WCDO Radio News

State Police arrested 45-year-old Michael Clark of Port Crane for criminal sexual act. On April 29, Troopers received a report of child abuse from the Broome County Child Protective Service, Clark is accused of sexually abused his 4 children in 2011, they were less then 11 years old. Clark was being held in the Gowanda Correctional Facility on an unrelated charge, he was arraigned at the Town of Fenton court and then remanded back to his correctional facility, pending future court action.

Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 63-year-old Patricia Carlson of Oneonta following a Motor Vehicle Accident, for aggravated driving with a blood alcohol content of .18% or greater. Lab tests confirmed Carlson's BAC to be .32%, 4 times the legal limit. Carlson was arraigned at Delhi Town court and was released on her own recognizance.

State Parole Officers & Broome County Sheriff’s department arrested 5 people on various drug & weapons charges Thursday at the Econo Lodge in the town of Dickinson. Arrested were 38 year old Terrance Brown of Dickinson., 27 year old Patrese Reid of Brooklyn, 24 year old Lauren Steckler of Binghamton, 23 year odl Breeanna Ortiz of Afton & 25 year old Gabrielle Bohn-Blodgett of Binghamton. Authorites seized heroin, marijuana, hypodermic needles, heroin packaging materials, scales and s stolen Pennsylvania State Police handgun. All fcee court action at a later date.

The Chenango Arts Council presents " Cocktail Hour: The Show" at the Martin W. Kappel Theater at 27 West Main Street, Norwich Saturday night. Chenango Arts Council Executive Director Diane Batson Smith comments:

(Diane Batson Smith 12-4-15)

The show will start at 7:00 PM Tickets are available at chenangoarts.org, or at the Box Office at 336-ARTS.

The "I Am Dreaming of a Cancer-Free Christmas" Holiday Bazaar will be held on December 5th at the Sidney American legion. Organizer Amanda Bunzey explains:

(Amanda Bunzey 12-4-15)

Bunzey said that last year they raised $4000, this year's event would run from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM, the event is sponsored by the NBT Bank, NBT-Mang Insurance Relay For Life team.

The 2015 Afton Village Christmas Parade Saturday, December 5th, @ 5:30pm (line-up for parade is in the parking lot by bus garage on Court Street @ 5:00pm sharp) anyone is welcome to participate in parade.

The Unadilla Rotary will host the "Come to Unadilla" event Saturday, which includes Breakfast at the Unadilla Methodist Church, "A Charlie Brown Christmas" at the Library, a Local business Scavenger Hunt, Horse and wagon rides, Musical entertainment, Santa & Mrs. Claus at the Community Center from 3:00 to 4:00 pm.

Chenango Memorial Hospital's Auxiliary will again host Breakfast with Santa tomorrow from 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM in the hospital's cafeteria. The morning includes a full breakfast buffet and free photo with Santa, courtesy of NBT bank. Proceeds from Breakfast with Santa go to the UHS Chenango Memorial Hospital Auxiliary to help support hospital services, facilities and programs.

O'Connor Hospital will host its 17th Annual Holiday Parade and Open House on Saturday at 11:00 AM, it will begin at SUNY Delhi at 2 Main Street finish behind the Senator Charles D. Cook county office building at 111 Main Street. Following the parade the community is invited to O'Connor Hospital for free refreshments in the hospital café. More information is available at 746-0591.

The next free Chenango County rabies clinic will be held tomorrow at the city of Norwich Fire Station. The clinic will run from 9:30 to 11:00 AM.

The Sidney Chamber Of Commerce will hold their annual Jolly Holly days Christmas Parade Friday night. Chamber Spokesperson Kerri Green comments:

(Kerri Green 12-2-15)

Green said that awards & cash prizes would be awarded after the parade.

The Toys for Tots Train will be in Bainbridge Saturday. Bainbridge Chamber Of Commerce President John Payne Comments:

(John Payne 12-4-15)

Donations for Toys for Tots will be accepted at that time, The Train will leave at about 12:40, it will then arrive in Oneonta at about 1:30.

Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul toured the flood-damaged areas of the village of Sidney today with village officials, regarding the plans for the River street area residents and the area itself. Hochul commented about the tour to WCDO News:

(Kathy Hochul 12-2-15)

Mayor Andy Matviak said that it is important for high-level state officials to see where they are at with their plans and maybe get the process moving along at a quicker pace:

(Andy Matviak 12-2-15)

Matviak said that they are still working with FEMA, and they have also spoke individually with most of the homeowners in the River Street area about buy-outs, elevations and the possible development in the Plankenhorn Road area.

Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul visited Norwich this afternoon following the tour of Sidney; she met with Business Leaders at Commerce Chenango, toured the Business district, convened a Women’s Roundtable at the Artist's Pallet, & toured the Northeast Classic Car Museum.

Governor Cuomo today announced that during the past year, 43 new farm breweries have opened their doors in New York State, bringing the state's total number of operational farm breweries to 106. Additionally, the Governor's Farm Brewery law, which created a new license for craft brewers that use New York grown ingredients and included an exemption on brand label registration fees for small brewers, has saved brewers nearly $1 million to date. Aside from the 106 farm breweries, New York is now home to 133 micro-breweries, up from just 40 in 2011, and 39 restaurant breweries, up from 10 in 2011. Additionally, eight farm breweries have opened off-site branch stores, a practice which was also authorized under the Governor's law.

Governor Cuomo announced a 60% decrease in alcohol-related traffic fatalities since Governor Mario Cuomo raised New York State's drinking age to 21 exactly 30 years ago. According to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, youth who drink alcohol are more likely to experience alcohol-related car crashes and other unintentional injuries; school, social, legal, and physical problems; abuse of other drugs; and death from alcohol poisoning.

The Trial of Former State Senate Majority leader Dean Skelos continues in a Manhattan Federal Courtroom. Skelos is accused of using his political influence to get his son Adam No-Show jobs with politically connected firms in exchange for political favors. Skelos's trial follows the recent conviction of former deputy Majority leader Tom Libous of Binghamton and former Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver on similar corruption charges.

Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul visits Sidney & Norwich today. Hochul will meet with Local Officials and will Tour Sidney Green Plains site, in Norwich, Hochul will convene a Roundtable with Business Leaders at Commerce Chenango this afternoon, she will then tour downtown Norwich, convene a Women’s Roundtable to Discuss Governor Cuomo’s Initiatives at the Artists Pallet, & she will tour the Northeast Classic Car Museum.

Oneonta Police & State Police arrested 27-year-old Jason Cousins from Unadilla for Burglary, Attempted Robbery, Criminal Possession of a Weapon, Assault, Criminal Possession of Stolen Property & Menacing, following a home invasion in Oneonta. Cousins is accused of displaying a stolen handgun, taking property & striking & injuring 1 of the victims. Cousins fled the scene and was apprehended and taken into custody, the investigation is continuing.

State police announced that they would host a community-policing meeting on Wednesday December 2nd at the Stamford Fire Department from 7:00 to 9:00 PM. Police will discuss law enforcement operations, & the mission priorities of the state police, the school liaison program, traffic safety plus community & police interaction. There will be a question & answer period.

