WCDO Radio News

Officials in Oneonta announced that the New Year’s Parade
& Fireworks has been postponed, but the rest of the 1st Night celebrations
will continue this evening.   The
Foothills Performing Arts Center Atrium will open at 5:00 PM, with
entertainment beginning at 6:30 PM.  More
information is available at http://firstnightoneonta.com.

Governor Cuomo will deliver his 3rd inaugural address on
Ellis Island tomorrow.  Cuomo easily won
re-election to a 3rd term in November. Locally, State Senator Jim Seward will
be sworn into office on January 1st at the Foothills Performing Arts Center in Oneonta.
Seward will be sworn into office for his 17th senate term. Otsego County Judge
John Lambert and Otsego County Sheriff Richard Devlin will also be sworn in for
new terms. Otsego County Board of Representative’s Chairman David Bliss will
serve as master of ceremonies. Otsego county judge Brian Burns will administer
the oath of office.

Oneonta City Hall will be closed on Tuesday, New Year’s
Day.  The Common Council meeting has been
moved to Wednesday night at 7:00 PM in the Chambers on the 2nd floor of City
Hall.

Governor Cuomo announced a
6-month extension for the Interim Mortgage Assistance Program's most vulnerable
participants, made possible by an additional $3.9 million in state funding.
More than 200 eligible applicants are expected to benefit from this additional,
final extension as they continue to complete recovery and resiliency projects
after Superstorm Sandy's landfall six years ago.   The program has disbursed $54.2 million to
support approximately 1,900 storm-impacted New Yorkers who have incurred both
mortgage and rental expenses.

Former Oneonta firefighter John Hellers was killed in a fire
Saturday at 5 Walling Avenue.  The fire
was reported at about 4:00 AM Saturday, 4 children escaped without injury. The
cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Vestal Police cancelled the missing vulnerable adult alert for 87 year old Charles McGlynn of Vestal late last night. Police said that McGlynn was found safe, & further details have not yet been released.

The Chenango County Sheriff's Office has an active Arrest Warrant for 42 year old Jason Barrows, who is known to frequent the Oxford and McDonough areas. Barrows has an active arrest warrant for 2nd degree Burglary, anyone with information on his whereabouts is asked to contact the Sheriff's Office at 334-2000 extension 1.

State DOT announced the opening of 2 lanes of traffic on the newly constructed section of Interstate 81 northbound and State Route 17 westbound between I-81 Exit 3 & Chenango Street in the city of Binghamton. This marks the end of the temporary, two-lanes-in-each-direction traffic pattern on I-81 southbound/Route 17 eastbound. The project is scheduled for completion in December 2020. Work in 2019 will include the construction of Front Street northbound lanes and a multi-use path.

The State DEC reported that hunters reported taking 14% more deer in the Northern Zone and 11% more in the Southern Zone, than they did last year. Preliminary figures show hunters killed nearly 109,000 deer this fall statewide, compared to just under 98,000 last year and 86,000 in 2016. Bear hunters reported taking 1,066 bears, the 2nd straight decrease since 2016.

The State Labor department released the report of local unemployment rates for November. The state rate was 3.9%, Locally, Chenango County had 3.5%, Delaware County had 3.7% & Otsego County had 3.4% unemployment in November.

Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 32 year old Terence Ito of Walton for Criminal Contempt; he is accused of violating an order of protection that had been put in place by the Delaware County Family Court. He was arraigned in the Delhi Town Court where he was released on his own recognizance; he will reappear at a later date in the Franklin Town Court.

State Senator Jim Seward will be sworn into office on January 1st at the Foothills Performing Arts Center in Oneonta. Seward will be sworn into office for his 17th senate term. Otsego County Judge John Lambert and Otsego County Sheriff Richard Devlin will also be sworn in for new terms. Otsego County Board of Representatives Chairman David Bliss will serve as master of ceremonies. Otsego County Judge Brian Burns will administer the oath of office.

Delaware Valley Humane Society will see some added revenue next month, following a pledge by a Sidney business, Erin Insinga of the Humane Society explains:

(Erin Johnson 12-28-18)

Additional information about the fundraiser, pet adoptions or items that can be donated to the shelter can be obtained by calling 563-7780.

The 2018 Greater Binghamton Project Homecoming Job & Career fair will be held today at the Oakdale Mall in Johnson City. Representatives from 65 area employers will be on hand, the fair will run from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM, it is sponsored by the Greater Binghamton Chamber of Commerce.

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

New York State’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate fell to 3.9% in November 2018, reaching its lowest level since these records began in 1976, according to preliminary figures released today by the State Department of Labor. The number of unemployed New Yorkers fell in November, from 387,500 to 379,400, its lowest level since August 1988. In addition, New York State’s private sector job count rose by 5,200, or 0.1%, to 8,231,100 in November 2018, a new, all-time high.

New York's population continues to decline faster than any other state, according to new statistics released by the U.S. Census Bureau. The report found New York was just 1 of 9 states to see a decrease in population, losing an estimated 48,510 residents between July 1, 2017, and July 1, 2018. Illinois saw the second largest population loss, followed by West Virginia, Louisiana, Hawaii, Mississippi, Alaska, Connecticut and Wyoming. New York's over 19.4 million populations is the 4th highest behind California, Texas and Florida.

Attorney General Barbara Underwood today announced the settlement of a lawsuit against FedEx that will distribute $2 million to an estimated 500 qualifying drivers who delivered packages. The Attorney General’s office filed the lawsuit back in October 2010, alleging that the drivers had been unlawfully misclassified as independent contractors and was, in fact, employees. The Attorney General's action sought restitution for violations of New York Labor Law, including unpaid overtime and unlawful deductions from wages. Qualifying drivers will be sent notice by the claims administrator and be required to submit a claim form in order to qualify for payment from the settlement fund.

