FOX 40 WICZ TV - Local News

Move to Reinstate Owego Firefighters

Thu, 2 Jul 2009 23:30:03 EDT

In Owego, there's an argument over unpaid jobs that people want back. The Owego Fire Board wants more than 100 volunteer firefighters who were cut last month--to be reinstated. Wednesday night, the board voted to request that village trustees put back on the job the volunteers they recently laid off, and to remove a limit on the number of firefighters from the village's charter. Tensions have been high since the cuts were made--and earlier this month, two men, including Bill Franz, the former Owego mayor and fire chief, were arrested for alleged harassment of a person supporting the cuts.

Fox 40's Senate Watch

Thu, 2 Jul 2009 23:29:27 EDT

While Andrew Cuomo is trying to get government to work --and work more efficiently--in Albany, the work-stoppage continues because of the power struggle which has shut down the state senate for the past 25 days: There has been no short order of political games and antics during that time - from Democrats and Republicans locking each other out of the chambers to turning off lights and microphones. Fox 40 will be counting up each day of the deadlock which is keeping legislation and other business shelved: Meanwhile, Governor David Paterson isn't letting senators go home for the Fourth of July weekend. Paterson is calling on the state comptroller to force the senators to work. Since New York's senators stopped passing legislation and started swapping insults, they've cost taxpayers at least 94-thousand dollars for staying in Albany during their protracted stand-off--each insisting the other party is in control of the chamber..

New Legislation Gives Taxpayers More Power for Consolidation

Thu, 2 Jul 2009 23:28:38 EDT

New York State Attorney General Andrew Cuomo presented a new web page today that will help New York taxpayers learn how they can streamline and even reform the more than ten thousand separategovernments that exist in the state --- a big factor, Cuomo believes, in making New York's local taxes the highest in the nation. "That means every morning you're flicking on ten thousand light switches, ten thousand conference rooms, ten thousand secretaries, ten thousand pay rolls. That's the cost that makes the local taxes so high," Cuomo said. The idea of consolidation has been in the minds of many for years, but hasn't been acted upon because it was too difficult. "Far too long the process of consolidation has been too complicated and prohibitive, this law brings that era to an end," said Broome County Legislature Minority Leader Jerry Marinich. The recent law passed in the state senate and assembly makes consolidation and dissolution easier for New Yorkers because it puts the power directly in their hands. A process tax payers can learn more about at Cuomo's new website, www.reformnygov.com. "You can circulate a petition, get ten percent of the signatures, or five thousand, which ever is less, put it on the ballot, and if it passes, it's done," Cuomo said. Local leaders say doing away with excess government will reduce taxation and l bring people and business back to our area. "Down the road, people will stay in our communities and we can relieve the tax burden that is so difficult for many to face," Assemblywoman Donna Lupardo said. While cleaning up the tangle of so many local governments will take time, Cuomo believes putting the power in the hands of the people is a huge step in the right direction. "They're not going to go away over night. I do believe that when you have a community as strong as this one, a County Executive as inspired as this one, you can turn the arrow quickly," Cuomo said. Cuomo also has a solution for those who might find reading through the website too tedious. There is a video on the site that goes through the process steop by step, that some people might find simpler and quicker to use.\ ****Fox 40's Christopher Whalen Reporting****

Fatal Accident Updates

Thu, 2 Jul 2009 23:29:09 EDT

Authorities believe a teen killed in a crash in the Town of Walton may have been asleep at the wheel. State police say 18-year-old Cody Endress was driving on state route 10 early this morning, when he crossed the NorthBound lane, ran off the road and struck a tree. Endress was pronounced dead at the scene. Authorities are still investigating the crash.

Unemployment Numbers Rising

Thu, 2 Jul 2009 23:29:02 EDT

467,000 jobs were cut last month, driving the unemployment rate up to a 26-year-high, of 9.5 percent. June�s payroll reductions were deeper than the 363,000 that economists expected. However, the rise in the unemployment rate from 9.4 percent in May wasn�t as sharp as the expected 9.6 percent. Still, many economists predict the jobless rate will hit 10 percent this year, and keep rising into next year, before falling back. Since the recession began in December 2007, the economy has lost a net total of 6.5 million jobs.

