WCDO Radio News

Governor Cuomo announced executive actions designed to expand voter registration opportunities for New Yorkers. Executive Order #169, which directs every state agency to make voter registration forms available and to offer assistance in filling them out. The Governor also established the State Agency Voter Registration Task Force, to oversee administration of the state agency voter registration program in consultation with the State Board of Elections.

State DOT officials announced that that Interstate 86/ State Route 17 is closed between Nichols & Lounsberry to allow personnel to evaluate damage caused by Sunday night's storms & flooding. Also, Broome County emergency Services announced that The Town of Vestal is under a State of emergency due to flooding in several locations. Motorists that need to be in Broome County are advised to be alert for slow moving traffic and sudden stops, up to date travel conditions & road closures are available by calling 511 or at 511NY.org.

State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman & a coalition of 11 state Attorneys General, today filed a lawsuit against the federal Environmental Protection Agency for illegally delaying a rule meant to protect communities, workers, and first responders from dangerous chemical accidents. The Accidental Release Prevention Requirements or the "Chemical Accident Safety Rule" makes improvements to Congressionally-mandated protections against explosions, fires, poisonous gas releases, and other accidents at more than 12,000 facilities across the country, including over 200 in New York, that store and use toxic chemicals. In the suit filed today, the coalition is challenging the 20-month delay of the Chemical Accident Safety Rule's effective date.

The New York State Senate's Joint Task Force on Heroin and Opioid Addiction is scheduled to meet Wednesday On Long Island to gather more input on the growing crisis across the state. Similar meetings have been held around the state as the task force seeks to understand how the increase in overdoses and addiction is impacting local communities. The panel included local State Senator Fred Akshar, they expect to hear from law enforcement officials, addiction experts, health care professionals, and recovering addicts and their families, Lawmakers included more than $200 million in this year's state budget for efforts to prevent and fight addiction.

Manufacturing in New York State grew for a 2nd month in July, but at a slower pace than the Month before. The Federal Reserve Bank of New York reported that its Empire State Manufacturing Index dropped to 9.8 in July from 19.8 in June; any reading above zero still indicates expansion. The measure of new orders dropped to a still respectable 13.3, shipment growth was less than half from June at a 10.5 reading.

US Senator Kirsten Gillibrand is making appearances this week in the upstate counties; to discuss federal efforts to combat Lyme Disease. Currently, the Trump Administration has started the process to establish the "Tick Borne Illness Disease Working Group", forming the group was a provision in Gillibrand sponsored legislation "The Lyme & Tick Borne Illness Prevention, Education & Research Act", which became law in December. The group will serve as an advisory committee to the Department of Health & Human Services. In 2015, there were 3200 cases of Lyme Disease in New York State alone.

New York State Trooper Joel Davis killed in the line of duty last week, thousands attended his funeral Saturday at the Fort Drum sports complex, which was used to accommodate the crowd of thousands of law enforcement officers from the U.S. and Canada. Trooper Davis was killed while responding to a domestic dispute July 9th.

Governor Cuomo and Attorney General Eric Schneiderman announced that, if the House or Senate health care bill is signed into law, New York State will bring a lawsuit challenging the bill's constitutionality:

(Cuomo 7-18-17)

Cuomo said that the bill delivers tax cuts to insurance companies and high-income people, it would worsen the fight against the opioid epidemic, & would drive up costs for people with preexisting conditions.

State Police arrested 27-year-old Denzil Kelly of Binghamton, for Identity Theft, Criminal Impersonation, Aggravated Unlicensed Operation, & Operating a Motor Vehicle without an Interlock Device. Kelly had been driving a vehicle and was stopped for speeding on Place Road in the Town of Windsor in January. During this traffic stop, he is accused of impersonating another person to keep from being arrested. Kelly was driving with a suspended license and his vehicle did not have a court ordered ignition interlock device installed. Kelly was arraigned in the Town of Windsor Court and was remanded to the Broome County Jail on $1,000 cash bail or $2,000 bond.

Governor Cuomo launched the 2nd round of "NaturalizeNY" which is a public-private partnership to encourage eligible immigrants in New York State with becoming U.S. citizens. The initiative provides free eligibility screenings, application assistance, naturalization exam preparation, and for Round 2, a lottery for up to 1,500 vouchers for low-income citizenship-eligible immigrants. Nearly 960 immigrant New Yorkers registered for the initial round of the randomized lottery in 2016, registration is available at www.NaturalizeNY.org.

State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli reported that state tax collections were down 13.1% in the first month of the new fiscal year, compared to the same period in 2016. New York collected 7.1 Billion dollars in April, which was 1.1 Billion dollars lower than April 2016 due to a decline in personal income tax collections.

Attorney General Eric Schneiderman is leading a coalition of 6 state Attorneys General, they are urging the Trump Administration to immediately close a loophole that allows highly flammable, highly explosive crude oil to be shipped by rail through communities in New York and across the country. The trains are responsible for several rail accidents in recent years, including the 2013 explosion in Quebec that killed 47 people; in New York alone, these trains cover roughly 700 miles of the state.

The corruption conviction of late State Senator Tom Libous of Binghamton has been vacated. Yesterday, the U.S. Second Circuit court ruled in the appeal of Libous & the corruption conviction was vacated and the fine was ordered returned. Libous was convicted in 2015 of lying to the FBI for allegedly using his political influence to get his son a job with a Westchester County law firm. In October 2015, Libous was sentenced to 6 months house arrest and a $50,000 fine, an appeal was filed in November 2015, and Libous died in May 2016 after a long battle with cancer.

State Lawmakers will return to work in Albany on June 5th, with many bills to be considered before the end of this year's session in Late June. Lawmakers will consider a bill to raise the age of marriage from 14 to 17; also, Governor Cuomo is expected to sign a measure to allow for the start of Ride Sharing services like Uber & Lyft to start in late June, rather than on July 9th.

The American Cancer Society announced that the recent Tri-Town Relay For Life was forced to closed early due to inclement weather back on May 6th. The luminaria & closing ceremonies have been rescheduled as a separate event, to be held tonight at General Clinton Park in Bainbridge. The event will run from 6:00 to 9:30 PM.

The next Commerce Chenango Business After Hours will be held today in Norwich. The Event will be held at the Community Bank at 4837 State Highway 23 in Norwich from 5:00 to 7:00 PM.

Governor Cuomo today announced that road and bridge construction projects on New York State highways will be suspended from 6:00 AM Friday, to 6:00 AM on Tuesday, in order to accommodate travelers during the busy Memorial Day holiday weekend. Some work may continue behind permanent concrete barriers or for emergency repairs.

State Police are reminding motorists to obey the Move Over Law when traveling over the busy Memorial Day weekend. The law requires motorists to drive with care, slow down, and safely move over when approaching law enforcement vehicles, fire trucks, ambulances, tow trucks, and construction or maintenance vehicles that are stopped along the road side for emergency situations. The law was enacted in 2011 to protect New Yorkers working along the roadway and has since been expanded to include a wider range of emergency and hazard vehicles.

The State Office of General Services announced a public auction for state-owned property located in Broome County at 362 and 372 Prospect Street in the town of Dickinson. The registration period will start at 10:00 AM, the Auction will be conducted on the 18th floor of the Binghamton State Office Building, 44 Hawley Street, at 11:00 AM on July 20th, and the 2 buildings on the two parcels are being auctioned together as a pair. Complete details, including photos, legal and reference documents, and auction requirements can be found online at nysstore.com by clicking on “Real Estate Auctions.”

A new report examining New York's teacher shortage by the State Schools Boards Association says hard-to-staff subjects include science; math, special education, bilingual education and technology, & most of the shortages are in small rural upstate districts & in New York City. The report recommends aligning teacher preparation programs with areas of need and increasing salaries for teachers in hard-to-staff subjects, it also recommends recruiting bilingual teachers from outside the United States and implementing a certification process for qualified candidates in specific fields who don't have an education degree.

Governor Cuomo states that the Proposed federal budget proposal from President Trump would be "devastating" to New York. Cuomo told reporters Wednesday the budget would be “the Niagara Falls of trickle-down economics," referring to the economic philosophy that tax cuts for the rich theoretically would eventually trickle down to everyone else. Cuomo says the budget plan would jeopardize housing, health care and other programs that protect the most vulnerable in society.

