🌱 Oneida County Swears In New Officers + Comets Bring In Two Veterans

Hello again, neighbors! It's me, Nicole Fallon-Peek, your host of the Patch newsletter. Let's get this week started off right with a quick review of everything you need to know about what's happening these days in town.

But first, your local weather:

• Monday: Partly sunny. High: 76 Low: 46.
• Tuesday: Periods of sun. High: 79 Low: 53.

Business owners and marketers in Utica: Do you want to build awareness with local customers? I have a limited number of sponsorships available to introduce our readers to local businesses they need to know. Click here to learn more.

Here are the top three stories today in Utica:

1. This past Friday, the Oneida County Sheriff's Office swore in 15 new members to the Patrol Division, and they will immediately begin their training and academy work to become full-fledged officers. This training will be around six long and hard months of training and learning what it takes to be a member of the force and the responsibilities that will come with the title. Some of the 15 recruits are in different phases of the program, as two have already gone through the first phase and will be ready to go alone soon, one is already a certified officer, and so on. The Utica Police Department also welcomed ten new officers this past week, and these officers were also celebrated during a ceremony at Utica City Hall. (WKTV)
2. The Oneida County Office Building will now be exclusively utilizing the Charlotte Street entrance for future reference rather than the Park Street entrance that was being used before now. The Charlotte Street entrance has been closed for the past few months due to renovations to the plaza. However, now that renovations are done, this entrance will be used to improve access and safety. As the project of fixing the building progresses, more things may change, such as more pathways opening to various parts of the building or the parking lot, but as of now, the change in entrances will commence on May 22. (WKTV)
3. The Utica Comets made some big off-season acquirements by signing defenseman Robbie Russo to a one-year contract and Joseph Gambardella to a two-year contract. These players were on two-way contracts with the New Jersey Devils this past season. The hope is that experience will give the Comets the extra edge in the competition this coming season. Technically, both of these players will be listed as NHL unrestricted free agents in July. Still, they will unlikely receive an NHL contract, so they will play in the minors until an opportunity arises for them at the highest level. (Pro Hockey Rumors)

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Today and tomorrow in Utica:

Monday, May 22

• Movie Monday At The Utica Public Library (5:30 PM)
• Creative Crafts With COMHPS At The Utica Public Library (6:00 PM)

Tuesday, May 23

• Mental Health Management Bingo At Center For Family Life And Recovery Inc. (4:00 PM)
• GPO Federal Credit Union's What the Truck Food Truck Rally At Canal Park (4:00 PM)
• Utica City School District Board Meeting At Kernan Elementary School (5:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• Looking for catering in Utica for a graduation or other large gathering? Utica BBQ still has a few dates available for your catering needs, or you can purchase a pickup tray to bring the experience to the gathering. (Utica BBQ via Facebook)
• This past week, the Utica Police Department honored its wonderful staff with the Annual Awards Banquet. Several officers received different awards for their accomplishments for the department or within the community. Congratulations to all the recipients this year. (City of Utica, NY Police Department via Facebook)
• The Rescue Mission of Utica wants to send its deepest thanks to Hamilton College and its wonderful donation to the Community Closet. The college donated over 1,700 pounds of clothing to support those in need! (Rescue Mission of Utica via Facebook)

Alrighty, you're all caught up for today. I'll see you soon!

— 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.