WCDO Radio News

P.M. NEWS THURSDAY 5-28-26

After 7 weeks of being late, the state budget was passed in Albany last night, local Assemblyman Joe Angelino comments:

(Joe Angelino 5-28-26)

Angelino said that they have several more days to wrap up this year's session, and he expects numerous bills to hit the floor for votes in that time-frame.

The 218th Session of the New York State Police Basic School held their graduation today at the Empire State Plaza Convention Center. 175 Troopers graduated, 23 are training in Troop C, 8 are local from the Troop C area. The new Troopers will be starting May 30 and will be with a Field Training Officer for 10 weeks before getting their official permanent station assignment. The list of the graduates can be found at troopers.ny.gov.

A.M. NEWS Thursday 5-28-26

Governor Hochul announced that the State Budget for 26-27 has passed. The 268 Billion Dollar plan includes a Path to implementing Universal Child Care, Reforms to Lower Auto Insurance Premiums, a $1 Billion Energy Rebate, Reforms to Cut Red Tape To Build More Housing and Infrastructure Faster, and the First-In-Nation Law to Crack Down on 3D Printed Ghost Guns

State Police arrested 52 year old Jonathan Menhennett of Oneonta after a dispute at a residence in the town of Oneonta. Menhennett allegedly menaced a victim & made threats with 2 knives, the victim sustained injuries but did not wish to be transported to a hospital. Menhennett was charged with 2 counts of Menacing, Criminal Possession of a Weapon, he was processed & was transported to the Otsego County Jail for Centralized Arraignment.

State Police arrested 47 year old Brendan Murphy of Oneonta after he violated an Order of Protection & was charged with Criminal Contempt. Troopers responded to a report of a violation of an Order of Protection in Oneonta, the victim, who is a protected party, was invited inside Murphy's residence, a verbal argument turned physical, the victim left, called 911 & was transported to A.O. Fox Hospital for treatment. Murphy had a previous conviction for Criminal Contempt, elevating his charges to a felony. Murphy was processed & turned over to the Otsego County Jail for Arraignment

P.M. NEWS WEDNESDAY 5-27-26

The Broome County Sheriff’s Office and the Broome County Health Department are taking action to treat and prevent the spread of a stomach bug-like illness that health experts believe to be norovirus at the Broome County Correctional Facility. On Monday, several incarcerated individuals reported symptoms of nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and headaches to medical staff at Correctional Facility. Over the next 24 hours, over 140 incarcerated individuals in multiple housing units were seen by medical staff for similar symptoms. The Norovirus is a highly contagious stomach illness effecting 19 to 21 million people in the United States each year and the leading cause of acute gastroenteritis in the country, The Correctional Facility is also taking additional precautions to limit exposure for staff and other incarcerated individuals within the facility, while performing deep and steady cleaning on any exposed surfaces or areas within the facility.

The 218th Session of the New York State Police Basic School is scheduled to graduate tomorrow at 11am. Graduation is taking place at the Empire State Plaza Convention Center. There are a total of 175 Troopers graduating, 23 are training in Troop C, 8 are local from the Troop C area. The new Troopers will be starting May 30 and will be with a Field Training Officer for 10 weeks before getting their official permanent station.

State Attorney General Letitia James and DEC Commissioner Amanda Lefton today awarded more than $1.34 million in grants to support farmers in Delaware and Sullivan Counties. The Agricultural Environmental Innovation Grant Program is funded by the Attorney General's & the DEC's 2023 settlement with FrieslandCampina, for repeated violations of environmental law at its Delhi facility. The grant program will reinvest the settlement funds by providing 25 farms with access to new technologies and practices.

New York State Office for the Aging announced their 100 awardees from across New York State for Older New Yorkers' Day. Local awardees include Brian Danforth of Unadilla, Lois Aylesworth of Columbus, Robert Cuffney of Sherburne, Alice Blackman of Hamden, Lauren Monroe of Bovina Center & Pat and Walter Hogan of Cooperstown.

New York State Lawmakers are working to get the state budget finalized by Thursday, or pass the 15th budget extender. The 268 Billion Dollar Budget plan is now about 7 weeks late.

P.M. NEWS THURSDAY 5-21-26

State Police were dispatched to a crash on State Route 41A in the town of Homer. When Troopers arrived, they found a male in an Amazon uniform on the shoulder of the roadway and a white van on its passenger side, off the roadway with live wires on top of the vehicle. 28 year old Abel Negash of Syracuse, had his van exit the roadway, striking a National Grid pole, he sustained a laceration to his hand and was treated by EMT's at the scene. Negash failed a Field Sobriety Test, he was charged with Driving While Intoxicated, his B.A.C was .13%. He was issued appearance tickets to the Homer Town Court on June 16, 2026, and turned over to a sober third party.

New York drivers with peeling, delaminating, or severely damaged license plates can get free replacements from the DMV, provided they accept a new plate number. If drivers prefer to keep their existing plate number, they must pay a $$20 fee. People can request by Email to dmv.sm.peelingplates@dmv.ny.gov (mailto:dmv.sm.peelingplates@dmv.ny.gov), they can request by mail to NYS DMV6 Empire State Plaza, Room 414A Albany, NY 12228 or visit their local DMV office. More information is available at dmv.ny.gov.

U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand announced $185 million dollars in EPA funding to protect New York from exposure to lead in drinking water. This funding will go directly to New York State through the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund, that provides low-cost financial assistance to help communities upgrade public water infrastructure, offering subsidized loans and grants to replace aging pipes, treat contaminants, and improve public health.

A.M. NEWS Thursday 5-21-26

47 year old Thomas Grimsley of Oneonta man faces 20 years to life in prison after pleading guilty to predatory sexual assault for assaulting 2 children in Rensselaer County. Grimsley admitted to sexually abusing two children under the age of 11, after the children reported the abuse to State Police, he faces sentencing on July 20.

State Police arrested 40 year old Shawn Kerwin of Windsor for Aggravated Driving While Intoxicated with a Child Passenger Less than 16 (Leandra’s Law). troopers were dispatched early Monday to a vehicle fire on Old Route 17 in the town of Windsor. An investigation revealed that Kerwin got a flat tire but decided to continue driving, he saw sparks coming from the tire area which ultimately caused the vehicle to catch fire. He and his passenger, a teenager, were able to safely get out of the vehicle without any injuries. Kerwin failed Field Sobriety Tests, He was processed then transported to the Broome County Jail for Arraignment.

There will be 2 Oneonta American Red Cross Blood Drives today, one from 10 am. - 3 pm., at Springbrook on State Route 7, another from 1 pm. - 6 pm., at Foothills Performing Arts & Civic Center, 24 Market Street, appointments can be made at RedCrossBlood.org, by calling 1-800-RED CROSS or by using the Red Cross Blood Donor App.

P.M. NEWS THURSDAY 10-23-25

State Police are attempting to locate 15 year old Sierra Foley of Sauquoit and 16 year old Paige Roberts of Marcy. Both teens were last seen together on the evening of October 21, 2025, at Sierra’s residence in Oneida County. They are believed to be traveling in an unknown vehicle, Police believe they may be traveling to New York City or Pennsylvania. Paige Roberts is described as 5 feet 2 inches tall, 150 pounds, with blonde hair and blue eyes, wearing gray sweatpants and a gray sweatshirt, Sierra Foley is described as 5 feet 4 inches tall, 110 pounds, with blonde hair and green eyes, wearing red sweatpants and a red sweatshirt. Anyone with information is asked to contact the State Police at 315-366-6000.

