MASSENA — Free income tax preparation and electronic filing for federal and state returns will begin locally starting Monday, courtesy of the AARP Foundation. But the program coordinator for the AARP Tax-Aide program says individuals don’t need to be seniors or AARP members to take advantage of it.

“We don’t discriminate based on age. We do it for pretty much anyone. They have to meet the scope of the program,” said Sheryl Campbell, one of the local tax aides.

The service will be provided from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Mondays and Tuesdays at the Massena Community Center, 61 Beach St.; from 3 to 7 p.m. Tuesdays at the Knights of Columbus, Miner Street, Canton; 1 to 4 p.m. by appointment only Wednesdays at Partridge Knoll, 30 Sullivan Drive, Canton; 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursdays at the Ogdensburg Rescue Squad building, Pickering Street, Ogdensburg; and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesdays at Midtown Apartments, Munson Street, Potsdam.

No appointments are needed at the majority of the sites. Individuals sign in and are served by one of the volunteers on a first-come, first-served basis.

“Most of our sites are walk-in only. Hopefully they won’t wait long,” Ms. Campbell said.

AARP Tax-Aide volunteers are trained and IRS-certified each year to ensure they know about and understand the latest changes to the tax code.

“We are all totally volunteers that work with the program,” she said.

They’re trained to prepare returns for most taxpayers and can claim all of the usual credits, such as Child Tax Credit, Earned Income Credit and Education Credits. The returns are filed electronically on a daily basis.

“We have an online program that we use that is jointly sponsored by AARP and the IRS. We have a cooperative that pays for the program,” Ms. Campbell said.

Individuals must bring photo identification, Social Security cards, last year’s tax return, New York driver’s license for the taxpayer and spouse, and all tax-related information that’s needed to file the returns, such as W-2 forms.

Since starting in 1968, the program has served more than 50 million taxpayers. In 2017, volunteers helped 2.5 million people navigate complicated tax codes, ensure proper credits and deductions and file their federal and state tax returns.

“Tax preparation can be complicated and expensive, especially for older New Yorkers with low or fixed incomes,” AARP New York state Director Beth Finkel said in a statement. “We’re proud to continue this 50-year-old tradition of helping New Yorkers navigate the tax season.”

For more information, call Ms. Campbell at 315-212-0450.

DEFERIET — When long-time Fire Chief Timothy Irey resigned in November, First Assistant Chief Douglas Babcock stepped up as chief of the Deferiet Volunteer Fire Department.

Although leadership may change after the department’s elections take place in March, for the time being Chief Babcock is working to improve the department and increase membership.

“We’re still here and moving forward,” said the chief.

To better serve the community, the department, in coordination with the town of Wilna and Carthage-Wilna Fire District, has changed the mutual aid policy. Now Great Bend, Natural Bridge and the Carthage-Wilna Fire District will be contacted on the first alarm for fires in Deferiet and Herrings.

“It’s easier to turn them around than not to have them,” said Chief Babcock.

He said the department has about 20 members with six qualified as interior firefighters and seven who are “cross-trained” as firefighters and emergency medical technicians.

“I don’t know of any department which is not looking for new members,” he said, noting prospective members should live in the fire coverage area but exceptions can be made.

Besides the village itself, the department covers the hamlet of Herrings and the area between the two as well as between the village and the areas covered by the Great Bend and Carthage-Wilna fire districts.

Prospective members must be at least 16 years of age, but can only join at that age with parental consent and their involvement is limited.

Chief Babcock said two members of the department have recently completed emergency medical service training and another is in the Basic Exterior Firefighting Operations class.

During November and December, he said. the department responded to 27 calls — five fires, four motor vehicle accidents and 18 medical emergencies. Depending on the time of day the calls came, four or five department members turned out for emergency medical service calls, and on the average, four for fire calls, he said.

The chief said anyone interested in joining the department can call him directly at 315-493-0450.

WATERTOWN — In Jefferson County Court Friday, a Watertown man was sentenced to prison for drug possession.

Joshua A. Thurston, 28, was sentenced to six years incarceration and five years of post-release supervision. He pleaded guilty to second-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance on Jan. 3 for having more than 5 ounces of cocaine in September.

Mr. Thurston is a second felony offender, having also been convicted of third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance in May 2013.

In other court action:

Richard J. Fiorentino, 58, Watertown, pleaded guilty to third-degree assault and second-degree criminal contempt, both as misdemeanors. His sentencing is scheduled for April 4.

Daniel Cuartas-Acevedo, 24, Everett, Mass., pleaded guilty to felony driving while intoxicated and second-degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle.

