Preet Bharara, the former U.S. attorney in Manhattan who was fired by President Donald Trump, has registered as a Democratic voter in New York for the first time in more than a decade amid speculation that he might run for attorney general.

Bharara’s registration in Westchester County occurred during the window for candidates to gather signatures to qualify for the Democratic primary in September. A candidate needs thousands of signatures across half the congressional districts by mid-July — meaning time is short for Bharara to jump in.

Bharara did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The Democratic primary for attorney general is already crowded. It includes Letitia James, the New York City public advocate, who was nominated at the state party convention; Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney of the Hudson Valley; Zephyr Teachout, a law professor and former candidate for governor, and Leecia Eve, a former adviser to Hillary Clinton and Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo.

They are running to replace Eric Schneiderman, who resigned suddenly last month after multiple women accused him of physical abuse. Barbara D. Underwood, who was chosen last month to replace Schneiderman, has said that she would not seek election in November.

Bharara, who has become an outspoken commentator since he was fired by Trump last year, has built a liberal following. He addressed the idea of running for attorney general last month on his podcast.

“I think politics is not really for me, but it’s an important job, it’s an important time so we’ll see,” said Bharara, who is also a former aide to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.

Bharara was not a registered voter during his roughly eight years as U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, a period in which he aggressively prosecuted political corruption, indicting the top two lawmakers in Albany, one Democrat and one Republican, and a top aide to Cuomo.

Records show he was previously a registered voter in Maryland and in New York.

WASHINGTON - House Republicans huddled behind closed doors Thursday, hoping to find a way out of an internal showdown on immigration that threatens to split the GOP and alienate midterm voters.

At stake is whether the House will act this year to offer protections to “dreamers” - young undocumented immigrants who arrived in the United States as children and are now at risk for deportation due to President Donald Trump’s cancellation of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.

A group of renegade GOP moderates have moved with Democrats to try to force votes on immigration legislation later this month in defiance of Republican leaders, who are now scrambling to forge some sort of legislative compromise that could avert an election-year slugfest on the House floor.

“We’re in the listening stage,” said Rep. Joe Barton, R-Texas, exiting the meeting after GOP leaders made a presentation laying out areas of agreement and potential legislative options.

Immigration has exposed the divide in the GOP, pitting conservatives who have embraced Trump’s hard-line stance against moderates from competitive districts frustrated with congressional inaction. Republican leaders have warned that showdown votes five months before the election could cost the GOP its majority control of the House.

Several members left saying that while the discussions were positive, they saw few signs of an imminent breakthrough as Speaker Paul D. Ryan, R-Wis., led the private talks.

“If there was one option that could get both sides together right now we wouldn’t be having this meeting today,” said Rep. Rodney Davis, R-Ill., a moderate.

Thursday’s meeting came after a smaller group of negotiators struggled on Wednesday to agree on compromise immigration legislation that would provide a path to citizenship for the dreamers, defuse the GOP rebellion and bridge the divide between the party’s warring factions.

Lawmakers exiting the meeting Thursday said the presentation largely adhered to a broad immigration framework issued by the Trump administration in January that would couple a path to citizenship for dreamers with border wall funding and cuts to legal immigration programs.

“The question is, if we add some stuff to that, do we lose the support of the White House?” said Rep. John Shimkus, R-Ill.

Among the attendees was White House legislative director Marc Short, who said upon leaving that the discussions were headed in a positive direction and warned against the “discharge petition” that the moderates are pursuing.

“A discharge petition turns the House floor over to Nancy Pelosi,” Short said, referring to the top Democratic House leader. “Which is not ideal for us advancing our agenda.”

On Wednesday, Rep. Mark Meadows, R-N.C., the chairman of the conservative Freedom Caucus, said he expected “concepts” to be presented to lawmakers Thursday - not a full-fledged bill that could bridge the party’s gaping policy divides.

“Hopefully those concepts will be something that we can debate over the few hours there and iron out some of the additional concerns that might be expressed,” he said.

The talks played out Wednesday as the Department of Homeland Security announced that border agents made 51,912 arrests in May. That is more than triple the number of arrests in May of last year and is the third month in a row in which arrests exceeded 50,000 - indicating that President Trump’s hard-line immigration policies have not deterred border crossers.

One idea that Republicans are exploring is providing a route to citizenship for the young immigrants in exchange for cuts to existing legal immigration programs. That is meant to address conservative objections to the demand from the moderates - offering a path to permanent legal residency, and eventually citizenship, for those known as “dreamers.”

