JOhn Smith

1 week ago | waer.org | John Smith |JOhn Smith

Central New York, like the rest of the country, is facing a nursing shortage that’s only worsened since the pandemic began in 2020. It’s creating healthy competition for nursing schools enrolling students. We're taking a look at what Bryant and Stratton College is doing to meet the demand. The college’s Liverpool campus has transformed a former pool and spa showroom into a state-of-the-art lab.

2 weeks ago | waer.org | John Smith |JOhn Smith

Corcoran High School students gained some insights today/Tuesday as to what it takes to become a successful astronaut for NASA. School alum Jeanette Epps gave a presentation complete with video from her mission in space last year. Epps says she wasn’t tested the least bit when she had an extended stay because she always dreamt of going there. She said the galactic skyline was breathtaking.

3 weeks ago | waer.org | John Smith |JOhn Smith

The steps of Syracuse City Hall were packed Wednesday with protestors speaking out against the Trump Administration’s ICE raids and detentions. Leaders from Central New York Advocacy groups rallied hundreds of Syracuse residents to support the immigrant community. The New York Immigration Coalition, Mohammad Ali Seraji encouraged everyone make sure immigrants to know their rights in America, if they’re approached by authorities. “In Upstate New York, we know what to do when ICE is on the way...

3 weeks ago | waer.org | John Smith |JOhn Smith

The warmer days and cold nights couldn’t be more perfect for Central New York’s maple syrup producers as it’s their last chance to tap the sap! SUNY ESF maple producers in Tully already had to wait longer than usual this year due to the very cold winter temperatures. We sent WAER’s John Smith to Heiberg Forest to capture the sights and sounds from harvesting the sap to cooking up maple syrup in a wood-fired evaporator. Take a listen to the produced audio story.

3 weeks ago | waer.org | John Smith |JOhn Smith

Boosting wages for those who work for the city of Syracuse and its many contractors is a possible solution to reduce the city’s highest poverty rate. A new report on the Living Wage Ordinance from City Auditor Alexander Marion reveals it’s been difficult to enforce the 2005 law. It requires city vendors to pay their workers at a rate higher than the minimum wage. Marion said none of the city’s vendors were instructed to participate. He says the Living Wage Ordinance needs a makeover.