News

New rules regarding who can be held on bail in New York state took effect Thursday.

The new law rolls back some bail reform measures passed in 2019, and criminal justice advocates say it’s the wrong time to do it, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and the Black Lives Matter movement.

This is a summer travel season like no other. The coronavirus has changed the way people are traveling this year, but people are still taking trips.

There’s a kind of Jekyll and Hyde aspect when it comes to planning a trip this summer, according to AAA of Western and Central New York. There is pent up demand for travel, but people are worried according to Dan Fisher of Triple-A.

Administrators at St. Joseph's Hospital Health Center in Syracuse are closing its two urgent care facilities and laying off employees. CFO Meredith Price said in the last few months, revenues from elective surgeries -which were put on hold for two months- have dipped at a time when the costs related to preparing staff to handle coronavirus cases continue to increase.

After recent years of consistent and even record growth, New York's tourism business -which is the state's third-largest industry- suffered a blow this year due to changes related to COVID-19. Bob Provost, president of the New York State Tourism Industry Association, said travel spending in the state dropped $18.7 billion between March 1 and June 6. That's an 80 percent drop from 2019.

Onondaga County officials are urging people to buy local this summer, saying local farmers need help more now than ever, as businesses start to reopen from the coronavirus pandemic.

Christina Hudson Kohler is a fourth generation egg farmer in Onondaga County. The farm lost half of its business when food service shut down. And while they are moving into recovery mode, more issues keep popping up. Right now, the problem is a shortage of egg cartons.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo said the rate of the COVID-19 virus continues to be low in New York, with 11 deaths on June 30, but he said he worries that compliance with safety rules is slipping. Because of that, the governor said he’s postponing permission to allow indoor dining in New York City.

Onondaga County reported an increase Monday in sales tax received over last year. But county officials say while it's welcome news, it won't solve the county's budget problems caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

The county received a $17.2 million sales tax payment that County Executive Ryan McMahon called "curious, but encouraging." It was up nearly $7 million from the same time last year. 

Concerned about what role malls may be playing in the recent surge of COVID-19 cases in other states, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Monday that in order for large malls to reopen safely in New York, the owners must upgrade their facility's air filtration system.

There will be swimming at some municipal pools in the city of Syracuse this summer, but it won’t however look like summers' past.

The city of Syracuse generally opens up eight pools every summer.  But the city can’t afford to do that this year because of a multi-million dollar budget gap caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Mayor Ben Walsh said he had to take that into account as he made a decision to open two pools.

The discussion over whether to remove a statue of Christopher Columbus in downtown Syracuse reached a fever pitch Saturday, as protesters gathered in Columbus Circle calling for the statue to come down. But Mayor Ben Walsh wouldn't commit to removing the statue right away.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s budget office is temporarily withholding 20% of a state aid payment owed to several cities in New York, citing the COVID-19 pandemic-related revenue shortfall and budget deficit plaguing state government.

Cuomo and his budget director have been saying for months that if Congress does not provide another relief package for state and local governments hit hard by the effects of the pandemic, then the state will have to cut funding to schools, hospitals and cities by one-fifth.

Protesters are continuing their demand for the removal of a statue of Christopher Columbus in downtown Syracuse. More than 12,000 people have signed an online petition to remove it.

Onondaga Community College is ready for a fall semester that starts August 31 and combines the world of virtual education with in-person classes. OCC submitted a plan to SUNY that makes several changes to ensure the safety of everyone on campus this fall. It includes some classes that are a combination of in-person and remote learning.

Upstate Medical University in Syracuse is launching a study to figure out how COVID-19 is transmitted within families.

There are a lot of questions about the coronavirus and COVID-19 that haven’t been answered that revolve around how the virus is transmitted and what kind of immunity a positive test provides. 

Central and northern New York, the Mohawk Valley, Finger Lakes and Southern Tier regions are set to enter Phase 4 of reopening on Friday, according to Gov. Andrew Cuomo. That includes guidance on reopening higher education, arts and entertainment, professional sports and movie productions. 

New York, New Jersey and Connecticut are imposing mandatory quarantines for travelers from several states with high rates of the coronavirus, including Florida and Texas, effective midnight Wednesday.  

Gov. Andrew Cuomo was joined Wednesday via remote feeds by New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy and Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont.