Here are some of the biggest news stories from the Syracuse area you might have missed this weekend:

Democrats designate high school teacher for senate seat

The Onondaga County Democratic Committee selected a Camillus high school teacher to run for the New York State Senate seat being vacated by Rep. John DeFrancisco (R-DeWitt), Syracuse.com reported on Saturday.

John Mannion, a biology teacher at West Genesee High School, received 67 percent of the county committee’s vote Saturday morning. He defeated Joe Chiarenza, a DeWitt town councilor, Syracuse.com reported.

DeFrancisco announced earlier this week he would not seek re-election for the 50th district’s state senate seat. He’s held the seat for 25 years.

Several Republicans have expressed interest in running for DeFrancisco’s seat, Syracuse.com reported. Former Common Councilor Rick Guy is the only Republican who has definitively said he will seek election, per Syracuse.com.

Theta Tau attorney withdraws preliminary injunction request

A lawyer who’s representing five Syracuse University students involved in the Theta Tau videos on Thursday withdrew a request for a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction against the university, court records show.

Eighteen students have been removed from “academic participation” as SU continues the Theta Tau investigation, university officials have said. The preliminary injunction was initially requested in an attempt to stop the university’s student judicial proceedings, according to court records.

Karen Felter, a partner at the Syracuse-based Smith, Sovik, Kendrick & Sugnet law firm, told the judge the withdrawal meant it would be unnecessary to present oral arguments in a hearing originally scheduled for Friday afternoon. Both the plaintiffs’ counsel and SU’s counsel were initially going to attend the hearing.

Four prospective members and one current brother of Theta Tau anonymously filed a lawsuit against SU on Tuesday, claiming that the university rushed to label them as “criminals” in an attempt to “malign the students personally” to salvage SU’s reputation, court records show. All five students are referred to as “John Doe” in the lawsuit.

The Daily Orange obtained and published videos last week showing people in Theta Tau’s house using racial slurs and miming the sexual assault of a person with disabilities.

Graduate Student Organization finalizes leadership and budget

SU’s Graduate Student Organization re-elected its president and finalized its budget at its last meeting of the 2017-18 academic year.

Jack Wilson, GSO’s current president, was re-elected by a vote of 23 to three at the Wednesday meeting. Wilson said he’ll focus on GSO’s long-term future during his next term as president.

At the Thursday meeting, GSO approved a roughly $409,000 budget that includes funding for service providers, operating expenses and student organizations.

Service providers, such as Student Legal Services, the Slutzker Center for International Services and Graduate Career Services, have all lobbied GSO for funding. About $163,000 of GSO’s budget is allocated to those services.   

Published on April 29, 2018 at 7:50 pm

Contact Jordan: jmulle01@syr.edu | @jordanmuller18