WCDO Radio News

P.M. NEWS TUESDAY 6-2-26

Magic City Productions announced that "Happy Together" tour of oldies acts coming to Binghamton in July, Promoter Stu Green explains:

(Stu Green 6-2-26)

Tickets go on sale Friday Morning at 10:00 AM at Ticketmaster.com or at the Mirabito Box Office at the Visions Veterans Memorial Arena in Binghamton, the show will be on July 29th.

Butternut Valley Alliance announced the schedule for On the Trail of Art, to be held June 13-14 at General Jacob Morris State Forest. The exhibition will be open Saturday from 11 am. to 6 pm. and Sunday from 10 am. to 4 pm. An opening reception will be held Friday, June 12, from 6 to 8 pm. at Dunderberg Gallery in Gilbertsville. Attendance is free, but reservations for an admission time are encouraged and can be made at Eventbrite. On the Trail of Art features work by student artists from Edmeston, Gilbertsville-Mount Upton, Morris, and Laurens Central schools alongside local artists with deep ties to the Butternut Valley.

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced $82.2 million has been awarded through the New York State Council on the Arts’ Capital Projects Fund to support 132 projects in every region of the state. This investment in non-profit arts and cultural organizations across New York supports crucial building renovations, accessibility improvements and new spaces for creative and cultural work. Awards were given in all 10 regions of New York State, with 77 percent of the grants awarded to organizations with budgets under $3 million. A Mid-Sized Capital Improvement Grants was awarded to the Chenango County Historical Society to help replace the building’s roof with a new, historically accurate slate roof.

The State DEC announced the return of the First-Time Camper Program for the 2026 season, which makes trying camping easy by providing a turnkey camping experience for New Yorkers, State residents may enter the First-Time Camper lottery at surveymonkey.com until June 12th For more information on DEC-operated campgrounds, including a list of campgrounds and schedules, visit DEC's website at dec.ny.gov and go to the camping link under the Outdoor Recreation section,

A.M. NEWS TUESDAY 6-2-26

The Chenango County Historical Society and the Chenango County Historian’s Office are collaborating on this summer’s “Turtle Island” festival, on July 5th in Norwich, which is a celebration of America's 250th anniversary, Featuring “America’s Potluck”, Chenango County Historical Society Executive Director Jessica Moquin explains:

(Jessica Moquin 6-2-26)

Interested community members are invited to the next community dialogue from 6:00 to7:30 pm. at the Chenango County Fairgrounds, the festival is scheduled to take place from 4 to 8 pm. on July 5 at the Chenango County Fairgrounds. For More information, go to ChenangoHistorical.org or unicycleproductionsllc.com.

Governor Hochul announced that $6 million in State support included in the recently passed budget, will allow for the Binghamton Rumble Ponies to commit to a five-year lease extension at Mirabito Stadium. The new deal will see the team remain in Binghamton through the 2035 season, state money will be used for stadium improvements, it will be complemented by $1.2 million in City and team investments, and $12 million in planned City and federal investments for the stadium district enhancements.

A.M. NEWS Friday 12-26-25

A Winter Storm Warning is in effect through 7:00 AM tomorrow Morning, Local Meteorologist Rich Townsend comments:

(Rich Townsend 12-26-25)

We'll have the complete WCDO forecast at the end of this news cast.

The "Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over" campaign continues through January 1st. The campaign includes DWI checkpoints and patrols, with officers also monitoring for speeding, distracted driving and violations of the Move Over Law. Last year, Law Enforcement issued 129,686 tickets statewide. Also, Temporary lane closures for road and bridge projects on State highways will be suspended through Monday morning, and will start again at 6:00 AM on Wednesday, December 31 to Monday morning January 5th.

Otsego County Sheriff's Office arrested 57 year old Gregory Haggerty of South New Berlin, for DWI, Operating a Motor Vehicle with a BAC of .08 or higher, Aggravated Unlicensed Operation, Failure to Keep Right & several other charges, following a reported accident in the Town of Morris. Haggerty fled the scene on foot, Deputies located the vehicle down an embankment off of State Highway 23 and Wells Rd. Haggerty was located down the road and found to be intoxicated by alcohol, he was taken to the Sheriff’s Office for arrest processing & was released on appearance tickets for the Town of Morris Court at a later date.

The New York Lottery announced 2 second-prize-winning tickets were sold for the December 24th Powerball drawing, 1 ticket was sold at Smiley's on West Main Street in Sidney & another in Lindenhurst, worth $1,000,000. The Powerball drawing is televised every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday at 10:59 pm. 1 ticket sold in Arkansas that matched all six numbers, for a prize of $1.8 billion dollars, which ranks as the 2nd-largest U.S. lottery jackpot ever won.

P.M. NEWS WEDNESDAY 8-14-24

Delaware County has received confirmation from the New York State Department of Financial Services that they will deploy staff to man a one-day resource center to assist Delaware County residents impacted by the storms on August 9th, this Saturday August 17, from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM at the Public Safety Building located at 280 Phoebe Lane in Delhi, Shelly Johnson Bennett of the Delaware County Planning Department told WCDO News what those who have had damage should bring:

(Shelly Johnson Bennett 8-14-24)

In addition to the resource center, residents and business owners can contact the Department's Disaster Hotline at 800-339-1759, the hotline will have extended evening hours until 8:00 PM through this Friday night. Additional information can be found at dfs.ny.gov/consumer/home_resources., for flood insurance information, contact FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program at (800) 621-3362 or floodsmart.gov.

The National Weather Service has now confirmed a record setting 28 tornadoes hit New York State this year, following a tornado confirmation in St. Lawrence County over the past weekend. the previous record was 25 in 1992, more than 20 of the tornadoes touched down in the month of July.

The State Department of Transportation is advising motorists that the ramp from westbound Interstate 86/State Route 17 to southbound Interstate 81 at Exit 2 in Kirkwood, will be closed on weekday mornings for approximately one week to facilitate an ongoing bridge rehabilitation project. Motorists are advised to follow the posted detours, Motorists are urged to slow down and drive responsibly in work zones. For more information, visit 511NY.org or download the free 511NY mobile app.

41 year old Rasheed Crawford of Binghamton pleaded guilty to 2 counts of Robbery in Broome County Court. On April 8th, at the Mirabito Service Station on Court Street in Binghamton, and on April 10th, at EZ Food Mart on East Main Street in Endicott, Crawford forcibly stole lottery tickets and cash from store clerks while brandishing what looked like a handgun. Crawford is scheduled to be sentenced on November 8th, to 8 years in State Prison followed by three years of post-release supervision.

P.M. NEWS TUESDAY 12-5-23

State Police & Emergency personnel responded to a truck accident on I-88 in Schenectady County at about 3:00 AM this morning. A truck carrying compressed natural gas went off of the roadway, area residents were briefly evacuated, the unidentified driver was taken to an area hospital with serious injuries, the cause of the accident is under investigation.

The New York Lottery today announced 4 3rd-prize-winning tickets were sold for the December 4 Powerball drawing. 1 of the winning tickets was sold at the Stewart's Shop in Cooperstown, the ticket is worth $50,000. The Powerball drawing is televised every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday at 10:59 pm.

Congressman Marc Molinaro is pushing the U.S. Department of Agriculture to address the milk carton shortage in Upstate New York. Supply chain problems at 1 of the 2 major milk carton manufacturers has caused schools, hospitals, nursing homes, and other institutions in to forgo serving milk. This milk carton shortage may also force dairy farmers to dump milk if the issue is not rectified quickly.

State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli released a new report that confirmed, that taxpayers moved out of New York State reached its peak in 2020, when the state was the 1st to have outbreaks of the COVID 19 virus. Net-out migration Declined Significantly in 2021, But Still Exceeded Pre-pandemic Levels, the report found more than one of every 100 resident personal income tax filers left New York state in 2020, with net out-migration 400% higher in 2020 compared to 2019. The full report can be found at osc.ny.gov.

A.M. NEWS TUESDAY 12-5-23

31 year old Caleb Lane of Franklin pleaded guilty to Possessing a Sexual Performance by a Child. On August 25, 2022, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received a cyber tip that an individual account had downloaded a sexually explicit image of a child in Franklin, records were seized from the Microsoft Corporation and on September 29, 2023, Lane was arrested and charged with 2 counts of Possessing a Sexual Performance by a Minor. Lane will be sentenced to a ten-year period of felony probation supervision and will be required to register as a sex offender.

Commerce Chenango announced that the NBT Holiday Spectacular Business After Hours Event will beheld today from 5:00 to 7:00 PM. The event will be held at the NBT Branch at 52 South Broad Street in Norwich, participants are encouraged to bring non-perishable food Items for the Roots & Wings Program, or new unwrapped toys for Toys for Tots.

P.M. NEWS FRIDAY 10-14-22

Otsego County Sheriff’s deputies responded to the Dollar General on State Highway 28 in Hartwick for the report of a vehicle running into a utility pole, where the driver fled the scene on foot. Deputies and Cooperstown Police located the driver , 40 year old Kevin Clapper of Fly Creek a short distance from the scene. Clapper was arrested and charged with Aggravated DWI; Leaving the scene of a property damage accident & Consuming alcohol in a motor vehicle among several other charges, He was issued appearance tickets to the Town of Hartwick Court at a later date.

