Residents can attend training to learn how officers make life-and-death decisions The Syracuse Police Department’s three-day, 10-hour civilian police academy in January 2017 gave 40 community residents some idea of what it is like to make split-second decisions on when and how to use possibly deadly force, and provided the group some legal background, too. The academy answered some questions …

VIP Structures, others celebrate its report on hiring of minority and lower-income workers The community had its eyes on the Price Rite project as it finally came together last year. And on the people who built it. What did they see? A job site like no other, says Russell Mike, whose construction company got some of the work as a …

Nora Kirst has spent her career mentoring students in city schools

Madoda Mkalipi shares his first-person account of factors that affect academic performance

How young, black professionals turned their side hustle into successful careers When Indaria Jones was growing up, she already had the entrepreneurial spirit percolating within her. She still does — with a mission now to instill it in others. “I would have a lemonade stand, I would sell my mom’s old clothes,” recalled Jones, owner and founder of Thelikeminded, her …

Syracuse teens come together in city’s newly formed Youth Advisory Council Back in December 2016, a couple of influential Syracuse Common Councilors put their efforts behind a new idea to help reinvigorate the city — create a forum in which a diverse group of thoughtful adolescents could learn from and talk with city officials. Since then, the Youth Advisory Council …

Morgan Striggles speaks about his success with contributor Tammy Reese It was a huge honor interviewing Syracuse University graduate and my fellow Corcoran Cougar Morgan Striggles. Morgan and I both graduated from Corcoran High School in 2003. He is now a fashion model and runway coach loving what he does by helping others like himself live up to their full …

Recent Unsung Heroes use their past to build brighter future for local youth

Music columnist travels from Syracuse to South Africa to learn black musicians on each continent share strikingly similar experiences As a longtime local musician and appreciator of live music, I have recognized that there is a large disparity between the presentation of local artists of color and white artists at many of the live music events hosted in the city …

CNY Rise Center hosts event to raise awareness The 12th annual CNY Rise Friendship dinner took place Jan. 24 to bring awareness to lead poisoning. The dinner hosted a number of speakers who spoke about the negative impacts of lead poisoning and how the community can come together to fix the issue. The South Side is working hard to end …