WCDO Radio News

Broome County District Attorney Steve Cornwell announced that 27-year-old Aizaz Siddiqui of Binghamton pleaded guilty in City of Binghamton Court Friday to leaving the scene of an accident, in connection with the December 3rd 2016 death of Binghamton University student Stefani Lineva. Siddiqui hit Lineva on State Route 434 in Binghamton, she was pronounced dead at Wilson Hospital. Siddiqui will be sentenced on August 4th.

Delaware County Sheriff's Deputies arrested a Sidney Central School Special Education teacher following an investigation by Deputies, State Police, and Sidney Central School administrators. Deputies arrested 48-year-old James Lewis, Jr. of Otego, for 2 counts of Forcible Touching and 3 counts of Endangering the Welfare of a Child. Lewis is accused of inappropriately touching 2 male special education students in the school on different occasions during the last week of April. Lewis surrendered to Deputies on Wednesday afternoon; he was arraigned in the Village of Sidney Court where he was released on recognizance pending further court action.

Governor Cuomo today announced $87 million in grants are available to municipalities and not-for-profit corporations for water quality improvement projects. The program provides grants for projects that improve water quality, protect drinking water sources, reduce polluted runoff, and restore habitats in New York’s waterbodies. The grants are administered by the State DEC and made available through Governor Cuomo's Regional Economic Development Council initiative.

The Chenango County Sheriffs department participated in the April 28th National Drug Take Back event. The Sheriff’s Office recovered approximately 150 pounds of prescription medication at drop off locations in New Berlin, Guilford, as well as the Chenango County Sheriff’s Office. Residents may continue to turn in their prescription medication at the Sheriff’s Office Monday through Friday from 8:00 am until 4:00 pm.

New York union dues are now fully tax deductible under a state budget provision backed by Governor Cuomo, who signed the bill into law on Friday. A limitation built into the law prevented many union workers from applying the deduction, but the state’s new budget agreement removed those limitations at the state level. The bill will affect about 500,000 union workers in public and private sectors and will cost the state about $35 million.

State Police responded to a report of shots fired on Algerine Street in Afton, at about 11:30 this morning. Troopers found one person with a Gunshot wound that required medical treatment, who was in police custody. The investigation is continuing.  The Afton School district Superintendent Betty Briggs told WCDO News that the building was placed in "Lockout" following the reported shooting, but there was only staff and no students in the school today, due to a scheduled "Conference day".

Maiorano & Associates held a grand opening & Ribbon Cutting at the new location at 7 Main Street in Sidney Friday. CEO Serafino Maiorano commented about moving a branch of his financial services business to Sidney:

(Serafino Maiorano 1-30-17)

Maiorano & associates also has an office in Brooklyn, their local office number if 604-4351, their website is at Maiorano and associates.com.

A new Siena research poll says Governor Andrew Cuomo's 2017 agenda is largely supported by New Yorkers. Cuomo maintains a 56 percent to 37 percent favorability rating, unchanged since late last year. His job performance rating stands at 45 percent approve, 53 percent disapprove -- also little changed from last month. Meanwhile, 47 percent of voters are ready to back the governor for a third term, a job Cuomo is seeking again next year.

The Binghamton Senators have called a Press Conference for Tuesday afternoon at the Holiday Inn of Binghamton, they are expected to address the replacement team for the Senators, after Ottawa team officials announced that they are moving the their top Farm team out of Binghamton after this current season. Published reports out of Albany suggested that New Jersey Devils would be moving their farm team from Albany to Binghamton; an official comment is expected at tomorrow’s press conference.

State Senator Fred Akshar and Senator Chris Jacobs of Buffalo were appointed as the 2 new co-Chairs of the Senate's bipartisan Joint Task Force on Heroin and Opioid Addiction. The Task Force will again hold forums, meet with experts, and evaluate what further state measures are needed to reduce drug abuse.

The Harm Reduction Work Group is coordinating today's Medication Take Back Event. Residents are asked to remove outdated or unused prescription medications from their homes for safe disposal. Today's event will be held from 10:00 AM to 12:00 Noon at the North Norwich Town Hall located on County Road 23. The program is in collaboration with The Chenango County Sheriff's Office and The Norwich City Police Department.