WCDO NEWS WEDNESDAY 3-13-19

by wcdonews Posted on March 13, 2019

For the third year in a row, 13 Year old Melodie Loya of Bainbridge won the regional Scripps National Spelling Bee in Oneonta, & she will once again be heading to Washington DC, and a fundraiser has begun to help meet expenses, DCMO BOCES spelling bee coordinator Martha Ryan explains:

(Martha Ryan 3-13-19)

Loya placed 18th and 25th in her two previous years of national competition, and made it to the final 41 of last year’s 516 spellers.

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33 year old Kevin Wilcox of Harpursville pleaded not guilty to charges of vehicular assault and driving while impaired by drugs, at his arraignment Tuesday.  Wilcox was arrested following the investigation into Monday afternoon’s incident in Binghamton, where he allegedly drove onto the sidewalk on Beethoven Street and struck 17-year-old Harper Stantz and 19-year-old Britney Laserinko.   Both were taken to Wilson Hospital with a variety of serious injuries, including internal injuries & fractures.  Wilcox is being held in the Broome County Jail pending future court action.

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18 year old Alec Zarkower’s death has been ruled as a suicide, following an autopsy performed Tuesday.  Zarkower’s body was found in his dorm room at SUNY Delhi Monday morning, SUNY Delhi officials said that counselors are available for students in need.  Zarkower was a freshman at SUNY Delhi, and was originally from Cortlandt Manor in Westchester County.

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The Trial of Heather Franklin will begin on Aprils 1st in Chenango County Court, for the murder of her special needs son Jeffrey in 2017.  Heather & Ernest Franklin were accused of killing the teenager and setting fire to the family home in the town of Guilford, after they had watched “Manchester by the Sea” which contained a similar plot.  Ernest Franklin was convicted on Murder 7 Arson charges last week; he will be sentenced on May 3rd.

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Last year was the deadliest for pedestrians in decades, according to a new report from the Governors Highway Safety Association.    More than 6,200 pedestrians were killed in motor vehicle accidents in 2018, which was a continuation of an upward trend over the last 10 years; it was the highest number since 1990.  unsafe driving behaviors like speeding or distracted or drowsy driving; alcohol consumption and smartphone use by both drivers and pedestrians; and a rise in the number of larger SUVs,

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Governor Cuomo today announced that he will not sign a state budget without a permanent 2% property tax cap, and he also wants to lower the state tax rate again:

(Cuomo 3-13-19)

Cuomo has been in disagreement with some of the Democrat members of the legislature, who do not want the tax cap to become permanent.

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The CDC announced that Flu activity remains high across the nation, and there’s a second wave of severe infections striking some states.  Over 26.3 million flu illnesses, 12.4 million medical visits and 347,000 flu hospitalizations were reported nationwide between October 1st & March 2, with 64 children dying from the flu during that time.  The H1N1 virus strain has dominated this season, but H3N2 viruses have been recirculating in the Southeast,  the CDC still continues to recommend getting a flu shot for those who have not, even though it is late in the season.

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Delaware County Sheriff Deputies arrested 39 year old Kenneth Schuler of Boca Raton, Florida on charges of felony DWI and felony aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, following an investigation into a property damage motor vehicle accident on Lower Third Brook Road in the Town of Walton. Schuler was additionally charged with speed not reasonable and prudent, unlicensed operator, refusal to take a breath screening test and operating a motor vehicle without a required ignition interlock device. Schuler was arraigned and was remanded to the Delaware County Jail on $5,000 cash bail pending future court action. 

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Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 39 year old LeAnne Taggart of Franklin, for possession of a Dangerous Dog in Violation of the New York State Agriculture and Markets Law.  The arrest is a result of an investigation into a report of an aggressive dog in the Town of Sidney. Taggart is scheduled to appear at Sidney Town Court at a later date to answer the charge.

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Jody Zakrevsky, who is the CEO of Otsego Now, will be holding a series of “town hall” meetings throughout Otsego County in the coming weeks. The first of these meetings will be held today at Hartwick College in the Shineman Chapel from 5:30pm – 7:00pm. The second one will be held on Thursday, at Oneonta Town Hall from 5:00pm – 6:30pm Topics to be discussed range from grant opportunities available under the next consolidated funding application process, economic and community development interests, and energy. Questions and comments from the public are welcomed and encouraged.

