LATEST NEWS

ITHACA, NY (WENY) -- A former Tompkins County Sheriff's deputy will spend 60 days in jail, following a perjury conviction. Thirty-six year old Zachary Starner was convicted of third degree perjury during a criminal trial in March, for providing false sworn testimony on the stand at a trial in 2019. He was arrested in February 2021, and placed on administrative leave.

ITHACA, N.Y. (WETM) – Police in Ithaca are searching for a man they say went missing under “suspicious” circumstances from the Jungle. Ithaca Police, New York State Police, and the Tompkins County Sheriff’s Department are searching for 33-year-old Thomas Rath, who was last seen in the area referred to as “the Jungle” behind Lowes on May 17, 2023.

ELMIRA, N.Y. (WETM) – Tuesday was an emotional day at WETM-TV. Chuck Brame, a sports anchor and reporter for nearly 20 years at the station, will be moving on in his career. The native of Watkins Glen will pursue other opportunities outside of the industry which will allow him to spend more time with his […]

ITHACA, N.Y. (WENY) -- There is a range of toxic plants that have systematic effects on animals or intense effects on the gastrointestinal tract. Consumption of any plant material may cause vomiting or stomach issues for dogs and cats. "There's the uke plants if you're familiar these are a evergreen...

Police across the country are investigating shootings that killed at least 16 over the Memorial Day Weekend. At least two people were shot in the Hudson Valley. On Sunday around 8 p.m., the Spring Valley Police Department received multiple calls regarding shots being fired in the area of 17 Slinn Ave in Spring Valley.

On May 11, Tioga County’s Legislature, by order of its Chair, Martha Sauerbrey, put into place a State of Emergency in response to the possible arrival of migrants or asylum seekers due to the national immigration crisis and the plans involving the relocation of migrants from New York City to other counties outside of New York City.

SPENCER, N.Y. (WENY) -- Lions Camp Badger in Spencer has been making summers fun for special needs campers since the mid-1900s. On Tuesday, students from the Greater Southern Tier BOCES Coopers Plains and members with the Watkins Glen Lions Club teamed up to tidy up the overnight camp before summer kicks off.

ITHACA, N.Y. (WENY) -- On the night of May 15, three Ithaca paramedics had no clue what their shift would bring, nor that it would garner attention from one of America's largest health organizations. That Monday, the three paramedics were sent to an apartment complex in Ithaca after a person...

Ithaca's current acting police chief, Lieutenant Ted Schwartz, has been on the force for over a decade. But he said his first few weeks in his new role have gone by in a whirlwind. Schwartz said a big priority of his is to improve retention and morale among existing officers.

The Dryden outdoor track and field teams continue to be the best of the best across both the IAC and Section IV. Starting on May 17-18, the boys and girls teams won their respective IAC Large School Championships. This marks the first time since 2006 that both programs for the Lions won IAC titles in the same year.

The relationship between the City of Ithaca and its police force has been contentious in recent years and the city has been working to repair it in recent months. However, the city’s relationship with its former acting Chief of Police John Joly seems past the point of repair as he is pursuing a lawsuit against the city with the help of Syracuse-based attorney A.J. Bossman.

A local writer recently received accolades from The 2023 Human Relations Indie Book Awards. Dryden resident Lisa Harris won gold awards through the Human Relations Indie Book international competition. Her novel The Raven’s Tale, published in 2017, won gold in the category of spiritual focus. Harris’ other works that received gold awards included her poetry collection Dwelling Space in the poetry category, and her book of poetry Carry Light, Carry Fire in the insightful poetry category.

The Chemung County Health Department, in partnership with the SPCA, will be hosting a free rabies vaccination clinic at Chapel Park in Pine City, NY on June 10, 2023, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

The Lansing girls golf team has more than doubled its numbers from last season, and their reign of success across the section is as strong as ever. The Bobcats won their second straight IAC Championship on May 19 at Hillendale Golf Course in Ithaca. Lansing finished with a score of 413, beating out runner-up Waverly by 11 strokes and third-place Spencer-Van Etten/Candor by 27 strokes. Despite winning it last time out, this year’s triumph came as a bit of a surprise for head coach Kelly Baughan—a welcome one at that.

ITHACA, N.Y. (WHCU) – An initiative in Tompkins County could help residents and emergency services workers. The Department of Emergency Response is spearheading a pilot program designed to cut down on EMS response times and help overworked agencies and volunteers. They’ve compiled data that accounts for what agencies are capable of responding to, and when they’re most capable of responding to identify gap areas in service. Director Michael Stitley says the rapid response program would help…

Ithaca Rotarians Nancy Potter and George Gull recently shared a story about a child who passed away from drinking contaminated water at her school in San Isidro de Pocosol. It was nearly ten years ago, but the story is far from dated because these are fears people living in rural areas of Costa Rica face regularly. Gull and Potter said regional officials investigated the child’s death but nothing was done to improve the water quality in this remote village in northern Costa Rica.

BRISTOL — St. Paul Catholic High School Valedictorian Lila Alderete will go on to study computer science at Cornell University in Ithaca, NY. Alderete, who is the daughter of Melissa Durstin of Winsted and Jorge Alderete of NJ, received a “Summa Scholar Award”, which means that she is among the top 5% of students within the Archdiocese of Hartford.

LANSING, N.Y. (WHCU) – Leaders in Lansing have called an emergency meeting. The Town Board will meet tomorrow to discuss American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds. Town residents are invited and the meeting with be streamed live on YouTube. It happens at Lansing Town Hall at 1:00 p.m. Wednesday, May 31, 2023.

IC Spirit Month starts this Thursday! Staff members are invited to participate in various activities for fun and/or relaxation:. June 1st: The Step Challenge begins! Get inspired to get moving. Whether you walk, bike, run, or dance ... track your steps! A monthlong activity where All participants are winners - and our top steppers will be recognized with prizes!

Friends of Stewart Park and the City of Ithaca recently announced that Stewart Park has been officially listed on the National Register of Historic Places as of May 5, 2023. The park was placed on New York’s State Register earlier this year. Listing on the State and National Registers...