WCDO Radio News

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

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

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

The Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services'
Office of Counter Terrorism conducted more than 1,000 counter terrorism
exercises throughout the state for the 2nd consecutive year. During these
exercises, state and local counter terrorism experts work in tandem to assess
the ability of businesses to recognize and report suspicious activity; so far
the Department of Homeland Security has conducted more than 3,500 exercises.

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

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

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

The Award-winning hit musical JERSEY BOYS, the story of
Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons, will play the Forum Theatre
Tonight & Tomorrow night.  Tickets
can be purchased online at BroadwayInBinghamton.com, at The Arena Box Office or
through Ticketmaster at 1-800-745-3000.

The Otsego County Chamber of Commerce will hold their next
Business After Hours event today from 5:00 to 7:00 PM at Bombers Burrito Bar
221 Main Street in Oneonta.  The event
allows for chamber members to network with other area business owners.

Governor Cuomo announced $45 million has been awarded to 57
counties and New York City to enhance emergency communications. The funding
enables local governments to expand emergency response capabilities and enhance
overall public safety operations.
Locally,   Delaware County gets
$460,776, Chenango County $544,575 & Otsego County gets $679,156.

An Otsego County Grand Jury has indicted Dylan Robinson,
Alexander Borgreen, Anais Soto and Nicolas Meridy for the murder of 53 year old
Kenneth Robinson inside his Worcester home in October.  The 4 have been charged with 2nd degree
Murder, Burglary and Attempted Robbery for breaking into the Robinson house in
Worcester to allegedly steal marijuana and cash & Dylan Robinson allegedly
shot his father in the chest and the head, Robinson, Meridy and Borgreen are
also accused of setting the house on fire, all four will be arraigned on the
Grand Jury counts shortly.

Governor Cuomo announced a statewide holiday drive to
benefit families in need across New York. Donations of new unwrapped toys,
coats and school supplies are being sought to assist community-based
organizations during the holiday giving season.
The Office of General Services has set up drop-off locations which will
be collecting donations from Monday, November 25 through Friday, December 13;
area locations include the Binghamton State Office Building, 44 Hawley Street
& the Homer Folks Facility, 28 Hill Street Oneonta.

The Broome County Sheriff’s
Office is looking for Kristopher Shimer on multiple outstanding warrants.  Shimer is described as a White Male, 5’9”,
160 pounds with brown eyes & brown hair, anyone with information is asked
to contact the Broome County Sheriff’s Office at gobroomecounty.com at the
Sheriff’s Tipline.

Oneonta Police arrested 29 year old Zachary Kaplan following
a report that he was violating an order of protection.  Kaplan was taken to the Police Station, where
he struggled with officers, he was charged with escape, 2nd degree assault,
resisting arrest obstruction of government administration, criminal contempt,
harassment, criminal mischief, obstruction of breathing and endangering the
welfare of a child.

The State Labor Department announced that unemployment was
at 4% for October state wide.  Locally,
Chenango County had 3.7%, Delaware County 4% and Otsego County 3.7% in October.

Today is Election Day, with voters in the Tri-County Area
heading to the polls for a variety of local races. Voters in all 3 local
counties will vote for 3 justices to serve on the State Supreme Court in the
6th district.  In Oneonta, several Common
Council seats are up for grabs; Otsego County has 3 contested races for seats
on the Board of Representatives.  In
Chenango County there are several Town Supervisors races to be decided, in
Norwich, 4 people are running for Mayor plus there are races for 2 seats for
Alderman Positions. In the Town of Sidney, there is a race for Town Clerk
between incumbent Lisa French & Republican Sheila Paul.  Voters will go to the polls until 9:00
tonight

33 Otsego County Inmates had to be transferred to other
county jails, after last Thursday’s storm led to leaking at the Otsego County
Jail in Cooperstown.  The Corrections
Department transferred inmates to the Delaware & Albany County jails until
the building repairs are made.  Some
renovations to the 30 year old facility were underway this summer, with more
anticipated.

Following a recent
inspection, State DOT engineers are recommending immediate repairs with a
temporary closure and 5-ton weight restriction on the large culvert carrying
State Route 80 over Hayden Creek in the Town of Springfield in Otsego
County.  A new traffic pattern consists
of a 1-lane, 2-way operation controlled by a temporary traffic signal. Traffic
information is available at 511NY.org.

Congressman Anthony Brindisi is hosting a Veterans
Resource Fair Today at the SUNY Broome Community College West Gymnasium from
3:30 PM to 6:30 PM, to connect Southern Tier Veterans with resources and
services.  More than a dozen
organizations will be in attendance including Clear Path for Veterans, the
Southern Tier Veterans Support Group, representatives from the VA, More
information is available at Congressman Brindisi’s Binghamton office at
242-0200.

The Unatego Central school District Board of Education
has approved of the proposal from the Oneonta Christian Academy to purchase the
former Otego Elementary School.
Superintendent Dr. Dave Richards comments:

(Dave Richards 11-5-19)

Dr. Richards said that the purchase price was $100,000
for the building, which was built back in the 1930's.

Today is the last day to register for the Delaware County
Clean Sweep event.  Registration is
required, either by phone at 865-6474, by email cleansweepdelaware@gmail.com or
online at cleansweepdelaware.eventbrite.com.
The Delaware County Clean Sweep will be held on October 25th for
businesses & farms and on October 26th for households.

Schoharie County District Attorney Susan Mallery contends
that the questionable business practices of Mavis Discount Tire in Saratoga
Springs auto shop had no role in an October 6th 2018 limousine crash that
killed 20 people in Schoharie.  Mallery
said that the attorneys for the limousine company's operator, Nauman Hussain,
had wrongly cast blame on Mavis, where workers had allegedly Billed Hussain for
brake work on the 2001 Ford Excursion that was not performed, several months
before the deadly accident.  Hussain has
been charged with 20 counts of manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide
by a Schoharie County Grand Jury

The 4 candidates for the Norwich
City Mayor's Office will meet for a public debate Wednesday at 6:00 PM at the
Norwich YMCA at 6:00 PM.  The candidates
are incumbent Christine Carnrike, Shawn Sastri, Jill Osterhout-Kraft, and
former mayor Joseph Maiurano.  Following
the debate, the candidates will participate in a Meet & Greet with voters.

NYSEG is working to restore power to customers impacted by
the nor’easter that has brought high winds and heavy rain to much of their
service area.  More than 37,000 customers
have been impacted as a result of the weather. Currently, less than 5,000
customers are without power, many of those are in Chenango & Broome
Counties.

Chenango County Habitat for Humanity is holding a Garage
Sale fundraiser Today & Saturday from 8:00 AM to 2:00 PM at 2 Fayette
Street in Oxford.   Proceeds benefit
CCHH's small works house projects. More information is available at 843-6249.

