These Are Last Week's Binghamton New York Area News Headlines

Every week, we recap some of the essential local news we reported on 1290 AM/92.1 FM WNBF, our Townsquare Media Binghamton sister radio stations, on-air, our websites, and social media platforms.

Catch up on local and regional news items in a short recap we reported on for the week of June 2nd, 2025, from WNBF's Bob Joseph, Don Morgan, and the Townsquare Media staff.

Oakdale Commons in JC Has Signed a Contract with Chick-fil-A

A partner in the company that owns the Oakdale Commons says "everything's going in the right direction" in the effort to develop a Chick-fil-A restaurant at the Johnson City site. Marc Newman on Monday said Spark JC LLC now has a signed contract with the Georgia-based company. Newman confirmed that it was Chick-fil-A that sought a variance for signage at the retail and business complex at Reynolds Road and Harry L. Drive. The Johnson City zoning board of appeals approved the sign request last month. A digging permit for a Chick-fil-A restaurant construction project had previously been issued. Newman said, "We're excited about the potential" for the opening of the restaurant chain, which has been preparing to enter the Binghamton market for years.

How Binghamton Is Tackling Dangerous Driving Behaviors

(Don Morgan)
This summer, that will be one of the things Binghamton City Police will be enforcing closely. On May 3, 2025, City of Binghamton Mayor Jared Kraham announced that Binghamton police will be increasing traffic patrols with a focus on reducing speeding and stop sign violations. According to Mayor Kraham's announcement, City of Binghamton Police will be focusing on high-traffic residential areas, with special attention in school zones, Binghamton city park zones, and hospital zones.

Apalachin's Ransom Steele Tavern Closes, Historic Site For Sale

An iconic Tioga County venue that was popular for live music is no longer in business. Ransom Steele Tavern in Apalachin opened in 2016 after a father-and-son team oversaw a major renovation of the historic building. The site was in rough shape when it was acquired by Michael Liberty for $65,000 a few years earlier. The property at the corner of Main Street and Pennsylvania Avenue has been listed for sale for several months. The asking price now is $699,000 - that's a reduction of $200,000 from what was shown in the original listing. Real estate agent Diane Wood confirmed that the owner of Ransom Steele Tavern closed the business last month. Its liquor license expired May 31.

How To Identify Phone Spoofing Scams Targeting New Yorkers

(Don Morgan)
One of the latest involves a phone spoofing scam with callers impersonating members of law enforcement or government agencies, according to the New York State Police. These scammers are attempting to solicit sensitive personal information, not only in New York State, but also in other states as well. New York State Police have reported that some New Yorkers have been receiving phone calls from numbers that appear to be from New York State Police phone lines. The scammers claim to be law enforcement officials, demanding personal information, and have threatened punitive action against recipients who refuse to comply.

Harry L. Johnson Statue is On the Move in Johnson City

A statue that's been on display in Johnson City for over a century is being relocated. The Harry L. Johnson Memorial is being moved to a more prominent spot at Workers Park at Main Street and Lester Avenue. The statue honoring the youngest brother of Endicott Johnson Shoe Company founder George F. Johnson was dedicated in 1922. Joshua Holland, Johnson City's director of public services, said workers removed the statue last Friday. He said the statue and all of the components of the memorial will be relocated to a recently installed concrete pad. Johnson City officials ultimately decided to keep the statue in the park where it's been, but to move it to a spot where people passing by could better appreciate it.

Insights Into New York's 2024-2025 Deer Harvest Numbers

(Don Morgan)
The 2024-2025 deer season in New York State began on September 27, 2024, with early bowhunting, followed by the regular season, late bowhunting, and muzzleloader, which ended on January 1, 2025. The results are in for the number of deer harvested during the season, according to an announcement on May 30, 2025, from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. The NYS DEC notes that the estimated deer harvest for the 2024-2025 season included 122,427 antlered bucks and 100,877 antlerless deer.

