WCDO Radio News

State
Police arrested 27-year-old Morgan Disano of Oneonta for 3rd degree criminal
possession of stolen property and other traffic violations.  Disano is accused of driving a stolen vehicle
from New York City & with a suspended license, she was arraigned in the
Town of Oneonta Court and sent to the Otsego County Jail on $1,000 cash bail or
$2,000 bond, she is scheduled to reappear in court on November 16.

Chenango
Arts Council presents a Musical about the legendary Wright Brothers, Saturday
at 7:00 PM, at the Martin W. Kappel Theater in Norwich, Council Spokesperson
Alecia O'Neill explains:

(Alecia
O’Neill 11-8-19)

Tickets
are still available online at chenangoartscouncil.thundertix.com, or at the Box
Office.

The
Oneida County Sheriff’s Office responded to an accident where 42-year-old Erika
Davis of Oneonta lost control of her vehicle on a curve in Paris New York last
night, and flipped her car onto its roof in a creek.  Davis was able to get out of the vehicle,
& went to a nearby residence and reported the accident.  Davis suffered several injuries & was
taken to a Utica area hospital, the accident is under investigation.

Transformco
announced that they will be closing 96 additional Sears and Kmart stores in
February; the Sidney K-mart is on the list to close in February.  Liquidation Sales will begin December 2nd.

The
Delaware County Solid Waste Management Facility will host an open house and
'Trash 2 Cash' event in partnership with the Delaware County Chamber of
Commerce tomorrow morning.  Interested
residents and business owners can tour the facility & see how garbage is
transformed into compost, & turned into cash.  Tours will run from 10:00 AM to 12:00 Noon at
the Solid Waste Facility on State Highway 10 in Walton.  More information is available at
delawarecounty.org.

State Police responded to Betty Beavers Gas Mart on County
Road 48 in the town of Otego early this morning for a report of a vehicle that
crashed into a concrete wall.   Troopers
reported that an unidentified 27-year-old woman from Unadilla was operating a
2015 Kia at a high rate of speed on State Highway 991J, she traveled through
the intersection of County Road 48, through the parking lot of Betty Beavers
Gas Mart and into the wall.  Troopers
pulled the woman out of the vehicle and life saving measures were performed by
Otego EMS personnel but were unsuccessful.
The body was transported to Lourdes Hospital for an autopsy & the
investigation is continuing.

State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli spoke to a meeting of the
Delaware County Chamber of Commerce at the Sidney Golf & Country Club this
morning, DiNapoli told WCDO News about the opportunities available for County
Businesses:

(Tom DiNapoli 10-4-19)

Delaware County Chamber President Ray Pucci said that he was
happy to get the Comptroller to attend this morning’s Chamber Breakfast:

(Ray Pucci 10-4-19)

State Comptroller DiNapoli has served in the post since
2007; he is the state's chief fiscal officer who ensures that state and local
governments use taxpayer money effectively and efficiently.

The Otsego County Sheriff’s Department is seeking the
public’s assistance in locating 48 year old Roxanne Shipman-Hull of the town of
Hartwick.  She is described as white,
with brown hair, Brown eyes, about 5’6” 115 pounds, she was last seen Sunday
September 29th leaving her residence, telling her boyfriend that she was
leaving & had no future plans.
Deputies said that she has a history of leaving, and a history of self-harm,
she was driving a 2011 Gray colored Honda CRV with license plate number
HZN-9505, she may also be with her brown colored female Labrador
retriever.  Anyone with information is
asked to contact the sheriff’s department at 547-1697.

The Chenango Arts Council will begin their 2019-2020
Performance Season with a free concert on Sunday at 2:00 pm in the Martin W.
Kappel Theater in downtown Norwich. The Catskill Valley Wind Ensemble will be
performing;  and the Chenango Arts
Council will also be announcing the winner of the “Dinner and a Show” raffle,
more information is available at 336-2787

The Jericho Arts Council
announced the return performance of the Corvettes Doo-Wop Revue, at the
Bainbridge Town Hall Theatre Saturday night at 7:00 PM.  Tickets are available at the box office and
can be reserved at 288-3882.

U.S. Senator Charles Schumer visited Sidney yesterday
afternoon, to announce that he is looking to get funding for an emergency
system to alert residence of potential floods, Sidney Mayor Andy Matviak
explains:

(Andy Matviak 10-4-19)

Schumer is looking to acquire the $150,000 Grant  from the Appalachian Regional Commission, for
a system that would be more reliable than any existing broadband systems, which
would fail to work in areas of the region that has limited or no broadband
service.

Commerce Chenango is celebrating Manufacturing Week, they
have named an Oxford Business as the Manufacturer of the day today, Kerri Green
of Commerce Chenango explains:

(Kerri Green 10-4-19)

Manufacturing makes up about 26% of the County's non-farm
jobs, well above the state average of only 4.6%.

Delaware County Sheriff’s
Department arrested a Sidney Center woman at the Jackson County Sheriff’s
Office in Medford, Oregon.  32 year old
Chellie Warner of Sidney Center was wanted on a Bench Warrant issued by the Delaware
County Court for failure to appear for a scheduled conference and sentencing
following her guilty plea for Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance.  Warner was originally arrested by Delaware
County Sheriff’s Office in December 2017, on a Grand Jury Sealed Indictment
Warrant for various drug charges for selling Fentanyl laced Heroin.  Warner was returned to Delaware County
Wednesday she was remanded to the Delaware County jail without bail.

Changes in the length of the statute of limitations recently
passed in the New York Child Victim’s Act, have led to hundreds of lawsuits
being filed against members of the clergy & educators who have been accused
or convicted of rape or sexual abuse.
Former Afton Principal David Curtis now faces a lawsuit after he pleaded
guilty for sexually abusing a teenage student over 30 years ago; his accuser
has brought a lawsuit against him and the Afton school district.    Curtis pleaded guilty to Endangering the
Welfare of a child by Sexual Contact, under the terms of a plea bargain
arrangement in 1991.

The West Kortright Centre will
hold its third annual Barn Tour fundraiser this Sunday from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM,
Tickets for this event are $20 in advance or $23 at the first barn, proceeds benefit
The West Kortright Centre’s arts and community programs, tickets & other
information is available at 278-5454 or at westkc.org.

34 year old Brock Likens of Greene was sentenced in a
federal court room to 78 months in prison for distributing, receiving and
possessing child pornography.  Likens
admitted that he knowingly received and distributed child pornography over the
internet using peer-to-peer file sharing software. An undercover law
enforcement officer downloaded 87 child pornography video files from Likens’
computer that he shared with others.  A
subsequent search of Likens’ house revealed that he possessed on various
devices, 31 video files and 24 images of child pornography.

The Broome County Sheriff's Department is looking for a
person who crashed a vehicle into a home at 11 Old State Road in Port Dickinson
late last night.  The car was left at the
scene, the driver left the scene, the investigation is continuing.

Governor Cuomo announced he has received and reviewed a
recommendation from New York State Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker to
include menthol in the ban on the sale of flavored electronic cigarettes and
nicotine e-liquids. He has accepted these recommendations and directed the
Commissioner to convene an emergency meeting of the Public Health and Health
Planning Council as soon as possible to expand emergency regulations to include
menthol flavors in the ban.

Congressman Anthony Brindisi fought to protect the
Bainbridge VA clinic in Chenango County at a House Veterans’ Affairs Health
Subcommittee hearing Wednesday, and confirmed with Dr. Richard Stone of the Veterans’
Health Administration that the clinic will not close in December 2019, as was
previously proposed. Brindisi invited Stone to visit the Bainbridge facility
and see firsthand the need it fills for Chenango County Veterans.  More than 3,600 Veterans reside in Chenango
County.

Commerce Chenango will once again host their annual
"Chamber Challenge" This Sunday at the Pharsalia State Lands, Chamber
President Steve Craig explains:

(Steve Craig 9-16-19)

Craig said that this year's Chamber Challenge is
co-sponsored by Chobani and Preferred Mutual Insurance Company. More
information is available at chamberchallenge.itsyourrace.com

Delaware County Sheriff Craig DuMond announced that on Thursday September 19th, local law enforcement agencies joined forces in the Village of Sidney area to conduct a multi-agency traffic enforcement detail, which resulted in 43 traffic summonses.  Also, 36 year-old Mitchell Knapp of Masonville was arrested and charged with Unlawful Possession of Marihuana and Violation of Probation.  Knapp was arraigned in the Town of Sidney Court and was remanded to the Delaware County Correctional Facility where he was held without bail pending further court action.

Bail for 18 year old Cody Coleman of Smithville was set at
$600,000 cash or $1 million bond earlier this week in Chenango County
Court.  Coleman was charged with 2nd
degree murder, criminal use of a firearm and criminal possession of a weapon
for the May 3rd death of his 16-year-old girlfriend, Amelia Wakefield of
Oxford.   Coleman is being held at the Chenango County
Correctional Facility pending future court action.

The Delaware County Historical Association is accepting
nominations for its annual Awards of Merit. Individuals and groups who have
made significant contributions to the preservation and presentation of local
history, traditions and culture will be presented with awards at the
Association’s Annual Meeting on Sunday, November 3rd.   More
information is available at 746-3849, by E-mail:  dcha@delhi.net or online at dcha-ny.org

Tomorrow is the last day to register online for this
Saturday's Bainbridge Glow Run at General Clinton Park, benefitting the
charitable event's founder Heather Bucalos of Sidney, who is facing cancer
treatments for the 2nd time in 5 years.
Bucalos comments:

(Heather Bucalos 9-11-19)

The event starts at 5:00 PM Saturday at General Clinton Park;
Bucalos started the event in 2015 as she was wrapping up her own Chemotherapy.

The Chenango Arts Council
announced that their Fall Workshops begin on Saturday September 14th through
October 19, where Rod Sutton will teach Photography to students of all levels
of experience.  An Advanced Drawing
workshop will also be held from September 23 until October 14, the workshops
are made possible in part by the State Council on the Arts.  More information is available at 336-ARTS or
chenangoart.org.

The American Red Cross will hold blood drives today,
September 11th, which is Patriot Day and a National Day of Service and
Remembrance.  In The Southern Tier, a
blood drive will be held from 11:30 AM to 5:30 PM at Binghamton University, in
Chenango County, in New Berlin from 11:30 AM to 3:30 PM At Golden Artist
Colors, at 188 Bell Road.

