WCDO Radio News

The State Legislature may consider a
new law next year, to require sex abuse background checks for people looking to
become mall Santa’s.   Currently there is
no requirement for backgrounds checks for anyone serving as a Santa, Easter
Bunny, or any other popular children’s character. The bill is proposed by State
Senator James Skoufis of Orange County.

The First Presbyterian Church of
Gilbertsville will host a "DRIVE-THROUGH" LIVING NATIVITY on Sunday
from 6:00 - 8:00 PM in the church parking lot located at 19 Marion Avenue/
State Route 51 in Gilbertsville.  Cars
will be guided to enter the church parking lot on the right. Cars with a
working CD player are recommended for the experience;   CD players will be provided as needed. All
are invited. Free of charge.

Delaware County Sheriff Deputies were dispatched Monday
Morning to a 1 car property damage auto accident in the McDonald’s parking lot
in Delhi.   19 year-old Andrew Lyon of
East Meredith collided with a protective pylon located near the restaurant’s
drive-thru, he was charged with Aggravated DWI, with a Blood Alcohol Content
more than 3 times the legal limit.  Lyon
was also issued numerous tickets for other infractions; he was arraigned in the
Town of Delhi Court and remanded to the Delaware County Correctional Facility
on lieu of $1,000 Cash Bail pending action in Town of Delhi Court at a later
date.

32 year old Nicolas Meridy of Oneonta will be held on
$50,000 cash bail or $100,000 bond, after arraignment Monday in Otsego County
Court on 4 felony counts, for his role in the October killing of 53 year old
Kenneth Robinson of Worcester.  Meridy
was previously being held without bail prior to the arraignment on Grand Jury
charges, he was charged with 2nd degree Murder, 1st degree Burglary, plus
attempted robbery & arson, along with Dylan Robinson & Alexander
Borgreen of Oneonta.

The Broome County Sheriff’s Office arrested 30 year old
Matthew Baxter of Harpursville Saturday following a domestic dispute in the
Town of Colesville.   Baxter allegedly
broke a chair over his mother's back while being under the influence of
narcotics, the victim sustained a serious physical injury and Baxter was
charged with 1st degree Assault, and was sent to the Broome County Correctional
Facility for processing.

Chenango County Sheriff’s Department arrested William Hatton
of Oxford on a bench warrant issued by the Town of Norwich Court for the felony
of Grand Larceny.   Hatton was located
inside of a garage in Smithville at the residence and refused to come outside,
he was located hiding in a crawl space in the roof of the building & was
taken into custody, & was arraigned in the Town of Norwich Court & was
remanded to the Chenango County Jail on $2,000 cash bail.

Chenango County Sheriff’s
Department arrested 22 year old Andrew Palmer of Norwich on a warrant issued by
the Chenango County Court for violating his terms of Probation for a prior
charge of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance; Palmer was remanded to
the Chenango County Correctional Facility without bail.

Governor Cuomo announced that opioid overdose deaths among
New York State residents, outside New York City, declined 15.9 percent in 2018
compared to 2017, the first decrease in 10 years. Over 1,900 people died from
opioid overdoses last year.  The progress
is the direct result of recommendations from the New York State Heroin and
Opioid Task Force, which Governor Cuomo convened in 2016 & reconvened
earlier this year.  The full report is
available at health.ny.gov.

Plans are underway to have the State Police in charge of
State Park Police, due to the soaring attendance at state parks.  Governor Cuomo stated that the change will
make it easier to deploy state resources to parks visited by 74 million people
a year; executive staff members will oversee the transition over the next 6
months.

The Binghamton Devils today
announced they will be holding their annual food drive starting today until
Friday, December 13, benefitting CHOW.
Fans can bring in 4 or more non-perishable food items starting today and
receive a free ticket to a Devils game on Saturday, December 14 vs. Utica or
Wednesday, December 18 vs. Rochester.
Donations will be accepted during normal business hours, Monday to
Friday from 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM, at the Binghamton Devils front office on the
third floor of the Floyd L. Maines Veterans Memorial Arena.  More information is available at
binghamtondevils.com or 722-7367.

State Police are asking for the public's help in locating 16
year old Aiden Demorier of Bloomville, who was last seen on November 19th.  Demorier is white, 5'10", 180 pound with
blonde hair and brown eyes, wearing black sweatpants with a white stripe down
the sides and a dark colored sweatshirt. He is believed to be in the Norwich,
Anyone with any information is asked to contact the State Missing Persons
clearing house at 1-800-346-5363, or the State Police Troop C headquarters at
561-7400.

On Tuesday, Delaware County Sheriff’s Department
Investigators, assisted by Correction Officers, arrested 29-year-old William
Laraby of Utica, for Promoting Prison Contraband.  Laraby is incarcerated at the Delaware County
Correctional Facility on an unrelated Sexual Abuse, charge, is accused SubOxone
& another controlled substance while inside the facility.   Laraby remains incarcerated at the Delaware
County Correctional Facility & will be arraigned in the Town of Delhi Court
on December 17th.

Delhi
Village Police Department executed a “no-knock” search warrant Thursday at 42
Main Street. Police seized cocaine, marijuana, and diverted prescription
medications, plus $750 in suspected drug proceeds, digital scales, drug
packaging materials, and a replica handgun.
Police arrested 24-year-old Malcolm Griffith of Brooklyn for Criminal
Possession of a Controlled Substance & Tampering with Physical Evidence; he
was arraigned in the Town of Delhi Court and remanded to the Delaware County
Jail on $50,000 cash bail or $100,000 dollars secured bond.  Delhi Police are considering additional
charges in relation to this arrest.

