Scott Willis
Host, Reporter, ProducerI’ve always been enamored with the intimacy of radio. It forces you to listen…and listen only. I grew up listening to mostly top 40 radio in Detroit, and eventually discovered the area’s all-news station. I loved knowing what was going on, and the intensity with which they told stories. I often wondered what it would be like to be the first to know what was happening, and then tell others. Maybe that’s why I pursued a career in news.
I would go on to serve as an intern at that all-news station, and it was amazing and maybe a little overwhelming to see what it took to put out a constant stream of news. But something was missing. It wasn’t until after I graduated from college that I actually discovered Detroit’s public radio station at my alma mater. What a difference! You had time to write and tell engaging, meaningful stories. That’s when I knew public radio was for me.
I would hone my skills on and off for almost three years at WDET, producing daily stories for newscasts. I was also given the privilege of producing long-form features on topics that interested me, and that people knew very little about. Now THAT was cool. What budding reporter could ask for more?
I landed here in Syracuse in June 2001. Today, I’ve come full circle, and now teach the craft to dozens of student reporters every year. We work hard to choose informative stories, find the most engaging sound, and edit copy for clarity and accuracy.
Outside of work, I spend time with my wife and little boy. We like to take walks, travel, and read. When I can, I’ll hop on my bike for a quick ride.
I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the honor and privilege of bringing the day’s news and in-depth feature reporting to WAER’s dedicated and generous listeners. Thanks for listening
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The state Department of Transportation is out with its latest plan to replace the I-81 viaduct in Syracuse, and it reaffirms their commitment to a community grid. The draft environmental impact statement, or DEIS, includes some changes from the preliminary draft introduced a little over two years ago. -
Elected officials and community members in Syracuse are pushing back hard against a so-called Skybridge proposal by some suburban leaders who claim the viaduct replacement would complement the community grid.
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Years of collective effort at the institutional and governmental levels right down to individual farmers and residents have resulted in the creation of the first comprehensive food system plan in the region. It’s called FoodPlan CNY, and it aims to coordinate and connect all parts of the system, from the farmers to the distributors to the retailers and finally to the consumers.
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Senator Kirsten Gillibrand is working with bi-partisan group of senators on legislation that empowers survivors of workplace sexual assault and harassment. She says employment contracts often include forced arbitration clauses, which are frequently buried in the fine print of employment agreements and even everyday digital click-through agreements.
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Onondaga County is trying to capitalize on its growing film and entertainment industry by using $5 million in federal COVID relief funds to incentivize more productions to take place here. The program would offer rebates on local spending during pre-, principal, and post production for film, television, and large commercial advertising campaigns.
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The first eight members of Syracuse’s independent redistricting commission are preparing to take the next step in the citizen-led process to re-draw council district lines.
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Programs aimed at Syracuse youth were among the first to be approved Monday using a portion of $123 million in federal pandemic relief funds. Common councilors agreed to spend a total of $1.3 million dollars to fund the Summer Youth Fellows program through 2023.
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A Rochester-based travel agent and future astronaut with Virgin Galactic will be among those on the flight line Sunday in New Mexico for Virgin’s Unity 22 mission.
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The City of Syracuse is once again declaring common areas of the Skyline apartment building unfit for human occupancy after mayor Ben Walsh paid a visit Thursday.
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The ransomware attacks and cyber threats that big corporations and government entities are fighting are also a threat to Central New York government and local businesses. Congress member John Katko is ranking member on the House Committee on Homeland Security. He brought cyber-security experts from Washington to raise awareness of that threat, and met with local leaders at a roundtable discussion.
