At the request of Herkimer Village Mayor Dana Sherry, the New York State Comptroller conducted an audit of the village finances. The report is now out and the link shared by Mayor Sherry via the Village Facebook. I’ve published it below. It could have been worse. It was a chaotic nightmare rife for fraud.
At a Village Board meeting in March 2023, Mayor Sherry presented several whiteboards detailing some of what she’d unearthed about the village finances she’d inherited from the previous mayoral administration. A few folks at the meeting were irate and refused to believe what they were being shown. Mayor Sherry then wisely requested the assistance of the state Comptroller to untangle the mare’s nest she’d inherited.
The good news? No money was missing. The bad news? The records were a jumbled mess. Working with the state auditors, Mayor Shelly and retired clerk-treasurer Amanda Visconi were able to reconcile several years of botched books, from June 1 2022 to October 1 2024. The work continues. (We’re fortunate Ms. Viscomi was available and willing to help.)
Report Overview
The current and former Clerk-Treasurers did not maintain complete, accurate or up-to-date financial records and reports As a result, the Village Board (Board) lacked the financial information necessary to properly monitor and manage Village finances.
Here’s the full report. Following it is a link to an interview of Mayor Sherry and Ms. Viscomi on WUTQ’s Talk of the Town. (We’re fortunate Ms. Viscomi was available and willing to help.)
Herkimer giving sanctuary to disgraced former New York Supreme Court Judge Erin P. Gall is no surprise. To quote from our Herkimer crime posts, “‘It’s just Herkimer,’ folks say with a shrug.” It was done with a practiced sleight of hand, a bit of Herkimer Machiavellism, which has long succeeded as no one was watching. They’re watching now.
Who is Erin P. Gall?
Gall was a Republican New York State Supreme Court Judge in neighboring Oneida County. In 2022, she unleashed a vicious, 90-minute racist diatribe at a group of Black teens attending a party at her friend’s house. These were local, “clean-cut kids”, as one of the judges who recommended Gall’s removal remarked. The police video of Gall belittling the kids and threatening to shoot them eventually became public and went viral:
“It is utterly unacceptable for a judge to threaten gun violence, exhibit racial prejudice, promise favorable treatment for the police, or disparage a law intended to keep guns away from dangerous people. Any one of these things would undermine public confidence in the administration of justice. That one judge committed all this and more disqualifies her from further service on the bench.”
Jumping before she could be pushed, Gall resigned her judgeship on 12/15/24. End of story? No.
New York State found her conduct “utterly unacceptable.” But it was OK with Herkimer County. On 1/4/25, Gall began her new job as assistant county attorney in Herkimer at $108,105 a year, reported the New York Times. The job is responsible for juvenile justice matters, per the job description: [It}examines and coordinates materials and efforts related topresenting juvenile delinquency cases, represents Herkimer County in bankruptcy proceedings, and does general legal research for the Herkimer County Attorney’s Office.
Gall needed a job and Herkimer threw her a lifeline. Officially, she was appointed by Herkimer County Attorney Lorraine H Lewandrowski. Ms. Lewandrowski serves at the pleasure of the Herkimer County Legislature and is the perfect scapegoat for problems with the appointment of Gall. Folks familiar with the Herkimer government say Lewandrowski wouldn’t have made any appointment unless the county legislature supported it—specifically, Republican Chair Bob Hollum.
Herkimer County Legislature Chair Robert Hollum, is currently on probation for drug and gun charges.
No. 451 – A communication was received from the County Attorney submitting notice of appointment of Assistant County Attorney. Filed.
Herkimer’s assistant county attorney job had all the hallmarks of a political patronage plum. it was open for months, per reliable information. It’s a good, well-paying job and would have had numerous applicants. $100k+ goes a long way in rural New York. But only when Gall needed a job was it filled.
Resigning her judgeship on 12/15/24, Gall stated she’d accepted a position beginning 1/2/25, after searching for a job in September and October–the job with Herkimer County. In her accompanying affidavit, she noted the national and local coverage given the police videos of her diatribe.
Foolishly assuming that such a controversial appointment would have been brought before the Herkimer County Legislature, I searched its minutes. I found only a brief action item, noting the appointment of an unnamed assistant county attorney by the county attorney. It was buried in the minutes of the meeting of 10/23/24, page 2:
No. 451 – A communication was received from the County Attorney submitting notice of appointment of Assistant County Attorney. Filed.
Had the notorious Erin Gall’s been named as the appointee, objections might have been raised. County Attorney Lewandrowski would never have made that appointment on her own. It would have needed a sponsor, like County Legislature Chair Bob Hollum . Lewandowski went along to get along. Which makes her the fall guy should a wave of opprobrium slam the legislature.
