Committee releases document on priorities for $500 million fund that’s part of Micron’s deal with the state

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SYRACUSE, N.Y. — The Central New York Community Engagement Committee (CEC) on Thursday released a document with ideas for using the $500 million Green CHIPS Community Investment Fund. The fund is a requirement of the 2022 agreement between New York State and Micron Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ: MU). As a requirement of Micron’s participation in the […]

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SYRACUSE, N.Y. — The Central New York Community Engagement Committee (CEC) on Thursday released a document with ideas for using the $500 million Green CHIPS Community Investment Fund.

The fund is a requirement of the 2022 agreement between New York State and Micron Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ: MU). As a requirement of Micron’s participation in the state’s Green CHIPS incentive program, the company established a $500 million Green CHIPS Community Investment Fund in partnership with Empire State Development.

The group’s community-priorities document (CPD) represents a “community-driven and collaborative approach to guiding” the $500 million Green CHIPS Community Investment Fund, per a Thursday announcement from CenterState CEO.

The document represents more than 13 months of community-driven engagement across more than 300 community organizations. It includes input from more than 12,700 Central New Yorkers and is intended to serve as a “guiding strategy to amplify the benefits” of Micron and New York State’s investments in Central New York.

The CEC co-chairs, Melanie Littlejohn, president & CEO of the Central New York Community Foundation, and Tim Penix, VP of the Syracuse Educational Opportunity Center, released the following statement about the document.

“The Community Engagement Committee set out with a clear mission to ensure our region’s future benefits everyone, especially those historically left behind. Through extensive outreach and thousands of community members’ input, we’ve crafted the Community Priorities Document. This is a roadmap for equitable growth in the wake of Micron’s transformative investment. This document represents more than just a plan, it’s a testament to our community’s collective voice and a model for inclusive development. As we move forward, we’re committed to turning these priorities into tangible progress, creating opportunities that reach every corner of Central New York. Our work proves that when a community comes together, we can shape our destiny in ways that lift us all,” Littlejohn and Penix said in the CenterState CEO announcement.

Document highlights

The document identifies six priority areas, and they include education; workforce development; minority-, women-, veteran-owned business (MWVBE) and small business supports; housing; healthcare and family supports; and sustainable infrastructure.

It also identifies immediate priorities that require resources in the short term. They include K-12 education, workforce development, MWVBE and small business support, housing and childcare.

The CPD also provides “strategic vision for sustainable and inclusive growth” stemming from Micron’s investment in the region over the next twenty-plus years. The CEC intends to continue engaging local stakeholders to “revisit and update the document as needed” to ensure that it continues to “reflect the changing dynamics and needs of the community.”

In addition, the priorities, principles, and core considerations detailed in the document will be used to help guide the $500 million Green CHIPS Community Investment Fund towards the communities’ most pressing needs and aspirations.

SUNY Poly’s new dean for College of Health Sciences to start July 18

Education & Training, Employee Benefits & Human Resources, Mohawk Valley, New York News, Nonprofits, Subscriber Only, Technology

MARCY, N.Y. — SUNY Polytechnic Institute has named Mark J. Kittleson as its new dean of the College of Health Sciences, effective July 18. Kittleson most recently chaired the Department of Public Health at New York Medical College and joins SUNY Poly during a time of investment in the College of Health Sciences. Kittleson is

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MARCY, N.Y. — SUNY Polytechnic Institute has named Mark J. Kittleson as its new dean of the College of Health Sciences, effective July 18.

Kittleson most recently chaired the Department of Public Health at New York Medical College and joins SUNY Poly during a time of investment in the College of Health Sciences.

Kittleson is noted for his research and service in the use of technology within health education/health promotion and public health, SUNY Poly said in a news release. He created the HEDIR, a large health-education listserv, which has been used by the profession for more than 30 years and has a membership of nearly 2,000. He also created the first completely online peer-reviewed health-education journal, The International Electronic Journal of Health Education, and has been a leader in developing and delivering online programs.

He is also interested in developing strong mental-health skills, especially in children and adolescents.

“Dr. Kittleson is a proven educator with a track record of managing and growing programs, as well as leading successful reaccreditation efforts,” SUNY Poly President Winston Soboyejo said in the release. “We welcome him to SUNY Poly and know he will continue the positive momentum in our College of Health Sciences that recently saw historic investments made by Gov. Kathy Hochul which will update nursing labs, bring in state-of-the-art equipment, and establish the Center for Healthcare Innovation — a collaborative center to address the increasing mental health, physical health, and environmental health needs.”

While at New York Medical College (NYMC), Kittleson was able to secure a full seven-year reaccreditation from the Council on Education for Public Health for the school’s master’s and doctoral programs in public health.

