WCDO Radio News

P.M. NEWS FRIDAY 2-6-26

Broome County Sheriff Fred Akshar commented today on Wednesday night’s "shots fired" investigation in the Town of Dickinson:

(Akshar 2-6-26)

Akshar said that the 4 people were trying to leave the area in an Uber and were taken into custody, and All four were arraigned and remanded to the Broome County Correctional Facility on $1,000 bail, they all posted bail and have been released. The Port Dickinson Police Department and the Broome County Sheriff's Office teamed up on the arrests and investigation.

The State DEC Forest Rangers conducted 362 search and rescue missions, extinguished 122 wildfires covering nearly 6,500 acres, participated in 60 prescribed fires that served to rejuvenate more than 1,155 acres of land, and worked on cases that resulted in more than 1,200 tickets and arrests in 2024. On December 14th in the Otsego County Town of Plainfield, forest rangers discovered pallets & construction waste in the Plainfield State Forest, as well as a serial number on a discarded freezer, which was traced back to an unidentified restaurant, last week, Rangers determined who was responsible for the illegal dumping and issued a ticket for depositing debris on State land. The subject is also required to remove the debris.

A.M. NEWS Wednesday 1-15-25

35 year old Jeffrey Lane was sentenced as a second violent felony offender in Broome County Court to 5 years in State Prison followed by 5 years of post-release supervision for 2nd degree Robbery. On March 10, 2024, Lane confronted an Uber driver in Binghamton, Lane pulled the Uber driver from the vehicle and stole it, leading law enforcement on a high speed pursuit before being apprehended.

Broome County Sheriff's Office arrested 35 year old Jeffrey Lane of Rochester for allegedly stealing an Uber, fleeing police and fighting with officers. Deputies responded Sunday to a report of a vehicle theft in the Town of Dickinson, where Lane was in the parking lot of Helio Health waiting for EMS to arrive, he became impatient, struck an arriving Uber driver & and fled the scene in the stolen vehicle. Patrols located Lane in Binghamton, he had pulled to the side of the road, then sped off as the deputy approached the vehicle, Lane lost control, drove onto the sidewalk, exited the vehicle and attempted to flee on foot, he was apprehended after a brief struggle & was taken into custody. Lane was taken to Central Arraignment & was charged with Robbery, Grand Larceny, Reckless Endangerment, Criminal Possession of Stolen Property, Unlawful Fleeing a Police Officer in a Motor Vehicle & Resisting Arrest, more charges from other jurisdictions are pending.

Attorney General Barbara Underwood today announced an agreement with Uber to settle allegations it intentionally concealed a 2016 data breach in violation of state law. The settlement requires Uber to adopt a data breach notification and data security practices and a corporate integrity program for employees to report unethical behavior, and hire an independent third party to assess its data security practices. It also requires Uber to pay a record penalty of $148 million. The agreement followed a 2016 breach where hackers informed Uber that they had downloaded the personal information of 25 million riders and 7.7 million driver in the U.S., Uber ultimately paid the hackers $100,000 to conceal the breach.

Governor Cuomo signed a bill Thursday, which prohibits low-level sex offenders from becoming drivers for ride-hailing companies Uber and Lyft. The state's law allowing ride-sharing took effect Thursday, it initially blocked Level 2 and 3 sex offenders from driving for the companies, which allow passengers to summon drivers using smartphone apps. Earlier this month, the state legislature voted to expand the law to also block Level 1 Sex Offenders.

Ride Sharing services began in New York State today, after Uber & Lyft paid to begin operating in the state. The ride sharing services were only allowed in New York City, until legislation was passed this year, allowing for it to expand into all 62 New York Counties. An app must be downloaded in order to order a ride, which will be available anywhere in the state where drivers have signed up to participate.