O’Connor Hospital will host a community flu shot clinic for
the public on Saturday, Oct. 19, from 8 a.m. to noon in the specialty clinic
building.  The flu shot clinic is open to
all ages, no appointment is necessary; more information is available at
746-0334.

The City of Norwich Police Department and the Chenango
County Sheriff’s Office are seeking information on 31 year old Christopher
Lacroce, for allegedly leading Police on a high speed chase last Friday, &
who is also wanted on a warrant for allegedly hitting a pedestrian with a
vehicle September 15th at the intersection of Mitchell and Silver streets in
Norwich.  Lacroce faces charges of
2nd-degree assault, among other charges that are pending following Friday’s
chase.   Anyone with information
regarding Lacroce’s whereabouts is asked to contact the Norwich City Police
Department at 607-334-2424 or the Chenango County Sheriff’s Office at
607-334-2000.

The Otsego County Chamber's
Small Business Banquet will be held on Thursday, November 21 at The Otesaga
Hotel and Resort in Cooperstown.
Nominations for various awards are being taken currently; the
nominations are requested to the Chamber by this Friday.

State officials, the Division of Homeland Security and the
Office of Fire Prevention and Control will preside over the 22nd Annual New
York State Fallen Firefighters Memorial Ceremony this morning.   The Ceremony will honor 23 fallen
firefighters who gave their lives in the line of duty, at the Empire State
Plaza Convention Center in Albany at 11:00 AM.

The Tri Town Coalition on Substance Abuse Prevention will
hold their next meeting this evening in Sidney.
The meeting will be held from 6:00 to 7:30 PM at the Maiorano building
at 9 Main Street, with Parking & the entrance to the meeting at the rear of
building.

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%.

Sidney Central School District Observatory will open tonight
from 9:00 to 10:00 PM.  The sessions at
the Sidney Observatory are free & open to the public; it is located behind
the High School Building.

The Broome County Sheriff's Department responded Sunday to a
Disturbance on Hancock Road in the Town of Colesville. Responding deputies
identified 35 year old Clifford Whitman Jr., as being involved in the dispute,
he had an active Felony Warrant out of Susquehanna County Pennsylvania for his
arrest.  Whitman fled through the woods;
he was taken into custody after a quarter mile foot chase & was turned over
to Correctional Staff for arraignment. One Deputy sustained minor injuries
during the struggle, which did not require medical care.  Whitman was charged as a Fugitive from Justice,
plus 2nd degree Assault, Endangering the Welfare of a Child, Resisting Arrest
& Obstructing Governmental Administration.

Otsego County Sherriff's Deputies responded Monday to a 3
vehicle accident in Milford.  45 year old
Timothy Mower of Ilion allegedly fell asleep at the wheel of his truck, &
hit 2 parked cars on Main Street in Milford.
Mower was ticketed for Unlicensed Operation of a Motor Vehicle, failing
to keep right and operating a motor vehicle without an interlock device, due to
a previous DWI conviction.

State Senator Fred Akshar will hold a Veterans Town Hall on
the 18th Floor of the Binghamton State Office Building at 5:30 this afternoon.  Senator Akshar will be joined by Director of
the Division of Veterans' Services Retired Army Colonel James McDonough
Jr.   The State Office Building is
located at 44 Hawley Street in Binghamton, veterans are urged to attend.

Another Chenango County Free rabies Clinic will be held
today at the South new Berlin Fire Station.
The clinic will run from 5:30 to 6:30 PM.

The Village of Bainbridge Zoning Board of Appeals will hold
a special meeting this evening at 6:30 PM at the Village clerk's Office at 33
West Main Street.  The purpose of the
meeting is to discuss a variance & Special Permit for 5 Prospect Street and
a Special Permit for 62 West Main Street.
The meeting is open to the public.

The Village of Delhi Police Department announced that
41-year-old Jessica Ambrose of Sidney was served a criminal summons directing
her to appear in Delhi Town Court to answer complaints of Attempted Welfare
Fraud, Criminal Possession of a Forged Instrument, and Offering a False
Instrument for Filing. The charges against Ambrose stem from complaints filed
by fraud investigators at the Delaware County Department of Social Services.
Ambrose will face court action shortly.

The Binghamton Devils will be starting a new season shortly
at the Floyd L. Maines Broome County Arena.
Team practices are being held this week at the Arena; Single-game
tickets are on sale at Binghamton Devils.com, or at the Arena Box Office.  The Devils will open up the 2019-20 season at
home on Saturday, October 5 at 7:05 p.m. against the Utica Comets.

The 13th annual O’Connor
Hospital Invitational took place on September 18th at The College Golf Course
at Delhi, raising more than $40,000 to support hospital equipment and building
upgrades.  Numerous area businesses
sponsored the event; those interested in sponsoring for next year can call the
Friends of Bassett Healthcare Network office at 547-4799 or email
sheila.lemaster@bassett.org.

The New York Mets Monday announced
the winners of the 2019 Sterling Awards, emblematic of the top minor league
performers in New York’s farm system. Three of the seven honorees spent at
least part of the season with the Binghamton Rumble Ponies.  Mark Vientos was the Hitter of the Year; LHP
Kevin Smith was named Pitcher of the Year; Andrés Giménez was the Mets’
Defender of the Year; and Sam Haggerty was the system’s top baserunner. Haggerty
was a September call up to New York, he scored his first big league run September
6th against Philadelphia.

The State Labor Department
released local unemployment statistics for the month of August today.  Locally, Chenango County had 3.9% unemployment;
Delaware County had 4.4% and Otsego County 3.8% unemployment in August.

The mural on the side of the Tepco building in Bainbridge
was dedicated Monday night.  Kimberly
Moravcik was tasked with putting a Native American theme on the border of the
mural:

(Kimberly Moravcik 9-23-19)

Christopher Lloyd Wright of Afton was given the task to do
the middle part of the mural, to reflect more of the later day Bainbridge:

(Christopher Lloyd Wright 9-23-19)

The dedication was followed by refreshments at the
refurbished Wilsey Building.

Tuesday's Chenango Memorial Women’s Health talk will focus
on Menopause at tonight’s meeting in Norwich.
Dr. Phyllis Sheriff-White of UHS Women’s Health Center in Norwich &
Certified Nurse Midwife Tina Mann will be the featured speakers at the monthly
at Bohemian Moon, 103 W. Main Street in Norwich, beginning at 6:00 PM.  More information is available at 337-4239.

The Unatego Central School District will be soliciting
proposals for repurposing the former Otego Elementary School, after the
previous developer failed to meet deadlines, Unatego Superintendent Dr. Dave
Richards comments:

(Dave Richards 9-9-19)

The Otego property consists of the 2 floor former elementary
school building & 4.85 acres of adjoining land.    The Request for Proposals is available
online at unatego.org, or through the District Office at 988-5038.

