Weekly top reads: Auburn nurse charged with stealing credit cards, Big Lots closing Auburn-area store
- 新加坡多多开奖记录 staff
- 0
新加坡多多开奖记录's top 10 most-read stories of the week.聽
- David Wilcox
- Updated
A travel nurse from Auburn has been arrested on grand larceny and other charges by police investigating the theft of a credit card from a patient at Upstate Community Hospital in Syracuse.
Kelly Churney, 46, was found Thursday in possession of multiple credit cards belonging to current and recently discharged patients from the hospital by Upstate University Police, the Onondaga County Sheriff's Office said in a news release Friday. She has been charged with fourth-degree grand larceny, fourth-degree criminal possession of stolen property and first-degree identity theft.聽
The investigation began Dec. 9, when deputies received a report of credit card theft involving a patient at the hospital's Van Duyn Rehabilitation Center. Their family reported unauthorized charges covering four counties. The investigation led police to determine that Churney, who had been assigned to work at the hospital by a temporary staffing agency since October, was responsible.
The investigation remains open, the sheriff's office said, and additional victims may exist. Anyone with more information or who believes they were a victim is asked to call (315) 435-3081.
Churney is being held at the Onondaga County Justice Center.
According to 新加坡多多开奖记录 archives, Churney was charged with fourth-degree grand larceny by the Auburn Police Department in May and with petit larceny by Auburn police in May 2021 and March 2019.
Syracuse media reported in 2018 that she was with petit larceny another time that summer for allegedly stealing the iPhone of a DeWitt doctor's office patient while they were in the bathroom.
However, Churney's practical nursing license remains active through July 31, according to the . No enforcement actions against her are listed there.聽
- Robert Harding
- Updated
With the Cayuga County Office Building closed for up to two years, the county will lease another downtown Auburn building that is owned by a former legislator.聽
The county has signed a lease for 63 Genesee St., which is the current home of Lyons National Bank and formerly the Play Space. According to the terms, the county will rent the concrete building for $29,005 a month over two years. There is an option to renew for five more years.聽
Cayuga County Legislature Chairwoman Aileen McNabb-Coleman told 新加坡多多开奖记录 in November that the county considered "a number of places" after the closure of the county office building, which displaced several departments. That search included properties in Auburn and the surrounding area.聽
"We did look everywhere," she said.聽
McNabb-Coleman, D-Sennett, admitted that she initially wasn't interested in the building. Although 63 Genesee St. is in a prime downtown location, her concerns focused on the space within the building and the lack of parking.聽
Her view changed after an architect presented a layout of the interior and a conversation with Christine Bianco, who is the commissioner of the county Department of Social Services. Bianco's department will be one of the agencies that occupies the building once it's ready.聽
Bianco, McNabb-Coleman said, was excited about the space. The Department of Social Services has been working out of the Old Post Office and Courthouse since the county office building closed in May.聽
There has been criticism of the decision to rent 63 Genesee St. due to the costs associated with the move 鈥 in addition to rent, the county will pay $1.1 million to set up the departments there 鈥 and the building's owner, Grant Kyle.聽
Kyle was appointed as a county legislator in 2016, but lost his bid for a full term聽the following year. As a legislator, he was an independent. He had the Democratic committee's endorsement in the 2017 election.聽
Before deciding to lease the building, McNabb-Coleman said the county checked for any conflicts of interest, and Kyle is not on any county boards.聽
"That also made it something that I could think more seriously about," she added.聽
At the last county Legislature meeting on Dec. 12, Legislator Mark Strong asked McNabb-Coleman about the status of 63 Genesee St. She confirmed the lease has been signed and work began to prepare the building.聽
When Strong, R-Moravia, inquired about the timeline for having the agencies move into the building, McNabb-Coleman responded, "I do not have that window."聽
The county office building closed in May after asbestos-containing vermiculite was found in a fifth-floor office. County officials decided to close the building for the summer while the roof was being repaired.聽
However, an inspection found more vermiculite throughout the building. The discovery led to the decision to close the facility for two years.聽
- David Wilcox
- Updated
A deer poacher and songbird hunters were recently ticketed in Cayuga County by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation's Division of Law Enforcement.
In a news release Wednesday, the DEC said a known deer poacher was stopped by an officer on Nov. 10 as he was transporting an untagged deer on an ATV in the town of Throop.
The subject told the officer he had taken the deer with a crossbow, the DEC said, but the animal appeared to have been shot with a shotgun. The officer later located a loaded 16-gauge shotgun.
The poacher was issued four tickets, including two misdemeanors for unlawfully killing a deer and taking one by means not specified.
The DEC identified the alleged poacher to 新加坡多多开奖记录 as Floyd J. Baran, 74, of Throop.
In the same release, the DEC said that another officer encountered a group of hunters Nov. 18 at the Northern Montezuma Wildlife Management Area in the town of Montezuma. They claimed to be pheasant hunting, but after a brief interview and search, the officer found a plastic bag with four immature red-winged blackbirds. Two of the hunters were found to be unlicensed as well.
