A.M. NEWS MONDAY 1-19-15

by wcdonews Posted on January 19, 2015

An observance of the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. will be held this morning at 9:30 in the Empire State Plaza Convention Center in Albany. The public is invited to attend the free program in celebration of the 86th anniversary of Dr. King’s birth. Doors open at 8 a.m. The event is free and open to the public. More information and a live webcast of the event is available online at nyking.org.
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State Police arrested 29 year old John Markham Jr. of Greene, for 3 counts of Criminal Mischief, 2 counts of Aggravated Harassment, Reckless Endangerment, Criminal Trespass, Resisting Arrest, and Disorderly Conduct. The charges were from 4 different complaints over the last several weeks in the Towns of Fenton & Barker following reports of damaged private property including windows and a pick up truck, threatening telephone calls, and a road rage incident. Markham was arraigned in the Town of Fenton Court and remanded to the Broome County Jail without bail set at this time.
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NEWS FRIDAY 1-16-15

by wcdonews Posted on January 16, 2015

Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies identified the person and vehicle sought in a Sands Creek Road, Town of Tompkins burglary investigation. 32-year-old Justin Biedekapp of Hancock, confessed to the crime to authorities after surveillance photos & information were released to the media. Biedekapp was charged with 2nd degree Criminal Trespass & was issued an appearance ticket returnable in the Town of Tompkins Court at a later date.
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Governor Cuomo presented the second part of his “2015 Opportunity Agenda” Thursday at a presentation in Rochester, to discuss the $1.5 billion Upstate New York Economic Revitalization Competition to restore economic opportunity to the Upstate regions.

(Cuomo 1-16-15)

The proposed competition uses the Buffalo Billion’s proven model, Projects exhibiting region-wide impact will be made a priority and should focus on strengthening critical infrastructure, revitalizing communities, bolstering workforce development, growing tourism, and improving quality of life. 7 regions are eligible to compete for 1 of 3 $500 million upstate revitalization funds.
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Governor Cuomo recently asked the Gaming Casino Location Siting Board to consider awarding the 4th casino license to the Southern Tier Region, after awarding only 3 licenses out of 4 last month. Area State Senator John Bonacic stated that the Sullivan County choice in his district is outstanding, and should be fast-tracked to get open quickly, before considering Tioga downs:

(Bonacic 1-16-15)

Bonacic said that the casino in Sullivan County is projected to being over 20 million dollars a year in extra revenue to the Sullivan & Orange County areas due to the expected increased tourism to the area because of the new casino.
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Nigel Saunders was found guilty of 2 counts of 2nd degree murder, 1st degree burglary 1st degree robbery and 2nd degree assault in Broome County court this morning. Saunders was on trial for the murder of 23-year-old Jordan Dordell & his fiancé in Binghamton, after only 3 hours of deliberation. Saunders will be sentenced on March 27th.
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The state Department of Health inappropriately paid more than 29,000 pharmacy claims worth nearly $1 million over a 27-month period for thousands of Medicaid recipients whose benefits were already covered by other plans, according to an audit released today by State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli. A second audit released today found another $61,711 in overpayments to providers because of incorrect Medicare coinsurance, copayment or deductible amounts. DiNapoli recommended that the DOH Review and recover improper overpayments; instruct providers to bill Medicare Part C claims in accordance with existing requirements, & assess all claims that auditors did not examine in detail and determine if overpayments were made that warrant recovery.
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The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown announced today that an Arizona Diamondbacks logo will appear on the cap of the Hall of Fame plaque for 2015 Hall of Fame electee Randy Johnson. The cap selections for Pedro Martinez and John Smoltz will be announced on January 22nd Craig Biggio played his entire career with the Houston Astros. This year’s Hall of Fame Class will be inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame on Sunday, July 26th in Cooperstown.
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The Chenango County Sheriff’s Department arrested 19-year-old Maxwell Horton of Sherburne for unlawful possession of marihuana. Deputies arrested Horton following a traffic stop for vehicle and traffic violations and during the investigation of the traffic stop deputies found Horton to be in possession of marihuana. Horton was released on an appearance ticket for Village of Sherburne court on a later date.
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The State DEC extended the public comment period on the draft permit for the proposed Constitution Pipeline and an upgrade to the Iroquois Wright Compressor station in Schoharie County by an additional 28 days.  Public comments will now be accepted until Friday, February 27.  Written comments should be submitted to: DEC – Division of Environmental Permits, 625 Broadway, 4th Floor, Albany, NY  12233. Copies of the documents can be viewed online at constitutionpipeline.com,  Printed copies are available at the Libraries in Afton, Bainbridge, Franklin, Sidney & Deposit.
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P.M. NEWS THURSDAY 1-15-15

by wcdonews Posted on January 15, 2015

Governor Cuomo has proposed giving property owners a cutting their taxes this year, after previously passing a 2% tax cap, a 0% tax growth in the 1st term of his administration:

(Cuomo 1-15-15)

