WCDO Radio News

The state Health Department announced that 14 cases of the Enterovirus were confirmed in western New York. The virus has landed a significant number of children at health centers and hospitals across the country. Enterovirus results in difficulties breathing and severe respiratory issues. There is no vaccine to prevent the infection and there is no anti-viral medication to treat the infection. Prevention methods include washing hands, avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth and disinfecting frequently touched surfaces.

Delaware County Sheriff's Deputies seized a quantity of drugs and arrested 35-year-old Francis Smith of Kingston today, after investigating illegally parked vehicles in Arkville. Smith was charged with Criminal Possession of a Weapon, which violated the terms of his probation in Ulster County. Smith is accused of possessing a switchblade knife, & he may also face drug possession charges upon completion of a laboratory analysis of the seized drugs. Smith was arraigned in the Town of Middletown Court and remanded to the Delaware County Jail on $1000 cash bail.

Assemblyman Bill Magee nearly doubled his campaign coffers in the final days of his successful fight to hang onto his seat, according to the state Board of Elections. Magee raised $54,305 between August 25th and September 15th in his effort to defeat Sherrill City Commissioner Mike Hennessy in the democratic primary. Magee beat Hennessy 2,082 to 1,431; he will face Republican John Salka of Brookfield in the November election.

Home sales in New York fell 9.5% in August compared to the same period in 2013. Median sale prices stayed flat, while some areas of the state, including the Southern Tier, had an increase in homes on the market and fewer sales. Nearly 11,000 homes were sold in New York in August, the year-to-date sales total of 66,635 was a 4.4% drop compared to the same period in 2013. The median sale price so far this year was $225,000, unchanged from a year ago. Pending sales fell 1.5%.

Attorney General Eric Schneiderman and state Education Department Commissioner John King said a survey would be sent to each school district, seeking information on actions they have taken, to implement provisions of the Dignity for all Students Act. The Act is state's 1st anti-bullying legislation, the results of the survey will be used to identify steps that schools have taken, and model policies and practices now being implemented by districts, to help ensure students are provided safe school environments.

The New York National Guard and the State Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Services are giving a free two-hour training session At 11 AM Saturday on the SUNY Broome campus. Those who register will receive a backpack filled with supplies that can assist in the event of an emergency. Registration for the event is free but space is limited. For more details go to prepare.ny.gov

The State Police Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Unit conducted a 72 hour road check at four locations along I-86 & State Route 17 last week.   795 inspections were conducted, 1,341 violations discovered and 167 vehicles taken off the road for safety violations.  Vehicle violations included unsecured loads, brake violations, steering violations and serious lighting defects such as inoperable turn signals, stop lamps and improper transportation of hazardous materials.  38 drivers placed out-of-service were found to have violations including improper or no commercial driver's license and hours of service violations including falsified log books.

The Chris Gibson for Congress campaign today invited the Sean Eldridge campaign to accept a geographically diverse debate schedule for the fall.   Gibson’s campaign proposed A joint editorial board meeting in Poughkeepsie on September 26th, as well as debates on October 6th in Ulster County, October 16th or 23rd at WMHT in Albany, and October 14th or 20th are SUNY Oneonta.

The Delaware County Fair gets underway on Monday in Walton.  Fair spokesman John Jackson told WCDO comments:

(John Jackson 8-8-14)

The complete schedule of events is available at delawarecountyfair.org.

Democratic prospective gubernatorial candidate Zephyr Teachout was in court Thursday, as she tried to prove permanent residency in the state of New York.  Teachout testified that she has been a law Professor at Fordham University in New York City since 2009 & resides in Brooklyn.  Governor Cuomo’s supporters maintain that Teachout has not lived in New York state for the required 5 years in order to run for Governor, still has a recent Vermont driver’s license & a Vermont address listed on tax documents.  Teachout is looking to force a Democratic Party primary against Cuomo prior to the November elections.

Federal government statistics show consumer spending in New York fell only slightly at the end of the recession, after more than a decade of gains and rebounded after 2009. There was a drop of less than 1 percent in spending from 2008 to 2009, compared to a decline of 2.5 percent nationally. From 2010 through 2012, spending rose12 percent, close to the 10.7 percent national average. The statistics show New Yorkers cut back on buying durable goods during the recession, not services. Consumption of services was up 6.8%, led by spending on housing, utilities and health care

New York has skipped out on $5.9 billion in school funding, leading to inequities in aid between rich and poor districts, and causing cuts in programs according to a new a report. New York spends the most per capita in the nation on schools, just over $19,000 per student. But the Alliance for Quality Education and other advocates said the state is still falling short. The groups claim New York hasn’t upheld a 2006 court order to increase aid to schools by $5.5 billion and has also not repaid schools for cuts made during the recession. New York froze aid to schools in the 2009-10 fiscal year then cut it by nearly $3 billion in the following two years.

