WCDO Radio News

The Chenango County Sheriff Ernest Cutting & Chenango county DA Joe McBride held a press conference this morning, regarding the murder of 39-year-old Lucinda Knoll of Norwich, and the arrest of her former boyfriend, 48-year-old William Danielson of Preston.  Sheriff Cutting described the intial response after deputies arrived to the report of the attack Friday in Norwich:

(Sheriff Cutting 12-31-13)

Chenango County DA Joe McBride said that they have enough evidence for the arrest of Danielson & to present to a Grand Jury:

(Joe McBride 12-31-13)

Danielson is being held in the Chenango County Jail without bail.  Sheriff Cutting said that the couple’s 7-year-old son is the sole witness of the attack so far; he was removed from the vehicle by a neighbor, who then called police. Sheriff Cutting is asking anyone who was in the vicinity of Maple Grove Trailer Park around 6:00 AM Friday to call 337-1921 or 337-1863.

New York had 19.65 million people in July, about 98,000 more than Florida, which ranked fourth in the nation. Florida is expected to pass New York as soon as next year, as out-migration is outpacing new residents.  1.2 million people left to other states between 2000 and 2009. Census figures released in March showed 35 upstate counties lost population between 2010 and 2012, full county figures are expected early next year.

The State Department of Taxation and Finance issued a final reminder to homeowners, that they must register for the Basic STAR property tax exemption today. The average homeowner saves $700 each year on their tax bill from the Basic STAR exemption, which is available on the primary residence of homeowners with incomes under $500,000. Registrations are available at  tax.ny.gov or 518-457-2036.

Assembly speaker Sheldon Silver wants to accelerate the state’s scheduled minimum wage increase to $9 by 2015 & tie it to the inflation rate. The Assembly passed a bill this year to raise New York’s minimum wage for most workers from $7.25 to $9 with inflation adjustments. A compromise approved by the Assembly, Senate and governor’s office raised the rate to $8 for 2014, $8.75 a year later and to $9 in 2016 without inflation adjustments.

The flu is starting to make its way across the Twin Tiers according to the CDC.  New York State has widespread flu activity, with the early cases associated with a strain that targets young and middle-aged adults. Flu shots and nasal sprays are the best way to protect against the flu, it's also important to wash your hands, eat well and get enough sleep.

The Chenango County Sheriff’s Office has confirmed that 39-year-old Lucinda Knoll has died, from injuries sustained in an attack early Friday morning.  Knoll’s former boyfriend, 48-year-old William Danielson of Oxford is now charged with 2nd degree Murder & he was arraigned on the new charge this morning & continues to be held in the Chenango County jail without bail.  Anyone with information about the early Friday morning attack at the Maple Grove Trailer Park in Norwich is asked to call the sheriff’s department at 337-1921 or 337-1863.

State Police at Oneonta arrested 23-year-old Amanda Whitehill of Unadilla for Driving While Intoxicated with a BAC result of .21%, more that twice the legal limit.    Whitehill was issued traffic tickets returnable in the Town of Oneonta Court on January 21st.

Many new laws go into effect on Wednesday, New Year’s day.  The Family Tax Relief law means that over the next 3 years, Middle class families with at least 1 dependent child and a household income between $40,000 and $300,000 will receive $350 in direct tax relief each year.  Also,  the state’s corporate tax on manufacturers will be reduced by almost 10% in 2014 & will be fully phased-in by 2017-18.

Nearly a year after passage of the state’s new gun law, dealer sales of AR-15 semi-automatic rifles have ended in New York, and arrest data show more than 1,000 gun possession charges were boosted from misdemeanors to felonies because of the changes. 59 people were charged statewide for possessing large-capacity magazines.  A report from the Division of Criminal Justice Services shows only one person charged with the illegal sale or transfer of a gun defined as an assault weapon as of mid-December. Owners may keep their older weapons but must register them by April 15th.

State Police at Sidney arrested 45 year old Charles Cole of Sidney for Driving While Intoxicated following a traffic stop by troopers on Johnson Circle in the Village of Sidney.  Cole was released on appearance tickets returnable January 7th in Village of Sidney Court.

SUNY Delhi officials reported that law enforcement agencies responded this morning to a bomb threat received at around 7:30 AM.  The calls claimed that bombs were in Evenden Tower and Sanford Hall, the buildings were evacuated & law enforcement personnel initiated a search of both buildings, no bombs were found.  All classes scheduled for Evenden Tower and Sanford Hall today were canceled today, Delhi Village Police, Delaware County Sheriff’s Department, Delaware County Emergency Management Office and State Police responded, the bomb threat has been ruled as a hoax, the investigation is continuing.

State police arrested 49-year-old Penny Nober of Guilford for 8 counts of 1st degree forgery & 1 count of endangering the welfare of incompetent or disabled person.    The arrest occurred after investigating the reported theft and forgery of checks from a disabled person living on State Route 8 in Guilford, Nober was the caregiver of the victim.  Nober was arraigned at the Guilford town court and was released on her own recognizance pending future court action.

State Police CNET unit announced the arrests of 34-year-old Tiawanna Willard & 35-year-old Devon Johnson of Chenango.  Police executed a search warrant where they confiscated crack cocaine, Ecstasy and $9,200 in cash.  WILLARD was charged with Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance, Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance, and Endangering The Welfare of a Child.  JOHNSON was charged with Criminal Possession of a Forged Document, Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance and False Personation.   Both were arraigned in Town of Chenango Court & were remanded to the Broome County jail without bail, Johnson was turned over to State Parole Officers on an active Parole Warrant.

State police arrested 31 year old Ian Ward of Unadilla for felony aggravated DWI and unlawful possession of marihuana.  The arrest occurred after Ward was observed asleep behind the wheel of a running vehicle stopped in the middle of Interstate 88 in Oneonta.  Troopers Broke a window & placed the vehicle in park, Ward had a previous DWI conviction, making this arrest a felony, Ward was arraigned at the Oneonta town court and remanded to the Otsego county jail in lieu of $1,500 cash bail.

Norwich police charged 2 city residents with a variety of charges after observing them trying to break into parked vehicles.  20-year-old Earl Mullenax Jr  and 23-year-old  Ryan Price  face charges of Petty larceny & 6th degree Conspiracy upon arrest Sunday night, they face court action shortly.

New York ranked fifth in the nation for gun-control laws, according to a report from the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence. The annual report said New York was one of four states this year to enact laws that require universal background checks on all firearm sales. New York has the fourth lowest gun death rate in the nation. New York’s law strengthened an assault-weapons ban, required additional registration of guns and cut the number of bullets allowed in magazine from 10 to seven.

State Police arrested 36-year-old Jason Carl of Conklin on a variety of charges, after he attempted to flee from officers executing a search warrant, with the pursuit resulting in property damage accidents.    Carl was charged with 2nd & 3rd degree Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance, Tampering with Physical Evidence; Unlawfully Fleeing a Police Officer, Criminal Possession of Marihuana, Criminally Using Drug Paraphernalia, Resisting Arrest and Various Vehicle and Traffic Law charges relating to the pursuit and 2 accidents.  Police confiscated 6 ounces of cocaine; 8 grams of heroin; 8 ounces of marihuana; drug paraphernalia, scales, packaging materials and over $2,500 in cash.  Carl was arraigned and was remanded to the Broome County jail without bail.

