WCDO Radio News

Oneonta Police arrested 20-year-old Julian Vancourt-Weis of Schenectady, on charges of 1st degree attempted murder, 1st degree assault, and criminal possession of a weapon. Oneonta Police responded late Friday night to the report of a domestic dispute at 30 Maple Street, the victim was taken to Albany Medical center with stab wounds to the face, neck, shoulder & arms, she was subsequently released from the Hospital Saturday night. Vancourt-Weis was arraigned & was sent to the Otsego County Jail without bail pending future court action.

The State Department of Health announced the filing of regulations for adoption that will improve the state's Medical Marijuana Program for patients, practitioners and registered organizations. These regulations allow for the sale of additional medical marijuana products and the ability for the Department to approve new courses that will allow prospective practitioners to complete their training in a shorter amount of time. The regulations also streamline the manufacturing requirements for medical marijuana products. There are 38,642 certified patients and 1,358 registered practitioners participating in the program.

Governor Cuomo signed 5 bills Saturday on Veteran's day, to support the Veterans living in New York:

(Cuomo 11-13-17)

There are 770,000 veterans in New York State, 28 of the 29 states with medical marijuana programs will now allow patients with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder to qualify. Other bills signed Saturday include Providing combat veterans employed by the State with additional days of paid leave to obtain health services, counseling and access to other benefits & Waiving the civil service examination fee for veterans who were honorably discharged;

23-year-old Edward Ferrall of Lynbrook Long Island was arrested early Saturday morning by Oneonta police, for 1st degree assault, criminal possession of a weapon, tampering with physical evidence, menacing and resisting arrest. Oneonta Police responded to 236 Main Street at about 2:25 AM, Police found the victim of a Head Injury, who was taken to Fox Hospital, and was transferred to Albany Medical Center. Ferrall was arraigned in Oneonta City Court and released on $5,000 bail, the investigation is ongoing.

The State Police Campus Sexual Assault Victims Unit is hosting its 2nd annual Campus Sexual Assault Seminar this week in Albany. More than 270 participants registered for the seminar, which continues through tomorrow at the State Police Academy on the in Albany. The stakeholders attending the conference include members of the law enforcement community, campus public safety officials, campus administrators, faculty and staff, victim advocates, medical professionals, prosecutors and attorneys.

Delaware County Sheriff's Office and the State Police conducted an enhanced traffic enforcement detail Friday in Stamford & Walton. 53 traffic summonses were issued and resulted in 8 arrests for Unlawful Possession of Marijuana; 2 possession of alcohol by a person under 21; 2 possession of an open alcoholic beverage container, plus Driving While Ability Impaired by Drugs; Criminal Possession of Marijuana; criminal possession of a forged instrument; Aggravated Unlicensed Operation of a Motor Vehicle.

Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 19-year-old Jack Oflynn of Pearl River for unlawful possession of marijuana and driving while ability impaired by drugs following a traffic stop on Main Street in the Village of Delhi. The defendant was additionally charged with operating with an out headlight, failure to keep right, and was released on tickets returnable to Delhi Town Court at a later date.

Delaware County Sheriff’s Department Investigators and County Probation Officers searched a residence in the Town of Davenport in June, which resulted in the seizure of Marijuana, allegedly belonging to 20-year-old Rumael Soler, who was not home at the time. The Town of Davenport Court issued an Arrest Warrant for Soler, who was arrested Tuesday when he appeared in town of Davenport Court on an unrelated matter. Soler was charged with Criminal Possession of Marijuana, & Harassment in connection with a separate incident. Soler was arraigned in the Town of Davenport Court on both charges, and released on his own recognizance, to re-appear in that Court at a later time.

Delaware County Sheriff’s Department Investigators and K-9 Ozzie assisted Delaware County Probation Officers with the search of a residence in Walton Monday. 18-year-old Dylan Campbell, who is currently on probation, was arrested, and charged with Unlawful Possession of Marijuana, & Violation of Probation. Campbell was arraigned and was remanded to the Delaware County Jail without bail, he will appear in the Village of Walton Court at a later time.

The Tri Town Regional Hospital's 3rd Annual Health Fair will be held this Saturday at Keith Clark Park in Sidney, spokesperson Amy Beveridge explains:

(Amy Beveridge 9-13-17)

The event will run from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM, and was made possible by area sponsors including Amphenol, Cooperstown Medical Transport, SFCU, The Sidney Alumni Association & Tieco Ty-ups of Unadilla.

The State Health Department revealed some of the changes that are coming to the Medical Marijuana program. New regulations will allow for marijuana to be distributed to patients by certified physicians, in chewable & effervescent tablets, lozenges plus topical Ointments, lotions & patches. Smokable Marijuana is not allowed in the state program, the new regulations take effect next month.

The State Department of Health today announced a new set of regulations that will for the state's Medical Marijuana Program. The new regulations will allow for the sale of additional medical marijuana products and the addition of new courses that will allow prospective practitioners to complete their training in a shorter amount of time. There were 26,561 certified patients and 1,155 registered practitioners participating in the program. More information is available at health.ny.gov/regulations/medical_marijuana/.

State Police responded to a 2 vehicle crash on State Route 7 in the town of Unadilla. An investigation determined that 92 year old Joseph Norton of Sidney was driving a Chevrolet Impala, eastbound on State Route 7 when he entered a sharp curve in the roadway and drifted into the westbound lane & struck a dump truck driven by 38 year old Jeffrey Haynes of Sidney head on. Norton was deceased at the scene. Haynes was airlifted to Albany Medical Center and was listed in critical condition. Haynes passenger, 40 year old Jackie Ryan of Mt. Upton was transported to Wilson Hospital and is in stable condition. An autopsy will be conducted at Lourdes hospital, the investigation is ongoing.

