Category: Home Page Headlines

July 23, 2026

U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) held a virtual press conference to celebrate unanimous Senate passage of her bipartisan Older Americans Act (OAA) Reauthorization Act. The OAA Reauthorization Act renews funding for the essential services provided by the OAA, including programs that provide nutrition assistance, meal deliveries, transportation services, caregiver support, long-term care, and more.

“The OAA is a lifeline for American seniors, and I am proud to have successfully led the charge for its reauthorization in the Senate,” said Senator Gillibrand. “Our seniors have spent their lives building our communities, raising families, and serving our country. They have earned the right to age with health, dignity, and independence in the settings of their choice—and OAA programs help them do just that. I am proud to see this legislation pass the Senate with unanimous support, and I am calling on the House to take up and pass this legislation immediately.”

The OAA has been a lifeline for American seniors since its passage in 1965. Every year, OAA programs deliver over 250 million meals, provide more than 14 million rides, and offer 30 million hours of caregiver support and in-home assistance with daily tasks like bathing and dressing. In total, about one in six older adults across the country rely on OAA-funded services every year.

However, authorization of the OAA expired at the end of 2024, jeopardizing OAA programs’ long-term future.

Specifically, this year’s OAA Reauthorization Act reauthorizes the following programs through fiscal year 2030:

the national eldercare locator service;
regional aging and disability resource centers;
grants to support counseling and assistance on pensions and other retirement benefits;
grants to support home-delivered nutrition services like Meals on Wheels;
programs to facilitate the delivery of supportive services to tribal organizations; and
programs to prevent elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation.

The bill also modifies existing programs for older individuals to promote innovation and flexibility, strengthen program integrity, and better support family caregivers and direct care workers.

July 23, 2026

FROM REP. TENNEY: Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-24) today applauded House passage of the Fiscal Year 2027 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), legislation that authorizes $1.15 trillion to strengthen America’s national defense, support servicemembers, rebuild the defense industrial base, and advance President Trump’s Peace Through Strength agenda. The legislation also includes Congresswoman Tenney’s FORKS Made in America Permanency Act.

This bill passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 216-212.

“The world has become increasingly dangerous, and America must remain prepared to confront growing threats from China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, and terrorist organizations,” said Congresswoman Tenney. “The FY27 NDAA delivers the investments our military needs to remain the strongest fighting force in the world while ensuring our servicemembers receive the support they have earned. It also strengthens America’s defense industrial base, cuts wasteful spending, and reinforces President Trump’s Peace Through Strength agenda. I am especially pleased that my FORKS Made in America Act was included, which supports local manufacturing jobs in Central New York and ensures our troops have the highest-quality products that are made in New York.”

Key Provisions in the FY27 NDAA:

Provides junior enlisted servicemembers with a 7% pay raise.
Invests in our defense industrial base to Secure the United States’ place as the arsenal of democracy.
Codifies 22 of President Trump’s Executive Orders and 43 legislative proposals requested by the Trump administration.
Includes new authorities to compel our allies to pay for more of their own defense.
Increases investments in our key allies, like Israel and Taiwan, countering our adversaries like China and Iran.
Cuts billions in inefficient programs and Pentagon bureaucracy, while investing more in low-cost, mass-produced munitions and drones.
Officially renames the Department of Defense to the Department of War
Continues prohibitions on funding the DEI bureaucracy and gender transition procedures, focusing our military on lethality, meritocracy, and accountability
Includes S. 1383, the SAVE America Act to ensure noncitizens cannot vote in our elections and to require a photo identification to vote.

Background on Tenney’s Bill Included in the FY27 NDAA:

FORKS Made in America Permanency Act of 2025 – This bill requires the Department of War to only purchase domestically produced stainless steel flatware. This will help support American manufacturers of stainless-steel flatware, such as Sherrill Manufacturing. In the FY25 NDAA, Tenney secured a 3-year mandate for the purchase of domestically produced stainless steel flatware, but this year’s provision would remove the sunset clause and make this mandate permanent.

Key Tenney Amendments included in the FY27 NDAA:

Establishing a presumption of approval for qualified DoW servicemembers and civilian employees seeking authorization from their facility commander to carry personal firearms on military installations
Prohibiting gender related medical care under TRICA, including radical genital mutilation surgeries.
Prohibiting DoWEA schools from allowing males from participating in an athletic program or activity that is designated exclusively for females.
Requiring the Secretary of War and Secretary of State to use every opportunity to ensure that NATO countries and Major Non-NATO allies do not enforce ICC warrants against one another’s militaries.
Authorizing the Secretary of War to establish a school choice pilot program for members of the Armed Forces.
Requiring the Department of War to create a report identifying, assessing, and mitigating risks from acquisitions of land near U.S. military installations from countries of concern and foreign terrorist organizations.
Prohibiting FY27 Department of War funding from going to any K-12 schools with a Confucius Institute or Confucius Classroom.
Requires Taiwan to be included in RIMPAC 2028.
Cutting off security clearances for formed members of the Armed Forces who lobby for Chinese military companies.
Authorizing APEX Accelerators to assist small businesses in acquiring procurement contracts related to AUKUS.

