Chris Bolt
Senior Reporter/Professional in ResidenceChris Bolt, Ed.D. has proudly been covering the Central New York community and mentoring students for more than 30 years. His career in public media started as a student volunteer, then as a reporter/producer. Dedicated to keeping local news coverage alive, Chris also has a passion for education, having trained, mentored and provided a platform for growth to more than a thousand students. Career highlights include having work appear on NPR, CBS, ABC and other news networks, winning numerous local and state journalism awards. Recent reporting has focused on health and medicine, environment, elderly, substance abuse and culture reporting.
Chris has a doctor of education in executive leadership from St. John Fisher College and a master’s in broadcast journalism from the Newhouse School.
In addition to coverage of our community, equally satisfying has been the success of so many WAER alumni, students who have won and succeeded in jobs in news, sports and elsewhere in media, many of whom won awards at local, state and national levels as students. He has also taught classes at Newhouse and at OCC. Chris also enjoys connecting WAER with the community through moderating debates, facilitating and hosting public meetings, giving media training workshops and other events.
Chris and his wife Anne live in downtown Syracuse. They have two grown sons, Carter and Donovan, who both remain in the area. Their family enjoys all things Upstate New York, including myriad outdoor activities in the Adirondacks, Finger Lakes, music and other cultural events, and just about anything on a trail or on the water.
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The Syracuse Common Council approved a city budget that relies slightly less on reserves, trims spending in some areas, but invest more into parks and housing. Mayor Sharon Owens praised the agreement. -
New York State has one of the strongest climate protection laws in the country, the CLCPA. But emissions reduction targets & renewable energy goals are being weakened amid budget concerns. -
A report from the Urban Jobs Task Force finds contractors working on I-81 projects hired 14.9% local workers, with a goal of 15%. Supporters hailed results as helping the local community. -
The ongoing war and general unrest in the Middle East are pushing prices dramatically higher. -
Senator Kirsten Gillibrand visited the IBEW training center in Clay, touting the Faster Labor Contracts Act to require businesses to enter into collective bargaining in 2 weeks of union certification. -
The new stations are part of a state program that helps reduce the costs of purchasing and installing EV chargers. Placement in neighborhoods intended to help EV growth in disadvantaged communities. -
A paving and repair project for Interstate 81 from the north side of Syracuse through Mattydale will cause lane closures and detours. Syracuse Regional Airport Authority officials say plan ahead. -
Greater Syracuse Association of Realtors President Dave Manzano says it remains a sellers' market for local home listings. Buyers face fewer options, bidding wars, competition with cash shoppers. -
Dr. Anthony Adornato, Chair of Broadcast & Digital Journalism at the Newhouse School went to Kosovo on a Fullbright program to train reporters on multi-platform journalism. -
Donald Bender, 61 of Mattydale, was charged with felony criminal sex act for alleged abuse of a 16-year-old. Onondaga Count Sheriff’s investigators seek public help to identify further victims.