Otsego County Chamber of Commerce hosts the NBT Bank Holiday Open House today from 5:00 TO 7:00 pm at NBT Bank’s Wall Street Oneonta Branch location.

The Sidney Chamber of Commerce monthly meeting is schedule for this morning at 7:30 AM. The meeting will be held at the Sidney County Club.

Broome County native David Sweat pleaded guilty to charges brought against him after he escaped from the Clinton County prison in Dannemora earlier this year. Sweat pleaded guilty to 2 counts of escape and 1 count of promoting prison contraband, for the June jail break with Richard Matt, Sweat was on the run for 22 days until he was found near the Canadian border. He was shot & injured by a state trooper 2 days after Matt was shot & killed by police. Sweat is now serving his time at Five Points Correctional Facility in Romulus, he was previously sent to jail for the murder of Broome County Sheriff's deputy Kevin Tarsia in 2002.

Unadilla’s ‘The Village Green” Group, in partnership with Unadilla 1st United Methodist Church, has scheduled a Community Workday & Tree Planting Ceremony Saturday, from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm at the United Methodist Church and Parsonage, on Main St in Unadilla. The Workday will wrap up with a Fruit Tree Planting Ceremony to be held at 2:00 pm; Lunch, snacks and hot drinks will be provided.

A fundraiser for the Delaware Valley Humane Society will be held this Sunday at the Houndstooth Bakery & Boutique on Main Street in Sidney, where area pet owners can have pictures of their pets professionally taken for the holidays. The event will run from 10:00 until 2:00 PM, more information is available at 563-7780 or 563-2275.

The American Red Cross continues to look for all types of blood for donation, with another blood drive in Oxford tomorrow. Those interested in donating can download the free Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767). Donors can now use the Blood Donor App to access their donor card and view vital signs from previous donations. The Oxford blood drive will be Saturday from 7:30 AM to 12:30 PM at the American Legion Post 376, at 17 South Washington Street.

Delaware County Sheriff's Deputies are investigating a residential burglary at 4040 County Highway 16 in West Delhi between approximately 8:30 and 11:45 pm Wednesday night. The homeowner reported the theft of a television, a DVD player, a laptop, coins and jewelry. Deputies are asking anyone with information to call 832-5555.

Bassett Healthcare Network has moved its Edmeston practice, known as the Dr. William Streck Health Center, to Pathfinder Village. An Open House will be held today, from 4:00 to 6:00 PM, the new health center is located just east of Pathfinder Village on a new access road, Turner Lane, at State Route 80. The new 3,800 square foot Streck Health Center has 4 exam rooms,

The Bainbridge-Guilford Board of Education will hold a public forum on December 1st at 5:30 PM in the District Conference room to discuss the current Superintendent Search. Alan Pole, who is an Education Consultant, will be leading the discussion. More information is available at 967-6321.

The results are in for key races from yesterday’s elections: in the 52nd State Senate race, Republican Fred Akshar defeats Democrat Barbara Fiala. For Delaware County Family Court Judge, Gary Rosa defeats Porter Kirkwood. In the Chenango County District Attorney’s race, Joseph McBride wins reelection over Zachary Wentworth. For Town of Franklin Supervisor Jeffery Taggart is re-elected, in the Town of Harpersfield Supervisor, Jim Eisel is re-elected, in the Town of Guilford the Supervisor will be George Seneck, in the Town of Oxford, Supervisor Lawrence Wilcox is re-elected, & for the Sidney Town Board, the 2 seats will go to Republicans Eric Wilson & Jeannette Hinckley over Loddie Marsh & incumbent Bill Heath.

Governor Cuomo announced the beginning of a new, statewide cooperative effort to crack down on illegal credit/debit card skimmers at gas pumps across New York, seeking to end criminals’ ability to empty the bank accounts of their victims. With card data theft incidents on the rise across the country, the State Department of Agriculture and Markets’ Weights and Measures Bureau is conducting New York’s first-ever training and sweep of gas station dispensers across the state to proactively protect consumers and gas station owners. Agriculture and Markets staffers will train county weights and measures officials to spot skimming devices in their communities.

Governor Cuomo announced that during the first 10 months of 2015, New York State recouped and returned $25.1 million to approximately 22,600 workers who originally were not paid the proper minimum wage, overtime pay or fringe benefits. This amount puts the state on pace to exceed the record $30.2 million disbursed to 27,000 workers in 2014. The State Department of Labor announced that more than 80% of all investigations are now completed within 6 months, in the Southern Tier region, $209,000 was returned to 293 workers.

Assemblyman Cliff Crouch stated today that the Kraft manufacturing plant in Walton under review for closure needs to stay open. Crouch said that there are 150 local jobs as well as a methane digester project being pursued by the Village of Walton at stake. The methane digester project is being pursued through the Regional economic Development Council as a cost-saving measure for Kraft & as well as the Walton school district, to save on heating costs paid by area taxpayers. Crouch joins Governor Cuomo & U.S. Senator Schumer in trying to get Kraft Heinz from closing the Walton plant, and 2 others in the state, following a merger of the 2 food industry giants.

State Police arrested 26-year-old Scott Losee of Sherburne for 3rd degree assault, criminal mischief and unlawful imprisonment, after troopers responded to a domestic dispute that occurred on November 2 in Sherburne. Losee allegedly assaulted his girlfriend causing an injury to her face. He also smashed her cell phone and kept her from leaving the home. Losee was arraigned in the Town of Sherburne court and was released without bail required. His next court date in the Town of Sherburne is on November 18, 2015. The court issued an order of protection against Losee.

New York Farm Bureau has come out with its annual “Circle of Friends,” naming 158 State Legislators to their annual list. The award is an indication of the individual lawmaker’s support of New York agriculture and the Farm Bureau, based upon each legislator’s voting record on issues of agricultural importance. The “Circle of Friends” local recipients for 2015 are State Senators John Bonacic & Jim Seward & Assembly members Cliff Crouch, Gary Finch, Pete Lopez, Donna Lupardo & Bill Magee.

State Senator Jim Seward will be in Worcester Thursday at the I-88 rest stop. Officials from the State DOT will join Seward and other local leaders to officially reopen the fully rehabilitated I-88 rest stop closed in 2010 due to budget constraints. Officials will also provide an update on work to reopen the I-88 rest stop in Wells Bridge.

The New York State Office of General Services today announced that the surplus vehicle, highway equipment, and miscellaneous property auctions scheduled for Friday, November 12 in Unadilla was cancelled and will not be rescheduled. A listing of other New York State auctions to be held throughout the state can be found at nysstore.com. Specific items and terms of sale are available at ogs.ny.gov.

State Police arrested 30-year-old Todd Hamilton of Unadilla for menacing, criminal possession of a weapon and criminal possession of a controlled substance, 35-year-old Nathan Diamond of Unadilla and 33-year-old Jodi Babcock of Sidney for criminal possession of a controlled substance on Thursday. Troopers responded to report of a two men fighting in a car in Preston. Hamilton was driving, he allegedly tried to stab Diamond with a knife, and Babcock called 911. The 3 were found to be in possession of heroin, they were arraigned in Town of Oxford court and were remanded to the Chenango County jail on bail pending court action Tuesday.

