WCDO Radio News

P.M. NEWS FRIDAY 9-26-25

Chenango County launched a website Thursday for the construction project at the 5 Court Street Campus, Chenango County Attorney Zachary Wentworth explains:

(Zachary Wentworth 9-26-25)

The website is available at chenangocountyny.gov, it explains the issues with the 3 parts of the campus, the Project is anticipated to be long-term investment of about $35 Million Dollars, with the possibility of state and or federal assistance for the project.

The 5th Annual Trout Creek Volunteer Fire Company fundraising UTV ride & Poker Run will be held on this Sunday, spokesman Roger Barnhart told WCDO about the event:

(Roger Barnhart 9-17-25)

Registration begins at 10:00 AM for the ride beginning as 12:00 Noon, proceeds will benefit the Trout Creek Fire Company.

Chenango Arts Council present a show for Beatle fans this Saturday in Norwich, spokesperson Mary Beth Miller explains:

(Mary Beth Miller 9-26-25)

Tickets are available at chenango arts.org for the show at the Martin W. Kappel Theater in Norwich.

Delaware County Historical Association will Unveil a Women's Suffrage Marker in Delhi on Saturday Morning at 11:15 am, adjacent to the Delaware National Bank on Delhi's Main Street. The ceremony will take place during Delhi's annual Harvest Festival on Courthouse Square. The marker recognizes the importance of this location in the local effort to allow women the legal right to vote in the early years of the last century.

The Chenango County Sheriff's Office announced that a Free Child Car Seat Safety Check will be held Saturday at Visions FCU on State Highway 12 in Norwich. The event will run from 9:00 Am to 12:00 Noon.

A.M. NEWS FRIDAY 9-26-25

State Police arrested 36 year old Nathanael Manwaring of Maine, for allegedly intentionally striking a victim with his pick-up truck, killing the victim. State Police responded Wednesday to the report of a pedestrian struck by a vehicle in a driveway on Lamb Road in the Town of Nanticoke. Manwaring is accused of intentionally striking 41 year old Rodney Clark of Binghamton, following a dispute. Clark was taken to Wilson Hospital by a private vehicle where he succumbed to his injuries. Manwaring has been charged with 2nd degree Murder, 1st degree Manslaughter, he was processed and transported to the Broome County Correctional Facility for Arraignment.

This weekend is the Sidney Alumni Sports Hall of Fame weekend with a host of activities, according to spokesman Larry Halbert:

(Larry Halbert 9-26-25)

More information is available at the Sidney Central School Alumni Association's Facebook page.

The State DEC announced that Saturday will be the next Free Fishing Day in the State, it coincides with National Hunting and Fishing Day, which was designated by Congress in 1972. Visit dec.ny.gov for more information

LifeNet of New York is hosting a special event Saturday to celebrate 15 years of service, by honoring the dedication of local first responders, partners, and community supporters. Former LifeNet patients will include 16-year-old AK McEwan-Lomnicki of Sidney, who was struck by a drunk driver while walking home from school 2 years ago, State Senator Peter Oberacker and Assemblyman Joe Angelino will be in attendance on Saturday, Sept. 27 from 12 pm to 3 pm. at 199 River Street, Sidney.

The Jericho Arts Council announced that "Running on Jackson ", will be the next show at the Bainbridge Town Hall Theatre Saturday night @ 7 PM, spokesman Phil Wade explains:

(Phil Wade 9-26-25)

Tickets Reservations are available at 607-288-3882, In the Gallery will be the works of local artist Rachel Hares.

State Police arrested 29 year old Elliott Hazlett of Davenport for DWI with a BAC of .20%. Troopers responded to a 1 vehicle accident on State Highway 23 in the town of Davenport, where Hazlett drove his vehicle off the roadway and into a tree. Hazlett was released on appearance tickets and is due in the town of Davenport Court on June 26th.

Former Syracuse Mayor Stephanie Miner is launching an independent run for governor. Miner tweeted today that she’s running as “a citizen of New York.” Governor Cuomo should have the Democratic Party nomination in the upcoming primary, Republican Dutchess County executive Marcus Molinaro has his party's nod for the general election matchup. Actress Cynthia Nixon has won the nomination of the Working Families Party.

Governor Cuomo has proposed a law that would allow for teachers or school administrators to go court to get an order of protection against someone who may hurt themselves or others with firearms. Assemblyman Cliff Crouch said that it's important to let trained law enforcement officials be the first line of defense:

(Cliff Crouch 6-18-18)

The legislature has until the end of this week to wrap up the left over bills from the 2018 session.

State Police arrested 60 year old Abraham Colon of Kenneth City, Florida for DWI with a BAC of .15. Troopers observed Colon speeding on Interstate 88 in the town of Otego, he was arrested for DWI & several other violations, He was arraigned in the town of Laurens Court & was remanded to the Otsego County Jail on $1,000 cash bail or $2,000 bond.

