WCDO Radio News

The Southern Tier & Central New York Regions won big again this year, when Governor Cuomo announced these years’ winners for the Regional Economic council awards and the Upstate revitalization Initiative awards Thursday. State Senator Fred Akshar comments:

(Akshar 12-11-15)

The Top projects this year include the 7 Hawley Street Redevelopment in Binghamton & the Southern Tier Health Sciences and Technology Innovation Park in Binghamton.

The Mohawk Valley Regional Development Council, which includes Otsego County, won over 100 million dollars Thursday for assorted projects. Locally, the Oneonta Rail Yards will be completely rebuilt, and developed, plus the Upper Susquehanna Agriculture Center will be built in Oneonta. Other projects include a State Route 205 Corridor Study, an Oneonta Airport Logistics Development Project, The villages of Cooperstown and Milford will identify the feasibility of a rail service connection & the ARC Otsego Community Residential Facilities will use Funds to make improvements to 10 group homes.

Governor Cuomo announced the final report and recommendations of the Common Core Task Force. The Task Force recommends overhauling the current Common Core system and adopting new, locally driven New York State standards in a transparent and open process. The Task Force also recommends that current Common Core aligned tests should not count for students or teachers until the start of 2019-2020 school year to ensure the system is implemented completely and properly to avoid the errors caused by the prior flawed implementation.

A state judge has banned DraftKings and FanDuel from doing business in New York State today. The order was issued today by state Supreme Court Justice Manuel Mendez, after Attorney General Eric Schneiderman said that the 2 companies are violating state gambling laws dating back to the 1890's. The companies unsuccessfully argued that their games are based on skill, Judge Mendez did not agree.

Area Resident Gene Schmidt is coordinating the 3rd Christmas Community Dinner on Christmas Day, which has now been moved back to the Sidney Fire Department's Training Center on River Street. Schmidt said that they still are looking for volunteers & donations:

(Gene Schmidt 12-11-15)

Schmidt can be reached at 610-4030, Donations can be sent by check to the Sidney United Methodist Church, with Community Christmas Dinner on the memo line. Schmidt said that last year they served about 250 dinners on Christmas day.

First Night and LEAF will be collaborating with the Oneonta Boys and Girls Club on Saturday, December 12th on their annual FREE Christmas Party with live music, games and activities, snacks and a visit from not only Santa. The Elks Club will be welcoming families to participate in a Hoop Shoot from 10 am until noon and the Christmas Party will run from noon until 2 pm. It will also be a chance to purchase discounted buttons for First Night Oneonta's New Year's Eve Celebration.

State Police have released information in a fatal Otsego County motor vehicle accident that occurred yesterday on US Route 20 in the town of Richfield. 20 year old Kaitlin Mercier of Huntington, Massachusetts was pronounced deceased at the scene of the accident. 22-year-old Amanda Conley of Brattleboro Vermont was a passenger in the vehicle; she was taken to Bassett Hospital in Cooperstown with a broken right leg and bruises. The investigation is continuing, the results of an autopsy are expected shortly.

State Police arrested a Broome county man after uncovering another meth lab in Endwell today. 21-year-old Dakota Askew is charged with unlawful manufacturing of methamphetamine. State Police executed a no-knock search warrant at Askew's home at 38 North Avenue B in Endwell, chemicals used to manufacture methamphetamine were located & removed, Askew was

Governor Cuomo has been seeking a new way to evaluate teachers the last 2 years, by tying test scores to teacher effectiveness. Area Assemblyman Cliff Crouch said that this whole controversy about evaluating teachers was unnecessary:

(Crouch 4-17-15)

Governor Cuomo said earlier this year that the students were passing state tests at a 40 percent rate, but the teacher evaluation was at 98%, he contended that those numbers don't add up, the state's teachers union disagrees.

The Chenango United Way is seeking donations to create a locally based Chenango County board game. This game will be similar to Monopoly and will highlight businesses and nonprofits across the county. 500 of the games will be produced by the Chenango United Way and sold at local events. Interested business can get more information at 334-8815.

A "Protect Our Schools" demonstration will be held in Oneonta Thursday as part of a state wide awareness campaign, to let Governor Cuomo know that parents & teachers feel that school are underfunded, over-mandated and that they fear an eventual statewide take-over of schools. Area schoolteacher Michelle Decker comment:

(Michelle Decker 3-23-15)

Kjersti Van Slyke-Briggs is an area parent that co-founded an area grassroots campaign regarding common core & increased testing of students, she told WCDO News of the purpose of Thursday's event:

(Kjersti Van Slyke Briggs 3-23-15)

The demonstration will begin at 4:30 Thursday at the former Center Street School In Oneonta, more information is available at NYSAPE.org.

The 11th annual American Cancer Society Tri-Town Relay For Life will be held at the General Clinton Park in Bainbridge on Saturday May 9th this year. The 2015 theme is Hero’s of Hope & this year’s event will be ONE day only, running from 11am to 11pm. Officials announced that it is not too late to become involved by either registering a team or volunteering, more information is available at relayforlife.org/tritownny or at the next meeting on Monday April 6th at 5:30 at the United Methodist Church, Liberty Street in Sidney.

The Delaware County Republican Committee has endorsed Porter Kirkwood for Family Court Judge. Kirkwood currently serves as Delaware County Attorney. The Delaware County Family Court Judgeship is a new position that was created by the Governor and State Legislature in 2014 in an effort to relieve the backlog of cases in Family Courts around the State. 25 new Family Court Judgeships were added in New York. No Democratic Party Candidate has been announced.