State Police arrested 3 people for DWI after a 1 car crash in the town of Smyrna last Sunday. Troopers were dispatched to State Highway 80 in the town of Smyrna, when they arrived they found an unoccupied vehicle they observed another vehicle parked next to the vehicle that had crashed but it took off as soon as troopers approached. Troopers caught up to that vehicle & they accuse the driver, 43 year old Raymond Haitian Jr of Georgetown of driving while Intoxicated. The investigation revealed that 34 year old Kyle Dulian of Tonawanda was operating the original vehicle that had crashed and was also one of the occupants in Haitian's vehicle. Dulian was arrested for DWI. While troopers were still on scene, 34 year old Alicia Martin of Georgetown arrived looking for her friend, she was also arrested for DWI. All 3 will appear in court in January to answer to the charges.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore District is in the process of updating the Master Plan for the East Sidney Lake Project. THE Army Core of Engineers is preparing an environmental assessment in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 to assess the impact of the Master Plan Revision to the human and natural environment. A public review meeting will be held after the initial public comment period, ending January 11, 2019, to allow opportunity for the public to submit ideas, comments, and feedback on the Draft Master Plan and Draft Environmental Assessment, the public meeting is planned for some time in April 2019. All updates regarding the Master Plan Update and public meetings may be found at nab.usace.army.mil/ESL-Master-Plan-Revision/.

Afton area businesses & The Afton Girl Scouts are teaming up this holiday season to put together Military care Packages for soldiers overseas. Scout leader Lora Vanderheide explains;

(Lora Vanderheide 12-20-18)

Vanderheide said that the collections will be accepted through December 24th & will be shipped out the following week. More information is available at 639-1700.

The Oneonta Department of Public Service will be replacing a water main valve located on Ann Street today, starting at 8:00 AM, Water outages will begin at 9:00 AM. Residents on Ann Street, West Ann, Meckley Ave, Baker Street, and Wilcox Ave will be without water for the duration of the project. River Street residents from Meckley to Wilcox Ave will also experience a water outage during work. Parking on the street will not be permitted, and the street will be closed to traffic for the duration of work. More information is available at 432-2100.

State Police released the names of the people involved in a 2-car Head-On crash in the Town of Columbus Saturday. 27 year old Bradley Prosser of Sherburne was the driver of the first vehicle that crossed into the opposing lane and crashed head on into a 2nd vehicle. Prosser was pronounced dead at the scene, he had a .23 BAC according to the autopsy report. Prosser’s passenger, 26 year old Tasha Carney of Edmeston suffered minor injuries from the crash. The driver of the 2nd vehicle was 46 year old Shannon Donnelly-Travis of Schuyler Lake; she was airlifted to Upstate Medical Center in Syracuse, for a fractured arm and leg.

State Senator Fred Akshar continued the 2nd year of his "Akshar's All-Stars" student recognition program on Tuesday by recognizing students at 4 school districts. At the Harpursville High School, Akshar recognized senior Colin LaDue for his leadership, dedication and many contributions to his school and community. At the Afton High School, Akshar recognized sophomore Logan Ives for her selfless devotion to charity and giving back to others in need. At Bainbridge-Guilford High School, Akshar recognized senior Tannar Cliffe for his kindness and dependability both in and out of school. At DCMO BOCES in Norwich, Akshar recognized senior Destin Foley for his energy and dedication to both his academic studies and to helping others in the classroom.

Firefighters from Sherburne & 2 other local departments responded to a fire at Crandall's Auto on Blanding Road in Sherburne last night at about 8:30 PM. No injuries were reported, the building was completely destroyed; investigators are trying to determine how that fire started.

The Chenango Arts Council's 2019 Grants for Teachers application deadline has been extended until this Friday, December 21st. The Program provides up to $500 to K-12 teachers in Chenango County who find innovative ways to integrate the arts into the regular school curriculum through projects that are not covered by the school budget. Teachers currently employed by a public or private school in Chenango County are eligible to apply; more information is available at chenangoarts.org/grants/grants-for-teachers. Awards will be made in February 2019.

A Free Christmas Dinner will be available in Sidney this year on Christmas Day at the Sidney Fire Station, organizer Gene Schmidt comments:

(Gene Schmidt 12-19-18)

More information about the free Christmas day Dinner is available at 607-610-4030; this year will be the 6th year that Schmidt & his family have offered the free Christmas dinner.

Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul will tour several area business today. Hochul will Tour Amphenol Aerospace in Sidney this morning at 9:15, Corning Incorporated in Oneonta, at 10:30, and then at 1:30 this afternoon she will tour Chobani in New Berlin.

Otsego County Chamber of Commerce will host the state Mandated Anti-Harassment Policies and Sexual Harassment Training today, from 8:30 to 10:00 AM. New York State mandates ALL employers to adopt a sexual harassment prevention policy as well as to train ALL employees on sexual harassment prevention. The Seminar will be held at the Otsego County Chamber/Otsego Now Offices at 189 Main Street on the 5th floor, in Oneonta.

Governor Cuomo announced his agenda for the 1st 100 days of 2019 on Monday. Among the items on his agenda: adopting a Progressive Tax System, Cut Middle Class Taxes, Protecting Affordable Health Care, Gender Equality, Combat Gun Violence, ensure Clean, Safe Drinking Water, Pass the Child Victims Act & Legalize Adult Use of Recreational Marijuana.

Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 40 year old Brenna Talbot of Walton for Aggravated Unlicensed Operation 3rd degree following a traffic stop on County Highway 21 in the Town of Franklin. Talbot was additionally charged with unlicensed operator, operating without a headlight. She was released on tickets returnable to Franklin Town Court at a later date.

