Former Ogdensburg Free Academy athlete Seth Pinkerton was selected in the 20th round of the Major League Baseball amateur draft Wednesday by the Minnesota Twins and has agreed to play for the organization.

Pinkerton, a junior pitcher at the University of Hartford and an Ogdensburg native, is the first north country player to be drafted since former Thousand Islands high school and Watertown Wizards pitcher Jacob Wiley was selected by the Cincinnati Reds in the 41st round of the 2009 draft.

A three-sport standout at OFA, Pinkerton was selected by Minnesota with the 604th overall pick.

Pinkerton, who holds the career saves record for Division I Hartford, said he will go to Minnesota to officially sign his contract and then expects to begin his pro career in rookie league ball.

Other area players to be picked in the amateur draft include Paul Patterson (Massena) by the Mets in 1968, Jim Deshaies (Massena) by the Expos and Yankees in 1978 and 1982, respectively, Tom Browning (Malone) by the Reds in 1982 and Mike Farrell (Ogdensburg) by the Expos in 1988.

WATERTOWN­—Emergency responders see first-hand how important blood donations are for their communities. To help spread awareness for community members, local emergency agencies are competing with residents of the Gabriel Court Apartments in a “Battle of the Badges” blood drive.

Adopted from neighborhoods across the country, the event is a friendly competition to recruit the most eligible donors to give blood to the American Red Cross. Cash donations to local emergency agencies will also be encouraged. The event is set from 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Friday at the apartment complex, Olmstead Drive, and is open to the public.

With summer comes time spent in the water, but some of the water may be too dangerous to dive into.

Harmful algal blooms, a dense populations of cyanobacteria most commonly known as blue-green algae, is showing up in increasing frequency across the state. In the right conditions, blooms can produce toxins harmful to humans and potentially lethal to their dogs.

With limited educational resources on these hazards, New York Sea Grant decided to start providing educational brochures to the public on prevention and treatment for their dogs.

Katherine E. Bunting-Howarth, associate director of the New York Sea Grant, said the brochure focuses on algal bloom effects on dogs, rather than humans, for a few reasons.

“A lot of the time we have been trying to keep people safe, but when you think about it, if you go to a lake and it doesn’t look great, people aren’t going to swim in it. But a dog? A dog probably will.” Mrs. Bunting-Howarth said. “We decided to create a brochure that doesn’t just focus on keeping humans safe and started a campaign to let dog owners know what to do and how to react if a dog ingests it or comes in contact with it.”

The blooms are more harmful for dogs in the first place, according to Great Lakes Fisheries and Ecosystem Health expert Jesse M. Lepak. Not only are dogs more susceptible to jumping into a scum-filled lake, the algal bloom is potentially lethal for them.

The liver, skin or nervous system can be affected by the toxins, resulting in green vomit, seizures, disorientation or rashes. These toxins can affect other animals as well, but not as severely as they will affect dogs.

These reactions can be caused by licking their fur after being in the water or from drinking the water. Symptoms can turn lethal in less than 24 hours, and dogs should be taken to the vet immediately if they start to show any of them, according to New York Sea Grant officials.

A veterinarian at Watertown Animal Hospital, Dr. Christopher J. Jank, said he has seen dogs come in after being exposed to the blooms on “very rare occasions.” When he has seen these symptoms, Mr. Jank added, it is usually later in the summer, when the weather is hotter and more humid.

Even so, Mr. Lepak said owners should avoid algal-bloom infested waters entirely because harmful and benign algal blooms look virtually identical.

Signs to look out for are “pea soup-looking water” that has a layer of a green scum. If the water you go to looks like this, Mr. Lepak said, report the location to New York Sea Grant to allow toxin testing.

Currently, there are no initiatives to get rid of the plant, but toxin testing can allow the location to be marked to warn other possible visitors.

While New York Sea Grant’s brochures have recently been adopted in programs in states such as Pennsylvania and Vermont, Mrs. Bunting-Howarth said their job isn’t done yet. New York Sea Grant is continuously working with researchers and communities to better understand algal blooms and how to keep the waters safe for owners and pets alike.

New York Sea Grant is online at http://wdt.me/seagrant.

CANTON — Although the number of jobs created by industrial development agencies decreased for the north country as a whole by nearly 800 in 2016, the IDAs in several northern counties saw job increases, according to a state comptroller’s report.

The IDAs in St. Lawrence, Lewis, Jefferson and Essex counties all saw increases, while IDAs in Franklin and Clinton counties saw decreases, the report said.

Patrick J. Kelly, St. Lawrence County IDA executive director, said he was pleased with the annual report from the office of state Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli. The report covered the 2016 fiscal year.

It showed a net gain of 542 jobs in St. Lawrence County’s 28 IDA projects and that the agency spent $7.8 million. Each job cost $14,391.

“While IDAs across the state come under fire from time to time about their performance, in the case of St. Lawrence County, the IDA snapshot shows positive numbers,” Mr. Kelly said. “In particular, the numbers are notably positive when they are looked at against the backdrop of the north country region, as they are in this case.”

Mr. Kelly said the job growth numbers come from a variety of projects throughout the county, including those at the county’s five colleges, and at companies like Cives, Community Bank and DeFelsko.

The IDA projects for the region as a whole saw a decline of 799 jobs within 113 projects, with IDA expenses totaling $10.2 million that year, according to the 13-page report. Regionally, the average expense per project was $90,428 and the outstanding debt was $125.8 million.

The north country was the only region in the state to experience net job losses. Statewide, there was a net job gain of 208,707.

In Jefferson County, 27 IDA projects showed a net gain of 56 jobs, with IDA expenses of $1 million. Each job cost $17,857. Lewis County’s 12 IDA projects saw a net gain of 17 jobs at a cost of $600,000, the comptroller’s office said. Each job cost $35,294.

In Clinton County, there were 23 IDA projects at a cost of $10,000 with a net decrease of 1,344 jobs. Franklin County had 10 IDA projects at a cost of $440,000 and a net decrease of 97 jobs.

IDAs are public benefit corporations created by the state to encourage economic development by offering incentives to businesses such as property or sales tax exemptions, payment-in-lieu-of-tax agreements and tax-free bond financing. IDAs fund their operations by charging fees to businesses that receive the assistance.

Mr. Kelly described the comptroller’s report as a “limited snapshot” of the county’s economic development activity because the numbers only include projects which directly received IDA benefits during 2016.

The report doesn’t include the work of the IDA Local Development Corp. or IDA Civic Development Corp., which are reported separately to the comptroller and the Authorities Budget Office.

“While it may not completely capture all of an IDA’s activities, the comptroller’s report is based on the actual direct numbers from those projects which are considered active in any given year,” Mr. Kelly said. “When a report like this shows 500 net jobs gained for us in a region where there has been an overall net loss of 800 jobs, I hope that is something people notice.”

The comptroller’s report noted that although IDAs don’t impose taxes, their activities can affect taxpayers.