The moderates stood on the cusp of securing sufficient support for a “discharge petition” to force action after two Democrats signed the petition Wednesday, leaving it three signatures short of success. Should it be completed, House members would vote on different immigration bills - including two that have significant support among Democrats but have been dismissed by conservative Republicans as offering unacceptable “amnesty.”

“We already have a pathway to citizenship,” said Rep. Jody Hice, R-Ga., a Freedom Caucus member. “To create new pathways, I don’t think it’s going to fly. . . . I don’t see any way of supporting that.”

President Donald Trump is being put on the spot to explain his anti-NFL rhetoric by former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick in his complaint that team owners have blacklisted him for refusing to stand for the national anthem.

Kaepernick and his ex-teammate Eric Reid are expected to ask Trump and Vice President Mike Pence to voluntarily testify about their influence over the National Football League in a case in private arbitration. Kaepernick claims comments made by Trump and Pence have discouraged the NFL and individual team owners from hiring the players over the expression of their views on police brutality in the U.S.

Should the White House refuse a voluntary deposition, attorneys for the players plan to subpoena the president and vice president, according to a person close to the grievance. If they fail in private arbitration, the players will ask a federal judge to intervene, said the person, who declined to be identified because the information is confidential.

At the start of last season, Trump exhorted NFL owners to fire players who take a knee during the national anthem. “Get that son of a bitch off the field right now, out. He’s fired,” he said in September at a campaign rally in Huntsville, Alabama.

In an October meeting the NFL convened with players, owners and executives at its New York headquarters, multiple owners discussed the dangers of a public feud with the president, according to audio of the meeting that was secretly recorded and provided to the New York Times.

“The problem we have is, we have a president who will use that as fodder to do his mission that I don’t feel is in the best interests of America,” said New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, a friend and supporter of Trump’s. “It’s divisive and it’s horrible.”

Ultimately the owners and the NFL changed their policy in May to fine teams whose players decline to stand during the anthem, while giving them the option to remain in the locker room instead of protesting on the field. Trump lashed out on Twitter and disinvited the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles from their scheduled visit to the White House over their position on the anthem. Some of the team’s star players had previously said they wouldn’t attend the annual celebration with the president.

Pence called the NFL’s new anthem rules “a stunning victory for President Trump.” The vice president had walked out of an Indianapolis Colts game last year after players on the field knelt in silent protest during the anthem in what may have been a pre-planned political stunt.

Attorneys for Kaepernick and Reid are prepared to argue that Trump and Pence’s rhetoric in their official capacities have shaped the league’s position on the matter, while neither player has a contract to play in the 2018-2019 NFL season. The players’ legal team will begin the process by reaching out to the White House for the deposition in the next week, according to the person.

WATERTOWN — A group of local people want to develop a 177,000-square-foot sports complex and convention center in the town of Watertown.

Town Supervisor Joel R. Bartlett said this group, who he didn’t identify, wants to open the facility for football, basketball and other kinds of indoor sporting events as well as concerts, trade shows, travelling acts and other shows that could draw spectators from as far as Kingston, Ontario, and Syracuse.

The arena will be large enough to lay down three regional basketball courts and will have enough portable and retractable seating for 6,500 spectators. The group also plans to have three soccer and lacrosse fields and enough parking for about 3,000 vehicles.

“The theory is that you can run an indoor football game on one end of the place and an indoor concert on the other,” Mr. Bartlett said.

Rather than operate the complex themselves, the group would hire an outside management firm to oversee it.

When asked about funding, Mr. Bartlett said the future stadium owners are exploring several public and private financing options, but no taxpayer money will be used to fund the project.

The future stadium owners hired the consulting firm Venue Strategies, New York, to conduct a feasibility study to determine whether a regional sports and convention center could generate revenue in the town.

The results of that study will be shared during a news conference the third week of this month at the municipal office, 22867 County Route 67.

Mr. Bartlett said the owners also will introduce themselves, the location for the future center and other details.

The town is acting as a facilitator between the group, property owners, contractors and other parties.

“It’s a transformative project because there are other businesses who want to come in behind this, other opportunities,” Mr. Bartlett said.

Slightly less than 1 percent of all Americans who died in 1968 lost their lives while serving in the Vietnam War. Yet even the toll of that conflict’s bloodiest year was less significant than that being caused by the opioid epidemic. According to new research, a staggering 1.5 percent of all American deaths in 2016 were attributable to opioids.

