MADISON COUNTY NEWS

Latest Madison County News, Events and Opinion

David Lassman / The Post-StandardAllysa Hart (left) and Nicole Krisop both 14 years old from Perry , N.Y. ride the Himalaya on the midway at the New York State Fair.

Teenagers love the midway at the New York State Fair. They come to socialize and to see the bizarre shows. But the big draw is the rides.

There are 70 rides, and they're not cheap, according to George Weston, midway manager for Strates Shows. The least expensive one cost about $800,000, he said. The most expensive, Top Spin, cost $2.9 million. The most popular rides, he said, are KMG Fire Ball, Top Spin, Zyklon (a roller coaster) the Giant Ferris Wheeland Himalaya.

Which rides are best for thrill seekers? Which are best for screamers? We asked Central New York teenagers to weigh in.

Click the following rides for their reviews:
Enterprise
Himalaya
KMG Fire Ball (two reviews)
Top Spin (three reviews)
Wave Swing
Zipper

Here's more on teens and the state fair:
• Teens love the midway, by Brendan Pitts, a Baldwinsville senior
• Meet, or join the young writers contributing to The Post-Standard and Syracuse.com this year
• A video of the midway by staff videographer Peter Chen
• How much do the rides cost? Read on.

Photo by Chris Snyder, a senior at Westhill High SchoolLeanna Wilkins, 15, of Parish, rides the Top Spin on the midway of the New York State Fair

Glass

THE LOOK: One large cylinder with two rows of seats.

THE STORY:The loud music and flashing strobe lights could be heard and seen from across the midway. As the ride powered up, the hydraulic lift raised the ride high above the midway, creating a perfect view of the entire fairgrounds. Before I could take a breath, the ride dropped and swung like a pendulum, quickly getting enough momentum to spin us 360 degrees, bringing us upside down several times. After the first couple of swings, I could feel the fried dough from The Villa in my stomach.

When the ride came to a temporary stop, the operator asked if anyone wanted more, and of course the crowd cheered for more. It was time for the girls to scream one more time and listen to the music as you whirled past the loud speakers. The loud music continued as the ride finally came to a stop. More kids and teens boarded the ride as their parents and scared friends watched.

MY RATING: 5 stars out of 5.

-- Rob Glass, a senior at Cazenovia High School

Read on for two more reviews of Top Spin

Yorkville, N.Y. - State police are investigating a possible psychedelic mushroom growing site in the Oneida County village of Yorkville.

Troopers were notified Tuesday of the situation by county probation officers who had responded to 1004 Champlin Ave. to arrest Michael Schecter for a probation violation, troopers said.

The New York State Police Contaminated Crime Scene Emergency Response Team and the Community Narcotices Enforcement Team arrived on the scene. Chemists secured several mason jars and petri dishes containing possible mushroom spores and unknown chemicals.

Shecter was placed in the Oneida County Correctional Facility on the probation violation charge. Charges are pending based on laboratory tests on the seized items, troopers said.

A small area surrounding the residence was evacuated until officials deemed it safe.

Yorkville, N.Y. - State police are investigating a possible psychedelic mushroom growing site in the Oneida County village of Yorkville.

Troopers were notified Tuesday of the situation by county probation officers who had responded to 1004 Champlin Ave. to arrest Michael Schecter for a probation violation, troopers said.

The New York State Police Contaminated Crime Scene Emergency Response Team and the Community Narcotices Enforcement Team arrived on the scene. Chemists secured several mason jars and petri dishes containing possible mushroom spores and unknown chemicals.

Shecter was placed in the Oneida County Correctional Facility on the probation violation charge. Charges are pending based on laboratory tests on the seized items, troopers said.

A small area surrounding the residence was evacuated until officials deemed it safe.

Update:
A judge said federal officials should enforce his decision that casino gambling is not legal on land the Seneca Indians bought in Buffalo, but he stopped short of saying a casino already operating there should be shut down.

U.S. District Judge William Skretny's ruling Tuesday leaves the question of how to address the earlier decision up to the National Indian Gaming Commission. The commission might choose to issue a fine, temporarily close the casino or take some other action.

A group of gambling opponents had asked Skretny to order the casino immediately closed to comply with his ruling in July. In that decision, Skretny said that while the purchased land qualifies as sovereign territory, it's not eligible for gambling because it was not acquired as part of a land claim.

Kin Cheung / APBronze medalist Beezie Madden of US celebrates after winning the Equestrian Individual Jumping competition during the Beijing 2008 Olympics in Hong Kong.

Local leaders will honor Olympic equestrian Beezie Madden at a reception in Cazenovia's Memorial Park at 7 p.m. today.

New York State Assemblyman Bill Magee, Cazenovia Mayor Tom Dougherty, Nelson Town Supervisor Dick Williams, and Cazenovia College President Mark Tierno to scheduled to speak at the public celebration.

Madden returned home to Central New York Sunday after a whirlwind week in Hong Kong that earned her two Olympic medals. Riding her horse, Authentic, Madden contributed to the United States gold medal in the team jumping competition and then took home her own bronze medal in the individual competition. She left Hong Kong, where the Olympic equestrian events were held, shortly after her last win to avoid a typhoon approaching the coast of China.

She'll be on her 160-acre farm just east of Cazenovia only for a few days; she leaves for Calgary next week for another competition.

She will return to Central New York with her American teammates and their gold medals for the Syracuse Invitational Sporthorse Tournament, scheduled to take place Oct. 29 to Nov. 2 at the Oncenter.

Copper Turret Executive Chef Doug Walters prepared a Duck Confit and Chioggia Beet Salad with Organic Plum Vinaigrette Dressing at the State Fair Monday, using primarily ingredients grown in New York State.

Walters said he tries to change the menu at the Copper Turret, which has a dining room and tavern menu, four to five times a year. His restaurant is more than just a place to eat: it's also a learning laboratory for hospitality students from Morrisville State.

The recipe pairs the slowly-braised duck with crisp greens, topped with beets and crumbles of goat cheese and an organic dressing.

Click the link below to see the three recipes Walters used to create the dish.

Thor Dickquist

Oneida --- A 21-year-old Oneida man was arraigned Friday in City Court on allegations that he carried a 16-year-old girl he was walking with to a grassy area and forcibly raped her.

Thor A. Dickquist pleaded not guilty to first-degree rape. Oneida City Police said the attack took place at 12:30 a.m. Aug. 17 on East Railroad Street.

Dickquist remains in the Madison County Jail in lieu of $25,000 cash bail or $50,000 bond.