Weekly top reads: Two injured in Auburn crash, Wells College campus 'at risk,' Owasco golf course sold
- 水果派AV staff
- Updated
- 0
水果派AV's top 10 most-read stories of the week.听
- David Wilcox
- Updated
A Cayuga County town justice was charged with DWI after a traffic stop by New York State Police on Saturday.
Lucas H. Ferrin, 42, of Port Byron, who is a justice for the town of Conquest, was stopped by police at about 1:45 that morning on State Street Road in the town of Mentz, Public Information Officer Lynnea Crane told 水果派AV. After initially refusing to exit the vehicle, Ferrin was assisted from it by troopers. He then refused field sobriety tests.
Police charged Ferrin with driving while intoxicated and second-degree obstruction of governmental administration, both misdemeanors, as well as several traffic violations. He was transported to the Cayuga County Jail for arraignment at its CAP court.听
Ferrin declined comment on his arrest to 水果派AV.
He was with DWI in 2012 in Auburn, while employed as a deputy by the Onondaga County Sheriff's Office. He was suspended from his job for 30 days.听
Ferrin was elected town justice in Conquest last year.
- David Wilcox
- Updated
Two people sustained minor injuries in a two-vehicle accident in Auburn on Tuesday.
The accident took place at the intersection of Seminary Avenue and Arterial West at about 11:30 a.m. One of the vehicles, a Subaru Outback, ended up on the median, heavily damaged and stopped by a power box it knocked down. Traffic lights were out for a few hours as a result, but were restored as of 4:30 p.m. A four-way stop was used during the outage.听
Auburn Fire Department Assistant Chief Mike Grady told 水果派AV there were two adults and two dogs inside the Subaru, and they were unable to get out. They were extricated within 10 minutes of the department's arrival. The adults were taken to Auburn Community Hospital for minor injuries, and the dogs were taken to animal control to be held until the owners could pick them up.
The driver of the other vehicle did not go to the hospital, Grady said.
Along with the Auburn Fire Department, the city's police and ambulance services responded to the scene, as well as NYSEG and the state Department of Transportation.
- Robert Harding
- Updated
An alumni group is warning that the Wells College campus in Aurora is "at risk of irreparable harm" due to actions by the college's leadership.
Wells Legacy Society, which formed after the college's closure announcement in April, is concerned about the status of artifacts and buildings on campus. The group responded after Wells College hired outside firms to sell the campus and most non-real estate assets.听
In a recent newsletter, Wells College's board of trustees revealed it consulted with Christie's, an antique and art auction house, and the state fire marshal.听
"Carefully following the advice of these experts, the buildings are being winterized, including by draining water from all pipes and using a compressor to push out any remaining water, as well as treating with antifreeze," the board wrote. "Christie's will move and store at-risk items and also identified additional resources for the management of the many non-real estate items that are outside their purview."听
Among the issues raised by the Wells Legacy Society is the college's decision not to heat the buildings during the winter. According to the college, Christie's "cautioned Wells that a greater risk of damage from mold and mildew exists if buildings remain heated, since such conditions would promote their growth."听
The group cited Caitlin Meives, preservation director of the Preservation League of New York State, who said that "only a preservation architect would be qualified to evaluate and develop a plan for building maintenance." Meives added that she hasn't known Christie's to handle building preservation and questioned whether the auction house has that expertise.听
Wells College has several buildings on the National Register of Historic Places, including Main Building and Glen Park, which was Henry Wells' former home.听
"Preservation experts at the highest state level have expressed grave concern and offered professional guidance on this perilous plan to turn off the heat," said Rachel Snyder, president of the Wells Legacy Society. "The matter is urgent. Damage can occur within weeks this winter. Why entrust the protection of these architectural gems of the Finger Lakes to a (New York City firm) lacking any notable expertise in the field?"听
As Wells College prepares to sell the campus, a regional organization has nominated it for a program that aims to protect endangered historic sites.听
The nomination was made by the Preservation Association of Central New York for the Preservation League of New York State's "Seven to Save" program in 2025-26. According to the organization's website, the program helps communities retain and rehabilitate threatened sites.听
- Christopher Malone
- Updated
A developer has purchased most of the former听Lakeview Golf & Country Club in the town of Owasco, a little more than a year after its purchase by a Skaneateles nonprofit and subsequent closure.
