Aurora

A legal fight is heating up over the $12.5 million sale of the former Wells College campus, according to Spectrum News. The Cayuga Nation and a competing bidder asked a judge Tuesday to block the ... more

A $12.5 million campus deal now faces pushback in court, according to The Citizen. The Cayuga Nation and a losing bidder want a judge to block the proposed sale of Wells College to the Hiawatha ... more

Rare books and famous artwork could soon leave Aurora as Wells College pushes to sell off valuable items, according to The Citizen. The closed college asked Cayuga County Court for permission to auction artwork, rare ... more

Seven off-campus buildings tied to a shuttered college could soon change hands as part of a court-approved wind-down, according to The Citizen. Wells College is asking Cayuga County Court to approve sales totaling about $2.8 ... more

A group of Wells College alums is urging the closed school to keep valuable historic items in the Finger Lakes instead of selling them off at auction. Recent court filings show the now-shuttered college in ... more

After nearly two years of uncertainty, the former Wells College campus has a potential buyer, according to The Citizen. The Hiawatha Institute for Indigenous Knowledge won acceptance of its $12.5 million offer to purchase the ... more

Wells College has agreed to sell its Aurora campus for $12.5 million to the Hiawatha Institute for Indigenous Knowledge, according to The Citizen. The deal includes campus buildings, dorm furniture, and library materials (excluding rare ... more

Gov. Kathy Hochul has signed a bill to help communities like Aurora recover after local colleges shut down, according to The Citizen. The new law allows the state to offer technical help with workforce planning, ... more

Several Finger Lakes communities are gaining national attention after a new feature highlighted 11 small towns across the region as some of the most peaceful places to live or visit in New York. The list ... more

The Aurora-Ledyard Fire District has approved a resolution to spend up to $125,000 from its capital reserve fund for a new ambulance. District officials said the purchase would replace their aging 2002 Wheeled Coach ambulance ... more

Wells College can move ahead with transferring its assets — including most of its $28 million endowment — after a judge denied Aurora’s last-ditch effort to intervene, according to The Citizen. Cayuga County Judge Thomas ... more

Wells College lost over $7.8 million in its final year before closing, according to new tax records reviewed by The Citizen. Expenses soared to nearly $38 million in 2023–24 while revenues stalled at $30 million ... more

The Inns of Aurora Resort & Spa just became the first Finger Lakes hotel to earn a Michelin Key, according to The Citizen. The luxury retreat was named a One Key hotel in Michelin’s new ... more

After more than a year of talks, Wells College has agreed to transfer ownership of its water treatment plant and nearby infrastructure to the village of Aurora, according to The Citizen. The $10 deal includes ... more

Wells College had been preparing for its shutdown since September 2023, months before its April 2024 closure announcement. According to The Citizen, court records show the college quietly explored contingency plans, including partnerships with other ... more

The Aurora Board of Trustees will meet Wednesday in the Firehouse Meeting Room, where officials are set to consider several key decisions, including a proposed increase in water and sewer rates. The agenda includes action ... more

A year after closing its doors, Wells College has solidified a legacy agreement with Hobart and William Smith Colleges, according to WSYR. The arrangement ensures key pieces of Wells’ history—including archives and the iconic Minerva ... more

A year after Wells College shut its doors, at least nine bids are now vying for its historic Aurora campus. Proposals range from a private boarding school to an indigenous studies institute, and even a ... more

A key alumni group will host a virtual forum Wednesday to discuss efforts to bring Wells College back to life. The Cleveland Commission for Wells College is inviting the public to a Zoom meeting on ... more