WCDO Radio News

State Police are currently looking for a 67 year old New Jersey man who was reported missing from his hunting cabin on Streeter Hill Road in the Town of Harpersfield, Delaware County. John Bourgholtzer is a white male who is 6’ tall and weighs about 180 pounds. He has grey hair and brown eyes Mr. Bourgholtzer was last seen on December 12, 2015, at about 8:00 a.m., leaving his camp to go hunting by himself. He may be driving his 2011 Ford Focus with New Jersey license plates KDN45E. Anyone with information please call the New York State Police at (607) 561-7400.

Attorney General Eric Schneiderman today announced settlement agreements with 30 online retailers from across the country that sold illegal toy guns to consumers in New York State. The toy guns in question violate a state law that prohibits the sale of imitation weapons, which are toy guns that look too much like real guns. Today’s announcement follows a related investigation of major retailers this summer that included Wal-Mart, Kmart, Amazon.com, and Sears. Those retailers paid of over $309,000 to settle the investigation and agreed to comply with applicable state laws.

State Police at Sidney arrested 38 year old Karlton Tompkins of Mount Upton for Operating a motor vehicle while impaired by drugs, criminal possession of a controlled substance, resisting arrest and obstruction of governmental administration 2nd. This arrest occurred after a trooper responded to a report of a man sleeping at the wheel of a parked vehicle at the Valero gas station on State Route 8 in the Town of Guilford. The responding trooper saw Tompkins sleeping behind the wheel of a parked vehicle with the engine running, Tompkins was impaired by drugs, he then physically resisted and fought momentarily but was handcuffed. After Police impounded the vehicle, a small amount of methamphetamines was recovered. Tompkins was issued tickets returnable to the Town of Guilford court on December 22nd.

NY State of Health announced the December 15th deadline for individuals enrolling or renewing health insurance coverage that takes effect January 1st, has been extended through December 19th. NY State of Health’s Customer Service Center answered more than 170,000 calls from New Yorkers last week with call volume averaging more than 34,000 calls per day. A new option on the Marketplace for 2016 is the Essential Plan for lower income individuals and families between 138-200% federal poverty level, which will lower premiums to $20 or less a month and provide comprehensive benefits for hundreds of thousands of lower income New Yorkers. Additional Information on the Essential Plan can be found here, info.nystateofhealth.ny.gov.

Governor Cuomo stated that at approximately 7:00 pm, Unit 3 at the Indian Point nuclear facility shut down. The cause is currently unknown; the Department of Public Service is conducting the investigation into another unexpected incident at Indian Point. The company reports there was no radioactivity released to the environment. Cuomo said that “Because of the number of recent unplanned outages, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's requirements will result in increased inspections and scrutiny of the plant.

State Police are currently investigating a burglary to the Quickway convenience store located at State Route 205 in Hartwick, on December 7, at about 1:45 a.m. The suspect is a white male with short hair who was wearing a green sweatshirt or jacket, driving a gray Ford Focus possibly between 2008- 2011 model years. Anyone with information is asked to please call the State Police at (315) 858-1122. All information will be kept confidential.

Chenango County Sheriff’s Office arrested 2 men in connection with multiple burglaries in Chenango County, the Southern Tier and Northern Pennsylvania. The Sheriff’s Office arrested 28 year old Nicholas Neer of Port Crane and 27 year old William Polhamus from the Town of Greene, for allegedly committing 2 burglaries in the Town of Greene & 1 in the Town of Oxford. Several pieces of stolen merchandise were recovered during the investigation. Both men were arraigned in the Town of North Norwich Court and remanded to the Chenango County Correctional Facility on $25,000 cash bail. The investigation is continuing and additional arrests will be made. The State Police and Broome County Sheriff’s Office assisted with the investigation.

State Senator Jim Seward will be at the Oneonta Municipal Airport in Oneonta this afternoon, with local officials with the Oneonta Airport Commission and the Oneonta Job Corps to unveil improvements at the airport. Senator Seward will also announce additional funding to support future upgrades.

Governor Cuomo outlined the latest efforts of his Task Force to Combat Worker Exploitation. From the start of 2015 to today, the State has recovered and returned $28.9 million to more than 24,000 workers who were victims of wage theft. The Task Force has officially launched more than 450 investigations, finding more than 2,700 violations, including theft of wages, failure to protect workers with mandatory Workers’ Compensation coverage and retaliation against workers who complain about violations of the law. The cases affect more than 2,000 workers in New York State.

Governor Cuomo today announced the growth of agricultural sales in New York outpaced the national average, with cash receipts up 36% across the state and only 32% nationally. In 2014, farmers in New York State also set a new record for sales with $6.36 billion in cash receipts, representing a nearly $1.7 billion increase in gross income from sales of crops, livestock, and other products.

Governor Cuomo signed an executive order to expedite the freedom of information law appeals process. The order fast-tracks FOIL appeals by requiring that all state agencies file notice of an appeal, settle the record on appeal, and file a brief within 60 days, absent extraordinary circumstances outside agency control. The Governor will introduce legislation in the upcoming session that encompasses the order, while also correcting the serious flaws of 2 Assembly Bills.

State Police arrested 48-year-old George Velten of Guilford for aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, after Velten was stopped during a road check on County Route 35 in the Town of Guilford. Velten’s license showed that he had 12 suspensions on 10 different dates, he was arraigned at the Town of Guilford court and remanded to the Chenango County jail on $1,000 cash bail or $2,500 property bond.

90% of New Yorkers say they are somewhat concerned, 60 % say they are very concerned, that another terrorist attack will happen in New York in the near future, according to a new Sienna College poll released today. 63% said they have not changed their lifestyle out of fear of a terrorist attack. By a 52-39 percent margin, voters oppose allowing Syrian refugees to come to the United States at this time. 90% also believe that corruption in Albany is still a serious problem, and by a 3-to-1 margin, voters say new laws are needed to prevent further corruption in state government. 2/3rds also agree with Attorney General Eric Schneiderman that daily fantasy sports games are gambling and illegal in New York.

Delaware County Sheriff Deputies responded to a one-car motor vehicle accident on State Highway 28 in the Town of Meredith. Deputies arrested 28-year-old Benjamin Nobel of Meridale for driving while ability impaired by drugs and unlawful possession of marijuana, plus several traffic summons related to the accident. Nobel was arranged in the Town of Delhi Court and remanded to the Delaware County Jail on $1,000 cash bail. Noble is to re-appear in the Town of Meredith Court at a later date.

State Police arrested 25-year-old Dustin Phillips of Binghamton for criminal possession of a weapon, after troopers responded to assist an Environmental Conservation Officer who was out with three men shooting on state lands in the Town of Kirkwood. An investigation determined that Phillips and two other men where shooting shotguns at targets, Phillips is on parole and also is a convicted felon who cannot legally possess firearms; he faces court action on Tuesday.

Governor Cuomo today announced he would host the 2016 State of the State and Executive Budget Address on Wednesday, January 13 at 12:30 p.m. at the Empire State Plaza Convention Center in Albany. New Yorkers wishing to attend should visit the Governor's homepage to register, which is governor.ny.gov.

Former State Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos and his son Adam were found guilty Friday of 8 counts of bribery, extortion and conspiracy. Dean Skelos was found guilty of using his power as Senate Majority Leader to get no show jobs to his son Adam. The conviction means that Skelos has been removed from the Senate seat that he held onto after resigning as Senate Leader in May.

U.S. Senator Charles Schumer and Governor Cuomo announced a push to prevent known or suspected terrorists from purchasing guns in New York State. Schumer commented at a Press Conference this weekend:

(Schumer 12-14-15)

Schumer said that the request became necessary after legislation in the US Senate did not pass, that would have closed the "Terror Loophole".

The Southern Tier & Central New York Regions won big again this year, when Governor Cuomo announced these years’ winners for the Regional Economic council awards and the Upstate revitalization Initiative awards Thursday. State Senator Fred Akshar comments:

(Akshar 12-11-15)

The Top projects this year include the 7 Hawley Street Redevelopment in Binghamton & the Southern Tier Health Sciences and Technology Innovation Park in Binghamton.

