WCDO Radio News

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.

A free virtual job fair will be held Wednesday from 11:00am to 1:00pm for businesses & job seekers from across the region,, The job fair can be found at pvapi.premiervirtual.com

Assemblyman Joe Angelino announced the launch of a $200 million Seed Fund Grant Program, which is targeted at helping small businesses recover after the COVID-19 pandemic. More Information and access to the application portal can be found at nyseedgrant.com. The program is in addition to the $800 million Pandemic Small Business Recovery Grant Program, which helped more than 35,000 small businesses with roughly $639 million since it began last year. Businesses may call 877-721-0097 for assistance from Empire State Development.

P.M. NEWS FRIDAY 3-18-22

New York will distribute more than 20 million over-the-counter COVID-19 tests statewide through the spring. The state will also continue providing test kits to nursing homes, adult care facilities and schools, including one million tests to upstate schools through the end of the school year. Currently, the state has the COVID positivity rate down to about 1.5%, health officials are keeping an eye on the BA-2 strain, which has been reported in small number so far in several states.

Governor Kathy Hochul announced that nearly 29,000 small and micro businesses throughout New York State have been awarded over $500 million in grant funds through the COVID-19 Pandemic Small Business Recovery Grant Program. The program was created to provide flexible grant assistance to small businesses, micro-businesses and for-profit independent arts and cultural organizations who have experienced economic hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 98% of Awards Have Gone to Businesses with Fewer than 10 Employees and 90% to Have Gone to Minority and Women-Owned Businesses

Empire State Development will open the online application portal Today for the COVID-19 Pandemic Small Business Recovery Grant Program. The minimum grant is $5,000, the maximum grant amount is $50,000 per applicant and will serve as reimbursement of employee wages, rent and mortgage payments, taxes, utility bills and PPE purchases other operating expenses from the pandemic. More information may be found at NYSBusinessRecovery.ny.gov.

The Otsego County Fair will be held in Morris this year, after being canceled last year due to the COVID pandemic, Spokesperson Lisa Jones comments:

(Lisa Jones 6-10-21)

The Otsego County Fair will run from August 3rd through the 8th, more information is available at otsegocountyfair.org.

The Afton Fair will return next month, after being cancelled last year by the pandemic, Spokesperson Rhonda Barriger said that a full slate of activities has been scheduled at the Afton Fairgrounds:

(Rhonda Barriger 6-9-21)

The Afton Fair will run this year from Thursday July 8th through the Sunday July 11th.

Broome County Executive Jason Garnar announced that the mass Vaccination site at the SUNY Broome Ice Center will be closing. Garner said that over 93,000 of the more than 190,000 Broome County Residents are fully vaccinated, about 1/4 of those received their vaccinations at SUNY Broome's Ice Center.

A.M. NEWS WEDNESDAY 6-9-21

The state Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance announced that all New Yorkers enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) will receive at least the maximum allowable level of food benefits for June, a benefits distribution that will push more than $200 million in federal aid into the state’s economy. The supplemental benefits provided to individuals and households enrolled in SNAP have already infused more than $2.3 billion into New York’s economy since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic last year.

On Tuesday, the State Legislature passed a bill to test for 40 emerging contaminants in drinking water by every New York water utility. Approximately 2.5 million New Yorkers have not previously had their water tested, approximately 2,000 small water utilities in New York have not been required to test for the 40 contaminants like strontium, chromium-6, and many others, the bill heads for the Governor's Desk.

Governor Cuomo proposed legislation to waive taxes on grants from the $800 million COVID-19 Pandemic Small Business Recovery Grant Program. Applications for the program will be accepted starting June 10, Flexible grants up to $50,000 will be made available to eligible small businesses and can be used for operating expenses, including payroll, rent or mortgage payments, taxes, utilities, personal protective equipment incurred during the pandemic. Over 330,000 small and micro businesses are potentially eligible for this program,