WCDO Radio News

P.M. NEWS FRIDAY 12-12-25

The Norwich Fire Department responded last night at about 9:40 to a commercial structure fire at 4450 State Highway 23 at Norwich Meadow Farms in the town of Norwich. Norwich Fire Chief Jan Papelino told WCDO News what they encountered and what caused the fire:

(Chief Jan Papelino 12-12-25)

Chief Papelino said that several other Fire companies responded, Fire fighters were on the scene until 3:30 AM, no injuries were reported.

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THE MID-YORK CONCERT BAND IS PERFORMING A HOLIDAY CONCERT ON SUNDAY, 2:00 PM, Band Director Doug Ernst explains:

(Doug Ernst 12-12-25)

The concert will be held at the Norwich High School Auditorium, donations will be accepted & will go to their scholarship fund that will be awarded in the Spring to an area student.

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Masonville Connects will hold their annual Brunch with Santa & The Grinch at Hardwood Hills Golf Course Sunday, spokesperson Jen Cutting explains:

(Jen Cutting 12-12-25)

More information about this & future events can be found at the Masonville Connect Facebook page.

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The Sidney Community Cultural Center will have Breakfast with Santa on Sunday, spokesperson Amy Williams explains:

(Amy Williams 12-12-25)

More information is available on the Community Cultural Center Facebook page.

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Hill City Celebrations announced that the Festival of lights will begin Saturday night through the end of the month at the Neawha Park in Oneonta, also, the annual 1st night celebration will be held at Foothills Performing Arts center on Market Street in Oneonta on New Year's Eve.

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Mark Twain Tonight! comes to the Broome County Forum Theatre tonight & Saturday at 2:00 pm. Tickets are on sale now at Ticketmaster.com and at the Mirabito Box Office located at the Visions Veterans Memorial Arena at 1 Stuart St. Binghamton.

A.M. NEWS FRIDAY 12-12-25

Operation Merry Christmas will have their give away days today & tomorrow, for the families that signed up this year, spokesperson Lisa Streigler explains:

(Lisa Streigler 12-12-25

The give away days will be held at the AO Fox Hospital Tri-Town Campus on Pearl Street in Sidney, more information is available at their Facebook page.

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Unadilla's Holiday Festivities get underway today with a holiday market, at 5:00 PM, the tree lighting at 5:45 & the parade at 6:00 PM at the Community Lawn, down Main Street. Santa Claus will visit with children at the Bauer Community Center after the parade.

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THE BAINBRIDGE CHRISTMAS PARADE WILL BE HELD SATURDAY, AT 5:00 PM IN DOWNTOWN BAINBRIDGE FOLLOWED BY A VISIT WITH SANTA AT BOB'S Diner, The Jericho Arts Council will then hold their Nashville Christmas Show by the Country Jamboree Saturday, @ 7:00 PM at the Bainbridge Town Hall Theatre, spokesman Phil Wade explains:

(Phil Wade 12-12-25)

Tickets Reservations can be made at 607-288-3882, In The Gallery will be an Artisan Gift Market

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Franklin will have a host of activities for the holidays this Saturday, spokesperson Connie Martin explains:

(Connie Martin 12-12-25)

More information is available at franklinny.org.

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An American Red Cross Blood Drive will be held in Sidney today from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM at the Sidney High School, schedule an appointment by using the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS.

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WCDO NEWS THURSDAY 7-3-25

State Police arrested 52 year old Lawrence Slater of Norwich, after a Chenango County Grand Jury indictment. Slater was operating a vehicle on April 12th and crashed into an on-coming vehicle driven by 62 year old Steven Biviano of Oxford, who was pronounced dead at the scene, on State Highway 12 in the town of Oxford. Slater was operating the vehicle with a BAC of .18%, he was charged with Aggravated Vehicular Homicide, Manslaughter, Vehicular Manslaughter, Felony DWI & Aggravated Driving While Intoxicated, he was was arraigned in Chenango County Supreme Court and remanded to the Chenango County Jail on $25,000 cash bail, or $50,000 bond.

