WCDO Radio News

P.M. NEWS MONDAY 7-7-25

State Police were dispatched on July 4th to Ridge Runner Road in Hancock for a report of an accident with fireworks. A preliminary investigation at the scene indicates that 2 males were on a pontoon boat on Somerset Lake setting off fireworks when numerous fireworks apparently ignited at the same time causing an explosion. One male was transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries and the other male succumbed to his injuries on the scene.

Helios Care announced that their next "Camp Forget-Me-Not" will be held in Walton later this month, helping children deal with grief, spokesperson Meghan Sagese comments:

(Meghan Sagese 7-7-25)

The program is facilitated by Grief Professionals, Registration is required by July 14th, at 607-432-5225, the meeting will be held at the Townsend Elementary School, on July 24th from 9:00 AM to 4:30PM

An Ad-Hoc organization has been formed call the "Butternut Valley Neighbors", they will be holding a meeting this Thursday at the Morris Fire Hall regarding concerns that area resident may have regarding Federal budget cuts for various programs, spokesperson Andrea Hull explains:

(Andrea Hull 7-7-25)

The meeting at the Morris Fire House Thursday will begin at 6:30 PM, more information is available at 202-531-7393.

Otsego County Sheriff's Office arrested 27 year old Emily Tabler of Bronx, for Driving While Intoxicated, Operating a Motor Vehicle with a BAC of .08% or higher, Failure to keep right & Driving on the shoulder, following a property damage accident in the Town of Exeter. Deputies on patrol and came upon a motor vehicle accident on State Highway 28. Tabler was found to be intoxicated & was processed and released on an Appearance Tickets for Exeter Town Court at a later date.

A.M. NEWS MONDAY 7-7-25

The Chenango County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a fatal hit and run car vs. pedestrian accident on July 4, at about 8:45 pm on State Highway 80 near the Rogers Conservation Center in the Town of Sherburne. The Sheriff’s Office announced this morning that the vehicle and driver have been located. The investigation is still ongoing. Anyone with any further information please contact the Chenango County Sheriff's Office at 607-334-2000.

Chenango County Sheriff’s Office arrested 43 year old Delbert Dewey of Sherburne for Burglary and 3rd Degree Grand Larceny in the Town of Sherburne. Dewey was found to be in possession of a stolen motorcycle, Deputies recently took a report of a stolen motorcycle in Sherburne, Deputies stopped to speak with Dewey at his residence, the motorcycle was at his residence, Dewey was located and taken into custody without incident & was released on an appearance ticket and is to appear in the Town of Sherburne Court at a later date.

West Colesville Fire Chief James Sitek suffered a medical emergency while responding to the fire, Friday Morning in Conklin. Sitek was transported to Wilson Hospital where he was pronounced deceased, he served as the West Colesville Fire Chief for 3 years. The Case is currently under investigation by the Broome County Fire Investigation Office, the New York State Office of Fire Prevention and Control, and the Broome County Sheriff’s Office.

Over 2,000 people attended the 3rd annual Southern Tier Music Fest in Sidney at the Airport Saturday. About 400 walk up tickets were purchased due to the perfect weather conditions, there was 7 hours of music featuring headliner Uncle Kracker, plus a Queen & an AC/DC tribute band, Alyssa Crosby from “The Voice” and the 9-1-1 Band, the day ended with a Fireworks Display, Organizer Ed Curley told WCDO News that the even was deemed a complete success.

Delaware County Sheriff's Deputies responded recently to a report of a trespass in progress in the Village of Walton, with a physical altercation had occurred while in the presence of a child, and personal property belonging to multiple individuals had been damaged throughout the incident. Deputies arrested and charged both 34-year-old Charles Boecke and 27-year-old Siara Mettler for Endangering the Welfare of a Child and Criminal Mischief, they were both processed and released on appearance tickets returnable to the Village of Walton court at a later date.

P.M. NEWS FRIDAY 1-10-25

Toyota Material Handling and The Raymond Corporation will formally integrate into 1 company under the name "Toyota Material Handling North America" effective April 1. Raymond President Michael Field explains:

(Michael Field 1-10-25)

Toyota acquired The Raymond Corporation in 2001, Field will be the Chief Operting Officer of the new corporate entity, he will still be based in Greene, and people are still invited to apply for work at the facility as they plan more hiring of personnel, more information is available at careers.raymondcorp.com.

Otsego County Office of Emergency Services reported that an early morning fire at about 4:45 this morning at 451 County Highway 21 in the town of Plainfield resulted in a fatality. The fire destroyed the home, Unadilla Forks Fire Department received aid from the West Winfield Fire Department, The fire was reported by a passing motorist, indicating that the house was fully involved. The Cause of this fire is currently under investigation, and the Otsego County Office of Emergency Services is being assisted with the investigation by the New York State Police and the New York State Office of Fire Prevention and Control

The Norwich Police Department concluded an investigation into a felony fugitive from justice warrant out of the State of Kentucky. Norwich Police Department detectives arrested 47 year old Trey Kirk of Norwich, on several warrants out of Boone County Kentucky for fleeing and evading police officers. Kirk was picked up at a local business in the City of Norwich and held for arraignment on the Fugitive from Justice Warrant.

Chenango County Sheriff’s Office arrested Cameron Curley of Smithville & Logan Tribe-Filhart of Binghamton, On January 6th, Curley and Tribe-Filhart allegedly took several thousands of dollars worth of property from a residence in the Town of Smithville on multiple occasions, Tribe-Filhart was seen with stolen property by deputies and citizens following the incident, Additional stolen property was found in Curley’s residence. Both were charged with 2 counts of Burglary, Grand larceny, Criminal mischief, Criminal possession of stolen property, among other charges, they were released with separate court dates in the Town of Smithville Court.

The Otsego County Sheriff’s Office arrested 50 year old Lance Jennings of Burlington for Assault, Criminal Obstruction of Breathing & Harassment, after Deputies responded to a residence in the Town of Burlington on January 4th, Jennings was arrested & was processed and released after being issued an appearance ticket returnable to the Town of Burlington Court at a later date.

A.M. NEWS FRIDAY 1-10-25

Chenango County Sheriff’s Office arrested 31 year old Elijah Conklin of New Berlin after he falsely reported a car theft. Deputies were told by Conklin that his vehicle was stolen out of his driveway when he was not home, he signed documents, vehicle information was shared with the Otsego County, where they reported that the vehicle had been involved in an accident and the driver fled the scene. Chenango Deputies determined that Conklin was the driver that fled the scene, Deputies returned Conklin was processed and released on an appearance ticket to appear in the Town of New Berlin Court at a later date.

Chenango County Sheriff’s Office arrested 56 year old Jonathon Rees on a Sealed Indictment Arrest Warrant. Rees turned himself in to the Chenango County Sheriff’s Office after receiving a Notice to Appear for Chenango County Court. Rees was processed for Offering a false instrument for filing, Perjury, unlawful surveillance, Aggravated Harrassment among other charges, he was arraigned in Chenango County Court where he was released on his own recognizance to appear in court at a later date.

Broome County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a report of a burglary in the Town of Triangle. 27 year old Samuel Michaels & 33 year old Jennifer Briggs claimed that their residence was burglarized, Detectives learned that Michaels and Briggs were suspects in a burglary case in Chenango County, where a shotgun was utilized to shoot into a vacant Chenango County residence. The pair admitted to having falsely reported the initial burglary to eliminate themselves as suspects in the Chenango County burglary investigation. Michaels and Briggs were charged with Tampering with Physical Evidence, Providing a False Written Statement, Falsely Reporting, they were processed at the Broome County Sheriff’s Office and issued appearance tickets returnable to the Town of Triangle Court, they also face burglary charges in Chenango County.

P.M. NEWS MONDAY 11-25-24

All water systems in the state were mandated to complete a Lead Service Line inventory for all service connections. Sidney Village Mayor Ray Baker told WCDO News that they had to send the letter out to residents, but there is no history of lead or copper piping used in the village of Sidney:

(Ray Baker 11-25-24)

Anyone who would like to have their water service lines tested anyway, can call Shane Nordberg at the Sidney Wastewater Treatment plant to find out about testing kits, the number of 607-561-2330. Baker said that test kits typically cost about $45.

The Jennings Creek/Sterling Forest State Park wildfire on the New York border was fully contained over the weekend, Response actions in the area will continue in the coming days with a smaller force of state and local experts as final fire control efforts advance. To date, the fire has burned 5,304 acres across New York and New Jersey since Nov. 8. The fire is 100-percent contained and 100-percent controlled.

Delaware Opportunities and the Delaware County Chamber of Commerce are partnering with dozens of businesses and organizations across Delaware County to provide Christmas gifts to Delaware County children in need. New, unwrapped gifts may be deposited through Thursday, December 5. Delaware County Chamber President Ray Pucci told WCDO News that the affiliation with Toys for Tots has ended, the program remains the same:

(Ray Pucci 11-25-24)

To sign up a family in need of Christmas gifts contact Delaware Opportunities at 607-746-1603. Sign-ups are available through this Friday, November 29th.

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced nearly $220 million in federal funding to support counter-terrorism and emergency preparedness efforts across New York State. The funding is provided by the FEMA, it supports planning, organization, equipment, training and exercise activities which are critical to sustaining and improving community prevention, protection, response and recovery capabilities. Locally, Chenango & Otsego Counties get over $93,000 each, Delaware County receives more that $85,000.

New York State repealed on Friday a law that made it a crime to cheat on your spouse, which was a misdemeanor punishable by up to 3 months in prison. Governor Hochul signed the bill that repealed that law that dates back to 1907, about a dozen people have been charged since the 1970s, and 5 of those cases resulted in convictions.

A.M. NEWS MONDAY 11-25-24

State Police and local law enforcement agencies throughout the State will increase patrols through Thanksgiving weekend, targeting impaired and reckless driving. The special enforcement period runs through this Sunday and will also target other unsafe driving behaviors like Move Over Law violations. During the 2023 Thanksgiving holiday period, law enforcement officers arrested 1,342 drivers for DWI, issued 7,656 speeding tickets and 970 tickets for distracted driving.

Delaware County Sheriff's Deputies responded last month to a Harassment complaint in the Town of Davenport. 75-year-old George Sydlar of Davenport had engaged in a course of conduct, which alarmed or annoyed another person, and Deputies requested a criminal summons to be issued by the Davenport Town Court, last week Deputies arrested Sydlar, he is scheduled to return to the Davenport Town Court at a later date. Sydlar was sentenced to 30 days in jail earlier this year after he falsely reported that his neighbor committed a crime, and he refused to cooperate with authorities during the investigation.

NYSEG announced that almost all of the power has been restored, following last week's Heavy Wet Snow, that knocked down tree limbs & power lines all over the region. NYSEG was assisted by power companies from all over the northeast, after 24,000 customers lost power.

The Chenango County Board of Supervisors will hold a public Budget hearing on the County budget proposal today at 5:00 PM today in the board meeting room at the County Office Building in Norwich, more information at chenangocountyny.gov/251/Budget

51 year old David Louden of Sidney appeared in Delaware County Court Friday after being arrested for a probation violation. The Delaware County Department of Probation had filed a revocation petition alleging 10 violations of the terms of his probation, for failing to report to his probation officer, possessing and consuming alcohol in violation of his conditions, possessing illegal narcotics, and refusing to answer the door to probation officers at his residence. Louden was remanded to the Delaware County Jail, he is scheduled for a conference on December 9th. .

P.M. NEWS THURSDAY 10-12-23

38 year old Mark Archer of Oneonta was indicted for 12 felonies and arraigned in Delaware County Court Wednesday for alleged sexual crimes against children. The Indictment accuses Archer of 3 counts of Sexual Abuse, 2 counts of 1st degree Rape, as well as Criminal Sexual Act & 4 counts of Predatory Sexual Assault Against a Child. Archer was remanded to the Delaware County Correctional Facility on $75,000 cash bail, or $750,000 bond. The case is scheduled for a conference on October 30th.

Otsego County Sheriff's Office arrested 21 year old Bryce Barnhart of Cortland following a motor vehicle pursuit which began in the Town of Springfield and continued into Schoharie County on Tuesday. Barnhart was charged with Unlawfully Fleeing a Police Officer, Failure To Comply, Reckless Driving & Speeding & Speeding in a Construction Zone, he is accused of traveling up to 118 miles on U.S. Highway 20 in the Town of Springfield, & for hitting another vehicle while exiting a parking lot. Barhart was processed and released on an Appearance Tickets in both Counties at later dates.

Upgrades are continuing & fundraisers are being planned to benefit the Sidney Veteran's Memorial Park on River Street in Sidney, Park spokesman Doug Barnard explains:

(DOUG BARNARD 10-12-23)

Upcoming fundraisers include the splitting of the concessions with the Ti-Town Theater when they perform the "Music Man” October 20th to the 22nd, as well as a Bowling Fundraiser at East Main Lanes in Sidney November 4th, 5th, 11th & 12th, & their annual Golf Tournament next June at the Sidney Golf Course. More information about the Sidney Veterans Memorial Park & about Sponsorship for the Bowling Tournament can be found on their Facebook page or at svmpa.org.

