Medical waste found dumped in Colonie NY

April 30, 2009
Town officials eye illegal dumping

By ROBERT GAVIN, Staff writer

ALBANY - Piles of dumped garbage — including apparent medical waste — is taking up a large swath of land in the Town of Colonie near Watervliet.
The Times Union has discovered mountains of trash, including what appear to be medical tubing and possible needle containers, in a barren area off Watervliet Shaker Road around the Adirondack Industrial Park.

The area is accessible from the end of 14th Street in Watervliet. Signs on the outskirts of the area state "No Dumping."

Despite the warning, several large piles of garbage were on the property when the Times Union, acting on a tip, visited the property on Wednesday. Among the discarded items were tires, bottles, clothes, computers, vacuum cleaners and cans. The refuse included what appeared to be many recyclables, including a large number of laundry detergent bottles.

Pete Gannon, director of operations for the Town of Colonie, when contacted today, said the dumping in the vicinity did not appear to be legal.

"I can't imagine," he said. "It's not a landfill."

He said town police were headed to the area.

The area, surrounded by some woods, is near railroad tracks on the border of Colonie and Watervliet. Private homes are not far from the refuse, which is not visible from the street.

The industrial park was most recently in the news in December when two teenagers were charged with starting a fire at an abandoned building.

Robert Gavin can be reached at 434-2403 or rgavin@timesunion.com

PRESS RELEASE: Statement from Town and Gown Players

ATHENS (MyFOX ATLANTA) - The three people we lost yesterday were a part of the rich 50-year history of this theater and, more than that, were vital members of the Town and Gown family.

Ben Teague, loving husband of UGA's Dr. Fran Teague for more than 40 years, was not only a friend but also a father figure to all at the theater. One would be hard pressed to find a Town and Gowner who had not learned at least one life lesson from this wise and kind hearted man. His wife wishes to say, "Yesterday Ben was murdered, which is hard to comprehend and impossible to accept. It was a beautiful day, however, and he was in his favorite place with the people he loved." Ben was a translator of German, Russian and English.

Marie Bruce was the binding force that held the Town and Gown community together. Having worked with Town and Gown for over 20 years, at one time or another she served in every capacity at the theater, artistically and administratively, from leading lady to president of the board to chief cook and bottle washer. A local attorney, Marie was the mother of two young children.

A gentle presence, Tom Tanner breathed life into every corner of Town and Gown through his quiet diligence and astounding creativity - most would call him genius. Father of an equally amazing daughter, Tom would tell you that while he enjoyed his work as director of the Regional Dynamics Economic Modeling Laboratory at Clemson University, his heart lived and thrived in the theater.

Ben, Marie and Tom were a part of our family, and as painful as their loss is for us, we know it is even more painful for their families. We want to extend our deepest sympathy to their immediate family and close friends outside the theater community. There are no words we can use to adequately express our grief.

We would like to thank the Athens Police department and the media for their respectful treatment of this tragedy. We want to thank the American Bio Recovery Association and A1 BIO-Clean Service for the generous donation of their services in our time of need. We also want to thank the Athens Community for their support. This tragedy effects everyone in the community in some way, and we know you share in our loss. We ask that the media continue to be respectful of our privacy during this difficult time.

CDC confirms Queens high school students have swine flu

BY Erin Einhorn and Tina Mooore
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITERS

It's confirmed: it's swine flu.

Mayor Bloomberg said Sunday federal health officials have found that eight prep school students in Queens have the dreaded illness.

He urged New Yorkers to stay home from work if they have any symptoms of the flu - but also urged people not to panic or flood hospital emergency rooms.

"If you have a cough or a sore throat stay home," Bloomberg said at a morning news conference. "Do not go to work or school and if you're not very sick don't go to the hospital."

The warning came afte U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention tests confirmed that human swine flu has infected eight students at St. Francis Preparatory School in Queens.

About 100 students - many of whom recently took a trip to Mexico - have flu symptoms.

The students have mild symptoms and many are improving, Bloomberg said.

But it has been linked to 81 deaths more than 1,000 illnesses in Mexico - and CDC officvials expect more illnesses around the nation. So far there six cases in California, two more in Texas and two in Kansas.

