WCDO Radio News

Oneonta
Police, State Police & the Oneonta Fire department responded to the report
of a woman hit by a car on the Lettis Highway near Main Street last night.  32 year old April Johnson of Oneonta was
crossing the highway & was struck by a vehicle driven by 41 year old David
Shafer of Otego, who was ticketed for Aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor
vehicle.  Johnson was taken to Fox
Hospital & was later transferred to Albany Medical Center; the highway was
closed for about 2 ½ hours for the investigation.

State
Police conducted an Underage Drinking Enforcement detail in Delaware County on
December 19, 9 establishments were checked in Davenport, Stamford, Hobart and
Delhi.  1 unlawful sale was made to an
underage operative at “It’s Five O’clock Somewhere” in Stamford.  73 year old Colin Heath of Stamford was
issued an appearance ticket for Unlawful Sale of Alcohol to a Minor; he will appear
in the town of Stamford court on January 14th.

New
York Farm Bureau has released its annual "Circle of Friends," naming
77 New York State Legislators to the distinguished list. The award is an
indication of the individual lawmaker's support of New York agriculture and
Farm Bureau.   All of the representatives
from the state Senate & Assembly from the tri County area were chosen.

Afton Firefighters responded to a trailer fire at 170 County
Road 17, shortly before 11:00 PM Thursday night.  Coventry, Bainbridge & Sidney fire
departments assisted, a woman was found inside, she was taken to Wilson
Hospital, the investigation is continuing.

Governor Cuomo announced a proposal to bring in outside
experts to reexamine and rethink strategies to bring high-speed rail to New
York. The Governor will task a panel of engineers to reexamine past high-speed
rail plans and recommend a new plan for faster, greener, more reliable
high-speed rail in New York.  Currently,
passenger train service through the Empire Corridor, which runs through New
York City, Albany, and Buffalo have average speeds of 51 miles per hour,
meaning it is often the slowest method of travel for New Yorkers.

The New York Siting Board has approved of Calpine's wind
turbine project in Broome County.  4
turbines will be built in the Town of Windsor & 23 in the town of Sanford,
in spite of the Sanford Town Board passing a resolution last week, which was
labelled as overly burdensome to Calpine and was rejected by the Siting
Board.  Calpine will be able to begin
construction of the 27-tower project shortly.
Calpine also has plans to build turbines in the town of Guilford; the
state has not made any decisions on that project yet.

Governor Cuomo today announced the 1st proposal of his 2020
State of the State agenda: Preventing individuals from receiving New York State
gun licenses if they commit a crime in another state that is similar to a crime
that would disqualify them from owning a gun in New York State. The Governor
also announced that the 2020 State of the State Address will be held in the
Empire State Plaza Convention Center in Albany on January 8 at 1:30 PM.

Chenango
County Sheriff’s department arrested 20 year old Benjamin Bivar of Bainbridge
as a fugitive from justice warrant out of Pennsylvania.   Deputies responded to a 1 car motor vehicle
crash on State Highway 41 in the Town of Smithville Sunday, Bivar was the
operator of the vehicle & was found to have an active warrant out of
Lackawanna County Pennsylvania for criminal charges; he was remanded to the
Chenango County Correctional Facility without bail.

A
Town of Oxford resident was arrested by the Chenango County Sheriff’s Office
for Assault in the 2nd degree.  46 year
old Maria Titchener of Oxford was arrested & was arraigned in the Town of
Oxford Court and was remanded to the Chenango County Jail on $500 cash and
$2,500 bond, pending future court action.

NYSEG
continues to restore power after heavy snow and wintry conditions disrupted
service to thousands of customers. The company expects to have all customers
restored by 10 p.m. on Tuesday evening.
Currently, more than 7,000 customers are without power, including over
1100 in Broome County. The hardest hit areas include the Southern Tier, Capital
region & The Catskills, mainly from heavy wet snow that has the brought
down trees limbs & power lines.  To
report a power interruption, or downed power lines, call NYSEG at
1.800.572.1131.

The
State Department of Health's AIDS Institute is hosting the 21st Annual World
AIDS Day Event today at the Empire State Convention center in Albany, In
recognition of World AIDS Day, which was observed on Sunday.   The public is invited to visit
community-based service organization booths and view the NAMES Project AIDS
Memorial Quilt in the Convention Center beginning at 9:00AM.  More information is available at
health.ny.gov.

The Broome County District Attorney’s office says
Serina Madden pleaded guilty to 1st-degree manslaughter in Broome County Court,
in connection with the death of her disabled daughter, 10-year-old Belladonna
Loke in 2018 in the town of Colesville.
Sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 5, 2020.

The Otsego County Board of Representatives has
approved $230,000 in emergency funding to go towards fixing the leaky roof at
the Otsego County Jail in Cooperstown.
The roof on the 30 year old Facility leaked on October 31st after heavy
downpours, 33 inmates were moved to the Delaware or Albany County Jails, they
will not return until January or February of next year.

The Delaware County Chamber of Commerce, Delaware
Opportunities and United Way of Delaware & Otsego Counties have launched
their 2019 Toys for Tots Campaign.  Toys
for Tots collection boxes can be found through Delaware County where new,
unwrapped toys can be dropped off and will then be distributed to children in
Delaware County.  Toys can be dropped off
until Friday, December 13th; Chamber staff will then collect the toys and
deliver them to Delaware Opportunities in Hamden for distribution the following
week.  To sign a family up to receive
gifts, call 746-1620, more information is available at delawarecounty.org.