The Mohawk Valley Regional Development Council, which includes Otsego County, won over 100 million dollars Thursday for assorted projects. Locally, the Oneonta Rail Yards will be completely rebuilt, and developed, plus the Upper Susquehanna Agriculture Center will be built in Oneonta. Other projects include a State Route 205 Corridor Study, an Oneonta Airport Logistics Development Project, The villages of Cooperstown and Milford will identify the feasibility of a rail service connection & the ARC Otsego Community Residential Facilities will use Funds to make improvements to 10 group homes.

Governor Cuomo announced the final report and recommendations of the Common Core Task Force. The Task Force recommends overhauling the current Common Core system and adopting new, locally driven New York State standards in a transparent and open process. The Task Force also recommends that current Common Core aligned tests should not count for students or teachers until the start of 2019-2020 school year to ensure the system is implemented completely and properly to avoid the errors caused by the prior flawed implementation.

A state judge has banned DraftKings and FanDuel from doing business in New York State today. The order was issued today by state Supreme Court Justice Manuel Mendez, after Attorney General Eric Schneiderman said that the 2 companies are violating state gambling laws dating back to the 1890's. The companies unsuccessfully argued that their games are based on skill, Judge Mendez did not agree.

Governor Cuomo today announced that the New York State Police issued more than 14,000 tickets as a result of increased enforcement efforts this Thanksgiving weekend. Troopers issued a total of 14,468 tickets during the Thanksgiving campaign, including 5,910 for speeding, 715 for distracted driving, and made a total of 218 DWI arrests.

State Police responded to an armed robbery at the USA Mini Mart Gas Station on State Route 12 Chenango Forks. troopers are currently looking for 2 white males, approximately 5’7” to 5’9” tall with thin builds. The first suspect was wearing a blue sweatshirt, jeans, and a camo ski mask. The second was wearing a black hooded sweatshirt, jeans, and a dark colored mask. A weapon was displayed and the suspects were last seen exiting the gas station on foot running to the north. Anyone with information should call State Police at 775-1241.

State Police arrested 23 year old Jeffrey Bieber of Milford for 3rd degree assault & criminal obstruction of breathing, after a domestic dispute complaint that occurred in the Town of Milford. Bieber is accused of physically assaulting an ex-girlfriend and choking her during an argument. Bieber was arraigned and was released pending court action on January 1st.

Attorney General Eric Schneiderman announced that holders of gift cards purchased from the former retailer Radio Shack could now file claims seeking to recover the unused balance on their cards. Consumers who have unused Radio Shack gift cards with a balance can go to the website OldRadioShackGiftCards.com to obtain a claim form which they can submit electronically or by mail. The claims process is part of a settlement agreement previously approved in the U.S. Bankruptcy court in Wilmington, Delaware and supported by Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, 23 other states, and the District of Columbia.

Governor Cuomo today announced the designation of 11 new Brownfield Opportunity Areas in communities across New York State. The program helps participants develop revitalization strategies focused on returning dormant and blighted areas into productive communities of economic growth and development. Projects in these areas will be given priority status for grants and the project developers may access additional Brownfield Cleanup Program tax credit incentives. in the Southern Tier, the Endicott Johnson Industrial Spine in Binghamton & Johnson City, with 17 potential brownfield sites near UHS Memeorial Hospital & near the desiognated area of the future Binghamton University School of Pharmacy, gets a $155,000 grant. The Brandywine Corridor in Binghamton contains a 100-acre area with 18 brownfield sites, a $1 75,500 BOA Program grant will go toward that project

The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum's Autumn Glory exhibit opens tomorrow. the Museum will celebrate the Royals' 2015 World Series title & Artifacts donated by the Royals will be featured in the exhibit. Among the items will be a Jersey worn by Royals first baseman Eric Hosmer in Game 5, a Glove used by Royals catcher and World Series Most Valuable Player Salvador Perez, Spikes worn throughout the Series by Royals center fielder Lorenzo Cain , Road cap worn by Royals closer Wade Davis, a Bat used by Royals third baseman Mike Moustakas, & a Bat used by Royals shortstop Alcides Escobar.

State Police responded to an Otsego County 911 report of a fatal injury at a work site on Bissell Road in the Town of Otsego. 27 year old Adam Burgess of Laurens was working as part of a 3-man crew cutting and clearing roadside trees for the Town of Otsego Highway Department, Burgess was accidentally stuck by a falling tree, He was transported to Bassett Medical Center in Cooperstown, and pronounced deceased from injuries consisting of a skull fracture, no autopsy would be performed.

Governor Cuomo today announced that New York State Police and local law enforcement agencies would crack down on impaired, distracted and speeding drivers during this Thanksgiving holiday. The State Police will incorporate fixed sobriety checkpoints, an underage drinker initiative and the "Operation Hang Up" initiative, which targets drivers talking or texting on handheld devices. During the 2014 Thanksgiving holiday period, troopers arrested 172 drivers for DWI, issued 4,237 speeding tickets and issued 565 tickets for distracted driving. The special traffic enforcement period is today through Sunday.

DraftKings and FanDuel will head to court today to try to continue operation in New York, as Attorney General Eric Schneiderman tries to shut them down. Schneiderman said that both fantasy websites are misleading the public with deceptive advertising and violating the state's gambling laws, while FanDuel and DraftKings argue that it's not gambling, but a game of skill. If the judge decides to keep fantasy sports out of New York, it would affect more than 600,000 players based in the state who spent at least $200 million in entry fees in 2015

Governor Cuomo announced that temporary lane closures associated with road and bridge construction projects on New York State highways will not be permitted today through Monday, at 6:00 AM, in order to accommodate motorists during the busy Thanksgiving holiday travel week. Some work may continue behind permanent concrete barriers or for emergency repairs.

The American Red Cross encourages eligible donors to give blood to help ensure a sufficient blood supply throughout the holiday season. Donors with all blood types are needed, and especially those with types O negative, B negative, A negative and AB. To donate blood, people can download the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS; today’s blood drive is from 12:30 to 5:30 PM at the Church of the Immaculate Conception, 1180 State Highway 206 in Gr

State Police at Sidney arrested 35 year old Sarah Cahill of Greene, for driving while ability impaired by drugs, after troopers responded to a Chenango County 911 report of a car crashing into a the front porch of a home on State Route 12 in the Town of Greene. troopers accuse Cahill of driving off the road, through a field into the home, she passed out, came to & attemtped to leave the scene. teh arrest is a felony because Cahill had a prior conviction for driving while impaired by drugs in the last ten years. She was arraigned in the Town of Oxford court and was remanded to the Chenango County jail in lieu of $500 cash bail or $2,000 property bond pending court action today.

State Police at Sidney arrested 31-year-old Scott Frawley of Bainbridge for aggravated DWI with a BAC result of .22%. Frawley was observed driving a vehicle without a working tail lamp while on Maple Street in the Town of Afton, Frawley was issued tickets returnable to the Town of Afton court on December 7th.

Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 30 year old Cassandra Castle of Bainbridge, following a traffic stop on State Route 206, in the Town of Walton. Castle was charged with Aggravated Unlicensed Operation of a Motor Vehicle, she was arraigned in the Town of Walton Court & was released after posting $1000 cash bail & will appear in the Town of Walton Court at a later date.

State police reported that 66-year-old Robert Homik of New Jersey was working his seasonal residence at 202 Vandeusen Road in Davenport when he tripped on the dock, fell into the pond & drowned Monday. Homik’s wife attempted a rescue, called 911 and yelled for help from a neighbor. Homik was declared dead at 1:48 p.m. due to accidental drowning.

State police announced that they will host a community policing meeting on Wednesday December 2nd at the Stamford Fire Department from 700 to 9:00 PM. Police will discuss law enforcement operations, & the mission priorities of the state police, community concerns will also be addressed. There will be a question & answer period. Topics scheduled to be discussed include the school liaison program, traffic safety & community & police interaction.

Rebuild New York Now is a coalition seeking to raise public awareness about the issues impacting New York State's infrastructure, State Senator Fred Akshar and other local elected officials, members of organized labor, and private local businesses held a press conference at a bridge in disrepair in the town of Chenango & they called on the Legislature and the Governor to include funding parity between New York City & upstate in next year's budget plan. Akshar was joined by Broome County Executive Debbie Preston, & Assembly members Cliff Crouch & Claudia Tenney.

