P.M. NEWS WEDNESDAY 7-30-14

A Fenton man has been arrested on charges of promoting child pornography.  75-year-old Ray Parkes was charged following an investigation by the state police computer crime Unit.  Investigators served a search warrant at Parkes residence in the town of Fenton, he was charged with 3 counts of promoting a sexual performance by a child & 1 count of possessing a sexual performance by a child.  Parkes was arraigned in Town of Fenton court and was remanded to the Broome County Jail on $5000 bail pending future court action.

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The Broome County Sheriff’s Office Detective Division has arrested 23-year-old Donald Wilson of Binghamton, 20-year-old James Shaffer of Binghamton and 18-year-old Ryan Bartram of Owego. They are accused of drilling gas tanks at a car dealership on Front Street in the Town of Chenango and stealing gas. Eight vehicles had the tanks drilled causing over $4000 in damage.  Shaffer, Wilson and Bartram were arraigned in Town of Chenango Court and released pending further court action.

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The Otsego County Sheriff’s Office arrested 18-year-old Paul Clark Jr. of Charlotteville, on charges of Aggravated vehicular homicide, Vehicular manslaughter, Vehicular assault, Criminally negligent homicide, DWAI, reckless driving, & several misdemeanors & traffic infractions.  Officers accuse Clark of driving while on drugs & driving too fast when he crashed a 2000 Saturn into a parked FedEx truck in South Worcester 2 months ago.  Police said that there were 2 other people in Clark’s car, Devon McMahon died and Maureen Clark was injured.  Clark surrendered at the sheriff’s office, he was arraigned & and posted $10,000 bail, he faces court action September 2.

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The City of Oneonta Police Department has received multiple reports of a scam circulating the area. A person calls and claims to be a representative of NYSEG and requests a credit card payment be made to satisfy a past due account. If you receive such a call police advise you call NYSEG directly using the numbers listed on your billing statement. Do not give out personal information over the phone to persons whom you cannot positively identify.

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Members of Governor Cuomo’s administration met with advocates for medical marijuana as some lawmakers called on him to speed up the state’s issuance of the drug. Deputy Secretary for Health Courtney Burke and Howard Zucker, acting commission of the state Department of Health, were among those who met with the governor, they are urging Cuomo to consider ways to get the drug to terminally ill patients more quickly. Under the law, the Department of Health has 18 months to get the medical-marijuana system up and running.  The law allows the drug in non-smokeable form for patients who suffer from serious diseases or conditions — including HIV and epilepsy — and gives authority to the Department of Health to regulate it.

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New York should refund $200 million in federal Medicaid overpayments, according to federal health officials. The total is derived from several audits of different parts of the Medicaid program. The State Health Department will appeal the decision. Federal auditors came up with the number as a result of several audits of state-operated facilities, home health care services, day treatment centers for people with mental illness, billing for orthodontic and dental services, and treatment of people with traumatic brain injuries. The federal government pays half the cost of Medicaid health services for the poor in New York.

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The Broome County Sheriff’s Office received a call regarding a motorist acting strangely in the parking lot of the Sonic restaurant at 1103 Upper Front St., in the Town of Chenango last night. Upon arrival, police located 50-year-old Mary Jones of Binghamton, Field Sobriety tests were conducted and Jones was arrested for DWI with a BAC of 0.14%. Following her arrest, she was also found to possess a small amount of marihuana. She was released with tickets to appear in Town of Chenango court at a later date.

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The Delaware County Office for the Aging is giving farmers market coupons to county residents 60 years of age or older. The coupons cover $20 worth of fruits and vegetables from participating vendors. Seniors must meet income eligibility guidelines. Eligible seniors may pick up coupons at the Office for the Aging, 6 Court Street, Delhi from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays. The deadline for coupon booklet distribution is Sept. 30, but coupons may be used through Nov. 30th. For more information call 746-6333.

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The 2014 Rock In the Park concert tickets are available at several locations, for the August 17th show in Bainbridge.  Organizer Jason Hall comments:

(Jason Hall 7-30-14)

The concert will be at General Clinton Park, featuring local favorites Woodshed Prophets, American idol contestant Kaitlyn Jackson, as well as national country music acts Chris Janson and Headliner Daryl Singletary.

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