WCDO Radio News

Broome County District Attorney Steve Cornwell announced that 49 year old Michael Gumaer pleaded guilty today In Broome County Court to 1st Degree Rape. Gumaer was arrested following the report of an attack on a 12-year-old Girl in August 2016 in Endicott. Gumaer will be sentenced on February 17th, 2017.

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.

State Police responded Monday & Tuesday of this week to the Afton School, after written Bomb Threats were found in bathrooms, and were reported to the district office. Police found no sign of bombs, the school was in lockdown today during the search. No arrests have been made & the investigation is ongoing.

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 Bainbridge-Guilford Central School Board of Education’s next Meeting will be held tonight in the District Conference Room at 6:30 PM. The business portion of the meeting will start at 7:00 PM.

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 Bainbridge-Guilford Central School will hold a Board of Education Meeting later today in the Guilford School Cafeteria at 6:30 PM. The business portion of the meeting will start at 7:00 PM.

State Police arrested 29 year old Jonathan Robinson of Laurens for 3rd degree criminal mischief, the arrest occurred after an incident in early September at the Morris Central School parking lot, where Robinson allegedly slammed his fists down on the hood of another driver’s vehicle after a dispute, causing over $750 worth of damage. Robinson was arraigned in the Town of Morris Court and was remanded to the Otsego County Jail in lieu of $1,500 cash bail or $3,000 property bond.

The Oneonta Downtown Reviltaization Intitiative meeting will be held this afternoon from 1:00 to 3:00 PM. The meeting is open to the public, with public particicaption requested, the meeting will be on the 2nd floor of the Foothills Performing Arts Center.

The Chenango County Farm Bureau the 61st Annual Meeting is starting 6:30 PM Tuesday October 25, 2016 at the Silo. Senator Fred Akshar of the 52nd District, a representative from Senator Seward’s office and Assemblyman Cliff Crouch will be in attendance.

YES Safe Choices, from Senator Akshar and Lourdes Hospital will host more than 575 students from across the Southern Tier at their YES Ignites Training today at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel from 9:15 AM to 1:30 PM. YES LEADers are middle and high school students trained to provide substance abuse prevention education to elementary school students. By the end of the ‘16-’17 school year, more than 600 YES LEADers will present to over 6,000 elementary students in Broome, Tioga and Chenango Counties.

Oneonta Police responded to a possible drug overdoese death on Orchard Street on Tuesday. 45 year old Matthew Hill was found deceased in his apartment where drugs were located, he had been arrested in August by Oneonta Police on drug charges.

2 more blood donation opportunities will be held in Otsego County today. A blood drive will be held in Franklin from 1:30 to 6:30 PM at the Franklin Methodist Church, 101 Main Street, and another will be in Oneonta from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM at the Fox Hospital Levine Center, at 1 Norton Avenue. Appointments can be made by downloading the Red Cross Blood donor App, online at redcrossblood.org or by calling 1-800-RED CROSS.

The City of Oneonta will be paving the utility trenches at the intersection of Chestnut street & West Street today & tomorrow between the hours of 7:00 AM and 4:00 PM, 2 way traffic will be maintained but traffic delays can be expected, West Street will require closing to through traffic between chestnut & Center during the work hours & detours will be set up along Church Street. More information is available at 432-6465.

The Bainbridge-Guilford Central School will hold a Board of Education Meeting on Tonight in the District Conference Room at 6:30 PM. The business portion of the meeting will start at 7:00 PM.

State Police are investigating the theft of a Gray 2013 Ford F150 pickup truck with New York License Plate 20811-JV, back on September 22nd at about 2:00 AM from Winnie Hill Road in the Town of Oneonta. The vehicle was last seen about 90 minutes later around 3:30 am headed southbound on Interstate Route 81 in the Binghamton area. The State Police are also looking to interview the unknown male seen in a surveillance video near the area of the theft. Anyone with information regarding the stolen vehicle or unknown male please contact the New York State Police in Oneonta at 432-4844 or 432-3211.

The Bainbridge-Guilford Central School will hold a Board of Education Meeting on Thursday, October 6, 2016, in the District Conference Room at 6:30 PM. The business portion of the meeting will start at 7:00 PM.

