99 NEWS HEADLINES FOR SATURDAY, 12/6/08....POTSDAM COMMUNITY TREE-LIGHTING CEREMONY THIS AFTERNOON AT 5 AT THE CIVIC CENTER

SHORT-TERM ECONOMIC PICTURE FOR POTSDAM NOT GREAT, LONG-TERM BETTER--Community Economic Developer Jim Murphy, who serves both the Village and Town says because many businesses in Potsdam rely on discretionary income to survive, current economic conditions are not conducive to growth; however conditions look to be stable long-term.

THREE LOCAL SCHOOLS SCORE ON NATIONAL 'BEST HIGH SCHOOLS' RATINGS--US News and World Report lists Colton-Pierrepont, Edwards-Knox, and Hermon-Dekalb in its rankings of the best high schools in the country, based on state standardized test performance, college preparedness, and other factors. St. Lawrence County showed best for all of Northern New York in the report.

BIG POT BUST--GOUVERNEUR--Village Police pulled over a vehicle Thursday, after they spotted the driver allegedly talking on a hand cell phone. A search of the vehicle turned up 8.5 pounds of Akwesasne weed headed for Watertown. 32-year-old Brian Lazore of Hogansburg was charged with felony possession, arraigned and jailed on 25-hundred dollars cash bail or 5-thousand dollars bail bond.

OGDENSBURG DRUG STORE BUGLARY SUSPECT NABBED--City Police say 20-year-old Joshua Ashley was arrested Thursday as the result of an investigation into an early morning break-in at Medicine Place Pharmacy on State Street. Ashley allegedly swiped a canister of body spray, set off the burglar alarm, and ran from the scene. Ashley lost a sneaker and forgot his cell phone, both of which were used by police as evidence. Ashley was arraigned and jailed on 25-hundred dollars cash bail or 5-thousand dollars bail bond.