WCDO Radio News

The Delaware county sheriffs department announced the arrest of 24-year-old Cameron Wentz of Delhi, in Minnesota last Thursday.  Wentz was wanted on a Delaware County Grand Jury Sealed Indictment Warrant, he was charged as a Fugitive from Justice, he waived extradition and was returned to New York.  Wentz was arraigned Friday on the Sealed Indictment for 1st degree Robbery, 1st degree Burglary, Criminal Mischief & Petty Larceny, in connection with a burglary at a home in the Town of Tompkins in June 2012.   Wentz was remanded to the Delaware County Jail without bail pending further court action.

State police at arrested 44-year-old Richard Sandell, of Texas. 24 year old Richard Sandell Jr. of Oklahoma & 25 year old Brynna Teague of Texas for criminal possession of a controlled substance and unlawful possession of marihuana.  Troopers responded to the Fairfield Inn in the town of Dickinson, after a customer claimed he was in danger.  Troopers interviewed that customer, his father and a woman in the room they had rented, the investigation revealed that all 3 possessed methamphetamines and marihuana.  All 3 were arraigned and were remanded to the Broome county jail without bail.

The Delaware county sheriff’s department arrested 19-year-old Nathan Phoenix of Walton on a charge of 4th degree Criminal Mischief.  Phoenix was charged following an investigation into a trespass complaint, which occurred at 61 Conklin Road in the Town of Walton last Saturday.  Phoenix is accused of driving a Jeep Wrangler on a snowmobile trail and doing damage to two gates placed by Maywood Snowmobile Club. Phoenix was released & will appear in the Town of Walton Court at a later date.

The annual Chenango county Toys for Tots campaign is underway for the 2013 holiday season.  Campaign organizer Roger Barnhart explains:

(Roger Barnhart 11-5-13)

Barnhart said that business that are interested in hosting a Drop Off box can contact him at 226-3814, the first drop off boxes are scheduled to be set up later this week.

New York has joined with other states and the federal government in a $1.6 billion settlement resolving civil and criminal allegations that Johnson & Johnson and its subsidiary, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, promoted the sale and use of Risperdal and Invega for uses not approved by the FDA.  The 2 medications are anti-psychotic medications approved by the FDA to treat schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder, & not for hyperactivity disorders.  Johnson & Johnson has agreed to pay the states and the federal government more than $1.2 billion in civil damages and penalties to compensate Medicaid, Medicare, and other government programs for prescribing the drugs for issues other their approved usage.

Governor Cuomo detailed recent reforms in election night procedures for boards of elections to follow when closing polls & reporting unofficial election tallies. Cuomo signed legislation that authorized the use of portable memory devices to gather and transmit unofficial returns to the presiding Board of elections. The law also enables the consolidation of returns in poll sites with multiple election districts.

State police arrested 29-year-old Daniel Nichols of Windsor for DWI & aggravated unlicensed operation.  The arrest resulted from a car & tractor-trailer accident on State Route 17 in Kirkwood.  The investigation determined that Nichols was intoxicated when he crashed his car into the back of a stationary tractor-trailer that had pulled over.  He was issued tickets returnable to the Kirkwood town court on November 12th.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Governor Cuomo signed a new law that will better protect New Yorkers from Hepatitis C by requiring hospitals and health service providers to offer testing for the virus to all patients born between 1945 and 1965.  According to the CDC 75 % of Hepatitis C infection and about 73 % of Hepatitis C-associated mortality occurs in individuals born during that period, as 150,000 New Yorkers are unaware of their Hepatitis C status. The new law will take effect on January 1st.

Delaware County Sheriff's Deputies, their K-9 unit and State Troopers, arrested 3 area residents on Sealed Grand Jury Indictment Warrants issued by the Delaware County Court following a home invasion robbery investigation.  Arrested were 32-year-old Leon Grizzard of South Kortright, 27-year-old Amanda Gahan of Walton and 27 year old Andrew Dougherty for 1st degree Robbery, 1st degree Burglary, Petty Larceny and Criminal Mischief, in connection with a home invasion robbery in the Town of Tompkins in June 2012.  The 3 are accused of robbing the residents at gunpoint & taking cash and drugs.   Grizzard and Gahan were arrested in Hobart, where a search led to the seizure of heroin, hypodermic instruments and marihuana. Following the search, Deputies arrested Leon Grizzard and Jeremy Key of Hobart for Criminally Possessing a Hypodermic Instrument and Unlawful Possession of Marihuana.  Grizzard, Dougherty and Gahan were arraigned and were remanded to the Delaware County Jail without bail pending further court proceedings. Key was issued an Appearance Ticket for the Town of Stamford Court.

