More older couples are splitting — what does it mean for their retirement investments like 401K?The kids are finally out of the house and financially independent. The mortgage is paid off and retirement is within sight.Aging couples across the nation reflect on the sacrifices they made to get to this point and look forward to — a divorce.A recent report from the National Center for Family and Marriage Research at Bowling Green University noted that the rate of divorce for Americans older than 65 tripled to about 25% between 1990 and 2021 and rose faster than all other age groups.Divorce rates for those 45 to 65 rose at a lesser rate, while the divorce rate for those younger than 45 actually decreased over the 31 years.Oswego County and the rest of Central New York, which has a significant population of older adults, is no exception to the gray divorce trend.“The statistics are not surprising anymore,” said Jennifer Lovell, director of matrimonial consulting and litigation support for Bowers CPAs and Advisors in Syracuse. “It’s increased so much, especially in the past 10 years.”Lovell said many of the clients she had worked with had been married for decades and waited until they (more…)

There are beautiful beaches, fine food, great music and more … but no stop lights By Stefan Yablonski Fair Haven does the Fourth of July big, with their mile-long parade kicking off the weekend-long event on Thursday night every year. Fair Haven is a village located on the southern shore of Lake Ontario in Cayuga County, on Little Sodus Bay. According to the 2020 census, its population is 760. However, during the summer months, the population increases as scores of visitors flock to the idyllic village within the town of Sterling. Kyle D. Meddaugh is the self-proclaimed ambassador of Fair Haven. Why is Fair Haven so popular? “I certainly can’t be sure — but I’ve personally been very active in trying to help ‘put Fair Haven on the map’ for a number of years, through my photography,” he replied. Meddaugh is the president of the Fair Haven Area Chamber of Commerce. He is also owner and photographer at onePhoto Photography and the proprietor of the downtown Fair Haven shop Main Street Emporium, along with his wife, Marnie. And he is vice president of the Save Our Fourth Association board, the group that oversees the huge 4th of July celebration in (more…)

Likes, links and forwards can get your brand in the limelightBy Deborah Jeanne SergeantIf you think that social media is only for large companies, perhaps you should consider adjusting your perspective.It’s free, easy to use and can prove an effective means of reaching your customers. How you do it is what matters.“Small businesses can use social media to connect with their customers by being authentic and engaging,” said Heather McCoy, owner of 315 Designs, LLC in Fulton.Unlike a slick radio spot or TV ad, social media is about being real and approachable — not “salesy.”It’s also not important how many people you reach on social media, but the means by which they are reached.“Authentic engagement outweighs vanity metrics now,” McCoy said. “In today’s world, social media success is more about building real connections than just chasing likes. Small businesses should focus on creating genuine interactions by sharing relatable content and actively engaging with their customers. It’s not about having the largest following, but about fostering meaningful relationships with the people who support your brand.”Reaching your ideal target market relies upon selecting the social media platform where they’re active, such as Gen Z preferring YouTube above all other platforms, according to Morning (more…)

As of Aug. 17, it is no longer standard practice for home sellers to pay a commission to the buyer’s agent in addition to their real estate agent By Aaron Gifford Teri Beckwith, a licensed salesperson who has sold homes in Oswego County for 30 years, said the new regulations could limit the number of offers. “Buyers are just not used to paying their agents. It doesn’t make much sense right now.” Realtors in Central New York and across the nation hope new regulations that change the way buyers’ agents are paid won’t turn their industry upside down. As of Aug. 17, it is no longer standard practice for home sellers to pay a commission to the buyer’s agent in addition to their real estate agent. Instead, written agreements with buyers’ agents specifying how much they will be paid must be established ahead of time. In addition, compensation rate offers to buyers’ agents cannot be disclosed on the Multiple Listing Service, which most sellers and buyers access to view available properties. This regulation follows the $418 million settlement the National Association of Realtors paid out to a group of Missouri homeowners who argued in federal court that the long-accepted practice (more…)

Business is booming at vocational institutions that make students job-ready in a matter of months, not years

By Aaron Gifford

Gen Z is making blue-collar cool again.

While many traditional college programs across the country struggle with enrollment losses, business is booming right now at vocational institutions that make students job-ready in a matter of months, not years.

According to the National Student Clearinghouse, enrollment at vocational institutions to include community colleges and agricultural and technical schools increased by 16% last year — or 112,000 students — from 2022.

Local institutions are also witnessing a trend.

At Onondaga Community College, enrollment went up across 15 different programs in the past 12 months, including surgical technology, automotive technology, construction management, fire protection technology and electromechanical technology, said Roger Mirabito, OCC communications director.

Bryant & Stratton has maintained two campuses in the Syracuse area at a time when small colleges in the region, including Cazenovia College and Wells College, have closed. Mainly a two-year institution, Bryant & Stratton’s network technology program, which prepares students to become network technicians, is highly regarded.

Cayuga Community College added an electro-mechanical systems fundamentals “micro credential” program, which provides instruction on the operation of hydraulics, pneumatics, electrical motor controls and precision measurement tools in industrial settings. The institution also offered drone-flying instruction at its Fulton campus.

SUNY Morrisville opened as a traditional agricultural and technical institution but has evolved over time to keep up with the needs of New York state’s ever-changing workforce. All 38 students in its renewable energy major last year were recruited by local, regional and national employers, said Anthony Contento, dean of the school’s agriculture, business, and technology programs.

(more…)

By Aaron Gifford Thirteen municipalities in Oswego County are legally open to future recreational-use marijuana businesses and state-issued licenses for cannabis businesses are pending in Fulton and Pulaski. But if…

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By Mary Beth Roach Between 12% and 13% of businesses in Central New York are owned by someone who was not born in the United States. This is data from…

How a bad credit score can affect you and what you can do to change that By Jacqueline DeMarco If you fall into the bad credit category, you will have…

Many higher education institutions struggle with debt, lack of students By Aaron Gifford These days, it’s not unusual for high school seniors to be inundated with emails from colleges they…