Oneonta police arrested 44-year-old Freddie Sampson of Brooklyn on 5 counts of 3rd degree criminal sale of a controlled substance, for allegedly selling cocaine and hydrocodone. In a separate case, Oneonta Police also arrested 26 year old Mackenzie Bissell of Oneonta for allegedly selling cocaine & in august. Bissell was also charged with aggravated unlicensed operation on a sealed indictment. Both face court action shortly.

Oneonta police arrested an Andes, man after a traffic stop and a search of his car led to the discovery of heroin and oxycodone pills. 21-year-old Austin Rose was stopped by Police on Center Street, Police seized 12.5 grams of powdered heroin, oxycodone pills; and $3,679 in cash. Rose was charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance, and was being held by the Oneonta Police Department pending arraignment in the City of Oneonta Court. Oneonta police were assisted by State Police and Delaware County Sheriff Department with K-9 Ozzie.

The Suicide Prevention Network of Delaware County is sponsoring a free educational forum, “Let’s Talk-Mental Health Awareness” tonight from 6:00 to 8:00 PM at the Roxbury Central School. The event seeks to raise awareness about the importance of mental health wellness, from childhood, the teen years through adulthood. Suicide is the 12th leading cause of death overall in New York State, in Delaware County the age adjusted suicide rate is 9.5 per 100,000 people which is above the NY State average. More information on the event or about the Suicide Prevention Network of Delaware County is available at 832-5200

The Bainbridge-Guilford Central School will hold a Board of Education Meeting on Thursday, September 15, 2016, in the Guilford School Cafeteria at 6:30 PM. The business portion of the meeting will start at 7:00 PM.

Oneonta City Police arrested 25-year-old Benjamin Williams of Oneonta for 6 counts of 2nd degree assault, & possession of obscene sexual performance by a child. Williams is accused of injured the infant on several occasions; Police also discovered child pornography on 2 devices. Williams was arraigned in Oneonta City Court he was remanded to the Otsego County Jail on $20,000 cash bail or $40,000 bond for each of the felony charges, the infant was taken to Bassett hospital in Cooperstown for a variety of injuries including a broken leg.

Governor Cuomo today announced the second round of funding is available through the state’s Farm to School Program, which helps school districts establish stronger relationships with local growers and producers and increase their use of homegrown specialty crops. $500,000 in grants is available for projects that help schools buy and serve healthy, locally grown foods on school menus. Last year, 6 Farm to School programs were awarded, benefitting 45 school districts from Western New York, Mohawk Valley, Capital Region, North Country, Finger Lakes and Southern Tier. The funding helped the districts employ local or regional Farm to School coordinators, purchase supplies and equipment needed to increase the capacity of the school kitchen and food service staff to prepare and serve locally produced specialty crops, and to make capital improvements to better transport and/or store those crops. A list of awarded projects from 2015 may be found here.

The Oneonta City Department of Public Service announced that they would continue with flushing water mains on the low service today through Friday. Flushing will affect residents & businesses in the area around Fox Hospital, during flushing, water pressure may be decreased & water may change in color. More information is available at 432-2100.

The Bainbridge-Guilford Central School will hold a Board of Education Meeting on Today in the Guilford School Cafeteria at 6:30 PM. The business portion of the meeting will start at 7:00 PM.

The Oneonta Job Corps Academy announced that their annual baseball game would be held today at Damasche Field in Oneonta. Oneonta Job Corps Students and Staff versus The family resource Network will play today, the gates will open at 6:30pm, the game Starts at 7:00 pm followed by fireworks at around 8:45pm. The game is free and open to the public.

The Greater Maywood Society has been attempting to sell the firmer Sidney Center School, but they are planning a special community event to open up time capsules Saturday. Spokesman Mike Sellitti explains:

(Mike Sellitti 8-27-16)

The event is open to the public; it will also feature music, a barbecue, as well as displays & memorabilia from the Greater Maywood Society & the Sidney Alumni Association. The event runs from 4:00 to 7:00 PM Saturday at the former Sidney Center School.

The Bainbridge-Guilford Central School will hold a Board of Education Meeting on Today in the District Conference Room at 6:30 PM. The business portion of the meeting will start at 7:00 PM.

Local sales tax collections across New York State only grew 1.7% in the first 6 months of 2016, according to a report released today by State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli. Overall, growth slowed from 2.6% in the first quarter to 0.8% in the second quarter. The Mid-Hudson region had the strongest growth at 2.7%, collections declined in the Central New York region by 1.3% Local sales tax collections were generally lower due in part to lower tax revenue by lower gasoline and diesel fuel prices.

