It's Happening Here

Central Current
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Central Current is a nonprofit, nonpartisan newspaper for people building a life in Central New York. Our "It's Happening Here" podcast explores how local news, local government, and local civic engagement impacts our democracy as a whole.

  1. Aug 19

    Surveillance in Syracuse

    Technological advances over the last decade have transformed the surveillance camera: Traditionally, a human was required to review recorded video and gather any relevant information. Today, tools like license plate readers and AI-enabled cameras are able to automatically process visual data as part of an expanding and searchable surveillance network. Over the past two years, Reporter Patrick McCarthy has been tracking how modern surveillance technology is being used by Syracuse Police. In 2025, he revealed that Syracuse driver data captured by the city’s Flock Safety cameras was being inadvertently shared with thousands of departments across the country - a revelation that led to the termination of the city’s contract with Flock Safety and signing a new agreement with Axon. In this episode, Patrick takes listeners inside the growing public debate over this technology, the ways its being used locally, and what we know so far about its impact on crime and safety. Related reading: Federal immigration agents accessed Syracuse drivers’ data through secret Flock Safety deal https://centralcurrent.org/federal-immigration-agents-accessed-syracuse-drivers-data-through-secret-flock-safety-deal/ Flock Safety removes its license plate readers, finalizing eight-month breakup with City of Syracuse https://centralcurrent.org/flock-safety-removes-its-license-plate-readers-finalizing-eight-month-breakup-with-city-of-syracuse/ Axon license plate readers go live in Syracuse. State legislator calls it ‘a constant, warrantless surveillance system’ https://centralcurrent.org/axon-license-plate-readers-go-live-in-syracuse-state-legislator-calls-it-a-constant-warrantless-surveillance-system/ Get The Flock Out https://www.aclu.org/campaigns-initiatives/get-the-flock-out Flock's Cameras Remain Civil Liberties Threat Despite Updates https://www.aclu.org/news/privacy-technology/despite-new-updates-flocks-creepy-cameras-remain-major-civil-liberties-threat Editor’s Note: This podcast reflects the opinions and perspectives of the host and guests and is not a product of our editorial staff, including Central Current’s editors and reporters. The program may be edited in post-production for length and clarity.

    Surveillance in Syracuse

  2. Jul 2

    How gambling services are partnering with commercial newsrooms

    Sports books, online casinos, and prediction markets are collaborating with local newspapers across the United States to leverage their search rankings, reach new audiences, and share in the profits. Under the new model, award-winning outlets are publishing news articles featuring promo codes for readers to unlock gambling credits with online betting platforms like Kalshi, DraftKings, and others. When a reader signs up, the newspaper receives a payout. Importantly, these are separate from traditional banner ads or popups and are usually not labeled as “sponsored content”. Instead, the publishers of this gambling content claim that it is part of their news production. Maryland-based journalist Judd Legum identified and documented the growing scale of this phenomenon in his article, "Pulitzer-winning newsrooms are quietly publishing mountains of gambling slop”. He found that Advance Local has produced over 17,000 of these posts since 2022 across their many newspapers including The Oregonian, The Cleveland Plains Dealer, and The Star-Ledger. The city with the highest number of these posts? Syracuse, NY., with Syracuse.com | The Post Standard having published more than 5,800 of these promotional gambling articles between January 2022 and May 2026, many of which targeting residents of other states. Legum joins host Maximilian Eyle on this episode of It’s Happening Here to discuss the growing relationship between gambling sites and news organizations across the country. He is the founder and author of the Substack newsletter Popular Information.passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill — will impact families here in Central New York. Related reading: "Pulitzer-winning newsrooms are quietly publishing mountains of gambling slop", https://popular.info/p/pulitzer-winning-newsrooms-are-quietly "The "truth machine" is paying for election lies", https://popular.info/p/polymarket-sponsoring-election-conspiracies Editor's Note: This podcast reflects the opinions and perspectives of the host and guests and is not a product of our editorial staff, including Central Current's editors and reporters. The program may be edited in post-production for length and clarity.

