Week in Review: Top 10 Cortland stories | September 20 - September 27

Welcome! Here are the top local stories of the past week.

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1 – Mayor weighs in on affordable housing debate

Cortland mayor defends city's application for affordable housing funds – In a post on his Facebook page, Mayor Brian Tobin defended the city's decision to apply for affordable housing funds that would go towards renovating rental properties for low-income residents.

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2 – An Amish barn in Marathon is destroyed in a fire

Fire destroys barn at Amish farm in Marathon – A barn at an Amish farm on Pine Hill Road in Marathon was destroyed in a Tuesday afternoon fire. No injuries were reported and the cause of the fire is under investigation.

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3 – Cortland County legislators get a pay raise, and a new policy on mileage reimbursement

Cortland legislature approves salary increases, mileage reimbursement policy – The legislature voted Thursday to increase the salary to $10,000 annually for the county’s 17 legislators–up from $6,000 annually–which hadn’t been changed since 1991.

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4 – A motorcyclist is critically injured after crashing on Route 90 in Homer

Man in critical condition following Homer motorcycle crash – Dennis Rider, of Batavia, was flown to Upstate Medical Center in Syracuse last week, where he was listed in critical but stable condition.

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5 – At village meeting, Groton residents ask officials to address quality of life concerns

Groton residents address crime, drug activity at village meeting – More than 100 residents in the village of Groton attended a meeting of village trustees Monday night to address growing concerns over criminal activity, drug abuse and deteriorating properties.

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6 – Wrongfully convicted woman in Dryden murders dies in Atlanta

Shirley Kinge, wrongfully convicted after 1989 Dryden murders, dies at 80 – Shirley Kinge, wrongfully convicted in connection with high-profile murders in Dryden in 1989, died on Sunday at a hospital in Atlanta, according to her attorney. She was 80.

Shirley Kinge in 2009. Courtesy of Newschannel9 WSYR

Shirley Kinge in 2009. Courtesy of Newschannel9 WSYR

 

7 – Bruce Tytler, former mayor of Cortland, joins TC3 Board of Trutstes

Former Cortland mayor appointed to fill TC3 board seat – Bruce Tytler spent five year in Cortland city government, first as a city alderman and then serving a two-year term as mayor of Cortland.

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8 – Four-year prison sentence for man who sold heroin in Cortland County

Man enters guilty plea in Cortland heroin bust – An Ulster County man will spend four years in state prison after pleading guilty to selling heroin at the Riverside Plaza earlier this year.

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9 – Medication collection events address drug abuse

With “Take Back” event, Cortland looks to curb prescription drug abuse – Two medication collection events were held in Cortland County this weekend, with the goal of decreasing abuse of prescription medications. Part 2 in a five-part series exploring issues of drug and alcohol addiction in Cortland County as part of National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month. Read Part 1 here.

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10 – TC3 student threatened others with airsoft gun, according to police

Police: Man in custody after threatening TC3 students with airsoft gun – Police were called to Cascadilla Hall after reports that a man with a black pistol was threatening student, according to a news release by Beau Saul, director of Campus Police.

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