Today is Election Day, with voters in the Tri-County Area
heading to the polls for a variety of local races. Voters in all 3 local
counties will vote for 3 justices to serve on the State Supreme Court in the
6th district.  In Oneonta, several Common
Council seats are up for grabs; Otsego County has 3 contested races for seats
on the Board of Representatives.  In
Chenango County there are several Town Supervisors races to be decided, in
Norwich, 4 people are running for Mayor plus there are races for 2 seats for
Alderman Positions. In the Town of Sidney, there is a race for Town Clerk
between incumbent Lisa French & Republican Sheila Paul.  Voters will go to the polls until 9:00
tonight

33 Otsego County Inmates had to be transferred to other
county jails, after last Thursday’s storm led to leaking at the Otsego County
Jail in Cooperstown.  The Corrections
Department transferred inmates to the Delaware & Albany County jails until
the building repairs are made.  Some
renovations to the 30 year old facility were underway this summer, with more
anticipated.

Following a recent
inspection, State DOT engineers are recommending immediate repairs with a
temporary closure and 5-ton weight restriction on the large culvert carrying
State Route 80 over Hayden Creek in the Town of Springfield in Otsego
County.  A new traffic pattern consists
of a 1-lane, 2-way operation controlled by a temporary traffic signal. Traffic
information is available at 511NY.org.

Congressman Anthony Brindisi is hosting a Veterans
Resource Fair Today at the SUNY Broome Community College West Gymnasium from
3:30 PM to 6:30 PM, to connect Southern Tier Veterans with resources and
services.  More than a dozen
organizations will be in attendance including Clear Path for Veterans, the
Southern Tier Veterans Support Group, representatives from the VA, More
information is available at Congressman Brindisi’s Binghamton office at
242-0200.

Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 46 year old
Lyman McCann of Walton for Obstructing Governmental Administration & on a
Parole Warrant issued by the State Department of Corrections.   McCann is accused of physically obstructed
the administration of law, he was remanded to Delaware County Correctional
Facility without bail,  He was also
issued an appearance ticket to appear before the Town of Walton Court at a
later date to answer for the Obstructing Charge.

Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies responded Wednesday to a
truck- pedestrian accident at State Highway 10 and Pines Brook Road in the Town
of Walton.  70-year-old Edmund Jones of
Walton had stopped his vehicle to assist a turtle in crossing the roadway; he
was struck by a truck operated by 62 year-old Edward Sprague of Walton.  Jones sustained serious internal injuries
& was airlifted to Albany Medical Center, State Police Commercial Vehicle
Enforcement Unit inspected Sprague’s truck, which was taken out of service due
to a number of safety violations.
Sheriff’s Deputies anticipate tickets to be issued upon completion of
the investigation.

State Police arrested 17 year old Tatiana Febo of Downsville
in connection with the October 10th murder of 53 year old Kenneth Robinson in
his Worcester home.  Febo was charged
with 1st Degree Robbery, 5 others including the victim’s son 15 year old Dylan
Robinson have been arrested, Kenneth Robinson was fatally shot, his house was
set on fire.  Police believe that Febo
was the driver of the vehicle that brought the suspects to Worcester; she was
released to the custody of her parents pending court action in Otsego County
Court on October 28th.  The investigation
is continuing.

Delaware County Social Services Commissioner Dana
Scuderi-Hunter testified in her defense yesterday at a hearing in Delhi, she
has been suspended from her position since July.  Scuderi-Hunter has been criticized for the
change in the departments policies regarding foster children, the hearing is
scheduled to resume Friday morning in Delhi.

The Tioga County Sheriff's Department responded to an
accident Sunday where a tractor-trailer crashed into a passenger vehicle driven
by 38 year old Darlene Allen of Sayre Pennsylvania on State Route 17 eastbound,
after Allen's vehicle struck a deer and slowed down. The tractor-trailer was
operated by 66-year-old Volodymyr Frolyak of Ontario, Canada, 7 year old
Zachary Allen died shortly after the collision, and 11 year old Trinity Allen
was taken to Packer Hospital and was then airlifted to Upstate Medical Center
in Syracuse, where she is in critical condition. 5 year old Nathan Slater was
taken to Packer Hospital and was treated & released. Darlene Allen was
taken to Packer Hospital and is in critical condition. The investigation is continuing.

The Catholic Charities Mentoring program is hosting a mentor
mixer on Friday November 8th at the American Legion in Sidney, Program
Spokesperson Kayla Johnson explains:

(Kayla Johnson 10-23-19)

This event is free & open to
the public, more information is available at 604-4071.

Lieutenant Governor Kathleen Hochul will address attendees
of the 4th Annual State Police Campus Sexual Assault Seminar at the State
Police Academy in Albany.  The 3-day
seminar will have more than 300 attendees, participants will hear from experts
presenting on a number of topics including the investigation of sexual assault
cases, victim trauma and forensic interviewing, stalking and reducing gender
bias.

The City of Norwich Police Department and the Chenango
County Sheriff’s Office are seeking information on 31 year old Christopher
Lacroce, for allegedly leading Police on a high speed chase last Friday, &
who is also wanted on a warrant for allegedly hitting a pedestrian with a
vehicle September 15th at the intersection of Mitchell and Silver streets in
Norwich.  Lacroce faces charges of
2nd-degree assault, among other charges that are pending following Friday’s
chase.   Anyone with information
regarding Lacroce’s whereabouts is asked to contact the Norwich City Police
Department at 607-334-2424 or the Chenango County Sheriff’s Office at
607-334-2000.

The Otsego County Chamber's
Small Business Banquet will be held on Thursday, November 21 at The Otesaga
Hotel and Resort in Cooperstown.
Nominations for various awards are being taken currently; the
nominations are requested to the Chamber by this Friday.

State officials, the Division of Homeland Security and the
Office of Fire Prevention and Control will preside over the 22nd Annual New
York State Fallen Firefighters Memorial Ceremony this morning.   The Ceremony will honor 23 fallen
firefighters who gave their lives in the line of duty, at the Empire State
Plaza Convention Center in Albany at 11:00 AM.