The State DEC announced that the 2015 regular deer and bear hunting seasons open at sunrise on Saturday, November 21, in New York’s Southern Zone Through sunset on Sunday, December 13. The Southern Zone Regular Season is New York’s most popular hunting season, with participation from about 85 percent of New York’s 550,000 licensed hunters. Officials said that the current deer populations are higher than desired. Following the regular deer and bear seasons in the Southern Zone, late bow hunting and muzzle loading seasons will run from December 14 to December 22.

Attorney General Eric Schneiderman filed an enforcement action Tuesday in New York State Supreme Court, seeking a preliminary injunction against DraftKings and FanDuel. The Attorney General's suit details alleged violations of law by DraftKings and FanDuel, as the State Constitution has prohibited bookmaking and other forms of sports gambling since 1894.

State Police arrested 45 year old Ronald Brennan of Oneonta for aggravated DWI with a BAC result of .25%, plus unlawful possession of marihuana and several other traffic violations. This arrest occurred after troopers observed Brennan driving without license plates in the Town of Milford. Brennan is accused of driving and unregistered and uninsured Honda Civic while intoxicated, he was found to unlawfully possess marihuana. Brennan was issued tickets returnable to the Town of Milford court on December 1st.

Delaware County Sheriff's Department Investigators arrested 35 year old Wilber Tyrrell of Hancock Tuesday as a Fugitive From Justice from the State of Pennsylvania. Tyrrell was incarcerated at the Delaware County Correctional Facility on an unrelated charge at the time of his arrest, Tyrrell will be arraigned as a Fugitive From Justice in the Town of Delhi Court at a later time.

The American Red Cross encourages eligible donors to give blood to help ensure a sufficient blood supply throughout the holiday season. Donors with all blood types are needed, and especially those with types O negative, B negative, A negative and AB. All those who come to donate a blood drive will be held in Oneonta from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM at the Country Club Auto Group, 55 oneida street, appointments can be made with the Red Cross Blood Donor App from app stores, visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

Governor Cuomo signed legislation to expedite access to medicinal marijuana for New Yorkers suffering from serious health conditions. Cuomo also announced that he has ordered state health officials to review whether a new, broader medical marijuana program due to begin in January has enough production and dispensing sites to adequately serve the state. 20 sites are scheduled to open early next year. The governor said that the drug would be dispensed to eligible patients as soon as practicable, he also said that the state will abide by standards from the U.S. Justice Department to ensure that New York’s program does not trigger enforcement actions by the federal government.

State Police received a report from a resident in Roxbury, that an X-Acto knife type razor blade was found inside a sealed bag of Sour Skittles which had been obtained while Trick or Treating. The candy was not opened until opened on November 9th; it has been traced back to the purchase point of the CVS Pharmacy in Margaretville. The investigation has not been able to identify the source of the razor blade and parents all over the region are recommended to thoroughly check all candy prior to consumption.

State Police have recently received several reports of telephone callers claiming to be from the IRS that aggressively demand the resident pay money to clear up an outstanding tax debt, or face criminal charges. The public is being advised that the IRS does not make phone calls in this manner, and anyone receiving a telephone call of this nature should check with the local IRS office.

New York outlawed daily fantasy sports websites and FanDuel CEO Nigel Eccles said that they're hoping to work around the decision by New York's Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, that declared daily fantasy sports sites such as FanDuel and DraftKings are illegal gambling operations. Eccles said that their attorney claims that there is a 5-day period allotted in the cease-and-desist letter in which they'll be working to figure out their options. About 10% of the 2 companies business has been from New York.

The New York State Office of General Services announced a surplus vehicle, highway equipment, and miscellaneous property auction will be held today in Binghamton, however the previously scheduled auction in Unadilla was cancelled and will not be rescheduled. Items and terms of sale are available at ogs.ny.gov. Today’s auction will begin at 9:30 AM at the DOT at 241 Colesville Road, Binghamton.

The American Red Cross encourages eligible donors to give blood today. 2 blood drives will be held in Delaware County today, one in Sidney from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM at the Sidney Federal Credit Union, at 42 Union Street & in Delhi from 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM at the State University Farrell Student & Community Center, at 2 Main Street. Those looking to donate blood can download the American Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS to make an appointment. All blood types are needed.

Attorney General Eric Schneiderman issued cease-and-desist letters to daily fantasy sports wagering sites DraftKings and FanDuel Tuesday, to immediately stop accepting wagers inside New York. The action follows an investigation that found DraftKings and FanDuel violated State law against illegal gambling. The investigation found that both companies consistently use deceptive advertising to lure consumers into an unregulated online gambling operation that, while marketed as a game that anyone can win. Both companies deliberately target demographics susceptible to problem gambling.

Broome County will have a new district attorney, after the absentee ballots were counted, and long time DA Gerald Mollen lost. Stephen Cornwell defeated incumbent district attorney Gerald Mollen in the November 3 election.   Mollen served as the Broome County DA since 1987, Cornwell will officially become the Broome County District Attorney in January.

The Chenango Arts Council announced the acceptance of Request for Proposals from New York State artists for exhibition in the Mariea Brown and Raymond Loft Galleries, located in CAC facilities at 27 West Main Street, Norwich. The proposal deadline is January 6th, 2016, with a jurying process occurring mid-January for exhibition in the following year. More information is available at ChenangoArts.org or at 336-2787.

The "I Am Dreaming of a Cancer-Free Christmas" Holiday Bazaar will be held on December 5th at the Sidney American legion. The event will run from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM, the event is sponsored by the NBT Bank, NBT-Mang Insurance Relay For Life team.

The American Red Cross encourages eligible donors to give blood before the holiday season is in full swing. 2 blood drives will be held in Delaware County tomorrow, one in Sidney from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM at the Sidney Federal Credit Union, at 42 Union Street & in Delhi from 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM at the State University Farrell Student & Community Center, at 2 Main Street. Those looking to donate blood can download the American Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS to make an appointment.   All blood types are needed to ensure a reliable supply for patients.

Governor Cuomo announced that his administration is raising the minimum wage for state workers to $15 an hour. Approximately 10,000 state employees will be benefited by the Governor’s action, about 9,000 employees are outside of New York City. The change will be phased in on July 1, 2021.

Governor Cuomo and U.S. Senator Charles Schumer announced that an agreement has been reached to save at-risk Kraft-Heinz facilities, which employ nearly 1,000 workers throughout Upstate New York. Under the agreement, Kraft-Heinz will continue operating 3 plants, including the one in Walton, they will defer the planned closure of the Campbell plant for a period of 12-24 months, during which time the company will work with state, federal and local officials in an effort to identify a new operator who would retain the plant’s existing employment. The State and company are also committing to each invest at least $20 million to support and modernize Kraft-Heinz’s Upstate operations.

State Police responded to a 2 vehicle head on collision on State Route 28 in the Town of Middletown. 46-year-old Richard Herrel of Delhi attempted to avoid an unknown object in the roadway and crossed into the eastbound lane of travel, his pickup truck then struck a Mercury Marquis driven by 75-year-old Harriet Rauchut of Shandaken. Both drivers were transported to Margaretville Memorial Hospital where Herrel was treated for non-life threatening injuries and Rauchut was pronounced deceased due to blunt force trauma. No autopsy is being required. Alcohol and drugs are not believed to be a factor in this accident. This investigation is ongoing.

Governor Cuomo announced that nearly $1.2 million was returned to consumers in 2014 due to the work of the State DMV Vehicle Safety Division, investigates more than 3,700 consumer complaints each year, including issues involving vehicle dealers or repair shops accused of selling vehicles in poor condition, failing to register vehicles, committing inspection fraud, and making faulty repairs. In the Southern Tier, $16,869 was recovered for consumers who were ripped off.

Attorney General Eric Schneiderman today announced a settlement with Lowe’s Home Center over allegations of deceptive sales practices for flooring installations. The agreement provides cash refunds of up to 10% of per-square-foot basic flooring installation fees charged to over 16,000 New York consumers and establishes new disclosure guidelines relating to “per square foot” installation charges. Lowe’s will also pay $900,000 in costs and fees to New York State. Lowe’s operates 64 stores in New York State.