Johnson City Machete Attack

Thu, 2 Jul 2009 23:28:46 EDT

A Johnson City man struck another man in the head with a machete. Wednesday night, police arrested 26-year-old Larry Bailey at his Grand Avenue residence, after he reportedly had a dispute with an unnamed man at 191 Hudson Street. Police say they responded to the scene and found the victim with a large laceration to his head. He was transported to Wilson Hospital. Bailey was charged with assault. He was remanded to Broome County Jail.

Ganett Cuts 1400 Positions

Thu, 2 Jul 2009 23:28:55 EDT

Gannett--the newspaper publisher that owns the local Press and Sun Bulletin, plans to cut 1400 jobs in the next few weeks. The company blames a slump in advertising. Gannett also publishes USA Today and dozens of other newspapers. The move follows a 10 per cent cut at Gannett last year, which left the company with about 41,000 employees.

Blue Angels' Back-Up

Thu, 2 Jul 2009 23:29:40 EDT

The Blue Angels took to the skies to pick out landmarks to use as reference points during this weekend's Greater Binghamton Airshow. Travelling at 650 miles per hour, just under the speed of sound, the Blue Angels are hard to ignore, but it's their opening act, the cargo plane affectionately referred to as "Fat Albert," that keeps the angels in tip-top shape. "If one of the jets happens to break down, which happened to us in Janesville, Wisconsin -- one of the jets took a bird, we have to be ready to go and we have to fly down to Pensacola, FL, we have to pick up any parts we may need to make sure that the show goes on," said Capt. Edward Jorge, Fat Albert's pilot. Flight Engineer Ben Chapman is in charge of keeping Albert flight-ready...which he says isn't as hard as it might seem given its size. "It's very simple, everything's pretty accessible," Chapman said. "The only difference that we have compared to everybody else is there's only five guys that really maintain this aircraft." At 100,000 lbs., Fat Albert might not look like it's built for speed, but the crew says it can fly at up to 320 mph. Not quite as fast as its Blue Angel counterparts, but impressive enough to earn Fat Albert a place as the opening act for the planes. "We'll accelerate to about 130 knots -- that's close to 160 miles per hour," said Jorge of the opening act. "We'll light off 8 solid fuel rockets and we'll get the aircraft 45 degrees nose up." So look for Fat Albert at this weekend's airshow -- he might not look graceful, but without him the Blue Angels wouldn't soar as high. ***FOX 40's Sarah Blazonis Reporting***

Over the Border for Fireworks

Thu, 2 Jul 2009 23:30:25 EDT

Firefighters and police often find themselves with a special concern over the Fourth of July holiday-- fireworks --illegal in new york-- but lots of them still find their way here because they are sold right across the border, in Pennsylvania: Mere possession of fireworks in New York without a permit is illegal, and has been so for years--but that doesn't stop enthusiasts of pyrotecnic displays from making a dash to places like Mess's Fireworks in Great Bend to grab some big boomers. Store Owner Jerry Mess said: "We get them from all over every state. New York customers, New Jersery, from North Carolina to Canada." And here's an interesting note--Mess's employees say lower gas prices actually helped increase sales this year, despite the recession. On Friday, on Fox 40 News at 10, we'll have a close look at the cross-border fireworks trade, and why it continues to flourish.

Finch Hollow's Pond Safaris

Wed, 1 Jul 2009 18:57:03 EDT

Creepy, crawly, slimy things are what some kids like most. That's why the Finch Hollow Nature Center in Johnson City gave little naturalists a chance to get their hands dirty collecting some pond creatures. Today was the first day of the Nature Center's Pond Safaris--and youngsters had fun exploring the unique wildlife in their local waters. "The diversity, the different thing that are out there. There's so many different things in there and they're alive and they're alive and they're easy to catch. And when you get them out and then you realize that some of the things like dragonflies start in the water and they come out. So things like that are pretty neat," said Naturalist Tom Tasber. Unfortunately Pond Safari Excursions are booked for the entire summer, but if you're interested in finding out more call 729-4231.