State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli announced that Tax collections of $38.2 billion through the first half of the fiscal year were $675.6 million higher than the latest projections largely due to strong personal income tax receipts. The General Fund ended the first half of the year with a balance 33% higher than the year earlier, largely because of legal settlement dollars. Tax receipts through the first six months were 11.7% higher than the same period last year, and collections in September were 16.2% higher than a year earlier.

State Senator Jim Seward will be in Oneonta this afternoon, at City Hall he will be joined by City of Oneonta Mayor Gary Herzig, Acting City Manager Meg Hungerford, and other city officials. Seward will discuss his mandate relief legislation that would provide state aid to Oneonta and other SUNY-host municipalities.

State Police and the Broome County Sheriff’s Department arrested 2 people Friday, after a string of convenient store armed robberies. State Police arrested 24 year old Ruslan Opatskyy of Binghamton & 21 year old Cathrine Boyea-Kaninsky of Port Crane for 2nd degree Robbery 2nd. Both are accused of committing the October 20th armed robbery of the Kwik Fill Gas Station in Port Crane, they were arraigned in the Town of Fenton court and held without bail at the Broome County jail. The investigation is continuing and additional charges are pending.

State Police arrested 19-year-old Daniel Dumond of Milford for DWI & unauthorized use of a vehicle. The arrest occurred after troopers responded to a single car accident on Upper Dutch Hill Road in the Town of Milford. Dumond was driving while intoxicated when he rolled the vehicle, he was driving the 2004 Pontiac Grand Am without permission from the owner. Dumond was issued tickets returnable to the Town of Milford court on November 3rd.

The Delaware County Sheriff's Office and State Police arrested 32-year-old Erin Harrington of Unadilla, on charges of forgery & petty larceny. Harrington is accused of stealing money from the Sidney Youth Football Program following a recent fundraising event. Harrington is further accused of then trying to cover up her theft by creating a fictitious document purporting to be from the Sheriff's Office to try to convince officials that the money had been stolen from the Harrington residence during a burglary that did not happen. Harrington was also issued traffic tickets charging her with operating an uninsured motor vehicle with a suspended registration. Harrington was and released on recognizance pending a future appearance in the Town of Sidney Court.

The Delaware County Sheriff’s Office graduated 6 new officers professionally trained in equine mounted patrol activities. The mounted patrol was re-established in 2012,it is made up of a team of officers from various law enforcement agencies throughout the County. the horses will be used for searches in Delaware County where much of the county is not accessible by conventional methods.

Pathfinder Village of Edmeston, announced that a Donor & press event for the new $1.2 million Dr. William Streck Community Health Center would be held on Friday November 6th from 4:00 to 6:00 PM. The new 3,800 sq. ft. Streck Health Center is just east of Pathfinder Village, off of NYS Route 80, Pathfinder Village will lease the new facility to Bassett Healthcare Network, which will oversee medical operations. The new health center replaces an older, smaller clinic in Edmeston, and is expected to offer expanded access to healthcare services to area residents.

At about 12:45 this afternoon, the DCMO BOCES Harrold Campus in Masonville, was evacuated, after a note was found indicating a threat to the building. The School Resource Officer and the building principal contacted local law enforcement officials, who responded immediately. Students and staff were moved to the lower yard, where they remained until either their district transportation arrived. The building was declared safe for re-entry at 2:03 p.m.   The investigation is continuing.

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

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

On Sunday afternoon, Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 63-year-old Patricia Carlson of Delhi for felony DWI, & felony aggravated unlicensed operation, following an investigation of a 1-car motor vehicle accident on Archie Elliot Road in the Town of Meredith. Carlson was additionally charged with unlicensed operator, operating a motor vehicle with an open container of an alcoholic beverage & failure to keep right, she was arraigned in Delhi Town Court and was remanded to the Delaware County Jail on $1000 bail.

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

Camp Hope Veterans Outreach announced a Launch party Fundraiser on Sunday October 18th, at the Unadilla Community Field, from 12:00 Noon to 4:00 PM. The organization seeks to build a facility in Sidney, where dogs will be trained to assist veterans suffering from Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. More information is available camp hope veterans.org. or at the Camp Hope veteran Outreach Facebook page.

Fire fighters from 3 area departments responded to the report of a Structure fire at 1133 Webb Hill Road in the town of Davenport. The fire was reported at about 10:50 this morning, WCDO News will have more details as they become available.

Oneonta Police arrested 47-year-old John Nack of Oneonta on felony drug charges. Nack was charged with criminal sale of a controlled substance and criminal possession of a controlled substance, for illegally possessing & selling heroin in August. Nack was arrested at the Otsego County jail where he was being held on other charges, he was arraigned in County Court and sent back to the County jail, pending later court appearances.

Early Saturday morning, Binghamton Police responded to a 911 call of gunshots near f Gerard Avenue & Murray Street. officers found a 20 year old male lying in the roadway with a gunshot wound to the chest, he was taken to an area hospital and was listed in critical condition over the weekend. Binghamton Police charged 26 year old Walter Andino Jr. of Binghamton for attempted Murder, he was arraigned in City Court and remanded to the Broome County Jail, the . investigation is continuing and the Binghamton Police encourage anyone with information to call the Detective Bureau at 772-7080.

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

Chenango County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 24-year-old Anthony Leggiere of Oxford for driving while intoxicated following an investigation into a rollover motor vehicle accident on September 27th on County Road 10 in the Town of Preston. Leggiere was brought to the Chenango County Sheriff’s Office for processing and released on appearance tickets to a sober third party. Leggiere has a later date in the Town of Preston Court.

The Sidney Police Department is investigating a motor vehicle accident in the early morning hours of October 4th on Grand Street Extension. A garbage dumpster was flipped up on its side and a utility pole next to the dumpster was almost severed in half. An eyewitness reported that a white female operating a black SUV had struck the dumpster and utility pole after leaving the village parking lot. The Sidney Police Department is asking for the public's help in identifying the person and vehicle involved in this accident. The vehicle should have extensive damage to its front end. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Sidney Police Department

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

The Delaware County Department of Economic Development will hold three public meetings to discuss the proposed “Bed Tax” for Delaware County in the lodging and accommodating businesses. The public meetings will be held in Delhi today, in Margaretville on October 7th and Hancock on October 12th. All meeting will be at the town halls and will begin at 6:00 PM. More information is available at 746-8595.

Governor Cuomo today announced that 8,132 dangerous drivers have been kept off the road during the last three years as result of tough regulations implemented in 2012. Since the measures went into effect three years ago, the DMV has permanently denied licenses to: 1,792 people for accumulating 5 or more alcohol or drug-related driving convictions in their lifetime. 2,515 people for having three or four alcohol or drug-related driving convictions in the last 25 years, plus at least one other serious driving offense during that period. The DMV has denied licenses to 3,825 drivers for an additional five years after revocation due to three or four alcohol or drug-related convictions but no serious driving offense in the last 25 years.