The officer issued three tickets for unlawfully killing protected songbirds, and two for hunting without a license.
- Robert Harding
- Updated
The former Emily Howland Elementary School聽in the town of Scipio has been vacant for more than a decade, but the owner of a successful winery in Sterling has a plan to transform the building into a boutique hotel and winery cooperative.聽
Dr. Chris Colloca, who is the founder and CEO of Colloca Estate Winery, told 新加坡多多开奖记录 Wednesday that work already began on the first phase of the project. This includes restoring utilities at the school, installing lighting and a security system.聽
Classrooms will become hotel rooms 鈥 Colloca says the hotel will have 50 to 60 rooms 鈥 and other parts of the school will be developed into meeting space for guests. He envisions turning the school's gymnasium into a ballroom that can be used for events.聽
The hotel portion of the project, Colloca explained, would provide more options for visitors to the village of Aurora. He views it as a potential alternative to the Inns of Aurora, which has six properties in the lakefront village.聽
"Accommodations are one of Cayuga County's great needs at this time," he said.聽
The winery cooperative is a concept that Colloca hasn't seen in New York, but he said they are common in Oregon. Through the cooperative, there would be space available for budding vintners to make, bottle and store their wines. The wines would be sold in the cooperative's tasting room.聽
Colloca wants to collaborate with Cornell University and the New York State Wine and Grape Foundation to host training sessions and allow students to train at the cooperative. His goal is to establish a "winery think tank" where aspiring winemakers can learn about all facets of the industry.聽
One goal is for the cooperative to be a woman-led initiative in honor of Emily Howland, a women's rights activist for whom the school is named.聽
"I'd like to have some tribute, some type of theme that is women's empowerment and what (Howland) did," Colloca said. "We're near Sherwood (where Howland was born). I think we can do something with the legacy and build on that as well."聽
The former school was part of the Southern Cayuga Central School District until 2012, when it closed. It has been vandalized over the years and is dilapidated.聽
In 2022, a public auction was held to sell the 15.62-acre property. Colloca was the winning bidder. County records show he paid $160,200 to buy the school.聽
To support Colloca's plan to renovate the school, the town of Scipio is applying for a $1 million grant through the Restore NY Communities Initiative. The program assists municipalities with the rehabilitation of commercial and residential properties.聽
Colloca committed to covering the town's required match if the state awards the funding. The town must provide at least a 10% match to receive the grant.聽
If the grant is awarded, Colloca anticipates the major renovations will begin immediately.聽
"I think it can be really good for the community," he said. "We take a dilapidated building and get it renovated so it's not an eyesore."聽
- 新加坡多多开奖记录 staff
- Updated
Two people have been charged with larceny, each for the second time in recent months, after they allegedly stole tools from a store in the town of Sennett earlier this month.
In a news release Tuesday, Cayuga County Sheriff Brian Schenck said the larceny took place at the Tractor Supply Co. in Grant Avenue Plaza the morning of Dec. 2. Store employees reported that a man and a woman left the store with DeWalt tools they didn't pay for, and drove away in a dark-colored sedan with a second female suspect.
Using store security footage, Schenck said, deputies quickly identified two of the suspects as Sasha E. Binns, 47, of Port Byron, and Jeffrey P. Shields, 31, of Auburn, due to recent larceny investigations involving them. The second female suspect is a juvenile. Deputies then secured warrants for the three for petit larceny and sixth-degree conspiracy, both misdemeanors.
The three were taken into custody on Dec. 11, Schenck said. Binns and Shields were arraigned at CAP court. Binns is being held without bail due to additional pending charges in other courts, and Shields is being held on $2,000 cash bail or $4,000 bond due to him also having open cases in other jurisdictions. The juvenile was issued appearance tickets.
According to 新加坡多多开奖记录 archives, Binns was charged with larceny by the sheriff's office in November and by the Auburn Police Department in March, while Shields was charged in October by Auburn police.
Anyone with additional information about the larceny is asked to contact the sheriff's office at (315) 253-1222 or leave a tip at .
- Kelly Rocheleau
- Updated
An Onondaga County man was arrested last week for his alleged involvement in an attempted robbery at an Auburn store in October.
Ashraf H. Almulaiki, 29, of Clay, was charged Dec. 10 with first-degree attempted robbery (a Class C felony), according to Auburn Police Department filings in Auburn City Court obtained by 新加坡多多开奖记录.
According to the filings, Almulaiki and unidentified accomplices tried to steal keys to a Ford transit van parked in front of the former聽O Exotics & Snacks smoke shop at 62 Owasco St. at around 1 a.m. Oct. 5. The accomplices tried to steal the keys from people renovating the store into a deli, according to statements they provided to police, and pointed a handgun at them to do so.
