WCDO Radio News

The Broome County Task Force announced that 2 people were arrested in a drug bust in Kirkwood, with officers seizing crystal meth, packaged heroin with fenantyl, cocaine, Marijuana & suboxone and $3800 in cash. 32-year-old Sean Donahue of Kirkwood and 31 year old Victoria Morgan of Binghamton were sent to the Broome County jail after being charged with multiple counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance, criminal use of drug paraphernalia, and unlawful possession of marijuana.

The Otsego County Department of Health announced that a bat tested positive for rabies today. The bat was captured after a human exposure; more information about rabies is available at 547-4230.

The Deadline to register by phone to participate in this year's Delaware County Clean Sweep is this Sunday October 15th. Event coordinator Sue McIntyre of Delaware County Solid Waste explains:

(Sue McIntyre 10-13-17)

The phone number to register is 865-6474; the online registration is at cleansweep Delaware. event brite.com. Farms & businesses will drop off their unwanted chemicals on Friday October 19th, households on Saturday October 20th.

Broome County Executive Jason Garner announced this morning the establishment of a drug treatment center at the former Broome Developmental Center site. Garner announced that Syracuse Behavioral Health Care would run the facility to help those battling opioid addiction.

Chobani & Commerce Chenango are holding their annual Trail Run 5K/ 10K this Sunday at Pharsalia Woods. Registration and packet pick up is today at the Commerce Chenango offices from 5:00 to 7:00 PM or on the day of the event from 8:00 to 9:30 AM. More information is available at 334-1400

State Senator Fred Akshar will host “Face Time with Fred” in Conklin Saturday. Senator Akshar invites community members to an informal, in-person town hall meeting to listen to their concerns. The event will be held from 11:00 am to 12:30 pm at the Floyd Maines Community Center, 956 Conklin Road.

Delaware County Public Health and the Village of Sidney Police will be holding a free Car Seat Safety Event at McDonalds in Sidney from 9:00 AM to 12:00 Noon. Parents and caregivers can have their child’s car seat checked at no cost by certified child safety seat technicians. Car seats which do not meet the Federal Motor Safety Standard may be replaced. Funding for this program is made possible by the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee and the National Highway Safety Administration. For more information about this event call Heather Warner at Delaware County Public Health 607-832-5200.

The town of Oneonta will begin collecting leaves & brush starting Monday October 16th, and the following Mondays of October 23rd, October 30th & November 6th. Town officials request that the leaves, garden debris, or small amounts of brush be left in paper bags only, and they must be at curbside by 8:00 AM each Monday. Town residents may also bring the leaves & brush behind the town hall, & they may also take mulch from the site. More information is available at 432-4581.

Tri Town Coalition on Substance Abuse Prevention is holding a fundraising bowling event at East Main Lanes in Sidney Saturday. Organizer Jennifer Cooper explains:

(Jennifer Cooper 10-13-17)

The event begins at 12:00 Noon, those wishing to participate can register at 651-7520.

The Village of Sidney hosted the first of a series of meetings regarding the progress of the Main Street Revitalization Project. Ian Law of Place Alliance designed the project & told WCDO News of the 2 main items that has slowed the project down:

(Ian Law 10-9-17)

Law said that the plans will be to finish the one side of Main Street in the comings weeks, and start the second side as early as possible next year.

State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman released a statement today following EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt’s announcement that the Trump Administration will repeal the Clean Power Plan. Schneiderman said that the Trump Administration is putting energy industry special interests ahead of New Yorkers’ and all Americans’ safety, health, and the environment. In November 2015, a coalition of 25 states, cities and counties, led by New York Attorney General Schneiderman, intervened in defense of the Clean Power Plan against legal challenge in the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals.

New York Farm Bureau President David Fisher encouraged members of the House Agriculture Committee to work closely with farmers to improve the 2018 Federal Farm Bill. Fisher highlighted the need for a revamped safety net for New York's dairy farmers and improved protection for the important specialty crops grown in New York. Fisher's presentation was part of a special listening session held at SUNY Cobleskill, New York Farm Bureau's goals for the 2018 Farm Bill include no further cuts in spending, following more than $20 billion in cuts in the previosu 2014 Farm Bill.

The Tri Town Coalition on Substance Abuse Prevention will hold their first fundraiser this Saturday at 12:00 Noon, Coalition Event Planning Chair person Jennifer Cooper explains:

(Jennifer Cooper 10-9-17)

Those who would like to register to participate can also email Jcooper2014@Aol.com.

The Delaware County Chamber of Commerce annnounced that former area Congressman Chris Gibson will be their special guest at their next 1st Friday Eat & Meet Breakfast on Friday, November 3rd from 8:30 to 10:00 am. The meeting will be held at the Delhi Nursing and Rehabiliation Center at 41861 State Highway 10 in Delhi, Gibson will discuss his recently published new book "Rally Point".

Village of Sidney Officials will give an informational meeting regarding the Main Street revitalization project; Mayor Andy Matviak said that changes to the timeline are likely:

(Andy Matviak 10-9-17)

This morning’s meeting will be held at the Civic Center at 10:00 AM.

New York lawmakers convicted of abusing their power and sent off to prison may have their pensions removed, when voters will be asked in November whether to change the state constitution to authorize judges to strip pensions from corrupt politicians. 30 state lawmakers have left office since 2000 because of criminal charges or allegations of ethical misconduct. Voters will also be decide whether to call for a constitutional convention, where delegates would consider tweaking or rewriting the state Constitution.

Oneonta Police served a search warrant Tuesday at 5 Myrtle Avenue, following an investigation of the sale and possession of Marijuana & the violation of an active order of protection. Arrested were 30-year-old Jason Harageones of Unadilla for Criminal Contempt, Criminal Possession of a controlled substance & Criminal possession of marijuana. Hargeones is also accused of causing damage to a surveillance camera, which led to an additional Criminal Mischief charge. Police also arrested 28-year-old Danielle Stoesser of Oneonta for Criminal Possession of a controlled substance & Criminal Possession of marihuana; she is also accused of engaging in a physical confrontation with the officers processing her arrest and was charged with Obstruction of Governmental Administration. Harageones was arraigned & remanded to the Otsego County jail without bail; Stoesser was issued an appearance ticket and released to appear at a later date.