Not to worry. Herkimer isn’t given to moral outrage. it’s been a month since the New York Times revealed Gall’s appointment—no wave of opprobrium. Folks in Herkimer tend to be either complicit, craven or cowed–conditioned by years of unchallenged gang activity the Feds finally squelched. Indeed, local Republicans, the ruling party here, support Gall’s appointment. Reflecting Herkimer’s ingrained backwoods racism, Herkimer County Clerk and Republican Chair Sylvia Rowan was quoted by the Times as saying
Ms. Gall’s behavior at the party was something people “will probably frown at.” But… “to question her ability in her job and what she did in that situation is different.” “I’m a firm believer in second chances,” she added.
I feel sorry for any Black kid falling under Gall’s authority.
It’s not too late for the Herkimer County Legislature to redeem itself by firing Gall. Given the underhandedness of her appointment, most of its members have plausible deniability.
New York Times journalist Shayla Colon covers New York City, with a focus on boroughs outside Manhattan. While with Hearst, she covered Upstate New York. Her email address is shayla.colon@nytimes.com. Anonymous tips can be sent her via the Times tip address: https://www.nytimes.com/tips
Why was the court of jurisdiction also not transferred to Oneida County? That would have truly removed any hint of impropriety. Leaving it in the hands of a Herkimer County village court presided over by a part-time judge fuels suspicion that this is being swept under the rug to protect a prominent local politician.
PROOF THE FIX IS IN
I wouldn’t have written about this had WKTV not hidden its first Facebook posting of Hollum’s sentencing. It had over 100 mostly scathing comments when it vanished. Its replacement post is attracting scathing remarks, too. (Follow the link to the original before it disappears.) This all so smacks of Herkimer’s good ole boys protecting each other.
Hollum’s case has inspired me to look at the Herkimer County Legislature’s other recent shady doings. (Did you hear about the unfrocked judge?)
11/7/24 Update: Vincent Iocovozzi won, 2,970 to 2,557. Congratulations to Mr. Iocovozzi on his win. Perhaps he’ll uncover some murder victims on his watch.
The Herkimer County District 3 Coroner’s race is no longer a shoo-in for an Enea. Herkimer’s Enea family members, mostly all funeral directors, usually run unopposed or very gently against each other.
This year, though, Herkimer funeral director Vicent Iocovozzi is running against Dan Enea. Both are contending for the seat vacated by Dan Enea’s uncle, Vincent Ena. Iocovozzi appears well-qualified, having the professional qualifications Daniel Enea lacks. But says he’ll get.
Herkimer Coroners Vincent Enea (left) and nephew Daniel Enea
Moving north to climate safety? Lovely county up here, but it’s not all apple blossoms and 4H. Please read this book before you make any firm plans: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D7SW861Y
Wife Linda and I relocated from Sarasota to Central New York in 2013. We’d done our homework. We knew Florida was doomed and that the Rust Belt was a sweet spot climate safety zone. And so far that’s proven true.
We did our homework, checked out Realtor, identified possible relocation spots, pulled the crime stats for those places we could afford, and bought a very nice old house for very little money–very little being what we had. Herkimer, a historic New York village near Utica, became our home.
We moved in on March 13, 2013. Soon after that, the long years of warfare began with the trafficking gangs that controlled Herkimer, their presence hidden from research–the police didn’t register complaints—statistically, Herkimer’s crime rate was similar to Nantucket’s. Herkimer had gotten rid of many unwelcomed newcomers before. Two more “old, weak people” didn’t seem much of a challenge. They had no understanding of the power of social media. But we did.
We videoed it all blogged about it and fielded a YouTube channel through all those long years. And now that it’s over and we won–with a lot of help from the Feds–I put it all in the book, which relies heavily on our blog and the videos. You wouldn’t believe me otherwise. “What county is that?” we sometimes asked each other.
It’s all in the book: the in-your-face corruption, the wholesale drug and child trafficking, the protected, gang-run neighborhoods, the menacing, the poison gas attacks, the blogger beatings, the cop-proof thugs.
I’m a science fiction writer. This is my first and last work of nonfiction. I didn’t enjoy writing it. But we all have a duty to warn. Pass it on. There are a lot of Herkimers and ambush predators up here in the Rust Belt.
From Gork’s summary of the related X post:
The post promotes Stephen Ames Berry’s memoir “This Is Our Place!”, detailing a Florida family’s decade-long struggle against a Rust Belt trafficking gang, tying into climate migration—a concept supported by a 2021 study in Nature Climate Change predicting 200 million climate migrants by 2050 due to rising sea levels and economic shifts.
