Many leave the neighborhood for their banking needs As Janeka Coker reflects on the struggles of opening up her business on South Salina Street, she laughs and exhales a deep sigh. “So far we’ve put our own money in, and it takes a lot. It’s a little bit of a struggle,” Coker said. Her full-service hair salon, Miraculous Beauty, has …

In the quiet upper auditorium of Beauchamp Branch Library, a little more than a dozen neighbors and a criminal justice class from Onondaga Community College gathered Tuesday, March 26, for an intimate and sensitive dialogue sharing their ties to what has become a common American experience: prison stories. Calmesha Givens, Syracuse native, and Shannon Fernandez, a Syracuse University student from …

A call to action with a little help from Hollywood Mayor Stephanie Miner’s office, along with a number of various organizations including Mother’s Against Gun Violence, held a panel discussion featuring notable Syracuse figures and Hollywood actor Khalil Kain at the historic Landmark Theatre Thursday, March 21. The issue at hand? How to help prevent the rise in gun violence …

Small businesses must work hard to secure just the right office space Deborah Holloway sits with several accordion folders around her. Business is in full swing for the 2013 tax season. She peers over the mound of papers on her desk in her first-floor office and remarks how happy she is that the building has heat — and air conditioning. …

‘A lot of young girls don’t get the encouragement needed to pursue it’ As March of each year rolls around, we start to think about the impact of women on our world. Women have been leaders in just about all aspects of modern society, including politics, business and religion. Music is no different. For Women’s History Month, it is fitting …

Local employees share thoughts on proposed hourly wage increase For Kayla Corron, missing work is devastating. “I had kidney stones so I had to take work off all last week,” said Corron, 23, who works at the Dollar Tree on West Seneca Turnpike on the South Side. The day before Valentine’s Day she was back on the job, inflating hundreds …

Owners strive to make B&B Cocktail Lounge a bar patrons can call home When Bill Denham, 65, and Billy Ray McDonald, 70, opened up the B&B Cocktail Lounge on South Avenue nearly 23 years ago, they had one thought in mind: make it more than just a place to grab a drink. They wanted neighbors and friends on the South …

Sentry program works to protect students throughout district As the first lunch period at Clary Middle School approached, Aaron Wilson rose in preparation. Lunchtime is one of the biggest responsibilities for Wilson, the security officer in the building. He presides over two cafeterias of more than 50 students each. On this particular day, the school announced that the three lunch …

Friends graduate from 16-week job training program together Late on a Monday night in January you could hear the laughter coming from inside the foyer of a church on South Salina Street. “I love my mommy!” shouted a 6-year-old with a smile from ear to ear. “She’s going to graduate and go to second grade!” All of the adults chuckled, …