New York State Police Memorial service will be held this morning at 11:00 AM, at the Troop C headquarters on State Route 7 in Sidney. The annual event is held to remember Police Officers who died in the line of duty.

Attorney General Eric Schneiderman announced that 42 states and the District of Columbia have reached a $33 million settlement with Johnson & Johnson, resolving allegations that the company's subsidiary, McNeil-PPC, employed deceptive practices to market and promote numerous popular over-the-counter drugs. The corporation has agreed to pay New York State a total of $1.3 million, between 2009 and 2011, McNeil-PPC manufactured and distributed drugs that purported to comply with federally mandates involving Good Manufacturing Practices, an investigation revealed that a number of McNeil manufacturing facilities and the medications they produced did not meet Feeral standards.

Delaware County Sheriff's department arrested 48 year old Charles Kenyatta of New York City, for failure to keep right, aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, following a traffic stop on State Route 10 in Hamden. Kenyatta was arraigned & remanded to the Delaware County Jail on $400 Bail pending future court action.

State Police received a report of a robbery at the Express Mart at 16 North Road in Windsor. A male suspect handed a note to a clerks demanding money, 2 clerks retreated to the rear of the store and the suspect fled the scene. On Sunday, Police arrested 29-year-old Brandon Birch of Harpursville for Attempted Robbery; Birch was also arrested on an active parole warrant as Birch for violating the conditions of his parole from a conviction for Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance. Birch was arraigned and was remanded to the Broome County Jail without bail.

State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman today announced that 47 states and the District of Columbia have reached a $18.5 million settlement with the Target Corporation to resolve the states' investigation into the retail company's 2013 data breach, which affected more than 41 million customer payment card accounts and exposed contact information for more than 60 million customers. The agreement represents the largest multistate data breach settlement achieved to date and will bring $635,224.33 to New York State. Details are available at ag.ny.gov.

State Police have issued an AMBER Alert for a child abduction in Cattaraugus County this morning. 12-year-old McKenzie Wilson was abducted at about 5:00 AM in Lyndon by 18-year-old Joshua Monette and 16-year-old John Harvey, they are believed to be armed with handguns, & are driving a stolen red Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck heading east, with New York license number CXA 5836. McKenzie Wilson is a White female, is about 12 years old, with straight, blonde hair and blue eyes, about 5 feet 6 inches tall and weighs about 100 pounds. The suspect Monette is a White male, approximately 18 years old with short, black hair and brown eyes, approximately 6 feet 2 inches tall and weighs about 140 pounds, Harvey is a White male, approximately 16 years old with brown hair. Anyone with any information is asked to call (866) NYS-AMBER or 911.

The Village of Sidney's Memorial Day Parade will have a different route this year. Officials with the Sidney American Legion said that the parade would form at the Downtown Great American Parking lot; they will leave at 9:00 AM, & will march to the Sidney Bridge & Library for a ceremony & then continue down River Street to the Veterans Memorial Park to lay another wreath.

Chenango County Officials announced that sometime this afternoon, State Highway 12 south of Sherburne will be closed for up to one hour. This closure will be related to the movement of an oversized/overweight load, and the need to reinforce a bridge for weight distribution just south of the village. Officials said that they were unsure of the exact time for the closure.

Lawmakers are debating whether to add Electronic Cigarettes to the state's ban on smoking in workplaces, bars & restaurants. The state Assembly has already endorsed the idea; a similar bill has been introduced in the State Senate. New York banned indoor smoking in 2003, in 2012 state lawmakers voted to ban the sale of e-cigarettes to anyone under the age of 18.

Farm Workers are expected to rally in Albany today for the right to unionize. State law currently prohibits farm workers from being able to organize, which workers say leads to harsh conditions & poor treatment; they are urging lawmakers to repeal the law.

Area HazMat teams were called to 54 South Street in Walton this morning, for a reported gas leak at the Waste-water treatment plant. State Route 10 was closed from the village of Walton to the Beerston area, and there were some evacuations. WCDO NEWS will have more details as they become available.

New York State is now accepting applications from companies interested in testing or demonstrating autonomous vehicles on public roads. New legislation allows for testing autonomous technology through a year-long pilot program. Applications for testing may be submitted by manufacturers, all vehicles will also have to comply with federal safety standards as well as State inspection standards, and a person holding a valid driver license must be present in the driver's seat at all times while it is operated on public highways. Testing results must be sent to the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles no later than March 1, 2018. The law permitting demonstrations will expire April 1, 2018.

State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman announced settlements with 6 ticket brokers that illegally purchased and resold hundreds of thousands of tickets in New York State since 2011, including on popular ticket resale platforms like StubHub and Vivid Seats. 5 of the companies violated New York’s ticket laws by using illegal ticket “bots” to purchase large numbers of tickets on websites such as Ticketmaster.com before the tickets could be obtained by consumers, then resold them at a large profit. The settlements require the six companies to pay a combined total of $4.19 million in penalties, a separate settlement was reached with Componica of Iowa, that developed software libraries used by ticket bots to try to get around security tests used by ticket selling websites.

State Senator Jim Seward announced that he has signed on as the co-prime sponsor of legislation to fast track the start of ridesharing services in New York State. The bill would allow transportation network companies to begin operating in time for the Fourth of July holiday weekend. Ridesharing regulations were included in the recently adopted state budget, but the law allowed Uber & Lyft to begin operating on July 9th. The new legislation would allow ride sharing to start on June 29th.

New York State's tourism industry set new records for total number of visitors, economic impact and direct spending in 2016. a record 239 million visitors traveled to New York State, generating an economic impact of $104.8 billion, visitors generated an all-time high $64.8 billion in direct spending.

State Police arrested 69-year-old Leroy Bigelow of Little Falls, for Criminal Sexual Act, 2 counts of Sexual Abuse and 2 counts of Endangering the Welfare of a Child. Bigelow is accused of having sexual contact with 2 different victims less than 11 years old while in the Town of Guilford. Bigelow was arraigned in the Town of Guilford Court and was remanded to the Chenango County Jail on $50,000 cash bail.

During Trauma Awareness Month in May, the American Red Cross urges eligible donors to help ensure that blood is available for patients with traumatic injuries and other serious medical needs by donating blood. A Blood drive will be held in Sidney today from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM at SFCU on Union Street & in Walton from 8:00 AM to 1:00 PM at the Walton O'Neil High School. Donors of all types are currently needed, Donation appointments can be scheduled by using the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting redcrossblood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS.

The City of Oneonta is gearing up for a busy period of activity, as the Downtown Revitalization Initiative projects should begin shortly. Oneonta mayor Gary Herzig explains:

(Gary Herzig 4-20-17)

Oneonta was one of a handful of communities to be rewarded with state money for aggressive economic development plans.

Another meeting has been planned for May 1st in Sidney, for those involved in the upcoming Tri Town relay For Life next month in Bainbridge. American cancer society Spokesperson Heather Brewster explains:

(Heather Brewster 4-20-17)

The meeting will be held on May 1st at SFCU on Union Street in Sidney beginning at 5:30 PM.

Attorney General Eric Schneiderman today issued a consumer alert about scammers utilizing gift cards to commit fraud against consumers, and in particular senior citizens, following an uptick of complaints received by the office. The Attorney General also announced that his office would partner with the Retail Council of New York State and AARP to adopt measures to protect customers from and educate them about common scams that utilize gift cards. In addition, the office is meeting with retailers, credit card companies and banks to institute additional measures to protect consumers from these scams.

A public information session will be held at the Unadilla Town Hall on State Route 7 tonight at 7:00 PM. Residents are encouraged to attend a discussion on how the town & village of Unadilla residents may be able to lower their electricity rates.

The statewide unemployment rate decreased from 4.4% to 4.3% in March, according to preliminary figures released today by the New York State Department of Labor. This represents New York State’s lowest unemployment rate since February 2007.

