WCDO Radio News

The Broome County District Attorney’s office announced that 27 year old Thomas Sessions of Whitney Point was arraigned Wednesday in Broome County Court, in connection with a March 23rd attack that seriously injured a Lisle resident. Sessions was located earlier this month in Arizona and taken into custody. The grand jury indictment charges Sessions with attempted 2nd degree murder, 1st degree assault, & attempted 1st & 2nd degree assault; he is accused of striking the victim in the head after knocking on the victim’s door & claiming to have a disabled vehicle.

A new report released Monday by a coalition of New York State law enforcement officials, public health experts and elected officials, showed that The Delaware County had the highest rates of gun-related suicide and homicide. The research focused at the rate of homicide and suicide in each county from 2012 to 2016, the report showed that for every 100,000 residents of Delaware County, there were 13.4 gun-related deaths, & the a rate of suicide by gun at 12.9. Other counties that ranked high were Allegany, Wyoming, Cattaraugus and Sullivan counties. New York State’s overall gun-related death rate was 4.4 deaths per 100,000 residents, which is below the national average of 11.8 deaths per 100,000 residents.

The Chenango County Sheriff’s Office arrested 19 year old Cordell Witherow of Plymouth for 3rd degree Assault. Witherow is accused of causing serious physical injury to an unidentified male victim. Witherow was released on an appearance ticket and is to appear in the Town of Plymouth Court at a later date.

Chenango County Sheriff's Department arrested 24 year old Cara Kaskeski of Mount Vision, for Welfare Fraud & Offering a False Instrument for Filing. Kaskeski allegedly collected more than $9,000 in child care assistance from July 2014 through November 2017 which she was not entitled to receive, she was issued appearance tickets to appear in the City of Norwich Court at a later date.

The next meeting of the Tri-Town Coalition on Substance Abuse Prevention will be held at Track Side Dining on Main Street in Sidney this evening. The meeting will run from 6:00 to 7:30 PM, participants are invited to use the rear entrance.

US Postal Inspectors, State Police CNET, Homeland Security Investigators (HSI), Vestal Police Department and the Broome County Drug Task Force made a controlled delivery of a package containing approximately 250 grams of Ecstasy to a residence in Binghamton. Following the delivery, a search was conducted at the home of 32 year old Andrew Davis, A search of the residence leads to the recovery of the package, digital scales, cellphone, & other items, Davis was charged with Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance, he was arraigned and was remanded to the Broome County Jail without bail.

Delaware County Sheriff Deputies arrested 42 year old Patrick Renner Jr. of Stamford for Aggravated Unlicensed Operation of a Motor Vehicle, Operating a Motor Vehicle without an Ignition Interlock Device, Unlicensed Operation of a Motor Vehicle & violating the terms of his probation. Renner is accused of driving a vehicle on Main Street in the Village of Stamford on Thursday with a revoked driver’s license and without an ignition interlock device, from a previous DWI conviction. Renner was arraigned and was remanded to the Delaware County Correctional Facility without bail pending further court action.

State Police arrested 36 year old Jennifer Grant of Westford for DWI, Operating a Vehicle While Registration Suspended, & Unlawful Possession of Marihuana, plus numerous traffic tickets. Troopers stopped Grant while on Otsego County Highway 34 after they observed her cross the center line and drive onto the shoulder. Grant was released to a sober third party and given appearance tickets to the town of Westford Court on July 17th.

Delaware County Public Health and Delaware Opportunities will be holding a free Car Seat Safety Event at Delaware Opportunities 35430 NY-10, in Hamden, today from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM. Parents and caregivers can have their child’s car seat checked at no cost by certified child safety seat technicians. Car seats which do not meet the Federal Motor Safety Standard may be replaced; more information is available at 832-5200.

Referencing the recent suicides of designer Kate Spade and celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer commented that federal funding of suicide prevention needs to be increased after years of stagnant growth. Schumer said that the 3 most successful suicide prevention programs are The Garrett Lee Smith Suicide Prevention, The Suicide Prevention Lifeline & The GLS Suicide Prevention Resource Center; he said those 3 programs have received $50 million annually combined since 2013 without any increase.

The 2018 Chenango County Dairy Day celebration will be this Saturday, June 16 at the Chenango County Fairgrounds. The day will begin at 10:30AM with a parade in the City of Norwich leading to the Fairgrounds, beginning at the CWS parking lot and proceeding down Maydole Street to the Fair grounds.

Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 34 year old Jessica Palmatier of Margaretville for 1 count of endangering the welfare of a child & unlawful possession of marijuana. Deputies allege that Palmatier neglected the appropriate care of a 3 year old child she was responsible for while engaging in smoking marijuana. Palmatier was issued appearance tickets and is scheduled to reappear at the Town of Middletown court at a later date to answer these charges.

The murder and arson trial of Ernest Franklin has been adjourned until November in Chenango County Court.  Jury selection was scheduled to begin Monday in the murder and arson trial of Ernest Franklin.  Franklin and his wife, Heather were indicted on charges of 2nd-degree murder, arson and tampering with physical evidence in the death of their 16 year old son Jeffrey at their town of Guilford home in March of 2017. The Franklins will face separate trials.