Category Archives: Spring 2011

Syracuse has slowed its population drain. Since 2000, the city has lost only 1.5 percent of its population, according to the 2010 Census. That stops a three-decade trend of flight out of Syracuse. And it’s a triumph of public programs … Continue reading →

Amy Kremenek begins her morning with public radio. “I wake up with morning news on WAER,” said Kremenek, 41, a chief public affairs officer at the Onondaga Community College.  WAER is the public radio station in Syracuse, part of the … Continue reading →

When Malcolm Ingram chipped in $2,000 to help elect Democrats to Congress in 2010, he was part of a college tradition in Central New York. “I think it’s important, who’s running the country,” said Ingram, a drama professor at Syracuse … Continue reading →

After several years of financial struggles and fractured leadership, the Onondaga County Republican Committee is staking a claim on a better future. That’s thanks to new leadership, a united political front and a large contribution by a single donor, according … Continue reading →

Four-year-old Carlos Lopez’s favorite food is tacos, but he can’t always have them. At the end of most months, when things like milk and bread run out, tacos are not high on the list priorities for his mother, Karrema Jones.  … Continue reading →

To help clean up Lake Onondaga, the county is trying to “Save the Rain.” “It will improve the water quality by preventing polluted water from getting into Onondaga Lake,” said BJ Adigun, project manager with CH2M Hill construction company. It … Continue reading →

A shift to more home-like nursing homes won’t happen any time soon for Onondaga County. Plans to build small residential-style Green Houses in Cicero have been canceled for   financial and planning reasons, Loretto, the largest local provider of long-term care, … Continue reading →

Gay-marriage advocates are taking hope for a new gay-marriage bill from a new governor, new coalitions, new strategies and new public attitudes. But opponents suggest the advocates are misreading the political landscape. “You see so many new stories spinning momentum … Continue reading →

One out of every five students has been a target of cyber-bullying. That jarring statistic is from the Cyberbullying Research Center, an online clearinghouse created by two scholars studying online behavior.  And it is one of sparks for state lawmakers … Continue reading →

In a region rich with feminist history, four recently elected women are following in some big political footsteps. In Central New York, U.S. Rep. Ann Marie Buerkle, R-Onondaga Hill,  and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., represent voters in Congress. And Syracuse’s … Continue reading →

Money is tight for the Onondaga County Democratic Committee leading in to the elections this November. As of late April 2010, the committee is $3,105 in debt, according to the most recent data from the New York State Board of … Continue reading →

For 18-year-old David Minney, the steppingstone into a private university is the Say Yes to Education Program. “It provided more incentive to continue my education,” said Minney. Minney is one of 80 students at Syracuse University and among 1,000 Syracuse … Continue reading →

“When you say new blood that usually means there’s a greater level of enthusiasm. You’re not going to find anyone more enthusiastic than me – no matter how old I am.” “If anyone comes to me with a hypothetical case, … Continue reading →

Click Here for Audio For the county’s top law-enforcement job, incumbent Republican William Fitzpatrick is the sole choice for voters as of early spring. Fitzpatrick has announced he is seeking his sixth term as district attorney.  If re-elected, he said … Continue reading →

Two must go. That’s how many representatives the Onondaga County Legislature will lose under a redesign — or redistricting — of the county’s legislative districts.  The reasons: Shifts in the county’s population revealed in the 2010 Census and a push … Continue reading →

Click Here for Audio Voters so far have only one choice for county executive in Onondaga County: incumbent Republican Joanie Mahoney. As she seeks her second term,  Mahoney says she will mainly focus on creating jobs in the county. “We … Continue reading →

For the county’s top money manager, incumbent Robert Antonnacci is the only candidate expressing interest so far for the fall election. Antonacci, a Republican and resident of Salina, is seeking re-election as the Onondaga County comptroller.  “As an incumbent, I … Continue reading →

Syracuse students can look forward to fresh faces in the city’s education administration this fall. Four of the seven seats on the Syracuse City School District Board of Education will be up for election on Nov. 8. As of April … Continue reading →

For watching the city’s finances, voters so far have only one choice for city auditor in the November election. As of late March, the only candidate expressing interest in the office was County Legislator Marty Masterpole, D-Syracuse. He represents the … Continue reading →

Voters so far have only one potential choice for the open seat for Common Council District 4 in November’s election. As of April 1, local author, businessman, and political organizer Khalid Bey is the only candidate to express interest to … Continue reading →

