State Police arrested 31 year old Dawn Otte, of Walton, for felony Aggravated Driving While Intoxicated in violation of Leandra’s Law. The arrest occurred after Troopers at the Delaware Valley Hospital observed an intoxicated woman walk in after driving herself. An investigation determined that Otte had also dropped off a child, less than 16 years old, prior to arriving at the hospital intoxicated, she was arraigned in the Village of Walton Court and then released without bail.
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The Chenango County Sheriff’s office arrested James Fletcher of Coventry on an active arrest warrant for 2nd degree Burglary. Fletcher was charged for allegedly unlawfully entering a residence and stealing Jewelry, he is being held in the Chenango County Jail pending future court action.
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The 1st phase of the Kamikaze curve construction project at state route 17 & I-81 in Binghamton will b completed in about 18 months, motorists in that area will notice a change in traffic patterns & detours there, according to State DOT Spokesman Dave Hamburg:
(Dave Hamburg 6-12-14)
Hamburg said that the project is on time & on budget, with this first phase expected to be completed in December of 2015.
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Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver is still pushing for the legislature to pass the minimum wage and Dream Act bills, as lawmakers work toward adjournment. The minimum wage proposal would raise the wage to $10.10 per hour; The Dream Act would extend financial aid to students who are in the country illegally. Both measures have support in the Assembly but face challenges in the Senate, where the Dream Act has already failed once. Senate Republican Leader Dean Skelos doesn’t expect the Senate to consider any controversial legislation before the end of session on June 19th.
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The state Senate passed a bill to require state colleges to inform law enforcement of a missing student or a violent felony within 24 hours. The Senate passed the measure on Wednesday and the Assembly passed the updated College Safety Act in March. It’s now awaiting the signature of Governor Cuomo. The Legislature initially passed the College Safety Act in 1999 after the disappearance of University at Albany student Suzanne Lyall, it requires colleges & universities to notify local law enforcement of any violent felony offense or missing person on campus, it didn’t require the schools to actually report such incidents to outside authorities.
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Governor Cuomo will soon decide whether yogurt will become New York’s official state snack. The Assembly approved a bill to make yogurt an official state snack Wednesday, by a vote of 85-1, following a 45-minute debate in the state Senate last month. The bill was skewered by late-night TV hosts, including Jon Stewart and David Letterman, the bill heads to the governor’s desk; he is expected to sign it.
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The Civil Service Employees Association members, who work for the state court system, have voted 2-to-1 in favor of a new contract covering 5,700 employees with annual 2 percent salary increases for three years. The contract runs retroactively from April 1, 2011 through March 31, 2017. Raises are scheduled for October of this year, April 2015 and April 2016, with a $750 bonus March 31, 2017.
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The New York State Senate passed a bill that would ban the sale of powdered alcohol, known as Palcohol. The FDA approved the substance in April, but the agency quickly reversed its decision, the New York bill would ban the product in the state even if it gets approval from the FDA. Powdered alcohol has been banned in Alaska and legislation to ban it has been approved in South Carolina and Vermont.