69传媒

Four smoke shops in the 69传媒 area have been shut down by the state for selling cannabis to minors, and without a license, after a collaborative effort with city and county officials.听

Blue Smoke and More at 30 E. Genesee St., O-Exotic Smoke Shop at 62 Owasco St. and聽Lucky Seven Mini Mart聽at 213 State St., all in the city, as well as聽Panda Smoke Shop聽at 1626 Clark St. Road in Aurelius have been padlocked by officials with the New York State Office of Cannabis Management.

The office announced the operation at a press event at Blue Smoke on Tuesday afternoon. Its director of enforcement, Daniel Haughney, said Blue Smoke sold some cannabis items meant to attract minors, holding up examples with imagery from "Rick and Morty" and "Winnie the Pooh." Another item he held up had packaging that indicated its cannabis was from California.听

"When you purchase from these shops, you don't know what you're buying," he said. "These products are typically filled in the back room of these stores with product that there's no background on."

69传媒 Mayor Jimmy Giannettino said at the event that he was contacted months ago by a local mother whose son was purchasing cannabis products at Blue Smoke. She came to the mayor after going to the shop and asking its staff to stop selling to her son, only to be told to leave.

Giannettino then reached out to 69传媒 Police Department Chief James Slayton, and they worked with the Cayuga 69传媒 Sheriff's Office and district attorney's office, as well as the Finger Lakes Drug Task Force, to bring the issue to the state's attention.

"This is the result of a collaborative effort that I'm very appreciative of," said Giannettino, who noted that Blue Smoke has been a source of aggravation for neighboring businesses like Gretchen's Confections and Cafe, which moved to Marcellus last month.

"Hopefully, with this action today, future shops that think they can come here and take root in 69传媒 will realize it's not going to happen," the mayor continued.

City Corporation Counsel Nate Garland told 69传媒 that local officials felt the Office of Cannabis Management would be an effective partner in dealing with Blue Smoke and the other smoke shops due to its ability to swiftly padlock businesses for selling cannabis to minors, or without a license.

The office took the same action聽last summer against聽I'm Stuck, a regional chain of unlicensed cannabis dispensaries with a location down the block at 9 E. Genesee St.

The city gave the office its case files on local smoke shops, Garland said, and weeks later the state's unlicensed cannabis task force staged an operation from the Aurelius state police barracks.

Haughney said the padlocked shops, and the owners of the properties where they operated, will eventually face fines as well. I'm Stuck was fined more than $15 million by the state in May.

'A negative vibe': How smoke shops have changed one area of 69传媒

David Tarala has worked on East Hill for 42 years.

WEEDSPORT 鈥� The name of Cook's Village Diner comes from its owner, but it also sums up the straightforward comfort the restaurant serves to customers.听

Jeff Cook, who opened the diner at 8991 N. Seneca St. in 2016, said it's been consistently busy ever since.

His 25-year-old daughter and successor, Holly Cook, thinks she knows why.

"Food makes everyone happy," she said. 鈥淚f someone comes in and they're having a bad day, you can change it around or just make them smile."

The beige cement building was the site of Zim's Place-The Village Diner until 2008. It was "a mess" when Jeff took it over, he said. Fresh off running the Cato Family Diner and the restaurant at Hickory Hill Golf Course in his native Baldwinsville, he spent about five months renovating the abandoned space. Along with new infrastructure, it has a new but classic red and white checkerboard floor.

About 10 people were eating at Cook's when 69传媒 visited Thursday morning. Less than half an hour later, several more sat down at its round barstools and padded booths.听

The comfort of food

Cook's serves breakfast and lunch daily, and dinner a few days per week.

Whatever customers order, Holly said, they know they'll get a homecooked meal.听

"It鈥檚 so different than corporate food," she said. "You鈥檙e not going to get the same chicken tenders that you do from Applebee鈥檚."

All the diner's food is prepared by hand. Those tenders are dipped and breaded there, and the hamburger patties are also packed by staff.

They all work under the eye of Jeff, who said he loves being his own boss. But sometimes there's a gray area between running a restaurant and family dynamics, his daughter said.听

"I don鈥檛 like being back in the kitchen," Holly said with a big grin. "Plus, I don鈥檛 think my dad likes me back there either.鈥�

Cook's sources food from Oswego-based Davis Brothers. Their longtime relationship and the diner's consistent business allows it to keep prices affordable.听

Customer Dawson Brown, for instance, said it's rare to find a $5 special like the diner's, which includes two eggs, toast and coffee.听

Brown made up a party of about 10 men on Thursday. The diner is one of the places they frequent after a round of golf at Meadowbrook, they said. Several of them agreed on the diner's affordability.听

On the other side of Cook's sat Ryan Jedra and his 2-year-old daughter, Olivia. She snacked on a plate of pickles while waiting for their food to come out.听

"It's just good hometown cooking. We love the goulash," Jedra said, pausing to look down at Oliva, "and the chocolate milk."