“In particular, property tax exemptions can temporarily reduce a local government or school district’s property tax base, which may then increase other residents’ property tax bills,” the report said.

RUSSELL — After hearing from supporters and opponents, the Russell Town Council on Tuesday night unanimously approved a new local law that allows approximately 13 miles of town road to connect with the county’s proposed all-terrain-vehicle trail.

During the public hearing that preceded the vote, Town Supervisor Timothy S. White said about 10 people voiced support for the law, while about three people voiced concerns about the safety of having ATVs share town roads with cars and other vehicles.

“A few people said they didn’t see the economic gain for St. Lawrence County,” Mr. White said. “A few people came out to learn about the law. It was a well attended meeting.”

He said that one of the supporters spoke about the economic benefit the multi-use trail has had on restaurants and other businesses in the Brasher area.

Mr. White said the local law sets speed limits for the ATV users who will also be required to follow all other vehicle and traffic laws. It will take effect after the town’s attorney, Henry J. Leader, Gouverneur, files it with the state Department of State. Mr. Leader is also a county legislator.

The county’s existing multi-use trail reopened for the season earlier this week.

County Legislator Tony Arquiett, D-Helena, a member of the county’s Trail Committee, said all trail users should follow rules and regulations so that the trails remain safe for users and others.

Glance Box:

Rules of the trail for all motorized users of St. Lawrence County’s Multi-Use Trail:

n All machines must be registered and insured.

n All riders must wear a DOT, Snell or other approved helmet, protective eyewear, and over-the-ankle footwear.

n All machines must have a properly functioning muffler and USF approved spark arrestor.

n The machine should be checked and tested before a ride starts.

n Yield to all other users. While in town, keep off sidewalks and yield to pedestrians.

n All lights and brakes must be in good working order. Always ride with your lights on.

n Only machines manufactured for a driver and one passenger are allowed.

n Drivers must meet the minimum age recommendations specified by the manufacturer.

n Keep speed to posted limits on trails and roads. Reduce speed according to trail conditions.

n Always ride with someone else.

n Always ride single file.

n Keep a safe distance from others.

It’s no surprise to anyone who has been in the northern Adirondacks during the summer and fall that many trailhead parking areas are often overflowing, but a recent study has confirmed that parking locations serving the High Peaks are often at, near or more than double their capacity.

The Adirondack Council, an environmental group based in Elizabethtown, conducted a study last fall between Labor Day and Columbus Day weekends that found that 35 parking areas designed to accommodate 1,000 cars had more than 2,100 cars trying to park at them during the peak weekends.

For instance, the group found that at the Cascade Mountain trailhead on Route 73 outside of Lake Placid, there is officially parking for 73 cars. However, on fall weekends last year, there was an average of 240 cars parked there. Ampersand Mountain, part of the popular Saranac Lake 6ers and also in the High Peaks management area, has parking for 10 cars. The Council found the parking lot and roadsides around it typically had 64 cars. Similar results were found for parking in Keene Valley, Elk Lake and Hurricane Mountain.

“Large crowds are a reflection of the growing interest in hiking and outdoor adventures across all age groups, caused by increased social media, photo-sharing, traditional marketing efforts, and a trend toward relatively inexpensive yet accessible recreation,” Keene town Supervisor Joe Pete Wilson Jr. said in a press release.

“Too many randomly and improperly parked cars leads to public safety problems for our local governments and emergency responders,” Bill Farber, chairman of the Hamilton County Board of Supervisors, said in the release. “Rural roads get too clogged for traffic and particularly for emergency responders. Plus, parking along state highways puts hikers into the path of motor vehicle traffic which is traveling 60 miles an hour. Avoiding disastrous outcomes requires better planning, better management, and most importantly, action on all our parts.”

The state Department of Environmental Conservation has used small parking areas as a way to limit the number of visitors to the High Peaks, but the Council study seems to show that approach is ineffective.

“When it created the current management plan for the High Peaks Wilderness in 1999, the DEC and environmental organizations had documented that frequent big crowds had caused eroded trails, packed campsites, crowded mountain peaks and an accumulation of human waste,” the Council wrote in the release. “The DEC said it would use the parking lots for each trailhead as the means of limiting public access to the carrying capacity of that landscape.”

But Neil Woodworth, executive director of the Adirondack Mountain Club, said that approach is not enough.

“I think it is clear that we need to do more than just keep parking lots small,” Woodworth said in the release. “We should explore the best of what is being used on federal and state lands across the country and decide what will be most appropriate here.”

STOCKHOLM — A Cook Road woman is starting a petition drive to keep a local business from using the road as a trucking route.

For about the last two weeks, J.E. Sheehan Contracting Corp. trucks have been traveling on Cook Road to haul gravel between the company-owned Catamount Ridge Quarry, 134 Catamount Ridge Road, Winthrop, and the J.E. Sheehan Construction Corp. site at 75 Reynolds Road, Norwood.

Standing in the driveway of her 287 Cook Road home, Nancy E. Hirleman said her family bought the home four years ago and moved from Connecticut to enjoy the quiet and seclusion of the property. It sits on the edge of Knapp Station State forest, on a one-lane dirt road, which she measured to be just over 14 feet wide, not wide enough for cars to pass the trucks.

“They knocked my neighbor’s wife off the road,” Mrs. Hirleman said. “He called and complained and he only got them to slow down.”

Moreover, she said the trucks are causing muddy ruts in the dirt roads and she has had to help people get their cars unstuck.

Along the dirt road, there were water-filled, nearly foot-deep double-tire ruts on certain strips of the road, alternating between dirt and gravel.

And then there is the dust.

“The dust is so bad that I went outside last Wednesday and it was really humid. I came back in like the sand man,” Mrs. Hirleman said. “I had sand in my mouth, my face, my ears, my eyes, just standing out on that lawn with these big trucks going by. What can I say after that, right?”

She said the sudden increase in truck traffic is dangerous and unexpected. She said her family would have thought twice about sinking almost $80,000 into the property if she knew it was going to be on a truck route.

She said that she called Stockholm Town Highway Superintendent Jeffrey P. Russell to voice her concerns.

“When I mentioned the trucks going on Cook Road, he said ‘Ma’am, that’s a public road. We can’t have these big trucks going down the road and ruining the blacktop.’” Mrs. Hirleman recounted.

Mr. Russell told the Times he explained to Mrs. Hirleman that the trucks were only using the road during blacktop season, in the spring and summer.

Rusty K. Thompson, a supervisor at the quarries, confirmed the timeline of the road usage.

“...We built a road, roughly a third to a half a mile (off of Dry Bridge Road) which allows us to stay out of the villages of Norfolk and Norwood with our trucks,” Mr. Thompson said. “So to access that road, we run the tractor trailers through Winthrop and the tandems and the tri-axles that can only draw roughly half or a little more than half of what the trailer does, we run them up the dirt road, loaded, and it cuts out a lot of miles and makes it more cost effective.”

