WCDO Radio News

State Police & local law enforcement agencies will participate in a special Thanksgiving holiday traffic enforcement initiative to keep the public safe during the Thanksgiving holiday. State Police will have sobriety checkpoints, an underage drinker enforcement and the "Operation Hang Up" initiative, which targets distracted drivers. Police will also be making sure that drivers “Move Over” for emergency vehicles responding to emergency situations as part of the enforcement effort through Sunday night.

The Thanksgiving Day Turkey Trot for Hospice will be held in Oneonta tomorrow. The race is a fundraiser for Catskill area Hospice, the 5K run or 2.5K walk will begin at the Oneonta Boys & Girls club on River street starting at 9:00 AM, registrations will begin at 7:30 AM.

ACHIEVE Broome-Chenango-Tioga will welcome the public to visit their Chenango Day Habilitation facility at 214 County Route 44, Norwich today. Refreshments will be provided by Canasawacta Country Club and an introduction to ACHIEVE will be held, the event will be held from 5:30pm to 7:30 pm.

Governor Cuomo today announced the state has completed work on 80 bridges in its 542 million Empire Bridge program. The program is administered by the State DOT and includes replacing 100 aging & vulnerable structures across the state to make them more resilient against extreme weather. In Delaware County, completed bridges include the Route 97 bridge over the Pea Brook in Hancock, the Route 10 bridge over Platner Brook in Delhi, & the route 26 Bridge over the Tioughnioga River in Whitney Point.

The Village of Sidney Crews will be paving River Street tomorrow. Paving will be performed from West Road to Winkler Road, motorists are reminded to expect delays.

Commerce Chenango announced that the Leadership Chenango Kick Off Dinner & Tecklenburg Award Presentation would be held on Today from 5:00 PM to 7:30 PM at the Canasawacta Country Club in Norwich. The new class will be introduced at the Leadership Chenango Kick-off dinner, which will feature keynote speaker Charlie Andrews of Alvogen and the presentation of the Tecklenburg award to Martin Dietrich, Chairman of NBT Bancorp.

State Police arrested 35 year old Matthew Watkins of Windsor for felony Aggravated Unlicensed Operation & other traffic violations. A Trooper observed Watkins driving with an expired vehicle registration, in the Town of Kirkwood, Watkins had a revoked NewYork drivers license with 21 suspensions. Watkins was issued tickets returnable to the Town of Kirkwood Court on September 19th.

The Sidney Rotary Club announced that Sidney Central School District Superintendent Bill Christensen will be presenting a program to Rotary Friday at St. Luke's Church, regarding updates at the District. The public is invited for Lunch at noon for $9.00 or at 12:40 for the Superintendent's presentation.

Governor Cuomo, along with the Governors of Delaware and Pennsylvania, announced that they voted in favor of a resolution put forward by the Delaware River basin Commission to issue draft regulations to permanently ban hydraulic fracturing in the Delaware River Basin. The DRBC vote was three to one with one abstention in passing the resolution that would prohibit Fracking in the Delaware River Basin.

State Police and local law enforcement agencies will be out in force this Labor Day weekend as part of the national "Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over" DWI campaign. Labor Day weekend traditionally results in heavy traffic volumes; State Police will maximize their DWI enforcement efforts, with sobriety checkpoints & unmarked patrol vehicles on state highways. Police will also be watching for distracted drivers, occupants who are not properly restrained and drivers that are violating the Move Over Law.

The Delaware County Chamber of Commerce will hold a Membership Breakfast in Sidney this morning from 8:30 to 10:00 am at the Sidney Elks Club at 104 River Street; more information is available at delawarecounty.org/

The Delaware County Chamber of Commerce will hold its “1st Friday Eat & Meet” tomorrow at 8:30 AM at the Sidney Elks Club, on River Street in Sidney. The featured speaker for the event is Bill Wagner, Director of Mobility Management of South Central New York. More information or registration is available at 746-2281 or delawarecounty.org.

State Police arrested 28-year-old Todd Matias of Harpursville for Felony DWI, Aggravated Unlicensed Operation 1& several other traffic violations, after a trooper heard a vehicle with a loud exhaust on State Route 79, in the town of Colesville. The officer determined that Matias was driving while intoxicated, had a suspended driver's license, and an expired vehicle registration. Matias refused to submit to a breath test to determine his blood alcohol content, he was arraigned in the town of Colesville court, and was remanded to the Broome County jail on $5,000 cash bail or $10,000 bond.

State Police arrested 46-year-old Wayne Johnson of Oneonta, for Felony DWI, Aggravated Unlicensed Operation, and Operating a Motor Vehicle without an Interlock Device. Johnson was pulled over for improperly working headlights, a trooper determined that Johnson was intoxicated, had a suspended driver’s license, and was driving a vehicle that was not equipped with an ignition interlock device. Johnson was arraigned in the town of Oneonta court and was remanded to the Otsego county jail on $1,500 cash bail or $3,000 bond, pending September 12th court action.