The Rust Belt’s transformation from industrial decline to a potential climate migration hub is underscored by Danny Schleien’s 2021 Medium article, which notes its historical population loss reversed as people flee coastal climate risks, challenging the narrative of its permanent economic stagnation.
Berry’s work aligns with emerging research, like a 2023 Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences paper, linking climate-driven displacement to increased crime rates, offering a gritty, firsthand perspective on gang activity amid environmental upheaval.
“The Crippen-Carpenter Effect: an unwitting dark synergy of nonfeasance and malfeasance…
2023 saw Herkimer’s long-entrenched drug and child trafficking gangs fade away. Gang-central Pleasant Avenue has rejoined civilization. It’s a delight after ten years of menacing, assaults and hundreds of poison gas attacks to bask in the silence along Pleasant Avenue and to chat with decent new neighbors.
Still with us, though, and clouding Herkimer’s future, are two complementary pillars of enduring rot that continue to make us all unsafe: District Attorney Jeffrey Carpenter and Herkimer Police Officer Jason Crippen.
Carpenter’s unblushing sweetheart plea bargains and Crippen’s sneering suppression of citizen complaints and false incident reporting form the Crippen-Carpenter Effect: an unwitting dark synergy of nonfeasance and malfeasance, creating a dangerous community in which the law is flouted, criminals go free and people aren’t safe. If Crippen can’t put the shutup on your complaint, Carpenter can arrange a cheap plea deal. Between the two of them, Herkimer’s gangs were for years assured a steady supply of jail-free workers while the rest of us took our chances.
8.3.23 Brooding Herkimer gangbanger moves out of long-time drug and child trafficking central at 328 Pleasant Avenue. It and two adjacent properties long sheltered active drug and child traffickers. It was Herkimer’s Historic Child Trafficking Hub.
Gangs need poverty to flourish. The Rust Belt’s long hardscrabble existence is ending as a rising tide of prosperity sweeps the region. It’s eliminated the Section 8 housing that used to barrack Herkimer’s drug and child trafficking gangs. As property values continue to rise, owners are rehabbing houses and either selling them or renting them to newcomers, many of them driven by climate change, flock to climate-safe Central and Upstate New York. Google Guide Linda Kaidan’s photos of the Herkimer area have drawn 15 million views via Google Maps.
Climate Migration Banishes Gangs
Stepped-up regional and federal law enforcement has helped convince traffickers to move on; a flotilla of federal surveillance drones often fills our night sky. Hundreds of billions of dollars are being invested in chip fabrication facilities spanning the Mohawk Valley on into Syracuse. Rust Belt gangs won’t be allowed to threaten what’s becoming the heart of America’s and the Rust Belt’s economic rebirth.
And yet…
Officer Jason Crippen – The Sorry Saga Continues
It’s disappointing to see Jason Crippen still on the Herkimer Police, patrolling with impunity despite the many recently revealed and substantiated complaints against him. Crippen’s continued wearing of a badge reflects a decision by Herkimer Police Chief Michael Jory to prioritize the protection of his officers over that of the community. Unfortunately, it’s a very common decision.
Herkimer Police Chief Michael Jory in 2017. Don’t be fooled by his “Aw, shucks, I’m just a simple country boy” shtick. He’s sharp and perceptive.
Says police oversight specialist, Professor Daniel Bodah of John Jay College of Criminal Justice: “It’s important for the police and the general public that (discipline) records are open. Departments opposed to making police disciplinary records public are possibly looking to shield officers and themselves from potential embarrassment. It’s a desire to not hurt the person, not a desire to have honest policing.”
Crippen tased a suspected shoplifter he knew to be pregnant. Left his service pistol lying about in a public area. Allegedly filed a false police report to revenge himself on a citizen who chastised him for driving recklessly. Why does a public embarrassment like Crippen enjoy continued protection as he imperils the community? Does he know where the bodies are buried? The money laundered?
Complaints Against Officer Jason Crippen
6.16.22 Herkimer Police Officer Jason Crippen trying to intimidate Herkimer Post’s Stephen Ames Berry under the color of law.
Here are the publicly known complaints filed against Crippen, most only recently released after a three-year Freedom of Information lawsuit by Gannett/USA Today against the Herkimer Police and its brazen flouting of New York law:
There’s a suspiciously long gap in reported incidents between 2019 and 2022. Perhaps Crippen did nothing worthy of a complaint in those three years? The Herkimer PD didn’t release my complaints, filed before the suit was settled. Perhaps other incidents are being kept hidden?
The Crippen-Carpenter Effect: A Case Study
Here’s an example of the Crippen-Carpenter effect: On 9/30/22, I was attacked by neighboring drug thug Jordan Bormann and left unconscious on the sidewalk with a life-altering traumatic brain injury. Crippen, despite his history with me, was appointed the incident’s investigating officer. (With its annual budget of $1.45 million, the Herkimer Police Department supports a chief, a captain, an investigator and a squad of sergeants, led by a first sergeant.)
