An Elmira church burned to rubble. What's next for cleanup, development

A large pile of rubble that has sat in the heart of downtown Elmira for more than a year and a half will soon be cleaned up and marketed for redevelopment, city officials said. It was February 2025 when a blaze broke out at the former First Baptist Church at 121 W. Church St., which was vacant at the time. The inferno gutted the historic building, which was built in the 1890s, and shortly thereafter the City of Elmira hired a demolition company from Syracuse to tear down the building, which was deemed a total loss and a safety hazard. A fenced-in pile of bricks has remained at that site since, but that will soon change, said Elmira Mayor Dan Mandell. After the city unsuccessfully tried to get the owner of record, Marian Laurentiu of Tannery Creek Road in Corning, to deal with it, Chemung County took the future of that site out of Laurentiu's hands by foreclosing on the property in June for more than $23,000 in unpaid property taxes. At its Oct. 19 meeting, the Elmira City Council voted unanimously to pay the county $30,000 to purchase the former church property, and Mandell said the next step is

CNY Weather: Lake effect snow this weekend will bring first taste of winter

Light to moderate snow showers will linger across Central New York through Friday as a coastal low pressure system pulls away, according to the National Weather Service. Lake effect precipitation will then develop Friday afternoon and continue through Sunday night, bringing additional snowfall. Through the early afternoon Friday, an additional...

Ithaca rents climb 12% in a year, with median listing hitting $2,244

Renters in Ithaca saw apartment listing prices increase 12% from October 2025's median of $2,000, an analysis of new data from rental marketplace Zumper shows. The typical apartment listed for rent at $2,244 in October. Median listing prices in Ithaca are trending slightly upwards from the previous month's $2,205 price. The data covers all bedroom sizes, ranging from studios to four-bedroom units, within the specified metropolitan area. It reflects the median rent for all listings that were active at any given point during the month, according to Russell Middleton, co-founder of Zumper. New construction is included in the data and listings that are currently occupied or no longer available are excluded. data.ithacajournal.com Out of 601 rental listings in Ithaca, none are subsidized. One-bedroom apartments listed to rent at a median of $1,700, 5% lower than September, when they were $1,790. Since October 2025, one-bedroom rental prices rose 7% from $1,595. Two-bedroom apartments listed for rent were 5% higher than September at a central price of $2,200, compared to $2,100. Since October 2025, two-bedroom rental prices rose 16% from $1,900. Statewide, New York rental listing prices are slightly lower than September's median of $3,399. One-bedroom rentals were listed for a typical

Joe Veres' 11.12.26 Late Night Forecast

GUEST ROOM | Cornell's Report Fails to See the University for What It Is

Jeff Edmunds is a former library worker who recently retired after 36 years in higher education. In October 2026, he issued a harsh 11-page critique of Cornell’s report on the future of the American university. He can be contacted at jhe2@psu.edu. The Jane Doe case continues to dominate headlines,...

Historic Sagan property in Ithaca to become new observatory

An historic Ithaca property once home to the late world-renowned astronomer Carl Sagan is preparing for a new chapter in scientific exploration following an investment to develop a new research observatory on the site. Adam Weitsman said he is funding the development of a new research observatory at 900 Stewart Ave., partnering with Harvard University astrophysicist Dr. Avi Loeb , director of the Galileo Project , to honor Sagan’s legacy. The observatory will also create new opportunities for scientific discovery and public engagement, according to a statement Tuesday, Nov. 10, announcing the observatory. “When I purchased this property, I wanted to do something meaningful that would honor Carl Sagan and his incredible legacy," Weitsman said in the statement. "He inspired generations to look at the universe with curiosity and wonder. Partnering with Dr. Loeb gives us an opportunity to continue that spirit of exploration, bring groundbreaking research to Ithaca, and create something that can inspire future generations." More on Sagan's former home Built in the 1920s for Cornell University’s Sphinx Head honor society, the historic Egyptian Revival-style building later became the home and working space of Sagan and his wife and scientific collaborator, Ann Druyan. Sagan, a longtime Cornell professor,

Veterans Day observance held in Elmira

ELMIRA, N.Y. (WETM) — Veterans and community members gathered at Wisner Park Wednesday morning for Elmira’s annual Veterans Day ceremony. Six wreaths were placed around the park’s monuments to honor veterans of different conflicts, including the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and the Global War on Terror. Attendees were also given carnations to place near […]

County hires Office of Human Rights program manager

Tompkins County officials announced Wednesday that Meg Guerra Lyons has been hired as the new programs manager at the county’s Office of Human Rights. Voices are AI generated. The Ithaca Voice is not responsible for mispronunciations. The Office of Human Rights, located at 120 State St., provides services to...

