“Sweet Liberty” Owego’s 44th Annual Strawberry Festival June 18, 19 and 20 In Downtown Owego
At the Apalachin Library
719 Main St. Apalachin, NY 607-625-3333
Open Mon, Tues, Thurs: 10am-7pm; Fri & Sat: 10am-2pm www.apalachinlibrary.org
Storytime: Tuesdays and Thursdays | 10:30am
Join Miss Wendy for read alouds, singing, playing, dancing, and crafts! Tuesday and Thursday each week are the same theme. No registration required. Please note there will be no Storytime June 23 through July 2.
Mahjong: Mondays | 2pm-4pm
No experience or registration required.
Tech Time with Tina: Tuesdays By Appointment
Sign up for some one-on-one help with any tech topic!
Zen Before Zzzzzs: Tuesdays | 6pm
Grab your yoga mat and join yoga instructor Sheehan Shotwell for an inspiring yoga practice each week. No experience or registration required.
Euchre: Thursdays | 2pm-4pm No experience or registration required.
Beginner Clay Workshop Series: Tuesdays in June | 3pm-5pm Registration is required.
Senior First Friday Program –Murder Mystery and Lunch: Friday, June 5 | 11am-1pm See left for details! Registration is required.
Pokemon Club: Saturday, June 6 | 11am-1pm Trade cards, do battles and eat snacks!
Evening Book Club: Thursday, June 11 | 6pm The Stolen Life of Colette Marceau by Kristin Harmel. No registration required.
Erie Canal Museum’s Revolutionary Waterway: Saturday, June 13 | 11am No registration required.
Afternoon Book Club: Thursday, June 18 | 1pm In the Bleak Midwinter by Julia Spencer-Fleming. No registration required.
Reiki Class: Thursday, June 18 | 6pm
Bring your yoga mat or sit on a chair. Registration is required.
Stuffy Town Adventure: Thursday, June 25 | 6pm-7pm No registration required.
The Hunger Games: Saturday, June 27 | 11am-1pm
Learn survival skills, enter prize raffle, get survival kits and tattoos, learn Tae Kwon Do, paint rocks, enjoy refreshments No registration required.
Congratulations to SideQuest Games on the Grand Reopening of your new location! Check them out at 20 Main Street, Owego, NY!
Tioga County Legislative Meeting
The Sixth Regular Meeting of 2026 will be held at 12:00 P.M., Tuesday, June 9, 2026 in the Edward D. Hubbard Auditorium of the Ronald E. Dougherty County Office Building at 56 Main Street, Owego, New York 13827.
Free Concert
Individuals requiring any accommodation or auxiliary aid may contact the Legislative Office at (607) 687-8240. With advance notice, necessary auxiliary aids will be provided at no cost to the person requesting assistance.
Join us for a free community concert, featuring Caviar & Grits, July 11th 6-8pm at the Newark Valley Trout Ponds Park. Bring a lawn chair and some friends for a night of great music. This project is made possible with funds from Statewide Community Regrant program, a regrant program of the New York State Council on the Arts with support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature and administered by the ARTS Council of the Southern Finger Lakes.
Early Voting for the 2026 Primary Election
The Tioga County Board of Elections is reminding eligible voters that they can vote early for the 2026 Primary Election. Primary Day is June 23rd, with polls open from 6:00 AM to 9:00 PM, but for nine days starting June 13th, any eligible voter residing in Tioga County may vote at the Tioga County Early Voting Center during designated voting times.
New York State has closed primaries, meaning you must be an enrolled member of the party holding a primary to vote in that primary. To be eligible to vote in this year’s primary, you must be enrolled in the Democratic Party and live in Tioga County, or be registered in the Republican Party and live in the Town of Spencer.
There will be no primaries in Tioga County for the Conservative or Working Families parties. There will be no primaries for the Republican Party in the following jurisdictions in Tioga County: Town of Barton, Town of Berkshire, Town of Candor, Town of Newark Valley, Town of Nichols, Town of Owego, Town of Richford, and Town of Tio-
ga.
The Democratic candidates seeking nomination for office include Thomas P. DiNapoli, Drew Warshaw, and Raj Goyle for New York State Comptroller, and Aaron Gies and Kevin T. Stocker for Representative in Congress, District 23.
Two Republican candidates are seeking nomination for the Town of Spencer Justice, including Michael F. Roy and Randy E. Kunzman.