Kim Vargas’ son Jordan Bormann assaulted me in front of 328 Pleasant Avenue, causing traumatic brain injury. I blogged about their alleged drug trafficking. Officer Jason Crippen’s investigation stated I was responsible for my own assault. Reinvestigation based on my surveillance cam footage saw Bormann charged with Class D Violent Felony and Crippen’s report given the lie.
Crippen has a history of using allegedly false reporting to revenge himself on complaining citizens. This was another instance. In his incident report, Crippen stated that Bormann was defending his mother from me. He reported the incident as harassment on my part. In the week it took for me to write up a complaint and prepare the video device, Crippen avoided asking for video evidence of the incident from our security cameras, which he knew covered the scene of the attack and which outed his investigation as yet another falsity.
I presented the undeniable video evidence of Bormann’s guilt to the Herkimer PD, which arrested him and correctly charged him with violent felony assault on an elder, which carries mandatory jail time.
District Attorney Carpenter Parrots Crippen’s False Incident Report
No one from the District Attorney’s well-staffed, well-paid office appeared at Bormann’s arraignment. Instead, DA Carpenter later offered Bormann a plea deal of $100 fine for misdemeanor assault and two years probation. Bormann unsurprisingly accepted. The plea bargaining process is murky. Money could easily change hands and no one would know.
Herkimer District Attorney Jeffrey S. Carpenter. His Sweetheart Plea Bargains Help Keep Violent Criminals On The Streets
No Time for Trials: $554,425 – 2023 Herkimer DA Jeffrey Carpenter and Four Assistant DAs’ Salaries
The young thug never spent a moment in jail. I’m still recovering from my traumatic brain injury. (My walking’s advanced to an enhanced Parkinson’s shuffle.)
“If Carpenter forgot about the evidence he had, he was nonfeasant. If he knowingly didn’t cite the evidence, he’s malfeasant–no wiggle room.
Insult to injury, DA Carpenter, ignoring the video evidence on which he based Bormann’s felony assault charge, parroted Crippen’s bogus and disproven investigation report to the NY Attorney General’s Victims Services unit. I was denied full compensation for medical copays as “the instigator.” I’ve appealed. If Carpenter forgot about the evidence he had, he was nonfeasant. If he knowingly didn’t cite the evidence, he’s malfeasant–no wiggle room.
It’s been almost a year and my appeal for reimbursement is still pending at Victims Services. Expectant mom-tasing Crippen still patrols Herkimer. Carpenter, who earns $200k a year and has four assistant DAs, will probably be running for reelection in 2024, based on his 16 years of protecting and serving Herkimer.
12.6.23 A relaxed and confident Officer Jason Crippen as a jolly elf, co-receiving a charitable Christmas donation. Note his expectant-mom taser (yellow), ready for fast cross draw, and the Glock pistol he left lying around in public. (See his discipline record.)
“As long as their chief protects his rogue officers from scrutiny, rather than protecting the public by firing them, the community is not safe.
Herkimer Police Chief Mike Jory has done a lot of good things. Most recently he’s promoted some of his best line officers to positions of authority and brought mental health professionals on board to help decriminalize mental illness. He’s turned the Herkimer PD’s Facebook page into a Happy Hour of good news.
Herkimer Cops Aren’t the Baddies
This is our tenth year in Herkimer, using social media to out criminals who wanted us gone. We’ve worked with a lot of the Herkimer cops–the great majority of them are dedicated professionals, good people in a bad system. It must be very frustrating to see so many of your solid busts subverted by sweetheart plea bargaining that puts bad actors back on the street. That won’t change as long as Herkimer’s chief law enforcement officer is the criminal-coddling king of low-ball plea bargains.
Why no Herkimer County DA attorneys are available to represent victims at arraignments. (Even when you reach the secret plea deal number, expect a delay.)
Carpenter’s old boss, former Herkimer County DA and retired New York Supreme Court Judge Bill Daley, ran against Carpenter for DA in 2016. He says of Carpenter’s criminal coddling:
Every felony is plea bargained and violent criminals put back in our community. There is a statute in place and that must be followed. When you plea bargain every single case, that tells me the offers are so low that the defendant has to take them. When you’re offering such sweetheart deals that the defendants can’t turn them down, you end up with no trials.