The World Health Organization has warned the virus threatens to become a global pandemic.

Eight of the students tested positive for Influenza A but did match any of the known human variants of that virus - the H1 and H3 human subtypes - by available testing methods.

That led health officials to fear a new strain of the quickly evolving virus.

"We are concerned that we may have a new strain," Health Commissioner Tom Freiden said at a morning news conference. "But we have not identified an increase of influenza."

The Queens investigation began last week, when students at the prep school developed flu-like symptoms, including fever and sore throat. The Health Department's Public Health Laboratory tested nine nose and throat swabs.

The CDC also reported today that an investigation of sickness at a Bronx daycare facility has so far not identified any confirmed or probable cases.

Sen. Chuck Schumer said he spoke with the CDC and was informed that New York City was "better prepared than just abut anyone else."

Swine flu is a respiratory infection caused by influenza type A viruses that regularly cause outbreaks of influenza in pigs. People do not normally get swine flu, but human infections can occur.

Human cases typically involve people who have had direct contact with pigs, but the CDC said likely person-to-person transmission has now been reported in California, Texas, Mexico and New York City.

While the cases in Mexico have had a high fatality rate, but the confirmed cases in the U.S. have been mild and all patients have recovered without treatment.

The symptoms of swine flu in people appear to be similar to the symptoms of regular seasonal flu and include fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue.

Some people have reported diarrhea and vomiting as well.

hkennedy@nydailynews.com

Possible Swine Flu Outbreak At NYC Prep School

Department Of Health Officials Testing 75 Students At St. Francis Preparatory School In Queens

NEW YORK (CBS) ―
New York City health officials say that about 75 students at a Queens high school have fallen ill with flu-like symptoms and testing is under way to rule out the strain of swine flu that has killed dozens in Mexico.

The Health Department's Dr. Don Weiss said Friday that a team of agency doctors and investigators were dispatched to the private St. Francis Preparatory School the previous day after students reported fever, sore throat, cough, aches and pains. No one has been hospitalized.

The handful of sick students who remained at the school were tested for a variety of flu strains. If they're found to have a known human strain that would rule out swine flu.

Results could take several days. In the meantime, the school says it's postponing an evening event and sanitizing the building over the weekend.

Mexican authorities said 60 people may have died from a swine flu virus in Mexico, and world health officials worry it could unleash a global flu epidemic.

Mexico City closed schools, museums, libraries and state-run theaters across the metropolis Friday in hopes of containing the outbreak that has sickened more than 900.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said tests show some of the Mexico victims died from the same new strain of swine flu that sickened eight people in Texas and California. It's a frightening new strain that combines genetic material from pigs, birds and humans.

The World Health Organization was looking closely at the 60 deaths - most of them in or near Mexico's capital. It wasn't yet clear what flu they died from, but spokesman Thomas Abraham said "We are very, very concerned."

"We have what appears to be a novel virus and it has spread from human to human," he said. "It's all hands on deck at the moment."

WHO raised its internal alert system Friday, preparing to divert more money and personnel to dealing with the outbreak.

President Felipe Calderon cancelled a trip and met with his Cabinet to coordinate Mexico's response. The government has 500,000 flu vaccines and planned to administer them to health workers, the highest risk group.

There are no vaccines available for the general public in Mexico, and authorities urged people to avoid hospitals unless they had a medical emergency, since hospitals are centers of infection.

Some Mexican residents have started wearing blue surgical masks for extra protection, reports CBS News correspondent Adrienne Bard. The federal health minister has warned people not to go near anyone with a respiratory infection and to avoid kissing - traditional Mexican greeting.

Slaying Victim in Brooklyn Is Said to Have Been Part of Genovese Mob

By CHRISTINE HAUSER
A 70-year-old Brooklyn man who was found dead in his duplex apartment on Thursday was a longtime mob figure, the authorities said Friday.

The man, William Romano, was found submerged in a bathtub upstairs, and his companion, Elviza Aronova, 36, was found partially clad in a bedroom on the lower floor, the police said. She had apparently been beaten and stabbed to death, and Mr. Romano apparently died of head injuries, the medical examiner’s office said.