The Binghamton Black Bears Hockey Team of the Federal Prospects Hockey League, will begin their new season Tonight at the Visions Veterans Memorial Arena in Binghamton against Elmira. Team Announcer Brooks Hill said that the team is looking to improve on last year's accomplishments:

(Brooks Hill 10-14-22)

Tickets are available on their website: binghamtonblackbears.com/tickets, or by calling 607-722-7367.

The Mid York Concert Band is currently holding rehearsals in preparation for a concert in December in Norwich, Band Director Doug Ernst explains:

(Doug Ernst 10-14-22)

Anyone interested in joining come to their next rehearsal October 25th in Norwich, more information is available by calling Ernst at 607-263-2618.

Greater Oneonta Historical Society & Otsego 2000 are sponsoring a Walking Tour of downtown Oneonta on Saturday. The tour will focus on opportunities and threats in the Oneonta Downtown Historic District, which the State Preservation League has named to its bi-annual “7 To Save” list. The tour will leave from the Oneonta History Center at 183 Main Street at 3:00 PM and is by donation. In case of inclement weather, the tour will be held on Sunday.

The Community Cultural Center in Sidney will feature the Small Town Big Band Saturday night at 8:00 pm, theater Director Dennis Walrath comments:

(Dennis Walrath 10-14-22)

Walrath said that Tickets are available at the door or at cccsidneyart.booktix.com.

A.M. NEWS FRIDAY 10-14-22

The 2022 Hospice & Palliative Care of Chenango County Home Made Sale will be held at their location on Court Street in downtown Norwich tomorrow from 9:30 AM to 3:00 PM, Spokesperson Sarah Green comments:

(Sarah Green 10-10-22)

More information about the home made sale or Hospice is available at 607-334-3556.

State Police are looking for 2 people who scammed a clerk at the Owego Speedway October 5th, by engaging in a series of purchases including lottery tickets and Visa cards, stealing over $3,693 from the store. The incident occurred on October 5, and it is believed the pair conducted a similar scam in Johnson City earlier that evening. They may be operating a white Ford sedan. Anyone with information is asked to call (607) 561-7400.

P.M. NEWS FRIDAY 9-9-22

Catholic Charities of Sidney and other local organizations will hold another Community Partnership Mass Food Distribution on September 30th at the Sidney Fire Station on River Street. Catholic Charities spokesperson Penny McKnight told WCDO News that they need volunteers to assist on that day:

(Penny McKnight 9-9-22)

McKnight said that they have had several of the Mass Food Distribution since last year, averaging about 12 tons of food given away at each event. The number to volunteer is 607-604-4071.

Governor Hochul and legislative leaders announced Thursday that a stimulus payment of about $270 will be sent to 1.75 million New Yorkers to combat inflation and improve affordability. The New York Department of Taxation and Finance will soon begin sending direct financial assistance to New Yorkers who received the Empire State Child Credit and/or the Earned Income Credit on their 2021 state tax returns. New Yorkers can expect to receive their checks by the end of October.

State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli's office completed an audit of the Milford Central School District, which found that the board and district officials did not properly manage fund balance in accordance with statute. The District's Surplus fund balance exceeded the 4% statutory limit by $600,000, or 5.4%, the Milford board and district officials did not develop and adopt a written multiyear financial plan or fund balance policy.

New York Lottery officials announced that a winning ticket for the Take 5 Midday drawing was purchased at the Mirabito Convenience Store in at 10 North Canal Street in Oxford on Thursday, September 8. The winning ticket was worth $9,683, Lottery ticket purchasers can check to see if they have the winning ticket at nylottery.ny.gov.

Tickets go on sale next week for the "Buddy-The Buddy Holly Story" to be held on October 15 at the Forum Theater in Binghamton, Tina Niles from NAC Entertainment explains:

(Tina Niles 9-9-22)

Niles said that the Test Drive Your Seat event will be coming up soon for those who would like to pick out their Season Tickets for the lineup of shows scheduled through next year. More information is available at 772-1391 or BroadwayInBinghamton.com.

A.M. NEWS Friday 9-9-22

Governor Hochul announced that the suspension of certain taxes on Gasoline & Diesel Fuel will be extended through December 31st. The suspension was implemented back on June 1, the fuel tax suspension will provide a reduction of at least $0.16 per gallon

P.M. NEWS MONDAY 10-11-21

State Police responded the report of 2 adults and 2 children being thrown from an Amish buggy after being hit by a car in Madison County on Friday. State Police stated that 19-year-old Madison Mae Davis of South Otselic was driving on Lebanon Road around 6:00 PM when she hit a horse-drawn buggy traveling in the same direction. A 22-year-old man, a 27-year-old woman and two kids, ages 1 and 2, were ejected from the buggy upon impact. All four were taken to Upstate University Hospital to be evaluated. Davis was taken to Community Memorial Hospital and was later released, Davis received a ticket for failure to use due care for an animal.

State Police arrested 36 year old Amber Suprunchik of Dolgeville for Tampering with Physical Evidence, Leaving the Scene of a Fatal Accident and Aggravated Unlicensed Operation of a motor vehicle. Back on June 15th, troopers were dispatched to a hit and run accident on State Route 26 in Cincinnatus, 4 people on bicycles were on State Route 26 when a vehicle struck 2 of them, and did not stop. 67 year old Kitt Warren of DeRuyter was killed and 67 year old John Rutan of McGraw suffered non-life-threatening injuries. The vehicle was ultimately located that night by a Cortland County Sheriff’s Deputy. The investigation has revealed that Suprunchik was operating the vehicle and was not impaired at the time of the accident, she is accused of tampering with the vehicle after the collision, she was processed Friday & was sent to Cortland County Central Arraignment and Processing.

Delaware County Public Health reported 36 new COVID cases on Thursday & Friday, bringing their number of active cases to 170, hospitalized cases up to 7 & 290 quarantined. 51% of the total Delaware County population are vaccinated, 65% of the positive cases are unvaccinated, and 16% of the positive cases are Pre-K-12th students or school district employees.

Otsego County reported a new death caused by the coronavirus on Friday, their total deaths from the virus in Otsego County to 70, including 51 in 2021. Today, they report 98 active cases, with 21 new cases, 7 are hospitalized & their 7 day rolling average for positive COVID tests is 3.5%, slightly above the state average.

State Senator Peter Oberacker and Assemblyman John Salka criticized Governor Kathy Hochul's veto of legislation to assist the Oneonta City School District and local taxpayers. State Senate Bill 396 would correct a clerical error and assist the Oneonta City School District by preserving $400,000 in state transportation aid due to the school district, correcting an oversight in the application process for the district's transportation aid for the 2019-2020 school year, when the district did not file its application for transportation aid to the state education department in a timely fashion. Senator Oberacker talked to WCDO News about the situation:

(Senator Oberacker 10-11-21)

Senator Oberacker and Assemblyman Salka plan to meet with Oneonta City School District officials to seek an alternative solution to help avoid the $400,000 budget shortfall.

A.M. NEWS MONDAY 10-11-21

The New York Lottery today announced one top-prize winning ticket was sold for the October 8 TAKE 5 EVENING drawing, worth $47,638.50, was purchased at TOPS MARKETS in NORWICH. Take 5 players with midday and evening draws on the same ticket must check their numbers at nylottery.ny.gov to determine if they have the winning numbers for the corresponding midday or evening drawing. A Lottery draw game prize of any amount may be claimed up to one year from the date of the drawing.

The State Health Department conducted over 108,000 COVID tests Saturday, with just under 2800 positive tests, for a positivity rate of 2.58%. Hospitalizations were down to 2045, patients in an ICU bed went down to 456, & the number on a ventilator declined to 243, there were 34 more COVID deaths Saturday.

State Police & local law enforcement are continuing their Columbus Day weekend crack down on speeding and impaired motorists. The Columbus Day campaign will run through tomorrow, last year's enforcement period, State Police and local law enforcement issued 44,016 total tickets, including 11,618 for speeding and 941 for impaired driving.

P.M. NEWS Wednesday 9-15-21

Governor Kathy Hochul said today that she will challenge a court order issued by a federal judge in Utica Tuesday, which temporarily bars the enforcement of the state's medical worker vaccine mandate for those seeking religious exemptions in New York.  The original mandate requires most medical workers statewide to get the first COVID-19 vaccine dose by September 27th, or risk losing their jobs.  On Tuesday U.S. Northern District Justice David Hurd issued the restraining order after 17 Christian medical professionals sued state officials Monday, Judge Hurd gave state officials until September 22nd to respond to the lawsuit and set a court hearing for September 28th.

U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand continues to push for the implementation of the Health Force, a multibillion-dollar public health legislation passed in the American Rescue Plan earlier this year:

(Kirsten Gillibrand 9-15-21)

Gillibrand successfully secured nearly $8 billion for her Health Force legislation, to create a public health workforce to aid vaccine distribution and mobilize community leaders to improve health outcomes in their communities. Gillibrand said that New York is projected to lose about 39,000 nursing jobs by 2030.

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced a series of universal mask requirements that applies to New York State Office of Children and Family Services-licensed and -registered child care centers, home-based group family and family child care programs, after-school child care programs and enrolled legally exempt group programs during operational hours. New masking requirements will also apply to congregate programs and facilities licensed, registered, operated, certified or approved by the Office of Mental Health, the Office of Addiction Services and Supports, the Office for People With Developmental Disabilities, Office of Children and Family Services and the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance.

