WCDO Radio News

The Otsego County Planning department & Otsego Rural Housing Assistance teamed up recently to get answers from Otsego County Residents regarding their housing situation. County Planning Director Karen Sullivan explains:

(Karen Sullivan 10-19-18)

Sullivan said that the results of the survey were similar to years past, they can be accessed currently at otsegoruralhousing .org or, soon, at the Otsego County website.

State Police arrested 38 year old Tammy Armstrong of Sidney for Obstructing Governmental Administration and Resisting Arrest. Armstrong was arrested after an investigation revealed she actively hid her 15-year-old son because he had a warrant from the Otsego County Probation Department and he had also been reported missing. Troopers say she avoided them for days, Investigators and Sidney Village Police located both at Oak Avenue in Sidney. Armstrong was released on appearance tickets where she will have to appear in the village of Sidney Court on October 30th.

Delaware County’s clean sweep event is being held today & tomorrow. Businesses & Farms ONLY, dropped off their hazardous materials for a small fee this morning, Households drop their items off tomorrow free of charge, from 8:00 AM to 12:00 Noon. This year is the 22nd annual Clean Sweep event.

State Police arrested 19 year old Nathaniel Rowe of Coventry for Grand Larceny & Criminal Possession of Stolen Property. Troopers learned that a Toyota Camry was stolen from State Route 7 in the town of Afton, Troopers also received a report that an ATV was taken from a property in the town of Coventry. The Toyota Camry was found behind a barn on Buckley Hill Road in the town of Coventry. Investigators determined that the suspect in both cases was Rowe and he was arrested, he was also found to be in possession of a stolen credit card. Rowe was arraigned in the town of Afton Court where he was remanded to the Chenango County Jail on $10,000 cash bail or $25,000 bail bond. This case is under investigation.

Governor Cuomo announced that more than $3.4 million in projects in the Southern Tier are expected to begin this fall to help flood-prone communities plan and prepare for extreme weather events as they continue to recover from Superstorm Sandy, Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee. The funding is part of more than $41.1 million in NY Rising Community Reconstruction projects slated to get underway across the state this fall. The 3 Broome County projects were identified by NY Rising Community Reconstruction Planning Committee members as priorities for their neighborhoods and are among hundreds across the state funded by the Governor's Office of Storm Recovery NY Rising Community Reconstruction Program.

The Delaware County Sheriff’s Office arrested Mark Tubbs and Angela Huggins both of Sidney, for 1 count each of Unlawful Possession of Marijuana and Endangering the Welfare of a Child. The pair are accused of possessing marijuana in their apartment, where a 9 year old child also resided. The arrests came during the execution of arrest warrants at the Huggins and Tubbs residence by the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office Special Response Team. Both Huggins and Tubbs will appear in the Village of Sidney Court shortly to answer these charges.

Delaware County Sheriff's Department Investigators arrested 35 year old Philip Albergo of Meridale and charged him with Criminal Possession of a Weapon, Unlawfully Dealing With Fireworks and Dangerous Fireworks. Albergo was out on Probation on an unrelated charge, Probation Officers discovered a high capacity ammunition feeding device, which is banned in New York State, they also seized numerous unlawful fireworks. Albergo is being held at the Delaware County Correctional Facility as a Probation Violator, to be arraigned in the Town of Meredith Court on these charges at a later time.

Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 39 year old Eric Rossman of Davenport for criminal possession of stolen property, following an investigation into a stolen vehicle in the Town of Harpersfield earlier this year. Deputies encountered Rossman after responding to an accident in the Town of Delhi where he left the scene, they also discovered that Rossman was operating a motor vehicle with a suspended license, which led to several other charges. Rossman was arraigned at the Town of Davenport Court and was remanded to the Delaware County Correctional Facility in lieu of $5,000 cash bail or $10,000 secured bond, he will appear in the Town of Davenport and the Town of Delhi courts at a later date.

Delaware County's Clean Sweep Hazardous Waste disposal days are coming up this week, County Solid Waste Coordinator Sue McIntyre comments:

(Sue McIntyre 10-16-18)

The event will allow for county farms, businesses & residents to get rid of items such as paints, pesticides & other house hold chemicals, plus Pharmaceutical Wastes, Sharps & Syringes.

19th Congressional District Candidates will be debating in Walton on Tonight from 6:30 - 8:30 p.m., at the Walton Theater on Gardiner Place. Congressional candidates who have secured a place on the ballot have been invited, including incumbent John Faso and Democratic challenger Antonio Delgado, Green Party candidate Steven Greenfield and Independent Diane Neal. The debate is co-sponsored by the League of Women Voters, the Delaware County Farm Bureau and the Delaware County Chamber of Commerce.

Due to saturated subgrade conditions, Delaware Avenue in Oneonta will remain closed until further notice. The City's contractor, R.B. Robinson, will leave appropriate signage in place overnight, and will be working to correct this issue today. Businesses on Railroad Avenue will remain accessible at all times through Sand Street or Rose Avenue. More information is available at 432-2100.

State Police have arrested a 67-year-old Douglas Slater following a stabbing in the town of Conklin Sunday night. State Police responded to 663 Conklin Road to the report of a vicitm with a stab wound, and the fleeing of the suspect by car. Slater was spotted in a vehicle by Binghamton Police, he was charged with 1st Degree Assault & was remanded to the Broome County Jail without bail, the victim was transported to Wilson Memorial Hospital in Johnson City where he underwent surgery.

Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 23-year-old Cheyenne Strong of Bainbridge on an arrest warrant issued by the Town of Davenport Court for Criminal Contempt. Strong allegedly violated an active order of protection & was arraigned in the Town of Walton Court and was released on her own recognizance. She is scheduled to return to the Davenport Town Court at a later date to answer the charges.

Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 31 year old Eduardo Torres Jr. of Walton for Aggravated Unlicensed Operation of a motor vehicle, following a traffic stop on State Highway 10 in the Town of Hamden. Deputies allege that Torres's vehicle was stopped on a dangerous turn on State Highway 10, impeding traffic, and that he had his license suspended. Torres is scheduled to reappear in the Town of Hamden Court at a later date.

Delaware County Chamber of Commerce First Friday Eat & Greet Breakfast will be held Friday in Sidney. The event will run from 8:30 to 10:00 am at the Sidney Elks Lodge at 104 River Street in Sidney. The Guest Speaker is Adam Flint, Clean Energy Program Director at Binghamton Regional Sustainability Coalition. registration is available at delawarecounty.org

Delaware County "CLEAN SWEEP" will be held later this month, for county residents, businesses & farms to dispose of hazardous materials, Solid Waste coordinator Sue McIntyre said that Phone registration begins now:

(Sue McIntyre 10-1-18)

Again, the Number to register by phone is 865-6474 for the Clean Sweep days.

Tickets for THE WIZARD OF OZ go on sale today, at 10:00 AM for performances on November 4th at 3:00 PM & 7:30 PM at The Broome County Forum Theatre. Tickets are available online at BroadwayInBinghamton.com or at the Arena Box Office, or by phone at 1-800-745-3000.

Delaware County Sheriff's Deputies, Walton Village Police, New York State Police, & several local Emergency Squads responded Thursday to a head-on collision, with 5 victims and 1 entrapment, on County Highway 21 near the intersection of Russell Road in the Town of Walton. The Investigation by Sheriff's Deputies determined that 42 year old Jeremy Shaw of Walton was driving a pickup truck when he crossed over the center line and struck a SUV head on driven by 43 year old Michael Franzese of Pearl River. Franzese was transported to Delaware Valley Hospital in Walton with head and facial injuries and was later transferred to UHS Wilson Hospital in Johnson City, 41 year old Diane Franzese, 12 year old Anthony Franzese and 10 year old Angelina Franzese were also transported to Delaware Valley Hospital in Walton, they suffered various injuries and were treated and released. Jeremy Shaw sustained injuries to his head and lower extremities, as well as possible internal injuries, and was airlifted to Albany Medical Center. The cause of this accident remains under investigation.

