Urban CNY March 2011

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Sitting down with Ann Marie Buerkle

...page 4

Helen Hudson announces Common Council candidacy

Page 3

The Hall Monitor

Walk like an Egyptian

Page 3

Oprah’s Suicide Contemplation

Page 6 Serving Upstate urban communities since 1989.

Rep. Ann Marie Buerkle greets constituents at a town hall meeting in Webster on Monday Feb. 21.

By Walt Shepperd

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March 2011

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Music: It’s Well Worth It!

Published monthly by: URBAN CNY Send mail c/o Eagle Media 2501 James St., Suite 100 Syracuse, NY 13206 For advertising and editorial: (315) 422-7778 (315) 434-8883 -- Fax kjackson@urbancny.com Kenneth Jackson – Editor and Publisher Doug Campbell – Designer Walt Shepperd – Senior Editor Marjory W. Wilkins – Contributing Photographer Printed by: Community Media Group LLC 2501 James St., Suite 100, Syracuse, NY 13206 No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission. The opinions expressed herein are not necessarily the opinions of Community Media Group LLC or Eagle Newspapers.

Much of our culture is absorbed in music.

The power of music should not be under-estimated. It is one of the arts, among many, that provides learning skills across disciplines, such as math, physics, social studies, reading, writing/language arts, history and more. Music, itself, has great potentials for developing the minds of the young and the old. Imagine a day

By Dr. Joan without music!.

Hillsman Research has shown that students who Music participate in music/arts score higher on the Educator SAT exam, and that there are proven benefits by incorporating it in the curriculum.

It has been stated in the recent Gallop Polls that over 94% of their respondents believes that music is a part of a well-rounded education, and that all schools should include it, not cut it! For children, it builds self-esteem that will help them in other areas and activities. For older adults, music can create an outlet for life-long learning and practices.

Music promotes cognitive learning, enhances intelligence, stimulates the brain, boosts memory, academic and professional careers have been enhanced by its teachings. The students and those engaged in music learn a great deal about life, history, cultures, church modes, theory, composition, instruments, vocal elements, technology and diversified experiences. Remember, music, even for leisure and healthy living is invaluable. Its worth it!

Annual MLK lecture featuring Sonia Sanchez rescheduled

Syracuse University’s 28th annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Public Affairs Lecture featuring poet, activist, and playwright Sonia Sanchez, has been rescheduled for 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 9 in the Maxwell Auditorium. The lecture was originally scheduled to take place on Feb. 2, but canceled due to inclement weather.

Sanchez will present “The legacy of Martin Luther King: How we must continue his work.” The lecture is sponsored by the Department of African American Studies (AAS) in the College of Arts and Sciences and the Office of the Chancellor and is free and open to the public. Paid parking is available in the Irving garage ($4).

Additionally, AAS will host an Open Classroom Conversation with Sanchez at 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, March 10 in See MLK, p. 6

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Opinion

March 2011

Walk like an Egyptian As I watch public employees’ demonstrations in Wisconsin and other states, I have to refresh my memory on labor movements, collective beginning and politics as usual. In the past I’ve chastised labor for not bending and not being flexible to the taxpayers’ plight.

Look at the clever way governors are casting public employees as villains in this battle over budgets. Pitting neighbor against neighbor as governments at all levels are struggling to meet basic needs of the people.

Locally, towns and villages were forced to merge services or face massive property tax increases.

Jackson Shrinking tax revenues compelled the County Executive to take drastic cost-cutting measures, as demonstrated last year with the dissolving of the Onondaga County Human Rights Commission and forced… er, I mean “early” retirement… as dollar saving tools.

However, as bad as things are in this economy those who rule the roost, our elected representatives have not sacrificed, while the person who empties the hospital bed pan to the people who protect us from crime are being forced to cut back.

We provide the best health care coverage in the world to members of congress and our state elected officials, yet these are temp jobs. Do you think those at Labor Ready are getting that kind of deal? Hell no! How many millions would we save if our upper level “temps” were forced into the private market to buy health insurance?

We’ve seen people who’ve worked for our government beginning new careers as appointed public officials while enjoying the fruits of their years of service by picking up an extra $50 to $90K on top of their pension and early retirement benefits.

These are usually indispensable “friends” of the elected official and they have been referred to in the past as cronies, allies, associates, sidekicks, supporters, followers and chums.

In the meantime, teachers’ positions are slashed like screaming teens in a horror movie, those who are at the top of our geopolitical food chain continue to feed at the trough of public “service” positions.

Some individuals in Syracuse and Onondaga County have been in control as long as Hosni Mubarak of Egypt.

When are people in the African-American community who’ve been ignored and treated like a third world country going to say, “enough?” When are those who used “Social Justice” as a campaign mantra going to live up to their verbiage and deliver on those choice words?

The only time politicians listen is when there is a scene in front of the public square with peasants with pitchforks demanding their concerns be dealt with, then a few are bought off and the cycle continues.

The recent revolution in Egypt inspired people across the world to stand up and be heard, especially when repressive governments refuse to listen to demands of the people.

As seen on TV, public labor is under attack in America and public officials are employing the same tactics that were used to separate the races. Americans are now being separated by job category, white collar or blue collar, income and ability to afford health care. Take your pick, we’re coming apart like a moth infested sweater.

Perhaps the sounds that we’re hearing from these states that placed a bulls-eye on the backs of public employees are the echoes of those foot-steps marching in Egypt.

As the so-called home of liberty, maybe Americans will take true democracy and public involvement to the next level and walk like an Egyptian.

Ken

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Ken Jackson is the editor of Urban CNY. Reach him at kjackson@urbancny.com.

Should Sisters Be Concerned About the Super Bowl Pepsi Max Commercial with the Angry Black Woman?

There is no bigger corporate moneymaker than the Super Bowl. That’s when potential sponsors are lining up to pay amazing amounts of money to advertise, primarily because they know this

By Boyce Watkins, PhD is the only televised special of the entire year when consumers actually enjoy watching the ads.

In addition to being able to promote their wares to the world, advertisers often find themselves caught in the middle of controversy. Sometimes, the controversy is hilarious, like the little black boy who slapped the man dating his mother for taking one of his Doritos. This year’s most interesting ad may have come out early in the game, and it has been brought to you

by Pepsi Max. You may want to call this ad “The Angry Black Woman.”

In the commercial, a black woman is keeping her husband on a diet. When he eats the wrong food, she gives him an evil look and kicks his leg hard under the table.

When she sees him standing over a pie

about to eat it, she angrily slams his face into the pie. When she catches him sneaking a bite of fattening food in the bath tub, she violently grabs the food from his hand and stuffs a bar of soap into his mouth.

The grand finale is when the couple is in the park. That’s when the wife runs up to her husband sitting on a park bench drinking a Pepsi Max. He looks at her concerned, as if she’s going to knock the hell out of him.

Instead, she smiles and drinks a Pepsi Max of her own, indicating her approval of the drink for it’s low calorie content.

After the couple’s brief bonding moment, a beautiful blonde walks by, with the husband taking notice. The wife’s facial expression goes from content to hostile again, and she cocks back with the full can of Pepsi, aiming to nail her husband in the head. But her husband ducks right before the throw and the can hits the white woman in the head, who falls to the ground unconscious.

The black couple becomes alarmed after harming the white woman. Looking at each other and realizing that there may have been witnesses, they grab hands and run away.

See Boyce Watkins, p. 6

March 2011

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City Scuffle

By Walt Shepperd

Urban CNY sits down with Rep. Ann Marie Buerkle Ann Marie Buerkle had hardly settled into the Congressperson’s chair in the corner of the Federal Building office with a panoramic view, when folks started lining up to announce their consideration of challenging her in an election almost two years away.

