Crews demolish fire-damaged convent at former Maria Regina College in Syracuse

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SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Crews have demolished the fire-ravaged Motherhouse on the campus of the former Maria Regina College on the City’s North side. The City of Syracuse had announced the demolition effort on the former convent building on July 8. The Kimberly on Grant Boulevard — which owns the property at 1024 Court St. in […]

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Work starts on Upstate Pathology Institute, which expects to add jobs

Construction, Design & Real Estate, Employee Benefits & Human Resources, Health Care, Nonprofits, Subscriber Only

DeWITT, N.Y. — Work is underway on a new, 109,000-square-foot clinical pathology laboratory facility, known as the Upstate Pathology Institute, that will eventually add to Upstate Medical University’s job count. It’s located at 6624 Fly Road in the town of DeWitt, adjacent to Upstate Bone and Joint, home of Upstate Orthopedics. Upstate Medical University held

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It’s located at 6624 Fly Road in the town of DeWitt, adjacent to Upstate Bone and Joint, home of Upstate Orthopedics. Upstate Medical University held a July 7 groundbreaking ceremony to formally kick off the construction project.

Rochester–based LeChase Construction Services, LLC, which has an office in Syracuse, is serving as construction manager. The lead architect is Glastonbury, Connecticut–based SLAM, with help from Dwyer Architectural of Syracuse; Rochester–based ME Engineering, PC, which has an office in Syracuse; and Colliers.

The project will consolidate and modernize Upstate’s pathology department, “positioning it for future growth, improved efficiency, and expanded regional service that will be facilitated by drone operations,” per the Upstate announcement.

The upcoming Institute will centralize Upstate’s “sprawling” pathology service into one location when the building opens in spring 2027. The new facility will not offer patient-care services. Medical couriers and drones will deliver specimens, which will be analyzed on-site, with results sent directly to health-care providers.

Consolidating, adding jobs

Upstate’s pathology services currently operate across 55,000 square feet in five separate floors in three different buildings on Upstate’s downtown Syracuse campus. The department processed more than 3.2 million specimens in fiscal year 2024, the medical school and health system noted.

The Upstate Pathology Institute will accommodate 178 of the pathology department’s current 228 employees, while 50 staff members will remain at the downtown campus to support hospital-based lab needs. Additionally, the Fly Road location will have “substantial” job growth, beginning with the addition of 25 new jobs in its first year of operation. Employment projections estimate another 10 new jobs will be added in each of the following two years, resulting in a total of 45 new positions and bringing the Fly Road lab’s workforce to 223 by year three.

Representatives of Upstate Pathology Lab Ownership, LLC; the building’s owners Dr. A. John Merola and John Murphy; and various community leaders joined Upstate officials for the groundbreaking event.

The new facility “moves Upstate Pathology well into the future,” Dr. Mantosh Dewan, president of Upstate Medical University, said in the announcement.

“This new Institute will transform the practice of pathology and help us meet the increasing demand for our services with greater efficiency and set a standard for laboratory science,” Dewan said.

About the upcoming building

The new three-story building will bring together services that include the core laboratory, microbiology lab, histology, immunohistochemistry (IHC), cytology, electron microscopy, bone marrow, hematopathology, cytogenetics, flow cytometry, molecular lab, bioinformatics & digital pathology, Upstate said.

The structure will also include teaching, conference, and employee-support spaces, as well as areas for drone and courier-specimen transport.

The facility will have a “drone bay” for recharging and maintenance of the transport drones. Upstate recently executed a first of its kind drone operation in preparing for the new facility. The operation was authorized under a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) waiver granted to Upstate in May 2025 that permits drone operations beyond visual line of sight, over people, and over moving vehicles, setting a new standard for the safe and scalable integration of drones into the national airspace.

Upstate Pathology Lab Ownership, LLC — a team with more than 50 years of experience in medical facility development — will oversee construction and ownership of the facility. The firm’s holdings also include North Medical Center in the town of Clay and Northeast Medical Center in the town of Manlius.