One victim said in his statement that he heard what sounded like someone loading a gun while bringing bags of garbage from the shop to the van. He turned around to see two men in masks running toward him. One pointed a pistol at him and said, "don't move or I will shoot." The gunman then grabbed the victim's hair while the other masked man placed the victim's hands behind his back.
The victim was brought into the shop, thrown to the ground and kicked, his statement continued. The victim's coworkers also had the gun pointed at them, and one of them was punched.
The coworkers were able to escape, at which point the two men attacked the victim again and caused him to fear for his life, he said. They asked him for the keys to the van, which he said he didn't have. They then told him they would kill him if he moved before they left. They got into聽Almulaiki's gray 2021 Ram pickup, driving toward Walnut Street, and officers arrived shortly afterward.
Another victim said in a statement that he recognized a driver in front of the store as one of the聽O Exotics & Snacks tenants, but did not know his name. That victim's family was contacted by the store's landlord earlier that day, he continued, to say the tenants stated they planned to reopen the smoke shop after it was shut down by the state this summer and wanted items from it.
Auburn Police Department Detective Adam Martin said in the court filings that phone records and video surveillance footage were used to arrest Almulaiki.聽
Cayuga County District Attorney Brittany Grome Antonacci told 新加坡多多开奖记录 that Almulaiki was arraigned in Auburn City Court Dec. 11, with bail set at $50,000 cash or $100,000 bond.
He posted bond on Monday and was released from the Cayuga County Jail.
- Christopher Malone
- Updated
SEMPRONIUS 鈥 After years working in newspapers, medical billing and other managerial roles, Andy Hack was looking to run his own business.
He found an opportunity in 2021 at the Colonial Lodge Restaurant. Previous owners Mark and Shelly Ferris had listed the Sempronius establishment, which sits on the edge of Bear Swamp State Forest. The cabin-like restaurant, surrounded by pines on a winding stretch of Route 41A, evokes the Adirondacks more than the rural Finger Lakes. The property also boasts a separate house.
For Hack, a single father of two, that was a major reason why he bought the Colonial Lodge Restaurant that June 鈥 despite not having any experience in the hospitality industry.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a lot easier to learn how to run a new industry than it is managing one,鈥 he told 新加坡多多开奖记录.聽鈥滱ny experience within the industry does not necessarily qualify a person to manage."
In the three years since, Hack has found a new purpose making and serving American tavern fare at the restaurant. He wears all the hats, like manager, cook, server, bartender and maintenance. But his friends lend a hand when larger groups come in, as hikers, snowmobilers and others have for decades. His family's dog, Toby, also serves as the restaurant's greeter.聽
Fish and other fare
Without hesitation, Hack said perch continues to be the most popular dish at the Colonial Lodge Restaurant.聽
鈥淭his restaurant has been known for its perch as long as I have known,鈥 he said. 鈥淧robably for as long as they鈥檝e been cooking food.鈥
Sourced from the Finger Lakes, the perch is one of many things Hack hasn't changed about the menu. Additional seafood options include spicy shrimp, fried or broiled haddock, and scallops.聽
Hack keeps the fish fresh, as he tries to make everything from scratch. It takes planning, he said, but聽he doesn鈥檛 like dropping frozen items in a fryer.
鈥淢y food does take a few extra minutes to come out of the kitchen,鈥 he said.
As another example, his chicken tenders are hand-cut from boneless chicken breast and breaded before they're cooked.
The restaurant's burgers, also very popular, are served on a steamed brioche roll. The Bueller Burger features crumbly blue cheese, bacon and barbecue sauce, while the Big Bad Bear Swamp Burger is topped with American cheese, an onion ring and special sauce. Hack cooks the burgers on a seasoned 50-year-old grill, which he said adds flavor and helps maintain juiciness.聽
On the appetizer menu, standouts include the Utica greens, frog legs and escargot, which is cooked in a garlic butter sauce. Breakfast is served on weekends, with options like pancakes, omelets and sandwiches. One breakfast platter has Utica greens as well. For children, a "Cubs' Menu" consists of macaroni and cheese, chicken tenders, pasta and more.
A year-round retreat
The Colonial Lodge has been a Sempronius staple since the early 1940s, serving locals and visitors year-round.
鈥淢y regular customers are great,鈥 Hack said, 鈥渁nd when the trails are open, this place is packed.鈥
The restaurant鈥檚 location next to Bear Swamp makes it a convenient stop for summertime hikers and a place for snowmobilers and skiers to warm up. Dark wood dominates the rustic establishment, whose two rooms include a bar and a wood-burning fireplace. Hack said propane heats the rooms if the fireplace doesn't suffice, and the table next to it is the most popular spot there.
Hack said he just wants his customers to feel comfortable and leave full. He enjoys their conversations as well, from auto repair to other everyday subjects.