Young adults are being particularly hard hit by opioids, which now account for 1 of every 5 deaths of Americans aged 25 to 34. Dr. Tara Gomes of St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto, who led the research, emphasized the “immense contribution of opioid deaths to overall mortality among young adults, and the burden that this will have on society today, and into the future.”

Because of its disproportionate impact on the young, the opioid epidemic robs Americans of more years of life than do prevalent late-life conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease and prostate cancer. According to Gomes’s and colleagues’ research, the opioid epidemic resulted in almost 1.7 million years of lost life across the U.S. population in 2016.

Gomes’s research relied on Center for Disease Control data, which are known to underestimate opioid overdoses by 20-35 percent. Her team’s findings thus - shockingly - represent a conservative estimate of the horrific impact of the opioid epidemic.

New England Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman is facing a four-game suspension for violating the NFL’s policy on performance-enhancing substances, according to multiple reports Thursday.

The suspension is reportedly under appeal. Edelman has never tested positive before despite “hundreds of tests,” according to ESPN.

Edelman missed all of last season after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee during a preseason contest. The 32-year-old has been on the field during the Patriots’ mandatory minicamp this week after previously attending voluntary OTAs.

If suspended, Edelman would forfeit roughly $470,588 of his $2 million base salary this season. He would miss contests against the Houston Texans, Jacksonville Jaguars, Detroit Lions and Miami Dolphins before being eligible to rejoin the team on Oct. 1.

Edelman has 425 catches for 4,540 yards and 24 touchdowns in his nine NFL seasons.

WASHINGTON - Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt asked members of his 24/7 security detail to run errands for him on occasion, including picking up his dry cleaning and taking him in search of a favorite moisturizing lotion, according to two individuals familiar with those trips who spoke on the condition of anonymity to talk frankly.

Pruitt, who also has enlisted agency staff in tasks that ranged from apartment hunting to securing a mattress for his personal use, faces congressional scrutiny over an expanding number of spending and management decisions. Federal rules bar public officials from receiving gifts from subordinates, including unpaid services, and from using their office for private gain.

Asked about the specific errands his security detail ran on his behalf, the EPA issued only a brief statement Thursday. “Administrator Pruitt follows the same security protocol whether he’s in his personal or official capacity,” spokeswoman Kelsi Daniell said.

As EPA chief, Pruitt has received round-the-clock protection since he took office in February 2017. While he and his aides have said such coverage stemmed from the unprecedented amount of threats he has faced - including a group that this week tweeted out his home address in Tulsa, Oklahoma - a recent letter from the EPA’s Office of Inspector General and emails obtained by The Washington Post indicate that a Trump appointee initially provided greater protection out of concern that the president’s controversial policies could spark a public backlash.

For the same reason, EPA staffers have said, Pruitt switched to flying first class after an individual approached him in an airport last year and used vulgar language. The administrator said he left decisions about his protective detail to his security agents, though he returned to flying coach earlier this year.

The protective detail cost taxpayers nearly $3.5 million during Pruitt’s first year on the job, according to EPA data, and is roughly triple the size of those of his immediate predecessors.

While EPA security agents are required to protect Pruitt at all times - both while he is working and during his off hours - the two individuals said the administrator had asked members of the detail to perform tasks that go beyond their primary function. In one instance, they said, he directed agents to drive him to multiple locations in search of a particular lotion on offer at Ritz-Carlton hotels.

One other occasions, they added, he asked agents to pick up his dry cleaning without him.

The top Democrat on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, Sen. Thomas Carper of Delaware, reiterated his call that Pruitt step down.

“Americans deserve an EPA administrator who will work to carry out the agency’s mission to protect the public’s health and our environment,” Carper said Thursday. “Instead, Mr. Pruitt is using this critical agency to do his personal bidding on the taxpayers’ dime. Americans are fed up. Enough is enough.”

Pruitt’s use of his subordinates to perform nonofficial duties has already caused upheaval within the agency. Earlier this week, EPA’s director of scheduling and advance, Millan Hupp, gave notice of her departure; her last day is Friday. Hupp helped search for multiple apartments for the administrator over a period of months, as well as booked his private travel and inquired about the availability of a mattress at discounted cost from the Trump International Hotel in Washington.

A second top Pruitt aide, senior adviser Sarah Greenwalt, informed colleagues on Wednesday that she also is leaving the EPA and returning to Oklahoma for work at a state agency.

