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Former West Carthage treasurer accused of stealing $3,000 from the village
WEST CARTHAGE, N.Y. — The former deputy clerk-treasurer of the Village of West Carthage has been arrested for stealing more than $3,000 from the Jefferson County community. Kaytlin Ennis is charged with grand larceny in the third degree, corrupting the government in the third degree, and tampering with records, New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli, […]
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WEST CARTHAGE, N.Y. — The former deputy clerk-treasurer of the Village of West Carthage has been arrested for stealing more than $3,000 from the Jefferson County community.
Kaytlin Ennis is charged with grand larceny in the third degree, corrupting the government in the third degree, and tampering with records, New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli, announced Thursday, Feb. 13. He made the announcement in conjunction with Jefferson County District Attorney Kristyna Mills and New York State (NYS) Police Superintendent Steven James.
Ennis was arraigned on Wednesday, Feb. 12 before Judge Mary Doheny in Watertown City Court.
“Public corruption corrodes people’s faith in government,” DiNapoli said in the announcement. “Ms. Ennis allegedly betrayed her community’s trust and now will be held accountable. My thanks to District Attorney Mills and the State Police for their partnership in ensuring justice is served in this case.”
Case background
Ennis began working for West Carthage in October 2018 as deputy clerk-treasurer and was appointed treasurer in January 2021 after the village’s long-time treasurer retired. At the same time, she also worked as the village’s water clerk. The village board did not reappoint Ennis as treasurer for 2024 “because of poor performance,” DiNapoli’s office stated.
When discrepancies in West Carthage’s payroll were uncovered during an audit by DiNapoli’s office last year, the comptroller launched an investigation and partnered with the State Police. The investigation found that Ennis took advantage of the lack of board oversight and overpaid herself once appointed village treasurer.
Ennis allegedly falsified time sheets and issued herself additional paychecks, per DiNapoli’s office.
“The arrest of Ms. Ennis sends a strong message that we will not tolerate dishonest actions by those who use their position at the expense of the public” James said. “This former treasurer allegedly took money from the village to support her own lifestyle. We will not tolerate any type of financial illegal behavior or abuse of power. I applaud the work of our State Police members assigned to this case and the State Comptroller’s Office for their support in conducting this arrest.”

WEBSTER, N.Y. — A new administration building for the Town of Webster’s water resource recovery facility (WRRF) in Monroe County is now complete. That’s according

State launches I-81 Connect mobile app
SYRACUSE, N.Y. — New York State on Thursday announced the launch of the I-81 Connect mobile app. The app builds on the community-outreach efforts implemented

SUNY Poly, MVCC deepen partnership to promote education and the regional economy
UTICA, N.Y. — SUNY Polytechnic Institute and Mohawk Valley Community College (MVCC) announced that the two schools are deepening their partnership through new initiatives designed to promote seamless academic transfer, foster career development, and support the regional economy. Key areas of collaboration include the integration of a dedicated transfer track in Open Houses at both
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UTICA, N.Y. — SUNY Polytechnic Institute and Mohawk Valley Community College (MVCC) announced that the two schools are deepening their partnership through new initiatives designed to promote seamless academic transfer, foster career development, and support the regional economy.
Key areas of collaboration include the integration of a dedicated transfer track in Open Houses at both institutions, sustained marketing campaigns to promote academic pathways, and the establishment of a SUNY Poly office on MVCC’s campus. Additionally, MVCC at Poly and Poly at MVCC events will further promote cross-campus engagement, with the next event scheduled for April 25.
“Our partnership with MVCC exemplifies the power of collaboration in advancing educational opportunities and workforce development for the Mohawk Valley,” SUNY Poly President Winston Soboyejo said in the announcement. “By fostering seamless pathways to higher education, expanding joint initiatives, and strengthening connections with regional partners, we are empowering students to achieve their academic and career aspirations. Together, SUNY Poly and MVCC are driving innovation, enhancing access to education, and contributing to the long-term success of our community.”
The institutions are working together to identify shared employer partners to offer students well-defined career pathways that meet local workforce needs. By sharing resources and expertise, both institutions aim to provide enhanced access to internships, apprenticeships, and job-placement opportunities.
“In partnership with SUNY Poly, MVCC is committed to enhancing pathways that empower students to pursue their academic and career dreams,” MVCC President Randall J. VanWagoner said. “Through joint initiatives like Path to Poly and Poly Promise, strategic partnerships with local employers, and high-impact models like Free FastTrack and apprenticeships, we are not only preparing students for the workforce but also strengthening the ties between education and industry to help our student pursue quality jobs with family-sustaining wages, enabling them to thrive long after graduation.”
Other initiatives include further collaboration on the annual CNY Hackathon event, joint efforts on accelerator activities and business-incubator grants through local organizations, and collaborating on artificial-intelligence initiatives that elevate research, teaching and learning, and societal advancement.