鈥淟iving out here, the people are just more easygoing,鈥 he said. 鈥淏eing in the Finger Lakes region 鈥 the scenery is beautiful. It鈥檚 safe, it鈥檚 quiet."
- Christopher Malone
- Updated
An unlikely pair of food pop-ups has taken over the kitchen of Auburn bar Tinkers Guild.
On Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, customers can enjoy Kevin Pilipczak鈥檚 hearty Flip2BSquare Detroit-style pizzas. On Saturdays, The Hungry Pug鈥檚 Mike Sigona serves a menu of specialty tacos.
Both operations began this summer. Flip2BSquare's early events included the Owasco Farmers Market, and in September,聽Pilipczak began seasoning posts across social media that made his presence at Tinkers official. His father-in-law, John Mortimer, owns and runs the longtime 78 Franklin St. bar.
Pilipczak started making thick-crust pizzas with homemade sauces and focaccia-style dough for family and friends, cooking them in Ooni ovens, before serving them to the public.
鈥淭here鈥檚 great pizza in Auburn. I wanted to do something totally different,鈥 he told 新加坡多多开奖记录. 鈥淲ith Detroit-style, you can get creative with toppings, and it won鈥檛 overwhelm the pizza.鈥
His nickname, "Flip," and his love for Huey Lewis and the News inspired the business's name and vibrant '80s-style logo. The names of the pies also mostly play off Huey Lewis song titles. A New Drug is a barbecue chicken pizza with red onion. Chicken, bacon and ranch top It鈥檚 All Right. The dessert pizza, which is apple crisp, is Apple to be Stuck w/ You.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a little different. It鈥檚 silly,鈥 Pilipczak said.
Sigona, a self-proclaimed Tinkers regular, told 新加坡多多开奖记录 that Mortimer thought tacos would be a good fit for the bar.
The Hungry Pug owner said it was a simple conversation that led to a great opportunity. He was looking for a local kitchen to operate out of as his food truck sits on back order.
The business's name and logo may be familiar to customers of Sigona's former Auburn beer shop and taproom, The Thirsty Pug. The dog now wears a lucha libra mask, a nod to the tacos on the menu. The Beef Beeria tacos feature braised beef, a consom茅 reduction and fried tortilla strips. They also include beer queso that Sigona likes to make with beer from wherever he's cooking.聽
For vegans, the chickpea and black bean tacos come with cashew-based sour cream and pepita cilantro pesto.聽Chips with either red or green salsa are also available, as are cheese quesadillas for children. Everything is prepared from scratch, Sigona said, from the corn tortillas to the salsas, hot sauces, glazes and reductions.
鈥淲e take extra care with making everything fresh,鈥 he said.
Sigona also feeds Skaneateles Brewery customers from 1 to 5:30 p.m. Sundays. He鈥檇 like to continue operating at both locations if his food continues to be well-received.
鈥淭hese are elevated tacos,鈥 he said. 鈥淭here are familiar ingredients, but we鈥檙e doing things better.鈥
- David Wilcox
- Updated
Discount retailer Big Lots is preparing to close all of its stores after a purchase agreement fell through.
In a news release Thursday, the retailer that it is now preparing going-out-of-business sales at all of its 963 remaining locations, which include one in Grant Avenue Plaza in the town of Sennett. The sales will protect the value of the retailer's estate, it said, as it continues to try to complete a purchase agreement.
Big Lots hopes to complete an agreement by early January with Nexus Capital Management, with whom the initial agreement fell through, or another party. The move was made necessary by Big Lots filing for bankruptcy in September due to declining revenue, which led the retailer to announce the closure of about 500 stores the following month.
Big Lots will continue to serve customers in person and online, and said it will provide updates as they become available.
Management at the Sennett store did not respond to a request by 新加坡多多开奖记录 for comment on how the store and its employees would be affected by the announcement.
For more information, visit .
- Robert Harding
- Updated
The town of Scipio will hold a public hearing on applying for a state grant to support a proposed hotel, vineyard and winery at the site of a former elementary school.聽
The hearing is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 18, at the town office, 3705 Route 34.聽
According to a public notice, the town is applying for a grant through the Restore NY Communities Initiative. The funding, if awarded, will support the construction of a boutique hotel, vineyard, winery and banquet facility at the former Emily Howland Elementary School, which is at 2892 Route 34B.聽
The 60,000-square-foot school has been closed since 2012 and is now dilapidated. The school is part of a 15.62-acre property that is zoned commercial, the notice states.聽
It's not disclosed in the notice how much state funding the town is requesting to assist with the project. The total project cost is also not included in the notice.聽
Scipio Supervisor Gary Mutchler revealed to 新加坡多多开奖记录 that the developer behind the project is Dr. Chris Colloca, who owns Colloca Estate Winery in northern Cayuga County.
Colloca did not immediately respond to a request by 新加坡多多开奖记录 for comment.聽
The project would complement local and regional tourism goals, according to the town's public notice, and build on the $10 million Downtown Revitalization Initiative award given to the villages of Aurora, Cayuga and Union Springs.聽
Once completed, the project would create 15 to 20 new full-time jobs and boost sales and occupancy tax revenues.