26 year old Joshua Launt of Binghamton was sentenced in Broome County Court was sentenced to 6 months in Broome County Jail and 5 years probation for the death of Ronald Gilbert.  Launt was accused of assaulting Gilbert at a party in Kirkwood in 2012, Gilbert did not receive medical attention and died from brain trauma.  Launt pleaded guilty to criminally negligent homicide earlier this year.

Delaware County Deputies investigated a one car personal injury auto accident last Tuesday.  23 year old Joseph Kinch of South Kortright was traveling on Sherwood Road in the town of Delhi when he left the roadway and struck a utility pole.  Kinch was transported to O’Connor Hospital & was issued a traffic ticket for failure to keep right.

Chenango County Sheriff's Deputies arrested 32 year old Kevin ray of Norwich for 1- Count Welfare Fraud & 1- Count Offering a False Instrument for filing.  Ray was issued an appearance ticket and released after an investigation into welfare fraud, where he allegedly failed to report a change in his household, and received over $3000 in assistance that he was not entitled to.

Homeowners in the New York City Watershed in Delaware, Greene, Schoharie, Sullivan or Ulster Counties who may be having trouble with their septic systems are encouraged to call the Catskill Watershed Corporation to see if they qualify for help paying for repairs.  Homeowners may be eligible for assistance if their property is within 300 feet of a watercourse, and if their homes were built prior to November 2nd 1995. more infroamtion is available at 845-586-1400.

Oneonta Police Department arrested 3 people on a variety of drug charges.  Arrested were 24-Year-old Adam Scully of Oneonta ,  22-year-old Ray Arnold of Oneonta for criminal possession of a controlled substance, Police confiscated 11 bags of heroin, also arrested was 25-year-old Cody Clapper of Oneonta, for conspiracy, criminal possession of a controlled substance and possession of a hypodermic instrument.  Scully, Arnold and Clapper were arraigned in the City of Oneonta Court and sent to the Otsego County Correctional Facility pending a future court action.

Governor Cuomo, state leaders & Industry & Tourism leaders held the 2nd Wine, Beer, Spirits and Cider Summit in Albany today.  The governor said that their efforts are paying off with an increase in jobs across the entire industry:

(Cuomo 4-8-14)

The Governor said that the 60 million dollars spent in tourism advertising has led to an increase in revenues for the tourism & Agriculture industries by over 4 billion dollars.

The Catskill Watershed Corporation has extended eligibility guidelines for its Septic Rehabilitation and Replacement Program.  Homeowners within the New York City Watershed in Delaware, Greene, Schoharie, Sullivan or Ulster Counties may be eligible for assistance if their property is within 300 feet of a watercourse, and if their homes were built prior to November 2, 1995.  The program pays 100% of the cost of replacing failed septic systems for permanent residences; 60% for non-primary residences.  Homeowners  who may be eligible for this program, should call  845-586-1400 to arrange for a CWC staff visit.

New York State of Health reported that Over 1.2 million New Yorkers have completed their applications and over 908,000 have enrolled for coverage since the launch of the Marketplace last October 1st.   More than 70% of those who have enrolled to date were uninsured at the time of application. New York State of Health will continue to provide additional assistance to individuals who began the application process by March 31. All applications and enrollments must be completed by the end of the day on April 15th.

On April 3rd Delaware County Deputies participated in Operation Safe Stop to combat the illegal passing of stopped school buses.   Deputies shadowed school buses during their morning and afternoon bus routes in the Downsville, Deposit, Delhi, Franklin and Stamford Central School Districts.  During the Operation deputies issued 1 traffic summons to an individual that passed a Franklin School District Bus that was stopped with flashing red lights.  Statistics show that increased awareness of school bus traffic laws has brought the umber of potentially deadly incidents way down since Operation Safe Stop began.

The prospects are not good for passage of a medical marijuana bill in the Legislature this year according to Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver Silver said there has been “no interest” from the Senate in bringing up the issue for a vote. The Assembly’s Democratic majority included a medical-marijuana plan in its one-house budget resolution, but the issue never gained traction in closed-door budget negotiations.  In his State of the State address in January, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said his administration will authorize medical marijuana on a limited basis, allowing up to 20 hospitals statewide to prescribe it to terminally ill patients.

A Norwich teen is facing charges after she jumped out a window at the Norwich City Police Department.  17-year-old Cheyenne Davenport was charged with 2nd degree burglary, 2 counts of petty larceny and criminal possession of a controlled substance, after she allegedly entered a relative’s house and took medication and cash. 2 hours later, she jumped out the department’s window, Police found her hiding in a nearby house and also charged her with 2nd degree escape. Davenport was sent to the Chenango County jail on $2,500 bail.

The National Baseball Hall Of Fame announced today that on Memorial Day Weekend would feature 75 former major leaguers playing in 2014 Hall of Fame Classic, presented by Ford Motor Company, at Doubleday field in Cooperstown.  Hall of Fame Members Roberto Alomar, Andre Dawson, Rollie Fingers, Eddie Murray, Phil Niekro and Ozzie Smith will serve as managers and coaches for the sixth annual game on Saturday, May 24th starting with the Home Run Derby at 1 PM and the Classic will start at 2:05 PM. Tickets for the Hall of Fame Classic are $ available at 1-877-726-9028 or at baseballhall.org.