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Cornell Cooperative Extension will host a Farmers’ Market Community Meeting at their Hamden office this morning from 9:30-11:30 am.  The goal of this meeting is to create and/or strengthen relationships among individuals and groups that support farmers’ markets in Delaware County.  More information is available at 865-6531 or ccedelaware.org.

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WCDO NEWS TUESDAY 3-12-19

by wcdonews Posted on March 12, 2019

State Police are investigating the circumstances behind the death of 18 year old Alec Zarkower of Cortlandt Manor in Westchester County, in his SUNY Delhi Dorm room Monday.  Zarkower was a freshman residing in the O’Connor Hall, Students were told that there was no imminent danger & classes were held as scheduled.  An Autopsy on Zarkower is scheduled for today.

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The State Burn Ban goes into effect this Saturday March 16th through May 14th.   DEC officials stated that that ban does NOT ban all burning, it bans burning of Brush.   Exceptions include small Campfires,   Small cooking fires, Ceremonial or celebratory bonfires are allowed. More Information is available at dec.ny.gov.

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Binghamton Police Department responded to a report of a vehicle collision with 2 pedestrians yesterday afternoon at about 3:25, on Beethoven Street near Lincoln Avenue.  The police determined that a Jeep Wrangler left the roadway and struck female teenagers; 16 and 19 years of age, they were taken to Wilson Hospital The driver of the vehicle 33 year old Kevin Wilcox of Harpursville, he was charged with Vehicular Assault & Driving While Ability Impaired by Drugs, he was arraigned this morning & was remanded to the Broome County Jail.

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The 2019 Relay For Life of Chenango County Kickoff event will be held today at 6:00 pm at the Community Room, at the Norwich YMCA.  The event is open to the public, Light refreshments will also be served! The Chenango Relay For Life will be held at East Main Street Park in Norwich, on Saturday, July 20th at 4:00 PM.

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The State Assembly has passed legislation requiring gun owners to have their guns locked up, with the ammunition stored elsewhere.  State Assemblyman Cliff Crouch said that his constituents oppose the bill:

(Crouch 3-12-19)

The State Senate hasn’t yet acted on the bill, but they are expected to pass it & Governor Cuomo is expected to sign it this year.

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The State Department of Labor today released preliminary local area unemployment rates for January.  The State’s area unemployment increased to 4.6% in January 2019, after remaining below 4% for several months at the end of last year.  Locally, Chenango County’s Unemployment rate was 5.5%, Delaware county was at 5.6% & Otsego County at 5.4% for January.

37 year old Marlon Graham of Deposit pleaded guilty in Broome County Court Friday to possessing methamphetamine & fentanyl.   Graham pleaded guilty to criminal possession of a controlled substance, for selling those substances in Deposit & Kirkwood; Sentencing is scheduled for May 10

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State Police arrested 50 year old Joseph Jaen of Vestal for the DWI, after a trooper observed a vehicle stopped on Interstate 88 in the town of Sidney and a passenger got out of the vehicle; the driver then drove several yards before stopping again.  The trooper investigated and learned that the driver and passenger had an argument before the passenger got out of the vehicle; the trooper observed that Jaen appeared intoxicated and was arrested. The passenger was turned over to a sober third party.  Jaen was released on appearance tickets returnable to the town of Sidney Court on March 28th. 

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State Police arrested 36 year old Michaela McNally of Oneonta for felony DWI & several traffic citations.  A trooper monitoring traffic on Interstate 88 in the town of Oneonta observed the vehicle McNally was operating with an equipment violation.  A traffic stop was initiated and the trooper determined McNally was impaired, she was processed then released on appearance tickets returnable to the town of Oneonta Court on March 12th.

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The Binghamton Zoo at Ross Park announced that Phillip Ginter is the new Executive Director, effective March 25th.   Binghamton Zoo members and visitors will be able to meet Ginter on Grand Opening Day, April 20th and Members Only Night, April 27th.   The Binghamton Zoo will be open on the weekends only from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM starting March 16th, weather permitting.  The official 2019 events calendar is available at rossparkzoo.com.