Prior to NYMC, he served as dean of the School of Health & Human Performance at SUNY Brockport and department head for public health at New Mexico State University.

SUNY Polytechnic Institute offers undergraduate and graduate degrees via its colleges of arts and sciences, business, engineering, and health sciences.

Cayuga Health CEO awarded Tompkins County Distinguished Citizen Award

Southern Tier, Employee Benefits & Human Resources, Health Care, Nonprofits, Sports, Entertainment & Tourism, Subscriber Only

ITHACA, N.Y. — The Baden-Powell Council, Boy Scouts of America, on June 10 honored Dr. Martin Stallone, president and CEO of Cayuga Health System, with its 2024 Tompkins County Distinguished Citizen Award. This recognition is awarded annually to individuals who have made outstanding, long-lasting impacts on their community, the council says. Stallone has been a

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Rome Community Foundation announces second-quarter grants

Nonprofits, Employee Benefits & Human Resources, Mohawk Valley, Sports, Entertainment & Tourism, Subscriber Only

ROME, N.Y. — The Rome Community Foundation awarded $33,170 in grants to six Rome–area charitable organizations in its second-quarter grant distribution, the nonprofit announced. • Marantha Church received $6,985 for a stair-glide lift to make the facility fully accessible. • The Rome Baseball Association will repair the infield on its four ball fields with help

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CNY hospitals receive funding for mental-health programs

Health Care, Law, Accounting & Taxes, Nonprofits

Gov. Kathy Hochul recently announced the awarding of $39.1 million to nine community-based hospitals across New York state, including several in Central New York, to

Southern Tier angler busted for showing off fish he caught out of season online

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ELMIRA, N.Y. — A Southern Tier angler recently got himself into some trouble after allegedly catching a fish out of season and then showing off the catch in an online post. In early May, environmental conservation police officer John Lifrieri, of the New York Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), received information about an individual possibly

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From Donuts to Barbeque: Limp Lizard and Country Glazed partner to offer barbeque to a new area

Small Business, Sports, Entertainment & Tourism, Subscriber Only

From right to left, Alex Nielsen, owner of Country Glazed and a Country Glazed employee are pictured with Chuck Orlando, owner of Limp Lizard in Syracuse in unveiling their latest collaboration, Country Smoked. Located at 548 S. Main St. in Central Square, Country Smoked offers Limp Lizard’s renowned barbecue fare with a quick-service concept, ensuring

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Recapping Operation Oswego County’s annual meeting

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Event included project review, awards, board elections

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Event included project review, awards, board elections

OSWEGO, N.Y. — A review of 2023 projects, award announcements, and the election of a new board president highlighted the 72nd annual meeting of Operation Oswego County (OOC) held June 13 at the Lake Ontario Event and Conference Center in Oswego.

OOC and the County of Oswego IDA (COIDA) in 2023 assisted on projects that resulted in the creation or retention of 630 jobs with more than $130 million in capital investment.

The projects were associated with 33 new, expanded, or retained facilities in the targeted industry clusters of manufacturing, health care, tourism and hospitality, agribusiness and energy, OOC said in its June 13 announcement.

Austin Wheelock, executive director of OOC, reported the data during the annual meeting, noting that the projects were spread over 16 municipalities around Oswego County.

Ellen Holst, president of the OOC board of directors, welcomed 170 representatives of businesses, government, education, labor, and other community organizations to the meeting.

The OOC also announced that its board of directors elected Pete Cullinan, who is retired from Exelon, to succeed Holst as the board president, although Holst was also re-elected to serve as a board member.

In his remarks, Wheelock reported on marketing highlights and collaborative initiatives with key stakeholders such as National Grid, Oswego County Tourism, SUNY Oswego, the Port of Oswego Authority, Oswego County Workforce New York, and the Greater Oswego Fulton Chamber of Commerce.

Joseph Pacher, senior VP of operations at Constellation Energy, was the annual meeting’s keynote speaker. In his remarks, Pacher discussed Constellation’s economic impact on Oswego County, how its plants help New York state to meet its clean-energy goals, and the firm’s plans to continue to invest in and relicense Nine Mile I, Nine Mile II, and the James A. FitzPatrick nuclear plants.

Collectively these plants produce 2,514 megawatts of power, which is enough to power 2 million homes, per the OOC announcement. Pacher also reported that Constellation paid more than $69 million in state and local taxes in 2023.

Awards

The annual meeting also included the announcement of several awards, including the Ally Award for 2024, which was presented to the Onondaga Small Business Development Center (SBDC) “in recognition and appreciation of the vision, commitment and leadership exhibited by the Onondaga [SBDC] to provide critical entrepreneurial training and technical assistance to the small businesses and entrepreneurs of Oswego County; and for being a vital and essential partner in economic development in Oswego County,” per the announcement.

