WCDO Radio News

The Otsego County Sheriff's Office announced the arrest of 50 year old James Smoot of Harmony North Carolina, as part of the investigation into the theft of firearms in the Town of Middlefield. Smoot was charged with Grand Larceny, & weapons charges following a larceny investigation of multiple firearms in the Town of Middlefield, Smoot was arraigned in Town of Middlefield Court, he was remanded to the Otsego County Jail on $3,000 cash bail or $6,000 bond and is scheduled to reappear in Middlefield Court on a later date.

State Police arrested 58 year old Susanna Zock of Laurens for Driving While Ability Impaired by Drugs and Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance, after Troopers responded to a complaint of an erratic driver traveling at 10 to 15 miles an hour in a 55 mile an hour zone on State highway 205 in the town of Laurens. Troopers located the vehicle and observed Zock swerving all over the road, she was arrested and released on appearance tickets returnable to the town of Laurens Court on December 20th.

The Otsego County Chamber of Commerce will host an inaugural Energy Infrastructure Summit on January 31, 2019 from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at The Otesaga Resort Hotel in Cooperstown, NY. Details on how to register for Summit will be available mid-December and sent to all our members.

State Police arrested 41 year old Brian Larson of Masonville for Driving While Ability Impaired by Drugs and Unlawful Possession of Marijuana, after Troopers observed the vehicle Larson was operating with an equipment violation on State Route 7 in Bainbridge. Larson was arrested then arraigned in the town of Bainbridge Court pending future court action.

The 10th Annual Holidays in the Hamlet will be held in Sidney Center this Saturday, starting with a holiday parade beginning at 5:15. Mike Sellitti of the Sidney Center Improvement Group explains:

(Mike Sellitti 12-6-18)

Sellitti said that Admission is free with a canned good donation for the Food Bank.

State Police arrested 38 year old Ronald Wright of Unadilla for DWI with BAC of .17%. A trooper observed a male urinating at the gate to Wadler Brothers on State Highway 28 in the town of Middletown. After an investigation, the trooper determined that Wright was impaired and unable to operate a vehicle safely. He was subsequently arrested and later released on appearance tickets returnable to the town of Middletown court on December 18th.

Smacked! Heroin Addiction & Recovery in Rural America, a locally-produced documentary, will be screened today, at FoxCare Center in Oneonta, from 5:00 TO 8:00 pm. Fox Spokesperson Gabrielle Argo explains:

(Gabby Argo 12-6-18)

Smacked! will be followed by a panel discussion with director Jessica Vecchione and members of Otsego County’s addiction treatment community. Light refreshments will be served. More information is available at 431-5692.

Chenango Arts Council will have Violinist Eileen Ivers performing at the Martin W. Kappel Theater this evening. Council CEO Alecia O'Neill comments:

(Alecia O'Neill 12-6-18)

Tickets are available at the box office, at chenangoarts.org or by calling 336-ARTS.

Governor Cuomo today announced $15 million has been awarded to 32 high-need school districts to increase access to high-quality pre-kindergarten for over 2,000 three- and four-year-old children across New York. This funding will support the expansion of pre-kindergarten to high-need or underserved districts as part of the state's ongoing efforts to promote early education and improve the academic future for all students.

State Police arrested 43 year old Jason Rude of Oneonta for Grand Larceny, following a complaint that Rude allegedly took a victim’s vehicle without permission then sold the vehicle to Otsego Auto Crushers. Rude was arraigned in the town of Middlefield Court where he was released on his own recognizance.

The Bainbridge-Guilford Central School will hold a Board of Education Meeting on Today in the District Conference Room at 6:30 PM. The business portion of the meeting will start at 7:00 PM.

State Police are looking to identify an individual described as a white female with shoulder length blond hair, driving a white 4 door late model sedan. The suspect is accused of going through a vehicle while it was parked at Animal Adventure Park near Colesville on October 16 and taking money, credit cards and checks. The suspect's picture was obtained when she attempted to cash a check using the victim’s identification at the NBT Bank in Syracuse. Anyone with information should call State Police at 775-1241; photos have been posted at the State Police Troop C web page.

The Delaware County Board of Supervisors passed their 103 million dollar budget at their meeting Wednesday in Delhi. The tax levy increase was held to about 1.4%, the board also approved of forming the substance Abuse Prevention Task Force which will include members of several County Agencies to try to combat the ongoing Heroin & Opioid problem.

The Autopsy performed on 50 year old Wade Bostwick of Milford showed that he died of carbon monoxide poisoning. Bostwick was found dead in his home after firefighters responded to a fire at his Center Street Milford Address last Saturday afternoon.

The State Department of Taxation and Finance announced more than 62,000 payments worth more than $46.6 million have been made through its convenient Quick Pay application since the beginning of 2018. The free service provides individuals a way to promptly pay a tax bill or debt owed from an audit or collection case, or as part of an installment payment agreement. More information is available at tax.ny.gov at the Bills & Notices page.

Demolitions of Derelict buildings in Sidney Center have begun this week. Sidney Town Supervisor Gene Pigford explains:

(Gene Pigford 11-29-18)

Supervisor Pigford said that the buildings were purchased for a nominal fee and will initially serve as a Green Space.

Sidney area residents over 65 can get assistance with medical bills of prescription costs through the Mary MacKinnon Trust Fund. Community Bank Trust Department Spokesperson Julia Goff explains:

(Julia Goff 11-29-18)

Goff said that the trust fund has been active & growing for over 50 years, more information is available at 433-4212

The race in the 22nd Congressional District is over, with Anthony Brindisi officially being called the winner, and outgoing Republican Claudia Tenney finally conceded the race yesterday. Brindisi has already been in Washington for orientation, Tenney leaves after serving only 1 term in Congress.

The Tri-Town Coalition On Substance Abuse Prevention will hold their next regular meeting this evening. The meeting will be held in the Sidney High School Library from 6:00 to 7:30 PM, the guest speaker will be Megan Waldrath of PRC.

The Bainbridge-Guilford Central School will hold a Board of Education Meeting this evening in the Guilford Elementary School Cafeteria at 6:30 PM. The business portion of the meeting will start at 7:00 PM.

Governor Cuomo today announced more than $262.2 million in enhanced funding has been awarded to municipal governments to accelerate the renewal and modernization of local bridges and culverts. As part of the State's BRIDGE NY initiative, these awards will fund 165 individual projects in 95 communities across the State. In the Southern Tier, 27 Projects are scheduled, totaling $32.94 Million dollars.

The American Red Cross announced that they are facing a severe blood shortage and urgently needs blood and platelet donors to give now to avoid delays in lifesaving medical care for patients. Volunteer blood drive hosts are also critically needed to prevent the shortage from worsening this winter. During September and October, the Red Cross collected over 21,000 fewer blood and platelet donations than what hospitals needed. Blood donors of all blood types, especially type O, are urged to make an appointment to donate at RedCrossBlood.org or by calling 1-800-RED CROSS. Several Blood Drives will be held across the region in the coming days & weeks, after fewer blood drives in September and October coupled with hurricanes Michael and Florence, caused thousands of blood and platelet donations to go uncollected.

The Sidney Central School District Board of Education meeting for this evening has been cancelled. The reschedule date has not been determined yet.

The next meeting of the General Clinton canoe regatta Committees will be tonight. The meeting will be held at Galaxy Bowl at 105 Main Street, at 6:30, the Race committee meeting will begin and at 7:30, the General meeting will begin.

Binghamton University officials announced that senior Albert Cruz of the Bronx was found collapsed in his suite in a dorm on the Vestal campus on Sunday. Cruz died shortly afterward at an area hospital, there was "no indication of foul play" and university police are awaiting reports from a medical examiner.

The Greene Central School District is closed today. Officials said that the cause of today's closing is due to the water situation in the Village.

22 Year old Barbara Doyle of Oneonta has already written 20 books & published 7 of them, which are available through Amazon on their Kindle platform or in paperback. Doyle told WCDO News about her 7 book which was published last Friday:

(Barbara Doyle 11-1-18)

Doyle currently works for Bassett Healthcare in Research & has been accepted to participate in the University of Albany's graduate program for Literature, with a goal to become an English professor.

