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APALACHIN • OWEGO • NICHOLS
TIOGA CENTER • NEWARK VALLEY
YOUR HOMETOWN NEWSPAPER • www.TiogaWeb.com Volume 30 JANUARY 2015 Number 1
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2 1 0 5
I hope you and your families en-
joyed a blessed Christmas and holiday
season. I wish all of you a happy and
healthy new year as well. So far we have
been spared the harsh winter we endured last year. Hopefully that trend will con-
tinue!
As we look forward to a new year, I
wanted to highlight some of the infor-
mation and facts that have occurred dur-
ing the 2014 year. As I do each year, I
want to take a moment to thank the
Town of Owego employees for their
continued dedication to the town and its
residents. Their efforts contribute to the
quality of life we have come to appreci-
ate. I will highlight the upcoming 2014
budget followed by an overview of the
projects by department, and some mis-
cellaneous information in conclusion. If
you live in the Village of Owego the tax
levy increased by $30,300 which in turn
resulted in a total town tax of $66.02 on
an average assessed home of $62,800.
This resulted in an increase of $2.34 for
2015. If you live outside the village, you
pay the town wide and town outside tax. The town outside tax levy increased
$139,520 and as stated above, the town
wide tax levy increased $30,300 for a
total increase of $169,820. The total tax
paid is $386.14 based on the average
assessed home of $99,900 dollars. The
town wide portion is $105.02 and the
town outside portion is $281.12. In 2014
the total town tax was $362.60. This
resulted in a tax increase of $23.54 for
2015.
Factors negatively affecting the budg-et: the economy remains weak, an ap-
proximate loss of assessment of 1.8 mil-
lion dollars in the town and village, con-
tinued state mandates and continued loss
of revenue at the Hickories Park. The
loss of assessment was much worse but
was offset by some new construction,
commercial improvements and other
development. The 2014 amount of reve-
nue received at Hickories Park was ap-
proximately $160,000 in camping fees and pavilion rentals. The revenue is still
not back to pre-flood levels but is in-
creasing. We expect with the upgrades completed this spring that the revenues
will continue to rise back to normal lev-
els as long as the weather cooperates.
At Hickories Park we hope to have
the dog park completed by mid to late
spring. Also we anticipate that a new
long lasting band shell will be in place.
A big thank you to Senator Libous, The
Mildred Faulkner Foundation and some
donors to be named later for making this
project cost free to the town. The process has begun to rebuild the boat launch at
Hickories and should be completed in
the spring. Continued paving and patch-
ing will also occur in 2015. By this sum-
mer the park upgrades should be com-
pleted and back to full capacity.
Our Highway Department had a very
busy year as they continue to maintain
the current infrastructure and are ready-
ing for a busy winter and spring season.
Work completed last year included the
total pavement reconstruction in the Ray Lee Development (Lori Drive), pave-
ment rehabilitation in the Lincolnshire
Development, pavement reconstruction
of five roads in Tioga Terrace, pavement
overlay on Strong Road, pavement sur-
face treatment on Ridgefield Road in
Crestview Heights and over $286,000 in
paver patching and manual hand patch-
ing. Additionally the Whittemore Hill
Bridge was replaced. Regular drainage
maintenance continued as well.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 11
The Town of Owego 2014 in Review
by Donald Castellucci, Jr. Town of Owego Supervisor
Thanks from the Apalachin Lions Club
The Apalachin Lions Club thanks White Tails in Little Meadows, PA, for their help with the Lions' 2014 Christmas Basket Program, and for donating toys and food. Pictured, left to right: Jeff Kuhr, Heather Vaugn and Apalachin Lion President Jake Brown.
A three-bedroom, single-family ranch
house at 13830 Route 858 in Little
Meadows, PA, was destroyed by fire on
Saturday, December 27, 2014. No one
was in the house, and no injuries were reported.
The Little Meadows Fire Department
responded to the fire. They were assisted
by fire departments from Apalachin,
Susquehanna, Warren Township, Rome,
Rush/Lawton, Vestal, and Endicott.
Route 858 was closed for several hours
while the firefighters worked to
extinguish the blaze.
Little Meadows and Apalachin Fire
Departments returned to the scene about
8:45pm because the fire had rekindled. The fire was quickly put out and no other
hot spots were detected.
The 10-year-old house, which is listed
for sale, is located just north of the
intersection of Rt 858 and Bowbridge
Road (near St. Thomas the Apostle
Cemetery). A large, detached polebarn/garage near the house was not affected
by the fire.
Fire Destroys House in Little Meadows
JANUARY 2015 TIOGA COUNTY COMMUNITY PRESS PAGE 2
Serving Tioga & Broome County For over 20 years!
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Wishing Everyone a Happy New Year 2015
We would like to thank everyone for supporting their local
merchants during the Holiday Season and all year long!
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December 17, 2014 -- The Gaming
Facility Location Board (GFLB)
recommends only 3 of the 4 possible
casino licenses for New York Sate, with
the one license in the “Eastern Finger Lakes/Southern Tier” Region going to
Lago Resort & Casino in Tyre, Senaca
County instead of Tioga Downs in Tioga
County or Traditions in Broome County.
December 19, 2014 - NYS Senator
Tom Libous asks for the fourth license
to be granted in the true Southern Tier
region.
December 22, 2014 - The Oneida Indian
Nation, owner of Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, NY, announces plans
to build a $20 million, 67,000 square
foot Yellow Brick Road casino in the
Village of Chittenango (about 15 miles
east of Syracuse).
December 23, 2014 - At a joint news
conference (pictured above) with Jeff
Gural of Tioga Downs, Peter Walsh of
Traditions announces that the Traditions
team will give their full support to Tioga Downs in its fight for the 4th license.
“Mr. Gural reached out to our team to
discuss a unified front to fight for the
Southern Tier,” Walsh said. “...the entire
Southern Tier can now stand together
and fight for that 4th license. There is no
longer a division over Tioga or
Traditions. We have put our pride and
our differences aside as over 1000 jobs
are at stake and this is far too important
for our community. This unified front is
our best chance at bringing the entire Southern Tier together to secure this 4th
license…. This partnership will ensure
that both Broome and Tioga will
maximize the potential benefit from a
casino in the region… This
partnership ... has the ability to benefit
much more than either one of our
projects could have alone."
December 25, 2014 - On their Facebook
page, Traditions wishes "Merry
Christmas to everyone from the
Traditions - Tioga Downs team."
December 26, 2014 - Governor Andrew
Cuomo writes a letter to the NYS
Gaming Commission and the Gaming
Facility Location Board (GFLB) asking
them to "consider issuing a new Request
for Application to seek a qualified
applicant to submit a new bid that would
allow the fourth and remaining gaming
license to be awarded to a location in
New York's Southern Tier"
Cuomo pointed out that the applicant chosen on December 17 proposed a
casino in an area “well north of the
actual Southern Tier"
Cuomo concluded: "I am requesting
the GFLB consider approving a new
bidding process for Region Five with the
hope that a qualified Applicant will
come forward to site a casino with the
fourth available license in the true
Southern Tier. Indeed, as this would be
the last license issued in New York State, it may excite national competition
by interested parties that submit even
better Applications than the first round."
Tioga County's
COMMUNITY
PRESS Volume 30 Number 1
January 2015 © 2015 Published by
Brown Enterprise And Marketing 7830 State Route 434
Apalachin, New York 13732 Phone (607) 72-PRESS or
(607) 625-2222 E-mail: [email protected]
www.TiogaWeb.com Publisher/Editor ---------- Fred J. Brown Jr.
