Delaware County District Attorney’s Office announced that 36 year old Justin Baker of Sidney was sentenced to 2 and ½ years in prison and 1 year of post-release supervision In court on Monday. Baker was convicted of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance with intent to sell, after having admitted to possessing methamphetamine in the Village of Sidney on September 11, 2023. Baker was also ordered to provide a sample of his DNA for inclusion in the State DNA data bank and to pay fines and surcharges, he was remanded to the Delaware County Correctional Facility to begin serving his sentence.

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Otsego County Sheriff’s Office arrested 26 year old Joshua Hunt of Unadilla for failure to notify a Change of Address, as stipulated by the New York State Sex Offender Registry. Hunt is accused of relocating from his residence in the Town of Unadilla and did not make the proper notifications to the Sex Offender Registry, an arrest warrant was applied for and issued by the Town of Middlefield Court, Hunt was located by the Sidney Police Department and turned over to deputies on the warrant. Hunt was remanded to the Otsego County Correctional Facility on $1,000 cash bail, or $10,000 bond.

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The Delaware County Sheriff’s Office is participating in the “No Empty Chair” campaign, this week. The Delaware County Sheriff’s Office and other law enforcement agencies statewide are stepping up their enforcement near area high schools. These patrols will focus on a different traffic safety threat each day of the week including cell phone use and texting while driving, speeding in school zones, seat belts and child restraints, graduated driver license provisions and underage drinking and impaired driving. The campaign occurs each year prior to Proms & Graduations for High school Students, motor vehicle crashes continue to be a leading cause of death and serious injury for people ages 16-20.

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The Investigation continues into the murder of 12-year-old Aliza Spencer, with a collaborative effort by the Binghamton Police Department, State Police & the FBI. On April 21, 2021, Spencer was shot and killed while walking with her family near their home on Bigelow Street in Binghamton. There is a $32,000 reward for any information that leads to an arrest. Anyone with information regarding this case is urged to contact the Binghamton Police Detective Bureau at (607) 772-7080. Callers can remain anonymous.

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The Mid-York Concert Band is offering their first ever Scholarship this year, in the amount of $1,000, band director Doug Ernst explains:

(Doug Ernst 4-23-24)

Student applications and pre-recorded audition submissions are due by Monday, April 29, 2024, The Mid-York Scholarship Committee will select and notify a winner by Friday, May 3, 2024. High school seniors in Chenango, Delaware, Madison and Otsego Counties should ask their band director for the application details.

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Broome County Sheriff’s Deputies and Corrections Officers are now equipped with a new FDA-approved opioid antagonist will be carried in addition to Narcan by select members of the Broome County Sheriff’s Road Patrol and the Corrections divisions as part of a pilot program. The new “Fentanyl Fighter,” drug is a nasal spray designed to reverse the effects of an opioid overdose and quickly help restore blood pressure, breathing and consciousness to those experiencing a potentially fatal overdose.

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Binghamton Police responded to the report of a shooting on Saratoga Avenue at about 10:00 PM Monday night. Police found 38-year-old Jayson Santiago of Binghamton with gunshot wounds to the leg and abdomen, he was taken to an area hospital & was treated and released, Police reported that Santiago was involved in a disturbance with a group of juvenile males during which he exchanged gunfire with them, & they fled the scene. Santiago was charged with Criminal Possession of a Weapon & faces arraignment at a later date.

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Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies assisted Sidney Police Department last Wednesday with a traffic stop on State Highway 8 in Sidney. The driver of the vehicle as 41-year-old James Nash of Sidney, Deputies determined that there was an active warrant for Nash’s arrest issued by the Delaware County Family Court for Failure to Pay Child Support. Nash was arraigned in the Town of Hamden Court & was was remanded to the Delaware County Correctional Facility, he will appear at Delaware County Family Court at a later to answer his charges.