A.O. Fox Hospital, part of Bassett Healthcare Network, has
been awarded $10,000 by the MultiPlan Rural Health Grant Program to help launch
a food “farmacy” based at its Tri-Town Campus in Sidney.  Spokesperson Sarah Buttice comments:

(Sarah Buttice 9-9-19)

The prescription food location will open in January; Buttice
said that they will partner with local businesses including Great American,
Price Chopper, Hannaford, the Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York, as
well as local farms and food pantries.
In Delaware County, it is estimated that more than 8,400 people suffer
from hunger.

Governor Cuomo announced $10 million in grant funding to
strengthen local emergency response operations across the state through
improvements to 911 emergency service dispatch operations. The funding is
administered by the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services
through the Public Safety Answering Points Operations Grant.  Locally, Chenango county received $179,000,
Delaware county $149,000 & Otsego County $164,000.

State Police responded to the report of a pedestrian struck
by a car on County Route 11 in the town of Unadilla Saturday.  69 year old Susan Haney of Unadilla was
struck by a vehicle driven by 34 year old Nicole Wilber of Unadilla, who
stopped & called police.  Haney was
airlifted to Upstate medical center in Syracuse with Head & leg injuries
& internal bleeding.  The
investigation is continuing.

Plans are in the works for Halos to purchase the former
Afton Great American Building, rent some space to entrepreneurs & setting
up an office for their non-profit organization.
Joyce Humphrey started Halos or "Help After Loss' following the drowning
death of her son in 1993, she described their services:

(Joyce Humphrey 7-16-19)

Humphrey said that they should have the closing on the
building in the coming weeks; more information about their services is available
at 639-4256 or 240-1550.

The 3rd Annual Afton Sidewalk day will be held on Saturday
August 24th, organizers are hoping to get more artists & crafters to
exhibit their wares at this year’s event, spokesperson Amy Spooner explains:

(Amy Spooner 7-16-19)

More information can be found at
the Afton Sidewalk Day Facebook Page, or by calling Amy Spooner at 244-9366, or
Alexis Van Buren at Baristacrats at 743-2401.

Heather Franklin of Guilford was sentenced in Chenango
County Court to 7 to 11 years in state prison on Monday.  Heather & her husband Ernest Franklin
plotted the murder of their 16-year-old adopted special needs son Jeffrey
before setting their house on fire in March 2017 to cover up his murder.
Heather Franklin pleaded guilty earlier this year to manslaughter, arson and
tampering with physical evidence.

Broome County Sheriff’s Office recovered a stolen vehicle
from Sidney recently, in the parking lot of the Econo Lodge.   The deputy observed a male attempting to
enter the passenger side, the officer detained the male for questioning and
moments later he fled on foot into the woods. The officer pursued the suspect
and after a brief struggle took him into custody.  40 year old Hayes Cutting of Bainbridge is
accused of stealing the car from the Village of Sidney on July 12th, he was
charged with Criminal Possession of Stolen Property, Resisting Arrest &
Escape, he faces arraignment shortly.

Corey Weidman of Norwich pleaded guilty this week in federal
court on a variety of drug charges stemming from his arrest in Norwich in
December of last year.  The Chenango
County Sheriff’s Office raided Weidman’s apartment after a 2-month
investigation, officers seized Crystal Meth, Cocaine, marijuana, LSD, suboxone,
a loaded handgun and more than $35,000 in cash. Weidman will be sentenced on
November 25th.

State Police have reported that a 17-year-old male has been
arrested in connection with a homicide in the town of Cobleskill.  Police responded to a residence at 435 Lamont
District Road in Cobleskill and found the 50-year-old unidentified male victim
with a fatal gunshot wound to the back of the head.  A 17-year-old has been remanded to the
Schoharie County Jail and is currently charged with Assault, Criminal Use of a
Firearm, and Criminal Possession of a Weapon, Additional charges may be
pending. The incident remains under investigation.

Catholic Charities in Sidney is once again offering free
backpacks to local children in need for the 2019-202 school year, Spokesperson
Penny McKnight explains:

(Penny McKnight 7-12-19)

McKnight said that the deadline to apply is August 12th,
also donations of school supplies will be accepted, and more information is available
by calling the Sidney Office at 604-4071.

The "Help After Loss" nonprofit
group, which is also known as HALos, announced that they are purchasing the
former Afton Great American building.
HALos purchased the building at an auction in June, closing is
anticipated in late July or August, plans call for some of the space to be used
by HALos, and additional space can be rented out to interested businesses
following renovations. Donations like building supplies, paints, or gift
certificates will be accepted, more information is available at 639-4256 or
240-1550 or by email at HALosOrg@aol.com. or online at helpafterloss.com

The Sidney Town Board received a petition at Thursday’s
meeting from Muddy Rivers farm Brewery Owners Dustin & Jared Wood, in favor
of changing the zoning laws to allow the business to continue at their current
site on the Back River Road at Tryon’s Corners, past a July 25th
deadline.  Sidney Town Supervisor Gene
Pigford Told WCDO News about potential Town zoning Board & Subsequent Town
Board Action on Muddy Rivers:

(Gene Pigford 7-12-19)

Pigford said that the final actions my take beyond the July
25th deadline, he does not anticipate the business will close at
that time.

Delaware County Social Services Commissioner Dana
Scuderi-Hunter has taken an indefinitely leave of absence from that
position.  No timetable was announced for
the commissioner's return, or reason for the leave of absence.

The State Office of Victim Services announced changes that
will make it easier for individuals to receive help from the agency for the
cost of burying victims of crime. A new law allows for Individuals who paid or
incurred burial costs for a crime victim may be eligible for up to $6,000 from
the Office of Victim Services for funeral services, burial plot, the deceased’s
burial clothes, clergy fees, transportation costs for the deceased, obituaries,
head stone, flowers, death certificates, and church fees for religious services
and flowers.  More information is
available at ovs.ny.gov or 1-800-247-8035.

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.

To enhance the quality of life for tenants of Circle Drive
Apartments, Conifer Realty LLC has designated the property in Sidney as
entirely smoke-free effective September 1st of this year.  Circle Drive officials will post signs,
window clings and bench plates around the 56-unit facility to remind tenants
& visitors that the smoking prohibition would be extended to the entire
property including all indoor and outdoor common areas, building entryways,
playground, parking areas and inside vehicles.

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.

The Next Tri Town Coalition On Substance Abuse Prevention
Meeting will be held this evening in Sidney at the Maiorano Building on Main
Street at 6:00 PM. Guest Speakers will be Elizabeth Toomey and Kayla Johnson
from Catholic Charities Mentor Program.

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.

