WCDO Radio News

State Police arrested 20 year old Isaiah Owens-Chamorro of Oneonta, for Criminal Mischief, after Troopers were dispatched to Thetford’s Auto Shop on Keith Street in the town of Oneonta. Owens-Chamorro’s vehicle had been impounded & was being stored there, he requested permission to retrieve personal belongings, instead, he drove the vehicle from the property without paying the tow bill and damaged a gate while leaving the premises. A trooper observed the vehicle on State Route 23 and conducted a traffic stop, Owens-Chamorro was taken into custody, and the vehicle was towed back to Thetford’s. Owens-Chamorro was processed and issued an appearance ticket to the Oneonta Town Court on August 4th.

The Village of Sidney announced that the Village Clerk’s office will be open starting Monday, they will operate out of the Former DMV office in the Sidney Civic Center until ceiling repairs are completed in the regular clerk’s office.

A.M. NEWS THURSDAY 7-9-26

47 year old Neil Wesley was sentenced to 25 years in prison for receipt and possession of child pornography in US District Court. As part of his guilty plea, Wesley admitted he had been previously convicted of rape in New York in 2001, he also admitted that from at least December 2024 through February 2025 he received and distributed child pornography & he possessed over 200 images and 18 videos of child pornography. In addition to the 25-year imprisonment term, United States District Judge Anthony J. Brindisi imposed 15 years of supervised release, forfeiture and directed restitution to victims of the offense.

New York drivers with peeling, delaminating, or severely damaged license plates can get free replacements from the DMV, provided they accept a new plate number. If drivers prefer to keep their existing plate number, they must pay a $$20 fee. People can request by Email to dmv.sm.peelingplates@dmv.ny.gov (mailto:dmv.sm.peelingplates@dmv.ny.gov), they can request by mail to NYS DMV6 Empire State Plaza, Room 414A Albany, NY 12228 or visit their local DMV office. More information is available at dmv.ny.gov.

A.M. NEWS Thursday 5-21-26

47 year old Thomas Grimsley of Oneonta man faces 20 years to life in prison after pleading guilty to predatory sexual assault for assaulting 2 children in Rensselaer County. Grimsley admitted to sexually abusing two children under the age of 11, after the children reported the abuse to State Police, he faces sentencing on July 20.

There will be 2 Oneonta American Red Cross Blood Drives today, one from 10 am. - 3 pm., at Springbrook on State Route 7, another from 1 pm. - 6 pm., at Foothills Performing Arts & Civic Center, 24 Market Street, appointments can be made at RedCrossBlood.org, by calling 1-800-RED CROSS or by using the Red Cross Blood Donor App.

DCMO BOCES announced that the Regional Spelling Bee winner, 13 year old Margot Fieni from Oneonta High School, is competing at the National Spelling Bee competition in National Harbor Maryland. Fieni successfully completed the spelling and the vocabulary preliminary competition round at the 2025 National Spelling Bee Competition today, she now moves to the Round Three Test that determines which competitors advance to the quarterfinals level.

Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies received a complaint last week of property damage in the Town of Walton. Troopers determined that 27 year old Siara Mettler of Walton had unlawfully damaged a 2024 Chevrolet Trax, located at a residence on Beers Brook Road located in the Town of Walton. Mettler was charged with 1 count of Criminal Mischief, was processed & arraigned, an order of protection was issued protecting the victim from further contact. Mettler was released and directed to return to the Town of Walton Court at a later date to answer for the said charge.

A.M. NEWS TUESDAY 5-27-25

A Delaware County Grand Jury returned an 8-count indictment against 20 year old Mario Sierra of East Meredith, on multiple counts of of Rape & Criminal Sexual act Sierra is accused of performing sexual acts with a minor under the age of 15, in the City of Oneonta, & in the Town of Meredith. Sierra appeared in the Delaware County Court on Friday for arraignment, Bail was set at $25,000 cash, $50,000 bond or $100,000 partially secured bond, he was remanded to the custody of the Delaware County Correctional Facility.