The Otsego County Sheriff’s Office arrested 45 year old Derek Jordan of Milford, 45 year old Keith Blush of Milford & 30 year old Ashley Goble of Milford, on a variety of drug & weapons charges, following an investigation by the Sheriff’s Office and the Otsego County Probation Department. On October 9th, Otsego County probation Officers & Deputies conducted a traffic stop on Derek Jordan, who was taken in to custody on traffic offenses, During a search of Jordan’s residence, Blush and Goble were inside the residence, they were wanted by State Police and the New Hartford Police Departments on warrants. Officers observed a firearm, drugs and drug paraphernalia, Jordan and Blush were processed and turned over to the Otsego County Correctional Facility for arraignment, Goble was issued an Appearance Ticket to the Town of Milford Court, and she was turned over to New Hartford Police Officers. The investigation is on-going and additional charges are pending.

New York Secretary of State Walter Mosley announced the groundbreaking of a $8.3 million boutique hotel in Norwich as part of the City’s Downtown Revitalization Initiative . The Principle Hotel will have 61 rooms and feature a rooftop lounge, restaurant and event room, The 12,000 square-foot property at 14-16 South Broad Street, was once part of the SUNY Morrisville campus. In addition to the hotel, other DRI projects in Norwich include the Rehabilitation of the Unguentine Building, Improve East and West parks: Upgrade the Martin W. Kappel Theater, Enhance the American Avenue Streetscape & Rehabilitate the Heritage Building.

The New York State Department of Health today released a new report showing a continued decline in tobacco use among high school students across the state. The report, shows that 1 in 6 Youth Still Use Tobacco, the lowest since tracking began in 2000. Cigarette smoking remains low, with just over 2% of students reporting current use, E-cigarette use has declined sharply to about 13%, however, Nicotine pouch use is rising, doubling from 1.5% to 3.0% since 2022.

A.M. NEWS Thursday 10-23-25

Governor Kathy Hochul & State Police Superintendent Steven James honored 238 new State Troopers as they graduated Wednesday from the 217th session of the Basic School of the New York State Police Academy. The ceremony was held at the Empire State Plaza Convention Center in Albany. Today’s graduation increases the State Police ranks to approximately 5,110 sworn members, about 60 of the new troopers were assigned to Troop C in Sidney.

On October 16 at 10:48 p.m., Otsego County requested Forest Ranger assistance in the search for a hunter reported missing by his spouse. The Otsego County Sheriff’s Office, Otsego County Emergency Services, Garratsville Fire Department, Laurens Fire Department, New York State Police, and New York State Park Police and staff all joined the search efforts in Gilbert Lake State Park. Otsego County Sheriff’s Deputy’s located the 67-year-old from Remsen deceased in a tree stand. Rangers used a rope system to help extricate the subject and turned them over to the county coroner, the cause of death has not been released.

State Forest Rangers assisted with Vestal Police and emergency crews in the Town of Vestal on October 15th in the search for a 86-year-old Janice Short, who was reported missing the previous afternoon. Short was known to go for walks on Tracy Creek Road. Vestal Police used a drone with heat detection capability and deployed a K9 unit with negative results. Rangers assigned linear searches of the roads and Tracy Creek, a neighbor found Short behind his house calling for help, after she had fallen into a bush, hurt her back, and saw the lights from searchers, but wasn’t strong enough or loud enough for them to hear. Rangers and Vestal Fire Department members carried the subject, she was checked out & was returned to family.

P.M. NEWS TUESDAY 10-21-25

The State Police Academy Graduation, will be held tomorrow in Albany at 11:00 AM at the Empire State Plaza Convention Center. The State Police will recognize 238 new Troopers who have successfully completed the 217th session of the Basic School of the New York State Police Academy. The graduation ceremony will honor the perseverance, professionalism, and dedication of the new Troopers as they join the ranks at Troops across the state.

Commerce Chenango will host their "Breakfast with a Banker" program tomorrow at 8:30 at their new facility at 19 East Main Street in Norwich. More information is available at commercechenango.com.

21 year Skylar Clement was sentenced to 15 years in state prison, followed by 5 years of post-release supervision, for attempted murder and assault, in Otsego County Court Monday. Clement struck a person with his car, at about 40 miles an hour, in July 2024 in the Town of Butternuts, causing serious damage to the victim's leg, Clement left the scene, State Police located him & took him into custody. The incident caused serious damage to the victim’s leg.

P.M. NEWS TUESDAY 10-7-25

38 year old Taylor Church of Bainbridge appeared in Delaware County Court and pleaded guilty to Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance, On January 3rd, State Police conducted a traffic stop on Church's vehicle, the license plates did not belong on the vehicle, a search uncovered heroin, cocaine a scale & ammunition, Church faces sentencing on October 28th.

25 year old Jacob Brown of Binghamton, pleaded guilty in Broome County Court to Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance, in exchange for a sentence of 8 years in State Prison, followed by 3 years of post-release supervision. On March 26th, Officers conducted a traffic stop on Bunn Hill Road in the Town of Vestal, During the course of the stop and subsequent investigation with assistance from K9 Coco, officers discovered a quarter pound of methamphetamine concealed beneath a child’s car seat, 3 children were in the vehicle at the time of the stop. Brown admitted to possessing the methamphetamine with intent to sell, officers also seized $1,242 from suspected drug sales, Sentencing is scheduled for January 15th in Broome County Court.

The 2025 New York State Fallen Firefighters Memorial Ceremony at the Empire State Plaza in Albany, will be held today at 11:00 AM to honor 126 firefighters who gave their lives in the line of duty. The Memorial was dedicated and unveiled in 1999, there will be 2,818 names on the wall after the ceremony.

On August 19th, Delaware County Deputies were dispatched to a 2-car accident on State Highway 28 in the Town of Middletown, Deputies concluded that 1 of the drivers, 58 year old Jane Rudy of Pine Hill was intoxicated, at the completion of the toxicology results, Deputies arrested Rudy for DWI, Aggravated DWI with a BAC of more than .18%, Failure to Keep Right, among other charges, Rudy was released on appearance tickets for Town of Middletown Court.

P.M. NEWS THURSDAY 2-6-25

36 year old Cody Bush of Binghamton was sentenced as a second time felony offender in Broome County Court today to 6 years in State Prison followed by 3 years of post-release supervision for Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance. Bush was recently pulled over by the Binghamton Police, Bush was found to be in possession of methamphetamine, fentanyl, packaging materials, and a digital scale, he admitted to possessing with the intent to sell.

New York State Department of Health’s computer system improperly paid $16.2 million in Medicaid claims during a 6-month period that started in October 2023, according to an audit released today by State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli. Overall, the audit found 370 million claims were processed between October 2023 through March 2024, totaling nearly $49.6 billion.

A.M. NEWS THURSDAY 2-6-25

The 216th New York State Police Academy Graduation, will be held today at 11:00 AM at the Empire State Plaza Convention Center, in Albany. 176 new Troopers will be honored for completing the 216th session of the Basic School of the State Police Academy, the new Troopers will be assigned to their new troops and will report for duty to begin their career with the State Police.

Walton Fire and EMS Responded Tuesday Night at about 7:00 PM to a tractor trailer rollover approximately 2 miles North of the Village on State Highway 10. A fully loaded milk tanker carrying 38,000 pounds of milk had collided with guardrails and rolled onto its side, a NYSEG pole was broken and live wires were on the ground initially preventing responders from getting to the incident and driver. NYSEG responded and cleared the lives wires allowing safe access to the scene. The driver extricated himself from the cab of the truck through a window with assistance from a nearby homeowner, he was assessed by Walton EMS and transported to Delaware Valley Hospital for treatment of minor injuries. Traffic on State Highway 10 was diverted while the scene was cleared, the State DOT, DEC spill response, Delaware County Sheriffs Office and Delhi Fire Department assisted, the road reopened to all traffic and All units were back in service at 11:45 pm

The 216th New York State Police Academy Graduation, will be held tomorrow at 11:00 AM at the Empire State Plaza Convention Center, in Albany. 176 new Troopers will be honored for completing the 216th session of the Basic School of the State Police Academy, the new Troopers will be assigned to their new troops and will report for duty to begin their career with the State Police.

