P.M. NEWS MONDAY 3-24-14

by wcdonews Posted on March 24, 2014

State Police arrested 21-year-old Dustin Mangino for 4th degree Arson & Criminal Possession of Marihuana.  The arrest follows a joint investigation by State Police and the Broome County Fire Investigation Unit into a house fire at 2705 Yale Street in Endwell.  Investigators determined that the fire was recklessly caused by Mangino while cooking Butane Hash Oil in the kitchen, he sustained 2nd degree burns to his face and arms. A search warrant uncovered over 2 pounds of Marihuana. Mangino was arraigned in the Town of Union Court, he was released on bail, the investigation is continuing.

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State budget negotiations continue among state leaders and through conference committee work, with 8 more days to go before the end of the fiscal year.  Assemblyman Cliff Crouch said that there are difficult issues still to be decided:

 

(Crouch 3-24-14)

 

Crouch said that thinks that the work will be completed by the April 1st deadline for the 4th year in a row.

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New York has added financial information from more than 500 state and local public authorities, on openbooknewyork.com to make government information available. Comptroller Tom DiNapoli said the authorities responsible for billions of dollars of taxpayer assets and money, often do business outside of public view. The comptroller’s office added state payment data to the website at that includes about 10,000 new payments daily, listing the agency submitting the request, the amount and recipient. It also details revenue, spending, debt and property tax cap information for local governments, going back as far as 1999. Nearly 50,000 state contracts and amendments can also be searched, along with major spending categories for state agencies.

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State leaders  agreed to enact a law that would award 6% of state contracts to businesses owned by disabled veterans. Governor Cuomo’s office said the initiative is more robust than the federal program, which pledges 3% of contracts to businesses of Disabled veterans. The state will create a Division of Service-Disabled Veterans’ Business Development within the Office of General Services to facilitate the program.

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Governor Cuomo issued a warning to employers not complying with the state’s minimum wage laws, failure to comply can result in fines, charges and criminal punishment. Resources, including one-on-one support and a streamlined reporting process, are available to help businesses comply with the minimum $8.00 per hour now in effect.  The minimum wage in the State will increase to $8.75 this December 31st, & $9.00 on December 31st  2015. The Department of Labor is offering additional resources at labor.ny.gov.

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A Siena College poll shows Gov. Cuomo has a big lead over the only Republican in the race, yet his  job performance rating has declined since last fall. Cuomo  leads Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino 61%  to 26%,  Cuomo’s job performance rating is 46% down from 2% since last month.  the State Senate and Assembly each had a 39% favorability rating.

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Refunds, totaling almost $760 million, may be waiting for an estimated 900,000 taxpayers who did not file a federal income tax return for 2010. The IRS said to collect the money; a return for 2010 must be filed with the IRS no later than April 15th. The IRS estimates half the potential refunds, for 2010, are more than $571.

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The harsh winter weather froze housing sales across New York in February, according to the monthly housing report by the New York State Association of Realtors. Closed sales in New York dropped almost 6 percent this February compared to one year ago, falling from 5,681 to 5,346. But the statewide median sales price  rose nearly 7 percent, from $217,000 to $232,000.  For more information go to nysar.com.

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Assemblywoman Claudia Tenney will decide this week whether to go forward with a Republican primary challenge against Congressman Richard Hanna. Tenney’s supporters started circulating petitions recently, to pick up the 1,250 signatures needed to gain a spot on the June 24th primary ballot, and the petitions are due by April 10th.

 

 

 

 

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A.M. NEWS MONDAY 3-24-14

by wcdonews Posted on March 24, 2014

The Delaware County Sheriff’s Office, assisted by the Otsego County Sheriff’s Office, arrested 32-year-old Landon Cullipher of Oneonta, on a Sealed Indictment Warrant for 3 counts of Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance, for allegedly selling heroin in Davenport.  Investigators also arrested 21-year-old William Effner of Delhi for 3 counts of Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance, for allegedly selling heroin in Delhi.  Investigators also arrested 28-year-old Jonathan Hawley of Oneonta for 2 counts of Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance, for allegedly selling Suboxone in Meredith and Delhi.  Investigators also arrested 20-year-old Shawn Prakash of Hicksville and 22-year-old Joshua Rutt of Port Jervis for allegedly selling Cocaine in Delhi.  All were arraigned in Delaware County Court and were returned to jail without bail pending further court action.  More charges are expected.

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The Chenango county Sheriff’s department arrested 21-year-old Cody Shamp of McDonough for Unlawful Fleeing a Police Officer & Reckless Endangerment.   Shamp is accused of speeding at 50 Miles an hour in a 30 mile an hour zone & attempting to flee police at speeds up to 85 miles an hour, he lost control on a seasonal road & crashed into a ditch, he was taken into custody, arraigned and was sent to the Chenango County Jail on $10,000 cash bail pending future court action.