The walls were bare and the boxes not quite all unpacked when she sat last month to assess her immediate future in the House of Representatives, especially in the context of the federal budget crunch.

of one percent were new voters. Was there an impact on your campaign?

Minimal. Minimal. There was just a lot of good American people who were upset with many things that were going on, but primarily I think health care. I had the Republican, the Conservative and the Independence line, so there really was no organized Tea Party. We had people who came in and volunteered who may have been involved in the Tea Party, but there was no big Tea Party effort in our campaign.

You now represent a Republican district which reelected Jim Walsh for 20 years, yet your victory seems to be viewed as an amazing surprise. Where does the surprise come from?

I think there are a couple of things.

Number one, if you look at the enrollment in the district, there are more Democrats now than Republicans, but if you combine Conservatives with Republicans you come up with about a 50-50 count. It’s a lot closer than it used to be. The other element of surprise was that the incumbent Dan had a lot of money, and people thought you just couldn’t overcome that difference in the amount of money that each of us had.

As a candidate, did you come out of nowhere?

It never felt that way to me. We campaigned for a year. I declared my candidacy in February, and I had laid the groundwork before then. We never stopped working until the race was officially declared. Then we just changed gears and started working as the Representative.

Where did it start?

It actually started in ’08, for that election.

I went to the (Republican) county chair and said I needed to see about running against Dan Maffei. At that point they had gone through the Peter Cappuccilli (dropping in and out of the race) and Dale Sweetland had already gotten the nomination. He said, “It’s a little late, but you’re welcome to primary if you want.” But I didn’t have the desire to do that, so I supported Dale. Early in January of 2009 I started to think about it.

Sarah Palin was identified with those efforts, but a New York Times poll finds most people who identify with the Tea Party don’t consider here a legitimate presidential candidate. How do you see her?

I have to give her credit for what she’s done. She’s gotten the debate going. She energized a lot of people when she came out as a vice-presidential candidate. She really excited the conservative base, and I think she got it started. But I think it’s continuing on its own. I don’t know what she’ll do.

I don’t see her as a candidate the way she’s operating right now.

As County Executive, Joanie Mahoney has had to face a really traditional kind of old boy’s network in the county Republican Party. Was there any of that in the party structure you had to deal with?

No. What I had to deal with was what you talked about when we first starting talking, and that is no one thought we could win. So it wasn’t really a gender issue, it was no one thought we could win, so they were reluctant to support us.

Were your stands on issues like abortion and curfews the reason they thought you couldn’t win?

No. They thought I couldn’t win because Dan Maffei had $3 million, and they didn’t think you could overcome that amount of money.

Mario Cuomo said, “If money made the difference, Lew Lerman would be governor.” But isn’t it a factor?

Well, sure. We were outspent five to one.

We outworked them at least five to one.

So you have to work really hard when you don’t have a lot of money, and we did. But, having said that, the best part of our campaign was the grass roots effort. The people that we met, the relationships we made, the whole experience. We now have relationships throughout the district, people who supported me. Now we just keep them engaged and go down to Washington and represent them. That’s the best part about grass roots.

There was much talk about Tea Party impact, in bringing in new voters, but in New York State less than one half

It feels like the country is dug into a 50-50 split on almost every issue.

Is this constant head-butting what government has to face, or is there a way for consensus, for coming back together?

I think we will, but we will have to work hard to find the common ground. There was, I think, a fear factor coming up to this election. People saw this country headed away from the Constitution, and away from its core principles, and the government was getting to big and too powerful. I think that’s what the response was. Once we get closer to the center, and this country gets back into its legitimate role, then things will be a little calmer and the common ground a little easier to find. But it’s like moving an aircraft carrier, you just don’t turn 90 degrees. It’s going to be a process. But I think that the declaration that the health care bill See Anne Marie Buerkle, p. 5

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Anne Marie Buerkle is unconstitutional brings the discussion to now what are we going to do?

You wave a magic wand and instantly get what you want on health care. What do you want?

I want tort reform on malpractice, address frivolous law suits so that doctors and hospitals don’t have to practice expensive medicine. To look at health care we have to say who should be in the center of health care, who should be making the decisions, who should be involved. And that’s the patient, not the government.

We then have to say how do we keep the cost down for the patient, because that’s really the problem with health care, it’s too expensive. The quality is fine. It’s the cost and the access to it. Some people don’t have access to health care, and that’s not right.

Some people would like to have health savings accounts, spending to a point and then have catastrophic health care. Some people would like to shop across the country, like I do, and buy it in Texas because it’s cheaper. What happens regionally, health insurance companies have too big of a market share, and they’re not interested in negotiating rates with you. But we’ve got to get the patient back into it. We’ve got to get competition into health care insurance.

We’ve got to understand as a society there’s always going to be an indigent population that we’ve got to help.

But we’ve got a whole lot of people in the middle who maybe could afford some of their health care, and we need to get people back to work. If we get people back to work, get this economy back on its feet, we’re going to see a lot fewer of these problems.

Where are those jobs going to come from?

They’ve got to come from manufacturing, from service, from technology, but what we’ve got to do as a state and a country, is to get the government out of the way. No matter what business you talk to, they’re being regulated and taxed to death. Someone described it as, “Every time I go to do something, the village, the town, the county, the state or the federal government throws up an obstacle, like saying we don’t want you to succeed, we don’t even want you to start your business.” We’ve got to change that mentality.

It seems that Obama sold hope during his election, and now people are taking a second look.

What are people hoping for?

I think they hoped that he would unify the country, and I think they hoped he would get this economy back on track, get unemployment down. I think they thought he would be more conciliatory, be more middle of the road and not partisan. I think that’s where he disappointed a lot of people.

One of your committee appointments is to Foreign Affairs. Why are we in Afghanistan and Iraq?

That’s a legitimate question. I think this country has got to begin to look at where it deploys its troops, and why it deploys its troops. I think the question has to be does that deployment make us a safer nation? Because

from p. 4 we’d rather fight the battle over there than here? I think that’s the case in Afghanistan. I think we’re going to come to a successful conclusion in Iraq the way things are headed, and hopefully that fragile democracy will continue on. But it’s a legitimate question. We need to know is our military spread too thin. We’ve got to rethink our missions and look at the world in terms of what’s going to keep this country safe and strong.

March 2011

Community News

Does oil have anything to do with it?

I don’t think so. I don’t. I think the terrorists and the people who despise this nation, that’s the catalyst for all of this.

When I did an exit interview with Jim Walsh, he anticipated a lot of what we’re looking at now, and said it’s very simple: we’ve bought bigger houses than we need, we’ve got bigger cars than we need, we spend more money than we have. Is it that simple?

Probably one of the most simple issues facing this country is the fact that we’ve spent more money than we have. I was trying to explain the deficit to a dinner for the Boy Scouts. I said if you have a five dollar allowance and you buy an eight dollar shirt, you’ve got a problem, you’ve got to figure out where that other money is going to come from. A little boy in the front row stood up and said, “It’s buying what you want instead of what you need.”

We cannot place all the blame on this administration. When Clinton left office, there was a surplus, and George Bush and the Republicans spent that money.

But the spending that’s gone on the past two years, the Stimulus, the bailouts, the health care bill, those things far exceed. This $14 trillion debt is what we’ve got to deal with.

Where do you cut, what do you cut?

That’s a good question. The health care bill, if we enact true reform, that’s going to help. This is a time when we sit down with the American people and have a heart to heart, just like you do with your family. We’d like to take this vacation, but we can’t afford it. The government has a lot of good programs. But the reality is we don’t have the money anymore. As a nation we have to look to see how we’re going to cut and where we’re going to cut. And it can’t be just here or there, it has to be across the board cuts. And at some point we have to be realistic and get to the entitlements. But what I object to is this hysteria that’s injected into the conversation.

The job for Jim Walsh was to bring home the bacon. Now there’s no bacon. What is your job?

