Governor Cuomo today delivered his state of the state address to a joint session of the legislature in Albany, looking for another positive year of progress & unity:
(Cuomo 1-8-14)
Cuomo outlined his plans for building 100 new upstate bridges to replace ones damaged by recent storms, a medical marijuana program for cancer sufferers in 20 hospitals. Stiffer penalties for repeat drunk drivers & teens who text while driving & setting up an agricultural summit and cutting taxes to 0% for upstate manufacturers. Cuomo will deliver the state budget proposal to a joint session of the legislature on January 21st in Albany.
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State police arrested 48-year-old Robert Braun of Oneonta for 2nd degree criminal contempt. The arrest resulted from a vehicle and traffic law stop on State Route 205 in Oneonta, it was determined that the front seat passenger held an active order of protection against Braun. Braun was arraigned in the Town of Oneonta Court and released; he faces court action on February 6th.
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A law passed last year allowing those with New York hunting licenses, to kill wild boars is proving ineffective at curtailing their numbers, so Officials from the U.S. Department Of Agriculture’s Wildfire Services Unit will be attempting to kill off the feral swine by chopper. The boars have been migrating into the Tri County region over the last few years, carrying 37 different parasites, as well as killing of livestock, pets and in some cases, attacking humans. The chopper units will operate January 28th to February 7th.
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State police arrested 39-year-old Mason Hamilton of Cincinnatus for aggravated unlicensed operation of a vehicle. The arrest occurred after a traffic stop for an expired inspection on State Route 206, a check of Hamilton’s driver’s license revealed that he had 12 suspensions. Hamilton was arraigned and remanded to the Broome County Jail on $1,000 cash bail.
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62-year-old Barry Renert’s felony hearing has been delayed. Renert was arraigned Sunday in Cooperstown village court on a charge of 2nd degree burglary following extradition from Virginia, he is accused of menacing a former employer at the Seventh Inning Stretch in Cooperstown on December 23rd. A new date for the felony hearing was not set.
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A Sherburne man was arrested on 110 counts of animal cruelty against cows. State police charged 48-year-old Michael Thompson with torturing, injuring and not feeding an animal at his farm on Casey Cheese Factory road in the town of Columbus. Several deceased and sick cows were found on the farm. Thompson was arraigned in Columbus town court and sent to the Chenango County Jail on $5,000 bail.
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18-year-old William Thomas of Oneonta has been arrested, for allegedly raping a 14-year-old girl in Wilber Park in November. Thomas was charged with 2nd degree rape, he faces court action on February 10th in Oneonta city court.
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Advocates for New York’s poor are calling for a minimum wage of at least $10 to address what they call a state crisis of inequality. Rallying at the Capitol in Albany today, they said the state’s richest 1 percent now account for 35 percent of all income. The Legislature and Gov Cuomo last year raised the minimum wage from $7.25 to $8 this year, $8.75 next year and $9 by 2016. Assembly and Senate Democrats have proposed accelerating the increase and adding inflation adjustments