Broome County District Attorney Steven Cornwell announced that he would prosecute a drug ring case after announcing a 95-count indictment was handed down against 7 people arrested last week in Endwell. Terrance Wise is charged with 84 counts and is accused of being the leader of the drug ring, 2,700 bags of heroin were seized in the raid at his residence last week.

The City of Oneonta will be growing thanks to 10 million dollars in State money for economic development projects around the market street area. Mayor Gary Herzig comments:

(Gary Herzig 8-4-16)

Oneonta was one of a handful of small cities that received state assistance through the regional economic development councils.

The Bainbridge-Guilford Central School will hold a Board of Education Meeting today in the District Conference Room at 6:30 PM. The business portion of the meeting will start at 7:00 PM.

Oneonta Police, along with State Police, & Delaware County Sheriff’s Department, arrested 2 people on drug charges after serving a search warrant at the Budget Inn on State Route 23. Police arrested 24-year-old Dale Rogers of Brooklyn & 26-year-old Rameara Sample of Brooklyn, for Criminal possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell. Police Confiscated 30 bags of heroin, 23 bags of crack cocaine, both were held at the Oneonta Police Department lock up pending arraignment in the Town of Oneonta Court.

The Greater Chenango Cares IRT Event gets underway tomorrow for 10 days at the Norwich High School. Spokesperson Elizabeth Monaco explains:

(Elizabeth Monaco 7-14-16)

Monaco said that walk ins are available for some of the services, but dental & eye care appointments must be made at 337-4320.

The Bainbridge-Guilford Central School will hold a Board of Education Meeting today in the Guilford Elementary School Cafeteria at 6:30 PM. The business portion of the meeting will start at 7:00 PM.

The City of Oneonta Fire Department will be conducting a community risk assessment over the next few months. Department members will be walking through neighborhoods, checking out building exteriors & properties, they will be in uniform, will have Id's & they will not ask to enter a residence. More Information is available by emailing risk assess@oneonta.ny.us.

The USDA will be teaming up with the Bainbridge Guilford Central School again this summer to offer free breakfast & lunch for any child 18 & under, and for special needs children up to 21, Monday through Friday through August 5th, at the Greenlawn & Guilford Elementary schools. More information is available at 967-6301.

3 public meetings will be held today at Oneonta City Hall. The Operations, Planning & Evaluation Committee will begin their meeting at 4:00 PM, followed by the Finance & Human Resources Committee meeting at 5:00 PM, and the Zoning & Housing Board of Appeals at 7:00 PM. All 3 meeting will be held in the Common Council Chambers on the 2nd Floor of City Hall.

An Interfaith Candlelight Vigil will be held tonight in Oneonta, in support of the Orlando Florida Shooting Victims. The vigil will begin at 7:00 PM in Muller Plaza on Main Street, the event is being hosted by the Unitarian Universalist Society of Oneonta, The 1st Methodist Church, the Oneonta NAACP & the city Of Oneonta Commission on Community Relations & Human Rights.

There will be a Federal Primary Election on Tuesday, June 28th, from 12;00 Noon to 9:00 PM. Democrats & Republicans will hold a Primary for Representative in Congress of the 19th District. There is a change for the town of Tompkins polling site, all Tompkins voters will vote at the Tompkins Town Hall at 148 Bridge Street in Trout Creek. June 21st is the last day an absentee ballot application may be mailed to the Board of Elections. June 27th is the last day to apply in person for an absentee ballot and the last day to mail a completed ballot to the Board of Elections. June 28th is the last day for a ballot to be delivered by agent to the Board of Elections. More information is available at the Delaware County Board of Elections at 832-5321.

Sidney Central School will hold their Summer Food Service Program this summer, to ensure that children continue to receive nutritious meals when school is not in session. Sidney Central School will serve children at the Junior/Senior High School Cafeteria, Monday through Thursday from July 11th to August 19th, with breakfast from 7:30 am to 8:30 am and lunch from 11:00 am to 12:30 pm. The free program is open to youth and children 18 years and under & for Special Education students up to age 21. More information is available at 563-2135, extension 4264.

