WCDO Radio News

28 year old Erin Hubbell of Margaretville pleaded guilty to violating the terms and conditions of her conditional discharge, she was sentenced to the maximum sentence of 364 days in the Delaware County Jail. On March 17, 2024, Erin Hubbell, & 3 other individuals, were arrested after a traffic stop of their vehicle and a search uncovered fentanyl, she pleaded guilty to Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance, as part of her plea bargain she agreed to seek help for drug addiction and refrain from further violations, however, Hubbell was stopped by State Police On January 8th, a search of the vehicle led to the discovery of Cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin & other narcotics, she was arrested & still faces unrelated felony drug charges. The Delaware County District Attorney’s Office filed a request to declare her delinquent on the terms of her conditional discharge, leading to the latest sentence.

A Chenango County Grand Jury recently indicted Jason Chase was indicted for criminal possession of a controlled substance, The indictment accuses Chase of possessing fentanyl with intent to sell in the Town of Sherburne in February.

The Chenango County Historical Society is hosting the inaugural “Be My Neighbor” Day from 10 am. until noon Friday. “Be My Neighbor” Day is based on the principles of Fred Rogers, the host of the famous "Mr. Rogers Neighborhood" program on PBS for many years, Historical Society Executive Director Jessica Moquin comments:

(Jessica Moquin 3-13-25)

Moquin said that Guest organizations will include Chenango County 4-H Youth Development, Friends of Rogers Environmental Education Center, and The Place. Visit ChenangoHistorical.org for more details about this and other museum programs.

Tickets go on sale tomorrow for a fundraising concert for the Oneonta Boys & Girls Club on August 23rd at the 6th ward Booster Club field at 4:00 PM. Tickets are available at eventbrite.com, the show features headliners Train, along with with Edwin McCain & Graham Barham. The show is a fundraiser for the Oneonta Boys & Girls Club at 70 River Street.

A.M. NEWS Thursday 3-13-25

State Troopers are out in full force with the St. Patricks's Day celebrations coming up this weekend. The STOP-DWI campaign runs through next Tuesday, with St. Patrick's Day on Monday this year. In 2024, the troopers ran their St. Patrick's Day campaign resulted in over 5,500 tickets, they arrested 132 for DWI infractions and they also investigated 199 crashes during that weekend.

A Chenango County grand jury recently indicted John Williams for 2nd-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, last November 7th at the Red Roof Inn on North Broad Street in the City of Norwich, Williams was allegedly found in possession of methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine with intent to sell.

The Otsego County Chamber of Commerce announced that they will hold their next Networking event Today from 5:00 to 7:00 PM. The event will be held at the new Chamber Office at 189 Main Street in Oneonta suite 401.

P.M. NEWS TUESDAY 2-6-24

Chenango County Sheriff’s Office arrested 27 year old Cody Leonard of Binghamton for Criminal Obstruction of Breathing or Blood Circulation, Endangering the Welfare of a Child & Harassment, following a Domestic Dispute in November 2023. Shortly after the incident occurred, Leonard was incarcerated at the Broome County Jail on unrelated charges & an arrest warrant was issued. Leonard faces court action on the newest charges shortly.

The Broome County Sheriff's office arrested 35 year old Kasandra Wolfran of Port Crane for DWI, Aggravated DWI, Operating a vehicle with a suspended registration & Moving from a lane unsafely after a car-tractor trailer accident on Route 17 West in the Town of Union. Deputies responded Friday to a report of a motor vehicle accident, video footage recorded by the tractor trailer's camera revealed that Wolfran attempted to cut in front of the tractor trailer & her car was struck by the tractor trailer & they both headed for the median, where they struck & damaged the guardrail, with the tractor trailer dumping its load of aluminum spools. Deputies reported that Wolfran had a BAC of .18, more than double the legal limit, she was arrested, arraigned and released on an appearance ticket for Town of Union Court later this month.

35 year old William Polhamus of Harpursville appeared in Delaware County Court Monday for sentencing on 1 count of Endangering the Welfare of a Child. On July 4th, 2023, Walton Police responded to a physical domestic dispute in progress, where Polhamus physically assaulted a woman in front of a minor child, he then took another minor child and had drove off on a motorcycle, he then led Walton police in a chase, weaving through traffic, the chase was stopped & State Police located & arrested Polhamus, he was sentenced to 1 year in jail, he was ordered to pay a crime victim’s fee and was assessed the mandatory state surcharge.

