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

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

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...

Joe Veres' 11.12.26 Late Night Forecast

State Water Grants Reach Southern Tier: Sewer Fixes, Green Lots, Cleaner Streams

Over $31 million in state grants is headed to 24 water projects across 21 communities, with several right here in the Southern Tier.

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,...

Federal lawsuit accuses Owego McDonald’s of safety failures, retaliation

Former employees of a McDonald's franchise in the Village of Owego have filed a federal class action lawsuit alleging safety failures, retaliation and other violations. A lawsuit filed on Nov. 9 alleges that the franchisee company that owns the McDonald’s at 29 Hickories Park Road in Owego kept employees working through carbon dioxide leaks and fire-safety failures, failed to pay overtime and wages for all hours worked, retaliated against employees who raised safety and wage concerns and refused to accommodate a manager’s disabilities, allegedly forcing her out of her job. The initial complaint names Mac-Clark Restaurants, Inc., a McDonald's franchisee company that owns more than a dozen McDonald's restaurants across New York including the Owego location that employed the three former employees who are suing. It also names two of the company's managers — a Human Resources Manager and a Supervisor. Former employees Savanna Tuttle, Hailey Swancott and Victoria Tiesi, represented by attorney Megan Quattlebaum, are seeking unpaid wages, back pay, front pay, lost benefits and compensatory, punitive and statutory damages. In a statement, Quattlebaum said they are looking forward to "holding Mac-Clark accountable in court." "Our complaint sets out that Mac-Clark treated the safety and the paychecks of its

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,

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

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 […]

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.

Southern Tier Communities Awarded $13.56 Million for Spring Paving Projects

SOUTHERN TIER, N.Y. (WENY) — The southern tier will soon be getting $13.56 million to repave 106 miles of road. Beginning next spring, the work will be completed by New York's Department of Transportation as a part of their larger Harsh Winter Paving Program. In Steuben County, $622,000 is...

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.

Where new state grants are flowing to boost area water quality projects

Communities in Chemung, Steuben and other Southern Tier counties are among localities statewide that will benefit from water quality grants announced by Gov. Kathy Hochul. Through the program, the state Department of Environmental Conservation is awarding $45 million in state grants to support 25 projects to further improve water quality in Region 8, which includes Chemung, Steuben and Schuyler counties. Those projects will directly improve water quality or habitat, promote flood risk reduction, restoration, and enhanced flood and climate resiliency, or protect a drinking water source, DEC said in a news release. "Funding from these grants will directly help local communities upgrade essential infrastructure to protect drinking water, improve flood resiliency, and reduce the amount of polluted stormwater runoff entering lakes, rivers and streams,” said DEC Region 8 Director Timothy P. Walsh. Here is a breakdown of how those grants will support water quality projects in area counties: Chemung County Chemung County: A $400,000 grant will enable the county to buy a vacuum truck to conduct regular cleanouts of catch basins and stormwater infrastructure and help reduce pollution in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Town of Horseheads: A $400,000 grant will fund replacement of an aging salt storage facility at the

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...

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...

STUDENT ASSEMBLY | Get Ready to Vote

Course enrollment, a resolution to get Starbucks off our campus, a town hall with President Kotlikoff — plenty is happening at Cornell right now. Naturally, the Student Assembly has a ton to say about all of it. Pretty soon, we’ll have nine new voices to add to the crowd — and it’s in your power to pick them!

Warriors to Washington Brings Twin Tiers Veterans to Nation’s Capital

BIG FLATS, N.Y. (WENY) — A nonprofit that takes veterans to Washington, D.C., is working to make sure they know they are not forgotten, after bringing a group from the Twin Tiers to the nation’s capital for a weekend in September. Veterans and their loved ones boarded a...

Delivering pipeline-quality RNG at Valley Energy’s Lowman facility

At Valley Energy’s Lowman, New York interconnect facility at the Chemung County Landfill, environmental protection and energy production work together. Groundwater flows beneath the landfill, making protection critical. Engineered liner systems prevent contamination, supported by comprehensive monitoring to ensure long-term performance and water quality. Valley Energy has partnered with...

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...