The State Lawmakers are wrapping up their work for the 2016 session, this year's Budget contains highway funding going to individual municipalities this year through "Pave NY", for them to take care of various road repairs after the winter months. Area Assemblyman Bill Magee explains:

(Magee 6-16-16)

Magee said that there was also extra money sent to area school district and agricultural programs in the final version of the budget passed on April 1st.

The Bainbridge-Guilford Central School will hold a Board of Education Meeting today in the District Conference Room at 6:30 PM. The business portion of the meeting will start at 7:00 PM.

3 area teenagers have been arrested by the Oneonta Police in connection with a burglary & theft at an Oneonta Business. 2 Sidney Teens & 1 from Oneonta, who are all 13 years old, were charged with 2nd degree Burglary, Petty Larceny & criminal mischief, their cases will be heard in Otsego county Family Court.

Governor Cuomo today announced a new I Love NY advertising campaign to promote travel throughout the State’s 11 vacation regions. the campaign includes TV ads that are being aired in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, western Massachusetts, the eastern and central portions of both Pennsylvania and Ohio and in Montreal, Toronto and Ottawa in Canada. The ads will run through the summer until August 7.

The Delaware County Board of Elections announced that Friday June 3rd is the last day to register for the June 28th Federal Primary Election. Primaries will be held for Democrats & Republicans in the 19th Congressional District race. Registration forms and applications for absentee ballots may be found online at co.delaware.ny.us/departments, by calling 832-5321 or at the County office in Delhi.

The Bainbridge-Guilford Central School will hold a Board of Education Meeting on Thursday, June 2, 2016, in the District Conference Room at 6:30 PM. The business portion of the meeting will start at 7:00 PM with a Public Hearing on the Code of Conduct.

Otsego County Sheriff’s Department & Oneonta City Police arrested 26-year-old Haley Cornell of Oneonta, 26-year-old Shakeem Enang of the Bronx & 31 year old Michael Lightly of the Bronx on a variety of drug charges Sunday morning at 2 Rose Avenue. Officers seized heroin, crack cocaine, Oxycodon, hydrocodone, marijuana, hypodermic needles and $1,834 in cash. All three were charged with Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance, Enang and Lightly were charged with Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance & Unlawful Possession of Marijuana, and Cornell was charged with Possession of a hypodermic instrument. All 3 were remanded to the Otsego County Jail on Cash bail pending future court action.

The Sidney Central School District will be holding its Budget Hearing Tonight at 7:00 pm in the high school library. Superintendent Bill Christensen will be presenting the 2016-17-school budget. The public is invited to attend.

The Sidney Central School District will be holding its Budget Hearing Tuesday night at 7:00 pm in the high school library. Dr. Christensen will be presenting the 2016-17 school budget. The public is invited to attend.

The Otsego County District Attorney's Office reported the arrest of 45-year-old Kevin Blush of Milford for 2nd degree rape & child endangerment. Blush is accused of performing sexual acts with a female under the age of 15; he was arraigned in the Town of Hartwick and remanded to the Otsego County Correctional Facility on $5,000 bail. He faces court action on May 11th. A temporary order of protection was issued for the victim.

The city of Oneonta will be milling, paving & striping the Westcott Lot over the next 3 days. Today, crews are milling & hauling away old asphalt, Tuesday crews will be paving with a hot new asphalt mix, and striping is expected on Wednesday, more information is available at 432-6465.

State Police arrested 29-year-old Roger Elam of Davenport, for being a fugitive from justice from Alabama and DWI with a B.A.C. of 0.15%. This arrest occurred after a traffic stop where Elam was observed speeding and driving across hazard markings while on Main Street, in the Town of Oneonta. Elam was wanted in Alabama for felony of theft of property, he was arraigned in the City of Oneonta court and was remanded to the Otsego County jail. His next court date is pending.

The Oneonta common council will hold their next meeting tonight. The meeting begins at 7:00 PM in the Common Council Chambers on the 2nd floor of City Hall.

All 5 announced Major Party candidates for the 19th congressional district seat would participate in a forum on Tuesday at the Oneonta High School. The Otsego County Farm Bureau sponsors the forum; it will run from 7:30 to 9:00 PM. The republican candidates are John Faso, Andrew Heaney, and Bob Bishop; the democratic candidates are Zephyr Teachout, and Will Yandik. The event is free and open to the public.

Whitney Point schools will reopen Today; they were forced to close doors Monday after several school buses were vandalized at the Districts bus garage over the weekend. State police said that no arrests have been made & the investigation is continuing.

