Governor Cuomo announced that New York State has extended the ban on residential brush burning until May 21 due to continued dry conditions across the state. the burn ban also prohibits outdoor fires, such as campfires and recreational fires, and open fires used for cooking. This year, 110 fires have already burned nearly 3,600 acres.
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Jury deliberations continued again today in the 3rd Cal Harris Murder trial in Schoharie County Court. The jury was back deliberating after a brief break at lunchtime, Harris is seeking to be exonerated for the murder of his wife, and after 2 Tioga county juries convicted him of the crime, even though Michelle Harris body was never found since her suspected murder in September 2001. Jury deliberations are into their 10th day, after 11 weeks of testimony.
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19-year-old Joseph Mueller of Delhi suffered severe burns last night, hen his vehicle went into a propane tank outside the Delhi American Legion hall. The tank exploded, and firefighters from several area companies responded Mueller was taken to the burn unit at Upstate Medical Hospital in Syracuse. The crash happened at about 8:30 last night, about 30 people successfully evacuated the Legion hall, the Hall & a pavilion had minor damage, 3 store units were destroyed.
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State Police at Oneonta arrested 43-year-old James Henderson of Franklin for Criminal Obstruction of Breathing or Blood Circulation, Unlawful Imprisonment, Criminal Mischief and Harassment. Troopers responded to a Delaware County 911 report of a dispute at a residence on Rod & Gun Club Road in the Town of Franklin. An investigation determined that during a physical dispute with his girlfriend he grabbed her by the neck, kept her from using the telephone to call police and would not let her leave. Henderson was arraigned in the Town of Davenport Court and remanded to the Delaware County Jail on $2,500 cash bail or $5,000 property bond pending a court date for the Town of Franklin is on May 28th.
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Dean Skelos resigned as State Senator Majority leader & State senator John Flanagan of Long Island was elected as the new Senate Majority leader, over Syracuse area State Senator John DeFrancisco, by the senate republican caucus. Area state Senator John Bonacic described how the causes went:

(Bonacic 5-14-15)

Skelos & his son face a number of charges of corruption following a federal investigation that also brought down former Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver earlier this year. Both Skelos & Silver refused to resign from their seats in the respective houses.
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Otsego County has received a federal grant through the New York State Homes & Community Renewal to replace dilapidated owner-occupied mobile homes with new, energy-efficient manufactured homes. General eligibility is based on gross household income at or below 80% of the area median, ownership in the name of the applicant of the property where the existing mobile home is located, and poor condition of the home. Mobile homes on rented lots or in parks are not eligible. Interested families are asked to call Otsego Rural Housing Assistance at 286-7244.
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Chenango County Fire officials reported a Barn fire at around 1:00 PM this afternoon. The barn was located at 2065 state route 12 in the town of Greene; firefighters from Coventry and Brisben have also been called in. WCDO will have more details as they become available.
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In 1984, New York State became the 1st State to pass legislation requiring drivers and front-seat passengers to use seat belts. State officials reported that thousands of lives a year have been saved by seat belts, including 467 in 2012 and 446 in 2013. Tomorrow, representatives from the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee will be hosting an event regarding the latest “Click it or Ticket – Border to Border” enforcement mobilization, to enforce seat belt laws in the Southern Tier of New York & the Northern Tier of Pennsylvania. The event will be held at 11:00 AM at Broome Gateway Rest Area on Interstate 81 in Kirkwood.
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The Otsego County Chamber of Commerce will host a business after hours event tonight at ISD in Oneonta. The Business After Hours event will run from 5:30 to 7:00 pm it will feature demonstrations by RoboKronos & their robot, ISD is located at 98 Chestnut Street, Oneonta, more information is available at 432-7090.
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