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WCDO NEWS MONDAY 3-11-19

by wcdonews Posted on March 11, 2019

State Police & Delhi University Police are investigating a student Death on campus.  Delhi school officials announced on their twitter page that classes are continuing, and more information will be released after the family is notified.

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The Chenango County Sheriff’s Office arrested 26 year old Hannah Bradley and 28 year old Craig Peletz of Afton for Criminal Possession of Controlled Substance & 2 counts of Criminal Use of Drug Paraphernalia following the execution of a search warrant.   Bradley & Peletz were arraigned in the Town of Afton Court and remanded to the Chenango County Correctional Facility with $10,000 bail.  The investigation is ongoing with charges still pending. 

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State Police observed a vehicle speeding in Stamford Friday; a traffic stop was attempted; the driver failed to comply & reached speeds over 100 miles an hour.  The vehicle left on exit 77 in Windsor where another trooper met the vehicle at the end of the off ramp and they stopped.   The driver was an 18-year-old male from Bayside, Queens, who was found to be in possession of smoking device containing suspected THC oil & a fraudulent Connecticut driver’s license.  He was charged with Criminal Possession of a Forged Instrument & Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance.  A 17-year-old male passenger from Flushing, Queens attempted to dispose of a smoking device, he was charged with Tampering with Physical Evidence & Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance.  Police said 3 other passengers were not taken into custody or issued any tickets.  The 18-year-old driver & A 17-year-old passenger were arraigned at Broome County Central Arraignment and Processing.

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State Police & other Local Police agencies executed a search warrant March 5th; they arrested 10 people in Endicott, following a lengthy investigation.  Police arrested 54 year old Paul Panella & 19 year old Elizabeth Bickham of Endicott on a variety of drug charges, Police seized crystal methamphetamine, suboxone, a handgun, an illegal knife, controlled substances, digital scales & packaging materials.  Police also observed a vehicle leave the residence & park down the street, Troopers approached the vehicle, the driver exited & attempted to discard methamphetamine, the driver; Matthew Wood was arrested on various drug charges, his passenger 21 year old McKenna Westgate of Vestal was also charged.  Wood, Westgate, Panella and Bickham were all arraigned & were remanded to the Broome County Jail on no bail.  6 others were either turned over to other police agencies, or were released on issued appearance tickets

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The Oneonta Municipal Civil Service Commission announced open-competitive exams for Administrative Specialist, General Supervisor, Streets and Facilities Superintendent on May 11th.  Application deadlines are April 5th, Applications and exam announcements are available at the Personnel Office, 258 Main St. or at www.oneonta.ny.us/personnel.

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Governor Cuomo announced that $2.3 million in funding is available through round 4 of the Climate Resilient Farming grant program, to help farms reduce their operational impact on the environment and better prepare for and recover after extreme weather events. Since the launch of the program in 2015, a total of $5.1 million has been provided to 40 projects across the state, helping 70 farms implement projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, promote energy savings; mitigate water and soil quality concerns and increase on-farm resiliency to climate change. More information is available at agriculture.ny.gov.

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Chenango County Jury convicted Ernest Franklin of Guilford for 2nd-degree murder, 3rd-degree arson, and tampering with physical evidence in connection with the 2017 murder of his 16-year-old adopted son Jeffrey.  The Jury believed that Franklin killed Jeffrey & set fire to the family home to cover up the murder, his wife Heather’s trial will be held in Chenango County court later this year.

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Chenango County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 43 year old Kenneth Barrows of Norwich for unauthorized use of a motor vehicle & aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, following a pursuit in the Town of Norwich.  Barrows is accused of taking the vehicle without the owner’s permission, he is being held in the Chenango County Jail & will appear in the Town of Norwich Court at a later date.

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State Police arrested 47 year old Denise McGroder of New Berlin for Driving While Intoxicated.   Troopers were dispatched to a complaint that McGroder borrowed a vehicle to go to work but did not return the vehicle as expected.  Troopers located the vehicle and found McGroder in the parking lot of Stewart’s on State Highway 8, troopers accused her of being intoxicated, she was processed and released on appearance tickets for the town of New Berlin Court.