He admitted to driving drunk on Route 11 on Aug. 20. His license was suspended at the time for a previous alcohol-related offense. Sentencing is scheduled for April 6.

Terrence L. Jackson, 49, Watertown, pleaded guilty to second-degree harassment as a non-criminal violation.

He admitted to having “offensive contact” with Jennifer Bennett on April 22. Mr. Jackson was discharged from parole and ordered to complete anger management treatment.

Cedric M. Felton, 24, Watertown, pleaded guilty to second-degree harassment as a non-criminal violation.

He admitted to having “offensive contact” with Brooke Countryman on May 7 and was given a six-month conditional discharge from probation.

Kylie M. Rivers, 30, Watertown, was sentenced to a three-year conditional discharge and ordered to enter the Bridge drug treatment program. She pleaded guilty to third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance on Sept. 8.

Charles P. Pratt, 29, Watertown, was sentenced to three years of probation. He pleaded guilty to petit larceny on Nov. 29.

Also in court on Friday, an indictment was unsealed charging Walter A. Brown Jr., 28, Watertown, with two counts each of third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance and third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.

He pleaded not guilty to all charges, and his bail was set at $20,000 cash or a $40,000 property bond.

LOWVILLE — The good news for Lewis County is all-terrain permit sales increased by 8 percent over 2016.

The bad news is flaws in a new application system left many incomplete and unprocessed until months after they were purchased, including hundreds that were not recorded until after the season ended in late October.

And, while officials said the county received most of its fees in a timely fashion, the administrative nightmare has them once again revamping the system for the 2018 season.

“There are a lot of things we tried out that didn’t streamline the process as we had hoped they would,” Lewis County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Kristen F.W. Aucter said. “Moving forward, we have hopefully learned from all the trials and tribulations and make it better for this year.”

After several years of using the Off-Net system to process online permit payments, the county in 2017 switched to PayPal because of its lower credit card fees, County Treasurer Patricia L. O’Brien said.

Things got off to a rocky start as early payments weren’t automatically transferred to the county’s ATV trail fund, Mrs. O’Brien said. Once that issue got rectified, permit fees from online orders flowed to the county properly, but the reporting was still “very cumbersome” and time-consuming for office staff, she said.

Meanwhile, the web portal set up on the chamber’s website erroneously allowed people to purchase permits without filling in some fields that should have been required, like the ATV license plate number, said Mrs. Aucter, who took her position as the changes were being made.

The chamber — which sells trail permits on the county’s behalf for a 10 percent administrative fee — also had issues with deciphering information on handwritten applications, locating people’s home addresses when they put camp addresses on their applications and getting permit sales back from local businesses in a less than timely manner, she said.

To help rectify the latter, businesses that sell permits for the chamber in 2018 will be required to bring in those sales on a weekly basis during the ATV season, Mrs. Aucter said.

More troublesome to the chamber director was the amount of time spent by her assistant director, Emily Munger, in attempting to contact permit holders to garner or verify information needed to complete the application process.

“Nobody was held up from riding ATVs” as they were allowed to use their PayPal receipts in lieu of an actual permit sticker, but the administrative mess took Ms. Munger away from other chamber duties and delayed recording indefinitely until she could obtain all needed information, she said.

To accurately report all 2017 sales, chamber officials even had to record some in December without having secured all information, Mrs. Aucter said.

A total of 250 permits and 120 weekend passes purchased during the season — which runs from April through October — were not recorded until November and December; that compares to 35 permits and 75 passes processed in November and December 2016.

With 2017 now in the rearview mirror, county and chamber officials are once again revamping the registration process by moving the web portal to the county’s website and switching to the Xpress-pay system for credit card processing.

“It looks very straightforward,” Mrs. O’Brien said.

The county already uses the Xpress-pay system for credit card payment of late property taxes, and an additional benefit is that the customer — not the county — gets charged the credit card transaction fees, she said.

County Legislature Chairman Lawrence L. Dolhof, R-Lyons Falls, said his goal is to make the application process “less onerous” for customers.

The new system will streamline the process with fewer information fields, as Xpress only allows for up to five, Mr. Dolhof said. However, officials are checking to see if more fields could be included to avoid another situation where insufficient information is collected, he said.

Registrants are to show — or email — proof of ATV registration and insurance before permits may be issued.

However, Mr. Dolhof said he is not totally convinced that is necessary, since anyone riding without either would just be subject to ticketing, and he personally hopes to see a push toward more online permit sales.

Hunting licenses, both in New York and in western states, can be purchased relatively simply in advance of hunting excursions, and buying ATV permits here should work the same way, he said.

Using online registration, riders could buy permits from their homes or any place by computer, including area businesses, and officials should be able to more easily process applications without having to deal with poor handwriting or other issues, Mr. Dolhof said.

Overall sales for 2017 ended up at 1,818 season permits, up from 1,682 in 2016, while $20 weekend pass sales saw a 23 percent jump from 735 in 2016 to 904 last year.

County Recreational Trail Coordinator Jacqueline L. Mahoney said she was very happy to see that jump, even though county revenues from ATV permit fees and donations to the program still dropped slightly from $90,360 in 2016 to $88,903 last year due to reinstatement of a club discount.

The county permit system — which kicked off in 2009 — saw a steady increase to a high of 2,372 permits in 2012, but permit sales and revenues declined each year since after county legislators in March 2013 eliminated a discount for ATV club members, with the idea of keeping additional permit money and paying clubs only for trail work they complete.

County officials for the 2017 season reinstituted the discount in hopes of reversing that trend. Season permits cost $65 for the first machine and $20 for each additional one, but anyone who became a member of one of four local ATV clubs — Black River Valley Four Wheelers Club, Highmarket Wheelers ATV Club, Tug Hill Wheelers and Tug Hill Adirondack ATV Association — received a $20 discount on the first permit.

Mr. Dolhof said the return of the club discount had the desired effect of both boosting permit sales and bringing clubs back in as partners in trail development and maintenance.

“It’s a good team,” he said. “It’s a good partnership. Hopefully, it gets stronger, and we can create and expand a better trail system.”

Two additional clubs — Black River Valley Riders ATV Club of Carthage and Northern Oneida County ATV Club — will participate in the discount program for the 2018 season, and county ATV permits will be sold at two new locations: the Edge Hotel in Lyons Falls and Tug Hill Hook and Ladder in Montague, Mrs. Mahoney said.

U.S. Rep. Elise M. Stefanik, R-Willsboro, was among the 13 Republicans on the House Intelligence Committee who voted in support of making public a classified intelligence memo about the FBI’s investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 elections.

Republicans voted for releasing the memo despite warnings from the FBI that it could damage its ongoing investigation into whether President Donald J. Trump colluded with Russia during the 2016 election

The memo, put together by House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes, alleges that the FBI has used illegal surveillance methods and abused the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act over the course of the investigation, which is headed by special counsel Robert Mueller.

Democrats, however, have blasted the memo, saying it is a GOP effort to protect Mr. Trump from the investigation. Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer, D-N.Y., and Kirsten E. Gillibrand, D-N.Y., have characterized the GOP effort as a politically motivated attempt to thwart the FBI’s investigation.

Democrats have released their own memo to the public, but Ms. Stefanik voted against releasing it along with the GOP memo. But she does support circulating their memo among all House lawmakers.

Stefanik spokesman Tom Flanagin said Ms. Stefanik voted in favor of releasing the memo so the investigation is transparent to the public.

“Congresswoman Stefanik is a strong proponent of transparency and believes the public has a right to know about potential FISA abuses,” he said. “Congresswoman Stefanik voted to release the memo to the public in accordance with House and Committee rules.”

Mr. Trump approved the public release of the memo earlier today.

GOUVERNEUR — State troopers on Saturday charged Leland A. Whitton, 37, Gouverneur, with one count each of third-degree assault with intent to cause physical injury and second degree unlawful imprisonment, both class A misdemeanors. He was also charged with unlawful possession of marijuana, a violation.

Troopers allege that they received a report of a verbal domestic dispute between Mr. Whitton and his wife, Amanda Whitton, which turned physical.

They say that Mr. Whitton struck his wife in the face during the argument, and when she attempted to leave, he blocked the door and told her she could not. Mrs. Whitton left the residence and reached a vehicle. Troopers say Mr. Whitton then pulled her from the vehicle and assaulted her again. She was treated at the Gouverneur Hospital emergency room for cuts to her lip.

Mr. Whitton was arraigned in McComb Town Court and released on his own recognizance, with a stay away order of protection issued in favor of Mrs. Whitton. State police could not provide further information about the marijuana charge.

CANTON — Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo has proposed $50.7 million to counties across the state as part of a five-year plan to help pay the costs of indigent defense.

The five-year plan, known as the Justice Equality Act, will cost the state an estimated $250 million a year, once fully implemented, to cover programs such as counsel at first appearance, upstate caseload relief, quality improvements, and similar efforts.

On Dec. 1, the state Office of Indigent Legal Services prepared an assessment of all 62 counties to determine their level of need and made a recommendation of $54 million to both the Governor’s Office and the judiciary.

The review was in accordance with the April 2017 act by which costs borne by the counties in the provision of criminal indigent defense services, would be a part of phased aid program starting in 2018 and moving forward until fully phased in by the year 2023.

In the 2018-19 Executive Budget Proposal, $50.7 million of the $54 million increase requested by the office of Indigent Legal Services was proposed.

But that $50.7 million may not be the final aid allotted. The Executive Budget is only the first step in establishing the state fiscal plan, which is ratified once the state senate and assembly and the governor reach agreement on the final spending plan, St. Lawrence County Attorney Stephen D. Button said.

“As of right now, the ILS proposals are still working documents and we do not know how that funding is to be spread among the counties,” Mr. Button said. “It was anticipated, given the fact that some counties are farther ahead in the process than others, that the amounts that would be distributed would vary.”

The county’s former public defender and a vocal proponent of indigent defense funding for counties, Mr. Button said that, given the history of support from the state assembly members and senators, he believes it is highly likely that they will accept the recommendation of the governor and no change will be made to the Executive Budget proposal regarding indigent defense.

“If it makes it into the final budget, that’s a win,” Lewis County Manager Ryan M. Piche said.

Lewis County has been fortunate to receive distribution grants to help offset some of the costs for indigent defense, Mr. Piche said.

Since the county contracts with a group of local attorneys for public defender services, any possible grant funding to offset expenses keeps the group from having to significantly increase its annual contract amount with the county, said Lewis County attorney Joan E. McNichol.

“This is a matter that counties have been talking about for years,” Mr. Piche said.

In addition to the $50.7 million proposed, St. Lawrence County Administrator Ruth A. Doyle said the county is eligible to continue to receive reimbursement annually including $340,872 for indigent legal service funding, $13,700 for aid to defense, an estimated $99,000 for upstate caseload and an estimated $198,000 for counsel at first appearance.

The funding for upstate caseload and counsel at first appearance will change with the second round of funding but will not differ greatly from the estimated figures, Mrs. Doyle said.

“The assistance provided by the state to fund indigent defense for criminal proceedings is a welcome addition to other funding sources they have provided historically,” Mrs. Doyle said. “The indigent defense expenses associated with family court proceedings has been growing rapidly as well. In St. Lawrence County, this area needs to be addressed in the near future.”

Jefferson County Legislature Chairman Scott A. Gray said he is pleased the state is providing funding for indigent defense, as well as funding for the Raise the Age initiative. Spearheaded by Gov. Cuomo, Raise the Age raises the age of criminal responsibility from 16 to 18.

Mr. Gray said that because this essentially creates a new category of criminals, workloads for prosecutors and public defenders will significantly increase, leading to additional costs.

But Mr. Gray said the governor assured counties they would receive funding to maintain the services while keeping property taxes down.

“The relationship becomes more of a partnership when there is some financial assistance to get these programs running effective,” he said.

The Justice Equality Act was created in response to a lawsuit lodged against the state by Onondaga, Schuyler, Suffolk, Ontario and Washington counties which alleged failure to provide the necessary level of indigent defense services in those counties.

The 2015 Hurrell-Harring settlement required the state to cover indigent defense costs for the five counties.

The 2017-18 budget extended the improvements to the remaining 57 counties.

WATERTOWN — Administrators and board of education members from local school districts met at Case Middle School Friday morning to share some concerns with representatives from local legislative offices.

The legislative breakfast was attended by state Assemblywoman Addie A.E. Jenne, D-Theresa, along with representatives from the offices of State Sens. Patricia A. Ritchie, R-Heuvelton; Joseph A. Griffo, R-Rome; and U.S. Rep. Elise M. Stefanik, R-Willsboro.

The principal concerns of the group, representing schools in the Jefferson-Lewis BOCES region, were how foundation aid is calculated, proposed caps on expense-based aid growth, and a vetoed tax cap exemption on BOCES capital projects.

Ms. Jenne said that moving away from property tax-based local school aid, in favor of an income-based model, could help address some areas of concern in the foundation aid formula.

A district’s expected local contribution is calculated using property tax data, and economic data is still based on the 2000 U.S. Census. After being addressed by Alexandria Central School Board President Jane E. Aikins, the assemblywoman suggested using a foundation aid formula more heavily based on a district’s number of economically disadvantaged students and community schools needs.