Published monthly RECEIVED BY MORE PEOPLE IN
TIOGA COUNTY THAN ANY OTHER NEWSPAPER
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COMMUNITY PRESS www.CommunityPress.us
Southern Tier Region passed over
by New York State for a Casino!
Traditions, Tioga Downs, and Senator Libous make last minute plea to Cuomo
JANUARY 2015 TIOGA COUNTY COMMUNITY PRESS PAGE 3
HOMETOWN AUTO SALES & SERVICE
and
OUR GARAGE IS YOUR CAR READY
THE WINTER WEATHER
WE’RE HERE TO HELP
6792 Route 434 Corner of Pa. Ave & Rt 434
Apalachin 625-5345
Mon–Fri 8am–5pm Sat 8-noon Oil Changes • Tires •Batteries & All Repairs
SALES open Mon – Fri 9-5; Sat 10-2 PLOW TRUCKS ~ SUV’s ~ PICKUPS ~ CARS VANS ~ DUMP TRUCKS
On line at: www.HomeTownAutoApalachin.com
The staff of “Hometown Auto” and “Our Garage”
Van Dervort Repair And Rebuild Service
185 Shady Hill Road, Apalachin 625-4658 PICKUP AND DELIVERY AVAILABLE
Lawnmowers, Small Engines - Repaired Alternators, Starters, Generators, Motors - Rebuilt
TIME TO GET YOUR
SNOWBLOWER
CHECKED OUT
AND READY
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4 Generations of Being like Family 8 Delphine St., Owego, NY 687-1803
www.warmcomfort.com
From our family to yours:
Best wishes for a Healthy and
Prosperous New Year
2 1 0 5
1000 Maple St., Little Meadows, Pa. (next to the Fire Station)
570-623-4444 Open Tues-Sat 7am-7pm; Sun 3pm-8pm
Serving Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
SUPER BOWL SPECIAL REAL LARGE 18in Cheese Pizza $10.00
Large Cheese with 12 wings $14.95 Toppings extra
CALL 570- 623- 4444 For nearby delivery only to Apalachin, Warren Center, Little Meadows Area
Homemade American Italian Dishes and Brooklyn New York Style Pizzeria! Southern Tier Food Bank in Hall of Fame
A Job Well Done - Scouts of Troop 43 in Apalachin are pictured with some of the food they collected for Thanksgiving baskets.
The Food Bank of the Southern Tier
has been inducted into Feeding Ameri-
ca’s 2014 Advocacy Hall of Fame.
The Hall of Fame recognizes food
banks that have completed a series of advocacy projects including outreach to
local supporters as well as engaging law-
makers on a local, state, and federal level.
Out of 205 total Feeding America net-
work members, the Food Bank of the
Southern Tier joins an elite group of just
21 to be named to the Advocacy Hall of
Fame for 2014.
“For us, advocacy work isn’t simply
about providing assistance to meet the
need that exists today as much as it is
about educating the public and our law-makers about policy opportunities to re-
duce the overall need in the Southern
Tier on a long-term basis,” said Natasha
Thompson, Food Bank of the Southern
Tier President & CEO. “There are several
key issues headed for Congress in 2015,
and our efforts this year put us in a terrif-
ic position to engage lawmakers and ar-
ticulate our priorities on this upcoming
legislation.”
Events hosted by the Food Bank of the
Southern Tier in 2014 included a bill announcement in May from Congress-
man Tom Reed, the organization’s first
ever Legislative Breakfast in September,
a visit to the Food Bank from U.S. Sena-
tor Kirsten Gillibrand in December, as
well as a host of additional outreach
throughout the year.
Heading into 2015, the Food Bank is
gearing up to work with federal officials
on the Child Nutrition Reauthorization
Act which includes programs such as the
National School Lunch Program and the Summer Food Service Program among
others. Another priority for the Food
Bank in 2015 is the reintroduction of
Congressman Reed’s food donation tax
incentive legislation that failed to pass in
the Senate.
www.feedingamerica.org
NORTHERN LIGHTS
LAMP SHOP BRING YOUR LAMP IN FOR
A NEW FABRIC SHADE
LARGEST SELECTION IN THE AREA
• New Tiffany Style Lamps •
• Porcelain Garden Night Lights •
• Floor Lamps • Table Lamps •
• LAMP REPAIRS • www.NorthernLightsLampShop.com
105 S. Duane Ave.
Endicott, NY
607-748-1447 877-506-7678
Hours: T-F 9-5; Thurs 9-7 Saturday 9-5
HAPPY NEW YEAR
Candor Man Charged with Manslaughter On December 25, 2014, the Tioga
County Sheriff’s Office arrested Ronald
A. Warner Jr., 39, from 111 Ithaca
Road, Candor. Warner was charged with
a Class C Felony, Manslaughter in the 2nd degree for recklessly causing the
death of Daryl S. Dayhart, 56, from
Brooktondale, NY. This was a result of
an investigation following an emergency
911 call at or about 10:20 pm on
December 24, 2014, of a disturbance at
Punk’s Place Bar at 21 Mill Street in the
Village of Candor.
An autopsy was performed at
Lourdes Hospital by Dr. James Terzian
on December 26, 2014, and observed by
Tioga Sheriff’s Investigators and DA
Kirk O. Martin. The cause of death was determined to be from blunt head trauma
due to physical assault.
Mr. Warner was arraigned by the
Village of Candor Justice Swartz whom
remanded him to the Tioga County Jail
in lieu of $125,000 cash or $250,000
bond.
JANUARY 2015 TIOGA COUNTY COMMUNITY PRESS PAGE 4
FOR SALE: Beautiful Shetland Fleeces $10 each clean assorted colors. Galaxy Gas Range N.G. clean works fine $100 call 607-589-6911 01/15
EYELASH EXTENSIONS make your eyes pop and eliminates the use of mascara. Makenzie Burr at White Rose Day Spa 607-644-9123. 01/15 TOP DOLLAR PAID: Wanted! Old fish-ing tackle, lures, reels, etc. Some items worth $500. and more!!! Call me first, collector not a dealer so I pay more. Walt 607-972-5739 09/15
PERMANENT COSMETICS OF NY: Enhance brows, eyes and lips with permanent cosmetics. Bonnie Drumm at White Rose Day Spa 307-752-3032. 01/15 GOLF-CARS: New, Used and custom-ized. Buy direct. Large Selection, gas and electric. Yamaha, Ez-Go, and Club-Car. Golf-Cars USA, Nichols, NY (607) 699-3500 02/15 BUYING: Buying Antiques & Vintage Collectables, paying highest prices and I come to you! Call Dave at 607-372-7860 07/15
NEED IT MOVED OR CLEANED: Call us. Local moving, cleaning houses, at-tics, cellars, garages and out buildings. Some yardwork. 607-699-0212 09/14 NEED IT CLEANED OUT or hauled away? We just charge less for one room to whole house. Also garages barns & sheds. MK’s Affordable Cleanouts 607-217-7455 01/15
TIRES • TIRES • TIRES: Buy Direct. SAVE 30%-70% Famous Brands! Nich-ols NY Tire Hotline: (607) 699-3200 (Free Quotes) 02/15 BUYING: Buying Antiques & Vintage Collectables, paying highest prices and I come to you! Call Dave at 607-240-9546 07/14
WANTED: Vintage Jewelry men’s and women’s including watches. Also old toys, paintings. Call Dave at 607-372-7860 11/15 DENT REMOVAL: door dings, hail dam-age, dents removed without harm to car finish! Olympic Detailing 607-625-2332 DOG BOARDING: Pleasant Valley Dog Kennel, 5367 State Route 38, Newark Valley, NY 13811. 38 years in business, indoor/outdoor runs. Daily rates $14 one dog, $21 two dogs same run 607-642-8776 06/15 FOR RENT: 1 Bedroom Apartment on the 2nd floor. Right in the heart of Histor-ic Downtown Owego, NY Close to Laun-dry mat, shopping, sight seeing, walking, parks, restaurants and so much more approx. 1000 sq ft No Smoking or Pets!!! Rental agreement for 1 yr Application with references and credit check. $650 plus utilities. Call And leave message 607-427-1736 WANTED: Your classified ad for our February 2015 issue. Please send in form below by January 24.