A.M. NEWS WEDNESDAY 2-5-25

The State Legislature in back at session working on legislation & the state budget proposal. Local Assemblyman Joe Angelino told WCDO News what committee assignments he has this session:

(Joe Angelino 2-5-25)

Angelino said that the assignments are the same as last year, the first 2 he mentioned do not forward legislation, but Police the legislature, Angelino of course spent 30 years with the Norwich police Department, rising to chief, before retiring & running for the State Assembly.

P.M. NEWS FRIDAY 1-17-25

Norwich Police Department, and New York State Parole concluded an investigation into a Level III Sex Offender who was using social media without registering his account, as well as violating his parole conditions. Additionally, the Chenango County Sheriff’s Office has separate charges as well. 44 year old Joshua Clifton of Norwich was charged with, Failure to Register & on a State Parole Violation Warrant, for allegedly using an unregistered Instagram account where he had access to juveniles and activity in violation of his Level III Sex Offender status, Clifton is being held at the Norwich Police Department, pending arraignment, The investigation is ongoing, and more charges are expected.

New York State Office of General Services will hold the 5th annual celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s life and legacy, with guest speakers, live performances, and the premiere of the 2025 film tribute “We Press On: New York State Celebrates the Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.”. A welcome reception will begin at 5:30 p.m. at the base of the Egg, and the formal program will begin at 6:30 p.m. in the Empire State Plaza Convention Center.

Broome County Executive Jason Garnar began his term as president of the New York State County Executives' Association this week. The Association is an affiliate of the State Association of Counties and represents the 19 counties that have county executives as their chief elected official. These counties, including the City of New York, represent more than 16 million New Yorkers.

Governor Hochul will present the Fiscal Year 2026 Executive Budget on Tuesday, January 21st at 1:00 PM, at the New York State Capitol Red Room in Albany.

The State DEC updated drought conditions across the state, returning all 62 New York counties to “Normal” status, after assessing recent precipitation and elevated levels of ground and surface water. While statewide conditions have improved, localized dry conditions may persist, New Yorkers are urged to continue reducing unnecessary water use and waste, by fixing leaks, and choosing efficient water fixtures.

After 3 previous attempts, Governor Kathy Hochul signed a New York State Real Property Tax Law amendment that would provide a tax break to individuals building residential property on vacant lots in the City of Norwich, City of Norwich Mayor Brian Doliver told WCDO news about the law:

(Mayor Brian Doliver 1-6-24)

Mayor Dolliver said that Norwich, like so many communities, has a shortage of homes, and they would like to turn vacant lots into new homes to increase the population of the city & increase tax revenue as well.

Delaware County District Attorney Shawn Smith announced that the 40 year old Dorothy West of Arkville pleaded guilty to Driving a Motor Vehicle While Ability Impaired by Drugs, she was sentenced to a one-year conditional discharge, she is also required to attend an Impaired Driver Program, and her license is revoked for at least 6 months. On March 17th, 2024, State Police responded to a welfare check at the Dollar General in Margaretville, with a driver asleep in a car. West failed testing at the scene & was found to be impaired by drugs.

A.M. NEWS MONDAY 1-6-25

New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services’ Office of Counter Terrorism in partnership with State Police, conducted training exercises at more than 900 locations statewide in 2024 to increase public vigilance and reporting of suspicious activity. This included assessing more than 200 infrastructure locations, Counterterrorism experts from more than 80 law enforcement agencies completed exercises assessing the ability of businesses to recognize and report suspicious activity, Public Should Report Suspicious Activity to Law Enforcement at 1-866-SAFE-NYS (1-866-723-3697)

Governor Hochul, will deliver the annual STATE OF THE STATE ADDRESS on Tuesday, January 14, at 1:00 PM at the Hart Theater at The Egg in the Empire State Plaza in Albany. The 2025 State of the State Address will be addressed to a joint session of the Legislature.

The Otsego County Sheriff’s Office arrested 32 year old Salvatore DeCarlo of Unadilla on a variety of charges following the investigation of a motor vehicle accident on State Highway 7 in the Town of Unadilla. DeCarlo was charged with DWI, Driving with a BAC of .08 of higher, failure to keep right among several other charges, he was released on with an appearance ticket for Town of Unadilla Court at a later date.

Governor Kathy Hochul will deliver the 2025 STATE OF THE STATE ADDRESS on Tuesday, January 14, 2025 at 1:00 PM. the address will be delivered before a joint session of the legislature at the Hart Theater at The Egg in the Empire State Plaza in Albany.

Starting January 1st, the minimum wage will go up 50 cents, followed by another 50-cent increase starting January 1, 2026. The minimum wage will be set at $17 in New York City, Long Island, and Westchester County and the rest of the state will be set at $16. More information about minimum wage can be found on the New York State Department of Labor’s website at dol.ny.gov/minimum-wage.

30 year old Joshua Mazyck of Endicott, pleaded guilty to Attempted Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree and will serve 6 years in New York State Prison followed by 5 years post release supervision as a second felony in Broome County Court. On June 5, after a traffic stop and subsequent investigation by State Police, Mazyck was found to be in possession of fentanyl, packaging materials, a loaded handgun, cutting agents, and a digital scale.

New York Farm Bureau attracted a record-breaking 400-plus attendees and nearly 70 sponsors to its State Annual Convention in Verona last week. Judi Whittaker was a winner of the Distinguished Service to Agriculture Awards, she is a third-generation owner of Whittaker Farms in Broome County, The James Quinn Award was presented to Barb Hanselman of Delaware County, the New York Farm Bureau’s state legislative priorities will be released in January.

A.M. NEWS Monday 12-9-24

State Police issued a total of 24,191 tickets statewide during this year’s special Thanksgiving holiday traffic enforcement period, from Saturday, November 23, through Sunday, December 1st. Troopers arrested 251 people for DWI and investigated 1,259 crashes, including three fatal crashes. In the Southern Tier there were 1146 total tickets issued.

State Police were dispatched Thursday by the Delaware County 911 Center to an assault on County Route 17 in the town of Hancock. 40 year old Nelson Lopez of Roscoe, violated an order of protection and caused physical injury to Julianna Stowers-Lopez of Roscoe, who also caused serious injury to Lopez by stabbing him in the upper body. Both suffered non-life-threatening injuries and were transported by separate ambulances to Wilson Medical Center. Both were released from the hospital Friday, Lopez was charged Criminal Contempt & 2nd degree Assault, Stowers-Lopez was charged with 1st degree Assault, Both were transported to the Delaware County Correctional Facility for Centralized Arraignment.

P.M. NEWS THURSDAY 10-17-24

Governor Kathy Hochul joined Superintendent Steven G. James in honoring 181 new State Troopers as they graduated today from the 215th session of the Basic School of the New York State Police Academy. The ceremony was held at the Empire State Plaza Convention Center in Albany. Today’s graduation increases the State Police ranks to 5,183 sworn members. 46 of the new troopers will be assigned to Troop C in Sidney.

The State Department of Labor announced that the number of private sector jobs in the State decreased over the month by 2,900, or less than 0.1%, to 8,392,500 in September 2024. The State's unemployment rate held constant at 4.4% in September, the statewide labor force participation rate decreased from .1 to 61.2% in September.

A Unadilla Zombie Run will be held this Saturday, starting at 9:00 am, Prizes for best costume and fast male and female age groups will be awarded, people can register for the race & get more information at runsignup.com, proceeds will benefit Unadilla's feral TNR Fund.