Onondaga County seeks proposals to redevelop Public Safety Building in downtown Syracuse
SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Onondaga County is seeking proposals to redevelop the Public Safety Building (PSB) at 511 S. State St. in Syracuse. The county in

Herkimer College generates nearly $150 million economic impact, study finds
HERKIMER, N.Y. — Herkimer College generated an economic impact of $149.8 million on the region in fiscal year 2022-2023, according to an economic-impact study conducted

Syracuse airport launches new parking-reservation system
SYRACUSE, N.Y. — A new online parking-reservation tool is now available at Syracuse Hancock International Airport (SYR). Customers may pre-book parking up to 24 months

Prototyping accelerator in Ithaca accepting applications for summer program
ITHACA, N.Y. — Rev: Ithaca Startup Works has launched applications for its 2025 Prototyping Hardware Accelerator summer-long program that guides entrepreneurs through developing physical product

Syracuse University iSchool professor wins $600K NSF grant to research human experiences of AI
SYRACUSE, N.Y. — An associate professor in the Syracuse University School of Information Studies (iSchool) will use a $600,000 federal grant to research human experiences of artificial intelligence (AI). The National Science Foundation (NSF) awarded Jaime Banks the grant funding for an research project focused on human interaction with AI. NSF is funding the grant
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SYRACUSE, N.Y. — An associate professor in the Syracuse University School of Information Studies (iSchool) will use a $600,000 federal grant to research human experiences of artificial intelligence (AI).
The National Science Foundation (NSF) awarded Jaime Banks the grant funding for an research project focused on human interaction with AI.
NSF is funding the grant through its Computer and Information Science and Engineering directorate and more specifically, the Human-Centered Computing funding arm. The money is for research into the project, “Mind Perception in AI Companionship: Testing the Assumptions of Social Theories,” per a Syracuse University announcement.
As principal investigator, Banks (pictured) will lead an investigation into how language and social cognition shape the understanding of AI. She will work with Caleb Carr, a professor of communications at Illinois State University, as co-principal investigator. iSchool Ph.D. student Zhixin Li will support their work.
Over the next four years, Banks and her team will explore the psychological and social dimensions of AI, addressing questions about how people humanize and relate to the technologies.
The study looks at the social-cognitive processes involved in companion machines, from the way they are even referred to as “companions,” to the way they are designed to interact with users, to how they make users feel, Banks said in the Syracuse announcement.
“We want to understand the subjective experience of seeing an AI companion as someone, and how that experience links to the positive or negative effects,” she added.
Syracuse University also noted that the funding marks a “significant milestone after two years of dedicated work in securing the grant, paving the way for a deep dive into social AI’s role in human lives.”

Workforce Development Board wins $500K grant for brownfields job training
UTICA, N.Y. — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has awarded the Workforce Development Board of Herkimer, Madison, and Oneida Counties (WDB HMO) a $500,000
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