Five graduate from apprenticeship program at Raymond

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GREENE, N.Y. — The Raymond Corporation, Broome-Tioga Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES), the Greene Central School District, and Seton Catholic Central recently celebrated this

State to host Thursday open house on I-81 contract focusing on Inner Harbor, North side areas

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SYRACUSE, N.Y. — The New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) will host an open house on Thursday evening, June 27, discussing the third construction

Lyndsay Quiggle

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Power Management Company, a provider of energy solutions, has announced the addition of Lyndsay Quiggle to its team as executive sales manager. With more than

Utica University expands accelerated teacher prep program

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UTICA, N.Y. — Utica University was awarded more than $1.2 million to expand its Accelerated Educator Preparation Program, also known as its Transitional B Apprenticeship Program, as part of the state’s Education Workforce Investment, the university announced. Gov. Kathy Hochul announced more than $13.7 million in total Education Workforce Investment awards to 12 public and

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Gov. Kathy Hochul announced more than $13.7 million in total Education Workforce Investment awards to 12 public and private colleges and universities around the state.

Utica University will use the money to expand its program by adding a certification in special education for masters’ degree students. The addition will extend the university’s reach, network, and partnerships in the education field.

Utica University is also partnering with Hamilton-Fulton-Montgomery Board of Cooperative Educational Services (HMF BOCES) to help with recruitment for the program to help address the region’s teacher shortage. High-need staffing areas include special education, foreign language, math, and science. The goal is to have students in the program simultaneously teach within the HMF BOCES school districts, but it is not a program requirement.

The grant also provides more than $985,000 in scholarship funds. Qualified teacher candidate applicants can apply for a scholarship of more than $36,000 per student along with additional funding to cover books, miscellaneous fees, and a small stipend to offset other related costs. The scholarships are limited and offered through a competitive application process.

The areas of study in the program are special education, adolescence education math, English, science, social studies, foreign language, and technology. Applicants must have a GPA of 3.0 and an undergraduate degree or equivalent in content area for adolescent education and liberal arts/sciences for special education candidates. Applicants must also have six credits in math, science, English, and social sciences and must be employed full-time as a teacher for the entire duration of the 38-credit-hour program.

The first cohort of students of the Transitional B program will start in the spring of 2025, followed by a second cohort in the spring of 2026. Applications for the upcoming cohort are open now and due by Oct. 1.

To be certified to teach in New York, prospective teachers are required to complete a bachelor’s degree, including the education program requirements and pass all mandatory state teacher-certification examinations as well as meet other regulations of the New York State Commissioner of Education.

Utica University, founded in 1946, offers bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees in more than 40 majors.

Le Moyne College to host construction academy beginning July 1

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SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Le Moyne College says it will host an eight-week, hybrid construction-training program starting on July 1. The program seeks to place participants into construction jobs to help with an ongoing shortage of workers in the field, per the college’s announcement. Le Moyne is the only site in Central New York that will

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SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Le Moyne College says it will host an eight-week, hybrid construction-training program starting on July 1.

The program seeks to place participants into construction jobs to help with an ongoing shortage of workers in the field, per the college’s announcement. Le Moyne is the only site in Central New York that will host the training, a spokesperson tells CNYBJ in an email.

Those interested can register at https://www.cahilltech.com/construction-academy.

The aQuiRe Construction Academy — operated by Buffalo–based CAHill TECH — will host up to 50 people on campus for the free program. A grant from the Empire State Development’s Office of Strategic Workforce Development (OSWD) and CAHill TECH is underwriting the program, Le Moyne College said.

“This program is holistically designed for real people; it’s hybrid and emphasizes mentorship because we understand the flexibility and custom training people need,” Carley Hill, CEO and founder of CAHill TECH, said in the Le Moyne announcement. “We provide virtual training through the aQuire mobile app, as well as live on-the-job training so that they have the experience to find jobs in the industry. Private construction companies and unions are knocking on our door for workers. We offer assistance with transportation and childcare reimbursements, as well as a career empowerment series. to ensure participants can thrive while job searching and in their new positions.”

The curriculum, virtual education, and demand for skilled construction workers “aligns well” with OSWD’s goals and the New York Job Development Authority, Le Moyne contends. The New York State Department of Transportation supports the program, as one goal is to train and hire participants looking for employment across New York, the school said.

“We are excited to welcome CAHill and the people they will be training to campus,” Bill Brower, special assistant to the president for strategic partnerships and workforce innovation, said. “Through our ERIE21 workforce program in technology, we have become adept at helping underrepresented people persist in and complete training programs. That is one reason CAHill approached us. Thanks to President LeMura’s leadership, Le Moyne is wired for partnership, and we are excited to be working with CAHill and CenterState CEO to do our part to enable local people to obtain jobs in the trades, especially with the urgent need we have for workers in these fields.”

The program will conclude with a graduation ceremony on Aug. 28.

Program details

Program participants will take part in the OSHA 10 certification course training, with each course splitting into two groups of 25 students to “ensure personalized instruction and safety.” OSHA is short for Occupational Safety & Health Administration.

They’ll also get hands-on training with aerial lifts and forklifts in a parking lot on campus. In addition, the program will include a work-yard tour at a client worksite.

It’ll also include a remote job-readiness session that will include mock interviews, résumé-writing workshops, and a visit from a representative of a local union, Le Moyne said.

New York State Now Requires 30-Minute Paid Lactation Breaks

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For the past year or so, New York employers have been adapting to the State law protections granting employees returning from childbirth leave the right

Onondaga Grown campaign begins 10th year

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ON Farm Fest set for September SKANEATELES — A marketing effort with a catchy jingle that encourages the public to choose food and products grown in Onondaga County by more than 570 farm families

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ON Farm Fest set for September

SKANEATELES — A marketing effort with a catchy jingle that encourages the public to choose food and products grown in Onondaga County by more than 570 farm families is starting its 10th year.

Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon and the Onondaga County Agriculture Council on June 11 formally launched the 10th year of the “Buy Local. Buy Onondaga Grown” campaign during a visit to Anyela’s Vineyards in the town of Skaneateles.

Anyela’s Vineyards is also one of the 12 locations opening for a day of agritourism at the 8th annual Harvey Skeele ON Farm Fest, which is set for Sept. 21, officials announced during the June 11 event.

The Onondaga County Agriculture Council describes the ON Farm Fest as “another way for community members to connect to local agriculture” through interactive tours and demonstrations.

The full list of locations is available at: onondagagrown.com

Both McMahon and David Knapp, Onondaga County legislator and chair of the Onondaga County Agriculture Council, discussed the importance of connecting the public with their food producers.

“This year’s campaign highlights the importance of connecting the public directly with their food producers. That connection happens daily at farmers markets, local stores and farmstands, and in many cases — right at the farm in the form of agritourism.” McMahon said in a county announcement. “Onondaga County is focused on expanding and strengthening our local agricultural community. Through a multi-media campaign and the ON Farm Fest event, our goal is to inform the public of all the amazing products and experiences available thanks to their local farmer.”

“I always look forward to announcing the year’s ON Farm Fest host venues because it showcases just how diverse Onondaga County’s agriculture system is,” Knapp said in the county’s announcement. “From a rural orchard to an urban farm, a family dairy to an equine rescue facility…there is so much to explore at the dozen farms that will be open for free tours on September 21st during ON Farm Fest.”

The “Buy Local. Buy Onondaga Grown.” campaign seeks to educate the community on the health and economic benefits of purchasing in-season produce and other local products. Through radio and TV commercials, social-media posts, and signage, the campaign also highlights specific producers from within Onondaga County, per the announcement.

All local retailers — from restaurants to grocers, farm stores to markets — who offer agricultural products grown in Onondaga County are invited to participate in the Onondaga Grown campaign by requesting a free media kit containing posters, window clings for entryways, and sheets of stickers for Onondaga Grown products. This gives consumers an easy way to identify and purchase Onondaga Grown products.

The Onondaga Grown campaign continues to include a regular feature on The Local Show on WSYR Radio (AM 570 and 106.9 FM) on Saturdays at 11 a.m. and Sundays at 7 a.m. The feature involves farmers and businesses discussing the “Buy Local” movement.

2024 Cybersecurity Conference Event Photos

Event Gallery, Technology

Photos from the 2024 Cybersecurity Conference, held on June 18, 2024. To view the Event Supplement, click here

Syracuse police say crime at Destiny USA has dropped about 50 percent since last November

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SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Syracuse Police Deputy Chief Mark Rusin says Destiny USA has seen property crime cut in half in the last six months. “In the month of November 2023, there were 145 property crimes reported. Since then, we have had an approximately 50 percent reduction in calls,” Rusin said. “There have been 283 arrests,

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SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Syracuse Police Deputy Chief Mark Rusin says Destiny USA has seen property crime cut in half in the last six months.

“In the month of November 2023, there were 145 property crimes reported. Since then, we have had an approximately 50 percent reduction in calls,” Rusin said. “There have been 283 arrests, 72 of which have resulted in a felony charge.”

Rusin was citing data collected since the beginning of the Destiny USA property crimes task force, saying, “I think the progress we’ve seen is very promising and we continue to seek areas of improvement.”

The task force, which includes Destiny USA, the Syracuse Police Department, and the Onondaga County District Attorney’s (DA’s) office was formed last November to focus on criminal activity at the mall and in the community as well.

The group gathered Thursday to discuss the formation of task force, which was created to “enhance the safety and security of the 16 million people that visit Destiny USA each year,” Syracuse Police Sergeant Thomas Blake, a member of the department’s public-relations team, said in remarks to open the Thursday morning event in the Destiny USA Canyon area.

Prior to launch of the task force, Syracuse police met with Destiny USA senior management to outline the strategies police wanted to take, Rusin said. At the same time, he also asked Destiny USA to commit to another 24 hours of funding to have investigative time for the department’s officers.

“Prior to that, we had 225 hours that were funded by Destiny USA for police officers to be here,” Rusin said. “I was asking for an additional 24 hours of investigative time.”

One of the strategies was to have more police at the mall complex, both on foot and on bike, including those officers who had traditionally patrolled the mall area in a police car. The department also put a new recruiting class on mall duty as well.

It also hosted a meeting with loss-prevention officers and all of Destiny USA’s storefronts to get feedback on concerns. The department also worked with the DA’s office to determine who are the top retail-theft offenders and repeat offenders at the mall and in the overall community.

“I felt these strategies would be impactful both on the perception of safety and the reported crime data,” Rusin said. “I felt confident because I knew we had strong relationships with the DA’s office and with Destiny.”

Rusin also used his remarks to remember the late Syracuse Police Officer Michael Jensen, who was one of the officers who started on the bike patrol at the mall. Jensen was killed April 14 along with Onondaga County Sheriff’s Department Lieutenant Michael Hoosock in a shooting in the town of Salina.

Destiny USA takes the “safety and security and comfort of our guests,” which include the visitors, its own staff, and the staff of each tenant that occupies space at the complex, very seriously, Stephen Congel, CEO of Pyramid Management Group, which operates Destiny USA, said in his remarks at the event.

“When faced with the plague that really ran throughout our nation, we knew we had to do something different and step up with a renewed and enhanced effort,” Congel added.

He also lauded the 50 percent drop in property crime at Destiny USA in the last six months.

“These positive results have only enhanced our resolve to continue to invest in additional programs and partnerships that will maintain that level of resolve,” Congel said.

Millions in JUUL settlement money making its way to New York counties and BOCES

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Millions of dollars are flowing into the North Country, Mohawk Valley, and Southern Tier as part of the $462 million multistate settlement with JUUL Labs Inc. for its role in the youth-vaping epidemic. New York will receive a total of $112.7 million through the settlement, according to New York Attorney General Letitia James, who announced

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New York will receive a total of $112.7 million through the settlement, according to New York Attorney General Letitia James, who announced the funding distribution in a series of press releases.

The state’s portion of the settlement will be distributed to every county, Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES), and the five largest cities in the state to support programs to reduce and prevent underage vaping.

“JUUL intentionally used deceptive marketing to hook a generation of young people on their addictive products,” James said in one of the press releases. “Our children now face a severe public health crisis, battling addiction to dangerous e-cigarettes.”

The more than $3 million headed to the North Country will be split between six counties and four BOCES. Clinton County will receive $398,962.14, Essex County will get $278,594.49, Franklin County will be allocated $372,792.31, Hamilton County will receive $181,640.73, Jefferson County will be distributed $531,347.19, Lewis County will receive $261,994.63, and St. Lawrence County will be allocated $383,711.63.

Clinton-Essex-Warren-Washington BOCES will receive $226,598.54, Franklin-Essex-Hamilton BOCES will be allocated $128,101.19, Jefferson-Lewis-Oneida-Hamilton-Herkimer BOCES will receive $368,831 and St. Lawrence-Lewis BOCES will get $232,632.83.

The Southern Tier will receive more than $4.5 million divided between eight counties and four BOCES.

Broome County will be distributed $596,588.77, Chemung County will be allocated $509.170.60, Chenango County will get $351,784.56, Delaware County will receive $315,519.52, Schuyler County will be allocated $216,589.36, Steuben County will receive $450,048.88, Tioga County will get $323,674.26, and Tompkins County will be distributed $473,932.88.

Broome-Delaware-Tioga BOCES will receive $463,006.41, Delaware-Chenango-Madison-Otsego BOCES will be provided $184,030.60, Greater Southern Tier BOCES will get $439,444, and Tompkins-Seneca-Tioga BOCES will receive $183,380.64.

More than $3.4 million will be distributed to six counties and five BOCES in the Mohawk Valley as part of the settlement.

Fulton County will receive $377,149.09, Herkimer County will get $338,122.50, Montgomery County will be distributed $302,440.88, Oneida County will receive $849,282.44, Otsego County will get $257,184.58, and Schoharie County will be allocated $255,547.66.

Hamilton-Fulton-Montgomery BOCES will receive $244,033.35, Herkimer-Fulton-Hamilton-Otsego BOCES will get $146,946.02, Madison-Oneida BOCES will be distributed $231,265.86, Oneida-Herkimer-Madison BOCES will be allocated $355,157.99, and Otsego-Delaware-Schoharie-Greene BOCES will receive $123,038.86.

According to the press release, after JUUL launched in 2015, e-cigarette use among the state’s high-school students skyrocketed. By 2019, vaping-related illnesses led to more than 2,500 hospitalizations.

In November 2019, James sued JUUL for deceptive and misleading marketing targeted at young people, securing the multistate settlement agreement in April 2023.

Funds from the settlement will be used for evidence-based measures to combat underage vaping and e-cigarette addiction. Counties and BOCES must dedicate the settlement funds they receive to public education campaigns to prevent e-cigarette use among young people; community, school, and university-based anti-vaping programs; vaping-cessation services in communities, schools, and colleges; enforcement of vaping laws and regulations; public-health research into e-cigarette use among young people and the effectiveness of anti-vaping programs.

The settlement also required JUUL to make significant changes to its sales and marketing practices.

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