Fall Foliage Peak Colors will reach the Southern parts of the State this weekend. Peak foliage colors will reach their final destinations in the Hudson Valley, Finger Lakes, New York City and on Long Island, according to spotters for Empire State Development's I LOVE NY program. More information is available at iloveny.com

A job fair today at the Oncenter in Syracuse aimed to match up more than 1,000 job seekers with 5,000 open positions throughout the Central New York and into the Southern Tier. Openings at the job fair ranged from healthcare and food science to manufacturing. The job fair was organized by the state Department of Labor; the fair was the largest on ever arranged by the agency.

Today is Election day, with interesting races In the 52nd State Senate race, Delaware County’s First Ever family Court Judge race, Chenango County District Attorney, and town supervisor races in Franklin, oxford, Harpersfield & Guilford & Town Council races in Sidney, & Franklin locally. Polls will be open until 9:00 tonight.

The Medical Marijuana Expedited Access bill that would expedite patients’ access to medical marijuana has been sent to Governor Cuomo’s desk, he has until November 11th to sign or veto the bill. The state Legislature passed the bill in June, it would give preferential access to medical marijuana to Terminally ill patients, and would be strictly regulated.

State Police arrested 23-year-old Cody Mabe of Pharsalia for fleeing an officer in a motor vehicle, resting arrest and several other traffic violations. This arrest occurred after a short pursuit that started when a trooper observed Mabe driving without a front license plate and attempted to make a traffic stop on State Route 23 in the Town of Pharsalia. After refusing to comply, Mabe drove away. The pursuit ended when he drove near his home and fled into the woods. He was arrested shortly after. Mabe was arraigned in the Town of Pharsalia court and was released without bail required. His next court date in the Town of Pharsalia is on November 5, 2015

The General Clinton Canoe Regatta Committees will meet this evening in Bainbridge. The Meeting will be held at the Highway 7 Bar and Grill, the 6:30 Race committee meeting, it will be followed at 7:30 with the Regular meeting.

State Police arrested 41-year-old Robert McLintock of Edmeston for criminal possession of a weapon and unlawful possession of marihuana. This arrest occurred after a traffic stop for driving with a brake lamp not working on State Route 20 in the Town of Richfield. During the stop it was determined that he unlawfully possessed an unregistered handgun and marihuana. McLintock was arraigned and was released without bail required pending court action on November 4th.

Attorney General Eric Schneiderman stated that his office is operating a statewide Election Day Hotline today. Voters encountering barriers to access at their polling sites can report those issues to the Attorney General’s Office by calling the hotline at 800-771-7755, from 6:00 A.M. until 9:00 P.M. today.

Governor Andrew Cuomo announced today that State Police, local and municipal law enforcement agencies will increase patrols to crack down on drunk driving and underage drinking this Halloween weekend. The special traffic enforcement detail will begin today and continue through Sunday. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, from 2009 to 2013, 43% of all people killed in motor vehicle crashes across the U.S. on Halloween night were in crashes involving a drunk driver. Motorists can expect to see a number of sobriety checkpoints and additional patrols. Troopers will also conduct a special enforcement detail to crack down on the sale of alcohol to minors.

State Senator Jim Seward will be in Oneonta today at the City Public Safety Building in Oneonta, along with Assemblyman Bill Magee, Oneonta Mayor Gary Herzig, and Oneonta Fire Chief Patrick Pidgeon to inspect the fire department’s recently delivered ladder truck. Both Seward and Magee secured a total of $500,000 in state funds to assist in the purchase of the new truck.

The Firemen's Association of the State of New York is urging residents to check their smoke and carbon monoxide alarms as daylight saving time approaches. Officials with the Association stated that smoke and carbon monoxide alarms should be cleaned to remove any debris that could prevent them from working properly. Older alarms that have removable batteries should receive a new pair. More information is available at fasny.com.

On Sunday, the Chenango County American Legion will host a joint visitation by the Legion's State Commander James Yermas, & State Auxiliary President Jan Mahoney among others. the leaders will visit Oxford's Fort Hill Post 376, the Veterans' Home at Oxford, the Chenango County Sheriff's Department in Norwich, followed by a reception & dinner at the Lieutenant Warren Eaton, DSC Post 189, at 29 Sheldon Street, Norwich.

Governor Cuomo commemorated the three-year anniversary of Superstorm Sandy and released a report detailing the continued progress made by New York State. It underscores the advancements made in rebuilding homes, businesses, and large-scale infrastructure projects in communities and neighborhoods, as spearheaded by the Governor's Office of Storm Recovery. More information can be found at stormrecovery.ny.gov.

26-year-old Timothy Green of New Berlin has been charged with forgery and Grand Larceny following an investigation by the State office of the Inspector General. Green was a substitute worker for the New York State Office for the People with Developmental Disabilities in Norwich, he is accused of submitting fraudulent time sheets for work that he did not do, which resulted in over $39,000 in payments. Green was arraigned in the Town of Guilford court and remanded to the Chenango County jail on $50,000 cash bail or $100,000 property bond.

State Police at Sidney arrested 36 year old Brandi Brown of New Berlin for the felony DWI with a BAC result of .16% which is twice the legal limit. This arrest occurred after traffic stop for failing to keep right on State Route 8 in the Town of Guilford. Brown was arraigned at the Town of Guilford court and was released without bail required. Her next court date in the Town of Guilford is November 12, 2015.

Attorney General Eric Schneiderman issued a brochure offering tips to New Yorkers buying health insurance coverage for next year, entitled “Shopping For Health Insurance Coverage” Which is being released in advance of the New York State of Health Marketplace’s open enrollment period starting on Sunday. Schneiderman encourages consumers to take advantage of this open enrollment period to evaluate how their current health plan, whether it will change, or to consider what other options are available. Open enrollment through New York State of Health begins on November 1 through December 15th, for coverage effective January 1st.

State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman today announced that his office reached an agreement with Don’s Automotive Mall in Binghamton to resolve an investigation that revealed that the company was selling salvaged automobile airbags in violation of New York State law. Don's agreed that they would not sell any salvaged airbags without first complying with the law, New York requires anyone attempting to sell inflatable restraint systems salvaged from another vehicle to have it first certified according to standards established by a nationally recognized testing, engineering and research body approved by the DMV. Currently there are no approved standards from the State of New York, the sale of all salvaged airbags illegal.

Delaware County District Attorney Investigators and the Walton Police Department arrested 27-year-old Brandi Wyckoff of Walton for 2 counts of Forgery & 2 counts of offering a false instrument for filing. Wyckoff was arraigned in Delhi Town Court and remanded to the Delaware County Correctional Facility on $5,000 Bail or $10,000 Bond. Pending future court action.

State Senator Jim Seward announced that he is sponsoring a pair of free senior scam prevention forums in Oneonta and Cooperstown on Friday. Senator Seward is partnering with the State Department of State to notify senior citizens, caregivers, and others about the alarming trend of senior targeted scams. The forums will take place on Friday from 10:00 AM to 12:00 Noon at the Elm Park Church, 401 Chestnut Street in Oneonta & from 2:00 to 4:00 PM at the Cooperstown Village Offices, 22 Main Street in Cooperstown. The forums are free and open to the public.

On Saturday, the Chenango County Sheriff’s Office, & Norwich Police executed a no knock search warrant at 30 Classic Street in the Village of Sherburne. 50-year-old Frederick Harty of Sherburne was charged with Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance with Intent to sell, Criminal Nuisance, Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance, & Criminally Possessing Drug Paraphernalia. 46-year-old Tabitha Harty was also charged with Criminal Nuisance. Frederick Harty was arraigned in the Town of Norwich Court and remanded to the Chenango County Correctional Facility on $20,000 cash bail. Tabitha Harty was arraigned in the Town of Norwich Court and remanded to the Chenango County Correctional Facility on $2,000 cash bail. The Sheriff’s Office recovered heroin, scales, packaging material, and unlawfully possessed prescription pills.

The Otsego County Sheriff’s Office arrested 69-year-old Frank Viscardi of St. Johnsville following a motor vehicle accident on state highway 28 in the town of Milford. Viscardi lost control and drove off the shoulder, struck an embankment, traveled across a lawn & hit a garage, causing significant damage. Viscardi was charged with felony DWI, criminal possession of a controlled substance, reckless endangerment of property, unlawful possession of marijuana, speed not reasonable, failure to keep right, driving on shoulder and consumption of alcohol in a motor vehicle. Viscardi will appear in the town of Milford court on October 27th.