.M. NEWS THURSDAY 10-17-24

The State Police Academy 215th Graduation, will be held this morning at 11:00 a.m. at the Empire State Plaza Convention Center in Albany. 181 new Troopers will be honored for their perseverance and dedication in completing the 215th session of the Basic School of the New York State Police Academy during the graduation exercises.

34 year old Khaalid Lammie of Delhi was indicted by the Delaware County Grand Jury & was charged with 3 counts of Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance. Lammie is accused of selling cocaine in the Village of Delhi on 3 occasions earlier this year, if he is convicted, he faces up to 9 years in state prison for each count, he was arraigned in Delaware County Court Tuesday & was released on his own recognizance.

State tax receipts totaled $54.6 billion through the first 6 months of State Fiscal Year 24-25, about $682 million higher than the state Division of the Budget estimated. Tax collections were $3.1 billion higher than those through September 2023, according to the monthly State Cash Report released by State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli. The full report can be found at osc.ny.gov.

The Broome County District Attorney's Office reported that over the last several weeks residents have been targeted by individuals posing as representatives from Publisher Clearing House, informing victims that they have won a substantial prize, the scammers then request payment of various fees and taxes to claim the prize, ultimately defrauding people of their savings. Legitimate sweepstakes organizations do not require winners to pay fees upfront to receive their prizes, also, individuals should never provide personal or financial information over the phone or online unless they are certain of the recipient's identity. To report a scam contact the New York State Attorney General, Consumer Frauds Bureau at 1-800-771-7755, or the Federal Trade Commission at ftc.gov or call 1-877- 382-4357

U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand announced her push to provide a boost in federal funding for the FEMA Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program in the Federal 2025

appropriations bill, follow recent cuts to the program:

(Gillibrand 5-15-24)

Senator Gillibrand said that the Grant provides funding for local fire departments to purchase equipment and emergency vehicles and to address staffing shortages.

A.M. NEWS Wednesday 5-15-24

The 214th New York State Police Academy Graduation, was held today this morning at the Empire State Plaza Convention Center in Albany. 228 new Troopers completed the Basic School of the New York State Police Academy, 26 of the new Troopers are being assigned to Troop C in Sidney.

Broome County Sheriff’s Office was awarded a grant totaling $834,118 from the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services. The majority of the funding will be utilized to purchase a county-wide License Plate Reader network, to help in identifying and locating wanted criminals and fugitives entering the community, as well as helping locate stolen vehicles and vehicles involved in ongoing investigations. Some of the funding will also go toward purchasing a new Digital Forensic Computer and provide tablet and smartboard training technology for the Broome County Law Enforcement Academy.

The State Budget bills have been wrapped up by the legislature in Albany, Assemblyman Joe Angelino told WCDO News the good & the bad of this budget:

(Assemblyman Joe Angelino 4-22-24)

The budget ended up at 237 Billion dollars, well above the executive budget submitted by Governor Hochul in January & below the amounts proposed by State Senate & Assembly leadership in recent weeks.

The State Department of Labor is partnering with The Business Council, Empire State Development and the New York Association of Training and Employment Professionals in an annual Business Survey to get feedback on the state of the workforce and the business community's current needs. The survey takes about 10 minutes to complete, it can be found at survey.alchemer.com.

A.M. NEWS MONDAY 4-22-24

33 year old Boyd Fenton was sentenced to to 7-15 years in prison, for setting fire to the horse barn at Tioga Downs on November 9th 2023. Fenton was sentenced in Tioga County Court on Friday, 30 racehorses died in the fire and a trainer was hurt when they tried to rescue horses from the flames.

14 individuals were arrested on charges ranging from graffiti, stealing a law enforcement body camera and disorderly conduct to obstruction and resisting arrest at the 4th annual “Smoke Weed Outside the Binghamton Police Station” event in downtown Binghamton. On Saturday, members of the Broome County Sheriff’s Office assisted Binghamton Police Department in ensuring a safe public gathering on Hawley Street in front of Government Plaza. Some attendees began scrawling graffiti, blocking the flow of traffic on Hawley Street, Police began arresting participants for Obstructing Government Administration, disorderly conduct, petty larceny for stealing a law enforcement body camera and resisting arrest, all were processed and released on appearance tickets for the City of Binghamton Court.

Oneida County District Attorney's office & State Police announced that former Utica School Superintendent Bruce Karam was sentenced to pay $11,549 back to the Utica school district for the resources improperly diverted, he was ordered to serve 5 years probation and perform 250 hours of community service, he was also ordered to pay $150,000 by May 17, representing a reduction in his pension earnings from the date of his crime until his termination.

.M. NEWS THURSDAY 12-21-23

Acting State Police Superintendent Dominick Chiumento today honored 232 new State Troopers as they graduated from the 213th session of the Basic School of the New York State Police Academy. The ceremony was held at the Empire State Plaza Convention Center in Albany. Today’s graduation increases the State Police ranks to 4,781 sworn members. 26 of the new Troopers will be assigned to Troop C in Sidney.

The State Labor Department announced that the number of private sector jobs increased slightly in November, to 8.26 million. The state's unemployment rate increased from 4.2% in October to 4.3% in November , the statewide labor force participation rate increased to 61.7%.

Part of the Bail Reform Controversy in New York State over the last few years is that there is no drug court, and people arrested for drug offenses can not be held on bail, Current Assemblyman & former Norwich Police Chief Joe Angelino told WCDO News of the consequences of these changes:

(ANGELINO 12-21-23)

Angelino said that there is an anti-police bias among many of his colleagues in the New York City Dominated Assembly, and he said he is waiting for the pendulum to swing back again in favor of law enforcement agencies.

Delaware County Sheriff's office arrested 60 year-old John Necci of Portlandville after deputies conducted a traffic-stop for Speeding Sunday on State Highway 23 in the Town of Davenport. Necci was traveling at about 80 miles per hour in a posted 55 mile per hour zone, Deputies stopped Necci, he was charged with aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle and Speeding, he was released and directed to appear in the Davenport Town Court on a later date to answer those charges.

A.M. NEWS THURSDAY 12-21-23

32 year old Kyle Oakley of South Kortright pleaded guilty to 3rd degree Burglary in Delaware County Court. Oakley was charged following an investigation of forced entry into a seasonal residence during March of 2022. A Deputy responded to the crime scene on March 8, 2022, after the homeowner reported damage to his front door, the Deputy recovered a sweatshirt which was sent to the State Police Crime Lab for DNA extraction, Oakley was subsequently arrested by the Sheriff’s Department. Oakley was sentenced to a 5-year term of felony probation supervision, he was ordered to pay $1,000 in restitution to the homeowner, if he violates probation supervision, he faces a possible resentencing of up to 2 and 1/3 to 7 years in state prison.

The 213th State Police Academy Graduation, will be held on Thursday, at 11:00 AM at the Empire State Plaza Convention Center, Albany. 232 new Troopers will graduate from the Basic School of the New York State Police Academy, they will then be assigned to the Troop following graduation.

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that the application for the Excelsior Scholarship for new applicants for the Spring 2024 term is now open. Students from households with federal adjusted gross incomes up to $125,000 are eligible, Students must Plan to attend a SUNY or CUNY two- or four-year college; Complete 30 credits per year towards their program of study and must be on track to graduate with an associate degree in two years or a bachelor's degree in four years. more information is available at webapps.hesc.ny.gov, Applications will be accepted through February 2, 2024.