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Sidney Police Department arrested 23 year old Colin Stanton of Sidney on 2 arrest warrants issued by the Village of Sidney Court. The arrests stem from an investigation into illegal possession of a controlled substance, the substances were sent to the State Police crime lab where they were identified as Methamphetamine and Fentanyl. Stanton was charged with 2 counts of Criminal possession of a controlled substance, he was arraigned in Village of Sidney Court where he was released on his own recognizance, he was then turned over to State Police who also held a warrant for his arrest.

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The Unadilla Chamber of Commerce Awards Dinner will be held this year on June 5^th, Unadilla Chamber Spokesperson Linda Bickos explains:

(Linda Bickos 5-24-22)

Reservations will be taken until this Friday, more information is available by calling Linda Bickos at 607-369-2614.

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The State Labor Department released regional unemployment rates for the month of April. Locally, Chenango County had 2.9% unemployment, Delaware County 3.2% & Otsego County had 2.9%, the State unemployment rate was 4.5%

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Governor Kathy Hochul signed the Adult Survivors Act, creating a one-year look-back window for survivors of sexual assault that occurred when they were over the age of 18, to sue their abusers regardless of when the abuse occurred. In 2019, New York extended the statute of limitations to 20 years for adults filing civil lawsuits for a number of sex crimes, however, that legislation only affected new cases and was not retroactive.

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The State Education Department announced Today that the Regents exam for US History and Government that was scheduled for June 1^st, has been canceled. The Education department cites the recent violence in Buffalo as a contributing factor in deciding to cancel that specific canceling the exam.

A.M. NEWS Tuesday 5-24-22

The CDC has Elevated Chenango County’s Community COVID Level to High. The CDC & The Chenango County Health Department remind area residents to get up to date with COVID-19 vaccines, Get tested if you have symptoms, Wear a mask indoors while in public or maintain a 6-foot distance, Wash your hands often & Quarantine and Isolate if you test positive for COVID. Persons with questions or requiring additional information may contact the Chenango County Health Department at (607) 337-1660.

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State Department of Health announced children 5- to 11-year-olds should receive a COVID-19 vaccine booster five months after completing their initial two-dose Pfizer vaccine series. Children ages 5 – 11 years who are moderately to severely immunocompromised should receive their booster, or fourth vaccine dose, three months after completing their primary Pfizer vaccine series, More information is available at health.ny.gov.

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The Friends of Recovery of Delaware and Otsego Counties established a Turning Point center in the city of Norwich, with an Open House & Ribbon Cutting Held Monday at 24 East Main Street in Norwich. The Norwich Turning Point facility will be open from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. Monday through Friday. More information is available at recoverydo.org.

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Friends of Rogers Environmental Education Center was awarded an $80,000 matching grant from the Environmental Protection Fund’s Park and Trail Partnership Grants program to create an environmental educator position who will develop, lead, and organize educational programming for students, youth, families, and special interest groups with an emphasis on adults and seniors. Friends of Rogers will have to raise an additional $20,000 in matching funds, for a project total of $100,000, over two years. More information can be found at ptny.org or by calling 518-434-1583.

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The New York State Board on Electric Generation Siting and the Environment held a hearing this morning in Albany, regarding the Application of High Bridge Wind, LLC to Construct a Wind Powered Electric Generating Facility in the Town of Guilford, and the opposition to the project by  the Guilford Coalition of Non-Participating Residents.  The Board denied the Guilford Coalition’s petition for rehearing and request for a stay, and the proceedings will be continuing.

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Bassett Healthcare Network announced that COVID-19 vaccines are now available in Primary Care and Pediatric clinics across their health system, including at all regional health centers and School-Based Health Centers, by appointment.  Patients aged 12 and older in New York State are currently eligible to receive the Pfizer vaccine. Those 18 and above are eligible to receive either Pfizer, Moderna, or Johnson & Johnson vaccines. More information is available at bassett.org/locations.

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A new Siena Poll released on New Yorkers opinion of Governor Cuomo, shows that 23% said he should resign immediately, 39% say he should serve out his term but not seek re-election, and 33% say he should continue to serve and run for re-election.  35% said they would vote to re-elect Cuomo for another term, 56% would prefer someone else.  Voters approve of Cuomo’s handling of the pandemic, 51-32%, on managing vaccines 66-20%, keeping New Yorkers informed (60-27%), and reopening the state 54 to 33%.