A forum for 5 candidates for various Franklin town government positions will be held at 6:30 tonight at the Ouleout Valley American Legion at 327 Main Street in Franklin. The moderator will be Franklin Mayor Tom Briggs.

The State Attorney General's office will be doing a presentation on "Senior Scams" this afternoon at 2:00 PM at St. James Manor, Oneonta. The event is open to the public. More information is available at 432-4500 extension 207.

Springbrook will host an "Informed Decision Making" workshop today in the Events Room at their Campus on State Route 7 in Oneonta. The main goal of the workshop is to provide training for direct support professionals in understanding how to properly guide the people they support through the decision making process. The workshop is a half-day event from 9:00 AM to 12:30 PM and again from 1:30 to 4:30 PM.

Attorney General Eric Schneiderman today announced that his office has obtained an order dissolving Angel’s Gate animal hospice and rehabilitation charity & directing that the charity’s real property be sold with the proceeds to be paid to another charity whose mission is the protection and care of animals. Acting Supreme Court Justice John Lambert ordered the appointment of a receiver to sell the property held in the names of Angel’s Gate, Inc. and Susan Marino in the Town of Meredith. Schneiderman’s Office previously brought a proceeding against Angel’s Gate and Marino to dissolve the corporation because they had failed to file legally required financial reports related to the handling of their charitable funds.  Marino and Angel’s Gate had raised over $3.1 million from donations; Marino mismanaged the funds while continuing to live on the property as her primary residence, without any oversight by an inactive Board of Directors.

State Police at Oneonta arrested 25-year-old Britney Fraser of Oneonta for criminal possession of a controlled substance, aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle & possessing a controlled substance in a non-original container. 21-year-old Ashley Harty of Sherburne was also charged with 3 counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance, and unlawful possession of marihuana. The arrests occurred after a vehicle stop when Fraser was observed failing to stop for approaching traffic as she drove onto State Route 7 in the Town of Oneonta. Troopers detected the odor of marihuana & a search was conducted, troopers accuse Fraser of possessing half of a narcotic and driving with a suspended license. Harty was found to unlawfully possess marijuana, heroin and cocaine. Fraser and Harty were arraigned at the Town of Oneonta court and both were remanded to the Otsego County jail on $400 cash bail or $800 property bond, pending Town of Oneonta court on November 12th.

State Police at Binghamton arrested 34-year-old Melissa Ipson of Liverpool for criminal possession of a controlled substance, driving while ability impaired by drugs and possessing a controlled substance in a non-original container. This arrest occurred after a trooper observed Ipson appearing disoriented as she sat in her vehicle at a gas pump and then drove to a parking space at the Mirabito on Castle Creek Road in the Town of Barker. An investigation determined that she was driving while impaired by drugs and unlawfully possessed over 2 grams of cathinone bath salts. Ipson was arraigned & was remanded to the Broome County jail without bail set at this time.

State Police arrested 58 year old Arthur Veprovsky last night, following a stand off at Lower Third Brook Road in Walton. Police responded to the report of a domestic dispute that led to a lengthy stand off. After several hours, Veprovsky was taken into custody and was processed late last night; more details are expected to be released shortly.

Governor Cuomo and state leaders attended the 3rd Beer Wine & Cider Summit today in Albany, the governor said that changes in antiquated laws could help get upstate product into the New York City Bars, restaurants & Hotels:

(Cuomo 10-7-15)

The growth of the industry in the last three years has been dramatic, even with the impediments into the New York City market. Locally the growing of hops and the growth of microbreweries has assisted in growing the local economy. Among those participating in the summit today were local lawmakers, Senator John Bonacic and Assemblyman Bill Magee.

The sentencing of former State Senator Tom Libous has been postponed until after Libous completes another round of Chemo Therapy. U.S. District Judge Vincent Briccetti today scheduled Libous’s sentencing back to November 24th, from October 30th, Libous was found guilty of lying to the FBI regarding using his political influence to get his son Matthew into a politically connected White Plains Law Firm, he faces up to 5 years in prison. Matthew Libous is serving a 6-month sentence for tax fraud.

The New York State Police will conduct graduation exercises for its 2015 Canine Handler Basic School at the State Police Academy in Albany Thursday afternoon. The 12 graduates include members from the New York State Police, Schenectady Police Department and Warren County Sheriff’s Office. State police officials stated that
Trooper Darrell Dening, & Canine Kin & Trooper Timothy Kressly & Canine Bryant will be assigned to Troop C.

Attorney General Eric Schneiderman today announced agreements with Auburn Community Hospital in Auburn and Our Lady of Lourdes Memorial Hospital, in Binghamton that will bolster their language assistance and financial aid services. Both hospitals serve increasingly diverse communities Schneiderman said that implementing and revisiting language assistance and financial aid policies would work to ensure the hospital’s services remain available to individuals regardless of their English proficiency or ability to pay.

Governor Cuomo today announced nearly $710,000 in state grants to 51 police departments and sheriffs’ offices across the state for the purchase of electronic fingerprinting equipment. This new equipment will replace existing devices that either malfunction or are obsolete. Locally, the Otsego County Sheriff’s Office received $10,000 & the Chenango County Sheriff’s Office: $18,131 for two devices

Basil Seggos will be the new commissioner of the state Department of Environmental Protection. Seggos was Governor Cuomo’s deputy secretary for the environment; he replaces Joseph Martens, who resigned from the post in July.

The Official launch & open house of the Otsego Now Regional Workforce Training Center initiative and announcement of significant grants, will be tomorrow morning in Oneonta. State Senator Jim Seward helped to secure the grants and guide the through the CFA process, for capital improvements to outfit the center. Seward is scheduled to attend the ceremonies beginning at 10:30 AM Tuesday at the Offices of Otsego Now at 189 Main Street on the 5th floor.

Attorney General Eric Schneiderman today announced the arrests of 68-year-old Kenneth Cohn and his wife, 64-year-old Sharon Cohn of Binghamton, for allegedly violating the Workers’ Compensation law and illegally obtaining over $1 million from the Medicaid system. while owning & operating Yellow Medi-Van and Taxi, Incorporated. The Cohns were charged with Grand Larceny, Offering a False Instrument for Filing among other charges, they were arraigned in Binghamton City Court.

Fire Prevention Week is underway, and the Firemen’s Association of the State of New York is reminding all New Yorkers of the importance of having working smoke alarms throughout their homes. The National Fire Protection Association urges everyone to install smoke alarms in every bedroom, outside each separate sleeping area and on every level of the home, including the basement, to connect all smoke alarms throughout the home so that all sound when one initially goes off. Everyone is also encouraged to test alarms monthly, replace all smoke alarms when they are 10 years old & make sure everyone in the home knows the sound of the smoke alarm and understands what to do when they hear it.

Today is Primary Day in New York State, for those who want to decide on a candidate to represent their political party in the November elections. In Delaware County, The Democratic Party will hold Primaries for Town of Middletown Supervisor between Patrick Davis & Marjorie Miller. The Republican Party will hold a Primary for the Harpersfield Town Supervisors position between current Delaware County Board of Supervisors Chairman Jim Eisel and Edward Pick & In the Town of Walton for Town Supervisor, the race is between Charles Gregory & Bruce Dolph. In Chenango County, primary races of interest include the republican primary for District Attorney between incumbent Joe McBride and Zachary Wentworth. In the city of Norwich, there is a Republican Primary for Mayor between Incumbent Joe Mauirano & Christine Carnrike.

Attorney General Eric Schneiderman will operate a statewide Election Day Hotline during the primary election this Thursday, September 10. Voters encountering barriers to access at their polling sites can report those issues to the Attorney General’s Office by calling the hotline at 800-771-7755, or by emailing the office at civil.rights@ag.ny.gov. The Hotline will be available until 9:00 PM. .

The Chenango County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Division arrested 44-year-old Shannon Hunter of Oxford and 45 year old William Miller of Gilbertsville. Deputies stopped a vehicle just off of State Hwy 12 in the Town of North Norwich, Shannon Hunter was found to be in possession of heroin and drug paraphernalia, the driver, William Miller was found to be in possession of Hydrocodone pills and drug paraphernalia. Hunter was charged with Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance with Intent to Sell, Miller was charged with Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance, both were arraigned in the Town of North Norwich Court and remanded to the Chenango County Sheriff’s Office on $5,000 cash bail.