While maintenance of the road is handled by the town, Mr. Thompson said the company is providing crusher run gravel at its own expense to help with any ruts that are created by the trucks and to prevent any future damage to the dirt road.

He said the truck drivers, while traveling on Cook Road, have been instructed to pull over and stop for any oncoming vehicles, letting them pass, and the trucks take alternate routes back to Winthrop, avoiding Cook Road.

“It is not every day, either,” Mr. Thompson said. “We have not run any trucks at all this week . . . it might be tomorrow (Thursday) and Friday they might run, then it might not run again for a few days again.”

Mrs. Hirleman said two trucks passed her home Wednesday afternoon.

But Mr. Thompson said the days the company can’t pave because it’s raining are the days they will see the most truck traffic on average.

He said if the drivers don’t abide by the rules, to pull over for oncoming traffic and keep to a speed below 25 mph, they will “get a little unpaid vacation.”

“It doesn’t really matter which way you go, whether you go through Winthrop, Norwood, Norfolk, you always got people that don’t like trucks,” Mr. Thompson said. “It’s always been that way and it is always going to be that way.”

Mr. Russell said there are no weight restrictions on the road, despite Mrs. Hirleman’s concerns about the truck loads.

“We can’t legally post weight limits on our roads year-round unless there is like a deficient bridge or something on them,” Mr. Russell said. “Like on Pickle Street we stuck up a 20-ton weight limit sign, just to keep them off of that road, but talking to the county, I don’t think that it is legal to post them that way.”

There is a culvert under a section of Cook Road that divides two bodies of water in the state forest, but Mr. Russell said that is not a concern.

“They called me about it because we have a couple of blacktop roads that parallel that road and the trouble, like I told the people that live over there, is I can’t repair the blacktop roads very easily,” Mr. Russell said. “The dirt road, we can put some more crusher on it and grate it quite cheaply, compared to the blacktop. So he has been running the dirt road loaded and the black top roads empty.

“It’s like I told her, it’s a public highway,” Mr. Russell said. “I know it is a change for them over there — there is no doubt about it — but times change, things move on. You gotta adapt and go with it and try to do the best you can.”

Mrs. Hirleman said she has spoken to members of her community who have agreed to sign a petition seeking to have the trucks cease using Cook Road as a route, something she said she and her neighbors should have been alerted to.

“Why didn’t they tell me that they wanted to make this a truck route?” Mrs. Hirleman asked. “Don’t they tell people what they are doing before it affects their lives? They should have at least gotten a hold of us and asked us what our opinion was about having this because to me, what I am doing to this house, the value of it is diminishing because it is on a truck route. And if this is permanent, this house isn’t even worth the mortgage I am paying on it.”

LOWVILLE — The Lewis County Historical Society, 7552 S. State St., will be holding a brown-bag-lunch presentation at noon June 13 about the background of Habitat for Humanity and what it does for the community. Brian Drappo will present.

Attendees are encouraged to bring a lunch to have during the free, public presentation; beverages will be provided.

WATERTOWN — In Jefferson County Court on Wednesday, a Watertown man admitted to sex crimes.

John L. Dishaw, 34, pleaded guilty to two counts of second-degree course of sexual conduct against a child.

Dishaw admitted to having sexual contact with two children multiple times between January 2013 and September 2016, when both victims were less than 12 years old.

Sentencing is scheduled for Aug. 17 and he is expected to face two years in state prison.

In other court action:

Thurman T. Babcock, 23, Felts Mills, pleaded guilty to endangering the welfare of a child and admitted to violating his probation.

He admitted to having “offensive physical contact” with a girl in February 2013 when the victim was less than 15 years old. He is expected to be sentenced to one year in the Metro-Jefferson Public Safety Building on Aug. 1.

Ricardo H. Hall, 40, Watertown, was sentenced to an unspecified amount of time served at the PSB and three years of probation.

He had earlier pleaded guilty to first-degree failure to register as a sex offender. Hall was convicted of second-degree sexual abuse in 2012.

Daniel J. Johnson, 46, Watertown, pleaded guilty to fifth-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance.

He admitted to selling methamphetamine in the county last May. He is expected to be sentenced to two years in state prison on Aug. 6.

Patrick G. Boyanski, 45, Watertown, was sentenced to four years in state prison and two years of post-release supervision. He was mandated into the Seneca County-based Willard Drug Treatment program.

He had earlier pleaded guilty to third-degree unlawful manufacture of methamphetamine. Mr. Boyanski is a second-felony offender, having been convicted of the same crime in 2016.

CLAYTON — According to the state’s expert on Public Officers Law, the village Board of Trustees likely violated the state Open Meetings Law last month when it held an executive session to address National Grid’s cost estimate for burying its overhead wires in the village’s historic district.

Mayor Norma J. Zimmer said the board became privy to National Grid’s estimated $3.3 million cost to replace overhead utility cables on James and Webb streets and Riverside Drive with underground cables shortly before its May 29 meeting.

Mrs. Zimmer said the utility told the board last year it would send the estimate by mid-April, but the estimate arrived late last month without further information to explain the figure.

Deputy Mayor Anthony P. Randazzo said the board decided to enter executive session to formulate a collective response to village residents.

Neither Village Attorney Joseph W. Russell of Menter, Rudin and Trivelpiece, or attorney J.K. Hage III of Hage & Hage Law and Consulting, whom the village retained to negotiate with National Grid, were at the meeting, Mr. Randazzo said.

“It was at the 11th hour, our backs against the wall and we were trying to get things squared away,” Mr. Randazzo said.

Open Meetings Law, however, dictates that governing bodies can hold executive sessions only to discuss matters that would involve specific personnel matters, matters that would identify any law enforcement officer or informant, and matters that, if disclosed, would threaten public safety.

Twyla B. Webb, a village resident who attended the regular meeting, said the board told her it would be entering executive session to discuss “strategy.”

Robert J. Freeman, executive director of the state Committee on Open Government, said strategy doesn’t fall under permitted uses for executive sessions unless it applies to collective bargaining or litigation. He clarified that the possibility, fear, or threat of litigation doesn’t justify an executive session, at least not without additional explanation.

“That doesn’t seem like that would be basis for discussing it in executive session,” Mr. Freeman said.

When asked whether the board violated Open Meetings Law, Mrs. Zimmer said “Maybe we did. I’m sorry.”

National Grid and the board have butted heads over who would pay the costs for the company to replace its overhead wires with underground cables as part of a major reconstruction project within the village’s historic district.

The board has argued that the utility should pay because its wires created a safety hazard. National Grid answered that state law requires the board either pay it directly or distribute the cost among village taxpayers.

Installing the vaults and conduits along with new sewer and water lines and foundations for ornamental lights will cost the village an estimated $3.31 million.

