Brett Heffner Pleaded Guilty For Death Of Keli Collins

Steuben County District Attorney Brooks Baker reports that Brett Heffner, 28, Corning, has pleaded guilty to Murder in the Second Degree, for causing the death of Keli Collins, 26, Corning, last summer at her apartment in Corning.  The D.A. also says, Collins was sexually assaulted by Heffner at the time of the incident.  Sentencing will be in Steuben County Court, on May 16, before Judge Phil Roche, who has been handling the case.  D.A. Brooks Baker says, Heffner decided not to go to trial, because Corning Police, assisted by State Police, the Steuben County Sheriff's Department and Hornell Police, built a case so clear and convincing, "that the defendant chose to plead guilty, rather than go to trial," Baker stated.  

 

Bath Man Is Accused Of Second Degree Attempted Arson

From Sheriff Jim Allard: Steuben County Sheriff Jim Allard reports that on March 21, 2023, deputies of the Steuben County Sheriff’s Office arrested Lee M. Baxter, age 48, of SR415, Bath, New York following a report of a person attempting to light another person’s room on fire at a multiple unit dwelling on SR415, Bath.  It is alleged that Mr. Baxter introduced an accelerant into an occupied room and attempted to light it.  Mr. Baxter was charged with Attempted Arson in the Second Degree, a class D Felony, and Reckless Endangerment in the First Degree, a Class D Felony.  Mr. Baxter was held for arraignment in the Centralized Arraignment Court.

 

Senator Schumer: Watch Out For Xylazine, It's Fatal

Senator Chuck Schumer was in Wayne County recently, talking about how there is a medicine used by animal doctors called Xylazine, which the senator says, gets laced in with Fentanyl and Heroin, and causes skin rotting all the way to the bone.  Has this drug made its way into Steuben County yet?  One police chief in the region says, it’s quite possible.  Over in Hornell, Police Chief Ted Murray says, because the drugs today are so dangerous, not just for those that use it, but for the arresting officers that take it off the streets.  As a result, Murray says, Hornell Police wear gloves around any drugs which look like it could be  Xylazine, and then send it off to a lab, instead of testing it locally.  

 

GOP: "Local Control, Not Hochul Control" 

Republican Assemblyman Phil Palmesano and others are pushing back against Democrat Governor Hochul’s housing plan.  The Republicans say that the governor’s plan, will add 800,000 housing units across the state over the next 10 years.  The GOP assemblyman also says the governor has pledged overridding any local elected officials and zoning board members who refuse to go along with her plan.

Plans For The Future Of Bath Sidewalks This Year

Bath Village Mayor Michael Sweet says, upcoming plans for the street department in Bath will include: replacing 25 sidewalks, putting down new sidewalks at the library, installing two new pickle ball courts, and repaving several streets in Bath.