4 out of the 5 New York Gubernatorial Candidates will participate in a debate in Albany tonight. Governor Cuomo has opted out of tonight's debate, republican Marcus Molinaro, Libertarian Larry Sharpe; Green Party Candidate Howie Long & Independent Stephanie Miner will participate, at the College of St. Rose in Albany at 6:00pm.

The Delaware County Board of Elections Office will be open extra hours in the days leading up to the General Elections on November 6th. Added Hours will be today until 7:00 PM for absentee voting, Saturday November 3rd from 9:00 AM to 12:00 Noon. More information is available at 832-5321, or at the main office in Delhi, Monday through Friday, from 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM.

Following a court decision this week, The Oneonta Fire District will officially dissolve tomorrow. The Oneonta town board will meet tonight at 7:00 p.m. to hold a public hearing on the 2019 town budget and discuss the formation of the new fire district.

The State DMV announced that November is "STOP-DWI Month" in New York State. The STOP-DWI Program was established in November of 1981 to coordinate state and local efforts to reduce impaired-driving offenses and to prevent crashes across the state. Since the program was enacted, fatalities from alcohol-related crashes on New York’s roadways have decreased 74%.

A man reported missing whose vehicle was found abandoned in Oneonta has been located deceased. State Police located 53-year-old Steven J. Kassirer deceased in a ravine within heavy brush, behind Safelite Auto Glass on Oneida Street in Oneonta. Troopers located Kassirer's vehicle earlier in the week in the Safe Lite parking lot, he was reported missing in Irondequoit and was also reported missing in Massachusetts when he did not report to his place of employment on October 23. No foul play is suspected at this time but the cause of death is still pending autopsy results.

The Bainbridge-Guilford Central School will hold a Board of Education Meeting Today, in the Guilford Elementary School Cafeteria at 6:30 PM. The business portion of the meeting will start at 7:00 PM.

Sidney Chamber of Commerce “Business After Hours” will be held today, at the Sidney Memorial Library. The event will run from 5:00 to 7:00 PM, members will get a chance to meet with new Library Director Beth Paine.

State Police at Deposit are investigating a fatal industrial accident at the loading dock at the Courier Printing Corporation in Deposit. The deceased has been identified as 66 year old William Sethmann of Deposit, who was working as an independent contractor and handyman at Courier; he was located crushed underneath a hydraulic loading dock. The investigation revealed that Sethmann was working on the lift when it failed sometime between Monday afternoon and Wednesday morning. There are no signs of foul play.

19-year-old Alexander Wetzel was reported missing Tuesday, the SUNY Broome student was found by Binghamton Police Wednesday, SUNY Broome officials announced their condolences to Wetzel's family on their website today. Grief Counselors are available for students & staff following the announcement of Wetzel's death. Funeral arrangements have not yet been announced.

Fire Fighters from Several Area Companies responded to the report of 2 trailers on fire at the Sidney Unadilla Trailer Park at 754 State Route 7, near the State Police Troop C Headquarters today. The fire was reported at around 1:00 PM, with occupants escaping the fire, fire fighters from Sidney, Wells Bridge, Sidney center, Bainbridge & Franklin responding. WCDO News will have further details as they become available.

State Police arrested 37 year old Gary Sullivan Jr. of Hancock for DWI, after a trooper was dispatched to a 1 car accident on State Route 17 in Kirkwood. The trooper located Sullivan’s vehicle on its side and Sullivan had with minor injuries. Sullivan was arrested & was released on appearance tickets to town of Kirkwood Court on October 16th.

The Greater Afton Area Chamber of Commerce is inviting local crafters, vendors and organizations to join their first ever Small Business Saturday Holiday Shop taking place on Small Business Saturday, November 24th from 12:00 Noon to 6:00 pm at the Afton Central School. More information is available at 208-4064.

The Peanuts gang will be coming to The Forum, Binghamton, on November 20th at 6:00pm for A Charlie Brown Christmas Live On Stage. Tickets are on sale Monday, October 8th at 10:00am at the arena box office, Ticketmaster.com or by calling (800) 745-3000. The Emmy and Peabody award-winning story by Charles Schulz originally aired on television over 50 years ago.

Chenango County Sheriff's Department investigated a robbery Tuesday Night on Royal Avenue in the Town of Norwich, after a male victim went to Chenango Memorial Hospital with missing teeth, head lacerations and additional trauma. The investigation revealed that the victim was lured to the Royal Avenue address by 19 year old Jade Orlando, who requested marihuana to be delivered to her, Brenden Gager, Hunter Speenburgh and Landon Cummings were hiding nearby, they allegedly assaulted and robbed the victim. All 4 were arrested & were charged with Robbery & Assault; they were arraigned and remanded to the Chenango County Correctional Facility. The City of Norwich Police Department assisted with the investigation. The investigation is ongoing and additional charges are expected.

Two men were arrested and 100 pounds of marijuana were seized after the Otsego County Sheriff’s Department raided elaborate growing operations in Morris and New Lisbon. 47 year old Christian Balmaceda of Morris and 49 year old Joseph Ali of New Lisbon were arrested, Balmaceda was charged with Criminal Possession of Marijuana, Unlawful Growing of Cannabis, and 3 counts of Endangering the Welfare of a Child, Ali was charged with Criminal Possession of Marijuana, Criminal Possession of a Weapon, Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance & Unlawfully Growing of Cannabis, they were remanded to the Otsego County Jail pending future court action.

Hartwick College’s True Blue Weekend 2018 is scheduled to start today with more than 50 regional, national, and international employers offering students work opportunities at Hartwick College’s Internship & Career Expo. The event will be held from 1:00 to 3:30 PM in Lambros Arena, on the Hartwick College campus, more information is available at hartwick.edu/EXPO or by calling 431-4249.

Free 5-gallon pails of remixed exterior latex paint are still available to non-profit agencies and county residents on a first come, first served basis. The paint was collected as part of the county’s annual Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day, it was re-mixed and packaged for distribution by Golden Artist Colors of New Berlin. Pails of beige/tan paint are still available. All other colors have been distributed. For more information or to place an order for paint, please call the Otsego County Planning Department at 547-4225.

The Bainbridge-Guilford Central School will hold a Board of Education Meeting Today, in the District Conference Room at 6:30 PM. The business portion of the meeting will start at 7:00 PM.

Free 5-gallon pails of remixed exterior latex paint are available to non-profit agencies and Otsego County residents free of charge on a first come first serve basis. The
paint was collected as part of the county’s annual Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day held this past September. Paint collected during the event was re-mixed
and packaged for distribution through the generosity of Golden Artist Colors, Inc. of New Berlin. To place an order or to get more information, call the Otsego County
Planning Department at 547-4225.

The Bainbridge Glow Run 5K & 1 Mile Lightning Bug dash will be held on September 29th at General Clinton Park in Bainbridge, The event is a fundraiser for a
Bainbridge native fighting cancer, according to organizer Heather Bucalos of Sidney, who is also a cancer survivor, she told WCDO News that there are a lot of costs to
deal with for cancer patients:

(Heather Bucalos 9-20-18)

Registration for the event is available at Runsignup.com/Race/NY/Bainbridge/GlowFundraiser

Hartwick College’s True Blue Weekend 2018 is scheduled to start on October 4th this year, with more than 50 regional, national, and international employers offering
students work opportunities at Hartwick College’s Internship & Career Expo. The event will be held Thursday, October 4, from 1:00 to 3:30 PM in Lambros Arena, on the
Hartwick College campus, more information is available at hartwick.edu/EXPO or by calling 431-4249.

New York state’s farms generated $4.8 billion in revenue in 2017, with 15 agricultural products ranked in the top 5 nationwide, according to a report released today by
State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli. New York has more than 35,000 farms covering 7.3 million acres, nearly one quarter of the state’s land area. Milk is by far the state’s
largest agricultural commodity, with $2.7 billion in sales in 2017, New York vineyards covered 35,000 acres in 2017, producing 187,000 tons of grapes, surpassed only by
California and Washington. The full report is available at osc.state.ny.us/reports.