More than a decade of steadily rising rates have made suicide the nation’s 10th leading cause of death and one of only three causes of death — including Alzheimer’s disease and drug overdoses — that are increasing in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In a report that examines trends in suicide at the state level between 1999 and 2016, the CDC reports that suicide rates have increased in nearly all states. In half the states, the agency found the rate at which people took their own lives rose more than 30 percent.

In the report, released the same week fashion designer Kate Spade was found dead by suicide in New York, CDC officials underscored that more than half the people who died by suicide — 54 percent — did not have a known diagnosed mental health condition at the time of their death.

In a study that examined suicide trends in 27 states, the CDC found that in many cases, victims acted after experiencing relationship problems or loss; substance misuse; physical health problems; or job, money, legal or housing stress.

“Our data suggests suicide is more than a mental health issue,” said Deborah M. Stone, the lead author of the new study.

Noting that suicide is “very rare” among those with chronic depression, Stone added that while depression sufferers should “get the care they need,” friends, families and co-workers should not overlook the risk of self-harm among those who have never been diagnosed with mental illness.

On Thursday, public health officials urged people with suicidal thoughts to seek help by contacting the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: (800) 273-8255. Americans also should learn the warning signs of suicide so they can recognize those at risk of harming themselves.

Among the agency’s recommendations: Reduce access to lethal means of ending a life — such as medications and firearms — among people at risk.

“From individuals and communities to employers and health care professionals, everyone can play a role in efforts to help save lives and reverse this troubling rise in suicide,” said Dr. Anne Schuchat, the CDC’s principal deputy director.

In 2016, nearly 45,000 Americans 10 or older died by suicide. The increases were particularly stark in the states in the intermountain West, including Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Utah, North and South Dakota, Kansas, Minnesota and Oklahoma. Between 1999 and 2016, suicide rates in these states (as well as in Vermont, New Hampshire and South Carolina) rose between 38 percent and 58 percent.

Roughly half of the suicides in 2016 were carried out with a gun, a number that remained steady across the period studied.

In a closer look at suicides in 2015, CDC researchers found that 29.4 percent took place within two weeks of a crisis — most commonly a breakup or other problem related to an intimate-partner relationship (considered a contributing factor in more than one-third of suicides within two weeks of a crisis). Among the less-common factors presumed to have contributed to the suicides studied were physical health problems, legal difficulties, a family relationship issue or a job-related problem.

LAS VEGAS — Lars Eller’s rebound goal with 7:37 left broke a tie and proved to be the championship-winning goal as the Washington Capitals won the first Stanley Cup in franchise history with a 4-3 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday night at T-Mobile Arena.

Eller outmuscled Vegas defender Luca Sbisa for the puck, which was fired at the net by Brett Connolly and squirted through the pads of Vegas goalie Marc-Andre Fleury before it stopped on the edge of the crease. Eller then fired the rebound into the vacated net.

Washington won the series 4-1, capturing the final four games. They clinched all four of their playoff series away from home and finished with 10 playoff road victories, tying the NHL single-season record.

Jakub Vrana, Alex Ovechkin and Devante Smith-Pelly also scored goals for Washington, which entered the NHL in the 1974-75 season. Capitals goalie Braden Holtby finished with 29 saves.

Reilly Smith had a goal and an assist, and Nate Schmidt and David Perron also scored for Vegas. Marc-Andre Fleury made 29 saves for Vegas.

The expansion Golden Knights ended their surprise season with the first four-game losing streak in franchise history.

After a scoreless first period that featured a shot by Ovechkin than clanged off the right post, the teams traded four goals over the span of 6 1/2 minutes midway through the second period.

Vrana opened the scoring when he broke in alone off a nice outlet pass by Tom Wilson and fired a shot over Fleury’s glove for his third goal of the playoffs.

Schmidt tied it when his wrister from the high slot hit the skate of Capitals defenseman Matt Niskanen and caromed through Holtby’s pads.

Washington regained the lead, 2-1, just 34 seconds later on a power-play goal by Ovechkin, his franchise-record 15th tally of the playoffs.

A visit to the doctor can make many New York residents hesitant, with such a hefty price tag attached. Two grants awarded by Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo on Wednesday are geared toward putting health first by allocating money for increased access to free cancer screenings for low-income residents.