State officials and members of the Division of Homeland
Security and Emergency Services' Office of Fire Prevention and Control will
preside over the 22nd Annual New York State Fallen Firefighters Memorial
Ceremony.   The Ceremony will honor 23
fallen firefighters who gave their lives in the line of duty, at the Empire
State Plaza Convention Center in Albany, tomorrow morning at 11:00 AM.

Governor Cuomo today signed
legislation prohibiting the performance or supervision of a pelvic exam on an
anesthetized or unconscious person without informed consent. The legislation
also makes it professional misconduct to perform unauthorized pelvic exams.
This legislation takes effect in 180 days.

The Delaware County Department of Public Works will hold the
23rd annual Clean Sweep October 25th & 26th; Delaware County Solid Waste
Coordinator Tyson Robb explains the schedule for those 2 days:

(Tyson Robb 10-7-19)

Residents are required to register online at
cleansweepdelaware.eventbrite.com, by phone at 865-6474 during normal weekday
business hours, or by email CleanSweepDelaware@gmail.com, all registrations are
accepted until October 18th.

The Trial of Orlando Tercero is
underway in his home country of Nicaragua.
Tercero is accused of killing fellow Binghamton University Student
Hailey Anderson in his apartment in March of 2018 & then fled the US back
to Nicaragua.  Witnesses are being
allowed to testify by video at the Broome County District Attorney's Office.

2 teens were charged with Criminal Possession of Stolen
Property and Resisting Arrest early Monday Morning.  State Police were dispatched to a car off the
roadway that was facing the wrong way on I-88 in the town of Otego.  Troopers located the vehicle and two teens
walking near the roadway.  When the
troopers activated their emergency lights, the teens took off running, but were
taken into custody a short time later.  The
vehicle, a 2013 Chevrolet Malibu was reported stolen in Albany; the teens will
appear in Family Court.

Otsego County Sheriff Departments arrested 24 year old
Gregory O’Bryan of East Meredith for the Burglary of a commercial business in
the Town of Milford.   O’Bryan was charged
with 3rd degree Burglary plus Criminal Mischief, & Petit Larceny following
the investigation of a Burglary at The Cooperstown Brewing Company at 110 River
Street in Milford. O’Bryan was arraigned in the Town of Hartwick Court and
scheduled to appear in the Milford Court at a later date.

The 4th annual Upper Susquehanna Watershed Forum is being
held at Binghamton University Center of Excellence today from 9:00 AM t0 5:00
PM.  The program will focus on how to move
forward with the Phase III Chesapeake Bay Watershed Implementation Plan.   Otsego County Conservation Association is
planning the forum in partnership with the Upper Susquehanna Coalition, Otsego
Land Trust, SUNY Oneonta, Binghamton University, among others.  This year’s forum includes morning and
afternoon sessions covering research in the watershed, innovative practices to
enhance water quality; more information is available at occainfo.org/watershed
forum.

The Otsego County Chamber of Commerce announced their 2019
Workforce Summit will be held on Thursday, October 10th  at Morris Hall at SUNY Oneonta starting with
9:00 AM.    The Chamber of looking for
Educators, Students, Workforce and Economic Developers, Community Leaders,
Human Resource Specialists, Employers, and Industry Partners to come together
to improve the overall quality of the region's workforce.  More information is available by email to
kathryn@otsegocc.com

The Chenango County Department of Public Works will close a bridge on Bentley Road between State Route 23 and Lum Cross Road, in the Town of Pitcher, Monday for the replacement of the bridge deck.  There shall be NO ON-SITE DETOUR, The traveling public shall be asked to seek alternative routes.   Questions and concerns can be directed to 337-1710.

State Senator Jim Seward joined members of the senate and
assembly for a public hearing on rural broadband expansion in Albany Tuesday.  Senator Seward's district lacks high-speed
broadband, yesterday’s public hearing featured testimony from state agencies
including the New York State Broadband Program Office and the Public Service
Commission, local government officials, school leaders, rural electric
cooperative associations, and business representatives.

A fundraiser is being held for Dylan Dewey & Tyler
Holcomb of Franklin, who were injured in an accident recently, Franklin Central
School Principal Bonnie Johnson explained to WCDO News:

(WCDO Bonnie Johnson 9-13-19)

Johnson said that both teens have been at Albany Medical
Center since the crash on September 5th in the town of Franklin.

The Unadilla Fire Department
will hold a Cornhole tournament & vendor fair Tomorrow at the Unadilla Fire
House.  Vendors will be at Unadilla
firehouse from 10:30 am to 2:00 pm.

Chenango County Sheriff's Department responded to the Town
of Otselic for a reported stabbing Wednesday, where a male victim was stabbed
multiple times by a coworker at a cell phone tower.   The victim was airlifted to SUNY Upstate
Hospital; he was listed in serious, but stable condition.  Deputies arrested 49 year old Howard Williams
from the Bronx; for 2nd degree Assault he was taken into custody in the Town of
McGraw by State Police and Cortland County Sheriff’s Office.  Williams was arraigned in the Town of Smyrna
Court and was remanded to the Chenango County Sheriff’s Office on $10,000 cash
bail.

Bail for 18 year old Cody Coleman of Smithville was set at
$600,000 cash or $1 million bond earlier this week in Chenango County
Court.  Coleman was charged with 2nd
degree murder, criminal use of a firearm and criminal possession of a weapon
for the May 3rd death of his 16-year-old girlfriend, Amelia Wakefield of
Oxford.   Coleman is being held at the Chenango County
Correctional Facility pending future court action.