51 year
old Julio Recio, a fugitive from justice has extradited from Spain and
transported by US Marshals, to begin serving a 30-month prison sentence imposed
in 1999 in a Federal Courtroom in Binghamton.
Recio transported cocaine from New York City to Binghamton, he was
arrested in Binghamton, he pled guilty to a drug conspiracy charge & was
sentenced to a 30 month term & was ordered him to self-report to prison, and
instead, he fled the country until the U.S. Marshals identified him traveling
between the Dominican Republic and Spain under an assumed name.   Recio will be transferred to a federal
prison to serve his term.

Broome
County Sheriff's department arrested 3 people following an unruly protest at
the County Office Building Thursday afternoon during the regularly scheduled
meeting of the Broome County Legislature. Deputies were informed that some
protesters were unruly and refused to obey directives from the Broome County
Division of Security.  Arrested were 20
year old Brian McQuaid, 28 year old Quinton Archer & 30 year old Carinne
Vizvary, all of Binghamton, they were charged with Obstructing governmental
administration, resisting arrest, & were processed by the Binghamton Police
Department.

Orlando Tercero has been sentenced to 30 years in prison in
a Nicaraguan court room this morning, for the 2018 Murder of Binghamton
University Student Hailey Anderson in Binghamton.   Tercero was found guilty earlier this month
on a charge of "Femicide" after he killed Hailey Anderson in his
Binghamton apartment & fled back to his home country to avoid arrest & prosecution
in the US.  Tercero was tried in his home
country for the Binghamton murder & faces the maximum term in jail for that
crime.

State Police are investigating a
series of vehicle break ins in the village of Unadilla.  Police remind owners to always lock their
unattended vehicles, & do not leave any valuables in plain view inside the
vehicles.

54 year old Roy Niles of Nineveh was arrested Tuesday for
allegedly selling crystal meth in Binghamton.
Police recovered 29 grams of crystal methamphetamine, drug packaging and
cash during the arrest. Niles was charged with criminal sale of a controlled
substance, criminal possession of a controlled substance, and criminal use of
drug paraphernalia.

NY State of Health, the state’s official health plan
Marketplace, today announced that beginning November 16, the Marketplace will
be open for individuals looking to renew or change their health plan for 2020.
Open Enrollment for new customers seeking to enroll in a Qualified Health Plan
began November 1 and runs through January 31, 2020.  New Yorkers must enroll by December 15 for
coverage beginning January 1, 2020.

The State DEC announced that big game hunting in New York's
Southern Zone begins Saturday.  The  DEC's reminds hunters of the HuntFishNY
mobile app, to report deer or bear harvest, hunters, can still use the phone
report system 1-866-GAME-RPT.

The Jericho Arts Council presents Danny Paisley & The
Southern Grass Saturday Night at the Bainbridge Town Hall Theater.  Tickets are available at the Box Office; they
can be reserved at 607-288-3882.

16 year old Alexis Lotterman of Walton & 17 year old
Tatiana Febo of Downsville will have their 1st degree Burglary cases moved to
Otsego County Family Court, in connection with the murder of 53 year old
Kenneth Robinson in Worcester on October 10th.
15 year old Dylan Robinson, 16 year old Alexander Borggreen  15 year old Anais Soto & 32 year old
Nicolas Meridy are all charged with 2nd degree murder & 1st degree Burglary
for the Robinson Murder, all are being held pending future court action.

Sidney village police Arrested
21 year old Caleb Zuk of Sidney for Criminal possession of a controlled
substance, Criminal possessing a hypodermic instrument and Aggravated
unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle last Thursday.  Zuk was processed & face court action at
a later date.

Orlando Tercero has been found guilty of the Nicaraguan
charge of Femicide, for the murder of Haley Anderson IN Binghamton last
year.  Tercero was wanted in Broome
County for the murder of Hailey Anderson in his Binghamton Apartment, he fled
to his home country, where he was tried & found guilty of Anderson’s
murder.  He is expected to serve 25 to 35
years in jail in Nicaragua.

State Police Sergeant Robert Bloom was on his way to a
graduation ceremony Friday to play with the pipes and drums and dressed in a
kilt,  when saw smoke on Tioga Terrace in
Apalachin just after 12:00 noon, he located the burning building, discovered
that a male was bedridden inside.
Sergeant Bloom, the bedridden man’s father and a neighbor entered the
burning residence, got the man into a wheelchair and out of the home.  All were taken to area hospitals for smoke
inhalation.  Sergeant Bloom is a 7-year
veteran of the State Police, and is currently works out of State Police
Headquarters at Troop C in Sidney.

Congressman Anthony Brindisi announced that Chenango Health
Network would receive a Drug Free Communities grant of more than $100,000 per
year for five years. The Drug Free Communities grant program provides grants to
community organizations to strengthen partnerships in the region and help
reduce youth substance abuse.

Bassett Healthcare Network is hosting a Free sports medicine seminar for patients on Wednesday, Nov. 6th from 5:00 to 7:00 PM at the FoxCare Center in Oneonta.   Dr. Kristen Herbst and Dr. Matthew Chung will discuss non-surgical treatment options that use the body’s natural healing properties to help recover and heal as well as different methods to prevent overuse injuries and the best recovery and therapy protocols to help those with limited motion or restriction.  All are welcome and refreshments will be served, registration is available at 315-273-4802 or visiting BassettSportsInjury.com.

The New York State of Health Marketplace will begin its annual open enrollment period tomorrow through January 31st, for health insurance coverage in 2020.  Current enrollees may begin renewing coverage on November 16th.   Consumers can enroll in a health plan by at 1-855-355-5777, nystateofhealth.ny.gov or with an assistor, who can be accessed at nystateofhealth.ny.gov/agent.