The Otsego county sheriff’s department arrested 33 year old Bryan Slaughter of Utica and 22 year old Dylon Mager of North Carolina on drug charges.  Deputies reported that 67 packets of heroin was seized, both were charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance,  Slaughter was sent to the Otsego County jail without bail, Mager had bail set at $2,500 pending future court action.

2 families managed to escape a fire this morning at 46 Park Street in Binghamton.  The fire was called in at about 5:45 this morning, firefighters managed to get a women & 2 of her children to safety, who were trapped on the roof.  The building was heavily damaged; no injuries among firefighters were reported.  4 people were taken to area hospitals for treatment; the cause of the fire is under investigation.

The State Index of Consumer Sentiment rose 3.7 points in November, while the nation’s index rose1.9 points, according to a poll by the Siena College Research Institute. At 73.3, New York’s overall Index of Consumer Sentiment is still 1.8 points below the nation’s Index of 75.1

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.

Nearly 2 in 5 New Yorker voters believe that creating jobs should be the top priority for Governor Cuomo & The state legislature in 2014, according to a new Quinnipiac poll.  37% said that job creation was the top issue, 22% said tax reduction and 21% said stopping corruption, 18% said increasing education aid.

The state labor department released unemployment statistics for October.  The states unemployment rate rose .1% to 7.7% in October, in spite of the private sector job count increasing by 112,700 in the last year.  Chenango county’s rate fell 1/10th to 6.2%, Delaware county’s rate dropped 3/10’s to 7.1% and Otsego county’s rate rose 1/10th to 6.2% in October.

New York State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli announced that his office completed an audit of the Afton Fire District.  The audit found that fire district controls are not adequate to ensure that financial activity is properly recorded and reported, and that district moneys are safeguarded. Auditors found the treasurer does not present the board with budget-to-actual reports for expenditures on a monthly basis. Also, the board is not reviewing monthly bank statements or bank reconciliation.

Oxford Village Mayor Terry Stark will participate in the annual Oxford Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony, Sunday at 5:00 PM at Lafayette Park.  The event will feature music, refreshments.

State police are continuing with the investigation into the death of 52 year old Charles Bruce of Long Island, who was fatally shot in the chest while hunting in Westford Saturday.  Bruce was hunting with friends Saturday, when he was shot by an unidentified person hunting from a tree, Bruce died at the scene, the case is being investigated by state Police, the state DEC and the Otsego county District attorney’s office.

State police arrested 33-year-old Bridgitt Eggleston of Bainbridge following the reported theft of as vehicle.  Eggleston was charged with 4 counts of 3rd degree grand larceny and 3 counts of 2nd degree grand larceny, following the investigation, she faces court action shortly.

State Senator Tom Libous is seeking a meeting with key state officials in an effort to keep Broome Developmental and other key facilities open.  Libous forwarded legislation call for a freeze until 2015 for the closure of mental health facilities, so that alternative plans can be forwarded & discussed.  Libous told WCDO News what prompted the talk of these closures:

(Libous 11-21-13)

Libous said that he is looking forward to meeting with key officials as early as next week regarding the issue, he has registered his concerns with Governor Cuomo, who he said is sympathetic to his position.

The Chenango County Sheriff's Office arrested 31-year-old Vann Ross Shipley of Bainbridge as a fugitive from the State of South Carolina.  Shipley was wanted on a warrant issued by Horry County Family Court for failure to pay child support; he was arraigned in Chenango County Court & was remanded to the Chenango County jail without bail pending extradition back to South Carolina.

The Chenango county sheriff’s department arrested 64-year-old Daniel Dumont of Albany County, on a charge of 4th degree Grand Larceny.  Dumont is accused of making ATM withdrawals of more than $1,000 from a checking account that he was not authorized to access.  Dumont was taken into custody at the Bethlehem Police Department in Albany County & was transported to the Town of Norwich Court for his arraignment, he was ordered to reappear at a later date.

State Police Superintendent Joseph D’Amico announced the death of Trooper Ross Riley, who succumbed to injuries sustained during a fall at Letchworth State Park in Wyoming County.  Riley was a member of the Special Operations Response Team, he fell from a ledge approximately 30 feet into a creek, and He was transported to Wyoming County Community Hospital where he was pronounced dead.  Funeral arrangements will be announced shortly.

Delaware County Sheriff's Investigators, Deputies and K-9 "Ozzie", assisted by the Chenango County Sheriff's Office K-9 Unit and members of the State Police executed a Search Warrant at the Tammy Fairbairn residence in Bloomville.  Law Enforcement officers seized 130 bags of heroin, about $1100 in cash and Public Assistance Benefit Cards.  Investigators arrested 46-year-old Tammy Fairbairn of Bloomville, 20-year-old Nakota Lame of Bloomville and 26-year-old Alamin McMillon of Syracuse, for 1 count each of 3rd degree Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance.  All 3 were arraigned & were remanded to the Delaware County Jail on bail, more charges are anticipated.

State Senator Tom Libous held a press conference in Binghamton today, he mentioned that he has discussed with Governor Cuomo his concerns about the proposal to close mental health facilities in Binghamton and Elmira, that would force some people to far away locations around the state, and force sex offenders into local group homes:

(Libous 11-18-13)

Libous said that he is also planning legislation to call for a freeze of the closing of mental health facilities until 2015 in order to come up with alternative plans.

State police in Sidney & the US Marshals fugitive task force apprehended 29-year-old Angelina Wilson of Conklin, who was wanted for absconding from the Pennsylvania Department of parole & probation, for her participation in gas station armed robberies around Halstead, Pennsylvania.  Wilson was caught while fleeing from a trailer park in Conklin, she was also found to be in possession of a hypodermic needle and syringe.   Wilson was arraigned as a fugitive from justice and remanded to Broome county jail pending extradition back to Pennsylvania.

“Register Now” post cards are being mailed to 900,000 homeowners who have not re-registered for the “STAR” school tax relief program   those who have not re-registered will receive their postcards in the mail this week, reminding to register by the December 31st deadline.  Homeowners with basic STAR exemptions had to re-register this year after an investigation by the Tax department found that thousands received STAR Exemptions on more than one property.  Registrations can be performed at tax.ny.gov.

Congressman Gibson submitted comments to the State Department of Health regarding the draft midterm revisions to the New York City’s Filtration Avoidance Determination.   Gibson stated that the Land Acquisition Plan needs  to be decreased from $50 million to $20 million over the next 5 years.  Gibson also said that Reservoir levels should be maintained based on a scientific and technical review of NYC water needs, new infrastructure improvements, and an analysis of the risk facing Upstate communities. Contingency plans should also be put in place in the event of the potential of significant weather events.

State Police report that the remains have been tentatively identified as those of Brian Austin of Syracuse.  The remains were found by a NYSEG worker near a state park in Ulysses in Tompkins County Wednesday; Austin had been reported missing from the Syracuse area since 2011.  The cause and manner of death are pending.  The investigation is continuing.

The Broome County Special Investigations Unit Task Force arrested 24 year old Angelina Brown of Binghamton, after a search of her home netted 46 glassine bags of heroin, 3 knotted wraps of crack cocaine, a baggie of marijuana, a live marijuana plant and ecstasy pills.  Brown was charged with -Criminal possession of a controlled substance, endangering the welfare of a child, growing cannabis & Unlawful possession of marijuana.  Brown's 5-year-old son was removed from the home & is staying with family.  Brown was being held at the Binghamton Police Department pending arraignment.