Carpenter’s Instrument of Betrayal: Charge of Violent Felony on an Elder, with Mandatory Prison Time, Becomes a $100 Misdemeanor
Case Study: People v. Jordan Bormann. How DA Carpenter Betrays the Public Trust
Eager to see how DA Carpenter magically transformed a violent felony into a misdemeanor, I researched my own case. It’s not for the faint of heart. Carpenter’s contempt for the community he’s charged to protect is on full display:
Was Your Complaint to the Herkimer Police Not Made Public? Tell USA Today’s Police Discipline Records Team
New York law makes all police complaints, not just the unsubstantiated ones, open to public access. If you’ve filed a written complaint about a police officer, you’re entitled upon request to that information, no matter the disposition of that complaint. If you filed a complaint about a Herkimer police officer and it wasn’t released in response to the USA Today suit, tell USA Today’s Police Discipline Records Team. Here’s the link: https://shorturl.at/ty459
Public access to police discipline records in New York is now down to a department-by-department trench fight. Time, resources and the law are on the side of the public. Don’t be deterred.
“The window is fast closing on our chance to put our own house in order before heavy hammers fall. And it won’t be pretty.
Making Herkimer Safe Again
The only way for Herkimer to ever be truly safe again is to replace District Attorney Jeffrey Carpenter with a chief law enforcement officer of proven worth and integrity. Someone who’ll enforce the statutes passed to protect us, not cut backroom deals and put violent criminals back on the streets. Someone who doesn’t flout the law but ensures its observance. Someone who’ll prosecute bad cops, not parrot them.
Jason Crippen so needs to go, before he does even more and greater harm to the people of Herkimer. If Chief Jory won’t or can’t get rid of him and run a clean shop, then Jory needs to retire. Climate migration is sending a lot of people and new industries our way. They won’t tolerate the cozy corruption of old boy-run Rust Belt towns like Herkimer. This region is vital to the future of America.
A lot of eyes are on us–look up, count the surveillance drones. Too much is at stake here in an increasingly perilous world. The window is fast closing on our chance to put our own house in order before the heavy hammers fall. And it won’t be pretty.
Photo from our video “Dead Kids Walking.” Trafficked kids at Herkimer landlord Jay Smith’s 341 Eureka Avenue property, 8/14/16 Since uploaded in 9/18, it and its companion video, “Adieu Herkimer’s Trafficked Kids,” have had 27,900 views. Smith still owns the property.
It’s been over a year since we published a series of articles and videos reporting our lengthy observation of Herkimer’s multi million-dollar role in the child sex trafficking industry. To date, our Herkimer child trafficking series has brought our posts and videos approximately 230,000 worldwide views.
Herkimer Post Child Trafficking Series Takes On Life of Its Own
Our Herkimer child trafficking series has taken on a life of its own: in the last 12 months herkimerpost.com had over 81,000 views. Our YouTube channel had over 35,000 views with 72,000 impressions and 1,220 hours of watch time worldwide. (An impression is counted every time a video thumbnail is viewed on YouTube. People may not view the video, but its thumbnail leaves an impression.)
In the 12 month period just ended, 31,809 visitors read an average of two or more posts. Our most read post was “Dead Kids Walking – Herkimer’s $100 Million Trafficking Hub,” viewed 65,000 times. In the same period, that post’s two associated YouTube videos, “Trafficked Kids 341 Eureka” and “Adieu Herkimer’s Trafficked Kids” were watched a total of 20,844 times.
Herkimer Post Top Posts 1/31/19-1/31/20
Over that period, our YouTube videos of Herkimer crime, again notably child trafficking, had 35,000 views with 72,000 impressions and 1,220 hours of watch time worldwide.
Herkimer Post YouTube Channel – Most Watched Videos – 1/31/19 1/31/20
欢迎 A Cordial Welcome to Our Chinese Viewers and Subscribers
Visitors to the Herkimer Post came from over 60 countries, with the US and China predominating. US visitors came largely from Facebook and Chinese visitors from China’s social media, mostly from WeChat. China has its own well-publicized child trafficking issues. Perhaps our showing the faces of American child trafficking found a sympathetic Chinese audience. Human trafficking’s a worldwide horror. (Our thoughts and concerns are with the Chinese people during this very difficult time.)
herkimerpost.com -Top Countries by Viewer – 1/30/19-1/30/20
Is Herkimer Child Trafficking Ongoing?
Albany sent the New York State Police to interview us, and they asked us that too. We don’t know. Certainly wholesale child trafficking’s gone from within range of our cameras. It vanished after we published our child trafficking posts and videos. Following our first child trafficking post, kids were deleted so quickly from Herkimer’s Pleasant Avenue it was like a light going out. Even kids we didn’t think were trafficked vanished. What few kids were left were gone after poison gas attacks on us picked up again.
