Liverpool Was Named the Nicest Place in America

Hello, Syracuse

October starts this week, and right on queue we’ve got pumpkins, cider, and roughly a dozen fall festivals fighting for your Saturday. Liverpool and Skaneateles earned some national bragging rights this week. Also we may finally see a future where the infamous neon MOTEL sign on 690 may finally get fixed as the Western Ranch Motor Inn is sold, 81 officially gets a new name, and RetroGameCon takes over the Oncenter all weekend. Let's get into it.

Trying to figure out where to go apple picking? We just published a full guide to every apple orchard around Syracuse.

Looking for trivia nights this week? We published a full guide to every trivia spot in Syracuse.

Liverpool is the nicest place in America

Reader's Digest named the Village of Liverpool its Nicest Place in America for 2026, beating out towns from across the country in the magazine's tenth year of the contest. The write-up points to people like Ralph Rotella, a local cobbler who has donated more than 300,000 pairs of shoes, and Operation Northern Comfort, which sends volunteers out to fix homes for neighbors who need help.

I-481 is officially becoming I-81

The Federal Highway Administration approved renaming I-481 as the new I-81, and the stretch of I-81 through the city will become Business Loop 81. That approval clears the way for the eventual removal of the 1.4-mile viaduct and the Community Grid that replaces it. The state also awarded a $143.5 million contract to build a mile-long underground stormwater pipe beneath Almond Street, Erie Boulevard, Salina Street and a few other downtown blocks, with excavations up to 25 feet deep. Don't expect new signs on your commute right away, since DOT is still working out the changeover plan.

New York is close to banning personalized pricing

State lawmakers are pushing the One Fair Price package, which would stop companies from using your personal data, like browsing history, income, or zip code, to set a custom price just for you. A second bill would ban electronic shelf labels and surveillance pricing in grocery stores and pharmacies. Attorney General Letitia James rallied for the bills in Syracuse, and penalties could run $10,000 for a first violation and $25,000 for each one after that. If it passes, New York would be the third state to crack down on the practice.

The grocery store for a Syracuse food desert slips to 2027

A new full-service grocery store planned for a Syracuse neighborhood that has gone years without one is now expected to open in 2027 after a string of delays.

What's actually going on with the Westcott Theater

The city wants to revoke the Westcott Theater's special use permit after a string of violent incidents near the venue, including a stabbing and a shooting. A city investigation in August said the theater broke the terms of its permit, pointing to a "crescendoing level of problems." Owner Dan Mastronardi calls parts of that report "blatant fabrications" and filed a lawsuit in August after the city denied the theater's large crowd license. The Common Council has already delayed its vote once, so the fight is far from over.

600 renovated apartments are coming back at the old Tim Green properties

After three years of legal battles and renovations, the first tenants are about to move back into two troubled complexes once owned by Tim Green. The Summit (formerly the Vincent) in Outer Comstock is leasing more than 100 units, and the Metropolitan on James Street should start renting soon, with the rest of its floors done over the next six months. They put the total cost of both projects somewhere between $10 million and $15 million.

A Skaneateles restaurant just made a world's-best list

Fields Restaurant at Skaneateles Fields Resort & Spa landed on Travel + Leisure's list of the 25 best hotel restaurants in the world, and it picked up Wine Spectator's Best of Award of Excellence on top of that. The restaurant only opened last fall.

Weed at the farmers market is now legal

Governor Hochul signed a law that lets licensed cannabis microbusinesses and dispensaries sell at farmers markets, approved pop-ups, and cannabis showcase events. The law also makes clear that vertically integrated microbusinesses don't need to partner with a separate grower or processor to take part. Supporters say small cannabis farms rarely have retail space or big marketing budgets, and local markets give them a direct line to customers.

It's last call at the Western Ranch Motor Inn

You've driven past it on 690 for decades, the neon MOTEL sign with the "M" usually taking the night off. After 45 years, owner Wally Gaworecki Jr. is selling the property, and the restaurant and bar will close for good. The 42-room motel will stay open. Maybe we will finally see the sign get fixed.

Both parties agree: county deputies need new cars

Republicans and Democrats in the Onondaga County Legislature don't agree on much these days, but they do agree the Sheriff's Office needs new patrol vehicles.

Officer shot with his own gun outside a Syracuse bar is fired

Shane Prue, an off-duty Onondaga Community College officer, was shot in the leg outside McAvan's Pub on West Fayette Street last November. Police say he shoved a woman to the ground during a fight, a man pulled a gun, Prue drew his own, lost control of it, and the woman picked it up and shot him. OCC fired him in February. His police training certificate has been invalidated, so he can't work as an officer in New York again.

193 Giddings Trail, Lysander

$725,000 | 3 bd | 3 ba | 2,477 sqft

This one is only about five years old, and the owners already put close to $90,000 into making it better than the builder left it. The primary suite got improvements: a redone bathroom with marble finishes, an oversized walk-in shower and a new vanity. Laundry moved to the second floor, right where the bedrooms are. New carpet, fresh paint and custom wainscoting run through the house, and the garage has an EV charger. It's in the Baldwinsville school district.

Wendy Kaufman, the Snapple Lady, is a Long Island native who studied film and sociology at Syracuse University and graduated in 1980. In 1991 she landed a job at Snapple, where one of the owners was her best friend's father, starting out in the audit department. She noticed the fan letters piling up and started answering them herself, which turned into a full-time customer relations job. In 1993, Snapple's ad agency built an entire campaign around her, and she became one of the most recognizable faces on TV during the era.