Steuben County To Proceed With A Court Appeal 

The Steuben County Legislature had an executive session vote on January 27.  There was a 9 (yes) to 8 (no) vote, not to appeal the court decision made by Steuben County Supreme Court Judge Jason Cook about the Sheriff Jim Allard litigation.  However, despite the county legislature’s vote, the county is going forward with appealing the ruling anyway.  The sheriff’s legal action was against former legislative chair Scott Van Etten, Steuben County Manager Jack Wheeler and the county as a whole.  The sheriff’s legal action, was intended to stop the local law which would have removed his indemnification.

The county lawmakers who voted to appeal the ruling are: Scott Van Etten, Brian Schu, Bob Nichols, James Kuhl, Wendy Lozo, Gary Swackhamer, Fred Potter and Mike Hanna.  The county lawmakers who voted against appealing the lawsuit are: Kelly Fitzpatrick, Paul Van Caeseele, Hilda Lando, Carol Ferratella, Jeff Horton, Shannon Logdson, William Thew, Joe Tobia and Nick Pelham. 

 

Local Schools Are On Mid-Winter Break Right Now

Prattsburgh, Avoca, Hammondsport  and the other local schools are on a mid-winter break this week.  And school officials at Campbell Savona Central say if you’ve got a student whose looking for something to do, that there is ice skating this Friday at the Corning Nasser Civic Center ice rink from 630pm to830pm for free.  Also, there’s roller skating inside the Campbell Savona elementary school gym this Saturday from 6pm to 8pm for $3.00 per person.

 

Canisteo To Name New Police Dog, After Hornell War Hero

The Canisteo Police Department reports that they’ve just gotten a new police dog and have named the K9 “Smitty,” after the late Lance Corporal Zach Smith of Hornell, who was killed in action in Afghanistan in 2010.  From Canisteo Police: 

Sergeant Giglio will be Smitty's handler and they will begin training together. Smitty will be a big asset to the Canisteo Police Department specializing in Narcotics Detection, Tracking and Personal Protection. It will be nice to have a K9 back on the force as we all having been missing Dex and his contributions to the Department and the community.

 

Governor Using State Police At Prisons Where There Are Strikes, The Governor Might Send In The Nat'l Guard Too

Governor Kathy Hochul is planning to send the national guard in to Elmira Correctional where the prison guards have been on strike.  This will happen today, the governor says, if the strikes do not come to an end.   

Also, from NYSP:  The New York State Police are assisting the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (NYSDOCCS) by providing outer perimeter security at select correctional facilities experiencing job action strikes or increased staff absences.   Since Monday evening, NYSP personnel have been deployed to several facilities to maintain a presence on facility grounds, ensuring DOCCS staff can focus their efforts on interior security operations.  At this time, the NYSP role remains limited to external security support.

 

Republican Response To The Prison Strike Situation

Video Message From Congressman Nick Langworthy:

 

Statement From State Senator George Borrello:

“What does Governor Hochul’s tone-deaf press release reveal? It shows she either doesn’t get it or simply doesn’t care about the real issues our correctional staff are facing. This isn’t about money. This is about the lack of safety and egregious violations of labor protections that every other employer in the state must follow.

Hochul's shameful silence on the deplorable conditions in our state's prisons speaks volumes. The state employees, including correctional officers, whom she is obligated to protect, face daily dangers due to conditions intentionally imposed by a radical far-left legislature and her own administration. Instead of stepping up as the leader she claims to be and responding to the reasonable concerns of corrections officers, she has chosen to deploy the New York National Guard as a strike-busting force-a move that’s as cowardly as it is ineffective.

By deploying the National Guard, she’s not only dismissing the officers’ legitimate concerns but also sets a dangerous precedent for handling labor disputes in our state. Correctional officers are on the front lines, working under incredibly challenging conditions, and their strike is a desperate cry for help, highlighting the urgent need for better working conditions and adequate staffing. By choosing to threaten and intimidate those who are standing up for their rights and safety, the Governor fails to address the root causes of the strike. Deploying the National Guard is a heavy-handed tactic, not a solution. Her actions show that she’s more interested in punishing those fighting for a safer workplace than in actually solving the crisis at hand.”

 

A New US Attorney For Western New York District

As always happens when a new president takes office in Washington DC, the Western New York US Attorney has stepped down.  US Attorney Trini Ross was a Biden appointee and officials say that the acting US Attorney is now, Joel Violanti.   

Statement From the US Attorneys Office, About Trini Ross And Her Work As US Attorney:  

In civil matters, between 2022 and January 2025, approximately $80,000,000 was collected in criminal, civil and forfeiture actions. That funding collected is given to victims of crime, and provided as aid to state and local law enforcement agency partners who worked with the United States Attorney’s Office on criminal cases. And Ms. Ross oversaw the largest settlement in the history of the District with a $98,000,000 settlement with Independent Health.

 

In March, 2022, Ms. Ross was one of the first 12, of 93, United States Attorney’s to be selected to serve on the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee of U.S. Attorneys (AGAC), which she served on until her term ended after a year and a half. The AGAC advises the Attorney General on matters of policy, procedure, and management impacting the Offices of the U.S. Attorneys and elevates the voices of U.S. Attorneys in Department policies. In addition, Ms. Ross was also selected as the Chairperson for the AGAC sub-committee on Law Enforcement Coordination, Victim Assistance and Community Relations (LEVC). In this role, Ms. Ross lead the sub-committee that advised the Attorney General on matters involving law enforcement, victim assistance, and community relations. In June, 2023, Ms. Ross hosted the LEVC meeting in Buffalo, bringing U.S. Attorneys from across the country to the Buffalo area for two days. The meeting included presentations and discussions on the May 14th tragedy, which included a visit to the Tops store on Jefferson Avenue, business, and community outreach efforts, as well as multiple presentations by law enforcement.