The Chenango Arts Council Announced a series of workshops
for September.  Beginning September 14th,
through October 19, a Photography workshop will be held from 12:00 Noon to
2:30pm on Saturdays, Advanced Drawing will be offered every Monday from
September 23rd to October 14th, from 6:00 to 8:00 PM; those interested can
register by calling 336-ARTS or go to chenangoarts.org.

UHS Chenango Memorial Hospital's capital campaign received a
commitment from Blueox Corporation, in the amount of $50,000.   The capital campaign will support
construction of a new Emergency Room and Walk-In Center, as well as strategic
investments in Diagnostic Imaging and infrastructure to support the growth of
future services. The work is part of the first phase of the hospital's Chenango
Medical Neighborhood Plan, which will transform the delivery of care at UHS
Chenango Memorial.

A vigil for SUNY Oneonta student
Nicholas Stagnitta of Patchogue Long Island will be held tonight at 7:00 PM, in
the President’s Garden on the SUNY campus.
Stagnitta was found dead in his apartment on Chestnut Street of an
apparent suicide on Saturday, the vigil is open to the public.

A State Supreme Court Judge upheld a New York state law
repealing religious exemptions for vaccines required for children in schools or
day care programs.  The state Legislature
repealed the religious exemption in June after nation's worst measles outbreak
in decades started in Rockland County.  Religious
groups sued the state but the law was upheld by Friday's decision.  New York allows exemption from vaccines for
medical reasons such as a weakened immune system.

Delaware County Sheriff's Deputies and members of the Delhi
Fire Department and Emergency Squad responded to a 911 report of a serious
personal injury motorcycle accident on State Highway 10, near Betts Hill Road,
in the Town of Delhi.  The Investigation
revealed that 46 year-old Daniel Quackenbush of Delhi was traveling south on
State Highway 10 when he lost control of his motorcycle which ran off the
southbound road shoulder before striking an embankment and rolling over in the
ditch,  ejecting Quackenbush,  who sustained serious injuries.  Quackenbush was taken to O’Connor Hospital in
Delhi where he later succumbed to his injuries.
Deputies believe alcohol use contributed to the cause of the accident.

Chenango Arts Council announced their 2019-2020 line-up of
shows coming to the Martin W. Kappel Theater in Norwich, Chenango Arts Council
CEO Alecia O'Neill explains:

(Alecia O'Neill 8-23-19)

Tickets will be available at 336-ARTS, Chenango Arts.Org or
at the Box Office at 27 West Main Street in Norwich.

The City of Oneonta announced that there will be a special
meeting of the Common Council on Monday, August 26, 2019 at 5:30pm.  The purpose of the meeting will be for the
discussion & approval of a bond resolution and discussion concerning Common
Council guidelines for the City staff’s preparation of the City’s 2020 budget.

Chenango United Way is looking for teams for their annual
Golf Tournament on September 27th at the Canasawacta Country Club in
Norwich.   More information is available
at 334-8815.

The Susquehanna Society for the
Prevention of Cruelty to Animals will host a public celebration tomorrow at
5088 State Highway 28, Cooperstown marking the groundbreaking of the future
site of its planned animal shelter and adjoining campus.  The reception is free and open to the public,
it will kick off at 12:00 noon with a groundbreaking ceremony and run until 2
p.m.

The Oneonta Common Council approved plans to move forward
with the redevelopment of the old Railyards at last night's meeting.  Plans call for a variety of developments in
the Roundhouse Road area, which are designed to bring more jobs to the region
upon completion.

Delaware County continues to sell its recyclables at about
the same rate as it has over the last several years, but they do have to be
inventive in order to keep up with the market place, according to Delaware
County Solid Waste Coordinator Tyson Robb explains:

(Tyson Robb 7-19-19)

Robb said they will be announcing details soon about the
upcoming Delaware County Clean Sweep event, and an open house later this fall.

Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 28-Year-Old
Ariel Alvarez of Walton, for Operating a Motor Vehicle with a Suspended
Registration, Aggravated Unlicensed Operator,
Operating a Motor Vehicle without Insurance, Operating a Motor Vehicle
without an Inspection Certificate, driving with an Obstructed view &
Failure to Notify DMV of an Address Change, following a traffic stop
recently.  Alvarez was issued appearance
tickets for the Franklin Town Court at a later date.

SUNY Oneonta officials estimate
that about 2000 new students are moving in today, as classes start for the fall
semester on Monday.   A number of
orientations for the new students will be held prior to the start of classes
for the incoming freshman.

Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 23 year old
Joseph Hahn of Walton for Driving While Ability Impaired due to Drugs,
following an investigation of a 4 car motor vehicle accident on Main Street in
Delhi.   Hahn allegedly rear ended a
parked vehicle, causing damage to an additional two vehicles, while operating a
motor vehicle while impaired by drugs.
Hahn was released on appearance tickets, and was scheduled to appear
before the Town of Delhi Court at a later date for further process.

Chenango County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 47 year old
William Johnson for criminal possession of a controlled substance, for
allegedly possessing Methamphetamines, crack cocaine & a narcotic during a
traffic stop.  Johnson was arraigned in
the Town of Plymouth Court & was remanded to the Chenango County Jail on
cash bail pending additional court action in the Town of Plymouth Court.

Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 31 year old
Alycia Possemato of Guilford for Attempted Assault & Criminal Obstruction
of Breathing or Blood Circulation, following a domestic dispute at the Delaware
County Fair. Possemato was arraigned and remanded to the Delaware County
Correctional Facility on $1,000 cash bail pending action in Village of Walton
Court on a later date.

The State Department of Labor today released preliminary
local area unemployment rates for July 2019. The State wide rate was 4%, locally;
Chenango & Otsego Counties had 4% unemployment, Delaware County 4.5%.

The Roxbury Arts Group is presenting a series of Information
Sessions throughout Delaware County to inform area artists, organizations, and
residents about the Decentralization Grant Program, Group Spokesperson Samantha
Nick comments:

(Samantha Nick 8-21-19)

Nick is the Grants and Community Coordinator for the Roxbury
Arts Group, she will present a talk at the Sidney Memorial Public Library at
10:00 am today, it is free and open to the public.

The Chenango Arts Council is partnering with Friends of
Rogers to offer a bus trip to the American Museum of Natural History in New
York City.  The touring bus will leave
the Chenango Arts Council parking lot, at 27 West Main Street in Norwich at
7:00 AM on Saturday, August 3rd and return to the same location at around 10 pm
that night. Reservations must be made by July 19th at 336-ARTS or
chenangoarts.org.

COLORSCAPE Chenango announced
that folk singer Peter Yarrow, of Peter, Paul and Mary fame, will appear on the
NBT Main Stage in downtown Norwich on Sunday, September 8th. The 2019
Colorscape will be held September 7th & 8th in the East and West Parks in
Norwich. For more information, visit www.colorscape.org.

Governor Cuomo announced that New York residents can fish
for free without a license in one of the 7,500 lakes and ponds or 70,000 miles
of rivers and streams across the state during this weekend.  New York's Free Fishing Weekends help encourage
more people to get outdoors and enjoy the fishing opportunities available; more
information is available at dec.ny.gov/outdoor.

A Town of Greene resident was arrested by the Chenango
County Sheriff’s Office for Harassment and Criminal Contempt Monday.  Deputies arrested Brittany Niemiec after a
complaint of a domestic dispute where she allegedly subjected the victim to
unwanted physical contact while there was an active order of protection in
place.  Niemiec was arraigned in the Town
of Greene Court and was released on her own recognizance.

Otsego County is pursuing funding for a Microenterprise
Program to assist small businesses with five or fewer employees, including the
owner. Either the owner, or new hire(s), must have low-to-moderate incomes.
Eligible applicants may receive a grant up to $35,000. Funds may be used for
equipment, inventory, working capital and other uses.   Applications or more information is
available at Thoma Development Consultants at 753-1433, Pre-applications should
be returned no later than July 19th.

33 organizations in the region received grants totaling
$235,708 from the Community Foundation for South Central New York’s Community
Fund and special funds, in the spring 2019 competitive grant cycles.   Grants were awarded to the Chenango River
Theatre, Chenango United Way, Community Arts Organization of Oneonta, Cornell
Cooperative Extension in Delaware County, Deposit Lumberjack Festival, The
Place-Norwich, Unatego Central School District & the United Way of
Delaware/Otsego.  More information is
available at donorswhocare.org.

Executives from the State Office of Victim Services &
the State Office of Children and Family Services  toured the new mobile Child Advocacy Center in
Delaware County Monday.   The Delaware
County mobile unit is 1 of 7 that will be delivered throughout the state this
summer and fall  & it is part of a
$4.45 million investment by the state to improve services for children who are
victims of physical or sexual abuse.  The
program is being funded through a partnership between the State Office of
Victim Services and the State Office of Children and Family Services.

State Primary Elections are being held today, with Polls
will be open from 12:00 noon to 9:00 PM.
Republican Primaries will be held in Delaware County for Sidney Town
Clerk between incumbent Lisa French & Sheila Paul, Primaries will also be
held for Hancock Superintendent of Highways & a Stamford Town Council. In
Chenango County, Republican Primary races include Norwich Mayor between
Christine Carnrike & Shawn Sastri, and North Norwich Town Supervisor
between Timothy Brown & Robert Wansor.

The Chenango County Department of Public Works announced
that County Road 32 will undergo Hot Mix Asphalt paving today Between State
Route 320 and State Route 12 in the towns of Norwich AND North Norwich.  The traveling public is asked to find
alternate routes if possible. More Information is available at 337-1710.

The Chenango Foundation & Leadership Chenango Advisory
Board presents the next Business After Hours today from 5:00 to 7:00 PM at
Hoppie's Restaurant at 2 LaFayette Park in Oxford.

Local Artists have decorated Adirondack Chairs, Canoe
Paddles & raised garden planters, which are being auctioned off at the
General Clinton Canoe Regatta grounds on Saturday.  Nancy Kitchen of the Jericho Arts Council
comments:

(Nancy Kitchen 5-24-19)

The Live Art Auction will be held on Saturday at 6:00 PM,
Interested purchasers can bid online at jerichoarts.com/regatta-row-2019.

