DUNDEE--The Dundee Volunteer Fire Department and Emergency Squad held the annual dinner and awards banquet Friday, Jan. 27. A number of awards were presented throughout the evening recognizing training, years of service and dedication to the department.

When you walk into Graft Wine and Cider bar at 204 North Franklin St. in Watkins Glen, you're enveloped by the neutral tones of industrial chic décor combined with the warmth of hand-crafted benches and stools pulled up to tables made from walnut and polished concrete. If this suggests the food you eat here will be as carefully hand-crafted from quality ingredients, you've gotten the message.

YATES COUNTY--At the Wednesday, Jan. 25, Yates County Legislators meeting, Highway Superintendent Doug Rapalee presented the proposed budget for the new shared services building in Yates County. After much discussion, legislators authorized Rapalee to release six requests for bids as the project will be divided into six project areas: site work, demolition and maintenance, general construction, plumbing and fire protection, mechanical, and electrical. Each area will be bid separately.

HECTOR--It's harvest season at the Finger Lakes National Forest. With a goal of promoting the development of an oak/hickory forest, timber harvest operations will improve overall forest health conditions, restore native plant communities, and diversify wildlife habitats with a range of ages, sizes, and species of trees on the landscape.

(AP) -- Mass shootings have commanded public attention on a disturbingly frequent basis across the U.S., from a supermarket slaying in Buffalo, New York, to an elementary school tragedy in Uvalde, Texas, to a recent shooting at a California dance hall. Rather than provoking a unified response from elected officials, each additional shooting seems to be widening the political divide among states on who should be allowed to have guns and what types are OK.

WATKINS GLEN--Although the thermometer may be reading icy cold, things are getting ready to heat up at the Harbor Hotel's annual Fire and Ice celebration. Now in its 11th year, the 2023 event at the Watkins Glen Harbor Hotel is scheduled for Jan. 26, 27, and 28, from 5:00 to 9:00 each evening.

WATKINS GLEN--A major drug distributor and its subsidiaries will pay Schuyler County up to $116,000 to settle claims it contributed to the ongoing opioid crisis in that county, under a resolution approved by the Schuyler County Legislature at a special meeting.

The office of Bill Phoenix at Watkins Sporting Goods does not look as if he's leaving it any time soon. That's because he isn't. While the owner of the store at 123 East Fourth Street plans to close the door on retail sales at the end of January, this actually translates to a change in business direction rather than an end to this iconic Watkins Glen business.

YATES COUNTY--Twenty-year Yates County employee and most recently clerk, Lois Hall, announced last week that she would not seek a third term and would retire in December of 2023. Hall began with the county in the department of motor vehicles and was elected to the clerk position in 2015.

DRESDEN--Greenidge Generation Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: GREE), a vertically integrated cryptocurrency data center and power generation company, announced the completion of cylindrical wedge wire screens at the company's water intake system for its Seneca Lake facility. The power plant utilizes lake water (permitted to withdraw up to 139,248,000 gallons per day) to cool power generation equipment that is used to run cryptocurrency computers and supply power to the grid.

WATKINS GLEN--State Senator Tom O'Mara (R,C-Big Flats), Assemblyman Phil Palmesano (R,C-Corning), and Assemblyman Chris Friend (R,C-Big Flats) joined regional law enforcement representatives and other local leaders to call on Gov. Kathy Hochul and the leaders of the state legislature to approve legislation and crack down on the proliferation of businesses, commonly known as "sticker stores." These businesses dispense and sell marijuana throughout the Southern Tier and Finger Lakes regions, in addition to statewide.

PENN YAN--One could imagine that in the late 1800s, steamboats traveling on Keuka Lake looked north to the Empire State Winery, which was one of the first wineries in Yates County, and could see the building's cupola as a beacon to the Keuka Outlet.

ODESSA--On Jan. 5, Odessa-Montour high school student Keyonna Garrison didn't feel well. It got worse during gym class when she fell. "I tape her ankles every day," said Basketball Coach Greg Gavich. "At first, I thought she must have hurt her ankle during gym class. I learned that it was more than that: she was sick to her stomach and was experiencing numbness and tingling."

YATES COUNTY--Yates County is in full celebration mode - a celebration 200 years in the making - and is kicking it off with a traveling exhibit. Currently on display at the Town of Benton office on Route 14A, the three-paneled exhibit shares historical facts illustrated with iconic images.

NEW YORK STATE--Gov. Kathy Hochul announced $143 million in financial assistance for seven water infrastructure improvement projects, the latest action to upgrade New York's water and sewer systems, reduce water pollution, and safeguard drinking water supplies. The New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation Board of Directors approved low-cost financing and previously announced grants, authorizing municipal access to the capital needed to get projects started for critical drinking water and sewer projects in Finger Lakes, New York City and the Mid-Hudson and North Country regions.

