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) Brent Tarantino ( R ) 2nd Legislative DistrictMichael Saglibene (R) John Boire (D) 3rd Legislative DistrictL. Thomas Sweet (R) Don Ziegler ( R ) 4th Legislative District ( Currently Vacant )Joseph Atkinson ( R ) Justin Rusak (R) 5th Legislative DistrictMark Margeson (R) Ed Bond (D) Nichole Elsto…

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

The Chemung County Sheriff’s Office announces the arrest of 45-year-old Christopher S. Price of Elmira Heights for Burglary in the Second Degree, a Class C Felony, and Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle, a Class A Misdemeanor. According to the Chemung County Sheriff's Office, on June 8, 2026, around 09:07 A.M., deputies were dispatched to a residence on Lenox Avenue in the Town of Horseheads for a report of a theft of a motor vehicle. Upon arrival, Deputies discovered that Price had taken the homeowner’s motor vehicle from an address that he had previously been trespassed from. The Criminal Investigation Division was made aware of the burglary and assisted in the rema…

The Chemung County Sheriff’s Office announces the arrest of 38-year-old Vincent Depaul, of Waverly for Criminal Mischief in the Second Degree, Grand Larceny in the Third Degree, and Criminal Possession of Stolen Property in the Third Degree, all Class D Felonies. According to police, on May 26, 2026, at approximately 12:23pm deputies from the Chemung County Sheriff’s Office Road Patrol were dispatched to an address in the Town of Southport for a criminal mischief and theft report. During the investigation, it was learned that someone climbed a cell phone tower approximately 60 feet and cut and removed multiple copper utility lines. Deputies were able to develop a lead fo…

The Chemung County Sheriff’s Office announces the arrest of 31-year-old Anita D. Evans of Sweet Valley, Pennsylvania, for Burglary in the Second Degree, a Class C Felony, Burglary in the Third Degree, a Class D Felony, and Grand Larceny in the Third Degree, a Class D Felony. Sheriff William Schrom says that on April 28, 2026, the Chemung County Sheriff’s Office Road Patrol Division responded to an address on Mathews Road in the Town of Baldwin for a report of a burglary of a residence and garage on the property. After the initial investigation, the Criminal Investigations Division was contacted and took over the investigation. Upon further investigation by the Crimin…

The Chemung County Sheriff’s Office announces the arrest of 29-year-old Krischele C. Brooks of Elmira, for Assault in the Second Degree, a Class D Felony, and Reckless Endangerment in the Second Degree, a Class A Misdemeanor. According to Sheriff Bill Schrom, on June 3, 2026, at approximately 10:54 am, deputies from the Chemung County Sheriff’s Office Road Patrol were dispatched to an address in the Town of Southport for a disturbance. Upon interviewing witnesses, it was learned that Brooks allegedly used a motor vehicle to strike a subject during an argument. The victim sustained injuries and received medical treatment at a local hospital. The Criminal Investigation Divi…

Yesterday on social media, Chemung County Executive Christopher Moss and Chemung County Chamber of Commerce/Tourism Promotion Agency President Jennifer Herrick-McGonigal announced that the county will be holding the "Chemung County America 250 Celebration at Park Station in Erin on August 22nd from 4pm until dusk. The event will feature free entry to the park and bus transportation will be provided by C-Tran. There, people will be able to enjoy live music from local band "Suspect" from 6-9pm and swimming until 5pm. There will also be plenty of opportunity for outdoor activities such as hiking and fishing. Street painting, food trucks and more will also be there. At dus…

This was a good open topic on the last site and recently this popped up on social media: It reads in part: Though it has more to do with where the wrtier works, you can read the entire post here. Focus: The dwindling quality of local news in various formats.