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State Police arrested 26 year old Devin Smith of South Carolina for Criminal Possession of a Weapon, Unlawful Possession of a Large Capacity Ammunition Feeding Device and Unlawful Possession of Marihuana.  A trooper initiated a traffic stop after she observed Smith speeding on I-88 in Worcester,  the trooper observed an unregistered gun in Smith’s glove box with a 15-round magazine, & a small quantity of marijuana found.  Smith was arrested & released on appearance tickets for the town of Worcester Court on March 19th.

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Tickets for the 2019 Hall of Fame Classic, scheduled for Saturday, May 25, go on sale today to the general public online and by phone. Hall of Fame members Rollie Fingers and Alan Trammell will be joined by additional Hall of Famers and recently retired players representing all 30 major league teams for a seven-inning legends game at Cooperstown’s historic Doubleday Field.  Tickets will be available via phone at 207-9519 or at baseballhall.org.

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WCDO NEWS FRIDAY 3-8-19

by wcdonews Posted on March 8, 2019

Aaron Powell of Binghamton was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole in Broome County court on Today.  Powell was recently retried for the murder of his estranged wife Christina & Mario Masciarelli in the Powell family home in 2013, he was convicted a 2nd time after he was granted a retrial by a higher court, Powell will serve the same sentence that he received following his first conviction.

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Final arguments were being delivered today in Chenango County Court in the Ernest Franklin murder trial.  Franklin is accused of killing his special needs son & setting the family home on fire in the town of Guilford in 2017, watching the movie “Manchester by the Sea” with his wife, which featured a similar plot.  Heather Franklin will be tried separately at a later date, also in Chenango County Court.

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Broome County district Attorney Steven Cornwell announced that 33 year old Shawn Kostick of Endicott was indicted on 10 counts by a grand jury last month, for the 2014 murder of his father Harry Kostick in Endicott.  Kostick is charged with 2nd degree murder, 1st degree manslaughter, intimidating a victim or witness, forgery, & criminal contempt.

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30 year old Lance Beckwith of Norwich was arrested by the Chenango County Sheriff’s Office for Promoting Prison Contraband and Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance.   Beckwith allegedly possessed dangerous contraband while incarcerated at the Chenango County Jail, where he was being held on other charges, he will appear in the Town of Norwich Court when called upon.

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35 year old Joshua Whaley of Pitcher was arrested by the Chenango County Sheriff’s Office on an active New York State Parole warrant.   Whaley was picked up for a parole violation, he was also charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance and criminal possession of a weapon, for allegedly possessing methamphetamine and guns at the time of arrest.  Whaley was remanded to the Chenango County Correctional Facility without bail pending future court action.

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33 year old Kevin Begeal of Oxford has been arrested by Oneonta City Police on Burglary, Grand Larceny & other Charges.  Begeal is accused of breaking into a Chestnut Street home and stealing two guitars and a television, and he allegedly tried to sell them to a Norwich Music Store. 

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The Village of Unadilla announced that crews repaired a small water main break, at Cone Lane & Old Village Lane this morning.  Service affected about 12 to 15 customers, customers should let the water run until it is clear.

61-year-old Phillip Stein of Binghamton was charged with 3rd degree attempted robbery in connection with Thursday’s Bank robbery at Citizen’s bank in Binghamton.   Stein is accused of entering the Bank at 10:25 AM and gave a bank teller a note that demanded cash, he ran before taking any money.  Stein was apprehended near the bank in the area of Glenwood Avenue, he was also charged with violation of parole.

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International Women’s Day is today, and the Chenango County Council of the Arts will be hosting a gallery exhibit At the Mareia Brown & Raymond Loft galleries at 27 West Main Street in Norwich today.  Council Executive director Alecia O’Neill explains:

(Alecia O’Neill 3-8-19)

The event is free & Open to the public, light refreshments will be served, more information is available at 336-2787.

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19th District Congressman Antonio Delgado will hold a Town Hall meeting this Sunday in Deposit.  The event will be held at the Deposit State Theater at 12:00 Noon Sunday.

