Weekly top reads: Auburn police release body cam video; more arrests in sting that led to Auburn suicide
- 新加坡多多开奖记录 staff
- Updated
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新加坡多多开奖记录's top 10 most-read stories of the week.聽
- David Wilcox
- Updated
The Auburn Police Department has reviewed an incident where an officer was recorded striking a woman earlier this month, and found that his use of force is "not considered excessive."聽
In a news release Tuesday, Auburn Police Chief James Slayton said the officer delivered "several close hand strikes" toward the shoulder of Chelci Love, 39, the morning of Aug. 14 outside West Middle School Apartments. The officer, whom Slayton identified to The聽Citizen as Kenneth Tillapaugh, struck Love because she had wrapped her legs around the neck of her 3-year-old daughter during a visit by Child Protective Services. After previous attempts to free the child were unsuccessful,聽Tillapaugh used force because he heard distress in the child's voice and feared for her life.
"Our goal is to get the best possible outcome for our citizens of this community," Slayton said. "The officers in this instance had to use tactics that some, without knowing all the facts, may consider unreasonable. The officers in this case had to consider the health and safety of a 3-year-old child that got caught up in the middle of an arrest that was resisted by their mother."
The department also released body camera footage from Love's arrest on Tuesday. While Tillapaugh's footage begins after he struck her, footage from the other two officers who arrested her captures the incident. As she's restrained, the child can be seen approaching Love's left leg. She then moves that leg forward, prompting officers to ask her to release the child, though the nature of her grip is unclear because the child is blurred for privacy. The child can be heard crying as the officers continue asking Love to release her, at which point Tillapaugh yells, "Let go of the f--king baby!" and strikes Love.
What led to the incident
Slayton, in his release, said officers Sarah Howard and Morgan Flickner responded to the scene that morning to assist Child Protective Services with making a safety plan for Love and her two children, ages 3 and 6, who had been sleeping on a floor at West Middle School Apartments for a few days. The local daytime mobile crisis team was also at the scene for Love, who had recently lost her father.聽
After the officers and Love discussed housing options for about an hour she became "visibly upset," Slayton said, then gathered her belongings from the apartment building and tried to leave with her children. CPS advised the officers that they could not let the family leave, and informed Love there was an emergency removal order for her children if she would not voluntarily turn them over.
The officers radioed for backup, Slayton continued, and she told them she would hurt anyone who tried to take her children. After threatening a CPS worker who tried to hand her the removal order, she was told by officers Howard and Flickner that she was under arrest. Each of her arms was restrained by an officer, but they were only able to apply handcuffs to one wrist due to her resistance.
Around this time, Slayton said, Love wedged her 3-year-old daughter between her legs. The child yelled and cried as the two officers verbally commanded Love to release her. Fearing injury to the child's ribs and interference with her ability to breathe, the officers radioed for backup to hurry up but decided to wait for more officers to arrive before proceeding with the arrest.
Tillapaugh soon arrived and observed the child's distress and difficulty breathing, Slayton said. He applied pressure to Love's thumb to try to force her to release the child from her legs. She wouldn't, however, and he stopped out of fear he would break her thumb. As Tillapaugh gave more verbal commands, she tightened her legs. He then struck her with his hand, aiming for her shoulder but making contact in the area of her head and neck due to his focus on the child. Her grip loosened, and the officers pulled the child to safety and handed her over to CPS as Love was taken into custody.
Both the child and Love were seen by medical personnel. The latter said she did not need medical attention, but was evaluated for pain in her left shoulder and head at Auburn Community Hospital.
Slayton told 新加坡多多开奖记录 he did not have any information on Love's current medical condition, and added that she is not in custody.聽
"We hope that Chelci can reunite with her children at some point when she has a safety plan in place and that all three of them get the assistance they may need to get past this," he said.
Love was charged with endangering the welfare of a child, second-degree obstructing governmental administration and resisting arrest, all misdemeanors, and second-degree harassment, a violation.
Concluding the department's review of the incident, Slayton said Tillapaugh followed his training to meet the objective of protecting the child from harm.
"The force applied was not considered excessive under the circumstances the officers were presented with at the moment," the police chief said.
Tillapaugh, Howard and Flickner will not receive any discipline as a result of the incident, Slayton told 新加坡多多开奖记录.聽
"The officers are deemed to have followed the policy and procedure of the Auburn Police Department and laws of the state of New York," he said.
Local NAACP responds
The Auburn/Cayuga Branch of the NAACP, which criticized the department for allowing Tillapaugh to work during the review, told 新加坡多多开奖记录 in a statement that Slayton's news release follows a "script."
"It feels familiar to us in that in every incident where the Black community experiences what we believe to be excessive force, police departments justify the use of said force. It is a national pattern of police response. We've seen this happen in every national incident and incidents in our own community. Black leaders refer to this type of response as 'the script,'" the branch said.
"(We) will not allow an internal examination of this incident or Chief Slayton's response to distract us from pursuing our desired outcome as presented to Chief Slayton in a recent meeting. The NAACP remains concerned about APD and state policies that would conclude this incident as a justified use of force. We have yet to review the report and body cam. Once we do, we will have additional comments. However, it is clear that a review of policies that our police department uses to protect and serve needs immediately review. We intend to ensure that happens to keep our community safe.鈥
- Kelly Rocheleau
- Updated
A Savannah woman was killed in a car accident in the town of Montezuma on Sunday.
Alicia R. Farr, 50, died when her car struck a tree on Fuller Road, near Carner Road, at about 10 that night. Cayuga County 911 dispatchers told 新加坡多多开奖记录 she was trapped in the vehicle and it took responders about 70 minutes to extricate her. In a Facebook post, the Throop Fire Department multiple Jaws of Life tools were used to free her.
