State Police arrested 25 year old Mason Kneedler of Cortlandville was arrested for 5 counts of Possessing a Sexual Performance by a Child. Kneedler is accused of possessing images consistent with child sexual exploitation. An investigation was initiated after a cyber tip was received by the New York State Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. Kneedler was issued appearance tickets to the Cortlandville Town Court on July 11^th . .

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Willow Run Foods and Chobani will be co-hosting a Recruitment Event this Thursday in Norwich. The event will run from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm at the Norwich CDO Workforce office at 1 O’Hara Drive in Norwich.

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The New York Mets announced that star Pitcher Max Scherzer will make a rehab appearance with the Binghamton Rumble Ponies Tuesday night. Scherzer will be reunited with his Mets catcher James McCann, who is also currently rehabbing with Binghamton, they are scheduled to play Reading at 6:35, tickets are available at the Mirabito Stadium Box Office or online at milb.com/binghamton/tickets.

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New York celebrated Juneteenth today, when the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Act was signed into law by Governor Kathy Hochul. The law will make it easier to sue over discriminatory voting policies and require areas with a history of civil right violations to get approval before changing election rules.

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The Associated Press reported today that New York’s new law barring sales of bullet-resistant vests to most civilians doesn’t cover the type of armor worn by Payton Gendron of Conklin, when he killed 10 people at a Buffalo supermarket, May 14^th. Gendron wore a steel-plated vest, which stopped a bullet fired at him by a security guard in the supermarket. New York’s law restricts sales of soft bullet-resistant vests to people who work in law enforcement and the military, plus people in certain other professions that require protective gear, that list has not been finalized.

A.M. NEWS MONDAY 6-20-22

Oneonta Police arrested 31-year-old Terry DeCutler of Sidney and 34-year-old Nicholas DeCutler of Unadilla,, for 2nd degree murder, for the May 30th murder of Kaleb O’Neill in the alley near 6 Dietz Street. They were arraigned in City of Oneonta Court and were remanded to the custody of the Otsego County Sheriff pending court action on Wednesday. The investigation is continuing, Anyone with additional information is asked to contact the Oneonta Police Department Detectives Division at (607) 432-1111.

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State Troopers were dispatched Friday to a report of a drowning at Highland Park in the town of Union. When troopers arrived, a 12-year-old boy had already been pulled out of the pool by lifeguards and CPR was being performed. The 12-year-old was not breathing and had no pulse. Troopers, EMT & members if the Endwell Fire Department eventually had the 12-year-old breathing and did have a pulse when he was transported to Wilson Hospital, & he was later airlifted to Upstate University Hospital where he is still listed in critical condition.

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Governor Hochul announced that $567 million is now available to help low-income electric and gas utility customers pay off past utility bills. This one-time, low-income utility bill credit will be applied to affected customers’ bills by the utilities, & requires no action by customers enrolled in the EAP program, The credit is expected to be applied to customers’ accounts by Aug. 1st. .

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Attorney General Letitia James announced that the Election Protection Hotline will be available for the upcoming June 28th election and during New York’s early voting period, which runs from Saturday, June 18 until Sunday, June 26. Voters that experience problems can report issues to OAG by calling the new hotline number at (866) 390-2992, or by emailing election.hotline@ag.ny.gov.

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Another Red Cross Blood Drive will be held in Oneonta today from 11:30 AM to 6:30 PM at the , Quality Inn, on State Highway 23. To schedule an appointment to donate, download the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit RedCrossBlood.org or call 1-800-REDCROSS.

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State Attorney General Letitia James announced the results of a report from independent counsel Ann Clark & Joon Kim, regarding allegations of sexual harassment against Governor Cuomo:

(Letitia James 8-3-21)

Governor Cuomo issued a response Tuesday afternoon denying the charges in the report: 

(Cuomo 1)

Cuomo said that his physical presence is a misunderstood cultural tradition in his family:

(Cuomo 2)

Governor Cuomo said that he is not stepping down; Attorney General James said that next steps are up to Governor Cuomo, the State Assembly, and the general public, but her office’s investigation is considered to be over.  State Leaders from both parties are calling for the Governor Cuomo’s resignation.

