WCDO Radio News

Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested and charged 41
year old Wade Johnson of Davenport, Wednesday for making an unsafe lane change,
leaving the scene of a property damage motor vehicle, and driving while
intoxicated, following a report of a vehicle into a utility pole on Charlotte
Creek Road in the Town of Davenport. Deputies say Johnson fled the scene of the
accident after the collision and was later apprehended at an address in the
Town of Davenport. Johnson was arraigned & was released on his own
recognizance to reappear at a later date.

Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 31-year-old
Joseph Clark of Franklin, New York on a bench warrant issued by the Town of
Franklin Court for failure to pay fines on a previous charge of Disorderly
Conduct, stemming from an incident in the Town of Franklin earlier in
2018.  Clark was arraigned in the Town of
Delhi Court and released on his own recognizance.  Clark is scheduled to return to the Town of
Franklin Court at a later date.

State Police continue to investigate tips that will help locate the person or persons responsible for throwing 2 beagle mix dogs out of a moving vehicle on Wednesday, December 12th on I-81 in Marathon. Several local, state and national animal welfare agencies and private donors are now offering a total of $16, 500 reward leading to the conviction of the person(s) responsible after the case has gained national attention. The following agencies have contributed: the Animal Legal Defense Fund $10,000, People for Ethical Treatment of Animals $5,000, the New York State Humane Association $1,000 and a private donation $500. Anyone with information about the suspect(s) is asked to call SP Homer at (607)749-1614.

Governor Cuomo today announced that more than $763 million in economic and community development funding has been awarded through Round 8 of the Regional Economic Development Council initiative. Locally, the Southern Tier RDC, which covers Delaware & Broome Counties, will get 65.4 Million dollars for various projects, Central New York, which includes Chenango County, receives 88.2 million dollars, and the Mohawk Valley region, which includes Otsego County, receives in 85.4 Million dollars.

NY State of Health announced that enrollment reached 4.7 million at close of business on December 15th, the deadline for January 1st 2019 coverage. Enrollment volumes in Qualified Health Plans and the Essential Plan outpaced last year’s levels with over 83,000 more people enrolled compared to last year.

In 2018, The Raymond Corporation contributed to over 150 nonprofit and educational organizations with monetary contributions, forklift donations and voluntary participation. Raymond gave food donations to the local food pantries, supported causes ranging from cancer awareness, veterans rehabilitation and animal rescue, & Raymond and its employees supported such programs as the American Red Cross, Habitat for Humanity, Breast Cancer Awareness, & Big Brothers and Big Sisters. More information is available at raymondcorp.com.

Charter Spectrum will pay a record $174 million and refund customers in New York $62 million in a settlement over claims it defrauded internet subscribers. The settlement announced Tuesday by the State Attorney General's Office is the largest consumer payment by an internet provider in U.S. history. Charter Spectrum has agreed to provide some premium cable channels for free to customers as part of the deal, customers will each receive between $75 and $150, and they will also get streaming services and premium channels, with a retail value of over $100 million, at no charge for about 2.2 million active subscribers.

The Oneonta Common Council will hold their next regular meeting this evening at 7:00 PM at City Hall. A Public hearing will be held regarding Sewers another will be held regarding fire prevention, the meeting is open to the public.

Emergency crews responded to a Tractor Trailer fire at about 12:00 Noon today. The fire was knocked down quickly & the westbound lanes of I-88 were re-opned quickly, WCDO news will have further details as they become available.

The Binghamton Devils donated over six barrels of non-perishable food to CHOW today with the help of team captain, Kevin Rooney. The food was collected from fans during the Put the Biscuit in the Basket food drive from November 28 to December 15, 2018. Totaling 1,415 pounds, the provisions will help feed Broome County families in need this holiday season.

Senator Fred Akshar will continue the second year of his district-wide "Akshar's All-Stars" student recognition program on Tuesday by recognizing students at one Broome County school and three Chenango County schools. Each month, Senator Akshar recognizes local students selected by their school districts in the 52nd Senate District who have shown great leadership, compassion, school spirit or improvement amongst their peers. Senator Akshar will make presentations starting at 8:00 AM at the Harpursville High School, then at 9:00 AM at Afton High School, 11:00 AM at Bainbridge-Guilford High School and and at 1:15 pm at the DCMO BOCES Campus in Norwich.

Firefighters from a dozen area companies responded to a blaze on Porter Hollow Road in Port Crane at about 8:00 PM Sunday. Firefighters were on the scene for about 4 ½ hours, No injuries were reported , and the unidentified family of 4 were left homeless.

Sheriff Cutting reports on December 6th, 2018 the Chenango County Sheriff’s Office arrested an inmate for assaulting a Corrections Officer. Members of the Detectives Division arrested Michael J. Perry, age 42 who was incarcerated on a separate charge. It is alleged that Perry assaulted a Corrections Officer in an attempt to get to another inmate within the facility. Perry was processed for Assault in the Second Degree and arraigned in the Town of Norwich Court. He was remanded back to the Chenango County Correctional Facility.

Firefighters from Franklin, Oneonta, West Oneonta, Otego, Sidney, SIdney Center, Treadwell & Wells Bridge responded early this morning to a fire at 161 HODGE ROAD in the town of Franklin. The fire was called in at about 12:10 AM; The home was destroyed in the blaze, the cause of the fire is under investigation.

SFCU announced that James Reynolds will replace Jim Doig as the President & CEO of SFCU shortly, both talked to WCDO News about the change in leadership:

(Reynolds/ Doig 12-10-18)

Doig announced his retirement recently after serving for 22 years as the President & CEO of SFCU.

Lee Smith and Harold Baines have been elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame by the Today’s Game Era Committee, it was announced today on MLB Network. The Today’s Game Era Committee considered a ballot of six former players, 3 former managers and 1 former executive whose contributions to the game were most significant from 1988 through the present. The Today’s Game Era Committee held meetings today in Las Vegas, site of Baseball’s Winter Meetings. Smith and Baines will be joined in the Hall of Fame Class of 2019 by any electees who emerge from the Baseball Writers’ Association of America voting, which will be announced on Tuesday, January 22nd.

