State Police will crack down on impaired, distracted and speeding drivers during this New Year’s weekend. State Police will be focusing on speed enforcement, impaired driving, underage drinking, and distracted driving.
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Oneonta’s First Night 2016 kicks off at 6:00 pm tonight with a PARADE down Main Street Oneonta. Officials said that 7:00 pm; entertainment starts at venues such as the Foothills Performing Arts Center, the First United Methodist Church, the Greater Oneonta Historical Society and the Main Street Walkway & a FIREWORKS DISPLAY at 10:30 pm!
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Governor Cuomo announced that temporary lane closures associated with road and bridge construction projects on State highways will not be permitted now through Monday, at 6:00 AM. The lane closure restrictions have been put in place to accommodate motorists traveling for the holiday weekends.
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A variety of new laws go into effect tomorrow in New York State. The Business Income Tax rate will be lowered from 7.1 to 6.6 percent, saving businesses a total of $125 million. Also, New York State’s small business exemption increases to 5 percent for sole proprietors and farmers with at least one employee and a federal adjusted gross income that does not exceed $250,000. A new law that takes effect Saturday January 2nd that helps reduce the local property tax burden for veterans by authorizing an increase in limits to the real property tax exemption, Municipalities have the option of offering these exemptions to help veterans afford owning a home. The new limits take into account rising property values so that the savings offered with tax exemption, can continue to help eligible veterans.
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The Oneonta Family YMCA will host the 17th annual Frostbite 5K today. Race-day registration and number pick-up will be from. 10:00 AM to 12:30 PM at the Oneonta YMCA. The race starts Market Street near the Sidney Federal Credit Union at 1:00 PM and ends at 1:45 PM, more information is available at 432-0010 or racewire.com.
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Medical marijuana dispensaries could open in New York State next week, but patients may still be waiting to get access after that time. When the Compassionate Care Act was signed into law, it set January 5th, 2016 as a target date for up to 20 dispensaries to open statewide. The Department of Health didn’t launch the patient registration system until last week, they also have not published a list of doctors trained to certify medical marijuana patients, making it difficult for patients to identify a qualified physician.
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31-year-old Daniel Mitchell of Sidney has been charged as the 4th person in connection with an alleged marijuana transaction that operated out of the Wal-Mart parking lot in Oneonta. Mitchell was arrested for allegedly leaving $250 in the unlocked pickup truck of Wal-Mart employee Jason Foster, who was arrested with his wife Alice for allegedly growing marijuana at their New Lisbon home, & selling marijuana it in the Wal-Mart parking lot. Mitchell was taken into custody by Sidney police and charged with conspiracy, he was sent to the Otsego County jail pending court action in town of Oneonta court January 21st. 28-year-old Joseph Lukeman of Mount Vision was also arrested in connection with the case for allegedly removing marijuana from the Foster home after the investigation by police was underway.
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