☀️ Today’s Weather
Bundle up today, because after all that rain, Mother Nature is sending us a chilly reminder that it's still spring in CNY. Expect clouds with some sunshine trying to break through later in the afternoon, along with scattered light rain showers during the mid-morning through mid-afternoon hours that could mix with some graupel (yes, graupel, because apparently regular rain wasn't enough). Temperatures will top out around 53 degrees before dropping off, a full 10 degrees below average, with a breezy west wind gusting up to 35 mph and an overnight low of 36, so dig that jacket back out.
🗞️ Top Stories
1. The Clock Struck Midnight on Skyline Apartments
Tomorrow is the court-ordered deadline for Clear Investment Group to have the former Skyline Apartments at 753 James St. ready for occupancy, and it is going to be close. New photos show a genuinely renovated lobby and finished units on the lower floors, but some rooms still need flooring and plumbing, and developers say the city visited last week for a walkthrough and has yet to give them any feedback on how to proceed. The building, long notorious for drug activity, a 2021 murder, vermin, and flooding, is trying to rebrand as "The Metropolitan" with 352 affordable apartments, new lighting, and cameras in every stairwell. With the deadline here and the city staying quiet, things could get interesting fast.
2. A 29-Year-Old Allegedly Stole a Military Vehicle and Took It on a Wild Ride Through Utica
Utica Police charged Daniel Passino-Brazeau, 29, with two counts of assault, grand larceny, driving while intoxicated, and unlawful fleeing of a police officer after he allegedly stole a large military-style vehicle parked outside the Alexander Pirnie Federal Building around 2:20 a.m. Wednesday and led officers on a chase through downtown Utica. The vehicle slammed into a utility pole, ripped a fire hydrant out of the ground, and damaged a building on Genesee Street before eventually crashing into a tree. Two officers were injured and treated at the hospital, one of whom is expected to be out of work for some time, while Passino-Brazeau is now facing a long list of charges with more likely on the way.
3. Hamilton Man's "8% Fund" Was Actually a $90 Million Fraud
Miles "Burt" Marshall, 74, pleaded guilty to running a classic Ponzi scheme that collected money from nearly 1,000 people and organizations over decades, promising steady returns through what he called an 8% Fund. Marshall prepared taxes and sold insurance in the village of Hamilton, near Colgate University, and took money from neighbors, churches, and local organizations, with referrals often spreading through word of mouth. He is now facing four to 12 years in prison and scheduled for sentencing June 11, though victims say it does not feel like nearly enough. "I'll never forgive him for everything he took from all of us," one woman said.
⚡ Quick Hits
Mayor Sharon Owens held a public hearing Wednesday night on her first proposed city budget, a $354 million spending plan that keeps property taxes flat but dips into reserves to cover a nearly $24 million deficit, with a council vote due May 8.
SUNY Oswego is expanding its downtown Syracuse campus by 10,000 square feet with new labs, classrooms, and a student lounge ahead of the fall semester, a move the university ties directly to Micron's expected arrival of 50,000 jobs in the region.
The Skaneateles Community Center was evacuated Wednesday after a suspicious email bomb threat was received; Skaneateles Police investigated and cleared the building.
An Auburn man was arrested after police say he sent sexual messages to a child, according to Auburn Police.
SU men's basketball assistant Gerry McNamara got a recruiting assist from Carmelo Anthony in landing Francis Folefac, who played on Team Melo's Nike EYBL circuit alongside Kiyan Anthony.
📅 Events This Week
Ken Ludwig's comedy "Leading Ladies" runs Friday through Sunday, May 1 to 3, at the Gnac Theater in Clay, with evening shows at 7 p.m. and a Sunday matinee at 2 p.m.
Maker Faire Syracuse takes over the Center of Progress Building at the NYS Fairgrounds on Saturday, May 2, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with hands-on STEAM activities for all ages.
The 3rd Annual Mother's Day Market is free and open at City Hall Commons on Sunday, May 3, from noon to 4 p.m., featuring 15-plus local vendors with handmade gifts and treats just in time for Mother's Day.
Stay warm out there, CNY, and we'll see you back here tomorrow with everything you need to know.