communitypress 0115

14
APALACHIN • OWEGO • NICHOLS TIOGA CENTER • NEWARK VALLEY YOUR HOMETOWN NEWSPAPER www.TiogaWeb.com Volume 30 JANUARY 2015 Number 1 PRESORTED STANDARD US POSTAGE PAID PERMIT #9 APALACHIN, NY CARRIER ROUTE POSTAL CUSTOMER BROWN ENTERPRISE AND MARKETING 7830 STATE ROUTE 434 APALACHIN, NEW YORK 13732 CAMPVILLE • BARTON • CANDOR SMITHBORO • CATATONK BEAM Electronics Hobbies & more... 7830 Rt 434, Apalachin, N. Y. 625-2222 7830 Rt 434, Apalachin 625-2332 or 206-2283 Save Your Precious Memories HAVE YOUR 8mm Movies & VHS Videos Converted to DVDs 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

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Page 1: Communitypress 0115

APALACHIN • OWEGO • NICHOLS

TIOGA CENTER • NEWARK VALLEY

YOUR HOMETOWN NEWSPAPER • www.TiogaWeb.com Volume 30 JANUARY 2015 Number 1

PRESORTED STANDARD

US POSTAGE PAID PERMIT #9 APALACHIN, NY

CARRIER ROUTE POSTAL CUSTOMER

BROWN ENTERPRISE AND MARKETING 7830 STATE ROUTE 434

APALACHIN, NEW YORK 13732

CAMPVILLE • BARTON • CANDOR

SMITHBORO • CATATONK

BEAM Electronics Hobbies & more... 7830 Rt 434, Apalachin, N. Y. 625-2222

7830 Rt 434, Apalachin 625-2332 or 206-2283

Save Your Precious Memories

HAVE YOUR 8mm Movies &

VHS Videos Converted to DVDs

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

Page 2: Communitypress 0115

JANUARY 2015 TIOGA COUNTY COMMUNITY PRESS PAGE 2

Serving Tioga & Broome County For over 20 years!

Apalachin, NY (607) 625-3131 or (607) 754-2541

We bring our samples to your home or business

to see in your lighting conditions.

Free Consultation ~ Free Installation

• Draperies

• Top Treatments

• Vertical Blinds

• Mini Blinds

• Cellular Shades

• Roller Shades

• All Top Brands

19 LAKE STREET, OWEGO Specializing in fun and games for the entire family

Hours: Mon—Thurs 10-5pm; Friday 10-7pm; Saturday 10-4pm

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!

Like us on Facebook

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

• The Community Press, nor its advertisers are not responsible for typographical errors in articles or ads. • Submitted articles are not guaranteed placement but

are printed on a space available basis. THIS PAPER IS FREE. IT IS PAID FOR BY THE

ADVERTISERS PLEASE SUPPORT THEM

TELL THEM YOU SAW IT IN THE

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

Page 3: Communitypress 0115

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

FOR WINTER

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.

Page 4: Communitypress 0115

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

$6

$7

$8

$9

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

AROUND THE

CLOCK”

“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.

Page 5: Communitypress 0115

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.

Page 6: Communitypress 0115

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.

Page 7: Communitypress 0115

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]

Page 8: Communitypress 0115

JANUARY 2015 TIOGA COUNTY COMMUNITY PRESS PAGE 8

116 Vestal Road, Vestal, New York HOURS: Monday – Friday 8 am – 5 pm

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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

Page 9: Communitypress 0115

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

[email protected]

Friends of Cornell Cooperative Extension

(Photos on page 8)

Page 10: Communitypress 0115

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

Page 11: Communitypress 0115

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!

Page 12: Communitypress 0115

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.

Page 13: Communitypress 0115

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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Page 14: Communitypress 0115

JANUARY 2015 TIOGA COUNTY COMMUNITY PRESS WEB EXTRA PAGE 2

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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