By Natalie Rieth The playground at the Cannon Street Community Center has just four rusty swings, surrounded by an empty grass field and one netless basketball hoop. But next spring, kids on the South Side will have a new playground with colorful themed equipment they select themselves. Syracuse Department of Parks, Recreation & Youth Programs architect Brian Messe said the …

This week, The Stand’s Syracuse Photo Contest wrapped and local judges are reviewing entries to choose top picks. Four winners will be chosen in each category: #TogetherAgain — A look at summer events Syracuse hasn’t seen in the last two years#SouthSideShot — A visual testament of what makes Syracuse’s South Side distinct#PicturePortrait — A shot of the many faces of …

The Pain of Prison I never knew how much prison could affect a child until I got home to really witness it for myself. Rebuilding a relationship with my youngest child by far is the hardest part of my reintegration process. I left when Aaliyah was 4, at an age when all she wanted was her dad. I couldn’t leave …

Spades is More Than a Game “I would say it’s embedded within our community and even I’ll take a step further and just Black culture in general. People love playing Spades,” Tyrone Dixon said. “It brings out emotions, but it also brings out a kind of happiness and cares in good times.” Dixon was born and raised in Syracuse where …

Dear County Executive Ryan McMahon, Our community is in need of funds for housing, for mental and physical healthcare, childcare and social services and to adequately address the lead crisis affecting young children and their families. According to the best estimate, each year — more than 600 children in our county are poisoned by exposure to toxic lead, primarily from …

Nominated by Marvin Ramos By Sydney Gold Q: What did it feel like when you became a father?A: I was nervous and excited. I recorded a video for each of them [at their births] to capture the moment, the raw feeling and emotions that I had. My youngest, Aysis, has her video downloaded to her tablet, so hopefully she’ll have …

Motivation from the Next Generation Guest Column by Habakkuk Nickens Within the first two years of my prison bid, I received a letter from my daughter, Ariahanna.  This letter was unlike the others she had sent. In this particular one, she asked me if I would be home to make it to her high school graduation. With two years completed …

In May 2022, Habakkuk Nickens returned home from a 20-year prison sentence, convicted on racketeering charges. His time was cut short thanks to a compassionate release motion and the First Step Act, which reduces prisoners’ time based on participation in recidivism programs. His contributed column, “Seeking Redemption,” will document his return home. Column 1: Seeking Redemption Column 2: My Return …

A Father’s Day Dream Guest Column by Habakkuk Nickens My first Father’s Day out was more than I could ever imagine. There were so many years in prison spent only receiving cards and letters from my kids. I never got the chance to actually experience their characters and personalities. Experiencing that now was something I always dreamed of.  And now my …

First Downtown Festival is held since Federal Holiday Recognition By Darian Stevenson Quintal Stitt has had memories of Juneteenth celebrations in the city of Syracuse since childhood. Now, years later, Stitt continues to build those memories with his family so they too can celebrate and come to reminisce on the now federal holiday known as Juneteenth National Independence Day. “Although …