Governor Kathy Hochul announced State University of New York campuses are investing nearly $10 million to provide 3,000 SUNY students with internships before graduation. SUNY Chancellor John King visited SUNY Delhi, where he met with students and business leaders to discuss internship opportunities and the ways SUNY can create a workforce development pipeline in Delaware County and across the state. All 29 campuses will increase the number of paid internship slots for undergraduate students.

The State Department of Parks, Recreation & Youth Services announced today that the annual Winterfest, originally scheduled for February 10th, at Nathaniel Cole Park has been canceled. Officials stated that there was insufficient snow and ice to accommodate the usual scheduled activities.

A.M. NEWS TUESDAY 2-6-24

Broome County District Attorney Paul Battisti announced that Josie Valdes-Pica of Binghamton, pleaded guilty to Attempted Assault & 2nd & 3rd Degree Assault just before the start of jury selection. On November 7, 2022, Valdes-Pica struck a female victim multiple times with a metal baseball bat, he is facing 3.5 to 15 years in a State Correctional Facility, followed by 5 years post-release supervision. Sentencing is scheduled for May 3, 2024, in Broome County Court.

Broome County Sheriff's Office announced that a corrections investigation led to a an arrest of an inmate at the Correctional Facility. Investigators received information on a homemade instrument, Officers initiated a search of several cells, 19 year old Alixander Lavelle had the solid, sharpened piece of plastic from under the mattress in Lavelle’s cell, he was charged with Promoting Prison Contraband, he was processed and will answer for his charges at the Town of Dickinson Court on a future date.

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced $10 million available to all 57 counties to support the development of Threat Assessment and Management Teams, as required under Executive Order 18, that was issued by the Governor following the Buffalo attack in May, to fight the surge in domestic terrorism and violent extremism planned on and posted on social media platforms and internet forums. More information is available at dhses.ny.gov.

Delaware County Public Health’s Children & Youth with Special Health Care Needs program Is sponsoring Art in the Park, hosted by The Oneonta World of Learning. Activities will be held Saturday August 20 & 27th from 1:00 pm to 4:00 PM, at 167 Youngs Road in Oneonta. More information is available by calling Oneonta World of Learning at 607-353-9503.

The Boards of Directors for the Chenango United Way and the United Way of Madison County have approved the formal affiliation of their 2 agencies, with the intent to complete an application for merger in the first quarter of 2023. Elizabeth Monaco will be the Executive Director of the new affiliated United Way, she told WCDO News how this will benefit the affected communities:

(Elizabeth Monaco 8-19-22)

The Chenango United Way also affiliated with the United Way of Delaware & Otsego Counties, so the 3 United Ways will now serve more than 224,000 people in the 4 county region, a new name for the 4-county organization will be announced next year.

A.M. NEWS FRIDAY8-19-22

State Police arrested 39 year old Adam Bright of East Meredith for Aggravated Vehicular Homicide, Aggravated Vehicular Assault, Aggravated Unlicensed Operation, Driving While Impaired by Drugs & Reckless Driving, after an investigation into a head-on crash on May 26th, on State Highway 23 in Davenport. Bright's minivan collided with a tractor trailer driven by 53 year old Michael Lutz of Oneonta. Bright was airlifted to a hospital for non-life-threatening injuries, his passenger, 43 year old Stacey Stachow of Meredith died at the scene, Lutz suffered minor injuries and was treated and released at a local hospital. Bright was located by Troopers Wednesday, he was arraigned at the Hamden Town Court and remanded to the Delaware County Jail.

Delaware County Public Health Services has confirmed its first monkeypox case in Delaware County. The person had traveled outside of Delaware County and contact tracing efforts are underway. Monkeypox spreads through close, physical contact between people. The Delaware County Public Health Services advises those who experience symptoms, such as rashes or lesions, to contact their healthcare provider, this includes anyone who has traveled to countries and areas where monkeypox cases have been reported, for more information, go to health.ny.gov/diseases.

