WCDO Radio News

The Bainbridge Development Corporation is helping to develop a new master plan for the town of Bainbridge, Corporation President Dave DeClue explains:

(Dave DeClue)

DeClue said that the last master plan developed by the town of Bainbridge was done with the assistance of SUNY Oneonta in 2002 & 2003.

The city of Oneonta announced their first meetings for 2017. City hall will be closed on Monday January 2nd, it will open on Tuesday for the Common council meeting at 7:00 PM, on the agenda for that meeting, the council has designated many items as surplus & up for sale, and the complete list is available at publicsurplus.com. The Oneonta Board of public Service will hold their first meeting on January 5th at 4:00 PM.

Organizers OF first night Oneonta Have A Full Slate of Events Around The city new year’s EVE. Entertainment is scheduled at the Foothills Performing arts center at 7:00 PM; fireworks are scheduled for about 10:15 PM. The full schedule is available at first night oneonta.com

State Senator Jim Seward will be sworn into office for his 16th senate term on Sunday at 2:00 PM; at the Foothills Performing Arts Center. Oneonta Mayor Gary Herzig will serve as master of ceremonies. Supreme Court Justice Michael Coccoma will administer the oath of office.

A Red Cross blood drive will be held in Oneonta today. The drive will run from 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., River Street Baptist Church, 133 River Street. Simply download the American Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) to make an appointment or for more information.

The American Red Cross urges eligible donors to make an appointment to give blood to help meet the constant need for blood this winter. A blood drive is being held in Sidney today, from 1:00 to 6:00 PM, at the Sidney Elks Lodge at 104 River Street, another blood drive is being held in West Oneonta from 1:00 to 6:00 PM at the West Oneonta Fire Department, at 2865 County Highway 8. Those wishing to donate can Download the American Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) to make an appointment or to get additional information.

The Oneonta City Clerk's office announced that City Hall will be closed on Monday december 26th, meetings will continue on Tuesday at 5:00 PM with the Finance/ Human Resources committee meeting., in the Common Council Chambers.

The city of Oneonta announced that the December 22nd meeting of the examining Board of Plumbers, and today's meeting of the Airport commission have been cancelled.

The Oneonta Downtown Revitalization Initiative will hold their 4th meeting of the Local Planning Committee. Oneonta Mayor Gary Herzig said that they must work quickly:

(Mayor Gary Herzig 12-20-16)

Today's meeting is open to the public & will run from 1:00 to 3:00 PM at the Foothills Performing Arts Center.

SUNY Delhi University Police reported that 21 year old Steven Sutliff was found in good health Friday afternoon by Oneonta City Police at the Huntington Library. Sutliff was reported missing on Tuesday after he left Delhi on December 10th for Oneonta and told roommates he would return Monday December 12th.

Fire broke out a a trailer at lot 22 at 124 Oneida Street in Oneonta Sunday. fire fighters from Otego, West Oneonta & Oneonta responded, all occupants of the Wayman family escaped without injury. A space heater is believed to be the cause of the fire.

Delhi University police announced that they are searching for 21 year old Steven Sutliff, who told his roommates on Saturday afternoon that he was heading to Oneonta, and would return on Monday. Sutliff was reported missing on Tuesday evening. Sutliff is described as a 5'9" white male, weighing about 150 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes. Anyone with information on Sutliff's whereabouts are asked to contact SUNY Delhi University Police at 607-746-4700, or New York State Police at 607-561-7400.

34-year-old James Williams of Oneonta was arrested by Oneonta Police following a disturbance at the Sip & Sail Tavern on Water Street. Williams was charged Saturday with criminal possession of a weapon, plus menacing, reckless endangerment, obstructing governmental administration, false personation & trespassing, Police accused Williams of using a chain as a weapon, and giving police a false identity. He was held at the Oneonta Police Department pending arraignment in the Oneonta City Court.

The next meeting of the Oneonta Downtown Revitalization Initiative local planning committee is tonight at 7:00 PM at the Foothills Performing Arts Center. 2 more committee meeting are scheduled for December 20th & January 3rd, both at the Foothills Performing Arts center.

