These are the top local stories of the past week.
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1 – Suspect charged after fire decimates historic building in downtown Homer
Body recovered in Homer fire; man charged with manslaughter — Early Friday morning, more than a dozen firefighters battled a blaze that engulfed the Wheaton Block building on South Main Street in the village of Homer. Fire investigators later recovered a body and charged Brian Bermudez with second-degree manslaughter.
Firefighters work to contain a structure fire at 23 S. Main Street in the village of Homer Friday morning (Peter Blanchard/Cortland Voice)
2 – Investigation continues into stabbing on Cornell campus
Ithaca officials shocked, concerned by stabbings; still in the dark on details — Ithaca officials are just as shocked — and just as in the dark — as most everyone else about the stabbings that occurred early Sunday morning on the Cornell campus, one of which was fatal.
3 – Guilty plea entered for man who tried to run over spouse
Cortland man admits to attempting to kill woman in 2015 road rage incident — A Cortland man pleaded guilty Tuesday to felony reckless endangerment in connection with a road rage incident that took place in the parking lot of the Cortland County Courthouse in November.
David Southwick (Photo: Cortland Police Department)
4 – Congressional candidate comes to Cortland
Kim Myers, vying for Rep. Hanna’s seat, meets with voters in Cortland — The Democratic candidate running for New York’s 22ndcongressional district came to Cortland earlier this week to meet with local leaders as part of her bid to replace Republican Rep. Richard Hanna’s seat in the November election.
Kim Myers spoke at the Community Restaurant in Cortland Tuesday morning. She is running as a Democrat to represent the 22nd congressional district (Peter Blanchard/Cortland Voice)
5 – Campus police investigate forcible touching incident
Forcible touching incident reported on SUNY Cortland campus — One person has been accused of forcibly touching another student during an incident that occurred Friday at a SUNY Cortland residence hall, according to campus police. The University Police Department is investigating the allegations after a SUNY Cortland student reported a forcible touching incident at a dorm on campus.
6 – Dryden manufacturer silent on layoffs
Major Tompkins manufacturer keeping quiet about Florida relocation — A plan to uproot a major manufacturing center that employs almost 200 people and move to Florida seems like something that would be difficult to keep under wraps. Yet, the announcement last week that Dryden-based manufacturer Mettler Toledo Hi-Speed Inc. would be leaving came as a surprise even to those keyed in to the Tompkins business world.
7 – Drought concerns continue
Drought declared 'natural disaster' for farmers in Tompkins and 14 other counties — The United States Department of Agriculture has declared Tompkins and 14 other New York Counties as "primary natural disaster areas" due to crop losses from the recent drought. With the exception of Cortland, all of Tompkins neighboring counties are also on the list, with the affected area stretching through most of western New York. Four counties in Pennsylvania are also affected.
(Featured photo of farms in Dryden. Courtesy of Andy Arthur on Flickr)
8 – Debates scheduled in race for district attorney, congressional races
Four election forums scheduled in Cortland County — To enable voters to hear candidates and question them about important issues in the November 8 election, the League of Women Voters (LWV) of Cortland County is sponsoring four “Meet the Candidates” forums in October.
The Cortland County Office Building (file photo)
9 – Homer apartment building damaged in fire
Fire damages basement of Homer residence — Smoke engulfed the basement of a multi-family home in the village of Homer Tuesday night, prompting a large response from local firefighters and emergency responders.
27 James St
10 – SUNY Cortland football wins first game of the season
Cortland holds off Heidelberg, 30-28, in season opener — Steven Ferreira (West Sayville/Sayville) passed for 292 yards and two touchdowns and Cortland held off a late fourth-quarter charge by host Heidelberg University as the nationally 17th-ranked Red Dragons opened the season with a 30-28 non-league victory over the Student Princes.
Jon Mannix caught five passes for 132 yards, including a 26-yard TD reception in the first quarter (Darl Zehr)
