Stay up-to-date on the companies, people and issues that impact businesses in Syracuse, Central New York and beyond.

State awards grants to farmers’ market organizations
The state Farmers’ Market resiliency Grant Program has awarded $700,000 to 11 farmers’ market organizations across the state, including groups in St. Lawrence, Broome, and Onondaga counties, with funding included in the 2023 fiscal-year enacted state budget. “One of the biggest lessons that we learned from the fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic was the importance […]

Empire Center fellow says “climate of confusion surrounds CLCPA”
ALBANY, N.Y. — Almost four years after the New York State Legislature passed the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA), most New York residents don’t know much about the environmental law, according to a recent Siena College poll and an analysis by a thinktank fellow. Empire Center for Public Policy, Inc. fellow James Hanley

Juul Labs to pay some New York school districts, BOCES $3.6 million in vaping-marketing settlement
DeWITT, N.Y. — Juul Labs Inc. will pay 143 school districts and BOCES in New York State more than $3.6 million to settle their claims

March 8 public meeting set to discuss West Chestnut Street corridor in Rome
ROME, N.Y. — The Oneida County Department of Planning is seeking public input on the West Chestnut Street corridor at a Wednesday, March 8 meeting

In Syracuse stop, Schumer outlines railway-safety measure after Ohio train derailment
SYRACUSE, N.Y. — U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D–N.Y.) on Monday launched a two-part plan to get railroads to “increase transparency” and boost rail

SRAA transitions to new airport police department at Syracuse airport
SYRACUSE, N.Y. — The Syracuse Regional Airport Authority (SRAA) has announced the completed transition of law-enforcement duties at Syracuse Hancock International Airport (SYR) to

Applications for new Lewis County vacant-property program due in April
LOWVILLE, N.Y. — Applications for the first round of Lewis County’s new vacant-property revitalization program are due in early April. Lewis County business developers say the newly launched initiative is a one-time grant program that seeks to provide “support, resources, and connections” for proposed projects. Naturally Lewis, in partnership with Lewis County, is targeting vacant

NYS Labor Department finalizes farm-worker OT regulations
ALBANY, N.Y. — New York State will start lowering the overtime pay threshold for farm workers next Jan. 1, reducing it to 56 hours from the current 60. The process will continue with the overtime threshold limit going down by four hours every other year until reaching 40 hours in 2032. That’s when farm workers

Auburn Community Hospital awarded $10 million in federal funding for COVID-19 costs
AUBURN, N.Y. — Auburn Community Hospital (ACH) will use a federal award of more than $10 million to cover costs associated with the hospital’s COVID-19

Oneida County names Kaleta director of economic development
UTICA, N.Y. — Oneida County has appointed Shaun Kaleta as the county’s new director of economic development. Kaleta started in his new role on Feb.
Stay up-to-date on the companies, people and issues that impact businesses in Syracuse, Central New York and beyond.