Meet In CommonNews

Local news in and around Auburn, NY

New York Amsterdam News · Memphis, NY

Nearby: Memphis, NY

Day’Ron Sharpe expands his game for the evolving Brooklyn Nets

The Brooklyn Nets have not started the 2026-2027 season as they had hoped. Head coach Jordi Fernández’s squad was 2-8 heading into last night’s (Wednesday) matchup versus the New Orleans Pelicans. It was the third game of a four-game road trip, which will conclude on Saturday in Memphis against the Grizzlies. Despite their lack of wins, some Nets have shown individual growth. Point guard Nolan Traoré and power forward Danny Wolf, both part of the Nets’ 2025 NBA Draft class, are currently starters who have shown growth and promise. Meanwhile, Brooklyn’s starting center Day’Ron Sharpe is in his sixth season in the NBA, but has still not reached his ceiling. He is among the core of the team’s construction plans. A young veteran at 25 years old, Sharpe has the opportunity to cement himself as a foundational piece. He was averaging a career-high 23.7 minutes per game before facing the Pelicans after playing 18.7 minutes per contest last season.

Spectrum News · Onondaga, NY

Nearby: Onondaga, NY

Onondaga Hill Fire Department works to rebuild volunteer ranks

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) — Volunteer firefighter numbers across New York state have declined, according to state fire officials. In March, Onondaga County officials said the number of volunteer firefighters in the county had fallen to a 40-year low. Now, the Onondaga Hill Fire Department is seeing an upward trend in membership. Fire Chief Dante Garofalo said that after a period of low membership, the department has begun seeing more active involvement from community members. "So for a long time, we were in dwindling numbers. At our lowest, we were down to about 10 active members," Garofalo said. Thanks to the department's bunk-in program, local college students can volunteer in exchange for housing at the firehouse. "Over the course of time, we've averaged three to four of those (students), which has certainly helped. But now we're starting to regain more active membership within our own community," Garofalo added.

Rochester Beacon · Geneva, NY

Nearby: Geneva, NY

No robotaxis for Rochester—yet

On a gray day in November 2025, when Rochester roads were slick and the lawns still coated with early winter snow, something new rolled down the avenues. The spinning LiDAR receptor on the roof, plus more on the fenders, were bouncing millions of laser beams off surrounding objects. Multiple cameras plus radars fed into an onboard computer digesting and verifying all this location information and commanding the vehicle to drive down the street (although there was a human stand-by driver onboard for this run). The sight was odd enough for WROC to report it on the news. This Waymo self-driving taxi (robotaxi) was headed for Hobart and William Smith Colleges in Geneva for an exhibit arranged by state Sen. Jeremy Cooney (for his alma mater). Waymo is a division of Alphabet, the company formerly called Google. At that time, there was hope that Rochester would soon be one of the upstate cities Gov.

Syracuse University News · Syracuse, NY

Nearby: Syracuse, NY

Kenneth A. Pontarelli ’92 Elected Board Chairman-Elect of Syracuse University’s Board of Trustees

Campus & Community (Photo by Amelia Beamish) Campus & Community Kenneth A. Pontarelli ’92 Elected Board Chairman-Elect of Syracuse University’s Board of Trustees Pontarelli, who chairs the board’s Investment and Endowment Committee, will succeed Jeffrey M. Scruggs in May 2027. Nov. 9, 2026 Estimated Reading Time: Share × Video Player Syracuse University today announced that Kenneth A. Pontarelli ’92, a dedicated alumnus and a respected leader in global investing and finance who joined the board in 2021, has been selected to lead the University’s Board of Trustees, succeeding current Board Chair Jeffrey M. Scruggs, whose term concludes in May 2027. The members of the Board of Trustees selected Pontarelli as Board Chairman-Elect at their Nov. 6, 2026, meeting. Pontarelli has a deep connection to Syracuse University as an alumnus, donor and parent of two Syracuse graduates. He earned dual bachelor’s degrees in 1992, in finance from the Martin J.

