City of Syracuse

Near Westside Initiative faces uncertain future, partners continue green revitalization
By McKenna Moore
November 14, 2017 - 4:47pm
After 11 years of funding, Syracuse University will be pulling its support from the Westside Initiative, an organization committed to revitalizing the neighborhood

When the Near Westside Initiative was founded in 2006, Syracuse University played a large role financially and administratively. Now, SU is pulling its support from the cooperative revitalization effort and taking its funding with it. This could limit future residential rehabilitation and revitalization plans that can be done in the Westside neighborhood. 

Mayor Miner’s Farewell Speech Addresses Uncomfortable Issues in Syracuse
By Julia DiPersio
October 29, 2017 - 11:42am
In her farewell address at the end of her last term as the mayor of Syracuse, Stephanie Miner addressed some of the city's most sensitive issues.

Politicians can have a reputation for being indirect, but Syracuse’s Mayor Stephanie Miner combatted that at her farewell address on Friday in Syracuse University's Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs.

On Point for College: Changing lives of SCSD students
By Christine Oser
September 1, 2017 - 12:10pm
On Point for College, a local not-for-profit organization, works to help Syracuse City School District students get to college and find careers.

Syracuse was ranked the 29th poorest city in the country by the U.S. Census Bureau last year, but a dedicated group is working to help more students attend college, find better careers and improve the city.

On Point for College, a local not-for-profit organization, prepared more than 300 Syracuse City School District students for orientation this summer, providing them with school supplies and college guidance. Roughly 70 percent of donations come from individuals, but On Point recently received an extra boost.

"Lives Change Here": How one bridge prompted the Near Westside community to take action
By Brianna Kirkham
April 5, 2017 - 10:42pm
When an impoverished, run-down neighborhood in Syracuse needs improvement, who gets to decide what to do?

The Near Westside neighborhood needs a name; that’s one thing people who live and work in the area can agree on.

Concerns about Onondaga Lake cleanup remain as a key phase nears completion
By JP Hadley
April 4, 2017 - 11:45am
The dredging phase of the lake wrapped up in 2014, but as the process of capping the lake bottom nears completion, Onondaga Nation still has concerns about the cleanup.

The Onondaga Lake cleanup has moved on to the next phase in the project.

The dredging process – where tons of contaminated sediment from the lake bottom are moved to another location in the lake to ease coastal erosion, was completed in 2014. The work on capping the lake, which involves covering 579 acres of the lake's bottom with a layer of sand to keep the underlying mercury and other toxins in place, is still underway. However, not all parties are satisfied with the cleanup process.

Syracuse history comes to life on Instagram
By Georgie Silvarole
February 8, 2016 - 11:43am
David Haas, creator of an Instagram account dubbed @syracusehistory, is dedicated to sharing the stories of historic buildings and interesting homes that Syracuse residents might not know about.

David Haas calls the city of Syracuse his home. It's where he grew up, it's where he bought his first house and it's where he finds the most interesting stories to share.

Redeeming Evan
By Gabriella Jones
December 1, 2015 - 10:55am
Homeless in Syracuse, Evan battles drugs, gun violence, fellow addicts and the cold streets in hopes of recovering from heroin addiction.

Evan, at age two, began reaching for the gymnastics rings. He wanted to follow in his sibling's footsteps.

Soon, his talent became obvious and he was deemed the better of the two. Good wasn't a word someone would use to describe his talent, it was his calling.

By age 12, he needed knee surgery. After that, there were pain killers.

Even with a damaged knee, his coach kept pushing him — leading to more pain killers, not only for the pain, but for a psychological use.

Syracuse garbage truck driver in it for the long haul
By Luke Rafferty
December 1, 2015 - 10:30am
Josue Prado's job is not a glorious one, however, his pride gives him energy to wake up at 2 a.m., six days a week, and drive through snow, sleet and rain.

As the sun rises, Josue Prado takes his first break to grab breakfast and take a quick nap.

Prado's job is not a glorious one, however, his pride gives him energy to wake up at 2 a.m. six days a week, and drive through snow, sleet and rain.

While driving a trash truck was never Prado's dream career, he has taken solace and dignity in the ability to provide for his family of seven. Prado has six children, and a wife, who live with him in Chenango, N.Y., outside of Syracuse.