State Police continue to investigate tips that will help locate the person or persons responsible for throwing 2 beagle mix dogs out of a moving vehicle on Wednesday, December 12th on I-81 in Marathon. Several local, state and national animal welfare agencies and private donors are now offering a total of $16, 500 reward leading to the conviction of the person(s) responsible after the case has gained national attention. The following agencies have contributed: the Animal Legal Defense Fund $10,000, People for Ethical Treatment of Animals $5,000, the New York State Humane Association $1,000 and a private donation $500. Anyone with information about the suspect(s) is asked to call SP Homer at (607)749-1614.

Governor Cuomo today announced that more than $763 million in economic and community development funding has been awarded through Round 8 of the Regional Economic Development Council initiative. Locally, the Southern Tier RDC, which covers Delaware & Broome Counties, will get 65.4 Million dollars for various projects, Central New York, which includes Chenango County, receives 88.2 million dollars, and the Mohawk Valley region, which includes Otsego County, receives in 85.4 Million dollars.

NY State of Health announced that enrollment reached 4.7 million at close of business on December 15th, the deadline for January 1st 2019 coverage. Enrollment volumes in Qualified Health Plans and the Essential Plan outpaced last year’s levels with over 83,000 more people enrolled compared to last year.

In 2018, The Raymond Corporation contributed to over 150 nonprofit and educational organizations with monetary contributions, forklift donations and voluntary participation. Raymond gave food donations to the local food pantries, supported causes ranging from cancer awareness, veterans rehabilitation and animal rescue, & Raymond and its employees supported such programs as the American Red Cross, Habitat for Humanity, Breast Cancer Awareness, & Big Brothers and Big Sisters. More information is available at raymondcorp.com.

Charter Spectrum will pay a record $174 million and refund customers in New York $62 million in a settlement over claims it defrauded internet subscribers. The settlement announced Tuesday by the State Attorney General's Office is the largest consumer payment by an internet provider in U.S. history. Charter Spectrum has agreed to provide some premium cable channels for free to customers as part of the deal, customers will each receive between $75 and $150, and they will also get streaming services and premium channels, with a retail value of over $100 million, at no charge for about 2.2 million active subscribers.

The Oneonta Common Council will hold their next regular meeting this evening at 7:00 PM at City Hall. A Public hearing will be held regarding Sewers another will be held regarding fire prevention, the meeting is open to the public.

Emergency crews responded to a Tractor Trailer fire at about 12:00 Noon today. The fire was knocked down quickly & the westbound lanes of I-88 were re-opned quickly, WCDO news will have further details as they become available.

The Binghamton Devils donated over six barrels of non-perishable food to CHOW today with the help of team captain, Kevin Rooney. The food was collected from fans during the Put the Biscuit in the Basket food drive from November 28 to December 15, 2018. Totaling 1,415 pounds, the provisions will help feed Broome County families in need this holiday season.

Senator Fred Akshar will continue the second year of his district-wide "Akshar's All-Stars" student recognition program on Tuesday by recognizing students at one Broome County school and three Chenango County schools. Each month, Senator Akshar recognizes local students selected by their school districts in the 52nd Senate District who have shown great leadership, compassion, school spirit or improvement amongst their peers. Senator Akshar will make presentations starting at 8:00 AM at the Harpursville High School, then at 9:00 AM at Afton High School, 11:00 AM at Bainbridge-Guilford High School and and at 1:15 pm at the DCMO BOCES Campus in Norwich.

Oneonta Police arrested 28 year old David Thomas of Oneonta for attempted Murder, Assault and Strangulation, following a domestic dispute. Police accuse Thomas of twisting the unidentified woman's neck “in a violent manner,” causing extensive damage, she was transported to Fox Hospital & was transferred to Bassett Hospital in Cooperstown where she required surgery.

State Police are seeking the public’s assistance locating the people responsible for throwing 2 dogs out of an SUV on I-81 Wednesday. Troopers patrolling I-81 in the Whitney Point area spotted a tractor trailer parked in the left lane, Wednesday morning, they observed the truck driver carrying one badly injured dog and another following behind him. A State Police K9 handler bandaged the injured dog to stop bleeding, the Broome County Humane Society was contacted and took possession of the dogs. The truck driver observed a Dodge Durango SUV slow down, roll down their rear window and throw the dogs out of the window. Anyone with information is asked to call State Police at 749-1614.

The Salvation Army Empire State Division provided nearly 4 million meals to individuals and families who needed it most, through last year’s Annual Red Kettle Campaign. This year, with just 10 ringing days left in this year’s campaign, the kettles are trending short of the statewide goal. Volunteer bell ringers are needed throughout The Salvation Army's 48-county region. An hour of bellringing yields enough money in the kettle to provide thirteen meals. Anyone interested in ringing the bell is invited to visit: http://bit.ly/beabellringer to sign up.

The New York State Department of Health is advising parents/guardians, caregivers and health care providers to be aware of the signs and symptoms of enterovirus EV-D68, which has now been confirmed in 39 children in New York State. EV-D68 can cause mild to severe respiratory illness, or no symptoms at all. EV-D68 infection most commonly results in mild symptoms such as runny nose, sneezing, cough, body aches and muscle aches. Severe symptoms, may include wheezing and difficulty breathing. Recent cases in NYS have been confirmed among individuals who reside in Western and Central New York, the Capital Region and Long Island, and specimens have been received from other regions for specialized testing at Wadsworth. More information about enterovirus EV-D68 can be found cdc.gov.

Tickets are still available for this Sunday's 2 performances of "The King & I" at the Forum Theater in Binghamton. Shows will begin at 3:00 PM & &;30 PM Sunday, Tickets are available through Ticketmaster.com.

A.M. NEWS Friday 12-15-18

18 Year Old Gunnar Hassard of Oneonta has been arrested and charged with a hate crime after allegedly posting pro-Nazi posters around the SUNY Purchase campus, where he was a freshman. Hassard is accused of hanging 16 posters containing Nazi imagery, swastikas and images of Adolph Hitler; he was arraigned in Harrison Town Court yesterday and charged with Aggravated Harassment in the First Degree, a class E felony.