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The State Assembly announced that a Committee will soon be issuing Subpoenas’ to come testify, whether Governor Cuomo sexually harassed women, or his response regarding nursing homes deaths during the COVID 19 pandemic response.

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The Broome County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a rollover crash This Morning on State Route 17 in Windsor.  The accident occurred around 3:00 this morning, Deputies found the vehicle, but not the driver, the investigation is continuing.

Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies assisted State Parole Officers recently with locating and arresting 40 year-old William McLean of Hobart on a Parole warrant issued by the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision.  McLean was found in possession of 6 different controlled substances at the time of his arrest and was charged with 6 counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance, he was remanded to the Delaware County Correctional Facility to be held as a parole violator pending a future parole revocation hearing.   McLean was issued an appearance ticket to Town of Stamford Court on a later date to answer the drug possession charges.

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Sidney Village Police, Delaware County Sheriff’s Office & State Parole arrested 40 year old James Reigles of Sidney Tuesday on 5 counts of Criminal possession of a controlled substance & 1 count of Criminal Possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell.  Police seized methamphetamines, suboxone packing materials & drug paraphernalia during a search of Reigles’ residence.   Reigles was arraigned in Village of Sidney Court, he was released on his own recognizance & was then turned over to New York State Parole, more charges may be forthcoming & the investigation is ongoing.

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Chenango County Public Health reported 17 new COVID 19 cases today, they have had a total of 2527 cases in the year since COVID hit New York State, they report 75 Active Cases, 257 Quarantines & 9 hospitalized.

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Domestic travelers will no longer be required to quarantine after entering New York from another U.S. State or U.S. Territory starting April 1st.   The State Department of Health still recommends quarantine after domestic travel as an added precaution, Mandatory quarantine remains in effect for international travelers. All travelers must continue to fill out the Traveler Health Form at coronavirus.health.ny.gov/covid-19-travel-advisory. Individuals should continue to wear masks, practice socially distancing and avoid gatherings.

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The Binghamton Devils today announced the regular-season game against the Hershey Bears, originally scheduled for Friday at 7:00 PM, has been moved to Wednesday, April 28 at 6:00 PM.  Yesterday’s game was stopped after the 1st period due to COVID 19 issues with the team.

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SUNY Oneonta’s educational technology specialist program has been named among the Top 50 Master’s in K-12 Education Degree Programs for 2021 by Intelligent.com. SUNY Oneonta’s graduates meet the educational requirements to be recommended for professional teaching certification, they are also eligible for initial certification as Educational Technology Specialists.  The rankings are calculated through a scoring system that evaluates student engagement, the potential return on investment, the complete Top 50 list can be found intelligent.com.

A.M. NEWS Thursday 3-11-21

The New York State Board on Electric Generation Siting and the Environment will meet by Webcast on Today, at 10:30 A.M.  The Siting Board agenda includes the Application of High Bridge Wind, LLC for a Certificate of Environmental Compatibility and Public Need, to construct a Wind Powered Electric Generating Facility in the Town of Guilford.  The webcast can be accessed on the Internet at dps.ny.gov/Webcasts.html.

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Delaware County Public Health reported 18 new COVID cases out of 358 tested Wednesday, they report 13 hospitalized, 125 active cases and 265 quarantined. 

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The Sidney Central School District was just notified that a 9th grade student and a staff have tested positive for COVID-19. They have not been on campus since 2/25 and 3/3 respectively. The Health Department has conducted an investigation and the contact tracing has been completed. There will be no change to the instructional model at this time.

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The mobile screening coach will be in the Delhi Price Chopper Parking Lot today, from 9:00am to 2:30pm to provide NO COST mammograms and Pap tests to women 40 and over.  Take-home colorectal cancer screening kits available for men and women 50 and over.  Appointments are requested at 1-888-345-0225.

