The State Department of Health should be doing more to insure that nursing homes are properly inspecting, maintaining and testing their medical equipment, according to an audit released today by State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli. Auditors found that while DOH completes its surveys on time and reports deficient practices to the public, as required, but they only looked at a small number of items in the facilities and could be missing equipment defects. In visits to 36 facilities, auditors found several pieces of poorly maintained equipment, including a transport wheelchair that was covered by rust, mold or mildew, and a suction machine, used to remove airway fluid, covered in dust. The full Audit is available at osc.state.ny.us/audits.
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Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies and Investigators arrested 49 year old Christopher Knipper of Harpersfield for Criminal Possession of Stolen Property and Falsifying Business Records. Knipper is accused of possessing a stolen motor vehicle that he took to a scrap yard where he had claimed ownership of the vehicle. He was arraigned in the Town of Davenport Court and remanded to the Delaware County Correctional Facility on $10,000 cash or $20,000 secured bond.
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Chenango County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 33 year old Nicholas Andrews of Preston for criminal sale of a controlled substance & criminal possession of a controlled substance Friday, after deputies executed a Search Warrant. Andrews was arraigned in the Chenango County Court and remanded to the Chenango County Correctional Facility with $12,000 bail. Norwich Police Department and Chenango County District Attorney’s Office assisted with the investigation.
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Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 29 year old Shawn Banks of Oneonta for aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, following an accident on State Highway 28 in the Town of Meredith. Deputies discovered that Banks had his driving privileges suspended; he was also issued a summons for failure to keep right. Banks was released on tickets and is scheduled to re-appear in the Town of Meredith Court at a later date.
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This Saturday, the 23rd annual “Doctors With A Heart” event will be held at Progressive Dental offices at 101 South Broad Street in Norwich, plus at their Kirkwood, Endwell & Montrose Pennsylvania locations. Spokesperson Michelle Parker explains:

(Michelle Parker 9-19-18)

The event will run from 8:00 AM to 12:00 noon, on a first come first served basis, for those with urgent dental needs, who have no money, job, or health care, services will include cleanings, fillings, extractions, fluoride treatments, and x-rays.
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The State Supreme Court Appellate Division ruled that Actress Diane Neal of Hurley will be on the November ballot as an independent congressional candidate in the 19th District. The state Board of Elections last month rejected over 1,800 of the more than 4,100 signatures on Neal’s petition, on Monday, the state Supreme Court Appellate Division ruled in Neal’s favor in her challenge of the decision. Democrat Antonio Delgado is challenging Republican incumbent John Faso for the 19th Congressional District seat.

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Empire State Development announced that Amphenol Aerospace in Sidney will construct a 5-megawatt solar farm on its industrial campus. The solar farm will utilize a large land site in the Village that would otherwise be unusable because it is located in a floodplain, will provide power to the rest of Amphenol’s operations and will promote stability of the electrical supply as the power generated goes back into the grid-especially during peak usage periods in the summer. The total project cost has been placed between $14 and $15 million. More information is available at esd.ny.gov.
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Chenango County Sheriff’s Department arrested 46 year old Robert Coleman of Smithville for DWI and criminal possession of a controlled substance. Sheriff’s Deputies were patrolling the area of State Hwy 220 in the Town of McDonough when Deputies came across a vehicle that had been involved in an accident. Coleman’s vehicle left the roadway and struck an embankment, he was found to be in possession of methamphetamine. Coleman was processed on the charges and released until a later date in the Town of McDonough Court.
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