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- David Wilcox
A travel nurse from Auburn has been arrested on grand larceny and other charges by police investigating the theft of a credit card from a patient at Upstate Community Hospital in Syracuse.
Kelly Churney, 46, was found Thursday in possession of multiple credit cards belonging to current and recently discharged patients from the hospital by Upstate University Police, the Onondaga County Sheriff's Office said in a news release Friday. She has been charged with fourth-degree grand larceny, fourth-degree criminal possession of stolen property and first-degree identity theft.聽
The investigation began Dec. 9, when deputies received a report of credit card theft involving a patient at the hospital's Van Duyn Rehabilitation Center. Their family reported unauthorized charges covering four counties. The investigation led police to determine that Churney, who had been assigned to work at the hospital by a temporary staffing agency since October, was responsible.
The investigation remains open, the sheriff's office said, and additional victims may exist. Anyone with more information or who believes they were a victim is asked to call (315) 435-3081.
Churney is being held at the Onondaga County Justice Center.
According to 新加坡多多开奖记录 archives, Churney was charged with fourth-degree grand larceny by the Auburn Police Department in May and with petit larceny by Auburn police in May 2021 and March 2019.
Syracuse media reported in 2018 that she was with petit larceny another time that summer for allegedly stealing the iPhone of a DeWitt doctor's office patient while they were in the bathroom.
However, Churney's practical nursing license remains active through July 31, according to the . No enforcement actions against her are listed there.聽
- Robert Harding
With the Cayuga County Office Building closed for up to two years, the county will lease another downtown Auburn building that is owned by a former legislator.聽
The county has signed a lease for 63 Genesee St., which is the current home of Lyons National Bank and formerly the Play Space. According to the terms, the county will rent the concrete building for $29,005 a month over two years. There is an option to renew for five more years.聽
Cayuga County Legislature Chairwoman Aileen McNabb-Coleman told 新加坡多多开奖记录 in November that the county considered "a number of places" after the closure of the county office building, which displaced several departments. That search included properties in Auburn and the surrounding area.聽
"We did look everywhere," she said.聽
McNabb-Coleman, D-Sennett, admitted that she initially wasn't interested in the building. Although 63 Genesee St. is in a prime downtown location, her concerns focused on the space within the building and the lack of parking.聽
Her view changed after an architect presented a layout of the interior and a conversation with Christine Bianco, who is the commissioner of the county Department of Social Services. Bianco's department will be one of the agencies that occupies the building once it's ready.聽
Bianco, McNabb-Coleman said, was excited about the space. The Department of Social Services has been working out of the Old Post Office and Courthouse since the county office building closed in May.聽
There has been criticism of the decision to rent 63 Genesee St. due to the costs associated with the move 鈥 in addition to rent, the county will pay $1.1 million to set up the departments there 鈥 and the building's owner, Grant Kyle.聽
Kyle was appointed as a county legislator in 2016, but lost his bid for a full term聽the following year. As a legislator, he was an independent. He had the Democratic committee's endorsement in the 2017 election.聽
Before deciding to lease the building, McNabb-Coleman said the county checked for any conflicts of interest, and Kyle is not on any county boards.聽
"That also made it something that I could think more seriously about," she added.聽
At the last county Legislature meeting on Dec. 12, Legislator Mark Strong asked McNabb-Coleman about the status of 63 Genesee St. She confirmed the lease has been signed and work began to prepare the building.聽
When Strong, R-Moravia, inquired about the timeline for having the agencies move into the building, McNabb-Coleman responded, "I do not have that window."聽
The county office building closed in May after asbestos-containing vermiculite was found in a fifth-floor office. County officials decided to close the building for the summer while the roof was being repaired.聽
However, an inspection found more vermiculite throughout the building. The discovery led to the decision to close the facility for two years.聽
- David Wilcox
A deer poacher and songbird hunters were recently ticketed in Cayuga County by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation's Division of Law Enforcement.
In a news release Wednesday, the DEC said a known deer poacher was stopped by an officer on Nov. 10 as he was transporting an untagged deer on an ATV in the town of Throop.
The subject told the officer he had taken the deer with a crossbow, the DEC said, but the animal appeared to have been shot with a shotgun. The officer later located a loaded 16-gauge shotgun.
The poacher was issued four tickets, including two misdemeanors for unlawfully killing a deer and taking one by means not specified.
The DEC identified the alleged poacher to 新加坡多多开奖记录 as Floyd J. Baran, 74, of Throop.
In the same release, the DEC said that another officer encountered a group of hunters Nov. 18 at the Northern Montezuma Wildlife Management Area in the town of Montezuma. They claimed to be pheasant hunting, but after a brief interview and search, the officer found a plastic bag with four immature red-winged blackbirds. Two of the hunters were found to be unlicensed as well.
