WCDO Radio News

P.M. NEWS THURSDAY 7-9-26

Governor Hochul announced $110 million in State funding to improve emergency communications systems and dispatching capabilities through 2 programs. Through the SICG-Formula Grant Program, $90 million is being awarded to support efforts to bolster communications networks, locally, Chennago County gets $968,000, Delaware County 1.16 Million Dollars & Otsego County gets 1.2 Million dollars. Also, The PSAP Operations Grant Program provides funding to support county 911 centers, with Chenango getting $310,000, Delaware & Otsego Counties get almost $320,000 each.

Camp Forget Me Not is a camp for children from Helios Care, to help them deal with their grief from the loss of a loved one, program organizer Inda Fitch comments:

(Inda Fitch 7-9-26)

Children can get signed up for the July 23rd class at the Townsend Elementary School in Walton, by calling 607-432-5525 by July 16th, more information is available at Helioscare.org.

Governor Hochul today announced the release of the $30 million Agricultural Resiliency Against Tariffs Program for New York agricultural producers. The tariff relief program will provide direct payments of a minimum of $1,000 and a maximum of $25,000 to eligible producers. Distribution of funds will be determined through two tracks, 1 for Dairy Farms & the other for Livestock, Livestock Products, Specialty Crops, More information is available at agriculture.ny.gov/agricultural-resiliency-against-tariffs-program

UHS Chenango Memorial will host their career exploration program again this year, where Area students will once again have an opportunity to explore careers in healthcare through a summer program hosted on Thursday, August 6 and Friday, August 7. The program is free of charge, but space is limited. Interested students must submit an application and a short essay by Thursday, July 2 to be considered. For more information or to request an application, email brian.day@nyuhs.org or call (607) 337-4151.

A 2nd Fundraiser has been scheduled for Luszi's Legacy Saving Senior Paws. Their 1st fundraiser raised $4,000 in a fund for a Norwich Area veterinary clinic, to be used to help people deal with the cost of treating an elderly pet, program founder Anett Slater told WCDO News about the Cornhole Tournament in June 20th in Norwich:

(Anett Slater 6-10-26)

The Luszi's Legacy Cornhole Tournament at the Canasawacta Country Club begins at 12:00 Noon on Saturday June 20th, interested teams can sign up at the Facebook page, by calling 607-244-3638 or they can register in person on the day of the event.

The Chenango County Historical Society will participate in the Path Through History Saturday, the museum is hosting special open hours from 10 am. to 4 pm. Interactive programming begins at 10 am. with “Building Brain-Healthy Habits,” presented by the Alzheimer's Association as part of Brain Awareness Month, Society Executive Director Jessica Moquin explains:

(Jessica Moquin 6-19-26)

CHS will commemorate America250 by unveiling the museum’s refreshed “Stitched in Time” exhibit, More information is available at chenangohistorical.org

P.M. NEWS FRIDAY 6-5-26

Delaware County Sheriff's Office arrested 46 year old Anthony Alessi of Walton for Driving While Ability Impaired by Drugs, Criminal possession of a controlled substance, following a traffic stop at a check point in Town of Colchester,  Alessi is accused of being impaired & was found to possess cocaine, he was processed and was released on appearance tickets for Town of Colchester Court at a later date.

Clear Path for Veterans IS A NON PROFIT ORGANIZATION helping out veterans with a variety of programs, Sean Sejersen is a Peer Mentor with Clear Path For Veterans, and a veteran himself, he told WCDO News about the program:

(Sean Sejerson 6-5-26)

A benefit will be held at Awestruck Ciders in Sidney Sunday from 12:00 to 5:00 PM, Sejersen will be there explaining their services & accepting donations, a portion of the proceeds from Awestruck will also be donated.

P.M. NEWS MONDAY 6-1-26

Clear Path for Veterans IS A NON TO FOR PROFIT ORGANIZATION helping out veterans with a variety of programs, Sean Sejersen is a Peer Mentor with Clear path For Veterans, and a veteran himself, he visited WCDO This morning to talk about the program:

(Sean Sejerson 6-1-26)

A benefit will be held at Awestruck Ciders in Sidney Sunday from 12:00 to 5:00 PM, Sejersen will be there explaining their services & accepting donations, a portion of the proceeds from Awestruck will also be donated.

