More News

Visions of Victory Parade Kicks Off Annual Juneteenth Celebration

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 …

Read More »

Juneteenth Celebrates, Honors Freedom

Volunteers put in more than 400 hours to pull off celebration A number of people gathered in Clinton Square for the annual Juneteenth celebration, Saturday, June 15. They showed support for Juneteenth – that is, June 18th and 19th – and could be found anywhere in Clinton Square. The Juneteenth celebration had many attractions, such as the food court with …

Read More »

Military Notes

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 …

Read More »

New Director Plans 8th annual Light a Candle for Literacy Parade and Festival

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 …

Read More »

Twenty-two Graduate from Leadership Training Program

On the afternoon of June 2, 22 representatives from five local grassroots nonprofit organizations celebrated their completion of The Leadership Classroom (TLC). The year-long program is an initiative of the Central New York Community Foundation. Participants learn advanced leadership skills alongside other neighborhood leaders in an interactive setting. After participating in monthly training sessions designed to enhance their leadership skills, …

Read More »

Living After Loss

With more than 10,000 helped last year, the center hopes to help even more in the future April 9, 2011, is a day that Michael Bratton will never forget. He lost his youngest child, a 27-year-old son. It was a normal, quiet Sunday morning for Bratton, until he got a call from his ex-wife who told him their son, Michael …

Read More »

I-81 Challenge Public Meeting

The Hanging Gardens of Babylon, attributed to king Nebuchadnezzar II, were one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. If the Rev. Craig French gets his way, Syracuse’s South Side could be seeing a modern version of the gardens, which were purportedly built in the 6th century BC. French, the lead pastor of the University United Methodist Church, said …

Read More »

Volunteers Conserve Creek at Kirk Park

In the tangled green smell of trees and dirt, the cracking snaps of twigs and the chirps of robins and neighborhood children running through Kirk Park, students dug, planted and pulled at the expansive roots and shoots alongside Onondaga Creek in an effort to spread their message of making the world a better place for people, animals and the environment. …

Read More »

Determined Educator Who Puts Students First

Southside Academy Charter School’s leader reflects after his first year: ‘The job doesn’t stop’ After students experienced a long day of state testing at Southside Academy Charter School, principal Delvin Vick decided to give them a reward for their hard work. While the students in third through eighth grades spent the afternoon preparing for the next morning of testing, Vick …

Read More »

Strolling the South Side

It’s unavoidable to walk down any street on the South Side and not come across at least one vacant or abandoned property. It is a familiar sight for residents: windows boarded up, wooden steps broken, shingles on the verge of falling. The Greater Syracuse Property Development Corporation, commonly referred to as the Land Bank, might be just what the city …

Read More »