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SUNY Corning Community College has announced Margaret “Meg” Lowman, Ph.D., as the 2023 Walter R. Smith Visiting Scholar Series speaker. A renowned conservationist and native of Elmira, New York, Dr. Lowman is the author of The Arbornaut: Exploring the 8th Continent in the Trees Above Us, an illustrated memoir that details four decades of her exploration of the vast abundance of life found in forest canopies. Dr. Lowman, known affectionately throughout the world as “Canopy Meg,” is a global pioneer in forest canopy ecology. She is one of the world’s foremost “arbornauts” — someone who explores and studies the vast forest canopies that makeup what Dr. Lowman has termed the Earth’s “eighth continent.” A tireless educator, strong advocate for girls, women, and minorities in science, Meg has published numerous books, is a sustainability advisor, contributes to boards, and speaks widely and frequently to diverse groups, schools, and international symposiums and conferences. She has been nicknamed “the real-life Lorax” (from Dr. Seuss) by National Geographic and “Einstein of the treetops” by the Wall Street Journal. The 2023 Walter R. Smith Visiting Scholar Series will take place on Tuesday, April 25 at 7:00 p.m. Dr. Lowman will give a 60-minute presentation, followed by a Q&A, and a book signing. This event is free and open to the public. Registration is required. Those interested in attending can register online at www.corning-cc.edu/. ■

Locals know spring has officially arrived in Chemung County when gliders begin to fill the skies over Harris Hill. Weather permitting, sailplane rides will be available on Saturdays and Sundays from 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. beginning in April, and daily from mid-June through Labor Day. Fall rides will resume on weekends after Labor Day and continue through October. Harris Hill Soaring is one of the oldest and largest glider clubs in the country, and among the first to offer rides to the public. Gliders are towed to an altitude of approximately 4,000 feet above sea level before being released to soar silently over the breathtaking views of the S. Finger Lakes. Rides lasts 15-20 minutes and cost $140. Passenger weight limit is 245 lbs. as dictated by FAA safety regulations. Passengers are flown in a high-performance two-seat glider, with room for a single passenger and pilot. The runway is located next to the National Soaring Museum, which houses the world’s largest glider collection. For more information, go to www.harrishillsoaring.org & www.soaringmuseum.org. Also opening this month is Harris Hill Amusement Park. The park will welcome visitors on Monday-Friday from 5:00 p.m.– 8:00 p.m., and Saturday & Sunday from noon—8:00 p.m., starting April 10. Daily hours of noon-8:00 p.m. will begin mid-June and continue through Labor Day weekend. A longtime local favorite, the park first got its start in 1947, and offers kiddy rides, putt-putt, go-karts, golf driving range, batting cages, an arcade, and the original soda bar. For more information, go to harrishillamusements.com.

This section is for anything pop culture related that may not warrant its own separate topic. A quick article, interesting picture, etc.

An open forum to talk about current events that may not fit in any other section. This can include state and national news as well as political/election related news. Pretty much anything goes.

On Wednesday, Horseheads Police responded to Amy's Sunshine Center, located at 800 W. Broad Street for a report of a bomb threat made against the day care center. Initial findings indicated the threat was possibly credible. With the help of school personnel, New York State Police K-9 and Horseheads Fire Department, the day care center was evacuated and searched for an explosive device. However police say none was found. Further investigation revealed that the threat allegedly came from an employee who had been recently terminated. The former employee was located and cooperated with police. As a result, 26 year old Kendra Nichols of Elmira was charged with Making A Threat Of Mass Harm, a misdemeanor. She was arrested, processed, and released on an appearance ticket to appear in Horseheads Village Court at a later date