New York State will invest more in mental health & behavioral health services for children across the estate. Governor Cuomo announced that 6.5 Million Dollars would be distributed to 17 health centers to expand services under the "Healthy Steps" program, which focuses on early life doctor visits & family screening. The funds will go directly to federal qualified health centrs, hospital based clinics, private practices & community health centers for the hiring of specialists to identify behavioral or developmental health concerns, such as maternal depression, developmental delays, and childhood trauma.

On Tuesday, April 25th at 1:30 pm, the State Police will be gathering at the Middletown Town Hall to honor Trooper David Brinkerhoff on the 10-year anniversary of his line-of-duty death in a shout out with Travis Trim in a house in Margaretville. Directly following the service the gathering will proceed to State Route 30 to place wreaths at the NYS DOT signs honoring him. All are welcomed to attend.

Governor Cuomo today announced $112.2 million in funding has been awarded to 81 projects that support bicycle and pedestrian enhancements across the state. The funding will provide up to 80% of the cost of each project & it is made available through the Federal Highway Administration and administered by the State DOT.

Governor Cuomo signed legislation investing over $200 million to combat the heroin and opioid epidemic in New York yesterday on Long Island:

(CUOMO 4-20-17)

The money for the program was included in the recently passed State Budget, doubling the state commitment from the year before.

The Next Tri Town Relay for life event is coming up in May, and an important meeting for team captains is coming up, according to American cancer Society spokesperson Heather Brewster:

(Heather Brewster 3-23-17)

The April 3rd Captain's meeting begins at 5:30, the Tri Town Relay for Life will once again be held in General Clinton Park in Bainbridge on May 6th.

Attorney General Eric Schneiderman announced today that Volkswagen has agreed to pay over $157 million to 10 states, including $32.5 million to New York, to settle the environmental lawsuits first filed By New York and Massachusetts, challenging the companies' use of Software that caused pollutants to be emitted into the air by their diesel engines. Volkswagen also agreed to establish a national $2.9 billion fund to mitigate the environmental damage caused by their vehicles; over $127 million of that will be directed to New York state. Volkswagen also has committed to offer 3 new electric car models in New York by 2020.

Governor Cuomo today launched the Request for Proposals for Round III of the New New York Broadband Program, which is the final round of funding to secure access to high-speed Internet by the end of 2018. Round III targets all remaining unserved areas mostly in upstate rural communities. Recipients will be selected through a “reverse-auction” methodology, which prioritizes bidders seeking the lowest amount of state investment per new location served.

Airports across the state can apply for 20 million dollars in funding for safety improvements & modernization. The money can be used for runaways, taxiways, hangars & other infrastructure projects, at least half the money is earmarked for upstate airports. The money is part of a Cuomo administration 21.1 billion dollars 5 year transportation improvement plan.

The American Red Cross has a Blood Drive today, At Hillside Commons on Blodgett Drive in Oneonta from 2:00 to 7:00 PM. Those interested in scheduling an appointment to give blood can download the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit Redcrossblood.org, or call 1-800-RED CROSS.

Governor Cuomo announced that Binghamton University and SUNY Sullivan have applied for and received research permits under the State’s Industrial Hemp Agricultural Pilot program. The New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets oversees the authorization of universities and farms to grow and research industrial hemp, research may include harvesting, processing and manufacturing hemp into finished products and the marketing of the crop & those products.

About 1000 New York state troopers and officers from other law enforcement agencies attended the funeral of Trooper Brian Falb in Plattsburgh this morning.   Trooper Falb served in the state police for 18 years starting in 1998 died March 13th from complications from illnesses contracted while responding to the September 11th 2001 Terrorist attacks in New York City.

Tomorrow is National Agriculture Day; with proclamations form all levels of Government noting the importance of the farming industry. Chenango Farm Bureau President Bradd Vickers comments:

(Bradd Vickers 3-20-17)

Vickers noted that Agriculture is still the Number one industry locally, and for New York State.

The State Department of Taxation and Finance announced that it would extend the hours of its call center today, to assist small business taxpayers filing their sales tax returns before the midnight deadline tonight. Call center representatives will be available for an additional three hours, until 7:30 PM. The Tax Department expects 80,000 sales tax returns to be filed today & several thousand will likely be submitted within only a few hours of the midnight deadline. Taxpayers with questions can call 518-485-2889 for help in filing their returns. Officials said that many of the questions could be answered at tax.ny.gov.

State Police arrested 43-year-old Donald Hart of Bainbridge, for criminal Contempt & Harassment.   Troopers were advised of a physical dispute in the Village of Greene, where Hart grabbed the victim by the arm, which violated a valid order of protection. Hart was arraigned in the Village of Greene Court and remanded to the Chenango County Jail in lieu of $ 2,500 cash bail or $5,000 property bond.

Governor Cuomo today announced that registration is now open for the sixth annual “I Love My Park” Day on May 6th at state parks, historic sites and public lands across the state. The event is an effort to enhance New York’s parks and historic sites and raise awareness and visibility to the entire parks system and its needs. This year’s event includes partnerships with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and the National Park Service, with volunteer events planned at several locations in the Adirondack and Catskill regions and at 5 national parks in New York State.

The State Attorney General Eric Schneidermann said that his office receives complaints from consumers about tax-related schemes, by scammers who are impersonating IRS officials and attempting to collect bogus tax debts, by phone calls or emails. The IRS and legitimate government agencies will never demand immediate payment or payment information over the phone. New Yorkers can report potential scams to the Attorney General's office at 1-800-771-7755. Scams or the U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration at 800-366-4484.

Attorney General Eric Schneiderman today announced the indictment of 12 members of a criminal theft and fencing ring in New York and 27 other states. A 41-count indictment, unsealed in New York Supreme Court today, charged the 12 alleged co-conspirators with enterprise corruption, money laundering, criminal possession of stolen property and conspiracy. During "Operation Sticky Fingers," State Police & other law enforcement agencies seized more than 5,300 stolen electronics and ink cartridges from the enterprise's alleged kingpin, Richard Rimbaugh; and from various members of his crew. millions of dollars in merchandise was stolen from Staples, Office Depot, Best Buy, and other retailers, investigators also seized more than $7.7 million dollars from the defendants' homes, financial institutions, and their Amazon and Pay Pal accounts.

Lawmakers will be participating in conference committees to negotiate differences in the Assembly & State Senate Budget proposals. Assemblyman Cliff Crouch comments:

(Crouch 3-15-17)

The state's fiscal year starts on April 1st, and lawmakers expect to get the budget passed on time again this year.

State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli announced that Securities industry profitability rose by 21%, while the average bonus paid to employees in New York City’s securities industry increased by 1% to $138,210. Pretax profits for the broker/dealer operations of New York Stock Exchange member firms, totaled $17.3 billion in 2016, the highest level in four years. The industry added 2,800 jobs in 2014 and 4,500 jobs in 2015.

Female lawmakers in New York say early voting would make it easier for all New Yorkers - and particularly women - to cast a ballot. Several legislators on Monday urged Governor Cuomo and legislative leaders to include early voting and automatic voter registration in the state budget expected to be approved by April 1. Compared to other states New York has low voter turnout rates and is one of a minority of states that still doesn't allow early voting.

A new bill is proposing a requirement for gender-neutral bathrooms in New York State. The Legislation was introduced in the Assembly to make all single-occupancy restrooms in public places gender neutral. Traditional signs for men's and women's rooms would be replaced to indicate accessibility to any gender.

Governor Cuomo said that emergency responders around the state kept the state's Citizens safe, due to advance preparation before today's storm, he gave an update earlier this afternoon:

(Cuomo 3-14-17)

The governor's office says the state has called up 2,000 National Guard members and will deploy them to the Southern Tier, after the storm tracked further west than initially anticipated.

State Senator Fred Akshar released the results of his Constituents Survey; he discussed some of the results with WCDO:

(Fred Akshar 3-14-17)

Akshar said that he received over 9600 responses to his recent survey. The closest question on the survey regarding decriminalizing Marijuana was split 50/50.

The State Department of Labor released preliminary local unemployment rates for January. The number of private sector jobs in the State was over 8 Million, & the State’s unemployment rate decreased 2 10ths to 4.6%. Locally, Delaware County was at 6.6%, Chenango County, had 6.2%, & Otsego County was at 6.1% for January.