General Brown Central School Board President Sandra Young Klindt said she was concerned about a Senate proposal to freeze and eventually eliminate school taxes for some senior citizens. James Durkish, representing Mr. Griffo, said the senator supports measures to keep senior citizens in New York, and help those on a fixed income. Ms. Jenne suggested that moving to an income-based school tax would still help those on a fixed income.

Copenhagen school Business Administrator Dale R. Munn Jr. asked the panel about the teacher shortage in the north country. Each member said their representatives would work on, or were already working on, initiatives to address the issue.

Belleville-Henderson Central School board member Roger Eastman asked panel members if they felt the farm-to-school initiative was sustainable long term, and Ms. Jenne said she was “encouraged” by Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo’s inclusion of the measure in his executive budget.

Belleville-Henderson sch­ool board President John W. Allen Jr. said that while he was disappointed more legislators were unable to attend the meeting in person, he still considered the event “a great forum that allows us to have an open dialogue” with legislators. Superintendent Jane A. Collins said she felt there were measures that “need to do better for districts in the middle and need to be supported.”

Following the meeting, Indian River Central School District Superintendent James Kettrick said that he feels “we always have a positive interaction” with the representatives.

Ms. Jenne said she “always enjoy[s] the opportunity to have conversations with school boards and school administrators.”

MASSENA — Village police on Friday charged Timothy Sharpstene, 28, with two counts of third-degree possession of a controlled substance, a class B felony, and two counts of criminal sale of a controlled substance, also a felony.

Mr. Sharpstene was arrested at 5:30 p.m. and taken to the St. Lawrence County jail, Canton. According to officers at the jail, Mr. Sharpstene is being held on a $5,000 bail or $10,000 bond. They also said he is being held on a second-degree robbery charge, about which Massena police refused to provide any additional information.

CANTON — Youngsters from St. Lawrence County’s three Catholic elementary schools were encouraged Friday morning by Diocese of Ogdensburg Bishop Terry R. LaValley to spread joy and light to other people through their daily actions.

About 170 children from Trinity Catholic School, Massena, St. James School, Gouverneur, and St. Mary’s School, Canton, gathered for a daylong celebration of National Catholic Schools Week that included songs, prayer, fun and food.

This was the first time children in the three schools joined together for the event. At the beginning of Mass, members of the Canton Knights of Columbus proceeded to the altar dressed in their matching regalia as children sat in pews with their classmates.

Bishop LaValley told children the candles they were holding were a reminder that Jesus is the light of the world and they should try to follow his example.

“How can you be a source of light, hope and joy?” he asked children.

In response to a child who answered, “a smile,” Bishop LaValley said, “A smile, that doesn’t cost a penny, does it?”

Children were also encouraged to be more patient and to offer help to those around them, including their parents and other family members.

The Mass also celebrated the Feast of the Presentation, marking 40 days after Christmas when Mary and Joseph presented baby Jesus to the Jewish temple.

After Mass, youngsters went to the school where they divided into groups for games, artwork and other activities. At lunchtime, they spread out blankets and had a picnic in the gymnasium.

Sister Ellen Rose Coughlin, superintendent of schools for the Diocese of Ogdensburg, said Friday’s events provided a nice chance for Catholic students to mingle with youngsters from other communities.

“Events like this give children a chance to create very positive memories about their experiences in Catholic school,” she said. “We have strong academic programs, and that’s important, but we’re also about passing on our faith to this generation of young people.”

Kathy Behrens, principal of Trinity School, Gouverneur, said 87 children from grades three through six traveled to Canton for Friday’s activities. The school has about 187 students enrolled in grades pre-kindergarten through sixth.

“I think this is wonderful. The kids were excited about seeing kids from other Catholic schools,” she said.

Michele Lallier, principal of St. James School, Gouverneur, said National Catholic Schools Week provides the chance to celebrate Catholic traditions and heritage.

St. Mary’s Principal Michele Meyers said she coordinated the event to give Catholic school children a chance to interact and celebrate their faith.

“It’s exciting to see them all together,” she said.

SYRACUSE — After a successful inaugural run last year, the New York State Chinese Lantern Festival returns this year to the New York State Fairgrounds.

This year’s “feast of lights,” in the International Building and at the fairground’s State Park, 581 State Fair Blvd., has an indoor and outdoor component.

From Friday, May 25, to Sunday, July 1, visitors will be able to stroll along a path and be surrounded by lighted lantern structures and enjoy live performances, food and drink. Guests will also be able to watch artisans perfecting their crafts, which will be available for purchase.

The festival, with 30 walk-through displays, will be open each day except Mondays and will include two 30-minute entertainment shows focusing on Chinese culture with dancers, acrobats, “face changers” and musicians.

