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.
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Geothermal energy uses the earth's constant temperature for an energy source; thermal energy networks expand the concept. Jay Egg of Egg Geo, an engineer & consultant discusses systems and benefits. -
Contact Community Services is changing its crisis hotline to a 'warmline' to align resources with local needs. The agency is also seeking volunteers for the call-in service. -
Food and Water Watch, NY Renews and other groups are backing a bill that would enact a moratorium on building hyperscale datacenters in New York. -
The Small Business Administration approved a string of weather events in 2025 for a disaster loan program. Businesses that lost clients or other income from rain, high winds, etc. can apply. -
Gasoline prices in the Syracuse area jumped another $0.16 in the week ending May 11. Gas Buddy analysts say the uncertainty over war in Iran and ceasefire volatility continue to drive up prices. -
NPR holds Climate Solutions Week, May 18-24 with stories on various NPR programs aired on WAER Syracuse Public Media. The stories from other communities mirror environmental content about our region. -
The Syracuse Common Council approved a city budget that relies slightly less on reserves, trims spending in some areas, but invest more into parks and housing. Mayor Sharon Owens praised the agreement. -
New York State has one of the strongest climate protection laws in the country, the CLCPA. But emissions reduction targets & renewable energy goals are being weakened amid budget concerns.
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A report from the Urban Jobs Task Force finds contractors working on I-81 projects hired 14.9% local workers, with a goal of 15%. Supporters hailed results as helping the local community. -
The ongoing war and general unrest in the Middle East are pushing prices dramatically higher.