The NewsHouse · Syracuse, NY

Nearby: Syracuse, NY

Alicia Keys’ ‘Hell’s Kitchen’ tour makes first Syracuse stop

skip to main content Go to homepage" Main Website Logo This is the Hamburger/Menu icon Theater Alicia Keys’ Hell’s Kitchen tour makes first Syracuse stop Alicia Keys’ ‘Hell’s Kitchen’ tour makes first Syracuse stop For producer and SU mom Mandy Hackett, the Broadway musical connects her work and her family. Story by Genae Horst Published: November 6, 2026 Courtesy of Broadway in Syracuse Maya Drake as “Ali” and the company of the North American tour of Alicia Keys’ “Hell’s Kitchen.” For Mandy Hackett, the Syracuse debut of Alicia Keys’ Hell’s Kitchen is about more than just another stop on national tour. The founding producer of the Tony-winning Broadway musical’s daughter, Miranda, is a first-year student at Syracuse University’s College of Visual and Performing Arts. “It’s just such an amazing way that our worlds are intersecting — truly, really special,” Hackett said.

The NewsHouse · Syracuse, NY

Nearby: Syracuse, NY

GOP candidate Buller concedes in the NY-22 race

skip to main content Go to homepage" Main Website Logo This is the Hamburger/Menu icon Politics GOP candidate Buller concedes in the NY-22 race GOP candidate Buller concedes in the NY-22 race First-time candidate claims winner Rep. John Mannion “hung up on her” when she called to concede. Story by Duncan Green / Photos by Logan DeBolt Published: November 3, 2026 Photo by Logan DeBolt Candidate for Congress in NY-22 Kailee Buller speaking to the press Tuesday during the Onondaga County GOP watch party at Embassy Suites at Destiny USA. Incumbent U.S. Rep. John Mannion, the heavy favorite in the NY-22 congressional race, defeated Republican challenger Kailee Buller. The results were called at 9:55 p.m. by the Associated Press. With more than 95% of votes in, Mannion won with 153,511 votes and Buller with 111,261. After the defeat, Buller addressed the attendees of the Onondaga County Republican watch party at the Embassy Suites near Destiny USA in Syracuse, New York.

Business Insider · Phoenix, NY

Nearby: Phoenix, NY

My flight was grounded during the FAA shutdown. Instead of waiting at the airport, I drove 300 miles with friends.

Vanessa Santos was set to fly from Phoenix to Las Vegas for a business conference. She got caught up in the nationwide ground stop and thought she'd miss the event. Santos got off the plane and was lucky enough to hop a ride, driving six hours to her destination. This story is based on an interview with Vanessa Santos, 43, a business consultant for female founders from Phoenix. It has been edited for length and clarity. I got a message on the app that my 1:45 p.m. Southwest Airlines flight from Phoenix was slightly delayed, giving me a chance to dash to Starbucks. The delay was longer than expected. Then, as we finally boarded the plane, I overheard the gate agent telling another employee something about a ground stop. We were told to deplane A man sitting across from me looked alarmed. "This hasn't happened since 9/11," he said. We sat at the gate for 45 minutes, then were told to deplane. The announcer said the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) had grounded all US flights.

Spectrum News · Salina, NY

Nearby: Salina, NY

Democrats make gains from state to local races

Following Election Day’s big wins for Democrats, the conversation surrounding the results has been on the height of the “blue wave,” but what about the depth of it? How far did it travel down ballots in some places in New York state? “They voted,” said Zettie Young. “They said ‘Yes, we want you in office.’ I want to return that and say, 'Hey, this is what I can do for you.” Young is the incoming Democratic Town Councilor representing the 4th ward in the town of Salina in Onondaga County, New York. A political freshman, Young was elected as the first African American woman to sit on the town’s council. She says she isn’t new to working in her community and seeing firsthand what she calls a “significant gap in access to essential resources.” “The national level, they set the policies which trickle down to us,” said Young. “People definitely have reiterated, they have an issue with buying groceries. They have an issue with putting gas in their vehicles.

Cornell Chronicle · Lansing, NY

Nearby: Lansing, NY

An ‘everlasting bond’: Vietnam veterans thank Cornell’s future service members

Credit: Jason Koski/Cornell University Following the Cornell Veterans Celebration on Nov. 9 in Statler Hall, Air Force ROTC cadet Marco Martini ’27, far right, and fellow students thanked members of Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 377 for their service and donation of a bronze plaque expressing “deep appreciation” to Cornell ROTC’s Tri-Service Brigade. The plaque will be installed in Barton Hall. After sunset on Sept. 18, a giant bonfire illuminated the sky over Myers Park in Lansing, New York, ignited by several hundred assembled military veterans and community members, including Cornell’s ROTC Tri-Service Brigade.Hosted by the local chapter of Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA), the annual “watchfire” event honored prisoners of war and service members missing in action. The ROTC cadets and midshipmen joined others placing planks on the fire to remember those fallen or unaccounted for – but not forgotten – and got to know veterans young and old.