WCDO Radio News

Over the Thanksgiving Holiday weekend, State troopers conducted an underage drinker identification detail.  Troopers checked a total of 16 convenience stores in Broome County, all 16 businesses and sales clerks were found in compliance and no arrests were made.

The Bronx Wanderers will be performing at the Chenango Arts Council Martin W. Kappel Theater tonight in Norwich.  Chenango Arts spokesperson Victoria Kappel comments:

(Victoria Kappel)

Tickets are still available for tonight’s concert at chenangoarts.org, more information is available at 336-ARTS.

Free 5-gallon pails of remixed exterior latex paint are now available to non-profit agencies and Otsego County residents.  The pain is available on a first come first serve basis, it was collected as part of the county’s annual Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day in September, it was re-mixed and packaged for distribution through the generosity of Golden Artist Colors of New Berlin.  More information is available by calling the Otsego County Planning Department at 547-4225.

The Chenango memorial hospital auxiliary will host ”Breakfast with Santa” tomorrow from 8:00 to 10:00 AM in the hospital cafeteria.  The event includes a full breakfast buffet and pictures with Santa, courtesy of NBT Bank; tickets are $5.00 at the door.

The Bainbridge Guilford teachers association will hold its 3rd annual holiday craft fair tomorrow from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM, at the Greenlawn Elementary School in Bainbridge.  The event is free to the public; proceeds will benefit the BG Student council “Angel Fund” which provides holiday baskets & turkeys to local families in need.

Broome County Sheriff's deputies arrested 38 year old Donnette Russell of Bainbridge Monday on charges of DWI, reckless endangerment, aggravated DWI, criminal mischief & leaving the scene of a personal injury incident.  Deputies responded to the report of an intoxicated driver in a driveway in the town of Chenango, when they arrived, the driver struck trees, a garage, a parked car and the caller, who was taken to an area hospital with minor injuries.  Deputies later spotted Russell on Upper Front Street, she was apprehended and is accused of having a BAC of .30, and she was taken to the Broome County Jail without bail pending court action.

38 year old Michael Degnan of Port Crane has been indicted on additional charges.  Degnan was arrested for allegedly raping a 14 year old earlier this year; the new charges include 1st-degree rape, 2nd degree rape, 4 counts of criminal sex acts and endangering the welfare of a child.  Degnan remains in the Broome County Jail.

The Greater Oneonta Economic Development Council & Oneonta River Corporation, will host 2 commerce building programs that could have an impact in the Oneonta Area.   Dr. Carlena Ficano of the Hartwick College economics department will present a report on the profitability of local commercial hops production today at Foothills at 4:30 PM.  The 2nd presentation will be on Tuesday, October 1st, where Heath Markus Green of Cornell University will give a presentation on revitalizing part of the old D&H Rail-yards in Oneonta.  Green’s presentation will be held at Foothills Performing Arts center at 4:30 PM.

Governor Cuomo today visited the Village of Margaretville in Delaware County for a New York Rising Community Reconstruction Planning Committee.  Planning experts, community officials, and residents gathered to kick off the long-term rebuilding process following Tropical Storm Lee & Hurricane Irene in 2011 that devastated Margaretville. The New York Rising Community Reconstruction Program is designed to empower communities to create and implement their strategies to rebuild and prepare for future extreme weather.  The governor was also planning to attend a NY Rising meeting in Staten Island, which was heavily damaged from Super storm Sandy.

A total of $99,400 in cultural funding is available from the Chenango Arts Council for initiatives in Broome, Chenango and Otsego counties. Funding is available for grants up to $5,000 through the 2014 Decentralization Program.  The grants provide support to community-based organizations, groups, collectives or artists. The deadline for the grant application is December 11th; Guidelines & applications are available at chenangoarts.org.

State police responded to a 2-vehicle accident with 9 injuries at around 7:30 this morning in Madison County.  Reports said that a Department of Transportation dump truck hit a Sherburne Earlville school district van, after the district vehicle went through a stop sign in Smithfield.  Troopers reported that the school van was carrying 6 teachers to Syracuse, the DOT Truck had 3 passengers, both vehicles went off the road & both overturned.   All 9 were taken to area hospitals, the investigation is continuing.