A.M. NEWS TUESDAY 12-19-23

Otsego County Officials announced that several roads are closed due to flooding conditions, including County Highway 48 between Chamberlain Hill and Downey Road Spur in Otego, County Highway 4 between Mill Street and Hilton Street in the Town of Butternuts, Miller Road in Pittsfield, Bemis Road from State Highway 51 to Pegg Road in Morris. In Delaware County, State Route 30 in Roxbury has flooding issues, officals in all around counties advise motorists to turn around if they find flooded roads & report them to authorites as soon as possible. Motorists can check 511ny.org for road closures.

The Governor's Office & the Public Employees Federation and Civil Service Employees Association announced an agreement to award nearly $3 million in backpay to more than 2,100 New York State employees who worked overtime during the COVID-19 pandemic. Starting this week, more than 1,700 PEF members and more than 400 members of CSEA will receive payments for work completed beyond traditional work hours at the height of the pandemic.

The Sidney Alumni Hall Of Fame Induction ceremony will be held this weekend, spokesman Greg Davie Told WCDO news who is going in this year:

(Greg Davie 10-10-23)

The inductees will be recognized at Halftime at this Friday's Sidney Football game & the Induction ceremony will be Saturday starting at 5:00 PM at the Sidney Elks Lodge.

A.M. NEWS TUESDAY 10-10-23

State Police and Emergency crews responded to a crash on I-88 eastbound in Colesville between exits 5 and 6 yesterday afternoon. An investigation revealed that a pick-up truck was pulling vehicles on a trailer, the operator lost control and rolled the vehicles, blocking both lanes. Some traffic was able to pass on the shoulder before the Interstate was shut down and travelers were re-routed off exit 5 to State Highway 7 then back on to I-88 at exit 6. The operator was a 51-year-old male of Elmira, He was treated on scene but did not wish to be transported to a hospital.

State officials and members of the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services' Office of Fire Prevention and Control will preside over the 26th Annual New York State Fallen Firefighters Memorial Ceremony today. State officials will honor 29 fallen firefighters at the 26th Annual Ceremony, at the Empire State Plaza Convention Center in Albany, starting at 11:00 AM.

P.M. NEWS FRIDAY 12-30-22

State Police & the State Attorney General’s Office are investigating a fatal motor vehicle crash in Cortland County Wednesday night, where a Cortland County Sheriff’s Deputy observed an SUV driving through a red traffic light in the Town of Cortlandville. The Deputy attempted to initiate a traffic stop, the SUV failed to comply, both the SUV and the patrol vehicle crashed, after failing to negotiate a turn onto the Interstate 81 on-ramp in Homer. A rear seat passenger in the SUV, 16-year-old, Salena Wallner was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the SUV, a 15-year-old female, a 16-year-old female passenger and a 15-year-old female passenger were transported to Upstate Medical Center in Syracuse with serious injuries. The Sheriff’s Deputy sustained non-life-threatening injuries and was transported to a local hospital for treatment. The SUV had been reported stolen from the William George Agency for Children’s Services in Tompkins County shortly before the accident.

Governor Kathy Hochul signed legislation that will allow those who are living and donate a kidney or liver to receive reimbursement. The law is designed to get rid of any financial barrier that may be holding an individual back from donating an organ & it will reduce transplant wait times and address the organ shortage in the state.

Over $22 million in grant funding was awarded to 76 communities across the state through Round 12 of the Regional Economic Development Council Initiative, with an emphasis on Waterfront Revitalization, Brownfield remediation & Sustainable Community Planning and Zoning. The Village of Sidney will receive $700,000 dollars for their GreenPlain Community Park Plan, Sidney Village Mayor Andy Matviak comments:

(Andy Matviak 12-30-22)

Plans call for the construction of recreational amenities including a green soccer complex and event lawn, adjacent to the Susquehanna River. Broome County will receive funds for improvements at Grippen Park, The Ross Park Trail & the Roberson Museum.

Elected officials will be sworn in for a new term on Sunday, January 1st. Governor Hochul will be sworn in at 2:00 PM Sunday at the Empire State Plaza in Albany, Sheriff-elect Fred Akshar and the Broome County Legislature will be joined by hundreds of family and friends for a special Joint Swearing-in Ceremony at the DoubleTree in Binghamton on Sunday at 1:00 PM. Akshar passed on running for re-election to the State Senate, in order to return to Law Enforcement.

A.M. NEWS FRIDAY 12-30-22

The new Minimum wage is set to go into effect on Saturday, Workers outside of New York City, Long Island, and Westchester County will see the minimum wage go from $13.20 to $14.20 an hour.

A new provision of Brianna’s Law goes into effect Saturday in New York State. This legislation was signed into law in 2019, but a new provision requires operators of mechanically propelled boats to complete a boating safety course. Before, those born on or after January 1, 1988 needed the safety certificate. Beginning January 1, 2023, those born on or after January 1, 1983 need the boating safety certificate to operate mechanically propelled boats.

P.M. NEWS TUESDAY 12-20-22

Unadilla Fire Department responded Monday Night at about 10:45 PM to a reported structure fire in the area of Buckhorn Lake Road and State Highway 7. Responding Firefighters discovered a working fire on the 2nd floor rear of the residence. Unadilla crews along with Wells Bridge crews were able to gain entry and knock the fire down. No injuries were reported, other Fire Departments assisting included Franklin, Sidney Sidney Center & Otego, the cause of the fire is under investigation.

State Police arrested 24 year old Robert Henness of Otego Monday for Predatory Sexual Assault Against a Child and Endangering the Welfare of a Child. An investigation revealed that on multiple occasions, Henness inappropriately touched a child who is less than 13-years-old. Henness was processed at SP Oneonta and then transported to the Otsego County Jail for Centralized Arraignment and Processing. He was remanded to the Jail on $25,000 cash bail or $50,000 bond.

The State Health Department reports a steady increase has been continuing in COVID 19 cases, along with many cases of various flu strains. From the period of Saturday through Monday, there were over 48,000 New Yorkers tested for COVID with 4438 positive tests, for an 8% positivety rate. Patient Hospitalization have increased to just under 3800, there were 363 ICU Patients & 153 on Ventilators, there were 94 deaths reported in Hospitals & Nursing homes. The State Health Department urges New Yorkers to get vaccinated & boosted for COVID 19 & to find out about flu vaccine clinics, contact your local health department or visit vaccines.gov/find-vaccines/.

The State Department of Labor announced that the state unemployment rate remained at 4.3% in November. Locally, Chenango & Otsego Counties had 2.7% Unemployment, Delaware County was at 2.9% in November.

The Inauguration of Governor Kathy Hochul will be held on Sunday, January 1st, at 2:00 PM at the Empire State Plaza in Albany. The Governor will be sworn in and will then deliver her inaugural address.

Governor Kathy Hochul joined Acting Superintendent Steven Nigrelli in honoring 218 new New York State Troopers as they graduated today from the 211th session of the Basic School of the New York State Police Academy. The ceremony was held at the Empire State Plaza Convention Center in Albany. Today's graduation increases the State Police ranks to 4,742 sworn members. 29 of the new Troopers will report to Troop C in Sidney.

The Delaware County Board of Elections reminds county residents that the GENERAL ELECTION is Tuesday November 8, from 6:00 AM to 9:00 PM. Those who need an absentee ballot must have the application in to the County Board Office by October 24th, and they may also apply on the state portal at absenteeballot.elections.ny.gov; by oct6ober 24th. More information about absentee voting or early voting is available at the County Board's Delhi Office or by calling 607-832-5321.

A.M. NEWS Wednesday 10-19-22

State Attorney General Letitia James released a report on the role of online platforms like 4chan & Twitch in the Buffalo mass shooting at a Tops grocery store where 10 Black individuals were killed and 3 others were injured. James' Office reviewed thousands of pages of documents and social media content to examine how the alleged shooter Payton Gendron of Conklin used online platforms to plan, prepare, and publicize his attack. The report also said that the platforms lacked of oversight, transparency, and accountability in allowing hateful and extremist views to proliferate, leading to radicalization and violence. Gendron faces numerous state & federal charges in connection with the shooting, and could face the death penalty if convicted on the federal charges.