Herkimer Child Trafficking Long Entrenched and Tolerated
It appears to us that child trafficking was well-entrenched and long-tolerated in Herkimer, with a robust infrastructure built up over the years. Drug and child trafficking gangs became an occupying power, virtually controlling south Herkimer Village, co opting police, cowing residents and corrupting governance. Many Herkimer hands surely profited from it, given the number of trafficked children we estimate passed through Herkimer and the huge money made off of their foreshortened lives.
“But as folks here say with a shrug, ‘It’s Herkimer.’ “
Moral Indignation Sweeps Herkimer – Not
We moved to Herkimer six years ago from Sarasota, Florida. Say what you will of Florida, had a child trafficking series such as ours appeared in a Florida community, torches would have been lit, pitchforks passed out and outraged people would have descended on the traffickers and their houses and they would be gone. Poison gassing would have had the same outraged response. But as folks here say with a shrug, “It’s Herkimer.” When we came house hunting, we were told people in Herkimer prided themselves on minding their own business. Indeed they do. And we’ve chronicled the result.
The 3 Wise Monkeys of Herkimer. “It’s Herkimer, folks here say with a shrug.” There should be a 4th monkey, eyes wide and palm up.
“All these [child traffickers] care about is money. If they weren’t making money in Herkimer, they’d be gone.
Camera-avoidant Smith’s has apparently passed the word via village public safety personnel that he no longer owns the properties comprising Herkimer’s child trafficking hub. If so, he might want to get his name off of the property deeds. Here are the current deeds
Jay Smith’s Property Deeds: 341 Eureka Avenue, 332 and 334 Pleasant Avenue
Herkimer Drug and Child Trafficking Gang Management Still Here
Many of the Sykes gang’s foot soldiers are gone, but their management’s still around—I saw both Stanley Sykes and Carrie Ann Bass the other day, going into the child trafficking lot’s 341 Eureka Avenue. (Stanley’s apparently traded in his old child-safe red Honda SUV for a new blue compact, NY license JKW 5265.) 341 Eureka’s the house handed over to the Sykes gang by Smith’s previous tenants, national child trafficking cartel’s Little Mama and Pretty Boy. And of course, the Joyce Barton gang continues on across the street from us, nested in their 333 Pleasant Avenue rental, subdued but hatin’.
“The Joyce Barton gang continues on.” Neighboring Herkimer drug thug Joyce Barton, wearing a strikingly appropriate shirt, sending a little love our way.
All these people care about is money. If they weren’t making money in Herkimer, they’d be gone. Certainly, there are still law enforcement drones in the skies over Herkimer and New York State Police have upped their presence.. Stuff must still be happening in our pastoral village.
Will Prosperity Banish Herkimer Child Trafficking?
Child trafficking flourishes amid poverty and despair. Prosperity banishes it. Herkimer and the Mohawk Valley are among the US’ top climate change relocation areas. Housing prices are going up as many retirees have decided not to drown in Florida or the Carolinas and telecommuting jobs become more available. Such remote jobs will become the norm once Elon Musk’s Starlink bands the globe with internet for all. Industry is relocating here, notably Cree, which is building the world’s largest semiconductor plant an easy commute away in Marcy.
No matter how booming a prosperity Herkimer eventually enjoys, our blog stats show it will never escape the stigma of turning a blind eye to the misery of all those trafficked kids. We have no monopoly on situation awareness. Herkimer is a small village. If we could see it, many of you could. You just chose not to. Minding your own business was the easiest and safest thing to do.
Last night (8/21/17) both the Herkimer police and fire departments failed to adequately enforce the Herkimer ordinance regarding open fires. The long-term scofflaws residing at Jay Smith’s 326 Pleasant Avenue enjoyed a large open campfire from 8 PM until 2:00 AM. Both Herkimer FD and police responded promptly, a total of three times. One police officer saw to the fire’s being extinguished. The FD, though, gave the lads a pass. When I called the FD later to ask why, I was told that the large open campfire was a small cook fire. Had it been for cooking, it would have cooked an entire deer very well.
Herkimer Polluters Continue Sprees Unimpeded
The tenants at 326 Pleasant Ave have a history known to the Herkimer FD of burning formaldehyde contaminated shipping pallets; thus causing harmful pollutants to endanger those nearby. Indeed, one of these miscreants asked just this morning “Did you like the gas?” Was he talking about the recent poison gas attacks on us which originated his backyard?
Unchecked Irresponsible Behavior Ends Badly
Perhaps we should all join in this dangerous and destructive activity? Then the entire village might burn down and no one will complain about fires anymore.