DELAWARE COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICES announced a "Free Weekend at Noah’s World" for Delaware County Residents, at 144 Roundhouse Road in Oneonta.
The free weekend is for Delaware County Residents through the Children with Special Health Care Needs Program, who need help in accessing various health care
professionals and other community resources. This sponsored weekend will take place this Friday through Sunday, Friday's hours are 11:00 am to 7:00 pm & Saturday
and Sunday, the hours are from 1:00 to 5:00 PM. More information is available at noahsworld.net or by calling Delaware County Public Health at (607) 832-5200.

Today approximately 100 Delegates from across 10 counties met in Binghamton to formally nominate the Republican candidate for State Supreme Court in the 6th
Judicial District, they unanimously selected Chenango County District Attorney Joe McBride to run as the Party's candidate in this November's election. The vacancy in
this office was created by the recent retirement of Judge Kevin Dowd.

Sidney High School Senior J.P. Dewey has been selected to perform with the NYSSMA Conference All-State Jazz Ensemble in Rochester this fall. Dewey will be playing
piano in the 18-piece ensemble, and will also attend the music conference from November 29-December 2, he will also be eligible to perform with the ensemble in March
as part of NYSSMA Day festivities in Albany.

A judge has denied a motion by ex-Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver regarding his bail request, pending the appeal of his corruption conviction and seven-year prison term. U.S. District Judge Valerie Caproni has denied Silver's request Monday, she stated that the substance of Silver's appeal lacks merit, and the sole purpose of the request was to stall Silver starting his prison term on October 5th. Silver was sentenced to 12 years in prison after his first conviction in 2015, that conviction was overturned after the U.S. Supreme Court redefined the boundaries of public corruption, then a 2nd jury convicted him
earlier this year, for taking $5 million illegally by using his political power for personal gain.

The 4th Annual Sidney Health Fair will be held at Keith Clark Park in Sidney this Saturday, with a host of activities planned,
Spokesperson Gabrielle Argo explains:

(Gabrielle Argo 9-20-18)

Representatives from Fox Hospital's Tri Town Regional Hospital will participate, along with representatives from Sidney EMS, Catholic Charities, The United Way & the Tri Town Coalition on Substance Abuse Prevention.

The 2018 Campaign Kick Off of the United Way of Delaware & Otsego Counties will be held today in Oneonta. The event will be held from 4:00 to 7:00 PM at the B Side Ballroom & Supper Club in the Clinton Plaza.

The Bainbridge-Guilford Central School will hold a Board of Education Meeting on Thursday, September 20, 2018 in the Guilford Elementary Cafeteria at 6:30 PM. The business portion of the meeting will start at 7:00 PM.

State Attorney General Barbara Underwood announced a clergy abuse hotline and online complaint form where victims and anyone with information can provide that information, as part of the ongoing investigation into sexual abuse of children within the New York dioceses of the Catholic Church. The hotline is 1-800-771-7755, online complaints are located at ag.ny.gov/ClergyAbuse.

Governor Cuomo today announced the ratification of a 6-year labor agreement between the state and United University Professions, the nation's largest higher education union, representing more than 35,000 SUNY employees. The agreement won the approval of nearly 98 percent of union members, the agreement includes a 2% wage increases each year through 2021-2022 fiscal year, it's the first labor union agreement with the state that includes Paid Family Leave benefits since the policy took effect on January 1st.

Chenango County Sheriff's Deputies arrested 55 year old James Miles of Norwich for 3rd degree Assault, Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance and Resisting Arrest. Miles is accused of subjecting the victim of a domestic dispute to physical injury and for resisting officers upon being placed in a marked patrol unit, he also was found to be possessing methamphetamines at the time of the arrest. Miles was arraigned in the Town of Norwich Court and was remanded to the Chenango County Jail on cash bail pending action in Town of Norwich Court.

Chenango County Sheriff's department arrested 39 year old Zachariah Zwickel of Endicott on an active arrest warrant issued out of the Lackawanna County Sheriff’s Office in Pennsylvania. Zwickel was wanted as a fugitve from justice for escape, he was spotted in a car in the Town of Norwich. Zwickel was taken into custody without incident following a traffic stop and was arraigned & was remanded to the Chenango County Jail until extradition back to Lackawanna County.

Governor Cuomo today announced the distribution of $25.2 million dollars in federal funding through the Opioid State Targeted Response Grant, which will expand critical initiatives to combat the opioid crisis. In the second year New York State has been awarded this grant, nineteen additional counties have been selected to receive funding. Funding will be distributed to programs that offer prevention, treatment, and recovery services in high-need areas across the state to increase access to treatment, and reduce unmet need and overdose-related deaths. in the Southern Tier, the Addiction Center of Broome County will get $1,145,674

Sidney Superintendent of Public Works Mike Mercurio announced that the Main Street Railroad Crossing will remain closed longer than initially expected. Mercurio told WCDO News that Norfolk Southern Railroad Crews will have the intersection closed until early next week for repairs & maintenance.

Governor Cuomo announced New York will utilize the $127.7 million received from the 2016 Volkswagen settlement to increase the number of electric vehicles and other clean vehicles in the state. Covered vehicles include new buses, trucks, locomotives, ferries, tug boats, and cargo handling equipment, as well as the availability of electric vehicle charging equipment statewide. The state DEC, DOT, NYSERDA and others developed Clean Transportation NY, which is a plan to invest settlement resources to build on clean energy and fighting climate change.

State Police arrested 34 year old Zachary Hearn of Mooresville, North Carolina for Aggravated DWI with a Child 15 or Under As Passenger. Hearn was arrested after he was stopped at a sobriety checkpoint on State Highway 12 in Norwich. A 23-month old child was also in the vehicle. Hearn's B.A.C was .19%, he was arraigned in the town of Norwich Court and released on his own recognizance. He was ordered to reappear on September 20th..

The Binghamton Rumble Ponies announced that they had their best season attendance at NYSEG stadium in 25 years, for the just concluded 2018 season. Binghamton welcomed an average of 3,553 fans per opening, they had 3 games ranked in their all-time top 20 best attended, including a franchise-record 7,488 at their game against the Trenton Thunder on July 20. 220,279 fans streamed through the NYSEG Stadium turnstiles through 62 home games. Binghamton opens the 2019 season on Thursday, April 4 in New Hampshire, more information is available at BINGRP.com.

The Bainbridge-Guilford Central School will hold a Board of Education Meeting Today in the Guilford Elementary Cafeteria at 6:30 PM. The business portion of the meeting will start at 7:00 PM.

Walton Central School Superintendent Roger Clough has been placed on administrative leave, the High School Principal Rob Knuschke & Assistant Principal Mark Lamoreaux & Middle School Principal Andy Gates have all resigned in recent weeks, following alleged misconduct by Clough while serving as Superintendent since 2013. Clough has hired a Syracuse Law firm; they have begun the process to sue the District, the Board of Education, and Board President Ronda Williams. The Walton School Board released a statement to WCDO today, first the stated that personnel matters cannot be discussed, secondly, 3 of the Walton Administrators accepted positions in other districts, the Board will consider all options to quickly work on replacements, & they are confident that they will have capable staff in place for their opening day events.

Democratic Party Congressional Candidate Anthony Brindisi has agreed to 6 debates throughout the 22nd district ahead of the November election. The League of Women Voters of Broome and Tioga Counties debate has been scheduled for November 1st at the PBS Media Studios in Vestal from 8:00 - 9:00 PM. The League of Women Voters of Cortland County debate will take place on September 22 at the Elks Lodge in Cortland from 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM. Details are still being worked out for the remaining 4 debates, as well as for debates with other organizations.

The Greater Afton Area Chamber of Commerce is hosting "Afton Sidewalk Day" this Saturday all over the Village of Afton; Event Coordinator Melissa Matthews of 6ZERO7 Advertising Concepts told WCDO News that they are still accepting Vendors for Saturday's event:

(Melissa Matthews 8-22-18)

The event runs from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM in Afton this Saturday. More information is available at aftonsidewalkday.com or (607) 208-4064.