Free, 5-gallon pails of remixed exterior latex paint will be available beginning Monday, November 11th to non-profit agencies and Otsego County residents.  The paint will be available 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 by Golden Artist Colors; more information is available at 547-4225.

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.

As of 6:40 pm last night, power was restored to the SUNY
Broome campus. Classes will resume on schedule today, following the
cancellation of many classes yesterday, due to the power outage along Front
Street near the campus.

The State DMV has added a new step in order to crack down on
vehicles that violate federal safety requirements. The changes affect modified
stretch limousines; 1 year after a modified Limo crashed in Schoharie &
killed the driver, 17 passengers & 2 people in a convenience store parking
lot.  The limo in the crash was a
modified 2001 Ford SUV that wasn't properly inspected, DMV officials now
believe that vehicles that carry this many passengers should  be subjected to higher standards that a
typical family vehicle.

State Police have arrested 5 people in connection with a
Murder, robbery & suspected Arson at Head Road in Worcester Thursday
night.  The deceased has been identified
as 53 year old Kenneth Robinson of Worcester; State Police Captain Scott
Heggelke told WCDO news what their investigation has uncovered:

(Capt. Scott Heggelke 1-14-19)

32-year-old Nicolas Meridy of Oneonta has also been charged
with 2nd degree murder & Robbery,  4
minors are being held, 3 for 2nd degree Murder & Robbery, 1 minor is being
held just on the Robbery Charge.  State
Police said that Robinson sustained fatal gunshot wounds; the investigation is
on-going.

The Norwich Fire Department is partnering with the American
Red Cross as part of their, “Sound the Alarm,” campaign to provide free smoke
detectors to residents of the City of Norwich this month.  The organizations will deliver and install
smoke detectors at no cost to city residents beginning on October 26th.  Red Cross representatives will go door to
door to gauge interest, and then a team of volunteers from the Norwich Fire
Department will install them, free of charge.

Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 34-year-old
Joshua Gardepe of East Branch, Wednesday on the charge of endangering the
welfare of a child, following an investigation of a report of child
maltreatment in the Town of Hancock. Gardepe was arraigned at Town of
Colchester Court and was released to appear at Town of Hancock Court at a later
date to answer the charge.

25 year old Cody Franciscovich has been indicted in Tioga
County Court on 2 counts of 2nd-degree murder in connection with the killing of
his 8-month-old baby Ruby, who was found on June 9th by State Police in a pond
behind St. Patrick's Cemetery in the Town of Tioga.  Franciscovich was originally charged with
1st-degree murder charge, that charge was downgraded in the indictment.   Franciscovich remains held in the Tioga
County jail without bail.

Chenango County Sheriff's Department arrested 29 year old
Samantha Smith & 38 year old Vincent Guglielmo of Plymouth, following an
investigation into the assault of a 4 year old girl & a 5 year old
Boy.  Smith & Guglielmo were charged
with 2nd & 3rd degree Assault, Endangering the Welfare of a Child &
Unlawful Imprisonment,  both were
remanded to the Chenango County Jail on large cash bail pending future court
action, the investigation is continuing.

Governor Cuomo signed 6 Bills
yesterday to help ensure first responders and public sector officers and employees
who developed a qualifying health condition as a result of their response to
9/11 rescue, recovery and clean-up efforts at World Trade Center sites receive
the pension and health benefits they deserve.
The Governor posthumously awarded the Public Service Medal to Det. Luis
Alvarez, an NYPD Detective and 9/11 First Responder who fought to make the 9/11
Victim Compensation Fund permanent.

The Otsego County Democrats will hold their Annual Dinner
& Silent Auction on Saturday September 21st.  The Keynote Speaker will be state Comptroller
Tom DiNapoli.  The event will start at
5:00 PM at the Hunt Union Ballroom at the State University Campus in Oneonta.

The Music & Merchants event will be held this Saturday
at General Clinton Park, with several musical acts & many vendors,
organizer Melissa Matthews explains:

(Melissa Matthews 9-13-19)

Sponsors are still being accepted at 242-8473, or right up
to the start of the event at 11:00 Saturday at General Clinton Park.

Delaware County
Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 25-year-old Alizabeth Ramos of Brooklyn Friday
evening, on a charge of Aggravated Unlicensed Operation of a Motor Vehicle,
following a traffic stop on in the Town of Masonville. Ramos was also issued
tickets for Unlicensed Operator, and Speeding, she was released on an
appearance ticket and is scheduled to return to the Town of Masonville Court at
a later date.

The New York State DOT
is actively preparing for the arrival of winter weather by making applications
available for approximately 500 positions as permanent and seasonal maintenance
staff.  The DOT intends to hire about 38
in the Southern Tier and another 34 in the Central New York Counties, more
information is available on Twitter @NYSDOT or facebook.com/NYSDOT.

Governor Cuomo today signed legislation waiving the state
fee for marriage licenses for active duty members of the U.S. armed forces or
their spouses. The bill also gives local governments freedom to waive the fees
they charge for marriage certificates for active duty service members or
spouses.

The Village of Bainbridge and the Bainbridge Chamber of Commerce are reminding area residents that tonight is the auction on "The Olde Jericho Tavern" building in Bainbridge. The building will be open at 5:00 p.m. for anyone to that would like to tour or inspect the grounds and the auction begins at 6:00 pm.

Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 49-Year-Old
Thomas Newman Jr  of Hancock Thursday on
2 counts of Criminal Contempt, for allegedly violating an Order of Protection
issued by Delaware County Family Court on 2 separate occasions recently. Newman
was arraigned at Delhi Town Court, and was remanded to the Delaware County
Correctional Facility on $500 cash bail or $1,000 in secure bonds.  Newman is scheduled to re-appear Hancock Town
Court at a later date to answer for these charges.

Delaware County Sheriff’s department announced that
indictments were handed down by a Grand jury against 2 area women on drug
charges.  43-year-old Crystal Smith of
Endicott and 31-year-old Anna Kellam of Hancock were charged with criminal sale
of a controlled substance independently of each other, in Hancock.  Kellam was already being held in the Delaware
County Jail on an unrelated charge, she is accused of selling prescription
drugs illegally in Hancock on 3 occasions. Endicott Police arrested Smith last
week on a warrant for allegedly selling Suboxone in Hancock on two
occasions.  Kellam is being held on
$15,000 bail, Smith was being held in the Delaware County Jail without bail.

The State Department of Agriculture & Markets announced
the presence of Listeria in raw milk collected from the Muddy River Dairy of
Otego.  Anyone who purchased raw milk
from Muddy River Dairy should dispose of it & contact the farm, more
information is available at agriculture.ny.gov.

The U.S. Army band will be performing in Oneonta August
17th, spokesman Gene Schmidt told WCDO News that the concert is free, and
tickets are no longer required:

(Gene Schmidt 8-5-19)

More information about the event
is available at 610-4030.

State Police announced that the pedestrian struck by a car
on Friday evening near the Unadilla Valley Sports Center has died.  20 year old Jonathan Mayzak of South Carolina
succumbed to his injuries on Sunday afternoon at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in
Utica.  An autopsy will be performed at
the Onondaga County Medical Examiner's Office in the near future.  The investigation is continuing with the
State Police Collision Reconstruction Unit and The Chenango County District
Attorney's Office will be consulted at the conclusion of the investigation as
to whether additional charges are warranted against the driver, 31 year old
Edward Burnett of Utica.

Delaware County Sherriff’s Deputies arrested 72 year old
Franklin Purdy of Baldwinsville Thursday for Unlawful Fleeing a Police Officer
in a Motor Vehicle, Reckless Driving, Speed not reasonable and prudent,
Speeding at 95 miles an hour in a 55 mile an hour zone, Moving from lane
unsafely, & driving an unregistered & uninsured motor vehicle.  Purdy was observed by Deputies on State
Highway 17 in the Town of Hancock driving at a high rate of speed, they
attempted to conduct a traffic stop, and Purdy fled & was apprehended by
Deputies in Sullivan County.  Purdy faces
additional charges in Sullivan County as well as in Delaware County; he will
appear in the Town of Hancock Court at a later date.

A new law signed by Governor Cuomo decriminalizes marijuana
use in New York.  Under the new
legislation, the penalty for unlawful possession of marijuana will be reduced
to a violation punishable by a fine. The penalty is $50 for possessing less than
an ounce or a maximum of $200 for 1 to 2 ounces.  There will be no criminal penalties for
possession of any amount of marijuana under two ounces.

Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 23 year old
Thomas Conkling of Long Eddy, early this morning for Aggravated Unlicensed
Operation of a motor vehicle, driving an Unregistered & uninsured motor
vehicle, operating with switched plates, and unsafe tire. Conkling was
arraigned at the Town of Colchester Court and was released on his own
recognizance. Conkling is scheduled to appear at the Town of Hancock Court at a
later date to answer the charges.

State Police are looking for the public’s help in locating
approximately 75 escaped buffalo from the Honey Hill Road in Roseboom.  State Police warn the public not to approach
the buffalo since they are a wild animal and can be unpredictable.   Troopers were dispatched Thursday & learned
that a buffalo broke a gate allowing approximately 75 buffalo to escape from a
farm in the town of Sharon.  Troopers
worked with a DEC officer and the owner of the buffalo to devise a plan to
convince the animals to return home, some were reported in the town of
Schoharie & the town of Roseboom.
Anyone who sees any of the buffalo should contact the owner at (518)588-1402
or State Police at (315)858-1122.

Several local fire departments responded to a barn fire at
125 Corbin Road in the town of Bainbridge last night.  The fire started in a barn filled with hay at
about 10:30 last night, according to owner & Bainbridge Fire Chief Fred
Bell.  Fire departments from Afton,
Bainbridge, Sidney, Masonville, Trout Creek, and Coventry responded, No
injuries were reported, Bell said that the fire did NOT spread to his house,
the cause of the fire is still under investigation.

16 year old Nicholas Pheilshifter pleaded guilty Thursday to
criminal possession of a weapon as a crime of terrorism, as a participant in
the plot against Islamberg in Delaware County.
Pheilshifter will be sentenced to 7 years in state prison, after serving
the first 2 years in juvenile detention.
Previously, Vincent Vetromile pleaded guilty to a weapons charge and
faces seven to 12 years in prison. Brian Colaneri and Andrew Crysel pleaded
guilty to terrorism-related conspiracy and face four to 12 years in prison.

The Delaware County Sheriff's Office is continuing their
investigation into the disappearance of 51 year old Byron Furman of Sidney, who
was last seen at his Lawton Hill Road residence on Wednesday night, June
26th.   Furman was last known to be
wearing light tan shorts and a light gray t-shirt, he is 5’11”, 250 pounds with
gray hair and brown eyes, and he is believed to have walked from his residence
and may be in need of medication.  A
search of the Lawton Hill Road area conducted earlier this month by Delaware
County Sheriff's Deputies, State Forest Rangers and State Police failed to
reveal any information on Furman's whereabouts.
Anyone with information on Furman should contact the Delaware County
Sheriff's Office Criminal Investigation Division at 832-5599.

