WCDO Radio News

In memory of Trooper Christopher Skinner, The State Police are inviting the public to join them by giving blood at the 2nd annual Trooper Skinner Memorial American Red Cross blood drive today. Trooper Skinner was killed in the line of duty, while conducting a routine traffic stop on I-81 in the town of Chenango. The public can Donate Blood in Memory of Trooper Skinner from 12:00 Noon to 5:00 PM at the State Police Barracks at 84 Crescent Drive in Kirkwood today.

Governor Cuomo announced that the minimum wage increase for State Workers would take effect beginning tomorrow. The increase will be implemented on the same phased-in schedule currently underway for fast food workers, all State workers will receive an hourly wage of at least $9.75 per hour for employees outside of New York City.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Governor Cuomo announced that New York State would begin accepting applications for the new 'Get On Your Feet' Loan Forgiveness Program on December 31st. the program offers up to 24 months of federal student loan debt relief to recent college graduates living in the State. To qualify, applicants must have earned an undergraduate degree from a college or university located in New York State in or after December 2014, have an adjusted gross income of less than $50,000, and be enrolled in the federal Income Based Repayment plan or Pay as You Earn plan. more than 2,500 graduates from the class of 2015 have registered to apply for the program through the New York State Higher Education Services Corporation.

Binghamton Police are looking for 2 suspects who robbed a woman Tuesday evening. One man was armed with a gun and the other with a baseball bat. The first suspect is described as a tall black male, wearing dark-colored clothing and a dark-colored bandanna covering his face, the 2nd suspect is described as a tall, light-skinned male in his 20s with a thin build, wearing a grey hooded sweatshirt, dark-colored pants, and a bandanna covering his face. Anyone with information is asked to contact Binghamton detectives at 607-772-7080.

Governor Cuomo announced that Taste New York has achieved the goal of tripling gross sales of participating vendors in 2015, to over 4.5 Million dollars. Additionally, the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets partnered with Empire State Development to provide New Yorkers and visitors worldwide instant access to a list of all the Taste NY agri-tourism destinations through the I LOVE NY mobile app, bringing greater exposure to New York’s food and beverage businesses across the state. The Department also worked with Food Export USA and Empire State Development this year to ensure Taste NY products were included in the Governor Cuomo's trade missions to Cuba and Puerto Rico.

Chenango County Habitat for Humanity has been settling into their new office space located in the Klee House in Guilford. Officials remind residents that they can donate bottles and cans in the Habitat Bottle Shed at the Rte 12 Redemption Center in Norwich. Officials are also looking for more volunteers, interested parties can call 334-7492; more information is available at habitat.chenango.org.

Governor Cuomo today announced $10 million in Public Safety Answering Points operations grants have been awarded to municipalities across New York State. The funding through State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services will support 57 counties and the City of New York in improving 9-1-1 response and emergency dispatching. Locally, Broome County receives $209,000, Chenango County gets over $170,000, Delaware county received over $154,000 and Otsego County will get over $157,000.

Syracuse Police have arrested 2 brothers from Binghamton for allegedly beating 2 men who were intervening on behalf of a homeless person being harassed Christmas Night. 18-year-old Nouman Khan and 20-year-old Hamza Khan, both of Binghamton, were charged with assault late Tuesday night after turning themselves in to police. Police reported that the victims intervened when a group of five men harassed a homeless man, 1 of the victims suffered a skull fracture. The Khan brothers were released on appearance tickets and ordered to appear in Syracuse City Court on January 20.

Governor Cuomo announced that the minimum wage increase for State Workers would take effect beginning December 31, 2015. The increase will be implemented on the same phased-in schedule currently underway for fast food workers, with the initial increase occurring with the first pay period beginning on or after December 31, 2015. In that pay period, all State workers will receive an hourly wage of at least $9.75 per hour for State employees outside of New York City.

The State Department of Labor released preliminary local area unemployment rates for November. Locally, the unemployment rate in Chenango County was 5%, in Delaware County the rate was 5.3%, & in Otsego County the rate was 4.7%. The State’s unemployment rate was 4.8%, in November.

In memory of Trooper Christopher Skinner, The State Police are inviting the public to join them by giving blood at the 2nd annual Trooper Skinner memorial American Red Cross blood drive on Wednesday, December 30. Trooper Skinner was killed in the line of duty, while conducting a routine traffic stop on I-81 in the town of Chenango. The public can Donate Blood in Memory of Trooper Skinner on Wednesday, December 30th from 12:00 Noon to 5:00 PM at the State Police Barracks at 84 Crescent Drive in Kirkwood

Governor Cuomo signed legislation relating to the restraint of pregnant inmates. The bill prohibits the use of restraints during the transport of all pregnant inmates at State and local correctional facilities, and within 8 weeks after the delivery or pregnancy outcome, except in the most extraordinary of circumstances. current law prohibits the use of restraints on an inmate about to give birth, it does not address the use of restraints on pregnant inmates prior to or after childbirth or pregnancy outcome. the bill also prohibits the presence of any correctional staff in the delivery room unless requested by medical staff or the inmate giving birth, requires more rigorous training of all correctional staff on this policy, and institutes annual detailed reporting of all instances in which officers deem restraints necessary.

29-year-old William Peeters of Hartwick was charged with 2nd degree rape and several other sex crimes according to State Police. Peeters is accused performing sexual acts with a child under the age of 15, & disseminating indecent materials to a minor. Peeters faces court action at a later date.

52-year-old Sam Nabinger of New Berlin has been charged with felony assault by State Police. Nabinger was charged following a report of an assault Monday in the town Of Morris.

49 Year old William Danielson of Oxford was sentenced Monday in Chenango County Court, to 20 years to life in prison. Danielson pleaded guilty to one count of 2nd degree murder, for the December 2013 death of his former girlfriend Lucinda Knoll of Norwich.

A Syracuse resident was arrested by the Chenango County Sheriff’s Office for an active arrest warrant for Grand Larceny and Burglary. 25 year old Kristen Seamans is accused of stealing several items from the Norwich Wal-Mart in 2014; she was arraigned in the Town of Norwich court and is being held at the Chenango County Correctional Facility on $1000 cash bail.

State Police are currently looking for a 67 year old New Jersey man who was reported missing from his hunting cabin on Streeter Hill Road in the Town of Harpersfield, Delaware County. John Bourgholtzer is a white male who is 6’ tall and weighs about 180 pounds. He has grey hair and brown eyes Mr. Bourgholtzer was last seen on December 12, 2015, at about 8:00 a.m., leaving his camp to go hunting by himself. He may be driving his 2011 Ford Focus with New Jersey license plates KDN45E. Anyone with information please call the New York State Police at (607) 561-7400.

Attorney General Eric Schneiderman today announced settlement agreements with 30 online retailers from across the country that sold illegal toy guns to consumers in New York State. The toy guns in question violate a state law that prohibits the sale of imitation weapons, which are toy guns that look too much like real guns. Today’s announcement follows a related investigation of major retailers this summer that included Wal-Mart, Kmart, Amazon.com, and Sears. Those retailers paid of over $309,000 to settle the investigation and agreed to comply with applicable state laws.

State Police at Sidney arrested 38 year old Karlton Tompkins of Mount Upton for Operating a motor vehicle while impaired by drugs, criminal possession of a controlled substance, resisting arrest and obstruction of governmental administration 2nd. This arrest occurred after a trooper responded to a report of a man sleeping at the wheel of a parked vehicle at the Valero gas station on State Route 8 in the Town of Guilford. The responding trooper saw Tompkins sleeping behind the wheel of a parked vehicle with the engine running, Tompkins was impaired by drugs, he then physically resisted and fought momentarily but was handcuffed. After Police impounded the vehicle, a small amount of methamphetamines was recovered. Tompkins was issued tickets returnable to the Town of Guilford court on December 22nd.

The Chenango County Sheriff’s Office arrested 34-year-old David Franklin of Oxford for 2 Counts of Criminal Possession of Stolen Property. Detectives arrested Franklin while investigating a Larceny from an Oneida County Business; Detectives located and recovered the stolen property in Franklin’s possession in the City of Norwich. Franklin was arrested and arraigned on a Chenango County Court Warrant and was remanded without bail, he was issued appearance tickets to appear at a later date in City of Norwich Court. Additional charges are pending in Oneida County.

A Town of Columbus resident was arrested by the Chenango County Sheriff’s Office for Grand Larceny. Detectives arrested 20-year-old Maxwell Horton; Detectives located and recovered the stolen property, which had a value of over $3,000. Horton was arraigned in the Town of Columbus Court and was remanded to the Chenango County Correctional Facility on $3,000 cash bail.

30 year old Gregory Eager if East Worcester has been charged with 2nd degree grand larceny, for allegedly stealing over $83,000 from the East Worcester fire department. Eager turned himself Monday he is accused of embezzling the money from July 2013 until recently, while serving as the 2nd Assistant Fire Chief and the secretary/treasurer. Eager was arraigned, and faces court action on January 5th.

NY State of Health announced the December 15th deadline for individuals enrolling or renewing health insurance coverage that takes effect January 1st, has been extended through December 19th. NY State of Health’s Customer Service Center answered more than 170,000 calls from New Yorkers last week with call volume averaging more than 34,000 calls per day. A new option on the Marketplace for 2016 is the Essential Plan for lower income individuals and families between 138-200% federal poverty level, which will lower premiums to $20 or less a month and provide comprehensive benefits for hundreds of thousands of lower income New Yorkers. Additional Information on the Essential Plan can be found here, info.nystateofhealth.ny.gov.

The village of Bainbridge will hold a public hearing today on their Comprehensive Plan. The hearing will begin tonight at 6:30 PM at the village offices.

The ONEONTA COMMON COUNCIL will hold their next meeting tonight at City Hall. The meeting will begin at 7:00 PM in the Council Chamber on the 2nd floor.

Governor Cuomo stated that at approximately 7:00 pm, Unit 3 at the Indian Point nuclear facility shut down. The cause is currently unknown; the Department of Public Service is conducting the investigation into another unexpected incident at Indian Point. The company reports there was no radioactivity released to the environment. Cuomo said that “Because of the number of recent unplanned outages, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's requirements will result in increased inspections and scrutiny of the plant.

State Police are currently investigating a burglary to the Quickway convenience store located at State Route 205 in Hartwick, on December 7, at about 1:45 a.m. The suspect is a white male with short hair who was wearing a green sweatshirt or jacket, driving a gray Ford Focus possibly between 2008- 2011 model years. Anyone with information is asked to please call the State Police at (315) 858-1122. All information will be kept confidential.

Chenango County Sheriff’s Office arrested 2 men in connection with multiple burglaries in Chenango County, the Southern Tier and Northern Pennsylvania. The Sheriff’s Office arrested 28 year old Nicholas Neer of Port Crane and 27 year old William Polhamus from the Town of Greene, for allegedly committing 2 burglaries in the Town of Greene & 1 in the Town of Oxford. Several pieces of stolen merchandise were recovered during the investigation. Both men were arraigned in the Town of North Norwich Court and remanded to the Chenango County Correctional Facility on $25,000 cash bail. The investigation is continuing and additional arrests will be made. The State Police and Broome County Sheriff’s Office assisted with the investigation.

State Senator Jim Seward will be at the Oneonta Municipal Airport in Oneonta this afternoon, with local officials with the Oneonta Airport Commission and the Oneonta Job Corps to unveil improvements at the airport. Senator Seward will also announce additional funding to support future upgrades.

Governor Cuomo outlined the latest efforts of his Task Force to Combat Worker Exploitation. From the start of 2015 to today, the State has recovered and returned $28.9 million to more than 24,000 workers who were victims of wage theft. The Task Force has officially launched more than 450 investigations, finding more than 2,700 violations, including theft of wages, failure to protect workers with mandatory Workers’ Compensation coverage and retaliation against workers who complain about violations of the law. The cases affect more than 2,000 workers in New York State.

Governor Cuomo today announced the growth of agricultural sales in New York outpaced the national average, with cash receipts up 36% across the state and only 32% nationally. In 2014, farmers in New York State also set a new record for sales with $6.36 billion in cash receipts, representing a nearly $1.7 billion increase in gross income from sales of crops, livestock, and other products.

The State University Police at SUNY Oneonta arrested 20 Brandon Negron of New Windsor in connection with a threatening message posted to the Yik Yak social media platform Saturday. Negron is SUNY Oneonta student, he was charged with making a terrorist threat, & 2nd degree aggravated harassment, following a joint investigation by Oneonta Police Department and State Police. Police were notified Saturday evening of the threatening post, which threatened violence for today, police searched Negron's residence and no weapons were found, Negron was arraigned this morning in Oneonta City Court and released on bail. He remains enrolled at SUNY Oneonta while the college follows its student conduct process.

Governor Cuomo today announced the successful completion of another round of targeted crude oil tank car and rail inspections intended to improve public safety and reduce potential dangers associated with the transport of fossil fuels across New York. Last week, state and federal teams examined 541 crude oil tank cars, approximately 207 miles of track, and 80 switches. The inquiry uncovered four critical defects and 38 non-critical defects, which inspection teams took immediate action to correct and repair.

Chenango County Sheriff Ernest Cutting announced support today for Ulster County Sheriff Paul Van Blarcum, who last week called on his county's residents with valid licenses to carry their weapons publicly, in case of a mass shooting.   Sheriff Cutting said he supports the legal right of those with permits carry fire-arms to do so, to ensure the safety of themselves & their loved ones, but be knowledgeable of the laws of New York with regard to carrying a weapon and when it is legal to use it. Cutting becomes the latest New York Sheriff to support Sheriff Van Blacum's controversial call, following last week's San Bernadino California mass shooting.

On December 2nd Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 64 year old Timothy McGrath, of Roscoe, for driving while intoxicated and aggravated driving with a blood alcohol content of .18% or greater following a report of a suspicious vehicle made by employees of the Hamden ARC. McGrath was later released on traffic tickets returnable to Hamden Town Court at a later date.

NYSEG has sent helicopter crews to conduct routine inspections of transmission lines and natural gas transmission line rights of way for many years; NYSEG announced today that they are evaluating how drones can assist in ensuring safe, reliable service to customers. Officials said that helicopters were limited in how close they could get to check on substations and lines damaged by sever storms, they have begun with a program of drone inspections at 36 NYSEG substations in Western New York.   Nyseg officials said that the results are encouraging & have been operated by Coutts Brothers of Randolph, Maine who are licensed commercial pilots.

The Chenango Arts Council will hold an open house Sunday December 13th from 2:00 to 4:00 pm at their 27 West Main Street Norwich location.   More information is available at 336-ARTS or chenangoarts.org.

Governor Cuomo stated that on Saturday night, the Unit 2 reactor at the Indian Point Nuclear Facility was forced to shut down due to a reported power loss to several control rods. The company reports that there was no radioactivity released to the environment. The Governor directed the Department of Public Service to investigate and monitor the situation and a team was on site Sunday to begin work on the situation.

Broome County Sheriffs Deputies arrested 18-year-old Jenna Harris of Spencer for DWI after she crashed into a utility pole early Sunday morning, on Main Street in Westover. Deputies reported that Harris crossed into the opposite lanes, went over the curb and sidewalk, then hit and snapped a utility pole. Harris was arrested without incident; she refused to consent to a chemical breath test. Harris was released to appear in the Town of Union court at a later date.

Bainbridge area organizations are teaming up for a Christmas parade & many other activities this coming Saturday. Bainbridge Chamber Of Commerce President John Payne explains:

(John Payne 12-7-15)

Payne said that anyone interested in participating in the parade should line up at around 4:00 pm Saturday afternoon.

Various Oneonta committees will hold meetings today. The FTO-CIC committee will meet at 4:00 PM, the Finance -Administration committee at 5:00 PM and the Parks & Recreation Committee at 7:00 PM. All 3 committees will meet in the Common Council Chambers in City Hall.

State Police arrested 45-year-old Michael Clark of Port Crane for criminal sexual act. On April 29, Troopers received a report of child abuse from the Broome County Child Protective Service, Clark is accused of sexually abused his 4 children in 2011, they were less then 11 years old. Clark was being held in the Gowanda Correctional Facility on an unrelated charge, he was arraigned at the Town of Fenton court and then remanded back to his correctional facility, pending future court action.

Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 63-year-old Patricia Carlson of Oneonta following a Motor Vehicle Accident, for aggravated driving with a blood alcohol content of .18% or greater. Lab tests confirmed Carlson's BAC to be .32%, 4 times the legal limit. Carlson was arraigned at Delhi Town court and was released on her own recognizance.

State Parole Officers & Broome County Sheriff’s department arrested 5 people on various drug & weapons charges Thursday at the Econo Lodge in the town of Dickinson. Arrested were 38 year old Terrance Brown of Dickinson., 27 year old Patrese Reid of Brooklyn, 24 year old Lauren Steckler of Binghamton, 23 year odl Breeanna Ortiz of Afton & 25 year old Gabrielle Bohn-Blodgett of Binghamton. Authorites seized heroin, marijuana, hypodermic needles, heroin packaging materials, scales and s stolen Pennsylvania State Police handgun. All fcee court action at a later date.

The Chenango Arts Council presents " Cocktail Hour: The Show" at the Martin W. Kappel Theater at 27 West Main Street, Norwich Saturday night. Chenango Arts Council Executive Director Diane Batson Smith comments:

(Diane Batson Smith 12-4-15)

The show will start at 7:00 PM Tickets are available at chenangoarts.org, or at the Box Office at 336-ARTS.

The "I Am Dreaming of a Cancer-Free Christmas" Holiday Bazaar will be held on December 5th at the Sidney American legion. Organizer Amanda Bunzey explains:

(Amanda Bunzey 12-4-15)

Bunzey said that last year they raised $4000, this year's event would run from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM, the event is sponsored by the NBT Bank, NBT-Mang Insurance Relay For Life team.

Chenango Memorial Hospital's Auxiliary will again host Breakfast with Santa tomorrow from 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM in the hospital's cafeteria. The morning includes a full breakfast buffet and free photo with Santa, courtesy of NBT bank. Proceeds from Breakfast with Santa go to the UHS Chenango Memorial Hospital Auxiliary to help support hospital services, facilities and programs.

O'Connor Hospital will host its 17th Annual Holiday Parade and Open House on Saturday at 11:00 AM, it will begin at SUNY Delhi at 2 Main Street finish behind the Senator Charles D. Cook county office building at 111 Main Street. Following the parade the community is invited to O'Connor Hospital for free refreshments in the hospital café. More information is available at 746-0591.

The next free Chenango County rabies clinic will be held tomorrow at the city of Norwich Fire Station. The clinic will run from 9:30 to 11:00 AM.

The Sidney Chamber Of Commerce will hold their annual Jolly Holly days Christmas Parade Friday night. Chamber Spokesperson Kerri Green comments:

(Kerri Green 12-2-15)

Green said that awards & cash prizes would be awarded after the parade.

Destination Oneonta Annual Tree Lighting Event is scheduled this evening from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm on Main Street. There will also be a Meet and Greet at the Welcome Center for the incoming and outgoing City, Town and County Representatives, Main Street will be closed beginning at 4:00 pm.

The Toys for Tots Train will be in Bainbridge Saturday. Bainbridge Chamber Of Commerce President John Payne Comments:

(John Payne 12-4-15)

Donations for Toys for Tots will be accepted at that time, The Train will leave at about 12:40, it will then arrive in Oneonta at about 1:30.

The City of Oneonta Police Department arrested 41 year old Kindell Worley of Oneonta for 2nd degree Burglary & 4th degree Grand Larceny. The arrest follows the report of a stolen vehicle from October 26, 2014, Worley is accused of entering a residence, stealing items including the keys to a vehicle and then driving the vehicle outside of Oneonta where it was abandoned. Worley was arraigned in Otsego County Court and was released on his own recognizance.

Former Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver was convicted on Monday as a federal jury in Manhattan found Silver guilty of all 7 counts he faced for fraud, extortion and money laundering. The conviction comes as Silver's counterpart in the Senate, former Majority Leader Dean Skelos, faces his own corruption trial in the same federal court. Both men resigned their leadership posts but continued to work as lawmakers; Silver automatically loses his seat as a result of his conviction.

In recognition of World AIDS Day, Governor Andrew Cuomo today made a series of announcements regarding the next phase of New York State’s Plan to End the AIDS Epidemic in the State. The Governor is committing $200 million in new funding toward HIV/AIDS efforts, in addition to the $2.5 billion in public funding that the state currently directs toward addressing the disease. He is also calling on the federal government to increase its contribution nationwide for housing assistance for people living with HIV and AIDS.

Tonight from 6:30-8:30, Opportunities for Chenango's Community Forum about drug addiction will be held in Norwich. Organizer & Moderator Donna Wood-Craig comments:

(Donna Wood Craig 12-1-15)

The event will be in the Guernsey Library Community Room.

State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli announced today his office approved 215 contracts valued at $109 million and approved 1.7 million payments worth $5.8 billion in October. His office also rejected 45 contracts and related transactions valued at $31 million and more than 6,900 payments valued at $3.6 million due to fraud, waste or other improprieties. DiNapoli’s office has approved approximately 16,200 contracts valued at $142 billion and approved 25.5 million payments worth $107 billion. His office has also rejected 1,660 contracts and related transactions valued at $4.4 billion and 33,100 payments valued at $127.5 million through October.

Commerce Chenango & NBT Bank will co-host the Business After Hours Holiday Spectacular today at NBT Bank, 52 South Broad Street, Norwich. The event will run from 5:00 to 7:00 PM, featuring holiday music, food, beverages and door prizes. Attendees are being asked to bring a non-perishable food item to help Roots & Wings stock their food pantry.

The United Way of Delaware and Otsego Counties is hosting a “Ladies Night Out” on December 1, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Council Rock Brewery located on Rt. 28, Cooperstown. The United Way will be raffling off gift baskets and drawing for the winner of a Coach® purse at tonight’s event..

The Tri-County Senior Center in Sidney is sponsoring a drive to collect Socks for Seniors. The socks will be distributed to shut-in senior citizens locally Collection boxes are located at Trackside Dining, Lemon Tree Hair Salon and the Sidney Senior Dining Center at the Civic Center. The deadline to drop off socks is Wednesday, December 16th.

State Police hosted the 7th annual State Intelligence Summit Wednesday & today in Lake George, along with Homeland Security, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and the FBI. More than 250 leaders from federal, state, tribal and local law enforcement agencies from Canada and the United States attended to hear from law enforcement representatives experienced in current trends in terrorism, intelligence gathering and sharing, major crime trends, and counter terrorism programs. The event also provided an opportunity for the attendees to receive training in crime analysis, cyber threats, and current narcotics trends. Last week's terror attacks in Paris and the State's response to the potential increased threat of terrorism in New York have been ongoing topics of discussion at the conference.

Oneonta Police along with the Delaware county sheriffs department executed a search warrant at 10 Meckley Avenue in Oneonta Wednesday, following an investigation regarding drug trafficking. Arrested were 30 year old Sophie Szczepanski of Oneonta, 43 year old Charles Haynes Jr. of Oneonta & 23 year old Orane Crawford or Queens for multiple counts each for criminal possession of a controlled substance, among other charges. Police recovered Crack cocaine, marijuana, hydrocodone pills & cash, all 3 were being held pending arraignment on Oneonta city court.

State Police are currently looking for 2 missing Afton teens who have been missing since Tuesday afternoon & who may be traveling together. Lindsey Seymour is a 15-year-old white female; 5” 06” tall and thin build, with numerous piercings, with short dark hair in a Mohawk style. Charles Weed is 17-year-old white male who is medium build, with short dark hair that he recently dyed black, he has numerous piercings he usually wears black clothing. Anyone with information please contacts the New York State Police at (607) 561-7400.

The State’s private sector job count increased by 30,300, or 0.4%, to 7,859,000, according to preliminary figures released today by the State Department of Labor. The statewide unemployment rate decreased from 5.1% to 4.8% in October 2015, reaching its lowest level since November 2007 and falling below the national unemployment rate.

State Senator Fred Akshar is calling on state leaders to remember the upstate regions when they are budgeting for infrastructure projects:

(Fred Akshar 11-19-15)

Akshar and several area leaders held a press conference in Broome County yesterday at the site of a bridge in need of repair, previous studies have suggested that 30 to 40% of bridges need serious upgrades.

The village of Bainbridge DPW announces that they will be repairing a water leak in front of the Scoville Meno Dealership starting at 2:00 AM on Monday. Water will be shut off is all 4 directions for about 200 feet of the leak, traffic restrictions will be minor, the work is excepted to take about 6 hours.

65-year-old Gary Murphy of the town of Maryland was charged with 3rd & 4th degree grand larceny. And scheming to defraud for allegedly scamming residents in the town of Maryland and Laurens for getting paid for contracting work that he did not perform. Murphy was being held in the Herkimer County jail on separate charges, he was arraigned d& was returned to the Herkimer County jail pending court action on December 16th in Otsego County Court.

Hancock firefighters responded to a house fire at 245 East Main Street Wednesday. The house was not occupied & had been undoing repairs, There were no injuries reported. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Governor Cuomo hosted the third New York State Tourism Summit in Albany Wednesday, where local and international tourism leaders met with State officials to explore new industry opportunities. At the summit, a commitment of $50 million was unveiled to promote statewide tourism, create jobs, and attract more visitors to every region of New York. This investment, which is one of the largest ever by the State, builds upon the historic investments in the tourism industry, which generated a $100.1 billion economic impact in 2014.

Chobani will host its first Business After Hours at the Norwich facility at Woods Corners from 5:00 to 7:00 PM today, in partnership with Commerce Chenango. Guests may use the main entrance to the Woods Corners facility at 147 State Hwy 320, Norwich.

The Bainbridge-Guilford Central School will hold a Board of Education Meeting Today, in the Guilford Cafeteria at 6:30 PM.

State Police at Binghamton arrested 23-year-old Andre Deanjou of Port Crane for driving while intoxicated, after a traffic stop when Deanjou was observed operating a vehicle at 90 mph when the posted speed limit was 40 mph on State Route 369 in the Town of Fenton. Deanjou was issued tickets returnable to the Town of Fenton court on November 19th.

A Village of Oxford man was arrested Sunday by the Chenango County Sheriff’s Office for Driving While Intoxicated. 20-year-old Zachary Angelina was charged with Driving While Intoxicated after an investigation into a motor vehicle accident on State Highway 12 in the Town of North Norwich. Angelina lost control of his vehicle and left the roadway causing damage to private property. Angelina will appear in court at a later date.

Delaware County Sheriff Deputies responded Saturday, to a 1-car Accident on State Route 357 in the Town of Sidney. Deputies arrested 33-year-old Jennifer Ross of Franklin for DWI, operating a motor vehicle with an open alcoholic container & unlawful possession of marihuana. Ross is to appear in the Town of Sidney Court at a later date.