CNY regions report lower jobless rates in June 2025

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The unemployment rates in the Syracuse, Utica–Rome, Watertown–Fort Drum, Binghamton, Ithaca, and Elmira regions were all lower in June 2025 compared to a year ago. That’s according to the latest New York State Department of Labor (NYSDOL) data released on July 22. Regional unemployment rates The jobless rate in the Syracuse area fell to 3.2

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The unemployment rates in the Syracuse, Utica–Rome, Watertown–Fort Drum, Binghamton, Ithaca, and Elmira regions were all lower in June 2025 compared to a year ago.

That’s according to the latest New York State Department of Labor (NYSDOL) data released on July 22.

Regional unemployment rates

The jobless rate in the Syracuse area fell to 3.2 percent in June 2025 from 3.6 percent in June 2024.

Around the region, the Utica–Rome region’s rate dipped to 3.4 percent from 3.6 percent; the Watertown–Fort Drum area’s number fell to 3.4 percent from 3.7 percent; the Binghamton region’s jobless rate slipped to 3.6 percent from 3.8 percent; the Ithaca area’s unemployment number declined to 3.2 percent from 3.8 percent; and the Elmira region’s jobless rate improved to 3.3 percent this June from 3.7 percent in the same month a year earlier.

The local-unemployment data isn’t seasonally adjusted, meaning the figures don’t reflect seasonal influences such as holiday hires. The unemployment rates are calculated following procedures prescribed by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the state Labor Department said.

State unemployment rate

New York state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate held steady at 4.0 percent this June, compared to May, according to preliminary figures that NYSDOL released.

At the same time, New York State’s labor force (seasonally adjusted) decreased by 900. The statewide labor-force participation rate dipped from 61.0 percent in May of this year to 60.9 percent in June 2025.

New York’s 4.0 percent unemployment rate was lower than the U.S. unemployment rate of 4.1 percent in June.

The June statewide unemployment figure of 4.0 percent was also lower than the 4.3 percent rate reported in June 2024, according to department figures.

The federal government calculates New York’s unemployment rate partly based upon the results of a monthly telephone survey of 3,100 state households that the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics conducts.

Utica to host State Summer Games for Special Olympics N.Y. the next three years

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UTICA, N.Y. — Utica will host the next three annual editions of the State Summer Games for Special Olympics New York between 2026 and 2028. Utica University will serve as the hub of State Summer Games, with Opening & Closing Ceremonies and most of the sports competitions held on site. The campus will also provide

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UTICA, N.Y. — Utica will host the next three annual editions of the State Summer Games for Special Olympics New York between 2026 and 2028.

Utica University will serve as the hub of State Summer Games, with Opening & Closing Ceremonies and most of the sports competitions held on site. The campus will also provide housing and meals for athletes and coaches. Additional venues scheduled to host State Summer Games events include Hamilton College (swimming), City of Utica (tennis) and Mohawk Valley Community College (volleyball).

Special Olympics New York, Utica University, and community leaders on July 28 gathered at the Utica University Hudson Sports & Recreation Center at 1600 Burrstone Road in Utica to make the announcement.

State Summer Games is the largest statewide competition for athletes with intellectual disabilities, Special Olympics New York said in its announcement. The games will be offered each June for more than 1,200 athletes and coaches from across the state to compete in six sports: basketball, powerlifting, swimming, tennis, track & field, and volleyball.

“We are thrilled to be partnering with Utica University and the surrounding communities to give our athletes a first-class State Summer Games where they will go for the gold in their favorite sports, reconnect with friends from all across New York, and meet new volunteers,” Stacey Hengsterman, president and CEO of Special Olympics New York, said in the announcement. “Making this three-year commitment to inclusion is a significant undertaking, and we are so grateful to our partners for their collaboration and support.”