A gathering place

鈥淵ou gotta be here," Jeff said about the restaurant business. "There鈥檚 no flexibility."

The Cato Family Diner, his first restaurant, didn't see the same success as Cook's.

"I think it was a little too far off the beaten path," he said.

Weedsport, where Jeff has lived for nearly 30 years, is just busier enough, he said. But it's also close enough to welcome his clientele from Cato.听

"It's a place where everyone knows everybody," Holly said.

Newer customers find their way to Cook's all the time thanks in part to its proximity to the Thruway.听

Karen Desso, of Webster, and her friend Cindy Hinkle, of Camden, were meeting for the first time in 10 years Thursday. They chose the diner because it was halfway between them.

Desso had a plate of scalloped potatoes and ham in front of her. The white of the plate was reduced to a slim ring.

"The menu and the prices were great," said Hinkle, who ordered a large salad packed with greens, vegetables and chicken.

The friends said they unexpectedly enjoyed the meal as much as catching up.

Jeff, who hopes to retire in a few years, and his daughter couldn't find the words to describe why the restaurant business calls to them. But it definitely does.

"I fell in love with it," Holly said. "It鈥檚 a passion. I can鈥檛 see myself doing anything else."

Gallery: Cook's Village Diner in Weedsport

Amanda Vitale, an 69传媒-area resident who followed her father as executive director of the Central New York Regional Market Authority, has been fired less than two months after a state audit panned the market's financial management.听

The authority's board of directors voted Monday to terminate Vitale, who has served as executive director since January 2020. Her contract requires 180 days' notice of a termination, meaning she will continue to work at the market for the remainder of the year.听

The board did not provide an explanation. Anthony Emmi, who chairs the board, announced at the beginning of the meeting that the agenda had changed.

After the board emerged from an executive session, Emmi read the resolution and the vote was nearly unanimous to fire Vitale. The lone holdout was Randy Daratt, one of Cayuga 69传媒's representatives.

Cayuga 69传媒 Legislator Jonathan Anna, who was recently appointed to the board, supported the action to terminate Vitale.听

Before the vote, Vitale was allowed to speak and excoriated the board for what she views as a lack of professionalism. She learned of her impending termination from other employees, tenants and vendors.听

"You guys have let me take the fall several times over the past few years for decisions that you guys have made," Vitale said. "I have sat in this chair and supported your decisions because that is my job and it seems very clear to me that is what I'm about to do again today."聽

Following the vote to fire Vitale, the board created a new position 鈥� CEO 鈥� to manage the authority. Bill Fisher, a former deputy Onondaga 69传媒 executive, was appointed to lead the market.听

Fisher, whose appointment took effect Monday, will be paid $58,468 a year.听

Near the end of the meeting, Vitale questioned whether the terms of her employment changed with Fisher as the authority's new CEO. Emmi deferred to the board's attorney, who informed Vitale that her role is the same. However, she and the authority's other staff members will now report to Fisher.听

Vitale took a parting shot by criticizing the board's treatment of employees.听

"There is zero morale left on our staff," she said. "Nobody wants to come to work."聽

Fisher responded, "Some of them will stay. Some of them will leave. That's how it's going to be."

One employee has already exited. Greg Frigon, Vitale's partner who was the market's facilities manager, resigned Friday. He worked at the market for nearly 10 years.听

In his resignation letter, Frigon said he has "seen the clear lack of value that the board of directors holds for the staff here."

The initial agenda for the meeting included a corrective action plan after state Comptroller Tom DiNapoli's office found poor financial management at the authority. According to the audit report, the market had net losses of more than $1 million from the 2020-21 through 2022-23 fiscal years.听

Among the findings was that Ben Vitale, Amanda Vitale's father who was the authority's longtime executive director, was paid more than $212,000 over three years after leaving the top job.

Vitale, a Cayuga 69传媒 legislator, was retained to assist his daughter with the transition, help with other duties and lead special projects. But auditors learned the position lacked a clear job description and he wasn't required to document when he worked.听

A state appeals court has reversed Cayuga 69传媒 Supreme Court decisions favoring the Cayuga Nation, in what opponents of the nation's leadership council are calling a victory for the nation's citizens.

In two Wednesday decisions, the state Appellate Division, Fourth Judicial Department reversed judgments granted to the nation in October 2022 and January 2023 by county court Judge Thomas Leone.