My job, as I see it, is to be a voice for the people of the 25th District, as well as working in Washington to get this country back on course. I did not sign the pledge to ban earmarks because all earmarks are not created equal. If it’s open and transparent, if it goes through the appropriations process, if you can say at the end of the day, “Here’s what this amount of money will do,” that’s worth looking at to bring the money home.

Hudson announces candidacy for Common Council

Calls for end to politics as usual “I know times are tough but we can’t balance budgets on the back of the poor” says Hudson who is best known for her advocacy role against gun violence. With a call to end politics as usual, Helen Hudson announced that she is a candidate for Syracuse Common Council. She is running for one of the two At-Large seats that are up for election this fall.

“As a lifelong resident of Syracuse, I have seen this city in the best of times and the worst of times. We need to put politics aside and deal directly with the serious issues facing this city. From gun violence to the financial crisis threatening to eliminate hundreds of teaching jobs in our community schools, the Common Council has an obligation to act swiftly to find solutions to these problems and I am the best candidate to lead that effort.”

Hudson points to a broad base of support for her campaign based on her lifelong community work. “I have worked with community groups, labor unions, not-for-profit agencies and businesses over my life. I have the personal relationships to bring our city together, to make it the best place to live, learn and work.”

Hudson will be courting the Democratic Committee to receive their designation as will the recently announced Council replacement Pam Hunter.

March 2011

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What’s up

African-Americans in the news

Oprah’s Suicide Contemplation O p r a h Wi n f r e y seems to be on a roll this months via confessional interviews.

First, she revealed her 30-lb. mac and cheese binge after the failure of Beloved, and now she drops another bombshell…she contemDr. Dwight plated suicide at the Owens, MD age of 14!

In an exclusive CNN interview with former America’s Got Talent judge Piers Morgan, the daytime television queen confessed that as a teen, she secretly got pregnant and considered suicide because of her family’s disapproval. Despite those thoughts, she never came close to it, but instead displayed erratic behavior to get

Boyce Watkins

attention. Says Winfrey: “I did stupid things like drinking detergent and all that kind of crazy stuff that you do…to cry out for help.”

Oprah’s teenage life was a jumble of bad choices, boundless attitude and sexual abuse. Having a strict father didn’t help her situation either; in fact, her father once mentioned how he’d rather see his daughter “floating in the Cumberland River” than to have a child out of wedlock! I can only imagine what she could have felt, knowing that not only would her future be compromised, but her family would totally disown her. The stress of carrying a child and trying to constantly hide it can really take a toll on your emotional, let alone physical health.

In the end, Oprah lost the baby when in the hospital and viewed it as a second

from p. 3

Yes, the ad was hilarious. But I couldn’t help but wonder “What will the sisters say about this one?” When I mentioned the ad on my Twitter page, I immediately got dozens of tweet backs from other concerned viewers. I have to say that even though opinions on the ad may vary, it would be hard to walk away from this commercial without thinking that someone leveraged the reputation of the “angry black woman” to make this ad work. In fact, it would be hard to imagine a white woman playing the same role.

There is also the broader implication of a black woman physically abusing her man, as if domestic violence is funny. The man in me is willing to laugh it off, but there is another part of me that is disturbed. So, between the act of giggling away serious violence, perpetuating the image of the angry black woman, portraying the black couple to be violent criminals and re-igniting the stereotype of the black woman beating her man for wanting the white girl, this ad gives black America a whole lot to talk about.

The ad will certainly get Pepsi a lot of attention, and be worth the money. What do you think? Do you think that black women should be offended by the Pepsi Max ad? Let us know in this survey.

Dr. Boyce Watkins is the founder of the Your Black World Coalition and a Scholarship in Action Resident of the Institute for Black Public Policy.

chance at life. “I had no connection to that baby. I felt nothing because I felt before that baby was born I was going to have to kill myself.” Now let me ask this: does this make Oprah a bad person? NO, IT DOESN’T; there are many teenage girls who become pregnant and regret the choice they made to have sex. This is completely normal; we have to remember that Oprah wasn’t born as the most powerful woman in TV, she was born human. We’ve all done things, or made decisions we aren’t proud of. The only difference between Oprah and the rest of us is that her confession is worldwide,

Church news

Faith Lutheran Church Announces Partnership With Vera House

Faith Lutheran Church, 6142 State Route 31, Cicero, NY announces that it has formed a partnership with Vera House to offer educational events.

Beginning in March, Vera House will hold monthly educational events at Faith Lutheran Church. These events will begin with workshops for women interested in learning more about relationships.

“As a community of faith in Christ, Faith Lutheran Church works to enable people to live in grace and share the gospel of salvation,” explained the Rev. James C. Doyle, pastor of Faith Lutheran Church. “Faith Lutheran Church understands that God intends for all people to live full and abundant lives,” he continued. “The church hosts these educational events with Vera House to help more people live fuller, more abundant lives.”

The mission of Vera House Inc. is to end all domestic and sexual violence; assist families in crisis; support those affected by domestic and sexual violence to live safe, self-sufficient lives; empower women and children; and promote a culture of equality and respect in all relationships.

The educational events are free and open to the public.

To register for the workshops, please contact Vera House at 428-3260. For more information about other ministries of Faith Lutheran Church, call the church office at 6995224.

MLK

therefore liable to be judged.

All thoughts aside, imagine how therapeutic that must have been, not only for her, but for countless women nationwide who struggled with teenage pregnancy, whether they kept or lost their baby. Oprah’s introspect opened a new pathway of strength that’s sure to gain momentum, and that’s nothing she should be ashamed of!

Even celebrities and esteemed individuals go through periods of depression, anxiety, or other mental issues. The comfort in knowing a problem exists and can be fixed comes from checking your mental status.

from p. 2

Sims Hall, Room 219. The session is free and open to the public.

Sanchez has lectured all over the world on issues of black culture, women’s liberation, peace, and racial justice. She taught for more than two decades at Temple University, where she was the first Presidential Fellow and held the Laura Carnell Chair in English.

She is a longstanding sponsor of the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom and is one of 20 African American women featured in “Freedom Sisters,” an interactive exhibition created by the Cincinnati Museum Center and Smithsonian Institution traveling exhibition.

Sanchez’s poetry helped define the Black Arts Movement of the 1960s and 1970s. She is the author of more than 16 books, including Morning Haiku (Beacon Press 2010); I’m Black When I’m Singing, I’m Blue When I Ain’t and Other Plays (Duke University Press 2010), edited by Jacqueline Wood; Homegirls and Handgrenades (White Pine Press, new edition 2007); and Shake Loose My Skin (Beacon Press 1999), among others.

Sanchez is the recipient of a number of awards. She is the Poetry Society of America’s 2001 Robert Frost Medalist and a Ford Freedom Scholar from the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History. She received the Robert Creeley award (2009), the Harper Lee Award (2004), the Alabama Distinguished Writer and the National Visionary Leadership Award (2006), the Leeway Foundation Transformational Award (2005), and the Langston Hughes Poetry Award (1990). She also received a Pew Fellowship in the Arts (1992-93), the National Endowment for the Arts Lucretia Mott Award (1984), the American Book Award (1985), and the Peace and Freedom Award from Women International League for Peace and Freedom (1989), among others.

nygearup.syr.edu

March 2011

Student Court in session at Corcoran

Student Court is thought of to be an “early intervention” for problems that arise with students. Administration refers certain incidents to Student Court A disruption in a school classroom and the student in question is given the used to mean a trip to the principal’s option to be judged by his peers. office for discipline, but not anymore “Student Court deals with minor in the Syracuse City School District. issues like disruptive behavior, cell Judy Wolfe started Student Court in phone use, and inappropriate lan2001 and has taken it from an after guage,” she said. “If they come through school program to academic comand choose to take this route, it’s as monplace in the district’s middle though it never happened and their and high schools. slate is wiped clean.”

