(Marcy, NY – Jan. 23, 2012) On Jan. 21 New York State Police in Marcy arrested Jocelyn Vasquez, 34, of 136 Village Road, Apt # 4, Woonsocket, RI and charged her with first-and second-degree Promoting Prison Contraband and third-degree Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance and Unlawful Possession of Marijuana.

Vasquez was arrested after she went to visit an inmate a Marcy Correctional Facility and was found to be in possession of heroin and marijuana.

She was arraigned in the Town of Floyd Court and was remanded to the Oneida County Jail on $25,000 bail.

(Marcy, NY – Jan. 23, 2012) On Jan. 23 Inv Allen Svitak Jr., of the New York State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation in Marcy concluded a six month investigation into the theft and arson of a truck in the Town of Marcy.

The State Police began an investigation into the theft of a 2005 Chevrolet Colorado pick- up truck on June 28, 2011. The pick-up truck was subsequently located on July 7, 2011 on the National Grid substation right of way adjacent to River Road in the Town of Marcy. The truck had been extensively burned and the fire was determined to be arson.

On Jan. 23 Inv. Svitak arrested the owner of the truck, Kurt T. Lichtenberger, 24, of 5971 Cavanaugh Road, Marcy and charged him with third-degree Falsely Reporting an Incident and third-degree Arson.

Lichtenberger was arraigned in the Town of Floyd Court and was committed to the Oneida County Jail on $20,000 bail.

(Marcy, NY – Jan. 2012)  The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) – Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) gives notice that it will hold a Local Work Group meeting for Oneida County Jan. 31 from 10 a.m. to noon at USDA NRCS, 9025 River Road in Marcy.

The meeting is open to the public.

The Local Work Group will focus on agricultural and natural resource issues existing in your community. Participants can be agricultural producers; owners of nonindustrial private forest land; representatives of agricultural and environmental organizations; and representatives of governmental agencies carrying out environmental, agricultural, or natural resource conservation programs and activities.

NRCS Local Work Groups are subcommittees of the NRCS State Technical Committee and they provide recommendations on local natural resource priorities and Farm Bill program conservation activities. For information about the State Technical Committee, contact Assistant State Conservationist for Programs, Tammy Willis at 315-477-6503.

To participate in your local conservation work group, visit your county USDA Service Center. Directions and phone numbers to your local USDA Service Center can be found online at http://offices.sc.egov.usda.gov/locator/app?state=NY.

Pictured is Klotz and Crider.

(Marcy, NY- Jan. 10, 2012)  State Police in Marcy has concluded a six week investigation into a residential burglary that occurred in the Town of Marcy in November 2011 with the arrest of three individuals.

The following were each charged with one count of Burglary in the Second Degree; a Class “C” Violent Felony, which alleges they unlawfully entered a home and stole approximately $70,000 in cash:

Philip D. DiPerna, 20, of 1434 Genesee St., Utica, who is also a New York State Parolee, was arrested on Jan. 5. DiPerna was arraigned in the Town of Marcy Court and was remanded to the Oneida County Jail on $30,000 cash bail. New York State Parole has also violated his parole status.

Theodore J. Klotz, 20, of 1406 Ney Ave., Utica. Klotz was arrested on Jan. 9 and was arraigned in the Town of Marcy Court and was also sent to the Oneida County Jail on $30,000 bail.

Also arrested on Jan. 5 was Kelly L. Crider, 20, of 27 Poplar Ave, Whitesboro, who was charged with fourth-degree felony Criminal Possession of Stolen Property for possessing a quantity of the stolen money. She was issued an appearance ticket returnable to the Town of Whitestown Court.

Pictured from top are Tom Paatz, Bob Stronach and Dave Troutman.

(Sylvan Beach, NY – Jan. 2012) U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 26 based in Sylvan Beach held its Change of Watch banquet Jan. 7, swearing in staff officers for 2012 and honoring 2011′s top performers.

Division 2 Vice Commander John Steinbarge of Baldwinsville administered the oath of office to newly elected Flotilla Commander William Cummings of Utica and Flotilla Vice Commander Karen Beehm of Hubbardsville, along with a number of appointed staff officers.

Steinbarge, Cummings and Beehm then presented several awards.

Thomas Paatz of Dolgeville received both the Flotilla’s Top Performer Award in Operations and the Division’s Commodore James J. Phillips Excellence in Operations Award for, among other things, spending the most time patrolling Oneida Lake and assisting boaters in distress.

David Troutman of Rome received the Flotilla’s Program Visitor Award for making the most visits — over 360 visits — to retail, boating and recreational outlets to promote boating safety. Troutman and Bonita Stilwell of Canastota shared the Flotilla’s Top Vessel Examiner Award for performing the most free safety checks for boaters.

Robert Stronach of Marcy was named the Flotilla’s Coast Guard Auxiliarist of the Year, reflecting participation in training, photographing and writing about missions, training and other activities, and designing Coast Guard Auxiliary publications.

Steinbarge made brief remarks about the need to continue addressing boating safety with the public, especially with paddle crafts becoming a popular recreational sport. “They’re selling thousands of paddle crafts,” he said, which presents an opportunity to provide safety education to reduce the number of mishaps and injuries.

The Coast Guard Auxiliary supports the U.S. Coast Guard and the public by patrolling the waterways, responding to boaters in distress, conducting search and rescue operations, promoting and teaching boating safety, offering free vessel exams, and providing auxiliary chefs (AuxChefs) for short tours at Coast Guard stations, on Coast Guard cutters, and at VIP events.