27-year-old Kyle Ives of Oneonta was charged with reckless endangerment, unlawfully fleeing police in a motor vehicle, resisting arrest, reckless driving, aggravated unlicensed operation and unlawful possession of marijuana, Monday following a high-speed car chase from Oneonta to Milford. Oneonta Police had stopped Ives on Spruce Street; Ives fled, and was chased by police onto I-88, the pursuit ended when Ives crashed into Guide rails on Otsego County route 44 in Milford. Ives was taken to Bassett Hospital, there were no other injuries or vehicles involved.

Delaware County Sheriff's Deputies arrested 27-year-old Frank Mastrorocco and 23-year-old Misty Jackson on of Walton drug possession charges last Thursday afternoon, July 27. Both were charged with Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance (heroin) and Criminally Possessing a Hypodermic Instrument. Jackson was also charged with Unlawful Possession of Marijuana. Mastrorocco was under the supervision of the New York State Division of Parole, & was arrested on a Parole Revocation Warrant. Mastrorocco and Jackson were arraigned & were remanded to the Delaware County Correctional Facility in lieu of $2,000.00 cash bail pending further action by the Village of Walton Court.

State police responded to the report of an accident in Morris to a man cutting a tree Friday. 39-year-old Bradley Jones was cutting down a tree, when a section struck him, and sent him down onto a bulldozer; he suffered a head injury & was airlifted to Upstate Medical center in Syracuse with non-life Threatening injuries.

A Canadian man suffered injuries & was charged with DWI, following an MVA in the town of Andes late Saturday night. 49-year-old Daniel Catherine of Montreal is accused of being intoxicated when he crashed into a deer on State Route 28, State Police also discovered Marijuana in the vehicle. Catherine was taken to Margaretville Hospital; he was charged with DWI & unlawful possession of marijuana, he will appear in Andes Town Court at a later date.

On Saturday Night, Binghamton Police responded to Mygatt Street for a report of shots-fired. Binghamton Police K9 units located a loaded .40 caliber handgun under the porch steps of 22 Mygatt Street, Police arrested 24 year old Trevor Hawkins for Criminal Possession of a Weapon, Tampering with Physical Evidence, Reckless Endangerment, Unlawful Possession of Marijuana, Discharging a Firearm in the City, and no injuries were reported.

Both houses of the New York State Legislature have approved a bill that would expand eligibility for medical marijuana to include people undergoing treatment for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD. The bill is waiting for Governor Cuomo's signature.

Sidney village police arrested 40-year-old Steven Spencer of Bainbridge for criminal possession of methamphetamine manufacturing material & unlawful possession of marijuana. The arrested followed a traffic stop on Main Street in Sidney last week, where Spencer was a passenger in the stopped vehicle with meth manufacturing materials. Spencer was arraigned and was remanded to the Delaware county jail on $1500 cash bail pending future court action.

The State Department of Health today announced several new enhancements to the state’s Medical Marijuana Program. Changes increased the number of certified patients to the program, since the addition of chronic pain as a qualifying condition. The enhancements will streamline and simplify the registration process for practitioners, making it easier to certify patients for the medical marijuana program. There are 1,066 registered practitioners in New York’s Medical Marijuana Program, Nurse practitioners and physician assistants were certified & now make up more than 10% of the registered practitioners in the program.

A bipartisan proposal to add post-traumatic stress disorder as a qualifying condition for New York's medical marijuana program has received final approval from state lawmakers and is headed to the desk of Governor Cuomo. 26 of the 29 states with medical marijuana programs allow patients with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder to qualify.

New York's highest court; The Court of Appeals will hear arguments over whether state statutes and its constitution provide room for physicians to legally prescribe medications to help terminally ill, mentally competent people end their own lives, if the patients choose. The action is being brought by 3 people who say they may face questions on whether to seek end-of-life medical assistance, as well as four physicians and a PhD nurse from End of Life Choices New York. 5 states have legalized a role for physicians to aid in patient suicides; they are Oregon, Colorado, Washington, California and Vermont.

Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 34 year old Cherie Ebert of East Branch on numerous charges stemming from a report of an underage house party on May 20th in the Town of Hancock where alcoholic beverages and illegal drugs were alleged to have been used and consumed by minors. Deputies charged Ebert with 15 counts of unlawfully dealing with a child, criminal nuisance, and 2 counts of endangering the welfare of a child, A 16 year old was also arrested and released on an appearance ticket for unlawful possession of marijuana. Ebert was arraigned & was remanded to the Delaware County Jail on $500 bail.

Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 25 year old Steven Smith Jr. of Franklin Friday, for DWI, driving while ability impaired by drugs, failure to keep right, making an unsafe lane change, unlawful possession of marijuana, and criminal possession of a controlled substance. The arrest followed a 1-car accident on State Highway 357 in the Town of Franklin. Smith was later released on tickets returnable to Franklin Town Court at a later date.

The State Assembly Has approved a measure to allow Post Traumatic Stress Disorder to the list of approved ailments where doctors can prescribe medical Marijuana for treatment. Current law only allows for medical marijuana to be used by those suffering from cancer of Lou Gehrig's disease, the bill now moves on to the State Senate for consideration.

The New York State Department of Health today announced several enhancements to the state’s Medical Marijuana Program that will improve patient access. The measures include authorizing physician assistants to certify patients and adding chronic pain as a qualifying condition. More information about New York’s Medical Marijuana Program is available at health.ny.gov/regulations/medical_marijuana.