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The Deadline is approaching on August 13th for Sidney Central School District to get a free backpack with school supplies, from Catholic Charites in Sidney, spokesperson Penny McKnight explains:

(Penny McKnight 8-3-21)

More information is available by calling the Catholic Charities Sidney Office in the Civic Center at 604-4071.

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The Otsego County Health Department announced 2 COVID 19 Vaccination opportunities this week at the Otsego County Fair.  The shots will be available at the Walk up EMT tent today & Friday from 12:00 Noon until 6:00 PM. More information is available by calling the Otsego County Department of Health at 547-4230

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The Catskill Symphony Orchestra announced its 2021-2022 Season is on, after a nearly 2-year hiatus. The Orchestra is partnering with Foothills Performing Arts and Civic Center on Market Street in Oneonta to present 2 fall concerts & 2 spring concerts, including the popular annual Cabaret fundraiser.  For more information about the shows & tickets, visit catskillsymphony.org.

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WCDO News has learned that a motocross rider at Unadilla Valley Motocross in New Berlin died as a result of his injuries sustained in an accident at the track Sunday.  Ed Ladd of Hudson Falls New York passed away from severe injuries at Wilson Hospital in Johnson City, Ladd was an organ donor & there will be a “Hero Walk” in his honor At Wilson Hospital at 7:00 PM, those wishing to participate should be at the hospital at 6:00 PM. 

A.M. NEWS TUESDAY 8-3-21

The Otsego County Fair begins today at the fairgrounds in Morris, spokesperson Lisa Jones told WCDO News about changes with their new box office:

(Lisa Jones 8-2-21)

Today is Dollar Day, with Admission Only $1.00.  The fair runs through Sunday, more information is available at Otsegocountyfair.org.

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Delaware County Public Health will have a Free Rabies Vaccination Clinic For dogs, cats and ferrets today from 6:30PM to 8:00PM at The Sidney Fire Station.  More information is available at 832-5200 or delawarecountypublichealth.com

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Governor Cuomo announced today that New York will be lifting COVID restrictions when we hit 70% vaccinations for the adult population, & that could happen very soon:

(Cuomo 1)

The Governor Also said that mask restriction in schools will be changing, if individual school Districts want to do so:

(Cuomo 2)

The Governor said that the change in school district mask wearing will tie into the guidelines at summer camps when they re-open this year.

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State Police & local emergency squads responded Saturday afternoon at about 2:15 PM, to a multiple vehicle crash on State Route 7 near the Meadow Crest Park in the Town of Unadilla.  Police stated that a Chevy driven by Michael Tucker of Sidney, was traveling west bound on State Route 7, a Volkswagen Beatle was facing eastbound, driven by Jeanmarie Doelger of Bainbridge, had stopped to make a turn into a driveway when 3 motorcycles driven by Emma Stebbins of Bainbridge, Kory Bennet of Bainbridge & Ralph Bennet of Mount Upton struck the rear of the Doelger vehicle, Ralph Bennet’s Motorcycle struck Tucker’s Chevy & Tucker then hit a mail box.   Doelger was transported to AO Fox Hospital Tri- Town campus in Sidney, Stebbins was airlifted to Wilson Hospital, Bennett and Tucker were taken to Fox Hospital, Ralph Bennett was transported to Wilson Hospital.

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Blueox Corporation announced the sale of their Blueox Neighborhood Market convenience store chain to Stewart’s Shops based in Saratoga Springs, today. Blueox Corporation had 11 local convenience stores for over 35 years. The sale to Stewarts is expected to close in September.  Blueox will continue to operate their energy business, delivering fuel oil, kerosene and propane and will continue to service and replace energy equipment including furnaces, boilers, and hot water heaters.

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Sidney Police Department received a tip Saturday that 29 year old Anthony Masi of Sidney, who was wanted on an active arrest warrant, was shopping at Advance Auto on Delaware Ave in Sidney.   Police found Masi inside, he resisted arrest and refused to comply with the officer, running through the aisles to avoid arrest.   Masi was eventually taken into custody, he was found to be in possession of Methamphetamine, Suboxone and a hyperdermic needle, he was charged with Obstruction of governmental administration, Resisting arrest, Criminal possession of a controlled substance among other charges, he was arraigned & was released on his own recognizance to appear back in court at a later date. 