Tomorrow is the National Take Back Collection for prescription drugs throughout the country.  The events will run from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm, with DEA officials taking the unwanted collected prescriptions with them at the conclusion of the collections.  Locally, collections will be at the Norwich City Police Department at 18 East Main Street, at the SUNY Oneonta Police Department at 1 Alumni Hall & with the Oneonta City Police department at 79 Main Street.  The Chenango County Sheriff's Office will also be participating at the Plymouth and Guilford Fire Departments; they will still accept unused or unwanted medications at the Sheriff's Office at 279 County Road 46 in the Town of Norwich.

State Police in Ithaca, along with the New York State Park Police, are investigating the discovery of skeletal human remains that were located in a wooded area in the Town of Ulysses, in Tompkins County.  State Police are currently working in conjunction with the Binghamton University Anthropology Department and the investigation is continuing.

The NY State of Health plan officials reported that nearly 174,000 New Yorkers have completed the application process and are eligible for the federal Affordable health Care insurance plan.  The rates for the health plans represent a 53% reduction compared to the previous year’s individual rates.  More information is available at nystateofhealth.ny.gov, or by calling 1-855-355-5777.

More than 25% of real property value in New York is exempt from county, city and town property taxes, according to a report issued by State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli. The total value of these exempt properties is $680 billion. The value increases to $826 billion for properties exempt from more than one type of local government or school district taxes. A copy of the new report can be accessed at osc.state.ny.us.

The Otsego County Sheriff’s department arrested 20-year-old Samantha Rinker of Nineveh for allegedly bringing heroin into the Otsego County jail while being booked on a petty larceny charge.  Rinker was charged with a felony count of promoting prison contraband and criminal possession of a controlled substance, during processing Rinker was in possession of a small amount of heroin. Rinker was arraigned in Village of Cooperstown Court and was returned to the Otsego County jail on $1,000 bail, pending court action October 16th.

Veterans & their families are going to hold a rally at the veteran’s memorial in Bainbridge Park Sunday at 9:00 AM.  Katherine Colley is the wife of a Vietnam Veteran; she said that veterans nationwide are frustrated at the federal government shutdown:

(Katherine Colley)

The Sunday rally in Bainbridge will start at the same time as the Washington DC Million Vets March, Vets are protesting the Federal government shutdown, and how it adversely affecting benefits and their intended Washington gathering in another location.

The State Department of Financial Services will investigate salary spiking in the state’s pension funds and potential conflicts of interest among consultants used to oversee the funds, which are still among the largest in the country. The agency will audit the public-pension funds and they have sent letters to the New York City pension fund, the state pension fund and the New York Teachers’ Retirement System.

Flu season is coming and the State Health Department is recommending people get their flu shots now. The health department recommends anyone older than 6 months of age should get the flu shot unless their doctor instructs them otherwise.

State police at Oneonta arrested Tyler Evans of Brooklyn for driving while intoxicated and unlawful possession of marihuana.  Troopers on Southside Drive in Oneonta stopped Evans, during the stop Evans was found to be intoxicated and possessing 7 grams of marihuana, he was issued tickets returnable to the Oneonta town court on November 12th.

New York is not among the states affected by a recent salmonella outbreak, according to the CDC, but health officials warn the Federal government shutdown could hamper their efforts to combat outbreaks in general. The CDC said with more than two thirds of its staff cut by furloughs, they lack the personnel to find outbreaks. Making sure chicken is fully cooked is one way to prevent salmonella poisoning.

Chenango Street in Binghamton will be closed through 7 a.m. Saturday between Moffatt Avenue and Sturges Street, according to the state Department of Transportation. Crews are removing the remaining portion of the I- 81 southbound/Route 17 eastbound bridge over Chenango Street.. During that time period, Chenango Street will be closed to both motorists and pedestrians. A signed detour will be in place directing motorists around the road closure. The work is part of the DOT’s Prospect Mountain project, which is reconfiguring the area where the 2 highways come together.

State Police arrested 37-year-old Victoria Young of Hancock for endangering the welfare of a child and 2nd degree Forgery.  Troopers also arrested 33-year-old Jeffery Johnson of Hancock for endangering the welfare of a child and criminal possession of a forged instrument.  Young & Johnson were arrested yesterday following the death of their 2-year-old daughter Andie Johnson, who fell from a second-story apartment September 17th in Hancock.  The pair were arraigned in the Hancock court and remanded to the Delaware county jail with no bail set at this time.

The Chenango County Sheriff’s Department arrested a 16-year-old male youth from Plymouth Sunday afternoon, after he drove through a police road check in the town of Oxford.  Deputies said that the youth had a 3-year-old passenger in the vehicle that was in an improper child restraint seat.  The youth was charged with Felony Aggravated Driving while Intoxicated, Driving While Ability impaired by drugs and endangering the welfare of a child.  The unidentified Teen was arraigned in the Town of Norwich Court and was remanded to the Chenango County Correctional Facility on $100 cash bail.

New York Farm Bureau has announced their annual “Circle of Friends,” naming 101 State Legislators to the list. Local lawmakers who were named to the list included state senators Jim Seward, John Bonacic & Tom Libous and Assemblymen Cliff Crouch, Bill Magee & Pete Lopez.  The award is an indication of the individual lawmaker’s legislative support of New York agriculture and of the Farm Bureau.

State troopers arrested 30-year-old Michael Hercules of Columbia, Maryland for criminal possession of a weapon, aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle and unlawful possession of marihuana. Hercules was stopped for speeding on Interstate 88, he was found to have a suspended license and illegally possessed a handgun. He was arraigned before the town of Maryland court and was remanded to the Otsego county jail in lieu of $2,000 cash bail.

The Public Market in Norwich is now a year-round farmers market. The winter farmers market will run from November through May each Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The location will continue to be in East Side Park as long as the weather is temperate. When the weather starts turning in the fall, the market will move indoors to the Morrisville College Follett Hall Atrium at 20 Conkey Avenue in Norwich. More information is available at 345-1447.

Former Governor George Pataki, former Comptroller Carl McCall and union and business leaders will head a tax-cutting commission set up by Governor Andrew Cuomo.  The commission will find ways to cut $2 to $3 billion dollars in taxes over the next few years.  Cuomo and the state legislature cut state spending the first  2 years of his administration, but were forced to increase spending in the budget currently in effect, but the state did implement a 2% tax cap for school districts & municipalities in order to keep taxes from increasing above the rate of inflation.  The Commission’s recommendations will be due by December 6th for inclusion in the Governor’s 2014 State of the State message.

State troopers arrested 55-year-old Jeffrey All of Bloomville for felony DWI, unauthorized use of a Motor Vehicle, & felony aggravated unlicensed operation.  While responding to a report of a stolen vehicle in Delaware County, troopers found that the suspect returned to the residence after crashing the vehicle.  All is accused of taking the vehicle without permission, that he was intoxicated at the time of the accident, had 2 prior DWI convictions in the last 10 years, and his BAC was 3 times the legal limit.   All was arraigned and was remanded to the Delaware county jail with no bail set pending future court action.

