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

Tioga Downs Regional Community Foundation awards $2M in grants to nonprofits
NICHOLS, N.Y. — The Tioga Downs Regional Community Foundation announced it has awarded $2 million in grants to more than 100 nonprofit organizations from Chemung,

Ithaca company wins $100,000 pitch competition
ITHACA, N.Y. — EMPEQ was named the winner of the $100,000 Veteran Pitch Competition hosted by The Veteran Fund, chosen from a pool of more

Indium Corp. announces leadership change
CLINTON, N.Y. — Indium Corporation has a new CEO as former leader Greg Evans transitions to a role as executive chair of the board of directors, the company announced. Ross Berntson, who already served as Indium’s president and COO, is now also the firm’s CEO. In his dual role, Berntson is responsible for the overall

Schumer asks Congress to extend Medicare telehealth service
HAMILTON, N.Y. — U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D–N.Y.) is urging lawmakers to extend Medicare’s telehealth program, which could expire at the end of

Naturally Lewis awards nearly $104,000 to Lewis County businesses
LOWVILLE, N.Y. — Naturally Lewis, Inc. says it has awarded close to $104,000 to Lewis County companies through two different funds. The organization in late November announced the recipients of grants from the Building Business Fund and the Small Things, Big Impacts Fund. Building Business Fund is designed to provide matching funds to businesses looking

State completes Thruway work in Herkimer and Montgomery counties
New York State wrapped up a $13.7 million infrastructure project on the Thruway (I-90) in Herkimer and Montgomery counties. Work included full- and partial-depth repairs

Binghamton University to use federal grant for school-based mental-health workers in Chenango County
VESTAL — The U.S. Department of Education has awarded Binghamton University Community Schools (BUCS) a five-year grant totaling more than $4.5 million to expand mental-health services in Chenango County. The effort is part of the Mental Health Service Provider Demonstration grant program, Binghamton University said in its announcement. The initiative — entitled Empowering Rural Communities:

Five Star Bank parent company to pay Q4 dividend of 30 cents a share in early January
WARSAW, N.Y. — Financial Institutions, Inc. (NASDAQ: FISI), parent company of Five Star Bank, recently announced that its board of directors has approved a quarterly cash dividend of 30 cents per share of its common stock outstanding. The banking company will pay the fourth-quarter dividend on Jan. 2, to shareholders of record as of Dec.
Jefferson County hotels register another strong month in October
WATERTOWN — Jefferson County hotels posted substantial improvement in three important indicators of hotel-business performance in October, following up solid gains in September and August. The hotel-occupancy rate (rooms sold as a percentage of rooms available) in the North Country’s most populous county rose 7 percent to 56.8 percent in the 10th month of this
Oneida County hotel occupancy falls 3 percent in October
UTICA — Oneida County hotels registered a decline in overnight guests in October, as two other key indicators of business performance improved. The hotel-occupancy rate (rooms sold as a percentage of rooms available) dipped 3 percent to 66.4 percent in the 10th month of this year compared to the year-ago month, according to a report
Stay up-to-date on the companies, people and issues that impact businesses in Syracuse, Central New York and beyond.