In addition to the sports competitions, State Summer Games also includes a signature Special Olympics Opening Ceremony. In the ceremony, participants and the community come together to celebrate inclusion; activities for aspiring young athletes from local elementary schools; and a victory dance. In addition, it includes a Healthy Athletes event where athletes receive free health screenings in several disciplines such as vision care, dental care, hearing, podiatry, nutrition, and mental health, per the announcement.

“We’re excited to welcome more than 1,200 Special Olympics athletes and their coaches and families. With the support of the community, I know we’re going to make this a weekend to remember for everyone involved,” Utica University President Todd Pfannestiel said. “This is such a natural fit on so many levels, but in particular, the Special Olympics mission of providing opportunity aligns so closely with our own. We’re happy to have the Games back in Utica for three years and hopefully longer, and we cannot wait for next June to be here.”

“We are honored that the Special Olympics New York State Summer Games will be held in Oneida County for the next three years,” Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente, Jr., said. “This is more than a sporting event — it’s a celebration of courage, determination and inclusion. We look forward to welcoming these incredible athletes, their families and supporters and showing them the warmth, pride and spirit that define our community.”

Startup fund Upstate Biotech Ventures now has $10 million

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SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Upstate Biotech Ventures (UBV), Upstate Medical University’s startup biotech fund, now has significantly more funding than it did when UBV was announced in July 2024. SUNY Chancellor John King, Jr. on July 16 announced a $4 million increase in the startup biotech fund for a total $10 million investment. Empire State Development

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SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Upstate Biotech Ventures (UBV), Upstate Medical University’s startup biotech fund, now has significantly more funding than it did when UBV was announced in July 2024.

SUNY Chancellor John King, Jr. on July 16 announced a $4 million increase in the startup biotech fund for a total
$10 million investment. Empire State Development (ESD) and Upstate Medical University provided the $4 million, SUNY said in the announcement.

The move comes about a year after the fund’s official launch in July 2024 with an initial $6 million in backing from ESD and Upstate Medical University.

Upstate Biotech Ventures (UBV) is a regional venture-capital fund supported by Upstate Medical University, Empire State Development (ESD), and SUNY, and managed by Excell Partners.

UBV was established to support and accelerate the growth of early-stage biotech, life sciences, and health-tech companies in upstate New York. The latest infusion of capital “underscores growing confidence in the region’s innovation potential and the fund’s targeted approach to advancing cutting-edge healthcare solutions,” SUNY said.

“The ongoing investment by SUNY, Empire State Development, and Upstate Medical supports transformative early-stage scientific research that will benefit New York State, our nation, and the entire global community,” King said in the announcement. “We look forward to the continued success of this fund and the research projects it serves.”

Fundraising has already begun with private investors to continue growing the fund.

Besides the additional funding, UBV also announced its first round of investments, totaling over $1.8 million across three “high-potential” startups. The investments include $1 million for DUB Therapeutics, $500,000 for MimiVax, and $350,000 for sayhii.

About the startups

In keeping with the funding guidelines, all companies that receive investments are clients of the Central New York Biotechnology Accelerator (CNYBAC) at Upstate Medical University.

DUB Therapeutics, an Upstate Medical University spinout company, is developing a revolutionary self-delivering siRNA (sdRNA) therapeutic aimed at preventing inflammation and scarring in corneal injuries.

By targeting the USP10 protein, their sdRNA technology can penetrate cells without additional reagents and provide long-lasting treatment with just a single dose. The firm’s initial product — an eye drop for corneal opacification — is designed to reduce vision loss risk from infection or trauma, addressing a significant unmet need in ocular medicine.

MimiVax is advancing immunotherapy for brain cancer, with a focus on glioblastoma (GBM), one of the most lethal forms of brain tumors.

The company’s lead candidate, SurVaxM, is a peptide-based vaccine targeting survivin, a protein highly expressed in cancer cells. Currently in phase 2B clinical trials, SurVaxM has already “achieved full enrollment” and represents a “potentially” life-extending therapy for patients with GBM and other cancers, SUNY said.

The startup sayhii is described as a “transformative voice-of-the-employee platform focused on daily engagement,” per the SUNY announcement.

