WCDO Radio News

High School Graduations get underway tonight for several
area schools.  Windsor's Commencement
will begin at 6:30 PM, Afton, Franklin, Deposit, Laurens, Milford, Morris &
Charlotte Valley will hold theirs at 7:00 PM.
High School graduations continue into the weekend.  Saturday morning at 10:00 AM, seniors from
Sidney, Greene, Delaware Academy, Harpursville & Norwich will have their
graduation ceremonies begin at 10:00 AM, Oneonta seniors commencement exercises
will begin at 10:45 AM, Oxford Academy at 11:00 AM & Bainbridge Guilford on
Saturday Night at 7:00 PM.  On Sunday,
seniors from Edmeston will graduate beginning at 1:00 PM.

Tonight, State Senator Fred Akshar and Broome County
Executive Jason Garnar will join addiction specialists, law enforcement,
teachers and families for a public forum on substance use prevention and
treatment.   The forum will take place
from 6:00pm to 7:30pm at the Deposit High School Auditorium.

Former New York Republican State Senate leader Dean Skelos
reports to prison today to begin serving his 4+ year prison term for
corruption.  Skelos reports today to a
federal prison at Otisville, New York,
His son, Adam, reports to the federal prison in Danbury, Connecticut, to
begin serving his four-year sentence. Dean Skelos and his son were both
convicted in July on charges of extortion, wire fraud and bribery, with the
elder Skelos using his political influence to get his son high paying no-show
jobs.

Broome County is offering grants through the Small Community
Fund for 2019, for local municipalities, non-profits, and local economic
development entities that are working on projects to assist in carrying out the
Broome County Comprehensive Plan.   A
total of $150,000 is available, last year, funds were provided for the
demolition of a smokestack in Deposit to make way for their new community park,
among several other projects around the county.
Grants ranged from $2,500 to $50,000, with the average grant being
approximately $16,000. The initial deadline for applications is March 31, 2019.
The full plan is online at gobroomecounty.com/comprehensive plan

The Walton Central School District Board Of Education will
hold their next meeting today at 6:00 PM.
The meeting will be held in the Board Room at the High School.

Police in Vestal announced that they are seeking 87 year old Charles McGlynn of Vestal, as a missing vulnerable adult. McGlynn suffers from dementia, and may require medical attention, he was last seen Tuesday afternoon at about 3:00PM on Hazel Drive in Vestal, he may be driving a 2009 grey Honda Civic with license plate number ANW-2161, he is described as a white male, 6'1", about 150 pounds, with white hair & a mustache, and blue eyes & wears glasses, he was wearing a white shirt, blue jeans and a blue jacket. Anyone with information is asked to call Vestal Police at 786-7600 or 911.

State Police and the American Red Cross are Co-hosting the 5th annual State Trooper Christopher Skinner Memorial Blood Drive in Kirkwood today. Trooper Skinner was intentionally run down by Almond Upton while he was conducting a traffic stop on I-81 in 2014, a blood drive has been held in Skinner's memory every year since his death. The blood drive today runs from 12:00 Noon until 6:00 PM at the 5 Mile Point Fire Company at 16 Crescent Drive in Kirkwood. The blood drive is open to the public as well as those in Law Enforcement, appointments can be made at redcrossblood.org or at 1-800-red cross.

The Delaware County Chamber of Commerce will hold their next Friday Breakfast event in Walton on January 11th. The event will run from 8:30 to 10:00 am at the Castle on the Delaware 139 Stockton Avenue in Walton. The featured speaker is Perry Dewey, Superintendent at DCMO BOCES, who will talk about on-campus, work-ready training programs for graduating high school seniors and how Delaware County's educational leaders are collaborating with the business community. More information is available at delawarecounty.org.

Former Broome County Family Court Judge Rick Miller has had a lawsuit filed against him by 2 former employees in his office of sexual harassment. The lawsuit claims that Miller subjected the employees to harassing and abusive behavior at least 50 times between 2015 and June of 2017. Miller was removed from the bench in 2016.

Now that Christmas has passed, chenango County residents may wonder how they shoudl dispose of their trees this year. Dustin Hendricks of Chenango County DPW Explains:

(Dustin Hendricks 12-26-18)

Chenango County has 3 solid waste and recycling facilities operated by the Department of Public Works, the Pharsalia Landfill, plus 2 Transfer Stations, 1 in the Town of North Norwich and the other near Brisben.

4 Deposit men have been arrested in connection with a stabbing at the McDonald's on Main Street in Johnson City on December 20th. 2 men were taken to Wilson Hospital with stab wounds, Arrested for 2 counts each of gang assault were 22 year old Dane Edwards, 33 year old Jay Moore, 24 year old Travis Dise & 31 year old Christopher Nugent of Deposit, they were taken into custody without incident and will appear in court at a later date; additional arrests are expected.