Attorney General Letitia James today announced that her
Office will conduct an Election Day Hotline to troubleshoot and resolve a range
of issues encountered by voters at their poll sites today.  The Hotline is available at 1-800-771-7755 or
by email civil.rights@ag.ny.gov through 9:00 PM tonight.  The Hotline will be staffed by attorneys and
staff in the Attorney General's Civil Rights Bureau.

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.

Oneonta Officials announced that today, the contractor
will be replacing water services and connecting them to the new water main,
from Hunt Street to Tilton Avenue, each building along this stretch will
experience a temporary water outage while the service is switched from the old
main to the new main, lasting fifteen minutes or less.  Also the contractor will be replacing
stormwater catch basins on Main St, between Pine Street and Gault Avenue.  One-lane traffic will be maintained on Main
Street, at times, side streets along this stretch may be closed to through
traffic.  All businesses within the work
zone will remain accessible during the work.

The Delaware County Fair Board has voted to prohibit its
vendors from displaying Confederate flags and related merchandise at the 2019
fair, but will not forbid their sale, according to Delaware County Sheriff
Craig Dumond.    The policy is the same
as last year; however, Confederate merchandise was on full display at that
fair, this year, Sheriff DuMond said the no-display policy will be
"aggressively enforced."  The
fair board's decision follows the efforts of “Fair for All” to end the sale and
display of the Confederate flag at the fair which they view as a symbol of
white supremacy & hatred which should not be at a county fair.

The Otsego County Sheriff’s Office and NYS State Police
escorted runners in the annual New York "Run for the Fallen" Saturday
State Route 20 through Otsego County.
The annual New York "Run for the Fallen" spans more than 170
miles and honors New York military service members who died as a result of
serving the War on Terror.

Greater Chenango Cares is once again coming to Norwich with
free medical, dental, vision and veterinary services provided to the community
by military medical personnel.  Elizabeth
Monaco of the Chenango United Way is looking for volunteers for this event:

(Elizabeth Monaco 6-10-19)

Monaco said those interested in volunteering can call
334-8815.  Monaco also said that the
first 2 Chenango Cares events provided over 2 million dollars’ worth of
services to over 5 thousand patients, while readying military personnel for any
possible deployment for their medical services This year’s event will be held
at Norwich High School from July 11th through the 20th.

Delaware County Sheriff’s Investigators arrested 43-year-old
Lisa Myers of Delancey, for Strangulation, Endangering the Welfare of a Child
& 3rd Degree Assault. Myers was arraigned in the Town of Delhi Court, and
released on her own recognizance, to re-appear in that Court at a later time
for further Court action.

For more than 25 years, the Youth Apprenticeship Program has
been an integral part of The Raymond Corporation’s commitment to science,
technology, engineering and mathematics education, as well as played a large
role in building the workforce of the future. Working with high schools
throughout the Southern Tier of New York area, this program provides a
hands-on, experiential approach to learning for junior and senior high school
students.   This year, Raymond celebrates
six graduates from its Youth Apprenticeship Program from Greene, Chenango
Valley and Maine-Endwell central school districts.  More information is available at
btboces.org/YAP or call 763-3254.

The City of Oneonta has been awarded funds from the State
Office of Community Renewal for a Microenterprise Business Assistance Program.
Grant awards will assist new and existing businesses throughout the City.  Eligible businesses must have 5 or fewer
employees and owners, and create jobs for persons meeting low-to-moderate
income limits. The funding is being offered in 2 rounds, the Round 1 deadline
is 4:00 pm on Friday, July 5th; the 2nd Round deadline is 4:00 pm on Friday,
August 16th. Application materials are available from the City’s website, or at
432-0114 or jpangman@oneonta.ny.us.

Commerce Chenango has announced
the Human Resources Roundtable Workshop will take place Thursday, June 13th, in
the Community Room at Commerce Chenango located at 15 South Broad Street in
Norwich, beginning at 8:00AM.  The panel
discussion will feature human resources professionals from Alvogen, New York
Central Mutual, NBT Insurance Agency; and Preferred Mutual Insurance
Company.  The workshop is open to Chamber
Members only; registration is required by June 10 by calling 334-1400 or
register@chenangony.org.

Delaware County Public Health
and Friends of Recovery- Delaware Otsego, in conjunction with Sidney Memorial
Library and Andes Public Library, are offering free Narcan trainings to the
public. The training is open to everyone. Upon completion of the training, each
person will receive a Narcan Rescue Kit.
Free Upcoming Narcan Trainings will be tomorrow at 6:00 PM at the Andes
Public Library & Thursday, June 6th @ 6:00 pm at the Sidney Memorial Public
Library- Smart Community Room.

Chenango County students
entering 8th or 9th grade in September, can attend the annual Chenango Memorial
Hospital Career Days on August 14th and 15th.
CMH will be hosting a free two day “camp” to explore different careers
in the medical field.  Activities will be
hands on in Radiology, Heart Care, Emergency Room, Respiratory Therapy,
Operating Room, Nursing, Maternity, Physical Therapy, Pharmacy and Nursing
Home.   More information is available at
337-4285; the Application deadline is June 7th.

State Lawmakers are continuing
to re-word legislation before the end of the 2019 session that may legalize
recreational Marijuana in New York State.
The New York State Sheriff's Association opposes that idea, Delaware
County Sheriff Craig Dumond comments:

(Sheriff Dumond 5-29-19)

An amended marijuana
legalization bill was introduced on Friday to echo Governor Cuomo's original
proposal, which would include the forming of the Office of Cannabis Management
to regulate commercial and medical marijuana.

The Pennsylvania-New York Joint Interstate Bridge Commission
will conduct its annual meeting today at the Binghamton State Office Building,
44 Hawley Street. The meeting will be held on the 18th floor and scheduled to
begin at 10:00 AM, Representatives from the State DOT and the Pennsylvania DOT
will discuss matters related to the 10 bridges crossing the Delaware River to
Pike and Wayne counties in Pennsylvania.
The meeting is open to the public.

The Chenango County Health Department will hold another Free
Rabies Clinic for Dogs, Cats & Ferrets today.  The Clinic will be held at the Plymouth Fire
Station from 5:30 to 6:30 PM.

Chobani and several Chenango County businesses announced
that they will provide funds for a new firehouse and community center in New
Berlin.  The Chobani Foundation statement
said that the 7,000 square-foot firehouse will include 6 garage bays, offices and
separate rooms for gear; meetings, training and storage, and the 2,400
square-foot community center will contain a kitchen area and large gathering
space for local residents to host a variety of events. Construction is
scheduled to begin later this year.

Governor Cuomo announced that more than 2 dozen drop-off
locations from Long Island to Buffalo are accepting work out tattered flags
starting Today through May 22nd.  New
Yorkers are urged to bring their old flags to the locations so that they can be
retired "properly with respect and honor."  The state Office of General Services will
collect the flags, they will be taken to the State Fair outside Syracuse, where
they'll be disposed in a bonfire during the May 26 Memorial Watchfire organized
by a local chapter of the Vietnam Veterans of America.

