Sentinel Today

Utica Superintendent Christopher Spence alleges the school board discriminated and retaliated against him after he raised concerns about its conduct.Support the show: http://URSentinel.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Utica is coordinating city departments, residents, and businesses to clean, inspect, and prepare roads, public spaces, and race areas ahead of the annual Boilermaker Road Race.Support the show: http://URSentinel.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New York’s historic Merci Train boxcar, a 1949 gift from France thanking Americans for postwar aid, has been moved from Whitesboro to Union Station in Utica for continued preservation.Support the show: http://URSentinel.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Munson’s Arts Festival returns July 11th through the 19th in Utica, with a packed week of art, music, dancing, family activities, and special museum events.Support the show: http://URSentinel.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Utica marked Independence Day and the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence with its annual Fourth of July parade down Genesee Street, featuring local groups, first responders, officials, and community celebrations continuing later at Harbor Point.Support the show: http://URSentinel.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Joseph Murphy, the father of the man who killed Syracuse police officer Michael Jensen and Onondaga County Sheriff’s Lieutenant Michael Hoosock, was sentenced to weekend jail time for an unrelated illegal gun possession charge, as Jensen’s family spoke about the lasting impact of Michael’s death.Support the show: http://URSentinel.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Rome homeowner discovered a vintage engagement ring and matching wedding band, worth about $5,000, after a basement pipe repair at her 1857 home.Support the show: http://URSentinel.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Across the Mohawk Valley and surrounding areas, Independence Day weekend will bring parades, fireworks, festivals, and family-friendly celebrations as communities mark America’s 250th anniversary observance.Support the show: http://URSentinel.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A judge granted one final delay in Gregory Mignot Jr.’s Rome murder case, moving his next court date to July 20 as he faces charges in the fatal stabbing of Michael Brown.Support the show: http://URSentinel.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rome will host a free July 11th community celebration at Bellamy Harbor Park featuring activities, food vendors, an Albany Symphony Orchestra concert with an original piece about the city, and a closing drone show.Support the show: http://URSentinel.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Utica Glass has relaunched under new owner and CEO Kola Aina, with plans to preserve its local legacy while expanding its commercial glazing capabilities and regional reach.Support the show: http://URSentinel.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Boilermaker Road Race founder Earle Reed is retiring from the Board of Directors but will remain involved after nearly 50 years of shaping one of Utica’s signature community events.Support the show: http://URSentinel.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cazenovia school board vice president, Travis Longo, is now facing state child endangerment charges and federal child pornography charges.Support the show: http://URSentinel.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Utica woman’s guinea pig population grew from two misidentified pets to about 100 animals, prompting rescues to step in as many needed medical care and some may now be pregnant.Support the show: http://URSentinel.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our Lady of the Rosary Church in New Hartford will close and eventually be sold because of costly repairs and limited parish finances, with Our Lady of Lourdes becoming the parish’s sole worship site on July 16.Support the show: http://URSentinel.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mohawk Valley Health System and Excellus Blue Cross Blue Shield have announced a three-year effort called the Mohawk Valley Partnership for Healthy Lifestyles Initiative.Support the show: http://URSentinel.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On Wednesday, Jennifer Gudnaya said her custody dispute with former deputy Aaron Alshaman came just before he allegedly set fire to her family’s home.Support the show: http://URSentinel.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The "A Call to Men Football Camp" at Utica University used football drills, mentorship, and John Petrelli’s story of overcoming paralysis to teach local boys leadership, resilience, respect, and character.Support the show: http://URSentinel.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rome Free Academy valedictorian Elijah Pomales was honored with an early graduation ceremony before leaving for the Air Force Academy, where he hopes to eventually serve in the Space Force.Support the show: http://URSentinel.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jury selection is set to begin today in Utica for the trial of former county sheriff’s deputy Aaron Alshaman, who's facing serious charges tied to an alleged arson at the home of his infant child’s mother.Support the show: http://URSentinel.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Madison County is still reckoning with the fallout from a massive Ponzi scheme that prosecutors say drained millions of dollars from nearly a thousand investors.Support the show: http://URSentinel.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A legal notice has been filed after the February explosion that destroyed Abundant Life Church in Boonville. But the attorney representing the church’s pastor says that doesn't mean a lawsuit is coming.Support the show: http://URSentinel.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Over the weekend, the Oneida County Pride Alliance’s fourth annual Pride Festival celebrated LGBTQ community, visibility, and activism.Support the show: http://URSentinel.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

More than 530 people gathered Saturday at Delta Lake State Park for the fifth annual Relay For Life of Central New York, continuing a local tradition of support for people affected by cancer.Support the show: http://URSentinel.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Elaine Lindsey, a longtime Utica Special Olympics athlete, made her hometown Summer Games especially meaningful by competing alongside her husband and son.Support the show: http://URSentinel.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Utica will begin its annual roadway improvement program on June 15th, with paving, repairs, micro-paving, and maintenance planned across dozens of streets to improve safety and extend road life.Support the show: http://URSentinel.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

