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Heroin Found In Faculty Restroom At NY School

WAMC Northeast Public Radio | By Dave Lucas
Published February 19, 2014 at 9:06 AM EST

Disturbing signs the heroin epidemic is spreading across New York after authorities say the drug has been found inside a faculty bathroom at an upstate New York elementary school twice since just before Christmas.

Police tell the Times Herald-Record in Middletown they've launched an investigation into the discoveries at Benjamin Cosor Elementary School in the rural Sullivan County town of Fallsburg.

Police Chief Simmie Williams says heroin and several needles were found in the men's room on Dec. 19th. He adds heroin was also found in the same bathroom last Tuesday.

Several people have been identified as using the  restroom, including six teachers. Williams notes the teachers and a school aide have stopped cooperating with police and hired lawyers on the advice of their union.

The district's superintendent notified parents on Monday about the investigation.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press
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Dave Lucas
Dave Lucas is WAMC’s Capital Region Bureau Chief. Born and raised in Albany, he’s been involved in nearly every aspect of local radio since 1981. Before joining WAMC, Dave was a reporter and anchor at WGY in Schenectady. Prior to that he hosted talk shows on WYJB and WROW, including the 1999 series of overnight radio broadcasts tracking the JonBenet Ramsey murder case with a cast of callers and characters from all over the world via the internet. In 2012, Dave received a Communicator Award of Distinction for his WAMC news story "Fail: The NYS Flood Panel," which explores whether the damage from Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee could have been prevented or at least curbed. Dave began his radio career as a “morning personality” at WABY in Albany.
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