The names of 63 law enforcement officers are being added
today to the New York State Memorial honoring fallen officers.  The names were unveiled during Today’s annual
ceremony at the State of New York Police Officers’ Memorial in the Empire State
Plaza in downtown Albany. It’s the largest single group of names to be added to
the granite memorial since it was dedicated in 1989.  The names are divided into 3 categories: line
of duty deaths in 2018, a death that occurred decades ago, and ground
zero-related illness deaths.

Delaware County Public Health will hold their next Free
Rabies Vaccination Clinic For dogs, cats and ferrets today from 6:00 to 8:00 PM
at Town Clerk Building at 3 Elm Street, Deposit.  More information is available at 832-5200 or
delawarecountypublichealth.com

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

This Week is National Drug Takeback week, where people can
properly dispose of medications, so that they do not get into the wrong
hands.  Gabby Argo of AO Fox Hospital
comments:

(Gabby Argo 4-25-19)

The Kiosks are in the Pharmacy areas at O’Connor Hospital in
Delhi, The Foxcare Center in Oneonta & the Bassett Clinic Building in
Cooperstown.

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

The Delaware County Office for the Aging is looking for
volunteers to drive older residents to non-emergency doctor appointments, to
hospitals for testing, or various other appointments.    Those interested in being a volunteer
driver can call the Office for the Aging at 832-5750.

A raccoon in the town of Stamford is the first animal of
2019 to test positive for rabies in Delaware County. 3 people and a dog were
exposed to the rabies virus, All 3 people are being treated for rabies post
exposure prophylaxis.  The dog was up to
date on its rabies vaccinations and has received a booster.  The 2019 rabies clinics are listed at
Delawarecountypublichealth.com

Governor Cuomo today announced $6.5 million in new funding
has been awarded for projects that support bicycle and pedestrian enhancements,
as well as projects specifically targeted toward improving air quality in the
Southern Tier. Local projects include $732,000 to Broome County for new
pedestrian accessibility enhancements along Chenango Street in the Town of
Fenton & $1.7 million to the Village of Stamford for new pedestrian
accessibility enhancements along Main Street

State
comptroller Tom DiNapoli office says it had blocked more than 12,000 bogus
refunds worth 43.7 million as of the start of the week.  Many of the incorrect returns misrepresented income
or listed too many dependents.  Dinapoli says
each year his staff uncovers more inventive tax schemes, forcing them to use
sophisticated data-driven methods to expose them. Tax day this year is Monday.

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.

State Attorney General Letitia James will host a round-table discussion regarding the opioid epidemic in Binghamton this afternoon.  James has invited local Elected Officials, Treatment Providers, Addiction Experts & Impacted Individuals.  The discussion will begin at 2:30 pm at the Office of the Attorney General at the State Office Building at 44 Hawley Street in the 18th Floor Community Room.

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.

Binghamton Police Detectives arrested 19 year old Antonio
Jones of Taftville, Connecticut for 2nd degree Attempted Murder & 2nd
degree Assault in connection with the March 17th Shooting incident at 66
Chenango Street.  Jones is accused of
participating in the shooting incident, into a parked car; he missed the
intended male target and shot a female passenger, who suffered non-life
threatening injuries.   Jones was held in
Binghamton City Police Lock-Up for arraignment in City Court, he was remanded
to the Broome County Jail. Anyone with information is asked to contact
Binghamton Police at 772-7080.

The Binghamton Rumble Ponies Home Opener will be tonight at
NYSEG Stadium, Team Spokesman Eddie Saunders comments:

(Eddie Saunders 4-11-19)

Tickets for tonight's game are available at the NYSEG
Stadium Box Office or online at BINGRP.COM.

The State DOT announced that construction is resuming on the
$152 million 2nd phase of the 1-81/Route 17 Prospect Mountain reconstruction
project in the city of Binghamton. The project is reconstructing nearly 9 miles
of highway, replacing bridges and reconfiguring ramps to significantly improve
traffic patterns in one of the Southern Tier's busiest corridors. The
improvements will also enable the DOT to request federal designation of a
4-mile stretch of Route 17 as I-86.  The
project is reconstructing the interchange of I-81 Exit 4 and Route 7 by replacing
the viaduct bridge over the Railroad tracks and Broad Avenue. Additionally, 2
new bridges are being built over the Chenango River in the city of Binghamton.
The Work is scheduled to be complete by December 2020.

Fire damaged the Leatherstocking Market and Fuel store at
134 Delaware County Route 11 near Pindars Corners this morning.  Several area fire companies responded, no
injuries have been reported; the cause of the fire is under investigation, the
owners hope to have the store re-opened as soon as possible.

April is National Distracted Driving Awareness Month &
Delaware County Sheriff’s Office is teaming up with the National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration, for a high-visibility enforcement effort today
through April 15th. Law enforcement officers will intensify their efforts to
stop texting and other forms of distracted driving by issuing citations for
distraction violations. The “U Drive U Text U Pay” campaign aims to spread the
message about the dangers of distracted driving, and to remind drivers of the
consequences of their distracted actions.
According to NHTSA, between 2012-2017, nearly 20,000 people died in
crashes involving a distracted driver. In fact, there were 3,166 people killed
in motor vehicle crashes involving distracted drivers in 2017.

The annual Big Wheels Golf Tournament, held at the Delhi
College Golf Course, will take place on Friday, May 10th this year.  The event serves as a primary fundraiser for
programs and services which provide assistance to Delaware County senior
citizens.  The entry fee this year will
be $65, Registrations for the tournament can be obtained by contacting the
Delaware County Office for the Aging at 607-832-5750.

The Greene Fire Department responded to a small fire at
Raymond Corporation in Greene.  The
preliminary investigation reported that a welding smoke unit caught fire, no
one was injured, employees returned to the building at about 9:30 pm. The
Greene Fire Department was assisted by the Oxford, Coventry Fire Departments.

CHENANGO UNITED WAY’s Annual Celebration is this morning at
8:00 at the Canasawacta Country Club in Norwich. More information about the
United Way is available at 334-8815.

The Town of New Lisbon announced that they are applying for
a Community Development Block Grant from the State Office of Community
Renewal.  The town could receive $198,000
for rehabilitating 6 homes needing a variety of repairs.  A Public Hearing will be held on April 9th at
7:00 PM at the Town Hall, more information is available at 965-8508 or
286-7244.

Funding is available for qualified households located within 250 feet of the Goodyear Lake Shoreline, for septic system improvements; more information is available by calling the Otsego County Planning Department at 547-4225.