Lansing schools turn to automated cleaners, bus fleet passes state inspection

The Lansing Central School District (LCSD) has struggled to find solutions to a shortage of cleaners for about a decade. Now, the district is turning to new equipment. Assistant Superintendent of Business Administration Kathryn Heath recapped some of the issues with shortages at the LCSD Board of Education meeting on Oct. 26.

Cornell Offered to Reinstate Chi Phi on Campus as Early as 2030, Documents Show

Cornell was prepared to formalize an agreement with Chi Phi’s Xi Chapter outlining a path toward the fraternity’s reactivation on campus as early as 2030, emails and documents obtained by The Sun show. Cornell’s Chi Phi chapter was officially suspended on Nov. 8, 2024 after a former Cornell...

More than just pictures: a look inside Arnot’s School of Radiology

The field of radiologic technology blends the critical art of caring for people with the exacting science of specialized medical testing. The School of Radiologic Technology at Arnot Ogden Medical Center offers students a high-quality educational program in preparation for their future professional careers in radiologic technology. Voices are AI...

NBC's replacement Notre Dame playcaller announced after sudden Dan Hicks death

Dan Hicks' sudden passing will leave a major hole to fill during Saturday's game between Notre Dame and Boston College, but Jason Benetti will replace him for the broadcast

$13.5M investment targets 103 lane miles of road repairs in New York

More than $13.5 million is being invested in road repairs across the region, with work planned on 103 lane miles. The projects include $1 million to repave Route 223 between Van Etten and Erin in Chemung County. In Steuben County, crews will resurface parts of Routes 226 and 415 in...

Women's Basketball Announces Signing of Victoria Harvey

Canisius head women's basketball coach Tiffany Swoffard announced Wednesday that guard Victoria Harvey has signed a National Letter of Intent during the early signing period. Harvey will join the Golden Griffins program as a freshman for the 2027-28 season. A high-level scorer at Kennedy Catholic, Harvey has recorded more than...

Tompkins County dairy farmer raises more than $30k with ‘Miles for Milk’ campaign in NYC Marathon

FREEVILLE, NY (607NewsNow) — Tyler Beck, a member of Beck Farms in Freeville, surpassed the fundraising goal he set for his New York City Marathon run. The fundraising campaign, ‘Miles for Milk’, supported the American Dairy Association North East’s Fill A Glass with Hope® charitable program in partnership with Feeding New York State. Beck aimed to raise $1,000 for every mile ran in the marathon, for a total of 26.2 miles, and ended up exceeding his goal through various donations.

Kiwanis Club HHDS honors veterans of all types

HORSEHEADS, N.Y. (WENY) — The Kiwanis Club of Horseheads hosted its annual Veterans Day Ceremony on Tuesday and reminded attendees that it is crucial to honor veterans of all kinds. Many veterans returning home from the Vietnam War did not receive a warm welcome. Several said they felt cast...

Eighth annual FLX Gives fundraiser underway

SOUTHERN TIER, N.Y. (WENY) — The eighth annual FLX Gives fundraiser kicked off on Thursday and surpassed in donations $40,000 within 15 minutes. “This is our eighth year of Finger Lakes Gives, which we call FLX Gives, and the very first year, eight years ago, we raised just over $55,000 during the 24 hours,” said Community Foundation of Elmira-Corning and the Finger Lakes President Randi Hewit. “We've raised almost that within the first 15 minutes this year. This community could not be more generous.”

Big Ben: Bill leads Bonnies’ to second straight win with season-high 28 points

ST. BONAVENTURE, NY – Through the first ten minutes, there was an eerie air of uncertainty in the Reilly Center. Hosting Cornell for their first night of a three-game home stand, things were not falling St. Bonaventure’s way. The Bonnies were scoring, and scoring efficiently at 7-for-14, but...