But the developer's plans for the property 鈥 and whether they align with a previous plan to sell the majority of the course to the town of Owasco for use as a park and nature preserve 鈥 are unknown.
According to Cayuga County property records, the 250-acre course at 6642 E. Lake Road was transferred in October for $1,120,000 from the nonprofit, West Lake Art Conservation Center, to Owasco Development LLC. The property's assessed value is $1,361,400. West Lake purchased it for $1.45 million last August from operators John and Cindilee Mendillo, and the course closed at the end of the year.
Holland Gregg, chair of West Lake's board of directors, told 水果派AV the plan for the course's 13,500-square-foot clubhouse is still to renovate it into the center's new headquarters.听
Beyond that, however, Gregg declined to provide more specifics on the plan for the rest of the course. He referred to the developer as a "white knight" who is "local and community-involved."听
According to the , Owasco Development LLC was created in July in Onondaga County. Its listed agent is Syracuse attorney William Gilberti, of Barclay Damon, who did not respond to a request for comment by 水果派AV last week. No other information about the LLC is listed.
Gregg said the developer is on board with the previous plan of turning the 242 acres of the course outside the clubhouse into a park and nature preserve. West Lake, whose purchase of the course was supported by a gift of more than $1 million from the Pleasant T. Rowland Foundation, planned to sell that land to the town for $900,000. The town would have applied for a grant from the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation to cover about half of that amount, with assistance from the Finger Lakes Land Trust and The Nature Conservancy.
However, Owasco Town Supervisor Ed Wagner told 水果派AV last week that has yet to hear about the developer's plans.
"I didn鈥檛 hear much about it but I know (the land) sold," he said. "I hope we can get some sales tax revenue from it."
- Christopher Malone
- Updated
A new wellness coming to Weedsport isn't a gym, but it has something for just about every other exercise need imaginable.
Jason Minnamon, CEO of N眉ME Fitness Consulting and Supplements, will open a Wellness, Recovery and Rejuvenation Center in the village to complement his business. Located at 8930 N. Seneca St., the center will open sometime before Black Friday, Minnamon told 水果派AV, with time to spare before many people start focusing on fitness again in the new year.听
鈥淭he first question people ask is: Will this be a gym?鈥 he said.听
The answer: It won't be. While it would have made sense to open a workout space, Minnamon said, there are already plenty in the area. So听N眉ME听Wellness, Recovery and Rejuvenation Center will instead feature a shake and smoothie cafe, a retail section with FDA-approved and U.S.-made supplements, and space for meditation, vibroacoustic therapy, yoga and other activities.
The center will also provide access to Minnamon's consulting on fitness and nutrition, weight loss programs and rejuvenation therapy (hormone replacement). N眉ME offers sleep management coaching and mindset coaching as well, among other physical and mental health programs. Whether it's him or his staff, the business is about helping people improve their lives.
鈥淚t鈥檚 built to give you all the pieces and tools you need,鈥 he said. 鈥淵ou鈥檒l have the planning and programs to take to a (fitness) facility, the structure to help with your goals.鈥
Growing in Weedsport
听
Minnamon said he chose Weedsport for the center because of his ties to the region, where his reach is already wide as a consultant. He hopes it becomes a home base for more centers as well.
A native of Montana, he grew up in the Rochester area, wrestling and playing football at Palmyra-Macedon High School. After attending the University of Louisville he joined the Marines Corps, where he sustained a spinal injury that led to his military retirement. Since then, he's bounced from information technology security for Fortune 500 companies to athletic coaching, he said.