State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli’s Fiscal Stress Monitoring System has designated 27 municipalities across the state as fiscally stressed. The list, which includes 8 counties, 8 cities and 11 towns, which is the fewest number of municipalities listed in stress since DiNapoli implemented his system in 2013. Based on their 2016 financial reports, the counties of Broome and Monroe, and the cities of Albany and Watervliet have received the highest designation of “significant fiscal stress.” 13 communities have been listed in the second-highest category of “moderate fiscal stress.” Locally, it includes the town of Cherry Valley. An additional 10 municipalities have been listed as “susceptible to fiscal stress.” Locally this includes the town of Oxford.

Governor Cuomo announced that the state would make $2.2 million available to local governments for public charging stations for electric vehicles. Cities and towns will have to apply for the funding, which will be given out in the form of a rebate, Local governments can also use the money to purchase or lease electric or hydrogen vehicles for their municipal fleet.

The Delaware County Board of Elections released a statement today, regarding the proposition for a Constitutional Convention on the November Ballot. False information has gone viral over social media, with the implication that if you do not vote on the proposition it will be counted as a yes, which is not true. Officials with the Board of Elections stated that failing to vote on this measure does not default to a vote in favor of holding a Constitutional Convention, according to state election law 9–112. Propositions will be on the back of the ballot again this year, & there will be signs posted at polling sites and inspectors are obliged to tell the voter to turn the ballot over.

Commerce Chenango announced that the Leadership Chenango Kick Off Dinner & Tecklenburg Award Presentation would be held on Thursday, October 5th from 5:00 PM to 7:30 PM at the Canasawacta Country Club in Norwich. The new class will be introduced at the Leadership Chenango Kick-off dinner, which will feature keynote speaker Charlie Andrews of Alvogen and the presentation of the Tecklenburg award to Martin Dietrich, Chairman of NBT Bancorp.

The Bainbridge Chamber of Commerce announced their annual winners of the Citizen of the year & Business of the year Awards. This year's Citizen of the year is June White, who has been involved in many area organizations & events in Bainbridge:

(June White 9-27-17)

Also picked for Business of the Year is Snips & Snails Consignment shop, owned by Lori McGraw. The annual dinner & awards ceremony will be held at the Sundown Golf & county Club in Guilford on Saturday October 28th at 6:00 PM.

Tri-Town Coalition On Substance Abuse Prevention will hold their next meeting this evening at the Sidney High School Library from 6:00 to 7:30 PM. Coalition Spokesperson Lorraine Keckeisen explains:

(Lorraine Keckeisen 9-27-17)

When "Chasing the Dragon” is shown in its entirety on November 15th, it will followed by a panel discussion with prevention and rehabilitation specialists.

The Tri Town Coalition on Substance Abuse Prevention will hold their first fundraiser next month. Coalition event Planning Chair person Jennifer Cooper explains:

(Jennifer Cooper 9-21-17)

Those who would like to register to participate can call 651-7520 or email Jcooper2014@Aol.com.

Governor Cuomo announced an open solicitation for farmers, businesses and research institutions interested in growing and processing industrial hemp as part of the State's Industrial Hemp Pilot Program. There are now more than 20 partners in the State's pilot program licensed to grow industrial hemp on approximately 2,000 acres in New York State compared to 30 acres planted in 2016. New York producers, businesses and universities interested in participating in the Program can apply at agriculture.ny.gov. The open solicitation ends on November 22, 2017.

Commerce Chenango & Chenango County Historical Society will host 2 workshops next Tuesday. The Preservation League of New York State and the State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation will present a series of free workshops to help people take advantage of New York's Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credits. The Commercial Program will run from 3:00 to 5:00 PM & the Homeowner Program will be from 6:00 to 8:00 PM, at the Commerce Chenango offices at 15 South Broad Street in Norwich. The workshops are free and open to the public, to make a reservation, visit the League's website at preservenys.org or call 518-462-5658 extension 1

Following multiple raids and arrest warrants associated with Operation Hailstorm, State Police, C-NET, & multiple law enforcement agencies arrested 11 people yesterday, for Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine and Money Laundering. Police arrested Charles Green Jr. of Binghamton & Rachel Millard of Endicott; they were arraigned in Binghamton Federal Court and remanded to jail. Also arrested was Alonso Harris of Youngstown, Arizona, by the DEA in Arizona. Several other Southern Tier area defendants were charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, all were arraigned in Binghamton Federal Court and remanded to jail.

Governor Cuomo announced that the members of the U.S. Climate Alliance, which is a coalition of 15 states and Puerto Rico, that are committed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, are on track to meet and possibly exceed their portion of U.S. commitment under the Paris Agreement that the Trump Administration recently backed out of:

(CUOMO 9-21-17)

The co-chairs of the U.S. Climate Alliance are Governor Cuomo, Governor Jerry Brown of California, and Governor Jay Inslee of Washington, along with former U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry.

State Senator Jim Seward will be at the Oneonta History Center today. Seward will announce a special state grant to help with the renovation and restoration of the Oneonta History Center, at 4:00 PM, at 183 Main Street Oneonta.

The Bainbridge-Guilford Central School will hold a Board of Education Meeting Today in the Guilford Cafeteria. The business portion of the meeting will start at 7:00 PM.

The National Weather Service has confirmed that a tornado touched down in the Madison County town of Georgetown on Tuesday afternoon. The Investigation revealed that the tornado had sustained winds of 90 miles per hour & was a part of the Storm system that traveled through Central New York Monday Afternoon. Damage in the area of the tornado included downed trees and Utility Poles there were no injuries were reported.

State Owned Drones will be used for the 1st time at the New York State Fair in Syracuse this year. The drones will be used to monitor traffic conditions & the capacity of the surrounding parking lots, on the weekends of the Fair, which traditionally has the highest attendance. Governor Cuomo said that the State DOT & STATE Police would operate the Drones.

Chenango County Sheriff’s deputies arrested a Town of Coventry resident on charges of Sexual Abuse & Endangering the Welfare of a Child. 38-year-old Charles Crosby-Barrows was being held on unrelated charges at the Chenango County Jail, he is accused following an investigation of a reported sexual abuse of a juvenile female in 2016.

Math & English scores for New York Students who took standardized tests this spring, showed a slight increase over the 2016 scores, according to the State Education Department. 39.8% of students grades 3 to 8 were proficient in English Language Arts, up almost 2% from 2016, 40.2% of students passed the Math tests, up by 1.1% from 2016. Students who opted out declined from 21% to 19%.

