99 NEWS HEADLINES FOR TUESDAY, 4/19/11

POTSDAM SCHOOL BOARD SENDS 4 PERCENT LEVY HIKE TO VOTERS--The board used fund balance and state aid to restore numerous cuts made in earlier budget drafts for 2011-2012, to include a controversial cut to a music teaching position. The bottom line of the spending plan approved unanimously Monday is about 25.79-million dollars.

CANTON POLICE CONTINUE TO INVESTIGATE THE DEATH OF 21-YEAR-OLD CORY BERCUME, A POTSDAM NATIVE AND SUNY CANTON HOCKEY PLAYER WHO APPARENTLY COMMITTED SUICIDE SUNDAY NIGHT AFTER SETTING HIS DIES STREET, CANTON BEDROOM ABLAZE. SOURCES HAVE TOLD US THE INCIDENT MAY BE RELATED TO THE USE OF PURIFIED ECSTASY, CALLED 'MOLLY,' A POTENT HALLUCINOGENIC DRUG.

SURVEY RESULTS SHOW MAJORITY OF POTSDAM VILLAGE RESIDENTS SUPPORT DISSOLUTION--The survey of 331 registered voters by SUNY Potsdam Political Science students and faculty show 55 percent support dissolving the village. Of those that feel property taxes were unreasonable, the number goes up to 61 percent. Even 46 percent of those that feel taxes are reasonable support dissolution.

FORMER COLTON SUPERVISOR HANK FORD SAYS HE WAS INVOLVED IN HEARTWOOD TRACT CAMP PRESERVATION DEAL--Ford, powerful Chair of the St.Lawrence County Conservative Party who wielded a great deal of influence over the administration of former Governor George Pataki, told 99 News Monday he 'sat right in Pataki's office' in the late 1990's while the deal to preserve over 200 camps, and build another dozen or so on former Champion Paper land. The State APA voted to approve the deal last Friday.