The judgments, for $39,050 and $126,000, were against Dustin Parker, operator of smoke shop聽Pipekeepers聽in the town of Montezuma. They domesticated judgements by Cayuga Nation Tribal Court against Parker for violating a nation ordinance and for operating the business in contempt of a nation order, which were calculated based on fines of $1,000 per day.

The appeals court, however, with the argument of Parker's attorneys that, as judgments imposing fines from a "foreign" entity, the nation court's judgments can not be domesticated. As a result, they have been dismissed. The decisions were among six against the nation issued by the appeals court Wednesday, with the others having originated from Seneca 69传媒 Supreme Court.

Opponents of the nation's leadership council and its federally recognized representative, Clint Halftown, praised the decisions in a news release. Sachem Sam George, a Cayuga chief, said they demonstrate the "illegitimacy" of Cayuga Nation Tribal Court. Joe Heath, legal counsel for the nation's chiefs and clan mothers, decried Halftown's "Anglo-style court and violent policing system."

"(The court) does not follow due process, and (its) rulings are not worthy of honoring in state court. Since Halftown's court was established, the only cases it has handled are by his regime against individual Cayuga Nation citizens; and every decision in every case has been in favor of Halftown鈥檚 interests and against the citizens," they said in the release.

"Halftown鈥檚 posse of lawyers have taken numerous tribal court judgments to New York state court seeking the state鈥檚 recognition and enforcement. Today, seven years after Halftown consolidated control over the Cayuga Nation, this recognition was denied at the New York State Supreme Court level."

In a news release Friday, Halftown said that while he is disappointed in the appeals court's decisions, he is pleased that the court affirmed the sovereignty of the nation and its laws. He noted that Seneca 69传媒 Judge Barry Porsch had questioned the nation's right to its own court in his decisions, but that the state appeals court did not adopt his criticisms.听

"Our governing council established the court system to bring order and justice, appointing experienced judges to ensure fairness and due process," Halftown said.听

George and Heath said the decisions bode well for efforts to recover funds seized by Halftown from nation citizens through wage garnishments, bank account seizures, home raids and more, which were also upheld by a county court judge. Halftown's council said in its release that it would continue to pursue domestication of judgments not involving fines, such as those resulting from failure to pay rent.听

Nation citizen Carlin "Woody" Seneca, who was the subject of two of the court's Seneca 69传媒 decisions, said in the release that he was relieved by them.

鈥淲e as a community are deeply troubled and saddened that Clint Halftown moves further and further from our teachings, our culture, and the good mind," he said. "We urge him to stop; stop attacking our own people, stop alienating our neighbors, and stop spending millions of dollars of our nation鈥檚 resources on an army of lawyers.鈥�

Judge dismisses counterclaims, complaints in Cayuga Nation suit

A federal judge has granted the Cayuga Nation's motion to dismiss most counterclaims and complaints filed against it and its federally recogni…

The Wells College Golf Course would've closed if Kevin Fitzgerald and his business partner, Brian Dugan, did not intervene three years ago.

Now, with the college closing, Dugan and Fitzgerald are in the process of buying the nine-hole golf course聽in Aurora.听

Fitzgerald told 69传媒 they have operated the golf club, which is on Wells College's campus, under a lease agreement that includes an option to buy the course. They exercised that option before the college announced it will close at the end of the academic year.听

"It's gotten a bit more complex with the closure of Wells," Fitzgerald said. "But we remain hopeful that everything will fall in line and we'll be able to purchase (the club)."聽

The golf course was part of the Aurora Country Club until it was bought by former Wells College President Kerr Duncan Macmillan in 1923. At the time, it was a six-hole golf course. It expanded to nine holes later in the 1920s, according to the .听

Robert Trent Jones, a famed golf course architect, redesigned the course in the 1960s. Jones' wife, Ione Davis Jones, was a Wells College alumna and served on the college's board of trustees.听

After Dugan and Fitzgerald became co-managers of the course in 2021, they renovated the clubhouse and deck. On the course, they improved the sand traps and turf maintenance.

