WCDO Radio News

Cooperstown police, State Police & The Otsego county Sheriff’s department are searching for a person of interest, identified as 62 year old Barry Renert, a former employee of “7th Inning Stretch” memorabilia store at 137 Main Street in Cooperstown.  Police reported that Renert fired shots in the store, and shots were returned, at about 9:00 this morning.   Police said that the owner of the shop, Vincent Carfagno was not injured.  Renert is described as white, about 6’2” with gray hair, he is likely armed and dangerous, Main Street in Cooperstown has been re-opened to traffic.

Delaware County Sheriff's Deputies, with the assistance of the Walton Village Police Department, arrested 46-year-old Kevin Edwards of Walton following a lengthy investigation.  Edwards was charged with 3rd degree Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance, for allegedly selling Cocaine in Walton in April of last year.   Edwards was arraigned in Delaware County Court & was remanded to the Delaware County Correctional Facility without bail pending further court action.

The drug problem in Delaware County continues to accelerate at a dangerous rate & 39 County officials met at the Public Safety Building to establish a County Drug Task Force. Sheriff Tom Mills said that there are problems associated with new drugs like “Mollies” as well as some other drugs that have been around for decades:

(Sheriff Tom Mills 12-23-13)

The drug epidemic in Delaware County has grown by 223% in 2012 and in response to the continuing increase in drug arrests, the Sheriff's Office is encouraging the public to get involved, by sending tips to the Sheriff's email on the Delaware County website: co.delaware.ny.us.

Governor Cuomo today announced that the 2014 State of the State Address would be held in the Empire State Plaza Convention Center on January 8th at 1:30 PM.  New Yorkers wishing to attend should visit the Governor's homepage to register: www.governor.ny.gov.  The registration period takes place from today to Monday, December 30th at 5:00 PM.  Guests will be notified of their selection via email by January 6th. Guests are reminded that weapons and controlled substances as well as bags, backpacks, luggage, parcels, briefcases, and like articles will be strictly prohibited from the event.

The town of Meredith has imposed a ban on hydraulic fracturing for natural gas.   Meredith’s town board voted in favor of a ban last Thursday, their action follows the town of Andes as the other Delaware County town that has imposed a ban on fracking.  The town of Sidney has a moratorium in place against the fracking.

Delaware County Sheriffs Deputies arrested 21-year-old Barbara Rico & 37-year-old Christopher Merwin, both of Delhi for 1 count each of Petty Larceny.  Rico & Merwin are accused of stealing checks from a Town of Hamden home where Rico was staying as a guest. Rico was arrested at the Delaware County Jail & was issued an appearance ticket in the Town of Hamden Court; Merwin was arraigned in the Town of Hamden Court and was remanded to the Delaware County Jail.  These arrests are a result of a joint investigation between the Sheriff’s Office and the Village of Sidney and Village of Walton Police Departments.  Merwin and Rico face additional charges in the Village of Sidney and Village of Walton.

State troopers of Sidney, Oneonta and Richfield Springs conducted an Underage Drinker Initiative detail, checking 8 convenient stores in Otsego County, the City of Oneonta, and in the towns of Oneonta, Otsego, Hartwick and Otego.  All 8 stores were in full compliance with all State laws, they were Hess Express, Main Street in the City of Oneonta, all Mirabito Quickways, in the Towns of Hartwick, Oneonta & West Oneonta, the Pit Stop in Cooperstown, Taylor’s Mini Mart in the Town of Laurens, & Sunoco in the Town of Otego.

Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 28-year-old Amber Armstrong of Walton for 2nd degree Harassment & on an arrest warrant from the Walton Village Court for 2nd degree Coercion.  The charges stem from an incident with a male acquaintance in the Town of Walton.  Armstrong will appear in Walton Town Court at a later date.

State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli announced his office completed an audit of the Village of Deposit.  The audit found that the village board did not effectively oversee and monitor their financial operations. The board did not have accurate information for their financial decisions and did not adopt reasonable budgets for the general, water and sewer funds. The report also said that the board cannot be sure that only authorized disbursements were made, that all moneys received were properly deposited, or that all transactions were properly recorded and reported.

New York State’s unemployment rate decreased from 7.7% to 7.4% in November, the  lowest level since January 2009, according to the preliminary figures released today by the State Department of Labor. the state’s economy added 4,300 private sector jobs, to a record high of almost 7.5 million.

Governor Cuomo signed a law to increase state oversight of special education programs for preschoolers with disabilities. The law authorizes the state comptroller to audit all of the independently run programs at least once in the next 5 years. It establishes new reporting requirements for committees that place children in programs and for providers. Comptroller Tom DiNapoli says fraud in the $1.3 billion program has cost taxpayers millions of dollars while depriving children of needed help.

It took just a fraction of New York voters to approve private casinos in the state. About 14.3 percent of the state’s 11 million registered voters cast a ballot in favor of the Nov. 5 casino referendum, according to the state Board of Elections. Nearly 1.19 million New Yorkers voted against it, or about 10.8 percent of the total electorate. More than 512,000 ballots left the casino section blank or void. The casino referendum, which allows the state to permit up to seven private casinos, was the first of six proposals on the back of all the ballots and received the most total votes

The American Red Cross of the Southern Tier will host a Babysitters Training Class for youth ages 11 to 15 from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM this  Saturday, at the Red Cross office at 620 East Main Street in Endicott. The cost of the class is $75, which includes a certificate from the American Red Cross, handbook and CD ROM.  Space is limited and advanced registration is required at 1-800-733-2767, or at redcross.org (http://www.redcross.org/take-a-class).

The Sidney K-Mart has donated toys to the Toys for Tots program, after the recent fire in Norwich & fundraising efforts to raise money to buy more toys for underprivileged children by Christmas.  K-Mart Northeast Regional Vice President David George is a Bainbridge native; he told WCDO News that the donation is 11 pallets, or about half of a tractor-trailer’s capacity:

(David George 12-13-13)

Toys for Tots Coordinator Roger Barnhart explains:

(Roger Barnhart 12-13-13)

Barnhart said that they would check out the donated toys from K-mart quickly, in order to get as many toys distributed for this Christmas.

A winter storm is heading for the WCDO Listening area this weekend, Sidney High School Science Teacher & area meteorologist Rich Townsend comments:

(Rich Townsend 12-13-13)

WCDO will pass along any cancellations or postponements due to this winter storm.

State police arrested 28-year-old Jennifer Irwin of Walton for criminal possession of a controlled substance, criminal impersonation and aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle.  The arrest resulted from a vehicle and traffic law stop for using a cell phone while driving on State Route 23 in Oneonta, Irwin had Suspended Driving privileges & gave police a false name, she was also found to unlawfully possess suboxone. Irwin was arraigned in the Oneonta town court and released pending court action on January 2nd.

This year's Regional Economic Development funding includes a total of $1,086,701 for 8 projects in Chenango County.  Engineering grants will help the Village of Greene improve wastewater treatment, and lay the groundwork for sanitary sewers in the Village of New Berlin.  A technical assistance award will help with renovations in downtown Oxford.  The state has committed another $1 million to the Southern Tier Rural Initiative Fund, for loans to businesses that increase demand for farm and forest products.   A list of projects and awards is available at regionalcouncils.ny.gov.

