🌱 New Waterfront Fine Dining Restaurant + Minuteman Memorial Service

Hi all. I'm back in your inbox this morning to walk you through the most important things happening these days in town.

But first, your local weather:

• Monday: A shower and thunderstorm. High: 73 Low: 61.
• Tuesday: Warmer with clouds and sun. High: 88 Low: 62.

Here are the top three stories in Utica today:

1. Several course records were broken this weekend at the Utica Boilermaker, with many familiar names having strong showings. The defending Boilermaker 15K champion Jemal Yimer Mekonnen once again shattered the record for the second straight year, beating his previous record with a time of 42:06. He was followed by four-time winner John Korir of Kenya, who also ran faster than the previous record, completing the race in 42:13. Jesca Chelangat broke the previous record by 26 seconds for the women's side, finishing in 47:31. For the men's wheelchair 15K, Joshua Cassidy won in 33:10 seconds, and for the women's wheelchair race, Jenna Fesemyer defended her title and won for the third time at 43:32. (WUTR/WFXV - CNYhomepage.com)
2. This past weekend, a new waterfront restaurant in Utica had its soft opening. Portofino Restaurants & Events will be officially opening this Wednesday and will regularly be serving lunch and dinner from Wednesday to Sunday weekly. The new restaurant is taking over the space formerly known as Aqua Vino's Restaurant, and offers fine dining both indoors and along the canal. (WKTV)
3. On Tuesday, Jul. 11, representatives from the Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum will head to Utica for a ceremony honoring a Minuteman buried in the city. Thomas Williams is buried at Forest Hill Cemetery, and this month, he will be getting a celebration and commemorative plaque as a prominent figure in American history. This event is open to the public and will have guest speakers from the museum; the ceremony will begin at 11:30 a.m. (Rome Sentinel)

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Today and tomorrow in Utica:

Monday, July 10

• Joe Samba | The Old Main At Koepernik Park (5:30 PM)
• Utica Blue Sox Vs Mohawk Valley Diamond Dawgs At Donovan Stadium At Murnane Field (6:45 PM)
• Monday Night 9-Ball Tournament At Utica Billards On The Boulevard (7:00 PM)

Tuesday, July 11

• Yoga With Susan At Utica Dance (9:30 AM)
• The Great And Powerful Dave At Utica Public Library (10:30 AM)
• Utica Craft Hour: Make Your Own Lava Lamp At Center For Family Life & Recovery (4:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• The Utica Police Department has reported a stolen bicycle of a six-year-old in West Utica who let a teenager ride her new bike and never returned with it. Upon hearing the news, Deputy Chief Edward Noonan and Police Officer Sanel Beslic donated bikes from their home and immediately brought them to the family while the community continues to search for the stolen bike. (City of Utica, NY Police Department via Facebook)
• The Utica Coffee Roasting Company has officially listed its fresh brews for the week of Jul. 9-15. Stop by and grab a rich seasonal brew or order online here. (Utica Coffee Roasting Company via Facebook)
• The Utica Zoo wants everyone to meet Mei Lin the Red Panda as she enjoys a nice snack!Although red pandas are carnivores, bamboo comprises 85-95 percent of their diets. At the Utica Zoo, the red pandas get a nice abundance of bamboo as well as nutritional biscuits to satisfy all the needs they need to remain strong and healthy. (Utica Zoo via Facebook)

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Featured events:

• Crossing Over With Psychic Medium John Edward live in Syracuse! (July 15)

Now you're in the loop and ready to start this Monday off right! I'll be in your inbox soon with your next 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.