His wife, Sara, also hails from the Cayuga County village. She is the founder of听Fingerlakes LCSW Counseling Services, and her family, the Rizzos, have owned bowling alley Rainbow Lanes for more than 50 years. Minnamon complimented them, as well as the village and other local business owners, for making efforts to push for growth there.听
鈥(N眉ME) is totally different from anything else in the area,鈥 he said. 鈥淭he community is transitioning. There are a lot of positive changes and potential.鈥
Cutting out the nonsense
It's "awesome," Minnamon said, that there are so many wellness tools at people's disposal, whether they're seen through TV or social media or heard through word of mouth.
But it can also be overwhelming, he continued, noting the amount of conflicting and misleading information out there.
鈥淚 was digging into it and was like, no wonder people cannot figure out and decipher how to incorporate wellness into their lifestyle,鈥 he said.
What Minnamon offers through听N眉ME, he said, is nothing new. The modalities and technologies available there are available at just about any wellness center. Regardless, he wants to use them to help people add structure to their lives. He knows their value, having worked to improve himself after struggling to balance his life as a businessman, husband and father.听
That's why the name of his business plays off "new me," he said. It's a message he spells out on his website, , and a mantra he stands by and shares with others.
鈥淚t takes discipline to make sure you鈥檙e on top of yourself," he said. "If you do that, you鈥檒l become more efficient at everything else."
- David Wilcox
- Updated
A Moravia man is facing several charges after he allegedly used a hatchet to try to break down a door at the residence of a woman who had an order of protection against him.
Everett W. Thompson III, 34, was met by Cayuga County Sheriff's Office deputies at about 9:30 a.m. Oct. 21 standing on the roof of a house in the village, the office said in a news release. After talking him down, deputies learned from residents of the house that a woman there had a relationship with Thompson with an extensive history of domestic violence, including the order of protection.
Deputies further learned that Thompson, who was on probation for a previous arrest, entered the garage area and attempted to break down the door, the sheriff's office said. His behavior was reported as being erratic and possibly under the influence of drugs.
Thompson was charged with the felony of aggravated family offense and the misdemeanors of fourth-degree criminal mischief and second-degree criminal contempt. He was transported to the Public Safety Building for processing and turned over the Cayuga County Jail, where he was arraigned in CAP court. He was remanded to the jail with no bail.
- Christopher Malone
- Updated
About 10 years after its last tavern closed, downtown Union Springs will get a new one in early 2025 鈥 right next-door to the old one.听
Dan Cerro plans to open Cerro's Tavern at 129 Cayuga St. sometime before spring, he told 水果派AV. Along with the business on the first floor of the renovated brick building is a short-term rental on the second. Cerro, who works for Kevin Rich Construction of Skaneateles and coaches the Union Springs varsity boys basketball team, bought the property in April 2021.
"There's a lot of opportunity here," he said. "Just because it looks (bad), it doesn鈥檛 mean it can鈥檛 be made into something good."听
Legends closed in the mid-2010s after decades in business, leaving the village's main drag without a bar. With Union Springs experiencing a resurgence in recent years, such as the new playground and other improvements at Frontenac Park, Cerro and his wife, Erica, wanted to contribute something, he said.
He hasn't rushed, however, because he wants Cerro's Tavern to be perfect. He credited his uncle听Giuseppe Cassamassa, who opened Giuseppe's Pizzeria in Auburn, for instilling in him business ethics like staying present, maintaining a clean and organized establishment, and making a good first impression.听
鈥淵ou鈥檙e not going to get anything out of it from people if you don't care about it yourself,鈥 he said.
Cerro also had to take his time because the building needed a lot of work. It was gutted top to bottom, he said, an undertaking that was hard at the time but something he can laugh about now. The apartment on the second floor was in especially rough shape, he continued, with a leaky roof and accumulated debris.
Thanks to the flexibility of Union Springs officials, Cerro said, he was able to bring his idea to fruition. He's happy to join food businesses on Cayuga Street like popular sandwich spot听JW Bait & Tackle.
