Democrat and Chronicle from Rochester, New York • Page 21

State 5B ROCHESTER, NEW YORK DemocratandChronicle.com FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 29, 2008 Clinton donor pleads not guilty in case over campaign financing NEWS BEAT Three from N.Y.C. reported missing Three New York City residents who drove to Rochester to visit friends 7 Vv 'm'-f Hsu his financial scheme by raising his public profile. Toward that goal, prosecutors said, Hsu pressured many fraud victims to contribute thousands of dollars to candidates. According to the indictment, Hsu persuaded his victims to invest at least $60 million from 2000 through August 2007 in companies that supposedly extended short-term financing to businesses. It said he used the money instead to further his fraudulent goals.

The government said he lost at least $20 million of the investor money. If convicted of six counts of mail fraud, six counts of wire fraud and three counts of violating the Federal Election Campaign Act, Hsu could face more than 200 years in prison. LARRY NEUMEISTER THE ASSOCIATED PRESS NEW YORK Top Democratic fundraiser Norman Hsu will rely on a court-appointed lawyer to defend him against charges that he cheated investors out of millions of dollars and made illegal donations to politicians, including presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton. U.S. Magistrate Judge Theodore H.

Katz appointed Hugh M. Mundy on Thursday to represent Hsu as the 56-year-old clothing-industry entrepreneur made his first appearance in the Manhattan court. Hsu pleaded not guilty to charges that he violated federal campaign finance laws. After the brief court appear- AT A GLANCE Cuomo seeks data on lawyers' pay WHITE PLAINS State Attorney General Andrew Cuomo is asking Westchester County's 48 school districts for detailed information on how they pay their lawyers as part of an investigation into potential abuse of the pension system. At issue is whether lawyers who work for firms hired by schools are also being listed as school employees and thereby getting pension benefits at taxpayer expense.

Newsday has reported that at least three lawyers in Westchester were listed as school employees and banked pension credits while their firms were being paid by the schools. Canadian trucker cited in accident CATSKILL A Canadian trucker is in jail on drunken driving charges after an accident Thursday on the New York state Thruway closed the northbound lanes for five hours and caused a 4-mile backup. The State Police said a truck driven by Arjunbhai Patel, 43, of Montreal crashed just before 9:30 a.m. Thursday between Exit 20 in Saugerties and Exit 21, 30 miles south of Albany. Patel is being held in the Greene County Jail.

The Associated Press barrettes in her hair. Aniyla last was seen with Ehisha Grant, 16, of Irondequoit, who is listed as a missing runaway by the Irondequoit Police Department. Grant, who may use the nickname Esha, has pierced ears, wears several necklaces and has rings on all her fingers. She is 5-3 and 130 pounds. The pair may be in the Rochester area or headed to Georgia, according to Rochester police.

Another family member has custody of Anilya, police said. House burns in Mount Morris A vacant rental home in Mount Morris, Livingston County, was heavily damaged early Thursday in a fire, according to Livingston County sheriff's deputies. A passerby called 911 about 2:40 a.m to alert deputies that a house at 7150 Begole Road was ablaze, deputies said. When members of the Mount Morris Fire Department arrived at the scene, near Ridge Road, several minutes later, they found the house engulfed in flames, deputies said. No one was in the structure when the fire broke out, deputies said, and no injuries were reported.

Chimney fire in Hilton house Hilton firefighters battled a house fire Thursday in the village. Firefighters were called to 53 Hazen where a chimney fire was reported about 7:15 a.m. Capt. Jeff Gates of the Hilton Fire Department said the blaze sparked in a wood stove in the single-family home. Firefighters controlled the fire in five minutes, which re State GOP looks to redefine message ance, Mundy told The Associated Press that his client had no choice but to rely on a lawyer.

"He's essen tially a man with no income or assets. He has no money he can tap," said Mundy. "His money and assets are alleged to be involved in the charges. He has no access to the money presently." Mundy said it was his first day on the case and he did not know how much money was in his client's bank accounts. The government has said Hsu believed large campaign contributions would attract money to considering hiring other high-profile national strategists.

With Democrat Darrel Auber-tine's victory in the race for an open North Country Senate seat Tuesday over GOP opponent Will Barclay, some Republican operatives and leaders said the party needs a new message. Aubertine's win lowered the Republican majority to just 32-30 in the Senate. But the majority is just one because Lt. Gov. David Paterson, a Democrat, owns any tie-breaking vote.

Republicans have controlled the Senate for every year but one (1965) since 1938. The political dynamic means the November elections will be a bruising battle for control of the Legislature as both parties target about a half-dozen Senate races around the state. If Democrats could win the Senate, they would control all state government, presuming that at the same time they hold onto their vocacy group that issued a press release earlier this week listing Blossom South's fine. "They have a very high level of abuse and neglect." In response, Blossom South's attorney Marvin Tenzer said: "When Blossom South came in, they did not start with a clean slate. They were turning around a facility with very serious violations.