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Two Elmira residents have been charged with welfare fraud after an investigation. On Friday March 17th 2023, 55 year old Stephen Para of Elmira, NY was arrested on an Elmira City Court Warrant following an investigation conducted by the Chemung County Department of Social Services Special Investigations Unit, the Elmira Police Department, and the Chemung County Sheriff’s Office. The investigation found that Stephen Para fraudulently completed four County Department of Social Services by failing to report household composition as required. As a result, he received $4,771.00 in SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits that he was not eligible to receive. Stephen Para was charged with one count of Welfare Fraud 3rd and one count of Grand Larceny 3rd, both Class D Felonies. He was additionally charged with four counts of Offering a False Instrument for Filing 1st, all Class E Felonies. On Tuesday March 28th 2023, 34 year old Estrella Rodriguez of Elmira, NY was arrested on a Superior Court Warrant following an indictment by the Chemung County Grand Jury. The arrest is a result of an investigation conducted by the Chemung County Department of Social Services Special Investigations Unit, the Elmira Police Department, and the Chemung County Sheriff’s Office. The investigation found that Estrella Rodriguez fraudulently completed two applications for public assistance with the Chemung County Department of Social Services by failing to report household composition as required. As a result, she received $4,138.00 in SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits that she was not eligible to receive. Estrella Rodriguez was charged with one count of Welfare Fraud 3rd and one count of Grand Larceny 3rd, both Class D Felonies. She was additionally charged with two counts of Offering a False Instrument for Filing 1st, both Class E Felonies.

On March 26th, 2023 at approximately 6:30 am the Elmira Police Department responded to a report regarding an individual running back and forth between a parked vehicle and a closed business in the 200 block of Lake Ave. in the City of Elmira. Further information was reported that individuals had broken out a window to gain access to the building. Upon officers arrival on scene the Officers came into contact with an individual who was exiting the building. This male retreated back into the building at which time Officers were able to make entry into the building and take this individual and a second individual into custody. A third subject was located sitting inside a parked vehicle nearby and upon further investigation taken into custody. Officers located a loaded .380 semi-automatic handgun along with clothing discarded by one of the subjects. A second handgun, a loaded 9mm semi-automatic “Ghost gun”, was located inside of the parked vehicle. Due to the results of the investigation the Elmira Police Department charged 40 year old Sharell E. Brooks of Elmira, 22 year old Gene D. Holden of Elmira and 22 year old Dominique Brooks-Jenkins of Elmira all with 1 count of Criminal Possession of a Weapon 2nd, a Class C Felony and 1 count of Burglary 3rd, a Class D Felony.

During the morning hours of March 26, 2023, Horseheads Police were called to the Horseheads High School for a report of larceny involving the theft of copper wiring from construction taking place at the school near the football stadium. After what police describe as an extensive investigation which involved canvassing the neighborhood, surveillance of the school, reviewing camera footage, and numerous foot patrols, police were able to make an arrest. As a result, thirty-four year old Joseph Paul was charged with Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance, Criminal Trespass, and 3rd Degree Grand Larceny. Paul was released on an appearance ticket and will appear in court at a later date. After further investigation and interviews, police executed two search warrants, one in the Village of Horseheads and one in the City of Elmira. Diring the execution of those warrants, police were able to locate remnants of the insulation that was stripped from the wiring. Horseheads Police were assisted by the Chemung County Sheriff's Department as well as Elmira Police Department. The investigation into this case is ongoing, and further arrests could be made. Anyone with information about this incident are asked to call the Horseheads Police Department at 607-739-5668

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According to a report in the Star Gazette, 63 year old James Miller was charged with two counts of possessing child pornography in a federal criminal complaint that alleges more than 100 images were seized from his electronic devices. Miller was the Steuben County Assistant District Attorney for eight years, retiring in 2021. Read more here.