At Cerro's, he'll partner on food with Joe Villano, of Villano's Food Truck in Auburn. Along with tavern fare like burgers and wings will be more unique options like a half-meatball, half-Italian sausage sandwich. The beverage menu, meanwhile, will include local beer on draft and in cans, and local wine.
The more Union Springs has to offer, Cerro said, the more reasons travelers driving through have a reason to stop.
鈥淚 grew up here,鈥 he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 important to be a part of the village.鈥
- 水果派AV staff
- Updated
A Moravia man has been charged with a felony for allegedly stealing merchandise from area retailers and selling them at a pawn shop.
Nicholas R. Tracy, 32, was arrested Wednesday after an investigation into the thefts by the Cayuga County Sheriff's Office, it said in a news release Thursday.听
He has been charged with first-degree falsifying business records, a Class E felony, as well as misdemeanor petit larceny.
The sheriff's office said Tracy was issued appearance tickets returnable to Auburn City Court on Nov. 25, and asked that anyone with information regarding the incident to contact the sheriff's office at (315) 253-1222 leave a tip at .
- David Wilcox
- Updated
The opening of Cafe Kubal's Auburn location is still a month away, but the Syracuse business will host an open house there this week.
The 27 E. Genesee St. cafe will open Saturday, Nov. 23, Cafe Kubal told 水果派AV. It will be the business' seventh location and first outside Syracuse. Located in the former Gretchen's Confections and Cafe, it will serve similar food and beverage menus as other Cafe Kubal locations, from coffee and baked goods to breakfast and lunch sandwiches. The business roasts its own coffee beans as well.听
"Auburn is ready for what we have," Cafe Kubal owner Matt Godard told 水果派AV earlier this month. "There are a lot of great projects going on. There's lots of momentum here."
Meanwhile, the new cafe hosted an open house Thursday with free candy for Halloween, as well as hot cider, hot chocolate, coffee and decaf available.
For more information, visit .
- Robert Harding
- Updated
The Allyn family, which owned Welch Allyn in Skaneateles and has been involved in other business and philanthropic ventures in central New York, bought a minority stake in an increasingly popular soccer team owned by actors Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds.听
, a club in Wales that plays in League One of the English football system, announced the transaction Wednesday. To make the investment, the Allyn family formed a joint limited liability corporation, Red Dragon Ventures, with The R.R. McReynolds Company, which is owned by McElhenney and Reynolds.听
According to a news release, Red Dragon Ventures was created to "drive growth in the Wrexham community and Wrexham AFC."听
McElhenney and Reynolds are investing in Wrexham outside of their ownership of the soccer club. They , a local brewery.听
"Wrexham has earned the world's attention and we are focused on bringing on board world-class partners to help with the next phase of our growth," McElhenney and Reynolds said. "We have been fortunate to get to know the Allyn family and we are blown away by their intelligence, kindness and commitment. They are exactly the type of partners we will need for this amazing endeavor."听
In central New York and beyond, the Allyn family is best known for its ownership of Welch Allyn. The medical device manufacturer was founded in 1915 and听sold 100 years later, in 2015, to Hillrom. Baxter International acquired Hillrom in 2021.听
The Allyn Family Foundation remains active in the region by investing in various initiatives and projects, including the Salt City Market in Syracuse. The market opened in 2020.听
"For more than a century, our family has focused on building great companies, while also uplifting wonderful communities," Eric Allyn said. "Our decades-long efforts in the Syracuse region are similar to what Rob and Ryan started in Wrexham. We view Red Dragon Ventures as a vehicle to invest in a world-class football club and importantly, in the welcoming community of Wrexham."听
Terms of the minority investment were not disclosed.听
Wrexham AFC is the third-oldest professional soccer team in the world. McElhenney and Reynolds bought the club in 2020.听
When McElhenney and Reynolds became Wrexham AFC's owners, the team was in the National League 鈥 the fifth tier of the English football system. The club has been promoted in each of the last two seasons, to EFL League Two in 2022-23 and EFL League One in 2023-24.听
As of Wednesday, Wrexham AFC is third in the EFL League One standings this season.听
The club's successes have been highlighted in "Welcome to Wrexham," which airs on FX. The docuseries, which features McElhenney and Reynolds, has helped boost the profile of the team.
