WCDO Radio News

P.M. NEWS FRIDAY 7-3-26

State Police will increase patrols to crack down on drunk and drugged driving and other traffic infractions over the Fourth of July holiday, through Sunday night. Drivers can expect to encounter sobriety checkpoints and DWI patrols, Troopers will also be looking for motorists who are using their phones and other electronic devices while driving, they should also remember to “move over” for stopped emergency and hazard vehicles when traveling. Last year’s Fourth of July enforcement period, Troopers issued 10,497 total tickets, arrested 210 people for DWI, 258 tickets for distracted driving, 301 tickets for Move Over law violations.

Otsego County Office of Emergency Services announced that the State of Emergency for bot the towns of Pittsfield & Laurens have been rescinded today. Motorists are urged to drive with caution in those towns as recovery efforts are continuing.

49 year old Thomas George of Binghamton, was found guilty following a jury trial in Broome County Court for Criminal Possession of a Weapon. On July 1, 2025, Police conducted a traffic stop in Johnson City, officers located drug paraphernalia and a quantity of methamphetamine, they also discovered that George had a loaded handgun concealed in his waistband, with 10 rounds of ammunition. George is scheduled to be sentenced on August 14th, he faces up to 15 years in State Prison followed by 5 years of post-release supervision.

The Chenango County Historical Society and the Chenango County Historian’s Office are hosting the “America’s Potluck & Turtle Island Festival” from 4–8 pm. on July 5 at the Chenango County Fairgrounds. Historical Society Executive Director Jessica Moquin told WCDO what people can expect to see:

(Jessica Moquin 7-3-26)

The event is part of the local commemorations of America250, made possible by the NY 250 Commission, the Community Foundation for South Central New York and UHS Chenango Memorial Hospital.

The Nate Lull Scholarship Fundraiser Golf Tournament is held This Sunday at Ouleout Creek Golf Course in Franklin, Lull told WCDO about the latest tournament:

(Nate Lull 7-3-26)

This year's tournament will be raising money for the 2027 edition of the scholarship, where the goal is to surpass last year's fundraising efforts, about 60 teams will be participating.

The Unadilla Friends Church at 747 Rogers Hollow Road will be opened on Sunday, at 1 PM, the Time Capsule reveal will begin. There will be activities following the reveal, A gathering of new memorabilia to be placed in the new capsule for 2076 will take place, For more information call 607-563-8083 or call/text 607-434-0651.

Guinness World Record holder Bill Clark will attempt to break the record for the most decks of cards ripped in half in 60 seconds at Mirabito Stadium after the Rumble Ponies’ game tonight against the Chesapeake Baysox. The current World Record for the most decks of cards ripped in half in 60 seconds is 26 decks.

A.M. NEWS Friday 7-3-26

State Police at Binghamton responded to a 2-vehicle crash involving an SUV and motorcycle on Hunt Hill Road in the town of Fenton Thursday. The preliminary investigation indicates that an SUV was traveling north on Hunt Hill Road when the operator was making a left turn into a driveway, the motorcycle was traveling south when the 2 vehicles collided, the motorcycle became engulfed in flames, The operator of the motorcycle did not survive. The SUV operator did not report any injuries. The roadway was closed during the investigation. The investigation remains ongoing.

Days 3 and 4 of the 4 day Oneonta 250 celebration continues Saturday & Sunday; On Saturday, the traditional Hometown Fourth events will be held, Hill City Celebrations Board Chairman Sean Lewis comments:

(Sean Lewis 7-3-26)

Lewis said that More information is at hometown4th.com.

The weekend concludes from 1 to 5 pm. Sunday, July 5 with Huntington Park’s Festival Under the Big Tent, a re-creation of a Redpath Chautauqua event that took place in 1914 in Huntington Park. Huntington Library Director Alex Benjamin explains:

(Alex Benjamin 7-3-26)

America 250 Oneonta events are supported by the City of Oneonta, as well as local businesses, more information is available by visiting Facebook: Oneonta250.

On Saturday, July 4 The Unadilla Time Capsule on the Community House front lawn, will be opened up after a parade, Jill Sholtes was 1 of the 4th Graders in 1976 who participated in the planning the Time Capsule, and is 1 of Saturday;s organizers, told WCDO about the Capsule:

(Jill Sholtes 7-3-26)

Sholtes said that 23 of the 1976 4th Graders will be there Saturday, after the parade from the Unatego Elementary School to the Community House, The Time Capsule will be opened at 12:00 Noon. A new Tricentennial time capsule for 2076 is being organized by the Rotary Club of Unadilla. Anyone is invited to contribute an item to be opened on July 4, 2076.

P.M. NEWS THURSDAY 7-2-26

State and local law enforcement agencies will increase patrols to crack down on reckless and impaired driving statewide ahead of and during the July 4th holiday weekend. This campaign began Monday & will run through Sunday, July 5. Law enforcement officers across New York will conduct sobriety checkpoints and target dangerous and aggressive driving during what is considered the busiest travel weekend of the summer. To help ease travel during the busy holiday weekend, temporary lane closures for road and bridge construction projects on New York State highways will be suspended from 6 am. Thursday, July 2, through 6 am. Monday, July 6, some work may continue behind permanent concrete barriers or for emergency repairs.

State Police arrested 37 year old Sean Haynes of Johnson City for Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance, after a Trooper observed a motorcycle speeding and initiated a traffic stop. The Trooper determined that the motorcycle was unregistered and uninsured & Haynes was in possession of suspected crack cocaine. Haynes was arrested & was later turned over to the Broome County Jail for Centralized Arraignment.

Governor Kathy Hochul announced nearly $21 million in additional funding through the NY SWIMS initiative to support 16 new projects across the state, bringing the total to 79 projects. In the Southern Tier, awards go to the Children's Home of Wyoming Conference for $2.8 million & the Town of Delhi's West Branch Center for $252,182

A.M. NEWS THURSDAY 7-2-26

A EF-1 tornado has been confirmed in Otsego County Tuesday, according to the National Weather Service, it touched down along Otsego County Highway 49 near Ketchum Road in Pittsfield & traveled 8.4 miles to Crawford Road & County Highway 10 in Laurens, it was on the ground for 18 minutes, with estimated wind speeds of 105 miles per hour. No injuries were reported, 4 structures were destroyed, the Towns of Pittsfield and Laurens are in a state of emergency.

Oneonta's 4 day Celebration of the Country's 250 Anniversary begins today, at 4 pm. with a First Thursday downtown event, on and around Main Street, Community Arts Network of Oneonta spokesperson Hope Von Stengel explains:

(Hope Von Stengel 7-2-26)

From 3 to 7 pm. on Friday, the Swart-Wilcox House Museum on wilcox Avenue in Oneonta will be celebrating the installation of the Lawrence Swart plaque by the Oneonta chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. Swart was a Revolutionary War soldier who built the house over 200 hundred years ago, Spokesperson Helen Rees explains:

(Helen Rees 7-2-26)

Doors will open at 3 pm for tours, Susan Trump, a local folk singer and composer will lead a group of school children in a song originally written in 1990. More information is available at the Oneonta 250 Facebook page.

P.M. NEWS WEDNESDAY 7-1-26

Over 600 NYSEG customers in Otsego County are without power today, following last Night's Storms, the Towns of Laurens & Pittsfield in Otsego County have a State of Emergency in effect due to impassable roads from downed trees & power lines. Crews are working to restore power as quickly as possible.

The totals are in for the number of teams registered for this year's Gus Macker Basketball Tournament in Downtown Norwich, organizer Tom Revoir comments:

(Tom Revoir 7-1-26)

Revoir said that those looking to volunteer or be paid referees should call the Norwich YMCA at 607-336-9622 to get involved.

Preparations are wrapping up for the annual Delaware County Fair in Walton in August, Fair Board President Jason Craig explains:

(Jason Craig 7-1-26)

Craig said that another big announcement about a Fair giveaway will be announced next week, the 139th annual Delaware County Fair will be August 17th through the 22nd this year, one of the highlights will be a show by Chubby Checker.

Broome County Sheriff's Office announced expanded support services at the Broome County Correctional Facility through a partnership with the Addiction Center of Broome County. Sheriff Fred Akshar commented at a Press Conference this afternoon:

(Sheriff Akshar 7-1-26)

Addiction Center of Broome County Executive Director Carmela Pirich commented:

(Carmela Pirich 7-1-26)

More information about their programs on a variety of issues can be found at acbcservices.org

A.M. NEWS WEDNESDAY 7-1-26

About 480 NYSEG customers are without power this morning, following last Night's Storms, the Town of Pittsfield in Otsego County has a State of Emergency in effect due to impassable roads from downed trees & power lines.

38 year old Jennifer Hewitt of Bloomville, was indicted by a Delaware County Grand Jury, Counts 1 and 2 are for 3rd degree Grand Larceny, for unlawfully issuing a check from a different bank to Delaware National Bank of Delhi and then withdrawing more than $3000, to have insufficient funds in either account to cover her withdrawal on 2 occasions.

29 year old Wesley Eignor of Hobart, was indicted by a Delaware County Grand Jury for Attempted Assault, Obstruction of Governmental Administration and Aggravated unlicensed operation of a Motor Vehicle. The indictments stem from an incident where Eignor was stopped by a Delaware County Deputy for speeding, he resisted arrest & assaulted the Deputy, and did not have a license or privilege of operating a motor vehicle.

The Hartwick College new President Laurel Bongiorno, is the College’s 13th president, previously she has been an integral part of Hartwick’s leadership team since joining the College in 2022:

(Laurel Bongiorno 7-1-26)

Bongiorno has identified 3 priorities: building confidence and pride in Hartwick, advancing the Forward Momentum Plan, and ensuring a sustainable future for the College.

P.M. NEWS MONDAY 4-13-26

The Norwich Fire Department responded at about 5:00 AM This Morning to a blaze at 104 Mitchell Street, with reports of occupants jumping out of the building. Norwich Police arrived & discovered the 2 victims outside the structure, EMT 's arrived & transported the victims to the Upstate Medical Center in Syracuse for burns & injuries, Norwich received assistance from Sherburne & Oxford fire departments, the investigation listed the cause as accidental caused by a chimney fire that extended through the home from an operating coal stove, there were no functioning smoke detectors , no firefighters were injured.

Otsego County Sheriff's Office arrested 26 year old Devin Sanchez of New York Mills for Criminal Possession of a Firearm, Criminal Possession of a Ghost Gun, Harassment & Criminal Obstruction of Breathing, following a physical domestic dispute in the Town of Pittsfield. Sanchez is accused of obstructing the victims breathing by restraining by the neck during the dispute, he is also accused of shoving the victim into a wall & he was also found to possess an unregistered/unserialized ghost gun. Sanchez was taken into custody and was held at the Otsego County Jail pending Arraignment.

33 year old Wayne Cirigliano of Sidney, pleaded guilty to 1 count each of Criminal Mischief and Bail Jumping, in Village of Sidney Court, he was sentenced to 5 months’ incarceration for the Criminal Mischief and 5 months’ incarceration for Bail Jumping, the sentences will run concurrently. Cirigliano was ordered to pay $200 in restitution for damage caused at Circle Drive Apartments in Sidney, plus he was also assessed $255 in fines and fees. Last November, Cirigliano damaged property at the Circle Drive Apartments by pushing in a window air conditioning unit and discharging a fire extinguisher into the residence, & on to their vehicle.

Chenango Sheriff's Office announced that an agreement with the Village of Bainbridge to provide policing services to the community, Bainbridge Mayor Phil Wade explains:

(Phil Wade 4-13-26)

The Chenango County Sheriff's Office has established a substation at the Bainbridge Village Hall at 33 West Main Street.

A.M. NEWS MONDAY 4-13-26

Otsego County Sheriff's Office arrested 46 year old Lloyd Davis of Worcester, for Predatory Sexual Assault Against a Child, 1st & 2nd degree Rape, Sexual Abuse & Endangering the Welfare of a Child, following an investigation of persistent abuse, which revealed that Davis allegedly subjected minors to physical and sexual abuse over the course of several years. Davis was taken into custody without incident. A search warrant was executed at the residence and evidence was secured. Additional search warrants were executed at a location in the Town of Maryland where additional evidence was located. Davis was processed, arraigned & was remanded to the Otsego County Correctional Facility without bail.

State Police responded Friday night to a 1-vehicle crash on County Highway 22, in the town of Richfield Springs. 29-year-old Ashley Faubert of Ilion left the roadway and struck a tree. Residents attempted to assist her, including an EMT who initiated CPR until Otsego EMS arrived to transport Faubert to Bassett Hospital in Cooperstown, where she was later pronounced deceased. The investigation into the crash is ongoing.

