Category: Local News

Additional Charges Against Onondaga County Man

December 12, 2013

HORNELLSVILLE, NY – Last month we reported that a 48 year old Onondaga County man was arrested when an underage girl was found at an apartment with him in Onondaga County. T he Steuben County Sheriff’s Office is making additional charges in the case: officials say the 48 year old had been in contact with the girl for a year through the internet, and that he had come in from Onondaga County to meet her at a local motel when she was under age.

The 48 year old is charged with 3 counts of 3rd degree rape.
The suspect is now in Steuben County Jail.

Merger Update: Alfred-Almond Goes Forward With Merger Study

December 12, 2013

The Alfred-Almond School Board had a unanimous vote, at this week’s school board meeting, to proceed with a merger study, to see how a merger would go between Alfred-Almond, Canaseraga Central and Arkport Central.

Libordi and Hornellsville: Freedom of Info Issue

December 12, 2013

HORNELLSVILLE, NY – North Hornell Village Trustee Frank Libordi says he’s made freedom of information act requests of the Hornellsville Town Hall, and that the Hornellsville Town Board is not good about responding. “I foiled information, it should be turned over to me, and it was not turned over to me. I was able to attain it,” Libordi tells WLEA News. “The freedom of information law should be followed, and it is not followed in the Town of Hornellsville.

Hornellsville Town Clerk Sheryl Isaman says that Hornellsville Town Attorney Pat McAllister answered Libordi in a letter, that she wrote, that McAllister dictated to her, about the FOIL request that Libordi disputed at the other night’s meeting.

Routine Pullover Resulted In Alleged Illegal Immigrant Arrests
December 12, 2013

ARKPORT, NY – Officials with the Steuben County Sheriff’s Office report that after a routine pull-over for speeding in Arkport, three illegal immigrants from Mexico were found inside a vehicle on State Route 961F, last night just before 11:30pm. According to the sheriff’s department, none of the passengers could provide any identification and admitted that they were not U.S. citizens.

The three men, ages 21, 25 and 47, were taken to Rochester by the border patrol.

Merger Update: Alfred-Almond Goes Forward With Merger Study
December 12, 2013

The Alfred-Almond School Board had a unanimous vote, at this week’s school board meeting, to proceed with a merger study, to see how a merger would go between Alfred-Almond, Canaseraga Central and Arkport Central.

Economic Development Council Announces Funding
For Projects in Alfred and Corning
December 11, 2013

ALBANY, NY – Governor Andrew Cuomo’s regional economic development councils announced that they’re giving out over 700 million statewide in economic funding.

In our region, $500,000 is going to Alfred State College to create an energy efficient facility to train students manufacturing techniques.

Also, $1.5 million in funding will go to the Corning Glass Museum for a new reception area at the museum.

“I would like to thank the members of both the Southern Tier and the Finger Lakes Regional Economic Development Councils (EDC) for all the outstanding work they have done to help build these new economic development strategies,” said Assemblyman Phil Palmesano (R, Corning). “Our local EDCs play a vital role in demonstrating our region’s and state’s commitment to job creators through their collaborative efforts to encourage private sector investment which will help keep and create jobs right here in our local communities,” Palmesano stated.

“The Southern Tier and Finger Lakes regions continue to stand out this year and my gratitude goes out to the many regional leaders across the Southern Tier and Finger Lakes for their ongoing commitment and work over the past three years to assess our regional strengths and
weaknesses, identify specific economic priorities, and put in place short-and long-term strategies to keep us moving toward a stronger and more secure economic future,” said Senator Tom O’Mara (R, Big Flats). “These regional public-private partnerships are providing the economic leadership we need in this tough economy and keep building on these new economic foundations so that our employers and our workers can compete with anyone, anywhere for the jobs of the future and across-the-board economic growth.”

Differences of Opinon:
Hornellsville Town Board: Pro-Wind
Hartsville Town Board: Anti-Wind
Alfred Village Board: Anti-Fracking

December 11, 2013

While the majority on the Hartsville Town Board don’t describe themselves as being officially “anti-wind”, they are lukewarm at best, and are definitely not as interested as officials on the Hornellsville Town Board towards getting a wind project up and running with Everpower. Add to that, Everpower Wind’s Kevin Sheen has made it clear that Everpower wants wind farms for both Hartsville and Hornellsville, and you get what seem to be strong differences of opinion on what is best for the area. This is not the first time that Hornellsville has met with Everpower this year. In September, Kevin Sheen gave a presentation at the Hornellsville Town Hall regarding a possible Hornellsville/Hartsville project Isaman and his board are actively courting the wind company, while Hartsville officials seem much more skeptical.

At Tuesday night’s Hornellsville Town Board meeting, Supervisor Isaman and the board discussed the December 3rd planning board meeting with Everpower. Hornellsville officials say the proposed project calls for 10 wind turbines for Hornellsville and 20 turbines for Hartsville. Isaman disclosed at last night’s Hornellsville meeting that wind officials say there is a better atmosphere now for wind, then there was two or three years ago, and that the project would be worked out as a PILOT (Payment in Lieu of Taxes) agreement between Steuben County, the Town of Hornellsville, and the school (Arkport Central).