They have done a remarkable job in reducing deficiencies from where it started." Boyd said she never before noticed any outright neglect or abuse while visiting her grandmother over two years, but that pressure sores on Myers' ankle and buttocks remained hidden and her grandmother was too medicated to mention them. Myers is now back in Boyd's home, where Myers' grandson Willie Jones also lives. Her two grandchildren say she is recovering but isn't the same woman who entered the nursing home more than two years ago. "She didn't deserve this," Boyd said. The lawsuit asks for an unspecified amount of money for damages and legal fees.

Attorney Van Henri White said he has also asked Monroe County District Attorney Michael Green to file criminal charges, but was told the case should be handled by the state. JUWANGDemocratandChronicle.com majority in the state Assembly. That, Republicans said, may be their strongest message this fall: A GOP Senate majority would maintain the checks and balances in state government. "We've become a little complacent," said Broome County GOP chairwoman Debra Preston. "We have to look at it now and say, 'One side running the whole thing is not good JSPECTORGannett.com Buses FROM PAGE IB spokesperson Jacquie Haldow said: "Express Transfer Service is a new service that permits RTS customers to travel from one side of the city to the other without being required to go through downtown for only one fare.

"Although ETS was developed to respond to issues raised by the Federal Transit Administration concerning the service being offered by RTS to accommodate the needs of students, it can be used by any member of the general public. It will operate every weekday, even when school is not in session." The route changes essentially mean students will start out from home and end up at school on the same bus but using a different route. RTS calls this an "in-seat transfer." For non-students, the new bus service will mean a shorter trip because the bus will bypass downtown. However, downtown bus service will continue unchanged. RTS said it is ramping up to implement the new service by training customer service representatives; revising bus schedules; updating its telephone system, Web site and trip itinerary planning; and training drivers by running buses on new routes on Saturdays in March.

RTS says schedules for the new routes will be available on its Web site starting March 14. Next week, the City School District will mail schedules (in English and Spanish) to the parents of more than 10,000 students who use RTS buses each day. The bus route changes became necessary after a ruling on have been reported missing, according to Rochester and New York City police. Sasha Davis and Jarib Bennett were traveling with 4-month-old Selah Davis, police said. They left New York on Feb.

15. A week later, a missing persons' report was filed with the New York Davis Bennett City police. On Wednesday, the trio's vehicle was found unoccupied in southwest Rochester, police said. Sasha Davis is described as a black female, 5 feet 6 inches tall and 130 pounds. Jarib Bennett is described as a black male, 5 feet 11 inches tall and 230 pounds.

Anyone with information is asked to call 911 or Crime Stoppers at (585) 423-9300. Child, birth mother sought Authorities are looking for a toddler who is missing and last was seen with her birth mother, who does not have custody. Aniyla Delk, who is 11 months old, was wearing a pink dress with black sleeves, white tights with pink ruffles, white shoes, a light-green jacket with a pink lining and pink bow-shaped Leap FROM PAGE IB good luck took over. For example, men born Feb. 29 were placed well down the draft lottery list for the Vietnam War.

But there are some practical issues that leapers face, said Peter Brouwer, a Vancouver Island, British Columbia, resident who is co-founder of Leap Year Day.com, which started the Honor Society of Leap Year Day Babies and Leapzine online newsletter. The site is a fun way to meet and correspond with others born on Feb. 29, he said. However, the organization also helps raise awareness because people born on that day sometimes face issues getting government documents or even registering for Web sites because the birth date is not recognized. The site, of course, has had a big month this year, spreading good cheer and ways to celebrate with other leapers.

For McMahon, the birthday is enough. "It's definitely special," McMahon says. MCHAODemocratandChronicle.com Includes reporting by The Associated Press. Leap Year birthdays Think one Leap Year baby is special? Try three? Norway's Henriksen siblings are recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records. The three Henriksen siblings of Norway were born on three consecutive Leap Days Heidi in 1960, Olav in 1964 and Leif-Martin in 1968, according to the Guinness Book of Records.

Here are some famous leapers, according to Leapzine online newsletter. 1976: Ja Rule, Rapper and actor, born Jeffrey Atkins. 1972: Saul Williams, rap poet and actor. 1972: Antonio Sabato Italian-born soap star whose credits include The Bold and the Beautiful, Melrose Place and General Hospital. 1968: Bryce Eric Paup, NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 1995 when he was with the Buffalo Bills; four-time Pro Bowl selection.

1952: Sharon Dahlonega Raiford Bush, America's first African-American weather anchor. 1944: Dennis Farina, former Chicago policeman turned actor with memorable roles in Get Shorty and Law Order. 1940: Billy Turner, a successful trainer of thoroughbreds including Seattle Slew, winner of the U.S. Triple Crown in 1977. 1916: Dinah Shore, singer, actress and talk show host.

