chenango county

Marijuana plants were found growing in the basement and backyard of a licensed day care facility in the town of Bainbridge last week, State Police out of Sidney report today in a press release.

James Spinella: Photo via New York State PoliceThe plants were reportedly found when a day care inspector arrived for an unannounced visit. After the inspector called the police, State Police deputies searched the residence and allegedly found "a modified shotgun, a small amount of prescription medication, and additional processed marihuana."

The day care operator, 22-year-old Stephanie L. Emerson, lost her license over the discovery. But it was James M. Spinella, who also lived at the residence, who was charged with growing the marijuana and owning the various other illegal items. He was processed in the Town of Bainbridge court yesterday.

Here's the press release in full:

“Unannounced” Day Care Inspection Leads to Arrest

(Bainbridge N.Y., May 20, 2011) On Monday, May 16, 2011, the New York State Office of Children and Family Services, Bureau of Day Care Enforcement, contacted the New York State Police in Sidney, N.Y., after discovering marihuana plants during a “surprise inspection” of a day care facility in Bainbridge, N.Y.

The ensuing investigation revealed STEPHANIE L. EMERSON, age 22, was operating a licensed day care facility at her residence located at 1566 County Route 39, Bainbridge, N.Y. when a licensed day care inspector located marihuana plants growing in the residence basement.  Read more

Tea, coffee, and outrageous signage (“You shoved it down our throat March 21st. We’re going to shove it up your ass Nov. 2nd”) were spotted across Upstate New York yesterday, as part of the national Tea Party protests that used Tax Day as an opportunity to protest the current Democratic regime.

Over 100 people protested in the Town of Ulster, according to the Daily Freeman, which has scads of video. (Commenters on the Freeman story are saying that the Freeman underestimated the attendance, which they say was more like several hundred.) Our favorite was this lady:

Graceann Lamberta of Germantown attended Tuesday’s event with a sign that displayed a woman’s pink slip and the phrase “Dems pink slip in November.”

The Times Herald-Record, which was at the same protest, pegged the attendance at more like 350. Their best man-in-the-crowd encounter was this one:  Read more