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Delaware County Public Health Services and Friends of Recovery- Delaware Otsego will be sponsoring a one-day Recovery Coach Basics course on June 16th, from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM at the Delaware River Masonic Lodge at 37 Meredith Street, Delhi.  The course includes all materials. Scholarships are available, to register, or for more information call 267-4435 or email at Kyle@friendsofrecoverydo.org.  The deadline to register is this Friday June 11th.

A.M. NEWS MONDAY 6-7-21

Following Saturday’s COVID testing, the state Health Department reported a .47% positivity rate, Statewide 7-Day Average Positivity is 0.52% — Has Declined for 62 Consecutive Days, there were 816 Patient Hospitalizations Statewide, the Lowest Since October 8, there were 13 COVID-19 Deaths Statewide Saturday. 

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Governor Cuomo announced that the ‘Vax and Scratch’ program, which provides free State lottery scratch-off tickets to individuals 18, has been extended through the end of this week at 10 state mass vaccination sites, including the SUNY Oneonta site.  All state mass vaccination sites are open for walk-in appointments for eligible New Yorkers.

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Delaware County Sheriff’s deputies responded 4:30 AM Friday to a report of an attempted robbery at Davenport residence, where the victims reported that an acquaintance demanded cash, Pepper-sprayed them & attempted to strike them with a hammer.  28-year-old Elijah Vergari of Oneonta fled prior to arrival of the Deputy, he was later taken into custody by Oneonta Police and was turned over to the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office.  Vergari was charged with attempted robbery, criminal possession of a weapon, 2 counts of attempted assault and unlawful possession of a noxious material.  Vergari was arraigned & was remanded to the Delaware County Correctional Facility pending further court proceedings.

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Sidney Fire Department was alerted Friday evening of 2 kayakers stuck in debris under an overpass along the Unadilla River.   Fire Department Members acted quickly and launched the rescue boat to access the stranded kayakers, who had already been in the water 20 to 30 minutes prior to the 9-1-1 call being placed. The Kayakers were transported to an area facility.

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The Unadilla Flag Day Parade will be held this year on June 14th, beginning at 7:00 PM starting at the Elementary School. Anyone interested in being in the parade contact Jeff Jones Jr. at 607-267-2494.

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Otsego County Fair officials announced that they have received clearance for the 2021 summer fair, which will run from August 3rd to Sunday, August 8th.  More information is available at otsegocountyfair.org.

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Governor Cuomo today gave a COVID 19 briefing in Albany,  he stated that the number of people allowed to have the vaccines continues to far greater that the supply the state gets each week from the federal government, but an increase is coming, and they may also shift supply from Hospitals that are failing to deliver vaccines to their staff:

(Cuomo 2-8-21)

Southern Tier hospitals are still among the highest in vaccinating staff.  COVID testing on Sunday was over 197,000 with just over 4% positivity rate, the lowest since late November.  Hospitalizations, Patients in ICU Beds & on Ventilators continues to trend downward, there were 114 deaths from the virus Sunday.

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Chenango County Public Health reports that they are up to 2237 COVID 19 cases with 47 deaths, since the pandemic started early last year.  They have 26 hospitalized, 129 active cases & 335 quarantined.

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Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies responded Saturday to a domestic dispute on State Highway 10 in the Town of Walton.   The investigation by Deputies revealed that the dispute occurred in the presence of a child, the suspect is accused of damaging the victim’s phone in an attempt to prevent contacting law enforcement assistance.   Deputies arrested 37 year-old Anthony Anastasio of Walton for criminal mischief and endangering the welfare of a child, he was arraigned virtually and was released on an appearance ticket for Walton Town Court at a later date, and a Temporary Order of Protection was issued for the victim.

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2 Supermarket chains announced today that they will merge and become a bigger presence in upstate counties.  Price Chopper/ Market 32 & the Tops Supermarkets chain will merge, the company will be headquartered in Schenectady & the merger should become official in about 3 months.