Pizza For Patriots

Wed, 1 Jul 2009 23:14:15 EDT

A little bit of dough Slap on the sauce and then add the toppings. That's what Uno's Restaurants across the country are doing to create a huge Pizza Party for the troops "We're over here conducting business as usual and these people are helping make that possible," said Bob Strick, manager of Uno's in Vestal. Uno's workers say gifting troops a facorite American's favorite treat is the ultimate way to say thank you. "It's gotta be nice to give them a little taste of home every now and then because they sure don't get it over there," said Uno's cook, Bill DeMayo. So exactly how many pizzas is Uno's planning to send to the troops? Enough to send a world record. "We're sending 28,000 pizzas to the troops in Iraq and Afghanistan," said Strick. The company is sending over those stacks of pies in a 747 jet planes to reach soldiers on Independence Day -- but the folks back home won't miss out on the fun. Anyone grabbing a bite to eat at their local Uno's on July 4th will also add to the party, not to mention get a treat themselves. "They could receive a free individual pizza when they purchase another meal," said Strick. Not a bad deal just for filling your stomach and helping out the troops. ****FOX 40'S GRACE CHARLES****

BCC Interim President's First Day

Wed, 1 Jul 2009 23:14:22 EDT

School's out, but Wednesday was the first day for Broome Community College's new interim president. Doctor John Deans says he's excited about working at BCC and he will push forward the college's current initiatives during his time here. Deans was the president at Jefferson Community College for more than a decade. Does he have plans to be the permanent BCC president? "The interim president is not and cannot be a candidate for that position and I'm retired at the present time," said Deans. BCC continues to search for a new president after eliminating several candidates they were looking at earlier this year.

Challenger for Sen. Gillibrand

Wed, 1 Jul 2009 23:13:20 EDT

New York's appointed U.S.Senator will be challenged in a Democratic primary next year: Democratic Senator Kirsten Gillibrand--who was appointed by Governor Paterson in January to replace Hillary Clinton---will face opposition from Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney, of Manhattan. Maloney chairs the Congressional Joint Economic Committee and authored the House version of recently enacted legislation to crack down on abusive practices by credit card issuers. Gillibrand, from upstate is considered a conservative Democrat. Maloney, from downstate, a liberal Democrat, who's had the support of President Obama.

Senate Coup Antics Persist, Fiala Reacts

Wed, 1 Jul 2009 23:13:41 EDT

The State Senate's Republican-dominated faction says a Democratic official changed some minutes from the session three weeks ago, when the Republicans staged a coup to seize the majority. The Republicans claim this alteration was criminal, making it appropriate for courts to intervene in the power struggle. But Democrats say journal corrections are routine. A state judge is reviewing the claims. As week four of the Senate stalemate goes on, one local official says it's time to compromise--for the people. Broome County Executive Barbara Fiala was in Albany Tuesday, urging Senators back to work. She says senators gaveling in and out of sessions is making a mockery of the state, and that they must focus on the needs of their people--and put this squabble aside for the time. "It can be resolved. You have to continue the dialogue, decide you're going to do the work of the people and then--and then worry about who's in the leadership," said Fiala. Despite the idle Senate sessions, the Broome County Sales Tax extension was granted--but Fiala said she's still pushing for them to reach a resolution.

Southern Tier Unemployment

Wed, 1 Jul 2009 23:13:57 EDT

Anthony Bezouka can relate to the 7.9% of workers in Broome and Tioga Counties without jobs. Until recently, he was one of them. "Amidst all the problems that AIG had, you know, there was some workforce reduction and as a result of that, I was laid off," said Bezouka. New York State's Department of Labor says the Broome and Tioga County figures aren't as bad as jobless numbers in other areas of the state, but that's because the Southern Tier hasn't experienced the dramatic changes of other regions. "The Binghamton area wasn't doing as well as the rest of the country was doing when we were in good times and now we're in bad times, you know, they haven't been hit as hard," said Patricia Smith, state labor commissioner. The labor department urges businesses to take advantage of programs created with federal stimulus money that can offer alternatives to laying off workers. The Building Skills in New York State program offers funds to help re-train workers, and Work Opportunity Tax Credits give money to employers who hire eligible candidates, including veterans like Bezouka, who is now learning the ropes at a local branch of State Farm Insurance. "I'm receiving a lot of additional training on State Farm's products and services and picking up additional licenses that make me more competitive in the employment market place," he said. "The first three or four months are a lot of training, and to make that happen and receive some assistance through the OJT program has been wonderful for me," said Mark Anderson, owner of the State Farm branch that hired Bezouka. Broome County's Economic Development department wants more businesses to take advantage of these OJT, or on the job training, programs by calling the Department of Labor at 1-888-4-NYSDOL for more information...hoping their success will make the area economically healthy when the national slump is over. ***FOX 40's Sarah Blazonis Reporting***

