HANNIBAL -- Former WFBL midday talk show host Jon Alvarez wants to start a militia in this small Oswego County village. The effort, which is getting reactions from both sides of the fence, managed to catch the attention of the local news media today.
Keith Kobland of Syracuse ABC affiliate NewsChannel 9 says Alvarez refused the opportunity to speak on camera about the effort, but said the militia could wind up being "nothing more than a glorified neighborhood watch" or something powerful enough to respond to emergencies when police or fire officials are unable.
A county legislator says he "would like to find out if it is good or bad." The town supervisor told Kobland he's afraid "somebody might just go off the deep end."
This isn't the first time Alvarez created controversial headlines -- shortly before his abrupt resignation from WFBL in March, he made national headlines for establish a Facebook fan page to honor a pilot who crashed a small plane into an IRS office in Texas in February, taking his own life and that of an IRS worker.