State Police at Oneonta arrested 26-year-old Michael Manning of Laurens for felony DWI and unlawful possession of marihuana. This arrest occurred after a traffic stop for speeding on State Route 205 in the Town of Oneonta. This arrest was a felony because he has two prior convictions for DWI within the last ten years. Manning was issued tickets returnable to the Town of Oneonta Court on November 17th.

The Otsego County Chamber of Commerce announces: SMART OTSEGO BUSINESS, INTRODUCTION TO THE GLOBAL MARKET PLACE SEMINAR on November 12th. Registration is available at otsegocc.com or 432-4500. The event is open to the public; All Classes will be held at SUNY Oneonta at Morris Hall starting at 8:00 AM with registration, Class begins at 8:30, ending at 10:30a.m.

Five men have been arrested as a result of an annual marijuana investigation by the Otsego County Sheriff's Office. More than 175 marijuana plants were seized, Deputies arrested 50 year old George Knarich of Laurens, 60 year old Gary Lull of Laurens, 38 year old Clayton Lambright of Laurens, 46 year old Robert Strenck of Milford & 31 year old Justin Foster of Richfield Springs on a variety of drug charges, they were arraigned and were released on their own recognizance, pending later court action.

A Town of Oxford resident was arrested for aggravated driving while intoxicated. Chenango county sheriff’s department arrested 18 year old Dylon Wall for DWI following a traffic stop in the Town of Norwich, wall was processed and was released, and he will appear in the Town of Norwich Court at a later date.

A Town of Harpursville resident was arrested for aggravated driving while intoxicated by the Chenango County Sheriff’s department. 48 year old Joanne Mohr was charged following an investigation of a motor vehicle accident in the Town of Greene. Mohr was taken into custody without incident, was processed, and released to appear in the Town of Greene Court at a later date.

Oneonta Mayor Gary Herzig has called for a special meeting of the Oneonta Common Council today. The meeting will begin at 5:30 PM in the Common Council Chambers at City hall; the purpose of the meeting is to continue to discuss the city's 2016 budget.

The city of Oneonta plans to pave the top course on Clinton Street between West Street and Chestnut Street, starting this morning. Work will take place between 7:00 AM & 4:00 PM today & tomorrow, Clinton Street will be closed to through traffic. Parking on affected streets will be prohibited, and vehicle will be towed at the owner’s expense. More information is available at 432-2100.

Delaware County Sheriff’s Investigators arrested 38-year-old Richard Swislosky of Sidney on Wednesday on a Sealed Grand Jury Indictment Warrant. Swislosky was arrested by Delaware County Sheriff's Office on October 8th and charged with Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance and Criminal Possession of a Forged Instrument, following an investigation by the Sheriffs department, Probation Department & the Village of Sidney Police Department for allegedly trafficking heroin in Sidney and Oneonta. A Delaware County Grand Jury indicted Swislosky on those charges and 2 additional charges of Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance, for allegedly selling heroin in the Sidney area prior to his October 8th arrest. Swislosky was arraigned on the new charges & was remanded back to the Delaware County Jail on $100,000 cash bail pending further court action.

36 year old Jamie Blewett of Norwich was sentenced to consecutive prison terms of 1 to 3 years this week, she had pleaded guilty in July to 2 counts each for robbery & grand larceny, in connection with Bank Robberies in May at the People’s Security Bank and Trust in the Town of Chenango, and another robbery a week later at the at People’s Security Bank in Conklin.

State Police arrested 57-year-old Robert Crowley of Windsor for 2 counts of 3rd degree Grand Larceny. The arrest followed an investigation for missing money from the bank accounts of the Windsor Youth Sports Programs. Crowley is accused of taking about $18,000 from the account while serving as the director of the program. Crowley was arraigned in the Town of Windsor court and was released without bail required. The investigation is ongoing.

51-year-old Joyce Mitchell was ordered to pay nearly $80,000 in restitution to New York State, for helping to get 2 inmates out of the Clinton Correctional facility earlier this year. Mitchell is being ordered to pay for repairs needed at the jail after she provided tools to Richard Matt and David Sweat to cut their way out. Mitchell pleaded guilty to charges related to the escape and was sentenced to 2-1/3rd to 7 years in prison. Matt was shot dead, Sweat was located, shot & wounded 2 days after Matt’s death, both men were on the run from police for about 3 weeks.

The Unatego Cue & Curtain Theater group will have performances of Cinderella this coming weekend. Director Sandy Bonczkowski comments:

(Sandy Bonczkowski 11-6-15)

Bonczkowski said that tickets will be available prior to each performance at the door, the shows are tonight & Saturday night at 7:00 PM and a Sunday matinee is at 2:00 PM at the Unatego High School Auditorium.

State Police arrested 31-year-old Dax Marshall of Oneonta for aggravated driving while intoxicated with a B.A.C. result of .18%, more than twice the legal limit. This arrest occurred after a traffic stop for speeding on East End Avenue in the City of Oneonta. Marshall was issued tickets for City of Oneonta court.

State Senator Jim Seward joined officials with the State DOT Thursday to reopen the fully rehabilitated Worcester rest area on Interstate 88 eastbound between exits 18 and 19. In 2010, the DOT closed six rest areas on interstate highways in what was announced as a cost saving measure. Senator Seward objected to the closings and joined local officials and transportation advocates to press for their reopening.

(Seward 11-6-15)

Senator Seward secured an additional $2.5 million in the state budget to perform the same work at the Wells Bridge rest area, Work on the parking lot rehabilitation began in the summer, improvements to the building are being designed and construction is expected to occur in 2016.

Pathfinder Village of Edmeston, announced that a Donor & press event for the new $1.2 million Dr. William Streck Community Health Center would be held on Friday November 6th from 4:00 to 6:00 PM. The new 3,800 square foot Health Center is just east of Pathfinder Village, off of State Route 80, Pathfinder Village will lease the new facility to Bassett Healthcare Network, which will oversee medical operations. The new health center replaces an older, smaller clinic in Edmeston, and is expected to offer expanded access to healthcare services to area residents.

The Bainbridge Chamber recognition dinner will be at The Sundown Golf Club on Saturday, at 6:00 to honor the Richard Metzger as the 2015 Citizen of the Year along with Highway 7 Bar & Restaurant as the Business of the Year.

Governor Cuomo and U.S. Senator Charles Schumer announced that an agreement has been reached to save at-risk Kraft-Heinz facilities, which employ nearly 1,000 workers throughout Upstate New York. Under the agreement, Kraft-Heinz will continue operating 3 plants, including the one in Walton, they will defer the planned closure of the Campbell plant for a period of 12-24 months, during which time the company will work with state, federal and local officials in an effort to identify a new operator who would retain the plant’s existing employment. The State and company are also committing to each invest at least $20 million to support and modernize Kraft-Heinz’s Upstate operations.

The Chenango County Sheriff’s Office arrested 21-year-old Cody Bradbury of Norwich for 1- Count of 3rd degree Assault. It is alleged that Bradbury intentionally assaulted another person in the Town of Pitcher in August, causing an injury. The investigation is ongoing and additional arrests are pending.

The Chenango county sheriff’s department arrested 44-year-old Patricia Mead of McDonough for 3rd degree welfare fraud and Offering a False Instrument for filing. Mead allegedly failed to report a change in her household composition which resulted in Mead receiving $18,675.84 in assistance she was not entitled to, she faces court action at a later date.

The Bainbridge-Guilford Central School will hold a Board of Education Meeting today in the Guilford Cafeteria at 6:30 PM.

The next Chenango County free rabies clinic will be held tonight at the North Norwich Fire Station. The clinic will run from 5:30 to 6:30 PM.

State Police responded to a 2 vehicle head on collision on State Route 28 in the Town of Middletown. 46-year-old Richard Herrel of Delhi attempted to avoid an unknown object in the roadway and crossed into the eastbound lane of travel, his pickup truck then struck a Mercury Marquis driven by 75-year-old Harriet Rauchut of Shandaken. Both drivers were transported to Margaretville Memorial Hospital where Herrel was treated for non-life threatening injuries and Rauchut was pronounced deceased due to blunt force trauma. No autopsy is being required. Alcohol and drugs are not believed to be a factor in this accident. This investigation is ongoing.

Governor Cuomo announced that nearly $1.2 million was returned to consumers in 2014 due to the work of the State DMV Vehicle Safety Division, investigates more than 3,700 consumer complaints each year, including issues involving vehicle dealers or repair shops accused of selling vehicles in poor condition, failing to register vehicles, committing inspection fraud, and making faulty repairs. In the Southern Tier, $16,869 was recovered for consumers who were ripped off.

Dedicated DWI enforcement efforts by Delaware County Sheriff's Deputies in the Delhi area Friday night into Saturday morning resulted in one DWI arrest and several other arrests. Deputies conducted 33 traffic stops and issued a total of 19 tickets during this detail that was funded through the Delaware County STOP-DWI program.

Attorney General Eric Schneiderman today announced a settlement with Lowe’s Home Center over allegations of deceptive sales practices for flooring installations. The agreement provides cash refunds of up to 10% of per-square-foot basic flooring installation fees charged to over 16,000 New York consumers and establishes new disclosure guidelines relating to “per square foot” installation charges. Lowe’s will also pay $900,000 in costs and fees to New York State. Lowe’s operates 64 stores in New York State.

Fall Foliage Peak Colors will reach the Southern parts of the State this weekend. Peak foliage colors will reach their final destinations in the Hudson Valley, Finger Lakes, New York City and on Long Island, according to spotters for Empire State Development's I LOVE NY program. More information is available at iloveny.com

A job fair today at the Oncenter in Syracuse aimed to match up more than 1,000 job seekers with 5,000 open positions throughout the Central New York and into the Southern Tier. Openings at the job fair ranged from healthcare and food science to manufacturing. The job fair was organized by the state Department of Labor; the fair was the largest on ever arranged by the agency.

Governor Andrew Cuomo announced today that State Police, local and municipal law enforcement agencies will increase patrols to crack down on drunk driving and underage drinking this Halloween weekend. The special traffic enforcement detail will begin today and continue through Sunday. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, from 2009 to 2013, 43% of all people killed in motor vehicle crashes across the U.S. on Halloween night were in crashes involving a drunk driver. Motorists can expect to see a number of sobriety checkpoints and additional patrols. Troopers will also conduct a special enforcement detail to crack down on the sale of alcohol to minors.

State Senator Jim Seward will be in Oneonta today at the City Public Safety Building in Oneonta, along with Assemblyman Bill Magee, Oneonta Mayor Gary Herzig, and Oneonta Fire Chief Patrick Pidgeon to inspect the fire department’s recently delivered ladder truck. Both Seward and Magee secured a total of $500,000 in state funds to assist in the purchase of the new truck.

The Firemen's Association of the State of New York is urging residents to check their smoke and carbon monoxide alarms as daylight saving time approaches. Officials with the Association stated that smoke and carbon monoxide alarms should be cleaned to remove any debris that could prevent them from working properly. Older alarms that have removable batteries should receive a new pair. More information is available at fasny.com.

On Sunday, the Chenango County American Legion will host a joint visitation by the Legion's State Commander James Yermas, & State Auxiliary President Jan Mahoney among others. the leaders will visit Oxford's Fort Hill Post 376, the Veterans' Home at Oxford, the Chenango County Sheriff's Department in Norwich, followed by a reception & dinner at the Lieutenant Warren Eaton, DSC Post 189, at 29 Sheldon Street, Norwich.

Governor Cuomo commemorated the three-year anniversary of Superstorm Sandy and released a report detailing the continued progress made by New York State. It underscores the advancements made in rebuilding homes, businesses, and large-scale infrastructure projects in communities and neighborhoods, as spearheaded by the Governor's Office of Storm Recovery. More information can be found at stormrecovery.ny.gov.

26-year-old Timothy Green of New Berlin has been charged with forgery and Grand Larceny following an investigation by the State office of the Inspector General. Green was a substitute worker for the New York State Office for the People with Developmental Disabilities in Norwich, he is accused of submitting fraudulent time sheets for work that he did not do, which resulted in over $39,000 in payments. Green was arraigned in the Town of Guilford court and remanded to the Chenango County jail on $50,000 cash bail or $100,000 property bond.

the City of Oneonta began investigating a decrease in sanitary sewer flow into the wastewater treatment plant, as compared to historical averages. On Monday, a flow variation was identified in the line between Market Street and Neahwa Park, on wedensdya an outside contractor was brought in with equipment sufficient to inspect the line, and a partial collapse of the underground 30” sanitary sewer line flowing near the Millrace was identified. a significant quantity of untreated wastewater has emtered the Millrace & emergency measures are underway to have the line bypassed and repaired as soon as possible. The public should avoid recreational activities in the Millrace and Susquehanna River downstream from the pipe break. Updates will be provided by the City, they can be viewed at nyalert.gov or at 432-6450.

State Police at Sidney arrested 36 year old Brandi Brown of New Berlin for the felony DWI with a BAC result of .16% which is twice the legal limit. This arrest occurred after traffic stop for failing to keep right on State Route 8 in the Town of Guilford. Brown was arraigned at the Town of Guilford court and was released without bail required. Her next court date in the Town of Guilford is November 12, 2015.

Attorney General Eric Schneiderman issued a brochure offering tips to New Yorkers buying health insurance coverage for next year, entitled “Shopping For Health Insurance Coverage” Which is being released in advance of the New York State of Health Marketplace’s open enrollment period starting on Sunday. Schneiderman encourages consumers to take advantage of this open enrollment period to evaluate how their current health plan, whether it will change, or to consider what other options are available. Open enrollment through New York State of Health begins on November 1 through December 15th, for coverage effective January 1st.