Downtown Binghamton House Owners Charged with 53 Code Violations

The city of Binghamton is taking the owners of an abandoned downtown apartment house to court. An Empire State Development official described the Kenmore Building at 263 Washington Street as a "well-known eyesore." The three-story structure has been idle for more than a decade. The property was acquired by Philmar Holdings of New Paltz in 2009 for about $57,000. Bricks continue to fall from the walls of the building, and neighbors report people routinely staying inside the dangerous structure during the winter.

Mayor Kraham Unveils Binghamton's $8.6 Million Street Plan

(Don Morgan)
On June 5, 2025, details were released for the City of Binghamton's 2025 neighborhood street improvement plan. Binghamton Mayor Jared Kraham announced the details as he visited construction crews on Rotary Avenue in Binghamton. According to the Mayor, the approximately $8.6 million infrastructure improvement plan for 2025 will include Milling and paving more than 40 streets, water, sewer, and stormwater upgrades, and curb and sidewalk upgrades, including ADA-accessible ramps. The Mayor noted that the City of Binghamton uses RoadBotics to help identify infrastructure priorities and develop annual street improvement plans, using artificial intelligence to assess the condition of every street.

Binghamton's Recreation Park Pool Closed After Fights Erupt

Some people seeking relief from the sweltering heat were disappointed when they visited the Recreation Park swimming pool in Binghamton, only to find it had closed early. The popular pool on the city's West Side was closed almost 90 minutes early on Thursday as temperatures remained in the mid-80s. According to Binghamton Deputy Mayor Megan Heiman, police officers were sent to the park to investigate "reports of juveniles fighting shortly before pool closing time." In an email to WNBF News, Heiman said, "No physical fighting was occurring" when officers arrived at the park. But they "did observe some juveniles who were yelling at each other." Swimming was suspended "so lifeguards and responding officers could sort out what, if anything, happened."

Important Recall Of Midea Air Conditioners And Yamaha Golf Carts

(Don Morgan)
A couple of recalls that you may need to be aware of if you have either of these products. The first is for air conditioners. About 1.7 million of them were sold in the U.S. (also about 45,900 sold in Canada). According to the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission, Midea is recalling certain air conditioners due to the risk of mold exposure. The next recall involves golf carts. The United States Consumer Product Safety Commission is alerting consumers to a Yamaha Golf Car recall. The reason for the recall is the accelerator pedal spring, which can fail to return to idle when a consumer stops pressing the accelerator pedal, posing a crash hazard. There have been at least 2,200 reports of incidents involving accelerator pedal return spring failures...fortunately, no injuries to date.

Goodbye, Big Blue: IBM Endicott's Amazing Vanishing Act

The end is in sight for the determined demolition team that's been working for nearly a year to remove several vacant IBM buildings in Endicott. Gorick Construction crews are using heavy equipment to knock down what's left of the final structure standing at the corner of North Street and McKinley Avenue. The workers have been moving from east to west to remove the "Old Building Group" and clear the 10-acre site for future development. Broome County Executive Jason Garnar said he's "never seen a project like that." He said, "It's pretty amazing to see something like that happen." Garnar told WNBF News that while the final building will be taken down soon, he expects "there will be a good amount of time to get all that stuff over into the landfill." The county executive said the Huron Campus "is a great site" for business, pointing to the operation BAE Systems has maintained there for the past 13 years.

Demolition Prep Underway for Iconic Endicott Restaurant Building

Plans are being finalized for the removal of a building that's been home to a series of popular restaurants in West Endicott. The Broome County Land Bank acquired the West Main Street property near the En-Joie Golf Club in the town of Union. It most recently was home to Food Fusion Bar and Grill. The building is located just east of the old Red Carpet Inn, which also had been purchased by the Land Bank. The vacant hotel was torn down about a year ago. Asbestos removal is scheduled to start soon in the abandoned restaurant building. Notices posted on the structure indicate that work will start on June 12. The job will be performed by Sunstream Corporation of Binghamton. Land Bank executive director Jessica Haas said she expects demolition of the building will occur shortly after the Dick's Sporting Goods Open tournament, which will be held in early July.