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Public radio can help solve the local news crisis – but that would require expanding staff and coverage Can public radio fill the hole left by the decline of local news outlets? Talaj/iStock / Getty Images Plus Thomas E. Patterson, Harvard Kennedy School Since 2005, more than 2,500 local newspapers, most of them weeklies, have closed, with more closures on the way. Responses to the decline have ranged from luring billionaires to buy local dailies to encouraging digital startups. But the number of interested billionaires is limited, and many digital startups have struggled to generate the revenue and audience needed to survive. The local news crisis is more than a problem of shuttered newsrooms and laid-off journalists. It’s also a democracy crisis. Communities that have lost their newspaper have seen a decline in voting rates, the sense of solidarity among community members, awareness of local affairs and government responsiveness. Largely overlooked in the effort to save local news are the nation’s local public radio stations. Among the reasons for that oversight is that radio operates in a crowded space. Unlike a local daily newspaper, which largely has the print market to itself, local public radio stations face competition from other stations. The widely held perception that public radio caters to the interests of people with higher income and education may also have kept it largely out of the conversation. But as a scholar who studies media, I believe that local public radio should be part of the conversation about saving local news. Since 2005, more than 2,500 local newspapers have closed. Don Farrell/Digital Vision/Getty Images Advantages are trust, low cost and reach There are reasons to believe that public radio can help fill the local news gap. Trust in public broadcasting ranks above that of other major U.S. news outlets. Moreover, public radio production costs are relatively low – not as low as that of a digital startup, but far less than that of a newspaper or television station. And local public radio stations operate in every state and reach 98% of American homes, including those in news deserts – places that today no longer have a daily paper. Finally, local public radio is no longer just radio. It has expanded into digital production and has the potential to expand further. To assess local public radio’s potential for helping to fill the local information gap, I conducted an in-depth survey of National Public Radio’s 253 member stations. The central finding of that study: Local public radio has a staffing problem. Stations have considerable potential but aren’t yet in a position to make it happen. That’s not for lack of interest. Over 90% of the stations I surveyed said they want to play a larger role in meeting their community’s information needs. As one of our respondents said, “The need for the kind of journalism public media can provide grows more evident every day. The desire on the part of our newsrooms is strong.” To take on a larger role, most stations would need to expand their undersized news staff. Sixty percent of the local stations have 10 or fewer people on their news staff, and that’s by a generous definition of what constitutes staff. Respondents included in this count broadcast and digital reporters, editors, hosts, producers and others who contribute to local news and public affairs content in its various forms, as well as those who directly provide technical or other support to those staff members. In addition to full-time employees, stations were asked to include part-time employees and any students, interns or freelancers who contribute regularly. The staffing problem is most acute in communities that have lost their newspaper or where local news gathering has been sharply cut back. Many of these communities were judged by the respondents to have a below-average income level, which limits the local station’s fundraising potential. Although the staffing problem is more pronounced at stations in communities where local news is in short supply, staff size at nearly every station falls far short of even a moderate-sized daily newspaper. The Des Moines Register, for example, has a daily circulation of 35,000 copies and a nearly 50-person newsroom – a staff larger than 95% of local public radio stations. Limitations on potential One consequence of the staffing problem is that local public radio is actually not all that “local.” The survey found that in the 13-hour period from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays, only about two hours of locally produced news programming was carried on the average station, some of it in the form of talk shows and some of it as repeat programming. For stations with a news staff of 10 or fewer people, the daily average of locally produced news – even when including repeat programming – is barely more than one hour. This is only one indicator of the limitations of an undersized newsroom. Stations with a news staff of 10 or fewer people, for example, were only half as likely as those with more than 20 to have a reporter routinely assigned to cover local government. Some stations are so short of staff that they do not do any original reporting, relying entirely on other outlets, such as the local newspaper, for the stories they air. A small news staff also means it’s hard to create content for the web, as illustrated by stations’ websites. The stations with 10 or fewer people in their newsroom were only half as likely as those with a staff size of more than 10 to feature local news on their homepage. A local station’s website cannot become the “go-to” place for residents seeking local news on demand if the station fails to provide it. Who covers local political races if a town’s newspaper has gone under? AP Photo/Ryan J. Foley The stakes for democracy With more staff, local public radio stations could help fill the information gap created by the decline of local newspapers. They could afford to assign a reporter full time to cover local government bodies like city councils and school boards. It would still be a challenge for stations in rural areas that include multiple communities, but that challenge is also one that newspapers in rural areas have always faced and have in the past found ways to manage. With adequate staff, local stations could also make their programming truly “local,” which would broaden their audience appeal. Programming created by NPR, PRX and other content providers accounts for much of the appeal of local stations. But it can be a handicap in areas where many potential listeners have values and interests that aren’t met by national programming and where the station offers little in the way of local coverage. As one respondent noted, stations must provide coverage “that reflects the entirety of their communities.” How much new money would local stations require to expand their coverage? Based on our respondents’ estimates and a targeting of the funding for the communities most in need, roughly $150 million annually would be required. Given that these communities tend also to be the ones in below-average income areas, the funding would have to come largely from outside sources. That won’t be easy, but it needs to get done. As the Knight Foundation’s Eric Newton noted, local news gives people the information they “need to run their communities and their lives.” This story has been corrected to state the name of one of two content providers to public radio stations, PRX. Thomas E. Patterson, Bradlee Professor of Government and the Press, Harvard Kennedy School This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