Herkimer Fire Law – Read It Yourself
The ignored Herkimer fire law ordinance is below, courtesy of Herkimer Fire Chief John Spanfelner:
Herkimer Village Local Law No. 3 of 2003, Section 2, defines prohibited burning in the village:
1-12 Definitions
(a)Open Fire: Shall mean any fire or smoke producing process wherein the combustion products are directly emitted into the atmosphere.
(b)Stack: Shall mean any lawful conduit, chimney, duct, vent, or flue arranged to conduct gases or gas borne products to the other air.
Prohibited Burning
1-13 No person shall burn any garbage, rubbish, or solid waste in any open fire except as permitted by provisions set forth herein.
Permissible Burning
1-14 When not prohibited by law, regulation, ordinance, or State officials having jurisdiction, such as the State Commission of Conservation or the State Commissioner of Health, the following types of open burning are permissible:
(A)Outdoor grills and fireplaces for the purpose of preparing food.
(B)Camp fires and fires used solely for recreation purposes when such fires are located at least one hundred (100) feet from any dwelling, structure, or vehicle and are properly controlled and supervised by the Herkimer Fire Department.
(C)Burning of solid or liquid fuels, or structures when under the direct control and supervision of a qualified instructor at a fireman’s training exercise or when done for the instruction and training of firemen.
(D)Properly operated industrial flares for combustion of flammable gases.
(E)Burning specifically authorized by permit by officials acting within their authority and jurisdiction so authorize, such as the State Commissioner of Conservation or the State Commissioner of Health or by the Board of Trustees of the Village of Herkimer.
On 8/13, the ongoing poison gas attacks by our depraved neighbors on Herkimer’s Pleasant Avenue forced a halt to renovation of 328 Pleasant Avenue as workers downed tools and headed out. Pleasant Avenue has recently enjoyed an upswing in real estate sales and development as the Herkimer housing market continues to boom. People are, however, reluctant to continue working if they’re being gassed. Which is what happened at Harriett Tangorra’s 328 Pleasant Avenue property on August 13th – twice!
Double Feature – Two Herkimer Poison Gas Attacks in 8 Hours
There were two gas attacks intended for us and our yard on 8/13. Both were from 328 Pleasant Avenue, which is currently vacant and under renovation. They poisoned both areas.
Like the gas attack on us of 7/28, the first attack on 8/13 was delivered by an organophosphate pesticide. It streamed in an arch entering our yard from the rear of 328 Pleasant Avenue. It was likely from the same agricultural crop dispenser used in the 7/28 attack. The perpetrator of this crime may have been close by – possibly a night owl neighbor. Note the fire in the adjacent yard at 326 Pleasant Avenue burning brightly during the attack. (Upper left of video.)
The second attack of the morning 8/13–watch carefully, end of video–was the toxic mist seen creeping in from 328’s driveway. It inevitably spread further but invisibly into 328’s yard and our own. And in through our kitchen window. (We know the symptoms.)
The mist was odorless and probably the pesticide Deltamethrin, given its effects, and dispensed from a small handheld fogger. The intent is to poison our yard,and ourselves through any open windows. And also to sicken the workmen currently renovating 328 Pleasant Avenue. Herkimer’s criminals know the ongoing renovations and booming home sales will force them out, and are trying to stop developers from continuing to improve Herkimer’s Pleasant Avenue, which until recently they long controlled. For now they’ve succeeded: the owner’s carpenters retreated from 328 Pleasant Avenue after they and the owner were warned. Haven’t seen them again as of this posting. Both yards have lingering toxicity.
A Typical Herkimer Drive-by Gas Attack
Here’s a drive-by poison gas attack on us on at our Herkimer’s Pleasant Avenue home. We’ve been subjected to these drive-by poison gas attacks since mid-July. They occur numerous times a day, usually triggered when we open any window or enter our yard. During the brazen daytime attacks, side door swung wide for spraying convenience.
When you watch the video you can see a trace of the poison mist being dispensed from the open side door of the passing van. (In front of driveway). There are two vehicles involved. The 2nd one passes through the toxic fog, causing a ripple affect. Occupants of both vehicles stop at the end of Pleasant Avenue for a chat.
Use of Hand Foggers in Herkimer Poison Gas Attacks
Typically in these heinous attacks a handheld fogger is used to dispense a concentrated, odorless pesticide whose toxic symptoms are consistent with Deltamethrin. Previously the scum were using an orange-scented pesticide of the pyrethrin family, until one evening they used so much they gassed a lot of people mid-Pleasant Avenue.