Retiring State Senator John Bonacic announced that he will be closing his Delhi Office on Friday December 21st. anyone needing to contact Senator Bonacic can call the Middletown Office at 845-344-3311 until the end of the year. Bonacic decided to retire this year after serving for decades in both the State Assembly & State Senate.

State Police arrested 30 year old Dustin Freeman of Morris after he allegedly threatened a victim with a knife and sexually assaulted the victim in the New Berlin area. Freeman was charged with 1st degree Rape, Criminal Sexual Act and Unlawful Imprisonment, after Troopers located Freeman in the city of Rome, where he fled on foot. He was taken into custody & was transported to Norwich where he was processed and later arraigned in the town of Norwich Court where he was remanded to the Chenango County Jail without bail. An order of protection was also issued by the judge to the victim. The investigation is still on-going.

A Town of Norwich resident was arrested by the Chenango County Sheriff’s Office for Endangering the Welfare of a Child and Harassment. Deputies arrested 61 year old Larry Conant after an incident that occurred on a Norwich Central School bus in the town of Guilford. Conant, was a school bus aid, he allegedly used unnecessary force on a 7 year old child. Conant was released on an appearance ticket for a later date.

A Town of Norwich resident was arrested by the Chenango County Sheriff’s Office for Criminal Contempt. Deputies arrested 20 year old Jeremy Thomas After responding to a complaint at a business in the Town of Norwich it was found that Thomas violated an order of protection. Thomas was processed and released on an appearance ticket. Thomas is to appear in the Town of Norwich Court at a later date.

The American Red Cross is hosting a Blood Drive in Sidney today from 2:30 p.m. - 6:30 pm, at the A.O. Fox Tri-Town Campus. Blood donors of all blood types, especially type O, and platelet donors are urged to make an appointment to donate at RedCrossBlood.org or by calling 1-800-RED CROSS

Luis Rojas will join the New York Mets Major League coaching staff for the 2019 season, filling the new position of Quality Control Coach. Rojas served as the Binghamton Rumble Ponies manager for two seasons, The Mets have yet to name a replacement for Rojas in Binghamton. The Rumble Ponies will start their 2019 home schedule at NYSEG Stadium on April 11, 2019 against the Erie Sea Wolves.

As part of an initiative to be designated as a Clean Energy Community, the City of Oneonta has installed a ChargePoint Level 2 electric vehicle charging station in the Dietz Street parking lot. The Program is a NYSERDA initiative to reward communities for becoming more energy efficient. The charging station is equipped with two ports, allowing two vehicles to charge simultaneously. Initially, the City will not apply a fee for drivers to use this EV charging station. However, drivers must be a member of the ChargePoint network. 2 parking spaces, adjacent to the charging station in the Dietz Street Parking Lot, will be reserved for electric vehicles only.

The Sidney-Oneonta Area chapter of the Disabled American Veterans needs volunteer drivers to bring vets to the Albany VA Hospital. Program Spokesman Ernest Thompson told WCDO News that volunteers would need to visit the Albany VA Hospital to become certified to volunteer:

(Ernest Thompson 10-19-18)

Anyone interested in becoming a volunteer driver for the disabled American Veterans can call Thompson at 764-8134 or Michael Alvin at 988-9330.

Delaware County’s clean sweep event is being held today & tomorrow. Businesses & Farms ONLY, dropped off their hazardous materials for a small fee this morning, Households drop their items off tomorrow free of charge, from 8:00 AM to 12:00 Noon. This year is the 22nd annual Clean Sweep event.

State Police arrested 19 year old Nathaniel Rowe of Coventry for Grand Larceny & Criminal Possession of Stolen Property. Troopers learned that a Toyota Camry was stolen from State Route 7 in the town of Afton, Troopers also received a report that an ATV was taken from a property in the town of Coventry. The Toyota Camry was found behind a barn on Buckley Hill Road in the town of Coventry. Investigators determined that the suspect in both cases was Rowe and he was arrested, he was also found to be in possession of a stolen credit card. Rowe was arraigned in the town of Afton Court where he was remanded to the Chenango County Jail on $10,000 cash bail or $25,000 bail bond. This case is under investigation.

State Police arrested 36 year old Katie McKie of Unadilla for Identity Theft, after Troopers received a report on August 30, 2018 that the victim was notified by his credit report agency that a new credit card had been opened at a veterinary office in his name. The Victim told a troopers that he did not have any animals. After a more than month long investigation, troopers determined that McKie knew the victim and opened a credit card in his name. She was subsequently arrested and issued an appearance ticket returnable to the town of Unadilla Court on October 22nd.

Governor Cuomo announced that more than $3.4 million in projects in the Southern Tier are expected to begin this fall to help flood-prone communities plan and prepare for extreme weather events as they continue to recover from Superstorm Sandy, Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee. The funding is part of more than $41.1 million in NY Rising Community Reconstruction projects slated to get underway across the state this fall. The 3 Broome County projects were identified by NY Rising Community Reconstruction Planning Committee members as priorities for their neighborhoods and are among hundreds across the state funded by the Governor's Office of Storm Recovery NY Rising Community Reconstruction Program.

The Delaware County Sheriff’s Office arrested Mark Tubbs and Angela Huggins both of Sidney, for 1 count each of Unlawful Possession of Marijuana and Endangering the Welfare of a Child. The pair are accused of possessing marijuana in their apartment, where a 9 year old child also resided. The arrests came during the execution of arrest warrants at the Huggins and Tubbs residence by the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office Special Response Team. Both Huggins and Tubbs will appear in the Village of Sidney Court shortly to answer these charges.

Delaware County Sheriff's Department Investigators arrested 35 year old Philip Albergo of Meridale and charged him with Criminal Possession of a Weapon, Unlawfully Dealing With Fireworks and Dangerous Fireworks. Albergo was out on Probation on an unrelated charge, Probation Officers discovered a high capacity ammunition feeding device, which is banned in New York State, they also seized numerous unlawful fireworks. Albergo is being held at the Delaware County Correctional Facility as a Probation Violator, to be arraigned in the Town of Meredith Court on these charges at a later time.

Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 39 year old Eric Rossman of Davenport for criminal possession of stolen property, following an investigation into a stolen vehicle in the Town of Harpersfield earlier this year. Deputies encountered Rossman after responding to an accident in the Town of Delhi where he left the scene, they also discovered that Rossman was operating a motor vehicle with a suspended license, which led to several other charges. Rossman was arraigned at the Town of Davenport Court and was remanded to the Delaware County Correctional Facility in lieu of $5,000 cash bail or $10,000 secured bond, he will appear in the Town of Davenport and the Town of Delhi courts at a later date.

A Delaware County Grand Jury handed down several Sealed Indictments Thursday relating to 3 separate narcotics trafficking investigations conducted in the Sidney and Hancock areas by the Delaware County Sheriff's Office Criminal Investigation Division.   Arrested were 36 year old Angela Huggins of Sidney, 36 year old Mark Tubbs of Sidney & 30 year old Lisa Hayslip of Oneonta for selling illegal drugs in Sidney.  4 people from Fish’s Eddy were charged, 23 year old Samantha Wren, 33 year old William Weyrauch, 29 year old Seth Appley & 29 year old Lacey Benson for allegedly selling a variety of illegal drugs in Fishes Eddy, Benson faces an additional charge of Promoting Prison Contraband, for allegedly introducing secreted hypodermic instruments into the Delaware County Correctional Facility following her arrest.  All were arraigned and were remanded to the Delaware County Jail without bail pending further court action.

State Police at Norwich are looking for the public’s help in locating a 43-year-old woman from Greene who is in need of medication. Arzou Hami was last seen on Sunday, October 7th exiting a vehicle near State Highway 369 in Port Crane. Hami has also identified herself as Michelle Girard. She was last seen wearing white capris, slip-on shoes, a dark shirt and carrying two suitcases, she is white, approximately 5’7, 165 pounds with short brown hair and brown eyes. Anyone with information is asked to contact State Police at 561-7400.

The Chenango County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Division and the City of Norwich Police Department conducted a traffic stop on 29 year old Logan Dalrymple of Sherburne, whose vehicle and person were subject to a search warrant. Officers seized methamphetamine packaged for sale and Suboxone strips. Dalrymple was charged with Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance, Possession of a controlled substance, Tampering with Physical Evidence and Promoting Prison Contraband, she was arraigned in the City of Norwich Court and remanded to the Chenango County Correctional Facility on $25,000 cash bail, the investigation is ongoing and additional arrests are expected.

Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 22-year-old Dane Edwards of Deposit on an Arrest Warrant issued by the Village of Deposit Court for 3rd degree Assault, involving an incident earlier this year in Deposit. Edwards was arraigned and was released on his own recognizance. He is scheduled to appear at the Village of Deposit Court at a later date to answer the charges.

State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli announced the release of his report, outlining municipalities in various stages of Fiscal Stress. Locally, the worst ranking was Broome County, which topped the list of “Susceptible to Fiscal Stress”, which was the 3rd level of fiscal Stress identified by DiNapoli’s office. The report can be located at osc.state.ny.us.

Former Focus Otsego operators Joseph Zupnik and Daniel Herman pleaded guilty recently to endangering the welfare of an incompetent or physically disabled person, in connection with an incident in which a 94-year-old resident in the facility was left in a recliner for almost 2 straight days. Zupnik & Herman were ordered to pay a fine of $5,000, the maximum fine for that charge. Zupnik & Herman are no longer associated with the facility, which is under new ownership, and is doing business as "Centers Home Health Care"

The Chenango County Department of Health and Area Agency on Aging will be hosting their annual Senior Flu Vaccination Clinic for adults age 60 and over Today, from 9:30 to 11:30 AM at the Norwich Family YMCA. The Chenango County Health Department will administer flu shots, and are available to discuss programs and services. The Norwich Police Department will be doing a drug take back where they will collect any old or unused prescription medications for proper disposal. more information call the Chenango County Health Department at 337-1660.

Free 5-gallon pails of remixed exterior latex paint are available to non-profit agencies and Otsego County residents free of charge on a first come first serve basis. The
paint was collected as part of the county’s annual Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day held this past September. Paint collected during the event was re-mixed
and packaged for distribution through the generosity of Golden Artist Colors, Inc. of New Berlin. To place an order or to get more information, call the Otsego County
Planning Department at 547-4225.

The Bainbridge Glow Run 5K & 1 Mile Lightning Bug dash will be held on September 29th at General Clinton Park in Bainbridge, The event is a fundraiser for a
Bainbridge native fighting cancer, according to organizer Heather Bucalos of Sidney, who is also a cancer survivor, she told WCDO News that there are a lot of costs to
deal with for cancer patients:

(Heather Bucalos 9-20-18)

Registration for the event is available at Runsignup.com/Race/NY/Bainbridge/GlowFundraiser

New York state’s farms generated $4.8 billion in revenue in 2017, with 15 agricultural products ranked in the top 5 nationwide, according to a report released today by
State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli. New York has more than 35,000 farms covering 7.3 million acres, nearly one quarter of the state’s land area. Milk is by far the state’s
largest agricultural commodity, with $2.7 billion in sales in 2017, New York vineyards covered 35,000 acres in 2017, producing 187,000 tons of grapes, surpassed only by
California and Washington. The full report is available at osc.state.ny.us/reports.

Sidney High School Senior J.P. Dewey has been selected to perform with the NYSSMA Conference All-State Jazz Ensemble in Rochester this fall. Dewey will be playing
piano in the 18-piece ensemble, and will also attend the music conference from November 29-December 2, he will also be eligible to perform with the ensemble in March
as part of NYSSMA Day festivities in Albany.

Otsego County held its 21st annual Hazardous Waste Collection Day this past weekend, with a Friday event in Unadilla & the Saturday event at the Meadows Office Complex in Cooperstown. Approximately 689 households participated, & this was the 9th year that pharmaceuticals and medications were collected free of charge, with an estimated 175 pounds collected for incineration. A team of local volunteers diverted latex paint from the waste stream and poured an estimated 270 gallons into bulk containers, which will be re-mixed by Golden Artist Colors of Chenango County for eventual re-distribution to local not-for-profit agencies.

