State’s highest court blocks Adirondack snowmobile trails | The Daily Gazette
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ALBANY – In a landmark ruling, the state’s highest court on Tuesday decided that the timber-clearing needed for wide “connector” snowmobile trails in the Adirondack Park violates the state constitution’s “forever wild” clause in the Forest Preserve and must stop.
The 4-2 ruling by the Court of Appeals is the end of an eight-year court fight brought by environmental group Protect the Adirondacks against the state Department of Environmental Conservation and Adirondack Park Agency. The group sued the state in 2013 over plans for the “community connector” snowmobile trails, which could be as much as 10 to 12 feet wide and require thousands of trees to be cut.
April 3, 2021
An Escambia County man has been sentenced to state prison on child pornography charges.
Donnie James Mclachlan, 19, was sentenced to 18 years and designated as a sexual offenders by Judge Jennie Kinsey.
Mclachlan entered a plea straight up to the court on 15 counts of possession of child pornography, one count of using a computer to solicit the sexual conduct of a child, and one count of transmission of harmful material to a minor.
The charges stemmed from an Escambia County Sheriff’s Office investigation. An Escambia resident contacted law enforcement after Mclachlan sent her minor child a nude photograph of himself over social media. After an investigation, a search warrant was served at Mclachlan’s residence. A large quantity of child pornography was found on various storage devices in Mclachlan’s possession. After being interviewed by law enforcement, Mclachlan