Delaware County Sheriff's Deputies are investigating a late August hit and run accident that has resulted in the closure of the Corbett Bridge spanning the East Branch of the Delaware River in the Town of Colchester. A DOT supervisor discovered recent structural damage to the bridge located at the intersection of Corbett Road and New York State Route 30, a Subsequent inspection by engineers determined that the structural integrity of the bridge was compromised as a result of the accident and the bridge was immediately closed to all traffic. Officials anticipate the bridge will remain closed for an extended period of time for appropriate repairs, they believe the structure was struck by a large vehicle, anyone with information should contact Deputy Christopher Erwin at 287-4756.

State Police responded to a Delaware County 911 report of a motor vehicle over an embankment on Brickhouse Hill Road, in the Town of Davenport. Troopers located a man, who was deceased, while pinned underneath a 1996 Ford Crown Victoria. The investigation revealed that 20-year-old Travis Barra of Stamford was operating the car on Brickhouse Hill Road when he drove off the roadway and was stuck on the shoulder. Barra left the car in neutral attempted to free it & was pinned underneath the car when it rolled backward. Barra’s death as was ruled as accidental due to mechanical asphyxiation by the coroner’s office, the investigation is ongoing.

A Pre-Primary Meet and Greet will be held in Norwich today at the Commerce Chenango Community Room, 15 South Broad Street, beginning at 5: 30 PM. Chamber members can meet 1-on-1 with incumbent Norwich Mayor Joseph Maiurano, candidate-elect Christine Carnrike, incumbent Chenango County District Attorney Joseph McBride and candidate-elect Zachary Wentworth.

Governor Cuomo today announced up to $500,000 in state grants to increase college access for 2016 high school graduates. New York State’s College Action Grants will award up to $5,000 to eligible high schools and community organizations that promote activities aimed at increasing the rate of low-income New York State high school seniors who apply to college, complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, and ultimately enroll in a college. Eligible high schools are those in which 50 percent or more of the students are eligible to participate in the federal free and reduced-price lunch program. Qualified not-for-profit organizations serving low-income students from such high schools are also eligible to apply for this grant opportunity.

Assemlyman Pete Lopez will speak at the Citizen Voices meeting tomorrwo morning at 7:30 AM. Lopez will speak at the meeting at the Oneonta Block Company at State Route 23 in Oneonta.

Attorney General Eric Schneiderman will operate a statewide Election Day Hotline during the primary election this Thursday, September 10. Voters encountering barriers to access at their polling sites can report those issues to the Attorney General’s Office by calling the hotline at 800-771-7755, or by emailing the office at civil.rights@ag.ny.gov. The Hotline will be available from 6:00 A.M. until 9:00 P.M. on Election Day.

A Binghamton man was killed after his SUV rolled over while trying to negotiate a sharp turn in the town of Dickinson Wednesday night. broome county’s sheriff’s deputies said 23 year old Kyle Wilcox lost control of his vehicle on Old State Rd. Tire tracks indicate that his vehicle veered across both lanes before rolling over and landing on it’s roof. Fire departments from 5 Mile Point and Port Dickinson assisted at the scene.

A bridge in Broome County will be named in memory of State Trooper Christopher Skinner. In May 2014, Skinner was outside of his cruiser issuing a traffic ticket on I- 81 in the town of Chenango when a man from Florida intentionally struck and killed him. The I-81 north and southbound bridge crossing U.S. Route 11 will be named the "Trooper Christopher G. Skinner Memorial Bridge." Gov. Cuomo signed the legislation and both the Assembly and Senate unanimously passed the measure in June.

New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman was in Binghamton Thursday to discuss his efforts to keep Southern Tier families in their homes. The Attorney General's Office released a report detailing the results of efforts to prevent foreclosures across the state. Over the last three years, with the help of the Homeowners Protection Program and the State Mortgage Program, more than 3,700 households have been saved from foreclosure in the Southern Tier region.

The results for the 2015 Common Core tests have been released by the New York State Department of Education for grades 3 thru 8. the percentage of students who scored at the proficient level was 38 percent, a 7 point increase over 2013, but the percentage of students who opted out of testing increased dramatically. Locally, Sherburne had the highest opt out percentages with 68% in Math and 62% in ELA. Deposit had the lowest percentage of students refusing to take the tests at 2%. The New York State “opt out” average was 31%.

AFTER A 5 YEAR INVESTIGATION, TWO BINGHAMTON MEN HAVE BEEN ARRESTED, INCLUDING ONE FOR ATTEMPTED MURDER. STATE POLICE ARRESTED 25 YEAR OLD TIMOTHY ELLIS AND 26 YEAR OLD DUSTIN BUCKLEY. BOTH ARE CHARGED IN CONNECTION WITH A HOME INVASION BURGLARY THAT OCCURRED IN SEPTEMBER OF 2010 IN THE TOWN OF BARKER, NEAR BUFFALO. TROOPERS SAY A 50 YEAR OLD WOMAN WAS ASSAULTED AND SEVERLY INJURED, SUFFERING BLINDNESS IN ONE EYE AND PARTIAL HEARING LOSS. ELLIS IS CHARGED WITH 2ND DEGREE ATTEMPTED MURDER AND FIRST DEGREE BURGALARY. BUCKLEY IS FACING A FIRST DEGREE BURGALARY CHARGE. BOTH MEN ARE BEING HELD IN THE BROOME COUNTY JAIL WITHOUT BAIL.

DELAWARE COUNTY SHERIFFS DEPUTIES, WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF THE NEW YORK CITY SHERIFF’S OFFICE, ARRESTED A BROOKLYN MAN TUESDAY. 31 YEAR OLD DONULD RUDD WAS ARRESTED BY MEMBERS OF THE NEW YORK CITY SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT UPON HIS RELEASE FROM RIKERS ISLAND CORRECTIONAL FACILITY. RUDD WAS THEN TURNED OVER TO DELAWARE COUNTY DEPUTIES IN KINGSTON, NY AND ARRESTED AGAIN ON A WARRANT ISSUED BY DELAWARE COUNTY COURT IN NOVEMBER OF 2014 AFTER HE FAILED TO APPEAR FOR HIS COURT HEARING. A FORMER BINGHAMTON RESIDENT, RUDD OWES MORE THAN 12 THOUSAND DOLLARS IN RESTITUTION ASSOCIATED WITH 2010 CONVICTIONS FOR CRIMINAL MISCHIEF. RUDD IS BEING HELD IN THE DELAWARE COUNTY CORRECTIONAL FACILITY WITHOUT BAIL.

U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand said she doesn't want to run for president or governor here in New York. Gillibrand has built a national profile in recent years, working on top-tier issues such as combating sexual assault in the military and allowing gay and lesbian soldiers to serve openly. Gillibrand would be a formidable Democrat should she enter the race for governor which is open once again in 2018. A strong campaign fundraiser, she would likely face competition for the Democratic nomination from Attorney General Eric Schneiderman should Gov. Andrew Cuomo not run for a third term.

18 year old Dayne Feehan didn’t know much about being a professional before this year. Now, he and a fellow Windsor High School student have received recognition for their management decision-making skills. Feehan and 17 year old Matthew Colosi competed June 29-July 2 in the Future Business Leaders of America National Leadership Conference in Chicago. They placed in the top 15, roughly in the top 2 percent of competitive FBLA chapters, in the Management Decision Making Competition

A man who was caught driving drunk did not have a license, according to the Otsego County Sheriff's Office. 41 year old Zacharias Fuller of Schenevus, was arrested after a one-car accident on Race Street in the village of Schenevus. He was charged with DWI, as well as aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle. He also faces several other misdemeanors and traffic violations. Fuller will appear in the Town of Maryland Court at a later date

An estimated 40,000 people are expected to attend the Chenango County Fair in Norwich. The fair runs until Sunday. This year, more than ever, fair-goers will get a lesson in agriculture, which is one of the cornerstones of the county. Read more at chenangocountyfair.homestead.com

THE AMERICAN RED CROSS REMINDS ELIGIBLE BLOOD DONORS OF A BLOOD DRIVE TO BE HELD AT THE UNITED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN WALTON TODAY, FROM 11:30 AM TO 5:30 PM. DONORS OF ALL BLOOD TYPES - ESPECIALLY THOSE WITH TYPES A, B, AND O NEGATIVE ARE NEEDED. VISIT RED CROSS BLOOD.ORG OR CALL 1-800-RED-CROSS.

The Republican committees in the 52 State Senate District have announced that Broome County Under sheriff Fred Akshar will be their candidate for the special election to fill that seat. A special election was necessary following the conviction on federal charges & subsequent expulsion of long time Republican Senator Tom Libous of Binghamton, Democrats have already announced that former Broome County Executive & Former State DMV Commissioner Barbara Fiala will be their candidate.

State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman said Monday that the retailers including Wal-Mart, Sears and Amazon have agreed to halt the sales of life-like toy guns in New York. The retailers have also agreed to pay over $300,000 in penalties. Schneiderman’s office found that over 6,400 toy guns sold from 2012 to 2014 violated New York laws; most of those were sold online. Schneiderman said there have been 63 shootings in New York since 1994 as a result of someone holding a toy weapon.

Certified child safety seat technicians will conduct free child safety sat checks in Oneonta this afternoon. The event will beheld from 3:00 to 6:00 PM in the parking lot at Home Depot on State Route 28. More information is available at 547-4230.

State Police & the Sidney Village Police announced the arrest of 29-year-old Kristina Hyer of Unadilla, following a lengthy investigation involving the possession, forgery & use of stolen checks & credit cards. Hyer was charged with 4th & 5th degree criminal possession of stolen property, petty larceny, criminal possession of a forged instrument & forgery. Hyer was arraigned in Sidney village court and was remanded to the Delaware County Jail on $10,000 cash bail, pending future court action.

The State Department of Labor released local area unemployment rates for May. The state’s unemployment rate was unchanged at 5.7%, Locally, Chenango county's unemployment rate was at 5.4%, Delaware county at 5.9% and Otsego County at an even 5% for the month of may.

Governor Cuomo today announced that maple syrup production in New York reached its highest level in 70 years, allowing the state to retain its standing as the second highest producer of fresh maple syrup in America. New York’s maple farmers persevered through a challenging winter to produce a modern record of more than 601,000 gallons of syrup from more than 2.3 million taps across the state during the 2015 season. Vermont is still the top Maple producer with 1.39 million gallons of syrup. More information can be found at nysmaple.com.

State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman announced agreements with 4 liquid nicotine companies whose products were being sold in New York in violation of a law requiring that nicotine must be sold in child-resistant packaging. Liquid nicotine is used in electronic cigarettes, or e-cigarettes, to create the vapor that the user inhales. Liquid nicotine is highly toxic, and ingestion or even skin exposure to very small amounts can lead to serious illness and potentially coma and death, particularly for children. Companies will now be required to remove from all liquid nicotine sold in packaging that does not meet child-resistant standards & retail stores must also train their staff on the requirements of the legislation.

Governor Cuomo, Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos and Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie today announced an agreement on the 2015-16 State Budget. The Budget agreement includes landmark education reforms and investment, an ethics package with the nation's strongest disclosure laws for legislators with outside income, and new investments in rebuilding and growing the state's economy, including $1.5 billion for the Upstate Revitalization Initiative and $500 million to make New York the first in the nation to have statewide broadband. Full details and language to be released later today.

A Stamford Probationer was arrested on a Probation Violation Warrant after being tracked for miles through the woods by Delaware County Deputies, K-9 “Ozzie”, Probation Officers and a New York State EnCon Officer. 25 year old Jesse Papas of Stamford fled from a window of his residence and ran into the woods, without footwear, as Probation Officers attempted to execute their warrant Friday morning. Papas was tracked by K-9 “Ozzie”, and was taken into custody, in the Schoharie County Town of Gilboa. Papas was transported to A.O. Fox Memorial Hospital, Oneonta, Upon his release from Fox Hospital, Papas was arraigned & was remanded to the Delaware County Jail without bail, pending his next scheduled court appearance on April 14.

Town Supervisors, Village and City Mayors, Planning Board and Zoning Board of Appeals Chairmen, Zoning Enforcement Officers in Otsego, Schoharie and Delaware Counties are reminded to register soon for the Land Use Training Workshops for Local Government Officials on April 9th at the Meadows Complex in Cooperstown. The Otsego County Planning Department will host training classes on two separate evenings beginning in April. Both classes will be presented by representative of the New York State Department of State. These classes may meet the state training requirement for local government officials. Both workshops will be held at the Meadows Office Complex, County Highway 33W next to the County Public Safety building. The two workshops are described as follows: Session One is from 4:30 pm—6:30 pm for a Zoning Board of Appeals Overview, Session Two is from 6:45 pm to 8:45 pm regarding Rural Planning. online registrations are accepted at otsegocounty.com or by calling 547-4225 during business hours.

Attorney General Eric Schneiderman announced an agreement with Pennsylvania-based retail giant GNC to implement new standards in authenticating herbal supplements, ensuring their purity, and educating consumers about their chemical content. GNC will perform DNA barcoding on the “active” plant ingredients used in its products; implement testing for contamination with allergens and post prominent signage advising consumers of the processed, chemical nature of extracts. GNC will be required to implement these new procedures in all of its more than 6,000 stores nationwide.

The New York State Common Retirement Fund has committed an additional $30 million to Primary Venture Partners to invest in state-based companies, State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli announced today. The commitment will be made through the pension fund’s In-State Private Equity Investment Program; the pension fund has invested $786 million in 298 companies and has supported nearly 4,000 jobs across the state through this Program.

State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli released the results of an audit on Delaware County regarding 3rd party procurement procedures, the audit found that the county needs to ensure that it awards contracts to service providers only after soliciting competition through a bidding process & that a stated period of services be included in contracts, the county also needs to establish a Board of Ethics. The audit also suggests that the Department of Social Services should reconcile the payments made to third-party providers on an annual basis & the Department of Mental Health should ensure that all payments to 3rd party providers are adequately supported prior to payment. County officials agreed with the recommendations and indicated they planned to take corrective action.

Attorney General Eric Schneiderman announced the formation of a coalition of state attorneys general from Connecticut, Indiana and Puerto Rico to further investigate the business practices of the herbal supplement industry. The coalition's formation follows a recent analysis that found contaminants, unlabeled plant species, and other substances in certain herbal supplements, many of the supplements had either been heavily processed & the genetic material of the original plant source was undetectable. Mislabeled supplements ingested by the public may pose a significant danger to those who have food allergies or take medication.

Governor Cuomo announced that 11 more businesses plan to expand in or locate to New York State under the START-UP NY program. The businesses will invest nearly $30 million, creating 158 new jobs over the next 5 years in tax-free areas sponsored by State university schools. Morrisville State College will have 54 new jobs that will be created by Empire Farmstead Brewery at a microbrewery where beer will be manufactured for regional and international distribution. Also at Morrisville, K16 Corporation is a new technology device and software development firm focused on developing technology based solutions in teaching methods. K16 will be locating to on-campus space in Morrisville and create two net new jobs while investing $10,000.

State lawmakers are working toward getting a state budget together by the April 1st deadline, in spite of the governor’s acknowledgment that a budget might be late if ethics reforms are not passed. Area assemblyman bill Magee comments:

(Bill Magee 3-4-15)

Magee also said that Governor Cuomo proposed cuts to some agricultural programs, that they hope to have restored in the final budget plan.

State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman announced that since January 2011, his office has helped over 17,000 people successfully resolve their consumer complaints, totaling over $13.5 million in refunds and other relief for over 12,000 of those consumers. The largest number of complaints deals with the Automobile industry, followed by Credit and Identity Theft issues, the Service Industries, Utilities and Landlord/Tenant complaints. The Attorney General's Consumer Helpline for those who beleive they may have been victimized is 1-800-771-7755.

Governor Cuomo will lead the first official state trade mission to Cuba since President Obama began the process to normalize diplomatic relations between the United States and Cuba. The upcoming trade mission will allow New York State officials and business leaders to explore opportunities and advance shared interests, the delegation will leave for Cuba on April 20th.

A Siena College poll released this week shows that 92% of polled New Yorkers believe that corruption in state government is a serious problem. 51% believe it's very serious, & believe that more needs to be done to stop Albany Corruption. Governor Cuomo's own ethics push includes new disclosure requirements for lawmakers as well as requiring receipts for travel expenses. Cuomo is attaching the measures to spending in the budget and said he's fine with risking an on-time budget to get ethics done. However, 53% prefer an on time budget to ethics reforms getting done immediately, while 37% want ethics reforms tackled first, even if it means a late state budget in April.

