chemung county

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer made the announcement Monday, saying it will bring long-lasting, sustainable economic growth to the Southern Tier. The 220-mph trains will be used in a new multi-billion dollar, high-speed rail system from Los Angeles to Las Vegas.

The John W. Jones Museum in Elmira now has a statue of Jones, a formerly enslaved person who played a part in the Underground Railroad. WSKG’s Natalie Abruzzo spoke with Talima Aaron, the president of the board of trustees for the museum about Jones, the museum and his commissioned statue.

The Madison Avenue bridge that connects Elmira’s Northside and Southside has been renamed the Allen-Berry Bridge to honor two African American trailblazers in the city: A’Don Allen and Bessie Berry.

Cooling centers are open across the region where people can take shelter from the heat wave.

A new dormitory-style homeless shelter opened in Elmira Wednesday and will house up to 47 individuals—both men and women. It offers beds, locked storage, meals, laundry and showers, along with services to find permanent housing.

The project is now in its third year. Arcadis, the contractor, expects upgrades will be completed by 2026.

A vacant building collapsed in Elmira earlier this month. The city’s mayor says his administration is working to address similar properties that are in various states of ruin.

Local Republican lawmakers are calling on Governor Kathy Hochul to keep millions of dollars in funding for a major infrastructure program in the 2025 state budget.

Democrats in Elmira flipped the city council this week according to hand-recount results. It is the first time in over 30 years that there is a Democratic majority on the city council according to the county Board of Elections.

The Chemung County Board of Elections will hold manual recounts on Nov. 22 for three Elmira City Council seats that are still too close to call.