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December 3, 2008

Of Interest: Dec. 4, 2008

Plattsburgh Common Council agenda set
PLATTSBURGH — The Plattsburgh Common Council will take action on several items at tonight's meeting.

City councilors will consider requests from:

•  Community Development to award R.C. Construction Project Restore $100,642, which will be funded through the Restore New York program and a bridge loan from the revolving loan fund.

•  Municipal Lighting Department to close capital projects on the Plattsburgh Plaza substation, bonded in 2001, and the Flynn Avenue substation, bonded in 2004; and transfer surplus funds of $120,000 from those bonded projects to supplement current capital projects or debt service, whichever is more critical.

The meeting consists of a work session at 5 p.m. and the regular meeting at 6, both open to the public.

Boil-water order lifted near turnpike
PLATTSBURGH — The Clinton County Health Department has lifted the boil-water order for Military Turnpike.

The affected area began at St. Joseph's Church south to the Saranac River and included Cross and Brown roads (Treadwell Mills area).

Repairs have been completed, and two consecutive daily check samples were absent of total coliform bacteria.

If you have any questions, call the Clinton County Health Department at 565-4870.

Ortloff attorney reviewing case documents
PLATTSBURGH — Former Assemblyman Chris Ortloff remains behind bars as his attorney reviews the federal case against him.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Spina said Tuesday that Ortloff's attorney, Andrew Safranko, continues to review the documents and evidence he requested from prosecutors shortly after Ortloff, 61, was arrested during a police sting.

He continues to be held at Washington County Jail, accused of trying to solicit sex from minors.

He was taken into custody on federal charges in mid-October after he allegedly arranged to have sex with two underage girls in an Albany-area hotel.

Spina said he expects to hear back from Ortloff's attorney sometime next week regarding the evidence.

As of Tuesday, Ortloff's next court appearance had not been scheduled.

Safranko has not returned repeated Press-Republican messages seeking comment on the high-profile case.

— By Staff Writer Andrea VanValkenburg
U.S., Canadian officials to discuss lake issues
BURLINGTON, Vt. (AP) — A commission of U.S. and Canadian officials is planning to meet later this month to begin its efforts to track phosphorous pollution from Lake Champlain's Missisquoi Bay back to its sources on land.

The International Joint Commission is planning to hold its first meeting in Swanton on Dec. 15. The next day there will be another hearing in St. George de Clarenceville, Quebec.

Missisquoi Bay is sometimes plagued with toxic, summer algae blooms that are fed by phosphorus that runs into the lake from farm fields, suburban lawns and dirty streets.

Vermont and Quebec have invested millions of dollars in helping farmers prevent pollution, but the water quality has not improved.

— By The Associated Press

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