Tomorrow will be the “Test Drive Your Seat” event from 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM at the Forum Theatre in Binghamton. Tina Niles from NAC Entertainment explains:

(Tina Niles 9-12-18)

Broadway Theatre League Staff will be on hand to answer any questions on the season; more information is available at 772-1391 or at Broadway In Binghamton.com

The Otsego County Democratic committee announced that they will hold their annual dinner and Silent Auction Saturday at the Hunt Union Ballroom at SUNY Oneonta. The special guest will be 19th congressional District candidate Antonio Delgado, who is running against Republican incumbent John Faso in November.

3 people were arrested in connection with a series of area burglaries.  State Police arrested 27 year old Steven Barrows of Sidney and 27 year old Zackery England of Sidney for Burglary and Conspiracy and 30 year old Nicole Bell of Oneonta for False Personation, Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance, Criminal Possession of a Weapon and Unlawfully Possessing a Noxious Material & as a fugitive from justice from the state of Georgia. An investigation revealed that Barrows and England allegedly attempted to break into the property in Guilford, burglarized a seasonal home in Oxford and a seasonal garage in Guilford. Bell originally provided a false name during the arrest of all 3, she was found to be in possession of 2 bb guns, methamphetamine, heroin and brass knuckles. Barrows and England were arraigned in the town of Oxford Court where Barrows was remanded with no bail to the Chenango County Jail and England was remanded on $15,000 cash bail or $30,000 property bond. Bell was arraigned in the town of Unadilla Court and was remanded to the Otsego County Jail on no bail.  Additional charges are also expected.

State Police arrested 26 year old Zachary Thomas of Deposit for Grand Larceny and Criminal Possession of Stolen Property. A trooper was contacted by the administrator of an estate of a man who recently passed away. The administrator told the trooper a $5,000 tractor was stolen from the property, Thomas allegedly took the tractor and hid it behind a barn in Bainbridge. Thomas was arrested and arraigned in the town of Coventry Court where he was released on his own recognizance. His next appearance in court is September 26th.

Otsego County's 21st Annual Household Hazardous Waste Days will be held Today & tomorrow. Otsego County Residents can bring household hazardous waste, such as enamel paints, pesticides, antifreeze, batteries and more FREE of CHARGE, Last year 550 cars from an estimated 600 households brought various hazardous materials for disposal. Household collections will be held this morning at the Unadilla Town Barn from 8:00AM to 11:00 AM, and Saturday, at the Meadows Office Complex in Cooperstown from 8:00AM to 1:00PM.

Chenango County Sheriff's Deputies arrested 27 year old Makia Hathaway of Norwich for Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance. Hathaway was charged following the investigation of a domestic dispute, she was found to be in possession of methamphetamine & was taken into custody without incident. Hathaway was arraigned in the Town of Norwich Court & was remanded to the Chenango County Jail on cash bail pending court action at a later date.

Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 26 year old Dominick Barkman of Delhi for Reckless Endangerment following the report of gun shots fired in the Town of Delhi. Barkman is accused of recklessly engaging in conduct that created a substantial risk of serious physical injury to another person by discharging a firearm within close proximity to occupied dwellings. Barkman was arraigned on the current charge, as well as for violating Environmental Conservation Laws; he was remanded to the custody of the Delaware County Jail on $1000 cash bail, or $2000 bond pending future court action.

Delaware County Sheriff Craig DuMond announced that his office has initiated a partnership with the State DOT Motor Carrier Truck Inspectors to conduct commercial vehicle inspections in Delaware County. On Wednesday, August 22, Sheriff’s Deputies and NYS DOT Inspectors conducted inspections on State Highway 10 in the Town of Hamden, 6 commercial vehicle inspections were conducted, 6 tickets were issued 1of the commercial vehicles was taken out of service. on Friday, Deputies and NYS DOT Inspectors conducted a commercial vehicle inspection detail on State Highway 23 in the Town of Davenport; 6 inspections were conducted, 11 tickets were issued &
All 6 vehicles were taken out of service by NYS DOT Inspectors.

The NYS Smokers' Quitline, recently launched a fully updated, redesigned and mobile-ready website www.nysmokefree.com Linda Wegner of the Advancing Tobacco Free Communities - Delaware, Otsego & Schoharie Counties commented about the 24/7/365 website:

(Linda Wegner 8-23-18)

The NYS Smokers’ Quitline is a service of the NYS Department of Health, at 1-866-NY-QUITS, which is still free of charge, & is available 7 days a week starting at 9:00 AM each day.

The Great New York State Fair opened Wednesday & broke their 1st-day attendance record with total attendance at 73,596 people. The number breaks last year's record by more than 5600 people. The full list of activities is available at nysfair.ny.gov.

There have been some changes regarding the requirements for those seeking to get a high school equivalency through the TASC program recently. June White of the Afton Central School Tasc Program explains:

(June White 5-8-18)

Anyone who is interested in participating in the TASC program can contact June White at 639-2811.

Otsego County's 21st Annual Household Hazardous Waste Days will be held on September 7th and 8th. Otsego County Residents can bring household hazardous waste, such as enamel paints, pesticides, antifreeze, batteries and more FREE of CHARGE for proper disposal. Last year 550 cars from an estimated 600 households brought various hazardous materials for disposal. NO REGISTRATION FOR HOUSEHOLD COLLECTION. Household collections will be held on Friday, September 7th at the Unadilla Town Barn from 8:00AM to 11:00 AM, and Saturday, September 8th at the Meadows Office Complex in Cooperstown from 8:00AM to 1:00PM.

Otsego County's 21st Annual Household Hazardous Waste Days will be held on September 7th and 8th. Otsego County Residents can bring household hazardous waste, such as enamel paints, pesticides, antifreeze, batteries and more FREE of CHARGE for proper disposal. Last year 550 cars from an estimated 600 households brought various hazardous materials for disposal. NO REGISTRATION FOR HOUSEHOLD COLLECTION. Household collections will be held on Friday, September 7th at the Unadilla Town Barn from 8:00AM to 11:00 AM, and Saturday, September 8th at the Meadows Office Complex in Cooperstown from 8:00AM to 1:00PM.

