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

ITHACA, N.Y. — Centralus Health announced a wave of layoffs and as well as plans to leave currently vacant positions empty on Tuesday.

The layoffs are all administrative and leadership positions. The staff reduction is a part of a broader plan to achieve financial stability, according to Centralus

Source

Note: Centralus now includes Arnot Health in Elmira.

Locally, there are 8,065 total households representing about 14,000 individuals receiving SNAP benefits in Chemung County, according to County Executive Christopher Moss.

County officials are working closely with the state and with the Food Bank of the Southern Tier and food pantries to look at ways to help SNAP recipients during the shutdown, Moss said.

"Our Department of Social Services commissioner is staying on top of it," he said. "It's a federal program and if the state can't pay to help it will leave a huge gap."

Source

Opening a small café was a lifelong dream for Kim Spencer-Lefebvre. She tried to acquire several businesses when she lived in her native Massachusetts, but a move to Elmira proved to make all the difference.

Lefebvre recently opened her own storefront, Wholly Loaves Bakery, at 101 S. Main St. in Horseheads’ Hanover Square.

Lefebvre started selling homemade sourdough bread at her church, His Tabernacle, in 2023 and found it was a hit with the community. She picked up several wholesale deals over the ensuing months, and the business took off to the point where she was ready to take the leap and open up a storefront dedicated to the enterprise.

There may or may not be a paywall, but you can try to read the rest here.

According to WENY News, the City of Elmira has approved a new location for The Last Stand ice cream and coffee stand.

According to WENY News, Tops Friendly Markets in Big Flats will not be reopening after a fire that happened in late August.

1 hour ago, Elmira Telegram said:

According to WENY News, Tops Friendly Markets in Big Flats will not be reopening after a fire that happened in late August.

That is so unfortunate, another empty commercial building and a good number of people out of a job.

The store was a failed promise by the CCDA from the beginning.

And as time goes by, Consumer Square keeps looking more and more like the what GCP and the Mall have turned into.

The larger, profitable "anchor" businesses start pulling out and are replaced with cheaper tenants. The developers neglect the buildings and pavement full of potholes. Then the cheaper tenants fold and the empty parking lots are used for temporary things like flea markets or maybe an occasional RV sales event.

1 hour ago, MsKreed said:

And as time goes by, Consumer Square keeps looking more and more like the what GCP and the Mall have turned into.

Yep, and retail options for anyone trying to shop locally are fewer and fewer.