Syracuse

Syracuse agency hopes change in rules means more business for regional contractors

Ellen Abbott — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 12:07:03 +0000

Local contractors and suppliers will get a boost from a new policy in the city of Syracuse.

The Syracuse Industrial Development Agency has adopted new rules when it comes to developers who are supported by the agency. They have to buy local, so to speak, says SIDA executive director Ben Walsh.

Syracuse begs Sunoco to allow the sale of three vacant gas stations

Ryan Delaney — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 20:34:02 +0000

Syracuse officials are accusing the ownership of three vacant gas stations at a southern entrance to the city of blocking the properties' sale in the name of competition.

On Monday, Syracuse Mayor Stephanie Miner brought in Sen. Charles Schumer to call on Sunoco to allow the sale and redevelopment of the stations near the intersection of Seneca Turnpike and East Brighton Ave.

One of the properties has been vacant more than 15 years.

Westside neighborhood looks for comeback

Ellen Abbott — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 19:31:00 +0000

A neighborhood in Syracuse's Westside is trying to make a comeback. One of the first steps is constructing three new homes that are replacing burned out apartment buildings that had been owned by absentee landlords.

Park Avenue is situated a block away from West Genesee Street on the city's west side. The three new homes in the 800 block are across the street from a city park and Frazer Middle School is down the street. First time home buyer Jean Claude Ndizeye and his family of five have been dreaming of this day for a while.

Syracuse & Onondaga County combine planning offices

Ellen Abbott — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 10:40:00 +0000

Onondaga County lawmakers have taken the first step towards creating a new joint city of Syracuse-county planning agency. Current city and county offices that both have planning duties will be combined into one.

Legislator Kathleen Rapp says the consolidation of the two planning departments will streamline the current planning process, easing the regulatory burden for businesses that deal with zoning issues.

Will the GOP have a candidate for Syracuse mayor?

Ellen Abbott — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 21:01:07 +0000

While a Democratic primary in the race for mayor of Syracuse features a full field, Republicans in the city have yet to come up with a candidate. So they're buying themselves a little more time to find someone to run against the winner of the Democratic primary.

Well-known republicans like State Senator John DeFransisco and Onondaga County Legislature Chairman Ryan McMahon have turned down requests to run, retired firefighter Tom Sexton is considering it, and Onondaga County Republican Party Chairman Tom Dadey says he continues talking to prospective candidates, whose names he says he is not at liberty to share at this time.

Maffei wants more creative options for I-81's future in Syracuse

Ryan Delaney — Fri, 31 May 2013 09:54:00 +0000

Syracuse-area Rep. Dan Maffei has weighed in on the future of Interstate 81 through the city’s downtown. The Democrat, from suburban DeWitt, is calling for more creative options than the ones currently on the table.

Computer programs help refugees resettle

Ellen Abbott — Wed, 29 May 2013 13:13:44 +0000

A new community resource room, filled with 18 computers, is up and running as part of Catholic Charities Refugee Resettlement program in Syracuse. Much of it involves literacy, key for refugees as they take steps to become a citizens of the United State.

Arnie Poltenson from Manlius is helping teach English to a refugee with limited knowledge of the English language, who has come to the new community resource room at the Catholic Youth Organization building on Syracuse's Northside.

Centralized information might help newly arrived refugees

Ellen Abbott — Tue, 28 May 2013 09:51:00 +0000

A new study finds that agencies in central New York do a good job of taking care of the 700-800 refugees who come to Syracuse every year. One community group is suggesting creating a one-stop shop for these newly-arrived residents.

Looking for healthy food choices at farmers markets

WRVO News — Fri, 24 May 2013 09:42:00 +0000

As more and more people become interested in trying to eat locally produced foods, New York state's farmers markets are also becoming more popular. But how can you make sure what you buy at the farmers market is really healthier than what you might get at the supermarket? Linda Lowen and Lorraine Rapp, hosts of WRVO's health and wellness show "Take Care" asked Ben Vitale, who oversees the Central New York Regional Market Authority, a year-round farmers market in Syracuse. Vitale is also a farmer himself.

Options narrow, opinions widen on I-81's future through Syracuse

Ryan Delaney — Wed, 22 May 2013 11:42:52 +0000

Transportation planners have narrowed the future of Interstate 81’s path through downtown Syracuse down to two likely options: rebuild, or re-route.

Proposed line would move natural gas from Binghamton to Syracuse

Ryan Delaney — Tue, 21 May 2013 10:24:00 +0000

An energy company is looking into building a natural gas pipeline from near Binghamton to the Syracuse area. Millennium Pipeline Company is currently soliciting feedback from natural gas suppliers about their proposal to connect three supply lines running east-west across upstate New York, with a north-south line.

Cuomo details local government bailout plan

Karen Dewitt — Wed, 15 May 2013 12:55:21 +0000

Gov. Andrew Cuomo outlined his proposal for a new local government restructuring board to help financially distressed communities deal with long term budget problems.

City plans to take over Hotel Syracuse on hold for now

Ellen Abbott — Mon, 13 May 2013 13:41:58 +0000

For the second time in less than two years, back taxes have been paid on the Hotel Syracuse, effectively scuttling plans for the city of Syracuse to take control of the property, and sell it to a developer. So, city officials are now looking at a "Plan B."

