April 14, 2026
Assemblyman Phil Palmesano is not pleased with the fact that the state budget, is late again.
Click here to see full video of Palmesano, on the Assembly floor, talking about this.
Author: Brian O'Neil
April 10, 2026
FROM SENATOR KIRSTEN GILLIBRAND:
“Today, New York mourns the loss of former Congressman Eliot Engel. Eliot was not only my colleague for many years, but he was also a close friend who exemplified persistence and compassion for those he represented. Eliot loved our nation and had a passion for public service that never wavered throughout his 44 years in elected office. First as an assemblymember and then as a member of the United States House of Representatives, he helped improve the lives of people across our state and our country. As chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, he held a deeply influential role in shaping our nation’s foreign relations and diplomacy. Eliot Engel’s service to our country will never be forgotten. My condolences go out to his wife, children, and grandchildren. May his memory be a blessing.”
FROM SENATOR CHUCK SCHUMER:
April 10, 2026
From the Steuben County Board of Elections:
🎨 America 250 Sticker Design Contest! 🇺🇸
Students across Steuben County (K–12) are invited to help celebrate 250 years of American democracy by designing the official Election Day 2026 sticker!
👧 Who Can Enter
• Grades K–5: Create a “Future Voter” sticker
• Grades 6–12: Create an “I Voted” sticker
✏️ Design Rules
• Must include “America 250” or “USA 250”
• Patriotic and nonpartisan theme
• Include student name, school, and grade
• Sticker size: 2-inch circle
• Required text: “Future Voter” (K–5) or “I Voted” (6–12)
📅 Important Dates
• Contest runs: April 15 – May 15
• School submission deadline: Monday, May 18
• Winners announced: Friday, May 22
📥 How to Submit
• Include student name, grade, and school
• Submit through your school’s designated contact
• Schools will deliver all entries to the Board of Elections
🏆 Winners Will Receive
• Their design printed and shared with voters on Election Day 2026
• Special recognition and a prize
Let’s show off Steuben County’s creativity and celebrate America’s 250th birthday together! 🇺🇸✨
April 10, 2026
FROM ALLEGANY COUNTY: The New York State Department of Transportation is advising motorists that State Route 305, from south of Jordan Hill Road to Higby Road, in the Town of Clarksville, Allegany County, will be reduced to a single lane with alternating traffic. Work will take place between the hours of 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. beginning Monday, April 13, to accommodate a culvert replacement project. Traffic will be controlled by temporary traffic signals. The work is anticipated to be completed by the end of July. Motorists should anticipate travel delays during this time and are advised to seek alternate routes if necessary. Construction activities are weather dependent and subject to change based on conditions. Motorists are urged to slow down and drive responsibly in work zones. Fines are doubled for speeding in a work zone. Convictions of two or more speeding violations in a work zone could result in the suspension of an individual’s driver license.
Lives are on the line; slow down and move over for highway workers!
For more information, find us on Facebook, follow us on X or Instagram, or visit our website. For up-to-date travel information, call 511, visit www.511NY.org or download the free 511NY mobile app.
April 10, 2026
By County Spokesman Ed VanStine
The Steuben County Department of Public Works is issuing a traffic advisory in cooperation with the New York State Department of Transportation regarding an upcoming state-led construction project in the Village of North Hornell.
The New York State Department of Transportation has announced that beginning Monday, April 20, work will take place at the intersection of State Route 36 and County Route 66 (Webbs Crossing Road).
The following traffic impacts are expected:
• Closure of the northbound right turning lane on State Route 36
• Closure of the southbound left turning lane on State Route 36
• Closure of Webbs Crossing Road between the intersection and Aldi’s
The work is anticipated to take approximately five (5) days, with completion expected by the end of day on Monday, April 27, weather permitting.
Motorists are advised to follow the posted detour utilizing State Route 21 and should plan for potential delays. Drivers are encouraged to use caution and remain alert while traveling through the area.
This advisory is being shared by Steuben County to keep residents informed. All construction activities and project management are being conducted by the New York State Department of Transportation.
