P.M. NEWS TUESDAY 3-18-14

by wcdonews Posted on March 18, 2014

Governor Cuomo continues his campaign to get the Legislature to support a plan to freeze property taxes for 2 years and push local governments to share services. Cuomo said that several years ago, before he was elected governor, the state passed a law making it easier for governments to consolidate, & it has fallen on deaf ears:

 

(Cuomo 3-18-14)

 

Cuomo also is calling for a $1 billion-a-year proposal to provide a rebate to property taxpayers, if schools and local governments abide by the tax cap and cut their tax levy. The State Assembly wants to give the rebate check without any requirements on local governments; the Senate wants any consolidation efforts to count toward the eligibility for the rebate. The tax cap limits the growth in property taxes to 2% a year or the rate of inflation, whichever is lower. This year, it’s 1.6 percent

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The state senate has rejected a bill to open state financial aid to students in the country illegally.  The Assembly passed the Dream Act last month and included it in its budget resolutions last week. Gov. Cuomo had indicated support. The proposal included a budget appropriation, of $25 million, to open Tuition Assistance Program money for students at both public and private colleges. Opponents of the bill said it takes opportunity away from students in the country legally.

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Village elections are being held today in New York State.  Locally, most races feature unopposed candidates, in Afton, incumbent mayor sally Muller faces a challenge from Stephen Hitchcock; polls are open until 9:00 PM.

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The Bainbridge chamber of commerce will hold their next Business After Hours event today.  The program will be hosted by the Jericho Garden Club of Bainbridge, and will be held at Galaxy Bowl from 6 :00 to 8:00 PM.

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Attorney General Eric Schneiderman is calling on chain pharmacies to stop selling tobacco products. Earlier this year, CVS announced its plans to stop selling tobacco products beginning in October. Schneiderman and attorneys general from more than 24 other states are calling on companies including Wal-Mart, Walgreen’s, and Rite Aid to do the same. According to Schneiderman, tobacco-related diseases caused more than 480,000 deaths last year. Healthcare costs and productivity losses attributed to smoking cost the nation $289 billion in 2013.

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ASIS International, an organization for security professionals, honored State Police Superintendent Joseph D’Amico with its 2014 Person of the Year Award. The ASIS award is presented to a public official, or private sector individual, that has demonstrated outstanding dedication, caring, and service to the New York community. It recognizes the individual’s contribution to the security and safety of all citizens in New York State.

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“Cirque Dreams Rocks” Tickets are on sale at The Arena Box Office and Ticketmaster.  The songs for CIRQUE DREAMS ROCKS are huge hits form the last several decades in the Cirque Dreams Franchise style.  Tickets are available at the Arena Box Office and Ticketmaster at 800-745-3000 or on-line at Ticketmaster.com.  More information about the show is available at BroadwayInBinghamton.com. 

 

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A.M. NEWS TUESDAY 3-18-14

by wcdonews Posted on March 18, 2014

Governor Cuomo announced that 8,900 New Yorkers had their driver licenses suspended for failing to pay State taxes. The crackdown is the result of legislation signed last year to encourage those who owe more than $10,000 to settle up with the Tax Department.  Tax collections increased by $56.4 million, new Yorkers can Contact the Tax Department at tax.ny.gov or call  (518) 862-6000 to arrange a payment plan.

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Congressman Chris Gibson will be in Delaware & Otsego Counties today.  At 8:30 AM, he will attend the Walton Middle School “Career Fair”; he will speak about his service in the Army and Congress. At Noon, the Congressman will attend the Cooperstown Rotary Meeting at The Otesaga Hotel, where he will address Rotarians at their weekly meeting.

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On Friday the state Senate passed its Budget Resolution, which includes the Public Assistance Integrity Act, to stop EBT recipients from buying alcohol, tobacco and Lottery tickets with public assistance funds.  The resolution also contains the  “BRIDGE” Bill, where Money placed in the dedicated highway fund can only be used for that, and not as a debt service on DMV administrative costs. The resolution adds $811.9 million in school aid, expands Universal Pre-K, restores $541 million to the Gap Elimination Adjustment, seeks to make the 2% property tax cap permanent & adds no new taxes of fees.

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The Chenango County Sheriff’s Department arrested Gary Conklin of Harpursville on a warrant for 2nd degree Criminal Contempt.   Conklin is accused of violating an order of protection during a domestic dispute in the Town of Smithville.  Conklin was arraigned in the Town of Smithville Court and Held at the Chenango County Correctional Facility on $5,000 cash bail; he’ll reappear at a later date.