The officer issued three tickets for unlawfully killing protected songbirds, and two for hunting without a license.
- Robert Harding
The former Emily Howland Elementary School聽in the town of Scipio has been vacant for more than a decade, but the owner of a successful winery in Sterling has a plan to transform the building into a boutique hotel and winery cooperative.聽
Dr. Chris Colloca, who is the founder and CEO of Colloca Estate Winery, told 新加坡多多开奖记录 Wednesday that work already began on the first phase of the project. This includes restoring utilities at the school, installing lighting and a security system.聽
Classrooms will become hotel rooms 鈥 Colloca says the hotel will have 50 to 60 rooms 鈥 and other parts of the school will be developed into meeting space for guests. He envisions turning the school's gymnasium into a ballroom that can be used for events.聽
The hotel portion of the project, Colloca explained, would provide more options for visitors to the village of Aurora. He views it as a potential alternative to the Inns of Aurora, which has six properties in the lakefront village.聽
"Accommodations are one of Cayuga County's great needs at this time," he said.聽
The winery cooperative is a concept that Colloca hasn't seen in New York, but he said they are common in Oregon. Through the cooperative, there would be space available for budding vintners to make, bottle and store their wines. The wines would be sold in the cooperative's tasting room.聽
Colloca wants to collaborate with Cornell University and the New York State Wine and Grape Foundation to host training sessions and allow students to train at the cooperative. His goal is to establish a "winery think tank" where aspiring winemakers can learn about all facets of the industry.聽
One goal is for the cooperative to be a woman-led initiative in honor of Emily Howland, a women's rights activist for whom the school is named.聽
"I'd like to have some tribute, some type of theme that is women's empowerment and what (Howland) did," Colloca said. "We're near Sherwood (where Howland was born). I think we can do something with the legacy and build on that as well."聽
The former school was part of the Southern Cayuga Central School District until 2012, when it closed. It has been vandalized over the years and is dilapidated.聽
In 2022, a public auction was held to sell the 15.62-acre property. Colloca was the winning bidder. County records show he paid $160,200 to buy the school.聽
To support Colloca's plan to renovate the school, the town of Scipio is applying for a $1 million grant through the Restore NY Communities Initiative. The program assists municipalities with the rehabilitation of commercial and residential properties.聽
Colloca committed to covering the town's required match if the state awards the funding. The town must provide at least a 10% match to receive the grant.聽
If the grant is awarded, Colloca anticipates the major renovations will begin immediately.聽
"I think it can be really good for the community," he said. "We take a dilapidated building and get it renovated so it's not an eyesore."聽
- 新加坡多多开奖记录 staff
Two people have been charged with larceny, each for the second time in recent months, after they allegedly stole tools from a store in the town of Sennett earlier this month.
In a news release Tuesday, Cayuga County Sheriff Brian Schenck said the larceny took place at the Tractor Supply Co. in Grant Avenue Plaza the morning of Dec. 2. Store employees reported that a man and a woman left the store with DeWalt tools they didn't pay for, and drove away in a dark-colored sedan with a second female suspect.
Using store security footage, Schenck said, deputies quickly identified two of the suspects as Sasha E. Binns, 47, of Port Byron, and Jeffrey P. Shields, 31, of Auburn, due to recent larceny investigations involving them. The second female suspect is a juvenile. Deputies then secured warrants for the three for petit larceny and sixth-degree conspiracy, both misdemeanors.
The three were taken into custody on Dec. 11, Schenck said. Binns and Shields were arraigned at CAP court. Binns is being held without bail due to additional pending charges in other courts, and Shields is being held on $2,000 cash bail or $4,000 bond due to him also having open cases in other jurisdictions. The juvenile was issued appearance tickets.
According to 新加坡多多开奖记录 archives, Binns was charged with larceny by the sheriff's office in November and by the Auburn Police Department in March, while Shields was charged in October by Auburn police.
Anyone with additional information about the larceny is asked to contact the sheriff's office at (315) 253-1222 or leave a tip at .
- Kelly Rocheleau
An Onondaga County man was arrested last week for his alleged involvement in an attempted robbery at an Auburn store in October.
Ashraf H. Almulaiki, 29, of Clay, was charged Dec. 10 with first-degree attempted robbery (a Class C felony), according to Auburn Police Department filings in Auburn City Court obtained by 新加坡多多开奖记录.
According to the filings, Almulaiki and unidentified accomplices tried to steal keys to a Ford transit van parked in front of the former聽O Exotics & Snacks smoke shop at 62 Owasco St. at around 1 a.m. Oct. 5. The accomplices tried to steal the keys from people renovating the store into a deli, according to statements they provided to police, and pointed a handgun at them to do so.