On Saturday night around 10:24pm, Horseheads Police responded to a car vs pedestrian crash in the area of Grand Central Avenue and John Street in the Village Of Horseheads. Horseheads Police Chief Sean Murray says that when police arrived the driver of the vehicle had left the scene. The pedestrian was killed as a result. Following an investigation, police arrested 34 year old Louis R. Johnson of Horseheads. Johnson was charged with Leaving the Scene of a Fatal Motor Vehicle Accident, a Class D felony. He was remanded to th Chemung County Jail pending further court proceedings. The investigation is ongoing and police have not released the name of the victim at this tim…

According to a post on social media, LECOM Event Center will soon have more to offer, this time in the form of a new brewpub. The event center posted earlier this wweek that Draft River Brewing Company is expected to open this fall. The idea, founded by owner Marc Stemmerman, is said to be based on the idea of giving people yet another reason to come to downtown Elmira and visit with neighbors. Stemmerman plans to have live music, themed events, and other community focused events year round. In addition to a locally themed menu of food, Draft River will feature beers brewed by Elmira native and experienced brewer Pat Palmer. In addition to being open during events at …

A Montour Falls man was arrested on Sunday after police say he broke into a Dandy Mini Mart in Big Flats. On May 24, 2026, at about 1:21 A.M., Chemung County Sheriff’s Deputies were dispatched to the Dandy Mini Mart located on State Route 352, in the Town of Big Flats, for a business alarm. Upon arrival, deputies discovered a large window of the business had been broken. Deputies reviewed surveillance footage and developed a suspect based on that footage. A short time later, 39 year old John T. Conner of Montour Falls was located on State Route 352, less than a mile from the business, and taken into custody. The Criminal Investigation Division was made aware of the inv…

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…

An Odessa man has been arrested and charged with grand larceny after allegedly accessing and taking money from another person's accounts. According to New York State Police, on April 21, 2026, troopers responded to a residence on Level Acres Drive in the town of Horseheads for a fraud complaint. The victim reported unauthorized transactions totaling $4,319 from her Chemung Canal Bank account between February and April 2026. An investigation determined the transactions were conducted through a Cash App account associated with 46 year old Jeffrey L. Riker of Odessa. The victim stated Riker had previously been at her residence with a former home health aide and that she neve…

The Chemung County Sheriff’s Office announces the arrest of 45-year-old Christopher S. Price of Elmira Heights for Burglary in the 2nd Degree, a Class C Felony, Criminal Mischief in the 4th Degree and Petit Larceny, both Class A Misdemeanors, and Public Lewdness, a Class B Misdemeanor. According to the sheriff’s office, on May 20, 2026, at about 12:22 P.M., Chemung County Sheriff’s Deputies were dispatched to a residence on O’Hanlon Street, in the Town of Horseheads, for the report of a burglary. This was called in by a resident who had fled the home and called 911 after Price entered. Upon arrival, Deputies found that the front door of the residence had been damaged an…

A motorcyclist was injured while trying to avoid a car vs deer collision on Interstate 86 on Monday According to the Chemung County Sheriff's Office, at 8:22 A.M., police and EMS were dispatched to a motor vehicle accident involving a passenger vehicle that struck a deer in the eastbound lane of Interstate 86, between exits 50 and 51A, in the Town of Big Flats. While on scene, a single vehicle accident occurred involving a 37-year-old male operating a Harley Davidson motorcycle. The operator sustained life threating injuries and was transported to the Corning Guthrie Hospital for medical treatment. He was later transferred to Robert Packer Hospital in Sayre, Pennsylvan…

Voters will go to the polls next week to decide on the Elmira City School District’s (ECSD) $160,727,766 budget proposal. A public hearing for the proposed budget was held at the administration building on Monday. The budget is a $5,382,859 increase over last year with a tax levy of 1.98 percent, which is under the state tax cap and only requires a 50 percent plus one—or a simple majority—to pass. Instruction and employee benefits are the top expenditures for the district at a combined $123,159,841. There are no additional propositions on the ballot. See the rest here