Governor Cuomo aims to reduce distracted driving by unveiling special "Texting Zones" along the New York State Thruway and State Highways.  The new zones will give motorists a pull-off area to park and use their mobile devices, in many cases, Existing rest stops and parking areas will serve as Texting Zones, and signage will be placed along the highway to inform drivers where the Zones are located.  New Texting locally will be located on I-81 in Whitney Point, New York route 17 at East Branch & Roscoe, & I-88 at Unadilla & East Worcester

State Police at Norwich arrested 24-year-old Patrice Ray of Plymouth for DWI and other vehicle and traffic law violations following an accident investigation in which Ray struck a parked and unoccupied vehicle on State Route 12 in Oxford.  She will appear in town of Oxford court September 30th

The state DEC has a new online registration system for hunter and trapper education programs that are required before getting a license. The agency says the new system will make it easier for people to find a nearby course and sign up. The classes are free and taught by volunteers.  Information on hunting and trapping education classes can be found on the DEC website at dec.ny.gov

September of Prostate Cancer awareness month, statistics show that 1 in 6 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime.  State Senator Tom Libous has been battling the disease for a couple of years, he said that his experience with cancer led to the partnership with Lourdes and UHS to create I Turned Pro, a Proactive program on Prostate Cancer. Details are available at ITurnedPro.com

FEMA has approved Otsego County’s Hazard Mitigation Action Plan 5-year update.  The next step in the process is the adoption by resolution of the plan by all 35 municipalities and the Otsego County Government for it to be officially in-place.  County officials said that having a FEMA-approved Hazard Mitigation plan allows the County, municipalities, and identified stakeholders to be eligible for annual, and disaster declaration funding rounds. More information is available at the County Planning Department website available located at otsegocounty.com (http://www.otsegocounty.com/depts/pln/).

The Chenango County Sheriff’s department investigated a 1-vehicle accident on county road 2 in the town of Greene, at about 11:45 Tuesday morning.  24-year-old Jesse Ehlers of Greene left the pavement while operating a Jeep Cherokee, he struck an embankment & a tree.  Ehlers & his passenger, 19 year old Makayla Heisler of Greene were not wearing seatbelts & were ejected from the vehicle, and suffered serious head and back injuries.  Both were transported to Wilson memorial hospital in Johnson city, the cause of the accident was from unsafe speed for the curve in the road and road conditions.

State Police at Oneonta arrested 29-year-old David Sparaco of Oneonta for Criminal Possession of Stolen Property.  The arrest resulted from a complaint originating at Searle’s Garage in Davenport, who reported that several brake rotors & a radiator from a 1958 Mercury was stolen.   Sparaco was arrested at Otsego Auto Crushers in Oneonta, when he tried to sell the stolen property as scrap metal.  Sparaco faces future court action on the charges.

A federal judge has set a trial date of December  2nd for a new fraud trial for former Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno.  The 84-year-old Bruno’s 2 fraud convictions from 2009 were overturned on appeal. Bruno is accused of accepting $440,000 from a businessman for helping with state grants.

The state Public Service Commission is urging income-eligible consumers to sign up for a discount telephone service through a program aimed at making New Yorkers safer at home. The Lifeline program provides discounts for monthly residential phone bills for basic telephone service.  New Yorkers already receiving other benefits including Food Stamps, Veterans’ Disability, SSI and Home Energy Assistance Program help are eligible. more information is available at AskPSC.com.

Despite an overall drop in attendance at New York parks, Chenango Valley State Park had a steady flow of swimmers, campers, hikers, golfers and guests this summer. The park, in the Town of Fenton, recorded attendance of 94,136 from Memorial Day through Labor Day weekends — a decrease of just 158 from the same time period last year.  At Oquaga Creek State Park, in northeastern Broome and Delaware counties, attendance dropped 10.2 percent this summer. Overall, officials attributed the slight attendance decline at parks across the state to a rainy start of the summer season.

A coalition of business groups that spent about $15 million pushing Gov. Cuomo’s legislative agenda is disbanding. The Committee to Save New York blanketed the tv airwaves in 2011 and 2012, promoting Cuomo's budget plans and financial austerity measures like the state's now-implemented property-tax cap. The group went silent in 2013 as new state rules took effect that would have required it to disclose its major donors. The decision to disband comes as the Moreland Act Commission, which was created by Cuomo earlier this year, conducts an investigation into corruption and the state's campaign finance system.

The New York City Department of Environmental Protection announced several stream improvement projects. Work includes Fly Creek at Fleischmanns – Middletown in Delaware County, receiving $1.3 million to stabilize eroded streambanks and damaged retaining walls. Another project will be started at Dry Brook at the Arkville Trailer Park – $400,000 to stabilize areas of erosion, and the stream bank and flood plain will be reconstructed to their approximate pre-flood locations.

Gov Cuomo raised the possibility of creating a “death penalty” for underperforming public schools in New York, suggesting he may push legislation next year allowing the state to take action. Cuomo said he will craft a plan for dealing with “failing schools” when lawmakers return to the state Capitol in January. The governor laid out a number of possibilities for dealing with underperforming schools, including potentially allowing the state, a local mayor or a charter school to take over. Any of those moves would require approval by state lawmakers.

The New York State Fair has ended with a slight increase in attendance over last year, with more than 850,000 people visiting the fairgrounds in Syracuse. Fair officials say yesterday's closing-day attendance was nearly 61,000, pushing overall attendance for 2013 to just over 851,000. That compares to about 845,000 last year. The all-time record for attendance was set in 2001, when more than 1 million people passed through the gates.

The New York State Police is reminding potential applicants that the application period for the upcoming Trooper examination ends on September 8.  Applicants who file by the September 8th deadline can choose an exam date and location. Exam dates are scheduled for October 5, 12, 19 and 26, 2013.  The online application can be found by at the New York State Police Recruitment website at http://www.nytrooper.com

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.

Several fire departments were called Thursday morning to a house fire at 111 Lewis St. in the town of Maine. When the Maine fire department arrived on scene, heavy smoke and fire was showing from every door and window of the home. No one was home at the time of the fire. Fire departments from Glen Aubrey, Endicott, Newark Valley, Union Center, West Corners and Whitney Point also responded to the scene.

Starting at 5 pm today, New York State DOT will be completely closing the Spring Brook Bridge on State Highway 12 between Brisben and Greene. It is expected to be closed through Wednesday, August 28th. During this time State Highway 12 will be completely shut down to all but local and emergency traffic, up to the bridge project. Travelers should use County Road 32 as an alternate means of travel around this area.

A new law went into effect to require more vehicles move over when they approach an emergency situation on roadways. The measure requires drivers to exercise caution by moving over to the adjacent lane, or slowing down, when approaching or passing any emergency vehicle on all state roadways

New York state recovered $46 million in overpayments to nursing homes after an audit by State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli. DiNapoli found the Department of Health computer system failed to deduct payments some nursing home residents are required to pay for their care. For a copy of the report, visit:osc.state.ny.us

Governor Cuomo announced more than $1.7 million in State funding for emergency relief is now available for 13 New York counties, cities and towns to help repair local roads and bridges damaged during Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee. The additional funding means communities will only be responsible for paying five percent of overall costs to rebuild transportation infrastructure. Locally, Chenango County will receive just over $20,000, Broome County $146,00 and Tioga County 53,000 in assistance.

New York State’s unemployment rate was unchanged at 7.5% in July, remaining at its lowest level since February 2009, according to the State Labor Department. Locally, Chenago County's unemployment rate is 6.9%, Delaware County 7.9%, Otsego County 6.6% and Broome County 7.8%. New York State’s private sector job count dipped over the month – by 9,200 or 0.1%.

