News Roundup

Binghamton Area News Roundup 8/22/25

iM3N-sigh, BU new Pres, Endicott Art Park, & More

Jay Bradley

23 Aug 2025 — 6 min read

Image: Google Maps

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‼️Must-Reads

🪫iM3NY no more

iM3NY, the little battery plant that couldn't, finally removed is sign this week after its bankruptcy and recent liquidation.

European and Australian investors are in a scuffle over the failure, as Denmark-based engineering firm Ramboll recently sued iM3NY majority owner Magnis Energy Technologies, which newspaper The Australian described as having "collapsed," over owing more than $4 for the intensive engineering work at the Huron Campus site.

Members of the Binghamton subreddit claiming to be employees two years ago spoke of "Operators just clean the floors 90% of the time, while engineering and the higher ups bang heads over what to do next."

An article on the demise of the company from WSKG last year, in the wake of the workforce being laid off, goes in depth on its struggles.

Right now it's unclear what this means for our "regional tech hub," but the Huron campus is set for a "revitalization" effort by owners Phoenix Investors and the Broome County Industrial Development Agency.

According to WNBF, site managers believe there are "'good prospects' that a new entity will set up operations at the site."

🎙️First Mayoral Debate

WNBF held the first Binghamton mayoral debate between incumbent Jared Kraham (R) and former Deputy Chief of Staff for State Senator Lea Webb Miles Burnett (D)

As of this month, Burnett is outraising Kraham.

More debates are being scheduled before election day on November 4.

You can listen here:

👨‍⚖️Embers from cold arson case heated to guilty verdict

A cold case from 2011 finally resulted in a guilty verdict of murder and arson in the death of 17 year old Jeffrey Aissa in a fire at 20 Milford St. after a mistrial in January.

🎓Binghamton University New President

SUNY Binghamton has a new president coming in from Connecticut. She previously serving as the dean of the School of Fine Arts then as Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs at UConn.

She seems excited about moving to the area.

🏚️Apartment Complex Shut Down by JC

Johnson City shut down the apartment complex at 34 Broad Street over crime - the landlord didn't tell the tenants. According to WBNG, residents were given an out of service number as a resource for emergency housing.

🏗️Building Broome

A new art park is set to go up on 121-125 Washington Ave. in Endicott (currently that big empty lot next to Endicott Florist), scheduled for completion in November this year.

A $500,000 NYS grant is headed to the Broome County Industrial Development Agency earmarked for the controversial Broome Technology Park's potential infrastructure.

A new community garden is being planned for JC's Floral Ave by Vines!

Davis College's renovations into a housing complex is chugging along.

$75,000 in state funds are going towards Binghamton's planning for the dilapidated Binghamton Plaza the city hopes to take control of.

👋Openings and Closings

A new fresh pasta restaurant is set to go where Social on State was.

Five Below opened at the mall - about a 3 minute drive from its old location.

Burger Monday's owners set to open a new Italian Restaurant in Downtown Binghamton - a challenge to Little Venice's turf?

CSL Plasma has closed suddenly in Endwell in the wake of company restructuring.

Mooney's is no more.

Tropical Smoothie joint coming to former Vestal Parkway Pier One.

City Church is moving from its downtown site to a former Weis on Main Street

The Vestal Parkway Quality Inn is currently being torn down (R.I.P. Fuji-San, at least until their a location opens)

🌇Community Spotlights

Tioga County is mourning the death of Charles Truman, who served on the Tioga County Fair board for over 10 years, and spent some time as the event's Vice President.

Truth Pharm held its tenth annual 'Trail of Truth' event outside of Broome County's Courthouse, lining the facilities with tombstones with the names of those lost to opioid deaths. Deaths from opioid overdoses is down in recent years, with the county citing its harm reduction, education, prevention, and treatment programs - especially the wider availability of Narcan kits.

The Broome Ukranian community gathered outside of the government complex downtown for Ukranian Independence Day, joined by Mayor Kraham, in solidarity and prayer for the country still at war.

The Press & Sun gave De Island Hut, a Trinidadian Restaurant across from Strange Brew on Washington St. in Binghamton, a nice spotlight. Haven't been myself - but I hear good things about the restaurant!

People sure are loving line dancing, aren't they?

👮Crime & Safety

More than $1.2 million is coming to Broome County to provide year-round employment and training opportunities for at-risk youth, echoing successful violence-reduction strategies elsewhere.

Over 40 animals were removed from a home in Endwell near Wayne St. and North Brookside Ave. in "deplorable" conditions.

Conklin's very own scumbag white supremacist murderer of 10 at a Buffalo supermarket in 2022 asked for charges to be dropped because the jury was not diverse enough. (Trolling, or actually some kind of last gasp strategy?)