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47 year old Steven Caiati of Starlight, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in Delaware County Court to 1 count of Tampering with Physical Evidence and 1 count of Driving While Ability Impaired by Drugs, for driving under the influence of methamphetamine, he attempted to conceal his stash of methamphetamine from police. Caiati will be required to pay a fine of $1,270 while also having his driver’s license suspended for 6 months, he was sentenced to time served (approximately 90 days) and extradited to Pennsylvania where his parole will be violated as a result of this felony conviction.

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62 year old Keith Ward of the Bronx pleaded guilty in Delaware County Court to Grand Larceny, Ward cashed a forged check at an area bank, the case was presented to the Delaware County Grand Jury and obtained an indictment, he failed to appear for arraignment and the Delaware County Court issued a warrant. Ward was taken into custody on the warrant and was remanded to the Delaware County Correctional Facility without bail. Judge Hubbard sentenced Ward to 1.5 to 3 years in state prison, Ward will likely receive additional prison time as a result of violating parole.

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The Otsego County Health Department reported that a Bat has tested positive for Rabies in the town of Morris. The Health Department reminds area pet owners to make sure that their pets have been vaccinated, more information is available at 607-547-4230 or at the Health Department page at otsegocounty.com

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The Southern Tier Music Fest will be held Saturday at the Sidney Airport, with a day full of top entertainment, according to co- organizer Ed Curley:

(Ed Curley 7-3-25)

More information is available at southerntiermusicfest.com.

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The Nate Lull Golf Tournament will be held Sunday in Franklin, to raise money for the Nate Lull Scholarship program, which handed out $18,000 in scholarships to area seniors recently, and look to give away more next year, Nate commented on the WCDO Morning show earlier this week about the Tournament:

(Nate Lull 7-3-25)

More information about the scholarship, golf tournament and all thing local sport can be found at natelull.com.

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The Chenango Blues Association NBT Summer Concert Series starts tonight in the East Park in Norwich, featuring Buckwheat Zydeco, Jr.. Shows are scheduled for July 10th, 17th, 24th & 31st, as well as on every Thursday in August, each show starts at 7:00 PM.

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The Oneonta Hometown July 4th Parade will be held on Friday July 4th, with staging on Market Street. The parade starts at 1:00 PM, a festival will follow the parade at Neawha Park, with the night ending with a fireworks display, the event is being coordinated by Hill City Productions & the Oneonta Parade Team.

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An American Red Cross Blood Drive will be held today in Cooperstown from 12:30 pm. - 5:30 pm., at the Bassett Hall, 31 Beaver St, Another Blood Drive will be held in Oneonta Saturday from 10 am. - 3 pm., at the Southside Mall - Oneonta YMCA, Schedule appointments at the American Red Cross Blood Donor App, RedCrossBlood.org, call 1-800-RED CROSS.

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State Police and local law enforcement agencies have increased patrols to crack down on reckless and impaired driving during the July 4th holiday weekend. Law enforcement officers from across the state will conduct sobriety checkpoints and target aggressive driving during the busiest travel weekend of the summer, the campaign will run through Sunday, July 6th.

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P.M. NEWS FRIDAY 4-18-25

4 more people will be inducted into the General Clinton Canoe Regatta Hall of Fame this year, committee member John Harmon told WCDO News who is going in:

(John Harmon 4-18-25)

The Hall of Fame Induction will be held on Saturday May 24th at the Canoe Regatta grounds in General Clinton Park in Bainbridge.

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State Police & Norwich Police arrested 62 year old Martin Lewicki of Norwich, for criminal possession of stolen property & tampering with physical evidence Lewicki is accused of stealing items from area retail stores & attempting to sell the merchandise online. Lewicki was arraigned in City of Norwich Court and was remanded to the Chenango County Correctional Facility without bail, the investigation is continuing & more charges may be filed.