The New York State Police remind motorists that distracted driving remains to be a top cause of roadway collisions and creates serious danger to first responders and the public, they must also obey the state's "Move Over" Law, on Sunday on Long Island , a distracted driver crashed into the rear of a State Police patrol car after troopers responded to an MVA on the Southern State Parkway, the patrol vehicle was crashed into by an inattentive driver, both the driver & the trooper were taken to a nearby hospital for treatment of injuries.

P.M. NEWS MONDAY 2-2-26

The Chenango County Sheriff’s Office has been made aware of a scam currently circulating, as Several county residents have reported receiving phone calls claiming they have an active warrant for their arrest and are instructed to pay a sum of money to have the matter “cleared up.” This is a scam, as the Chenango County Sheriff’s Office will never contact individuals by phone to demand payment.

The Binghamton Rumble Ponies announced an extension of 5 more years to the naming rights agreement with Mirabito. The new agreement also continues in with Visions Federal Credit Union, who is the title sponsor of the Starting Gate Box Office at Mirabito Stadium, Rumble Ponies GM Richard Tylicki explains:

(Richard Tylicki 2-2-26)

The new Agreement between Mirabito Energy Products and Visions Federal Credit Union runs through the duration of the Major League Baseball's Professional Development agreement with the New York Mets through 2030. Also today, tickets went on sale for Rumble Ponies games at Mirabito Stadium, more information is available at bingrp.com.

Local Film-makers Joe Stillman & Jeri Wachter will be showing 5 of their Documentaries on uniquely American Stories on Friday & Saturday at Foothills in Oneonta, Joe Stillman told WCDO News about the films:

(Joe Stillman 2-2-26)

The films include the Jimmy Massey Story, about a former Marine speaking out on abuses during the Iraq War, another about former US Attorney General Ramsey Clark, another about poverty in Agriculture, another about COVID 19's effect on Americans & the 5th about 500 years of history being rediscovered in South Texas. Jeri Wachter said that both of them will be there both Friday & Saturday at Foothills, Veterans can attend free and how tickets can be purchased:

(Jeri Wachter 2-2-26)

More information is available at important films media.com. the films will be run from 2:00 PM through 10:00 PM both days.

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced Empire AI campus partnerships between SUNY’s university centers, university colleges, technology colleges, and community colleges to advance artificial intelligence research and education for the public good. The State University of New York at Albany is partnering with SUNY Oneonta, SUNY Cobleskill Ag & Tech, and Hudson Valley Community College on 1 project, and The State University of New York at Binghamton is partnering with SUNY Cortland, SUNY Delhi, SUNY New Paltz, SUNY Oneonta, Broome Community College, and Tompkins Cortland Community College om\n another project.

A.M. NEWS MONDAY 2-2-26

Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 30-year-old Daniel Roe of Davenport, who is accused of subjecting a juvenile to sexual contact in May 2024. Roe was also alleged to have subjected another juvenile to inappropriate sexual conversations during the same time frame. Investigators arrested Roe on 2 counts of Endangering the Welfare of a Child, 1 count of Forcible Touching, 1 count of Sexual Abuse, Roe was arraigned & Orders of Protection were issued for the victims. Roe was later released on his own recognizance and was directed to appear at the Town of Davenport Court at a later date to answer the charges.

Delaware County Sheriff's Office arrested 35 year old Shane Tweedie of Walton following an investigation into a stolen vehicle complaint reported in the Town of Bovina and was later located in the Village of Walton. Tweedie was located by deputies in the Village of Walton and he was charged with Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle, Grand Larceny, Burglary, Criminal Contempt & Criminal Trespass, Tweedie was transported to the Delaware County Correctional Facility to await Centralized Arraignment Court.

City of Oneonta announced that crews will be installing new Rapid Flashing Beacons at crosswalks at the new roundabout project. Motorists should expect temporary lane closures at various times over the next two weeks, at Main Street East, Lettis Highway South, Main Street West through the roundabout and at Pine Street.

Otsego County Sheriff's Office arrested 19 year old Dayton Carney of Pittsfield, for Assault & Endangering the Welfare of a Child, following an investigation into an assault complaint in the Town of Milford. Carney was arrested and processed & was turned over to Corrections Staff to await arraignment, he will appear in the Milford Town Court at a later date.

P.M. NEWS FRIDAY 1-9-26

Delaware County Public Health Services, in collaboration with local hospital partners, released of the 2025-2030 Community Health Assessment and Community Health Improvement Plan, Delaware County Public Health Program Manager Heather Warner explains:

(Heather Warner 1-9-26)

Warner said that nearly a third of the County residents are age 65 plus, A copy of the 2025-2030 Community Health Assessment & Community Health Improvement program can be found at the Delaware County Public Health website delcony.us

Governor Kathy Hochul announced New York is investing more than $68 million to assist nearly 1,300 low-to-moderate income households across the state. The grants awarded through New York State Homes and Community Renewal (HCR) provide individuals and families, including older adults and veterans, financial support to make accessibility upgrades, complete emergency repairs, replace manufactured homes, and receive rental assistance, as well as down payment assistance when purchasing a first home, awards by Region and Housing Units Impacted for the Southern Tier includes $12,775,091 for 191 homes, A list of the awards can be found at hcr.ny.gov/funding-awards.

A.M. NEWS FRIDAY 1-9-26

State Police responded Thursday afternoon to a crash involving an Amish buggy and a pick-up truck on County Highway 13 in the town of Pittsfield. An investigation at the scene determined that a pick-up truck operated by 26 year old Thomas Aitken of Morris struck the horse and buggy traveling in the same direction on the shoulder of the roadway. The buggy was occupied by 4 children, A 12-year-old female of New Berlin suffered injuries and was transported to Bassett Hospital, 3 other children, were evaluated at the scene but were not transported. The horse sustained fatal injuries, Aitken did not report any injuries and was issued a citation.

Broome County Area Assemblywoman Donna Lupardo, who has served the 123rd Assembly District for more than 20 years, will not seek re-election in November, Lupardo is set to finish out her term and leave the office at the end of 2026.

The Fenimore Chamber Orchestra will present a free Family Concert at 1:30 PM on Saturday, February 7, in the Ballroom of the Cooperstown Village Library on Main Street, as part of Cooperstown's annual Winter Carnival. A full schedule of activities and additional information about the festival can be found at www.cooperstownwintercarnival.com.

P.M. NEWS MONDAY 7-28-25

Sidney Police Department received a fraud complaint, where teh vicitm was scammed by an elaborate scheme to defraud and had already lost $57,000. The scammers were able to gain the trust of the victim by posing as a Microsoft computer virus technician and a bank fraud technician, Police learned that the victim was being directed to withdraw another large sum of money by the scammers, Sidney Police & the State Police BCI unit set up a sting operation, which led to the arrested of 42 year old Xueyu Luo of New York City into custody. Luop was charged Grand larceny, Tampering with physical evidence, Scheme to defraud, Resisting arrest and Obstruction of governmental administration, Luo was processed & was transported to the Delaware County Jail to await arraignment, He was released on his own recognizance to appear back in court at a later date. The investigation is ongoing.

Otsego County Sheriff's Office arrested Christopher Ingraham of Pittsfield, for Assault, Attempted Assault, Reckless Endangerment, Reckless Driving, Driving While Ability Impaired by Alcohol as well as several other related charges, following an investigation into a personal injury motor vehicle/ assault complaint in the Town of Pittsfield. Deputies determined that Ingraham struck 3 individuals with his vehicle attempting to break up a physical altercation, 2 were transported to a local hospital for their injuries, he was taken into custody without incident and was processed and was turned over to the Jail pending Centralized Arraignment.

Otsego County Sheriff's Office arrested 28 year old Gabriel Jensen of Oneonta for DWI, driving with a BAC of .08% or More of Alcohol, Failure to Keep Right, and other related charges, following the investigation of a motor vehicle accident in the Town of Hartwick. Jensen is accused of operating the vehicle while intoxicated, he was processed and released on Traffic Tickets.

The Otsego County Fair returns tomorrow at the Fairgrounds in Morris, organizer Lisa Jackson told WCDO News about some of this week's highlights:

(Lisa Jackson 7-16-25)

More information about the Fair can be found at otsegocountyfair.org, or on their Facebook page.

A.M. NEWS Monday 7-28-25

The National Baseball Hall of Fame inducted 5 more members into the Hall in Cooperstown yesterday. The 1st speech was given by Billy Wagner, who was a small child who was right-handed and went on to become one of the best left handed pitchers of his time, he encouraged people to never give up:

(Billy Wagner 7-27-25)

The 2nd speech was delivered by Dave Parker the 2nd, whose Father, Dave Parker passed away about 1 month ago from Parkinson's Disease, he wrote a poem for his son to read on Induction Day:

(Dave Parker 2 7-27-25)

Willa Allen was married to new Hall of Famer Dick Allen, one of the most feared sluggers of the 60's & 70's who played in Philadelphia, St. Louis, Los Angeles, Chicago & Oakland:

(Willa Allen 7-27-25)

C.C. Sabathia was a star Pitcher for Cleveland, Milwaukee & the New York Yankees, he thanked the women in his life to get him to the Hall, and he encouraged everyone to do the same:

(C.C. Sabathia 7-27-25)

The Final Speech was delivered by Japanese star Ichiro Suzuki, who gave his speech in English, and he discussed turning dreams into goals and goals into achievement:

(Ichiro Suzuki 7-27-25)

The proceedings started an hour later at the Clark Sports Center Sunday due to rain, but thousands stayed on to see & hear the 2025 Baseball Hall of Fame inductions

Area Congressman Josh Riley will send his team to Oneonta for Mobile Office Hours today, from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM at the Huntington Memorial Library at 62 Chestnut Street. Congressman Riley’s team will meet with constituents and assist them with issues such as Medicare, Social Security, veterans' benefits, passport delays, or any other issue involving a federal agency.

The Delaware County Department of Public Works will be closing County Route 27 at the Cummings Road intersection in the Town of Masonville starting today, for a large culvert replacement. This project is expected to take 6 weeks. The traveling public should seek alternate routes during this time.

P.M. NEWS MONDAY 5-12-25

Otsego County Sheriff's Office arrested 28 year old Ryan Oltjenbruns of Unadilla for 2nd 7 3rd Degree Assault, Harassment & Endangering the Welfare of a Child, following a domestic incident in the Town of Unadilla. Oltjenbruns allegedly engaged in a physical domestic dispute with a family member in the presence of a minor, by striking the victim in the face, causing serious injury. The victim was transported to Bassett Hospital and later to Albany Medical Center for additional medical treatment, Oltjenbruns was taken in to custody and processed at the Otsego County Sheriff’s Office, he was arraigned & was released on his own recognizance and issued an order of protection was issued on behalf of the the victim.

Terrell Heyward of Binghamton, pleaded guilty to 2nd degree Murder in Broome County Court and he faces a sentence of up to life in State Prison. On January 11th, Binghamton Police Department responded to 21 Exchange Street, for a report of shots fired, Sarah Hauer was pronounced dead at the scene. Heyward faces Sentencing on August 6th in Broome County Court.

Otsego County Sheriff's Office arrested 33 year old Robert Harris of New Lisbon for 2 counts of Criminal Contempt Friday, following an investigation in to allegations of domestic violence in the Town of New Lisbon. Investigation revealed that during the month of February Harris located a family member at a residence in the Town of Pittsfield and placed the victim in fear for their life by brandishing a baseball bat, he violated a court order prohibiting him from contacting the victim. Harris was located in New Berlin and taken in to custody without incident, he was processed at the Otsego County Sheriff’s Office and turned over to correctional staff for Arraignment.

Delaware County Public Health, the New York National Guard and New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services, is hosting a Citizen Preparedness Training Event on Wednesday, June 11th, Isabella Ziolkowski of Delaware County Public Health explains:

(Isabella Ziolkowski 5-12-25)

This event is free and open to the public. Each family that attends will receive a free preparedness kit. Registration is required to attend, call Delaware County Public Health at 607-832-5200. The event will be held from 6:00PM – 7:30PM at the New Hope Community Church, 45 Stockton Avenue, Walton.

A.M. NEWS Monday 5-12-25

54 year old Jason Burress of Bainbridge appeared in Delaware County Court last week & was sentenced to 6 months in jail. Sidney Police initiated a traffic stop in Sidney on July 11, 2024, Burress was believed to be impaired by drugs, lab test showed that Burress was impaired by methamphetamine. Burress pleaded guilty in April to Driving While Ability Impaired by Drugs, he will serve his term at the Delaware County Correctional Facility.

Oneida County Sheriff's Deputy Aaron Alshaman has been charged with 4 counts of attempted murder and 1 count of Arson, he allegedly set a home on fire on April 9th, while his infant child, the child's mother and her parents were inside. All occupants escaped without injury, an Oneida County Grand Jury has indicted Alshaman on the charges, he faces arraignment on the Grand Jury Indictment shortly.

