WCDO Radio News

There will be no meeting of the Tri Town Coalition on Substance abuse this month, but meetings are scheduled beginning in January, and a Narcan Training session could also be added to the schedule next year, according to spokesperson Lorraine Keckeisen:

(Lorraine Keckeisen 12-28-16)

Meetings are scheduled for January 25th, at the Sidney High School at 6:00 to 7:30 in the library, meetings are also scheduled for February 15th, & March 22nd.

The state's minimum wage is going up at year's end. Downstate counties & New York City will see higher minimum wages implemented due to a higher cost of living, in most of the upstate counties, the wage will be increased to $9.70 an hour. The increases go into effect on the last day of the year.

State Police are investigating the report of a missing person, 36-year-old Jaime Nieves of Binghamton. Nieves was last seen in the area of Park Avenue in the City of Binghamton on December 3rd, he has not had any known contact with friends or family. Anyone with any information is asked to contact the State Police at 775-1250.

A memorial ceremony will be held tonight in Norwich for Norwich High School Class of 2016 Graduate Savannah Williams, who died in a 2-vehicle crash in Geneseo Tuesday. Kaitlyn Jackson was a friend of Williams and was also class president, she told WCDO News that tonight’s Memorial would begin at 6:00 PM at the Norwich High School Track:

(Kaitlyn Jackson 12-22-16)

Jackson said that the event would then move over the Chenango County Fair grounds. Police in Geneseo said that Williams was a current SUNY Geneseo student, she drove her car into the path of the tractor-trailer, Williams was pronounced dead at the scene.

The recent "Selfies With Elfies" for Sarah fundraiser, raised over $750 dollars with events in Bainbridge & Afton. The money raised assisted Sarah Richardson has stage 4 Liver Cancer, & is the mother of a 3-year-old boy, Organizer Heather Bucalos is also a cancer survivor and she told WCDO News that she will continue to plan local fundraisers for those battling cancer & facing rising medical costs.

Delaware County Sheriff’s Office arrested 32-year-old Matthew Rose of Unadilla on a sealed indictment warrant issued by the Delaware County Court, at the time of his arrest, ROSE was in possession of a small amount of marijuana, ROSE was charged with Unlawful Possession of Marijuana, plus 2 counts of Criminal Sale of a Controlled Narcotic, for allegedly selling prescription medications twice in the Village of Sidney. Rose was arraigned and was remanded to the Delaware County Jail on $40,000 cash bail or $80,000 secured bond.

New York's 29 members of the Electoral College have cast their ballots for Hillary Clinton today, who won the state's popular vote, despite losing the presidential race to Republican Donald Trump in the expected final Electoral College tabulations, which will be completed today. The electors gathered today in the state Capitol's Senate chambers.

A Sidney native has entered into the world of publishing, when he published his first science fiction novel earlier this month through Amazon.com. Scott Scavo told WCDO News is a 1995 Sidney High School Graduate who started his story as bedtime stories for his children, and wound up with so much material it became a book:

(Scott Scavo 12-16-16)

Scavo is the son of retired Sidney Principal Gary Scavo, who was recently inducted into the Sidney Alumni Association hall of fame as a coach; Scott Scavo resides in Connecticut where he works as a hedge fund manager. His second book is about 80% complete & he hopes to publish that soon.

There will be a public meeting in the Sidney high school auditorium tonight from 6:30 to 8:30 PM to give an overview of Buyout and Elevation programs. Sidney mayor Andy Matviak explains:

(Andy Matviak 12-14-16)

Representatives from Delaware County Planning Department, the Governor's Office of Storm Recovery, 2+4 Construction, Delaware Opportunities & the Village of Sidney Grant Administrative Staff

The Village of Sidney + County & State officials will host a meeting on Wednesday at the Sidney High School Auditorium. Sidney Village Mayor Andy Matviak said that a lot of items would be discussed:

(Andy Matviak 12-13-16)

The meeting will run from 6:30 to 8:30 PM Wednesday, more information is available at 561-2320

State Police arrested 3 men for Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance, after a traffic stop on I-81 in the Kirkwood; they are accused of possessing over 3 pounds of crystal methamphetamine with an estimated street value of $250,000. Charged were 34-year-old David Babenzien of Port Crane, 28-year-old John Finnerty of Windsor, & 26-year-old Anthony Kosick of Binghamton. All 3 were arraigned & were remanded to the Broome County Jail without bail.

