Category: Home Page Headlines

March 3, 2015

HORNELL, NY – The Hornell School board passed some changes to the school’s dress code policy. “Refrain from wearing hats or other headgear but not limited to caps, bandanas, hoodies, etc., in the school buildings from 7:30am to 3:30pm on school days, except for religious or medical purposes, or if specifically approved by the building administrator for school sponsored activities, such as fundraisers, spirit week, etc.,” said Rich Scavo, reading the new rule aloud at the Monday night Hornell School Board meeting.

Scavo, who was a longtime Hornell Police Officer, also says this is happening so security cameras can pick up the faces of those coming in and out of schools.

March 3, 2015

CANISTEO, NY – They are going to buy and plant new trees for the Canisteo Living Sign.

The Canisteo-Greenwood School District is responsible for taking care of the collection of trees that spells “C-A-N-I-S-T-E-O”. At the Monday night school board meeting, Superintendent Jeremy Palotti spoke of how, after consulting with the Department of Environmental Conservation, a tree farmer, an arborist, and a forester, the school board came to the conclusion that they need to plant new trees in between the dying trees.

After the new trees grow, the old trees can be cut down.

March 3, 2015

CANISTEO, NY – At the Monday night Canisteo-Greenwood School Board meeting, LaBella Associates gave their update on the school’s capital project.
Officials say that as of this week, 91 percent of the project has been completed, and out of a $200,000 contingency budget, $28,600 is remaining.

School Superintendent Jeremy Palotti made a presentation on the preliminary budget/tax cap. Palotti says CG is looking at a 52.2 million dollar tax levy, with a 1.608 tax cap. According to Palotti, overall spending is down for this upcoming budget, but revenue is also down as well. The school board is looking at a $117,000 gap, between the estimated revenues and estimated expenses.

March 2, 2015

BATH, NY – Former Cohocton Town Clerk Sandra Riley was sentenced this morning in Steuben County Court.
Riley was given 4 months in Steuben County Jail, 5 years probation, and must pay restitution.

The former town clerk was arrested in September 2014, and pleaded guilty on December 22, 2014.
Riley was accused of stealing over $36,000, while working at Cohocton Town Hall.

March 2, 2015

HORNELL, NY – Congressman Tom Reed (R, Corning) was not at the Hornell Lincoln Day Dinner Friday night, at as originally planned.
That’s because Reed had to stay in Washington to vote on the Department of Homeland Security.

The House of Representatives website shows that the congressman voted no, on homeland security on Friday.

The Jamestown Post Journal published an article last Tuesday, three days before the vote, quoting Congressman Reed as saying that U.S. Senate Democrats were holding homeland security funding hostage, because democrats wanted the Republicans to back down from fighting the president on amnesty.

Click here to read story that was in Jamestown Post Journal.

March 2 2015

U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand will be at the University of Rochester, the University of Buffalo and Syracuse University today, talking about her legislation to crack down on sexual assault on college campuses.

Last week, Gillibrand noted that she reintroduced a strengthened version of the Campus Accountability and Safety Act.

She says she did that, after receiving input from survivors, students, colleges and universities, law enforcement, and advocates. The legislation would professionalize the response to and reporting of sexual assaults that occur on campuses to better protect and empower survivors of campus sexual violence.

The senator will be in Buffalo at 10:30am, in Rochester at 12:30pm, and in Syracuse at 2:15 pm.

February 28, 2015

HORNELL, NY – It was a very large get together last night at the Hornell Golf Club, for the 2015 Lincoln Day Dinner.

Speakers included Senator Tom O’Mara, Assemblyman Phil Palmesano, Assemblyman Bill Nojay, Joe Sempolinski from Congressman Tom Reed’s Office, Steuben County District Attorney,  as did keynote speaker Erie County Clerk Chris Jacobs. Hornell GOP Leader John Buckley was the master of ceremonies.

Buckley began the evening with recollections of former Hornell Alderman Randy Harkenrider, who died recently of cancer, as well as the late Lorretta Haefele, who passed away two weeks ago.

Assemblyman Phil Palmesano spoke about the late Don Davidsen, the former state assemblyman and longtime veterinarian from Canisteo. Supreme Court judge candidate Judy Sinclair, Judge Bill Taylor, and a representative from Judge Craig Doran’s office, were also present. 

The winner of the Republican of the Year Award, was Assemblyman Bill Nojay.

Febuary 27, 2015

CANASERAGA, NY – Approximately 70 residents showed up to Canaseraga, Arkport, and Alfred-Almond Central Schools’ last merger study Thursday evening at 6 pm in the Canaseraga Central School gymnasium. The main purposes of the meeting was to combine all the work they put together within the last 10 months to “paint a picture of each district” and to make recommendations about a possible Canaseraga, Arkport, and Alfred-Almond merger.

Topics discussed include declining enrollment in all three schools, the attempt of having a universal Pre-K program in each elementary school, broadening the high school curriculum, providing and developing athletic and extracurricular programs, new grade arrangements for students, a new bargaining agreement for staff, a new administrative structure, and developing a new financial plan should a merger occur.

Concerns were brought up via the fear of closing the Canaseraga School, losing approximately 100 students (approximately 50% of student body) via the merger.

According to Board Consultant Bill Silky, the attendance areas were to remain as they were by redistricting to balance the numbers for the three schools.

February 27, 2015

ADDISON, NY – The Steuben County Sheriff’s Department reports that they, along with Corning and Addison Police and the D.A.’s office, were found with large quantities of drugs at their Copper Avenue home in Addison.

Officials say Tyler Hults, 22, and Amanda Rodrigues, 26, are in Steuben County Jail without bail and are facing numerous drug charges.

February 27, 2015

ONTARIO COUNTY, NY – The Steuben County District Attorney’s Office says 38 year old Christina Prichard of Canandaigua, formerly of Hornell, is accused of stealing tens of thousands of dollars in a welfare and medicaid fraud scam.

D.A. Brooks Baker says that Prichard, while working as a home aide for a senior citizen, is alleged to have forged hundreds of checks and used credit cards and double billed the county AIM and childcare programs. She’s also accused of falsely reporting her income to get medicaid benefits. Baker noted that Hornell Police Investigator Tom Aini, Sheriff’s Investigator Robert King and Marcus Smith, discovered the forgeries allegedly done by Prichard.

Officials say there are 271 counts against her. State Police charged her with grand larceny, forgery, welfare fraud, falsifying business records, and offering a false instrument for filing. Christina Prichard was remanded to Steuben County Jail.

State Police, Hornell Police, the Steuben County Sheriff’s Office, the District Attorney’s Office, the Fraud Unit of the Steuben County Department of Social Services, all worked together on this case.