The LED-lit sculptural components, which are much more elaborate than “lanterns,” will be created on site by more than 20 artists from China. Welded metal frames covered in fabric will emerge as flowers, peacocks, cranes, butterflies, archways and other structures.

The festival is assembled by Tianyu Arts and Culture Inc., is the American subsidiary of the international design and manufacturing company Sichuan Tianyu, based in Zigong, China. Sichuan Tianyu has hosted Chinese light festivals and other celebrations of Chinese culture around the world.

Admission prices

Tickets are on sale at www.lanternfestnys.com. Patrons may save 50 cents by purchasing tickets online.

Cost for tickets at the gate: $16 for adults, $14.50 for senior citizens, $13 for children age 5 to 16. The event is free to attend for children under the age of 5.

Group rates are also available. For information on those rates, email questions to events@advancemediany.com.

WATERTOWN — City officials have put together a plan in response to a state Comptroller’s Office report that strongly criticized the city for not adequately safeguarding sensitive employee and financial information in its computer system.

In December, City Council members learned that the Comptroller’s Office conducted audits in 2015 and 2017 that determined the city fails to have cybersecurity policies and procedures in place for “granting, revoking, modifying and monitoring” access rights to the city’s information technology network and financial system.

In a memo earlier this week, City Manager Sharon A. Addison informed council members that the city developed a “Corrective Action Plan” to address the audits.

The city has until March 1 to submit its response, but Ms. Addison requested council members to offer “feedback no later than Feb. 9 in order to consolidate and ensure the timeliness of our response.”

According to the Comptroller’s report, the council did not adopt “adequate information technology security policies and city officials do not have formal procedures to address disaster recovery, disposal of electronic devices, data back up and password security management.”

The issues include procedures involving when the system goes down, ensuring sensitive information cannot be accessed when devices are disposed of and employees knowing how to adequately protect their passwords.

Many of the policies and procedures are already in place but are not written down, city officials explained in December.

Completing the action plan won’t cost the city extra money and it won’t be time-consuming for the city’s IT department, Ms. Addison said.

“All of it would be accomplished anyway,” she said.

According to the three-page Corrective Active Plan, the city has proposed a six-point plan that includes drafting policies on password security management, periodically reviewing new technology and written policies, ensuring cybersecurity training for employees and identifying appropriate network and financial system user access required for each city employee.

The plan, to be implemented in phases, should be finished by Dec. 1. The city manager, IT manager David Wurzburg, Human Resources Manager Matthew Roy and the City Council will be involved in developing the plan.

Mr. Wurzburg declined to comment, referring all questions to the city manager.

The Comptroller’s Office also confidentially communicated sensitive IT control weaknesses to the city.

The city was selected randomly for the audit.

Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo announced $37.7 million in funding for breast cancer services Thursday, including support for two north country hospitals.

As part of the “Get Screened, No Excuses” initiative to improve access to breast cancer screening for New Yorkers, funds are being used to support peer educators in community settings, make patient navigators available to help women with screenings and follow-up care and operate mobile mammography vans in underserved neighborhoods.

Claxton-Hepburn Medical Center’s Breast Health Center at the Connection for Women will see support for patient navigation, while Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital received funding for community peer education.

The statewide programs are intended to reduce barriers to breast cancer screening for women, including those who lack access to preventive health care because they are economically disadvantaged, live in underserved inner cities or live in remote rural areas.

CANTON — From mitochondria to the hero’s journey, from personal experience to political change, from sexuality to lacrosse — everything was open for discussion during the second annual TEDxStLawrenceU Talks on Saturday afternoon.

This event was a local version of the international TED conferences, which invite national and international experts to deliver brief lectures on something they are passionate about. The talks are filmed and then made available online. The popularity of this format has led to a proliferation of TEDx conferences, letting local experts share their knowledge with their community and the wider world online.

In this case, the experts were a group of eight St. Lawrence University alumni, students and faculty, interspersed with filmed TED talks from around the world. The central theme of the event was truth, but the topics of the presentations varied widely.

For junior Grace Wetzel, who gave the first talk of the day, titled “Let’s Talk About Sex,” her TED talk included research on female sexuality that she hopes to continue working on professionally.

“The opportunity for me to be able to start that journey that I plan on taking in the future ... is really important to me, and really, really exciting,” she said.

The speakers applied to be part of the program last spring, and had been working on their presentations since, so they could deliver them smoothly from memory.

“Lots of editing, lots of practicing,” Ms. Wetzel said.

