communitypress 0316
DESCRIPTION
Community Press March 2016 serving Tioga County New YorkTRANSCRIPT
7830 Rt 434, Apalachin 245-6139 or 625-2332
Spring Package $69.95!
PRESORTED STANDARD
US POSTAGE PAID PERMIT #9 APALACHIN, NY
BROWN ENTERPRISE AND MARKETING 7830 STATE ROUTE 434
APALACHIN, NEW YORK 13732
CARRIER ROUTE POSTAL CUSTOMER
APALACHIN • OWEGO • NICHOLS TIOGA CENTER • NEWARK VALLEY
YOUR HOMETOWN NEWSPAPER • www.CommunityPress.us Volume 31 MARCH 2016 Number 3
CAMPVILLE • BARTON • CANDOR SMITHBORO • CATATONK
BEAM Electronics Hobbies & more... 7830 Rt 434, Apalachin, N. Y. 625-2222
Save Your Precious Memories
HAVE YOUR 8mm Movies
Slides & Videos Converted to DVDs
Rebuild Owego Party Candidates are (left to right) Theresa Gosart, Richard VanHall, Kevin Millar, Rodney Marchewka, and Patrick Cart-wright Jr.
Taxpayers First Party Candidates are (left to Rrght) Steve May, Mike Phelps, Earl Hartman, and Ed Morton.
Village of Owego Elections – March 15th
An early morning fire on
March 3 heavily damaged a four-
apartment house at 388 Main St.
in Owego. The Owego Fire De-
partment was assisted by the
Apalachin, Campville, and Tioga
Center Fire Departments. Later
that morning around 7:40 am, the
fire rekindled and had to be extin-
guished again by the Owego Fire
Department (photos)
Easter Egg Hunt in Apalachin - March 19
The Apalachin Lions Club will hold
its 61st annual Easter Egg Hunt on Sat-
urday, March 19, at 1:00 pm. The event
will take place behind BOCES West
School on Pennsylvania Avenue in
Apalachin.
All children are invited to hunt for
eggs and see the Easter Bunny.
The following activities will take
place inside the TLC-BOCES School
starting at 12:30 pm:
• Free new Digital Vision screening for
children,
• Free kids’ IDs from the Tioga County
Sheriff’s Department,
• Free children’s books given away by
the O/A Family Reading Partnership.
Everyone is welcome. The Apalachin
Lions hope to see you there. Rain date
for the event is Saturday, March 26.
An Easter Egg Hunt will be held on
Sunday, March 20, at 2:00 pm, at Park
Terrace Community United Methodist
Church, 30 Glann Road in Apalachin.
Easter Egg Hunt - March 20
It’s the first sign of Spring in Apalachin “OPENING MARCH 19”
DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME STARTS MARCH 13th
Don’t forget to set your clocks ahead
MARCH 2016 TIOGA COUNTY COMMUNITY PRESS PAGE 2
Tioga County's
COMMUNITY
PRESS Volume 31 Number 3
March 2016 © 2016 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
LANDSCAPING SERVICES Mulching Weeding Planting Seeding & Sod Installing Tree & Shrub Trimming Drainage & Excavating
HARDSCAPING Field Stone Walkways Patios Retaining Walls Repairs
607-206-0304
www.Williams-Landscape.com SNOW REMOVAL & SALTING
TREE & SHRUB TRIMMING • SPRING CLEANUPS Braedy Dilger from TST BOCES pets a pup that was recently implanted with a microchip. Dilger’s class learned about the humane treatment and protection of animals on a visit to the SPCA of Tompkins County.
TST BOCES Exceptional Education Students Visit SPCA
Several TST BOCES Exceptional Edu-
cation students visited the SPCA of Tomp-
kins County to learn about the humane
treatment and protection of animals recent-
ly.
The classes took the field trip in honor
of “Responsible Pet Owners Month,”
“Love Your Pet Day” and also to fulfill a
TST BOCES Board expectation (Policy
#7150), which reads that all elementary
students should receive instruction on the
“part they play in the economy of nature as
well as the necessity of controlling the
proliferation of animals that are subse-
quently abandoned and caused to suffer
extreme cruelty.”
Prior to the visit, the students made
treats to take with them to the SPCA,
demonstrating their love of animals. One
class baked dog treats, another created
handmade cat toys and another made cat
treats.
The students had the opportunity to talk
with SPCA personnel and visit with the
animals in their care. The staff brought out
a puppy named Max to demonstrate his
newly implanted microchip.
“The group talked about the importance
of keeping track of our animals, the needs
of pets and our responsibility to be good
caretakers,” said Exceptional Education
Teacher Laura Havill.
The visit concluded with a “story time”
regarding the value of the SPCA and all
they do to help animals in need.
MARCH 2016 TIOGA COUNTY COMMUNITY PRESS PAGE 3
HOMETOWN AUTO SALES & SERVICE
and
OUR GARAGE We’re Thinking Spring
Are You?
Get Your Car Ready!
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
NOW IS THE TIME TO GET YOUR TILLER AND LAWNMOWER CHECKED OUT AND
READY FOR SPRING!
and a
• Daily & Weekly Rentals • Direct Billing to Insurance Co.
5780 Route 434,Apalachin, NY 13732 Rental 625-9904 Towing 625-5653 AAA members call us directly
Happy St. Patrick’s Day and a
Happy Easter From Peanut and Emma
TOWING & ACCIDENT RECOVERY AUTO RENTAL
with Direct Billing to Insurance
AUTO REPAIR AUTO CLEANING and DETAILING
AUTO SALES Serving The Southern Tier Since 1989
Town of Owego Updates Emergency Op Plan
The Town of Owego recently updat-
ed its Emergency Operations Plan. The
EOP can be found on the town’s web-
site: www.townofowego.com.
Included in the EOP are instructions
for town residents pertaining to Tioga
County’s Hyper Reach emergency noti-
fication program.
Hyper Reach is a service for manag-
ing emergency communications. The
program is capable of contacting resi-
dents county-wide in case of large scale
emergencies such as flooding. It can also
target specific neighborhoods for more
localized emergencies.
Upon initiation by a town official, the
Hyper Reach system will automatically
send emergency notifications directly to
your home phone/landline. The system
also is capable of contacting you by cell
phone (voice mail or text), teletype de-
vice, and/or e-mail address.
Residents who prefer to be notified
via cell phone, teletype device and/or e-
mail must register with Tioga County
Emergency Management by accessing
www.tiogacounyny.com.
The registration process is simple and
requires basic information that will only
be used for community announcements.
To summarize, the Town of Owego
will begin using the Hyper Reach pro-
gram to notify residents of emergency
events. Those who choose to receive
notification via home phone/landline are
automatically registered in the program.
Residents who choose notification
through cell phone, teletype device, or e-
mail must register their information with
Tioga County Emergency Management.
Voter Information Night - March 8
Owego Village candidates running
on the “Taxpayers First” ballot line will
host a Meet The Candidates Voter Infor-
mation Night on Tuesday, March 8. The
event will be held at 7:00 pm at the
United Methodist Church Fellowship
Hall at 261 Main Street in Owego.
The Taxpayers First candidates are:
Steve May for Mayor (currently a Trus-
tee); Earl Hartman for Trustee (running
for re-election); Mike Phelps for Trustee
(running for re-election); and Ed Morton
for Trustee (first-time candidate).
The Taxpayers First platform for the
Village is focused on three key priori-
ties: 1) Financial accuracy and accounta-
bility; 2) Maximizing efficiency and
effectiveness; 3) Ensuring that taxpayers
make final decisions on major issues.
“Village residents deserve to have a
direct line of communication with those
who seek to represent them,” said Mr.
May, the candidate for Mayor. “I hope
voters will attend on March 8th to hear
the facts about the significant changes
we need at Village Hall.”
“We encourage all residents to come
to this Voter Information Night to learn
what our team will do to improve Vil-
lage finances, sewer billing and other
issues,” said Hartman.
“We’re disappointed in the misinfor-
mation being put out by our opponents,”
said Phelps. “This Meet & Greet will
give voters the chance to hear directly
from us about where we really stand on
important issues facing Owego.”
“Nothing is more important in our
democracy than the people having ac-
cess to elected officials and candidates,”
said Morton. “Voters should know that
our team is truly committed to being
open and accessible with Village infor-
mation.”
The March 8th event is open to any
Village of Owego resident. Light re-
freshments will be served.
In addition to hosting this event,
May, Phelps, Hartman and Morton en-
courage Village residents to contact
them personally at any time with ques-
tions or comments leading up to the
March 15th election.
All Village residents are eligible to
vote if they are registered with the Tioga
County Board of Elections.
New Member of CCNN of Nichols
Community Care Network of Nichols
(CCNN) announced that Makayla Bean
has been hired as CCNN’s Client Ser-
vices Coordinator.
Makayla will be working closely with
CCNN volunteers and those they serve,
coordinating services, facilitating pro-
grams and developing new partnerships
with other human service agencies, there-
by increasing services for clients.
Makayla earned her Bachelor’s De-
gree in Social Work from Mansfield Uni-
versity. While at Mansfield, she was
very active helping with the planning
efforts for students to attend the legisla-
tive advocacy day in Harrisburg, PA.
Makayla also has experience in designing
and implementing fundraisers and pro-
grams. Over the past three years, Ma-
kayla has worked with developmentally
handicapped youth.
Mobile Food Pantry Distribution - March 30
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 March 30, from Noon, at St.
Margaret Mary Catholic Church parking
lot, 110 Penn. Avenue in Apalachin.
Bring your own bags or boxes.
Call Food Bank of the Southern Tier
at (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.