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State Police at Oneonta arrested 29 year old Shannon Remillard and 23 year old Cassandra Remillard of Oneonta for 4th degree Grand Larceny following an ongoing State Police investigation. Each was give an appearance ticket for town of Oneonta Court August 22nd.

Sidney village police arrested 48 year old Veronica Crandall of Bainbridge for 5th degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, first degree coercion and for making a false written statement. Crandall is accused of possessing 75 hydrocodone tablets she received as payment to prevent her from filing false charges. Crandall was arrainged in Sidney Village court and sent to the Delaware County Jail on $10,000 bail and will re-appear in court August 20th.

Governor Cuomo continued to say that there is no timetable for a decision on the return of Hydrofracking to New York State.  State Senator Tom Libous of Binghamton told WCDO News that a decision has to be made soon, after 5 years of waiting:

(Libous 8-15-13)

Currently, the decision of Hydrofracking rests with the findings of the state Health Department.  A gas-drilling moratorium has been in effect for almost 5 years, hydrofracking started in Western New York in 1979.

The trial of 25 year old Binghamton resident Jaclyn Wesley began in Broome County Court yesterday.  In May of 2011, Wesley was driving her Ford Explorer when it went off Interstate 88 west in the town of Fenton and into the Chenango River.  There were 4 people in the vehicle and Wesley was the only survivor.  The bodies of 39-year-old Carri Michalski, 25-year-old Robert Moorehead and 45-year-old Robert Marshall were later recovered from the river.  Wesley is facing seven misdemeaners including driving while intoxicated in the case.  The trial continues at the Broome County Courthouse.

Tompkins County and the Town of Enfield declared local emergencies Wednesday afternoon due to the numerous damages caused by last week's storms.  Damages exceed four hundred thousand dollars and the compromised waterways and infrastructure could threaten private properties in the case of another storm.  The repairs are beyond the capacity of what the local government can manage and the county is calling on New York State to provide assistance.

A group of junior sailors from Camp Comstock were out on Cayuga Lake Wednesday when the winds picked up and waters became too rough.  A camp counselor attempted to rescue the three campers in a motor boat, but began taking water on board and the boat began to sink. Others from the camp went out in canoes and jet skis to try and bring them in. Trumansburg Fire and Rescue, along with the New York State Park Police Marine Unit and the Ithaca Fire and Rescue Marine Unit, responded to the scene and were able to rescue the boat operator.  Two campers were taken to Cayuga Medical Center for treatment of head injuries.  Officials said the use of life jackets helped make sure there was no loss of life.

Two men who led Pennsylvania State Police on a high-speed chase Monday morning have been arrested.  33 year old Erich J. West, and 21 year old Ryan J. West, both of Wellsboro, were wanted on several warrants. They had been spotted driving a stolen vehicle on state Route 660 in Richmond Township.  The two led police on a high speed chase through several townships before turning onto Scouten Hill Road where they abandoned the vehicle in a wooded area and fled on foot.  A search of the area after the incident was unsuccessful.  The suspects were arrested at an undisclosed location at a later time.

The Delaware County Department of Public Works will be closing County Route 20 in the town of Masonville from Monday to Friday, August 19th to the 23rd to replace a large culvert.  Work is expected to be complete by 3pm Friday the 23rd.

State Senator Tom Libous is seeking the public's to stop the state’s plans the Broome Developmental Center. The New York State Office for People with Developmental Disabilities recently announced that the facility would close within 3 years and 160 residents would move to group homes.  The announcement follows another planned closure of the Greater Binghamton Health Center, petitions to save both facilities can be found on the senator’s website: TomLibous.com.

THE ROCK IN THE PARK 2013 concert for Chenango County Toys for Tots will be held in General Clinton Park Saturday starting at noon, headlined by the Artimus Pyle Band, a Tribute to Ronnie Van Zandt & Lynyrd Skynyrd.  Pyle told WCDO News that, as a former marine, he is proud to participate in the Toys for Tots campaign, and he is proud to present a band that pays tribute to the band he played drums for in their 70’s heyday:

(Artimus Pyle 8-9-13)

Saturday’s show will start at noon with local favorites Tumbleweed highway & Woodshed Prophets opening, money raised will go for the Chenango county Toys for Tots Program.  Tickets are available at RockInThePark2013.eventbrite.com.  You can hear the Interview with WCDO’s Rob Ray at 8:15 Friday morning.

Governor Cuomo announced that New Yorkers would be treated to a "Taste of New York" experience at the State Fair this summer. New York grown and produced food and beverage products will be sampled and sold under the Taste New York banner all across the Fair this year and also at the newly-renamed Taste New York Marketplace.  A Taste NY Wine and Cheese Competition will be held and fairgoers could win a Taste NY Basket of Bounty filled with 'Made in NY' products.

Congressman Chris Gibson released a statement today in advance of the release of the New York City Filtration Avoidance Determination Review by the state Department of Health.   Gibson said that flood mitigation efforts must be a priority the severe flooding in recent years, in addition for the need of clean water for downstate residents.  The Filtration Avoidance was first issued in 1997; it allowed the city to avoid water filtration of their upstate reservoirs through stringent regulations.  A review of the agreement was due to be released last year; it has not yet been released for public input.   Local residents looking for more information can go to gibson.house.gov/watershed.

----------------------------------------JUSTIN PIS

The Chenango county sheriff’s department arrested 38-year-old Justin Pisanello of Greene Tuesday, for Harassment in the 2nd Degree.   Pisanello was charged following an altercation at Seeber’s Tavern in the Town of Smithville. He will appear in the Town of Smithville Court at a later date.

Governor Cuomo and BASS today announced the Bassmaster Elite Series Tournament would return to New York State in 2014.  The event will include the “Governor’s Challenge,” which will be a fishing competition featuring the Governor, elected officials, and some of the biggest names in professional fishing, The Governor’s Challenge will be held next fall in the Finger Lakes to attract visitors to the Upstate region and boost the local economy.

The deadline to register to vote in the upcoming September
primary elections is August 16th.  Governor Cuomo announced that so far, more than 200,000 New Yorkers have used the state's new online MyDMV, and automated systems to register, or update, their voter registration since its launch last year.  Those who wish to vote in the September primaries can log on and register at dmv.ny.gov.

Tickets are still available for the 2nd annual “Rock In The Park” concert to benefit the Chenango county Toys for Tots this year.  Concert Organizer Jason Hall told WCDO News that the concert Saturday features the Artimus Pyle band, a tribute to Ronnie Van Zandt & Lynyrd Skynyrd, as well as local favorites Tumbleweed Highway & Woodshed Prophets, and they could raise a good amount for a great cause:

(Jason Hall 8-7-13)

Tickets for the Saturday show at noon at General Clinton Park in Bainbridge are available at RockInThePark2013.eventbrite.com.

The Chenango county sheriff’s department arrested 31 year old James Bley of New Berlin for Aggravated DWI with BAC of .18 or higher, DWI, Aggravated Unlicensed Operation and Unlicensed operation. The arrest followed an investigation into a disorderly conduct complaint in the Village of Sherburne where the defendant allegedly engaged in a verbal confrontation at a Village of Sherburne business and then left the area.  Bley was located in Sherburne and is accused of operating a motor vehicle in an intoxicated condition and without a license.  Bley was processed & will appear in Sherburne Court at a later date.

The Chenango county sheriffs department arrested 73-year-old Henry Hemsley of North Norwich on a charge of Unlawfully Growing Cannabis.  Officers responded after discovering marijuana plants growing in the front yard of a residence, Hemsley was released on an appearance ticket and will appear in court at a later date.

