P.M. NEWS WEDNESDAY 3-18-15

by wcdonews Posted on March 18, 2015

State Police at Norwich arrested 21 year old Lindsey McGehee of McDonough for 2nd degree Assault & Endangering the Welfare of a Child. McGehee is accused of causing serious physical injury to a 14 month old child on March 5th at a residence in Smithville. McGehee was arraigned in the Town of Oxford Court and remanded to the Chenango County Jail on $5,000 cash bail or a $10,000 property bond, pending court action at a later date.
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State Police reposnded to FAHS Construction Group on Pierce Creek Road, in the Town of Binghamton, for the report of an industrial accident Tuesday. Troopers located an employee who was deceased, the investigation revealed that the victim was backing an excavator out of a building when the accident occurred. The victim has been identified as 42 year old Eric Willes of Nineveh, The results from an autopsy performed at Wilson Hospital have not been released, the investigation is continuing.
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Sidney village police, state police K-9 unit and the Bomb Disposal unit responded to a reported sighting of 2 suspicious packages in the new Amphenol facility today in Sidney.   Police determined that what appeared to be a bomb was tool made by an employee to assist in his work, and there was never any thereat to employees or the facility.   Amphenol employees who were evacuated earlier, were allowed to re-enter the facility at around 11:30 this morning.

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Governor Cuomo & State Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie have reached an agreement on an Ethics reform package. Cuomo pushed the legisalture for Ethics reform first, even if it meant that a state budget would not be passed by the Aprils 1st deadline for the first time on his watch:

(CUOMO 3-18-15)

Cuomo went to the Assembly leadership with the proposal first, and he is expected to meet with Senate leadership shortly. The Governor made Ethics reform his top priority following the latest arrest of yet another powerful state lawmaker, former Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, who is currently facing Federal Corruption charges.
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Assembly Members, Parents, & Educators announced the “Common Core Parental Refusal Act” in Albany this week. Area Assemblyman Pete Lopez explains:

(Lopez 3-18-15)

The bill would ensure that schools can notify parents they can refuse to have their children in grades 3-8 participate in Common Core standardized tests, protects schools from having state aid withheld & ensures that students are not punished for their lack of participation in those tests, and it would set-aside alternate studies, Last year, parents of 60,000 students refused New York State Common Core tests.
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The State DMV announced the availability of custom license plates supporting New York baseball teams. New Yorkers can select custom plates for the Brooklyn Dodgers, Long Island Ducks, New York Mets, New York Yankees and a special license plate commemorating the New York Yankees’ 2009 World Series victory, as well as a ‘Birthplace of Baseball’ license plate honoring Cooperstown, custom plates can be ordered at dmv.ny.gov or by calling 1-518-402-4838 from 8:00 a.m.-4 p.m., Monday through Friday.
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Chenango County Sheriff’s deputies arrested 33-year-old Richard Hedges of Sherburne for 2 counts of endangering the welfare of a child. Hedges was charged after numerous 911 hang up calls received through Chenango County emergency call center. 2 children were unsupervised for over 45 minutes, while there was drug paraphernalia and medication all within reach of the children. Hedges was taken into custody without incident, processed and released on an appearance ticket to appear in the Village of Sherburne Court at a later date

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A.M. NEWS WEDNESDAY 3-18-15

by wcdonews Posted on March 18, 2015

The Chenango County Sheriff’s Office arrested a Village of Bainbridge man Monday for 1 Count each of 1st degree Rape, Criminal Sexual Act, Sex Abuse, Endangering the Welfare of a child and Unlawful Possession of Marihuana. 32 year old Christopher Jennings is accused of performing sexual acts with a child under 13, he was arrested & arraigned in the Village of Bainbridge Court and remanded to the Chenango County Jail on $200,000 cash bail.
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This week the state assembly passed a package of bills to help those who have been victimized by various forms of Human Trafficking. Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie comments:

(Heastie 3-18-15)