Illegally manufactured fentanyl was the driving force behind a 45.2% increase in deaths involving synthetic opioids from 2016 to 2017, according to a new report by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In all, there were 70,237 drug overdose deaths in 2017. Opioids were involved in 67.8%, or 47,600 of those deaths. Of those opioid-involved overdose deaths, 59.8% of them, or 28,466, were due to synthetic opioids. A separate report from the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics released earlier this month found that in 2016 fentanyl surpassed heroin as the most commonly used drug in overdose deaths in the US.

The state Department of Health announced Thursday that the flu virus is prevalent in New York state. Health care workers, who are not vaccinated, are now required to wear a surgical procedure mask around patients. The department has also launched a flu tracker that allows people to stay up-to-date about flu rates in their county. Department reps say there have been over 3,000 flu cases in the state so far this season

The Otsego County Chamber of Commerce will hold their annual State of The State Breakfast on January 2nd at the SUNY Oneonta Otsego Grille in the Morris Conference Center. The event will begin at 8:30, State Senator Jim Seward & Oneonta Mayor Gary Herzig will be among the guest speakers.

The City of Oneonta Department of Public Service will be replacing a water main valve located on West Ann Street today. Work is to take place starting at 8am with water outages to begin at 9am. Residents on West Ann, Baker, London, Wilcox, and River Street (between Ann and Wilcox) will be without water for the duration of the project. West Ann St will be closed to traffic for the duration of work. Drivers on West Ann Street are advised to move vehicles from driveways prior to 8am. More information is available at 432-2100

State Police at Norwich are looking for the public’s help in locating a 43-year-old woman from Greene who is in need of medication. Arzou Hami was last seen on Sunday, October 7th exiting a vehicle near State Highway 369 in Port Crane. Hami has also identified herself as Michelle Girard. She was last seen wearing white capris, slip-on shoes, a dark shirt and carrying two suitcases, she is white, approximately 5’7, 165 pounds with short brown hair and brown eyes. Anyone with information is asked to contact State Police at 561-7400.

The Afton Community Theater will present "DISNEY'S BEAUTY AND THE BEAST" tonight at 7:00 PM & Sunday at 2:00 PM. The production will be located at the Afton School District Auditorium on Academy Street in Afton.

The Raymond Corporation hosted more than 250 high school students today, as part of their National Manufacturing Day commemoration. Students from more than 20 area schools learned about career opportunities within the science, technology, engineering and math fields, Raymond CEO Mike Field commented about this event:

(Mike Field 10-12-18)

Raymond Corporation has experienced continued growth over the last 7 years, they have held this event for students for the last 4 years now, and more information is available at raymondcorp.com or at the Raymond Facebook page.

Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 22-year-old Dane Edwards of Deposit on an Arrest Warrant issued by the Village of Deposit Court for 3rd degree Assault, involving an incident earlier this year in Deposit. Edwards was arraigned and was released on his own recognizance. He is scheduled to appear at the Village of Deposit Court at a later date to answer the charges.

New York State’s private sector job count rose by 7,900, or 0.1%, to 8,192,300, a new, all-time employment high, according to preliminary figures released today by the State Department of Labor. The statewide unemployment rate decreased from 4.5% to 4.3% in July, the lowest level since March 2007.

The Delaware County Chamber of Commerce announced 'A Taste of Commerce' Event & they are seeking Restaurant Owners, Caterers, Cafe' and Bakery Owners & food truck operators to help launch the 2018 Shop Small Delaware County campaign which will start on October 2nd. The Delaware County Chamber of Commerce will present its Community Hero Award to those who continue improve life in our region at the event on October 2nd from 5:30 to 8:00 PM at the Delaware County FoodWorks+ on State Highway 28 in Andes. More information is available at 746-2281.

Delaware County was included in the Governor’s State of Emergency declaration earlier this week, following severe flash flooding throughout the Southern Tier. Delaware County EMS Director Steve Hood said that while the County’s damage was confined to the towns of Deposit & Hancock, the declaration can still be useful to the county:

(Steve Hood 8-16-18)

Hood said that some heavy equipment was stationed at the State Police Troop C Headquarters; most of it has been deployed to Broome & other counties that suffered a lot more damage.

There have been some changes regarding the requirements for those seeking to get a high school equivalency through the TASC program recently. June White of the Afton Central School Tasc Program explains:

(June White 5-8-18)

Anyone who is interested in participating in the TASC program can contact June White at 639-2811.

Lieutenant Colonel Dave Grossman, whis is a leading expert on human aggression & violent crime, will address area school officials & law enforcement officials at the Sherburne Earlville High School tomorrow, Madison County Sheriff Todd Hood comments:

(Sheriff Hood 7-19-18)

The discussion will be held from 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM, more information is available by email Naylor.c.j74@gmail.com.

State Police at Deposit arrested 55 year old Thomas Leonard of Hancock for Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance and Criminal Possession of a Forged Instrument. A trooper on patrol observed Leonard operating a vehicle with an expired registration and what appeared to be a photocopy of an inspection sticker. After a traffic stop was initiated, an investigation led to the trooper locating drugs in Leonard’s possession. He was subsequently arrested and arraigned in the village of Hancock Court. Leonard was remanded to the Delaware County Jail on $5,000 cash bail or $10,000 bond.

The Delaware County Chamber of Commerce has partnered with Solid Waste Facility Director Susan McIntyre and staff at the Center, on State Highway 10 in Walton, for a public open house on Saturday, August 11 from 10:00 AM to 12:00 noon. There will be guided tours of the compost facility and recycling center where people can see how solid waste is handled through the sustainable practices of composting, recycling and resource recovery. Reservations are NOT required. For more information visit delawarecounty.org.

Graduation Exercises for area high School Seniors will begin this evening, and continue through Sunday afternoon locally. Tonight at 6:30; seniors will graduate from Afton, Charlotte Valley, & Windsor. Commencement exercises scheduled for 7:00 PM tonight will be held at Deposit, Franklin, Hancock, Laurens, Milford, Morris, Oneonta, & Unatego. Saturday Morning Graduations will be held in Sidney, Delaware Academy, Gilbertsville Mount Upton, Greene, Harpursville, Oxford, Norwich, Sherburne Earlville, Saturday afternoon Unadilla Valley seniors will graduate, Saturday night, the Bainbridge Guilford district seniors will graduate & on Sunday Edmeston seniors will graduate.

State Police arrested 41 year old Joseph Blaylock of Lake Harmony, Pennsylvania, for allegedly possessing unlicensed firearms. Troopers were dispatched to a residence on State Highway 8 in the town of Deposit; a trooper witnessed 2 men around a campfire with a handgun and a shotgun near them. Blaylock was charged with criminal possession of a loaded firearm, criminal possession of an assault rifle and possession of a large capacity ammo-feeding device, he did not have permits for the weapons. 58 year old Robert Catania was issued a ticket for possession of marijuana. Blaylock was arraigned in the town of Deposit and remanded to the Delaware County Jail on $10,000 cash bond pending court action Friday.

The 69th annual Pageant of the Bands will take place Today through Sunday at Sherburne-Earlville High School. The pageant will feature 30 participating schools, and is expected to draw about 20,000 people to Sherburne, the event is free & open to the public.

The Bainbridge-Guilford Central School will hold a Special Board of Education Meeting Today, in the District Conference Room at 6:30 PM for the purpose of accepting bids for the Capital Project and interviewing Candidates for the open Board seat.

Delaware County Sheriff's Deputies arrested a Hancock couple for allegedly possessing stolen Snowmobiles from Pennsylvania & possessing drugs packaged for sale. Deputies recovered 4 stolen snowmobiles in Hancock and Deposit, they arrested 28 year old Matthew Mason of Hancock, for Criminal Possession of Stolen Property for allegedly possessing the stolen snowmobile trailer and 4 snowmobiles, he was remanded to the Delaware County Jail on $10,000 cash bail or $20,000 bond. Deputies had also arrested 43 year old Tammy Moore on 2 separate occasions once for Aggravated DWI, Driving While Ability Impaired by Drugs, Endangering the Welfare of a Child, Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance & later for Criminal Possession of Stolen Property. Moore was returned to the County Jail after posting bail on the 1stset of charges. A search warrant was executed at the Mason and Moore home; deputies seized marihuana plants, processed marihuana & drug paraphernalia.

Oxford Central School will be hosting a Robotics Competition called "Robo-Rave" in the High School Gymnasium Saturday from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Over 20 teams will be competing. Robo-Rave is a program designed to teach students how to design, build, code & program Robots to perform a variety of tasks, Oxford High School Science Teach Mark Muller explains why he wanted to bring Robo Rave to Oxford:

(Mark Muller 4-6-18)

Muller said that Saturday's event is the first Robo Rave event in New York State, Robo rave is associated with NASA, who brought a team of engineers to Oxford to speak & teach at the event, which is free & open to the public. More information is available at oxac.org.

Governor Cuomo today announced a new initiative to provide teachers and coaches with resources they can use to help prevent and address substance use disorder among young people. Starting next week, the New York State Department of Health, the New York State Education Department, and the New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services will notify schools statewide of the availability of flash drives loaded with materials in English and Spanish for coaches, teachers, school nurses, and other educators to use in personal conversations with students and in community forums.