Chesapeake Energy has given up a two-year legal fight to retain thousands of acres of natural gas drilling leases in New York State.  The move follows a conflict with landowners in Broome & Tioga Counties, who had leased acreage to Chesapeake over the past decade, the landowners battled Chesapeake to prevent them from extending the old leases under their original terms that were more favorable to Chesapeake then later ones negotiated with various landowners coalitions.  The move now allows those landowners to negotiate with a new driller to operate after New York’s gas drilling moratorium expires.

Governor Cuomo today announced that $45 million in grants are available for Water Quality Improvement Projects by municipalities, soil and water conservation districts and non-profit organizations. Recipients can be reimbursed 75 to 85% of the project costs, depending on the type of project. Application deadline is November 8th more information is available on the state DEC website.

The Chenango county sheriff’s department arrested 29-year-old Rick Donnelly of Norwich on an active bench warrant issued by the Town of New Berlin Court for violation of probation.  Donnelly had been arrested in July 2012 on charges of 3rd degree sexual abuse and endangering the welfare of a child, he was arraigned on the probation violation charge and was remanded to the Chenango County Jail on $5,000 cash bail & will re-appear in the Town of New Berlin court on August 21st.

State Police in Oneonta are currently investigating a two-vehicle fatal motor vehicle accident that occurred on State Route 23 and County Route 11, in the Town of Oneonta, at around 8:45 this morning.  State Route 23 is closed in both directions.  County Route 11 is closed just at the intersection.  Local fire department personnel are assisting with traffic at the intersections.  The investigation is ongoing and more information will be given when available.

This Saturday will be Cullman Community day in Sidney at Keith Clark Park.  Cullman Director Amy Williams told WCDO news of some of the events scheduled:

(Amy Williams 7-23-13)

Those who would like to register from some of races can contact the Cullman Center at 563-7529.  Williams said that there would also be a talent show at 1:00 and various activities for children throughout the event.

State Police at Greene arrested 50-year-old Joey Burns of Greene for 4th degree Criminal Mischief & Driving While Intoxicated with a BAC result of .15 %.   The arrest resulted from a traffic accident at a residence on County Route 9 in Greene; Burns was issued tickets returnable to the Town of Greene Court on July 25th.

Former governor David Paterson may run for Congress, for the seat occupied by Charles Rangel.  Rangel may decide to retire this year, has not yet announced his intentions.  Paterson previously served much of Rangel’s district as a state senator prior to becoming Governor following Elliot Spitzer’s resignation following a scandal involving prostitutes.

Former Governor George Pataki is expected to take the stand today in a Manhattan Federal Court, after he was sued by 6 men who were civilly confined after serving prison terms for sex crimes.   Pataki was a proponent of confining sex offenders after they served their prison term, if a mental health professional deemed that offender as a potential danger to the public if released. The program was discontinued after a state court ruled the state was wrongly confining convicted sex offenders in psychiatric facilities

Over 2 ½ inches of heavy rain, led to areas of Flash flooding in Otsego County last night.  Officials reported water over sections of Main & chestnut streets in Oneonta last night, the Otsego county sheriff’s departments reported that County Highway 31 was closed between Cooperstown and Glimmerglass State Park, and County Route 11C was closed between Route 28 and County Highway 33.

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Following a 6 month investigation into the illegal sale of Heroin, Cocaine, Mushrooms and Prescription Narcotics, the SIDNEY POLICE DEPARTMENT Arrested 39 year old James Martin of Sidney, for 3rd degree Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance.  Martin was arraigned at Delaware County Court on sealed Indictments and remanded to Delaware County Jail on $10,000 cash bail and $20,000 bond pending further court action.

The SIDNEY POLICE DEPARTMENT arrested 30-year-old HERBERT BIDWELL JR, of Sidney, for 2 counts of Falsifying Business Records and 2 counts of Petty Larceny.  Bidwell was arraigned at Sidney Village Court and Remanded to the Delaware County Jail on $2,500 cash bail.  Bidwell Jr. is accused of stealing money and falsifying records at the Sidney Country Store.

State troopers in Oneonta arrested Samir Champaneri of Illinois for Felony Driving While Intoxicated with a child less then 15 years of age in the vehicle, Endangering the Welfare of a Child and Consumption of an Alcoholic Beverage in a Motor Vehicle. The arrest resulted from a traffic stop on State Route 28 in Oneonta, Champaneri was arraigned in Oneonta Town Court and remanded to the Otsego County Jail in lieu of $2,500.00 cash bail/bond. He is scheduled to reappear before the Town of Oneonta Court on August 22nd.

State Troopers arrested 32-year-old Reginald Bridgeforth of Oneonta for 3rd degree Attempted Assault and Trespassing. The arrest resulted from an investigation into a reported altercation on Pine Cliff Circle in the Town of Davenport, Bridgeforth was arraigned before the Town of Davenport Court and remanded to the Delaware County Jail in lieu of $8,000.00 cash bail/ $16,000.00 bond, and he will appear in the Town of Oneonta Court on July 23rd.

The Chenango county sheriffs department 35 year old Richard Taft of Greene for 2nd degree Unlawful Surveillance. Taft is accused of covertly recording a victim without their knowledge or consent, he was processed and arraigned in the Village of Green Court and remanded to the Chenango County Correctional Facility on $1,000 cash bail.

Local organizers announced the inaugural 5K Run-Walk through the City of Norwich to support the St. Baldrick's Foundation for childhood cancer research. The 5K run/walk will be held on Saturday, September 28th where it will start and end at East Park, in the City of Norwich at 9:00 am. Registration is available at stbaldricks.org/events/2013Norwich5K.

Governor Cuomo launched the New York Rising Community Reconstruction Program to help communities hit hard Superstorm Sandy, Tropical Storm Lee & Hurricane Irene, to create and implement strategies for rebuilding and strengthening their communities against future extreme weather. Yesterday the governor announced that the state would put up 16 million dollars in flood relief for those affected in late June & early July after FEMA announced that they would not be assisting:

(Cuomo 7-18-13)

The Governor also announced that the State would award $250 million of the State’s FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant Program to the New York Rising Communities to implement eligible projects for infrastructure or building improvements to protect communities from future extreme natural disasters.

State police at Oneonta arrested 44-year-old Sarah Helmes and 45-year-old David Helmes of Stuyvesant on felony drug charges Sunday in the town of Hartwick.  Both were charged with criminal possession of cocaine, Sarah Helmes also was charged with drinking alcohol in a motor vehicle, both face court action shortly.

The Broome County Health Department has confirmed two cases of E Coli, linked to people who went swimming at Cole Park in the Town of Colesville back on June 23rd.  Health department officials said that the 2 people affected are recovering, they also reported that the water at Cole Park is being monitored & is safe currently.  E Coli can be caused by cow manure affected vegetables, under cooked meat, or from run off after excessive rainfall in rural areas.

The Broome County Sheriff’s department arrested 17-year-old Katlynn Carangelo of Vestal, for allegedly taking funds that were donated to the Muscular Dystrophy Association in retail established that she had been working at.   Carangelo was charged with 3 counts of Petty Larceny, she was released on an appearance ticket for Town of Union Court at a later date.

