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Every Monday, we recap some essential local news we reported on 1290 AM/92.1 FM WNBF, our Townsquare Media Binghamton sister radio stations on-air, our websites, and social media platforms.

Catch up on local and regional news items in a short recap we reported on for the week of April 15, 2024, from WNBF's Bob Joseph, Don Morgan, and the Townsquare Media staff. For the complete article (if available), click on the headline.

Binghamton Man Struck By SUV in Hit-and-Run Dies

(Bob Joseph)
A pedestrian who was seriously hurt in a hit-and-run incident near the Binghamton Boscov's store has died as a result of his injuries. 45-year-old Virgil Chastine was struck while crossing Water Street around 4:20 p.m. on April 9. Witnesses said a sport utility vehicle "hit him hard" as it turned from Court Street. They said the driver stopped "for a couple of seconds" after striking Chastine. The Ford Escape then raced away from the scene. Binghamton police arrested a 17-year-old Johnson City boy in connection with the hit-and-run incident. The suspect - whose name was not released - was charged with leaving the scene of a serious injury accident, a felony. He was released on an appearance ticket.

Binghamton New York Drug Raid: Meth, Cocaine, Fentanyl Bust

(Don Morgan)
According to the Broome County Special Investigations Unit Task Force, members executed a search warrant on April 11, 2024, at a basement apartment at 546 State Street, Binghamton. During the search, the Task Force reports that they located approximately 1.15 pounds of methamphetamine, 5 grams of crack cocaine, 6 grams of fentanyl, 5 grams of cocaine, 25 Suboxone sublingual films, $1,523 in suspected drug proceeds, and items used for weighing and packaging narcotics.

Binghamton Deli Shooter Sentenced to 9 Years in Prison

(Bob Joseph)
A Binghamton man who shot a person at a city deli is heading to prison under a plea deal. Carheem Felton had been charged with attempted murder after a man was wounded in a shooting at Northside Deli and Grocery at 511 Chenango Street on August 2, 2022. Felton, who was 38 at the time of the incident, also had been charged with criminal possession of a weapon. He's been sentenced to nine years in state prison after pleading guilty to that charge.

Help Prevent Waste: Volunteer For The Binghamton Move Out Project!

(Don Morgan)
MOP stands for the Binghamton Move Out Project. It is an annual project created by the Susquehanna Group of the Sierra Club. This project is completely volunteer-run. Every spring they collect items from area college students who are vacating their housing for the summer or graduating and not returning. The Binghamton Move Out Project is currently in search of volunteers to collect, sort, and distribute items left behind by students. The project will run from May 6th through the end of the month.

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I-81 Traffic Slowed After Car Hauler Rollover Near Binghamton

(Bob Joseph)
Several vehicles were damaged when the tractor-trailer transporting them veered off Interstate 81 in Broome County and rolled onto its side. The crash happened around 12:40 p.m. Thursday about seven miles north of Binghamton in the town of Chenango. The scene was a short distance south of the Castle Creek exit. The rig was hauling cars, along with at least one minivan and one pickup truck. The truck driver was not hurt in the crash. It was not clear what caused the southbound tractor-trailer to go off the left side of I-81, skidding into the median before rolling over.

Victory Lofts: A Beacon Of Historic Building Preservation In Johnson City

(Don Morgan)
Eleven 2024 projects in New York State have been recognized as a part of the 2024 New York State Historic Preservation Awards, announced this week (April 17, 2024) by Governor Kathy Hochul, including one in Johnson City. The New York State Historic Preservation Awards, created in 1980, honor excellence in protecting and revitalizing historic and cultural resources, presented by the NYS Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation. Of the eleven projects statewide recognized, the Victory Lofts/Endicott Johnson Victory Shoe Factory was recognized for Excellence in Historic Building Preservation, Rehabilitation, or Restoration. 

Binghamton Airport Makeover Moves Forward with Canopy Demolition

(Bob Joseph)
Demolition crews have started removing the familiar front portion of the terminal building at the Greater Binghamton Airport. The canopy section of the structure is being removed for the $54 million modernization project now underway at the facility in the town of Maine. Broome County Aviation Commissioner Mark Heefner said the demolition work is expected to continue over the next couple of weeks. The new supports and foundations will be constructed. Heefner said things are on schedule as the big makeover job moves forward. The project is expected to be completed in about a year.

Local Businesses In Cortland County Targeted By Skimming Scammers

(Don Morgan)
On April 16, 2024, the Cortland County Sheriff’s Office, deputies were called in to investigate possible skimming devices. These devices were found at two businesses in Cortland County. One of the skimming devices was located on a terminal at Gregg’s Supermarket, which is located in the Town of Marathon. The other device was found on a terminal at a Save-a-Lot location in the Town of Cortlandville. According to the Cortland County Sheriff's Office, these two devices were positioned on top of the actual credit card scanners to mimic the actual reader.

Another Fire Set at Former NYSEG Facility Near Johnson City

(Bob Joseph)
Johnson City firefighters were sent to the old Goudey Power Station to extinguish a blaze at the abandoned generating plant. The former NYSEG property is located west of Riverside Drive in Westover. Johnson City fire marshal Bob Blakeslee said someone who spotted smoke coming from the site reported the blaze shortly before 7 a.m. Friday. Blakeslee said it appeared someone had thrown some copper wire into a pot and set it on fire. Metal thieves in the past have started fires at the site as they tried to burn the insulation off the wire they planned to steal. Town of Union officials want what remains of the old generating plant demolished. They've expressed hope that federal funding might become available to pay for that job.

Rumors Swirl Over Mega Millions Price Hike in New York

(Don Morgan)
CDC Gaming Reports note that this information was obtained by the website Lottery Geeks from sources who spoke on the condition of anonymity. In the Lottery Geeks article, one industry insider said, “My understanding is that they’re stuck on $5, and I think it’s about as close to final as it can be.” However, officials at Mega Millions have not made any official announcement or indications of a price change, so for now, it's just a rumor. According to the Lottery Geeks article, there are several reasons for an increase, including Mega Millions distinguishing their draw game from Powerball, which they note is frequently mistaken as the same game, and another reason is to increase jackpot sizes and potentially non-jackpot prizes.

Construction Starts on Endicott's $11M Washington Avenue Project

(Bob Joseph)
After years of planning, the long-awaited reconstruction of Washington Avenue in Endicott is underway. Employees of Economy Paving Company of Cortland have started working on the north end of "The Avenue," which runs from North Street to East Main Street. Village Mayor Nick Burlingame said Washington Avenue now is an "active construction zone." While there will be "some minimal road closures," pedestrians will be able to continue using sidewalks. Alternate lane closures will occur as work on the $11 million project moves forward.