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The Annual train Show will be held tomorrow in Binghamton, Organizer Jeff Olin of Village Train & Hobby in Windsor explains:

(Jeff Olin 3-8-19)

This year is the 11th Annual Train Show, it is once again being held at the Binghamton American Legion at 177 Robinson Street.

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This Sunday morning at 2:00 AM marks a change in Daylight savings time, clocks will be turned ahead 1 hour.  Local Fire Departments also remind area residents to change the batteries in their smoke alarms at that time.

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The 2nd Annual Casino Night will be held Saturday night at the Sidney Elks Lodge on River Street.  The event will be a fundraiser for the Sidney EMS Squad & Delaware Valley Humane Society.  The event begins at 6:30 until 10:00 PM, tickets can be purchased at the Barking Cat in Sidney or Jess Howe’s in Sidney Center, and more information is available at 434-3357.

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The Sidney Rotary Club Pancake Day will be held Saturday at the River Street Fire Station.  The fundraiser will be held from 7:00 AM to 12:00 Noon.

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WCDO NEWS THURSDAY 3-7-19

by wcdonews Posted on March 7, 2019

The State Assembly voted in favor of raising the Smoking age from 18 to 21 years old this week.  The bill would prohibit the sale of tobacco & E-cigarettes to anyone under 21.  The bill is expected to pass the state Senate later in the session & it has the support of Governor Cuomo.

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State Police reported that a section of State Route 79 in Windsor was closed to traffic after a trailer hauling a mobile home became detached, and flipped onto its side at about 9:45 AM today.  State DOT officials said that Route 79 was closed in both directions between Doolittle Road and Ouaquaga Road for the clean-up & Investigation.   No injuries were reported & no tickets have been issued.

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Mortgage foreclosure filings across New York dropped 46% from 2013 and 2018, from about 46,000 to 25,000, according to a report issued today by State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli.  DiNapoli last reported on mortgage foreclosures in 2016 when New York State was experiencing high levels of foreclosure activity nearly a decade after the housing bubble burst. DiNapoli’s new report highlights improvements since then, with most counties reporting foreclosure rates at about .5%.

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Binghamton City Police are investigating a Bank Robbery at Citizens Bank on Main Street.  Police are looking a suspect described as a 6’2″ white Male, who handed the teller a note and left on foot at about 10:20 this morning.    Anyone with information should call 911 or contact Binghamton Police at 772-7076.

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Anthony Pacherille Jr. of Cooperstown was released on parole from the Clinton Correctional Facility this week.  Pacherille had been sentenced to an 11-year prison term after shooting his classmate, Wesley Lippitt in the arm at the Cooperstown police Station in a racially motivated attack; he then turned the gun on himself, shooting himself in the chin in April of 2010.

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Oneida County STP DWI coordinator Thomas Giruzzi has been fired, after being stopped in Utica for driving while intoxicated & Criminal possession of a controlled substance.  Giruzzi was originally pulled over for not wearing a seatbelt 7 talking on his cell phone while driving, police also accused Giruzzi of possessing cocaine, and he failed a field sobriety test.

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Governor Cuomo today announced $128 million in new State funding for fixing State roadways impacted by this year’s harsh winter weather. Funding will support 91 paving projects and the renewal of approximately 1,000 miles of pavement across the state, with at least 1 project in every county.  The new funding complements $100 million previously committed earlier this year for local projects that renew approximately 3,700 miles of road across the State.  The current State Budget provides a record level of $743 million in direct state aid to local governments for road and bridge repair and modernization. 

State Police arrested 39 year old Robert Stutzer of Middletown for Driving While Intoxicated, Aggravated Unlicensed Operation, & Leaving the Scene of a Property Damage Accident.   Troopers were dispatched to the Kwik Fill Gas Station in the village of Unadilla, An investigation revealed that Stutzer was impaired and had also been involved in an accident on State Route 357, He was arrested and refused to submit to a breath sample, he was arraigned and remanded to the Delaware County Jail on $2,500 cash bail or $5,000 property bond. His next court date is March 14, 2019.

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The Jericho Arts Council has been able to reschedule “Storm Front, The Music of Bill Joel” for this Sunday at 4:00 PM at the Bainbridge Town hall Theater, spokesman Phil Wade explains:

(Phil Wade 3-7-19)

Ticket reservations can be made at 288-3882 for Sunday Afternoon’s show.