An American Red Cross Blood Drive will be held in Oneonta today from 1:30 to 6:30 PM at the Quality Inn, on State Highway 23. Another Blood Drive is being held in Walton from 12:30 to 5:30 PM at the Walton First Baptist Church on Townsend Street. Appointments can be made with the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org or by calling 1-800-RED CROSS.

$13 million has been awarded to protect clean water across New York State and help New York's farmers continue their work to mitigate the impacts of climate change. In the Southern Tier over $1.5 million dollars will be sent to 5 entities to oversee the projects, the details can be found at agriculture.ny.gov.

P.M. NEWS THURSDAY 3-24-22

The State Department of Labor reported that the number of private sector jobs in the Sate increased over the month by 39,800, or 0.5%, to 7,888,300 in February. The State's unemployment rate decreased from 5.3% to 4.9% in February.

This Week is National Poison Prevention Week, the State Division of Consumer Protection is reminding New Yorkers of prevention measures to reduce the risk of poisoning. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission's Annual Report on Pediatric Poisoning Fatalities and Injuries pediatric poisonings involving children under 5 years of age resulted in 43 fatalities in 2020, a 26 percent increase from 2019. Consumers can file a complaint with the Division of Consumer Protection at dos.ny.gov, more information about household poisons is available by calling 800-697-1220.

227 new Troopers were honored for their perseverance and dedication in completing the 210th session of the Basic School of the New York State Police Academy during graduation exercises at the Empire State Plaza in Albany, New York. Over 50 of the new troopers will be assigned to Troop C in Sidney.

For National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, Oneonta's Muller Plaza will be the site of the "Main Street Goes Blue Event" tomorrow, spokesperson Rebecca Hess explains:

(Rebecca Hess 3-25-22)

The Program runs tomorrow from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM in Oneonta, more information about the program is available at 1-888-345-0225.

------------------------------------------------------ –

A.M. NEWS THURSDAY 3-23-22

Otsego County Sheriff's Office arrested 22 year old Leroy Williams of Oneonta following a Domestic Dispute in the Town of Oneonta on March 1st. Williams was charged with Endangering the Welfare of a Child & Harassment, he faces court action shortly.

State Trooper T.J. Conklin responded to a welfare check of an elderly man at the Whitney Point Rest Area off I-81. Trooper Conklin learned the man’s family accidentally left him behind at the rest stop after he stepped out to stretch his legs. State police say the man had no phone, Trooper Conklin located a family member out of state who was able to connect with the family members in the car. The man’s family realized he wasn’t sleeping in the back seat where he left his jacket over some baggage, They had already traveled 3 hours away, so Trooper Conklin drove the man to Roscoe where they all had dinner together at a local diner.

NY State of Health announced the affordable health insurance options available to New Yorkers in 2022. Open enrollment for coverage in a 2022 Qualified Health Plan starts November 16th for new and returning consumers and ends on January 31, 2022.   For additional information, visit the NY State of Health website at: nystateofhealth.ny.gov or call us at: 1-855-355-5777.

Commerce Chenango will hold their annual Legislative Breakfast on Thursday October 14th, at the Silo Restaurant in Greene, starting at 8:00 AM.  Representatives from the Economic Development Council and The Business Council of New York State will attend, local lawmakers State Senators Fred Akshar & Peter Oberacker and Assemblyman Joe Angelino have been invited to attend, and RSVP’s are required by this Thursday on the Commerce Chenango website, by calling the office at 334-1400 or email to register@chenangony.org.

The State DEC announced that the State’s new catch-and-release trout stream season begins on October 16th, as part of the DEC’s Statewide Trout Stream Management Plan.  The new season runs until March 31st of next year & requires anglers to use only artificial lures and immediately release trout they catch. More information about freshwater fishing in New York is available at dec.ny.gov.

State Police arrested 24 year old David Kemp of Eaton for using a fake COVID 19 Vaccination card, after his employer turned him in.  Kemp could face 7 years in prison after being charged with possession of a forged instrument & the unauthorized use of a government agency’s seal on the fake card makes it a federal crime.

A.M. NEWS TUESDAY 10-5-21

State Police have identified the deceased individual shot by a Walton Police Officer as 66 year old Paul Weeden of Walton.  On Monday Morning, an officer from the Walton Police Department was dispatched to a mental health call on Griswold Street, the officer made contact with Weeden, who pointed what was believed to be a gun at the officer, the officer retreated, Weeden followed & ignored multiple commands to drop his weapon, he again pointed the suspected gun at the officer, who fired his weapon and struck Weeden.  The officer called for EMS and rendered emergency aid, Weeden was pronounced dead at the scene.  The investigation is continuing.

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced State agencies, cities, towns, and Indian Tribal governments can now apply for federal funding  to assist with mitigation projects designed to strengthen resiliency against future national disasters. The application period is open through November 30th using FEMA GO online. The State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services will review the applications and assist applicants with questions on the process.

New York State officials and members of the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services' Office of Fire Prevention and Control will preside over the 24th Annual New York State Fallen Firefighters Memorial Ceremony at the Empire State Plaza Convention Center in Albany today at 11:00 AM.  The event will also be livestreamed at ny.gov.

Chenango County Public Health announced that they are hosting a Pfizer booster clinic for those eligible, today from 1:00 to 4:00 PM at the South Plaza location in Norwich. About 400 appointments are available, more information or registration is available at co.chenango.ny.us.

The Driver's License Access and Privacy Act, also known as
the 'Green Light law', is now in effect , It allows all New Yorkers age 16 and
older to apply for a standard, not for federal purpose, non-commercial driver
license or learner’s permit regardless of their citizenship or lawful status in
the United States.  Driver’s license
applicants who have never been issued a Social Security Number are eligible to
apply, provided that they show a combination of documents that prove their
name, date of birth, New York state residency & any number of allowed
foreign documents.

The New York Siting Board has approved of Calpine's wind
turbine project in Broome County.  4
turbines will be built in the Town of Windsor & 23 in the town of Sanford,
in spite of the Sanford Town Board passing a resolution last week, which was
labelled as overly burdensome to Calpine and was rejected by the Siting
Board.  Calpine will be able to begin
construction of the 27-tower project shortly.
Calpine also has plans to build turbines in the town of Guilford; the
state has not made any decisions on that project yet.

The New York State Office for the Aging announced the launch
of its new website, aging.ny.gov featuring improved design, navigation, search
functions, and accessibility from virtually any device.  73% of adults over the age of 65 use the
Internet and 88% of people between the ages of 50 and 64 use the Internet,
about 1/2 of the population over 65 use smartphones

A Winter Weather Advisory is in effect for this region
starting tonight, area Meteorologist Rich Townsend comments:

(Rich Townsend 12-16-19)

The Winter Weather Advisory in
effect tonight from 9:00 PM until Tuesday afternoon at 4:00 PM.

State Police were dispatched Saturday to a report of a child
that fell out of a minibus on I-81 near Kirkwood.  A preliminary investigation revealed that 2
minibuses with several members from an Amish community from Lancaster
Pennsylvania were traveling south on Interstate 81.  A 3-year-old child was in the rear area of
the first bus with other children when he leaned on an emergency window, which
opened and the child fell out onto the Interstate.   The buses immediately turned around
traveling northbound then back southbound and located the child running along
the shoulder of the Interstate.  The
child was treated at Wilson Hospital in Johnson City for lacerations, bumps and
bruises, the investigation continues.