The City of Oneonta has 2 committee meetings scheduled for today. The Operations, Planning & Evaluation committee will meet at 4:00 PM, the Financial/Human Resources committee will meet at 5:00 PM, both meeting are in the Common Council Chambers at Oneonta City Hall.

There are 2 scheduled Blood Drives in Oneonta today. One will be held from 2:00 to 7:00 PM at Hillside Commons at 150 Blodgett Drive, the other from 3:00 to 7:00 PM at Heritage at the Plains, 163 Heritage Circle. download the American Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS to make an appointment or for more information. All blood types are needed to ensure a reliable supply for patients.

Oneonta Police arrested 31-year-old Gregory Flanagan of Otego for allegedly stealing a Motorcycle worth $35,000, from an Oneonta garage in May of this year. Flanagan was charged with burglary, grand larceny & petty larceny. He faces court action on the charges shortly.

Funeral Services for Edward McKinley of Unadilla will be held at the First Presbyterian Church at 156 Main Street in Unadilla this Saturday 11:00 AM. The family will receive friends at First Presbyterian Church on Friday from 4 to 7 p.m. Memorial contributions may be made to the YFC Teen Center; POB 362 Oneonta, 13820. McKinley suffered fatal injuries when he was struck by an SUV Monday afternoon in Unadilla

Oneonta police chief Dennis Naylor announced today that he has accepted a position at the Director of Research, Development & Training with the New York State Association of chiefs of Police. Naylor will continue to serve as Oneonta Police Chief through mid- January 2017.

State Police reported that 16-year-old Delany Ramos of was found safe in Rochester late Tuesday Night. Ramos was reported missing from the Oneonta Job Corps early Tuesday Morning; she was discovered safe in Rochester.

The city of Oneonta announced that Judy Pangman has been appointed as Director of Community Development. Pangman was temporarily appointed in October, pending a review of Civil Service Requirements, the appointment was made permanent at last night's common Council meeting.

The Otsego County Chamber of Commerce is hosting their Holiday Open House at NBT Bank in Oneonta at their Wall Street location today at 5:00 PM. Members are encouraged to attend; more information is available at 432-4500.

The Oneonta Common Council will hold their next meeting this evening. The meeting will begin at 7:00 PM in the Council Chambers on the 2nd floor of City Hall.

The city of Oneonta clerk's office announced that due to a lack of agenda items, the December 26th meeting for the Zoning & Housing Board of Appeals has been cancelled.

Amtrak is hosting the Toys for Tots train in conjunction with the U.S. Marine Corps and in cooperation with the Norfolk Southern and Canadian Pacific railroads. The train will operate north on Saturday; it will depart Binghamton at 10:45 AM & will arrive in Bainbridge at 12:05 pm & in Oneonta at 1:30 pm.

The City of Oneonta will have their annual Christmas Celebration tonight. An all day Ugly Sweater Contest concludes at 6:00 PM, at McLaughlin’s at 150 Main Street. The Oneonta Tree Lighting & the Oneonta Santa Claus appearance will be held from 5:00 to 8:00 PM in the Muller Plaza on Main Street.

The Lighting of the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree, which came from Oneonta this year, will be seen on the big screen at the Foothills Performing Arts center tonight. Center Spokesman Bill Youngs explains:

(Bill Youngs 11-30-16)

The tree was removed recently from the Eichler property at Country Club Road in Oneonta; it will be let in the televised ceremony tonight & will be on display until January 7th.

The next meeting of the Oneonta Downtown Revitalization Initiative will be today from 1:00 to 3:30 PM at the Foothills Performing Arts Center. Oneonta received millions of dollars for downtown revitalization projects through the regional development councils, Oneonta Mayor Gary Herzig told WCDO News about today's meeting:

(Herzig 11-29-16)

All meetings are open to the public and there is a period for public comment on the agenda near the end of each meeting.