The State Tax Department announced the state deadline to file for the 2014 STAR program has been moved from December 31st to early March.  Officials said that homeowners have the extra time, as the tax department has to notify local assessors about who hasn't registered. The registration does not apply to senior citizens receiving the Enhanced STAR exemption. More information is available at tax.ny.gov.

Governor Cuomo announced the awards for the 10 regional councils, where local leaders work together to strengthen what their regions have to offer & strengthen their economies.

(Cuomo 12-11-13)

Locally, the Southern Tier council, which includes Delaware, Chenango & Broome counties were awarded $81.9 million dollars for their proposal, the Mohawk regional council, which includes Otsego & Schoharie counties, receives $82.4 million dollars for their proposal.

State Police arrested 51-year-old Bradley Canfield of West Edmeston, for driving while intoxicated. The arrest was made after a traffic stop for not maintaining his lane on County Route 13 in the town of Pittsfield, troopers accuse Canfield of being intoxicated while driving, and He refused to submit to a breath test. Canfield was arraigned at the Pittsfield town court and released on his own recognizance pending future court action.

Delaware County Deputies arrested 46-year-old Zakaria Meggali of Walton for 2nd degree Harassment & Obstruction of breathing. The charges stem from an alleged domestic dispute in the Town of Walton, Meggali faces action on December 18th in Walton Town Court.

Governor Cuomo announced the launch of a new I LOVE NY web store, providing New Yorkers and visitors 24/7 online and mobile access to purchase I LOVE NY merchandise. Users can visit the web store from the ILoveNY.com website, where they will be redirected to the online retail portal, or they can go directly to www.shopiloveny.com.

Nearly 200 new state troopers graduated from the police academy yesterday as part of the State Police graduation ceremony. The graduates completed a six-month training program and will begin supervised field training across the state next week. Because of state budget cuts, State Police didn’t have a graduating class for three years. The classes resumed last year.

Congressman Richard Hanna described new federals rules on truck drivers as having a negative impact on trucking industry. Hanna said the new “Hours of Service” rule could result in an annual cost of $376 million to the trucking industry and could delay timely delivery of food, retail and construction products. Hanna has introduced a bill to delay the regulation until an independent assessment of the rule is complete.

Governor Cuomo has directed that flags on state government buildings be flown at ½ staff today in honor of Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day. In that attack, more than 2,400 Americans were killed, including 40 from New York State.  Nearly 1.7 million New Yorkers served in World War II.  Flags on all state buildings are lowered today to half-staff in tribute to our state's service members and those stationed in New York who are killed in action or die in a combat zone.

State troopers from Oneonta arrested 58-year-old Charles Kleingardner of Unadilla for 3rd degree assault.  Troopers responded to a reported dispute at a residence on Silman Cove Road in Milford, Kleingardner is accused of punching a relative in the eye causing an injury.  Kleingardner was issued a ticket returnable to the Milford town court on December 17th. lowest viagra price at online pharmacy (http://milkweed.org/blog/shop/lowest-viagra-price-at-online-pharmacy/)

Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 36-year-old Travis Platt Jr of Delhi on a charge of 3rd degree Criminal Mischief.    Platt was arraigned in the Town of Walton Court & was remanded to Delaware County Correctional Facility on $500 cash bail and $1,000 bond. He will appear in Delhi Town Court Tuesday for a felony hearing.

Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies & Walton Police arrested 25-year-old Anthony Soules of Walton on an arrest warrant from Delaware County Family Court.  Soules was arraigned in Walton Village Court and sent to the Delaware County Jail on $1000 cash bail, he will return to Walton court at a later date.

The New York state tax commission formed by Governor Cuomo, failed to submit their report by the December 6th deadline last week.  Officials said that there is a split among members regarding tax cuts for all income levels, or tax cuts for the middle & lower classes only.

The state Comptroller Tom DiNapoli announced that his Office would audit New York’s system for documenting hate crimes after recent data showed a sharp increase across the state.   A November report from the state Division of Criminal Justice Services showed hate crimes in New York grew 30% between 2011 and 2012, to a total of 720 incidents last year.

U.S. Senator Charles Schumer is calling on the EPA to delay a mandate that would force municipalities to replace fire hydrants after January 4th.  Schumer is taking issue with the EPA’s interpretation of a 2011 for hydrants to be included in the new reduced-lead drinking water standards. Schumer says replacing all the fire hydrants will cost taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars unnecessarily.

Potential competitors for Upstate New York casino licenses are emerging. State officials will begin awarding casino licenses next year after voters passed a state constitutional amendment to allow Las Vegas-style casinos beyond Indian land. 4 Upstate licenses will be available, and more than twice that number of groups have expressed interest in operating a new casino in the Catskills, the Southern Tier or the Capital region.  Tioga Downs in Nichols is one of the interested businesses; the siting commission will begin accepting proposals early next year.

Broome County Executive Debbie Preston announced an upcoming auction of tax foreclosure properties throughout the County and in the City of Binghamton.  The auction is Saturday, December 14th, at the Holiday Inn Binghamton on Hawley Street starting at 10:00 am.  Auction bidders must register between 8:30 AM and 10:00 AM that morning.  The county has 135 properties, Last year; the County auctioned sold 103 properties for more than  $ 567,000.

A.M. NEWS Monday 12-9-13

The Otsego County Sheriff's Office arrested Edgar Montes of the Bronx, for allegedly being the leader of a heroin drug trafficking ring.  Montes is charged with Operating as a major trafficker, Criminal sale of a controlled substance, Criminal possession of controlled substance, he was indicted on November 26th, and faces additional court action shortly.

This week is National Influenza Vaccination Week, according to the Centers for Disease Control.  Katy Ploutz is an RN with the Delaware County Public Health:

(Katy Ploutz 12-9-13)

Vaccinations are suggested from your family physician, many pharmacies also offer flu shots; more information is available at 832-5200.

Assemblyman Cliff Crouch will be hosting a town hall meeting for the town of Walton today.  The meeting will take place on at the town hall building in Walton, beginning at 5:00 PM.

The Cancer Services Program of Delaware, Otsego and Schoharie counties will offer free health screenings to women 40 and older who are uninsured. The Bassett Cancer Institute’s mobile screening coach will be in Walton today from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM at Walton Big M Supermarket on Delaware Street.  Appointments are requested at 1-888-345-0225.

Operation Merry Christmas trees will remain up for a only a short time, with cards on their trees in area businesses and locations, participants can remove a card from one of the trees & return the requested item, those items will wind up under the Christmas tree of a child of a struggling family this Christmas.  Program coordinator Ginny Ireland told WCDO News where the trees are located:

(Ginny Ireland 12-5-13)

More information about “Operation Merry Christmas” is available at 967-8119 or 563-8119.

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

The trial for a former Walton teacher Stephanie Fletcher will be adjourned until a later undetermined date in Delaware county court.  Fletcher is accused of performing sexual acts with two 16-year-old male students in early 2011.  Fletcher pleaded not guilty to all charges related to the incidents, which allegedly occurred while she was a teacher at the Walton middle and high schools.