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The Otsego County Chamber of Commerce Business After Hours Will be held today from 5:30 to 7:00 PM at The Foothills Performing Arts and Civic Center in the Atrium.  The event will celebrate 10 & 20 year member anniversaries.   More information is available at 432-4500 or karen@otsegocc.com.

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The Bainbridge-Guilford Central School will hold a Board of Education Meeting today in the Guilford Elementary School at 6:30 PM. The business portion of the meeting will start at 7:00 PM.

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WCDO NEWS WEDNESDAY 3-6-19

by wcdonews Posted on March 6, 2019

Norwich fire fighters responded to 99 Borden Avenue for a structure fire at a warehouse last night starting at about 6:00 PM.  Fire fighters from North Norwich & Oxford also responded, the fire was under control in about 45 minutes, some vehicles & part of the building suffered heavy damage, no injuries were reported.

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State Senator Fred Akshar released 2 new questions this week as part of a series of online surveys polling questions constituents of the 52nd Senate District on issues that may come before the New York State Senate this year.  Akshar is asking his constituents to weigh in on two of his own proposed pieces of legislation.  The first question is about Increasing the volunteer firefighters’ and ambulance workers’ credit. The 2nd is about the Community Heroes Protection Act which designates targeted offenses against 1st responders, Firefighters, EMS Personnel, & Police Officers as Hate Crime. The link to the survey is nysenate.gov/questionnaires/fred-akshar.

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The Delaware County Department of Public Works announced that certain county roads are temporarily closed to any vehicle with a gross weight in excess of 4 tons.  Some of the roads affected include county route10 from state route 28 to county route 12, County Route 16 from State Route 10 to Treadwell, County route 23 from county route 21 to Sidney center, County route 35 from county 23 to state route 205, & County Highway 67 from State Route 10 to the Hancock Village line.  More information is available at 832-5800.

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The Chenango Arts Council is searching for local artists to show their work in the Marea Brown & Raymond Loft Galleries in Norwich, Council Executive Director Alecia O’Neill explains:

(Alecia O’Neill 3-6-19)

More information is available at Chenango arts.org or at 336-2787.

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 19th District Congressman Antonio Delgado will hold a Town Hall meeting this Sunday in Deposit.  The event will be held at the Deposit State Theater at 12:00 Noon Sunday.

The Tri Town Relay For Life will have their 2019 kick off events” Carnival For A Cure” today at the Sidney Elks Lodge on River Street.  The event will run from 5:30 to 7:30 PM, The Relay For Life event will be held on June 7th at General Clinton park in Bainbridge.

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 Delaware County Sheriff Deputies arrested 32 year old Jennifer Spencer, of Walton for Aggravated Unlicensed Operation of a Motor Vehicle, following an investigation into a report of a motor vehicle accident on Feak Hollow Road in the Town of Hamden. Spencer was also issued tickets for unlicensed operator and uninspected motor vehicle. Spencer was later released on traffic tickets returnable to Hamden Town Court at a later date.

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The Center for Agricultural Development and Entrepreneurship and SUNY Cobleskill will offer a free legal workshop this evening from 7:00 to 9:00 PM in Oneonta, for farms and food businesses. The workshop is part of a 2019 Farm and Food Business Incubator Workshop series covering essential topics in business planning and management, it will be held at the Center’s Oneonta office location at 189 Main Street, 5th Floor, More Information is available at 433-2545.

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Area health and education experts Jean Van Kingsley and Noelle Granger will be the guest speakers at Hartwick College’s 2019 O’Connor Chair Lecture today. This year’s topic is “The Landscape of Bullying in Rural America.” The lecture will be held at 7:30 PM in the Slade Theatre, in Yager Hall, it is free and open to the public.  more information is available at 431-4790.

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WCDO NEWS TUESDAY 3-5-19

by wcdonews Posted on March 5, 2019

Roger Clough has officially resigned as Superintendent of the Walton School district, following an out of court settlement where Clough will receive 2 years pay, and possible charges of professional misconduct against him will be dropped will be dropped.  The Walton School Board has appointed Larry Thomas as the new Superintendent.