The bodies were found in the apartment Mr. Romano shared with Ms. Aronova at 8020 Bay Parkway in Bensonhurst, the police commissioner, Raymond W. Kelly, said at a news conference.

Both suffered head injuries, Mr. Kelly said. Ellen Borakove, a spokeswoman for the city medical examiner’s office, said Ms. Aronova also had stab wounds to the torso. The authorities were investigating whether Ms. Aronova had been sexually assaulted.

Mr. Romano had owned the 54-unit apartment building where he lived until he sold it in 2006, retaining two apartments there, Mr. Kelly said. A man who lived in Mr. Romano’s second apartment often visited him and Ms. Aronova and had a key to their apartment, the police said. The tenant discovered Ms. Aronova’s body and called the police, who found Mr. Romano’s body when they arrived shortly after 5 p.m.

Mr. Romano kept an office in the second apartment, and the police found two shotguns, a .45-caliber handgun and a live hand grenade there, Mr. Kelly said. The police questioned the tenant but did not detain him, a law enforcement official said.

The official said the first apartment was in disarray, the electricity had been turned off and it appeared that someone had tried to clean up the crime scene with bleach.

Ms. Aronova’s mother had gone to the apartment, No. 7, on Thursday after her daughter said she needed food, but there was no reply, Mr. Kelly said. The door was ajar, and a neighbor called the police for the mother, the police said.

It was not clear how long the bodies had been there. Mr. Kelly said. Mr. Romano was last seen at 9 a.m. on Wednesday.

State and federal law enforcement officials said Mr. Romano had long been associated with the Genovese crime family, in particular with the capo Salvatore Lombardi, known as Sally Dogs, who was heavily involved in narcotics trafficking.

Nearly two decades ago, Mr. Romano was arrested at Kennedy International Airport after customs inspectors found about two pounds of heroin taped to his shins and midsection, the officials said. He denied the charges, saying the drugs had been planted on him by the authorities. He was tried twice in Federal District Court in Brooklyn; the first case ended in a hung jury and the second in his acquittal.

His lawyer at both trials, Gerald L. Shargel, said Friday, “He was a longtime client, and I was saddened to hear of his death.”

William K. Rashbaum contributed reporting.

Custodian’s stress-disorder suit restored

Meghann M. Cuniff / Staff writer

A custodian who sued her school district after being forced to clean up the bloody scene of a student’s suicide had her lawsuit reinstated Tuesday by the Washington Court of Appeals.

Debbie Rothwell, who still works at Lakeside High School in Nine Mile Falls, suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder, according to a lawsuit filed in May 2007 by her lawyer, William Powell, of Spokane. The 16-year-old student shot himself in the head inside the school’s main entrance in 2004. The lawsuit was dismissed in January 2008 by Spokane County Superior Court Judge Greg Sypolt, who ruled the incident was covered by the Industrial Insurance Act.

But the Court of Appeals, in a 2-1 ruling, disagreed and reinstated the suit.

“There are people who do clean up the mess after one of these horrible murders or suicides happen,” Powell said Tuesday, referring to private professionals. “But the superintendent in this case chose not to do that. He should have known better.”

Along with former Superintendent Michael Green, now superintendent of the Woodland School District in Western Washington, the lawsuit names the Nine Miles Falls School District, Stevens County Sheriff Craig Thayer, two sheriff’s detectives and an unidentified man as defendants.

None was available for comment. Like most civil suits in Washington, the complaint seeks unspecified damages.

Rothwell’s complaints center around her task of cleaning up the suicide scene, then being asked to move a backpack she later learned belonged to the victim and contained a suspicious device that authorities detonated using a robot.

She stayed at work until after 4 a.m., cleaning the mess of blood, brain and bone alone, becoming “emotionally distraught and physically ill” before returning to the school less than four hours later at Green’s orders to serve cookies and coffee to grieving students and keep the media from the school, according to the suit.

At issue in the court decisions was whether Rothwell’s claim of post-traumatic stress disorder fell under the industrial injury act, which prohibits lawsuits based on industry injury or occupational disease.

