Broome County District Attorney Steve Cornwell announced today that 31 year old Johnnah DeGraw of Deposit has been sentenced to 12 years in prison plus 5 years post release parole for distributing fentanyl, heroin and methamphetamines.  DeGraw pleaded guilty in Broome County Court to drug charges on March 14, Degraw And 26-year-old Marlon Graham of Deposit were arrested last November,   Graham also pleaded guilty and will be sentenced in May.

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The State Budget is expected to get wrapped up quickly as the Budget deadline is midnight on Monday.  Among the items expected to make it into the final budget plan, the permanent installation of a 2% Property tax Cap, a ban on plastic grocery bags, Items that have been removed from the Budget plan, the expansion of the bottle bill, recreational marijuana & the governors plans to cut the Aid to Municipalities.

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On April 1, a new law will go into effect that bans the sale of smoke alarms with removable batteries within New York State.   Under the new law, the only battery-powered smoke alarms permitted to be sold in New York are those equipped with sealed-in, non-removable batteries capable of powering the device for at least 10 years.

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The State Department of Taxation and Finance today reminded taxpayers that the deadline to submit their personal income tax returns is Monday, April 15th.  After 3 years of receiving a few extra days to file because of certain holidays, taxpayers should be aware that this year Tax Day returns to its traditional date.  New York taxpayers with adjusted gross household incomes of $66,000 or less in 2018 may take advantage of user-friendly tax preparation and filing software available at tax.ny.gov.

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Super Heroes in Ripped Jeans will be bringing adoptable dogs & cats to the Houndstooth Bakery & Boutique in Sidney Saturday, during a Meet & Greet Bake Sale from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM.  Proceeds from the bake Sale will benefit the Super Heroes in Ripped Jeans Building fund.

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The State Health Department warns New York Residents, and especially outdoor enthusiasts, that there is expected to be a big increase in the Tick population this summer, and with that, an increased in Lyme disease.  Dress in long sleeves and pants and consider tucking pant legs into socks, especially if you will be walking in tall grass or wooded areas. Also, use a tick repellant containing DEET, following the manufacturer’s instructions.  For prolonged outdoor activities such as camping, look for clothing and camping gear that is treated with permethrin.

New York Attorney General Letitia James today announced a win in a comprehensive lawsuit led by New York and 10 states and the District of Columbia challenging the Department of Labor’s Association Health Plan Rule, which expands the criteria for forming AHPs in order to evade consumer protections and sabotage the Affordable Care Act. The decision from the United States District Court for the District of Columbia states that the rule is “clearly an end-run around the ACA” and “creates absurd results.”

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The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will hold a public meeting on April 3 to review, submit feedback and comment on the draft East Sidney Lake Master Plan and draft Environmental Assessment.  The meeting will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Sidney Town Clerk Building, at 44 Grand St., Sidney, the meeting will include an open house discussion with project team members from 6 to 7 p.m. A formal project presentation and question and answer session will begin at 7 p.m. followed by another open house discussion from 8 to 9 p.m.  All updates regarding the Master Plan revision, public meeting information and ways to submit comments or questions may be found at nab.usace.army.mil/ESL-Master-Plan-Revision/

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This weekend will be the 2nd “Maple Weekend” with events taking place throughout the upstate region.  The list of participating Maple producers can be found at mapleweekend.nysmaple.com.  New York State is 2nd in the country behind Vermont, for Maple production.

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Main Street Goes Blue for colorectal cancer awareness will be held from today 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Muller Plaza on Main Street in Oneonta. Included will be light refreshments, giveaways, raffles, health information and various activities. Eligible individuals 50 and older may sign up for free take-home colorectal cancer screening kits.  The event is sponsored by the Cancer Services Program of the Central Region. Call 888-345-0225 or visit www.Bassett.org/CSP for more information,

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