SEND US YOUR CLASSIFIED ADS
ANE
EAMLESS
UTTERS
• GUTTERS • FASCIA
• SOFFIT • SIDING
• DOORS • DECKS
• WINDOWS
625-4076 • Free Estimates • Fully Insured •
• Family Owned Since 1976 •
• Garry • Kevin • Rory •
ALLEN MEMORIAL HOME, INC.
Funeral Service
Established in 1884
511-513 East Main Street
Endicott, New York 13760
(607) 754-0110
For Pre-Funding, No Payment,
Traditional & Cremation
Options
Call or visit us at
www.allenmemorial.com
You can advertise your garage, yard or other sales, events, or items wanted or for sale here in the Community Press, the paper with the largest distribution (by US Mail) in the Owego market area. The same low rate for both commercial or personal family ads. Only $5 for the first 20 words. 1 WORD PER SPACE (add $1 for each 4 additional words)
Send your classified ad to: COMMUNITY PRESS 7830 Route 434, Apalachin, NY 13732 Make check or money order payable to "BEAM" or drop off your ad at Beam Electronics in Apalachin. (phone 625-2222, fax 625-2111) NAME ________________________________ PHONE ________________ ADDRESS ____________________________________________________ CITY __________________________ STATE ________ ZIP ____________ The Community Press goes to press on the first Monday of the month. Your classified ad should be received no later than the fourth Wed of the previous month.
$5
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Martin Plumbing & Heating
Quality Reliable Service 3908 Waverly Road, Owego,
New York 13827
(607) 687-1295 FURNACES
BOILERS WATER HEATERS
GOULDS WATER PUMPS PLUMBING FIXTURES
SEWER & DRAIN CLEANING WATER CONDITIONING
AIR CONDITIONING
“ON THE RUN
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“A business without a sign, is a sign of no business”
Next to word of mouth advertising, signs are the most cost efficient, economical
means to communicate YOUR MESSAGE to your customers
625-4100
GIVE US A CALL TODAY
• MAGNETIC • ALUMINUM • PLASTIC • • VINYL • BANNERS • CORRUGATED • • JOB SITE • WINDOW LETTERING •
• TRUCK & BOAT LETTERING • • ETCHED GLASS • GOLD LEAF •
Tioga Central HS Senior Awarded Scholarship A Tioga County resident has been
awarded a $1,000 per year "Educational
Foundation Academic Distinction"
scholarship to attend Alfred State.
Rachel Schweiger of Barton is slated to graduate in 2015 from Tioga Central
High School and intends to enroll in the
veterinary technology program.
The “Educational Foundation Aca-
demic Distinction Scholarship” is award-
ed to first-time freshmen students who
possess an 87 or better cumulative high
school average through the end of their
junior year and who have achieved a minimum SAT score of 1070 (critical
reading and math) or a composite ACT
score of 23.
JANUARY 2015 TIOGA COUNTY COMMUNITY PRESS PAGE 5
Stop in and see Greg Kies today!
Greg’s Auto Sales 770 Fifth Ave., Owego
(607) 687-1535
Check us out on line at: www.GregsAutoSales.biz
SPECIAL FINANCING AVAILABLE
98% APPROVAL
MORE MONDAYS Buy 1 Breakfast or Lunch get 2nd (equal or lesser value) 1/2 price
Congratulations to Perry S., our Dec. Gift Certificate winner Open: 7 Days a week 7am - 3pm • 625-2212
www.facebook.com/gigisplaceapalachin
NOW SERVING BREAKFAST & LUNCH ALL DAY
Watch for our new menu coming soon!
The Terrace The Friendly Neighborhood Tavern
Rt. 434, Apalachin, New York 625-3935
Next To Kin - Saturday Jan 17
Gene Hummel Saturday Jan 24
Karaoke Saturday - February 7th
Tue –Steak Nite Wed - Shrimp Nite Thurs - Clam Nite
Libous to Gaming Commission:
“Give the True Southern Tier a Chance”
In response to last month’s casino
siting decision, Senator Libous is calling
on the New York State Gaming
Commission, its appointed Gaming
Facility Location Board, and the Governor to reconsider the Southern
Tier's two applications for the fourth
authorized casino license.
“I’m stunned at the Gaming Facility
Location Board’s decision to deny a
casino to the real Southern Tier in
Johnson City or Nichols,” said Senator
Libous. “The chosen Tyre site is closer
to Canada than it is to Binghamton.”
“I was not part of the independent
casino siting process. It's clear the
people I represent lost out on much-
needed jobs and opportunity,” said
Senator Libous. “That's what I'm asking for: Give the true Southern Tier a
chance.”
The original casino siting legislation
that Senator Libous supported allows up
to two licenses in each region.
New York State will not invest any
money into any of the casinos; they are
funded solely by private investment.
Apalachin Girl Wins 3rd Place
in Lands’ End Holiday Art Contest
This fall, more than 500 kids
submitted artwork for the Lands’ End
Kids’ annual Holiday Art Contest with
the theme “We Love Winter.” Nellie
Doak, age 11, of Apalachin, won third place in the contest, winning a $100
Lands’ End gift card.
“From glitter glue to markers and
crayons, we saw so many wonderful
entries. However, Nellie’s stood out for
its creativity and artistry,” said Syndi
Stark, vice president of Lands’ End
Kids. “We’re thrilled to award her a
Lands’ End gift card to get great items
for winter and the holiday season.”
The contest, announced on
Landsend.com and on the Lands’ End Facebook page, prompted children
across America to draw what they love
about winter in hopes of having their
work selected and featured by Lands’
End. Nellie’s artwork (pictured) featured
whimsical squirrels, feeding from a
Christmas tree.
The 2014 Holiday Art Contest
consisted of three age categories: one to
six, seven to nine and 10 to 12. Each of
the age categories awarded a first, second and third place prize, for a total
of nine winners. First prize was a $500
Lands’ End gift card, second prize was a
$250 gift card and third prize was a
$100 gift card.
Lands’ End, Inc. is a leading multi-
channel retailer of casual clothing,
accessories, footwear and home
products.
See the 2014 Holiday Art Contest
winners’ work at www.landsend.com/artcontest/ and on the Lands’ End
Facebook page and Pinterest.
JANUARY 2015 TIOGA COUNTY COMMUNITY PRESS PAGE 6
• Daily & Weekly Rentals • Direct Billing to Insurance Co.
5780 Route 434,Apalachin, NY 13732 Rental 625-9904 Towing 625-5653
We have the tires you need for the ruff winter ahead
HAPPY NEW YEAR 2015
CFTT Awards Grants from Floyd Hooker Fund
The Community Foundation for the
Twin Tiers (CFTT) awarded $21,385 in
grants from the Floyd Hooker Estate
Fund.
Floyd “Vic” Hooker died in 2007 and designated 30% of his estate to “Benefit
the Youth of Tioga County”. Some of
these funds were placed with CFTT and
provide funding to school districts, or
non-profit agencies working with school
districts, to benefit the youth in Tioga
County, NY.
Grants were recently awarded to the
following:
Catholic Charities, Tioga Outreach
Center: Awarded $2,130 for its Youth
Engagement Services (YES) program. The program provides mentoring to
students and will help support group
activities and a family dinner.