The Department of Environmental Protection announced plans to build a $34 million hydroelectric facility at Cannonsville Reservoir, which should produce enough electricity to power more than 3,500 homes each year. DEP officials announced that they will host 2 public meetings today, 1 at 9:00 AM at the Deposit State Theater, at 148 Front Street in Deposit & another at 12:30 PM at the Upper Delaware Council office, 211 Bridge Street in Narrowsburg. More information is available at nyc.gov.

The Sidney American Legion will host their Annual Children's Christmas Party tomorrow, spokesman Larry Halbert explains:

(Larry Halbert 12-14-18)

The event will run from 12:00 Noon until 1:30 PM at the American legion tomorrow at 22 Union Street in Sidney.

Officials with Dick’s Sporting Goods Open announced that Keith Urban will be the concert performer on August 16th in Endicott. Tickets for that show will be available today through Ticketmaster.com.

The American Red Cross is hosting a blood drive in Sidney Saturday, from 8:00 AM to 1:00 PM at the Sidney Elks Lodge, at 104 River Street. Blood donors of all blood types, especially type O, are needed; appointment can be made at RedCrossBlood.org or by calling 1-800-RED CROSS.

The River Valley News group of Pennsylvania announced that they will cease operating the Tri Town News, The Chenango American, as well as weekly newspapers in Oxford & Whitney point. Tri Town New editor Allison Collins comments:

(Allison Collins 12-13-18)

Collins said that the Tri Town News had its start in 1882 as the Sidney Record; its last issue will come out on December 21st.

The Chobani Foundation announced the recipients of Their 1st Community Impact Fund, which will provide $100,000 in grant funds to 4 beneficiaries locally. The Sidney Central School District was awarded $21,000, to incorporate a food truck into its nutritional education program. The Catskill Development Foundation was awarded $28,150 for a food and agricultural entrepreneur training program at Delaware County FoodWorks+, The Oxford Academy and Central School District was granted $30,000 to fund the salaries of 25 students working for local businesses in the 10-month Career Pathways Program, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Madison County received $20,850 to provide marketing assistance for farmers and managers of farmers markets looking to expand their businesses. The Chobani Foundation partnered with the Community Foundation for South Central New York to facilitate the grant selection process; more information is available at chobani.com/impact/chobanifoundation.

Governor Cuomo’s office announced on Tuesday of their goal to create a program for regulated marijuana use next year. The governor’s office hosted the listening sessions throughout September and October to gauge community appetite for legalizing marijuana, A study by the New York City Comptroller’s office estimated that revenues from taxes on regulated marijuana sales could bring in $3.1 billion dollars for the state. In Colorado, marijuana retailers made $1.5 billion last year and collected $247 million in taxes.

New York Farm Bureau has released its annual "Circle of Friends," naming 160 New York State Legislators to the distinguished list. The award is an indication of the individual lawmaker's support of New York agriculture and Farm Bureau. The "Circle of Friends" honor is based upon each legislator's voting record on issues of agricultural importance as well as other evidence of legislative support, including sponsorship of bills that New York Farm Bureau has either supported or opposed during the most recent legislative session, State Senators Fred Akshar, Jim Seward & John Bonacic plus Assembly members Cliff Crouch, Bill Magee, Donna Lupardo & Gary Finch were all named to the Farm Bureaus “Circle of Friends" again this year.

Governor Andrew Cuomo's office has announced the start of a child care availability task force. The group is comprised of representatives from the child care provider community, the business community, unions that represent child care providers, representatives from several state agencies and local departments of social services will develop recommendations to make quality, affordable child care accessible across the state. The task force met for the first time on Wednesday.

Voters in the Unadilla Valley School district have until 8:00 tonight to vote on the district's proposed 10 million dollar capital improvement project. Voting is being held at the District Office Lobby.

The Food and Drug Administration announced today that Del Monte Foods has recalled more than 64,000 cases of "Fiesta Corn" seasoned with red and green peppers. So far there had been no reports of illness, Del Monte determined the cans had not been properly sterilized, leading to the risk of spoilage. The corn was in 15.25-ounce cans with the UPC number printed on the label: 24000 02770, it can be returned to the point of purchase for a refund or exchange, more information is available by calling Del Monte Foods at 800-779-7035.

A.M. NEWS Thursday 12-13-18

State Police have located James Sitts, who was wanted on an arrest warrant out of the town of Oneonta Court for 2 counts of Grand Larceny. Sitts was located and arrested by City of Oneonta Police Officers on December 8, He was later transferred to the custody of State Police and was arraigned in the town of Oneonta Court where he was remanded to the Otsego Jail with no bail. His next court date is January 3rd.

The American Red Cross is hosting 2 area Blood Drives today, 1 in Oneonta from 1:00 to 6:00 PM at the Foothills Performing Arts Center, at 24 Market Street, and another in Walton from 12:00 Noon until 5:00 PM at the United Presbyterian Church, at 58 East Street Blood donors of all blood types, especially type O, appointments can be made at RedCrossBlood.org or by calling 1-800-RED CROSS

The Binghamton Rumble Ponies named Kevin Boles as the team's manager for the 2019 season. Boles joins the New York Mets organization after spending the last eleven seasons managing in the Boston Red Sox system.

The number of Animal Cruelty cases or cases of animal hoarding have spiked recently in the Southern Tier, which creates a difficult situation for area Shelters. Erin Insinga of the Delaware Valley Humane Society told WCDO News that if you know of those situations, the first call is to your local sheriff's department:

(Erin Insinga 12-12-18)

Insinga said that the animals are removed by law enforcement, they get checked by vets and can then be adopted following a brief process, and more information is available at 563-7780.