The 2019 Rolling Antiquers Car show will be held this
Saturday 7 Sunday at the Chenango County Fairgrounds in Norwich.   Saturday, will be the Muscle Car &
Street Rod Show & on Sunday will be the Antique Auto & Classic Car
Show.   More information is available at
334-2907 or at raocc.org

Binghamton Police arrested 19-year-old Jalil Butts of
Binghamton for 2nd-degree attempted murder, in connection with the shooting of
a woman in a car on St. Patrick's Day on Chenango Street. 19-year-old Antonio
Jones of Taftville, Connecticut was arrested last month in connection with the
same shooting, he was charged with attempted murder and assault.

Measles
continues to spread in New York State with cases occurring in New York City,
Westchester County, Orange County, Sullivan County, and Rockland County.
Outbreaks are also occurring in the states of New Jersey, California,
Washington, and Michigan and several foreign countries. There have been no
cases of measles in Delaware County to date.
For additional information you can check the CDC’s website for
up-to-date outbreak information cdc.gov/measles/cases-outbreaks.html

The City of
Norwich Spring Cleanup of yard debris will be coming soon.   City officials stated that clear bags must
be used; Brush must be tied with string; branches and no longer than 6' or
3" inches in diameter. Debris must be placed between the sidewalk and the
curb. Pickup occurs in May, exact dates will be released shortly.

The Chenango
Arts Council hosted the 2019 Chenango Area Student Art Show, Lucy Funke and
Chenango Music Scholarship awards ceremony last Friday. The Lucy Funke
Scholarship was awarded to Riley Webster of Sherburne Earlville & Andrea
Dempsey of the Oxford Academy, the Chenango Music Scholarship goes to Matthew
Ryan of the Sherburne Earlville district, The Chenango Area Student Show
winners in a variety of categories were Riley Webster of Sherburne Earlville,
Guin Warren of Norwich, Ashley Spooner of Afton, Samantha Emerson of Oxford,
Shanee Baker Bush of Oxford & Madisyn Stowell of Sherburne Earlville.   All eligible pieces will be entered in
Congressman Anthony Brindisi’s Congressional Art Show in Utica; the winning
entry will have a chance to be displayed in Washington for a year.

The Delaware
County Department of Public Works will be closing County Route 44 in the Town
of Sidney to through traffic on Monday at 7:00 am for bridge repairs. The road
will be closed at Bridge 44-1 which is located 0.25 miles north of the
intersection with State Route 357.  It is
expected that the road will be remain closed until Friday, April 19th. The
detour will be Covered Bridge Road to State Route 357.

As New York
State Leaders consider making the recreational use of Marijuana legal across
the state, the New York Sheriff's Association, and other law enforcement
agencies are against that idea.  Delaware
County Sheriff Craig Dumond commented on what happened in Colorado after they
became the first state to legalize recreational marijuana:

(Sheriff
Dumond 4-12-19)

A study by
the American Journal of Psychiatry showed that people who use marijuana are 3
times more likely to use opioids; another study showed an increase in Psychosis
and schizophrenia among daily users, and states with recreational marijuana saw
a jump in murders & Aggravated Assaults attributed to its use.

The 14th
annual Otsego County Conservation Association Earth Festival will take place on
tomorrow from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM at Milford Central School.  The Earth Festival will be featuring
exhibits, workshops, vendors, food and entertainment.  More information is available at
occainfo.org.

Greater Chenango Cares, the joint-service training mission
of the Air National Guard and other members of the armed services, will provide
medical, dental, vision and veterinary care to residents of the Southern Tier
again this year.  The no-cost clinics will
take place at Norwich High School from July 11th to the 20th, more information
can be found at facebook.com/GreaterChenangoCares.

Opportunities for Chenango will hold a Community Open House
Saturday at 44 West Main Street in Norwich.
The event runs from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM. Games, refreshments and program
information will be available. More information is available at 334-7114 or
ofcinc.org.

The Delaware County Chamber of Commerce announced 2 Job
fairs to be held next week.  The 2019 Job
& Resource Fairs in Grand Gorge will be held on April 10th and at the DCMO
BOCES campus in Masonville on April 11; Chamber President Ray Pucci comments:

(Ray Pucci 4-5-19)

More information is available by calling the Chamber at
746-2281 or online at delawarecounty.org

The Sidney Chamber of Commerce announced their award winners
for this year.  Lorrie Roach is this
year’s recipient of the Citizen of the Years award & ABC Center for
Performing Arts is this year’s Recipient for Business of the Years.  Both will be honored at the annual Dinner in June.

The 2nd annual RoboRAVE New York
open-platform robotics competition happens in Oxford tomorrow.  Over 72 regional and international teams have
registered for the event, including participants from France, Egypt, and
Canada.  The competition is at Oxford
Academy High School from 8:00 AM - 3:00 PM, and is free to spectators and open
to the public.

The Living Healthier Expo will be held beginning at 11:00
this morning at the Foothills Performing Arts Center at 24 Market Street in
*Oneonta.  Topics of discussion include
Rabies, Lyme Disease Prevention, Chronic disease Management, mental health
awareness & substance abuse.
Additional information on the health expo is available online at
www.lheotsego.com.

The Chenango Arts Council announced the return of its annual
Chenango Area Student Art exhibition today.
Mary Beth Miller of the Chenango Arts Council comments:

(Mary Beth Miller 4-5-19)

Miller said that 6 entries will be submitted to Congressman
Anthony Brindisi’s office for a chance to appear in the 2019 Congressional Art
Show in Washington, DC.  The exhibit is
scheduled to run through April 19th at the Arts Council's Mariea Brown and
Raymond Loft Galleries in downtown Norwich, More information is available at
336-ARTS.

Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies, along with the New York
State DOT conducted a commercial traffic detail last Wednesday on County
Highway 16 in the Town of Delhi. A total of 7 commercial vehicle inspections
were conducted, 3 vehicles were taken out of service by DOT. A total of 5
tickets were issued to drivers for various equipment and safety
violations.  1 driver was issued a
citation for violating the posted 4-ton per axle weight limit, and another was cited
for failure to obey a traffic control device after the driver drove through the
posted checkpoint without stopping.

The Chenango Arts Council
announced its annual Chenango Area Student Art exhibition on Friday, April 5th
at 5:30 pm, with an awards ceremony for 2 scholarships, the council’s Student
Art Show, and Artistic Discovery, where 6 entries will be submitted to
Congressman Anthony Brindisi’s office for a chance to appear in the 2019
Congressional Art Show in Washington, DC.
The exhibit will run through April 19th at the Council's Mariea Brown
and Raymond Loft Galleries at 27 West Main Street, in Norwich.  Interested students can call the Council at
336-ARTS for more information.

(Nate Lull 3-18-19)

WCDO Sports Director Nate Lull with the call in the closing
seconds as the Cooperstown Boys Basketball team won their 1st state title in
program history at the Floyd L. Maines Arena in Binghamton yesterday.  The Hawkeyes Defeated Middle Early College, a
Charter School from Buffalo 71-61 in the title game, Cooperstown’s Jack Lambert
was named tournament MVP after scoring a combined 76 points in 2 games at the
Final 4, John Kennedy was named to the All-Tournament Team for
Cooperstown.  The win came 1 day after a
triple overtime win over Greenport in the State Semi-Finals.  To listen back to the game, or see pictures
of the celebration, go to WCDOSPORTS.COM.

Aaron Powell of Binghamton was sentenced to life in prison
without the possibility of parole in Broome County court on Today.  Powell was recently retried for the murder of
his estranged wife Christina & Mario Masciarelli in the Powell family home
in 2013, he was convicted a 2nd time after he was granted a retrial by a higher
court, Powell will serve the same sentence that he received following his first
conviction.

Final arguments were being delivered today in Chenango
County Court in the Ernest Franklin murder trial.  Franklin is accused of killing his special
needs son & setting the family home on fire in the town of Guilford in 2017,
watching the movie "Manchester by the Sea" with his wife, which
featured a similar plot.  Heather
Franklin will be tried separately at a later date, also in Chenango County
Court.

Broome County district Attorney Steven Cornwell announced
that 33 year old Shawn Kostick of Endicott was indicted on 10 counts by a grand
jury last month, for the 2014 murder of his father Harry Kostick in
Endicott.  Kostick is charged with 2nd
degree murder, 1st degree manslaughter, intimidating a victim or witness,
forgery, & criminal contempt.

30 year old Lance Beckwith of Norwich was arrested by the
Chenango County Sheriff’s Office for Promoting Prison Contraband and Criminal
Possession of a Controlled Substance.
Beckwith allegedly possessed dangerous contraband while incarcerated at
the Chenango County Jail, where he was being held on other charges, he will
appear in the Town of Norwich Court when called upon.

35 year old Joshua Whaley of Pitcher was arrested by the
Chenango County Sheriff’s Office on an active New York State Parole
warrant.   Whaley was picked up for a
parole violation, he was also charged with criminal possession of a controlled
substance and criminal possession of a weapon, for allegedly possessing
methamphetamine and guns at the time of arrest.
Whaley was remanded to the Chenango County Correctional Facility without
bail pending future court action.

International Women’s Day is today, and the Chenango County
Council of the Arts will be hosting a gallery exhibit At the Mareia Brown &
Raymond Loft galleries at 27 West Main Street in Norwich today.  Council Executive director Alecia O'Neill
explains:

(Alecia O'Neill 3-8-19)

The event is free & Open to the public, light refreshments
will be served, more information is available at 336-2787.

The Delaware County Department of Public Works announced
that certain county roads are temporarily closed to any vehicle with a gross
weight in excess of 4 tons.  Some of the
roads affected include county route10 from state route 28 to county route 12,
County Route 16 from State Route 10 to Treadwell, County route 23 from county
route 21 to Sidney center, County route 35 from county 23 to state route 205,
& County Highway 67 from State Route 10 to the Hancock Village line.  More information is available at 832-5800.

The Chenango Arts Council is searching for local artists to
show their work in the Marea Brown & Raymond Loft Galleries in Norwich,
Council Executive Director Alecia O'Neill explains:

(Alecia O'Neill 3-6-19)

More information is available at Chenango arts.org or at
336-2787.

Delaware County
Sheriff Deputies arrested 32 year old Jennifer Spencer, of Walton for
Aggravated Unlicensed Operation of a Motor Vehicle, following an investigation
into a report of a motor vehicle accident on Feak Hollow Road in the Town of
Hamden. Spencer was also issued tickets for unlicensed operator and uninspected
motor vehicle. Spencer was later released on traffic tickets returnable to
Hamden Town Court at a later date.