Food Bank of the Southern Tier:
Awarded $2,000 for its Back Pack
Program. This program provides
children with meals during school
breaks, holidays, and weekends.
Project GROW: Awarded $1,460 to
pay for materials needed to renovate the
green house at the Waverly School District.
Tioga Central School District:
Awarded $2,795 to fund the Lego
Mindstorms EV3 program for the
middle school students. This program
will expand the District’s curriculum
and instruction, and offer more Science,
Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM).
United Way of Tioga County:
Awarded $4,000 to continue working
with students, selected by the schools, to
be placed in its member non-profit
agencies during the summer. This
provides help and support to the non-
profits and it helps the students be more
active in their communities and to think
about philanthropy. The funding pays
for the stipends to the students working
in the non-profits.
Spencer Van Etten Central School District: Awarded $9,000 to build a low
-power FM radio station. This local
media outlet will allow students to
develop basic broadcasting skills and the
English Department is planning to offer
a broadcast journalism elective.
Grant applications will be sought out
again in October 2015 for any school or
school based programming within Tioga
County, NY. Contact CFTT at 570-888-4759 or via e-mail at [email protected] to
find out more.
Left to Right: Jon Ward (CFTT Advisory Board), Mike Barbieri (Tioga Central School District), Danielle Farnbaugh (Food Bank of the South-ern Tier), Petrea Rae (Catholic Charities), Brian Eldridge (United Way), and Angela Klopf (CFTT, CEO). Absent is: Project GROW and Spencer Van Etten Central School District.
Reeves Welcome a Baby Girl
Aaron and Amanda (Brown) Reeves
of Sayre, PA, are the proud parents of a
baby girl, Kaitlin Hana Rose, who was
born on December 3, 2014, at Robert
Packer Hospital in Sayre. Kaitlin is the granddaughter of Ken Reeves of Sayre
and Lori Reeves of Endicott, and Fred
and Janet Brown of Apalachin, and the
great-granddaughter of Junko Clymer of
Sayre (formerly of Nichols). Aaron and
Amanda also have a two-year-old son,
Aiden.
JANUARY 2015 TIOGA COUNTY COMMUNITY PRESS PAGE 7
16 YES! LEADers from Owego Free Academy attended a special training aimed at building the skills they'll use to talk to elementary students about the dangers of drugs and alcohol later in the school year.
Sixteen students from Owego Free
Academy completed their training to
become YES! LEADers. YES! LEADers
are middle and high school students who
teach elementary school students about skills they need to resist drugs and alco-
hol, the importance of positive self-
esteem in making safe choices and effec-
tively handling peer pressure.
The YES! Launch training program
teaches YES! LEADers how to be role
models for younger students through
different team activities and educational
sessions. Trained YES! LEADers are
substance-free role models for younger
students, who use their leadership skills
to develop resistance skills in elementary
school children through interactive activ-
ities and age appropriate entertainment.
Later in the school year, Owego’s
YES! LEADers will visit elementary classrooms for their unique, hands-on
presentations. They’re also committed to
helping their community throughout the
year, and will host a variety of outreach
projects.
YES! Safe Choices for Kids, a part-
nership between Senator Libous and
Lourdes Hospital, is now in its 26th year.
For more information about YES!
LEADS, visit www.YesSafeChoices.org.
(left to right) Owego Free Academy YES! LEADers Mikayla Weston, Ben Siemer, Sara Wierbowski and Erica Sandtorv work together on the Life Raft activity, an activity designed to encourage teamwork and commu-nication development during their YES! Launch training.
Owego YES! Leaders Complete Training
St. Baldrick's 2015 in Candor Wanted
Men, woman, and children to have their heads shaved
at the March 8, 2015
St. Baldrick's Event in Candor
It's that time of year.... Let's make
this year's event even bigger!
St. Baldrick's Foundation is a
volunteer-driven charity dedicated to
raising money for childhood cancer
research. The Candor American Legion
Family along with the Candor
Emergency Squad will be hosting one of
St. Baldrick's signature head-shaving
events at the Candor American Legion on March 8, 2015, from 1:00 to 4:00 pm.
They are hoping to have at least 50
participates shaving their heads in
solidarity with kids with cancer and raise
money to conquer childhood cancers.
Why all the shaved heads?
Worldwide, a child is diagnosed with
cancer every three minutes, and one in
five children diagnosed in the U.S. will
not survive. With only 4% of all federal
cancer research funding dedicated to
pediatric cancer research, St. Baldrick’s Foundation volunteers, supporters and
donors are needed to continue the battle
against this devastating disease.
This will be Candor's 5th St.
Baldrick's event. In the past four years,
they have shaved 236 heads raising over
$130,000.
Become a shavee and a “hero to a kid
with cancer.” If shaving isn't for you,
come cheer on the shavees. There will
also be music, food and raffles.
To sign up to become a shavee or to donate to the event or a shavee go to
www.stabalricks.org/events/
CandorNewYork
If you have questions, please contact
Kelly Starkweather at 659-5450 or 972-
4395 or [email protected]
JANUARY 2015 TIOGA COUNTY COMMUNITY PRESS PAGE 8
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Friends of Cornell Cooperative Extension
See article page 9
Matthew Murphy, Michael Glos, Tina Murphy, Andy Fagan, Marty Murphy, and Brian Murphy
(left to right) Andy Fagan, Gail Lawson, and Barb Neal
(left to right) Andy Fagan, Ruthann Orth and Dick Orth
JANUARY 2015 TIOGA COUNTY COMMUNITY PRESS PAGE 9
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Tax Day ! The Cornell Cooperative Extension Association of Tioga County (CCE Tio-ga) recognized several “Friends of Exten-sion” and staff at their dinner and Annual Meeting on December 8, 2014, at the Owego Treadway Inn. Executive Director Andrew Fagan welcomed the more than seventy guests, thanking them for their continued support of the Cornell University affiliated non-profit that provides a wide array of com-munity educational programs and ser-vices. It is part of the national Coopera-tive Extension System established to help extend research and local knowledge to foster economic, social, and environmen-tal improvement of individuals, families, and communities, especially in the areas of agriculture, home economics, 4-H, and community betterment. Fagan began the evening by introduc-ing the members of the volunteer Board of Directors including Michael Glos, Charley Truman, Tom Gartung, Karen Lindhorst, Leslie D’Arcy, James Pratt, Austin Blinn, Drew Griffin, Gary Jones, Ruthanne Orth, Cornelia Mead, Michelle Dunham, and Kristi Van Dusen. He also welcomed Tioga County Legislator Wil-liam Standinger III, Owego Mayor Kevin Millar, and State Extension Specialist Paul O’Connor. Fagan, who also serves as the Execu-tive Director of CCE Chemung County, continued the evening with the “State of the Organization” report, stating “It has been a year of change, but we have still made significant contributions to Tioga County.” He welcomed new agriculture and horticulture educators, Michele Kline and Barbra Neal. He noted how the state has moved toward allocating funds on a more regional basis and how it has nega-tively impacted programs such as Nutri-tion and Reality Check, as well as the overall CCE Tioga budget. All program areas, including Family Development, 4-H Youth Development, and Youth Em-ployment, shared a few program impacts that are highlighted in the new 2014 An-nual Report which were available for all guests. Fagan also proudly stated that he, the Board, and staff have worked hard to “get their house in order,” completing their 2014-18 Strategic Plan, adopting new operating guidelines, and passing another outside audit with flying colors. The most emotional part of the even-ing came when Fagan and staff presented the “Friend of Extension Awards.” Each year CCE Tioga recognizes individuals and organizations that make significant contributions to CCE Tioga and who ex-emplify the spirit of extension.