State troopers arrested 29-year-old Steven Fish of Kirkwood as a wanted person on an arrest warrant, as well as criminal possession of a controlled substance and unlawful possession of marihuana.   Fish was located by troopers in Kirkwood, while being searched Fish was found to possess methamphetamines and marihuana.  Fish was arraigned in the Kirkwood town court and remanded to the Broome County Jail in lieu of $1,000 cash bail.

Delaware County Deputies investigated a two-car personal injury auto accident on County Hwy 14 in the Town of Meredith.  21-year-old Danielle Motyka of Hannibal was traveling on County Highway 14 when she struck another vehicle being operated by 23-year-old Connor Hornbeck of Sidney.  Motyka was transported to O’Connor hospital with minor injuries.  So far, no tickets have been issued.

New York was ranked as having the worst business climate in the country. The Tax Foundation said New York has annually been at or near the bottom of the group’s ranking. The group based its findings on a number of taxes: corporate taxes, property taxes, income taxes and unemployment insurance costs. The report found New York ranked 25th in the nation in corporate taxes and 49th in income taxes. The state ranked 38th in sales tax and 45th in property taxes.

The New York State DEC has extended the deadline to apply for $45 million in grants for Water Quality Improvement Projects through December 13. The program is a competitive, reimbursement grant program for projects that improve water quality, reduce polluted runoff and restore habitat in New York’s bodies of water. Recipients can be reimbursed 75 percent to 85 percent of the project costs. For more information go to dec.ny.gov.

New York joined six other states in suing the federal EPA for violating the Clean Air Act, by failing to limit air pollution emissions from residential wood-heaters.  State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman said the lawsuit claims the existing 25 year-old EPA emission limits are outdated, not being enforced and leave out many types of residential wood-heaters. The state DEC regulates outdoor wood-heaters and in 2010 ordered that all new outdoor wood-heaters cut emissions by 90 percent.

NYSEG crews continue to work to restore power after yesterday’s powerful storms, which knocked down trees & power lines. NYSEG officials reported that 365 Sidney residents & 58 Bainbridge residents were without power early this morning.

ARC of Delaware County is holding 2 job fairs concurrently on October 23rd from 1:00 to 7:00 PM,  as the need for their services has increased. ARC Director of Community Affair Catherine Tweedie comments:

(Catherine Tweedie 10-8-13)

Tweedie said that ARC currently employs about 200 people at their facilities; more information is available at 865-7126.

Sidney town supervisor candidate Gene Pigford and Town Council Candidate John Woodyshek will hold a meet & greet at the former Sidney Center elementary school from 6:00 to 8:00 PM this evening. The candidates will discuss town wide & Sidney center issues, both men are running as Republicans in the election.

Delaware County Deputies responded to Bobs Brook Rd in the Town of Walton for a highly intoxicated irate male calling for help. 31-year-old James Roach of Tompkins was arrested for 2nd degree Menacing & 2 counts of endangering the Welfare of a child. 31-year-old William Browning of Walton was also arrested on 2 counts of endangering the Welfare of a child. Both Roach and Browning were released on Appearance Tickets returnable to the Town of Tompkins Court at a later date. The Village of Walton Police Department assisted deputies.

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

State Police Computer Crimes Unit and the U.S Secret Service arrested 67 year old Paul Mangum of Dryden for 1st degree Sexual Abuse 1st, Promoting a Sexual Performance by a Child, and Possessing a Sexual Performance by a Child, in connection with an investigation involving the manufacturing of child pornography.  Mangum was arraigned and was remanded to Tompkins County Jail in lieu of $100,000 cash bail or $250,000 secured bond.

Otsego County held the annual Hazardous Waste Collection Day this past weekend in Unadilla & at the Meadows Complex in Cooperstown.  457 households took advantage of the program, with DEC officers supervising the collection of an estimated 300 pounds of unwanted pharmaceuticals to be incinerated.  Approximately 50 automotive batteries were collected by Interstate Battery, Suburban Energy Services collected 92 propane cylinders & Volunteers diverted 270 gallons of latex paint from the waste stream, to be re-mixed by Golden Artist Colors for re-distribution to not-for-profit agencies.

Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies investigated a 2-car accident at Falls Mills Road and State route 10 in the Town of Delhi.  A vehicle operated by 29-year-old Terina Touw of Roscoe was stopped at the intersection, waiting to make a left turn onto State 10 when a vehicle operated by 51-year-old Joanne Carey of Arkville rear-ended Touw’s Vehicle.  Carey was issued a traffic ticket for inadequate brakes and following to close, no injuries were reported.

Tickets go on sale this morning for the “Addams Family” at the Forum Theater on October 13th at 3:00 & 7:30 PM.    Tickets go on sale at 10:00 AM at the Arena Box Office, Ticketsmaster at 800-745-3000 or on-line at ticketmaster.com.  More information available at 778-6626 or BroadwayInBinghamton.com.

The White House confirmed Wednesday that President Barack Obama's two-day bus tour will stop in Binghamton, along with Buffalo, Syracuse and a stop in northeastern Pennsylvania.  According to a White House official, the president will be traveling through New York and Pennsylvania Thursday, Aug. 22 and Friday, Aug. 23

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

(Libous 8-15-13)

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

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

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

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

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

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

State police responded to the report of an accident in the town of Deposit early Saturday morning.  52-year-old Gerald Kamp of Deposit drove his Mercedes Benz off of airport road & into a tree, at about 6:00 AM Saturday, when he failed to make a sharp left curve in the road.  Kamp was pronounced dead at the scene, the investigation is ongoing.

43-year-old Darren Steele of Harpursville has been charged with 3rd degree assault, obstructing governmental administration, resisting arrest, 2nd degree harassment & 3rd degree burglary following a domestic depute in Johnson City.  Police accuse Steele of hitting his wife and another woman who tried to intervene; he was apprehended after he returned to the area a short time later.  Steele was arraigned and was sent to the Broome County jail pending future court action.

State Senate Republican Majority Leader Dean Skelos announced today that State Senator Tom Libous of Binghamton is stepping down as head of the Senate Republican Campaign Committee as he deals with ongoing health issues.  Libous will remain as the 2nd most powerful Republican in the state senate, he continues to battle cancer, which was first diagnosed in 2009.

Delaware County Sheriffs Deputies arrested 32-year-old Joshua Faulkner, of the Town of Tompkins Friday, on an arrest warrant issued by Town of Tompkins court.  The charges resulted from a domestic incident which occurred at a residence on Dryden Road in the Town of Tompkins on July 20th Faulkner is charged with 1st degree Burglary, 4th degree Criminal Mischief 4th degree, Petty Larceny and 2nd degree Harassment.  Faulkner was arraigned in the Town of Tompkins Court where he posted bail and was released to re-appear at a later date.

The 3rd annual “Folds of Honor” fundraising concert will be held this coming Friday night at the Oneonta Theater.  Doug Decker of the opening act Just Throw Money explains:

(Doug Decker 8-5-13)

Tickets for the show are available at OneontaTheater.com or at the Green Toad Bookstore, Maxwell's, Music Square or the 8th Note, all in Oneonta.

Governor Cuomo announced a new initiative to encourage individuals who owe significant back taxes to pay their bills.  A New York driver’s license can be suspended when a taxpayer’s past-due tax liability exceeds $10,000.  The Tax Department is sending the first round of 16,000 suspension notices to delinquent taxpayers, who have 60 days to pay up, if they fail to, the DMV will send a second letter providing an additional 15 days to respond. If they fail after that, the license is suspended until the debt is paid or a payment plan is established.  More information is available at tax.ny.gov.

Former Binghamton Mets Jordany Valdespin & current B-Met Cesar Puello have accepted a 50-game ban for their connection to Biogenesis in Florida.  Both players’ suspensions were announced this afternoon from the office of Major Leaguer Baseball in New York City. Also accepting the 50 game suspension is New York Yankee Catcher Francisco Cervelli.