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Organizers of the Binghamton St. Patrick parade announced today that they will cancel the event for the 2nd year in a row.  The event was scheduled for March 6th but will be cancelled again this year due to the ongoing COVID 19 pandemic.

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State Police in Troop “C” issued 672 vehicle and traffic law tickets during the Super Bowl weekend.  Police issued 218 speeding tickets, 15 safety restraint violations,   18 for the Move Over law, 10 for distracted driving, 9 for driving while intoxicated/driving while impaired, Troopers responded to 30 accidents over the weekend and responded to 314 calls for service.

A.M. NEWS MONDAY 2-8-21

State Police are investigating a fatal crash Friday night, where 50-year-old Douglas Parker of Halstead, Pennsylvania, was traveling west in the eastbound lanes, he struck a GMC SUV head-on driven by 27 year old Brooke Seidel of Windsor, her passengers were a 29-year-old male passenger and children ages 1, 3 and 4.  Seidel attempted evasive action but was struck head-on by Parker’s vehicle, she went into a guardrail, Parker’s vehicle rolled over & he was ejected.  A third vehicle was struck by debris, the driver was not injured.  Parker died at Wilson Hospital, Seidel’s passengers escaped the vehicle, she was extricated & later died at Wilson Hospital, 2 of the children suffered bleeding to the head & face.

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Delaware County Public Health reported 13 new cases of COVID Saturday, & and 10 new cases Sunday, with 19 hospitalized, 244 in quarantine & 100 active cases, they have reported 39 deaths from the virus since last spring.

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The State Health Department reported 250,892 COVID Tests on Friday, with 10,025 Positive results, a rate of 4%.  Patient hospitalizations were down by more than 150 to 7,649, the Number of ICU Patients was down slightly to 1,459 & the number on ventilators was down to 979, there were 143 Deaths from the virus.

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Republican Claudia Tenney has been named the winner of the 22nd Congressional District race following vote certification today, incumbent Congressman Anthony Brindisi has conceded the race to Tenney this afternoon.

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The Sidney Central School District was notified that a 3rd grader & an 8th grader have tested positive for COVID-19. The last time the students were on campus was February 3^rd & January 29^th respectively.  The Delaware County Health Department has conducted an investigation and contact tracing has been completed. There will be no change to the instructional model at this time.

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Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul will deliver a Virtual 2021 Budget Presentation to the Greater Binghamton Chamber of Commerce today at 1:00 PM; Chamber Members can register at business.greaterbinghamtonchamber.com/events.

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(Jason Hall 6-15-17)

The Charity Golf Tournament will be held Friday July 7th at the Afton Golf Course, more information is available at 972-6526, or by email: jhall@tiogadowns.com.
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61-year-old Gerald Porter of Binghamton was found guilty today in Broome County Court of burglarizing the apartment of a deceased resident’s body was removed. The jury convicted Porter for 2nd-degree burglary & criminal possession of stolen property, he faces sentencing on September 7th.
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65-Year-old Robert Doggert of Tennessee has been sentenced to 19 years in a federal prison, on charges of solicitation to commit a civil rights act, & solicitation to commit arson. Doggert was arrested for recruiting people to travel to the Islamberg community near Hancock, to burn down buildings and commit acts of terrorism against the inhabitants.
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Area Congresswoman Claudia Tenney received a disturbing email threat Wednesday referencing the Virginia shooting of Congressman Steve Scalise & others at a softball practice. Tenney said that she has received several threats since taking office and has turned them over to Capital Police, but Wednesday she received one stating “one down, 216 to go”
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The 4 County Library System announced the launch of their new Bookmobile, which will be providing full library service to those who live in rural areas without close access to a library. The new Bookmobile is a 33-foot truck built by Medical Coaches in Oneonta, it will visit many sites in the Tri-County area, with monthly stops in Wells Bridge, Downsville, and Fly Creek. The schedule for the bookmobile is available at 4cls.org or 723-8236.
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The Deadline for teams to sign up for the annual Gus Macker Basketball Tournament is approaching quickly, according to organizer Tom Revoir:

(Tom Revoir 6-15-17)