Beginning Oct. 1, more than $39 million will be awarded over a five-year period to 22 hospitals statewide, including $1.2 million for Oswego County Opportunities Inc. A sub-contractor of this grant is St. Lawrence Health Initiative. Oswego County Opportunities Inc. will be providing services throughout St. Lawrence, Jefferson and Lewis counties.

Oswego County Opportunities Inc. Director of Health and Nutrition Services Brian F. Coleman said the application for this grant was different than in years past, giving an option to apply regionally rather than by county. Mr. Coleman said instead of competing against other counties, it was decided to apply together and spread the wealth.

Those qualified are residents that are uninsured or underinsured and sit at or below the federal poverty level. Mr. Coleman said Oswego County Opportunities Inc. has been the primary cancer service center in the county since 2003, and added he’s excited to create more opportunities for people to have services like these covered.

According to a new release, Gov. Cuomo said the grant’s purpose is to ensure residents have access to life-saving benefits of early detection and prevention services.

An additional $4.5 million will be awarded in the same time period to implement the Cancer Prevention in Action Program to organizations in four counties, including St. Lawrence Health Initiative with a quarter of the grant. Similar to the screening services grant, the same counties also will benefit from this award.

Executive Director of St. Lawrence Health Initiative, Anne Marie Snell, said the grant will be implemented mostly in system policy and environmental health.

Mrs. Snell said a healthy workplace is imperative because without it, education provided won’t be as effective. Construction and agriculture workers have an increased risk of exposure to ultra-violet rays, as an example. This grant can allow these employees to receive better health opportunities, she said, besides just continuously applying sunscreen. Ideas such as scheduling outdoor work tasks for earlier in the morning or later in the day and providing indoor or shaded outdoor areas for rest and meal breaks could potentially be implemented as improvements.

Beyond work environments, Mrs. Snell said St. Lawrence Health Initiative will work with employers across the counties to create specific paid time off for cancer screenings.

“I want to be very protective about my paid time off, like most employees,” Mrs. Snell said. “I want to spend it on vacation or when my kids get sick, and I tend to put my own health last.”

St. Lawrence Health Initiative recognizes the barriers employers may face with this idea, but she said they are working on setting some of their supplied funds aside to reduce the likelihood of funding issues.

The remainder of the funding will go toward promoting the human papillomavirus vaccine in teenagers and other at-risk age groups.

Last week, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross announced that tariffs of 25 percent on steel and 10 percent on aluminum from the European Union, Canada and Mexico would go into effect.

The backlash was swift.

Mexico and the EU announced retaliatory tariffs on everything from lamps to bourbon, and Canada announced $16.6 billion Canadian, or almost $13 billion in U.S. dollars, in tariffs on a range of items — including aluminum, steel, yogurt, toilet paper, sailboats and pens. It’s clear that this trade skirmish, especially with Canada, will impact the north country — and most people agree, the effect will not be good.

The north country, said Scott A. Gray, chairman of the Jefferson County Board of Legislators, sees Canada differently from the rest of the country.

“They view Canada as a different country, we view Canada as our neighbor,” he said. “Vast populations go back and forth across the border.”

Many are worried this close relationship may be damaged by the tariffs, including U.S. Rep. Elise M. Stefanik, R-Willsboro.

“If President Trump wants to target Chinese steel dumping, he should target tariffs at China and not at our friends to the North,” she wrote in a statement released last week. “As a Northern Border district, I am concerned that these tariffs could incentivize Canadian firms in our district to leave, or possibly incentivize Canada to impose harmful tariffs on our own products. Thousands of manufacturing jobs in the North Country are directly tied to Canada and cross-border supply chains.”

The Trump administration has defended the tariffs as necessary to protect the national steel and aluminum industry for defense reasons, but the EU is going to bring a complaint in the World Trade Organization, which may rule against the United States.

“The mechanisms put in place to avoid setbacks are quite tight; and member countries have the right to retaliate on unjustified protective measures,” wrote Associate Professor of Economics Luciana Echazu, who serves as the associate dean of programs and operations at the Clarkson University Reh School of Business, in an email to the Times. “That is why I think that it will be quite improbable that the US succeeds in its demands.”

The concern over the business impact of these tariffs and retaliations is shared by elected officials and business people alike.

“It will probably affect our northern border communities more than it will impact Canada,” said David J. Zembiec, deputy CEO of Jefferson County Economic Development. Mr. Zembiec does not think tourism will be overly affected — that relies more on the value of the dollar — but manufacturing could be hurt.