The State DEC announced that the Berry Hill fire tower in the town of McDonough is now open to the public for recreation.  About $125,000 was spent on upgrades to enhance safety and accessibility for the 59 foot tower which was originally erected in 1934 by the Civilian Conservation Corps for fire protection.

A.M. NEWS WEDNESDAY 9-15-21

Chobani is helping families affected by Hurricane Ida and evacuees from Afghanistan, housed on U.S. military bases, by donating and delivering nearly 300,000 products. In the wake of Hurricane Ida, and to assist our troops who are caring for refugees evacuated from Afghanistan, Chobani is dispatching trucks full of food from the company's Chenango County plant to the New York City area, Louisiana, Virginia and New Jersey.

On September 13th, shortly before 8:00 PM, State Police at Oneonta responded to a report of a physical domestic dispute at a residence on State Highway 28 in the town of Meredith.   During the physical dispute, one person was stabbed and later flown to Albany Medical Center where they were treated for non-life-threatening injuries.  The incident remains under investigation.

The New York State of Health Enrollment continues to surge as more New Yorkers sign up for lower cost coverage following the American Rescue Plan and enhancements made to New York’s Essential Plan.  The latest report shows that as of August 31, more than 6.3 million individuals; or 1 in 3 New Yorkers, are enrolled in health coverage through the Marketplace, Enrollment has increased across all marketplace programs since April when the state began implementing the changes.  Enrollment continues through the end of this year, more information is available at nystateofhealth.ny.gov, by phone at 1-855-355-5777.

State Police arrested 45 year old Jeremy Barcoski of Lincoln Park, New Jersey for Petty Larceny, after Troopers were dispatched to a report of man who stole items from Speedway on State Route 8 in Unadilla and left in a vehicle.  Troopers were able to locate the vehicle, troopers learned that Barcoski used a Lottery machine inside the store and it didn’t give him back the appropriate change, so he stole items from the store.   Barcoski was arrested & he was released on an appearance ticket to the Unadilla Town Court on October 18th.

P.M. NEWS THURSDAY 8-19-21

The State Labor Department Statewide Unemployment rate decreased 1/10th of 1% in July from 7.7% to 7.6%. Outside of New York City, the unemployment rate decreased from 5.5% to 5.4%. The State Economy added over 43,800 jobs in July, bringing the private sector Job Count to just under 7.5 million, it had dropped to 6.9 million following the shutdown from the pandemic, prior to that the job count was more than 8.2 million.

New York Lottery Announced the Launch of Additional Powerball Drawings on Monday Nights, starting August 23rd, with sales beginning on Sunday, August 22nd. The new drawing joins the lineup of Powerball drawings currently held Wednesday and Saturday evenings. More information is available at nylottery.ny.gov.

Commerce Chenango announced that the effort to strengthen broadband across Chenango County will be getting a $1.9 million assist from the New York State Office of Community Renewal. The Chenango County Board of Supervisors accepted the Community Development Block Grant recently through the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, or "CARES" Act. Funds will be used to bolster wireless internet in the City of Norwich and the Town of New Berlin, plans call for the installation of wireless antennas atop already existing tall structures within the municipalities.

A.M. NEWS THURSDAY 8-19-21

Broome County District Attorney Mike Korchak announced that Joseph Henahan of Binghamton was sentenced in Broome County Court yesterday, to 10 years in State Prison followed by 15 years of post-release supervision, after being found guilty of 1st degree attempted rape , for trying to arrange a sexual encounter with an 8 year old through social media. The FBI & State Police assisted with the investigation.

The Chenango Blues Festival begins tonight in the East Park in Downtown Norwich with a free show starting at 7:00 PM tonight, with Friday Night's concert at the Chenango County Fair Grounds in Norwich, the Friday show is Free to all but unvaccinated individuals should wear a mask and social distance. Blues festival Spokesman Eric Larsen told WCDO News that they have a full line up of great acts & all safety protocols are in place:

(Eric Larsen 8-19-21)

Larsen said that the Main show will be at the Chenango County Fairgrounds Saturday, tickets will be only be available at chenangobluesfest.org/tickets.

State Senator Fred Akshar will continue his district-wide Recovery and Reopening Tour at 4 locations in Greene today. Akshar will stop at the Ball Flats, The Silo Restaurant, The Greene Bowlodrome & Chenango Sales; to discuss how the state can better assist them recover from the crippling pandemic. Business owners who would like a visit from Senator Akshar are encouraged to sign up online at Akshar.NYSenate.Gov to add their business to the Tour. Senator Akshar's staff will then contact them to schedule a visit.

The Sherburne EMS Squad received a gift from Chobani, a $150,000 ambulance. The new Ambulance was unveiled Tuesday at the Chobani plant, Sherburne Mayor Bill Acee told WCDO News recently that the old ambulance had numerous problems that would cost about $10,000 to repair, and fundraising efforts were underway to get a new ambulance, which will cover the Village of Sherburne and the Fire Departments that protects 3 adjacent townships.

P.M. NEWS Monday 6-7-21

Governor Cuomo announced today that New York will be lifting COVID restrictions when we hit 70% vaccinations for the adult population, & that could happen very soon:

(Cuomo 1)

The Governor Also said that mask restriction in schools will be changing, if individual school Districts want to do so:

(Cuomo 2)

The Governor said that the change in school district mask wearing will tie into the guidelines at summer camps when they re-open this year.

State Police & local emergency squads responded Saturday afternoon at about 2:15 PM, to a multiple vehicle crash on State Route 7 near the Meadow Crest Park in the Town of Unadilla.  Police stated that a Chevy driven by Michael Tucker of Sidney, was traveling west bound on State Route 7, a Volkswagen Beatle was facing eastbound, driven by Jeanmarie Doelger of Bainbridge, had stopped to make a turn into a driveway when 3 motorcycles driven by Emma Stebbins of Bainbridge, Kory Bennet of Bainbridge & Ralph Bennet of Mount Upton struck the rear of the Doelger vehicle, Ralph Bennet's Motorcycle struck Tucker's Chevy & Tucker then hit a mail box.   Doelger was transported to AO Fox Hospital Tri- Town campus in Sidney, Stebbins was airlifted to Wilson Hospital, Bennett and Tucker were taken to Fox Hospital, Ralph Bennett was transported to Wilson Hospital.

Delaware County Public Health Services and Friends of Recovery- Delaware Otsego will be sponsoring a one-day Recovery Coach Basics course on June 16th, from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM at the Delaware River Masonic Lodge at 37 Meredith Street, Delhi.  The course includes all materials. Scholarships are available, to register, or for more information call 267-4435 or email at Kyle@friendsofrecoverydo.org.  The deadline to register is this Friday June 11th.

A.M. NEWS MONDAY 6-7-21

Following Saturday's COVID testing, the state Health Department reported a .47% positivity rate, Statewide 7-Day Average Positivity is 0.52% -- Has Declined for 62 Consecutive Days, there were 816 Patient Hospitalizations Statewide, the Lowest Since October 8, there were 13 COVID-19 Deaths Statewide Saturday.

Governor Cuomo announced that the 'Vax and Scratch' program, which provides free State lottery scratch-off tickets to individuals 18, has been extended through the end of this week at 10 state mass vaccination sites, including the SUNY Oneonta site.  All state mass vaccination sites are open for walk-in appointments for eligible New Yorkers.

P.M. NEWS MONDAY 1-11-21

Governor Cuomo held a Virtual State of the State Address today, outlining the immediate future of dealing with COVID testing & Vaccinations, as well as several other proposals for 2021:

(Cuomo 1-11-21)

Other proposals include expanding access to Tele-medicine for all New Yorkers, Prohibiting Disconnections by Utility Companies during a state of emergency, modernizing the Office of Professional Medical conduct and pushing for additional Green Technologies and transitioning to renewable energy sources.

New York State is moving on to the next phase of people for vaccinations against the COVID virus. All of those eligible in Phase 1A have not been completed due to he slow rollout of vaccines, New York is already starting to vaccinate those in Phase 1B this week, using the State Fairgrounds, doctors' offices, county health departments and about 1,200 pharmacies to get doses to those in Phase 1B. More information is available at am-i-eligible.covid19vaccine.health.ny.gov.

Sidney Village Department of Public Works announced this afternoon that there is a water leak near the intersection of Circle Drive & Manatee. Water will be shut off to all of the area apartments complexes on Circle Drive, repairs are expected to be completed by 6:00 PM.

A.M. NEWS MONDAY 1-11-21

Governor Cuomo updated New Yorkers on the state's COVID-19 pandemic numbers. On Saturday, over 246,000 New Yorkers were tested for the virus, with 15,355 testing positive, that was 6.22% of all tested. Hospitalizations went down slightly to 8,484, the number in ICU beds was 1436, with 892 on Ventilators, and there were 151 deaths Saturday from the virus.

Delaware County Public Health announced 29 new cases of COVID 19 Friday & 25 new cases of COVID 19 Saturday, & 9 positives Sunday. There are a total of 147 active cases in the County with 4 hospitalized, 279 are quarantined.

