Tom Magnarelli

Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul was in Syracuse Monday pushing gun safety legislation meant to address school shootings. The bill, which would prevent individuals from buying or possessing guns who are believed to be a severe threat to themselves or others, is still tied up in the state legislature.

The city of Syracuse could take the first steps toward building a municipal fiber network this summer. The project would provide high speed bandwidth at an affordable price for the city, but could also benefit the community. 

The Syracuse Police Department is going from 16 to 100 body cameras for its uniformed officers. But some of the policies related to body cameras remain unclear.

Questions still remain regarding a proposed law in Syracuse that would make it illegal to tether a dog outside in high heat or freezing temperatures for two hours without proper shelter. Wednesday’s public meeting on Adrian’s Law raised concerns from some Syracuse common councilors and dog owners.

Officer Rebecca Cosgrave, the animal cruelty investigator for the Syracuse Police Department, said she responds to hundreds of calls every year of dogs outside in extreme hot or cold weather, which can result in heat exhaustion or frostbite.  

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation is expected to soon release its management plans to combat harmful algal blooms in 12 lakes, some in central and northern New York. The Great Lakes Research Consortium is also commissioning five projects to address the outbreaks and other environmental issues.

Greg Boyer is a SUNY Environmental Science and Forestry professor and the director of the consortium.

Utica-area Democratic Assemblyman Anthony Brindisi, who is also running for Congress, is calling on the U.S. Senate to stop a potential cut to the Department of Defense that could affect civilian jobs in Rome. A 25 percent cut to civilian resources was included in the House’s National Defense Authorization Act that passed last week.

There are 960 employees at Rome Defense Finance and Accounting Services, which pays the Army’s bills. Ed Abounader, the president of the union representing those employees said cuts could mean losing jobs.

Not since 1984 has Syracuse missed its annual Jazz Festival, but it was announced last week the event will not take place this year. The festival’s organizer said he needs to develop a more long-term, sustainable financial model to keep the festival going for years to come.

A new $62 million Exposition Center at the New York State Fairgrounds is on schedule to be completed and open in time for this year’s fair. The expo center could help the fair recruit larger shows to the region.

Last week, demonstrators in Syracuse marked the 70th anniversary of the Nakba, or “catastrophe” in Arabic, which refers to the migration of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians during the independence of Israel. The Syracuse rally was held the day after the U.S. moved its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, and 60 Palestinians were killed by Israeli forces at the Gaza border.

Ashley Bohrer, a member of the Syracuse chapter of Jewish Voice for Peace, said President Donald Trump’s decision to move the embassy was horrifying.

Disciplinary hearings were held last week for 15 students involved in a racist and sexist fraternity video at Syracuse University. An SU professor advising three of those students at the hearings said it was not an open and fair process.

Syracuse University is investing $118 million dollars in renovations to the Carrier Dome as part of SU’s 20-year Campus Framework plan of projects. The renovations include a new roof for the dome, which will change what has been an iconic part of the Syracuse skyline for the past several decades.

The village of Cazenovia is considering regulating short-term online rentals like Airbnb, after complaints from residents pressured the village board to do something. The board is trying to find a balance between bringing in outside visitors and protecting the quality of neighborhoods.

Syracuse’s new corporation counsel said she is looking forward to the creation of a Municipal Violations Bureau to lighten the law department’s workload. The new bureau would be responsible for taking on less serious cases of code enforcement.

Syracuse Corporation Counsel Kristen Smith said the bureau would consist of administrative law judges who could review violations and issue fines. 

A public market and food hall is being planned in downtown Syracuse by the Allyn Family Foundation, which was associated with the medical device manufacturer Welch Allyn.  The new building is supposed to fit into the foundation's mission of community development.

Meg O’Connell, the executive director of the foundation, said the idea of a downtown public market has been floating around for years, but it has been difficult to get one organization to take the lead. 

Syracuse Schools Superintendent Jaime Alicea said the district has made significant progress in the last four years, while they have been complying with an agreement known as the Assurance of Discontinuance with the state attorney general’s office. The agreement is in its last year and was originally put in place because the district had one of the highest suspension rates in the country.

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) is pushing for legislation that would provide more access to funding for employee-owned businesses. Gillibrand said there is an urgency to create more opportunities for retiring baby boomer business owners.

The New York State Department of Labor is holding hearings across the state to gather input on Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s proposal to eliminate minimum wage tip credits. Many restaurant workers who attended a hearing in Syracuse said they are against the plan.