School officials, education leaders, and state lawmakers are not happy with Governor Cuomo tying the issue of lawmaker’s ethics reforms to the state budget, and subsequently, state aid projections for school districts. Area Assemblyman Cliff crouch comments:

(Crouch 2-26-15)

Lawmakers & the governor have until April 1st to get the deadline passed, they have managed to accomplish that feat for the last 4 years.

The Constitution Pipeline approval process inches closer to allowing Williams energy to go forward with the controversial pipeline proposal. Area Assemblyman Pete Lopez said that the pipeline proposal weighs heavy on his constituents minds:

(Lopez 2-26-15)

Plans call for the construction of the natural gas pipeline to begin this summer, it would pass through Broome, Delaware & Schoharie counties locally from Pennsylvania to the Northeast states.

Governor Cuomo outlined his proposal to expand pre-K to 3-year olds in the State's highest-need communities. The Governor is committing $25 million to fund this pilot program, for which more than 250 school districts will be eligible to apply. More than 5,000 seats are projected to be made available for 3-year olds across the State through this program. The State currently spends more than $750 million annually on pre-K for 4-year olds, supporting the education of 116,000 children.

Attorney General Eric Schneiderman announced today that he would propose legislation in Albany to protect and reward employees who report information about illegal activity in the banking, insurance, and financial services industries. Currently, no law exists in New York State to protect or incentivize whistleblowers who report securities and other financial frauds. Schneiderman’s bill would provide financial compensation to whistleblowers whose tips lead to more than $1 million in penalties or settlement proceeds, it would also guarantee the confidentiality of the whistleblower’s information, and make it illegal for any employer to retaliate.

Delaware County Sheriff Deputies responded to a one-car property damage accident Saturday on County Highway 14 in the Town of Franklin. 55 year old Timothy Lynch of Treadwell, is accused of operating a motor vehicle while in an intoxicated state, he was arrested for driving while intoxicated and failure to keep right & will appear in the Town of Franklin Court at a later date

Attorney General Eric Schneiderman announced that Maine and Maryland have joined the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic Heroin Task Force that marshals the resources of top law-enforcement officers across Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states. According to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, over half of law-enforcement agencies in these two regions reported “high heroin availability” in their jurisdictions in 2013. In New York State, heroin and synthetic opioid overdoses killed 2,051 New Yorkers in 2011, more than twice the number in 2004. Statewide there were almost 20,000 hospitalizations related to heroin in 2013.

The battle lines have been drawn this year between Governor Cuomo, the Legislature & the New York state teacher's union, over edcuation reforms. Governor Cuomo said last month that the teachers evaluation enacted last year, was a joke;

(Cuomo 2-16-15)

State Senator John Bonacic said that public schools & charter schools need to be graded on a pass/fail basis:

(Bonacic 2-16-15)

Governor Cuomo last year told school districts to enact a teacher evaluation or face losing additional state aid, this year, Cuomo said he will kick in a lot more money for education if strongest reforms are enacted.

The Delaware County Fair announced that 7 $1,000 scholarships will be awarded to current New York State High School seniors and also students enrolled in college. The New York State Association of Agricultural Fairs and the New York State Showpeople’s Association sponsor the scholarships. The qualifying students must be active at The Delaware County Fair or with The New York State Showpeople’s Association. All applicants from Delaware County must submit their applications through The Delaware County Fair P.O. Box 344 Walton NY 13856, no later then Friday April 10th. More Information is available at www.nyfairs.org using the scholarships link.

Attorney General Eric Schneiderman announced that in the next two weeks he will resubmit the Abandoned Property Neighborhood Relief Act, to reduce the number of vacant and abandoned properties falling into disrepair across the state by informing homeowners of their right to stay in their home until a court orders the homeowner to leave, requiring mortgage lenders and servicers to identify, secure and maintain vacant and abandoned properties much earlier in the foreclosure process, and creating a registry of such properties to assist municipalities with enforcement of laws regarding property maintenance. Homeowners who need assistance are encouraged to call the Attorney General’s statewide foreclosure hotline at 855-HOME-456 and visit AGHomeHelp.com to connect with HOPP organizations and agencies in their area that can provide foreclosure prevention services.

State Police arrested 54 year old Robert Emery of Newfield, for 1 count Robbery in the 3rd Degree, as well as 1 count Unlawful Imprisonment, 2 counts Criminal Mischief, & 2 counts of Endangering the Welfare of a Child, connection with an investigation into a report of a physical altercation at a residence in Newfield Sunday, Emery was arraigned in the Town of Newfield Court and Released on his Own Recognizance. He is scheduled to reappear in the Town of Newfield Court Tuesday.

US Senator Charles Schumer is calling on the Centers for Disease Control to make measles vaccines and booster shots free & readily available, following an outbreak of the long dormant disease in California. Schumer is also pushing for free mumps and rubella shots in schools & health clinics as soon as possible. The CDC reported that 121 people have the measles since January 1st, most of those cases stemmed from a multi-state outbreak linked to visits to a Disney amusement park in California, following an anti-vaccine movement.

Governor Cuomo today deployed New York State assets to Massachusetts to assist the state in its cleanup efforts following the historic snowfall in the region over the last several weeks. More than 60 personnel and 71 pieces of heavy equipment, left New York this morning, New York joins Vermont, New Jersey and Pennsylvania in assisting Massachusetts.

Republican in both houses of the state legislature are working to convince Governor Cuomo to can the "Gap Elimination Adjustment", which they claim has cut funding to poor rural school districts. Area Assemblyman Cliff crouch said that Governor Cuomo so far is playing hardball with the budget:

(Crouch 2-11-15)

The Senate Majority announced that they are prioritizing the idea of removing the Gap Elimination Adjustment in the coming fiscal year budget.

The number of school districts overriding New York's property tax cap declined by more than half over the past three fiscal years, dropping from 44 school districts in 2012-13 to only 19 in 2014-15, according to a report issued today by State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli. The report also found low- and average-need districts were twice as likely to override the tax cap compared to high-need districts. 14 districts exceeded the cap in two of the three years and one district exceeded the cap all three years. The full report is available at osc.state.ny.us.

Attorney General Eric Schneiderman announced that the Community Overdose Prevention program, which provides funding to equip state and local law-enforcement officers with naloxone, has saved more than 100 lives in less than a year. The abuse of heroin and prescription Opiod Drugs is a growing problem, Nationwide, fatal overdoses from heroin doubled from 2010-2012, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Broome County Sheriff's department was among the top life saving organizations with 5 saves by Naloxone since the program started.

Attorney General Eric Schneiderman announced that his office has been alerted to a scam involving an individual posing as Sam Wilson from the Attorney General’s Office. Consumers should not return this call to the number provided and should be aware that the Attorney General’s Office would never notify any individual or business about pending litigation in a telephone call. Individuals should contact the Federal Trade Commission at (877) FTC-HELP or ftc.gov, or contact the Attorney General’s Office at (800) 771-7755 or ag.ny.gov.

Commerce Chenango & NBT Bank will host their annual Economic Forecast Breakfast on January 28th. The event will be held at the American Legion Post 189 at 29 Sheldon Street in Norwich.

Governor Cuomo delivered his combined “State of the State” address & executive Budget presentation to a joint session of the legislature in Albany this afternoon. In His Summation, the Governor quoted his recently departed father & former Governor Mario Cuomo:

(Cuomo 1-21-15)

Cuomo is proposing about 100 proposals for the legislature to consider in the 2015 session.

Attorney General Eric Schneiderman today announced that his office reached a settlement with Vacation Tours USA, over a false advertising scam targeting consumers across New York State. The company sent letters to consumers telling them they had won a vacation package, including airfare and lodging, and invited them to attend a seminar at a local hotel. Once at the hotel, consumers were subjected to a sales presentation conducted by a third-party company instead of being given vouchers for free airline tickets and hotel stays. Seminars were conducted in several municipalities, including in Binghamton. If consumers believe they were a victim of this scam, they can contact Attorney General Schneiderman’s Office by calling 1-800-771-7755 or 607-721-8771.