Bainbridge area dentist Dr. Michelle Gifford is participating in a program that will protect area smiles from the cavity monster, and send smiles to troops overseas, following Halloween Trick or treating this weekend. Spokesperson Trish Hippenstiel explains:

(Trish Hippenstiel 10-30-15)

The candy collection will be at Dr Gifford's office at 10 Whitney Way in Bainbridge on Monday from 4:00 to 6:00 PM. More information is available at 967-8200.

State Police responded to a fatal Motor Vehicle Accident on County Route 8 in the Town of Pittsfield. Troopers discovered 50 year old Guillermo Soto of Morris had apparently lost control of his vehicle for an unknown reason, and struck a tree, he was found deceased in the driver’s seat with his seat belt on. Otsego County Coronor's office responded to the scene and Soto was taken to Fox Hospital in Oneonta for a possible autopsy. The investigation is ongoing.

State Police arrested 33 year old Howard Archer of Unadilla for operating a motor vehicle while impaired by drugs and criminal possession of marihuana 5th, they also arrested 58 year old John Barkman of Sidney for unlawful possession of marihuana, after a vehicle stop when Archer was observed speeding on State Highway 8 in the Town of Unadilla. Police detected the odor of marijuana & a search of the vehicle and two occupants was conducted, they were issued tickets returnable to the Town of Guilford court on November 3rd.

For every dollar New York sends to Washington it receives about 91 cents back in federal spending, compared to a national average of nearly $1.22, according to a report released today by State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli. New York ranked 46th in the nation in its balance of payments between the amount it generated in federal taxes and the amount of federal government spending it received. , New York contributed $10,896 per capita in tax revenue to the federal budget, nearly a third more than the national average, and received an estimated $9,885 in per capita federal spending, slightly below the nationwide average.

State Police arrested 29-year-old Veronica Winchell of Andes, for menacing, criminal mischief, resisting arrest & harassment 2nd and 51 year old Marc Goodkin of Andes for 3rd degree Assault. Troopers responded to domestic dispute in Andes, Winchell physically resisted being handcuffed, & during processing Winchell damaged a window blind. Bother were arraigned & were remanded to the Delaware County jail in lieu of $2,500 cash bail or $5,000 property bond, they face court action on Thursday.

the City of Oneonta & Cleinman Performance Partners & Asbury Gardens announced plans to build a memorial park to Oneonta's late Mayor Dick Miller. Plans call for a memorial at the southwest corner of the intersection of Main Street & Lettis Highway, with year round plantings, benches, a walkway & a sculpture garden.

The Broome County Sheriff’s Office & State Police arrested 24-year-old Ruslan Opatskyy of Binghamton in connection with the armed robbery at the Mirabito Gas Station in the Town of Windsor on Thursday. Opatskyy has been charged with 2nd degree robbery & faces court action in the Town of Windsor Court at a later date. Opatskyy and Catherine Boyea-Kaninsky, 21 of Port Crane were also charged with 2nd degree robbery for the armed robbery at the Kwik Fill Gas Station in Port Crane last Tuesday.

The Chenango County Sheriff's Deputies arrested 78-year-old Frank Kriz of Oxford with 2 counts of Identity Theft, for allegedly opening 5 lines of credit using other people’s information. Kriz was arraigned in the Town of Oxford Court and was released on his own recognizance to return at a later date.

The Chenango County Sheriff’s Office arrested 22-year-old Michael Beckwith of New Berlin for 2nd degree Harassment & Resisting Arrest. Beckwith is accused of making several threats towards arresting Deputies & for resisting arrest. Beckwith was arraigned in the Town of North Norwich Court and was remanded to the Chenango County Correctional Facility on $500 cash bail. Beckwith is to reappear in court at a later date to answer to his charges.

Commerce Chenango will hold a “Meet the Candidates” session on October 27th, As part of the SFCU Business After Hours event. The session will be held at the SFCU Norwich branch, at County Road 32 & State Highway 23, from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM, among those confirmed to attend are State Senate candidates Fred Akshar & Barbara Fiala, along with several local Norwich and Chenango County candidates.

The Chenango County Farm Bureau Annual Meeting date is tonight at the Silo Restaurant in Greene. A short film entitled “Every Farmer” produced by New York Farm Bureau will be shown. There will be FFA students and teachers from several schools present along with NY State Legislators & local officials. Agriculture is still the number one industry in New York State and Chenango County.

The Norwich Business Improvement District announced a full line up of events for the annual Pumpkin Festival on Friday, October 23rd through Saturday the 24th in Norwich. Today, from 5:30-7:00 pm is the Giant Pumpkin Contest-Weigh In, On Saturday; events include a Pumpkin Bake-Off Contest, the YMCA Halloween Parade, Horse & Wagon Rides, and music with Kaitlyn Jackson and the Hometown Ban& The Beadle Brothers, followed by fireworks at the end of the evening.

State Senator Jim Seward announced that he is sponsoring a pair of free senior scam prevention forums in Oneonta and Cooperstown on Friday. Senator Seward is partnering with the State Department of State to notify senior citizens, caregivers, and others about the alarming trend of senior targeted scams. The forums will take place today from 10:00 AM to 12:00 Noon at the Elm Park Church, 401 Chestnut Street in Oneonta & from 2:00 to 4:00 PM at the Cooperstown Village Offices, 22 Main Street in Cooperstown. The forums are free and open to the public.

Governor Cuomo introduced regulations through the New York State Human Rights Law that bans harassment and discrimination against transgender people.

(Cuomo 10-23-15)

These regulations affirm that all transgender individuals are protected under the State’s Human Rights Law, and all public and private employers, housing providers, businesses, creditors and others should know that discrimination against transgender persons is unlawful, it’s the first time that any Governor has issued regulations to prohibit harassment and discrimination on the basis of gender identity, transgender status or gender dysphoria.

State Police responded to a Chenango County 911 report of an unattended death at 162 One Eye Street in South Plymouth. The deceased woman has been identified as 25-year-old Kristina Wilkinson, She was found unresponsive by friends when she did not show up for work Thursday. An autopsy was performed at Lourdes Hospital, the results are pending. While investigating this death, troopers observed marijuana in the home of 50-year-old Mark Pontario. Following the execution of a search warrant police found about 1.7 pounds of marihuana, 18 marihuana plants, marihuana growing equipment and an unregistered handgun. State Police arrested Pontario for criminal possession of marihuana, criminal possession of a firearm and unlawfully growing cannabis. Pontario was arraigned and was remanded to the Chenango County jail with no bail set at this time.

Delaware County Public Health sent two specimens to State Rabies Laboratory and both tested positive for rabies this week. A raccoon in the Town of Sidney tested positive for rabies, no human exposures were reported. In the Town of Hamden a skunk tested positive for rabies. The skunk reportedly attacked a young unvaccinated calf; the calf was euthanized soon after the incident. Two people from Hamden are receiving rabies post-exposure prophylaxis, after being exposed the rabies virus. 3 animals have tested positive for rabies in Delaware County this year. To report a suspected rabid animal call Delaware County Public Health Services at 832-5200. more information about rabies is available at 832-5200 or delawarecountypublichealth.com.

Governor Cuomo today announced 5 Million dollars in funding to assist the Catskill region for promotion for next year. Delaware County Chamber Of Commerce Presdnet Ray Pucci Comments:

(Ray Pucci 10-23-15)

Part of today's announcement includes shifting the annual Adirondack Challenge into the Catskill Challenge, with more details to be released shortly.

Pink Faith of Chenango County and Broome County will hold their 3rd annual Breast Cancer Awareness Fundariser tomorrow 1-5 PM at The River Club of Afton. Spokesperson Wendy Stooler comments:

(Wendy Stooler 10-23-15)

Admission to the event is $10 per person which includes the River Club Buffet.

The Oneonta department of public service will conduct an additional week of brush & yard waste removal next week for the entire city. Residents are encouraged to review the programs regulations at oneonta.ny.us, or by calling 432-2100.

Governor Cuomo today announced $1 million in funding is available to assist new farmers begin their careers. the New York State New Farmers Grant Fund will provide grants of up to 50 percent of total project costs. Funds may provide a minimum of $15,000 and maximum of $50,000 for up to 50 percent of project costs with the remaining 50 percent being matched by the recipient. The application and guidelines for the Fund are available online at regionalcouncils.ny.gov; the deadline for submission is January 22, 2016.

Broome County Officials reported that 2 children pulled from a fire in Johnson City early this morning, have died. The fire at 145 Floral Avenue in Johnson City was reported at about 2:00 this morning. The identity of the victims has not yet been announced, the investigation is continuing. Johnson City Police announced this afternoon charged 38-year-old Dwight Burton with first-degree murder and first-degree arson.

Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies & Walton Police arrested 17-year-old Dylan Groat of Walton for Criminal Possession of Stolen Property, for allegedly stealing a dirt bike from Klinger’s Power Sports in Walton in December 2014, & selling that dirt bike in June of this year. Groat was arraigned in Colchester Town Court and was remanded to the Delaware County Jail on $1000 bail.

Broome County Sheriff's Deputies responded to the report of a head on collision this morning at about 10:30, in the town of Colesville. The accident occurred at the intersection of Colesville Road and Johnson Road in Harpursville, Initial reports suggest that one of the drivers may have fallen asleep at the wheel. The Unidentified drivers were taken to Wilson Memorial Hospital in Johnson City for treatment of non-life threatening injuries, tickets are pending.

State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman today announced that his office reached an agreement with Don’s Automotive Mall in Binghamton to resolve an investigation that revealed that the company was selling salvaged automobile airbags in violation of New York State law. Don's agreed that they would not sell any salvaged airbags without first complying with the law, New York requires anyone attempting to sell inflatable restraint systems salvaged from another vehicle to have it first certified according to standards established by a nationally recognized testing, engineering and research body approved by the DMV. Currently there are no approved standards from the State of New York, the sale of all salvaged airbags illegal.

Delaware County District Attorney Investigators and the Walton Police Department arrested 27-year-old Brandi Wyckoff of Walton for 2 counts of Forgery & 2 counts of offering a false instrument for filing. Wyckoff was arraigned in Delhi Town Court and remanded to the Delaware County Correctional Facility on $5,000 Bail or $10,000 Bond. Pending future court action.

State Senator Jim Seward announced that he is sponsoring a pair of free senior scam prevention forums in Oneonta and Cooperstown on Friday. Senator Seward is partnering with the State Department of State to notify senior citizens, caregivers, and others about the alarming trend of senior targeted scams. The forums will take place on Friday from 10:00 AM to 12:00 Noon at the Elm Park Church, 401 Chestnut Street in Oneonta & from 2:00 to 4:00 PM at the Cooperstown Village Offices, 22 Main Street in Cooperstown. The forums are free and open to the public.

On Saturday, the Chenango County Sheriff’s Office, & Norwich Police executed a no knock search warrant at 30 Classic Street in the Village of Sherburne. 50-year-old Frederick Harty of Sherburne was charged with Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance with Intent to sell, Criminal Nuisance, Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance, & Criminally Possessing Drug Paraphernalia. 46-year-old Tabitha Harty was also charged with Criminal Nuisance. Frederick Harty was arraigned in the Town of Norwich Court and remanded to the Chenango County Correctional Facility on $20,000 cash bail. Tabitha Harty was arraigned in the Town of Norwich Court and remanded to the Chenango County Correctional Facility on $2,000 cash bail. The Sheriff’s Office recovered heroin, scales, packaging material, and unlawfully possessed prescription pills.

The Otsego County Sheriff’s Office arrested 69-year-old Frank Viscardi of St. Johnsville following a motor vehicle accident on state highway 28 in the town of Milford. Viscardi lost control and drove off the shoulder, struck an embankment, traveled across a lawn & hit a garage, causing significant damage. Viscardi was charged with felony DWI, criminal possession of a controlled substance, reckless endangerment of property, unlawful possession of marijuana, speed not reasonable, failure to keep right, driving on shoulder and consumption of alcohol in a motor vehicle. Viscardi will appear in the town of Milford court on October 27th.

The Greater Afton Area Chamber of Commerce will host the Next 4- Chambers meeting tonight, at The River Club in Afton, beginning at 5:30 PM. The Guest Speaker will be Lori Koblanski from LO-KO Social Media Management.

Mel Brooks "The Producers" takes the stage at The Forum Theatre November 17th & 18th in Binghamton. Tickets go on sale this morning at 10:00 AM at The Arena Box Office and Ticketmaster at 800-745-3000 or online at BroadwayInBinghamton.com.

Oneonta Mayor Gary Herzig has called a special meeting of the Oneonta Common Council today from 5:00 to 7:00 PM at City Hall. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss the city's 2016 Budget; the meeting is open to the public.

Tioga Downs in Nichols received the news from the State Gaming Facility Location Board, to go ahead with plans to expend for a full-scale casino, The board denied their bid last year, and gave the Southern Tier Casino license to the Lago resort about 85 miles north of the region. Groundbreaking on the expanded casino facilities is expected to be announced shortly.

Governor Cuomo today announced that the State Liquor Authority has approved a host of advisories to help support the continued growth and development of New York’s beverage manufacturers, retailers and wholesalers. Governor Cuomo convened the state’s 3rd Beer, Wine, Spirits and Cider Summit last week, where industry participants raised specific legislative and regulatory issues facing the industry. Bainbridge Native & Binghamton Brewing Company Owner Kristen Lyons participated in the summit:

(Kristen Lyons 10-15-15)

The new State Liquor Authority advisories are posted at sla.ny.gov, more information about the state's growing beer, wine, spirits and cider industries is available at taste.ny.gov.