334 Pleasant Avenue and Flashers of Gas Attack Victory
Whenever drive-by poison gas attacks occur, day or night, the attacking vehicle often stops afterward a few doors down, in front of the Carrie Bass – Sykes gang commerce hub at 334 Pleasant Avenue, and flashes its lights in victory. (Natural selection in action.) I can see 334 from from where I usually sit. When I see the flashers, I shut the window. Otherwise I’d be poisoned, as my unsuspecting law-abiding neighbors at 335 Pleasant Ave have been. The Stanley Sykes’ gang members, forewarned, either leave or seal themselves in the parking lot houses they rent from Jay Smith.
Herkimer authorities are aware of the use of poison mist, but remain mystified.
Herkimer Poison Gas Attacks – Aftermath
Here’s a video of the aftermath of one of many Herkimer poison gas attacks that have affected not just us but also our Pleasant Avenue neighbors. This street cam footage is from a few moments after I smelled the unmistakable sicky-sweet orange odor of Pyrethrin insecticide mist through my front windows. Dizziness, facial numbness and respiratory distress followed.
The immediate effects of Pyrethrin poisoning are difficulty breathing, coughing, nausea, allergic reactions, stinging in the eyes, itching and swollen lymph glands. Prolonged exposure can cause paralysis and death. Anyone with ongoing immune system and allergy issues often needs immediate medical attention. Which is what appears to have happened to the woman here across the street at 335 Pleasant Avenue, a large multi-family dwelling.
Help Herkimer Police Find a Poisoner
How was the toxin delivered? Play detective-someone should. There are some clues in the video: a moving car and a man walking from across the street. Immediately after the attack, the man goes through the parking lot to Stanley Sykes’ house at 341 Eureka, and quickly returns. Stanley, king of the Pleasant Avenue parking lot, is an experienced businessman and knows you get only half up front, the rest upon delivery.
Herkimer Real Estate Boom Stalled by Drug Gang? Really?
Since July, we and our Pleasant Avenue neighbors been under ongoing poison gas attack by a local drug trafficking gang trying to keep a toehold on our street. People have been sickened. Pets have been killed. These thugs have the morality and tenacity of head lice. They’re not hard to find. They operate out of two rental houses on a parking lot mid-block, as well as secondary location not far away. When not avoiding their own gassing attacks, they traffic brazenly.
Herkimer Village authorities, as is traditional, appear unconcerned with the fate of Pleasant Avenue. (“Oh. It’s Pleasant Avenue.”) These heinous attacks occur multiple times a day, using small, easily concealed insecticide foggers. Poison is misted about, sprayed from passing vehicles, adjacent yards and by pedestrians. The foggers have a range of 30+ feet and are hard to spot. Attackers? The gang members and area’s low-criminal types who mule meth, crack and heroin. They’re all known to the Herkimer police.
Herkimer home sale prices have doubled in the last year. The village is on the brink of resurgence as retirees move north rather than south. Herkimer’s small, ideally located and with limited property. Pleasant Avenue has some of the biggest, well-built 19th century homes in the area. Local developers are eager to renovate them. For the moment, though, they’ve faded. It’s time Herkimer to clear the air along Pleasant Avenue.
At first glance what you see is a lovely close-up of hollyhock blossom. But just zoom in and you’ll see the corroded carcasses of insects. Whichever variety of pesticides our attackers are using, these insects were killed “real good”. They’re partially dissolved and fused to the plants they were unfortunate enough to lite upon.
Destruction of lipid layer leads to nerve paralysis
What chemical process has dissolved them? What do you think this substance is doing to your throat and lungs when you breath it? Such toxic substances can destroy the lipid layer of human skin tissue and paralyze human nerves (Advances in Physical Ergonomics and Human Factors: Part 223). A major characteristic of ongoing Herkimer pesticide poisoning attacks can be observed by taking a close look at vegetation here on Herkimer’s Pleasant Avenue. In the closeup of the hollyhock below – you can see the mangled bodies of 2 insects.
Urban terror causes widespread side effects
This is a urban terrorism. Our attackers are somewhat stealthy and are spraying an array of lethal toxins onto the plants, animals and ground surfaces. Effects may be felt immediately or may take some time. A sad result is the lingering illness and deaths they’re causing in humans and a multitude of animals. Cats for example, formerly numerous here have become nearly extinct in the past few days.
By planting many wild flowers in my garden, I’ve attracted a healthy and varied bee population, now sadly decimated by Herkimer’s pesticide terrorists who threaten human, plant and animal existence by creating a venomous and toxic environment.
Herkimer pesticide poisoning terrorism should be easy to stop
These poisoning attacks are taking place multiple times throughout the day, every day here on Pleasant Avenue in Herkimer, NY. Terrorists are tough to capture because they operate in stealth. But I fail to see why a well-placed drone can’t help identify the likely suspects. Let’s catch these terrorist poisoners!
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Herkimer’s Enea family members, mostly all funeral directors, usually run unopposed or very gently against each other.
