News

By Chris Ulanowski

Syracuse, NY –
The Space Shuttle Columbia blasted off into Space Thursday carrying a science experiment developed by students at Syracuse's Fowler High School. The project is aimed at determining the effect of zero-gravity on the behavior of ants.
Syracuse University's L-C Smith College of Engineering and Computer Science is assisting the Fowler students. Associate Dean Eric Spina explained the significance of the project to WRVO's Chris Ulanowski.

By Allessandra Messore

Oswego, N.Y. – Central New York is experiencing what some forecasters predict will be the area's most bitter-cold weather in several years.
As the cold continues to sweep down from Canada, weather experts advise residents to keep warm and try to avoid lake effect snow.
WRVO's Allessandra Messore tells how residents cope with the weather and what advice they have to offer.

By E.Christensen

Utica, NY – The Utica School Board will consider hiring an outside consultant to help cut costs.

School Board President D.Victor Pellegrino says the financial advocate would help the district restore it's credit rating. In November, Moody's Investor Services warned the Utica school district that it was facing junk bond status.

Superintendent Daniel Lowengard says the district is cutting costs daily. He says the only solution to the schools fiscal problems is more state aid.

By Elizabeth Christensen

Syracuse, NY – The Pyramid comapnies says small businesses will get the same opportunities as big chains when it comes to locating in or working on the Destiny USA mega-mall project.

Pyramid Executive Mike Lorenz says the company is working with small businesses on a daily basis. He says Pyramid may partner with the Syracuse Chamber of Commerce to hold a series of workshops for small businesses who want to be involved in the Destiny USA project.

By Elizabeth Christensen

Albany, NY – A number of lobbying groups are concerned that new security measures at the Capitol will hinder them from meeting with legislators.

One group, Housing Works, says it may sue the state if the new metal detectors and personal searches prevent them from scheduled meetings with lawmakers.

Housing Works represents people with HIV and AIDS.

The Pataki administration says foot traffic should flow quickly through the security checkpoints and that privacy and free speech rights won't be compromised.

By Elizabeth Christensen

Utica, NY – The State Comptroller's Office will soon perform an audit of the Utica School District.

The audit comes after Moody's Investor Service warned the district that it was nearing junk bond status.

The district has long struggled financially. It has diminishing budget reserve, maxed-out debt, and is now facing a likely cut in state aid.

The school district will end the fiscal year with a deficit.

By Elizabeth Christensen

Mattydale, NY – 95 Marine reservists from Central New York are now on active duty.

Company B of the 8th Tank Battalion will head to Camp Lejeune, North Carolina tomorrow. They will then head overseas.

They'll be supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

The reservists were in the midst of a tank drill this weekend when they were notified.

They were also given a preliminary shot of anthrax vaccine while at the base in Mattydale.

By Chris Ulanowski

Oswego, NY – With the new legislative session getting underway today, New York's budget crisis may be foremost on the minds of state lawmakers. But there's plenty of unfinished business from last year that the Legislature and Governor Pataki have to address. Among them is the reauthorization of a law makes it easier for developers to build new power generating plants.

By Chris Ulanowski

Syracuse, NY – Central New York Congressman Jim Walsh will remain in a powerful position in the 108th Congress which reconvenes today. In this interview with WRVO's Chris Ulanowski, the seven-term house member talked about his priorities in the new Congress.

By Chris Ulanowski

Syracuse, NY – Central New York Congressman Jim Walsh will remain in a powerful position in the 108th Congress which reconvenes today. In this interview with WRVO's Chris Ulanowski, the seven-term house member talked about his priorities in the new Congress.

By Amy Cavalier

Fulton – Fewer people are entering the field of nursing...making it difficult for hospitals to fill nursing positions. Cayuga Community College is helping to address the problem by expanding its nursing program.

WRVO's Amy Cavalier has this report:

By update

update – update update update

By Chris Ulanowski

Syracuse, NY – Central New York Congressman Jim Walsh will remain in a powerful position in the 108th Congress which reconvenes today. In this interview with WRVO's Chris Ulanowski, the seven-term house member talked about his priorities in the new Congress.

By Chris Ulanowski

Syracuse, NY – There are still two unresolved issues related to the Destiny USA project.

Chris Ulanowski has the story.

CLICK ON THE ICON ABOVE TO HEAR THE FULL REPORT IN REAL AUDIO.

By E.Christensen

New York State – Thousands of miles of snowmobile trails were closed this weekend despite an overabundance of snow.

Snowmobile clubs had to purchase insurance for their trails from a new provider this year. Recently, it was discovered that the policies have an exclusion clause that declines to cover snowmobile accidents.

That's forced the clubs to close trails.

State Insurance Department officials plant to meet with the snowmobile clubs and the Northfield Insurance Company today to try to resolve the dispute.

By Amy Cavalier

WRVO – The effects of a weak holiday shopping season will be felt well into the new year.

WRVO's Amy Cavalier has this report.