State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli reported that the Personal Income Tax and business tax collections were down in  June compared to last year, but the state’s General Fund balance ended the month higher due to a $250 million regulatory settlement.  DiNapoli said that an increase in tax refunds to New Yorkers led to a 21.8 million dollar decline in state revenue & Business tax collections fell $97.2 million from 2012.  The full report is available at osc.state.ny.us (http://www.osc.state.ny.us/finance/finreports/cash/monthly/june13.pdf).

AM NEWS 7-11-13

Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that 54 million has been awarded to 20 recipients to finance large scale solar energy projects across New York State. The new projects will add 64 megawatts to the state’s solar capacity and will make New York the leader in solar energy generation. The closest sites to the Southern Tier are Cornell University in Ithaca and SUNY Cortland. For more information on this plan, visit ny-sun.ny.gov

New York officials plan to overhaul the state’s psychiatric services over the next four years by consolidating 24 inpatient hospitals statewide into 15 regional centers and establishing more than two dozen outpatient service hubs. The consolidation plan, released by the Office of Mental Health on Wednesday, also includes closing psychiatric hospitals in Elmira and Binghamton in 2014. The plan is expected to save $20 million the first year. The state spends about $6.6 billion, including federal funds, annually on mental health treatment.

A Binghamton man was charged with felony second-degree strangulation following a dispute on Willow Street with a family member, according to Johnson City police. 33 year old Kareem A. Davis is accused of threatening to kill a woman, and then grabbing her by the neck and choking her, causing her to pass out. Davis was arraigned in village court and sent to the Broome County jail.

Many activites for the entire family are happening in around our area. The Afton Fair and Agricultural Expo opens today at 9am at the Afton Fairgrounds with animal exhibits, floral judging, harness racing, a children's bicycle drawing and the K Bar F Rodeo at 7:30pm this evening. Admission is only $1 per person with children 5 and under free. The Fair continues through Sunday and the complete schedule can be found online at The Afton Fair Dot Com. Also, Unadilla will have their Free Summer Concert for this week, tonight from 6:30-8pm on the Community House Lawn. Montebank Brothers will provide the entertainment, and bring a dish to pass and your own table service, as there will be a community picnic starting at 5:30pm. For dessert The Unadilla Chamber of Commerce will hold a strawberry social during the concert. In case of rain, the concert will be held in the firehouse on Clifton St. Plus, The Chenango County Blues Fest Summer series kicks off tonight in Norwich with New Riders of the Purple Sage taking the stage at 7pm in East Side Park. The series continues weekly on Thursday nights through August 1st. The complete schedule for the series can be found at chenangobluesfest.org.

The supply of types O positive and O negative blood at the American Red Cross is at very low levels. Eligible donors with type O blood are asked to donate blood today at a Blood Drive at Guernsey Memorial Library in Norwich, at 3 Court Street, from 9:00 to 2:00 pm. Appointments can be made at 1-800-RedCross or redcrossblood.org.
Commerce Chenango will hold their next networking luncheon today at Lewis’s restaurant in Sherburne. Registration begins at 11:30, more information is available at 334-1402.

The Bainbridge-Guilford Central School will hold the Re-Organizational Board of Education Meeting today in the Guilford School Cafeteria at 6:30 PM. The business portion of the meeting will start at 7:30 PM.

The incidence of confirmed rabies cases of raccoons in the tri county area continues. Pet owners are reminded that your pets must be vaccinated. Free rabies clinics are taking place next week at the Coventry Town Garage on Tuesday, July 16th from 5:30 to 6:30pm, Wednesday the 17th at the Morris Fire Department from 6 to 8pm and Thursday, July 18th at the New Berlin Fire Station from 7 to 8:30pm. The clinics are for dogs, cats and ferrets.
State regulators are looking for feedback on proposed changes to freshwater fishing rules. The DEC has identified potential changes based on discussions with anglers, biologists, and fisheries managers. Now the DEC is seeking additional angler feedback. Many changes under consideration would eliminate special regulations that didn’t achieve their intended purpose. Highlights include increasing year-round trout fishing opportunities at specific streams and establishing catch-and-release fishing at a few additional streams. To view the potential changes and provide input, go to dec.ny.gov

AM NEWS 7-9-13

Gov. Andrew Cuomo will consider calling the state Legislature back to Albany if the federal government does not quickly dispatch relief funds to the severely flooded parts of upstate. Persistent rain in recent weeks caused rivers and streams throughout the state to overflow, flooding counties throughout the Albany area, central New York, the Southern Tier and the North Country. During a briefing on the damage in Herkimer County on Sunday, Cuomo said he would push for President Obama to declare the flooded sites “disaster areas,” which would allow for the distribution of emergency federal funds. If the federal government does not respond, he will convene a special session.

New York Senator Charles Schumer announced Monday that New York State will be a participant in the USDA Greek Yogurt Pilot Program. The USDA released a solicitation to purchase Greek yogurt for delivery to participating schools in the upcoming School Year. Schools in New York, Tennessee, Idaho, and Arizona will be participating in the program. Bids are due on July 22 and the FSA expects to evaluate the bids and make awards by the end of July.

State Senator Jim Seward Announced a 250 Thousand dollar state grant for medical equipment and to help complete renovations at A.O. Fox Hospital in Oneonta. The grant will assist in the purchase of wall mounted computers and scanners to be used in single occupance patient rooms.

The Village of Bainbridge Planning Board will hold a special meeting Wednesday night to consider a site plan review for 2-4 Whitney Way in Bainbridge, the location where a fire recently destroyed the Upturn Industries building. The Meeting will be held at 7pm inside the Bainbridge Village Clerk's Office. The meeting is open to the public.

The New York State Department of Transportation will hold a public information meeting to discuss the replacement of the State Route 30 and 206 bridge over the East Branch Delaware River in the town of Colchester. The meeting will take place at the Downsville Fire Station this Wednesday at 7pm. The DOT said the bridge was constructed in 1953 and is nearing the end of it's service life.

The Binghamton Zoo will have an ice cream safari this Saturday July 13th. Five station will be positioned around the zoo with 5 different ice cream flavors. All of the zoo's animals will be on display including animal spotlights. For more information, go to Ross Park Zoo dot com.

The next Free Rabies Vaccination Clinic for dogs, cats, and ferrets in Delaware County, will be held today at the Deposit Town Clerk building at 3 Elm Street. The clinic will run from 6:00PM-8:00PM, more information is available at 832-5200 or at delawarecountypublichealth.com

On Friday evening, July 19th at 9:00 pm The Shire Pub in Delhi will be hosting a fundraiser for Habitat of Delaware County. Members of Habitat for Humanity of Delaware County are planning for a building project in the Delhi area. Additional information regarding Habitat for Humanity of Delaware County is available by accessing delawarecountyhabitat.org or at 746-9987.

The Norwich City Police Department are removing the body of a woman found near the Norwich Wal-Mart, in an area that they have been searching in since they found the gold Pontiac owned by 51 year old Krista Kosowky of Norwich.  Kosowsky was reported missing by her husband after failing to show up for work on Friday in Clinton, a Police Canine unit discovered the body in water near a railroad right-of-way this morning, the woman’s identity and cause of death will be determined by an autopsy.

State police will be out in full force for the July 4th holiday weekend.  Patrols will be looking for speeders, drunk, drugged or aggressive drivers, those using cell phones for calling or texting while driving, they are also looking for all motorists & passengers to use their seat belts.

