WCDO Radio News

Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro announced that he will not seek the Republican Party Nomination to run against Incumbent Democrat Andrew Cuomo for Governor this year. Molinaro is the 2nd Republican in a week to back out of the race, after Harry Wilson said that he won't run for Governor, after more consideration. Assembly Minority Republican Leader Brian Kolb said he is launching a campaign. State Senator John DeFrancisco of Syracuse, is also considering a run.

Catholic Charities of Delaware County is starting a Youth Mentoring Program, and is seeking volunteers to participate in the program. Spokeswoman Diana Halstead explains:

(Diana Halstead 1-8-18)

Those interested must be at least 18 years old, have a reliable vehicle, and can commit to at least one year of participating, at a minimum of 6 hours a month, more information is available at 604-4071, or at the Catholic charities office on the 1st floor of the Sidney Civic Center.

Governor Cuomo & the State Legislature will begin the 2018 session tackling social issues & terrorism threats, tainted drinking water & the heroin epidemic, Cuomo commented about those issues during the State of the State address:

(Cuomo 1-8-18)

Also, The State budget faces between a 4 to 6 Billion Dollar Shortfall, it is due on April 1st.

State Police arrested 24 year old Leah Clark of Norwich for Falsely Reporting an Incident and False Written Statement, for allegedly falsely reporting that she witnessed a state trooper inappropriately touch a third party while investigating a fight in October. The third party was interviewed, making Clark’s report to be false. Clark was arraigned in Town of Oneonta court on the 2 charges.

The Bainbridge Chamber of Commerce will restart the Reunite Bainbridge program for 2018, with a buffet dinner at Bob's Diner on January 29th at 6:00 PM. Those wishing to attend should call 967-8657 to confirm attendance.

New York was the Number 44 Growth State for 2017, according to statistics from U-Haul, tracking the past year's migration trends. Year-over-year arrivals of one-way U-Haul truck rentals increased by 4 percent while departures increased by 4 percent from New York's 2016 numbers. Texas was the No. 1 Growth State for the second year in a row. Florida, Arkansas, South Carolina and Tennessee rounded out the top five.

The executive director of Delaware Opportunities John Eberhard died in a 1-car accident Saturday night. The 70 year old Eberhard of DeLancey was driving on state Route 10 in Fraser when his car left the road and struck a tree. The investigation into the accident is continuing, Eberhard served as executive director of Delaware Opportunities since 1984.

The City of Oneonta & the Otsego IDA are in the process of updating the city's Comprehensive Plan. A steering committee will be hosting a community open house on Thursday January 18th at the Wilber Mansion from 3:00 to 7:00 PM for the public to review the plan & contribute ideas. More information is available at facebook.com/opportunity Oneonta.

The Otsego County Health Department has reported that the Oneonta School district has 6 cases of Pertussis, also know as Whooping cough. Parents of students at the Oneonta School have been notified, Pertussis is highly contagious & is usually accompanied by fever, a runny nose & a harsh cough.

Oneonta Police arrested A Milford man for 2nd degree Assault, criminal possession of a weapon & criminal Tampering. 23-year-old Michael VanDeusen was charged following a fight in Oneonta on November 18th, where an unidentified man from Mount Vision suffered a non-life threatening stab wound. VanDeusen was arraigned; he faces action in Oneonta City Court in January.

The Afton Central School District has appointed Timothy McNamara as the new Superintendent of Schools. McNamara has accepted the position; the Afton School board is expected to act on McNamara's appointment at their meeting this evening.

Governor Cuomo announced nearly $6.5 million in grants to 55 state-approved anti-sexual assault crisis and prevention programs operated by hospitals, non-profit organizations and governmental agencies statewide. The grants will help fund local crisis hotlines and direct services for sexual assault victims, such as crisis counseling, advocacy and trauma therapy, and support prevention and education in schools, on college campuses and in communities. A complete list of the funded programs is available at governor.ny.gov/sites.

NY State of Health announced enrollment in Qualified Health Plans and the Essential Plan have reached nearly 900,000, outpacing last year by 13%. Open Enrollment in a Qualified Health Plans continues through January 31st, but consumers need to enroll by December 15th, 2017 for coverage beginning January 1st, 2018. Consumers can enroll in a health plan Online at nystateofhealth.ny.gov, by calling 1-855-355-5777.

Environmental Advocates of New York released an update to its 2016 report Tapped Out: New York's Clean Water in Peril. The new analysis published by the DEC as required by the Sewage Pollution Right to Know Act, shows that from May 2013 to July 2017, a total of 10,687 overflows were reported, translating into over 3.8 billion gallons of sewage being discharged into waterways. Statistics indicates more work is needed to help municipalities fully comply with the Act and more funding is needed for municipalities to address aging infrastructure.

Governor Cuomo today announced $2 million is available through round 3 of the Climate Resilient Farming grant program to help farms reduce their operational impact on the environment and better prepare for, and recover quickly from severe weather events. $2.9 million has been provided to 37 farms across the State to implement critical projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, promote energy savings, mitigate water and soil quality concerns, and increase on-farm resiliency to climate change. The Request for Proposals for the grant program is located under Funding Opportunities at agriculture.ny.gov; Proposals are due by February 26, 2018.

The Bainbridge-Guilford Central School will hold a Board of Education Meeting today in the District Conference Room of the Jr-Sr High School at 6:30 PM. The business portion of the meeting will start at 7:00 PM.

State Police CNET officers executed a search warrant at 1406 Union Center Maine Highway in the Town of Union, Police seized 125 pounds of processed marihuana, 12 dosage units of LSD, plus crystal methamphetamine, hydrocodone, liquid hydrocodone, concentrated Marijuana, plus scales and drug paraphernalia. Investigators arrested 31-year-old Nicholas Espe of Endicott, for Criminal Possession of Marihuana & Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance. Espe was arraigned & was remanded to the Broome County Jail without bail pending future court action.

The State Department of Corrections is asking the public to be call 911 if they spot 66-year-old Ronald Cook of Utica. Cook is a paroled Level 3 Sex offender who is accused of removing his GPS ankle bracelet. Cook was last seen in Rome Wednesday, wearing a bright yellow windbreaker, he is described as a white male; 5' 9" tall, weighing about 240 pounds, with gray hair and hazel eyes. Cook was convicted of raping a 24-year-old woman in Binghamton in 1990; he was also convicted in 1988 of first-degree sexual abuse and impersonating a police officer.

The State Labor Department is advancing regulations on "just in time", "call-in" or "on-call" scheduling, common practices that allow employers to schedule or cancel workers' shifts just hours before or even after they start. The practices often leave workers scrambling to find childcare and force them to miss appointments, classes or important family commitments. The full regulation can be viewed at labor.ny.gov/schedulingregs

The Out Of The Woodworks Players will present "NO OPERA AT THE OP'RY HOUSE TONIGHT” tonight & Saturday at 7:00 PM & Sunday, at 2:00 PM. Tickets are available prior to each performance; more information is available at 563-2582

Farmers will have two opportunities to drop off used agricultural film plastic for recycling under a special program offered by Otsego County Solid Waste Department, the Otsego County Soil & Water Conservation District, Otsego County Conservation Association, and Casella Waste Solutions. Collection dates are Saturday at the Southern Transfer Station in Oneonta, and Thursday, November 16 at the Northern Transfer Station in Cooperstown, from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. both days. More information is available at 282-4087 or occainfo.org/recycling-agricultural-plastics.

Tomorrow is Election Day, with many local town & city races of importance to be decided by voters. All voters Statewide will decide on propositions, which will be on the back of the ballots, to decide if a constitutional convention should be convened to overhaul state government, if politicians convicted of corruption should lose their pensions, and if forest land in the Adirondacks and Catskills can be used for widened roads and bicycle paths. Key Chenango County races include the Oxford town supervisor’s race between Canice Paliotta vs. incumbent Lawrence Wilcox, the Norwich town council race has 4 candidates for 2 positions, between Debra Cubbedge, Barbara Collins, Stanley Foulds & David law. For the Otselic town supervisor position, Marjorie Davis & John Myers are on the ballot. In Delaware County; For Town of Sidney Supervisor; incumbent Gene Pigford faces Bill Heath, & there are 4 Town board candidates for 2 seats, candidates on the ballot are Pete Cordes, Dan Cristelli, Frank Selleck & John Woodyshek, however Woodyshek announced that he is NOT seeking re-election. in the Town of Franklin Board there are 2 open seats with 3 candidates: Patricia Tyrell, David Grant & Garrett Sitts. In the Walton town supervisor’s race, Charles Gregory faces Bruce Dolph. In Otsego County races of note: there are Board of Representative's races in all districts except the 10th & 11th where 1 candidate each is running unopposed. For Town of Oneonta Supervisor, Republican Mike Butler challenges Incumbent Democrat Robert Wood, for the Oneonta Town Board Incumbents Patricia Jacob and Randy Mowers, are being challenged by Dan Baker, and James McCue. In the city of Oneonta mayor’s race, Incumbent Gary Herzig faces write in candidate Don Scanlon. In the Town of Butternuts there are 4 candidates for 2 seats on the board, they are Scott Lueck, Paul Irwin, Donald Hunt & James Power. Polls will be open from 6:00 AM to 9:00 PM Tuesday.

Delaware County Board of Elections reminds Sidney Center voters that that the polling site from District 1 & 3 this year, has been changed. Voters in those voting districts will go to the new Sidney Center Fire Department Building on County Route 35. More information is available 832-5321.

Attorney General Eric Schneiderman announced his office's Election Day Hotline, which will help troubleshoot and resolve a range of issues encountered by voters at the polls during the general election on Tuesday, November 7. 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 between 6:00 AM and 9:00 PM on Tuesday. Attorneys and staff in the Attorney General’s Civil Rights Bureau will staff the hotline.

Governor Cuomo and U.S. Senator Charles Schumer today held a conference call to discuss the devastating Republican tax plan and state and local deductibility.

(Senator Schumer 11-6-17)

Schumer & Cuomo are calling all members of the New York Congressional delegation to oppose the Trump New York Tax increase plan. New York pays 48 billion dollars to the federal government than they receive in return each year.

Governor Cuomo today announced a statewide effort to prepare for the upcoming winter season, which includes the addition of more than 100 snow fighting vehicles to help clear roadways and highways. The DOT has acquired 44 new Two-Stage Plows that clear snow and ice from the roads more efficiently, with a 2nd plow located directly behind the main plow blade, removing more snow at a time, and allow for reduced road salt usage. Motorists are reminded to check 511NY by calling 511, or visiting www.511ny.org before traveling.

Otsego County Farmers will have 2 opportunities to drop off used agricultural film plastic for recycling under a special program offered by the County Solid Waste Department, the County Soil & Water Conservation District, Otsego County Conservation Association, and Casella Waste Solutions. Collection dates are this Saturday, November 11, at the Southern Transfer Station in Oneonta, and Thursday, November 16 at the Northern Transfer Station in Cooperstown, from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. both days. The collection is free, but pre-registration is requested. Registration & more information is available at 282-4087, or occainfo.org/recycling-agricultural-plastics.

Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 23-year-old Gary Goslee of New Milford, Connecticut, for Aggravated Unlicensed Operation of a Motor Vehicle, following a traffic stop for speeding on State Highway 17 in the Town of Hancock. Goslee was arraigned & was later released on $500 cash bail, and scheduled to appear in the Town of Hancock Court at a later date for further court proceedings.

36 year old Jennifer Grenchus of Vestal pleaded guilty to criminally negligent homicide in Broome County Court on Friday. Grenchus was impaired by drugs on April 24th, when police responded to the parking lot of Tom's Cards and Gifts at 184 Main Street in Binghamton where they found that Grenchus hit 47 year old Ronald Richardson of Binghamton along Main Street and dragged his body underneath for several yards, before she turned into Tom's parking lot, Richardson died at the scene. Grenchus will be sentenced February 6.