The Annual St. Baldrick fundraiser held Saturday in Norwich, raised about $27,000 for childhood cancer research. Officials believe that another $3,000 could come in on top of what was raised at Saturday’s event at the Norwich American Legion. Over 2 dozen people had their heads shaved at the fundraiser.

Governor Cuomo declared a state of emergency across all 62 counties in New York. The Governor also directed non-essential state employees impacted by the winter storm to stay home from work on Today. All New Yorkers should exercise caution, avoid unnecessary travel and pay close attention to winter storm advisories as the day progresses.

Attorney General Eric Schneiderman issued a consumer alert warning both consumers and businesses about price gouging during this week's storm. General Business Law prohibits excessive increases in prices of essential goods and services like food, water, gas, generators, batteries, and flashlights, hotel lodging, and transportation, during natural disasters or other events that disrupt the market. During and after severe winter weather events, these goods and services might also include snow plowing, snow removal from roofs, shovels and other snow removal equipment, salt, and contract services for storm-related damage. Any New Yorkers who believe they have been the victim of price gauging should call the Attorney General's office at 800-771-7755 or visit www.ag.ny.gov/price-gouging-complaint-form to file a complaint.

Governor Cuomo today announced that New York State's high school student smoking rate in 2016 was the lowest on record at 4.3%, down from 27.1% in 2000. A survey recently released by the State Department of Health also found that e-cigarette use by high school students nearly doubled in the last 2 years from 10.5% in 2014 to 20.6% in 2016. According to a 2016 report by the U.S. Surgeon General, the number of high school students using e-cigarettes soared 900 percent between 2011 and 2015, becoming the most commonly used form of nicotine among youths.

A man whose name was synonymous with the General Clinton Canoe Regatta has died at the age of 78. Dick Davies died on Saturday; he was a 1970 Regatta champion, served for many years on the Regatta Committee and was instrumental in the development of the Regatta Museum & Hall of Fame. Friends may cal at the First Baptist Church of Sidney on Tuesday from 10:00 to 11:00 AM, followed by the funeral services at 11:00.

US Senator Chuck Schumer wants the National Transportation Safety Board to conduct an investigation of small plane crashes, following 2 more crashes last month and at 18 crashes in New York State last year. Schumer cited a February 19th crash of a single-engine plane that took off from Long Island and crashed into a neighborhood in Bayonne, New Jersey, as well as a February 26th crash of a plane being used for practice at another Long Island airport, where 2 people were killed.

State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman today released the list of the top ten consumer fraud complaints received by his office in 2016. For the 11th year in a row, Internet-related complaints topped the list with 4,605 complaints, followed by complaints about automobile sales, Consumer-related services with various retail establishments ranked 3rd, followed by Landlord/Tenant disputes, Utilities-related complaints, Credit scams, fraudulent advertised Retail Sales, Home Repair/Construction, Mortgage, Mail Order.

The annual Train Show in Binghamton will be held this Saturday. The show is sponsored by Village train & Hobby of Windsor, owner Jeff Olin comments:

(Jeff Olin 3-6-17)

The show will once again by held at the American Legion in Binghamton, from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM Saturday.

The Arc Otsego is accepting artwork submissions for its 13th Annual Voice! event, which will be held July 27, 2017 through August 11, 2017 in the Martin-Mullen Art Gallery in the Fine Arts Building at SUNY Oneonta. Any individual living in New York State who is 18 years of age or older and has an intellectual and/or other developmental disability may submit artwork for consideration. The artwork submission form is available at www.arcotsego.org. The deadline for submissions is June 9th.

Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies responded a fatal, 2 car head on collision on Bear Spring Mountain in the Town of Walton Saturday. Sheriff’s Deputies and the State Police Collision Reconstruction Unit revealed that 43 year old Andrew Thompson of Tenafly, New Jersey, was driving on State Route 206 when a vehicle driven by 41 year old Joel Alves of Hopewell Junction crossed the center lines & collided head on with Thompson’s vehicle. Thompson was pronounced dead at the scene, his wife 43-year-old Wendy Hoeben, and their 6-year-old son were transported to Delaware Valley Hospital in Walton, Hoeben was treated & released, and the child was transferred to Westchester Medical Center. Alves was also transported to Delaware Valley Hospital where he was also treated and released. Alves was driving with a suspended driver’s license and a suspended vehicle registration, the investigation is continuing & charges are anticipated.

Governor Cuomo today announced more than $36.6 million in savings for farmers across the state through the first 3 years of the Agricultural Assessment Cap. The Cap became law in 2013, preventing agricultural assessments from being increased by more than 2% annually. Southern Tier farmers are expected to save 3.2 million dollars with the cap in place this year.

Attorney General Eric Schneiderman and State Education Commissioner MaryEllen Elia today reminded school districts of their duty to comply with existing state and federal laws that ensure the rights of immigrant children to attend New York’s public schools without fear of reprisal. The guidance provides districts with information pertaining to their duties under the law, regarding the confidentiality of student records, that Law enforcement officers may not remove a student from school property or interrogate a student without the consent of the student’s parent, except during a typical crime investigation. The guidance reminds districts that under the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, parents must consent to disclosing personally identifiable student information, except in some rare situations.

Governor Cuomo plans to dedicate $32 million dollars in federal funding to improve public transpiration in the state’s rural areas. Como said that the funding will be targeted for small city bus lines, regional transportation authorities and public transportation programs, in order to connect rural residents to their nearest small cities.

Fire departments in & around Chenango county were kept busy Wednesday afternoon. Firefighters responded to a house fire at 266 Kilroy Road in Oxford, a stove fire at 11 South Main Street in Bainbridge, and another house fire at 389 County Road 27 in Coventry, all toned out within a 30 minute time frame. Chenango County EMS stated that firefighters from Coventry, Afton, Greene, Sidney, Bainbridge, Masonville, Oxford, Guilford, Norwich, Brisben, Preston and the Chenango County Bureau of Fire responded to all calls, no injuries were reported.

State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman responded to a congressional inquiry, making clear that there was not one single substantiated claim of voter fraud in New York last year. Schneiderman wrote that the state’s voting system actually has restrictive laws, rules and procedures, as well as administrative errors, that both legally and illegally keep many New Yorkers from voting. Schneiderman also recently filed suit against the New York City Board of Elections for widespread violations that illegally purged over 200,000 New Yorkers from the voter rolls.

Governor Cuomo is calling for cuts in state funding for $25 million from 39 public health programs that fight cancer, diabetes and other conditions. Cuomo's administration said it will be up to state health officials to decide where to make the reductions, which are intended to make public health spending more efficient. Cuomo’s $152 billion budget proposal actually increases health care spending overall.

State Police have charged Cal Harris of Spencer on 2 new charges, in connection with an alleged stalking of a State Police Investigator in Oneonta last June. Harris is now charged with Menacing & Harassment, in addition to the original stalking charge, for allegedly stalking an investigator who worked for state Police in the case of the disappearance of Cal Harris's estranged wife Michelle in 2001. Harris was freed last year after a 4th Murder trial, he pleaded not guilty to the latest charges Tuesday & faces action in Oneonta court on April 19th.

State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman warned immigrants of scams, where people have been fraudulently posing as Immigrations and Customs Enforcement agents scams and demanding money in order to avoid deportation. Schneiderman said that his office has received an increasing number of scams as deportation raids that been have taken place. To report potential fraud, people are asked to call the Attorney General's Immigration Services Fraud Unit Hotline at (866) 390-2992 or email Civil.Rights@ag.ny.gov.

State Police received a reported Child Pornography complaint, The investigation led to the Village of Sidney, 28 year old Justin Crandall of Sidney is accused of sending sexually explicit photographs of a young child to another person, he was charged with 1st degree Rape, Promoting Sexual Performance by a Child less than seventeen years old, Endangering the Welfare of a Child and Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance. State Police also arrested 27 year old Jessica Crandall of Sidney, for Criminal Sex Act and Endangering the Welfare of a Child, for the alleged sexual abused of a child less than 11 years old. Justin & Jessica Crandall were arraigned in the Village of Sidney Court and were remanded to the Delaware County Jail. The Village of Sidney Police Department assisted throughout the investigation.