More than a century ago, families who lived in the hills surrounding Burdett came "downtown" to Burdett by wagon and the occasional Ford to do their weekly shopping. It was an opportunity to get the necessities they didn't grow themselves and to socialize a little with their neighbors. Once again, with the "soft" opening of the Burdett Exchange: Meat and Mercantile at 3830 Willow Street, Burdett, people can do this again. This new business is located at the former home of the Burdett Fire Company, which moved to its new digs at the edge of the village in 2018.

YATES COUNTY--Yates County Sheriff Ron Spike has announced he will retire at the end of his eighth four-year term, Dec. 31, 2023. Spike is currently the senior sheriff in New York state with over 50 years of experience.

WATKINS GLEN--At the Monday, Jan. 9, meeting of the Schuyler County legislature, lawmakers approved several resolutions, including a local law that now regulates photography, electronic recording, and/or audio-visual recording in Schuyler County facilities.

FINGER LAKES--Please click the 'Read More...' link to see the weekly sports results for Penn Yan, Dundee, Hammondsport, Watkins Glen and Odessa-Montour. These results appeared in the Feb. 1 newspapers.

FINGER LAKES--Please click the 'Read More...' link to see the weekly sports results for Watkins Glen, Odessa-Montour, Penn Yan, Dundee and Hammondsport. These results appeared in the Jan. 25 newspapers.

FINGER LAKES--Please click the 'Read More...' link to see the weekly sports results for Penn Yan, Dundee, Hammondsport, Watkins Glen and Odessa-Montour. These results appeared in the Jan. 18 newspapers.

FINGER LAKES--Please click the 'Read More...' link to see the weekly sports results for Watkins Glen, Odessa-Montour, Penn Yan, Dundee and Hammondsport. These results appeared in the Jan. 11 newspapers.

FINGER LAKES--Please click the 'Read More...' link to see the weekly sports results for Penn Yan, Dundee, Hammondsport, Watkins Glen and Odessa-Montour. These results appeared in the Jan. 4 newspapers.

FINGER LAKES--Please click the 'Read More...' link to see the weekly sports results for Dundee, Penn Yan, Hammondsport, Watkins Glen and Odessa-Montour. These results appeared in the Dec. 21 newspapers.

FINGER LAKES--Please click the 'Read More...' link to see the weekly sports results for Watkins Glen, Odessa-Montour, Penn Yan, Dundee and Hammondsport. These results appeared in the Dec. 14 newspapers.

FINGER LAKES--Please click the 'Read More...' link to see the weekly sports results for Penn Yan, Dundee, Hammondsport, Watkins Glen and Odessa-Montour. These results appeared in the Dec. 7 newspapers.

FINGER LAKES--Please click the 'Read More...' link to see the weekly sports results for Watkins Glen, Odessa-Montour and Penn Yan. These results appeared in the Nov. 16 newspapers.

FINGER LAKES--Please click the 'Read More...' link to see the weekly sports results for Watkins Glen, Odessa-Montour, Penn Yan, Dundee and Hammondsport. These results appeared in the Nov. 9 newspapers.

FINGER LAKES--Please click the 'Read More...' link to see the weekly sports results for Penn Yan, Dundee, Hammondsport, Watkins Glen and Odessa-Montour. These results appeared in the Nov. 2 newspapers.

FINGER LAKES--Please click the 'Read More...' link to see the weekly sports results for Penn Yan, Dundee, Hammondsport, Watkins Glen and Odessa-Montour. These results appeared in the Oct. 26 newspapers.

FINGER LAKES--Please click the 'Read More...' link to see the weekly sports results for Penn Yan, Dundee, Hammondsport, Watkins Glen and Odessa-Montour. These results appeared in the Oct. 19 newspapers.

FINGER LAKES--Please click the 'Read More...' link to see the weekly sports results for Penn Yan, Dundee, Hammondsport, Watkins Glen and Odessa-Montour, . These results appeared in the Oct. 12 newspapers.

FINGER LAKES--Please click the 'Read More...' link to see the weekly sports results for Watkins Glen, Odessa-Montour, Penn Yan, Dundee and Hammondsport. These results appeared in the Oct. 5 newspapers.

FINGER LAKES--Please click the 'Read More...' link to see the weekly sports results for Penn Yan, Dundee, Hammondsport, Watkins Glen and Odessa-Montour. These results appeared in the Sept. 28 newspapers.

FINGER LAKES--Please click the 'Read More...' link to see the weekly sports results for Penn Yan, Dundee, Hammondsport, Watkins Glen and Odessa-Montour. These results appeared in the Sept. 21 newspapers.

FINGER LAKES--Please click the 'Read More...' link to see the weekly sports results for Penn Yan, Dundee, Hammondsport, Watkins Glen and Odessa-Montour. These results appeared in the Sept. 14 newspapers.