This Year’s Gus Macker Tournament will be held July 8th & 9th in downtown Norwich.
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Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies investigated a 1-car accident Tuesday evening on State Highway 206 in the Town of Tompkins that resulted in a Walton woman being air-lifted to the hospital. The driver of the vehicle, 30-year-old Joshua Crisell of Walton lost control of his vehicle when he reached for an item in the vehicle causing the vehicle to run off the roadway, strike a number of small trees and overturn. A passenger in the vehicle, 29-year-old MistyBlue Crisell, sustained back and head injuries and was airlifted to Wilson Hospital in Johnson City. Crisell was charged with failure to keep hands on the steering wheel, moving from lane unsafely and operating a motor vehicle out of license class, he would face action in Town of Tompkins Court at a later date.
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Oneonta Police Detectives along with State Police and the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, served a search warrant at 5106 State Highway 23, in the town of Oneonta, regarding the sale and distribution of controlled substances. Police arrested 31 year old Aaron Willey of Oneonta on 2 counts of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance Police discovered powdered cocaine, & $2,472 in cash, Willey was arraigned at the Town of Oneonta Court and remanded to the Otsego County Jail.
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Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies and members of the Delhi Fire Department and Emergency Squad responded to an off-road, All Terrain Vehicle accident on Tuesday night at Elk Creek Road. 75-year-old Peter Clark of Delhi left his farm shortly after 6:00 PM, to search for lost livestock in a wooded area when his four wheeled ATV rolled over, trapping Clark’s legs beneath the vehicle. Clark was located in the woods; he was extricated by Delhi Fire and EMS personnel and was transported to O’Connor Hospital for evaluation and treatment.
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Chenango County Sheriff’s department arrested 57 year old Gregory Huzinec of Pharsalia for 2nd degree burglary and Grand Larceny. Huzinec is accused of entering a residence and a garage and taking property, he was taken into custody without incident, processed, and arraigned in the Town of Pharsalia Court & was remanded to the Chenango County Correctional Facility in lieu of cash bail to reappear at a later date.
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Chenango county sheriff’s deputies arrested 52 year old Kenneth Bingay of Sullivan County for DWI in the Town of Guilford. Bingay was stopped for operating a motor vehicle that was uninspected and was found to be intoxicated. Bingay was arraigned in the Town of Norwich Court & was remanded to the Chenango County Correctional Facility on bail, he will reappear in the Town of Guilford Court at a later date.
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Governor Cuomo announced that attendance at New York State Park campgrounds is on pace for another record-setting year, and reminded New Yorkers that many of the state’s finest camping facilities are open for fall camping well into the autumn months. Through August 17, New York State Park campgrounds are on pace for the busiest year on record. Visitors have reserved more than 562,000 overnight stays at State Park campgrounds so far, marking a 5.2 percent increase over 2014. The record set last year was 594,441 overnight stays.
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The city of Oneonta FTO-CIC Committee will hold their next regular meeting today. The meeting will begin at 4:00 PM, at 5:00 pm the Oneonta finance –administration committee will hold their meeting, both meetings will be held at Oneonta City hall.
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Congressman Chris Gibson will be in Otsego County today. Gibson will visit with Opportunities for Otsego at 1:00 PM at their Oneonta location to discuss the agencies work to combat poverty.

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State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli announced his office completed an audit of Otsego County. DiNapoli’s report stated that the Otsego County treasurer could not determine the source or purpose of moneys held in several trust and agency funds totaling more than $75,000 as of last October. The county’s failure to identify and disburse these funds in a timely manner has resulted in its inability to use these moneys, which could otherwise help fund current or future operations.

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Governor Cuomo announced that Fitch Ratings’ system upgraded of New York’s credit rating to AA+ with a stable outlook, the best rating that Fitch has ever given New York. This action follows the upgrade on Monday from Moody’s Investor Services and, represents New York’s best credit ratings since 1972. The announcement follows a 4-year track record of on time budgets, spending reductions, reducing government workforce & job growth through the regional economic development program.

