WCDO Radio News

P.M. NEWS WEDNESDAY 5-17-17

"The Wall The Heals" will be set up in Neahwa Park in Oneonta over the Memorial Day Weekend, local organizer for the event; Gene Schmidt said that there is still a need for a few more volunteers, as preparations are already underway:

(Gene Schmidt 5-17-17)

Schmidt said that the Wall would be brought through area towns on May 25th, along State Route 7 from Harpursville to Oneonta; the wall will be in Neahwa Park through the late afternoon hours of Memorial Day.

The City of Oneonta has hired George Korthauer as the new City Manager. Korthauer served as a city manager in Michigan, he beat out about 90 applicants for the Oneonta City Manager's position.

Governor Cuomo today ordered a comprehensive review of compliance under the 2015 "Enough Is Enough" law at all higher-education institutions across the state. The statewide inspection will ensure that all colleges and universities are fulfilling their obligations under the law to protect students from sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence and stalking, and are taking every measure to properly investigate allegations of sexual assault on campus.   The Governor has directed the review be completed for all schools by the beginning of the fall semester.

Empire State Development failed to meet more than half of the reporting requirements for tax credit and job creation programs, according to an audit released by State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli. Auditors found 27 of 57 of general outcome reports, or 47 percent, were not finished, 17 programs requiring independently prepared evaluations were not evaluated; and 93 of 152 program-specific reports, or 61 percent, were not completed. The full report is available at osc.state.ny.us/audits.

State Senate Democrats want to add an Equal Rights amendment to the state constitution.   The proposal would add language prohibiting discrimination based on gender, disability, sexual orientation or identity, the 1938 bill only prohibited discrimination based on race, color, creed or religion. Voters would decide whether to approve the amendment if lawmakers agree to put it on the November ballot.

All area school districts had successful budget votes yesterday, many by a wide margin. Locally, the Franklin School district required a Super Majority Voter Approval; their tax levy increase was slightly above the state cap.

4 people were arrested on drug charges following the execution of a ‘no knock’ warrant on North Broad Street in Norwich Tuesday. Arrested were 19-year-old Chase Webb of Norwich, 37-year-old Steven Peterson of New York City, 30-year-old Sebastian Catanzaro of Norwich and 28-year-old Christina Banks of Norwich. Webb is accused of selling heroin; Peterson is accused of possessing cocaine and crack with the intent to sell. Catanzaro and Banks are accused of maintaining a place for drug sales. All 4 were arraigned; Webb was remanded to the Chenango County Correctional Facility pending future court action.

The Delaware County Chamber of Commerce is hosting its Annual Awards Gala at the Castle on the Delaware, in Walton today from 5:30 to 8:30 PM. The Village of Sidney is recieving recognition as the Business Advocate of the Year, according to Delaware County Chamber President Ray Pucci:

(Ray Pucci 5-17-17)

Other award recipients are: Businesses of the Year - Friesland-Campina DOMO, Saputo Dairy Foods; the new Business of the Year is Union Grove Distillery; Tourism Award goes to Wayside Cidery and Tap Room.

The Delaware National Bank of Delhi opened their new Sidney Loan office location on May 8th, at 276 State Highway 7, this morning they celebrated with a Grand Opening & ribbon Cutting this morning, spokesperson Dee Hillis explains:

(Dee Hillis 5-17-17)

The Delaware National Bank of Delhi is the 26th oldest bank in the Country, and the 3rd oldest bank in the State of New York.

State health officials have published a guide to help New Yorkers to avoid Lyme disease this summer. The state department of health has published a complete guideline on their website, complete with what to do if you are bit by a tick, which are the most common ticks to spread Lyme disease, include pictures of those ticks. The Guideline is available at health.ny.gov
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State University of New York Empire State College will hold public information session about its associate and bachelor's degree programs at 44 HAWLEY STREET, BINGHAMTON today. The session will begin at 4:30 PM; more information is available at 721-8651.

Delaware County Sheriff's Office Investigators arrested 45-year-old Gabriel Bonacci of Sidney on new felony drug charges, following an investigation after a March 24th arrest by Parole Officers on a parole violation warrant. This morning Sheriff’s Investigators charged Bonacci with 2 counts of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance & 2 counts of Attempted Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance, following the execution of a search warrant at Bonacci’s Sidney property Monday, Investigators seized narcotics, including morphine tablets. Bonacci was arraigned in the Town of Sidney Court & was sent back to the Delaware County Jail on $250,000 cash bail.