The State DMV is warning customers to be aware of the latest phishing scam, where bad actors seek to gain access to personal information by pretending to be from the DMV. This is the latest in a series of text message phishing schemes that DMV has warned New Yorkers to avoid. Previous scams have claimed that E-ZPass accounts were about to be suspended. DMV provides information on these phishing attacks on its website at dmv.ny.gov.

P.M. NEWS THURSDAY 4-17-25

Governor Hochul announced that work is beginning on a $4 million project to transform the intersection of the James F. Lettis Highway and Main Street in Oneonta into a roundabout. Work on the project is getting underway this month with tree removal and other site preparation activities. Major construction will start in early to mid-July and will focus initially on the northern end of the intersection and the interior of the roundabout. During this phase, only the ramps to and from the Lettis Highway will be open to traffic traveling eastbound on Main Street. All other vehicular and pedestrian access will be closed. Detours for vehicles and pedestrians will be posted.

The State Department of Motor Vehicles is urging New Yorkers to sign up to be organ donors. Last year, for the 1st time, more than 50% of New Yorkers had registered to become organ and tissue donors through New York’s Organ Donor Registry. More than 80% enroll in the registry do so through the DMV. Currently there are 7,917 New Yorkers awaiting an organ transplant, almost 500 New Yorkers each year, die while waiting for a transplant.

State Senator Peter Oberacker and local officials will deliver remarks at the grand re-opening of the Oneonta DMV, at 242 Main Street in Oneonta, the event begins at 8:45.

Hartwick College introduced the Baking Innovation Lab Tuesday during a ribbon cutting ceremony at the new site on Dietz Street in Oneonta. Hartwick President James Mullen commented about the new facility:

(James Mullen 10-23-24)

Oneonta Mayor Mark Drnek also commented:

(Mayor Drnek 10-23-24)

The Baking Innovation Lab is part of a Dietz Street development, which includes 64 units of affordable housing. The project received $1,470,000 in funding from the City’s $10 million Downtown Revitalization Initiative award.

The Otsego County Board of Elections announced that Early Voting for the November 5 General Election will begin October 26 through November 3 at the Foothills Performing Arts Center, on Market Street in Oneonta & at The Meadows Office Complex, at 140 County Highway 33W in Cooperstown. Polls will be open from 9 am. to 5 pm. on Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Polls will be open from 12 to 8 pm. on Tuesday and Thursday. Otsego County voters are welcome to vote at either location. For more information, contact the Otsego County Board of Elections at (607) 547-4247.

The State DMV warns customers to be cautious of car sales on Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist and similar sites. The advisory comes after a rise in stolen vehicles, including cars with altered ID numbers and forged titles. Investigations revealed that, as of October 15th there were 228 stolen vehicles worth $6.35 million recovered by the DMV, with 149 purchased by victims from these online platforms.

Governor Hochul announced a four-year project to revamp the technology at the State Department of Motor Vehicles. The state is contracting a with a new software company to upgrade the agency’s aging technology systems, which was found to be lacking as they re-opened following the COVID 19 pandemic. Fast Enterprises will be tasked with upgrading the DMV systems in 2 phases over the next 4 years, Fast Enterprises software is being used in 15 other states.

Oneonta Surgical Associates has a new location at 7 Associate Drive in Oneonta, behind Oneonta Specialty Services off River Street. Surgical Services will include General surgery, including skin, soft tissue, and abdominal procedures, Minimally invasive procedures to diagnose and treat abdominal issues plus colonoscopies. The Surgeons are also on call at A.O. Fox Hospital in Oneonta for emergency surgical needs.

Governor Hochul today announced a plan to remove barriers for perspective school bus drivers applying for a commercial driver license. The DMV has implemented a federal waiver that allows school bus driver applicants to skip the engine compartment component of the commercial driver license road test, at a time when school bus drivers are desperately needed. More information is available at dmv.ny.gov/commercial-drivers/become-school-bus-driver

Otsego County Sheriff's Office arrested 41 year old Rashon Spear of Oneonta, for Criminal Mischief, Criminal Tampering, Criminal Nuisance & Harassment. Investigation revealed that while incarcerated at the correctional facility, Spear caused damage to a television set in his cell & used his bodily fluids to create a hazardous risk to corrections officers, hew as arraigned & was returned to the correctional facility with an Appearance Ticket returnable to the Town of Middlefield Court at a later date.