Online registration for the Delaware county "Clean Sweep" Household Hazardous waste disposal days begin this weekend, Solid Waste Coordinator Sue McIntyre explains:

(Sue McIntyre 8-31-18)

Phone registration will not begin until October 1st, at 865-6474, for the Clean Sweep days.

The 17th annual 4-H Golf Tournament tees off on Friday, September 14th at the Delhi College Golf Course. Proceeds generated by the tournament will support youth development activities in Delaware County. 3 or 4 more teams are available to enter, Registration begins on the 14th at 8:00 AM, with a shotgun start will begin at 9:00 AM. All entry forms and fees must be received at Cornell Cooperative Extension of Delaware County, 34570 St Hwy 10, Suite 2, Hamden, 13782 no later than September 5th. More information is available at 865-6531 or at ccedelaware.org.

Governor Cuomo announced that teams from FEMA have begun Joint Public Assistance Preliminary Damage Assessments in 8 counties impacted by severe flooding in early August. The assessments will determine if the total amount of damage costs meets the $28.29 million requirement for federal aid, if so, a disaster declaration will be granted and FEMA funding would be available to support infrastructure repair. Broome, Chenango, & Delaware Counties are included locally. The heavy rain storms and resulting flooding caused significant damage to roads, bridges and other critical infrastructure. state & local officials believe that the total costs meet the federal threshold for a disaster declaration.

Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies & the State DOT Safety Unit conducted a commercial vehicle safety check point at the intersection of State Highway 357 and County Highway 14 in the Town of Franklin. 6 commercial vehicles were stopped and examined, 4 were found to have violations significant enough to necessitate that they be taken out of service until their mechanical issues were fixed or negligence corrected, 5 traffic tickets were issued.

The eastbound lanes of I-88 were closed earlier today between exits 17 and 18 in Otsego County, due to a multiple tractor trailer accident. State Police reported that 2
tractor trailers and a pickup truck pulling an empty livestock trailer crashed, the 1st tractor trailer was traveling eastbound in the left lane of I-88 when it hit the guide
wires, got caught up and then ended up in the right lane, the 2nd tractor trailer also got caught up in the guide wires that were stretched across the road, State Police
reported that the 2nd driver possibly tried to back up when the pickup truck rear-ended the 2nd tractor trailer. The pickup truck then got stuck under the back of the 2nd
tractor trailer, and the driver had to be extricated from the truck, suffering only minor injuries. the investigation is continuing.

The State DOT officials held a press conference at the Southern Tier Welcome Center in Broome County this morning to highlight the importance of driving safely in
construction work zones. 21 crashes caused by distracted driving in work zones have already been reported across the State during the current construction season,
there has also been an alarming increase in altercations initiated by motorists against DOT staff, Region 9 DOT Spokesman Dave Hamburg comments:

(Dave Hamburg 7-25-18)

Officials stated that State agencies are working together and redoubling their efforts against offenders while raising awareness of this public safety issue.

Delaware County Department of Solid Waste announced that there is plenty of composted materials available for county residents for their gardens, Solid Waste
Coordinator Sue McIntyre explains:

(Sue McIntyre 7-25-18)

McIntyre said that arrangements to obtain compost can be made at 865-5805 extension 201, she also announced that the Delaware County Clean Sweep days will be held
on October 19th & 20th this year, registration for that event will begin in September.

State Highway 12 north in Oxford, over Fly Meadows Creek, will close this morning through August 8th for bridge deck replacement. The bridge is located north of the Village of Oxford between County Road 4 and Turner Street, Traffic will be required to detour using County Road 32 (East River Road) between State Highway 220/County Road 35 and County Road 32B (Halfway House Road Bridge) for the extent of the closure.