The cost covers only the bill from the DOT and doesn’t account for the $3.3 million price tag from National Grid or any of the telecommunications companies’ expenses for replacing overhead wires with cables underground.

The combined $6.61 million in expenses from the DOT and National Grid alone exceeds the $5 million bond the village previously approved for the project, although the village had also secured $1.5 million in grant funding.

Mrs. Zimmer said the board will negotiate with National Grid to lower its projected $3.3 million price before discussing other financing options.

“It’s just a huge project,” Mrs. Zimmer said.

CANTON — The St. Lawrence County Department of Health wants to get people walking and healthy.

A subcommittee of the Bridge to Wellness Coalition, a group of several St. Lawrence hospitals, met Tuesday to discuss logistics on its newly county-approved health program, “Walk With a Doc.”

The free program, which will host 12 walks a year, was unanimously approved Monday by the St. Lawrence County Legislature.

The program will strive to bridge the gap between doctors and patients and to increase the physical and mental health of St. Lawrence County residents.

Walkers will be able to interact with medical experts in the tranquility of parks in warm months and in hockey rinks and indoor tracks during cold months.

“This will allow people to see their physicians as real people,” said Dana Olzenak McGuire, St. Lawrence County’s public health director.

Thus far, walks will be held in six towns and villages: Waddington, Potsdam, Gouverneur, Canton, Ogdensburg and Massena. Residents from outside these areas, however, are welcomed to each event.

“We chose six (sites) because it’s a county initiative and we really want to spread it out,” said Ms. Olzenak McGuire.

The specifics for many of these walks require further planning, but their first is set for 10 a.m. June 30 at the Remington Recreation Trail in Canton.

At each walk there will be markers notifying walkers of the distance already walked. Participants can stroll and can turn around at any time.

“This is not a race. This is truly a walk,” said Ms. Olzenak McGuire

At the beginning of each walk there will be a three-minute presentation by one of the volunteering doctors.

Doctors will be recognizable as each will be wearing a blue shirt donated by the “Walk With a Doc” program.

Water and healthy snacks will be provided at each walk.

WATERTOWN — City Council members are in the midst of interviewing nine candidates for the vacant city manager’s position.

Council members used an executive session on Tuesday night to conduct telephone interviews with three candidates. They will meet again in two other closed-door sessions to interview three more applicants on Monday night and the last three on Tuesday night.

Mayor Joseph M. Butler Jr. hopes to choose a new city manager by the end of the month. He could not say when the successor to former City Manager Sharon A. Addison can start.

The city received 18 resumes, including one from interim City Manager Bradford J. Minnick, who remains interested in the position.

Ms. Addison left City Hall on May 21 for a position at Fort Drum. Council members in January did not renew her contract after she was in the position for almost six years.

CANTON — A former Ogdensburg woman was sentenced to prison Monday in St. Lawrence County Court after being charged in multiple meth-making incidents.

April R. Coombs, 38, no fixed address, formerly of 104 B Gates St., was sentenced as a second-felony offender to eight years in prison for her April 6 guilty plea to two counts of third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance in a plea deal with the district attorney’s office.

The plea deal satisfied pending charges of third-degree unlawful manufacturing of methamphetamine; seventh-degree possession of a controlled substance; and two counts of fifth-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, and third-degree unlawful manufacture of methamphetamine.

Her attorney, Bradford C. Riendeau, said Ms. Coombs’s addictions stem from Ritalin, which she was prescribed while in high school but stopped taking in college. He called her situation “a delicate dance” between mental health issues, medication and self-medication.

But County Court Judge Jerome J. Richards was not convinced. He pointed to a time between August and November 2017 when he said Ms. Coombs was charged with 15 offenses on four occasions, adding that she was a second-felony drug offender.

The judge said that because of her criminal behavior, Ms. Coombs “is an extreme danger to the community,” and he had no choice but to send her to state prison with no recommendation for either the prison system’s Willard Drug Treatment Program, in which offenders serve 90 days in a rehabilitation program before spending the remainder of their sentences under parole supervision, or for shock incarceration, a substance-abuse treatment program that involves six months of military-style incarceration with the remainder of the sentence completed on parole.

“You need to be punished at this point in time,” Judge Richards said. “In your particular case, treatment is not going to work.”

In addition to her prison sentence, she was sentenced to three years of post-release supervision and was ordered to pay $750 in court fines, fees and surcharges.

In other court action Monday:

Jason A. Carter, 35, of 819½ New York Ave., Ogdensburg, pleaded not guilty to felony third-degree unlawful manufacture of methamphetamine and two counts of misdemeanor endangering the welfare of a child.

The indictment charges that on Oct. 17 in Ogdensburg, Mr. Carter, Mellisa S. Mashaw, 33, also of 819½ New York Ave., Jonas F. Vasavada, 38, of 328 Grant St., and Tara M. Redmond, 33, of 1113 Ford St., all of Ogdensburg, possessed two or more items of laboratory equipment and two or more precursors, chemical reagents or solvents with the intent to make methamphetamine. The process was likely to harm the physical, mental or moral welfare of two children, ages 7 and 9, the indictment charges.

Mr. Carter was picked up on a warrant after he failed to appear on his original March 26 arraignment date and, while in the St. Lawrence County jail, he tested positive for buprenorphine, methamphetamine and amphetamine.

He was returned to St. Lawrence County jail without bail.

Richard Goolden Jr., 35, of 312 Knox St., Ogdensburg, pleaded not guilty to the indictment charging him with fourth-degree criminal possession of stolen property and third-degree arson, both felonies.

The indictment charges on March 29 in the city of Ogdensburg, Mr. Goolden possessed a stolen vehicle valued at more than $100 and intentionally damaged it by setting it on fire.

Joey Black, 49, of 1900 County Route 17, Russell, had a not-guilty plea entered on his behalf by the court on the indictment charging him with two counts of felony driving while intoxicated.

The indictment charges that on March 24 in the town of Russell, Mr. Black drove on a public highway while his blood alcohol content was 0.08 percent or higher. State law sets a 0.08 percent BAC as the minimum to define intoxication.

According to court officials, Mr. Black declined to enter a plea at arraignment. He was released on his own recognizance.

Ryan Mellon, 29, of 50 Kleitz Ave., Highland Falls, had a warrant issued for his arrest after he failed to appear for his arraignment on the indictment charging him with driving while intoxicated and first-degree aggravated unlicensed operation, both felonies.

The indictment charges on Feb. 21 in the village of Massena, Mr. Mellon drove on a public highway while drunk and while knowing that his license was suspended, revoked or withdrawn due to a refusal to submit to a chemical test.

The charge was elevated to a felony due to a previous misdemeanor DWI conviction, on Jan. 1, 2015 in Highlands Town Court, Orange County.

CLEVELAND – Kevin Durant scored 43 points, and the Golden State Warriors overcame a slow start Wednesday night to defeat the Cavaliers 110-102 in Game 3 of the NBA Finals.

