The Chenango County Sheriff’s Office arrested 2 men on charges of 3rd degree Criminal Mischief, 4th degree Grand Larceny in the fourth degree & 3rd degree Criminal Trespass. Deputies arrested 22-year-old Cody Gay of North Norwich & 22 year old Paul Presnell of North Norwich following an investigation into damaged and stolen railroad tracks from the New York, Susquehanna, and Western Railways. The pair is accused of using torches to cut out sections of track in North Norwich in August, and then selling the metal. Gay and Presnell were processed and released on appearance tickets for a later court date.
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The State Police Troop C Violent Felony Warrant Squad, and U.S Marshals Fugitive Task Force, apprehended 3 people wanted in Broome County. Arrested were 20-year-old Shayne Bartow of Vestal, who was wanted for Felony Probation Violation & 2nd degree Burglary by the Broome County Sheriff’s Office. Also apprehended were 21-year-old Denzel Duncan of Binghamton, who was wanted for Felony Aggravated Family Offense by the Binghamton Police Department and 50-year-old Debbie Duffy of Vestal, who was wanted for Welfare Fraud by the Binghamton Police Department. All 3 fugitives were turned over to the respective wanting agencies.
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Area Assembly Members Cliff Crouch & Donna Lupardo hosted a public meeting last night at the Chenango Valley High School, to get input on the controversial plan to close down the Broome Developmental Center. Area State Senator Tom Libous is opposed to the closing:
(Libous 11-13-13)
Initial plans called for Broome Developmental and 2 other mental health facilities in the area to get closed down as part of proposed state budget cuts, and move the employees at those facilities to similar facilities around the state.
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State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman joined with 31 attorneys general urging Google/Motorola, Samsung and Microsoft to develop a technological means to protect smartphone users by drying up secondary markets for stolen devices and eliminate the economic incentive for theft. The Secure Our Smartphones Initiative encourages the smartphone industry to implement a solution to the robberies involving mobile communication devices. Smartphone thieves victimized about 1.6 million Americans in 2012, with San Francisco & New York City seeing huge increases.
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The Chenango county sheriff’s department arrested 33-year-old Timothy Heady of Norwich for Driving While Ability Impaired by Drugs. Heady was charged following a traffic stop for a moving violation in the Town of Columbus, during the stop, Heady was found to be operating the motor vehicle under the influence of marihuana, he was also found to be in possession of marihuana. Heady was taken into custody without incident, was processed and released to a sober third party, he will appear in the Town of Columbus Court at a later date.
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New York’s new online health exchange now reports 197,011 New Yorkers have completed applications to get insured, while 48,162 have enrolled in plans, nearly half in the Medicaid program for low-income residents. The exchange, which opened Oct. 1st as the state’s response to the federal Affordable Care Act, includes low-cost plans for individuals and small businesses with coverage starting January 1st. State officials have estimated 1.1 million uninsured will enroll over the next few years. For more information go to nystateofhealth.ny.gov
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Governor Cuomo announced that the State University of New York was recognized by the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities with a national award for its economic engagement efforts, including START-UP NY. SUNY was one of four institutions of higher education presented with the Innovation and Economic Prosperity Award in Washington, D.C. START-UP NY, initiated by Cuomo this year, is designed to attract business and investments to the state, by offering an opportunity to operate completely tax-free, while partnering with world-class institutions of higher education.
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