Student Court is a voluntary Otherwise, students can choose alternative to suspension for to take the traditional route and be young people who face disciplinsubject to disciplinary action by the ary action in the district. A stuadministration. Wolfe says that most dent who admits their charge students choose to come in front of a can stand trial court of their peers because many feel before a more comfortable talking about their court of issues with them rather than adults. his or Students are assigned a defense h e r attorney who will plead their side of the case in front of the three student judges. Members of the court interview the defendant before to get to know them as well as gather information about their redeeming qualities so as not to have a biased opinion based solely on the incident.

During a mock trial at Corcoran, students go through all the motions of a real court case.

Judges enter in black robes and read standard disclaimers about confidentiality before sitting down to hear the persecution and the defense’s claims about the incident at hand.

Photo by Rebecca Saxon Corcoran student Whitney Burton is an active member of the Student Court, and hears peers “cases” as an New Student Court members at Corcoran are just getting familalternative to disciplinary problems at Corcoran High School.

Rebecca Saxon NY GEARUP Media coordinator

peers through their court system, which is established in a government class. The student judges listen to each side of the argument and after careful consideration, recommend a sentence based on the offense. Currently, Student Court has been implemented at Henninger, Corcoran, Fowler high schools, and Ed Smith and Clary middle schools, with hopes of getting all of the high schools on board by next year.

According to Wolfe, Student Court’s central o v e r - s e e r,

iar with the motions of law system.

They’ve only been at it a couple of weeks but you can barely tell as they seamlessly run through a mock case about a student with a tough home life acting out in school. They sentence him to counseling, a seemingly appropriate punishment for his behavior. Typical sentences given in Student Court are apology letters, staying after school, seeing a counselor, weekly tutoring with another student and occasionally community service.

Wolfe explains that in the past, Student Court has had law students come in and work with students once a week as part of their training. In addition to helping provide a place students can come to comfortably discuss their problems, the members of Student Court are getting valuable life experience from their teachings with the program.

Speakers have come in to talk about domestic violence, cyber bullying and other issues relevant to their lifestyle.

At Corcoran, all the students in the mock trial agree that they’ve gained public speaking skills, which will be an important asset to their futures.

Senior Teniah Saffold said, “Most of us want to go into Criminal Justice so this is a great way to learn about it.”

After high school, Saffold wants to pursue a career as a police officer. When asked about whether confidentiality has been a problem, Wolfe replied by saying she’s been amazed at just how much mutual respect the students have

Please see Student Court, NY GEARUP page 3

/ NY GEARUP, MARch 011

STAFF Say Yes to free cash for college Marissa Joy Mims Director

Caitlin Donnelly

Eagle Newspapers Editor

Carolyn Clark

NY GEARUP Media Editor

Rebecca Saxon

NY GEARUP Media Coordinator

Tedi Doychinova Reporter

Malea Perkins

By Tedi Doychinova Contributing writer

What Say Yes can do for seniors With tuition guarantee grants, Say Yes to Education is here for you seniors to make the transition from high school to college all that much easier.

“We like to demystify grants for students,” said Lavet Lorenz, assistant director of Higher Education Initiative.

Simply said, Say Yes is a highly customized program that will work in your benefit for your individual needs.

Say Yes is currently partnered with almost 100 colleges, including most of SUNY and CUNY colleges and over 20 private schools, some of which are outside New York State. For the complete

list of colleges visit sayyessyracuse. org.

Seniors, keep in mind that if you are a candidate for Say Yes and you do not receive the cost of tuition from state, federal and/or institutional grants and scholarships, Say Yes will provide the remaining tuition balance.

In order to benefit for full tuition coverage at any of the partnered colleges, all you need to do is be enrolled as a full time student each semester and have 12 credits or more with a GPA of 2.0 or higher. However, it is recommended to pursue 15 credits or more each semester because the Say Yes tuition coverage applies to four semesters of community college or eight semesters at a four-year college. Be sure to fill out a complete student certification form with cor-

rect updated information, (your email, parent’s email and phone number). This will ensure that Say YEs can reach you with your grant information.

Say Yes recommends that you fill out the student certification form two months before starting college, but it’s a good goal to have it filled out before you graduate high school.

Make a calendar with deadlines and check it often. Even if you are not applying to a four-year university, community colleges still have deadlines.

Their classes are filling up faster than ever before, so make sure to apply early so you can take the right classes that are beneficial to you.

For questions, make sure to bring them up with your high school counselor ASAP or visit sayyessyracuse.org.

NY GEARUP Office Coordinator

To qualify for Say Yes eligibility:

Luz Encarnacion

Outreach Coordinator

The New York State Higher Education Services Corporation (HESC) is the state agency that has been designated by the Governor’s office to administer the NY GEARUP Program. Funding for NY GEARUP is provided by a grant from the U.S. Department of Education.

NY GEARUP at Syracuse University receives $567,000 in funding that is matched 100 percent by in-kind services for a total funding of $1,340,000.

HESC helps people pay for college by providing a comprehensive range of financial aid services, including the Tuition Assistance Program, guaranteeing student loans, and administering the nationally recognized New York’s College Savings Plan.

New York State is a leader in the national financial aid community, providing more grant money to college students than any other state.

Must be a resident of the city of Syracuse.

Must have continuous enrollment in a SCSD high school for three years; grades 10, 11 and 12.

Must graduate from one of the SCSD high schools in or after June 2009.

Must enroll in college within one academic year after graduation.

To receive a Say Yes grant: 1. Enroll as a full time student at a Say Yes college.

2. Apply for financial aid.

Apply for financial aid at your Say Yes college.

Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA ) form.

Complete the New York State's Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) form.

3. Complete a student certification form.

What is NY GEARUP? NY GEARUP is based out of Syracuse University’s School of Education. NY GEARUP works in the Syracuse City School District with the class of 2011 at Corcoran, Fowler, Henninger, ITC and Nottingham high schools.

GEARUP stands for Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs. It’s a national initiative to create innovative programs with the goal of increasing college awareness for students and their families. GEARUP also helps students develop the skills necessary to pursue education after high school.

To achieve its mission, NY GEARUP organizes college visits, tutoring and mentoring, college awareness and exploration activites, and educational planning and workshops.

Contact us: NYGEARUP@syr.edu Phone 443.7848 Twitter: NYGEARUP Facebook: NYGEARUP@ Syracuse University Radio: StepIt UP! on Power620 AM, Hot 107.9

Interested in Writing?

For those students in the NY GEARUP program that are graduating in 2011 and are interested in writing for Eagle Newspaper’s NY GEARUP edition, please contact Caitlin Donnelly at cdonnelly@eaglenewsonline.com.

NY GEARUP, MARch 2011 /

Education with a technical twist Post-high school education doesn’t mean that you need to be stuck in a college classroom for the next four years of your life. Attending technical and vocational schools get you the training you need to start your career quickly and promise great job outlooks.

By Carolyn Clark NY GEARUP Media editor

Graduate high school. Go to a college.

Get a job. Lead a successful life.

That plan probably sounds familiar, especially now that graduation is just a few short months away. But just because your parents, teachers, and guidance counselors keep trying to motivate you to get going on those college applications, doesn’t mean that the traditional four-year college experience is the right path for you.

And not following that plan doesn’t mean you have to give up on education after high school.

Technical and vocational schools offer a different option. Instead of sitting through classes on classic literature by Dickens or Austen while studying to be a journalist, you can focus your studies on career skills like cosmetology, dental assistance, or personal training.

These career fields offer another perk: job outlook and security. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported in 2010 that they expect employment for cosmetologists, which includes barbers and hairdressers, manicurists, and skincare specialists, to grow by 20 percent by 2018. Experience promises higher wages, but the median annual salary for a cosmetologist is $23,330.