Not all of the presenters were students, however, or even local. Kelly O’Connell, who spoke on “How the Scientific Method Might Change your Mind,” graduated from St. Lawrence in 2008 and currently works in Boston. She came back to Canton for a few days specifically to present for the conference.

“The theme of this TEDx is truth,” she said. “I had to address it from a scientific perspective.”

Others tackled truth in different ways. Jeffrey Maynes, assistant professor in the philosophy department, looked at theories of truth, lies, and self-deception, while sophomore Mougheis Umar talked about the importance of telling uncomfortable truths to challenge social norms.

Senior Ndirangu Warugongo gave a talk titled “What Is Your Name?” on narratives around women, colonialism, and Africa, interwoven with the story of his family’s journeys in Kenya and the United States.

“I was interested in telling an aspect of the truth that’s not usually referred to,” he said. “Discussing colonialism in the context of feminism, the role that African women play, but also in context of my own identity and myself.”

The event was almost entirely organized by a group of students, spearheaded by senior Marco Li Calzi, who started TEDxStLawrence after helping with a TEDx conference during high school in Costa Rica.

“We’ve been talking about TEDx since freshman year,” said Jake Murphy, a senior and friend of Mr. Li Calzi, who helped run the event. “They’re stressful to put on, but they’re fun.”

Mr. Murphy estimated there were around 250 attendees, most of whom were students.

Vina Smith, a senior, came because she missed the conference last year and wanted to see a TEDx event before she graduated. She likes watching TED talks online, but enjoyed the live conference even more.

“The TEDx is more relatable because I know most of the people who are speaking today,” she said, “I really like that the speakers have very diverse topics they’re talking about, nothing’s really overlapping.”

CLAYTON — The American chairwoman of the International Joint Commission, Commissioner Lana Pollack, spoke about Plan 2014 at Saturday’s 29th annual Save The River Winter Environmental Conference.

Plan 2014 was implemented in early 2017, a year of record flooding in Northern New York.

“Last year was hard for everyone living here. The IJC is many things. We are not always lucky,” Ms. Pollack said to the crowd about the plan’s implementation, and what she believes was poor timing.

“After working on Plan 2014 for over 50 years ... we were not lucky but we were pragmatic.”

Ms. Pollack explained the plan was the product of decades of knowledge, expertise, and highly scientific development, and that it “looks out equally for Canada and the United States.”

The Plan 2014 regulations raised the threshold for the board to take independent actions, like moving the maximum amount of water possible through the channel. It has been heavily criticized by waterfront home owners and government officials following record-high water levels that damaged properties around the region.

The IJC’s International Lake Ontario-St. Lawrence River Board, which regulates the water levels, was also blamed for the tens of millions of dollars of damage in New York and affected businesses in the area.

Ms. Pollack repeated the commission’s long-standing statement that this year’s water damage was the result of unprecedented rain and runoff.

The IJC representatives recounted how water levels through March 2017 were almost identical to the previous year’s level, then spiked in April and May after an influx of rain and runoff that set a record for any two consecutive months.

“The real limiting factor is Mother Nature,” Ms. Pollack said. “You can’t predict two months out, three months out, even longer.”

According to the chairwoman, there’s only so much water that can be pushed through the St. Lawrence River to lower flooding and water levels, and within the last year the board pushed out as much or more than ever.

She said the single biggest misunderstanding she hears is that, with higher triggers, the plan doesn’t allow for deviation.

“People think we’re not pushing as much water as possible until a trigger is reached. This is not the case... Deviation is built into the plan. It’s a smart plan and it will adapt and get smarter (over time.)”

Ms. Pollack also said no plan can prepare for extreme conditions.

“There will be flooding again,” she said. “Not next year, hopefully a long time from now, but there will be flooding again. As there was flooding before. As there was flooding under other plans. Which is why we must also prepare for dealing with extreme conditions.”

The IJC is expected to release a report in either March or April assessing last year’s damage.

Save The River officials, like most attendees to the conference, offered their support of the much-maligned Plan 2014.

“Sometimes you take a position that runs afoul of circumstance,” Save The River Executive Director Lee Willbanks said. “You find yourself defending good policy against bad politics.”

Water outflows were raised again last Wednesday afternoon from 282,517 cubic feet per second, or 8,000 cubic meters per second, to 289,580 cubic feet per second, or 8,200 cubic meters per second, an increase of 2.5 percent.

“Outflows continue to be maximized in response while making intermittent and temporary reductions to manage challenging ice conditions in several areas of the St. Lawrence River,” said a news release from the IJC.