Chenango County Sheriff’s deputies arrested 50 year old Michelle Ryan-Cook of Smyrna for 2nd degree Forgery, 3rd degree Grand Larceny & Falsifying Business Records. Ryan-Cook is accused of stealing more than $3,000 from a Sherburne business from November 2016 to April 2017; she faces court action shortly.

Governor Cuomo announced a coordinated effort by state agencies to crack down on underage drinking on college campuses and in college towns as the fall semester begins. The State Liquor Authority, Police Agencies & the State DMV will conduct statewide sweeps of locations holding liquor licenses, looking for fake IDs and illegal sales to minors. The combined enforcement effort will begin immediately.

Governor Cuomo will officially open the Great New York State fair today, at the fairgrounds in Syracuse. The fair will open after the Governor's announcement; it will run daily through Labor Day.

The Chenango County Sheriff’s Office arrested 21-year-old Kathleen Brown of Norwich for illegally entering a residence. Brown allegedly punched & grabbed an individual by the neck, and pulled a child from a family member, she then attempted to leave in a vehicle that did not have child safety seats. The driver, 22-year-old Lucas Cummings of Norwich was found to have a suspended driver’s license. Brown was arraigned in the Town of Norwich Court for Criminal Trespass & Endangering the Welfare of a Child. She was released & will appear in court at a later date. Cummings was issued a Ticket for Aggravated Unlicensed Operation of a motor vehicle & will appear in the Town of Norwich Court at a later date.

Delaware County Sheriff's Deputies responded to a motor vehicle accident on State Highway 28 in the Town of Franklin. 22-year-old Nicholas Thompson of Garnerville crossed over the opposing lane and drove off the roadway and struck a culvert. Thompson was transported to Fox Hospital for treatment of injuries sustained in the accident. Deputies charged Thompson with DWI & Failure to Keep Right. He was issued tickets returnable in Town of Franklin at a later date.

The next meeting of the Tri-Town Coalition on Substance Abuse Prevention is being held today, at 6:00 PM at the Sidney Middle School Library.

The Chenango County Sheriff's Department arrested 21-year-old Damion Spicer of Norwich for Criminal Contempt. Spicer was charged following a report of a domestic dispute, where Spicer allegedly subjected the female victim to unwanted physical contact while an order of protection was in place. Spicer was arraigned in the Town of Otselic and was remanded to the Chenango County Correctional Facility on $5,000 cash bail, $10,000 bond, pending court action in the Town of Norwich Court at a later date.

1 person is dead & 3 people were injured in a domestic dispute on Binghamton’s west side. Binghamton Police have not released the name of the deceased, initial reports suggested that the deceased started the dispute that landed 3 people in area hospitals early Tuesday morning. Anyone with information is asked to call Binghamton Police at 772-7081.

State DOT Officials said that the section of State Route 17/I-86 between Nichols & Lounsberry would remain closed to traffic through Labor Day. Flash flooding eroded the land under a bridge that allows the highway to crosses a creek, detours will remain in effect for at least the next 6 weeks, motorists in that area are reminded to leave earlier & expect delays through Tioga County.

New York State’s Medicaid system could have saved up to $13.6 million it spent on patients with severe kidney disease whose expenses could have been covered by the federal Medicare program, according to an audit by State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli. Auditors also identified 15 Medicaid providers who were charged with or found guilty of crimes that violated the laws or regulations of a health care program. Auditors also identified three providers who were involved in civil settlements that involved health care-related matters. DOH terminated 15 of them from the Medicaid program.

The state Labor Department released unemployment rates for the month of June. Locally Chenango County had 4.8% unemployment, Delaware County had 5.3% and Otsego County had an even 5%. The statewide rate was at 4.5% in June.

The next Meeting of the Coalition On Substance Abuse Prevention will be today at 6:00 PM at the Sidney Middle School Library. The Coaltion is looking for board members, potential officers and committee chair persons to join in the effort, interested residents are invited to attend tonight's meeting.

An American Red Cross Blood drive will be held today in Sidney. The drive will be held from 2:30 to 6:30 PM at Tri-Town Regional Hospital, Appointments can be made with the Red Cross Blood Donor App, at redcrossblood.org or 1-800-RED CROSS.

A Chenango County area Drug Take-Back Day has been announced for July 19th starting at 10:00 AM until 12:00 Noon at the Afton Free Library at 105 Main Street, Afton. Various organizations are teaming up for the event, where people can dispose of old, expired & unused medications, in order to keep them out of the wrong hands & out of the Waste Stream.

Utica Democratic Assemblyman Anthony Brindisi already announced his intentions to run for the 22nd congressional district in November 2018, at a press conference in Utica this morning. Brindisi seeks to unseat Republican Claudia Tenney, who is only 6 months into her first term in Congress. The 22nd congressional district covers part of Chenango & Broome Counties locally. Brindisi will reschedule a press conference for Binghamton that was postponed today due to the extraordinary session of the Assembly called by Governor Cuomo for today in Albany.

Lawmakers were called back to Albany today for an Extraordinary session to deal with some left over legislation that was not dealt with before the end of the 2017 session last Wednesday. Local Assemblyman Cliff Crouch said that some of the bills really should be dealt with by the local municipalities, and not the state legislature:

(Cliff Crouch 6-28-17)

In the last weeks of the legislative session, state lawmakers had to decide on what Crouch called "Home Rule" issues, like allowing for counties to continue to collect sales tax, in addition to the issue of New York City Mayor Bill DeBlasio overseeing the City schools.

The Catskill Area Hospice is holding their annual fundraising concert in Oneonta this evening. The headlining act will be Daughtry, with opening acts Brett Young & Night Ranger, at the 6th Ward Booster Club Field at Scramling Avenue off of River Street in Oneonta. Tickets for the 5:45 PM show are available at hospicetickets.com; proceeds will help the Catskill area Hospice, serving those with end of life issues.

Delaware County Sheriff's Deputies & local EMT’s responded to a 1 car roll-over accident with entrapment, at approximately 2:00 PM Tuesday on State Highway 28 in the Town of Middletown. 78 year old Doris Hubar of Margaretville was extricated from the overturned vehicle & was transported to Margaretville Memorial Hospital and was transferred to Albany Medical Center for further treatment. Hubar may have experienced a medical emergency while driving, causing her to lose control & flip her vehicle after striking a tree. No tickets have been issued, the investigation is continuing.

The Guernsey Library of Norwich will host a “Movies Under the Stars” event tonight with a showing of “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” in conjunction with the Norwich Merchants Association. The movie will start at about 8:30 PM; movie goers are encouraged to bring their lawn chairs & blankets for tonight’s presentation.