Area Republican Congressman Richard Hanna made national headlines today, as he joined Kevin McCarthy in suggesting that an investigation into the Benghazi incident may have been an effort to damage Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton. In a radio interview in Utica yesterday, Hanna implied that McCarthy was forced to withdraw his bid for House Speaker, by his Republican peers because of his statements regarding the political damage that they tried to inflict on Hillary Clinton & her presidential bid.

State DOT officials today announced the scheduled reopening of the Interstate 81 southbound ramp to State Route 17 westbound, a major milestone in the $135 million project to reconstruct the Prospect Mountain Interchange of State Route 17 and I-81 in the city of Binghamton and town of Dickinson, Broome County. The I-81 southbound ramp to Route 17 had been closed since December 2014. An estimated $164 million project to reconfigure Interchange 4 will begin next spring and is expected to be completed by the end of 2019.

The State DEC today urged outdoor adventurers to suspend exploration of caves and mine sites that serve as homes for bat hibernations. Human disturbances are harmful to the state’s bat population since the arrival of the disease known as white-nose syndrome, which has killed more than 90% of hibernating bats in New York. Officials warned that if you encounter hibernating bats while underground, leave the area as quickly and quietly as possible. 2 species of bats are currently protected under federal and state endangered species law, including the northern long-eared bat, which was prevalent in New York, but the current population for this formerly common bat is approximately 1% of its previous size.

The Norwich Business Improvement District announced a full line up of events for the annual Pumpkin Festival on Friday, October 23rd through Saturday the 24th in Norwich. On Friday, from 5:30-7:00pm is the Giant Pumpkin Contest-Weigh In, On Saturday; events include a Pumpkin Bake-Off Contest, the YMCA Halloween Parade, Horse & Wagon Rides, and music with Kaitlyn Jackson and the Hometown Ban& The Beadle Brothers, followed by fireworks at the end of the evening.

Commerce Chenango will hold a “Meet the Candidates” session on October 27th. As part of the SFCU Business After Hours event. The session will be held at the SFCU Norwich branch, at County Road 32 & State Highway 23, from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM, among those confirmed to attend are State Senate candidates Fred Akshar & Barbara Fiala, among several local Norwich and Chenango County candidates. RSVP are requested by October 23rd at 334-1402 or johara@chenangony.org

The Otsego County Chamber of Commerce will hold their annual ceremony to honor the Small Business of the Year award & the Breakthrough Business of the Year today. The award winners will be honored at the Chamber’s Small Business Banquet at The Otesaga Hotel in Cooperstown.

On Saturday night, October 10th, Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 23 year old Erick Daly of Queens with Criminal Possession of a Weapon and Unlawful Possession of Marihuana, following traffic stop on State Highway 17 in the Town of Hancock. Troopers initially stopped Daly for driving 83 mph in a 55mph zone, Deputies found Daly to be in possession of marijuana and an electronic stun gun. Daly was arraigned in the Hancock Town Court and was remanded to the Delaware County Correctional Facility in lieu of $500 bail.

FEMA is reminding policyholders who filed Hurricane Sandy flood insurance claims that the last day to request a review of their claim is today. If you feel your Hurricane Sandy flood insurance claim was underpaid, ask FEMA to review your claim by calling 866-337-4262 between 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM.

The Oneonta police department special response team is scheduled to work in cooperation with the Greater Plains Elementary School to conduct a school lockdown drill today. The event will provide the Oneonta SRT Team the opportunity to train in full gear, and it will give students & faculty a chance to become familiar with evacuation procedures in case of an emergency.

The Bainbridge-Guilford Central School will hold a Board of Education Meeting Today, in the District Conference Room at 6:30 PM.

New York State Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul continues delegation meetings with elected officials at various health care facilities throughout Puerto Rico to further Governor Cuomo's commitment to assist with the health care crisis. At 4:00 PM the Lieutenant Governor and State Elected Officials Hold a Press Conference with the Puerto Rican Delegation.

Coldwell Banker Timberland Properties will celebrate the grand opening of a new office at 19 Union Street, Sidney with an open house on Wednesday, Oct. 21 from 4:30-7 p.m. The public is invited to stop at Coldwell Bankers’ fifth office, located in the Community Bank Building, to meet the staff and learn more about the region’s largest real estate company. The event will include office tours, refreshments and live music. Jackie and Steve Rose, two of the most well respected real estate professionals in the Sidney area, are managing the new Coldwell Banker Timberland Properties office.

State Police responded to a report of a motorcycle accident on State Route 28 in the Town of Exeter. 86-year-old Herbert Black of Remsen was operating his motorcycle on State Route 28 when he entered a curve in the roadway, he was unable to maintain his lane and struck a street sign & was ejected and suffered serious injuries to his head, neck and chest. Black was transported to Bassett Hospital where he was pronounced deceased, no autopsy would be required.

On Monday October 8th, Delaware County Sheriff's Deputies and State Police responded to a reported bomb threat at the DCMO BOCES, Harrold Campus, in the Town of Masonville. The bomb threat was discovered written on a bathroom wall. The building was evacuated, a search found no explosive devises. Deputies have determined that a 14-year-old male was responsible for making the written threat. The youth and his legal guardian were subsequently issued a juvenile appearance ticket for the Delaware County Probation Department where the juvenile will answer a charge of Filing a False Report in the First Degree.

State Police in Norwich observed a 2007 Hummer traveling on State Route 12 in the Town of North Norwich; the vehicle matched the description of a stolen vehicle from Utica, and had been in a pursuit earlier in Oneida County. Several attempts to stop the driver were made and were stopped for safety reasons as the suspect approached the City of Norwich and then the Village of Greene. Troopers reported that as the vehicle entered Broome County, 2 Tire Deflation Devises were deployed, the front tires were disabled & the suspect continued to the Town of Chenango, and then fled the disabled vehicle and ran into the woods, A search by a State Police & Broome County Sheriff’s K-9 teams led to 17 year old La-Tee Baker of Utica, who was located near Otsinigo Park. Baker was charged with reckless endangerment and criminal possession of stolen property, he was arraigned at the Town of Chenango court and remanded to the Broome County jail with no bail set at this time.

The Oneonta police department special response team is scheduled to work in cooperation with the Greater Plains Elementary School to conduct a school lockdown drill on Thursday. The event will provide the Oneonta SRT Team to train in full gear, and it will give students & faculty a chance to become familiar with evacuation procedures in case of an emergency.

The New York State Office of Information Technology Services is offering a number of resources and activities to help all users learn more about cyber security and how to safeguard themselves from cyber-based threats. The 2015 Cyber Security Toolkit features awareness resources geared to a broad audience, including government, businesses, schools, and the general public. New York ITS is also coordinating a statewide cyber security poster contest for students in grades K through 12 promoting online safety, winners will be featured on the ITS website and entered into a national contest, more information on the poster contest is available at its.ny.gov/eiso.

The Commerce Chenango College & Career Connection Day will be held tomorrow at the Morrisville State College Norwich Campus, from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Commerce Chenango spokesperson Jill O’Hara explains:

(Jill O’Hara 10-13-15)

More information about the college & Career Connection Day is available at 334-1402.

The city of Oneonta FTO-CIC committee will hold their next meeting this afternoon at 4:00 this afternoon, the Oneonta Finance/Administration committee will hold their next meeting at 5:00 PM, both meetings will be held at Oneonta city hall.

Delaware County Sheriff's Deputies Arrested 26-year-old Amy Brooks of Sidney & 26-year-old Mark Rathbun of Franklin Tuesday. Brooks was tracked down by Canine Ozzie after she fled from Rathbun’s residence into the woods, Brooks was arrested on the Village of Sidney Court Bench Warrant for Violation of the Terms of her Release on charges of 2nd degree Burglary & Petty Larceny, she was additionally charged by deputies with Resisting Arrest. Rathbun was charged with Obstructing Governmental Administration. Brooks was arraigned in the Town of Franklin Court & was ordered held on $7,000 cash bail, Rathbun was also arraigned in the Town of Franklin Court & was ordered to be held on $2,000 cash bail.

Tonight at 6:30 pm there will be a free training on Heroin & Opioid Overdose Prevention at the Sidney Fire Department on River Street. The training will be provided by the Southern Tier Aids Program, it will include how to learn the signs and symptoms of heroin and opioid overdose, how to use NARCAN to respond to an overdose situation & participants can receive a Free NARCAN kit. The event is open to the community. Registration is requested at 829-3000.

The Leadership Chenango Kick-off Dinner will be tonight at the Canasawacta Country Club in Norwich, with Registration at 5:00 PM& the Dinner at 6:00 PM.

The Oneonta Police Department announced the arrest of 2 people on drug charges after they served a search warrant at 195 Main Street Wednesday morning. Arrested were 34-year-old Nelson Canales of Oneonta & 31 year old Jamie Osborne of Oneonta, for Criminal possession of a controlled substance, Canales was also charged with 2nd menacing. The Oneonta Police uncovered crack cocaine, prescription narcotics & 2 replica firearms. The Otsego County Sheriff’s Department assisted Oneonta Police with the investigation.

State Police arrested 26 year old Christopher Kuiper of Susquehanna, Pennsylvania for operating a motor vehicle while impaired by drugs, criminal possession of a controlled substance, unlawfully fleeing police in a vehicle, reckless driving and several other charges, after a trooper observed a Nissan making an illegal U-turn on I-81 in the Town of Dickinson. Kuiper allegedly failed to stop for pursuing troopers, he is accused of driving at speeds up to 90 miles an hour through the Prospect mountain work zone to State Route 17, he braked hard and his vehicle was struck by state police vehicle. Kuiper exited the vehicle was arrested without incident. Kuiper was found to unlawfully possess Percocet and marihuana; he was arraigned & was remanded to the Broome County jail on $1,000 cash bail. Police stated that the pursuit lasted 4 minutes and covered 9 miles.

Governor Cuomo announced that over $32 million in federal highway safety grants have been awarded to 541 highway safety programs throughout New York State to improve overall highway safety and reduce the number of deaths and serious injuries due to crashes. Locally, funding will go to the Binghamton police department, Broome County Sheriffs department, Deposit Police, Sidney village police, Delaware county sheriffs department, Oneonta city police and the Otsego county sheriff's department. The funding was awarded to New York State by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The Chenango Arts Council announced a 20% increase in funding from the New York State Council on the Arts for the 2016 Broome, Chenango & Otsego Decentralization Grant Program. $129,280 is available to non-profit organizations and artists who partner with an eligible non-profit for cultural initiatives in 2016. Funding is available for grants up to $5,000 each to support Community Arts and Arts Education grants in Broome, Chenango and Otsego counties. The deadline for 2016 grant application is Tuesday, January 12, 2016. Opportunities are for projects through December 31, 2016. More information is available at Chenangoarts.org or 336-ARTS.

The Cancer Services Program of Delaware, Otsego and Schoharie counties will offer free health screenings to women 40 and older that are uninsured Friday. The Bassett mobile Screening Coach will be available from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM at Family Planning of Oneonta, 37 Dietz Street in Oneonta. Appointments are requested at 1-888-345-0225.

Friday through Sunday, Hartwick College in Oneonta will celebrate True Blue Weekend 2015. The weekend opens Friday with the Hartwick Golf Classic at the Oneonta Country Club, the True Blue Kickoff Party; a Men's Soccer game on Elmore Field, Saturday includes the Golden Jubilee breakfast, and feature a series of tours and alumni presentations. A Pep Rally Parade and Varsity Football game, Sunday will feature the College's annual memorial gathering in the Shineman Chapel House, as well as a Legacy Family breakfast, more information on and the full schedule are available at HartwickAlumni.org/TrueBlue or 431-4064.

Lake Placid officially opened today; they welcomed several USA Luge athletes for the first official runs of the season this morning. The Olympians will be practicing at the Lake Placid site each morning through the end of this month. World cup racing will be held at Lake Placid in December.

The next Government Office of Storm Recovery Meeting will be held on Thursday from 6:30 to 8:30 PM at the Sidney High School Auditorium. Acquisition and Elevation will be discussed as well as the National Flood Insurance Program. People who received the letter from Delaware County are encouraged to attend as well as any residents of the Village of Sidney.

The State Department of Labor released preliminary local area unemployment rates for August 2015. Locally, Chenango County's rate dropped to 4.6%, Delaware County to 5.2% and Otsego County to 4.7%. The State’s unemployment rate decreased to 5.2% in August.

Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 36-year-old Robert Stutzer of Delhi, following a complaint from a Hobart business owner who had reported checks had been stolen from the business and subsequently forged and cashed. Deputies charged Stutzer with 3rd degree Burglary, Forgery, and 2 counts of Petty Larceny. Stutzer was being held in the Delaware County Correctional Facility on a Parole Violation, he will appear in the Town of Stamford Court at a later date.

The trial of 49-year-old William Danielson of Oxford will begin next week in Chenango County Court. Danielson was arrested in December of 2013 for the murder of Lucinda Knoll in Norwich; the jury selection will begin on Monday. Danielson was indicted by the Chenango County grand jury for 2 counts of 2nd degree murder, 1st degree robbery & 2nd degree assault.

Governor Cuomo today announced that more than 195,000 New Yorkers have registered to vote at dmv.ny.gov using the Department of Motor Vehicles automated online system, MyDMV. The service is the first and only online voter registration process in New York State. The deadline to register to vote in the upcoming November general elections is October 9. More information is available at dmv.ny.gov.