According to a report by WETM news, City of Elmira Councilman Nick Grasso was charged with Driving while Intoxicated following a crash that occurred at the corner of West Water and Walnut Streets on March 16th around 1:35 am. No one was injured in the crash, however damage was done to a fence outside a local funeral home. On his official Facebook page, Grasso wrote the following: The town hall meeting mentioned took place at WMC North, located on West Water Street in downtown Elmira, from 6-7pm on the evening of March 15th.

The Chemung County Sheriff’s Office has announced the arrest of 40-year old, Kyle J. Men of Van Etten for Burglary in the Second Degree. The arrest stems from an investigation by the Sheriff’s Office relative to the burglary of a residence on Mallory Road, in the Town of Veteran, on March 9, 2023 in which numerous rifles, shotguns, and handguns, along with other valuables from the home were stolen. Menio, who has prior felony convictions, was arraigned in court and remanded to the Chemung County Jail without bail. Shawn M. Mistier of Veteran was also arrested in connection to this investigation. During the course of the investigation, the Criminal Investigation Division along with members of the Road Patrol Division, were able to recover all of the handguns as well as a large quantity of the rifles and shotguns in addition to coins, jewelry and other valuables that had been stolen. It is believed that there are still several long guns not accounted for. The Sheriff’s Deputies had been dispatched to the residence on Mallory Rd. after a neighbor observed a suspicious vehicle in the area near the residence and immediately called to report same. Although the suspects fled the area prior to the deputy’s arrival, the presence of the neighbor clearly contributed to them fleeing which caused them to leave evidence behind that helped identify one of the suspects. The Sheriff’s Office is continuing their investigation into this Burglary and additional arrests are expected.

Content regarding the recent issues with the town have been moved to a separate topic in the Local news section.

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On March 15, 2023, State Police members in Bath conducted an investigation into an individual that was held against their will and threatened with a gun in the town of Cameron. As a result of the investigation, 48 year old Michael Stewart was arrested and charged with Criminal Possession of a Weapon 3rd degree, Menacing 2nd degree, Unlawful Imprisonment 2nd degree, and Criminal Mischief 4th degree. Stewart was processed and transported to the Steuben County Jail, where he was released on March 16, 2023, following arraignment. Stewart is the Town of Cameron Judge, elected to a four year term in 2022. Upon his release from jail, Stewart immediately violated the order of protection and was arrested for Criminal Contempt 2nd degree. Further investigation into this matter resulted in Stewart being charged with five counts of Criminal Sale of a Firearm 3rd degree. Stewart was transported to Steuben County Jail where he awaits arraignment.

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After success as a food truck offering food made with fresh, regionally sourced ingredients, Ella’s Acres Homestead Kitchen has opened a restaurant at Arnot Mall to better serve their growing followers who often travel long distances to experience new foods and combinations. Co-owners Markus Brown and his wife, Samantha Hernandez’s dream was to provide a scratch dining option based onfresh ingredients sourced from the growing bounty of the Finger Lakes Region. The ever-changing menu is determined by what area farmers have in season, ensuring patrons a variety of new tastes to explore. Ella’s is open for dine-in or take-out on Fridays & Saturdays from 11:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m., and on Sundays from 11:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. You can learn about current menus at the Ella’s Acres Facebook page or by calling (607) 333-5531.

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On Friday, January 27, 2023, Pennsylvania State Police investigated a reported theft. This incident occurred on Monday, January 16, 2023, as an unknown individual initiated a conversation with a 28-year-old Mansfield female through Tik-Tok. The Mansfield woman was scammed into providing her bank account information under the false impression that the unknown actor would be her "sugar daddy". The victim received fraudulent checks, deposited funds into her cash app account and transferred them to a bitcoin wallet provided by the unknown actor (thief). This investigation is ongoing.