WCDO Radio News

A New York state environmental conservation officer was hospitalized after being shot while investigating illegal hunting in Columbia County. State police say 2 En-Con officers were checking out reports of trespassing with shots fired Tuesday afternoon; Officer James Davey was shot in the pelvic area by 54-year-old Alan Blanchard of Gallatin. Davey underwent surgery at MidHudson Regional Hospital and is listed in stable condition. Blanchard was charged Tuesday night with assault. He was being held Wednesday in county jail without bail.

The Otsego County Sheriffs department arrested 59-year-old Rhonda Wing of Morris for DWI Saturday after she crashed her car in the Town of Pittsfield. Wing was arraigned at the Pittsfield Town Court and is expected to reappear December 21st.

The State Assembly held a public hearing in Albany today regarding the rapid increase in student debt by college graduates. Statistics compiled by the state comptroller's office shows that student loan debt has doubled in the last decade. Last year, New York residents had an average of $32,200 in student debt, which is well above the national average of about $25,500.

The Sidney Chamber of Commerce will hold the annual Christmas Parade this Friday night in downtown Sidney. Sidney Chamber President Stephanie Taylor said that this year’s theme is "A Country Christmas:"

(Steph Taylor 11-30-16)

Taylor said that they will also hold their house decorating contest again this year, with 30 local homes winning the "Spirit Award" More information is available at the new Chamber office at 85 main street in Sidney.

The Tri-Town Coalition on Substance Abuse Prevention will have their next meeting today; The Sidney High School Student Teen Institute team will present their recent experiences at the State Prevention Network's Conference. Coalition Spokesperson Lorraine Keckeisen explains:

(Lorraine Keckeisen 11-30-16)

Tonight's meeting runs from 6:00 to 7:30 PM at the Sidney High School Library & is open to the public.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the State DEC will hold a public scoping meeting for a study on flood-damage reduction needs today. the meeting will be held in the Sidney Memorial Public Library at 6:30 PM in the Smart Community Room. The Public is invited to attend.

The State DOT announced that bridge work on State Route 30/206 northbound and southbound over the East Branch of the Delaware River in the town Colchester will require intermittent road closures in both directions starting today through December 2 from 7:00 AM to 3:30 PM each day. Crews will be setting bridge girders for the new bridge. Motorists will encounter traffic stoppages intermittently for 10 – 15 minutes several times during the work hours daily. Motorists are advised to be alert for slow moving traffic and sudden stops.

American Red Cross blood drives will be held at both local BOCES campuses today. One blood drive will be held at the Harold campus on state route 206 in Masonville from 8:30 AM to 2:30 PM, another blood drive will be held at the Norwich BOCES campus from 10:30 AM to 3:30 PM. Appointments can be made with the Red Cross Blood Donor App, at redcrossblood.org or by calling 1-800-RED CROSS.

Fire fighters from New Berlin, Norwich North Norwich Sherburne, Edmeston Garrettsville & Mount Upton responded to a fire at the Ken Tuttle Jr. farm on Balcom road early Wednesday morning. Fire investigators believe that the fire started due to an electrical short. Livestock was removed, no injurious were reported.

The 2nd annual "Glow Run" Benefit will be held this Saturday in Bainbridge, to raise funds though a 5K walk or run, and through the sale of t-shirts, for Mindy Ives Natoli of Oxford. Cancer Survivor & Sidney native Heather Bucalos organized the event, which is free to enter; she told WCDO that there will also be tables set up with information about cancer:

(Heather Bucalos 9-16-16)

The event runs from 5:00 to 8:00 PM Saturday at General Clinton Park.

The 7th Annual Sidney Center Tractor parade will be held tomorrow through the hamlet. Those wishing to participate should begin lining up at 9:00 AM, the parade will begin at 12:00 Noon, owners of farm & garden tractors, collectible cars, doodlebugs and amore are invited to participate. There will be a variety of entertainment, children’s activities, and a chicken barbecue, more information is available at 369-9494, 369-9074, or 369-4538.

The City of Oneonta & the municipal airport commission will hold Oneonta airport's 50th anniversary celebration Saturday, from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM at 391 Airport Road. There will be a variety of demonstrations, helicopters rides, & music throughout the event.

The 7th Annual Autumn Fest, presented by the Rotary Club of Unadilla, is this week on Saturday, September 17th from 10 am to 3 pm on the Unadilla Community Field (behind the Library at 193 Main Street.)

(Zoë Vandermeulen 9-16-16)

Complete Autumn Fest details are available at unadillarotary.org/autumn-fest or find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/unadillarotary.

The 2016 Leatherstocking "Walk to End Alzheimer’s" will be held in Neahwa Park in Oneonta Saturday. The registrations will begin at 2:00 PM, & the walk will begin at 3:00 PM. More information is available at 518-867-4999 extension 213, or at alzwalkls.org.

