Your editor is just back from a week of much-needed vacation. While we had a few advance stories "in the can" to auto-publish during the week off, there are several items we missed while away. This afternoon, we finally catch-up on some of those events we missed while we were out.
SYRACUSE and UTICA-ROME -- 
A tip of the hat to the "net gnomes" at RadioInsight.com for spotting a domain name registration by Galaxy Communications for espncny.com -- and to a CNYRadio.com reader who also emailed in to let us know the new site for WTLA/WSGO/WTLB is up and running. Since Galaxy took over the ESPN Radio affiliation for the Syracuse and Utica-Rome markets in March (also heard on FM translators at 97.7 in Syracuse and 100.1 in Oswego), the stations' primary online presence had been a Facebook page. The new website includes blogs written by local talent, programming schedules, and a combination of local and national sports news content.
SYRACUSE -- Still no response at all from management at Newsradio 570 WSYR regarding our inquiry about the disappearance of former morning news anchor Nikolai Busko -- but an anonymous tipster who saw our September 27th story about former Fox News Radio anchor Chris Barnes being hired to take the job -- says Busko left to become the News Director at "Magic 590" WROW in Albany. The former news/talk station switched to an adult standards music format earlier this year. And still no word on Barnes' start date at WSYR -- former WSYR radio and WSTM-TV reporter/anchor Kevin Schenk continues his temporary return to Clear Channel's Plum Street studios to handle morning news anchor duties.
With holiday shopping season approaching, the Fingerlakes Mall in Auburn has a place for weary shoppers to rest their feet and catch up with the latest sports happenings. WAUB's new "sports lounge" inside the mall opened on September 29, according to the Cayuga County Chamber of Commerce. The lounge includes couches, televisions and radios tuned to WAUB -- the market's affiliate for SU football and basketball games and the New York Giants. The AM/FM pair owned by Finger Lakes Radio Group also offers live coverage of Auburn HS football and basketball games.
Ted & Amy of 93Q (WNTQ) once again enjoy the title of "Best Local Morning Radio Show" in the 2010 Best of Syracuse awards from the Syracuse New Times. Readers also voted 93Q as the best overall radio station. On the TV side, NewsChannel 9's Chris Brandolino wins "Best TV News Hottie," while his co-worker Rod Wood is named "Most Sincere Newscaster." Across town, WSTM's Doppler the Weather Cat is named the "Best Weather Forecasting Gimmick." And Matt Mulcahy gets "Best Blog," the award this website was hoping to win (our thanks to those of you who voted... maybe next year!). The SNT's entire "Best of Syracuse" section has been published online.
SYRACUSE -- From the "where are they now" file, the Syracuse Post-Standard ran a piece last week about former WSTM sportscaster Roger Springfield. He's in his second year on the job, coordinating the music played in the Carrier Dome during SU's home games. The article says Springfield, located in the press box, communicates via headset with the school's marching band director on the field, to make sure his "canned" stuff doesn't collide with the live band.
SYRACUSE -- And we end this "while we were out" wrap-up with a sad note. WSEN Co-Founder James Lowery passed away on Tuesday, September 21 at the age of 84. According to the obituary published in the Syracuse Post-Standard, Lowery was VP and Co-owner of Baldwinsville-based WSEN from 1959 through 1981.
He later became known as "The Voice of Oswego County" when he became the play-by-play announcer for high school football and basketball games on WSGO in Oswego. Among those surviving Lowery are Marjorie, his wife of 60 years, a son and three grandchildren.
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