WCDO Radio News

Fire at a storage unit in Norwich this morning, destroyed items that were stored there by the Chenango Toys for Tots program.  About $8,000 worth of toys were destroyed, according to Toys for Tots spokesman Roger Barnhart, who suggested that the best way to help them at this late stage is with monetary donations:

(Roger Barnhart 11-29-13)

Several fire departments responded to the blaze, damage was reported as extensive, but did not affect all 42 units at the site. No injuries among fire fighters have been reported.  The addresses to mail donations again: 107 Crest Drive, Bainbridge 13733 or 1-11 Lee Avenue, Norwich 13815.  Checks and Toy Donations will also be accepted starting Monday between 9:00 AM & 5:00 PM, at WCDO at 75 Main Street in Sidney.

The 21st annual “Alumni Basketball Night” sponsored by the Sidney Alumni Basketball Association, will be held tonight for 2 games starting at 6:00 PM.  The games will be played at the Sidney Middle School this year, more information is available at 643-2913.

The Sidney Fire Department responded to 8 Gilbert Street around 3:00 PM Saturday afternoon.  The fire was contained in about 45 minutes, no injuries were reported, and the cause of the fire is under investigation.

State Education Commissioner John King will visit Binghamton Monday to discuss the Common Core with community members.  The forum is scheduled for 6:00 to 8:00 PM at West Middle School. The forum will be hosted by state Assemblywoman Donna Lupardo and moderated by the League of Women Voters, Assemblyman Cliff Crouch will also be serving on the panel.

The Platinum Street Ballers will be back in Sidney this year, as part of an annual fundraiser for the Sidney Boys & Girl’s club tomorrow night at the Sidney High School Gym.  Club Director Trish Tyrell comments:

(Trish Tyrell 11-8-13)

Tickets are available at the Boys & Girls club in the Civic Center, the Sidney Great American, VEP, Sidney Flowers & Gifts, & Hometown Pizza in Franklin, the money raised will help the Boys & Girls club continue to operate their programs for area youth.

Operation Gratitude is sending donated Halloween candy & other items to service men & women overseas, Kim MacRabie of Masonville along with the Sidney Great American store, have a collection box for those donations for service men & women overseas, MacRabie comments:

(Kim MacRabie 11-8-13)

MacRabie is picking up the collection Box at the Sidney Great American this afternoon, more information is available at 607-231-3888.

Congressman Chris Gibson will attend the Veterans Breakfast and Program at the Franklin Central School, at 7:30 AM this morning.  Congressman Gibson and local veterans will speak to students about their military service.  At 10:00 AM Gibson will visit the Walton Middle/High School, where he will tour the school and speak to different classes.

State Police arrested 66 year old Stephen Hay of Sidney Center for DWI with a BAC of .09% following an investigation into a property damage accident on Sherman Hill Road in Franklin. Hay was issued tickets for Town of Franklin Court September 12.

A new report on New York’s economy calls the last 10 years a “lost decade” for typical workers, with median wages dropping almost 7 percent for men and about 1 percent for women. The Fiscal Policy Institute said the recovery from the Great Recession shows more underemployment despite the state restoring overall jobs lost in the downturn. The institute said most growth has come in lower-paying businesses like retail and restaurants, while a decline in middle-wage jobs continues, partly from government cuts. The report was based mainly on federal and state labor data.

Governor Cuomo announced 16 winners, across the state, of a statewide competition to form public-private partneships to prepare high school students for high skill jobs in technology, manufacturing and healthcare. Students can earn an associate degree at no cost. Partnerships include Broome Community College, Lourdes Hospital in Binghamton and United Health Services. For more information, go to governor.ny.gov.

President Barack Obama will visit Binghamton University today to talk about affordable higher education for the middle class. Yesterday, the President delivered remarks at the University at Buffalo, and Henninger High School in Syracuse. President Obama also made an unscheduled stop on Thursday in Seneca Falls at the Women's Rights National Historic park. Today, the President will participate in a town hall event at Binghamton University, and will deliver remarks at an event at Lackawanna College in Scranton, Pennsylvania.

There will be a Civil War reenactment at the former schoolhouse in Sidney Center to benefit Greater Maywood Rural Community Services on Saturday. There will be a battle reenactment at 2pm and camp closing at 4pm, also a dinner at 5:30 and a dance with music performed by The Crooked Stove Pipe Band from 7-10pm Saturday night.