The Delaware County Historical Association is accepting
nominations for its annual Awards of Merit. Individuals and groups who have
made significant contributions to the preservation and presentation of local
history, traditions and culture will be presented with awards at the
Association’s Annual Meeting on Sunday, November 3rd.   More
information is available at 746-3849, by E-mail:  dcha@delhi.net or online at dcha-ny.org

The Chenango Arts Council
announced that their Fall Workshops begin on Saturday September 14th through
October 19, where Rod Sutton will teach Photography to students of all levels
of experience.  An Advanced Drawing
workshop will also be held from September 23 until October 14, the workshops
are made possible in part by the State Council on the Arts.  More information is available at 336-ARTS or
chenangoart.org.

The American Red Cross will hold blood drives today,
September 11th, which is Patriot Day and a National Day of Service and
Remembrance.  In The Southern Tier, a
blood drive will be held from 11:30 AM to 5:30 PM at Binghamton University, in
Chenango County, in New Berlin from 11:30 AM to 3:30 PM At Golden Artist
Colors, at 188 Bell Road.

At 8:30 a.m., Governor Cuomo will attend the September 11
Commemoration Ceremony.  Following the
ceremony, Governor Cuomo will join more than 700 motorcycle riders
participating in the 9/11 Memorial Motorcycle Ride at a lunch and ceremony in
New York City.  Groups of riders will
travel from Albany, Ulster and Nassau Counties before converging in New York
City.  Following the lunch, Governor Cuomo
and the other riders will depart on motorcycles for a ceremonial ride down the
West Side Highway to the World Trade Center site.

Delaware County Sheriff Craig DuMond announced the arrest of
7 people on a variety of drug charges Thursday afternoon after the execution of
a search warrant at 37 Union Street in Sidney.
Deputies & Investigators dismantled a large scale Methamphetamine trafficking
operation, they arrested William McLean, Nikita Kingsbury, Trevor Light and an
unidentified 17 year male from Sidney, plus Jeffrey Robinson of Norwich, and Kevin
Mosher & Gina Overbey, who had no known address.  Sheriff Dumond comments:

(Sheriff Craig Dumond 9-6-19)

Sheriff Dumond said that the arrests followed a month long investigation;
all were charged with 2nd degree Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance
they were arraigned in Delhi Court & were remanded to the Delaware County
Jail without bail pending future court action, additional charges are anticipated
& the investigation is ongoing.
Sidney Village Police assisted at the scene.

State Police are investigating a crash in the town of
Franklin that left 2 teenagers in serious condition.  Troopers were dispatched Thursday afternoon at
about 4:30 PM to Walley Road in the town of Franklin; they located a Chevy
pick-up truck with a 17-year-old male driver and 14-year-old male passenger
crashed into a tree.  The investigation
revealed that speed was a contributing factor when the unidentified 17-year-old
lost control of the vehicle around a curve on Wally Road, spun off the roadway
and into a tree.  Both occupants were
transported by LifeNet to Albany Medical Center.   The accident remains under
investigation.

State police are investigating a sewage spill that Thursday
afternoon at about 2:30 PM on County Route 10 near Elk Creek Road in the town
of Meredith.  The unidentified Driver of
the septic tanker was taken to Fox Hospital for evaluation, the driver rolled
the septic tanker, which spilled about 2,000 gallons of sewage, & struck a utility
Pole, temporarily knocking out phone & electric service in the east Meredith
area.  The septic tanker belonged to JB’s
Line Cleaning and Plumbing Service, the cause of the accident is under
investigation.

Governor Cuomo today announced
that the New York State Board for Historic Preservation has recommended adding
14 properties to the State and National Registers of Historic Places. In the
Southern Tier, the First Presbyterian Church of Deposit, Built in 1880, has
been recommended by the Governor.

Chenango County Officials announced that State Route 12
between Halfway House Road in the town of Norwich & State Route 220 is
closed, due to a 2 vehicle head on crash between a Van & A Tractor
Trailer.   The road will be closed for
several hours for the cleanup & investigation; motorists are advised to use
Chenango County Route 32 as a detour.

The Delaware County Democratic Committee announced that
Congressman Antonio Delgado, State Senator Jen Metzger and local candidates
will attend their Annual Community Barbecue on Sunday, September 8th from 2:00
to 5:00 PM at the Hamden Town Pavilion.
Tickets can be purchased at dcnydems.org.

Governor Cuomo is proposing a new Law to specifically
penalize domestic terrorism a response to recent mass shootings across the
country targeting Hispanics, Jews, Gays and other, by home grown radicalized
white males.  Cuomo said that the bill
would penalize those committing mass shootings as hate crimes should face the
same penalties of life in prison without parole, as those who committed the
9/11 terrorist acts.  The bill could be
passed this year if Cuomo calls lawmakers back to Albany by the end of the
year, or he could wait for the start of next year's session in January.

The Delaware County Fair continues tomorrow with a variety
of events, spokesman Jason Craig explains:

(Jason Craig Saturday)

The 133rd Delaware County Fair ends Saturday night after the
Fireworks display.

Delaware County Sheriff’s
department & State Police arrested 44 year old James Stiefel of Mount
Vision following the report of a domestic dispute Wednesday afternoon on Pine
Cliff Circle in Davenport.  Stiefel is
accused of forcibly entering the residence and threatening the occupant with a
knife before fleeing; he was found a short time later & taken into
custody.   Deputies discovered that
Stiefel possessed a portable methamphetamine laboratory at the Davenport
location, the State Police Contaminated Crime Scene Emergency Response Team was
summoned & sheriff’s investigators obtained a search warrant.   Stiefel was charged with burglary, menacing,
criminal mischief, criminal possession of a weapon, and harassment as well as
several drug charges, he was remanded to the Delaware County Jail without bail
pending further court action.