Otsego County Sheriff's Office arrested 39 year old Michael Andreoli of Exeter, for Criminal Contempt, following an investigation into a 2 car personal injury motor vehicle accident. Andreoli was found to be violating a full stay away order of protection protecting the passenger in the vehicle, he was arrested and held for Arraignment.

Chenango County Department of Public Works announced the closure of the bridge on North Chenango Street over Birdsall Brook in Greene will be closed on May 12th, and will remain closed for 3 to 5 months. Local residents will be allowed to get to and from their homes. More information is available at 337-1710.

P.M. NEWS TUESDAY 5-6-25

Some severe weather and flash flooding could be an issue locally over the next few hours, Meteorologist Rich Townsend comments:

(Townsend 5-6-25)

We'll have our complete tri county forecast at the end of this news cast.

Whitney Bachanas appeared in Otsego County Court & pleaded guilty to Aggravated Cruelty to Animals, she was charged after law enforcement found a dog, a turkey, a chicken & a quail dead on her property in Milford, she pleaded guilty in a plea bargain arrangement, she will be sentenced in June to 100 days of house arrest with an electronic monitor. She will be prohibited from owning or possessing animals and will likely face fines.

Delaware County Sheriff's Office arrested 19 year old Johnny Mackinsdixon and 24 year old Bless King of Brooklyn, On April 27th, Colchester Police attempted a traffic stop, the vehicle fled the scene, but the operator was unable to maintain control of the vehicle, striking the curb, sidewalk and retaining wall of the bridge. Both the driver and passenger fled the accident scene on foot & were apprehended. The vehicle had been reported stolen out of Brooklyn NY on April 26, it had stolen Washington State License plates. Mackinsdixon was charged with Obstruction of Governmental Administration, Aggravated Unlicensed Operation of a motor vehicle and leaving the scene of a personal injury accident, speeding, as well as several other lesser charges, King was charged with Obstructing Governmental Administration. Both were turned over to the Delaware County Correctional Facility where they were remanded on $10,000 cash Bail.

Rite Aid Announced today that they are filing for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy protection, they plan to close and /or sell the remaining 179 stores in New York State. Officials blamed the bad economy, tariffs and over $1,000,000 in liabilities as the reason for the closings, layoffs had already begun at numerous locations. Locally, Rite Aid operates a store on Chestnut Street in Oneonta.

United Parcel Service will reportedly cut nearly 20,000 jobs by the end of this year in addition to closing close to 40% of their locations nationwide. The company laid off about 12,000 employees in 2024, due to a drop in both international and domestic shipping volume.

A.M. NEWS Tuesday 5-6-25

The Otsego County Sheriff's Office arrested several people on a variety of charges following a Burglary in progress report at a residence in the town of Pittsfield Sunday. Arrested were 24 year old Autumn Knapp of Morris, 50 year old Richard Suarez of Morris, 49 year old Travis Wilson of Pittsfield, and 41 year old Danielle Bemis of Pittsfield. It was reported that 4 subjects were inside of a house actively removing property, A Sheriff’s Office sergeant arrived on scene and located the defendants, additional deputies arrived on scene, the defendants were transported to the Otsego County Correctional Facility to await Centralized Arraignment. Travis Wilson and Danielle Bemis were remanded on $5,000 cash or $10,000 surety bond, Autumn Knapp was remanded on $15,000 cash or $30,000 surety bond, and Richard Suarez was remanded without bail. The investigation is on-going and additional charges are pending.

The Oneonta Common Council meeting will be held at the Oneonta High School this evening, they are expected to discuss the possible sale of the 27 Market Street, To Rehabilitation Support Services. The site formerly housed the Oneonta Sales Company, which was finally taken down after being abandoned for years, the city bought the property in 2020. Rehabilitation Support Services provides community-based mental health and substance abuse services, they propose to build a $25 million multi-story structure with residential and commercial space, with some housing units dedicated to RSS clients, a petition has been circulated denouncing the plan. The meeting begins at 6:00 PM tonight.

The Otsego County Sheriff’s Office arrested 42 year old Justin Ingalls of Hartwick following a warrant investigation. Ingalls was located by Deputies attempting to enter the Otsego County Jail for the purpose of retrieving bail money, he was taken into custody on 6 active bench warrants issued by various courts within Otsego County, he was ordered to be held at the jail on $17,000 dollars cash bail.

Attorneys general from 17 states , including New York, are challenging an executive order President Trump signed, pausing approvals, permits and loans for all wind energy projects both onshore and offshore. The lawsuit claims that Trump doesn't have the authority to unilaterally shut down the permitting process, and he's jeopardizing development of a power source critical to the states’ economic vitality, energy mix, public health and climate goals, they are asking a federal judge to declare the order unlawful and stop federal agencies from implementing it.

P.M. NEWS THURSDAY 4-3-25

The Recruit New York will have their open houses around the state on April 26th & 27th, Bainbridge Fire Department spokesman Roger Barnhart told WCDO news about a few of the local fire departments that are participating:

(Roger Barnhart 4-3-25)

The Masonville Fire Department will be participating this year, Masonville Fire Chief Matt Jones explains:

(Matt Jones 4-3-25)

More information about Fire Departments participating in the WCDO Listening area can be found at recruitny.org/participants.

Chenango County Sheriff's Office announced that there will be an Examination open to th3e public for the position of Deputy. The examination date will be May 3rd at 4:30 PM, Applications will be accepted through April 10th, More information is available at (607) 337-1470 or at chenangocountyny.gov/197/Personnel

Former area Congressman Marc Molinaro was confirmed as the Head of the Federal Transit Administration, within the Department of Transportation. Molinaro was confirmed today by the US Senate Banking Committee with a 20 to 4 vote.

A.M. NEWS THURSDAY 3-28-25

Plea deals have been offered to 10 prison employees accused in the fatal beating of Robert Brooks in December at the Marcy Correctional Facility. Several of the 10 state workers involved face murder charges.

April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month and State Troopers are cracking down with the Distracted Driving Enforcement Campaign. Starting April 7th, troopers will be running an initiative called operation hang up, where they will be paying attention to people on cells phones and other devices while driving. Distracted driving is one of the leading causes of car crashes in New York State. Last year, law enforcement issued over 6,700 tickets for distracted driving throughout the state.

The Otsego County Sheriff’s Office arrested 33 year old Gary Garbera of Oneonta following a traffic stop in the Town of Pittsfield. Garbera was located within the vehicle that was stopped and he was found to have 2 active felony warrants, he was taken into custody and transported to the Otsego County Jail where he is currently being held on $1,000 cash bail $1,000 insured bond.

Scammers are again impersonating Sheriff’s detectives and deputies and contacting area residents to solicit money and gift cards from unsuspecting victims. Residents are reminded NOT to provide credit card or other payment information over the phone to anyone claiming to be law enforcement. Law enforcement agencies do not solicit money from residents and will never ask to be compensated with gift cards. Residents are urged to terminate the call and not share any credit card information over the phone, Residents who receive scam calls are urged to contact their county Sheriff’s Office.

P.M. NEWS WEDNESDAY 12-11-24

Governor Hochul has proposed giving out checks to New York State families next year, for either $300 or $500 coming to households. 8.6 million New York State households would be eligible. The deposits or checks will be sent next Fall of 2025.

41 year old Willis Bickham of Binghamton was sentenced to 20 years-to-life in prison for 1st Rape in Broome County Court today. Bickham was found guilty earlier this year, he took a 12-year-old into his apartment and engaged with sexual acts with her

NYSEG shut off power in the City of Oneonta this afternoon at the Henry Street substation and impacted about 300 customers in the River Street, Gilbert Street & Fonda Avenue area. The power should be restored to all of the affected residents by the end of the afternoon.

A.M. NEWS WEDNESDAY 12-11-24

The Otsego County Sheriff’s Office arrested 35 year old Holly Adams of New Berlin for allegedly subjected a juvenile to on-going sexual abuse for approximately three years, using threats and coercion to perpetuate multiple forms of sexual abuse on the victim, in the town of Pittsfield. Adams was located Monday in the Town of Columbus and taken in to custody without incident, she was charged with Course of Sexual Conduct Against a Child, Sexual Abuse, Coercion, Forcible Touching, 5 counts of endangering the Welfare of a Child, she was transported to the Otsego County Sheriff’s Office for processing and was lodged in the Otsego County Correctional Facility to await arraignment, An order of protection was requested on behalf of the victim.

P.M. NEWS FRIDAY 11-1-24

Otsego County Sheriff's Office arrested 40 year old Timothy Melius of Pittsfield following a visit by the Otsego County Probation Department. Melius was charged with Criminal Possession of a Weapon & 3 counts of Criminal Contempt for possessing of firearms & ammunition despite having multiple court orders prohibiting him from possessing them. Melius was taken in to custody and transported to the Otsego County Sheriff’s Office for processing, he was issued an appearance ticket returnable to the Town of Pittsfield Court for the above charges. The defendant was then transported to the Otsego County Probation Department where he was processed on a probation violation and arraigned in the presence of an Otsego County Court magistrate. Following arraignment, the defendant was remanded to the Otsego County Correctional Facility to await further court proceedings.

The 51st State Senate District has a race this year between incumbent State Senator Peter Oberacker & Democrat Michelle Frazier. Oberacker told WCDO News why he feels he should be voted in for a 3rd term after getting key legislation passed:

(OBERACKER 11-1-24)

Michelle Frazier said that she would likely be in the majority in the Senate if elected, which would help the district greatly:

(FRAZIER 10-31-24)

The 51st District has changed greatly with the latest redistricting, covering much of the Tri County region & its contiguous counties.

U.S. Senators Schumer and Gillibrand announced that New York will receive $360,185,996 in federal funding through the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program. The money will help thousands of low-income households across the state afford their energy bills and make cost-effective repairs to their heating systems this winter. Individuals interested in applying for LIHEAP can visit energyhelp.us or call the National Energy Assistance Referral hotline toll-free at 1-866-674-6327.

The State Department of Health today announced that as the transmission of seasonal respiratory illnesses is underway, the State’s weekly flu reports and Flu Tracker website have been activated. The Department’s first Weekly Report for the week ending October 19, shows there were 565 lab-confirmed cases reported across the state, with 26 people hospitalized and 5 outbreaks were reported in long-term and acute care facilities. More information is available at health.ny.gov

The Delaware County Historical Association annual meeting will be held on Sunday, November 3rd at 1:00 PM in the large gallery at the Association’s facility in Delhi. The annual Awards of Merit this year will go to the Walton Theatre Preservation Association, the Delaware County Diggers, Eli Taylor of Middletown & Scott Payne of Deposit

A.M. NEWS FRIDAY 11-1-24

The Annual Bowling Tournament fundraiser for the Sidney Veteran's Memorial Park is this weekend & the following weekend at East Main Lanes in Sidney, Park President Doug Barnard said that the money raised will go to their next big project at the park:

(Doug Barnard 11-1-24)

Last minute sponsors & teams can contact the East Main Lanes today only prior to the start of the tournament tomorrow.

The Chenango County Historical Society & the SUNY Morrisville Human Services Institute is hosting an Author's Day today with authors of local note, according to Society Executive Director Jessica Moquin:

(Jessica Moquin 11-1-24)

All activities will be free & open to the public held at the SUNY Morrisville Norwich Campus, starting at 1:00 PM, Refreshments will be available throughout the event. For more information, call (607) 334-5144.

The Bainbridge Chamber of Commerce announced that their Annual Commitment to Community Dinner will be on on Saturday, at the Bainbridge Community Center. This year's honorees for Co-Citizens of the Year are Christine Smith and Michael Kauffman, Businesses of the Year: Bob's Diner and Payne's Cranes, the Business of Distinction: VIP Payroll and Tax Services & the Service Organization of the Year is the Bainbridge Fire Department.

P.M. NEWS THURSDAY 10-31-24

The Bainbridge Guilford School District will hold a Veterans Day breakfast next week, BG Superintendent Tim Ryan explains:

(Tim Ryan 10-31-24)

Veterans interested in participating can RSVP to the District office at 607-967-6321.

The Delaware County Chamber of Commerce announced the launch of the 2025 National Civics Bee, aimed at encouraging more young Americans to engage in civics and contribute to their communities. Middle school students in 6th, 7th, and 8th grade from public, private, charter, and home schools from across New York State are invited to take part in the first-round civics essay competition. The Delaware County Chamber will host its local competition in the spring of 2025. Winners from each of the local competitions across New York will be invited to take part in the state finals. More information is available under the Event and Programs tab at DelawareCounty.org.

Following the Los Angeles Dodgers’ 7-6 victory on Wednesday to win the World Series, the team and players have donated several artifacts that tell the story of their championship season, and those pieces will soon take a permanent place in Cooperstown. Among the items donated, Spikes worn by World Series Most Valuable Player Freddie Freeman in Game 1 and 2, the Glove worn by Walker Buehler, the winning pitcher in Game 3 who also saved Game 5 Cap worn by manager Dave Roberts, the Cap and chest protector worn by catcher Will Smith, all donated items will be featured in the Autumn Glory exhibit, which will be on display shortly, through the 2025 Postseason.