The Hartwick College experience begins today for new students, who began the check-in process this morning & moved into residence halls and attended Welcome Weekend activities and events, to acclimate them to the college environment. Returning student move-in begins at Sunday, August 26th, the full schedule of events for the opening week is available at Hartwick.edu.

The last concert at the Don Clayton Memorial Trailside Concert Series in Sidney will feature the Sidney Community Band Tonight. The concert will begin at 6:30 under the pavilion at Keith Clark Park on River Street; the concert is free and open to the public,

The Bainbridge-Guilford Central School will hold a Board of Education Meeting tonight at the BAINBRIDGE TOWN HALL at 6:30 PM. The business Portion of the meeting will start at 7:00 PM.

Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 69 year old Alan Tiffany of Walton on a criminal summons issued by The Town of Sidney Court for Harassment. The arrest followed an investigation into a report of a disturbance at a Rest Area on I-88 in the Town of Sidney on July 18th, where Tiffany is alleged to have subjected another person to unwanted physical contact. Tiffany is scheduled to appear at Town of Sidney Court at a later date to answer the charges.

29 year old Mark Briley was arrested by the Otsego County Sheriff's Office for failing to mail his identification form within 10 days to the state Sex Offender Registry and leaving the state. Briley is on parole in New York, he was located in New Jersey and extradited back to New York, he was issued an appearance ticket for the Town of Oneonta Court for August 14th. Briley was charged with aggravated sexual abuse of a fellow inmate at Otsego County Jail in 2006, he is a level 2 sex offender & he is required to register for life.

Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 27 year old James Cormier on a charge of Aggravated Unlicensed Operation of a Motor Vehicle, uninspected motor vehicle and unlicensed driver, following a traffic stop on Meredith Street in the Village of Delhi. Cormier was released on tickets and is scheduled to return to the Town of Delhi Court at a later date.

Governor Cuomo today appointed a workgroup to draft legislation for a regulated adult-use marijuana program for the legislature to consider in the upcoming session based on the findings of a multi-agency study he commissioned in January. The study, led by the Department of Health, concluded that the positive impacts of a regulated marijuana market in New York State outweigh the potential negative impacts, and that areas that may be a cause for concern can be mitigated with regulation and proper use of public education that is tailored to address key populations. The workgroup will be overseen by Counsel to the Governor Alphonso David; it will consist of experts in public health, public safety and economics, and the leaders of relevant state agencies.

The City of Oneonta announced that the next Downtown Improvement Fund Information Session will be tomorrow morning at 8:30. Business owners are invited to attend the session related to the Downtown Oneonta Improvement Fund at the Otsego County Chamber of Commerce offices at 189 Main Street Oneonta on the 5th floor. Registration or more information is available at 267-4010 Extension 103.

The Sidney Village Police Department will participate in the "Cops On Top" fundraiser tomorrow morning. Sidney Police Chief Jan Gorshack comments:

(Chief Gorshack 8-2-18)

Sidney Police & other local law Enforcement agencies will be located at the Dunkin' Donuts at State Route 7 & 8 where they will be raising money for the Special Olympics, between 5:45 to 11:00 AM.

Delaware County Sheriff Deputies arrested 49 year old David Aunchman of Delhi for Aggravated Harassment and Criminal Contempt, for allegedly calling a protected party and violating an Order of Protection issued by the Delaware County Family Court. Aunchman was arraigned in the Town of Delhi Court where he was released on recognizance and directed to reappear in that court on a later date to answer the charges.

The Afton Central School Board of Education will meet in regular session today. The meeting is scheduled to begin at 7:00 PM in the board room across from the district office. Visitors are asked to use the entrance on Sand Street for board meetings.

Local sales tax collections across New York grew 6% in the first 6 months of 2018, according to a report released today by State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli. Tax collections totaled $8.5 billion compared to $8 billion during the same period last year. The report revealed that the highest regional increases in the state were in the Southern Tier, the Mohawk Valley& the Mid-Hudson all at 5.8%, The Capital District had 5.6% growth & Long Island at 5.5%.

Governor Cuomo today announced that the New York State Grown & Certified program has made $250,000 available to eligible, existing and new Grown & Certified food and beverage producers and processors; an additional $225,000 in funding is available for retailers to develop a long term, in-store consumer marketing campaign that promotes Grown & Certified products. Funds are available on a first come, first serve basis until August 31st, more information is available at the Department of Agriculture and Markets' website.

The Otsego County fair is underway through this Sunday at the fairgrounds in Morris. Country Music performer Keith Anderson will be on stage tonight, Fair spokesperson Lisa Jones comments:

(Lisa Jones 8-1-18)

The full schedule for all of the events is available at otsegocountyfair.org.

The New Jersey Devils have named Mark Dennehy as the Head Coach of the Binghamton Devils today. Dennehy had accepted a position in Wheeling earlier this summer as Head Coach/Director of Hockey Operations, after being relieved of his duties at Merrimack College, where he had coached for 13 years where he won 161 games & was credited with turning the hockey program around. More information about Devils tickets is available at binghamtondevils.com or at Devils front office at 722-7367.

Norwich City Police are reminding area residents to lock up their vehicles, following a series of vehicle break-ins. Police reported that 15 vehicles have been broken into in the last 3 days alone. Police also suggest bringing valuables inside, and not leaving them in plain view in the vehicle.

The Chenango County Sheriff's Office was alerted of an alleged abduction last night at about 9:30 PM in Smithville Flats. This morning, the victim, 20 year old Katelyn Nielsen of Smithville Flats, the suspect 46 year old Calvin Burlingame of Newark Valley & his vehicle were all located in Broome County. Deputies reported that Nielsen was unharmed, the investigation is continuing, anyone with information can call 337-1863.

State Police have made an additional arrest in regards to the missing juvenile; Amanda Putorti of Richmondville. 37 year old Nicole Briggs of Preston Hollow was charged with Obstructing Governmental Administration and Endangering the Welfare of a Child. Briggs was arrested along with John Winnie and Jeremy Schaefer in relation to this case; State Police were assisted by several area law enforcement agencies. Briggs, Schaefer & Winnie were released on appearance tickets returnable to the Town of Rensselaerville Court at a later date. The investigation is still ongoing.

The City of Oneonta Airport Commission will hold 3 special meetings over the next 2 weeks in the Common Council Chambers at City Hall. The only item on the agenda for each of these meetings is the interview of representatives of firms who had responded to the City’s request for proposals for provision of airport-consultant services for the next 5 years. The first meeting is today at 10:00 am, future meetings will be announced, the public is welcome to attend.

The Sidney Chamber of Commerce will hold their next meeting this morning. The meeting will be held at The Sidney Golf Course @ 7:45 am, members & directors are urged to attend.

The Bainbridge-Guilford Central School will hold a Board of Education Meeting Tonight at the Bainbridge Town Hall at 6:30 PM. The business portion of the meeting will start at 7:00 PM.

Work should be completed on the 2nd side of Main Street in Sidney, for the Main Street Revitalization project, Architect Ian Law of Place Alliance explains:

(Ian Law 7-31-18)

The deadline date was August 31st; Law said that they are on track to finish before that date.

The Unatego School Board conducted a public meeting last night regarding the 4 bids to take over the former Otego Elementary school building. Unatego Superintendent Dr. Dave Richards explains:

(Dave Richards 7-31-18)

The 4 proposal include Kildonan School, with plans for a school for Dyslexic children, LPP Management with plans for senior housing & Offices, 2+4 Management with plans for 36 senior apartments, and AgZeit with plans for indoor agriculture.

Oneonta officials invite Main Street businesses to an information session related to the Downtown Oneonta Improvement Fund on Friday at 8:30 AM at the Otsego County Chamber of Commerce offices at 189 Main Street in Oneonta. The purpose of this meeting is to discuss the Improvement Fund, which is a grant program to provide property and business owners a flexible funding mechanism to improve properties located within the Downtown DRI boundaries. The deadline for any signage applications is August 31. RSVP's are requested by this Thursday at 267-4010 Extension 103 or by e-mail baheegan@otsegocc.com

The Otsego County Chamber of Commerce is having its 32 Annual Golf Tournament, to be held on Thursday, August 9th, at the Oneonta Country Club. Shot gun starts at 10:00a.m. Registration starts at 9:00am. Interested participants can Register Online at otsegocc.com.

Attorney General Barbara Underwood is part of a coalition of Attorneys General – announced that she will file suit against the Trump administration to block the distribution of materials that enable the printing of untraceable, undetectable guns using 3-D printers. The lawsuit will be filed in federal court by the Attorneys General of Washington, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Oregon, Maryland, New York, and the District of Columbia.

Registration forms for the Bainbridge-Guilford After School Care Program are due by August 1st. The program is open to all students Pre-K through 6 and will be held at Greenlawn Elementary School starting September 6. For more information or to obtain a registration form, call the District Office at 967-6321.

State Police & the Broome County District Attorney’s Office, arrested 30-year-old Serina Madden of Nineveh on a warrant for 2nd-degree murder, 1st-degree manslaughter and 2 counts of endangering the welfare of a child after she was indicted by the Broome County Grand Jury. Madden was arrested Monday in Endicott & she was arraigned in Broome County Court this morning. Madden was indicted following a lengthy investigation into the death of her 10-year-old daughter, BellaDonna Loke, who was found deceased in her bedroom in the Town of Colesville on February 18th. Madden is being held at the Broome County Jail and awaiting further court proceedings.

Activites will begin Friday Morning at the Sidney Golf & Country Club for the Annual Sidney Alumni Weekend. Spokesman Brian Innes explains:

(Brian Innes 7-12-18)

More information is available at sidneyalumni.org.

54 Baseball Hall of Fame members are expected to return, July 27 to the 30th, to celebrate the induction of the Hall of Fame Class of 2018. This year's inductees are Vladimir Guerrero, Trevor Hoffman, Chipper Jones, Jack Morris, Jim Thome and Alan Trammell, they will be inducted on Sunday, July 29, with the Induction Ceremony beginning at 1:30 PM at the Clark Sports Center in Cooperstown.

Oneonta Police arrested 2 residents Tuesday on Drug charges after they executed a search warrant at the Mayrose Apartments on Lewis Avenue. Police arrested 56 year old Doris Frimpong & 31 year old Dashawn Braxton on 4 counts each of criminal sale of a controlled substance. Police confiscated crack cocaine & powered cocaine, packaged for sale, both were being held in the Otsego County jail pending court action.

State Police arrested 36 year old Henry Kortekaas of Laurens for Menacing & Resisting Arrest, after Troopers responded to a report of a fight in progress on Main Street in the village of Laurens. Kortekaas is accused of threatening 2 people with a knife, he was arraigned & was remanded to the Otsego County Jail on $1,000 cash bail or $2,000 bond, pending action today in Laurens Court.

State Police arrested 40 year old Jason Lowe of Greene for DWI & Unlawful possession of marijuana. A trooper patrolling State Highway 206 in Greene observed Lowe traveling at a high rate of speed. After a traffic stop was initiated, the trooper determined Lowe was intoxicated and possessed 13 grams of marijuana. Lowe was released on appearance tickets returnable to the town of Greene Court on July 19th.

State Police arrested 43 year old Stephanie Spathelf of Coventry for Making a Punishable False Written Statement and Obstructing Governmental Administration. On July 1, troopers were dispatched to a 1 car rollover on State Highway 7 in Colesville, when they arrived, no one was in the vehicle, Spathelf told troopers someone else was driving the vehicle. Troopers learned that Spathelf was driving the vehicle at the time of the crash, she was arrested July 9, & was arraigned at Central Arraignment and released on her own recognizance.

Delaware County Sheriff's Deputies are currently investigating the theft of heavy duty York rake owned by the Town of Hancock Highway Department. The orange, heavy duty tow behind York brand rake was stolen from a highway pull off near the intersection of Charles Medlar Road and Bert Medlar Road in the Town of Hancock between Tuesday, July 3, and Monday, July 10. The rake has wheels and is 8 feet in width. Deputies are asking the public to contact the Delaware County Sheriff's Office 832-5555, or 287-4759.

The Binghamton Devils announced the 2018-19 regular season schedule. The Devils begin at home on Saturday, Oct. 6, at 7:05 p.m. against the defending Calder Cup Champions, the Toronto Marlies, and will play 38 home games at Floyd L. Maines Veterans Memorial Arena. more information, including pricing, benefits, and much more, visit the Devils website at binghamtondevils.com or call the Devils front office at 722-7367.

The Bainbridge-Guilford Central School will hold a Board of Education Meeting today at the GUILFORD TOWN HALL at 6:30 PM. The business portion of the meeting will start at 7:00 PM.

State Police will conduct a week-long enforcement initiative to crack down on speeding and aggressive drivers, running today and through Wednesday, June 13th. Troopers will be using both marked State Police vehicles and Concealed Identity Traffic Enforcement to blend in with traffic. During the August 2017 Speed Week campaign, State Police issued more than 19,000 traffic tickets including more than 7,900 for speeding, and over 580 for distracted driving. Speeding is listed as a contributing factor in nearly one third of all fatal crashes in New York State.

Congressman Sean Patrick Maloney announced his bid for the state attorney general's position. Maloney is the 4th Democrat to enter the race, after Letitia James, Leecia Eve; & Zephyr Teachout, the nominee will be determined in the September primary. The only Republican candidate for state attorney general is Keith Wofford of New York City.

Due to a Water Main Break, the Bainbridge Town pool will not be open until next Tuesday. Town Officials said that they expect the pool to open Tuesday at 4:00 PM.

THE NEW YORK STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS FOR BASEBALL, SOFTBALL & TRACK AND FIELD ARE THIS FRIDAY & SATURDAY. SEVERAL LOCAL ATHLETES AND TEAMS WILL BE PARTICIPATING. THE DEPOSIT-HANCOCK BASEBALL TEAM WILL PLAY IN THE CLASS-D SEMIFINALS ON FRIDAY AT 5 PM IN BINGHAMTON WHILE THE DEPOSIT SOFTBALL TEAM WILL PLAY IN THE CLASS-D SEMIFINALS ON SATURDAY IN GLENS FALLS AT 1:30 PM. DEPOSIT SOFTBALL IS LOOKING FOR THEIR 4-STRAIGHT STATE TITLE WHICH WOULD TIE THE STATE RECORD FOR CONSECUTIVE CHAMPIONSHIPS. 11 LOCAL TRACK & FIELD ATHLETES WILL HEAD TO SYRACUSE TO COMPETE FOR A STATE TITLE BEGINNING ON FRIDAY. ATHLETES FROM SIDNEY, UNATEGO, DELAWARE ACADEMY, UNADILLA VALLEY, DOWNSVILLE, WORCESTER, ONEONTA & COOPERSTOWN WILL BE AT THE TRACK AND FIELD STATE MEET. TO STAY UP-TO-DATE ON ALL THESE EVENTS THIS WEEKEND YOU CAN FOLLOW WCDO SPORTS DIRECTOR NATE LULL ON TWITTER OR GO TO WCDO SPORTS DOT COM

3 men were arrested after State Police CNET and Troopers conducted a vehicle and traffic stop in Johnson City. A search revealed a hidden compartment containing Fentanyl, Oxycodone, suboxone, powdered heroin, a digital scale, packaging material, marihuana and $5,945 in cash. Police arrested 27 year old Coren Walker of the Bronx, 40 year old Scott Layton of Johnson City, & 24 year old Giovanni Foster of Johnson City, on a variety of drug charges, All 3 were arraigned and remanded to the Broome County Jail without bail.

