State Police in Norwich arrested 31-year-old Michael Holbert of Sherburne on 1 count of animal cruelty, in violation of the New York State Agriculture and Markets Law. Holbert is accused of failing to provide adequate shelter and sustenance for his dog, which resulted in its death. State Agriculture and Markets Law requires that people must provide adequate food, water and shelter, and that they prevent their animals from being unjustifiably injured.
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Governor Cuomo announced the next phase of the statewide “Combat Heroin and Prescription Drug Abuse” awareness campaign to address the opioid epidemic in New York. The campaign includes messages on billboards, posters, online advertisements, social media and commercials that will be aired across the state for four weeks. The “Combat Heroin” website hosts 22 videos of New Yorkers describing first-hand how they or their loved ones progressed from alcohol to marijuana to heroin or prescription opioids and the devastation the addiction caused. Four of these videos will be used in television commercials.
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New York State of Health Marketplace today announced that more than 2.1 million people signed up for health insurance by the end of the second open enrollment period earlier this week. 88% of Marketplace enrollees reported that they were uninsured at the time they enrolled.
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The state Department of Health failed to collect nearly $120 million in available rebates over a 33-month period from pharmaceutical manufacturers for the Medicaid program because of ineffective policies and processes, according to an audit by State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli. Auditors determined that the Health department can improve its processes by following 12 recommendations from the report, to collect the unclaimed rebates and improve the collection process.
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The Chenango Arts Council is bringing back “Scot Bruce” and his band, to perform their “Elvis Presley, All Shook Up” show later this month. Council Director Diane Batson-Smith said that there are some tickets left:

(Diane Batson-Smith 2-18-15)

The show is Friday February 27th at 7:00 PM at the Martin W. Kappel Theater in downtown Norwich, Bruce sold out the venue in his previous appearance in November of 2012.
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