State Police arrested 18 Year old Austin Clifford of Shrub Oak for criminal possession of a controlled substance, & unlawful possession of marihuana. The arrest occurred after a traffic stop after Clifford was observed driving at 81 miles an hour on State Route 17 in the Town of Deposit, the trooper could smell marihuana inside vehicle. A search of the vehicle found that Clifford unlawfully possessed marihuana wax and almost 20 grams of marihuana. Clifford was issued tickets returnable to the Town of Deposit Court on October 12th.

The Oneonta department of public service announced that they will be flushing water mains on the low service in the west end of the city. The affected areas will be along Chestnut streets and all other streets west of Clinton Street, included the city operated system into the Town of Oneonta. Water color & pressure may be affected during the flushing period, which will run for 2 weeks starting today.

Governor Cuomo launched the Common Core Task Force from a group of education officials, teachers, parents, and state representatives, to review & recommend the overhaul the Common Core system. The

(Cuomo 9-29-15)

Task Force will complete its review and deliver its final recommendations by the end of this year.

About 150 Sidney Village Residents attended last weeks meeting with village officials regarding plans to move people out of the River Street flood prone area, or to elevate their homes. Mayor Andy Matviak explains:

(Andy Matviak 9-29-15)

Those who would like to set up a meeting with village officials about their options can call 561-2324.

Emergency Crews from Unadilla responded this morning to a 1-vehicle rollover accident. The accident occurred East of exit 11 in the eastbound lane of I-88, officials said that it was only a property damage accident, with no injuries reported. Traffic was slowed through the area for the clean up & investigation.

Oneonta Police responded to the Town House Motor Inn Monday following the report of a disturbance. Police said that an infant suffered serious injuries, they arrested 29-year-old Heather Wright of Oneonta for 2nd degree assault, & endangering the welfare of a child, as the baby suffered injuries between Wright & 1 other person, Wright was being held pending arraignment in the City of Oneonta Court.

The Delaware County Department of Economic Development will hold 3 public meetings to discuss the proposed “Bed Tax” for Delaware County in the lodging and accommodating businesses. The public meetings will be held in Delhi on October 5th, Margaretville on October 7th and Hancock on October 7th at 6:00 PM in each town hall. People who cannot attend this meeting, but have questions, or comments, can contact the Director of Economic Development, Glenn Nealis, at Delaware County Economic Development, 1 Courthouse Square, Delhi, or glenn.nealis@co.delaware.ny.us,

State Police arrested 36-year-old Rose Gibson of Herkimer for 2nd degree burglary & false personation. The arrest occurred after troopers responded to a report of a suspicious woman inside a home on Lake Street in the Town of Cooperstown; Gibson is accused of entering the unoccupied home without permission, consuming an alcoholic drink then sleeping on the sofa. After being discovered by a worker she then walked away, when troopers located her, she gave a false name and date of birth. Gibson was arraigned and was remanded to the Otsego County Jail on $2,500 cash bail or $5,000 bond.

The State Attorney General's office will be doing a presentation on "Senior Scams" On Wednesday, October 14, 2015 at 2:00 PM at St. James Manor, in Oneonta. This event is open to the public, RSVP are requested by emailing shelly@otsegocc.com or by calling 432-4500 extension 207.

Cornell Cooperative Extension would like to invite members of the public to participate in a GET SET Energy Efficiency Workshop on Tuesday, October 6th from 6:00-7:30 pm at Cornell Cooperative Extension 34570 State Hwy 10, Hamden, Registration, or more information is available at 875-6531. More information about Cornell Cooperative Extension of Delaware County's is available at 865-6531 or ccedelaware.org.

On Friday night, State Police responded to fatal motor vehicle collision, on State Route 12, in the Town of Norwich. 77 year old Robert Gibbs exited his residence and entered the roadway, into the path of a northbound vehicle, he was pronounced deceased at the scene. The operator of the vehicle was not ticketed. The investigation is continuing.

State Senator Jim Seward announced he would not be entering the race for U.S. House of Representatives in the 19th congressional district in 2016. Seward said that his standing as a senior member of the State senate majority enables him to better serve his home district.

United Way of Delaware and Otsego Counties will begin its 2015 campaign at a Kick-Off Breakfast at the Otesaga in Cooperstown at 8:30 AM. The United Way will present the 2015 Alan Donovan award to a nominee who has demonstrated dedication to the community and made a significant impact on the quality of life. More information is available at 432-8006.

The next GO-EDC meeting will be today at 4:00 PM in the conference room at the Oneonta Hampton Inn. The Topic of discussion will include growing the city of Oneonta’s revenue.

SIdney Village officials announced that East Main Street from the Moose Lodge to Orchard Street, will be closed through 2:00 trhis afternoon. Officials said that NYSEG is installing a new utiily pole.

Delaware County Sheriff's Deputies arrested 20-year-old Brandon Lewis of Walton for various sex offenses. Deputies charged Lewis with 3 counts each of 2nd degree Rape, Criminal Sexual Acts & Sexual Misconduct. Lewis is accused of engaging in sexual acts with 2 victims less than 17 years old, on a number of occasions in Walton since last December. Lewis was arraigned & was remanded to the Delaware County Jail on $20,000 cash bail pending further court action.

Delaware County officials will hold 2 events on September 21st to discuss the growing problem of suicides in the county. Suicide Prevention Network Chairperson Rene Stratton explains;

(Renee Stratton 9-14-15)

Stratton said that Delaware County has a suicide rate of 17.2 per 100,000, which is above the state average.

Trooper Donald Atkinson was issued a certificate of appreciation by Colonel Edward Chamberlayne, of the US Army Corps of Engineers, for his heroic efforts on July 15th at the Whitney Point reservoir. The certificate was in recognition of action taken by Trooper Atkinson who rescued a 14-year-old girl who was trapped in the strong current as she swam by the intake to the Whitney Point Reservoir.

The Oneonta Department of Public Service will continue flushing water mains on the low service through September 25th. Officials said that the flushing includes everything East of Otsego Street, to East End Avenue, and the to end of the city water distribution center just before Fox Care. Water users in those areas may experience a change in water color or pressure; more information is available at 432-2100.

The Unadilla Rotary Club will host their 6th annual Autumn Fest this Saturday, spokesperson Zoë Vander Muelen explains:

(Zoë Vander Muelen 9-15-15)

complete details of the events at Unadilla Autumn Fest are available at Unadilla rotary .org or on the Unadilla rotary Facebook page.

Governor Cuomo today announced that emergency regulations have been adopted by the State Department of Health to prevent the spread of Legionella bacteria and protect New Yorkers from future outbreaks of Legionnaires’ disease. The regulations take effect immediately. The Governor announced that the Department of Health has launched a general tip line; 1-888-769-7243, to respond to questions or inquiries regarding the regulations from members of the public, as well as engineers, technologists and technicians. These emergency regulations are in effect for 90 days, at which point they will be adopted into permanent regulations, the regulations can be amended before they become permanent.