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The Otsego County Department of Health announced that in light of Governor Cuomo’s announcement, local health departments can vaccinate anyone that is eligible & the county will no longer collect names or emails. Beginning next week, all clinic announcements will be made on the Otsego County Public Health mobile app, Facebook, The Otsego county website or through local media.  The Otsego Health Department Mobile App can be downloaded free at the iOS/Android app store.

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Otsego Express announced that Route 1 will not operate Today and Friday. 

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Chenango County Public Health reported 5 new COVID 19 cases, giving those 2390 since last year.  Chenango County has 67 active Cases, 174 are in Quarantine, and 8 are hospitalized.  There have been 2190 recoveries & 52 deaths from COVID in Chenango County.

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Wedding venues and catering halls can reopen starting March 15, but must follow extensive guidelines recently released by the New York State Department of Health.  Officials reported that Venues must operate at 50% capacity, with a maximum of 150 people allowed at an event, participants must wear masks, venue owners or operators must Notify county health departments about in-person and catered events with more than 50 people, Enforcing social distancing during events, the full list of guidelines is available at governor.ny.gov.

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Assemblyman Joseph Angelino announced that as a member of the New York Conference of Italian-American Legislators, 4 scholarships are available to deserving students, 2 are for academic achievements & 2 are for athletic achievements, with each scholarship providing $4,000 per recipient. Applicants will be judged on a variety of criteria, they do NOT need to be Italian-American to apply, and applications must be received by no later than March 15. Interested students can find the links for the scholarships on the WCDO Facebook page

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A Chenango County man will serve 6 months in prison for burglarizing a US Post Office.  24 year old Jeremy Cook of Eaton admitted that on August 12th, 2019, he broke into the Eaton Post Office with the intent to steal money; he attempted to break into a safe and then fled without taking any money.  Cook was also sentenced in Federal Court to 3 years parole after serving the 6 months prison term.

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The State Health Department & Governor Cuomo announced that hospitalizations from COVID 19 continue to decline, there were 5,703 Patient Hospitalizations Statewide Wednesday.  The number of ICU patients was down to 1124, the number of ventilators is down to 774.  Statewide Positivity Rate for COVID testing was 3.14%, the Lowest Since November 27th;  there were 89 COVID-19 Deaths in statewide Wednesday.

A.M. NEWS THURSDAY 2-25-21

Otsego County Department of Health reported 41 new cases of COVID reported Wednesday, & 1 death reported. 28 of the cases are in college students. In the past 3 days there have been 12 new cases reported in SUCO students and 31 new cases reported in Hartwick students, positive students have been identified and isolated quickly. 

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Delaware County Public Health reported that another County resident died of Covid-19 related complications, the county has had 42 deaths since the pandemic started.  They reported 8 positive tests out of 286 conducted Wednesday, with 103 active cases, 11 hospitalized & 206 are quarantined.

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Sidney Central School district was just notified that one 2nd grade, one 10th grade student and one elementary staff member have tested positive for COVID-19. The Delaware County Health Department has conducted an investigation and the contact tracing has been completed. There will be no change to the instructional model at this time.

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The Delaware County Sheriff’s Office posted a link to the first draft of their police reform plan last night.  The documents can be viewed through a link on the Sheriff’s Office Facebook page, all law enforcement agencies in the state had to come up with a plan after Governor Cuomo’s Executive Order last year.

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SUNY Oneonta was recently named one of the top 50 “Most Affordable Colleges” in the United States by Intelligent.com. The research is based on an assessment of 2,277 accredited colleges and universities, for curriculum quality, graduation rate, reputation, class size and post-graduate employment.  More information is available at intelligent.com.