The details of the tax cut proposal are available at governor.ny.gov.
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Oneonta police & the Otsego County Sheriff’s Department K-9 unit, served a no-knock search warrant at 42 River Street in Oneonta, Wednesday. Charged with criminal possession of a Controlled Substance; 3rd degree Conspiracy & Criminally Possessing Drug Paraphernalia were 50 year old Anthony Malewski of Oneonta, 27 year old Marley Serra-Seeley of Frackville, Pennsylvania, 30 year old Noel Perez of The Bronx. Police seized 3 grams of crack cocaine and drug-packaging materials, All 3 were held pending arrangement in the City of Oneonta Court.
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Otsego County Sheriff’s Department & Oneonta police are investigating drug overdoses that may have resulted from the injecting of tainted heroin. Several overdoses were reported throughout the county in the last few days, Sheriff Richard Devlin Jr. urged anyone with information about local heroin trafficking to contact the sheriff’s drug tip line at 547-1690, or Oneonta police at 432-1111, option 1. officials are waiting for the results of autopsies as the investigation continues.
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the New York State Department of Health is reminding New Yorkers about the importance of testing their homes for radon, which is the second-leading cause of lung cancer after smoking and is responsible for more than 20,000 lung cancer deaths in the United States annually. Radon gas results from the breakdown of uranium in soil, rock, and water, it enters a home through cracks and openings in the foundation floor and walls, and through openings around sump pumps. 37% of the basements tested in New York State have elevated radon levels. Homeowners can test their homes with Low-cost test kits are available at health.ny.gov.
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A.M. NEWS THURSDAY 1-15-15

by wcdonews Posted on January 15, 2015

State Police at Norwich arrested 36-year-old Brandon Thomas of Sherburne for 2nd degree Assault & Endangering the Welfare of a Child. The investigation had determined that a 9-month-old boy from Sherburne had been taken to a Syracuse hospital with leg & arm fractures, allegedly suffered while under the care of Thomas in December.   Thomas was arraigned & was remanded to the Chenango County Jail on $20,000 cash bail or $40,000 bond. The child has been placed in custody of another family member.

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The Chenango County Sheriff’s Office received a report of an accident on State Route 12 in the Town of Sherburne Tuesday.   Deputies reported that a pickup truck allegedly stolen by 38-year-old Jeremy Sawyer of Norwich drove around a traffic barrier and crashed head on into a vehicle operated by 43-year-old Jeffrey VanCourt of Sherburne. A passenger in VanCourt’s vehicle was transported to Chenango Memorial Hospital for treatment of minor injuries. Sawyer was on parole for a prior DWI conviction, & he was charged with DWI, Aggravated Unlicensed Operation of a Motor Vehicle, Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle, moving from his lane unsafely, improper passing, refusing to take a breath test, and operating a motor vehicle without an ignition interlock device. Sawyer was arraigned in the Town of Sherburne Court and remanded to the Chenango County Correctional Facility on $15,000 cash bail, more charges are pending.

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The Civic Service Commission of the Oneonta Common Council will hold their next meeting today, the meeting will begin at 9:30 AM in the common council Chamber on the 2nd floor of Oneonta city hall, the meeting is open to the public.

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P.M. NEWS WEDNESDAY 1-14-15

by wcdonews Posted on January 14, 2015

The New York State Gaming Facility Location Board approved Governor Cuomo’s request for a new round of bidding for a casino in the Southern Tier. The Board originally reviewed 16 proposals for casino resorts in 3 upstate regions, they recommended licenses for only 3 projects instead of the original 4, last month and ignored 2 requests from the Southern tier in Johnson City & in Nichols. Governor Cuomo asked the board to consider a new round of bidding for a casino license specifically for the Southern Tier following the urging of State Senator Tom Libous & other local leaders.
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State Police, the Vestal Police, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the DEA & Endicott Police arrested 38-year-old George Clarke Jr., of Endicott, following the execution of search warrants & the discovery of illegal drugs with a street-value of more than $180,000 and a large amount of cash. Clarke was charged with Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance, Criminal Possession of Marihuana, Criminally Using Drug Paraphernalia, Clarke was arrested after police executed search warrants at 2 locations, Police seized cocaine, marihuana, methamphetamine, and a Pickup truck during the searches. Clarke was arraigned in the Town of Union Court and remanded to the Broome County Jail without bail.
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A morning fire Tuesday the home of the Pitcher- Eastwood family at 7 Vine Street in Gilbertsville. The family of 3 has lost all possessions in Tuesday’s fire; no one was home when the fire broke out. Donations for the family are being accepted at fundrazr.com.
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The state Assembly & State Senate are back in session for the 2015 sessions. Sheldon Silver was re-elected as Assembly Speaker again; he outlined the assembly agenda for this year:

(Silver 1-14-15)

Governor Cuomo will outlined his agenda and his executive budget proposal to a joint session of the legislature on January 21st.
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Area Congressman Chris Gibson will serve on the House Small Business Committee during the 114th Congress; he will also continue his service on the House Agriculture and Armed Services Committees. The Small Business Committee has jurisdiction over agriculture policy, healthcare, domestic energy resources, tax policy impacting small businesses, financial aid, regulatory flexibility, and paperwork reduction. The committee also oversees the Small Business Administration, which provides loans and counseling to entrepreneurs and supports efforts to award government contracts to small businesses.
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18 Year NHL Hockey player Todd Bertuzzi will give Binghamton hockey fans a treat when he laces up for the Binghamton Senators this week. Binghamton Senators Executive Vice President of Operations, Tom Mitchell comments:

(Tom Mitchell 1-14-15)

Mitchell said that tickets are still available for Friday night’s game against rival Syracuse at binghamtonsenators.com.
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A.M. NEWS WEDNESDAY 1-14-15

by wcdonews Posted on January 14, 2015

The Constitution Pipeline will be the topic of the 3rd DEC hearing this week, tonight at 6:00 pm at the SUNY Cobleskill Bouck Hall Theater. The pipeline would run form northeast Pennsylvania through the southern tier to Schoharie County to deliver natural gas into the northeast if approved.
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Attorney General Eric Schneiderman joined Facebook in announcing a new system to help find missing children by changing the way Amber Alerts are delivered. In partnership with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, Facebook’s new distribution system will send Amber Alerts to the news feed of Facebook users if they are in the targeted search area after a child has been abducted. according to Schneiderman, More than 180 Amber Alerts are sent out each year, the chances of finding a missing child increase when more people are on the lookout – especially in the first few hours,
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The Cancer Services Program of Delaware, Otsego and Schoharie counties will offer free health screenings in Delhi today to women 40 and older who are uninsured. The Bassett Cancer Institute’s mobile screening coach will be available from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. at the Price Chopper Parking Lot in Delhi; appointments can be made at 1-888-345-0225 for your appointment.

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P.M. NEWS TUESDAY 1-13-15

by wcdonews Posted on January 13, 2015

Governor Cuomo will combine both his State of the State address and the release of his executive budget into one presentation next week on January 21st. The address and release of the 2015-16 executive budget will be presented to a joint session of the legislature on January 21st at 1:30 PM in the Empire State Plaza Convention Center in Albany. Governor Cuomo originally planned to give his State of the State address on January 7th, that was pushed back due to the death of his father, former Governor Mario Cuomo
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State Police at Oneonta arrested 23-year-old Jordon Davis of Laurens for the Fleeing an Officer, Reckless Driving, Unlawful Possession of Marihuana and several vehicle and traffic law violations. The arrest occurred after Troopers observed Davis failing to keep right on State Route 205 in Oneonta, when the Troopers activated their emergency lights and sirens, Davis accelerated to over 100 miles an hour and failed to comply with the officers. Troopers located the vehicle parked behind a residence off of State Route 205. Davis was arraigned at the Town of Oneonta Court and released without bail required; he faces court action February 12th.
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The State DEC extended the public comment period on the draft permit for the proposed, federally regulated Constitution Pipeline, as well as the upgrade to the Iroquois Wright Compressor station in Schoharie County, by an additional 28 days. Public comments on the proposed project will be accepted through Friday, February 27th at 5:00PM. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission was responsible for conducting an environmental review of the project; they issued a final Environmental Impact Statement in October. People can provide verbal or written comments at the public meetings tonight at 6:00 PM in Oneonta at SUNY Oneonta Lecture Hall IRC #3, or Wednesday night at 6:00 PM in SUNY Cobleskill’s Bouck Hall Theater.
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State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman announced the arrest of James Ferro the former director of the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision’s Special Investigations Unit, over accusations of sexually based harassment of a subordinate employee. Ferro faces 1 count each of Forcible Touching, Official Misconduct, Coercion & Harassment. Ferro is accused of inappropriately touching a subordinate and Community Supervision, at the Department of CorrectionalS in Albany over the course of several years.
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Governor Cuomo today announced new efforts to combat human trafficking and provide help to survivors safely re-enter their home community. This crime affects more than 1,000 children in New York each year, and it is estimated that nearly 18,000 people are brought into the United States annually for the same purpose. The Governor also proclaimed January as Human Trafficking Awareness Month, and unveiled a new poster that lists possible trafficking red flags, plus a free confidential hotline, which is 1-888-373-7888.
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Former New York Governor George Pataki is considering a run for the White House; he campaigned in New Hampshire recently, where one of the earlier primary votes are held. Pataki left office in 2007 after serving three terms as governor of New York.
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A.M. NEWS TUESDAY 1-13-15

by wcdonews Posted on January 13, 2015

The Constitution Pipeline will be the topic of the 2nd DEC hearing this week on that subject, tonight at 6:00 pm at SUNY Oneonta Lecture Hall IRC #3. Officials with the parent company are looking to construct the pipeline & they hope to begin work in the spring on the project, which will transport natural gas from northeast Pennsylvania to Schoharie County. The pipeline would pass through portion of Broome, Delaware & Chenango Counties if approved.
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The American Red Cross will hold a free seminar tonight regarding winter survival. The presentation will begin at 7:00 PM tonight at the church of the Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Greene at 1 Lyons Park Lane.
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The first general board meeting of the Sidney Center Improvement Group is tonight at 6:30 PM at the Sidney Center Library. The Grassroots group was formed in 2006 after the June Flooding that year, more information about their activities can be found at scigny.org

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