By melange
June 3, 2009 - 2:31pm
Paulette Johnson battles breast cancer with a positive outlook.

When Paulette Johnson was diagnosed with stage IIB breast cancer, she saw it as a blessing.

"I was thankful that God had given me this challenge ... I had never taken challenges in my life lightly," Johnson said.

At the time of her surgery, the cancer had already spread to 19 of her lymph nodes. Instead of brooding about her prognosis and the looming statistics, she shoved her black clothes to the back of her closet and replaced the hangers with a colorful wardrobe.

May 26, 2009 - 2:57pm
Student filmmakers learn the struggles of homelessness from a man making his way off the streets.

In Transition was created by a group of students who wanted to challenge the public perception of homelessness. Seniors Nick Bupp and Brittany Schreiber along with graduate student Jamie Bryant produced the video for Prof. Richard Breyer's documentary production class.

The television, radio and film students talked to about 10 homeless men and women during the Fall 2008 semester before focusing on Peter's story. At the time, Peter, 52, had found transitional housing with the help of a local shelter. He had lived in various shelters for the past 20 years....

May 26, 2009 - 11:47am
The Hancock Housing area, located near Syracuse's Hancock Airport, has been abandoned for years.

The Hancock Air base in Syracuse, NY used to be the hub of the North American Aerospace Defense Command's (NORAD) northeast operations. The military installation housed thousands of soldiers, and their families, but as time wore on, the need for a NORAD base in Syracuse diminished, and in 1984, the base was shut down.

Although the government has provided tax incentives to increase business activity in the area, only some small industries seem to be calling part of the old air base home. The housing area where the soldiers and their families used to live has been left to rot.

May 4, 2009 - 11:33am
In tough economic times, Vera House gets support from student interns.

Vera House, like many nonprofit organizations, is facing massive budget and funding cuts because of the economy. But there is one valuable resource that will not be cut - SU student interns.

"Having the students here is a really big help to the work that we're doing," said Randi Bregman, the Executive Director of Vera House. By her estimate, the organization has lost about 5 percent of its budget because of funding cuts and has had to implement a hiring freeze. Because of this, she said, having interns decreases the pressure on staff members who have had to take on more work.

April 24, 2009 - 11:24am
Omanii's Hot Dog Stand offers financial help to area teenagers

On the corner of Fayette and North Crouse the air smells faintly of hot dogs and chili, even early in the morning when Omanii’s Hot Dog Stand is still under covers awaiting business.

Omar Bellamy has been here since he was 11 years old, watching the hot dogs sizzle on the grill and now serving them up himself to customers, all of whom he knows on a first-name basis. But Omanii’s is not just a hot dog stand. On this small corner, under the yellow tent surrounded by trees and a parking lot, Bellamy has created a gateway to improve his community.

April 20, 2009 - 1:12pm
Paranormal investigators explore CNY military barracks in search of more than just bumps in the night.

Walking through supposedly haunted buildings, sitting in silence in a pitch black room in the middle of the night, provoking spirits for the small chance that something completely inexplicable happens; it is just another weekend like any other for paranormal investigators Scott Clark, James Pendell, and Lisa Heider.

Why do they do this? There are a number of reasons.