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

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

Assemblyman Cliff Crouch will be hosting a town hall meeting for the town of Triangle tonight.  The event will begin at 6:00 PM in the Triangle Town Hall located at 2612 Liberty Street in Whitney Point.

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

Residents of Norwich are partnering with the American Red Cross for a "Communities That Care" blood drive on Friday, December 13th from 12:00 to 7:00 PM.  The drive will be held at the Howard Johnson Hotel at 75 North Broad Street
in Norwich, The Red Cross is asking eligible blood donors of all blood types to donate blood during the winter months to strengthen the community's blood supply.

The Cancer Services Program of Delaware, Otsego and Schoharie counties will offer free health screenings on December 9th, when the Bassett Cancer Institute’s mobile screening coach will set up at the Walton Big M supermarket on Delaware Street, between 9:00 AM and 3:00 PM, Screenings include pelvic exams, pap tests, clinical breast exams, mammograms, and take-home colorectal test kits for men and women 50 or older.  Appointments are requested at 1-888-345-0225.

Assemblyman Cliff Crouch is hosting 3 town hall meetings this week in Kirkwood, Windsor and Triangle.  The first meeting will be Tuesday at 5:00 PM at the Kirkwood Town Hall, the 2nd meeting will be on Wednesday, at 6:00 PM at the Windsor Town Hall, and the 3rd will be on Thursday at 6:00 PM at the Triangle Town Hall on Liberty Street in Whitney Point.

Today is World Aids Day, and Family Planning of South Central New York is offering free services today & even later in the week at their area locations.  Spokesperson Debra Marcus explains:

(Debra Marcus 12-2-13)

More information about Family Planning of South Central New York is available 723-5130 extension 232.

The Delaware County Fair Board announced that country music star Easton Corbin, with special guest Danielle Bradbery will perform in concert on Saturday August 16, 2014 at the Delaware County Fairgrounds in Walton.   Easton has had a string of hits on the country charts; Bradbery charmed her way into the national spotlight during Season 4 of  “The Voice”.  Pre-sale TRACK ONLY ticket vouchers are now available for $30 at Hodges Sales and Service on Delaware Street in Walton today through December 24th.

Delaware County officials announced that it had received a grant from the New York State Office of Community Renewal in support of its efforts to attract Data Control Group LLC to Hancock.   Data Control Group plans to make a $2.8 million investment in Hancock to renovate and equip a portion of the long vacant Becton Dickinson manufacturing building for the development of a call center and back office operation.  This project is projected to result in the creation of 400 new full-time jobs over the next two years. More information is available at the County’s Economic Development website atwww.dcecodev.com (http://www.dcecodev.com/) or by phoning 746-8595

Delaware County Sheriffs Deputies Arrested 19 year old Devyn Clum of Kortright for 2 counts of 4th degree Criminal Mischief and 2nd degree Harassment.  Clum was arrested following an investigation into a domestic incident; he is accused of destroying property and for not allowing the victim to call 911. Clum was arraigned in the Town of Delhi Court and remanded to the Delaware County Jail, he will appear in the Town of Kortright Court at a later date.

The Oneonta Police Department arrested 57 year old Lafayette Alexander of Hollis Points, New York for 1st degree Forgery, 2 counts of 1st degree Identity Theft, 2 counts of Criminal Possession of a Forged Instrument, Falsifying business records, Attempted Identity Theft & Attempted Grand Larceny.  Police were notified by NBT bank personnel of a fraudulent business loan application,  Alexander allegedly used another person’s name, social security number, fake drivers license and fraudulent tax returns as well as other questionable information.  Alexander was arraigned and held on $30,000 cash bail, or $60,000 bond pending future court action.

The Delaware county board of supervisors have approved of a plan to build a new county recycling center at the solid waste site in Hamden.  County DPW coordinator Sue McIntyre explain:

(Sue McIntyre 11-19-13)

McIntyre said that they plan to break ground shortly, the construction should finish next year, and the county will be able to take #1 through #7 plastics, as there is a much larger demand to purchase these recyclables from the county.

A new poll from the Siena Research Institute (http://www.timesunion.com/?controllerName=search&action=search&channel=local&search=1&inlineLink=1&query=%22Siena+Research+Institute%22) shows that Governor Cuomo’s approval ratings are down to their lowest levels, 44% said that he was doing an excellent or good job, while 56% said that his work to be fair or poor.  Despite the low ratings, Cuomo was more popular that the 3 Republicans most often named as potential candidates in the next gubernatorial election, those 3 are Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino, state GOP Chairman Ed Cox (http://www.timesunion.com/?controllerName=search&action=search&channel=local&search=1&inlineLink=1&query=%22Ed+Cox%22) and former candidate Carl Paladino (http://www.timesunion.com/?controllerName=search&action=search&channel=local&search=1&inlineLink=1&query=%22Carl+Paladino%22).

State Troopers arrested 23-year-old Katrina Ellis-Seymoure of Walton for driving while impaired by drugs & driving while intoxicated with a child less than 16 years of age in the vehicle.  State police investigated following the report of an erratic driver, they stopped Ellis-Seymoure on County Route 21 in Franklin. Ellis Seymoure is accused of driving while impaired by prescription medication, with her 4-year-old child in the vehicle; she faces court action on December 12th in Franklin town court.

The Chenango county sheriff’s office reports that Stolen items have been recovered following a recent investigation.  The larcenies occurred from vehicles between the evening of November 5th and November 6th in the area of State Highway 41, Collyer Road & Cummings Road in the Town of Smithville. Anyone that had items stolen are asked to contact the department at 337-1932.

A delay in development of a new federal flood insurance program, to insure premiums are affordable, has prompted a group of federal lawmakers to introduce legislation to freeze any potential rate hikes.  Without a delay, flood insurance premiums could rise by as much as 20% per year. U.S. Senator Charles Schumer is among the supporters of legislation to hold off on increased rates

Governor Cuomo announced the launch of FuzeHub, a new collaborative resource platform developed to spur the growth of State manufacturers.  FuzeHub aims to connect small and medium sized manufacturing companies to several state technology resources, including the New York Manufacturing Extension Partnership program, universities, economic development organizations, and other programs to help businesses overcome challenges, encourage innovation and driving economic growth and job creation. Find out more at governor.ny.gov

State police at  Norwich arrested 42 year old Patrick Seeley of Norwich  for criminal obstruction of breathing and 2nd degree harassment.  The arrest resulted following a dispute on Dan Main Hill Road in Norwich,  Seeley was arraigned in the Norwich town court and released on his own recognizance to reappear on November 21st.  The judge issued an order of protection for the victim.

State Assemblyman Cliff Crouch will be hosting another town hall meeting tonight in the Town of Nanticoke.  The meeting will begin at 6:00 PM at the Nanticoke Town Hall at 755 Cherry Valley Hill Road in Maine.

State troopers in Oneonta arrested 22-year-old Kelsey Knutsen of Oneonta for DWI with a BAC result of .16%, twice the legal limit.  The arrest occurred after troopers initiated a vehicle stop on North Street in Oneonta, Knutsen was released with tickets to appear in the Oneonta town court on December 10th.