(Marcy, NY – Jan. 9, 2012) On Jan. 7 State Police in Marcy, in conjunction with the NYSDOCCS Inspector General’s Office,  arrested Elicia A. Ladson, 47, of 373 Clinton Ave., Apt # 1, Albany and charged her with second-degree Promoting Prison Contraband and Unlawful Possession of Marijuana.

Ladson had entered Marcy Correctional Facility to visit an inmate there and possessed 14 grams of marijuana.

She was arraigned in the Town of Marcy Court and was committed to the Oneida County Jail on $5,000 bail.

Office will serve constituents from Rome and surrounding areas in the 116^th Assembly District

(Rome, NY – Jan. 9, 2012) Assemblyman Anthony Brindisi (D-Utica) will officially open his new Rome office at a ribbon cutting ceremony Friday, Jan. 13 at 9:30 a.m.  The public is invited to attend. The office is located at 117 North James St. at the Fort Stanwix Parking Garage.

“A Rome office will allow constituents in the City of Rome, and the towns of Whitestown, Marcy, and Floyd another option if they want to schedule an appointment,”Brindisi said.  “This is a pledge that I made during my campaign for the Assembly last year.  It is important to me that constituents in Rome and the western part of my district have a convenient option to meet with myself or my staff besides my district office in Utica.”

Brindisi says the Rome office will be open Fridays from 9 a.m .to 5 p.m., and by appointment.  The Utica District office in room 401 of the State Office Building at 207 Genesee Street is open weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.  Anyone wanting to make an appointment for either office should call (315) 732-1055.

Representatives from the Rome Area Chamber of Commerce will be on hand to welcome attendees to the ceremony.

(Remsen, NY - Jan. 5, 2012) The New York State Police in Remsen has concluded a month long investigation into a criminal mischief investigation.

On Nov. 29, 2011 the State Police responded to a report of a vehicle that had sustained substantial damage while parked at the Sunrise Food Mart located on Route 365 in Stitville. A subsequent investigation by Trooper Bethany Lamphere led to the arrest of the following individuals for damaging the vehicle:

Ronald T. Mytych, 18, 7642 Thomas Circle, Stitville who was charged with second-degree Criminal Mischief and Endangering the Welfare of a Child.

Kimberly R. Simons, 18, of 7138 Stearns Road, Rome who was charged with second-degree Criminal Mischief.

David J. Kelley, 18, of 9098 Main Street, Stitville who was charged with second-degree Criminal Mischief and Endangering the Welfare of a Child.

Kelley was arraigned in Marcy Town Court and was released. Mytych and Simons were arraigned in Trenton Town Court and were released.

(Herkimer, NY – Dec. 27, 2011) Herkimer County Community College has established a transfer articulation agreement with SUNY Institute of Technology (SUNYIT). This articulation agreement provides graduates of Herkimer’s Associate in Science (A.S.) degree program in Communication Arts: New Media with a transfer path to the Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Communication and Information Design at SUNYIT.

SUNYIT will accept HCCC graduates of this program who achieve a minimum 2.5 overall grade point average. Students will receive 64 hours of transfer credit toward the 124 hours required for the B.S. degree. Only grades of “C” or better will be considered for transfer.

For more information, contact Katherine Schwabach, Transfer Counselor at HCCC at (315) 866-0300, ext. 8308 or e-mail schwabaka@herkimer.edu.

Pictured from top is Jaynes, Williams and Rawlings

(Utica, NY – Dec. 13, 2011)  A 10-month investigation by the Oneida County Drug Enforcement Task Force, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the New York State Police Special Investigations Unit, the Oneida County District Attorney’s Office, and the U.S Attorney’s Office in Syracuse culminated in the execution of search warrants in Rome Dec. 13 and resulted in the seizure of narcotics, handguns, and currency, as well as the arrests of three subjects for crimes relating to controlled substances, illegal weapons and stolen property.

A search warrant was executed at 153 Pine Haven Circle Trailer Park, Blossvale, the residence of Phillip F. Williams, 47, and Britney M. Rawlings, 25. Seized from that location was approximately one ounce of cocaine and two loaded handguns, one of which was stolen.

Both subjects were taken into custody and transported to the State Police Barracks in Marcy for processing.

Williams was charged with two counts of third-degree Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance, a class “D” felony, two counts of third-degree Criminal Possession of a Weapon, also a class “D” felony, and one count of fourth-degree Criminal Possession of Stolen Property, a class “E” felony.

Rawlings was charged with fourth-degree Criminal Possession of a Weapon, a class “A” misdemeanor, and fourth-degree Criminal Possession of Stolen Property.

Both subjects were arraigned in the City of Rome Court.

A search warrant was also executed at 330 Park Drive Manor, Rome, the residence of Brandy L. Jaynes, 29. Seized from that location was approximately one ounce of crack cocaine, one half ounce of powdered cocaine, and $2,000 in U.S. currency.

Jaynes was taken into custody and transported to the State Police Barracks in Marcy for processing.

She was charged with two counts of third-degree Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance and arraigned in the City of Rome Court.

Lastly, a search was conducted at Colonial II Apartments, 301 Cottage St, Apt. # 608, the residence of Deborah J. Buttacavoli. Seized from that location was approximately seven ounces of cocaine. No arrests were made at that location at this time.

This investigation is ongoing, and any questions regarding this case should be directed to Lieutenant John Durling of the New York State Police Special Investigations Unit in Albany at 518.337.6234, or Detective Commander Tim Bates of the Rome Police Department at 315.339.7715.