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51 year old Antoine Loup of Endicott was sentenced to 25 years to life, for 2nd degree Murder & Tampering with Physical Evidence. On July 8, 2023, Loup pulled up at 4 Filmore Avenue in Endicott where Aaron LeGare, and others were playing cards, LaGare approached Loup’s vehicle, an argument ensued & Loup shot LaGare in the chest & fled the scene.

28 year old Erin Hubbell of Margaretville, appeared in Delaware County Court this week & she pleaded guilty to Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance. Hubbell admitted to possessing over 500 milligrams of cocaine on January 8th in the Town of Roxbury, she faces up to 2 ½ years in state prison, Sentencing is set for June 17th.

A.M. NEWS FRIDAY 4-18-25

62 year old William Evans of the Bronx appeared in Delaware County Court this week & was sentenced to state prison for Possession of a Forged Instrument. On December 26, 2023, State Police were dispatched to a Delaware County bank, where 2 individuals had attempted to cash washed checks using a stolen identity, multiple attempts to use the stolen identity to cash checks had been made at other banks, security footage determined that 1 of the suspects was Evans. Last September, a Delaware County Grand Jury indicted Evans, he pleaded guilty to the Forged Instrument charge, he will serve 1 to 3 years in prison.

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The 2025 Daffodil Jazz Brunch will be held on April 19th to benefit Helios Care, at the home of Tom Morgan and Erna McReynolds, Otego Road, Franklin, Helios Care Spokesperson Kathryn Dailey explains:

(Kathryn Dailey 4-18-25)

More information about this & other fundraisers & programs can be found at helioscare.org.

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New York State Police announced the line-of-duty death of a retired investigator who was assigned to the World Trade Center site following the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001 On April 12, Investigator Thomas Herrick died from an illness resulting from that assignment at the Twin Towers site, Herrick served the police department for 26 years, retiring on Aug. 19, 2009.

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P.M. NEWS FRIDAY 4-11-25

Commerce Chenango announced that they will hold their 3rd Annual Hiring Event on May 16th from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM at the Unadilla Valley High School. Commerce Chenango Spokesperson Sophia Root explains:

(Sophia Root 4-11-25)

Business or organizations that are interested in participating on May 16th can sign up at commercechenango.com or call (607) 334-1400.

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The New York Theatre Ballet will present their "Once Upon A Ballet" series at the Chenango Arts Council's Martin W. Kappel Theater in Norwich Saturday night, spokesperson Mary Beth Miller explains:

(MARY BETH MILLER 4-11-25)

The ballet will be at 7:00 PM Saturday night, more information about this and other performances are available at chenangoarts.org

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Delaware County Public Health is scheduling Rabies vaccination clinics, following the recent report of the first rabid animal of the year in Masonville last week. The next clinic will be held in Sidney on May 5, from 5:30PM-7:30PM, at the Sidney Fire Hall at 74 River Street. More information about rabies can be found at delawarecountypublichealth.com

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State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli's auditors found that New York state bought hundreds of millions of dollars' worth of medical equipment at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, that now sits unused in storage facilities. To compete for the purchase of the medical equipment at the start of the pandemic, Then Governor Cuomo took emergency steps to accelerate the procurement process, inconsistent with Office of General Services guidance. DiNapoli's auditors determined the state paid $452.8 million to purchase 247,343 Medical items & machines, only 324 of those items were distributed, the audit recommends that the state distribute the items to hospitals & medical providers who may be able to use them, and stop paying for excessive storage fees for those items.

A.M. NEWS FRIDAY 4-11-25

Registration for the 4th annual Nate Lull Scholarship Golf Tournament is now underway, for the tournaments to be held at the Ouleout Creek Golf Course in Franklin, Lull told WCDO news that interested golfers should sign up as soon as possible:

(Nate Lull 4-11-25)

Golfers can go to Nate Lull.com, click on the golf tournament banner on the homepage. All proceeds go to Nate’s scholarship, which has handed out just under $50-thousand dollars in its first 3 years, including money going to the Class of 2025.