NYSEG reported wide spread power outages throughout the region, from last night’s high winds.  The Walton area had the largest number with about 1000 customers without power this morning that forced the cancellation of classes at the ARC of Delaware County Walton facilities, as well as the closure of the Walton central school district. Power has been restored to walton and most affected areas today.

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

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

(Libous 11-18-13)

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

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

Assemblyman Cliff Crouch announced that he would be hosting 2 town hall meetings next week.  The first meeting will be the Town of North Norwich, at 5:30 PM today at the town hall at 188 County Route 23, followed by a town hall meeting for the Town of Nanticoke tomorrow night at 6:00 PM at the Nanticoke Town Hall at 755 Cherry Valley Hill Road in the town of Maine.

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

Assemblyman Pete Lopez will be holding town hall meetings for area constituents this week.  Tonight’s meeting will be for the towns of Worcester and Decatur at 7:00 PM tonight at the Worcester Central School Auditorium at 198 Main Street in       Worcester.

State troopers in Norwich arrested 25-year-old Andrew Cushman of Plymouth, for 3rd degree grand larceny.  Police responded to the Plymouth Volunteer Fire Department on State Route 23 in Plymouth, NY, for a reported theft of funds, Police accuse Cushman of stealing over $10,000.00 from the fire department’s bank accounts while serving as treasurer.  Cushman was arraigned at the Plymouth court and released with out bail required.

The state Senate held a hearing yesterday in Albany to delve into issues raised about new testing standards for students and teachers. The hearing came as state Education Commissioner John King continues to be criticized for overseeing the “Common Core” initiative, which requires additional tests for students that are also used to evaluate the effectiveness of teachers. Several hundred teachers were also in Albany this week to receive  training about the new standards, which was implemented last school year

State Police at Sidney arrested 47-year-old James Farischon of Afton for DWI following a vehicle traffic law stop on State Highway 41 in Afton.  Farischon refused to submit to a chemical test.  He was arraigned in Afton town court and was released.   He will appear in Afton town court December 23rd.

Governor Cuomo signed 3 Consumer Protection bills this week.  The first bill would protect consumers from liability for unauthorized use of unsolicited convenience checks, which are mailed by credit card companies to account holders & are easy targets for unauthorized users looking to commit fraud. The second bill will require that offers by mail for the sale of monuments or memorials be clearly marked “SOLICITATION” in large boldface type at the top of any mailing unless the recipient has requested the solicitation. The third bill will ensure motorcycle owners are informed of the laws regarding unidentifiable motor vehicle parts at the time they register their motorcycles.

The Chenango County Toys For Tots Campaign is looking for donations; locations for drop off boxes, in their annual effort to help put Christmas presents under the tree for the children of families that are struggling this year.   Program coordinator Roger Barnhart explain:

(Roger Barnhart 11-14-13)

Again, the number to call to get a drop off boxes to collect donations is 226-3814, the number all other information about the Toys for Tots effort this year is 336-7897.

Chenango Street in Binghamton reopened this morning near the Department of Transportation’s Prospect Mountain construction project. The street had been closed to accommodate work on the project, which is reconfiguring the area where I- 81 and Route 17 come together.

Delaware County Deputies investigated a rollover accident in the Town of Walton.  56 year old John Wilson of Walton was driving on Upper East Brook Road in Walton at the time of the rollover, he fled from the scene but was later located and issued tickets for leaving the scene of a property damage accident, unsafe land change, speed not reasonable and prudent, drinking alcohol in a motor vehicle and driving an uninspected motor vehicle.  Wilson faces court action in Town of Walton Court on December 4th.

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.

The Joint Commission on Public Ethics reported that  $105 million was spent on lobbying in the first 6 months of the year, the lowest amount in 5 years.  Philip Morris tobacco spent the most at nearly $1.6 million, 2nd was the New York State United Teachers union, 3rd was The Greater New York Hospital Association which spent $1.1 million, and New York State United Teachers union, which wants to build a new stadium in Queens, spent $842,000.  Lobbying amounts have decreased by 19% since Governor Cuomo’s first year in office.

Delaware County Sheriffs Deputies Arrested 25 year old Eric Ball of Oneonta for DWI, operation of a motor vehicle with a BAC greater than .08, refusal to submit to a breath Test & speeding.  Ball was arrested following a traffic stop for speeding on State Route 10 in the Town of Walton. He was released to appear in the Town of Walton Court at a later date.

Governor Cuomo announced $10 million in Brownfield Opportunity Areas grants for 26 communities throughout the state. The grants provide funding for municipalities to implement revitalization strategies to redevelop impacted sites. Locally, the City of Norwich will get $90,000 to complete a revitalization plan for a 591-acre area with 33 vacant and Brownfield sites located at former industrial sites on the City's east side and for new commercial developments in downtown.

The Chenango County Sheriff’s Office arrested a 29-year-old Bradley Lidell of Cincinnatus on an active Bench Warrant.  Lidell was picked up on a warrant issued out of the Town of Pitcher Court for failure to appear on Aggravated Unlicensed Operation charges, he was arraigned & was remanded to the Chenango County Jail on $1,000 cash bail.

The Health & Wellness Fair will be held at the Southside mall in Oneonta tomorrow.  The event runs form 11:00 to 4:00 PM, a variety of health care professionals will be participating.

Governor Cuomo signed the Farm Cideries bill that establishes a new license for farm cideries similar to the licenses already available to farm wineries, breweries and distilleries. This  legislation follows through on promises made to farm cideries after the Wine, Beer and Spirits Summit held by the governor. The signing coincides with the beginning of CiderWeek NY through October 27th; more information is available at ciderweekny.com.

The Otsego county sheriff’s department arrested 16-year-old John Gardner of Morris for unlawfully fleeing a police officer, reckless driving, obstructing governmental administration, resisting arrest, unlawful possession of marijuana and multiple vehicle and traffic violations.  Gardner is accused of attempting to flee deputies, who attempted to stop him from driving an ATV at a high rate of speed through Morris.  Gardner was apprehended in a wooded area & fought with authorities, he was arraigned in Morris Town Court and sent to Otsego County jail on $1,000 bail, he posted bail & was released, he’ll reappear in court at a later date.

16 organizations in the region are received grants from the Community Foundation for South Central New York’s Community Fund and Women’s Fund fall 2013 competitive grant cycles. Local Organizations that won awards were Broome County United Way, the Center for Agricultural Development and Entrepreneurship of Delaware & Otsego counties, Delaware Opportunities, the Kopernik Observatory, the 4 County Library System, Girls on the Run & Opportunities for Otsego.   More information about the Foundation can be found at donorswhocare.org.

