Stay up-to-date on the companies, people and issues that impact businesses in Syracuse, Central New York and beyond.
Jefferson County hotels see drop in guests in September
WATERTOWN, N.Y. — Jefferson County hotels registered an almost 6 percent decline in overnight guests in September, but two other indicators of hotel-business performance improved. The hotel-occupancy rate (rooms sold as a percentage of rooms available) in the county fell 5.9 percent to 57.6 percent in the ninth month of 2023 from September 2022, according […]

Broome County hotel occupancy rises in September
BINGHAMTON, N.Y. — Broome County hotels posted an increase in guests in September compared to the year-earlier month, while two other business indicators were mixed. The hotel-occupancy rate (rooms sold as a percentage of rooms available) in the county rose 2.9 percent to 65.4 percent in the ninth month of 2023 versus September 2022. Year

New York home sales slip more than 22 percent in September
ALBANY, N.Y. — New York realtors sold 9,564 previously owned homes in September, a decline of 22.5 percent from the 12,335 existing homes sold in September 2022. Pending sales also fell more than 8 percent in the ninth month of 2023, pointing to further declines in closed home sales in the next couple months. The

New president of Utica University tells its story
UTICA, N.Y. — In the three months since he’s taken over as Utica University’s 10th president, Todd Pfannestiel welcomed new and returning students on campus, learned the “Gwiddy” for a TikTok dance video, and walked into his inauguration on Sept. 29 to a rousing chorus from the student body. “That was truly one of the

Ambulance services, lawmakers urge Hochul to sign direct-pay bill
Ambulance-service providers want Nov. Kathy Hochul to sign a bill that would “change the pay model” so that they’re paid directly by health insurers. Those pushing for passage refer to it as the “direct pay” legislation, per an Oct. 12 news release about the efforts from supporters. Ambulance-service providers and a bipartisan coalition of state

Proposed FABRIC Act seeks to boost garment-workers’ rights
U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D–N.Y.) on Sept. 14 announced the re-introduction of her labor bill, the Fashioning Accountability and Building Real Institutional Change (FABRIC) Act. The FABRIC Act would protect nearly 100,000 American garment workers and help “revitalize” the garment industry in the U.S. by improving working conditions and reforming the piece-rate pay scale, Gillibrand’s
Electricians to hold year-long recruitment of apprentices
CLAY, N.Y. — The Central New York Electrical Training Alliance (ETA) says it will conduct a recruitment from Nov. 15, 2023 through Nov. 14, 2024 for 30 electrician apprentices, The 30 openings listed for apprentices represent the total number for the Central, Finger Lakes, Mohawk Valley, and Southern Tier regions of the state, the New

Herkimer County receives $300K in funding for microenterprise grant program
HERKIMER, N.Y. — The New York State Office of Homes and Community Renewal’s Community Development Block Grant Economic Development program has awarded Herkimer County —

Syracuse accounting firm FustCharles opens new office in Rochester area
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Syracuse–based accounting and advisory firm FustCharles announced it has opened a new office in the Rochester area. The decision to open the

Excellus awards health-equity funding to Utica region groups
UTICA, N.Y. — Excellus BlueCross BlueShield, Central New York’s largest health insurer, has announced several Utica region recipients of its 2023 Health Equity Innovation Awards.
Stay up-to-date on the companies, people and issues that impact businesses in Syracuse, Central New York and beyond.