MARCH 2016 TIOGA COUNTY COMMUNITY PRESS PAGE 4
FOR SALE: Roof antenna tripod $35, Kenmore Kitchen Compactor $35, 42” diameter beautiful pine kitchen table 2” thick includes 12” leaf $55. Call 607-625-5558 03/15 WANTED: Tractor or Jeep. 1940’s Em-pire tractor or Willys Army Jeep. Rusty or Broken down, infield OK! Call 570-395-41.27 05/16 NEED IT HAULED MOVED or CLEANED: We can help local moving . Cleaning of houses, garages, attics, out buildings! Call 607-699-0212 4/16 WANTED: Vintage Jewelry men’s and women’s including watches. Also old toys, paintings and vintage collectables. Call Dave at 607-372-7860 11/16 NEED IT CLEANED OUT: Need it cleaned out, we just charge less! Attics to basements. Also garages sheds and barns. Call MK’S Affordable Cleanouts at 607 217-7455 Free Estimates! 3/16 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 09/16
WANTED: Highest Prices Paid for An-tiques & Vintage Collectables. Like blue decorated crocks/jugs, old toys, watches pocket/wrist, jewelry men’s/women’s, banks, door stops, coffee grinders, foun-tain pens, military, firefighting items, and muck more. Call (607) 372-7860 2/17 DENT REMOVAL: door dings, hail dam-age, dents removed without harm to car finish! Olympic Detailing 607-625-2332 FOR SALE KENNEL: Heavy duty galva-nized modular chain link fence kennel with one gate 6W x 8L x 4H (new $400) $250 excellent condition 607-624-2766 07/15 DOG BOARDING: Pleasant Valley Dog Kennel, 5367 State Route 38, Newark Valley, NY 13811. 40 years in business, indoor/outdoor runs. Daily rates $14 one dog, $21 two dogs same run 607-642-8776 06/16 WANTED: Your classified ad for our April 2016 issue. Please send in form below by March 25.
SEND US YOUR CLASSIFIED ADS
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 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
“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 •
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”
ANE
EAMLESS
UTTERS
• GUTTERS • FASCIA
• SOFFIT • SIDING
• DOORS • DECKS
• WINDOWS
625-4076 • Free Estimates • Fully Insured •
• Family Owned Since 1976 •
• Garry • Kevin • Rory •
Apalachin Lions Club
Scholarships 2016 Reminder The Apalachin Lions Club 29th An-
nual Scholarship program will award
$3000 in scholarships to deserving stu-
dents from the class of 2016 who live in
the 13732, and 13760, 18830 zip codes.
This covers Apalachin, Campville east
to the Broome County line, and Little
Meadows, PA. The scholarships are
awarded to students who have made
outstanding contributions in service to
their community and school.
Distribution of scholarships will be
as follows:
One $1000 scholarship will be award-
ed to students who attend Owego Free
Academy and Vestal High School, and
one $1000 scholarship will be awarded
to a student who attends either of the
following schools: Broome Tioga BO-
CES, Montrose Junior-Senior High, Se-
ton Catholic Central High School, Ross
Corners Christian Academy, and Home
Schooling (LEAH).
The distribution of scholarships is
based on the relative numbers of stu-
dents from Apalachin, Campville and
Little Meadows attending each of the
schools.
Information and applications may be
obtained at the schools guidance office,
or Vestal LEAH.
MARCH 2016 TIOGA COUNTY COMMUNITY PRESS PAGE 5
625-3830
Tuesday March 17th Celebrate
St Patrick’s Day Corned Beef & Cabbage • Ham & Cabbage • Irish Lamb Stew
Join us for Breakfast, Lunch or Dinner
Easter Sunday Complementary Scoop of Ice Cream w/ Strawberries
(with any Dinner Special)
The Terrace The Friendly Neighborhood Tavern
Rt. 434, Apalachin, New York 625-3935
Karaoke Saturday - March 12th & April 2nd
Next To Kin - Saturday March 19
Tue - Steak Nite • Wed - Shrimp Nite • Thurs - Clam Nite
Serving Corned Beef & Cabbage or Ham and Cabbage
EXCEPT 3/17
Spring has sprung, and the rabbits
are popping up all over!
10% OFF Easter Items!
HAND OF MAN 180 Front St., Owego, NY (607)687-2556
Hours: Monday-Saturday 9:30-5; Sunday 9:30-4 www.HandOfMan.com • Like us on Facebook
Skyline Services 891 Pennsylvania, Little Meadows, Pa.
WE INSURE NEW YORK & PENNSYLVANIA FARMS • MOBILE HOMES • RENTALS • HOMEOWNERS
AUTO • TRUCKERS • WORK COMP • BUSINESS
SPRING CLEANING Throw out that old policy and call us
Call Sarah 1-800-258-9404
Check out our new Mobile Web Site!
Skyline Services
Serving NY &
PA
Ancestry Discovery Day in Owego - April 9
Everyone is invited to a free and in-
formative day of family discovery.
Ancestry Discovery Day will be held
on Saturday, April 9, from 9:30 am until
2:00 pm at the LDS Church, 430 Mont-
rose Turnpike in Owego.
The event includes mini classes cov-
ering topics such as searching for infor-
mation, preserving and sharing your
finds, DNA, using descendancy charts,
using social media and much more.
There will also be games.
Classes are free. Lunch will be availa-
ble for $5 (ham, roast beef or turkey
subs) with proceeds supporting the
scouts (Troop 60).
Registration is required by April 1.
To register, or for more information, call
the Family History Center at 687-5137
or email [email protected]
Candor Historical Society Calls for Remem-
brances for New Book
The Candor Historical Society is
working on Volume II of “I Remember
When—A Glimpse of Candor’s Good
Old Days.” They invite you to send in
your special remembrances of living in
Candor for this special edition. As His-
torian, Carol Henry will be acting as
compiler and editor for this project.
Submit your stories (handwritten or
typed) to Carol Henry at 90 Dry Brook
Road, Willseyville, NY 13864, or via
email (preferred): carolhenry@ fron-
tiernet.net.
The Candor Historical Society’s Face-
book site has already stirred up great
excitement and bits and pieces of inter-
esting tales that would fit nicely in the
proposed book. Don’t worry about your
writing skills. They will help you out,
and let you look it over before the publi-
cation goes to print—make sure they
have your contact information. Credit
will be given to those who submit some-
thing, and all proceeds will go directly
to the Candor Historical Society, as does
the proceeds for Volume I. Copies of
Volume I are available at the Candor
Town Hall, Candor Free Library, and at
all Candor Historical Society Meetings.
For more information contact Historian
Carol Henry.
Belmonts at Tioga Downs
Tribute to 50s and 60s
Tioga Downs in Nichols took music
fans back to a simpler time when the
Belmonts performed on March 5. From
rock and roll to doo wop, the quartet is
known for its realistic renditions of pop-
ular hits of the 1950s and 1960s.
Four male vocalists make up the
Belmonts, a group that has been per-
forming together for decades.
The Belmonts have eight labels, in-
cluding a Christmas album, to their cred-
it.
When they aren’t recording music or
performing on stage, the Belmonts are
still busy streaming music into homes
across the country through its Internet
radio station. Special weekly program-
ming includes a doo wop revival show, a
rock and roll revue and a “collector’s
corner,” featuring rare musical record-
ings.
More information about the group,
including a link to their radio station,
can be found at www.thebelmonts.net.
The Belmonts also have a number of
honors to their credit, including being
inducted into the Doo Wop Hall of Fame
and receiving the Key to the City of
Buffalo, New York.
“We are pleased to pay tribute to an
era in American musical history that
isn’t celebrated nearly as often as it
should be,” said Tioga Downs owner
Jeff Gural.
www.tiogadowns.com.
“Quilts by the River” Exhibition in Owego
Tioga County is home to many artisti-
cally talented quilters, and the “Quilts
by the River” Quilt Show is an ideal
place to see many of these quilts in per-
son. The exhibition is being held now
through April 30, at the Tioga County
Historical Society Museum, 110 Front
Street in Owego.
Admission to the museum is $3 for
adults, $2 for seniors, and free for chil-
dren and members.
The exhibit rooms are filled with
many excellent quality quilts that were
made locally, including a display of an-
tique quilts from the museum’s own
collection. Visitors will enjoy a special
silent auction for a chance to win a vari-
ety of specially made quilts.
A variety of lectures, demonstrations,
and classes are available. Demonstra-
tions will take place on the following
dates:
Saturday, March 12, 1-3pm
Saturday, March 19, 1-3pm
Saturday, March 26, 1-3pm
Friday, April 1, 5-7pm
Saturday, April 2, 1-3pm
Saturday, April 9, 1-3pm
The Tioga County Historical Muse-
um is open Wednesdays through Satur-
days, 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. For more
information, call 687-2460, email muse-
[email protected], or visit
www.tiogahistory.org
MARCH 2016 TIOGA COUNTY COMMUNITY PRESS PAGE 6
BEAM Electronics Hobbies & more... 7830 Rt 434, Apalachin, N. Y. 625-2222
POLICE • FIRE EMERGENCY HEAR ALL THE ACTION AS IT HAPPENS WITH A
BEARCAT
SCANNER
Call Dave today: (607) 972-1835 Email: [email protected]
Insured & Experienced All Aspects of
Construction Residential & Commercial
7 Days a Week
Mon-Sat 11 till closing; Sunday open at 1pm
Township Cabin, Route 858, Little Meadows, Pa (570) 623-2475 HAPPY HOUR: Mon-Fri 4 – 6
Kitchen Open: Mon-Sat till 9pm
CLOSED EASTER SUNDAY
St Patrick’s Day Special Ham & Cabbage
March 18 - LONE RYDERZ BAND 7-11pm March 20 - OPEN MIC 4-8pm April 2 - MIDDENDORF CHICKEN B-B-Q HI-WAY FRUIT MARKET
MONDAY ~ FREE POOL 7pm till 10pm Tues & Sat – Wing Day –All Day Long $5.50 doz. Friday & Saturday– Steak Night!