Phillips’ Hairstyling Institute is one option for students interested in pursuing cosmetology careers. Students go through 1,000 hours of training for cer-

Student court

tification, and the institute also offers a nail specialty program, which includes an additional 250 hours.

Students generally finish up their certification in 36 to 63 weeks―that’s only nine to 15 months. But even during that time, students can keep their part-time jobs because of the flexible scheduling options. You can choose to go full-time during the day or at night, or you can do part-time studies.

According to the BLS, the job outlook for dental assistants is “excellent,” with an expected 36 percent growth from 2008 to 2018. In 2009, BLS reported that the median annual income of a dental assistant was $33,230, and more than half of the Certified Dental Assistants who were surveyed in 2008 reported that they received health benefits from their employers.

But what does a dental assistant do?

Well, they are responsible for much of the office and laboratory management as well as patient care in dental offices. They make sure that the instruments that dentists use are sterilized and in working order and, depending on experience and certification, they help dentists with some procedures like dental x-rays.

And there’s a demand for dental assistants!

“Population growth, greater retention of natural teeth by middle-aged and older people,” the BLS reports, “and an

increased focus on preventative dental care for younger generations will fuel demand for dental services.” It also explains that dentists want to be able to focus on more complex dental procedures, so they will hire more and rely more on dental assistants in the near future to facilitate both office and lab responsibilities.

While training and certification is not necessarily required in this field, it does give job applicants an extreme advantage.

Dentists know that hiring a trained and certified dental assistant will mean hiring someone who will require less onthe-job training. The Dental Assistant School of Syracuse offers a training program that lets you get hands-on experience in an actual dental office. The 10week program includes two four-hour classes per week, and while the school does not offer job placement, many students find jobs as dental assistants even before they finish the program.

But maybe you want a job where you won’t be stuck in an office or doing very little moving around. Fitness training, which includes personal and group fitness instruction, offers you a career path that allows you to work with people outside of an office setting and keeps you yourself active. While a degree in health-or-fitness-related sciences or fields is a plus, you don’t need to attend college to become a personal trainer as long as you become certified.

The National Council on Strength and Fitness (NCSF) is the organization through which you can get certified.

While they do offer education and training courses, the study and preparation comes down to the self-motivated student. Paul Garbarino, the NCSF Director of Operations, explains that preparation falls on the shoulders of those pursuing the certification, but luckily there are several ways to get ready for the required test.

And fitness training is yet another growing job field. The BLS predicts that 337,900 jobs will be in fitness training and aerobics instruction — that’s a 29 percent increase from 261,100 jobs in 2008. And the median annual salary for these workers in 2009 was $30,670. And because you can often set your own hours as a personal trainer, you can also work and pursue a bachelor’s degree to help further your career, and make more money, at the same time.

The BLS predicts that the job market will be more favorable than it is right now with and expected 10 percent increase between 2008 and 2018 employment rates. However, some of the fastest-growing fields are those that do not require a four-year degree. So if you don’t think you want to go to a four-year college or you’re not sure you can afford it, you can still consider other educational opportunities that will give you the qualifications you need to get that good job and lead that successful life that your parents, teachers, and guidance counselors want for you.

things we try to tell the kids in training is to think of themselves as big brothers and sisters to the defendants.”

Student Court at Corcoran consists of juniors and seniors, and they try to focus on cases with underclassmen, since many of the older students have been through similar situations and can offer a helping hand.

Wolfe receives calls from all over the

nation from schools interested in starting up similar courts in their school systems. Student Court seems to be an effective alternative method of discipline in the school systems, and it’s evident that the kids are not only enjoying the hard work they are putting in,but they are enthusiastic about what it has to offer them and their futures.

From NY GEARUP page 1

for one another.

“They have a great value system and they really respect people’s differences and their confidentiality,” she said.

Totiymah Bowman, a senior and Student Court member, said that she was nervous during training about having to judge her peers since she has to see them everyday. But now that she’s been practicing ,she’s much more

confident.

Bowman and Saffold also believe they’ve become better at thinking on their feet and understanding the sorts of problems kids go through.

“Students are taking a leadership position because they are governing their schools through critical thinking,” Wolfe said of the additional perks of the program. “One of the main

/ NY GEARUP, MARch 2011

Syracuse Educational Opportunity Center Local center provides GeD, eSL, college and career prep courses

By Rebecca Saxon NY GEARUP Media coordinator With graduation just around the corner, many students may be feeling a bit intimidated. College? A job?

A trade? The possibilities can be overwhelming, but at Syracuse Educational Opportunity Center, the staff can help narrow the list and hone in on your particular skill-set.

Marlene Daher-Rahman, associate director at SEOC, has been working for the center for 15 years and describes it as an adult facility for academic and vocational studies.

SEOC can help you prepare for college, learn new skills for a better job, or earn your GED. Daher-Rahman explained that if you come to SEOC and you’re unsure of what you want to do, you can sit down with a specialist who can help you with a future plan. SEOC’s services are no cost to those who qualify. While there may be minimal book fees associated with some courses, their free services include tuition, academic and career counseling.

There are five main vocational programs at SEOC: Medical Billing and Coding, Emergency Medical Technician, Nursing Assistant, Computer Software Training and Medical Secretary. Daher-Rahman said that their Nursing Assistant program is the most popular these days.

“It’s a great way to get your foot in the door―it’s the first step on the career ladder to being a nurse,” she said.

Their workforce prep programs generally last between 10 to 15 weeks.

Afterward, students can meet with career placement assistance officials to

help with job placement. If students need help with cover letters, resumes, or job interview skills, career assistance employees are happy to help, said Daher-Rhaman.

While their vocational programs are a great opportunity for recent high school graduates who are seeking employment, Rhaman noted that SEOC does a lot of work with adults who are pursuing a career change as a result of a recent layoff.

“Whenever any big local company lays off employees, we get really busy,” she said. SEOC works with displaced homemakers, war veterans and those who are retraining from a work injury.

All of the vocational programs have slightly different requirements, but all require a testing of basic adult education in reading and math.

If you need to get your GED, SEOC is also a certified GED testing center.

If you’ve received your GED or high school diploma and are interested in going to college, they also offer college preparation courses.

“The college prep courses are designed to let students brush up on things they’ll need for college like biology, geology and writing,” DaherRahman said.

The SEOC has an articulation agreement with OCC, so if students pass their writing and algebra courses, they will be exempt from taking them at the community college. If you’re interested in college but don’t know where, they have a unique program called College Connections that helps students to seek out different institutions.

“The goal of College Connections is to help students realize their potential—we help them explore, prepare, apply to schools, go on campus tours and meet with professors,” DaherRhaman said.

Daher-Rahman mentioned that the refugee population is getting higher in Central New York, meaning they’ve

Rebecca Saxon

Students earn hands-on experience in their chosen career program, such as the nursing assistant program. seen an increase in their English as a Second Language program. Students from all over the world are currently attending SEOC’s ESL classes.

With vocational, ESL, GED and college prep classes, wherever you see your future, it seems like SEOC may be able to help, if you’re eligible for their assistance. Daher-Rahman is most concerned with making sure each student receives the education they need to be successful in a time frame that is suitable to their own needs and demands.

“Some students are here for five weeks, and some are here for a year,” she said.

SEOC is set up similarly to an Educational Opportunity Program and its goal is to help economically and educationally disadvantaged indi-

viduals. With roughly 1,300 students in attendance, they offer both day and evening classes for those interested.

To find out if you’re eligible, stop by and visit the admissions office at 100 New Street.

Recent graduates of SEOC have pursed careers at Syracuse University, Excellus Blue Cross Blue Shield, Upstate Medical and many local nursing homes. Daher-Rahman is optimistic about SEOC’s future and hopes to keep providing its students with what they need to be successful.