Ms. Echazu say that the benefit to some firms — like Alcoa — will be outweighed by the damage to the region overall. Tariffs reduce imports of certain goods, like aluminum, from Canada.

“It would mean that US companies (such as ALCOA) would benefit from these tariffs, as prices are now higher, and that may be good for our area,” wrote Ms. Echazu “But if we look a bit further, consumers are not going to be too happy about these higher prices. ... Profitability of the entire supply chain suffers, and manufacturers end up producing fewer units; which in turn means, that eventually ALCOA will see a decrease in demand, and that is not going to be good for the North Country.”

In the end, she wrote, the impact on the area is negligible, and once the retaliatory Canadian tariffs on American goods are added, American producers will suffer.

“One thing is certain, this set of measures and counter measures can only depress the activities in the market,” Ms. Echazu wrote.

She pointed to the Smoot-Hawley tariff in the early 20th century, which helped fuel the Great Depression. But there is hope, too.

“Let us not be alarmist, though, for now we can look at this as a game of threats and counter threats,” she wrote. “We shall see what happens, but it is my belief that in the end, we should be able to find a peaceful solution. Canada has a long history as an ally of the United States, a trade war would not only strain the commercial ties, but also the diplomatic relations.”

The reaction to the tariffs in the north country has been bipartisan, with elected officials from both parties opposing the proposal, including the Republican chairmen of Jefferson and St. Lawrence county legislators.

“I’m not in favor of the tariffs at all, I’m in favor of the free market,” said Kevin D. Acres, chairman of the St. Lawrence County Board of Legislators. “There is no winner in this trade war.”

Even in Massena, where union leaders for Alcoa’s aluminum plant have been enthusiastic about the tariffs, there is concern that the overall impact will be negative.

“Targeting Canada, that’s the last thing we should do,” said Town Supervisor Steven D. O’Shaughnessy. “We rely on cross border shopping.”

It is early yet, but so far travel across the border seems to remain steady.

“As far as the bridge is concerned, there hasn’t been any impact,” said Robert Horr, executive director of the Thousand Islands Bridge Authority. He said he could not speculate on any future impact.

Ms. Echazu said that the tariff impact might extend to shopping, even if it only directly relates to industry.

“Think about it this way: when tariffs are imposed, they increase the price of the traded good, what that means is that Canadians are going to be more reticent to buy our products,” she wrote. “If the measures are bilateral, then overall prices will increase, and consumption will decrease regardless of where the consumer is located.”

The trade skirmish, while dangerous for local economies, will likely not be the first step in a total reworking of the North American Free Trade Agreement, according to Ms. Echazu.

“I am quite certain that neither Canada nor Mexico would like for that to happen; and the consequences could potentially be disastrous for the US economy,” she wrote. “I believe, however, that what this is doing is creating a great deal of uncertainty in the economy; which is not good for economic activity and productivity. We, in the North Country, have been struggling with stagnant economic growth, and we need stability so that we can plan for sustainable growth.”

WATERTOWN — On Wednesday, State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball announced $17 million for the Agricultural Nonpoint Source Abatement and Control Program, which provides grants to Soil and Water conservation districts across the state for reducing farm pollution.

The funding, which was announced in a press release from the Department of Agriculture and Markets, can be used for a variety of projects that reduce agricultural nonpoint source, or diffuse, sources of pollution.

According to Christine Watkins, executive director of Jefferson County Soil and Water, the local district has previously used this grant money to implement everything from livestock fences and stream crossings to riparian buffer zones along waterways.

Last year, the Lewis County Soil and Water Conservation district used $63,061 for three farms in the Lewis County SWCD to implement cover crops, reducing pollution in the Black River Watershed.

This is the 24th round of funding and is funded this year through the $300 million New York State Environmental Protection Fund, according to the release.

According to Jola Szubielski, director of public information for the Department of Agriculture and Markets, the relatively small amount of funding still makes an impact across the state.

“It goes quite far,” she said. “A lot of this goes to priority watersheds.”

The press release included endorsements of the program from Senate Agriculture Committee Chair Sen. Patricia A. Ritchie, R-Heuvelton and Assembly Agriculture Committee Chair William Magee, D-Oneida, as well as New York State Farm Bureau president David Fisher.

“The latest round of grant funding through the Agricultural Nonpoint Source Abatement and Control Program will continue in the long tradition that farmers have in this state of protecting our environment and waterways,” wrote Mr. Fisher in the release. “The investment farmers make in best management practices showcases their commitment to reducing soil erosion and nutrient runoff.”

