Common Council Offers Reward, No Arrests Made for Oneonta Fires — And the Rest of Your Local News and Sports

Common Council Offers Reward for Information Leading to Arrest – No Person in Custody

The City of Oneonta is offering a $5,000 reward for information that will lead to the arrest of whoever started fires in the city over the weekend.

Investigators are looking at five different fires set between Friday afternoon and Saturday that destroyed homes, a business, and a vacant building.

Officials are also looking into two smaller fires that may be suspicious.

The Common Council and mayor authorized the reward on Saturday.

Those who may have information can call the Oneonta Police Department at 432-1111.

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Aikins Gets Prison Sentence

A former Norwich High School teaching assistant and swimming coach was sentenced last week in Chenango County Court to one-to-three years in state prison for recording high school girls in a locker room.

Jonathon Aikins was arrested in June, 2011, after he used a cell phone with a camera to tape the girls at various times over a six-month period. He was arrested after girls heard the phone ring and discovered the camera and pictures. They reported the incident to administrators.

Aikins accepted a plea bargain in October, admitting to one count of2nd degree unlawful surveillance.

Libous Announces How Budget Affects Area

New York State Senator and Deputy Majority Leader Tom Libous updated the 52nd senate district on some of the state budget pluses for the region. He says one of the major things in the state budget is the jobs program to help rebuild infrastructure with road and bridge repair.

Libous says the jobs infrastructure program is just one part of the state’s efforts to create more jobs in upstate New York.

Libous says that the Chenango County area is doing very well in creating jobs and expanding businesses, but needs more opportunities to keep citizens from leaving New York State, for better job opportunities.

State Earns $1.6 Million in Auction Sales

The state office of general services has received final bids totaling over $1.6 million for 454 state vehicles sold on e-bay. The sale began on April 3rd and ended Friday morning. The sale is part of Governor Andrew Cuomo’s vehicle fleet reduction plan that will decrease the number of state vehicles being used by state agencies. As part of the overall effort to shed surplus items, and raise millions in new revenues, the state created nysstore.Com.

Schumer Discusses Stafford Loan Rate Extension

U.S. Senator from New York Charles Schumer was at Corning Community College on Friday to speak about Senate Bill 2051, which will extend the 3.4 percent discount rate on federally subsidized student loans. “The Stafford loan” rate has decreased from 6.8 percent in 2007-08 to the present 3.4 percent, which will expire July 1. Schumer says the bill coming up on the senate floor in may have a good chance of passing with bipartisan support.

Senate Moves Closer to New District

A state Supreme Court judge has decided the formula the joint legislative committee used to create a 63rd state senate district was constitutional.

The new district would border Delaware County to the east from the lower Hudson Valley past Albany and is primarily a republican region.

While senate republicans say they are vindicated, senate democrats say they will appeal to the state’s highest court, the court of appeals.

They point out the senate republicans used two different formulas to figure out the new districts versus the existing borders in an attempt to bolster the republican’s 1 vote lead as the majority party.

sports

High School Lacrosse

Maine Endwell dropped Oneonta 17-4

College Men’s Lacrosse

Host Nazareth had 11 different players score goals as the Golden Flyers defeated the visiting Hartwick men’s lacrosse team 17-5 on Saturday afternoon. The loss brings Hartwick’s record down to 6-6 overall and 1-3 in the Empire 8 while Nazareth improves to 6-6 overall and 3-1 in the Empire 8.

The Oneonta State men’s lacrosse team snapped its six-game losing streak with its 14-11 road win versus SUNY Potsdam. The Red Dragons are now 3-8 overall while picking up its first SUNYAC win of the season to move to 1-2 in conference play.

College Women’s Lacrosse

Visiting Ithaca College scored 11 of the first 12 goals in the second half to pull away for a 23-7 victory over Hartwick’s women’s lacrosse team on Saturday at Wright Stadium. The Hawks fall to 5-6 overall and 1-3 in the Empire 8 with the loss. The Bombers, who are just out of the IWLCA national top-20 in the “receiving votes” category, improve to 7-3 overall and stay atop the conference standings at 4-0.

The Oneonta State women’s lacrosse team fell on the road at SUNY Geneseo 15-9. Freshman Jillian Donodeo led Oneonta with three goals and two assists as the Red Dragons are now 9-2 overall and 3-2 in the SUNYAC.

College Baseball

The Oneonta State baseball team ran into a strong arm in falling at home to Keystone College 2-0. Giants’ pitcher Blaine O’Brien struck out 12 Red Dragons en route to a complete game, four-hit shutout. The loss drops Oneonta to 13-13 overall.

College Softball

The SUNY Oneonta softball team dropped both games of the doubleheader Saturday to visiting SUNYAC foe Buffalo State. They lost the first game 4-3, and then the second game 8-7.

College Water Polo

Lily Martinez scored with 1:15 left in third quarter and the Hartwick defense blocked a potential game-tying goal as the women’s water polo team defeated top-seeded Maryland 8-7 at the CWPA Western Championships held at Indiana University.

The women’s water polo team played a tough back and forth game with Michigan but came up just short as the #19 Hawks fell to the #13 Wolverines 7-6 in the CWPA Western Championship game hosted by Indiana University on Sunday afternoon.

College Men’s Tennis

Jeff Boyd, Peter Dumas, and Marcelo Navarro came away with singles wins, but Hartwick’s men’s tennis team fell one match short in a 5-4 defeat at Alfred University Saturday. It marks the Hawks’ third Empire 8 defeat by a 5-4 final score this season. The Hawks are now 1-7 overall and 1-4 in conference play this season.

College Track and Field

The Oneonta State men’s and women’s track & field teams took Vassar College by storm yesterday winning the women’s meet while placing second on the men’s side. The women amassed 178 points in winning the meet while the men scored 186.5 points, 20 points behind team champion Rensselaer.

SADD Strides for Safety 5K Run/Walk is this Sunday

April 22nd, Oneonta High School plays host to this annual event to raise money for local school SADD Chapters. Registration begins at 11:30am with the run/walk beginning at 1pm on East St., above the High School.