The Chenango County Sheriff’s Office, Cortland County Sheriff’s Office, and State Police conducted a “no knock” search warrant in the Town of Pitcher Tuesday.  23-year-old Charles Baker of Pitcher was charged with Unlawful Manufacturing of Methamphetamine, Unlawful Disposal of Methamphetamine Laboratory Material, Criminal Possession of Methamphetamine Manufacturing Material, Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance and Criminally Possessing a Hypodermic Instrument.  The Sheriff’s Office seized Methamphetamines, laboratory materials and chemicals; Baker was arraigned in the Town of Norwich Court and remanded to the Chenango County Correctional Facility on $10,000 cash bail.

Delaware County Deputies investigated an ATV accident on Dryden Road in the Town of Tompkins Monday.  An 18-year-old identified as Antonio Ranacelli of Walton was operating an ATV that rolled over, throwing the teen from the ATV.  The youth was transported to Albany Medical Center by Life Net helicopter with life threatening injuries and was in serious but stable condition later on in the evening.  New information HAS developed indicating the injured driver gave a false identity, the incident remains under investigation, AND SEVERAL MORE CHARGES ARE PENDING.

State lawmakers are back in the their home districts meeting with constituents, 102 district assemblyman Pete Lopez said that the needs of his constituents does not echo what lawmakers dealt with in Albany this year:

(Lopez 7-30-13)

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Police in Broome County arrested 32-year-old Christopher Stoudt of Towanda, Pennsylvania for allegedly starting a fire at All-Star Auto on the Vestal Parkway and then stealing a vehicle.   Stoudt was charged with 3rd -degree arson, 3rd degree burglary, & petty larceny, he was arraigned and was sent to the Broome County jail.

Governor Cuomo signed legislation on Tuesday that will place the issue of legalizing casino gaming before the voters in November.  If voters approve of the measure, 4 casino resorts would be allowed upstate, 2 or 3 of those could open in the Catskills or even in the southern tier.

State comptroller Tom DiNapoli released the results from audits conducted by his office, locally, in the village of Delhi, the audit showed that the village mayor and board have not developed sound budget estimates, their surplus fund balances remained high while the property tax levy continued to increase. A report on the village of Smyrna stated that the board did not segregate the clerk-treasurer’s duties & the lack of oversight caused financial activities to vary greatly from adopted budgets.

Governor Cuomo today signed legislation enacting Jay-J's  Law, which allows for tougher penalties against offenders who have been convicted of repeatedly abusing a child.   The law increases the look-back period to elevate penalties for  assault on a child younger than 11 years old from 3 years up to 10 years. Jay-J's Law is named after Jay-J Bolvin, who was severely beaten by his father in 2011,  his father was allowed to plead guilty to only misdemeanor assault, the new bill takes effect immediately.

State  Troopers arrested 34-year-old Shaun Reed of Endicott, for Criminal Mischief, Disorderly Conduct and Unlawful Possession of Marihuana. Reed is accused of urinating on his roommate’s laptop and damaging it, during the investigation, Reed was found to be in possession of marihuana. Reed was arraigned in the Town of Union Court and remanded to the Broome County Jail.

New York State’s short-term fiscal outlook has improved, but long-term structural balance remains a challenge, according to State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli.  DiNapoli  said that  the  state's 5-year fiscal outlook might have budget gaps of $2 billion next fiscal year and $2.9 billion in the two subsequent years, budget gaps could be as high as $6 billion if the state's revenue and spending projections aren't met.

Delaware County Deputies investigated an ATV accident on Dryden Road in the Town of Tompkins Monday.  18-year-old Antonio Ranacelli of Walton was operating an ATV when he left the roadway to enter a trail into the woods.  The ATV rolled over throwing Ranacelli from the ATV.  He was transported to Albany Medical Center by Life Net helicopter with life threatening injuries and was in serious but stable condition later on in the evening.  The investigation is still on going.

State troopers arrested 31 year old Lisa Pastella of Towson, Maryland  Sunday with driving while intoxicated with a blood alcohol content of .19%  Troopers responded to numerous reports of a vehicle driving erratically on I-81 northbound as it entered New York from Pennsylvania. The vehicle pulled into the Gateway rest area where it was blocked in by one of the callers until troopers arrived. Pastella was issued tickets returnable to the Town of Kirkwood Court at a later date.