Judges John A. Schultheis and Dennis J. Sweeney ruled it didn’t because it wasn’t the result of one work order. Her trauma grew over several days, according to their written opinion. Judge Teresa C. Kulik dissented.

Cleanup part of healing process at ACA

By: Neil St. Clair

ENDWELL, N.Y. -- It's the kind of job nobody wants to get called to do, but it must be done so life can move on.

"We've been involved in triple homicides, but never the amount of people involved in this. All these cases are tough, but this may have been the worst one," said Jim Coyle, owner of Disaster Clean-Up service in Endwell.

Coyle is a lifelong Broome County resident and a veteran of crime scene biohazard removal. He was charged with the cleanup last Sunday after the 13 senseless murders at the American Civic Association.

It's a scene that affected him as it affected many people in the area.

"I wouldn't wish this on anybody to walk in and see this, even the first responders."

The grisly job took Coyle and his crew around six hours, but helped the ACA reopen its doors and get back to its business of helping immigrants become Americans.

Cleanup part of healing process at ACA
After all the pain surrounding the shootings at the American Civic Association, the community has begun to heal. As our Neil St. Clair explains, several local businesses have donated their time and services to help everyone in that process.

What would normally have cost thousands of dollars, Coyle did for free, a service to help his community heal.

"We wanted to do something. There was enough suffering involved here. It just didn't seem right to profit from something like this."

Coyle was one of the first non-emergency personnel to enter the building.

His job is normally thankless, evaporating the tangible memories of some horrible moment. But this one was different, and several people have offered praise for the work he's done.

"You don't really take pride in something like this, but after you see the look on people's faces after you do this, that's what keeps you going back, somebody has to do this."

And though it's tough to wipe away the horror he's witnessed, he, like this community, is trying to push ahead. "Just go on with my life...nothing out of the ordinary...just another day."

Coyle teamed up with BioRecovery Corporation based in New York City as part of a collaboration with the nonprofit American Bio-Recovery Association.

ACA cleaned, but no decision yet on when center will reopen

By My-Ly Nguyen
mnguyen@gannett.com

BINGHAMTON - Four days after the massacre at the American Civic Association, the center is ready to open its doors. But it's unclear whether the staff, students and community are ready to have classes and other activities resume inside.

Mayor Matthew T. Ryan said the association wants to reopen as soon as possible.

Cleanup crews in the building over the weekend have made that possible.

State funding, allocated by Senate Majority Leader Malcolm Smith, also will help: $100,000 to help the civic association get back on its feet and another $100,000 to provide counseling services and implement protective measures at the center, said Tina Ruocco, a spokeswoman for Sen. Thomas W. Libous, R-Binghamton.

It will take at least a few days for the related paperwork and other administrative procedures to be completed, she said.

Priscilla Pease, a teacher who was in the civic association basement during the shootings Friday, said staff would meet with students "at a neutral site" today "to talk about what we're going to do next."

Through the front windows of the American Civic Association, a man could be seen mopping the lobby floor late Monday morning.

A co-owner of Disaster Clean Up and two of the Endwell business' technicians spent about six hours Sunday conducting more extensive cleanup at the facility. They donned Tyvek white suits and other protective gear, and disinfected the space inside.

"You'd never know it happened other than some telltale signs of some bullet holes," said Jim Coyle, who owns Disaster Clean Up with his wife, Debby.

It takes a certain kind of person to do this job, he said.

"You kind of have to put it out of your mind," he said. "You have to understand that you're doing a valuable service. That's the attitude we have."

Bio-Recovery Corp. of New York City sent two workers to the site to help with the cleanup, Coyle said.

Both companies are members of the nonprofit American Bio-Recovery Association of crime and trauma scene workers. The businesses donated their labor and supplies to the City of Binghamton and the civic association. Coyle said he'd normally charge about $12,000 for a similar job. Insurance almost always covers the cost.

Outside the civic association, flower bouquets, balloons and even a line of 14 pennies - presumably to mark the 14 who died Friday during the shootings in the association's building on Front Street - were placed on the front steps. A light rain fell from the dark gray sky late Monday morning.

