WCDO Radio News

State Police arrested 21 year old Noah Bascom of Hamilton for 3rd degree Assault and Overdriving, Torturing and injuring an Animal.  Bascom allegedly repeatedly struck a small dog with a wooden dowel.  He was also accused of striking a person in the face, causing injury.  The victim was taken to Community Hospital by a third party and received treatment.   Bascom was located at his residence in Hamilton and arrested.  He was released on an appearance ticket to the Earlville Village Court on August 11th.

State Police at Oneonta arrested 39 year old Daniel Merwin of Jefferson for the 1st degree Assault, plus Menacing, Criminal Mischief & 2 counts of Endangering the Welfare of a Child, they also arrested 37 year old Jeremy Chase of Harpersfield for Criminal Possession of a Weapon, Reckless Endangerment, Menacing & 2 counts of Endangering the Welfare of a Child.  Troopers and Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies were dispatched to a dispute between neighbors with a shot fired.  Merwin is accused of striking Chase with a wooden fence post & using his vehicle to damage a fence, Chase is accused shooting a firearm into the ground, and the altercation allegedly took place in the presence of children.  Merwin and Chase were processed & will appear at the town of Harpersfield court on August 24th.

Delaware County Sheriff’s Office is seeking the public’s assistance in their investigation of recent vandalism to the historic Hamden Covered Bridge. On May 21st, a local resident reported discovering new graffiti spray painted on the interior of the wooden covered bridge and area road signage, the names “Jake” and “Dylan” were spray painted inside the bridge,   Delaware County DPW employees have removed the paint from the road signage, and began attempting to remove the spray paint from the rough cut lumber of the bridge.  Deputies are asking anyone with information, to call 832-5555, or toll-free (888) 914-9111.

The State Department of Labor today released preliminary
local area unemployment rates for September 2019. The State’s seasonally adjusted
unemployment rate decreased from 4.0% to 3.9% in September 2019.  Locally Chenango County had 3.7%
unemployment, Delaware County had 3.9% & Otsego County had 3.6%
unemployment in September.

The Raymond Corporation’s founder George Raymond Sr. was
announced as an inductee into the 2019 Supply Chain Hall of Fame at their
recent EDGE Conference in Anaheim, California.
George Raymond Sr. established the company in 1922 when he purchased a
foundry in Greene, 17 years later; George Raymond Sr. was granted patents for
the double-faced wooden pallet and the hydraulic hand pallet truck
revolutionizing the material handling industry.

State Police arrested 35 year old Benjamin Bishop of Otselic
for Criminal Contempt, Endangering the welfare of a Child, Menacing, Criminal
Mischief and Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance.  Troopers were dispatched to a domestic dispute
in the town of Otselic, where Bishop arrived at the residence and began a
verbal argument & allegedly threatened the victim with a knife and damaged
a wooden stand, all in the presence of a child.
Bishop left the scene, Troopers located Bishop in Smyrna.  He was arrested and arraigned in the town of
Smyrna court where he was remanded to the Chenango County Jail on $10,000 cash
bail or $15,000 bond.

The State DEC announced that they are considering enacting quarantine on movement into the state of landscaping debris and similar items, in order to avoid an infestation with the destructive Spotted Lanternfly. The insect is known to attach itself to yard waste, wooden crates, fruit, produce and even lawn tractors, tarps & grills. Deliveries from the states of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware & Virginia may be affected. More information is available at dec.ny.gov.

Legendary local canoeist Al Camp of Otego passed away at the age of 89, Camp was one of the originators of the New York Marathon Canoe racing Association, he won the 1969 General Clinton Canoe Regatta pro Race with Jim Root, and he was an original 700 mile club member & finishing 18 times. Camp also started Camp Paddles & Canoes and designed the original bent shaft wooden paddle; he also raced in Quebec, Michigan, and other races around the country & was inducted in 2013 into the General Clinton Canoe Regatta Hall Of Fame, and at that time, he told WCDO about the importance of family & friendship:

(Al Camp)

Calling hours will be held from 5:30 to 7 p.m., today, at the Lester R. Grummons Funeral Home, 14 Grand Street in Oneonta.

The Don Clayton Memorial Trailside Concert series continues this evening at the pavilion at Keith Clark Park. Tonight's free concert will be performed by D.J. Wooden, starting at 6:30 PM.

The Sidney Community Band will hold their next Don Clayton Trails Side Concert tonight at 6:30, under the pavillion in Keith Clark Park in Sidney. D.J. Wooden is tonight's featured performer, the concerts are held every Wednesday night through the summer months.

The Chenango County Deputies arrested a Town of Sherburne man Sunday for Menacing and Criminal Mischief. 22-year-old Michael Beckwith was arrested after an investigation of a Domestic Dispute in the Town of Sherburne. Beckwith allegedly possessed a wooden axe handle, & threatened and damaged the victim’s property; he was arraigned in the Town of Sherburne Court and released with a temporary order of protection issued.

NYSEG is inspecting wooden transmission and distribution poles for decay and other damage, beginning in NYSEG’s Oneonta Division.   In addition to identifying poles in need of repair or replacement, NYSEG’s contractor will be treating some poles to increase their longevity. The preservatives used are approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, and will be applied under the supervision of licensed applicators. Any poles infested with carpenter ants also may be treated with an approved insecticide.

NYSEG has begun inspecting wooden transmission poles in their Binghamton Division for decay and other damage. These poles are the first of nearly 19,000 wooden transmission and distribution poles that will be inspected across the NYSEG service area this year, all in an effort to help head off potential problems that could lead to power interruptions. Oneonta Division inspections will occur over the summer months.

Broome County Sheriff’s deputies charged 22 year old Tyler Maddox of Port Dickinson with second-degree reckless endangerment, third-degree attempted assault and second-degree menacing Tuesday> Maddox is accused of attacking an individual in the head with a wooden 2-by-4.  Maddox is scheduled to answer the charges in the Town of Fenton Court at a later date.