21-year old Brandon Clark of Cicero has been indicted by an
Oneida County grand jury on a charge of 2nd-degree murder, for the murder of 17
year old Bianca Devins of Utica, on July 14th.
Clark is accused of killing Devins & posting the pictures online,
Utica Police were alerted & Clark was located & arrested.  Clark is being held in the Oneida County Jail
without bail pending arraignment on Monday.

21 year old Skuyler Reynolds of Chenango Bridge has been
arrested in connection with a series of area church burglaries.  Reynolds was arrested by Binghamton Police
for 3rd degree Burglary, 3rd Degree Grand Larceny following a recent break-in
at a Presbyterian church in Binghamton.
Police are continuing to investigate if Reynolds participated in other
Church burglaries in Johnson City, Chenango Bridge and Port Crane has been
under investigation by law enforcement agencies.

New York led the nation in nonprofit employment with more
than 1.4 million jobs and total wages of just over $78 billion in 2017,
according to State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli. New York’s nonprofit organizations
helped stabilize employment during and after the Great Recession of 2008,  Nonprofit entities added more than 175,000
jobs in New York from 2007-2017, a gain of 14%,
Wages at nonprofits have also grown at a faster pace statewide than the
private and the public sectors, the full Report Is Available at
osc.state.ny.us.

State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli announced that there is $16 billion waiting to be claimed and the Office returns over $1.5 million a day.   Anyone who thinks that New York State may have unclaimed funds can visit .osc.state.ny.us and search your name to find out if the state has money that belongs you.

All of the absentee ballots in
Broome County have now been counted for the Republican Party Primary District
Attorney race.  Paul Batistti is named
the winner over Michael Korchak by slim margin, Batistti had a slim margin on
Primary Day June 25th, the counting of the absentee ballots today confirmed
Batistti's victory.

State Police arrested 38 year old Joshua Eckman of Oneonta
for Criminal Contempt, after a victim called troopers stating that Eckman
entered the victim’s residence and violated an order of protection. Eckman was
arraigned in the town of Oneonta court; he was released on his
recognizance.  On July 4th, Eckman was
arrested again on the same charge after he entered the victim’s home, he was
arrested and complained of alleged pain while being processed by State Police,
he was taken to Fox Hospital.  Once
cleared from the hospital, Eckman was remanded to the Otsego County Jail on
$1,000 cash bail or $2,000 property bond pending court action on July
11th.

State Police are looking for a man accused of damaging an
ATM on North Canal Street in the village of Oxford, on June 8th.   The suspect is described as a heavy set
white male wearing a gray sweatshirt, black and gray shorts, had a Dallas
Cowboys hat on backwards and has a tattoo on his left calf.  Anyone with information is asked to call the
State Police at 334-3296.

The Delaware County Chamber of Commerce will honor
businesses from every corner of the county at its 2019 Annual Business Awards
ceremony on July 17 at 6:00 PM at Bird Song Farm on state Highway 10 in Delhi.
The Honorees include the Delhi Rehabilitation and Nursing Center, as the 2019
Business of the Year, Stagecoach Run Art Festival, headquartered in Treadwell
and Franklin, and Table to Farm Tours of Roxbury, will receive the 2019 Tourism
Award.  Tickets are $50 per person or a
table of 8 for $350, more information or to purchase tickets, visit
delawarecounty.org.

Delaware County Sheriff Craig DuMond is sending 18 children
to the New York State Sheriffs’ Institute Summer Camp at Keuka Lake in the
Finger Lakes Region for a week of wholesome summer fun.  The camp will accommodate over 900 boys and
girls between the ages of 9 and 12 from across New York State this summer. The
campers attend at no charge.  More
information is available at nysheriffsinstitute.org.

HeatSmart Southern Tier is
hosting an information session for local residents about clean heating and
cooling systems in Sidney.  HeatSmart
Southern Tier representatives will discuss how residents can take advantage of
tax incentives and new technologies to efficiently heat and cool their
homes.  The free event is scheduled for
Wednesday, July 10, from 6:00 to 8:00 PM, at Awestruck Ciders in the Sidney
Industrial Park; Registration is available at tinyurl.com/HSSTAwestruck or at
the Heat Smart Southern Tier Facebook page.

The Delaware County Sheriff's Office is attempting to locate
a man that was reported missing from his Lawton Hill Road, Town of Sidney
residence on Thursday morning, June 27th.
Deputies are attempting to locate 50 year-old Byron Furman may be
traveling on foot and may be in need of medication.  Furman was last known to be wearing light tan
shorts and a light gray t-shirt.  He is
described as being approximately 5’11” tall, weighing approximately 250 pounds
and has gray hair and brown eyes.
Deputies are asking anyone that may have information to contact the
Delaware County Sheriff's Office at 832-5555.

State Police warn residents of several fraudulent schemes
asking for money.   Recent scams involve
callers claiming to be from the State Lottery, The IRS, Social Security, a
Utility Company, a Computer Company or the caller will claim that there is
family emergency requiring money.   State
Police remind residents to never send cash to anyone you do not know, Do not
send gift cards to unknown callers,  No
lottery will pre-charge taxes as a result of winning, never provide information
with your bank account information or social security number, & never
provide access to your computer, in person, on the phone, or through the
internet. If you feel like you have been victimized, contact your local police
agency.

