Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

WAER News Round up: July 11-15

A graphic of a notebook paper listing top stories for the week of July 11-15, 2022: dry summer weather; inflation hurting nonprofits; COVID booster rates; abortion providers fund, and; developing Inner Harbor.
WAER News
/
WAER
A graphic of a notebook paper listing top stories for the week of July 11-15, 2022: dry summer weather; inflation hurting nonprofits; COVID booster rates; abortion providers fund, and; developing Inner Harbor.

This week the region was struck by a rapid storm that downed trees and left many without power, but the summer overall has been more dry than usual, leaving some farms to worry about their crops. But the later months of this season may bring wetter weather. Meanwhile, the record-pace of rising inflation has left some local organizations struggling to hire employees even more so than before, and human services agencies are particularly feeling the challenge. Plus, low COVID vaccine booster rates have medical experts concerned about the latest variants.

1. Storm sweeps through region but Central New York farms are still struggling with a rainfall shortage

A barn at Delaney Farms, July 13, 2022.
Emma Murphy
/
WAER
A barn at Delaney Farms, July 13, 2022.

A sudden and severe storm hit the region this week, but Onondaga County urban and rural farms are still facing a dry summer season.

2. This year's mild summer conditions may soon change in Central New York

A U.S. drought map for the week of July 11, 2022 shows Western New York and the state's Capital Region are abnormally dry, as indicated in yellow.
NOAA
/
https://www.drought.gov/states/new-york/county/Onondaga
A U.S. drought map for the week of July 11, 2022 shows Western New York and the state's Capital Region are abnormally dry, as indicated in yellow.

There's a weather shift on the horizon.

3. CNY Human service agencies struggling to hire, and inflation is making it worse

Children play classroom in the Salvation Army's daycare facility.
Scott Willis
/
WAER News
Children play classroom in the Salvation Army's daycare facility.

The increasing consumer prices are making it more difficult for Central New York nonprofit human service agencies to meet their missions.

4. How are CNY's human service agencies trying to overcome the labor shortage?

The CYO building on N. Salina St. operated by Catholic Charities provides a wide array of services for refugees and New Americans.
Scott Willis
/
WAER News
The CYO building on N. Salina St. operated by Catholic Charities provides a wide array of services for refugees and New Americans.

The labor shortage and record-breaking inflation are forcing Central new York’s non-profit human service agencies to be more proactive in order to recruit and retain employees.

5. Experts say low booster rates are concerning as BA.4 and BA.5 variants spread in Central New York

A sign for Upstate Medical University.
Courtesy David Sonnenfeld
/
Wikimedia Commons
A sign for Upstate Medical University.

Onondaga County are concerned about booster rates due to the Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants are quickly becoming the country’s dominant strain, even Central New York.

6. New York distributes first round of Abortion Provider Support Fund grants

Kevin P. Coughlin/� 2022 Kevin P. Coughlin / State
/
� 2022 Kevin P. Coughlin / State

Nine clinics within the network of the Planned Parenthood of Central and Western New York were among those receiving the first grants from the state’s Abortion Providers Support Fund.

7. Syracuse councilors want to zero in on what development is feasible at Inner Harbor

Syracuse Inner Harbor Lake view with some construction on the right.
Syrgov.Net
Syracuse Inner Harbor Lake view with some construction on the right.

Officials with the city of Syracuse wanted to draw up more specific development plans for the Inner Harbor and lakefront areas, and they approved $200,000 for an agreement with the New York State Local Waterfront Revitalization program.

Yoki Tang was raised in a big city of China called Shanghai. He speaks Mandarin, Korean and English. His majors are Broadcast Digital Journalism and Selective Study In Education and would be graduated in May 2023. The desire to get the facts right and the quest for accurate facts made Yoki want to study broadcast and journalism in the first place.