"Wells really never had the appropriate budget to manage a golf course," Fitzgerald said. "I think our success out here is directly attributable to the condition and the value. We are very reasonably priced. The course is in extraordinary condition for a small nine-hole course with limited irrigation."聽

Their work has been supported by the community, Fitzgerald continued. The club's membership is growing and non-member play is on the rise.听

"The renovation and the investment here has turned, really, the state of the golf course here around," he said. "It would've been closed had we not stepped in at the time we did."聽

Fitzgerald noted that the future is bright for the club's ancillary businesses, including its bar and restaurant. The course is also engaged in philanthropic efforts. Two weeks ago, a fundraiser was held for the Cayuga 69传媒 Veteran Support Fund. Forty golfers participated in the event.听

Once the sale is finalized, there might be one more change coming to the course. The golf club includes the school's name, even though outside entities have managed the course.听

Fitzgerald, who said it's "unfortunate" that Wells College is closing, lauded the insitution for being a great partner. But he hinted there will be new branding after they acquire the club.听

"We will pivot there," he said.听

What won't change, Fitzgerald hopes, is the club's presence in Aurora. With Dugan, he wants to build on the success they've had since taking over the course's operations in 2021.听

That success is why they exercised the option to purchase the golf club, which celebrated its centennial in 2023.听

It was "a roll of the dice," Fitzgerald said, but their plan has delivered results.听

"It's a community treasure," he added. "It's been here for 100 years. It's incredibly important to the golfing community in southern Cayuga 69传媒."聽

Gallery: The Wells College Golf Course in Aurora

Series: Complete coverage of Wells College closing

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Wells College campus 'at risk of irreparable harm,' alumni group says

• Robert Harding
• Updated Nov 14, 2024
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A group of Wells College alumni says the Aurora campus is "at risk of irreparable harm" due to actions by the college's leadership.听

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Wells College selects broker for campus, hires Christie's to sell assets

• Robert Harding
• Updated Nov 12, 2024
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Wells College is moving forward with plans to sell its 300-acre campus and most of its non-real estate assets.听

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Nonprofit proposes Indigenous college at former Wells College campus

• Robert Harding
• Updated Nov 14, 2024
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A nonprofit is proposing the creation of an Indigenous college on the former Wells College campus in Aurora.听

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Aurora mayor: Wells College has not transferred water plant to village

• Robert Harding
• Updated Nov 2, 2024
• 0

The village of Aurora is preparing to take over the water plant, but Wells College has not signed an agreement to transfer ownership of the facility.听

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Ithaca investment banker proposes transforming Wells College into boarding school

• Robert Harding
• Updated Oct 8, 2024
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An Ithaca investment banker has pitched his idea to transform Wells College into a boarding school.听

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Aurora revamps DRI project as Wells College nears sale of president's house

• Robert Harding
• Updated Oct 24, 2024
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The village of Aurora altered one of its proposed Downtown Revitalization Initiative projects after Wells College decided to sell the property at 165 Main St.听

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Audit: Wells College had 'significant operating losses' before closure

• Robert Harding
• Updated Sep 30, 2024
• 0

An audit found Wells College lost more than $6 million over two years before it closed in June.听

Education

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Where Wells College stands in its closure process

• Robert Harding
• Updated Oct 3, 2024
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Four months since its closure announcement, here is where Wells College stands in its wind-down process.听

Local 69传媒

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'A family and a home': Wells College remembered at AuroraFest

• Kelly Rocheleau
• Updated Oct 1, 2024
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AURORA聽鈥� The theme of this year's AuroraFest was an obvious choice.

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Former faculty accuse Wells College of unfair labor practices amid closure

• Robert Harding
• Updated Aug 23, 2024
• 0

A union representing former faculty members at Wells College is accusing the Aurora institution of unfair labor practices.听

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Peachtown Elementary asking Wells College to gift Aurora school building

• Robert Harding
• Updated Sep 17, 2024
• 0

Peachtown Elementary School is taking the next steps to ensure it stays on the former Wells College campus in Aurora.听

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Nearly 70 former Wells College students transfer to Hobart and William Smith Colleges

• Robert Harding
• Updated Aug 23, 2024
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For more than 60 former Wells College students, they did not have to look far for a new school.听

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Former Wells professor resigns from Moravia school board to take teaching job there

• Kelly Rocheleau
• Updated Sep 10, 2024
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A former Wells College professor has stepped down from her seat on the Moravia Central School District Board of Education in order to take a t…

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Wells College alums hope to get answers about closure in meeting with school leaders

• Robert Harding
• Updated Sep 5, 2024
• 0

A Wells College alumni group is hoping to get answers to questions about the school's closure in a meeting with the institution's leadership this week.听

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Wells College lists house, part of Aurora's DRI plan, for nearly $1.4 million

• Robert Harding
• Updated Aug 5, 2024
• 0

Wells College is selling a house that's part of the village of Aurora's Downtown Revitalization Initiative plan.听

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Wells College closure 'unapproved,' accreditor says

• Robert Harding
• Updated Aug 29, 2024
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Wells College failed to provide information about the closure after repeated requests, the institution's former accreditor says.听

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Guest column: Closure of college ripples through Aurora

• Barb E. Blom
• Updated Aug 22, 2024
• 0

As you can imagine, in a small community, the closing of Wells College has been very painful.

