Preferred Mutual Insurance Company has committed a $250,000 for a new emergency room and walk-in center at UHS Chenango Memorial Hospital in Norwich.  Officials from Preferred Mutual Insurance Company announced the pledge on Tuesday; it will be paid over the next 5 years, & is the largest corporate commitment to be announced since the Norwich hospital kicked off a capital campaign started last month.

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The Delaware County Chamber of Commerce will hold their next 1st Friday Eat & Meet business breakfast tomorrow at Kirkside Park Pavilion in Roxbury, starting at 8:30 a.m.  The featured speaker is Congressman Antonio Delgado of the 19th Congressional District, who is a member of the House Agriculture, Small Business and Transportation and Infrastructure Committees; and will speak about accomplishments and initiatives, as well as answer questions.  More information visit delawarecounty.org or 746-2281. 

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US Senators Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand reported that they were told by the Defense Department that $160 million in funding allocated for an engineering center and supporting structures at West Point would be repurposed for the Border Wall between Texas & Mexico.   Gillibrand stated aid that Trump is taking money from West Point and 126 other military installation projects across the country in order to work around Congress and build the southern border wall.

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The Otsego County Planning Department has announced their 22nd Annual Household Hazardous Waste Days.  The 1st collection day will be at the Unadilla Town Barn on Friday September 20th from 8:00 AM to 11:00 AM, the 2nd day will be at the Cooperstown Meadows Office Complex on Saturday September 21st from 8:00 AM to 1:00 PM.  There will be a small fee for businesses wishing to participate; they must register by the end of the business day tomorrow.  More information is available at 547-4225.

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The State Department of Health today announced new findings of its ongoing investigation into the vaping-associated lung illnesses that have been reported across the state, including an updated case count and information regarding the testing being conducted at the Department’s Wadsworth Center Laboratory.  the Department has received 34 reports from physicians of severe pulmonary illness among patients ranging from 15 to 46 years of age who were using at least 1 cannabis-containing vape product before they became ill, Laboratory test results showed very high levels of vitamin E acetate in nearly all cannabis-containing samples analyzed by the Wadsworth Center as part of this investigation. At least one vitamin E acetate containing vape product has been linked to each patient. The Wadsworth Center is testing both cannabis and nicotine-containing vape products as part of this investigation. 

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Governor Cuomo today signed legislation to prohibit companies from charging early termination fees on motor vehicle lease contracts if a customer has passed away before the end of the contract. Similar laws are in place prohibiting phone, television, internet, energy and water service providers from charging early termination fees if a contract is broken due to the death of the customer.

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A.O. Fox Hospital has been awarded $10,000 by the MultiPlan Rural Health Grant Program to help launch a food “farmacy” based at its Tri-Town Campus in Sidney.  The prescription food location will open in January 2020, & will provide emergency food, education, and navigation services to patients and their families in need. A.O. Fox Hospital will partner with local businesses & it will operate on an outpatient basis; visitors will receive vouchers for food prescribed by their primary care providers.  In Delaware County, it is estimated that more than 8,400 people suffer from hunger; more than 1,800 of those struggling are children. In children, hunger can lead to growth impairment, poor academic performance, behavioral issues, sickness, social disorders, and more.

Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 19 year old Brianna Reynolds of Auburn for Aggravated Unlicensed Operation of a Motor Vehicle, Unlicensed operator and Speeding at 85 miles per hour in a 55 mph zone.  Reynolds was stopped by deputies on State Highway 17 in the Town of Hancock; she will appear in Town of Hancock Court at a later date.

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Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 28-Year-Old Robert Davis of Pennsylvania for Driving While Intoxicated, Refusal to Take Breath Test & Parking on a Public Highway.   Davis was located on State Highway 206 in the Town of Masonville; he was arraigned & was remanded to the Delaware County Correctional Facility on $2,500 Cash Bail, or $5,000 in secure bonds.  Davis is scheduled to appear in the Masonville Town Court at a later time.

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