One victim said in his statement that he heard what sounded like someone loading a gun while bringing bags of garbage from the shop to the van. He turned around to see two men in masks running toward him. One pointed a pistol at him and said, "don't move or I will shoot." The gunman then grabbed the victim's hair while the other masked man placed the victim's hands behind his back.
The victim was brought into the shop, thrown to the ground and kicked, his statement continued. The victim's coworkers also had the gun pointed at them, and one of them was punched.
The coworkers were able to escape, at which point the two men attacked the victim again and caused him to fear for his life, he said. They asked him for the keys to the van, which he said he didn't have. They then told him they would kill him if he moved before they left. They got into聽Almulaiki's gray 2021 Ram pickup, driving toward Walnut Street, and officers arrived shortly afterward.
Another victim said in a statement that he recognized a driver in front of the store as one of the聽O Exotics & Snacks tenants, but did not know his name. That victim's family was contacted by the store's landlord earlier that day, he continued, to say the tenants stated they planned to reopen the smoke shop after it was shut down by the state this summer and wanted items from it.
Auburn Police Department Detective Adam Martin said in the court filings that phone records and video surveillance footage were used to arrest Almulaiki.聽
Cayuga County District Attorney Brittany Grome Antonacci told 新加坡多多开奖记录 that Almulaiki was arraigned in Auburn City Court Dec. 11, with bail set at $50,000 cash or $100,000 bond.
He posted bond on Monday and was released from the Cayuga County Jail.
- Christopher Malone
SEMPRONIUS 鈥 After years working in newspapers, medical billing and other managerial roles, Andy Hack was looking to run his own business.
He found an opportunity in 2021 at the Colonial Lodge Restaurant. Previous owners Mark and Shelly Ferris had listed the Sempronius establishment, which sits on the edge of Bear Swamp State Forest. The cabin-like restaurant, surrounded by pines on a winding stretch of Route 41A, evokes the Adirondacks more than the rural Finger Lakes. The property also boasts a separate house.
For Hack, a single father of two, that was a major reason why he bought the Colonial Lodge Restaurant that June 鈥 despite not having any experience in the hospitality industry.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a lot easier to learn how to run a new industry than it is managing one,鈥 he told 新加坡多多开奖记录.聽鈥滱ny experience within the industry does not necessarily qualify a person to manage."
In the three years since, Hack has found a new purpose making and serving American tavern fare at the restaurant. He wears all the hats, like manager, cook, server, bartender and maintenance. But his friends lend a hand when larger groups come in, as hikers, snowmobilers and others have for decades. His family's dog, Toby, also serves as the restaurant's greeter.聽
Fish and other fare
Without hesitation, Hack said perch continues to be the most popular dish at the Colonial Lodge Restaurant.聽
鈥淭his restaurant has been known for its perch as long as I have known,鈥 he said. 鈥淧robably for as long as they鈥檝e been cooking food.鈥
Sourced from the Finger Lakes, the perch is one of many things Hack hasn't changed about the menu. Additional seafood options include spicy shrimp, fried or broiled haddock, and scallops.聽
Hack keeps the fish fresh, as he tries to make everything from scratch. It takes planning, he said, but聽he doesn鈥檛 like dropping frozen items in a fryer.
鈥淢y food does take a few extra minutes to come out of the kitchen,鈥 he said.
As another example, his chicken tenders are hand-cut from boneless chicken breast and breaded before they're cooked.
The restaurant's burgers, also very popular, are served on a steamed brioche roll. The Bueller Burger features crumbly blue cheese, bacon and barbecue sauce, while the Big Bad Bear Swamp Burger is topped with American cheese, an onion ring and special sauce. Hack cooks the burgers on a seasoned 50-year-old grill, which he said adds flavor and helps maintain juiciness.聽
On the appetizer menu, standouts include the Utica greens, frog legs and escargot, which is cooked in a garlic butter sauce. Breakfast is served on weekends, with options like pancakes, omelets and sandwiches. One breakfast platter has Utica greens as well. For children, a "Cubs' Menu" consists of macaroni and cheese, chicken tenders, pasta and more.
A year-round retreat
The Colonial Lodge has been a Sempronius staple since the early 1940s, serving locals and visitors year-round.
鈥淢y regular customers are great,鈥 Hack said, 鈥渁nd when the trails are open, this place is packed.鈥
The restaurant鈥檚 location next to Bear Swamp makes it a convenient stop for summertime hikers and a place for snowmobilers and skiers to warm up. Dark wood dominates the rustic establishment, whose two rooms include a bar and a wood-burning fireplace. Hack said propane heats the rooms if the fireplace doesn't suffice, and the table next to it is the most popular spot there.
Hack said he just wants his customers to feel comfortable and leave full. He enjoys their conversations as well, from auto repair to other everyday subjects.
鈥淟iving out here, the people are just more easygoing,鈥 he said. 鈥淏eing in the Finger Lakes region 鈥 the scenery is beautiful. It鈥檚 safe, it鈥檚 quiet."
