Archive: News

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo urged New Yorkers yesterday to prepare for cold and blustery weather moving across the state starting Thursday and ending on Friday afternoon. The storm system moving along the East Coast could bring accumulations of four to eight inches with higher amounts in the southern Adirondacks. New Yorkers should also expect to see slushy and icy conditions during the Thursday evening and Friday morning commutes. Drivers are being urged to travel with extreme caution as the system has the potential to create difficult road conditions.

"Early winter weather is moving through the state this week and I urge New Yorkers to be prepared and to use caution when driving due to reduced visibility and possible black ice," Governor Cuomo said. "We are watching these weather systems and stand ready to assist our local partners as needed."

The intersection of Ridge and Myers Roads has long been an area of concern because of the danger to school children from cars speeding from the northwest.  More recently the corner has become controversial because of zoning.  In July the Town Planning Board recommended that a parcel with an auto repair shop be rezoned from L1 (Lakeshore) to B1 (Commercial Mixed Use) along with four other small zoning 'adjustments'.  But in October when the Town Board passed them into law the repair shop parcel was missing.  The Board may change zoning for the parcel next month after reconsidering the change Wednesday.

"I understand the zoning is still being worked on and there may be some need for it to be contiguous with the other business zones," said Councilwoman Katrina Binkewicz. "But I think an error was made and we should give (owner Karl Kohlenberg) a formal commitment to being a garage as we go forward."

Cornerstone group of Rochester closed on 13.5 acres of Lansing town land October 31st, paving the way for their Milton Meadows Apartments project.  the project will be partially subsidized with preference given to veterans.  the developers paid the Town of Lansing $337,500 for the land, which will be the site of Phase 1 of the project that could expand to 22 acres total if a second phase is realized later.  Lansing Supervisor Ed LaVigne said the Town is getting the word out to people who may be eligible for the subsidized apartments in the complex.

"Now comes the part to get the word out that people will have a number to call," he said Wednesday.  "Veterans will have the first consideration, but anyone that qualifies will be considered.  We're posting it now to get the word out."

Penn Yan - 2018 Democratic Congressional Nominee Tracy Mitrano (NY-23) announced today that she will seek the 2020 Democratic nomination for the district's seat in the House of Representatives.

"Running for Congress over the last sixteen months was the honor of a lifetime." Mitrano said. "My 2018 campaign was about so much more than me—it was about the families, farmers, students, and seniors in this district who deserve better than they're getting.

Horseheads - Democratic Congressional Nominee Tracy Mitrano (NY-23) issued a statement on her concession to Rep. Tom Reed in this year's Congressional race for New York's 23rd District. Reed's victory was announced shortly after 11:30 p.m., hours after the polls closed at 9 p.m.

With 100 percent of votes counted, Mitrano had received 92,175 votes to Reed's 108,244.

"Several minutes ago, I called Tom Reed to officially concede the race," Mitrano said. "I congratulated the Congressman on his victory, and expressed my hope that he would take into account the degree to which my messages—on healthcare, education, infrastructure, and the environment, in particular—resonated in this district.

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced Monday more than $40 million has been awarded for 11 supportive housing projects for homeless New Yorkers, including $3.7 million for Lakeview Health Service, Inc. in Ithaca. The projects will create a total of 276 supportive housing units for veterans, survivors of domestic violence and individuals with mental illness. The awards, made available through the New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance's Homeless Housing and Assistance Program, will help fund supportive housing projects in Albany, Bronx, Niagara, New York, Ontario, Suffolk and Tompkins counties.

"These projects will provide some of our most vulnerable New Yorkers with the resources they need to stabilize their lives," Cuomo said. "This administration is committed to ensuring that all New Yorkers have access to safe, decent, affordable housing and to ending the homeless crisis once and for all."

Senator Pam Helming announced Monday that she has secured $300,000 to allow Safe Harbors of the Finger Lakes to build a domestic violence shelter in Seneca County. This has been a longtime priority of local advocates, law enforcement officers, and community leaders. This summer, Lori McConnell, of Waterloo, was murdered by her abuser. This tragic event highlighted the need for a local shelter. Helming has worked with Lori's children to deliver this critical funding and bring a shelter to our region.