Local 69传媒

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Village visions: How Aurora would reuse Wells College properties

• Robert Harding
• Updated Aug 20, 2024
• 0

Aurora Mayor Jim Orman and Dr. Heather MacAdam have visions for how to reuse certain Wells College properties.听

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Wells College reports $3 million loss in year before it closed

• Robert Harding
• Updated Jul 23, 2024
• 0

A year before Wells College announced it would close, the Aurora institution had a net loss of $3.2 million as declining enrollment continued to take a toll.听

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Aurora village board wants 'one-campus' sale or transfer of Wells College

• Robert Harding
• Updated Jul 23, 2024
• 0

The village of Aurora is urging Cayuga 69传媒's federal and state representatives to support a "one-campus" sale or transfer of Wells College.听

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Wells College names Henking president to oversee closure

• Robert Harding
• Updated Jul 8, 2024
• 0

Wells College has named a new president who will oversee the process of shuttering the 156-year-old Aurora institution.听

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'Its legacy will always be here': Wells College closes in Aurora

• Robert Harding
• Updated Jul 2, 2024
• 0

Wells College closed Sunday after 156 years.听

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Alumni group seeks information about Wells College's closure 鈥� and may sue for it

• Robert Harding
• Updated Jul 1, 2024
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A Wells College alumni group may file a lawsuit if the school does not cooperate with its request for more information about the institution's closure.听

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Aurora Farmers Market staying, for now, at Wells College Boathouse

• Robert Harding
• Updated Jul 1, 2024
• 0

For eight of its nine years, the Aurora Farmers Market has occupied space at the Wells College Boathouse. That won't change, at least for this year.听

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Accreditor: Wells College has not complied with requests for record agreements

• Robert Harding
• Updated Jul 1, 2024
• 0

The Middle States Commission on Higher Education said Thursday that Wells College has not complied with requests for information about where its institutional and student records will be stored.听

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Wells College 'parted ways' with Gibralter, school's president since 2015

• Robert Harding
• Updated Jul 1, 2024
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Wells College has "parted ways" with Jonathan Gibralter, who served as the institution's president since 2015.听

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Wells College alumnae form group to preserve school's legacy in Aurora

• Robert Harding
• Updated Jul 1, 2024
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Wells College alumnae have formed a group to preserve the institution's legacy in Aurora and the Finger Lakes region.听

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Petition calls for giving Wells College land back to Cayugas

• 69传媒 staff
• Updated Jul 1, 2024
• 0

As the New York State Attorney General's Office begins to determine what will happen to Wells College's properties, an online petition is sugg…

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Accreditor OKs Wells College teach-out partners, warns legacy deals 'prohibited'

• Robert Harding
• Updated Jun 1, 2024
• 0

An accreditor has taken action in response to Wells College's plan to close at the end of the academic year.听

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Aurora, Wells College planning for 'complicated' water plant transition

• Robert Harding
• Updated May 30, 2024
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The village of Aurora and Wells College are in the early stages of planning how to keep the on-campus water treatment plant operational after the college closes this year.听

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69传媒 gallery's quilt conference makes last-minute move after Wells closure

• David Wilcox
• Updated Jul 2, 2024
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AUBURN 鈥� The Schweinfurth Art Center usually has a friendly relationship with works of fiber art, but last month the rug was pulled out from u…

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How Wells College's final graduating class honored faculty at commencement

• Robert Harding
• Updated May 30, 2024
• 0

The story behind the decision to have faculty, not Wells College President Jonathan Gibralter, present degrees to graduates at the school's final commencement.听

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Wells College president, trustees take back seat at final commencement

• Robert Harding
• Updated Jun 25, 2024
• 0

At the final commencement in Wells College's 156-year history, the school's president relinquished nearly all of his speaking roles and sat behind faculty and staff.听

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Wells College adds more 'teach-out' options for students

• Robert Harding
• Updated May 30, 2024
• 0

Wells College has reached agreements that would allow students to choose from two dozen schools to continue their education.听

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'Carry on this legacy': Wells College celebrates final graduating class

• Robert Harding
• Updated May 30, 2024
• 0

Wells College capped off its 156-year history with its final commencement Saturday.

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'We can turn it around': Nonprofit group wants to help Wells College avert closure

• Robert Harding
• Updated Jun 20, 2024
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A nonprofit organization has contacted Wells College to gauge the leadership's interest in helping the 156-year-old institution remain open.听

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How Manhattanville University plans to honor Wells College, welcome students

• Robert Harding
• Updated Aug 20, 2024
• 0
• 4 min to read

From internship opportunities to a great return on investment, Manhattanville University President Frank Sanchez highlights what his institution offers to Wells College students seeking to continue their education.

