WCDO Radio News

P.M. NEWS WEDNESDAY 8-13-25

The Chenango County Sheriff’s Office arrested 51 year old Thendara Hartwell of Plymouth for Making a Terroristic Threat and Falsely Reporting an Incident. On August 5th, the County's 911 Center received a call from Community Bank in Norwich stating that they received a bomb threat from an anonymous phone number. The Sheriff’s Office responded & evacuated multiple businesses, a State Police Explosives Detection Canine and bomb technician conducted a search of the entire premises and did not locate any signs of explosive devices & the businesses re-opened. After an investigation and execution of a search warrant, it was found that Hartwell made the threatening phone call from a blocked phone number and caused public alarm and inconvenience. Hartwell was taken into custody today & was arraigned & she was

remanded to the Chenango County Jail on $1,250 bail.

P.M. NEWS WEDNESDAY 8-6-25

Chenango County Sheriff's Office responded to a report of a bomb threat Tuesday at about 1:00 PM that was made to Community Bank on State Highway 23 in the Town of Norwich. The building which included Community Bank, a Mirabito Gas Station, and Dunkin Donuts were quickly evacuated. Chenango County Sheriff’s Office and State Police responded and secured the scene, a State Police Explosives Detection Canine conducted a thorough search of the entire premises and did not locate any signs of any explosive devices, it was determined that there was no threat to the public and the businesses were back open at approximately 4:00 pm. The investigation to who made the threat is still ongoing.

Binghamton Police responded to the report Thursday morning of an bomb threat at the State Office Building, at the 17th floor Attorney General’s office. A K9 Unit along with the Endicott Police Bomb Squad searched the office and did not find a bomb. The building has reopened, the investigation is continuing and anyone with information is encouraged to contact Binghamton Police Detectives at 607-772-7080.

Delaware County Sheriff's Deputies received a complaint regarding a group of students from Walton High School who received a message via a social media app, which contained threats to bomb the Walton School and cause harm to other students. Deputies responded to Walton and interviewed multiple students and it was determined that the threat was made after school hours and that an 18 year-old student of Walton High School did make threats to “bomb” the Walton High School. The juvenile was charged with Making a Terroristic Threat and was held at the Delaware County Correctional Facility for arraignment.

The Delaware County District Attorney's office announced that 50 year old Kristopher Surdis of Kingston, appeared in Delaware County Court on March 20, 2023 and pleaded guilty to one count of Falsely Reporting an Incident. Surdis was arrested by the Colchester Police Department for allegedly calling the Downsville Country Store and reporting a bomb threat. After being arraigned on a Superior Court Information, he pleaded guilty and was sentenced to time already served in jail and also imposed a 3-year Conditional Discharge, which requires Surdis undergo a mental health evaluation, and comply with any treatment recommendations for the next three years, if he violates the terms, he could be re-sentenced to a term of 7 years in jail.

Otsego County Sheriff’s Office deputies were called to Cooperstown Elementary School Monday afternoon following the report of a bomb threat. A note was spotted on a tree in Hartwick claiming that there was a bomb in the Cooperstown Elementary school, the building was evacuated, the K9 Unit was brought in & no credible threat was found. The investigation is continuing.

Police responded to the report of a Bomb Threat at the Heath Sciences Building on Corliss Avenue in Johnson City Friday. The threat is being investigated by the University Police Department & local law enforcement agencies & the FBI, the threat was deemed not credible & the building was opened again on Saturday. The investigation is continuing & no arrests have been announced.

Delaware County Sheriff's Deputies and State Police bomb detection canine responded to the Robert W. Harrold BOCES campus Tuesday afternoon, following the discovery of bomb threat, the investigation revealed no evidence of an explosive device. The Delaware County Sheriff's Office announced the arrest of a 16-year-old male student from the Unatego school district for Falsely Reporting an Incident, he was arraigned in the Town of Meredith Court and he was released pending future court action.

Governor Cuomo signed into law Monday, a measure that increases the minimum penalty against those who make bomb threats against community centers. The governor sited the events in Charlottesville Virginia, and a bomb threat against a Buffalo area Jewish Center in February as 2 reasons in favor of the new law, which lets prosecutors send those convicted of making bomb threats against community centers to prison for up to 1 year.

Several Law Enforcement agencies responded to the report of a bomb threat at the Greater Binghamton Airport Monday morning. No Bomb was found in a vehicle parked at the facility, the investigation revealed that the caller suffers from Mental Health issues, & was not taking her medication, she will not be charged. No flights were cancelled & only a few delays were reported.

The Binghamton Court Building was evacuated this morning following a bomb threat. Police & their Canine units were called in shortly after the threat was called in at about 9:00 AM, everyone was allowed back in at about 10:00 AM. The investigation into the source of the bomb threat is continuing.

Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to a reported bomb threat at DCMO BOCES Harold Campus in the Town of Masonville Thursday. A written threat to the building was located in a bathroom, students were evacuated & The Delaware County Sheriff’s Office and State Police Explosives Detection K9 unit searched the school and were unable to locate explosives. 16-year-old Andrew Slentz of New Berlin was arrested for 1st degree filing a False Report; he was arraigned in the Town of Masonville Court and remanded to the Delaware County Jail on $500 cash bail. Slentz will reappear in the Town of Masonville Court at a later date.

On Thursday, a Chenango County resident was arrested by the Chenango County Sheriff’s Office for falsely reporting an incident. The Chenango County Sheriff’s Office arrested a 14 year old juvenile following an investigation into a bomb threat at the BOCES in North Norwich. The juvenile wrote a bomb threat on the wall of the school knowing that there was no bomb in the school, he was arrested and will appear in court at a later date.

On Monday October 8th, Delaware County Sheriff's Deputies and State Police responded to a reported bomb threat at the DCMO BOCES, Harrold Campus, in the Town of Masonville. The bomb threat was discovered written on a bathroom wall. The building was evacuated, a search found no explosive devises. Deputies have determined that a 14-year-old male was responsible for making the written threat. The youth and his legal guardian were subsequently issued a juvenile appearance ticket for the Delaware County Probation Department where the juvenile will answer a charge of Filing a False Report in the First Degree.

The New York State Office of Information Technology Services is offering a number of resources and activities to help all users learn more about cyber security and how to safeguard themselves from cyber-based threats. The 2015 Cyber Security Toolkit features awareness resources geared to a broad audience, including government, businesses, schools, and the general public. New York ITS is also coordinating a statewide cyber security poster contest for students in grades K through 12 promoting online safety, winners will be featured on the ITS website and entered into a national contest, more information on the poster contest is available at its.ny.gov/eiso.

Classes at SUNY Delhi were back in session yesterday afternoon, and will be open as scheduled today, following yesterday’s bomb threat. Law enforcement agencies swept through Evenden Tower & Sanford Hall following the bomb threat called in yesterday morning, both buildings were evacuated and no bombs were found. The investigation is continuing.

SUNY Delhi officials reported that law enforcement agencies responded this morning to a bomb threat received at around 7:30 AM.  The calls claimed that bombs were in Evenden Tower and Sanford Hall, the buildings were evacuated & law enforcement personnel initiated a search of both buildings, no bombs were found.  All classes scheduled for Evenden Tower and Sanford Hall today were canceled today, Delhi Village Police, Delaware County Sheriff’s Department, Delaware County Emergency Management Office and State Police responded, the bomb threat has been ruled as a hoax, the investigation is continuing.

The Chenango County Sheriff's Office arrested a 13-year-old male from the Town of Lebanon Thursday, after he allegedly made a bomb threat at the Sherburne Earlville School.  The 13-year-old male is accused of making a written threat referring to blowing up the school. The unidentified teen was charged with Falsely Reporting an Incident, he was issued a juvenile appearance ticket and is scheduled to appear in the Chenango County Family Court at a later date.

A woman accused of threatening Walton schools through Facebook postings is working on a plea deal with prosecutors. 28-year-old Jennifer Morris of East Branch is facing four felony charges of falsely reporting an incident.The indictment said she circulated warnings in June that there would be an explosion at Walton schools. She also faces seven counts of aggravated harassment for communications sent to six adults. Morris was in Delaware County Court on Monday for a possible plea deal, but her defense attorney, Andrew Puritz, requested an adjournment. Her next appearance and possible plea has been rescheduled for Sept. 16, at 1 pm in Delaware County Court. Morris remains in the Delaware County Jail with bail set at $20,000.

The Chenango County Sheriff’s Office and Sherburne Police investigated a suspicious incident on North Main Street in the Village of Sherburne Thursday night.   The Sheriff’s Office received a report of a suspicious pipe on the sidewalk in front of a building on North Main Street, The area was cordoned off and people were evacuated.  The Endicott Police Bomb Squad responded to the scene and assisted in determining that the pipe was empty and not a threat to safety.  North Main Street was reopened and all residents were allowed to return at approximately 12:15 a.m. on March 29th.

SUNY Delhi Police and Delaware County 911 received calls Tuesday morning that a bomb had been placed in Evenden Tower on the SUNY Delhi campus.  Officials evacuated the building, Delhi Village Police, Delaware County Sheriff’s Department, Delaware County Emergency Management Office and the State Police Canine Unit responded, they decided that the bomb threat was a hoax after an extensive search.   Evenden Tower was declared safe; classes in Evenden Tower resumed this morning.

SUNY DELHI BOMB THREAT UPDATE

Headline:  Evenden Tower safe and clear

Law enforcement officials have ruled that a bomb threat at SUNY Delhi this
morning was a hoax.

Evenden Tower was declared safe and clear at approximately 1:15 p.m.
following a sweep of the building by the State Police canine unit. Officials
report they found nothing unusual in the building. Classes in Evenden Tower
remain canceled for today and will resume as scheduled on Wednesday, March
13, at 7:35 a.m.