The New York State Department of Health today announced it will develop a regulatory amendment to add opioid use as a qualifying condition for medical marijuana. Opioid use joins 12 other qualifying conditions under the state’s Medical Marijuana Program. Currently, patients can be eligible if they have been diagnosed with cancer; HIV or AIDS; ALS; Parkinson's disease; multiple sclerosis; spinal cord injuries, epilepsy; Huntington's disease; post-traumatic stress disorder; or chronic pain. More information is available at health.ny.gov/regulations/medical_marijuana.

State Police arrested 34 year old Travis Robinson of Worcester for Aggravated DWI, with BAC of .18%. During their investigation, troopers learned that Robinson was wanted in the state of Florida. Troopers saw a vehicle stopped along the side of I-88, they accuse Robinson of being intoxicated. Robinson was arraigned in the town of Maryland Court and remanded to the Otsego County Jail. He is being held without bail pending his extradition hearing.

The Chenango County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a fatal accident Saturday night in the Town of McDonough. 35 year old Craig Gray of Oxford was operating an ATV and entered Corbin Road from a driveway. 24 year old Phillip Jackson was operating a Pick-up Truck on Corbin Road when he struck Gray as he entered the roadway. Gray was not wearing a helmet at the time of the accident, he was pronounced deceased at the scene. The investigation is ongoing.

Chenango County Sheriff’s Office arrested a Town of Plymouth man for 3 counts of Grand Larceny, Scheming to Defraud, and Issuing a Bad Check, in Sherburne and Plymouth. 48 year old Russell Davis of Plymouth was arrested after he allegedly stole three separate vehicles from three separate victims using checks with insufficient funds. 2 of the vehicles were recovered & returned, the 3rd was sold for scrap. Davis was arraigned & was remanded to the Chenango County Correctional Facility without bail. The investigation is ongoing and more arrests are expected.

The Delaware County Sheriff’s Office’s arrested 2 County Jail inmates on prison contraband and drug charges, they have obtained an arrest warrant for a 3rd inmate that is in jail at the Elmira Correctional Facility. Correction officers seized Suboxone during a jail search, which was alleged smuggled into the jail by 33 year old Chad Ostrander of Grand Gorge, it was later distributed to inmate Randy Condon Jr. of Sidney & Justin Crandall of Sidney. Ostrander and Crandall have been charged with Promoting Prison Contraband, Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance & Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance, they were arraigned, Ostrander & Crandall were sent back to the Delaware County Jail, Condon was returned to the custody of the State Department of Corrections and will be arraigned on a later date.

The human remains found buried beneath a fire pit in the backyard of a Lake County Florida property have been positively identified as Michael Shaver of Laurens, who has been missing for since 2015. The remains found on Laurie Shaver’s property in Clermont, Florida, Police are treating Shaver’s death as suspicious and Laurie Shaver remains the sole suspect. The cause of death has not yet been determined, and the investigation is ongoing.

The State DEC announced that an official with the Public Works Department in Norwich has been charged with unlawful disposal of solid waste. George Carnrike was charged in relation to an incident in early May, when city employees assisted the Chenango County Sheriff's Office with the clean-up of a "tent city" along the Chenango River, used needles and bags of garbage were collected. The investigation is ongoing.

The Broome County Sheriff’s Office, State Police Warrant Task Force and the State Parole apprehended Justin Knapp at a residence on Route 369 in the Town of Fenton. Knapp had a parole warrant for dangerous drugs violations; additional charges will be filed regarding a “one-pot” methamphetamine Knapp allegedly cooked. Knapp attempted to break out a rear window to escape police, who had surrounded the house, he dove out of a glass bedroom window, and he was subdued with a Taser & was remanded to the Broome County Correctional Facility. Knapp was charged on the Parole warrant, police seized Methamphetamine materials, he was then charged with Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance Unlawful Manufacture of Methamphetamine.

Governor Cuomo signed legislation that will make business easier for craft beverage companies in New York State. The 3 measures will allow farm distilleries to sell gifts and souvenirs, authorize retail stores to conduct tastings of liquor, beer and cider, and exempt micro-breweries from redundant tax filing requirements.

The Afton Central School District Board of Education will hold their next meeting today. The meeting has been moved to 10:30 this morning at the Afton Central School.

Governor Cuomo directed the State Police to ramp up enforcement efforts as part of a national crackdown on impaired driving. The 20-day campaign, Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over, runs from tomorrow through Labor Day, September 7th it is aimed at significantly reducing deaths and injuries caused by motorists driving drunk or impaired by drugs. On November 1, 2014, stronger penalties were enacted in New York to deter impaired driving. Drivers convicted of DWI or DWAI three or more times in 15 years face a Class D felony charge, up to 7 years in prison, and a fine up to $10,000.