- Christopher Malone
An unlikely pair of food pop-ups has taken over the kitchen of Auburn bar Tinkers Guild.
On Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, customers can enjoy Kevin Pilipczak鈥檚 hearty Flip2BSquare Detroit-style pizzas. On Saturdays, The Hungry Pug鈥檚 Mike Sigona serves a menu of specialty tacos.
Both operations began this summer. Flip2BSquare's early events included the Owasco Farmers Market, and in September,聽Pilipczak began seasoning posts across social media that made his presence at Tinkers official. His father-in-law, John Mortimer, owns and runs the longtime 78 Franklin St. bar.
Pilipczak started making thick-crust pizzas with homemade sauces and focaccia-style dough for family and friends, cooking them in Ooni ovens, before serving them to the public.
鈥淭here鈥檚 great pizza in Auburn. I wanted to do something totally different,鈥 he told 新加坡多多开奖记录. 鈥淲ith Detroit-style, you can get creative with toppings, and it won鈥檛 overwhelm the pizza.鈥
His nickname, "Flip," and his love for Huey Lewis and the News inspired the business's name and vibrant '80s-style logo. The names of the pies also mostly play off Huey Lewis song titles. A New Drug is a barbecue chicken pizza with red onion. Chicken, bacon and ranch top It鈥檚 All Right. The dessert pizza, which is apple crisp, is Apple to be Stuck w/ You.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a little different. It鈥檚 silly,鈥 Pilipczak said.
Sigona, a self-proclaimed Tinkers regular, told 新加坡多多开奖记录 that Mortimer thought tacos would be a good fit for the bar.
The Hungry Pug owner said it was a simple conversation that led to a great opportunity. He was looking for a local kitchen to operate out of as his food truck sits on back order.
The business's name and logo may be familiar to customers of Sigona's former Auburn beer shop and taproom, The Thirsty Pug. The dog now wears a lucha libra mask, a nod to the tacos on the menu. The Beef Beeria tacos feature braised beef, a consom茅 reduction and fried tortilla strips. They also include beer queso that Sigona likes to make with beer from wherever he's cooking.聽
For vegans, the chickpea and black bean tacos come with cashew-based sour cream and pepita cilantro pesto.聽Chips with either red or green salsa are also available, as are cheese quesadillas for children. Everything is prepared from scratch, Sigona said, from the corn tortillas to the salsas, hot sauces, glazes and reductions.
鈥淲e take extra care with making everything fresh,鈥 he said.
Sigona also feeds Skaneateles Brewery customers from 1 to 5:30 p.m. Sundays. He鈥檇 like to continue operating at both locations if his food continues to be well-received.
鈥淭hese are elevated tacos,鈥 he said. 鈥淭here are familiar ingredients, but we鈥檙e doing things better.鈥
- David Wilcox
Discount retailer Big Lots is preparing to close all of its stores after a purchase agreement fell through.
In a news release Thursday, the retailer that it is now preparing going-out-of-business sales at all of its 963 remaining locations, which include one in Grant Avenue Plaza in the town of Sennett. The sales will protect the value of the retailer's estate, it said, as it continues to try to complete a purchase agreement.
Big Lots hopes to complete an agreement by early January with Nexus Capital Management, with whom the initial agreement fell through, or another party. The move was made necessary by Big Lots filing for bankruptcy in September due to declining revenue, which led the retailer to announce the closure of about 500 stores the following month.
Big Lots will continue to serve customers in person and online, and said it will provide updates as they become available.
Management at the Sennett store did not respond to a request by 新加坡多多开奖记录 for comment on how the store and its employees would be affected by the announcement.
For more information, visit .
- Robert Harding
The town of Scipio will hold a public hearing on applying for a state grant to support a proposed hotel, vineyard and winery at the site of a former elementary school.聽
The hearing is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 18, at the town office, 3705 Route 34.聽
According to a public notice, the town is applying for a grant through the Restore NY Communities Initiative. The funding, if awarded, will support the construction of a boutique hotel, vineyard, winery and banquet facility at the former Emily Howland Elementary School, which is at 2892 Route 34B.聽
The 60,000-square-foot school has been closed since 2012 and is now dilapidated. The school is part of a 15.62-acre property that is zoned commercial, the notice states.聽
It's not disclosed in the notice how much state funding the town is requesting to assist with the project. The total project cost is also not included in the notice.聽
Scipio Supervisor Gary Mutchler revealed to 新加坡多多开奖记录 that the developer behind the project is Dr. Chris Colloca, who owns Colloca Estate Winery in northern Cayuga County.
Colloca did not immediately respond to a request by 新加坡多多开奖记录 for comment.聽
The project would complement local and regional tourism goals, according to the town's public notice, and build on the $10 million Downtown Revitalization Initiative award given to the villages of Aurora, Cayuga and Union Springs.聽
Once completed, the project would create 15 to 20 new full-time jobs and boost sales and occupancy tax revenues.