The Delaware County Department of public Works announced
that several roads that had temporary weight limits have had those limits
lifted.  The roads include County route 7
from State Route 30 to the Sullivan County Line, County Route 23 from County
Route 21 to Sidney Center, County Route 26 from State Route 10 to Downsville,
County Route 35 from Sidney Center to state route 206 in Masonville, &
County Route 67 from Route 10 to the village of Hancock.  The Limits are still in existence for County
Route 10 from State Route 28 to County Route 12 & County Route 16 from
State Route 10 to Treadwell.

Antione Bourbon-Parme, also
known as Anthony Cazzari has been arrested has been charged with 3rd degree
Grand Larceny, for allegedly stealing more than $18,000 by forging checks from
the Cooperstown Food pantry, while serving as one of the Organization’s
directors.  Bourbon-Parme was arraigned
& was remanded to the Otsego County Jail on $10,000 Cash Bail or $20,000
Bond pending court action on April 24th.

34 year old Heather Franklin opted to avoid a trial, &
pleaded guilty to 1st degree manslaughter, 3rd-degree arson, and tampering with
physical evidence, Tuesday in Chenango County Court.  Franklin admitted to planning the murder of
her special needs son Jeffrey in the town of Guilford family home in March of
2017 & planning the burning of the home to hide the evidence of the murder.
as
part of the plea deal, Heather Franklin will spend 7 to 11 years in prison with
10 years of probation when she is officially sentenced on June 7th.  Franklin's
husband Ernest was found guilty last month & will be sentenced in May,

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will hold a public meeting
today to review submit feedback and comment on the draft East Sidney Lake
Master Plan and draft Environmental Assessment.   The public meeting will be held from 6 to 9
p.m. at the Sidney Town Clerk Building, at 44 Grand St., Sidney. The format of
the meeting will include an open house discussion with project team members
from 6 to 7 p.m. A formal project presentation and question and answer session
will begin at 7 p.m. followed by another open house discussion from 8 to 9
p.m.  More information about the plan may
be found at nab.usace.army.mil/ESL-Master-Plan-Revision.

23 year old Jamie Whitmore of Norwich was indicted by a
Chenango County Grand jury for 1st-degree rape, criminal sexual act, sexual
abuse & endangering the welfare of a child, for allegedly performing sexual
acts with a 6-year-old victim.  Whitmore
was remanded to the Chenango County Jail on $25,000 cash bail

32 year old Matthew Jones of Greene was indicted by a
Chenango County Grand Jury for 2nd & 3rd degree burglary, 2 counts of
Criminal possession of a weapon & grand larceny for allegedly breaking into
residences in the Town and Village of Greene in February.  Jones is accused of stealing a shotgun,
ammunition, a safe and $800 cash.  Jones
faces action on the charges at a later date.

A presentation for the public will be hosted by the Unatego
Central School District Board of Education this evening at 7:00 pm, on a future
capital building project. The meeting will be in the high school cafeteria at
2641 State 7 in Wells Bridge.

The Otsego County Chamber of Commerce will honor Pathfinder
Village of Edmeston as the Distinguished Business Award Winner, & funeral
director Les Grummons as the Eugene A. Bettiol, Jr., Citizen of the Year Award
Winner at its annual gala later this year.
Pathfinder & Grummons will be honored on May 2nd at 5:45 p.m. at
Foothill Performing Arts Center in Oneonta.

The State Office of General Services announced
that surplus vehicle auctions have been scheduled through the month of
June.  For information on specific items
and terms of sale, please visit www.nysstore.com or call (518) 457-6335.  The Southern Tier event will be held on
Thursday, May 9th, at 9:30 AM at the Department of Transportation location at
241 Colesville Road, B

The Binghamton Police Department arrested 59 year old Jerry
Hopkins of Binghamton, for 2nd degree Arson, for allegedly setting fire at the
Dixie 2000 Rooming House at 106 Henry Street Monday Morning.  Police stated that the 1st floor office was
broken into & a liquid accelerant was ignited, which led to an explosion
& significant damage.  The fire was
extinguished by the buildings sprinkler system, no injuries were reported. The
investigation is ongoing, anyone with information is asked to call Binghamton Police
at 772-7080.

Governor Cuomo announced available assistance for farmers
impacted by extreme rainfall and wet weather conditions last summer. Last week,
the federal government declared 12 counties across the state as natural
disaster areas. With these designations, farmers in the impacted areas may be
eligible for assistance, including emergency loans, from the United States Department
of Agriculture Farm Service Agency.
Local FSA offices can provide affected farmers with further information,
more information is available at fsa.usda.gov/state-offices/New-York

Tickets have gone on sale for Don McLean & Pure Prairie
League concert, scheduled for Friday, August 9th at the Osterhout Concert
Theater.  Tickets are available online at
anderson.binghamton.edu, at 777-ARTS, or at the Anderson Center Box
Office.

Animal Adventure in Harpursville
is conducting another "Name The Giraffe" Contest, which is now into
the 2nd round.  April & Oliver
welcomed a healthy male calf on Saturday, March 16th, he was 139 lbs and stands
5' 11".  Those wishing to
participate can go to namethegiraffe.com.

Broome County DA Steven Cornwell announced that a Broome
County Grand Jury handed up a 5-count indictment against 45 year old Wilfredo
Pica-Torres of Binghamton, for 2nd-degree murder, attempted Murder & 1st
& 2nd degree arson in connection with incident on Walnut Street in
Binghamton in February.  Pica-Torres is
accused of intentionally setting a fire to a building at 109 Walnut Street in
Binghamton on February 9th, which led to the death of Victor Banayan.

Osteoporosis will be the next topic that will be discussed
by Melissa Tworkowsky of UHS Orthopedics of Norwich, at Bohemian Moon at 103 W.
Main Street in Norwich this evening.  The
program is part of UHS Chenango Memorial's 2019 Women's Health Series, held
monthly at the Norwich restaurant.  The
event will begin at 6:00 PM, more information on the series or to reserve a
seat is available at 337-4183.

Norwich fire fighters responded to 99 Borden Avenue for a
structure fire at a warehouse last night starting at about 6:00 PM.  Fire fighters from North Norwich & Oxford
also responded, the fire was under control in about 45 minutes, some vehicles
& part of the building suffered heavy damage, no injuries were reported.

State Senator Fred Akshar released 2 new questions this week
as part of a series of online surveys polling questions constituents of the
52nd Senate District on issues that may come before the New York State Senate
this year.  Akshar is asking his
constituents to weigh in on two of his own proposed pieces of legislation.  The first question is about Increasing the
volunteer firefighters' and ambulance workers' credit. The 2nd is about the
Community Heroes Protection Act which designates targeted offenses against 1st
responders, Firefighters, EMS Personnel, & Police Officers as Hate Crime.
The link to the survey is nysenate.gov/questionnaires/fred-akshar.

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.