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'My home is gone': Wells College alumni saddened by closure

• Robert Harding
• Updated May 13, 2024
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69传媒 interviewed or received messages from more than 20 Wells College alumnae who shared memories and their thoughts about the college's sudden closure announcement.听

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Doctor hopes to keep Aurora medical center open after Wells College closure

• Kelly Rocheleau
• Updated Jun 15, 2024
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After Wells College announced that it will close at the end of this semester, Dr. Heather MacAdam's patients at the campus medical center had higher blood pressure than normal.

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Did Wells College inadvertently announce closure in January?

• Robert Harding
• Updated May 14, 2024
• 0

In January, Wells College told 69传媒 the school had "no plans to close at the end of the semester."聽

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Wells College president was paid $310K in bonuses, despite school's enrollment decline

• Robert Harding
• Updated Jun 13, 2024
• 0

Wells College President Jonathan Gibralter was paid more than his counterparts at similarly sized institutions and received over $300,000 in bonuses, tax filings show.听

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Wells College notifies NY of 141 job cuts due to closure; Cayuga 69传媒 assisting workers

• Robert Harding
• Updated May 14, 2024
• 0

Wells College has notified the state Department of Labor of the job cuts due to the Aurora institution's closure after the spring semester.听

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Aurora Farmers Market to move this summer due to Wells College closure

• 69传媒 staff
• Updated May 11, 2024
• 0

The Aurora Farmers Market will return for its ninth season beginning Saturday, May 25, on the lawn of the Wells College boathouse on Route 90 …

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Peachtown Elementary School hopes to stay in Aurora after Wells College closes

• Robert Harding
• Updated Jul 15, 2024
• 0

One question about Wells College's closure is how it will affect Peachtown Elementary School, which has been on the Aurora institution's campus since 1992.听

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Wells College answers frequently asked questions about closure

• 69传媒 staff
• Updated Jun 11, 2024
• 0

On its website, Wells College has responded to frequently asked questions about its closure.听

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Wells College women鈥檚 lacrosse goes out on top, winning first championship

• Jacob Urish
• Updated May 8, 2024
• 0

AURORA聽鈥� The Wells College women's lacrosse team won its first championship in its last season.

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Accreditor: Wells College did not properly plan for closure

• Robert Harding
• Updated May 4, 2024
• 0

Wells College is being criticized for not timely notifying its accreditor that it will close and not properly planning for its closure.听

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Groups organize legal rights webinar for Wells College students affected by closure

• Robert Harding
• Updated May 5, 2024
• 0

Three organizations are collaborating to inform Wells College students about their legal rights after the school announced it will close at the end of the semester.听

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Wells College notified NY Education Department of closure over the weekend

• Robert Harding
• Updated May 5, 2024
• 0

Wells College notified the state Education Department of its plan to close before a public announcement Monday, but the timing highlights how quickly the decision was made.听

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Closure makes history-making Wells College women's lacrosse team hungrier for championship

• Jacob Urish
• Updated Jun 8, 2024
• 0

"It's just important to show that we can win, and that we will win for the last lacrosse season at Wells.鈥�

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Wells College students, staff vent about closure at Aurora church

• Robert Harding
• Updated May 5, 2024
• 0

An Aurora church opened its doors to give Wells College employees and students a forum to express their feelings about the school's closure.听

Local 69传媒

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Gallery: Wells College Lament offers answers, healing amid closure

• Kevin Rivoli
• Updated May 5, 2024
• 0

The United Ministry of Aurora hosted a Wells College Lament on Tuesday.

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Our view: Wells College needs to explain extremely short notice of closure

• 69传媒 Editorial Board
• Updated May 8, 2024
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The village of Aurora and Cayuga 69传媒 lost one of the area's historic gems this week with the announcement of the closure of Wells College, …

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Wells College in Aurora will close at end of spring semester

• Robert Harding
• Updated May 5, 2024
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Wells College will close at the end of the spring semester due to declining enrollment and financial struggles.听

Local 69传媒

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Gallery: Students speak out about Wells College closing in Aurora

• Kevin Rivoli
• Updated May 6, 2024
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After 156 years, Wells College in Aurora will close at the end of the spring semester.听

Local 69传媒

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'Unfair to everyone': Wells College students react to closure news

• 69传媒 staff
• Updated May 5, 2024
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The lakeside campus of Wells College in Aurora was serene as ever Monday afternoon, with birds chirping among the spring blooms.