New York State Police, the Cayuga County Sheriff's Office, the Cayuga County Office of Emergency Services, Aurelius and Montezuma fire departments and Auburn and Throop ambulances also responded.
After she was removed from the car, Farr was airlifted to Upstate University Hospital in Syracuse via LifeNet helicopter. She was pronounced dead at the hospital at about 1 a.m. Monday.
Farr's daughter, Erica Helmick, created a 聽on Tuesday to help her family cover funeral and other expenses. Farr is survived by four children and six grandchildren.聽
"Anyone who knows my mom knows she was an amazing women and she loved hard and she loved her kids and grandchildren so much," Helmick said on the GoFundMe page. "These past few days have been a nightmare for my siblings and I, we were (too) young to lose our beautiful mother so unexpectedly and any donations little or small would help out tremendously."
As of Wednesday night, about $1,200 of the GoFundMe's goal of $5,000 goal has been raised.
To contribute to the GoFundMe, visit .
- Christopher Malone
- Updated
When it comes to creating simple solutions, Tim Tucker has things locked down in Auburn.
In 2018, Tucker created聽,聽a patent-pending alternative to ratchet straps. It can keep things in place, like stacks of boxes or lumber, and secure furniture, vehicles or other items during transport.
FlipTite, Tucker told 新加坡多多开奖记录, serves the same purpose as more familiar tie-down equipment, but without the complications of tangles or a sensitive locking system.
"You either have people who love them or people who won't even try them," he said of ratchet straps. "They can't figure out which end is which, where the webbing goes or the correct buttons to push."
While FlipTite has always been simpler than similar products, Tucker said, he recently improved it "dramatically" in order to make it more user-friendly. It previously had a more sensitive mechanism, but that's been replaced by a three-point locking system that will not loosen or accidentally come undone. The webbing is fed through the buckle, the slack is pulled and the buckle is flipped down.
Tucker said FlipTite's over-center buckle also makes it easier to secure items. The buckle is coated with zinc, he added, which is more resilient and won't corrode.
The polyester webbing makes a difference as well, Tucker said. Compared to nylon, polyester offers more flexibility, strength and durability for holding items in place.
Tucker operates out of 40 York St. in the city, where聽he used to craft canoe and kayak storage systems through his company聽Talic Storage Systems. It closed in 2022 because the Baltic birch plywood he used to make the systems became scarce after Russia's invasion of Ukraine that year. He also saw a drop in demand, he said, due to changing consumer habits.
"People would spend $3,000 on a fiberglass boat they wanted to take care of," he said. "Now, they're spending less than $500 on a boat and paddles."
Tucker realizes many people have probably never heard of his new product. The lack of advertising is for good reason, he said. Because it's just him making FlipTites, he expects to sell out of stock at times, which is the case right now. He sees demand continuing to increase after the National Hardware Show in March in Las Vegas, where he said he received interest from Lowe's and Home Depot.
He's waiting for his manufacturer to send more buckles and polyester webbing, which he'll sew together. For more versatility, straps will soon come in seven different lengths, with or without hooks.
Tucker also wants people to share their use of his product with him, whether it works well or not at all.聽He said he will give volunteers聽two FlipTites for their time.
"Different people have different needs," he said, "and I would love to represent that."
- Robert Harding
- Updated
AUBURN 鈥 The formation of the Copper John Corporation in 1999 was the product of a figurative coin toss by Eric Springer.聽
Springer, who founded Copper John with his brother, Doug, has two passions: archery and scuba diving. He wanted to launch a business in one of those fields.聽
"I took a look at the two markets and thought archery would be a better fit," he told 新加坡多多开奖记录.聽
Springer was right.
Twenty-five years later, Copper John has established itself as a leading manufacturer of archery releases. The products, sold under the STAN brand, are made at the company's State Street factory.聽
Before focusing on releases and accessories, Cooper John manufactured sights for hunting and target archery. In 2001, the company acquired Stanislawski Archery Products.聽
Doug and Eric Springer co-owned Cooper John until 2021, when Peter Crawford bought Doug's shares. Crawford has since pursued other ventures, leaving Eric Springer as the sole owner.聽
As Copper John has evolved over time, so has its industry. Springer said venture capitalists have entered the market to merge brands. The industry isn't as mature as others, he continued, and may not reach that point because archery is a communal sport.聽
"When people think of archery, they think firearms and that they are the same thing. They're not," Springer said. "They are in the same family, but they are two cousins that don't really hang out at the family picnic."
He added, "Archers consider themselves a little bit more primitive. It's a mindset. It's a different way of life."聽
Copper John's success can be attributed to the quality of its products. The releases and related accessories are sold throughout the world. North America, especially the U.S., is where it has its largest customer base. But it sells to customers in Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe and South America.聽
While Copper John has competitors in its industry, few can say their products are made and assembled in the U.S.聽
"In the modern market, you've got to demonstrate what that has meant throughout history 鈥 that 'made in the U.S.A' means better and you've got to do it better," Springer said.聽
To promote its products, Copper John is adjusting its strategy by moving toward content creators and social media marketers.聽
Dan Jasa, Copper John's director of sales and marketing, told 新加坡多多开奖记录 that content creators "understand the product and can talk about what makes our products better than anybody else's out there."聽
Jasa's story also helps. A competitive archer, he still uses a 15-year-old release from Copper John. He's qualified for three world championship teams using the release.聽
"It doesn't wear out," he said. "There's a pride of knowing you buy this and as long as you take care of it, this thing will last you a long, long time."聽
The feedback from archers and content creators is important, Springer explained, because it helps Copper John improve its products.聽
Beyond the pride of making its products in the U.S., Springer is also proud of owning a business in Auburn. It's not just a money-making venture, he says, but a responsibility to his 15 employees 鈥 some of whom have been with the company for a majority of its existence.聽
The biggest challenge facing Copper John is "finding the right people," Springer said. During the COVID pandemic, remote work became the norm across many industries. But for manufacturers, Springer believes workers need to be present to collaborate in real time instead of in virtual meetings that must be scheduled.聽
The statewide population shift is also affecting Copper John because New York isn't retaining enough talented young people to meet its workforce needs.聽
"It's a challenge to build a good culture and team when you don't have a pool of people you can build with," he said.聽
Despite those obstacles, Springer is optimistic about Copper John's future. There are plans to expand to meet consumer demand. But that expansion will be carefully crafted for its customers and employees.聽
"The people, they're the most critical part of the business," Springer said. "The way they view and believe in your product and where your brand sits in the market. They all have to believe and take that to heart."聽
- Christopher Malone
- Updated
AUBURN 鈥 While driving down Columbus Street in Auburn, it鈥檚 hard to miss a tiny diner sticking out like a light pink thumb.