The Greater Oneonta Historical Society has a display exploring baseball’s Major Leaguers who played for Oneonta teams. “Oneonta – On the Road to Major League Baseball” opened Today and will run through September 1st at the Oneonta History Center, 183 Main Street. The display will feature baseball cards of some of those players, including Frank Malzone, Don Mattingly, Curtis Granderson, and many more. More information about this & other programs can be found at oneontahistory.org.

A.M. NEWS Thursday 6-1-23

The Sidney Chamber of Commerce will hold their Annual Dinner at the Sidney Fire Hall beginning at 5:00 PM. The Chamber will be honoring Dr. Rohan Jayasena as the Citizen of the Years, He commented to WCDO about this honor:

(Dr. Rohan Jayasena 6-1-23)

Waste Recovery Enterprises will be honored as the Business of the Years, spokesman Sean LaRose comments:

(Sean LaRose 6-1-23)

Also, former Great American Food Store operator Kyle Westcott will be honored for the Commitment to Community Award tonight:

(Kyle Westcott 6-1-23)

Also, the Chamber will honor recent Long time Sidney Mayor Andy Matviak for a special Retirement Recognition.

Delaware County Sheriff's office arrested 33 year old Christopher Snyder of West Winfield for driving with a suspended New York State Driver’s license. On Saturday afternoon, May 27th, 2023, Sheriff’s Deputies observed a vehicle traveling on State Highway 206 in the Town of Walton, at 75 mph in a posted 55 mph zone. Upon conducting a traffic stop, Snyder's driving privileges were suspended, he was arrested and was charged with Aggravated Unlicensed Operation of a Motor Vehicle, speeding and failing to surrender NYS License to DMV, Snyder released and is scheduled to appear in the Town of Colchester Court at a later date.

Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies responded Friday to a 2 car motor vehicle accident with injuries on State Highway 206 in the Town of Tompkins. After further investigation, deputies identified the one of the drivers of the vehicle as 66 year-old Terence Gebler of Walton, whose driver’s license was suspended. Deputies arrested Gebler for Aggravated Unlicensed Operation of a Motor Vehicle and Failure to turn in license to DMV, & Failure to yield while entering an intersection, Gebler was released and is scheduled to appear in the Town of Tompkins Court at a later date.

A.M. NEWS Wednesday 5-24-23

The Otsego County Chamber of Commerce will hold their Annual Awards Dinner tonight at 5:30pm at the SUNY Oneonta Alumni Field House. This year's award winners are: Geoffrey Doyle of Foothills Performing Arts Center for the Eugene Bettiol Jr. Distinguished Citizen Award, Connie Herzig for the Volunteer of the Year Award, Dan Buttermann - Leadership Otsego Distinguished Alumni Award, & Casella Waste Systems for the Business of the Year Award & Creekside Industries for the Breakthrough Business of the Year Award.

P.M. NEWS WEDNESDAY 4-26-23

State Police & other Law Enforcement Agencies are reminding New Yorkers to follow the "Move Over" law, which requires drivers to change lanes away from emergency responders, tow trucks & police vehicles responding to emergencies on the state's highway. The message was announced again after a driver slammed into the back an a van assisting a motorist in the Hudson valley, flipping another vehicle into the air, there were no injuries according to DMV officials. The Move Over Law has been in effect since 2012 in New York State.

3 blood drives are being conducted around the Otsego County today. 1 drive will be held from 12 pm. - 5 pm.,at the State University in Oneonta, in the Hunt College Union, another drive will be held from 8:30 am. - 1:30 pm., at the Neonatal High School, & another drive will be in Cooperstown from 12:30 pm. - 5:30 pm., St Mary's Roman Catholic Church, 31 Elm Street. To make an appointment, download the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit RedCrossBlood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

Delaware County Sheriff's Deputies observed a vehicle traveling on State Highway 28 in the Town of Delhi, crossing over the double yellow line’s multiple times, they conducted a traffic stop, they identified the driver as 30-year-old Carmine Yonnone of Delhi, whose driver’s license was suspended. Yonnone was charged with Aggravated Unlicensed Operation of a Motor Vehicle and Failing to Turn in License to DMV, Moving from a lane unsafely, Unauthorized Sticker and Possession of an open alcoholic Container within a motor vehicle, he will appear in the Town of Delhi Court at a later date.

