Governor Kathy Hochul signed legislation which aims to protect consumers during storms and other emergencies by requiring utility companies to develop plans to prioritize responding to reports of downed wires. If a member of the public identifies a downed wire that presents a hazard, they now can report that wire to their utility, which must respond to no later than 72 hours after the response to an emergency ends. Previously, the power companies only had to have a plan to securing a wire on a schedule if the wire was reported by a municipal emergency official.

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NYSEG is reporting that over 2200 were without power in Broome County from last night’s breezy conditions, 770 were without power this afternoon in Chenango County & about 200 in Otsego County. Crews are working to restore power as quickly as possible.

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State Police announced that 41 year old David Maycumber of Newfield, was indicted by the Tioga County Grand Jury and was arraigned before the Tioga County Court for 1st & 2nd Degree murder, Kidnapping and Intimidating a witness, in connection with the kidnapping & murder of Thomas Rath in Tioga County earlier this year. To date, 13 subjects have been arrested for various felonies regarding the murder investigation of Thomas Rath.

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State Police & Local Law Enforcement Agencies are reminding the public to remember to lock your car doors. Numerous reports of criminals stealing from unlocked cars have been reported to Police across the region, they also remind people this holiday season to never leave valuables in plain site inside the passenger compartment of a parked vehicle.

A.M. NEWS WEDNESDAY 11-22-23

The State Department of Environmental Conversation announced that a 72 year old New Jersey man has died. On November 18, at around 10:45 pm, Forest Rangers responded to a call for an overdue hunter in the Town of German, after a member of their hunting party never returned, Members of local law enforcement, Forest Rangers & 1st responders found the man deceased at about 3:00 AM.

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The Delaware County Sheriff’s Office is requesting the public’s assistance in locating 31-year-old Cachet Fernandez, who is a registered as a level 2 sex offender, he is described as a black male with brown hair, brown eyes, and is approximately 5’7” tall, anyone with information should contact the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office 607-832-5629 or contact local law enforcement agency.

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Christmas activites will get underway December 2nd in the village of Afton, Greater Afton Chamber of Commerce Spokesperson Sheryl Roush explains:

(Sheryl Roush 11-22-23)

More information is available at the Greater Afton Area Chamber of Commerce Facebook Page.

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Governor Kathy Hochul today announced nearly $23 million in New York State Community Development Block Grants have been awarded to 33 village, town, and county-wide applicants across the State. The village of Deposit will use $50,000 to complete a preliminary engineering report for an evaluation of the municipally owned water system. The village of Hancock in Delaware County will use $995, for Phase 2 of its Critical Sewer Improvements.

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In about 2 weeks, the attorney for the Reporter Newspaper based in Delhi, owned by Randy & Kimberly Shepard, may file a lawsuit against Delaware County for their decision to remove the county designation from the Reporter to the Hancock Herald, solely because County Officials did not like the reporting by Lillian Browne on County Activities. Attorney Heather Murray explains the possible lawsuit argument:

(Heather Murray 9-5-23)

WCDO has been unable to reach County Attorney Amy Merklen for comment.

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State Police have arrested 39 year old Kysha Radcliff of Dryden, for 1st degree Kidnapping, in connection with the kidnapping & murder case of Thomas Rath of Ithaca. Rath disappeared from a homeless encampment earlier this year, he remains were found last month & so far the investigation has resulted in 11 arrests. State Police said that the investigation continues.

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State Police responded to a reported stabbing on a Trailways Transportation Bus, traveling from New York City to Binghamton. The bus was on State Highway 17 in the town of Deposit when the incident was reported and indicated that a female had been stabbed numerous times. State Police said that 32 year old Dominique Holloman of New York City fled when the bus stopped, he was located & was charged with 2nd degree Assault he was transported to the Delaware County Jail for Centralized Arraignment. The injured female had been traveling with Holloman, she was treated at Wilson Hospital for a non-life threatening injury.

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The Norwich Theatre Company will perform the Neil Simon classic “Barefoot In The Park” next month, at the Martin W. Kappel Theatre in Norwich, Chenango Arts Council spokesperson Mary Beth Miller said that the tickets will be available tomorrow & auditions will be later this week:

(Mary Beth Miller 9-5-23)

Tickets & more information will be available tomorrow at chenangoarts.org, more information is available at (607)336-2787.

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Delaware County Sheriff’s Office arrested 43-year-old Dennis Ryder of Branford, Connecticut for driving with a suspended New York State Driver’s license. On Friday afternoon, Deputies observed a vehicle speeding on State Highway 97 in the Village of Hancock, they conducted a traffic stop, a check of Ryder’s driver’s license revealed that his driving privileges were suspended. Ryder was charged with Aggravated Unlicensed Operation of a Motor Vehicle & Speeding, among other charges, Ryder will appear in the Village of Hancock Court at a later date to answer the charges.

A.M. NEWS Tuesday 9-5-23

2 people were hospitalized after a motorcycle & pickup truck accident on Atwell Hill Road in the Town of Windsor. Broome County Sheriff’s Office responded on Thursday at approximately 7:00 pm, 26 year old Cody Beavers of Windsor was operating his motorcycle at a high rate of speed and failed to keep right around a curve, he struck a pickup truck traveling in the opposite direction. Beavers and his passenger, 23 year old Megan Monteforte of Hallstead, Pennsylvania were ejected from the motorcycle, both were wearing helmets but sustained serious injuries & were taken to UHS Wilson Medical Hospital & were later transferred to a Syracuse Hospital by Life Net. Beavers was found to have been driving an unregistered and uninsured motorcycle without a license and was issued multiple Uniform Traffic Tickets.