State Police arrested 35 year old Bobby Goss Jr. of Stamford, for Criminal Mischief after troopers responded to the report of a dispute in the parking lot at the Deer Path Restaurant on State Route 8, in the Town of Columbus. Goss is accused of purposely driving his pickup truck into a woman’s SUV, following an argument inside, he also caused damage to a 3rd vehicle parked next to the woman’s vehicle. Goss was arraigned in the Village of Sherburne Court and was released on his own recognize. His next court date in the Town of Columbus is pending.

Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 31 year old Johnny Moxham of Delhi for aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, and criminal possession of a controlled substance following a traffic stop in the Village of Delhi. Moxham is accused of possessing heroin while driving without a license as well as operating a vehicle with a loud exhaust & an unsafe tire. Moxham was released on tickets returnable to Delhi Town Court at a later date.

Delaware County Sheriff’s Department Investigators & Probation Officers searched a residence in the Village of Walton, occupied by 28 year old Melissa Brannock & 30 year old Robert Robertson. Both were taken into custody by Delaware County Probation Officers and charged with Violation of Probation. A search of the residence resulted in the seizure of a hypodermic needle containing Heroin. Today, Deputies arrested Brannock and Robertson at the Jail for Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance & Criminal Possession of a Hypodermic Instrument; they will be arraigned in the Village of Walton Court at a later time.

Oneonta City Police arrested 33-year-old Christopher Hooper of Oneonta on 2 counts of criminal sale of a controlled substance, for the alleged sale of cocaine, Hooper was arrested without incident; he was arraigned in Otsego County Court and was sent to the Otsego County Jail on $10,000 cash bail.

CDO Workforce and BEAM are offering a free “Interviewing Workshop” on Wednesday, October 25th, 10:00 AM at the CDO Workforce Center, at the Sidney Civic Center. Reservations are requested at 832-5776. The Interviewing Workshop is just in time to prepare for the Southside Mall Job Fair, on the same day, October 25th, from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM in Oneonta.

On Saturday Oneonta Police Department responded to the 76 Chestnut Street to investigate a domestic incident. A 25-year-old female victim reported that she had been menaced with a loaded shotgun by her intoxicated boyfriend at their Main Street apartment. Officers responded to the Main Street address where they found 35 year old Steven Knauff unconscious, he possessed the loaded shotgun and a metal knuckle knife, and was taken into custody. Knauff was charged with the following Criminal Possession of a weapon, Criminal use of a firearm & Menacing, he was arraigned & and was held on $15,000 cash bail.

Delaware County Deputies arrested 41-Year-old Robert Aleksander of Delhi, on 2 counts of Criminal Contempt, for an alleged violation of an order of protection violation in the Town of Bovina. Aleksander was arraigned & was released on his own recognizance; he will reappear in Court on November 21st.

State Police arrested 48-year-old Gina Criscitello of Harpursville, Friday for Felony DWI, with a B.A.C. result of .13%, plus Aggravated Unlicensed Operation & other traffic violations. A Trooper observed a vehicle failing to maintain its lane on State Route 7B in the Town of Fenton. Criscitello is accused of driving while intoxicated & with a suspended license, she was arraigned & remanded to the Broome County Jail on $1,000 cash bail.

Governor Cuomo today announced a series of measures aimed at increasing organ donation in New York State. The actions include signing an Executive Order that directs the State Health Department to work with all state agencies to provide the public with additional opportunities to become an organ donor through the new Donate Life Registry. Governor Cuomo also signed legislation making "Lauren's Law" permanent in New York State, and an updated, state-of-the-art Donate Life Registry launched to streamline the organ donor registration process.

State Police were dispatched Friday to a report of an accident on Quarry Access Road in the Town of Deposit. Troopers located an overturned dump truck in the middle of the access dirt road, 66-year-old William Barse of Sidney was hauling stone from the quarry when he drove off the road several times, struck trees, & overturned, he was ejected from his vehicle and was pronounced dead at the scene. State Police are continuing the investigation.

New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman announced a new multistate lawsuit filed by 19 Attorneys General to defend the health care subsidies on which thousands of New Yorkers and millions of Americans rely.

(SCHNEIDERMAN 10-16-17)

The lawsuit argues that the federal government is required to make these payments under law, and failure to do so would be "contrary to the law" and "arbitrary and capricious" in violation of the Administrative Procedure Act.

The State DEC filed a formal challenge to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s decision that DEC waived its jurisdiction under the federal Clean Water Act for the Millennium Pipeline Company’s proposed Valley Lateral project. The DEC demands that FERC refrain from authorizing Millennium to commence construction of the project while DEC’s appeal is heard.

2 area businessmen are teaming up to collect items to assist those affected by Hurricane Harvey in Texas. Jim Losee of Losee's Gun Shop of Oneonta explains:

(Jim Losee 8-30-17)

Gerster's truck is parked at Losee's Gun Shop, located at 6748 State Highway 23 in Oneonta, the trailer will be open for collections each day from 10:00AM to 6:00 PM, until it is filled.

Oneonta Police announced that 3 men wanted for an April Burglary have been arrested. Oneonta police responded to a domestic dispute on April 22nd. 1 of the victims was pistol-whipped & was treated & released from minor injuries at Fox Hospital. 34-year-old Teddy Faison of Oneonta was arrested in Monticello, he's been charged with 2nd degree assault and criminal possession of a weapon, he was remanded to the Otsego County Jail without bail. Also charged was 19 year old Brian Scott of Utica, & 19 year old Nelson Navar of Utica, they were charged with 1st degree burglary & 1st degree robbery, they both face court action shortly.

State Police arrested 28-year-old Dorothy Ramsell of the town of Maryland, for 2nd degree Assault & Criminal Mischief, after troopers responded to a physical dispute at a home on State Route 7 in the town of Maryland. Ramsell allegedly threw a coffee mug at her boyfriend’s head & a stepladder at his vehicle, which smashed the windshield. The victim was treated at Fox Hospital for head pain and a laceration to his arm, and then released. Ramsell was arraigned and was remanded to the Otsego county jail on $1,000 cash bail or $2,000 property bond, pending court action on September 12th. The court issued an order of protection against Ramsell on behalf of the victim.

Brandon Corey was sentenced today in Broome County for a knifepoint rape of a woman in the parking lot at Wilson Hospital in Johnson City in April 2016. Corey will serve 10 years in prison followed by 20 years post-release supervision, he was also ordered to register as a sex offender.

State Senator Jim Seward announced that $75,000 in grants he secured will go to local domestic violence programs. The funding was set aside in the 2017-2018 state budget, locally, Opportunities for Otsego will receive $16,000, Catholic Charities of Delaware, Otsego & Schoharie Counties will also receive $16,000, Delaware Opportunities will receive $6,000 & Catholic Charities of Chenango County will get $5,000

The City of Oneonta & the Oneonta Federated Church will host a 25th anniversary ceremony & dedication on Saturday @ 2:00 PM at the Maple Street Park at the intersection of Maple & Normal. Mayor Gary Herzig announced that a sign would be dedicated to acknowledge the work of Brian Arenella for his Eagle Scout project, as well as the work of the Oneonta federated Garden Club.

Governor Cuomo announced 2 new actions to expand addiction treatment and recovery services for people across New York. A Request for Applications makes up to $4.5 million in funding available to develop nine Open Access Centers across the state and a Request for Information has been released that seeks input on the development of two pilot recovery high schools. These actions were announced at the grand opening of a new $8.4 million outpatient addiction treatment center in Rochester Tuesday.

Chenango County Sheriff's Department arrested 40 year old Nathan Jackson of Sherburne for 3rd & 4th degree Grand Larceny. Jackson was arrested after he allegedly stole numerous items from the victims residence over a month long period, totaling about $10,790.00. Jackson was arraigned in the Town of North Norwich and remanded to the Chenango County Correctional Facility on $1000.00 cash bail.

Delaware County Sheriff Tom Mills Announced his retirement today, effective August 28th. Mills has served as Delaware County Sheriff for almost 19 years & has served in Law enforcement for over 50 years. Undersheriff Craig DuMond will officially become Acting Sheriff until Mills vacancy is filled by appointment or by election in November.

3 people were indicted by a Chenango County Grand Jury last week, on a variety of assault charges, following the beating of a man in Norwich in June. Joseph P. Hughes, Joseph C. Hughes & Nicholas Hughes were indicted following the attack on an individual on Silver Street in Norwich, the victim suffered face & skull fractures & brain bleeds, the 3 were remanded back to the Chenango county jail without bail pending future court action.

U.S. Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand announced $1,061,034 for Head Start programs at Delaware Opportunities. The federal funding was allocated through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and will be used to support child care services for low-income families in the Southern Tier Region. Head Start provides comprehensive child development programs for low-income children at ages 3 & 4, as well as supports and services for their families.

Governor Cuomo today announced that the Department of Motor Vehicles' Facial Recognition Technology Program has identified more than 21,000 possible cases of identity theft or fraud since its launch, with more than 7,000 of those cases generated in the last 18 months alone. The milestone is due in part to a major technology upgrade in January 2016 that doubled the number of measurement points mapped to each driver's photograph, which has resulted in more than 4,000 arrests and more than 16,000 individuals facing administrative action.

Catskill Area Hospice will complete a consolidation of their facilities into one building in Oneonta by the end of the year. The organization will be located at the former Mang Insurance office on River Street in Oneonta, they previously were housed in 2 locations in Oneonta, where both of those buildings are for sale, and previous location in Delhi & Cobleskill closed earlier this year.

Since the 2006 & 2011 floods that devastated much of the Upstate region, Progress has been slow in order to safeguard people & property from any future catastrophic weather events. Area Assemblyman Pete Lopez comments:

(Pete Lopez 8-21-17)

Lopez said that a key issue is that, it's not a matter of "If" harsh weather hits the upstate counties again, but "when", and he is concerend that necessary measures might not be completed in time.

The Greater Afton Chamber of Commerce has taken over the "Afton Sidewalk Days" Saturday, to keep a long time local tradition going forward, Chamber President John Hinman explains:

(John Hinman 8-21-17)

The Event will run this Saturday from 9:00 to 4:00 on Afton's Main Street, shuttles will be available to & from the event.

The Otsego County Northern Transfer Station in Cooperstown will be closed for construction starting today through September 30th. Information on other locations for disposal can be found online at otsegocounty.com or by calling 547-4225.

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.

Governor Cuomo today signed legislation to include animal fighting as a designated offense for an eavesdropping or video surveillance warrant. Animal fighting often requires multiple individuals acting in concert, using telephones and web-based communications devices. Currently, the investigation of animal fighting activities does not qualify law enforcement to receive a warrant to conduct electronic surveillance. The legislation now authorizes the issuance of eavesdropping and video surveillance warrants for the investigation of animal fighting crimes.

The Cancer Services Program of Delaware, Otsego and Schoharie Counties Mobile Screening Coach & Bassett Healthcare will offer free health screenings to women 40 or older who are uninsured or underinsured, at the Delaware County Fair in Walton, outside the gates on Saturday, August 19th from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm. Appointments can be made toll-free 1 -888-345-0225.

There will be a special meeting of the Oneonta Common Council tonight, the meeting will begin at 6:00 PM, and the council will establish budget guidelines for the 2018 city budget.

The Village of Sidney Board of Trustees will hold a special meeting tonight at 7:00 PM at the Civic Center. The Board will consider rezoning two parcels located at 139 West Main Street and 995 Circle Drive, from R-1 to R-3. A public hearing on the proposed rezoning will be scheduled at a later date.

Those entering livestock to the Delaware County Fair this year are asked to attend a meeting tonight with Dr. Bruno of the New York Veterinarian's office, Fair Spokesman Jason Craig explains:

(Jason Craig 7-24-17)

The meeting starts at 7:00 PM tonight at the Fairgrounds in Walton.

Catholic Charities is offering free School supplies & Backpacks to eligible Sidney School district students. Spokesperson Penny McKnight explains:

(Penny McKnight 7-24-17)

McKnight said that last year they gave away 111 backpacks with school supplies for Sidney students. Catholic Charities office is located in the Sidney Civic Center.