The State Labor Department today released unemployment rates for May. The state's unemployment rate was 7.6% in May, locally Chenango County’s rate dropped ½% to 6.9%, Delaware County’s rate dropped 4/10’s to 7.9% and Otsego County’s rate dropped ½% to 6.9% in May.

The Chenango county sheriffs department arrested an unidentified 16-year-old female from Guilford on a charge of 2nd degree harassment.  The juvenile was arrested after an investigation into a fight on a school bus where the suspect struck the victim in the head and face several times.  The juvenile will appear in the Town of Guilford Court at a later date.

The 2013 farm aid concerts will come to the Saratoga performing arts center later this year. The show will be on Saturday September 21, featuring John Mellencamp, Willie nelson, Neil young, Dave Matthews and many other, tickets will go on sale on Friday.

Delaware County’s solid waste composting facility has been operating for 7 years now, and the product from the facility is sold daily for a number of reasons.  Solid waste management coordinator Sue McIntyre explains:

(Sue McIntyre 6-26-13)

McIntyre said that information will also be released shortly about this fall’s “Clean Sweep” days.

The Chenango County Sheriff's Office arrested a Pennsylvania resident on an active Family Court Warrant.  27-year-old Alfredo Gonzalez of Browndale, Pennsylvania was wanted on a warrant issued by the Chenango County Family Court for failure to pay child support; he was remanded to the Chenango County Correctional facility on $1,000 purge or to serve a 60 day sentence.

Oneonta homeowner Frank Monaco will discuss the Home Performance with Energy Star® Program tomorrow at 12 Shepherd Avenue in Oneonta.  Monaco will be joined tomorrow at 11:00 am, by Oneonta Mayor Richard Miller, Assemblyman Bill Magee, area contractors, and Oneonta common council members regarding the program’s benefits to local property owners and contractors.  Interested participants will be able to sign up for the program at the event.

The Appellate Division, Third Department has rejected an appeal from Anthony Pacherille Jr. of Cooperstown, of the 11-year prison term in Otsego county court for a 2010 shooting in Cooperstown.  The ruling stated that there was no bias against Pacherille by Otsego county judge Brian Burns in his sentencing of Pacherille, for the racially motivated shooting of Wesley Lippitt.  Pacherille pleading guilty to 2nd degree attempted murder for that shooting.

The Broome County Special Investigations Unit Task Force executed a search warrant Tuesday; they arrested 5 people on a variety of drug & grand larceny charges.  Arrested were Joseph Fuzi, Pamela Sarday, Matthew Ford, Matthew Bowman and Megan Walsh, police seized crack-cocaine, digital scales, hypodermic needles and a dagger.  Bowman and Walsh were released on an appearance ticket for Binghamton Court, Fuzi and Sarday were arraigned & were remanded to the Broome County jail, Ford was arraigned in City of Binghamton Court and released, all face court action at a later date.

The Chenango Arts Council will hold their annual 5K fundraising run, “The Allegro Run for the Arts” Saturday.  The race begins at the Council of the Arts, 27 West Main Street, Norwich at 9:00 AM, Race day registrations will be accepted from 8 until 8:45 a.m.  Entry fees race are $15 up until race day and $20 the day of the race. Students will pay $10 both pre registration and day of the race.  Registration forms are available for download at the Council’s website at www.chenangoarts.org (http://www.chenangoarts.org/).

State Troopers arrested 37-year-old George Burts of Binghamton, for Driving While Ability Impaired by Drugs, Criminal Impersonation, Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance, Operating Without a License and Falsifying Business Records. The arrest followed a traffic stop in Kirkwood, Burts was arraigned & was remanded to the Broome County Jail without bail.

The Woodsmen's Festival at Hanford Mills Museum will be held on Saturday, from 10:00 AM to 5:00 pm.  The Museum staff will give tours and demonstrations, Hanford Mills Museum is located at 51 County Highway 12 in East Meredith, at the intersection of Delaware County Routes 10 & 12, more information is available at www.hanfordmills.org OR by calling 278-5744.

The Chenango county sheriffs department arrested 24-year-old Dale Thompson on an active Bench Warrant issued out of the Village of Sherburne Court for failure to pay fines.  Thompson was previously charged for with criminal mischief, endangering the welfare of a child, and 2nd degree harassment, he was arraigned and was released on his own recognizance after paying his fines.