• SUBS • WRAPS • SANDWICHES • BURGERS • SEAFOOD • • SALADS • APPETIZERS • TRY OUR HOMEMADE FRYS •
Dewy Meadows Warren Center, Pa.
570-395-3458
Annual Maple Open House March 19th 9-5
Free Demonstrations Sweet Tasting Samples!
Maple products available for purchase
Pancake Breakfast
at Independent Bible Church Little Meadows 9am-1pm
Sponsored by
Little Meadows Fire Co. 4 & under Free, 5-12 $5, 13 & over $9
Dewy Meadows Maple Syrup, Pancakes. French Toast, Sausage Gravy & Biscuits,
Scrambled Eggs, Hash Browns, Bacon
www.DewyMeadows.com
Gather your best grammarian friends
and form a team for the Tioga United
Way’s first annual Adult Spelling Bee
which will be held April 9 at the Owego
ELKS Club.
Announcer for the event will be for-
mer Navy helicopter test pilot and past
District Governor of Rotary District
7170, Orville Wright, who will be joined
by Paula Smith, former St. Patrick’s
School Principal; Karen Vinti, Owego
Police Department chief; and Renovus
Solar General Manager, Jon McNamara,
who will serve as judges. The Spelling
Bee will highlight the importance of
literacy and education, as well as the
importance of bees to our ecological
system and our food supply. On hand
will be the Literacy Volunteers of
Broome/Tioga Counties, Inc., along with
TCCE Master Gardeners, the H&J Bee
Farm (Thomas Babcock’s honey), and
the Old Orchard Farm.
A silent auction will feature seven
“Celebrity Lunches,” including New
York State Senator Fred Akshar;
Riverow Bookshop Owner Laura Spen-
cer Eberly; President & CEO of Tioga
State Bank Robert Fisher; Tioga County
Sheriff Gary Howard; Owego Police
Department Chief Karen Vinti, and the
superstars from Newsradio WEBO.
Most celebrity lunches will take place at
a local Tioga County restaurant and Tio-
ga United Way will foot the bill. Sheriff
Howard’s highest bidder, however, will
dine in the County jailhouse with a meal
served to prisoners!
For those of you wanting to enjoy
lunch outside of Tioga County, Adam
Weitsman (pictured), owner of Upstate
Shredding, will fly the highest bidder
and their guest on the company’s private
jet, a Gulfstream G200, to New York
City for lunch at a restaurant of the win-
ning bidder’s choosing.
Online bidding for the Silent Auction
is available now through April 8 at tio-
gaunitedway.com. Bidding will then
continue at the Spelling Bee. Bidding is
open to the public and the winner will be
announced at the closing ceremony
(winner need not be present). Spelling
Bee teams should include two to five
people, who will listen to the words and
write the correct spellings on paper.
All teams must register online at tio-
gaunitedway.com or by calling 607-687-
4028. To enter, each team will contrib-
ute $100.
If spelling just isn’t your thing, but
you would like to join in the festivities
and support a worthy cause, there’s a $5
admission.
The Tioga United Way thanks their
sponsors: Adam Weitsman of Upstate
Shredding, Buffie Ahrbal’s State Farm
Insurance, the Calaboose Grille, the
Farmhouse Brewery, Owego Elks Club,
Newsradio WEBO, and Literacy Volun-
teers of Broome/Tioga Counties, Inc.
Proceeds from the event go toward the
31 partner agencies of the Tioga United
Way.
Weitsman spells G-E-N-E-R-O-S-I-T-Y
for United Way’s Spelling Bee Silent auction winners will fly to NYC for lunch!
Tioga Downs to Mark Construction Progress with
“Topping Off” Ceremony After four months of construction, the
preliminary framework for the multi-
million dollar expansion to full casino
gaming at Tioga Downs is nearly com-
plete. A “Topping Off” ceremony will be
held on Monday, March 7, at 2:00 pm
outside the entertainment complex. Lo-
cal dignitaries, Jeff Gural and Tioga
Downs personnel will sign the final steel
beam before it is lifted into place.
Tioga Downs offers live harness rac-
ing, video lottery terminals, video poker
and electronic table games. A variety of
eateries are also part of the current enter-
tainment complex. Jeff Gural owns Tio-
ga Downs in Nichols, NY and Vernon
Downs in Vernon, NY.
Tioga Downs was recently recom-
mended by the New York State Gaming
Facility Location Board for a full gaming
license. In the last decade, Tioga Downs
and Vernon Downs have created more
than 700 family-sustaining jobs and do-
nated millions to nonprofit organiza-
tions.
For more information on Tioga
Downs, visit www.tiogadowns.com.
Candor Community Showcase - March 12 Come out and see what the Candor
community has to offer on Saturday,
March 12, at the Candor Fire Hall.
Businesses, organizations, nonprofit
groups and more will be at the fire hall
from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm for the 7th
annual Candor Community Showcase.
Ozzie's Brisket BBQ Grill from En-
dicott will be serving meals from 11:00
am to 5:00 pm outside the firehouse.
There will be drawings and door priz-
es and much more for the public. Learn
about special programs and events in the
Candor area. The annual event is spon-
sored by the Candor Chamber of Com-
merce and is free to the public. There
will be something for all ages.
For more information or if you
would like to set up at the event, contact:
Glorida Ward at (607) 659-7312 or
[email protected] Tables are $15
for chamber members, $25 for non
members. The Candor Fire Hall is locat-
ed on Route 96B/Owego Road in Can-
dor. Check out the Candor Chamber of
Commerce website at
www.candornychamber.org
Tioga County Rural Ministry
(TCRM) recently received a grant
from the Community Foundation for
the Twin Tiers.
TCRM received a check for
$4,398.47 from the Katherine P.
Kerrigan Designated Fund. This
check provides for administrative
support in carrying out TCRM’s mis-
sion of serving the unmet needs of
those who are poor, sick, or elderly.
In particular, it assists in efforts to
respond to the needs of seniors, in-
cluding help with heating bills, small
home repairs, prescriptions and other
medical needs.
Rural Ministry
Receives Grant
Artistic Quilts on Display in Oxford
Oxford quilters Janice Wolfe and
Kim Betts are exhibiting their Artistic
Quilts at 6 On The Square, 6 Lafayette
Park, in Oxford through May 20, 2016.
“These are not your grandmother’s
quilts” said Betts of this exhibit. This
accomplished mother-daughter duo in-
terprets landscapes into exquisitely
pieced works of art. They also take quilt-
ing beyond the common patterns of their
foremothers into the sometimes abstract
and colorful piecing seen in modern
works of art. Quilters and non-quilters
alike will appreciate not only the stitch-
ing but the interaction of colors and di-
mension displayed in the quilts.
For more information, go to
www.6onthesquare.org
MARCH 2016 TIOGA COUNTY COMMUNITY PRESS PAGE 7
Open: Tuesday-Sunday 7am to 3pm CLOSED MONDAY (607) 625-2212
www.facebook.com/gigisplaceapalachin
ST. PATRICK’s DAY RUBEN SPECIAL
We will be closed Easter Sunday
www.NikosAutoDetailing.COM
Ribbon Cutting in Apalachin
A ribbon cutting ceremony was held
on Friday, March 4, to celebrate the
grand opening of the new Mister Koffee
Service, Inc. Mix and Match K-Cup
Superstore, 6936 Rt. 434 in Apalachin.
Whether you want to try one product
or up to 120 different varieties, Mister
Koffee Service has a plethora of single-
serve hot beverage products to choose
from. Their hours are Monday thru Fri-
day 9:00 am to 6:00 pm and Saturday
10:00 am to 2:00 pm.
Ribbon Cutting to be held March 22
The Tioga County Chamber of Com-
merce invites you to a ribbon at The
Owego Kitchen, 13 Lake Street in
Owego, Tuesday, March 22, at 2:00 pm.
The Owego Kitchen is a comfortable
and rustic village café serving fresh
baked breakfast goodies and lunches,
made from scratch. On-line ordering is
available for your take-out convenience.
They are open Monday to Saturday,
7:00 am to 4:00 pm, and Sunday 8:00
am to 2:00 pm.
Ribbon Cutting for Chinese Restaurant in Owego
A ribbon cutting ceremony was held
March 1 for the China Garden Chinese
Restaurant at 119-123 North Avenue in
Owego.
China Garden, owned by Mei Guang
Tang, serves traditional Chinese cuisine,
and offers daily lunch and dinner spe-
cials. You can dine in or take out. There
is ample off street parking.
China Garden is open every day from
11:00 am to 10:00 pm.
Ribbon Cutting at Carstar Owego
A ribbon cutting ceremony was held
on February 18 at Carstar of Owego
located at 875 Rt. 17C.
Carstar is a collision repair franchise
with expert technicians and state of the
art equipment. They work with all insur-
ance companies and will repair your
vehicle to factory standards. Carstar
also offers spray bed liners, undercoat-
ing, rust proofing, headlamp restoration
and after-market truck accessories. Paint
protection film and tinting coming soon.
Carstar is open Mondays to Fridays, 8
am to 5 pm.
