Sherrill police chief put on leave of absence

The city of Sherrill put its police chief on a two week paid leave of absence Tuesday night, according to the Post-Standard. Police Chief James Hastings is under state police investigation after his six-year-old grandson got hold of methamphetamine under his care last month and overdosed. 

"There's been no suggestion that the chief acted improperly in his duties as police chief but again this is a personal issue that's been consuming a great deal of his time," Sherill City Manager Bob Comis said. 

The child may have previously been exposed to the drug before the Feb. 16 incident. After the child was released from the hospital, his father took him to a Syracuse drug testing company. Its lab report concluded that he was exposed to methamphetamine two to four weeks prior. 

Obama to unveil offshore drilling plans

President Obama is set to announce plans Wednesday allowing oil drilling 50 miles off of Virginia's shoreline, according to Fox News. This plan modifies a more than 20-year-limit on drilling along coastal areas other than the Gulf of Mexico. 

Although this plan reverses Obama's long-standing advocacy against offshore drilling, it can reduce U.S. reliance on foreign oil and create jobs. It can also help secure support for a a climate change bill languishing in Congress. 

While he supports new drilling on the Atlantic Coast, Obama is rejecting some new drilling sites that had been planned in Alaska. 

UNC-Charlotte interested in SU's Hopkins

UNC-Charlotte has contacted Syracuse University men's basketball assistant coach Mike Hopkins about its head coaching vacancy, the Orange's primary booster The Hardwood Club said.

Hopkins has been an assistant under Jim Boeheim since 1995, and has turned down head coaching positions at other schools over the years. He is widely rumored to be Boeheim's replacement as the S-U head coach whenever he decides to retire.