An Alfred Station, N.Y., man who allegedly disguised himself as a burn victim was charged by Alfred police over the weekend with several theft-related felonies.

If there’s pain and suffering and a medical need, chances are he wants to be there. Dr. Ismail Mehr, 37, an anesthesiologist at St. James Mercy Hospital in Hornell, N.Y., is preparing for the front lines of another disaster area. This time, it’s Haiti.

At first I questioned, how dare the Jets, of all teams, with an overrated rookie quarterback, brick-handed receivers and little historical significance, play their way into the playoffs? But then I sat back and thought about it a little more, and I came to realize, these Jets did in fact play their way into the postseason.

He’s not Mike Shanahan or Bill Cowher, but he is the new head coach of the Buffalo Bills.

Rex Ryan has walked that line and now is laughing all the way to the AFC Championship game.
Some might find Ryan’s act obnoxious, but he’s instilled a confidence in the New York Jets that has not been seen since Bill Parcells strolled along the Gang Green sidelines.

Jacob, a teenager who sued the Mohawk Central School District last year alleging the district failed to stop bullying over his sexual orientation, now has a supporter in a very high place. The U.S. Justice Department has intervened on his behalf in his federal lawsuit against Mohawk schools.

Two families in New York state are feeling their own aftershocks from the devastation caused by the major earthquake that struck Haiti on Tuesday.

This time last year, Jay Cutler was still the quarterback of the Denver Broncos and Terrell Owens was with the Dallas Cowboys. Donovan McNabb is still a member of the Philadelphia Eagles, but in what has seemingly become an annual ritual, there is talk that the team may consider a change.

For all that President Obama is accomplishing, he’s still using standardized test scores as the only legitimate measure of success.

Andre Dawson is a Hall of Famer. You can argue about numbers – batting averages, home runs, runs batted in, stolen bases, wins and losses, earned run averages or anything else you want to come up with. In my book, Dawson deserves the honor, for more than one reason.

Not since the first sherpa considered climbing Mount Everest has anyone faced so tall an order. Gov. David Paterson used his State of the State address Wednesday to lay out a plan for New York to become a national model of trust in government. Oh, and a model of economic strength, to boot. The governor certainly earns points for ambition.

Never at a loss for words, it stands to reason George Wilson would have had plenty to say after Sunday’s season-closing 30-7 win over the Indianapolis Colts. He did not disappoint.

The amount that Wall Street paid itself in compensation and bonuses last year would be enough to solve the budget crisis of every one of the 50 states.

Truckers and some smaller communities are at odds over the use of some state roads in rural areas. People in towns such as Skaneateles in rural Onondaga County don’t like large trucks driving through their communities. But truckers like Ken Johnson, vice president of Leonard’s Express in Farmington, say the roads were designed for trucks in the first place.

If you must celebrate with drink, make sure you don’t drive.