The bills move onto the Senate for consideration, they have the support of Governor Cuomo.
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Today, village elections will be held across New York State. In tri-county area mayoral races, incumbents are running unopposed; there are trustee positions up for election in Sidney, Unadilla, Greene, Delhi, New Berlin & oxford.
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Sidney Chamber of Commerce will hold the next Business After Hours program today, with NBT Mang Insurance. The program will run from 5:30-7 pm at 13 Division Street in Sidney for Chamber Members.
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Today is Chenango County’s National Agriculture Day from 10:00 AM until 12:00 Noon At the Northeast Classic Car Museum at 24 Rexford Street in Norwich. Ag & Markets Commissioner Richard Ball and New York State FFA officer Kait Isaac from St. Johnsville in Montgomery County will be the guest speakers.
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Empire State College will hold public information session about its associate and bachelor’s degree programs at its Binghamton location, State Office Building, Room 505, 44 Hawley Street, Binghamton today. The session will be held at 4:30 PM, more information is available at 721-8651.

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P.M. NEWS TUESDAY 3-17-15

by wcdonews Posted on March 17, 2015

Budget conference committee work is underway this week in Albany. Area state senator Jim Seward testified that he would like to see the Gap Elimination adjustment dropped from this year’s school state aid equation:

(Seward 3-17-15)

The State Senate budget completely eliminates the $1 billion that remains of the Gap Elimination Adjustment, and increases state school aid by $1.9 billion dollars.
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Governor Cuomo today announced that 52 organizations from across the state are joining the Enough is Enough campaign to combat sexual assault on college campuses. The adoption of this proposal will make New York a leader in the fight against on-campus sexual violence and will better protect the State’s 1.2 million college students.
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The Otsego County Planning Department will host training classes on two separate evenings beginning in April. Representative of the New York State Department of State will present both classes. These classes may meet the state training requirement for local government officials. Both workshops will be held at the Meadows Office Complex, County Highway 33W next to the County Public Safety building. Session 1 will be on Thursday April 9 regarding Zoning Board of Appeals Overview. Session 2 will be Thursday April 9th regarding rural planning, online registration are available at otsegocounty.com.
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Meghan Trainor has been added to the New York State Fair line up, she will perform at the Chevy Court at 8:00 p.m. on Thursday, September 3rd. More info can be found at Meghan-Trainor.com.
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The Chenango River Theatre will hold regional auditions on Monday, March 30th for their 2015 season. Information on all shows and the roles available is posted at chenangorivertheatre.org.
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A.M. NEWS TUESDAY 3-17-15

by wcdonews Posted on March 17, 2015

The state Assembly passed a package of bills yesterday dealing with human trafficking & women’s issues, Assemblyman Pete Lopez Comments:

(Lopez 3-17-15)

The bills move onto the Senate for consideration, Governor Cuomo said he supported the package.
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The next meeting of the Oneonta common council is this evening. The meeting will begin at 7:00 PM in the common council chambers on the 2nd floor of City hall.
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P.M. NEWS MONDAY 3-16-15

by wcdonews Posted on March 16, 2015

Lawmakers have been assigned to Budget Conference Committee work this week, as both houses of the legislature look to work out differences in spending plans. Area Assemblyman Bill Magee said that lawmakers from both sides of the aisle in both houses are looking to get rid of the Gap Elimination Adjustments, that socked already economically challenged upstate school districts;

(Magee 3-16-15)