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The Chenango county sheriff’s department arrested 31-year-old Jessica Hartwell of Guilford for harassment & resisting arrest. Hartwell is accused of striking the deputy who was investigating a report of a domestic dispute in the Town of Guilford. Hartwell was arraigned in the Town of Guilford Court and was remanded the Chenango County Jail on $8000 bail.

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P.M. NEWS FRIDAY 3-21-14

by wcdonews Posted on March 21, 2014

The family of long time Franklin firefighter James Wilber, has established “Jim’s Fire Squad” where they plan to donate toy fire trucks to children battling cancer at Saint Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital.  Wilber succumbed to a heart attack while responding to a call on February 9th tragically lost his life on the way to a call; he had served in area fire departments for 40 years.  Donated toy fire trucks in honor of Jim Wilber’s memory can be sent to: Jim’s Fire Squad 33 Watercrest Drive Franklin, New York 13775

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Legislative leaders and Governor Cuomo continued budget discussions yesterday as lawmakers said they would seek to add $500 million in state spending,  $240 million of it would go toward extra school aid.  Lawmakers said that revenue is higher than Governor Cuomo’s projections; lawmakers have yet to determine where the extra money would be spent. The budget is expected to be passed by the April 1st deadline.

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A former Walton teacher, who was indicted on charges of rape and having sex with 2 underage students, has been charged again for those crimes.  29-year-old Stephanie Fletcher is charged with 2 counts of 3rd degree rape and 4 counts of 3rd degree criminal sexual act.  Fletcher is accused of having sex with two minors under 17 between January and March 2012. The new indictment was filed on March 6th; Fletcher will be arraigned in Delaware County Court March 27th

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Investigators from the State Police Troop C Violent Felony Warrant detail arrested 34-year-old Kalief Spriel on an arrest warrant, following an appearance at the Town of Chenango Court for an unrelated traffic ticket. Spriel was charged with  Criminal Possession of Stolen Property, 1st degree Identity Theft, Forgery, and Falsifying Business Records & Grand Larceny.   Spriel was wanted in Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office, he was arrested without incident & was turned over to the Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office for processing.

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The Chenango county sheriffs department arrested 45-year-old Gail Boudreau of Norwich for DWI & Failure to keep right, during a traffic stop in the Town of Norwich. Boudreau is accused of driving under the influence of prescription drugs, she was released to a sober third party was ordered to appear in the Town of Norwich Court at a later date.

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Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 26-year-old Jody Barnes of Franklin Thursday on 1 count of Criminal Mischief.  Barnes is accused of driving a vehicle on the Franklin Central School Athletic Field on March 13th, causing in excess of $5000 damage to the Field.  Barnes was arraigned in the Town of Delhi Court and released on recognizance pending a future court appearance.

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The Chenango County Sheriff’s Office arrested 23-year-old Natasha Donnelly of Otselic on charges of Criminal Mischief & 2nd degree Harassment.  Donnelly is accused of striking the victim in the face and damaging some of the victim’s property during a domestic dispute, she was arraigned in the Town of Otselic Court and was released; she will reappear in the Town of Otselic Court at a later date.

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State Senator Jim Seward announced Senate approval of his legislation allowing the dissolution of the Montgomery, Otsego, Schoharie Solid Waste Authority.  The bill also includes a plan for the distribution of the authority’s assets and liabilities among the 3 member counties. The bill has been sent to the assembly where it was introduced by area Assemblyman Bill Magee.

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The Sidney class of 2015 will hold the 3rd Annual Faculty Basketball game at 7:00 PM tonight.  Students will play faculty members in the High School Gym, tickets will be $3 a piece, the community Is invited to attend, prizes & gift certificates will be given out during the evening.

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A.M. NEWS FRIDAY 3-21-14

by wcdonews Posted on March 21, 2014

This week’s announcement regarding the new Amphenol plant in Sidney getting a direct tap from the proposed Constitution Pipeline still waits for federal approval for the project.  Constitution Pipeline Spokesman Chris Stockton explains:

 

(Chris Stockton 3-21-14)

 

Stockton said that if the project is approved, construction would begin next January, along the I-88 corridor from northern Pennsylvania into the capital region.

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State Senator Jim Seward will be at Sidney Central School this morning at 10:00 AM.  Senator Seward will take part in New York Agricultural Literacy Week & will read to first graders at Sidney Elementary from the book, “Who Grew My Soup?”  by Tom Darbyshire.  The agricultural themed book stresses the importance of local farmers and their role in providing nutritious food.  The event is coordinated by New York Agriculture in the Classroom, State Department of Agriculture and Markets, the State Education Department, Cornell Cooperative Extension and the New York Farm Bureau.