The Firefighters Association of the State of New York reminds residents that Daylight saving time ends on November 3 at 2:00 AM, they encourage everyone to test their smoke alarms as they turn their clocks back to make sure the devices are working and replace the batteries each year. Stats show that working smoke alarms cut the risk of dying in a home fire in half, as people only have about 2 minutes to safely get out of a fire on average. more information is available at fasny.com.

A.M. NEWS Thursday 10-31-24

The Chenango County Sheriff’s Office announces the arrest of Donald Shurock Jr. On Monday, as members of the Sheriff’s Office took custody of Shurock at the Lackawanna County Prison in Scranton, Pennsylvania. Shurock was transported back to the Chenango County Sheriff’s Office & was charged with Resisting Arrest and Assault on a Police Officer, for an incident on October 17th in the Town of Pitcher. Shurock is being held at the Chenango County Correctional Facility on a Chenango County Court Warrant and will appear in the Chenango County Court at a later date.

The Otsego County Sheriff’s Office announces the arrest of 37 year old Tyrell Adams of Pittsfield, who is accused of subjecting minors to persistent sexual abuse & for allegedly killing a family pet in the vicinity of children. Otsego County Family Court issued an order of protection against Adams prohibiting contact with multiple protected parties, he did send Facebook messages to one of the protected parties. Adams was recently located and taken in to custody without incident, he was processed and lodged in the Otsego County Correctional Facility to await Centralized Arraignment for Sex Abuse, Forcible Touching, Endangering the Welfare of a Child, Animal Cruelty & Criminal Contempt.

P.M. NEWS FRIDAY 10-18-24

Otsego County Sheriff's Office arrested 37 year old Tyrell Adams of Pittsfield on a number of charged following an investigation. Adams was charged with 3 counts of Sexual Abuse, Forcible Touching, 3 counts of Endangering the Welfare of a Child, Animal Cruelty & Criminal Contempt. Investigation revealed that over the course of several years, Adams allegedly subjected minors to persistent sexual abuse, Additionally he is accused of killing a family pet near children. Otsego County Family Court issued an order of protection against Adams prohibiting contact with multiple protected parties, he then sent Facebook messages to one of the protected parties. Adams was sent to the Otsego County Correctional Facility for arraignment.

Another American Red Cross Blood Drive will be held Saturday in Oneonta, as blood is needed following the recent hurricanes in the Southern States. The drive will be held Saturday from 10 am. - 3 pm., at the Southside Mall Oneonta YMCA, Appointments can be made at RedCrossBlood.org, by calling 1-800-RED CROSS or by using the Red Cross Blood Donor App.

A.M. NEWS Friday 10-18-24

Otsego County Sheriff's Office announced the arrest of 29 year old Eugene Buzie of Unadilla for multiple sex offense charges following an investigation. The Otsego County Sheriff’s Office announces the addition of charges in to the investigation involving Buzie, On July 19th he was arrested by investigators for multiple sex offense related charges. Upon further investigation, it was discovered that the defendant did request, receive and possess a sexual performance by a child through online sources & was charged additionally with Possession of Sexual Performance by a child, Buzie was still incarcerated on the previous charges, he was produced from the Oneida County Correctional Facility to be processed on the new charge, at the Otsego County Correctional Facility and he was returned to the Oneida County Correctional Facility with an Appearance Ticket returnable to the Town of Unadilla Court at a later date.

The Chenango County Sheriff’s Office is currently looking for 40 year old Donald Shurock Jr. A Chenango County Deputy was called to a State Highway 26 in Pitcher Thursday for a suspicious vehicle complaint, the Deputy identified one of the occupants as Shurock, who has active warrants for his arrest. Shurock resisted arrest and fled the scene on foot, causing the Deputy to sustain physical injury. The Deputy was transported to a local hospital and was treated & released. Shurock is described as a white male, approximately 5’8” tall, weighing approximately 165 pounds, balding with short brown hair, brown beard and mustache, wearing a black winter hat, blue/gray Carhartt jacket, jeans, and boots. In addition to the active arrest warrants, Shurock is now wanted on charges of Assault on a Police Officer and Resisting Arrest. If anyone has information, contact the Chenango County Sheriff’s Office at (607) 334-2000.

Helios Care will have a fundraising concert Saturday at the Foothills Performing Arts Center in Oneonta, with a number of local performers with Doug Decker acting as emcee as well as performing, Kathryn Dailey of Helios Care explains:

(Kathryn Dailey 10-18-24)

More information is available at helioscare.org.

The Tri Town Theatre presents "Beauty & the Beast" tonight, Saturday night & Sunday Afternoon at the Sidney High School Stage, performers George Wells & Sarah Norris commented:

(George Wells-Sarah Norris 10-18-24)

Tickets may still be available for this fast selling production at tritowntheatre.com.

Chenango County Public Health will hold a vaccine clinic for RSV, COVID & the Flu this morning, from 9:00 to 11:00 AM. The clinic is being held in downtown Norwich for those who registered at 337-1660.

P.M. NEWS THURSDAY 7-18-24

NYSEG reports that about 440 customers are without power this afternoon in the WCDO Listening area, as crews continue to work to restore power after several thunderstorms whipped through the region this week.

Chenango County Office of Emergency Services announced that Dry Ice and Bottled Water are still available for residents affected by this week's storms, at the South Otselic Fire Station today until 8:00 pm.

Otsego County Sheriff's Office arrested 40 year old Fredrick Canfield of New Lisbon following an investigation in the Town of Pittsfield. Canfield was charged with several counts of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance, Aggravated Unlicensed Operation of a motor vehicle, as well as several other related charges. Deputies were conducting traffic enforcement on June 23rd and observed a vehicle with switched license plates, they attempted a traffic stop, Canfield failed to stop and pulled into the driveway of a residence & fled inside, A quantity of Methamphetamine and Cocaine was located, deputies learned that Canfield was on Parole and residing at an unregistered address. Canfield was apprehended last week, in the Town of Pittsfield, he was taken into custody & is being held at the Otsego County Jail.

The Annual Sidney Alumni weekend gets underway tomorrow through Sunday, Spokesman Bryan Innes Explains:

(Bryan Innes 7-18-24)

All of the information regarding start times can be found at sidneyalumni.org/schedule.

49 year old Demetrius Armstrong of Binghamton, pleaded guilty to Burglary in Broome County Court Wednesday. On September 7, 2023 Armstrong broke into a residence in the City of Binghamton with the intent to steal items and was found inside of the residence by the Binghamton Police Department. Armstrong is scheduled to appear back in court for sentencing this October, he faces between 5 and 15 years in State Prison followed by 5 years post-release supervision.

A.M. NEWS THURSDAY 7-18-24

NYSEG is reporting that just under 1000 customers were without power this morning following 3 days of thunderstorm across the region, they are working to restore power as quickly as possible.

82 year old Robert Popple of Canastota has been identified as the person killed during a severe weather outbreak Tuesday afternoon. Popple was outside inspecting his antique car when he was killed by the intense weather, 3 houses collapsed in that area, the street has been evacuated for safety measures.

Delaware County Office for the Aging will be in Sidney today, distributing FARMERS MARKET COUPONS to those 60+ in age. They will be at the Sidney Civic Center from 10:30 am - 12:30 pm & at Sidney Senior Village from 1 pm - 2:30 pm.

The 135th Afton Fair begins today through Sunday, at the Afton Fair and Afton Driving Park, located just off of the I-88 exit for Afton, more information is available at theaftonfair.com or on their Facebook page.

P.M. NEWS THURSDAY 3-21-24

Delaware County Sheriff's Office arrested 45 year old Nehemiah Clark of Bloomville and 25 year old Jordan Clark of Andes man on drug charges. Deputies assisted State Parole Officers with conducting a home visit at the Delaware County homeless shelter in Bloomville, where it was determined that the parolee was not at the residence and was violating his terms with parole, a vehicle was observed passing by with the parolee inside and a traffic stop was conducted. Deputies & K9 Dexter determined that both occupants were in possession of fentanyl, they were charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance & were released on appearance tickets to the Town of Kortright Court at a later date.

Bassett Healthcare Network’s board of directors has announced that Staci Thompson has been named President and CEO of Bassett Healthcare Network,she told WCDO News that she is excited to continue the work started by her predecessor Dr. Tommy Ibrahim:

(Staci Thompson 3-21-24)

Thompson has been serving as interim President and CEO since January 1, 2024, after succeeding Dr. Ibrahim, Her tenure as President and CEO of Bassett Healthcare Network begins immediately. Thompson arrived at Bassett Healthcare Network in 2023 after serving at The Guthrie Clinic for more than 28 years, where she held several executive leadership positions.

Helios Care 2024 Daffodil Jazz Brunch will again be at the home of Tom Morgan and Erna McReynolds in Franklin on April 20th from 11:00 am – 3:00 pm. Money raised will go to the programs for patients and families served by Helios Care. More information is available at helioscare.org/events or by phone 607 432-6773.

State Department of Labor reported that the state private sector job total was back up to 8.33 Million in February 2024, which is back up to pre-pandemic levels. The State's unemployment rate decreased .1% to 4.4% in February, the statewide labor force participation rate held steady at 61.4% in February 2024.

The Delaware County Sheriff's Office arrested 27 year old Ford Bailey-Banks of Davenport for 2nd degree Burglary, criminal trespass. On March 5th, 2024, Sheriffs Deputies received a complaint that Bailey-Banks had entered onto another’s property and into dwelling, where he stole multiple items as well a firearm, he was transported to the Delaware County Sheriffs Office to await Centralized Arraignment Processing and will be scheduled to appear at the Town of Harpersfield Court at a later date to answer for the charges.

A.M. NEWS 3-21-24

State Police arrested 25 year old Jesse Micha-Hurlburt of Bainbridge, for Endangering the Welfare of a Child, Disseminating Indecent Material of a Minor 2nd degree, Coercion and Unlawful Publication of an Intimate Image. On December 8, 2023, State Police received a report of an unknown individual requesting indecent material from a minor over text message and social media, he was arrested earlier this week, and was transported to Chenango County Jail.

The Otsego County Sheriff's Office arrested 39 year old Timothy Melius of Pittsfield for Aggravated Cruelty to Animals, Failure to Provide Sustenance to Animals, Endangering the Welfare of a Child & Harassment following an investigation in to reported on-going child abuse in the Town of Pittsfield. Investigation revealed that Melius allegedly subjected minors to physical abuse & for intentionally kill a kitten with a baseball bat. Melius was located Wednesday and was taken in to custody, and was being held at the Otsego County Correctional Facility pending future court action, an order of Protection was requested to be issued on behalf of the victims.

New York Farm Bureau members donated eight million pounds of food to regional food banks across the state last year through the Harvest for All program. More information on local food donation projects, is available through local food banks.

Congressman Marc Molinaro will have his constituent service team holding mobile office hours from noon to 2:00pm today, at the Oneonta Town Hall, from 11:00am-1:00pm tomorrow at the Greene Village Hall, and from 10:00am to 12:00pm on Wednesday, March 27 at the Deposit Town Hall.

P.M. NEWS WEDNESDAY 2-28-24

Temperatures will range between 65 & the teens over the next day, local Meteorologist Rich Townsend explains why:

(Rich Townsend 2-28-24)

A Wind Advisory will be in effect this afternoon through tomorrow tomorrow morning, we'll have the Tri County Forecast at the end of this news cast.

The Broome County Sheriff’s Office is currently looking for Veronica Mitchell on an outstanding warrant for Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance, Mitchell is a white female, 5'2" 100 Pounds with brown hair & eyes, anyone with information should go to gobroomecounty.com/sheriff/warrants or call (607) 778-1196.

Bassett Healthcare Network’s Population Health Office is participating with Oneonta Organizations in the ONEbox program, organized by the Oneonta Narcan Initiative Team. ONEboxes allows ordinary bystanders to become lifesavers in the event of a drug overdose emergency, Bassett spokesman Jim Feldman explains:

(Jim Feldman 2-28-24)

Feldman said that Naloxone is a medication that can quickly counteract opioids in someone’s body if they are experiencing an overdose. Bassett's ONEbox is located at Collaborative Health Partners, 6181 State Route 7 in Oneonta, it is accessible Monday-Friday, 8 am.-5 pm.

The Vestal Police Department arrested 43 year old Lori Littler of Vestal on a variety of drug charges. Members of the police department executed a search warrant at Littler’s residence, they seized methamphetamine, fentanyl, cocaine, suboxone, plus Packaging materials & Scales, Littler was remanded to the Broome County Jail to await arraignment.