Otsego County Department of Health announced that they had 25 new cases of COVID 19 Saturday, with 154 active cases & 15 Hospitalized. The Department announced a potential COVID 19 exposure at Nancy’s Bar in Schenevus, anyone who was at the bar between 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM on January 1st should monitor for symptoms, & if symptoms develop, get tested and self-isolate, more information is available at 607-547-4231

The New York Lottery announced a 2nd-prize ticket for the January 8 Mega Millions drawing was sold in BINGHAMTON. The ticket is worth a guaranteed $2,000,000, & was purchased at LOVE'S TRAVEL STOP at 2 Industrial Park Drive.

P.M. NEWS WEDNESDAY 1-6-21

Governor Cuomo announced legislation to authorize mobile sports wagering as part of the 2021 State of the State. State budget director Robert Mujica said that some states like New Jersey have a system where they collect about 45 million dollars a year, where the New York State is looking at a way to gain 300 million dollars a year by setting up the program much like the New York State Lottery:

(Robert Mujica 1-6-21)

Mujica said that Under Governor Cuomo's proposal, the State Gaming Commission will issue a request for proposals to select and license a sports operator or platform to offer mobile sports wagering, they must have a partnership with one of the existing licensed commercial casinos & the Commission will also require any entity operating mobile wagering apps include safeguards against abuses and addiction.

Governor Cuomo announced a proposal to legalize and create a comprehensive system to oversee and regulate cannabis in New York as part of the 2021 State of the State:

(Cuomo 1-6-21)

Under the Governor's proposal, a new Office of Cannabis Management would be created to oversee the new adult-use program, as well as the State's existing medical and cannabinoid hemp programs, the legalization is expected to generate more than $300 million in tax revenue.

NY State of Health announced today that it is not too late to get health insurance coverage for 2021, even though the December 31 enrollment deadline has passed. The Marketplace is reminding consumers to enroll in a Qualified Health Plan by January 15 for coverage effective February 1.

State health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker today announced that the United Kingdom COVID Variant discovered in an employee of a Saratoga Springs jewelry store was found through Contact Tracing. Dr. Zucker said that an acquaintance of the Employee had been to The United Kingdom recently & passed the virus onto the Saratoga Springs worker, who had NOT traveled abroad. The State Health department continues to see the state's positivity rate on COVID tests over 8% with over 16,600 positives on Tuesday, out of more than 197,000 tests. Hospitalizations continue to climb to 8665, the number in ICU patients is over 1400 and the number on Ventilators is up to 877, 161 died from COVID Tuesday in New York State.

Chenango County Public Health reported 11 new Cases of Covid 19 Today, after reporting 30 new cases yesterday. The number of Active Cases is 185, the number of quarantined in Chenango County decreases slightly to 482, there are 11 hospitalized, they have reported over 1330 cases since last Spring.

Former Andes Town Supervisor Martin Donnelly has passed away. Donnelly served as Andes Supervisor from 1998 to 2015, he was 83.

A.M. NEWS Wednesday 1-6-21

Governor Cuomo said that 911,000 Vaccines Will Be Distributed to Providers By End of Week, with a Total of 3,762 Vaccination Sites Currently Enrolled as Part of Statewide Network, 636 Sites Statewide Currently Vaccinating Eligible New Yorkers, which will soon include Essential Worker Groups such as Police, Fire, Education and Transit Workers.

The Chenango County Sheriff's Office arrested 32 year old Aaron Wickham after Deputies observed a motorcycle on State Highway 7 in the Town of Afton with no license plate. Deputies initiated a traffic stop on the motorcycle and a pursuit ensued. Wickham continued through the Village of Afton, he was eventually taken into custody west of Afton. Wickham was charged with Unlawful Fleeing of a Police Officer, Aggravated Unlicensed Operation of a Motor Vehicle, and several other traffic offenses. Wickham was released on appearance tickets and is to appear in the Town of Afton Court at a later date.

P.M. NEWS THURSDAY 9-3-20

State University of New York Chancellor Jim Malatras announced today that he has directed SUNY Oneonta to develop and implement a plan to send on-campus students home and cease all in-person classes and activities for the rest of the fall semester, all classes will be held virtually.   SUNY Oneonta officials announced this morning that they had another 100 positive cases of COVID 19 to report, bringing the campus total to 389 since August 24th.  The number of students in quarantine on campus remains at 54, the 100 students who tested positive, are in isolation on campus, they will be required to stay on campus until their quarantine is over.

The State Health Department announced that the state had 889 new COVID 19 positive tests Wednesday, out of just under 89,000 tests statewide bringing the state total number of cases to 437,107.   The State had 430 people hospitalized, with 117 in ICU and 61 on Ventilators.  The State had 7 COVID related deaths Wednesday, bringing the total since March to 25,343.

Governor Cuomo today announced casinos and video lottery terminal facilities will be allowed to reopen starting September 9 with a 25% occupancy limit. All venues will be subject to strict safety protocols, including of face coverings except when eating or drinking, social distancing and enhanced cleaning and disinfection protocols. Casinos must also have enhanced air filtration, ventilation and purification standards in place, they must leave 6 feet of distance between operating machines. No table games will be allowed until casinos put in place physical barriers between players and the Gaming Commission approves those barriers. No beverage or food service will be allowed on the gaming floor. The State Gaming Commission will be deployed to monitor casinos and ensure strict enforcement of these measures.

Triple A & State Police are reminding Motorists of the beginning of their annual "School's Open Drive Carefully" Campaign.  Elizabeth Carey of the AAA of Central New York Comments about 3 things that people should remember during this pandemic changed school opening season:

(Elizabeth Carey 9-3-20)

State Police also remind motorists that it is illegal to pass school bus with flashing lights, and there has been an increase in that illegal behavior in recent years, & police agencies will be cracking down on that activity.

A.M. NEWS THURSDAY 9-3-20

3 sites are open today in Oneonta for free rapid testing for COVID 19, following the outbreak at SUNY Oneonta.  The sites will be open Today through Saturday from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM at the Oneonta Armory at 4 Academy Street, The Foothills Performing Arts Center on Market Street & the St. James Church at 305 Main Street.  Testing is by appointment only by calling 833-NYSTRNG.

The Otsego County Health Department continues to investigate a large outbreak of Coronavirus involving SUNY Oneonta students. 107 new cases were reported Thursday, all 107 were SUNY Oneonta students, giving the county 460 total confirmed cases.   334 confirmed cases of the cases are  SUNY Oneonta students,  2 confirmed cases are from Hartwick College, there are no hospitalizations

Delaware County received no new positive test result for COVID-19 today and no additional recoveries have been reported. The known active cases remains at 6, all are isolated at home. To date there have been 110 confirmed positive cases of COVID-19,  with 40 people now under mandatory quarantine.   6 people have died and 98 have fully recovered.

The Delaware County Chamber along with the Commerce Chenango will sponsor two FREE online workshops hosted by the United States Small Business Administration on September 22 and October 15 from noon to 1 p.m. where business owners can learn about COVID-19 relief and recovery programs.  Traditional lending and small business assistance programs, as well as small business recovery programs, will be discussed. Register for the FREE online workshops at delawarecounty.org.

The New York Lottery today announced there were multiple
top-prize winning tickets sold for the Feb 9 TAKE-5 drawing. The tickets were
sold in Oneonta, Jamaica Queens, & Tonawanda.  The Oneonta tickets were sold at the
Mirabito's at 167 Oneida Street, which sold 1 prize winning ticket worth
$17,859.50.    Take 5 numbers are drawn
every evening at 11:21 PM, winning tickets at all prize levels may be cashed up
to one year from the date of the drawing.

2 proposals have been forwarded in the State Senate
regarding changes to the Daylight Savings Time system.   State Senator Jim Seward introduced a bill
that would create a task force to study the impact and effects of eliminating
Daylight Saving Time in New York, while State Senator James Skoufis of the 39th
Senate District introduced a bill that would move the state to Atlantic
Standard Time, eliminating the need to turn clocks ahead or back.  Both bills would have to still be passed by
the State Assembly and State Senate before being delivered to Governor Andrew
Cuomo for him to either veto or approve.

Governor Cuomo proposed to put together a task force to
study the issue of bringing High Speed rail to the state.  The first high-speed rail system began
operations in Japan in 1964, with the famous “bullet train.”  High speed rail is also prevalent across
China & throughout Europe, in the US, the closest to a high speed rail line
is the Acela Express, running between New York City and Washington D.C. & reaches
a top speed of 150mph, but averages only 66 miles per hour.

Attorney General Letitia James today filed a lawsuit against
the Trump Administration over a new federal policy that prohibits New Yorkers
from enrolling or reenrolling in the federal government's Trusted Traveler
Programs. The suit against the U.S. Department of Homeland Security & the
U.S. Customs and Border Protection argues that the policy change was made as a
result of an arbitrary process that poses a threat to New Yorkers' safety and
the state's economy.  Economists have
estimated that border delays on the U.S./Canada border have already cost
American businesses billions of dollars & resulted in jobs loss, especially
in Western New York, where New Yorkers seeking to commute across the border
into Canada & back has been severely hampered by the Trump policy.

Samples from 22 New Yorkers have been sent to the CDC, so
far 16 have come back negative for the corona virus, 6 were pending, and there
are still no confirmed cases of the coronavirus in New York State.  The State Health Department said that the
number of flu cases continues to rise, Last week 1,889 New Yorkers were
hospitalized with lab-confirmed influenza; there have been 13,460 flu-related
hospitalizations.  Last week, 17,231
laboratory-confirmed flu cases were reported to the State Department of Health,
a 15% increase from the week before.
There have been a total of 89,597 lab-confirmed cases in New York State
this season, with 3 flu-associated pediatric deaths.