A Halloween Pets Costume Parade will be held Friday @ 6:30 pm at the Bishop lot in Unadilla, the parade starts at 7:00 pm to the Unadilla Public Library. Fees collected will benefit Delaware Valley Humane Society.

A.M. NEWS THURSDAY 10-12-23

The Norwich Fire Department will hold an Open House tonight at the Norwich Fire House, as part of Fire Prevention Month, Norwich Fire Chief Jan Papelino comments:

(Chief Jan Papelino 10-12-23)

The Norwich Fire Department “Open House” will run this evening from 6:00 to 8:00 PM.

Otsego County Sheriff's Office arrested 37 year old Sarah Stevens of Oneonta following an investigation of contraband found in the correctional facility. Stevens was charged with 2 counts of Criminal Possession of a Control Substance & 2 Counts of Promoting Prison Contraband, she was being held pending centralized arraignment.

A Meet the Candidates event will be held tonight for Guilford Town Candidates & Constituents. The meeting will be held at the Guilford Town Hall on Marble Road from 6:30 to 8:30 PM.

P.M. NEWS TUESDAY 10-10-23

Susquehanna SPCA announced 2 programs in October made possible by grants from the ASPCA in partnership with Subaru. Five Star Subaru in Oneonta will donate $100 for every dog or cat adopted from the shelter, On Wednesday October 11 and on October 25, a special low-cost clinic supported by a $4,000 ASPCA grant will make spay or neuter procedures available for dogs of income-qualified individuals at a cost of $100 per dog. More information is available by calling 607-547-8111 extension 109.

The next Nate Lull Scholarship Fundraiser will be held at Awestruck Ciders in Sidney this Sunday from 11am to 5pm, Lull told WCDO News that Sunday's fundraiser is one of the key fundraisers for the Scholarship:

(Nate Lull 10-10-23)

There will raffles at Sunday's event, the scholarships will be announced next year, details are available at natelull.com.

The Sidney Alumni Hall Of Fame Induction ceremony will be held this weekend, spokesman Greg Davie Told WCDO news who is going in this year:

(Greg Davie 10-10-23)

The inductees will be recognized at Halftime at this Friday's Sidney Football game & the Induction ceremony will be Saturday starting at 5:00 PM at the Sidney Elks Lodge.

A.M. NEWS TUESDAY 10-10-23

State Police and Emergency crews responded to a crash on I-88 eastbound in Colesville between exits 5 and 6 yesterday afternoon. An investigation revealed that a pick-up truck was pulling vehicles on a trailer, the operator lost control and rolled the vehicles, blocking both lanes. Some traffic was able to pass on the shoulder before the Interstate was shut down and travelers were re-routed off exit 5 to State Highway 7 then back on to I-88 at exit 6. The operator was a 51-year-old male of Elmira, He was treated on scene but did not wish to be transported to a hospital.

State officials and members of the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services' Office of Fire Prevention and Control will preside over the 26th Annual New York State Fallen Firefighters Memorial Ceremony today. State officials will honor 29 fallen firefighters at the 26th Annual Ceremony, at the Empire State Plaza Convention Center in Albany, starting at 11:00 AM.

P.M. NEWS MONDAY 3-20-23

The Village of Sidney mayoral Race will be held tomorrow, with 2 candidates vying for the position, Ray Baker told WCDO News of his background with a number of local Organizations:

(Ray Baker 3-20-23)

Current Deputy Mayor Vic Tartaglia is also running for Sidney Village Mayor:

(Vic Tartaglia 3-20-23)

Both men are looking to replace long time Mayor Andy Matviak, who declined to seek re-election this year after serving as mayor for 12 years.

Former Assistant to Former Broome County District Attorney James Worhach was sentenced to 2 to 4 years in prison. Worhach served under previous DA Steven Cornwell, In January, Worhach pleaded guilty to Grand Larceny after admitting he stole more than $1,000 from 2016-2019 from the Broome County government. Worhach was also ordered to pay $5,727.75 in restitution to Broome County plus a fine of $1,000.

A State DEC Environmental Conservation Police Officer is credited with saving an elderly couple from their burning car in Downsville on March 7th. En Con Officer Doig noticed flames shooting out near the exhaust and gas tank of the vehicle, he notified Delaware County 911, approached the vehicle & safely removed 2 elderly individuals from the car. Officer Doig grabbed his patrol car fire extinguisher, and put out the fire. The Downsville Fire Department arrived a short time later and determined the vehicle had a leaking gas tank and could have become engulfed in flames at any moment. The couple were unaware the car caught fire, there were no injuries reported.

Broome County Sheriff's Office welcomed 27 new Corrections Officers at a ceremony at SUNY Broome Community College, including 7 women. The 27 officers was the largest group of new Corrections Officers in the history of the Sheriff's Office, freshman Sheriff Fred Akshar stated that it was a priority to bolster the number of Corrections officers as soon as possible, when he took office in January.

Bassett Healthcare Network announced today that masks are no longer required for patients, visitors, or staff members across most areas of the health system. 1 exception is in Bassett’s skilled nursing facilities at A.O. Fox Nursing Home, Valley Residential Services, and Valley Health Services, where masks will still be required for all employees and visitors. Long-term care facilities continue to follow stricter guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) based on community transmission rates to protect residents.

A.M. NEWS MONDAY 3-20-23

The Otsego County Sheriff's Office arrested 48 year old Charles Bodie of Edmeston for 2nd degree Rape, Criminal Sex Act, Dissemination of Indecent Material to Minors, Obscenity, & Endangering the Welfare of a Child. Bodie is accused of engaging in sexual relationship with a minor for several months, allegedly sent indecent material to the minor while he was employed outside of the State, and then Homeland Security was requested to assist. Bodie was located and arrested & he was returned to New York, he was turned over to investigators and was being held at the Otsego County Correctional Facility to await arraignment. Additional charges are expected.

Delaware County Sheriff's Deputies arrested 71 year old Vincent Balsamo of Walton on an Indictment Warrant for Manslaughter. The arrest was a result of a 3-month investigation, Balsamo was charged with 2nd degree Manslaughter, 2nd degree assault and reckless endangerment for a domestic incident that resulted in the death of 52 year old April Kestner of Honesdale Pennsylvania at his residence in the Town of Walton in December 2022. Balsamo was being held pending future court action.

Charlotte Bennett has filed a complaint in State Court claiming that the State is liable for Cuomo's alleged sexual harrassment of her & against the actions of Cuomo's top aides for failing to take corrective action after she reported the abuse. Bennett had previously filed a lawsuit against Cuomo, who has denied the allegations.

The Oxford Girls Basketball team finished the 2022-23 season with an appearance in the Class-D state championship game on Sunday in Troy. The Blackhawks fell to Hammond from Section 10 in the title game but earned an exciting semifinal victory on Saturday over Notre Dame-Bishop Gibbons from Section 2. Madalyn Barrows was the star of the weekend for Oxford as she tallied 43 points, 19 rebounds, 12 steals & 10 assists over the two games. She did all this while being sick and only being able to eat crackers and drink pedialyte. The Blackhawks finish the season at 22-6 and they were the first Chenango County Girls Basketball team to make the state finals since B-G did in 1999. For more information make sure to check out Sports Director Nate Lull on Twitter.

P.M. NEWS THURSDAY 1-19-23

The Broome County Sheriff's Office has received multiple reports of a mass text from 438422@rnbenefits.org sent out to an unknown amount of phone numbers. The scammers are claiming to be from Social Services in an effort to obtain EBT numbers and PINs from potential victims. In the text, scammers falsely inform recipients that their benefit card was frozen and they need to call 1-888-392-2362 to re-activate the card. When the person calls the 888 number, they are asked to verify their card number and pin number. Any text received from 438422@rnbenefits.org should be ignored.

State tax receipts totaled $79.8 billion through the 3rd quarter of the State Fiscal Year 2022-23, exceeding the latest projections from the Division of the Budget’s (DOB) Mid-Year Update to the State Financial Plan by nearly $7.7 billion, according to State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli. Personal income tax receipts totaled $42.1 billion and were $8.1 billion above the latest financial plan projections through December 31st, but $6.9 billion lower than the same period in Fiscal Year 21-22. DiNapoli said that there were 2 fewer collection days from the prior year as well as higher refunds from the Pass-Through Entity Tax and property tax relief.

The Community Cultural center at 1 Bridge Street in Sidney, will be hosting a fundraising event on Saturday January 28th, with music & food, according to the Center's Board President Amy Williams:

(Amy Williams 1-19-23)

The Admission price will be $15, with proceed benefiting the Community Cultural Center's future programs.

The State Labor Department announced that the number of private sector jobs in New York State increased over the month by 22,100, to 8,105,700 in December. The State unemployment rate held at 4.3% in December, the Labor Participation rate was at 60.5%

A State Senate Judiciary Panel has rejected Governor Kathy Hochul's nomination of Justice Hector LaSalle to lead New York's highest court, the Court of Appeals. The Committee on the Judiciary voted 10-9 against sending Justice Hector LaSalle's nomination up for a full vote on the Senate floor following a lengthy hearing where Judge LaSalle was questioned on his record.

A.M. NEWS THURSDAY 1-19-23

The Broome County Sheriff’s Office is seeking the public's Assistance in locating Robert Shelp Jr. on an outstanding warrant. Shelp is described as a White Male, about 5'7" a60 pounds with hazel eyes & brown & gray hair, he is wanted for violation of probation for a criminal possession of stolen Property charge. Anyone with information should contact the Broome County Sheriff’s Office at gobroomecounty.com/sheriff/warrants or by (607) 778-1196 or (607) 778-2923.

Broome County Sheriff’s Office Detective Division arrested 23 year old Demetrius Johnson of Binghamton, for fraudulently using another person’s credit card information to make purchases at a local retail establishment. Johnson was charged with 2 counts each of Unlawful Possession of Personal Identification Information, Petty Larceny and Identity Theft, he was processed and released on an appearance ticket to answer his charges on a later date.

The State's Office of Fire Prevention and Control will begin new outreach efforts to help protect New York's firefighters and their families from the threat of cancer. This new initiative coincides with January's Firefighter Cancer Awareness Month, raising awareness among the fire service on how to develop life-saving protocols for cancer prevention, and to support those who've already received a cancer diagnosis within their fire departments.

P.M. NEWS MONDAY 4-18-22

The National Weather Service has a Winter Storm Warning in effect this evening & into tomorrow morning, Local Meteorologist Rich Townsend told WCDO News what the latest models are showing for this storm:

(Rich Townsend 4-18-22)

The Winter Storm warning is in effect from 6:00 PM tonight until 12:00 Noon tomorrow.

The Binghamton Black Bears have made the playoffs with Game 1 of a prospective 3 game series tonight at the Arena against Danbury, Black Bears Spokesman Rob Lippolis told WCDO News that its been quite a while since there has been playoff hockey in Binghamton:

(Rob Lippolis 4-18-22)

Some tickets are still available for tonight's game at Ticketmaster.com or by calling 607-722-7367.

The State Health Department have included Broome and Tioga counties in an "orange zone" designation for counties at high risk of transmission of the latest strains of the COVID-19 virus . 10 counties have been designated orange, The Broome County Health Department reported 677 new confirmed cases of the virus since the middle of last week, with 31 people hospitalized on Friday & a 7 day positivity rate of 9.5%.

The State DEC are reported sightings of the invasive Southern Pine Beetle, which is native to the southeastern U.S. They are known as destructive pests and pose a significant risk to New York’s pine forests. The DEC said that infestations are spreading and most recently were found in Saratoga County, as well as several locations in the Hudson Valley. DEC and the Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation said they will be closely monitoring multiple State Parks.

The US Census Bureau reported the top 5 states where Former New York residents have moved to over the last 2 years. The number 1 state that New Yorkers relocate to is New Jersey, nearly 60,000 people moved out of New York into Jersey. Florida was the in the 2nd position, followed by Pennsylvania, California & Connecticut.

Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies on patrol in Delhi observed a vehicle fail to stop for a stop sign, failing to signal a turn & traveling through a parking lot to avoid the intersection. Deputies identified the driver as 18 year old Mikaela Duran on Brooklyn, Duran had a BAC measured at .15%. she was charged with DWI & driving with a BAC of .08%, operating a motor vehicle after consuming alcohol under age 21, as well as several other infractions, Duran was released on tickets returnable to the Town of Delhi Court at a later date.

A.M. NEWS MONDAY 4-18-22

The State Office of Fire Prevention and Control, the Otsego County Office of Emergency Services & the Worcester Fire Department have determined the cause of the recent fire in Worcester was accidental. It was determined that the fire originated from an electric appliance that was in use at Hidden Memories at 143 Main Street, the fire destroyed 3 downtown buildings.

The Otsego County Department of Health will be offering an Additional Booster Dose Vaccination Clinic at the Otsego Meadows Complex Today. A registration link can be found on the Health Department Tab at otsegocounty.com, registration for the clinic is mandatory.