Delaware County Sheriff’s Office’s arrested 47 year old Shawn Maynard of Randolph, at the Champaign County Jail in Illinois. This arrest followed an investigation of a January 2015 accident on State Highway 30 in the Town of Colchester where a woman suffered serious injuries. Maynard was returned to Delaware County, he was arraigned for Driving While Ability Impaired by a Combination of Drugs and Alcohol, Vehicular Assault & 2nd degree Assault, and he was remanded to the Delaware County Jail pending further court proceedings.

Registration for the 8th annual summer camps at Sidney Central School is underway. 6 weeks of camps are set to begin the week of July 9-12, and end the week of August 13-16. Camps are for grades K-8, and run full days Monday-Thursday. Camp themes and topics include swimming, technology, athletics, photography, cooking, robotics, art, science, and many others. Registration is available at sidneycsd.org/SummerCamps.

The Bainbridge-Guilford Central School will hold a Board of Education Meeting this evening in the District Conference Room at 6:30 PM. The business portion of the meeting will start at 7:00 PM.

Commerce Chenango announced that the Leadership Chenango Graduation Dinner for the Class of 2018 will be held today at the Genegantslet Golf Club in Greene from 5:30 to 8:00 PM. Rick Harrington of the Raymond Corporation will be the guest speaker. More information is available at 334-1400.

State Police investigated another school threat incident at the Charlotte Valley School Distinct on May 3rd. Troopers charged an unidentified 9 year old with making a terroristic threat, classes at the district resumed the following day, there was no actual threat to the safety of students & staff.

The New York State Department of Health is warning of a potential measles outbreak at several locations. The department reported that an international traveler from Europe who has been confirmed to have measles visited multiple places in Elmira, Dansville, & Niagara Falls, potentially exposing others to measles on April 30, May 1, and May 2. The health department Officials said anyone with symptoms like muscle pain, fever, or fatigue should see a doctor immediately.

There have been some changes regarding the requirements for those seeking to get a high school equivalency through the TASC program recently. June White of the Afton Central School Tasc Program explains:

(June White 5-8-18)

Anyone who is interested in participating in the TASC program can contact June White at 639-2811.

State Police arrested 36 year old Luke Remillard of Otselic for criminal mischief, for allegedly intentionally smashing his car at a residence in April. Remillard was arraigned & was remanded to the Chenango County Jail on $1,000 cash bail pending court action on May 14th.

Cub Scout Pack 88 will hold their spring recruitment effort this evening in Sidney. The program will be held tonight at the Sacred Heart Church on Liberty Street from 6:30 to 8:00 PM, more information is available at 563-7789.

Attorney General Eric Schneiderman has resigned, following a report on allegations of assault by multiple women in The New Yorker. The Manhattan District Attorney's office said they had opened an investigation into the allegations of Schneiderman being physically violent to women; Governor Cuomo called for his resignation Monday. Schneiderman's interim replacement is Barbara Underwood.

The City of Oneonta Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee Meeting will be held this evening at City Hall. The Meeting Begins at 7:00 PM in the Common Council Chambers at City Hall & it is open to the public.

Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputy’s arrested 61 year old Robert Wenzel of Delhi for DWI, failure to maintain lane, after a motor vehicle accident on State Highway 28 in the Town of Delhi. Wenzel was arraigned in the Town of Delhi Court and was released on his own recognizance and is scheduled to appear at a later date.

The Unadilla Valley School District will host their annual school budget meeting this evening in the school library. The meeting will be following the Board of Education meeting at 6:00 PM.

Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputy’s arrested 33 Year old Keith Brown of Davenport, for Criminal Obstruction of Breathing, Unlawful Possession of Marihuana, & Harassment, following a report of a domestic dispute in the Town of Davenport. Brown was arraigned at the Town of Davenport Court and remanded to the Delaware County Correctional Facility on $5,000 cash bail or $10,000 bond, pending future court action.

State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli's office audited the state Department of Agriculture and Markets, the report suggests that they are doing well to ensure animal shelters are providing safe conditions and proper care for seized dogs, but officials could do more to make certain dogs are not inappropriately euthanized. DiNapoli's office visited 48 of the 294 shelters, Auditors found all of the shelters visited generally provided appropriate food, water and care, and tended to any injured animals.

Sidney Village Police arrested 20 year old Gage Solecki of Sidney on a bench warrant from Sidney court. During the arrest, Solecki attempted to fell from officers; he was apprehended & additionally charged with resisting arrest plus unlawful possession of marijuana. Solecki was arraigned & was remanded to the Delaware county Jail on $1,500 cash bail pending action in Sidney court on May 29th.

The State DOT will hold a public meeting today to discuss plans to replace a culvert on State Route 7 over West Hill Road Creek in the town of Worcester. The open house meeting will be held at the Worcester High School cafeteria, beginning at 6:30 PM, A formal presentation will begin at 7:00 PM. The project proposes to replace the culvert, Construction is currently scheduled to begin in the spring of 2019 & take 3 to 4 weeks with an off-site detour in place.

The Bainbridge-Guilford Central School will hold a Board of Education Meeting Today, in the District Conference Room at 6:30 PM. The business portion of the meeting will start at 7:00 PM.

Broome County District Attorney's office announced the arrest of 20 year old Michael Roque in his SUNY Binghamton Dorm Room, he has been charged with 2nd degree murder for the fatal stabbing of 19 year old Joao Souza in room G17 of Windham Hall Sunday Night. Roque was remanded to the Broome County Jail last night pending court action.

Otsego County Sheriff's deputies arrested 43 year old William DeSimone & 52 year old Gabrielle Bastian of New Lisbon for animal cruelty plus Growing of the cannabis by unlicensed persons & Unlawful Possession of Marijuana. The ASPCA was contacted to seize animals; many were relocated to safety after check-ups by veterinarians. Deputies seized 50 marijuana plants & dried Marijuana, DeSimone was given an appearance ticket and released. Gabrielle Bastian was arraigned in the Town of New Lisbon Court & was released after posting bail. Both are scheduled to reappear on April 25th in the Town of New Lisbon Court.

The state budget sent some dollars to the upstate counties for worthy programs, local Assemblyman Cliff Crouch explains:

(Crouch 4-17-18)

The State budget also included additional funds for area school districts, which will allow them ample time to put together budgets to put before voters in May.

Chenango County Sheriff's Department arrested a Town of Verona resident for Criminal Mischief, Criminal Obstruction of breathing or blood flow, and Harassment. 21 year old Luvinda Cobey was charged after Deputies responded to a Town of Greene business for a domestic dispute, while both were traveling on State Highway 12, Cobey is alleged to have punched, choked and caused damage to victim’s property as victim pulled into a business to seek help. Cobey was arraigned in the Village of Greene Court and was released on recognizance, pending future court action.

Missing teenager Robert Pegos of Binghamton has been found, according to State Police. Pegos was found in Bangor, Maine in good health, he will be returned to his family shortly, 2 unidentified people have been charged with custodial interference in this case.

Delaware County Sheriff's Deputies arrested a Hancock couple for allegedly possessing stolen Snowmobiles from Pennsylvania & possessing drugs packaged for sale. Deputies recovered 4 stolen snowmobiles in Hancock and Deposit, they arrested 28 year old Matthew Mason of Hancock, for Criminal Possession of Stolen Property for allegedly possessing the stolen snowmobile trailer and 4 snowmobiles, he was remanded to the Delaware County Jail on $10,000 cash bail or $20,000 bond. Deputies had also arrested 43 year old Tammy Moore on 2 separate occasions once for Aggravated DWI, Driving While Ability Impaired by Drugs, Endangering the Welfare of a Child, Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance & later for Criminal Possession of Stolen Property. Moore was returned to the County Jail after posting bail on the 1stset of charges. A search warrant was executed at the Mason and Moore home; deputies seized marihuana plants, processed marihuana & drug paraphernalia.

Oxford Central School will be hosting a Robotics Competition called "Robo-Rave" in the High School Gymnasium Saturday from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Over 20 teams will be competing. Robo-Rave is a program designed to teach students how to design, build, code & program Robots to perform a variety of tasks, Oxford High School Science Teach Mark Muller explains why he wanted to bring Robo Rave to Oxford:

(Mark Muller 4-6-18)

Muller said that Saturday's event is the first Robo Rave event in New York State, Robo rave is associated with NASA, who brought a team of engineers to Oxford to speak & teach at the event, which is free & open to the public. More information is available at oxac.org.

