Star-Gazette from Elmira, New York • 5

Horseheads shines for judges America in Bloom contest results will be announced this fall Page 2C NEW SHIPMENT! Orange County gfpr ChopperT-Shirtsf? "Great New Designs!" -7T -YOU UJOIUNO GOOD K)HLiS 7 607-35-4952 www fanKiushntndMxiilet com Page 1C, Saturday, July 23, 2005 WWW.Stargazette.COm Managing Editor Lois Wilson, 607271-8278, lowilsonstargazette.com Rattlers alann Harris Hill crowds But experts say snakes always have shared recreation area with visitors. weeks. We're getting three and four reports a week. "Maybe this is due to the advent of everyone having a cell phone," she said. "And they are using their cell phone and calling our comm center and reporting there's a rattlesnake and calling for nuisance wildlife control officers to respond and remove the snake from the area." No one knows for sure where the rattlers are coming from.

Chemung County's only DEC-licensed rattlesnake "salvage and removal" folks, Dr. Arthur Smith Jr. and Bob Corneau, live nearby and have worked extensively with timber rattlers, Card said. But Smith said the appearance of the snakes in the park is neither alarming nor out of the ordinary. See RATTLERS2C unlikely.

The state Department of Environmental Conservation reports there have been no human deaths from rattlesnake bites in New York for several decades. Still, they can ruin your day. "In past years, there have been sightings of them at the park," Card said. "This year, we have had more sightings than normal. It has peaked just within the past couple of snakes," said Kristin Card, emergency planner and safety coordinator for Chemung County.

"They won't chase people. They won't attack people. "But if they're provoked, if kids are poking at them with sticks or throwing rocks at them or chasing them or trying to pick them up, they will bite," she said. The results are potentially fatal. But that's extremely Timber rattlesnakes have taken a liking to the park in recent weeks.

There's no reason to panic or to stop using the park. But a little extra dose of caution couldn't hurt. "My goal is to educate public, and especially parents, that these are not aggressive By GEORGE OSGOOD Star-Gazette Wellsboro Bureau gosgoodsfargazeffe.com If you go to Harris Hill Park, watch your step. And your kids. Airfest a thrill ride for all-female cast of performers V' Online Web sites for Airfest performers: Patty Wagstaff, www.pattywagstaff.com Debbie Gary, www.debbiegary.com.

Mary Dilda, www. Carol Pilon, www. thirdstrikewingwalking. com Suzanne Oliver, www.skywriter.info Misty Blues all-woman sky diving team, www.mistyblues.com Photos by COLLIN C. CHAPPELLEStar-Gazette Japanese students Ayano Ogata, left, and Tomoko Sato give the peace sign during an ice cream social in their honor Friday at Elmira College.

Japanese teens mix learning, fun Students study at Elmira College for three weeks to hone English skills. Two-day air show opens today at regional airport. By JENNIFER KINGSLEY Star-Gazette jkingsleystargazette.com BIG FLATS The women who will perform at Airfest 2005 today and Sunday arrived at the Wings of Eagles Discovery Center on Friday morning, and all said they are thrilled to be part of the all-female lineup. "It's really fun to do an air show with all women," said Debbie Gary of Houston, who is approaching her fourth decade as a graceful aerobatic pilot and performer. "We are really excited to be here," said Cindy Irish of Michigan, a skydiver with the Misty Blues, an all-woman skydiving team.

"Skydiving is really a hobby for us. We all have Irish, by day, is an account manager and team leader, according to the Misty Blues Website. i The performers with the exception of Mary Dilda, who hadn't arrived yet were introduced during a press conference Friday morning at the center. After a formal introduction to the media by Dr. Lynn Smaha, a cardiologist and president of the museum's board of trustees, each woman shared a little about herself.

When Gary was an adolescent, she decided she wanted to be an "adventurist" when she grew up. "I did just that," she said. She also holds a degree in journalism and writes articles about aviation. Gary started with glider planes. Elmira, with its glider and soaring reputation, was a "mecca" to her, she said.

"The two most common ages people decide what they want to do in life are 6 and 12," Gary said as she encouraged girls and young women to Mayumi Taniguchi, a Japanese student studying at Elmira College, shows with her fingers how many years she has been speaking English. OLIVER GARY LOCALNEWS HORSEHEADS Stabbing leads to man's arrest A Horseheads man was arrested Thursday after a fight with his half-brother in their home. Larry D. McDonald, 31, of 3123 Lake Road in Horse-heads, was charged with second-degree assault after Chemung County Sheriff's deputies and state police investigated a knifing at their home. Wilbert L.

Randolph, 38, Was treated at Arnot Ogden Medical Center in Elmira for a neck wound made by a filet knife, deputies said, McDonald was arraigned in Horseheads Town Court and committed to the Chemung County jail in lieu of $5,000 cash bail. ELMIRA i Drug charges lodged after search of home Members of the Chemung County Drug Enforcement Unit and the Elmira Police SWAT team arrested two Elmira residents on drug charges Thursday after serving a search warrant at their home. Carrie L. Burgess, 25, and Rashad Driscoll, 30, both of 442 W. Fifth were charged with felony third-degree criminal possession bf a controlled substance, cocaine.

Police said more than a half-ounce of crack cocaine, packaging materials and money were seized from the residence. Brand Park Pool hours extended Brand Park Pool has extended its hours for the rest of the summer, accord- -ing to Councilman Dan Royle, D-5th District. The pool will now be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The extended hours are effective immediately.

Federal grants aid city housing Elmira will receive more than $2.5 million in grants through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The funds will be channeled through the Community Development Block Grant, the HOME program and the HUD Capital Fund, according to an announcement from U.S. Rep. John R.

Kuhl R-Hammondsport. HUD will provide $1.5 million to Elmira's Community Development office for community redevelopment and another in a HOME grant to promote home ownership opportunities for low-income and minority families. The Elmira Housing Authority will receive about $600,000 from HUD's Capital Fund Fiscal Year 2005 grant program to target capital improvement projects at housing-authority owned properties, such as Bragg and Flannery towers. Cheryl Box, director of community development in Elmira, said the grant is consistent with funds received in past years. T0WAN3A Lowman man gets prison term, fine A Lowman man was sentenced to prison in Pennsylvania on July 14 on drug charges.

George E. Parker 41, of Breesport-North Chemung Road, was sentenced to one to three years in prison and fined $300 on a conviction of possession of materials for methamphetamine pro-Suction. who was arrested in February, failed to appear for a jury trial scheduled July 11. He also was ordered to reimburse Bradford County $894 for costs associated with the canceled trial. 1 I 1 1 Ik.

Ji WAGSTAFF PILON Ages 15 to 17, the students chatted Friday afternoon over ice cream about their upcoming trip to New York City to see the Broadway musical "The Lion King," American culture and being nervous about talking to so many people. "Food is very big here. In Japan snacks are small. Here they are big," said Naoka Tamura, 15, of the surprises in American culture. For the three-week visit, the teens will spend four hours a day in class working on conversation and discussion skills, Rossman said.

At night, they will meet for an hour with a different discussion leader, study in the language lab and have study time. The students were told on Thursday that for the remainder of their visit, they can speak only English, Rossman said. "It's hard. We must use By BROOKE J. SHERMAN Star-Gazette bshermanstargazette.com In the two days that Yukina Nakano, 17, has been in the United States, she's learned more English and played basketball two of the things she wanted to do here.

"I (want to) learn American culture and sports," Nakano said. "Hove basketball." Nakano is among the dozen young Japanese women spending three weeks at Elmira College this summer working on their language skills and learning about America. They are studying English as a second language at Elmira College through a high school ESL program the school has offered for two summers, according to Michelle Rossman, the college's director of English as a second language program. pursue careers in aviation. "And boys, too," she quickly added.

