The Constitution/Urban CNY News online edition

Fowler 6 Months In...We Sit Down for a mid-year review with Syracuse Chief of Police Frank Fowler Posted on 08/01/10
Peace-maker: Chief would reach out After six months on the job, Syracuse Police Chief Frank Fowler took time to reflect on his performance, giving himself a report card on dealing... More

Ida Benderson Senior Center “A Warm Comfortable Place to Be” Posted on 06/07/10
"Ida Benderson Center Customer Jimmy Bowman" At the reception desk you’re greeted by “Martha” who works in a program called Experience Works, which targets people over 60 wanting to... More

$150 And A Dream: Branch's Driving School Celebrates 47 years serving Central New York Posted on 05/16/10
Founder started with $150 and mom as his first student Branch’s Driving School began April 24th 1963 according to company president Deraux Branch, “My father started with $150 one car and... More

Art’s in Bloom this Spring: OCC's Arts Across Campus, Community Folk Art Center and more! Posted on 04/03/10
This spring, despite threats of budget cuts, the arts community is rolling out new exhibitions for the spring season. Beauchamp Branch of the Onondaga Public Library; Arts Across Campus at... More

Lucky 13: Alliance Network hosts annual celebration Posted on 03/11/10
Duane B. Owens and his wife Tara Buchanan Owens at the Alliance Network awards ceremony at the top of the Marriott Hotel on Genesee Street in Syracuse. Duane received the Clarence “Junie” Dunham... More

To Protect and Serve: A conversation with the newly appointed Police Chief Frank Fowler Posted on 02/01/10
I sat down with newly appointed Syracuse Police Chief Frank Fowler to discuss his new position and get an opportunity to introduce the community to a man who has been described as “down to earth” and... More

Marjory Wilkins named Peacemaker Posted on 01/06/10
Community Choir honor at Winter Solstice concert Marjory W. Wilkins received the Syracuse Community Choir’s Peacemaker Award last Saturday. Pictured here with Jackie Warren-Moore, who delivered... More

Got Milk? Eggs, bananas, cheese, fresh meat or corn meal... Posted on 12/08/09
For decades residents of lower income, African-American neighborhoods have struggled with the disappearance the full service grocery stores. In most Syracuse neighborhoods, a trip to the grocery... More

Delta Sigma Theta, 100 Black Men, and Vera House Partner in the Fight Against Domestic Violence Posted on 11/11/09
October is recognized as National Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Domestic Violence reportedly affects approximately 25% of women and 7.6% of men in the United States. On Saturday, October 17th,... More

Miner wins mayor's race makes history as first woman to hold post - Partial Election Results listed below : Posted on 11/03/09
After a hard fought campaign against Republican Steve Kimatian and Conservative Otis Jennings, Stephanie Miner makes Syracuse history by becoming the first woman elected to the Mayor's... More

Six Questions with the Future of Syracuse in Mind Posted on 10/27/09
I originally compiled a list of questions that I would ask the mayoral candidates if I ever got the opportunity to moderate a debate. I never would have imagined that I would receive responses from... More

Growing Your Business in the 21st Century: DASNY of the Future Posted on 10/05/09
The Dormitory Authority of the State of New York (DASNY) is hosting its 24th annual Minority and Women Business Enterprises Conference on Friday and Saturday, October 23 and 24, 2009 in Albany, New... More

“It’s Our Time” Otis Jennings Takes Aim at the Mayors Office Posted on 08/15/09
Otis Jennings wants to become the next Mayor of Syracuse. He received the Republican Party’s nomination; however he’s being challenged in a primary by former Clear Channel executive Stephen... More

First and Only Female African Attorney in Syracuse Posted on 07/27/09
Rosemary O. Nwawka Why she’s in the news: Ms. Nwawka, Esq. is the first Nigerian attorney to be practicing law in our community. She specializes in family law and in bringing families... More

Gone Too Soon Posted on 06/25/09
Any African-American who’s at least 50 years old who were there in the beginning remember the Jackson 5 and their lead singer Michael. As a kid “Stop the Love You Save”, “I want you back” and... More

A Message to the Residents of Syracuse Posted on 06/17/09
Fellow Syracuse residents, we are living in momentous times. It is a time filled with economic uncertainty, but packed with possibilities. It is the possibilities that have propelled me to seek the... More

Breaking the barrier: Common Council President candidate Van Robinson says it’s when, not if on the tearing down of Route 81 Posted on 05/08/09
Before any or the current announced mayoral contend¬ers declared their intentions for this fall’s race, Van Rob¬inson’s name had been prominently mentioned. Then he generally deferred those... More

President Barack Obama's inaugural speech Posted on 01/21/09
President Barack Obama's inaugural speech Barack Obama was sworn in as the 44th president of the United States and the nation's first African-American president January 20th 2009. This is a... More

President Elect, Barack Obama’s Inauguration Week Schedule of Events Posted on 01/14/09
Below are the major events for the inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th president of the United States. They extend from Saturday, Jan. 17, to the day after Inauguration Day, Wednesday, Jan.... More

TWAS THE NIGHTMARE AFTER CHRISTMAS: HOLIDAY DEBT Posted on 12/09/08
Did you know it takes the average consumer a little over two years to pay off debt that they incurred during the Christmas holiday? And that is just Christmas debt. What about the bills you had... More

E Pluribus Unum: Out of Many, "the One" Posted on 11/12/08
In recent times, I had come to believe the concept of diversity had been destroyed, distorted beyond recognition of its original state. If accepted as true what many have stated, you would... More