Former Broome County resident & escaped prisoner David Sweat appeared in court this morning for arraignment on 2counts of 1st degree escape and 1 count of promoting prison contraband. Sweat did not enter a plea in Clinton County Court in Plattsburgh, so the judge entered a not guilty plea on his behalf. Sweat and Richard Matt escaped from the Clinton Correctional Facility, they were on the run for 22 days, Sweat was found June 28th where he was shot and wounded by a state trooper. Matt was shot and killed June 26th. Sweat has been transferred to another state facility, he is serving a life sentence for the murder of Broome County Sheriff's deputy Kevin Tarsia in 2002, and he faces court action again, on September 29th.

Governor Cuomo announced that global technology leader AG plans to generate more than 1,000 new jobs and initially invest over $2 billion to support a cutting edge, 360,000 square foot wafer fabrication facility to be constructed at the Nano-Utica site in Marcy. Cuomo also announced that GE Global Research will expand its New York global operations to the Mohawk Valley, serving as the anchor tenant of the Computer Chip Commercialization Center on the campus of SUNY Polytechnic Institute’s Colleges of Nanoscale Science and Engineering in Utica. Nearly 850 jobs are expected to be created over the next 10 years.

U.S. Senator Charles Schumer has proposed an amendment to Federal Aviation Administration legislation, to prevent drones from flying within two miles of U.S. airports. Schumer said that a drone could get sucked into the engine of an airliner & cause hundreds of deaths." Schumer’s proposal calls for installing additional software in drones that does not let them fly within 2 miles of an airport & does not let them fly above 500 feet high. Schumer’s request follows an FAA report that pilot sightings of unmanned aircraft have nearly tripled in the past year from 238 sightings last year, and already there have been 650 sightings this year.

New York State’s private sector job count climbed by 19,300, or 0.2%, to more than 7.83 million in July according to statistics released today by the State Department of Labor. The State’s unemployment rate decreased from 5.5% to 5.4%, the State’s lowest rate since July 2008.

Friday promises to be a big day at the Delaware county Fair in Walton spokesman John Jackson comments:

(John Jackson Friday)

Jackson said that the fair will wrap up with the Parmalee, Jana Kramer led concert Saturday night at the grandstand

This Year’s Delaware County Fair Dairy Princesses Are Malorie Jordan & Sabra Warner of Franklin, they have been at the Delaware County Fair in Walton all week, to help promote the health benefits of 3 dairy servings per day. Jordan & Warner explain that 1 of their projects will be helping athletes refuel after this Saturday’s Fair 5K & 10 K running races:

(Jordan-Warner 8-20-15)

The full interview with Warner & Jordan will air tomorrow after the News at 10:00 AM on WCDO.

Local leaders will hold a New York State Citizen Preparedness Corps Training Program in Sidney Today at 6:00PM at the Sidney High School Auditorium. The program provides citizens with the tools and resources to prepare for emergencies and disasters. Each family that attends will receive a NYS Disaster Preparedness Backpack containing numerous essential items. This event is open to those who pre-registered; more information is available at 721-8751.

Free rabies clinics will be held today for dogs, cats & domesticated ferrets. In Franklin at the Franklin Fire Hall from 4 to 6pm and in Oneonta at Neahwa Park from 6:00 to 8:00 PM, Previous vaccination certificate must be presented to receive a 3 year booster.

The New York City DEP announced operations at the Cannonsville Reservoir have returned to normal. On Monday, the DEP stated it had resumed downstream releases under the Flexible Management Program on August 5th. It is no longer diverting drinking water from the reservoir and is relying on the Pepaction and Neversink reservoirs to balance storage. A preliminary investigation indicated that drilling in the reservoir had released ground water under natural pressure and caused an upward flow of water and sediment into the West Branch Delaware River.

The Delaware County Fair will be held in Walton August 17th through the 22nd. Fair representative John Jackson told WCDO about their popular children’s day Wednesday August 19th:

(John Jackson Fairkids)

Last year near 80,000 thousand people attended the Delaware County Fair in Walton. The Chenango County Fair in Norwich is running today through Sunday. Tonight there will be live music with “American Pride” Statler Brothers tribute.

A Harpursville Man was charged with drug possession after being pulled over Tuesday evening for driving with a loud muffler. Broome County Sheriff's deputies said 25 year old David Saruaw had been acting nervous during the traffic stop on Upper Court Street in Kirkwood. He ultimately admitted having heroin in the car after being questioned. Deputies then seized 20 packets of heroin and Saruaw was charged with possession of a controlled substance. He will appear in Kirkwood Town Court at a later date

Both the leader of the State Senate and Speaker of the Assembly have been charged with crimes, but even if they are convicted of federal corruption charges, both Dean Skelos and Sheldon Silver will still be eligible to receive their state pensions. This past spring, both the Senate and the Assembly passed bills that would revoke pension for elected officials convicted of a felony but they could not agree on the wording at this time. The Assembly wanted only elected officials to lose their pensions but the Senate wanted all state employees who were convicted of a felony to lose their pensions.