Free Karate Lessons in Binghamton

Wed, 1 Jul 2009 23:14:39 EDT

Kick off your summer with some Karate. Residents of all ages are invited to come out to FMK's free karate classes. These lessons take place once a week at different parks throughout the city. FMK has heldthese free sessions for more than ten years. "The city always stresses trying to having people make use of the parks so we thought we would try it and just kept doing it more years and it became an annual tradition," said FMK Owner Frank Kushner. The classes are at 6 PM, every Friday for ten weeks. Locations and dates listed below: July 3rd- Columbus Park July 10th- Ross Park July 17th- First Wark Park July 24th- Recreation Park July 31st- MacArthur Park August 7th- Cheri Lindsey Park August 14th- Fairview Park August 21st- First Ward Park August 28th- Boland Park

Binghamton Wins First Place Award

Wed, 1 Jul 2009 23:14:31 EDT

Binghamton won another first place award from the state Conference of Mayors. For the second consecutive year, Binghamton's Restore New York program has won first place in NYCOM's Public Administration and Management category. This program removes blight and strengthens residential areas to promote commercial development. "A program like this and the great success that we have put together with the healthy neighborhoods collaboration allows us to really parlay those grant dollars into something that has an impact on our neighborhoods," said Mayor Matt Ryan. The city has won three local government achievement awards since the contest began in 1987.

A Flight to Remember

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 22:59:43 EDT

That's the sound of a united states navy blue angel reaching speeds up to 700 miles per hour and giving most an out of body experience. "We go anywhere from negative three gs which is like hanging from the ceiling to positive 7 1/2 gs which makes you feel seven and a half times your body weight," said Lieutenant Ben Walborn. But before the ride that three lucky broome county residents got to take today. A briefing on how to handle the force: Fox 40's Grace Charles was an alternate for the flight. But as luck would have it, no one chickened out and she remained grounded. So we decided to follow Binghamton University president Lois DeFluer, who as a pilot herself, was ecstatic to fly with the best. "This is really a once in a lifetime experience," said DeFleur. After the whirls, twirls, twists and loops of the flight: "How does your body feel? A little achy," But president defluer says she wouldn't have dreamed of missing the flight. Another satisfied passenger. and a job well done by the navy. ****FOX 40'S GRACE CHARLES REPORTING****

Wescott's Sister Reacts to Murder Findings

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 19:02:20 EDT

Kelly Wescott's sister-- Lori Arnold learned about the police's new findings today. She told FOX40 that it is difficult to learn these new details. She says it hurts to know that her sister was so private, and despite their pleading she did not seek help. She says it's very difficult imagining her sister dying in such a horrible way. "I picture in my mind, every single moment of what she had to suffer," said Lori Arnold, Wescott's Sister. Kelly Wescott's funeral has been scheduled for Thursday afternoon at Coleman and Daniels in Endicott.

Kirkwood Robbers Arrested

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 19:02:48 EDT

In Kirkwood, two Pennsylvanian men have been brought to justice for armed robbery. Police say 30-year-old Lonnie Meckwood and 51-year-old Philip Weeks robbed the Quickway in Kirkwood by displaying a knife. The suspects were apprehended by police shortly after, when their car ran out of gas. Both Meckwood and Weeks were arraigned in the town of Kirkwood court and remanded to the Broome County Jail without bail.

Owego Firefighters Arrested

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 19:03:02 EDT

Owego's former mayor and fire chief--and another man--have been charged with harassment. 70-year-old Bill Franz, the village's former mayor and fire chief--and 68-year-old Andrew Hunt allegedly shoved and struck an unnamed person attempting to leave a parking lot following a village meeting earlier this month. Tensions have been high since the village cut more than 100 firefighter positions. Published reports say the unnamed person was another firefighter who supported the cuts.