MARCH 2016 TIOGA COUNTY COMMUNITY PRESS PAGE 10
116 Vestal Road, Vestal, New York 992 Conklin Road, Conklin, New York
HOURS: Monday – Friday 8 am – 5 pm Saturday 8 am – noon
CALL FOR
COMPETITIVE PRICES
• 748-3989 •
PROPANE
FUEL OIL • KEROSENE
WOOD PELLETS &
COAL by the Bag
Don’t send your money out of town! Keep it locally, right here in the
Southern Tier!
$9.20 +tax
20 lb. Refill
New Broil King gas grills in stock fully assembled
Gas grill parts for all makes of grills in stock!
Call for Furnace Installation Estimates
Artfully Squared Deadline is March 30
Works to be on Exhibit in April
Tioga Arts Council will sponsor Art-
fully SQUARED, their 4th annual col-
laborative art event open to creatives of
all ages and skill levels.
You can use any medium to make a
piece that measures seven inches square,
donate your artwork to Tioga Arts Coun-
cil (TAC), and then come see the exhibi-
tion and pick up original artwork for
your walls.
The deadline for entries is March 30,
2016. There is no fee to enter. Entry
forms are available at the Tioga Arts
Council or at www.tiogaartscouncil.org.
All artworks will be exhibited in
TAC’s gallery during the entire month of
April. Each piece will be available for a
$20 donation.
This year, TAC members will have
first dibs on Artfully SQUARED pieces.
A special members-only event will be
held on March 31 from 5:00 to 8:00 pm.
Artfully SQUARED will open to the
public on April 1. A reception will be
held that evening from 5:00 to 8:00 pm
as part of Owego's 1st Friday ArtWalk.
All funds raised help support TAC’s
vision to inspire and support a vibrant,
creative community in and around Tioga
County.
The Tioga Arts Council is at 179
Front Street in Owego. It is open Mon-
days from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm, and
Tuesdays through Saturdays from 9:00
am to 4:00 pm.
For more information, go to
www.tiogaartscouncil.org or call (607)
687-0785.
Owego Police
Held Open House
The Owego Police Department held
an open house on Saturday March 5 The
event was part of an ongoing community
effort to educate and inform the public
about the workings of the Owego Police
Department and highlight the depart-
ments’ importance in the village.
New equipment has been added and
lots of improvements have been made
on the inside since the 2011 flood.
Sandra Knapp-Dunbar, owner of
Dunbar Antiques and The ‘Erb Lady,
has hosted several well attended
‘Breakfast with the Chief’ early morning
gatherings at the Owego Parkview Res-
taurant which are being held monthly.
The next ‘Breakfast with the Chief’ will
be scheduled in April with a date to be
announced.
Chamber Announces Award Winners
The Tioga County Chamber of Com-
merce Spirit of Tioga Community
Awards were presented at the Chamber
Annual Dinner on Thursday. The Spirit
of Tioga Award recipients were:
Business: Williams and Edsall Land
Surveyors PC,
New Business: Early Owego Antique
Center,
Community Service: Tioga County
Economic Development and Planning.
The Annual Dinner, Community
Awards and Silent Auction were held
Thursday, February 11, at the Owego
Treadway Inn. This year’s theme, A
Winter Beach Party, was a reminder of
the warm weather days that are coming
and that having fun while forming busi-
ness relationships is important.
The evening was sponsored by M&T
Bank and included hors d’oeuvres, din-
ner, music by the Outer Reef, dessert
sponsored by WSKG, a silent auction,
and the Spirit of Tioga Community
Awards.
MARCH 2016 TIOGA COUNTY COMMUNITY PRESS PAGE 11
7 New St., Apalachin, N.Y. Margaret Karpel – Owner E-mail: [email protected]
INDEPENDENT AVON REPRESENTATIVE Call today for an appointment (607) 625-3591
~ 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
JOIN US FOR SOME GREEN BEER AND GOOD FOOD
St Patrick’s Day Dinner Corned Beef, Ham, Cabbage & fixings
Thursday March 17 noon till gone! LENTEN SPECIALS • Trivia Tuesday 6-8pm
Pizza - 7 Days A Week - Hand Tossed - Full, Half Sheet or Round
Friday Nite - Deep fried Haddock & Ribeye Dinners
The Gugino Law Office Bankruptcy - Real Estate
Family Court - Auto Accidents
Free Consultation
Mark Charles Gugino, Esq. E-mail [email protected]
144 Bald Hill Road Spencer, New York 14883
Phone (607) 319-0766 Website www.1000islandslaw.com
Attorney Advertising - Debt Relief Agency
BEAM Electronics Hobbies & more... 7830 Rt 434, Apalachin, N. Y. 625-2222
Save Your Precious Memories HAVE YOUR 8mm Movies &
VHS Videos Converted to DVDs (also converting Beta & 8mm Video)
Letter to the Editor
Village Election - Look at Voting Record 2/25/2016
To the Editor,
The Village of Owego election this
year will be on March 15th at the North
Avenue Fire Station. As usual in any
election there is a lot of rhetoric, but I
think the best way to judge between the
opposing parties is to look at their voting
records. In just the past year, the candi-
dates for the Taxpayers Party have voted
6 times against hiring police officers to
fight the heroin epidemic and protect our
kids. They voted to dissolve
our historic Fire Department 8 times and
in the last two board meetings, Mike
Phelps has suggested that we get rid of
our DPW. Their actions clearly state
what their real agenda is.
In contrast, the Rebuild Owego Party
has kept the Village under the tax cap
while rebuilding from the flood and sup-
porting our essential services. They have
consistently voted to support our police
department and keep our fire depart-
ment. Theresa Gosart, Rebuild Owego
candidate for trustee, was instrumental
in organizing the “I want my OPD”
group during Steve May’s first attack
against the Village Police Department
when he was running under the A Posi-
tive party ticket. Another Rebuild
Owego trustee candidate, Patrick Cart-
wright Jr., is a former EMT, a former
NYS Peace Officer and is certified in
FEMA Emergency Management. He
bought and rebuilt a flooded house here
because he believes in a future for this
Village. Dick VanHall, the third trustee
candidate, is an engineer at Lockheed
Martin and has used his analytical tal-
ents to help the Village in on the Zoning
and Planning board. His talents will be
instrumental as the Rebuild Party works
to keep our budget under the tax cap
again.
I am impressed with the dedication
and passion these candidates have for
the Village of Owego and know that, if
elected, they will work hard to see that
our Village not only survives but thrives
in the years to come. I urge all voters
who care about keeping our Village Fire
Department and Police Department to
vote for the Rebuild Owego Party.
Sincerely,
Phoebe Shafer-Morris,
Village of Owego trustee
Owego Little League News Little League Calendar
Baseball Drafts: Majors and Minors
Monday, March 28, at 7:00 pm Modi-
fied Tee Ball and Tee Ball Tuesday,
March 29, at 7:00 pm.
Softball: Pending.
Practice: Starts Saturday, April 2, at
Hyde Park. Parents should get calls from
their coaches during the week.
Work Bee: Saturday, April 16, and
Saturday, April 23, from 9:00 am until
done.
Opening Day Parade: Saturday, April
30. Meet at the Owego Police Station to
organize from 8:00 to 8:15 am. Parade
marches 8:30 am. Route: North Avenue
to George Street to Hyde Park.
65th Opening Day: Saturday, April 30,
9:00 am, Hyde Park.
Picture Day: for teams and individual
players, Saturday, May 7.
Raffle tickets due: Saturday, May 7.
Homecoming: Saturday, June 4, all
day.
End of Regular Season: Wednesday,
June 15
Girls Softball Tournament: Saturday,
June 18 through Sunday, June 26.
10U Baseball Tournament: Monday,
June 27, to Sunday, July 10.
12U Baseball Tournament: Monday,
July 11, to Sunday, July 24
February-March Review
Owego Little League (OLL) had a
busy February. Players registered online
and three times in person. OFA Head
Baseball Coach Phil Schofield and his
coaches and players conducted a Base-
ball Clinic at OFA. League Information
meeting held at Ronald E. Dougherty
County Building. OLL Officers met at
the Tioga Opportunity Offices.
Volunteers Needed
Whatever talents or skills you have,
OLL can use them to coach, manage,
sell concessions in Manager Kathie Roll-
ison's Concession Stand, do field
maintenance work, operate scoreboard,
shadow a league officer, plate or base
umpire, and research and write a chro-
nology of the last 15 years of OLL.
Dugout Chatter/Memories
Reminder to email Dugout Chatter
briefs and your memorable moments in
OLL to [email protected].
Little League Websites
Important news for you. Check two
Little League websites - Owego
www.eteamz.com/owego updated by
Webmaster Eric Hawkins and Wil-
liamsport www.littleleague.org.
On Sunday March 13, 2016, begin-
ning at 4:00 pm, the Owego Elks Lodge
invite everyone to attend a Pot O’Gold
Irish Dinner party complete with food,
entertainment, raffles and “a pot of
gold” 50/50.
The dinner party will feature a buffet
of traditional Irish fare. There will be
corned beef & cabbage, ham, boiled
potatoes and carrots, rolls and dessert.
Coffee, tea, punch and other beverages
will be served and available to purchase.
As luck will have it, dinner tickets at the
door will cost $7.77 for everyone. Little
ones age 7 and under will be admitted
free. Food will be served until around
7:00 that evening.
For fun and enjoyment, there will be
entertainment and raffles all evening.
Beginning at 5:00 pm as a special treat,
young Irish dancers will entertain guests
with a demonstration. The luck of the
leprechauns will be lurking around the
many raffle baskets available at the Irish
auction table. And there is no need to
find the end of the rainbow to win the
Pot of Gold 50/50. All you need is to
purchase a ticket or two and have a little
luck of the Irish.
