On Friday, State Police were at a property on County Road 29 in New Berlin, investigating another matter, when they discovered 61 dogs, 11 birds, and 3 cats, all of which were in questionable health, and many were being sold on Craiglist, according to Delaware Valley Human Society Director Erin Insinga, who responded to this New Berlin location, she said that people should either adopt animals at shelters & Humane Society or from licensed reputable breeders:

(Erin Insinga 5-4-23)

Insinga said that all of the animals from the New Berlin location, are being checked out by area veterinarians and the State Police announced that the investigation is ongoing.

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Broome County Sheriff’s Office announced 3 more arrests for contraband in the County Jail recently. On April 21st, investigators searched a housing unit and a medical unit and identified several inmates who were hiding contraband in their cells. They recovered A Heroin-like substance that tested positive for Fentanyl, drug paraphernalia, A bladed “shank” weapon, & a pen stolen from a Corrections desk The bladed weapon was found in 21-year-old Jason Marimberga’s cell, the Heroin-like substance was found in 46-year-old John Turner’s cell, and the hard plastic pen was found in 38-year-old Joseph Schultze’s cell. All 3 were charged with Promoting Prison Contraband, & were processed and will appear in the Town of Dickinson Court at a later date.

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Delaware County Sheriff’s office announced the arrested of 71 year old Vincent Balsamo of Walton for Criminal sale of a Weapon. On Wednesday, April 19th members of the Criminal Investigation Division received information that Balsamo had illegally purchased a rifle from another person, which was in violation of a Temporary Extreme Risk Protection Order, as well as a Pistol License Suspension Order. Balsamo intentionally disobeyed the court while out on a secured $150,000 property bond in connection with an indictment for Reckless Endangerment, Assault and 2nd degree Manslaughter. Balsamo was charged with Criminal Purchase or Disposal of a Weapon and 3 counts of Criminal Contempt, he was arraigned and was remanded to the Delaware County Jail without bail.

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Attorney General Letitia James today announced that consumers who were tricked by TurboTax’s owner Intuit into paying for free tax services will begin receiving checks from the $141 million settlement. Approximately 4.4 million consumers nationwide will receive checks in the mail from the multistate settlement led by Attorney General James. New York will receive more than $5.4 million for more than 176,000 New Yorkers who were tricked. Individuals who filed for 3 consecutive years could be reimbursed, information about the settlement is available at AGTurboTaxSettlement.com.

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Delaware County Sheriff’s Office arressted 21 year old Dakota Mann of Walton on several charges after members of the Delaware County Correctional facility conducted a jail search, they located a hand-made braided rope inside Mann’s assigned garment, he is accused of ripping other assigned garments into smaller strips and used the strips to braid the rope. Mann is also accused of of violating an order of protection by contacting a protected party 132 times in April while incarcerated. Mann was charged with Promoting Prison Contraband, Criminal Mischief & Criminal Contempt, he was arraigned & was remanded back to the Delaware County Jail on $10,000 bail in connection with another Criminal Contempt Charge that Mann was previously being held on.

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Family Planning of South Central New York has been awarded the Comprehensive Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention, the $1.8 million dollar, 5 year grant by the State Department of Health will be used to enhance and expand medically accurate, age appropriate, evidence based programs in specifically Broome, Chenango, and Cortland Counties.

The American Red Cross announce blood drives in Otsego County. 1 drive will be held in Cooperstown from 10:30 AM to 3:30 PM at the Cooperstown High School, another will be in Oneonta from 1:00 to 6:00 PM at the Quality Inn, on State Highway 23. To make an appointment, simply download the American Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit RedCrossBlood.org, call 1-800-RED CROSS.

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