State Police Were dispatched to break up a fight between 2 men on I-88 when the two turned on the trooper and began attacking him.  Other troopers came to assist and a second trooper sustained injury.   The incident occurred Tuesday afternoon in Worcester; the 2 males have been identified as 65 year old Gary Lubrano & his 34 year old son Michael Lubrano of Cobleskill.   During the physical assault, the trooper sustained injuries to his jaw and lip, back up responded both suspects continued to fail to comply with Police, when a K9 handler arrived and the Police dog bit Gary Lubrano.  The struggle continued & a 2nd trooper was injured, suffering from a broken hand.  Both Lubrano’s were transported to Bassett Hospital, they were treated and released & were charged with assaulting a police officer & resisting arrest, they were arraigned in the town of Otsego Court Michael Lubrano was additionally charged with DWI.  Both were remanded to the Otsego County Jail on $50,000 cash bail or $75,000 property bond.  The injured troopers were transported to local hospitals and released; it is unknown when they will return to duty.

Organizers at the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts announced that plans for a 3-day musical event commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Woodstock festival at that site, have changed.  Plans now call for an Anniversary Week with a series of concerts & events, kicking off on August 15th with a screening of the 1970 documentary “Woodstock”, followed by an August 16th concert headlined by Ringo Starr and his All Starr Band, along with Arlo Guthrie and Edgar Winter.  Santana will headline a show August 17th with The Doobie Brothers. More events will be announced soon.   Another 50th anniversary celebration of the 1969 Woodstock festival will take place August 16th to August 18th Watkins Glen.

The Otsego County Sheriff's Department arrested 53 year
Robert Braun of Otego, following an investigation into 4 separate accidents
from Oneonta to Otego on February 13th.
Braun faces a number of charges including DWI; he faces court action in
both localities shortly.

On Saturday, February 17th, Delaware County Sheriff’s
Deputies arrested 50-year-old Clara Moore of Bainbridge, on a charge of
Aggravated Unlicensed Operation of a Motor Vehicle following a traffic stop on
in the Village of Sidney. Moore was also issued tickets for Unsafe Tire,
Unlicensed Operator, Uninspected Motor Vehicle, and Failure to Notify DMV of
Address Change. Moore was released on an appearance ticket and is scheduled to
return to the Village of Sidney Court at a later date to answer the charges.

Governor Cuomo today announced that $23.6 million in
infrastructure funding has been awarded to support safety enhancements,
modernization of facilities, operational improvements and local business development
at 31 airports statewide. The projects are funded through the Governor's State
Aviation Capital Grant Program initiative, locally, $828,000 will go to upgrade
and modernize the aircraft fuel facility at the Greater Binghamton Regional
Airport in Broome County

Delaware County Sheriff Deputies’ arrested 24 year old
Rebecca Allen of Monticello on an Arrest Warrant issued by the Town of Hancock
Court. Allen was charged with Burglary, Criminal Mischief, Grand Larceny &
Petty Larceny; she is accused of stealing personal property of another person
in an amount exceeding $1,000 in July of 2018.
Allen was arranged in the Town of Hancock Court where she was remanded
to the Delaware County Correctional Facility in lieu of $25,000 cash bail.

The Oneonta Common Council approved of a contract at their
latest meeting with the Wendel consulting group, to design a downtown transit
hub.  The city was awarded $3.8 million
by the State Department of Transportation for the construction of the transit
hub, to be located on Market Street.

Delaware County Sheriff’s
Deputies arrested 32-year-old Joseph Evans of Davenport, on 1 count of
Endangering the Welfare of a Child, following an investigation of a report of
child abuse in the Town of Davenport.
Deputies allege that Evans acted in a manner which was injurious to the
physical, mental, and moral welfare of a child less than 17-years-old.  Evans was arraigned & was remanded to the
Delaware County Correctional on $5,000 cash bail, or $10,000 bond, pending
future court action.

A Town of Columbus resident was arrested by the Chenango
County Sheriff’s Office for 1st degree Rape & 2nd degree Menacing.  Sheriff’s Detectives arrested 20 year old
Lukest Wahlberg following an investigation into an alleged rape complaint.
Wahlberg is accused of forcibly holding down a female victim on 2 separate
occasions and raping her. On a separate day Wahlberg allegedly held a knife to
the female victim’s neck. Wahlberg was arraigned in the Town of North Norwich
Court where he was remanded to the Chenango County Correctional Facility on
$25,000 cash bail. Wahlberg is due back in court on a later date.

A City of Norwich resident was arrested by members of the
Chenango County Sheriff’s Office.  35
year old Amanda Vanhouten was arrested for Criminal Sale of a Controlled
Substance; she was arraigned in the City of Norwich Court and remanded to the
Chenango County Correctional Facility with $20,000 bail.  The Chenango County Sheriff’s Office was
assisted by the City of Norwich Police Department.

Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 31-year-old
Shawn McGrath of Hamden on charges of Endangering The Welfare Of a Child and
Harassment following a report of a domestic incident. Deputies accuse the
defendant of engaging in a physical altercation in the presence of a child.
McGrath was arraigned and was released on his own recognizance; he is scheduled
to re-appear at Hamden Town Court at a later date.

