• rffAY 1 7 2000. IC -- Howe low BCHS girls laxers 1 .,,.,_. ...,_ 2l,IIJ:C-l,£f/J21 AN !lt!Wl3Q I 6 3~\:! 3!lt!Mt!l30 1£l, A!lt!!lSil Jiland W3H3lH13a can you go? · red hot d&L Mf/J2 f/JI/J-11/J-&f/J :2912 0 see page 26 W!li~************************ the' Towns of Bethlehem & New Scotland Bethlehem Court joins county drug program By JOSEPH A. PHILLIPS To that end, drug courts seek to identify defendants whose nonviolent Bethlehem will sign aboard next fall criminal charges. such as petty larceny, to a new program designed to provide appear to be drug-related. Participating nonviolent, drug-dependent criminal defendants plead guilty but their defendants with an alternative to sentence is deferred for a period of time incarceration in exchange for coming while they are monitored closely by a clean. participating judge for abstinence from At a press conference last Thursday substance abus,, often involving at the Public Safety Building in Albany, random alcohol and drug testing. Bethlehem Town Justice Theresa Egan "A defendant has got to want to enter joined Judith Kaye, chief judge of the the program," Egan said. "He has got to Court of Appeals; Albany County want to get out of the cycle of drug Executive Michael Breslin; Thomas dependency and crime." Keegan, Albany County Court Defendants facing jail time for administrative judge; and District nonviolent offenses have a built-in Attorney Sol incentive to join the prpgram. "We're Greenberg to generally looking at a person who's A defendant announce that looking at at least six months in jail." she town courts in said. has got to Bethlehem and Those with serious mental health want to enter Colonie, along problems, violent offenders. or anyone with County charged with drug sale offenses are not the program. Court, would eligible for the program. Theresa Egan soon join Albany Participants are steered to . City Court in the counseling, drug treatment and other Albany County Jim and lisa Colquhoun enjoy the view and the serenity at Thacher Park. Drug Court program. programs designed to break the cycle . of addiction, including job training or Jim Franco The three local courts join more than placement, community service 400 other jurisdictions nationwide in programs, or anger management implementing the alternative sentencing counseling. These referrals are man­ ··- program modelled on one launched in dated by the participating judge and a 1989 in Dade County, Fla. committee including representatives of Steam plant sale is official "We have a huge drug problem in the the county district attorney's and public state of New York, and we have a huge defender's offices. • By JOSEPH A. PHILLIPS challenge to the property tax assessment drug problem in the courts," Kaye said, "It's all a team approach, not just a 'There were a number of last minute citing statistics that three criminal judicial decision," Egan said. It's official: with a form~! closing on issues that needed to be resolved," said defendants in four in the state test May 12, the Albany Steam Station in NiMo spokesman Nick Lyman, including Successful completion of the Glenmont has changed hands from positive for some form of substance program leads to a conditional an 11th-hour snag over what sort of abuse. Niagara Mohawk Power Corp. to New financial consideration was due the discharge. of a mis<lemeanor or Jersey-based PSEG Power for $47.5 'We know that substance abuse is a probation for a felony. · Albany Port District Commission for an million. easement to permit water for steam serious problem," she said. "It erodes the The Albany County Drug Court quality of life all of us hope to enjoy. But Now comes the waiting game for generation to be piped across the port's we merely recycie the problem through Bethlehem town and school district property_ ~~ PROGRAM/page 23 our courts. They come in drug addicted, officials, as the new owner considers a C~ STEAM/page 23 and they go out drug addicted .... We know we can do a lot better." The Drug Court program is dE,gigned. New St. Peter's building_up and running she said, with the goal of "getting defendants off drugs and .out of the By JOSEPH A. PHILLIPS access to the nearby Slingerlands Bypass. Perkins and nurse practitioner Kathleen criminal justice system for good." "It's a good location, and for our Kelly. The new 40,000-square-foot St. patients, who come from as far away as St. Peter's Maternal Fetal Medicine, Peter's Medical Arts building at 1240 Plattsburgh, Kingston and western which specializes in treatment of high­ New Scotland Road in Slingerlands, Massachusetts; the new location is no big risk pregnancies, followed suit on April Cable co. OKs completed by developer First Columbia deal," said Dr. Martin 17. Drs. Marla in March, is near full occupancy, and Kaback of Glaucoma Eglowstein, Steven senior discount dedication ceremonies are set for June Consultants of the Capital Pinheiro and Angela 10 .