The Chenango Blues Festival returns to Norwich tonight with a free show, and the main concerts to be held at the Chenango County Fairgrounds Saturday, Spokesman Eric Larsen said that tickets are still available:

(Eric Larsen 8-15-22)

More information, updates and tickets are available at chenangobluesfest.org

Chenango County Public Health released their latest COVID 19 numbers today, they report 194 total cases since March, with 145 Active Quarantines, no Active Hospitalizations, 7 deaths, 168 Recoveries, and they have performed 15157 tests.  Isaiah Sutton of Chenango County Public Health said that a latest positive test showed that the individual was at 2 Norwich Bars recently, & ignored Pandemic protocols:

(Isaiah Sutton 7-24-20)

Sutton said that all of the local counties have been seeing increases again, largely due to larger summertime gatherings; he urges that people continue to practice socially distancing, wear a face mask properly & avoid large gatherings wherever possible.

The Broome County Health Department announced Friday that they are up to 906 positive cases of COVID 19, with 63 deaths, 695 recoveries and 610 are being monitored by the Health Department.

State Senator Jim Seward announced that Diane Munro of Roxbury has been confirmed by the state senate as a member of the Olympic Regional Development Authority.  Munro has held positions as a teacher, principal, and superintendent, & while a Sidney resident Years ago, she was a co-founder of Sidney Area Youth Advocate Program, and the Tri-Town Boys and Girls Club, she currently serves the board of directors of the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Council of Delaware County, and is a member of the Delaware County and Central Catskills Chamber of Commerce, the appointment runs through June 19, 2024.

Governor Cuomo stated Thursday that New York State has one license for bars & restaurants, and people are misunderstanding the concept of outdoor dining;

(Cuomo food bars)

The State Police & State Liquor Authority will look into as many cases as they can of violating of the state laws, local police agencies are also being asked to enforce the law.

Delaware County received 2 new positive test results for COVID-19 Thursday and no additional recoveries. The known active cases in the County as of today is 7,   To date there have been 91 confirmed positive cases of COVID-19 in Delaware County, with 56 people under mandatory quarantine and 10 people under precautionary quarantine, 6 people are isolated at home and 1 is in the hospital, 6 people have died and 78 have fully recovered.

Police are looking for a 93 year old Rockland County man with dementia, who may be driving in the local region.  Joseph Buffamento is described as a white man, 5'5" about 135 pounds, with gray hair, Brown eyes, driving a 2002 Toyota Rav 4 with license plate number 556823, he was last seen driving on Oquaga Lake Road at about 7:30 PM last night.  Anyone with information is asked to call 911.  (Buffamento was located safely at home Friday morning)

State Senator Jim Seward announced Senate passage of legislation to assist a retired teacher from Otsego County who was being forced to repay the State Teachers Retirement System nearly $64,000 due to multiple accounting errors.  Katherine Sweeney retired from teaching from the Richfield Springs school district in 2004, in 2018 & again in 2019 she was informed that she was overcompensated & had to reimburse the State Retirement System.  Sweeney contacted Senator Seward, the issue was corrected, legislation passed both houses & the bill will now go to the governor for final approval.

Governor Cuomo signed legislation to raise the minimum sales
age for tobacco and electronic cigarette products from 18 to 21. The bill will
take effect 120 days after becoming law; tobacco use continues to be the number
one cause of preventable death in New York State. About 28,000 adult New
Yorkers die every year as a result of smoking & an increasing number of
underage youth are using both traditional cigarettes and e-cigarettes. From
2014 to 2018 youth use of e-cigarettes increased by 160% to 27.4%, more than
half of teens falsely believe that e-cigarette use is harmless.

State Police arrested 32 year
old Heather Houck of Binghamton & 26 year old Caleb Zandt of Deposit for
Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance & Criminally Using Drug
Paraphernalia.   A trooper observed the
vehicle Houck and Zandt were in, near a closed business, the trooper learned
that Houck had an active warrant for her arrest.  Houck was also found to have suspected heroin
and methamphetamine, she was arrested and was turned over to Broome County Central
Arraignment and Processing.   Zandt was
found to be in possession of heroin and a scale.  He was issued appearance tickets to the town
of Union court on August 6th.

