WCDO Radio News

State Senator Fred Akshar and YES Safe Choices will honor 645 YES Leaders from Broome, Tioga and Chenango Counties at a special end-of-year Leaders Change Lives Recognition Reception at The McKinley on the Huron Campus at 1701 North Street in Endicott. Akshar will also award three Jill Kavanagh Memorial Scholarships to 3 YES Leaders.

The Afton & Bainbridge Guilford Yes Leaders are teaming up for an Opioid Awareness Program tonight in the Afton School District. State Senator Fred Akshar comments:

(Fred Akshar 3-16-17)

Hundreds are expected to attend the event tonight, which will start with a free pizza dinner at 5:30 followed by the program at 6:00 PM; more information about the program is available at yes safe choices.org.

Broome County Sheriff's deputies are looking for 42 year old Nneka Simmons of Endicott, who is wanted on grand larceny and identity theft charges. Arrest warrants have been issued on the felony charges Simmons is described as 5 feet 2 inches tall, 205 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Broome County Sheriff’s Office at 778-1196, 778-2923, or 778-2933.

YES Safe Choices, from Senator Akshar and Lourdes Hospital will host more than 575 students from across the Southern Tier at their YES Ignites Training today at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel from 9:15 AM to 1:30 PM. YES LEADers are middle and high school students trained to provide substance abuse prevention education to elementary school students. By the end of the ‘16-’17 school year, more than 600 YES LEADers will present to over 6,000 elementary students in Broome, Tioga and Chenango Counties.

The "YES LEADS" program will hold a joint Heroin Awareness Night between Afton and Bainbridge-Guilford High Schools at the BG District today. The program will feature State Senator Fred Akshar, State Police, Chenango County Sheriff, Chenango County District Attorney, Chenango County Alcohol & Drug Abuse Services, Southern Tier AIDS Program & Recovering Addicts, The event is today starting with a free pizza dinner at 5:30, & the program begins at 6:00 PM.

The Otsego county Chamber of Commerce will offer the Leadership Otsego program, which is accepting applications for the class of 2016. Leadership Otsego is a program that kicks off in April and engages emerging and existing leaders in a 6-month program that sharpens leadership skills. An informational session will be held today at 6:00 PM at Roots Brewing Company on Main Street, Oneonta. More information is available at 432-4500

Yes Leaders from BG & Afton schools are teaming up with other organizations for a Heroin Awareness Night next Wednesday at the Bainbridge High School. Afton Yes Spokesperson Ronal Noone explains:

(Ronal Noone 3-3-16)

The event begins at 5:30 with a Pizza Dinner, followed by the presentation at 6:00 PM at the Bainbridge-Guilford High School, pre-registration is requested at www.YesSafeChoices.org by Friday Afternoon.

The YES! Safe Choices for Kids honored 566 Broome, Tioga and Chenango at the YES! Leaders Change Lives Recognition Reception. 1 of the 3 winners of the Jill Kavanagh Memorial Scholarships was Jennifer France, a senior from Bainbridge-Guilford High School:

(Jennifer France 5-22-15)

YES! Safe Choices for Kids is a partnership between Senator Libous and Lourdes Hospital, since 1989, more than 9,000 YES! Leaders have helped teach more than 110,000 elementary school students about the dangers of drugs and alcohol. More information is available at YesSafeChoices.org.

YES! Safe Choices for Kids, from Senator Libous and Lourdes, will host over 500 students from across the Southern Tier at their YES! Ignites Training today at the Binghamton DoubleTree from 8:30 AM to 1:30 PM. YES! Leaders are trained to provide substance abuse prevention education to elementary school students, from Afton, Bainbridge-Guilford, Chenango Valley, Norwich, Windsor & other Broome & Chenango County school districts. Senator Libous will kick off the opening session with introductory remarks.

State Senator Tom Libous hosted the annual YES Safe Choices for Kids function, to honor more than 515 area students at their annual Reception.   1 of the 3 winners of the Jill Kavanagh Memorial YES LEADS Scholarship was Shawna Stevens of Afton High School:

(Shawna Stevens 5-27-14)

State Senator Tom Libous also comments:

(Libous 5-27-14)

YES Leaders are middle and high school students who present to local elementary school students about the dangers of substance abuse, the importance of self-esteem and making healthy choices, More information about YES and YES LEADS is available at YesSafeChoices.org.