The 27th Chenango Bluesfest continues with a free
lineup tonight at the Fairgrounds in Norwich.
Blues fest organizer Eric Larsen said that the festival gets bigger
every year:

(Eric Larsen 8-16-19)

Tickets are required for
Saturday's all day line up; they can be purchased at the gate or online at
chenangobluesfest.org/tickets.

The Chenango County Farm Bureau announced that they have
teamed up with the New York Center for Agricultural Medicine & Health for a
presentation Monday in Norwich, regarding safety issues with farm equipment,
Farm Bureau President Bradd Vickers explains;

(Bradd Vickers 8-15-19)

The event will be free of charges & will be held at the
Norwich Fire House Monday at 2:00 PM until 5:00 PM.

The Delaware County Fair Continues with another full day of
activities today, spokesman Jason Craig explains:

(Jason Craig Friday)

The Delaware County Fair runs through Saturday night,
concluding with a fireworks display at the Fairgrounds in Walton.

State Police arrested 24 year old Christopher Smith of
Weedsport for DWI, Failure to Keep Right, Failure to Yield the Right of Way,
Driving on Shoulder, Moving From a Lane Unsafely, Leaving the Scene of a
Property Damage Accident and Failure to Notify DMV of Change of Address.  Troopers responded to a 2-car accident on
State Highway 23 in the town of Oneonta, witnesses told troopers that the other
vehicle left the scene and drove behind a local gas station.  Troopers located Smith intoxicated behind a
hotel, he was arrested & was remanded to the Otsego County Jail on cash
bail, he will return to Oneonta court on August 22nd.

21-year-old Skuyler Reynolds of
Chenango Bridge is facing 5 more counts of burglary and 1 count of criminal
possession of stolen property, in connection with a series of church burglaries
in Broome County.  Reynolds is a suspect
in church burglaries in Binghamton, Johnson City, Chenango Bridge, Port
Dickinson and Port Crane, he is being held in Broome County Jail. Pending court
action, the investigation is continuing & more charges may be forthcoming.

The next meeting of the TRI-TOWN COALITION ON SUBSTANCE
ABUSE PREVENTION will be held this evening in Sidney. Spokesperson Lorraine
Keckeisen invites area residents to come to the meeting & hopefully get involved
in their efforts:

(Lorraine Keckeisen 7-25-19)

Kayla Johnson of the Sidney Catholic Charities Mentoring
Program Services is a guest speaker tonight, the meeting will be held at the
Maiorano Building, 9 Main Street, Sidney starting at 6:00 PM.  Keckeisen said that they are also starting a
new website at tritowncosap.org.

228 new Troopers were honored Wednesday for their
perseverance and dedication in completing the 208th session of the Basic School
of the New York State Police Academy during graduation exercises at the Empire
State Plaza in Albany, New York.  Trooper
Tyshone Tibbs of Buffalo has been assigned to Troop C in Sidney:

(Trooper Tibbs 7-24-19)

The new troopers will report for field duty on July 31,
2019. For the following 10 weeks the new troopers will be evaluated under a
field-training program supervised by senior Field Training Officers.

State Police arrested 25 year old John Mehne of Sarasota
Florida last night following an accident on I-81, which led to a manhunt.  State Police, Broome County Sheriff's Office
and Binghamton Police Department responded to the area of Duell Road,
Colesville Road and Springer Road in the town of Kirkwood, Troopers accuse Mehne
of attempted to flee the scene of the initial accident by jumping onto a van
& then into the bed of a pick-up truck, he eventually fled on foot into a
wooded area.  Mehne is accused of threatening
1 person with an axe, stealing an ATV, killing a chicken & a dog and was
apprehended while hiding naked in a chicken coop.  State Police encourage residents in that area
to check their property and call the State Police at 775-1241 if anything appears
disturbed.  The investigation is ongoing
& a multitude of charges are pending.

Chenango County Sheriff's Deputies arrested 26 year old
Uysef Guzman of Pennsylvania and 34 year old Heather Prince of Norwich on drug
charges following a traffic stop in the Town of Norwich Tuesday.   Deputies seized over 220 packets of heroin,
that was possibly mixed with fentanyl as well as over $1,900 in cash, the
incident is still under investigation and more arrests are expected.  Both defendants were arraigned in the City of
Norwich Court and were remanded to the Chenango County Correctional Facility on
$20,000 cash each. Both are to appear in the Town of Norwich Court on a later
date.

The Next Chenango County Health Department free rabies
clinic will be held today in Preston.
The Clinic for dogs, cats & Ferrets will be held from 5:30 to 6:30
at the Preston Town Garage, more information is available at 337-1673 of
co.chenango.ny.us.

Governor Cuomo today announced that the 22nd Annual Cyber
Security Conference continues today in Albany, bringing over 1,300 cyber
security professionals from state and local government and the private sector
to discuss emerging developments in the industry and best practices designed to
improve the security of New York State. The conference is being held at the
Empire State Plaza again today, the annual Conference is hosted by the State
Office of Information Technology Services in partnership with the University at
Albany School of Business and the New York State Forum, Inc.

Governor
Cuomo told reporters in Albany today that he doesn't believe it's feasible for
lawmakers to legalize recreational marijuana this year.  Cuomo said that that there is insufficient
support in the state Senate, because there are disagreements about the
regulatory details and whether the bill should include provisions expunging
past low-level pot convictions.

This
Friday from 8:30 to 10:00 AM will be the "Bagels and Benefits” Otsego
County Chamber Membership Orientation at the Chamber offices at 189 Main Street
on the 5th floor.    The orientations are
Free, but do require an RSVP to baheegan@otsegocc.com by this Wednesday June 5.

Tickets
are on sale for the Chenango County Republican Committee's fundraising Lobster
fest.  This year's Lobster fest will be
held on Sunday July 21 at the Canasawacta Country Club in Norwich.  More information is available at 334-7693 or
226-3271.