Water levels reached a level of 245.77 feet on Jan. 30, which is about 12 inches above average. However, IJC officials noted the water level is 3.7 feet below all-time record levels seen in June 2017.

Officials said in winter they are only able to increase outflows when there are formations of solid, stable ice cover. Without such cover, the risk of ice jams increases.

After Ms. Pollack’s speech, the conference continued with presentations covering environmental improvement efforts being made by shippers, terminals and ports, the condition of the river as a habitat and the general state of fish and birds on the river.

n WEST CARTHAGE — At its January meeting, the board of trustees agreed to seek a state archives grant to defray the costs associated with court record organization.

n LOWVILLE — A brown bag lunch featuring a “Food for Thought” presentation by Hallie Bond on the long tradition of eating local in the Adirondack Mountains will be held at noon on Feb. 14 at the Lewis County Historical Society, 7552 S. State St.

MASSENA — Anyone interested in planning the future for the Nicandri Nature Center is invited to consider becoming a board or committee member.

The current Board of Trustees is holding an invitational/open house from 1 to 3 p.m. Feb. 10 in the Nature Center’s classroom. It’s for anyone who might be interested in serving on the board or a committee at some point. Refreshments will be provided.

“We’ll be sharing with them what being on the board is all about, and they can meet the current board members. They can hear about what we’re currently working on so they can decide if it’s for them,” Executive Director Tracy Thomas said.

The Board of Trustees meets once a month to discuss its strategic plan for the Nature Center.

“They want to get fresh ideas flowing. They’re looking for people that are interested in nature and the Nature Center,” Ms. Thomas said.

Board members serve three-year terms under the Nature Center’s bylaws. Any former member who wants to become a board member again is asked to take a year off, but can serve on an advisory committee whose members don’t vote.

Anyone who can’t make a commitment to serve on the board, Ms. Thomas said, could help on a committee such as a Program Committee.

“They’re not on the board. They don’t have to attend monthly meetings. They report what’s happening and brainstorm things the board might pursue. Those committees come and go. There is no firm commitment,” she said.

There will also be all-day “snow fun” activities Feb. 10, with a 5k run starting at 10 a.m.

RSVPs aren’t needed, but would be helpful. They can be emailed to tracy@massenanaturecenter.com, or called to 315-705-5022.

This is an opportunity for those who are interested, or who may become interested, to learn more about the organization, what advisory members/committee members do, and how all involved can help the Nature Center continue to grow and succeed.

State Sen. Patricia A. Ritchie, R-Heuvelton, wants tougher rules and regulations in jails and prisons to improve employee safety.

During a Joint Legislative Budget Hearing on Public Protection on Tuesday, Sen. Ritchie discussed prison safety with state Department of Corrections and Community Supervision Acting Commissioner Anthony Annucci, saying low staffing levels and the ability of inmates to easily smuggle contraband into prisons and jails puts corrections officers and other workers at risk.

She also urged a review of why a state anti-contraband policy was canceled. Earlier this month, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo announced the termination of a pilot program that restricted inmates from receiving books and care packages from families.

Gov. Cuomo eliminated the pilot program after receiving concerns from the families of inmates, saying the pilot was “flawed.”

But Sen. Ritchie, whose father is a retired corrections officer, argued that strong anti-contraband policies are necessary, as incidents of weapons and drugs being hidden in care packages are on the rise.

The senator raised the concerns following tours of the five state prisons within her district, which encompasses Jefferson County and parts of Oswego and St. Lawrence counties.

“Our correctional officers, and others who work inside New York’s prisons, have very difficult, demanding and dangerous jobs,” she said in a statement. “We need to ensure that these men and women are able to do their jobs safely. It’s my hope that Acting Commissioner Annucci will take these concerns seriously, and look into what can be done to address them, which in turn will make our prisons safer for those who work in them each and every day.”

Sen. Ritchie also discussed inmate mental health during the hearing, saying that not enough resources are being provided in north country corrections facilities. She said inmates have to be transported to other facilities several hours away to receive mental health evaluations, which costs time and money. She proposed working with the St. Lawrence Psychiatric Center to provide evaluations to north country prison inmates on-site, rather than somewhere else, potentially saving the state $1 million per year.

Lastly, Sen. Ritchie addressed a shortage in corrections officers because of increased violence within prisons. To help curb this issue, Sen. Ritchie sponsored legislation that would provide retirement benefits to families of retirement-eligible corrections officers who die while still employed. Gov. Cuomo vetoed the bill, however, saying that such a policy should be part of union negotiations.