WCDO Radio News

P.M. NEWS THURSDAY 6-25-26

Several law enforcement agencies commented at a press conference in Binghamton today regarding the Fire at the Knight's Inn of Endwell June 22nd, State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation Captain Lucas Anthony discussed the investigation & released the names of those deceased in Monday's Fire:

(Captain Lucas Anthony 6-25-26)

State Police arrested 24 year old Tyler Russell of Endwell, Monday for 6 counts of 2nd degree Manslaughter & 1 count of Arson, he is being held at the Broome County Correctional Facility without bail pending Grand Jury action.

Delaware County Public Health will hold their next free rabies clinic for dogs, cats and ferrets in Roxbury today from 4:00 to 6:00 PM at the Highway Garage on State Highway 30. Pre-registration is suggested at health.ny.gov/go2clinic, more information about rabies is available at 607-832-5200.

All of the local Counties have seen an increase in COVID 19 cases since the beginning of November, with more increases expected due to continuing Holliday gatherings, Heather Warner of Delaware County Public Health told WCDO news that we could see New York on Pause again if people continue to ignore guidance:

(Heather Warner 12-8-20)

Governor Cuomo has Hospitals will be Mandated to Expand Capacity by 25%, Regions to Be Designated as Red Zones if Hospital Capacity Is Projected to Become Critical, New York State is Asking Retired Doctors and Nurses to Return to Service & Indoor Dining could be Reduced to 25% in the upstate counties if a Region's Hospitalizations Do Not Stabilize in Next few Days.

Delaware County Sheriff Craig DuMond said that he continues to receive phone calls regarding a grandparent scam, where someone calls an unsuspecting grandparent pretending to be a grandchild in trouble, or a law enforcement official who has arrested a grandchild.  Sheriff DuMond told WCDO News that unfortunately, the caller sounds realistic:

(DuMond 12-8-20)

Sheriff DuMond said that people can report any fraud targeting older people to the Federal Trade Commission online or at 877-382-4357.

Delaware County Public Health announced that they had 8 news COVID cases Monday, with 87 active cases 5 hospitalized & 254 are quarantined, they are up to 446 total cases with 350 recoveries & 9 deaths.

The State Office of Victim Services announced changes that
will make it easier for individuals to receive help from the agency for the
cost of burying victims of crime. A new law allows for Individuals who paid or
incurred burial costs for a crime victim may be eligible for up to $6,000 from
the Office of Victim Services for funeral services, burial plot, the deceased’s
burial clothes, clergy fees, transportation costs for the deceased, obituaries,
head stone, flowers, death certificates, and church fees for religious services
and flowers.  More information is
available at ovs.ny.gov or 1-800-247-8035.

Delaware County Sheriff Deputies arrested 19-year-old Derek Mead of Walton on 3 counts of endangering the welfare of a child following a report of an underage drinking party in the Town of Meredith. Deputies accuse Mead of allowing 3 children less than 17 years of age to drink alcoholic beverages. Mead was released on tickets returnable to Meredith Town Court at a later date.

The state legislature will be wrapping up this year's regular session in the coming weeks, and they are expected to deal with the remaining bills up for consideration. Assemblyman Cliff Crouch said that he would like to see Brittany's Law passed this year:

(Cliff Crouch 6-5-17)

"Brittany's Law" in named after Brittany Passalacqua, who was a 12-year-old girl who was killed along with her mother in Geneva by a man who had served prison time for assaulting his own infant daughter. The bill has passed in the State senate several times but has not passed in the Assembly.

The Delaware County Chamber of Commerce is hosting its 2nd annual Catskill Scenic Mountain Trail Half Marathon and Relay on Saturday, July 22. The 13.1-mile race route begins at the Bloomville entrance to the Catskill Scenic Trail, along state Route 10, and finishes at Veteran's Park in Stamford. Race day registration begins at 7:00 AM; the race begins at 8:00 AM. Race proceeds benefit SUNY Delhi's cross-country summer training program and Delaware County volunteer fire departments. The event is sponsored by SFCU. For more information visit delawarecounty.org, runwildinthecatskills.com or call 746-2281.

A bat tested positive for rabies in the Village of Delhi. This is the first animal in Delaware County to test positive for rabies in 2017. There were no human exposures; a dog and two cats were exposed to the rabid bat. Vaccination records of the pets indicated the animals were not up to date their rabies vaccinations. The animals have begun a 6 month quarantine following the New York State Department of Health guidelines. To report a suspected rabid animal call Delaware County Public Health Services at 607-832-5200. For more information call 607-832-5200 or visit our website at www.delawarecountypublichealth.com.

After getting rained out on Monday, May 29th, Bainbridge officials have decided to hold a rescheduled Memorial Day Parade and Ceremony on Saturday, June 10th. The Parade will form at the Greenlawn Elementary School at 10:00 AM, Military veterans should report to the Greenlawn Cemetery no later than 10:00, The Parade will start at 10:30 AM.

The Attorney General offices in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, have filed a lawsuit against 4 phony cancer charities. The lawsuit alleges that the Cancer Fund of America, Children’s Cancer Fund of America, Cancer Support Services, and The Breast Cancer Society scammed more than $187 million from unsuspecting donors, including $3 million from New Yorkers since 2008. The Children’s Cancer Fund of America and The Breast Cancer Society have entered into settlements, Litigation is proceeding against the remaining defendants. The proposed settlement include judgments of $137 million and require that 2 of the charities be prohibited from working as not-for-profits.

State Senator Jim Seward announced today that legislation known as "The Domestic Violence Protection Act - Brittany's Law" received senate approval for a 5th time. The legislation would establish a statewide violent felony offender registry, which would require offenders to register with the State Department of Criminal Justice Services upon release from prison. Seward said that the bill has never advanced out of committee to the floor of the assembly for consideration.

Republicans in both houses of the legislature are urging the Assembly leadership to pass Brittany’s Law, to create a registry of violent felony offenders, similar to the sex offender registry created under Megan’s Law. Assemblyman Cliff Crouch supports the bill:

(Crouch 5-21-14)

Brittany’s Law has advanced in the Senate in each of the last 4 years, it is named after 12 year old Brittany Passalacqua who was murdered in 2009 in Geneva, by John Edward Brown, who was on parole after serving time for violently assaulting his infant daughter, Brittany’s family was unaware of his violent history.

State lawmakers & advocates for the disabled are pushing legislation to change the “Handicapped” sign picture and also remove the word “Handicapped” from those signs. Advocates claim the word is outdated & offensive; the new sign would portray a person in a wheelchair in motion. Bills have been introduced in the Assembly & the Senate, however its unclear if the proposal will be voted on before the end of the session in mid-June.

A bill that would create a statewide registry of violent felony offenders has passed the Senate. “Brittany’s Law” would require violent convicted felons to register with the state’s Department of Criminal Justice Service, after being released from prison, it would be set up similar to the current sex offender registry. The bill is named after 12-year-old Brittany Passalacqua who was killed in 2009 by John Brown, who was on parole at the time after serving 2½ years for assaulting his infant daughter. The bill was sent to the Assembly for consideration.

Businesses owned by disabled veterans will get a share of state contracts under a bill signed Monday by Governor Cuomo. The Service Disabled Veteran-Owned Business Act requires the state to create rules and regulations to oversee a new program, that will set aside 6% of contracts to a business owned by 1 or more veterans with a disability while serving in any branch of the Military. The law was passed by the state Legislature in March.