More like this...
- David Wilcox
A Cayuga County town justice was charged with DWI after a traffic stop by New York State Police on Saturday.
Lucas H. Ferrin, 42, of Port Byron, who is a justice for the town of Conquest, was stopped by police at about 1:45 that morning on State Street Road in the town of Mentz, Public Information Officer Lynnea Crane told 水果派AV. After initially refusing to exit the vehicle, Ferrin was assisted from it by troopers. He then refused field sobriety tests.
Police charged Ferrin with driving while intoxicated and second-degree obstruction of governmental administration, both misdemeanors, as well as several traffic violations. He was transported to the Cayuga County Jail for arraignment at its CAP court.听
Ferrin declined comment on his arrest to 水果派AV.
He was with DWI in 2012 in Auburn, while employed as a deputy by the Onondaga County Sheriff's Office. He was suspended from his job for 30 days.听
Ferrin was elected town justice in Conquest last year.
- David Wilcox
Two people sustained minor injuries in a two-vehicle accident in Auburn on Tuesday.
The accident took place at the intersection of Seminary Avenue and Arterial West at about 11:30 a.m. One of the vehicles, a Subaru Outback, ended up on the median, heavily damaged and stopped by a power box it knocked down. Traffic lights were out for a few hours as a result, but were restored as of 4:30 p.m. A four-way stop was used during the outage.听
Auburn Fire Department Assistant Chief Mike Grady told 水果派AV there were two adults and two dogs inside the Subaru, and they were unable to get out. They were extricated within 10 minutes of the department's arrival. The adults were taken to Auburn Community Hospital for minor injuries, and the dogs were taken to animal control to be held until the owners could pick them up.
The driver of the other vehicle did not go to the hospital, Grady said.
Along with the Auburn Fire Department, the city's police and ambulance services responded to the scene, as well as NYSEG and the state Department of Transportation.
- Robert Harding
An alumni group is warning that the Wells College campus in Aurora is "at risk of irreparable harm" due to actions by the college's leadership.
Wells Legacy Society, which formed after the college's closure announcement in April, is concerned about the status of artifacts and buildings on campus. The group responded after Wells College hired outside firms to sell the campus and most non-real estate assets.听
In a recent newsletter, Wells College's board of trustees revealed it consulted with Christie's, an antique and art auction house, and the state fire marshal.听
"Carefully following the advice of these experts, the buildings are being winterized, including by draining water from all pipes and using a compressor to push out any remaining water, as well as treating with antifreeze," the board wrote. "Christie's will move and store at-risk items and also identified additional resources for the management of the many non-real estate items that are outside their purview."听
Among the issues raised by the Wells Legacy Society is the college's decision not to heat the buildings during the winter. According to the college, Christie's "cautioned Wells that a greater risk of damage from mold and mildew exists if buildings remain heated, since such conditions would promote their growth."听
The group cited Caitlin Meives, preservation director of the Preservation League of New York State, who said that "only a preservation architect would be qualified to evaluate and develop a plan for building maintenance." Meives added that she hasn't known Christie's to handle building preservation and questioned whether the auction house has that expertise.听
Wells College has several buildings on the National Register of Historic Places, including Main Building and Glen Park, which was Henry Wells' former home.听
"Preservation experts at the highest state level have expressed grave concern and offered professional guidance on this perilous plan to turn off the heat," said Rachel Snyder, president of the Wells Legacy Society. "The matter is urgent. Damage can occur within weeks this winter. Why entrust the protection of these architectural gems of the Finger Lakes to a (New York City firm) lacking any notable expertise in the field?"听
As Wells College prepares to sell the campus, a regional organization has nominated it for a program that aims to protect endangered historic sites.听
The nomination was made by the Preservation Association of Central New York for the Preservation League of New York State's "Seven to Save" program in 2025-26. According to the organization's website, the program helps communities retain and rehabilitate threatened sites.听
- Christopher Malone
A developer has purchased most of the former听Lakeview Golf & Country Club in the town of Owasco, a little more than a year after its purchase by a Skaneateles nonprofit and subsequent closure.