A.M. NEWS WEDNESDAY 2-28-24

Otsego County Sheriff's Office arrested 23 year old Lucian Decker of Pittsfield, for 2nd degree Assault with a weapon, Endangering the Welfare of a Child, plus he was wanted on 2 warrants. Decker was arrested following an investigation into an assault in the Town of Morris on April 7 2022, where he allegedly struck the victim in the head with a lead pipe after an argument, Decker fled the scene & left the state, earlier this month, deputies learned that Decker was back in the area, and was involved in another incident that is still under investigation. Decker was located in the Town of Pittsfield and was taken into custody without incident, he was arraigned & was remanded to the Otsego County Jail on $3,000 cash bail/$30,000 secured bond.

The Broome County Sheriff's Office is currently investigating a one-person motorcycle accident with injuries on Interstate Route 81 South between Exits 1 and 2 in the Town of Kirkwood Tuesday. The initial investigation revealed that the motorcyclist was the only individual involved and speed was a factor in the crash. The motorcyclist was transported to Wilson Hospital with serious injuries.

The Broome County Sheriff’s Office and SUNY Broome have partnered on a program to begin introducing community college “life skills” curriculum to incarcerated men and women at the Broome County Correctional Facility. The pilot program consists of five, 1-hour weekly classes taking place over five weeks, offered in both a male and a female housing pod. Undersheriff Sam Davis is the instructor for each class, he previously served as the Director of Training for the Broome County Sheriff’s Office and taught several criminal justice courses at SUNY Broome over the past 8 years.

P.M. NEWS MONDAY 1-29-24

The Otsego County Sheriff's Office arrested John Williams of Edmeston following an accident investigation on January 5th in Edmeston. Williams was charged with Criminal Possession of a controlled substance, DWI, DWAI, failure to keep right, Moving from lane unsafely, Leaving the scene of an accident with personal injury, Speed not reasonable and prudent, Williams was found in the Town of Pittsfield with a controlled substance later that day, he was issued an Appearance ticket

Delaware County Sheriff's office announced that a Sealed Indictment Arrest Warrant issued by the Delaware County Grand Jury has resulted in the arrest of 43 year old Leslie McClenon of Walton. Deputies were contacted by Walton Police, after McClenon went to the Police Department for the issued arrest warrant, Deputies took McClenon into custody on 4 Counts of Criminal Possession of a Control Substance, 1 count of Criminally Using Drug Paraphernalia, she was taken to the Delaware County Correctional Facility where she was held pending the next Centralized arraignment session.

Utz Quality Foods issued a voluntary recall for Utz 2.75 ounce Wavy Original Potato Chips due to an undeclared milk allergen. The items in question had an expiration date is May 6, 2024. The recall was initiated after Utz learned that approximately 1,200 single-serve bags of the chips were flavored with seasoning instead of including the plain Utz Wavy Original Potato Chips, the chips were distributed to New York retailers only. No other Utz products are part of the recall. Consumers who purchased the recalled product may discard it and contact the Utz Customer Care team for a refund by email customerservice@utzsnacks.com; or by phone: 1-800-367-7629.

Delaware County Sheriff's office announced the arrest 2 people for Criminal Mischief. On November 7th, Deputies received a complaint from the Town of Kortright Highway Department, Deputies were made aware of social media pictures of a male operating a pickup truck performing a “burn-out”, 19-year-old Deacon Phoenix of Walton did a “Burn-out” which caused damage to a Town of Kortright roadway. Phoenix and 43 year old Douglas Perrett of Delhi were both charged with Criminal Mischief, they were processed and released on Appearance Tickets for the Town of Kortright Court at a later date.

The annual Goodyear Lake Polar Bear Jump is coming up February 17th, with their annual auction to be held this Sunday at 12:30 at the Milford Central School. Brenda Waters & her husband Jamie have been organizing this event for 26 years, Brenda told WCDO News that they raised over $141,000 with last years event for area people with a variety of medical issues, and they hope to exceed that this year, starting with the auction:

(Brenda Waters 1-29-24)

Waters said that the Polar Bear Jump will be on February 17th at 12:30, the awards banquet will be held that evening at the Oneonta Elks club, all the information is available at pbjump.com.

A.M. NEWS MONDAY 1-29-24

State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation arrested 69 year old Francesco Baio of New Berlin for Forcible Touching and Endangering the Welfare of a Child. An investigation revealed that on Sunday, January 21, Baio allegedly inappropriately touched a person under the age of 17. Baio was arrested and is due back at the New Berlin Town Court on February 14.

The Otsego County Sheriff's office & Cooperstown Police are looking for 43 year old Matthew Sisson of Otego, Sisson left Bassett Hospital Friday, he may have a perforated appendix & was last seen walking on State route 28. He is described as a white male, 6'2" medium build & bald, anyone with information should contact 911 or their local law enforcement. A search party was organized Sunday morning by law enforcement & family members.

Otsego County Sheriff's Office arrested 30 year old Marcus Gergich of Kenmore following a traffic stop on January 18 in The Village of Cooperstown. Gergich was charged with DWI, Driving While Ability Impaired by Drugs, Open Container & Smoking Marijuana in a Motor Vehicle, he was arrested and later released on an Appearance ticket.

P.M. NEWS TUESDAY 12-19-23

The United Way of Mid Rural New York has increased their fundraising totals by 12% in the last week alone, as they head for the end of their annual fundraising campaign, according to Executive Director Elizabeth Monaco:

(Elizabeth Monaco 12-19-23)

More information about the annual campaign is available at their Norwich Office at 607-334-8815, or by going to uwmrny.org.

ACHIEVE in Norwich gave a tour of their new facility at East Main Street in Norwich yesterday, the renovated facility will offer a 200 capacity multi-purpose meeting space, a cafe & kitchen for job skills training, a nursing station, Hoyer Lift Systems and a community center. Achieve is a non-profit organization that provIdes support & services to more than 2200 individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Broome, Chenango & Tioga Counties, more information is available at achieveny.org.

The 213th State Police Academy Graduation, will be held on Thursday, at 11:00 AM at the Empire State Plaza Convention Center, Albany. 232 new Troopers will graduate from the Basic School of the New York State Police Academy, they will then be assigned to the Troop following graduation.

Commerce Chenango announced that there is still time to register for the Leadership Chenango Class for 2024. The Class of 2024 will be facilitated by Melissa Stagnaro, it will kick off with an orientation and two-day retreat in February. The class will meet twice monthly from March to October and conclude with a final class and graduation in November. Tuition is $1,750, the application is available at commercechenango.com, more information is available at (607) 334-1400 or via email at info@chenangony.org.

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that the application for the Excelsior Scholarship for new applicants for the Spring 2024 term is now open. Students from households with federal adjusted gross incomes up to $125,000 are eligible, Students must Plan to attend a SUNY or CUNY two- or four-year college; Complete 30 credits per year towards their program of study and must be on track to graduate with an associate degree in two years or a bachelor's degree in four years. more information is available at webapps.hesc.ny.gov, Applications will be accepted through February 2, 2024.

A.M. NEWS TUESDAY 12-19-23

Otsego County Officials announced that several roads are closed due to flooding conditions, including County Highway 48 between Chamberlain Hill and Downey Road Spur in Otego, County Highway 4 between Mill Street and Hilton Street in the Town of Butternuts, Miller Road in Pittsfield, Bemis Road from State Highway 51 to Pegg Road in Morris. In Delaware County, State Route 30 in Roxbury has flooding issues, officals in all around counties advise motorists to turn around if they find flooded roads & report them to authorites as soon as possible. Motorists can check 511ny.org for road closures.

The Otsego County Sheriff's Office held a public meeting Monday afternoon, Investigators announced that the occupant of 18 Richards Avenue, 60-year-old Desmond Moan, allegedly fired a gun inside his home severing a gas line. NYSEG was called to 24 Richards Avenue around 8 am Saturday after a report of the smell of gas, that was followed by another report at 14 Richards Ave for a similar issue, then 18 Richards Avenue exploded, the technician was uninjured. The Town of Oneonta code enforcement office has waived fees for building permits for those whose homes were damaged in the blast.

Delaware County Sheriff's Office arrested 31 year old Cachet Fernandez of Sidney on a sealed indictment arrest warrant issued out of the Delaware County Court. On Friday Morning, Broome County Sheriff’s Deputies, located and identified Fernandez, he was turned over to the custody of Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies. The Delaware County Court issued a sealed indictment arrest warrant, stemming from Fernandez allegedly not reporting his new residence as a registered Sex Offender to the proper authorities upon moving. Fernandez was remanded to the Delaware County Jail to await arraignment in Delaware County Court at a later date.

The Governor's Office & the Public Employees Federation and Civil Service Employees Association announced an agreement to award nearly $3 million in backpay to more than 2,100 New York State employees who worked overtime during the COVID-19 pandemic. Starting this week, more than 1,700 PEF members and more than 400 members of CSEA will receive payments for work completed beyond traditional work hours at the height of the pandemic.

The Delaware County Sheriff's Office arrested 38 year old Richard Santiago of Masonville on a bench warrant, issued by the Village of Sidney. Deputies responded to Delaware County Correctional Facility where Richard Santiago was being arraigned on a separate charge. Deputies subsequently arrested 38-year-old Santiago on two active bench warrants issued by the Village of Sidney Court. Santiago was arraigned at Delaware County Central Arraignment Court, released on his own recognizance, and directed to appear in the Village of Sidney Court at a later date to answer for the charges.

P.M. NEWS MONDAY 12-18-23

The heavy rain has slowed down & is changing over to snow showers in some location this afternoon, local Meteorologist Rich Townsend told WCDO News that there could be some isolated minor flooding:

(Rich Townsend 12-18-23)

Delaware County DPW Commissioner Jim Thomas reported some roads were flooded earlier today, including State Route 357, which was closed between County Route 14 and State Route 28 in Franklin, also Flooding on State Route 10 slowed traffic between Peaks Brook Road in Delhi and County Route 16, 1 lane traffic was being directed by DOT flaggers, County Route 18 above Delhi & County Route 9 were also closed earlier this afternoon. The Otsego County Sheriff's office announced road closures at Piermott Lane and Wileytown Road in the Town of Hartwick, County Highway 48 between Chamberlain Hill and Downey Road Spur in Otego, County Highway 4 between Mill Street and Hilton Street in the Town of Butternuts, County Highway 29 in the town of Springfield & Miller Road in the Town of Pittsfield. Updated road information will posted at 511ny.org.

Following the October announcement of the closure of the Morris branch of Community Bank, N.A., in January, A public meeting, coordinated by Butternut Valley Alliance, was held November 20 to identify the greatest concerns, Maggie Brenner is Vice Chair of the Butternut Valley Alliance, she told WCDO News what options they can pursue for their banking:

(Maggie Brenner 12-18-23)

Brenner said that the Community Bank closing in Morris affects several communities around Morris, and that there has been significant growth in the surrounding area the last couple of years, which they hope warrants a banking institution to set up some sort of bank or credit union locally, and not force everyone to go 20 miles or more to do all of their banking needs.

The Delaware County Toys for Tots Campaign collected 1300 Items and many Cash Donations, which will support Nearly 300 Delaware County Families and 600 Children this Christmas season. This year's campaign was a joint effort from the Delaware County Chamber of Commerce & Delaware Opportunities, with collection boxes at over 20 businesses.

Filmmaker Joseph Stillman will premier his latest movie: "Bear" this weekend in Oneonta, Stillman told WCDO News about his latest film:

(Joseph Stillman 12-18-23)

Stillman said that the movie was filmed around the Gilbertsville area, it was based on his 5-year involvement with a Marine drill instructor and 25 other veterans. The premier of "Bear" will be this Friday & Saturday at Foothills Performing Arts Center, at 5:00pm and 7:30pm both days, Tickets are available at the box office or at bearthemovieinfo.ticketleap.com/bear.

The Bainbridge Chamber of Commerce will have their next meeting Tuesday morning. Chamber members & Directors are encouraged to attend the meeting, beginning at 7:30 am at the back of Bob's Diner.

A.M. NEWS MONDAY 12-18-23

Chaquasja Veale of Norwich was indicted Friday & was charged with 2nd degree murder, for the killing of 44 year old Alisa Ann Martin in her Norwich home July 6th. Veale had been staying in Martin's home, she died died by strangulation, Veale was being held on bail in the Chenango County Jail pending future court action.

The number of full-time local government workers employed outside of New York City shrank 7.9% from 2007 through 2022, according to a report by State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli. New York’s decline in local government employment is in contrast to the nation, which saw a 2% increase in the number of full-time employees over this 15-year period. Local government workforce levels were most impacted by two key events during this time – the Great Recession of 2007-09 and the COVID-19 pandemic. School districts were the largest local government employer in 2022, Counties were second, followed by cities and villages and towns.