State Police are looking for 78-year-old Franklin Carney of Norwich, who was reported missing Thursday. Police said that Carney suffers from dementia, and may be in need of medical attention, he was last see at 1:00 PM Thursday on Aldrich Road in Norwich. Carney is described as a white male, 6 feet 1 inch tall, 172 pounds, with gray hair and gray eyes, he drives a black 2006 Ford Ranger with the New York license plates CHB-2325, he was wearing a black Carhart jacket, blue jeans, white shoes and a baseball cap, he was with his Australian cattle dog. Anybody with information should call State police at 334- 3296 or 911.

State Troopers arrested 48-year-old John St. John of Mt. Upton for DWI with a B.A.C. result of .15% and other traffic violations. The arrest was made following a traffic stop for speeding at 78mph, when the speed limit is 55mph, while on State Route 7 in the Town of Bainbridge. An investigation determined that St John was driving while intoxicated. He was issued tickets returnable to the Bainbridge Town Court on April 17, 2017.

The 2017 trout and salmon fishing season begin tomorrow, April 1. Anglers can visit DEC’s website to view this spring’s planned trout stockings in 314 lakes and ponds and 2,850 miles of streams across New York State. Anyone 16 years of age and older that wants to fish in New York must have a State fishing license. Anglers can purchase and print a license for immediate use on their home computer at www.dec.ny.gov/permits. Anglers can also purchase a license by phone by calling 1-866-933-2257, or from the numerous license-issuing agents across the state.

Governor Cuomo announced a Request for Proposals for the availability of up to $4.7 million in annual funding for statewide problem gambling outreach, education and treatment services. The RFP includes the development and oversight of seven Problem Gambling Resource Centers across the state. The initiative will be funded in part through a $500 annual license fee charged to casinos operating in New York State, for each gambling table and slot machine at their facilities. Responses are due June 8th.

Governor Cuomo endorsed the "Empire State Equity Act," federal legislation that would deliver property tax relief to New Yorkers by increasing federal funding for New York's Medicaid program. New York is a "donor state" that contributes as much as $30 billion more to the federal budget in taxes than it receives back in services. This bill will help level the playing field and provide New York with an additional $2.3 billion in Medicaid funds, which the state will use to eliminate the local share of Medicaid for any county that agrees to lower local property taxes by an equal amount, thereby passing 100 percent of their savings to their taxpayers.

CDO Workforce & SUNY Delhi will team up for a session today, regarding application & available courses of study at the college. The session will begin at 1:00 PM at the SIdney Civic Center in the CDOWorkforce offices, reservations are requested at 561-7550, but walk-ins are welcome.

The Afton & Bainbridge Guilford Yes Leaders are teaming up for an Opioid Awareness Program tonight in the Afton School District. State Senator Fred Akshar comments:

(Fred Akshar 3-16-17)

Hundreds are expected to attend the event tonight, which will start with a free pizza dinner at 5:30 followed by the program at 6:00 PM; more information about the program is available at yes safe choices.org.

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.

The State Senate & State Assembly passed their budget resolutions this week, paving the way for the conference committees to begin negotiating the differences in the 2 plans next week. Both budget plans call for increases tuition assistance for college students and increasing aid to public school districts and tackling the state's aging water infrastructure issues. Other issues include stopping the practice of prosecuting 16 & 17 year olds as adults in criminal cases, and allowing for Uber & Lyft to begin serving upstate counties.

The American Red Cross is urging all eligible donors throughout the state to give blood following the recent winter storm, which forced 56 regional blood drives to cancel and blood donations centers to shut down, causing about 1,480 donations to go uncollected. Officials said that there is a critical need for type O negative donors. Upcoming Blood drives will be held in Oneonta on Monday from 12:00 Noon to 5:00 PM at SUNY Oneonta, on March 27th from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM at the Southside Oneonta Holiday Inn, & March 28th from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM at the Oneonta Elks Club, on Chestnut Street. Blood donations will be collected in Sidney on March 28th from 2:00 to 6:00 PM at the Sidney Elks Lodge, & in Walton on March 28th at the Pines Brook Church, from 2:00 to 7:00 PM. More information is available at redcrossblood.org.

Governor Cuomo reminds New Yorkers who need help paying their heating bills to apply to the Home Energy Assistance Program by tomorrow, March 17. Nearly 1.3 million households have already received help heating their homes this winter through the program. Households eligible for HEAP can receive one regular benefit per year, of up to $626, depending on income, household size and heating source. People may apply for online at myBenefits.ny.gov.

Manufacturing in New York State expanded for the 5th straight month in March, but at a slower pace that February, when activity reached the highest level in 2 years. The Federal Reserve Bank in New York reported that the empire state manufacturing index in march stood at 16.4, down from 18.7 last month, the level for new orders was the highest in several years, the level for unfilled orders jumped to the highest levels in about a decade. The increases follow 2 years of mostly flat output.