The Delaware County Chamber of Commerce will hold its September 1st Friday Eat & Meet on Friday, at 8:30 a.m., at the Sidney Elks Club, on River Street in Sidney. The featured speaker for the event is Bill Wagner, Director of Mobility Management of South Central New York, in partnership with Rural Health Network of South Central New York. More information or registration is available at 746-2281 or delawarecounty.org.

The Delaware County Chamber of Commerce announced a "First Friday Meet & Greet Breakfast", which will be held in Sidney on September 1. The event will run from 8:30 to 10:00 am at the Sidney Elks Club at 104 River Street, registration is available at delawarecounty.org.

The Catskill Area Hospice is holding their annual fundraising concert in Oneonta this evening. The headlining act will be Daughtry, with opening acts Brett Young & Night Ranger, at the 6th Ward Booster Club Field at Scramling Avenue off of River Street in Oneonta. Tickets for the 5:45 PM show are available at hospicetickets.com; proceeds will help the Catskill area Hospice, serving those with end of life issues.

The Sidney Chamber of Commerce will hold their annual dinner this evening. This year's "Citizen of the Years" will be honored, they are Paul Eaton and Carl Griffith, and The “Business of Years” is the Sidney Elks Club, who will host the Annual Dinner tonight, the doors open at 5:30, dinner is served at 6:30.

The Sidney Emergency Squad announced that they will hold a free community C.P.R. training class on Saturday. Spokesman Ray Baker explains:

(Ray Baker 6-2-17)

Baker said that the event will be held at the Sidney fire department training center on River Street from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM, Squad Members will answer questions & teach the new CPR techniques.

Governor Cuomo announced a statewide crackdown on distracted driving as part of April’s National Distracted Driving Awareness Month. Operation Hang Up targets drivers on electronic devices today through April 10th. Preliminary data indicates a 918 percent increase in tickets for texting while driving in New York State from 2011 to 2016. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, nationwide in 2015, 3,477 people were killed in distracted driving crashes and an estimated 391,000 were injured in motor vehicle crashes involving distracted drivers.

The Village of Sidney announced today that Keith Clark Park will be closed until further notice, as a safety precaution. The Susquehanna River is expected to crest Friday, Those who live near the River, or any other waterways in the region can check river levels & predictions at wcdoonline.com, and click on the river levels icon.

The Sidney Chamber of Commerce has selected their annual Business of Year and Citizens of years award winners at this week’s meeting, Chamber President Stephanie Taylor explains:

(Steph Taylor 4-6-17)

Paul Eaton and Carl Griffiths & the Sidney Elks Club will receive their honors at the Chamber's annual Dinner in June.

The 64th Sidney Rotary Pancake Breakfast will be served Saturday at the River Street Fire Station Training Center in Sidney. Breakfast will be served from 7:00 AM to 1:00 PM; proceeds will benefit community service projects.

A Benefit is being held for Sidney native Jessica Archer Vis, who is battling leukemia & money is needed for uncovered medical costs, travel and family lodging during treatments in the buffalo area. Long time friend Jeannette Peck is organizing the fundraiser Sunday in Sidney:

(Jeannette Peck 3-1-17)

The fundraiser will be held from 2:00 until 6:00 PM at the Elks club on River Street in Sidney. Tickets are $10 in advance & $12 at the door; the fundraiser will feature a chicken & biscuit Dinner, 50/50 drawing, Chinese Auction & bake sale, more information about tickets or donations is available at 337-8110.

Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies responded a fatal, 2 car head on collision on Bear Spring Mountain in the Town of Walton Saturday. Sheriff’s Deputies and the State Police Collision Reconstruction Unit revealed that 43 year old Andrew Thompson of Tenafly, New Jersey, was driving on State Route 206 when a vehicle driven by 41 year old Joel Alves of Hopewell Junction crossed the center lines & collided head on with Thompson’s vehicle. Thompson was pronounced dead at the scene, his wife 43-year-old Wendy Hoeben, and their 6-year-old son were transported to Delaware Valley Hospital in Walton, Hoeben was treated & released, and the child was transferred to Westchester Medical Center. Alves was also transported to Delaware Valley Hospital where he was also treated and released. Alves was driving with a suspended driver’s license and a suspended vehicle registration, the investigation is continuing & charges are anticipated.

Many locations in the Tri-County area were hit hard by Saturday's torrential downpours, which led to downed trees, isolated power outages and damage to property. Walton & Conklin hit flood stage, many other towns hit action stage, the latest river levels and projections can be found at WCDORADIO.COM & click on River Levels.

The Sidney Rotary Club is funding a Recovery Coach Training Program at the Tri-Town Hospital today. The program implementation and content will be delivered by Mary Rosenthal, Executive Director of the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Council Delaware County and instructor, Jeannette Tolson. The Training begins today through this Friday, from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM.

The Sidney Elks Lodge will hold a fundraising lunch Saturday at the Elks Club on River Street. The event runs from 12:00 Noon until 4:00 PM, proceeds will benefit Tom Ulmschneider's fight against Cancer. More information is available at 639-1802 or 768-0505.