State Police responded to a Delaware County 911 report of a two vehicle crash with serious injuries on River Road in the Town of Sidney. An investigation determined that 39 year old Jason Cunningham of Unadilla was driving his 2005 vehicle on River Road when he entered a sharp curve and drifted into the opposing lane, striking a pickup truck driven by 35 year old Matthias Wesner of Unadilla. Cunningham was transported to Fox hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. An autopsy will be conducted at Lourdes hospital and the results are pending. Wesner received minor injuries in the crash. No tickets have been issued at this time. This investigation is ongoing.

State Police responded to an Otsego County 911 report of motorcycle striking a pickup truck on County Route 11 in the Town of Hartwick. 28 year Kyle Bronson of Cooperstown lost control and crossed into the westbound lane and struck a pickup truck. Bronson was pronounced deceased at the scene due to crash related injuries. The operator of the pickup truck, 66 year old Thomas Stewart of Laurens was not injured. State Police Collision Reconstruction Unit assisted at the scene with the investigation. The investigation is continuing.

Chenango County Sheriff's Department arrested 2 Town of Coventry residents for Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance, Criminal Using of Drug Paraphernalia and Unlawful Possession of Marihuana. Charged were 29-year-old Brenda Manwarren & 40 year old Jessica Sepulveda, they were arraigned & were remanded to the Chenango County jail on $25,000.00 cash bail each. The 2 were arrested following an investigation into the sale and possession of Heroin in Chenango County. Heroin, a digital scale, and heroin packaging material were seized. The Chenango County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the Sidney Police Department and the Chenango County District Attorney’s Office.

Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie made stops in the North Country today, and Rochester yesterday, as he continues a Summer Tour to all sections of the state. Heastie plans visits in the coming weeks in Western New York, The Southern Tier, The Capital Region & Long Island, to understand the challenges & Opportunities of all sections of the state.

Chenango County Sheriff's department arrested 34-year-old Michael Benham of Guilford on an active arrest warrant for 1 count of 3rd Degree Assault & 2 counts of endangering the welfare of a child. Benham was arrested after a report of a domestic dispute, & deputies discovered that Benham had an active arrest warrant from a separate incident that occurred in April.

Chenango County Sheriffs department arrested 32-year-old Samuel Gould of Norwich for Criminal Contempt, Criminal Obstruction of Breathing, Criminal Mischief and Harassment, after an investigation into a domestic dispute that occurred in the Town of Sherburne. Gould was arrested for allegedly subjecting the victim to unwanted physical contact and choked the victim during the course of a dispute; Gould also had an active order of protection against him. Gould was arraigned in the Town of Sherburne Court and was released on his own recognizance.

The Oneonta Common Council voted in favor of begin the process of demolishing the Grandstand Area of Damaschke field, which was partially condemned & rusting badly. The Grandstand area of the stadium was built in 1939; the top level was condemned earlier this year. The city will seek grants through the REDC process to replace the structure; the bleachers will be used to accommodate fans for Oneonta Outlaws games this season.

Governor Cuomo signed legislation to end child marriage in New York. The legislation raises the age of consent to marry from 14-years-old to 18-years-old and amends the process to require parental and judicial consent for marriage of those between 17-years-old and 18-years-old. Previously, children as young as 14-years-old could get married with parental permission and written consent provided by a judge.

A bipartisan proposal to add post-traumatic stress disorder as a qualifying condition for New York's medical marijuana program has received final approval from state lawmakers and is headed to the desk of Governor Cuomo. 26 of the 29 states with medical marijuana programs allow patients with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder to qualify.

With Graduation parties coming up, the parents of students are reminded that it is illegal to provide alcohol to minors under the age of 21 in New York State. Justin Hamm of the Alcohol & Drug Abuse Council of Delaware County told WCDO News that "Social Host Laws" can make parents libel of alcohol related problems:

(Justin Hamm 6-21-17)

More information about social host laws as well as alcohols & drug abuse can be found at adaconline.org.

Governor Cuomo today announced that his administration has reached a 5-year contract agreement with the Civil Service Employees Association, which represents over 60,000 state government employees. The contract must now be approved and ratified by CSEA membership and authorizing legislation is expected to be passed before the end of the legislative session.

The New York State Department of Labor today released preliminary local area unemployment rates for May. The State’s unemployment rate increased from 4.3% to 4.4% in May 2017, locally, Chenango County had 4.6% unemployment, Delaware County had a 4.8% rate & Otsego County registered 4.2% unemployment

Health officials in New York have detected the first of the season's mosquitoes with West Nile virus downstate in Staten Island. Officials at Cornell University advise New Yorkers to take steps now to protect themselves from the risks of mosquito-borne illnesses. Those who participate in outdoor activities should wear mosquito repellents, dump out any standing water in gutters, plant pots, tarps, buckets, birdbaths & children’s pools.

The U.S. Justice Department reached an agreement with New York state to settle a lawsuit over voter registration opportunities through the State's DMV offices. Federal investigators found applications for New York driver's licenses, permits and ID cards didn't always serve as applications for voter registration, Under the agreement, New York will insure a voter registration opportunity will be included with all applications. Change of address information will also be used to update voter address information.

State Senate Leader John Flanagan said that his house will not vote on the bill to change requirements that would have made it easier for the vicitms of sexual molestation to sue their attackers. The proposal that passed the Assembly, and had the support of the Governor, would have given victims more time to file civil lawsuits, and would have allowed for a 1 year window for past victims to file lawsuits. The proposal had opposition from the Catholic Church and other religious organizations.

Chenango County Sheriff's Office Narcotics Division responded to 305 Race Road in the Town of Greene for a narcotics investigation, they discovered 2 men manufacturing methamphetamine. Officers seized methamphetamine, scales, and packaging material & arrested 22-year-old Taylor Micha of Norwich and 36-year-old Paul Decker of Greene, for Unlawful Manufacturing of Methamphetamine, Criminal Possession of Methamphetamine Manufacturing Material, Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance and Criminal Use of Drug Paraphernalia. Both were arraigned and remanded to the Chenango County Jail on $25,000 cash bail, pending action in Town of Greene Court at a later date. The investigation is ongoing and additional arrests are expected.

A Job Fair will be held today at the State Veterans' Home at Oxford from 12:00 Noon to 6:00 PM. Professionals from the nursing department will be on hand to provide information, give tours and conduct interviews for RN, LPN and CNA positions.

A plan to permit movie theaters to serve alcohol is not expected to make it to the governor’s desk. Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie said that he opposes the bill on the grounds of public safety; he decides which bills are voted on in the assembly. Governor Cuomo pitched the idea late last year, as a tie in to the state’s growing craft beer industry. Under current law, a theater can serve alcohol if they also operate a full kitchen, or obtain a tavern license & only serve alcohol in the lobby. The proposal states that theaters could apply for a special license & local officials also support the issuance of that license.

Town of Unadilla Officials announced that they are paving Idumea Road today, it will be closed to through traffic during the project, starting at 7:30 AM.

The next Sidney Chamber of Commerce Business After Hours program will be held today. The event will be held at The Delaware National Bank of Delhi on Route 7 from 5:00 to 7:00pm.

NYSEG reports that over 500 power lines & over 80 Power poles were damaged by Monday's storm. Dry ice & bottle water will be available at Norwich, Oxford & Windsor Fire Departments today until 8:00 PM. About 90% of customers that lost power, should be restored by tonight at 10:00 PM, the remaining 10% should be restored by 1:00 PM Thursday. The Afternoon, over 7000 customers were without power in Broome, Chenango, Delaware & Otsego Counties.

The Chenango County Sheriff’s Office arrested 41-year-old Sonya Thomas of Norwich for Endangering the Welfare of a Child. Thomas is accused of failing to report that her child had runaway and was missing for over a week. Thomas was issued an appearance ticket and is scheduled to appear in the Town of Norwich court at a later date to answer to the charges.

The city of Oneonta announced that the Department of Public Service will be conducting additional curbside residential pick ups of residential brush & yard waste, for the rest of this week & into next week. The extra collection time is due to the high winds from Monday's storm that knocked down limbs & branches all over the city more information is available at 432-6465, extension 3.

The State Assembly Has approved a measure to allow Post Traumatic Stress Disorder to the list of approved ailments where doctors can prescribe medical Marijuana for treatment. Current law only allows for medical marijuana to be used by those suffering from cancer of Lou Gehrig's disease, the bill now moves on to the State Senate for consideration.

New Promoters are operating as the "Afton Motorsports Park" at the Fairgrounds in Afton this racing season. Ron Ford is one of the new promoters, he told WCDO News about some of the changes instituted this year:

(Ron Ford 5-3-17)

Ford said that the racing season would continue into the first week of October this year, in Afton.

State Police conducted a traffic stop for speeding on State Route 23 in the Town of Davenport. The driver was 58-year-old Gasper Ciraolo of Bainbridge; the passengers were 22-year-old Ashley Nistad, and 18-year-old Colin Stanton, both from Sidney. A search located heroin, prescription pills and a switchblade in the vehicle; Ciraolo was arrested for Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance, Criminal Possession of a Weapon and other traffic violations. Nistad and Stanton were arrested for Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance; all 3 were arraigned in the Town of Davenport Court and remanded to the Delaware County Jail on bail, pending court action on May 9th.

This year the 70-mile General Clinton Canoe regatta race features a new start location at Brookwood point in Cooperstown, Regatta Chairman John Harmon explains:

(John Harmon 5-3-17)

Brookwood Point is located at 6000 State Hwy 80, about 2 miles north of the village of Cooperstown. The Clinton race is the first leg of the prestigious Triple Crown of Canoe Racing, again this year.

Farmers will have two opportunities to drop off their agricultural plastic for recycling under a special program offered by Otsego County Solid Waste Department, the Otsego County Soil & Water Conservation District, Otsego County Conservation Association, and Casella Waste Solutions. Ag plastic will be collected Saturday, May 6, at the Southern Transfer Station in Oneonta, and Thursday, May 11 at the Northern Transfer Station in Cooperstown, from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. both days. The collection is free, but pre-registration is requested, at (607) 282-4087.

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.

The Bainbridge-Guilford Central School will hold an information session in conjunction with the regular Board of Education Meeting tonight, which starts at 6:30 PM with the business portion of the meeting starting at 7:00 PM. A special Board Meeting will be held tonight for Board members to vote on SEQRA and the Capital Project, which will likely go before the public for a vote in March.

Chenango County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested Matthew Maclaury of Oxford for aggravated driving while intoxicated and DWI after a report of a 2-car accident on County Road 32 in the Town of Norwich it was found that Maclaury went off the roadway and struck a parked vehicle & that Maclaury was driving with a blood alcohol content of .18 or higher. Maclaury will appear in the Town of Norwich Court at a later date.

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.

Governor Cuomo today announced the opening of the $12.3 million “Binghamton Gateway,” which is a 37-unit affordable housing development located on Front Street, for low-income New Yorkers, six of which are designed to support people who have physical disabilities. The project rehabilitated 11 buildings and constructed a new mixed-use building with 2 commercial storefronts and 10 residential units on the site of the former Lincoln Hotel that was destroyed by fire.

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.

Delaware County Sheriff’s Office arrested 32-year-old Matthew Rose of Unadilla on a sealed indictment warrant issued by the Delaware County Court, at the time of his arrest, ROSE was in possession of a small amount of marijuana, ROSE was charged with Unlawful Possession of Marijuana, plus 2 counts of Criminal Sale of a Controlled Narcotic, for allegedly selling prescription medications twice in the Village of Sidney. Rose was arraigned and was remanded to the Delaware County Jail on $40,000 cash bail or $80,000 secured bond.

Delaware County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant and arrested two residents in the Town of Colchester. Investigators charged 57-year-old Douglas James & 57 year old Karen James of Downsville, for Criminal Possession of Cocaine with the intent to sell, plus Criminal Possession of Marijuana. Investigators seized 1-½ pounds of Marijuana, plus Cocaine, $6,026 in cash, a digital scale, several rifles and Public Assistance Benefit cards. Both were arraigned & were remanded to the Delaware County Jail on $100,000 cash bail or $500,000 property bond.

