WAER 88.3 News | NPR from Central New York

The owners of a small business in Syracuse says they probably wouldn’t be celebrating their business' second anniversary if it was not for great coaching. Salt City Coffee owners Aaron and Maria Metthe always dreamed of opening a café, but had no business experience.

The Syracuse Peace Council is bringing a renowned speaker to ArtRage gallery Monday night who has spent more than 30 years campaigning for the global abolishment of nuclear weapons. Dr. Ira Helfand’s experience includes working at two Nobel Peace Prize winning organizations. Monday evening, he’ll discuss what can be done to eliminate the ever-looming threat of nuclear warfare with countries such as North Korea and Russia. “I think the United States needs to continue negotiations with North Korea, but those negotiations need to continue in the context of a broader negotiation with all of the nuclear weapon states. In which they are all working for an agreement that will set forth an enforceable, verifiable, time-bound plan for eliminating all nuclear weapons.” Helfand says the threat has never been larger than it is today. However, he adds that Americans and our politicians do not address the threat nearly as much as they did in the 80s during the Cold War. Helfand urges citizens to

A group of Onondaga County Lawmakers Tuesday advanced legislation that would eliminate the fee for veterans who choose to be buried at the county’s veteran’s cemetery. It currently costs $500 for a plot, and another $500 for a spouse or eligible dependent. County Executive Ryan McMahon mentioned during his state of the county address that the idea has been floated for awhile now. Legislature chairman Dave Knapp agrees that the time seems right. " We've been talking for several years about waiving the fees for veterans to buy a plot. We have built up a pretty good fund over the years that will last quite a long time to help cover this." It’s called the perpetual care fund, and it has $900,000 of accrued fees that are used when a veteran passes away and is buried. In addition to no longer charging incoming veterans, the plan also calls for reimbursing those who’ve already reserved a plot. But Chief of Staff with the county executive’s office Sue Stanczyk says money isn’t the biggest

Hack Upstate officially launched its coding bootcamp aimed at women and minorities in Syracuse Thursday evening. They’re hoping the camp will help its students find employment in Syracuse’s growing tech community . At Careers in Code kick off event, it wasn’t just students. Local business representatives with job opportunities were also in the room.

Helping young people, reducing incarceration, and better health care are issues The NAACP of Syracuse and Onondaga County calls “Game Changers” for our community. The group has laid out its action agenda for the year. WAER’s Chris Bolt went to the annual report to the community and has more details. Chief among six game changers highlighted by local NAACP President Linda Brown Robinson is the ability to get and keep and good-paying job. One of the group’s key initiatives for 2019 could help diversify local fire and police agencies … while also helping achieve economic stability for minority communities. “In order to live that American dream, we have to have access to jobs. In order to provide jobs we will be working with the Syracuse Police Department, Fire Department, New York State Police. It also will include Camp 415, that’s the Central New York Minority Police, FOCUS, that’s firefighters of color united, to conduct classes that will assist minorities how to pass civil service

As Black History Month comes to an end, the Syracuse Comunity celebrated at Syraucse University's Hendrick's Chapel with music and a message of "Rough Blessings." The event was part of the Dean's Convocations, a weekly gathering designed to bring the community together with rotating music and differnt topics of reflection.

Updated 5:52 p.m. Syracuse University basketball coach Jim Boeheim hit and killed a man late Wednesday night on Interstate 690. Syracuse Police report that the victim, 51-year-old Jorge Jimenez of Syracuse, had been exiting a vehicle that lost control on the highway and hit a guard rail.

The dozens of human services agencies that serve the most vulnerable Central New Yorkers are telling Governor Cuomo that they need help, too. They were joined by a pair of state lawmakers today to call for $100 million to be set aside for infrastructure investment in the state budget.

When two engineers noticed a lack of collaboration between Upstate New York’s tech communities, they created Hack Upstate to bring technologists together. Since their launch in 2013 they’ve created a community of people who are trying to advance Upstate’s technology economy.

There is growing concern over the issue of loneliness and isolation among older Central New Yorkers living in nursing homes or other senior living communities. An estimated 60 percent of them do not have regular visitors. That’s about 2,800 people in Onondaga County alone.

In his state of the city address this year, Mayor Ben Walsh said Syracuse's best days aren't just around the corner, but they are in reach. The future of interstate 81, the creation of Syracuse Surge and new leadership has positioned 2019 to be a year of big changes for the Syracuse area. On this episode of City Limits Talk, Chris Bolt and Katie Zilcosky sit down with Mayor Ben Walsh and his team to discuss how they plan to achieve their goals.

Panhandlers and the homeless in the City of Syracuse will have an alternative to asking for money on the streets come May. In My Father’s Kitchen was awarded a $180,000 county grant to help fund a day labor pilot program aimed at giving panhandlers the opportunity to work.

Survivors of Sexual Assault and their Allies met today at Vera House to celebrate Monday’s passing of the Child Victims Act. The act will increase the statute of limitations for survivors of child sexual abuse to file civil and criminal action.

Victims of abuse in Central New York and across the state might find solace in the new Child Victims Act that was passed in the state legislature today. Up until this point, the statute of limitations on a sexual abuse crime ran out when the victim turned 23. Monday, that age was increased to 55 for a civil statute and 28 for a criminal statute.

Onondaga County is looking to residents for help in determining the feasibility of a beach and swimming area on Onondaga Lake. The county is using grant money to conduct an in-depth study using public input gathered through surveys, and from meetings like one being held tomorrow evening at Destiny USA.

Syracuse Common Councilors are hoping the second time will be the charm this Friday when they vote on an agreement to clear snow from 20 miles of busy sidewalks. Walsh administration officials met with councilors Tuesday to explain the contract terms with JSK snow services.

About 150 people braved snowy roads and frigid temperatures Monday morning to donate, pack and distribute food and clothing at the Martin Luther King Jr Day of Service held in the Southwest Community Center.

Supporters of the Community grid option for the future of Interstate 81 thorugh downtown Syracuse don’t feel like their voices are being heard. WAER’s Chris Bolt reports on a petition drive to try and get the ear of Albany on the crucial upcoming I-81 decision. The raised portion of I-81 through Syracuse – called the viaduct – has been the topic of much debate. Any consensus on the best option to replace it as it crumbles seems unlikely.

They’ve been waiting for 12 years. And earlier this week, Central New York civil rights advocates learned that both chambers of the state legislature passed a measure that protects gender identity. The Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act, or GENDA, was previously approved in the assembly, but never the senate. Central New York Chapter Director of the NYCLU Yusuf Abdul-Qadir says it’s timely given the Trump administration’s attacks on gender non-conforming people. " It would prohbit discrimination in employment, housing, public accommodations like hospitals, doctor's offices, businesses that serve the public. It's a fundamental protection in the human rights law." He says New York joins 18 other states and Washington DC in extending such protections. Abdul-Qadir says they’re clearly needed. There are no local statistics, but a national transgender survey in 2015 found 30 percent reported discrimination in the workplace, 23 percent in housing, and 31 percent in public services like

One of the best experiences one can have going downtown is finding a new favorite restaurant. If you've been itching to try something a little different for your dining experience, this episode of The 315 is for you! This week Joe Lee and Kevin Kloss visit Kasai Ramen, the newest ramen restaurant in Armory Square. The guys enjoyed a meal and then invited Owner and Chef Kyle Mastropietro into the studio to talk about what makes his spot unique.