State Police responded Saturday to a pedestrian struck by a
vehicle on County Road 4 in the town of Unadilla.  69-year-old Susan Haney of Unadilla was
walking south on the eastern shoulder of County Road 4 when she was struck by
an SUV operated by 34-year-old Nicole Wilbur of Unadilla, who became distracted
and drifted off the road and struck Haney, Wilbur immediately stopped and
called 911.  Haney suffered from head
trauma, internal bleeding and leg injuries; she was flown to Upstate Medical
Center in Syracuse where she underwent surgery and is listed in critical but
stable condition.   Wilbur was issued
tickets for Reckless Driving, Moving from a Lane Unsafely and Failure to Use
Due Care for a Pedestrian. The investigation is on-going.

State Police arrested 32 year old Tavish Braman of Oxford
for 3rd degree Assault, after Troopers were dispatched to the town of
McDonough, were they observed an intoxicated male laying on a driveway.  A victim told troopers that they were giving
Braman a ride due to his intoxication; the victim reported that Braman punched
him in the face and head. The victim was taken to Chenango Memorial Hospital
and Braman was also taken to the hospital due to his level of intoxication, he
was released & was arraigned & remanded to Chenango County Jail on
$1000 cash bail or $2500 bond, pending court action on August 15th, an order of
protection was issued to the victim.

The Guilford Town Board will hold a special meeting this
evening to discuss the High Bridge Wind farm Development Project by Calpine,
Guilford Town Supervisor George Senek comments:

(George Senek 7-17-19)

The meeting will begin at 7:00 PM at the Guilford Town
Highway Garage at 223 Marble Road; more information is available at 895-9966.

The Delaware County Chamber of Commerce will hold their
Annual Business Awards ceremony at 6:00 PM at Meredith Inn, 4206 Turnpike Road,
Delhi, which is a change in venue due to the likelihood of Showers &
Thunderstorms.  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.

Delaware County Sheriff's Deputies, Walton Village Police, New York State Police, & several local Emergency Squads responded Thursday to a head-on collision, with 5 victims and 1 entrapment, on County Highway 21 near the intersection of Russell Road in the Town of Walton. The Investigation by Sheriff's Deputies determined that 42 year old Jeremy Shaw of Walton was driving a pickup truck when he crossed over the center line and struck a SUV head on driven by 43 year old Michael Franzese of Pearl River. Franzese was transported to Delaware Valley Hospital in Walton with head and facial injuries and was later transferred to UHS Wilson Hospital in Johnson City, 41 year old Diane Franzese, 12 year old Anthony Franzese and 10 year old Angelina Franzese were also transported to Delaware Valley Hospital in Walton, they suffered various injuries and were treated and released. Jeremy Shaw sustained injuries to his head and lower extremities, as well as possible internal injuries, and was airlifted to Albany Medical Center. The cause of this accident remains under investigation.

Online registration for the Delaware county "Clean Sweep" Household Hazardous waste disposal days begin this weekend, Solid Waste Coordinator Sue McIntyre explains:

(Sue McIntyre 8-31-18)

Phone registration will not begin until October 1st, at 865-6474, for the Clean Sweep days.

The 17th annual 4-H Golf Tournament tees off on Friday, September 14th at the Delhi College Golf Course. Proceeds generated by the tournament will support youth development activities in Delaware County. 3 or 4 more teams are available to enter, Registration begins on the 14th at 8:00 AM, with a shotgun start will begin at 9:00 AM. All entry forms and fees must be received at Cornell Cooperative Extension of Delaware County, 34570 St Hwy 10, Suite 2, Hamden, 13782 no later than September 5th. More information is available at 865-6531 or at ccedelaware.org.

Governor Cuomo announced that teams from FEMA have begun Joint Public Assistance Preliminary Damage Assessments in 8 counties impacted by severe flooding in early August. The assessments will determine if the total amount of damage costs meets the $28.29 million requirement for federal aid, if so, a disaster declaration will be granted and FEMA funding would be available to support infrastructure repair. Broome, Chenango, & Delaware Counties are included locally. The heavy rain storms and resulting flooding caused significant damage to roads, bridges and other critical infrastructure. state & local officials believe that the total costs meet the federal threshold for a disaster declaration.

Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies & the State DOT Safety Unit conducted a commercial vehicle safety check point at the intersection of State Highway 357 and County Highway 14 in the Town of Franklin. 6 commercial vehicles were stopped and examined, 4 were found to have violations significant enough to necessitate that they be taken out of service until their mechanical issues were fixed or negligence corrected, 5 traffic tickets were issued.