The State Labor department released the unemployment rate numbers by county, for the month of November today. Locally, Chenango County had 4.8%, Delaware County had 4.9% & Otsego County had 4.3% unemployment, the statewide rate dropped 1 tenth to 5.1% in November.

State Police arrested 62-year-old Charlotte Hart of Bainbridge for Criminal Mischief, Disorderly Conduct & Harassment, after troopers responded to a report of an ongoing argument at the Xtra Mart in the Town of Bainbridge. Hart allegedly entered the store and was upset with a neighbor, who was working inside, and struck the woman in the face and smacked a cell phone from the woman’s hand. Hart was arraigned in the Town of Bainbridge Court and was released without bail being required. An order of protection was issued, she faces court action in the Town of Bainbridge on January 24th.

Governor Cuomo today announced that New York State's Cigarette Strike Force seized 53,307 cartons of contraband cigarettes and 261,220 untaxed cigars in 2016. The combined street value of these items is approximately $5.6 million and the seizures represent a 117% increase in illegal tobacco confiscations. Locally, The Southern Tier had only 4 cartons of illegal cigarettes confiscated, but had over 42,000 illegal cigars confiscated, which was the second highest total in the state behind New York City.

The Oneonta Downtown Revitalization Initiative will hold their 4th meeting of the Local Planning Committee. Oneonta Mayor Gary Herzig said that they must work quickly:

(Mayor Gary Herzig 12-20-16)

Today's meeting is open to the public & will run from 1:00 to 3:00 PM at the Foothills Performing Arts Center.

CDO Workforce and the BEAM Program are offering a free Interviewing Workshop on today, from 10:30 to Noon at the CDO Workforce Center, 2nd Floor, at the Sidney Civic Center. BEAM Spokesman Alan Sessions explains:

(Alan Sessions 12-20-16)

Also scheduled for today, interested residents can meet with BEAM representatives from 1:00 to 2:00 pm at the CDO Workforce Center, 2nd Floor, at the Sidney Civic Center, regarding affordable college and training opportunities. More information is available at 561-7550.

The next Bainbridge Chamber of Commerce General meeting is this morning at 7:30am at Bob's Diner. During this meeting, leaders of local organizations will present their plans for 2017. The meeting is open to the public.

Cornell Cooperative Extension of Delaware County will be conducting NYSERDA’s free energy workshops titled “EMPOWER Save Energy, Save Dollars” at three locations, for those who pre-register through Cornell Cooperative Extension of Delaware County at 865-6531. A new workshop has been scheduled for Monday October 31st at the Opportunities for Otsego from 1:00 to 2:30 pm at 3 West Broadway in Oneonta. Other workshops will be held on November 3rd from 11:30 am to 12:30 pm at the Deposit Senior Meals Site at 14 Monument Street, and on November 7th from 1:00 to 2:30pm at Opportunities for Otsego at 3 West Broadway, Oneonta.

The Delaware County Board of Elections reminds county voters that the general election will be on November 8th this year, with the polls open from 6:00 AM to 9:00 PM. Absentee ballots and sample ballots for the General Election are available at the Board of Elections Office at 3 Gallant Ave., Delhi NY. Absentee ballot applications may be downloaded from co.delaware.ny.us Sample ballots may also be viewed on that website. The Board of Elections Office will be open on Saturday October 29th and Saturday November 5th from 9AM until Noon for absentee voting. More information is available at 832-5321

The Otsego County Chamber of commerce announces that their Education Committee will host a discussion supporting Tourism on Wednesday, November 9, from 8:30 10:00 AM. The event will be held at the Foothills Performing Arts Center on Market Street in Oneonta, NY 13820. Those interested in attending must R.S.V.P by Monday, November 7. More information is available at 432-4500 extension 207.

Attorney General Eric Schneiderman today announced that Cigna Insurance would end its policy of requiring prior authorization for medication-assisted treatment for opioid use disorder. Cigna’s change comes just months after Schneiderman requested that the company provide information about their policies to address concerns about barriers to treatment for opioid use disorder. Schneiderman said that Preauthorization requirements can lead to delays in patients obtaining quick, necessary treatment for addiction.

The Sidney Police Department will have a new Chief sworn in at tonight’s Village Board meeting, and then Jan Gorshack will replace Mike Hood as chief officially Thursday. Gorshack told WCDO news about taking over as the Sidney Police Chief:

(Jan Gorshack 10-14-16)

Gorshack has served in the Sidney Police Department for 23 years, he ran the DARE Program for 20 years, out going Chief Mike Hood will work part time with the Bainbridge Police Department and the Delaware County Sheriffs department.

The Broome County District Attorney’s Office announced that 6 individuals have been arrested as part of a "Major drug trafficking enterprise” The 6 were arrested Sunday following a joint investigation by law enforcement agencies in Binghamton, arrested were Devon Johnson, Ferris Brown, Shawn Perry, Maurice Rollins, Mary Peters, & Andrew Savo. All 6 were arraigned in Binghamton City Court, and were remanded to the Broome County Jail without bail.

Broome County DA Steve Cornwell announced that 32-year-old Christopher Clerveau of Kirkwood, pleaded guilty Friday to charges relating to his involvement in a large-scale drug ring operating in the region by Terrence Wise. Clerveau is scheduled to be sentenced on February 1st.

The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers at The Amphenol Corporation of Sidney voted to approve their new 3-year contract Saturday. The Union & Amphenol negotiate a new deal every 3 years.

Governor Cuomo today announced that his administration has reached a three-year labor agreement with the New York State Public Employees Federation. PEF is one of the largest unions in the United States and is New York's second-largest state-employee union, representing 54,000 workers. The three-year contract agreement includes a 2 percent increase in 2016-17, 2 percent increase in 2017-18 and a 2 percent increase in 2018-19. Both the state and PEF agree to work together on a plan to reduce out-of-control healthcare costs. Other elements of the contract will be released shortly. The contract must now be approved by its Executive Board and ratified by its membership.

Governor Cuomo today announced that State Park campgrounds set a new record for attendance for the fifth consecutive year. Through Columbus Day, campsites, cabins and cottages across the state were occupied for more than 633,000 nights, surpassing 2015's record of 623,891 nights. State Park camping occupancy has climbed nearly 17 percent since 2009.

The Chenango County Sheriff’s Office has been receiving a large number of larcenies from vehicles over the last couple of weeks. We ask that people remain vigilant and make sure that they do not leave anything of value in their vehicles as well as keeping their vehicles locked. The investigation into these incidents is ongoing and we ask that if anyone has any information on these larcenies to contact the Chenango County Sheriff’s Office at (607)334-2000.

Tickets for the Bainbridge Commitment to Community Dinner will be available for only a few more days. The Dinner will honor the Bainbridge Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year; John Payne & Business of the Year: Nana's Keepsakes, it will be held at the Sundown Golf & Country Club on Saturday, October 29th. Tickets for the dinner are available to purchase at the Bainbridge Town Clerk's Office, NBT Bank in Bainbridge, Bob's Diner & Nana's Keepsakes or you can contact Chris Smith @ 967-3005.  Tickets will be available for purchase until Saturday, October 22nd.

NYSERDA’s NY-Sun PV Trainers Network and the Otsego County Planning Department invite all local public officials to attend the Land Use Planning and Zoning for Solar Workshop tonight. The workshop will cover information on current solar topics, including relevant property tax topics related to solar development and agricultural assessments. The presentation will take place at the ETC Room, at the Milford BOCES at 1914 County Route 35, tonight from 6:00 PM to 8:30 PM

2 more blood donation opportunities will be held in Otsego County today. A blood drive will be held in Franklin from 1:30 to 6:30 PM at the Franklin Methodist Church, 101 Main Street, and another will be in Oneonta from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM at the Fox Hospital Levine Center, at 1 Norton Avenue. Appointments can be made by downloading the Red Cross Blood donor App, online at redcrossblood.org or by calling 1-800-RED CROSS.

The City of Oneonta will be paving the utility trenches at the intersection of Chestnut street & West Street today & tomorrow between the hours of 7:00 AM and 4:00 PM, 2 way traffic will be maintained but traffic delays can be expected, West Street will require closing to through traffic between chestnut & Center during the work hours & detours will be set up along Church Street. More information is available at 432-6465.

The Bainbridge-Guilford Central School will hold a Board of Education Meeting on Tonight in the District Conference Room at 6:30 PM. The business portion of the meeting will start at 7:00 PM.

State Police arrested 43 year old Angel Rodriguez of Long Island, and 25 year old Desiree Hernandez of Brooklyn for criminal possession of stolen property, after a trooper responded to check on the welfare of the occupants of a broken down vehicle on State Route 17 in the Town of Hancock. An investigation determined that the car had been reported stolen on August 6th in New York City. Rodriguez & Hernandez were arraigned in the Town of Hancock court and were remanded to the Delaware County jail. Rodriguez had his bail set at $25,000 cash and Hernandez had her bail set at $15,000.

State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli released a report on student loan debt which found the average New Yorker with college loans owed $32,200 in 2015, higher than the national average of $29,700. Student loan debt more than doubled during the last decade in the state, growing to $82 billion from $39 billion, an increase of 112%. The number of students taking out loans rose sharply in New York over the past 10 years by 41% to 2.8 million. Student loans represented 11.4% of the $722 billion outstanding consumer (or household) debt in New York in 2015. The full report is available at osc.state.ny.us.

A new poll of registered New Yorkers suggests that Hillary Clinton has a big lead over Republican candidate Donald Trump. A Sienna Poll released today shows Clinton with 51% compared to only 30% for Trump. 19% were undecided or favored other candidates.

Another child safety seat check is being held in Oneonta this afternoon. The event will take place from 4:00 to 6:00 PM at the AAA Offices at 195 Oneida Street. Certified technicians will be on hand, more information is available at the Otsego county department of health at 547-4230.

Oneonta Mayor Gary Herzig announced that s steering committee of local shareholders & community leaders has been formed, who will work with urban planners and staff members from the department of state, homes & community Renewal & the governors office. The city received a $10 million dollars Downtown revitalization award through the Mohawk Valley Economic Development regional council, the first meeting of the steering committee will be on September 27th, a time & a place has not yet been announced. The meetings will be open to the public, and time will be allotted for public input.

The Bainbridge Chamber of Commerce announced this years winners of the “Citizen Of The Year” and “Business of the year”. The Citizen of the year is John Payne, the Business of the Year is “Nana’s Keepsakes”, and both will be honored at the annual dinner to be held at the Sundown Golf & Country Club in Guilford on October 29th.

A Broome County jury has found Brendan Barrett not guilty of beating an infant to death. Barrett was originally charged with 2nd-Degree Murder, 1st-Degree Manslaughter, and 2nd-Degree Assault in the December 2013 death of Camryn Davies.

GO-EDC energy sub-committee has scheduled a general interest presentation on this subject for Today, at 4:00 PM in the conference room of the Oneonta Hampton Inn. Dan Sullivan, the Mohawk Valley Region's new outreach coordinator for the Clean Energy Program will be the presenter. The CECP is a NYSERDA program which provides grant opportunities to Clean Energy designated communities of between $100,000 - $250,000 depending on population.

New York State Electric & Gas are making headway in returning power to those who were affected by these weekends’ storms. In Chenango County NYSEG reported that power outages affected just under 700 this afternoon, the majority of affected customers were in New Berlin, Norwich & North Norwich. Otsego County had about 1000 customers without power, scattered through the middle & northern townships. Delaware County had all power restored this afternoon.

Governor Cuomo today announced $13.7 million in grants to support eight critical municipal water infrastructure projects across the Southern Tier. These grants are part of the second round of NYS Water Grants funded through the state’s Water Infrastructure Improvement Act. Locally the villages of Sidney, Delhi & Stamford, &the town of Guilford will receive grants for their drinking water improvement projects.