The Campus Collaborator Award went to Cornell University’s Community and Regional Development Institute staff member, Heidi Mouillesseaux-Kunzman, for her many years of program support, trainings, and partnership. Fagan high-lighted her leadership in offering the na-tional “Stronger Economies Together” curriculum to the Tioga County Rural Economic Area Partnership (Tioga REAP) which is leading to the develop-ment of a biomass industry cluster in the Southern Tier. Heidi expressed her thanks and added that she is glad that as a life-long resident of Tioga County that her efforts are seen as valuable by CCE and the Tioga County community.
The 4-H Youth Development Award went to Cathy Robinson for over 20 years of volunteer leadership. The Family Development Award went to Brie Burgess, co-owner of the Railhouse Restaurant in Waverly, for her partnership and fundraising support for the Waverly Family Resource Center.
The Agriculture and Natural Re-source Award went to Gail Lawson for her many years of service and volunteer leadership for the Tioga County Master Gardener Program. The Community Nutrition and Wellness Award went to Karen Rice from Tioga Opportunities, Inc. for her
many years of partnership and support of the EatSmart NY program. The Spirit of Extension Award went to Tioga State Bank and its staff for their many years of partnership, Board service, and financial support for CCE Tioga and especially for the “Taste of Tioga,” 4-H Youth Development and Family Devel-opment programs. Ralph Kelsey, Tioga State V-P, thanked CCE Tioga and ex-pressed how important Cooperative Ex-tension is to him personally and to the greater community and stressed that it is important for the County to continue to support the organization, especially for the future of agriculture. The Friends of the Association Award went to Ruthanne and Dick Orth for their many contributions to CCE Tio-ga for more than a decade, including vol-unteer leadership for the 4-H teen leader-ship program (now goLEAD), staff and Board trainings, and providing leadership and services in several committees, in-cluding fundraising and strategic plan-ning. Fagan also recognized Ruthanne Orth and Drew Griffin for completing six years of service on the CCE Tioga Board of Directors. Michael Glos, Board Presi-dent, then helped recognize staff for com-pleting milestone years of service includ-ing, Lisa Westin-Bialy (5yrs), Meg Ward (10 yrs), Jody Tatich and Fagan (15yrs). Fagan surprised, long-term Senior Ad-ministrative Assistant, Tina Murphy, with the Association Appreciation award for nearly 30 years of continuous, dedicated service to CCE Tioga, stating that for over 15 years, “Tina has been my right and left arms…She takes care of all of the small things that add up to big things for our organizations…. I could not do it without her.” Glos then led the business portion of the meeting. Minutes from the previous year’s meeting were read and approved. He and Fagan introduced an amendment to the organization’s constitution required by the IRS and introduced five candidates for the Board of Directors. Tioga County residents in attendance then voted, pass-ing the amendment and electing Kristi Van Dusen, Austin Blinn, Marty Borko, Lisa Bloodnick, and Audrey Lowes to 3 year terms on the Board of Directors. They will join the Board at their organi-zational meeting in January 2015. For more information about CCE Tio-ga, call 687-4020. Copies of the Annual Report are available at the CCE Tioga office in the County Office Building, 56 Main Street in Owego, and it will be up-loaded CCE Tioga’s new website which will be launched this month.
Tax Preparation Bookkeeping
Business Consultant
DARLING TAX SERVICE Vicki Darling
Barbara Snyder
Phone (607) 625-4395 6276 State Route 434 Fax (607) 625-5488 Apalachin, NY 13732
Friends of Cornell Cooperative Extension
(Photos on page 8)
JANUARY 2015 TIOGA COUNTY COMMUNITY PRESS PAGE 10
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In Memory of Joan Battey
By Donald Castellucci, Jr.
Not many places are fortunate
enough to have that one person in the
community who exemplifies America,
what it stood for and where it needs to get back to. The person, who could at
any time say to you, “I told you so.” but
was respectful enough to not embarrass
you. The person who, understood most
political ploys, how society is being
manipulated through so called education
and the new societal norms and could
undress any politician or administrator
by just placing the facts in front of them.
The person who has so many national
contacts, many of whom you read every
day, yet you never know of the connec-tion. That person lived right here in
Apalachin. Her name was Joan Battey.
Many of my friends have heard me
refer to her as my second mom and her
husband, Fred, my second dad. We go
back 21 years now. I met her at her door
as I embarked on my first political cam-
paign. I remember it like it was yester-
day. In 1993 I had submitted my peti-
tions to the Board of Elections for a po-
sition on the Owego Town Board. I was new to the area and the political process.
My petitions were challenged (rightfully
so) and I was knocked off the ballot. I
was so angry about it; I decided to run a
write-in campaign. Being an amateur
and naive, I let that anger translate into
the literature I was handing out.
That fateful day, I knock on Joan’s
door! She was on the telephone. I hand-
ed her my literature and was on my way.
On my way back up the other side of the
street, Joan was outside waiting for me! I remember the call: “Young man,
young man come over here!” She read
me the riot act! “You cannot be negative
like this if you want to get into politics.”
And the lecture went on. I explained my
side and while she understood she did
not back away from her point. We ex-
changed pleasantries and I was on my
way.
I don’t remember how we began to
be in contact but we did. She spoke at local Republican functions. I would
think this lady had some extreme ideas,
but I listened. She never said anything
that she could not back up with facts.
As time went on our relationship grew.
She provided more information than
anyone could read. If you needed any-
thing she and Fred would have it at their
fingertips (That is true to this day). The
more I read the more outraged I would
get. The country I was raised to love and
respect was/is being dismantled from
within. When you start to look how agendas are connected you have a whole
new perspective. I think the most im-
portant thing Joan taught me was to con-
nect the dots. Do not look at issues as
silos. The connections are there for any-
one who wants to find them. I do not
want this to be a political piece so I will
stop there!
Joan Battey reached out and did more
for this country than most Americans.
She touched the lives of so many people
but she never had any idea of how many. I would feel bad when she would get
frustrated because I knew she felt like
what she did was for nothing. Results
don’t happen overnight. She has created
more patriots then she will ever now. I
would consider her the Matriarch of the
Tea Party in many ways and most peo-
ple who know her would agree! She was
Tea Party when the Tea Party wasn’t
cool! This is why I have faith in the next
generation. The educational email loop she and
Fred organized and shared information
with from parents, school board person-
nel and politicians from almost all 50
states was second to none. The column-
ists, many of which you read, officials
from within the Reagan Administration,
right down to the next door neighbor
were all part of her network. No one was
too little or too big.
I was blessed to have met Joan and
Fred. This community had one of Amer-ica’s greatest defenders living within it.
Not many people knew and that is how
she would want it. The prize was not
fame or notoriety, it was getting back
America to the country it once was.
Joan’s job and accomplishments are
finished. It’s time the next generation
takes the mantle. Over the next couple
of months I am going to try and find a
couple of my past columns that Joan
inspired within me. I am sure the naysayers of the past will see the reality
of today.
Ronald Reagan stated, “Freedom is
never more than one generation away
from extinction.” Joan understood that,
do you? God Bless you, Joan, and rest in
peace. You deserve it after a job well
done.
Apalachin Lions Food Distribution Low to moderate income individuals
and families are invited to Participate in
a Mobile Food Pantry Distribution spon-
sored by the Apalachin Lions Club in
partnership with the Food Bank of the Southern Tier. The distribution will be
held on Thursday, January 29, 1:00 to
2:00 pm, at St Margaret Mary’s Catholic
Church parking lot, 110 Penn. Avenue,
in Apalachin. Please bring your own
bags or boxes. Call Food Bank of the
Southern Tier (607) 796-6061 with any
questions.