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Veterans confused about benefits & services can visit the Disabled American Veterans Mobile Service Office today & tomorrow in Oneonta. The mobile office will be located at DAV Chapter 200 at 279 Chestnut Street in Oneonta today & tomorrow from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM. The Mobile Service Office is free to all veterans and members of their families, more information is available at 518 626-5690.

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The American Idol Live! Tour opens on Tonight at the Broome County Arena. Finalists from this season’s American Idol will be performing at tonight’s show.

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Binghamton & Johnson City Police Chief Joseph Zikuski confirmed this morning at about 7:05 AM; an officer with the Johnson City Police Department was shot and killed near Wilson Hospital in Johnson City.  The shooting suspect was in surgery & was confirmed dead moments ago.  The suspect’s car was located on Hudson Street, Bomb-detecting dogs and bomb squads were called to the scene, and Harrison Street was blocked off to the public, and Hospital staff have evacuated from 30 and 22 Harrison Street.  WCDO will have further details as they become available.

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State lawmakers are voting on the rest of the budget bills today, making this the 4th straight year that New York will have an on-time budget.  Area state senator Jim Seward comments on the tax cutting aspect of the budget;

(Seward budget 3-31-14)

State senator Tom Libous also commented that tax cuts, education aid and the slowing down of common core implementation is in this budget:

(Libous Budget 3-31-14)

The budget also contains 10 million dollars in start up money for the new Binghamton University school of Pharmacy building, to be built in Johnson City near Wilson Hospital.

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22-year-old Brad Goodrich of Greene was released from Wilson Medical Center after being treated for internal injuries and faces vehicular homicide charges for allegedly driving drunk and causing a crash that killed his passenger. Goodrich had a blood alcohol content of 0.25% when his vehicle crashed into a utility pole on March 7^th on Hogsback Road in Greene, 23 year old Brandon Archer, was pronounced dead at the scene. Goodrich was indicted by a grand jury on March 20^th & faces arraignment today in Chenango County Court, for aggravated vehicular homicide, 2^nd degree manslaughter, 2^nd degree vehicular manslaughter, DWI, and reckless driving.

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Chenango County sheriffs department arrested 62-year-old Maxie James Godfrey of Oneonta, who is accused of paying an undercover DEA agent, to murder 1 person & requesting the agent murder a 2^nd individual.  Godfrey had asked other   inmates at the Otsego county jail about murder for hire, the DEA supplied an agent to pose as a hit man; they met at the Jail, where Godfrey was arrested and is being held at the Otsego County jail on $10,000 bail.

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The state Gaming Commission’s Facility Location Board will put out requests for applications today for 4 privately owned casinos in 3 regions of the state: the Albany area, Catskills and Southern Tier.  9 bidders have already come forward with their plans, working out to 3 bidders in each region.  The application process will end on June 30th.

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The Broome County Sheriff’s Office responded to multiple tractor-trailers MVA on Interstate 81 south in the Town of Kirkwood Tuesday morning at about 5:40 AM.   Deputies arrived to find numerous vehicles on fire, blocking all lanes and with a significant diesel fuel spill. The Preliminary investigation revealed that a southbound tractor-trailer from Canada, hauling canned goods, rear-ended a car carrier loaded with new SUV’s, 3 of them burst into flames. The second tractor-trailer then veered to the left, striking a third tractor-trailer and sheared open the fuel tank. The first truck, operated by Andrew High out of Ontario, Canada, also caught fire and came to rest partially in the median of Interstate 81.  High suffered a head injury and was transported to Wilson Hospital for treatment; he was ticketed for Following Too Closely. The investigation is continuing and further charges may be filed.  Interstate 81 South was closed for over 3 hours before opening two lanes of traffic.

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Governor Cuomo will visit Broome County today.  The governor is expected to tour BAE systems as part of the Regional Economic Development Tour.  Regional economic councils are vying for state funds for economic development projects.

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The state health department will officially observe World AIDS Day today, at the Empire State Plaza Convention Center in Albany.  Today at 1:30 p.m., the State Health Department will honor young people and youth leaders from across the State for their leadership, compassion and extraordinary efforts in raising awareness of HIV/AIDS in schools or communities.  More information on World AIDS Day Expo activities is available at the Department of Health webpage at: www.health.ny.gov/WAD.

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