Steuben County appreciates the public’s attention to this matter and encourages safe travel during the duration of the project.
April 9, 2026
FROM SHERIFF JIM ALLARD: On April 8, 2026, Sheriff Allard presided over a major swearing-in ceremony, marking a new chapter for our agency with several key promotions and new additions across our divisions.
Jail Division
We are proud to welcome eight (😎 new Correction Officers to our team: Five (5) Part-Time Officers: Officer Foote, Officer Reed, Officer Lewis, Officer Johanson, and Officer Mosher. Three (3) Provisional Full-Time Officers: Officer Burrola, Officer Chadwick, and Officer Morseman.
Road Patrol & Leadership
Our Road Patrol Division is growing and evolving with new talent and seasoned leadership: Undersheriff Brian Logsdon: Brian has been with our agency since 2007, holding many different leadership roles. For the last 9 years he has been overseeing the Patrol Division as Lieutenant and has now been appointed to the position of Undersheriff. This was a special milestone for Sheriff Allard as well – he shared that in all his years of service; this is the first Undersheriff he has sworn in! The Sheriff’s decision reflects his absolute confidence in Brian’s leadership.
Lieutenant Matthew Sorge: Matt has been serving our community since 2006. After years of dedicated leadership as our Civil Division Sergeant, we’re happy to announce his promotion to Lieutenant of the Road Patrol Division.
Sergeant Thomas Nybeck: A member of our agency since 2014 and a K9 handler for the last 8 years, Tom has been a leader among his peers and is being promoted from Deputy to Sergeant in the Road Patrol Division. K9 Twiggy will continue his service with Sergeant Nybeck.
Special Patrol Deputy Todd Terwilliger: We welcome back Todd, a retired SCSO Deputy with 25 years of experience. He rejoins us as a School Resource Officer assigned to Carder Elementary School (C-PP School District).
Sheriff Allard expressed great pride in these transitions, noting that these changes represent a positive leap forward for the future of our agency. Please join us in congratulating all these officers on their hard work and commitment to keeping Steuben County safe!
April 9, 2026
There is going to be a Lance Corporal Zach Smith event called, “Riding for a Reason” That will be in Hornell, on May 24, starting at 4pm. It will be a UTV ride, which will go from the Ice House Road, to the Hornell VFW, to the Hornell American Legion, to Tobes Hill Road. The money raised from this event will go to The Zach Smith Scholarship Fund.
Lance Corporal Zach Smith was killed in action, in Afghanistan, January 24 2010.
He was 19 years old.
April 9, 2026
With April in full swing, it is important to remember its significance as ‘National Donate Life Month.’ Since I first stepped on the Assembly floor in 2011, raising awareness about organ donation has been a very personal issue to me and one of my top legislative priorities. The numbers have improved significantly over the years, but we still have so much work to do. One of the most important statistics I share regularly is that one person who donates at the time of their death can save up to eight lives and impact the lives of 75 others.
According to Donate Life New York State, we have a 53% enrollment rate while the national average is 64%. As a state, we have the third-greatest need for organs, but one of the worst donor enrollment rates in the nation.
Over 8,000 New Yorkers are on the waiting list for a transplant, and nearly 800 of those people have been waiting for more than five years. Tragically, last year, nearly 300 New Yorkers died while waiting for a life-saving organ transplant. We can, and must, do better!
These numbers have improved, but as previously stated, we must do better. We have taken helpful actions to make it easier to register to become an organ donor in New York state. I believe the more we ask the question, “Will you register to be an organ donor and help save lives?” the more New Yorkers will say “Yes.” One of the successful steps we have taken over the years was the passage of ‘Lauren’s Law,’ which I was proud to co-sponsor, which does not allow the state to process a driver’s license application until the individual answers either ‘yes’ or ‘skip this question’ in regard to whether they would like to register as an organ donor. In addition to this important legislation that has boosted organ donor rates, we have also passed legislation to allow 16- and 17-year-olds to register their intent to become organ donors, along with creating a new online donor registry that allows individuals to officially register to become organ donors.