Chenango county sheriff’s department arrested 42-year-old Terry Bartlett of North Norwich for DWI, Aggravated Driving While Intoxicated, Reckless Endangerment & Endangering the Welfare of a Child.  Deputies accuse Bartlett of driving onto a lawn attempting to hit an adult male victim while 3 children were playing in the yard.  Bartlett then drove onto the public roadway attempting to hit the male victim again.  Bartlett was arraigned in the Town of North Norwich Court & was remanded to the Chenango County Jail on $2,000 bail pending future court action. viagra online (http://www.frontlinesms.com/2015/04/04/viagra-online/)

Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies investigated a vehicle and traffic complaint last week on Pines Brook Road in the Town of Walton. It was reported that a Walton Central School bus, while stopped & was discharging students when a motorist disregarded the safety apparatus and passed the bus. The school bus’s video surveillance identified both the vehicle and its operator; deputies arrested 19-year-old James Copeland of Walton for Failure to Stop for School Bus & Aggravated Unlicensed Operation of a motor vehicle.  Copeland’s driver’s license was suspended at the time of the incident; he faces action in the Town of Walton Court Wednesday.

The Chenango County Sheriffs arrested 3 Town of Sherburne residents for drug related offenses.  The Narcotics Division attempted to stop 46-year-old Steve Manwarren; he drove off & during the pursuit, his passenger 27 year old Randy Buck Jr. allegedly threw heroin packets out of the car.  The vehicle was later stopped, the heroin recovered, and both men were arrested.  Detectives discovered another 60 packets of heroin belonging to Manwarren, 56 year old Kim Chlad was also arrested as she attempted to discard the 60 packets of heroin from her and Manwarren’s residence.   Manwarren was charged with Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance, Buck was charged with Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance & Tampering with Physical Evidence. Chlad was charged with Tampering with Physical Evidence.   All 3 were released pending future court action.

The New York State Court of Appeals has ruled that people who live part-time in the state can get handgun licenses here. The Court of Appeals said New York pistol permits, which are issued by cities or counties, are not limited to people whose primary residence is in New York. The seven judge declined to rule on whether the state law as previously interpreted was unconstitutional.

The Chenango county sheriff’s department arrested 20-year-old Caden Cruz of Oxford on a charge of 2nd degree Burglary.  Cruz is accused of burglarizing a residence in the town of Smithville last year, He was arrested & was arraigned in the Town Of Greene Court & was remanded to the Chenango County Jail on $7,500 cash bail.

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.

U.S. district court Judge Thomas McAvoy sentenced 43-year-old Jeffrey Turner of Fenton, to 30 years in federal prison for producing child pornography, to run concurrent with the 8 years he was sentenced in Broome County court for rape & criminal sexual act charges.  Turner was sentenced in the federal court in Binghamton this morning.

50-year-old Anthony Palladino of Oneonta was arrested for allegedly attacking a fellow inmate at the Otsego county jail last week.  Palladino was charged with felony assault and issued an appearance ticket in the Middlefield court.  Palladino was transferred to the jail in Elmira for felony drug convictions; he could face another 15 years to life in jail on the new charges if convicted.

State troopers arrested 41-year-old Richard Duell of Fenton for driving while intoxicated and unlawful possession of marihuana.  This arrest followed a 911 call of a vehicle driving through someone else’s yard just off of State Route 369 in Fenton.   Duell refused to submit to a breath test, he was arraigned in the Fenton court and then remanded to the Broome County Jail in lieu of $1500 bail pending future court action.

Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies investigated a two-car motor vehicle accident at Pines Brook Road and Left Pines Brook Road in the Town of Walton.  56-year-old Dale Beadle of Walton was driving south on Pines Brook Road when 18-year-old Stephen Butler of Walton attempted to turn left on to Left Pines Brook Road.  Beadle’s vehicle struck Butler’s vehicle, causing significant damage to both vehicles, both drivers were uninjured. Butler was ticketed for failure to failure to yield the right of way.

State Senator Jim Seward announced his support for a legislative solution to a billing situation that has placed Early Intervention Program services for hundreds of special needs children at risk.    Senator Seward comments:
(Seward 9-26-13)
Senator Seward that as part of the state budget, a central statewide administrator of the program was approved with an eye toward mandate relief for counties, which were responsible for managing billing of the program, but many providers have not been reimbursed for their services.

Governor Cuomo announced that 7 research projects involving 10 SUNY campuses would each receive up to $100,000 from the SUNY Research Collaboration Fund, to support research collaborations as part of “The Power of SUNY”. Among the funded initiatives are projects that seek to improve cancer detection and treatment, further medical imaging and diagnostics, and analyze the effects of climate change. 3 of the projects are located at Binghamton University.

The New York State Disaster Preparedness Commission met yesterday in Albany to discuss a variety of topics. The group is comprised of 28 state agencies and the American Red Cross. Members discussed the threat of the current hurricane season, last week's incident in Nairobi, Kenya, and homeland security  concerns. The commission is required to have two meetings each year.  For more information go to dhses.ny.gov

The Delaware County Sheriffs Office Criminal Investigations Division arrested 29 year old John Donaldson Jr. of Walton Monday for 1 count of 2nd degree Burglary, Petty Larceny and Criminal Possession of a controlled substance.  Donaldson was arraigned in the Town of Delhi Court & was remanded to the Delaware County Jail on $2,500.00 cash bail pending a felony hearing Friday.

State Police arrested 24-year-old Ryan Meyerhoffer of Windsor for driving while intoxicated, aggravated unlicensed operation and other vehicle and traffic law violations.  The arrest followed an investigation into a 1-car accident on Interstate 81 in Binghamton, Meyerhoffer was found to be intoxicated and having a suspended driver license.  He was processed, refused a breath test, and was issued tickets returnable to the Binghamton court on October 4th.

28-year-old Jennifer Morris of East Branch pleaded guilty to a felony charge of falsely reporting an incident.  Morris will serve 6 months in Delaware County jail followed by 5 years probation orders of protection were issued for all victims named in the indictment filed against Morris.  Morris was arrested following a series of threats made on Facebook against people associated with the Walton Central School district.   Morris is scheduled to be sentenced in Delaware County Court on September 30th.

The Delaware County Historical Association has been hosting a number of free workshops this summer that are designed to explore national and local history. The last workshop, “CHALLENGES REMAINING,” is scheduled for this morning at 11:00AM, at the historical association on state route 10 in the town of Delhi.   More information is available at 746-3849.

The Broome County Sheriff’s Office will host an open house at their location on Van Winkle Drive in Binghamton Today as part of the statewide Sheriff’s Week. The sheriff’s office will display its new command post, armored vehicle, new patrol vehicles, and offer a tour of the jail for the public. The open house will take place from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM. online viagra pharmacy (http://vva.org/blog/?p=3096)

Price Chopper has announced a recall on select half-gallons of store brand homogenized milk. Cartons with the UPC number 4173513275 and a September 29th expiration date are included in the recall.  The product is being recalled due to the possible presence of a non-hazardous cleaning solution in the milk that is used to clean the equipment during milk processing.  More information is available at pricechopper.com.

The Sidney chamber of commerce will hold their monthly “Business After Hours’ event today.  The event will be held from 4:00 to 6:00 pm at Acco Brands of Sidney, chamber members are encouraged to attend.