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Oneonta Police Department responded Thursday to the report of several loud popping sounds at the Town House Inn at 318 Main Street. Officers discovered that a firearm had been discharged in the parking lot, no firearms were found at the scene. The Investigation indicates that no individuals were injured and unoccupied vehicles had been struck by the projectiles. The investigation is ongoing and anyone with information is asked to call the Oneonta Police Department at (607) 432-1111.

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Authorities recovered the body of 61 year old Dr. Chandra Prakash Joshi in Middlefield along the Natty Bumppo’s Cave trail, Investigators beleive that Dr. Joshi fell 3 days prior off of a cliff area and died from his injuries, he was a senior physicist at Bassett Cancer Institute. The sheriff’s office dispatched patrols in cooperation with Cooperstown Village Police and state Department of Environmental Conservation forest rangers, after a co-workers reported that the Doctor had failed to show up for work, and has planned to go hiking, his car had been in the parking lot, the cause of death was accidental.

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An American Red Cross Blood Drive will be held in Walton today from 1:30 pm to 6:00 PM at the Pines Brook Church, Schedule an appointment to give by downloading the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS.

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Delaware County Sheriff’s Office announced that 2 people survived a plane crash in Delaware County Saturday Night in the town of Franklin. The pilot was 72 year old Ron Galuppo of Texas, the passenger was his son, 22 year old Nathan Galuppo, of Texas. Delaware County 911 was alerted by Air Traffic Control in Boston Massachusetts about a mayday transmission from a plane experiencing engine failure, they also received a call about a small plane crashing near a residence in Franklin. Both men crashed while attempting to fly home to Texas from Maine, they were taken to Delaware Valley Hospital in Walton after they were able to escape the wreckage of their plane, they suffered only minor injuries, Delaware County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the Federal Aviation Administration with the investigation.

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State Police and Ithaca Police held a press conference today regarding the disappearance of 33 year old Thomas Rath of Ithaca on May 20. The investigation eventually evolved into kidnapping and murder, with the investigation covering 2 area counties & the State of Maine. State Police Troop C Captain Lucas Anthony of the BCI unit explains:

(Captain Lucas Anthony 8-28-23)

Captain Anthony said that Rath lived in a homeless camp known as the “Jungle” at the time of his disappearance, Rath was familiar with some of the kidnappers. The names of the 10 charged were not released, they were all from the Ithaca area, more arrests are expected & the investigation is ongoing.

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State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli, the Otsego County Sheriff’s Office & The Oneonta Police Department announced the arrests of 3 people of Phinaliz Communications LLC, who are accused of operating a long-running scheme to steal over $1 million from the Medicaid program. The 3 defendants were identified as 46 year old Philip Mtui of Mechanicsville, who owns the company, operations manager Mbaga Kaiza, and Dispatcher & Driver Tony Taylor, who were arrested last Thursday. Over a 4-year period, Mtui and Kaiza defrauded the Medicaid program by claiming payment for rides that never occurred, and double, triple, or quadruple billing for rides that did occur. Mtui and Kaiza were arraigned in Oneonta City Court for 1st degree Grand Larceny, both were held on $250,000 bail. Taylor was arrested on 1 count of conspiracy, he will be arraigned on September 19th, more arrests are expected.

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Delaware County Sheriff’s Office announced that an Arrest Warrant issued by the Chenango County Sheriff’s Office has resulted in the arrest of a Sidney man. Sheriff’s Deputies were dispatched to a check the welfare on Interstate 88 in the Town of Sidney, for a man climbing on the bridge. Deputies subsequently located 43 year old Arthur Cotton of Sidney, who was wanted on an active arrest warrant out of Chenango County, for Sexual Misconduct. Cotton was arrested and turned over to the Chenango County Sheriff’s Office.

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The Otsego County Chamber of Commerce announced a job fair will be held at the Southside Mall in Oneonta on Tuesday. The Job Fair will run from 2:00 to 4:00 PM & will feature numerous employees from throughout the region with job openings currently available.

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Delaware County Sheriff’s Office arrested 42 year old Leslie McClenon of Walton for DWI, Aggravated Unlicensed Operation of a Motor Vehicle & several other Traffic charges. On August 13th Deputies observed a car entering an intersection was nearly struck by another vehicle running a red light. Deputies conducted a traffic stop, McClenon had her driving privileges suspended and was operating the vehicle while intoxicated, she was released on appearance tickets and directed to appear at the Town of Walton court at a later date to answer for the charges.

Binghamton Police arrested Ismael Sanchez of Rockingham, North Carolina, who was wanted by Police in Richmond County, on an arrest warrant for assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill, robbery with a deadly weapon, and conspiracy to commit robbery. Sanchez was arrested after a search warrant was executed at a Wilson Street apartment by the Binghamton Metro SWAT team. He was taken to Binghamton Police Department where he was arraigned as a fugitive from justice and remanded to Broome County Jail pending extradition back to North Carolina.

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