The Tri-Town Coalition On Substance Abuse Prevention meeting will be this evening at 6:00 pm in the Sidney Middle School Cafeteria-Gym. The agenda for the meeting will be action planning for the upcoming 2017/2018 coalition year. This meeting will be led by the Prevention Resource Center and the National Guard Counterdrug Task Force.

Delaware County municipal leaders will listen to suggestions on ways in which they might be able to save money by sharing services or eliminating duplicated services at a public hearing today. The hearing will begin at 3:00 PM at the Delaware County Office Building on Main Street in Delhi. Delaware County Chamber staff will present cost-saving initiatives to those who have been tasked with presenting ideas to the Governor's office. Governor Andrew Cuomo has encouraged municipalities to come up with ways to share services to save taxpayer dollars.

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.

Delaware County Chamber of Commerce will hold a Job Fair at SUNY Delhi on June 20th, Chamber President Ray Pucci told WCDO news that the Job Fair is also aimed at recent graduates looking to start careers:

(Ray Pucci 5-31-17)

The Job Fair will be held at SUNY Delhi's Farrell Hall, from 1:00 to 4:00 PM.

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 next meeting of the Tri Town Coalition on Substance Abuse Prevention will hold their next regular meeting this evening. The Meeting will be held at the Sidney High School Library from 6:00 to 7:30 PM

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.

State Police arrested 36-year-old Jeffrey Oakley of Delhi, for 3rd degree Assault, after troopers were advised of a dispute Monday in the Town of Meredith. Oakley allegedly grabbed the victim by the hair and bounced the victim’s head off the floor causing a neck injury, with a child present. The victim was treated at a local hospital and was released. Oakley was arraigned in the Town of Delhi Court and was remanded to the Delaware County Jail in lieu of $10,000 cash bail or $20,000 property bond. An order of protection was issued for the victim.

Hartwick College announced that the State Education Department has approved Public Health as the 5th new major to be offered to students beginning in the fall 2017. The Bachelor of Arts degree program joins Criminal Justice, Environment, Sustainability and Society, Actuarial Mathematics and Global Studies as new majors. More information on the new Public Health major can be found at www.hartwick.edu/publichealth.

Governor Cuomo today announced the results of the State Liquor Authority and DMV joint efforts to combat underage drinking. On March 2nd the Governor announced operations running through April to deploy Enforcement Investigators to over 500 licensed locations throughout New York. At the halfway mark into the statewide crackdown, The Liquor Authority underage buyers have already visited 339 establishments, finding 92 locations making illegal sales. Additionally, DMV enforcement operations have resulted in 83 arrests of persons under 21 attempting to purchase alcohol and confiscated 92 fake IDs. Locally, 3 stores in Binghamton were charged for allegedly selling alcoholic beverages to minors.

Efforts are underway to include in the final state budget plan, an increase in pay of direct care Workers across the state, who take care of the infirmed & disabled. Assemblyman Cliff Crouch supports the pay increase:

(Crouch 3-29-17)

The state lawmakers have until April first to get the budget passed by the state of the new fiscal year on April 1st.

Oneonta Police Department were dispatched to a reported stabbing at 12 Division Street early Friday Morning. Police found a 24 year old man bleeding from lacerations to his head and hand, after he tried to break up a domestic dispute among neighbors. The stabbing victim confronted the male, he was then assaulted with a knife & was transported to Fox Hospital, where he was treated and released. Police arrested 53 year old EDDIE BURNS of the Bronx for 2nd degree Assault, Criminal Possession of a Weapon, Reckless Endangerment, & Criminal Possession of a controlled substance. Burns was arraigned and was remanded to the custody of the Otsego County Sheriff's department without bail.

28-year-old Travis St. Denny of Norwich has been arrested following an investigation from information from the Statewide Central Register of Child Abuse and Maltreatment Hotline. St. Denny was arrested for promoting an obscene sexual performance by a child and endangering the welfare of a child, , he was arraigned in Norwich City Court & was remanded to the Chenango County Correctional Facility on $20,000 cash bail, or $40,000 bond. Norwich Police is asking anyone with information to call 334-1212 or 336-TIPS.

The Tri-Town Coalition on Substance Abuse Prevention meets this evening, following last week's education dinner held in Sidney. Coalition President Lorraine Keckeisen comments:

(Lorraine Keckeisen 3-29-17)

The meeting begins at 6:00 PM at Sidney High School Library, the following Coalition Meeting will be held on April 26th.

New York officials are reminding volunteer firefighters and ambulance workers that they could be eligible for a personal income tax credit. The credit is designed for state residents who were active as volunteer firefighters or ambulance workers for the full tax year. The credit is worth $200 for individuals and $400 for couples filing jointly, if both spouses qualify. New York tax officials say that more than 79,600 volunteers received $15.9 million in 2014, the latest year for which figures are available. Residents who already receive a property tax exemption for their volunteer service cannot claim the credit.

Sidney senior Carolee Pierce signed her NCAA National Letter of Intent at Sidney High School to play Basketball at Division-3 Marywood University in Pennsylvania next year. She was joined by family, friends, teammates and school administrators for her official signing. Pierce was a 2nd team All-MAC League selection this past winter for the Lady Warriors & was the league leader in blocked shots for the 2016-2017 season.

Broome County Fire Investigators have determined that it was a space heater that was too close to combustibles in the Skylark Motel Lobby in Vestal on March 14th, which caused the fire that, claimed the life of the owner of the Motel, 79-year-old Dick Patel. Patel & his wife lived above the motel office with his wife, investigators reported that Patel helped his wife get out but he could not make it out of the building, remaining occupants also escaped. The motel was a total loss.

State Police were dispatched to a report of 2 dead goats on property located at 674 County Highway 36, in the Town of Westford Monday. 45-year-old Stephen Pandelakis was charged after police discovered numerous dead animals on the property, including a dog, a cat, a pig, 2 goats, 6 chickens and 2 ducks. Pandelakis was charged with 2 felony counts of Aggravated Cruelty to Animals, and 13 counts of Torturing, Injuring or Failure to feed an animal. Remaining chickens were surrendered & were taken to another person for proper care. Pandelakis was issued appearance tickets returnable in the Town of Westford Court April 4th.