The Bainbridge Chamber of Commerce will host the annual Christmas parade Saturday afternoon, followed by several other holiday activities. Bainbridge Chamber President John Payne told WCDO News that those who want to be in the parade should get to Bainbridge by 4:00 PM:

(John Payne 12-9-16)

More information about the Bainbridge Chamber of Commerce is available at 967-8700

The "Selfies with Elfies For Sarah" fundraiser will be held this Saturday from 5:15 to 8:00 PM at the Bainbridge Town Hall. Sarah Richardson has stage 4 Liver Cancer, & is the mother of a 3-year-old boy, organizer Heather Bucalos told WCDO News how this fundraiser will work:

(Heather Bucalos 12-7-16)

Bucalos said that there will also be a Christmas raffle basket, a face painter & Bake sale, free activities for the kids, more information is available at Eventbrite.com and search for Selfies with Elfies for Sarah.

State police responded to an Otsego County 911 report of a car-pedestrian accident on Main Street in Unadilla. 15 year old Edward McKinnely of Unadilla was walking with another person on the westbound shoulder of Main Street when he was struck by an SUV driven by 47 year old Michelle Swift of Unadilla Police said that the accident occurred on a dark roadway near the shoulder at about 5:30 PM Monday, Swift was not intoxicated or impaired by drugs. McKinnely was transported by LifeNet to Upstate Medical Center in Syracuse with severe head and body injuries; he succumbed to the injuries earlier today.

Binghamton Police are investigating the death of Binghamton university student Stefani Lineva of Queens, who was found around 2:00 AM Saturday lying on State Route 434 South Washington Avenue and the Pennsylvania Avenue ramps. Lineva was taken to Wilson Hospital where she was pronounced dead from injuries consistent with getting hit by a vehicle. No eyewitnesses have come forward. Anyone with information is asked to call Binghamton Police at 772-7080, calls will remain confidential. A $10,000 reward is being offered for information leading to the arrest of the driver of the vehicle that hit Lineva Saturday.

The Sidney Chamber of Commerce will host their annual Christmas Parade on Main Street tonight, starting at 6:00 PM. Chamber President Stephanie Taylor comments:

(Steph Taylor 12-2-16)

Santa’s shop will be enclosed at the corner of Division & Main Street< canned donations are requested for area food banks.

Tioga Downs in Nichols will officially open as a full-fledged casino tomorrow. The site was awarded one of the last Casino licenses by the state gaming commission, as another way to increase upstate tourism & development. A New casino sneak Preview is being conducted at the Nichols facility this afternoon, prior to tomorrow’s official opening.

State Police arrested 32-year-old Curtis Commesso of Bainbridge for reckless endangerment, endangering the welfare of a child and criminal contempt, after troopers were advised of a domestic dispute on I-88 in the Town of Fenton. Commesso allegedly drove recklessly by another vehicle that was occupied by his ex-girlfriend, their young child and others, he swerved in front of the victim’s vehicle, and the behavior violated a court order of protection. Commesso was arraigned in the Town of Fenton Court and was remanded to the Broome County Jail in lieu of $2,500 cash bail or $5,000 property bond, pending future court action.

The next meeting of the Oneonta Downtown Revitalization Initiative will be today from 1:00 to 3:30 PM at the Foothills Performing Arts Center. Oneonta received millions of dollars for downtown revitalization projects through the regional development councils, Oneonta Mayor Gary Herzig told WCDO News about today's meeting:

(Herzig 11-29-16)

All meetings are open to the public and there is a period for public comment on the agenda near the end of each meeting.

The Next ReUnite Bainbridge meeting will be held tonight, at 7:00 PM at Bob's Diner. Bainbridge Chamber President John Payne said that the group has been gaining momentum & has been adding many new events:

(John Payne 11-28-16)

Tonight's agenda includes the Toys for Tots Train on December 3rd, The Christmas Parade December 10the, the next Sleigh Rally, as well as new signage around the village. Bainbridge residents are encouraged to attend & participate.

State Police and local law enforcement agencies are continuing to conduct the Thanksgiving holiday crackdown and enforcement initiative to deter unsafe driving behaviors. State investigators from the DMV will conduct underage drinking and fake ID enforcement sweeps, during what is traditionally one of the most popular weeks for young people to go to bars and taverns. The Thanksgiving traffic enforcement runs through Sunday night. During the 2015 Thanksgiving holiday crackdown, troopers arrested 218 drivers for DWI, issued 5,910 speeding tickets, 732 tickets for distracted driving, and 204 tickets for the move over law. In New York, there were 19 deaths resulting from motor vehicle crashes statewide during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend in 2015.

