WCDO Radio News

Broome County Special Investigations Unit Task Force arrested 33-year-old Tyrone Middleton & 38-year-old Angela Cooley of Binghamton, on drug charges. The 2 are accused of possessing crack cocaine packaged for sale, they were charged with 2 counts of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance & 1 one count of Criminally Using Drug Paraphernalia. Both were arraigned in City of Binghamton Court this morning.

Governor Cuomo today announced New York State has received $6.2 million in federal funds that will allow 90 community organizations, hospitals, police departments and district attorneys’ offices to enhance services and protections for victims of sexual assault and domestic violence. The grants will also support the work of health care professionals who are specially trained in examining sexual assault victims and collecting evidence that can be used by law enforcement, as well as allowing the New York State Coalition Against Sexual Assault to develop protocols and training that better address sexual assaults on college campuses.

Binghamton Police arrested a Broome County legislator for DWI after a crash involving a bicycle rider. 49 year old Anthony Fiala of Binghamton, was charged with DWI early this morning. The arrest was the result of a car and bycyle crash on the corner of Clinton and Oak streets in Binghamton. Fiala allegedly hit a bicyclist with his vehicle and left the scene. The unidentified rider received minor injuries and refused medical treatment. Police later located Fiala at his home on Stanley Street. Fiala was released on an appearance ticket at a later date

Governor Cuomo said October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. The office for the prevention of domesitc violence works to raise awareness of the issue by launcing a campaign to turn New York State purple. Purple is the color chosen to help spread the message. The campaign is a low- or no-cost way for organizations to show their support for ending violence against women. OPDV provides free tools and resources that can be used by service providers, public and private businesses, government agencies, college campuses, community organizations and individuals. Go to opdv.ny.gov

Governor Cuomo announced an additional $55 million in funding for 5 economic development projects in the 3rd round of the competitive NYSUNY 2020 Challenge Grant Program. 1 of the 5 projects is the SUNY Bridge to Entrepreneurial Excellence will receive 6 million dollars. The facility will be housed at Broome Community College, within the Southern Tier High Technology Incubator and they will be partnering with SUNY Binghamton. NY SUNY 2020 funding will ensure that the space is constructed & equipped to launch outcome-oriented inventions.

While voters in the Southern Tier support casino development, the majority of residents would not frequent a new gambling parlor once it's up and running, according to a Time Warner Cable News/Siena College poll. Southern Tier voters support casino development, 45 to 36%, 57% of the same voters said they would not likely frequent their region's casino. The Gaming Commission said the casino applicants would make presentations in front of the Gaming Facility Location Board on Sept. 8th and 9th in Albany. Public hearings are scheduled for Sept. 22 to 24th.

Empire State Development has approved SUNY Broome Community College's plan for the START-UP NY economic development initiative, which establishes tax-free business areas around college campuses. The college plans to offer information sessions about the initiative, more information is available at 778-5012.

SUNY Oneonta has made Forbes magazine's ranking of America's Top Colleges. The State University College at Oneonta was ranked 167th in the Northeast and 520th overall on the annual list. Factors taken into consideration were student satisfaction, post-graduate success, student debt, graduation rate and academic success.

P.M. NEWS FRIDAY 7-25-14
Tomorrow will be the Sidney chamber’s annual Arts and Music Festival, with a full line up of events on Main Street in Sidney. Sidney Chamber Spokesperson Kerri Green explains:

(Kerri Green 7-25-14)

Green said that a shuttle bus will be available for those who want to attend both the Arts & Music Festival & Cullman Community Day Saturday.

Saturday will feature the Cullman Community Day at Keith Clark Park in Sidney. Cullman Director Amy Williams explains:

(Amy Williams 7-25-14)

The Cullman community day will feature a Team Time Trial Bike race from Sidney to Afton & back, spokesman and participant Ed Curley comments:

(Ed Curley 7-25-14)

Curley said that teams could still register up until 8:00 tomorrow morning for the race, and the pavilion in Keith Clark Park.

About $80 million for 17 construction projects at some New York community colleges is hung up because the state budget approved in March inadvertently dropped the funding from the spending plan. A "clean-up" budget bill never materialized before the Legislature ended its session last month, so projects at about a dozen colleges, including Broome, will temporarily be without the funding. Broome Community College is without $5 million for the SUNY Broome Hospitality Center to be built at the Carnegie Library in downtown Binghamton. State lawmakers are not expected back before January.

Governor Cuomo today announced a statewide initiative to combat the rise of heroin use, which includes the addition of 100 investigators to the State Police Community Narcotics Enforcement Team.  The State will make supplies of the heroin antidote “Naloxone” available to all first responder units in the State; Cuomo also announced a targeted awareness campaign that will take place on all on all public college and university campuses.

9 of the top 10 finalists from this year’s season of American Idol will be visiting NYSEG Stadium for the Binghamton Mets game on Tuesday, June 17th at 6:35 PM. Fans can interact with the group at a pre-game meet & greet from 5:15 PM to 6:00 PM at the stadium. The singing stars will throw out the first pitch prior to the game and sing the National Anthem as a group.  The American Idol Live! Tour opens on Tuesday, June 24 in the Southern Tier at the Broome County Veteran’s Memorial Arena.

SUNY Chancellor Nancy Zimpher will head a national group of college leaders that will promote  the Common Core standards across the country. She said the tougher testing is needed to prepare students for college, but this year, State leaders made modifications to the program following widespread complaints from educators, parents and students. More than 200 college and university leaders from 33 states will form the “Higher Ed for Higher Standards.” (http://higheredforhigherstandards.org/) Promotion.

State lawmakers held budget hearings last week, and those from the agricultural community were not happy with some of the cuts proposed by Governor Cuomo this year.  Assemblyman Bill Magee explains:

(Magee 3-6-14)

Magee said that each house will pass their budget bills shortly, and then the conference committee will get to work on the various pieces of the budget, which is due to be passed on April 1st.

In less than 2 months, Sidney village leaders will know if their aggressive plans to get residents out of the flood zone, will beat out other plans for ran additional 3 million dollars from the state.  John Redente has been helping to put together the final plans based on public input:

(John Redente 3-6-14)

The state will announce which community plans will get the additional funding in the first week of May.

State police arrested Cody McNeilly of Binghamton with Unlawful Manufacture of Methamphetamine, Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance and Driving While Ability Impaired by Drugs.  McNeilly was charged after a trooper located His  vehicle running, in a snowbank with McNeilly  asleep at the wheel.  McNEILLY was arraigned in Town of Triangle court and sent to the Broome County Jail

SUNY Broome Community College will hold its annual Job Fair from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM on April 10th  in the SUNY Broome Ice Center on Front street in Binghamton.  The event is open to the public, in recent years, the Job Fair has hosted between 60 and 70 employers.