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

Businesses can apply for mini grants in Southeast Gateway Initiative
SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Interested businesses and property owners have until Nov. 19 to apply for mini grants through CenterState CEO’s Southeast Gateway Initiative. The organization will invest $15,000 in small business real-estate development and property-improvement projects, per its news release. CenterState CEO will award three $5,000 grants to small business and/or mixed-use property owners to […]

$15 minimum wage phase-in continues as labor shortages drive up wages
New York’s $15 minimum wage phase-in will continue with the next stage taking effect on Dec. 31 of this year. The announcement follows a required report by the state Division of the Budget that found “evidence of pressure for wages to rise in the midst of a pandemic-driven labor shortage,” the New York State Department

Oneida County hotel occupancy jumps 24 percent in September
UTICA, N.Y. — Oneida County’s hotels generated another rebound in guests in September compared to a year prior as the recovery from the pandemic’s punishing

SU’s IVMF selected for federal program to help underserved, veteran-owned businesses
SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Syracuse University’s (SU) Institute for Veterans & Military Families (IVMF) will use a $5 million federal award to serve as a community-navigator

Hochul nominates Knight as new director of Empire State Development
ALBANY, N.Y. — Gov. Kathy Hochul announced she is nominating Hope Knight as the next president and CEO of Empire State Development (ESD) and as
Onondaga County hotel occupancy jumps more than 39 percent
SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Onondaga County hotels again saw a substantial rise in guests in September compared to a year ago as the hospitality industry continued to rebound from the pandemic, according to a recent report. The hotel-occupancy rate (rooms sold as a percentage of rooms available) in the county jumped 39.3 percent to 60.6 percent
New York milk production rises nearly 2 percent
New York dairy farms produced nearly 1.27 billion pounds of milk in September, up almost 1.8 percent from more than 1.24 billion pounds in the year-prior month, the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) recently reported. Milk production per cow in the state averaged 2,015 pounds in September, up 1.5 percent from 1,985 pounds in
New York egg production dips more than 1 percent
New York farms produced 144.2 million eggs in September, down 1.1 percent from 145.8 million eggs in the year-prior period, the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) recently reported. The number of layers in the Empire State averaged 5.71 million in September, a decline of 1.2 percent from nearly 5.78 million in the same month
New York home sales slip nearly 5 percent in September
The drop ends a streak of 12 straight monthly gains ALBANY — New York realtors sold 13,274 previously owned homes in September, down 4.6 percent from 13,907 homes sold in September 2020. The data comes from the New York State Association of Realtors’ (NYSAR) September housing-market report issued Oct. 21. The decline broke a string

Upstate, statewide consumer sentiment plummet in Q3
Upstate New Yorkers became less confident about economic conditions in the third quarter of 2021. Consumer sentiment in Upstate was measured at 63.4 in the third quarter, down 13.2 points from the last reading of 76.6 in this year’s second quarter. The latest reading represents Upstate’s lowest overall index score since 2011. That’s according to
Stay up-to-date on the companies, people and issues that impact businesses in Syracuse, Central New York and beyond.