Governor Cuomo today announced the creation of “NY Responds” to strengthen the State’s emergency preparedness. Every county will have access to universal emergency management software, at no cost to localities, to enable both local governments and state agencies to submit and share vital disaster-related information, from incident reports and resource requests to real-time tracking of assets and weather conditions. The state is supplementing its stockpile of emergency response resources with an additional $50 million worth of equipment in advance of the winter storm season.

Governor Cuomo signed legislation to protect children across New York State from exposure to second-hand smoke. The bill prohibits individuals from smoking near schools while after-school programs are in operation. This bill expands the ban on smoking within 100 feet of the entrances, exits or outdoor areas of public and private schools to prohibit smoking during after-school programs. The ban would be in effect only during those hours in which the after-school programs are in session. Residences or residential property within the 100 foot perimeter would be excluded from the new ban.

On Saturday, Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 41 year old Christopher Ross of Franklin, for Driving While Intoxicated, operating an ATV on a public roadway, operating without a helmet, and speed not reasonable and imprudent. This arrest was a result of a motor vehicle accident on Clark Road in the Town of Masonville. Ross was later released on tickets returnable in the Masonville Town Court at a later date.

The Unadilla Rotary Club is presenting the 6th annual Unadilla Autumn Fest on Saturday, September 19th from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm on the Unadilla Community Field. Those who are interested in being a vendor will be able to get 10’ x 10’ stalls for $25 and local farmers and crafters can contact zoe@unadillarotary.org for an application or more details. Autumn Fest 2015 will include activities for kids; Animal Encounters by Animal Adventures, more information is available at unadillarotary.org or the Unadilla Rotary Facebook Page.

Tickets are now on sale for the musical comedy "42nd STREET" at the Forum Theatre Tuesday, October 6 and Wednesday, October 7. Tina Niles of NAC Entertainment comments:

(Tina Niles 8-18-15)

Tickets for 42nd Street are on sale at the Arena Box Office and Ticketmaster. Season Tickets are still on sale at BroadwayinBinghamton.com or by calling The Broadway Theatre League at 772-1391.

The Bainbridge-Guilford Central School will hold a SPECIAL Board of Education Meeting today in the District Conference Room at 5:30 PM. It is anticipated that the Board will move into Executive Session to discuss a particular personnel issue.

Sidney Village Superintendent of Public Works Mike Mercurio announced today that work would begin at 8:30 tomorrow morning on the traffic light at the intersection of Main & River Street in downtown Sidney. Mercurio told WCDO News that the 1962 state installed light stopped working on March 11th, and parts were no longer available.

The Norwich Fire Department reported that Route 12 just south of the City was completely shut down due to a hazard chemical spill earlier this afternoon. The highway had to be closed for several hours for the investigation & clean up; Businesses in area of Price Chopper Plaza have not been accessible since the spill. More details will be released as soon as possible.

Wednesday is Day 3 of the Delaware County Fair; it will be Kids Day according to Fair Spokesman John Jackson:

(John Jackson Wednesday)

The Fair runs through Saturday night at the Fairgrounds in Walton, concluding with the country music concert headlined by Parmalee & Jana Kramer. Daily Schedules are available at DelawareCountyFair.org.

U.S. Senator Charles Schumer has been allotted a single ticket to the Joint Meeting of Congress with Pope Francis on September 24th in Washington, DC. Those interested must sign up by August 26th and enter the raffle for the chance to win either a pair of tickets to see the Pope in the Audience outside the Capitol or the single ticket to hear him speak before Congress. 1 Joint Session ticket winner and 100 winners of a pair of tickets to the Papal Audience will be notified on August 27th.

State Police in Deposit arrested 20-year-old Shawn Stamper of Johnson City, for Driving While Intoxicated, following a report of an accident with injuries on Chestnut Street in the Town of Windsor. Stamper was charged with DWI after he crashed into a guide rail and overturned, he was transported to Wilson Hospital with lacerations to his face, he was issued tickets for Town of Windsor Court on August 24th.

United Way of Delaware and Otsego Counties is seeking donations of kid friendly foods and children’s hygiene items for its 2015 Food and Hygiene Supply Drive. Susan Kurkowski of the United Way told WCDO News what items can be donated:

(Susan Kurkowski 8-19-15)

The drive will begin tomorrow and run through September 14th, when the United Way officially kicks-off their 2015 Campaign. All donations will be given to backpack programs and food pantries in both Delaware and Otsego Counties. United Way will be partnering with Opportunities for Otsego and Delaware Opportunities to get the supplies delivered. More information is available at 432-8006.

The annual Unadilla carnival of Sales event will be held tomorrow all over the village. Unadilla chamber Festival organizer Linda Bickos explains:

(Linda Bickos 7-10-15)

A Chinese Auction will be held to benefit local efforts to bring service dogs to veterans in need of help. A Unadilla area couple that has a service dog is looking to raise money to assist other vets; Joshua Palmer currently has a service dog “Hampton” his wife Kristina Palmer told WCDO News about their plans:

(Kristina Palmer 7-10-15)

The Chinese Auction drawing will begin at 4:00 PM behind the Unadilla library tomorrow.

The results of the Otsego County Conservation Association's "What's In Our Water?" program are in and, the overall quality of Otsego County's drinking water is very good, with a strong baseline of the water chemistry by which future contamination can be detected. The full will be unveiled and made available to the public at the Otsego Lakes Festival tomorrow at Lakefront Park in Cooperstown.

State Police have charged 22-year-old Ryan Webster of Morris with DWI, after a crash late Wednesday night on state route 20 in Edmeston. Webster was airlifted by LifeNet to Albany Medical Center with fractures and internal injuries, after his motorcycle went off the roadway, hit a fence and a tree, he was also ejected.

About 400 teams and thousands of spectators are expected to hit the streets of Downtown Norwich this weekend for the 20th annual Gus Macker 3 on 3-basketball tournament. The annual event is organized through the Norwich YMCA; full details are available at macker.com/local/norwich-ny.

The Chenango County Sheriff’s Office arrested 2 Town of Norwich residents for Neglect of an Impounded Animal. Charged were 53-year-old Keith Robinson and 64 year old Mary Randall, they are accused of keeping 4 dogs in crates for extreme lengths of time without cleaning the crates or having proper ventilation. Both will appear in the Town of Norwich Court at a later date.

The city of Oneonta Department of Public Service will be flushing hydrants starting Monday. The flushing will occur over a 3 to 4 day period, including the neighborhoods around West Street in the vicinity of both the State University & Hartwick College. Residents may experience low water pressure of discolored water temporarily; more information is available at 432-2100

Commencement exercises for area graduating high school seniors continues this weekend. Graduation ceremonies will begin locally at 10:00 AM for the Sidney, Delhi, Greene, Norwich, Walton & Harpursville seniors, at 10:30 for Gilbertsville Mount Upton Seniors, at 10:45 for Oneonta Seniors and 11:00 AM for Oxford academy graduates. Exercises continue Saturday afternoon at 2:00 PM for Unadilla valley Grads, & Saturday evening at 7:00 for the Bainbridge Guilford district. On Sunday Afternoon at 1:00 PM, Edmeston seniors will graduate.