An amended marijuana legalization bill was introduced on
Friday by lawmakers in Albany, which more closely echoes what Governor Cuomo
wanted in the bill earlier this year.
The bill includes the Office of Cannabis Management to regulate
commercial and medical marijuana; it would also expunge the records of those
who have committed marijuana-based offenses in the past.   Opponents to Marijuana legalization site
potential issues with traffic safety and increased links to mental illnesses
such as Schizophrenia & violence.

Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies charged 40-year-old
Jeffrey Bosket of Tompkins with 2 counts of harboring a dangerous dog in
violation of Agriculture and Markets Law. The charge follows an investigation
where an individual was allegedly bitten by 2 dogs owned by Bosket in the Town
of Tompkins. Bosket was issued tickets and was scheduled to appear before the
Town of Tompkins Court at a later date to answer for the charges.

State Senator Fred Akshar released a new Community Voice
Survey on a proposal to end religious and any other non-medical exemptions for
vaccination for children attending school in New York State.  All 50 states require that students be vaccinated
for diseases like measles, mumps, chicken pox and polio among many others, all
states allow exemptions for medical reasons, but 47 (including New York) allow
exemptions for religious reasons.   The
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that measles was eradicated
in 2000; however 940 measles cases were reported nationwide this year, with
more than half of those reported in New York City & Rockland County.   Akshar is asking his constituents to weigh
in on Senate bill S.2994 which would repeal all non-medical exemptions from vaccination
requirements for children; the survey is available at Akshar.NYSenate.Gov.

The Delaware County Chamber of Commerce will host a FREE
workforce development event today aimed at business owners and managers who are
struggling to hire staff or have employees in drug and/or alcohol treatment and
recovery.  Representatives from the
Delaware County Probation Department, Delaware County Drug Treatment Court, CDO
Workforce and the Department of Labor will participate, the session will be
held at 10:00 AM at the Delaware County Chamber of Commerce at 5 1/2 Main
Street, Delhi, more information is available at 746-2281.

Delaware County Sheriff Craig
DuMond announced a new Defibrillator Fundraiser, as new Defibrillator pads and
supplies are needed for AED units carried by patrols and units within the
County Correctional Facility.  The last
fundraising drive for AED units was in 2013.
Sheriff DuMond said that this fundraiser is being sponsored by the
Delaware County Sheriff’s Office for use by their personnel, more information
is available at 832-5860,  donations can
be made payable by check to the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office at 280 Phoebe
Lane, Suite One, Delhi, NY 13753 and designate “Defibrillator Fund” on the
reference line.

A traveling memorial exhibit,
honoring those who have lost their lives to opioid addiction is on display in
Albany this week.   "Prescribed to
Death," is a traveling wall of 22,000 small pills carved with the faces of
Americans who have died of an opioid overdose, it is being displayed at the
base of The Egg in Albany on the concourse level of the Empire State
Plaza.  The memorial is free and open to
the public tomorrow from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
Those who are unable to visit can still share their loved one's story
and a photo by using the council's interactive online map, at
memorial.nsc.org/index.html.

1 person is dead and an Otsego County Sheriff’s Deputy was
injured after a pursuit in the village of Richfield Springs and the town of
Springfield Tuesday Afternoon.  State
Police approached a subject in a vehicle who had been accused of threatening a
victim with a knife, the suspect fled from troopers and a pursuit ensued
traveling east on State Route 20.  As the
subject approached the intersection of State Routes 20 and 80, an Otsego County
Sheriff’s Deputy was stationary in his vehicle, monitoring the pursuit with his
emergency lights activated; the suspect crossed into oncoming traffic and
struck the Deputy head-on.  The Deputy
was transported to Bassett Hospital in Cooperstown, NY with serious but
non-life threating injuries, the suspect was pronounced dead at the scene by
Otsego County Corner Michael Fox.  The
investigation is on-going.

Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 52-year-old Tina
Noble of Franklin, on charges of obstructing government administration &
unlawful imprisonment, she is accused of unlawfully and forcefully detaining a
member of the Delaware County Child Protective Services Unit within her home in
an attempt to prevent a public servant from performing an official function.
Noble was later released on an appearance ticket and is scheduled to appear at
Franklin Town Court at a later date.

All area School District budgets were passed by voters
Tuesday in the tri-county region.
Capital projects passed in Afton, Sidney and Unatego.

CDO Workforce & the Otsego County Chamber of Commerce are sponsoring a Job Fair at the SOUTHSIDE MALL today.  The JOB FAIR will run from 1:00 to 3:30PM.  Jobs available with all types of businesses: Retail, Healthcare, Human Services, Manufacturing, and Hospitality, Both Year-Round & Summer Jobs available.

Chobani and several Chenango County businesses announced
that they will provide funds for a new firehouse and community center in New
Berlin.  The Chobani Foundation statement
said that the 7,000 square-foot firehouse will include 6 garage bays, offices and
separate rooms for gear; meetings, training and storage, and the 2,400
square-foot community center will contain a kitchen area and large gathering
space for local residents to host a variety of events. Construction is
scheduled to begin later this year.

The names of 63 law enforcement officers are being added
today to the New York State Memorial honoring fallen officers.  The names were unveiled during Today’s annual
ceremony at the State of New York Police Officers’ Memorial in the Empire State
Plaza in downtown Albany. It’s the largest single group of names to be added to
the granite memorial since it was dedicated in 1989.  The names are divided into 3 categories: line
of duty deaths in 2018, a death that occurred decades ago, and ground
zero-related illness deaths.

