PENN YAN--Last weekend, the Penn Yan community celebrated the annual Penn Yan youth baseball and softball opening day parade and ceremony. The event was a reflection of the recent accomplishments and a testament to the community’s progress and commitment to youth sports. According to Erin Marshall-Cunningham, the softball coordinator for Penn Yan youth baseball and softball, and Art Kirk, former vice president of youth baseball and softball, “We have dedicated the past few years to developing a softball field at our facility and promoting gender equality in sports,” Marshall-Cunningham stated.

PENN YAN--The village of Penn Yan has announced that many projects funded by the New York state Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI), will begin construction in May. Indian Pines Park will be updated to enhance its location as a waterfront recreation spot, with beach replenishment and a complete overhaul of the parking lot. The construction will start in early May and will take four weeks. During this period, the park will remain closed for public safety reasons.

On Tuesday, April 23, the U.S. Department of Labor announced a final rule, “Defining and Delimiting the Exemptions for Executive, Administrative, Professional, Outside Sales, and Computer Employees,” which will take effect on July 1, 2024. The final rule updates and revises the regulations issued under the Fair Labor Standards Act implementing the exemption from minimum wage and overtime pay requirements for executive, administrative, and professional (EAP) employees. Revisions include increases to the standard salary level and the highly compensated employee total annual compensation threshold, and a mechanism that provides for the timely and efficient updating of these earnings thresholds to reflect current earnings data.

The community room at the Montour Falls Fire Company hummed with hope and ingenuity Saturday, April 20, as people entered carrying some of their favorite battered, much-loved and broken belongings to a group of volunteer expert fixers. The workers sat at tables around the room’s perimeter, waiting for a chance to restore these treasured items to life.

PENN YAN--Wine & Beer Supply, an end-to-end distributor and supplier of beverage products, has announced its expansion into Penn Yan. The company has secured a 15,000-square-foot facility at the Penn Yan Industrial Park with an option to expand further as it supports the beverage industry. Wine & Beer Supply offers a “one-stop shop” approach, offering products and services that span every step of the process, from the field to the consumer’s glass. Wine & Beer Supply eliminates the need to order from multiple vendors while providing a cost-effective alternative.

YATES COUNTY--For over a quarter of a century, Keuka College and the Yates County Chamber of Commerce have joined forces to organize Celebrate Service... Celebrate Yates (CSCY), an annual event spotlighting community service. This initiative has helped support numerous Yates County non-profit organizations, all made possible by the dedication of hundreds of volunteers hailing from both the college and the local community.

YATES COUNTY--At the recent meeting of the Yates County Legislature held Tuesday, April 9, several significant resolutions were passed, addressing community initiatives impacting various aspects of county operations. Among these resolutions were ones focused on public safety, youth programs, and county elections.

WATKING GLEN–Watkins Glen International and New York State STOP-DWI are once again teaming up to create a special VIP Prom Experience for local students. The track announced last week that the initiative, which began last year with Watkins Glen, has expanded to include Odessa-Montour and Dundee Central School as well.

ALBANY--Joining opposition from local citizens and communities, Senator Tom O’Mara (R,C-Big Flats) and Assemblyman Phil Palmesano (R,C-Corning) last week submitted a public comment to the state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) in opposition to an application to expand the Padua Gravel Pit in the town of Dix, Schuyler County.

PENN YAN–The Community Table Committee has announced that The Living Well and Our Town Rocks have been chosen as the beneficiaries for the 2024 Community Table Dinner fundraiser. The Committee felt that choosing both organizations to share the proceeds would have a larger impact on Yates County as a whole.

WATKINS GLEN – During a pep rally Friday, April 5 to kick off opening weekend for the 2024 season, Watkins Glen International announced several new fan events designed to welcome more community members to the historic road course.
While fans are used to seeing race cars speed through the Esses and taking on the challenging elevation changes, for the first time they will be able to spin two wheels around the circuit as the track introduces Bike The Glen on May 15. Kids 12 and under can Bike The Glen for free, while adults pay $15 per person to ride their bicycles the length of the road course.

It was bright mid-day when about 100 guests, staff and volunteers arrived at the Clute Park Event Center in Watkins Glen for the 1920s-style Eclipse Party, “Murder, Mystery and History—a Little Party Never Killed Anybody.” Music of the 1920s spilled from the speakers as costumed guests, who seemed to outnumber those in ordinary clothes, at least for fringe, glitz and sparkle, streamed through the doors and found seats. The atmosphere was festive, the tables thematically decorated. Many people posed and clowned for selfies in an area set up for photos, using additional props provided by the hosts to enhance the sense of a temporary time-warp.

FINGER LAKES--After months of planning and preparations for increased travel, visitors and traffic, the total solar eclipse will be here on Monday afternoon, April 8. Most of the Finger Lakes region provides nearly total or total eclipse sightings. Penn Yan is just on the line of totality and areas to the north provide a longer time to view the phenomenon where the moon passes between the sun and Earth, briefly causing darkness.