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A Citizen Preparedness Training Event will be held on Monday, April 28th in Margaretville at the Town Hall, hosted by Delaware County Public Health, with representatives from the New York National Guard & The State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services. Isabella Ziolkowski of Delaware County Public Health explains:

(Isabella Ziolkowski 4-11-24)

This event is free and open to the public, they can register by calling 607-832-5200, Ziolkowski said that they are planning to do additional training events in Walton & Sidney as soon as possible.

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New York State residents are reminded to learn about the different types of driver’s licenses, available through the Department of Motor Vehicles. A REAL ID will be required for domestic air travel and access to certain federal buildings starting May 7th, an Enhanced Driver's License serves as a REAL ID compliant document that allows for land and sea travel to Canada, Mexico, and Caribbean without the need for a passport. A Standard License is still available but can’t be used for domestic air travel or entry into certain federal buildings after May 7th. For more information, visit your local DMV office or visit DMV.NY.gov.

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The Chenango County Historical Society will host an unveiling of the recently refurbished “special edition” marker at Rogers Environmental Education Center at 10:45 am. on April 25. the “Game Farm” plaque is situated roadside along Route 80 in the town of Sherburne. The unveiling is being held on National Historic Marker Day to honor the New York State Department of Transportation sign crew who refurbished the sign, for more information, go to ChenangoHistorical.org.

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“MASONVILLE CONNECTS” will hold an Easter Egg Hunt at the old Masonville school building this Sunday at 1:00 pm for area children. More information about this & future Masonville Connects events can be found at their Facebook Page.

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P.M. NEWS MONDAY 3-10-25

State Troopers will be out in full force with the St. Patrick's Day celebrations coming up later this month. The STOP-DWI campaign will kick off Thursday, March 13 and last until Tuesday, March 18. St. Patrick's Day is on Monday, March 17th this year. In 2024, the troopers ran their St. Patrick's Day campaign from March 15th through March 17th. In that time, troopers issued over 5,500 tickets during that time. State Troopers also made 132 arrests for DWI infractions and they also investigated 199 crashes during that weekend.

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Wildfires have been reported on Long island, as well as another in the Adirondacks, the State's annual Burn Ban will start on March 16th & will run through Mid May. The DEC reports that the Open burning of debris is the single-largest cause of spring wildfires in New York State. When temperatures warm and the past fall's debris and leaves dry out, wildfires can start and spread easily, further fueled by winds and a lack of green vegetation.

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The State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision announced an agreement between the department and the union representing thousands of corrections officers who have been on strike state-wide for 20 days. Staff were expected to return to work today, The details of the agreement were not disclosed.

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March is Maple Month in New York State, with special Maple related events scheduled state wide throughout the month. Maple Weekends are scheduled for March 22-23 and March 29-30 New York State Ranks Second to Vermont in Maple Production, which increased to 846,000 Gallons in 2024, Up Nearly 100,000 Gallons from 2023 Season

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Former Major League Manager Buck Showalter, who managed both the Yankees & the Mets, was announced as the keynote speaker at the 10th Greater Binghamton Sports Hall of Fame Induction Class. Showalter was a four-time Manager of the Year in MLB, The Hall of Fame ceremony is set for April 28 at the Double Tree Hotel in Binghamton.

A.M. NEWS MONDAY 3-10-25

Attorney General Letitia James and a coalition of 7 other attorneys general filed a lawsuit Friday against the U.S. Department of Education for unlawfully canceling teacher pipeline grant programs that were authorized by Congress. The Teacher Quality Partnership and Supporting Effective Educator Development grant programs, which creates a new teacher pipeline to fill positions in hard-to-staff schools in rural and urban areas, helping hundreds of teachers-in-training to graduate and fill positions in schools experiencing teacher shortages.