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(Vera Buell 10-24-16)

The meeting will be held from 10:00 AM to 12:00 Noon tomorrow.
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The Sidney Police Department will have a new Chief sworn in at tonight’s Village Board meeting, and then Jan Gorshack will replace Mike Hood as chief officially Thursday. Gorshack told WCDO news about taking over as the Sidney Police Chief:

(Jan Gorshack 10-14-16)

Gorshack has served in the Sidney Police Department for 23 years, he ran the DARE Program for 20 years, out going Chief Mike Hood will work part time with the Bainbridge Police Department and the Delaware County Sheriffs department.
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The Broome County District Attorney’s Office announced that 6 individuals have been arrested as part of a “Major drug trafficking enterprise” The 6 were arrested Sunday following a joint investigation by law enforcement agencies in Binghamton, arrested were Devon Johnson, Ferris Brown, Shawn Perry, Maurice Rollins, Mary Peters, & Andrew Savo. All 6 were arraigned in Binghamton City Court, and were remanded to the Broome County Jail without bail.
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Broome County DA Steve Cornwell announced that 32-year-old Christopher Clerveau of Kirkwood, pleaded guilty Friday to charges relating to his involvement in a large-scale drug ring operating in the region by Terrence Wise. Clerveau is scheduled to be sentenced on February 1st.
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The next ReUnite Bainbridge meeting will be held tonight in Bainbridge. The meeting will be held at Bob’s Diner the public is encouraged to attend & participate.
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The Oneonta Common Council has been called in for a special meeting today at 5:00 PM. The meeting will be held to discuss the next city budget, it will be held in the Common Council Chambers in City Hall & is open to the public.
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The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers at The Amphenol Corporation of Sidney voted to approve their new 3-year contract Saturday. The Union & Amphenol negotiate a new deal every 3 years.
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Governor Cuomo announced an additional 5 million dollars to be spent to advertise the outdoor activities & vacation spots in the Catskills next year:

(Cuomo 10-26-15)

Cuomo also announced that the Adirondack challenge would move to the Catskills next year, to further publicize the Catskills.
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State Police and the Broome County Sheriff’s Department arrested 2 people Friday, after a string of convenient store armed robberies. State Police arrested 24 year old Ruslan Opatskyy of Binghamton & 21 year old Cathrine Boyea-Kaninsky of Port Crane for 2nd degree Robbery 2nd. Both are accused of committing the October 20th armed robbery of the Kwik Fill Gas Station in Port Crane, they were arraigned in the Town of Fenton court and held without bail at the Broome County jail. The investigation is continuing and additional charges are pending.
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State Police arrested 19-year-old Daniel Dumond of Milford for DWI & unauthorized use of a vehicle. The arrest occurred after troopers responded to a single car accident on Upper Dutch Hill Road in the Town of Milford. Dumond was driving while intoxicated when he rolled the vehicle, he was driving the 2004 Pontiac Grand Am without permission from the owner. Dumond was issued tickets returnable to the Town of Milford court on November 3rd.
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The Delaware County Sheriff’s Office and State Police arrested 32-year-old Erin Harrington of Unadilla, on charges of forgery & petty larceny. Harrington is accused of stealing money from the Sidney Youth Football Program following a recent fundraising event. Harrington is further accused of then trying to cover up her theft by creating a fictitious document purporting to be from the Sheriff’s Office to try to convince officials that the money had been stolen from the Harrington residence during a burglary that did not happen. Harrington was also issued traffic tickets charging her with operating an uninsured motor vehicle with a suspended registration. Harrington was and released on recognizance pending a future appearance in the Town of Sidney Court.
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The Delaware County Sheriff’s Office graduated 6 new officers professionally trained in equine mounted patrol activities. The mounted patrol was re-established in 2012,it is made up of a team of officers from various law enforcement agencies throughout the County. the horses will be used for searches in Delaware County where much of the county is not accessible by conventional methods.
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Pathfinder Village of Edmeston, announced that a Donor & press event for the new $1.2 million Dr. William Streck Community Health Center would be held on Friday November 6th from 4:00 to 6:00 PM. The new 3,800 sq. ft. Streck Health Center is just east of Pathfinder Village, off of NYS Route 80, Pathfinder Village will lease the new facility to Bassett Healthcare Network, which will oversee medical operations. The new health center replaces an older, smaller clinic in Edmeston, and is expected to offer expanded access to healthcare services to area residents.
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(Crouch 6-3-15)

