Syracuse

Childcare providers are struggling to stay open with limited revenue due to the COVID-19 crisis, on top of the added expense of creating socially-distanced facilities.  New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand is calling for a $50 billion investment in the industry.  

Despite some bipartisan calls for state and local governments to be a part of the next coronavirus stimulus package, it’s looking less and less likely that Senate Republicans are going to include them in their bill. Municipalities like Syracuse and Onondaga County have not received any direct federal aid during the pandemic, but they have lost significant amounts of revenue.

New rules from the State Thursday forbid bars and restaurants to sell alcohol without selling food. Specific guidance has yet to be issued, but Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon said he expects to see creative ways to keep business going in Central New York.

Schools out for the summer but, when and how will it return?  The State Education Department released a framework this week to provide districts with some guidance to work from.  They are weighing all virtual, face-to-face, and hybrid options.  

Central New York has progressed through the four phases designed by the state to restart the economy. But where do we go from here?

Numerous stakeholders have been watching closely over the past two years or so as Syracuse moved toward final adoption of a new lead paint ordinance. The measure approved Monday by Common Councilors means city code inspectors can cite the presence of lead paint as a violation. 

People under the age of 29 are quickly becoming a significant portion of new COVID-19 cases in Onondaga County. Summer is typically a season for graduation parties and other social gatherings for young people.

Central New York teens have the chance this summer to participate in a STEAM summer day camp that results in helping someone in need.  It’s called “Hand in Hand”, where students entering 7th through 12th grades will work in teams to design and fabricate prosthetic hands for local youth and seniors using 3-D printers. 

17-year-old Chariel Osorio passed away Thursday, a week after being shot at a party in downtown Syracuse. The Police Department has a few suspects, and believes it was a multiple-shooter, gang-related incident. Various social media posts suggest the organizers of the party told the police the gathering was a Black Live’s Matter rally.