The 130th Afton Fair begins Thursday, this year there are
great ride specials for the kids, according to Fair Spokesperson Rhonda
Barriger:

(Rhonda Barriger 6-19-19)

The Afton Fair runs Thursday
through Sunday at the Fairgrounds in Afton.

State Police arrested 32 year old Ramel Howard of Binghamton
for False Personation, Criminal Possession of Stolen Property, Aggravated
Unlicensed Operation and several lesser charges, after a trooper initiated a
traffic stop in the city of Binghamton after he spotted a vehicle that was
reported stolen in Endicott in October 2018.
Howard provided a false name, he was also found to have a warrant for a
parole violation, and He was transported to Broome County Central Processing
for arraignment.

Governor Cuomo announced the New York State Thruway
Authority Board approved the selection of the Design-Build team who will
install cashless tolling on the Thruway system.
The $355.3 million investment will transform the Thruway system for
about 267 million motorists who travel the superhighway every year.  According to Governor Cuomo, the cashless
tolling will be implemented on the entire NYS Thruway system by the end of
2020.  More information is available at
thruway.ny.gov

The next regular meeting of the
Oneonta Common Council will be held this evening.  The meeting starts at 7:00 PM in the Common
Council Chambers at City Hall.

State Police at Oneonta arrested 25 year old Phillip Davis
of Strasburg, Virginia Sunday, for 2 counts of the felony of Criminal
Possession of a Firearm.   A trooper
responded to an accident involving a motorcycle on I-88 in the town of
Worcester, Davis told the trooper that when a tractor trailer passed him, he lost
control of his Harley, he was uninjured, it was discovered that Davis was in
possession of 2 guns illegally in the rear storage area of his motorcycle, Davis
did not possess a pistol permit.  He was
arrested and arraigned in the town of Worcester court where he was remanded to
the Otsego County Jail on $2000 cash bail or $4000 bond.  Davis will appear in court on July 2nd.

Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 47 year old John
Lafever of Unadilla with DWI, making an unsafe lane change, and operating a
motor vehicle while using mobile device, following a 1 car accident on County
Route 23 in the Town of Walton. Lafever was released on appearance tickets and
it set to appear in the Town of Walton Court at a later date to answer the
charge.

Governor Cuomo announced that Luminate NY - the world's
largest business accelerator for startup firms in the optics, photonics and
imaging industries - is now accepting applications for Round III of the
innovative competition.   More
information is available at luminate.org

Sidney Village Police arrested 3 people following an
investigation into arson on Cartwright Avenue Tuesday.  Sidney Police said that the fire was set in a
doorway & was quickly extinguished by occupants before it could
spread.  24 year old Elizabeth Hall of
Sidney, 19 year old Allyssa Wright & were charged with arson, reckless
endangerment, conspiracy & endangering the welfare of a child, Hall &
Wright were arraigned & were remanded to the Delaware County Jail on
$10,000 Cash Bail or $20,000 Bond, an unidentified 12 year old female was also
charged with arson, conspiracy & reckless endangerment, she was released on
a Juvenile appearance ticket.

The hearing for 25 Year old John Mehne of Sarasota Florida
has been postponed, as Mehne’s attorney claimed that she had not been able to
clear up a warrant for Mehne’s arrest in Sarasota on a burglary charge
there.  Mehne was arrested last week in
after a bizarre series of incidents including the crashing of a stolen car on
I-81, fleeing into the woods, burglarizing homes and chicken coops, chasing a
man with an axe, and killing a dog in Kirkwood.
Mehne is facing charges of criminal possession of stolen property,
burglary, robbery and aggravated cruelty to animals, he is being held in the
Broome County jail.

State Senator Jim Seward
announced senate approval of legislation he sponsors to exempt vintage
snowmobiles from state registration fees.
Senator Seward’s bill was developed in consultation with the New York
State Snowmobile Association and would encourage collecting without forcing
undue costs on hobbyists.  Companion
legislation has been introduced in the state assembly.

Commerce Chenango will hold the Human Resources Roundtable
Workshop will take place Today in the Community Room at Commerce Chenango
located at 15 South Broad Street in Norwich, beginning at 8:00AM.  The panel discussion will feature human
resources professionals from Alvogen, New York Central Mutual, NBT Insurance
Agency; and Preferred Mutual Insurance Company.
The workshop is open to Chamber Members only.

The 57th General Clinton Canoe regatta was held
over the Memorial Day Weekend, with over 1000 paddlers from 22 states & 5
Canadian Provinces participating.

In the men’s NYMCRA stock Race, Mike & Wayne Himes of
Otego took 1st place; they spoke with WCDO’s Craig Stevens:

(Himes 5-29-19)

In one of the largest C1 Pro fields Rod McLain from Maine
was able to use high water conditions from Milford down to his advantage to
take 1st place: he talked to WCDO’s Craig Stevens after the race:

(Rod McLain 5-28-19)

Oneonta resident Trevor LeFever took 2nd place in
the C2 Pro class with his partner Ben Schlimmer of Camillus; he discussed what
it is like to race against Canoe Racing Legend Serge Corbin:

(Trevor LeFever 5-29-19)

Complete results of the races are available at
canoeregatta.org.

A Ribbon Cutting ceremony was held at the Sidney Central
School District today along with the Raymond Corporation of Greene, for the
opening of their Raymond welding Center.
Sidney Welding Program Advisor Joseph Waltz told WCDO News about the
full year course

(Joseph Waltz 5-28-19)

Raymond Corporation representative Dan Quiter Jr. told WCDO
News that this program is the first of its kind locally:

(Dan Quiter Jr 5-28-19)

The program was started through the efforts of 6 Sidney
Students and a Raymond Corporation Advisor.