Governor Kathy Hochul announced the launch of the 2026 Regional Economic Development Council Initiative, eligible REDCs will compete for funding through the $150 million ACHIEVE competition to support high-impact regional projects to advance regional goals. Up to $60 million in Regional Council Capital Funds will be made available in the 2026 Consolidated Funding Application in addition to funding from more than 20 programs to facilitate projects that advance each region’s strategic plan and state priorities. more information is available at regionalcouncils.ny.gov.

A.M. NEWS MONDAY 6-1-26

On Friday, State Police arrested Lieutenant Thomas Fellrath of the Otsego County Sheriff’s Office on multiple charges following an investigation by the State Police & the Otsego County District Attorney’s Office. Fellrath is charged with Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance, Defrauding the Government, Official Misconduct, Fellrath is accused of possessing 10 grams of cocaine during a traffic stop on the New York State Thruway in Herkimer County, At the time of his arrest, Fellrath was on-duty and driving an unmarked Otsego County Sheriff’s Office vehicle outside of Otsego County.

Delaware County has continued to transition operations of the senior meals program after Delaware Opportunities abruptly ceased operating on May 7th. Delaware County Office for the Aging has supported Senior meals both at congregate meal sites and through home meal deliveries. Congregate meal sites are now fully staffed and operational in Delhi, Hancock, Walton & Grand Gorge, the Margaretville senior meals dining center is open and located back in the Margaretville Methodist Church. The Sidney senior dining center has been temporarily relocated to the Sidney Community Cultural Center at 1 Bridge Street in Sidney, today that site will be operational to serve meals on site and prepare meals for home delivery. The County continues to work with the owners of the Sidney Senior Housing site to permanently relocate senior meals back to the senior nutrition site at 21 Liberty Street Sidney. Those interested in county employment, contact the Delaware County personnel office to inquire about these positions.

The Unadilla Food Pantry is having an open house on Saturday from 2:00 to 4:00 PM at their location, at 172 Main Street. Participants will tour the facility & meet with volunteers & learn about their programs.

The Mid-York Concert Band will hold their annual Spring Concert in Norwich Sunday, band director Doug Ernst explains:

(Doug Ernst 5-15-26)

The Mid-York Concert Band is celebrating its 42nd year, the next performance is Sunday, at 2:00 PM in the Norwich High School Auditorium, and they will hold a Christmas program later in the holiday season.

Saturday will be the 2nd annual “Play for Pete” Peter Stanton Jr Memorial Softball Tournament @Keith Clark Park in Sidney. The day will include an 8 team softball tournament, concessions, Hot Air Balloon Rides, face painting, music, Cornhole raffles & door prizes. ALL proceeds from the event go to Athletic awards, Scholarships and Youth sports programs.

During Earth Week, The State DEC announced a total of 23 municipalities certified under New York State’s Climate Smart Communities Certification program. The certifications recognize that these communities have taken actions to reduce flood risk, address extreme heat, invest in clean energy, improve infrastructure, reduce air pollution, and increase resilience across the state. Bronze certified and re certified communities include: Village of Cooperstown, the Town of Middlefield & Otsego County.

Delaware County Public Health is hosting free Climate and Health Workshops at the Delaware County Senior Dining Centers. Participants will learn how changes to the climate can impact their health and ways to prepare for emergencies. These workshops are free and open to residents 60 years and older. Each workshop will take place during the senior dining program lunch hour from 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM, each participant will receive a starter emergency preparedness kit. Workshops will be held today at Grand Gorge Civic Center, Thursday at the Sidney Civic Center Room, Friday in Walton at the St. John’s Roman Catholic Church, others are planned in May & July.

This Week is National Work Zone Awareness Week, a campaign today through Friday that promotes work zone safety statewide, urging drivers to slow down, stay alert and follow New York State’s Move Over Law to protect highway and roadside workers. After three straight years of decline, work zone crashes have increased, In 2025, there were 366 work zone crashes on NYSDOT-owned roads that resulted in 58 injuries and two fatalities. Beginning this week & running throughout the summer, State Police and local law enforcement agencies will conduct “Operation Hardhat” details in active work zones statewide. New York continues to expand its Automated Work Zone Speed Enforcement program, where cameras are deployed, to deter speeding & aggressive driving, more information is available at ny.gov/workzone.