State Police arrested 38 year old Michael Sullivan of Agawam, Massachusetts & 30 year old Gabrielle Graham of Pittsfield, Massachusetts for criminal possession of a controlled substance, Sullivan was additionally charged with Unlawful Possession of Marihuana. Troopers received a complaint of a disabled vehicle on I-88 in the town of Afton; they located marijuana and a smoking pipe with residue. Sullivan and Graham were arraigned in the town of Afton Court and remanded to the Chenango County Jail on $1,000 cash bail or $2,000 bond. Their next court date is scheduled for April 23, 2018 in the town of Afton Court.

Johnson City Police Department announced that 29-year-old Corey Robinson is being detained in Marietta, Georgia, he is suspected of murdering 46 year old Erika Smith Cunningham, who was found dead at 92 Crocker Avenue Sunday morning. An arrest warrant was issued on Thursday and Robinson was taken into custody a few hours later. Robinson will be charged with 2nd degree murder, Extradition proceedings have begun, Robinson is expected to be returned to Broome County in about a week.

The controversial NG Advantage natural gas compressor station project in Port Crane is being scrapped by the company, even after they received approval for the project by the Town of Fenton planning board a year ago. NG sold some of the property already to Carrier Services Corporation of Ohio; they are expected to request a rezoning of the property for commercial or industrial activity.

New York continues to be one of the leading states in the country where people are moving out of, according to United Van Lines. New York ranked 3rd behind Illinois and New Jersey, as the top 3 states that people are leaving. The United van Lines statistics showed that 46% left for job-related reasons, 29% left following retirement, 19% left for family reasons, 5% for health reasons. The largest age population of those who left were ages 55 to 64.

Governor Cuomo today announced a new initiative to provide teachers and coaches with resources they can use to help prevent and address substance use disorder among young people. Starting next week, the New York State Department of Health, the New York State Education Department, and the New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services will notify schools statewide of the availability of flash drives loaded with materials in English and Spanish for coaches, teachers, school nurses, and other educators to use in personal conversations with students and in community forums.

The Otsego County Department of Health is hosting the 2018 Living Healthier Expo at the Foothills Performing Arts center on market Street in Oneonta today & tomorrow. The American Red Cross will be holding blood drives over both days, topics will include Lyme disease, rabies Awareness, Chronic Disease management; more information is available at 547-4230 or LHEOtsego.com.

The Delaware County Chamber of Commerce is hosting their 2nd Annual Comedy show at the Old Schoolhouse Inn of Downsville Saturday Night starting at 7:30 PM. Tickets & more information are available at 746-2281 or delawarecounty.org.

Democratic Congressional candidate Gareth Rhodes will appear in Sidney today. Rhodes will appear at the Sidney Golf & Country Club this morning at 9:00 AM, he is one of 7 announced candidates running for the Democratic Party Nomination for the right to face incumbent Republican Congressman John Faso for the 19th District.

The Binghamton Hockey Hall of Fame Committee announced that it will induct Brian McGrattan and Larry Kish as the class of 2018. There will be a pregame ceremony prior to Friday’s game against Syracuse. McGrattan played a total of 196 regular-season games over the course of three seasons in Binghamton with the Senators from 2002-2005, he recorded 25 goals and 22 assists for 47 points, his 551 penalty minutes in 2004-05 is the most in a single season in AHL history. Kish coached several teams in Binghamton from 1975-1982 winning the AHL’s Coach of the Year in 1981. More information about tickets for tonight's game is available at binghamtondevils.com or 722-7367.

Saint Luke's Church, Parish Nurse Committee & the Sidney Area Youth Advocate Prgram will be presenting the documentary "Chasing The Dragon" free of charge, on Saturday April 14th at St. Luke's. The film deals with the issue of heroin & Opiod Abuse in Graphic Terms, and is a must see, according to Sidney Area Youth Advocate Program Spokesperson Ronnie Haag:

(Ronnie Haag 3-15-18)

Haag said that Parents & children middle school age & up are especially encouraged to attend, Light Refreshaments & a discussion is scheduled after the Documentary is screened.

Police in Nicaragua were turning over Orlando Tercero to Judicial Authorities in Nicaragua, they may decide to send Tercero back to Broome County to face charges, in connection with the death of Haley Anderson at Tercero's Binghamton apartment last week. Both Tercero & Anderson were nursing students at Binghamton University & had dated for a short period of time last year. The Broome County District Attorney's Office is working with Binghamton Police in presenting charges against Tercero to a grand jury, if he is indicted, he could be brought back to Binghamton to face charges.

Governor Cuomo announced that for the 3rd consecutive week, the number of laboratory confirmed influenza cases has decreased. Last week, 3,692 laboratory confirmed influenza cases were reported to the State Department of Health, The number of weekly hospitalizations decreased for the 5th consecutive week, with 694 New Yorkers hospitalized for influenza. There have been 5 pediatric influenza-associated deaths this flu season.

Lawmakers in each house of the Legislature have finished their budget proposals, State Senator Jim Seward said that the Senate budget cuts $1 Billion dollars in taxes but adds spending for Agriculture, the Opioid Crisis & veterans issues:

(Seward 3-15-18)

The state budget is due on April 1st.

Sheriffs from all over the state are pushing for lawmakers to include money for enough resource officers to be stationed at every school district in the state, Delaware County Sheriff Craig Dumond comments:

(Dumond 3-15-18)

The Sheriff's Association lobbied lawmakers to include the money in the state budget, following an increase in mass shootings at schools since January nationwide.

State Police arrested 38 year old Randy Grabo of Otego for DWI and several traffic infractions, following a 1-car vehicle accident in the town of Morris. Both Grabo and the occupant of the vehicle were taken to Bassett Hospital for further evaluation. Grabo was later released and issued tickets to return to the town of Morris Court on March 26, 2018.

State Police arrested 20 year old Collin Vonlangen of Fenton for Menacing, Aggravated Unlicensed Operation and traffic infractions, after a 2 vehicle crash on State Route 7 in the town of Colesville. During their investigation, troopers learned that Vonlangen was the operator of a vehicle that collided with a second vehicle, he displayed a metal pipe in a threatening manner toward the driver of the 2nd vehicle. Vonlangen was released on an appearance ticket and is scheduled to appear in the town of Colesville Court on March 21, 2018.

A Nineveh woman has been arrested for allegedly stealing checks from a family member and making purchases. 35-year old Jessica Schultz was arrested on Monday and charged with grand larceny, criminal possession of a forged instrument, and identity theft. The Broome County Sheriff's Office says Schultz allegedly stole personal checks from a family member taking 63-hundred dollars from their account. Schultz was already incarcerated at the Broome County Jail on other charges. She will be arraigned in the near future.

47 year old Kenneth Upton of Mount Vision was indicted on a varoety of drug counts, following an arrest by Oneonta Police for allegedly selling heroin in 2016. Upton was being held in the Otsego County Jail on $10,000 cash bail or $20,000 bond pending future court action.

The Bainbridge-Guilford Central School will hold a Board of Education Meeting Today, in the Guilford School Cafeteria at 6:30 PM. The business portion of the meeting will start at 7:00 PM.

The next Winter Storm is on its way, and it could be quite messy, according to Sidney High School Science Teacher & Meteorologist Rich Townsend explains:

(Rich Townsend 3-1-18)

Townsend said that the intensity of the storm will be reminiscent of last years March storm, but with much less expected accumulation.

State Police and the Oneonta Police executed a search warrant at 236 Southside Drive in the Town of Oneonta. Police arrested 51-year-old Gloria Eichler of Oneonta, for Conspiracy and 19-year-old Darius Baker of New York City for Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance. Police seized 6 grams of cocaine valued at $600, $2,193 cash, a digital scale and drug packaging material. Eichler and Baker were arraigned in the Town of Oneonta Court. Eichler was remanded to Otsego County Jail on $5,000 cash bail or $10,000 property bond. Baker was remanded to the Otsego County Jail on $25,000 cash bail or $50,000 property bond.