Congressman Marc Molinaro will host a 'Coffee With Your Congressman' meeting today, from 6:30pm to 7:30pm at the Park Diner & Restaurant at 119 Conklin Ave, Binghamton. This event will be open to the public and give constituents an opportunity to connect with Molinaro, ask questions, or share feedback.

An American Red Cross Blood Drive will return this year to honor fallen State Trooper Christopher Skinner, who served for 13 years & was killed in a hit and run in 2014 while conducting a routine traffic stop on Interstate 81 in the Town of Chenango. This Year's Blood Drive will be held on December 26 at Five Mile Point Fire Company in Kirkwood, from 12 to 6 pm, appointment are available at RedCrossBlood.org, call 1(800) Red Cross or download the Red Cross Blood Donor App.

P.M. NEWS WEDNESDAY 7-5-23

The Southern Tier Music Festival on July 1st at the Sidney Airport was considered a success by those who attended & those who helped organize the event, one of those was Ed Curley:

(Ed Curley 7-5-23)

The concert was headlined by Country Acts Maddie & Tae and Restless Road along with a number of local acts, Curley said that the meeting to talk about the future of the event will be on July 19th in Bainbridge.

The Delaware County IRT will be held July 11th through the 19th at the Walton High school, featuring a variety of free services for Medical, Dental, Veterinary as well as mental health, Director of Delaware County Planning & Watershed Affairs, Shelly Johnson-Bennett said that most of the services are available without an appointment, but one service requires registration:

(Shelly Johnson-Bennett 7-5-23)

WCDO News conducted a full interview with Shelly Johnson Bennett recently about the event, you can hear that full interview following the 6:00 PM news tonight on WCDO.

58 year old Phillip Peterson was indicted by a Delaware County Grand Jury on 2 counts of attempted assault, for allegedly attacking his wife in the town of Franklin by punching her in the chest after open heart surgery & by throwing a TV at her in April. Peterson will be arraigned on the charges on July 10th.

31-year-old Dylan Cole of Norwich was charged with 1st-degree assault after allegedly beating another man with a baseball bat, causing severe injuries. Norwich Police responded to Clinton Street, Cole allegedly approached a 35-year-old male with a BB gun and metal baseball bat and struck the man’s face multiple times with the bat, the victims suffered multiple fractures & lost teeth, he was taken to Chenango Memorial Hospital & was later transported him to SUNY Upstate Medical University Hospital in Syracuse to receive multiple surgeries. Cole was arraigned & was held on a $1,000 cash bail, pending court action at a later date.

Otsego County Sheriff's Office arrested 37 year old Daniel Pope of Laurens following an investigation of a motor vehicle accident in the Town of Morris. Pope was charged with 3 counts of Aggravated DWI for allegedly having a Child Less Than 16 Years Old in the vehicle, plus DWI, Operating a Vehicle with a BAC of .08% or higher, 3 counts of Endangering the Welfare of a Child & Speed Not Reasonable and Prudent The 3 children in pope's vehicle sustained minor injuries in the accident and were treated and released at the scene by EMS, Pope was released on an Appearance ticket and for Town of Morris Court at a later date.

Congressman Marc Molinaro will host a round-table on mental health and substance use disorders with local public officials, mental health and substance use providers, hospital administrators, law enforcement, and school administrators today. The round-table will begin at 3:00pm at the Broome County Public Library at 185 Court St in Binghamton.

The Gus Macker Basketball Tournament is this weekend at the Norwich High School, organizers are looking for scorekeepers and other positions, according to organizer Tom Revoir:

(Tom Revoir 7-5-23)

Those interested should contact Tom Revoir at 607-336-9622 extension 29.

A.M. NEWS WEDNESDAY 7-5-23

Morris Fire Fighters responded to a blaze at a vacant house at 50 South Broad Street Saturday at around 5:15 pm. Mutual aid was received from fire fighters in West Laurens, South New Berlin, Gilbertsville, Pittsfield, Edmeston, Unadilla and Otego, the cause of the fire is under investigation, no injuries were reported.

Preparations are continuing for the upcoming Chenango County Fair in August, Fair spokesperson Mary Weidman said that tickets are available ahead of time:

(Mary Weidman 6-30-23)

The Chenango County Fair will run from August 9th to the 13th at the fairgrounds in Norwich. More information is available at chenangofair.com.

Police in Deposit arrested 73 year old Jo Stanton and her son, 49 year old Patrick Stanton after they conducted a traffic stop for a vehicle with incorrect license plates. Police seized brass knuckles, heroin, methamphetamine, hydrocodone, and suboxone. The Stantons were charged with Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance with Intent to Sell, Patrick Stanton was additionally charged with Criminal Possession of a Weapon and Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance, more charges are anticipated, The investigation is ongoing.

27 year old Chad Underwood of Sherburne was arrested by the Chenango County Sheriff's Office for Menacing, Aggravated Harassment and Making Terroristic Threats. Underwood was involved in a Domestic Dispute & a harassment complaint. Underwood was arrested, arraigned and held with no bail in the Chenango County Jail pending future court action.

The Sidney Chamber of Commerce will hold their next meeting this morning. The meeting will begin at 8:00 AM at the Sidney Golf Course, the guest speaker will be Glen Nealis of the Delaware County IDA.

P.M. NEWS THURSDAY 3-23-23

2 Broome County residents are facing 20 felony charges after being apprehended by Broome County Sheriff’s Deputies following an armed robbery in the Town of Chenango that led to an extended vehicle and foot pursuit through Johnson City and Endwell. Deputies responded Wednesday to a report of a robbery and assault on Dimmock Hill Road in the Town of Chenango. Deputies determined that 39 year old Alex Shoga of Binghamton, entered the residence displaying a handgun with 27 year old Kristin Silvanic of Endicott. 1 of the victims stolen tablets allowed deputies to track the suspects in Johnson City, where Deputies converged on the area and encountered the suspect vehicle, after a short pursuit, the suspects were taken to the Broome County Sheriff’s Office Central Arraignment and charged with the following Robbery, Burglary, criminal Use of a Firearm, tampering with physical evidence & criminal possession of stolen property, among many other charges,

Delaware County District Attorney's office announced that 47 year old James Amato, also known as Tony Amato of Downsville was arraigned on an Amended Violation of Probation Petition in Delaware County Court. Amato is accused of possessing drugs on February 18th in the Town of Colchester and a hearing was scheduled for April 3rd. Amato was remanded to the Delaware County Correctional Facility without bail, he was serving a sentence of probation supervision for his February 2022 convictions of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance, If his probation supervision sentence is revoked, he faces up to 9 years in State Prison.

19th District Congressman Marc Molinaro announced over $10 million in federal funding for various local organizations. Greater Opportunities for Broome and Chenango, Inc. is receiving $2,744,923 for its Head Start Program, Cornell University is receiving $3,792,922 for pharmacology research and $776,752 for allergy and immunology research. SUNY Binghamton is receiving $783,365 for alcohol abuse treatment research & The Family Health Network of Central New York, Inc. is receiving $2,300,207 to support the continuation of care.

Following the release of a CDC report that showed a sharp increase in maternal mortality in 2021, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand announced that start of a new hotline to help pregnant women or new mothers deal with a variety of issues:

(Gillibrand 3-23-23)

Gillibrand's "National Maternal Mental Health Hotline" has already helped 7,5000 and Gillibrand is calling for its full implementation in the next federal Budget.

A.M. NEWS 3-23-23

The Delaware County District Attorney office announced that 37 year old Douglas Rodriguez pleaded guilty in Delaware County Court to Criminal Contempt, after violating a court order of protection by phone several times, and for trying to convince that person not to testify against him. Rodriguez was remanded to the Delaware County Jail on $35,000 cash bail pending sentencing on April 10th.

The Delaware County District Attorney's office announced that 50 year old Kristopher Surdis of Kingston, appeared in Delaware County Court on March 20, 2023 and pleaded guilty to one count of Falsely Reporting an Incident. Surdis was arrested by the Colchester Police Department for allegedly calling the Downsville Country Store and reporting a bomb threat. After being arraigned on a Superior Court Information, he pleaded guilty and was sentenced to time already served in jail and also imposed a 3-year Conditional Discharge, which requires Surdis undergo a mental health evaluation, and comply with any treatment recommendations for the next three years, if he violates the terms, he could be re-sentenced to a term of 7 years in jail.

Otsego County Sheriff's Office announced that 45 year old Kendra Barrett of Burlington Flats, was arrested for DWI, Aggravated DWI, Speed not reasonable and prudent, Driving on the shoulder, Open Container along with several other charges, following a motor vehicle accident in the Town of Pittsfield. Barrett was issued appearance tickets returnable to the Town of Pittsfield Court at a later date.

The Broome County Sheriff’s Office is currently looking for Dalton Lannon, on an outstanding warrant, he is described as a White Male, 5'11", 190 pounds with blond hair & hazel eyes, Anyone with information can submit Tips electronically to gobroomecounty.com/sheriff/warrants or via telephone by calling the Broome County Sheriff’s Office tip line at (607) 778-1196.

P.M. NEWS MONDAY 12-12-22

State Police at Endwell responded to a report of an explosion on Cardinal Way in the town of Union. The troopers discovered a vehicle that had visible damage. 2 individuals were spotted in the area, any one with information about the individuals involved, should contact State Police at (607) 561-7400.

SUNY Oneonta officials announced that they will become a "University" next year. The University designation will become official on January 23rd, and they will be known as "State University of New York at Oneonta" they were previously called the "State University of New York College at Oneonta. A celebration is scheduled for January 25th, the 1st day of the Spring Semester.

The Otsego County Sheriff's Office arrested 41 year old Steven Salomon of the town of Maryland, he is accused of contacting a business and made false claims that he was a law enforcement officer. Solomon was charged with Criminal Impersonation, he was released on an appearance ticket for Town of Maryland Court at a later date.

State Police are warning residents of a phone scam, where someone will call claiming to represent the State Police and ask for donations. State Police said that they do not seek donations from the public, and is you receive such a call, do not give any personal information, and simply hang up.

A.M. NEWS MONDAY 12-12-22

State Police arrested 22 year old Brian Christman of Fort Plain, for Vehicular Manslaughter and Driving While Intoxicated. Back on July 23rd, State Police responded to a fatal one-vehicle crash on Shacktown Mountain Road in the town of Pittsfield. The passenger of the vehicle 22 year old Payton Stirone of Mount Vision was pronounced deceased at the scene, Christman was driving at the time of the crash & was transported to Basset Hospital for non-life-threatening injuries.

State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli released a report that showed that almost 2.7 million New Yorkers, or 13.9% of the state’s population, lived in poverty in 2021, compared to 12.8% of all Americans. The report showed that poverty rates in the state declined prior to the pandemic, they were higher in 2021 than in 2019. New York ranked 13th among all states, with a higher rate of poverty than the neighboring Northeast States.

The Rogers Center’s Board of Directors has hired David Carson to lead the environmental education center as the new executive director. Carson is a Central New York Native who is returning to the area with his family, The public is invited to meet Carson and the entire staff at Rogers’ annual Winter Living Celebration, from 11 am to 3 pm on January 22, 2023.

The Chenango County Historical Society's "Parade of Trees" will continue to be on display through December 30th. The “Parade of Trees" Location will be at the Historical Society & Museum at 45 Rexford Street, in Norwich, they can be visited online at ChenangoHistorical.org.

The New Berlin Veterinary Clinic is teaming up with the Chenango SPCA for the "Stuff The Shelter" event. Area residents are encouraged to bring food, treats, cleaning supplies, litter, bedding & toys to the clinic through the end of December, more information is available at 607-847-6118.

P.M. NEWS MONDAY 9-26-22

Governor Hochul announced the start of the 2nd phase of a plan to allow 3rd parties to offer the Commercial Driver License road test, to both public and private entities. The program is being implemented to address the shortage of bus and truck drivers. Any qualified third party is now eligible to apply for certification through the DMV, New Yorkers can find more information at dmv.ny.gov/commercial-drivers.

Famed "Star Trek" star & Author George Takei is scheduled to be a speaker at SUNY Oneonta on October 24 at 7:00 PM at the Alumni Field House. Takei is the author of “They Called Us Enemy”, which is a New York Times Best Seller, in which he describes his experiences of growing up in internment camps in the United States as a Japanese American during World War II.

State Police and the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services announced that a contingent of 50 State Troopers left Saturday morning for Puerto Rico to help the island nation as it recovers from the devastation left behind in the wake of Hurricane Fiona. The first wave of 50 Troopers, along with 69 New Jersey State Troopers, flew out of JFK airport at about 10 am. this morning bound for Luis Munoz Marin International Airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The flight was donated by Jet Blue Airlines.