The Auburn Diner鈥檚 classic neon sign continues to glow more than 20 years after owners Steve and Toni Bianco resurrected the 1926 railroad car.
Steve, who also owns聽Bianco Plumbing & Heating, said he loved frequenting the diner's previous State Street location while growing up in the 1970s.
鈥淛erry Burke was like a cartoon character,鈥 he told 新加坡多多开奖记录 of the diner's former owner. "He cooked right behind the counter. Everything was cooked there back in those days.鈥
The original diner sat across from Auburn Correctional Facility before closing in 1994 following a fire. After the move to Columbus Street and extensive renovations, it reopened in 2003.
The move wasn't too difficult, Steve said. The 14.5-foot-wide railcar diner, which can seat up to 40 customers, is "manageable."
鈥淪ometimes we wish it was bigger, but it鈥檚 nice keeping the classic charm," he said.
鈥淚 think putting in a back room would come in handy, but nobody wants to sit in a back room. They all want to sit in the dining room.鈥
The atmosphere was lively when 新加坡多多开奖记录 visited the diner Thursday. Customers and staff shared conversations, banter and laughs, sometimes from opposite sides of the room.
鈥業t鈥檚 like home鈥
That atmosphere is just part of the Auburn Diner's appeal. It comes with a soundtrack of spoons clanking in mugs, knives skimming across plates and the slow pour of coffee.聽
Visually, the diner is distinguished by a rectangular grid of windows facing Columbus Street, giving booth customers a view outside and incoming ones a glimpse of how busy it is inside.
The Biancos said most of their customers are regulars, but new faces visiting the Finger Lakes are frequent. Some of those regulars told 新加坡多多开奖记录 they're comfortable at the diner, and enjoy the familiarity and consistency of the food and the service. Among them were the Blaisdells and the Wades, two couples who were sharing a booth on Thursday.
鈥淚t鈥檚 like home,鈥 Sharon Wade said and Mary Blaisdell agreed.
The friends said the diner's waitresses are like family, always greeting people with a smile. The Blaisdells and Wades have been coming to the Columbus Street location since it opened, but remain nostalgic for the State Street location. It aged noticeably through the years, Jack and Sharon Wade recalled, but was always a nice place to eat.
鈥淵ou could have scraped the smoke off the walls,鈥 Sharon said, 鈥渂ut you could never find pieces of pie like the ones they served.鈥
鈥楤asically diner food鈥
The Auburn Diner's menu doesn't change often, but daily and weekly specials add variety.
Toni Bianco said they like to have fun with the food, such as generously portioned avocado toast and s鈥檓ores pancakes. The latter, and other griddle fare like waffles, are made with聽New Hope Mills mixes.
The diner serves breakfast and lunch daily, and dinner Friday and Saturday nights. Favorites include French toast, which comes in slices or stuffed, as well as sandwiches, quesadillas and a Friday fish fry.聽
鈥淚t鈥檚 basically diner food, but good diner food,鈥 Steve said. Toni added that it's "quick, easy and inexpensive."
She continued, "Even if we take something off the menu, customers will still order it."
Regular Peter Kortright told 新加坡多多开奖记录 he enjoys so many different menu items that he often changes his order when he sits down. One of his favorites is the Belgian waffle with strawberries.聽
Dave and Darcey Pinckney also shared their love for the food as they ate breakfast.
鈥淗e doesn鈥檛 know what 'switch it up' means,鈥 Darcey jokingly said about her husband's meal of choice, which he was enjoying at that moment: a plate of eggs, sausage and home fries.
She was eating chicken and biscuits, a plateful of poultry and bread smothered in a blanket of gravy and vegetables. She also touted the onion-topped, barbecue sauce-slathered rodeo burger.
Due to the large portions, customers told 新加坡多多开奖记录, they recommend saving room for dessert.
The diner makes sweet treats like muffins and cinnamon rolls, while Camerons Bakery supplies the coconut cream and other pies, as well as the bread.
'They keep going'
The Biancos continue to take pride in serving classic American diner fare in a clean, comfortable atmosphere. But it's not easy, they said.聽
Asked by 新加坡多多开奖记录 what's most notable about the diner, the Biancos and their customers were unable to come to a consensus.聽
鈥淔irst it鈥檚 the waitresses, then the food,鈥 Clif Blaisdell said.
Although he was met with laughter, his sentiment was shared by others at the Auburn Diner.聽
鈥淭he staff is amazing,鈥 Toni said about her team. 鈥淢ost of the staff has been here since day one.鈥
Some of the newest members of the staff have still been there years, she added.
