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June 27, 2009
Former Essex town supervisor escapes second DWI conviction
Rough Road Ahead
By Matt Bosley matt@denpubs.com WILLSBORO — A former town supervisor who allegedly ran over two women while driving intoxicated in 1984 recently had another DWI charge against him dropped for lack of evidence. James R. Morse Jr., 68, of Willsboro plead guilty to a minor traffic violation in Willsboro Town Court June 4 after originally being charged with DWI, a crime he was convicted of more than two decades prior. Morse was Essex Town Supervisor in January 1984 when he collided with two pedestrians outside the Wadhams Volunteer Fire Department. According to an article published in the New York Times, Olive Anson and her sister-in-law, Georgianna Anson, were crossing the street after an evening Grange meeting when Morse’s truck hit them at full speed, killing Olive Anson on impact and injuring her sister-in-law. Suspecting drunkenness, state police arrested Morse, who refused a breathalyzer test. A courtordered blood test revealed his blood-alcohol content to be 0.13 percent. The legal limit at the time was 0.10. A grand jury indicted Morse on misdemeanor DWI charges for the incident, but declined to have him tried on possible charges of vehicular manslaughter, a felony. A year went by before Morse’s guilty plea ended with a conviction for DWI in March 1985. He was sentenced to three years probation, a $500 fine, and had his driver ’s license revoked. Despite significant public outcry, Morse remained in his post as supervisor until he lost his re-election bid later that same year. He was elected to several more terms as a town councilman, however.
By Matt Bosley matt@denpubs.com WILLSBORO — A section of Route 22 between Willsboro and Northway Exit 33 is being slated for repairs after years of public outcry, but the work may not come as soon as some might hope. Willsboro resident David Ashline is
ELCS welcomes new principal By Matt Bosley matt@denpubs.com
See MORSE, page 14
See PRINCIPAL, page 3
Elizabethtown-Lewis Central School’s future principal, Kenneth Hughes (Left), gets a few tips about the school from outgoing principal Scott Osborne and school superintendent Gail Else. Hughes will take over as principal in September following Osborne’s resignation to take a position at Peru Central School.
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More than 24 years later, Morse found himself charged with DWI once again. According to police reports, Morse was parked at the Willsboro Boat Launch April 6 when a state police trooper found him asleep in the driver ’s seat of his blue Ford pick-up at about 4 p.m. The officer awoke Morse to check on his wellbeing and noticed signs he had been drinking. Morse admitted to having done so roughly two hours prior, and a breathalyzer test indicated his BAC to be more than the current legal limit of 0.08 percent. The keys were in the ignition, but the vehicle’s engine was off. A partially empty box of wine sat on the seat beside Morse. Most people with prior convictions of DWI get charged with a felony on their second offense, but because Morse’s first conviction was more
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this year. Within four days he had 750 signatures. Ashline said one woman from Reber offered to help with the effort by collecting signatures from some of her neighbors. “Two days later she knocked on my door and had 31 signatures,” he said.
Town officials and residents alike are urging state representatives to address repairs for this section of Route 22 between Willsboro and Northway Exit 33. One resident, David Ashline, recently submitted a petition with more than 1,200 signatures.
ELIZABETHTOWN — Faculty and staff at Elizabethtown-Lewis Central School recently had a chance to get acquainted with their newest administrator. Kenneth Hughes paid a visit there on June 18 as the recently hired as the principal for the school. Hughes will take over for current principal Scott Osborne, who, after two years heading the school, is resigning to take a position at Peru Central School. A native of Lake George, Hughes said he was attracted to Elizabethtown because of its Adirondack setting. “I did a lot of fishing and hunting with my father when I was a kid,” said Hughes, “so I had a lot of affection for this part of the world.” Hughes said he intends to find a place to live in the district with his wife, four-yearold daughter and one-year-old son. “My goal is to become 46er,” said Hughes, noting how he looks forward to having his family settle in a wholesome place with plenty of access to arts, culture and the outdoors.
Drunk behind the wheel
one of many people in the town who are urgently calling for repairs to the eightmile stretch, which is the most utilized travel route for many going to and from the lakeside village. Beginning about a month ago, Ashline circulated a petition in Willsboro that urged representatives at the state level to call for repairs on the road as early as
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