Spectrum announced that their service has been restored to
the entire Northeast.  Spectrum officials
said a damaged fiber optic cable is what caused the outage, which affected
service in Upstate New York, Maine and New Hampshire.  Frontier, Verizon, Sprint, and AT&T were
also affected.

The Oneonta Common Council enacted a new series of rules
regarding vacant properties in the city.
The complete list of regulations can be found at oneonta.ny.us/files

The State DEC invites Public Comment about Proposal for “No
Further Action” at the Amphenol Superfund Site on Delaware Avenue in Sidney at
dec.ny.gov until September 20th.  The DEC
has scheduled a public meeting tonight at 7:00 PM at Sidney Civic Center to
discuss the proposed remedy and accept public comments.

State Police responded to a 2 vehicle crash at County Routes 36 and 37 in Guilford today. a 52-year-old male of Bainbridge was operating a Honda, he made a U-turn directly in the path of a Pick-up truck pulling a loaded cattle trailer with 12 cows, driven by a 68-year old unidentified female from McDonough. The vehicles collided & exited the roadway. The Honda driver was transported by helicopter to Wilson Memorial Hospital where he died of his injuries. The 71 year old unidentified female passenger of the Honda was taken to Wilson Memorial Hospital in Johnson City. The pick-up driver declined medical treatment, 1 of the cows was killed during the crash. The investigation is continuing.

The Sidney Chamber of Commerce announced their 1st Fall Festival to be held next month, Chamber President Teri Schunk recommends registering now for the Cornhole Tournament or for Vendors spots:

(Teri Schunk 9-4-19)

Schunk said that the event on October 5th will run from 9:00
AM to 3:00 PM along Main & Division Streets in Downtown Sidney.

The Oneonta Police Department is
alerting residents of a scam.   A City
resident received mail with a Portugal, Spain postmark, that claims that the
recipient won a large sum of money in a lottery, and personal banking
information was needed to pay out the winnings.
Police said that the documentation appeared legitimate, however they
warn residents to never send any personal or banking information in cases like
this.  Anyone with information on a scam
can contact the State Attorney General's office and use their online complaint
form located online at ag.ny.gov/complaint-forms.

Governor Cuomo signed a bill into law Tuesday that lets
police agencies obtain more information on a Firearm License Application.  The legislation closes a loophole and will
give law enforcement access to out-of-state records.  Previously, New Yorkers could buy guns
outside of the county that they live in and stores would not be able to see
out-of-state gun applications or background checks.

This year is the 130th anniversary of the State University
in Oneonta; they are observing that milestone during their Founders Day Picnic
from 11:30 AM to 1:00 PM today.
Participants are asked to bring a non-perishable food item for local
food pantries and the food pantry in Hunt Union, the annual Picnic will be held
at the Academic quad.

Delaware County Public Health will hold a Free Rabies
Vaccination Clinic tonight for dogs, cats and ferrets at 6:00 pm until 8:00
pm.  The clinic will be held at the
Tompkins Highway Garage on State Route 206 in Trout Creek.

State Police arrested 21 year old Tyler Green of Highmount
for Grand Larceny.  State Police reported
that last September 4th, troopers were dispatched to the Speedway on State
Highway 23 in the town of Oneonta to a report that Green stole lottery tickets
while employed there.  An investigation
revealed that Green was taking lottery tickets, totaling $1976.  Green was located recently, by troopers from
Margaretville and taken into custody.
Green was processed and released on an appearance ticket returnable to
the town of Oneonta Court on April 18th.

Governor Cuomo announced that trout and salmon fishing
season in New York State opens on Monday, April 1.  The DEC officials said that Anglers should
visit the DEC website for the 2019 Coldwater Fishing Forecast for recommended
trout and salmon fishing locations.

Governor Cuomo announced the latest round of ReCharge NY
power allocations in support of more than 7,800 jobs and $1.4 billion in
capital investments statewide. The New York Power Authority Board of Trustees
approved more than 16.7 megawatts of low-cost power allocations to 23 enterprises
throughout the state. The program currently provides power to 770 businesses
and not-for-profit organizations.

The Binghamton Rumble Ponies season gets underway in New
Hampshire next week on April 4th, and the home opener at NYSEG Stadium Will be
on April 11th, team spokesman Eddie Saunders comments:

(Eddie Saunders 3-27-19)

Saunders said that they believe
it will be advantageous for the interest & attendance for the Big League
Team in New York & for the Binghamton team, to now have their Triple A
Affiliate in Syracuse.

State Police arrested 2 people for Grand Larceny, following
an investigation at Wahl to Wahl Auto in Middlefield, where the business was
missing several catalytic converters.
Employee Shawn Campbell allegedly stole several catalytic converters
over several months, and he is accused of selling them with Jesse
Stefanelli.  Campbell & Stefanelli
were processed and released on an appearance tickets to the town of Middlefield
Court on April 1st.

A presentation for the public will be hosted by the Unatego
Central School District Board of Education this evening at 7:00 pm, on a future
capital building project. The meeting will be in the high school cafeteria at
2641 State 7 in Wells Bridge.

The State Office of General Services announced
that surplus vehicle auctions have been scheduled through the month of
June.  For information on specific items
and terms of sale, please visit www.nysstore.com or call (518) 457-6335.  The Southern Tier event will be held on
Thursday, May 9th, at 9:30 AM at the Department of Transportation location at
241 Colesville Road, B

The Unadilla Town Board will be holding a Special Board Meeting today at 6:30 PM. The board will be making an appointment for the position of Special Police Officer for the Town of Unadilla, the meeting will be held at the Unadilla Town Hall on State Route 7.

The Northeast Classic Car Museum at 24 Rexford Street, Norwich, is opening a new exhibit on Saturday, “Trucks at Work” will be on display through April 2019, it is full of larger trucks, including a fuel truck, US Army truck, dump truck and 2 wreckers, from 1908-1985. The exhibit opens to the public on Saturday at 9:00 AM; more Information is available at 334-2886 or classiccarmuseum.org.

The American Cancer Society Tri-Town Relay for Life “PAINT THE TOWN PURPLE” event is being held today, and more Relay For Life events are being held in the Tri-County Area in the coming months, Spokesperson Heather Brewster told WCDO News that they need volunteers and they also need donations:

(Heather Brewster 5-18-18)

The Otsego County Relay For Life will be held tomorrow in Milford, The tri Town Relay for Life event at General Clinton Park is Friday June 8th this year.

The Sidney Central School District announced that their Elementary Universal Pre-K applications are being accepted through today. More information is available at 561-7701, a lottery drawing will be held June 1st to determine Pre-K classes for this fall.

Governor Cuomo today declared a state of emergency for the counties in the Catskill regions, New York City & Long Island ahead of the coastal storm, which is bringing another round of heavy, wet snow through this evening. 300 New York National Guard service members have been activated and will be deployed to areas impacted by the storm, and a travel ban on tractor trailers on certain roads has been instituted due to the hazardous winter weather conditions, which restricts tractor trailers, short and & long tandems trailers, from entering several Interstate Highways.

State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman announced the guilty plea and conviction of Robert Niederriter of Kirkwood, and his business, Buffalo Head Bar & Grill, for failing to file numerous sales tax returns and remit over $59,000 in sales tax that was collected at the business. Niederriter paid $59,789 to the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance for the unpaid sales tax and was sentenced to a one-year conditional discharge.

State Police arrested 35 Year old Christopher Lindow of Binghamton for Driving While Intoxicated with a B.A.C of .29% and several traffic infractions. A passing motorist had contacted Chenango County 911 reporting that a vehicle was parked in the middle of the driving lane on State Route 26, in the town of Bainbridge. Lindow was arrested & was released on appearance tickets for town of Bainbridge Court on April 5th.

State Police arrested 49 year old Dwayne Lockwood of Guilford for DWI. Troopers were originally called to a dispute at a residence in the town of Butternuts but learned that Lockwood left the residence prior to their arrival. Lockwood was located by Troopers at a business nearby, he was arraigned in the town of Guilford Court, he was remanded to the Chenango County Jail on $500 cash bail or $1,000 bond pending an April 10th court date.

State Police arrested 19 year old Sarah Smith of Oneonta for Petty Larceny, for allegedly stealing state lottery tickets while employed at Leatherstocking Market and Fuels on County Highway 11 in the town of Davenport. Smith was arrested and issued an appearance ticket returnable to the town of Davenport Court on March 27th.

State Police at Sidney arrested 20 year old Brandon Swislosky of Unadilla for Operating a Motor Vehicle While Impaired by Drugs and Unlawful Possession of Marijuana. Swislosky was stopped at a checkpoint on State Highway 7, in the town of Unadilla, Troopers determined that Swislosky was driving while impaired by drugs; he was released and was issued appearance tickets for town of Unadilla Court at a later date.

State Leaders announced that an agreement on Lavern's Law, which would extend the amount of time a person, could file a lawsuit for a missed cancer diagnosis. The bill amends the statute of limitations to 2 ½ years after the time that the patient learns of the error, under current state law, the statute of limitations applicable to medical malpractice actions can expire in some cases before some patients know they have been injured. The legislation is named after Lavern Wilkinson, who died in 2013 after a missed cancer diagnosis.