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State Police at Deposit responded Thursday to a fatal crash in the 4100 block of State Route 26 in the town of Nanticoke. Troopers, Maine Ambulance and Glen Aubrey Fire Department found that a Ford pick-up that had crashed, with the driver pinned underneath the tire. It was determined that the driver was already deceased by the time the first responders arrived. The driver is identified as 22 year old Sethe Menta of Lisle, Members of the Bureau of Criminal Investigation and the Collision Reconstruction Unit also responded to the scene.

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Walton Fire Department responded Sunday afternoon to a structure fire in the Town of Walton. The call came in as a chimney fire with the homeowner concerned that it had extended into the wall behind the wood stove as there was black smoke and the sound of fire within the walls. At 4:45 pm the homeowner reported seeing flames upstairs and was unsure if it was coming from walls or chimney. Sidney Center and Trout Creek departments were moved from their station to the scene and Franklin Fire Dept was requested for a tanker. By 5:17 the fire was reported under control with units checking for extension and doing overhaul work. No injuries were reported.

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P.M. NEWS FRIDAY 2-7-25

A Winter Storm Watch is in effect Saturday night, local meteorologist Rich Townsend explains:

(Rich Townsend 2-7-25)

We will have the complete tri-county forecast at the end of this news cast.

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The Norwich Police Department, the Norwich City School District and the Vestal Police Department have teamed up to bring interested Norwich High School Students to the Youth Police Academy in Vestal this summer, Norwich Police Department School Resource Officer Nicholas Moody explains:

(Nicholas Moody 2-7-25)

Officer Moody said that the Norwich City School District will provide daily transportation for the students to attend this training. Students interested should sen an email to nmooney@norwichpd.org and ask for an application.

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The Norwich High School Hall of Distinction Committee announced the 2025 induction ceremony will be on Labor Day Weekend, coinciding with Alumni Weekend, they will recognize and commemorate alumni of Norwich High Schools who have made outstanding contributions, according to spokesman Anthony Testani:

(Anthony Testani 2-7-25)

The Hall of Distinction committee is currently taking applications for the 2nd induction class they can be sent by email to rturnbull@norwichcsd.org, the deadline is May 31, 2025.

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27 year old Alison Ward of Randolph, New Jersey appeared in the Town of Colchester and pleaded guilty to Driving While Intoxicated, Ward was sentenced to a 1-year conditional discharge, she will have to attend a Victim Impact Panel, complete an Impaired Driver Program, her license was revoked for 6 months, and an ignition interlock device will have to be installed on any vehicle she drives for a minimum of one year, if she violates the terms she could be re-sentenced to 1 year in jail. On July 14, 2023, Ward was pulled over by Town of Colchester Police after she crossed the double yellow line on State Highway 206, nearly striking a pickup truck head on, she failed Field Sobriety Tests at the scene.

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A.M. NEWS FRIDAY 2-7-25

State Police & Local Law Enforcement agencies will be out this weekend, for their annual Super Bowl patrols. Police will be looking for drunk and impaired drivers, distracted drivers as well as aggressive drivers. During the 2024 Super Bowl weekend campaign, law enforcement officers arrested 262 people for impaired driving and issued 8,388 total tickets.

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Another Red Cross Blood Drive is being held today at the Franklin Fire Department from 12:30 PM TO 5:30PM. Appointments can be made at redcrossblood.org, by calling 1-800-redcross or using the Blood Donor App.

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The Community Cultural Center in Sidney will have their next Comedy Night tonight with 2 comedians scheduled to perform, according to spokesperson Amy Williams:

(AMY WILLIAMS 2-7-25)

Tickets are available at the door, more information is available at the Community Cultural Center Facebook page.

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THE JERICHO ARTS COUNCIL will host Blues & Rock Band BLUE TONIC, Saturday Night at the Bainbridge Town Hall Theatre, at 7:00 PM, Council Spokesman Phil Wade explains:

(Phil Wade 2-7-25)

In the Gallery will be the works of SCOTT HIGBEE. Tickets can be reserved at (607) 288-3882

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