State Police responded to a train derailment parallel to State Route 17 in Deposit early Thursday morning. The train was traveling in a westbound direction from New Jersey to Binghamton, heavy rainfall and flooding caused a small section of the NY Southern Railroad line to erode at a culvert overpass making the tracks impassible. The train was hauling 59 cars and 4 locomotives, 16 of them derailed, 2 of the locomotives were leaking diesel fuel into the west branch Delaware River tributary. All of the cargo remained intact and there was no danger to the public. As a precaution, four trailers and one single family residence were evacuated but the residents were told they could return. There were no injuries & Cleanup efforts continue.

The City of Oneonta with its contractor, Cobleskill Stone, will be paving streets today & Saturday. The work will be performed between 7:00 AM & 5:00 PM on Oak Street, Spring Street, Grove Street (from Cliff Street to Spring Street) & Grove Street from Main Street to Academy Street. The streets will be closed to traffic during paving operations. More information is available at 432-2100 or dpsinfo@oneonta.ny.us

Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 69 year old Alan Tiffany of Walton on a criminal summons issued by The Town of Sidney Court for Harassment. The arrest followed an investigation into a report of a disturbance at a Rest Area on I-88 in the Town of Sidney on July 18th, where Tiffany is alleged to have subjected another person to unwanted physical contact. Tiffany is scheduled to appear at Town of Sidney Court at a later date to answer the charges.

29 year old Mark Briley was arrested by the Otsego County Sheriff's Office for failing to mail his identification form within 10 days to the state Sex Offender Registry and leaving the state. Briley is on parole in New York, he was located in New Jersey and extradited back to New York, he was issued an appearance ticket for the Town of Oneonta Court for August 14th. Briley was charged with aggravated sexual abuse of a fellow inmate at Otsego County Jail in 2006, he is a level 2 sex offender & he is required to register for life.

Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 27 year old James Cormier on a charge of Aggravated Unlicensed Operation of a Motor Vehicle, uninspected motor vehicle and unlicensed driver, following a traffic stop on Meredith Street in the Village of Delhi. Cormier was released on tickets and is scheduled to return to the Town of Delhi Court at a later date.

Delaware County Sheriff Deputies arrested 49 year old David Aunchman of Delhi for Aggravated Harassment and Criminal Contempt, for allegedly calling a protected party and violating an Order of Protection issued by the Delaware County Family Court. Aunchman was arraigned in the Town of Delhi Court where he was released on recognizance and directed to reappear in that court on a later date to answer the charges.

There have been many changes made in New York State in recent years regarding the care for those who are developmentally disabled. The Joshua House in Sidney is looking to expand in as many ways as they can to help those in need, Joshua House Executive Director Delsa McEwen comments:

(Delsa McEwen 7-20-18)

State Assemblyman Cliff Crouch along with Sidney Village Officials toured the Division Street Joshua House Facility in Sidney this afternoon, Crouch has served on a Task Force dealing with the changes that are facing the developmentally disabled, he told WCDO News that he will do whatever he can legislatively in the 2019 Legisaltive Session:

(Cliff Crouch 7-20-18)

Joshua House currently has 4 locations in the Sidney Area, they employ 68 people currently, and they are seeking to add Direct Care Service Professionals to their staff, more information is available at 563-3994 or on the Joshua House Facebook page.

The Sidney American Legion is hosting a benefit for Joshua Newell, a local man who is battling leukemia, and has to travel to Buffalo for treatment, and will likely be unable to work for about 1 year. . The benefit will be held tomorrow from 1:00 to 6:00 PM with raffles, Food & live music from the Rylee Lum Band, Jason Wicks & others. The charge will be $7.00 per person, under 12 is free.

Governor Cuomo announced that $275 million in grant funding is available to municipalities with infrastructure projects that protect or improve water quality and/or public health. This funding is available through the Water Infrastructure Improvement Act and the Intermunicipal Water Infrastructure Grants Program. Municipalities, county or town improvement districts and certain other entities are eligible to apply for funding; more information is available at efc.ny.gov.

The Sidney Emergency Squad has experienced increasing demand on their services over the first 3 years of service. Director of Operations Dana Weygand told WCDO that while they are a not-for-profit organization, there is still a charge for the services:

(Dana Weygand 6-28-18)

Weygand said that they are still seeking a larger home facility, and they would like to increase the number of crews, more information about joining the Sidney Emergency Squad is available at 561-2316.

State Police arrested 34 year old Bradley Lidell of Norwich for felony of Aggravated Unlicensed Operation, DWI, & Refusal to Submit to a Breath Test. Troopers were dispatched to a reported one car rollover on County Road 21 in the town of Smyrna. Troopers located Lidell, their investigation revealed Lidell’s license has been suspended 17 times. Lidell was transported to the Chenango Memorial Hospital for a complaint of pain. After he was released, he was processed at SP Norwich then arraigned in the Smyrna Town Court. Lidell was remanded to the Chemung County Jail on $7,500 cash bail or $12,000 bond.

Chenango County District Attorney Joe McBride announced that 34 year old Tobias Rundstrom-Wooding pleaded guilty this morning in Chenango County Court to 2nd degree murder and 1st degree rape.

(McBride 6-22-18)

Rundstrom-Wooding & James Brower were both charged in connection with the rape & murder of 11 year old Jacelyn O'Connor in their town of Norwich residence on July 30th of 2017. Rundstrom-Wooding will be sentenced on August 13th to 20 years to life in prison.

Jabari Ashe of Binghamton was sentenced to 25 years to life in Prison in Broome County Court for the fatal shooting of Tyquan Gumbs in Binghamton on April 28th of 2017. Ashe was charged with 2nd degree murder, he was found guilty in Broome County Court recently following a 3 day trial.