Delaware County Sheriff Deputies arrested 32 year old
Bradley Wallace of Delhi, on charges of Criminal Contempt, Unlawful
imprisonment & harassment following a report of a Domestic Dispute in the
Town of Delhi. Wallace is accused of restraining another person while violating
an order of protection issued by Delhi Town Court. Wallace was arranged in the
Town of Delhi Court, he was releases on his own recognizance.

The Chenango Arts Council will feature the Popovich Comedy
Pet Theater will be at the Martin Kappel Theater Saturday at 7:00 pm.  Council Executive Director Alecia O’Neill
comments:

(Alecia O'Neill 2-8-19)

Tickets can be purchased online at ChenangoArts.org or by
calling the box office at 336-ARTS.

The Jericho Arts Council will bring the "Elvis and
Orbison Show" to the Bainbridge Town Hall Theater this evening at 7:00
PM.  Tickets can be reserved at 288-3882

The Delaware County Chamber of Commerce has collaborated
with industry expert and consultant Jeff Bump of Grow Hemp New York, LLC for an
informal, informational seminar and question and answer session about growing
hemp today.   The discussion will be held
at the Delaware County Business Center, 5 1/2 Main Street, Delhi from 10:00 AM
to 12:00 Noon,  More information about
the Delaware County Chamber is available at 746-2281.

Oneonta Police & Fire department officials will hold a press conference today, regarding the fatal fire at 5 Walling Avenue Saturday morning that took the life of former Oneonta Firefighter John Heller, while he was helping 5 people escape out of the building. The press conference can be viewed live at the City of Oneonta Facebook page, at 5:00 PM.

Governor Cuomo granted clemency to 29 individuals who have demonstrated substantial evidence of rehabilitation and have avoided additional crime activities. The pardons were in recognition of each individuals’ efforts after serving their terms and to remove the barriers that their criminal records present to their immigration status, which affected 22 of the pardoned individuals, some who were facing possible deportation. The Governor said that in each case, a pardon will make immigration-related relief possible, if not automatic.

Willow Run in Kirkwood announced that they will be expanding & adding staff this spring. The company announced that they received a 1.2 million dollar grant for their expansion, which was awarded as part of the regional economic development awards program. The expansion should lead to 40 more jobs; they currently employ about 450 people at their current site.

Otsego County has funding for a Microenterprise Program to assist small businesses with 5 or fewer employees. The application deadline is January 31st; more information is available through Thomas Development at 753-1433.

The Sidney Dollars for Scholars program, for Graduating Sidney High School Seniors, has had a change in the amount of time the seniors have to participate. Program Spokesperson Tracy Young explains:

(Tracy Young 1-2-19)

Young said that they are awarding 81 scholarships this year totaling over $80,000, the website is SIDNEYNY.DOLLARSFORSCHOLARS.ORG.

State Police CNET and Vestal Police stopped a vehicle on Murray Street in Binghamton for a Traffic violation. A search of the vehicle led to the discovery and seizure of approximately 2 pounds of marijuana, Police executed a search warrant at 64 Oak Street in Binghamton, they seized 103 pounds of marihuana, with a street value of $412,000; plus 60 boxes of concentrated cannabis vapor cartridges; 224 canisters of medical grade flavored marihuana; plus cocaine; $37,000 cash; drug paraphernalia and packaging. Police arrested 22-year-old Naami Islam and 21-year-old Melissa Pincus, both of Binghamton for Criminal Possession of Marihuana & Criminal Possession of Controlled Substance. Both were arraigned in the City of Binghamton Court, they were remanded to the Broome County Jail without bail.

A stray cat in the town of Kortright has tested positive for the rabies virus. There were no human exposures to the cat. An unvaccinated cat was exposed to the rabies virus by the rabid cat; the cat will be humanely euthanized. This is the third animal that has tested positive for rabies in Delaware County in 2018.

A funeral for John Heller, the former Oneonta firefighter who died rescuing 5 people in the Saturday morning fire at 5 Walling Avenue, will be held this week. Calling hours will be 5:00 to 8:00 PM Thursday, at Bookhout Funeral Home, 357 Main Street in Oneonta. Funeral services will be at 1:00 PM Friday at the Foothills Performing Arts Center. His life will be celebrated at the East Meredith Fire Department, immediately following the funeral service.

Governor Cuomo was inaugurated for his 3rd term as Governor last Night at Ellis Island, where he promised that New York will lead the way during this time of divisive politics:

(Cuomo 1-2-19)

Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul & others were also sworn into office yesterday, on New Year's Day.

About 130 customers were without power this morning, due to high winds from yesterday's weather. NYSEG reported outages across Otsego & Chenango Counties; crews are working to restore power as fast as possible.

The Oneonta Common Council Meeting has been moved to tonight, as City Hall was closed New Year’s Day. The meeting will begin at 7:00 PM at the 2nd floor Common Council Chambers.

The Otsego County Chamber of Commerce will hold their annual State of The State Breakfast today at the SUNY Oneonta Otsego Grille in the Morris Conference Center. The event will begin at 8:30; State Senator Jim Seward & Oneonta Mayor Gary Herzig will be among the guest speakers.

Sidney Chamber of Commerce will hold their next meeting this morning at THE TRACKSIDE DINER on Main Street. The meeting will begin at 7:45am, chamber members & directors are urged to attend.