THE INVESTIGATION OF ALLEGED ABUSE OF A FEMALE DURING A JANUARY 10^TH PARTY AT A RESIDENCE NEAR NEWTON FALLS RESULTED IN TWO ARRESTS BY STATE POLICE LAST WEEK. INVESTIGATORS IN CANTON SAY 20-YEAR-OLD BRIAN LAPLANTE OF NEWTON FALLS WAS ARRESTED LAST TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 5^TH ON A FELONY COUNT OF SECOND DEGREE ASSAULT ALLEGING HE BEAT THE WOMAN SERIOUSLY ENOUGH THAT SHE REQUIRED MEDICAL TREATMENT. INVESTIGATORS SAY THEY KNEW ABOUT THE GATHERING AT THE TIME IT OCCURRED, BUT WERE INFORMED OF THE ASSAULT AFTER THE VICTIM WENT TO EJ NOBLE HOSPITAL, AND THE HOSPITAL REPORTED IT ACCORDING TO STATE LAW.

A SECOND NEWTON FALLS-AREA MAN, IDENTIFIED AS JUSTIN TANNER ALLEGEDLY VOMITED ON THE WOMAN, AND WAS CHARGED WITH A MISDEMEANOR COUNT OF SECOND DEGREE RECKLESS ENDANGERMENT.  BOTH LAPLANTE AND TANNER WERE RELEASED ON TICKETS TO APPEAR IN CLIFTON TOWN COURT.

A GOUVERNEUR MAN PERISHED IN A TUESDAY NIGHT FIRE THAT DESTROYED HIS HOME.

GOUVERNEUR POLICE SAY 22-YEAR-OLD BRIAN MANDIGO WAS FOUND INSIDE THE BURNING HOUSE AT 66 AUSTIN STREET. GOUVERNEUR FIREFIGHTERS, GOUVERNEUR RESCUE SQUAD AND POLICE WERE CALLED ABOUT 11:12 PM TO A FULLY-INVOLVED BLAZE; SEVERAL OTHER DEPARTMENTS AND ST.LAWRENCE COUNTY FIRE INVESTIGATORS WERE CALLED UNDER THE MUTUAL AID SYSTEM. POLICE WERE THE FIRST TO ARRIVE; THEY TRIED TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT THERE WAS ANYONE INSIDE THE HOUSE, BUT WERE DETERRED BY HEAVY SMOKE. MANDIGO WAS LOCATED WITH THE HELP OF FIREFIGHTERS. HE WAS THE ONLY PERSON INSIDE THE HOUSE.

MANDIGO WAS PRONOUNCED DEAD AT EJ NOBLE HOSPITAL. THE CAUSE OF THE BLAZE IS STILL UNDER INVESTIGATION; AN AUTOPSY TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF MANDIGO'S DEATH IS EXPECTED.

AN OGDENSBURG WOMAN WHO ALLEGEDLY MADE OVER 14-HUNDRED-DOLLARS IN PURCHASES WITH A STOLEN CREDIT CARD WAS SENT TO PROBATION SUPERVISION LAST WEEK.

OGDENSBURG-BASED STATE POLICE B-C-I REPORTS 36-YEAR-OLD JODY LAROCK ALLEGEDLY STOLE THE CARD, AND MADE SEPARATE PURCHASES OF ABOUT 800 DOLLARS, 500 DOLLARS, AND 122 DOLLARS WITH IT, AT BUSINESSES IN THE OGDENSBURG AREA. LAOCK WAS CHARGED WITH THREE FELONY COUNTS OF SECOND DEGREE FORGERY, ONE FELONY COUNT OF FOURTH DEGREE GRAND LARCENY, AND A MISDEMEANOR COUNT OF PETIT LARCENY.

LAROCK WAS ARRAIGNED AND RELEASED UNTIL FUTURE APPEARANCES IN OGDENSBURG CITY COURT.

STATE POLICE MADE THREE ARRESTS LAST WEEK IN CONNECTION WITH A RECENT BURGLARY AT THE AMERICAN HOUSE IN EDWARDS.

INVESTIGATORS IN CANTON AND GOUVERNEUR SAY A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES WAS TAKEN FROM THE TAVERN IN AN INCIDENT REPORTED EARLY IN THE MORNING OF JANUARY 31ST.

17-YEAR-OLD MARTIN REESE OF EDWARDS WAS ARRESTED ON A FELONY COUNT OF THIRD DEGREE BURGLARY, 20-YEAR-OLD WALLACE MC.LAUGHLIN OF EDWARDS WAS CHARGED WITH THE SAME FELONY, PLUS A PROBATION VIOLATION. AND, A THIRD PERSON, IDENTIFIED AS CODY GLADLE OF THE EDWARDS AREA WAS ARRESTED ON A THIRD DEGREE BURGLARY CHARGE.

REESE AND MC.LAUGHLIN WERE ARRAIGNED AND RELEASED ON THEIR OWN RECOGNIZANCE UNTIL FUTURE COURT DATES. GLADLE WAS ARRAIGNED AND COMMITTED TO ST.LAWRENCE COUNTY CORRECTIONS ON 1500 DOLLARS CASH BAIL.

THE TOWN OF POTSDAM HAS PROOF IT DID NOT CAUSE THE FUEL SPILL THAT DELAYED THE 35 MARKET STREET RENOVATION PROJECT.

UNDERGROUND PETROLEUM CONTAMINATION WAS DISCOVERED LATE LAST YEAR AS THE ELEVATOR SHAFT WAS EXCAVATED FOR THE CONVERSION OF THE LONG-TIME FORMER TOWN OFFICE BUILDING INTO A NEW, STAND-ALONE COURT COMPLEX. IT WAS BELIEVED THE CONTAMINATION CAME FROM A LEAKING FUEL TANK INSTALLED BELOW THE SIDEWALK IN ABOUT 1972 FOR THE BUILDING NEXT DOOR. IT WAS A LIQUOR STORE AT THE TIME, AND IS NOW A BAR. BORINGS WERE DONE AT TOWN EXPENSE TO LOCATE THE ORIGIN OF THE CONTAMINATION.

SUPERVISOR MARIE REGAN TOLD THE TOWN COUNCIL TUESDAY THERE WILL BE NO ENFORCEMENT ACTION AGAINST THE TOWN.   ENGINEER BRIAN JACOT FROM GREYSTONE STRATEGIES TOLD THE COUNCIL LAST MONTH IT WAS LIKELY THE TOWN WAS NOT RESPONSIBLE, BUT THE TESTING HAD TO BE DONE TO BE SURE. REGAN SAYS HER DISCUSSIONS WITH JACOT AND THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION INDICATE THE TOWN COULD GET SOME MONEY TO HELP PAY FOR THE INVESTIGATION.  THE NEW COURTROOM AT 35 MARKET IS ALMOST READY TO OCCUPY; THE COUNCIL MEETING TUESDAY WAS THE FIRST IN THE NEW OFFICE BUILDING AT 18 ELM STREET.

IN OTHER BUSINESS TUESDAY, REGAN TOLD THE COUNCIL ALDI'S HAS PAID ITS ESCROW, AND WILL START THE CONSTRUCTION OF ITS NEW GROCERY ON THE POTSDAM-CANTON ROAD THIS SPRING.