The State DOT will hold a public hearing this Wednesday at 5:30 pm. to discuss plans to enhance safety at 4 sites on State Route 8 in the towns of Columbus, New Berlin and Norwich. The proposed project will widen traffic lanes and shoulders, improve sight distances & reduce curves, the hearing will take place at the Unadilla Valley Central School Auditorium. More information is available at dot.ny.gov/Rt8Safety

Otsego County Sheriff's Office arrested Amy Schermerhorn of New Berlin following a traffic Stop in the town of Pittsfield. Schermerhorn was charged with Driving While Intoxicated and Operating a Motor Vehicle with .08% Blood Alcohol Content, She will appear in court at a later date.

Johnson City Police arrested 3 people in connection with the shooting of a man in the abdomen last week. Destiany Kleine-Hill, Justice Marimberga and David Van Patten were all charged with Attempted Murder, 1st degree Robbery & 2nd degree Burglary.

A.M. NEWS MONDAY 9-26-22

Delaware County Public Health Services will be conducting a Monkeypox vaccine clinic on Wednesday, October 5, from 4:30PM to 6:00 PM, at 99 Main Street in Delhi. The two vaccine doses are given 28 days apart. This is a 1st dose clinic only. More information is available at 607-832-5200 To register for the clinic, go to delawarecountypublichealth.com.

DCMO BOCES in Norwich is currently auctioning off 3 used school buses. The online auctions are open to the public at municibid.com and ends Thursday, September 29th.

Assemblyman Joe Angelino announced the launch of a $200 million Seed Fund Grant Program, which is targeted at helping small businesses recover after the COVID-19 pandemic. More Information and access to the application portal can be found at nyseedgrant.com. The program is in addition to the $800 million Pandemic Small Business Recovery Grant Program, which helped more than 35,000 small businesses with roughly $639 million since it began last year. Businesses may call 877-721-0097 for assistance from Empire State Development.

Norwich Police Department arrested Luis Franco of Brooklyn after they responded to a repport of an assault on September 22nd. The victim sustained broken bones, a fractured spine and a collapsed lung and was taken to a Binghamton Hospital, Franco was charged with Assault in the 2nd degree, he was arraigned and held on $25,000 cash bail.

P.M. NEWS WEDNESDAY 7-27-22

The Broome County Sheriff’s Office responded Tuesday morning at the abandoned Vestal Hills Country Club, for the report of a person being shot with a Bow & Arrow. Deputies found 23-year-old Bayso Vannavongsa of Binghamton early Tuesday morning in the parking lot of the Country Club with a non-life threatening wound to his chest. He was transported to Wilson Hospital for evaluation. State police attempted to stop the vehicle that allegedly left the scene, and the 2 occupants, Savannah Perry and Carson Vanco of Endicott, fled but were found on Powderhouse Road. Police accuse Vanco of shooting the arrow at Vannavongsa, The investigation is on-going and criminal charges are expected.

Federal Prosecutors announced that 63 year old Timothy Deuel of Tioga County, pleaded guilty to 3 counts of possession of child pornography. Deuel was sentenced in the U.S. District Court in 2015 to 87 months imprisonment and 10 years supervised release as a result of his conviction for distribution of child pornography, he admitted that he again possessed approximately 1,000 images of child pornography and more than 200 video files of child pornography. Sentencing on the latest conviction will be on November 29th, Deuel faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of at least 5 years and up to life.

State Police responded to Otsego County Highway 13 and Hawks Road in the town of Pittsfield for a report of a vehicle on fire with a person trapped inside. Troopers learned that firefighters were already on scene and confirmed that the vehicle was fully engulfed with a person inside who was deceased. An investigation revealed that the 36-year-old female operator went off the roadway, struck an embankment and a tree.

Delaware County Sheriff's Deputies were dispatched Tuesday to a 2 car motor vehicle accident at State Highway 23 and County Highway 10 in the Town of Davenport. Initial reports state that a car was traveling Northwest on County Highway 10, it entered the intersection of County Highway 10 and State Highway 23, when it was it was struck by a pickup truck traveling Southwest on State Highway 23. A female passenger in the car was pronounced dead at the scene. The male driver of the car suffered serious, life threatening injuries. The male driver of the pickup truck suffered minor injuries and his male passenger was uninjured. The cause of the accident is still under investigation by the Sheriff’s Office Accident Reconstruction Team, no tickets have been issued and no arrests have been made.

Sidney Rotary Club & Cullman Child Developmental Center of Sidney continue to gain popularity with their free summer events, Rotary Spokesman Larry Halbert said that their recent Dairy Day event was very successful, and they anticipate similar attendance at the "Big Rig Event" August 6th:

(Larry Halbert 7-27-22)

Halbert said that the event will be held at the Cullman Center at 90 West Road in Sidney, more information is available at the Sidney Rotary Facebook Page, or by calling 563-PLAY.

A.M. NEWS Wednesday 7-27-22

The World Health Organization declared the international monkeypox outbreak a global emergency, & the State Department of Health continues to monitor the current monkeypox outbreak.   Chenango County Department of Public Health Director Isaiah Sutton told WCDO News that they are prepared if a case is confirmed locally:

(Isaiah Sutton 7-26-22)

Sutton said that anyone with symptoms of monkeypox should first call their health care provider, more information is also available by calling the Chenango County Health Department at (607) 337-1660.

The Delaware County Department of Public Works will be closing County route 14 in the Town of Franklin to through traffic beginning at 7:00 a.m. today, to remove a large tree. The closure will be between Church Street and Blue School Road. The traveling public should seek alternate routes. Because of this work, the DPW will not be closing County Road 16 Today, it will be closed tomorrow, July 28th.

Village of Sidney officials announced that today, at approximately 10:00am, the Circle Drive Booster Pump will be going online. Resident may notice discolored water that should clear up quickly.

P.M. NEWS MONDAY 7-25-22

State Police arrested 42 year old Christopher Yeary of Hamden, Saturday night for Criminal Possession of a Weapon, Unlawful Imprisonment, Criminal Mischief, Criminal Obstruction of Breathing, & Menacing, following a domestic dispute on Chambers Hollow Road. Walton Police Officers were first on scene and assisted in removing a victim from the area, Yeary allegedly choked, then menaced the victim with a firearm. He then prevented the victim from leaving the residence and smashed the victim’s cell phone. Yeary refused to leave the residence to speak with law enforcement. After several hours, Yeary was taken into custody, he was arraigned and remanded to the Delaware County Jail on $25,000 bail or $50,000 bond.

State Police responded early Saturday Morning to a 1-vehicle crash on Shacktown Mountain Road in the town of Pittsfield. Troopers discovered that a vehicle exited the roadway, went down an embankment and struck trees, a 22-year-old passenger was pronounced deceased on scene. The 22-year-old driver was transported to Bassett Hospital for non-life-threatening injuries. The crash remains under investigation.

One of the largest crowds in Baseball Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony History attended yesterday's festivities in Cooperstown, to see 7 more inducted. A large number of attendees came from the New England States to see Boston Red Sox Star Designated Hitter David Ortiz inducted, he appreciated all who supported him along the way:

(David Ortiz 7-25-22)

Also inducted yesterday, Left handed Pitcher Jim Kaat, Cuban Born Outfielders Tony Oliva & Minnie Minosa, Dodgers & New York Mets Legend Gil Hodges, Cooperstown area native Bud Fowler, an early black player & manager in the 1800's, And Negro League Star & Ambassador Buck O'Neill.

The 1st Nate Lull Scholarship Foundation Golf Tournament was held at the Ouleout Creek Golf Course in Franklin Sunday, WCDO Sports Director Nate Lull decided to start the scholarship fund for students in the Tri-County region;

(Nate Lull 7-25-22)

Lull said that he expects to continue with the Golf Tournament in July or August going forward, and may announce other fundraiser in the coming months for the Scholarship fund.

A.M. NEWS MONDAY 7-25-22

Another large crowd attended this year's Class of 2022 National Baseball Hall of Fame induction ceremony in Cooperstown on Sunday. First up was Left Handed Pitcher Jim Kaat, who played from 1959 to 1983, mostly with the Minnesota Twins, he said it was an honor to be selected by the Golden Era Committee for induction:

(Jim Kaat 7-25-22)

Kaat's teammate for many of his years in Minnesota was Outfield Tony Oliva, who thanked people for traveling from all over, especially Minnesota, to share in his special day:

(TONY OLIVA 7-25-22)

The Late Gil Hodges made a name for himself as a 1st baseman for the Brooklyn & Los Angeles Dodgers, and as the manager of the Miracle Mets of 1969. Gil's daughter Irene Hodges told the audience how her father soothed the fears of Japanese children by teaching them baseball during Word War 2, but how he befriended & championed Jackie Robinson, the 1st African American Major Leaguer & Hodges teammate in Brooklyn:

(IRENE HODGES 7-25-22)

The last speech was by David Ortiz, who after marginal success with Minnesota, blossomed into a 3 time World Series Champion with the Boston Red Sox, he told the crowd, to always encourage others:

(DAVID ORTIZ 7-25-22)

Also Inducted, Fort Plain New York Native Bud Fowler, a black pioneer who played in the early days of organized Baseball, Legendary Cuban born star outfielder Minnie Minoso, Negro League player & ambassador Buck O'Neill.

A 43-year-old David Jakubonis of Fairport was charged in federal court Saturday with assaulting a member of Congress using a dangerous weapon. Jakubonis faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted of wielding a sharp object at Congressman Lee Zeldin during a campaign event in Monroe County Thursday night. Jakobonis was charged by local law enforcement with Attempted Assault in the attempted attack, Zeldin wasn’t injured.

Delaware County DPW announced the closure of county Route 37 in the town of Middletown to through traffic starting at 7:00 AM on Monday July 25. Crews will be performing a slope stabilization project, the closure will be between Main Street and Breezy Hill Road, work is expected to be completed by the end of August. The road will be open for one lane traffic controlled by a traffic light, during off-work hours.

P.M. NEWS WEDNESDAY 6-15-22

Federal prosecutors have filed hate crime charges against 18-year-old Payton Gendron of Conklin, he is accused of killing 10 people & injuring 3 others in a Buffalo Tops Supermarket in a predominantly black neighborhood on May 14th. Gendron faces 26 counts of hate crimes and firearms offenses, he charges include 10 counts of hate crimes resulting in death, three counts of hate crimes involving bodily injury and attempt to kill, 10 counts of using a firearm to commit murder during and in retaliation to a crime of violence and three counts of using and discharging of a firearm during and in retaliation to a crime of violence.

Local sales tax collections in New York state increased by 16.7% in May compared to the same month in 2021, according to an analysis released today by State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli. Overall, local collections totaled $1.7 billion, up $242 million from May of last year. Every county also experienced double-digit growth in collections, at least partially due to recent high inflation, including soaring gas prices. Yates County saw the largest increase at 34.8% in May. Among cities that impose their own general sales tax, the City of Oneida came in at the highest at 30.9%.

The Otsego County Sheriff's Office arrested 41 year old Dezarae Yother of Morris after an investigation into a disabled vehicle in Pittsfield. Yother allegedly forged and attempted to use a stolen check to pay for services in Morris. Yother faces charges of forgery, Possession of a Forged Instrument, Possession of Stolen Property in Morris, and Inadequate Exhaust, Unsafe Tire, Improper Plates, Unregistered Motor Vehicle, Uninspected Motor Vehicle, and Operating without Insurance in Pittsfield.

The State Health Department reports that the decline in COVID 19 cases is continuing. Statewide 7-Day Average positivity rate is Lowest Since mid -April at 5.4%, Statewide Hospitalizations were below 2000 to 1,938, down from a recent peak of 2724 in Mid May. there were 38 deaths reported over the weekend in Hospitals & nursing homes.

The Greater Oneonta Historical Society Walking Tour Series kicks off tonight, as Oneonta natives Liz Rowley Morley and Art Torrey lead their tour of Main Street in the late 1960s. This tour coincides with the opening of Remembering Oneonta in the 1960s this weekend, Society Executive Director Dr. Marcela Micucci explains:

(Marcela Micucci 6-15-22)

The tour will meet at 7pm at the History Center at 183 Main Street in Oneonta, more details are available at oneontahistory.org or their Facebook events page.

A.M. NEWS Wednesday 6-15-22

35 year old Tadd Sherwood of Oneonta has been arrested after he allegedly pointed a gun at a victim during a dispute and fired a shot in the victim’s direction. Sherwood was charged with criminal possession of a loaded firearm, menacing, and criminal possession of a weapon, Sherwood is a convicted felon & is not legally allowed to possess weapons, he is being held in the Otsego County Jail pending future court action.

State Police arrested 6 people, for allegedly possessing guns and illegal magazines that are not compliant with the New York SAFE Act. Troopers initiated a traffic stop on Upper Front Street in the town of Chenango, they arrested 39 year old Jeffrey Everetts of Sayre, Pennsylvania & 32 year old Nephrem Holt of Albany for Criminal Possession of a Weapon, another traffic stop on Upper Front Street in the town of Chenango resulted in the arrest of 4 men from Pennsylvania, 56 year old Robert Applegate II, 31 year old Robert Applegate III, 28 year old Glen Applegate, & 29 year old Trevor Sweigart, All 6 were arraigned and were remanded to the Broome County Jail without bail.