The State Senate Budget Plan passed last week calls for the wiping out of the last year of the Gap Elimination adjustment, which was implemented during the last year of the Paterson administration. The conference committees are made up of 5 members of each house who will work to develop a final spending plan before April 1st, the Committees can be viewed at nysenate.gov.
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The Broome County Sheriff’s Department arrested 43-year-old Brian Potter of Port Crane on a variety of drug related charges. Potter was wanted by the Binghamton Police Department for a felony drug warrant, he was located at the Kirkwood Motel with counterfeit cash, & drugs Saturday. Deputies accuse Potter of attempting to flee, they confiscated a shotgun, $14,000 in counterfeit bills, more than 60 grams of marijuana and a small amount of an undisclosed narcotic. Potter was arraigned for possession of a forged instrument, criminal possession of weapon, criminal possession of a controlled substance & resisting arrest among other charges; he was remanded to the Broome County Jail without bail.
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Firefighters from Oxford, Norwich, Guilford, Preston, Brisben and McDonough responded to a fire early this morning on Wakefield Lane in Oxford. Firefighters found a fully involved barn fire, was collapsing with an exposure directly behind. Fire crews managed to extinguish the fire quickly & keep it from spreading to nearby structures; the cause of the fire has not yet been announced.
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Firefighters from East Meredith, Davenport, and Pindars Corners responded to a fire at Sheehan & Pumpkin Hollow Road in East Meredith at about 8:30 Saturday morning. The Roe family escaped uninjured, the fire is believed to have started with the wood stove.
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Firefighters responded to a fire at 32 Newland Street in Otego Saturday morning at about 9:00 AM. The unidentified family of 4 escaped without injury, the damage was minimal, the fire is believed to have started in clothes dryer.
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Governor Cuomo has signed a bill that delays for 1 year, the mandated electronic filing of Prescriptions to pharmacies, which was originally scheduled to go into effect on March 27th. Mandatory electronic prescribing was part of the “I-STOP” program, to keep people from getting prescriptions from a number of doctor & bring them to a number of different pharmacies, a practice known as doctor shopping.
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The state DEC is reminding area residents that all residential brush burning is prohibited in smaller communities starting today through May 14th. Open burning is the largest single cause of wildfires in New York State. Debris burning accounts for about 36% of wildfires in the state. Violators of the open burning state regulation are subject to both criminal and civil enforcement actions, with a minimum fine of $500 for a first offense. To report environmental law violations call 1-800-TIPP DEC or report online to the DEC’s website.
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A.M. NEWS MONDAY 3-16-15

by wcdonews Posted on March 16, 2015

Oneonta city police arrested 25 year old Michael Jason Jr. of Oneonta, for promoting a sexual performance by a child under the age of 17, & possession a sexual performance by a child. Jason was a student teacher at Afton Central School and a student at the State University College at Oneonta in June, his arrest was in conjunction with the New York State Police Computer Crime Unit and the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, police said, and was initiated by a tip from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. Jason was held Friday afternoon pending arraignment in Oneonta City Court.
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State Police Superintendent Joseph A. D’Amico announced the death of Trooper Donald Fredenburg, who was assigned to the State Police Academy for Basic School Training. Trooper Fredenburg collapsed Friday while participating in a daily physical training run with members of the 203rd Basic School. Trooper Fredenburg was administered a shock by a defibrillator; he was transported to Albany Medical Center where he died at approximately 7:30 am. Trooper Fredenburg was in his 2nd week of training at the New York State Police Academy, he resided in Utica.
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State Police arrested 56 year old Gerald Northrup of Unadilla, for promoting a sexual performance by a child younger than 17. Northrup was arrested last Wednesday & was released on recognizance.
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Governor Cuomo announced plans to help boost the agricultural economy in the Southern Tier with $30 million dollars for projects to help farms and agribusinesses grow throughout the area. $25 million would help farmers increase production on farms and improve profitability. Projects that are awarded may receive up to $100,000, which will go toward funding up to 75 percent of an eligible project, Applicants are responsible for the other 25 percent, and all projects should be completed within 1 year of the contract.
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The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation is hiring more than 1,000 new and returning lifeguards for the summer season at its swimming beaches and pools. Lifeguards must be at least 16 years old and meet certain eligibility criteria, more information is available at nysparks.com.
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The Sidney central school district announced that registration for all Sidney students eligible to enter Kindergarten in September will be held this week, and week of March 23rd through the 27th. Parents must call 561-7728 to set up an appointment to register their child. More information is available at 561-7701 or 561-7728.
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P.M. NEWS FRIDAY 3-13-15

