🌱 Local Church Break-In & Theft + Five Men Jump Fence At Utica Zoo

Hello all. I'm back in your inbox this morning with your new copy of the Utica Patch newsletter, fresh off the presses. Come along to find out everything you need to know about what's happening in town.

But first, your local weather:

• Wednesday: A snow shower in the morning. High: 47 Low: 31.
• Thursday: Warmer with clouds and sun. High: 66 Low: 46.

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Here are the top three stories today in Utica:

1. Utica police are investigating the theft of donation money and equipment at St. Mary of Mount Carmel/Blessed Sacrament Church. Workers noticed the missing items on Tuesday, which includes batteries, power tool chargers, and a leaf blower, along with money given to the church. Police believe the suspects entered through the garage door. (WKTV)
2. Haikham Phimasone, a Utica woman with a pair of DWIs, has been accused of driving drunk again. The incident occurred on the Thruway outside of Syracuse around 6:30 a.m. on Sunday morning. She was driving with a blood alcohol content of .13 percent. (WKTV)
3. Quit monkeying around! Five men have been accused of jumping a fence at the Utica Zoo. The suspects, who hail from Syracuse and are between the ages of 18-20, broke into the zoo on Sunday night and were caught on security cameras. They were later found hiding in a fenced area and were charged with third-degree trespass. (Rome Sentinel)

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Today and tomorrow in Utica:

Wednesday, April 19

• Business After Hours At Adirondack Railroad (5:30 PM)

Thursday, April 20

• Prayer Service Concert At Redeemer Church (11:30 AM)

From my notebook:

• A pair of new Utica restaurants are bringing more diverse food to the city. Miranda's Cafe, a multicultural eatery, and Tierras Tropicales, the area's first Ecuadorian joint, both opened up earlier this year. (Spectrum News)
• The Mohawk Valley Community College will host its annual Drone Festival at the Utica campus later this month. The event will run from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, Apr. 29. There will be interactive drone demonstrations, races, and hands-on simulators for attendees. (Rome Sentinel)
• The Utica Comets playoff push will begin on Wednesday night. The AHL announced the first-round series schedule between Utica and the Laval Rocket, which will see the best-of-three series feature two games at the Adirondack Bank Center. (Our Sports Central)

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Featured events:

• World Premiere: A Festival of Psalms Choral Concert with Organist David Briggs (April 21)
• Add your event

Alrighty, you're all caught up for today. I'll catch up with you bright and early soon with a new update!

— Nicole Fallon-Peek

About me: Nicole Fallon-Peek is a journalist and copywriter with a degree in Media, Culture and Communication from New York University. She has served as a freelance reporter, managing editor, copy editor, and editorial director for a variety of B2B news outlets. She currently co-owns and operates content creation agency Lightning Media Partners.