The Center for Agricultural Development and Entrepreneurship
and SUNY Cobleskill will offer a free legal workshop this evening from 7:00 to
9:00 PM in Oneonta, for farms and food businesses. The workshop is part of a
2019 Farm and Food Business Incubator Workshop series covering essential topics
in business planning and management, it will be held at the Center’s Oneonta
office location at 189 Main Street, 5th Floor, More Information is available at
433-2545.

34-year-old Jason Pantone of Hyde Park in Dutchess County
has been picked up by Federal Authorities, in connection with envelopes
containing a suspicious white powder being delivered to several buildings in
New York and Connecticut, including 2 in Binghamton last week.   Pantone was charged with conveying false
information and hoax, he is accused of sending envelopes containing a powder
and a typed note that said "ANTHRAX." one of those was sent to the
Social Security Administration office at 2 Hawley Street in Binghamton, another
was sent to the United States District Court office at the Binghamton Federal
Building at 15 Henry Street.  Binghamton
fire department hazmat unit determined that the white powder in the envelopes
was not hazardous.

Hospice & Palliative care of Chenango County will hold
their annual "Camp-4-Seasons" on Saturday March 23rd from 9am - 3pm,
at the Stanford Gibson Primary School in Norwich.   Grief Services Coordinator Rachel Barletta
explains:

(Rachel Barletta 3-1-19)

Barletta said that registration is requested by March 18th,
more information is available at 334-3556 or by email at
rbarletta@hospicechenango.org.

State Police arrested 32 year old George Odbert of Laurens,
for 3 counts of Menacing, Resisting Arrest and Obstructing Governmental
Administration.  Troopers were dispatched
to a report of a physical dispute at a residence in the town of Laurens.  Odbert is accused of physically restraining
the victim, who sprayed Odbert with pepper spray and left.  Odbert became disorderly with the troopers
and refused to comply, Odbert told his large dog to attack troopers, He was
pepper sprayed by a trooper and ultimately arrested.  Odbert was arraigned in the town of Hartwick
Court and remanded to the Otsego County Jail.

The next Delaware County Chamber of Commerce Breakfast will
be held this morning from 8:30 to 10:00 am at the Meredith Inn on Turnpike Road
in Delhi.  More information about this
& other Chamber events is available at delawarecounty.org.

Following previous postponements, Jury selection was
scheduled to begin today in Chenango County Court for the murder trial of
Ernest Franklin of Guilford.  Franklin
and his wife Heather face charges for allegedly murdering their special needs
son Jeffrey in their Town of Guilford Home and then setting fire to the home to
cover up the murder in March of 2017.

The Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse in downtown
Binghamton was closed down by authorities today for an investigation. The
Federal Protective Service, Binghamton police and the Binghamton Fire
Department responded to the federal building at about 12:00 Noon today at 15
Henry Street, the  same agencies
responded Friday to the Social Security Office on Court Street after an
employee opened an envelope containing a white powdery substance.

NYSEG reported that power outages around the state were down
to about 14,000 this afternoon, following the High winds around the state since
yesterday afternoon.  This Afternoon, 659
Broome County customers were without power, along with 112 in Chenango County,
258 in Delaware County & 244 in Otsego County.  NYSEG Crews are working to restore power as
quickly as possible.

Local Police Agencies are warning the public about a Social
Security scam where the caller identifies himself as a police officer in an
attempt to gain person and financial information from the victim, the Police
Department's name may also appear on your phone as the caller.   Police Department will never request
financial information or Social Security numbers over the phone; they also do
not request any type of payment to be made over the phone via credit card or
gift card. The Vestal Police Department was alerted Friday that a scam was perpetrated
in their name last week.

Governor Cuomo announced this
morning that school district that cancel classes due to the high winds today,
will not be penalized.  School districts
are allowed a certain number of snow days each year before their state aid is
subtracted; today will not be counted as part of that formula.

NYSEG reports that about 900 customers in Broome, Chenango,
& Delaware Counties are without power from the high winds in the
region.  Crews are trying to restore the
power as quickly as possible.   NYSEG
customers should call 1-800-572-1131 to report downed power lines or other
hazardous situations.

The Chenango County Sheriff’s Office arrested 32 year old
Matthew Jones of Greene following a Burglary investigation.  Officers received a complaint early Monday
Morning that an individual was breaking into 45 Genesee Street in Greene; Jones
is accused of placing a ladder up to a window, breaking the window, and
entering the building. Deputies   &
Village of Greene Police responded, they located Jones leaving the area on
foot, after a brief pursuit, Jones was taken into custody, and a defaced gun
dropped near the scene was confiscated.
A search warrant was conducted on Jones’ residence, Officers seized a
2nd defaced handgun, methamphetamines, marihuana, & items reported stolen
from other local burglaries.  Jones was
charged with 2nd & 3rd degree Burglary, criminal possession of stolen
property, plus weapons & drug charges, he was arraigned and remanded to the
Chenango County Jail on $10,000 cash bail, more arrests are expected.

The Delaware County Board of Elections reminds voters that
Governor Cuomo has signed into law that the state & local primary will be
held on the 4th Tuesday in June.  This
changes the dates for circulating and filing designating party petitions for
county, town and committee offices.
February 26th is the first day to circulate a designating petition for
the elected town and party committee offices that are up for election in
2019.  More information is available
through the Delaware County Board of Elections at 832-5321 or through town
party chairpersons, to get a petition if you wish to run for a town office or
party committee.

Chronic Wasting Disease has been
detected in wild deer, elk or moose in 24 states, including New York State,
according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  The CDC is warning hunters to avoid handling &
they advise people not to handle or eat meat from deer and elk that seem sick
or have been found dead.   New York’s
cases were found in the North Country.

Governor Cuomo announced legislation expanding assistance
available for victims of hate crimes and certain other crimes associated with
domestic violence who were not physically injured during the crime, is now
effective.  The new law allows these
individuals to apply for reimbursement of shelter costs and crime scene cleanup
expenses from the New York State Office of Victim Services, previously, victims
who were not physically injured during the crime were only eligible for certain
OVS benefits if the charges included criminal obstruction of breathing or blood
circulation; certain menacing, harassment, aggravated harassment, criminal
contempt and stalking offenses; and hate crimes.

Congressman Anthony Brindisi invites constituents to an open
house at his Utica & Binghamton offices. The Utica Office Open House will
be Tuesday, from 4:30 to 5:30 pm at 430 Court Street, Suite 102, the Binghamton
Office Open House will be held Saturday, from 5:00 to 6:00 PM at 49 Court
Street, Suite 210 Binghamton.

All of the remaining tenants in the apartments at 195 Main
Street in Oneonta left by court order Friday afternoon.  Otsego County Supreme Court Judge John
Lambert order the evacuation of the apartments, but not the 1st floor retail
spaces, after building owner Melania Pervu failed to fix code violations; she
is expected to list the building for sale.