HORNELLSVILLE TOWN BOARD Video

In the Village of Alfred, in addition to the Town of Alfred, they have a moratorium on hydrofracking. Alfred Village Mayor Justin Grigg (D) says that village fracking moratorium will end in the spring of 2014, and that Alfred Village officials are looking to block fracking from happening. “We received counsel, on how to alter our zoning, in order to permanently prevent hydrofracking and related activities in the village,” Grigg told WLEA News last night.

ALFRED MAYOR JUSTIN GRIGG Video

Libordi’s FOIL Request on Tax Collector, D.A. Says No Crime

December 11, 2013

HORNELLSVILLE, NY – North Hornell Village Trustee Frank Libordi (R) has been making freedom of information requests of the Hornellsville Town Board, about the former Hornellsville Tax Collector. At Tuesday night’s Hornellsville Town Board meeting, Libordi stated that he had made a freedom of information request to see if there had been any agreement between the former tax collector about paying back several taxpayers. Libordi also said that the answer he received from the Hornellsville Clerk was not true. “Clearly you have the documents that should have been turned over,” Libordi told Town Supervisor Ken Isaman (R). “On April 10, 2013, from the Town of Hornellsville,on your heading, it says that the tax collector will owe a summary of accounts, an account owed by you, for the tax year 2012,” Libordi stated, during last night’s public comment period. “And then at the base of the calculations, it says the total owed by the tax collector: $1599,” said Libordi.

FRANK LIBORDI ​Video

Steuben County District Attorney Brooks Baker told WLEA News that at the request of the Steuben County Attorney, the D.A.’s office did an investigation of the former tax collector. Baker says he found no evidence of criminal behavior. “Funds were mishandled. Basically, they were put in wrong accounts, some checks were said to be lost within the office. By and large, it was a case of very, very sloppy book keeping. In the end, we couldn’t find any indication of criminal intent,” Baker said. “In the end, it is a situation that’s best (left) between the employer and the employee.”

STEUBEN COUNTY D.A. BAKER Video

Frysinger Verdict: Not Guilty

December 10, 2013

BATH, NY – The verdict is in on the Frysinger rape case.

​Officials in Steuben County Court are reporting that Jordan Frysinger, 21, of Corning has been found not guilty on all charges.

North Hornell Fire Contracts

December 10, 2013

NORTH HORNELL, N.Y.- The village of North Hornell board met for their monthly meeting on Monday night. Among the items on the agenda, The board approved a five year contract for fire protection services with the town of Hornellsville. Hornellsville is split up in three different sections; Arkport, North Hornell and South Hornell while their respective fire departments are contracted to provide their services to the Town of Hornellsville. The Village of North Hornell board approved their fire dept. contract which runs for a period of five years starting January 2014 ending in 2018. This year the Village will get a three percent raise up to $44,695.00 ending in 2018 with a five percent raise for the amount of $52,790.00. The Contract will go up twenty percent over the term of five years, beginning with a 3% raise in 2014, 4% raise in 2015, 4% raise in 2016, 4% raise in 2017, ending at a 5% raise in 2018.

The village board also got an update from the chairman of the planning board Joe Ingalls on the proposed sub-division that will be a part of Marick park. The plan calls for seven parcels that will be offered for prospective home builders. Ingalls said that once the DEC and Health department sign off on the project, he is hopeful that work can begin sometime in the spring of 2014. There are some decisions left to be made in regards to sidewalks, and lighting before the project is started. However at this time the subdivision is going to have outlets, on both Cameron Street and Mary Street although is not slated to have any thru traffic and the need for sidewalks in still undetermined. The Village board will ultimately be the entity that will issue building permits on all of the seven parcels, when the time comes to build on a prospective site.

Canisteo-Greenwood School Board Meeting, December 9, 2013
December 9, 2013

CANISTEO, NY – Canisteo-Greenwood trumpet players Kyle Roberts and Devin Ames showed up at last night’s school board meeting in Canisteo, to play a couple of Christmas songs.

CG Trumpeters Video

Canisteo-Greenwood School Resource Officer John McNelis gave an update on how things went for him,
in the first half of the year at Canisteo-Greenwood.

CG Resource Officer – Video

In other school news, some want to bring back boys soccer, and Canisteo Greenwood School Board President Mike Nisbet says the board of education will seriously consider bringing back boys varsity soccer.

Situation at Hornell High School

December 9, 2013

HORNELL, NY – The following is posted on the Hornell School District’s website:

Earlier this morning, due to a possible air quality issue, the 7-12 building activated a Shelter in Place (all students remained in the classroom that they were in and instruction continued). Since that time we received clearance from emergency personnel and classes have resumed as normal.

UPDATE: 1:06PM
STATEMENT FROM HORNELL SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT WYANT:

In first period (Junior High Chorus) at approximately 8:25 a student had a medical emergency and was properly escorted to the Nurse’s office. Before the end of the period, two other students were also escorted. At the start of second period, four more students (also from Chorus) were transported to the Nurse’s Office. With other students also randomly coming down, it was decided that a shelter in place would be called to investigate the events. In all 16 students were transported to St. James via ambulance and one by their parent.

After National Fuel, the Hornell Fire Department, Tim Marshall from Emergency Management and our own maintenance staff thoroughly examined the entire building, it was determined that the building was indeed safe. There were no air quality issues. Also, keep in mind that there were 100+ students and two adults in the room 1st period that have resumed their normal school day.

We have been in constant communication with the hospital and the plan is for all students to be released from the hospital today.