By delivering personalized questions each morning, sayhii captures real-time employee feedback to enhance culture, improve communication, and support leadership decision-making with actionable insights. Its mission is to make every employee’s voice heard — “driving trust, transparency, and data-informed workplace strategies.”

“Upstate Biotech Ventures exists to support companies like DUB Therapeutics, MimiVax, and sayhii, which are just three examples of the many promising high-tech companies that are innovating new technologies and addressing challenges in the healthcare industry,” Theresa Mazzullo, CEO of Excell Partners, said in the SUNY announcement. “UBV provides life science companies like sayhii, DUB Therapeutics, and MimiVax the critical capital required to launch and grow in Upstate NY.”

“Continued investment in the Upstate Medical University community and the broader Central New York region provides much needed capital to researchers and entrepreneurs who are developing life-changing medical and life sciences innovations,” Melur Ramasubramanian, SUNY executive vice chancellor for academic affairs and provost, said. “As part of a robust portfolio of innovative programs that make up SUNY’s technology-to-market strategy, Upstate Biotech Ventures plays an important part in catalyzing SUNY’s far-reaching research, innovation, and entrepreneurial capacity.”

Ramasubramanian also serves as president of the SUNY Research Foundation.

“Empire State Development is proud to support Upstate Biotech Ventures as it identifies and invests in the next generation of biotech and life sciences companies across the region,” Hope Knight, president, CEO, and commissioner of Empire State Development said in the SUNY announcement.

Students learn about sports-medicine careers at Guthrie event

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DICKINSON, N.Y. — Nearly 40 students from area high schools learned about professions in sports medicine and received hands-on experience during a July 18 event hosted by Guthrie Sports Medicine. The inaugural “Game Plan: Careers in Sports Medicine” provided instruction for 39 students in an interactive career day at SUNY Broome Community College, near Binghamton

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DICKINSON, N.Y. — Nearly 40 students from area high schools learned about professions in sports medicine and received hands-on experience during a July 18 event hosted by Guthrie Sports Medicine.

The inaugural “Game Plan: Careers in Sports Medicine” provided instruction for 39 students in an interactive career day at SUNY Broome Community College, near Binghamton (town of Dickinson).

Zach Spencer, a certified athletic trainer with Guthrie Sports Medicine, came up with the idea for the program and organized it.

“The goal for ‘Game Plan’ was to spark interest in health care careers, especially within sports medicine, and show students the diverse paths available,” Spencer said in a Guthrie announcement. “Many schools host career day fairs where students learn about different professions, but these events rarely offer hands-on experiences of daily work activities. Our goal was to provide interactive learning opportunities that actively engage students in the healthcare field.”

Guthrie Sports Medicine specializes in care for athletes and active individuals, with services ranging from injury prevention and diagnosis to treatment and rehabilitation. The organization’s team of athletic trainers and strength coaches works with numerous high school sports programs throughout the Twin Tiers region, helping student-athletes “recover and return to peak performance,” Guthrie said.

Career day summary

Throughout the daylong event, students rotated among three teams, participating in hands-on sessions led by Guthrie professionals. Morning activities centered on emergency-medical services, CPR, and athletic training.

Afternoon sessions focused on orthopedics, strength and conditioning training, and physical-therapy fundamentals with Windsor Physical Therapy, Guthrie Physical Therapy, and Broome Physical Therapy Assistant Program collaborating. During lunch, a Guthrie nutritionist educated students on the topic of sports nutrition.

The event also included the American Heart Association Heart Saver course, which Guthrie described as a “key component of the program.” Students completed online coursework before the event and then received in-person certification during the July 18 program in AED (automatic external defibrillator) use, first aid, adult and infant CPR, EpiPen administration, and scene safety.

The afternoon also featured three Guthrie orthopedic physicians who demonstrated practical skills including casting, diagnostic ultrasound, and other orthopedic procedures. Nurses and athletic trainers provided additional expertise throughout the day.

