The Oneonta Police Department released their annual report for 2015, noting that they had fewer calls & made fewer arrests last year. The report showed that calls for service last year were 9,328 — down 6.8%, arrests totaled 735, down by 23.3% from 958 in 2014.The city’s Crime Report has no murders in the last two years, Rapes totaled 5 last year, & 8 in 2014, there were 6 robberies & 12 assaults last year. The sale of controlled substances totaled 36 last years, a 28.6% increase from 2014.
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State police are investigating a fatal crash on Interstate 81 near state line this morning. Troopers reported that a 22-year-old man was headed north, near Exit 2, around 4:45 a.m., when he was hit by a tractor trailer and pushed into the ditch, the unidentified man was dead at the scene. Another vehicle was also involved in the crash, but only suffered minor damage and no one in that vehicle suffered injuries. The crash is still under investigation.
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State Police arrested 37-year-old Jason Thomas of Oneonta for felony DWI, aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle & several other traffic violations. Thomas was observed failing to signal a turn at County Route 11A in the Town of Laurens. The arrest was a felony as Thomas has 2 prior convictions for DWI within the last 10 years. Thomas was arraigned at the Oneonta Town court and was remanded to the Otsego County jail on $1,500 cash bail or $3,000 property bond.
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State Police arrested 22-year-old James Baxter of Bainbridge for 3rd degree Burglary, following the report of a theft of a chainsaw from a garage in the Town of Coventry. Troopers accuse Baxter of entering the garage without permission and taking a chainsaw valued at over $250. Troopers were able to recover the stolen chainsaw, Baxter was arraigned in the Town of Coventry court and was remanded to the Chenango County jail in lieu of $2,500 cash bail or $5,000 property bond, he faces court action on January 27th.
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In December 2015, New York State’s private sector job count increased by 13,200, or 0.2%, to 7,880,000, a new record high, according to preliminary figures released today by the New York State Department of Labor. The statewide unemployment rate remained unchanged at 4.8% in December 2015, which is lower than the national unemployment rate of 5.0% in December 2015.
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Property tax levy growth for school districts will be capped at 0.12% above current levels for the 2016-17 fiscal year, according to data released today by State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli. The tax cap includes a provision that allows school districts to override the cap with 60 percent voter approval.
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The Otsego county office for the aging is extending the deadline for the nomination of county residents 60 & older, which deserve special recognition for their volunteering efforts. The deadline to submit nominations has been extended to February 1st; more information is available at 547-4232 or 432-9041.
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Lawmakers are looking at ways to fund and implement Governors Cuomo’s plan to get broadband to all sections of the state. Assemblyman Pete Lopez comments:

(Lopez 1-21-16)

Plans call for the state to improve the strength of the broadband signal as well as reach the underserved rural sections of the state.
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Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee and entrepreneur Floyd Little will speak at Oxford Academy High School tonight at 7:00 pm. This event is free and open to the public. Little will speak about “How to Think Like an Entrepreneur.” He will be joined by Mary Branham, President of Pivotel, and Dr. David Rogers, President of Morrisville State College.
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The Bainbridge-Guilford Central School will hold a Board of Education Meeting on today, in the Guilford School Cafeteria at 6:30 PM.