State Senator Jim Seward joined in the dedication Saturday of the historic Andes Train Depot and announced a $75,000 state grant he secured to help with restoration costs. The capital funding through the State and Municipal Facilities Program has been used to help fund the restoration of the Delaware and Northern Railroad Depot building, it is now the starting point of the Andes Rail Trail.

NYSEG is reporting that hundreds are still without power this morning following the damaging weekend storms. Chenango County had over 1100 without power late this morning, mainly in Norwich, New Berlin & Preston. In Otsego County, over 1300 were without power, scattered mainly in the middle & northern sections, Delaware County had a little over 100 without power, mostly around Andes and Downsville. NYSEG opened a distribution center at the Norwich Fire Department and is handing out free bottled water.

The New York State Health Department today announced that the more than 2.8 million people signed up for health insurance through the end of the 2016 open enrollment period on January 31, 2016. The data show that enrollment in the Marketplace increased by 33 percent, or nearly 700,000 enrollees from the previous enrollment period; 92 percent of those enrolled through the Marketplace report that they did not have health insurance at the time they applied.

The Delaware County Board of Elections will have a voting machine at the Delaware County Fair on Friday August 19 to educate the public on how to vote on the machines. It will be at the Republican Booth from 11am to 3pm and at the Democratic Booth from 3pm to 7pm. They will also have registration forms and absentee applications available.

State Office of General Services Commissioner RoAnn Destito today announced that OGS is hosting a free training seminar meant to familiarize local governments, schools, and nonprofit organizations with the use of new state contracts. The all-day training is scheduled to begin at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, August 24 at the Binghamton State Office Building. During the event, purchasing officials will receive a general overview on how to use new OGS contracts. To register for the training or learn more about upcoming training opportunities visit www.nyspro.ogs.ny.gov/roadshow.

The Delaware county board of elections announced that they have sent out their annual yellow mail check cards. Officials said that the cards are returned to the Board, if there is a change of address, & they are not forwarded. Delaware County residents who do not receive the annual cards may be inactive as voters & will need to contact the Board at 832-5321

The 5th annual Mount Upton Community Days will be held Saturday, with town wide garage sales, a chicken barbecue at the Methodist church, and a variety of events in Mount Upton Park on State route 8.more information is available at 316-9601.

Governor Cuomo today announced 30 Smart Schools Investment Plans totaling $39 million have been approved as part of the $2 billion Smart Schools Bond Act. The Act supports investments in education technology that will equip students with the skills they need to thrive and succeed in the global economy. Locally, the Oxford Academy will receive about $1 Million Dollars for High Tech Security & School connectivity project.

The State DEC seized more than 1,100 pounds of undersized lobsters from Price Chopper in 3 different inspections over the last 4 months. The case was sparked in March when short lobsters were found at 2 Price Chopper stores in Binghamton. The distribution center for Price Chopper in Schenectady, & a routine inspection Tuesday, determined that 820 lobsters, or 15% of the inventory, were under the legal size limit. Price Chopper faces fines of up to $100 for every shellfish involved.

The DCMO BOCES Board selected Perry Dewey as the new District Superintendent, to lead 16 component school districts in Delaware, Chenango, Madison and Otsego Counties. The decision is the result of review and interview sessions conducted over a seven-month period. Dewey will be leaving his position as Superintendent of Madison Central School, where he has served for over 4 years.

Norfolk Southern Railroad officials as well as Sidney Village DPW, expect the Main street railroad crossing in Sidney to be open later tonight. This after noon, the last coat of asphalt is being put down.

The State DEC announced that sporting licenses and Deer Management Permits for the 2016-17 season would be available for purchase beginning August 1. Licenses and permits can be purchased at any one of DEC’s license-issuing agents, in person, by telephone, or online. Hunting and trapping licenses are valid for one year beginning September 1st. More information is available at dec.ny.gov.

State Senator Jim Seward announced that $65,000 in grant funds he secured will go to local domestic violence programs. The funding was set aside in the 2016-2017 state budget, with $15,000 going to Opportunities for Otsego & $5,000 for Delaware Opportunities.

The Sidney Chamber of Commerce Arts & Music Festival will be held on MAIN STREET tomorrow. Sidney Chamber President Stephanie Taylor comments:

(Steph Taylor 7-29-16)

WCDO will be broadcasting live during the Car Cruise in Portion of the event, Taylor said that the next Chamber event will be their annual Golf Tournament on August 4th.

Opportunities for Chenango announced that the Literacy Volunteers Program in Chenango County will close on Thursday. Program Director Ellen Hurtubise explains:

(Ellen Hurtubise 6-29-16)

There is a chance that a Literacy program could be extended to Chenango County from the Literacy Volunteers Program of Otsego & Delaware county, according to Program Director Dawn Rogers-Kroll:

(Dawn Rogers Kroll 6-29-16)

Those who would like to volunteer or assist in getting a literacy program to re-open in Chenango COunty can call Rogers-Kroll at 287-0036.

Governor Cuomo will host the first-ever Catskill Summer Challenge with various State leaders competing tomorrow, including rafting, fishing, & biking. Delaware County Chamber President Ray Pucci told WCDO News that this will shine an additional spotlight on the Catskills:

(Ray Pucci 6-29-16)

Tomorrow's Catskill Challenge will end with a reception and presentation of awards, Cuomo hopes to make this & the Adirondack Challenge an annual event that carries on beyong his tenure in Albany.

The Candidates are now set following the 22nd Congressional District Republican Primary Tuesday. Claudia Tenney defeated 2 challengers to get the Republican nomination, Tenney will now take on Democrat Kim Myers of Vestal in the November election.

The Town of Guilford will hold a special meeting of the town board for the purpose of discussing the Guilford Water Project. The meeting will begin at 7:00 PM at the Guilford town Hall on Marble road.

23 Year old Andre Lee of Binghamton was convicted Tuesday afternoon of 2nd-degree murder, assault & criminal possession of a weapon, in the death of 19 year old Scott Wright on July 4, 2014. Wright died 3 days later; Sentencing for Lee is scheduled for September 21st.

Last year, Governor Cuomo announced the launch of the first annual Catskill Challenge to promote tourism in the region during the Ride the Catskills motorcycle ride. With the Catskill Challenge set to take place Thursday, cabinet officials will hop on their motorcycles and kick-off the festivities a day early with the second Ride the Catskills Today. At 10:00 AM, Ride the Catskills starts at the Windham Mountain Ski Resort, and concludes with a reception in Roscoe.

Delaware County Public Health will be providing a Car Seat Safety Event at the 8th Annual Children’s Festival at Delaware Opportunities, State Highway 10, in Hamden today from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM. 73% of car seats are not used or installed correctly; Nationally certified child passenger safety technicians will be there to teach parents how to correctly install and use your child’s safety or booster seat. More information is available at 832-5200.

State fair officials announced that the Rock band “Daughtry” fronted by singer Chris Daughtry provides the final 8:00 PM show of the 2016 Chevy Court concert season, on Sunday, September 4th. This year, the Chevy Court will have 23 free shows as part of the Fair's lineup of entertainment & activities. The state fair runs from August 25th to September 5th this year.

The village of Unadilla will hold their annual Flag Day parade &they will follow that with a dedication of their new veterans memorial tonight. Unadilla Village Mayor Dave Welch explains:

(Dave Welch 6-14-16)

Mayor Welch said that those interested in being in the parade should begin lining up between 5:30 & 6:00 PM, the parade should start at 7:00 PM and the ceremony will begin at approximately 7:45 PM.

Governor Cuomo & state lawmakers have a few issues left to deal with in the last days of the 2016 session. Cuomo specifically mentioned Combating the heroin epidemic; increasing access to breast cancer screening and treatment; Passing comprehensive ethics reform; Combating Citizens United; and Updating the Alcohol Beverage Control Law.

The Town of Unadilla Board meeting originally scheduled for today has been rescheduled for this Thursday at 6:30 PM at the Unadilla town hall on State route 7. The meeting was moved in order to avoid interference with the Village Flag Day Parade.

The Delaware county sheriffs department responded to a 3-car personal injury accident in Stamford yesterday. 23-year-old Kevin Matthew of New City crossed the double yellow line on State Route 23, striking a vehicle operated by 37-year-old William Eklund of Stamford. The force of the collision forced Eklund's vehicle to hit a parked car, which was occupied by 62-year-old Margaret Smith of Otego. All involved were taken to Fox Hospital in Oneonta for treatment, Mathew was ticketed for failure to keep right, speed not reasonable & Prudent, he will face court action on June 27th.

State Police responded to the report Sunday night of a man who jumped off of a highway overpass onto Interstate 88 in Oneonta, in an apparent suicide attempt. The victim was airlifted to Wilson Hospital in Johnson City with a variety of injuries; the victims name & address are not being released.

Governor Cuomo & state leaders announced an agreement on legislation to improve rail safety measures across New York State. The agreement includes a series of initiatives that will reduce the risk of train-motor vehicle collisions at grade crossings across the State. The new initiatives will require coordinated, frequent inspections of traffic control devices at highway-rail crossings and impose penalties on railroad companies and repeat offender drivers who continue to disobey the law and ignore important safety requirements.

The New York State Office of General Services will hold a surplus vehicle auction today at Troop C State Police Headquarters on State Route 7 starting at 9:30 AM. information on specific items and terms of sale, please visit www.nysstore.com.

The American Red Cross has scheduled blood drives today. Upcoming blood donation opportunities are in New Berlin from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM at Golden Artist Colors, at 188 Bell Road, another is in Norwich from 1:00 to 6:00 PM at the Norwich VFW Post at 61-63 East Main Street. Appointments can be made with the Red Cross Blood Donor App, at 1-800 RED CROSS or at Red Cross Blood.org.

Another free rabies clinic will be held in Otsego County today. The clinic will be held at the Edmeston Town Barn from 6:00 until 8:00 PM, for dogs & cats.

Governor Cuomo today announced that State Police issued 11,946 tickets as a result of increased enforcement efforts during the Memorial Day Weekend 2016. State Troopers arrested 224 people for DWI and investigated 170 personal injury accidents, which resulted in 229 people injured. Three people were killed in three separate fatal motor vehicle accidents over the holiday weekend. Troopers issued a total of 11,946 tickets during the Memorial Day Weekend campaign, including 3,424 for speeding, 358 for distracted driving and 2, 173 for seat belt violations.

Oneida Healthcare and Bassett Healthcare Network announce their intention to pursue a partnership agreement aimed at enhancing the delivery of health care services in the Oneida region, with a strong emphasis on population health management and expanded access to primary care. The agreement will provide opportunities to exchange best practices that reduce costs and provide better outcomes for patients.

Binghamton Police arrested 31-year-old Lamont Weaver of Binghamton for attempted murder. Weaver is accused of stabbing the victim in the stomach multiple times and once in the head on Saturday at 8 Crandall Street, the victim is in critical condition at an area hospital, weaver is being held pending court action.

State Police & Oneonta Police arrested 30-Year-old Kurtis Breed of Oneonta for criminal tampering and criminal mischief. Breed is accused of throwing eggs & Hash Brown potatoes at the windows of 2 Oneonta Businesses, after those 2 businesses owners rebuffed his ideas for business dealings between those businesses & his business "Breed Fitness" of Oneonta. He faces court action later this month to answer to the charges.

Officials with Rock in the Park looking to add vendors for the July 9th event, which features a full line up of talent according to organizer Jason Hall:

(Jason Hall 6-1-16)

Vendors interested in setting up at Rock in the Park at General Clinton Park in Bainbridge can call 972-6526 for more information. This year's proceeds will benefit the Chenango County SPCA.

The Village of Sidney announced that the Annual Water Quality Report is now available online. The report can be accessed at the link on the village of Sidney .org website, hard copies are also available at the Village offices at the civic center, by request at 561-2324.

Chenango County Department of Public Works announced that they have closed a bridge on County Road 8 between County Road 10 and Brown-Gale Road, in the Town of Pharsalia today. The closure will be in place until the required bridge reconstruction work is completed, local traffic will be allowed access to their homes, however, they will be required to travel away from the immediate area of the project for the closure period. More information is available at 337-1710.