State Police raided 2 houses in Broome County on Wednesday following a lengthy investigation. The raids were conducted at 29 Walnut Street in Binghamton and 205 McKinley Avenue in Endicott, 4 people have been arrested on Federal Charges for allegedly operating Steroid labs at those addresses, more details are expected to be released shortly.

The State DOT announced that traffic will be stopped tomorrow around the Prospect Mountain Construction project, as 2 bridges over the Chenango River will be brought down with controlled blasts. Officials stated that Beginning at about 10:15 AM, State Police will have the traffic in the area slowed down or stopped for about 15 minutes on I-81 south at exit 6. I-81 North at exit 2, State Route 17 East at exit 71 & I-88 west at exit 2. The on-ramp to I-81S at exit 5 for Front Street & SUNY Broome & State Route 7 on-ramp to I-81 North, & Route 17 West will be closed.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency is reminding policyholders who filed Hurricane Sandy flood insurance claims that the last day to request a review of their claim is October 15th. Property owners, who feel that their Hurricane Sandy flood insurance claim was underpaid, can ask FEMA to review the claim by calling 866-337-4262. Call weekdays between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. The deadline to Call FEMA is October15th.

State comptroller Tom DiNapoli released his list of counties, towns 7 other municipalities that are susceptible to fiscal stress, based on their annual financial reports. Local areas that face significant stress were Broome County & the town of Cherry Valley, those susceptible to fiscal stress were the town of Pitcher and the City of Norwich.

Governor Cuomo today signed “Amanda Lynn’s Law,” to strengthen penalties against those who seek to unlawfully conceal or dispose of a body. The measure is named after a Western New York woman who died under questionable circumstances in 2009 & whose body was hidden in a garbage can to avoid discovery. Current law only regulates the manner in which cemeteries, funeral directors, and medical professionals can dispose of remains and fails to address situations where they are intentionally concealed, altered, or destroyed to prevent its discovery. The new law makes this offense an E felony punishable by up to four years in prison and up to a $5,000 fine.

The Bainbridge-Guilford Central School will hold a Board of Education Meeting today in the Guilford School Cafeteria at 6:30 PM.

Governor Cuomo issued a consumer alert advising New Yorkers to exercise caution when making used car purchases from private sellers over the internet following an increase in the number of complaints about online used car scams received by New York State Department of Motor Vehicles investigators. Each year, these state investigators, working with other federal, state and local officials, recover as much as $1.5 million in stolen vehicles and parts purchased online.

The Chenango County Sheriff’s Office arrested 32 year old Joshua Whaley of Pitcher on an active arrest warrant for 3rd degree Burglary, Endangering the Welfare of a Child, Criminal Obstruction of Breathing plus several other charges. Whaley was arrested & was found to possess methamphetamine & an illegal weapon; he was additional charged with Criminal Possession of a Control Substance and Criminal Possession of an Illegal Weapon. Whaley was arraigned & and is being held in the Chenango County Correctional Facility on $5000 cash bail pending future court action.

State Police arrested 44-year-old Patrick Burton of Binghamton for aggravated cruelty to animals. Troopers responded to a Broome County 911 report of animal abuse in Conklin. Burton is accused of beating his girlfriend’s dog; Burton was arraigned in the Town of Conklin Court and remanded to the Broome County Jail on $5,000 cash bail or $10,000 property bond.

Oneonta officials announced that more tests are being conducted next week on their water distribution system. Hydrant flow test & pipe condition tests will be conducted on Monday at numerous locations around the city, they will continue again on Friday the 25th. More information is available at 432-2100.

New York State's education commissioner Mary Ellen Elia stated that next spring’s Common Core tests would be shorter. Elia spoke to the Board of Regents Wednesday in Albany, she said that some of the writing and reading passages will be removed and the math assessments will lose some multiple-choice questions. The controversial tests are given statewide to 3rd to 8th grade students each spring to measure student and teacher performance. Elia said that teachers would have a greater role in developing the tests when the state begins working with new vendor Questar for the 2017 school year.

The Chenango county historical society will unveil an agricultural education center in Norwich later this month, with the centerpiece being an 1800’s Oxford barn. Society Board of Directors President Joyce Zummo explains:

(Joyce Zummo 9-17-15)

The grand opening & ribbon cutting will be on September 26th from 11:00 to 4:00 PM at 45 Rexford Street in Norwich.

On Friday night, State Police responded to fatal motor vehicle collision, on State Route 12, in the Town of Norwich. 77 year old Robert Gibbs exited his residence and entered the roadway, into the path of a northbound vehicle, he was pronounced deceased at the scene. The operator of the vehicle was not ticketed. The investigation is continuing.

State Senator Jim Seward announced he would not be entering the race for U.S. House of Representatives in the 19th congressional district in 2016. Seward said that his standing as a senior member of the State senate majority enables him to better serve his home district.

United Way of Delaware and Otsego Counties will begin its 2015 campaign at a Kick-Off Breakfast at the Otesaga in Cooperstown at 8:30 AM. The United Way will present the 2015 Alan Donovan award to a nominee who has demonstrated dedication to the community and made a significant impact on the quality of life. More information is available at 432-8006.

The next GO-EDC meeting will be today at 4:00 PM in the conference room at the Oneonta Hampton Inn. The Topic of discussion will include growing the city of Oneonta’s revenue.

SIdney Village officials announced that East Main Street from the Moose Lodge to Orchard Street, will be closed through 2:00 trhis afternoon. Officials said that NYSEG is installing a new utiily pole.

Delaware County Sheriff's Deputies arrested 20-year-old Brandon Lewis of Walton for various sex offenses. Deputies charged Lewis with 3 counts each of 2nd degree Rape, Criminal Sexual Acts & Sexual Misconduct. Lewis is accused of engaging in sexual acts with 2 victims less than 17 years old, on a number of occasions in Walton since last December. Lewis was arraigned & was remanded to the Delaware County Jail on $20,000 cash bail pending further court action.

Delaware County officials will hold 2 events on September 21st to discuss the growing problem of suicides in the county. Suicide Prevention Network Chairperson Rene Stratton explains;

(Renee Stratton 9-14-15)

Stratton said that Delaware County has a suicide rate of 17.2 per 100,000, which is above the state average.

Trooper Donald Atkinson was issued a certificate of appreciation by Colonel Edward Chamberlayne, of the US Army Corps of Engineers, for his heroic efforts on July 15th at the Whitney Point reservoir. The certificate was in recognition of action taken by Trooper Atkinson who rescued a 14-year-old girl who was trapped in the strong current as she swam by the intake to the Whitney Point Reservoir.

The Oneonta Department of Public Service will continue flushing water mains on the low service through September 25th. Officials said that the flushing includes everything East of Otsego Street, to East End Avenue, and the to end of the city water distribution center just before Fox Care. Water users in those areas may experience a change in water color or pressure; more information is available at 432-2100.

The Unadilla Rotary Club will host their 6th annual Autumn Fest this Saturday, spokesperson Zoë Vander Muelen explains:

(Zoë Vander Muelen 9-15-15)

complete details of the events at Unadilla Autumn Fest are available at Unadilla rotary .org or on the Unadilla rotary Facebook page.

Governor Cuomo announced that flags on state government buildings will be flown at half-staff today, in remembrance of the nearly 3,000 men, women and children who lost their lives in the September 11th 2001 terrorist attacks in New York City.

State Police arrested 62-year-old Jeffrey Kennedy of Eaton, for aggravated DWI with a B.A.C. result of .21% and other traffic violations. The arrest occurred after Kennedy was observed failing to keep right on State Route 12 in the Town of North Norwich. Kennedy was issued tickets returnable to the Town of North Norwich Court on September 23rd

Otsego County's annual Hazardous Waste Collection Event will be held today & tomorrow. The 1st event will be at the Unadilla Town Highway Building today & Waste from Otsego County small businesses is accepted and the 2nd event will be at the Meadows Office Building in Cooperstown on Saturday. No Pre-Registration is required, Saturday Participants are asked to arrive according to the first initial of your last name. More information is available at otsegocounty.com/depts/sw or by calling 547-4225.

Chenango County Suicide Prevention will hold a special event with documentary filmmaker Erin Davies tonight in Norwich, Spokesperson Ann Marie Troy comments:

(Ann Marie Troy 9-11-15)

The event will begin at 7:00 P.M. at the Broad Street United Methodist Church in Norwich, more information is available at 334-8244 extension 228.

The Chenango Arts Council, Norwich Business Improvement District, and the Norwich Rotary Club announced that the Chenango Public Arts Initiative begins with a Gallery opening reception today from 5:30 to 8:00 pm; it is free and open to the public. The Gallery will be open both days of Colorscape Weekend this Saturday and Sunday from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM and will stay on display until October 25. More information is available at 336-ARTS or email at: info@chenangoarts.org

The American Red Cross urges eligible donors to give blood to help ensure a stable and diverse blood supply is available during emergencies. There will be blood drives today in Norwich from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM at the Guernsey Library, & in Delhi from 10:30 AM to 4:30 PM at SUNY Delhi’s Farrell Student & Community Center. To find out about blood donations, download the American Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS.

A SUNY Delhi freshman from Wappingers Falls was found dead in a wooded area near the campus Tuesday. The unidentified student was found unresponsive by friends, he was pronounced dead at the scene by the Delaware County Medical Examiner's office. No foul Play is suspected; a memorial service for the student is planned on September 25th in Hopewell Junction.

State Police are investigating a burglary to a home on Grove Street in Windsor, which occurred sometime during the overnight between August 2nd & 3rd. Police said that burglars took a small black Sentry Model safe, which contained a large amount of US currency. Anyone with information about this crime is encouraged to contact SP Binghamton at 607-775-1241.

Thursday's Primary Day elections have been tabulated, In Delaware County; The Democratic Party Town of Middletown Supervisor Primary was won by Marjorie Miller. The Republican Party Primary had Delaware County Board of Supervisors Chairman Jim Eisel winning for the Harpersfield Town Supervisors position. In the Primary for Town of Walton Supervisor, Charles Gregory defeats Bruce Dolph. In Chenango County, District Attorney Joe McBride wins the Republican primary, in the city of Norwich; Christine Carnrike won The Republican Primary for Mayor over incumbent Joe Mauirano.

The Delaware County Industrial Development Agency recently completed a renovation project at the Sidney Industrial Park to ensure the continued growth of Gravity Ciders. The company outgrew their Walton facility; they were looking for a new production and warehousing facility to keep up with the demand of their Awestruck Premium Hard Ciders. The IDA invested $32,000, to keep Gravity Ciders in Delaware County; more information is available at dcecodev.com or 832-5123.

A 2nd rally against a proposed pipeline and compressor in Franklin is planned for Saturday, at 10:00 AM in front of 483 Van Tassel Road in Franklin. The rally is close to the location of the proposed compressor station.

The Delaware county department of corrections will hold the 5th Annual Andrew Brown Memorial Golf Tournament tomorrow, at the Hardwood Hills Golf Course in Masonville. Registration is at 7:30 AM, shotgun start is at 8:30 AM, and money raised will assist Delaware county residents being cared for by Catskill Hospice & Palliative care.

State Police responded to a Delaware County 911 report of a motor vehicle over an embankment on Brickhouse Hill Road, in the Town of Davenport. Troopers located a man, who was deceased, while pinned underneath a 1996 Ford Crown Victoria. The investigation revealed that 20-year-old Travis Barra of Stamford was operating the car on Brickhouse Hill Road when he drove off the roadway and was stuck on the shoulder. Barra left the car in neutral attempted to free it & was pinned underneath the car when it rolled backward. Barra’s death as was ruled as accidental due to mechanical asphyxiation by the coroner’s office, the investigation is ongoing.

A Pre-Primary Meet and Greet will be held in Norwich today at the Commerce Chenango Community Room, 15 South Broad Street, beginning at 5: 30 PM. Chamber members can meet 1-on-1 with incumbent Norwich Mayor Joseph Maiurano, candidate-elect Christine Carnrike, incumbent Chenango County District Attorney Joseph McBride and candidate-elect Zachary Wentworth.

The Oneonta FTO/CIC Committee will meet this afternoon at Oneonta City Hall, beginning at 4:00 PM. The Oneonta Finance /Administration committee will the hold their meeting beginning at 5:00 PM at City hall.

Governor Cuomo today announced up to $500,000 in state grants to increase college access for 2016 high school graduates. New York State’s College Action Grants will award up to $5,000 to eligible high schools and community organizations that promote activities aimed at increasing the rate of low-income New York State high school seniors who apply to college, complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, and ultimately enroll in a college. Eligible high schools are those in which 50 percent or more of the students are eligible to participate in the federal free and reduced-price lunch program. Qualified not-for-profit organizations serving low-income students from such high schools are also eligible to apply for this grant opportunity.

Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 23 year old Steven Sanchez of Tarrytown on Friday, on 2 bench warrants issued by Delhi Town Court for failure to pay fines for disorderly conduct, criminal possession of a controlled substance, criminally using drug paraphernalia & unlawful possession of marijuana. The arrest followed a civilian report of an erratic driver in the Town of Delhi. Sanchez was also issued tickets for consumption of an alcoholic beverage in a motor vehicle and was later turned over to the Delhi Police Department for arraignment on the charges from the warrants.

Attorney General Eric Schneiderman will operate a statewide Election Day Hotline during the primary election this Thursday, September 10. Voters encountering barriers to access at their polling sites can report those issues to the Attorney General’s Office by calling the hotline at 800-771-7755, or by emailing the office at civil.rights@ag.ny.gov. The Hotline will be available from 6:00 A.M. until 9:00 P.M. on Election Day.