Delaware County Sheriff's Deputies and Hancock Village Police arrested 33-year-old Christen Wrighter of Hancock Monday on a number charges, after a traffic stop. Deputies and Hancock Police started an investigation recently following a number of complaints of people who made advance payments to Christen Wrighter Photography for photographs that she failed to provide. Deputies observed Wrighter speeding on State Highway 97 in Hancock Monday evening, they discovered that she had her driving privileges suspended, she also unlawfully possessed a quantity of the prescription controlled substances, including Oxycodone. Wrighter was charged with Aggravated Unlicensed Operation, Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance, speeding, Scheming to Defraud, Grand Larceny & petty Larceny. Wrighter was arraigned in the Village of Hancock Court and was remanded to the Delaware County Jail on $5,000 cash bail or $10,000 bail bond pending further court action. The investigation is ongoing.

Some of the wealthiest New Yorkers are urging the state to raise their taxes. 80 New Yorkers including George Soros, Steven Rockefeller & Abigail Disney wrote to lawmakers & Governor Cuomo, claiming that they & other top money makers in the state can afford to pay more taxes, in order to help the state pay for infrastructure projects, school funding & programs to help the poor, elderly & homeless. A proposal calls for the all making more than $650,ooo a year to pay more into the state coffers, a move that they forwarded last year as well. Assembly democrats have called for an immediate tax increase on the state's top 1% wage earners, State Senate majority Republicans & Governor Cuomo want to hold off on tax increases on Millionaires.

Sidney High School and the Tri-Town Coalition on Substance Abuse Prevention invite Sidney, Bainbridge and Unadilla community leaders, business people, parents, students, and school staff to a free Spaghetti & Meatballs Dinner from 5:15 PM to 5:45, followed by presentations starting at 6:00 PM in the High School Auditorium. Coalition President Lorraine Keckeisen comments:

(Lorraine Keckeisen 3-22-17)

Local experts Mary Rosenthal of the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Council, addiction expert Dave Ramsey, Sidney Police Chief Jan Gorshack will also speak. Pre-registration is encouraged in order to accommodate dinner provisions and door prizes, more information is available at 561-7707.

Chenango County Sheriff Ernest Cutting reported the arrest of 2 parents in connection with the death of 16-year-old Jeffrey Franklin on March 1st in the Town of Guilford. The Sheriff’s Office arrested 35-year-old Ernest Franklin & 33 year old Heather Franklin following the investigation of a fire at their residence on state Route 8. The autopsy showed that the fire did not cause Jeffrey’s death, and that he was deceased prior to the fire, investigators believe the fire was set to cover up the murder of Jeffrey. Both parents are charged with 2nd degree Murder, Arson and Tampering with Physical Evidence. The investigation is continuing and further charges may be filed.

State Police arrested 56-year-old Danny Baldwin of Cherry Valley, for Conspiracy. Troopers accuse Baldwin of conspiring by allegedly attempting to hire another person to intentionally commit murder. Baldwin was arraigned in town of Richfield Springs Court and was remanded to the Otsego County Jail on $250,000 cash bail or $500,000 property bond.

Oneonta Police arrested 20-year-old Kyle Alger of Oneonta on Drug Charges Friday Night. Alger was interviewed by police at his Rose Avenue home after a neighbor called to complain that someone was vomiting outside of Alger’s car. Alger is accused of throwing an item underneath the vehicle as police arrived, police then recovered 2 grams of bulk heroin & 11 individually packaged paper folds, and $532 cash. Alger was charged with Criminal possession of a controlled substance.

The Sidney Chamber of Commerce New Member Coffee hour is being held this morning from 7:30 to 8:30 at Trackside Dining. New Chamber Members have been asked to bring displays of their businesses to this event.

CDO Workforce & BEAM are teaming up for a presentation today from 10:30 to 12:00 Noon at the CDO Workforce office at the Sidney Civic Center. Participants will learn about getting through the job interview process, more information is available at 561-7550.

Governor Cuomo & State health officials held a press conference this morning,  blasting Congressman  Chris Collins of Buffalo and area congressman John Faso for supporting the House Republican health care bill and the push to have the state assume county Medicaid costs.

(Cuomo 3-21-17)

The Governor stated that over 4 years New York State would lose $4.6 billion and lose at least $2.4 billion a year by fiscal year 2020. The Collins-Faso amendment would stop the counties from paying a share of Medicaid, which would cost upstate counties is 2.3 Billion Dollars.

Conference committee activity will continue among lawmakers in Albany through the end of the month, local assemblyman Cliff Crouch has been assigned to serve on some committees, he said that the Agriculture portion of the budget should be favorable this year:

(Crouch 3-21-17)

The Governor's Budget proposal increased spending by 1.9% over last year, with over 152 billion dollars in spending, the deadline to pass the budget is April 1st.

The Tri-Town Coalition on Substance Abuse Prevention will hold their annual dinner & Prevention education night Wednesday night at the Sidney High School. Coalition President Lorraine Keckeisen told WCDO about the guest speakers & other items of interest:

(Lorraine Keckesien 3-21-17)

More information is available at 561-7707.

The Oneonta City Commission of Community Relations & Human Rights announced that they have selected Carla Balnis & Luisa Montanti as the "Over 25" recipients of the "Women's Trailblazer" award, and Judy Morales as the Under 25 recipient. The women will be honored with a ceremony at 6:30 PM tonight in the lobby of City hall, prior to tonight's Oneonta Common Council meeting at 7:00 PM.

The State DOT will hold a public open house meeting on Thursday, March 23 to discuss plans to replace a bridge on State Route 7 in the village of Afton. The meeting will be held at the Afton Town Hall, from 5:30-7:00 pm. The bridge in question was built in 1922 and carries State Route 7 over Kelsey Brook. The bridge is safe for continued travel and is regularly inspected.

State Police located wanted subject Troy Maloney of Hampton, New Hampshire operating a motor vehicle on Interstate 88 in the Town of Colesville. Maloney was wanted by the State of Massachusetts for Arson to a Dwelling, Troopers stopped the vehicle Maloney was traveling in and arrested him without incident. Maloney was arraigned as a Fugitive From Justice in Town of Colesville Court and remanded to the Broome County Jail in lieu of bail pending an extradition hearing.

State Senator Jim Seward has been named co-chairman of the general government/local assistance budget conference committee and will also serve as a member of the education budget conference committee. The conference committees are made up of five senators and five assemblymen tasked with negotiating budget differences between the houses, in concert with the governor, to develop a final spending plan. The conference committees conduct open, public meetings, which can be viewed on-line at www.nysenate.gov.