In addition to The Mobile Food Pan-try, The Owego Apalachin Family Read-
ing Partnership will be distributing free
children's books.
The Owego Apalachin Foundation
for Excellence in Education’s annual
Wine and Beer Tasting will be held on
January 16, 6:00 to 9:00 pm, at the
Owego Treadway Inn. Hosted by the Owego Apalachin
Foundation for Excellence in Education,
this annual event is the primary
fundraising initiative. Tom Westcott &
Ultra Vibe will provide lively
entertainment and local restaurants will
provide scrumptious refreshments.
Nearby wineries, breweries, and cheese
houses will showcase their products with
samples. Local businesses and residents
generously provide a wide variety of
goods and services for the silent auction that always generates excitement as the
winning bids are announced.
Tickets are available now at Lawler’s
Liquor Store, The Wine Connection, and
any foundation board member. Pre-sale
ticket prices: couple tickets $40, single
tickets $25, designated driver $10. At-the-door ticket prices: couple tickets $50
and $40 for single tickets.
The Owego Apalachin Foundation
for Excellence in Education is a
nonprofit community organization that
provides grants for innovative programs
benefiting children in the area as well as
scholarships to four Owego Free
Academy (OFA) seniors who will
pursue a career in a youth-oriented field.
For more information, visit
www.OAFoundation.com.
Wine and Beer Tasting - January 16
JANUARY 2015 TIOGA COUNTY COMMUNITY PRESS PAGE 11
Located inside the dance studio. Mon-Thurs 4-8pm • Sun 1pm-4pm • 625-5595
Feb 8th - March 22nd
Wishing you & your family a bright & healthy Happy New Year!
Local Students Win Poster Contest
Over 1,000 elementary school student
artists from Tioga, Broome, and
Chenango Counties entered the YES!
Safe Choices for Kids Red Ribbon Week
Poster Contest held this fall. The 27 winners were recognized recently at a
reception held at the B-Sens Arena Club
in Binghamton.
In Tioga County, winning posters
were designed by Andrew Larrabee,
Alissa Moreno and Kohen Hugo of
Lincoln Street Elementary and Olivia
Nittinger, Makenzie Nichols, Nathan
Ackley and Karalyn Hollenbeck of
Chemung Elementary.
“This contest is a great way for kids to
learn about the dangers of drugs and alcohol at an early age,” Senator Libous
said. “It’s a fun, creative chance for kids
to take a stand and develop skills that
will help them make safe choices as they
get older.”
Each of the young artists was
presented with a personalized certificate
and Toys "R" Us gift card.
Red Ribbon Week is one of the oldest
and largest drug prevention programs in the nation. The tradition of displaying
Red Ribbons is a symbol of intolerance
towards the use of drugs. Students used
their creativity and knowledge about the
dangers of alcohol and drugs to design
original artwork for the YES! Red
Ribbon Week Poster Contest.
YES! Safe Choices or Kids is a
partnership between Senator Tom
Libous and Lourdes Hospital. YES!
works to help kids in our area learn
skills they need to resist using alcohol and drugs. YES! also provides parents
with useful tips and fun activities they
can use as starting points in talking
about substance abuse with their kids.
www.YesSafeChoices.org
Tioga County winners (Rear, L-R) Nathan Ackley and Olivia Nittinger of Chemung Elementary and (Front, L-R) Kohen Hugo, Alissa Moreno and Andrew Larrabee of Lincoln Street Elementary were among 27 elementary students who were presented awards for their creative entries in YES! Safe Choices for Kids’ Red Ribbon Week Poster Contest.
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
2014 - The Year in Review by Town of Owego Supervisor Donald Castellucci, Jr.
Beginning January 1, 2014, the mini-
mum usage charge for water bills will be
based on a minimum usage of up to six
thousand gallons at a rate of $34.00, an
increase of $2 plus the $6 billing fee for a total of $40.00 per cycle. There will be
a charge of $5.00 per thousand gallons
for additional usage. Capital charges will
not increase and will remain at $120.00
per year. Sewer bills will be based on a
minimum usage up to six thousand gal-
lons at the rate of $40.00, an increase of
$2. There will be a charge of $5.50/ per
thousand gallons for additional usage.
The capital charge per unit will remain at
$110.52, the same as 2014. Homes that
have municipal sewer but do not have municipal water will be increased $24 to
$348.00 per year ($116.00/bill) for sewer
use and the sewer capital fee will remain
at $110.52 per year.
Several important projects still need
to be completed within the utilities de-
partment. These include the Main Street
water pump house, which was finally
approved by FEMA with the help of
federal officials, and mitigations at the
Apalachin sewage treatment plant that are is still pending approval from FEMA
three years later. A new state mandate
regarding disinfection upgrades to the
Owego sewage treatment plant has been
mostly funded by a Water Quality Im-
provement Grant in the amount of
$748,000 dollars on a project cost of
approximately $880,000. While this
grant is appreciated, it is another exam-
ple of a mandate not funded in the
amount of approximately $132,000. The
awarded bid for the Main Street project went to G DeVincentis and Son in the
amount of $653,000. The Apalachin
Creek project was completed helping to
protect an important sewer line that was
heavily damaged in the 2011 flood. In
2015 the start of a public works project
on Newberry and Lancaster Roads in
Crestview Heights will begin. We con-
tinue to implement an estimated five
year rate structure to help reduce our
reliance on fund balance and have a truer
revenue vs expense budget. Lastly after declining water usage, creating less reve-
nue for the town, we appear to have bot-
tomed out. In 2005 usage peaked at
about 200,000,000 gallons. In 2013 and
2014 usage is about 156,000,000 gallons.
It is imperative to be able to try and ac-
curately predict revenue while trying to
address aging infrastructure, increasing
costs as well as federal and state man-
dates.
While the town is continuing to re-
cover from the 2011 flood, there is still a lot that remains to be completed. Recent-
ly the town finished closing on, and de-
molishing, 23 properties at a cost of 1.8
million dollars. This was covered 75%
by the federal government and 25% by
the state. There are several elevation
project applications that are in progress
as well. Also the town, in conjunction
with the village, is moving forward on a
joint DPW building to be located on the
town hall property. The project has re-ceived preliminary approval and will be
moving forward in an incremental ap-
proval process implemented by the fed-
eral and state government.
Hopefully I have created a snapshot
of 2014 in an understandable manner
that explains the narrative of positive
projects happening in the town as well as
the costs that accompany them. My goal,
as well as the board, is to continue to
identify and evaluate long term solutions
to issues in the most fiscal responsible way possible. I look forward to working
with the residents of the town over the
next year. I am privileged to enter my
20th year in public service and I would
like to personally thank all of the resi-
dents for that honor. May all of you have
a happy, healthy and blessed new year!
JANUARY 2015 PAGE 12 ___ TIOGA COUNTY COMMUNITY PRESS
Call Earl for an appointment 625-3015
1429 Main Street, Apalachin, N. Y.
MARY
OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK
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Wishing you a Safe and Happy New Year
...thank you for your continued support! Don’t forget to stop by for your Super Bowl Party needs
Sweeneys Plaza, Rt 434, Apalachin
Gift Certificates Available
Case Discounts on non-sale wines
ALL YOU CAN EAT
PANCAKE BREAKFAST
Benefit for the Little Meadows Fire Department
Sunday January 18th 7:00 am to 11:00 am at the
WHITETAILS BAR & GRILL
~ ONLY 6 MILES SOUTH OF ROUTE 434 ~
LITTLE MEADOWS, PA. 570-623-3508 Open: 7 Days A Week 10:00 am till closing
SERVING LUNCH & DINNER HOMEMADE SOUPS
HAPPY HOUR ~ 3:30 – 5:30 Mon–Fri Thank you to everyone who contributed and supported
our Toy and Food Fund drive. We were able to make another donation to the Apalachin Lions Club this year.