P.M. NEWS TUESDAY 2-15-22

Oneonta Mayor Mark Drnek announced that the Common Council meeting tonight will be back in the Chambers at Oneonta City Hall. Mayor Drnek will be delivering his first State of the City Address, masks will be required at tonight's meeting, which will also be broadcast at 7:00 PM on YouTube.com/cityofoneonta

State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli announced the results of an audit of the Otsego County Industrial Development Agency regarding the Oneonta Rail Yards Acquisition. The audit stated that the agency did not adequately plan for the 2017 acquisition of the rail yards, which was acquired based on a $6 million to $20 million development plan, but without an interested developer. Auditors found no indication that the board of directors had significant discussions of the pros and cons of developing the property, they then learned that a large-scale timber operation would be the only type of local industry that could profitable at the Rail Yards property.

The Friends of Recovery of Delaware and Otsego Counties will be expanding into Chenango County with a new site being prepared in the City of Norwich. The new location will be located at at 24 East Main Street in Norwich, they hope to open up the facility sometime this spring, more information about the program is available at friendsofrecoverydo.org.

The Chenango Arts Council’s annual Chenango Student Art Show will take place from March 4th to March 31st, the exhibit will open with a reception and awards ceremony on Friday March 4 beginning at 5:30 pm. In addition to a number of awards for different categories, 2 scholarships will be awarded for Chenango County seniors intending to pursue a degree in the Arts. The exhibit will be displayed in the Mariea Brown and Raymond Loft Galleries, located at the Chenango Arts Council, 27 West Main Street, Norwich and on the Arts Council’s social media. More information is available at 607-336-2787.

A.M. NEWS TUESDAY 2-15-22

The Otsego County Office of Emergency Services were requested to respond to a reported structure fire at 22 Maple Street in the Village of Gilbertsville Monday morning at about 9:15 AM. Firefighters from Gilbertsville, Morris, Mount Upton, Otego, Sidney, Wells Bridge and Otsego County EMS, all responded to the scene, 64 year old Louise Dubben was located deceased inside her residence. The Otsego County Office of Emergency Services, New York State Office of Fire Prevention and Control and the New York State Police are leading investigation efforts. An investigation into the fire is ongoing.

The City of Oneonta Police Department has arrested 29 year old Elijah Vergari of Oneonta in connection with the NBT bank robbery that occurred at 1 Wall Street in the City of Oneonta on December 29th. An indictment was handed down by a Grand Jury for the arrest of Vergari, Vergari was delivered to the Otsego County Court Monday, he was arraigned for 3rd degree Robbery, Due to the existence of pending felony charges in Delaware County, bail was set for $10,000 cash bail and he was remanded to the custody of the Otsego County Sheriff. The Oneonta Police Department worked in conjunction with the New York State Police Forensic ID unit, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations, and NBT bank security services.

An Oneonta man died in a two-car crash on Route 365 in Westmoreland late Sunday night. The Oneida County Sheriff's Office stated that 20-year-old Joshua Parker of Utica, was driving westbound on Route 365 when he started to have car trouble and put his flashers on while trying to make it to a gas station, Parker's vehicle was hit from behind by 40-year-old Lance Johnson of Oneonta, who was transporting medical test samples to a lab. Johnson was pronounced dead at the scene. Parker was taken to St. Elizabeth Medical Center to be treated for injuries that are not considered to be life-threatening. The investigation is ongoing.

Assemblyman Joseph Angelino is announcing his re-election campaign. Angelino is serving in his first term, He is the ranking Republican on the Assembly Committee on Oversight, Analysis and Investigation. Angelino will be running in the new 121st Assembly District which includes the majority of Chenango and Broome counties, and portions of Madison, Otsego, Sullivan and Delaware counties.

NY State of Health announced the affordable health insurance options available to New Yorkers in 2022. Open enrollment for coverage in a 2022 Qualified Health Plan starts November 16th for new and returning consumers and ends on January 31, 2022.   For additional information, visit the NY State of Health website at: nystateofhealth.ny.gov or call us at: 1-855-355-5777.

Commerce Chenango will hold their annual Legislative Breakfast on Thursday October 14th, at the Silo Restaurant in Greene, starting at 8:00 AM.  Representatives from the Economic Development Council and The Business Council of New York State will attend, local lawmakers State Senators Fred Akshar & Peter Oberacker and Assemblyman Joe Angelino have been invited to attend, and RSVP’s are required by this Thursday on the Commerce Chenango website, by calling the office at 334-1400 or email to register@chenangony.org.

The State DEC announced that the State’s new catch-and-release trout stream season begins on October 16th, as part of the DEC’s Statewide Trout Stream Management Plan.  The new season runs until March 31st of next year & requires anglers to use only artificial lures and immediately release trout they catch. More information about freshwater fishing in New York is available at dec.ny.gov.

Chobani and the Utica based non-profit Compassion Coalition donated & delivered $29,000 worth of food and supplies to help 4 local backpack programs in Central New York last week.  Chobani distributed more than 1,200 cases of their products to the Edmeston Central School, Unadilla Valley School District, Sherburne-Earlville Central School, and Norwich City Schools, to restock school food pantries, which helps to feed more than 200 children and their families throughout the year.  Chobani also announced that they are sending 200,000 Chobani products to those affected by Hurricane Ida; this follows a recent delivery of 100,000 products to Afghan evacuees in temporary housing across the country, and the US servicemen and women supporting them.

State Police arrested 24 year old David Kemp of Eaton for using a fake COVID 19 Vaccination card, after his employer turned him in.  Kemp could face 7 years in prison after being charged with possession of a forged instrument & the unauthorized use of a government agency’s seal on the fake card makes it a federal crime.

A.M. NEWS TUESDAY 10-5-21

State Police have identified the deceased individual shot by a Walton Police Officer as 66 year old Paul Weeden of Walton.  On Monday Morning, an officer from the Walton Police Department was dispatched to a mental health call on Griswold Street, the officer made contact with Weeden, who pointed what was believed to be a gun at the officer, the officer retreated, Weeden followed & ignored multiple commands to drop his weapon, he again pointed the suspected gun at the officer, who fired his weapon and struck Weeden.  The officer called for EMS and rendered emergency aid, Weeden was pronounced dead at the scene.  The investigation is continuing.

Dylan Robinson was sentenced to 20 years to life in prison in Otsego County Court on Monday, for the murder of his father, Kenneth Robinson in Worcester in October 2019.  Robinson & several others were accused of going to Kenneth Robinson's home to steal money & marijuana, it escalated to the killing of the elder Robinson & attempting to burn the house down to cover up the crimes.  Robinson was convicted after a 3 day trial in June.

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced State agencies, cities, towns, and Indian Tribal governments can now apply for federal funding  to assist with mitigation projects designed to strengthen resiliency against future national disasters. The application period is open through November 30th using FEMA GO online. The State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services will review the applications and assist applicants with questions on the process.

Otsego County Department of Health reported 24 new positive COVID tests Monday; they have 102 active cases, 6 hospitalized, and a 7 day rolling average positivity rate of 2.9%.  They have had over 5500 total cases & 69 deaths during this pandemic.

New York State officials and members of the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services' Office of Fire Prevention and Control will preside over the 24th Annual New York State Fallen Firefighters Memorial Ceremony at the Empire State Plaza Convention Center in Albany today at 11:00 AM.  The event will also be livestreamed at ny.gov.

P.M. NEWS FRIDAY 7-9-21

Sidney Police Department assisted a Department of Homeland Security Investigation unit to execute a federal search warrant at 243 Johnston Circle in the Village of Sidney into the illegal possession and manufacture of firearms.  Police seized 6 handguns, 18 rifles or shotguns, 4 of which had no serial numbers, 41 high-capacity magazines, and parts for the manufacture of AR15 assault rifles and Over 18,000 rounds of assorted ammunition.  35 year old Jordan O’Neill of Sidney was taken into custody Thursday; his prior felony conviction prohibited him from possessing firearms. O'Neill was charged with 1 count of 1st degree Criminal possession of a weapon & 41 counts of 3rd degree Criminal possession of a weapon, he was arraigned in Village of Sidney Court where he was remanded to the Delaware County jail on $125,000 cash bail or $250,000 Bond. The investigation is continuing & more charges & arrests are expected.

Delhi Fire Department was dispatched last night to Spring Valley Road for a report of a skid steer on fire inside a barn with hay. Firefighters arrived to see the structure fully engulfed; Mutual aid was requested from Bovina, Treadwell, Meridale, East Meredith, Franklin, Andes Oneonta and Walton. 2 firefighters suffered minor injuries, and were released.  The cause of the fire is still under investigation, there were no animals in the barn.

NYSEG crews continue to try to restore power that was lost due to storms earlier in the week that knocked down trees & power lines.  This afternoon, about 1900 were without power in Broome County & about 30 in Delaware & Chenango Counties.

The Delaware County Fair is back on this year, with a few changes regarding tickets, according to spokesman Jason Craig:

(Jason Craig 7-9-21)

The Delaware County Fair will be held August 16th to the 21st at the Walton Fairgrounds; the schedule of events is available at delawarecountyfair.org

A car show will be held tomorrow from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM at 458 Chestnut Street, Oneonta, which will serve as a fund raiser for the Friends of the Oneonta Theatre, there is an entry fee of $10 for each car to be shown. Admission and parking are free for visitors.  More information is available at 433-1226 or 287-8483.   In case of inclement weather, the car show will be held on Sunday, More information about the Oneonta Theatre is available at OneontaTheatre.org.

Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies and members of the Andes Fire Department responded to a 911 report of a two car motor vehicle accident on Main Street in the Village of Andes on July 5th.  38-year-old Gleb Temkin of Andes lost control of his vehicle and struck a legally parked vehicle, he is accused of operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated at the time of the accident, he was charged with DWI, refusal to take a breath screening test, failure to keep right, among other charges, Temkin was released & will appear in the Town of Andes Court on a later date.

State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli's office conducted an audit of the Town of Oneonta Clerk's office.  The audit showed that the clerk properly recorded all the fees auditors reviewed and remitted all fees collected during the audit period in a timely manner, however, the clerk did not always deposit fees within the required time frame.  Also, an audit was conducted of the Laurens Fire District, where the audit showed that the board did not establish adequate controls over financial activities did not segregate key duties or implement adequate mitigating controls & did not contract for an independent audit of its 2019 records, as required by law, or provide for an annual audit of the treasurer's records.

A.M. NEWS FRIDAY 7-9-21

New York State has reached a settlement with Purdue Pharmaceuticals over the company's role in falsely marketing its products to get more Americans hooked on opioids. The owners of Purdue Pharma, the Sackler family, will be required to pay $4.5 billion over the next 9 years, with New York State expected to receive at least $200 million as part of Purdue's bankruptcy process.  Funding from the settlement will be used to fund prevention, treatment and recovery programs

The Rotary Club of Sidney and the Cullman Developmental Center are teaming up to create a series of events for area children this summer, the 1st is this Sunday at Sidney Veterans Memorial Park from 1:00 to 3:00 PM, with the Family of Heroes Event,  Rotary Spokesman Larry Halbert explains;

(Larry Halbert 7-9-21)

Halbert said that other events will be held on July 25th & August 7th & 22nd.

The ARC of Delaware County is seeking to fill a variety of positions, and will be holding job fair, the first one is today from 4:00 to 8:00 PM, tomorrow from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM, as well as Friday July 23rd from 4:00 to 8:00 PM and Saturday July 24th from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM, at their location on State Highway 10 in Walton.

Delaware County Public Health reported that this week, 1 person has died from Covid-19 related complications.  From July 2nd to July 8th, Delaware County Public Health received 2 new positive cases of COVID-19. There are currently 4 active cases in the county with 0 hospitalizations & 11 quarantined; the County has had 52 total deaths since the beginning of the pandemic.

The New York State Association of
Counties is calling on the Federal government to provide $3.1 billion in
emergency supplemental funding for the public health response to the novel
coronavirus. Of the $3.1 billion, at least $500 million should be directed to
local and state health departments.
Additionally, Governor Cuomo recently announced that he was seeking a$40
million emergency appropriation for the New York State Department of Health to
hire additional staff, procure equipment and other resources necessary to
respond to the potential novel coronavirus.

Governor Cuomo
announced that New York State is now offering a free text message program to
help kids quit e-cigarettes as the state moves to reverse the alarming rise in
youth vaping.   To access this program,
text "DropTheVape" to 88709, more information about e-cigarettes is
available at health.ny.gov/NoVape

The Otsego County Office of Emergency
Services confirmed that 5 firefighters were injured in a Middlefield garage
fire from a series of explosions Wednesday night at 3679 Otsego County Route
35.  The firefighters were James Tallman,
Jon Roach & Scott Monington of the Cooperstown Fire Department & John
Sears & Ryan Smith of the Middlefield Fire Department, Roach &
Monington were taken to a Syracuse Hospital for treatment of injuries, the
other 3 were treated at Bassett Hospital & were released.  Firefighters from Middlefield, Cooperstown,
Westford, Cherry Valley, and Milford responded to the fire Wednesday
night.  State Police, State office of
Fire Prevention & Control & the Otsego County Sheriff’s department are
investigating the cause & origin of the fire.