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'A sad day': Cayuga 69传媒 leaders shocked as Wells College announces closure

• Robert Harding
• Updated Jun 4, 2024
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Cayuga 69传媒 leaders react to Wells College's announcement that it will close at the end of the spring semester.听

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Tax filings show how Wells College was affected by declining enrollment, financial losses

• Robert Harding
• Updated May 5, 2024
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Tax records show the losses Wells College incurred over the years and how it was boosted, temporarily, by donations and other aid.听

A man has been charged with 14 offenses, including four felonies, after a domestic incident led to a pursuit with 69传媒 police officers Sunday.

69传媒 Police Department Chief James Slayton told 69传媒 that officers responded to a report Sunday afternoon that Christopher M. Hunt, 23, of Williamson, was holding a woman against her will at a residence on Washington Street and saying he would kill her. There were two children in the house as well, Slayton added.

Hunt had left before officers arrived, Slayton said, taking the woman's car without her permission. Officers located the car in the vicinity of Seymour Street and the Arterial, but Hunt then drove to the area of Melone Village. There, he left the car and took off on foot, and was apprehended shortly thereafter, Slayton continued.

Hunt was charged with aggravated family offense, a class E felony, and second-degree unlawful imprisonment, acting in a manner injurious to a child and two counts of criminal mischief, all class A misdemeanors, in connection with the domestic incident. He was also charged with second-degree harassment, a violation.

For allegedly taking the car, Hunt was charged with unauthorized use of a vehicle (a class D felony) and fourth-degree grand larceny (a class E felony). The pursuit led to charges of driving on a sidewalk, fleeing officers in a motor vehicle, failing to stop at a stop sign and third-degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, all misdemeanors and infractions.

When apprehended by officers Hunt was also found with 87 plastic vials containing a total of 13.9 grams of cocaine, Slayton said, leading to additional charges of third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance (a class B felony) and fourth-degree criminal possession of a narcotic (a class C felony).听

The 69传媒 police chief told 69传媒 there was no danger to the public during the pursuit, saying Hunt would have received a more serious charge for driving on the sidewalk if there were people on it.

"This seems to be the norm lately," Slayton said. "People not pulling over, just driving and deciding where they're going to bail out."聽

New York State Police have identified the man who died in a house fire early July 2 in northern Cayuga 69传媒.

Police said Rodney G. McClure, 59, died after helping Joseph H. Goodsell, 78, escape the fire at 12119 McNeely Road in the town of Victory, where they both lived.

After escaping, Goodsell went for help at a neighbor's house. McClure was later found dead inside, police said. Goodsell was not injured.

No further information about the fire was made available by state police, and their investigation is ongoing.听

As Wells College closes and works with the state attorney general's office to dispose of its assets, the village of Aurora is calling for a "one-campus" sale or transfer of the property.听

The village board approved a resolution supporting the one-campus approach, which would ensure that the Wells College campus is not parceled off. The board is hoping that it will continue to be used by a higher education institution.听

In a letter to federal and state representatives, village leaders outline why they support a one-campus concept. The benefits, they say, include consistency of jobs and residences, economic stability, avoiding "checkerboarded lots" and maintaining the community's heritage.

"The village of Aurora stands by ready, willing and able to assist in many ways and seeks commitment and partnership from Wells College, involved New York state agencies and legislative leaders and representatives in this critically important matter," village leaders, including Aurora Mayor Jim Orman, wrote. "This exigent matter may very well decide the continued existence of our village, or its termination."

The campus's fate will be decided over the next several months as the college finalizes its closure. The village board joins other residents and stakeholders voicing opinions about what should happen with the historic property.听

Wells Legacy Society, an alumni group that formed in the aftermath of the college's sudden closure announcement, wants to preserve the school's history in Aurora.听

Rachel Snyder, president of the Wells Legacy Society, told 69传媒 they hope a campus building will be used as a museum for the college's collection.听

Another idea is to return the land to the Cayuga Nation. Jodi Baldwin, owner of the Howland Farm Museum, launched a petition asking the state to give the land to the Cayugas. So far, the petition has 828 signatures.听

There are other entities affected by the closure. The Community Medical Center is located on the Wells campus. The center's owner, Dr. Heather MacAdam, told 69传媒 in May that she expressed interest in buying the building from Wells College. However, the college warned her that the state attorney general's office and state Education Department may get involved in the transaction.听

Peachtown Elementary School is also interested in remaining at its location on the Wells campus. The school has rented a college-owned building for more than 30 years.听

Redeveloping the campus may be challenging and expensive, Aurora village leaders noted in their letter. The buildings, they wrote, are "not well-suited for adaptive reuse as the ostensibly thick block and/or stone structures lack (Americans with Disabilities Act) accessibility." The campus is in an institutional zoning district, meaning it can be used for libraries, nonprofit schools or research centers.