“The event allowed us to share our passion and provide practical, hands-on experience that can truly shape their future decisions,” Spencer said. “We hope to offer this program again next summer and continue serving local students in the years ahead.”

SRC wins patent for adaptive digital filter for radar systems

Manufacturing & Engineering, Employee Benefits & Human Resources, Subscriber Only, Technology

CICERO, N.Y. — The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has recently issued SRC, Inc. a patent for “Discrete Time Adaptive Notch Filter,” a process that allows for the selective filtering of complex signal components in radar systems. The patent develops an adaptive digital filter designed to efficiently remove specific types of unwanted interference, while minimizing

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KeyCorp to pay 3rd quarter 2025 dividend in mid-September

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KeyCorp (NYSE: KEY) — parent company of KeyBank, the No. 2 bank ranked by deposit market share in the 16-county Central New York region — has declared a quarterly cash dividend of 20.5 cents per share of its common stock for the third quarter of this year. The dividend is payable on Sept. 15, to

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Syracuse Fire Department’s Engine Company 12 reopens at Station 12 after 27 years

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SYRACUSE, N.Y. — After being closed since 1998, the Syracuse Fire Department’s Engine Company 12 reopened and returned to Station 12 at 400 West Genesee St. on July 2. Engine 12 will respond to calls for fires, car accidents, EMS, and other 911 emergencies across the city. The fire department said that amid record-breaking call

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Community Foundation honors Human Technologies with Community Impact Award

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UTICA, N.Y. — The Community Foundation of Herkimer and Oneida Counties presented its Community Impact Award to Human Technologies on June 26. The Community Impact Award celebrates, rewards, and encourages outstanding achievement in the charitable sector and is presented to a nonprofit organization serving Herkimer and/or Oneida counties that has shown outstanding service to its

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UTICA, N.Y. — The Community Foundation of Herkimer and Oneida Counties presented its Community Impact Award to Human Technologies on June 26.

The Community Impact Award celebrates, rewards, and encourages outstanding achievement in the charitable sector and is presented to a nonprofit organization serving Herkimer and/or Oneida counties that has shown outstanding service to its constituents, according to an announcement from the Community Foundation.

Human Technologies says it creates employment opportunities for people with differing abilities by developing, investing in, and growing their business lines including environmental facilities management, apparel and equipment supply chain, uniform management services, and manufacturing and packaging operations. Established in 1954 and founded with a mission to provide jobs to veterans and those with disabilities, the organization employs nearly 450 people throughout New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Northern Virginia, and generates tens of millions in annual revenue.

“Human Technologies is a great example of what is possible when you think outside of the box,” Alicia Dicks, president and CEO of the Community Foundation of Herkimer and Oneida Counties, said in the announcement. “The opportunities they are creating are keeping talent in our community, attracting investment locally, and contributing to the revitalization of our region, which is something we always talk about.”

The relationship between Human Technologies (HT) and the Community Foundation dates back to 1960. Since then, the foundation has awarded more than $85,000 in grants to support HT’s mission, including funding to grow its facilities management services. Over the years, HT has developed a sustainable business model that generates multiple revenue streams while staying true to its people-centered mission.

“This award from the Community Foundation celebrates our work, and more importantly shines a spotlight on what’s possible when inclusion, purpose, and business come together,” said Carl Reistrom, president and CEO of Human Technologies. “At Human Technologies, we remain steadfast in our mission to break down barriers and create opportunities that empower people with differing abilities to thrive in work and in life. It shows that our model works — that when you lead with purpose, build with intention, and believe in people, real impact follows. We’re grateful to the Community Foundation for standing with us and sharing our vision of shifting perceptions while creating a more equitable and resilient region.”

Past recipients of the Community Impact Award, presented by the Community Foundation of Herkimer and Oneida Counties, include: Arc Herkimer, Community Transportation Services, Compassion Coalition, Hope House, Johnson Park Center, LivingADK, Sitrin Healthcare, SUNY Poly’s FIRST LEGO League, Thea Bowman House, and Young Scholars.

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