Friday, October 31, 2008

Drug Court Provides Support to Recovering Addicts - October 21, 2008


At 21, Jason was a cocaine addict, arrested on a possession charge that could have wrecked his life. Now, months later he is about to graduate from Syracuse Community Treatment Court. The reward: a clean record and a good shot at staying off drugs.
“Keep your focus on your recovery,” Supervising Judge Jeffrey Merrill told Jason Tuesday afternoon in a courtroom packed with defendants, family members, friends, student reporters and court personnel. “You can do it,” Merrill said to a round of applause.
48 others stood before Merrill, some of whom had turned themselves in for relapses. They got a break. Others caught using and lying got a tongue-lashing and, in some cases, a couple of weekends in jail.
“The truth will set you free,” Merrill said. “I’ve got to hear it [relapse] out of your mouth rather than a urine cup. The only person you’re going to screw is yourself.”
Merrill had enough of a few repeat violators and sent them off in handcuffs to prison. Dishonesty, failed drug tests or absences to court are intolerable.
The Syracuse Community Treatment Court started in 1997 with the aim to support drug addicts and build them into productive citizens. Director Kim Kozlowski said the drug court has a lower recidivism rate than other rehabilitation programs. Six out of ten people graduate.
“My biggest role is like a father of a big dysfunctional family,” Merrill said. “It’s change or die in this program.”
Jason changed. On November 18th, his next court date, he hopes to be free.

Thursday, October 30, 2008

A Day in Drug Court-10/21/2008

Judge Jeffrey Merrill presides over the Syracuse Drug Court, located on the first floor of the Syracuse Public Safety Building. On Tuesday, 49 offenders were brought before the judge. Those entering drug court for the first time were met with applause from Merrill. However, the judge was unsympathetic to offenders who brought children with them.
"Don't bring your kids with you to the courtroom," Merrill said. "I won't hesitate to lock you up with your kids standing right next to you."

The notion of locking a person up in front of his or her kid might seem harsh. Merrill has been the Supervising Judge in the Syracuse Drug Court since 2000. In his time on the bench he says he has seen instances of offenders bringing children with them to avoid arrest. In an interview after all the offenders were brought before him, the judge told 13 student reporters that sometimes the children people bring are not even theirs.

"Some people even bring their neighbors' kid kind of like a Rent-A-Child," Merrill said "They say 'Hey do you want me to watch your kid, maybe around 2 o'clock on Tuesday,' and then bring them down here."

Even with people attempting to beat the system, Merrill says that drug court is a great benefit to the people that go through the treatment program.

"It works, it really works," Merrill said. "It takes about a year to a year and a half. Then they walk out of here with nothing on their record."

Sunday, October 19, 2008

Mahoney's Veto Lives On

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

Although it was a close call, "Tobacco 19" went up in smoke again today. Onondaga County legislators fell two votes short of the 13 needed to override the bill that County Executive Joanie Mahoney vetoed last month.


The bill would have changed the tobacco purchase age in Onondaga County from 18 to 19. The idea is that raising the age would keep high schoolers from buying cigarettes and giving them to minors.


West Genesee senior Alissa Orlando, 17, says the bill would be effective based on her observations of peers. "I saw upperclassmen in my health class selling cigarettes to minors," she said to county legislators. "If that's not irony, I don't know what is."


Robert Warner, R-Baldwinsville, defended the bill from an economic standpoint. He said reducing teen smoking would lower the number of lung cancer patients. Warner estimated that medical costs for a cancer patient could reach a million dollars. "We can save taxpayers millions of dollars by this bill which costs nothing," he said.

Some believe "Tobacco 19" violates freedoms that come with being an adult. "At what age do we hold people responsible for their actions?" William Kinne, D-Syracuse, asked, despite voting for the override.

Others opposed "Tobacco 19" because it would excuse 18-year-olds in the military. They say that military participation does not determine an 18-year-old's decision making ability. "Military inclusion is the stupidest thing I've heard in five years, " James Rhinehart, R-Skaneateles, said.

Warner says he will try again next year to get "Tobacco 19" passed.





Smoke: A Second-Hand Killer?


Tuesday October 7, 2008


As she absentmindedly flipped through her papers and anxiously tapped her feet underneath the wooden bench, Nancy St. Onge listened to the Onondaga County legislators state their support or rejection of overriding the county executive's Tobacco 19 veto.

St. Onge is the Tobacco Policy Coordinator for the Onondaga-Cortland-Madison BOCES. Her job is to train, evaluate and counsel people on tobacco policies and prevention. Yet she said her appearance at today’s meeting was as much personal as it was for business.

St. Onge has had breast cancer for the past five years, and the cancer is still spreading. She suspects second-hand smoke contributed to her cancer.

“My dad was a smoker and my former husband was a smoker,” St. Onge said. “There’s a tie between second-hand smoke and breast cancer.”

She stood behind the wooden podium today and spoke to the legislators in an attempt to convince them to support the override.

“Anyone who we can stop from smoking because we prevented them from starting … are better off,” St. Onge said during her speech. “Maybe [this law] won’t make a major dent; but any dent, any life saved is worth it.”

However, her words did not convince the necessary two-thirds majority of the legislature. With a final vote of eleven in favor and eight against, the legislature fell two votes short. As the Legislature Chair Bill Meyer slammed down his gavel announcing the rejection of the override, St. Onge picked up her “I L♥VE NY SMOKEFREE!” tote bag and left the legislature hall looking disappointed but determined.

Close but no Cigar

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

The Onondaga County Legislature was two votes short of overriding the County Executive’s veto of Tobacco 19 this afternoon. The 11-8 outcome was an example of history repeating itself as similar legislation was vetoed by the then-County Executive Nicholas Pirro in January, 2007, after legislators had first approved it.

“I think smoking is a terrible, terrible thing,” said David M. Stott, D-Liverpool. “I honestly don’t know why this hasn’t been approved.”

Pirro first vetoed the proposal prohibiting the sale of tobacco products to anyone under 19 primarily because there was no military exemption.

Tobacco 19 was then reworked to exclude 18 year-olds in the military.

Mahoney vetoed the revised legislation last month saying it would be ineffective. Robert Warner, R-Baldwinsville, proposed reconsideration today.

“Twenty percent of all 18 year-olds are in high school,” Warner said. “They can sell and distribute cigarettes to 17, 16 and 15 year-olds and, in turn, those young kids can become addicted.”

In a speech to legislators, Warner stressed that the costly health effects of Onondaga County smokers contributed significantly to the $560 million expense of Medicaid in the annual budget.

“This law could help prevent smoking addiction at such an early age - it would save heavy tax costs and maybe even some lives,” Warner said.

James Rhinehart, R-Skaneateles, is one of eight Republicans who voted against the override.

“The military exemption is one the stupidest things I’ve heard in the last five years,” he said.

Warner remains optimistic that with some tweaking - the bill can eventually get passed.

Tobacco 19 no go

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

The legal smoking age in Onondaga County was two votes away from being raised to 19 in a vote during the county legislature meeting this afternoon. All eight Democrats and three Republicans voted to override County Executive Joanie Mahoney’s veto of Tobacco 19, but it takes a two-thirds majority— out of 19 votes—to override and the legislature has never done that.

Tobacco 19 would have prohibited the sale of tobacco products or herbal cigarettes, rolling papers or pipes to anyone under the age of 19, except for those serving in the United States military.

“This law is simple,” said co-sponsor Bob Warner, R-Baldwinsville, before the meeting. “It costs nothing. It’s real easy. … young kids get addicted real quick.” Warner said he’ll try again in the future.

While the law would only raise the smoking age by one year, the goal would be to eliminate high school students from having access to tobacco and to prevent teenagers from starting to smoke earlier in life.

“It won’t make a major dent in [the number of people who smoke], but any life we save is worth it,” said Nancy St. Onge, the Tobacco Policy Coordinator for OCM BOCES, who spoke to the legislators before the vote.

Marty Masterpole, D-Syracuse, said the vote could have been influenced by campaign donors. The Onondaga County Republican Committee received a $10,000 donation from tobacco giant Phillip Morris in late 2007, Masterpole said.

“They won’t come out and say it, but that’s a major reason why [they voted like they did],” Masterpole said.

Legistlators vote to protect citizens from violent sex offenders

Tuesday October 7, 2008


Onondaga County Legislators have voted unanimously to amend the county budget to include the spending of $470,000 on GPS bracelets for the most vicious and dangerous sex offenders. "Everything will be programmed into their bracelet, like schools, the person he offended, all those locations will be in the system" said Richard Lesniak, R-Baldwinsville, who introduced the bill.