State Police arrested 30-year-old Jacqueline Graves of Otego, for operating a motor vehicle while impaired by drugs, aggravated unlicensed operation, resisting arrest, criminal possession of a controlled substance, use of a motor vehicle without an interlock device and other traffic violations. This arrest occurred after a trooper observed Graves crossing a road hazard on State Route 7 in Otego. Graves pulled away from police and ran a short distance before being grabbed by the trooper. Graves unlawfully possessed heroin and did not have a court ordered interlock device installed on her ignition. Graves was arraigned and was remanded to the Otsego County jail on $2000 cash bail or $4000 property bond, pending court action on June 9th.

State Police responded to a motorcycle accident on State Route 17C, in the Town of Owego. An investigation determined that 35-year-old Justin King of Owego was driving his motorcycle with his wife 34-year-old Tonya King as a rear passenger; he was unable to avoid a deer in the roadway and crashed after striking it. Both were transported to Packer Hospital in Sayre, Tonya King was pronounced dead due to head trauma. Justin King was treated for multiple minor injuries; Troopers reported that both were wearing helmets. The investigation is ongoing.

The State DOT announced that construction work for the Prospect Mountain construction project will be performed today. I-81 northbound/State Route 17 westbound will be reduced to 1 lane between Exit 3 & 4S for pavement marking and overhead sign work for a long-term traffic pattern change at Exit 4. Exit 4S will be closed long term for the construction of a new ramp. Drivers will be detoured through side streets.

The 1st Pine Ridge Grocery Dash For Cash race from Sidney to Bainbridge was run last night on the Susquehanna River. C2 winners were Ben Schlimmer & Trevor Lefever of Oneonta, Schlimmer told WCDO’s Nate Lull at the finish line that they started slow:

(Ben Schlimmer 5-25-16)

Lefever described the river conditions for the race:

(Trevor Lefever 5-25-16)

The C1 winner was Matt Rudnitsky of Gilbertsville described the experience:

(Matt Rudnitsky 5-25-16)

The Mixed C2 winning team was Mary Schlimmer & Pat Madden.

Chenango County area fire departments responded to a barn fire on Newton Road in Pharsalia just after 4:00 PM yesterday At Balsam View Dairy Farm. Fire fighters from Pharsalia, McDonough, and McGraw responded, no injuries were reported, but several cows were killed in the blaze. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

The Town of Unadilla Highway Department announced that they will be paving Ben McCumber Road Today. The paving project will start at 6:30 AM and is expected to be completed at around 4:30 PM.

Delaware County Emergency Services has been notified that many residents in the hamlet of Bloomville and the immediate surrounding area in the Town of Kortright who have landline phone service through Verizon have been without phone service for an extended period of time, which includes the inability to dial 911 in the event of an emergency. If this outage is affecting you, or you know of someone being affected by this outage, please call the Delaware County Emergency Services Office at 607-832-5600.

Delaware County Public Health is offering free one day training today from 8:30am-3:00 PM at SUNY Delhi, for therapists, parents, and educators. The morning session “Get Your Game On!” explores the power for play-based instruction through the implementation of cooperative learning games and identify the developmental benefits for individuals. The afternoon session titled Sensational Sensory Experiences-Enhancing Learning Opportunities through Sensory Play, to recognize the benefits of intentionally creating sensory experiences for individuals with sensory needs. Each session has includes “make and takes”, all supplies are provided.

Broome County Sheriff’s department reported that 1 person was killed when a disabled Jeep was struck by a tractor-trailer at 1:30 this morning on state Route 17 near Windsor. Deputies reported that a disabled Jeep stopped in the right lane of the highway was rear-ended by a tractor trailer, the Jeep & the tractor Trailer both went over an embankment. The Jeep's driver was pronounced dead at the scene, the identity of the driver has not been released pending family notification. The tractor trailer driver suffered head injuries and was taken to Wilson Memorial Hospital, the investigation is continuing.

Convicted Murderer 46 year old David Dart has been denied parole, Dart was convicted in Otsego County Court of fatally stabbing Gillian Gibbons of Milford in 1989 her body was found in her car in the lower level of the Oneonta Municipal Parking Garage. Dart will continue to serve a prison term of 25 years to life.

Oneonta Police arrested two residents on burglary & grand larceny charges. 44-year-old Courtney Griffin & 54 year old Joanne Roberts of Oneonta allegedly broke into a college student's apartment on Main Street & stole over $3,000 worth of property. The two were charged with the 2nd degree burglary & 3rd degree grand larceny plus criminal mischief, they face court action shortly.

The Broome County Sheriff’s Office arrested 26-year-old Jennifer Hinman of Sidney following a burglary investigation in the town of Sanford. Hinman is accused of unlawfully entering a home & taking property from the home on May 18th. Hinman was charged with 2nd degree burglary, she was arraigned in Fenton town court and released on her own recognizance.

There are only about 3 weeks to go for the current session of the state Legislature, and there seems to be little talk about ethics reforms, even after the convictions & sentencing of recent leaders of both houses. Assemblyman Pete Lopez explains:

(Lopez 5-26-16)

Legitimate topics of discussion in the final weeks include economic development, Job creation & tackling the Heroin & Opioid crisis.

The Binghamton Mets announced NYSEG Stadium would go tobacco-free starting in the 2017 season. Inside the gates, fans will no longer be allowed to use cigarettes, cigars, smokeless tobacco, e-cigarettes nor vaporizers. Tobacco users will have a special smoking area at all games outside the gates of the stadium. The tobacco-free policy will go into effect on Opening Day in April 2017.

The State Economic Development Council announced that Otsego Now has been named a recipient of several 2016 Marketing, Literature and Promotion Awards. The awards will be presented at the Awards Banquet Tonight at the 2016 NYSEDC Annual Meeting in Cooperstown. Otsego Now was honored as Best in Class for its fiscal year 2014 Annual Report, & they received a Certificate of Excellence for its Workforce Training Center brochure, and an Honorable Mention for its web site at www.otsegonow.com.

Supporters came from all over to show their support for the residents of Islamberg in the town of Tompkins, as a group of Bikers known as the "American Bikers United Against Jihad" planned a rally, against the Muslim group who have been targeted in certain media as being a terrorist training ground. Julia Reischel of the Watershed Post was at yesterday's rally; she told WCDO News that the rally was a lot smaller than expected:

(Julia Reischel 5-16-16)

Reischel said that state Troopers & Delaware County Sheriff’s deputies were on hand to insure the safety of the community & the supporters. Islamberg had also been targeted by Robert Doggart of Tennessee, who vowed to get a militia together to burn down the community and kill the residents; he was arrested earlier this year by the FBI for making terrorist threats.

Tomorrow is school budget vote day across the state. Locally, 2 area school districts managed to lower the tax levy slightly; they were the Milford & Afton School Districts. School that have the tax levy unchanged from last year are Walton, Delhi, Charlotte VALLEY, Deposit, Oxford Academy, Laurens, Gilbertsville Mount Upton, & Morris. Slight increases in the tax levy were in Unatego, Bainbridge Guilford, Oneonta, increases of 1% or more are proposed in the Unadilla VALLEY & Norwich Districts, 2% or more were proposed in Sidney, Greene & Franklin and more than 3% increases were proposed in Harpursville & Windsor. State officials said that the tax cap for the tri-county region was tabulated at roughly 1%.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Voting for the BG school district residents on the Budget & for the School Board seats will be held in the Bainbridge & Guilford town Halls this year. Voting will be from 12:00 Noon until 9:00 PM.

Johnson City Police Patrolman Lou Cioci was presented the Congressional Medal of Valor by President Barack Obama this morning at the White House. Cioci was recognized for his actions on March 31st 2014, after fellow Johnson City Police Officer David Smith was shot and killed on Harrison Street, as Patrolman Cioci arrived, he opened fire on the gunman, hitting him several times, The injured gunman tackled Cioci, attempting to grab his service weapon, Cioci shot the man twice more during the confrontation, ending the attack.

State Police arrested 47-year-old Albert Hughes of the town of Maryland for Aggravated DWI with a B.A.C. result of .23%, plus other traffic tickets. The arrest occurred after troopers responded to an Otsego County 911 report of a one-vehicle property damage accident on State route 7 in the Town of Oneonta. Hughes drove into a guide rail and caused damage, he was issued tickets returnable to the Town of Oneonta on May 24th.

Delaware County Sheriff Deputies arrested 40-year-old Ian Lyle of Unadilla on one count of DWI following an investigation of a one-car motor vehicle accident in the Town of Sidney. Lyle was additionally charged with making an unsafe lane change and was released on tickets returnable to Sidney Town Court at a later date.

Governor Cuomo today announced $20 million in federal funding to support the State's efforts to get unemployed New Yorkers back to work. The grant is the largest awarded to any state and exceeds last year’s total of $18 million. The southern tier will receive $818,516 in federal support.

Governor Cuomo announced that he is advancing legislation to end the HIV/AIDS epidemic in New York State. The legislation would Increase the number of individuals who will be linked to and remain in care by allowing HIV-related information to be shared with care managers. It would Streamline HIV testing efforts and extends the upper age limit of the beyond the current age of 64. It would Make clear that minors have the right to obtain life-saving HIV treatment and preventive services without parental consent & it would Expand the opportunities for STD screening and access to post exposure prophylaxis to prevent infection.

Congressman Chris Gibson announced the passage of 18 bills aimed at combating heroin and opioid abuse. The Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act would improve the use of opioid therapy and pain management in treating veterans; amends federal law to impose penalties for extraterritorial drug trafficking and production of precursor chemicals used for illegal drugs; clarifies when a prescription for a drug like oxycodone may be partially filled; & amends the Controlled Substances Act to expand access to medication-assisted treatment for people suffering from addiction.

Oneonta City Officials announced that crews will be milling & paving Water Street & Chestnut Street Extension today & tomorrow. There will be no on street parking, all vehicles must be removed by 6:00 AM, and remaining vehicles will be towed away. More information is available at 432-6465.

Firefighters responded on at about 1:30 Sunday afternoon to a Structure Fire on Dunk Hill Road in Walton. Walton Firefighters received aid from Franklin, Delhi, Trout Creek, Bovina & Otego. Walton Fire fighters reported that the Fire was Called in by an alarm company, as a small fire in the wall of the building on the 2nd floor, the fire spread to the roof. The fire was under control at about 6:00 PM, no injuries were reported. Walton Firefighters were called back to the site at about 11:30 this morning for the report of a rekindle.

State Police arrested 21-year-old William Holden of Bainbridge for felony criminal contempt and 3rd degree Assault. The arrest occurred after troopers were advised of a dispute that happened in a vehicle on State Route 206 in the Town of Bainbridge, where Holden allegedly struck the victim in the face causing an injury. Holden violated a court order of protection; he was arraigned in the Town of Bainbridge court and was remanded to the Chenango County jail in lieu of $2,500 cash bail or $5,000 property bond.

Governor Cuomo today directed the State Department of Health to expand free Zika virus testing to all pregnant women who, during their pregnancy, had unprotected sex with a partner who traveled to an area with ongoing Zika virus transmission. This expansion comes as the Department is investigating 1 case of possible sexual transmission of the Zika virus, and the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has published reports of increasing numbers of confirmed and probable sexual transmission of Zika virus, including several involving pregnant women. To date The State Lab at the Wadsworth Center in Albany has conducted tests on samples from more than 1,400 patients and 40 have been found to be positive, those infected patients have been returning travelers from countries where Zika virus is ongoing.

Attorney General Eric Schneiderman issued a consumer alert today for National Consumer Protection Week, reminding New Yorkers to protect themselves against recurring government “imposter” phone scams. These scams often target seniors, students, and first-generation Americans. Recent scams include callers posing as a representative from the Attorney General’s office, the IRS, or as officers of the court regarding alleged missed Jury Duty & the threat of arrest or other penalties. Schneiderman said that New Yorkers should also report instances of fraud to ag.ny.gov or 1-800-771-7755.