“I want individuals to be able to come here, take a program and get employed—or take a GED class, pass and get into a college of their choice,” she said.

For more information about SEOC, visit syracuseeoc.com or call 472-0130.

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Opportunities Carpenters Recruit Apprentices The Empire State Carpenters Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee, Local Union # 747 (Syracuse) will conduct a recruitment from February 3, 2011 through January 5, 2012 for ten carpenter apprentices, State Labor Commissioner Colleen C. Gardner announced today.

Applications can be obtained at the Carpenters Local Union # 747 JATC School, 3195 Vickery Road, North Syracuse, NY from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. on the first Thursday of each month, excluding legal holidays, during the recruitment period.

The Committee requires that applicants: • Must be at least 18 years old.

• Must have a high school diploma or general equivalency diploma (G.E.D).

• Must be physically able to perform the work required as determined by the applicant attesting to the required qualifications as listed on the Apprentice Application.

• Must have reliable transportation to and from work and school.

• If a Veteran, a copy of DD 214 is required after

an offer of employment or indenture is made.

• Must reside within one of the following Counties: St. Lawrence, Jefferson, Lewis, Oswego, Onondaga, Herkimer, Madison and Oneida.

• Must take UBC qualifying test.

• Must take drug test provided by the Apprentice Program, upon acceptance and paid for by the JATC. For further information, applicants should contact their nearest New York State Department of Labor office or may contact the Local Union # 747 at 315-455-6463.

Apprentice programs registered with the Department of Labor must meet standards established by the Commissioner. Under state law, sponsors of programs cannot discriminate against applicants because of race, creed, color, national origin, age, sex, disability or marital status. Women and minorities are encouraged to submit applications for apprenticeship programs.

Sponsors of programs are required to adopt affirmative action plans for the recruitment of women and minorities.

Crisis in the Crib: Saving Our Nation’s Babies

March 2011

State Agencies Urge Taxpayers To Consider Alternatives To Costly Refund Anticipation Loans It’s tax time, and many New Yorkers will try to collect their refunds as quickly as possible. Some will consider a refund anticipation loan (RAL) or refund anticipation check (RAC) to speed up the process.

However, the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance and the New York State Consumer Protection Board are urging taxpayers to consider lower-cost or free alternatives to receiving federal tax refunds.

What is a RAL? A RAL is not a quick, fast or instant refund. Instead, it is a highinterest bank loan secured by the taxpayer’s anticipated federal refund. While the promise of quick cash can be tempting, RALs are

expensive, as some lenders charge substantial fees and very high interest rates that reduce the amount of a refund.

According to a recent study of these products done by the U.S. Department of the Treasury for the 2008 tax year, approximately 4% of New York taxpayers received RALs and 8% received RACs. This is lower than the national average.

Fortunately, there are fast and inexpensive ways to get both federal and state tax refunds: Taxpayers who file electronically and use direct deposit will get their federal and State tax refunds the quickest Taxpayers without bank acSee Loans, p. 9

The Village of Jordan is requesting sealed bids for repairs to the existing pool shell at Veteran’s Memorial Park on Brutus Road. Bidders may obtain a copy of the Bid Documents from Maxian + Horst, 306 Hawley Avenue, Syracuse, New York, 13203, Telephone: (315) 472-2461, Fax: (315) 472-0378 for the amount of $50.00 – check made payable to Maxian + Horst. Plans and specifications will be available March 15, 2011. Plans can be shipped for an additional delivery and handling charge of $20.00 per set ($40.00 overnight delivery), payable by check to Maxian + Horst. All bids must be received at Maxian + Horst by 1:00 PM on Friday, April 1, 2011. This project is funded (in part) by a grant from the Onondaga County Community Development Division.

Approximately 75% of the project cost will be financed with federal money. Bidders will be required to commit themselves to a goal for minority business participation in the contracts. The contract specifications and drawings may be examined free of charge at theCommunity Development office: 1100 Civic Center, 421 Montgomery St., Syracuse, NY 13202, Telephone: (315) 435-3558.

Hendricks Chapel Syracuse University 2:15 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.

2:15 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. - Lobby reception with Ms. Lewis Lee 3:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. - Film and panel discussion

Syracuse Healthy Start and partners invite you to the Syracuse premiere of Tonya Lewis Lee’s documentary on infant mortality in the African American community.

This event is free and open to the public

New York State Center for Sudden Infant Death

Funding for Healthy Start is provided by Health Resources and Services Administration

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Transportation and childcare available for families with children two years and under. Please call 424-0009 if you need transportation or childcare for the event.

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Village of Jordan Bid Notice

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

March 2011

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A Powerful and Timely Drama Featuring Law & Order’s Richard Brooks Directed by Timothy Bond • Archibold Theatre at Syracuse Stage • February 23 – March 13

How do we move forward without leaving behind difficult but defining aspects of our past? A powerful and timely drama from the most celebrated American playwright of this generation, Radio Golf tells the story of Harmond Wilks, a real estate developer striving to revitalize a neighborhood and become the first African American mayor of Pittsburgh. Moving, funny, lyrical and rousing, Radio Golf is the inspiring final play of August Wilson’s monumental, ten-play 20th Century Cycle and career.

Directed by Syracuse Stage’s Producing Artistic Director Timothy Bond, and featuring Law & Order’s Richard Brooks in the role of Harmond Wilks, Radio Golf will run February 23-March 13 at Syracuse Stage. Tickets range $25-$48, available at 443-3275 or SyracuseStage.org.

The presenting sponsor for Radio Golf is The Dorothy and Marshall M. Reisman Foundation. Radio Golf is sponsored by Lockheed Martin, with additional support from The Gladys Krieble Delmas Foundation. Media Sponsors are Urban CNY and WAER 88.3. Syracuse Stage Season Sponsors are The Post-Standard and Time Warner Cable. Radio Golf is a co-production with Geva Theatre Center of Rochester.

The five-member cast includes nationally-recognized actors familiar to Syracuse audiences. TV’s Richard Brooks, best known for his starring role as Paul Robinette on NBC’s Law & Order, will perform the role of Harmond Wilks. Thomas

Jefferson Byrd, Tony-nominated for his Broadway performance as Toledo in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (a role he reprised at Syracuse Stage in 2008), will perform the role of Elder Joseph Barlow. Crystal Fox, last seen at Stage in Crowns (2009), plays the role of Mame. LeLand Gantt, last seen at Stage in Death and the King’s Horseman (1999), will portray the role of Sterling, and veteran Oregon Shakespeare Festival actor G. Valmont Thomas performs as Roosevelt Hicks.

The central conflict in Radio Golf revolves around plans to demolish Old Joe’s house. Tearing it down would signal the demise of the blighted Hill District of Pittsburgh, allowing the rise of the Bedford Hills Redevelopment Project, Harmond’s vision of a new, economically vibrant community. On the one hand, investing in the project makes the neighborhood a more attractive and stable place to live; on the other, revitalization threatens the history of the neighborhood, and rising property values may drive away longtime residents who can’t afford the increase in taxes and living expenses.

“Set in 1997, Radio Golf very much concerns the black middle-class, mostly unexplored in Wilson’s plays,” notes Timothy Bond. “It concerns complex questions of how African Americans can strive for financial and political success at the end of the 20th century without leaving behind their past and community.”

Theatregoers familiar with Wilson’s work will recognize references to his other plays. Most notably, the house in question is the same house featured in Gem of the Ocean, set in 1904 and performed at Syracuse Stage in 2007. The house, 1839 Wylie Avenue, holds significance because it was once the home of Aunt Ester, a “washer of souls” and ex-slave rumored to live 322 years.

