Syracuse University says Class of 2020 graduation ceremony won’t be possible until after Thanksgiving

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SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Syracuse University’s leader says he doesn’t believe it’s possible to hold an in-person commencement ceremony for the Class of 2020 until after

Onondaga County warns of possible COVID-19 exposure at area T-Mobile store

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CLAY, N.Y. — The Onondaga County Health Department has confirmed that an employee at the T-Mobile store at 5133 W. Taft Road has tested positive

SUNY Chancellor stepping down, to lead Ohio State University

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ALBANY, N.Y. — SUNY Chancellor Kristina Johnson is stepping down to become the next president of the Ohio State University, effective Sept. 1. State University

MVCC freezes tuition as part of 2020-21 budget

Employee Benefits & Human Resources, Health Care, New York News, Nonprofits, Regional News

UTICA, N.Y. — The newly approved budget for Mohawk Valley Community College (MVCC) includes a freeze on tuition and student fees and no layoffs. The

ConMed to pay quarterly dividend of 20 cents a share on July 6

Manufacturing & Engineering, Regional News, Subscriber Only

UTICA — ConMed Corp. (NYSE: CNMD), a Utica–based surgical-device maker, recently announced that its board of directors has declared a quarterly cash dividend of 20 cents a share. The dividend is payable on July 6 to all shareholders of record as of June 15. ConMed provides surgical devices and equipment for minimally invasive procedures. The

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Chemung Financial to pay quarterly dividend of 26 cents on July 1

Banks & Credit Unions, Regional News, Subscriber Only

ELMIRA — Chemung Financial Corp. (NASDAQ: CHMG) recently announced that its board of directors has approved a quarterly cash dividend of 26 cents a share. The dividend is payable on July 1 to common stock shareholders of record as of the close of business on June 17. At the banking company’s current stock price, the

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Madison County seeks developers for state canals initiative project in Canastota

Construction, Design & Real Estate, Sports, Entertainment & Tourism, Subscriber Only

CANASTOTA — Interested developers have until July 21 to respond to Madison County’s request for qualifications (RFQ) on a project to turn 160 Center St. in Canastota into a “canalside pocket neighborhood.” The project is part of the state’s Reimagine the Canals initiative. The county released a request for qualifications (RFQ) in partnership with the

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The project is part of the state’s Reimagine the Canals initiative.

The county released a request for qualifications (RFQ) in partnership with the New York State Canal Corporation and the New York Power Authority, per a May 26 news release.

Respondents to the RFQ should demonstrate their experience and capacity to construct and complete the project.

The project seeks to “showcase” canalside living and be a pilot project for the New York State Canal system, Madison County said.

The developer selected will partner with Madison County on this project. It’s part of Reimagine the Canals, an Erie Canal bicentennial initiative and reinvestment campaign.

Madison County was the winner of the state’s Reimagine the Canals competition, securing $1.5 million to directly support the development of this canalside pocket neighborhood.

Madison County currently owns the site that is the location for the canalside pocket neighborhood project.

“It is a 2.5-acre site with 250 feet of Erie Canal frontage and is in walking distance of Canastota’s downtown,” Jamie Kowalczk, assistant director of the Madison County Planning Department, said. “By linking new desirable housing choices to the Erie Canal’s one-of-a-kind trail and waterway system, we are hoping to retain and attract residents to our community’s downtown.”

The preferred redevelopment of the site will include a mix of housing, creative layout and site design, and reactivation of the canal waterfront.

“The vision for the project is to leverage the … brand and amenities of the Erie Canal and combine it with quality design to create a unique canalside living experience,” said Kowalczk “And now we are looking forward to bringing in a partner developer to build the project.”

To view bid details, visit: https://www.madisoncounty.ny.gov/bids.aspx

For more information on the project visit www.CanalsideCanastota.com, Madison County said.

Oneida County announces additional possible public exposure to virus at area stores

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UTICA, N.Y. — Oneida County officials on Tuesday reported recent, possible public exposure to the coronavirus at area retailers including Rite Aid in New Hartford

WellNow’s CNY clinics conduct over 4,400 COVID-19 & antibody tests in first 2 weeks

Health Care, Subscriber Only

WellNow Urgent Care has now been offering for more than two weeks, two types of COVID-19 testing at its Central New York clinics. The first type is a molecular polymerase chain reaction (PCR) or nasal swab test, which is used to diagnose current COVID-19 infections. The second test is a blood antibody serology test that

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WellNow Urgent Care has now been offering for more than two weeks, two types of COVID-19 testing at its Central New York clinics.

The first type is a molecular polymerase chain reaction (PCR) or nasal swab test, which is used to diagnose current COVID-19 infections. The second test is a blood antibody serology test that is used to detect recent or past exposure to the coronavirus.

