News

RUSHVILLE — The School-Based Health Center's grand opening took place Thursday, Oct. 17 at the Marcus Whitman School, 4100 Baldwin Road, Rushville.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Nick Langworthy (NY-23) recently announced a $4.9 million federal loan for the Town of Prattsburgh to support essential improvements to its water infrastructure.

The Chronicle-Express: Consolidation, January 1, 1926, of the Yates County Chronicle (1824) and the Penn Yan Express (1866); the Rushville Chronicle (1905) and the Gorham New Age (1902) The Yates County History Center's volunteers have gleaned these entries for your enjoyment from their digitized newspapers. You can access them at the free site www.nyshistoricnewspapers.com.

BRANCHPORT - At around 11:40 p.m. Oct.

PENN YAN – The Penn Yan Academy Hall of Fame Committee is proud to announce the induction of one significant contributor, three athletes, and one team into the Athletic Hall of Fame. The Class of 2024 will officially be welcomed into the Hall of Fame during the annual induction ceremony which will take place at 7 p.m.

PENN YAN - Verizon began their restoration of Main St. between Chapel and Clinton Streets starting Monday, Sept. 30.

Includes reports from Yates County Sheriff's Office, Penn Yan Police Department, and New York State Police. These reports do not indicate guilt, only that someone has been charged with an offence. The term "arrested" does not always mean someone was held in jail.

BRIAN K. CORCORAN, 43, of Penn Yan, and JUSTIN M. ALLISON, 22, of Dresden, were both arrested Sept. 13 by Penn Yan Police for Disorderly Conduct following an altercation that took place on Elm Street. While officers were on patrol, they observed Corcoran and Allison physically fighting in front of a local establishment. Officers intervened and both subjects were issued appearance tickets for Penn Yan Village Court for Disorderly Conduct and were released to answer to the charge later.

Penn Yan Police arrested a 17-year-old MALE JUVENILE DELINQUENT Sept. 22 following an incident where he violated a court order of protection by threatening to kill the protected party while in the presence of police. The juvenile was charged with 2nd degree Criminal Contempt 2nd and 2nd degree Harassment, and he was released with appearance tickets to appear at Yates County Probationlater.

ONE-CAR CRASH - At 8:54 p.m. Sept. 23, Yates County Sheriff's Deputies, Penn Yan Ambulance, and Penn Yan Fire Dept. responded to the area of Sutton Road and County House Road for a single vehicle that crashed off the road and into a pasture. Investigation revealed that QUINTRAVIEN MORRIS, 20, of Penfield, had not stopped at the stop sign while northbound on Sutton Road. His vehicle left the road, causing damage to the livestock fencing and various farm equipment. The driver was transported by Ambulance to Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester with leg and abdominal pain. He will answer to a charge of Failure to Stop at Stop Sign in Jerusalem Town Court later.

BRIAN G. LINDSAY, 39, of Stanley, was arrested Sept. 24 by Yates County Sheriff's Deputies on a warrant issued after a Yates County grand jury indictment stemming from an incident Sept. 16 where he resisted arrest and injured a Yates County Sheriff's Deputy. Lindsay is charged with 2nd degree Assault, Resisting Arrest, and Obstructing Governmental Administration. He was taken to the Yates County Jail to await arraignment in the next session of County Court. Penn Yan Police and Ambulance assisted.

ASHLEY D. CHRISOSTOMO-LOPEZ, 32, of Canandaigua, was arrested by Penn Yan Police called to Burns Terrace for a report of a vehicle stopped at a stop sign with the driver appearing to be asleep behind the wheel. On arrival police found Chrisostomo-Lopez asleep behind the wheel. She indicated that she had been drinking and officers observed several signs of impairment. Failing field sobriety tests, she was taken to Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hospital where a blood draw was performed to determine her blood alcohol content. Chrisostomo-Lopez was charged with common law DWI and was released with an appearance ticket for village court.

BARN FIRE - At 11:29 a.m. Sept. 24, Yates County 911 dispatched first responders to 2792 Keech Road in Jerusalem for a barn fire. First responders arrived on scene with a fully involved barn fire, taking several hours to extinguish. It was determined a hay chopper caught fire while in the barn, causing the hay in the barn to ignite. No animals were in the barn at the time, and no injuries were reported. Agencies on scene: Branchport Keuka Park, Potter, Penn Yan, Prattsburgh, Benton, Bellona, Rushville, and Middlesex Fire Departments, with several other departments on standby. Also on scene: Yates Co. Emergency Services, Penn Yan Ambulance, and Yates County Ambulance.