Soaring with the Blue Angels

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 22:59:26 EDT

The legendary Blue Angels -- a team of naval fighter planes that perform spectacular stunts are celebrating 63 years of performances, . and they,ll be in town for the Greater Binghamton Air Show. but before the show -- pilots granted a lucky few the flight of their lives. Fox 40's Grace Charles reports. That's the sound of a United States Navy Blue Angels reaching speeds up to 700 miles per hour and giving most an out of body experience. "We go anywhere from negative three Gs which is like hanging from the ceiling to positive 7 1/2 Gs which makes you feel seven and a half times your body weight," explained Blue Angel Pilot Ben Walborn. But before the ride that three lucky Broome County residents got to take today --I got a briefing on how to handle the force: "We're wanting to keep the blood in the body, next thing he's going to say is take a deep breath . . ." "I was an alternate for the flight. but as luck would have it -- no one chickened out and I remained grounded. so we decided to follow B-U President Lois DeFluer, who, as a pilot herself --was ecstatic to fly with the best: "This is really a once in a lifetime experience," after the whirls, twirls, twists and loops of the flight. "How does your body feel? a little achy," But President DeFluer says she wouldn't have dreamed of missing the flight. Another satisfied passenger. and a job well done by the Navy.

Johnson City Murder Details Revealed

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 22:59:52 EDT

Johnson City Police revealed shocking details about the murder of 46-year-old Kelly Wescott. The cause of death, a troubled history and confessions: Police told us what their investigations have produced so far. "The official ruling of death for Ms. Wescott was asphyxiation. Further commentary from the doctor was by compression of the upper body area," said Smith. Authorities say although air had been cut off--it was not through strangulation. Police say Wescott was killed at about 5:30 a.m. last Saturday--after 48-year-old William Kenyon reportedly entered her apartment by force. But police say Wescott had a chaotic morning: "Neighbors are reporting from about 12:30 to about 2 am, they heard a lot of loud noise coming from her apartment. Including music, loud conversation, laughter, even arguing," said Smith. Police say it was quiet for more than two hours after that, but then: "Mr. Kenyon returns to the apartment and forcibly enters to recover his cellphone," said Smith. Wescott calls the police at 4:20 a.m. "He can be heard in the background. She is not being assaulted. She is just calling say that he is there trying to find his phone. And she wants the police to respond, he ultimately leaves," said Smith. Officers respond to the scene, but Wescott tells police she's fine. "She's not interested in giving us a statement, despite several attempts from the officers to do so. She refuses to press charges against him. She did not tell us anything about physically assaulted, she had no visible injuries." said Smith. An hour later, police say Wescott was murdered in her apartment. At 7:40, two hours after her murder, a family member of Kenyon calls the police. "Another family member of Mr. Kenyon, indicating that he has made admissions to killing his girlfriend" Kelly Wescott. Police responded to Kenyon's Shelby Street residence. Police say that when Wescott was arrested, he was under the influence of alcohol and had self-inflicted injuries on his wrists. There was no resistance. Police also say Kenyon and Wescott had a troubled past--that involved about 10 different police calls ranging from harassment complaints to disorderly conduct. ***FOX40's Jacqueline Kane Reporting***

Clown Bandit in JC?

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 19:02:32 EDT

The clown bandit that robbed a Sunoco in Great Bend yesterday, could be the clown that attempted to rob a Johnson City Quik Fill on Sunday night. A white male wearing a clown mask didn't get away with any money during the robbery on Harry L Drive. He fired one shot that police say was meant to scare the clerk. Police believe the robberies could be connected, after surveillance photos were released Monday morning. And this is a Wegmans surveillance photo of the man police believe was involved in a series of burglaries in the village on Saturday and Sunday night. Police are looking for a tall, light skinned black male in connection with the crimes--along with a possible accomplice. "The information we are able to gather out of this is we believe on the second night, one person was involved. We have good reason to believe more then one was involved the first night," said Lt. David Smith. Wallets stolen during one of Friday's robberies were recovered by a neighbor while doing lawn work. Money was missing from one. Anyone with information about the burglaries is asked to contact Johnson City Police.

Where's Your Donation Going?