WellNow provided CNYBJ testing data for the two-week period from May 6 through May 19. The offices involved performed a total of 3,790 antibody tests and a total of 640 molecular tests. The average antibody tests per day for Central New York clinics was 271 in the period, and the average number of molecular tests per day at those same clinics was 46, according to the WellNow data.

“Bringing both types of COVID-19 testing to our communities in Central New York is a top priority right now,” Dr. John Radford, president of WellNow Urgent Care, said in a statement, when WellNow launched the testing. “As New York [starts reopening], providing all our communities with answers to their COVID-19 questions is as much our responsibility as is making sure all our centers remain a safe and welcoming place for all urgent care needs.”

Testing is available at WellNow’s Central New York offices that include Auburn, Cicero, Clay, DeWitt, Fairmount, Fayetteville, Liverpool, Oneida, Oswego, and Rome. The tests are available seven days a week with no appointments needed.

About the tests

The molecular (PCR) test, like a flu test, requires a nasopharyngeal swab to determine if a patient has COVID-19. Antibody testing uses a blood sample to determine the presence of antibodies in response to a recent or past COVID-19 infection. Additionally, antibody testing can suggest if an individual may have some protection from the virus and help identify potential plasma donors.

All patients are screened in their car, provided a mask, and brought directly to a private patient room for further evaluation and testing. Both tests are “highly accurate,” and the two accepted forms of COVID-19 screening used by health providers, and validated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, WellNow says.

Labs are overnighted, with results returned three to five days later through an online portal located at www.mybostonheart.com.

Besides the testing, WellNow locations continue to provide treatment for non-life-threatening injuries and illnesses, such as sprains, strains, colds and the flu, while also providing on-site X-rays, lab testing, and physicals. Patients are treated on a walk-in basis.

New York state home sales tumble 29 percent in April

Construction, Design & Real Estate, Subscriber Only

CNY & national sales also fall sharply due to COVID-19 The COVID-19 pandemic took a big bite out of April homes sales across the state, locally, and nationally. New York realtors sold 6,626 previously-owned homes in April, down 29.3 percent from 9,374 homes sold in April 2019. New listings and pending sales fell even

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CNY & national sales also fall sharply due to COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic took a big bite out of April homes sales across the state, locally, and nationally.

New York realtors sold 6,626 previously-owned homes in April, down 29.3 percent from 9,374 homes sold in April 2019. New listings and pending sales fell even more sharply. That’s according to the New York State Association of Realtors (NYSAR) April housing-market report issued May 21.

“As expected, the COVID-19 pandemic decimated the New York State housing market in April as new listings and pending sales both fell over 65 percent,” the association said in the housing report.

In comparison, existing-home sales nationally dropped about 17 percent in April compared to a year prior, “continuing what is now a two-month skid in sales brought on by the coronavirus pandemic,” according to the National Association of Realtors (NAR). Existing-home sales in April totaled 4.33 million, down from 5.23 million in April 2019, NAR said.

New York state sales data

The April 2020 statewide median sales price in New York was $262,000, down nearly 3 percent from the year-ago median of $269,000, according to the NYSAR data.

With guidance in place not allowing for in-person home showings across New York state, new listings fell more than 68 percent in April to 6,507 from 20,600 in the year-ago month.

Pending sales totaled 4,287 in April, off nearly 67 percent from 12,825 pending sales in the same month in 2019.

The months’ supply of homes for sale at the end of April stood at 5.2 months, down more than 10 percent from 5.8 months at the end of April 2019.

A 6-month to 6.5-month supply is considered to be a balanced market, NYSAR says.

The inventory of homes for sale totaled 53,041 in April, down more than 17 percent from 64,357 a year prior.

Central New York data

Realtors in Onondaga County sold 301 previously owned homes in April, down 9 percent compared to the 331 sold in the same month in 2019. The median sales price rose 7 percent to nearly $159,000 from more than $148,000 a year ago, according to the NYSAR report.

NYSAR also reports that realtors sold 91 homes in Oneida County in April, down nearly 22 percent from the 116 homes sold in April 2019. The median sales price increased 12.5 percent to $135,000 from $120,000 a year ago.

Realtors in Broome County sold 106 existing homes in April, down nearly 9 percent from 116 a year prior, according to the NYSAR report. The median sales price dipped nearly 2 percent to more than $113,000 from $115,000 a year before.

In Jefferson County, realtors closed on 71 homes in April, down more than 15 percent from 84 a year ago, and the median sales price of $141,000 was down nearly 4 percent from $146,500 a year ago, according to the NYSAR data.

All home-sales data is compiled from multiple-listing services in New York state and it includes townhomes and condominiums in addition to existing single-family homes, according to NYSAR.

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