Week in Review: Top 10 Cortland stories | Oct. 30 - Nov. 5

These are the top local stories of the past week.

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1 – Grant funding for community police officer approved

Cortland lawmakers approve funding for community police officer – On Tuesday, Cortland Common Council unanimously approved the acceptance of a grant to fund a community-oriented police officer. The Cortland Police Department was awarded a $125,000 federal grant last monththrough the U.S. Department of Justice to hire one officer to “increase community engagement and crime prevention efforts.” The funding was awarded through the U.S. Justice Department’s Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program.

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2 – Potential two-way Main Street divides city residents

Cortland: City seeks input on a two-way Main Street – The city of Cortland held a public meeting Thursday night to give local residents the opportunity to learn about the pros and cons of a two-way Main Street. Some studies have shown that converting major downtown streets back to two-way traffic can lead to improved traffic flow and reduced driver confusion. In a July 2015 Cortland Voice poll, 65 percent of readers said they would like to see the street converted to two-way traffic.

Main Street in July 2015. Photo by Peter Blanchard/Cortland Voice

Main Street in July 2015. Photo by Peter Blanchard/Cortland Voice

3 – Reports of missing dogs alert law enforcement

Cortland County Sheriff's Office investigating reports of missing dogs – The Cortland County Sheriff's Office is investigating two separate reports of missing dogs in the county. The first incident occurred at around 2 p.m. on Sep. 9 in the area of 2272 Route 11 in Virgil. The second incident occurred on Sep. 27 near the area of 1912 McGraw Marathon Road in the town of Freetown.

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4 – Homer varsity football team faces Cazenovia in championship game

Homer football team to play championship game in Carrier Dome – The Homer High School Football team (8-1) will face Cazenovia (8-1) for the Section III Class B Championship on Sunday in Syracuse. Kickoff is set for 3 p.m. at the Carrier Dome in Syracuse. The team earned a spot in the Class B finals after defeating Mexico, 31-22, on Oct. 28.

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5 – Woman accused of driving drunk with child in vehicle

Cortland sheriff: Truxton woman drove drunk with 6-year-old in car – The Cortland County Sheriff's Office arrested a Truxton woman on Halloween who is accused of driving while intoxicated while a child was in the vehicle.

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6 – Judge: Cayuga Medical Center violated labor laws

Federal judge decides Cayuga Medical Center violated labor laws – Last week, a federal judge sided with Cayuga Medical Center nurses who said the hospital broke labor laws while workers were attempting to form a union. The major complaints in the lawsuit revolved around the hospital making attempts to dissuade nurses from joining the union and unlawfully targeting for disciplinary action nurses who supported the union.

Photo: Michael Smith/Ithaca Voice

Photo: Michael Smith/Ithaca Voice

7 – SUNY Cortland men's soccer team wins SUNYAC title

SUNY Cortland wins SUNYAC men's soccer title – Cortland defeated 22nd-ranked Oneonta, 1-0, in the SUNYAC men's soccer championship game at the SUNY Cortland Stadium Complex. Cortland won its first SUNYAC title since 2008 and the 18th in program history. The Red Dragons (17-2) set a school record with their 17th win of the season and earned an automatic berth into the NCAA Division III playoffs.

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8 – Man drove toward teens on bikes, police say

Police: Homer man drove toward teens on bikes – A Cortland County man faces criminal charges after he steered his vehicle toward a group of teenagers who were riding bikes in the village of Homer Sunday night, according to the Homer Police Department.

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9 – Original member of Allman Brothers Band to perform in Homer

Butch Trucks, founding member of Allman Brothers Band, to perform at Homer Center for the Arts – Butch Trucks and The Freight Train Band will swing into The Center for the Arts in Homer, New York on Thursday, November 17 at 8:00pm.

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10 – Cortland will host state girls' soccer championships

Cortland set to host 2016 New York State Girls' Soccer Championships – The New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) Girls Soccer Championships will return to Cortland for the eleventh year. Starting in 2006, the Cortland Regional Sports Council in conjunction with Section III Athletics has hosted the event.

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