State Senator Fred Akshar will be chairing a key committee this year, that could lead to taxpayer savings & maybe increased votoer partiocicaption, Senator Aksahr explains:

(Akshar 2-14-17)

Senator Akshar said that Governor Cuomo & Attorney General Eric Schneiderman have weighed in on the issue, and they hope to get a compromise worked out this session:

The current state budget has extended the hire-a-vet tax credit from this year through January 1st of 2019 & the period of eligible employment for qualified veterans has also been extended through January 1st of 2018. The credit is provided to any business that hires a veteran returning home from military service, on a full-time basis for at least one year. The credit is equal to 10 percent of wages paid, with a maximum of $5,000 per veteran, it increases to 15% of wages if the veteran is also disabled, with a maximum of $15,000 per disabled veteran.

Governor Cuomo announced that New York State is formally calling on the federal Environmental Protection Agency to establish an official drinking water standard for the federally unregulated contaminant 1,4-dioxane. Under the federal Safe Drinking Water Act, the EPA has primary authority to regulate drinking water quality, to date, the EPA has not only failed to issue an Maximum Contaminant Level for this contaminant, but an existing federal loophole exempts public water systems serving less than 10,000 people from even testing for it & other contaminants.

Governor Cuomo announced that legislation authorizing 16 and 17 year olds to enroll in the New York State Donate Life Registry goes into effect this Week. The new legislation enables this population to enroll in the Registry at the same time they first apply for a driver license, learner permit or non-driver ID, potentially increasing enrollments in New York by thousands. More Information is available at health.ny.gov.

State Police responded to a structure fire at 8 Lancaster Street in Cherry Valley early Monday morning. The Cherry Valley Fire Department quickly extinguished the fire, 86-year-old Frank Menento died during the fire. State Fire Investigators are assisting State Police with the investigation and a cause has not been determined yet.

The New York State Assembly Minority Task Force on Protecting the Rights of People with Developmental Disabilities conducted 11 informational forums and issued a series of recommendations in a report published today. Local Assemblyman Cliff Crouch participated:

(Crouch 2-9-17)

Among the recommendations, Enacting a Bill of Rights for individuals with developmental disabilities, Requiring the Department of Labor and the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities to conduct a wage study for direct care workers; Establishing a service learning or internship program for students interested in working with individuals with developmental disabilities; Amending tuition rates for Special Act School Districts; and Directing the Commissioner of Transportation to conduct a statewide study and review of the transportation of individuals with developmental disabilities. More information on the task force is available through the Assembly Minority Office of Public Affairs at 518-455-5073.

State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman unveiled a package of measures aimed at overhauling and simplifying voting in New York State. Schneiderman's proposal would create a system of early voting, automatic and same-day registration; it would consolidate state and federal primaries and shorten the deadline for registering in a political party. Schneiderman’s legislation comes after his office conducted a review of voting in New York, identifying issues with registration and participating in party primaries.

The state capital is hosting Black History Month with a free exhibit honoring prominent African Americans with ties to New York State. Among those being honored, Harriet Tubman, Recently deceased broadcaster Gwen Ifill, as well as various artists, writers, activists & soldiers. The items displayed at the state capital this month will then be moved the National Museum of African American History in Washington DC.

New York State is setting aside nearly $20 million dollars to assist local health care providers looking to expand or upgrade their facilities. The New Community Health Care Revolving Fund is intended to help health organizations that might not be able to expand otherwise. The money will be awarded in the form of low cost loans for mental health clinics or community clinics on projects to construct, expand or renovate facilities. Governor Cuomo said that the funding would help ensure that every New Yorkers has access to quality health care.

Firefighters from Norwich, North Norwich & Sherburne responded to a vehicle fire on State route 12 between North Norwich & Sherburne, yesterday afternoon. A Pepperidge farms delivery truck was in flames when fire fighters arrived shortly after 12:00 Noon Wednesday, Chenango county fire investigators reported that the vehicle had broken down, was towed to a rest area, when a mechanic ruptured a gas line. The vehicle was totally destroyed, no injuries were report, and no tickets were issued.

Attorney General Eric Schneiderman today filed a motion to join a federal lawsuit against President Donald Trump's immigration Executive Order. Schneiderman insisted that not only is the order unconstitutional, but it does harm to the states economy. New York is home to over 4.4 million foreign-born residents, about 22.5% of the state's population, many of whom operate businesses or who are Doctors, Lawyers, Educators or students.

Chenango County Sheriff Ernest Cutting was Elected 2nd Vice Chair of the Executive Committee of the New York State Sheriffs' Association, at the 83rd Annual Winter Training Conference last week in Albany. Sheriff Cutting will work with Sheriffs around the state, to further the efforts of the Sheriffs' Association to enhance public safety in New York State through professional training and accreditation programs, public safety programs, and advocacy. The New York State Sheriffs' Association, Inc. is a not-for-profit corporation, formed in 1934, for the purpose of assisting sheriffs in the efficient and effective delivery of services to the public.

State Lawmakers are holding budget hearings in Albany on various segments of the Governor's Proposed Budget. Assemblyman Cliff Crouch said that school districts can not wait any longer for changes to the school aid formulas:

(Crouch 2-2-17)

Crouch said that the formulas were due to change about a decade ago under then Governor Eliot Spitzer, but a lawsuit & the recession put those changes on the back burner.

Lawmakers will be under additional pressure to get a meaningful ethics reform package passed this year, after more lawmakers found themselves in legal trouble last year. State Senator Fred Akshar comments:

(Fred Akshar 2-1-17)

Currently, lawmakers are holding budget hearings, and are waiting for the Governor's 30-Day Amendments to his Executive Budget Proposal.

Attorney General Eric Schneiderman today announced a lawsuit against Charter Communications, and its subsidiary Spectrum/Time Warner Cable for allegedly conducting a deliberate scheme to defraud New Yorkers by promising Internet service that they knew they could not deliver. The complaint alleges that since January 2012 Spectrum-TWC's marketing promised subscribers who signed up for its Internet service that they would get a "fast, reliable connection" to the Internet. The investigation showed that Internet speed measurements delivered to subscribers on Spectrum-TWC's fastest speed plans only a third to a half of the download speeds than they had paid for.

On Monday Morning at about 11:10 a.m., Chenango County 911 received a report of shots being fired in the area of Algerine Street, in the Town of Afton. Responding Troopers located a male subject suffering from a shotgun wound to his upper leg, he was transported to Wilson Hospital in Johnson City, where he was being treated for his non-life threatening injury. The circumstances of how this subject was injured is currently under investigation. The continuing investigation determined a burglary had occurred in the Town of Afton. After consultation with Chenango County District Attorney Joseph McBride, State Police arrested 34 year old James Fletcher of Greene, for 2nd degree Burglary. Fletcher was arraigned in Town of Afton Court and was remanded to the Chenango County jail on $50,000 cash bail or $100,000 bond. The investigation into this incident is ongoing, Anyone with information is requested to contact State Police at 561-7400.

Chenango County Sheriff’s Office responded to a 2 car motor vehicle crash on State Route 12 in the Village of Greene. Deputies & Village of Greene Police reported that one vehicle was driven by 64 year old Danny Frayer of Oxford, when a 2nd vehicle operated by 33 year old Kyle Skidmore of Binghamton crossed the center line and was struck by Frayer’s vehicle. The passenger in Frayer’s vehicle, 54 year old Thomas Whittaker of Greene was pronounced dead at the scene. Frayer was transported to Wilson Hospital with minor injuries. Skidmore was transported to Wilson Hospital for treatment of serious internal injuries. Frayer and Skidmore were both wearing seat belts, Whittaker was not. The Sheriff’s Office has determined that Skidmore was operating at an unsafe speed for road conditions and failed to keep right.

Governor Cuomo announced a statewide crackdown on impaired and reckless driving during Super Bowl weekend. The New York State Police and local law enforcement agencies will implement the campaign, which includes underage drinking enforcement, increased patrols and sobriety checkpoints to deter, identify, and arrest impaired drivers. The campaign will be promoted on various message boards on highways across the state, including the New York State Thruway, and runs from Saturday, February 4 until 4 a.m. Monday, February 6.