OOC gave the Business Excellence Award for 2024 to River View Pediatrics for “showing resiliency, adaptation and growth” in a changing market for pediatric health-care services, for the “vision to revitalize and expand” into a vacant building, and for its more than 40 years of business excellence in the city of Fulton.

In addition, OOC presented the 2024 Jobs Award to Broadwell Hospitality Group for its significant contribution and economic impact on the Oswego County economy by providing tourism attractions and hospitality services in Oswego and the town of Scriba, for employing over 200 persons across multiple venues, for the opening of the Splash Indoor Water Park Resort in 2023, and for its 49-year history of business growth in Oswego County.

Dr. Ali Hawthorn received OOC’s 2024 Dee Heckethorn Entrepreneur Award in recognition of “exceptional entrepreneurial spirit, creativity and dedication” in expanding Highland Animal Hospital, a small animal-veterinary clinic in Central Square, and for receiving the SBA Woman Owned Small Business of the Year Award for Upstate New York.

OOC honored H. Leonard Schick with the 2024 Martin Rose Economic Developer Merit Award for his “outstanding record” of leadership, expertise, support, and commitment to enhance the economic vitality of Oswego County’s businesses, industries, communities, and citizens; by serving on the board of directors of COIDA for 18 years; and for serving on numerous other boards and organizations that are “vital to economic development and quality of life” such as the Mexico Chamber of Commerce, Fulton City School Board of Education, and Fulton Youth Soccer.

OOC board of directors

The OOC board elected a new slate of officers to two-year terms. Besides Cullinan as president, the officers include John Sharkey IV from Universal Metal Works of Fulton as board VP; Tricia Peter Clark, president and CEO of ConnextCare, as board treasurer, and Eric Behling, co-owner of Behling Orchards in Mexico, as board secretary.

The OOC board of directors also reelected board members, including Edward Gilson, a county legislator; Brian Heffron of CiTi BOCES; Holst, who is retired from Oswego County Opportunities; Sharkey IV; and Ronald Tascarella of Pathfinder Bank.

The board also elected Joseph Demars of Huhtamaki’s Fulton location and Collin Palm of the Fulton Companies for one-year terms; as well as Tom Roman of Fulton Savings Bank, Rachel Pierce of the Workforce Development Board of Oswego County, and Ryan Malone of WD Malone Trucking & Excavating for three-year terms.

Those retiring from the OOC board of directors include Tim Hardy after six years of service; Vincent Lobdell after 17 years; Joseph McConnell after four years of service; Joseph Solazzo after 18 years; and David Turner after 29 years of service, the organization said.

MACNY, PEB awards ceremony honors workforce-development achievement

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SYRACUSE, N.Y. — The 2024 Workforce Development Awards recognized the accomplishments of students and registered apprentices pursuing an education or careers in manufacturing and other industries. The awards event also acknowledged those supporting STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) careers and education. MACNY, The Manufacturers Association, and Partners for Education & Business, Inc. (PEB) hosted

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SYRACUSE, N.Y. — The 2024 Workforce Development Awards recognized the accomplishments of students and registered apprentices pursuing an education or careers in manufacturing and other industries.

The awards event also acknowledged those supporting STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) careers and education. MACNY, The Manufacturers Association, and Partners for Education & Business, Inc. (PEB) hosted it on June 12 at Le Moyne College. The nonprofit PEB is MACNY’s K-16 (education) arm.

In addition, “as a testament to their commitment to upskill and bolster the talent-development pipeline,” MACNY concluded the program with a first-ever apprentice signing for four of its own employees to “signify the beginning of their apprenticeship journey.”

“This year was especially meaningful for MACNY because four of our own staff members signed their apprenticeship paperwork, demonstrating our belief in the effectiveness of the program and the value of building our workforce through upskilling,” Randy Wolken, president and CEO of DeWitt–based MACNY, said in a statement. “On behalf of the MACNY Board of Directors, staff, and the manufacturing community, we would like to extend our congratulations to all of those that were honored at this year’s event.”

Those from MACNY that participated in the signing included Murjan Abdi, a workforce-development specialist apprentice; Colleen Blagg, a project manager apprentice; Amanda Rice, a project manager apprentice, and Justyna Valencia, a marketing coordinator apprentice.

The ceremony also recognized 29 registered apprentice graduates that earned their Journeyworker credential in 2023 from the New York State Department of Labor.