"I love airplanes," said Patty Wagstaff, a pilot and three-time national aerobatic champion, who lives near St. Augustine, Fla. She said only about 6 percent to 10 percent of aviators in the United States are women. "I would encourage all young girls to look at a career in aviation," said Wagstaff, a commercial airplane, multi-engine and helicopter pilot, according to her Web site. See AIRFEST2C ple are very shy, so it's amazing." Many of the teens learned about the program through their high school, Hokusei Gakuen, the North Star School, which was founded by Elmira native Sarah Smith in the late 1800s on the island of Hokkaido, said Rossman and other school officials.

For some of the students, studying at Elmira College is a dream come true. "My dream is to learn English in America, and my mother said this program is very good," said Aoi Ota, 16. English, but we still speak Japanese a little," said Eri Yoshida, 17, as she motioned with her hands to demonstrate a little. Yoshida came to the college with her friend Kaori Nara, also 17, so the teens could work on their English together. "I want to speak to many people, in English, of course," Nara said.

Both Yoshida and Nara were surprised by American culture. "People (are) Very friendly," Yoshida said. "Japanese peo Teens use part of their summer vacation to fix Elmira properties Send John your news His commitment to helping others has taken Chris Ramirez of Brielle, N.J., to Puerto Rico and Tennessee. This week, it brought him to Elmira, where he and a crew of teens from around the coun- try are NEIGHBORS Star-Gazette, P.O. Box 285, Elmira, NY 14902.

Birthdays and anniversaries: They must be submitted to John by mail or e-mail at least five days before the big day. Please nois: They now appear on Page 2C in People in the Twin Tiers. If you have a news item for neighbors, contact John P. Cleary: Call: 607271 -8293 or 800836-8970, ext. 293, from 8 a.m.

to 4 p.m. weekdays. E-mail: jcteatystargazette.com. Mail: John P. Cleary, 1 building a wheelchair ramp for Winifred and George Melead.

Ramirez is one of nearly 400 teens and their chap-erones in the Elmira area this week doing Trinity Episcopal Church in Elmira, said the campers are building wheelchair ramps, mending porches, painting and doing other jobs for elderly, disabled or low-income people. He said last year's work camp provided more than $67,000 in free labor to area residents. Thursday morning, Ramirez was part of a crew digging post holes in the Meleads' front yard. With him were Maura Roche of York, Maine, Amy Goodfriend of Ritchfield, and John Broek of Urbandale, Iowa. They were working with the help of adults John Calkin of Whippa-ny, N.J., and Cheryl Cramer of Plymouth, Mich.

Ramirez said other teens from his church join in work camps. "I think it's a good thing to do for people in need," he said. "I think they are really wonderful young men and women who really express the faith they have through service," Lutz said. "My experience of John P. Cleary of stones to erect the posts that will hold up the ramp.

"They're doing a good job, considering," she said. The ramp will help make the home more accessible for her husband, George Melead. City officials helped the crew revise its plan for the ramp so it meets city code, Kramer said. The city also helps pay for materials for work camp projects, Lutz said. Ramirez said he doesn't mind giving up a week of his this is that it has been a transforming experience for any of these young people to do this kind of work.

A person who goes off to work camp comes back a different and better person for having the experience." Lutz said the person being helped often finds the experience transforming, too. Winifred Melead was impressed with the crew's hard work, especially since they had to work in the heat and dig through many layers JOHN P. CLEARYStar-Gazette Workers from the Glider City Workcamp built a wheelchair ramp for George and Winifred Melead of Elmira. From left are John Broek, Maura Roche, John Calkin, Winifred Melead, Amy Goodfriend, Cheryl Cramer and Chris Ramirez. summer vacation to toil in the hey, we're helping somebody." S1 John P.

Cleary is a staff writer for the I COUld be doing a little star-Gazette. Neighbors runs daily on more fun stuff," he said. "But, this page. home repair chores with the Glider City Workcamp. This is the third summer the workers have gathered in Elmira for the camp organized by the Elmira Area United Churches and the Group Workcamp Foundation of Loveland, Colo.

The Rev. Bill Lutz, pastor of .1.