State Police announced the results of a preliminary investigation into a plane crash in the Town of Roxbury last Friday afternoon. The investigation determined that 45-year-old James Leavelle of Mentor Ohio was piloting the 1943 single propeller aircraft; he attempted to land on a private grass airfield due to approaching foul weather, Leavelle felt that his forward momentum was too great to stop within the length of the field, he attempted to become airborne again for a 2^nd attempt, he clipped trees & a power line and crashed. Leavelle suffered a minor hairline fracture in one spinal disc in the neck; the plane was dismantled and removed for the investigation by the FAA & The NTSB.

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Sidney village officials have given the go ahead for the construction of a skateboard park in Sidney. Ronnie Haag of the Sidney Area Youth Advocate program, explains:

(Ronnie Haag 5-13-14)

Haag said that the project was first discussed in 2008; they hope to have the park open for this summer.

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A bill that would create a statewide registry of violent felony offenders has passed the Senate. “Brittany’s Law” would require violent convicted felons to register with the state’s Department of Criminal Justice Service, after being released from prison, it would be set up similar to the current sex offender registry. The bill is named after 12-year-old Brittany Passalacqua who was killed in 2009 by John Brown, who was on parole at the time after serving 2½ years for assaulting his infant daughter. The bill was sent to the Assembly for consideration.

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The state political conventions start tomorrow in Westchester County and then continue the following week on Long Island.   Republicans Delegates will nominate Westchester County executive Rob Astorino for Governor and John Cahill for Attorney General. A week later, Democrats will gather in Suffolk County next week to re-nominate Governor Cuomo & Attorney General Eric Schneiderman.

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Businesses owned by disabled veterans will get a share of state contracts under a bill signed Monday by Governor Cuomo. The Service Disabled Veteran-Owned Business Act requires the state to create rules and regulations to oversee a new program, that will set aside 6% of contracts to a business owned by 1 or more veterans with a disability while serving in any branch of the Military. The law was passed by the state Legislature in March.

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Broome County Executive Debbie Preston underwent surgery yesterday at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City to remove the upper left lobe of her lung.   Preston recently announced she had been diagnosed with lung cancer; the surgery was successful, with no significant complications. Preston is recovering in the hospital’s intensive care unit. She is expected to be back in Broome County by the end of the week, she vowed that she will not step down as County Executive and will return to work shortly.

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State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli announced the creation of an investigations division in his office. The announcement comes amid a number of investigations by several attorneys, following the expiration of Governor Cuomo’s Moreland Commission. Cuomo said that the Moreland Commission was formed after the legislature refused to act on ethics reforms last year, they agreed to a reform package in March, and the commission was deactivated. DiNapoli now has an agreement with State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman that allows the attorney general’s office to conduct criminal investigations into alleged wrongdoing by state officials.

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