Governor Cuomo today announced the 1st proposal of his 2020
State of the State agenda: Preventing individuals from receiving New York State
gun licenses if they commit a crime in another state that is similar to a crime
that would disqualify them from owning a gun in New York State. The Governor
also announced that the 2020 State of the State Address will be held in the
Empire State Plaza Convention Center in Albany on January 8 at 1:30 PM.

State Police arrested 44 year old Joshua Cutting of Sidney
Center for felony DWI after a trooper observed Cutting stop in the passing lane
of I-88, the trooper also observed an equipment violation on the vehicle and
initiated a traffic stop on State Highway 8 in the town of Sidney.  Cutting was issued appearance tickets to the
town of Sidney court & was turned over to a sober third party.

A 17 year old from the Bronx is the state’s 1st death
attributed to Vaping, Governor Cuomo addressed the health crisis earlier today:

(Cuomo 10-8-19)

Governor Cuomo said that the case has been turned over to
the State Health Department for investigation. So far there have been about
1000 health related cases connected to Vaping, including 18 deaths.

Governor Cuomo announced that 2 new laws to improve pay
equity policies will go into effect today, which prohibits all employers who do
business in New York State from asking prospective employees about their salary
history and compensation.  The new laws
also expand the definition of "equal pay for equal work."

The Otsego County Chamber's
Small Business Banquet will be held on Thursday, November 21 at The Otesaga
Hotel and Resort in Cooperstown.
Nominations for various awards are being taken currently; the
nominations are requested to the Chamber by this Friday.

State officials, the Division of Homeland Security and the
Office of Fire Prevention and Control will preside over the 22nd Annual New
York State Fallen Firefighters Memorial Ceremony this morning.   The Ceremony will honor 23 fallen
firefighters who gave their lives in the line of duty, at the Empire State
Plaza Convention Center in Albany at 11:00 AM.

State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli released a statement
regarding criminal charges filed against former Delhi village clerk Michelle
Barnes for theft of public funds. Dinapoli said that the charges resulted from
a joint investigation conducted by the Comptroller’s office and State Police,
Barnes allegedly wrote $4,788 in village checks to herself for her personal
use, & she faces grand larceny charges.

The National Transportation and Safety Board made 4 safety
recommendations as a result of the October 6th 2018 Schoharie Limousine crash
that killed 20 people. Federal lawmakers took those recommendations and
introduced a bipartisan bill aimed at closing the gaps in regulations on a
federal level, State lawmakers failed to pass limousine safety measures, they
may tackle it in the 2020 session.

Local Congressmen are split over the notion of pursuing
impeachment proceedings against President Trump.  19th District Congressman Antonio Delgado
released a statement over the weekend saying that it has become clear that the
president has placed his personal interests above the national security of our
nation by admitting to soliciting the Ukrainian president to investigate
potential Democratic President Nominee & former Vice President Joe Biden,
which Delgado said is an impeachable offense.
22nd District Congressman Anthony Brindisi stated that while the
allegations against the President regarding the call to the President of
Ukraine is troubling, he wants to first make sure that the impeachment is
Constitutional.

State officials and members of the Division of Homeland
Security and Emergency Services' Office of Fire Prevention and Control will
preside over the 22nd Annual New York State Fallen Firefighters Memorial
Ceremony.   The Ceremony will honor 23
fallen firefighters who gave their lives in the line of duty, at the Empire
State Plaza Convention Center in Albany, tomorrow morning at 11:00 AM.

The 26th Annual Pit Run was Held in Oneonta Sunday.  The winner of the 10K race was Michael
Hamilton of Oneonta, the winner of the 5K was Charles Hollister on Oneonta,
Money raised benefits the Rick Parisian Memorial Scholarship fund, and Parisian
was a state Police Investigator who tried to stop an armed Robbery in an
Oneonta Grocery in 1994.

State Police arrested 24 year old Christopher Smith of
Weedsport for DWI, Failure to Keep Right, Failure to Yield the Right of Way,
Driving on Shoulder, Moving From a Lane Unsafely, Leaving the Scene of a
Property Damage Accident and Failure to Notify DMV of Change of Address.  Troopers responded to a 2-car accident on
State Highway 23 in the town of Oneonta, witnesses told troopers that the other
vehicle left the scene and drove behind a local gas station.  Troopers located Smith intoxicated behind a
hotel, he was arrested & was remanded to the Otsego County Jail on cash
bail, he will return to Oneonta court on August 22nd.

State Police arrested a father and daughter for DWI &
Endangering the Welfare of a Child. Troopers arrested 31 year old Maegan
Thaxton of Cooperstown, for Aggravated DWI with child 15 or Under as Passenger,
Endangering the Welfare of a Child, Inadequate Lights and Refusal to Submit to
a Breath Test.   Troopers made
arrangements to have another party pick-up the child and Thaxton’s vehicle
while at the scene.  71 year old Earl
Thaxton of Middlefield responded to State Police Oneonta barracks with the
11-month old child in his vehicle, he was then arrested for Aggravated DWI,
& Endangering the Welfare of a Child.
The child was turned over to the care of Child Protective Services.
Maegan & Earl Thaxton will return to the town of Oneonta court on August
15, 2019.

State Police arrested 41 year old Wendy Kinchoy of Apalachin
for Identity Theft, after an investigation revealed that Kinchoy was hired to
provide home health care to a victim in Guilford.  Kinchoy is accused of taking victim’s credit
card and making an unauthorized purchase in June.  Kinchoy was arrested & was issued an
appearance ticket for town of Guilford court on September 3rd.

Schools are not doing enough to prepare for emergency
situations like shootings, according to an audit of safety planning at 19
schools by State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli.
Auditors found none of the schools met the minimum planning or training
requirements of the State Education Department, which oversees safety planning
for schools.   2 schools did not have
district-wide safety plans even though plans were mandated nearly 20 years
ago.  The full report can be found at
osc.state.ny.us

228 new Troopers were honored Wednesday for their
perseverance and dedication in completing the 208th session of the Basic School
of the New York State Police Academy during graduation exercises at the Empire
State Plaza in Albany, New York.  Trooper
Tyshone Tibbs of Buffalo has been assigned to Troop C in Sidney:

(Trooper Tibbs 7-24-19)

The new troopers will report for field duty on July 31,
2019. For the following 10 weeks the new troopers will be evaluated under a
field-training program supervised by senior Field Training Officers.

State Police arrested 25 year old John Mehne of Sarasota
Florida last night following an accident on I-81, which led to a manhunt.  State Police, Broome County Sheriff's Office
and Binghamton Police Department responded to the area of Duell Road,
Colesville Road and Springer Road in the town of Kirkwood, Troopers accuse Mehne
of attempted to flee the scene of the initial accident by jumping onto a van
& then into the bed of a pick-up truck, he eventually fled on foot into a
wooded area.  Mehne is accused of threatening
1 person with an axe, stealing an ATV, killing a chicken & a dog and was
apprehended while hiding naked in a chicken coop.  State Police encourage residents in that area
to check their property and call the State Police at 775-1241 if anything appears
disturbed.  The investigation is ongoing
& a multitude of charges are pending.

The state’s Medicaid program paid more than $60,000 for
sexual and erectile dysfunction drugs and treatments for 47 sex offenders,
according to an audit by State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli.  DiNapoli recommended that the Department of
Health provide Managed Care Organization’s with detailed lists of all ED drugs,
procedures, and supplies that are excluded or have limited Medicaid coverage;
and take corrective actions to ensure compliance with laws, policies, and
procedures; and Improve Department of Health’s computer system to apply sex
offender status in the processing of claims.

New York would be the first state in the U.S. to ban the
declawing of cats under legislation approved by lawmakers this session.  The bill would subject veterinarians to
$1,000 fines for performing the operation; it heads to the desk of Governor
Cuomo for approval.