State Police are investigating an incident with an Afton school bus on Long Hill Road Monday. 1 of the district's buses slid off the road and got stuck in a ditch, a few students were treated for minor bumps and bruises by the school nurse, another bus brought the students to school.

Fire fighters from several area fire department responded to the report of a structure fire at a garage near Center Street in Oneonta, at about 4:30 this morning. Fire fighters were attempting to keep the garage fire from spreading to nearby structures, Oneonta fire fighters were assisted by fire departments from Otego, West Oneonta, Worcester, Franklin & Sidney. All fire fighters were dismissed at around 8:30 this morning, no injuries were reported, and the cause of the fire is under investigation.

Whitney Point school district will be closed today, following vandalism to 19 busses and the bus garage over the weekend. District officials announced that school is closed as there are not enough vehicles to collect the students this morning, the busses will be checked & out repaired today, surrounding district have offered to loan Whitney Point busses for Tuesday’s commute, officials hope to have classes open again Tuesday, & the state police are investigating.

State arrested 60-year-old Virginia Reichhold of Oneonta for 2nd degree Grand larceny, after troopers received a report of fraud. Trooper accuse Reichhold of fraudulently opening new credit card accounts under another name and illegally charging over $70,000, in November 2014 through October 2015. Reichhold was arraigned in the Town of Richfield court and was remanded to the Otsego County jail in lieu of $2,000 cash bail or $4,000 property bond.

The city of Oneonta will be sweeping all 3 levels of the parking garage tonight at 10:00 pm until Tuesday morning at 11:00 AM. The parking garage will be closed at that time, all other city lots plus the Clarion Hotel lot may be used. More information is available at 432-6465.

All 5 announced Major Party candidates for the 19th congressional district seat will participate in a forum on Tuesday at the Oneonta High School. The Otsego County Farm Bureau sponsors the forum; it will run from 7:30 to 9:00 PM. The republican candidates are John Faso, Andrew Heaney, and Bob Bishop; the democratic candidates are Zephyr Teachout, and Will Yandik. The event is free and open to the public.

State Senator Jim Seward has returned home after recent Cancer Surgery, he then announced that he is co-sponsoring legislation to aid counties in paying mandated salary increases for full time district attorneys. In the past, the state has funded the DA salary increases in the state budget; however, costs associated with recently adopted raises were not part of the governor's 2016-17 budget proposal or the final adopted budget. Seward’s Senate bill would provide 100% state aid to counties to cover the increase in salary costs. The bill has been referred to the Senate Local Government Committee

Bassett Healthcare Network is partnering with the Oneonta Elks Club to offer free hands-only CPR classes on Sunday. The course is offered in 2 sessions, it will teach children and adults what to do in an emergency situation. More information is available at the Oneonta Elks Club at 432-1312.

The Tri-County Chapter of New York State Women Incorporated is sponsoring an AMBA scholarship fundraiser on Saturday, from 6:30 AM to 10:00 AM, at the Fellowship Hall of the United Church of Oxford located at 16 Fort Hill. The AMBA Wellness Clinic offers doctor-ordered blood tests for a reasonable price. Scholarship awards are given annually to students in the Sidney Central School District, Unatego Central School District, Bainbridge-Guilford Central School and Norwich High School. Young women attending the NYS Women, Inc.’s annual Youth Leadership Conference have also been sponsored. More information is available at 1-800-234-8888 today from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM

State Police were dispatched Thursday to the Hancock Central School for a report of a 16 year old former student, displaying a knife and making threats to an 11 year old student. State Police investigated & then arrested the 16 year old unidentified suspect for Menacing & Criminal Possession of a Weapon, he was arraigned at the Village of Hancock Court and released on his own recognizance. An order of protection was issued for the victim.

Oneonta Police Department arrested 25-year-old Leonard Funderbunk of Buffalo, for allegedly breaking windows of 3 Main Street Businesses. Funderbunk was charged with 3 counts of 3rd degree criminal mischief, he faces court action shortly on the charges.

Drunk drivers convicted of certain alcohol-related offenses are not always being reported for attempting to operate their vehicles while under the influence or for tampering with the court-ordered ignition interlock device in their vehicles, according to an audit issued today by New York State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli. DiNapoli’s audit examined compliance with state regulations in six counties, including Otsego County. DiNapoli’s auditors found that none of the six counties consistently provided notifications to the courts and district attorneys of operators with negative activity. Auditors also revealed that 66 individuals, who indicated they owned or operated a vehicle, did not comply with program regulations because they either installed the devices late or did not install them at all. County officials did not report 50 of those cases.

