For the third year in a row, 13 Year old Melodie Loya of Bainbridge won the regional Scripps National Spelling Bee in Oneonta, & she will once again be heading to Washington DC, and a fundraiser has begun to help meet expenses, DCMO BOCES spelling bee coordinator Martha Ryan explains:
(Martha Ryan 3-13-19)
Loya placed 18th and 25th in her two previous years of national competition, and made it to the final 41 of last year’s 516 spellers.
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33 year old Kevin Wilcox of Harpursville pleaded not guilty to charges of vehicular assault and driving while impaired by drugs, at his arraignment Tuesday. Wilcox was arrested following the investigation into Monday afternoon’s incident in Binghamton, where he allegedly drove onto the sidewalk on Beethoven Street and struck 17-year-old Harper Stantz and 19-year-old Britney Laserinko. Both were taken to Wilson Hospital with a variety of serious injuries, including internal injuries & fractures. Wilcox is being held in the Broome County Jail pending future court action.
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18 year old Alec Zarkower’s death has been ruled as a suicide, following an autopsy performed Tuesday. Zarkower’s body was found in his dorm room at SUNY Delhi Monday morning, SUNY Delhi officials said that counselors are available for students in need. Zarkower was a freshman at SUNY Delhi, and was originally from Cortlandt Manor in Westchester County.
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The Trial of Heather Franklin will begin on Aprils 1st in Chenango County Court, for the murder of her special needs son Jeffrey in 2017. Heather & Ernest Franklin were accused of killing the teenager and setting fire to the family home in the town of Guilford, after they had watched “Manchester by the Sea” which contained a similar plot. Ernest Franklin was convicted on Murder 7 Arson charges last week; he will be sentenced on May 3rd.
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Last year was the deadliest for pedestrians in decades, according to a new report from the Governors Highway Safety Association. More than 6,200 pedestrians were killed in motor vehicle accidents in 2018, which was a continuation of an upward trend over the last 10 years; it was the highest number since 1990. unsafe driving behaviors like speeding or distracted or drowsy driving; alcohol consumption and smartphone use by both drivers and pedestrians; and a rise in the number of larger SUVs,
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Governor Cuomo today announced that he will not sign a state budget without a permanent 2% property tax cap, and he also wants to lower the state tax rate again:
(Cuomo 3-13-19)
Cuomo has been in disagreement with some of the Democrat members of the legislature, who do not want the tax cap to become permanent.
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The CDC announced that Flu activity remains high across the nation, and there’s a second wave of severe infections striking some states. Over 26.3 million flu illnesses, 12.4 million medical visits and 347,000 flu hospitalizations were reported nationwide between October 1st & March 2, with 64 children dying from the flu during that time. The H1N1 virus strain has dominated this season, but H3N2 viruses have been recirculating in the Southeast, the CDC still continues to recommend getting a flu shot for those who have not, even though it is late in the season.
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Delaware County Sheriff Deputies arrested 39 year old Kenneth Schuler of Boca Raton, Florida on charges of felony DWI and felony aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, following an investigation into a property damage motor vehicle accident on Lower Third Brook Road in the Town of Walton. Schuler was additionally charged with speed not reasonable and prudent, unlicensed operator, refusal to take a breath screening test and operating a motor vehicle without a required ignition interlock device. Schuler was arraigned and was remanded to the Delaware County Jail on $5,000 cash bail pending future court action.
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Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 39 year old LeAnne Taggart of Franklin, for possession of a Dangerous Dog in Violation of the New York State Agriculture and Markets Law. The arrest is a result of an investigation into a report of an aggressive dog in the Town of Sidney. Taggart is scheduled to appear at Sidney Town Court at a later date to answer the charge.
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Jody Zakrevsky, who is the CEO of Otsego Now, will be holding a series of “town hall” meetings throughout Otsego County in the coming weeks. The first of these meetings will be held today at Hartwick College in the Shineman Chapel from 5:30pm – 7:00pm. The second one will be held on Thursday, at Oneonta Town Hall from 5:00pm – 6:30pm Topics to be discussed range from grant opportunities available under the next consolidated funding application process, economic and community development interests, and energy. Questions and comments from the public are welcomed and encouraged.
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Cornell Cooperative Extension will host a Farmers’ Market Community Meeting at their Hamden office this morning from 9:30-11:30 am. The goal of this meeting is to create and/or strengthen relationships among individuals and groups that support farmers’ markets in Delaware County. More information is available at 865-6531 or ccedelaware.org.
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