The Tri-County Seniors will present the 2nd of 3 discussions regarding end of decisions that seniors will have to make, Organizer Carol Allen told WCDO News about today's discussion:

(Carol Allen 4-15-26)

The program will be held in the Smart Community Room at the Sidney Public Library starting at 10:30 this morning.

The next UHS Chenango Memorial Hospitals "Her Health Matters" will be today in Norwich, focusing on post-menopause health, with Dr. Phyllis Sheriff-White, at Canasawacta Country Club, starting at 6:00 PM tonight. For more information on UHS Chenango Memorial’s Her Health Matters Series and other educational programs, call (607) 337-4510.

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced nearly $100 million in new grant funding to support projects designed to reduce flood risk and enhance community resilience to extreme weather. The Resilient Watersheds Grant Program has $60 million available to advance projects to build community resilience, reduce flood and ice jam risk & strengthen infrastructure, More information can be found at dec.ny.gov, the Community Resilience and Flood Risk Reduction Grant Program has $40 million available for projects that will strengthen climate resiliency for Coastal Areas and $20 million for Inland Flooding, more information is available at dos.ny.gov.

P.M. NEWS WEDNESDAY 2-18-26

State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli & the State Department of Financial Services announced the approval of the Butternut Valley Banking Development District as a participant in the Banking Development District program and deposited $35 million in New York State funds to Sidney Federal Credit Union’s new Morris Branch. SFCU Senior Vice President Andrew Smith said that it was a team effort with the Butternut Valley Alliance & State Officials to make this happen:

(Andrew Smith 2-18-26)

The Butternut Valley Alliance, local municipalities partnered with SFCU on the BDD application, Alliance Chairperson Maggie Brenner comments:

(Maggie Brenner 2-18-26)

The program supports the establishment of bank and credit union branches across the State where there is a demonstrated need for banking services, the new District covers the towns of Butternuts, New Lisbon, and Morris, and the villages of Gilbertsville and Morris.

SFCU announced a $500,000 pledge in Impact Project loans this year, to help that non-profit help people with various repairs to their homes that they may not be able to afford, SFCU President Jim Reynolds told WCDO news about the loans & additional funding for the Impact Project:

(Jim Reynolds 12-10-26)

Reynolds said that SFCU will assist a different non profit each quarter this year to address a variety of issues that area residents & their members may be dealing with. The Impact Project was started by Jim Willard in Greene over 20 years ago to assist people in the Southern Tier make crucial home repairs that they couldn't afford:

(Jim Willard 2-10-26)

The Impact Project was started by Jim Willard, in 2004, Qualifying families in Chenango, Delaware, Otsego or Northern Broome County can also apply for loans through the program. See the Impact Project’s website for more details at theimpactprojectgreene.org.

Voters in the 16 component districts of DCMO BOCES have approved a $44.4 million capital project. The project proposed repairs and upgrades to both the Harrold Campus in Sidney Center and the Pole Campus in Norwich, an addition to the Harrold Campus, and the purchase of the Masonville School site for student program expansion. DCMO BOCES Superintendent Michael Rullo told WCDO News about the timeline after the positive vote:

(Michael Rullo 2-5-26)

The components of the project were approved by about 2/3rds of the voters on average, More information is available at visit dcmoboces.com.

A.M. NEWS Thursday 2-5-26

State Police arrested a father and son in Broome County following the execution of a search warrant by the Troop C Violent Gangs and Narcotics Enforcement Team, Troop C Community Stabilization Unit, Vestal Police Department and the State Office of Cannabis Management. The search warrant is the result of a several months-long investigation at 448 Robin Lane in the Town of Vestal. Police seized 8 pounds of cannabis, 3 pounds of cannabis concentrate plus cash, Cell Phones and a PC Tablet, they arrested 22 year old Tyler Dickerson of Endicott on multiple counts of Criminal Possession of Cannabis, and 41 year old William Dickerson of Vestal on the Cannabis charges, plus Resisting Arrest & Obstructing Governmental Administration, Both men were processed and issued appearance tickets to appear at the Vestal Town Court on February 19.

Applications are open for Delaware & Broome County families in need to send their kids, between the ages of 9 and 12 free of charge to the 2026 New York State Sheriff’s Summer Camp. The deadline this year for the initial application is March 1st, children from across the state travel to Keuka Lake in Penn Yan, to attend the Camp free of charge. The program is funded by the New York State Sheriff’s Institute and is designed to provide the full camp experience to children. More information is available at sheriffsinstitute.org.