"It can be 100 degrees in that kitchen," Steve said, "and there are no complaints. They keep it going.鈥
- Kelly Rocheleau
- Updated
A Cayuga County man has been charged with attempted rape as part of the same child sexual exploitation investigation that led a man to fatally shoot himself in front of police in Auburn earlier this month.
Wilver O. Laparra-Gonzalez, 34, of Throop, allegedly paid $80 for sexual intercourse and oral sex with what he thought was a 14-year-old girl, but was actually an undercover police officer, according to Auburn City Court records. He was arrested at Melone Village apartments on Aug. 8 and charged with second-degree attempted rape and second-degree attempted criminal sex act.
Cayuga County District Attorney Brittany Grome Antonacci told 新加坡多多开奖记录 that Laparra-Gonzalez's arrest was part of an investigation that also brought Auburn Police Department officers into contact with聽Scott R. Demonte, 51, of Fayetteville, at the housing complex the same day. Demonte pointed a handgun at officers before shooting himself with a single round, causing his death.聽
Grome Antonacci said Laparra-Gonzalez, who is in the U.S. illegally, was remanded to the Cayuga County Jail with bail set at $10,000 cash or $20,000 bond. He is also being held on a federal detainer through U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
- David Wilcox
- Updated
A Fleming man has been arrested after allegedly attempting to steal from a local business warehouse using a U-Haul.
Cayuga County Sheriff's Office deputies responded to a commercial burglary alarm at D&W Diesel in the town of Aurelius early in the morning of Aug. 20, Sheriff Brian Schenck said in a news release.
There, deputies found Duane M. Lerkins Jr., 52, standing next to a U-Haul truck parked by a warehouse at the business. An investigation determined that Lerkins rented the truck and broke into the business to steal property from inside. He was arrested and charged with third-degree burglary and third-degree grand larceny, both class D felonies.
Lerkins was arraigned at the county's CAP court that day and is being held at the Cayuga County Jail without bail.
More information about the incident can be sent to Detective Josh Blanchard at (315) 253-3902, or tips can be left at .
- Kelly Rocheleau
- Updated
Two more men have been arrested as a result of the child sexual exploitation investigation that led a man to fatally shoot himself in front of police at Melone Village in Auburn on Aug. 8.
Cayuga County Sheriff Brian Schenck told 新加坡多多开奖记录 on Tuesday that John E. Steinruck, 59, of Seneca Falls, and Junayd M. Abdulkhafid, 42, of Syracuse, have been charged with second-degree attempted criminal sexual act, a class E felony. They were arrested while attempting to pay for sex with what they thought was a 14-year-old girl but was actually an undercover police officer.聽
As previously reported by 新加坡多多开奖记录, the sting operation also led to the arrest of聽Wilver O. Laparra-Gonzalez, 34, who gave officers a Throop address but is in the U.S. illegally. With bail set at $10,000 cash or $20,000 bond, Steinruck has been released, Abdulkhafid is being held at the Cayuga County Jail and Laparra-Gonzalez is being held on a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainer.
A fourth person who arrived at the apartment complex as a result of the sting operation, Scott R. Demonte, 51, of Fayetteville, produced a gun when police attempted to take him into custody. As also reported by 新加坡多多开奖记录, he pointed the gun at an Auburn Police Department officer before shooting himself in the head. The officer shot a single round at Demonte, which missed him.
Schenck, whose office is leading an investigation into the officer firing his weapon, said it is almost finished.聽
"Based on all of the available evidence in this case, it is clear to me that Scott Demonte did die as a result of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. It is also clear to me that the shot fired by the APD officer was justified at the time and did not strike anyone," he said. "The officers involved in this attempted arrest showed great restraint as this incident quickly unfolded."
Schenck said a digital forensic analysis of Demonte's phone and additional digital evidence is being completed. A link between him and the three men who were arrested has not been found, the sheriff continued, as it does not appear they knew each other. Regardless, he said his office and its partners in the sting operation 鈥 Auburn police, New York State Police and the FBI's Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force 鈥 will continue to work to protect children by identifying and arresting child predators.
"It is very disturbing to me just how many individuals are willing to sexually exploit children in our community," he said.
- 新加坡多多开奖记录 staff
- Updated
An Auburn man was tracked down by a helicopter and Tasered after leaving the scene of an accident in Elbridge, according to state police, and subsequently charged with DWI and more offenses.
In a news release Tuesday, New York State Police said Mitchell C. Podolak, 35, of Auburn, ran from the scene of an accident at the intersection of Route 5 and Hamilton Road. His 2022 GMC Sierra was traveling south on Hamilton when he failed to stop at a red light and struck a 2009 Honda Civic driven by Tanner J. Miller, 17, of Wolcott, that was traveling west.
Witnesses reported that Podolak ran from the scene into the woods off Hamilton, state police said. He was located by the Onondaga County Sheriff's Office's Air 1 helicopter hiding near Tessy Plastics.
Podolak refused to comply when deputies reached him, state police said, leading them to Taser him. He was then taken into custody and charged with the misdemeanors of first-degree leaving the scene of a personal injury accident, DWI and resisting arrest, as well as several violations. He was transported to the Onondaga County Justice Center for arraignment.
Three passengers in the Honda Civic were transported to Upstate University Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.聽
State police were also assisted at the scene by Jordan fire and ambulance, and SAVES ambulance.
- Robert Harding
- Updated
New York State Electric and Gas will begin a utility replacement project this week that will affect traffic in downtown Auburn.聽
The project will replace pipes on the Genesee Street bridge between Loop Road and Seminary Avenue. The project will start Thursday and is projected to be completed in three weeks.聽
For the first phase of the project, crews will replace a pipe crossing the south side of the bridge. The eastbound lanes will be closed. The westbound lanes will remain open, with one lane for each direction.聽
After that pipe is replaced, NYSEG will close the westbound lanes to replace the pipe on the north side. The eastbound lanes will be open, with traffic reduced to one lane in each direction.聽
There will be paving work when the pipes are replaced and the lane closures will be repeated.
