These are the top local stories of the past week.

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1 – An expensive fire at an historic city landmark

Fire at Grace Episcopal Church causes $100,000 in damages – An historic landmark in the city of Cortland was spared from destruction Friday thanks to the quick work of city firefighters, though smoke damage caused more than $100,000 in damages. Shortly after 1 p.m., the City of Cortland Fire Department responded to a fire at the Grace Episcopal Church at 13 Court Street, next door to the fire department's headquarters. Firefighters arrived to find a smoke condition coming from the vestibule area on the east side of the church. The smoke condition continued to increase and was visible from the cupola areas above the church sanctuary and other areas of the building.

Cortland firefighters at the scene of a reported structure fire at Grace Episcopal Church in Cortland (Photo: Peter Blanchard/Cortland Voice)

2 – An ambitious project: Local developer lays out vision for old factory building

Yaman unveils plans to revive historic Crescent Corset building — Calling it an “urban conversion project,” local developer David Yaman has unveiled site plans to redevelop the former Crescent Corset Company building at 165-177 S. Main Street. David Yaman, of Yaman Real Estate, and Housing Visions Unlimited, Inc., a nonprofit, neighborhood revitalization company based in Syracuse, submitted a site plan review application to the Cortland City Planning Commission July 14. The plan came before the commission at its Monday meeting for a preliminary site plan review.

The Crescent Corset Co. building at 165-177 S. Main Street (Photo by Peter Blanchard/Cortland Voice)

3 – Rhode Island man accused in fatal stabbing enters not guilty plea

Man pleads not guilty in fatal stabbing at Cortland bar — A Rhode Island man has entered a not guilty plea in the death of Terry W. Wormuth II at a Cortland tavern last November. Mark G. Dill, 59, of Cranston, R.I., who was indicted by a Cortland County grand jury earlier this month, pleaded not guilty Thursday to three felony charges of first-degree manslaughter, second-degree manslaughter and third-degree criminal possession of a weapon, according to an official at the Cortland County Courthouse.

Mark Dill, 58, of Cranston Rhode Island (Cortland Police Department) 

4 – Cortland County YMCA snags property

Cortland YMCA purchases adjoining property — The Cortland County Family YMCA has entered into an agreement with neighboring property owner Paul Lorenzo to purchase his property at 30 Tompkins Street. The property is bordered on the east by the YMCA at 22 Tompkins Street and on the west by Thoma Development Consultants.

The Cortland County YMCA recently purchased this property at 30 Tompkins Street.

5 – Court appearance for woman who allegedly shook infant

Homer woman accused of shaking baby arraigned in Cortland Co. court — A Homer woman has pleaded not guilty to accusations that she shook and seriously injured a baby that was in her care. Cindy Petrella, of White Bridge Road, was arraigned before Judge William Ames at the Cortland County Courthouse Tuesday morning.

Cindy Petrella (Photo: Cortland Police Department)

6 – County removes presidential candidate's sign from public property

Trump sign at Cortland County Airport taken down — A yard sign for Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump was removed from the grounds of the Cortland County Airport Thursday afternoon. The 24" x 16" sign that read "Team Trump: Rebuild America" could be seen on county airport property on Route 222 Thursday morning but was removed by the end of the day.

A "Team Trump" sign at the Cortland County Airport Thursday morning. The sign was taken down by a county official (photo provided).

7 – Man charged with having child pornography

Police: Cortland man possessed child pornography — A local resident has been accused of possessing child pornography following an investigation involving New York State Police and the Cortland Police Department. On Thursday, July 21, Cortland police assisted state troopers in carrying out a search warrant at the residence of Erik G. Burns on North Greenbush Street. While there, investigators found child pornography on his computer, according to Lt. Richard Troyer with the Cortland Police Department.

Erik Burns (Photo: Cortland Police Department)

8 – Cortland YWCA gets grant

Excellus BlueCross BlueShield donates $3,000 to YWCA of Cortland — Excellus BlueCross BlueShield recently presented a $3,000 grant to the YWCA of Cortland, which was selected from a pool of 185 upstate New York applications to receive one of the nonprofit insurance company’s 2016 Community Health Awards.

Jim Reed, regional president, Excellus BlueCross BlueShield, and Sara Earl, program director, YWCA of Cortland (photo provided)

9 – Sheriff: Man who crashed car in Cincinnatus on "some type of drug"

Driver charged with DWI in Cincinnatus rollover crash — A Cortland County man was charged with DWI following a rollover crash in the town of Cincinnatus Monday morning. Jason M. Rice, 18, of Willet, was traveling north on Route 26 shortly after 11 a.m. when he rounded the corner near the intersection with Route 41 and went into the oncoming lane, according to the Cortland County Sheriff's Office.

10 – Sentencing handed down in rape case

Cortland man sentenced for sexual abuse — A city resident was sentenced Thursday to two years in prison and 10 years of probation in connection with a reported rape last year. Clajon Lawson, 23, of South Ave, previously pleaded guilty in June to first-degree sexual abuse, a class D felony, as part of a plea deal.

Clajon Lawson (Cortland Police Department)