P.M. NEWS MONDAY 11-23-20

The Health Department continues to aggressively test New Yorkers for the COVID 19 virus, with over 191,000 tested on Sunday, with 5906 positive tests, or 3% of those tested.  2724 people are hospitalized; increases of 162 from Saturday, there were 33 more deaths from the virus Sunday, bringing the state death toll to 26,390.

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Chenango County Public Health continues to see an increase in COVID 19 cases.  They currently have 62 active cases, with 399 people quarantined.  They have had 10 deaths, 486 recoveries; they have had a total of 563 cases since March.

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The Broome County Health Department had 179 more positive cases of COVID 19 diagnosed since Friday, bringing their total to 4744 since March, they had 2 more deaths reported, bringing their total to 114, there have been 4089 recoveries and over 4200 are being monitored by the Health Department.

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Delaware County sheriff’s Deputies arrested 41 year old Robert Stutzer of Sidney for 2 felonies.  On November 13th Deputies responded to the Mirabito Gas Station in Hobart for a report of a male subject passed out behind the wheel of a motor vehicle, Deputies identified the driver as Stutzer, who is accused of operating the vehicle while impaired by drugs, and with suspend drivers’ license.   Stutzer was charged with Felony driving while ability impaired by drugs, and felony aggravated unlicensed operation of a Motor Vehicle, he was released on tickets returnable to Stamford Town Court at a later date.

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The SUNY Oneonta COVID Response Team gathered feedback and answered questions about the college’s Draft Re-opening Plan for spring 2021 at 2 virtual town halls last week.   SUNY Oneonta Acting President Dennis Craig told WCDO News that the plan is largely in place but will be amended as needed:

(Dennis Craig 11-23-20)

Over 750 staff, faculty, students and their parents participated. The recordings of both town halls are available at suny.oneonta.edu/covid-19 regarding the spring 2021 reopening plan.

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State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli announced that New York State leads the nation in what it pays to the federal government compared to what it gets back from Washington. New York taxpayers paid $23.7 billion more in federal taxes than the state received in federal spending in federal fiscal year 2019, for every tax dollar paid to Washington; the state received $0.91, well below the national average of $1.24. New Mexico gets the most value at $2.83 per tax dollar paid, followed by Mississippi ($2.50), West Virginia ($2.43), Alabama ($2.17) and Kentucky ($2.05).

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O’Connor Hospital in Delhi is hosting a special drive-through parade for families to visit Santa Claus on Saturday, December 5, from 11:00 AN to 12:00 Noon. The event will be an alternative to Delhi’s traditional holiday parade, Vehicles will drive around the front upper parking lot of O’Connor Hospital, and more information is available on Facebook or by calling 746-0331.

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The Sidney Central School District has been notified that 2 members of the District community have tested positive for COVID-19. The first individual has not been on campus since Thursday, November 12th and the second individual since last Friday, November 20th.  The Department of Health Services has conducted and completed the contact tracing. Any and all people impacted have been notified. The potential exposure has been minimized in this case because of the emphasis placed on wearing face coverings and social distancing; there will be no change to the current Sidney School Schedule.

A.M. NEWS MONDAY 11-23-20

Governor Cuomo held a COVID 19 briefing in New York City Sunday; he stated that the current concern will be how high the infection rates will get after Thanksgiving & the Christmas holidays:

(Cuomo 11-23-20)

The state performed over 196,608 tests Saturday, with 5391 positive tests, 2562 are now hospitalized, 500 are in an ICU Bed, 234 are on ventilators & there were 30 deaths from COVID Saturday.

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Otsego County Department of Health reported 11 new cases of COVID on Saturday & 17 cases Sunday.   Otsego County now has had 1185 total confirmed cases, 93 active cases, 4 hospitalized, 8 deaths, 764 cases are linked to SUNY Oneonta & 71 confirmed cases in Hartwick College students.

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Delaware County Public Health announced Saturday that they had 4 new cases of COVID 19 & 7 new cases Sunday, they have 43 active cases, 5 were hospitalized, and 201 were quarantined.  They are up to 308 total cases since March with 9 deaths and 256 recoveries.

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Tourism-related dollars spent in Delaware County in 2019 have grown to $121 million, according to a report issued by the Empire State Development Division for Tourism Development, Delaware County Chamber of Commerce President Ray Pucci comments:

(Ray Pucci 11-23-20)

Traveler spending increased 2.5% across of all New York. The strongest growth occurred in the Catskills with a 7.3% increase in spending last year.  Tourism accounted for over 1,145 jobs in Delaware County resulting in $41.7 million in labor income recirculating through the local economy.  Tourism generated more than $7.7 million in local taxes and over $6.6 million in state taxes.

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