U.S. Congressman Josh Riley announced the "Tractor Safety Act" which proposes to renew the National ROPS Rebate Program, which covers the cost of putting rollover protective structures on older tractors. The bill proposes to cap ROPS installations at $500, well below the usual cost, Riley's bill has bipartisan support, he hopes to see it pass into law shortly.

State DEC announced another record-breaking year for the CleanSweepNY program. More than 645,500 pounds of chemicals, including pesticides, paint, oil, flammable and nonflammable liquids, and other hazardous materials, were collected during 2025—the highest amount in the program’s 23-year history and an overall increase of 9.3% from the previous record collection year. For more information about CleanSweepNY or to request a registration form for a future collection, visit dec.ny.gov.

The Recent "Pawstruck" Fundraiser at Awestruck Ciders of Sidney, raised a substantial amount of money for the Delaware Valley Humane Society, WCDO's Grace Benkovitz  & Society Director Erin Insinga told WCDO how much was raised:

(Grace Erin 12-15-25)

Shelter Saviors donation matching program funded by local businesses: Alpine Roofing, Island Premium Printing, Lambrecht Auction, Inc., Oneonta Fence, McDowell & Walker, Roasted Coffee House, Deer run Collectibles and Forno Enterprise.

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced more than $300 million in new state funding to support health care transformation projects across New York. The awards, made through the Statewide Health Care Facility Transformation Program, to support 22 projects aimed at improving health information technology by expanding patient electronic medical records, strengthening cybersecurity and patient information security, and expanding telehealth services. Locally, UHS Hospitals will receive 1.5 million dollars to expand their Telehealth services.

Governor Hochul today announced that 8.2 million checks have now been mailed to eligible New Yorkers under the state’s first-ever Inflation Refund Check program. Over the last two months, inflation refund checks of up to $400 have been mailed to those who meet eligibility criteria. The main phase of large-scale check mailing is now complete, checks will continue to be mailed in small numbers in the weeks ahead as the State Tax Department determines that additional taxpayers are eligible. In the Southern Tier, there will be over 251,000 beneficiaries, receiving over $66.7 Million Dollars.

The Delaware County Business Alliance is now accepting applications for the 2026 Leaderful Delaware Emerging Leaders Program, designed for business and community leaders who are interested in becoming more engaged in shaping the region's future. The 5-session program dates are February 12, March 12, April 9, May 14, and June 11, and will be conducted by former Alliance President Ray Pucci. More information is available at 1-607-746-2281.

A.M. NEWS MONDAY 11-24-25

Delaware County District Attorney Shawn Smith announced the indictment of 18 year old James Tinebra of Plainview, A Delaware County Grand Jury indicted Tinebra for Burglary & Grand Larceny for stealing a State Police Vehicle from a repair shop in Davenport on November 5th at about 3:45 AM. Tinebra was located later in the day by the Schodack Police Department in Rensselaer County, where he is also facing separate charges.

P.M. NEWS THURSDAY 11-20-25

U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand demanded that the Trump administration immediately release federal LIHEAP funding, which helps low-income New Yorkers heat their homes through the state’s Home Energy Assistance Program:

(Gillibrand 11-20-25)

LIHEAP helps over a million low-income households across the state afford their energy bills and make cost-effective repairs to their heating systems. The program is administered by the state but funded by the federal government. States typically receive their LIHEAP allocations from the Department of Health and Human Services by early November, but funding was put on hold during the government shutdown. The funding bill that ended the government shutdown included the same level of funding as last year, but the administration has not released the $4 billion allocated for the program.

Mirabito Convenience Stores throughout New York and Pennsylvania sponsored a Round Up campaign in conjunction with its Mirabito Cares program which raised $75,000 in support of the American Cancer Society, spokesperson Marissa Sweeney comments;

(Marissa Sweeney 11-20-25)

Sweeney said that the Proceeds will directly support local patients and families through vital American Cancer Society programs, including nights at Hope Lodge during treatment and recovery, rides to medical appointments, and access to trained Cancer Specialists who provide 24/7 guidance and support.

