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Hunters in New York harvested more than 224,000 deer in 2019-20 hunting season
ALBANY — Hunters harvested an estimated 224,190 deer in New York state during the 2019-20 hunting season, Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos announced on March 30. The harvest figure included 103,787 antlerless deer, down 9 percent from the prior-year harvest, and 120,403 antlered bucks, up 6 percent from last season. The deer […]
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ALBANY — Hunters harvested an estimated 224,190 deer in New York state during the 2019-20 hunting season, Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos announced on March 30.
The harvest figure included 103,787 antlerless deer, down 9 percent from the prior-year harvest, and 120,403 antlered bucks, up 6 percent from last season.
The deer take during bowhunting season increased 18 percent over 2018-19, while it dropped about 6 percent during the regular and muzzleloader seasons.
Deer-harvest data are compiled by cross-referencing reports required of successful hunters with examination of harvested deer at check stations and meat processors.
The DEC tested 2,658 hunter-harvested deer for Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) in 2019-20. CWD is a highly contagious fatal disease that “poses a significant threat to New York’s wild white-tailed deer herd.” None of the deer tested positive.
“Regulated hunting benefits all New Yorkers by reducing the negative impacts of deer on forests, communities, and crop producers, while also providing more than 10 million pounds of high quality, local protein to families and food pantries around the state every year,” Commissioner Seggos said in a statement.
SYRACUSE — Hotels in Onondaga County were fuller in February than in the year-ago month, while room revenue also gained, according to a recent report. The data was from the last full month before the hotel business in the region, state, and much of the U.S. was slammed by the coronavirus emergency, starting in mid-March.
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SYRACUSE — Hotels in Onondaga County were fuller in February than in the year-ago month, while room revenue also gained, according to a recent report.
The data was from the last full month before the hotel business in the region, state, and much of the U.S. was slammed by the coronavirus emergency, starting in mid-March.
The hotel occupancy rate (rooms sold as a percentage of rooms available) in the county rose 3.2 percent to 48.4 percent in February, according to STR, a Tennessee–based hotel market data and analytics company.
Revenue per available room (RevPar), a key industry gauge that measures how much money hotels are bringing in per available room, increased 3.8 percent to $47.40 in February.
Average daily rate (or ADR), which represents the average rental rate for a sold room inched up 0.6 percent to $97.93 in February.
Some recent tweets that came across the @cnybj Twitter feed, offering various small business, COVID-19, and HR tips. Jovita Carranza, SBA @SBAJovitaThrough the #PaycheckProtectionProgram, community banks and local lenders are stepping up to provide relief for small businesses across the country. Find out how you can participate in the program and keep workers on your
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Some recent tweets that came across the @cnybj Twitter feed, offering various small business, COVID-19, and HR tips.
Jovita Carranza, SBA @SBAJovita
Through the #PaycheckProtectionProgram, community banks and local lenders are stepping up to provide relief for small businesses across the country. Find out how you can participate in the program and keep workers on your payroll. https://sba.gov/paycheckprotection
KeyBank @keybank
When times are hard, scammers work harder. Make sure you’re always keeping yourself and your business safe: https://bit.ly/2QZ8Wae
Small Business Expo @SmallBizExpo
7 Obstacles Every Team Faces When Going Remote (and How to Overcome Them) http://twib.in/l/r66L6d7649GE
IRS Small Biz @IRSsmallbiz
If your business is experiencing economic hardship related to COVID-19, a new tax credit may help. See #IRS FAQs on the Employee Retention Credit at http://irs.gov/coronavirus #COVIDreliefIRS
The Bonadio Group @bonadiogroup
We have launched a #covid19 microsite, which provides our clients, and website visitors, with all COVID-19 related articles, videos and resources. #TBG lives out the “& More” philosophy, providing so much beyond traditional #tax and #audit support. https://bonadio.com/covid-19/
Mark C. Crowley @MarkCCrowley
People have told me that employee #engagement has been placed on the back burner in their organizations, the idea being that it’s simply not important in a crisis. I’d argue it’s just the opposite. If you want people returning to work fully committed, #love them now.