State Police arrested 42 year old Damion Burns of Oxford, for 2nd degree Assault, DWI, Aggravated Unlicensed Operation, Unlawfully Fleeing a Police Officer, Reckless Endangerment, Resisting Arrest, Criminal Mischief and 2 drug charges following an attempted traffic stop for speeding & a short high speed pursuit on State Route 12, in the Town of Greene. The unidentified Trooper was injured & a patrol vehicle damaged in the pursuit, Burns was apprehended, he refused to submit to a breath test and was also found to unlawfully possess marihuana and cocaine. Burns was arraigned in the City of Norwich Court and remanded to the Chenango County Jail with no bail set at this time.

A raccoon has tested positive for rabies in Delaware County. This is the first animal testing positive for rabies in 2015, the positive test results were received Monday, and county officials said that there was no human exposure. The domestic animal that was possibly exposed to the rabid raccoon has been immunized against rabies, and is not in danger of contracting the disease. Delaware County Public Health has conducted 14 rabies clinics in 2015 with one clinic remaining on October 14th from 6:00 to 8:00 PM at the Delhi Fire Hall, at 140 Delview Terrace. To report a suspected rabid animal call Delaware County Public Health Services at 832-5200, more information is available at delawarecountypublichealth.com

The final points races of the season will be this Friday night at I-88 Speedway in Afton. Spokesperson Denise Paige explains:

(Denise Paige 9-2-15)

Paige also said that special races will be held in late September & another in October at I-88 Speedway.

Governor Cuomo today kicked off the "Enough is Enough" awareness campaign to highlight the State’s new law to combat sexual violence on college campuses. The Governor also announced that the State Police’s new Sexual Assault Victims Unit is now open to provide investigative support and assistance to victims of sexual violence, as well as training and law enforcement aid for schools and local police departments statewide in line with the new law.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission will extend the public comment period on the Northeast Energy Direct pipeline, which was due to expire Monday. The FERC decision came as U.S. senators Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand & area Congressman Chris Gibson urged FERC Chairman Norman Bay to extend the comment period run through the end of November, after Kinder Morgan released 6,000 more pages of technical information on the proposal near the end of July, leaving little time for public comment on the new information.

U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand Was The Guest Speaker today at the Women’s Day Luncheon At the New York State Fair. Gillibrand stated that she was honored to be asked to speak at the Luncheon; she discussed the need for more women to get off the sidelines & into the action.

The Oneonta Common Council has approved of the appointment of Gary Herzig as mayor of Oneonta. Herzig replaces acting Mayor Russ Southard, who was appointed following the death of former mayor Dick Miller late last year. Herzig was the only announced candidate for Oneonta mayor for the November election.

The Oneonta Parks & Recreation commission will hold their next regular meeting today. The meeting will begin at 7:00 PM at the Common Council Chambers at City hall.

Governor Cuomo announced that New York State has been awarded a $3.75 million grant, over five years, from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to enhance the treatment and prevention of strokes, which is the 4th leading cause of death in New York, accounting for more than 6,000 deaths annually. The grant will allow the State Department of Health to expand its existing New York Coverdell program, to improve in-hospital care for acute stroke, as well as improve programs for education, emergency medical services & addressing stroke risk factors such as high blood pressure, tobacco use, high cholesterol and poor medication adherence.

The Kick off meeting for the 2016 General Clinton Canoe Regatta will be held today at the Highway 7 Bar & Grill on Route 7 in Bainbridge at 7:00 PM. The meeting is a joint meeting of the Regular & the Race Committees, they will discuss Meeting dates & times & ideas for next year's Regatta.

The 19th annual Delaware County Clean Sweep chemical disposal days are scheduled for September. County Solid Waste coordinator Sue McIntyre told WCDO News that online registration have been going on for a couple of weeks, and telephone registration begins today:

(Sue McIntyre 9-1-15)

Businesses & farms will drop off their items at their designated times on Friday September 18th, households on Saturday September 19th

33 year old Wayne Spratley of Greene, has been indicted for 1st & 2nd degree attempted murder, 1st degree assault, & criminal use of a firearm; in connection with the July 19th shooting of a black man in a City of Norwich parking lot. Many of the charges in the indictment are also characterized as hate crimes. Spratley is accused of shooting the man & using racial slurs against him during the attack. The unidentified victim required surgery for gunshot wounds to the abdomen, he has since been released & has left the area. Spratley will be arraigned in Chenango County Court shortly on the new charges in the indictment

State Police arrested 41-year-old Barry Wenger of Endwell Monday, for 1st degree Burglary & Criminal Possession of a Weapon. Wenger is accused of entering a residence in the Town of Union & assaulting the occupant, causing injury. Wenger was arraigned & was remanded to the Broome County Jail without bail. The Investigation is continuing.

Governor Cuomo announced that he would lead a delegation to Puerto Rico to meet with local officials and discuss the Puerto Rican governments' ongoing healthcare crisis and economic challenges as well as the need for Washington to act. The Governor is leading the delegation at the invitation of Puerto Rico’s Governor, Alejandro Garcia Padilla. The group will depart on September 7th & return on September 8th.

State Police urge everyone to support the AAA’s annual “School’s Open—Drive Carefully” campaign to help preserve the safety of children traveling to and from school. The campaign alerts motorists to the special risks to school age children from motor vehicle crashes, which is the leading cause of death for children from 5 to 14 years old. The campaign begins September 2, 2015 and runs through October 14.

On Saturday Oneonta Police responded to Fox Hospital Emergency Department for a reported stabbing victim. Police arrested 25-year-old Avi Figueroa of Oneonta, 37-year-old Nancy Callahan of Oneonta and 16-year-old Future Clovis if Richfield Springs, for 2nd degree Assault & 5th degree Conspiracy, Clovis was also charged with Menacing & Criminal Possession of a Weapon. Police stated that the victim had been walking on Chestnut Street in Oneonta near Fonda Avenue, when a confrontation ensued; the victim suffered a stab wound to the upper buttocks that required medical treatment. All 3 suspects were held for arraignment in the City of Oneonta Court.

The Chenango County Sheriff’s Office 32 year old arrested Fitim Latifi of Norwich Friday, for an active arrest warrant issued by the Chenango County Court. The warrant followed a sealed indictment presented to the Grand Jury Friday involving the sale of heroin in the Norwich area. Latifi was located at his residence, he had been indicted on 4 counts of Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance, for allegedly selling heroin in the Norwich area on 4 occasions, he was arraigned & was remanded to the Chenango County Jail on $25,000 cash bail.

On Saturday, Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested and charged 44-year-old Edward Kaneg of Delhi, New York, with Grand Larceny, Burglary, Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle, Aggravated Unlicensed Operation of a Motor Vehicle, Operating a Motor Vehicle without an Ignition Interlock Device, & several other charges, following a month long investigation of a burglary involving the theft of a vehicle from a garage in the Town of Delhi. Kaneg was already serving a sentence in the Delaware County Correctional Facility on an unrelated charge; he is scheduled to appear at Delhi Town Court today to answer the charges.

The Bainbridge Chamber of Commerce will hold another "Reunite Bainbridge” Meeting tonight. Bainbridge Chamber President John Payne comments:

(John Payne 8-31-15)

Tonight’s meeting will be held at 7:00 PM at Bob's Diner, & all residents are encouraged to attend & participate.

Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 51-year-old Tracy Wood of Walton for harassment & unlawful imprisonment, following an investigation into a Domestic Dispute on Loomis Brook Road in the Town of Walton. Wood was later arraigned in Walton Town Court and was released on his own recognizance, pending future court action.

2 bridges on Interstate 81 near the Castle Creek exit in the Town of Chenango were formally dedicated today to State Trooper Christopher Skinner. Skinner was conducting a routine traffic stop on I-81 when a car swerved from the left lane & hit Trooper Skinner in May of 2014. Almond Upton of Florida will stand trial in November in Broome County court; he is facing an 11-count indictment that includes a first-degree murder charge.

State Police at Endwell arrested 3 suspects for Burglary following a 911 call of a burglary in progress to an unoccupied residence in the Town of Union. Troopers located 2 suspects in the residence & a 3rd suspect was taken into custody on an adjacent street with proceeds of the burglary. Charged were 54 year old Otis Bivins of Endicott, 32 year old Roger Edwards Jr. of Endicott & 30 year old Russell Harris of Binghamton, all 3 were arraigned and remanded to the Broome County Jail without bail. The Broome County Sheriff's Office assisted in the apprehension of the defendants.

About a dozen groups rallied at General Clinton Park Sunday, to discuss how to get several southern tier towns to secede New York State & join Pennsylvania, or to split New York State into 2 states. Groups involved were pro gas drilling groups upset with the Governor's ban on Hydrofracking, and are Tea Party groups.

The Catskills Humane Society’s 13th Annual Woofs & Wags Dog Walk will be held at the American Legion Fields in Delhi on Saturday, September 12th, from 11:30 AM to 2:00 PM. Family activities are planned during the fundraiser, details can be found at heartofthecatskills.org/dogwalk.

The B-G Central School District is seeking Community members interested in serving on a Capital Project Facility Committee. The next meeting will be held this evening at 6:30 PM in the District Conference Room. Interested community members should contact the District Office at 967-6321.

State Police are investigating a 1 car fatal motor vehicle accident on Hawleyton Road in the Town of Binghamton at approximately 3:20 AM Thursday. The investigation determined that a 2004 Lexus being operated by 34 year old Jemark Ballenger of Endicott, NY, failed to negotiate a left hand turn and exited the right side of the roadway striking a tree. Ballenger & passenger, Troy McIver of Johnson City, had to be extricated from the vehicle. McIver was pronounced deceased at the scene, Ballenger suffered a compound fracture to his right femur and a broken right arm, he was taken to Wilson Hospital, Alcohol is believed to be a factor in the crash. The investigation is continuing and charges are pending.

Saturday is New Old Franklin Day, The Greater Franklin Chamber of Commerce will be coordinating activities & a free map of events, businesses and lawn sales will be available. More Information is available at franklinny.org.

32 year old Teddy Faison of Oneonta & was charged with 2nd degree assault for allegedly dragging an unconscious woman along a city street, police found the female victim in an apartment. Faison was apprehended, Police said that Faison is also a level 3 sexual offender, he will appear in Oneonta City Court on Monday for the assault charge & for violating the terms of his probation.

The Broome County Sheriff’s Deputies were dispatched to the Town of Conklin for a report of a woman screaming and standing in the road. Deputies found a bloodied 19 year old woman crying in the road, she reported that she had been arguing with her boyfriend, 49 year old William Finnerty of Conklin, who drove at high rates of speed with her standing on the running boards, she jumped off as he allegedly accelerated. Finnerty was taken into custody without incident. & was charged with Reckless Endangerment 2nd Degree, he was arraigned & was remanded to Broome County Jail in lieu of $500 cash bail. An Order of Protection was also issued on the victim’s behalf. This investigation is ongoing and additional charges may be pending.

State Police arrested 22-year-old Ryan MacPherson of Unadilla, for Menacing, Criminal Mischief, Resisting Arrest, Cruelty to an Animal, Harassment & Unlawful Possession of Marihuana. This arrest occurred after troopers responded to an Otsego County 911 report of a dispute at a home on Lockwood Road in the Town of Unadilla. An investigation determined that during a physical dispute with his mother and sister, MacPherson assaulted them and the family pet dog, smashed items, & refused to comply with troopers, who shot MacPherson once with a Taser. MacPherson was arraigned at the Town of Unadilla Court and remanded to the Otsego County Jail on $5,000 cash bail or $15,000 property bond.

the Broome County Sheriff’s Office responded to a truck vs. motorcycle accident on Sanitaria Springs Rd. in the Town of Colesville where a deputy responded and observed a motorcycle and its operator pinned underneath a Ford pick-up truck. The motorcycle operator was identified as Ralph Thorn of Johnson City, he was transported to Wilson Hospital. Investigators believe that the pick-up truck was operated by Matthew Briel of Kirkwood, he allegedly pulled out into the intersection after coming to a stop and did not see Thorn’s motorcycle, Thorn attempted to stop, lost control and went under Briel’s pick-up. Briel was ticketed for Failure to Yield the Right of Way at a Stop Sign.

3 people were injured after their car went down an embankment Thursday afternoon on Doc Rich Road in the town of Franklin. The initial reports states that the unidentified driver lost control of the vehicle, it went down the embankment, & landed on its roof. Injured occupants were taken to Fox Hospital in Oneonta & the investigation is ongoing.

Matthews Ford is hosting the 10th Annual Mustang Rally at 175 East Main Street in Norwich Saturday at 6pm. Matthews spokesperson Kathy Breno explains:

(Kathy Breno 6-26-15)

Admission is free & open to the public.

State police responded to a fatal motorcycle accident Friday night in Laurens. 20-year-old Eric Ericson of Laurens was driving north on state Route 205, when he lost control of his motorcycle, causing it to go off the road and strike a fixed object. Ericson was transported to Fox Hospital in Oneonta, where he was later pronounced deceased.

Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 27-year-old Nathan Livingood of Bethany Illinois, for harassment, criminal obstruction of breathing or blood circulation, and 3rd degree assault, following a report of a fight Thursday at the Delaware County Fairgrounds. Livingood was arraigned in Walton Village Court and was remanded to the Delaware County Jail without bail; he is scheduled to re appear at Walton Village Court at a later date.

