WCDO Radio News

P.M. NEWS WEDNESDAY 7-8-26

Otsego County Health Department announced that a Raccoon has tested positive for rabies. The animal was found in Westford, all of the animals that were exposed to the Raccoon are being treated, Officials urge residents to get all pets & farm animals vaccinated, those that are not vaccinated & are exposed will be euthanized. More information is available at 607-547-4230, or at the Health Department web page at otsegocountyny.gov.

State DEC announced more than $1.72 million in grants to 6 land trusts for 9 projects that help conserve local forests. The land trusts will purchase new conservation easements that will protect air and water quality, preserve wildlife habitat and biodiversity, support sustainable forest management, and increase outdoor recreation opportunities for the public. Locally, the Otsego Land Trust, will get $54,250 to purchase a conservation easement on the 41-acre Burr Forest property in the town of Westford, adjacent to Betty and Wilbur Davis State Park. The easement property is 90 percent forested, and includes wetlands and hemlock stands, along with large concentrations of native plants.

The Village of Sidney announced that the Village Clerks office is closed Today in observance of Veterans Day. The office will reopen Wednesday. Also, Due to unforeseen circumstances Village brush pickup has been extended 1 more week, until this Friday.

A.M. NEWS TUESDAY 11-11-25

The Otsego County Sheriff’s announces the arrest of 31 year old Marcus Borggreen & 26 year old Destiny Grant both of Mt. Upton, following a trespass complaint in the Town of Westford. Deputies were dispatched to a residence for a report of 2 subjects, they were located inside the basement of the residence, and were detained and were in possession of MDMA, narcotic drugs, and several weapons. the pair are facing numerous drug & weapons charges & were transported to the Sheriff’s Office and were turned over to the Jail to be held for Arraignment.

The Otsego County Sheriff's Office arrested 42 year old Michael Fletcher & 36 year old Michelle Bremner, both of Westford, for numerous counts of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance, plus Endangering the Welfare of a Child, Criminal Use of Drug Paraphernalia & False Personation following an investigation originating from a request for a welfare check on 3 children at a residence in the Town of Westford. Deputies located the defendants inside the residence, they provided false information in an attempt to hide their true identities as they were wanted on multiple active warrants, multiple items of drug paraphernalia were in plain view, and the Otsego County Child Protective Services were contacted for the children. Fletcher & Bremner were processed, arraigned & were remanded to the Otsego County Correctional Facility to await further court proceedings. The investigation is on-going and additional charges are pending.

The Bainbridge Chamber of Commerce will hold their next regular meeting tomorrow morning in Bainbridge. The meeting begins at 7:30 am at the back of Bob's Diner.

A.M. NEWS MONDAY 1-15-24

Otsego County Sheriff's Office arrested 39 year old Josephine Shutters of Westford for Aggravated DWI & Failure to keep right, following a motor vehicle accident on January 5, in the Town of Maryland. Shutters was processed and released on tickets returnable to the Maryland Town Court at a later date.

State Police responded to a report of a fatal skydiving incident in the area of County Highway 34 in the town of Westford.   A preliminary investigation revealed that 59 year old Karen Bernard of Wildwood, Florida jumped out of a plane to skydive when it appears she had a malfunction with her parachute,  the investigation continues.

Otsego County Sheriff's department arrested 27 year old Brandon Doyle of Sharon Springs after an investigation into an animal cruelty in the Town of Westford last month. Doyle was charged with Overdriving, Torturing and Injuring Animals & Failure to Provide Proper Sustenance following a cattle complaint reported from the Susquehanna SPCA Doyle was issued an appearance ticket returnable to Town of Westford Court at a later date.

Governor Cuomo
announced that New York State is now offering a free text message program to
help kids quit e-cigarettes as the state moves to reverse the alarming rise in
youth vaping.   To access this program,
text "DropTheVape" to 88709, more information about e-cigarettes is
available at health.ny.gov/NoVape

The Otsego County Office of Emergency
Services confirmed that 5 firefighters were injured in a Middlefield garage
fire from a series of explosions Wednesday night at 3679 Otsego County Route
35.  The firefighters were James Tallman,
Jon Roach & Scott Monington of the Cooperstown Fire Department & John
Sears & Ryan Smith of the Middlefield Fire Department, Roach &
Monington were taken to a Syracuse Hospital for treatment of injuries, the
other 3 were treated at Bassett Hospital & were released.  Firefighters from Middlefield, Cooperstown,
Westford, Cherry Valley, and Milford responded to the fire Wednesday
night.  State Police, State office of
Fire Prevention & Control & the Otsego County Sheriff’s department are
investigating the cause & origin of the fire.

41 year old Nasir Azmat of Franklin
is due  in Town of Franklin court tonight
to answer to more than 40 counts relating to animal cruelty, Delaware County
Sheriff Craig DuMond said that it remains to be seen if Azmat shows up for
court tonight:

(Sheriff DuMond 2-27-20)

Azmat's court appearance is scheduled for 6:00 PM tonight in Franklin Town Court, 20 dogs allegedly used for dog fighting were taken from his property earlier this month by the Delaware County Sheriff's Department.

The Otsego County Sheriff's Office
confirmed that 5 firefighters were injured in a Middlefield garage fire on
Otsego County Route 35.  The firefighters
were injured following at least 1 explosion inside the garage, the injured were
taken to Bassett Hospital, and state fire officials are investigating.  Firefighters from Middlefield, Cooperstown,
Westford, Cherry Valley, and Milford responded to the fire Wednesday night.

