The FBI Releases Kidnapping Incident Photos

Change Of Meeting Time

The Bath Village Board meets on February 17, that’s Tuesday of next week.  Normally they meet on a Monday,  but next Monday is President’s Day.  At this point, Mayor Michael Sweet is saying, there is nothing major on the agenda.

 

Tenney And O'Mara:  Outages Are Getting More Common

Congresswoman Claudia Tenney says, the recent outages in places like Watkins Glen were not random outages.  Tenney says that this sort of thing is happening more often because Albany Dems are getting rid of the usual energy sources and are forcing electrification.  GOP State Senator Tom O’Mara says the same exact thing.  “Village wide power outages on Saturday night in Watkins Glen, were caused by an overload to the system due to extreme cold temperatures and increased use of electric heat," O'Mara said.  "Crews were asking residents to turn off any unnecessary electric heat.”  

 

DMV Offices Close This Friday And Reopen Wednesday

By Steuben Co Spokesman Eddie VanStine:  The Steuben County Department of Motor Vehicles, along with all DMV offices in New York State, will undergo a large-scale system upgrade next month that will require our offices to be closed and may potentially alter business hours.

In February, the New York State DMV is implementing the initial phase of a multi-year project to replace and modernize its aging technology systems. To bring the first part of the new system online, the state is ceasing all DMV operations, including online services and the phone system, at 2 p.m. on Friday, February 13, 2026. Due to this, the Bath, Corning, and Hornell DMV offices will be closed on that day.

The offices will remain closed on Monday, which is the Presidents Day holiday, and Tuesday (February 16–17), with a planned reopening on Wednesday, February 18, provided we receive the go-ahead from State DMV leadership.

During this time, the State DMV will migrate approximately 30 million records to the new system and complete the transition to bring the first phase of the upgrade online. Again, no DMV transactions will be able to be completed during this period, including through the State DMV website, and phone services will not be available.

The State DMV’s implementation timeline calls for offices to be operational and open for customer transactions beginning Wednesday, February 18. We plan on opening our offices at 8:30 a.m. on February 18. Any changes to that schedule will be posted on the county website and the Steuben County Facebook page.

Following the completion of the system upgrade, all Steuben County DMV office days and hours of operation will remain the same as they are currently. There are no permanent changes being made to office schedules as a result of this upgrade.

• Bath DMV Office: Open Monday, Tuesday, and Friday (8:30 AM - 4:45 PM)
• Hornell DMV Office: Open Wednesday and Thursday (8:30 AM - 4:45 PM)
• Corning DMV Office: Open Monday through Friday (8:30 AM - 4:45 PM)

“While we understand this temporary closure may cause inconvenience, this statewide upgrade is a necessary step toward improving security, efficiency, and customer service for the future,” said Steuben County Clerk Judith Hunter. “We appreciate the public’s patience and encourage residents to monitor our website and social media for the most up-to-date information.”

ABOUT THE DMV SYSTEM UPGRADE

New York State DMV has contracted with software company FAST Enterprises, LLC, which has implemented similar systems in more than 20 other states, to help NYS DMV modernize its technology platforms and service delivery in two major stages over the next two years. The new technology will replace and consolidate a significant portion of DMV’s legacy technology, some of which are more than 50 years old. The goal of this initiative is to make the DMV more secure, stable, and agile, and to provide DMV customers with more efficient, secure, and convenient services.

 

Local Republicans Object To New Suicide Law

Last week in Albany, Governor Kathy Hochul signed into law, a medically assisted suicide bill.   The governor says, in her own personal experience, she watched her mother die slowly from Alsheimers and the governor felt helpless.  But Corning GOP Assemblyman Phil Palmesano says, he voted against this new law, because he’s worried about those with disabilities.  Canisteo Republican Assemblyman Joe Sempolinski is on the same page with Palmesano.  Sempolinski says, passing this law is not a safe move for the disabled.

 

Troopers Warn Drivers To Obey The Move Over Law On 90

State Police report that a Trooper was hit by a car while out on the Thruway, helping a stranded driver.  That was up in Erie County, near Lancaster.  A 22 year old Batavia woman was charged with several vehicle and traffic violations.  Fortunately, no one was seriously injured, but State Police say this is the second time a trooper has been struck while out on the Thruway, in a two week period.