🌱 LED Sign Coming To Downtown Utica + Broadway Memorabilia Pop Up

Hey, everybody! It's Friday in Utica and I'm back in your inbox to get you caught up on the most important things happening in town.

But first, today's weather:

Periods of rain. High: 46 Low: 29.

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Here are the top three stories today in Utica:

1. A new color-changing "UTICA" sign is set to adorn downtown Utica this summer. Utica Mayor Robert Palmieri announced that a new sign will be constructed on the north side of the Utica Place Garage, adjacent to the old Boston Store at the entrance to downtown Utica and will be visible to visitors coming off of the NYS Thruway. The city has put the construction of the project out to bid, with the winning firm expected to begin in the spring and finish the sign sometime this summer. (Rome Sentinel)
2. The Broadway Theatre League of Utica is holding a Broadway memorabilia pop-up shop through Mar. 22. The pop-up shop will offer show banners, posters, and playbills collected over the year. Proceeds from sales at the shop will go back into the league to support more productions at The Stanley Theatre. (WKTV)
3. Director, screenwriter, and producer Kim Bass's latest dramatic comedy film draws on his experiences growing up here in Utica. "A Snowy Day in Oakland," debuting on the big screen today (Mar. 17), features scenes from the Mohawk Valley in its end credits. Bass, who was born in Utica and grew up in Frankfort, pulled from this move as inspiration for the fish-out-of-water experience the movie's protagonist goes through. The movie will be shown locally at the Marquee Cinema in nearby New Hartford, with showtimes beginning as early as 12:15 p.m. today. (The Times Telegram)

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Today in Utica:

• The St. Patty's Day Experience At O'Donnell's Pub & Grill (5:00 PM)
• Alex Diskin At Old School Bar & Grill (7:00 PM)
• Utica Open Mic Night @ The Other Side At Cafe Domenico (7:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• Utica fire officials said they did not find evidence of anyone inside a building that suffered from a house fire on Mandeville Street. The fire broke out just after 6:00 p.m. on Sunday, Mar. 12. Officials said that 19 squatters had been staying in the house, and when crews arrived to respond to the fire, they found multiple people trapped on rooftops and inside the house. (WKTV)
• Utica University and the Raymond Simon Institute for Public Relations and Journalism are partnering for High School Communication Career Day on Wednesday, Mar. 29. Held at Utica University’s Hislop Auditorium, the experience will offer an inside look into communications-related topics and careers. (Utica University via Facebook)
• The Sheriff’s Marine Patrol will be offering Boater Safety Courses throughout Oneida County. The first class will be held on Friday, Apr. 15 at the Westmoreland Fire Department. All classes are free to attend, but registered attendees must be at least ten years old to participate. For a detailed list of dates, check out the link. (CNY Homepage)

You're all caught up for today. See you all soon for another 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.