The Broome County Sheriff's Office responded this morning to the report of a tractor trailer hauling baby formula rolling over on I-88. The accident occurred at about 7:10 this morning in the town of Dickinson, near the ramp to I-81 South; about 34,000 pounds of powdered baby formula was in the truck at the time. 50 year old Allen Boudreau of Vermont apparently went off the right shoulder of the road on a sharp curve, The trailer tipped over and skidded along the Barrier over I-81, it eventually flipped onto its side at the end of the bridge and went down over an embankment in the area of Nirchi’s Pizza on Front Street. Boudreau was taken to UHS Wilson Hospital in Johnson City for minor injuries, he was issued tickets for speed not reasonable and prudent and failure to maintain lane, more charges may be forthcoming.

State Police arrested 47 year old Keith Barlow of Fly Creek for Driving While Intoxicated. The arrest occurred after a traffic stop for driving with a broken tail light on State Route 28 in the Town of Otsego. Barlow’s arrest became a felony due to a prior conviction for DWI within the last 10 years. Barlow was arraigned in the Town of Hartwick Court and was remanded to the Otsego County Jail in lieu of $1,000 cash bail or $2,000 bond.

19th district Congressman Chris Gibson will be in Franklin today. The Congressman will appear at 5:30 PM for the Franklin Veterans Memorial flag presentation at the Village Park, Gibson will present a flag from the U.S. Capitol to be flown over the park in honor of local veterans. At 7:00 PM, Congressman Gibson will deliver the commencement address to Franklin High School graduating seniors, at the Franklin High School.

The Oneonta Common Council will have a special meeting at 6:00 PM Monday. The Council will consider approval of the applications for certain grants relating to the operating of the Oneonta Municipal Airport. The meeting will be held in the Common Council chambers at City Hall it will be open to the public.

Matthews Ford of Norwich announced that the 10th Annual Mustang Rally, which was scheduled for Saturday, has been rescheduled to Saturday August 29th at 6pm due to the inclement weather forecast.

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

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

The city of Oneonta announced that construction to install a new storm sewer system on East Street, between Spruce and Cedar Street, beginning on Wednesday. New concrete curbs will also be installed on East Street between Spruce and Mary Street/Hickey Street. During the project, through traffic on East will be diverted to Maple Street during the work hours only. On street parking will be prohibited during working hours as well. In August, city crews will engage in “Hot-In Place” recycling of the asphalt pavement on East Street between Center & Cedar Street, followed by chip sealing weeks later. More information is available at 432-6465.

Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 34 year old Dawn Mattice of Arkville, for Grand Larceny, for allegedly taking over $1000 from a home while employed as a home health care nurse. Mattice faces court action on July 21st.

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

Cornell Cooperative Extension of Delaware County will be sponsoring three farmers’ markets for the 2015 season in Sidney, Walton and Deposit. The Deposit Farmers Market will be located at the 1st United Methodist Church, 107 Second Street on August 20th & September 17th from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm. The Sidney Farmers Market will be at the Video Entertainment Plus parking lot, at 89 Main Street every Thursday between July 2nd & September 24th from 2:00 to 6:00 pm and at the Sidney Civic Center on July 28th, August 25th & September 22nd from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm. The Walton Farmers Market will be located at the Delaware Valley Hospital parking lot, on the 1st & 3rd Wednesdays from July 2 to October 15, from 10:00am-2:00pm

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

Voters in New York State approved of all area school budgets yesterday, with the exception of the Walton district. Building projects were approved in Sidney & Unadilla Valley, Walton voters rejected a building project proposal by a better than 3 to 1 margin. Kjersti Van Slyke-Briggs, Marissa Orezzoli, Nancy Parsons & Thomas Hoskins won school board seats in Sidney. School Board seats in the Bainbridge Guilford district were Tina Ammon, Keith Hanvey & Rebecca Sullivan, in the Norwich district, Jennifer Collins, Robert Smith & Joseph Stagliano in Franklin Jamie Archibald was elected to the school Board.

The Chenango county sheriff’s office arrested 24-year-old Brooke Snyder of Afton on a charge of 2nd degree burglary. Snyder & co-defendants are accused of unlawfully entering a Village of Afton residence and stealing an unspecified item, she was arraigned in the Town of Afton Court and was remanded to the Chenango County Jail on $5,000 cash; she will reappear in the Town of Afton Court at a later date.

State Police at Troop C in Sidney are investigating an accident on Interstate 88 between Sidney and in Unadilla at about 6:30 this morning. The highway is open in both directions; more details are expected to be released shortly.

The Chenango county sheriffs department arrested 18-year-old James Shurock of Sherburne on 11 counts of Petty Larceny. Shurock is accused of stealing 109 library books from the Sherburne-Earlville High School Library, he was released on an appearance ticket to the Village of Sherburne Court at a later date.

The Oneonta department of public Service announced that they plan to co0nnect the new Burnside Avenue water main to the existing water main On River street. The work will begin at 10:00 PM tonight, and crews will be working throughout the night. River Street will be closed to traffic between Wilcox & Mitchell; side streets may be used as detours. Officials said that about 40 customers would be without water, the trench across the street would be filled in & repaved tomorrow morning. Those with questions can call 432-6465.

The State Senate passed legislation that would make the state's property tax cap permanent. The legislation passed 4 years ago by Governor Cuomo & the legislature made the tax cap as only a temporary measure to cuts costs when the state was facing billions of dollars in deficits when Cuomo took office.

The B-G Central School District is seeking 2 Community members interested in serving on a Varsity Football Coach Selection Committee. The first meeting will be held tonight at 6:00 PM in the District Conference Room. Candidates will be interviewed next week, with the appointment by the BG School Board expected at their June 18th meeting. Interested community members should contact the District Office at 967-6321.

Rides, games & giveaways will all be part of the activities at General Clinton Park at this year's canoe regatta. Regatta Chairman John Harmon explains:

(Harmon 5-20-15)

Harmon said that the General Clinton Canoe regatta brings thousands to the region from Cooperstown to Bainbridge each year over the Memorial Day weekend.

Governor Cuomo issued an update on this weekend’s transformer fire at Indian Point Nuclear Power Plant in Westchester, as the DEC, State Police & US Coast Guard continuing working at the scene. The DEC and Coast Guard, continue to clean up oil spills, as they evaluate the environmental damage, the DEC anticipates having an estimate of the amount oil recovered from the Hudson River by the end of the week. Some oil burned during the transformer fire or dispersed before containment was in place in the river.

Delaware County Sheriff's Deputies investigated a two-car accident Saturday on County Highway 21 in the Town of Walton. 48-year-old Kathryn Smith of Franklin was northbound on County Highway 21 when she was side-swiped by a vehicle being driven by 51 year old William Davis of Franklin. Deputies charged Davis with Failure to Keep Right, DWI, & Refusal to Take a Breath Test. Davis was arraigned in the Town of Hamden Court and was remanded to the Delaware County Jail on $500 cash bail pending an appearance in the Walton Town Court on May 27th.