Delaware County Public Health will hold their next Free
Rabies Vaccination Clinic For dogs, cats and ferrets today from 6:00 to 8:00 PM
at Town Clerk Building at 3 Elm Street, Deposit.  More information is available at 832-5200 or
delawarecountypublichealth.com

37 year
old James Brower of Norwich pleaded guilty Friday in Chenango County Court to
Hindering Prosecution, he admitted that he lied to police to help his partner
Tobias Rundstrom-Whitaker, to get away with the rape & murder of 11 year
Jacelyn O'Connor in July 2017.  Brower
will be sentenced to 1 1/2 to 4 1/2 years in jail as part of a plea
arrangement, when he is sentenced on June 17th.

Police
in upstate New York are warning of a dangerous fentanyl-laced marijuana
combination that was recently confiscated in the Sullivan County town of
Thompson.  It was the first time fentanyl
was found in marijuana in the area, & In a separate incident on Thursday,
the Albany County Sheriff’s department reported that 1st responders revived 3
people who had overdosed in a car in the middle of a road. Another driver came
upon the car in the town of Knox and called 911.

The
Help Restore Hope Center is hosting a Program today, in support of survivors of
violence & sexual assault, as April is Sexual Assault Awareness month.  The program begins at 4:00 PM until closing
at Nina's Restaurant at 32 South Board Street in Norwich.

NYSEG crews
are working to restore power that was knocked out by last night's powerful
storms.  Broome County had over 1400
without power, Chenango County 230 & Delaware County 580, this afternoon.

Cooperstown
Police reported that 75 year old John Smirk of Cooperstown drove down Fair
Street Thursday night, and drove off the boat ramp into Otsego Lake.  Cooperstown Police & Otsego County
Sheriff’s deputies responded, removed Smirk from his vehicle; the cause of
Smirk’s death is still under investigation.

Several Chenango County Fire Departments responded at about
10:20pm Sunday Night to a structure & vehicle fire at 2709 Chenango County Road
2 in Smithville Flats.  Mutual aid was
received by Fire fighters from Greene, McDonough, Pharsalia, & several
others, there were no injuries reported, the cause of the fire is under
investigation.

A new State Budget plan was worked on over the weekend by
Lawmakers in Albany, local Assemblyman Cliff Crouch told WCDO News about some
of the key aspects:

(Cliff Crouch 4-1-19)

The Budget totals 175.2 Billion Dollars for the 2019-202
fiscal year that starts today.

The State DEC has issued a warning regarding rabies,
following an outbreak in the eastern counties in the Eastern Adirondacks.  Officials remind people to not approach wild
animals exhibiting unusual or aggressive behavior, and contact the DEC or
county officials as soon as possible.

State Senator Jim Seward
welcomed J.P. Dewey from Sidney High School to Monday in Albany as part of the
annual “Music in our Schools Month” celebration.   Dewey performed as a member of the
prestigious All State Instrumental Jazz Ensemble. He is the first ever pianist
from the Sidney area to be selected to play with the 18 member group.  Choirs, orchestras and bands from across the
state travel to Albany throughout the month of March to perform in the
concourse of the Empire State Plaza as part of “Music in our Schools Month”.

Otsego County Sheriff’s deputies arrested 19 year old Skyler
Blass of Otego & 18 year old Treyton Hathaway of Oneonta on Felony drug
charges after traffic stop Friday.
Deputies were alerted to be on the lookout for a vehicle that fled the
scene of a motor vehicle accident in the Town of Davenport.  Deputies observed the vehicle on State
Highway 23; it was stopped on East Street in the City of Oneonta.  Deputies seized 3 pounds of packaged
psychedelic mushrooms and 5 pounds of packaged marihuana in the vehicle.  Blass & Hathaway were arraigned,  Blass was remanded to the Otsego County Jail
on $20,000 Cash Bail / $50,000 bond, Hathaway was remanded on $10,000 Cash Bail
/ $20,000 Bond.  The motor vehicle
accident is still under investigation by the State Police.

State Police arrested 39 year old Brad Keesler of Triangle
for Criminal Obstruction of Breathing, Criminal Mischief and Unlawful
Imprisonment, after a report of a domestic dispute.  Keesler allegedly choked a victim and
prevented the victim from calling 911 and leaving the residence.  Troopers attempted to locate Keesler for
several days; he turned himself in on March 3 and was arrested.  He was processed then taken to Broome County
Central Processing for arraignment.

Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 25-year-old
Allen Conkling of Fish’s Eddy for 2 counts of Burglary & 2 counts of Petty
Larceny. Conkling is accused of entering a building at a Lumber Yard and
stealing various items on 2 separate occasions. Conkling was arraigned in the
Town of Colchester Court he was remanded to the Delaware County Correctional
Facility on $2,500 cash bail or $5,000 bond.

Fahrudin Omerovic of Utica was sentenced to 12 years in prison
plus 4 years of post-release Supervision, after being convicted of in Oneida
County Court for making a terroristic threat on the Utica College campus in
March of 2018. Omerovic admitted to making the threats, which forced many to
clear the campus for 2 days to investigate the threat & find the party responsible.

Assemblyman Cliff Crouch joined his Republican Minority
colleagues at a press conference in Albany to announce their budget priorities
for 2019-20:

(Crouch 2-28-19)

The Legislature has until April 1st to pass the budget plan
on time for the 2019-2020 fiscal year.

Cornell Cooperative Extension of
Delaware County announced the availability of programs to make homes more
energy efficient through the Weatherization Assistance Program and Empower NY,
which can provide over $10,000 of energy improvements for income eligible
households.  These programs cover such
improvements as: Insulation and air sealing; replacement of inefficient heating
equipment; installation of high-efficiency lighting; replacement of refrigerators
and inefficient appliances.  More
information is available at 865-6531 or by email to jmd30@cornell.edu (mailto:jmd30@cornell.edu).

The Oneonta Comprehensive Steering Committee meeting will be
held this evening at Oneonta City Hall.
The meeting will begin at 6:00 PM in the Common Council Chambers; it was
moved from Wednesday night to tonight due to the wintry weather.