A Free Christmas Dinner will be available in Sidney this year on Christmas Day at the Sidney Fire Station, organizer Gene Schmidt said that donations & volunteers are needed:

(Gene Schmidt 12-12-18)

Schmidt said that he can be reached at 607-610-4030. This year will be the 6th year that Schmidt & his family have offered the free Christmas dinner.

Almond Upton of Florida has died in Prison, where he was serving time for the murder of State Trooper Christopher Skinner on I-81 In Broome County in May of 2014. Upton was serving his sentence in the Clinton Correctional Facility in Dannemora. Upton claimed he was in a manic state at the time he intentionally ran over Trooper Skinner, who was ocnducting an unrealted traffic stop, Upton was found guilty & was sentecned to life in prison, he died Sunday & the cause of death has not yet been released.

The Department of Environmental Protection announced plans to build a $34 million hydroelectric facility at Cannonsville Reservoir, which should produce enough electricity to power more than 3,500 homes each year. DEP officials announced that they will host 2 public meetings on Friday, one at 9:00 AM at the Deposit State Theater, at 148 Front Street in Deposit, & at 12:30 PM at the Upper Delaware Council office, 211 Bridge Street in Narrowsburg. More information is available at nyc.gov.

Residents in South New Berlin are voting today on a proposed $1.1 million project to purchase property and construct a new fire department building. Voting will be held from 12:00 Noon until 9:00 PM at the South New Berlin Firehouse.

Voters in the Unadilla Valley School District will vote Thursday on a capital improvement project involving heating, parking lots, roof replacement, and auditorium improvements, among many other projects. The project would be paid for through a Capital Reserve Fund & State Aid, the $10 million dollar project vote will be held from 12:00 Noon to 8:00 PM in the District Office lobby Thursday.

Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 21 year old Rebecca Kole of Delancey, for moving from a lane unsafely, DWI, and other charges, following an investigation into a Motor Vehicle accident in the Town of Walton. Kole was later released on traffic tickets and is scheduled to appear at Walton Town Court at a later date to answer the charges.

The City of Oneonta and the Otsego County Conservation Association will be co-sponsoring a talk on the emerald ash borer on today, at 6:30pm. The insect is highly destructive; the first one was discovered in the town of Unadilla in 2014. The free talk will take place at the Otsego County Chamber of Commerce, 189 Main Street, Suite 500; it is free and open to the public. More information is available by calling OCCA at 282-4087.

The City of Oneonta has listed a number of items available for public auction. The items can be viewed & bidded on at publicsurplus.com/sms/oneonta,ny

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.

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.

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

The American Red Cross is holding a Blood drive today in Oneonta.  The Oneonta Blood Drive will be from 1:00 to 6:00 PM at the Elks Club 84 Chestnut Street, Appointments can be made at RedCrossBlood.org or by calling 1-800-RED CROSS.

Firefighters from a dozen area companies responded to a blaze on Porter Hollow Road in Port Crane at about 8:00 PM Sunday. Firefighters were on the scene for about 4 ½ hours, No injuries were reported , and the unidentified family of 4 were left homeless.

Sheriff Cutting reports on December 6th, 2018 the Chenango County Sheriff’s Office arrested an inmate for assaulting a Corrections Officer. Members of the Detectives Division arrested Michael J. Perry, age 42 who was incarcerated on a separate charge. It is alleged that Perry assaulted a Corrections Officer in an attempt to get to another inmate within the facility. Perry was processed for Assault in the Second Degree and arraigned in the Town of Norwich Court. He was remanded back to the Chenango County Correctional Facility.

Firefighters from Franklin, Oneonta, West Oneonta, Otego, Sidney, SIdney Center, Treadwell & Wells Bridge responded early this morning to a fire at 161 HODGE ROAD in the town of Franklin. The fire was called in at about 12:10 AM; The home was destroyed in the blaze, the cause of the fire is under investigation.

SFCU announced that James Reynolds will replace Jim Doig as the President & CEO of SFCU shortly, both talked to WCDO News about the change in leadership:

(Reynolds/ Doig 12-10-18)

Doig announced his retirement recently after serving for 22 years as the President & CEO of SFCU.

Lee Smith and Harold Baines have been elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame by the Today’s Game Era Committee, it was announced today on MLB Network. The Today’s Game Era Committee considered a ballot of six former players, 3 former managers and 1 former executive whose contributions to the game were most significant from 1988 through the present. The Today’s Game Era Committee held meetings today in Las Vegas, site of Baseball’s Winter Meetings. Smith and Baines will be joined in the Hall of Fame Class of 2019 by any electees who emerge from the Baseball Writers’ Association of America voting, which will be announced on Tuesday, January 22nd.

Retiring State Senator John Bonacic announced that he will be closing his Delhi Office on Friday December 21st. anyone needing to contact Senator Bonacic can call the Middletown Office at 845-344-3311 until the end of the year. Bonacic decided to retire this year after serving for decades in both the State Assembly & State Senate.

State Police arrested 30 year old Dustin Freeman of Morris after he allegedly threatened a victim with a knife and sexually assaulted the victim in the New Berlin area. Freeman was charged with 1st degree Rape, Criminal Sexual Act and Unlawful Imprisonment, after Troopers located Freeman in the city of Rome, where he fled on foot. He was taken into custody & was transported to Norwich where he was processed and later arraigned in the town of Norwich Court where he was remanded to the Chenango County Jail without bail. An order of protection was also issued by the judge to the victim. The investigation is still on-going.

A Town of Norwich resident was arrested by the Chenango County Sheriff’s Office for Endangering the Welfare of a Child and Harassment. Deputies arrested 61 year old Larry Conant after an incident that occurred on a Norwich Central School bus in the town of Guilford. Conant, was a school bus aid, he allegedly used unnecessary force on a 7 year old child. Conant was released on an appearance ticket for a later date.