8 people were left homeless following a fire on Main Street in Worcester Tuesday night. Fire was visible from the rear of the home when firefighters first arrived, all residents escaped without injuries. Fire Fighters from Oneonta, Schenevus, East Worcester, and Westford fire departments responded, with no injuries reported. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

State Police arrested 36 year old Jennifer Grant of Westford for DWI, Operating a Vehicle While Registration Suspended, & Unlawful Possession of Marihuana, plus numerous traffic tickets. Troopers stopped Grant while on Otsego County Highway 34 after they observed her cross the center line and drive onto the shoulder. Grant was released to a sober third party and given appearance tickets to the town of Westford Court on July 17th.

State Police arrested 19 year old Jacob Sprague of Worchester for felony Grand Larceny, Sprague allegedly took a credit card that was not his and spent over $747. Troopers located Sprague in the town of Westford and arrested him, he was released on an appearance ticket and scheduled to appear in town of Westford Court on March 20th.

State Police arrested 44 year old Joseph Bassett of the town of Maryland for Unlawful Imprisonment, Assault and Menacing, after troopers responded to a dispute on County Route 34 in the town of Westford. Bassett is accused of holding down a woman & punching her several times in the face; Bassett was arraigned in the town of Westford Court and was remanded to the Otsego County Jail in lieu of $500 cash bail or $1,000 property bond. An order of protection was issued.

State Police were dispatched to a report of 2 dead goats on property located at 674 County Highway 36, in the Town of Westford Monday. 45-year-old Stephen Pandelakis was charged after police discovered numerous dead animals on the property, including a dog, a cat, a pig, 2 goats, 6 chickens and 2 ducks. Pandelakis was charged with 2 felony counts of Aggravated Cruelty to Animals, and 13 counts of Torturing, Injuring or Failure to feed an animal. Remaining chickens were surrendered & were taken to another person for proper care. Pandelakis was issued appearance tickets returnable in the Town of Westford Court April 4th.

State Police arrested 44 year old Peter Provenzano of Westford for 3rd degree Assault & Endangering the Welfare of a Child, after troopers responded to a dispute in the Town of Westford. Troopers determined that during an argument Provenzano punched a child in the face causing an injury. The victim was treated at a local hospital & was released. Provenzano was arraigned and was released, he faces court action on February 22nd.

Otsego County

Cooperstown Fire Department            24 Chestnut Street

Cooperstown, NY      (607) 547-2761            April 23

East Worcester Hose Company #1        70 Main Street

East Worcester, NY            1-607-397-8889            April 23

Hartwick Co # 2 (Hartwick Seminary)            4877 St Hwy 28

Cooperstown, NY      607-547-8091                     April 23

Mount Vision Fire Department            179 Co Hwy 11B

Mount Vision, NY      (607) 433-0997            April 23-24

Schenevus / Maryland                                  40 Main Street

Schenevus, NY            607-638-9017                     April 23

West Laurens            2766 State Highway 23

West Laurens, NY      607-263-2211                     April 23-24

WEST ONEONTA FIRE DEPT            2865 CO.HWY.8

WEST ONEONTA, 607-432-1310             April 23

Westford Volunteer Fire Dept.    PO Box 24

Westford, NY              (607) 638-9776            April 23

Worcester Fire Dept     36 Church Street

Worcester, NY            607-397-8032                     April 23

47-year-old Penny Auerbach pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of stealing money orders and cash from the U.S. Postal Service and misappropriating postal funds. The charges stemmed from an investigation by the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General. Auerbach admitted to stealing over $4600 in postal funds while working at the Westford Post Office, she was sentenced to 4 years probation, will perform 500 hours of community service and was ordered to pay restitution.

57-year-old Robert Gerbino of Garden City, New York was arrested by State Police for Criminally Negligent Homicide, based on a sealed indictment handed down by the Otsego County Grand Jury.   The Grand Jury determined that on November 16th Gerbino with criminal negligence caused the death of Charles Bruce of Franklin Square.   The men were part of a Hunting group in the Town of Westford.

The Otsego County Sheriff’s deputies were called to a County Route 34 farm in Westford late Monday afternoon.   40 year old Daniel Banks was pulled into a piece of heavy farm equipment by his clothing, Banks was pronounced dead at the scene due to severe blunt force trauma to the upper body.

State police are continuing with the investigation into the death of 52 year old Charles Bruce of Long Island, who was fatally shot in the chest while hunting in Westford Saturday.  Bruce was hunting with friends Saturday, when he was shot by an unidentified person hunting from a tree, Bruce died at the scene, the case is being investigated by state Police, the state DEC and the Otsego county District attorney’s office.

State Police are investigating a hunting fatality Saturday in the Town of Westford.  52-year-old Charles Bruce of Franklin Square, was shot in the chest and died at the scene Saturday morning, near Steve Braun Road.  State police, along with the Otsego County District Attorney's Office and the State DEC are investigating.

State Police at Oneonta arrested 20-year-old John Rundblad Jr., of Worcester for Driving While Intoxicated with a BAC result of .13%. The arrest resulted from a traffic accident in Westford; Rundblad was issued tickets returnable to the Town of Westford Court on June 4th.

Oneonta state Troopers arrested 34-year-old Brian Hassick of Cooperstown, and 35-year-old Cheryl Rifenbark of Westford, for Possession of a Forged Instrument. Hassick and Rifenbark were arraigned in the Town of Westford Court and remanded to the Otsego County Correctional Facility in lieu of $500 cash bail each.