Crouch said that he believes that new leaders Carl Heastie & John Flanagan will do a fine job & will be scrutinized intensely. Crouch said that the spate of arrests of top-level state leaders since he’s been in Albany shows the need for term limits in all leadership positions, including in committee chairmanships..
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Governor Cuomo renewed his push for lawmakers to extend a cap on local property taxes. The governor announced that they would launch an online media campaign to support the cap that was enacted in 2011. Republicans in both houses want the cap made permanent, while Cuomo seeks only a 5-year extension of the existing law. The cap generally restricts local governments from increasing tax levies by more than 2 percent or the rate of inflation and can only be overridden by voters.
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Constitution Pipeline Company announced the recipients of the 6th cycle of their Community Grant program, awarding 25 grants totaling more than $200,000 to benefit local communities within the counties traversed by the proposed pipeline project. Current grants were awarded to the Town of Afton, The Village of Bainbridge, The Bainbridge Historical Society, the Chenango County Blues Association, the Franklin Fire Department, the Delaware County Fire Fighters Association, the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office & the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Council of Delaware County.
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State Police arrested 66-year-old Christine Welborn of Norwich, for Aggravated Driving While Intoxicated with a B.A.C. of .19%. The arrest occurred after a traffic stop for failing to keep right on State Route 206 in the Town of Bainbridge. Welborn was issued tickets returnable to the Town of Bainbridge Court on June 11th.
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The General Clinton Canoe Regatta will bring back youth Wrestling at this years activities in General Clinton Park. Regatta Chairman John Harmon explains:

(John Harmon 5-8-14)

Harmon said that the matches would all be under a tent in the park, the wrestling matches were a very popular event at the Regatta in the 1980’s.

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The State Senate Task Force on Heroin & Opiod addiction will hold another public hearing tomorrow, to gather more input on the growing problem. The task force will be in State Senator John Bonacic’s District:

(Bonacic 5-8-14)

Friday’s hearing will be held from 2:00 to 4:00 PM at the Sullivan County Government Center in Monticello, those who were unable to attend the Oneonta event are invited to testify at Friday’s event.

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The Delaware county Sheriff’s Office now has a drug drop-0ff Box In their Front Lobby at 280 Phoebe Lane in Delhi.   Sheriff Tom Mils announced that Mallinckrodt’s Hobart plant is responsible for the prescription drug take-back collection box. County Residents are invited to safely and legally dispose of unused or unwanted prescription drugs at the Delhi Location, in order for these items to stay out of the wrong hands. The box may be utilized to dispose of prescription medications, however, Needles and liquid medicine cannot be discarded in this box.   More information is available at 746-2336.

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Lieutenant Governor Robert Duffy announced that he would not seek re-election with Governor Como this year. Duffy notified Cuomo Wednesday that he would not be on the ticket, he sited back & leg pain as being issues that were impinging on his ability to travel as much as the job requires, he also stated the desire to be closer to family in the Rochester area. No replacement by Governor Cuomo has been announced.

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State Police arrested 34-year-old April Florance of Kirkwood, for DWI & Unlawful possession of Marijuana. Police reported that Florance drove the barracks to make a complaint; the desk Trooper detected a strong odor of alcohol on her breath.   Troopers determined that Florance also in possession of marijuana in the police station.   Florance refused to submit to a breath test, she was arraigned & was and remanded to the Broome County Jail pending future court action.

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Federal auditors say New York should repay $60.8 million in Medicaid reimbursement, for unallowable costs for room and board for taking care of developmentally disabled people. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services inspector general said repairs, maintenance, utilities, and property-related costs should have been excluded, in calculating Medicaid payment rates at state-operated residences. The audit recommends the state Health Department refund the $60.8 million federal share of those costs.

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State lawmakers voted for tougher penalties for drivers who leave the scene of an accident. The state Senate voted in favor of legislation to impose up to seven years of prison on a motorist who flees the scene of an accident resulting in an injury. Currently, the crime carries a sentence of up to one year. The fines and potential prison sentence for leaving the scene of a fatal accident would also be increased. Similar legislation is pending in the state Assembly.

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