A Town of Norwich resident was arrested by the Chenango County Sheriff’s Office for Criminal Contempt. Deputies arrested 20 year old Jeremy Thomas After responding to a complaint at a business in the Town of Norwich it was found that Thomas violated an order of protection. Thomas was processed and released on an appearance ticket. Thomas is to appear in the Town of Norwich Court at a later date.

The American Red Cross is hosting a Blood Drive in Sidney today from 2:30 p.m. - 6:30 pm, at the A.O. Fox Tri-Town Campus. Blood donors of all blood types, especially type O, and platelet donors are urged to make an appointment to donate at RedCrossBlood.org or by calling 1-800-RED CROSS

Luis Rojas will join the New York Mets Major League coaching staff for the 2019 season, filling the new position of Quality Control Coach. Rojas served as the Binghamton Rumble Ponies manager for two seasons, The Mets have yet to name a replacement for Rojas in Binghamton. The Rumble Ponies will start their 2019 home schedule at NYSEG Stadium on April 11, 2019 against the Erie Sea Wolves.

P.M. NEWS FRIDAY 12-7-18

State police are asking for the public's help in locating 39 year old James Sitts of Oneonta, who is wanted in connection with a grand larceny investigation. Sitts is described as a white male, 5 feet 10 inches tall, 165 pounds with brown hair, blue eyes and a beard, he has several distinctive tattoos on his neck and right arm, his last known address was in the Lantern Hill Trailer Park in Oneonta. Anyone with information is asked to call state police at (607) 561-7400.

Federal law Enforcement officials arrested 41 year old Justin Hobbie of Springfield, on child pornography charges. Hobbie was working as a physical education teacher & was formerly a girls’ soccer coach in the Cooperstown School District. District officials alerted parents of the arrest this morning, they did not believe that any incident involving a Cooperstown Student occurred, the investigation is continuing.

60 year old Lynn Beilby of South New Berlin has been charged with animal abuse, for allegedly torturing an animal and failing to provide sustenance to an animal. Beilby is scheduled to appear in the Town of Morris Court on January 14th to answer to the charges.

The Delaware County Historical Association will host its inaugural Christmas Fair on Saturday from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM. The event is free & open to the public, more information is available at 746-3849 or e-mail dcha@delhi.net

The Village of Franklin will hold their annual Christmas celebration tomorrow. Events will include a Library Book Sale, Grandma’s Pantry will be open from 11:00 to 3:00 at the Methodist Church, and the annual Holiday Market will run from 12:00 to 4:00 at the Fire House, pictures with Santa Claus will begin at 6:00 PM, also at the Fire House.

The Bainbridge Chamber of Commerce announces a variety of events to be held Saturday. The highlight will be a parade starting at 5:00 PM, there will also be a library open house from 4:00 to 7:00 PM, and carolers, and after the parade be sure to go to the Episcopal Church (with red doors) for your photos with Santa.

State Police arrested 37 year old Michael Collins of Butternuts, for Unlawful Imprisonment, Criminal Obstruction of Breathing and Criminal Mischief, after Troopers were dispatched to a residence on Wilbur Hill Road in the town of Butternuts for a domestic dispute. After an investigation, troopers determined that Collins and a victim were involved in an argument that turned physical, where Collins is accused of choking, taking a phone away when the victim attempted to call for help and not allowing the victim to leave. Collins was arraigned in the town of Butternuts Court where he was released on his own recognizance. The judge issued an order of protection to the victim.

The American Red Cross is facing a severe blood shortage and they are hosting 3 blood drives today. In Oneonta, a blood drive is being held at SUNY Oneonta from 12:00 Noon until 5:00 PM, one is being held in Cooperstown from 1:00 to 6:00 PM at the Clark's Sports Center, & another is being held in Morris from 1:00 to 6:00 PM at the Zion Episcopal Church on Main Street. Blood donors of all blood types, especially type O, and platelet donors are urged to make an appointment to donate at RedCrossBlood.org or by calling 1-800-RED CROSS

The Unadilla Rotary Club & the Unadilla Chamber of Commerce will be presenting the Annual Santa Saturday in Unadilla, with Events being held at the Bauer Community Center at 246 Main Street, from 1:30 to 4:00 pm. Santa will arrive by Fire Truck at 3:00 pm. The parade will form at 2:30 on Sperry Street, off Clifton Street and proceed down Main Street to the Community Center. The Unadilla Rotary Club will have their annual basket raffle fundraiser with ticket winners announced. The Unadilla Public Library will be showing Classic Christmas Movies.

Delaware & Ulster Rail Road is participating in the 2018 Delaware County Toys for Tots campaign and passengers can ride the Silver Sleigh on Sunday, in exchange for a new, unwrapped toy that will be delivered to a Delaware County child in time for Christmas! For departure times and more information visit durr.org.

Smacked! Heroin Addiction & Recovery in Rural America, a locally-produced documentary, will be screened today, at FoxCare Center in Oneonta, from 5:00 TO 8:00 pm. Fox Spokesperson Gabrielle Argo explains:

(Gabby Argo 12-6-18)

Smacked! will be followed by a panel discussion with director Jessica Vecchione and members of Otsego County’s addiction treatment community. Light refreshments will be served. More information is available at 431-5692.

State Police arrested 43 year old Jason Rude of Oneonta for Grand Larceny, following a complaint that Rude allegedly took a victim’s vehicle without permission then sold the vehicle to Otsego Auto Crushers. Rude was arraigned in the town of Middlefield Court where he was released on his own recognizance.

The Oneonta Common Council passed the resolution at Tuesday Night's meeting, renaming the City's Airport as the "Albert S. Nader Municipal Airport". Sam Nader served as Mayor of Oneonta in the 60's & was the driving force at having the Airport established over 50 years ago. The Common Council also passed the next fiscal year's budget at Tuesday's meeting.