Voters in Common Council District 2 are limited so far in their choices at the voting booth in November. As of April 1, incumbent Pat Hogan D-Syracuse is running unopposed for the district’s Common Council seat. “I’m running again. My … Continue reading →

Voters will choose occupants for every seat in the Onondaga County Legislature on Nov. 8. But it’s not yet clear how many seats that will be. The county is being re-districted and is expecting to lose two districts — going … Continue reading →

Four Democrats are now voters’ choices for two at-large common councilors’ seats in the November 2011 elections. They are the incumbent  Kathleen Joy, D-Eastwood; Pamela Hunter, who was recently appointed to the council; Helen Hudson, a long-time anti-gun advocate; and Julius Edwards, … Continue reading →

Choices are uncertain for voters in Common Council District 3 for the November 2011 election. The incumbent, Ryan McMahon, R-Syracuse, is unsure whether he’ll seek re-election for a fourth term.  Instead, he said, he may run for a seat in … Continue reading →

Voters so far have only once choice for Common Councilor in District 5: incumbent Nader Maroun, D-Syracuse. And as he seeks his second term, Maroun is promising to focus on the economy and education. “Challenges we face as elected officials … Continue reading →

A political newcomer plans to challenge a one-term Republican incumbent for the District 1 Common Council seat in November. The newcomer is Robert Marks, 58, a substance abuse counselor who has submitted a letter of interest in the District 1 … Continue reading →

Budget limitations have stalled a specialized ad campaign in Onondaga County that would include the area’s first a gay-friendly tourism strategy. “Once our budget stabilizes we will be able to reach our to special interest and niche groups, including the … Continue reading →

For Brendan Rose, the streets of Syracuse are his art gallery. “Having art in the urban fabric is critical,” says Rose, “for having a healthy, functioning urban environment.” Rose, 35, an adjunct industrial design professor at Syracuse University, is Syracuse’s … Continue reading →

Ruth Williams was 17 when she became pregnant with the first of her four children. That year she dropped out of Corcoran High School, began taking Young Mothers Educational Development classes, got married and got her GED. She also began … Continue reading →

No new uniforms. Less travel. Shorter schedules. Fewer teams. Those are among the ways that Syracuse high schools may have to cope with athletic budget cuts, says a key athletic official. “We’ve had a number of meetings to come up … Continue reading →

The $28-million Syracuse venture into nanotechnology is still in the works despite state budget problems, say supporters. “We’re very pleased that our partners in Albany remain committed to this project and see its enormous potential for attracting new companies and … Continue reading →

Syracuse’s cultural festivals come with a hefty price tag. It takes $50,000 to run the three-day long Polish Festival. The St. Patrick’s Day Parade costs $30,000.  And $50,000 is the cost of the nine hours of the Latin American Festival. … Continue reading →

A $450 round-trip flight to Toronto for an Onondaga County industrial development specialist. Meals for $213 during a three-day trip to Washington, D.C, for a county economic project manager. A travel bill totaling $5,048 over six days on a trip … Continue reading →

For Mary Sullivan, Centro’s downtown bus hub can’t come soon enough. It will be good, she says, to come in out of the cold. “Last week was really bad,” said Sullivan, 21, of North Syracuse and a housekeeper at the … Continue reading →

A natural gas drilling company can legally drill under your land — even without your permission. Under New York State law, if enough of your neighbors sign a lease with a company, that company has the right to drill under … Continue reading →

Higher student fees. Larger class sizes. Fewer classes to choose from. Fewer professors to teach them. These are some of the possible actions local state colleges say they may have to take if Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s proposed state budget cuts … Continue reading →

Despite threats to its federal funding, Say Yes to Education will survive in Syracuse, say local officials. “Budget cuts will not change anything.  We will adjust our fundraising strategies and continue moving forward,” said Susan Dutch, director of marketing and … Continue reading →

Some residents of rural Central New York say gas drilling companies are ruining their pristine environment. One of those people is lawyer Jane Welsh.  She is also a member of Citizens for Safe Energy, a group of concerned residents in … Continue reading →

Poverty is striking new and different people in Syracuse, say experts. “People who, two years ago, never would have been struggling are accessing Food Stamps simply to keep food on the table,” says Denise Harlow, CEO of the New York … Continue reading →

With a video of ants crawling over a crucifix, the Syracuse art community has joined a worldwide protest against censorship. “It’s been a really hard-fought battle to get work like this in public,” said Rose Viviano, director of ArtRage gallery. … Continue reading →

With the blessing from school district officials, a local advocacy group is aiming to strengthen support for gay and lesbian students in Syracuse public high schools this spring. Their method is what are called “gay-straight alliances” — student groups or … Continue reading →