The Broome County Sheriff’s Office arrested 23 year old Steven Osei of Binghamton for 3rd degree Grand Larceny & other related charges for allegedly getting cash by depositing fraudulent checks at an ATM. Osei was processed & issued an appearance ticket for Town of Dickinson Court at a later date.

A.M. NEWS Thursday 2-9-23

The Susquehanna Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals will host a Community Cat Forum Today at 4:00 PM at the Foothills Performing Arts and Civic Center, 24 Market Street in Oneonta. Susquehanna SPCA Executive Director Stacie Haynes told WCDO News that the event is to address the issues of Feral cats in large numbers in many area communities:

(Stacie Haynes 2-9-23)

Haynes said that this event is free and open to the public.

The Otsego County Chamber of Commerce announced their annual State of The State Networking Breakfast will be held Friday January 20 at SUNY Oneonta's Morris Hall, from 8:00 to 11:00 AM. Legislators scheduled to participate are Assemblymen Brian Miller & Chris Tague, Oneonta Mayor Mark Drnek, among others. Reservations form Otsego County Chamber members are due by January 16th by calling 607-432-4500, extension 2.

The Chenango United Way and the United Way of Delaware and Otsego Counties announced that, the two organizations have officially combined as of January 1st, as the United Way of Mid Rural New York, Incorporated.  Campaign dollars that are raised in each county will stay in that county, the Executive Director will be Elizabeth Monaco, who has been the Executive Director of the Chenango United Way. The Chenango United Way also affiliated with the United Way of Madison County last year, that merger process will finalize in April 2023, the Madison United Way will combine under the United Way of Mid Rural New York name. More information is available at 607-334-8815

A.M. NEWS Thursday 1-5-23

Delaware County Sheriff's Office arrested of 41 year-old Travis Kinch of Downsville, for driving with a suspended Driver’s license. On Monday Deputies observed a vehicle traveling on State Highway 30 in the Town of Colchester with an expired inspection. Upon conducting a traffic stop, A check of Kinch’s driver’s license revealed that his driving privileges were suspended in the State of New York. Kinch was charged with Aggravated Unlicensed Operation of a Motor Vehicle, Unlicensed Operator, Uninspected Motor Vehicle and Failure to notify DMV of an address change, Kinch was released and is scheduled to appear in the Town of Colchester Court at a later date.

P.M. NEWS THURSDAY 12-1-22

The Bainbridge VA Clinic will be open today & tomorrow & the new Oneonta VA Clinic at Foxcare will be open on Monday, VA Spokesman Peter Potter explains:

(Peter Potter 12-1-22)

The new Clinic will be located at Foxcare in Oneonta with the latest State of the Art Equipment, all of the records for Vets who have been at the Bainbridge Clinic should be transferred over the weekend as crews get the new clinic ready to go Monday.

Otsego County Sheriff's Deputies responded to a property damage accident on Springfield Hill Road in the Town of Middlefield November 18th. 30 year old Katy Cole of Middlefield, is accused of fleeing the scene of the accident on foot, Deputies were able to track Cole down using the police canine, Cole was arrested & was charged with Driving While Intoxicated, Refusal of breath screening test, Leaving the scene of a property damage accident, Failure to keep right & Failure to notify DMV of an address change, she was held at the Otsego County Jail for arraignment.

Otsego County Sheriff's Office arrested Nathan Clements of Chenango County following a traffic stop in the Town of Laurens. Clemens was charged with Aggravated Unlicensed Operation of a motor vehicle, No distinctive plate, Failure to notify DMV of an address change & Disobeying a traffic control device, he was issued appearance tickets for Laurens Court at a later date.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs announced that a new VA clinic will be opening soon at the Foxcare Center in Oneonta, replacing the one that has been in Bainbridge for several years, Peter Potter of the Albany Veterans Affairs office said that the clinics usage is examined every 5 years, and usage of the Bainbridge clinic was down:

(Peter Potter 10-17-22)

Potter said that the opening date for the new VA Clinic at Foxcare will likely be early December, and the Bainbridge office will remain open until the Friday before the Oneonta Office opens.

