Hometown News

Mary Nelson’s 12th annual Youth Day Barbecue brought together volunteers and businesses to continue the tradition of working together to give away backpacks filled with school supplies to local youth. The event gathered thousands of families for not only free supplies but entertainment, food and screenings donated by area organizations that see an opportunity for outreach and lending. The event …

The Syracuse Poster Project celebrated the completion of an innovative art project: the group offered posters from its archives to businesses and public venues along the South Salina Street business corridor Thursday, Aug. 15. The Syracuse Poster Project pairs student artists from Syracuse University with haiku submissions from the city each year to create 16 collaborative posters to be displayed …

The 12th annual School Supply Giveaway by Mary Nelson will be held from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 17. The Mary Nelson’s Youth Day Foundation has come a long way since 2002 when more than 850 children in need were given backpacks, school supplies and other items to help them start the year off right. Each year, the …

Dr. Umar Johnson suggested that the American Psychiatric Association’s “Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders” has it all wrong when it describes the acronym ADHD as standing for “attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.” Instead, Johnson proposed that ADHD really means “ain’t dad at home disorder” or “ain’t discipline at home disorder.” He told his audience that the real cause of …

For most, the look was definitely out of character. Their once clean-shaven faces would go untouched by a razor or shaver for up to two weeks. Now, the members of 100 Black Men of Syracuse, Inc. participating in a national competition funded by Anheuser-Busch can see their efforts paid off. They recently learned the chapter, one of 118 worldwide affiliated …

In Syracuse there is local food, where “the total distance that the product is transported is less than 400 miles from the origin of the product,” according to the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act as amended by Congress in 2008. Then there is uber-local food, where the distance is reduced to no more than 10 miles, according to “Productive …

Trinisa Pitts had some catching up to do. She hadn’t been able to attend the Juneteenth African-American Cultural Festival since it was moved from the Spirit of Jubilee Park on South Avenue to Clinton Square about 10 years ago, making the transition from its traditional location on the South Side to downtown Syracuse. “I didn’t want to miss it this …

Army Pvt. Kevin N. Ellis Sr. has graduated from basic combat training at Fort Jackson, Columbia, S.C. During the nine weeks of training, the soldier studied the Army mission, history, tradition and core values, physical fitness, and received instruction and practice in basic combat skills, military weapons, chemical warfare and bayonet training, drill and ceremony, marching, rifle marksmanship, armed and …

Threat of Rain Dampens Crowd, but not Spirit The threat of rain and cloudy skies caused a smaller crowd than usual at the Light a Candle for Literacy 8th annual Parade and Festival.  However, the threat of inclement weather did not stop those in attendance from enjoying festivities. The parade, which began at the Key Bank parking lot on the …

Lanika Mabrey was unemployed for over two years. Struck by type 2 diabetes and uninsured, she said she spent a long time struggling with the disease while lacking health care. Then, a friend, Louise Poindexter, told her about the existence of a free health clinic in Syracuse. “I went there and they even gave me my diabetes medication for free,” …