35-year-old David Mikulski of Binghamton was sentenced to 8 years in prison Thursday, following a guilty plea for criminal sale of a controlled substance in November 2015. Broome County District Attorney Steve Cornwell stated that Mikulski was part of the drug trafficking network in Broome County led by Terrence Wise.

Governor Cuomo, U.S. Senator Charles Schumer, and Congressman Chris Collins announced that more than $170 million in federal funds will be returned to Upstate New York to expand broadband and high speed internet service, after the FCC reversed course on a plan and decided to keep money designated for New York in New York. According to the FCC, there were 78,245 households in Upstate NY where Verizon declined funding. Pursuant to the Order issued by the FCC, New York State will award this declined funding of $170 million over 10 years in concert with upcoming rounds of its broadband auction.

Magic City Productions brings HOWIE MANDEL will be live in concert at the Broome County Forum Sunday at 3:00 PM. Tickets are still available at The Arena Box Office, through TICKETMASTER at 1- 800-745-3000 or at Ticketmaster.com. Mandel most recently served as a judge on NBC's America's Got Talent.

State police arrested 25 year old Schuyler Schmidt of New Berlin for Criminal Mischief & Reckless Endangerment. Troopers responded to the report of man outside a home on State Route 8 in the Town of Columbus, who had punched and smashed a windshield of an occupied car during a dispute with the woman inside. Schmidt was arraigned in the Town of Columbus Court and was released. An order of protection was issued against him.

65-year-old Robert Doggart of Tennessee will have his trial begin February 6th in his home state. Doggert faces several charges, including solicitation to commit a civil rights violation and solicitation to commit arson of a building; he is accused of plotting an attack against the residents & the buildings at Islamberg near Hancock.

Attorney General Eric Schneiderman announced a settlement with Acer Corporation, after a data breach of its website exposed over 35,000 credit card numbers. Sensitive Acer customer information was not protected for almost a full calendar year, Acer has agreed to pay $115,000 in penalties and to shore up its data security practices. Acer was the target of a cyber-attack resulting in a compromise of credit card information. The subsequent investigation revealed that at least one attacker exploited Acer website vulnerabilities to view sensitive customer data. In all, sensitive data related to 35,071 people, including 2,250 New York residents, was stolen.

New York State of Health, the state's official health plan Marketplace, is reminding New Yorkers that the final deadline to enroll in a Qualified Health Plan for 2017 coverage is Tuesday, January 31. To continue to meet high demand, the NY State of Health Customer Service Center will have extended hours on Saturday, January 28 and Sunday, January 29 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Consumers who want to secure 2017 coverage should act now. For more information about the Marketplace, visit nystateofhealth.ny.gov.

State tax collections through the first three quarters of the fiscal year are down, According to State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli. The decline was 2.2% or around $1.2 billion, which is about $30 million lower than mid-year projections. DiNapoli’s report showed that there was Significant increases in spending for Medicaid and other public health programs.

New regulations will be issued by the New York State Department of State, requiring structural inspections of above-ground parking garages. The State does not currently have laws or regulations requiring public or private parking garages to undergo structural inspections, only fire and general safety rules. The regulations follow the collapse of a parking ramp at Wilson Memorial Hospital in Johnson City in July 2015, and the November 2015 closure of the Collier Street parking ramp in Binghamton, due to safety concerns. The State Department of State will soon begin drafting the regulations.

The head of New York State’s Public Service Commission is stepping down to take a job in Australia. Audrey Zibelman announced her departure Monday, she will stay on until the end of March before going to work for the Australian Energy Market Operator, which oversees electricity and natural gas markets and networks.

Governor Cuomo announced the state would invest up to $20 million for major upgrades at Whiteface and Gore Mountains to attract more visitors to the upstate region in the winter time. The investments will enhance the current facilities at Gore and Whiteface Mountains and create state-of-the art skiing, lodging, dining and retail opportunities and year-round activities. The project will be the first major upgrade at both Whiteface and Gore in 30 years.

Attorney General Eric Schneiderman announced the guilty plea of 44 year old Darin Cox of Johnson City, who is the owner and operator of Broome Taxi, for his fraudulent actions in obtaining over $3,000 from the Medicaid system by operating his business without the licensing necessary to operate a taxicab in Broome County. Cox pleaded guilty to 1 count of Grand Larceny, he faces a sentence of up to 7 years in prison.

The State DEC announced the renewal of 2 general permits for technical programs designed to reduce the potential for water pollution on large livestock farms. The permits provide new requirements for Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations to ensure proper management of nutrients while increasing water quality protection. Governor Cuomo’s proposal for the $2 billion Clean Water Infrastructure Act of 2017 will also invest resources for drinking water and wastewater infrastructure and other water quality protection across the state, including funds for ensuring proper management and storage of nutrients such as manure on farms.

Gwen Wright, of the State Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence will deliver Governor Cuomo's Regional Budget Briefing today in Delhi. The presentation will begin at 1:00 PM at SUNY Delhi.

The Otsego County IDA will hold a public hearing this morning on the State Eminent Domain Procedure Law at 11:00 AM at their offices at 189 Main Street, Oneonta. The purpose of the hearing is to outline and/or describe the proposed acquisition by the Agency of the parcels commonly known as the Ford Block at Market Street in Oneonta.

Governor Cuomo discussed his plans to strengthen the Upstate economy, with income tax cuts for middle class families, free tuition at SUNY & CUNY Schools for middle class families, and the continuing of the Regional Economic Development Councils.

(Cuomo 1-23-17)

Lawmakers will begin hearing later this week on various aspects of the Governor's 152 Billion Dollar Executive Budget Proposal.

Governor Cuomo announced a series of actions to firmly secure access to reproductive rights in New York State. The State will ensure that contraceptive drugs and devices are covered by commercial health insurance policies without co-pays, coinsurance, or deductibles regardless of the future of the Affordable Care Act; contraceptives are available in amounts exceeding one month’s supply at a time; and all medically necessary abortion services are covered by commercial health insurance policies without co-pays, coinsurance, or deductibles. The announcement coincides with this weekend's Women’s Marches in Washington D.C., across New York State and across the country, as well as the 44th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court Roe vs. Wade decision.

State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman announced a settlement with Cigna, requiring the health insurer to eliminate a ban on coverage for claims for neuropsychological testing of psychiatric conditions and autism spectrum disorder. An investigation was launched following a complaint last year about Cigna’s policy. Under the terms of the settlement, the company agrees to comply with Timothy's Law, which is named for a 13-year-old Schenectady boy who committed suicide after an insurance denial. The settlement requires Cigna to revise its policies, pay autism claims previously rejected, and pay a penalty of $50,000.

State Police stopped a vehicle traveling west on State Route 17 in the Town of Sanford for a traffic infraction. Troopers conducted a search of the vehicle and discovered approximately 7 ½ pounds of marihuana. 22 year old Andrew Reid of Queens, was arrested for second-degree criminal possession of marihuana, he was arraigned in the Town of Sanford Court and remanded to the Broome County Jail without bail. 20 year old Andeka Morgan of Queens was charged with unlawful possession of marihuana and released.

The New York State Department of Taxation and Finance announced that the income tax filing season officially begins today. New York taxpayers with household income of $64,000 or less in 2016 can qualify to use Free File software, the Tax Department is hosting 54 Facilitated-Self Assistance sites throughout New York State, each staffed by Tax Department experts. More information is available at tax.ny.gov/fsa.

It appears less likely that a Special Session of the Legislature will be called before the end of the year, as Governor Cuomo & Senate leaders have differing agendas as the year closes. Governor Cuomo said that he wants to appropriate up to one billion more dollars to help the homeless, and expand of the state’s hate crimes law, lawmakers wants a pay raise for the first time in 17 years, & neither side is budging. Lawmakers will wind up back in Albany for a brand new session in January.