The Governor's Office & the state DMV announced that hundreds of people received tickets during the recent seasonal crackdown on Fake ID's used to purchase alcoholic beverages. 580 fake documents were seized and a total of 505 tickets were issued, with an additional 46 tickets issued for violations of the Alcohol Beverage and Control Law.

P.M. NEWS MONDAY 9-26-22

Governor Hochul announced the start of the 2nd phase of a plan to allow 3rd parties to offer the Commercial Driver License road test, to both public and private entities. The program is being implemented to address the shortage of bus and truck drivers. Any qualified third party is now eligible to apply for certification through the DMV, New Yorkers can find more information at dmv.ny.gov/commercial-drivers.

Famed "Star Trek" star & Author George Takei is scheduled to be a speaker at SUNY Oneonta on October 24 at 7:00 PM at the Alumni Field House. Takei is the author of “They Called Us Enemy”, which is a New York Times Best Seller, in which he describes his experiences of growing up in internment camps in the United States as a Japanese American during World War II.

The State DMV is warning residents about an increase in catalytic converter thefts across the state. The DMV will now issue serial numbers to dealers to etch into each catalytic converter, which use platinum, palladium, and other precious metals is the reason criminals are stealing them, The catalytic converters have a street value of between $200 and $300.

The City of Oneonta Police Department arrested 36-year-old Melissa Scott of Oneonta for 1st degree Assault and criminal possession of a weapon, after Scott and a 34-year-old male victim engaged in a domestic dispute at 7 Fonda Avenue in Oneonta. Scott allegedly stabbed the male victim causing a serious injury and uncontrolled bleeding, he was transported to Fox Hospital, was stabilized & was transported to Albany Medical Center. Scott was held at the City of Oneonta Jail Anyone with information is asked to contact the Oneonta Police Department Detectives Division at (607)432-1111.

Otsego County District Attorney's office announced the conviction of Bradley Cook of Oneonta for 2 counts of 1st degree criminal sexual act, for performing sexual acts with a minor under the age of 11 on 2 occasions. Cook will be sentenced June 24th.

Hartwick College is sponsoring the "Hawks Town Fever" street fair in Oneonta this Saturday, from 1:00 to 5:00 PM On Main Street between Chestnut Street and Ford Avenue. The event will include carnival games, zip lines, live music, food trucks, The event is free and open to the public.

A.M. NEWS TUESDAY 4-26-22

Fire investigators continue to search for a cause to an early Sunday Morning Fire on West Street in Oneonta. Firefighters were called to 452 West Street at about 1:00 AM Sunday to find the home fully engulfed, Fire Fighters from West Oneonta, Otego, Laurens, West Laurens, Mt. Vision, Worcester, Schenevus, Franklin and Pindars Corners fire departments assisted at the scene, no one was home when the fire broke out & no injuries were reported.

The State DMV is reminding Motorcycle owners that all motorcycle registrations expire on April 30th and must be renewed by then. Motorcycles also must be inspected once a year at a licensed station. More information on how to renew a motorcycle registration can be found by visiting dmv.ny.gov.

P.M. NEWS TUESDAY 1-4-22

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced a partnership with SUNY and Syracuse University in which 10 new testing sites will be opening on State University of New York campuses across the state and at Syracuse University the week of Jan. 3. More campus sites will open in the coming weeks as the project expands. SUNY testing sites to open later this week include Binghamton University & SUNY Oneonta.

The Otsego County Department of Motor Vehicles announced that their office will be closed this week & will re-open on Monday January 10th. The office was closed due to COVID 19 issues among the DMV staff, residents can still perform transactions at dmv.ny.gov.

Oneonta area Motorists are reminded that NYSEG and DDS Companies will be digging at Woodside Avenue & East Street today, through Friday.  Additional information is available by calling the Department of Public Service at 432-2100.