According to multiple news agencies, the planned Rural King store at 299 Main Street in Elmira, the former Tops Supermarket, is moving forward. City officials, along with the Chemung County IDA, met last night to go over planned renovations at the store. The store's opening was announced in February, and it will be the first Rural King location in New York State. The retailer supplies hardware, animal feed, tools, and much more. It has been described by many as "Tractor Supply on steroids." In addition to jobs, the Rural King store is expected to be a badly needed shot in the arm for the city of Elmira. Company representatives say that the average Rural King store bring…

photo courtesy of City of Elmira website In a statement issued earlier today, Mayor Dan Mandell announced that Elmira City Manager P. Michael Collins is retiring from his position effective June 13, 2026. "I’d like to thank Michael for all his dedicated service to the city of Elmira over these past 12 years. I wish him and his family all the best in his retirement," Mandell wrote. Collins took over the position of city manager in 2016. Mandell also announced that City Chamberlain Charmain Cattan has agreed to serve as the Interim City Manager effective June 13, 2026, through the remainder of Collins' term, which lasts until December 31, 2027.

A Wellsburg man was arrested after police say he stole items from a residence as he was being evicted. The Chemung County Sheriff’s Office arrested 47-year-old Thomas J. Decker of Wellsburg for Burglary in the 3rd Degree and Grand Larceny in the 3rd Degree, both Class D Felonies, as well as Criminal Possession of Stolen Property in the 5th Degree, a Class A Misdemeanor. The Sheriff's Office says that on January 2, 2026, the Chemung County Sheriff’s Office Civil Division executed an Eviction Order at a residence in the Town of Erin. During the eviction, Deputies were notified that multiple items were stolen from a building on the property. The Criminal Investigation D…

The waste at the Chemung County Landfill puts methane into the atmosphere. But new technology from the company Waga Energy will use that methane to make clean renewable energy. This is a partnership between Chemung County, Casella Waste Systems, and Waga energy to implement new technology to turn methane from the waste at the Chemung County Landfill into renewable energy. “As waste breaks down inside a landfill certain gases come off from that waste stream, and one of them is methane gas,” said Ned Colette, the President of Casella Waste Systems. “And instead of admitting that into the atmosphere or burning it, we’re now taking it through this innovative process to produc…

The Chemung County Sheriff's Department has announced the arrest of 43 year old Chester J. Harris IV as a fugitive from justice out of Union County, New Jersey. Police say during a traffic stop on Lake Road in the Town of Elmira, deputies learned that Harris was wanted in New Jersey, where he had been charged with Unlawful Use Of A Firearm. Investigators receieved the warrant out of New Jersey and were asked to detain Harris He was then arrested and processed. Harris was sent to Chemung County Jail awaiting extradition to New Jersey.

You won’t take more than a few steps inside Second Editions Bookshop at 112 South Main Street, Elmira (secondeditionsbookshop.com, (607) 733-3512) before spotting a few books you’ll want, then a distant shelf requiring further exploration. Books everywhere! This secondhand bookstore, with a comfortable seating area to consider your prospective purchases and put you in sight of even more temptation, has over 20,000 well-organized treasures awaiting discovery. “It’s amazing how many books and how many writers there are,” says Todd Hartman, who, with his wife, Bo, owns Second Editions. Both serious readers and longtime booklovers, they’ve had to make a disciplined transition…

Todd Yoggy remembers the Elmira of the eighties, when he’d come from Big Flats to hang out. “There was a lot to do here,” he says. “The whole downtown. You could walk to People’s Place”—Tommy Hilfiger’s first store—“but [the energy] went away.” And so did Todd and many others. But when Todd and his friend, Elmira native Charlie Hunter, both returned to the area a little over five years ago for family reasons, they got a happy surprise. “Now people are coming back,” says Todd. What changed? A man from Hazelton, Pennsylvania, who had a dream to sell his pizza dough across the globe, came to town. One day in 2006, Jim Capriotti visited the Elmira Wegmans store that stocked h…

ELMIRA - LECOM Event Center, formerly known as First Arena, has announced a new partnership with Southern Tier Events LLC which they say will bring a full lineup of community-driven events to the venue. In a post on social media, the event center says that this collaboration is "...all about creating more opportunities for people to come together, experience something new, and make LECOM Event Center a consistent destination for events year-round." Some of the events announced so far include: Spring Craft Fair Tattoo Convention Wedding Expo Holiday Craft Fair Small Business Saturday Craft Fair Amber Saltsman, the owner of Southern Tier Events LLC,, told WENY News that not…