The Bedford Hills Redevelopment Project in Radio Golf draws parallels with Syracuse in the early 1960s, when Urban Renewal programs called for demolition of the city’s primary African-American neighborhood, the 15th Ward, where Syracuse Stage currently sits. The promise of better housing and city-wide integration began to fade as relocation efforts led blacks into other

run-down, older neighborhoods. The once vibrant and primarily residential 1 5 t h Wa r d was fore ver changed.

Two exhibits at Syracuse Stage will depict the history of Syracuse’s 15th Ward:

Tickets

Richard Brooks

Adults: $25-$48 40 & Under: $25 18 & Under: $16 Student Rush: $15 *Rush tickets available day of performance, by phone ($5 fee) or in person (no fee) *Discounts available for seniors, students, groups and subscribers SyracuseStage.org, 443-3275 820 East Genesee Street Groups (10 or more): 443-9844

Reflections of Radio Golf in the History of Syracuse Produced by Onondaga Historical Association (OHA), Housed in Stage’s Coyne Lobby during Radio Golf, Supported by National Grid As part of its ongoing partnership with Syracuse Stage, OHA has produced a seven panel exhibit that includes historic images of the 15th Ward, discusses its significance for local blacks, and introduces some of the leadership that arose from the AfricanAmerican community to challenge the status quo and seek change. It also showcases how preservation of historic sites related to African-American history has been slow in coming, but is now focused locally on rescuing the historic AME Zion Church building on East Fayette Street.

A Tender Record A Tender Record: A Collection of PhotoA Collection of Photographs by graphs by Marjory Wilkins will be housed in Marjory Wilkins, Curated by Nancy Stage’s Sutton Pavilion during Radio Golf.

Keefe Rhodes, Housed in Stage’s Sutton Pavilion during Radio Golf This acclaimed photography exhibit, a native Syracusan who has been taking originally restored and mounted through photographs since she was a small child, a Light Work grant at Syracuse University documenting African American life for in 2008, depicts life in the 15th Ward in the over seven decades.

1940s through the 1980s. This 38-image exhibit will include the 20 prints first shown at THE HILL DISTRICT OF PITTSBURGH Light Work Gallery, plus new prints made Adapted from materials developed in 2010. The complete set of the Light Work Theatreworks Group were exhibited together in 2010 at See RADIO GOLF, p. 9 ArtRage Gallery. Marjory W. Wilkins is

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March calendar of events

505 Hawley Avenue Syracuse, NY Gallery Hours: Wed. - Fri. 2-7pm, Sat. 12-4pm ArtRageous art for peace & social justice. ArtRage is handicapped accessible. Off street parking at 408 & 414 Lodi Street.

Saturday, March 5, 2011 Free to the Public 100 YEARS OF WOMEN ROCKIN’ THE WORLD – A Celebration of the 100th Anniversary of International Women’s Day Opening Reception, Saturday, March 5, 2011 7-9pm Exhibition runs March 5 thru April 23, 2011 Our exhibition features the art of 34 women artists; nine of whom are local to Syracuse with the rest from communities all across our country!

These women, in keeping with the mission of ArtRage, are also activists and their work expresses a whole range of issues important to both women and the community of concerned people

RADIO GOLF

from p. 8

The Hill District is a predominantly African-American neighborhood within walking distance of downtown Pittsburgh. It is August Wilson’s birthplace and the setting for the majority of his plays, including Radio Golf. Generations of Irish and Jewish immigrants called this area home in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Starting from approximately 1880-1900, African Americans began migrating from the South and many settled in “The Hill.” The area quickly established itself as one of the most important African American communities in the nation, with a strong emphasis on art, literature, and music.

Business districts along Wylie and Bedford Avenues and Logan Street thrived, and it was a hotbed of jazz at places like the Crawford Grill. The Hill was also home to the Pittsburgh Crawfords, a Negro League baseball team featuring Josh Gibson and Satchel Paige. Over time the population grew and the neighborhood deteriorated.

In1955 the Lower Hill Redevelopment Program was approved, which included construction of a new Civic Arena. The project cleared ninety-five acres and displaced 1,239 African American families and 312 white. Fol-

worldwide; self-image, hunger, collective action, war, children, the status of women, immigration, environmental crisis, alternative lifestyles and self-discovery. In the words of the Bread and Roses song, “The rising of the women means the rising of us all.”

Saturday, April 16, 2011 8pm Free to the Public Live performance: Mixed Relief The ArtRage Gallery will stage a performance of a play about women writers of the Works Progress Administration (WPA) entitled Mixed Relief as part of an exhibition of activist feminist art titled, 100 YEARS OF WOMEN ROCKIN’ THE WORLD. This performance will culminate in a facilitated round table discussion concerning the present condition of federal and state arts funding. The play is directed by local activist/artist Rebecca Fuentes. lowing the redevelopment project, the downward spiral continued. Residents became embroiled in violence following the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and the area was hit hard in the 1980s by illegal drug use.

These events caused the population to plummet from over 50,000 in 1950 to about 15,000 in 1990, with a large percentage living in public housing.

The Hill District continues to struggle to this day.

SIGNIFICANCE OF GOLF Golf has traditionally been viewed as a game for rich white men. The golf course has even been called “the white man’s outdoor office” because so many business deals are made there. In Radio Golf, Harmond and Roosevelt’s enthusiasm for golf symbolizes that they’ve “made it,” despite the racial and economic barriers they face as African Americans.

AUGUST WILSON’S 10-PLAY 20TH CENTURY CYCLE Radio Golf is the final installment in August Wilson’s 10-play 20th Century Cycle, chronicling the African American experience during each decade of the 20th Century. Radio Golf received four 2007 Tony nominations, including Best Play, and won

The discussion on the present state of funding for the arts will be facilitated

by Nancy Keefe Rhodes.

The WPA was a federal jobs program designed to stimulate the U.S. economy during the Great Depression of the 1930’s. The government recognized that artists had valuable skills to contribute towards the recovery, and the WPA employed over 40,000 artists at its peak. The plays, music, posters, murals, monuments, parks and amphitheaters that they created are still enjoyed by the public today. Saluting the women of the WPA is a way to remind the public that there was an amazing artistic outpouring when our federal government made a serious investment in arts jobs in the 1930’s. The WPA anniversary reminds us that now, as in the Great Depression, our resilience; creativity and future sustainability are riding on the stories that shape us. the New York Drama Critics Circle Award for Best American Play. With Radio Golf, Stage’s Producing Artistic Director Timothy Bond continues his commitment to produce Wilson’s 10play cycle. Past Wilson productions at Syracuse Stage include Fences (2010), Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (2008), Gem of the Ocean (2007), Jitney (2002), The Piano Lesson (1996), and Fences (1991). Wilson’s cycle (in order of decade which the drama is set) includes Gem of the Ocean, Joe Turner’s Come and Gone, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, The Piano Lesson, Seven Guitars, Fences, Two Trains Running, Jitney, King Hedley II and Radio Golf.

Although the plays are not strictly connected to the degree of a serial story, some characters appear (at various ages) in more than one of the cycle’s plays. Children of characters in earlier plays may appear in later plays. The character most frequently mentioned in the cycle is Aunt Ester, a “washer of souls.” She is reported to be 285 years old in Gem of the Ocean, which takes place in her home at 1839 Wylie Avenue. She dies in 1983, during the events of King Hedley II. Much of the action of Radio Golf revolves around the plan to demolish and redevelop that house, some years after her death.

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from p. 7

counts can get fast refunds by filing electronically and having their refunds deposited to a prepaid debit or payroll card which can be used for everyday financial transactions. The card can be an existing prepaid payroll or debit card that the taxpayer already has, or a new MyAccountCard issued by the U.S. Treasury’s financial agent. MyAccountCard is part of a debit card pilot program being conducted by the IRS this filing season. MyAccountCards are only available to those who received an offer letter from the U.S. Treasury Department.