The "Help Tom Help Others" fundraiser is set for this Saturday in Oneonta to help Tom Quiter of Mount Upton fulfill his dream of helping others suffering from various disabilities, to move on with their lives & Make positive contribution to society. Tom suffers from Brittle Bone disease & is wheel chair bound, & the Catskill Center for independence, Foothills performing arts Center have teamed up toe put on a benefit dinner & show featuring comedians & bands Saturday at Foothills. Perry Goodrich is a family friend & auctioneer helping out with the effort:

(Perry Goodrich 4-20-16)

Quiter told WCDO News that despite his affliction, he wants to get a van in order to help others with disabilities, through the Catskill Center for Independence to live life feeling enabled:

(Tom Quiter 4-20-16)

Tickets for the Fundraising event can be purchased at Foothills Box Office, at the Green Toad Bookstore or Music Square in Oneonta or the Tasty Treat in Sidney, or they can be accessed through BrownPaperTickets.com, where there is a link the HelpTomHelpOthers.bpt.me website

Fox Hospital in Oneonta has submitted a Certificate of Need to the NYS Department of Health to combine its labor and delivery services to Bassett Medical Center. Fox CEO Jeff Joyner told WCDO News that the number of childbirths at Fox has dropped significantly:

(Jeff Joyner 4-20-16)

The proposed timeline is January 1, 2017 to allow for a sufficient transition period. Prenatal and post pregnancy care, as well as general women's health services will continue to be available in Oneonta and current maternity patients would still be able to deliver at Fox if they choose to do so. The proposal is part of a larger plan that would also expand orthopedic services at Fox Hospital and focus on a growth strategy designed to sustain Fox Hospital for the long term. The plans are subject to The Department of Health's approval.

State Police at Oneonta arrested 36-year-old Megan Holbrook of Laurens for 3rd degree menacing, after troopers were advised of a verbal dispute & death threats that occurred outside near Laurens Central School. An investigation determined that Holbrook told some children to leave the park who were using nerf guns, when the mother of the children returned, Holbrook became enraged & threatened to kill the woman. Holbrook was arraigned in the Town of Laurens Court and was released without bail; she faces court action in Town of Laurens court at a later date.

The Greater Oneonta Economic Development Council will hold their next meeting today. The Meeting will run from 7:00 to 8:15 PM at the Hampton Inn Meeting room on the River Street Service Road.

The Bainbridge-Guilford Central School will hold a Board of Education Meeting today in the District Conference Room, the meeting will begin at 6:00 PM.

The Unadilla Valley Central School District saved more than $300,000 in special education costs over a two-year period, according to an audit issued today by State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli. After the DCMO BOCES discontinued 2 special education service classes housed in Unadilla Valley schools, the district began operating these classes to provide special education services using district staff, the district implemented a third special education class, started accepting students from outside the district, and expanded its special education programs to include related services such as occupational and speech therapies. The audit can be accessed at osc.state.ny.us.

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, and it is open to the public.

Oneonta City Police arrested 21-year-old Sadiq Abdulai of Ghana for criminal possession of a forged instrument. Abdulai is accused of passing counterfeit $20.00 around the Hartwick College Campus, which then began circulating throughout the city of Oneonta; he was arraigned & was sent to the Otsego County Jail pending future court action. The investigation is continuing.

The Otsego County Conservation associaiton will host their annual Earth Festival in Milford tomorrow. The event is an environmentally-focused, interactive event featuring exhibits, activities, vendors and entertainment, It will be held in from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Milford Central School gymnasium.

The Oxford Academy and Central School District is adding a new life skill to its educational curriculum with NBT Bank’s Strive® Financial Literacy program. Classes will be offered twice per month throughout the current spring semester, students get an introduction to checking and savings accounts, budgeting, and understanding credit; as well as a special focus on auto financing, student loans and paying for college, and protecting against identity theft by NBT Bank of Oxford Branch Supervisor Jill Eddy.