Governor Cuomo today encouraged New Yorkers to buy local Christmas trees and support tree growers across the state this holiday season. This year Upstate trees were selected to be displayed at the State Capitol in Albany and this year's Rockefeller Center Christmas tree was selected from the Eichler property on Country Club Road in Oneonta that will be on display there until January 7th. More than 300,000 New York-grown trees are sold by 875 farms in Upstate New York, the state ranks 4th in the U.S. in the number of Christmas Tree farms with an economic impact of $8 million dollars.

Amtrak is hosting the Toys for Tots train in conjunction with the U.S. Marine Corps and in cooperation with the Norfolk Southern and Canadian Pacific railroads. The train will operate on Saturday, December 3rd & depart from Binghamton at 10:45 AM & will arrive Bainbridge at 12:05 pm; it will depart Bainbridge at 12:40 & arrive in Oneonta at 1:30 pm.

The next meeting of the Oneonta Downtown Revitalization Initiative will be held next Tuesday November 29th from 1:00 to 3:30 PM at the Foothills Performing Arts Center. All meetings are open to the public and there is a period for public comment on the agenda near the end of each meeting.

Oneonta Police arrested 20-year-old Divonte Geiger of Rochester early Saturday morning, at the Sip & Sail Tavern.  Oneonta police responded to a disturbance where Geiger was denied entry into the tavern, & allegedly punched an employee. Geiger also is accused of striking the responding police officer in the face & attempting to flee the scene, but was apprehended following an additional scuffle. Geiger is charged with 2nd degree assault, resisting arrest, forcible touching, and trespassing, He was held pending arraignment in the Oneonta City Court.

More American red cross blood drives will be held in Oneonta today from 12:00 Noon to 5:00 PM at Hartwick College, & Tuesday from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM at the Country Club Auto Group, 55 Oneida Street appointments are requested with the red cross App, at recrossblood.org or 1-800 red cross.

Oneonta Police & State Police arrested 25 year old Allen McMullen and 37 year old Donald Starr of Davenport Center for criminal possession of a controlled substance. Both men were arrested after police served a search warrant at the Townhouse Inn on Main Street; police discovered heroin, cocaine & $2,373 in cash.

The annual charity auction to benefit the Leatherstocking council of the Boy Scouts of American, will be held this Saturday in Oneonta, or online prior to Saturday's event. Council District executive Peter Miller explains:

(Peter Miller 11-18-16)

The auction will be held at the Morris Conference Center on the SUNY Oneonta campus from 5:00 to 9:00 PM, the list of items up for auction can be viewed at Leatherstockingcouncil.org.

The Scoville-Meno Family of Dealerships announced the distribution of $10,000 to local charitable agencies. Scoville-Meno Auto Plaza in Owego presented a $2500 check to Tioga Rural Ministry; Scoville-Meno Chevrolet-GMC in Bainbridge presented a $2500 check to Catholic Charities of Chenango County; Scoville-Meno Chrysler-Dodge-Ram-Jeep in Sidney and Scoville-Meno Honda in Oneonta each presented $2500 checks to Catholic Charities of Delaware, Otsego, and Schoharie Counties.

The annual charity auction to benefit the Leatherstocking council of the Boy Scouts of American, will be held this Saturday in Oneonta, or online prior to Saturday's event. Council District executive Peter Miller explains:

(Peter Miller 11-16-16)

The auction will be held at the Morris Conference Center on the SUNY Oneonta campus from 5:00 to 9:00 PM, the list of items up for auction can be viewed at Leatherstockingcouncil.org.

State Senator Jim Seward unveiled a collaborative initiative to help dispose of unused prescription medication. 10,000 Deterra™ drug deactivation pouches donated by Mallinckrodt will be available, free of charge, at several area locations; the pouch-based systems deactivate prescription drugs and render chemical compounds safe for landfills. The pouches are also biodegradable, the donation was made to LEAF Council on Alcoholism and Addictions with Bassett Healthcare Network assisting, and the pouches are now available at the LEAF Council at 80 Water Street, Oneonta; Oneonta Fox Care Center Pharmacy, & Bassett Medical Center Pharmacy in Cooperstown. Additional locations and distribution opportunities will be added in the future.