The Arc Otsego, in partnership with the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities is holding a free Front Door Information Session from 4:00 to 6:00 PM today for individuals and families regarding access to services through OPWDD. The session will be held at The Arc Otsego, located at 35 Academy Street in Oneonta.

The Unadilla Chamber of Commerce will have its next regular meeting today at Green's Long River Inn, State Route 357, in Unadilla beginning at 8:15 am. Nominations for Business of the Years and Good Neighbor/Commitment to Community are to be turned in at this meeting for selection with honorees to be honored at the Annual Dinner meeting on Sunday, April 23 at the Unadilla Methodist Church, Main Street, Unadilla. All members and directors are urged to attend.

Many area villages will hold elections for local positions today. many of the races have candidates running unoopposed, In Sidney Andrew Skrobanski is running unopposed for Village court justice, in Milford Taylor Brose, Michael Strong & William Tallman are running for 2 seats on the village board.

The Next Commerce Chenango Business After Hours will be today, co-hosted by the Binghamton Rumble Ponies at The Stadium in Oxford. The staff of the Rumble Ponies will discuss various promotions & the changes at NYSEG Stadium. More information is available at 334-1400.

The Otsego County Board of Representatives has requested an employee file from Otsego County Sheriff Richard Devlin. The board wants to review potential violations of the county’s workplace violence prevention program & what if any disciplinary actions were taken, regarding the sheriff’s son, Corrections Officer Ross Devlin. Vice Chairman of the County Board of Representatives Ed Frazier of Unadilla told WCDO News that Ross Devlin’s Superiors came to the board:

(Ed Frazier 3-10-17)

Sheriff Devlin told WCDO News what actions he has taken to resolve the issue:

(Richard Devlin 3-10-17)

Ed Frazier also said that during their workplace violence investigation, other information came to light regarding disciplinary procedures and treatment of inmates at the Otsego County Jail.

Oneonta Police were dispatched Wednesday to a reported attempted home invasion robbery at 306 Chestnut Street. 3 men reportedly arrived in a dark colored sedan; one of the men was described as a “young black male” with short hair. The initial officers noted a powerful odor of marihuana in the dwelling. A search warrant was obtained & executed & 4 pounds of marihuana and over $14,000 cash was seized. Police arrested 25 year old Edwin Milette of Oneonta for Criminal possession of marihuana, the investigation into the alleged burglary is continuing. Milette was arraigned in Oneonta City Court and was remanded to the custody of the Otsego County Sheriff on $15,000 cash bail or $30,000 bond.

The Sidney High School and the Tri Town Coalition on Substance Abuse prevention will hold a substance abuse education night on Wednesday march 22nd at 6:00 PM. Community Members, families & students of the Sidney, Bainbridge & Unadilla areas are encouraged to attend; free dinner will be served by the Sidney school. Pre-Registration is encouraged at 561-7707.

The St. Baldrick’s Foundation of Norwich will host a head-shaving event Saturday, at the American Legion, 29 Sheldon Street, Norwich. About 2 dozen people will have their heads shaved in solidarity with children with cancer and raise money to Conquer Childhood Cancers. The event starts at 6 pm in the banquet hall of the Legion. It is free and the public is invited to attend.

State Senator Fred Akshar told WCDO that he will hold 2 Town Hall Meetings with Constituents Saturday, first in Hancock & then in Windsor:

(Fred Akshar 3-1017)

Senator Akshar said that the received over 10,000 responses to his recent survey, the results will be released in the next few days.

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 3-10-17)

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

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.

The Oneonta downtown Revitalization Initiative committee will hold another meeting tonight, at the Foothills Performing Arts Center on Market Street. The meeting is open to the public & begins at 7:00 PM.

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.

The city of Oneonta fire department is conducting a community risk assessment. Anyone who has had to use the services of the fire department in the city or town of Oneonta is encouraged to take the survey, which can be found at surveymonkey.com/39JHTHZ, or on the department's Facebook page.

The Delaware County Chamber of Commerce will host a "First Friday Eat & Meet" membership breakfast on Friday, March 3 from 8:30 - 10 a.m. at Centennial Lounge in Sanford Hall at SUNY Delhi. The featured speaker is Michael Laliberte who was appointed as SUNY Delhi president in August. The event is sponsored by SFCU, To RSVP call 746-2281 or register online at delawarecounty.org.

The Otsego County Chamber of Commerce is accepting nominations for its Annual Dinner & Celebration of Business that will be held on Tuesday, March 28th at SUNY Oneonta’s Hunt Union Ballroom. Nominations are accepted at survey.constantcontact.com.

Binghamton Police charged 25-year-old Juan Lopez of Binghamton for the stabbing death of 31-year-old Santos Echevarria of Binghamton. Officers were called to the parking lot of Town & Country apartments for a disturbance early Sunday morning, Echevarria had already left the scene in a vehicle and was taken to the Lourdes Hospital Emergency Room; He died a short time later. Lopez also fled, but he surrendered himself to Binghamton Police. he was charged with 2nd degree Murder, Binghamton Police are continuing the investigation and are encouraging anyone with information to contact them at 772-7080.

The Commerce Chenango 2017 Economic Forecast Breakfast will be held from 7:30 AM to 9:15 AM at the Canasawacta Country Club in Norwich this morning. The Keynote Speaker will be Kenneth Entenmann of NBT Wealth Management.

The Tri-Town Coalition on Substance Abuse Prevention will meet tonight at 6:00 PM at the Sidney High School Library. Coalition spokesperson Lorraine Keckeisen discussed tonight’s agenda, and other schedule items coming up shortly:

(Lorraine Keckeisen 2-15-17)

The Recovery Coach Training Event will be hosted by Tri-Town Regional Hospital and will be delivered by Mary Rosenthal & her staff at The Alcohol and Drug Abuse Council of Delaware County.

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.

The next meeting of the Oneonta Downtown revitalization Initiative Planning Committee will be held next Tuesday, at the Foothills Performing Arts center on the 2nd floor. The meeting will run from 1:00 to 3:00 PM & is open to the public and there will be a period for public comments.

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.

Delaware County Deputies arrested 34-year-old Samantha Rich of Stamford for Endangering the Welfare of a Child; Rich is accused of letting a 7-year-old child smoke marijuana in her residence last summer. Rich was issued an appearance ticket for Town of Stamford Court on February 14th.