The Delaware County Chamber of Commerce is hosting their 2nd Annual Comedy show at the Old Schoolhouse Inn of Downsville Saturday Night starting at 7:30 PM. Tickets & more information are available at 746-2281 or delawarecounty.org.

The Bainbridge Guilford School District received a threat of violence today, BG Superintendent Tim Ryan explains:

(Tim Ryan 2-21-18)

The Gilbertville Mount Upton also had a similar threat emerge this morning, GMU Superintendent Annette Hammond told WCDO that their threat was about a month old from a former student now out of state, State Police responded immediately, and Hammond was planning to meet with district students regarding this threat this afternoon. Police are continuing the investigation into both incidents, several arrests have already been made for threats made to other area districts in the last week, since the Parkland Florida shooting.

State Senator Fred Akshar announced that he will hold a series of “School Safety Summits” with local school superintendents, teachers, students and law enforcement to identify school safety needs. After the initial roundtable with school administrators and law enforcement, Akshar plans on meeting with local teachers and students in the coming weeks. The School Safety Summit will be held on Monday, February 26th at 9:30am at the Binghamton State Office Building, 18th Floor, at 44 Hawley Street.

Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 56-year-old William Kauffman of East Branch for Aggravated Unlicensed Operation, Aggravated DWI plus other traffic violations, following the report of an erratic driver on State Highway 17 in the Town of Hancock. When Deputies arrived, Kauffman was involved in a motor vehicle accident and was under that influence of alcohol. Kauffman was arraigned in the Town of Deposit Court and remanded to the Delaware County Correctional Facility on $2,500 cash bail pending action in Town of Hancock Court at a later date.

New Statistics show that only 14.2% of New York Adults smoke tobacco products, below the national average of 15.5%. The state's current rate represents a 22% drop from 2011. Among young adults, the smoking rate decreased from 21.6% in 2011 to 11.7% in 2016. The smoking rate for adults with less than a high school education, or who earned less than $25,000 annually was significantly higher at about 20%.

State Police arrested 21 year old Aiden O’Day from Otego, for Making a Terroristic Threat in the town of Otego. An investigation determined that O’Day had made threats aimed at the Franklin Central School. He was arrested without incident, and the investigation determined that there was no danger to the school or public. O’Day was arraigned in the Otego Town Court and remanded to the Otego County Jail. His next court date is pending.

State Police arrested a 15-year-old male from Davenport for Making a Terroristic Threat in the town of Davenport. An investigation determined that the subject, who goes to that school, had made threats aimed at the Charlotte Valley Central School. He was arrested without incident, and the investigation determined that there was no danger to the school or public. The teen was issued a ticket for Delaware County Family Court and was turned over to a family member.

Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 19 year old Jared Rolfe of Walton on 1 count of driving while ability impaired by alcohol following a traffic stop on State Highway206 in the Town of Walton following a report of a stolen vehicle. Rolfe was later released on a traffic ticket returnable to Walton Town Court at a later date.

State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli today issued a reminder to New Yorkers that not only are contributions to New York’s 529 College Savings Program accounts tax deductible* but now lower fees, higher maximum balances and the elimination of the $25 minimum contribution fees make it easier to save for continuing higher education. Contributions made by December 31st can provide up to $10,000 in state tax deductions on 2017 income tax filings. More information is available at nysaves.org.

State Senator Fred Akshar visited 3 local schools today & & will visit a 4th on Thursday as part of his new district-wide "Akshar All-Star" student recognition program. Each month, Akshar will recognize 3 or 4 local students selected by their school districts in the 52nd Senate District who have shown leadership, compassion, & school spirit. Akshar visited students today at Norwich High School, the DCMO BOCES, Deposit High School and Thursday he will be at the Newark Valley Senior High School.

Delaware County Sheriff Deputies arrested 20-year-old Chantal Baker of Deposit for Harassment & Criminal Mischief, following a Domestic Dispute on November 13th in the Town of Deposit. Baker was arranged in the Town of Tompkins Court and released on her own recognizance, she will appear in the Town of Deposit Court at a later date to answer the said charges.

State Police are continuing to patrol state highways in full force through Sunday night. Police are looking for impaired and distracted driving, drivers who are speeding and those who are violating the “move over” law. Police will have sobriety checkpoints, an underage drinker enforcement, and “Operation Hang Up” in which troopers use unmarked patrol vehicles to spot drivers talking or texting on their phones.

Oxford Mayor Terry Stark will help light the Christmas tree in LaFayette Park on Sunday at 5:00 PM. Members of Oxford Academy's High School chorus will perform, , more information is available at pon.oxfordny.com .