The Sidney village yard sale day will be held tomorrow throughout the village. The event will run from 9:00 AM and 4:00 PM. Also, Afton will have their "Hope for Afton" day on Saturday with Village wide yard sales, a 5k run, a car show at the former Briggs Lumber Yard, The Jazz Band Ball concert from 11a - 1pm at the pavilion next to the Afton Museum, and the Afton Free Library will have a book sale.

President Barack Obama will travel through New York and Pennsylvania today and tomorrow on a two-day bus tour to talk about affordable higher education for the middle class. Today the President will deliver remarks at the University at Buffalo, and Henninger High School in Syracuse. Tomorrow on Friday, the President will participate in a town hall event at Binghamton University, and will deliver remarks at an event at Lackawanna College in Scranton, Pennsylvania.

The Bainbridge-Guilford School Board will hold a special meeting this evening at 6:30pm in the district conference room. They will move into executive session to discuss several personnel items and they may convene in open session to approve the items.

Gov. Cuomo will greet President Obama in Buffalo on Thursday as the president kicks off a two-day tour through New York and Pennsylvania to talk about jobs and the middle class. Cuomo will send Lt. Gov. Robert Duffy to the New York State Fair on Thursday, the first day of the fair. Cuomo said he will also visit the fair later during its 12-day run. Traditionally, the governor opens the fair on the first day, which is also known as "Governor's Day." Gov. Cuomo will avoid a potentially dicey political conflict by not joining President Obama to other parts of upstate New York roiled over the state's ban on hydraulic fracturing for natural gas. Obama supports the technology. Parts of central New York and the Southern Tier are on the gas-rich Marcellus Shale formation, where energy companies want to drill. Obama's two-day bus tour will begin Thursday and hit the University at Buffalo, followed by stops in Syracuse, Binghamton and northeastern Pennsylvania. The governor has postponed a decision on whether to allow fracking in New York. Cuomo says he's waiting for a study by state health department.

The Bainbridge-Guilford School Board will hold a special meeting on Thursday, August 22nd at 6:30pm in the district conference room. They will move into executive session to discuss several personnel items and they may convene in open session to approve the items.

The Sidney Central School will have a Summer Food service Program, for all children 18 years and under free of Charge.    FREE BREAKFAST will be served at the elementary School from 7:30-8:30, from July 9th through August 17th.  Lunch will be provided at the Sidney Elementary/Middle school cafeteria July 8th through August 16th Monday through Friday, from 11:00 to 12:15.     More information is available at 563-2135 ext 4264 or by email to  dwhitten@sidneycsd.org

2 films offering opposing views on hydrofracking will air in Broome County on the same night tonight. The pro fracking film “FrackNation” will be shown at the Vestal American Legion Hall at 6:00 PM, while the anti fracking “Gasland 2” is being screened at West Middle School in Binghamton at 6:30 PM.

The JUNE Sidney CHAMBER of commerce MEETING is this morning.  The meeting begins at 7:45 AM AT ANGUS AND ALE on Main Street.

State troopers in Oneonta arrested 25 year old Eric Dorsey of Sidney for Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance 7th following a traffic stop on Interstate 88 in the Town of Otego.  Dorsey was released with an Appearance Ticket to appear in the Town of Otego Court on April 25th.

The Oneonta common council will hold their next regular meeting tonight at 7:00 PM.  Prior to tonight’s meeting, the trailblazer award reception will be held at the Oneonta middle school cafeteria, where Charlotte McKane and Sarah Patterson will be honored by the city Commission on Community Relations and Human Rights.  The common council meeting will also be held at the middle School cafeteria.

Hartwick College announced that they will host an Open House program on May 4th geared toward current high school juniors who are interested in becoming part of Hartwick's Class of 2018.  The Open House will be on May 4th, it will provide opportunities to learn more about Hartwick's campus, academic (http://www.hartwick.edu/academics) and extracurricular offerings, to meet with Hartwick staff, tour the campus and learn about the 3 year degree program instituted a couple of years ago.  Those who wish to sign up can do so at hartwick.edu

Governor Cuomo has called for changing of retirement costs for schools & municipalities in his executive budget proposal, Assemblyman Cliff Crouch comments:

(Cliff Crouch 2-6-13)

Schools districts and municipalities would have to opt into the program to take advantage of the estimated savings; Crouch said that the numbers would be looked at again in 5 years to see if the savings can continue.

The Sidney school district will be conducting a review and practice of their emergency management plan tomorrow.  The review will include a lockdown & lockout drill, beginning at 8:30 AM in the elementary & middle school and 9:35 in the high school.   Normal schedules will continue following the drills.