99 NEWS HEADLINES FOR WEDNESDAY, 12/10/08....road conditions less than ideal from snow, sleet and freezing rain; most local schools are closed and there are many cancellations, see that page for more

SOME HOUSES CANNOT BE REHABBED BY POTSDAM PROJECT--Planning and Development Director Fred Hanss told the Town of Potsdam Council Tuesday there are properties that are so run-down, they cannot be brought up to standards required by the Community Development Block Grant Program. He says alternative housing is sought for those clients. There were 3 such properties in the latest project.

ALLEGED PYRITES CHURCH VANDAL TO UNDERGO MENTAL HEALTH SCREENING--18-year-old Anthony Leonard is accused of doing extensive damage to St. Paul's Oratory. A caretaker discovered the church desecration in August. Leonard appeared in St. Lawrence County Court Monday, and reportedly had trouble responding to questions by Judge Jerome Richards. the evaluation will help determine whether Leonard is fit to stand trial.

LISBON TEEN SEX OFFENDER TO SERVE JAIL TIME; MUST REGISTER--16-year-old Mitchel Calkins pled guilty previously in county court to possessing a sexual performance by a child, admitting he obtained pornographic images of teen girls using MySpace and AOL, obtaining more and more images by making threats of publishing what he already had. Calkins was sentenced Monday to 6 months in jail, 10 years probation, and Leval 3 or high risk on the state sex offender registry.

OBITUARIES:

John Hoyt, Jr.--87--Canton. Services private. No calling hours; arrangements with Lawrence Funeral Home, Canton.