Tioga County will have one location open for Early Voting, which will be at the Tioga County Board of Elections, 1062 State Route 38, Owego, NY 13827.
The Tioga County Early Voting Center will be open before the June 23rd Primary Election during the following times:
Saturday, June 13th 9: AM – 5: PM
Sunday, June 14th 9 AM – 5 PM
Monday, June 15th 12 PM – 8 PM
Tuesday, June 16th 12 PM – 8 PM
Wednesday, June 17th 9 AM – 5 PM
Thursday, June 18th 9:AM – 5 PM
Friday, June 19th 9 AM – 5 PM
Saturday, June 20th 9: AM – 5 PM
Sunday, June 21st 9 AM – 5 PM
Community Ice Cream Social
Community Ice Cream Social Thursday, June 18, 2026
6pm-7:00pm
Join in on the fun, great conversations and some tasty ice cream Little Meadows
United Methodist Church
843 Pennsylvania Ave, Little Meadows, PA 18830 (570) 623-2746
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Bakestand Open Every Friday
Tioga Pack & Ship Parking Lot 8 Main St., Owego Open at 10am (most Fridays)
We have - FRESH BAKED BREAD, PIES, COOKIES, CAKES, WHOOPIE PIES, CINNAMON ROLLS, FRUIT JAM, FUDGE, FRESH DONUTS
Newark Valley Location 10626 Rt 38 Newark Valley Open: Thurs afternoon, 8am-7pm Friday & Saturday DONUTS - Friday & Saturday
of the Owego Hose Team traveled to Maine this week to retrieve the Owego Fire Department’s (OFD) 1866 Amoskeag Steam Fire Engine, known as the “Steamer” and often referred to as the “Pride of OFD.” The Steamer is now operational again following a five (5) year restoration and believed to be the oldest operating steam fire engine in the United States, a title it held in the 1980s when last operational. Now under the care, custody, and control of the Hose Team the Steamer underwent a complete restoration at Firefly Restorations, in Hope, Maine. As the Steamer returns home today, a welcome home parade is scheduled for 5 PM in the Village of Owego and will conclude at the new Steamer House building on North Avenue with a brief ceremony where personnel will push the Steamer into its new home.
“We are thrilled the Steamer is now home and will be showcased in the beautiful Steamer House building in the heart of Owego on North Avenue,” said Hose Team volunteer Patrick Gavin. “This project has been a long time coming and we know a lot of folks have been patiently waiting for its return.”
Invented out of desperation in the early 1850’s when volunteer firemen with hand operated engines could not control fires, steam fire engines soon revolutionized firefighting throughout the world. One steamer could exceed the firefighting capacity of several hand engines needing 150 firemen. The sixty years from 1853 to 1913 marked the heyday of steam fire engine manufacturing in the United States, with only a few built in 1914-1916 and the final one built in 1917. Post 1917 cities and towns converted from steamers to motorized engines powered by gasoline. During then six decades of steam fire engine manufacture, more than 80 firms turned out roughly 5,000 of them, of which 80% were built by eight manufacturers including Amoskeag that built 853 the third most of any manufacturer including Owego’s. Less than 400 steamers are known to survive with the biggest exodus of the once proud steam fire engines occurred during World War II scrap drives. Hundreds of steamers were donated to the war effort. Owego’s steam fire engine is extremely rare because it is shaped like a harp instrument.
Restoration work of the Steamer included a rebuilt boiler. Consisting of 211 “fire tubes” the boiler functions much like the hot water heater in a home producing steam to power the en-
gine. The boiler meets American Society of Mechanical Engineers (AMSE) code that was independently verified by Harford Steam Boiler Inspection and Insurance Company. The Steamer is classified as “Size 2” capable of pumping 700 gallons of water per minute (GPM). Modern day fire engines typically can pump between 1,000 to 1,500 GPM. Brain Fanslau of Maine Locomotive and Machine Works built the new boiler.