Districts can apply for the program now through August 20, 2018. All questions about the program should be directed to the local County Soil and Water Conservation District.

Schools in Jefferson, Oswego, and St. Lawrence counties will be able to expand their access to fresh food thanks to the expansion of “Seeds for Success.”

The program was started in 2017 with funds secured by State Sen. Patricia A. Ritchie. Twelve area school districts were able to use the money to create school gardens and grow racks. The food grown by students is used in school lunches and donated to local food pantries. This year’s round of funding will expand the program to 20 school districts.

Five districts in Oswego County, seven in Jefferson County and seven in St. Lawrence County will all receive $5,000 each to expand or create some form of agricultural program. St. Lawrence-Lewis BOCES also received funding.

Sen. Ritchie, chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee, said in a news release that the Seeds for Success program was started with the goal of “not only improving (children’s) health for the rest of their lives, but perhaps taking an interest in agriculture and as they get older.”

Christopher Byrne, superintendent of the Phoenix Central School District, said that the program helps his students “better understand the importance of farm-fresh foods and better appreciate the hardworking farmers in our community that provide them.”

Watertown City School District Superintendent Patricia B. LaBarr said that Seeds for Success was “a great way to help students better understand the importance of knowing where their food comes from, and perhaps show them a future they never considered before” in agriculture.

Hermon-DeKalb Central School District Superintendent Mark White said the funds would be used to expand the in-house growing, add student-managed grow racks and gardens, and expand composting. He said the experiences “will help (students) learn firsthand important agricultural practices.”

WATERTOWN — The Town Planning Board will host a special meeting for its ongoing site plan review of a facility for First Student at 1 p.m. Thursday at the town office, 22867 County Route 67.

The board approved Michael E. Lundy’s previous plan to build a 4,800-square-foot facility for school transportation services in the Jefferson County Corporate Park on Jan. 2, but initiated a new site plan review after he submitted new designs for a larger facility, larger service area and fueling station.

First Student would also have enough outside parking for 33 full-length buses, nine smaller buses and a transit van.

Developer P.J. Simao sued the board for its initial approval of the facility as a modification of a different project it had approved in 2015.

Mr. Simao contended that the original project didn’t have buses or fleet maintenance, and the new facility would have “significantly different impacts.” He also argued the board should have submitted the initial plans to the County Planning Board because the project is near Route 12F and County Route 202.

n Due to a reporter’s error, an article published in Tuesday’s Times misstated the date a motion to dismiss was filed in the misdemeanor criminal contempt case of Oral “Nick” Hillary. The motion was filed May 3.

WATERTOWN — The Jefferson County Industrial Development Agency has denied being responsible for enforcing the covenants it created that govern land use in the Jefferson County Corporate Park.

Park property owners P.J. Simao and brothers Edward J. and John P. Valentine, principals of Opal Development LLC,, have demanded the agency enforce the covenants when Michael E. Lundy introduced plans to build a controversial facility for First Student, a school bus service operator, in the park.

Agency Chairman David J. Converse, however, said no entity has an obligation to enforce deed covenants, but property owners can enforce them.

“Any owner within the corporate park to whose benefits are run has a right to enforce them. The JCIDA, its successors, or assignees may enforce the covenants,” said the agency’s attorney, Joseph W. Russell of Menter, Rudin and Trivelpiece, P.C. “Nobody is responsible for doing it. Nobody has to do it.”

Donald C. Alexander, CEO of the JCIDA’s sister organization, Jefferson County Local Development Corp., said the JCIDA’s board of directors decided to defer to the town of Watertown planning and zoning boards for reviewing covenants.

“The covenants and all other development matters of the physical nature are the responsibility of the town zoning and planning boards. Not the IDA’s,” Mr. Alexander said. “The town has a much more holistic checks and balances ... than we do. We have relied on the expertise of the Town Planning Board.”

The 6,500-square-foot facility for First Student, Cincinnati, next to Penske Truck Leasing on Route 200 is expected to have a training area, offices and a small service area. The company will also have enough parking for 33 full-length buses, nine smaller buses and a transit van and a fueling station outside.

Car Freshner Corp. and the Valentines, who could not be reached for comment, have sued Mr. Lundy to stop him from building the facility, arguing that it violates the land use restrictions established in the deed covenants and would increase traffic congestion in the park.