Governor Cuomo today announced that for the first time since being categorized as geographically widespread, the number of laboratory confirmed influenza cases has decreased. Last week, 13,703 laboratory confirmed influenza cases were reported to the New York State Department of Health and the number of weekly hospitalizations decreased for the third consecutive week since influenza was declared prevalent in December, with 1,702 New Yorkers hospitalized for lab confirmed influenza.

Binghamton City Firefighters responded to a blaze at 38 Columbus Park East early this morning at about 1:30 AM. The building had been boarded up, but investigators believe that homeless people had been staying there. The fire was knocked down quickly, with heavy damage to the front of the building. The cause of the fire is under investigation, no injuries have been reported.

Governor Cuomo today announced more than $1.3 million has been recovered and returned to consumers from auto dealers and repair shops. The Department of Motor Vehicles' Vehicle Safety Unit, which is tasked with investigating consumer fraud complaints, made these recoveries last year on behalf of 720 customers across the state. The amount recovered in 2017 is up from nearly $1.1 million in 2016. Locally, the Southern Tier region had only 17 of the 720 complaints, the lowest amount of any region in the state.

Hartwick College announced that it would be withdrawing from NCAA Division I athletics, including from men’s soccer, where they won a national championship in 1977. The Hartwick’s Men’s Soccer program will continue to compete at a DIII level beginning in this fall. The Hartwick Board of Trustees also made the decision to cut the Women’s Water Polo program altogether at the conclusion of the current season..

Cornell Cooperative Extension has been asked to host a Farmers’ Market Community Meeting at their Hamden office today from 9:30 to 11:30 am. The goal of this meeting is to create and/or strengthen relationships among individuals and groups that support farmers’ markets in Delaware County.

The Bainbridge-Guilford Central School will hold a Board of Education Meeting today in the Guilford School Cafeteria at 6:30 PM. The business portion of the meeting will start at 7:00 PM.

The State Division of Veteran's Affairs office re-opened in Sidney at a new location. State assemblyman Cliff Crouch worked with state Senator Jim Seward to have a Sidney officer re-opened, after the previous office closed at the Civic Center, when it was sold to a private developer:

(Cliff Crouch 2-1-18)

The office is located in the New Town Of Sidney offices at the site of the former Mirabito/ Mang building at 44 Grand Street.

State Police arrested 22-year-old Asif Khan from Triangle, Virginia for Unlawful Possession of Marihuana & Speeding, & 25-year-old Quais Sidiqi of Dumfries, Virginia for Criminal Possession of a Weapon. The arrests followed a traffic stop where Khan was observed speeding at 93 miles per hour on I-81, in Broome County, Troopers detected marijuana odors from inside the vehicle, a subsequent search also found that Sidiqi unlawfully possessed a handgun, that was unloaded. Khan was issued tickets for town of Barker Court on February 27th; Sidiqi was arraigned at the Broome County Central Processing and was remanded to the Broome County Jail with no bail set, pending court action on February 27th.

NY State of Health today announced that more than 4.3 million New Yorkers have enrolled in health coverage. The 2018 Open Enrollment Period finished with nearly 1 million people combined enrolled in a Qualified Health Plan and the Essential Plan, an increase of 84,000 since the end of open enrollment in 2017. More than 1.36 million people enrolled in a non-Medicaid program through the Marketplace and, 2,965,863 people enrolled in Medicaid through the Marketplace.

Voters in the Charlotte Valley School district are voting on 2 propositions today to upgrade the schools heating system, fix a roof & building an applied sciences lab. Voting will be held from 12:00 Noon until 8:00 PM at the Charlotte Valley School District.

The Chenango Arts Council announced that the Realtime Dixieland Jazz band will perform at the Martin W. Kappel Theater in Norwich on Saturday February 10th at 7:00 PM. Mark Sands of the Realtime Dixieland band comments:

(Mark Sands 2-1-18)

Tickets are available at chenangoarts.org, or by calling 336-ARTS.

State Police, Chenango County Sheriff's deputies, A Police K9 unit & the Sidney Fire Department boat has been summoned to General Clinton Park in Bainbridge at about 2:30 this afternoon. Police were in pursuit of a man with long red hair who walked across the Susquehanna River from the park towards Chenango County Route 39.

Governor Cuomo announced the 38th annual Empire State Winter Games will kick off Today, and will run until Sunday in Lake Placid. More than 2,500 participants will compete in 17 different sports during the 3-day festival.

State Police arrested 48 year old Jeanne Anderson of Maryland for Driving While Intoxicated with a B.A.C. result of .15%, and other traffic violations. Anderson was observed speeding at 86 miles an hour on I-88 in the town of Oneonta. Anderson was issued tickets returnable to the town of Oneonta Court on February 6th.

The Bainbridge-Guilford Central School Board of Education will hold their next Meeting today in the District Conference Room at 6:30 PM. The business portion of the meeting will start at 7:00 PM with a PUBLIC HEARING on the Smart Schools Investment Plan.

State Police arrested 46 year old William Bateman of Edmeston, for 7 counts of 2nd degree Rape 2nd degree, 6 counts of Criminal Sexual Act, and Endangering the Welfare of a Child, after troopers were advised of an incident in Otsego County. Bateman is accused of having sexual contact with a child less than 15 years old; he was arraigned in the town of Otsego Court and was released on his own recognizance. An order of protection was issued on behalf of the victim. Bateman’s next court date is on January 17th.

Area Citizens are being reminded to be aware of the latest scams that are being perpetrated by phone, emails or even in person. Sidney Police Chief Jan Gorshack explains:

(Jan Gorshack 1-11-18)

Gorshack said that if anyone has any questions regarding the latest scams, they can contact the Sidney police Department at 561-2301.

New York State Department of Health officials urged New Yorkers 6 months of age and over who have not yet received a flu shot to get vaccinated as soon as possible. Over the past week, cases of influenza rose by 37%, and new cases of influenza were reported in 61 of 62 counties & the first influenza-associated pediatric death was confirmed by the state's public health laboratory. As of January 6th, 11,280 laboratory-confirmed cases of influenza have been reported and 3,606 people have been hospitalized with influenza in New York State. Adults aged 65 years and older, people with certain chronic medical conditions, young children and pregnant women are among those at highest risk for serious flu complications, which may require hospitalization and could result in death.

The New York State Department of Taxation and Finance today announced that the income tax filing season officially kicks off on Monday, January 29. 9.5 million New York taxpayers e-filed in 2017. Taxpayers with incomes of $66,000 or less are eligible to electronically prepare and file both their federal and NYS returns under the Free File program. More information is available at tax.ny.gov.

Governor Cuomo today announced a new record for the number of people arrested in 2017 attempting to use fake identification to buy alcoholic beverages under the legal drinking age. As part of the state's year-round Operation Prevent initiative, investigators from the Department of Motor Vehicles and the State Liquor Authority work with state and local law enforcement agencies to conduct underage drinking and fake ID sweeps at bars, restaurants, concert venues, and alcohol retailers across New York State. In the Southern Tier there were 45 arrests for selling alcohol to minors last year.

The Bainbridge Chamber of Commerce will once again hold the Annual Bruce Haak Memorial Sleigh Rally in General Clinton Park later this month. Event organizer Phil Canonaco comments:

(Phil Canonaco 1-11-18)

The Sleigh rally will be held weather there is snow or not on Saturday January 27th from 1:00 to 3:00 pm at General Clinton Park in Bainbridge, donations will be accepted on behalf of the Delaware Valley Humane Society.

The Sidney Town Board announced that last week's cancelled meeting has been moved to tonight. the meeting will begin at 7:00 PM at the Sidney Civic Center Board room.

The Bainbridge-Guilford Central School will hold a Board of Education Meeting today, in the Guilford Elementary school at 6:30 PM. The business portion of the meeting will start at 7:00 PM with a PUBLIC HEARING on the Smart Schools Investment Plan.