Delaware County Sheriff's Office Investigators have arrested 29-year-old Jason Lagano of Erin New York, on a Delaware County Grand Jury Sealed Indictment Warrant issued earlier this year as a part of a narcotics investigation. Lagano was arrested at the Susquehanna County Jail in Montrose, Pennsylvania, where he has been held as a Fugitive from Justice. Lagano is accused of Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance, for allegedly selling methamphetamine in the Town of Deposit earlier this year Lagano was transported back to Delaware County Tuesday, he was arraigned in Delaware County Court and was remanded to the Delaware County Correctional Facility on $15,000 cash bail pending further court action.

State Police were alerted to an alleged threat on Facebook that 2 students at Harpursville High School were going to "shoot up the school". The alleged perpetrators were 2 subjects that came into the State Police barracks in Kirkwood to report what was posted. State Police and Harpursville School District administrators determined that there was no credible threat and that the posting was done by a third party. State Police arrested a 15-year-old student and they were charged with making a terroristic threat. The student was released to the custody of their parent and will appear in Family Court at a later date.

Delaware County Sheriff's Deputies investigated a 1 car, rollover accident on State Highway 10 in the Town of Tompkins. 30-year-old Adam Buteau of Deposit swerved to avoid a deer and went off the highway and crossed over the guide rail, the vehicle hit a number of trees & overturned, coming to rest on its roof. Deputies charged Buteau with Driving While Ability Impaired by Drugs, Aggravated Unlicensed Operation of a Motor Vehicle, Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance plus a number of traffic other violations. Buteau was arraigned and was remanded to the Delaware County Jail on $500 cash bail or $1,000 bond.

Students from across Chenango County will participate in an all county music festival Saturday January 21st at the Sherburne – Earlville High School. SE High School Band Director Jeff Manwaring explains:

(Jeff Manwaring 1-20-17)

The performance will begin at 4:00PM Saturday in the Sherburne – Earlville Auditorium, Admission is $3.00 for adults and $2.00 for Senior Citizens and Students.

A Spaghetti Dinner Fundraiser will be held Saturday, January 21, 2017 from 4:00-7:00 pm at the Sidney Elks Lodge. Proceeds from the fundraiser will help support a group of Sidney High School students who will be traveling to the Grand Canyon in April. Tickets are available at the door.

Governor Cuomo today announced $28.3 million in federal highway safety grants has been awarded to 550 programs throughout New York State to improve overall highway safety and reduce the number of fatalities and serious injuries resulting from motor vehicle crashes. The Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee is distributing the funding in the form of grants to state, local and not-for-profit agencies to support specific types of driver safety initiatives: A complete list of 2017 grant projects is available at safeny.ny.gov.

A free workshop, "So You Think You Want to Be an Entrepreneur," will be held today from 6:30-8:30 pm in the Oxford Academy High School multipurpose room. Ariana Blossom of the Southern Tier Startup Alliance, will talk about entrepreneurship demands and opportunities, she will be joined by guest presenter Reggie Smith, a telecommunications industry professional and a former NFL Player for the Denver Broncos and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The Upper Delaware River Tailwaters Coalition and Friends of the Upper Delaware River are working on a project to protect, manage, and restore waterways in Delaware County. Public workshops will be held today at the Deposit State Theater at 148 Front Street, on Wednesday at the Hancock Town Hall at 661 West Main Street & on Thursday at the Colchester American Legion Hall on River Road in Downsville, all meeting will run from 6:00 to 7:30 PM

The next General Clinton Canoe Regatta Meeting will be held tonight at the Highway 7 Bar and Grill on route 7 in Bainbridge. At 6:30, the Race Committee Meeting will begin & at 7:30 PM the Regular meeting will begin. More information is available at 607-237-6008.

The State Office of General Services announced that there will be surplus vehicle, highway equipment, and miscellaneous property auctions in Broome County on Wednesday, November 9. Information on specific items and terms of sale is available at ogs.ny.gov, by email to state.surplus@ogs.ny.gov, or by calling (518) 457-6335. The auctions will be at 9:30 AM at the Department of Transportation at 241 Colesville Road, Binghamton & at 1:30 PM at SUNY Binghamton at Vestal Parkway East, Vestal

State Police stopped a Hyundai speeding at 83 miles per hour on State Route 17 this afternoon in the Town of Sanford. 20 year old Shymil McBee-Miles of Binghamton was driving a stolen vehicle that from Vestal. When Troopers approached the vehicle, McBee-Miles drove away, at a high rate of speed, fleeing the scene. McBee-Miles attempted to take exit 82's ramp at a high rate of speed, and crash the vehicle, which overturned & he was ejected from the vehicle and was arrested while attempting to crawl away. McBee-Miles was transported to Wilson Hospital for a knee injury. McBee-Miles was arraigned in the Town of Windsor court for criminal possession of stolen property, He was remanded to the Broome County jail with no bail set, additional charges pending.