The City of Oneonta and the Otsego County Conservation Association will be co-sponsoring a talk on the emerald ash borer on Wednesday, December 12 at 6:30pm at the Otsego County Chamber of Commerce, 189 Main Street, Suite 500. The insect attacks and kills all species of ash trees, Its presence in Otsego County was confirmed in 2014 in Unadilla. The program is free and open to the public. For more information, contact OCCA at (607) 282-4087.

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

The City of Oneonta Department of Public Service is repairing a water main break at 42 River Street between Ann Street and West Ann Street today. Residents on Ann Street, West Ann, and Meckley Avenue will be without water for a portion of the project. Parking on the street will not be permitted, and the street will be closed to traffic for the duration of work. A detour route along Mitchell, Huntington, and Burnside has been established, however those affected may wish to seek alternate routes. More information is available at 432-2100

The American Red Cross is facing a severe blood shortage & they will hold 2 area blood drives today. A Blood Drive in Oneonta will be held from 2:00 to 7:00 PM at Hillside Commons, at 150 Blodgett Drive, a blood drive in Gilbertsville will be held from 1:00 to 6:00 PM at the Christ Episcopal Church, on Marion Avenue. Blood donors of all blood types, especially type O, are urged to make an appointment to donate at RedCrossBlood.org or by calling 1-800-RED CROSS.

The City of Oneonta will be performing maintenance on the down ramp between the upper & middle levels of the municipal parking garage starting today. Work is expected to take about 1 week to complete, the Lower & Middle levels will remain open during the project, all of the other downtown parking lots will be open as usual.

State Police arrested 26 year old Jordan Dilello of Oneonta for DWI after a trooper was dispatched to a 1 car accident on Winney Hill Road in the town of Oneonta. The trooper observed a vehicle partially in a ditch and partially blocking part of the travel lane, Dilello & 21 of his 2 passengers were taken to Fox Hospital, he was released & was arrested & was released on appearance tickets returnable to the town of Oneonta Court on December 4th.

The Toys for Tots Train is scheduled to arrive in Bainbridge Saturday at at 11:45 at the Walnut Street Crossing, spokesman Roger Barnhart explains:

(Roger Barnhart 11-30-18)

The Toys for Tots Train will move on to Oneonta where it is scheduled to stop at the Gas Avenue crossing at about 1:45 PM Saturday.

8 people were left homeless following a fire on Main Street in Worcester Tuesday night. Fire was visible from the rear of the home when firefighters first arrived, all residents escaped without injuries. Fire Fighters from Oneonta, Schenevus, East Worcester, and Westford fire departments responded, with no injuries reported. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

The Otsego County Solid Waste Department reminds residents that animal carcasses/body parts from wildlife shall be accepted at the Oneonta and Cooperstown Transfer Station with the following conditions: Individuals shall double bagged material using 3ml contractor’s bags, Individuals must clearly state to scale operator you have carcasses for disposal, Individuals should not place carcasses/body parts in curb side pick up & Fees will be charged at scale rate for disposal. More information is available at 547-4225 or otsegocounty.com/depts/sw.

Two people were injured when a Pickup Truck & Oneonta City School Bus collided Monday afternoon at route 8 & Country Club Road. The driver of the pickup, 35 year old Benjamin Goodwin of Laurens was ticketed for running a red light, the unidentified bus driver & a driver’s aid suffered minor injuries in the crash & were taken to Fox Hospital, 3 children on the bus were not injured.

Oneonta Mayor Gary Herzig is expected to ask the Oneonta Common Council to re-name the Oneonta Municipal Airport in honor of former Oneonta Mayor & Businessman Sam Nader at their December 4th meeting. Nader rallied to have an airport established when he was mayor of Oneonta in the 60's.

Oneonta Mayor Gary Herzig joined 50 mayors from across the State in Albany recently, to discuss the New York Conference of Mayors priorities for the 2019 Legislative Session. The mayors announced that the Creation of a Municipal Investment Initiative, Increase State Funding for Infrastructure & Allow Municipalities to be Compensated for the Cost of Providing Services to Large Tax Exempt Properties.

The Oneonta Common Council will hold a special meeting today, regarding the budget for the next fiscal year. The meeting will begin at 6:00 PM at the Common Council Chambers at City hall.

The Capital Region Toys for Tots Foundation today announced its distribution plans for the 2018 holiday season, to deliver thousands of toys and winter coats to children in need throughout Upstate New York. The Toys for Tots Train schedule is December 1st, starting at 10:00 AM at the Binghamton Yard, it will then arrive in Bainbridge at 11:45 AM, then at 1:15 pm at the Gas Avenue Crossing, Oneonta, before heading for Cobleskill & Delanson. The train will continue on Sunday & finish its run in through the Capital region to Rouses Point.

As part of an initiative to be designated as a Clean Energy Community, the City of Oneonta has installed a ChargePoint Level 2 electric vehicle charging station in the Dietz Street parking lot. The Program is a NYSERDA initiative to reward communities for becoming more energy efficient. The charging station is equipped with two ports, allowing two vehicles to charge simultaneously. Initially, the City will not apply a fee for drivers to use this EV charging station. However, drivers must be a member of the ChargePoint network. 2 parking spaces, adjacent to the charging station in the Dietz Street Parking Lot, will be reserved for electric vehicles only.

The Oneonta Department of Public Service announced that they are repairing a water main break on Chestnut Street until about 5:00 PM today, from Morgan to West End Avenue. Some local residents will be without water for a portion of the project. Parking on the street will not be permitted, and the street will be closed to traffic for the duration of work & a detour has been set up for motorists. More information is available at 432-2100.

The Oneonta Common Council will hold their next regular meeting this evening. The Meeting begins at 7:00 PM and is open to the public in the Council Chambers on the 2nd floor of City Hall.

The American Red Cross is facing a severe blood shortage and urgently needs blood and platelet donors to give now to avoid delays in lifesaving medical care for patients. A blood drive will be held in Oneonta today from 1:00 to 6:00 PM at Saint James Episcopal Church, 305 Main Street. Blood donors of all blood types, especially type O, are urged to make an appointment to donate at RedCrossBlood.org or by calling 1-800-RED CROSS.