Aspiring businesses in Syracuse’s Westside Community will get a jump-start, thanks to a new program to help entrepreneurs. “We’re projecting the creation of five new businesses and 10 new jobs here in the first two years,” said Michael Short, deputy … Continue reading →

Click Here for Audio Reducing flight delays is the goal of a program to update air traffic-control technology at Syracuse Hancock International Airport and others nationwide. The Federal Aviation Administration wants to replace old radar systems with upgraded GPS technology … Continue reading →

After Daniel Ciciarelli’s first Umoja meeting, he was hooked. A football teammate had invited him to the after-school club at Cicero-North Syracuse High School. At the meeting, Cicarelli recalled, club members talked about their struggles as minorities, about their different … Continue reading →

Syracuse has a new champion in Albany’s legislative halls — and his name is Dan McNally. “I’m working to be sure our city has a presence and a voice on a large stage,” said McNally in a phone interview from … Continue reading →

How for-profit colleges operate is at the heart of a bitter fight between the colleges’  trade association and the federal government. Last fall, the U.S. Department of Education announced that it will apply 13 new rules to regulate for-profit schools. … Continue reading →

Getting around has slowed down in Central New York’s bad weather. Highway traffic slowed to a crawl and many drivers have collided with each other or the ditch. Some buses made detours, leaving many bus-riders waiting in the cold. Amtrak … Continue reading →

For young New York athletes, the Empire State Winter Gameswill continue— thanks to the fundraising efforts of three life-long fans. “We were looking at the loss to the young athletes of New York State and what this event means to … Continue reading →

Wanted:  More Parents. “Parent involvement to me is day-to-day engagement,” says Richard Strong, president of the Syracuse City school board and father of two children in city schools. The Syracuse City School District is hoping to attract more parents’ attention … Continue reading →

Click Here for Audio “Ratify this healthcare system, which I don’t understand. I know you can probably go online and find out more about it, but they’re not really telling people what it covers, doesn’t cover. Places I worked for, … Continue reading →

Click Here for Audio “I am engaged to a woman, so right now we are jumping through hoops trying to figure out where we can be married and what we can pull off.  A lot of the friends I have … Continue reading →

“I mean it’d be nice if poor people weren’t quite as poor. And if everybody was a little happier, it’d be nice.” (Jeremiah Clifford, 30, of Syracuse, unaffiliated with a political party) “I’m hoping that the new government will find … Continue reading →

Click Here for Audio “I believe in affordable healthcare for everybody. I believe in protecting our environment. I believe that the government is responsible for that.” (Abigail Scaduto, 30, of Tipperary Hill neighborhood, works at the Museum of Science and … Continue reading →

Click Here for Audio “It’d be nice to see a time when people are not taxed unduly and we’re reaching a point where the average individual is paying more than 50 percent of their income in taxes. At this point, … Continue reading →

Click Here for Audio “When it comes to politics,  there’s two places that get hit really hard — the young and the old. The young people because they don’t have a voice — they’re not allowed to have a voice. … Continue reading →

“More funding for public libraries. More funding for schools.” (Christine Richie, under 30, of Kirkville, full-time clerk at Beauchamp Public Library “The four public high schools in Syracuse, in the city, are in the lowest ten percent of the state … Continue reading →

Click Here for Audio “All this money that a lot of these people are making, why can’t somebody take some cuts? Why can’t the government take some of these cuts on the Republican side and the Democrat side? Just don’t … Continue reading →

Click Here for Audio “I would like the government to stop spending and start getting people jobs and helping the handicapped. I’d rather see them spend it on things they know is going to work. I don’t want them spending … Continue reading →

“Employment.  It affects everybody.  When there isn’t enough money out there, everybody feels it.” (Maurice Kroho, owner of Student Choice, Marshall Street) “I think healthcare can definitely be improved.  I’m going into healthcare as a career and I think there … Continue reading →

Click Here for Audio “That they spend within their means, attack the deficit, that they create a business environment where people would be hired for getting jobs and that they retain or increase their credibility.” (Ray Rudolph, 58, of Manlius, … Continue reading →

Click Here for Audio “I care about people living on the streets. I care very much about homeless people and politically, Republicans don’t seem to care a damn about these people, how they’re going to get medical. As long as … Continue reading →

Click Here for Audio “Definitely national healthcare. There’s a lot of deaths that can be avoided. A lot of young deaths, a lot of people who can’t afford health insurance. There should be a safety net in place. People should … Continue reading →