But the developer's plans for the property 鈥 and whether they align with a previous plan to sell the majority of the course to the town of Owasco for use as a park and nature preserve 鈥 are unknown.
According to Cayuga County property records, the 250-acre course at 6642 E. Lake Road was transferred in October for $1,120,000 from the nonprofit, West Lake Art Conservation Center, to Owasco Development LLC. The property's assessed value is $1,361,400. West Lake purchased it for $1.45 million last August from operators John and Cindilee Mendillo, and the course closed at the end of the year.
Holland Gregg, chair of West Lake's board of directors, told 水果派AV the plan for the course's 13,500-square-foot clubhouse is still to renovate it into the center's new headquarters.听
Beyond that, however, Gregg declined to provide more specifics on the plan for the rest of the course. He referred to the developer as a "white knight" who is "local and community-involved."听
According to the , Owasco Development LLC was created in July in Onondaga County. Its listed agent is Syracuse attorney William Gilberti, of Barclay Damon, who did not respond to a request for comment by 水果派AV last week. No other information about the LLC is listed.
Gregg said the developer is on board with the previous plan of turning the 242 acres of the course outside the clubhouse into a park and nature preserve. West Lake, whose purchase of the course was supported by a gift of more than $1 million from the Pleasant T. Rowland Foundation, planned to sell that land to the town for $900,000. The town would have applied for a grant from the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation to cover about half of that amount, with assistance from the Finger Lakes Land Trust and The Nature Conservancy.
However, Owasco Town Supervisor Ed Wagner told 水果派AV last week that has yet to hear about the developer's plans.
"I didn鈥檛 hear much about it but I know (the land) sold," he said. "I hope we can get some sales tax revenue from it."
- Christopher Malone
A new wellness coming to Weedsport isn't a gym, but it has something for just about every other exercise need imaginable.
Jason Minnamon, CEO of N眉ME Fitness Consulting and Supplements, will open a Wellness, Recovery and Rejuvenation Center in the village to complement his business. Located at 8930 N. Seneca St., the center will open sometime before Black Friday, Minnamon told 水果派AV, with time to spare before many people start focusing on fitness again in the new year.听
鈥淭he first question people ask is: Will this be a gym?鈥 he said.听
The answer: It won't be. While it would have made sense to open a workout space, Minnamon said, there are already plenty in the area. So听N眉ME听Wellness, Recovery and Rejuvenation Center will instead feature a shake and smoothie cafe, a retail section with FDA-approved and U.S.-made supplements, and space for meditation, vibroacoustic therapy, yoga and other activities.
The center will also provide access to Minnamon's consulting on fitness and nutrition, weight loss programs and rejuvenation therapy (hormone replacement). N眉ME offers sleep management coaching and mindset coaching as well, among other physical and mental health programs. Whether it's him or his staff, the business is about helping people improve their lives.
鈥淚t鈥檚 built to give you all the pieces and tools you need,鈥 he said. 鈥淵ou鈥檒l have the planning and programs to take to a (fitness) facility, the structure to help with your goals.鈥
Growing in Weedsport
听
Minnamon said he chose Weedsport for the center because of his ties to the region, where his reach is already wide as a consultant. He hopes it becomes a home base for more centers as well.
A native of Montana, he grew up in the Rochester area, wrestling and playing football at Palmyra-Macedon High School. After attending the University of Louisville he joined the Marines Corps, where he sustained a spinal injury that led to his military retirement. Since then, he's bounced from information technology security for Fortune 500 companies to athletic coaching, he said.