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The Chenango county sheriffs department arrested 22-year-old Tyler Barnes of Norwich  on charges of 4th degree Criminal Mischief & 2nd degree Harassment .  Barnes is accused of striking someone in the faces during a dispute and breaking some of the victim’s property, Barnes was arraigned in the Town of Norwich Court and was remanded to the Chenango County Jail on $100 cash bail.  Barnes is to reappear in the Town of Norwich Court at a later date.

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Veterans in New York seeking health insurance have been wrongly placed in the state’s Medicaid program, rather than federal programs. State comptroller Tom DiNapoli said the mistakes occurred because of poor coordination between the state Health Department and local social-services departments. The audit found from January 2013 through October 2013, Medicaid paid more than $105 million for services provided to veterans,  many of the veterans were also entitled to benefits through the VA. New York has about 913,000 veterans. To view the report, visit osc.state.ny.us.

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P.M. NEWS THURSDAY 3-20-14

by wcdonews Posted on March 20, 2014

Congressman Richard Hanna delivered a proclamation today to Norwich Mayor Joe Mauriano on the city’s 100th anniversary.  Mauriano commented about his city’s accomplishments throughout that period in history:

 

(Mayor Mauriano 3-20-14)

 

Congressman Richard Hanna said he is impressed with the city of Norwich & their ability to progress & maintain the small hometown feel:

 

(Congressman Hanna 3-20-14)

 

The city of Norwich is planning several events throughout the year to celebrate the Centennial, including a special exhibit of memorabilia at the Chenango county historical society museum starting April 5th, an old fashioned memorial day parade on Friday Night May 23rd, and even a silent movie with live piano accompaniment at the Colonia Theater in December.

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The state assembly passed watered down legislation regarding the controversial “Common Core” agenda for the state schools, leading to very little change recently to the agenda a,  Assemblyman Cliff Crouch said that he was hoping that a bill fashioned by Assembly Republicans, based on public input at hearings all over the state, would have been the one passed:

 

(Crouch 3-20-14)

 

Both houses of the legislature have until mid June until the end of session, to deal with common core issues.

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State lawmakers are meeting in joint budget committees today as they try to approve a budget by the end of the month. Conference committees, on policy areas such as transportation and health, will be held by the state Senate and Assembly. State leaders are trying to determine how much money will be spent on different programs.  Negotiations behind closed doors, between Governor Cuomo and legislative leaders, are expected to continue through next week.

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State tax collections totaled $62.9 billion eleven months into the fiscal year, about $30 million below the latest projections, according to the February 2014 state cash report released today by New York State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli.  All Funds tax collections of $62.9 billion through February 28th were $3.1 billion higher than last year; Personal income taxes totaled $40.4 billion, or 6.8% higher than last year.  All Funds spending of $117.3 billion through February was $723.8 million below updated projections. 

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The State Senate passed legislation, to make legislative proceedings more open and transparent, by expanding public access to committee meetings, and votes. The bill requires the webcasting and archiving of Senate and Assembly committees and hearings, and the online posting of votes taken in committees or on the floor. The Senate website -nysenate.gov- includes archived videos of session and committee meetings, and committee and floor vote records. The bill passed this week would require both houses to post the information on their respective websites.

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U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand called on the USDA not to close 250 offices across the country, including up to 10 in New York State, saying they are needed to successfully implement the new farm bill, helping farmers navigate the system and sign up for existing and new programs. The Farm Bill was signed into law last month and includes many new programs, which require in-depth explanation. The bill also includes a new dairy program, which provides a safety net for dairy farmers when the price of milk drops. To find out more go to usda.gov.

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Some NYSEG customers may have noticed a hike in their energy bills over the past few months. The pricing of a NYSEG bill is based on delivery costs and supply costs. While NYSEG hasn’t raised its delivery cost since September 2012, supply costs, out of NYSEG’s control, have gone up. Recently, NYSEG did a study showing  with the rising cost of supplies, a customer’s bill could go up 12-percent.  If customers have questions with their bill they should call customer service at: 1-800-572-1111.

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A.M. NEWS THURSDAY 3-20-14

by wcdonews Posted on March 20, 2014

Officials with the Constitution Pipeline, Leatherstocking Gas Company & Amphenol in Sidney announced on Tuesday a plan to get natural gas services to Amphenol’s new plant, as well as to towns and businesses along the I-88 Corridor.  Rick Aiken of Amphenol said that Amphenol would be one of the “tap” locations, where natural gas would come directly into the facility, at a great savings to the company:

 

(Rick Aiken 3-20-14)

 

The Constitution Pipeline would run 125 miles from northern Pennsylvania to parts of New York State for eventual distribution into New England.  Construction of the pipeline could start in January 2015 pending federal approval.  The full story is available in this week’s Tri-Town News.

