterated his threat to enact his own evaluation system for Empire State teachers if the teachers unions and school districts continue to be unable to come to an agreement on the topic. Cuomo says if deals aren't reached, he'll implement his own plan in mid-February.

10:43 AM

A barn that houses livestock auctions in the Town of Lowville was damaged following a fire Wednesday. Crews were dispatched to the Northern New York Farmer's Market Cooperative on Rt. 26 at around 12 noon. The fire began with a coffee maker in the kitchen of the building, which suffered some fire and smoke damage. The damage is not expected to affect future livestock auctions, the next of which is scheduled for today. One person suffered smoke inhalation.

10:43 AM

More legal trouble for a Massena teen accused of making a homemade bomb earlier this week. Sheriff's deputies now accuse 17 year old Jordan Page of breaking a sprinkler head in his jail cell Wednesday afternoon, causing flooding. He is now charged with criminal mischief. Page was arrested earlier this week for allegedly making an explosive that was to be set off in the village's ice arena. He was arrested last year in Watertown in connection with robbery and burglary charges.

10:42 AM

Two Lewis County teens are charged after a third teen inhales fumes from a dusting can. Sheriff's deputies say on Sunday, they were called to a home on the Wagner Rd. in the Town of New Breman for a highly intoxicated 14 year old child who had inhaled a can ultra duster cleaning spray. It's alleged that 19 year old Zachary Lyndacker of New Breman and 18 year old Joshua Mellnitz of Glenfield bought the can and inhaled it as well as providing the can to the 14 year old. Both were charged with endangering the welfare of a child and illegal use of toxic vapors. They were each given appearance tickets.

10:42 AM

Last year's hunting season was one of the safest on record for New York State. That's according to the latest figures released this week by the DEC. During the 2011 seasons, 26 personal injury hunting related shootings were reported, including four fatalities. All of which occurred during the regular deer season. One of those shootings was self inflicted. The DEC is crediting safety efforts in recent years. Last year tied 2009 as the safest on record.

10:41 AM

Two men accusing former assistant Syracuse University basketball coach Bernie Fine of molesting them are demanding decades-old records from SU and basketball coach Jim Boeheim. Stepbrothers Bobby Davis and Mike Lang are suing Boeheim for slander. The two want to see SU basketball team records going back to 1983 when they were ball boys and the name and personal information of every SU player between 1992 and 1997. Attorneys representing SU and Boeheim are pushing to have the slander suit dismissed.

10:40 AM

New York Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos isn't thrilled with an idea to increase the state's minimum wage. The Republican Skelos says Democratic Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver's proposal to move the minimum wage to eight dollars and 50 cents could be a "job killer." Other Republicans in the Senate have expressed concern that a minimum wage increase in the state while the overall economy is in a slump could cause more problems than good.

10:39 AM

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