State Police are investigating a strong-armed robbery, which occurred last Thursday afternoon on Main Street in Johnson City.  Police reported that an unidentified woman was getting into her vehicle when a male subject grabbed her purse and fled on foot. The woman chased the suspect and observed him getting into the passenger seat of a dark colored Pontiac and drive towards Endwell. The suspect is further described as being a black male in his early to mid 20’s, average build, wearing a dark shirt and pants and a black head covering. Anyone with information is asked to call State Police BCI at 754-3854.

Jury selection is scheduled to begin Tuesday for the 2nd degree murder trial of Anthony Taglianetti of Virginia.  Taglianetti is charged with fatally shooting 51-year-old Keith Reed Jr. in Chautauqua County last September. U.S. Marshals arrested Taglianetti in Virginia 8 days after Reed’s murder. Reed previously served as a principal in Sherburne-Earlville Central School District prior to becoming superintendent of the Clymer Central School District.

Delaware County Deputies responded to Sherman Hill Rd in the Town of Franklin regarding a domestic incident complaint.  Deputies arrested 27-year-old Danielle Lister of Walton for Criminal Mischief, Harassment and Endangering the welfare of a child. Lister was issued an appearance ticket returnable to the Town of Franklin Court at a later time.

State senator Jim Seward co-sponsored a proposal called "The Funding Emergency Relief Now” bill, to assist property owners when FEMA or other funding is denied, with a refundable state income tax credit against property taxes paid where properties have suffered value-reducing damage.  The bill calls for a state task force on flood prevention and mitigation, enhanced funding through the Environmental Protection Fund for soil and water conservation districts, National Guard directed and supported construction assistance in communities where flood mitigation measures have been identified, and requiring a simplified and expedited process for the state share of any reimbursable flood-related costs by local governments. The legislation is expected to be voted on next year.

Governor Cuomo signed legislation that will expand the ban on the type of chemicals used to make dangerous bath salts. The law comes after several high-profile deaths in New York City this summer involving the synthetic drugs.  The state Legislature in June passed a bill that adds new compounds used to make synthetic drugs to the state’s banned substance list.  The governor last year issued an executive order to ban the sale and possession of synthetic drugs under the state’s public health law.

Delaware County Deputies investigated a 2-car accident in the Town of Walton on Lower Third Brook Road Wednesday. 67-year-old Marilyn Condon of Bainbridge went into the opposite lane around a parked vehicle and struck a vehicle driven by 44 year old Kimberly Finch of Walton.  Both drivers to be taken to Delaware Valley Hospital by Walton, Condon was issued a summons for failure to keep right for Town of Walton court on September 25th.

Delaware county sheriff Tom Mills announced that the newly formed K-9 Unit participated in its first arrest 1 day after graduating from the Academy.  K9 “Ozzie” and Deputy John Demeo, assisted Walton Police with a traffic stop Wednesday. Officers initially discovered marijuana in plain sight in the stopped vehicle; the K9 unit was brought in, which led to the discovery of heroin hidden in the vehicle.  Charged were 24-year-old Anthony Palladino of Walton, 22-year-old Troy Terney of Walton and 21-year-old Melissa Dacey of Delhi for unlawful possession of marihuana, criminal possession of a controlled substance and criminally using drug paraphernalia.   All subjects were issued appearance tickets returnable to the Village of Walton Court at a later date.

Chenango county sheriff’s deputies arrested 73-year-old Henry Hemsley of North Norwich on an active Bench Warrant and Resisting Arrest.   Hemsley is accused of failing to appear in court for the charge of Unlawful Growing of Cannabis.   Hemsley resisted arrest by attempting to run into his residence and by fighting with the Deputy.  Hemsley was remanded to the Chenango County Correctional Facility in lieu of $5,000 cash bail to reappear in the Town of North Norwich Court at a later date.

Downtown Oneonta will be busy Saturday with the usual Farmers’ Market to be part of the Grand & Glorious Garage sale on Main Street.  Also the 11th Annual City of the Hills Art and Music Festival, hosted by the Community Arts Network of Oneonta, will be held Saturday from 9 to 5 in the Dietz Street parking lot near Main Street with over 140 vendors on hand.

Commerce Chenango will host the chamber 5K challenge RUN & WALK Saturday.  The race starts at West Park in downtown Norwich, the registration period will be from 7:00 to 8:30 AM, the Race begins at 9:00 AM.  More information is available by calling commerce Chenango today at 334-1402.

Chenango County Farm Bureau will host a Craft, Flea and Antique Market Fair Fundraiser this Saturday From 11:00 am to 5:00 PM.  The event will be held at the Farm Bureau office next to the Valero gas station on State Highway 12 in Norwich, more information is available at 334-6061 or 226-1195.

On Saturday The Afton VFW will hold its "All you can Eat" pancake breakfast from 7:00 to 11:00 AM. This event is held every 3rd Saturday of the month at the VFW hall on Main Street in Afton.

Several local fire departments worked into the early morning hours today fighting a fire that gutted the Bluestone Grill in Hancock. The fire was called in at 10:30 p.m.last night. Crews from Hancock, Deposit, Walton and East Branch responded. There were no injuries, and there was minimal damage to surrounding homes. Deleware County fire investigators are looking into the cause.

Police arrested a Windsor a man for allegedly stealing nearly $20,000 worth of merchandise from a Conklin business. Broome County deputies arrested 44 year old Greg Rought, who is charged with stealing tools and gift cards from E. Systems Group in Conklin on Aug. 14. Rought was arraigned in Town of Dickinson Court and sent to the Broome County jail. Anyone with any information should call the Sheriff's Office at 778-2053

In an effort to promote economic growth, community leaders in Delaware County are proposing a new project at SUNY Delhi to create more business opportunities by recycling waste water. The project would take waste water from the Delhi Waste Water Treatment facility and recycle it through an irrigation system on campus golf course. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand joined campus and community leaders earlier this week in support of the project. Leaders hope Gillibrand will go to bat for them, as about half of the funding for the $2 million plan is still needed and the project is eligible for federal grants. Construction is anticipated to begin next spring.

State Police arrested 66 year old Stephen Hay of Sidney Center for DWI with a BAC of .09% following an investigation into a property damage accident on Sherman Hill Road in Franklin. Hay was issued tickets for Town of Franklin Court September 12.

US Senator Charles Schumer is trying to make a connection that would bring up to 600 jobs to Delaware County. The jobs would be created at a call center to be built in Hancock. Schumer says he's pushing for funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. For more information, go to scumer.senate.gov.

Celebrating the end of the summer? Make sure you’re not drinking and driving, or you may end up with a Labor Day ticket. State and local law enforcement agencies have been out in force since Aug. 16 with sobriety checkpoints and saturation patrols to deter drunk driving. Law enforcement agencies will also crack down on drivers whose ability is impaired by drugs, both illegal and prescription. Nationally, someone is killed every 51 minutes on average in a drunk-driving crash. The majority of these crashes involve drunk drivers who have nearly twice the legal BAC of .08 or higher.

Governor Cuomo announced 16 winners, across the state, of a statewide competition to form public-private partneships to prepare high school students for high skill jobs in technology, manufacturing and healthcare. Students can earn an associate degree at no cost. Partnerships include Broome Community College, Lourdes Hospital in Binghamton and United Health Services. For more information, go to governor.ny.gov.