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.

Congressman Anthony Brindisi will be hosting a listening
session on rising prescription drug costs in Binghamton Today.  The event will include health care
professionals, seniors, and community leaders, at the Koffman Southern Tier
Incubator at 120 Hawley Street at 11:30 a.m.

NYSEG Is looking to increase their rates with State
Approval, After Their rate plan with the State expired in April.   The rate increase NYSEG would be about
23.7%, which would add over $10.00 a month to a typical monthly electric
bill.  If approved, the new rate would go
into effect in May 2020.

The Broome County
Sheriff’s Department arrested 59 year old Pete Loher of Marathon on a charge of
Cruelty to Animals.  Loher is accused of fatally
his neighbor’s dog with a .22 caliber rifle; Loher was processed & was released
on an appearance ticket for the town of Triangle Court at a later date.

The Disabled American Vets
Mobile Service Office will be at the Sidney VFW at 133 West Main Street until
4:00 PM this afternoon.  Counselors are
on hand to assist Vets with any issues they may have.

State Police and local law
enforcement statewide will increase patrols to combat drunk, impaired and
reckless driving throughout Memorial Day weekend.   The special enforcement period runs from
Friday  through Monday, Memorial Day,
which is traditionally one of the busiest travel holidays of the year and
police will be out in force.

State Police released an update regarding the incident in
the town of Springfield that left 1 man dead & an Otsego county Deputy
injured.  The deceased suspect has been
identified as 23 year old Matthew All, of Sharon Springs, on Tuesday, state
troopers attempted to stop All for allegedly threatening someone with a knife, he
took off & police pursued him, until he apparently crashed head on into the
parked deputy’s vehicle near routes 20 & 80 in the town of Springfield. The
unidentified Deputy was transported to Bassett Hospital in Cooperstown, with
serious but non-life threatening injuries, he was coherent at the scene. All
was pronounced dead at the scene by Otsego County Coroner Michael Fox.  The investigation is on-going.

Friday night May 24th will be packed with activities to
start this year's General Clinton Canoe Regatta, chairman John Harmon comments:

(John Harmon 5-7-19)

Friday Night's activities are free & open to the public
& there is no charge for parking.

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.

Scams regarding the Social
Security System are continuing, & those who have received such a call are
advised to contact the Social Security Fraud Hotline.  The telephone number is 1-800-269-0271, it is
available from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM, and a fax line is available at 410-597-0118

Binghamton Police are investigating the beating of a 50 year
old woman & her 76 year old Father, by a group of teenaged girls Saturday
night on Oak Street.  The man has been
hospitalized for multiple injuries after getting thrown to the ground,  The investigation is ongoing, Anyone with
information is urged to contact the Binghamton Police Detective Division at
607-772-7080 and or the Detective Juvenile Unit at 607-772-7088.

Chenango County Sheriff’s Department arrested a Town of
Willet man for 2nd degree Grand Larceny following an investigation in the Town
of Pitcher.  36 year old Clinton Hill is
accused of stealing $200,000 worth of materials from Aluminum Fixtures and
Tooling in the Town of Pitcher business. Detectives recovered over 8,000 pounds
of stolen material from scrap facilities in Broome County, additional stolen
property was recovered from Hill’s residence, he was arraigned in the Town of
Pitcher Court; he is scheduled to reappear in court at a later date.

The Chenango County Department of Public Works would like to
announce a rate increase at all of their facilities.  Starting today, new tipping fees will be $2
per bag of garbage and $60 per Ton of garbage. There will be a charge of $3.50
per tire up to 20 inches and $155 per ton for tires over 20 inches.  They will continue to accept source separated
recycling for free.  More information is
available at 337-1792.

The Broome County Sheriff's Department responded Wednesday
afternoon to Otsiningo Park in the Town of Dickinson, for the report of an
armed robbery.   18 year old Zackary
Pound of Port Dickinson claimed he was held at gunpoint by unknown males and
forced into a vehicle,  it was determined
that a robbery did not take place and the incident was actually an unsuccessful
marijuana drug deal.    Pound was charged
with making a false written statement and processed at the Sheriff’s Office and
released. He is to appear in the Town of Dickinson Court on a later date to
answer the charge. The investigation is ongoing.

Earth Day Southern Tier and Binghamton Regional Sustainability
Coalition will hold its 30th annual Earth Fest on Sunday at the SUNY Broome
Student Center Gym from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm.
The festival will feature 35 Earth-friendly exhibitors and vendors; more
information is available at earthdaysoutherntier.org/earth-fest.

The Annual Unadilla Chamber of Commerce Dinner will be held
on Sunday at the Unadilla Methodist Church.
This year, the Chamber will be honoring The Meeting Place & Owner
Dwight Mott as Business of the Year and George DeNys (Denies) as the Commitment
to Community recipient.

The Annual Oxford Arbor Day celebration will be held
tomorrow, they will be awarded as a "Tree City USA" for the 33rd time
at the event at 9:00 AM at the bandstand in Lafayette Park.  More information is available at
treeboard.oxfordny.com.

The Firefighters Association of
the State of New York announced that many fire departments around the State are
participating in the annual "Recruit New York" event this
weekend.  The number of people
volunteering for their local fire departments & emergency squads has been
decreasing in recent, & people are encouraged to attend a Recruit NY event this
weekend at their nearest Fire Department.
The list of participating fore departments can be found at
recruitny.org/participation-area.

The 7th annual Cider Run will be held on Saturday at the Fly
Creek Cider Mill.  This year's event
features a 10K run, 5K run, 5K walk, and kids' fun run, with proceeds to
benefit the Susquehanna SPCA.  More
information is available at 547-8111.