History Made with Obama’s Speech - an open letter to the community Posted on 09/10/08
Peace, First, please forgive me for being wordy here, but I got to get this out of my system! As you all may know, today is a milestone in American History, with Sen. Barack Obama acceptance speech... More

Bonding With Syracuse Posted on 08/18/08
Tim Bond is the new Producing Director at Syracuse Stage and Syracuse University Department of Drama he’s served more than 20 years in regional theater throughout the country. Bond served for 11... More

The Gospel According to (Rev) James Posted on 06/09/08
As Second Olivet Missionary Baptist Church rebuilds a new young voice has emerged from the ranks of local clergy. Thirty-one year old Rev. Aaron James arrived from Rochester with his wife and two... More

Study Targets Sickle Cell Disease Posted on 05/11/08
An Interview with Phyllis Bazen, MSN Doctoral Candidate, University of Rochester School of Nursing When Phyllis Bazen attended Syracuse City Schools little did she know that decades later she’d... More

Would You Be My Neighbor? Posted on 04/06/08
It's a beautiful day in this neighborhood, a beautiful day for a neighbor. Would you be mine? Could you be mine?... It's a neighborly day in this beauty wood, a neighborly day for a... More

Sidewalk Tree Posted on 03/11/08
The South Salina Street corridor between E. Brighton and Castle Street had been identified as an area ripe for investment due to results of an exhaustive study that indicated millions of dollars... More

A call to action:National Action Network is fired up and ready to roll Posted on 02/01/08
The traffic snaked through the neighborhood adjacent to Beattie Street towards Bethany Baptist Church as the parking lot filled to capacity. Ladies in church hats, students, men in suits, were all... More

‘King’s Challenge: Can We Live Peacefully in a Violent World’ is theme for Syracuse University’s 2008 Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Posted on 01/14/08
The 23rd Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration will be held in Syracuse University’s Carrier Dome on the evening of Sunday, Jan. 20. The celebration, “King’s Challenge: Can We Live Peacefully in... More

VTH brings home a bad report card Posted on 12/18/07
The old Castle Rest Nursing Home was first built as a general hospital in 1916 becoming East Castle Rest Nursing home in 1967. Unfortunately, “Castle Rest” ended up in receivership under Lorreto... More

We need some green, a lot of green! Posted on 11/02/07
For those who bristled at Gov. Eliot Spitzer’s campaign observation that our environs had reached an Appalachian level of disaster, consider the statistics compiled by Howie Hawkins in a position... More

West Side Story: New Initiatives to transform City's Near Westside Posted on 10/15/07
WCNY to build new broadcast and education center on Near Westside WCNY, the Public Broadcasting Council of Central New York, Inc., plans to build a 75,000 square foot, multi-story new broadcast... More

What Urban Renewal Didn't Destroy: Que Reunion Recalls the 15th Ward Posted on 09/10/07
They were regal as they entered the University Sheraton for their semi-annual “Que” Reunion, celebrating a time in Syracuse where you didn’t have to lock your doors and everyone knew everyone. The... More

The man who cried ‘I am’: Looking for John A. Williams Posted on 08/11/07
I was introduced to John A. Williams through his cousin, local resident and retired Syracuse City School District Social Worker Elizabeth Page. The call informed me of the story written in a New... More

Barack Obama’s Walk for Change hits Syracuse Posted on 07/05/07
The Democratic primary is months away, but across the nation a massive grass-roots effort to get people to support Senator Barack Obama’s presidential campaign has begun. “Walk for Change” was billed... More

Summer In The City Posted on 06/11/07
Its summertime in Syracuse and Central New York, the area calendar is packed with events for the entire community to enjoy. There's the M&T Jazzfest, June 29,30 & July 1st one of the largest... More

Bethany Finds Its Voice Posted on 05/09/07
Nestled on solid rock above the city of Syracuse’s eastside, Bethany Baptist Church has provided a place of worship for its primarily African American congregation at various locations since 1887.... More

Moody Art Posted on 04/09/07
Michael Moody still remembers his finger paintings hanging on the walls of the old Everson Museum on the North Side. Since those art classes when he was five, he says, he has been creating images.... More

What A Party! Terry McAuliffe’s return to Syracuse Posted on 02/27/07
The e-mail began with an announcement that Terry McAuliffe, Bishop Ludden’s most prominent graduate is coming back to Syracuse as he embarks on a 25-city book-signing tour for What A Party! My Life... More

JENNIFER DANIELS: MEDICINE WOMAN Posted on 01/28/07
The urban community was first introduced to Dr. Jennifer Daniels when she defied conventional wisdom and located her medical practice in the middle of Syracuse’s south side. She soon developed a... More

Dr. McDreamy or Drum Major for Peace? Posted on 01/12/07
“If we assume that life is worth living and that man has a right to survival, then we must find an alternative to war. In a day when vehicles hurtle through outer space and guided ballistic missiles... More

Dreamgirls: A Dream Come True Posted on 01/01/07
"Dreamgirls" Jamie Foxx, Beyonce Knowles, Jennifer Hudson, Eddie Murphy Directed by Bill Condon Review I can’t remember the last time I walked out of a movie feeling so mesmerized, giddy... More

Build The Dream The Martin Luther King Jr., National Memorial begins construction Posted on 11/01/06
The King Family surrounded by Jessie Jackson, Andrew Young, President(s) Bill Clinton and George W. Bush were among thousands who took part in the ground breaking ceremony on November 13th 2006. The... More