Pistol Permit Holders have only until this Wednesday to recertify their permits with the State Police, if their permit was certified before January 15th 2013. Local assemblyman Cliff Crouch explains:

(Crouch 1-29-18)

The forms are available at troopers.ny.gov; those with questions can call Assemblyman Crouch's Office at 648-6080.

State Police arrested 46-year-old Greg Dyn of Richfield Springs for 5th degree Arson, after the troopers investigation determined that on January 21st, during an argument with his ex-girlfriend, Dyn had sent her pictures of some of her clothing and personal items that he had set on fire. Dyn was arraigned in the town of Exeter Court and was released on his own recognizance. An order of protection was issued against him & his next scheduled court date is January 31st.

Taste New York sales continued to increase in 2017, growing to a record $16.1 million, which topped last year's sales totals by $3 million. Taste NY's food and beverage businesses support the State's farmers by using New York grown and produced ingredients in their products. Taste NY is promoting local products at Welcome Centers in the Southern Tier, Mohawk Valley, New York City, Central New York & Long Island. ------------------------------------------

State Police arrested 25-year-old Lisa VanDyke of Endwell for Falsely Reporting an Incident, Aggravated Unlicensed Operation of a motor vehicle & Operating a Motor Vehicle Without Interlock Device. Last November, Troopers responded to a report of a burglary in the town of Union, when VanDyke reported that her TV, video game console, and computer tablet had been stolen, troopers believe that VanDyke had falsely reported the thefts. Troopers attempted to locate VanDyke, she was observed driving with a suspended license, with a vehicle that did not have a court ordered ignition interlock device as required by a prior DWI conviction. VanDyke was issued tickets returnable to the town of Union Court on February 6th.

On January 4, 51 year old Donald Savastano of Sidney claimed a New York State Lottery check for $1 million which he won playing the Merry Millionaire scratch off ticket. Savastano died Friday following a recent diagnosis of stage 4 cancer. Calling Hours will be held on Tuesday, from 6:00 to 8:00 PM at the Lester R. Grummons Funeral Home, 14 Grand Street, Oneonta. Funeral Services will be held on Wednesday, at 10:00 AM at the Oneonta Assembly of God Church, at 1776 County Highway 48, Oneonta.

The Otsego County Sheriff’s Department has charged 7 teenagers in connection with the fire that destroyed a railcar on the Leatherstocking Railroad Historical Association siding in Milford last October 3rd. Deputies stated that the teens had entered the railcar over a 2 day period, removed items from the railcar, set off the flair that caused the fire.

Governor Cuomo delivered his state of the State address this afternoon to a joint session of the legislature in Albany, he asked lawmakers to cooperate, in a time of political divisiveness:

(Cuomo 1-3-18)

Both Houses of the legislature will get to work this week on the agenda, topping the list is dealing with a state budget that already has a 4 billion dollar deficit attached.

51 YEAR OLD DONALD SAVASTANO, A PRIVATE CONTRACTOR FROM SIDNEY, IS THE LATEST NEW YORK LOTTERY MILLIONAIRE, HAVING WON WITH A "MERRY MILLIONAIRE" SCRATCH OFF GAME PURCHASED AT THE MIRABITO CONVENIENCE STORE IN MASONVILLE ABOUT ONE MONTH AGO. SAVASTANO WAS INTRODUCED AT THE STORE BY NEW YORK LOTTERY TV SPOKESWOMAN YOLANDA VEGA THIS MORNING, HE DESCRIBED THE DAY HE BOUGHT THE WINNING TICKET:

(DONALD SAVASTANO 1-3-18)

SAVASTANO WILL RECEIVE OVER $661,000 AFTER TAXES, HE SAID THAT HE PLANS TO CONTINUE TO WORK, AND REMAIN LIVING IN THE SIDNEY AREA.

Delaware County Sheriff Deputy’s arrested 46-year-old William Shaver of Fish’s Eddy for Aggravated Unlicensed Operation after he was observed operating a tractor-trailer on State Highway 17 in an erratic manner. Shaver was found to have an active Bench Warrant issued by the Town of Hancock Court for resisting arrest, obstructing governmental administration, reckless driving and failure to comply. Shaver was arraigned in the Town of Colchester Court where he posted $1500 cash bail. Shaver is to reappear in the Town of Hancock Court at a later date.

State Police became involved in a pursuit with a suspect wanted on a warrant of arrest in the City of Binghamton yesterday afternoon at about 5:00 PM. The pursuit reached the intersection of Conklin Avenue and Alfred Street, troopers were attempting to apprehend the suspect when he intentionally struck a trooper with his vehicle, the suspect sustained a gunshot wound, and fled the scene. He was apprehended a short distance away and was taken to Wilson Memorial Hospital for treatment. The trooper was treated for non-life threatening injuries. Both the trooper and suspect are in stable condition. State Police officials said that additional information will be released as this investigation continues.

State Police responded Friday to a report of a 2 vehicle collision on State Route 28, in the town of Franklin. 31 year old James Crosby of Delhi drifted into the southbound lane of State Route 28 and struck a tractor trailer head on. 42 year old Jamie Dougherty of Oneonta was operating the Tractor-Trailer attempted to avoid being struck by Crosby, drifted off the road, striking a stone wall, and coming to rest in the woods. Doughtery was transported to Fox Hospital, Crosby was pronounced dead at the scene. The investigation is continuing.

Yolanda Vega of New York Lottery will present a ceremonial prize check to a Sidney man who won the $1 million top prize on the holiday-themed “Merry Millionaire” scratch-off ticket. The unidentified man purchased his ticket at the Mirabito Quickway on State Route 8 in Masonville on his way home from work; Yolanda Vega will present a $1,000,000 over-sized prize check to the newest Lottery Millionaire at the Masonville store tomorrow morning at 11:00 AM.

Governor Cuomo's 2018 State of the State Address is scheduled for tomorrow in Albany. The address will be delivered to a joint session of the legislature at 1:00 PM Wednesday at the Empire State Plaza Convention Center in Albany. The governor has outlined much of his 2018 agenda in recent weeks, and will have to put together a budget with a 4 billion dollar deficit, the budget is due April 1st.

Delaware County Sheriff Craig Dumond will hold an active shooter/ disturbance Training session in Sidney on January 17th, Sheriff Dumond told WCDO News about the session:

(Dumond 1-2-18)

The session will be held in January 17th at the Sacred Heart Church on Liberty Street in Sidney starting at 10:00 AM.

Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 19-year-old Sean Gillespie of Bovina on charges of driving while ability impaired by drugs, 2 counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance, unlawful possession of marijuana, and speeding 82 miles per hour in a 55 miles per hour zone on State Highway 28 in the Town of Meredith Friday. Gillespie allegedly possessed Ecstasy, marijuana, and Hydrocodone; he was arraigned & was remanded to the Delaware County Jail on $500 bail. 19-year-old Jeffrey Bowie of Hamden was an occupant in Gillespie’s vehicle, he was charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance & unlawful possession of marijuana for allegedly possessing Ecstasy & marijuana, he was arraigned and remanded to the Delaware County Jail on $500 bail.

Several new laws are officially on the books with the change of the calendar year. Paid family leave allows for New York employees who work for private employers to take up to 8 weeks of paid family leave for a variety of personal family reasons. New York's minimum wage increased to $10.40 for the upstate counties, The wage hikes are part of a multi-year increase approved by Cuomo and lawmakers in 2016. Also, Middle-class taxpayers will see a small cut in their state income taxes this year, most area joint filers & most single filers will have a drop in their rate to 6.33% The cut is part of new income rates approved by Cuomo and lawmakers in the last two budgets.

Governor Cuomo today announced that New York would join the FirstNet First Responder Network - a nationwide, high speed, wireless broadband network that was created exclusively for first responders and the public safety community. The network, which was created through a public-private partnership between AT&T and the federal government, will put advanced technology, and devices into the hands of first responders to give them the tools they need to better communicate and share information in emergency situations.

The Otsego County Chamber of Commerce will hold their annual "State Of The State" Breakfast today starting at 8:00 AM. The event will be held at the SUNY Oneonta Morris Hall Otsego Grill.

The Oneonta Common Council decided at last night’s meeting to prohibit smoking & tobacco use in Muller Plaza & in all city parks. Mayor Herzig will hold a public hearing on the new ordinance at the December 19th meeting before it can be signed into law.

New York State hunters have been more successful in 2017 than last year through the first several weeks of big game seasons, according to the state DEC. Through the 3rd weekend hunters reported 69,550 deer, compared to 61,184 through the same period in 2016. Hunters have reported taking 814 bears so far in the Southern Zone, compared to 775 last year. A final tally of the seasons’ deer and bear harvests will be compiled and released early in 2018.

State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman released an updated Brochure "Sexual Harassment in the Workplace: Know Your Rights"; to inform New Yorkers sexual harassment laws. The guidance provides victims of sexual harassment with information on the appropriate agencies to consult should they seek to file a complaint or take legal action, along with help lines for further support. The brochure is available at ag.ny.gov.

The 2018 State of the State Address will be held on Wednesday, January 3 at 1:00 p.m. at the Empire State Plaza Convention Center in Albany. Seating is limited and tickets are non-transferable. In the event that the number of requests exceeds available seating, attendees will be selected by lottery. Guests will be notified of their selection via email on Monday, January 1. Registration will close on Friday, December 15 at 5:00 p.m. Request to attend are available at governor.ny.gov.