Delaware County Sheriff's Deputies arrested a Walton resident June 19th on Delaware Street in the Village of Walton.  Deputies observed a speeding vehicle traveling north on Delaware Street, they stopped the vehicle and identified the driver as 28-year old Kassondra  Pierce of Walton,  A routine DMV inquiry revealed that Pierce’s driving privileges and vehicle registration were suspended due to an insurance lapse.  Pierce was charged with unlicensed operation of a vehicle, speeding, operating an uninspected motor vehicle as well as other charges, her vehicle was towed from the scene & she was released to appear in the Village of Walton Court on a later date.

The American Red Cross continues to experience a severe blood shortage, Donors of all blood types; especially type O are urged to make an appointment by using the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org, calling 1-800-RED CROSS.  Blood drives this week include Today in Sidney at the Fire training Center on River Street from 12:00 to 5:00 PM, Today in Oneonta from 1:00 to 6:00 PM at the Foothills Performing Arts Center on market Street & tomorrow in Morris from 12:00 to 5:00 PM at the Episcopal Church, at 162 Main Street.

The Greater Oneonta Historical Society will be holding a virtual program to coincide with its History Center exhibition, "Up from the Ashes: Oneonta Shaped by Fire". The Zoom program will be held Tonight at 6:30 PM. The Zoom link can be found at OneontaHistory.org or Facebook.com/OneontaHistory or on Instagram "@OneontaHistorical Society". "Up from the Ashes" will remain on display at the History Center at 183 Main Street through Saturday May 1, more information is available at 432-0960.

Delaware County Sheriff's Office arrested 31 year old Cameron Hart of Middletown earlier this month. Sheriff’s Deputies observed a vehicle traveling at an excessive speed on March 5th in the town of Colchester, Deputies stopped the vehicle, a routine DMV inquiry revealed that Hart’s driving privileges were suspended. Hart was charged with aggravated unlicensed operation & speeding at 76 miles an hour in a 55 zone. Hart was released and directed to appear in the Town of Colchester Court on a later date to answer the charges.

P.M. NEWS MONDAY 3-8-21
The push continues to get New Yorkers vaccinated against COVID 19 as quickly as possible, State Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker commented at a press conference at the rapid vaccination site at the Javitz Center in New York City this morning:

(Zucker 3-8-21)

Mass vaccination sites are scheduled to begin opening in the upstate rural counties, the State University at Oneonta is scheduled to be one of those sites.

State Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins & Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, are both calling for Governor Cuomo to resign, as allegations against Cuomo now exist from 4 women. Governor Cuomo said he will not resign, and said that he must be accorded due process, and he will cooperate with the investigation by Attorney General Letitia James office.

Chenango County Public Health reported 41 new COVID 19 cases since Friday, for a total of 2502 since the pandemic began; they report 75 active cases, 6 hospitalized & 275 quarantined. Chenango County has had 2270 recoveries, and they have administered over 84,700 tests.

Delaware County Sheriff's Deputies arrested 35 year old Daniel Chisholm of Downsville Sunday afternoon in Delhi. Deputies observed a vehicle traveling north on Meredith Street at an excessive speed, Chisholm was stopped & a routine DMV inquiry revealed that Chisholm’ driving privileges had been suspended since 2019. Chisholm was charged with aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, unlicensed operator, speeding & having an obstructed driver’s view, he will face action in the Town of Delhi Court at a later date.

State Supreme Court Justice Scott DelConte is waiting on Ballots that were submitted through the Oneida County DMV site, before he will declare the winner of the 22nd Congressional District race between Former Congresswoman Claudia Tenney & incumbent Democratic congressman Anthony Brindisi. About 2400 voters submitted their ballots through the Oneida County DMV but they were not processed, a decision on the winner of the 22nd Congressional District may be announced by the end of the week.

A.M. NEWS WEDNESDAY 1-20-21

The Village of Sidney Police Reform and Reinvention Collaborative Committee will hold a 2nd ZOOM meeting tonight for the community to hear about the village’s Police Reform plans, Sidney Mayor Andy Matviak urges Sidney residents to fill out the surveys & return them:

(Matviak 1-20-21)

Governor Cuomo last year challenged Police Departments across the state to meet with the communities they serve, in order to make reforms on Police policies, the plans are due to the state by April 1st.