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A “Go Fund Me” page has been set up for Cooperstown Police Chief Mike Covert, who is suffering from a variety of Health issues & had to take a leave of absence.  Covert faces expensive medical bills & will need a kidney transplant, his health insurance had lapsed briefly, and the fund was set up, it has raised almost $14,000 dollars through yesterday. 

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The Rotary Club of Sidney will be hosting a fundraiser on March 16th for the Howard & Catherine Lynch Scholarship fund for a graduating Sidney High School Senior.  Spokesman Larry Halbert explains:

(Larry Halbert 3-5-19)

Tickets can be purchased at the Sidney & Norwich American Legions, at VEP+ on Main Street in Sidney, or by calling Larry Halbert at 237-4762, the deadline to purchase tickets is March 6th.

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The first Teen Institute Summit was held at Sidney high school on Monday, coordinated by the Heart of New York Teen Institute program.  Sidney Superintendent Bill Christensen explains:

(Bill Christensen 3-5-19)

The Teen Institute seeks to reduce underage alcohol use, tobacco and other drug use and other self-destructive behaviors.  Monday’s summit in Sidney was a supplement to a fall conference the program normally holds.

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State Senator Jim Seward welcomed J.P. Dewey from Sidney High School to Monday in Albany as part of the annual “Music in our Schools Month” celebration.   Dewey performed as a member of the prestigious All State Instrumental Jazz Ensemble. He is the first ever pianist from the Sidney area to be selected to play with the 18 member group.  Choirs, orchestras and bands from across the state travel to Albany throughout the month of March to perform in the concourse of the Empire State Plaza as part of “Music in our Schools Month”.

Otsego County Sheriff’s deputies arrested 19 year old Skyler Blass of Otego & 18 year old Treyton Hathaway of Oneonta on Felony drug charges after traffic stop Friday.   Deputies were alerted to be on the lookout for a vehicle that fled the scene of a motor vehicle accident in the Town of Davenport.  Deputies observed the vehicle on State Highway 23; it was stopped on East Street in the City of Oneonta.  Deputies seized 3 pounds of packaged psychedelic mushrooms and 5 pounds of packaged marihuana in the vehicle.  Blass & Hathaway were arraigned,  Blass was remanded to the Otsego County Jail on $20,000 Cash Bail / $50,000 bond, Hathaway was remanded on $10,000 Cash Bail / $20,000 Bond.  The motor vehicle accident is still under investigation by the State Police.

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State Police arrested 39 year old Brad Keesler of Triangle for Criminal Obstruction of Breathing, Criminal Mischief and Unlawful Imprisonment, after a report of a domestic dispute.  Keesler allegedly choked a victim and prevented the victim from calling 911 and leaving the residence.  Troopers attempted to locate Keesler for several days; he turned himself in on March 3 and was arrested.  He was processed then taken to Broome County Central Processing for arraignment.

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The announcement of the City of Oneonta Downtown Improvement awards will be made Today by Mayor Gary Herzig as part of his annual State of the City address during the regularly scheduled meeting of the Oneonta Common Council beginning at 7:00pm. The meeting will be held in the Foothills Performing Arts Center’s Production Center on the first floor to accommodate those wishing to attend.  As part of Oneonta’s Downtown Revitalization Initiative, $2.3M was set aside to be provided to downtown business and property owners for grants to update exterior signage and building facades along with the development of quality upper floor housing. The Mayor and Common Council had appointed a Project Selection Committee chaired by former Mayor Kim Muller to review the more than 100 applications which were received.

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Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 25-year-old Allen Conkling of Fish’s Eddy for 2 counts of Burglary & 2 counts of Petty Larceny. Conkling is accused of entering a building at a Lumber Yard and stealing various items on 2 separate occasions. Conkling was arraigned in the Town of Colchester Court he was remanded to the Delaware County Correctional Facility on $2,500 cash bail or $5,000 bond.

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The next General Clinton Canoe Regatta committee meetings will be held tonight at Galaxy Bowl in Bainbridge.  At 6:30 the Race committee will meet, followed at 7:30 by the General Meeting.