4 people were injured & 2 pets were killed in a house fire at 127 Walnut Street in Binghamton early this morning. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

The CDO Workforce Development Board, BOCES, SUNY Delhi, & the State Department of Labor, among other organizations, will hold 2 free apprenticeship round-table events, one today & another tomorrow. Today's round table will take place at the ONC BOCES in Milford, tomorrow's round table will take place at SUNY Delhi.  Both events will take place from 9:00am to 11:00am.

P.M. NEWS TUESDAY 9-28-21

Chenango County Public Health confirmed their 84th COVID-19 attributed death today.  Chenango County Public Health has 105 active cases, including 33 vaccinated cases; they have 277 quarantined, & 2 hospitalized.    Only 57% of Chenango County Residents have had at least one dose of a COVID vaccine, more Pfizer vaccine clinics are expected to be scheduled next week, more information is available by calling 337-1660.

The Broome County Health Department announced that they have had to reopen their rapid COVID testing site.   Residents can get tested on weekdays from 3:00 to 6:00 PM by appointment only, in front of the health department on Front Street in Binghamton.  The announcement follows that the rapid increase in COVID cases in the county has once again increased demand for the testing, as some local health care providers were becoming overwhelmed with testing requests.  More information is available at 778-2802.

The New York State Department of Labor today announced the state’s $15 minimum wage phase-in will continue, with the next stage taking effect December 31, 2021. The minimum wage will rise to $15 per hour on Long Island and in Westchester, matching the New York City minimum; the minimum wage should rise to $13.20 per hour in the rest of the state.

Bassett Healthcare Network announced some temporary changes to services beginning today.  Officials reported that Outpatient Laboratory blood draws are now by appointment only, Monday through Friday, from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.  Patients can schedule an appointment online at mybassetthealthconnection.org or call 547-3700.  Also, the Cooperstown’s Convenient Care location is temporarily closed; those services are available in Oneonta with more information available at 433-6400.  Also officials said that over the next several days, patients may find that on hold times may be slightly longer than usual.  The most up-to-date information about temporary service changes can be found at bassett.org.

The Village of Sidney announced that they be paving on Spruce Street,  Overlook Drive today along with the Upper & Lower parts of Hatfield Street, some of those street may be paved on Wednesday, more information is available at 561-2339.

A.M. NEWS TUESDAY 9-28-21

Shane Santiago of Otego was sentenced to 4 to 12 years in prison in Otsego County Court Monday for 2nd degree manslaughter, from the July 15, 2020, crash that killed 2 people in Pittsfield on county Route 13.  Tehya Gonzalez and Cheyenn Aubry were passengers in his Santiago’s car, which drove off the road at 85 miles an hour, killing them both. Santiago survived and was treated at the hospital for minor injuries.

Governor Kathy Hochul announced the implementation of booster doses into the State's COVID-19 vaccination program Monday.  In accordance with CDC's recommendations,  individuals must have received the Pfizer vaccine for their initial vaccine series at least six months ago will be eligible, along with those who have underlying health issues. Individuals who received the Moderna or Johnson & Johnson vaccine are not currently eligible for a booster dose, but may be in the near future.

The New York State Board on Electric Generation Siting and the Environment will meet on Today at 10:30 A.M., in Albany,   on the agenda for that meeting is the application of Bluestone Wind, LLC for a Certificate of Environmental Compatibility and Public Need for the Construction of their proposed Wind Farm Project in the Towns of Windsor and Sanford.  The meeting is available online at dps.ny.gov/Webcasts.

Delaware County Sheriff's Deputies patrolling State Highway 10 in the Town of Delhi last Friday night, observed and stopped a vehicle that was being operated erratically, crossing the solid yellow center lines.   41-year-old Melissa Pycroft of Hobart was charged with driving while intoxicated, driving with a blood alcohol content of .08% or more, failure to keep right and moving from lane unsafely.    Pycroft was released on appearance tickets directing her to appear in the Town of Delhi Court on a later date to answer the charges.

The American Red Cross is experiencing an emergency blood and platelet shortage and must collect 10,000 additional blood products each week over the next month for the blood supply to recover and meet hospital and patient needs. Donors of all blood types – especially type O – and platelet donors are urged to make an appointment to give now and in the weeks ahead to overcome this current shortage.  Those interested in donating Blood can make an appointment by using the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS.

Delaware County Public Health announced 30 new COVID 19 cases Saturday through Monday, with 163 active cases, 8 hospitalized & 275 quarantined.  50.5% of County residents are vaccinated, 75% of positive cases are unvaccinated, the percentage of school aged students & faculty with COVID is up to 28%.

P.M. NEWS THURSDAY 7-29-21

Norwich Police arrested 41-year-old Gregory Huzinec of Norwich and charged him with attempted robbery, 1st degree assault & criminal possession of a weapon.  Huzinec was recently paroled by New York State for committing an attempted robbery in Norwich in 2016; he was arrested by Norwich Police This morning for allegedly stabbing a pedestrian during an attempted robbery last weekend.  Huzinec is being held pending his appearance in Norwich City Court & additional charges are expected.

Otsego County Department of Health reported that over the past 6 days they have seen a significant increase in the number of COVID 19 cases reported. 12 new cases have been reported in the last 2 days, only 8 cases were reported over the 1st 3 weeks in July, since July 23rd, 20 new cases have been reported.  The Health Department urges unvaccinated individuals to get vaccinated and continue to wear a mask until they are fully vaccinated, and with the Delta variant, the call for vaccinations is more urgent than ever.   Otsego County has 20 active cases, no one is hospitalized, and Vaccine Clinic sites can be found at otsegocounty.com or covid19vaccine.health.ny.gov.

Basset Healthcare Network Announced That COVID 19 vaccines are now available in their locations, Spokesperson Gabby Argo explains:

(Gabby Argo 7-29-21)

Argo said that Bassett offers the Johnson & Johnson 1-shot  Vaccine for those 18 & older and the 2 shot Pfizer vaccine for those 12 & older, more information is available at Bassett.org.

State police Responded Monday in Summit to the report of a man crashing an ATV into a tree.  28 year old Kenneth Gabrielsen of Jamesport was taken to Albany Medical Center where he succumbed to his injuries, the crash remains under investigation.

Hannaford Supermarkets have recalled bakery items that used a McCormack's Perfect Pitch Italian Seasoning that was sold in late June.  Items being recalled included Classic Garlic Focaccia & Classic Focaccia breads purchased at the bakery in Hannaford store, customers are asked to return the bread to the store of purchase for a full refund.

Governor Cuomo today announced the launch of New York State's $35 million Restaurant Return-to-Work Tax Credit program, designed to help expand employment opportunities for workers and provide relief to COVID-impacted restaurants.  Qualifying businesses are eligible for a tax credit of $5,000 per new worker hired, up-to $50,000 per business, to reduce the restaurant industry's pandemic-induced economic difficulties.  More information is available at esd.ny.gov/restaurant-return-work-tax-credit.

State Health Department reported that the state Positivity rate for COVID 19 tests on Wednesday was just fewer than 2.5%, out of more than 103,000 tests conducted.  hospitalization are back up to 611 state wide, patients in ICU beds was at 126, and those on Ventilators are up to 57, an increase of 19 since the beginning of the week.  The Delta variant is what is driving the latest increases, state Health Department officials said that almost all of the COVID deaths now are from that variant, and are not vaccinated.   55.3% of all New Yorkers have completed their vaccine series.

A.M. NEWS Thursday 7-29-21

The American Red Cross continues to experience a severe blood shortage and donors of all blood types, especially type O, Donors can schedule an appointment by using the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org, calling 1-800-RED CROSS or enabling the Blood Donor Skill on any Alexa Echo device.  Blood drives are being held today in Sidney from 12:00 Noon until 5:00 PM at the American Legion at 22 Union Street another is being held in Laurens at the Fire Department from 1:30 to 6:30 PM.

Chenango Arts Council announced the return of live performances with the Mark Sands Dixieland Band on August 14th at the Martin W. Kappel Theater.  Chenango Arts Council Executive Director Alecia O'Neill comments:

(Alecia O'Neill 7-28-21)

O'Neill told WCDO News that other shows will be announced shortly, Tickets can be purchased for the August 14th Show online at chenangoarts.org or by calling 336-2787.

Chenango County Fair will be again this year at the Fairgrounds in Norwich, Spokesperson Mary Weidman told WCDO News that people Wednesday August 11th is a free day and Thursday will be a big day for Tractor Pull Fans:

(Mary Weidman 7-28-21)

The full line up of activities is available at chenangofair.com.

Otsego County Sheriff's Office arrested 36 year old Donald Zoll of Pittsfield following a Domestic Dispute on July 19th in the Town of Pittsfield.  Zoll was charged with Criminal Contempt, Criminal Mischief, and Harassment for allegedly violating 2 active orders of protections & for causing damage to the victim’s vehicle. Zoll was taken into custody and held at the Otsego County Jail pending court action.

P.M. NEWS WEDNESDAY 7-21-21

The Greene Fire Department reported last night that they responded to a bridge washout at Wylie Road & Paradise Valley Road.  Greene, Afton, McDonough & Coventry fire Departments were also responding today to reports of downed trees & power lines from last night's storms.  NYSEG reported about a dozen Chenango County customers were without power this morning.

Otsego County Department of Emergency Services reported that State Route 51 remains closed south of the village of Morris to the Butternuts Town Line is still closed.  In the town of Morris, portions of Dimock Hollow Road, Gulf Road & Pittsley Road are closed.  In the Town of Butternuts, Dunham’s Cross road is closed, in the town of Pittsfield Cobb & Hawks roads are still closed, all roads in the town of Unadilla that were affected by flooding, are now open.

The Oneonta Common Council announced the appointment of Brian Knapp as the new Chief of the Oneonta Fire Department.  Knapp replaces interim chief Michael Mancini who was appointed following the retirement of Patrick Pidgeon in February.

SUNY Chancellor Jim Malatras announced that Alberto Cardelle will be the new President of SUNY Oneonta, starting September 6th.  Cardelle replaces interim President Dennis Craig, following the resignation of Barbara jean Morris late last year. Cardelle previously served in a variety of position at Fitchburg State University in Massachusetts.

Hartwick College Athletics officially renamed their annual Golf Tournament after coach and alumnus, Nick Lambros, from the class of 1959.  “The Classic Nick Lambros Golf Tournament” will be held on Saturday, September 25 at Oneonta Country Club with a 1 p.m. shotgun start.  For more information or to register for the tournament, go to hartwickalumni.org, or call 431-4431.

The Delaware County Fair board is looking to hire someone to handle some of their expected garbage during Fair week, Spokesman Jason Craig explains:

(Jason Craig 7-21-21)

Craig also announced that the Walton Police Department arrested 3 unidentified juveniles for damaging the Fair Secretary's Office; they will be hiring a company to come in & for clean-up & repairs.

The State Health Department & Governor Cuomo are urging New Yorkers who have not yet been vaccinated, to do so as quickly as possible, as the highly infectious Delta Variant of COVID 19 has caused the state's infection rate to quadruple in recent weeks, to 1.75% of those tested on Tuesday.  1452 tested positive Tuesday, and over the last few days, Patient Hospitalizations, patients in ICU Beds & those on Ventilators are starting to increase again.  There were 5 deaths attributed to COVID Tuesday.

A.M. NEWS WEDNESDAY 7-21-21

State Attorney General Letitia James announced an agreement with McKesson Corporation, Cardinal Health and Amerisource Bergen Drug Corporation, that will deliver up to $1.1 billion to New York State to combat the ongoing opioid epidemic. The agreement is the largest monetary settlement; it will remove those 3 companies from New York's ongoing opioid trial, currently underway in State Supreme Court.

The State Department of Labor released preliminary local unemployment rates for June.  The State's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased .1% to 7.7% in June; Locally Chenango County had 4.6% unemployment, Delaware County 4.9% & Otsego County 4.9% in June.

Sidney Police Department responded July 13th to Walgreens for a report of an employee having personal property stolen from them by customers, on Monday, Sidney Police arrested 28 year old Russell LeBlanc of Delhi & 37 year old Jamie Benham of Sidney for 1 count each of Petty Larceny & Conspiracy.  Benham was released on an appearance ticket to appear back in court at a later date, State Parole was notified of LeBlanc's arrest, who issued their own warrant for his arrest, LeBlanc was arraigned in Village of Sidney Court, where he was released on his own recognizance to appear back in court at a later date, he was then turned over to State Parole officers who remanded him to the Delaware County Jail.