🌱 School District's Budget Increase + President's Award Recipient

Good morning, everybody! It's Wednesday in Utica and I'm back in your inbox to get you caught up on all the most important things happening in our community today. Hope you all have a great day.

But first, today's weather:

A couple of showers. High: 51 Low: 31.

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Here are the top three stories in Utica today:

1. The Utica City School District has announced a $243 million preliminary budget for the 2023-2024 school year. The 12.5 percent increase over last school year's budget will include extracurricular activities like sports and intramural programming. The budget will also restore full funding towards the Mohawk Valley Community College dual credit program, the Young Scholars program with Utica University, and an increase in expenses towards the Utica Academy of Science Charter School. (Subscription: Utica Observer-Dispatch)
2. A man was arrested in Oneida Square here in Utica in an alleged stabbing incident, which resulted in one person being stabbed twice in the upper torso. When police arrived on the scene, the suspect, 32-year-old Hector McClain, was reportedly found inside a nearby convenience store holding a small arrowhead knife with blood on it. (WUTR/WFXV - CNYhomepage.com)
3. Utica-based Fred F. Collis & Sons was named a recipient of the 2023 President's Award at this year's Carrier Conference in Austin, Texas. The award is given to Carrier dealers demonstrating outstanding leadership in several areas, including business management, customer satisfaction, HVAC satisfaction, and operational excellence. (Subscription: Rome Sentinel)

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Today in Utica:

• Utica University Band Lunch Hour Series — Utica University Library Concourse (12:30 PM)
• Mark Nanni Music — Fratello's Pizzeria (6:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• Want to become a Corrections Officer? The Oneida County Sheriff's Office is holding a job fair in nearby Oriskany where applicants will have the opportunity to begin the hiring process. Exam signups begin now through May 12, with the exam held from Jun. 1 through Jun. 30. (CNY Central)
• The New York State Department of Transportation announced road closures on Route 5-8-12 Arterial beginning on Thursday, Apr. 27. The department will replace the bridge joints and other structures, causing lane closures and limiting traffic to one lane in both directions. (WUTR/WFXV - CNYhomepage.com)
• Utica Pickle is set to expand with a new location in the former Utica Steam Steam Cotton Building. Utica's Brooklyn Pickle is open Monday through Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., bringing gourmet pickles along Varick and State Street. (CNY Homepage)

That's it 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.