Good News York by Growth Mode Content

GNY EP.190 | feat. Jennifer Covert from Meals on Wheels of Eastern Onondaga County

Meals on Wheels Eastern Onondaga County: Nutrition, Wellness Checks, and a Push to Expand Host Noah Chrysler interviews Jennifer Covert, executive director of Meals on Wheels of Eastern Onondaga County and vice president of the Meals on Wheels of New York State Association, about delivering nutritious meals and wellness checks to homebound residents. Serving about 230 people across 12 zip codes, the volunteer-based program helps seniors stay safely in their homes, addressing food insecurity and loneliness, with 17 clients over 100 and a 96-year-old driver who has volunteered since 1992. Covert shares advocacy work in Washington, DC after receiving a Meals on Wheels America grant, seeking $2.285 billion in national funding and recounting client stories showing life-saving impact. She explains meals are prepared fresh daily by volunteers, outlines how to request service (including a $10/day option), and emphasizes needs for substitute drivers, donations, and a new facility costing several million dollars to expand capacity. 00:00 Ninety Six Year Old Driver 00:17 Meet Jennifer Covert 00:48 What Meals on Wheels Does 01:29 Service Area And Capacity 02:06 How To Help Today 02:49 Swag Bag And Brochure 04:29 Advocacy Trip To DC 06:27 Capitol Hill Stories That Matter 07:54 Clients Who Became Family 09:51 Why It Matters After COVID 11:14 Centenarians Still Independent 11:47 Retirement Fears And Hopes 12:35 How Meals Get Made 13:30 Signing Up And Costs 14:32 Scaling Up The Mission 15:05 Dreaming Of A New Building 16:53 Why She Does This Work 20:23 Volunteer Community And Purpose 22:09 See It In Action 23:11 Final Thanks And Studio Plug

GNY EP.189 | feat. Christopher Bruce from King Creative ("The Conspiracists" indie Film)

Christopher Bruce Brings Mockumentary Comedy “The Conspiracists” Home to Syracuse On Good News York, host Noah Chrysler interviews Syracuse native and film producer/professional mascot Christopher Robert Bruce about his feature comedy mockumentary The Conspiracists, shot in a style like The Office and centered on siblings trying to run the first all-inclusive conspiracy theory convention as it falls apart. Bruce discusses lessons from making an independent film as a team effort, producing with partners Uncultured Swine and King Creative, filming in Delaware, and casting Broadway performer Terri Lynn, plus favorite funny character moments and scenes. He promotes upcoming screenings with Q&As: July 18 at the Palace Theatre on James in Syracuse, June 28–29 at the Players Theatre in New York City, and August 1 at the Colonial Theatre in Phoenixville. Bruce also describes running the Mascot Hall of Fame, including National Mascot Day nominations and a potential ESPN partnership, and shares career advice for young creatives. 00:00 Mockumentary Hook 00:30 Meet Christopher Bruce 01:36 What The Conspiracists Is 02:34 Making The Film 04:57 Favorite Scenes 07:09 Screenings And Dates 08:12 Mascot Hall Of Fame 10:06 Syracuse Roots And ESM 12:02 Career Origin Story 17:29 Celebrity Boxing World 19:26 Advice For Creatives 20:37 How To Watch And Premiere 21:28 Wrap Up And Outro 22:08 Show Sponsor Message

GNY EP.188 | feat. Anthony Marrone from Marrone Law Firm

Estate Planning, Elder Law, and Long-Term Care in Central New York with Anthony Marone | Good News York Host Noah Chrysler interviews Anthony Marone, owner and founder of the Marone Law Firm, about estate planning, elder law, and navigating aging-related issues in Central New York. Marone explains why estate planning is often avoided, why adults with kids or assets need a will to control distribution and guardianship, and contrasts streamlined outcomes with a proper plan versus the costly, uncertain “intestate” process in New York. He shares tools developed during COVID, including an eight-question online will builder (thewillbuilder.com [http://thewillbuilder.com]) paired with attorney customization, and discusses competing with document commodities by offering expertise. Marone also describes his growing work helping families secure nursing-home care, address the local care shortage, and plan for Medicaid eligibility amid long-term care costs nearing $18,000/month, including trusts and other strategies. He attributes his firm’s success to plain communication, empathy, community commitment, and a strong internal culture. 00:00 Culture Comes First 00:25 Meet Anthony Marone 01:00 Why Estate Planning Matters 02:32 The Eight Question Will 05:42 When You Skip A Will 08:28 Anthony’s Path To Law 11:43 Nursing Home Care Crisis 13:34 Medicaid And Asset Protection 17:31 Business Growth Playbook 22:19 How To Reach The Firm 22:41 Show Wrap And Sponsor Thanks