    How gambling services are partnering with commercial newsrooms

  3. Jun 9

    Inside the County Legislature's New Majority Pt. 2

    Onondaga County Reporter Laura Robertson returns to share the most important developments she has seen unfolding within the County Legislature this year. She explains why the Democrats’ decision to hire outside legal counsel has empowered them to speed up their legislative agenda, and identifies how each party is competing for different visions of legislative transparency. In her conversation with host Maximilian Eyle, Robertson dives deeper into county policy priorities ahead of the November election. They discuss each party’s plan for investments in housing and transportation, and explore how dealmaking that used to occur behind closed doors is now more frequently spilling out onto the legislature floor. Cover photo by Laura Robertson ---- Editor’s Note: This podcast reflects the opinions and perspectives of the host and guests and is not a product of our editorial staff, including Central Current’s editors and reporters. The program may be edited in post-production for length and clarity.

    Inside the County Legislature's New Majority Pt. 2

  4. Mar 24

    Inside the Onondaga County Legislature's new majority Pt. 1

    In Nov. 2025, the Onondaga County Legislature flipped from Republican to Democrat control for the first time in half a century. At the same time, a shift to the election calendar meant that the new majority would face reelection again in Nov. 2026 - just 10 months after being sworn in. As members from each party learn to operate in these new roles, they are also tasked with managing some of the most significant economic development and infrastructure challenges in county history. Central Current's Onondaga County Reporter Laura Robertson speaks to how this new power dynamic is unfolding under the shortened timeline, and the competing visions each side is pitching to county residents. Editor's Note: This podcast reflects the opinions and perspectives of the host and guests and is not a product of our editorial staff, including Central Current's editors and reporters. The program may be edited in post-production for length and clarity.

    Inside the Onondaga County Legislature's new majority Pt. 1

  5. Mar 19

    What’s going on at Syracuse Housing Authority?

    The Syracuse Housing Authority has been in the news recently: From missed deadlines to accusations of conflicts of interest. What does it all mean? Central Current reporter Debadrita Sur breaks it all down on this episode of ‘It’s Happening Here.'

    What’s going on at Syracuse Housing Authority?

  6. Feb 11

    A look at immigration enforcement in Central New York

    On this edition of "It’s Happening Here" host Chris Libonati is joined by Central Current contributor Eddie Velasquez and reporter Patrick McCarthy to discuss immigration enforcement and how local elected officials are responding to pushback against President Donald Trump‘s deportation agenda.

    A look at immigration enforcement in Central New York

  7. Jan 8

    An editor’s forecast for 2026

    As the New Year begins, what should Central New Yorkers be on the lookout for? Central Current’s Editor Chris Libonati shares his thoughts about the biggest items to keep an eye on over the coming news cycle. He shares his own journey as a reporter, his favorite stories from 2025, the reasons he loves reporting in CNY, and explains how he chooses what to cover. Editor’s Note: This podcast reflects the opinions and perspectives of the host and guests and is not a product of our editorial staff, including Central Current’s editors and reporters. The program may be edited in post-production for length and clarity.

    An editor’s forecast for 2026

  8. 12/02/2025

    Let's talk about reading

    Child literacy remains a persistent challenge in Syracuse. According to 2019 data from the Early Childhood Alliance, only 22% of SCSD students are reading on grade level by the 3rd grade. Guests Laurie Black and Dr. Maria Murray are each tackling this challenge from different angles: As Community Education Director for the United Way, Laurie Black has grown their Book Buddies program to reach over 600 students annually. Her network of 500 volunteers provides ongoing education, support, and encouragement to children from kindergarten through 3rd grade. Dr. Maria Murray, CEO of The Reading League, focuses her efforts on providing teachers with evidence-based practices for improved literacy education. Her organization studies the science of reading and works with educators nationwide to improve outcomes for students. On this episode of It’s Happening Here, Laurie Black and Dr. Murray join hosts Maximilian Eyle and Dr. Roosevelt “Rick” Wright to discuss the relationship between literacy and poverty, the resources available in Onondaga County for parents and children, the Book Buddies program, and ways to improve your own child’s reading development. -- Editor's Note: This podcast reflects the opinions and perspectives of the host and guests and is not a product of our editorial staff, including Central Current's editors and reporters. The program may be edited in post-production for length and clarity.

    Let's talk about reading
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About

Central Current is a nonprofit, nonpartisan newspaper for people building a life in Central New York. Our "It's Happening Here" podcast explores how local news, local government, and local civic engagement impacts our democracy as a whole.

Information

  • Creator
    Central Current
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    18
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © All rights reserved
  • Show Website
    It's Happening Here

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