The Owego Elks Lodge is at 223
Front Street in Owego. You do not need
to be a member to enjoy this event. This
is a social event for the community, eve-
ryone is invited to attend. For more in-
formation, call the Elks Lodge at (607)
687-1069.
Irish Dinner Party - March 13
Spring Cleanup Day for Seniors - Sign Up Now If you are a senior (65+) living in the
Town of Owego, Tioga County Rural
Ministry plans to have some high school
and college hands on deck eager to
spruce up your yard, garden, or indoor
environs. Window washing is also avail-
able.
Spring Cleanup Day is scheduled for
Saturday, April 9, from 10:00 am to 4:00
pm. Call Sister Mary at 687-3021 to sign
up. Calls will be taken on a first come,
first served basis, so call early to ensure
a spot. The deadline for signing up is
March 30.
Life Coach Volunteer Needed
A Life Coach voluneer is need at
Catholic Carities.
Catholic Charities Tioga Outreach
Center will be starting a new program to
provide one-to-one assistance to help
people become more self-sufficient.
The Life Coach volunteer will work
with people to assess their problems and
barriers, identify community resources,
facilitate contact with resources, and
conduct limited advocacy as needed.
Support will be provided to the volun-
teer.
If you know that you can help, call
the Tioga Outreach Center at 414-1023.
Catholic Charities is located at 139 Roki
Boulevard in Nichols.
MARCH 2016 TIOGA COUNTY COMMUNITY PRESS PAGE 12
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
Local Artist’s Work on Display in Owego
A solo exhibition of work by local
artist Elsie Fendick is being held now
through March 26 at the Tioga Arts
Council in Owego.
The exhibition features beautiful
original watercolor paintings, photo-
graphs, and drawings.
Elsie Fendick paints a variety of sub-
jects, but is perhaps best known for her
landscapes crafted in her sensitive,
painterly style. Fendick draws much
inspiration from nature, often referenc-
ing photographs she's taken during her
travels.
The Tioga Arts Council is at 179
Front Street in Owego, and is open
Mondays from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm,
and Tuesdays through Saturdays from
9:00 am to 4:00 pm.
For more information, go to
www.tiogaartscouncil.org or call (607)
687-0785.
Letter to the Editor
“Thanks” from Friends of Apalachin Library
The Friends of the Apalachin Library
sincerely thank the members of the com-
munity who attended the benefit dinner
at the beautifully renovated Ransom
Steele Tavern on Sunday, February 21.
The food was excellent, as was the
music provided by Rob Siegers and Curt
Osgood, and Marian Tewksbury’s new
group, The Offbeats. Many thanks to
these fine musicians for volunteering
their time and talent to the day’s enjoy-
ment.
A few words about the Apalachin
Library: Anyone can get a card free of
charge, no matter which county you live
in. The Apalachin Library is part of the
Finger Lakes Library System and people
can borrow quickly and easily from the
33 member libraries. Early literacy pro-
grams, adult informational programs and
summer reading, digital audio and e-
books are just a taste of the resources
offered at the Apalachin Library.
Supportive people are what keep
community anchors like the Apalachin
Library growing and thriving. Public
libraries are a big part of what keeps a
community growing and thriving. Please
feel free to take advantage of all the li-
brary has to offer.
Thank you all for your kind support.
Sincerely,
Friends of the Apalachin Library
Foundation Accepting Funding Requests Tioga County Senior Citizens Foun-
dation is now accepting grant proposals
from organizations for 2016 funding.
Each year Senior Citizens Foundation
gives funding to non-profit organizations
and community agencies that sponsor
projects or programs that benefit senior
citizens in Tioga County, New York.
Visit www.tcseniorfoundation.com to
find out more about Senior Citizens
Foundation, or to submit/print an appli-
cation.
Applications are also available by
mail at TCSCF, PO Box 117, Owego,
NY 13827, or send an email to senior-
For more information, call 687-0229.
The homesteading series hosted by
Cornell Cooperative Extension of Tioga
County has been a great success, with
dozens of folks learning about having a
laying chicken flock and raising meat
birds, pigs, and sheep, and goats. Just
recently, new workshops have been add-
ed: a maple syruping presentation at a
local sugarbush, vermicomposting,
growing strawberries and blueberries,
and making your own mason bee house.
If you would like to turn kitchen
scraps into garden gold, come to the
presentation on vermicomposting. Ver-
micomposting is using worms to break
down food scraps into compost and
compost tea. What a great way to recy-
cle and your plants will love the worm
compost. Vermicomposting will be held
March 16 from 6 to 7:30 pm at the CCE
Tioga offices, 56 Main Street in Owego.
Would you like to learn how to grow
strawberries and blueberries in your own
backyard or farm? Cornell expert, Kas-
par Kuehn, will show you the right way
to grow these tasty berries. The presenta-
tion will be March 21, 6:00 to 7:30 pm
at the CCE Tioga offices.
CCE Tioga will host a presentation
by Colleen Wolpert, local butterfly ex-
pert, on Caterpillar Gardening. The
presentation will be March 14 from 6:30
to 8:00 pm at the CCE Tioga offices.
Learn how to attract butterflies using
native plants. Plant in the spring, and
watch your garden come alive.
New classes and workshops are being
added each week. To learn about all the
homesteading and gardening classes,
visit the Cornell Cooperative Extension
of Tioga County website at: tio-
ga.cce.cornell.edu. All classes are $5 per
adult.
Homesteading Series - New Workshops
MARCH 2016 TIOGA COUNTY COMMUNITY PRESS PAGE 13
607-759-9282 • Apalachin, NY
FULLY INSURED Email: [email protected] www.MikesGroundworks.com
Lawn Mowing Landscaping
Hauling Backhoe Work French Drains
Hardscape New Lawns
Field Mowing Drainage Work
Saturday March 19th start at 7
FREE POOL Tuesday nights 6-10 TRY OUR WEEKLY SPECIALS
Willy’s Friendsville Inn (570) 553-0111 Cottage St., Friendsville, Pennsylvania
March 26th Starting at 1pm Stop in for details
Be Irish for a day and party with us!
We will be OPEN Easter Sunday!
The Property Tax Cap: Smoke and Mirrors By: Donald Castellucci, Jr. Town of Owego Supervisor
Municipalities have been faced with
many difficult budget decisions over the
past decade. Many had the foresight to
anticipate the current state of the econo-
my. They started reducing budget ex-
penditures, payroll and some services in
response to the economic downturn.
That is how local government operates.
It is, at most times, the leanest and most
efficient form of government.
Now enter into the equation the prop-
erty tax cap. Nothing more than an Alba-
ny gimmick, it has now become the ral-
lying cry for state politicians thumping
their chests as they mislead local taxpay-
ers into believing “mismanaged local
governments” will be brought into line.
It came without mandate relief, without
facts, without state budget reforms, no
increase in municipal aid and without
New York City having to comply. Yes
again what is good for upstate is not
good for the City. It also goes against
the long standing home rule concept. It is
difficult to make local decisions while
trying to stay within a parameter that
certainly does not fit every municipality.
Approximately 15% of the real property
tax dollar comes from towns, villages
and special districts.
For the most part most revenues
available to Towns have been declining;
mortgage taxes, sales taxes and aid to
municipalities (AIM). This forces mu-
nicipalities to look at raising other user
fees, licenses, fines and permits. Man-
dates have continued and increase alt-
hough it was promised there would be
relief. The cost and maintenance of wa-
ter and sewer infrastructure, roads and
bridges, personnel services all continue
to increase.
So why is there an attack on local
government? According to the Governor
there are 10,500 local governments. That
is a purposely stated gross exaggeration.
Approximately 8,000 of those
‘governments’ are local special districts
such as water and sewer districts. If you
can’t be honest on a simple fact like that
what are you trying to hide? The answer
to that is a regional less responsive gov-
ernment. The more distant a government
is from the people, the more control gov-
ernment has. You can see that with all
the economic councils and other means
for localities to qualify for funding. Meet
the standards that the state and federal
government dictate and we will allow the
crumbs to fall from Albany to the peas-
ants. While I am a firm believer in com-
petition, redistributing local taxes to
compete for funding, wastes dollars as
well as creates winners and losers. Why
not either leave the tax dollars local or
distribute funds evenly as best possible?
We will leave that topic for another dis-
cussion; but make no mistake these
schemes are nothing more than the prem-
ise for consolidation under the Trojan
horse of local inefficiency.
Letter to the Editor
In Support of Theresa Gosart for Village Trustee
To All Owego Village People -
I'm honored and glad to write you on
behalf of my friend, Theresa Gosart,
who's running for Village Trustee on the
Rebuild Owego Party.
Election Day will soon be here and
you need to know that a Vote for There-
sa will be a Vote for a BETTER VIL-
LAGE!!!
She is a strong woman with strong
convictions. She's a 'people person' ... as
a long list of friends would testify! She
speaks her mind and people listen ...
friends, neighbors, OPD, the Village
Board, Church groups.
She has tackled educational issues in
the OASD; she reaches out to neighbors
in need. She took a strong stand for the
OPD by spear-heading the 'I Want My
OPD' movement with her voice and with
signage that you've all seen everywhere
around the Village. Theresa has a heart-
and-a-half for her family ... her husband
and their children. She's a woman of
integrity. She has a heart for the Vil-
lage . . . the community . . . her commu-
nity! The Village of Owego needs The-
resa!
I just read in the Pennysaver about
Mayor Millar being at the NYS Confer-
ence of Mayors . . . he was pictured with
NYS Comptroller General Thomas
DiNapoli. I immediately thought ... one
day we'll see Theresa pictured with other
local and State leaders as she stands up
for what's right, what's 'common sense,'
what's best, what's helpful ... for all con-
cerned.