The results are in for the 2015 Common Core tests. The state Department of Education released the numbers for the math and English language arts tests that were given to students in grades three through eight. Scores for math went up slightly since 2013. The percentage of students who scored at the proficient level was 38 percent. That's a 7 point increase over 2 years. While the scores do not count towards the students' grades, they are factored into teacher evaluations.

P.M. NEWS WEDNESDAY 7-30-14

A Fenton man has been arrested on charges of promoting child pornography.  75-year-old Ray Parkes was charged following an investigation by the state police computer crime Unit.  Investigators served a search warrant at Parkes residence in the town of Fenton, he was charged with 3 counts of promoting a sexual performance by a child & 1 count of possessing a sexual performance by a child.  Parkes was arraigned in Town of Fenton court and was remanded to the Broome County Jail on $5000 bail pending future court action.

The Broome County Sheriff's Office Detective Division has arrested 23-year-old Donald Wilson of Binghamton, 20-year-old James Shaffer of Binghamton and 18-year-old Ryan Bartram of Owego. They are accused of drilling gas tanks at a car dealership on Front Street in the Town of Chenango and stealing gas. Eight vehicles had the tanks drilled causing over $4000 in damage.  Shaffer, Wilson and Bartram were arraigned in Town of Chenango Court and released pending further court action.

The Otsego County Sheriff's Office arrested 18-year-old Paul Clark Jr. of Charlotteville, on charges of Aggravated vehicular homicide, Vehicular manslaughter, Vehicular assault, Criminally negligent homicide, DWAI, reckless driving, & several misdemeanors & traffic infractions.  Officers accuse Clark of driving while on drugs & driving too fast when he crashed a 2000 Saturn into a parked FedEx truck in South Worcester 2 months ago.  Police said that there were 2 other people in Clark’s car, Devon McMahon died and Maureen Clark was injured.  Clark surrendered at the sheriff’s office, he was arraigned & and posted $10,000 bail, he faces court action September 2.

The City of Oneonta Police Department has received multiple reports of a scam circulating the area. A person calls and claims to be a representative of NYSEG and requests a credit card payment be made to satisfy a past due account. If you receive such a call police advise you call NYSEG directly using the numbers listed on your billing statement. Do not give out personal information over the phone to persons whom you cannot positively identify.

Members of Governor Cuomo's administration met with advocates for medical marijuana as some lawmakers called on him to speed up the state's issuance of the drug. Deputy Secretary for Health Courtney Burke and Howard Zucker, acting commission of the state Department of Health, were among those who met with the governor, they are urging Cuomo to consider ways to get the drug to terminally ill patients more quickly. Under the law, the Department of Health has 18 months to get the medical-marijuana system up and running.  The law allows the drug in non-smokeable form for patients who suffer from serious diseases or conditions -- including HIV and epilepsy -- and gives authority to the Department of Health to regulate it.

New York should refund $200 million in federal Medicaid overpayments, according to federal health officials. The total is derived from several audits of different parts of the Medicaid program. The State Health Department will appeal the decision. Federal auditors came up with the number as a result of several audits of state-operated facilities, home health care services, day treatment centers for people with mental illness, billing for orthodontic and dental services, and treatment of people with traumatic brain injuries. The federal government pays half the cost of Medicaid health services for the poor in New York.

The Broome County Sheriff's Office received a call regarding a motorist acting strangely in the parking lot of the Sonic restaurant at 1103 Upper Front St., in the Town of Chenango last night. Upon arrival, police located 50-year-old Mary Jones of Binghamton, Field Sobriety tests were conducted and Jones was arrested for DWI with a BAC of 0.14%. Following her arrest, she was also found to possess a small amount of marihuana. She was released with tickets to appear in Town of Chenango court at a later date.

The Delaware County Office for the Aging is giving farmers market coupons to county residents 60 years of age or older. The coupons cover $20 worth of fruits and vegetables from participating vendors. Seniors must meet income eligibility guidelines. Eligible seniors may pick up coupons at the Office for the Aging, 6 Court Street, Delhi from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays. The deadline for coupon booklet distribution is Sept. 30, but coupons may be used through Nov. 30th. For more information call 746-6333.

The 2014 Rock In the Park concert tickets are available at several locations, for the August 17th show in Bainbridge.  Organizer Jason Hall comments:

(Jason Hall 7-30-14)

The concert will be at General Clinton Park, featuring local favorites Woodshed Prophets, American idol contestant Kaitlyn Jackson, as well as national country music acts Chris Janson and Headliner Daryl Singletary.