Off Campus: Multimedia Belt

Syracuse Police event casts citizens in roles of arresting officers
By Andrew Polino
December 23, 2015 - 1:03pm
Civilian Training Day, which introduces locals to the job of police, puts trained officers in the roles of everyday citizens resisting arrest.

The Syracuse Police Department introduced a new way to discuss the divide between police officers and the general public: They gathered together members of local community groups, handed them a pair of handcuffs and a prop gun and asked, "Now what would you do?"

Micro Expressions conveys huge message, features local bands
By Julia Goldwasser
December 8, 2015 - 10:51pm
Transmedia seniors Kevin Sampaio and Danny Peña wanted to create a space for a large amount of artists to share small pieces of work, and a little bit of themselves.

The Micro Expressions event, hosted by transmedia seniors Kevin Sampaio and Danny Peña, took place this past Saturday night, December 5th at Spark Contemporary Art Space. Students were invited to showcase all forms of art such as their poetry, music, video art, sculptures, photos and paintings.

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.

Personable owner, great food keeps customers coming back to Lady Bug Lunch Box
By Liu Jiang
November 11, 2015 - 4:44pm
The downtown food stand, which has been running for over 10 years, was recently named the best food truck in Syracuse.

Pam Dwyer is the owner of Lady Bug Lunch Box located downtown. The red food truck was named the best Syracuse food truck by Syracuse New Times. The title may bring more fame and business to the truck, but the key to Lady Bug Lunch Box's success has been its great food and Dwyer's appealing personality.

LadyFest Syracuse celebrates feminism and all genders in second annual event
By Janelle James
September 28, 2015 - 8:45pm
LadyFest Syracuse, a one-day mini festival dedicated to feminism provides a space for female-empowered creativity and expression.

On Saturday Sept. 26, the Westcott Community Center was packed with people of all ages and genders at the second annual LadyFest Syracuse event.  Live music, feminist spoken word and artwork viewings were just some of the activities that guests enjoyed at the feminist music and arts festival. 

Barefoot astronomer shares passion with stargazers
By Andy Belt
September 15, 2015 - 4:10pm
Amateur astronomer known as "Barefoot Bob" educates locals during monthly astronomy events across Central New York.

At the end of Wilson Drive, a quiet street in the sleepy village of Marcellus, New York, is a house on a small hill that stands out from all the others. The home would look like any of the other low-key ranches on the block if not for the 12 solar panels installed to the roof, or the eight-foot-tall wind turbine perched on top. A vibrant greenhouse takes up half of this already modest dwelling.

Seen at the New York State Fair
By NewsHouse Staff
September 3, 2015 - 11:20am
Photographers explore the the New York State Fairgrounds in search of moments and images that capture the annual event.

Midway rides. Fried foods. Animal exhibits. Live music.

For nearly two weeks at the close of every summer, the New York State Fair serves up these in hopes of generating memories for hundreds of thousands of people.

With a wide array or entertainment, exhibits and foods, the opportunities seem endless for nearly 1 million visitors expected during the 12-day event.

The Stickmaker of Onondaga Nation
By Liam Daniel Pierce
May 6, 2015 - 2:57pm
Stickmaker and lacrosse player Alf Jacques carves world-renowned sticks for players using the tools in his Onondaga Nation shop.

Alfie Jacques, his black shirt freckled with wood chips and sawdust, tipped his workbench down from its side and examined a bent piece of wood.

“Every stick is unique,” Jacques said, eyeing the grain of this particular piece of Hickory. “There’s no two alike, even from the same tree.”

Humor and Heart: Ted & Amy's dynamic personalities propel radio show success
By Shaye Farrance
April 26, 2015 - 6:29pm
The two have hosted the morning show together for 26 years, cementing their status as radio legends in Central New York.

If you’re not from Central New York, you wouldn’t expect a discussion about colonoscopies on a top 40 radio station.

But if you are, you know that’s just an added bonus of listening to Ted & Amy.

Ted Long and Amy Robbins are the hosts Ted & Amy In The Morning, a daily radio show on the Syracuse radio station FM -93.1 (better known as “93Q”). The local community knows the two for their hilarious and heartfelt personalities.

Born and bred in Syracuse, Mark Muhammad hopes to make impact as school board member
By Tyler Piccotti
April 2, 2015 - 10:29am
Muhammad is familiar with the conditions of public schools and has close ties to the greater Syracuse community.

When Mark Muhammad was a young child, his father would drive him and other children around local neighborhoods in a garbage truck belonging to the Syracuse Department of Public Works. They took rakes, shovels and brooms and went to work cleaning up the clutter that lay on city streets.

But after a month went by and the mess returned, Muhammad would get frustrated and ask why they were doing it. No one else was out cleaning, and he couldn’t stand the work in the first place.