• Region. "It's not difficult The four practices will Mallozzi were in New Scotland The last of four medical practices to get to from the main serve a combined previously located at 523 affiliated with the Albany hospital's highways, and they like Western Ave. in Albany. By BHAWIN SUCHAK Ambulatory Care Network has moved the parking so far. We'll . 20,000 patients. The Health Center to the facility. The four practices will see what happens when it for Children, a On May 5 New Scotland serve a combined 20,000 patients. gets real busy around pediatrics practice received confirmation of a senior In addition, the hospital's reha­ here." including Drs. Mark Osborn, Kenneth discount plan from Time Warner bilitative physical therapy program has First Columbia broke ground on the Kroopnick, Kallana Man-junath and Cable, and last week the town 16.9-acre site after nine months securing Anuradha Krishnappa, and nurse board unanimously voted to finally opened a satellite office there to serve an unspecified number of outpatients. approval from the town board and practitioners Janet Carmody, Katie grant its approval ofthe proposed And three ophthalmological practices planning board to rezone the site. Cultrara and Megan McCabe, relocated AOL-Time Warner merger. not directly connected to St. Peter's also Construction was completed on schedule on May 1 from 799 Madison Ave. in The town had been holding off recently leased space and relocated to thanks to the mild winter. Albany. on signing the transfer of the building, where they will see almost The four sr.· Peter's Ambulatory Care Also opening for business on May 1 ownership agreement pending 10,000 patients. practices began moving into the building was a satellite office for St. Peter's word from Time Warner that New in two-week intervals beginning April 3, Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Scotland's elderly residents would The site of the new building, a corner of the Terramere Planned Residential when the Internal Medicine Practice, Services. While the main service location be eligible for the discount. On District, facing the former Blue Cross formerly known as Mercy Internal for the therapy program will remain at the Feb. 22 the Voorheesville village building across New Scotland Road and Medicine, moved to the site from 319 S. hospital, St. Peter's spokesman Richard Manning Blvd. in Albany. It includes Drs. CJ DISCOUNT/page 24 overlooking the Normanskill, was Chady said two physical therapists will Richard Rubin, Suzanna Boka and Jeffrey chosen by First Columbia for its easy 0 STPETER'S/page 24 PAGE 2- May 17, 2000 THE SPOTLIGHT Local, state police agencies mak.e DWI.arrests By Joseph A. Phillips Facteau,29,of644ColumbiaTum- arraigned before Bethlehem According to police, McDonald Also facing DWI charges in Bethlehempolicearrestedsev- pike, East Greenbush. Facteau Town Justice Kenneth Munnelly, was stopped at about 10:30 p.m. New Scotland Town Court is Gary era! individuals and charged them was stopped for a bad taillight by and sent to Albany County jail in when he was observed swerving H. Vroman, 43, of 19 Oakwood with driving while intoxicated Officer James Rexford on Satur- lieu of$7,500 bail, awaiting a May in the roadway. After failing field Road, Glenmont, arrested by State (DWI}, including one individual day, May 6, at about 11 p.m. on appearance. sobriety tests, McDonald was Police on Tuesday, April4, at about facing felony charges due to prior River Road in Glenmont. Facteau- Another DWI arrest occurred charged with DWI and failure to 9:45 a.m. after a traffic stop. He offenses. failed field sobriety tests and was Saturday, May 6, on Route 9W in keep right. appeared in New Scotland Town Four individuals also face arrested for DWI. Glenmont. According to the po- Deputies ran a registration Court on April 13 to answer the charges in the town of New Scot- A license check disclosed two lice report, Rexford observed a checkand discovered the vehicle's charges, and awaits a further court land, including another felony previous DWI convictions and vehicle speeding and crossing the registration had been suspended. date. DWI case. another for driving while ability center-line. After failing field so- This led to additional charges of A DWI arrest led to a convic­ Facing felony DWI charges in impaired (DWAI), elevating the briety tests, Rexford arrested unlicensed operation of an auto, tion in Bethlehem Town Court on· Bethlehem is Christopher M. charge to a felony. Facteau was Countney Joseph Conway, 22, of failure to display plates and driv­ May 2. Shawn Edward Uhrich, 27, r------------------------.