WCDO Radio News

The Delaware county sheriff’s Deputies arrested 29 year old Patrick Ladd and 30 year old Walter Lewis of Pennsylvania, after the two men allegedly sold 73 bags of Heroin to a confidential informant under the supervision of the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office. The drug deal and subsequent arrest took place in the parking lot of the Downsville Country Store Friday; Both men were charged with one count each of Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree and Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree. Both men were arraigned at the
Town of Colchester Court and remanded to the Delaware County Correctional Facility in lieu of $100,000.00 cash bail each.

The State Health Department announced that influenza is widespread, with laboratory confirmed cases in 52 counties.  The State Health Department recommends that everyone six months of age or older receive a flu vaccination. Children under six months cannot get a flu vaccination. Flu season generally runs from October through May. Over the last four years, there have been a total of 34 pediatric flu deaths in New York State and an average of more than 4,400 flu-related hospitalizations a year.  Additional information is available at the State Health Department web page at health.ny.gov (http://www.health.ny.gov/diseases/communicable/influenza/seasonal/).

The United Way of Delaware/Otsego Counties will be distributing the final donations made to the Hurricane Irene/Tropical Storm Lee at the Delaware County Board of Representatives meeting Wednesday in Delhi. The United Way collected $112,500 with 51% of this being designated to assist Delaware County needs.  Organizations that will be receiving funding are the Delaware County Department of Social Services, Watershed Agriculture Council & the fire departments in Sidney Center, Trout Creek, Masonville & Franklin.

The Delaware Valley Humane Society is asking for a few donations, as the weather has turned colder. The shelter is looking for donations of old bedding to keep the animals warm, as well as canned or dry dog & cat food, at the shelter on east Main Street in Sidney.

The Otsego County Board of Representatives passed their 2013 budget plan Wednesday in Cooperstown. County residents will see a 1.97% tax increase, just under the state 2% Cap. 8 county positions will be eliminated from the health department, highway department & office for the aging. The Otsego county budget goes into effect January 1st.

State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman announced a settlement with insurer Excellus Bluecross Blueshield, which will require that they pay out refunds to patients and health care providers who overpaid due to improper accounting of deductibles. Excellus has so far made repayments totaling $3.1 million dollars, they had reported accounting errors affecting 12,000 customers processed after Sept. 1st. 2011, software glitches have been repaired.

Delaware County Solid Waste Management announced that their center in Walton would be closed Christmas day and New Year’s Day in the coming weeks. After the Christmas holiday, the center will accept trees, boxes & wrapping paper for recycling, at the solid waste center on state route 10 in Walton. More information is available at 865-5805.

The Delaware County Board of Supervisors this week approved a $96.6 million budget for 2013. The spending plan will raise taxes about 3.9 percent, after the county recently got approval to go over the 2% state-spending cap instituted by the Cuomo administration last year.

The number of infections acquired by patients while in New York hospitals has declined since 2007,according to a new report issued by the State Department of Health. The report found that since 2007, the rate of central-line associated blood stream infections fell 41% and rates of surgical site infections fell 13%. The full report is available on the DOH web site at health.ny.gov/statistics

Governor Andrew Cuomo stated today that a health study of shale gas drilling would make it impossible to meet this month’s deadline for new regulations on Hydraulic fracturing. The governor said that the decision on the issue would likely be pushed back into 2013. The DEC has been charged with an environmental impact study and has been drafting new regulations for 4 years, stopping drilling since 2008. The deadline for finalizing regulations was scheduled to be November 29th.

Delaware County Sheriff Deputy’s arrested Mitchell Wright of Walton on One Count of Trespassing. Wright was issued an appearance ticket and is scheduled to appear in the Town of Walton Court on December 12th to answer the charge.

The Delaware County Sheriffs Department arrested Zoe Larson of Stamford on charge of 2nd degree Aggravated Harassment. Larson was released to appear on November 26th in the Town of Harpersfield Court to answer to the charges.

UPDATES FOR TUESDAY 10/30

STATE FARM... 24 HR HOTLINE.... 1-800-SF CLAIM

SIDNEY MEMORIAL PUBLIC LIBRARY AND THE LIBRARY IN MASONVILLE WILL OPEN AT 11AM TODAY

AMPHENOL CONTINUES TO BE OPEN AND OPERATING AS USUAL

NBT IN SIDNEY OPEN NORMAL HOURS

BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB IN SIDNEY CLOSED TODAY

ALL OFFICES OF DELAWARE OPPORTUNITIES CLOSED... NO SR. MEALS OR HEADSTART

BUTLER AUTO SALES IN SIDNEY CLOSED

WASTE RECOVERY... NO TUESDAY TRASH PICK-UP. REGULAR TUESDAY ROUTE POSTPONED UNTIL WEDNESDAY

LAING TRUCKING NO PICK-UP TODAY

FRIESLAND CAMPINA CLOSED AND WILL RE-OPEN 7AM WEDNESDAY

ACCO BRANDS WILL RE-OPEN AT 10:30AM

CULLMAN CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTER WILL RE-OPEN AT 10AM

SECTION IV ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION MEETINGS, ACTIVITIES AND GAMES POSTPONED. CHECK sectionivathletics.com FOR UPDATED INFORMATION

SFCU BRANCHES WILL OPEN AT NOON

SIDNEY MCDONALDS WILL OPEN AT 8AM IF THEY HAVE POWER

SIDNEY VILLAGE AND TOWN COURT- CLOSED

MASONVILLE TOWN COURT- CLOSED

SCOVILLE-MENO IN SIDNEY CLOSED

PLANNED PARENTHOOD HEALTH CENTERS  IN SIDNEY, WALTON, ONEONTA, NORWICH AND BINGHAMTON ARE CLOSED.

ARC OF DELAWARE COUNTY- CLOSED

DELAWARE COUNTY GOVERNMENTAL OFFICES CLOSED FOR NON-ESSENTIAL STAFF

LINCARE IN ONEONTA..... IF YOU ARE WITHOUT POWER AND AN OXYGEN PATIENT AND YOUR BACK-UP IS RUNNING LOW, CALL 1-800-365-4006