July 23, 2026

FROM BRUCE BLAKEMAN: Kathy Hochul’s Green Energy Scam is not only a threat to your wallet; it is now a public health threat poisoning our communities. Look at East Hampton: a utility-scale battery fire dumped 2.2 million gallons of toxic runoff straight into Long Island’s groundwater, and Kathy Hochul promised the public there was no danger. She lied. Independent testing confirmed dangerous PFAS ‘forever chemicals’ in our water supply. But what’s worse than a Green Energy Scam turning into a toxic chemical disaster? A Governor who covers it up—hiding the dangerous test results for over a year to protect her green narrative.

From radioactive waste in Niagara County to the botched Grumman cleanup in Bethpage, Kathy Hochul has proven she will sacrifice public health and clean water to protect her ‘Green Energy Scam.’ As Governor, I will put an immediate halt to all battery storage facilities across New York State until safety is guaranteed and state regulators are held accountable. Hochul’s Green Energy Scam ends on Day 1, and I’ll cut your utility bill in half. New Yorkers deserve a Governor who protects their wallet, their water quality, and their safety—and Kathy Hochul has failed on all levels,” Nassau County Executive and candidate for Governor of New York Bruce Blakeman said as toxic chemicals were located in East Hampton’s water following a battery energy storage facility fire – despite Kathy Hochul’s repeated claim there was no threat to public drinking water and continued support for large scale battery storage facilities.

July 22, 2026

FROM THE ALFRED POLICE DEPT: On July 21, 2026, the Alfred Police Department investigated a two-vehicle motor vehicle crash on State Route 244 involving multiple reported injuries. The investigation determined that a 2017 Hyundai, operated by Keegan M. Bradley, 32, of Hornell, New York, crossed the center line and collided head-on with another vehicle. Bradley was not injured in the crash. Several occupants of the second vehicle were transported to area hospitals with injuries that are believed to be non-life-threatening. The names of those occupants are not being released at this time.
Further investigation revealed that Bradley was allegedly impaired by the use of drugs at the time of the crash.

As a result of the investigation, Bradley was arrested and charged with:
Vehicular Assault in the First Degree (Class D Felony)
Reckless Endangerment in the First Degree (Class D Felony)
Driving While Ability Impaired by Drugs (DWAI-Drugs)

Bradley was processed by the Alfred Police Department and transported to the Allegany County Jail, where he was held pending arraignment.

July 22, 2026

FROM SENATOR GILLIBRAND: U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand released the following statement on the death of Sergeant Angel S. Rampersad, 28, of Ozone Park, New York. Sergeant Rampersad is believed to have lost her life during an Iranian attack at Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan. To honor Sergeant Rampersad’s service, Senator Gillibrand will request that flags be flown at half-mast over the Capitol today. “All New Yorkers mourn the tragic loss of Sergeant Angel Rampersad, who bravely served our nation. My prayers are with her family, loved ones, and unit during this time of profound grief. May her selfless service to our country and her enduring memory never be forgotten.”

FROM GOV HOCHUL: “Today, New York mourns the loss of one of our own, Sgt. Angel S. Rampersad of Ozone Park, who is believed to have been killed in action while serving our nation on July 17. “My heart is with her family, loved ones and the soldiers who stood beside her as they grieve this unimaginable loss. Sgt. Rampersad lived a life of courage and selflessness. New York, and our nation, are safer because of brave Americans like her who answer the call to serve. May we honor her memory, remember her sacrifice and keep all who loved her in our prayers.”

July 22, 2026

Canaseraga Faculty, Staff, and Community:

We regret to announce that Mrs. Steiner will be resigning from her position as Superintendent of Schools, effective sometime in August 2026.

Mrs. Steiner has shared that, while she has been honored to serve here in Canaseraga, she is pursuing a position that is better suited for her family’s needs during this particular season of life. We wish her well as she makes these decisions and moves on.

Please be assured that the Board of Education has a transition plan in place, and the district will continue to function at a high level for the upcoming school year.

More information will be forthcoming. The Board plans to appoint an interim superintendent, and will conduct a new superintendent search, with the help of GST District Superintendent Stacy Saglibene. Ms. Saglibene has assisted the district in the past and is well-versed in the process for hiring a new superintendent. We welcome her support.

The Board of Education will continue to update the community as we progress throughout the summer and fall. Thank you for your support.

Sincerely,
The Canaseraga CSD Board of Education

July 22, 2026

FROM BRUCE BLAKEMAN, GOP CANDIDATE FOR NYS GOVERNOR: “Only Kathy Hochul could look at New Yorkers paying the highest electric bills in the country and decide the real crisis is the people trying to lower them. When fed-up ratepayers took the Hochul Administration to court to block inflated utility rates, Hochul didn’t look for ways to lower costs. Instead, she sicced state lawyers on them to protect higher prices. Think about how insane that is: You pay the highest taxes in the nation, you pay outrageous electric bills because Kathy Hochul hiked utility rates 48 times, and then Hochul uses your own tax dollars to make sure your power bill stays sky-high. New Yorkers are opening monthly power bills that look like mortgage payments while Kathy Hochul celebrates winning a victory for higher prices. When I am Governor, this state-sponsored extortion ends. I will cut your utility bill in half and make New York affordable,” Nassau County Executive and candidate for Governor of New York Bruce Blakeman said as the Hochul Administration moved to dismiss Lemondes, et al. v Hochul, et al., blocking reduced utility rates for New Yorkers.”

July 21, 2026

FROM STATE SENATOR GEORGE BORRELLO: “Another day, another death behind bars in New York. This time it’s Attica, where an inmate is dead after a multi-person fight reportedly involving two rival groups. Sadly, this isn’t a surprise. It’s exactly the kind of chaos we’ve been seeing for years under Governor Hochul’s watch.

“Since the HALT Act went into effect, inmate-on-staff assaults have jumped 51 percent and inmate-on-inmate assaults have skyrocketed 139 percent. This April alone, three inmates in North Country facilities lost their lives in the span of a single week, reportedly at the hands of fellow inmates. Now Attica joins that grim list.
“Even the HALT Act Committee, made up of stakeholders from across the correctional system and created specifically to evaluate the law, recognized the problems it has caused. The recommendations would restore discipline and accountability inside the prisons and give staff clearer authority to respond to serious and repeat misconduct, among other things.

“None of the recommendations are radical ideas. They’re the product of a committee the Hochul administration created as part of an agreement to end the February 2025 prison strike. And yet the Governor and legislative Democrats have ignored these recommendations for months while the death toll climbs.

“It’s telling that so many of my Democratic colleagues have gone silent as this violence piles up. There is a growing wing of their own party that doesn’t want the HALT Act fixed; it wants the whole system gone. The New York City prison abolitionist movement is expanding. Even NYC’s current Mayor once called the entire carceral system ‘an unreformable public health hazard.’ Governor Hochul needs the support of that wing of her party to survive politically, and it shows. As she ignores the HALT Act Committee’s recommendations and lets this dumpster fire burn instead of putting it out, she looks less like a leader and more like a hostage to the most radical voices on the left. New Yorkers are paying for that with their lives, and correction officers, staff and inmates alike have become collateral damage as Democrats let law and order collapse around them.”

July 21, 2026

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101 AM EDT Tue Jul 21 2026

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for central New York.

.DAY ONE…Today and tonight.

Several rounds of showers and thunderstorms will move through the region. Thunderstorms have the potential to produce to gusty to locally damaging winds and heavy rainfall.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN…Wednesday through Monday.
Hazardous weather is not expected at this time.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT…
Spotter activation will likely be needed. Please relay any
information about severe weather to the NWS.

July 21, 2026

ALLEGANY COUNTY, NY – We are hearing reports that there was a bad, two vehicle collision this morning in the Town of Alfred Station. From what we can tell at this point, there were around half a dozen accident victims taken to hospitals.

UPDATE, 1:47pm – Alfred Village Police Chief Joshua VanSkiver says the accident happened on State Route 244 between Hamilton Hill Extension and State Route 21 in Alfred Station. The police chief says multiple patients were transported to St James Hospital in Hornell at to Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester. The accident is currently being investigated.
The cause of the accident is unknown at this time.

UPDATE, 2:07pm – FULL STATEMENT FROM ALFRED POLICE CHIEF JOSHUA VANSKIVER:  On July 21, 2026, at approximately 10:57 a.m., the Alfred Police Department responded to a reported two-vehicle motor vehicle crash on State Route 244 just passed Hamilton Rd Extension. Upon arrival, officers determined the crash was a head-on collision involving multiple individuals who required medical attention. The Alfred Station Fire Department, Alfred Ambulance, Medical Transport Service (MTS), Andover Ambulance, and Alfred University Police Department all responded and assisted at the scene.
A portion of State Route 244 was temporarily closed while emergency personnel treated the injured, investigated the crash, and cleared the roadway. Several individuals were transported to area hospitals for treatment. Their conditions are unknown at this time. The investigation into the cause of the crash remains ongoing. Additional information will be released as it becomes available.

The Alfred Police Department is asking anyone who witnessed the crash or has information that may assist investigators to contact the department at 607-587-8878.

July 21, 2026

Hornell Mayor John Buckley and the Hornell Common Council voted Monday night, to take the first step in doing repairs at the Hornell Reservoir. That first step is doing a study on what needs to be repaired at the reservoir. The mayor says this is the biggest project Hornell has had in years. “Due to the size of the project, we would have to break the project into several phases, probably at least three or more phases,” Buckley said. “We have to break it down into phases due to the size and the cost of the project. Simply put, the scale would be so large that traditional funding streams would not cover the majority of the cost of the project. By breaking it down into phases, you would enable yourself to go back to the same funding streams, two or three different times.”