The Oneonta city planning commission meeting scheduled for November 16th has been cancelled. The next regular meeting will be held on December 21st in the Common Council chambers at Oneonta City Hall at 7:00 PM.

Crowds gathered at the Eichler residence on Country Club Road in Oneonta this morning to witness a 94-foot Norwegian Spruce tree being removed; it will become the 2nd tallest Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree ever. The tree was removed this morning; it will be transported to New York City, where the set up will begin Saturday. The tree will be lit up as part of a nationwide broadcast on November 30th.

The Oneonta city planning commission meeting scheduled for November 16th has been cancelled. The next regular meeting will be held on December 21st in the Common Council chambers at Oneonta City Hall at 7:00 PM.

A rally in support of the Sioux at Standing Rock of North Dakota is being held this afternoon in the Muller Plaza in Oneonta from 5:30 to 8:00 PM. The Sioux are at odds with a plan to have the Dakota Access Pipeline run through land that they consider sacred. More information is available at the "Stand with Standing Rock" Facebook page.

A charity Auction will be held November 19th in Oneonta to benefit the Leatherstocking Council of the Boys Scouts of America. District Executive Peter Miller told WCDO News of some of the auction items up for bidding:

(Peter Miller 11-9-16)

Online bidding & a complete list of auction items can be found at Leatherstocking Council.org, the auction will take place on Saturday November 19th from 5:00 to 9:00 PM at the Morris conference Center at SUNY Oneonta.

A rally in support of the Sioux at Standing Rock of North Dakota will be held in the Muller plaza in Oneonta tomorrow from 5:30 to 8:00 PM. The Sioux are at odds with a plan to have the Dakota Access Pipeline run through land that they consider sacred. More information is available at the "Stand with Standing Rock" Facebook page.

The elections are over and here are the Winners for 2016: in The U.S. Senate seat for New York, Democrat Charles Schumer beats Republican Wendy Long by a better than 2 to 1 margin. In the House of Representatives: in the 19th Congressional District Race, Republican John Faso defeats Democrat Zephyr Teachout & in the 22nd Congressional district Race Republican Claudia Tenney wins over Democrat Kim Meyers & 3rd party Candidate Martin Babinec. In area State Senate races, Republican incumbents Fred Akshar, Jim Seward & John Bonacic were re-elected. In State Assembly Races, Incumbents Bill Magee Donna Lupardo & Gary Finch defeated their opponents, Cliff Crouch & Pete Lopez were re-elected, they ran unopposed. Broome county voters elected Democrat Jason Garner over incumbent Debbie Preston. John Hubbard wins for Delaware County District Attorney, he was unopposed, Peter McCann wins the election for Morris Town Judge, and Randall Mowers was elected to the Oneonta Town Board

The Otsego County Chamber of commerce announces that their Education Committee will host a discussion supporting Tourism on Wednesday, November 9, from 8:30 10:00 AM. The event will be held at the Foothills Performing Arts Center on Market Street in Oneonta, more information is available at 432-4500 extension 207.

Last Wednesday afternoon, Oneonta Police investigated possible drug activity at 14 ½ Baker Street; Police arrested 23 year old Kwame Wilson of Utica for Criminal possession of a controlled substance & Unlawful possession of marijuana. Police recovered 23 individual packets of cocaine, $246 cash, a small quantity of marihuana, Wilson was held pending arraignment in the City of Oneonta court.

19 year old Wade Armstrong of Delancy was arrested after a hit-and-run accident at the Taylor’s Gas Station in an alleged attempt at robbing the store. Armstrong allegedly stole the vehicle from the Delancey area, drove to Oneonta & drove the vehicle into the building breaking the windows and damaging the structure & the vehicle. Armstrong was charged with two counts of Criminal mischief, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, possession of stolen property and attempted burglary as well as numerous lesser charges, he faces court action shortly.