GNY EP. 187 | feat. Don Agate from GOOD Eats & Sips

Chef Don Agat on Building Good Eats & Sips During COVID and the Story Behind Don’s Cookie Host Noah Chrysler interviews Chef Don Agat, owner of Good Eats & Sips and Good To Go in Skaneateles, about launching Good Eats & Sips in June 2020 during COVID to provide fresher, “healthy-ish” food and a seamless online takeout experience. Don describes being denied by four banks—one scolded them for 45 minutes—before a fifth approved their loan after refining the business plan. He shares his career path from dishwasher to Johnson & Wales graduate, working in Outer Banks, Aspen, and Manhattan, experiencing layoffs during the 2008 crisis, then joining Club Med in the Bahamas where he met his wife. After Texas, he returned to Central New York to oversee the Krebs Restaurant rebuild, then held several leadership roles before COVID pushed him into the cafe. He discusses culture as the key to strong teams, showcases his sea salt chocolate chip hazelnut “Don’s cookie,” and outlines future growth, catering, and community-focused customer service. 00:00 Cookie Origins 00:18 Show Introduction 01:15 Launching During Covid 03:33 Bank Loan Gauntlet 05:53 From Dishwasher To Chef 07:03 Crisis And Layoffs 08:51 Club Med Escape 13:01 Montreal To Texas 13:59 Returning To Skaneateles 15:55 Career Moves After Adam 16:47 COVID Forces New Path 17:42 What Sets Him Apart 19:09 Del Lago Audition Story 21:08 Building Teams and Culture 22:11 Cheat Sheet for Leadership 24:19 The Bear Restaurant Reality 26:42 Cookie Tasting and Origins 28:16 Vision for Growth in CNY 29:51 Community Service Philosophy 31:56 Catering and Final Wrap

GNY EP. 186 | feat. Marc Baum & Monica Kinner from the All Things Oz Museum (Oz-Stravaganza)

Inside Chittenango’s All Things Oz Museum & the 49th Oz-Stravaganza Festival Host Noah Chrysler interviews Mark Baum and Monica Kinner of the All Things Oz Museum (International L. Frank Baum and All Things Oz Historical Foundation) in Chittenango, a 501(c)(3) founded in 2011 that now holds 18,000+ Oz items across a museum and two annexes, spanning original Baum materials through Wicked and other modern Oz productions. They preview Oz-Stravaganza, a three-day, free-admission festival (49th annual; about 30,000 attendees) featuring vendors, fireworks, a parade, evening guest programs hosted by Oz historian John Fricke, kids’ runs, costume contest, silent auctions, and museum hours (10–5; $12 admission) with three new exhibits kept secret. Guests include Baum’s great-granddaughter Gita Dorothy Morena, filmmaker Hugh Gross, and Wicked actor Marissa Bode, plus authors and artists. They also share notable artifacts, including a first-edition Wizard of Oz mailed untracked and costumes from The Wiz, Wicked, and other productions. 00:00 A Priceless Book Arrives 00:09 Meet the Oz Museum Team 00:52 Inside All Things Oz Museum 02:50 Oz Stravaganza Festival Preview 03:30 Guests and Weekend Highlights 06:37 Museum Hours and New Exhibits 07:25 The 135000 Dollar Mail Surprise 09:08 Wicked Boom and New Fans 11:25 Rare Items and Donation Stories 15:21 Baum Roots in Central New York 18:44 Why You Should Go This Weekend 21:13 Closing and Sponsor Message