Sidney Police Department reports
that some village residents have reported their vehicles have had items removed
from them. Police remind car & truck owners to close your windows &
lock your doors, & keep all valuables hidden from eye sight. If anyone sees
suspicious activity, they should call Sidney Police at 561-2301.

State Police issued 13,693 tickets for impaired driving over
Memorial Day weekend, as part of the STOP-DWI traffic enforcement period. The
initiative targeted impaired and reckless drivers from Friday, May 24 and
through Monday, May 27.   State Troopers
arrested 225 people for DWI and investigated 134 crashes, which resulted in 190
injuries and 4 fatalities.

Governor Cuomo today announced that the 22nd Annual Cyber
Security Conference continues today in Albany, bringing over 1,300 cyber
security professionals from state and local government and the private sector
to discuss emerging developments in the industry and best practices designed to
improve the security of New York State. The conference is being held at the
Empire State Plaza again today, the annual Conference is hosted by the State
Office of Information Technology Services in partnership with the University at
Albany School of Business and the New York State Forum, Inc.

The State Senate passed State Senator Jen Metzger's bill to
aid dairy farmers in complying with regulations to address water that can
collect in waste tires used by farmers use to hold down tarps over silage and
feed, which the DEC has determined creates a risk of mosquito breeding
grounds.  The DEC regulations require
cutting waste tires in half, drilling holes in them, or disposing of them and
finding new methods of covering silage, Metzger's bill is sponsored in the
Assembly by Assemblywoman Donna Lupardo, it instructs the Commissioner of
Agriculture and Markets and the Commissioner of Environmental Conservation to
develop a plan to remove used tires from farms at no cost to the farmers.

The State Police held their
annual Memorial Day Ceremony at the Troop C Headquarters in Sidney.  Commanding Officer Major Brian Shortall
commented on the importance of the day:

(Major Brian Shortall 5-22-19)

Members of other law Enforcement
Agencies & families of Troopers Past & Present attended today's
ceremony & Barbecue Luncheon at Troop C.

The House of Representatives
passed Freshman Congressman Anthony Brindisi’s 1st bill today. Brindisi's
“Support for Suicide Prevention Coordinators Act” to help prevent veteran
suicide, sailed through the House and is on its way to the Senate.  The bipartisan bill requires the Comptroller
General of the United States to conduct an assessment of the responsibilities,
workload, and vacancy rates of the Department of Veterans Affairs Suicide
Prevention Coordinators.

The State Labor Department of
released preliminary local area unemployment rates for April. The statewide
Unemployment rate was 3.9% in April; the Southern Tier region was at a combined
4.0% even.

A traveling memorial exhibit,
honoring those who have lost their lives to opioid addiction is on display in
Albany this week.   "Prescribed to
Death," is a traveling wall of 22,000 small pills carved with the faces of
Americans who have died of an opioid overdose, it is being displayed at the
base of The Egg in Albany on the concourse level of the Empire State
Plaza.  The memorial is free and open to
the public tomorrow from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
Those who are unable to visit can still share their loved one's story
and a photo by using the council's interactive online map, at
memorial.nsc.org/index.html.

1 person is dead and an Otsego County Sheriff’s Deputy was
injured after a pursuit in the village of Richfield Springs and the town of
Springfield Tuesday Afternoon.  State
Police approached a subject in a vehicle who had been accused of threatening a
victim with a knife, the suspect fled from troopers and a pursuit ensued
traveling east on State Route 20.  As the
subject approached the intersection of State Routes 20 and 80, an Otsego County
Sheriff’s Deputy was stationary in his vehicle, monitoring the pursuit with his
emergency lights activated; the suspect crossed into oncoming traffic and
struck the Deputy head-on.  The Deputy
was transported to Bassett Hospital in Cooperstown, NY with serious but
non-life threating injuries, the suspect was pronounced dead at the scene by
Otsego County Corner Michael Fox.  The
investigation is on-going.

The State Police will hold their Annual Memorial Day
Ceremony today at 11:00 AM at Troop C headquarters in Sidney.  The event is held each year to remember those
who have lost their lives in the line of duty.

Chobani and several Chenango County businesses announced
that they will provide funds for a new firehouse and community center in New
Berlin.  The Chobani Foundation statement
said that the 7,000 square-foot firehouse will include 6 garage bays, offices and
separate rooms for gear; meetings, training and storage, and the 2,400
square-foot community center will contain a kitchen area and large gathering
space for local residents to host a variety of events. Construction is
scheduled to begin later this year.

Governor Cuomo announced that more than 2 dozen drop-off
locations from Long Island to Buffalo are accepting work out tattered flags
starting Today through May 22nd.  New
Yorkers are urged to bring their old flags to the locations so that they can be
retired "properly with respect and honor."  The state Office of General Services will
collect the flags, they will be taken to the State Fair outside Syracuse, where
they'll be disposed in a bonfire during the May 26 Memorial Watchfire organized
by a local chapter of the Vietnam Veterans of America.

The names of 63 law enforcement officers are being added
today to the New York State Memorial honoring fallen officers.  The names were unveiled during Today’s annual
ceremony at the State of New York Police Officers’ Memorial in the Empire State
Plaza in downtown Albany. It’s the largest single group of names to be added to
the granite memorial since it was dedicated in 1989.  The names are divided into 3 categories: line
of duty deaths in 2018, a death that occurred decades ago, and ground
zero-related illness deaths.

State Senator Jim Seward
welcomed J.P. Dewey from Sidney High School to Monday in Albany as part of the
annual “Music in our Schools Month” celebration.   Dewey performed as a member of the
prestigious All State Instrumental Jazz Ensemble. He is the first ever pianist
from the Sidney area to be selected to play with the 18 member group.  Choirs, orchestras and bands from across the
state travel to Albany throughout the month of March to perform in the
concourse of the Empire State Plaza as part of “Music in our Schools Month”.

Otsego County Sheriff’s deputies arrested 19 year old Skyler
Blass of Otego & 18 year old Treyton Hathaway of Oneonta on Felony drug
charges after traffic stop Friday.
Deputies were alerted to be on the lookout for a vehicle that fled the
scene of a motor vehicle accident in the Town of Davenport.  Deputies observed the vehicle on State
Highway 23; it was stopped on East Street in the City of Oneonta.  Deputies seized 3 pounds of packaged
psychedelic mushrooms and 5 pounds of packaged marihuana in the vehicle.  Blass & Hathaway were arraigned,  Blass was remanded to the Otsego County Jail
on $20,000 Cash Bail / $50,000 bond, Hathaway was remanded on $10,000 Cash Bail
/ $20,000 Bond.  The motor vehicle
accident is still under investigation by the State Police.

State Police arrested 39 year old Brad Keesler of Triangle
for Criminal Obstruction of Breathing, Criminal Mischief and Unlawful
Imprisonment, after a report of a domestic dispute.  Keesler allegedly choked a victim and
prevented the victim from calling 911 and leaving the residence.  Troopers attempted to locate Keesler for
several days; he turned himself in on March 3 and was arrested.  He was processed then taken to Broome County
Central Processing for arraignment.

The announcement of the City of Oneonta Downtown Improvement
awards will be made Today by Mayor Gary Herzig as part of his annual State of
the City address during the regularly scheduled meeting of the Oneonta Common
Council beginning at 7:00pm. The meeting will be held in the Foothills
Performing Arts Center’s Production Center on the first floor to accommodate
those wishing to attend.  As part of Oneonta’s
Downtown Revitalization Initiative, $2.3M was set aside to be provided to
downtown business and property owners for grants to update exterior signage and
building facades along with the development of quality upper floor housing. The
Mayor and Common Council had appointed a Project Selection Committee chaired by
former Mayor Kim Muller to review the more than 100 applications which were
received.