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 23:24:42 EDT

When you drop a bundle of clothing into a bin, you expect it to go to charity. So when a few of the bins starting popping up in Conklin, town officials thought nothing of it until they realized the clothes collected were going to this for profit thrift store on Pierce Creek Road. "I take things to the salvation army because I think it helps people in need, but I certainly don't think it's right to do that when someone is profiting off of it," said Town of Conklin Supervisor, Debbie Preston. Preston says whether the community thrift store is operating for profit or for charity, owners must get permission to place bins throughout town. Something they didn't do. And that's not all. preston says the building the thrift store operates out of is in violation of several code and zoning infractions. "Bins and stuff like that in the yard and that. we were getting a lot of complaints from the neighbors," said Preston. So the town issued a stop work order--shutting down the business. Owner, Lester Platt can't reopen the thrift store for business until he resubmits an application and is approved by the zoning board to operate a business on that land. Platt says -- he wasn't aware that he was doing anything wrong. "We had no idea that the town of Conklin would object because the place was such a mess when we moved in it," said Platt. He says the former owner stored furniture and sold it out of the building so he didn't think operating a thrift store would be a problem. He also says the bins shouldn't surprise because people in the community know about his business. "A number of churches that know me. I come and pick up their clothes and misc materials from rummage sales," said Platt. And Platt denies he ever tried to deceive people into thinking they were donating to charity: "All they have to do is call the number on the bin. It very clearly states that we are a for profit company, we're not trying to hide anything like that," said Platt. He says he doesn't have a problem putting community thrift store on his 33 bins throughout Broome, Tioga, Chenango, Cortland, and Tompkins counties. In his opinion folks will still want to donate clothing instead of it ending up in a landfill. ****FOX 40'S GRACE CHARLES REPORTING***

Teens Compete with Adults for Jobs

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 19:14:12 EDT

Brian Keefe would like to have a little less time on his hands. He started looking for a job to earn extra money during his break from SUNY Cortland weeks ago. With summer nearly halfway over, he still hasn't had any luck. "I do feel like I'm working with adults now, so I step up my game a little bit more -- bring in my resume or business cards and show them that I do know what I'm talking about," said Keefe. The State Department of Labor says teens and young adults still searching for jobs are likely to face competition from the 7.9% of the adult workforce that's unemployed. "They maybe were working full-time and got reduced hours, there you'll see a lot, lot more competition as they're trying to piece together employment," said senior economist Christian Harris. The Summer Youth Employment Program at Broome-Tioga Workforce is aimed at helping young adults like Brian Keefe find jobs over the summer. They say this year they were able to offer twice the amount of positions as normal because of federal stimulus money. But young people who are eligible for the program also face competition from those within their own ranks vying for those 300 positions. "With as many people looking for jobs this year, unfortunately we only have about half as many jobs as we havecandidates," said Terry Stark, director of Workforce. Brian Keefe's advice for the other half: don't wait to hear back from places you've applied to. Call first. He credits such calls with getting him three interviews...and is holding out that the next interview will help land him that summer job. ***FOX 40's Sarah Blazonis Reporting***

Family: Wescott's Death Not in Vain

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 23:24:16 EDT

An autopsy has now revealed that 46-year-old Kelly Wescott of Johnson City died from asphyxiation. And police have arrested the victim's boyfriend, 48-year-old William Kenyon, for the crime. As the investigation continues, Fox 40's Jan Carabeo caught up with Wescott's family, who knew about the two's stormy relationship, and long feared this outcome. "She was exiting. She was private...She was an amazing person," said Lori Arnold, the victim's sister. And Kelly Wescott was in love with the man arrested for her murder. "It didn't matter what he had done to her, she loved him," said Arnold. It's a story all too familiar in the Southern Tier and many other places. One in four women across the country will become the victim of domestic violence at some point in life. And over the course of a year, 1100 people will visit the Crime Victim's Assistance Center in Binghamton. C-VAC's Executive Director Raini Baudendistel says domestic violence is about power and control -- a pattern that's hard to break. "Not to mention the fact that there are emotional ties. When people meet and fall in love, that's a pretty strong emotion that doesn't just melt away," said CVAC Executive Director Raini Baudendistel. And what some women don't know is there's places to find help. C-VAC offers advocates that will file papers with police and the courts. Then there's counselors that'll help put a plan together. "Where will you go, who will you stay with, do you have a job, do you need job skills, do you have extra clothes? All those things need to be taken into consideration," said Baudendistel. Invaluable resources that can save lives. "Get out, get your things when he's not there, when he's at work, when he's out having an ice cream, or at he bar with his buddies having a beer. Get out, because if you don't, you're going to end up like my sister," said Arnold. ***FOX40's Jan Carabeo Reporting***