Meghan M. Biro High @MeghanMBiro
Remote Work Policies Should Now Stress Flexibility. #workfromhome #HR https://shrm.org/hr-today/news/hr-news/Pages/Remote-Work-Policies-Should-Now-Stress-Flexibility.aspx
Hannah Morgan @careersherpa
Here are some free Training resources to uplevel your skills and lists of companies hiring right now! https://buff.ly/39N7Dlg
New York egg production rises over 4 percent in February
New York farms produced 137.6 million eggs in February, up 4.4 percent from 131.8 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 5.7 million in February, up slightly from 5.66 million layers a year ago. February egg production per
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New York farms produced 137.6 million eggs in February, up 4.4 percent from 131.8 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 5.7 million in February, up slightly from 5.66 million layers a year ago. February egg production per 100 layers totaled 2,413 eggs, up 3.7 percent from 2,327 eggs in February 2019.
In neighboring Pennsylvania, farms produced 739.1 million eggs during February, up nearly 12 percent from 660.9 million eggs a year earlier.
U.S. egg production totaled 8.94 billion eggs in February, up almost 3 percent from 8.69 billion eggs produced in the year-ago period.

Oswego County educators, manufacturers partner to make protective face shields
OSWEGO — A group of Oswego County educators and local companies say they have teamed up to produce protective face shields for health-care workers and first responders during the COVID-19 pandemic. In late March, a team from SUNY Oswego and CiTi BOCES began using 3D printers to manufacture the shields, which are being distributed to
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OSWEGO — A group of Oswego County educators and local companies say they have teamed up to produce protective face shields for health-care workers and first responders during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In late March, a team from SUNY Oswego and CiTi BOCES began using 3D printers to manufacture the shields, which are being distributed to the Oswego County Emergency Management Office, SUNY Oswego’s on-campus Health Services Department, University Police Department, and the agricultural and testing analysis laboratory at the Port of Oswego Authority.
“It’s been widely reported that healthcare resources are stretched extremely thin in response to the COVID-19 pandemic,” David Dunn, an assistant professor of biological sciences at SUNY Oswego, said in a statement. “Personal protective equipment (PPE), including face shields, are among the equipment facing critical shortages. While we hope and expect that nationwide production of medical equipment will soon ramp up, we felt that in the interim, we could help to fill the gap.
The team initially produced 60 face shields working from an original prototype, then shifted to a refined design incorporating suggestions issued by the National Institutes of Health.
The group had manufactured a total of 185 shields as of April 1 and production was set to ramp up in the days to follow.
“The 3D printers are the slowest process but we have more than doubled production rates so far and should be able to produce about 93 per day going forward,” said Daniel Tryon, a SUNY Oswego technology education faculty member who helped begin the initiative.
Exelon and Novelis, both with facilities in the town of Scriba, have assisted with production. Exelon is “providing 18 face shields per day, and growing,” while Novelis has provided filament for the 3D printers.
Maintaining the supply of filament needed to continue manufacturing can be a challenge, and the team is reaching out to those who might be able to donate 1.75 mm PLA filament. Those able to donate filament can email: daniel.tryon@oswego.edu.

FuzeHub says startups, manufacturers can pursue money in Build4Scale NY fund
ALBANY — FuzeHub’s Build4Scale NY initiative has a new grant fund that will help inventors and manufacturers take new products to market and “more rapidly expand” their operations in New York. The Build4Scale NY fund will provide startups and product “innovators” with grants of up to $10,000 to launch or accelerate manufacturing projects. FuzeHub describes
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ALBANY — FuzeHub’s Build4Scale NY initiative has a new grant fund that will help inventors and manufacturers take new products to market and “more rapidly expand” their operations in New York.
The Build4Scale NY fund will provide startups and product “innovators” with grants of up to $10,000 to launch or accelerate manufacturing projects.
FuzeHub describes the fund as a “critical element” of the overall Build4Scale NY program. The program provides training and one-on-one guidance and “matchmaking” to state resources and contract manufacturers. It also provides companies with “individualized support” to address specific needs, solve challenges, and “spark growth.”