Golden State, trying to win the Larry O’Brien Trophy for the third time in four years, leads the best-of-seven series, 3-0.

Game 4 is Friday night in Cleveland.

Neither team led by more than three points in the fourth quarter until Stephen Curry drained a 3-pointer with 2:38 remaining for a 101-97 Warriors edge. LeBron James then made a 3-pointer of his own to make it a one-point game.

Key Golden State reserve Andre Iguodala, making his return after missing the previous six games due to a bone bruise in his left knee, converted a dunk to increase the lead to 103-100.

Durant then buried a 3-pointer from 33 feet out with 49.8 seconds remaining to essentially ice the game.

“That was amazing what he did out there tonight,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said of Durant, who also had 13 rebounds and seven assists. “Some of those shots, I don’t think anybody in the world can hit those but him.”

James led the Cavaliers with 33 points. He added 10 rebounds and 11 assists for a triple-double, his fourth of the playoffs.

Rodney Hood, who sat out three games before playing four minutes of garbage time in Game 2 of the Finals, came off the bench to score 15 points for the Cavaliers.

Kevin Love added 20 points and 13 rebounds for the Cavs.

Golden State had six players score in double figures, though Durant was the only one to top 11.

Cleveland coach Tyronn Lue said after practice Tuesday that getting off to a fast start would be critical. He also wanted his players to be more physical than they were in the two games played on Golden State’s floor to start the series.

The Cavs led 14-4 with 7:57 left in the first quarter, a complete flip from Game 2 when the Warriors jumped to a 15-6 lead with 8:12 left in the first quarter. The Cavaliers never recovered Sunday, even though more than 44 minutes remained.

The difference Wednesday was the Warriors chipped away at the Cavaliers’ lead and tied the score 26-26 on a pull-up jumper by Durant with 32.6 seconds left in the opening quarter.

The Cavaliers regained control in the second quarter by dominating the glass and playing smothering defense on Curry.

In Game 2, Curry scored 33 points and hit an NBA Finals-record nine 3-pointers in Golden State’s 122-103 victory. He had just two points in the first half of Game 3 and was 0-for-5 on 3-point attempts when the Warriors went to the locker room at halftime trailing 58-52. Curry finished with 11 points, though the only 3-pointer he made on 10 attempts was his key shot in the final minutes.

As they have done throughout the playoffs, the Warriors surged in the third quarter, outscoring the Cavaliers 31-23 to take an 83-81 lead into the fourth quarter. Durant scored 10 points in the third period.

BRASHER FALLS — A 17-year-old Brasher Falls teen was charged with making a terrorist threat following an incident Wednesday afternoon at St. Lawrence Central High School.

State police charged Makaylah M. Robinson with a felony count of making a terroristic threat. She was arraigned in Massena Town Court and released under the supervision of the Probation Department, to appear at 6 p.m. June 20 in Lawrence Town Court.

State police said they responded to the school at about 1:30 p.m. for a report of threatened violence. She was allegedly witnessed yelling threats in the hallway that she would “shoot up the school and burn it down.” Robinson was ordered by school officials to leave the school grounds, which police say she did.

BROOKLYN — NXIVM co-founder Keith Raniere has filed an application seeking to be released on $10 million bond, arguing he is not a flight risk and offering to live in a residence secured by armed private security guards while his criminal case is pending.

In a filing late Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Brooklyn, Raniere’s attorneys referred to the U.S. Justice Department as the “morality police” and accused them of wrongly implicating Raniere in sex trafficking. They said their client, who has been held without bond since his arrest in March, is an accomplished “ethicist” who is not a danger and should be released from custody.

“The federal government apparently does not approve of the way hundreds of women are searching for happiness, fulfillment and meaning in their lives and is now seeking to incarcerate a number of them as well as Raniere, whose ideas inspired this group,” the motion states. “Raniere’s proposed conditions, including round-the-clock security as well as electronic monitoring will ensure no danger of his fleeing because he would be under constant guard.”

Raniere, 57, whose organization has been described by experts as a cult, was arrested at a luxury villa in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, in late March. In Mexico, authorities said, Raniere got rid of his mobile phone and used encrypted email to communicate with his followers. It took authorities nearly two months to locate and arrest him.

But Raniere’s attorneys said that he was keeping a low profile in Mexico merely to avoid a group of NXIVM critics who had been stalking and photographing him there. They said that he was not fleeing law enforcement, and that one of his attorneys had contacted federal authorities almost two weeks before his arrest asking for Raniere to be able to explain his side of the allegations being made against him.

In a federal indictment unsealed April 20, Raniere and former television actress Allison Mack — a longtime NXIVM member and close associate of Raniere’s — were accused of organizing a secret group within NXIVM in which some of its female members said they were coerced into joining a slave-master club, and later branded with a design that included the initials of Raniere and Mack.

Raniere, in statements previously posted on NXIVM’s website, had characterized the slave-master group as a consensual, private “sorority” and said that he and the corporation had no role in it.

In the motion for bail, Raniere’s attorneys do not acknowledge whether he took part in forming the secretive group, which they compared to the international college fraternity Omega Psi Phi, “with over 750 undergraduate and graduate chapters, (that) has developed an unofficial practice where members voluntarily brand themselves to show dedication to the group.”

Federal court records filed earlier this year indicate emails seized from Raniere’s private messaging accounts “support the conclusion that Raniere created” the club, known as “Dominus Obsequious Sororium,” which means “Master Over the Slave Women.”

The women in the group, according to a federal criminal complaint, were lured into the club by other female NXIVM members, including Mack, who considered Raniere her “grand master,” and were required to provide “collateral” in order to join. If they tried to leave, they were threatened that their collateral — sometimes damaging information about family members or close-up photographs of their genitalia — would be released.

The government alleges that some of the women felt coerced into having sex with Raniere due to the threat of having damaging information about them released if they tried to leave the group or failed to follow orders.

The motion by Raniere argues that many woman who joined the secret group did not have sex with him and were not branded. Also, his attorneys argued, the women who were branded were never held down against their will. Some have said they were held down by other female members to help them get through the grueling and painful procedure.

“While there may be instances of someone branded who later second-guessed or regretted her decision, the evidence will be clear that the decision was knowing, voluntary and based on free will at the time it was made,” the bail motions states.

“The decision of some DOS women to brand themselves was absolutely knowing and voluntary, and a product solely and exclusively of their free will,” the motion continues. “In fact, the woman being branded typically placed the stencil on her body where she wanted the brand to be located.”

Raniere’s attorneys also argue that the government has improperly cast members of the DOS group as victims of sex trafficking.

“The government rushes to judgment that women who similarly brand themselves must be victims, a notion that is anathema not only to the principles underlying the very creation of DOS, but also to the freedom of choice we are all afforded,” the motion states. “The government’s overarching premise is that DOS was created as a way of Raniere having access to women who were brought into DOS on an ongoing basis. This is absolutely false and will be soundly disproven through the testimony of the actual DOS members who will testify at the trial.”

