🌱 Utica City Awarded 90K + Seven Overdose Deaths In Oneida County

Hi all. It's me, Nicole Fallon-Peek, your host of the Utica Patch newsletter. Here's all the community news you need to know right now.

But first, today's weather:

Cloudy, showers; cooler. High: 57 Low: 39.

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Here are the top three stories today in Utica:

1. The City of Utica was awarded $90,000 in non-fatal shooting grants from the New York State Department of Criminal Justice Services. Lieutenant Michael Curley said the money will go toward resources such as assistance to the victims and witnesses, cameras, and investigative tools such as Cellebrite, which provides electronic data from cell phones. The Utica police department hopes this money will help the solve-rate of non-fatal shootings. (WUTR/WFXV - CNYhomepage.com)
2. The rise of fatal drug overdoses across Oneida County has prompted a public health advisory, with seven overdose deaths recorded over the last 30 days. Deaths occurred in Utica, Boonville, Sauquoit, and Whitesboro, according to the county's OD Response Team. Of the 17 drug-OD fatalities thus far, health officials have linked two to xylazine and two to fentanyl, with toxicology testing pending in the remaining cases. (WIBX AM 950)
3. The IIHF Women's World Ice Hockey Championship is coming to Utica in 2024. The 10-team tournament, set to be held at both the Utica University Nexus Center and the Adirondack Bank Center, will have 31 games and feature women's hockey top teams from around the world. (WKTV)

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Today in Utica:

• Caregiver Support Group At The Good News Center (6:00 PM)
• Legally Blonde At The Stanley Theatre (7:30 PM)

From my notebook:

• Paul D. Romano, Program Manager at Ramboll Group, is set to discuss the history and development of The Utica Harbor and potential future plans on Saturday, Apr. 22, at 2:00 p.m. The Utica Harbor is an important landmark on the historic Barge Canal that was built as a shipping and industrial harbor for the city. People may attend the event at the History Center or virtually via Zoom. (Oneida Dispatch)
• Congratulations to The Oneida-Herkimer-Madison Board of Cooperative Educational Services (OHM BOCES) on receiving Utica National Insurance Group’s 2023 “School Safety Excellence Award." The honor is presented annually and recognizes school districts’ safety efforts as they work to help keep students, staff, and visitors safe. (Rome Sentinel)
• The Wynn Hospital is set to open in downtown Utica in October 2023. The Wynn Hospital will include a 373-bed, 690,000-square-foot modern facility, and is the first to be constructed almost entirely during the pandemic. (Utica Observer Dispatch)

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Featured events:

• World Premiere: A Festival of Psalms Choral Concert with Organist David Briggs (April 21)
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You're all caught up for today! I'll see you around.

— 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.