JC Murder Investigation Continues

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 19:14:28 EDT

The investigation into the death of 46-year-old Kelly Wescott continued this Monday. Autopsy results for the Johnson City woman were not immediately available Monday afternoon. Police began investigating Wescott's death early Saturday morning, after she was pronounced dead inside her Floral Avenue apartment. Wescott's sister told us this afternoon, that she hopes other women will seek help if they face domestic abuse. "If anyone ever -- ever touches you, speaks wrongly to you, get out, get your things when he's not there, when he's at work, when he's out having an ice cream, or at he bar with his buddies having a beer. Get out," said Wescott's sister Lori Arnold. Wescott's boyfriend, 48-year old William Kenyon, has been arrested and charged with second degree murder.

Masked Man Robs J.C. Kwik Fill

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 19:14:48 EDT

Police are looking for the man who robbed a convenience store in Johnson City. The man entered the Kwik Fill on Harry L. Drive last night, demanded money and fired a handgun. The suspect is described as a tall, white male between 18 to 25-years-old. Authorities say he was wearing a Halloween Mask that had green hair. He also had on a dark t-shirt and blue jeans. Please Call Johnson City Police at (607) 729-9321 if you have any information.

Robbery Suspect Still In Hospital

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 19:18:20 EDT

The Binghamton Man that crashed into a pole during a high-speed police chase is still at Wilson Hospital. Police say on Saturday evening, 49-year-old Benjamin Davis stole a woman's purse on Fayette Street. Later, a police car pulled him over, and Davis sped away. He eventually crashed into a pole at West End Avenue and Riverside Drive. Davis was charged with second-degree robbery and several traffic violations.

Clown Mask Used in Two Robberies

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 23:28:00 EDT

A second clown mask robbery is being reported now. The latest happened early Monday morning in Great Bend, just a few hours after the one in Johnson City Sunday night. A shot was fired in each incident. Police say a white male wearing a clown mask with green hair robbed the Sunoco on route 11 in Great Bend, at 12:45AM Monday. The bandit displayed a silver long-barreled revolver and ran off with a cash drawer. Two men who were in the parking lot gave chase, and the bandit fired a shot at one of them. The robber got away in a white two door car. Just a few hours earlier, around 10PM Sunday, a man in a Halloween mask that had green hair--tried to rob the Kwik Fill on Harry L. Drive in Johnson City. He demanded money and fired a handgun. The suspect is described as a tall Caucasian, 18 to 25 years old, wearing a dark tee-shirt and blue jeans. --a description similar to the clown-masked robber in Great Bend. Call Johnson City police if you have any information.

Dick's Open Cleanup

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 23:34:01 EDT

Iowa native Lonnie Nielsen wrapped up the 3rd-Annual Dick's Sporting Goods Open title Sunday. And crews were hard at work wrapping up everything else at En-Joie Golf Club Monday. The Jumbo-Tron was the first thing to go, and the entire course should be cleaned up by next week. Operations Manager Mike Schaffer said: "They just took our monster board down and scaffolding is coming down. And just trying to get this place cleaned up. Get it ready for people to get out and play golf on it again." Golfers were already scheduled to tee off this Monday afternoon -- taking advantage of course conditions fit for the pros.

Clown Holds Up Pennsylvania Gas Station

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 19:17:58 EDT

And across the border in Pennsylvania, a gas station was also held up by a masked man. A white male, wearing a clown mask with green hair, wielding a silver long barreled revolver--robbed a Sunoco in Great Bend. The man forcibly removed the cash drawer and fled. Two men in a nearby parking lot spotted the masked man and started chasing him. The robber fired a round at one of them, got in a white, two-door car and sped away. No one was injured.

Robbery, Then Crash

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 23:26:16 EDT

The Binghamton man that crashed into a pole during a high-speed police chase is facing multiple charges: Police say 49-year-old Benjamin Davis stole a woman's purse on Fayette Street Sunday night. Later, a police car pulled him over, and Davis fled--racing at about 70 miles per hour down the middle of the street,-until he crashed into a pole at West End Avenue and Riverside Drive. Hospital reps said earlier that police were guarding Davis' hospital room. Davis was charged with second-degree robbery and several traffic violations.