The Great Race is stopping at the Northeast Classic Car Museum for their Lunch Stop on Sunday. 120 vintage race cars will fill the 3 blocks in front of the museum, an Opening ceremony will be at noon, followed by cars coming in at a rate of one a minute for 2 hours. Rexford Street will be closed to the public Sunday, so the racers can come in and park their cars on the street. The public is welcome. The museum will be open 9 am-5 pm, there is no charge to see any cars outside the museum. More information is available at greatrace.com.

State Police arrested 28 year old David Sarauw of Colesville, for felony Criminal Contempt, following a complaint when a victim told troopers Sarauw was violating an Order of Protection and continued to call the victim over four dozen times. Sarauw was arrested & was arraigned in the town of Colesville Court and remanded to the Broome County Jail on $500 cash bail.

The Broome County District Attorney's office announced that 45 year old Shannon Callahan of Binghamton was indicted by a Grand Jury on a number of charges including Attempted 2nd degree Murder, 1st degree assault plus a weapons charge, for allegedly slashing his girlfriend's throat with a Box Cutter during a domestic dispute on May 22nd in Binghamton. Callahan faces arraignment on the charges shortly, he could face up to 25 years in prison if convicted.

State Police arrested 33-year-old Robert West of New Berlin for allegedly sending messages of a sexual nature to the child by Snapchat. West has been charged with 2nd-degree sexual abuse, forcible touching, & 2 counts of endangering the welfare of a child. West was arraigned in North Norwich town court and sent to Chenango County Jail on $5,000 bail.

Assemblyman Cliff Crouch and State Senator Fred Akshar will be holding a dedication ceremony to name the bridge on route 97 spanning the Delaware River the "Hancock Veterans Memorial Bridge" this Thursday, June 21 at 10:00 a.m. at the corner of Route 97 and Front Street in the Village of Hancock. The bridge is being named in honor of all those from the village who lost their lives in service to our country.

The State Legislature plans to wrap up the 2018 session today in Albany. Final votes are expected to be on bills to expand school zone speed cameras, overhaul the teacher evaluation system & school security; lawmakers are not expected to act on legalizing recreational marijuana.

Former State Senate Leader Dean Skelos and his son Adam returned to a Manhattan Federal Court room Tuesday, they will be retried on corruption charges, after their previous convictions were tossed on appeal. Both were convicted in 2015< dean Skelos was accused of using his political influence to get his son Adam a series of “No Show” jobs with salaries totaling hundreds of thousands of dollars annually. The 2015 convictions were tossed after the US Supreme Court changed the definition of public corruption, which allowed for retrial for Skelos & former Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver.

The Sidney EMS is into its 3rd year, with huge growth for a need of their services by the community, which means a need for bigger facilities, more staff & more equipment. Dana Weygand is the Director of Operations for SIDNEY EMS:

(Dana Weygand 6-20-18)

Weygand said that the unit is a Not-For Profit, they do charge for their services, with the money used to upgrade equipment & keep the staff up to date on the latest techniques 7 technologies, a fundraising effort should be announced shortly.

Charter Communications, the parent company of Spectrum cable, was ordered by New York regulators Thursday to pay a $2 million fine for not building out its cable network and expanding high-speed internet service as they promised at the time of their Time Warner cable takeover in 2016. The Public Service Commission also threatened to revoke its approval of the merger if Charter doesn't agree to the penalty.

State lawmakers on Wednesday passed a bill to toughen New York’s child sex trafficking laws. The new law would punish anyone over the age of 21 who intentionally promotes or profits from the prostitution of minors with a felony sex trafficking charge, facing up to 25 years behind bars. Currently, prosecutors have to prove minors were forced or coerced into the sex trade to secure a trafficking conviction.

The Chenango County Industrial Development agency announced that for the first time in 12 years, commercial freight was shipped on the Utica mainline railroad tracks through Chenango County. Train traffic was halted by washouts from the 2006 floods. The first train consisted of a locomotive pulling 2 flat cars carrying steel beams from the Bull Moose Tube Company of Elkhart Indiana; they were being shipped to Di Highway Sign 7 Structure Company in New York Mills Wednesday.

The Greater Binghamton Chamber of Commerce is holding another Job Fair today will be held at the SUNY Broome Ice center. Dozens of area businesses are participating and hundreds of job seekers are expected to attend. The Job Fair runs from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM.

There will be a Federal Primary Election on Tuesday, June 26th; Polls will be open from 12:00 Noon to 9:00 PM. Those registered in the Democratic Party will chose a candidate for the 19th congressional district race, as will the Women’s Equality Party. June 19th is the last day an absentee ballot application may be mailed to the Board of Elections. June 25th is the last day to apply in person for an absentee ballot and the last day to mail a completed ballot to the Board of Elections. June 26th is the last day for a ballot to be delivered by agent to the Board of Elections. More information is available at 832-5321 Voters can view sample ballots at the Board of Elections website: co.delaware.ny.us.

Delaware County Sheriff Deputies responded to a 911 call of a domestic dispute April 29th at the East Branch Motel in Hancock. Deputies were notified that the victim had escaped from the suspect and was now locked in another room of the motel, she was removed from the scene and transported to Delaware Valley Hospital where she was treated for her injuries and later released. Deputies found 31 year old Donald Ostrander of Deposit in a wooded area, he was charged with Burglary, Strangulation, Criminal Possession of a Weapon, Menacing, Unlawful imprisonment, Criminal mischief & assault, he was arraigned & was remanded to the Delaware County Correctional Facility on $10,000 cash bail pending further court action.

The Office of General Services will collect worn and tattered flags at various locations statewide so that they can be properly retired, they will be disposed of as part of the Memorial Watchfire hosted by the Vietnam Veterans of America, Chapter 103, on Sunday, May 27th, 2018 at the State Fairgrounds in Syracuse. More Information is available at cnyvva103.org/watchfire

The Otsego County Sheriff’s Office announces the arrest of 25 year old Damian Bouton of Oneonta; following a dog complaint in the Town of Laurens. Bouton abandoned a brindle pit-bull mix, the animal is now in the care of the Pittsfield Vet Clinic. Bouton will appear in the Town of Laurens Court on Thursday to answer to the charge of Abandonment of an Animal.