With the Federal Government shutdown and the SNAP program closed down, area food pantries are extremely busy with existing clients & new clients coming in to get food for their families, Elaine Reed of the Unadilla Food Pantry comments:

(Elaine Reed 11-5-25)

The Unadilla Food Pantry is located at 172 Main Street in Unadilla, also the Mobile Food Pantry sets up at the corner of State Route 7 and 8 on the 1st & 3rd Fridays of each month, starting at 1:00 PM, they will be there this Friday for those in need.

P.M. NEWS Thursday 10-30-25

US Senators Schumer & Gillibrand called on the Trump administration today to allow the SNAP program money to be released to needy Americans, including 3 million New Yorkers, Gillibrand commented this morning about SNAP & the Affordable Care Act tax incentives being taken away:

(Gillibrand 10-30-25)

The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 temporarily expanded and enhanced the Premium Tax Credit, and the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 extended these enhancements through the end of 2025, Congress must act on that quickly in order for the Tax Credit to be available in 20-26.

The State DEC announced the next round of the Municipal Zero-Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Grant program and the Municipal ZEV Rebate program are now open for applications. A total of $5 million will be available for electric vehicle charging infrastructure and $585,000 for municipalities to purchase electric vehicles for fleet use. A total of $5 million is available on a first-come, first-served basis to support the installation of Level 2 and Level 3 electric vehicle chargers, the DEC is accepting applications through February 27, 2026, more information is available at dec.ny.gov.

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that nearly $80 million in state funding has been awarded to help 7 transit providers expand their use of zero-emission vehicles under the state’s Zero-Emission Transit Transition Program. Award recipients and their projects include Broome County Transit with $3.34 million for the funding for the purchase of 3 battery-electric buses.

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced approximately $391 million in proposed awards under the ConnectALL Deployment Program to 11 internet service providers who have committed a total of more than $245 million in matching funds to address nearly 54,000 locations in the state with insufficient internet access. If approved by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, the awards will achieve universal broadband connectivity Statewide, locally, over $121 million dollars would go to CBN Geneva, LLC, who serve 7 counties including Chenango, Delaware & Otsego Counties, over $13 million dollars to Citizens Telecommunications, who would serve 1,014 locations in Chenango County with fiber optic technology. More information is available at governor.ny.gov.

P.M. NEWS TUESDAY 8-26-25

Plans are in the works for Delaware County to get 10 Weather stations set up within the next 2 months, County Planning Director Shelly Johnson-Bennett told WCDO News that Delaware County has the most declared disasters & had no weather stations to watch for severe weather conditions:

(Shelly Johnson Bennett 8-26-25)

Johnson Bennett said that this week, officials will be scoping out locations for the weather stations, tied into town or village buildings around Delaware County, plans may also include tieing the program into Science classes at high schools in the County.

The state’s Financial Plan shows a growing budget deficit with 3-year budget gap of $34.3 billion, as predicted similar to the Financial Crisis of 2009, according to State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli. Higher spending growth in school aid and Medicaid has driven overall state spending growth, and the State Budget was released prior to the federal budget, which called for deep cuts to federal funding and changes to eligibility for safety net programs. The full report can be found at osc.ny.gov.

The Cullman Child Development Center will have the final program of the Summer Educational Series tomorrow Saturday in Sidney, Cullman Director Amy Williams explains:

(Amy Williams 8-8-25)

The event runs from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM Saturday at the Cullman Center at 90 West Road in Sidney.

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced over $20 million in awards for the Green Innovation Grant Program and the Wastewater Infrastructure Engineering Planning Grants. A Wastewater Infrastructure Engineering Planning Grant Award includes the City of Oneonta, where they will receive $100,000 to investigate sources of inflow and infiltration in the City’s sanitary sewer system to protect water quality in the Susquehanna River.

The Cullman Child Development Center will have the final program of the Summer Educational series this Saturday in Sidney, Cullman Director Amy Williams explains:

(Amy Williams 8-5-25)

The event runs from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM Saturday at the Cullman Center at 90 West Road in Sidney.

A.M. NEWS TUESDAY 8-5-25

New York State is under an air quality health advisory from the Department of Environmental Conservation until midnight Tuesday. The pollution continues to come from the Canadian wildfires. Smoke from these fires contain fine particulate matter, which can be difficult for those with breathing issues.