P.M. NEWS WEDNESDAY 7-14-21

Nationwide Opioid overdose deaths were a record 93,000 last year during the COVID-19 pandemic, an increase of more than 19,000 from 2019 or 29%.  Lockdowns and pandemic restrictions made treatment programs difficult to access in 2020, which likely contributed to the deaths.  New York State has had about 3000 overdose deaths annually since 2018.   

——————————————————————-

SUNY Chancellor Jim Malatras is encouraging students to get vaccinated ahead of the fall semester through a 30-day challenge he issued this week.  Malatras announced that students would need to be vaccinated to return to campus, with vaccines that have FDA approval.   SUNY Schools are looking to return everyone to dorms & classrooms in the 2021-22 school year, after a year of large numbers of infections on SUNY campuses, and remote learnings throughout the system.

——————————————————————–

Village of Sidney Police Department arrested 23 year old Donovan Teague of Sidney, Wednesday following an investigation into a stolen bicycle.  Teague is accused of possessing small amounts of heroin and methamphetamine & was charged with Criminal mischief, Criminal possession of stolen property & 2 counts of Criminal possession of a controlled substance, he was arraigned in Village of Sidney Court & was released on his own recognizance, Teague was on parole, he was turned over to State Parole officers, who then remanded him to the Delaware County Jail.

——————————————————————

The Greater Binghamton Airshow is back returns this weekend to the Greater Binghamton Airport on Saturday and Sunday, with the United States Air Force Flight Demonstration Squadron, known as “The Thunderbirds”.  Last’s event was cancelled due to the COVID Pandemic & the shutdown of large scale events.  The airshow runs from 12:00 Noon to 4:00 PM both days, to purchase tickets or for more information, go to binghamtonairshow.com

————————————————————————-

Republican Kyle Van De Water has decided to run against Congressman Antonio Delgado again, after losing to him in 2020, when Delgado won with 54% of the vote, to Van De Water 42%.  The 19th Congressional District currently includes all of Delaware & Otsego Counties, as well as Schoharie, Sullivan and Ulster counties & a part of Broome County, but it could look substantially different after redistricting based on the 2020 census.

A.M. NEWS Wednesday 7-14-21

NYSEG reported about 310 customers were still without power this afternoon in Broome & Chenango Counties, after last night’s storm, crews are working to restore power as quickly as possible.

—————————————————-

New Yorkers enrolled in SNAP will receive the maximum allowable level of food benefits for July. The agency is also working with the federal government to ensure this aid, which has brought in more than $2.5 billion in food assistance to New Yorkers since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic last year, will continue beyond July.  Nearly 1.6 million households in New York State will receive the supplemental benefits later this month, which will result in the state receiving roughly $200 million in federal assistance.

——————————————

Chenango County Public Health announced that their next COVID vaccination clinic will be today at Seeber’s Tavern in Smithville Flats from 3:00 to 6:00pm, a 1st dose Pfizer clinic for 12 years and older clinic will be held tomorrow at the former Label Shopper Store, in the South Plaza in Norwich from 4:00 to 6:00pm, More information is available at 337-1660.

———————————————-

The Greater Oneonta Historical Society will hold a Summer Walking Tour today at 7:00 PM, interested participants can meet at the History Center at 183 Main Street, for a tour of Main Street in the 1960s. On Sunday, a tour of the site of a the former lake at Neahwah Park at 2:00 pm, more information is available at oneontahistory.org.

————————————————-

Governor Cuomo signed legislation expanding New York State’s definition of telemarketing to include marketing by text message. New Yorkers have protection against unwanted robocalls under state law, but texting was not previously defined as telemarketing, this legislation closes that loophole.

————————————————-