Governor Cuomo today announced that $20 million in new state funding is now available to support safety improvements, modernize operations and enhance the economic competitiveness of New York airports. The Aviation Capital Grant Program is open to public-use airports listed in the State Airport System Plan. The State DOT will be accepting applications for this funding opportunity through June 29th. Program guidance and applications may be found at dot.ny.gov/aviationgrants.

About 10,000 NYSEG customers were without power Sunday evening following a storm system that passed through the upstate Counties over the weekend. About 85 were without power in Broome & Chenango Counties from that system as of Sunday night.

With the National Weather Service issuing a "Wind Advisory"; NYSEG announced that there staff is monitoring weather forecasts throughout the upstate Counties today & tonight. Customers are urged to be attentive to weather reports and prepare for the possibility of service interruptions. Storm readiness teams are in place, if the expected high winds knock down trees & power lines.

Saturday will be the 7th Annual ‘I Love My Park Day’ at 135 New York State Parks, Historic Sites and Public Lands, with more than 8,000 volunteers expected to participate. Most events will begin at 9:00 am and end by 12:00pm, a list of Participating parks, can be found at ptny.org/events/i-love-my-park-day. Governor Cuomo also announced $90 million in revitalization and rehabilitation projects at nearly 50 State parks and historic sites across New York this year, which was recently included in the State Budget.

The Center for Disease Control has released a report that states that over the last 13 years the number of illnesses has tripled from mosquito, tick, and flea bites. As the summer inches closer & the insect population becomes more prevalent, the CDC recommends using repellent with 20% or more DEET, or applying permethrin on your clothing. They also suggest washing all clothes on in hot water and dry them on a hot setting to kill off any remaining ticks.

The Guataleman man at the center of a recent controversy in Oneida County between ICE agent & Governor Cuomo, was indicted Wednesday on a charge of Illegal re-entry into the United States. Marcial DeLeon-Aguilar was detained on April 18th by when U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents raided the Collins family farm in Rome, where he had been working and living with his pregnant wife and 4 children. DeLeon-Aguilar has been deported 3 times since 1997: 1 time after an aggravated assault conviction, and 2 times after his illegal re-entry into the U.S.

Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 35 year old Daniel White of Mt. Upton for Aggravated Unlicensed Operation of a Motor Vehicle, use of a Vehicle without an Ignition Interlock Device, Unlawful Possession of Marihuana, plus several other traffic violations, on Circle Drive in the Village of Sidney. White was arraigned at the Village of Sidney Court and remanded to the Delaware County Correctional Facility in lieu of $2500 cash bail. White is scheduled to return to the Village of Sidney Court at a later date to answer the charges.

Broome County Special Investigators seized 200 bags of heroin, drug packaging materials, marijuana and $300 in suspected drug money from a Chenango Street residence in the City of Binghamton. The Broome County Special Investigations Unit (SIU) Task Force on Wednesday executed a search warrant at 66 Chenango Street. Police arrested 38 year old Juan Delacruz of Binghamton on a felony drug possession charge. Delacruz was arraigned in City of Binghamton court and remanded to the Broome County Jail.

The New York State Senate passed "Laree's Law" this week. Laree's Law would allow law enforcement officials to charge a drug dealer with homicide if a death results from the sale of heroin or an opiate controlled substance. State Senator Fred Akshar voted in favor of the measure, he said that High-level drug dealers who profit from the heroin epidemic should be held accountable for the lives taken from the sale of the deadly drugs, the bill moves onto the Assembly for consideration.

Saint Luke's Church, Parish Nurse Committee & the Sidney Area Youth Advocate Prgram will be presenting the documentary "Chasing The Dragon" free of charge, on Saturday April 14th at St. Luke's. The film deals with the issue of heroin & Opiod Abuse in Graphic Terms, and is a must see, according to Sidney Area Youth Advocate Program Spokesperson Ronnie Haag:

(Ronnie Haag 3-15-18)

Haag said that Parents & children middle school age & up are especially encouraged to attend, Light Refreshaments & a discussion is scheduled after the Documentary is screened.

Police in Nicaragua were turning over Orlando Tercero to Judicial Authorities in Nicaragua, they may decide to send Tercero back to Broome County to face charges, in connection with the death of Haley Anderson at Tercero's Binghamton apartment last week. Both Tercero & Anderson were nursing students at Binghamton University & had dated for a short period of time last year. The Broome County District Attorney's Office is working with Binghamton Police in presenting charges against Tercero to a grand jury, if he is indicted, he could be brought back to Binghamton to face charges.

A Nineveh woman has been arrested for allegedly stealing checks from a family member and making purchases. 35-year old Jessica Schultz was arrested on Monday and charged with grand larceny, criminal possession of a forged instrument, and identity theft. The Broome County Sheriff's Office says Schultz allegedly stole personal checks from a family member taking 63-hundred dollars from their account. Schultz was already incarcerated at the Broome County Jail on other charges. She will be arraigned in the near future.

State Police arrested 23 year old Rebecca Loucks of Cherry Valley for felony Aggravated DWI With a Child, Obstructing Governmental Administration and Unlawful Possession of Marihuana. Loucks was observed by troopers driving erratically, After troopers stopped the vehicle, they observed a one year-old child in the vehicle. Loucks is accused of Driving While Intoxicated and having marijuana in her possession. After a brief struggle with troopers, Loucks was arrested, she is scheduled to appear in the town of Cherry Valley Court on March 28th.

State Police arrested 35 year old Derek Miller of Afton for felony of Aggravated Driving While Intoxicated, after Miller crashed his vehicle on January 27th in the town of Colesville. Miller’s B.A.C. was .18% when he crashed, he is scheduled to appear at the town of Colesville court on March 21st to answer to the charge.

The DEC has rescheduled the public meeting to roll out the Joint Fisheries Investigation Plan for the Upper Delaware River. The new date is March 22 at 6pm. The meeting will be at the Hancock High School, 67 Education Lane, Hancock NY. All members of the public are encouraged to attend!