Ridesharing companies like Uber and Lyft will be able to start offering rides statewide beginning on June 29, in time for the 4th of July Holiday. The State Senate legislature passed a bill this year to allow for ride-sharing in the Upstate communities, but it did not allow it to start until July 9th. The new bill allows for ridesharing to begin in time for the possible Lucrative July 4th holiday.

State Lawmakers will return to work in Albany on June 5th, with many bills to be considered before the end of this year's session in Late June. Lawmakers will consider a bill to raise the age of marriage from 14 to 17; also, Governor Cuomo is expected to sign a measure to allow for the start of Ride Sharing services like Uber & Lyft to start in late June, rather than on July 9th.

State Senator Jim Seward announced that he has signed on as the co-prime sponsor of legislation to fast track the start of ridesharing services in New York State. The bill would allow transportation network companies to begin operating in time for the Fourth of July holiday weekend. Ridesharing regulations were included in the recently adopted state budget, but the law allowed Uber & Lyft to begin operating on July 9th. The new legislation would allow ride sharing to start on June 29th.

Free college tuition or tuition assistance, upstate expansions for Uber & Lyft ride sharing services & juvenile justice reforms are among some of this year’s top issues as lawmakers negotiate the state budget, with the deadline fast approaching, Assemblyman Pete Lopez comments:

(Lopez 3-28-17)

Lopez said that there were 3 different sets of numbers for state aid to school districts from the Governor, the assembly & the state senate, for the education portion of the budget, with is one of the largest portions of the state budget each year.

The State Senate & State Assembly passed their budget resolutions this week, paving the way for the conference committees to begin negotiating the differences in the 2 plans next week. Both budget plans call for increases tuition assistance for college students and increasing aid to public school districts and tackling the state's aging water infrastructure issues. Other issues include stopping the practice of prosecuting 16 & 17 year olds as adults in criminal cases, and allowing for Uber & Lyft to begin serving upstate counties.

Talks are continuing in Albany among lawmakers to Expand access to ridesharing services like Lyft & Uber into the upstate counties. A number of ridesharing companies have successfully operated in New York City over the last several years; a bill is expected to make it to Governor Cuomo’s desk this year.

Governor Cuomo's office and state lawmakers are discussing a plan to authorize Uber, Lyft & other ride-sharing services statewide as part of current negotiations, which may lead to a special session of the legislature being called back to Albany befroe the end of the year. State lawmakers have been lobbying for a pay raise for teh first time in 17 years, while the Governor has been lobbying for more stringent ethics reforms to be passed. Uber & Lyft have been allowed to operate in New York City under the same rules & taxis & limosines, they would not have to operate under those rules in other locations around the state.

At Last Weeks' Regional economic Development Council awards Ceremony, Governor Cuomo reversed course & state that he may now be in favor of allowing ride sharing services Like Uber & Lyft into the upstate small cities. The reversal follows the report that Buffalo is the only site for an NFL Football team, without the ability for fans to get to the game using Uber or Lyft, and that 40,000 New Yorkers recently tried to use the Uber app on their smart phone, only to find out that the service was still not available. The topic may come up in a special session that may be called for the Legislature before the end of the year.

Upstate Lawmakers are encouraging residents to sign an online petition to allow Uber, Lyft & other ride sharing services to be allowed in the upstate towns & cities. So far, over 350,000 upstate residents have downloaded the Uber app on their phone, People who want to sign the petition can go to action.uber.org/ny, or use the hashtag #NYNeedsUber on social media.

State Police arrested 20-year-old Juan Carlos of the Bronx for speeding in the town of Kirkwood and eventually crashing in man in the town of Colesville Saturday. State Police said that Carlos was driving an Uber vehicle as the Uber driver; 43-year-old Corey Robinson of Philadelphia took a nap. Troopers found the vehicle crashed into a guide rail on Sanitaria Springs Road in the town of Colesville. Carlos was charged with unlawfully fleeing a police officer in a motor vehicle, driving without a license and several other traffic violations, Robinson was not charged, both men were treated for minor injuries sustained in the crash.