"If he goes into one of those areas the bracelet will tell him that he is in an unauthorized area. If he continues to stay there then the probation officer will be notified."

Instead of forcing county taxpayers to bear the financial load , Lesniak said the probation department would get the funds for the GPS systems directly from a grant from the State of New York. However, the state grant would only pay for the first year of the program with no guaranteed grant funding after that.

Chairman William Meyer said the wearing of the bracelets by level 2 and 3 sex offenders would not be optional nor would it be a violation of their rights.

“ The record is pretty clear that for these sex offenders, if they are going to get out early then they have to meet certain conditions just like probation” he said.

Saturday, October 18, 2008

Onondaga County Citizens Support Tobacco 19 Override- Tuesday October 7th, 2008

      He says his first cigarette came from an 18-year-old high school friend and now he struggles to quit smoking. Matt Reilly, 17, a Marcellus High School senior, said he came to the Onondaga County Legislature's meeting this afternoon to support the override of County Executive Joanie Mahoney's "Tobacco 19" veto, an effort to keep cigarettes away from high school students. "It's a pretty good-sized population in upper classes that smoke," Reilly said. 

The legislation would prohibit the local sale of tobacco to people under 19 with the exception of military persons, was initially vetoed last year by then-County Executive Nick Pirro. Last month, Mahoney vetoed the legislation again. Today, the legislature failed to reach the two-thirds majority needed to enact the override, voting for it 11-8.

In support of the override, Policy Coordinator for Onondaga Cortland Madison BOCES Nancy St. Onge addressed the legislators today. "Anything we can do to prevent someone from starting to smoke is a win," said St. Onge, who carried an "I Love Smokefree NY" tote bag.

While St. Onge may see "Tobacco 19" as a way to decrease smoking in high schools, Onondaga County Legislator James M. Rhinehart, R- Skaneateles, disagrees. "At eighteen you're either able to make that decision or not," Rhinehart said. Rhinehart voted against the override because of the included military waiver. 

Co-sponsor Robert Warner, R-Baldwinsville, said he'll try again though he's not sure when. But the influence the legislation has on rising Medicare costs makes it an important issue said Warner. "The financial impact of this almost dictates the way it will go.”

Tobacco 19 Unsuccessful Once Again


The Onondaga County Legislature failed again this afternoon to make Tobacco 19 the law. Legislators voted 11-8 for the bill but needed two more votes to override County Executive Joanie Mahoney’s veto.There was a clear divide between legislators wanting to raise the age to buy cigarettes from 18 to 19 and legislators who didn’t. Bill co-sponsor and, Robert Warner , R-Baldwinsville(left image), said, "I'm not sure that anyone at that age knows what they are doing to themselves for the rest of their lives."The resolution would make it illegal to sell cigarettes to anyone under 19. The bill was vetoed in 2007 by former County Executive Nick Pirro and again this September by Joanie Mahoney.Some legislators said they voted against the bill because those underage in the military were excluded. "What is that telling kids- that they can smoke if they join the military?" James Rhinehart, R-Skaneateles, asked. William Kinne, D-Syracuse, did not agree with the bill but said he voted for it because its sponsors asked him to. "At 18, you are responsible for your own actions," he said. Alissa Orlando, 17, a senior at West Genesee High School, told legislators she has witnessed 18-year-old students selling cigarettes,” We need to start early on and stop this addiction," she said. Warner said he will keep trying until Tobacco 19 is passed but he may wait another year before he tries again. "Some people feel government should not be involved in telling people what to do. I think that's ridiculous."

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Onondaga County Legislature Falls Short of Override

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

The Onondaga County Legislature came close to overriding the county executive’s veto of Tobacco 19 this afternoon, but fell two votes short of the 13 needed.


Tobacco 19 would legally raise the age to buy tobacco products to 19, with an exemption for active military. 


Despite her concerns about underage smoking, she felt the law wasn’t effective enough, County Executive Joanie Mahoney said.


A senior from West Genesee High School addressed the legislature. Alissa Orlando, 17, said she has seen first hand the effects of underage smoking.


