October 9, 2025Oct 9 This will be an ongoing section for shorter news items that don't require a topic of their own.
October 30, 2025Oct 30 Author 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 CentralusSourceNote: Centralus now includes Arnot Health in Elmira.
October 30, 2025Oct 30 Author 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
November 2, 2025Nov 2 Author 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.
November 8, 2025Nov 8 Author According to WENY News, the City of Elmira has approved a new location for The Last Stand ice cream and coffee stand.
November 13, 2025Nov 13 Author According to WENY News, Tops Friendly Markets in Big Flats will not be reopening after a fire that happened in late August.
November 13, 2025Nov 13 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.
November 13, 2025Nov 13 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.
November 13, 2025Nov 13 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.
November 15, 2025Nov 15 The former Olthof Funeral Home, located at 1050 Pennsylvania Ave, is up for sale after the listing appeared on the realtor’s website in November. The building, built in 1990, is considered an integral piece of the community’s past and is listed at $675,000. SourceOkay...of all the small local businesses that we’ve seen struggle and close, I have to say this surprises me a little. Sure, stuff like bowling alleys can have declining demand, fewer people want to attend movie theaters and retail stores are competing with online sales. I get those businesses struggling. But seriously, aren't funeral homes the one business that will always have a demand and can only be conducted in a brick-and-mortar space?
November 15, 2025Nov 15 Was the business struggling though? I figured the current owners were retiring and there was no one to take it over.I’ll be very surprised if someone doesn’t buy the building and keep it going as a funeral home.
November 15, 2025Nov 15 On 11/13/2025 at 1:04 PM, 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.I was at the Southport store and it’s very obvious the company is investing money in that location now. Especially the produce section which now has all new shelving islands; you can smell the new wood LOLI still preferred the Big Flats location for the overall shopping experience, but I guess I’ll have to get over it.
November 15, 2025Nov 15 Author Congratulations to the Elmira Express football team, who beat out Corning, 53-18, for their 3rd straight Section IV championship. The team now moves on to state playoffs.
November 15, 2025Nov 15 2 hours ago, Chris said:Was the business struggling though? I figured the current owners were retiring and there was no one to take it over.I’ll be very surprised if someone doesn’t buy the building and keep it going as a funeral home.That's a possibility. But it seems that other funeral homes around the area typically are purchased/merged while still operating. An operational business has more value than assets and property. So they usually just change ownership and remain open when the operators retire rather than closing up and liquidating.
November 18, 2025Nov 18 Author According to WETM News, Chemung County Legislature Chairman Mark Margeson has announced his candidacy for Chemung County Executive in 2026.
November 22, 2025Nov 22 Author According to multiple reports on social media, the Elmira man best known to all as "Jimi Hendrix" has died. Photo by Rich LaVere
December 8, 2025Dec 8 Author According to WENY News, the Arctic Leagues 95th annual fundraiser broadcast brought in $39,600 in donations, a significant increase from last year's total of $26,990. The organization's goal for 2025 is a total of $175,000.
December 14, 2025Dec 14 Author According to MyHometownToday.com, Athens area schools were briefly put on lockdown after a man was seen walking down Elmira Street carrying a gun. Police determined that the man, who was wearing orange camouflage, had been hunting in the nearby hills and was walking home.
December 30, 2025Dec 30 Author WETM News is reporting that Associated Radiologists of the Finger Lakes ( ARFL ) had a data breach earlier this year. You can read the report here ARFL’s website reads, in part:What information was involved?Based on our investigation to date, we determined that the impacted information varies by individual but may include name, address, medical record number, full or partial Social Security number, date of birth, clinical or treatment information, medical procedure information, medical provider name, prescription information, or health insurance information.What ARFL is DoingInformation privacy and security are among our highest priorities. Upon learning of this event, we moved quickly to investigate and respond to the incident, assess the security of our systems, restore functionality to our IT Network, and undertake the processes needed to notify potentially affected individuals. As part of our ongoing commitment to information privacy and security, we reviewed and enhanced our technical, administrative, and physical safeguards, policies, and procedures to further secure the information on our systems. We also reported this incident to the federal bureau of investigation who is responsible for investigating these cyber events, and appropriate federal data privacy regulators. We remain committed to complying with all state and federal requirements and maintaining timely and transparent communication with our community.You can find the complete statement here
January 2Jan 2 Author Former Watkins Glen International Speedway president Michael Printup has died at age 60.Source
January 11Jan 11 Author ELMIRA, N.Y. (WENY) — The City of Elmira is considering leasing a space in City Hall to Congressman Nick Langworthy.According to the agenda for Monday's upcoming Elmira City Council meeting, Rep. Langworthy wants to establish a district office inside the building.Source
January 11Jan 11 Author According to the Sayre Morning Times, the Chemung Speedrome is now up for sale:The owner of the historic Chemung Speedrome has announced that the race track is now for sale or lease.The 3/8-mile facility at 605 Wyncoop Creek Road in Chemung features a 3,000-seat main grandstand and a 28-stall paved pit lane.“It’s just that time in our lives,” said owner John White, a racing industry veteran from Long Island. “So we put it out there, you know, see if anybody has any interest, and go forward from there.”White said that he has already seen interest in the property, and that he would rather the land stay a race track.Source ( Paywall )
Wednesday at 03:59 PM4 days Author Plans for the new Chick-Fil-a restaurant are moving forward in the Town of Big Flats. According to town documents, the restaurant will be built on the site of the former TGIFridays, in Consumer Square. The existing building will be demolished. Officials say groundbreaking for the project will begin in Spring 2027 and is expected to last about six months.
Wednesday at 05:01 PM4 days On 10/30/2025 at 9:04 AM, Elmira Telegram said: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 CentralusSourceNote: Centralus now includes Arnot Health in Elmira.I believe Arnot and possibly Cayuga Hospitals have been top heavy for quite a while. I just hope the lay offs are really from the top and not working managers/Supervisors because staff shortage is a real problem at Arnot.
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