Tragedy New Years Day Morning In Troupsburg

FROM NYSP:  The New York State Police in Painted Post are investigating a fatal motor vehicle crash that occurred on Grinnold Road in the town of Troupsburg, Steuben County.

On January 1, 2026, at approximately 6:56 a.m., New York State Police were dispatched to Grinnold Road for a reported rollover crash involving a plow truck with reported entrapment. Prior to the troopers’ arrival, the operator was extricated from the vehicle and transported by emergency medical services to St. James Hospital.

Troopers located a 2024 Freightliner plow truck off the south shoulder of the roadway, resting on its passenger side. The vehicle had exited the roadway for an unknown reason. While on scene, troopers were notified that the operator, a 44-year-old male, had succumbed to his injuries while en route to the hospital.

The Steuben County Coroner responded and ordered an autopsy to determine the official cause of death. 

The investigation into the cause of the crash remains ongoing.

 

Minimum Wage Goes Up In This Part Of New York State

Governor Kathy Hochul says now that it’s 2026, the minimum wage has gone up to $16.00 an hour, in this area of New York State. 

 

AI And Students In The Bath School District

Wvin News reached out to several school systems in the area, asking the following questions about artificial intelligence: 

Do you think it's a helpful tool? 

An obstacle to students developing writing skills? 

Or maybe a combination of both?   

Has your school district or the NYS Dept of Education, come up with any rules on AI?

 

Here is the response we received from Bath School Superintendent Kelly Houck:  "This is a constant evolving topic and we discuss the use, purpose and appropriateness almost daily.  We do not have a specific AI policy we address inappropriate use such as cheating and academic integrity through our plagiarism and other like policies. There is no doubt that AI is a powerful and extremely useful tool we need to be careful not to over-policy it but instead teach how to use it as a resource and cite it appropriately where needed as you would with cited resources in any work."

 

The VA System And Homeless Veterans Nationwide

VA Secretary Doug Collins says this year, VA’s across the country, permanently housed 51,936 homeless Veterans.  Collins says, that’s the biggest number of homeless vets given housing, in the last seven years.

 

Penn Yan Police Are Looking For This Suspect

Penn Yan Police are trying to locate 43 year old Ashley Montgomery.  Police say Montgomery is accused of allegedly abandoning a child and some animals.  Officials say Ashley Montgomery is 5 foot 5, 155 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes.  She is believed to have fled to the Syracuse area.  Anyone with any information is asked to call 9-1-1. 

 

Governor Kathy Hochul: Holiday Time Pardons

Governor Kathy Hochul notes that on Tuesday, she gave clemency to 13 state prison inmates.  The governor’s list of those given clemency, showed that most of the suspects were in prison for various drug dealing offenses and robbery charges and that some of the cases went back to the 80’s or 90’s.