More like this...
- David Wilcox
The Auburn Police Department has reviewed an incident where an officer was recorded striking a woman earlier this month, and found that his use of force is "not considered excessive."聽
In a news release Tuesday, Auburn Police Chief James Slayton said the officer delivered "several close hand strikes" toward the shoulder of Chelci Love, 39, the morning of Aug. 14 outside West Middle School Apartments. The officer, whom Slayton identified to The聽Citizen as Kenneth Tillapaugh, struck Love because she had wrapped her legs around the neck of her 3-year-old daughter during a visit by Child Protective Services. After previous attempts to free the child were unsuccessful,聽Tillapaugh used force because he heard distress in the child's voice and feared for her life.
"Our goal is to get the best possible outcome for our citizens of this community," Slayton said. "The officers in this instance had to use tactics that some, without knowing all the facts, may consider unreasonable. The officers in this case had to consider the health and safety of a 3-year-old child that got caught up in the middle of an arrest that was resisted by their mother."
The department also released body camera footage from Love's arrest on Tuesday. While Tillapaugh's footage begins after he struck her, footage from the other two officers who arrested her captures the incident. As she's restrained, the child can be seen approaching Love's left leg. She then moves that leg forward, prompting officers to ask her to release the child, though the nature of her grip is unclear because the child is blurred for privacy. The child can be heard crying as the officers continue asking Love to release her, at which point Tillapaugh yells, "Let go of the f--king baby!" and strikes Love.
What led to the incident
Slayton, in his release, said officers Sarah Howard and Morgan Flickner responded to the scene that morning to assist Child Protective Services with making a safety plan for Love and her two children, ages 3 and 6, who had been sleeping on a floor at West Middle School Apartments for a few days. The local daytime mobile crisis team was also at the scene for Love, who had recently lost her father.聽
After the officers and Love discussed housing options for about an hour she became "visibly upset," Slayton said, then gathered her belongings from the apartment building and tried to leave with her children. CPS advised the officers that they could not let the family leave, and informed Love there was an emergency removal order for her children if she would not voluntarily turn them over.
The officers radioed for backup, Slayton continued, and she told them she would hurt anyone who tried to take her children. After threatening a CPS worker who tried to hand her the removal order, she was told by officers Howard and Flickner that she was under arrest. Each of her arms was restrained by an officer, but they were only able to apply handcuffs to one wrist due to her resistance.
Around this time, Slayton said, Love wedged her 3-year-old daughter between her legs. The child yelled and cried as the two officers verbally commanded Love to release her. Fearing injury to the child's ribs and interference with her ability to breathe, the officers radioed for backup to hurry up but decided to wait for more officers to arrive before proceeding with the arrest.
Tillapaugh soon arrived and observed the child's distress and difficulty breathing, Slayton said. He applied pressure to Love's thumb to try to force her to release the child from her legs. She wouldn't, however, and he stopped out of fear he would break her thumb. As Tillapaugh gave more verbal commands, she tightened her legs. He then struck her with his hand, aiming for her shoulder but making contact in the area of her head and neck due to his focus on the child. Her grip loosened, and the officers pulled the child to safety and handed her over to CPS as Love was taken into custody.
Both the child and Love were seen by medical personnel. The latter said she did not need medical attention, but was evaluated for pain in her left shoulder and head at Auburn Community Hospital.
Slayton told 新加坡多多开奖记录 he did not have any information on Love's current medical condition, and added that she is not in custody.聽
"We hope that Chelci can reunite with her children at some point when she has a safety plan in place and that all three of them get the assistance they may need to get past this," he said.
Love was charged with endangering the welfare of a child, second-degree obstructing governmental administration and resisting arrest, all misdemeanors, and second-degree harassment, a violation.
Concluding the department's review of the incident, Slayton said Tillapaugh followed his training to meet the objective of protecting the child from harm.
"The force applied was not considered excessive under the circumstances the officers were presented with at the moment," the police chief said.
Tillapaugh, Howard and Flickner will not receive any discipline as a result of the incident, Slayton told 新加坡多多开奖记录.聽
"The officers are deemed to have followed the policy and procedure of the Auburn Police Department and laws of the state of New York," he said.
Local NAACP responds
The Auburn/Cayuga Branch of the NAACP, which criticized the department for allowing Tillapaugh to work during the review, told 新加坡多多开奖记录 in a statement that Slayton's news release follows a "script."
"It feels familiar to us in that in every incident where the Black community experiences what we believe to be excessive force, police departments justify the use of said force. It is a national pattern of police response. We've seen this happen in every national incident and incidents in our own community. Black leaders refer to this type of response as 'the script,'" the branch said.
"(We) will not allow an internal examination of this incident or Chief Slayton's response to distract us from pursuing our desired outcome as presented to Chief Slayton in a recent meeting. The NAACP remains concerned about APD and state policies that would conclude this incident as a justified use of force. We have yet to review the report and body cam. Once we do, we will have additional comments. However, it is clear that a review of policies that our police department uses to protect and serve needs immediately review. We intend to ensure that happens to keep our community safe.鈥
- Kelly Rocheleau
A Savannah woman was killed in a car accident in the town of Montezuma on Sunday.
Alicia R. Farr, 50, died when her car struck a tree on Fuller Road, near Carner Road, at about 10 that night. Cayuga County 911 dispatchers told 新加坡多多开奖记录 she was trapped in the vehicle and it took responders about 70 minutes to extricate her. In a Facebook post, the Throop Fire Department multiple Jaws of Life tools were used to free her.