“The teenage mind is not developed enough,” she said, cigarettes should be kept out of teenagers’ hands.


“It won’t make a major dent, but any dent, any life saved is worth it,”Nancy St. Onge, pictured at left, told the legislators.


St. Onge represents the Tobacco Free Initiative Program and listened 

intently holding her “I Love Smokefree NY” tote.


Co-sponsor Robert Warner, R-Baldwinsville, urged his fellow legislators to vote for the legislation, saying the county should maintain a proactive role of regulation.


The law would be beneficial by decreasing Medicare and Medicaid payments, said David Stott, D-Liverpool.  After the decision, Stott says 

he still believes the law would’ve helped reduce underage smoking. 


One of eight Republicans who voted no, James Rhinehart, of Skaneateles, said he’s against the military exemption.


“At 18 your either able to make that decision or not,” he said, regardless of military service.


Last year, then-County Executive Nick Pirro vetoed a different version of the legislation.


The Onondaga County Legislature has never overridden a county executive’s veto.


Tobacco 19 Veto Upheld

October 7, 2008

Bob Warner (right) has been trying for three years, and after Tuesday’s Onondaga County Legislature vote, he will have to try again. The Legislators voted 11-8 to override County Executive Joanie Mahoney’s veto of the Onondaga Tobacco 19 bill, two votes short of the 13 necessary to pass. The bill, co-sponsored by Warner, R-Baldwinsville, called for a ban on tobacco sales to customers under the age of 19, with an exemption for those in the military.

Supporters of the bill said it would keep cigarettes out of high schools. “Anything we can do to prevent any number of people from beginning to smoke is worth it,” said Nancy St. Onge, a member of the New York State Department of Health's tobacco control board who addressed the legislature before the vote.

Those against the bill said tobacco would still be available to students from sources other than 18-year-olds and criticized the military exemption. “At 18, you’re either able to make the decision or you’re not,” said Legislator James Rhinehart, R-Skaneateles who voted against the override.

Mahoney is not the first to veto Onondaga Tobacco 19. Nicholas Pirro struck down a prior version early in 2007. Still, the bill’s co-sponsors, Warner and Lovie Winslow, D-Syracuse, are considering another try. “I’m going to talk to Bob to see if we want to keep banging our heads against the wall,” Winslow said. She added that she would again co-sponsor if Warner wanted to revive Tobacco 19. Warner said he was “disappointed,” but is still determined. “I’ll be back at it, you bet,” he said.

OC Legislature Fails to Override Mahoney - Tuesday, October 7, 2008




Syracuse, NY -
The Onondaga County Legislature did not override County Executive Joanie Mahoney’s veto of Tobacco 19 this afternoon. The eleven votes to override were two short of the necessary two-thirds majority.

Robert Warner, R-Baldwinsville, spearheaded the effort to prohibit tobacco sales to anyone under the age of nineteen except those in the military.

“About 20 percent of 18-year-olds sell tobacco to younger students, and they’re getting addicted,” Warner said. “If this law could just stop a couple of kids from smoking and getting addicted, if we can save just three or four kids, then it’s worth it.”

Warner also argued that cutting down on smoking will lead to saving millions on Medicaid. Democrats who voted with him agreed.

“Republicans believe it’s not conservative to take smoking away from people,” David Stott, D-Liverpool, said. “They don’t want to limit the freedoms that come with being 18-years-old. Today they believed those freedoms were more important than disease or cancer.”

Eight Republicans voted against his proposition.

Seventeen-year-old West Genesee High School senior Alissa Orlando wanted the bill passed. She is now pessimistic at another opportunity to override Mahoney’s veto.

“The Republicans won’t change their mind because they have had a lot of time to look at the issue,” Orlando said. “They’re set on where they stand.”

The Onondaga County Legislature has never overridden a veto by a County Executive.

Tobacco 19 fails to pass in Onondaga County Legislature

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

By a vote of 11 to 8, the Tobacco 19 legislation fell short of passing this afternoon at the Onondaga County Legislature. County legislators needed 13 votes to override County Executive Joanie Mahoney’s veto.

The Tobacco 19 legislation would raise the legal age to purchase cigarettes from 18 to 19.

Supporters say it would keep high school seniors from buying cigarettes and selling them to underclassmen.