PLANNING A SUPER BOWL PARTY Let us cook for you!
Pizza, Wings, Burgers and more! Dart League Starting Jan 14th
Stop in for more details!
Tioga Downs Donates towards
Bandera Family Christmas Dinner
Tioga Downs Casino has generously
donated $3,300 towards the Bandera
Family Christmas Dinner. Christmas
2014 marked the 25th Anniversary of
the event. Thanks to the donation from Tioga
Downs, the dinner was able to serve up
to 4,000 free dinners on Christmas Day.
Without the donation, they would have
been able to serve only 1,500 dinners.
The dinners were at the Binghamton
Post 80 American Legion.
President of Tioga Downs Casino,
Tom Osiecki presented the check for
$3,300 to Bill Bandera at Tioga Downs
Casino. Tioga Downs is always proud to contribute back to the community that
supports them.
Tioga Downs Casino is located along
the north side of NY Route 17/ I-86, two
miles west of exit 62 in Nichols, NY.
JANUARY 2015 TIOGA COUNTY COMMUNITY PRESS WEB EXTRA PAGE 1
Partnership keeps some bus service in Tioga
The Tioga Rides system was discon-
tinued after November 30; however, the
neighboring county of Chemung has
partnered with Tioga County and New
York State Department of Transporta-tion to preserve some east west connec-
tions for riders. Starting December 1st,
Chemung County’s C TRAN system
will pilot four bus runs departing from
Elmira and serving both counties on
weekdays.
Both Tioga and Chemung counties
experienced significant funding losses
due to a change in the administration of
Medicaid funding. County leaders are
pleased to see some service saved
through this new partnership. Tioga County Legislative Chair Martha Sauer-
brey said, “Due to the Medicaid funding
loss, Tioga County was unable to sustain
our transit system both now and in the
future, but this new partnership will al-
low us to meet the needs of some of our
most vulnerable residents—people with
disabilities, the poor, and seniors.”
Chemung County Executive Tom San-
tulli agreed with the benefits to the area,
“Chemung County has had many suc-cesses in sharing services. Our legisla-
ture is pleased to see the shared regional
effort with Tioga County that combines
funding to create a win-win situation.”
Prior to the establishment of the new
pilot service, C TRAN proposed elimi-
nation of the Wellsburg-Waverly route.
Chemung County held two public hear-
ings on proposed changes that began for
C TRAN on November 17. During the
hearings several Chemung County and Tioga County riders expressed to the
Legislature their use of the Wellsburg-
Waverly run for access to healthcare
services at the Robert Packer Hospital.
At a Tioga County public hearing, fami-
lies of Achieve clients expressed the
importance of transit service to maintain
independence for their loved ones with
developmental disabilities.
The new service will have three runs
with an end destination of Owego that
will depart Elmira at 6:45 am, 11:00 am, and 1:00 pm. The last run on the new
route will travel between Elmira and
Sayre, PA, departing Elmira at 4:30 pm.
The fare will be $3 from Elmira to Sayre
and from Sayre to Owego, and $6 from
Elmira to Owego. The counties will
evaluate the success of the pilot service
in mid-2015.
The new service will complement the
Coach USA Shortline service that runs
from Elmira to Waverly, Owego, and Binghamton and returns three times dai-
ly. Riders seeking additional information
on the C TRAN service should contact
the customer service department at (607)
734-5211.
Tourism Office Disappointed in Gaming Decision December 17, 2014
Owego, NY - The Tioga County
Tourism Office is disappointed in the
decision of the New York State Gaming
Commission not to recommend Tioga Downs Casino for the Southern Tier
Gaming License. Tioga County
businesses, the local and regional
economy, and the local workforce would
have benefitted greatly from the
expansion of this important business and
tourism attraction.
“We are sad for the hardworking
business owners and residents of Tioga
County, Tioga Downs Casino, and the
Southern Tier region, for being
overlooked in this decision. However, we look forward to working with Tioga
Downs Casino, and to their continued
involvement as a generous and
responsible community partner and
tourist attraction,” said Rebecca Maffei,
Tioga County Tourism Director.
Tioga County Tourism is proud to
support the tourism businesses whose
owners and employees work hard to
make our county a unique, authentic
place to visit and to live. We will
continue in our efforts to work alongside
community organizations and tourism
businesses to promote the wonderful
events, communities, activities, and attractions in Tioga County. We have
faith in the strength, ingenuity and
resiliency of our residents. Tioga County
Tourism will continue to work alongside
community members to support
economic growth and spread the word
that Tioga County is a fun, dynamic,
beautiful, and special place to
experience.
“Tioga Downs’ expansion would
have been a boon to our local and
regional economy, but our community has always grown at a grassroots level.
We have many local businesses,
government agencies, residents, and
organizations that are moving things
forward from the county and community
levels. I expect new and exciting things
to come in the tourism sector of our
economy, which supports independent
businesses and helps contribute to a high
quality of life,” said Maffei.
Thank You for Help with Blood Drive Dear Editor
I am writing to thank everyone who
helped make the 18th Annual Memorial
Blood Drive in memory of my parents a
success. Without the combined efforts of many people and businesses, we would
not be able to continue this drive. Thirty
-five units of blood were collected in
turn helping 105 patients.
Thank you to the Owego Elks for
hosting this event for the past 18 years.
Thank you to the Red Cross employees
who always do their best to make sure
everyone is treated well and timely.
TOPS Markets, Owego, The Ale House,
Vestal, and Jim Roma’s Endicott, always
contribute items toward the dinner.
Thank you to the media for always
making sure the word gets out. Most
importantly I thank the donors, who
come each year donating blood, and contributing food and dollars in my
parents’ memory to the Tioga County
Rural Ministry.
Lives are saved and people are fed
each year during the season where
giving is most noticed. Thank you for
the continued support and for giving the
most important gift: the gift of life.
Sincerely,
Donald Castellucci, Jr.
Town of Owego Supervisor
Apalachin Lions Club: “Thanks” A long standing tradition in
Apalachin has been the Apalachin Lions
Christmas Basket Program. This year 57
families were provided with boxes of
food, gift certificates for food, and gift certificates for children 12 and under.
On average each family received a
package worth approximately $150.
Although this program is
spearheaded by the Lions, it is a total
effort by many people and organization
in Apalachin, Campville east to the
Broome County line and Little
Meadows, PA.
All the food and toys come from
community efforts and the Lions club
furnishes approximately $4000 in gift certificates.
The Apalachin Lions Club wishes to
thank the following for donations or
assistance with this effort: Apalachin
Post Office, Apalachin Pharmacy,
Apalachin Elementary School, Frontier Telephone Co., O-A Family Reading
Partnership, St. Margaret Mary’s
Church, Target, Tioga Hills Elementary
School, Sweeney’s Market, Tioga
County Marine Corps League,
Stroehmann’s Bakery, and White Tails
Bar and Grill in Little Meadows. In
addition to the named donors, many
contributions of food gift cards or
assistance were received from
throughout the area.
CCE’s Newsletter for Farmers, Gardeners
The Chemung and Tioga Associa-
tions of Cornell Cooperative Extension
have teamed up to create a newsletter to
provide farmers and gardeners with in-
formation on upcoming meetings, up-dates, strategies, cultural practices, mar-
keting ideas and research results from
Cornell University and Cornell Coopera-
tive Extension.