So, do the right thing ... you do know
what to do! Again, I say, a Vote for The-
resa will be a Vote for a BETTER VIL-
LAGE!!!
God Bless YOU
God Bless Owego!
God Bless America!?
G. Terry Steenburg
Pastor
The Historic Central Baptist Church? Of
Greene ...
https://www.facebook.com/cbcgreeneny/
Coordinator/Facilitator
Our Green Acres Offers CSA Program Our Green Acres of Owego is again
offering the public the opportunity to
invest in their CSA program.
What's a CSA? A farm stand CSA is
a type of Community Supported Agri-
culture. Through the farm stand and
farmers markets, Our Green Acres
reaches out to the surrounding neighbor-
hood and provides wholesome, healthy,
fresh produce. Their CSA operates on a
debit system, allowing you to buy the
amount of what you want, when you
want it.
When you set up an account with the
Farm Stand CSA, you pay for the season
of fresh fruit and veggies, then all sea-
son long you take just the produce you
like from Our Green Acres farm stand in
Owego or from their booth at the farm-
ers markets. Your account will be debit-
ed the value of your purchase. No cash
necessary.
Go to ourgreenacres.com and click on
the Farmstand CSA link for the new
brochure and application. Information
on prices and where to mail the applica-
tion and check are listed. If you have
questions, call Our Green Acres at (607)
687-2874.
MARCH 2016 TIOGA COUNTY COMMUNITY PRESS PAGE 14
Coleman & Daniels FUNERAL HOME LLC
Locally Owned and Operated Proud to be Serving
Our Community for over 130 Years Traditional Funeral & Cremation Options Pre-Arrangement Counseling & Financing
www.ColemanAndDaniels.com
6519 Rt 434
Apalachin, NY
607-625-3010
765 Main Street
Vestal, NY
607-748-4695
300 Main Street
Endicott, NY
607-785-0411
Mark J. Murphy, Lic. Mgr. Steven Gabriel, Lic. Mgr.
Ronald Yurecka Kurtis VanAbs
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 • www.NorthernLightsLampShop.com
105 S. Duane Ave.
Endicott, NY
607-748-1447 Hours: T-F 9-5; Thurs 9-7
Saturday 9-5
LAMP REPAIRS
Happy St. Patrick’s Day
HAPPY EASTER
Tax Preparation Bookkeeping
Business Consultant
DARLING TAX SERVICE Vicki Darling
Phone (607) 625-4395 6276 State Route 434 Fax (607) 625-5488 Apalachin, NY 13732
From the Photo Vault - 50 Years Ago March 1966 St. Margaret Mary’s Church
Under Construction
March 1966 - Above: Progress is made on the new St. Margaret Mary’s Church on Pennsylvania Avenue in Apalachin. Below: Father Valentine Jankowiak (left), Pastor of St. Margaret Mary’s gives a tour of the construction site to the nuns of St. Patrick’s School in Owego including Sister Elise, Sister deMontfort and Sister Vincent Also taking the tour is Father Jankowiak’s sister, Vi Jankowiak (2nd from right).
Newark Valley First United Methodist
Church, 70 S. Main St, Newark Valley
announces their Holy Week Worship
shedule. All are invited to attend.
March 24
Maundy Thursday Service - 7 pm
Flemingville UMC
540 W. Creek Rd. Owego
March 25
Prayer Vigil noon - 3 pm
Good Friday Service - 7 pm
Newark Valley UMC
March 27
Son Rise Service 6:45 am
Trout Ponds - Firemen's Lane/Spring St.
Newark Valley
Easter Sunday Service
9:30 am
Newark Valley UMC
Holy Week Services
in Newark Valley
Fred J Brown Jr. Photo
Fred J Brown Jr. Photo
MARCH 2016 TIOGA COUNTY COMMUNITY PRESS PAGE 15
Richard Green General Contracting
Friendsville, Pa.
(570) 553-2443 “We are here to help with all
your construction needs”
• Foundation Repairs • Excavating •
• Custom Built Decks & Gazebos •
• Metal & Shingle Roofing •
• New Foundations • House Jacking •
• Garages • Pole Barns • Barn Repairs • Better Business Bureau A+ Rating for last 13 years
19 LAKE STREET, OWEGO
Specializing in fun and games for the entire family
HOURS: Monday – Thurs 10 am -5:30 pm; Friday Till 7pm; Saturday 10 am – 4 pm
Join us on Facebook
Many cool & unusual Easter Basket stuffers
Sen. Akshar Speaks at Rotary
Senator Fred Akshar spoke at the
Owego Rotary on Albany issues, includ-
ing the state budget. Mayor Kevin Millar
and Sen.Akshar discussed the tax cap
and its implications for municipalities
and a newly formed Senate Heroin Task
Force. The Task Force will hold a forum
in the Southern Tier on how to deal with
the heroin epidemic.Senator Akshar will
be holding "pop-up" meetings around his
district.
Pruning Workshop
A Pruning Workshop will be held on
Saturday, March 19 at 12:00 pm in the
Auditorium, Cornell Cooperative Exten-
sion of Broome County, 840 Upper
Front St, Binghamton.
Cornell Cooperative Extension will
be offering a workshop on pruning trees
and shrubs. Work with Master Garden-
ers in CBG learning proper techniques
for pruning trees and shrubs. Learn
how, why, and when to prune, proper
tools, tool maintenance, etc. The sec-
ond hour will be out in the gardens, so
dress for the weather. (In the event of
rain/snow, class will be rescheduled for
April 2.) Class size is limited so pre-
registration is required. Cost is $10 per
person. Bring a pair of garden gloves
and hand pruners. To register, call (607)
584-9966 or visit the website https://
reg.cce.cornell.edu/2016springgardening
_203.
Call Earl for an appointment
625-3015
1429 Main Street, Apalachin, N. Y.
MARCH 2016 TIOGA COUNTY COMMUNITY PRESS PAGE 16
A FULLY COMPUTERIZED
AUTO REPAIR CENTER
DOMESTIC & FOREIGN
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
Dominick
Francis Ienner
5 years old
After the
potholes of
winter
It’s time for
an all wheel
alignment
OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK
Montego Bay Coconut Rum 1L. …………….... $10.99 Ruskova Russian Vodka 6X Distilled 1.75 L. .. $18.99 Kentucky Gentleman Bourbon 1L. ………….... $12.49 Blue Nun Riesling 3 L. Box …………………….. $17.99 Assorted Tisdale Wines California 750 ml. ….... $4.99 Liberty Creek Moscato White or Pink 1.5 L. .... $8.99
Sweeneys Plaza, Rt 434, Apalachin
Gift Certificates Available
Case Discounts on non-sale wines
• DRIVEWAYS • PARKING LOTS • SEAL COATING •
ALL TYPES OF ASPHALT From Commercial Tough Grade to Residential Extra Smooth
Family Owned & Operated Serving Tioga / Broome Counties The Greater Southern Tier of NY & Pa
Call for FREE Estimate
SPRING SPECIALS CALL NOW
607-201-2575 www.McNallyPaving.com
Open 12-5 Easter Sunday
Village Board Attends Workshop
Members of the Village of Owego
Board of Trustees on February 24 at-
tended a Consolidated Funding Applica-
tion(CFA) Readiness Workshop spon-
sored by Tioga County Economic De-
velopment & Planning Department.
Speakers were Director Lee Ann Tin-
ney, County Planner Elaine Jardine, and
leaders of organizations that had suc-
cessfully written grant applications.
Abbey Hendrickson of Tioga Arts
Counsel spoke of how to access the
"Grants Gateway" which allows an or-
ganization to apply for a grant.
Elaine Jardine talked about the CFA
on-line application and the New York
Main Street Programs.
Newark Valley Mayor Jim Tornatore
gave a presentation on a Municipal His-
toric Preservation Grant that Newark
Valley obtained to restore their historic
library and municipal building.
Naima Kradjain, of the Goodwill
Theatre in Johnson City, spoke on the
need for through planning before begin-
ning projects and educating stakeholders
on the vision of the final product. Jean
Egenhofer, Central Region Grants Ad-
ministrator, Office of Parks, Recreation
& Historic Preservation spoke on the
different types of grants available in
Tioga County.
Because Tioga County is in the Sus-
quehanna Heritage Area an organization
in Tioga County can apply for grants
through them in addition to through the
NYS DEC Grants Program.
(left to right) Phoebe Morris, Kevin Millar, Jenny Ceccherelli, Brittany Wood-
burn, Martha Sauerbrey.
St. Patrick’s Day Celebration in Nichols A St. Patrick's Day celebration will
be held on Saturday, March 18, at the
Nichols American Legion, Ladies Auxil-
iary, Post 1624, 1 Dean Street, Nichols.
Enjoy Corned Beef or Ham and Cab-
bage Dinner from 5:00 to 8:oo pm - eat
in or take out. DJ Vinnie Latini from
7:00 to 11:00 pm. Call 607-699-7994.
MARCH 2016 TIOGA COUNTY COMMUNITY PRESS WEB EXTRA PAGE 1
Workshop to be held in Ithaca
Hands-On Training for Feeders on Dairy Farms
The South Central New York Area
Dairy and Field Crops Team will host a
workshop, Feeder School: Hands-On
Training for Feeders on Dairy Farms on
on Thursday, March 24, at the Cornell
Vet School Teaching Dairy, McGowan
Woods Road in Ithaca.
Registration will begin at 10:00 am
and programs to run from 10:30 am to
2:30 pm.
This workshop is intended for feeders
who are looking for a refresher on some
of the basics of feeding management or
those who are new to the position.