The Greater Chenango Cares IRT event will again be occurring in Norwich this summer. The 10 day initiative that will offer no cost medical, dental, optometry and veterinary care for children and adults in our region. The event is being led this year by the Chenango United Way and its volunteers and is occurring because of a partnership between many local health and human service organizations, local government agencies and the Department of Defense. The event will run from Friday, July 15 through Sunday, July 24 and will be held once again at the Norwich High School. Last July, 171 service personnel, both active and reserve service members, came to our community to provide medical, dental, vision and veterinary services as a training exercise and as a way to give back to local communities.

New York State Division of Veterans’ Affairs Director Eric Hesse Delivers Regional Budget Briefing this morning in Oneonta. Hesse will deliver the presentation at the Foothills Performing Arts Center at 24 Market Street at 9:00 AM

The Bainbridge-Guilford Central School will hold a Board of Education Meeting on Today, the meeting will be held in the District Conference Room at 6:30 PM.

The United Way of Delaware and Otsego Counties announced that the The CASH Coalition of Otsego and Delaware Counties can still prepare and file state and federal income taxes for free, for taxpayers who made under $62,000.00 in the 2015 tax year. The program is available for use on any home computer or public computers at CDO Workforce Offices, in Oneonta, Sidney or Delhi, at the SFCU branch in Delhi. Also, Volunteer Income Tax Assistance is available for individuals and families who made under $54,000 in the 2015 tax year, They offer free tax preparation and filing by trained individuals under the supervision of volunteer site coordinators, apointments are required by calling Catholic Charities at 432-0061. More information is available at United Way of Delaware and Otsego Counties at 432-8006.

Franklin Central School District officials saved more than $800,000 in health insurance costs by switching carriers and offering employees a buyout incentive, according to an audit released today by State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli. In January 2013, Franklin school officials assessed the benefits and costs associated with the district’s health insurance coverage and pursued a lower cost alternative, they found a new insurance carrier that was less expensive and which offered employees 2 additional health plans that provided equivalent or better coverage than the previous plan. the district saved an additional $283,000 by offering 25 employees an annual health insurance buyout incentive.

State Senator Jim Seward announced that the recently adopted State budget includes $200,000 for the City of Oneonta to help offset public safety costs generated due to being a SUNY host community.

(Seward 4-5-16)

Senator Seward’s legislation includes a formula to distribute state aid to municipalities hosting four-year SUNY schools, the bill been referred to the Senate Finance Committee & Companion legislation has been introduced in the State Assembly.

State Senator Fred Akshar announced that another meeting would be held regarding the continuing heroin & opioid addiction crisis. The event will be held on Wednesday, April 13th from 4:00 to 6:00 PM at the Chenango Valley High School Auditorium.

The city of Oneonta announced today that the citizens campaign for the environment will be conducting a home to home canvass in the city from 4:00 to 9:00 PM Mondays through Fridays now through the month of June. More information is available at 432-6450.

The Otsego County Chamber of Commerce will host the 2016 Job Fair today from 1:00 to 4:00 PM. The Job fair will be held at the Holiday Inn, on State Route 23, Oneonta

Governor Cuomo announced that he is deploying the Department of Financial Services' Mobile Command Center to help eligible New Yorkers prepare and file their taxes for free. The unit will be making stops at locations throughout Upstate New York between the hours of 12 p.m. and 6 p.m.: Locally, the event will be held today in Oneonta at the Foothills Performing Arts Center.

Classes at Cooperstown Public Schools were cancelled today following the reported death of Superintendent C.J. Hebert, in an ATV accident on Sunday. State Police reported that at 11:47 PM, State Police responded to a private residence in the Town of Richmondville for a report of a subject who was overdue from an ATV outing. A search consisting of State Police patrols, State Forest Rangers and the Schoharie County Search and Rescue Team, Hebert was found at about 3:00 AM, deceased in a heavily wooded area from an apparent ATV accident.

2 city Oneonta committees will hold their next meetings today. The Operations, Planning & Evaluation committee will meet at 4:00 PM at the Common Council Chambers at City hall, followed by the Finance & Human resources committee at 5:00 PM.

State Police are investigating an incident Wednesday afternoon where a Bullet hit a Harpursville school district bus. There were no injuries, the bus was on Colesville Road around 5:30 p.m., and anyone with information is asked to call State Police at 561-7400.

The Unatego school district has announced that due to the mild winter, they did not use any snow days, there will no classes held on March 28th & May 27th. If emergency days are needed, the school will revert back to holding classes on those 2 days.