“Agriculture is a vital part of our
regional economy,” stated Andy Fagan,
Executive Director of CCE Chemung
and CCE Tioga. “It is more important
than ever that Cornell Cooperative Ex-
tension of Chemung and Tioga Counties
help farmers find and apply the latest
information and technology on their farms. Therefore, I am pleased to an-
nounce this joint effort of the agriculture
programs of each association.”
The first issue, published last month,
offers articles highlighting topics that
range from blueberries to record keep-
ing. “We know that farming in Tioga
and Chemung Counties is diverse. With
an increased interest in locally grown
food among consumers, more people are
interested in raising their own food. Oth-ers are interested in purchasing that
which is grown locally. Our newsletter
is one way we will share information to
help all producers - large and small,
grow and market their products and
build successful businesses” added
Michele Kline, Ag Team Leader at the
Tioga Association of CCE.
If interested in receiving the monthly
newsletter, contact Michele Kline by
email at [email protected] or phone
(607) 687-4020 to join the mailing list. Print copies are available for farmers
and gardeners at the local CCE Offices
in Chemung County at 425 Pennsylvania
Avenue in Elmira and Tioga County at
56 Main Street in Owego.
News Briefs
The Local VMW - Veterans of Modern
Warfare - normally meet on the first
Saturday of the month at Owego's
Historic First Baptist Church, Church
and Main Streets, at 11:00 am. Use the
back ramp entrance. All Vets are
welcome, especially those from Desert Storm and subsequent conflicts. See you
the second Saturday of the New Year on
January 10. Call Bill Reynolds at (607)
644-5690 with questions/comments.
The Monday Afternoon Book Club
meets the second Monday of each
month, from 1:00 to 2:00 pm at the
Coburn Library, 275 Main Street in
Owego (687-3520).
The Tioga County Industrial Development Agency 2015 Annual
Meeting and 1st Regular Meeting are
scheduled for Wednesday, January 7, 2015. The annual meeting will
commence at 5:00 pm with the 1st
regular meeting immediately following
at 5:30 pm. Meetins are held at the
Ronald E. Dougherty County Office
Building, 56 Main Street, Owego in the
Hubbard Auditorium.
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USDA To Survey Milk Production
In January, the U.S. Department of
Agriculture’s National Agricultural Sta-
tistics Service (NASS) will reach out to
milk producers across the country to
begin collecting information for the 2015 Milk Production report.
“NASS surveys milk producers quar-
terly to create an accurate estimate of
milk production in all states in the
Northeast and the nation,” said Statisti-
cian Adam Pike.
NASS conducts the Milk Production
survey every January, April, July, and
October. In the Northeast, NASS will
survey 2882 dairy farmers this year ask-
ing them to provide the number of milk
cows in the herd, number of cows milked and total milk production for the
first day of the month.
The dairy industry relies on the
monthly Milk Production report to make
decisions about the marketing of milk.
By participating in the survey, milk pro-
ducers can ensure that NASS provides
timely, accurate and objective data that
all sectors of the U.S. milk industry de-
pend on to help make sound business decisions.
“At NASS we have a strong commit-
ment to respondent confidentiality,”
Pike said. “We are required by law to
protect the privacy of all responses and
publish data only in aggregate form,
ensuring that no individual producer or
operation can be identified,” he said.
Survey results will be published in
the monthly Milk Production report. All
NASS reports are available online at
www.nass.usda.gov. Both national and state specific reports are available via a
free email subscription. For more infor-
mation, call the NASS Northeastern
Regional Field Office at 1-800-498-
1518.
4-H to Offer Bird & Poultry Projects The Tioga County 4-H Program is
now offering three different 4-H bird
and poultry projects for youth 9 to 19
years old.
4-H Fall Market Turkey Project The 4-H Program has partnered with
the Owego Kiwanis, to offer a first year
pilot of the 4-H Fall Turkey Project. A
Kiwanis sponsor will purchase six birds
for the participating 4-H member. The 4-
H member is responsible for all feeding
and butchering costs. At the end of the
project, the sponsor will get a bird free
of charge. The 4-H member will then be
responsible for finding buyers for the
remaining five birds.
The program will begin in June and 4-H youth will raise the birds until late
October at which time the birds will go
to the butcher. The maximum number of
youth that will be accepted is 10.
4-H Meat Bird Project
The 4-H Program has once again
partnered with Bruce’s Processing, Ath-
ens, PA for the 4-H Meat Bird Project.
This project is open to 4-H youth 9 to 19
years old. 4-H project members will
receive up to 15 birds each; the birds must be taken in five bird lots.
There are a limited number of birds
available so registrations will be on a
first-come, first-served basis. All birds
must go through the 4-H Livestock Auc-
tion at the Tioga County Fair.
The deadline to sign up for either the
4-H Turkey project and/or the 4-H Meat
Bird project is Friday, Jan. 9, 2015.
Youth must be enrolled in the 4-H Pro-
gram before they can participate in these
projects. There will be a mandatory information session on Saturday, Jan 10,
2015 at noon in the CCE Conference of
the Ronald E. Dougherty County Office
Building (formerly the Tioga County
Office Building). .
4-H Ring Neck Pheasant Raise & Re-
lease project
The 4-H Ring Neck Pheasant Raise &
Release project is being made available
to 4-H through the DEC. 4-H families
that are interested in participating in this
project must attend a mandatory intro-
ductory meeting on Thursday, Feb 5,
from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m., in the CCE Con-ference of the Ronald E. Dougherty
County Office Building (formerly the
Tioga County Office Building). Follow-
ing the introductory meeting, 4-H fami-
lies will have until Feb. 27 to decide
whether to commit to the project or not.
The 4-H Office will order all pheasant
chicks which are delivered in early May.
Youth must be enrolled in the 4-H Pro-
gram to be able to participate in this pro-
gram.
For those participating in the project, there are a number of responsibilities to
plan on. The project leaders will review
project requirements, discuss rearing
techniques, and explain project expecta-
tions. The leaders will assist members in
preparing rearing facilities and evaluate
the release site before approving 4-H
members for the project in order to en-
sure proper rearing and release condi-
tions for the birds. Youth and project
leaders will monitor progress together and share their experiences with other
participants. The number of pheasants
released must be recorded in the 4-H
member’s project record book at the end
of the project and sent to the 4-H Office.
Those numbers must then be reported to
the DEC.
The rearing and release of pheasants
requires a great deal of responsibility
and time commitment by 4-H youth and
families. So, why raise pheasants?
Rearing pheasants is enjoyable, chal-lenging and teaches youth responsible
behavior. Released pheasants offer fall
hunting opportunity. People enjoy see-
ing and hearing pheasants.
To find out more about the Tioga
County 4-H Program contact the 4-H
Office, Cornell Cooperative Extension,
Tioga County at 687-4020.
Volunteers Need for Crisis Hotline A New Hope Center is looking for
volunteers to staff the 24 hour crisis hot-
line, to provide support, counseling, and
crisis intervention services. Upon com-
pletion of the classes, volunteers are eligible to receive NYS DOH Rape Cri-
sis Counselor certification, and help
people from your home.
Classes are scheduled to begin Mon-
day, January 26, 2015, and will run once
a week for ten (10) weeks. Classes will
be held from 5:30 to 8:30 pm each week,
at the New Hope Center offices at 20
Church Street in Owego.
Please pre-register and get the details
to attend the training. To register, call
the office at 687-6887 or send an email to [email protected]. Regis-
tration can also be made through Face-
book at A New Hope Center.
A New Hope Center is a NYS Li-
censed organization providing compre-
hensive, progressive services for victims
of abuse.
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