"As a community we have come together and said enough is enough. We will not stay silent, and we will do everything possible to keep those who have been abused safe. To break the cycle of domestic violence, victims need a safe place they can go with their children to rebuild their lives. Our community pulled together after the murder of Lori McConnell, and as State Senator, I made a commitment to do everything possible to ensure that a shelter would be built to honor Lori's memory and to prevent future tragedy. The development of this shelter is a direct result of the work of so many people, including Lora Bennett and Ryan and Matthew VanDoren, the children of Lori McConnell; Seneca Falls Police Chief Stuart Peenstra; Seneca County Sheriff Tim Luce; Undersheriff John Cleere; Chief Deputy Kipp Goodman; Safe Harbors Executive Director Marisa Rube; and Generations Bank CEO Menzo Case," Helming said.

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced the results Wednesday of joint efforts by the State Liquor Authority and the Department of Motor Vehicles to combat underage drinking. During this enforcement effort in the months of August, September and October, SLA sent underage decoys to 506 establishments, citing 141 for illegal sales to minors. In addition, DMV investigators arrested 271 people under the age of 21 attempting to use false identification to purchase alcohol.  44 arrests were made at two Ithaca bars.

"Underage drinking can lead to bad decisions and dangerous situations that can have lifelong consequences or needless tragedy," Cuomo said. "Through on-going enforcement efforts, we will continue to crack down on this dangerous behavior and target businesses that break the law by selling to minors and underage adults."

Lansingites turned out Tuesday to vote for candidates in several highly contested political races, including local elections for Lansing Town Justice, Tompkins County Sheriff, and the 23rd US Congressional district seat.  Local turnout averaged 63.11% county-wide.  In Lansing the turnout averaged 64.4% with the highest turnout in District 1 (west-central Lansing) at 65.58% and the lowest in District 4 (northwest Lansing) at a still respectable 61.02%.  Unofficial election results -- the results of the Tuesday vote before write-ins and other qualifying votes are counted -- made it unlikely that Tuesday winners would be displaced when the final votes are tallied.

Maura Kennedy-Smith (D) defeated Dick Costello (R) for Lansing Town Justice with 73% of the votes, 3,248 to 1,342 with all seven districts reporting. Kennedy-Smith outpaced Costello in all seven districts.  Costello made his best showing in District 3 with 230 votes, but Kennedy-Smith received 503 in the same district.

The Legislature's Public Safety Committee, after discussion, recommended that the Legislature take a stand in support of marijuana legalization in New York State. The measure won support by a unanimous 5-0 margin.

The resolution supports bringing an end to marijuana prohibition; the creation of a diverse and inclusive marijuana industry; the reinvestment of revenue from taxed and regulated marijuana in communities that were impact by the war on drugs; and passage of the Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act (MRTA). The proposed MRTA, through pending bills in the New York State Senate and Assembly, would legalize the production, distribution, and use of marijuana by removing the substance from classification as an illicit drug under New York's Controlled Substances Act. An alternate version of the proposed resolution was recommended earlier by the Health and Human Services Committee, and the Legislature will have both versions before it when it considers the matter at its December 20 meeting.

Tompkins County Director of Assessment Jay Franklin told Lansing Town Board members Wednesday that they should protect property tax revenue from potential industrial solar farms within  town boundaries.  The Town opted out of providing a tax exemption for solar installations five years ago, but Franklin said a recent lawsuit ruled that a town had not actually opted out because it had not filed with the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA).  Town Attorney Guy Krogh said it would be less costly to file with NYSERDA, and simpler that going through old records to see if the Town has already done so.

"If the Town wants to maintain the exemption, just to play it safe we should probably send a copy to NYSERDA," Krogh said. "I don't know what they'll do with it.  I think it will be killing trees needlessly, but that is apparently what the State mandates."

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo directed that flags on all state government buildings be flown at half-staff on Monday, October 29 until sunset on Sunday, November 4 in honor of the victims of the shootings at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh and at a supermarket in Jeffersontown, Kentucky and issued a call for peace and civility following a week of horrific shootings and attempted bombings.

"The hate in this country has reached a fever pitch and it is bubbling over into violence. This past week, the entire nation was shaken by targeted attempted political bombings, by the racist attack in Kentucky and by the anti-Semitic shooting at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh.