The Onondaga County Legislature will hold weeks of budget hearings before the legislative body votes on whether to approve the budget.
Laura Robertson
Laura Robertson is a staff reporter covering Onondaga County. Prior to joining Central Current, she lived on the edge of the Bering Strait in Nome, Alaska, where she worked as a reporter for a year. She graduated from Princeton in 2024, and speaks English, Farsi, and some Thai. She grew up just west of Binghamton in Tioga County and is excited to return to upstate New York.
Laura won the 2025 Nellie Bly Cub Reporter Award from the New York Press Club for her story on an infirmary profit model that led to dozens of deaths in New York State jails. A 2024 recipient of an Overseas Press Club scholar award, she’s interviewed Alaskan gold miners, Russian draft dodgers, and former Syrian freedom fighters, and reported from Tajikistan. She’s particularly interested in money flows, the intersections of business and politics, and how those things affect people on the ground.
You can reach her at lrobertson@centralcurrent.org with tips about things going on around the county, or with recommendations of ways to get to know Syracuse better!
Posted inOnondaga County
McMahon signs term limits compromise, ending spat until November
Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon repeatedly pointed out the similarities between the compromise reached through a judge and the one he proposed in late-July.
Posted inOnondaga County
Onondaga County Legislature takes next step in ending term limits spat
The term limits bill approved by the legislature would create a November referendum. The last step for its approval is for County Executive Ryan McMahon to sign off on it.
Posted inEconomic Development
In Micron lawsuit, DOJ’s filing raises a question: Does national security trump state environmental law?
The DOJ has been using the threat of national security to pressure courts around the country to rule against environmental lawsuits. Now, that strategy has come to Central New York.
Posted inOnondaga County
Onondaga County officials come to term limits agreement, sidestep ‘democracy question’
Voters will have a chance to choose either 12 or 16 year term limits for the county executive and county comptroller. County officials have agreed that the saga will not create legal precedent.
Posted inOnondaga County
Crouse Health wins naming rights to Onondaga County’s new aquarium
The hospital paid $1.5 million to officially name the Crouse Health Harborview Aquarium.
Posted inHousing
New Onondaga County advisory board proposes local development corporation to combat housing crisis
Members of the Housing and Transportation Citizen’s Advisory Board are soft-launching its proposals to solve Onondaga’s housing supply issues.
Posted inOnondaga County
Onondaga County Legislature to consider resolution about keeping ICE away from election polling sites
The resolution was inspired by ICE’s arrival at the polls during the June primary.
Posted inOnondaga County
Democratic Board of Elections commissioner asks judge to review Republican counterpart’s refusal to put term limits law on ballot
Dustin Czarny has challenged the actions of Republican Board of Elections Commissioner Kevin Ryan over his refusal to put term limits on the November ballot.
Posted inNews
Onondaga County lawmakers take the first step toward suing the Board of Elections
“We cannot just let a democracy question lie open,” said Legislature Chair Nicole Watts of the decision to obtain approval to sue.