City of Oneonta Mayor Gary Herzig gave his State of the City address Tuesday evening. The presenation was viewed in a ZOOM Meeting with the Common Council, it is available on the city's Youtube Channel.

Delaware County Sheriff’s Office arrested 22-year-old Sean Gillespie of Bovina on a warrant issued by the Town of Delhi Court.  Gillespie was wanted for Criminal Mischief, Grand Larceny & 2 counts of Petty Larceny, for allegedly removing catalytic converters from vehicles that were parked in the Town of Delhi.  Gillespie was located by the City of Oneonta Police Department; he was arraigned in the Town of Andes Court & was remanded to the Delaware County Correctional Facility on $5,000 cash bail or $10,000 bond.

Otsego County Department of Health reported 20 new cases Thursday, Since December 1st there have been 203 confirmed cases reported, 745 are quarantined for being in close contact with a positive case.  Otsego County has had 1516 total confirmed cases, with 151 active cases, 17 are hospitalized, there have been 8 deaths, and more than half of the cases came from SUNY Oneonta & Hartwick College.

Delaware County Sheriff's Deputies responded to a 2 car accident December 4th in the Town of Delhi that has resulted in the arrest of a Delhi man on driving while ability impaired by drugs charges.  Deputies were dispatched to Spring Valley Road in the Town of Delhi, where 44-year-old Joseph Garone of Delhi had allegedly backed into another vehicle, causing substantial damage, he appeared to be under the influence of drugs & was taken into custody.  Garone was charged with driving while ability impaired by drugs, unsafe backing and failure to notify DMV of an address change he was released on an appearance tickets for Town of Delhi Court at a later date.

Hartwick College in Oneonta reported 3 new cases of COVID-19, they have 28 active cases on campus; the total number of cases detected since August 1st is 61.

Governor Andrew Cuomo has issued an Executive Order which will extend the period of time to allow driver’s licenses to remain valid until December 3. The Previous grace period ended earlier this week, the new executive Order gves people an additional month to validate their driver's license, if it expires after March 1st of this year, the DMV urges people to try to accomplish their renewal online at dmv.ny.gov.

Otsego County Department of Health reported 3 new cases of COVID 19 Thursday. The county has had 1042 total confirmed cases, 45 are active cases, there are no hospitalizations, 8 deaths, 754 cases linked to SUNY Oneonta, & 57 confirmed cases in Hartwick College students

SUNY Oneonta has assembled a new task force to review campus police practices and strengthen the relationship between officers and the college community.  The group of 8 includes students, professors and a member of law enforcement.  The group plans to conduct a survey, interview stakeholders, review practices and policies, and identify the strengths and weaknesses of the campus police.

Otsego County Department of Health reported 10 new cases of COVID 19 Thursday, they are up to 999 total confirmed cases with 44 active cases,  0 hospitalizations, 8 deaths, 753 cases linked to SUNY Oneonta, and 39 confirmed cases in Hartwick College students.

Effective November 1, the New York State Traffic Law requires that ALL back seat passengers  in a motor vehicle be restrained by a safety belt or an appropriate child restraint system.  The new law amends the former law which only required that back seat passengers under the age of 16 be restrained by a seatbelt or an appropriate child restraint system, more information is available dmv.ny.gov.

State Police arrested 54 year old Cristina Tilton of Mount Vision, last Friday for DWI, Aggravated Unlicensed Operation & 3rd degree Assault, following the report of an accident involving a car & a motorcycle on Oneida Street and Country Club Road in the town of Oneonta. The driver of the motorcycle was 78 year old Donald Fredenburg of Oneonta, who was ejected off of his bike from the crash; he was airlifted by LifeNet to Wilson Medical Center for non-life-threatening injuries and has since been treated and released. The investigation determined that Tilton began turning left on to Country Club Road and into the direct path of the motorcycle, Tilton had a BAC above the legal limit, & her license had been revoked, she was released on appearance tickets to the town of Oneonta court on October 6th.