by wcdonews Posted on March 13, 2015

The State Senate & the State Assembly have passed their versions of a state budget in Albany this week, lawmakers from both houses will soon convene budget conference committee to iron out the differences. Governor Cuomo’s budget plan calls for a reduction in spending from last year’s budget, both the Assembly & state Senate are looking for increases in spending well over the Governors numbers, including about 1.9 billion dollars in additional aid to education. The state budget is due on April 1st.
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State Police at Sidney arrested 24 year old Bernadette Kalsky of Vestal for Aggravated DWI following an accident on I-88 In Bainbrdge. Troopers responded to a Chenango County 911 report of a one car motor vehicle accident on the Interstate, Kalsky struck a guiderail and drove off the road. Kalsky was not injured in the accident, she had a reported BAC content of .21, she was issued tickets returnable to the Town of Bainbridge Court on March 23rd.
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The Afton Sertoma club will hold their annual “Goofy Golf” fundraiser at the Afton Central School Tomorrow. Spokesperson Helen Kittle explains:

(Helen Kittle 3-13-15)

Refreshments will be available and trophies will be awarded, more information is available at 639-2065.
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The Sidney American Legion will be hosting an open house tomorrow to increase membership. Spokesman Larry Halbert explains:

(Larry Halbert 3-13-15)

More information about the open house or the American legion itself is available at 434-0239 or 237-4762.
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A fundraiser for Bainbridge native Heather Bucalos (Byu-CAL-us) will be held Saturday from 4:00 to 8:00 PM at the Sidney Elks Lodge. All the money raised at the event will assist Heather to cover medical and travel expenses to treat her illness. More Information is avaialbel at the “Hope For Heather” Facebook page.
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More dates that have just been added for free tax preparation programs this month, including on Saturdays this month at the Delhi Branch of Sidney Federal Credit Union. Cheri Albrecht of the United Way of Delaware & Otsego Counties explains:

(Cheri Albrecht 3-13-15)

Locations will be in Delhi & Oneonta; all appointments can be made through Catholic Charities at 432-0061.
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A fundraising Bowl-A-Thon will be held in Sidney Saturday to support the Sidney Boys & Girls Club, the event will be held at the East Main Lanes in Sidney, more information is available at 561-2311.
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A.M. NEWS FRIDAY 3-13-15

by wcdonews Posted on March 13, 2015

State Police will initiate special law enforcement effort today through Monday for the St. Patrick’s Day weekend to keep drunk drivers off the roadways and alcohol out of the hands of minors. Last year’s effort resulted in 184 arrests for DWI and more than 11,000 tickets issued for traffic and other violations. Drivers can expect increased road patrols and sobriety checkpoints along roadways throughout the state, as well as a stepped-up effort to ticket distracted drivers using handheld electronic devices. State Police will also engage in operations to identify underage drinking and sales to minors during the campaign. During the 2014 enforcement period, State Police issued 34 tickets on charges ranging from unlawful possession of an alcoholic beverage to sale to a person under 21.
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Governor Cuomo launched a new website; NY.gov/UpstateRevitalization to engage New Yorkers and provide information on the Upstate Revitalization Initiative that he included in his Executive Budget. Every Upstate region except for Western New York will compete for one of three $500 million awards that will be disbursed over five years, alongside the Regional Council initiative. entries that do not win still receive at least $90 million in economic development funding this year.
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The 17th Annual Unatego Middle School/ High School Student & Staff Variety show will be held tonight at the Unatego high school auditorium in Wells Bridge. Organizer Judy Pitel comments:

(Judy Pitel 3-13-15)

Pitel said that money raised would be used for medical expenses for the Wayne Himes family, following a recent accident.
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The American Red Cross will hold 2 Area blood drives. Today, a blood drive will be held from 3:00 to 7:00 PM at the Laurens High School. On Saturday, a blood rive will be held at from 7:30 AM to 12:30 PM at the Oxford American Legion Post 376, 17 South Washington Street.
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Due to the high number of delays and cancellations this winter, The Bainbridge-Guilford Central School District is canceling the staff professional development day originally scheduled for today. Classes will be in session today.
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