Casey Chandler, 26, of Endicott, stopped to drop off a bouquet of flowers and pay her respects to those killed and their families. She said she feels for the gunman's family, too, and wonders how they're coping with what happened.

"I cried when I heard it," she said. "When something this tragic happens ... it affects everybody."

Two doors down at HCA Respite Home & Residential Services, staff members have fielded calls from concerned families, some of whom asked if the HCA is taking any special precautions in light of the shootings, said Mike Reed, a registered nurse.

The facility provides services for families and children with disabilities. All doors in the building have keypad systems to provide security, Reed said.

On Friday, about 30 new staff members were participating in a training class at the HCA, he said. None of the children were present because they were in school or at work.

"Everything is quiet today, even Wal-Mart," said Mary Catherine Allison, a residential counselor. "It was just like a calm. Normally, it's hectic on Mondays. There were lots of parking spaces. It was really weird. It felt like the city was mourning."

Across the street, Envy You Salon-Boutique remained closed Monday, after being closed Saturday and Sunday "due to the recent events," according to a sign posted in the shop's window.

Pedestrian traffic on the sidewalks near the American Civic Association was sparse late Monday morning.

"Everyone who survived this incident is a hero," Chandler said.

She wants outsiders to know this: "We've always been a tight-knit community. ... We're not just a small, rundown little town. I just can't believe this happened."

Industry donates resources in NY massacre cleanup

BINGHAMTON, NY — Following the horrific events that unfolded last Friday at the American Civic Association in Binghamton, NY, the American Bio-Recovery Association (ABRA) has completed the cleanup, according to a press release.

The ABRA, a non-profit international association of crime and trauma scene professionals sought help from two local companies to assist in the biorecovery cleanup efforts, the release stated.

Disaster Cleanup of Endwell, NY, and Bio-Recovery Corporation of New York, NY, donated their labor and supplies to professionally and legally remediate the scene with a crew of six highly skilled biorecovery technicians, the release noted.

As a community service, the ABRA provided no cost biohazard cleanup services to the non-profit American Civic Association in hopes of helping the community heal from the loss of 13 innocent would-be American citizens and the wounding of four others, the release added.

The thoughts and prayers of the CM/Cleaning & Maintenance Management® and CM/Cleanfax® staff go out to all of the friends and families affected by this tragedy.

Cleanup completed at Civic Association

April 5, 2009

Cleanup has been completed at the American Civic Association building in Binghamton, where a gunman killed 13 people and injured four before taking his own life Friday.

The American Bio-Recovery Association, a non-profit international association of crime and trauma scene professionals, said Sunday that the bio-recovery cleaning was complete. The Ipswich, Mass.-based group provided the service at no cost.

Two member companies, Disaster Clean Up of Endwell and the Bio-Recovery Corporation of New York City, donated labor and supplies to remediate the scene with a crew of six technicians.

MAYOR BLOOMBERG SIGNS LEGISLATION ESTABLISHING GUIDELINES FOR SAFE CLEANING OF TRAUMA SCENES

Remarks by Mayor Bloomberg at a Public Hearing on Local Laws


"The next bill before me is Introductory Number 123-A, sponsored by Council Members Nelson, Gentile, Liu, Sanders, Vallone, Katz, Weprin and Mealy. Introductory Number 123-A requires the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene to establish guidelines for the uniform and safe cleaning of trauma scenes on both public and private property and to provide important information on resources related to trauma scene clean-up.

"Presently, there are no available written guidelines that integrate both worker protection requirements and medical waste handling. The guidelines established under this bill will provide agencies, private employers, and the public with clear and important information on protecting workers and the public.

"The guidelines for trauma scene management - to be followed by all City agencies - would include the immediate restriction of access to the trauma scene, the cleaning and decontamination of the trauma scene, and the removal of any waste in accordance with applicable laws and guidelines. These guidelines will be modified for trauma-scene management on private property and will be available through 311 and on NYC.GOV along with helpful information for property owners and crime victims.

"I would like to thank the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene Commissioner Thomas Frieden and his staff for working on this bill. I would also like to thank the Council for approving this legislation."