State Police arrested 36-year-old James Brower of Norwich, for 1st degree Murder, he is accused of murdering 11-year-old Jacelyn O’Connor in his residence in Norwich Sunday, anyone with information is asked to contact State Police at 334-3296. Brower was arraigned in Chenango County Court & was remanded to the Chenango County Jail without bail pending court action in the Town of Norwich Court on Thursday, at 9:00 AM. The Chenango County Sheriff’s Office and the Chenango County District Attorney’s Office assisted with this investigation. The investigation is ongoing.

Governor Cuomo was in Johnson City this morning, to deliver state funds to assist the Regional Econimic Development's wishes to assist Binghamton area businesses add jobs:

(Cuomo 8-2-17)

The State has already invested more than $3.1 billion in the region since 2012, recent REDC efforts in Binghamton have led to the building of the new Pharmacy School in Johnson City & the expansion of the Decker School of Nursing into a bigger facility.

Delaware County Sheriff's Deputies arrested 43 year old George Robinson of Delhi, on 7 additional felony charges following their investigation of complaints received from Fianncial Institutions in the County. Robinson was charged with 6 counts of Criminal Possession of a Forged Instrument & 1 count of 3rd degree Grand Larceny. Robinson is accused of acting in concert with 23 year old Justina Mastrorocco of Walton in stealing more than $3,000 by cashing 6 stolen and forged checks. Robinson was arrested in the Delaware County Jail where he is being held on bail on separate charges, he will be arraigned on the new charges at a later date.

New York state now considers an inmate's age at the time of the crime to ensure that offenders receiving long sentences as juveniles have a legitimate chance at release. Corrections officials say the Board of Parole made the change immediately after a 2016 ruling that juveniles must be granted a meaningful chance at release during parole proceedings. Though New York has never sentenced juveniles to life without parole, groups including the New York Civil Liberties Union had criticized officials for looking only at crimes, and not youth, in parole determinations. Recent U.S. Supreme Court rulings have narrowed the instances in which those who commit offenses under age 18 can receive the harshest penalties.

U.S. Senator Charles Schumer said that the Food and Drug Administration should launch a formal investigation into the health consequences of chemicals used in fast food packaging. Schumer is asking for the investigation into chemicals used in plastics to make them more flexible and harder to break, but they have been linked to developmental and reproductive issues.

The Public Safety & Legal Affairs Committee of the Otsego County Board of Representatives announced that they continue to investigate the situation regarding Sergeant Ros Devlin of the Otsego County Corrections Department, who is also the son of Otsego County Sheriff Richard Devlin. Ros Devlin was accused of using excessive violence as a corrections officer, he is also accused of making threats, possibly against area schools and the public in general that led to his pistol permit being revoked, and he was banned from being on County Property, and his behavior was being investigated by the County District Attorney’s office, The County’s Labor Attorney, the Sheriff’s Department & State Police. Sheriff Devlin was requested to recuse himself from the investigation due to an obvious conflict of interest, which he initially refused; County officials said that the Sheriff did not advise them of his original disciplinary action until April 10th. The investigation is continuing.

Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 21 year old Alissa Young of Hancock, Thursday for 1 count of Driving While Ability Impaired Drugs plus other charges, Following the report of a vehicle going off the road and into a ditch on State Highway 97 in the Town of Hancock, she was arraigned and was remanded to the Delaware County Jail on $1,000 cash bail or $2,000 bail bond. Deputies also arrested Young’s passenger, 26-year-old Anthony Rhinebeck of Hancock, for Criminal Possession of a Hypodermic Instrument, he is accused of possessing 3 hypodermic instruments, Rhinebeck was arraigned and was remanded to the Delaware County Jail on $5,000 cash bail or $10,000 bail bond.

Rotary District 7170 has received a Rotary Global grant to help with the local fight against heroin & Opioid abuse in 7 local counties, including Chenango, Delaware Otsego & Broome Counties. District Grant Committee Chairperson Lana Rouff told WCDO News what the money would be used for:

(Lana Rouff 4-14-17)

Rouff said that the money will also be used of an Internet program to target those who may be using Opioids and get them the help they need.