Raniere’s motion also disputes the government’s assertion that women were coerced into having sex with him.

“First, there is no evidence of force, threats of force, fraud, coercion or any combination. None of the women have stated, nor could truthfully state, that Raniere had sex with them against their will,” the motion states. “This is not a case of non-consensual sexual conduct. Rather, the government seems to be manufacturing a case where women feel compelled to remain in DOS because they voluntarily gave collateral when they joined. But, this is in essence a contract.”

Raniere’s application for bail requests a hearing and includes his offers to restrict his travel to eastern and southern New York, wear an electronic monitoring device, limit his use of a computer only to help prepare for his criminal trial, and surrender his passport.

U.S. District Judge Nicholas G. Garaufis directed the government to file a response to Raniere’s motion by noon Friday.

The motion filed by Raniere’s attorneys publicly disclosed for the first time that in mid-March, about nine days before Raniere was taken into custody in Mexico and deported, he had hired Michael Sullivan, a former U.S. attorney in Massachusetts, to contact the U.S. attorney’s office in Albany to share “his side of the story.”

The motion indicates that U.S. Attorney Grant Jaquith said his office in Albany did not have an investigation of Raniere under way and was not aware of another U.S. attorney’s office conducting one. The investigation and prosecution of Raniere is being handled by the U.S. attorney’s office for the Eastern District of New York in Brooklyn.

“Having an attorney reach out to the United States attorney is the antithesis of running, hiding or fleeing investigators,” Raniere’s motion states.

His attorneys also offered a detailed argument, including flight records and travel itineraries of Raniere, to counter the government’s argument that he had fled to Mexico to avoid arrest after a New York Times story was published last fall highlighting information on the DOS club.

Raniere’s attorneys said the mother of one of Raniere’s children is Mexican and that her six-month visa had required her to exit the United States by last October. Raniere flew to Mexico in November, and they had also made alternate plans to travel to Canada in early October.

“Raniere and the mother of his child were seeking to comply with United States law,” the motion states.

The motion indicates that Raniere had flown to Mexico twice last year, and had returned to the United States on the day the New York Times story was published.

“His flight itinerary was sent to his Yahoo! email account, on which the government has executed a search warrant, yet they have still represented in their multiple public filings that prior to November 2017, he had not flown out of the country since 2015 _ ignoring that Raniere had traveled to Mexico weeks earlier,” the motion states.

Raniere’s motion indicates he stayed in Halfmoon, where he has lived for many years, until Nov. 10 and then flew back to Mexico “to be with his child and the mother of his child.”

The government’s filings have also referenced Raniere’s access to private jets, but filings in his motion indicate that during his October trip to Mexico he traveled aboard a commercial airline. There are no travel records provided that detail Raniere’s flight to Mexico in November, indicating he may have flown aboard a private jet on that trip.

“Raniere’s open return to his New York home for several weeks while under threat of prosecution and having his attorney communicate with the Justice Department militates against detention,” the motion states.

It appears to be the time of historical references in world politics. French President Emmanuel Macron felt that recent world events reminded him of the lead-up to World War II, while German leader Angela Merkel had similar thoughts, citing the less well known 1555 Peace of Augsburg, which created some of the conditions for the devastating Thirty Years War in Europe.

On May 25, it was President Donald Trump’s turn to make ominous historical references, according to reports by CNN and CBC. Defending his decision to impose trade tariffs on Canada on national security grounds, Trump - perhaps as a joke - asked Prime Minister Justin Trudeau during a call:

“Didn’t you guys burn down the White House?”

To be clear: No, they didn’t.

And in fact, the burning of the White House may be the worst possible example to justify a trade dispute - because one of the reasons why the White House burned was because of a trade dispute.

Trump was referring to the war of 1812 between the British and the Americans that resulted in the burning of Washington in 1814, at a time when Canada was still part of the British Empire. While Canada didn’t burn down the White House - that dubious honor fell to British forces following a U.S. invasion of what is today Ontario - it was at least on the side of the British, which is perhaps reason enough for the president to use it as an example to make a point about Canada being a national security threat to U.S. interests.

To justify his steep tariffs imposed on Canada, Mexico or the EU Trump has relied on an obscure provision that allows member states of the World Trade Organization to claim exceptions from its obligations if national security is at stake. That reasoning has long been a no-go among WTO member states, because they understand that triggering trade disputes under a “national security” framework could eventually render the WTO meaningless. To legally defend his tariffs using that exception, Trump now has to show that some of the United States’ closest allies - including Europe and Canada - really pose a risk to U.S. national security.

Trudeau has vehemently rejected this suggestion, reminding the president of the “thousands of Canadians who have fought and died alongside American comrades-in-arms” in two world wars and more recent conflicts. Canada is also part of the Five Eyes intelligence alliance with the United States and three other nations that exchange especially sensitive information.

The 1812 reference may prove the bizarreness of the entire argument, but it also points to a more troubling, historical lesson.

The problem with that war especially is that it proves exactly what Trump probably didn’t want to imply: trade disputes can easily get out of control.

Back in 1812, the roles between Britain and the United States were largely reversed. The United States wanted free trade with Europe, but Britain was vehemently opposed to that. The U.S. slogan that emerged in summer 1812 - “A free trade and sailors rights” - largely explains two of the key reasons that led to the subsequent war, and thus the destruction of the White House in 1814.

By demanding sailors rights, the Americans wanted an end to the British practice of forcing its mariners into their naval service. “According to English Common Law, even citizens who had emigrated to other nations had no right to forego their British citizenship, and hence their susceptibility for being impressed in times of war,” the Foreign Policy Research Institute explained in a chronology of the war. Under that principle, British officers would board U.S. vessels and force (often former) British sailors to work for them instead, which resulted in the 1807 USS Chesapeake incident in which three American sailors were killed and 16 wounded.

At the same time, the United States was suffering under the economic repercussions of its declaration of independence in 1776. As part of the British Empire, its colonies had been able to trade freely with much of the British-ruled world - sort of an archaic version of NAFTA or the European Economic Area. But after rebelling against the British, the United States was suddenly on its own, as it faced trade restrictions by both the British and the French who were fighting each other in the Napoleonic wars at the time. Both countries were at odds with the United States because its policy of neutrality conflicted with the two European nations attempts to essentially to starve each other into submission.

Dismayed by forced enlistments, action against merchants and other trade challenges, tensions resulted in a U.S. embargo on the trade of all goods with Britain and France, culminating in a war that included a botched U.S. invasion of what would later become Canada.

The United States of 1812 and the European Union of 2018 are of course hardly comparable, especially with the United States now being part of the same military alliance, NATO. But both the United States of two centuries ago and today’s European Union face similar choices over whether to comply with efforts to restrict free trade or whether to resist a powerful nation. “Must we remain passive victims to foreign politics; or shall we exert the lawful means which our independence has put into our hands, of extorting readdress?” asked the fourth U.S. president, James Madison, according to Bloomberg.

