It's Happening Here

Sports books, online casinos, and prediction markets are collaborating with local newspapers across the United States to leverage their search rankings, reach new audiences, and share in the profits. Under the new model, award-winning outlets are publishing news articles featuring promo codes for readers to unlock gambling credits with online betting platforms like Kalshi, DraftKings, and others....

Onondaga County Reporter Laura Robertson returns to share the most important developments she has seen unfolding within the County Legislature this year. She explains why the Democrats’ decision to hire outside legal counsel has empowered them to speed up their legislative agenda, and identifies how each party is competing for different visions of legislative transparency. In her conversation with...

In Nov. 2025, the Onondaga County Legislature flipped from Republican to Democrat control for the first time in half a century. At the same time, a shift to the election calendar meant that the new majority would face reelection again in Nov. 2026 - just 10 months after being sworn in. As members from each party learn to operate in these new roles, they are also tasked with managing some of the mo...

The Syracuse Housing Authority has been in the news recently: From missed deadlines to accusations of conflicts of interest. What does it all mean? Central Current reporter Debadrita Sur breaks it all down on this episode of ‘It’s Happening Here.'

On this edition of "It’s Happening Here" host Chris Libonati is joined by Central Current contributor Eddie Velasquez and reporter Patrick McCarthy to discuss immigration enforcement and how local elected officials are responding to pushback against President Donald Trump‘s deportation agenda.

As the New Year begins, what should Central New Yorkers be on the lookout for? Central Current’s Editor Chris Libonati shares his thoughts about the biggest items to keep an eye on over the coming news cycle. He shares his own journey as a reporter, his favorite stories from 2025, the reasons he loves reporting in CNY, and explains how he chooses what to cover. Editor’s Note: This podcast reflects...

Child literacy remains a persistent challenge in Syracuse. According to 2019 data from the Early Childhood Alliance, only 22% of SCSD students are reading on grade level by the 3rd grade. Guests Laurie Black and Dr. Maria Murray are each tackling this challenge from different angles: As Community Education Director for the United Way, Laurie Black has grown their Book Buddies program to reach over...

With an annual budget of over $250 billion, New York State’s public spending exceeds that of most countries. Decisions made in Albany impact New Yorkers across the state in nearly every aspect of their lives. Akash Mehta wants to close the distance between state residents and their representatives in Albany by providing accessible and in-depth coverage of state government. At the age of 22, Akash...

After a decade of declining enrollment, SUNY OCC is seeing a surge of interest. Record high student loan debt rates, new state tuition subsidies, and spikes in job demand for healthcare and manufacturing is drawing more students to their campus. SUNY OCC’s President Warren Hilton joins hosts Dr. Roosevelt “Rick” Wright and Maximilian Eyle to discuss their new Micron clean room, their most popular...

Editor's Note: This podcast reflects the opinions and perspectives of the host and guests and is not a product of our editorial staff, including Central Current's editors and reporters. The program may be edited in post-production for length and clarity. --- Navigating pregnancy and early childhood can be one of the most resource-intensive chapters of our lives. In Central New York, many families...

Central Current’s Government and Politics Reporter Patrick McCarthy joins hosts Maximilian Eyle and Dr. Rick Wright to examine recent election results in the city of Syracuse. They discuss the parallels between Zorhan Mamdani’s win in the New York City Democratic mayoral primary and progressive victories locally, differences in vision between the Onondaga County Democratic Committee and Democratic...

Beginning in 2019, Buffalo launched a campaign to rebrand itself as a safe and attractive place to build a life during the era of rapid climate change. Their “Be In Buffalo” campaign continues to attract new residents and persuade college graduates to stay by emphasizing freshwater access, the lack of natural disasters, and by leaning into their identity as a snow city. Central Current hosts Dr. R...

Columnist Sean Kirst has returned to writing in Syracuse after nearly a decade away. Now the newest member of the Central Current newsroom, the veteran journalist joins hosts Maximilian Eyle and Dr. Rick Wright to discuss the importance of attention and storytelling in how we understand the community we live in. They revisit the tragedy of Pan Am flight 103 which exploded over Lockerbie, Scotland...

Syracuse’s 53rd mayor and Colgate University professor Stephanie Miner has been busy: in March she published her first book, Madam Mayor: Love and Loss in an American City, detailing her rise in politics to become the first woman elected mayor of a major city in New York State. The story provides a detailed and intimate view of Miner’s experience navigating the ups and downs of city leadership, an...

Journalist and local news advocate Steven Waldman speaks with Central Current’s Executive Director Maximilian Eyle about public policy options that would strengthen regional newsrooms. Through tax credits and other subsidies, he argues that government can play an ethical and effective role in reversing the decline of local journalism. Waldman and Eyle discuss the New York State Local Journalism Su...

Former Onondaga County Executive and President of SUNY ESF Joanie Mahoney joins hosts Maximilian Eyle and Dr. Rick Wright on Central Current’s inaugural episode of “It’s Happening Here”, a new podcast exploring how local news, local government, and local civic engagement impacts our democracy. The three discuss the challenges of information fragmentation in CNY, the need for humanizing political d...

Executive Director Maximilian Eyle and Managing Editor Chris Libonati discuss the work Central Current is doing to provide CNY residents with strong and accessible local reporting. They explore their highest impact stories on policing and the last election, share why the nonprofit model is critical for newsrooms today, and highlight their plans to expand even further in 2025.