What is a RAC? RACs are marketed to taxpayers who don’t have bank accounts and/or who do not have the ability to pay tax preparation fees up front. A temporary bank account is established by a tax preparer on behalf of the taxpayer so that a tax refund check can be directdeposited. After the refund check is deposited into the temporary account and the preparation fees are deducted by the preparer, the institution then issues a check to the taxpayer and the account is closed.

While a RAC is generally cheaper than a RAL, taxpayers would be wiser to open a bank account of their own and arrange to have tax refunds direct-deposited.

Consumer Bill of Rights Regarding Tax Preparers New York’s Consumer Bill of Rights Regarding Tax Preparers prohibits tax preparers from advertising RALs as refunds. For example, advertising a RAL as an instant refund is prohibited. Additionally, any advertisement by a tax preparer that mentions RALs must conspicuously state that a RAL is, in fact, a loan and that a fee or interest will be charged by the lending institution. The lending institution must be identified in the advertisement.

In addition, before a taxpayer enters into a RAL, the tax preparer facilitating the loan must provide a disclosure statement to the taxpayer, in writing and in at least 14-point type, setting forth key information that explains: A taxpayer isn’t required to take a RAL in order to receive a tax refund The amount of fees and interest charged for a RAL The amount the taxpayer will receive after the fees and interest are deducted The annual percentage rate that will be charged The amount of the refund if the taxpayer doesn’t take a RAL The anticipated date a refund will be received if the taxpayer doesn’t take a RAL Before a taxpayer enters into a RAC agreement, the tax preparer must provide a written disclosure statement that explains: A taxpayer isn’t required to take a RAC in order to receive a tax refund The amount of fees a taxpayer will pay for a RAC For more information about filing your taxes, visit the Tax Department’s website at www.tax.ny.gov or call 518-457-1981. For more information about scams, identity theft and other consumer issues, visit the Consumer Protection Board’s website at www.nysconsumer.gov or call 1-800-697-1220.

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Attention Centro Riders

In an effort to help close a projected $4.8 million deficit, Centro proposes the following service and fare structure changes which would become effective Monday, April 25, 2011. A public hearing will be held regarding these proposed changes in Meeting Room 1 of the OnCenter, 800 State St. Syracuse, on Wednesday March 9, 2011 at 5pm. For those attendees who remain after the final trip of their regular Centro route, Centro will provide bus service from the OnCenter to all of the locations on those routes following the conclusion of the public hearing.

Proposed General Service Changes:

The path to your first home.

-Change most, but not all, Saturday schedules to match Sunday schedules. Exact level of service to be determined (TBD).

-Discontinue 12:30am trips on weekdays to match late night weekend service.

Proposed Specific Route Changes:

-Simplify the current multiple route variations along the Route 57 corridor into two routes.

One route will operate between Syracuse and Great Northern Mall and will also serve Casual Estates and Soule Road. The other will operate from Syracuse to Liverpool, Fulton, and Oswego and will remain on NYS Route 57 between Syracuse and Fulton.

The changes will result in improved travel times.

-Bayberry will be served by Centro Route 48 Morgan Rd instead of Centro Route 46.

-Discontinue Morgan Road service to Great Northern Mall -Discontinue service into Hickory St. neighborhood on Centro’s Liverpool-Route 57 route.

Solvay

-Discontinue midday trips on Route 474; change the end of the line on all 74 trips to Bailey St, no longer serving Cogswell Ave., Bacon St., Century Dr., and Terry Rd.

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For more information, call

Stolp / Strathmore

1-800-382-HOME (4663) or visit www.nyshcr.org

-Discontinue Route.

-Adjust Route 26 South Avenue to accommodate the lower portion of the Stolp route.

Baldwinsville

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Liverpool

The State of New York Mortgage Agency (SONYMA) offers first-time homebuyers:

-Discontinue some midday weekday trips.

-Discontinue Baldwinsville Tuesday Shopper bus Route 92.

Henry Clay Boulevard

-Discontinue some midday weekday trips.

Manlius

-Reduce Saturday and Sunday service east of Shoppingtown Mall; level of reduction TBD

Scheduled Routes

New Fare Structure

a. The single trip cash fare for most of Centro’s Syracuse / Onondaga County services will be $2.00. Significant discounts (based on $1.50/ride) will be offered for riders using Centro’s multi-ride or unlimited ride passes. Most extension fare zones charges will be discontinued. Centro will continue to offer FREE transfers to customers. b. Passes for use in Syracuse and Onondaga County will be priced as follows: i. Syracuse 30-day unlimited ride pass: $60.00 ii. Syracuse 7-day unlimited ride pass: $15.00 iii. Syracuse 10-ride pass: $15.00 for adults, $7.50 for Seniors and persons with disabilities iv. Discontinue $12.50 / $15 / $30 debit cards c. The cash fare between Syracuse and Skaneateles, Weedsport, Jordan, Central Square, Tully and Phoenix will be $3.00. d. The cash fare between Syracuse and Auburn or Fulton will be $4.00 e. The cash fare between Syracuse and Oswego will be $5.00 f. Discounted 10-ride passes will be available for the commuter zones described in (c), (d) and (e) above.

Call-A-Bus

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Communications may also be filed in writing to Centro, 200 Cortland Ave., PO Box 820 Syracuse, New York 13205 to the attention: Syracuse Fare / Service changes.

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a. Zone 1 One-way fare $2.50; Zone 2 One-way fare $3.00

EAGLE

urbanCNY

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NEwspapErs

March 2011

11

[re]think your future From Workforce Development to Continuing Education, Onondaga offers programs that meet the needs of of employees and employers in Central New York.

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Learn more at sunyocc.edu

805 East Genesee Street, Syracuse, NY 13210 • Phone: (315) 442-2230 • Email: cfac@syr.edu

Beginning this week, CFAC will be offering a new round of adult and youth classes for the spring 2011 semester.

To register or learn more, contact us at (315) 442-2230 or at cfac@syr.edu.

We hope that you’ll join us!

Zumba Fitness

Tuesdays, 6:30-7:30 p.m.

Runs from Jan. 25 to March 15 Instructor: Andreina Botero Delgado Cost: $10/class Zumba is a 60-min. fitness/ aerobic dance program that features a variety of Latin rhythms that tone and sculpt the body. A great way to have some fun while you exercise!

Wheel Throwing I

Tuesdays, 6:30-8:30 p.m.

Runs from Jan. 25 to April 12 Instructor: Katherine Hughes Cost: $200+$45 material & studio fee In this popular class for beginners, you will be exposed to the basics of wheel throwing and will create your very own ceramic pieces. If you’re adventurous and willing to get your hands dirty, this is a perfect art class for you.

Wheel Throwing II

Thursdays, 6:30-8:30 p.m.

Runs from Jan. 27 to April 14 Instructor: Katherine Hughes Cost: $200+$45 material & studio fee Advance your knowledge by exploring pottery terminology and furthering your wheel throwing skills. Best for those with some wheel throwing experience, this course will hone your abilities and allow you to create more pieces for your collection.

Stone Carving I

Wednesdays, 6:30-8:30 p.m.

Runs from Jan. 26 to March 16 Instructor: Tom Huff Cost: $175+$25 material fee Taught by talented local stone sculptor Tom Huff, this class will expose beginner students to various stone carving techniques. Students will have the choice of working with alabaster or soapstone.

PB&J (Paintbrushes & Junior Artists)

Saturdays, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

Ages 5-11 Runs from Jan. 29 to Feb. 26 Instructor: Marla Jones Cost: $10/class or $45 for all five classes Youth will have the opportunity to think critically, express ideas, and create art during this PB&J session which focuses on Native American art. Each week, students will learn about a particular element of Native American culture and complete an art project to take home.

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Classes Starting at CFAC

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