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Supporters of the Dream Act pressed Governor Cuomo to include the measure in the state budget. The bill calls for providing state tuition aid to the children of illegal immigrants.  The measure failed to pass the state senate by 2 votes after passing the Assembly.  The measure was included in the Assembly passed budget, with a 25 million dollar appropriation, the next step would be for Governor Cuomo to include the initiative in the final state budget for the fiscal year that starts April 1.

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It’s pothole season and driving on State & Local roads resembles an obstacle course, with a great potential for damage to your vehicle.  The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers state that the weather is the biggest contributor, where the Asphalt is soft at high temperatures and brittle at low temperatures. When the temperatures dip, roads are more prone to cracking, which lets water pool underneath the surface & lead to potholes.  DOT Crews are scheduling their repair work during upcoming dry and warm weather, with some preliminary work performed on some of the Interstate Highways.  More information is available at dot.ny.gov

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

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P.M. NEWS WEDNESDAY 3-19-14

by wcdonews Posted on March 20, 2014

Officials with the Constitution Pipeline, Leatherstocking Gas Company & Amphenol in Sidney announced a plan to get natural gas services to Amphenol’s new plant, as well as to towns and businesses along the 125-mile proposed route along the I-88 Corridor.  The Constitution Pipeline would run from northern Pennsylvania to parts of New York State for eventual distribution into New England.  Amphenol in Sidney would be one of the four “tap” locations, meaning natural gas would come directly into the facility.  Construction of the pipeline could start in January 2015 pending federal approval.

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Conference committees are getting to work this week on various aspects of the state budget proposals.  Area Assemblyman Bill Magee is on the conference committee overseeing agriculture; he said that the amount of money that farmers get relates to how much education aid is increased;

 

(Magee 3-19-14)

 

Magee once again chairs the assembly Agriculture Committee; he said that he is relatively confident that the state budget will be passed on time again this year.

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Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 31 year old Gerard Johnson of Walton on a warrant from the city of Oneonta Court for failure to pay a fine for his arrest on a charge of criminal possession of a controlled substance.   Johnson was turned over to the City of Oneonta Police Department for further processing & subsequent court action.

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State Police of Norwich arrested 47-year-old Mathew Bates, of Plymouth for 2nd degree Harassment.   The arrest followed an investigation into a recent dispute in the town of Plymouth, Bates was arraigned in the Town of Sherburne Court and released on his own recognizance & will reappear in court on March 28th.

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State Police in Deposit arrest 42-year-old Patrick Brown of Deposit for Criminal Obstruction of Breathing and Criminal Mischief.  The arrest occurred after a dispute Deposit, where    Brown is accused of choking the victim and keeping the vic9tm from notifying police.  Brown was arraigned in the Town of Deposit Court and released on his own recognize, an order of protection was issued by the court against Brown.

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A new insurance program set to replace an older safety net built on farm subsidies could make life easier for all farmers in New York State. The Margin Protection Program will serve as an optional insurance plan farmers can buy into. The plan will replace the Milk Income Loss Contract, which acted more like a subsidy for farmers when the milk price dropped below profitable levels.  US Senator Charles Schumer visited a farm in Sherburne to promote the plan, and promise assistance in helping farmers understand it. The new insurance plans will take effect in September.

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State Police arrested 27-year-old Jason Harvey of Groton on 1 count each Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance & Unlawful Manufacture of Methamphetamine.  Harvey is accused of manufacturing Methamphetamines in his residence, he was arraigned & was remanded to Tompkins County Jail on $15,000 cash bail or $30,000 secured bond pending court action March 21st.

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The Southern Tier Parents against the Common Core are holding a presentation on March 31st.  The event will take place from 6:00 to 8:00 PM at the Vestal Library; concerned parents are encouraged to attend. More information is available at parents against cc.com

 

 

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A.M. NEWS WEDNESDAY 3-19-14

by wcdonews Posted on March 19, 2014

Governor Cuomo reminded New Yorkers that the 2014 trout and salmon fishing season opens April 1st , and they can buy & print a fishing license from their home computers at  licensecenter.ny.gov.  The Governor also encouraged anglers to consider investing in a lifetime fishing license, which could be converted to an Adventure License and be eligible to receive a free adventure license plate for their vehicle.

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State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli announced his office reviewed 1,698 contracts valued at $4.4 billion and approved more than 2.7 million payments worth more than $8.5 billion in February 2014. His office also rejected 157 contract transactions valued at $362.8 million and 3,346 payments valued at more than $3.8 million due to fraud, waste or other improprieties.  DiNapoli said that the monthly reports can be accessed at the Open Book New York website.

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NY State of Health reported that 995,038 New Yorkers have completed their applications and 666,397 have enrolled for coverage since the launch of the Marketplace on October 1st. More than 70 percent of those who have enrolled to date were uninsured at the time of application. Over the last week alone, enrollment has increased by nearly 76,000. All New Yorkers are urged to enroll before March 31st deadline.

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