Chris Bolt
Senior Reporter/Professional in ResidenceChris Bolt, Ed.D. has proudly been covering the Central New York community and mentoring students for more than 30 years. His career in public media started as a student volunteer, then as a reporter/producer. Dedicated to keeping local news coverage alive, Chris also has a passion for education, having trained, mentored and provided a platform for growth to more than a thousand students. Career highlights include having work appear on NPR, CBS, ABC and other news networks, winning numerous local and state journalism awards. Recent reporting has focused on health and medicine, environment, elderly, substance abuse and culture reporting.
Chris has a doctor of education in executive leadership from St. John Fisher College and a master’s in broadcast journalism from the Newhouse School.
In addition to coverage of our community, equally satisfying has been the success of so many WAER alumni, students who have won and succeeded in jobs in news, sports and elsewhere in media, many of whom won awards at local, state and national levels as students. He has also taught classes at Newhouse and at OCC. Chris also enjoys connecting WAER with the community through moderating debates, facilitating and hosting public meetings, giving media training workshops and other events.
Chris and his wife Anne live in downtown Syracuse. They have two grown sons, Carter and Donovan, who both remain in the area. Their family enjoys all things Upstate New York, including myriad outdoor activities in the Adirondacks, Finger Lakes, music and other cultural events, and just about anything on a trail or on the water.
-
Drivers who crash into the rail bridge will receive an automatic 8 points on their license beginning February 16th. -
Upstate New York's Fenner Wind Farm was the largest of its kind when built in 2001. Since then, The Fenner Renewable Energy Education Center has informed officials, school children and the public. -
Citizens for Affordable Rates used a Super Bowl TV ad to bring more attention to their fight against high car insurance rates in New York State. They propose reducing fraud & insurers' profits. -
A coalition of 300 civic groups says plastic pollution disproportionately affects people of color. They released a map showing waste facilities are mostly near disadvantaged communities. -
The Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor starts February 15, a challenge to travel 15 miles on any lands in the corridor's footprint. It's a way to boost winter activity for mood, stress relief. -
The Nature Conservancy urges people to be aware of the importance of wetlands. Their work to preserve wetlands in the Finger Lakes helps with clean drinking water, wildlife, flood control. -
The NY State Department of Taxation is urging people and families to look into the Earned Income Tax Credit and the Empire State Child Credit, which has increased. Both apply to income tax returns. -
Clean water policies and climate change prevention have suffered regulatory rollbacks & funding streams cut in Washington. Environmental Advocates of New York lobbies for state policies that can help.
-
New York State Police will be able to take up to 20 days off for trauma after a deadly-violence incident. Passed by the legislature, it's codified in Governor Kathy Hochul's budget proposal. -
The teaching of public relations is changing as the field itself evolves. Assistant Teaching Newhouse Professor Arien Rozelle takes students through real client cases, AI and PR's role in activism.