The National Transportation Safety Board found violations were made by Prestige Limousine, The State DOT, The State Department of Motor Vehicles, and State Police related to the crash which killed 20 people on October 6th 2018 in Schoharie. The NTSB determined the probable causes of the crash were the total disregard for safety by Prestige Limousine by dispatching a limo with an out of service order. Other contributing factors were oversights made by the DOT and DMV, & the State Police had sufficient evidence to stop the company from operating prior to the crash but failed to take action. A criminal investigation led to charges for Nauman Hussain, the operator of Prestige Limo.

P.M. NEWS FRIDAY 9-18-20

The Otsego County Department of Health, Bassett Medical Center & NYS Department of Health has partnered to provide a rapid testing to Otsego County residents.  The testing will be performed on Tuesday & Wednesday from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM each day at the Foothills Performing Arts & Civic Center on Market Street in Oneonta, for those who pre-register at 547-4279.

Governor Cuomo today announced that the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles is expanding online services, making it easier for New Yorkers to do business with the DMV from the comfort of their homes, and allowing the DMV to serve more customers in person who cannot complete their transactions online. The DMV has initiated a pilot program to offer the written learner permit tests for passenger cars and motorcycles online. It is also piloting a process to allow customers who reside in counties served by the state DMV to register their vehicles online. More information can be found on the DMV website at dmv.ny.gov.

A.M. News Friday 9-18-20

The Lake County Sheriff’s Office in Florida found the body of Otsego County Native Michael Shaver buried under a concrete slab in the backyard of his home in 2018,  his wife, 37-year-old Laurie Shaver, has been arrested for 2nd-degree homicide.  Shaver's family had told authorities that they had not heard from Michael since 2015.

Otsego County Department of Health reported 5 new cases of COVID 19 were reported Thursday, 3 are related to the SUNY Oneonta outbreak and 2 are county residents.  Current COVID numbers: there have been 692 confirmed cases linked to SUNY Oneonta, 16 confirmed cases in Hartwick College students, 26 active cases currently residing in the county.  There have been a total of 853 cases, 1 person is hospitalized.

The Otsego County District Attorney’s office announced that Nicolas Meridy of Oneonta has pleaded guilty in a plea bargain arrangement & will serve 22 years to life.  Meridy was arrested along with several others following the murder of Kenneth Robinson in Worcester & the arson fire at Robinson house after the fatal shooting, in October of last year.

Delaware County Sheriff's Deputies arrested a New York City man Tuesday following a property damage accident on County Highway 26 in the Town of Colchester.  23-year-old Evian Camacho of New York City had a suspended driver’s license, for failure to answer summonses in both Bronx and New York counties and for failure to pay a State DMV driver responsibility assessment.    Camacho was charged with aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle and moving from a lane unsafely.  Camacho was released and directed to appear in the Town of Colchester Court on a later date.

A variety of severe weather warnings have been issued throughout the region this afternoon, as severe weather pounded the region.  Meteorologist Rich Townsend comments:

(Rich Townsend 8-27-20)

A Tornado watch remains in effect through 7:00 PM throughout the WCDO Listening area .

Otsego County Department of Health is investigating 9 cases of coronavirus reported Wednesday, 5 of the cases are SUNY Oneonta students. The other 4 cases have been associated with a gathering of high school students. All cases are have been investigated and contacts are being notified.  Currently, Otsego County now reports 128 total confirmed cases, with 15 active cases, 1 person is hospitalized.  The Otsego County Health Department is holding another free COVID 19 testing this morning from 9:00 AM to 12:00 NOON at the former "Greenies" site on state route 7 in Otego, This testing site is for Otsego County residents only who preregister by calling 547-4279.

The State Department of Motor Vehicles is expanding New Yorkers' ability to complete certain transactions through secure drop boxes. The drop boxes can be used for license plate surrenders, address changes, and license and registration renewals. Customers using drop boxes must wear face coverings and maintain social distancing. Drop boxes are located at all state-run DMV offices and are available during regular office hours.  More information is available at dmv.ny.gov.

The Oneonta City School District has posted their extensive District Re-opening plan on their website.  With the expected influx of college students coming from all over the country to Oneonta, the district announced that they will remain in the remote learning environment to start the 2020-2021 school year; they will reevaluate that model when they approach the Interim Progress Report period of October 9th.