The Delaware County Tourism Advisory Board is now accepting applications for funding under the newly created Tourism Promotion & Development Grant program. This program will provide funding assistance to eligible applicants for projects that seek to attract visitors to Delaware County and enhance the overall tourism industry. Applications for grant assistance must be hand-delivered to the Delaware County Department of Economic Development or postmarked by 5:00pm on May 17th. More information is available at 607-832-5123.

4 Chenango County Farms will benefit following an announcement by Governor Cuomo, to address the impact of climate change on agriculture. The Chenango County Soil and Water Conservation District was awarded $67,716 to work with four farms to plant 1,015 acres of cover crops over a three year period, to improve soil quality, reduce erosion, increase soil organic matter and improve resiliency to the farm from extreme weather conditions like floods & droughts.

State Police arrested 34 year old Rachel Howard of Burlington Flats for the Aggravated Driving While Intoxicated with a B.A.C. result of .18 and other traffic violations. This arrest occurred after a traffic stop when Howard was observed driving across hazard markings while on County Route 22 in the Town of Exeter. An investigation determined that she was driving while highly intoxicated. Howard was issued tickets returnable to the Town of Exeter Court on April 19, 2017.

The State DEC is opening spring turkey season on May 1 in the upstate counties. The DEC's annual youth turkey hunting weekend is scheduled for April 22 & 23, for junior hunters ages 12-15. The DEC encourages experienced hunters to take a novice hunter afield this spring, more information about turkey hunting in New York, see the 2016-17 Hunting and Trapping Regulations Guide or visit the "Turkey Hunting" pages of DEC's website at dec.ny.gov.

Today is the last day to sign up for free income tax preparation in Chenango County through the Colgate University Volunteer income tax assistance program. Residents who earned less than $54,000 may be eligible to participate, more information, can be made through Cornell Cooperative Extension at 99 Broad Street in Norwich, at 334-5841. The deadline to file state & federal income taxes is Tuesday April 18th this year.

Broome County District Attorney Steven Cornwell announced that he would prosecute a drug ring case after announcing a 95-count indictment was handed down against 7 people arrested last week in Endwell. Terrance Wise is charged with 84 counts and is accused of being the leader of the drug ring, 2,700 bags of heroin were seized in the raid at his residence last week.

The City of Oneonta will be growing thanks to 10 million dollars in State money for economic development projects around the market street area. Mayor Gary Herzig comments:

(Gary Herzig 8-4-16)

Oneonta was one of a handful of small cities that received state assistance through the regional economic development councils.

The State DEC unveiled new regulations concerning deer and bear hunting, to increase opportunities for junior hunters to take bears, rescind an antlerless-only rule from 2015 in portions of southeastern New York and the Lake Plains, reduce antlerless harvests in two management units in the western Adirondacks, and clarify when special season tags may be used by bow and muzzleloader hunters. The new bear hunting regulation now includes the taking of bears in the youth firearms hunt over Columbus Day weekend that was previously a deer-only event.

The Chenango County Sheriff’s Office arrested 58-year-old Mark Babcock of Otselic for 2 counts of Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance, following a sealed indictment by a Chenango County Grand Jury. The Indictment alleged the sale of narcotics from Babcock’s residence; he was already in custody and is awaiting arraignment in the Chenango County Court.

Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul toured the flood-damaged areas of the village of Sidney today with village officials, regarding the plans for the River street area residents and the area itself. Hochul commented about the tour to WCDO News:

(Kathy Hochul 12-2-15)

Mayor Andy Matviak said that it is important for high-level state officials to see where they are at with their plans and maybe get the process moving along at a quicker pace:

(Andy Matviak 12-2-15)

Matviak said that they are still working with FEMA, and they have also spoke individually with most of the homeowners in the River Street area about buy-outs, elevations and the possible development in the Plankenhorn Road area.

Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul visited Norwich this afternoon following the tour of Sidney; she met with Business Leaders at Commerce Chenango, toured the Business district, convened a Women’s Roundtable at the Artist's Pallet, & toured the Northeast Classic Car Museum.

Governor Cuomo announced a 60% decrease in alcohol-related traffic fatalities since Governor Mario Cuomo raised New York State's drinking age to 21 exactly 30 years ago. According to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, youth who drink alcohol are more likely to experience alcohol-related car crashes and other unintentional injuries; school, social, legal, and physical problems; abuse of other drugs; and death from alcohol poisoning.

Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul visits Sidney & Norwich today. Hochul will meet with Local Officials and will Tour Sidney Green Plains site, in Norwich, Hochul will convene a Roundtable with Business Leaders at Commerce Chenango this afternoon, she will then tour downtown Norwich, convene a Women’s Roundtable to Discuss Governor Cuomo’s Initiatives at the Artists Pallet, & she will tour the Northeast Classic Car Museum.

Otsego County Chamber of Commerce hosts the NBT Bank Holiday Open House today from 5:00 TO 7:00 pm at NBT Bank’s Wall Street Oneonta Branch location.

Otsego County will hold a free rabies clinic today at the Susquehanna animal shelter on State Route 28 in Cooperstown, for dogs, cats & ferrets. The clinic will be held from 4:00 to 6:00 PM.

The Sidney Chamber of Commerce monthly meeting is schedule for this morning at 7:30 AM. The meeting will be held at the Sidney County Club.

Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 17-year-old male from the Youth Leadership Academy in South Kortright for Felony Assault in the 2nd degree. The charges are a result of the youth allegedly assaulting a staff member at the center. The youth was arraigned in Delhi Town Court and sent to the Delaware County Jail on $5,000 cash and $10,000 bond. He is due back in court at a later date.

The Greater Oneonta Economic Development Council in cooperation with Citizens’ Voices, will host a program for local leaders from towns, villages, and hamlets today from 1:00 to 4:00 PM at the Foothill's Performing Arts and Civic Center in Oneonta. Over 80 participants for area schools and municipal governments are participating.   The staff from the New York Department of State's Division of Local Government Services will   discuss opportunities to leverage regional assets, generate cost savings and increase service delivery efficiencies through shared services and consolidation.

Commerce Chenango is hosting a “Meet & Greet” with Republican gubernatorial candidate Rob Astorino this morning. The event will be held at Fred’s Inn on route 12 in Norwich from 8:30 to 9:30 AM.

State Police reported that the body of 29-year-old Christopher Gonzalez was located in a wooded area off Guinn Ridge Road.  The cause and manner of death is undetermined, the body was removed for an autopsy at Lourdes Hospital.  Gonzalez was wanted for questioning in the Mayhood’s Sporting Goods burglary, his girlfriend, 25 year old Brandy Bousson of Norwich has been charged with 3rd degree Burglary, for her alleged involvement in the gun burglaries at the Mayhood's, she was arraigned & was remanded to Chenango County Jail in lieu of $250,000 cash bail.

State Senator Jim Seward announced Friday a new leadership team has been established to carry out Otsego County’s economic development strategy.  Sandy Mathes, Jr is a past executive director of the Greene County IDA, he will team with Elizabeth Horvath of Cooperstown who will serve as the IDA’s chief operating officer.  Seward commented about the appointments in Oneonta Friday:

(Seward 1-13-14)

Both Mathes and Horvath will work from the Otsego County Office Building at 242 Main Street in Oneonta, which also houses the Otsego County Economic Development Corporation, Main Street Oneonta, and the recently formed Oneonta Conference and Events Coalition.

Delaware County Deputies arrested a 16-year-old Harlem youth Friday for 2nd degree Assault, the youth was charged following a physical altercation at the Youth Leadership Academy in Kortright.  The youth was arraigned & was remanded to the County Jail on $1,500 cash bail.

16-year-old Children's Home Residential Treatment Facility resident was arrested by Chenango County Sheriff's Office for 3rd degree Menacing.  The youth was arrested following an altercation at the Children's Home Residential Treatment Facility in the Town of Greene; he is accused of shoving, striking and attempting to choke a 13 -year-old youth. The Defendant was arraigned in the Town of Coventry Court & was released back to Treatment Facility staff and ordered to appear in the Town of Greene Court at a later date.

Allowing 4 casinos in upstate New York would generate $430 million in annual revenue for the state, according to an estimate from the state budget office. The estimate marks the first time the Cuomo administration has put a dollar amount on the impact of the Upstate New York Gaming and Economic Development Act, which would allow for four casinos to be sited in the Catskills, Southern Tier and the Capital Region. The casinos, however, are contingent on whether voters approve a change to the state constitution in November.