His wife, Sara, also hails from the Cayuga County village. She is the founder of听Fingerlakes LCSW Counseling Services, and her family, the Rizzos, have owned bowling alley Rainbow Lanes for more than 50 years. Minnamon complimented them, as well as the village and other local business owners, for making efforts to push for growth there.听
鈥(N眉ME) is totally different from anything else in the area,鈥 he said. 鈥淭he community is transitioning. There are a lot of positive changes and potential.鈥
Cutting out the nonsense
It's "awesome," Minnamon said, that there are so many wellness tools at people's disposal, whether they're seen through TV or social media or heard through word of mouth.
But it can also be overwhelming, he continued, noting the amount of conflicting and misleading information out there.
鈥淚 was digging into it and was like, no wonder people cannot figure out and decipher how to incorporate wellness into their lifestyle,鈥 he said.
What Minnamon offers through听N眉ME, he said, is nothing new. The modalities and technologies available there are available at just about any wellness center. Regardless, he wants to use them to help people add structure to their lives. He knows their value, having worked to improve himself after struggling to balance his life as a businessman, husband and father.听
That's why the name of his business plays off "new me," he said. It's a message he spells out on his website, , and a mantra he stands by and shares with others.
鈥淚t takes discipline to make sure you鈥檙e on top of yourself," he said. "If you do that, you鈥檒l become more efficient at everything else."
- David Wilcox
A Moravia man is facing several charges after he allegedly used a hatchet to try to break down a door at the residence of a woman who had an order of protection against him.
Everett W. Thompson III, 34, was met by Cayuga County Sheriff's Office deputies at about 9:30 a.m. Oct. 21 standing on the roof of a house in the village, the office said in a news release. After talking him down, deputies learned from residents of the house that a woman there had a relationship with Thompson with an extensive history of domestic violence, including the order of protection.
Deputies further learned that Thompson, who was on probation for a previous arrest, entered the garage area and attempted to break down the door, the sheriff's office said. His behavior was reported as being erratic and possibly under the influence of drugs.
Thompson was charged with the felony of aggravated family offense and the misdemeanors of fourth-degree criminal mischief and second-degree criminal contempt. He was transported to the Public Safety Building for processing and turned over the Cayuga County Jail, where he was arraigned in CAP court. He was remanded to the jail with no bail.
- Christopher Malone
About 10 years after its last tavern closed, downtown Union Springs will get a new one in early 2025 鈥 right next-door to the old one.听
Dan Cerro plans to open Cerro's Tavern at 129 Cayuga St. sometime before spring, he told 水果派AV. Along with the business on the first floor of the renovated brick building is a short-term rental on the second. Cerro, who works for Kevin Rich Construction of Skaneateles and coaches the Union Springs varsity boys basketball team, bought the property in April 2021.
"There's a lot of opportunity here," he said. "Just because it looks (bad), it doesn鈥檛 mean it can鈥檛 be made into something good."听
Legends closed in the mid-2010s after decades in business, leaving the village's main drag without a bar. With Union Springs experiencing a resurgence in recent years, such as the new playground and other improvements at Frontenac Park, Cerro and his wife, Erica, wanted to contribute something, he said.
He hasn't rushed, however, because he wants Cerro's Tavern to be perfect. He credited his uncle听Giuseppe Cassamassa, who opened Giuseppe's Pizzeria in Auburn, for instilling in him business ethics like staying present, maintaining a clean and organized establishment, and making a good first impression.听
鈥淵ou鈥檙e not going to get anything out of it from people if you don't care about it yourself,鈥 he said.
Cerro also had to take his time because the building needed a lot of work. It was gutted top to bottom, he said, an undertaking that was hard at the time but something he can laugh about now. The apartment on the second floor was in especially rough shape, he continued, with a leaky roof and accumulated debris.
Thanks to the flexibility of Union Springs officials, Cerro said, he was able to bring his idea to fruition. He's happy to join food businesses on Cayuga Street like popular sandwich spot听JW Bait & Tackle.
At Cerro's, he'll partner on food with Joe Villano, of Villano's Food Truck in Auburn. Along with tavern fare like burgers and wings will be more unique options like a half-meatball, half-Italian sausage sandwich. The beverage menu, meanwhile, will include local beer on draft and in cans, and local wine.