New York State Police, the Cayuga County Sheriff's Office, the Cayuga County Office of Emergency Services, Aurelius and Montezuma fire departments and Auburn and Throop ambulances also responded.
After she was removed from the car, Farr was airlifted to Upstate University Hospital in Syracuse via LifeNet helicopter. She was pronounced dead at the hospital at about 1 a.m. Monday.
Farr's daughter, Erica Helmick, created a 聽on Tuesday to help her family cover funeral and other expenses. Farr is survived by four children and six grandchildren.聽
"Anyone who knows my mom knows she was an amazing women and she loved hard and she loved her kids and grandchildren so much," Helmick said on the GoFundMe page. "These past few days have been a nightmare for my siblings and I, we were (too) young to lose our beautiful mother so unexpectedly and any donations little or small would help out tremendously."
As of Wednesday night, about $1,200 of the GoFundMe's goal of $5,000 goal has been raised.
To contribute to the GoFundMe, visit .
- Christopher Malone
When it comes to creating simple solutions, Tim Tucker has things locked down in Auburn.
In 2018, Tucker created聽,聽a patent-pending alternative to ratchet straps. It can keep things in place, like stacks of boxes or lumber, and secure furniture, vehicles or other items during transport.
FlipTite, Tucker told 新加坡多多开奖记录, serves the same purpose as more familiar tie-down equipment, but without the complications of tangles or a sensitive locking system.
"You either have people who love them or people who won't even try them," he said of ratchet straps. "They can't figure out which end is which, where the webbing goes or the correct buttons to push."
While FlipTite has always been simpler than similar products, Tucker said, he recently improved it "dramatically" in order to make it more user-friendly. It previously had a more sensitive mechanism, but that's been replaced by a three-point locking system that will not loosen or accidentally come undone. The webbing is fed through the buckle, the slack is pulled and the buckle is flipped down.
Tucker said FlipTite's over-center buckle also makes it easier to secure items. The buckle is coated with zinc, he added, which is more resilient and won't corrode.
The polyester webbing makes a difference as well, Tucker said. Compared to nylon, polyester offers more flexibility, strength and durability for holding items in place.
Tucker operates out of 40 York St. in the city, where聽he used to craft canoe and kayak storage systems through his company聽Talic Storage Systems. It closed in 2022 because the Baltic birch plywood he used to make the systems became scarce after Russia's invasion of Ukraine that year. He also saw a drop in demand, he said, due to changing consumer habits.
"People would spend $3,000 on a fiberglass boat they wanted to take care of," he said. "Now, they're spending less than $500 on a boat and paddles."
Tucker realizes many people have probably never heard of his new product. The lack of advertising is for good reason, he said. Because it's just him making FlipTites, he expects to sell out of stock at times, which is the case right now. He sees demand continuing to increase after the National Hardware Show in March in Las Vegas, where he said he received interest from Lowe's and Home Depot.
He's waiting for his manufacturer to send more buckles and polyester webbing, which he'll sew together. For more versatility, straps will soon come in seven different lengths, with or without hooks.
Tucker also wants people to share their use of his product with him, whether it works well or not at all.聽He said he will give volunteers聽two FlipTites for their time.
"Different people have different needs," he said, "and I would love to represent that."
- Robert Harding
AUBURN 鈥 The formation of the Copper John Corporation in 1999 was the product of a figurative coin toss by Eric Springer.聽
Springer, who founded Copper John with his brother, Doug, has two passions: archery and scuba diving. He wanted to launch a business in one of those fields.聽
"I took a look at the two markets and thought archery would be a better fit," he told 新加坡多多开奖记录.聽
Springer was right.
Twenty-five years later, Copper John has established itself as a leading manufacturer of archery releases. The products, sold under the STAN brand, are made at the company's State Street factory.聽
Before focusing on releases and accessories, Cooper John manufactured sights for hunting and target archery. In 2001, the company acquired Stanislawski Archery Products.聽
Doug and Eric Springer co-owned Cooper John until 2021, when Peter Crawford bought Doug's shares. Crawford has since pursued other ventures, leaving Eric Springer as the sole owner.聽
As Copper John has evolved over time, so has its industry. Springer said venture capitalists have entered the market to merge brands. The industry isn't as mature as others, he continued, and may not reach that point because archery is a communal sport.聽
"When people think of archery, they think firearms and that they are the same thing. They're not," Springer said. "They are in the same family, but they are two cousins that don't really hang out at the family picnic."
He added, "Archers consider themselves a little bit more primitive. It's a mindset. It's a different way of life."聽
Copper John's success can be attributed to the quality of its products. The releases and related accessories are sold throughout the world. North America, especially the U.S., is where it has its largest customer base. But it sells to customers in Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe and South America.聽
While Copper John has competitors in its industry, few can say their products are made and assembled in the U.S.聽
"In the modern market, you've got to demonstrate what that has meant throughout history 鈥 that 'made in the U.S.A' means better and you've got to do it better," Springer said.聽
To promote its products, Copper John is adjusting its strategy by moving toward content creators and social media marketers.聽
Dan Jasa, Copper John's director of sales and marketing, told 新加坡多多开奖记录 that content creators "understand the product and can talk about what makes our products better than anybody else's out there."聽
Jasa's story also helps. A competitive archer, he still uses a 15-year-old release from Copper John. He's qualified for three world championship teams using the release.聽
"It doesn't wear out," he said. "There's a pride of knowing you buy this and as long as you take care of it, this thing will last you a long, long time."聽
The feedback from archers and content creators is important, Springer explained, because it helps Copper John improve its products.聽
Beyond the pride of making its products in the U.S., Springer is also proud of owning a business in Auburn. It's not just a money-making venture, he says, but a responsibility to his 15 employees 鈥 some of whom have been with the company for a majority of its existence.聽
The biggest challenge facing Copper John is "finding the right people," Springer said. During the COVID pandemic, remote work became the norm across many industries. But for manufacturers, Springer believes workers need to be present to collaborate in real time instead of in virtual meetings that must be scheduled.聽
The statewide population shift is also affecting Copper John because New York isn't retaining enough talented young people to meet its workforce needs.聽
"It's a challenge to build a good culture and team when you don't have a pool of people you can build with," he said.聽
Despite those obstacles, Springer is optimistic about Copper John's future. There are plans to expand to meet consumer demand. But that expansion will be carefully crafted for its customers and employees.聽
"The people, they're the most critical part of the business," Springer said. "The way they view and believe in your product and where your brand sits in the market. They all have to believe and take that to heart."聽
- Christopher Malone
AUBURN 鈥 While driving down Columbus Street in Auburn, it鈥檚 hard to miss a tiny diner sticking out like a light pink thumb.
The Auburn Diner鈥檚 classic neon sign continues to glow more than 20 years after owners Steve and Toni Bianco resurrected the 1926 railroad car.
Steve, who also owns聽Bianco Plumbing & Heating, said he loved frequenting the diner's previous State Street location while growing up in the 1970s.
鈥淛erry Burke was like a cartoon character,鈥 he told 新加坡多多开奖记录 of the diner's former owner. "He cooked right behind the counter. Everything was cooked there back in those days.鈥
The original diner sat across from Auburn Correctional Facility before closing in 1994 following a fire. After the move to Columbus Street and extensive renovations, it reopened in 2003.
The move wasn't too difficult, Steve said. The 14.5-foot-wide railcar diner, which can seat up to 40 customers, is "manageable."
鈥淪ometimes we wish it was bigger, but it鈥檚 nice keeping the classic charm," he said.
鈥淚 think putting in a back room would come in handy, but nobody wants to sit in a back room. They all want to sit in the dining room.鈥
The atmosphere was lively when 新加坡多多开奖记录 visited the diner Thursday. Customers and staff shared conversations, banter and laughs, sometimes from opposite sides of the room.
鈥業t鈥檚 like home鈥
That atmosphere is just part of the Auburn Diner's appeal. It comes with a soundtrack of spoons clanking in mugs, knives skimming across plates and the slow pour of coffee.聽
Visually, the diner is distinguished by a rectangular grid of windows facing Columbus Street, giving booth customers a view outside and incoming ones a glimpse of how busy it is inside.
The Biancos said most of their customers are regulars, but new faces visiting the Finger Lakes are frequent. Some of those regulars told 新加坡多多开奖记录 they're comfortable at the diner, and enjoy the familiarity and consistency of the food and the service. Among them were the Blaisdells and the Wades, two couples who were sharing a booth on Thursday.
鈥淚t鈥檚 like home,鈥 Sharon Wade said and Mary Blaisdell agreed.
The friends said the diner's waitresses are like family, always greeting people with a smile. The Blaisdells and Wades have been coming to the Columbus Street location since it opened, but remain nostalgic for the State Street location. It aged noticeably through the years, Jack and Sharon Wade recalled, but was always a nice place to eat.
鈥淵ou could have scraped the smoke off the walls,鈥 Sharon said, 鈥渂ut you could never find pieces of pie like the ones they served.鈥
鈥楤asically diner food鈥
The Auburn Diner's menu doesn't change often, but daily and weekly specials add variety.
Toni Bianco said they like to have fun with the food, such as generously portioned avocado toast and s鈥檓ores pancakes. The latter, and other griddle fare like waffles, are made with聽New Hope Mills mixes.
The diner serves breakfast and lunch daily, and dinner Friday and Saturday nights. Favorites include French toast, which comes in slices or stuffed, as well as sandwiches, quesadillas and a Friday fish fry.聽
鈥淚t鈥檚 basically diner food, but good diner food,鈥 Steve said. Toni added that it's "quick, easy and inexpensive."
She continued, "Even if we take something off the menu, customers will still order it."
Regular Peter Kortright told 新加坡多多开奖记录 he enjoys so many different menu items that he often changes his order when he sits down. One of his favorites is the Belgian waffle with strawberries.聽
Dave and Darcey Pinckney also shared their love for the food as they ate breakfast.
鈥淗e doesn鈥檛 know what 'switch it up' means,鈥 Darcey jokingly said about her husband's meal of choice, which he was enjoying at that moment: a plate of eggs, sausage and home fries.
She was eating chicken and biscuits, a plateful of poultry and bread smothered in a blanket of gravy and vegetables. She also touted the onion-topped, barbecue sauce-slathered rodeo burger.
Due to the large portions, customers told 新加坡多多开奖记录, they recommend saving room for dessert.
The diner makes sweet treats like muffins and cinnamon rolls, while Camerons Bakery supplies the coconut cream and other pies, as well as the bread.
'They keep going'
The Biancos continue to take pride in serving classic American diner fare in a clean, comfortable atmosphere. But it's not easy, they said.聽
Asked by 新加坡多多开奖记录 what's most notable about the diner, the Biancos and their customers were unable to come to a consensus.聽
鈥淔irst it鈥檚 the waitresses, then the food,鈥 Clif Blaisdell said.
Although he was met with laughter, his sentiment was shared by others at the Auburn Diner.聽
鈥淭he staff is amazing,鈥 Toni said about her team. 鈥淢ost of the staff has been here since day one.鈥
Some of the newest members of the staff have still been there years, she added.
"It can be 100 degrees in that kitchen," Steve said, "and there are no complaints. They keep it going.鈥
- Kelly Rocheleau
A Cayuga County man has been charged with attempted rape as part of the same child sexual exploitation investigation that led a man to fatally shoot himself in front of police in Auburn earlier this month.
