NY's Unemployment Rate Slides Downward

(BINGHAMTON, N.Y.) -- New York State's unemployment rate has fallen to the lowest it has been since March 2009.

A report issued by the state's Department of Labor on Thursday said that New York State's unemployment rate fell from 8.2 percent in March to 7.8 percent in April.

In New York City, the unemployment rate dropped five-tenths of a percentage point over the month to 8.4 percent in April; and in the remainder of the state, the unemployment rate fell from 7.7 percent to 7.4 percent over the same period.

The national unemployment rate for April was 7.5 percent, down from 7.6 percent in March.

Economists had expected that figure to remain unchanged.

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Section of Laurel Avenue to Be Closed Friday for Paving

(BINGHAMTON) -- A section of Laurel Avenue in Binghamton will be closed Friday as the city continues to re-pave streets.

The city stated that Laurel Avenue, between Seminary Avenue and Lincoln Avenue, will be closed for paving on Friday.

However, the city did not specify the exact time period of the road closure.

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Endicott Man Charged with Stealing Copper Pipe

(ENDICOTT, N.Y.) -- An Endicott man has been arrested for allegedly stealing copper pipe from an apartment he was squatting in.

Donald R. House, 32, is charged with criminal mischief and grand larceny.

Officials at the Broome County Sheriff’s Office said in published reports that House cut all the copper piping and baseboard heating units from the apartment, and then scrapped the metal for cash.

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Overnight Standoff in South Waverly Ends in Arrest

(SOUTH WAVERLY, Pa.) -- An overnight police standoff in South Waverly, Pa., ended with a man being arrested and charged Tuesday morning.

The incident began unfolding shortly after 7 p.m. on Monday after a man barricaded himself inside a home on William Street and refused to come out, authorities said in published reports.

Police surrounded the residence, and several hours later Timothy Murphy was eventually taken into custody and charged with aggravated assault, simple assault and reckless endangerment, PressConnects.com reported.

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No Bail for Suspect Accused of Sex Act with Minor

(NORWICH, N.Y.) -- A 50-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly engaging in sexual contact with a girl under the age of 13.

Martin Nowalk is being held at the Chenango County Jail without bail.

Nowalk is charged with  rape, criminal sexual act and endangering the welfare of a child.

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'Ride of Silence' to Honor Cyclist Killed in Owego

(BINGHAMTON, N.Y.) -- Seven months after she died in a vehicular collision in the Town of Owego, cyclist Dottie Rice is being honored in a "Ride of Silence" event next week.

Rice was struck and killed by a vehicle as she was out riding her bicycle on Route 434 on October 13.

The event is being put on by the Southern Tier Bicycle Club, which says the "Ride of Silence" is aimed at raising awareness of the presence of cyclists on public roadways.

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State to Invest Nearly $60 Million in Tourism Campaign

(NEW YORK) -- Gov. Andrew Cuomo has announced that the state is investing nearly $60 million in a campaign aimed at boosting tourism in the state.

The campaign will include a series of initiatives, including a new "I LOVE NY" marketing campaign to promote upstate New York; new welcome centers at border and interstate crossings; and a new "Taste NY" marketing effort.

Gov. Cuomo says the nearly $60 million investment is the most the state has spent on tourism in decades. Last year, the state invested $19 million in tourism funding.

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Park Street to Reopen Wednesday Afternoon as Paving Continues

(BINGHAMTON, N.Y.) -- Technical issues involved in the paving process has forced the closure of a section of Park Street to extend to Wednesday.

Binghamton City officials say a tack coat had already been placed on the roadway Tuesday, when a hydraulic line break occurred on the paver, resulting in the street remaining closed overnight.

Paving is to be completed on Wednesday morning, with the closure affecting Park Street between Grand Boulevard and Main Street. Officials say the street is scheduled to reopen on Wednesday afternoon.

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NY Resident Among Five Soldiers Killed in Afghanistan Attack

(WASHINGTON) -- A New York resident has been identified among five soldiers killed in an attack in Afghanistan over the weekend.

The Department of Defense says 28-year-old Staff Sgt. Francis G. Phillips IV, of Meridian, N.Y., died on Saturday from injuries sustained when the vehicle he was in, was attacked by an enemy improvised explosive device.

Also killed in the attack were 1st Lt. Brandon J. Landrum, 26, of Lawton, Okla.; Spc. Kevin Cardoza, 19, of Mercedes, Texas; Spc. Thomas P. Murach, 22, of Meridian, Idaho; and Spc. Brandon J. Prescott, 24, of Bend, Ore.

All five soldiers were assigned to the 1st Battalion, 36th Infantry, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Fort Bliss, Texas.

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Section of Park Street to Close Tuesday for Paving

(BINGHAMTON, N.Y.) -- The City of Binghamton is advising residents that part of Park Street will be closed on Tuesday for road paving work to be carried out.

The City has announced that Park Street, from Main Street to Schubert Street, will be affected by the paving work. Residents are asked to remove their vehicles from the street by 6 a.m.

City officials say, weather permitting, once the work is completed, the street will remain closed for about four hours.

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