The New York State Senate today passed a resolution honoring Mike Piazza for his impending induction into the National Baseball Hall of fame this summer. Piazza will be inducted with a New York Mets cap on his plaque, for his 7 1/2 years as a member of the team, which won the National League championship in 2000. Piazza spent part of Tuesday at the National Baseball Hall of Fame & Museum at Cooperstown before visiting the state Capital today. A copy of the resolution can be found at nysenate.gov/legislation/resolutions.

The Delaware County Sheriff’s Department announced that there will be a fundraiser this Sunday in Walton, to support their K9 Unit, which has been an integral part of the County's crackdown on Drug dealers in the County. The fundraise will be held on Sunday at Danny's Restaurant at 14 Gardiner Place in Walton from 12:00 noon until 7:00 PM, donations can be made by check to Delaware County Sheriff Tom Mills, with "K9 Drug Fund" in the memo box. More information about the fundraiser can be directed to Danny's restaurant at 865-8496.

The Sidney Chamber of Commerce is accepting the nominations for Citizen of the Years & Business of the Years through tomorrow. Sidney Chamber President Stephanie Taylor comments:

(Steph Taylor 3-10-16)

More information is available at the newly revamped website, Sidney chamber.org or by calling 561-2642

Governor Cuomo announced that $2.4 million has been distributed to 100 organizations that provide employment services to individuals with disabilities via the New York State Employment Services System. This funding is part of the Governor’s Employment First Initiative to increase employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities, decrease the poverty rate of those with disabilities; and encourage businesses to establish formal policies to hire people with disabilities.

The Otsego county Chamber of Commerce will offer the Leadership Otsego program, which is accepting applications for the class of 2016. Leadership Otsego is a program that kicks off in April and engages emerging and existing leaders in a 6-month program that sharpens leadership skills. An informational session will be held today at 6:00 PM at Roots Brewing Company on Main Street, Oneonta. More information is available at 432-4500

The City of Oneonta Police Department arrested 41 year old Kindell Worley of Oneonta for 2nd degree Burglary & 4th degree Grand Larceny. The arrest follows the report of a stolen vehicle from October 26, 2014, Worley is accused of entering a residence, stealing items including the keys to a vehicle and then driving the vehicle outside of Oneonta where it was abandoned. Worley was arraigned in Otsego County Court and was released on his own recognizance.

Former Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver was convicted on Monday as a federal jury in Manhattan found Silver guilty of all 7 counts he faced for fraud, extortion and money laundering. The conviction comes as Silver's counterpart in the Senate, former Majority Leader Dean Skelos, faces his own corruption trial in the same federal court. Both men resigned their leadership posts but continued to work as lawmakers; Silver automatically loses his seat as a result of his conviction.

In recognition of World AIDS Day, Governor Andrew Cuomo today made a series of announcements regarding the next phase of New York State’s Plan to End the AIDS Epidemic in the State. The Governor is committing $200 million in new funding toward HIV/AIDS efforts, in addition to the $2.5 billion in public funding that the state currently directs toward addressing the disease. He is also calling on the federal government to increase its contribution nationwide for housing assistance for people living with HIV and AIDS.

Tonight from 6:30-8:30, Opportunities for Chenango's Community Forum about drug addiction will be held in Norwich. Organizer & Moderator Donna Wood-Craig comments:

(Donna Wood Craig 12-1-15)

The event will be in the Guernsey Library Community Room.

State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli announced today his office approved 215 contracts valued at $109 million and approved 1.7 million payments worth $5.8 billion in October. His office also rejected 45 contracts and related transactions valued at $31 million and more than 6,900 payments valued at $3.6 million due to fraud, waste or other improprieties. DiNapoli’s office has approved approximately 16,200 contracts valued at $142 billion and approved 25.5 million payments worth $107 billion. His office has also rejected 1,660 contracts and related transactions valued at $4.4 billion and 33,100 payments valued at $127.5 million through October.

The United Way of Delaware and Otsego Counties is hosting a “Ladies Night Out” on December 1, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Council Rock Brewery located on Rt. 28, Cooperstown. The United Way will be raffling off gift baskets and drawing for the winner of a Coach® purse at tonight’s event..

The Tri-County Senior Center in Sidney is sponsoring a drive to collect Socks for Seniors. The socks will be distributed to shut-in senior citizens locally Collection boxes are located at Trackside Dining, Lemon Tree Hair Salon and the Sidney Senior Dining Center at the Civic Center. The deadline to drop off socks is Wednesday, December 16th.

State Police arrested 38 year old Nathan Mower of Harpursville, for criminal possession of stolen property, and arrested 43 year old Kristina Shuldt of Windsor for criminal possession of stolen property, after investigating a theft of a safe and over $50,000 cash from a home in the Town of Windsor on August 3rd. Mower and Shuldt were arraigned in the Town of Windsor court and remanded to the Broome County jail with no bail set at this time. The investigation is ongoing.

State Police arrested 18 year old Nathaniel Shaffer-Groover of Kirkwood, 17 year old Joshua Goetz of Windsor, NY and 16 year old Conor Collins of Kirkwood for 2nd degree burglary. Troopers responded to a Broome County 911 report of a burglary in progress at a residence on Dunbar Road in the Town of Windsor, after a caretaker saw teenagers stealing from it and fleeing in a red pickup truck. The 3 teens are accused of stealing a TV, binoculars and bullets; they were arraigned in the Town of Windsor court and remanded to the Broome County jail in lieu of $2,000 cash bail or $4,000 property bond.

Assemblyman Pete Lopez of Schoharie formally announced his bid to seek the Republican & Conservative nomination for the 19th Congressional District being vacated by House of Representatives Member, Chris Gibson of Kinderhook. Assemblyman Lopez travels extensively around his Assembly district each year, he has served in the State Assembly since 2007.

The Cancer Services Program of Delaware, Otsego and Schoharie counties will offer free health screenings to women 40 and older who are uninsured today in Sidney. The screenings will be available from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM at Family Planning of Sidney, 37 Pleasant Street in Sidney, appointments are requested at 1-888-345-0225.

Former State Senator Tom Libous of Binghamton was sentenced in Federal Court today to 6 months of home confinement, a $50,000 fine and two years of probation. Libous was convicted in July for Providing a False Statement to the FBI during an investigation of his son Matthew. Libous's attorney pleaded for leniency as Libous's cancer has worsened & was told by his cancer doctors that he has maybe a year to live.

Governor Cuomo today urged New Yorkers to protect themselves from identity theft and beware of scams on Black Friday, Cyber Monday and throughout the entire holiday shopping season. Cuomo said that Criminals would take advantage of the holiday shopping season to scam consumers and steal their money and identity. He urges New Yorkers to never give out any personal financial information to phone callers or through email to unknown entities. For more information or to file a complaint against a business, visit the New York Department of State’s Division of Consumer Protection website at http://www.dos.ny.gov/consumerprotection/ or by contacting the Division’s hotline at (800) 697-1220. The Consumer Assistance Hotline is open Monday to Friday, excluding Federal Holidays, 8:30am to 4:30pm.

The State Comptrollers office has completed their 3rd audit since 2000 of the Town of Sidney; the town supervisor does not review bank statements or canceled check images to verify that only those disbursements approved by the board are made, & that the board did not perform annual audits of the supervisor’s records. The Audit found no improper disbursements or unreasonable payroll payments, but the opportunity exists for inappropriate disbursements without oversight. The audit also questioned the Town paying 2 vendors for disbursements being paid over $16,000 a year. The Comptroller’s report stated that the Sidney Town Supervisor should Continue to review bank reconciliations and canceled check images, Approve payroll before checks are electronically signed and Maintain control over his signature & Perform a cost benefit analysis to determine if the bookkeeper Should be performing disbursements duties currently performed by the two vendors. The Board should perform the required annual audit of the
Supervisor’s records.

The New York State Department of Labor released today preliminary local area unemployment rates for October 2015. Between September and October 2015, the State’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased from 5.1% to 4.8%, its lowest level since November 2007. Locally, Chenango County's unemployment rate was 4.6%, Delaware County was at 4.7% and Otsego County registered 4.3% unemployment for October.

The state DEC Announced that $2,000,000 in grants are available to organizations for projects to prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species in New York State's waterways, The grants are the latest action in the state's comprehensive efforts to combat aquatic invasive species and aim to foster outreach to users of water bodies, install decontamination stations and provide steward training programs in high priority areas. Applications & more information are available at dec.ny.gov.

Chenango County will be held next week, sponsored by Opportunities for Chenango. OFC Spokesperson Donna Wood-Craig told WCDO News about the panelists for the discussion:

(Donna Wood-Craig 11-24-15)

The community talk will be held at the Guernsey Library on December 1st at 6:30 and is open to all interested parties.

State Police hosted the 7th annual State Intelligence Summit Wednesday & today in Lake George, along with Homeland Security, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and the FBI. More than 250 leaders from federal, state, tribal and local law enforcement agencies from Canada and the United States attended to hear from law enforcement representatives experienced in current trends in terrorism, intelligence gathering and sharing, major crime trends, and counter terrorism programs. The event also provided an opportunity for the attendees to receive training in crime analysis, cyber threats, and current narcotics trends. Last week's terror attacks in Paris and the State's response to the potential increased threat of terrorism in New York have been ongoing topics of discussion at the conference.

Oneonta Police along with the Delaware county sheriffs department executed a search warrant at 10 Meckley Avenue in Oneonta Wednesday, following an investigation regarding drug trafficking. Arrested were 30 year old Sophie Szczepanski of Oneonta, 43 year old Charles Haynes Jr. of Oneonta & 23 year old Orane Crawford or Queens for multiple counts each for criminal possession of a controlled substance, among other charges. Police recovered Crack cocaine, marijuana, hydrocodone pills & cash, all 3 were being held pending arraignment on Oneonta city court.

The State’s private sector job count increased by 30,300, or 0.4%, to 7,859,000, according to preliminary figures released today by the State Department of Labor. The statewide unemployment rate decreased from 5.1% to 4.8% in October 2015, reaching its lowest level since November 2007 and falling below the national unemployment rate.

State Senator Fred Akshar is calling on state leaders to remember the upstate regions when they are budgeting for infrastructure projects:

(Fred Akshar 11-19-15)

Akshar and several area leaders held a press conference in Broome County yesterday at the site of a bridge in need of repair, previous studies have suggested that 30 to 40% of bridges need serious upgrades.

The village of Bainbridge DPW announces that they will be repairing a water leak in front of the Scoville Meno Dealership starting at 2:00 AM on Monday. Water will be shut off is all 4 directions for about 200 feet of the leak, traffic restrictions will be minor, the work is excepted to take about 6 hours.

65-year-old Gary Murphy of the town of Maryland was charged with 3rd & 4th degree grand larceny. And scheming to defraud for allegedly scamming residents in the town of Maryland and Laurens for getting paid for contracting work that he did not perform. Murphy was being held in the Herkimer County jail on separate charges, he was arraigned d& was returned to the Herkimer County jail pending court action on December 16th in Otsego County Court.

Hancock firefighters responded to a house fire at 245 East Main Street Wednesday. The house was not occupied & had been undoing repairs, There were no injuries reported. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Governor Cuomo hosted the third New York State Tourism Summit in Albany Wednesday, where local and international tourism leaders met with State officials to explore new industry opportunities. At the summit, a commitment of $50 million was unveiled to promote statewide tourism, create jobs, and attract more visitors to every region of New York. This investment, which is one of the largest ever by the State, builds upon the historic investments in the tourism industry, which generated a $100.1 billion economic impact in 2014.

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

A man arrested by Delaware County Sheriff's Office Investigators on September 29th on a heroin possession charge was arrested again on Tuesday & charged with 2 additional felony drug charges. 31 year old Sean Dingle of Binghamton and Queens was charged Tuesday with Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance, with intent to sell & Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance, for allegedly possessing and selling heroin in the Town of Sidney in September. Dingle was arraigned in Town of Sidney Court on the new charges; his previous set $50,000 bail was subsequently raised by Judge Rose, who remanded Dingle to the Delaware County Jail on $250,000 cash bail.

