Free Republic

Zach Wheeler, an anchor at NBC affiliate WETM-TV, was busted driving three hours trying to meet a 15-year-old boy in a “To Catch a Predator” style bust by a group called 607 Predator Hunters.

A federal judge in New York has dismissed a lawsuit filed by a “Christian” wedding photographer who demanded that the state’s nondiscrimination law be overturned, lest she be forced to photograph same-sex weddings. The woman, Emilee Carpenter, of Elmira, filed suit earlier this year, claiming that New York’s nondiscrimination law violates her First Amendment rights to free speech and free exercise of religion, and her Fourteenth Amendment right to due process. Carpenter claims to believe that marriage is a union between one man and one woman, and that weddings are meant to be “inherently religious and solemn events.” As such,...

ELMIRA, N.Y. (WENY) - Donations are down for one local organization but the problem is the need in the community is greater and continues to grow. The Salvation Army recently held a fundraiser for their annual red kettle campaign to help those in the community who are in need. So far this year's campaign is down about 50% in donations and on top of that, they are struggling to get volunteers. Tonight at the Clemens Center, two local leaders stepped in to help. During this time of year, you'll typically see many red kettle volunteers outside ringing the kettlebells asking...

An Elmira man accused of threatening a SUNY Potsdam professor has been indicted. 23 year old Amjad Hussain faces two felony counts of Aggravated Harassment in the Second Degree as a Hate Crime and one count of Criminal Solicitation in the Fourth Degree. The former State University of New York at Potsdam student allegedly delivered two messages to the professor that included death threats and racist and homophobic language. The messages also allegedly threatened the professors family. Authorities say Hussain also got someone else to deliver a third note. Hussain was arrested in November of 2015. If convicted, he faces...

The indignities heaped upon suspended NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams just keep piling up, and by extension, almost certainly ensure he will not return to the anchor chair after his six months in purgatory are complete. The latest was reported Friday by the New York Post: Dozens of residents from Williams’ home town are demanding a tribute sign to their former favorite son be torn down. Thus far, Mayor Sue Skidmore is balking. The town’s welcome sign, which also honors a half-dozen other hometown notables (including Mark Twain), would be too expensive to replace, she says. …

Authorities say they've charged 19 students, 18 of them girls, in connection with a brawl that broke out at an upstate New York high school. Local media report that the Chemung County Sheriff's Office announced the arrests Wednesday, a week after a large fight occurred shortly before noon March 18 in the main lobby area at Elmira High School. Officials say the fight appears to have been planned. The melee led to the school being placed on lockdown for a short period.

Gannett News, so link only: http://www.theithacajournal.com/article/20091015/NEWS01/910150392/Stimulus+creates+only+3.5+jobs+in+Tier+s+10+counties But the headline says it all.