State Police investigated a commercial bus accident on Interstate 81 in Cortland County Monday. The bus was owned by Covered Wagon Tours LLC of Hornell, and was occupied by 40 9th grade students and 5 adult chaperons from Rochester to New York City for a school field trip. The driver was 55-year-old Joseph Rallo of East Rochester; he attempted to avoid two other uninvolved vehicles that had lost control in snowy conditions, the bus slid off the shoulder and overturned on its side in the median. 10 students and the driver were transported to Cortland Regional Medical Center for minor injuries and were released.

Governor Cuomo today announced the State Police and local law enforcement agencies would conduct a Thanksgiving holiday crackdown and enforcement initiative in an effort to deter unsafe driving behaviors. The Thanksgiving traffic enforcement will take place Wednesday, November 23 through Sunday, November 27, 2016 and DMV investigators will be checking IDs at bars and taverns across New York over the course of the holiday week.

The Sidney emergency Squad is seeking local input for fundraising efforts, to keep the squad going, president Ray Baker explains:

(Ray Baker 11-17-16)

The meeting will begin at 6:30 this evening at the River Street Fire Training Center.

Delaware County Public Health announced that a raccoon tested positive for rabies in the Town of Andes recently. Officials said that there were no human exposures; a dog that was not up to date on its rabies vaccination will be quarantined for 6 months. This is the 6th animal that has tested positive for rabies in 2016. More information about rabies is available at 832-5200 or delawarecountypublichealth.com

Governor Cuomo announced plans for Binghamton University's Health Sciences and Technology Innovation Park in Johnson City,at a press conference their this morning.

(CUOMO 11-15-16)

The $105 million project includes construction of the new School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, as well as the relocation and expansion of the Decker School of Nursing to Corliss Avenue in Johnson City, near the UHS Wilson Hospital Complex. The move is expected to result in the creation 150 new jobs.

The Sidney Warriors football team pulled of an amazing comeback Friday night to defeat the Onondaga Tigers of Section 3 in overtime by a score of 42-36 in the state Class D Quarterfinals in Syracuse. Sidney scored 2 touchdowns in 19 seconds late in the 4th quarter to pull even with Onondaga, Here is WCDO’s Nate Lull & Tim Cutting with the call of the Touchdown that tied the contest:

(Lull-Cutting Fball)

Sidney will be back in action this Friday when they take on Maple Grove from Section 6 in the state Class D Semifinals at Cicero-North Syracuse high school at 5:00 PM, the game will be heard right here on WCDO & at WCDOSPORTS.com.

THE SIDNEY WARRIORS FOOTBALL TEAM WILL COMPETE IN THE NYS CLASS-D QUARTERFINALS TONIGHT AT 5 PM AT CICERO-NORTH SYRACUSE HIGH SCHOOL. THE WARRIORS ARE THE SECTION IV CHAMPIONS AND WILL FACE SECTION 3 CHAMPION ONONDAGA. SIDNEY IS RANKED 7TH IN THE STATE HEADING INTO TONIGHT'S GAME AND ONONDAGA IS RANKED 4TH. THE LAST TIME THE WARRIORS MADE IT TO THE STATE QUARTERFINALS WAS 2006 WHICH WAS ONE YEAR AFTER THE 2005 RUN TO A CLASS-C STATE TITLE FOR SIDNEY. THE GAME CAN BE HEARD TONIGHT RIGHT HERE ON WCDO WITH THE PRE-GAME SHOW STARTING AT 4:50 PM.

Coldwell Banker/Timberland Properties have teamed up with Community Bank, Neighbors Insurance & State Farm Insurance in Sidney, to give away Green Light Bulbs to honor military veterans on Friday for Veterans Day. Steve Rose of Coldwell Banker Timberland Properties of Sidney explains:

(Steve Rose 11-10-16)

Rose told WCDO News this afternoon that he had acquired additional bulbs, as the first 300 were gone in about 2 days, More information about the program is available at Green Light a Vet.com, the bulbs will be handed out while they last at the Coldwell Banker Timberland Properties Community Bank building at their Union Street Sidney location, and at the State Farm/Neighbors Insurance office at State Route 7 Riverside Sidney.

A charity Auction will be held November 19th in Oneonta to benefit the Leatherstocking Council of the Boys Scouts of America. District Executive Peter Miller told WCDO News of some of the auction items up for bidding:

(Peter Miller 11-9-16)

Online bidding & a complete list of auction items can be found at Leatherstocking Council.org, the auction will take place on Saturday November 19th from 5:00 to 9:00 PM at the Morris conference Center at SUNY Oneonta.