State Police issued over 10 thousand tickets to drivers statewide over the July 4th holiday weekend, which began on Friday and ended on Monday. State Police were cracking down on drunk drivers as well as other violators. Of the tickets issued, 4,523 were for speeding, 621 for seatbelt and child restraint violations, and 186 for failure to move over and 310 for distracted driving. Troopers arrested 198 people for DWI during the crackdown. They investigated 722 accidents where 198 people were injured and two people were killed.
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A federal grand jury has indicted former Tennessee congressional candidate Robert Doggart for allegedly soliciting others in a plan to commit arson & murder at a Muslim community in Hancock. Doggart is accused of recruiting others through Facebook & by phone, to burn buildings and kill members of the community. The U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division is prosecuting Doggart, following the investigation by the FBI, who arrested Doggart in April. Doggart was released on $30,000 bond and is currently subject to home confinement.
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Governor Cuomo issued Executive Order No. 147, which appoints the New York State Attorney General as a special prosecutor in matters relating to the deaths of unarmed civilians caused by law enforcement officers.

(Cuomo 7-9-15)

The executive order allows the special prosecutor to review cases where there is a question whether the civilian was armed and dangerous at the time of his or her death. Cuomo said that the Assembly passed a bill this year dealing with the issue, the State Senate did not pass a bill due to small differences of opinion, Cuomo said the he expects a permanent law to be passed in 2016.
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The Sidney Emergency Squad has undergone a reorganization recently, and they are planning an open house later this month for local residents. Board of Directors President Ray Baker told WCDO News about the Squad’s changes:

(Ray Baker 7-9-15)

The Open House will be held on Saturday July 18th from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM at the Sidney fire Station of River Street.
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A group of Parents in the Harpursville Central School district, known as “STOP” has sued the school Board for violating open meeting laws. The lawsuit claims that the board voted to remove one administrator and reassign another in the elementary school, despite a number of parents voicing opposing the plans, the lawsuit also claims that the school board has not maintained the legally required minutes.
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A New Siena Institute Poll shows the Upstate New York Residents feel that their economy is still lagging behind the rest of the country. The survey found that 41% claimed that gasoline prices are having a very serious or somewhat serious on their finances, 65% indicate said that the amount spent on groceries is having a very serious or somewhat serious effect on their finances.
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Governor Cuomo announced that more than $18 million in economic development funding for 19 projects state wide. In the Southern Tier Region, Corning Diesel will receive $3,000,000 for the purchasing of machinery and equipment to support the company’s facility expansion in Steuben County. The Broome County IDA & Indian Valley Industries, will get $728,500 to acquire a manufacturing facility and to relocate within Broome County. The site of their existing facility is slated to be used for a new Pharmacy School in Johnson City.
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The Bainbridge-Guilford Central School will hold the re-organizational meeting of the Board of Education tonight. The meeting will be held in the Guilford School Cafeteria at 6:30 PM.