The Delaware County Chamber of Commerce will begin its 2018 monthly networking breakfasts on January 5 at SUNY Delhi’s Alumni Hall from 8:30 to 10 a.m. The presentation will be on the New York Paid Family Leave Law, nearly all private sector employees in New York will be eligible for Paid Family Leave, the featured speaker is New York Labor Commissioner Roberta Reardon. Cost is $10 per person. Reservations are required at delawarecounty.org or 746-2281.

New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman is leading a coalition of 15 state Attorneys General, they filed a lawsuit against the EPA and EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt for failing to meet the Clean Air Act's statutory deadline for designating areas of the country impacted by unhealthy levels of ground-level ozone pollution. The lawsuit, was filed jointly by the Attorneys General of New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Washington DC & 10 other states Tuesday.

Governor Cuomo outlined 4 major federal cuts, totaling more than $21.2 billion annually, that are part of policies targeted to directly hurt state and local governments, hospitals, and the healthcare for more than 3 million New Yorkers. New York sends $48 billion more to Washington each year than is returned. Governor Cuomo comments:

(CUOMO 10-4-17)

Cuomo said that instead of ensuring tax cuts to all New York taxpayers, the federal tax plan will create a scenario in which 3.3 million New Yorkers will be double taxed.

Retailers caught and found guilty of selling untaxed cigarettes in New York State risk losing other state-issued licenses, including lottery and alcohol sales. The New York State Department of Taxation and Finance announced that it has joined forces with the New York State Gaming Commission and State Liquor Authority in an initiative to further reduce sales of contraband cigarettes. Under the policy, a cigarette-licensed retailer found to be in possession of untaxed cigarettes would face immediate enforcement action, ultimately leading to the possible suspension or revocation of licenses to sell tobacco, alcohol, and lottery tickets.

Commerce Chenango along with Morrisville State College-Norwich, NBT-Mang Insurance Agency, and The Raymond Corporation invites the business community to become a part of their College & Community Job Fair on November 8th from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM. The event will be held at the Morrisville Norwich Campus, high school students and job seekers can explore college and career opportunities with representatives of corporate, small business, government, and non-profit organizations as well as College and University recruiters.

The State Department of Health and State DMV today reminded State residents that today are State Organ Donor Enrollment Day. Events will be held statewide to increase the number of New Yorkers registered to be organ donors with the New York State Donate Life Registry. Only 28% of New York's eligible population is enrolled as an organ donor. On average, 22 people die each day in the United States from causes that could have been treated with a donated organ.

Governor Cuomo visited Endicott today & announced the plans for a $140 million plant to produce lithium-ion batteries for the "C4V" company. The announcement of the construction is expected to lead to about 230 new jobs

Commerce Chenango announced a manufacturing Workforce Symposium which will be held today at the Morrisville State College Norwich Campus from 8:00 to 11:30 AM. The program is aimed at Educators, Workforce Development Practitioners, Manufacturing Employers and Government Officials.

A Pre-Trial Hearing was held in Chenango County Court today, regarding the murder & arson trial of Ernest Franklin of Guilford, who along with his wife Heather are accused of killing their son Jeffrey & setting the family residence on fire to cover it up. A Pre-Trial Hearing for Heather Franklin has not been scheduled, Chenango County District Attorney Joseph McBride has stated that the 2 will be tried separately, The Trial is expected to begin next year.

Governor Cuomo announced more than $220 million in federal grants that will support counter terrorism and emergency preparedness activities in counties across New York State. The funding supports regional preparedness efforts, including planning, organization, and training activities that are critical to sustaining and improving community prevention, protection, response, and recovery capabilities. Locally Broome County received $364,894, Chenango County $109,968, Delaware County $99,971 & Otsego County $109,968

U.S. Senators Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand announced $1.8 Million Dollars for the Sidney Municipal Airport, through the Federal Aviation Administration. the Airport will use the funding to construct a new taxiway. The funding is awarded through the Airport Improvement Program and is administered by the FAA, for grants to public agencies for the planning and development of public-use airports.

Governor Cuomo announced that 124 Airmen from the 106th Rescue Wing of the New York Air National Guard will deploy this afternoon to the U.S. Virgin Islands to assist in the response to Hurricane Irma. Additionally, the Governor is deploying Task Force 2 to Florida, that team specializes in structural collapse rescue, excavation emergencies, technical rope rescues, confined space rescue, and other specialized rescues.

State Police arrested 24-year-old Adam Gager of Windsor on 7 counts of Falsifying Business Records. Police were advised of a theft of over $800 from the Mirabito gas station on Old Route 17 in the town of Windsor, Gager was an employee, He is accused of deleting items from the store sales records and using the money to purchase lottery tickets. Gager was arraigned in the town of Windsor court and was remanded to the Broome County Jail in lieu of $2,000 cash bail or $4,000 property bond.

On Sunday, the Democratic Committee of Delaware County is hosting their 2nd Community Barbecue. The event will be held at the Hamden Town Hall Pavilion from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. The Town Hall is located at 37029 State Highway 10, Hamden, NY 13782. 8 candidates running for the 19th Congressional District in the 2018 elections have been invited to participate. More information is available at dcnydems.org.

State Police Superintendent George Beach today reminded the public that there is only one week remaining to apply for the new State Trooper entrance examination, which will be held this fall. Online applications for the exam must be submitted before September 1, 2017, and interested candidates can sign up at www.nytrooper.com. The exam will be held on October 7, October 14, October 21, and October 28, 2017, at several convenient locations around the state.

The New York Lottery’s Yolanda Vega will be at the Great New York State Fair to award a Waverly man with his $1,000,000 scratch-off prize. The unidentified newest Lottery millionaire won his jackpot while making a last minute stop for two bags of ice he had forgotten to buy earlier in the day.

Governor Cuomo is nominating Justice Paul Feinman to serve as an Associate Judge on the State Court of Appeals. Justice Feinman is currently an Associate Justice on the Appellate Division of the New York State Supreme Court and has served as a judge in New York for more than 20 years. Justice Feinman has been nominated to fill the vacancy created earlier this year by the tragic death of the Honorable Sheila Abdus-Salaam. If confirmed, Justice Feinman would be the first openly gay person to serve on the Court of Appeals.

The New York Lottery celebrated its 50th Anniversary this afternoon with a series of activities on Albany’s Empire State Plaza, hosted by Lottery spokeswoman Yolanda Vega. The New York Lottery continues to be North America’s largest and most profitable Lottery, contributing $3.27 billion in fiscal year 2016-2017 to help support education in New York State. The Lottery’s contribution represents approximately 14% of total state aid to local school districts.

New York spends more money per student than any other state, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. In fiscal year 2015, New York spent $21,206 per pupil, almost double the national average of $11,392. In New York, $8,758 goes toward instruction, or teacher salaries. That's the highest number in the nation. Only California spends more money on Education than New York.

Survivors of child molestation are urging lawmakers in New York to loosen the statute of limitations on lawsuits for past abuse. The proposal would eliminate the criminal and civil statute of limitations for several child sexual abuse crimes and create a one-year window for past victims to file civil suits. Victims now have until they turn 23 to sue.

The Friends of Rogers announced a Family Fishing day for tomorrow from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM at the Rogers Environmental Education Center on State Route 80 in Sherburne. More information is available at 607 674-4733.

State Police arrested 27-year-old Denzil Kelly of Binghamton, for Identity Theft, Criminal Impersonation, Aggravated Unlicensed Operation, & Operating a Motor Vehicle without an Interlock Device. Kelly had been driving a vehicle and was stopped for speeding on Place Road in the Town of Windsor in January. During this traffic stop, he is accused of impersonating another person to keep from being arrested. Kelly was driving with a suspended license and his vehicle did not have a court ordered ignition interlock device installed. Kelly was arraigned in the Town of Windsor Court and was remanded to the Broome County Jail on $1,000 cash bail or $2,000 bond.

Governor Cuomo launched the 2nd round of "NaturalizeNY" which is a public-private partnership to encourage eligible immigrants in New York State with becoming U.S. citizens. The initiative provides free eligibility screenings, application assistance, naturalization exam preparation, and for Round 2, a lottery for up to 1,500 vouchers for low-income citizenship-eligible immigrants. Nearly 960 immigrant New Yorkers registered for the initial round of the randomized lottery in 2016, registration is available at www.NaturalizeNY.org.

State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli reported that state tax collections were down 13.1% in the first month of the new fiscal year, compared to the same period in 2016. New York collected 7.1 Billion dollars in April, which was 1.1 Billion dollars lower than April 2016 due to a decline in personal income tax collections.

Delaware County Chamber of Commerce will hold a Job Fair at SUNY Delhi on June 20th, Chamber President Ray Pucci told WCDO news that the Job Fair is also aimed at recent graduates looking to start careers:

(Ray Pucci 5-31-17)

The Job Fair will be held at SUNY Delhi's Farrell Hall, from 1:00 to 4:00 PM.

Attorney General Eric Schneiderman is leading a coalition of 6 state Attorneys General, they are urging the Trump Administration to immediately close a loophole that allows highly flammable, highly explosive crude oil to be shipped by rail through communities in New York and across the country. The trains are responsible for several rail accidents in recent years, including the 2013 explosion in Quebec that killed 47 people; in New York alone, these trains cover roughly 700 miles of the state.