The Tri Town Coalition on Substance Abuse prevention is taking steps to be a non-Profit status & setting up a board of Directors shortly. Spokesperson Lorraine Keckeisen explains:

(Lorraine Keckeisen 2-2-17)

Nominations for the coalition's board of directors are due by February 13th, followed by a vote on February 15th at 6:00 PM at the next meeting at the Sidney High School Library.

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.

The Delaware County Chamber of Commerce seeks nominations of Delaware County businesses for Business of the Year, New Business of the Year, Tourism Property of the Year, and Business Advocate of the Year. Nominations must be received by the Delaware County Chamber of Commerce at 5 ½ Main Street, Delhi, NY 13753 or info@delawarecounty.org by February 20th. Awards will be presented at the Chamber's Annual Awards Gala in May, more information is available at the Chamber at 746-2281.

State Police arrested 32-year-old Curtis Commesso of Bainbridge for reckless endangerment, endangering the welfare of a child and criminal contempt, after troopers were advised of a domestic dispute on I-88 in the Town of Fenton. Commesso allegedly drove recklessly by another vehicle that was occupied by his ex-girlfriend, their young child and others, he swerved in front of the victim’s vehicle, and the behavior violated a court order of protection. Commesso was arraigned in the Town of Fenton Court and was remanded to the Broome County Jail in lieu of $2,500 cash bail or $5,000 property bond, pending future court action.

New York state’s Medicaid system made approximately $6.8 million in inappropriate payments, including $3.5 million for separately billed medical services that should have been covered by managed care plans, according to an audit released by State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli. Additionally, auditors identified 15 Medicaid providers who were charged with or found guilty of crimes that violated the laws or regulations of a health care program. So far, about $2.4 million of the overpayments were recovered. The report is available at osc.state.ny.us/audits.

A New York state environmental conservation officer was hospitalized after being shot while investigating illegal hunting in Columbia County. State police say 2 En-Con officers were checking out reports of trespassing with shots fired Tuesday afternoon; Officer James Davey was shot in the pelvic area by 54-year-old Alan Blanchard of Gallatin. Davey underwent surgery at MidHudson Regional Hospital and is listed in stable condition. Blanchard was charged Tuesday night with assault. He was being held Wednesday in county jail without bail.

The Otsego County Sheriffs department arrested 59-year-old Rhonda Wing of Morris for DWI Saturday after she crashed her car in the Town of Pittsfield. Wing was arraigned at the Pittsfield Town Court and is expected to reappear December 21st.

The State Assembly held a public hearing in Albany today regarding the rapid increase in student debt by college graduates. Statistics compiled by the state comptroller's office shows that student loan debt has doubled in the last decade. Last year, New York residents had an average of $32,200 in student debt, which is well above the national average of about $25,500.

Delaware County Deputies arrested 46-year-old Ronald Walley of Walton, for DWI, failure to keep right and speed unreasonable and prudent, following a 1-car rollover accident on County Highway 23 in the Town of Walton. Walley was released on appearance tickets returnable to the Town of Walton Court on December 28th.

The Sidney Chamber of Commerce will hold the annual Christmas Parade this Friday night in downtown Sidney. Sidney Chamber President Stephanie Taylor said that this year’s theme is "A Country Christmas:"

(Steph Taylor 11-30-16)

Taylor said that they will also hold their house decorating contest again this year, with 30 local homes winning the "Spirit Award" More information is available at the new Chamber office at 85 main street in Sidney.

The Tri-Town Coalition on Substance Abuse Prevention will have their next meeting today; The Sidney High School Student Teen Institute team will present their recent experiences at the State Prevention Network's Conference. Coalition Spokesperson Lorraine Keckeisen explains:

(Lorraine Keckeisen 11-30-16)

Tonight's meeting runs from 6:00 to 7:30 PM at the Sidney High School Library & is open to the public.

Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul will be in Cooperstown & Binghamton this afternoon. At 12:00 PM Hochul will tour Brewery Ommegang in Cooperstown & at 2:00 PM she will announce the 76West Clean Energy Business Competition Winners at Binghamton University.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the State DEC will hold a public scoping meeting for a study on flood-damage reduction needs today. the meeting will be held in the Sidney Memorial Public Library at 6:30 PM in the Smart Community Room. The Public is invited to attend.

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 today 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. Motorists are advised to be alert for slow moving traffic and sudden stops.

The Lighting of the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree, which came from Oneonta this year, will be seen on the big screen at the Foothills Performing Arts center tonight. Center Spokesman Bill Youngs explains:

(Bill Youngs 11-30-16)

The tree was removed recently from the Eichler property at Country Club Road in Oneonta; it will be let in the televised ceremony tonight & will be on display until January 7th.

Motorists must now slow down when they drive past sanitation vehicles, as a new state law classifies garbage trucks and waste collection vehicles as “hazard vehicles,” which adds them to the state's “Move Over” law. Motorists must reduce their speed when passing waste and recycling collection vehicles with flashing lights, a violation could result in fines of $45 to $100 and can carry a prison term of up to 15 days. The "Move Over" law in 2012 required motorists to slow down when passing a construction zone or public safety vehicle with flashing lights; tow trucks & and now garbage trucks are added to the law.

21-year-old Rebel Whitman of Binghamton man faces several charges, after allegedly trying to flee law enforcement. The Broome County Sheriff's Office attempted to stop a vehicle on Colesville Road near Route 11 in the Town of Kirkwood early this morning, Whitman allegedly failed to comply & continued to Sanitaria Springs, into Chenango County through back roads & then onto State Route 206 in the Town of Greene, where he sideswiped a State Police vehicle before traveling into a ditch. Whitman & a passenger were taken into custody, Whitman was charged with Forgery, Unlawful Fleeing a Police Officer, Reckless Driving, Aggravated Unlicensed Operation of a Motor Vehicle, plus numerous other Violations. Whitman was arraigned in the Town of Kirkwood Court and taken to the Broome County Jail. Whitman's unidentified passenger was released.

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 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

Oneonta Police arrested 32-year-old Michael Young of New York City for allegedly bringing 149 bags of heroin into Oneonta by bus. Young was arrested Sunday at the Oneonta Trailways bus station on Market Street after police received information about a delivery of drugs into the City. Young was charged with the Criminal possession of a controlled substance & Unlawful possession of marijuana.

Delaware County Deputies responded Monday to a report of a 1-car motor vehicle accident on State Hwy 28 in the Town of Franklin. Deputies arrived on scene to find a pick-up truck on its roof with the occupant still inside. 72-year-old John Condon of East Meredith drove off of the roadway, through a ditch, flipped over & landed back on the roadway on the vehicle’s roof. Condon was transported to Bassett Hospital in Cooperstown. No tickets were issued.

