Syracuse

There is a relationship between the city of Syracuse’s high rate of lead poisoning among children and its high concentration of poverty among African-Americans and Latinos, experts say.

In Onondaga County, around six percent of children tested have elevated blood lead (EBL) levels, which is above the approximately three percent of children diagnosed with lead poisoning nationally, according to a study published in the Journal of Pediatrics.

As Father Jim Matthews begins the 9 a.m. service at Saint Lucy’s Church near Syracuse’s Westside, all is far from quiet. Although Matthews speaks into a microphone, he can barely be heard over the sound of church members greeting old friends.

Two men say hello over a special handshake, one that has clearly been repeated over many Sundays. Another woman approaches a member of the church who is in a wheelchair, asking if he’ll need a ride home.

Around 6:30 p.m. last evening, crowds of people stood before the steps of Hendricks Chapel in 34 degree weather to see the performances of a number of vocal and musical groups, including the Hendricks Chapel Choir, Syracuse University Singers and the Syracuse University Brass Ensemble. The production was part of the annual Holidays at Hendricks event, which has been an SU holiday tradition for over a decade.

He chose her. In a room full of rambunctious children running around with English and Spanish books, a young bright-eyed kindergartener with chubby cheeks kept asking her to read stories to him. He would continually hug her, look for books and ask her to read them to him. She didn’t know why, but “Boo Boo” chose her out of all the other volunteers at the reading circle at the La Casita Cultural Center.