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P.M. NEWS MONDAY 3-17-14

by wcdonews Posted on March 17, 2014

3 people were arrested on drug-possession charges Friday, after a search warrant was executed, and 70 to 90 small packets of heroin was seized.  29-year-old Kathryn Gorman of Oneonta, and 29-year-old Ian Barbar of New York City, was charged with 3rd degree criminal possession of a controlled substance. They were arraigned in Oneonta City Court and bail was set at $25,000. Also 51-year-old Rich Gormandy of Oneonta was charged with 7th degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, possession of a hypodermic instrument and failure to obey a court order. Gormandy, who also allegedly possessed heroin, was released.

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State Troopers at Oneonta arrested 34-year-old Michael Bennett of Oneonta for the 1st degree Criminal Contempt, False Personation, Unlawfully Dealing with a Child, Resisting Arrest, Obstruction of Governmental Administration, Harassment and Disorderly Conduct.  The arrest resulted from a complaint of two youths drinking alcohol in the parking lot at the Rite Aid on Chestnut Street in Oneonta, Troopers arrived & observed a man and younger woman consuming alcohol, the man gave a false name, but he was determined to be Michael Bennett. & he had an order of protection against him by the younger woman he was with.  Bennett resisted arrest, he was arraigned in the Town of Oneonta Court and remanded to the Otsego County Jail in lieu of $5,000 cash bail. The 17-year-old female was arrested for Unlawful Possession of Alcohol – Person Under 21 Years of Age and given a ticket returnable to the Town of Oneonta Court on March 25th.

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Celebrity billionaire Donald Trump said he won’t run for governor in New York, citing the inability of the Republican Party to unite around his potential candidacy. He said he would need the GOP to clear the field of potential Republican challengers, and last week Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino entered the race. Polls show Cuomo with about a 40-point lead over Trump and Astorino

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About 430 residents of the Broome County area attended Saturday’s event at the SUNY Binghamton Events center, where state leaders are urging residents to be prepared for weather emergencies.  Governor Cuomo commented about helping New Yorkers to be ready for adverse weather:

 

(Cuomo 3-17-14)

 

Families that attended received a variety of items that households should have, in case of emergencies.

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New Yorkers who are looking to get their high school equivalency diploma this year, will have a different set of circumstances in order to get their GED this year.  June White of the Afton Adult education program explains:

 

(June White 3-17-14)

 

Those who would like additional information about the changes, or the program can call 639-2811.

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The State DOT will auction 5 parcels of land locally,  as part of the state’s Surplus Property Program aimed at returning properties no longer needed.   The auction will be held on Thursday, at 10:30 a.m. in the NYSDOT Regional Office, at the State Office Building in Binghamton, 44 Hawley Street, room 1005.  Registration will begin at 9:30 a.m.  The auction is open to the public.  The lands are located in the   Town of Colesville, village of Stamford , town of Oneonta, Prospective bidders may obtain more information at 721-8736.

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A.M. NEWS MONDAY 3-17-14

by wcdonews Posted on March 17, 2014

State Police remind drivers to not drink and drive again today, as they will continue their efforts to crack down on drunk driving on Saint Patrick’s Day.  Drivers can expect a number of sobriety checkpoints; additional DWI patrols and Police will also be ticketing distracted drivers using handheld electronic devices.  State Police remind residents that if they are drinking at a party, to have a designated driver, and if you are driving & witness an obviously impaired driver, top call police immediately.

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Firefighters in Deposit responded to 39 Elm Street Sunday morning. One occupant suffered burns and was taken to an area hospital.  Firefighters from 4 area departments responded, deposit firefighters had to respond Sunday afternoon after hot spots rekindled, no injuries were reported.

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Cornell Cooperative Extension will sponsor three Farmers’ Markets in 2014, one in Walton, one in Sidney and one in Deposit.  The Deposit Farmers Market Will be on August 21st & September 18th from 10:00am-2:00pm.  The Sidney Farmers Market will be Every Tuesday, between July 1st and September 30th from 10:00am-2:00pm, and the Walton Farmers Market will be held on the 1st & 3rd Wednesdays from July 2 through October 15, from 10:00am-2:00pm.  More information is available at 865-6531.

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Registrations for Sidney central school district students eligible to enter kindergarten in the fall will continue this week.  Parents are requested to call 561-7728 to set up an appointment; birth certificates, immunization records & proof of residency are required.

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The Unatego school board of education will hold a budget workshop this evening.  The session will begin at 7:00 PM in room 93 of the Middle-Senior High school in Wells Bridge.