State Troopers in Sidney arrested 52 year old Mark Meyers of Guilford, for fleeing a police officer in a motor vehicle, felony driving while intoxicated with a BAC of .15%, plus numerous  vehicle and traffic law charges.  The arrest followed a traffic stop on State Route 8 that concluded on High Bridge Road in Guilford. Meyers was arraigned in the town of Guilford court and remanded to the Chenango county jail on $8,000 bail.

The Emerald Ash Borer is spreading more quickly than expected, according to Cornell Cooperative Extension in Chenango County.  The Emerald Ash Borer will only affect Ash trees, which make up about 10 percent of trees in the region. Officials say the only way to protect the trees is to inject the tree with insecticide. Any trees without the insecticide will begin to weaken and die over the next decade. More information is available at emeraldashborer.info

Binghamton University hosted a workshop yesterday regarding funding for small businesses, hosted by the university's Small Business Development Center. Guest speakers talked about the availability of funding so businesses can expand their businesses and commercialize products. Representatives from NYSERDA also discussed energy conservation grants available for small  businesses.   more information is available at nyserda.ny.gov

The American Red Cross of the Southern Tier will host a babysitters training class for youth ages 11 to 15 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 28, at the Red Cross office at 620 E. Main St, Endicott. To register visit redcross.org

Governor Cuomo today announced $91 million in awards for shovel-ready projects to build affordable housing across the state. The funds were available through New York State Homes & Community Renewal,  Locally, in this round of funding, Lakewood Development LLC receives $3 million for The Norwich Shoe Apartments; which calls for the demolition of 4 old buildings and the new construction of 34 rental units for low-income individuals and families, 7, for persons with developmental disabilities. The development will be located adjacent to the downtown Norwich Business District.

Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested a 17 year old Delhi youth for Criminal Possession of Stolen property.   The youth was spotted by Deputies riding a stolen dirt bike, he was also arrested for Unlawful Possession of Marihuana, driving an Unregistered, Uninsured ATV and riding without a helmet.  The youth was arraigned & was remanded to the Delaware County Correctional Facility in lieu of $1,000 cash bail.

Millennia Entertainment & the Chenango County Fair announced that on Wednesday August 7th  at 6:30 PM, Country music star Jamie O'Neal will headline the 5th annual “Guitars Under the Stars”  show.   Tickets go on sale Friday May 17th at Hayes Office Products in Norwich, Video Entertainment Plus in Sidney and online at brownpapertickets.com.

The Broome County Sheriff’s Office responded to multiple tractor-trailers MVA on Interstate 81 south in the Town of Kirkwood Tuesday morning at about 5:40 AM.   Deputies arrived to find numerous vehicles on fire, blocking all lanes and with a significant diesel fuel spill. The Preliminary investigation revealed that a southbound tractor-trailer from Canada, hauling canned goods, rear-ended a car carrier loaded with new SUV’s, 3 of them burst into flames. The second tractor-trailer then veered to the left, striking a third tractor-trailer and sheared open the fuel tank. The first truck, operated by Andrew High out of Ontario, Canada, also caught fire and came to rest partially in the median of Interstate 81.  High suffered a head injury and was transported to Wilson Hospital for treatment; he was ticketed for Following Too Closely. The investigation is continuing and further charges may be filed.  Interstate 81 South was closed for over 3 hours before opening two lanes of traffic.

Governor Cuomo will visit Broome County today.  The governor is expected to tour BAE systems as part of the Regional Economic Development Tour.  Regional economic councils are vying for state funds for economic development projects.

The Chenango county sheriffs department arrested 20-year-old Travis Demuth of Oxford for 2nd degree Criminal Contempt.   Demuth is accused of violating an active order of protection issued in the Town of Norwich Court; he was released on his own recognizance and is to reappear in the Town of Afton Court at a later date.

The state health department will officially observe World AIDS Day today, at the Empire State Plaza Convention Center in Albany.  Today at 1:30 p.m., the State Health Department will honor young people and youth leaders from across the State for their leadership, compassion and extraordinary efforts in raising awareness of HIV/AIDS in schools or communities.  More information on World AIDS Day Expo activities is available at the Department of Health webpage at: www.health.ny.gov/WAD (http://www.health.ny.gov/WAD).