Whitestown

Authorities in Oneida County are investigating bomb threats made to four schools Wednesday morning, October 21st.

Hughes Elementary and Notre Dame Elementary in Utica, Harts Hill Elementary in Whitesboro, and the Tilton School in Whitestown all received threatening phone calls.

Police responded immediately, with some schools placed on lockdown and others evacuated.

K-9 units assisted in searching the buildings.

It's Tuesday, October 13th, and this is Sentinel Today from the Daily Sentinel.

Today, Whitestown officials are seeking state guidance on a possible expanded audit after more than $172,000 in highway department fuel purchases could not be properly accounted for.

Before we jump in, a few other stories you should know about.

The Mohawk Valley Water Authority is considering a 5% water rate increase that would cost the average household about $23 more per year, with a public hearing scheduled for Wednesday in Utica.

More on that later.

For more on all these stories, visit us at ursentinel.com. Now, let's jump into today's feature story.

The town of Whitestown is asking New York state officials whether a broader investigation is needed following a troubling audit of its highway department.

The Whitestown town board unanimously approved a letter to the state comptroller's office requesting guidance on whether additional auditing should be conducted in response to growing concerns from residents.