Scott Willis

A Lemoyne College professor and native of India believes his country is ready to remove some regulatory barriers to spur much needed foreign investment. President Obama pledged 4 billion dollars in investments and loans to facilitate U.S. trade with India. Management professor Bernard Arogyaswamy says it could forge stronger ties and help India become a more formidable economic power.

Some Syracuse Common Councilors are questioning what appears to be a trend by the police department to add military hardware to its SWAT team.  The Council voted 6 to 1 this week to accept a $100,000 federal homeland security grant to outfit its 9-ton Bearcat armored vehicle with night vision, ballistic protection search mirrors, a pole camera, tubular assault equipment, among other items.   Jean Kessner cast the lone "no" vote.  She says using military tools and tactics on domestic problems is the wrong approach. 

Syracuse Common Councilors Monday made their position on the future of I-81 clear…and official.  They approved a non-binding resolution asking the governor, state legislature, and the state DOT to re-design and re-construct the I-81 viaduct into a street level boulevard.  

  Council President Van Robinson has advocated for its removal years before the state began planning for its future.  Now he’s hoping others will follow the council’s lead…

Syracuse was one of 20 locations statewide Friday where members of Governor Cuomo’s cabinet delivered the his state of the state message and budget agenda.  Commissioner of the state’s department of civil service Jerry Boone made his presentation at the SUNY Educational Opportunity Center.    He echoed much of Cuomo’s message on education reform, including some staggering numbers about failing schools.  He says average statewide graduation rate is just over 76%; but it’s only around 47% in failing schools…

SUNY EOC Director  Penix applauds the governor’s efforts to improve graduation rates.  Still, he says they’re ready to serve as a pipeline for graduates and drop-outs who need workforce or college readiness.

Commissioner Boone says the governor takes pride in sharp rise in the hiring of minority and women owned businesses over the past few years…from 10 percent in 2010 to 25 percent in 2014…

Governor Cuomo delivered his joint State of the State and budget message, proposing a $141.6 billion spending plan that in part sets up a show down with teachers and education advocates. The governor wants 100 more charter schools and an overhaul of teacher evaluations, which he says are “baloney”, because virtually all teachers are rated as adequate.“98% of the teachers rated effective,” Cuomo said. “Who are we kidding, my friends?”

It looks like an abandoned gas station at a busy crossroads on the city’s far southeastern side will finally see some new life.  The former Mobil station at East Brighton Ave. and East Seneca Turnpike closed more than two years ago, and the city has been trying to redevelop the site.    But Finance Commissioner David Clifford says until now, a legal technicality got in the way…

About a dozen members of the Syracuse Peace Council, Green Party, and other groups braved the single digit temperatures Tuesday to urge President Obama to follow through on his promise to veto legislation that would extend the Keystone XL pipeline.    The Syracuse rally was one of many held around the U.S. and Canada, which called for a focus and investment in renewable energy.  Wayne Chauncey of Nedrow says extraction of fossil fuel from the soil is a waste of time…

Senator Chuck Schumer urged the New York Jets to continue holding summer training camp workouts in Cortland, during a press conference on Monday at Syracuse University's Ensley Athletic Center.

SUNY Cortland has hosted training camp for the Jets since 2009, when then-head coach Rex Ryan moved it from Hofstra University on Long Island.  But the team recently fired Ryan as well as general manager, John Idzik. 

Schumer said there isn't any agreement in place for future training camps.