☀️ Today’s Weather
Wednesday is shaping up to be one of those rare spring gems in CNY. After a chilly start in the upper teens and low 20s, temperatures will climb all the way into the low 50s by afternoon with wall-to-wall sunshine and barely a breath of wind. Honestly, it's the kind of day that makes you forget we just had frost on the ground. Heads up though… breezy conditions return tonight.
🗞️ Top Stories
1. GMac's Building Something… Doty Is Coming Home In what might be the best CNY sports news of the week, Fulton native Gavin Doty has committed to play for Syracuse men's basketball under new head coach Gerry McNamara. Doty, a 6'5" guard who averaged 18 points and nearly 7 rebounds a game for Siena this season (and absolutely lit up Duke in the NCAA Tournament) is following his coach from Albany to the Carrier Dome neighborhood. For a fan base that's been starving for good news, having a local kid who put Siena on the national map come suit up in orange is a feel-good story through and through.
2. Donnie Freeman Headed for the Exit The flip side of the SU basketball carousel: star forward Donnie Freeman has entered the NCAA transfer portal after two seasons with the Orange. The former five-star recruit and team leader in scoring (16.5 ppg) and rebounds (7.2 rpg) is reportedly drawing interest from programs like Kentucky. Freeman was the best player on a team that went 15-17, so his departure stings. But with a new coach and a fresh start, GMac's got work to do rebuilding from the ground up. One in, one (big) out: this offseason is going to be a ride.
3. Fulton School District Facing Tough Choices Fulton City School District is staring down a $5 million budget gap in its upcoming 2026-2027 budget, and the options aren't pretty. The district says it may need to cut the equivalent of 34 full-time teacher positions and 19 non-instructional staff, plus a proposed 2.85% tax increase for residents. For a community that just celebrated one of its own signing with Syracuse basketball, this is a sobering reminder of the financial squeeze hitting CNY school districts right now. A public budget meeting is scheduled for May 7 and a vote on May 19.
⚡ Quick Hits
Aquarium money mystery: Leftover funds from a failed Onondaga County film hub project were quietly redirected to the Inner Harbor aquarium, and not everyone is happy about how quietly it happened.
Drug bust in Salina: Onondaga County Sheriff's deputies recovered 28 ounces of cocaine and additional narcotics in a major drug bust in the Town of Salina.
Mail fraud in CNY: A local postmaster admitted to stealing more than $100,000 through 179 fraudulent money orders over roughly nine months… yikes.
Animal cruelty in Cortland County: Deputies found three dogs dead under disturbing circumstances, prompting an active animal cruelty investigation.
Cicero flooding update: The Cicero Supervisor says the Beach Road flooding situation should be fully resolved by the end of this week. Finally some relief for frustrated neighbors.
📅 Events This Week
CNY Ballet: Depth & Desire — April 11–12 & 18–19 at the Everson Museum's Hosmer Auditorium; original choreography plus a reimagined Carmen, with Saturday shows at 2 PM & 7 PM and Sunday matinees at 2 PM, a great way to spend a spring afternoon.
"The American Game" Book Talk with S.L. Price — Saturday, April 11 at 12:30 PM at the Skä•noñh Great Law of Peace Center in Liverpool; a deep-dive conversation on lacrosse's Indigenous roots, perfectly timed the same day as the Syracuse-Virginia game.
AmeriCU Spring Game — Saturday, April 11 at 7:30 PM at the JMA Wireless Dome; SU football's free spring game is a blast, but you must grab tickets online in advance, they will not be available at the door.
Thanks for reading CNY Insights. Have a great Wednesday and get outside and enjoy that sunshine while it lasts!