The City of Oneonta Department of Public Service is flushing water mains today though Wednesday on the low service. Areas affected include east Street from the Water Treatment plant, including streets along the east end, along the Center Street Corridor & over to West Street. Those with questions can call the department at 432-2100.

The City of Oneonta will be conducting "Hot-In-Place" recycling of several streets through Monday August 31st. Work is taking place from 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM each day, with flaggers controlling one lane of traffic on those streets. Affected streets for the next 7 days include Walnut, Hudson & Wilcox; those with questions can contact the city Engineering department at 432-6465.

Chenango County Sheriff’s department arrested 57 year old Gregory Huzinec of Pharsalia for 2nd degree burglary and Grand Larceny. Huzinec is accused of entering a residence and a garage and taking property, he was taken into custody without incident, processed, and arraigned in the Town of Pharsalia Court & was remanded to the Chenango County Correctional Facility in lieu of cash bail to reappear at a later date.

Chenango county sheriff’s deputies arrested 52 year old Kenneth Bingay of Sullivan County for DWI in the Town of Guilford. Bingay was stopped for operating a motor vehicle that was uninspected and was found to be intoxicated. Bingay was arraigned in the Town of Norwich Court & was remanded to the Chenango County Correctional Facility on bail, he will reappear in the Town of Guilford Court at a later date.

Governor Cuomo announced that attendance at New York State Park campgrounds is on pace for another record-setting year, and reminded New Yorkers that many of the state's finest camping facilities are open for fall camping well into the autumn months. Through August 17, New York State Park campgrounds are on pace for the busiest year on record. Visitors have reserved more than 562,000 overnight stays at State Park campgrounds so far, marking a 5.2 percent increase over 2014. The record set last year was 594,441 overnight stays.

The city of Oneonta FTO-CIC Committee will hold their next regular meeting today. The meeting will begin at 4:00 PM, at 5:00 pm the Oneonta finance –administration committee will hold their meeting, both meetings will be held at Oneonta City hall.

Governor Cuomo today announced that emergency regulations have been adopted by the State Department of Health to prevent the spread of Legionella bacteria and protect New Yorkers from future outbreaks of Legionnaires’ disease. The regulations take effect immediately. The Governor announced that the Department of Health has launched a general tip line; 1-888-769-7243, to respond to questions or inquiries regarding the regulations from members of the public, as well as engineers, technologists and technicians. These emergency regulations are in effect for 90 days, at which point they will be adopted into permanent regulations, the regulations can be amended before they become permanent.

Governor Cuomo today announced the creation of “NY Responds” to strengthen the State’s emergency preparedness. Every county will have access to universal emergency management software, at no cost to localities, to enable both local governments and state agencies to submit and share vital disaster-related information, from incident reports and resource requests to real-time tracking of assets and weather conditions. The state is supplementing its stockpile of emergency response resources with an additional $50 million worth of equipment in advance of the winter storm season.

Governor Cuomo signed legislation to protect children across New York State from exposure to second-hand smoke. The bill prohibits individuals from smoking near schools while after-school programs are in operation. This bill expands the ban on smoking within 100 feet of the entrances, exits or outdoor areas of public and private schools to prohibit smoking during after-school programs. The ban would be in effect only during those hours in which the after-school programs are in session. Residences or residential property within the 100 foot perimeter would be excluded from the new ban.

On Saturday, Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 41 year old Christopher Ross of Franklin, for Driving While Intoxicated, operating an ATV on a public roadway, operating without a helmet, and speed not reasonable and imprudent. This arrest was a result of a motor vehicle accident on Clark Road in the Town of Masonville. Ross was later released on tickets returnable in the Masonville Town Court at a later date.

Tickets are now on sale for the musical comedy "42nd STREET" at the Forum Theatre Tuesday, October 6 and Wednesday, October 7. Tina Niles of NAC Entertainment comments:

(Tina Niles 8-18-15)

Tickets for 42nd Street are on sale at the Arena Box Office and Ticketmaster. Season Tickets are still on sale at BroadwayinBinghamton.com or by calling The Broadway Theatre League at 772-1391.

The Bainbridge-Guilford Central School will hold a SPECIAL Board of Education Meeting today in the District Conference Room at 5:30 PM. It is anticipated that the Board will move into Executive Session to discuss a particular personnel issue.

Sidney Village Superintendent of Public Works Mike Mercurio announced today that work would begin at 8:30 tomorrow morning on the traffic light at the intersection of Main & River Street in downtown Sidney. Mercurio told WCDO News that the 1962 state installed light stopped working on March 11th, and parts were no longer available.

The Norwich Fire Department reported that Route 12 just south of the City was completely shut down due to a hazard chemical spill earlier this afternoon. The highway had to be closed for several hours for the investigation & clean up; Businesses in area of Price Chopper Plaza have not been accessible since the spill. More details will be released as soon as possible.

Wednesday is Day 3 of the Delaware County Fair; it will be Kids Day according to Fair Spokesman John Jackson:

(John Jackson Wednesday)

The Fair runs through Saturday night at the Fairgrounds in Walton, concluding with the country music concert headlined by Parmalee & Jana Kramer. Daily Schedules are available at DelawareCountyFair.org.

U.S. Senator Charles Schumer has been allotted a single ticket to the Joint Meeting of Congress with Pope Francis on September 24th in Washington, DC. Those interested must sign up by August 26th and enter the raffle for the chance to win either a pair of tickets to see the Pope in the Audience outside the Capitol or the single ticket to hear him speak before Congress. 1 Joint Session ticket winner and 100 winners of a pair of tickets to the Papal Audience will be notified on August 27th.

State Police in Deposit arrested 20-year-old Shawn Stamper of Johnson City, for Driving While Intoxicated, following a report of an accident with injuries on Chestnut Street in the Town of Windsor. Stamper was charged with DWI after he crashed into a guide rail and overturned, he was transported to Wilson Hospital with lacerations to his face, he was issued tickets for Town of Windsor Court on August 24th.

United Way of Delaware and Otsego Counties is seeking donations of kid friendly foods and children’s hygiene items for its 2015 Food and Hygiene Supply Drive. Susan Kurkowski of the United Way told WCDO News what items can be donated:

(Susan Kurkowski 8-19-15)

The drive will begin tomorrow and run through September 14th, when the United Way officially kicks-off their 2015 Campaign. All donations will be given to backpack programs and food pantries in both Delaware and Otsego Counties. United Way will be partnering with Opportunities for Otsego and Delaware Opportunities to get the supplies delivered. More information is available at 432-8006.

AFTER A 5 YEAR INVESTIGATION, TWO BINGHAMTON MEN HAVE BEEN ARRESTED, INCLUDING ONE FOR ATTEMPTED MURDER. STATE POLICE ARRESTED 25 YEAR OLD TIMOTHY ELLIS AND 26 YEAR OLD DUSTIN BUCKLEY. BOTH ARE CHARGED IN CONNECTION WITH A HOME INVASION BURGLARY THAT OCCURRED IN SEPTEMBER OF 2010 IN THE TOWN OF BARKER, NEAR BUFFALO. TROOPERS SAY A 50 YEAR OLD WOMAN WAS ASSAULTED AND SEVERLY INJURED, SUFFERING BLINDNESS IN ONE EYE AND PARTIAL HEARING LOSS. ELLIS IS CHARGED WITH 2ND DEGREE ATTEMPTED MURDER AND FIRST DEGREE BURGALARY. BUCKLEY IS FACING A FIRST DEGREE BURGALARY CHARGE. BOTH MEN ARE BEING HELD IN THE BROOME COUNTY JAIL WITHOUT BAIL.

DELAWARE COUNTY SHERIFFS DEPUTIES, WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF THE NEW YORK CITY SHERIFF’S OFFICE, ARRESTED A BROOKLYN MAN TUESDAY. 31 YEAR OLD DONULD RUDD WAS ARRESTED BY MEMBERS OF THE NEW YORK CITY SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT UPON HIS RELEASE FROM RIKERS ISLAND CORRECTIONAL FACILITY. RUDD WAS THEN TURNED OVER TO DELAWARE COUNTY DEPUTIES IN KINGSTON, NY AND ARRESTED AGAIN ON A WARRANT ISSUED BY DELAWARE COUNTY COURT IN NOVEMBER OF 2014 AFTER HE FAILED TO APPEAR FOR HIS COURT HEARING. A FORMER BINGHAMTON RESIDENT, RUDD OWES MORE THAN 12 THOUSAND DOLLARS IN RESTITUTION ASSOCIATED WITH 2010 CONVICTIONS FOR CRIMINAL MISCHIEF. RUDD IS BEING HELD IN THE DELAWARE COUNTY CORRECTIONAL FACILITY WITHOUT BAIL.

U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand said she doesn't want to run for president or governor here in New York. Gillibrand has built a national profile in recent years, working on top-tier issues such as combating sexual assault in the military and allowing gay and lesbian soldiers to serve openly. Gillibrand would be a formidable Democrat should she enter the race for governor which is open once again in 2018. A strong campaign fundraiser, she would likely face competition for the Democratic nomination from Attorney General Eric Schneiderman should Gov. Andrew Cuomo not run for a third term.

18 year old Dayne Feehan didn’t know much about being a professional before this year. Now, he and a fellow Windsor High School student have received recognition for their management decision-making skills. Feehan and 17 year old Matthew Colosi competed June 29-July 2 in the Future Business Leaders of America National Leadership Conference in Chicago. They placed in the top 15, roughly in the top 2 percent of competitive FBLA chapters, in the Management Decision Making Competition

A man who was caught driving drunk did not have a license, according to the Otsego County Sheriff's Office. 41 year old Zacharias Fuller of Schenevus, was arrested after a one-car accident on Race Street in the village of Schenevus. He was charged with DWI, as well as aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle. He also faces several other misdemeanors and traffic violations. Fuller will appear in the Town of Maryland Court at a later date

An estimated 40,000 people are expected to attend the Chenango County Fair in Norwich. The fair runs until Sunday. This year, more than ever, fair-goers will get a lesson in agriculture, which is one of the cornerstones of the county. Read more at chenangocountyfair.homestead.com

THE AMERICAN RED CROSS REMINDS ELIGIBLE BLOOD DONORS OF A BLOOD DRIVE TO BE HELD AT THE UNITED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN WALTON TODAY, FROM 11:30 AM TO 5:30 PM. DONORS OF ALL BLOOD TYPES - ESPECIALLY THOSE WITH TYPES A, B, AND O NEGATIVE ARE NEEDED. VISIT RED CROSS BLOOD.ORG OR CALL 1-800-RED-CROSS.

An accident in Otego on Sunday afternoon has left a Delaware County man dead and his wife severely injured. Otego Fire Department officials reported that the man and woman involved were apparently trying to drive a golf cart across the railroad tracks on a private agricultural crossing at the east end of the village and struck the Canadian Pacific train. The 2-engine train was pulling 31 freight cars. Oneonta State Police said that 57-year old Charles Turk of Bloomville was found dead under the overturned golf cart. His wife 58-year old Cynthia Turk was found lying nearby with 2 broken legs. Mrs. Turk was airlifted to Albany Medical Center. The investigation is continuing. She is listed in serious but stable condition at this time. The couple had been camping near the railroad tracks over the weekend. Medical personnel from Otego Fire and Rescue squads as well as Cooperstown Medical Transport, Otsego deputies and State Police all reported to the scene of the crash.

The City of Oneonta will be painting the deck of the Pedestrian Bridge adjoining the 2nd level of the parking garage to the Main Street arcade walkway beginning this morning, The bridge will be closed today & Tuesday, during that time, Main street can be accessed from the Muller Park Stairs or by lower Chestnut Street. More information is available at 432-6465.

The Oneonta department of public service announced that they would be replacing a portion of the water main & services & the entire pavement on 8th street starting today. Work is scheduled from 7:00 AM to 4:00 PM weekdays; a completion date has not been determined. More information is available at 432-6465.

The Otsego County Fair drew record crowds last week.
Organizers say over 31-thousand people attended the annual fair at the Otsego County Fair grounds in Morris. The Chenango County Fair in Norwich kicks off it’s 6-day fair tomorrow.

New York State had more than 9 million total jobs in 2014, a state record, but the increase was largely in New York City and the statewide labor force continues to decline. Battling back from the recession in 2008 and 2009, New York has added 538,000 jobs since 2009 and last year had the strongest growth since 2000 with 143,000 jobs added. The other upstate regions including the Finger Lakes and the Hudson Valley added jobs at rates less than half the national average during the same stretch. Jobs increased 2.4 percent in the Hudson Valley, 2.1 percent in the Finger Lakes and 1.5 percent in Western New York over the 5-year span, but were down 2.2 percent in the Southern Tier.

New York State is looking to be in good shape to meet President Obama’s mandated cut in carbon emissions from power plants. The state is on track to meet the mandate – which calls for a 32 percent nationwide cut – more than a decade before the Federal Clean Power Plan’s 2030 deadline. In June, the state committed to 3 major energy benchmarks for the next 15 years: reducing all greenhouse-gas emissions by 40 percent from 1990 levels, decreasing energy consumption in buildings by 23 percent from 2012 levels and making sure half of the state’s energy is produced from renewable sources.

The Bainbridge-Guilford Central School district will be holding it’s annual mandatory parent-student meeting for JV and Varsity athletics in the Fall season. The meeting will be held at the high school auditorium tonight at 6 PM. All necessary paperwork for participation will be provided at the meeting. Fall sports offered at B-G are: Volleyball, Football, Soccer, Cheerleading and Golf.