Good & Bad News: 2025’s Top Utica, Rome, Mohawk Valley Stories

WIBX Year in Review: The Biggest Local Stories of 2025
Utica • Rome • The Mohawk Valley (updated)
As WIBX celebrated its 100th anniversary in December, the year 2025 delivered no shortage of headline-making moments across Utica, Rome, and the Mohawk Valley.
Some stories brought optimism and momentum—historic economic investments, major expansions, and regional growth. Others were tragic, difficult, and, at times, deeply troubling. Together, they shaped a year that reminded us just how local news reflects the heart—and the challenges—of our communities.

The Good News
Among the biggest positives of 2025 was Chobani’s historic announcement that it would build a massive natural foods manufacturing facility at the former Griffiss Air Force Base in Rome. Initially announced as a two-million-square-foot project, the development has since expanded and is now underway.
Meanwhile, the Oneida Indian Nation moved ahead of schedule on its $370 million expansion at Turning Stone Resort Casino. Once completed—now expected in 2026 instead of 2027—the project will create New York State’s largest convention center outside of New York City’s Javits Center.

The Hardest Stories
Not all of 2025 was easy to report.
The year included tragic weather events, most notably a deadly tornado in Clark Mills and a brutal winter that dumped record-breaking snow across Upstate New York. Northern Oneida County was hit especially hard, with multiple roof collapses causing hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage to homes, farms, firehouses, and commercial buildings.
Even more disturbing was an unacceptable outbreak of inmate deaths at two local state correctional facilities—cases that led to beating deaths, criminal indictments, and a statewide reckoning over prison oversight and safety.

The Bigger Picture
Nationally, politics once again dominated the headlines—war, immigration, healthcare, affordability, and President Donald Trump’s second term overshadowed much of the daily news cycle. But as the saying goes, all politics is local—and in Central New York, that still rings true.
Most of these stories were reported, debated, and dissected on Keeler in the Morning, which begins its 14th year on WIBX on January 5, 2026.
While that tenure is just a fraction of the station’s century-long history, the responsibility ahead is significant. WIBX now enters its second century of broadcasting at a time when traditional media faces constant questions about relevance, technology, and sustainability.
Radio has been declared “dead” many times over the last 60 years—and yet, here we are. My hope for the coming year is that we continue to find that secret sauce that keeps us growing, evolving, and connected… and that the stories remain big and impactful—but with far less tragedy.
(Fingers crossed.)

Top Local News Stories of 2025
Ranked by clicks, views, and community engagement on WIBX
(Click headline to read the full story)

1. Chobani Coming to Rome
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2. Kaitlyn Conley Freed by Oneida County Court
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3. Tragedy in Clark Mills: Deadly Tornado Claims Three Lives
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4. Shots Fired at Sangertown Square Mall
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5. Two Inmates Beaten to Death in State Prisons
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Related coverage:
Verdict in the Brooks Trial
Mid-State COs Charged
COs Sound Alarm on Prison Conditions
6. Elise Stefanik’s Political Collapse in 2025
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By December, Stefanik exited the governor’s race and announced she would not seek reelection in 2026.
7. Election Day 2025: A Big Win for Democrats
Election Results
Local GOP Fallout
8. Record Snowfall Creates Widespread Destruction
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9. Hochul’s Electric Mandate Stalls
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10. WIBX Celebrates 100 Years
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Bonus Stories That Made Noise in 2025
Panhandlers and Squatters Become a Municipal Crisis
Lanigan vs. Brown: A Political Firestorm
Utica & Hamilton Hockey Make Historic NCAA Runs
MVCC Wins NJCAA National Championship