Governor Cuomo announced that most DOT construction projects in New York state wil be suspended over the Labor Day weekend. The Governor's "Drivers First" inititatve prioritizes the convenience of motorists and ensures that disruptions are as minimal as possible to motorists. For real time travel information, call 511 or go to 511ny.org

A month-long drug investigation in Oneonta ends with the arrest of two couples -- one of which was found with more than $20,000 worth of drugs in their home. 26 year old Roy Dejesus Young, and 23 year old Kristen Lynn Rudnitsky, were arrested early Saturday after a no-knock search warrant was executed at their Oneonta home. Inside, Otsego County investigators found more than eleven thousand dollars worth of heroin and more than ten thousand dollars worth of cocaine, in addition to nearly $450 worth of marijuana and more than $5,000 in cash. Young is a convicted felon from a previous drug arrest. Young and Rudnitsky were both sent to the Otsego County Jail on $35,000 and $15,000 cash bail. Deputies also arrested 43 year old Michel Steven Harabet, and 40 year old Melissa Rotolo, both of Oneonta, as part of the investigation. Investigators found the couple Saturday afternoon along Gardner Place with $2,000 worth of crack-cocaine. They were both taken to the Otsego County Jail on $25,000 cash bail. All four people return to Oneonta City Court this morning for further proceedings.

A worker for Canadian Pacific Railway came in contact with a power line and was electrocuted on Monday. 39 year old Thomas F. Tarchak of Simpson Pennsylvania was among a group of four workers inspecting a steel railroad bridge running over Route 235 in Harpursville when the inspection bucket he was in came into contact with the bridge and a NYSEG power line. The lift truck was still energized when emergency responders arrived at the scene. NYSEG had to cut power before the man's body could be recovered. Route 235 between Route 7 and Davey Road was shut down during the response to the accident.

A woman accused of threatening Walton schools through Facebook postings is working on a plea deal with prosecutors. 28-year-old Jennifer Morris of East Branch is facing four felony charges of falsely reporting an incident.The indictment said she circulated warnings in June that there would be an explosion at Walton schools. She also faces seven counts of aggravated harassment for communications sent to six adults. Morris was in Delaware County Court on Monday for a possible plea deal, but her defense attorney, Andrew Puritz, requested an adjournment. Her next appearance and possible plea has been rescheduled for Sept. 16, at 1 pm in Delaware County Court. Morris remains in the Delaware County Jail with bail set at $20,000.

On Friday, Dajhoun T. Perez, 17, of Brooklyn, pleaded guilty in Broome County Court to assault in the second degree. Perez admitted that on June 12 he shot Daquan Smith, 21, of Binghamton, with a semi-automatic handgun. Perez was taken to the Broome County Jail. His sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 23. The court will have to decide whether to sentence him as a youthful offender or as an adult.

The Chenango County Department of Public Works shall close a section of County Road 33 today, between County Road 36(Norwich-Guilford Road) and County Road 34 (Springvale Road), in the Town of Norwich. This closure will be in place until the required culvert replacement work is completed. Local traffic shall be allowed access to their homes; however they will be required to travel away from the project for the closure period. Meanwhile, route 12 between Brisben and Greene has reopened after bridge work was completed ahead of schedule.

Pre-registration begins today through September 10th for Otsego county residents for the household hazardous waste collection day. Registrations are available online at otsegocounty.com/solidwaste or by calling 547-4228. The first collection site will be Friday September 13th at the Unadilla town highway building; the second will be at the meadows office building in Cooperstown on Saturday September 14th. Businesses may participate by bringing their hazardous materials to the Meadows on Friday September 13th, and fees may apply. More information is available at 547-4228.

Stamford Mayor, 65 year old Michael Jacobs, died unexpectedly Saturday when he collapsed at the annual Delaware County Republican pig roast at the Delaware County Fairgrounds in Walton. Jacobs, a lawyer with Jacobs and Jacobs in Walton, had started his third term in March. He died of a heart attack at Delaware Valley Hospital in Walton. Village Trustrees are meeting this afternoon in Stamford to appoint and acting mayor.

The Chenango County Sheriff’s Office arrested a wanted man along with a Town of Coventry man for weapons, drugs, and burglary charges. 29 year old Eric Nelson of Afton and 29 year old Rory Tanner from Coventry allegedly stole an AR 15 rifle along with a 12 gauge semi-automatic shotgun from a residence on Tracy Rd in the Town of Bainbridge. The two then sold the AR 15 which was later recovered by police. Nelson then sold the 12 gauge shotgun to an undercover police officer in the Town of Coventry. At the scene officers located hypodermic needles and heroin residue. Nelson was also arrested on an arrest warrant for two counts of Criminal Possession of a Weapon. Nelson was arraigned in Town of Bainbridge Court and sent to the Chenango County Jail on $3,000 bail. Tanner was arraigned in Town of Coventry Court and sent to the Chenango County jail on $5,000 bail.

A small earthquake has shaken homes in the Adirondacks region near Lake George. US Geological Survey monitors say the magnitude 2.7 quake happened near the Warren County town of Warrensburg at about 9:30 a.m. yesterday. Local emergency centers got calls reporting shaking and a rumbling sound, but no damage.

This year's freshman class at the State University at Oneonta arrived this past weekend. The class will have about 1,100 students out of an applicant pool of over 12,000. The high school average for an average student from this class is over 91%. The average combined SAT score is over 1130. This year's freshman class includes 28 students from Otsego County, 10 from Chenango County and 8 from Delaware County. The freshman class at Hartwick College in Oneonta will arrive August 29th.

Revitalizing upstate New York’s economy will be the focus of The Business Council of New York State’s 2013 Annual Meeting September 25-27 at The Sagamore Resort on Lake George. The Annual Meeting provides three days of information and entertainment, creating a forum focusing on improving the state's business climate and economy. This year’s agenda focuses on the economy, education, politics, and healthcare. For more information, call 1.800.358.1202

The State Department of Health announced revisions to the New York City water system’s 2007 Filtration Avoidance Determination have been drafted and will be released for public review and comment. Among the components are watershed protection programs in response to the devastation caused by Hurricane Irene and Lee in 2011. They include provisions for New York City to fund a local flood hazard mitigation program. It also includes an increased number of stream restoration projects.

The 2013 Hazardous Waste Collection Days for Otsego County households will be Friday September 13th. at the Unadilla Town Highway Building. The second collection will be at the Meadows Office Building in Cooperstown on Saturday September 14th. You must pre-register August 27th through Spetember 10th. You can register online at OtsegoCounty.com/solidwaste, or by calling 547-4228.

A US bankruptcy court hearing on the proposed sale of Endicott Interconnect Technologies for today has been postponed until August 20th.  Attorneys requested the postponement, following an objection filed by the US trustees office that raised concerns about the proposed sale of the company’s assets to an insider-owned company.  Endicott Interconnect Technologies filed for chapter 11-bankruptcy protection July 10th, claiming assets of $36 Million dollars with liabilities of more than $86 Million dollars.