The American Red Cross is facing a severe blood shortage and urgently needs donors to give blood today at 2 area locations. The Oneonta blood drive will be held from 12:00 Noon until 5:00 PM at SUNY Oneonta & in Cooperstown from 12:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., at Bassett Hall, 1 Atwell Road. Blood donors of all blood types, especially type O, and platelet donors are urged to make an appointment to donate at RedCrossBlood.org or by calling 1-800-RED CROSS

The Otsego County Sheriff’s Office arrested 33-year-old James Carey Jr. of Oneonta for disseminating indecent material to minors and endangering the welfare of a child. Carey is accused sending and receiving nude photographs” between himself and a 12-year-old girl, he was sent to the Otsego County Correctional Facility and is scheduled to appear in Town of Otsego Court on November 28.

The American Red Cross is facing a severe blood shortage and urgently needs donors to give at the next area blood drive today in Oneonta from 2: to 6:00 PM at the Oneonta Family YMCA on Ford Avenue. Blood donors of all blood types, especially type O, and platelet donors are urged to make an appointment to donate at RedCrossBlood.org or by calling 1-800-RED CROSS

More than 150 new Troopers were honored this morning for their perseverance and dedication in completing the 207th session of the Basic School of the State Police Academy during graduation exercises in Albany, New York. David Schulte of Oneonta was one of today's graduates:

(Trooper Schulte 11-14-18)

Trooper Schulte will be assigned to Troop C in Sidney.

The City of Oneonta is set to unveil the draft vision, goals and recommendations for the Oneonta Comprehensive Plan Update at an open house today from 3:00 pm to 7:30 pm, at the Oneonta High School cafeteria. The event will build on feedback and information gathered during the first open house held in January. For those unable to attend the Open House, an opportunity to provide feedback will be available at opportunityoneonta.com.

The City of Oneonta is set to unveil the draft vision, goals and recommendations for the Oneonta Comprehensive Plan Update at an open house on Wednesday, November 14th from 3:00 pm to 7:30 pm. The open house will be held at the Oneonta High School cafeteria, the event will build on feedback and information gathered during the first open house held in January. For those unable to attend the Open House, an opportunity to provide feedback will be available at opportunityoneonta.com.

State Police arrested 38 year old Anthony Forte of Otego for Felony Driving While Intoxicated and Aggravated Unlicensed Operation. Troopers were dispatched to Taco Bell in the town of Oneonta for a suspected drunk driver. Forte had a BAC of .16%, twice the legal limit, he was arraigned in the town of Oneonta Court & his next court appearance is November 13th.

A Special meeting for Oneonta area residents interested in learning about A.O. Fox Hospital’s volunteer patient companionship program, will be held today at the Foxcare Center. Fox Spokesperson Gabrielle Argo explains:

(Gabby Argo 11-8-18)

The Meeting will be held from 5:30 to 6:30 pm at the FoxCare Center in Classroom 3, Reservations for a spot are available by calling 431-5042.

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

A.O. Fox Hospital in Oneonat & Oneonta Job Corps Academy are partnering for the 2nd year with The American Red Cross to bring the Oneonta community a blood drive competition this Thursday & Friday. Fox Spokesperson Gabrielle Argo explains:

(Gabby Argo 11-6-18)

Oneonta Job Corps Academy will host the 1st blood drive on Thursday, from 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM, in their campus gymnasium. Fox Hospital will host its blood drive Friday, from 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM at the FoxCare Center. Last Year, Fox Hospital won the competition with 76 units of blood collected, followed closely by Oneonta Job Corps Academy, who gathered 68 units. The American Red Cross needs blood donations following a recently devastating series of hurricane disasters across the country, more than 36,000 units of blood are being used each day nationwide.

The City of Oneonta’s Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee met in City Hall on Thursday, an open house has been scheduled for November 14th. The City's last Comprehensive Plan was in 2007; the timeline calls for a public comment period and final revision, then the plan will be brought to Common Council for a vote.

25 year old Mamadou Barry of Brooklyn has been charged with 9 felony charges after he was found with counterfeit money in Oneonta. State Police arrested Barry on 6 counts of Criminal Possession of Forged Instrument & 3 counts of Tampering with Physical Evidence, a trooper on patrol observed Barry using an electronic device while he was driving and speeding while on State Highway 28 in Oneonta. Barry allegedly threw paper-like objects out the vehicle window as the trooper initiated a traffic stop. Berry is accused of using counterfeit bills at 3 Oneonta businesses; he was arraigned in the town of Oneonta Court & was remanded to the Otsego County Jail on $25,000 cash bail or $50,000 bail bond pending court action on November 15th.

22 Year old Barbara Doyle of Oneonta has already written 20 books & published 7 of them, which are available through Amazon on their Kindle platform or in paperback. Doyle told WCDO News about her 7 book which was published last Friday:

(Barbara Doyle 11-1-18)

Doyle currently works for Bassett Healthcare in Research & has been accepted to participate in the University of Albany's graduate program for Literature, with a goal to become an English professor.

Following a court decision this week, The Oneonta Fire District will officially dissolve tomorrow. The Oneonta town board will meet tonight at 7:00 p.m. to hold a public hearing on the 2019 town budget and discuss the formation of the new fire district.

A man reported missing whose vehicle was found abandoned in Oneonta has been located deceased. State Police located 53-year-old Steven J. Kassirer deceased in a ravine within heavy brush, behind Safelite Auto Glass on Oneida Street in Oneonta. Troopers located Kassirer's vehicle earlier in the week in the Safe Lite parking lot, he was reported missing in Irondequoit and was also reported missing in Massachusetts when he did not report to his place of employment on October 23. No foul play is suspected at this time but the cause of death is still pending autopsy results.