OSWEGO — Oswego Health recently used a $50,000 state grant to install mammography equipment at the Oswego Health Services Center in Oswego.

New York State Senator Patty Ritchie (R–Heuvelton) helped secured the grant funding, Oswego Health said in a news release.

With the funding, the organization bought equipment that is used for three-dimensional (3-D) mammography and digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT).

The equipment provides an “advanced form” of mammography that uses a low-dose x-ray system and computer reconstructions to create three-dimensional images of the breasts. The 3D technology “improves the accuracy” of mammography and clarifies areas of overlapping tissue, Oswego Health said.

Using tomosynthesis, the breast is compressed as in a mammography exam, but with less pressure. The x-ray tube moves in a circular arc around the breast providing one millimeter slices that produce greater visibility to see tissue details, as described in the release.

With the new equipment, Oswego Health contends the benefits include a 3D mammography exam that provides “better, earlier breast-cancer detection compared to 2D alone.” 

In addition, the equipment finds between 20 percent and 65 percent more invasive breast cancers than 2D alone, and it reduces unnecessary callbacks “by up to 40 percent,” Oswego Health said.

SYRACUSE — Recognition for more than 300 local companies, KeyBank, and outgoing Onondaga County Executive Joanie Mahoney marked the annual CenterState CEO Economic Champions luncheon held Oct. 30.

The organization recognized 302 companies as 2018 Economic Champions for hirings, expansions, and investments in the past year during the event at the Nicholas J. Pirro Convention Center at Oncenter.

More than 1,000 people attended the event, CenterState CEO said in a news release.

Those recognized hired a total of more than 2,600 employees, added 1.2 million square feet in expansions, and spent nearly $750 million in capital investments.

CenterState CEO also recognized more than 80 new businesses and highlighted 68 for celebrating a milestone anniversary.

“In the 15 years since I’ve moved back to Syracuse, I have never seen the level of economic activity that we do now across nearly every industry sector. We are hearing from companies every single day about their plans to expand, hire, and invest in new products and new markets,” Robert Simpson, president and CEO of CenterState CEO, said in his remarks at the event.

The list of those recognized included sole proprietors, retail operators, small and medium-sized firms, multi-national corporations, and key institutions and nonprofits, Simpson added.

“The current macroeconomic environment is strong. It’s reflected in the fact that we celebrate a record number of champions today — 302 companies to be precise,” said Simpson. 

The luncheon also included keynote remarks by Jeremy Garelick, who spoke about his vision to strengthen the region’s film industry and the progress “being driven by his film-production company, American High,” CenterState CEO said in its release.

Awards

In addition, CenterState CEO presented its Community Visionary Award to Cleveland, Ohio–based KeyBank (NYSE: KEY) for its “leadership and commitment” to community initiatives that “create greater community prosperity.”

CenterState CEO cited KeyBank’s efforts to bring the Business Boost & Build program, powered by Cleveland, Ohio–based JumpStart, to Syracuse.

That program, announced in August 2017, is designed to “stimulate economic growth and workforce development by fostering small-business success” in communities across Ohio and upstate New York, including Syracuse.

On its website, JumpStart Inc. describes itself as a “private-public partnership” that provides venture capital and “intensive, high-impact assistance to diverse entrepreneurs and small-businesses owners.”

In addition, CenterState CEO also cited KeyBank’s work in “helping expand entrepreneurship and prosperity” in the community through the growth of women and minority-owned businesses; its lending and other investments in affordable housing and first time home buying; and its support of local programs and organizations, like Jubilee Homes’ Build to Work program, to “help create opportunities for veterans and the un- and underemployed.”

CenterState CEO also presented its inaugural Community Champion Award to outgoing Onondaga County Executive Joanie Mahoney for what the organization said was her “outstanding leadership and legacy of positive impact on the region’s economy and the citizens of Onondaga County.” 

“It has been the goal of my administration from day one to make sure our community is a place our children could stay and find real economic opportunity. From investments like the St. Joseph’s Health Amphitheater at Lakeview to the burgeoning film industry; the new and improved Great New York State Fair, the formation and success of the Agriculture Council and the millions invested in our downtown, Onondaga County is truly a great place to live and a community that our children can be proud to call home. Congratulations to all of the 2018 Economic Champions and thank you for honoring me with this award,” Mahoney said in the release.

Mahoney has moved on to become COO of SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry and a special advisor to SUNY Upstate Medical University.

DeWITT — They started in April and have been reported as recently as early October — a series of nine cyberattacks at the Central New York Regional Information Center (CNYRIC) in DeWitt. 

The CNYRIC provides technology services to the Onondaga-Cortland-Madison (OCM) Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES) and its 23 component school districts. 

CNYRIC has reported coming under this type of cyber-attack on April 11, 12, 13, 18, and 20; along with Sept. 6, 7, and 27, and Oct. 4 of this year. That’s according to a news release on the topic that the office of U.S. Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D–N.Y.) issued Oct. 29.

The lawmaker spoke that same day at the CNYRIC at 6075 E. Molloy Road in DeWitt.

Schumer called on the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to “immediately” launch an investigation into the cyberattacks.

He explained that CNYRIC has fallen victim to nine cyber-attacks in recent months, impeding both students’ and teachers’ ability to access educational materials and forcing officials to devote significant resources to addressing the attacks. 

 “No data has been jeopardized” to this point, but repeated attacks could put “valuable student information at risk,” according to the release. 

“Central New York school districts have fallen victim to far too many cyber-attacks in recent months, potentially putting valuable information at risk, impeding our students’ ability to learn in the classroom and costing taxpayers significant resources. Fortunately, none of these cyber-attacks have resulted in a breach of confidential information, but they still must be stopped in their tracks,” Schumer said. “That’s why today I’m calling on DHS to launch an investigation into these cyber-threats immediately and work as quickly as possible to get to the bottom of this matter. The feds should work hand-in-hand with local officials to figure out exactly where these attacks come from, help fill gaps in cybersecurity and eliminate these threats in the future.”

Attack impacts

In his remarks, Schumer explained that the cyberattacks were distributed denial of service (DDOS) attacks meant to “overload and essentially deny” access to the network. 

The cyberattacks caused network-wide outages affecting all school districts within the CNYRIC, including OCM BOCES and its 23 component school districts. Without access to the network services of CNYRIC, students and teachers were left without access to online tests and other educational materials, causing “loss of student learning hours and payroll for teachers being impacted,” per Schumer’s release.

In addition, officials have had to devote “significant” resources to investigating the attacks and are considering purchasing expensive new defense systems. 

Schumer said that uncovering facts — like where these attacks are coming from and where gaps in security exist — will help CNYRIC “determine the best response and where to invest precious dollars.”

About RICs

New York has 12 Regional Information Centers (RICs), which are organized under the Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES). They provide services to school districts across the state, including technology-integration training, data analysis, management applications, and large-scale network infrastructure projects. 

In Central New York, CNYRIC provides technological services to OCM BOCES and its 23 component school districts in the region. In total, CNYRIC serves 50 school districts and four BOCES across eight counties in Central New York.         ν