WCDO Radio News

An Otsego County Grand Jury has indicted Dylan Robinson,
Alexander Borgreen, Anais Soto and Nicolas Meridy for the murder of 53 year old
Kenneth Robinson inside his Worcester home in October.  The 4 have been charged with 2nd degree
Murder, Burglary and Attempted Robbery for breaking into the Robinson house in
Worcester to allegedly steal marijuana and cash & Dylan Robinson allegedly
shot his father in the chest and the head, Robinson, Meridy and Borgreen are
also accused of setting the house on fire, all four will be arraigned on the
Grand Jury counts shortly.

Governor Cuomo announced a statewide holiday drive to
benefit families in need across New York. Donations of new unwrapped toys,
coats and school supplies are being sought to assist community-based
organizations during the holiday giving season.
The Office of General Services has set up drop-off locations which will
be collecting donations from Monday, November 25 through Friday, December 13;
area locations include the Binghamton State Office Building, 44 Hawley Street
& the Homer Folks Facility, 28 Hill Street Oneonta.

A 2nd New York State resident has died as a result of
vaping.  The State Department of Health
reported a Manhattan man in his 30s died from causes related to vaping. The man
is said to have had a history if using vape and e-cigarette products, the
investigation is ongoing.

The State Labor Department announced that unemployment was
at 4% for October state wide.  Locally,
Chenango County had 3.7%, Delaware County 4% and Otsego County 3.7% in October.

On Friday, Members of the Broome County Special
Investigations Unit Task Force executed a narcotics search warrant at 132 Main
St in the City of Binghamton. Investigators recovered: approximately an ounce
of Crystal Methamphetamine, drug packaging materials and approximately $5,000
in suspected drug sale proceeds.
Investigators charged Timothy Bell and Stephanie Starks on numerous drug
charges, they were held at the Binghamton Police Department awaiting
arraignment in Binghamton City Court. Starks is additionally being held on a
Petit Larceny Warrant out of the Village of Johnson City.

The State Health Department reports that people should be
getting their flu shots soon, as we are entering the start of the traditional
flu season.  There have been 187 flu
cases reported statewide, 100 of them last week, there were no cases reported
in the tri-county region, and 1 in Broome County so far.

The Homer Fire Department reported that one of their firefighters
died following a department training session Saturday.  Fire Fighter Robert Bush reported feeling ill
at a training session, fellow fire department members initiated emergency
medical assistance, and he was brought him to a local hospital where he was
pronounced dead.

At approximately 7:35 p.m. on
Tuesday evening, Delaware County Sheriff's Deputies and Emergency Crews
responded to a tractor trailer roll-over accident, with entrapment, on State
Highway 10 in Town of Hamden.   The tractor
trailer had struck and severed a utility pole, bringing power lines down on the
overturned truck. The driver of the truck, 77 year old James Updyke of Homer
was pronounced dead at the scene.  The
highway was closed down for several hours for the investigation & clean up;
it was re-opened for traffic Wednesday morning.
Investigators determined that Updyke failed to negotiate a curve in the
roadway, crossed the roadway and ran off the southbound shoulder where the
truck struck a utility pole and tree and overturned.  The cause of the accident remains pending
upon the completion of an autopsy.

Governor Cuomo has directed the
State Police & The State Education Department to launch an investigation
into the allegations that 12-year-old girls were strip searched for drugs at
the Binghamton middle school recently.
Cuomo said that the girls were strip searched as they were perceived as
“'hyper and giddy” and it raises concerns of racial and gender bias.

Franklin Fire Fighters along
with assistance from firefighters Sidney Center, trout Creek & Treadwell
responded to a structure fire to an unoccupied farm house at 6402 County
Highway 21 at about 1:30 AM Tuesday.  The
building had been in the process of being renovated, it was listed as a total
loss; the cause of the fire was under investigation.

State Police received a report Monday that 30 year old
Nicholas Philhower had taken his mother’s vehicle without permission and she
requested he be located and arrested.
Trooper Timothy Conklin observed the suspect vehicle on State Route 17
in the Town of Kirkwood,  Philhower took
evasive action, traveling through the median and then onto State Route 17 east
bound, coming to a stop shortly thereafter.
Philhower was armed with a military style semi-automatic rifle,
immediately opened fire on Trooper Conklin through the rear window of the
vehicle.  Trooper Conklin returned fire
through the windshield of his troop car as Philhower exited his vehicle and
continued to advance and fire upon the trooper.
Trooper Conklin was able to reload, exit the troop car and continue to
exchange fire.   Philhower was struck
several times and died at the scene.
Trooper Conklin sustained a minor shrapnel injury to his upper right arm
and was taken to Wilson Hospital in Johnson City where he was treated and
released.  An autopsy on Philhower will
be performed today at Lourdes Hospital.
The investigation is on-going.