The DEC reminds residents that residential brush burning is prohibited March 16 through May 14 across New York State. DEC will post a Fire Danger Map rating forecast daily for the 2018 fire season on its website and on the NY Fishing, Hunting & Wildlife App available on DEC's website. Currently, fire conditions in most of the state are low risk. Open burning of debris is the largest single cause of spring wildfires in New York State. When temperatures are warmer and the past fall's debris and leaves dry out, wildfires can start and spread easily and be further fueled by winds and a lack of green vegetation. In the eight-year period since the ban was established, the average number of spring fires per year decreased by 36.7 percent, from 2,649 in 2009, to 1,677 in 2016.

About 185 environmental groups are urging state lawmakers and Governor Cuomo to pass legislation this session, banning plastic bags at retails stores. many localities have already banned those bags, others have imposed fees on those & other types of bags. New York City had planned to institute a fee on plastic bags to encourage re-use, state lawmakers blocked that rule from taking effect.

State police arrested 35 year old Dennis Harrington 2 times in a span of just over 4 hours. Harrington initially was charged in connection with a fight that was reported at a town of Colesville residence Monday afternoon, He originally faced counts of criminal obstruction of breathing and harassment. He was arraigned and released on his own recognizance, and an order of protection was issued. Troopers were called back to the Colesville home early Monday evening when Harrington returned. He was arrested again. This time he was charged with criminal contempt. Harrington was ordered held on $5,000 bail.

Delaware County Sheriff's Deputies investigated a complaint at the Charlotte Valley School Thursday, relating to a threat made by an elementary student at dismissal time that day. Deputies issued a juvenile appearance ticket to an unidentified 8-year-old Davenport youth, who allegedly threatened to burn down the School, the student was charged with making a terroristic threat, & will appear at the Delaware County Probation Department at a later date to answer that charge.

New York State Police and the Utica Police Department are investigating a threat at Utica College earlier today. Staff and students at Utica College received an alert at about 11:00 AM today, that the campus was on lockdown because of the threat, everyone was ordered to stay where they were while the threat was investigated. There is no confirmation of any shots fired on campus, and there are no injuries reported. Law enforcement continues to investigate threat. Local, state, and federal law enforcement are on scene.

State Police arrested 26-year-old Christopher Neumann of Castleton in connection with a collision that injured 2 troopers & 2 tow truck operators early Sunday on Interstate 90. Troopers Brent Karow and Shane Swartz were investigating an unrelated 1-car crash on I-90 in North Greenbush at approximately 5:15 a.m. Sunday, when Neumann's vehicle struck their patrol car, which then hit both troopers and tow truck operator, Jeffrey Waite. Trooper Karow was thrown 70 feet into the median, while Trooper Swartz and Waite were thrown under the tow truck, all 3 were taken to Albany Medical Center, a 2nd Tow Truck employee was hit by flying debris & was treated at the scene. Neumann was charged with 1st degree vehicular assault, DWI and numerous other traffic violations, he was arraigned & was remanded to the Rensselaer County Jail.

Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 49-year-old Daniel Fisher of Franklin Sunday on charges of Criminal Contempt & Harassment, for allegedly violating an Order of Protection. Fisher was arraigned in the Town of Franklin Court and remanded to the Delaware County Correctional Facility, pending action in Town of Franklin Court & Delaware County Family Court at a later date to answer the charges.

The State University of New York has established a task force to focus on food security issues at its 64 campuses. The SUNY system reported that 70% of its campuses have a food pantry for students or partnerships with community organizations that provide meals. SUNY Chancellor Kristina Johnson said the goal is for all campuses to have food pantries or arrangements with community groups that provide resources for food.

Congresswoman Claudia Tenney announced her re-election campaign Saturday; she is running against Democratic State Assemblyman Anthony Brindisi of Utica for the 22nd Congressional District. Tenney was elected to the seat in 2016, replacing retiring Congressman Richard Hanna.

NYSEG made progress following the significant winter storm on Thursday. The storm resulted in more than 188,000 outages, as of Sunday morning, 117,000 customers had power restored. The company expects more than 90% of customers affected by the storm in the Catskills region to restored by 11:45 pm tonight.

State Police arrested 49 year old Harvey Scott of Oneonta for Petty Larceny, after Scott allegedly walked out of the Oneonta Walmart with a cart full of items totaling $676. Harvey was remanded to the Ostego County Jail on $1,000 cash bond or $2,000 bail.

State Police arrested 33-year-old Robert Green of Binghamton, Saturday, for felony DWI, Aggravated Unlicensed Operation, Operating a Motor Vehicle Without Interlock Device, and other traffic violations, following a report of a car off the roadway on I-88 in the town of Afton. Green is accused of driving while intoxicated, with a suspended license, the DWI charge was a felony due to a prior conviction for DWI within the last 10 years. Green was arraigned in the town of Afton Court and was remanded to the Chenango County Jail with no bail set. His next court date is on February 28th.

Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 29 year old Cory Sparkes of Stamford, on charges of disorderly conduct, resisting arrest and attempted assault on a Police Officer following a disturbance at a basketball game at Stamford Central School. Sparkes was arraigned at Harpersfield Town Court and posted $5,000 bail, pending court action at a later date.

The Otsego County Sheriff’s office is investigating the report by several businesses of large purchases that may have been paid for with a stolen credit card. The Sheriff's department investigation claims that the business receives an order over the phone and paid for by credit card, where the individual stops at the business to pick up the purchased item. Then the fraud victim or the credit card company contacts the business advising that the purchase was unauthorized and fraudulent. The investigation is continuing.

Troopers responded Wednesday to the B-G School district in Bainbridge, following a threat on social media. a 15-year-old Bainbridge girl was charged at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday with making a terroristic threat, a felony, according to Sidney troopers, who withheld her name because of her age. She was issued a juvenile appearance ticket, troopers said, and the investigation is pending.

State Troopers announced that 17 year old Kathleen Miller (Also known as Valerie Angel Amato) was located and is in good health. Police declined to say where she was found, as no criminal charges are expected. Miller was reported lost last Monday when she was last seen in Wayland, and was believed to be headed to Binghamton.