In the case of the United States, the subsequent embargo caused economic decline in the short run, even though it’s being credited with making the United States more self-reliant in the long term. The same arguments are being made in Europe today, as European leaders fear weakened growth or even recessions if a trade war with Trump escalates, but continue to stress that the pressure from Washington will end up making them less dependent on the United States.

If anything, the 1812 example proves the unpredictability of such tactics on both sides.

Even though the British accepted many U.S. demands in June 1812, their concessions came too late. By the time the news reached the other side of the Atlantic, the United States had already declared war against Britain.

TURIN — After graduating from its high school, Christine Chaufty began working at South Lewis Central School when she was 17 years old. Forty-five years later, retirement means she will be leaving the school for the first time in her life.

“In 1972 they told me it was a six-week position to cover a secretary’s leave of absence. She never came back, so, lo and behold, here I am,” Mrs. Chaufty said, and laughed.

She called herself a small-town girl. Her parents, James and Rita Allen, were both locals who ran a dairy farm on Route 12.

“My father’s parents lived in the farmhouse before he took it over, and I was raised there, too,” she said. “When we sold it, we didn’t move far. Just into the village of Lyons Falls.”

At the school, Mrs. Chaufty did well academically and felt at home in its halls.

“I went every day unless I was deathly ill. I loved school. Back in my time, we lived for pep rallies and football games and dances. School was the social center for everything.”

It was a different era concerning college and career decisions, she said, and her strength in her business and office classes secured her a good future, she said.

“I told my business teacher that I was thinking about going to Utica School of Commerce and he said that I didn’t need to. He told me that I already had the skills to get the kind of job I wanted. I listened to him and then the opportunity arose for me to step into a role here.”

Since then, Mrs. Chaufty has seen the changing of principals nine or 10 times, she said.

“The one I have now, I’m old enough to be his mother. Actually ... I wonder if I could be his grandmother? And he treats me like a queen. I’m like a walking encyclopedia of South Lewis School. If I don’t know the answer to a question, people know I’ll find it,” she said.

As she looked through yearbooks from her first years at the school, she pointed to the photos of her past administrators.

“I can’t think of anyone else still working here from when I first started here. I think they have all moved on or died,” she said. “But I have always liked how people work together here. It is one very large family here.”

That family of coworkers, administrators and community members, past and present, is returning to the area to see to her retirement party scheduled June 20. She said she cannot wait to see everyone.

In the meantime, she has been working with the hiring board to find and interview her potential replacement.

“I asked every applicant, ‘Now, are you willing to stay here for 45 years?’ and no one was able to answer that,’” she said with a smile. “But I’m very happy with the person the school board will vote on soon.”

Yet she said it will still be a bittersweet transition.

“I absolutely love the kids here. They ask me, ‘Why are you retiring?’ and I said, ‘Well, it’s time,’” she said.

In fact, the yearbook committee dedicated the book to her in 2016.

“They thought I was retiring, but it wasn’t official. I wasn’t ready yet,” she said.

Some people have told her they envy the idea of retirement. She will have none of that mindset, she said.

“‘Don’t wish your life away!’ I say. Because I still love what I do. I live and breathe South Lewis and I have always been happy here.”

After 45 years, some might expect her to take a well-deserved break, a quiet stretch for relaxing, before taking on any new projects.

Mrs. Chaufty says she has a new venture in mind and has already started training for it.

“I’m going from kids to pets now, can you believe it?” she said.

Her next job, a part-time role with Little Friends Veterinary Services, 6793B McAlpine St., Turin, will begin later this summer.

“Liana Underwood is such a good woman; I’m excited to work for her,” Mrs. Chaufty said. She added that after half a century of dress clothes, she is excited to wear scrubs to work.

Mrs. Chaufty’s work in the office at the veterinary clinic will be in addition to her community responsibilities. She is a member of a parish council, is a member of Lyons Falls ALIVE, and is a cantor in her church where her husband, Jim Chaufty, is a deacon.

“When I have a few moments to relax now, I like it, but I prefer to keep busy.” she said.

Her last day at school will be June 30, but she will be back to help train the new hire, and nearby if needed.

“They said that I can come by to visit any time, and I told them that I won’t charge for answering any questions,” she said.

“I felt like I made a difference here,” she said. “Kids knew that I had been here a long time and they showed me respect. I’ve loved the people here. I’m happy for my time.”

WATERTOWN — A longtime Court Street businessman has filed a lawsuit accusing a neighboring merchant of causing extensive damage to his building by allegedly hitting it with a snowplow this past winter.

Stephen J. Bradley, who owns the property under S&J Properties, alleges that Cengiz Gulbay damaged the Abbey Carpet building, 150 Court St., after hitting an exterior wall with a snowplow while driving through an alleyway on or around Feb. 6, and then failing to report the accident.

Mr. Gulbay is the manager for the Cash4Gold store at 132 Court St. The business offers appraisals of jewelry and for customers to get paid cash on the spot.

Mr. Bradley filed the lawsuit in state Supreme Court last Friday. A court date and judge have not yet been assigned to the case.

“The damage to the plaintiff’s structure and construction in the easement (was) solely caused by the negligence of the defendant or his employee’s agents,” according to court papers.

Mr. Bradley also is accusing Mr. Gulbay of trespassing on his property when the neighbor allegedly crossed the construction barrier on June 2. Police charged Mr. Gulbay with third-degree criminal trespass. The matter is pending in Watertown City Court, with a court appearance scheduled for June 13.

David P. Antonucci, a local attorney representing Mr. Bradley, said his client has video showing Mr. Gulbay’s snowplow hitting the building on the building’s west side.

“We believe the video shows he hit the wall,” Mr. Antonucci said.

The damage was discovered weeks later after Mr. Bradley noticed that the wall was bowing out, the attorney said. The repairs, which entail shoring up the brick wall with steel I-beams, will cost “six figures,” Mr. Antonucci said.

With work going for several weeks, barriers were put up by the city to keep people out, according to the police report about Mr. Gulbay’s arrest.

Earlier this week, Mr. Gulbay denied that he had anything to do with the building’s damage. He said police investigated the incident, adding that they found that he “was not the cause” and “saw no marks on the snowplow.”

Joseph R. Donoghue Sr., detective lieutenant with the city police, acknowledged police investigated the incident. Mr. Bradley wanted his neighbor to be charged with leaving the scene of an accident.

But police “could not prove beyond a reasonable doubt” that it was Mr. Gulbay’s snowplow that hit the wall, Lt. Donoghue said.

As for the trespass charge, Mr. Gulbay “knowingly entered the fenced off” area by climbing over the barrier, the police report said. Mr. Gulbay, however, insisted he was taking his 3-year-old pit bull for a walk and did not cross the barrier.