The more Union Springs has to offer, Cerro said, the more reasons travelers driving through have a reason to stop.
鈥淚 grew up here,鈥 he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 important to be a part of the village.鈥
- 水果派AV staff
A Moravia man has been charged with a felony for allegedly stealing merchandise from area retailers and selling them at a pawn shop.
Nicholas R. Tracy, 32, was arrested Wednesday after an investigation into the thefts by the Cayuga County Sheriff's Office, it said in a news release Thursday.听
He has been charged with first-degree falsifying business records, a Class E felony, as well as misdemeanor petit larceny.
The sheriff's office said Tracy was issued appearance tickets returnable to Auburn City Court on Nov. 25, and asked that anyone with information regarding the incident to contact the sheriff's office at (315) 253-1222 leave a tip at .
- David Wilcox
The opening of Cafe Kubal's Auburn location is still a month away, but the Syracuse business will host an open house there this week.
The 27 E. Genesee St. cafe will open Saturday, Nov. 23, Cafe Kubal told 水果派AV. It will be the business' seventh location and first outside Syracuse. Located in the former Gretchen's Confections and Cafe, it will serve similar food and beverage menus as other Cafe Kubal locations, from coffee and baked goods to breakfast and lunch sandwiches. The business roasts its own coffee beans as well.听
"Auburn is ready for what we have," Cafe Kubal owner Matt Godard told 水果派AV earlier this month. "There are a lot of great projects going on. There's lots of momentum here."
Meanwhile, the new cafe hosted an open house Thursday with free candy for Halloween, as well as hot cider, hot chocolate, coffee and decaf available.
For more information, visit .
- Robert Harding
The Allyn family, which owned Welch Allyn in Skaneateles and has been involved in other business and philanthropic ventures in central New York, bought a minority stake in an increasingly popular soccer team owned by actors Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds.听
, a club in Wales that plays in League One of the English football system, announced the transaction Wednesday. To make the investment, the Allyn family formed a joint limited liability corporation, Red Dragon Ventures, with The R.R. McReynolds Company, which is owned by McElhenney and Reynolds.听
According to a news release, Red Dragon Ventures was created to "drive growth in the Wrexham community and Wrexham AFC."听
McElhenney and Reynolds are investing in Wrexham outside of their ownership of the soccer club. They , a local brewery.听
"Wrexham has earned the world's attention and we are focused on bringing on board world-class partners to help with the next phase of our growth," McElhenney and Reynolds said. "We have been fortunate to get to know the Allyn family and we are blown away by their intelligence, kindness and commitment. They are exactly the type of partners we will need for this amazing endeavor."听
In central New York and beyond, the Allyn family is best known for its ownership of Welch Allyn. The medical device manufacturer was founded in 1915 and听sold 100 years later, in 2015, to Hillrom. Baxter International acquired Hillrom in 2021.听
The Allyn Family Foundation remains active in the region by investing in various initiatives and projects, including the Salt City Market in Syracuse. The market opened in 2020.听
"For more than a century, our family has focused on building great companies, while also uplifting wonderful communities," Eric Allyn said. "Our decades-long efforts in the Syracuse region are similar to what Rob and Ryan started in Wrexham. We view Red Dragon Ventures as a vehicle to invest in a world-class football club and importantly, in the welcoming community of Wrexham."听
Terms of the minority investment were not disclosed.听
Wrexham AFC is the third-oldest professional soccer team in the world. McElhenney and Reynolds bought the club in 2020.听
When McElhenney and Reynolds became Wrexham AFC's owners, the team was in the National League 鈥 the fifth tier of the English football system. The club has been promoted in each of the last two seasons, to EFL League Two in 2022-23 and EFL League One in 2023-24.听
As of Wednesday, Wrexham AFC is third in the EFL League One standings this season.听
The club's successes have been highlighted in "Welcome to Wrexham," which airs on FX. The docuseries, which features McElhenney and Reynolds, has helped boost the profile of the team.