12.6% of New York residents’ income went to state and local taxes in 2011, the highest rate in the nation, according to a report from the Tax Foundation.  Their annual report placed New York at the top of the list for the second straight year, though the total burden fell from 13.1% in 2010. The national average for 2011 was 9.8%.  State Lawmakers have lowered the State tax rates since 2011.

The Delaware, Ulster & Greene Sheriff’s Departments and State Police investigated vehicle thefts, & announced the arrest of 53-year-old Joel Yaro of Ulster Park for 3rd & 4th degree Grand Larceny.  Yaro is accused of   the theft of a vehicle from Hancock that was recovered in the Town of Kortright later that day, following the recovery of that vehicle; Deputies investigated the theft of a vehicle from the Town of Kortright, which was recovered by Greene County Sheriff’s Deputies the following day.  Yaro was arraigned in the Town of Hancock Court on the two Grand Larceny charges Wednesday; he was remanded to the Delaware County Correctional Facility on $10,000 cash bail pending further court action.

Tougher texting-while-driving penalties for teenage and new drivers were included in this year’s state budget agreement. Under the state’s new budget, drivers who are under 18, or have a probationary license, will see their driving rights suspended for 120 days on a first texting conviction and a year on the second one.  The governor has pushed for tougher distracted-driving penalties since taking office in 2011, when he and lawmakers changed the state’s texting-while-driving ban from a secondary to a primary offense. Last year, there were 55,130 texting-while-driving tickets issued in the state, up 82 percent from the previous year.

April is Alcohol Awareness Month, where parents are encouraged to educate their children about the dangers of alcohol & alcohol dependency.  Dave Ramsey of the Alcohol & Drug Abuse Council of Delaware County told WCDO News that research in the last few years has indicated that alcohol to a forming teenaged brain has lasting consequences:

(Dave Ramsey 4-3-14)

Those who would like more information can go the toe council’s website at ADACONLINE.org.

State attorney general Eric Schneiderman announced agreements with 10 repossession businesses to help limit the marketing of short-term loans using cars as collateral. With so-called title loans, the short-term borrowing by consumers with poor credit histories can carry high interest rates, making them difficult to pay off and easier to roll over for additional interest. At the end of the loan, borrowers may face balloon payments or loss of their cars.  More information is available at oag.state.ny.us.

Brianne Simonds of Masonville has entered a contest with the Grand Ole Opry, where she ended up being a top ten finalist.  Brianne told WCDO News about the contest:

(Brianne Simonds 3-10-14)

People can vote once every 24 hours though Wednesday at opry.com/actin, the grand prize winner is expected to be notified late Wednesday.

Delaware County Deputies arrested 24 year old Amy Gilles of Kortright on an Arrest Warrant for 2 counts of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance, and possession of a hypodermic instrument. Gilles was taken into custody and turned over to the Ulster County Sheriff’s Office for processing.

Governor Cuomo is waiting to see who the Republican Party nominates to run against him in the primary.  Cuomo compared the situation to 2010, when former GOP congressman Rick Lazio was the first to announce, Democrat Steve Levy made an unsuccessful bid for the Republican nod and Buffalo businessman Carl Paladino won the nomination. A Wall Street Journal/Marist College poll shows that current Westchester County Executive & Gubernatorial Candidate Rob Astorino is behind Cuomo by 35% points.

New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman released the list of the top 10 consumer fraud complaints received by his office last year. Internet-related complaints topped the list, followed by automobile-related scams and credit-related complaints that involved debt collection, credit card billing and identity theft. In addition, the Attorney General's Office continues to receive a large number of mortgage-related complaints. For more information go to oag.state.ny.us.

Governor Cuomo has yet to solicit requests from colleges interested in a plan to provide free courses to prisoners. When the governor last month proposed to use state funds to pay for the program, his office signaled a formal request for proposals would be opened March 3rd. His office also hasn’t estimated how much the program would cost in the budget. The requests and the funding for the program are still being developed. It would cost the state $5,000 per inmate who participates in the college program, which would be available at 1 prison in 10 separate regions of the state.

There is a push to ban e-cigarette marketing campaigns targeted at children.  US Senator Charles Schumer said companies are marketing their battery-powered nicotine devices directly to children by adding flavors such as vanilla, bubble gum, or cotton candy to the products. He is co-sponsoring a bill that would require the FTC to ban such marketing.   A recent study found middle and high school students, who smoke e-cigarettes, are 7 times more likely to smoke traditional cigarettes

Governor Cuomo is proposing 50 new outdoor access projects around New York State.   The projects will help open up 380,000 acres of state-owned lands to hikers, hunters, anglers and other outdoor lovers. Cuomo says the new access points will allow for more than $6 million in projects to increase tourism.