History comes home to Utica this weekend, with a look at one of the city’s most powerful, and most combative, political figures.Support the show: http://URSentinel.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Special Olympics New York State Summer Games are coming to Utica University on June 5th and 6th. The Games are expected to bring more than 1,200 athletes with intellectual disabilities to the area for two days of competition, celebration, and community support.Support the show: http://URSentinel.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Utica leaders recognized Pride Month with proclamations, Pride displays, and messages of inclusion, even as debate continues over the city’s ceremonial flag-raising policy.Support the show: http://URSentinel.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Utica’s Cornhill neighborhood came together Saturday for a celebration centered on pride, connection, and a new piece of public art.Support the show: http://URSentinel.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For half a century, generations of Uticans have come to Cafe Daniele for tomato pie, catered family gatherings, and familiar faces behind the counter. Now, one of the city’s longtime Italian food staples is entering a new era.Support the show: http://URSentinel.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Utica's mayor vetoed a Common Council flag-raising ordinance over First Amendment concerns, leaving the city’s broader flag policy dispute unresolved even as Pride Month recognition continues.Support the show: http://URSentinel.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Copper Easel in Rome will close at the end of June after seven years. The owner, Adam Chrisman, is citing rising expenses, declining sales, debt, and other pressures.Support the show: http://URSentinel.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A classroom in Herkimer was transformed into a Holocaust museum this spring, giving Pathways Academy students a more immersive way to study history.Support the show: http://URSentinel.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Communities across the Mohawk Valley are marking Memorial Day with parades, wreath layings, rifle salutes, and ceremonies honoring the men and women who died while serving in the United States military.Support the show: http://URSentinel.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

22 brass grave markers honoring fallen Rome firefighters were stolen from local cemeteries before Memorial Day, prompting the fire department to seek their return and replace them at its own expense.Support the show: http://URSentinel.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A 45-year-old Marcy Correctional Facility inmate, Terry Demonstoy, suffered life-threatening injuries after state police say he was severely beaten by another inmate Friday night.Support the show: http://URSentinel.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Utica preservationists are restoring the historic Schuyler Street Tower, a rare surviving railroad control structure that once protected West Utica crossings and now stands as a reminder of the city’s industrial past.Support the show: http://URSentinel.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chobani founder and CEO, Hamdi Ulukaya, has been named to New York’s Future Works commission, which will recommend how the state can use AI to grow the economy while protecting workers.Support the show: http://URSentinel.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Local filmmaker Dennis Dewey’s sci-fi feature “2051: The Return Project,” about a scientist whose consciousness is digitally preserved and awakened in the future, will premiere May 21st in Utica.Support the show: http://URSentinel.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Clinton boys basketball coach, Mike Hayduk, says he was told he won't be retained after next season, prompting strong community support and a petition calling for his reinstatement.Support the show: http://URSentinel.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

First Presbyterian Church in Rome has completed roof repairs nearly two years after a July 2024 tornado badly damaged the building, and crews are now rebuilding the sanctuary with new drywall, HVAC, electrical systems, entrance work, and a balcony. The church is still raising funds to replace its steeple, which could cost more than $1 million, while services continue at Zion Episcopal until reopening.Support the show: http://URSentinel.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Whitesboro Central School District marked its 90th anniversary by burying two time capsules at the middle school, filled with school memorabilia to be opened by a future generation in 2051.Support the show: http://URSentinel.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Crust Kitchen and Bar opened its second location in Utica’s Bagg’s Square, bringing the same made-from-scratch sandwiches, sides, and bourbon-focused menu that made its Rome restaurant popular.Support the show: http://URSentinel.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rome teacher and mom of two Tory Ferlo made a strong bodybuilding debut April 18 at the OCB Big East Natural in Syracuse, placing in all four Bikini Division categories. She trained for about six months, dialing in intense workouts and strict macro-based nutrition that she says was the hardest part of prep. Turning 40 helped motivate her to push herself, and she plans to compete again June 20 in Rochester with a long-term goal of earning a Master’s pro card.Support the show: http://URSentinel.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rome is looking for public feedback through May 19th on a draft Parks, Open Space and Trails Master Plan that proposes major upgrades, pool changes, new splash pads, a possible regional park, and an indoor sports arena.Support the show: http://URSentinel.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Rome Planning Board conditionally approved two new four-story hotels, a commercial building, and two property subdivisions, with some items still requiring Zoning Board review.Support the show: http://URSentinel.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Utica City School District’s proposed $310 million budget would keep staffing and programs intact, hold the tax levy flat, and go before voters on May 19th.Support the show: http://URSentinel.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The New Hartford Public Library is celebrating 50 years since 10 local women founded it in a converted school basement shower room, growing it into a community hub for books, programs and connection.Support the show: http://URSentinel.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Central New York’s indie game developers are building a growing local scene through showcases, meetups, college programs, and self-made projects that prove serious games can come from outside major industry hubs.Support the show: http://URSentinel.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.