Daily Courier-Observer

MASSENA — Village of Massena officials continue to hear good news on the sales tax front. Treasurer Kevin Felt said that, for the fourth quarter of the fiscal year, they received $587,471 from St. Lawrence County. “That’s a $147,897 increase, or 33.65% from the same period last year,” he said. That brought their total tax revenue for the 2020-21 fiscal year to $2,154,469, an overall increase of $229,995, or 11.95% from the amount received last year.

St. Lawrence County Public Health reported six new deaths from COVID-19 over the Labor Day weekend. Since reporting started in March of 2020 there have been 105 deaths attributed to the disease in the county. The 99th death was recorded on Aug. 29. Until then, there had not been a death reported since May. St. Lawrence County reported 213 new cases since Friday, has 25 people in the hospital and a positivity rate of 6.5%. In Jefferson County, 102 new cases were reported over the holiday.

POTSDAM — The village held a contentious public hearing Tuesday night seeking public comments on a request to rezone Waverly Street so as to facilitate the construction of a new hospital bed tower. Brent Bishop, vice president of business development at Canton-Potsdam Hospital, presented the reasoning behind the new bed tower and some details as to its potential construction. “The hospital over the course of time has continued considerable growth,” he said.

Despite the rain, Massena's Solidarity Day Parade, a Labor Day tradition in the community, was held Monday.

MASSENA — St. Lawrence County’s risk manager and compliance officer will be visiting village of Massena facilities to look for any safety or liability issues. Jody Wenzel is the risk manager for the St. Lawrence County self-insurance plan, which administers the workers’ compensation program for the county. The village of Massena is a participating municipality in the plan. He said he’s available to answer any questions on workers’ compensation claims, paperwork or incidents.

POTSDAM — “SQUAT, BABY, SQUAT! Feel it, baby! Feel that stretch! Pull up!” bellowed teacher’s assistant Dan Davis, on the turf of the Potsdam High School on Friday morning. Mr. Davis was leading a group of students through what he called “raccoon circles,” which is a trust exercise in which everyone hangs on to some sort of circular rope while squatting, thus holding up the person across from you. It never lasted long before everyone fell.

Tugboats Molly MI, right, and Beverly MI, left, shepherd the barge Gloverstown Spirt, carrying the eastern half of Toronto’s Commissioners Street Bridge, through the Wiley Donato canal toward Eisenhower lock in Massena. Christopher Lenney/ Watertown Daily Times

ALBANY — New statewide big game hunting regulations have been adopted in time for fall seasons. Proposed in June, rule changes for deer and bear hunting were processed through required public comment periods that closed in mid-August. Following a review of comments, the state Department of Environmental Conservation adopted the regulations as proposed. The DEC announced the adoption on Wednesday, ahead of the first deer and bear seasons opening later this month.

A grand jury indictment was handed up Thursday in St. Lawrence County Court: Jeremiah S. Cota, of Lisbon, is charged with third-degree unlawful manufacture of methamphetamine, a felony. The indictment charges on Feb. 24, Mr. Cota possessed two or more items of laboratory equipment, and two or more chemical products, used in the production of methamphetamine. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

POTSDAM — Village officials have received the go-ahead from their insurance carrier to begin work on repairing and replacing equipment damaged in a May 11 power failure at the newly refurbished wastewater treatment plant. On the night power failed at the plant, a generator did not kick on and the administration building was filled with sewage, destroying newly installed equipment. The plant has been running on generator power since then.