The Sidney High School Visual Arts Department Exhibit at the Harrington Gallery on Cartwright Avenue, will be on display through tomorrow at 4:00 PM. The exhibit can be seen between 11:00 & 4:00 on Saturday

Area School district will be holding their Graduation Exercises this weekend. Tonight, Charlotte valley & Windsor will hold their graduation ceremonies at 6:30, at 7:00 PM, graduations will be held for seniors of Afton, Deposit, Franklin, Milford, Morris, Unatego & Laurens. On Saturday AT 10:00 am, Ceremonies will begin for Sidney, Greene, Harpursville, Norwich, & Walton, at 10:30 for Gilbertsville-Mount Upton, at 10:45 for Oneonta, & 11:00 AM for Oxford Academy. Saturday afternoon graduation ceremonies will be held for Unadilla Valley at 2:00 PM & Saturday night for Bainbridge-Guilford Seniors at 7:00 PM. Edmeston seniors will graduate on Sunday afternoon.

The US Department of Defense, Chenango United Way & Commerce Chenango officials held a press conference this afternoon in Norwich, regarding the upcoming Greater Chenango Cares IRT Event in July, where free medical dental, optometry & Veterinary services will again be provided to area residents, while providing training for various military medical professionals. Major Nathan DeVoe Commented about the Military benefit for this event:

(Major DeVoe 6-13-16)

Chenango County Planning Director Donna Jones said that an added bonus this year is that military personnel will also perform various upgrades at the Chenango County Fairgrounds:

(Donna Jones 6-13-16)

The Greater Chenango Care IRT event will be July 15th through the 24th at the Norwich High School. Those interested in volunteering can call the Chenango United Way at 334-8815.

The Deposit Girls Softball team capped off a championship season on Saturday in Glens Falls with a state title. WCDO Sports Director Nate Lull has the story....

(Nate Lull 6-13-16)

In other high school sports news this weekend Sidney's Mallory Stillman finished in 4th place in the 100-meter dash in Division 2 at the New York State Track & Field championships. Stillman also helped the Sidney Girls 4 by 100 meter relay team to an 11th place finish at the meet.

All 5 announced Major Party candidates for the 19th congressional district seat will participate in a forum on Tuesday at the Oneonta High School. The Otsego County Farm Bureau sponsors the forum; it will run from 7:30 to 9:00 PM. The republican candidates are John Faso, Andrew Heaney, and Bob Bishop; the democratic candidates are Zephyr Teachout, and Will Yandik. The event is free and open to the public.

The Delaware County Historical Association's Volunteer Work Day from is Saturday from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM at the museum's site on State Highway 10, 3 miles north of Delhi. More information is available at 746-3849 or by email at dcha@delhi.net.

The Tri-County Chapter of New York State Women Incorporated is sponsoring an AMBA scholarship fundraiser on Saturday, from 6:30 AM to 10:00 AM, at the Fellowship Hall of the United Church of Oxford located at 16 Fort Hill. The AMBA Wellness Clinic offers doctor-ordered blood tests for a reasonable price. Scholarship awards are given annually to students in the Sidney Central School District, Unatego Central School District, Bainbridge-Guilford Central School and Norwich High School. Young women attending the NYS Women, Inc.’s annual Youth Leadership Conference have also been sponsored. More information is available at 1-800-234-8888 today from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM

The Deposit Chamber is hosting their annual 5k run Saturday with Registration at 8:30 until 9:45 AM, the race starts at 10 am. More information is available at Depositchamber.com or by calling 467-4161

The Sidney Rotary Club is continuing with plans to educate the local public about the continuing Heroin Crisis. Another meeting has been scheduled for May 25th at the Sidney High School Library at 6:15

Delaware County Sheriff Deputies responded to a report of a Domestic Dispute Monday on Town Shed Road in the Town of Deposit. Deputies arrested 36-year-old Brian Curtis of Deposit for 3rd degree Assault, Criminal Mischief & 3rd degree Robbery, he was arranged in Town of Deposit Court & he was released on $500 cash bail and is to reappear in the Town of Deposit Court at a later date.

Governor Cuomo today announced that a report by the State Department of Labor details the impact of a $15 minimum wage for New York workers and their families. The report stated that 2.3 million New Yorkers would earn higher wages and as a result, increase spending power by more than $15.7 billion across New York State. The Governor is urging the State Legislature to pass his phased-in minimum wage proposal this session. Cuomo said that the Dollars Reinvested in Southern Tier Regional Economy by those making a living wage would be $495,300,000; The Governor's report is available at governor.ny.gov

The Sidney Rotary Club will be hosting a heroin-substance abuse awareness night Wednesday night at the Sidney high school. Sidney Rotarian Lorraine Keckeisen is one of the events organizers:

(Lorraine Keckeisen 2-10-16)

There will also be raffles & door prizes & a free dinner; Registration is requested at 561-7712 or chaynes@sidneycsd.org.