In the letter, the village board requests a marketing campaign to "save this historic 'jewel' of a campus along the shores of Cayuga Lake."

"Our 323 residents and village leaders are willing to mobilize and volunteer for steering committee work and countless other tasks that could help this proud community retain a viable institution of higher learning on the Wells College campus," they wrote.

Gallery: A virtual tour of Wells College on its closing day

A seven-month review process has ended with the 69传媒 Planning Board approving a site plan for the construction of an 80-bed homeless shelter on Grant Avenue.听

The board on Tuesday voted 3-1 to approve Housing Visions' site plan, which proposes a three-story, 80-bed facility to replace the existing 16-bed shelter at 290-292 Grant Ave. Board members Fran Daloia, Amy Sargent and Theresa Walsh voted in favor of the plan, while Andy Tehan was the lone opponent.听

Crystal Cosentino, who chairs the planning board, did not participate in the site plan review or the vote at the meeting Tuesday. Cosentino works for the Rescue Mission, which would operate the new shelter.听

Stephen Selvek, the city of 69传媒's deputy director of planning and development, presented the revised site plan for the 7,105-square-foot facility. The proposal has been changed over time based on feedback from residents and stakeholders. The revisions include an increased radius on the north side of the driveway to make it easier for emergency vehicles to access the facility.听

Before voting on the site plan, the planning board considered whether to issue a negative declaration 鈥� that the project won't have a significant impact on the environment. During that discussion, Tehan expressed concern about how a larger homeless shelter might affect the city's ability to add businesses on Grant Avenue.听

"It's going to do great things. It's going to serve its purpose," he said. "But where is the right spot?"聽

Other planning board members, though, did not share Tehan's view. They focused on how the larger shelter will provide interior spaces that may reduce loitering outdoors 鈥� one of the main criticisms levied by residents who oppose the project 鈥� and have services on site for those in need of assistance.听

A resolution to approve the negative declaration passed 3-1, with Tehan voting no.听

The site plan review followed. One of the questions addressed by Selvek was parking. Because the homeless shelter plans to have seven employees, it must have seven parking spaces. Additionally, the shelter will have eight parking spots for those in transitional housing units.听

Selvek also highlighted the emergency response portion of the site plan and provided an overview of the changes requested by the 69传媒 Fire Department.听

There was little discussion before the board voted to approve the site plan.听

It's a major development for a project that has faced several hurdles since it was proposed in late 2023.听

The project began receiving attention in October when the Cayuga 69传媒 Legislature approved $1 million in federal COVID-19 relief funding to support the construction of the shelter. The county is supporting the project because of the growing homelessness problem in the community.听

In 2023, the county paid $3 million to place unhoused individuals and families in local hotels.听

When the planning board began its review in December, the proposed shelter received mixed reviews. Residents who live near 290-292 Grant Ave. don't believe it's the right location for a larger facility. They have also raised concerns about increased crime and other negative consequences of having the shelter in that area.听

In response to that feedback, Housing Visions sought a different location. The Syracuse-based developer is in the process of buying the former Holy Family School on North Street and planned to redevelop the building to include 15 to 20 permanent housing units.听

Housing Visions asked the 69传媒 Zoning Board of Appeals for a use variance that would allow the nonprofit to construct a homeless shelter at the North Street site. But the zoning board rejected the use variance application in March.听

After that setback, Housing Visions refocused on the Grant Avenue location and revised its plan to address concerns about the project. In June, a public hearing was held to review the updated site plan. A mix of supporters and opponents spoke during that meeting.听

An updated timetable for when construction will begin wasn't immediately available. Housing Visions representatives have said the site plan approval was needed for the nonprofit to seek additional funding for the project.听

Two men were sentenced to prison on drug charges Tuesday in Cayuga 69传媒 Court, including a Syracuse man found with large quantities of fentanyl and "molly" during a traffic stop in 69传媒 in November.

Jerrell A. Brown, 36, was sentenced to four years in prison and three years of post-release supervision after pleading guilty to one count of fourth-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, Cayuga 69传媒 District Attorney Brittany Grome Antonacci told 69传媒.

Brown was arrested during a traffic stop by the Cayuga 69传媒 Sheriff's Office on the Arterial near North Fulton Street on Nov. 23. After seeing drugs in his vehicle, deputies searched it and found 90 glassine envelopes of fentanyl, 5.3 grams of cocaine and "a large quantity" of dimethylpentylone, or molly.

Also in court Tuesday was Justin M. McDeid, 34, who was sentenced to four and a half years in prison and three years of post-release supervision on one count of third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.听