Over 400 bags of heroin were found in a car heading from New York City to Oneonta on Sunday by the Ulster County Sheriff's Office. Deputies conducted a traffic stop on 20-year-old Francesa Lorusso of Oneonta, she was driving with a suspended license, deputies searched the vehicle & discovered 400 bags of heroin. Lorusso, 34-year-old Ricardo Korianski and 36-year-old Jason Blass, were charged with possession of a controlled substance, they are being held in the Ulster County Jail on $25,000 bail.

The Bainbridge-Guilford Central School will hold a Board of Education Meeting on today, in the Guilford School Cafeteria at 6:00 PM.

Democratic Broome County Legislator Kim Myers has announced that she will be running for the 22nd District Congressional seat currently held by Congressman Richard Hanna. Myers will join Republicans Claudia Tenney and George Phillips as candidates for the seat; Congressman Hanna recently announced that he would not seek re-election.

Yes Leaders from BG & Afton schools are teaming up with other organizations for a Heroin Awareness Night next Wednesday at the Bainbridge High School. Afton Yes Spokesperson Ronal Noone explains:

(Ronal Noone 3-3-16)

The event begins at 5:30 with a Pizza Dinner, followed by the presentation at 6:00 PM at the Bainbridge-Guilford High School, pre-registration is requested at www.YesSafeChoices.org by Friday Afternoon.

The Otsego County Chamber of Commerce will hold their Annual Celebration of Business Today. The Chambers will be Honoring New York Central Mutual Insurance as the NBT Bank Distinguished Business of The Year, Former Fox Hospital President John Remillard as the Eugene Bettiol Jr. Distinguished Citizen, and the Oneonta YMCA-Quality of Life Award. The event will be held tonight at the Hunt Union Ballroom at SUNY Oneonta starting at 5:45.

State Senator Jim Seward will welcome the New York State Commissioner of Education MaryEllen Elia to the Laurens Central School today, for a tour of the district. The commissioner will interact with students, teachers, and administrators during her visit starting this morning at 9:00 AM.

The Bainbridge-Guilford Central School will hold a Board of Education Meeting today. The meeting will be held in the Guilford School Cafeteria starting at 6:00 PM.

The Foothills Performing Arts Center in Oneonta will hold a 2-day Bluegrass festival March 18th & 19th, their Headliners "Steel Drivers" won big at the Grammy's last weekend, Bill Youngs at Foothills told WCDO News that they are lucky to have the Grammy winners signed up to play there 1 month after their big win:

(Bill Youngs 2-18-16)

Youngs said that they are looking to make the Bluegrass festival an annual event at Foothills. The Friday March 18th show will be free, followed by the all day show on Saturday ending with "Steel Drivers"

The Otsego county Chamber of Commerce will offer the Leadership Otsego program is accepting applications for the class of 2016. Leadership Otsego starts in April and engages emerging and existing leaders in a 6-month program that broadens their knowledge of community organizations and sharpens their leadership skills. An informational session will be held on March 9th at 6:00 p.m. at Roots Brewing Company on Main Street, Oneonta. More information is available at 432-4500.

The Bainbridge-Guilford Central School District Board of Education will hold a workshop for Board will hold their next regular meeting today. the meeting will begin at 6:30 in the District Conference Room at the High School in Bainbridge.

The City of Oneonta will hold a meeting of the Civil Service Commission today at 4:30 PM.  The Meeting will be held in the Common Council Chambers at City Hall, & is open to the public.

The Otsego County Sheriff's department arrested an Oneonta couple for allegedly using an elderly neighbor’s checking account to pay their bills. 29 year old Gordon Carr-Wisner, & 25 year old Rebecca Carr-Wisner were arraigned in the Town of Oneonta Court, Rebecca was remanded to the custody of the Sheriff on $1,o00 cash or $2,000 bond and set to appear in the Town of Oneonta court on March 3rd, Gordon was remanded into custody with no bail and set to appear in court on March 10th.

Several pipes burst in the Walton high school and middle school buildings at the Walton Central School District. The school had vacation days scheduled through Wednesday, will use two snow days on Thursday and Friday to give the maintenance staff time to clean and repair. The pipe bursts were mainly in the high school offices, as well as the high school guidance office. There were a few cracked pipes in the middle school, but valves were turned off before the ice gave way, so no water released into the rooms. School will resume Monday, February 22nd.