The companies that received recognition for expanding their registered-apprenticeship programs from January 2023 to April 2024 included 110 Metalworks Inc.; Allen Tool Phoenix, Inc.; Bausch + Lomb; Belden Inc.; Bush Industries; Consolidated Precision Products (CPP); EMCom, Inc.; Hardinge, Inc.; Hubbard Tool & Die Corp.; Indium Corporation; Knowles; North Country Dairy; Superior Metals Manufacturing; and Thompson & Johnson Equipment Co., Inc.

The companies that were recognized as new signatories were: Buxton Medical Equipment Devices, Eaton Crouse-Hinds, Flex-Hose Co. Inc., F.X. Matt Brewing Company, GSE Dynamics Inc., Plug Power Inc., Semikron Danfoss, and Wolfspeed.

MACNY tells CNYBJ that a signatory is “an employer who is part of a group program (such as MACNY), and has executed a written agreement with a New York State Registered Apprenticeship program sponsor and has agreed to be bound by the terms, standards and conditions of the program.”

“This event is a powerful testament to the dedication and hard work of students, apprentices, and the companies that support them in their journey towards successful careers,” Roberta Reardon, commissioner of the New York State Department of Labor said in the MACNY announcement. “The recognition of these individuals and the commitment shown by MACNY and PEB in fostering talent development underscores the vital role of workforce development in the economic growth of Central New York. The DOL is proud to support these efforts and celebrate the accomplishments of all the awardees and apprentices.”

PEB Awards

PEB also used the event to announce its 12th cohort of CNY STEM Scholars, which includes 11 Central New York students, each of whom had a company sponsor, MACNY said.

The PEB Awards also recognized community partners, local organizations, and those individuals that dedicate their time and resources to support STEM careers and education in the community.

PEB honored the Milton J. Rubenstein Museum of Science and Technology (the MOST) as the Community Partnership of the Year.

It also acknowledged Belden Inc., Byrne Dairy, City of Syracuse, and Giovanni Food Company with the Business Partnership of the Year recognition.

In addition, PEB honored Matthew Eaton, senior business consultant with JPMorgan Chase, as the 2024 SRC STEM Champion of the Year. It also recognized Steve Schill, senior director of global sales projects at INFICON, with its Lifetime Achievement honor.

Brooklyn Pickle set to open third North Carolina location

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CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Brooklyn Pickle is growing again. A little over a month after the Syracuse–based restaurant opened its second North Carolina location, the business announced it will soon open a third one. Brooklyn Pickle will open in Charlotte, N.C., on July 1 in the Levine Center Institute at Atrium Health, 1021 Morehead Medical Drive.

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CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Brooklyn Pickle is growing again.

A little over a month after the Syracuse–based restaurant opened its second North Carolina location, the business announced it will soon open a third one.

Brooklyn Pickle will open in Charlotte, N.C., on July 1 in the Levine Center Institute at Atrium Health, 1021 Morehead Medical Drive.

The location is another partnership between Peter and Jane Kim and Brooklyn Pickle owner Craig Kowadla. The Kims opened the Raleigh location in May.

“Atrium Health approached us to open our first restaurant in Charlotte at their Carolinas Medical Center because their busy medical staff and patients needed more convenient, healthy, and fresh food options,” Jane Kim said in a press release announcing the news. “Our team is grateful for the opportunity to serve at the top-ranked hospital in Charlotte. Because of the restaurant’s central location, we anticipate lots of customers ordering from outside the hospital for either delivery or pickup.”

The Charlotte Brooklyn Pickle will be open Monday to Friday from 10 a.m.-4 p.m., offer catering, and employ 15 people.

“We have a great team, but we are always looking for employees with diverse experiences, skill sets, and the potential to help deliver an amazing guest experience,” Kim said.

Christina Reeves will manage the Charlotte Brooklyn Pickle. She previously served as manager of one of the Kims’ prior restaurants.

The Kims say the customer response to the Raleigh location has been positive since its opening in May.

“The buzz has been great, even more than we had expected,” Peter Kim said. “The press coverage was exciting, and the public response showed us there are quite a few New Yorkers in this area — and not enough pastrami sandwiches!”

Brooklyn Pickle, which started with one Syracuse location in 1975, is known for its huge sandwiches along with soups, hot entrees, desserts, and, of course, pickles. Daily hot specials include chicken riggies on Thursdays and macaroni and cheese on Fridays.

The business first expanded outside New York state in 2023 with a location in Southern Pines, N.C. Brooklyn Pickle opened its first location outside of the Syracuse area earlier in 2023 when it opened in Utica.

Kowadla said he is currently working on a fourth Syracuse–area location.

Ken Sniper founded Brooklyn Pickle in 1975 on Burnet Avenue and added a West Side location two years later. The restaurant moved into its West Genesee Street location in 1984. The Clay Brooklyn Pickle opened in 2019.

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