Congressman Chris Gibson will be in Delaware County today.  Gibson is scheduled to visit the New England Wood Pellet Manufacturing Center in Deposit this morning, followed by the Delaware County Fair Luncheon in Walton at noon; Gibson will attend the Delaware county Fair throughout the afternoon and will march in the Delaware County Fireman’s Parade at 6:30.

Broome County Sheriff's Deputies arrested Richard Westfall of Lakeland Florida after driving his car into a ditch on the Terry Road in the Town of Colesville at around midnight on Sunday. Westfall was charged with DWI, & refusing to take a Breathalyzer test.  He faces action in town of Colesville court at a later date.

State Troopers arrested 29-year-old Jesse Terpstra of Davenport for Driving While Intoxicated with a BAC result of .19%.  The arrest followed the investigation of a motor vehicle accident at the intersection of Charlotte Creek Road and County Route 9 in Davenport; Terpstra was issued tickets returnable in the Town of Davenport Court today.

Delaware county Sheriff’s deputies responded Sunday to a domestic incident where a person was held at gunpoint at 1090 County Highway 5 in Bovina.  Deputies and State troopers responded & found a victim fleeing from the residence, who had been released by the perpetrator, 32 year old Justin Geraghty, who had taken the homeowners hostage following an earlier domestic incident at another residence.  Geraghty barricaded himself in the residence with a firearm and threatened to kill law enforcement officers.  Tear gas was deployed in an attempt to get Geraghty to surrender, he was found deceased inside the residence from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.  Geraghty was wanted by the State Division of Parole, and by the Delhi Police Department for 1st degree Burglary, 3rd degree Assault and Petty Larceny.

Governor Cuomo's popularity is moving upward, according to a new poll from Siena College out today.   The Siena poll found 65% of registered voters found Cuomo's performance was favorable up 7% from the June poll numbers, while 30% found Cuomo’s job performance unfavorable.  Among the Upstate voters polled, 55% said that Cuomo's performance was favorable, with 41% choosing unfavorable.

A motorcyclist was killed Sunday when a nearby car hit a deer, sending it airborne and into the path of the motorcycle.  Madison County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to the accident on state route 8 in the Town of Brookfield Sunday, they reported that 31-year-old Phurba Tamang, of Utica was driving on Route 8 when she hit a deer, which became airborne and struck a motorcycle driven by 49 year old Cyle Chesebro of West Edmeston, Chesebro was pronounced dead at the scene.

Delaware County Deputies investigated a car & pedestrian accident on County Hwy 21 in the Town of Walton. 60-year-old David Gomez of the Bronx was traveling on County Highway 21 near Runion Road Thursday, when he had struck 37 year old William Caputo of Walton, who was walking down the center of the road.  No tickets were issued to Gomez and Caputo was transported to Bassett hospital in Cooperstown for treatment of injuries.

Springbrook will host a career fair on Wednesday, August 21st from 3:00 to 7:00 pm at their Oneonta offices at 5588 State Route 7.   Attendees are encouraged to apply online at springbrookny.org prior to interviewing at the career fair, according to Recruitment Specialist Nate Furman:

(Nate Furman 8-12-13)

Furman said that the new positions would include the new Sidney Facility that has just opened, as well as the Oxford facility opening in September, and the existing Oneonta, Milford  & Norwich facilities.

The Sidney central school district Athletic department has scheduled a parent-athlete meeting for Tuesday at 6:00 pm in the Sidney High School Auditorium.   Sidney Athletic Director Chris Haynes explains:

(Chris Haynes 8-12-13)

Haynes said that the program would be about 90 minutes; the program comes prior to the start of the JV and Varsity sports next week on August 19th.

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.

The Chenango County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Division arrested 23 year old Alexander Phelan of Bainbridge for Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance, Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance, Criminal Possessing a Hypodermic Instrument, Criminally Using Drug Paraphernalia and Unlawful Possession of Marihuana.  The Sheriff’s Office seized Heroin, Marihuana, Prescription Medication, Scales, Packaging Material, and Cash; Phelan was arraigned in the Town of Bainbridge Court and remanded to the Chenango County Correctional Facility on $10,000 cash bail.

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Delaware county department of Public Works will need to close off the main street bridge in Sidney for 4 days, starting next Tuesday, in order to repair a pothole issues that involves the concrete deck under the asphalt.  County DPW Commissioner Wayne Reynolds explains:

(Wayne Reynolds 7-26-13)

Reynolds said that message board would be in place to remind motorists of the bridge closure and any changes that may occur.  The main street bridge project will begin next Tuesday & should be completed Friday.

The Chenango county sheriff’s department arrested 32-year-old Robert Roberts of Norwich for 2 counts of Felony Criminal Possession of Stolen Property and 1Count of Petty Larceny.  Roberts is accused of using stolen credit cards, he was arraigned in the Town of Norwich Court and remanded to the Chenango county jail on $1000 cash bail. The investigation is ongoing and additional charges are pending following the examination of evidence.

Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies investigated a one-car accident on State Highway 206 in the Town of Colchester. 22-year-old Larissa Hughes of Walton lost control of her vehicle and went into the ditch; she traveled 75 yards and flipped over twice before coming to a rest.  Hughes was not injured; she was ticketed for failure to keep right.

State Financial Services officials announced a set of nation-leading reforms to help protect consumers against abusive and deceptive debt collection practices. The reforms propose to cut down on repeat harassing phone calls; guard against the collection of ‘zombie debts’ that have already expired; prevent companies from trying to collect debts from the wrong consumer for the wrong amount of money due to poor record keeping, The proposed regulation will be published in the state register shortly and will be subject to a 45-day notice and comment period.

The National Baseball Hall of Fame Weekend is today through Sunday in Cooperstown, featuring the Awards Presentation Sunday.  The inductions of pioneering umpire Hank O’Day, former Yankees owner Jacob Ruppert and 19th Century star Deacon White will be held at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday at the Clark Sports Center, they will also pay tribute to 12 individuals previously counted among the Hall’s roster of members who never had a formal induction due to wartime restrictions. The Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will be live on MLB Network.

Assemblyman Cliff Crouch will host another forum on SATURDAY from 9:00 A.M. TO 11:00 A.M. about the NY SAFE Act at Walton Central School. Crouch will be joined by Delaware County Sheriff Thomas Mills and Delaware County Clerk Sharon O'Dell.

The American Cancer Society Relay for Life of Chenango County will get underway tonight and runt through tomorrow morning. The Relay For Life will begin 6:30 p.m. at the Chenango County Fairgrounds; more information is available at relayforlife.org/chenangocountyny.

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

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

Tonight at 9:00 pm The Shire Pub in Delhi will be hosting a fundraiser for Habitat of Delaware County. Local band Betwixt Bothered & Bewildered will perform. Habitat for Humanity of Delaware County officials are planning for a building project in the Delhi area. Additional information regarding Habitat for Humanity of Delaware County is available by accessing delawarecountyhabitat.org or at 746-9987.

The annual Chenango County Republican Committee Lobsterfest will be held this Sunday in Norwich. The event will run from 12:00 noon until 4:00 PM at the Canasawacta country club in Norwich, the event is a top fundraiser for republican candidates for a variety of races involving Chenango county offices.

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

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