The American Red Cross urgently needs blood donors to make an appointment to give this winter. Eligible blood donors of all types are needed, especially those with O, AB, B negative and A negative. Upcoming blood donation opportunities. today in Deposit from 8 a.m. - 1 p.m., at the Deposit Central School, 171 Second Street. Those wishing to doante can download the American Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS to make an appointment or for more information.

The Sidney Rotary Club will host a heroin/substance abuse awareness night on Wednesday, February 10, at the Sidney High School. Sidney Rotary Club member Lorraine Keckeisen explains:

(Lorraine Keckeisen 2-4-16)

Pre-registration for the February 10 event at SHS is highly encouraged to accommodate dinner and door prizes. To register, Call 561-7712, or email chaynes@sidneycsd.org. The doors open at 5:15 p.m. to sign in. The Rotary Program is free with a spaghetti dinner with tickets for door prizes and Backpacks.

The Deposit district will do hold a Drug Awareness Night tonight at 6:00 PM in the Deposit Middle school & High School building. More information is available at 467-8509.

The Bainbridge-Guilford Central School will hold a workshop today at 5:30 PM in the District Conference Room. The next regular meeting will be on February 18, 2016.

The Windsor district will hold a Drug Awareness Night this Wednesday, January 27th at the Middle and High School. To reserve your seat and to choose your small group sessions for the Windsor event, call 655-8250. The Deposit district will do hold a Drug Awareness Night on Thursday, February 4th. To reserve your seat and to choose your small group sessions for the Deposit event, call 467-8509

Approximately 460,000 New York Medicaid recipients diagnosed with diabetes received diabetes-related services costing more than $1.2 billion in state fiscal year 2013-14, according to a report released by State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli. The report notes that about 1.6 million adult New Yorkers, or 10.3% of the adult population, have been diagnosed with either Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes, which is higher than the 3-year nationwide average of 9.6%.

The last day to register to vote in the November 3rd General Election for Delaware county residents is Friday October 9, 2015, it is also the last day for the Board of Elections to receive an enrollment change to be effective for 2016. The 52nd Senate District covering Deposit and Hancock has a 1-year vacancy. County Court Judge and County Family Court Judge and many town offices are up for election. Absentee ballots, sample ballots with any propositions for the General Election are available at the Board of Elections Office in Delhi, Registration Forms and Absentee Ballot applications may be downloaded from co.delaware.ny.us/departments.

The Sidney high school athletic department announced that directions are available to the Sullivan West central school in Lake Huntington for tonight's Sidney away game. The directions can be accessed on the Sidney central school district athletics web page.

The New York State Police Academy held their Graduation exercises today for the 203rd class of State Troopers, at the Empire State Plaza Convention Center in Albany. State Police Superintendrnt Joseph D'Amico addressed the class:

(DAmico 9-3-15)

Nearly 200 new Troopers were honored for their perseverance and dedication in completing the 203rd session of the Basic School of the New York State Police Academy.

State Police arrested 30-year-old Nathan Tuttle of Deposit for 3rd degree rape and criminal sexual act. The arrest occurred after an investigation determined Tuttle allegedly had sexual contact with a victim under the age of 17. Tuttle was arraigned in the Village of Deposit Court and remanded to the Delaware County Jail on $5,000 cash bail or $10,000 property bond. Tuttle was previously charged last week with 4 counts of Sexual Abuse and 3 counts of endangering the Welfare of a Child relative to an incident involving a different victim. Anyone with information involving Tuttle is asked to call the State Police at 775-1241.

The State DEC announced that the Fall CleanSweepNY program will be held the week of September 28, CleanSweepNY provides an opportunity to ensure proper disposal of unwanted and obsolete pesticides and other chemicals, Pre-registration is required, with a registration deadline of September 18th. This Fall's effort is focused on Delaware, Otsego, and Schoharie counties, among others in the capital region, It is directed at agricultural and non-agricultural professional pesticide applicators, schools and businesses like golf courses, cemeteries and marinas. CleanSweepNY services are not available to homeowners. Pre-registration is required by September 18, at cleansweepny.org or 1-877-SWEEPNY.

Governor Cuomo and area leaders announced a Citizens Preparedness corps training program in Walton on Tuesday September 15th at 6:00 PM. The event will beheld at the Walton High School auditorium, all participants must pre-register at prepare.ny.gov.