Today will be the last " Fabulous Friday" of the year in Oneonta. The Oneonta History Center will have its annual Antique Appraisal Night from 5:00 to 8:00 PM. All proceeds will benefit the Greater Oneonta Historical Society. For More information is available at 432-0960 or info@OneontaHistory.org.

The State Department of Health has been notified of a laboratory confirmed case of mumps at SUNY Oswego and another at SUNY Plattsburgh. The case at SUNY Oswego is likely associated with a mumps outbreak in Long Island, where 45 cases of mumps have been confirmed. The source of the SUNY Plattsburgh case is under investigation. Students, who are susceptible to mumps because they have not been vaccinated because they have religious or medical exemptions, have been told they will be excluded from campus for 26 days after the last possible exposure if they do not get vaccinated. Mumps is a highly contagious viral disease characterized by fever, headache and swelling of the salivary glands. Mumps cannot be treated, however two doses of the MMR vaccine provide the best protection against the disease. More information about the mumps is available at health.ny.gov.

The Southern Tier Chapter of the American Red Cross and Preferred Mutual will be hosting a Home Fire Preparedness canvassing event in Norwich. American Red Cross staff and Preferred Mutual volunteers will be visiting residents on Conkey Avenue, Sheldon Street, and Canasawacta Street, installing free smoke detectors for those homes in need. The event will be this Saturday, from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM, starting at the Norwich Fire Department at 31 East Main Street.

The American Red Cross continues to hold more blood drives locally. today, a blood drive will be held in Norwich from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM at the Guernsey Memorial Library, & in Delhi from 1:00 to 6:00 PM at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at 3 Delview Extension. A blood drive will be held in Sidney Saturday from 8:00 AM to 1:00 PM at the First Congregational Church, at Bridge and Main Streets. Appointment can be made by downloading the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS.

THE OTSEGO COUNTY HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT IS GIVING AWAY FREE EVERGREEN TREES between 2 to 10 feet high. COUNTY RESIDENTS CAN PICK UP TREES today, tomorrow & as well as Friday September 23rd & Saturday September 24th from 8:00 am to Noon, at the County Highway 11 Town of Laurens “Bone yard”. More information is available at 547-0538 or 547-4225.

Governor Cuomo today announced that The State has revised its Domestic Incident Report, which will allow law enforcement to collect more detailed information to enhance investigations, improve officer safety and connect domestic violence victims with support services. Police officers are required by law to complete the report whenever they respond to a domestic incident call, on average, officers statewide complete an estimated 400,000 Domestic Incident Reports every year.

with the parade of top level State Leaders heading for jail, Area Assemblyman Pete Lopez said that his fellow lawmakers talk a big game about ethics reforms, but nothing has been done:

(Lopez 5-4-16)

Other top lawmakers beside Silver & Skelos that have been charged with corruption related crimes include former State Senate Leaders Joe Bruno, Pedro Espada & Hiram Monserratte, & former Governor Elito Spitzer resigned due to a prostitution scandal, and a top level aide to Governor Cuomo is being investigated.

Another free rabies clinic will be held in Oneonta today. The clinic for dogs cats & ferrets will be held at Neahwa Park from 6:00 to 8:00 pm.

The Chenango Arts Council will feature the No BS! Brass Band on Saturday at 7:00 pm in the Martin W. Kappel Theater, 27 West Main Street in Norwich. Council Spokesperson Alecia O'Neill said that the band has gained international acclaim quickly, since they were booked a year ago:

(Alecia O'Neill 5-4-16)

Also on Saturday is the Allegro 5KRun & the day-long May Day Community Celebration with artists, craft and food vendors, and activities, WCDO Will be broadcasting live Saturday morning, more information can be accessed at ChenangoArts.org or by calling 607-336-ARTS.

Former Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver was sentenced to 12 years in prison, in a Manhattan federal courtroom Tuesday. Silver was convicted last year on corruption charges for collecting about 5 million dollars in kickbacks during his 21 years as Assembly Speaker.

Former state Senator Tom Libous of Binghamton died Tuesday, following a lengthy battle with cancer. Libous was 63. Funeral services will be announced shortly.

The State Senate passed legislation renaming a portion of State Route 357 in Delaware County in honor of United States Marine Corporal Nicholas Uzenski. The bill sponsored by Senator Jim Seward pays tribute to the Uzenski, who was killed in Afghanistan in 2010 when his unit was ambushed during a reconnaissance mission. The bill designates the portion of Route 357 from the intersection with State Route 28 in the town Franklin to the Franklin-Sidney town line, The Town of Franklin requested the special highway designation. Companion legislation sponsored by Assemblyman Cliff Crouch has been introduced in the state assembly.

The Local Early Intervention Coordinating Council will hold a meeting this morning at 10:30-12:30 at the Sidney Memorial Library. There will be fun activities for children at 10:30 provided by our local Occupational and Physical Therapists. During the discussion portion of the LEICC meeting we will review steps of transition from Early Intervention to Preschool.