“Access to funding tends to be a significant barrier for a lot of startups and small manufacturers,” Elena Garuc, executive director of FuzeHub, said in a statement. “The Build4Scale NY fund will help alleviate the financial obstacles they encounter when trying to scale a new product. It will award grants to support great ideas and inventions that will generate new manufacturing activity and help create jobs in New York State.”
About the fund
Build4Scale NY is a membership program that is open to startups, early-stage developers of physical products, and small to medium-sized manufacturers across New York, FuzeHub said.
Funding will be awarded to member companies that are pursuing projects aligned with a set of requirements. For example, the company’s hardware product is — or nearly is — “manufacturing-ready.”
In addition, the project will help the product get to market and/or scale more quickly.
FuzeHub also requires that the company has “engaged” partners and resources to support the project. The company has to be based in New York or have plans to manufacture in the state.
To apply, businesses should visit fuzehub.com/build4scale-ny/membership.
FuzeHub will award Build4Scale NY grants of varying values, up to $10,000. A total of $140,000 in grant funding is available.
FuzeHub had scheduled a Build4Scale workshop in Syracuse on April 29, but the event has since been postponed due to the coronavirus restrictions. FuzeHub intends to reschedule the workshop at a later date.
Build4Scale is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), which FuzeHub has applied to its program with DOE’s permission.
About FuzeHub
The Albany–based nonprofit FuzeHub is the statewide New York Manufacturing Extension Partnership (NY MEP) center, supported by NYSTAR (Empire State Development’s Division of Science, Technology & Innovation.)
NY MEP is a network of 11 organizations that provide “growth and innovation” services to small and mid-sized manufacturers across the state to help them “create and retain jobs, increase profits, and save time and money.”
New York milk production rises 5.5 percent in February
New York dairy farms produced nearly 1.22 billion pounds of milk in February, up 5.5 percent from more than 1.15 billion pounds in the year-ago month, the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) recently reported. Production per cow in the state averaged 1,945 pounds in February, up 5.7 percent from 1,840 pounds a year prior.
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New York dairy farms produced nearly 1.22 billion pounds of milk in February, up 5.5 percent from more than 1.15 billion pounds in the year-ago month, the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) recently reported.
Production per cow in the state averaged 1,945 pounds in February, up 5.7 percent from 1,840 pounds a year prior.
The number of milk cows on farms in New York state totaled 626,000 head in February, down slightly from 627,000 head in February 2019, NASS reported.
On the milk-price front, New York farmers in January were paid an average of $19.80 per hundredweight, down 70 cents from December, but $2.30 higher than prices in January 2019.
In neighboring Pennsylvania, dairy farms produced 833 million pounds of milk in February, up 3.7 percent from 803 million pounds a year before, according to the USDA.
Broome County hotel occupancy rate dips in February
BINGHAMTON — Hotels in Broome County were slightly less full in February than in the year-ago month, according to a recent report. The data was from the last full month before the coronavirus pandemic essentially shut down the hospitality industry across the state and much of the nation, starting in mid-March. The hotel occupancy rate
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BINGHAMTON — Hotels in Broome County were slightly less full in February than in the year-ago month, according to a recent report.
The data was from the last full month before the coronavirus pandemic essentially shut down the hospitality industry across the state and much of the nation, starting in mid-March.
The hotel occupancy rate (rooms sold as a percentage of rooms available) in the county slipped 0.9 percent to 48.5 percent in February, according to STR, a Tennessee–based hotel market data and analytics company.
Broome County’s revenue per available room (RevPar), a key industry gauge that measures how much money hotels are bringing in per available room, rose 2.1 percent to $40.40.
Average daily rate (or ADR), which represents the average rental rate for a sold room, was up 3.1 percent to $83.38 in February.