Governor Cuomo announced the Division of Homeland Security
and Emergency Services' Office of Counter Terrorism conducted counter terrorism
exercises at 1,000 locations in 2018. During each exercise, counter terrorism
experts from state and local agencies go undercover as customers and assess the
ability of businesses to recognize and report suspicious activity.
Additionally, the Division also partnered with federal, state, and local law
enforcement for "Operation NY-SECURE" which involved the completion
of 20 counter terrorism and incident response exercises at rail stations
throughout the state.  This year, the
Office of Counter Terrorism partnered with more than 400 law enforcement
personnel from over 100 agencies statewide to conduct exercises in every
county.

The Help Restore Hope Center provides services for victims
of domestic violence and sexual assault in Chenango County.  Clinical Program Supervisor Patricia Pardy
explained the program at WCDO this morning:

(Patricia Pardy 2-11-19)

The 24 Hour Hotline is 855-9-NOWSAFE; they also have a
website with information at helprestorehopecenter.org.  A fundraiser for the program is being held
this afternoon at Gilligan’s Ice Cream in Sherburne from 4:00 to 8:00 PM

U.S. Marshals are on the lookout
for Leroy Headley of Vermont, who is wanted for the murder of his spouse,
sexual assault of a child & unlawful flight to avoid prosecution.  Headley could have travelled through upstate
counties, he could be living under an alias, and he may have shaved his head or
otherwise changed his appearance, and should be considered armed and
dangerous.  U.S. Marshals are offering a
reward of up to $5,000 for information leading to Headley’s arrest.  Anyone with information is asked to contact
the U.S. Marshal Service at (202) 307-9100 or through their tipline at
1-877-WANTED-2

28 year old Devan Ellsworth pleaded guilty to 2nd degree
manslaughter Friday in Chenango County, for causing the death of his infant
daughter.  Ellsworth will serve at least
3 1/2 years in jail in a plea agreement.

30 year old Shakia Crute of Johnson City was charged Friday
with 2nd Degree manslaughter in connection with the death of her son Jerome
Smith February 2nd. Crute was arraigned in Johnson City Village Court and sent
to the Broome County jail pending future court action.   Broome County District Attorney Steve
Cornwell said that Crute is accused of acting recklessly in causing her son's
death in Johnson City.

At approximately 7:35 p.m. on
Tuesday evening, Delaware County Sheriff's Deputies and Emergency Crews
responded to a tractor trailer roll-over accident, with entrapment, on State
Highway 10 in Town of Hamden.   The tractor
trailer had struck and severed a utility pole, bringing power lines down on the
overturned truck. The driver of the truck, 77 year old James Updyke of Homer
was pronounced dead at the scene.  The
highway was closed down for several hours for the investigation & clean up;
it was re-opened for traffic Wednesday morning.
Investigators determined that Updyke failed to negotiate a curve in the
roadway, crossed the roadway and ran off the southbound shoulder where the
truck struck a utility pole and tree and overturned.  The cause of the accident remains pending
upon the completion of an autopsy.

Congressman Antonio Delgado will
open an office at the County Office Building, 111 Main Street in Delhi on
Monday, February 4th.  An open house will
be held from 12:00 Noon until 2:00 PM, the Delhi office regular hours will be
from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM Tuesdays and Wednesdays and by appointment.

27 year old Steven Barrows of
Sidney has Pleaded Guilty in Chenango County Court for 3rd degree
Burglary.  Barrows was arrested along
with Nicole Bell of Oneonta & Zachery England of Sidney last year, for
allegedly burglarizing buildings & stealing lawn care equipment, Barrows
will serve 1 1/2 years in prison & was ordered to pay restitution.

Delaware County Corrections
Sergeant Alan Weaver of Andes was named “Corrections Officer of the Year” by
the New York State Sheriff’s Association winter conference held in Albany, last
week.  Corrections Officer of the Year is
an award that is bestowed on a Sheriff’s Correction Officer who has
demonstrated an exceptional degree of dedication and commitment to the duties
of the Sheriff’s Office in operating County Jails.

Franklin Fire Fighters along
with assistance from firefighters Sidney Center, trout Creek & Treadwell
responded to a structure fire to an unoccupied farm house at 6402 County
Highway 21 at about 1:30 AM Tuesday.  The
building had been in the process of being renovated, it was listed as a total
loss; the cause of the fire was under investigation.

The Murder Trial of Aaron Powell
has been turned over to the jury in Broome County Court for deliberations this
afternoon.  Powell is facing a 2nd trial
for the murder of his estranged wife Christina & Mario Masciarelli in
Binghamton on March 22nd, 2013. Powell’s early conviction had been overturned
by a higher court & this 2nd trial was ordered.

Governor Cuomo today announced that $30 million in Upstate
Revitalization Initiative funding has been awarded to Binghamton University to
complete its Health Sciences Campus in Johnson City. This latest investment
will finalize the nursing school building that will be housed in an historic,
former Endicott Johnson shoe box factory, and co-located with the University’s
new School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences.

The Pink Door Thrift Shop, operated by the Chenango Memorial
Hospital Auxiliary, has relocated to 13 South Broad Street in Norwich.  An Open House will be held today from 10:00
AM to 4:00 PM; it will be free and open to the public. Light refreshments will
be served.  More information about the
shop, including upcoming promotions and specials, can be found on the store’s
Face Book page.  For more information on
the Chenango Memorial Hospital Auxiliary, is available at 337-4151.

Joint Legislative Budget Hearings got Underway in Albany
starting earlier today.  The hearings
will be held through February 12th at the Legislative Office Building in
Albany, the state budget is due on April 1st.

US Senator Kirsten Gillibrand is launching an exploratory
committee for a run for the Presidency.
Gillibrand made the announcement last week on the “Late Show with
Stephen Colbert", she has since opened up a campaign office in Troy, she
has more than $10.5 million left over from her 2018 re-election campaign that
she can use toward a presidential run.

The State Labor Department
announced the unemployment rates for local counties today, for the month of
December.  Chenango County had 4.4%,
Delaware County was 4.2% & Otsego County was at 4.0%, the statewide rate
was 3.9%.

Students in Greece New York alerted Police regarding a plot
to attack Islamberg in the town of Deposit with explosive devices.  The Greece Police Department arrested
20-year-old Brian Colaneri, 19-year-old Vincent Vetromile of Greece,
18-year-old Andrew Crysel of East Rochester & an unidentified 16 year old
following an investigation at Odyssey Academy.
Police seized 23 firearms & 3 homemade bombs, the 3 older suspects
were charged with 3 counts of 1st degree criminal possession of a weapon or
explosive and one count each of conspiracy, they were being held at the Monroe
County Jail on $50,000 bail.

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.