State comptroller Tom DiNapoli office says it had blocked more than 12,000 bogus refunds worth 43.7 million as of the start of the week. Many of the incorrect returns misrepresented income or listed too many dependents. Dinapoli says each year his staff uncovers more inventive tax schemes, forcing them to use sophisticated data-driven methods to expose them. Tax day this year is Monday.
——————-
Measles continues to spread in New York State with cases occurring in New York City, Westchester County, Orange County, Sullivan County, and Rockland County. Outbreaks are also occurring in the states of New Jersey, California, Washington, and Michigan and several foreign countries. There have been no cases of measles in Delaware County to date. For additional information you can check the CDC’s website for up-to-date outbreak information cdc.gov/measles/cases-outbreaks.html
The City of Norwich Spring Cleanup of yard debris will be coming soon. City officials stated that clear bags must be used; Brush must be tied with string; branches and no longer than 6′ or 3″ inches in diameter. Debris must be placed between the sidewalk and the curb. Pickup occurs in May, exact dates will be released shortly.
————————————————–
Community events for the Susquehanna Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals begin tomorrow with a volunteer appreciation event from 10:00 AM to 12:00 noon at the shelter on State route 28 in Cooperstown. Volunteers and fosters are invited to stop by for coffee, donuts in observance of National Volunteer Appreciation Week. More information about the Shelter & their activities are available at 547-9371.
———————————————
The Chenango Arts Council hosted the 2019 Chenango Area Student Art Show, Lucy Funke and Chenango Music Scholarship awards ceremony last Friday. The Lucy Funke Scholarship was awarded to Riley Webster of Sherburne Earlville & Andrea Dempsey of the Oxford Academy, the Chenango Music Scholarship goes to Matthew Ryan of the Sherburne Earlville district, The Chenango Area Student Show winners in a variety of categories were Riley Webster of Sherburne Earlville, Guin Warren of Norwich, Ashley Spooner of Afton, Samantha Emerson of Oxford, Shanee Baker Bush of Oxford & Madisyn Stowell of Sherburne Earlville. All eligible pieces will be entered in Congressman Anthony Brindisi’s Congressional Art Show in Utica; the winning entry will have a chance to be displayed in Washington for a year.
———————————————————
The Delaware County Department of Public Works will be closing County Route 44 in the Town of Sidney to through traffic on Monday at 7:00 am for bridge repairs. The road will be closed at Bridge 44-1 which is located 0.25 miles north of the intersection with State Route 357. It is expected that the road will be remain closed until Friday, April 19th. The detour will be Covered Bridge Road to State Route 357.
————————————————-
The Copes Corners Park Spring Fest committee for the Town of Butternuts is soliciting craft, artist, product, and general vendors for its 5th annual Spring Fest on May 4th from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. The cost for a 12-foot by 12-foot space is $20. An application for vendor space is accessible from the “forms and documents” tab at copescornerspark.org. Questions may be directed to Lynne Ohl at 783-2518 or ohlle93@yahoo.com. Completed applications must be mailed by April 22, with the accompanying vendor fee, to Town of Butternuts, P.O. Box 318, Gilbertsville, NY 13776.
==========================================
State Attorney General Letitia James will host a round-table discussion regarding the opioid epidemic in Binghamton this afternoon. James has invited local Elected Officials, Treatment Providers, Addiction Experts & Impacted Individuals. The discussion will begin at 2:30 pm at the Office of the Attorney General at the State Office Building at 44 Hawley Street in the 18th Floor Community Room.
———————————————-
As New York State Leaders consider making the recreational use of Marijuana legal across the state, the New York Sheriff’s Association, and other law enforcement agencies are against that idea. Delaware County Sheriff Craig Dumond commented on what happened in Colorado after they became the first state to legalize recreational marijuana:
(Sheriff Dumond 4-12-19)
A study by the American Journal of Psychiatry showed that people who use marijuana are 3 times more likely to use opioids; another study showed an increase in Psychosis and schizophrenia among daily users, and states with recreational marijuana saw a jump in murders & Aggravated Assaults attributed to its use.
——————————————-
The 14th annual Otsego County Conservation Association Earth Festival will take place on tomorrow from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM at Milford Central School. The Earth Festival will be featuring exhibits, workshops, vendors, food and entertainment. More information is available at occainfo.org.
—————————————————-
The General Clinton Canoe Regatta officials announced that they will have their 12th Annual Dan Elwood Memorial 5k Run and the Tracy Richmond 1 Mile Walk for Hospice on Saturday, May 25th, at 9:00 AM at General Clinton Park, in Bainbridge. There is a $20 pre-registration fee, which will be accepted until Saturday, May 18th, after that, entrants may register the day of the race beginning at 8:00 AM for a fee of $25. T-shirts will be given to first 100 entrants. Pre-registration forms may be sent to: Dan Elwood Memorial Race c/o John Harmon, 3617 State Hwy 206, Bainbridge, NY 13733.
——————————————