The Otsego County Planning Department will be holding a Local Government Training Workshop this afternoon at 5:30 until 8:45 PM at the Otsego County Meadows Office Complex in Cooperstown.  The workshop will include sessions on Storm water Regulation for Local Review Boards and Article 10 of Public Service Law for Siting of Electricity Generating Facilities. More information is available at 547-4225.

The Chenango County Sheriff’s Office arrested 22-year-old Talon Taltavall of Hamilton, on an active Bench Warrant issued by the Town of Sherburne Court, for a violation of probation or conditional discharge.   Taltavall was arrested in the Town of Norwich; he was arraigned in the Town of Sherburne Court & was remanded to the Chenango County Sheriff’s Office on $1,000.00 cash bail. Taltavall is scheduled to appear back in the Town of Sherburne Court at a later date.

The Norwich Rotary club is seeking additional members at their event this afternoon from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM at the Canasawacta Country Club the event is free to member of Commerce Chenango.

The CHENANGO COUNTY COUNCIL OF THE ARTS is currently looking for area artists who would like to submit their work to Fourth Friday's in downtown Norwich.  Every Fourth Friday of the month local downtown merchants place artwork in their storefront windows as part if the monthly event. The event includes an art walk starting at 5 PM followed by a gallery opening with live music and food at The Artists' Palette in Norwich.  More information is available at 244-1445.

The Chenango county sheriffs department arrested 25 year old Adam Courtright of Binghamton on an active arrest warrant issued by the Chenango County Family Court.  The Broome County Sheriff’s Office located Courtright, he was arraigned for failure to appear  and he was released to appear at a later date.

The Jericho Arts Council is will display the private art collection of Ian Tonnessen of Bainbridge tomorrow at the Bainbridge Town Hall Theater, from 7:00 – 10:00 PM.  The evening hours were scheduled to coincide with 8:00 PM bluegrass performance of The De Laney Brothers in the Town Hall Theater.   The gallery is located on the second floor of the Bainbridge Town Hall at 15 North Main Street.

Oneonta city police arrested 18-year-old Christopher Delgado of the Bronx, for allegedly making a terrorist threat on Facebook against the State University of Oneonta.  Delgado is a student at Hartwick College, he was charged with making a terrorist threat, in which referenced Columbine killer Dylan Klebold.  Delgado was arraigned in Oneonta City Court and sent to Otsego County jail on $1,000 bail, pending future court action.

Commerce Chenango will host an appearance by State Agriculture and Markets Commissioner Darrell Aubertine, who will deliver the Executive Budget presentation in Norwich this week.  The event will be held at the northeast classic car museum of Rexford Street in Norwich this Thursday at 11:00 AM.  RSVP is required at 721-8605.

“Rock Of Ages” is coming to the Broome County Forum in Binghamton Thursday evening.  The show will feature 2004 Chenango Forks High School Graduate Stephen Michael Kane in the ensemble cast, he told WCDO News about the show and being able to perform at home:

(Stephen Michael Kane)

Kane will also host the Devin Spears Scholarship Talent Showcase at the Endicott performing Arts Center Saturday at 8:00 PM, Kane was the first ever recipient of that scholarship, it will be his 2nd time hosting that event.

Lawsuits from both sides of the hydrofracking issue are looming, as the DEC’s  February 27th regulations deadline approaches.  1 lawsuit has been filed by the National Resources Defense Council and Catskill Citizens for Safe Energy, they claim that the town of Sanford is violating residents’ First Amendment rights to free speech, by refusing to hear any more public comments for and against gas drilling.  Meanwhile, Attorney Michael Joy represents Lenape Resources Incorporated, a natural gas company that has signed drilling leases in Otego, Unadilla and Butternuts, the suit claims that gas companies are entitled to receiving their expected revenue from leases, if they were signed before any drilling bans or moratoriums are passed, the Otego town board is expected to act on a 1-year moratorium at this week’s meeting.

State Troopers in Sidney arrested 44-year-old Melissa Thomsen  of South New Berlin for Driving While Intoxicated.  The arrest resulted from a motor vehicle accident on County Highway 3A in Unadilla,  Thomsen was issued tickets returnable to the Town of Unadilla Court on February 25th.