Feeder School Workshop Topics are:
Feeder Basics; Economic Impacts of
Feeding; Communication of Feed Man-
ager with owner/herd manager/
nutritionist; Dry Matter: what is it and
why it matters; including Feeder Math,
Feed Bunk Scoring: causes of intake
fluctuations, adjusting consequent feed-
ings; Bunk Face maintenance, sampling
techniques; Strategies to minimize
shrink, including pre-batching grain; and
Feeder Safety.
Cost for the program is $25 if pre-
registered by March 22, $30 at the door.
The cost includes morning break and
lunch.
To register, go to scnydfc.cce. cor-
nell.edu/event.php?id=353 or call Jen
Atkinson at (607) 391-2660 Ext. 403 or
email [email protected].
For more information, call Betsy
Hicks at (607) 391-2660 Ext. 415 or
email [email protected].
Spring Workshops in Owego
The Tioga Arts Council (TAC) has
announced their 2016 Spring Workshop
schedule. Beginning on March 12, the
following workshops will be offered at
TAC, located at 179 Front Street in
Owego:
• The Art of Fly Tying, March 12
• From A to Zine, March 19
• Needle Felted Embellishment, April 2
• “Redbird and Berries” Wool Mini
Quilt, April 5 and April 26
• Fun with Music & Movement,
Wednesdays, April 6– 27, 2016
• Harmonica 101, April 16
• Needle Felted Landscape, April 23
• Colored Pencil w/Watercolor, April 30
• Painting in Watercolor, May 7
• Animals in Acrylic, May 22
• Illustrate Your Favorite Quote with
Hand-Lettering, June 4
For more information about the
workshops and to register, go to
www.tiogaartscouncil.org or call (607)
687-0785.
David French U.S. INEX Bandolero Outlaw
2nd Place in the Nation
David French of Rome, Pennsylvania
recently attended the U.S. INEX Cham-
pions award banquet held at the Speed-
way Club at Charlotte Motor Speedway
with his parents David and Valerie
French. While at the banquet David was
recognized for finishing 2nd place na-
tionally out of 104 competitors in the
INEX Bandolero Outlaw division for the
2015 season. He was also distinguished
as the U.S. INEX Bandolero Outlaw
State Champion.
The Bandolero Car is a turnkey, spec-
series racecar designed by USCLI used
as a stepping stone between a 1/4 midget
or go cart and a full size racecar.
David had 39 starts at 4 different
tracks in 3 states with 27 feature wins
and 12 top 3 finishes.
At the beginning of the 2015 season
David travelled to Orlando Speedworld
and competed in INEX Winter Nation-
als, a 5 race event where he tied for 2nd
at the end of the series. In April he then
went to Texas Motor Speedway and par-
ticipated in the Battle at the Big Top
another 5 race event where he finished
2nd overall.
In New York, at Bethel Motor Speed-
way he competed in 22 events and had a
record 21 wins and 1 second place fin-
ish, winning the track championship and
the greatly coveted Legendstock race.
Also in New York he had 7 starts at
Chemung Speedrome with 6 wins and a
2nd place finish.
David began racing in 2007 driving a
Microd and competing at Southern Tier
Microd Club as well as in the touring
series for New York State Microd Asso-
ciation. At the age of seven he was
named Rookie of The Year and most
improved driver for the New York State
Microd Association. In 2008 David
competed in a Microd and an Open
Wheel, he finished 2nd in point at Mid-
state Microd Club in Cortland NY and
3rd at Southern Tier Microd Club in
Candor NY. After finishing 3rd in
STMC points in 2009 and 2nd in 2010,
David made the move to Bandoleros.
In his Rookie season David was the
INEX Bandolero Bandit PA State cham-
pion, he competed weekly at Chemung
Speedrome winning the track champion-
ship. He also raced at Bethel Motor
Speedway weekly where he finished 5th
overall and was awarded Rookie of The
Year. In 2012 David had feature wins at
Mountain Speedway, Chemung
Speedrome and Bethel Motor Speedway
where he also won the weekend long
event Firecracker Madness. He finished
the 2012 season by placing 3rd at the
Thanksgiving Classic at Southern Na-
tional Motor Sports Park in Lucama NC.
2013 brought another track champi-
onship at Chemung Speedrome, he also
had multiple feature wins at Chemung
and Waterford Speedbowl in CT and
ended up 3rd overall at Bethel. David
was also the INEX Bandolero Outlaw
PA State Champion. In 2014
David continued to compete in the US
INEX Bandolero Outlaw Division. He
had 40 starts with 24 wins and 11 top 5
finishes. These finishes were recognized
with 2 Track Championships, Chemung
Speedrome where he had 13 starts with
11 wins and Bethel Motor Speedway
with 21 starts with 13 wins. He also
competed at Concord Speedway in NC.
And he again was the US INEX PA
State Champion in the Bandolero Out-
law Division.
In 2015 in addition to competing in
the Bandolero Outlaw Division David
also raced a US INEX Legend car
owned By Jim Sylvester. David partici-
pated in 17 races at Bethel Motor Speed-
way picking up 11 2nd place finishes
and 6 top 5’s. In the Legend car David
collected rookie of the Year honors in
the Young Lion Division at Bethel Mo-
tor Speedway and is grateful for the op-
portunity to drive for Jim Sylvester.
David ran a limited season in a 305
Sprint Car racing in the CRSA Touring
Series, where he won a qualifying heat
race at his sixth event. David credits his
success to all the knowledge his father
share with him as well as all the support
of his family, fans and sponsors.
David is a 10th grade honor student at
Notre Dame High School in Elmira New
York.
David’s passion is racing and if you
don’t see him out on the track odds are
he is busy in the garage gearing up for
his next race.
Cornell Cooperative Extension is
offering Seed Starting Workshop on
Saturday, March 19, at 9:00 am, in the
Auditorium of Cornell Cooperative Ex-
tension of Broome County, 1840 Upper
Font Street in Binghamton.
Learn all you need to know to start
your own garden vegetable or flower
plants from seed indoors. Seed starting
mixes, lighting needs and after-care of
seedlings will be explained. Gain hands-
on experience as you sow seeds in a six-
pack container. (Seeds will be provided
or you can bring your own.) Class size is
limited so pre-registration is required.
Cost is $10 per person to cover cost
of materials. This class is part of a three-
class series on plant propagation. Sign
up for all three propagation classes and
enjoy a $5 discount.
To register, call (607) 584-9966 or
register and pay online at https://
reg.cce.cornell.edu/2016springgardening
_203
Seed Starting Workshop - March 19
AKSHAR'S First Bill Passes Save $ by setting August date for primaries
The New York State Senate
recently passed legislation that creates
one August primary date for state and
Congressional races, saving taxpayers at
least $25 million and bringing the state
into compliance with federal election
requirements for overseas balloting. The
bill (S6604), sponsored by Senator Fred
Akshar (R-C-I, Colesville), would desig-
nate the third Tuesday in August as the
date to merge the current federal non-
presidential primary held in June and the
state primary held in September.
Senator Akshar, Chairman of the
Senate’s Elections Committee, said,
“We have a responsibility to our constit-
uents to eliminate government waste,
save taxpayer dollars, and make it easier
for the people to make their voices heard
at the polls. A consolidated primary date
will increase voter turnout and make it
easier for our brave men and women
serving in our armed forces to partici-
pate in the electoral process. I was proud
to sponsor this bill.”
Fourteen other states hold state
and/or Congressional primaries in Au-
gust. Setting a date for these elections
earlier in the year would interfere with
the state budget and end-of-session state
legislative work that takes place, hinder-
ing the ability of current elected officials
to perform their legislative responsibili-
ties.
The bill passed would merge the
federal non-presidential and state prima-
ries to the third Tuesday in August. This
would save New York State approxi-
mately $25 million by not having to
hold both the currently scheduled June
Congressional primary and September
State primary and reduces the number of
times voters would have to go to the
polls.
An August primary election date
also ensures that military personnel and
New Yorkers living abroad would have
an opportunity to vote and have their
votes counted. In 2009, the Military
Overseas Voter Empowerment (MOVE)
Act was enacted to provide greater pro-
tections of the voting rights of military
personnel, their families, and other over-
seas citizens. Among other provisions,
the MOVE Act requires states to trans-
mit validly-requested absentee ballots to
military and overseas voters no later
than 45 days before a federal election.
New York State’s current September
primary is not compliant with the 45-day
MOVE Act requirement.
The bill will be sent to the Assem-
bly.
Vestal Accepting Applications for Pre-K 2016-17
Contingent upon the receipt of grant
funding from New York State, Vestal
Central School District plans to continue
its Universal Pre-Kindergarten program
for the 2016-17 school year. Applica-
tions are being accepted for eligible chil-
dren.
The half-day pre-kindergarten pro-
gram is free to Vestal residents, and chil-
dren who will turn four-years-old by
December 1, 2016, are eligible. Trans-
portation is not provided.
For applications, to to www.vestal.
stier.org/universalpre-k_home.aspx, or
request an application packet be mailed
to you by calling 607-757-2291 or
emailing [email protected].
Sites for the 2016-17 Universal Pre-
Kindergarten program are still being
determined. Applicants will be notified
of site options. The number of seats
available in the program is determined
by funding from New York State. In the
event that the number of applications
exceeds the program openings, a lottery
will be held.
MARCH 2016 TIOGA COUNTY COMMUNITY PRESS WEB EXTRA PAGE 2
The Tioga County Department of
Economic Development and Planning
would like to congratulate Upstate
Shredding, LLC on their $1 million dol-
lar New York Upstate Revitalization
Initiative (URI) award, which was grant-
ed to support the construction of their
new 30,000 square foot Heavy Media
Plant.
