Catch Up On Binghamton Area Local News Here

Whether you lead a busy life or don't get to find out all that's happening news-wise in our community, this is why each week, we recap in an article some of the essential local news we reported on 1290 AM, 92.1 FM, and 93.9 FM WNBF, our Townsquare Media Binghamton sister radio stations, as well as on our websites and social media platforms.

Catch up on some of the latest local and regional news items in a short recap we reported on for the week of June 22, 2026, from WNBF's Bob Joseph, Don Morgan, and the Townsquare Media staff.

Catch up on some of the latest local and regional news items in a short recap we reported on for the week of June 1, 2026, from WNBF's Bob Joseph, Don Morgan, and the Townsquare Media staff.

Six Dead: Police Confirm More Fatalities in Endwell Motel Fire

(Bob Joseph)
State police investigators confirmed six people are dead after a massive fire at the Knights Inn motel in Endwell. Firefighters from several Broome County departments battled the blaze at 2603 East Main Street. The motel was used to provide temporary housing for the homeless. The fire was reported shortly after 6 a.m. Monday. The first police and fire units on the scene reported smoke and flames were coming from one of the motel's two buildings. Several people were trapped in at least one room of the burning two-story structure. The motel had about 60 rooms. Dozens of people who were displaced by the fire were assisted by the Red Cross. A temporary shelter was set up at the Vestal United Methodist Church.

Man Charged with Arson in Endwell Fire That Killed Six People

(Bob Joseph)
An Endwell man has been charged with manslaughter and arson in connection with a motel fire that left six people dead. Authorities said state police investigators arrested 24-year-old Tyler J. Russell. Russell has been charged with six counts of second-degree manslaughter. He also faces a felony count of fourth-degree arson. According to investigators, Russell was processed at the Endwell State Police Station and then turned over to the Broome County Jail for arraignment. Police and firefighters were told several people were entrapped in a second-floor room.

Police Release Names of Six Who Died in Endwell Fire

(Bob Joseph)
The names of the three children and three adults who died as a result of Monday's fire at an Endwell motel have been released by investigators. According to New York State Police, a family of five was located on the second floor of the Knights Inn on East Main Street. 29-year-old Joshua Molyneaux and 27-year-old Dominique Cruz-Champion were found in a room with their children: 10-month-old Zacariah, 2-year-old Romyn and 3-year-old Ella. The sixth victim, 58-year-old Michelle Woolfolk, was located in a room on the first floor of the motel.

Official Concerned Fire Tragedy Could Happen in Town of Dickinson

(Bob Joseph)
The town of Dickinson supervisor is speaking out about potential safety issues at a motel Broome County uses to house homeless individuals and families. Michael Marinaccio said he felt compelled to discuss his ongoing concerns about the Hillside Inn & Suites on Old Front Street. The town supervisor called into a WNBF Radio talk program on Tuesday, the day after six people died as a result of a fast-moving fire at the Knights Inn in Endwell. Marinaccio said he believes a "similar situation" exists at the Hillside Inn, which also is used by Broome County to provide housing for those in need. He said, "I'm afraid that it could happen here." The supervisor noted more people are staying at the Hillside Inn than were at the Knights Inn at the time of Monday's deadly fire. He's concerned about putting so many unhoused people in, creating "a very unsafe environment, a very unhealthy environment."

Firefighters Extinguish Blaze in Closed Binghamton Parking Ramp

(Bob Joseph)
Police and fire investigators are trying to determine the cause of a smoky fire in Binghamton's State Street parking garage. The blaze was reported around 5:10 a.m. Thursday when a police officer on routine patrol spotted smoke coming from the upper section of the closed eight-story structure. Firefighters discovered a blaze that apparently had been set in the basement of the parking ramp. Smoke from the fire rose through the north stairwell of the garage. The smoke was pouring out of a broken stairwell window when fire department units arrived on the scene. The fire was extinguished in a few minutes, and no injuries were reported.

Binghamton Man Charged In Threat Against Senator Lea Webb

(Bob Joseph)
Authorities say a man has been arrested after he allegedly posted an online comment threatening New York State Senator Lea Webb. According to state police, 49-year-old James A. Crosby of Binghamton has been charged with making a terroristic threat as a hate crime, a felony. Investigators determined Crosby posted a threatening statement on Facebook in response to a WBNG news story reporting on Webb's appearance as a speaker at a Juneteenth event in Cortland. Police said Crosby was arrested Tuesday and taken to Broome County Jail in the town of Dickinson for arraignment. As part of the investigation, police said they discovered Crosby possessed firearms despite being prohibited from doing so because of a prior felony conviction.

Another House Torn Down on Troubled Binghamton Street

(Bob Joseph)
The city of Binghamton has ordered the demolition of another building once owned by a man described by Mayor Jared Kraham as the city's "most notorious slumlord." Kraham announced on Monday that a house at 5 Sturges Street was being removed because it was "a longtime source of neighborhood complaints and police activity." The property had been targeted in a lockdown warning issued by the city in 2023 due to code violations and an assault. A man had been shot in the chest at the site. The city gained ownership of the house from Isaac Anzaroot in 2024 after a court settlement involving several properties owned by the Brooklyn man.

Endicott Statue Restoration: George F. Johnson is Looking Good

(Bob Joseph)
The iconic statue of Endicott Johnson Shoe Company founder George F. Johnson has a new image. The eight-foot-tall statue has been a fixture on East Main Street in Endicott since it was unveiled nearly 75 years ago. Over time, the elements had taken a toll. The Johnson monument in Tiger Park just west of Union-Endicott High School was restored in 2024. Area residents and businesses raised funds for a project to renovate the statue. Plans originally called for the statue to be transported a short distance from the park site to Endicott Artistic Memorial Company for the needed work. But Scott Klempka, who owns the business, discovered last January that moving the statue wasn't feasible. He decided to wait until June to do the restoration work on-site. Klempka said the first step was "blasting the statue down to its bare bronze." Workers then focused on the finishing.