Attorney General Schneiderman urged all New Yorkers to take immediate steps to protect their personal information online, in the wake of Yahoo's recent disclosure that a third party had breached its servers and accessed the personal data of over 1 billion users. The data compromised includes email addresses, telephone numbers, dates of birth, hashed passwords (using MD5) and, in some cases, encrypted or unencrypted security questions and answers. The investigation indicates that the stolen information did not include passwords in clear text, payment card data, or bank account information. The Attorney General urges anyone with a Yahoo account to change their passwords and security questions -- not only with Yahoo accounts, but for any other accounts which you use the same or similar information.

State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli reminded New Yorkers that contributions to a New York State 529 College Savings Program account are tax deductible. Contributions made by December 31st can provide up to $10,000 in state tax deductions on 2016 income tax filings. New Yorkers can open an account and if they already have one can contribute and deduct up to $5,000 from their New York State taxable income. Married couples filing jointly can deduct up to $10,000 each year.

Delhi University police announced that they are searching for 21 year old Steven Sutliff, who told his roommates on Saturday afternoon that he was heading to Oneonta, and would return on Monday. Sutliff was reported missing on Tuesday evening. Sutliff is described as a 5'9" white male, weighing about 150 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes. Anyone with information on Sutliff's whereabouts are asked to contact SUNY Delhi University Police at 607-746-4700, or New York State Police at 607-561-7400.

Governor Cuomo today announced that New York State will participate in the national “Drive Sober or get Pulled Over” enforcement campaign to crackdown on impaired driving this holiday season. Drivers can expect sobriety checkpoints and an increased number of Troopers patrolling New York roadways, starting today through Sunday, January 1st, 2017.

The Sidney American Legion is having its 21st annual children's Christmas party on Saturday, from 12:00 NOON to 1:30 P.M. Spokesman Larry Halbert explains:

(Larry Halbert 12-16-16)

The Sidney American legion is located at 22 Union Street; more information is available at 237-4762.

In November 2016, the State’s private sector job count increased by 4,800, or 0.1%, to 7,950,000, according to preliminary figures by the State Department of Labor. In November, New York’s statewide unemployment rate decreased from 5.2% to 5.1%.

Attorney General Eric Schneiderman today issued a fraud alert warning immigrants to be aware of potential scammers offering immigration services. In recent weeks, the Attorney General’s office and many legal aid organizations that work with immigrant communities have received an increased number of calls and reported scams. A hotline has been set up for those who have been targeted, all calls will be confidential and anonymous. The number is 1-800-566-7636, it is available between 9:00am to 8:00pm Monday through Friday.

The State DOT announced that bridge work on State Route 30/206 northbound and southbound over the East Branch of the Delaware River in the town Colchester will require intermittent road closures in both directions starting on November 30 through December 2 from 7:00 AM to 3:30 PM each day. Crews will be setting bridge girders for the new bridge. Motorists will encounter traffic stoppages intermittently for 10 – 15 minutes several times during the work hours daily. Flag personnel will control traffic. Motorists are advised to be alert for slow moving traffic and sudden stops.

Governor Cuomo today announced that temporary lane closures associated with road and bridge construction projects on New York State highways will not be permitted from today through 6:00 AM on Monday, in order to accommodate motorists during the busy Thanksgiving holiday travel week. Some work may continue behind permanent concrete barriers or for emergency repairs.

The State Department of Health today announced that it has officially filed amendments to the Medical Use of Marijuana regulations that will authorize nurse practitioners to register with the Department to certify patients for medical marijuana. The amendments will take effect on November 30th, when the notice of adoption will be published in the New York State Register. Nurse practitioners will need to take the Department-approved Medical Use of Marijuana course online. The proposed rulemaking will be published on November 30th and will be subject to a 45-day public comment period. So far, over 10,500 patients have been certified by more than 740 registered physicians to participate.

A Red Cross blood drive will be held in Greene today from 12:30 until 5:30 PM at the Church of the Immaculate Conception, 1180 State Highway 206. Appointments can be made with the Red Cross Blood Donor App, redcrossblood.org or 1-800-RED CROSS. All blood types are needed to ensure a reliable supply for patients.

Governor Cuomo announced plans to create a new hate-crimes unit in the state police and legal assistance for immigrants targeted for deportation or discrimination. Cuomo said Sunday that the legal assistance will take the form of a public-private legal defense fund run by the New York State Office for New Americans, The state police’s new hate-crimes unit has responded to numerous racial incidents since Election day with nazi literature & Swastikas found on Long Island, at a Brooklyn park, and in Wellsville & Livingston upstate

Governor Cuomo today announced that temporary lane closures associated with road and bridge construction projects on New York State highways will not be permitted from 6:00 AM Wednesday, through 6:00 AM Monday, in order to accommodate motorists during the busy Thanksgiving holiday travel week. Some work may continue behind permanent concrete barriers or for emergency repairs. AAA predicts that nearly 49 million people will travel more than 50 miles from home from Wednesday through Sunday, and more than 89% of those travelers will be driving. That number is up an estimated two percent over last year and is the highest number of expected Thanksgiving travelers since 2007.

NYSEG reported scattered power outages across the state today, due to heavy wet snow knocking down tree limbs & power lines. Nyseg crews have been working to restore power as quickly as possible.

State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman issued a statement on the $25 million settlement agreement reached in Trump University fraud case. Schneiderman stated that his office first sued Donald Trump in 2013 for swindling thousands of Americans out of millions of dollars through a scheme known as Trump University. Trump agreed to a $25 million settlement agreement for over 6,000 victims of the fraudulent Trump University.

The Chenango County Sheriff's Office responded to an Armed Robbery Friday at the Speedway Gas Station, in the Town of Norwich. The suspect displayed what appeared to be a handgun and demanded money from the store employee. The Sheriff's Office arrested 36 year old Jeremy Farnsworth of Norwich for 2nd degree Robbery police recovered the stolen cash and the weapon used in the robbery. Farnsworth was arraigned in the Town of Norwich Court and remanded to the Chenango County Correctional Facility on $25,000 cash bail. He is to reappear in court on November 22. The State Police and City of Norwich Police Department assisted with the investigation.

More American red cross blood drives will be held in Oneonta today from 12:00 Noon to 5:00 PM at Hartwick College, & Tuesday from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM at the Country Club Auto Group, 55 Oneida Street appointments are requested with the red cross App, at recrossblood.org or 1-800 red cross.

Voting continues today & this evening, as people decide on the Presidential campaign, one seat in the US Senate from New York, 2 local seats in the US House of Representatives, plus all of the seat in the State Senate & State Assembly. Several towns also have seats to fill. Polls are open until 9:00 tonight.

Coldwell Banker/Timberland Properties have teamed up with Community Bank, Neighbors Insurance & State Farm Insurance in Sidney, to give away Green Light Bulbs to honor military veterans this Friday, Veterans Day. Steve Rose of Coldwell Banker Timberland Properties of Sidney explains:

(Steve Rose 11-8-16)

More information about the program is available at Green Light a Vet.com, the bulbs will be handed out while they last at the Coldwell Banker Timberland Properties Community Bank building at their Union Street Sidney location, and at the State Farm/Neighbors Insurance office at State Route 7 Riverside Sidney.

Attorney General Eric Schneiderman reminded voters that his office has created a Hotline to help troubleshoot and resolve a range of issues and barriers encountered by voters at the polls for the General Election today, November 8. The Attorney General urges voters experiencing problems or issues at the polls to call the office's hotline at 800-771-7755 or email civil.rights@ag.ny.gov, through 9:00 PM tonight.

Tax collections through the first half of the state fiscal year fell $1.3 billion or 3.5% from the same period a year ago, as personal income tax receipts, lagged behind expectations, according to a report by State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli. Tax collections through September 30, were below collections in five of the first six months of last year. Collections were $918.7 million lower than original projections in the Enacted Budget Financial Plan, but $11.3 million higher than the most recent projections.

Attorney General Eric Schneiderman announced that his office has created a Hotline to help troubleshoot and resolve a range of issues and barriers encountered by voters at the polls for the General Election on November 8. The Attorney General urges voters experiencing problems or issues at the polls to call the office's hotline at 800-771-7755 or email civil.rights@ag.ny.gov at any time on Tuesday between 6 a.m. and 9 p.m.