The Penn Yan Theatre Company (PYTCo) is thrilled to announce four original one-act plays have been selected for its Playwright Showcase. This exciting event provides a platform for local playwrights to see their work come to life on stage and offers audiences a chance to experience the creativity and diversity of the Finger Lakes theater scene.
The plays will be brought to life as staged readings at 6 p.m. Friday, Oct. 18 at the Elks Club in Penn Yan.
Actors ranging from teens to their 50s are needed to fill roles for the production. Auditions will be held from 6 to 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 27 at the PYTCo office at 131 Main St. in Penn Yan.
In "All About the "G" Word" by Steve Duprey, a mother and daughter argue about the existence of God until dad comes in and pushes the conversation in a different, more embarrassing direction. A theatre director for more than 45 years, Duprey began writing during the pandemic. His play Women of a Certain Age garnered several TANYS (Theatre Association of New York State) awards, including an Excellence in Playwriting award.
In "False Alarm" by Bethany Snyder, five women find themselves stuck inside an all-night diner during a neighborhood lockdown. When the owner finds something shocking in the restroom, accusations and confessions fly. An award-winning fiction writer, Snyder is co-editor of the literary magazine Bluff & Vine and co-founder of local community writing organization Keuka Writes and serves on the boards of several organizations in the Penn Yan community.
In "Passing Through" by Dan Martens, two people meet at a bus stop and have an intriguing conversation. Martens helps run their family business and has been a part of the theatre community for many years. You may recall them as the Scarecrow in PYTCo's 40th anniversary production of the Wizard of Oz or in the PYTCo/PYA Drama co-production of Something Rotten. Martens also has been an integral part of the backstage technical crew on countless productions locally, including directing Urinetown.
In "Something Blue" by Chris Woodworth, a photographer waiting for his clients in a picturesque location is interrupted by an irate activist trying to save the local endangered plant life. Woodworth is a Professor of Theatre and current Department Chair at Hobart & William Smith College in her hometown of Geneva. She previously taught at the University of North Carolina and Lock Haven University. Woodworth has taken on several roles in the theatre, both onstage and off, with the bulk of work being directing.
For more information or questions about the Playwright Showcase, contact the PYTCo. Production Committee at productions@pytco.org.

YATES COUNTY — The Finger Lakes Land Trust (FLLT) announced last week it has protected 406 acres of scenic farmland in the town of Milo, Yates County, with a perpetual conservation easement. The farm is owned by Robert & Kay Henderson and operated by Robert and his son, Matthew Henderson, who grow a variety of crops including corn, wheat, soybeans, and clover.
The property, which contains some of the most productive farmland in the Finger Lakes region, is located along New York State Route 14A in an area of increasing commercial development. The easement will protect nearly 400 acres of farmland from development as well as small wetlands and seasonal streams on the property. The Henderson family is actively working with Yates County Soil and Water Conservation District to implement practices to improve their soil and reduce erosion on the farm.
The Henderson farm is adjacent to two private properties protected by existing easements held by the FLLT, located just south of Penn Yan. Together, this conserved block of farmland now exceeds 1,100 acres.
Funds for the project came from the state's Farmland Protection Implementation Grants Program (FPIG), administered by the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets. The FPIG program is designed to keep agricultural land in production, ensure the long-term viability of New York's farming operations, and strengthen New York's agricultural industry.
Conservation easements are voluntary legal agreements that permanently limit future land use in order to protect the land's conservation value. Lands subject to conservation easements remain in private ownership, on local tax rolls, and available for traditional uses such as farming and hunting.
By working cooperatively with landowners and local communities, the Finger Lakes Land Trust has protected over 33,000 acres of the region's undeveloped lakeshore, rugged gorges, rolling forest, and scenic farmland. The FLLT owns and manages a network of over 45 nature preserves that are open to the public and holds perpetual conservation easements on 200 properties that remain in private ownership.
The FLLT focuses on protecting critical habitat for fish and wildlife, conserving lands that are important for water quality, connecting existing conservation lands, and keeping prime farmland in agriculture. The organization also provides programs to educate local governments, landowners, and residents about conservation and the region's unique natural resources.
Information on the region's premier destinations for outdoor recreation may be found at www.gofingerlakes.org, a resource created by the FLLT to encourage people to get outdoors. Additional information about the Finger Lakes Land Trust may be found at www.fllt.org.