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

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

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

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

Governor Cuomo announced $30 million in the first round of funding for the implementation of regional sustainability plans, including the plan recently endorsed by the Southern Tier Regional Economic Development Council. SOUTHERN TIER PLAN HIGHLIGHTS include various ENERGY CONSERVATION AND RENEWABLE ENERGY Recommendations, in order to reduce energy consumption by 40%.  Other plans calls for Reinvestments in municipalities, to help attract new residents. Plans also call for additional support to the region's agricultural economy; the complete Southern Tier sustainability plan is available at cleanergreenersoutherntier.org.

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

Chenango county officials report that 57-year-old Rick Baker of Guilford died in the fire at 209 Joslyn Road, late Sunday night.  Firefighters from Guilford & Oxford responded to the blaze in a trailer at around 11:40 Sunday night, fire investigators are still trying to determine what caused the fire, their investigation is continuing. No injuries among firefighters were reported.

Delaware county public health will hold another Free Rabies Vaccination Clinic For dogs, cats, and ferrets today.  The clinic will be held in Trout Creek, at the Tompkins town highway between 6:00 and 8:00 PM, more information is available at 832-5200 or at delawarecountypublichealth.com.

State Police at Sidney arrested 23 year old Joseph Sieger of Bainbridge, for Felony Driving While Intoxicated. The arrest resulted from a minor accident in the Hess parking lot in Unadilla,   Sieger was arraigned in the Town of Unadilla Court and remanded to the Otsego County Jail in lieu of $5,000 cash bail and is scheduled to return in court on July 8th.

1 person was killed in a fire in Guilford. Last night’s fire was located in a trailer at 209 Joslyn Road, the fire was reported at around 11:40 PM, with firefighters from Guilford & Oxford responding. The identity of the deceased person will be revealed pending family notification and the conclusion of an autopsy, scheduled to be performed at Lourdes hospital in Binghamton this afternoon.

A lawsuit has been filed in state Supreme Court by a group of landowners against the Sidney Town Board for their February 13th moratorium against natural gas drilling. The lawsuit follows 2 recent decisions that ruled in favor of banning natural gas drilling in the towns of Dryden in Tompkins County and Middlefield in Otsego County, both decisions have been appealed to the state Court of Appeals. The moratorium was voted for by Sidney town council members Tobi Whitaker, Bill Heath & Pete Cordes, town supervisor Bob McCarthy voted against it, Councilman Eric Wilson did not vote. Court action will begin on September 6th.

Delaware County Deputies investigated a one-car property damage auto accident Thursday on Palmer Hill Road in the Town of Franklin. 17-year-old Colin Adam of Walton lost control of his vehicle, causing the vehicle to leave the roadway and travel down an embankment. Adam was issued a ticket for operating a motor vehicle out of class; he faces court action in the Town of Franklin Court at a later date.

State Police at Sidney arrested 20-year-old James Nering of Cooperstown, for Driving While Intoxicated, Driving While Ability Impaired by Drugs, Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance and Unlawful Possession of Marihuana. The arrest resulted from a traffic stop on Interstate 88 in Sidney; Nering was issued tickets returnable to the Town of Sidney Court on June 27th.

Delaware County Deputies investigated a two-car personal injury auto accident Sunday on State route 28 in the Town of Delhi. 59-year-old William Kraiza of Sidney Center crossed the double yellow line striking a vehicle being operated by 77-year-old Anthony Cosenza of Andes. Both Anthony & Mary Cosenza were transported to O’Connor Hospital in Delhi for minor injuries, Kraiza was issued traffic tickets for Failure to keep right and leaving the scene of a personal injury auto accident, both returnable to the Town of Delhi Court on July 16th.

State Police investigated a fatal head-on collision involving a Saturn and a tractor-trailer Saturday on State Route 13 in Dryden. 22-year-old Isaac Miller of Freeville was killed when his Saturn collided with the tractor-trailer driven by ALEXANDER SPAGNOLA of Tully. Spagnola was treated at Cayuga Medical Center for minor injuries and released. Investigators believe that Miller was intoxicated & drifted into the opposing lane and struck the tractor-trailer head-on. The accident is still under investigation.

The state legislature wrapped up the 2013 session Friday in Albany. Area State Senator Jim Seward commented on the close of the 2013 legislative session:

(Seward 6-24-13)

Seward said that he was also pleased that lawmakers restored 90 million dollars in funding for programs to help the developmentally disabled, he was disappointed that the assembly failed to act on measures to assist dairy farmers meet demand for liquid 1 milk by the growing Greek Yogurt industry in upstate New York.

State Troopers arrested 24-year-old Nathaniel Bracci, 18-year-old Sarah Gangell and 23-year-old Brayan Thompson of Delhi for Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance. The arrests resulted from a traffic stop on State Route 10 in Stamford,  Bracci and Thompson were issued Appearance Tickets and are scheduled to reappear before the Town of Stamford Court on May 14th,  Gangell was arraigned in the Town of Stamford Court and remanded to Delaware County Jail in lieu of $2,500 cash bail or $5000 bond pending court action.

The state Appellate Division ruled unanimously in favor of the town of Dryden in Tompkins County, and the town of Middlefield in Otsego County today, for passing zoning laws that prohibit natural gas drilling. Norse Energy & Middlefield landowner Jennifer Huntington brought the lawsuits against the 2 towns in recent years for banning gas drilling after they already had signed leases to drill for natural gas, today’s ruling upholds rulings from lower courts.  Appeals to  today’s decision to the state Court of Appeals are anticipated.

State Troopers arrested 29-year-old Lauren Lauko of Deposit for Unlawful Possession of Marihuana and Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance. The arrest was the result of a traffic stop on State Route 17 in the Town of Hancock,  Lauko was issued an Appearance Ticket returnable to the Town of Hancock Court on May 6th.

The Bainbridge Guilford central school is accepting applications for their pre-k program.  Children must be 4 year old as of December 1st 2013 and cannot be 5 years old before that date, applications must be received this afternoon in the Guilford elementary school office.  More information is available at 895-6700.

The Otsego County Planning Department, the Otsego County Conservation Association, Opportunities for Otsego Energy Services, and Sustainable Otsego have teamed up to sponsor a workshop series called “Energy Wise Otsego,” to help Otsego County homeowners learn how to save money, and increase the comfort and value of their homes. The workshop series will continue with two events in May, The 1st will be on Saturday, May 11th from 10:30 am till 12:00 Noon, at the Hanford Mills Museum, on   County Highway 12 in East Meredith, the next one will be on Tuesday, May 28th from 7:00 pm till 8:30PM at the Hartwick Town Hall, more information is available at 723-0110 online registration are requested at energywiseotsego.eventbridge.com.

The Otsego county department of health will hold a child safety seat check on May 8th from 4:00 to 6:00 PM at the offices of AAA at 195 Oneida Street in Oneonta.  Certified child safety seat technicians will be on hand, they request that parents bring a copy of the manual of their child safety seats to the event.  More information is available at 547-4230.

The Sidney Chamber of commerce announced that the deadline to pre-register for this year’s Ed Wessells Canoe regatta is tomorrow May 3rd.  This year’s race will be held on Saturday, May 11th. Race registration forms are available on the Chamber website at sidneychamber.orgor from the office on River Street.

The Evangelical churches of Sidney are participating in the national day or prayer today at 7:00 PM.  The event will be held in room 202 of the Sidney civic center.

A 3.8 Million dollars federal disaster award was made by the Economic Development Administration to the Delaware County IDA.  The award will fund the purchase and preparation of the new site for Amphenol on Delaware Avenue in Sidney, as well as for the construction of the new building, the extension of a natural gas line to the existing site & the new plant, and for the recent construction of a levee around the existing facility.

The Chenango county sheriffs department arrested 33-year-old Nathan Diamond of New Berlin on an active arrest warrant for 3rd degree Criminal Trespass and 2nd degree Harassment.   Diamond is accused of failing to leave the premises of the Unadilla Valley Central School as advised by the principle; he is accused of pushing staff and making threats.  Diamond was arraigned in the Town of Columbus Court and is being held on $2,500 cash bail. He is to appear in the Town of New Berlin court on a later date.

Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 25-year-old Paul Poss of Sidney on a bench warrant issued by the Masonville Town Court for failing to appear.  Poss had previously been arrested for Unlawfully Cultivating Marihuana and had failed to appear at the court to address the initial charge; he was arraigned in Tompkins Town court & was released on $100 bail.

The Chenango county sheriff’s department arrested 20-year-old Caden Cruz of Smithville for Criminal Possession of a controlled substance.  Cruz was arrested following an incident at the Dollar General Store in the Village of Oxford, he was found to be in possession of prescription medication that he could not legally possess.  Cruz was issued an appearance ticket and is scheduled to appear in the Village of Oxford Court at a later date.

The New York State Police Special Investigations Unit completed a five-month investigation into copper burglaries and larcenies from the Greater Binghamton Health Center Campus. Charged were Christopher Peck of New Milford, Pennsylvania, Deyquan Perry of Endicott, Nicholas Linsky of Binghamton, Joshua Cope of Binghamton, Thomas Rigo of Binghamton, Alfred Reynolds of Binghamton, Harry Reynolds Jr. of Binghamton, Jammy Copp of Binghamton, Deak Copp, of Johnson City, Richard Copp of Johnson City, Shane Lacey of Endicott, Christopher Reynolds of Johnson City, and an unidentified 16 year old male from Binghamton, all for 3rd degree Burglary.  Kayla Tompkins of Johnson City was charged with criminal possession of stolen property, 13 others were arrested for trespassing.  All face court action at a later date.

Governor Cuomo released his 30-day amendments to the Executive Budget on Thursday.  Among the items a loss of state aid to New York City for being the only school district to NOT Implement teacher evaluation system.   The amendments also call for the Simplifying, Streamlining and Reduce Costs of hunting, fishing licenses, calls gas stations to have back-up power capacity After many lost the ability to pump due to power outages after Hurricane Sandy.   The am amendments also Replace lost Federal revenue by modifying the Medicaid financing system.  The state budget is due on April 1st.  The complete list of 30-day amendments is available at budget.ny.gov.

The Chenango county sheriffs department arrested 25 year old Adam Courtright of Binghamton on an active arrest warrant issued by the Chenango County Family Court.  The Broome County Sheriff’s Office located Courtright, he was arraigned for failure to appear  and he was released to appear at a later date.

The Jericho Arts Council is will display the private art collection of Ian Tonnessen of Bainbridge tomorrow at the Bainbridge Town Hall Theater, from 7:00 – 10:00 PM.  The evening hours were scheduled to coincide with 8:00 PM bluegrass performance of The De Laney Brothers in the Town Hall Theater.   The gallery is located on the second floor of the Bainbridge Town Hall at 15 North Main Street.

The United Way of Delaware & Otsego counties will wrap up its annual fundraising campaign at the end of February.  The campaign currently sits at 91% according to executive director Terry Capuano:

(Terry Capuano)

Those who would like to pledge can call 432-8006 or log on at unitedwaydo.org and make a contribution through Pay Pal.

The Broome County Sheriff’s Office Detective Division has arrested 19-year-old Emmanuel Peterson of Brooklyn in connection with the robbery of the Manley’s Mighty Mart in the town of Dickinson on December 18th.  Peterson is accused of entering the store displaying a handgun and ordering the clerk to turn over money from the register, he is charged with 1st degree Robbery, and is currently in custody at the Broome County Sheriff’s Correctional facility on an unrelated robbery in Johnson City.   Peterson will be ordered to appear in the Town of Dickinson Court for arraignment.

US Senator Charles Schumer said he successfully petitioned the USDA to increase the availability of Greek yogurt, made by several companies in New York, including Chobani, in school meal programs.  The USDA committed to initiate a pilot program that could start in April, to increase school access to Greek Yogurts.  Chobani President & CEO Hamdi Ulukaya was one of many who helped launch the effort late last year:

(Hamdi 1-31-13)

If the current push is successful, Greek yogurt could become a permanent part of the USDA foods list for schools nationwide, due to its higher protein content.

New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli has approved the Cuomo administration’s contract for new driver’s licenses that will have black-and-white photos produced by the highest bidder.  DiNapoli’s approval paves the way for CBN Secure Technologies of Virginia to produce the licenses with its winning bid of $38 million over the current contractor, De La Rue of England.

NYSEG reports that most of the power has been restored in the tri-county region, following last nights High winds. Chenango County, on a handful of homes were without power in Greene, oxford & New Berlin, the bulk of their outages were in Smithville, in Delaware County, 92 were out in the town of Tompkins.