Delaware County Sheriff's Deputies arrested 42 year old Tina Garcia of Walton for Falsely Reporting an Incident. Garcia is accused of falsely reporting the theft of a vehicle owned by Shane Bellows after that vehicle was involved in a hit and run property damage accident on State Highway 10 in the Town of Walton on August 15. Garcia was issued an appearance ticket returnable to the Town of Hamden court on September 21st.

The Bainbridge-Guilford Central School will hold a Board of Education Meeting today in the Guilford School Cafeteria at 6:30 PM.

State Police arrested 30-year-old Nathan Tuttle of Deposit on 4 counts of Sexual Abuse and 3 counts of Endangering the Welfare of a Child. Tuttle is accused of having sexual contact with a 15 year old victim and sending the victim inappropriate pictures of himself. Tuttle was arraigned in the Village of Deposit Court and remanded to the Broome County Jail on $1,000 cash bail or $2,000 property bond.

The Norwich theater company will have 3 performances of "The Music Man" this weekend, Company spokesman Rich Heim said that tickets are still available for the performances:

(Rich Heim 8-21-15)

Performances are tonight & Saturday night at 7:00 PM and Sunday at 2:00 PM at the Sherburne-Earlville high school.

Federal Prosecutors have added more charges against former Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver Thursday, claiming that he illegally did favors for an investor; the indictment said Silver did not pay a fee to the adviser for access to the high-yield private instruments and did not disclose to the adviser the source of the funds. Silver has been free on bail since his arrest earlier this year, on charges that he exploited his power in Albany to collect $4 million in kickbacks, he resigned as Speaker but still hold his seat in the assembly representing his lower Manhattan district.

State Police at Deposit arrested 24-year-old Dylan Borne of Johnson City, for 2nd degree Burglary & Criminal Sexual Act. The arrest occurred after Troopers responded to a complaint in the Town of Windsor where Borne allegedly entered a residence without permission & committed a criminal sexual act. Borne was arraigned in the Town of Windsor Court and remanded to the Broome County Jail without bail.

The 2nd annual Youth for Christ 5K joker run will be held this weekend in Unadilla. Spokesperson Dorothy Davidson explained how the race was named as the "Joker" run:

(Dorothy Davidson 4-21-15)

Registration is from 8:30 to 10:00 AM Saturday at the Unadilla Elementary School, the race begins at 10:30, and goes from the school to the Youth For Christ Center at 16 Watson Street in Unadilla.

Officials from Tennessee Gas are holding open house meetings regarding a 2nd pipeline project through the southern tier. A meeting will be held tonight at the Sidney Middle School Gym from 6:00 to 8:00 PM, followed by a meeting Thursday night at the Deposit High School at the same times.

P.m. news Monday 3-2-15
State Police from Deposit investigated the finding of a body of an adult male near Wheeler Street and Railroad Avenue in Hancock last week. Troopers identified the deceased as 60 year old Arthur Ballard of Hancock, the autopsy conducted at Lourdes Hospital showed the cause of death to be a combination of hypothermia and acute alcoholic intoxication. No signs of criminal activity or foul play in his death.

Sidney High School Senior Austin Dean won the New York state wrestling championship in division 2 at 285 pounds, Saturday night at the Times Union Center in Albany. Dean won his final match 5 to 3 in overtime by scoring a takedown with 17 seconds left. Dead talked with WCDO Sports Director Nate Lull today about how he ended his high school wrestling career:

(Austin Dean 3-2-15)

Dean is the 11th state champion in Sidney high school history & plan to play football in college; the full interview is available on WCDO Sports.com.

On Friday, Delaware County Deputies responded to a Domestic Dispute on State Highway 10 in the Town of Kortright. Deputies arrested 34-year-old Craig Schmitz of Bloomville for Endangering the Welfare of a child, Harassment & Criminal Mischief; he was arraigned in the Town of Delhi Court and released on his own recognizance pending future court action.

The New York State Department of Labor today released preliminary local area unemployment rates for December 2014. The state’s private sector job count increased to 7,638,000, an all-time high. the state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate fell to 5.8% in December. Locally, Chenango County’s unemployment rate dropped 3/10ths to 5.9% Delaware County dropped 4/10ths to 6.3% & Otsego County’s rate dropped 2/10ths to 5.8% over the previous 12-month period.

State Police from Deposit arrested 31-year-old Michelle Murphy of Deposit for Criminal Contempt. Troopers responded to a complaint at a residence on State Route 8 in Deposit, the investigation determined that Murphy had violated a valid order of protection; she was arraigned before the Town of Deposit Court and was released after posting $250 cash bail.

The Sidney Dollars for Scholars program is urging students interested in a scholarship, to begin filling out their online applications. Program president Tracy Young explains:

(Tracy Young 1-27-15)

The application period for Sidney High School Seniors runs from February 2nd to April 26th this year.