41 year old Nasir Azmat of Franklin
appeared in Town of Franklin Court Thursday night to answer to more than 40
counts of charges relating to animal cruelty.
Azmat pleaded “not guilty” to all charges, he was ordered to check in
weekly with authorities prior to his next court appearance March 26th. Many
protesters showed up to Franklin to show their support for the dogs who are
known as the "Franklin 20", who were brought to area shelters
following Azmat's arrest.

State Police arrested 55 year old
Robert Horan of Unadilla for Endangering the Welfare of a Child and Forcible
Touching, after an investigation of an incident in Unadilla in January.  Horan is a case worker with Otsego County,
the incident did not occur as a part of Horan’s official work duties;  he was arraigned & was released on his
own recognizance and is due back in court on April 13th.

The total number of flu cases in New
York State has eclipsed the record number of since the State Department of
Health began tracking flu cases 22 years ago.
For the week ending February 22, there were 131,604 laboratory-confirmed
cases so far this season, last week, the number of laboratory-confirmed flu
cases decreased 26% and hospitalizations decreased 13%.

The Bainbridge "Rotary's Shrimp
Madness" will be held Sunday @ 4:00 & 6:00 pm @ Bob's Diner in
Bainbridge.  Tickets may be purchased @
Bainbridge SFCU, Bainbridge NBT or Bob's Diner for $20, Proceeds will benefit
Bainbridge Rotary programs, and more information is available at 604-4114.

Governor
Cuomo today announced that New York State is partnering with the National
Supermarket Association and the Community Service Society of New York to help
feed thousands of people this Thanksgiving.
The Governor Said that Supermarkets across the state will deliver meals
to feed more than 35,000 people statewide.

State
Police will be offering an examination for Communication Specialist positions
across the state.  Communications
Specialists are responsible for all radio communications within a Troop’s
jurisdiction.   To apply and to receive
more information on the test and position; visit troopers.ny.gov/Employment.  Applications must be postmarked by November
26th.

The
State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services' Office of Fire
Prevention and Control today urged New Yorkers to stay alert and focused while
cooking this season as more home cooking fires occur during the Thanksgiving
and Christmas holidays than at any other time of the year. Thanksgiving is the
one day which leads all others, in the most cooking related fires, causing an
average of 173,000 structure fires annually, resulting in an average of 550
deaths, 5,000 injuries and $1.2 billion in property damage.   Cooking fire safety tips are available at
dhses.ny.gov.

Spotted
lantern flies are causing problems in nearby states including Pennsylvania, the
New York DEC reported that it puts New York counties at risk.  Spotted lantern flies have bee transported to
the northeast in shipments that have come into the state, the insect feeds off
of dozens of different trees and crops crucial to the New York agricultural
economy.  DEC Officials reported that no
live Spotted lanternflies have been located in the state yet, but they are
concerned for next spring when their eggs hatch.  Anyone who thinks they have found a spotted
lantern fly or its egg mass can contact the DEC by emailing
spottedlanternfly@dec.ny.gov.

The
Delaware County Sheriff’s department announced that during the months of
October and November 2019, 28 members of the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office
Correctional Division participated in a varied form of “No-Shave
October/November”.  Officers raised
$1,105, which was divided evenly between the Delaware County Veterans Service
Agency and Delaware Opportunities-Safe Against Violence program.

Animal
Adventure Park announced today that Azizi, The last offspring of April the
Giraffe is heading to the East Texas Zoo & Gator Park in Grand Saline,
Texas, by next spring.  More than 300,000
people watched Azizi’s birth live on YouTube last March.  Officials said that April is now retired from
the park’s breeding program.

David
Dart has been denied parole again; he was convicted for the 1989 murder of
Gillian Gibbons in the Oneonta municipal parking lot.   Dart was sentenced to 25 years to life in
1991 for the Gibbons murder.  Dart has
had multiple parole hearings since first becoming eligible in 2014.

Governor
Cuomo today announced New York State Grown & Certified Christmas trees and
wreaths will be on display in the State's regional Welcome Centers and Taste NY
stores, promoting New York's agricultural and tourism industries.  New York's Christmas tree industry sells
nearly 300,000 trees from more than 750 tree farms located across the State.

NY
State of Health announced its partnership with food pantries for the third
holiday season to educate consumers about enrolling in affordable health
insurance. Food pantries across New York will have certified enrollment
assistors on-site throughout November and December to answer questions about
health coverage options and how to enroll in a health plan. This year, the
Marketplace is also offering eligible New Yorkers the option to receive
information on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program during the
enrollment process.

Toys
For Tots & Norfolk Southern Railroad were unable to work out an agreement to
run its annual train through the southern Tier this year.  Last year, the train ran an abbreviated route
from Binghamton to Delanson, delivering about 18,000 toys to area organizations
for distribution.

The City of Norwich Police Department and the Chenango
County Sheriff’s Office are seeking information on 31 year old Christopher
Lacroce, for allegedly leading Police on a high speed chase last Friday, &
who is also wanted on a warrant for allegedly hitting a pedestrian with a
vehicle September 15th at the intersection of Mitchell and Silver streets in
Norwich.  Lacroce faces charges of
2nd-degree assault, among other charges that are pending following Friday’s
chase.   Anyone with information
regarding Lacroce’s whereabouts is asked to contact the Norwich City Police
Department at 607-334-2424 or the Chenango County Sheriff’s Office at
607-334-2000.

Today, 19th District Congressman Antonio Delgado announced
that $1,239,817 in federal funds were recently awarded to the Friends of the
Upper Delaware River and Trout Unlimited as part of the Delaware Watershed
Conservation Fund. These new funds will allow local organizations to conserve
and restore fish and wildlife habitat, enhance and maintain water quality, and
improve river-based recreational opportunities and public access in the Upper
Delaware Watershed.  The full list of
projects can be found at delgado.house.gov.

NYSEG and AAA New York announced that they are working
together to remind passenger and commercial drivers about the dangers of
distracted driving.  NYSEG has seen an
uptick in the number of passenger vehicles that strike electric poles and
commercial construction vehicles that come into contact with power lines and
other electric equipment.  According to
the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, 88% of drivers believe distracted
driving is on the rise, with nearly half of all drivers admitting to recently
talking on hand-held phones and another 35% reporting that they have sent a
text or email while driving.

Governor Cuomo announced that 2 new laws to improve pay
equity policies will go into effect today, which prohibits all employers who do
business in New York State from asking prospective employees about their salary
history and compensation.  The new laws
also expand the definition of "equal pay for equal work."

The Otsego County Chamber's
Small Business Banquet will be held on Thursday, November 21 at The Otesaga
Hotel and Resort in Cooperstown.
Nominations for various awards are being taken currently; the
nominations are requested to the Chamber by this Friday.

State officials, the Division of Homeland Security and the
Office of Fire Prevention and Control will preside over the 22nd Annual New
York State Fallen Firefighters Memorial Ceremony this morning.   The Ceremony will honor 23 fallen
firefighters who gave their lives in the line of duty, at the Empire State
Plaza Convention Center in Albany at 11:00 AM.

The Tri Town Coalition on Substance Abuse Prevention will
hold their next meeting this evening in Sidney.
The meeting will be held from 6:00 to 7:30 PM at the Maiorano building
at 9 Main Street, with Parking & the entrance to the meeting at the rear of
building.

Governor Cuomo signed legislation which amends the criminal
procedure law to clarify that individuals convicted of petty offenses will have
their records sealed by default. Sealed records will not be made available to
any person or public or private agency unless a judge determines otherwise,   the legislation will take effect in 90 days.

State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli released a statement
regarding criminal charges filed against former Delhi village clerk Michelle
Barnes for theft of public funds. Dinapoli said that the charges resulted from
a joint investigation conducted by the Comptroller’s office and State Police,
Barnes allegedly wrote $4,788 in village checks to herself for her personal
use, & she faces grand larceny charges.

The National Transportation and Safety Board made 4 safety
recommendations as a result of the October 6th 2018 Schoharie Limousine crash
that killed 20 people. Federal lawmakers took those recommendations and
introduced a bipartisan bill aimed at closing the gaps in regulations on a
federal level, State lawmakers failed to pass limousine safety measures, they
may tackle it in the 2020 session.

Local Congressmen are split over the notion of pursuing
impeachment proceedings against President Trump.  19th District Congressman Antonio Delgado
released a statement over the weekend saying that it has become clear that the
president has placed his personal interests above the national security of our
nation by admitting to soliciting the Ukrainian president to investigate
potential Democratic President Nominee & former Vice President Joe Biden,
which Delgado said is an impeachable offense.
22nd District Congressman Anthony Brindisi stated that while the
allegations against the President regarding the call to the President of
Ukraine is troubling, he wants to first make sure that the impeachment is
Constitutional.

Funeral arrangements for Brooke Ketchum of Unadilla are
being handled by C.H. Landers Funeral Chapel at 21 Main Street in Sidney.   Ketchum died in an automobile accident in
the town of Otego Friday, Calling hours will be on Wednesday, October 9 from
2:00 to 4:00 PM with the funeral immediately following at 4:00pm. The family
invites those in attendance to the Sidney VFW for a reception following
services; donations can be made to a memorial fund for her 2 daughters.

State officials and members of the Division of Homeland
Security and Emergency Services' Office of Fire Prevention and Control will
preside over the 22nd Annual New York State Fallen Firefighters Memorial
Ceremony.   The Ceremony will honor 23
fallen firefighters who gave their lives in the line of duty, at the Empire
State Plaza Convention Center in Albany, tomorrow morning at 11:00 AM.

The 26th Annual Pit Run was Held in Oneonta Sunday.  The winner of the 10K race was Michael
Hamilton of Oneonta, the winner of the 5K was Charles Hollister on Oneonta,
Money raised benefits the Rick Parisian Memorial Scholarship fund, and Parisian
was a state Police Investigator who tried to stop an armed Robbery in an
Oneonta Grocery in 1994.

Governor Cuomo today signed
legislation prohibiting the performance or supervision of a pelvic exam on an
anesthetized or unconscious person without informed consent. The legislation
also makes it professional misconduct to perform unauthorized pelvic exams.
This legislation takes effect in 180 days.

The Delaware County Department of Public Works will hold the
23rd annual Clean Sweep October 25th & 26th; Delaware County Solid Waste
Coordinator Tyson Robb explains the schedule for those 2 days:

(Tyson Robb 10-7-19)

Residents are required to register online at
cleansweepdelaware.eventbrite.com, by phone at 865-6474 during normal weekday
business hours, or by email CleanSweepDelaware@gmail.com, all registrations are
accepted until October 18th.

The Award-winning hit musical JERSEY BOYS, the story of
Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons, will play the Forum Theatre on December
10th & 11th. Tickets go on sale today & can be purchased online at
BroadwayInBinghamton.com or at The Arena Box Office, or By-Phone through
Ticketmaster at 1-800-745-3000. More information is available at
BroadwayInBinghamton.com or JerseyBoysTour.com.

The Village of Unadilla Zoning Board of Appeals will hold a
Public Hearing, this evening at 6:00 PM at the Community House 193 Main Street,
regarding a variance for 215 Main Street and/or 6 Adams Street. More
information is available through Village Clerk- Treasurer Clarissa Riker at
369-3421.

State Police at Troop C in Sidney announced that a 5-year-old and her dog, who were reported missing in the town of Franklin, were located safe & sound this afternoon at about 1:15 PM.  State Police Aviation was able to spot Destiny & her dog in a tall grassy area and direct troopers and emergency personnel to her location.  Police and several other agencies were dispatched this morning to the area of Grange Hall Road and State Route 28 in the town of Franklin.  State Police said that Destiny and her puppy were located several hundred yards from the area where they were reported missing.

Delaware County Sheriff's Deputies and members of the Delhi
Fire Department and Emergency Squad responded to a 911 report of a serious
personal injury motorcycle accident on State Highway 10, near Betts Hill Road,
in the Town of Delhi.  The Investigation
revealed that 46 year-old Daniel Quackenbush of Delhi was traveling south on
State Highway 10 when he lost control of his motorcycle which ran off the
southbound road shoulder before striking an embankment and rolling over in the
ditch,  ejecting Quackenbush,  who sustained serious injuries.  Quackenbush was taken to O’Connor Hospital in
Delhi where he later succumbed to his injuries.
Deputies believe alcohol use contributed to the cause of the accident.

New York's "Red Flag" bill goes into effect tomorrow.  The bill allows for Law enforcement, district
attorneys, school officials and family members to request a confiscation of
firearms from an individual who has been deemed a threat to themselves or
others.  The bill would also prohibit
people who are at high risk of using a firearm to hurt themselves or others to
purchase weapons.

Chenango Arts Council announced their 2019-2020 line-up of
shows coming to the Martin W. Kappel Theater in Norwich, Chenango Arts Council
CEO Alecia O'Neill explains:

(Alecia O'Neill 8-23-19)

Tickets will be available at 336-ARTS, Chenango Arts.Org or
at the Box Office at 27 West Main Street in Norwich.

The State Comptroller’s office audited the City of Norwich
Emergency Medical Services Billing practices, they discovered that the EMS
Department did not bill for 614 incidents resulting in $417,600 of unbilled
medical services and inaccurately billed 9 incidents totaling $8,300; this
equates to approximately $200,000 in lost revenue at the current rate of
collection.  The EMS Department had 903
unserviceable incidents resulting in approximately $400,000 in unrecoverable
costs.  Norwich City officials disagreed
with some of the audit’s findings, but indicated they have initiated corrective
action.

