UTICA — The DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Utica formally reopens on Oct. 24 following “a multimillion-dollar renovation.” 

The landmark hotel was scheduled to hold a late afternoon event that day with the Greater Utica Chamber of Commerce to “celebrate the grand opening,” the chamber said in a news release.

 DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Utica’s roots date back to 1912. The hotel has more than 7,000 square feet of event space that can accommodate up to 300 guests. It holds wedding receptions, business meetings, and other gatherings. 

DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Utica is owned and managed by Visions Hotels. 

The Central New York Community Foundation announced that it recently awarded $342,520 in grants to nonprofit programs in the fields of arts & culture, education, environment and animals, human services, and public and societal benefit. The organizations receiving grants included the following.

– Friends of Beaver Lake received $32,003 to create new exhibits that will provide visitors with a “deeper awareness of the complexity of the ecosystem and the decisions that affect it.” 

– Good Life Youth Foundation was allocated $56,123 to develop Good Life Enterprises, a social enterprise and job-training program for youth facing poverty in Syracuse. The training will teach them the necessary skills to be successful in future job endeavors, the foundation said in a news release.

– Museum of Science & Technology Foundation (MOST) received $59,975 to fund phase one of renovations to its traveling exhibit area. 

– Person to Person Citizen Advocacy Association was provided $11,637 to hire a consultant to assist with organizational and fund development. The consultant will provide coaching and assistance for staff and board to obtain stable fundraising dollars. 

– Refugee & Immigrant Self-Empowerment (RISE) received $25,000 to create a job-advancement counselor staffing position and program to help refugees and immigrants achieve “self-sufficiency” through employment. 

– Ronald McDonald House of CNY was offered $24,282 to support technology upgrades that will assist with growth in occupancy and fund development. The upgrades will increase the staff’s capacity to effectively manage day-to-day operations of guest services and donor management, the foundation said.

– Skaneateles Early Childhood Center received $25,000 to replace its roof. The new roof will prevent water leakage and fix compromised barrier and insulation that could pose a danger risk to children. 

– Syracuse Academy of Science Charter School was allocated $19,000 to install a library to support its literacy program. The new library will serve and address the low literacy rates of students that live in underserved areas in the city of Syracuse. 

Established in 1927, the Central New York Community Foundation says it encourages local philanthropy by supporting the growth of permanent charitable endowments for the betterment of the region. The foundation says it’s the largest charitable foundation in the area with assets of more than $226 million. It awarded $14 million in grants last year to nonprofit organizations. 

The USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) forecasts that New York farmers produced 77.9 million bushels of grain corn in 2017, up nearly 6 percent from 73.5 million bushels in 2016. The agency made the forecast on Oct. 1.

The increase is a rebound following a 13 percent production decline last year and a 16 percent drop in 2015, according to past NASS data on corn production.

Nationally, the USDA reported that U.S. grain-corn production totaled nearly 14.3 billion bushels in 2017, down almost 6 percent from 15.15 million bushels in the prior year.