By Amy Cavalier

WRVO – Upstate New York Congressman John Mchugh says making military service mandatory is not a new idea and isn't apt to happen anytime soon.

Mchugh says doesn't see a need for changing the current method of military recruitment.

As it stands now, he says, all males having reached the age of 18 must sign up for the draft.

Mchugh says Congress has not recieved any details of the proposal from Congressman Rangel yet.

By Amy Cavalier

WRVO – A more stringent D-W-I law recently passed by the State Legislature and signed by Governor Pataki is just the first step in the fight against drunk driving according to Mother's Against Drunk Driving.

WRVO's Amy Cavalier reports:

By Elizabeth Christensen

Syracuse, NY – Syracuse police arrested a man attempting to carry a loaded handgun onto a plane at Hancock Aiport on Christmas day.

They are not releasing the man's name or what charges he may face.

Federal authorities will say that he is not a known or suspected terrorist.

Airport screeners found a .45 caliber weapon in the man's carry on bag early in the morning as he tried to board an American Airlines flight to Chicago's O'Hare International Airport.

By Elizabeth Christensen

Albany. NY – A new program aims to keep skilled nursing directors at the state's long term care facilities.

Directors of Nursing from seventeen nursing homes have graduated from the Nursing Leadership Program.

Nancy Levelle, a spokeswoman for the New York State Health Facilities Association, says directors of nursing tend to have a high turnover rate. They will generally work nine to eleven months and then move on.

By Elizabeth Christensen

Albany, NY – Respondents to a Siena College poll say they want to get more exercise in 2003.

It is the top New Year's resolution New Yorkers are making according to the survey.

The poll was conducted last month with random phone calls to over 400 capitol region residents.

It found that only a fifth of those polled made resolutions. Less than 60% of those kept the resolutions they made.

The Siena College Top Five Resolutions for 2003:

1. Exercise more

2. Lose weight/diet

By Elizabeth Christensen

New York State – The long-anticipated Women's Health Care Act becomes law. Insurers will be forced to cover mammograms, osteoporosis exams, and doctor-prescribed oral contraceptives. Regligious entities will be exempt from the contraceptive requirement.

Another law will increase the standard deduction for married couples who don't itemize deducations.

One measure raises the college tuition take credit by 25%.

By Amy Cavalier

Albany, NY – Governor George Pataki is appealing to past contributors to help him wipe out a debt of $305 thousand.

The money was spent during his 2002 race for governor.

The race was the most expensive non-presidnetial campaign in American history, due in large part of massive spending by independent billionaire Thomas Golisano.

Pataki spent more than $44 million on his campaign. He's asking "Friends of Pataki" to help him pay off his debts.

He must pay off that debt by the end of the month.

By Elizabeth Christensen

Central New York – Upstate New York is way ahead of last year when it comes to cumulative snow totals.

The National Weather service is reporting high snow totals all across the state thanks in part to Wednesday's high snow totals in Eastern New York and the Mohawk Valley.

Most areas experienced their first snowfall on November first. Since then, weather conditions have resulted in higher snow totals.

Here are the snow totals for the three major upstate cities:

Syracuse = 56"

Albany = 46"

By Elizabeth Christensen

Albany, NY – The state's Retail Council says this year's holiday sales appear to equal last season.

Senior Vice President for the Retail Council, Ted Potrikus, says stores cutting prices at the last minute did encourage some last minute shoppers.

Potrikus says the overall shopping season cannot be called successful.

Some retailers are facing a serious deficit.

By Elizabeth Christensen

Albany, NY – A health care company has launched a new web tool that allows consumers to research hospitals in their area.

The Excellus website now offers a database where consumers can find out the number of procedures a hospital does, the number of successful surgeries, and surveys of patient satisfaction.

By Elizabeth Christensen

Albany, NY – "Seans Law" takes effect today.

The legislation shortens the time it takes to get teenage drunk drivers off the road.

Previously, judges could not suspend the license of a driver under the age of 18 until all court proceedings were complete.

"Sean's Law" will allow judges to immediately suspend the junior licenses of driver who have been charged with DWI.

By Chris Ulanowski

Oswego, NY –
Environemental Activists in New York have an answer to help alleviate the state's fiscal crisis -- Expand the the state's 20-year old Bottle Bill. WRVO's Chris Ulanowski has the story.

By Elizabeth Christensen

Albany, NY – The State Univeristy of New York Trustees have decided to delay releasing their budget proposal until February.

That has some critics wondering if tuition will rise in the new year.

CLICK on the icon above to hear Elizabeth Christensen's full report.

By Amy Cavalier

Syracuse – The Syracuse Peace Council is helping Syracuse-area youth speak out against a possible war in Iraq.

"Youth Empowerment for Peace", a group of eighteen Syracuse youth from four high schools, sponsored an educational program last night titled, "Behind the war; What youth need to know".

Andy Mager, co-coordinator of the Peace Council says young people have a role in addressing issues of war and peace and will feel the effects of a war in Iraq.