The City of Oneonta announced that there will be a special
meeting of the Common Council on Monday, August 26, 2019 at 5:30pm.  The purpose of the meeting will be for the
discussion & approval of a bond resolution and discussion concerning Common
Council guidelines for the City staff’s preparation of the City’s 2020 budget.

Chenango United Way is looking for teams for their annual
Golf Tournament on September 27th at the Canasawacta Country Club in
Norwich.   More information is available
at 334-8815.

The Susquehanna Society for the
Prevention of Cruelty to Animals will host a public celebration tomorrow at
5088 State Highway 28, Cooperstown marking the groundbreaking of the future
site of its planned animal shelter and adjoining campus.  The reception is free and open to the public,
it will kick off at 12:00 noon with a groundbreaking ceremony and run until 2
p.m.

The Greater Afton Area Chamber of Commerce and 6ZERO7 Ads
have teamed up for Afton Sidewalk Day on Saturday.  There will be over 40 vendors plus musicians
at 3 locations, plus the All-Wheels Cruise-In & Cruise-Out,  from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm,  more information is available at
aftonsidewalkday.com.

Old Franklin Day will be held Saturday, with the Greater
Franklin Chamber of Commerce coordinating activities and preparing a map of
events.  Scheduled activities include
lawn sales, a library book sale, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church pies, the Franklin
Train and Community Museum, music in the park, antique stores, numerous food
venues, Doodle Bugs. Old Franklin Day runs from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM.

The Greater Chenango Cares event
will be held July 11th through July 20th at the Norwich High School.  Elizabeth Monaco of Chenango United Way is
helping to put this event together & a few more volunteers are needed to
assist the military medical technicians at this event:

(Elizabeth Monaco 7-5-19)

Monaco said people can call the
Chenango United Way at 334-8815 for additional information about the existing
volunteer slots.

Ed Curley of Sidney is
continuing with his bicycle trip across the country from California to Florida,
to raise money for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.  Curley talked to WCDO this afternoon about
his progress:

(Ed Curley 6-25-19)

Donations can be made to
JDRF.org; more information is also available through Ed’s Facebook &
Twitter pages.

Governor Cuomo announced that
lane closures for road and bridge construction projects on State highways are
suspended until 6:00 AM Monday morning to accommodate travelers during the busy
Independence Day holiday weekend.   Some
work may continue behind permanent concrete barriers or for emergency
repairs.  Motorists are also urged to
follow the state's Move Over Law, which requires motorists to slow down and
safely move over for law enforcement vehicles, fire trucks, ambulances, tow
trucks and construction or maintenance vehicles that are stopped along the side
of the road.

Governor Cuomo today announced
more than 300,000 New Yorkers have received training through the Citizen
Preparedness Corps, since the program started in 2014.  the Citizen's Preparedness Corps provides the
tools and resources necessary for preparing New Yorkers for any type of
disaster so they respond accordingly and recover as quickly as possible to
pre-disaster conditions.  Trainings are
conducted by the New York National Guard, working with experts from the
Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services' Office of Emergency
Management and Office of Fire Prevention and Control. Volunteers from the
American Red Cross also teach courses.

Sam Nader's 100th Birthday and 50th 1969 Oneonta Yankees Reunion, will be Hosted by Oneonta Yankees on July 12th at 6:00 PM & July 13th at 10:00 AM.  The event will be held at Damaschke Field in Oneonta; Sam Nader was a former co-owner of the former Oneonta Yankees minor league baseball team.

The 2019 Walton Farmers’ Market will be held every Friday
from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM starting Today through September 27 at Veterans Plaza
at 181 Delaware Street in Walton.  This
year, the market will also host a weekly event during the Farmer's Market.  More information is available at 865-6531 or
ccedelaware.org.

The Rockdale Rod and Gun Club will host National Range Day
2019 on Saturday, beginning at 11:00 AM.
They will be conducting Safety Classes for the proper handling, storage,
and shooting of firearms. All Shooting Events will comply with all Federal,
State and Local Laws.  The event is free
& open to the public, Food and Beverages will be available for
purchase.  More information is available
at 226-8033 or visit L1F.us

The Chenango County Sheriff’s Office arrested 32 year old
Matthew Jones of Greene following a Burglary investigation.  Officers received a complaint early Monday
Morning that an individual was breaking into 45 Genesee Street in Greene; Jones
is accused of placing a ladder up to a window, breaking the window, and
entering the building. Deputies   &
Village of Greene Police responded, they located Jones leaving the area on
foot, after a brief pursuit, Jones was taken into custody, and a defaced gun
dropped near the scene was confiscated.
A search warrant was conducted on Jones’ residence, Officers seized a
2nd defaced handgun, methamphetamines, marihuana, & items reported stolen
from other local burglaries.  Jones was
charged with 2nd & 3rd degree Burglary, criminal possession of stolen
property, plus weapons & drug charges, he was arraigned and remanded to the
Chenango County Jail on $10,000 cash bail, more arrests are expected.

According to the State Department of Health reported cases
of the flu were up another 23% from the week before.  Statewide, more than 43,000 flu cases have
been confirmed this season, which covers the previous 19 weeks.

The Delaware County Board of Elections reminds voters that
Governor Cuomo has signed into law that the state & local primary will be
held on the 4th Tuesday in June.  This
changes the dates for circulating and filing designating party petitions for
county, town and committee offices.
February 26th is the first day to circulate a designating petition for
the elected town and party committee offices that are up for election in
2019.  More information is available
through the Delaware County Board of Elections at 832-5321 or through town
party chairpersons, to get a petition if you wish to run for a town office or
party committee.

Chronic Wasting Disease has been
detected in wild deer, elk or moose in 24 states, including New York State,
according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  The CDC is warning hunters to avoid handling &
they advise people not to handle or eat meat from deer and elk that seem sick
or have been found dead.   New York’s
cases were found in the North Country.

Governor Cuomo announced legislation expanding assistance
available for victims of hate crimes and certain other crimes associated with
domestic violence who were not physically injured during the crime, is now
effective.  The new law allows these
individuals to apply for reimbursement of shelter costs and crime scene cleanup
expenses from the New York State Office of Victim Services, previously, victims
who were not physically injured during the crime were only eligible for certain
OVS benefits if the charges included criminal obstruction of breathing or blood
circulation; certain menacing, harassment, aggravated harassment, criminal
contempt and stalking offenses; and hate crimes.

Congressman Anthony Brindisi invites constituents to an open
house at his Utica & Binghamton offices. The Utica Office Open House will
be Tuesday, from 4:30 to 5:30 pm at 430 Court Street, Suite 102, the Binghamton
Office Open House will be held Saturday, from 5:00 to 6:00 PM at 49 Court
Street, Suite 210 Binghamton.

The Board of Trustees of the Village of Unadilla tonight at
6:30 p.m. at the Unadilla Fire Station on Clifton Street, The board is
considering the adoption of Local Law No. 1 for 2019, to Amend chapter 47 of
the Code entitled “Animals” to allow chickens in the Village.

Governor Cuomo today announced that $15 million in
additional funding is available to help eligible New Yorkers heat their homes
following a spate of severe weather over the past month. Starting Today, households
in danger of running out of heating fuel or having their utility service shut
off may apply for a second emergency benefit through the Home Energy Assistance
Program. In addition, Governor Cuomo announced the extension of the application
period for both regular and emergency HEAP benefits until April 26.  More information is available at otda.ny.gov.

Police in Vestal announced that they are seeking 87 year old Charles McGlynn of Vestal, as a missing vulnerable adult. McGlynn suffers from dementia, and may require medical attention, he was last seen Tuesday afternoon at about 3:00PM on Hazel Drive in Vestal, he may be driving a 2009 grey Honda Civic with license plate number ANW-2161, he is described as a white male, 6'1", about 150 pounds, with white hair & a mustache, and blue eyes & wears glasses, he was wearing a white shirt, blue jeans and a blue jacket. Anyone with information is asked to call Vestal Police at 786-7600 or 911.

State Police and the American Red Cross are Co-hosting the 5th annual State Trooper Christopher Skinner Memorial Blood Drive in Kirkwood today. Trooper Skinner was intentionally run down by Almond Upton while he was conducting a traffic stop on I-81 in 2014, a blood drive has been held in Skinner's memory every year since his death. The blood drive today runs from 12:00 Noon until 6:00 PM at the 5 Mile Point Fire Company at 16 Crescent Drive in Kirkwood. The blood drive is open to the public as well as those in Law Enforcement, appointments can be made at redcrossblood.org or at 1-800-red cross.

The Delaware County Chamber of Commerce will hold their next Friday Breakfast event in Walton on January 11th. The event will run from 8:30 to 10:00 am at the Castle on the Delaware 139 Stockton Avenue in Walton. The featured speaker is Perry Dewey, Superintendent at DCMO BOCES, who will talk about on-campus, work-ready training programs for graduating high school seniors and how Delaware County's educational leaders are collaborating with the business community. More information is available at delawarecounty.org.

Former Broome County Family Court Judge Rick Miller has had a lawsuit filed against him by 2 former employees in his office of sexual harassment. The lawsuit claims that Miller subjected the employees to harassing and abusive behavior at least 50 times between 2015 and June of 2017. Miller was removed from the bench in 2016.

Now that Christmas has passed, chenango County residents may wonder how they shoudl dispose of their trees this year. Dustin Hendricks of Chenango County DPW Explains:

(Dustin Hendricks 12-26-18)

Chenango County has 3 solid waste and recycling facilities operated by the Department of Public Works, the Pharsalia Landfill, plus 2 Transfer Stations, 1 in the Town of North Norwich and the other near Brisben.

4 Deposit men have been arrested in connection with a stabbing at the McDonald's on Main Street in Johnson City on December 20th. 2 men were taken to Wilson Hospital with stab wounds, Arrested for 2 counts each of gang assault were 22 year old Dane Edwards, 33 year old Jay Moore, 24 year old Travis Dise & 31 year old Christopher Nugent of Deposit, they were taken into custody without incident and will appear in court at a later date; additional arrests are expected.

Illegally manufactured fentanyl was the driving force behind a 45.2% increase in deaths involving synthetic opioids from 2016 to 2017, according to a new report by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In all, there were 70,237 drug overdose deaths in 2017. Opioids were involved in 67.8%, or 47,600 of those deaths. Of those opioid-involved overdose deaths, 59.8% of them, or 28,466, were due to synthetic opioids. A separate report from the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics released earlier this month found that in 2016 fentanyl surpassed heroin as the most commonly used drug in overdose deaths in the US.

The state Department of Health announced Thursday that the flu virus is prevalent in New York state. Health care workers, who are not vaccinated, are now required to wear a surgical procedure mask around patients. The department has also launched a flu tracker that allows people to stay up-to-date about flu rates in their county. Department reps say there have been over 3,000 flu cases in the state so far this season

The Otsego County Chamber of Commerce will hold their annual State of The State Breakfast on January 2nd at the SUNY Oneonta Otsego Grille in the Morris Conference Center. The event will begin at 8:30, State Senator Jim Seward & Oneonta Mayor Gary Herzig will be among the guest speakers.

The City of Oneonta Department of Public Service will be replacing a water main valve located on West Ann Street today. Work is to take place starting at 8am with water outages to begin at 9am. Residents on West Ann, Baker, London, Wilcox, and River Street (between Ann and Wilcox) will be without water for the duration of the project. West Ann St will be closed to traffic for the duration of work. Drivers on West Ann Street are advised to move vehicles from driveways prior to 8am. More information is available at 432-2100

The State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services announced new actions to increase the availability and awareness of problem gambling services, which includes the opening of 2 new Problem Gambling Resource Centers which will serve as central hubs for the public to access prevention, treatment and recovery support services.  New Yorkers struggling with an addiction, or whose loved ones are struggling, can find help and hope by calling the state’ stoll-free, 24-hour, 7-day-a-week HOPEline at 1-877-8-HOPENY (1-877-846-7369) or at oasas.ny.gov/gambling.

Julianne Carbone and Sharon McDowell of Oneonta each pleaded guilty to endangering the welfare of an incompetent or physically disabled person in Otsego County court.  The 2 are accused of taking inappropriate pictures of Springbrook residents & putting them on Social media Platforms.    Each will 6 months in jail plus 5 years’ probation, upon release they will not be allowed to work with incompetent or disabled people.

Governor Cuomo today announced more than 520 new jobs will be created through the latest round of Recharge NY power allocations. Recharge NY supports new and existing partnerships with qualifying businesses and non-profit organizations with low-cost New York Power Authority power in exchange for commitments to retain or create jobs statewide.  Locally, in the Southern Tier, 60 jobs will be retained & 46 new ones will be created.

Delaware County Sheriff’s Office arrested 44-year-old DeannaO’Connor of the Village of Walton, for 1 count of Grand Larceny.  O’Connor allegedly withheld property or payment for that property to Liberty Mutual Insurance Company, following a reported burglary in Walton and a subsequent insurance claim.  O’Connor was issued an appearance ticket returnable to the Village of Walton Court at a later date.

