APALACHIN • OWEGO • NICHOLS TIOGA CENTER • NEWARK VALLEY
CAMPVILLE • BARTON • CANDOR SMITHBORO • CATATONK
YOUR HOMETOWN NEWSPAPER • www.CommunityPress.us Volume 39
APRIL 2024
Owego Little League’s 72nd Season Opens with Parade and Ceremonies - April 27
The parade and opening day ceremonies for Owego Little League will take place on Saturday, April 27, 2024. This year will be the league’s 72nd season. The parade will begin forming at 8:00 am in front of the Owego Police Department on Temple Street and will begin promptly at 8:30 am. The field ceremonies will
begin at 9:00 am at Hyde Park, with all players, coaches, league officials and sponsors being represented. If you wish to take part in the parade and/or opening ceremonies, contact Owego Little League at owegolittleleague@gmail.com to confirm as soon as possible.
Mobile Food Pantry in Apalachin - April 24
Last month’s Apalachin Lions Walk-Up Mobile Food Pantry The Foodbank of the Southern Tier and the Apalachin Lions will have a Walk-Up Mobile Food Pantry on Wednesday, April 24, from 10:00 to 11:00 am at St. Margaret Mary’s Church, 1110 Pennsylvania Avenue in Apalachin. Pre-registration is required. To regis-
ter, phone 2-1-1 or register online at 222.foodbankst.org/cfd You can register Tuesday, April 23, at 8:30 am until full. There is a limit of 125 registrations. If you register, please attend the event. Bring a cart or bags to carry the food.
Number 4
Highway Construction and Maintenance Affect Exits 65 & 66
Due to planned highway construction and maintenance, the westbound offramp at Exit 66 of the Southern Tier Expressway (Rt 17) will be closed most of the summer beginning Monday, April 1st. Exit 66 is the exit for Apalachin and Campville. In addition, both lanes from Exit 65 in Owego east to the Broome County line will soon be reduced to one lane of traffic in both directions until work is completed sometime in 2025. A $47 million construction project is underway on State Route 17 in the Town of Owego. The project seeks to renew an important stretch of to improve safety. The project is expected to take two years and will resurface around 22 miles of pavement and rehabilitate two bridges to improve mobility and resiliency along the highway. It will also upgrade guide rails. Specifically, the project will take place between Owego and the Broome County line. “This project is a long-needed repair of a heavily traveled route and will be greatly appreciated by all. I am very thankful NY State is investing in infrastructure in Tioga County,” Owego
Mayor Mike Barata said. During the construction season in 2024, traffic will be reduced to one lane in each direction separated by a concrete barrier and westbound traffic will be crossed onto the eastbound side. In Spring 2025, traffic will be reduced to one lane in each direction separated by a concrete barrier and eastbound traffic will be crossed over the westbound side. The project was recently announced by Governor Kathy Hochul. The governor’s office said the stretch of highway has been impacted heavily by the magnitude of traffic and harsh weather conditions. Also, be aware that road maintenance will necessitate lane reductions on the eastbound lanes of Route 17. The reduction of both eastbound lanes will occur between Exit 65 in Owego and the Broome County line. From the time the lane reductions take effect until the completion of the work in 2025, traffic will be limited to one lane in both eastbound and westbound directions in the affected area. This will likely result in slower travel times, so plan accordingly and allow extra time for your commute in this area.
Tioga County Celebrates County Historian Emma Sedore and the Return of the Bell of Sessions The Tioga County Legislature last month celebrated the return of the Bell of Sessions and honored Emma Sedore for her service as Tioga County Historian. The Bell of Sessions was the official bell that was purchased in 1855 and was properly hung in the cupola of the Tioga County Courthouse that stood at the corner of Court Street and Main Street in Owego. In 187273 a new Courthouse was built on the Public Square and the Bell of Sessions was rung when Court was in session. As the years went by, the towers fell into disrepair, and were too expensive to repair and the Bell of Sessions was no longer used and removed by the County. In 1931, at the request of the Trustees of the Village of Owego, the bell was loaned to Croton Hose Co. #3 on Talcott Street in the Village of Owego where it was used as
a fire bell with the understanding that the bell would be returned to Tioga County upon request. In 1952, the bell was removed and replaced by a siren, and this is where the written history of the Bell of Sessions disappeared. Thanks to our County Historian Emma Sedore and her love of history, she started searching for the bell in 1997 and in 2020 finally confirmed the location of the Bell of Sessions. Emma has over 23 years of service working for Tioga County as our Historian, and she has contributed greatly to preserving our county’s history. Emma has written books, articles and spoken around the Southern Tier, sharing her knowledge. She has assisted many organizations helping them find pertinent information about their history.