Bainbridge Town Hall Theatre
& Gallery Present the B-G Blues Jazz Band opening for the Fabulous
Moonlighters tonight at 7:00 pm.  Tickets
are available at the Box Office, to reserve tickets, call 607-288-3882

The Oneonta Arbor Day Celebration will be held this morning,
starting at 9:30 AM at the Swart Wilcox Historical Park on Wilcox Avenue.  The event will include an Arbor Day Tree
Planting Ceremony & the 33rd designation of Oneonta as a "Tree City
USA", the event is open to the public.

A Broome County grand jury has indicted 44-year-old Larry
Harris of Binghamton for 2nd degree murder and 1st-degree manslaughter, in
connection with the death of 11 year old Jerome Smith of Johnson City.  Johnson City police arrested Smith's Mother;
30-year-old Shakia Crute for 2nd-degree manslaughter for the February 2 death
of the boy.  Harris was already at Broome
County Jail on drug charges; Crute has been held since February.

The Chenango County Department of Public Works announced
rate increases at all of their facilities.
Starting May 1st, the new tipping fees will be $2 per bag of
garbage and $60 per Ton of garbage. There will be a charge of $3.50 per tire up
to 20 inches and $155 per ton for tires over 20 inches.  CRT monitors will cost $7.50 per unit; the
DPW will continue to accept source separated recycling for free. More
information is available at 337-1792.

The City of Oneonta announced
that the Middle Level Parking Garage Closed will be closed on Friday for
repairs.  No parking signs are being
posted this afternoon.

Congressman Anthony Brindisi will visit Binghamton
University for a public forum on the climate crisis this evening from 7:00 to
9:00 pm on the 2nd floor of the University Union.  After a presentation, Congressman Brindisi
will answer audience questions. .

Assemblyman Cliff Crouch and Senator Fred Akshar will be
holding a bridge dedication ceremony on Today at 1:00 PM where they will be
dedicating 2 bridges in memory of Justin Whiting and Lieutenant  Cameron Hall, who lost their lives in service
to their country during the war in Iraq. The ceremony will be held on a bridge
on State Route 97 in the town of Hancock.

The SUNY Broome annual MLK Jr. Career Fair is taking place
today from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM in the SUNY Broome Ice Center.  This event is open to students, alumni, and
community members, many area companies are sending representatives and are
actively looking for new employees.

Broome County Officials reiterated today about the need for
a "State of Emergency" regarding recent Fentanyl deaths, County DA
Steve Cornwell Commented:

(Steve Cornwell 4-10-19)

Fentanyl has been linked to several recent overdose deaths;
it is an opioid that has been found locally in heroin, cocaine,
methamphetamines, crack cocaine and pills.

Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 65-year-old
Michael Forde of Brooklyn Saturday, on a charge of Aggravated Unlicensed
Operation, Unlicensed Operator and Failure to Exercise Due Care to an Emergency
Vehicle, on State Route 17 in the Town of Hancock.   Forde was released on an appearance ticket
and is scheduled to return to the Town of Hancock Court at a later date to
answer the charges.

The City of Oneonta is accepting applications for the
Community Gardens program from city residents.
The Gardens are located at Swart-Wilcox Park near the corner of River
and Wilcox Streets.  Prospective patrons
must submit a completed application form and payment to the City Clerk’s Office
at City Hall at 258 Main Street, Oneonta. Application forms are available at
the Clerk’s Office and online at oneonta.ny.us/recreation.

Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 36 Year old
Philip Albergo of Meredith for Aggravated Unlicensed Operation of a Motor
Vehicle, and Operating a Motor Vehicle without a Required Ignition Interlock
Device. Albergo is accused of operating a motor vehicle in the Town of Roxbury
while having a revoked driver’s license due to a failure to submit to a
chemical test. Albergo was being held in the Delaware County Correctional
Facility on an unrelated charge.

Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 60-Year-Old
Thomas Anderson of Walton, Sunday on a charge of Driving While Intoxicated,
Driving While Intoxicated with a Blood Alcohol Content of .08% or more, and
Unlawful Possession of Marihuana, Speeding and Failure to Keep Right after a
traffic stop on State Highway 10 in the Town of Walton.  Anderson was issued appearance tickets, and
is scheduled to appear in the Walton Town Court at a later date.

State DOT officials announced that 45 year old Dennis Howe
of Candor has died, Howe was the driver of a DOT Vehicle that was hit by 37
year old Lawrence Faucett who failed to move over on March 18th on I-86 in the
town of Nichols in Tioga County.  The
investigation is ongoing, and Faucett may face charges.

State Attorney General Letitia James today announced that
Spectrum Cable has started to issue credits to consumers as required by their
settlement agreement.  Under the terms of
the settlement, Charter is required to issue monetary relief to qualified
subscribers and offer some  video
streaming services at no charge.  In all,
qualified subscribers will receive $62.5 million in bill credits. Subscribers
do not have to fill out any paperwork to obtain the credit, but must contact
Spectrum to receive the streaming services by May 30th at  1-833-422-8795 for further information.

State Police arrested 27 year old Bradly Falkenmeyer of
Coventry for Menacing and Criminal Possession of a Weapon, after Troopers were
dispatched to dispute that began over a dog going on the neighbor’s
property.   Falkenmeyer allegedly
displayed a shotgun and threatened to shoot the dog and the complainant.  Falkenmeyer was also on parole which would
not allow him to be in possession of any firearms.  Falkenmeyer was arrested and arraigned in the
town of Coventry Court and remanded to the Chenango County Jail without bail.