Local News Chat

This will be an ongoing section for shorter news items that don't require a topic of their own.

County Elections 2026 This is a working list of those who have declared their candidacy for this year's county elections or are presumed to be until proven otherwise. Names will be added or removed as time goes on or primaries are held. Current incumbents are in bold. Chemung County ExecutiveChristopher Moss ( R ) Mark Margeson ( R ) 1st Legislative DistrictLawana Morse (R) 2nd Legislative DistrictMichael Saglibene (R) John Boire (D) 3rd Legislative DistrictL. Thomas Sweet (R) 4th Legislative District ( Currently Vacant )Justin Rusak (R) 5th Legislative DistrictMark Margeson (R) Ed Bond (D) Nichole Elston (R) 6th Legislative DistrictJoe Donovan (R) Kyle Wieder (R) …

May as well start another thread to keep the gunshot reports all in one place.

ELMIRA, NY (WENY) — On Thursday, January 15th, at the Chemung County Industrial Development Agency meeting, the board voted to approve a public hearing regarding plans for the former Booth School in Elmira. The Booth School building changed hands in October 2025, with a new developer looking to turn it into market-rate housing. “It's going to be approximately 58 units. Maybe we’ll try to add a couple more. We're looking to work with some of the people investing in the area, like Rye Bar/The Garage, so we're trying to reciprocate the same beauty, provide the same kind of things for the neighborhood,” said one of the developers with the Booth School Project, Jaison Sanchez.…

An Elmira fashion fixture is making a comeback, and it's packing a musical punch. The Underground Fashion Outlet pop-up, spearheaded by Andy and Kim Hilfiger, will run from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. April 30 to May 3 at the LECOM Event Center, 155 N. Main St., Elmira, according to a community announcement. Andy Hilfiger, brother of fashion icon Tommy Hilfiger, views the event as a homecoming. The event will take place on the same site of People’s Place, a store Tommy Hilfiger opened in 1969. The pop-up shop will feature a mix of vintage and modern clothing and accessories, including items from Andrew Charles, a fashion brand founded by Andy and Kim Hilfiger. In addition to shopp…

Moss Farms is located at 1255 College Ave in Elmira.

The Elmira Police Department is reminding residents to utilize the City’s designated Safe Exchange Zone, located in the parking lot of City Hall at 317 E. Church Street, for all online marketplace transactions. The Safe Exchange Zone was established approximately eight months ago in response to a series of robberies linked to online sales arranged through platforms such as Facebook Marketplace. Since its implementation, the location has been an effective tool in reducing these incidents. However, the department has recently investigated two new robberies involving the sale of a cell phone and a PlayStation 5. In both cases, the transactions were arranged to meet in areas …

Photo courtesy of Elmira Police Department Facebook page The Elmira Police Department announced today that it is adopting the Blue Envelope Program which is an important safety program for drivers with autism. The Blue Envelope Program is an initiative designed to improve interactions between law enforcement and individuals with conditions that may affect communication, such as autism. Drivers with autism can place their license, registration, and insurance inside the blue envelope and keep it in their glove box. During a traffic stop, they can present the envelope to an officer, immediately signaling that the driver may need additional communication support, accommodatio…

A Candor man was arrested and charged after a stabbing that happened in Candor last week. According to Tioga County Sheriff's Office, on April 2nd at around 11:53 AM, deputies responded to a report of a stabbing that had just occurred at a residence on Lathrop Rd. in the Town of Candor. The sheriff's offic esays that the initial investigation determined that 3a 37 year old resident at that location had been stabbed in the abdomen by his stepbrother during a domestic incident. The suspect allegedly fled the residence on foot and entered the surrounding wooded area. The victim was initially transported in a personal vehicle to the Lourdes walk-in care facility at 500 Fift…

by Carol Houssock (Chemung, NY) Regional racers and fans had held their breath for months, hoping that someone would step up and either buy or lease Chemung Speedrome. The track had run weekly racing programs since the spring of 2001. George Nichols and Dan Mathews recently reached an agreement with track owner, John White, to lease the facility for 2026. The late start has the team pushing hard to put the countless pieces in place for the May 1st opening. On the two prior Saturdays, April 18th and 25th, they will hold open afternoon practice sessions, with exact times to be determined. While more details are released frequently, the track will run on Friday nights at 7…

According to a post by Capriotti Properties on Facebook, Centertown Social, located in the heart of Elmira's downtown is set to open soon. Centertown Social will be a brewery style bar and restaurant that will also include a gaming area as well as outdoor seating and a stage area. The building, which has been vacant ofr years, was once home to businesses such as Chuck Clark's and Deister & Butler Jewelry. The renovation and construction for this new project has lasted three years. There will be no shortage of seating available with tables and booths throughout the building as well as a VIP area. Other features will include two golf simulators, darts, billiards, as w…

In a letter to the media, Elmira Police Department Chief Kristen Thorne announced the arrest of one of the officers in his department. According to Chief Thorne, on July 18th of this year he was advised that an Elmira Police officer allegedly provided confidential information to someone which not only jeopardized an active investigation but also placed individuals involved in that investigation at risk. Thorne says that the officer was immdiately suspended, which including revoking all access to the department buildings, files and information systems. At that time the department requested the assistance of the New York State Police Department due to the seriousness of the…