Opal Development also filed a lawsuit against the JCIDA for allowing Mr. Lundy to build the facility.

“There’s just no category in there that fits a refuel station or bus maintenance,” said Daniel Samann, general counsel for Car Freshner.

Mr. Samann attended the JCIDA’s Thursday board meeting and asked them to clarify whether its previous approval for the facility involved land use, although he decline to comment directly for the Times.

Mr. Russell referred Mr. Samann to “the meeting minutes,” meaning the minutes for the agency’s April 5 meeting. The minutes said the agency approved the design elevations of the building. The attorney added that the decision had nothing to do with the covenants.

“The only thing we did was — the minutes we’re correct that all we did was approve the elevation and design of the office,” Mr. Converse said.

Mr. Simao said he believed the JCIDA misled many property owners in the park who believed it would enforce the covenants and their land use rules.

“It is my opinion that the property owners in the park will have legal action taken against the IDA for not enforcing the covenants,” he said.

WADDINGTON — Anglers will be in Waddington this summer for the Bassmaster Elite Series, and they may be coming back for tournaments every summer through 2022.

Bassmasters officials want to sign a four-year contract with the village of Waddington, and right now it’s a matter of discussing it with the full village board, according to Mayor Janet Otto-Cassada.

“Unfortunately we weren’t able to discuss this fully at our board meeting this past week because two of our board members were absent. We don’t want to do something of that magnitude without the full board present. You want everybody involved,” she said.

Ms. Otto-Cassada said the contract would mean Elite tournaments back to back for the next three to four years, followed by a national tournament. The national tournament would bring more than 300 anglers to the area, she said.

The Bassmasters Elite tournament will be held in Waddington for the second consecutive summer this year. She said officials have told them they enjoy coming to the north country.

“The area opens their arms and takes them in,” she said.

Ms. Otto-Cassada said they’ve received plenty of appreciated financial support for this year’s event.

“A lot of towns and villages up and down the River District stepped up to help us quite a bit this time. It’s greatly, greatly appreciated,” she said.

St. Lawrence County was among those who chipped in some funding. During a meeting in April, legislators voted to approve $30,000 in funding for the Bassmaster Elite Series after tabling the issue in March. The money is coming from gaming compact funds.

Ms. Otto-Cassada said they’re still waiting to hear about grant funding from the St. Lawrence River Valley Redevelopment Agency and Sen. Patricia Ritchie’s office.

“(Sen. Ritchie) has always been with us since the beginning,” she said.

She said in future years they hope to bring county officials in earlier than they did this year.

“We’re hoping that we might be able to organize a little better and in a more cohesive manner to bring the county in at the beginning and just try to have them understand the importance of this venture,” Ms. Otto-Cassada said.

The village has hosted the tournament in 2013, 2015 and 2017. This year’s tournament runs from Aug. 20 to 26.

MASSENA — Although the Massena Central School District has selected a Spartan as its new mascot, it has no bearing on the Red Raider name.

“I understand there’s some confusion in the community about the use of the Spartan name. I’d like to be very clear. The district is retaining the Massena Red Raider name. We are the Massena Red Raiders. The image that has been chosen to represent the Red Raiders is a Spartan-style image which will be released soon,” Superintendent Patrick H. Brady said.

He said the Massena Central change is similar to one in the Palmyra-Macedon Central School District when they changed their mascot from a native symbol to another symbol.

“They maintained the Red Raider moniker and chose the bird of prey as their symbol,” Mr. Brady said.

He said the Mascot Committee met this week to look at the final rendering of the Spartan image, and they would be providing more information soon, along with the new image that will replace the letter “M” as the mascot.

The “M” has been used since the district phased out the former Indian chief logo over time, beginning in 2001. Former state Education Commissioner Richard P. Mills had urged all state schools with Indian nicknames or mascots to consider changing them as soon as feasible.

The Spartan was selected as the new mascot following several months of study. Administrators had heard concerns in the fall of 2016 about racial insensitivity and the lack of a mascot. Some students noted the former Indian chief logo was still being used in some cases, and others asked officials to come up with a new mascot to replace the letter “M” to give the district an identity. Native Americans make up about 10 percent of the district’s student population.

A Mascot Committee established a student-led process for the selection of a new mascot, and narrowed possible choices down to a bird of prey, a dragon and a Spartan. Students, staff and community members including Native Americans, athletes and non-athletes comprised the committee.