Oneonta will be the site for the annual hometown 4th of July celebration tomorrow.  Activities are scheduled from noon until dark in Neawha Park, wrapping up with the annual fireworks display at about 9:20 PM.  More information is available at hometown4th.com.

The New York State DOT will hold a public information meeting on July 10th to discuss a project to replace a bridge on State Route 30 & 206 over the East Branch Delaware River in the Town of Colchester.  The meeting will be held at the Colchester Town Hall located at 72 Tannery Road, Colchester, at 7:00 PM.  The bridge has been in use for 60 years and DOT inspectors have determined that it needs to be replaced. Three alternatives will be discussed at the meeting.

Flooding issues from recent storms have forced some area waterways to spill over their banks.  Chenango County Sheriffs department said that flooding in Sherburne has closed down state route 12, Otsego county officials report that Route 28 is closed from Schuyler Lake to Herkimer & Route 31 is closed from Cooperstown to Glimmerglass State Park due to flooding, and Otsego Express is canceling all public transportation today. Localized flooding was reported in Norwich around Prentice Street. Widespread flooding has been reported throughout the Mohawk Valley between Utica & Albany.  Area River gauges can be accessed through our website at wcdoradio.com.

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State police and other law enforcement agencies arrested 2 people after a two-month investigation into the sale of crack cocaine.  Police executed a search warrant Thursday morning in Ithaca; they arrested 21-year-old CHRISTOPHER AROCHO and 22 year old MAIESHA HARRIS for 3rd degree Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance.  Police seized 62 packets of crack cocaine, approximately $2,000 in cash, and materials used to package, weigh and cook crack cocaine.  AROCHO and HARRIS were arraigned, AROCHO was remanded to the Tompkins County Jail and HARRIS was released on her own recognizance to appear at a later date.

Chenango county sheriffs department arrested 35-year-old Rachael O’Neill of Norwich, for 2nd degree Harassment, following an investigation into an incident involving a county social services worker.  O’Neill is accused of threatening bodily harm to a County DSS worker during the course of a meeting, she was arraigned in the Town of Norwich court and is to re-appear in the City of Norwich court at a later date.

Assemblyman Cliff Crouch hosted a roundtable “Education Summit” at the Chenango Valley High School last night.  Crouch said that he would take the information gathered last night and share it with the Assembly Education Committee, and then translate that into legislation. Topics discussed were the Annual Professional Performance Reviews, Common Core, state testing, and the effect of unfunded mandates have away dollars from the classroom.

Chenango county sheriffs department arrested 18-year-old Rebel Whitman of Greene for Unlawful Possession of Marihuana.  The arrest followed a traffic stop in the Town of Norwich on June 18, Whitman is accused of possessing marihuana in the vehicle, and he was issued an appearance ticket for Town of Norwich court at a later date.

The 25th annual Sidney Federal Credit Union Hometown Day Parade will be held tomorrow from the Sidney High School, down west Main, to Main Street, to River Street & ending at Keith Clark Park.  SFCU Spokesperson Elise Glassett comments:

(Elise Glassett 6-7-13)

The Sidney Police Department has parking restrictions and street closings in effect for the Hometown Day Parade tomorrow.   No Parking rules are in effect on Main Street and River Street from 7:00 a.m. to the conclusion of the parade, street closures include Circle Drive from Fox to West Main at 11:00 AM, and at 12:30 closures will be Main Street at State Route 7, West Main Street from Loomis Drive to Main Street, East Main Street from Beale Boulevard to Main Street, and River Street from Colegrove to Main Street. Tomorrow’s parade will begin at 1:00 PM.

The annual Algonquin antique & Collector Auto show & Flea Market will beheld this Sunday, at general Clinton park in Bainbridge.  Award trophies will be present to the top 3 entries in each of the 24 classes, vehicles to be judged must be on the field by 12:00 Noon.  More information is available at 967-7185.

State police will be out in full force this Memorial Day weekend across the state, Troop C Commanding officer Major Kevin Molinari explains:

(Molinari memorial patrols 2013)

One person is killed every half hour on average nationwide due to drunk driving, state police are also looking to get 100% compliance on seat belt usage, research indicates that the chance of serious injuries or fatalities climb extremely high if seat belts are not used by occupants in a crash.

Chenango county sheriff’s deputies & the Greene Police Department arrested 23-year-old Corey Nelson of Tunkhannock, Pennsylvania.  Nelson was a Fugitive from Justice out of the State of Pennsylvania, with an arrest warrant issued by the Muhlenberg Township Police Department for Theft by Deception-False Impression.  Nelson was arraigned in Chenango County Court and remanded to the Chenango County Correctional facility pending extradition back to Pennsylvania.

This Saturday the 6th Annual Dan Elwood Memorial 5k Run/ 1Mile Walk to benefit Hospice of Chenango County will be held in Bainbridge.  The event will start in General Clinton Park at 9:00 am, Registration forms can be downloaded on two sites, www.canoeregatta.org/events.htm (http://www.canoeregatta.org/events.htm) or the Hospice website at www.hospicechenango.org (http://www.hospicechenango.org/).

Chenango county sheriff’s deputies arrested Trinity Hafner of Norwich for Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance &  Criminal Possession of a Hypodermic Needle during a traffic stop on State Highway 12 in North Norwich.   Deputies found  a hypodermic needle on the floor of the vehicle and a syringe was found within the vehicle containing heroin. Hafner was released on an appearance ticket & will appear in the Town of North Norwich Court on a later date.

Chenango county sheriff’s department arrested Ganesh Remy Ramsaran of New Berlin, in connection with the murder of his wife Jennifer, who was reported missing December 11th of last year by her husband.  Jennifer Ramsaran was found dead in February in the Town of Pharsalia in a wooded area.  WCDO will have further details as they become available.

The State Office of Emergency Management continues to monitor effects of the earthquake that occurred this morning near Ottawa, Canada, and was felt throughout parts of New York State. There have been no reports of damage to any of the state’s critical infrastructure. No injuries were reported.

Mollianna's Mission is holding their 2nd  Annual Family Day Festival tomorrow at General Clinton Park in Bainbridge.    The event starts at Noon with musical acts, arts & crafts, vendors, with the full schedule at familydayfestival.org.   There will be a parking charge with the proceeds going to Mollianna’s Mission, according to mission spokesperson Melissa Matthews:

(Melissa Matthews 5-17-13)

Mollianna's Mission Inc. was recently designated as a “not for profit incorporation” that assists families financially with the costs associated with lost pregnancies or infants.

Governor Cuomo asked pro gas groups to do more to allay the fears of the public with regard to misconceptions about natural gas development. The Joint Landowners Coalition of New York will host an event regarding water & health issues & the state proposed gas-drilling regulations, at the Legislative Office Building in Albany, on Thursday, May 30th from 11:30 am to 2:30 pm.  A panel discussion with gas drilling & health experts is scheduled, followed by a question & answer period.

The Chenango County Sheriff’s department arrested 51-year-old Denise Wells of Bainbridge for Driving While Intoxicated.  Deputies responded to the report of an intoxicated woman who had driven to a Norwich business.   Wells was released on appearance tickets and is to appear in the Town of Norwich Court at a later date.

The Chenango county sheriff’s department arrested 39-year-old Cheryl Hoxie of New Berlin for 3rd degree Forgery and Petty Larceny.  Hoxie is accused of forging a signature on checks that she had stolen, and cashed them at local banks, she was released on appearance tickets and is to appear in the Town of New Berlin Court and the Town of Norwich Court at later dates.