Today Chemung County Executive Chris Moss announced his idea for a six month proposal to ease the pain of residential energy and gasoline costs for county residents. Moss's plan would eliminate the four percent county tax on residential energy sources and services via a temporary exemption and cap the four percent county sales tax on gasoline purchases at $300 per gallon. Moss says the County Budget Office estimates these measures will save consumers approximately $2.5 million over the six month period from June 2026 through November 2026. "While we understand that the impact won't be huge, the continual rising prices surrounding home energy and gasoline have left many…

Almost three years to the day, former Elmira Police Chief Anthony Alvernaz has filed a lawsuit against the city, mayor, and city manager. As of publication, the specific allegations in the lawsuit have not been made public; however, the lawsuit involves civil rights and employment matters. Read more here

The New York State Police, in coordination with the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision and the Elmira Police Department Drug Enforcement Unit, arrested a Chemung County parolee following a parole compliance check that led to the discovery of a large quantity of illicit cannabis. Polics say on January 14th, parole officers assigned to a G.I.V.E. initiative in Chemung County located approximately 30 pounds of suspected cannabis while conducting a compliance check at a residence on Wheaton Road in the town of Erin. Based on probable cause developed by parole, members of the New York State Police Troop E Violent Gangs and Narcotics Enforcement …

A Pennsylvania man is facing multiple charges including aggravated assault after a pursuit that happened yesterday. According to the Chemung County Sheriff's Office, on Wednesday at approximately 11:15 a.m., Deputies were dispatched to S.R. 328 in the Town of Southport for a report of an erratic driver. As Deputy Josh Arnold approached the Webb Mills roundabout, he observed the vehicle in question, a black Ford F-150, parked on the shoulder of the northbound lane. Deputy Arnold noted the driver, and sole occupant of the vehicle, made eye contact with him, then pulled off the shoulder of the roadway and began to travel north on S.R. 328. Deputy Arnold was then joined by…

On Sunday January 11th at approximately 9:20pm Elmira Police were dispatched to Centertown Parking Garage for the report of a possible shooting. Police say officers arrived on scene to find one person had been shot. The victim was taken from the scene to an area hospital for treatment. The victim’s status and identity are not being released at this time. This did not appear to be a random act. The Elmira Police Department is actively investigating this incident and anyone with information about the incident is requested to call the Elmira Police Department at (607) 737-5626 or leave a message on the anonymous tip line at (607) 271-HALT.

On January 13th, 2026, at approximately 10:37 PM Elmira Police Officers responded the 1000 block of Oak St. for the report of a disturbance where a male displayed a gun. Upon arrival officers obtained information that the male who displayed a gun had left the area in a Dodge Charger, the victim knew the identity of the male subject and advised officers of this information. This information was relayed to other officers in the area at which time a member of the Elmira Police Department observed the male subject driving the Dodge Charger and attempted to initiate a traffic stop with the vehicle. The driver refused to pull over and attempted to flee the area at which time t…

Miriam Osorio announced that she is running for the Democratic nomination in New York’s 124th State Assembly District on Friday, Jan 2. She will be running against Christopher Friend, who is the incumbent. Source

VAN ETTEN — Aside from normal organizational business at the first town board meeting of the year, one Van Etten resident said she spoke on behalf of many others when it comes to harassment concerns throughout the town. “Today, we’re sitting in unity to address an issue that should not be town business, that has impacted residents across this community,” resident Rebecca Rekczis said. “I’m speaking on behalf of those who are unable to be present today, but have been directly affected.” People from all walks of life, many who have never interacted before, are here for one reason, she continued, speaking to a packed room. “Ongoing harassment that continues to spread and esc…

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This morning, Katlyn Colombani-Ruiz announced her candidacy for reelection as Chemung County Treasurer. First elected in 2023, Katlyn says she has served the residents of Chemung County with a commitment to safeguard tax dollars and provide transparency. "I have used the trust of my continuants to make changes to improve services to the Treasurer’s office providing modernization of an outdated tax collection system, digitizing the college student application process, and continue working on the implementation of virtual card payments for vendors," she says. "Additionally, I ensured all financial reports mandated by the State Comptroller were completed on time, which cont…

Two people have been arrested and charged in connection with a break in that happened in November. According to Chemung County Sheriff William Schrom, on November 28, 2025, at approximately 7:16 p.m.,deputies were dispatched to The Masonic Valley Lodge 153 in the Town of Chemung for a report of a burglary. During the initial investigation, Deputies learned that the building had been forcibly entered and property within was damaged and stolen. The Criminal Investigation Division was made aware of the burglary and continued the investigation. Investigators reviewed surveillance footage, which showed two adults and three young children all under the age of eight approaching …

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced more than $63 million in capital grants have been awarded to fund 21 projects across New York State through the second round of the New York Statewide Investment in More Swimming (NY SWIMS) Initiative. Administered by the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York (DASNY) and overseen by the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, NY SWIMS provides competitive matching grants that help communities build and improve swimming facilities, giving more New Yorkers safe and modern places to swim. Through two rounds of the NY SWIMS program, New York State has awarded $200 million to support 57 projects. “NY SW…