Co-Sponsor Robert Warner, R-Baldwinsville, favors the Tobacco 19 legislation because he says it will save taxpayers money.

Medicaid costs $560 million dollars a year in Onondaga County and eleven million dollars of that is spent on smoking related illness alone, Warner said.  “The numbers are out there.”

Philip Morris, the largest tobacco company in the United States, gave a $10,000 contribution to the Republican Committee.

This is a main reason why eight Republicans voted against the legislation this afternoon said Martin Masterpole, D-Syracuse.

“They won’t come out and say it but that’s a major reason why,” Masterpole said. 

Warner wants the committee to return the money. Masterpole said that Warner was the only member of the committee to return his share.

Even though the legislation did not pass today, Warner has hope for it to pass in the future.

 “Financial impact almost dictates this is the way its gonna go,” Warner said. “We will be back. We live to fight another day.” 

Public Participation Lacking at Legislature: Ocobter 7, 2008


Bill Krause sat alone among rows of mostly empty benches at Tuesday's Onondaga County Legislature meeting. Krause, 60, of Liverpool said he'd come intending to learn more about the county's issues, but walked away understanding the public's general lack of participation in local government.

Krause said it could be difficult for someone to understand how the legislature works because the public meeting only "amplified the partisanship and how much is actually decided in private before the meeting," such as during caucuses.

Wearing a wool shirt and jeans with his long, thinning hair pulled back into a pony tail, Krause distantly watched his polished representatives in suits and ties converse among themselves.

As legislators laughed among themselves between items on the agenda, Krause sat expressionless, hands folded in his lap, never taking out the piece of paper folded in his front pocket to take notes.

As Bernard Kraft, R-Clay, defended an argument saying, "I represent the taxpayers," Krause said he did not share that feeling. He felt like an outsider.

With little or no discussion they passed resolutions to put GPS bracelets on high level sex offenders and to spend more than half-a-million dollars to pave roads. Even the vote to override County Executive Mahoney's veto of Tobacco 19 brought no serious debate as the legislature fell two votes short of the 13 needed.

Halfway through the meeting, Krause said none of the votes surprised him--and the empty benches surrounding him did not surprise him either.

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Onondaga County Legislature-Tuesday October 7th, 2008

Robert Warner, R-Baldwinsville, has been fighting the tobacco industry ever since he was elected to the Onondaga County Legislaturein1991. Throughout his 18 years Warner has been instrumental in passing major legislation limiting the power of tobacco companies. "I was the one that got rid of the Marlboro Man at P&C Stadium," Warner said. "I also led the move to get rid of smoking in restaurants. Six months later, New York State got rid of it, so we set a precedent here in Onondaga County." This afternoon Warner sponsored the motion to override the Tobacco 19 veto. The motion went against the traditional ideals of the Republicans but Warner has been fighting his party on this issue for as long as he has been around. The Democrats voted unanimously with Warner to override the veto. Onondaga County Executive Joanie Mahoney vetoed the Tobacco 19 law in September. The proposed law would make it illegal for anybody under the age of 19 to buy tobacco. The intent of the proposed legislation is to get tobacco out of high schools. The eleven votes to override were just two short of the two-thirds majority needed. Eight Republicans voted against overriding the veto. Not even testimony from a community member could sway their opinion. Alissa Orlando, 17, is a senior at West Genesee High School. She has seen firsthand the negative effects of the current law."I see seniors giving cigarettes to underclassmen all the time, even in a Health Education Class," Orlando said.

NOW VOYAGERS

13 students set out to Discover the News in the fall of 2008 and are finding a real city with real people just down the hill from their sheltered world at Syracuse University. They research how systems are set up from police and fire departments to local governments, courts, school districts, elections and more and how the people involved in those systems deal with reporters. They go to where those people work and find out from them about what they do and what they think reporters could stand to learn. Then those student reporters go out and cover real events and report on them. Their stories are what you'll find on this page.


Kelly Sullan, Vanessa Longshaw, Naresh Rammohan, Venise
Toussaint, Kevin Ware, Michael Lefko, Sierra Rodriguez-Jiminez,
Shannon Lins, Jennifer Brennan, Zack Waldman, Marlei
Martinez, Danielle Waugh, Paige Westin

Most often they travel by bus. It turns out you can learn a few things along the way. Perhaps before the semester is over they'll write some of those stories too