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Viccarra Coker cares for mothers and their children in drug court Viccarra Coker, a 31-year-old licensed practical nurse from the South Side, says all she has ever wanted to do was help people in her community. So when a program began seeking someone who could link young mothers in drug court with medical services for their children, Coker knew the …

Central New York’s first free clinic to receive the state health authorities’ stamp of approval will open for patients on the South Side Nov. 3, its founders say. The Rahma Free Clinic, at 3100 S. Salina St., will initially be open two days a week, said Magda Bayoumi, who originated the idea for the project with her husband, Mohamed Khater. …

Educational Opportunity Center to benefit from grant that will provide digital services The Educational Opportunity Center, which teaches basic professional skills, may be “one of the best-kept secrets in Syracuse,” in the words of a Le Moyne College official who works there. But the center, at 100 New St., may soon become better known. Le Moyne will use half of …

Families Don Costumes for Beauchamp Library’s Fifth annual Halloween Spooktacular As the doors open to the second floor of Beauchamp Branch Library, groups of families dressed as superheroes, fairies and goblins quickly march through to see what’s waiting for them. One mother has two little hands tightly clutching her, the young boys obviously a combination of excited and nervous about …

Families Don Costumes for Beauchamp Library’s Fifth annual Halloween Spooktacular As the doors open to the second floor of Beauchamp Branch Library, groups of families dressed as superheroes, fairies and goblins quickly march through to see what’s waiting for them. One mother has two little hands tightly clutching her, the young boys obviously a combination of excited and nervous about …

One man takes his mission to end violence in his neighborhood to the corner of West Colvin Bernard Cannon is no stranger to violence. His mother was shot and murdered in front of him when he was 10 years old. In the 30 years since her death, he has witnessed many families torn apart by senseless violence. Watching adults peek …

Community theater provides family-friendly atmosphere for audience CJ Young, who returned in September as artistic director of Appleseed Productions, said the South Side theater company he helped found 19 years ago has gotten bigger and more ambitious. “It has changed a lot and grown considerably — the number of productions in production, the volunteer artists that act and design,” he …

Andrea Taylor vows, ‘I will be here every day even if four kids show up’ After-school programs for children on the South Side are not common, but the South Side Communication Center offers one free of charge to neighborhood parents. Andrea Taylor, 40, a mother of three, and an employee of the South Side Initiative, runs the program each school …

Families Urged to “Have Two Ways Out” in Case of Fire If you woke up to a fire in your home, how much time do you think you would have to get to safety?  According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), one-third of American households who made an estimate thought they would have at least 6 minutes before the …

Nadia Diaz strikes out her opponents to reach the top With countless player cards spread across their backyard table, Jose Diaz and his young daughter, Nadia Diaz, share a close bond. The 12-year-old has accomplished much in her short baseball career. “We’re very proud of her,” said Diaz, who — like Nadia — is wearing a Red Sox shirt.