Police agencies across the state are warning shoppers and business owners to be on the lookout for counterfeit money circulating. The United States Secret Service and other local police agencies are investigating approximately 50 reports of counterfeit currency being passed within the past month.  Tips to detect counterfeit money can be found at secretservice.gov and moneyfactory.gov.

Governor Andrew Cuomo's popularity has plummeted following the passage of the state new tough gun law.  The Quinnipiac University poll released Wednesday shows the Democrat dropped from an approval rating of 74% in December to 59%.  Quinnipiac questioned 1,127 voters; the poll has a margin of about 3%

A Town of Oxford 16 year old male was arrested by the Chenango County Sheriffs Office for 3rd degree Assault and Criminal Obstruction of Breathing or Blood circulation.  Deputies responded to the report of the defendant biting the arm of the victim causing injury and placing the victim in a chokehold restricting the amount of air and blood flow. The defendant was arraigned in the Town of Oxford court and released on their own recognizance & will appear in the Town of Oxford Court at a later date.

The Chenango County Sheriffs Office arrested 21-year-old Keith Tompkins of Oxford was arrested by for 4th degree Attempted Criminal Sale of Marihuana, 5th degree Criminal Possession of Marihuana, Unlawful Possession of Marihuana, and Tampering with Physical Evidence.  The Sheriffs Office reported that Tompkins attempted to sell marijuana to an undercover police officer in the Town of North Norwich, during the apprehension of the defendant he fled into a nearby residence and he threw multiple bags of marihuana out of a second story window. The marihuana was later located and Tompkins arrested.  And will appear in the Town of North Norwich Court at a later date.  Deputies also charged 24-year-old Devin Dean with Unlawful Possession of Marihuana.

The Board of the Friends of the Oneonta Theatre and the Oneonta Theatre's owner Tom Cormier will host a public meeting to discuss the future of the building. This meeting will be held on Sunday, from 2:00 to 4:00 pm at the Oneonta Theatre, featuring presentations by building owner Tom Cormier and Board President Patrice Macaluso; it will be followed by a question-and-answer session. Tours of the Theatre will also be conducted from 3:00 to 4:00 pm. This event is free and open to the public.

Governor Andrew Cuomo has declared the State of New York in a Public Health Emergency in response to the severe flu season.  The Executive Order that will allow pharmacists to give flu shots to anyone between the ages of six month and 18 years.  More than 19,000 cases of the flu have already been reported in New York, 2 children have died as a result of the flu.

On Friday, Sidney school officials announced that during one of the high school lunch periods, 7- .22 caliber shells were found and given to a school administrator.  At the time the shells were found, students were at lunch and contained in the cafeteria.  Principal Eben Bullock was able to track down the source of the shells and was able to bring quick closure to the situation.  At no time was there a threat, nor was there any reason to believe there was any type of weapon.

40 year old Robert Wilsey of Harpersfield was arrested following a joint investigation by the Delaware and Otsego County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigation Divisions and the United States Drug Enforcement Administration in cooperation with State Police.  Deputies charged Wilsey with 2nd degree Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance following the execution of a search warrant, for allegedly possessing over five ounces of Oxycodone powder, with a street value of $50,000.  Wilsey was arraigned in the Town of Stamford Court and remanded to the Delaware County Correctional Facility without bail. Wilsey is expected to face additional charges shortly as the investigation continues.

The Chenango County Sheriffs Office arrested 57 year old Gregory Manwarren of Smyrna for 4th degree Criminal Mischief 4th and Endangering the Welfare of a Child.  Manwarren was charged after a domestic dispute in which he caused damage to a motor vehicle, He was arraigned in the Town of Plymouth Court and was released on his own recognizance to appear in the Town of Smyrna Court at a later date.

Police agencies in Tompkins County executed a search warrant in the Town of Lansing, leading to the seizure of crack cocaine and the arrest of a Lansing resident. The New York State Police Community Narcotics Enforcement Team, Tompkins County Sheriff’s Office, and the Groton and Ithaca Police Departments announce the arrest of 27 year old Travis Anderson of Lansing, for Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the 3rd Degree  after police discovered 2 ounces of crack cocaine, a small amount of marihuana, a loaded 12 gauge shotgun, digital scales, and materials used to package and sell crack cocaine.  Anderson was arraigned & was remanded to Tompkins County Jail in lieu of $25,000 cash / $50,000 property bond.