Pandemic grounds 2020 Greater Binghamton Air Show
MAINE, N.Y. — Citing uncertainty about the spread of the coronavirus, Broome County officials have canceled the 2020 Greater Binghamton Air Show. The event, which has drawn thousands of spectators in the past, had been scheduled for July 25 at the Greater Binghamton Airport in the town of Maine. The county says the air show
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MAINE, N.Y. — Citing uncertainty about the spread of the coronavirus, Broome County officials have canceled the 2020 Greater Binghamton Air Show.
The event, which has drawn thousands of spectators in the past, had been scheduled for July 25 at the Greater Binghamton Airport in the town of Maine. The county says the air show is scheduled to return in 2021.
“This was not an easy decision, but we feel it was necessary,” Broome County Executive Jason Garnar said in an April 7 statement. “The health and safety of our exhibitors, contractors, staff, and community is ultimately our priority, and we must do our part to prevent the spread of COVID-19. We look forward to bringing the event back to Broome County in 2021.”
The county says many of the event’s partners supported the decision and have committed to participate next year.
“In an effort to protect all who are involved, we feel it is the responsible decision to reschedule the Air Show for 2021. In doing so, our local businesses, vendors, and community members will have time to heal and regain their footing,” Broome County Commissioner of Aviation Mark Heefner said. “We are certain that the 2021 Airshow will still be spectacular, and community partners have already signaled their commitment to next year’s event. We are determined to continue working together and have already shifted the focus of our planning efforts to 2021.”
Future of other big summer events
Following the cancellation of the air show, Garnar was asked at his April 7 COVID-19 daily briefing about the prospect of still holding other big summer events in Broome County, such as the July 31-Aug. 2 SpedieFest and the Aug. 10-16 Dick’s Sporting Goods Open.
Garnar said the county is taking it one event at a time, but as the coronavirus spreads in the area, it is starting to look at all the events planned for the rest of the year.
“I think we’re very far away from being able to have large-scale events where thousands of people, even hundreds of people, are all gathered together. We’re very far away,” the county executive said. “That may change on a week-to-week basis. But, it’s hard to imagine having an event that has thousands of people in it today, when I’m telling people to stay at home.”
Report: U.S. restaurant customer transactions declined by 42 percent in week ended March 29
97 percent of U.S. restaurants are impacted by COVID-19-related dine-in shutdowns Restaurant customer transactions fell by 42 percent in the U.S. in the week ending March 29 compared to same week a year ago, according to a new report from NPD Group, Inc., a research and data analytics firm. About 97 percent of U.S. restaurants
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97 percent of U.S. restaurants are impacted by COVID-19-related dine-in shutdowns
Restaurant customer transactions fell by 42 percent in the U.S. in the week ending March 29 compared to same week a year ago, according to a new report from NPD Group, Inc., a research and data analytics firm.
About 97 percent of U.S. restaurants are now under some level of restrictions, with most prohibiting dine-in service, due to the coronavirus pandemic.
While steep transaction declines are being seen industrywide, some restaurant business models are better suited than others to retain revenue from existing off-premise business, like drive-thru, carry-out, and delivery, NPD contends. Quick-service restaurants, which typically have more off-premise business, experienced transaction declines of 40 percent in the week ending March 29 compared to year-prior period. In contrast, full-service restaurants, which aren’t usually set up for off-premise dining, saw transactions decline 79 percent.
Prior to the COVID-19 outbreak, on-premise dining represented 52 percent of restaurant-industry revenue, and off-premise business — like carry out, drive thru, and delivery — represented 48 percent of revenue. Carry-out accounted for 53 percent of sales for off-premise modes, drive-thru 38 percent, and delivery 9 percent, per NPD. As of February 2020, digital orders represented 13 percent of all off-premise dollars.
“The transaction declines partially reflect the struggle of on-premise restaurants to pivot to off-premise models,” David Portalatin, NPD food industry advisor and author of “Eating Patterns in America,” said in a release. “Many restaurants that are attempting to make the move are doing so with limited menu offerings and without the benefit of drive-thru lanes. Anecdotally, some operators are giving up the cause and closing altogether.”
On the latter point, we’ve seen that happen with local eateries such as Laci’s Tapas Bar (see story on page 10).
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