YATES COUNTY--Following a number of high-profile motor vehicle vs. horse and buggy collisions in Yates County, an information input session has been planned for next week to hear from the community. The event will happen Wednesday, April 10 at 5:30 p.m. in the Yates County office building auditorium. It will include David Murnan, supervising traffic engineer, Parsons Engineering and John McCumiskey, regional traffic engineer, region six, New York State Department of Transportation.

WATKINS GLEN--Opening Weekend (April 6-7) at Watkins Glen International kicks off the 2024 event calendar for the New York road course. The weekend will feature the opportunity for fans to drive their own vehicle on the track to benefit the facility’s Racing and Community Enrichment (R.A.C.E.) Foundation, with proceeds this season being donated to the Montour Fire Department, Beaver Dams Fire Department and Schuyler County K9 Unit.

SCHUYLER COUNTY--Alisha Tolentino has been selected as the new principal of the Odessa-Montour Central School District Hanlon Elementary School, effective April 29. Tolentino earned a bachelor’s degree from Niagara University, a master’s degree in education from Nazareth College and a Certificate in School Building and School District Leadership from SUNY Brockport.

PENN YAN--Early last year, renderings were unveiled showing how the former Empire State Winery cupola could be incorporated into a reimagined park setting along the Keuka Outlet in Penn Yan. The structure was saved in 2014 when development began on the lakefront Hampton Inn location and the cupola was moved to the village fireman’s field to await restoration.

ODESSA--In a notice to village residents, Mayor Gerry Messmer, explained the upcoming project work to replace aging water pipe infrastructure in Odessa. Work began, Monday, March 25 on Merchant Avenue, with a second crew expected to begin on Speedway when they are available. The work will replace over 16,000 feet of water lines with all of the dated 1938 pipes slated to be replaced. Additional lines will also be replaced if engineers determined they were bad.

FINGER LAKES--Click the image above to see the newspaper spring sports reports for Dundee-Bradford, Penn Yan, Hammondsport, Watkins Glen and Odessa-Montour.

FINGER LAKES--Click the image above to see the March 13 newspaper sports reports for Dundee-Bradford and Watkins Glen.

FINGER LAKES--Click the image above to see the March 6 newspaper sports reports for Dundee-Bradford and Watkins Glen.

FINGER LAKES--Click the image above to see the Feb. 28 newspaper sports reports for Dundee, Penn Yan, Hammondsport, Watkins Glen and Odessa-Montour.

FINGER LAKES--Click the image above to see the Feb. 21 newspaper sports reports for Dundee, Penn Yan, Hammondsport, Watkins Glen and Odessa-Montour.

FINGER LAKES--Click the image above to see the Feb. 14 newspaper sports reports for Dundee, Penn Yan, Hammondsport, Watkins Glen and Odessa-Montour.

FINGER LAKES--Click the image above to see the Feb 7 newspaper sports reports for Dundee, Penn Yan, Hammondsport, Watkins Glen and Odessa-Montour.

FINGER LAKES--Click the image above to see the Jan. 31 newspaper sports reports for Dundee, Penn Yan, Hammondsport, Watkins Glen and Odessa-Montour.

FINGER LAKES--Click the image above to see the Jan. 24 newspaper sports reports for Dundee, Penn Yan, Hammondsport, Watkins Glen and Odessa-Montour.

FINGER LAKES--Click the image above to see the Jan. 17 newspaper sports reports for Dundee, Penn Yan, Hammondsport, Watkins Glen and Odessa-Montour.

FINGER LAKES--Click the image above to see the Jan. 10 newspaper sports reports for Dundee, Penn Yan, Hammondsport, Watkins Glen and Odessa-Montour.

FINGER LAKES--Click the image above to see the Jan. 3 newspaper sports reports for Dundee, Penn Yan, Hammondsport, Watkins Glen and Odessa-Montour.

FINGER LAKES--Click the image above to see the Dec. 20&27 newspaper sports reports for Dundee, Penn Yan, Hammondsport, Watkins Glen and Odessa-Montour.

FINGER LAKES--Click the image above to see the Dec. 13 newspaper sports reports for Dundee, Penn Yan, Hammondsport, Watkins Glen and Odessa-Montour.

VERONA--Four-time Section V champion cross country runner JD Tette competed at the New York State Public High School Athletic Association state championship, Saturday, Nov. 11. The meet was held at Vernon-Verona-Sherrill high school and featured the best runners from New York state.

FINGER LAKES--Click the image above to see the Nov. 8 newspaper sports reports for Dundee, Penn Yan, Hammondsport, Watkins Glen and Odessa-Montour.

FINGER LAKES--Click the image above to see the Nov. 1 newspaper sports reports for Dundee, Penn Yan, Hammondsport, Watkins Glen and Odessa-Montour.

FINGER LAKES--Click the image above to see the Oct. 25 newspaper sports reports for Dundee, Penn Yan, Hammondsport, Watkins Glen and Odessa-Montour.