Wilver O. Laparra-Gonzalez, 34, of Throop, allegedly paid $80 for sexual intercourse and oral sex with what he thought was a 14-year-old girl, but was actually an undercover police officer, according to Auburn City Court records. He was arrested at Melone Village apartments on Aug. 8 and charged with second-degree attempted rape and second-degree attempted criminal sex act.
Cayuga County District Attorney Brittany Grome Antonacci told 新加坡多多开奖记录 that Laparra-Gonzalez's arrest was part of an investigation that also brought Auburn Police Department officers into contact with聽Scott R. Demonte, 51, of Fayetteville, at the housing complex the same day. Demonte pointed a handgun at officers before shooting himself with a single round, causing his death.聽
Grome Antonacci said Laparra-Gonzalez, who is in the U.S. illegally, was remanded to the Cayuga County Jail with bail set at $10,000 cash or $20,000 bond. He is also being held on a federal detainer through U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
- David Wilcox
A Fleming man has been arrested after allegedly attempting to steal from a local business warehouse using a U-Haul.
Cayuga County Sheriff's Office deputies responded to a commercial burglary alarm at D&W Diesel in the town of Aurelius early in the morning of Aug. 20, Sheriff Brian Schenck said in a news release.
There, deputies found Duane M. Lerkins Jr., 52, standing next to a U-Haul truck parked by a warehouse at the business. An investigation determined that Lerkins rented the truck and broke into the business to steal property from inside. He was arrested and charged with third-degree burglary and third-degree grand larceny, both class D felonies.
Lerkins was arraigned at the county's CAP court that day and is being held at the Cayuga County Jail without bail.
More information about the incident can be sent to Detective Josh Blanchard at (315) 253-3902, or tips can be left at .
- Kelly Rocheleau
Two more men have been arrested as a result of the child sexual exploitation investigation that led a man to fatally shoot himself in front of police at Melone Village in Auburn on Aug. 8.
Cayuga County Sheriff Brian Schenck told 新加坡多多开奖记录 on Tuesday that John E. Steinruck, 59, of Seneca Falls, and Junayd M. Abdulkhafid, 42, of Syracuse, have been charged with second-degree attempted criminal sexual act, a class E felony. They were arrested while attempting to pay for sex with what they thought was a 14-year-old girl but was actually an undercover police officer.聽
As previously reported by 新加坡多多开奖记录, the sting operation also led to the arrest of聽Wilver O. Laparra-Gonzalez, 34, who gave officers a Throop address but is in the U.S. illegally. With bail set at $10,000 cash or $20,000 bond, Steinruck has been released, Abdulkhafid is being held at the Cayuga County Jail and Laparra-Gonzalez is being held on a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainer.
A fourth person who arrived at the apartment complex as a result of the sting operation, Scott R. Demonte, 51, of Fayetteville, produced a gun when police attempted to take him into custody. As also reported by 新加坡多多开奖记录, he pointed the gun at an Auburn Police Department officer before shooting himself in the head. The officer shot a single round at Demonte, which missed him.
Schenck, whose office is leading an investigation into the officer firing his weapon, said it is almost finished.聽
"Based on all of the available evidence in this case, it is clear to me that Scott Demonte did die as a result of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. It is also clear to me that the shot fired by the APD officer was justified at the time and did not strike anyone," he said. "The officers involved in this attempted arrest showed great restraint as this incident quickly unfolded."
Schenck said a digital forensic analysis of Demonte's phone and additional digital evidence is being completed. A link between him and the three men who were arrested has not been found, the sheriff continued, as it does not appear they knew each other. Regardless, he said his office and its partners in the sting operation 鈥 Auburn police, New York State Police and the FBI's Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force 鈥 will continue to work to protect children by identifying and arresting child predators.
"It is very disturbing to me just how many individuals are willing to sexually exploit children in our community," he said.
- 新加坡多多开奖记录 staff
An Auburn man was tracked down by a helicopter and Tasered after leaving the scene of an accident in Elbridge, according to state police, and subsequently charged with DWI and more offenses.
In a news release Tuesday, New York State Police said Mitchell C. Podolak, 35, of Auburn, ran from the scene of an accident at the intersection of Route 5 and Hamilton Road. His 2022 GMC Sierra was traveling south on Hamilton when he failed to stop at a red light and struck a 2009 Honda Civic driven by Tanner J. Miller, 17, of Wolcott, that was traveling west.
Witnesses reported that Podolak ran from the scene into the woods off Hamilton, state police said. He was located by the Onondaga County Sheriff's Office's Air 1 helicopter hiding near Tessy Plastics.
Podolak refused to comply when deputies reached him, state police said, leading them to Taser him. He was then taken into custody and charged with the misdemeanors of first-degree leaving the scene of a personal injury accident, DWI and resisting arrest, as well as several violations. He was transported to the Onondaga County Justice Center for arraignment.
Three passengers in the Honda Civic were transported to Upstate University Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.聽
State police were also assisted at the scene by Jordan fire and ambulance, and SAVES ambulance.
- Robert Harding
New York State Electric and Gas will begin a utility replacement project this week that will affect traffic in downtown Auburn.聽
The project will replace pipes on the Genesee Street bridge between Loop Road and Seminary Avenue. The project will start Thursday and is projected to be completed in three weeks.聽
For the first phase of the project, crews will replace a pipe crossing the south side of the bridge. The eastbound lanes will be closed. The westbound lanes will remain open, with one lane for each direction.聽
After that pipe is replaced, NYSEG will close the westbound lanes to replace the pipe on the north side. The eastbound lanes will be open, with traffic reduced to one lane in each direction.聽
There will be paving work when the pipes are replaced and the lane closures will be repeated.