The unit will be housed in the Steamer House on North Avenue for display purposes along with the Owego Fire Department’s 1939 Sanford Hose Truck. Modeled after a steamer house located in Marathon, NY, it was constructed of recycled barn beams and has glass solarium walls for 360 degree viewing with steeple supporting an antique fire bell. The Steamer House is located next to Owego Fire Station #2 at the old Lloyd’s Barbershop site bolstering the Villages North Avenue corridor improving an abandoned property while bringing foot traffic and tourists to the business district; supporting the Village’s commitment to historic preservation and maintaining the downtown charm and character that appeals to residents and visitors; enhancing the Village’s gateway to historic downtown; complimenting Downtown Revitalization Initiatives (DRI) efforts underway in the Village all while costing the Village of Owego taxpayers nothing in restoration, construction, and maintenance costs the Hose Teams raised funding for the project privately.
Hose Team members received training on the Steamer’s operation while in Maine and additional training is planned. The Steamer with lead the 44th Annual Strawberry Festival Parade on June 20th and future plans call for working with area high schools to incorporate the Steamer and steam powered technology into their Science, Technology, Engineering, Agriculture & Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) curriculums.
The overall cost of the Steamer project was approximately $500,000 that was privately funded through donations, fundraising efforts, and foundation support spearheaded by the Hose Team.
50 Years Ago by:
It's June 1981. Pope John Paul II, 61, is released from the hospital three weeks after he was shot.
President Reagan meets with Mexican President Jose Lopez Portillo to discuss US-Mexican issues including illegal immigration.
The Center for Disease Control's weekly bulletin describes cases of a rare pneumonia in five young men, all homosexuals. (This is the first report of what will become known as Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, or simply AIDS.)
At the 35th Annual Tony Awards, Amadeus is chosen as best play.
Will it be a summer without baseball? The Major League's 650 players go on strike over a labor dispute with owners concerning the freeagent system.
HOMEMADE SOUPS
HAPPY HOUR ~ 3:30 – 5:30 Mon–Fri HAPPY FATHER’S DAY
WEDNESDAY WING NIGHT
FRIDAY Deep fried Haddock
JOIN US FOR OUR SATURDAY AFTERNOON
The movie Superman II breaks box office records.
In London, a teenager fires several blanks at Queen Elizabeth as she rides a horse during the Trooping the Color Ceremony.
Game show host Allen Ludden, 63, dies.
In Los Angeles, more than 10,000 immigrants are sworn in as American citizens in a single ceremony.
Prince Andrew celebrates his 21st birthday with a party for 500 guests at Windsor Castle.
The Owego-Apalachin School District's budget is defeated by 12 votes, 488 to 500.
Stateline Auto Auction opens in Waverly.
An Owego bank is robbed when a man pulls up to the drive-in window, claims he has a bomb, and demands $5,000. He escapes with more than $4,000.
A Grand Opening is held at Steve Scoville dealership in Owego.
In Owego, Ernie Wunder, 67, celebrates 50 years as a cook at Conway's Club Diner on North Avenue.
GAF announces that it is selling its reprographic division. The com-
Beverly Brown
pany has facilities in Vestal, Johnson City, and Binghamton.
Owego holds its first Strawberry Festival on June 27. The event includes a parade and the selection of a Strawberry Queen.
Tuesday night TV shows include Lobo, Walter Cronkite's Universe, Happy Days, NOVA, LaVerne & Shirley, Flo, Three's Company, Mystery (with Rumpole of the Bailey), Too Close for Comfort, Hill Street Blues, Nero Wolfe, and Hart to Hart.
On "The Barbara Walters Special" of June 2, Katherine Hepburn remarks that she would like to be a tree. Walters then asks her, "What kind of tree?"
Top selling books include Goodbye Janette by Harold Robbins, and Miss Piggy's Guide to Life by Miss Piggy as told to Henry Beard.
Movies playing in local theaters include Raiders of the Lost Ark, History of the World - Part I, Clash of the Titans, The Four Seasons, Superman II, For Your Eyes Only, Dragonslayer, and The Great Muppet Caper, and Outland.
Top tunes include Bette Davis Eyes by Kim Carnes, Sukiyaki by A Taste of Honey, A Woman Needs Love by Ray Parker Jr & Raydio, and All those Years Ago by George Harrison.
This month's Popular Science includes the article "Flatscreen TV - almost here?" According to the article, "most experts believe large, hang-on-the-wall color-TV panels won't be ready until the second half of this decade." Sony's 30inch-diagonal CRT TV weighs 275 pounds and costs more than $8,000. The "What's New" section of the magazine mentions RCA's 50-inchdiagonal front projection TV which costs $3,200.