1904: Jimmy Dorsey, big band leader. Example of how the new system will work How it works today: An RTS customer living on the west side of the city near bus Route 2 who wants to travel to Ohio Street (where East High School is) on the east side of the city would need to: Take the Route 2 bus to the transfer point at East Main Street and Clinton Avenue. Get off that bus and wait for the Route 8 bus to arrive. Board the Route 8 bus and take it out East Main Street to Ohio Street. The same RTS rider making the same trip will have this option starting March 24: Taking the "Route 2X to Route 8 Bus No Downtown" instead.

That bus will travel the Route 2 on the west side of the city until it reaches the Inner Loop. It will then go around the city on the Inner Loop to the East Main Street exit. The bus will get off the Inner Loop on that exit and then continue on Route 8 along East Main Street to Ohio Street. For more information on the Express Transfer Service, call (585)288-1700. Jan.

24 by U.S. District Judge David Larimer. Larimer ruled that RTS must modify its bus routes but could continue to transport city students using existing service routes through March 24. The ruling came after the FTA ruled in 2007 in favor of private bus contractor Laidlaw Transit Inc. and a union representing its drivers, who maintained that RTS was improperly creating routes.

GMCLENDN10iDemocratandChronicle.com JOSEPH SPECTOR ALBANY BUREAU ALBANY Senate Republicans are looking for an image makeover after the loss earlier this week of a seat the party has held for more than a century. In the first sign of a shakeup, the party plans to hire national Republican consultant Frank Luntz to look at how Senate Republicans can redefine themselves as they seek to retain their slim majority. "I'm taking a look at everybody and everything," Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno, R-Brunswick, Rensselaer County, told an Albany radio station Thursday. "We are going to do a self-inspection." The hiring of Luntz, also a Fox News pollster and focus-group guru who has worked with Senate Republicans in the past, may be the beginning of several changes within Republican ranks. Republicans said they are Myers lawsuit.

Jerry Wood, the primary owner and operator of Blossom South and one of the owners of the Compassionate Care Network, declined to comment on the suit, saying, "There's a lot to the story, but legally I'm not able to speak about it." He said his organization has made drastic improvements to Blossom South since taking over in 2006, retraining all of the staff members and putting in a new roof to fix a leaking problem, and new floors and windows to eliminate a urine smell. They are also in the process of replacing dozens of residents' beds with ones that can shift lower to the ground to circumvent hard falls. "I'm in the facilities on a regular basis, and you can just tell that the residents are extremely happy and thankful," he said. "If there are deficiencies that have not been addressed yet to the health department's satisfaction, they would have shut me down." During an investigation in December brought on by a complaint Boyd filed with the state Department of Health, Medicare inspectors cited the nursing home for failing to give residents proper treatment to prevent pressure sores, and failing to thoroughly investigate two injuries to rule out abuse or neglect. From Oct.

1, 2006, to Dec. 31, 2007, inspectors found a total of 24 health safety deficiencies and eight fire safety deficiencies at the facility, according to the Medicare Web site. The comparable state averages are six health safety deficiencies and two fire deficiencies. "The problem I have is that they have continued abuse," said Richard Mollot, executive director of Long Term Care Community Coalition, a nonprofit Manhattan-based nursing home ad- 4 (t(mmllSfi1 'Tl 1M Iift4 portedly only damaged the operating wood stove. No injuries were reported.

Staff reports Lawsuit FROM PAGE IB above and below her knee cap after she fell out of bed in September, according to her granddaughter Gloria Boyd. After Myers was put in a soft, removable brace to treat the injury, she developed pressure sores around her ankle that eventually became infected, Boyd said. In December, surgeons at Highland Myers Hospital amputated her right leg below the knee because of serious infections, which the suit claims were a result of nursing home staff failing to properly bathe Myers and treat her leg. "I think it's a terrible place that could allow this to happen," Boyd said Thursday at her attorney Van Henri White's office in Rochester. The suit comes as Blossom South faces a $149,500 fine because of a 2005 Medicare inspection that found violations" of state and federal regulations that put residents' health and safety in "immediate jeopardy." At the time of that inspection, the facility was known as Arbor Hill Care Center and was owned by GMR Living Centers.

In 2006, the Compassionate Care Network took over the operations and renamed the nursing home. The fine, levied by the federal Centers for Medicare Medicaid Services, is not related to any issues mentioned in the Peterson Real-Fyre Gas Log Sets 'OFF IN-STOCK LOGS 2108 22908 C7 Boyd II SI IOCS I 1108 -22908 1 SAVE ON 0 Vl- FOR ABOUT THE PRICE OF A TANK OF GAS WE WILL PERFORM ALL THE FOLLOWING SERVICES SO YOUR NEXT TANK OF GAS WILL GO FURTHER YOUR CHOICE $89.95 plus tax $49.95 plus tax Change engine oil and filter. Reset oil life system Visually check for any leaks or damage. Inspect engine air filter. Rotate and inspect tires.

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