The Tri-Town Coalition on Substance Abuse will hold a free Training on Heroin/Opioid Overdose Prevention Wednesday night from 6:00 to 8:00 PM at Tri-Town Regional Hospital on Pearl Street in Sidney. Preregistration is requested at 518-449-3581 Ext 130

Binghamton city officials have found out the names of 4 area people who pulled a woman out of a burning car last thursday, after a 10 vehicle pile up on state route 17 Eastbound. Doug Kumpon, Ed Staff, Chris White and Albert Fiori have been identified as 4 of the people who came to the aid of a person trapped in a burning Ford Taurus that was pushed up into the concrete median, Binghamton Mayor Richard David released a video from one of the involved vehicles dashcam, mayor David is expected to announce a ceremony to honor the 4 for their life saving actions. Several people suffered injuries, but no one died in last Thursday afternoon's 10-car collision.

Binghamton Police responded to the report of a shooting at 1 Mozart Street at about 11:30 this morning. 3 people were involved in the shooting and one person was shot in the head & has died. The suspect was in custody a short time after the shooting, 2 shooting victims were taken to area hospitals.

The federal government has designated 24 New York counties as natural disaster areas following a severe summer drought that has adversely impacted some water supplies and farms. Farmers in the affected areas may be eligible for assistance, including emergency loans, from the federal government. The state will conduct on-site assessments of farms affected by the drought as well, Cuomo’s office said. 15 counties declared as the primary natural disaster areas cover, 1 of the contiguous counties named in the declaration is Broome County. Many other counties locally & into the North Country are requesting primary disaster declarations.

Governor Cuomo announced that the Great New York State Fair will hold a special celebration in honor of the Maine-Endwell Little League team, which completed an undefeated season this past weekend by winning the Little League World Series. The Governor declared Thursday, September 1 “Champions Day” at the Fair in honor of the team, which will be congratulated for its victory at a special ceremony on Chevy Court. Free tickets to the Fair are available to members of the Maine-Endwell community to take part in the celebration. The Maine-Endwell team is the first New York team to win the Little League World Series since 1964.

The White House Rural Council and the Postal Service are hosting 60 workshops in 24 states over the next few months for rural businesses to learn how to access new customers abroad and take advantage of international trade assistance. Local entrepreneurs can take advantage by attending a workshop today at the Binghamton Post Office at 115 Henry Street from 11:00 - 1:00.

The next Tri-Town Coalition On Substance Abuse meeting is tonight at the Sidney High School Library at 6:00 PM, Coalition Spokesperson Lorraine Keckeisen comments:

(Lorraine Keckeisen 8-31-16)

in addition to the Presentation By Megan Walradth of the Central Region Prevention Resource Center, the coalition will plan a future Narcan training session for tri town residents.

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 8, starting at 7:05 p.m. The B-Sens’ home opener is scheduled for Saturday, October 15, against the Hershey Bears at 7:05 p.m.

Helping those deal with Heroin & Opioid abuse continues to be at the forefront for area lawmakers. State Senator Fred Akshar said that his ideas about how to deal with this crisis has changed since his law enforcement days:

(Akshar 8-30-16)

Akshar said that another "Shed the Meds event, to collect old outdated prescription medications will be Wednesday at the Endicott Police Department from 5:00 to 7:00 PM, followed by a Narcan Training event there from 7:00 to 8:00 PM. Also the newly formed TRI-TOWNS COALITION ON SUBSTANCE ABUSE Meeting will be held Wednesday night at 6:00 PM at the Sidney High School Library.

Governor Cuomo today announced that non-essential lane closures for road and bridge construction projects on New York State highways will be suspended from 6 a.m. on Friday, September 2, to 6 a.m. on Tuesday, September 6, in order to accommodate travelers during the busy Labor Day holiday weekend. The construction suspension is in keeping with Governor Cuomo's Drivers First initiative, which prioritizes the convenience of motorists to minimize traffic congestion and travel delays due to road and bridge work. Some work may continue behind permanent concrete barriers or for emergency repairs.

The American Red Cross, Broome County Executive Debra Preston and City of Binghamton Mayor Richard David are supporting 9/11 Day by offering the community an opportunity to honor those who lost their lives and the heroes who responded following the tragic events of Sept.11. A special Red Cross blood drive sponsored by Preston and David will be held on Thursday, September 8 from 11:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the Holiday Inn Binghamton, 2-8 Hawley Street. This year marks the 15th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Each year tens of millions of Americans and people around the world observe the anniversary of 9/11 by performing good deeds that help people and communities in need.

The New York State Department of Health today announced that, based on a statewide needs assessment; it will implement numerous recommendations through new regulations and guidelines to enhance its Medical Marijuana Program. The recommendations, which will improve access for patients suffering from severe, debilitating and life threatening conditions, include authorizing nurse practitioners to certify patients for the program, allowing for home delivery service of medicine, expanding the financial hardship waiver for patients and caregivers who apply for registration, and modifying the state’s data management system to make it more user friendly for certified patients and caregivers. For more information on the two-year report for the Medical Use of Marijuana Under the Compassionate Care Act, visit: https://www.health.ny.gov/regulations/medical_marijuana/.

Governor Cuomo today announced $74.6 million in state and federal funding for New York's 59 county-based area agencies on aging to support programs that improve older individuals' access to nutritional and disease prevention services. This year's commitment will generate an additional $98.3 million in funding from municipalities, plus an additional $11.5 million in direct voluntary contributions from program participants. Southern Tier programs will receive more than $3.2 Million dollars.

State Police at Oneonta arrested 28 year old Nicolas Martinez of Oneonta for the 3rd degree Assault & criminal obstruction of breathing or blood circulation, after troopers investigated a domestic dispute report from a home on Deer Haven Road in the Town of Oneonta. Martinez allegedly struck and choked the victim, causing injury; he was arraigned in the Town of Oneonta court and was remanded to the Otsego County jail on $200 cash bail or $400 property bond.

Frontier communications announced that long distance service throughout New York State has been interrupted due to a problem in the Albany area. Crews are working to fix the problems; it should be restored by the end of the day.

The Tioga County District Attorney's office confirmed that Cal Harris has been found guilty of 2nd degree Harassment. Harris was convicted for harassing a Suny Broome student on March 5th 2015 at a satellite class. Harris's sentencing will take place September 7th.