The Commerce Chenango Economic Outlook Breakfast will be
held this morning at the Canasawacta Country Club, on County Road 44 in
Norwich, 13815.  Registration begins at
7:30; the presentation begins at 8:15, Featuring NBT Bank keynote speaker,
Senior Vice President and Chief Investment Officer, Kenneth Entenmann.

P.M. NEWS WEDNESDAY 2-13-19

Vincent Vetromile, Brian Colaneri, Andrew Crysel, and
Nicholas Pheilshifter were indicted Monday in Monroe County Court; they were
arrested last month for allegedly plotting a violent plan against the residents
of Islamberg here in Delaware County.
The 4 had 3 homemade bombs and 23 firearms, they were charged with
criminal possession of a weapon and conspiracy.
Pheilshifter is 16 years old; his case will be handled in criminal court
or family court.

State lawmakers are holding hearings today in Albany on the
issue of Sexual Harassment in the workplace.
Victims of Sexual harassment & assault are describing their
experiences to lawmakers in the hearings; their testimony may lead to reforms
in the laws during this session.

Judge John Lambert ordered tenants of 195 Main Street in
Oneonta out by this afternoon, after the Owner Melania Pervu failed to meet
deadlines to get safety violations taken care of, that were established by the
City of Oneonta.  Pervu had until January
11th to comply with the city's building codes, and failed to do so, the retail
spaces on the 1st floor will be allowed to remain; Judge Lambert declared that
anyone left in the building after 4:30 this afternoon will be removed by Otsego
County Sheriff's deputies.

Officials from the New York Sherriff’s Association, the New
York State Association of the Chiefs of Police along with the Association of
County Health Officials, the state Parent Teachers Association and Triple-A New
York all announced their opposition to a proposal to legalize recreational
marijuana in New York State, at a press conference in Albany today.  The concerns raised included the expected
negative impact on road safety with more impaired drivers, as well as an impact
on children and overall public health. Despite support from many at the state
level, those opposed say the risk is not worth the reward.

An American Red Cross Blood Drive will be held in Wells
Bridge today from 12:00 Noon until 5:00 PM.
The drive will be held at the Wells Bridge Fire Department, 104 County
Highway 4, those wishing to donate blood can make an appointment with the Red
Cross Blood Donor App, by visiting RedCrossBlood.org or by calling 1-800-RED
CROSS.  All blood types are needed.

The Vestal Police Department has charged 34 year old Daniel
Butash of Endicott with felony counts of vehicular assault, 2nd degree assault
and DWI. Butash is accused of driving while intoxicated in the wrong direction
on State Route 17 in Vestal early Friday morning, while fleeing Police; he crashed
his vehicle head on into a Patrol car driving by Broome County Sheriff's Deputy
Kristy Botsford.   Butash suffered only
minor injuries, Deputy Botsford suffered a broken Femur in her right leg, and
both were taken to Wilson Hospital in Johnson City following Friday Morning's
crash, more charges against Butash are possible.

State Lawmakers may decide to eliminate "Cash Bail”
this year, among other reforms involving those arrested for criminal
activity.  Governor Cuomo outlined
possible reforms in his “State of the State” address last month:

(Cuomo 2-4-19)

Various groups opposed to Cash
bail protested in Albany earlier today, opponents claim that the Bail System unfairly
penalizes the poor & minorities & allows too many people with financial
resources go free.

Firefighters from several area companies responded to a
blaze at 3 Johnson Street in Bainbridge at about 4:00 PM Sunday afternoon.   Bainbridge Fire Chief Fred Bell told WCDO
news that the fire was electrical, starting in the 1st floor kitchen, it spread
to the 2nd floor, all occupants & their pets escaped, there were no
injuries reported.    Firefighters from
Afton, Sidney, Guilford, Masonville, & Coventry also responded.

Lawmakers in Albany are expected to deal with further Gun
Safety Legislation shortly, to be added to the 2013 "SAFE ACT".  Local Assemblyman Cliff Crouch said that he
does not feel that more gun legislation is needed, but he is in agreement on
one aspect of it:

(Cliff Crouch 2-1-19)

The SAFE Act was quickly rushed through the legislature in
2013 following the Sandy Hook School Shooting in Connecticut.

The Broome County Sheriff’s Office released more information
regarding this morning’s 2-car crash involving Broome County Sheriff’s Deputy
Kristy Botsford.  The report stated that
Deputy Botsford was driving on State Route 17 westbound with her emergency
lights on assisting the Vestal Police Department in trying to stop a car that
was driving eastbound in the westbound lane.
Vestal Police said the suspect, Daniel Butash stopped his car on the
highway east of Exit 68, as police approached, he continued to drive the wrong
way, and he drove head-on into Deputy Botsford’s Patrol car.  Deputy Botsford became pinned inside her
vehicle, Emergency services used the ‘jaws of life’ to remove her from the car,
and she was taken to Wilson Hospital where she was listed in critical
condition, she suffered a fractured right femur among other injuries.  Butash was driving a 2018 Tesla and suffered
minor facials injuries and cuts to his body, he was also taken to Wilson
Hospital, and Charges against him are pending.

Members from Troop C's Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Unit
assist the Chenango County Sheriff's Department with a milk truck rollover on
County Route 25 in the town of Columbus. The tanker actively dumped several
thousand gallons of milk after crashing just before 7am. The DEC spill
response, County DOT and local fire department are also on scene.

Aaron Powell was found guilty on all charges Thursday in
Broome County Court, for the 2013 murders of his estranged wife Christina &
Mario Masciarelli, in Binghamton.  Powell
was granted a 2nd trial by a higher court, which led to this week's trial, and
a 2nd conviction for these murders.