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P.M. NEWS FRIDAY 3-14-14

by wcdonews Posted on March 14, 2014

State Police remind drivers to not drink and drive this saint Patrick’s holiday weekend. The Police Patrol effort runs today through Monday, with sobriety checkpoints, additional DWI patrols and underage drinking & sales to minors details.  State Police will also be ticketing distracted drivers using handheld electronic devices. Last year, troopers made 204 DWI arrests & issued 9,763 tickets.

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New York Farm Bureau’s “Harvest for All” program had its best year yet, with New York farmers donating 9.3 million pounds of food to regional food banks.  New York farmers have contributed more than 40 million pounds of food over the past 10 years. The 2013 amount placed New York as the 3rd largest contributor in the country behind Florida and California farmers, who have longer growing seasons.

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The gaming siting board, which will evaluate casino applications and select who is eligible to apply for licenses in New York, will issue a request for applications by the end of March.   After the request for applications is issued, casino bids will be due in June. Between June and August, the siting board will review and evaluate submissions. In early fall, the Gaming Commission will begin a licensing review of applicants, and casino operators will be formally announced shortly after.

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Congressman Chris Gibson co-sponsored the “Veterans Higher Education Opportunity Act,” to allow veterans who have served at least a 6-month deployment to participate in the Federal Perkins Loan Forgiveness Program.  Veterans were not able to use the program previously unless they served a 12-month deployment, but the average deployment is 200 days.  The “Veterans Higher Education Opportunity Act” would reduce the required deployment to 6 months, Ensure that service members who are wounded as a result of their service and are unable to meet the six-month requirement will qualify for the forgiveness & the program would have no cost and is budget neutral.

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Despite challenges to the Common Core and the state Board of Regents, everything remained as the Board of Regents incumbents were re-elected & the Common Core agenda was altered slightly, but not suspended.  Area Assemblyman Pete Lopez was not happy with that outcome:

 

(Lopez 3-14-14)

 

Next, Lopez said that the legislature’s one house budget resolutions were completed this week, conference committees will work out the differences in all aspects of the budget, and they are expected to pass the budget by the April 1st deadline.

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The Binghamton Senators will wear special St. Patrick’s Day themed jerseys during their games tonight & tomorrow at the Broome County Arena.   Fans who attend Saturday night’s game will have the opportunity to purchase 1 of the special jerseys during a post-game auction.  Also the annual “Pucks 4 Paws” Night is Saturday, Fans are encouraged to visit the displays from local shelters and available dogs and cats can be visited on the concourse.  Tickets are available by calling the B-Sens office at 722-7367, at the Arena Box Office and through Ticketmaster at ticketmaster.com or at 1-800-745-3000.

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New York overcharged the federal government $320 million for residential Medicaid services in 2010. The report, by the Health and Human Services Department inspector general, focuses on rehabilitation services, which help low-income and disabled Medicaid recipients with functional limitations remain socially engaged in their communities. Residences operated by the state, billed the federal government at twice the rate as privately operated residences, offering the same services under Medicaid. State officials said the audit involved practices that began before Governor Cuomo’s administration, and reforms he’s undertaken to streamline the program.

 

 

 

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A.M. NEWS FRIDAY 3-14-14

by wcdonews Posted on March 14, 2014

The Cuomo Administration will host the Citizen Preparedness Corps Training Program tomorrow at the will take place tomorrow at the Events Center at SUNY Binghamton.   The program looks to provide 100,000 New Yorkers with the tools and resources to prepare for emergencies and disasters; Pre-registration for the training session is available at prepare.ny.gov.

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A raccoon has tested positive for rabies in Delaware County. This is the first animal testing positive for rabies in 2014.  The raccoon attacked a dog in the village of Stamford; the raccoon was dispatched and sent to NYS State Rabies Laboratory for testing. The owner of the dog reported that the incident occurred during the day, a strange behavior for raccoons. To report a suspected rabid animal call Delaware County Public Health Services at 832-5200, more information is available at delawarecountypublichealth.com

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Commerce Chenango will hold Lunch with State Senator Tom Libous today at the Sherwood Hotel at 25 Genesee Street, Greene, beginning at 11:30 AM.  Libous will discuss legislative action in Albany.

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Tomorrow the Norwich Family YMCA will be the location for Chenango County Habitat for Humanity’s 3rd annual Souper bowl fundraiser from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. 31 different soups from 26 area restaurants will be featured, proceeds will help to support Chenango County’s Habitat for Humanity, more information is Online at habitat.chenango.org or 656-8155.

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The St. Baldrick’s Foundation will host a head-shaving event at the American Legion in Norwich tomorrow to raise money to Conquer Childhood Cancers.  The event starts at 4:00 pm, in the past 9 years; over $160,000 has been raised locally for childhood cancer research. Donations are also possible at stbaldricks.org/events/Norwich.

 

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P.M. NEWS THURSDAY 3-13-14

by wcdonews Posted on March 13, 2014

Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 28-year-old Brendon King of Unadilla, for Unlawful Possession of Marijuana and Aggravated Unlicensed Operation of a Motor vehicle.  King is accused of operating a motor vehicle while having a suspended status, with no driver’s license & for possessing marijuana.   33-year-old Lisa Bohigian of Sidney was charged with Unlawful Possession of Marijuana, for alleged possessing marijuana while visiting with her probation officer, they were released on appearance tickets on the possession charges & King was issued a Traffic Summons for Aggravated Unlicensed Operation for Delhi Court on March 18th.

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State Police from Endwell arrested 23-year-old Mary-Jo Schad of Binghamton for Endangering the Welfare of a Child and 2nd degree Harassment.  Troopers responded to a report of a dispute in Dickinson, Schad is accused of shoving & punching another person while in front of 3 children.   Schad   was arraigned in the Town of Chenango Court and released without bail; an order of protection was issued against her. 

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Assembly Democrats are opposed to Governor Cuomo’s proposal for a property-tax freeze and will instead seek a plan to tie property taxes to household income.  The governor has made the two-year tax freeze a hallmark of his 2014 agenda, but it’s facing growing opposition among lawmakers. Assembly speaker Sheldon Silver said the Democrat-led Assembly will propose a plan to tie property taxes to household income. The plan will be in the Assembly’s one-house budget. The state’s fiscal year starts April 1st & Cuomo and lawmakers are working toward a compromise.

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Governor Cuomo announced today the newly established Student Protection Unit within the Department of Financial Services.  The department has launched its website, with information to help students make financial choices when financing their educations. The website is located at dfs.ny.gov/studentprotection.

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U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand unveiled a plan to make child care more affordable and accessible for working parents. Under the plan the maximum credit would rise from $1,050 to $3,000 per child by raising the percentage of the tax credit to 50%, doubling the amount of eligible expenses to $12,000. The tax credit would be refundable to help those who are working the most, but don’t earn enough to use the tax credit.  Gillibrand is also a cosponsor of the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act, which was last reauthorized in 1996. Last year, the state received $98 million in those funds to help low-income families

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Housing costs in New York rose sharply relative to income from 2000 to 2012, with more than ½ of renters, and more than 1/3 of homeowners paying at least 30% of their income for a place to live, according to State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli. The percentage of households with rents above the affordability level rose from 40.5% in 2000 to 50.6% in 2012, while the percentage of homeowners above the affordability level rose from 26.4% to 33.9% over the same period. The report is available at osc.state. ny.us.

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Congressman Richard Hanna received the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s “Spirit of Enterprise Award,” given annually to Congressional members based on rankings of key votes. The U.S. Chamber recognized Hanna for his support of pro-growth, pro-jobs policies during the first session of the 113th Congress. Hanna received a 92% rating from the Chamber for 2013, and collectively holds a 95% ranking during his tenure in Congress.

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Distribution of Greek yogurt, through the federal school lunch program, will expand to 12 states. The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced the expansion, they have been testing the Greek yogurt on school breakfast and lunch menus as a higher-protein alternative to regular yogurt. New York was 1of 4 states selected for the pilot program that began last year. The school lunch program will also be offered in the fall in Arizona, California, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Illinois, Mississippi, North Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont and Washington.

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A.M. NEWS THURSDAY 3-13-14

by wcdonews Posted on March 13, 2014

State leaders will meet in Binghamton Saturday morning at 10:00 am to discuss disaster preparedness at SUNY Binghamton.  State Senator Tom Libous explains:

 

(Libous 3-13-14)

 

The doors will open at the Events Center at 9:00 AM; the training program begins at 10:00 AM.

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The Chenango county sheriff’s department arrested Keith Bassett of New Berlin for driving while intoxicated.  Bassett was stopped for speeding, on State Highway 23 in the Town of New Berlin.  Bassett is accused of operating his vehicle while being under the influence of alcohol. Bassett was arraigned in the Town of New Berlin Court and released on his own recognizance, he will appear in the Town of New Berlin Court at a later date.

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The Chenango County Soil and Water Conservation District is holding their annual Tree and Shrub sale through April 3rd.  The District offers a variety of trees and shrubs for individuals to plant for soil conservation, windbreaks, bird and mammal habitat, and timber improvement. More information is available at chenangoswcd.org.

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