Delaware County Sheriff's Deputies arrested and charged a Sidney Center man with being a Fugitive from Justice from the State of New Jersey on Monday. Deputies arrested 33 year old Dennis Lafferty Jr., on a Warrant and Bail Forfeiture issued by a New Jersey Superior Court in March 2014. Lafferty was originally charged in New Jersey with Theft, Lafferty, was already incarcerated in the Delaware County Jail on an unrelated charge, he is scheduled to be arraigned in the Town of Delhi Court This morning as a Fugitive from Justice.

The Town of Unadilla will have rolling road closures beginning today at 7:00 AM, crews will be putting down oil & stone on Sheep Pen Road, Kilkenny Road & Rod & Gun Club Road.

The Chenango county Health Department will hold the next free rabies clinic in Bainbridge today. The clinic will be held from 5:30 to 6:30 at the Bainbridge village garage at 1 River Street, for dogs, cats & domesticated ferrets. More information is available at 337-1673 or co.Chenango.ny.us.

Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies & Delaware County Probation Officers arrested 33-year-old Randal Babcock of Sidney for a Violation of Probation & Criminally Possessing a Hypodermic Instrument. Officers found 3 hypodermic syringes in the residence; Babcock was arraigned in the Village of Sidney Court & was remanded to the Delaware County Jail without bail. Babcock was on probation from a previous DWI Conviction, he was also arrested by Deputies last October after he was charged by a Delaware County Grand Jury with Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance, Babcock was released from the Delaware County jail on $7,500 cash bail on October 20th and was awaiting trial on that charge.

State Police at Sidney arrested former Afton Resident 26-year-old Kody Proffitt of Palm Coast, Florida for 3rd degree Burglary. The arrest followed an incident early Thursday morning in the Town of Afton, when Proffitt allegedly forced his way into a residence on Cathy Lane. Proffitt was arraigned in the Town of Afton Court and remanded to the Chenango County Jail in lieu of $75,000 cash bail pending court action in the Town of Afton Court at a later date.

Federal Prosecutors have added more charges against former Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver Thursday, claiming that he illegally did favors for an investor; the indictment said Silver did not pay a fee to the adviser for access to the high-yield private instruments and did not disclose to the adviser the source of the funds. Silver has been free on bail since his arrest earlier this year, on charges that he exploited his power in Albany to collect $4 million in kickbacks, he resigned as Speaker but still hold his seat in the assembly representing his lower Manhattan district.

State Police at Deposit arrested 24-year-old Dylan Borne of Johnson City, for 2nd degree Burglary & Criminal Sexual Act. The arrest occurred after Troopers responded to a complaint in the Town of Windsor where Borne allegedly entered a residence without permission & committed a criminal sexual act. Borne was arraigned in the Town of Windsor Court and remanded to the Broome County Jail without bail.

The 2nd annual Youth for Christ 5K joker run will be held this weekend in Unadilla. Spokesperson Dorothy Davidson explained how the race was named as the "Joker" run:

(Dorothy Davidson 4-21-15)

Registration is from 8:30 to 10:00 AM Saturday at the Unadilla Elementary School, the race begins at 10:30, and goes from the school to the Youth For Christ Center at 16 Watson Street in Unadilla.

The Unadilla Chamber of Commerce has chosen Green's Long River Inn as the business of the Year, and Mike Knowlton as the "Good Neighbor" award winner. The Unadilla chamber dinner will be held on Sunday at the Unadilla Untied Methodist Church.

36 year old Corrine Simmons of Deposit appeared in Oneonta city court yesterday, to answer to charges relating to last Friday's bank robbery at the NBT Bank branch at 1 Wall Street in Oneonta. Simmons was arrested a short time later on Fonda Avenue; Oneonta police said that surveillance video in the bank and outside the bank help lead to the arrest. Simmons is being held on bail on a variety of charges in the Otsego county jail.

Delaware County Sheriffs Deputies arrested 45-year-old Ronald Conrow of Stamford for Aggravated Unlicensed Operation, alcohol related, using motor vehicle without ignition interlock device and uninspected motor vehicle. Conrow was also arrested for violation of probation. He was arraigned in Village of Delhi Court and sent to Delaware County Jail without bail to await further action of court. The owner of vehicle Conrow was operating 44 year old Pamela Pitcher of Delhi was charged with facilitating unlicensed operation and loaning a vehicle without ignition interlock device, she will appear in Village of Delhi Court at later date.

Congressman Chris Gibson announced the introduction of the Delaware River Basin Conservation Act, which seeks to protect the Delaware River watershed and strengthens the region’s outdoor economy. The bill creates a Delaware River Basin Restoration Program within the Fish and Wildlife Service, The legislation would require consultation between federal and state agencies and local governments and groups to develop a basin-wide conservation strategy that is science-based, cost-effective, and includes flood mitigation projects & public access and recreation. Congressman Gibson is one of 14 co-sponsors of the

Governor Cuomo announced the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance stopped 252,000 bogus refund claims in 2014, saving taxpayers $450 million. Already this year, the Department has stopped $331 million in fraudulent and erroneous refund claims--a trend projecting the total savings to taxpayers will exceed $500 million in 2015.

Main Street Baseball, LLC of Florida has filed a lawsuit against the Binghamton Mets for breach of contract, relating to a sale of the team & the backing out from that sale. Main Street seeks a 6-month injunction to keep the B-Mets ownership from selling the team, after they released emails from team president Michael Urda where he said that he had no problem selling to a group that would move the team out of Binghamton. Urda released a statement to the press Tuesday saying they did sign a Letter of Intent with Main Street Baseball in December, that contained the provision that the “Relocation to Wilmington Delaware would not be allowed under the conditions of the sale.” Urda stated that a second ownership group has come forward that wants to keep the team in NYSEG Stadium, and that he has faith in the court system.

State Police at Sidney arrested 36-year-old Larry Plows of Unadilla, for 1st degree Criminal Contempt. Troopers investigated a report that a victim was receiving harassing phone calls from Plows, which violated a valid court order of protection. Plows was arraigned in the Town of Butternuts Court and released after he made bail. His next court date is on April 23rd.

Hartwick College President Margaret Drugovich has been appointed to the NCAA Division III Chancellors/Presidents Advisory Group. Drugovich joins 15 others on the Advisory Group, which consists of one chancellor or president from each Division III voting conference not currently represented on the Presidents Council or by a chancellor/president on the NCAA Management Council. Drugovich’s term will run through January 2017.

State Police at Sidney arrested 21-year-old Shelbie Twiss of Walton for Criminal Trespass & Harassment, following Troopers responded to a residence on County Route 23 in Walton. Troopers accuse Twiss of barging her way into the residence and threatening the victim inside. Twiss was arraigned in the Town of Walton Court and released without bail, she faces court action on April 22nd, & an order of protection was issued.

The Chenango County Sheriff’s Office arrested a Village of Bainbridge man Monday for 1 Count each of 1st degree Rape, Criminal Sexual Act, Sex Abuse, Endangering the Welfare of a child and Unlawful Possession of Marihuana. 32 year old Christopher Jennings is accused of performing sexual acts with a child under 13, he was arrested & arraigned in the Village of Bainbridge Court and remanded to the Chenango County Jail on $200,000 cash bail.