State DEC officers arrested 3 people on 146 counts in connection with the illegal shooting of 8 deer in the town of Milford last month.  Charged were 20 year old Wayne Shutters of the Town of Maryland, 19 year old Joziah Underwood of Schenevus,and a 16-year-old youth, of the town Maryland,

Oneonta City Firefighters responded to a blaze at 14 Church
Street at about 6:00 PM last night.  Damage
was contained to the 2nd floor & attic, 1 resident escaped without injury,
& no firefighters were injured.  The
cause of the fire is under investigation.

Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 28 year old Justin Ziemba of Gilboa for aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle,unlawful fleeing of a police officer, driving while intoxicated and reckless driving following a vehicle pursuit in the Town of Roxbury.  Ziemba was observed driving in a reckless manner at a speed of 91 mph, Ziemba lost control of his vehicle and collided with an earth embankment.  Ziemba was arraigned in the Town of Stamford Court and was remanded to the Delaware County Correctional Facility in lieu of $2,000 cash bail or $4,000 secured bond.  He is scheduled to reappear at the Town of Roxbury Court at a later date.

Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies 29 year old arrested Brett Trombley on 17 counts of Criminal Contempt.  Trombley allegedly attempted to contact a protected party of an order of protection by phone 17 times over the course of one week while being held in the County Jail; he will appear in the Town of Delhi Court on a later date.

The Oneonta Department of Public Service will be replacing a water main valve today, on Upper Clinton Street from Monroe Avenue to the dead end.  Residents will experience a water outage during work.  Water will be shutdown after 9am and expected to be down for a few hours.  For additional questions, please call the Department of Public Service at (607) 432-2100

24 Year old Kevin Perry of Laurens was sentenced in Otsego County Court to 2 concurrent prison terms of 25 years to life. Perry pleaded guilty to 2 counts of 2nd degree murder for the killing of his parents Solveig & Timothy Perry, in the family home in Laurens last December.

The State Department of Transportation reminds motorists to obey the "Move Over Law". DOT Officials remind motorists that they should slow down & move over for vehicles with flashing red, white or amber lights, such as DOT vehicles, tow trucks, ambulances, fire trucks, & police vehicles.

Chenango County will be offering the civil service test for Public Safety Dispatcher on Saturday, January 19, 2019. The last date to file for the exam is Tuesday, December 11, 2018. The exam application and announcement are available at: co.chenango.ny.us/personnel/examinations.

The State Health Department announced 5 suspected cases of the Acute Flaccid Myelitis virus in New York. So far, 4 of the cases were reported just outside of New York City and a 5th case in Buffalo, Health officials confirmed 39 cases of EV-D68 in children across the state, which is a virus that is linked to Acute Flaccid Myelitis. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention revealed that they are investigating 155 suspected cases of AFM nationwide.

State Police arrested 45 year old James Mumbulo of Edmeston for 27 counts of Overdriving, Torturing and Injuring Animals, after State Police were dispatched to check the welfare of several animals at a rented dairy farm on County Route 20 in Edmeston. Troopers located 27 deceased cow carcasses and several inches of manure, there was no food or water in the barn. After consulting with a veterinarian and the District Attorney’s office, Mumbulo was arrested. He was released on appearance tickets returnable to the town of Edmeston Court on November 19th.

Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 24 year old Frances Thomas of Harpersfield for cruelty to animals; failure to provide proper food and sustenance. Deputies allege that Thomas failed to care for a dog over a period of time, failing to provide it with proper food, water, shelter and veterinary care. Thomas was issued an appearance ticket and is scheduled to appear at the Harpersfield Town Court at a later date.

State Police arrested 2 people after a traffic stop on State Highway 28 in the town of Otsego. The driver, 20 year old Victoria Sawyer of Worcester, NY was arrested for Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance and Aggravated Unlicensed Operation, The passenger, 32 year old Brandon Brinson of Wilmington, North Carolina was charged with Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance and Controlled Substance in a Non-Original Container. Sawyer and Brinson were arraigned in the town of Otsego Court and released on their own recognizance and will reappear at a future court date.

Governor Cuomo announced that the driver of the limousine involved in Saturday's in Schoharie, did not have the appropriate license to be driving the vehicle. Cuomo also announced today that the vehicle in question was inspected last month & failed the inspection. State attorneys are seeking a cease and desist order to stop Prestige Limo from operating until the investigation into the accident has been completed. 18 people in the vehicle, including the driver were killed; also 2 bystanders were killed in a convenience store parking lot when they were struck by a vehicle that had been struck by the limo. The investigation is continuing.

The state Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services' Office of Fire Prevention and Control held their 21st annual ceremony Monday morning in the Empire State Plaza Convention Center. 28 names were added today, many of the names added in recent years were from New York City Fire Department who died from illnesses associated with working at the World Trade Center after the September 11th 2001 terrorist attacks.

Corning announced that they will invest 11 million dollars for upgrades to their Oneonta Plant. The upgrades will allow for the company to keep 175 jobs at the plant, local officials also expect that the Corning Expansion could help attract more businesses to locate at the railyard redevelopment project area.

Drug Overdose deaths from Opioids have declined in Broome County. In the first 9 months of 2018, Officials said that there were 22 overdose deaths, in 2016 there were 60 deaths, and in 2017 there were 55. Most of the deaths were male, the average age was 41.

The city of Oneonta Department of Public Service will flush water mains in a portion of the low-service area, starting at 9:00 this morning. Work will continue until 4:00 PM, Flushing is expected to take place through the end of the week. Streets where service will be affected include Main Street and various side streets in the City’s East End.

The Delaware County Board of Elections reminds area residents interested in voting the in the November 6th General Election, need to register by this Friday October 12th, which is the last day to register in person and to postmark a registration form for the November 6th General Election. Registration forms and applications for absentee ballots may be found online at co.delaware.ny.us/departments or by calling 832-5321.

State Police and the Schoharie County Sheriff's Department responded to a motor vehicle crash at the intersection of State Route 30 and S30A in the town of Schoharie. A Ford Excursion limousine was traveling in a southwestern direction on State Route 30 and failed to stop at the intersection with State Route 30A. The limousine traveled across the intersection into a parking lot and struck a 2015 Toyota Highlander which was unoccupied and parked; the Highlander then struck and killed 2 pedestrians. 20 victims were killed, all 18 in the limousine, including the driver, and the two pedestrians. The investigation is ongoing.

Otsego County Sheriff Department arrested 31 year old Joel Young of Exeter, after he pointed a shotgun at a Sheriff’s Deputy during a domestic dispute call. The deputy entered the residence and attempted to arrest the defendant, who fled from into his bedroom & retrieved a shotgun and pointed it at the Deputy. Young was taken in to custody following a physical struggle, he was arrested for Menacing a police officer, Criminal Possession of Weapon, Resisting Arrest & Harassment, he was arraigned in the Town of Otsego Court, & was remanded to the Otsego County Jail on $20,000 cash bail or $40,000 bond and he is scheduled to reappear at a later date.

State DOT announced the completion of a $2.7 million pavement resurfacing project on Interstate 88 in the town and city of Oneonta. The 3.9-mile improvement project between Exit 13 and 16 included the milling & repaving, the shoulders were also given a surface treatment and all pavement markings were replaced. Curb ramps at the ends of the Exit 14 and Exit 15 off ramps were improved to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Fire Prevention Week is this week & the Firemen's Association of the State of New York is urging New Yorkers to ensure their smoke alarms are in proper working order, they specifically encourage New Yorkers to install smoke alarms equipped with sealed-in, non-removable batteries that last for 10 years. According to the National Fire Protection Association, three of every five home fire deaths occur in homes without smoke alarms or working smoke alarms. Firefighters frequently encounter smoke alarms with missing or dead batteries.

Physician Assistant Alyssa MacIntosh of UHS Women’s Health Center in Norwich will hold a discussion about Breast Cancer & earl y detection in a free presentation today at Bohemian Moon, 103 W. Main Street in Norwich. An optional buffet and cash bar will be available at 6 p.m., with the presentation and discussion to start at 7 p.m. The event is part of UHS Chenango Memorial’s 2018 Women’s Health Series, which will conclude on Monday, November 12 with a discussion on pre-diabetes and diabetes risk factors. More information is available at 337-4183.

The Peanuts gang will be coming to The Forum, Binghamton, on November 20th at 6:00pm for A Charlie Brown Christmas Live On Stage. Tickets are on sale Monday, October 8th at 10:00am at the arena box office, Ticketmaster.com or by calling (800) 745-3000. The Emmy and Peabody award-winning story by Charles Schulz originally aired on television over 50 years ago.

The Broome County Special Investigations Unit Task Force Arrested 2 people on drug charges after they searched a vehicle and a hotel room Tuesday. 30 year old Johnnah Degraw of Binghamton & 36 year old Marlon Graham of East Patchogue are accused of possessing crystal meth, Suboxone strips, drug packaging materials and $1,066 from suspected drug sales. Both were charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance & criminally using drug paraphernalia, they face court action shortly.

State DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos announced the release of New York’s final policy for manufacturer disclosures under the State’s Household Cleansing Product Information Disclosure Program. The program requires manufacturers of cleaning products to disclose chemical ingredients, byproducts and contaminants with the potential to trigger asthma in adults and children, on their websites. More information about the Household Cleansing Product Information Disclosure Program can be found at on.ny.gov/cleaningproducts.

Governor Cuomo today announced that more than $43.8 million will be awarded to support cancer prevention and early detection programs statewide over the next 5 years. The programs receiving these funds participate in the New York State Cancer Services Program, which aims to reduce disparities in breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer incidence and mortality through free cancer screening for uninsured and underinsured, low-income populations. More information is available at health.ny.gov/diseases/cancer/screening.

The Main Street Revitalization Project in continuing in Sidney. Crews have been cementing the West Side of the street this week, today, Trees were being placed in the ground on the East side of the street. The whole project is expected to be completed in Late July.

Catholic Charities is looking to help area people with limited space, to have their own "Container Garden" of various vegetables to grow & eventually eat. Penny McKnight of the Sidney Catholic Charities office explains:

(Penny McKnight 6-6-18)

McKnight said that the registration period to participate in the Container gardening program is Friday; the pick-up event will be June 13th from 1:30 to 3:00 PM at the Sidney United Methodist Church on Liberty Street in Sidney. More information is available at 604-4071.

Governor Cuomo announced an extreme risk protection order law that would prevent individuals determined by a court that are likely to engage in violent conduct from purchasing, possessing, or attempting to purchase or possess any type of firearm. The legislation would make New York the first state in the nation to empower its teachers and school administrators to prevent school shootings by pursuing court intervention. No law currently exists in New York State that enables a court to issue an order to temporarily seize firearms from a person who is believed to pose a severe threat of harm to himself, herself, or others unless that person has also been accused of a crime or family offense.

Delaware County Sheriff’s Office and the Walton Volunteer Fire Department Emergency Squad responded to a tractor trailer accident in the Town of Walton last Thursday. 37 year old Joel Klinegardner of Sidney Center was towing a trailer carrying a log skidder, the vehicle’s brakes failed, Klinegardner lost control, the truck struck a sign, the trailer detached & overturned in a parking lot, the truck struck a tree before coming to rest, Klinegardner was not injured, charges will be filed at the conclusion of this investigation.

Southern Tier Solar Works is launching its 2018 Community Shared Solar non-profit program, which offers discounted solar power to people who cannot or choose not to install solar at home. The free event will take place today from 4:30-6:00 pm at Awestruck Cider in Sidney; more information is available at SouthernTierSolarWorks.org.

Delaware County Public Health will hold a Free Rabies Vaccination Clinic today for dogs, cats and ferrets. The Clinic will be held from 5:00 to 7:00 PM at Town of Tompkins Highway Garage at 148 Bridge Street in Trout Creek.

Governor Cuomo today announced a 30-day budget amendment that will Prohibit level 2 and 3 sex offenders, whose victims were under the age of 13, from being within 1,000 feet of a kindergarten or pre-K school; Ban certain sex offenders from living in temporary emergency housing or shelters that house families; and Require the Commissioner of the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision to obtain a list of schools from the State Department of Education, and distribute that list to probation and parole departments to ensure sex offenders stay away from those locations.

State Police arrested 33 year old Frank Bowles of Oneonta for Criminal Mischief and Unlawful Possession of Marihuana. This arrest occurred after troopers responded to a fight in progress at the Lantern Hill Trailer Park, on State Route 23, in the town of Oneonta. Bowles is accused of smashing a window of a trailer when he was denied entry; Troopers located him walking in the park with lacerations to his hand. Bowles had his injuries treated at the scene by EMS, & while being arrested for damaging the window, Bowles was found to unlawfully possess about 15 grams of marijuana on his person. Bowles was arraigned before the Oneonta Town Court and subsequently remanded to the Otsego County Jail in lieu of $250.00 bail.

Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 56 year old Dennis Hulse of Auburn, on charges of unlawful possession of marijuana, criminal possession of a controlled substance and driving while ability impaired by drugs following a traffic stop on State Highway 17 in the Town of Colchester. Hulse was also charged with driving 80 miles per hour in 55 miles per hour zone. He was later released on traffic tickets returnable to Colchester Town Court at a later date.

Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 28 year old Meghan Armstrong of Walton, for Driving While Ability Impaired by Drugs and Unlawful Possession of Marihuana. Armstrong was also cited for no plate lamp as well as not wearing a seatbelt while operating a motor vehicle. This arrest stemmed from a traffic stop on Chambers Hollow Road in the Town of Hamden. Armstrong is scheduled to appear in the Town of Hamden Court at a later date to answer the charges.

Assemblywoman Donna Lupardo and State Senator Fred Akshar joined local law enforcement officials Friday to discuss cracking down on impaired driving across the State. Last year, the 2 legislators were successful in securing $1.6 million in state funding for STOP-DWI programs that became available for use to local programs at the beginning of 2018. Additionally, Lupardo and Akshar are also working on legislation that would allow for fines from impaired driving offenses to be collected ahead of other fees and surcharges collected by the state.

After a bounce in January, Governor Andrew Cuomo’s favorability & job performance ratings all fell by double digits this month, according to a new Siena College poll of New York State registered voters. Cuomo’s favorability rating is 53%, down from 62% last month, and his job performance rating went down to 45% from 50% in January.

Delaware County Emergency Services Department announced that the early Friday morning structure fire at 478 Dehning Road in the Town of Davenport involved the death of 2 small children. Officials said that the apartment building was fully involved, a 1-year-old male and a 3-year-old female died, an adult male was transported with burns to Upstate Medical Center Burn Unit in Syracuse. The names of the victims are being withheld at this time. The investigation is currently ongoing by State Police, plus the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office, Department of Emergency Services, Fire Investigation Team and the State Office of Fire Prevention and Control.

State Police arrested 27-year-old Chase Degraw from Deposit for Menacing, after troopers responded to a dispute in Deposit. Degraw allegedly displayed a handgun at the female victim, he was arraigned, posted bail, & was released on his own recognizance with an order of protection was issued. Later that day Degraw was arrested again, for Criminal Contempt, to the same home and violated the order of protection by attempting to communicate with the victim inside. DeGraw was arraigned and was remanded to the Broome County Jail on $5,000 cash bail or $10,000 bond.

State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli issued an audit that Reveals Issues Behind Broome County's Fiscal Stress. From 2014 through 2016, Broome County depleted its fund balance to dangerously low levels jeopardizing public services and long-term infrastructure investments, DiNapoli recommended that the county stop using the fund balance to finance recurring expenditures; Develop a fund balance policy that establishes a reasonable amount of fund balance, reduce or eliminate reliance on short-term borrowing; & Adopt balanced budgets. The final audit can be read at osc.state.ny.us.

Republican Assembly Minority Leader Brian Kolb dropped his bid for the Republican nomination for governor on Friday; the GOP field is now down to 2 announced candidates, State Senator John DeFrancisco & Joel Giambra, the former Erie County executive.

State Police advised that Christian Rojas-Martinez, age 22, of Bronx, NY was found deceased earlier today inside a body of water that was inside the area being search.  An investigation as determined that since January 19, Christian was staying at a home and was camping with six other men at 521 Old Ferris Farm Road, in the town of Roxbury.  On the evening of January 20, he wandered away from the location and did not return.  He was reported missing by his companions on January 21, at about 12:45 a.m.  The investigation is ongoing.      State Police were assisted in the search by two NYSP K-9s, NYSP Aviation, NYS DEC, NYS Forest Rangers, Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies, Delaware Emergency Management Agency, Town of Roxbury Constable, and fire department and EMS personnel from Roxbury, Grand Gorge, and Hobart.

The Chenango County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a fatal fire that occurred at about 4:50 am that claimed the lives of 3 people.  Killed in the fire were 33 year old Debbie L Pfeiffer, 1 year old Benjamin Pfeiffer and 10 year old Amber Morrow.  The cause of the fire is still being investigated and autopsies will conducted on the victims on 01/23/18 at Lourdes Hospital.  The Sheriff’s Office was assisted at the scene by Chenango County Bureau of Fire, Plymouth Fie Department, North Norwich Fire Department, City of Norwich Fire Department, Smyrna Fire Department, Sherburne Fire Department and the New York State Office of Fire Prevention and Control.  Further details will be released when they become available.

Jury selection began today in the corruption trial of Joseph Percoco, who was a top aide to Governor Andrew Cuomo. Percoco is charged with taking $300,000 worth of bribes from 2 companies working with the state. Prosecutors say he used his relationship with Cuomo to win those companies favorable treatment.

Governor Cuomo may be softening his stance against recreational marijuana against the state's increasing economic problems, which have been made more difficult by the new Federal Tax plans:

(Cuomo 1-22-18)

The Governor made those remarks during his budget presentation earlier this month, as a way to raise revenue for the state.

Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputy’s arrested 53-year-old Michael Rogers of Stamford for Forcible Touching & Resisting Arrest, following a report of a domestic incident in the Village of Stamford. Rogers is accused of forcibly touching another person and resisted arrest as Deputies were attempting to take him into custody. Rogers was arraigned & was remanded to the Delaware County Correctional Facility on $2500 cash bail or $5000 bond, pending future court action.

Utica Police arrested 20-year-old Jason Nieves of Utica Saturday on a murder charge, for allegedly causing fatal head injuries to 7-month-old Emelina Sanchez. The infant was taken to an area hospital, where she succumbed to her injuries, Nieves has been charged with 2nd degree murder.

Leadership Otsego is now accepting applications for the class of 2018. There will be an Informational Session on Tuesday January 30th from 4:00 to 5:30 PM at Otsego Now and Otsego County Chamber offices located at 189 Main Street Suite 500, in Oneonta. More information is available by calling the Otsego County Chamber of Commerce at 267-4010 Ext 103.

State Police arrested 59 year old Anthony Middletown of Cobourg, Ontario for Aggravated Unlicensed Operation and other traffic violations, after a trooper saw Middletown using a cellphone while he was driving in the town of Conklin. Middletown had his li9cense suspended 12 times in New York on 11 different dates, he was arraigned in the town of Conklin Court and was remanded to the Broome County Jail with no bail set. His next court date is pending.

Governor Cuomo announced the 38th annual Empire State Winter Games will kick off on Thursday, February 1 and will run until Sunday, February 4 in Lake Placid. More than 2,500 participants will compete in 17 different sports during the 3-day festival. The Games will kick off with an inaugural Torch Relay departing from New York City.

The American Red Cross announced that more than 13,400 people are currently housed in Shelters in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida and Virginia, following Hurricane Matthew. A total of more than 2,700 Red Cross disaster workers are supporting relief efforts. The Red Cross depends on donations to provide immediate relief; they can be made at redcross.org, by calling 1-800-RED CROSS-or texting the word MATTHEW to 90999 to make a $10 donation.

Binghamton Police reported that 35-Year-old Naheen Spencer of Binghamton was shot in the chest early Saturday morning near Victoria's cafe at 153 Susquehanna Street. Binghamton Police required back up as crowd control became an issue after the shooting. Spencer was transported to an area hospital where he succumbed to his injuries, the investigation is continuing.

State Police & State DOT officials are reminding motorists of the state's "Move Over" law, after a tow truck driver was killed early this morning by a tractor-trailer, while assisting a motorist with a disabled vehicle. The accident occurred near exit 29 of the Thruway near Canajoharie, the investigation is continuing.

Federal authorities arrested 27 year old Melissa Elliott of Binghamton on 14 federal charges Elliott is stealing items from mail, & for opening several bank credit card accounts & fraudulently charging over $57,000, while working at the Cortland Post Office. Elliot was released pending future court action in U.S. District court.

Broome County District Attorney Steven Cornwell announced that he has recused himself from any legal case that might come up against Broome County Executive Debra Preston. Preston faces opposition from Jason Garner in the race for Broome County Executive in the November election. Preston has not yet been charged with any offenses.

The City Clerk's office in Oneonta announced today that the Community Development Committee meeting scheduled for Wednesday October 12th has been cancelled. The Clerk's office stated that the meeting was cancelled due to a lack of agenda items for this month.

The Next meeting of the City of Oneonta Town of Oneonta Fire district Task Force will be held Tuesday morning. The meeting will begin at 10:00 AM in the Common Council Chambers at Oneonta City Hall.

The Broome County Sheriff’s Office arrested 33 year old Harpursville man in conjunction with the burglary of a residence in the Town of Colesville, where cash and a handgun were stolen. Donald Rowe was charged with 2nd degree Burglary, Criminal Possession of a Firearm, Criminal Possession of Stolen Property, also 39 year old Bobbie Jo Howell of Binghamton was charged with Hindering Prosecution, for allegedly hiding Rowe at her residence & lying to officers about his location, she was released on appearance ticket to Town of Dickinson court at a later date. Rowe was arraigned and was remanded to the Broome County Jail without Bail; further action is pending in Broome County Court.

The Broome County Sheriff’s Office responded to a reported car & tractor trailer head on collision early Friday morning on Conklin Road in the Town of Conklin. A 2016 Jeep Compass operated by 43 year old Jason Demoney of Conklin crossed over into the opposing lane and struck a tractor trailer that was stopped on the shoulder of the road. Demoney was charged with felony DWI, Aggravated Unlicensed Operation of a Motor Vehicle, Operating a motor vehicle without a required Ignition Interlock Device, plus other traffic violations, he faces court action at a later date.

Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 34 year old Justin Dumond of Oneonta Thursday, on 1 count of 3rd degree Assault, for allegedly assaulting another person on Leland Hull Road in the Town of Franklin in late August of 2016. Dumond was later arraigned at Franklin Town Court and was released on his own recognizance.

This week is Fire Prevention Week, according to the Fireman's Association of the State of New York. Beginning January 1st 2017 in New York State, the sale of smoke-detecting devices powered by removable, replaceable batteries will be prohibited, & retailers will be able to sell only smoke-detecting devices with a power source that isn't removable and lasts at least 10 years. The association also reminds new Yorkers to test smoke alarms monthly and replace batteries yearly for older style smoke alarms.

In April, the Department of Defense ordered a stop shipment at Amphenol of Sidney, which led to a layoff of about 100 employees, an expected 2 year wait for the order to be lifted, but today, U.S Senator Charles Schumer, Congressman Chris Gibson & Amphenol leaders announced that the ordered was revered in 4 months, the federal red tape was cut through & the employees have returned to the Sidney facility. Senator Schumer responded:

(Schumer 8-29-16)

Congressman Gibson also discussed the reversal of fortune for Amphenol:

(Gibson 8-29-16)

Others who addressed the press conference today were Sidney mayor Andy Matviak, Amphenol General Manager Ryan Fisher & Amphenol CEO Adam Norwitt.

Upstate New York lags behind downstate New York and the nation in job growth since the Great Recession, according to a report issued by State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli. Since June 2009, total employment in upstate New York rose by 0.3 percent compared to 2.2 percent in the downstate region and 1.9 percent nationwide during the same time frame. The overall average annual wage gain in upstate of 3.3 percent outpaced both the downstate and national averages in 2015. Currently, total employment across upstate stands at slightly over 3 million, representing 32 percent of all jobs statewide.

In a letter sent this week, State Senator Fred Akshar joined Senate Health Committee Chairman Kemp Hannon in calling Attorney General Eric Schneiderman to investigate the sharp increase in the cost of EpiPens. Between 2007 and 2016, the cost of an EpiPen has increased from $57 to approximately $500. The letter stated that some have resorted to using expired EpiPens, buying Epinephrine abroad, or using needles from local pharmacies to administer their medication, Emergency First Responders are affected as well.

On Sunday, the Delaware County Sheriffs Deputies arrested 25-year-old Cody Satkowski of Fish’s Eddy, after Satkowski was involved in a motor vehicle accident on County Highway 17 in the Town of Hancock. Satkowski was in possession of marihuana and found to be operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated, he was charged with aggravated DWI and unlawful possession of marihuana & he will appear at the Town of Hancock Court at a later date.

The Ithaca Police Department is opening a homicide investigation after one of two Ithaca College students stabbed on the Cornell campus early Sunday morning, was pronounced dead at Cayuga Medical Center. 19-year-old Anthony Nazaire of Brooklyn was killed, a 2nd student was injured, and was treated and released from a Syracuse area hospital. The incident occurred at around 2:00 AM Sunday at the conclusion of a campus event, several altercations broke out as students left the hall, and police are looking at video recorded by witness on their phones.

A "major announcement" will be made at 3 p.m. today at Amphenol Aerospace in Sidney, according to the office of U.S. Senator Charles Schumer. Schumer will be joined by Amphenol Aerospace CEO Adam Norwitt, Sidney facility executives, employees and local leaders.

State Police arrested 28 year old Cassandra Reithoffer of Nineveh, for 2nd degree burglary, after troopers were advised of a burglar at a home on O’Brien Road in the Town of Sanford. Reithoffer allegedly forced entry into the home and stole over $2,000 in property from it. Reithoffer was arraigned in the Town of Sanford court and was remanded to the Broome County jail with no bail set.