Assertive attitude key to dealing with bullies

Ellen Abbott — Fri, 03 May 2013 18:17:15 +0000

Educators and parents can always use advice on how to deal with bullies. A conference on bullying in Syracuse this week brought in a national expert on the issue, Barb Colorosa, who offered some clear strategies on how to identify bullying, as well as how to deal with it.

New arts festival coming to Syracuse

Ryan Delaney — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 19:13:00 +0000

Artists in central New York will try to bring their craft to the masses during a new art festival and conference slated for late September.

Homeowners push for student zoning to fight rental properties

Ryan Delaney — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 10:29:00 +0000

The Southeast University Neighborhood Association has been fighting back against an invasion for decades.

Proposed Syracuse budget includes cuts, consolidations

Ellen Abbott — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 10:09:00 +0000

Syracuse Mayor Stephanie Miner's proposed election year budget includes no increases in taxes or fees; there are also no proposed layoffs. But despite spending cuts and consolidations, the city's fund balance takes a big hit, in order to fill a multi-million dollar budget hole.

Upstate economic group calls for constant reinvention

Ryan Delaney — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 20:23:07 +0000

Upstate New York's economy will need to be in a near-constant state of reinvention if it wants to survive in the current environment, according to CenterState CEO, an economic booster organization based in Syracuse.

Local and state groups work to end sex trafficking

Ellen Abbott — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 14:08:00 +0000

It may sound like the stuff of Hollywood, but the sex trafficking trade is alive and well in the United States, and that includes central New York. Forcing young women and men into a life of prostitution is a very lucrative business, but there is a move afoot to end it in New York state.

Destiny USA and Syracuse reach deal to avoid legal battles

Ryan Delaney — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 20:29:55 +0000

For the first time in Bill Ryan's 10 years of public service, Syracuse and the owner of the Destiny USA mega-sized shopping mall are not facing legal action. Ryan is a former common councilor and now chief of staff for the mayor and chairman of Syracuse Industrial Development Agency (SIDA), the city's development arm.

Syracuse council approves "booting," wants more fiscal input

Ryan Delaney — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 20:40:52 +0000

Syracuse will begin going after the roughly 19,000 drivers with multiple unpaid parking tickets in a few months thanks to a new deal to ramp up "booting."

Demand for community gardens growing

Ellen Abbott — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 13:01:11 +0000

The organization that supports community gardens in the city of Syracuse is growing, particularly in the city's immigrant community. Syracuse Grows is going into it's sixth year with an eye on the Northside.

Participants in gun violence discussion say families are key to prevention

Ellen Abbott — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 13:17:32 +0000

There are no simple answers to ways to end the gun violence that plagues the city of Syracuse. But a discussion called, "Stop the Violence" at the Landmark Theatre last night, looked at the root causes of violent behavior among youth, and how that can lead to answers.

Syracuse council will rework "Ban the Box" legislation

Ryan Delaney — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 20:20:44 +0000

The Syracuse Common Council has temporarily pulled the "Ban the Box" legislation in order to conduct more public outreach and rework the legislation.

Area groups team up to push for immigration reform

Ellen Abbott — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 13:21:14 +0000

Several local community organizations have joined forces to create the Central New York Coalition for Immigration Reform. This group will push a comprehensive immigration reform agenda, with an emphasis towards towards family unity, an improved visa system, and a path to eventual citizenship for undocumented immigrants living in this country now. It's the only hope one undocumented immigrant who lives in Syracuse has of staying in this country.

Matt Driscoll on the Campbell Conversations

Grant Reeher — Sun, 10 Mar 2013 22:30:00 +0000

Matt Driscoll was mayor of Syracuse from 2001 to 2009. Since then, he's been the President of a state public authority, and most recently a member of Governor Cuomo's cabinet. In this edition of the Campbell Conversations, he discusses the environmental issues he became known for as mayor, economic development, and the current Syracuse mayor's disagreement with the governor over public pensions.

Syracuse's council accused of delaying Comprehensive Plan

Ryan Delaney — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 20:12:59 +0000

Syracuse's Director of Planning and Sustainability Andrew Maxwell accused the Syracuse Common Council Monday of "moving the goalposts" on enacting the city's 2040 Comprehensive Plan, which would be a guide to future zoning and land-use policies in the city.

Carl Schramm writes in Forbes: Syracuse has "economic amnesia"

Ryan Delaney — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 21:19:17 +0000

In an essay in Forbes Magazine, entrepreneurship expert and Syracuse native Carl Schramm knocks his hometown for forgetting its innovative roots and potentially dooming its future.

10 years after his arrest, supporters of Dr.Rafil Dhafir try to bring attention to his case

Ellen Abbott — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 22:40:00 +0000

It's been ten years since Syracuse-area oncologist Dr. Rafil Dhafir was arrested for crimes involving the Muslim charity Help the Needy. Dhafir continues to serve a 22-year prison sentence after he was convicted of violating U.S. sanctions against his native Iraq by sending money there. In 2005, a federal jury convicted him of 59 felonies, including fraud and tax evasion, among other things. But Dhafir's conviction and incarceration still has some central New Yorker's crying foul.

DiNapoli says Syracuse's finances suffer from "systemic problems"

Ryan Delaney — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 14:02:18 +0000

New York State's financial overseer is warning Syracuse's finances face "systemic problems."