We also have a newer bill we are pushing that I am proud to co-sponsor called the Doorways to Donation Act, which would allow New Yorkers to sign up to be an organ donor while doing their taxes online. We know New Yorkers are good and, as I said before, if we give them the option to say yes to becoming an organ donor, they will say yes. That is why this bill is so critically important this year.
One of my proudest moments as a father was when my daughter, Leah, and son, Sam, came home with their first driving permits, and on the card, it said they were organ donors. As I mentioned, this is a deeply personal issue to me. I have seen firsthand how organ donation can impact the quality of life of a family. You see, my sister, Teresa, was a juvenile diabetic, and that disease took its toll on her body and organs over her lifetime. Teresa was a two-time organ transplant recipient. First, from the kindness of a stranger in 2000, and second, I had the privilege to donate a kidney to my sister in 2006. Unfortunately, Teresa passed away in 2013 at the age of 50. Despite Teresa’s death at such a young age, I still tell people she was a lucky one. She received two transplants. Many people never receive one. I never knew how bad the numbers were in New York until I was elected in 2010 and saw how bad they truly were. These statistics certainly were eye-opening and motivated me to do more to promote education and awareness of this life-saving issue. As I said, Teresa was lucky to receive two transplants. Unfortunately, too many people die while waiting for that life-changing organ transplant. Working together, we can continue to improve these numbers and help save lives. And please remember, “one person truly can make a difference,” because just one person who donates at the time of their death can save up to eight lives and impact the lives of 75 others.
April is ‘National Donate Life Month,’ but I urge you to talk about this issue year-round, not just in April. We all have the opportunity to save someone’s life on any given day of the year. If you have already registered to become an organ donor, thank you. If you have not, please talk to your family and consider it. If you are interested in becoming an organ donor today, visit your local Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) office, or please register at Donate Life New York today: https://donatelife.ny.gov/register/. Thank you, and let’s continue to work together to help save lives.
April 9, 2026
Governor Kathy Hochul has announced an unprecedented state effort to fill potholes and repave roads across New York State, following one of the coldest winters in recent memory. This month, State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) forces will conduct a statewide push to address potholes on state roads. In April, 215 crews will place more than 8,000 tons of asphalt to fill an anticipated 175,000 potholes statewide. Plans are in place to fill hundreds of thousands more as the weather permits over the months ahead.
27 lane miles on I-86 between Exit 29 (Friendship) and Exit 30 (Belmont) and the Friendship rest area in the towns of Friendship, Amity and Angelica, Allegany County.
April 8, 2026
Bill Pullman, will be in the sequel to the 1987 movie Spaceballs. In the original, Pullman played a character named “Lonestar”. The Spaceballs sequel will be released on April 23, 2027.
One of the most interesting things about Spaceballs II, is that Bill will be working in it, with his son, Lewis. “We just wrapped, and … every day was such a trip,” Lewis told People Magazine. “It felt like a bizarre simulation. I just couldn’t believe my luck.” Variety.com reports that this is the second movie the father and son have worked on together. “(This) will be an onscreen reunion for the father-son duo, who previously acted alongside each other in the 2017 western, The Ballad of Lefty Brown.
April 8, 20926
From The North Hornell Fire Dept:
Chief
27 Mike Robbins
Assistant Chiefs
2701 Jeremy Smith
2702 Aaron Hasper
2703 Justin Morse
Captains
2773 Chris Patterson
2774 Tommy Brown
Lieutenants
2771 Austin Fritsch
2772 Aidan Patterson
President
Chris Patterson
Vice President
Mike Dunning
Secretary
Lauren Szarek
Treasurer
Jim Bebout
Executive Board
Colin Campbell
Cameron Sanford
Chelsie Reisman
April 8, 2026
FROM CONGRESSMAN NICK LANGWORTHY: “We are one week away from the tax filing deadline, and thanks to the Working Families Tax Cut, we are putting American small businesses first. These meaningful changes to the tax code will help them do what they do best: create jobs.”
