Income, race linked to high levels of lead in Syracuse children
An analysis conducted by The Daily Orange found a strong link between median household income and the area’s rate of high lead levels in children’s blood. Read more »
Common Council
Over 9% of children in Onondaga County show elevated levels of lead in blood
The percentage of children in Onondaga County with elevated levels of lead in their blood has decreased dramatically in the past few years — in 2012, the rate exceeded 17% in Syracuse. Read more »
Syracuse Common Council approves labor agreement, funding for community programs
A five-and-a-half year agreement to increase wages for the Syracuse Firefighters Association will run retroactively from Jan. 1, 2021. Read more »
Syracuse Common Council enters 3-year agreement with Microsoft for software modernization
The agreement would upgrade roughly 750 city employees to Microsoft 365 software. Read more »
Common Council approves participation in low-income household water access program
The program would assist households that pay a high proportion of their income to drinking water and wastewater providers to prevent a loss of those services. Read more »
Syracuse has spent 35% of its $123 million American Rescue Plan Act funds
The city’s spending is broken down into four categories: enhancing government response and resilience, investing in jobs and economic recovery, transforming infrastructure and public spaces as well as supporting children, families and neighborhoods. Read more »
Khalid Bey would’ve been a better mayor for Syracuse
As Syracuse’s first Black mayor, Khalid Bey would have created positive change for marginalized communities. Read more »
Ben Walsh wins reelection in Syracuse mayoral race, defeats Khalid Bey
Incumbent Ben Walsh was reelected for a second term as Syracuse's first Independent mayor. Read more »
Democrats sweep Syracuse Common Council, school board races
Syracuse elected 3 new Common Council members, all Democrats, and Onondaga County reshuffled its legislature. Read more »
Agreement with city would allow SU to repair Thornden, Walnut Parks
An agreement between the city and Syracuse University would permit the university to maintain and improve Walnut and Thornden parks subject to approval by the city’s Commissioner of Parks. Read more »
Common Council will appropriate $1.2 million to improving parks, public safety
Mayor Ben Walsh commended Common Council on their approval of appropriating $1.2 million in funds from the American Rescue Plan Act for parks, public safety and digital infrastructure. Read more »
Democrats form organization to try to flip Onondaga County legislature
Councilor Joe Driscoll is leading the effort to flip the Onondaga County Legislature with Democrats’ full slate of candidates. Read more »
Ben Walsh announces campaign platform including housing policy, police reform
The “Plan to Keep Rising” provides details on policy proposals he has mentioned throughout his campaign. Read more »
Common Council approves new acai bowl restaurant in Westcott neighborhood
An acai bowl and smoothie restaurant will be coming to Westcott, as Syracuse Common Council approved its permit at its Tuesday meeting. Read more »
Republican-led panel to draw new legislative districts for Onondaga County
Republicans pushed through a party-line vote which will give a Republican-led team control over redistricting the legislature for the 2023 election. Read more »
Syracuse mayoral candidates outline environmental, economic commitments at forum
Khalid Bey, Ben Walsh and Janet Burman gave their policy ideas for an audience of dozens in person and over a hundred people online. Read more »
10 labor unions endorse Syracuse mayor Ben Walsh for re-election
Ten labor unions have endorsed the re-election of Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh, and he credits these to his own background as a union member and administrator. Read more »
City of Syracuse to purchase additional COPS Cameras over next 3 years
In its Sept. 13 meeting, the Common Council passed the initiative to spend some of the ARPA funds on COPS cameras over the next three years. Read more »
A look inside Khalid Bey’s mayoral campaign
To become Syracuse’s next mayor, Khalid Bey has recruited community leaders who have their own personal stories on why they joined his staff. Read more »
Common Council appropriates federal funds to provide training for unemployed residents
The Council appropriated funds from the American Rescue Plan act to recruit unemployed Syracuse residents for specialized training and apprenticeship programs as well as for police cameras. Read more »
SPD requires officers keep body cameras on during entirety of time at scene
The Syracuse Police Department revised its body camera policy to require that officers record the entirety of their presence during police encounters. Read more »
Everything to know about early voting in Onondaga County's primary elections
Syracuse mayor primary voting is open June 12-20 at four locations throughout Onondaga County. Read more »
Common Council rejects introduction of sidewalk maintenance program
Councilor-at-Large Michael Greene introduced the program, which would commit $4.5 million toward refurbishing and building sidewalks throughout the city, as a late addition to the meeting. Read more »
What Syracuse mayoral candidates think about public safety, police reform
Reforming the Syracuse Police Department has been a priority of the Walsh administration, but other candidates say the mayor hasn’t done enough. Read more »
