Get Local: Holiday weekend continues in the Finger Lakes!
It might be the second day of a long holiday weekend, but we're here, like we are every day with the latest from around the region.
Schuyler County moves up tax foreclosure timeline
Schuyler County officials have moved the tax foreclosure filing date from November to July, urging delinquent property owners to act quickly under the new timeline. The change aligns with updates to New Yorkâs Real Property Tax Law signed by Governor Hochul in 2024 and affects all unpaid county, town, and school property taxes. Treasurer Holley Sokolowski and County Attorney Steven Getman emphasized that only properties with taxes unpaid for 18 months are impacted and highlighted resources like installment agreements, redemption periods, and legal aid. Officials say the goal is to keep people in their homes and prevent residents from being caught off guard by the earlier deadline.
Finger Lakes Forecast: Heat returns.
The Finger Lakes region will see mostly sunny skies and rising temperatures this weekend, with highs reaching 88 on Saturday and 92 on Sunday. Heat index values could climb to 96 degrees Sunday afternoon, making it feel especially hot. A slight chance of showers and storms arrives Monday, with continued chances through Thursday and Friday. Overnight lows will remain warm, hovering in the upper 60s to low 70s throughout the forecast period.
Fast 5: Whatâs happening in the Finger Lakes?
Geneva City Council has ordered the owner of a fire-damaged strip plaza on Castle Street to either demolish or repair the building by August 1. If the deadline passes without action, the city will handle demolition and charge the cost to the propertyâs tax bill. The owner reportedly plans to demolish the structure but must first hire a certified contractor due to asbestos concerns. Residents expressed frustration over the years-long delay, though officials are hopeful that updated zoning could revive mixed-use redevelopment plans.
A Waterloo man is facing multiple charges after a high-speed police chase across Monroe County ended at Roberts Wesleyan University. Deputies say 26-year-old Dejon Butler backed into a Rochester police officer's vehicle while fleeing from a gas station on North Clinton Avenue. The officer was not injured, and the chase continued through several towns before spike strips were used to stop the vehicle. Butler is charged with reckless endangerment, fleeing an officer, and reckless driving.
The Seneca County Board of Supervisors will meet Tuesday evening in Waterloo to address a wide range of resolutions on youth services, public safety, workforce development, and infrastructure. Highlights include the Brightest Star Awards honoring middle school students and updates from the STEPS program and local activist Tony Del Plato. Key agenda items involve new funding for school-based substance abuse services, youth justice initiatives, workforce board appointments, and public safety staffing. Additional resolutions cover sewer upgrades, community tourism grants, and a proposed extension of youth hunting privileges.
Residents along Cross Lake in Cayuga and Onondaga counties are dealing with weeks of flooding that have damaged property and fueled mosquito outbreaks. Frustrated locals point to unfulfilled recommendations from a 2023 state report and the lack of unified water management across the Oswego River Basin. While a floodplain restoration project is underway and dam modifications are being planned, progress has been slow. A reintroduced bill to create a single oversight agency offers hope, but residents doubt it will bring timely relief.
A Port Byron man has been sentenced for fatally injuring a kitten in a 2024 animal cruelty case. Jeremy J. McNair, 23, will serve weekend jail time for four months and five years of felony probation for aggravated animal cruelty. He is also prohibited from owning pets and must pay restitution to the Finger Lakes SPCA. The incident left the kitten with a severed spinal cord, and McNair pleaded guilty in May.
