Good morning, Syracuse.

Elmcrest Children's Center held a ribbon cutting for Tamarack Hall, a new children's mental health crisis respite that increased the bed capacity from 12 to 20 on May 16.

Executive Director Diane Nappa said the expansion will help families and reduce waiting times—after nearly 1,000 referrals since March 2023.

This weekend, many community events are set in Central New York, including RetroGameCon at the Elite Gaming Arena on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., the Lake Ontario Waterfront Festival at the H.

Lee White Maritime Museum from noon to 4 p.m. with boat tours beginning at 12:30 p.m.—Big Truck Day at the Fulton War Memorial on Saturday features over 60 vehicles and planned helicopter landings at 9:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. Other highlights include the Food Truck Battle at Chevy Court, the Battle of the Wings in Syracuse across Friday and Saturday, a plant sale in Camillus from 9 a.m. to noon, a Wizard of Oz marker event in Mattydale from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., a Clay Historical Association open house on Sunday from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., and Shop Small Sunday on South Salina St from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.—each event offers varied activities for local families.

On May 13, Syracuse Police fatally shot suspect Hogan—who was in a wheelchair and allegedly fired his gun at officers—after one officer fired a rifle shot during a call on North Townsend Street, and the state attorney general's office launched an investigation into the incident.

Today, Onondaga Community College held a commencement for 660 graduates, including a dozen students from its Micron related technology program that started in fall, with Kah-lelle Akins set to join Micron headquarters later this month after an internship there.

Twenty more students will graduate in December as the program expands to meet local industry demand — a sign of growing ties between education and career opportunities in our community.

On May 8, Maria Tickner noticed greenish water from a pipe near Onondaga Lake in Geddes and alerted the DEC.

The agency said experts traced the spill to a broken valve in Honeywell’s groundwater system—exacerbated by heavy rain—and assured that the temporary contamination poses no risk to public health.

On May 16, the Syracuse Fire Department held a graduation ceremony for 34 probationary firefighters from Recruit Class 2025-1 and Lateral Recruit Class 2025-2—who are now nationally certified and state-qualified in hazardous materials operations and as EMTs.

They will complete additional training with their new companies.

A student in a Tompkins County school collapsed after inhaling a vape thought to be marijuana but that was laced with fentanyl and was given Narcan before being taken to a hospital — officials later said the vape tested positive for fentanyl after being bought from an unlicensed store and urged parents to discuss the risks with their children.

Sam English of Syracuse men’s lacrosse hopes to break an 11-year drought as the Orange play Princeton today at 2:30 p.m. at Hofstra’s James M.

Shuart Stadium — his strong play in past tournaments helped both his old and new teams win.

Travis Chewning-Kulick, a Liverpool native and Army captain, ran a world record bomb suit mile in Texas on April 25 in 7 minutes—4 seconds, breaking the previous mark by 20 seconds.

He will soon leave Fort Cavazos to become a West Point instructor and plans to run local races when his record awaits official Guinness verification.

12th Annual PWP 5K

4 AM — 201 Cherry Rd, Syracuse, NY — Prices vary — Participate in a community-focused 5K event with multiple distance options to support local initiatives.

Bicentennial Brew Release Party

1-7 p.m. — Willow Rock Brewing Company — Free entry — Cheers to the official Bicentennial Brews Project release and enjoy Derrick's presentation.

Ian Campbell Live

8-11 p.m. — Asil's Pub — Check the door for cover charge — Experience heartfelt folk rock stories from Ian Campbell's debut album in an intimate setting.

Open House Event

11 AM - 1 PM — 477 Audubon Pkwy, Syracuse, NY — Free entry — Explore a variety of properties at this engaging real estate open house.

Dave Matthews Band Concert

7:30-9 p.m. — Empower FCU Amphitheater at Lakeview — Tickets available — Experience the iconic sounds of Dave Matthews Band with fan-favorite hits and new material.

Avril Lavigne: The Greatest Hits Tour

7-8:30 p.m. — Empower FCU Amphitheater at Lakeview — Tickets available — Experience live all the greatest hits from Avril Lavigne's extensive catalog.

NYSAFC 119th Annual Conference & FIRE 2025 Expo

8 a.m. – 1 p.m. — The Oncenter — Fees vary — A premier expo for first responders to explore the latest in fire, rescue, and EMS technology and training.

Luke Bryan Concert

7-9 p.m. — Empower FCU Amphitheater at Lakeview — Tickets available — Experience country superstar Luke Bryan with special guests in a highly anticipated summer show.

Birdhouses for Fair Housing Auction

5:30-8:30 p.m. — SKY Armory — $40 per person — Bid on unique birdhouses while supporting fair housing efforts in Central New York.

2025 NBHA Syracuse Super Show

Jun 13-15 — New York State Fairgrounds — $10,200 Added Money — Compete in thrilling barrel racing events with awards and prizes for top riders.