“It’s for the court to decide,” Lt. Donoghue said.

According to the lawsuit, Mr. Gulbay continued to trespass on Mr. Bradley’s property while operating a U-Haul business from a parking lot behind the Cash4Gold building.

The front part of the alleyway is actually owned by the city, City Assessor Brian S. Phelps said.

An easement continues around to the back of the Abbey Carpet building that has allowed both Mr. Gulbay, tenants in his building and the operators of the Agape Shoppe next door access to those properties.

Since the trespass arrest, Mr. Bradley has blocked the entire parking lot, denying Mr. Gulbay access to his property, Mr. Gulbay said. On Monday night, a piece of construction equipment was parked across the parking lot.

Chyna Gopaul, another manager for the Cash4Gold store, said that there have been “ongoing” problems with Mr. Bradley since Mr. Gulbay bought the building in 2014 and opened the business.

It’s escalated since the wall was damaged, she said.

Mr. Bradley recently received a $900,000 state grant to make extensive repairs to three other nearby buildings he owns.

Mr. Bradley declined to comment because a lawsuit has been filed, referring all questions to Mr. Antonucci.

The race for the 21st Congressional District seat has been going on for more than a year, and in that time, candidate forums have become the signature event.

There have been enough of them that none of the candidates interviewed for this article knew how many they had done.

“It’s enough I can’t remember how many there’s been,” said Democratic candidate Patrick Nelson, Stillwater. “They have been a defining feature.”

According to a count compiled later from Mr. Nelson’s campaign, there have been 10 forums. Another forum and a televised debate are planned for next week. The size of the forums has fluctuated as candidates have jumped into and later left the race, but each one has brought residents out to hear the candidates talk on the issues and respond to each other.

“Anytime you have an opportunity to get someone engaged in democracy it’s a win,” said Democrat Emily Martz, Saranac Lake. “As soon as someone’s involved, they go out and get their friends involved, and they get their friends involved.”

Most of the candidates appreciated how the forums have brought people out and engaged them directly with the candidates.

“It’s something we’ve not seen before,” said Democrat Tedra L. Cobb, Canton. “I think it’s engaged people — engaged people with the candidates, but also engaged people with the political process.”

Communities can organize these events, bringing all the candidates together in the same place.

“I think it gives communities ownership of this race,” said Katie Wilson, Keene.

As candidates have joined the race, they have joined the forums, like Dylan Ratigan, Lake Placid, who is running for the Democratic nomination. Mr. Ratigan could not be reached for comment.

The forums have been organized by a number of community groups, and many of the candidates expressed their appreciation for the organizers.

“I feel thankful to the people who put the time and energy into organizing the forum ... and their commitment to the candidates,” Ms. Cobb said.

For the candidates themselves, it’s given them a chance to get experience being on stage, a skill that many candidates mentioned as being important in the general election.

“I also think it’s been really good for candidates, allowing us to polish our message, polish our debating skills,” Mr. Nelson said. “One of us has to debate Elise Stefanik,” the incumbent NY-21 congresswoman.

While the candidates may all be fairly close on many issues — Mr. Nelson said they have occasionally adopted lines from each other over the course of the forums — the forums also allow major issues, like health care, the economy and the environment, to be reiterated.

“Those issues are the issues that need to be addressed,” Ms. Cobb said. “They’ve continued to be highlighted over the past 10 months.”

And the forums have given the audience a chance to judge how candidates handle themselves.

“People are eager to see how we move in the world, how we think, how we act,” Ms. Cobb said.

The forums have not been universally good — the formats have varied, and some formats have been more popular than others.

“It is a hell of a lot more productive to have five candidates rather than 10,” said Ms. Wilson.

Ms. Martz said that having more candidates was actually beneficial through bringing a broad base of residents.

“The benefit of having what at one point was 10 candidates was we all brought a different group of people, a different base,” she said.

Mr. Nelson said he found the time restrictions to answer questions — from 30 seconds to two minutes — difficult.

“I still feel like it never goes deep enough,” he said. “There’s probably nothing more complicated than figuring out how to govern a society of 320 million people.”

Ms. Wilson also worries that the forums may turn into an echo chamber, talking to those already engaged in politics instead of going out into the community and meeting those who are too busy to take an evening off and watch the discussion. But she thinks candidates can do both.

Most of the candidates criticized incumbent Ms. Stefanik, R-Willsboro, for not showing up at any of the forums. She was invited to at least some of them.

“Elise Stefanik has tele-town halls,” Ms. Cobb said. “She’s never participated in a forum.”

Mr. Nelson said that Ms. Stefanik probably did not have scheduling conflicts for at least one or two of the forums and could have attended.

“The fact the congresswoman had ducked every one of them shows she’s more of a politician than a leader,” he said.

Most of the participants have been running in the Democratic primary, although there have been candidates from other parties, including Lynn Kahn, the Green Party candidate, and an unsuccessful attempt to force a Republican primary by Russell Finley. It is because of this focus on the primary, a spokesman for Ms. Stefanik said, that she has not participated.

“These are Democratic primary forums organized by progressive Indivisible groups,” wrote Stefanik campaign spokesman Leonardo Alcivar in an email. “Our campaign has united the support of the Republican, Conservative, Independence, and Reform parties and Congresswoman Stefanik is not on the primary ballot. Congresswoman Stefanik will participate in debates for the general election as she has done every election year.”

Besides the ability to meet residents and demonstrate their ability on stage and knowledge of the issues, the forums have meant that all the candidates have spent a lot of time together.

“It feels like a show on the road,” said Mr. Nelson.

Ms. Cobb said she considers the other candidates her colleagues.

“This group of candidates has been respectful of each other,” she said, in contrast to some other primaries.

For Ms. Wilson, appearing with the other candidates has been mixed.

“I’ve become closer to some and more distant from others,” she said. “I feel pretty close to most of them ... I just hope people can get beyond the pettiness of it all to work together on the other side.”

Ms. Martz described her relationship with the other candidates as friendly, and said she had invited other candidates and their supporters to go out after some of the forums.

“(The race is something) we’re doing because of something deep inside us, not to sound corny,” Ms. Martz said. “We’ve all chosen to do something that’s very hard ... (but) it’s worth it.”

UPDATE: After publication, Green Party candidate Lynn S. Khan responded with her thoughts on the forums.

“These candidate forums are tremendously important, letting voters see how each of the candidates compare with the others, and allowing candidates to work on delivering more crisp and impactful comments,” she wrote in an email to the Times. “The forums allow voters to ask more focused questions and use critical thinking. It’s all interactive, and each event builds on the others.”

Ms. Khan wrote that she appreciated being included in the forums even though she is not a Democrat.

“As the only independent or third-party candidate to participate in these forums in NY 21, I am profoundly grateful to those organizers that had the courage and awareness to include a third-party candidate,” she wrote. “Not every organizer has that courage, even when it’s critical to bring in different points of view.”