State Police arrested 21 year old Mohammad Sadique of Woodmere for criminal possession of a controlled substance, unlawful possession of marihuana and traffic violations. Sadique was observed speeding at 60 mph, while in a 30 mph zone, on Lower Main Street in the Town of Oneonta. Sadique was found to unlawfully possess a small amount of LSD and marihuana. He was issued tickets returnable to the Town of Oneonta court on September 6th.

Chenango County Sheriff’s department arrested 32 year old Corey Weidman following a traffic stop in the Town of Norwich for an equipment violation. Weidman exited the car and dropped a warm marihuana pipe with burnt and un-burnt marihuana; he was charged with unlawful possession of marihuana & was released on an appearance ticket for Town of Norwich Court at a later date. Deputies then arrested Weidman’s passenger 26 year old Heather Steigerwald of Oxford for criminal contempt possession of a controlled substance, for allegedly possessing two narcotic prescription pills concealed in her bra and unlawful possession of marihuana, she was processed and released on an appearance ticket to appear in the Town of Norwich Court at a later date.

Governor Cuomo announced that the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services and Office of Fire Prevention and Control will visit the state’s colleges and universities to conduct inspections, education programs, and a series of campus fire safety education training days. In the last year, Office of Fire Prevention and Control has conducted 23,689 inspections.

Binghamton City Officials announced that a 10-car pile up on State Route 17 Eastbound yesterday led to 10 people being injured, all were taken to area hospitals; none of the injuries are considered life threatening. City Officials reported that the accident occurred at about 4:20 Thursday afternoon, Binghamton Police department reports suggested that a tractor-trailer speeding through the Eastbound section near the Front Street exit had defective brakes. No tickets have been issued, The investigation is continuing.

Delaware County Sheriffs department arrested 37-year-old Yurian Perez and 31-year-old Yuniel Brito, both from New Jersey, for Criminal Possession of Marijuana, Unlawful Cultivation of Marijuana, and Criminal Possession of a Weapon. The charges are the result of a month long investigation into alleged marijuana growing operation at 9179 County Highway 21 in the Town of Franklin. The execution of a Search Warrant resulted in the seizure of lighting, ventilation and irrigation equipment, 328 plants, a crossbow, a metal knuckle knife& a vehicle. Both were arraigned & were remanded to the Delaware County Jail on $75,000 cash bail or $150,000 bond. The investigation continues, and more charges against additional suspects are likely.

Fire Investigators have determined the fire that destroyed the Cooperstown Motel on Tuesday, August 9th was arson. Investigations by the state Office of Fire Prevention & Control, county Office Of Emergency Services, state Department of Financial Services and the Cooperstown Police Department determined that the fire began on the second floor of the abandoned motel. No further details are available at this time. Anyone with information about the person(s) responsible for starting the fire is asked to call the Cooperstown Police Department, at 547- 2500. All calls are confidential.

Disgraced & convicted former Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver will not be heading to Federal Jail august 31st, after a judge ruled that he can remain free on bail while he appeals his conviction of corruption charges. Federal Judge Valerie Caproni, granted Silver’s request for bail, even though she presided over Silver's original trial, and stated that she believes that Silver is guilty of using his political power to increase his net worth, even as the definition for his crimes has changed in a recent US Supreme court ruling.

State & Federal money is being designated to get broadband service to rural areas of upstate New York. Area Assemblyman Pete Lopez said that he likens this situation to when electricity was slow to make it into rural areas 120 years ago:

(Lopez 8-26-16)

Lopez said that the state has kicked up their contribution in recent years to about 500 million dollars annually to get rural broadband to residents, up from only a 5 million dollar commitment annually in 2008.

Sidney Center Community members & students past & present are invited to the former Elementary school building tomorrow from 4:00 TO 7:00 pm, as a time capsule in cornerstones will be opened. Spokesman Mike Sellitti explains:

(Mike Sellitti 8-26-16)

The cornerstones were extracted as the Greater Maywood Society attempts to sell the former school buildings; they wanted the community to find out what was in the cornerstone time capsules before the structure was sold.

The Sidney chamber of Commerce has 2 events scheduled tonight & Saturday. Chamber Vice President Teri Schunk told WCDO News that the maps of those participating in Saturdays Village wide yard sales are available today:

(Teri Schunk 8-26-16)

Village yard sales will be held at Saturday various homes, as well as in the former Mirabito Fuel Group Parking Lot on Grand Street. Also, The Cruise in on Main Street tonight was originally scheduled as part of the Sidney Arts & Music Festival last month; Money raised will benefit the chambers efforts for this year's Jolly Holly days parade in December.

The Franklin chamber of commerce is hosting “New Old Franklin Day Saturday, with a variety of musical acts & exhibits featured, from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Doodle Bugs will be on display, the Franklin Rail Road and Community Museum will be open. More information is available at FranklinNY.org.

The American Red Cross urges blood donors to give in the final weeks of summer to help overcome a critical summer blood shortage. A blood drive will be held in Afton on Saturday from 8:00 AM to 12:30 PM at the Afton United Methodist Church, 34 Spring Street, those interested can Schedule an appointment to give blood by downloading the free Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting redcrossblood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS.

The Sidney Chamber of Commerce will host a Sidney Village Sale Day on Saturday. Spaces will be available at the Old Mirabito's Parking Lot, behind Trackside Diner at 44 Grand Street. A map of people who are participating will be at local businesses and at the Car Cruise In tonight on Main Street. All proceeds will support the Jolly Holly Day Parade.

The Brisben fire department & the Chenango County Red Knights Chapter 40 have teamed up for a fundraiser for fire chief Brian Burt Saturday. A motorcycle & car ride begins at 10:00 AM, entertainment & food will be available on the Ball Flats from 12:00 Noon to 8:00 PM. The money raised will benefit Brian Burt, who has inoperable cancer.

Law Enforcement Agencies in Otsego County have responded to a reported Bank Robbery at the NBT Bank Branch at 1 West Street in Edmeston at about 11:30 this morning. The Edmeston Central School District & Pathfinder Village were locked down and State Police & Otsego County Sheriff's deputies have been investigating. WCDO Will have more information as it becomes available.

The Sidney Police Department arrested 43-year-old Jack Blanchard of Guilford for 2 counts of Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance. The arrest is the result of a 2-month investigation into the sale of Cocaine in the Village of Sidney. Blanchard was arrested on an Arrest Warrant Sealed Indictment issued by Delaware County Court. He was sent to the Delaware County Correctional Facility to await arraignment on the charges.

Schoharie County Judge Richard Mott did not reach a verdict in the 4th Cal Harris Murder trial Friday. Judge Mott had deliberated for about 12 hours on Thursday & Friday; he had not reached a decision on whether Call Harris murdered his estranged wife Michelle on September 11th, 2001. Deliberations will continue on Tuesday.

Congressman Chris Gibson announced the passage in the House of an amendment he authored in support of former Navy and Marine Corps personnel and other Veterans who were exposed to Agent Orange during their service aboard vessels off the coast of Vietnam and now have serious illnesses that are directly connected to that exposure. The Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act ensures those Veterans is granted presumptive coverage for Agent Orange exposure. The House bill introduced by Congressman Gibson has 320 cosponsors from both parties, while the Senate version introduced by Senator Kirsten Gillibrand has 41 bipartisan cosponsors.

The 2016 Ed Wessels Canoe Regatta was held; Saturday with impressive finishes from local paddlers, who are training for this weekend’s General Clinton 70- miler. The Wessels Chairman Ed Curley told WCDO News of the most exciting finish of a 1 second photo finish in the pro class:

(Ed Curley 5-23-16)

Other top finishers included Bob & Ryan Zaveral of Mount Upton winning the Men’s Under 50 Amateur class. Mike Bachman of Bainbridge & Rich Hall of Gilbertville taking the C-2 Stock class & Dale Persons of Bainbridge & Melissa Swislosky of Mount Upton winning the mixed C-2 Pro class. WCDO Will have full coverage of Wednesday’s new Pine Ridge Grocery Dash for Cash Race and The General Clinton Canoe regatta this weekend.

The New York State DOT announced that construction work for the Prospect Mountain construction project will be performed and will require lane closures in the City of Binghamton. Beginning tomorrow, through Thursday, from 9 AM to 3:00 PM, I-81northbound/State Route 17 westbound will be reduced to 1 lane between Exit 3 and 4S for the removal of concrete barrier. The right two lanes will be closed. On Thursday, from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM, I-81 northbound/State Route 17 westbound Exit 4S will be closed temporarily for the removal of concrete barrier. A signed detour will be in place directing motorists around the ramp closure. All work will be performed weather permitting.

The Village of Sidney announced that work would be performed on the Main Street Bridge on Tuesday May 24th from 9:00 to 3:00 PM. The bridge will be open for 1 lane traffic only during the work.

24-year-old James Spain of Walton pleaded guilty to sexual misconduct, for allegedly performing sexual acts with an under-aged female. Spain was released on his own recognizance; Sentencing is scheduled for July 18th.

The ReUnite Bainbridge meeting will be held today, at 7:00 PM at Bob's Diner. The Agenda includes an Update on the Bainbridge Summer Fest, The BG School Booster Club Bon Fire, Annual Golf Tournament, Musicians on Main Streets, Updates on Popcorn Wagon and Weather Vanes

Governor Cuomo today announced $500,000 in federal funding has been awarded to the New York State Academy of Fire Science in the Southern Tier. The funding will support a crude oil training simulation for first responders. This marks the third consecutive year that the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services Office of Fire Prevention and Control has been awarded this funding. The Academy trains over 6,000 emergency services providers from across the state in over 130 courses per year.

The Bainbridge Village Planning Board Meeting originally scheduled last week, has been rescheduled for this evening. The meeting begins at 7:00 pm in the Bainbridge Village Clerk's office at 33 West Main Street & is open to the pubic.

Village elections were held Tuesday across New York State. In the village of Unadilla, Paul Baldwin wins 1 trustee seat, the second seat, results were tied between Jeff Jones & Christopher Winkler, The Otsego County Board of elections will try to determine how to pick a winner for that seat. In the Bainbridge Mayor's Race, Philip Wade defeated Steven Eisenberg, 99-82, Wade told WCDO News about his plans:

(Phillip Wade 3-16-16)

Bainbridge trustee seats will be filled by outgoing Mayor Chick Darling, as well as Erik Barnard & Timothy Mayes. In Morris, write in candidate Rush French wins a trustee seat. In Gilbertsville, Douglas Tobey was on the ballot for 1 of the 2 trustee seats; Write-in Christina Strain won the other seat with 2 write-in votes.

Both Houses of the State Legislature have forwarded their budget proposals for eventual negotiations by conference committees, Assemblyman Bill Magee chairs the Assembly Agriculture Committee, he said that some but not all of the Agriculture cuts from the Governor have been restored in the Assembly Budget:

(Magee 3-16-16)

Magee said that he fully expects the budget to be passed by the April 1st deadline again this year.

On March 29th. The Prevention Coalition for Heroin & Substance Abuse will hold a meeting at 6:30 pm at the Sidney High School. The meeting will be a brainstorming forum to discuss options for planning a coalition and to apply for a grant with  Organizers are seeking participation from key leaders, from area faith based groups, law enforcement; school leaders and the student body; business people and concerned residents.

Delhi police arrested 55 year old Ernest Orts of Herkimer & 53 year old Ralph Reid of Florida were charged with grand larceny and falsifying business records, following an investigation by the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit of the state Attorney General's Office. Orts and Reid are accused of making false entries and adjustments to account ledgers between 2006 and 2012 while operating the Countryside Care Center in Delhi. The pair were arraigned at the Delhi Town Court and released on their own recognizance.

State Police & the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office arrested 4 Andes residents for the felony burglary. The arrests resulted from the investigation into 12 reported burglaries at seasonal residences throughout Delaware County over the course of several months. Police recovered over 100 pieces of stolen property, arrested were 39 year old Robert Weaver, 28 year old James Stratton, 26 year old Brett Trombley and 20 year old Korey Bush. All 4 were arraigned & were remanded to the Delaware County Jail on $7,500 cash bail or $15,000 bond.

The Delaware County Sheriff's Office and State Police executed a search warrant at the East Hubbell Hill Road, Town of Middletown, at the residence of 24-year-old Lucas Labumbard and 20 year old Anna Bubko. The search led to the seizure of Hydrocodone and Oxycodone tablets and more than $1400 in cash. The pair are accused of forcibly entering Miller’s Drug Store in Margaretville, between the night of February 1st and the morning of February 2nd and stealing prescription narcotics Labumbard and Bubko were charged with Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance, Tampering with Physical Evidence, Criminal Possession of Stolen Property, Burglary, Both were arraigned in the Town of Middletown Court and were remanded them to the Delaware County Correctional Facility on $75,000 cash bail pending future court action.

The DEC reminds New Yorkers that with warming temperatures and dry conditions, residential brush burning in towns with less than 20,000 residents is prohibited Today through May 14. With the lack of snow cover over much of the state and unseasonably warm temperatures forecasted, experts believe conditions for wild fires will be heightened in the coming weeks. DEC posts a fire danger rating forecast map on a daily basis on its website at dec.ny.gov.

The Unadilla Chamber of Commerce will hold their next regular meeting this morning. The meeting will begin at 8:15 at green's Long River Inn.