The Bulletin -- Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2008 (#962)

Program:
Clinton County District Attorney Andrew Wylie
In the last three years, D.A. Wylie said he has expanded his staff who now specialize in areas critical to the needs of the North Country. They continue to be very successful in prosecuting the crimes happening in the North Country.

Child Advocacy Center is still in the early stages of development. It will be a community-based team focusing specifically on services for child abuse victims. This statewide program will allow us to have a centralized location where the process a victim must undergo can be done in one visit. It will minimize the burden of exposure through the process.

Speeding Tickets have overloaded the courts. They been required to plea bargain speeding tickets. You can go to /www.clintoncountygov.com/Departments/DA/DAHome.html for the website for ticket reduction.

Drug Prosecution: Wylie said they’ve reduced the number of drug cases in our county by working diligently to prosecute those cases to the fullest extent possible. They have recently been included in a federal drug trafficking program to complete further investigation of drug trafficking in our area. This new program will begin addressing the amount of marijuana that gets sold through the reservation.

City Center Task Force will work as an alternative to incarceration for Plattsburgh State students. Small petty crimes have been heaviest on the weekends. We can lock them in the courts and fine them, but with this this work crew, students are made to do community service and it has been a successful deterrent.

Q: Are you seeing a revolving door with second offenses from those who are getting out of prison?
A: What we see frequently is that individuals who end up in prison are there for a long time. Many o f the family members have moved to the area so they can continue to visit. When they get out some stay with family. There is a recidivism rate but it’s not high (highest with drug cases).

Q: What percent of grand jury cases end in indictment?
A: 99.9%

Q: Can you comment on the level of success you’ve seen with the Youth Court? Is it a deterrent or are you seeing repeat offenders?
A: The Youth Court Program is for students in our schools. We don’t see that case load in our office, and so we don’t get a regular report.

Q: Last winter I was a juror on a case that your office tried. Since you have been DA, have you seen changes in the trends of who is committing the crimes ?
A: The most common offenses are burglary and theft. They all involved drugs or stealing to get money to purchase them. Age ranges from age 14-34. We have had more child abuse cases reported and prosecuted than I’ve seen in a number of years, which indicates people are more comfortable in making those reports.

Q: What should we as citizens can we look for?
A: The best routine to follow (especially health professionals who are mandated reporters) procedures sooner rather than later. We all grew up leaving our keys in the car and our homes unlocked. But there is no fear anymore with the kids who need the money for drugs.

This Week:

• Happy Birthday to Al Sweenor
• The District Conference is a few weeks away. Several members are going and there is still room for others to attend. See Steve for more information.
• This Friday at 11:30am the Ground Breaking for Rotary Centennial Park will be held right across from Lake Forest. nge LaMariana would like to ask members to consider donating holiday gifts to those living in our local nursing homes. For a complete wish list, visit www.plattsburghrotary.org Bring all items to our regular Wednesday club meeting and they will get to the homes.
• There are still a few PARC books at the front table. Please pick one up and enjoy.

Guests: Sybil Kiroy (Paul Connelly)

Visiting Rotarians: Erik Sandblom (Burlington, VT); Alan Liptak (Burlington, VT); Larry Arcarese (Ft. Meyers, FL) .

Happy Thoughts:

• Stan Ransom had eight dollars for his new 8 lb granddaughter and two dollars for Bill Rowe who will be speaking at the Library soon. He had a dollar for the cartoon he drew last week that was used in the Press-Republican.
• Ewa Jankowska has a dollar for her new granddaughter.
• Colin Read had a dollar for Rose Anderson who will be relocating soon.
• Rose had three dollars for hiking the three more High Peaks and two dollars to say how bittersweet her move will be.
• Roger Ahrens had a dollar because the CVPH Foundation will be moving into their new offices in the Surgical Suite today.
• President Steve had a dollar for his alumni house. He’s pleased to say that an entire crew of Georgia Pacific volunteers are finishing the siding on the house as we speak.

50/50: The pot is worth over $1,400. Bonnie Black was drawing for Marty Mannix, and she drew the Queen of Diamonds.

Make-ups: Online: Charles Paepke (9/17); Lake Worth FL—Frank Hamilton (10/1)