A Pioneer Laser Disc player (on which you can watch full-length movies) costs $749, and a Hitachi VIP-1000 videodisc player costs $500.
Construction on I86 to Comtinue
New York State Department of Transportation will be continuing construction on the I-86 corridor this summer, continuing west bound from the work completed in Apalachin last year.
On June 11, 2026, exit 65 west off ramp will be re-opened and simultaneously the 65 west on ramp will be closed for work in the area.
Upon completing the west bound construction, the process will be re-
peated at exit 65 east bound, with an estimated time frame of September 2026 for that work to commence.
During construction detours will be posted at exits 64 and 66 providing travelers with direction and routes of travel. As the construction progresses the Town of Owego will provide further updates as we receive them.
Community Ice Cream Social
Community Ice Cream Social Thursday, June 18, 2026 6pm-7:00pm Join in on the fun, great conversations and some tasty ice cream Little Meadows
United Methodist Church 843 Pennsylvania Ave, Little Meadows, PA 18830 (570) 623-2746
Bring your family - Invite your friends and neighbors- all are welcome!
Tioga County Seeks PublicAssistance Following Theft and Vandalism at Emergency Communications Tower
Tioga County officials are asking for the public's assistance following multiple incidents of theft and vandalism at county emergency communications radio tower sites, including newly constructed facilities that are part of the County's ongoing $18 million-dollar public safety radio system modernization project.
The radio communications system upgrade, representing an investment of millions of dollars, is one of the most significant public safety infrastructure projects ever undertaken by Tioga County. The project will provide enhanced radio communications capabilities for emergency responders, law enforcement, fire departments, emergency medical services, highway personnel, and other public safety agencies throughout the county.
The radio communications system upgrade is being funded through a combination of taxpayer-supported investment, allocated American Recovery Plan Act (ARPA) funds, and public safety funding sources dedicated to improving emergency communications infrastructure. These resources have been committed to ensure that firefighters, law enforcement officers, emergency medical personnel, highway crews, and other first responders have access to reliable communications when serving the public. Theft, vandalism, and damage to public infrastructure divert valuable resources away from project completion and increase costs that ultimately impact the residents of Tioga County.
Unfortunately, several tower sites have recently been targeted by thieves and vandals, resulting in the loss of equipment and damage to critical infrastructure.
"These acts are not victimless crimes," said Legislative Chairman Tracy Monell. "Every theft and every act of vandalism delays progress, increases costs to taxpayers, and jeopardizes a project that is designed to protect the health, safety, and well-being of our residents. This communications system is essential for ensuring that first responders can communicate reliably when lives are on the line."
"This project is about protecting lives," said Director of Emergency Services Corinne Cornelius. "When firefighters, law enforcement officers, EMS personnel, and emergency managers respond to
an incident, reliable communication can make the difference between success and failure. The theft and vandalism of equipment at these sites directly impacts a system designed to improve responder safety and public safety throughout Tioga County. We ask every resident to help us protect this critical investment by reporting suspicious activity and remaining vigilant around project sites."
The radio system upgrade is intended to improve emergency communications across Tioga County's rural and geographically challenging landscape, helping ensure that first responders have dependable radio coverage when responding to emergencies. The project has been years in planning and construction and remains on track for completion in 2026.
County officials caution, however, that continued thefts and vandalism could significantly impact project timelines and increase overall project costs.
"These tower sites represent an investment in the future of public safety for Tioga County," Monell added. "The benefits of this project will be felt for decades to come by our emergency responders and the residents they serve. We are asking our community to help protect this important public asset."
The County encourages residents to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity observed near communications tower sites or related infrastructure. Individuals who witness theft, vandalism, trespassing, or suspicious vehicles and activity are urged to contact law enforcement immediately.
Anyone with information regarding recent incidents is encouraged to contact the Tioga County Sheriff's Office at (607) 687-1010. In an emergency, residents should call 911.
Tioga County appreciates the continued support of its residents as work progresses on this critical public safety project. By working together, the community can help ensure that this important investment is completed on schedule, remains fiscally on target, and continues to serve future generations of Tioga County residents. Protecting these sites today helps safeguard the emergency communications network that will protect our communities tomorrow.
at Beam Electronics in Apalachin. phone 625-2222
The Community Press goes to press on the first Monday of the month. Your classified ad should be received no later than the