This $5.4 million dollar project, im-
plemented by Upstate Shredding and
Weitsman Recycling, will be construct-
ed in the Tioga Industrial Park in
Owego. The new media plant is a state-
of-the-art processing technology that
will further process zorba, a shredded
mix of non-ferrous metals consisting
primarily of aluminum generated by
eddy-current separators and other segre-
gation techniques, to separate out the
aluminum from the heavies (copper,
brass, zinc, and stainless).
Upstate Shredding, a long-standing fam-
ily owned business in our community,
has continuously shown a strong com-
mitment to job creation and economic
growth within Tioga County.
As a result of this project twenty-five
new jobs will be created in our area. The
project will also generate approximately
$30 million in annual revenue for the
regional economy.
According to Adam Weitsman, Presi-
dent of Upstate Shredding, “We are ex-
cited to build the facility at our current
shredding operation in Owego as it gives
us the opportunity to employ even more
people here in the Southern Tier.”
The New York URI is a major com-
ponent of Governor Andrew Cuomo’s
initiative to systematically revitalize the
economy of Upstate New York. This $1
million dollar URI award from NYS
demonstrates how economically im-
portant Upstate Shredding’s presence is
to Tioga County, the Southern Tier, and
New York State.
Upstate Shredding Receives Award
Online Class Offered by S. Tier Authors of Romance:
World Building from an Intelligence POV
Enrollment is now open for the
Southern Tier Authors of Romance’s
(STAR) on-line class “World Building
from an Intelligence Point of View
(CIA, US Special Forces, etc.)” to be
held April 4 to 28.
The instructor is Rhonda Bearsley.
With a decade of profiling, country
study building and travel under her belt
in the intelligence profession, Rhonda
realized that the vast majority of things
required to build a fictional world are
the same indicators and criteria that in-
telligence professionals use to research
locations and groups. This class is about
how that is done, and how to apply the
same techniques to fictional stories. It
covers why logistics, politics, and a lot
of other small details matter and how
authors can make them work for them.
Rhonda will give examples, and free
handbooks (unclassified PDFs) from the
CIA, US Special Operations Command
and various other handbooks for public
use most people don't know exist. This
class gives an idea of how big picture
things can greatly affect a characters
mentality, daily existence, and GMC.
As an intelligence instructor in the
US Air Force for just shy of a decade,
Rhonda taught nearly 5,000 hours of
instruction on history, weapons, vio-
lence culture, communication, profiling
and organization and presentation to
thousands of soldiers of all ranks and
numerous occupations. Since leaving the
service, Rhonda has finished four de-
grees and a professional writing certifi-
cate with her major concentrations being
in Anthropology, Sociology, English,
and Communi-cations Technology. Her
classes are based on her time as an Intel-
ligence Professional and her educational
and law enforcement experience.
The deadline to register is April 3,
2016. The cost is $20 for RWA mem-
bers; $25 for non-members.
To register, send a check or money
order in US dollars, made out to STAR
On-Line Workshop, to Carol Henry,
STAR On-line Workshop Coordinator,
90 Dry Brook Road, Willseyville, NY
13864. Or go to www.starrwa.org and
pay using PayPal (www.PayPal.com).
Select “send money” and enter the
amount due, and STAR’s email address,
[email protected], for payment.
Make sure to mention what email ad-
dress you will be using, and what class
you are registering for. If you are regis-
tering under another name or company,
be sure to make that clear. You can
download the registration from the web-
site, and send it to carolhen-
All writers are welcome. If you know
how to send e-mail, then you’ve mas-
tered all of the technical skills you need
to participate. For questions, contact
www.carolhenry.org
Candidates running on the
“Taxpayers First” ballot line today out-
lined their three-point Financial Ac-
countability and Accuracy to bring bet-
ter fiscal controls and stability to Village
of Owego Government.
The Taxpayers First candidates are:
Steve May for Mayor (currently a Trus-
tee); Earl Hartman for Trustee (running
for re-election); Mike Phelps for Trustee
(running for re-election); and Ed Morton
for Trustee (first-time candidate).
“Village residents deserve better
controls, tighter oversight and compli-
ance with reporting deadlines,” said Ste-
ve May. “We can’t afford more of the
same status quo in the future.”
The Taxpayers First Team devel-
oped their Financial Accountability and
Accuracy Plan in response to fiscal is-
sues that have plagued the Village in
recent years, including scathing reports
from the State Comptroller and unfiled
Audit Reports. The three-point plan in-
cludes:
1. File Mandatory Audit Report On-
Time. No excuses, no exceptions.
Did you know that the Village re-
ceived a report from the State Comptrol-
ler showing that the current Mayor and
Clerk/Treasurer failed to submit manda-
tory audits for several years? The Vil-
lage could have faced stiff penalties if
corrective action didn’t occur. See for
yourself on the Comptroller’s website at
www.osc.state.ny.us/localgov/audits/
villages/2015/owego.htm.
The Taxpayers First Team, led by
Steve May, took the lead and crafted the
language and documentation that satis-
fied the Comptroller’s Office. Owego’s
taxpayers can’t afford to let this kind of
careless mistakes happen again.
2. Stay On Budget with Capital Pro-
jects.
Did you know that the bids for
Owego’s Sewer Plant Upgrade came in
at twice the projected cost? Owego’s
Taxpayers couldn’t have afforded the
price tag at that level.
The Taxpayers First Team worked
with the engineers to get the budget back
on track, and get the project moving.
3. Provide Taxpayers with More Infor-
mation.
Do you know how much the Village
of Owego’s total budget is? Do you
know how the State-mandated Tax Cap
affects how the Mayor and Trustees can
alter the budget and your property taxes?
For too long, residents of the Village
have been kept in the dark about Village
business. It’s 2016 and you can find
information on just about any topic
online. But you can’t find the Village of
Owego’s budget because it’s not public-
ly available on the Village website.
The Taxpayers First Team will share
more information with residents by post-
ing the Village Budget online and regu-
larly sharing more financial information
with the public, including simplified
summaries of how the Village Budget
works, what various departmental ex-
penses are, and how your tax dollars are
being spent.
“We developed this plan to get the
Village’s finances back on the right
track, so we’re not getting scolded by
the State for non-compliance and other
errors,” said Earl Hartman.
“We will create sustainable solutions
to assure that residents receive essential
services, like Fire, Emergency Services
and Police protection, at the same or
better levels that we’ve been receiving at
the same or lower costs to taxpayers,”
said Mike Phelps.
“Village residents deserve transpar-
ency from their elected representatives.
It’s just common sense to provide them
with the information they need to make
educated decisions,” said Ed Morton.
May, Phelps, Hartman and Morton
encourage Village residents to contact
them with any questions or comments
about their Financial Plan or any other
issue leading up to the March 15th elec-
tion. All Village residents are eligible to
vote if they are registered with the Tioga
County Board of Elections.
Owego Taxpayers First Candidates Outline 3-Point Plan for
Financial Accountability, Accuracy
Chili & Chocolate in Corning Chili & Chocolate at the Patterson Inn
59 W. Pulteney Street in Corning on
Friday, March 11, 2016, from 4:30 -
7:00 pm. Dine “Inn” or take out. Dinner
includes: Chili (several varieties to
choose from), tossed salad, bread, bever-
age, chocolate dessert(s). $7.50 Adults -
$4.00 Children under 12
www.hertagevillagesfl.org (607) 937-
5281.
Tioga Downs Has Best Weekend
Momentum continues to build for
Tioga Downs in Nichols as the racino
celebrated its best weekend in history
with new records for both credits played
as well as monies paid out to guests.
Collectively, visitors the weekend of
February 20/21 placed a total of
$12,875,181 in wagers, and $12,176,073
was paid out to guests. On the heels of
the best weekend in the racino’s storied
history, Tioga Downs has also an-
nounced that it is gearing up for open
interviews for dealers to join its growing
team.
“We are thrilled that so many players
are enjoying the vibrant gaming atmos-
phere that Tioga Downs offers, and we
are so pleased to be able to grow and
welcome many from our community to
join the Tioga Downs team in the very
near future,” said owner Jeff Gural.
Tioga Downs held a special Dealer
Admission Fair in February for anyone
wishing to learn more about dealer op-
portunities, including a free dealer train-
ing program. As part of the fair, open
interviews to start the process for the
dealer training program were held in
February, and an additional session on
March 4.
www.tiogadowns.com.
Gold Awards for Two Golden Bears at Vestal High School
Two Vestal High School students
have earned the Girl Scout Gold Award
for projects they spearheaded to improve
their community. Congratulations to
Lauren Myers of Vestal and Katelynn
Ossege of Apalachin, who are recipients
of the Girl Scout Gold Awards, the high-
est honor that a Girl Scout can earn.
Lauren’s “Take Action Project” was
a complete digitalization and inventory
of sheet music for the Vestal High
School Music Department. She also fa-
cilitated a holiday cabaret to educate
others about the benefits of Music Ther-
apy, and coordinated the donation of
instruments to the music therapy pro-
gram at the Oxford Veteran’s Home.
Katelynn’s project was to improve
the Wolf Woods’ exhibit at the Bing-
hamton Zoo at Ross Park to support the
zoo during an accreditation review. She
also coordinated a volunteer team to
build nesting boxes for birds and bats. “I
learned that one of the most important
attributes to succeed in life is leader-
ship,” Katelynn wrote in her final project
report. “Leadership requires me to be
more organized and to be able to com-
municate. I developed the skills of keep-
ing track of hours and organizing tasks
for each of my team members.”
Only a little over five percent of eligible
Girl Scouts successfully earn the Gold
Award. For more information about the
Girl Scout Gold Award program, visit
www.girlscouts.org.