Jericho arts council presents the Corvettes Saturday night at the Bainbridge town hall, spokesman Phillip Wade comments:

(Phil Wade 11-4-16)

The Corvettes Doo Wop Revue is tomorrow 7:00 PM, Bainbridge, reservations are available by calling 967-3169, Tickets will be available at the door prior to the concert

State Police arrested 59 year old Edward Henry of Milford for Forcible Touching, and Sexual Abuse, following allegations of subjecting another person to unwanted sexual contact without the victim’s consent. Henry was arraigned in the Town of Laurens Court and posted $1,000 bail and was released pending further court action. The investigation is ongoing.

A Red Cross blood drive will be held in Oxford Saturday from 7:30 AM to 12:30 PM, at the American Legion at 17 South Washington Street. Prospective donors can download the American Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS to make an appointment.

State Police announced today that State Trooper Timothy Pratt died this morning as a result of injuries suffered when he was struck by a vehicle on Ballard Road in the town of Wilton, at about 6:55 AM, while assisting the driver of a tractor trailer on Ballard Road, Trooper Pratt was struck by a passing car and critically injured. Trooper Pratt was airlifted to Albany Medical Center where he died from his injuries at approximately 9:30 a.m. Trooper Pratt became a member of the State Police in 1987, he was 55 years old. Funeral arrangements should be announced shortly. Police added that no charges will be filed against the driver of the 2nd vehicle.

Attorney General Eric Schneiderman announced that his office has reached separate $6 million settlements with DraftKings and FanDuel, resolving lawsuits alleging false and deceptive advertising practices by the companies. The agreements also require sweeping reforms to the companies' marketing, including clear disclosure of terms and conditions for marketing promotions, expected winnings, and expected performance in the online contests, as well as resources for players at risk for compulsive gaming disorders, including addiction. the companies will be required to maintain a webpage that provides information about the rate of success of users in its contests, including the percentage of winnings captured by the top 1%, 5% and 10% of players.

State Police arrested 32 year old Amber Roe of Oneonta, for operating a motor vehicle while ability impaired by drugs. Troopers stated that Roe drove herself to the State Police Oneonta Barracks to report a theft, Troopers determined that Roe was driving while impaired by drugs, she consented to a Blood Test & lab results are pending. Roe was issued tickets returnable to the Town of Oneonta Court on November 15, 2016.

The State Financial Services Department & the Otsego County District Attorney John Muehl today announced the arrest of 34-year-old Lawrence Woodards of Cooperstown, and 34-year-old Kevin Williamson of New York City, for allegedly stealing approximately $25,000 in tax proceeds from the Otsego County Treasurer's Office. Woodards is accused of stealing approximately $14,000 while employed as an account clerk typist in the Treasurer's Office. Williamson is accused of depositing the checks into his bank account and then mailing approximately half of the money back to Woodards. Bother were charged with 3rd degree Grand Larceny. They were arraigned in Town of Otsego Court and were both released on their own recognizance pending a November 16th hearing.

74% of guns used in crimes in New York originated from other states, and 86% recovered handguns came from outside the state, according to a report Tuesday from state Atoortney General Eric Schneiderman. State law enforcement agencies recovered 52,915 firearms between 2010-2015. Only 6% Of Guns Were Recovered From The Original Purchaser. Schenderman’s report indicated that New York’s tough guns laws were undermined by lesser regulations in other states. The full report can be accessed at ag.ny.gov

NY State of Health announced that open enrollment for New Yorkers seeking health insurance coverage in 2017, through Qualified Health Plans begins on November 1st. Open Enrollment runs through January 31, 2017.

The Chenango County Sheriff’s Office & State Police arrested 27 year old Kenneth Oefelein of Coventry on 2 counts of Criminal Mischief. Oefelein allegedly damaged property of the victim and did not allow her to call 911, during a domestic dispute on October 19th. Oefelein was arraigned in the Town of Coventry court and is being held on $5000 cash bail. Oefelein is to reappear in the Town of Coventry court at a later date.

Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, State Police and the Massachusetts DEA Task Force today announced the indictment of more than 2 dozen people for their roles in an alleged national heroin smuggling ring. The investigation, seized more than 33 kilos of heroin and 2 kilos of Fentanyl worth about $13 Million dollars, plus weapons & vehicles, The operation netted alleged dealers and traffickers in New York, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Arizona, and New Jersey, it is one of the largest heroin seizures ever in New York and is the single largest single seizure in the 46-year history of the state's Organized Crime Task Force.

State Police responded to a car & tractor trailer fatal crash on State Route 90 in the Town of Homer. A 61 year old Cortland man was driving a Subaru southbound, he drifted into the northbound lane and struck a tractor trailer driven by 48 year old Michael Gross of Norwich. Police said that the Subaru spun off the southbound shoulder and came to rest, the tractor trailer crossed over the southbound lanes and came to rest in a swamp, diesel fuel spilled onto the roadway, and the tractor began to burn. The unidentified Cortland man was declared dead at the scene, Gross was transported to Upstate Medical for non-life threatening injuries. The deceased driver’s name is not being released pending family notification.

The Jericho Arts Council will hold the first of their scheduled events for the season Saturday, Spokesman Phillip Wade explains:

(Phil Wade 9-23-16)

Other scheduled events for the season include Zink & Company on October 22, The Corvettes on November 5th, & The Out Of The Woodwork Players performance of "Double Wide Texas" on November 18th & 19th. More information is available at jerichoarts.com.

The State DEC announced that early bowhunting seasons for deer in New York State will be starting soon. Early bow season for deer begins in the Northern Zone at sunrise on Tuesday, September 27, and continues through October 21. In the Southern Zone, early bow season for deer and bear begins Saturday, October 1 and continues through November 18. Deer hunters should also be aware that the application deadline for Deer Management Permits is October 1. More information is available at dec.ny.gov.

State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman announced that his office has reached settlements with Viacom, Mattel,  Hasbro and JumpStart Games resolving investigations into the companies' violations of the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act. "Operation Child Tracker," discovered that websites operated by these companies were home to tracking technology that illegally enabled third-party vendors, to track children's online activity in violation of the law. The companies agreed to pay a combined $835,000 in penalties and implement significant reforms.

State Police were dispatched to West River Road, in the Town of Nichols, for a vehicle off the road. 32 year old Harley Spencer of Sayre, Pennsylvania drove his minivan off the east shoulder of the road and struck a tree. Spencer died at the scene from the injuries he sustained in the collision, the investigation into the cause of the accident in continuing.

State Police arrested 31 year old Kevin Craven of Binghamton, for criminal obstruction of breathing or blood circulation and harassment, after troopers responded to a Broome County 911 report of a dispute at a home on Burr Avenue in the Town of Binghamton. Craven is accused of pushing the vicitm several times & choking the victim against a wall. Craven was arraigned in the Town of Binghamton court and was remanded to the Broome County jail on $500 cash bail or $1,000 property bond. An order of protection was issued.

State Police arrested 21 year old Colby Russo of Margaretville, for criminal obstruction of breathing or blood circulation and harassment, after troopers responded to a dispute at a home on Thompson Hollow Road in the Town of Middletown. Russo allegedly punched and choked the victim during an argument. Russo was arraigned in the Town of Middletown where he was released on his own recognizance to appear at the court on October 13, 2016. An order of protection was issued by the court against him.

The American Red Cross encourages eligible donors to give blood to help ensure a readily available blood supply for emergencies. In Sidney a blood drive will be held today from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM at the SFCU at 42 Union Street. .Donors of all blood types are needed. To make an appointment to give blood, download the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS.

The Binghamton Senators announced that single game tickets for the team’s 2016-17 regular season home games will go on sale Monday, September 19th at 10:00 AM at the B-Sens Executive Offices, the Arena Box Office, and all Ticketmaster outlets. Binghamton will play 37 regular season games at Floyd L. Maines Veterans Memorial Arena in addition to a home preseason game against the Rochester Americans on Saturday, October 8th starting at 7:05 p.m. The B-Sens’ home opener is scheduled for Saturday, October 15th against the Hershey Bears at 7:05 p.m.