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WCDO NEWS MONDAY 3-4-19

by wcdonews Posted on March 4, 2019

Governor Cuomo and State leaders have not agreed on the amount of available revenue for the next state budget plan.   The lack of a consensus will require that State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli must come up with an estimate by Tomorrow, which will be used as the reference point for future negotiations on the budget plan; the budget needs to be passed by the beginning of the fiscal year on April 1st.  Last month, the governor and DiNapoli announced tax revenues for the current budget were down $2.3 billion. The Democrats blame much of the shortfall on federal tax changes that started last year.

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Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 31 year-old Christina Townsend of Port Crane for 3rd degree Grand Larceny & Scheming to Defraud,  following an investigation by Sheriff’s Deputies and Broome Developmental Center staff into on-going thefts from residents by an employee.  Townsend is accused of engaging in an ongoing scheme while employed at a Franklin residential facility that resulted in the theft of more than $12,000 from developmentally disabled residents.  Townsend was arraigned at the Town of Franklin Court and was released upon her own recognizance pending future court proceedings

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State Police Traffic Incident Management Unit responded to a fatal car crash on Interstate 81 in the town of Cortlandville this morning at 6:43 AM,   Troopers responded after a TLC Ambulance was traveling southbound responding to a call, & they were slowing to make a U-turn with all of their emergency lights activated.  A 68-year-old unidentified male from Baldwinsville was driving an SUV in the left lane & struck the ambulance on its driver’s side before losing control & striking a guiderail.  The ambulance crew responded & found the driver unresponsive, he was taken to an area hospital & was pronounced deceased.   The investigation is still pending; the name of the victim will be released at a later time. No tickets have been issued at this time.

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The State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services today announced the award of more than $5.1 million in funding to establish 14 new recovery community centers across New York State, and expand services at two existing recovery centers. Funding is administered by the Office of Alcoholism & Substance Abuse and its fiscal partner, the Research Foundation for Mental Hygiene.  In the Southern Tier, The Friends of Recovery of Delaware and Otsego Counties, will receive $350,000.

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The 25th annual Colorscape Chenango, the premier arts festival in Central New York, will be held September 7th & 8th in downtown Norwich. The application deadline for exhibiting artists is this Friday, March 8th. Colorscape invites Chenango County high school students to participate in the Billboard Art Challenge called “Art Can Change the World.” Submissions are due April 26th, more information is available at 336-3378 or visit colorscape.org.

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Delaware County Public Health Services and Friends of Recovery of Delaware Otsego will be sponsoring a Recovery Coach Academy & Ethical Considerations training during the week of March 25th-March 30th in Delhi and Margaretville.   The 30 hour training covers the Connecticut Center for Addiction Recovery model for peer specialist roles and responsibilities.  This Recovery Coach Academy includes all course materials. Scholarships are available, more information or registration is available at 267-4435 or by email at sarah@friendsofrecoverydo.org

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State Police arrested 32 year old Michael Ide of Schenevus for felony Aggravated Unlicensed Operation and Driving While Ability Impaired by Drugs.  A trooper monitoring traffic on State Highway 7 in the town of Worcester observed a vehicle with an equipment violation.  A traffic stop was initiated and the trooper observed that Ide was impaired & his license was suspended.  Ide was released on appearance tickets & was then turned over to a sober third party.

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State Police arrested 52 year old Frank Price of Sherburne for Aggravated Driving While Intoxicated with a BAC of .19%.  Troopers were dispatched to a suspicious vehicle in the town of Sherburne, they spotted the vehicle stopped in the middle of the roadway, running, with its brake and headlights on and Price asleep behind the wheel.   Price was processed and released on appearance tickets returnable to the town of Sherburne Court on March 11th. 

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A Delaware County jury acquitted Jeffrey Hitchcock of Sidney Center Friday, for charges of sexual abuse & endangering the welfare of a minor.  Hitchcock had been accused of inappropriately touching an 11 year old female; the jury took a little over 4 hours to find Hitchcock not guilty of the charges.

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Chenango Links will host a discussion with Chenango County Board of elections Commissioners Mary Lou Monahan & Carol Franklin this evening in Norwich.  The event will be held at Bohemian Moon at 103 E. Main Street in Norwich, starting at 5:30 PM.

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