99 NEWS FOR WEDNESDAY, 6/29/11

POTSDAM CENTRAL USES EXCESS FUNDS TO MAKE END-OF-YEAR PURCHASES--Superintendent Pat Brady brought the Board Of Education a slate of expenditures Tuesday, using over 700-thousand-dollars in unexpected aid and money left over from cost-cutting measures over the year. A bus approved by voters in May will be purchased with a portion that money; computers and other needs will also be paid for out of the overage. Not all of the expenditures went without criticism; board member Chris Cowen was against the purchase of laptop computers for a high school library media center, citing their maintenance costs instead of setting up another computer lab using desktop machines. The expenditures do not need board approval. Brady says the point is to free up funds so teaching positions and other cuts can be considered for restoration in 2012-2013. 2011-2012 spending has already been approved by voters. The overage had to be spent by the end of the 2010-2011 budget year--Thursday, June 30th.

ALSO ONLINE TODAY....FOUR MASSENA TEENS ARRESTED ON FELONY CHARGES LATE TUESDAY ALLEGING ATTEMPTED BREAK-IN AND PROPERTY DAMAGE AT THE FORMER ANGELO'S BUILDING ON EAST ORVIS STREET...18-YEAR-OLD AUSTIN BUSH, 17-YEAR-OLD ZACHARY PITTS, 16-YEAR-OLD DEVIN RILEY, AND 17-YEAR-OLD STEPHEN SMUTZ ALL HELD IN POLICE LOCKUP UNTIL ARRAIGNMENT LATER TODAY

24-YEAR-OLD CHRISTOPHER DURHAM OF OGDENSBURG ARRESTED TUESDAY ON FELONIES IN CONNECTION WITH A SERIES OF BUSINESS BREAK-INS THAT STARTED IN MAY AND ENDED MONDAY. DURHAM ARRAIGNED AND JAILED ON 10-THOUSAND-DOLLARS CASH BAIL OR 20-THOUSAND-DOLLARS BAIL BOND

ST.LAWRENCE COUNTY LEGISLATORS MAKE EMERGENCY COST-CUTTING MEASURES IN THE HOPES OF SAVING 2 MILLION DOLLARS BY THE END OF THE YEAR...VEHICLE USE, LIMITS ON FILLING POSITIONS, SCRUTINY OF OVERTIME AND OTHER MEASURES PASSED. DISTRICT 6 LEGISLATOR FRED MORRILL SAYS FORCING EMPLOYEES TO COME TO CANTON TO PICK UP A VEHICLE TO GO TO A JOBSITE IS INEFFICIENT, AND THE SCRUTINY IS A 'FEEL-GOOD' MEASURE TO GIVE THE IMPRESSION THE COUNTY IS TRYING TO SAVE MONEY. DISTRICT 4 LEGISLATOR ALEX MACKINNON SAYS THE IDEA IS 'COST PREVENTION;' HE WOULD RATHER NOT MAKE CUTS OF CURRENTLY-EMPLOYED STAFF

MICHELLE O'BRIEN OF MASSENA, JAILED EARLY TUESDAY AFTER A DRUNKEN DRIVING-ROCK-THROWING INCIDENT TUESDAY, HAS A LONG RAP SHEET TO INCLUDE ONE PREVIOUS FELONY AND ONE PREVIOUS MISDEMEANOR DWI IN TWO DIFFERENT COUNTIES

LERAY WOMAN, TINA WEAVER-LAFRANCOIS ARRESTED AND JAILED IN ST.LAWRENCE COUNTY FOR ALLEGEDLY POSTING HER EX-HUSBAND'S NEW LADY-FRIEND'S PHOTOS ON INTERNET SEX ADS