The corruption conviction of late State Senator Tom Libous of Binghamton has been vacated. Yesterday, the U.S. Second Circuit court ruled in the appeal of Libous & the corruption conviction was vacated and the fine was ordered returned. Libous was convicted in 2015 of lying to the FBI for allegedly using his political influence to get his son a job with a Westchester County law firm. In October 2015, Libous was sentenced to 6 months house arrest and a $50,000 fine, an appeal was filed in November 2015, and Libous died in May 2016 after a long battle with cancer.

State Lawmakers will return to work in Albany on June 5th, with many bills to be considered before the end of this year's session in Late June. Lawmakers will consider a bill to raise the age of marriage from 14 to 17; also, Governor Cuomo is expected to sign a measure to allow for the start of Ride Sharing services like Uber & Lyft to start in late June, rather than on July 9th.

The Sidney Emergency Squad announced that they will hold a free community C.P.R. training class this weekend. Spokesman Ray Baker explains:

(Ray Baker 5-31-17)

Baker said that the event will be held at the sidney fire department training center on river street from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM, Squad Members will answer questions & teach the new CPR techniques.

The next Commerce Chenango Business After Hours will be held today in Norwich. The Event will be held at the Community Bank at 4837 State Highway 23 in Norwich from 5:00 to 7:00 PM.

37 year old Robert Stutzer of Stamford has been charged with arson & criminal Mischief in connection with an alleged arson at 2630 State Highway 7 in the town of Unadilla last Thursday. State Police reported that Stutzer was arrested shortly after the report of a fire at that location on February 16th, the investigation is continuing.

The Chenango Arts Council recently installed a full sized Movie Theater sized screen to the Martin W. Kappel Theater in Norwich, for the viewing of classic movies for the public. New Chenango Arts Council Interim Executive Director Alecia O'Neill said that the first movie is tonight, & they will start with a Mel Brooks Classic:

(Alecia O'Neill 2-22-17)

Tickets & information for all of their events are available at Chenango Arts.org or at 336-ARTS.

State Lawmakers are considering a new law to make attacks against Police, Fire fighters or EMT's as "Hate Crimes", State Senator John Bonacic supports that measure:

(Bonacic 2-22-17)

Bonacic predicted that the bill would easily pass the Senate, but he was not sure if it would pass the Assembly. The bill was forwarded after an unprecedented number of attacks against Police, Firefigthers & EMT's around the country in recent years.

New York placed seventh nationally in the percentage of public high school graduates succeeding on Advanced Placement exams in 2016, moving up from eighth the year before, according to a College Board report released Wednesday. New York, which in 2008 led the nation and in 2012 was second, trailed other states that have surged ahead — including Massachusetts, which ranked No. 1 for the first time, with 31% of their high school graduates scoring a "3" or higher on last year's AP exam. Maryland ranked 2nd, followed by Connecticut, Florida, California & Virginia & then New York.

Governor Cuomo today announced the New York State Local Emergency Management Accreditation Program, the first of its kind state-level program for local emergency management agencies in the nation. The program, developed in partnership with the New York State Emergency Management Association, was outlined in the Governor’s 2017 State of the State and includes a series of standards that local emergency management offices must meet to obtain this unique accreditation. More information is available at dhses.ny.gov.

New York Lottery officials announced that the Powerball jackpot for tonight's 10:59 PM drawing has climbed to $403 Million Dollars, after no one hit all the number in the last drawing on Saturday. 3 winners won 2 million dollars each by matching 5 numbers plus the "Power Play, 5 winners won 1 million dollars each for matching 5 numbers.

The Otsego County Chamber of Commerce announced the 2017 winners of its annual awards. Chosen were A & D Transport Services, Inc., Marie Lusins of Oneonta, Family Planning of South Central New York, and the Otsego Land Trust. The award-winners will be honored March 28th at the Chamber's Annual Spring Dinner at the Hunt Union Ballroom at SUNY Oneonta.

Binghamton city officials have found out the names of 4 area people who pulled a woman out of a burning car last thursday, after a 10 vehicle pile up on state route 17 Eastbound. Doug Kumpon, Ed Staff, Chris White and Albert Fiori have been identified as 4 of the people who came to the aid of a person trapped in a burning Ford Taurus that was pushed up into the concrete median, Binghamton Mayor Richard David released a video from one of the involved vehicles dashcam, mayor David is expected to announce a ceremony to honor the 4 for their life saving actions. Several people suffered injuries, but no one died in last Thursday afternoon's 10-car collision.

The federal government has designated 24 New York counties as natural disaster areas following a severe summer drought that has adversely impacted some water supplies and farms. Farmers in the affected areas may be eligible for assistance, including emergency loans, from the federal government. The state will conduct on-site assessments of farms affected by the drought as well, Cuomo’s office said. 15 counties declared as the primary natural disaster areas cover, 1 of the contiguous counties named in the declaration is Broome County. Many other counties locally & into the North Country are requesting primary disaster declarations.

The New York State Gaming Commission granted Tioga Downs a Class III commercial gaming license on Tuesday. The license will allow Tioga Downs to complete its transformation into a full-scale casino, replacing the current Video Lottery Terminals with slot machines and allowing the facility to add Blackjack, Roulette, Craps, a Poker Room and other casino card games that would be permitted by the gaming commission. A multi-million dollar expansion is underway; Tioga Downs received the state's final license, with Tuesday's full commission endorsement.

Governor Cuomo announced that the Great New York State Fair will hold a special celebration in honor of the Maine-Endwell Little League team, which completed an undefeated season this past weekend by winning the Little League World Series. The Governor declared Thursday, September 1 “Champions Day” at the Fair in honor of the team, which will be congratulated for its victory at a special ceremony on Chevy Court. Free tickets to the Fair are available to members of the Maine-Endwell community to take part in the celebration. The Maine-Endwell team is the first New York team to win the Little League World Series since 1964.

The White House Rural Council and the Postal Service are hosting 60 workshops in 24 states over the next few months for rural businesses to learn how to access new customers abroad and take advantage of international trade assistance. Local entrepreneurs can take advantage by attending a workshop today at the Binghamton Post Office at 115 Henry Street from 11:00 - 1:00.

The State DEC issued a drought watch for the entire state of New York following consultation with the State Drought Management Task Force and Federal partner agencies. DEC officials said that below normal precipitation over the last 9 months, low stream flows, and reduced groundwater levels have prompted the need for the action. Residents are encouraged to conserve water whenever possible during the coming Summer months. More information is available at dec.ny.gov.

The New York Lottery’s Yolanda Vega today presented an over-sized check worth $5 million to 70-year-old William Villecco of Harpursville at Wegman’s in Johnson City today. Villecco chose to receive his prize in a single lump sum payment totaling $4.2 Million Dollars.

State Police & Delaware County EMS updated the information on Wednesday Night’s explosion at 3949 State Route 206 in Masonville. At 9:26 pm, Delaware 911 received a call of a house explosion at the Kela Charles, Masonville fire units responded to find the home completed destroyed by an apparent explosion and heavily involved with fire. Mutual aid assistance was received from Trout Creek, Sidney, Sidney Center, Bainbridge, & Franklin. 29-year-old Kerry Vaccaro was outside of the residence at the time of the explosion, she was transported to Wilson Memorial Hospital in Johnson City. 31-year-old Shayne Charles was in the basement, he was eventually airlifted to the burn unit at Upstate Medical in Syracuse. 53-year-old Kela Charles refused medical treatment for her injuries. The cause of the explosion has been determined to be accidental in nature and caused when Shayne Charles attempted to ignite a propane hot water heater in the basement.

Governor Cuomo announced a new series of aggressive enforcement actions to combat the illegal sale of K2 and other synthetic drugs. The Governor announced the State Department of Health's Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement, in partnership with the New York State Police, will step up enforcement efforts to crack down on the illegal sale of K2. Additionally, the Governor will require that the State Liquor Authority and New York State Gaming Commission increase their oversight and enforcement efforts to revoke a store owner's liquor and lottery licenses if they are found to be illegally peddling K2. The latest action follows an incident in Brooklyn where about 3 dozen people become sick after using K2.

Jermaine Bagnall-Graham of Sherburne officially filed petition signatures to appear on the Democratic and Women’s Equality Party lines, in the race for the 51st State Senate District. Bagnall-Graham is seeking to unseat Republican Jim Seward, who has held a seat in the Senate since 1986. Bagnall-Graham has officials started a website for the campaign at jermaine. today, & a Facebook page, Facebook.com/jermaineforsenate.

A jury has been selected in the trial of Almond Upton. Upton is charged with first-degree murder in the May 2014 death of State Trooper Christopher Skinner. Upton was driving north on Interstate 81 in the Town of Chenango when he swerved from the left lane to hit Trooper Skinner who was standing outside his vehicle during an unrelated traffic stop. The trial will resume this morning.

Governor Cuomo announced that Trooper Donald Atkinson and Trooper Lawrence Gurdo are the recipients of the New York State Police Officer of the Year Award. The troopers were recognized for helping rescue a 14-year-old girl from the waters of the Whitney Point Reservoir in Broome County last summer. Both men braved cold water and an extremely strong undercurrent to pull the teen to safety from reservoir dam, near the mouth of a quarter-mile-long intake tunnel. Trooper Atkinson has been a member of the State Police for more than 15 years, is assigned to Troop C in Whitney Point.