This week the state assembly passed a package of bills to help those who have been victimized by various forms of Human Trafficking. Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie comments:

(Heastie 3-18-15)

The bills move onto the Senate for consideration, they have the support of Governor Cuomo.

Today, village elections will be held across New York State. In tri-county area mayoral races, incumbents are running unopposed; there are trustee positions up for election in Sidney, Unadilla, Greene, Delhi, New Berlin & oxford.

Sidney Chamber of Commerce will hold the next Business After Hours program today, with NBT Mang Insurance. The program will run from 5:30-7 pm at 13 Division Street in Sidney for Chamber Members.

Today is Chenango County’s National Agriculture Day from 10:00 AM until 12:00 Noon At the Northeast Classic Car Museum at 24 Rexford Street in Norwich. Ag & Markets Commissioner Richard Ball and New York State FFA officer Kait Isaac from St. Johnsville in Montgomery County will be the guest speakers.

Empire State College will hold public information session about its associate and bachelor’s degree programs at its Binghamton location, State Office Building, Room 505, 44 Hawley Street, Binghamton today. The session will be held at 4:30 PM, more information is available at 721-8651.

State Senate Republican leader Dean Skelos of Long Island is being investigated by federal authorities for his outside income. Skelos reported income from a Long Island Law Firm of $150,000 to $250,000 dollars; he also listed a large investment with a Pharmaceutical company. His Assembly counterpart Sheldon Silver was arrested last week on corruption charges following a federal investigation.

Governor Cuomo announced that the average wait time at state-run DMV offices was reduced to 30 minutes, down from an 72 minutes only 2 years ago. State officials said the “dramatic reduction” was achieved through a two-year process that included a new reservation system, expanded office hours, New technology at call centers, Greeters who direct new customers to where they need to go & a redesigned DMV website.

State Police from Sidney arrested 22 year old Jacob Richie of Unadilla for Identity Theft, Criminal Possession of Stolen Property & Petty Larceny. The arrest followed the report of a missing debit card from a residence on PlankenHorn Road in Sidney, Richie was issued tickets returnable to the Town of Sidney Court on February 12th.

The Chenango County Sheriff’s Office arrested a Town of Unadilla man for Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance.  39 year old Jacob Conklin was charged following a traffic stop in the Village of Afton, where Conklin was found to be in possession of heroin. He was taken into custody and processed, he is scheduled to appear in the Village of Afton Court at a later date.

The Hope & Healing: Perspectives on Mental Illness seminar will be held at the Roxbury Arts Center Saturday with Keynote speaker Jason Paden discussing his battle with mental illness. this event is held in conjunction with Roxbury's exhibit of paintings by Delaware County artist David Byrd, Roxbury Arts Group Director Jenny Rosensweig explains:

(Jenny Rosensweig 1-30-15)

The Roxbury Arts Center is located at 5025 Vega Mountain Road in Roxbury, The free event runs from 9:30 – 3:00 pm with mental health advocates participating in round table discussions.

Another discussion will be held tonight at the Deposit Elementary School regarding the problem of heroin. Deposit principal Theresa Rajner explains:

(Theresa Rajner 1-26-15)

The event will begin at 6:00 PM tonight.

The Chenango County Sheriff’s Office arrested 39 year old Scott Brazee of Oxford for 1st degree Sexual Abuse. The arrest stemmed from a sexual abuse complaint from a 12 year old victim, Brazee was arraigned in the Village of Oxford Court and remanded to the Chenango County Correctional Facility on $20,000 cash bail. He will reappear in the Village of Oxford Court at a later date.

The Chenango County Sheriff’s Office arrested a Level 3 Sexual Offender living in the Town of Afton for Failing to Report Internet Identifiers. 38 year old Todd Dewey is accused of failing to disclose a facebook account to law enforcement. Dewey was processed and released on an appearance ticket. He is scheduled to appear in the Town of Afton Court at a later date.

The Unadilla Chamber of Commerce will host the Four Chamber Mixer meeting today at 6:00 pm, with the meeting at 7:00 PM at Green’s Long River Inn, on Route 357, Unadilla. Members of the Unadilla, Afton, and Bainbridge & Sidney Chambers will attend.

The next area American Red Cross blood drive will be held in Unadilla today. The Blood Drive will be held from 1:30 to 6:30 PM at the Saint Matthew's Episcopal Church at 254 Main Street.

State Police from Deposit arrested 22-year-old Brookleyn Foster of Endicott, for Driving While Intoxicated with a BAC of .15%, along with other vehicle & traffic violations. The arrest resulted after Troopers responded to the report of a vehicle parked in the center median against the guide rail facing the wrong way on State Route 17 in Hancock. Foster was issued tickets returnable to the Village of Hancock Court on February 4th.

On January 7th Delaware County Deputies arrested Lee McDonald of Walton, for 2 counts of Issuing a Bad Check to a Deposit business, McDonald arrested on Saturday again & charged him with Issuing a Bad Check after receiving a bad check complaint from a Town of Kortright business. McDonald was issued an appearance in the Town of Kortright Court on February 17 to answer that charge.

The Delaware County Sheriff's Office is investigating a residential burglary that occurred on Sands Creek Road in the Town of Tompkins on December 5th. Guns and ammunition were taken from the residence and were recovered outside the home by the homeowner upon discovering the crime. Deputies are seeking the public’s assistance in identifying the vehicle and person in these photos from one of the home’s surveillance camera. The vehicle appears to be a small, light color sport utility vehicle. Anyone with information is asked to contact  the Delaware County Sheriff's Office, (607) 746-2336, Extension 381. All calls will be returned and kept confidential.

The Unadilla Chamber of Commerce will host the Four Chamber Mixer meeting on Monday, January 26 6:00 pm, with the meeting at 7:00 PM at Green’s Long River Inn, on Route 357, Unadilla. RSVP's to each Chamber Secretary by January 21 are requested.

The Disabled American Veterans chapter #200 of Oneonta will be hosting a discussion on Post Traumatic Stress Disorder tonight. The discussion will begin at 7:00 PM at the Oneonta Veterans Club at 279 Chestnut Street; more information is available at 437-2028.

The Otsego county health department is offering the Zostavax vaccine for shingles, for an administrative fee of $25 for those who meet certain requirement, shingles is a painful skin rash, often accompanied by blisters, fever, headaches, chills & upset stomach, it can sometimes lead to hearing loss, blindness, pneumonia brain inflammation or even death. More information about shingles or the county vaccination program is available at 547-4230.

2 committees of the Oneonta Common Council will be meeting today at City Hall. The Facilities-Operations-Community Operations Improvement committee will meet at 5:00 pm, The Finance & Administration Committee will meet at 6:00 PM, and both meeting will be held at the Common Council Chamber on the 2nd floor of City Hall.

Audits of special education providers across New York State have uncovered mismanagement that cost taxpayers nearly $42 million in the last decade, including $20 million in 2014 alone, according to State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli. 11 audits identified more than $6.7 million in public funds that special education providers misspent or misused, including cases of possible fraud that have been referred to law enforcement for investigation. About 81,000 preschool students with disabilities receive services in New York annually at a cost of more than $1.4 billion to the state and localities.