Challenge participants share experiences in their their pledge to live on $97 for a week In an effort to raise awareness about the plight of the working class, Central New York’s Fight for $15 Coalition organized a “minimum wage challenge.” For March 7 through 11, about two dozen people pledged to live on the minimum wage for their daily expenses, …

Nominated by Aldrine Ashong-Katai, coordinator for the Healthy Neighbors Partnership with Upstate Q: What did it feel like when you first became a father? A: I didn’t see my first child born. I was 17,000 miles away in another country serving in the Marines. I found out in the middle of an exercise that my daughter was born, and I …

The Bells of Harmony founder is proof that gospel thrives in a changing music world Over the past 50 years, music has gone through a number of innovations in the way it is written, recorded, distributed and heard. It has held up through a time when musicians would all gather together to record in a single room to a time …

Discussion centers on how Syracuse expanded care for child abuse

In our upcoming April print issue, Kayli Thompson reports on our cover story on the CUSE DIVAS, a competitive dance squad. Staff reporter Ashley McBride followed along as Fight for $15 supporters pledged to live on minimum wage for a week. Ryan Raigrodski reports on how a historic church may soon become listed on the National Register of Historic Places, …

Majorette squad CUSE DIVAS leads dancers to exceed Outside the studio — where black curtains are drawn over the windows and the sounds of music and talking are muffled — one might not guess there are members of a hard-working majorette dance team inside, pushing themselves. Girls ages 5 to 18 are doing crunches and push-ups, warming up for their …

Real Fathers/Real Men shape a brighter future for urban youth

Women unite to mentor young girls at Sisters Empowering Sisters event

Tips for safely dealing with lead paint If your home was built before 1978, it may contain hazardous lead paint. Before you start planning your spring home repair and/or remodeling projects, the Onondaga County Health Department’s Lead Poisoning Control Program would like you to consider the following questions: Was your house built before 1978? Will you be working on painted …

Youth center creates support group for women to share their struggles