Delaware County Sheriff Deputies arrested 63-year-old Patricia Carlson of Delhi on a bench warrant issued by the Town of Delhi Justice Court for Failing to Appear at her scheduled court date October 9th. Carlson was arraigned at the Town of Delhi Justice Court and remanded to the Delaware County Jail on $20,000 cash bail or $40,000 bond. A felony hearing has been rescheduled for Friday in the Delhi Town Court.

Bassett Healthcare, Delaware County Public Health & Cornell Cooperative Extension's Rural Health Care Alliance will present speaker Mark Fenton tonight at 6:30 PM at SUNY Delhi's Farrell Hall. Bassett spokesperson Amy Beveridge explains:

(Amy Beveridge 10-14-15)

Among the topics Fenton is expected to discuss making comminutes healthier by developing walking & biking trails, how to provide safe routes to schools and the economic, environmental & public health benefits of being active.

The State Attorney General's office will be doing a presentation on "Senior Scams" this afternoon at 2:00 PM at St. James Manor, Oneonta. The event is open to the public. More information is available at 432-4500 extension 207.

Springbrook will host an "Informed Decision Making" workshop today in the Events Room at their Campus on State Route 7 in Oneonta. The main goal of the workshop is to provide training for direct support professionals in understanding how to properly guide the people they support through the decision making process. The workshop is a half-day event from 9:00 AM to 12:30 PM and again from 1:30 to 4:30 PM.

Attorney General Eric Schneiderman today announced that his office has obtained an order dissolving Angel’s Gate animal hospice and rehabilitation charity & directing that the charity’s real property be sold with the proceeds to be paid to another charity whose mission is the protection and care of animals. Acting Supreme Court Justice John Lambert ordered the appointment of a receiver to sell the property held in the names of Angel’s Gate, Inc. and Susan Marino in the Town of Meredith. Schneiderman’s Office previously brought a proceeding against Angel’s Gate and Marino to dissolve the corporation because they had failed to file legally required financial reports related to the handling of their charitable funds.  Marino and Angel’s Gate had raised over $3.1 million from donations; Marino mismanaged the funds while continuing to live on the property as her primary residence, without any oversight by an inactive Board of Directors.

State Police at Oneonta arrested 25-year-old Britney Fraser of Oneonta for criminal possession of a controlled substance, aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle & possessing a controlled substance in a non-original container. 21-year-old Ashley Harty of Sherburne was also charged with 3 counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance, and unlawful possession of marihuana. The arrests occurred after a vehicle stop when Fraser was observed failing to stop for approaching traffic as she drove onto State Route 7 in the Town of Oneonta. Troopers detected the odor of marihuana & a search was conducted, troopers accuse Fraser of possessing half of a narcotic and driving with a suspended license. Harty was found to unlawfully possess marijuana, heroin and cocaine. Fraser and Harty were arraigned at the Town of Oneonta court and both were remanded to the Otsego County jail on $400 cash bail or $800 property bond, pending Town of Oneonta court on November 12th.

State Police at Binghamton arrested 34-year-old Melissa Ipson of Liverpool for criminal possession of a controlled substance, driving while ability impaired by drugs and possessing a controlled substance in a non-original container. This arrest occurred after a trooper observed Ipson appearing disoriented as she sat in her vehicle at a gas pump and then drove to a parking space at the Mirabito on Castle Creek Road in the Town of Barker. An investigation determined that she was driving while impaired by drugs and unlawfully possessed over 2 grams of cathinone bath salts. Ipson was arraigned & was remanded to the Broome County jail without bail set at this time.

The Oneonta Town Board will consider a presentation of a proposed budget for 2016 during a meeting at 6:30 PM today, in The Town Hall in West Oneonta.

The United Way of Delaware and Otsego Counties, the Oneonta Lion’s Club and Hannaford of Oneonta, will be holding a food drive at the 2015 Oneonta Halloween Parade on Saturday, October 31st at 7:00 PM. All food and monetary donations will be given directly to Opportunities for Otsego and the Salvation Army Food Pantry to help defray the loss that both agencies will incur this year by the Holiday Train not making its annual visit to Oneonta. Volunteers from United Way will be on hand at the Halloween Parade with shopping carts donated by Hannaford to collect non-perishable food items. More information is available at 434-2458. Those who would like to donate prior to the parade can call the United Way at 432-8006.

The Oneonta Department of Public Service announced that flushing of water mains would continue on the low service in the Town of Oneonta, west of West End Avenue, for the next 2 weeks. Water users may experience a temporary change in water color or pressure; more information is available at 432-2100.

Delaware County Sheriff's Deputies Arrested 26-year-old Amy Brooks of Sidney & 26-year-old Mark Rathbun of Franklin Tuesday. Brooks was tracked down by Canine Ozzie after she fled from Rathbun’s residence into the woods, Brooks was arrested on the Village of Sidney Court Bench Warrant for Violation of the Terms of her Release on charges of 2nd degree Burglary & Petty Larceny, she was additionally charged by deputies with Resisting Arrest. Rathbun was charged with Obstructing Governmental Administration. Brooks was arraigned in the Town of Franklin Court & was ordered held on $7,000 cash bail, Rathbun was also arraigned in the Town of Franklin Court & was ordered to be held on $2,000 cash bail.

Tonight at 6:30 pm there will be a free training on Heroin & Opioid Overdose Prevention at the Sidney Fire Department on River Street. The training will be provided by the Southern Tier Aids Program, it will include how to learn the signs and symptoms of heroin and opioid overdose, how to use NARCAN to respond to an overdose situation & participants can receive a Free NARCAN kit. The event is open to the community. Registration is requested at 829-3000.

The Leadership Chenango Kick-off Dinner will be tonight at the Canasawacta Country Club in Norwich, with Registration at 5:00 PM& the Dinner at 6:00 PM.

The Oneonta Police Department announced the arrest of 2 people on drug charges after they served a search warrant at 195 Main Street Wednesday morning. Arrested were 34-year-old Nelson Canales of Oneonta & 31 year old Jamie Osborne of Oneonta, for Criminal possession of a controlled substance, Canales was also charged with 2nd menacing. The Oneonta Police uncovered crack cocaine, prescription narcotics & 2 replica firearms. The Otsego County Sheriff’s Department assisted Oneonta Police with the investigation.

State Police arrested 26 year old Christopher Kuiper of Susquehanna, Pennsylvania for operating a motor vehicle while impaired by drugs, criminal possession of a controlled substance, unlawfully fleeing police in a vehicle, reckless driving and several other charges, after a trooper observed a Nissan making an illegal U-turn on I-81 in the Town of Dickinson. Kuiper allegedly failed to stop for pursuing troopers, he is accused of driving at speeds up to 90 miles an hour through the Prospect mountain work zone to State Route 17, he braked hard and his vehicle was struck by state police vehicle. Kuiper exited the vehicle was arrested without incident. Kuiper was found to unlawfully possess Percocet and marihuana; he was arraigned & was remanded to the Broome County jail on $1,000 cash bail. Police stated that the pursuit lasted 4 minutes and covered 9 miles.

Governor Cuomo announced that over $32 million in federal highway safety grants have been awarded to 541 highway safety programs throughout New York State to improve overall highway safety and reduce the number of deaths and serious injuries due to crashes. Locally, funding will go to the Binghamton police department, Broome County Sheriffs department, Deposit Police, Sidney village police, Delaware county sheriffs department, Oneonta city police and the Otsego county sheriff's department. The funding was awarded to New York State by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The Chenango Arts Council announced a 20% increase in funding from the New York State Council on the Arts for the 2016 Broome, Chenango & Otsego Decentralization Grant Program. $129,280 is available to non-profit organizations and artists who partner with an eligible non-profit for cultural initiatives in 2016. Funding is available for grants up to $5,000 each to support Community Arts and Arts Education grants in Broome, Chenango and Otsego counties. The deadline for 2016 grant application is Tuesday, January 12, 2016. Opportunities are for projects through December 31, 2016. More information is available at Chenangoarts.org or 336-ARTS.

The Cancer Services Program of Delaware, Otsego and Schoharie counties will offer free health screenings to women 40 and older that are uninsured Friday. The Bassett mobile Screening Coach will be available from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM at Family Planning of Oneonta, 37 Dietz Street in Oneonta. Appointments are requested at 1-888-345-0225.

Friday through Sunday, Hartwick College in Oneonta will celebrate True Blue Weekend 2015. The weekend opens Friday with the Hartwick Golf Classic at the Oneonta Country Club, the True Blue Kickoff Party; a Men's Soccer game on Elmore Field, Saturday includes the Golden Jubilee breakfast, and feature a series of tours and alumni presentations. A Pep Rally Parade and Varsity Football game, Sunday will feature the College's annual memorial gathering in the Shineman Chapel House, as well as a Legacy Family breakfast, more information on and the full schedule are available at HartwickAlumni.org/TrueBlue or 431-4064.

Lake Placid officially opened today; they welcomed several USA Luge athletes for the first official runs of the season this morning. The Olympians will be practicing at the Lake Placid site each morning through the end of this month. World cup racing will be held at Lake Placid in December.

49-year-old William Danielson of Oxford changed his plea today in Chenango County Court, to guilty, as his murder trial was schedule to begin in Norwich. Danielson was charged with murder for the death of Lucinda Knoll of Norwich in 2013. The court has accepted the change in plea and sentencing will be scheduled shortly.

The Delaware County Sheriff's department arrested 31-year-old Sean Dingle of Queens on drug charges, following the execution of a search warrant in the Town of Sidney. The warrant was obtained following a 5-month heroin trafficking investigation conducted by the Delaware County Sheriff's Office, the Sidney Police Department, Delaware County Probation Department and the Broome County Special Investigations Task Force. Dingle was charged with Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance with intent to sell & Unlawful Possession of Marihuana after seizing 100 bags of heroin & a small amount of marijuana, that Dingle intended to sell at the Unadilla public fishing access lot in Sidney. Dingle was arraigned in Town of Sidney Court & was remanded to the Delaware County Jail without bail pending a future court appearance.

The Otsego County Department of Health announced today that a skunk in the town of Otego tested positive for rabies. Otsego County Health Department officials stated that 2 unvaccinated dogs were exposed & will be euthanized, the skunk was shot and the remains were sent to the state lab for testing. A free rabies clinic is scheduled for Otego at the fire department on October 7th from 6:00 to 8:00 PM.

State Senate candidate Fred Akshar hosted more than a dozen local farmers, agriculture students and professionals at a roundtable discussion on challenges and opportunities for Southern Tier agriculture in Whitney point Tuesday:

(Akshar 9-30-15)

Akshar faces former Broome County Executive & State DMV Commissioner Barbara Fiala in a special election to fill the seat vacated by the conviction of long time Republican State Senator Tom Libous.

The State DEC has adopted amendments to update and consolidate Petroleum Bulk Storage and Chemical Bulk Storage regulations. The changes clarify existing requirements and make it easier for those who store bulk amounts of petroleum or chemicals in tank systems to comply with equipment and handling standards needed to prevent contamination of soil, groundwater, surface water and public water supplies.

Governor Cuomo today announced $20 million is available for the construction of new affordable housing units damaged by Superstorm Sandy, Hurricane Irene or Tropical Storm Lee. Qualified housing developers are invited to submit proposals for properties to be developed in the eligible counties, which locally includes: Broome, Chenango, Delaware, & Otsego Counties. Funding will come from the Governor’s Office of Storm Recovery, out of its $4.4 billion federal allotment.

The Taste of the Catskills Festival will be held on Saturday and Sunday, October 10th and 11th at the Maple Shade Farm in Delhi. The Festival will include food from local farms, restaurants & Micro-Breweries & Live music. On Sunday, October 11th Catskill Mountainkeeper will screen their documentary "Catskill Park,” More information & ticket purchases can be accessed at TasteoftheCatskills.com.