Syracuse local news

Syracuse’s lead-poisoning crisis has been a focal point for non-profit organizations across the city, as they try to protect children from the serious health effects.  Many groups have played a crucial role in providing aid to Syracuse families, who face severe health impacts. They have also been pushing for a city-wide response to this ongoing public health crisis.

The Michael Greene for Mayor campaign kicked off in earnest this weekend when volunteers assembled outside the Staffworks employment agency in Syracuse. Ten new volunteers and campaign staff began dropping leaflets on the doorsteps of East Syracuse residents.

Liverpool Central School District was among the districts that resumed in-person learning for their students five days a week starting Monday for the first time since the pandemic began. Superintendent Mark Potter says prior to this week, the district was operating on a hybrid basis, having different groups of students come in for two days a week while others joined classes virtually.  

He says the recent CDC and county change in guidelines of social distancing from six feet to three feet encouraged the district to make the shift.

This past summer marked a pivotal moment of Syracuse’s battle against childhood lead poisoning. The Common Council passed the city’s first lead ordinance, codifying some of the best practices for mitigating the impact into law. Council Member Joe Driscoll pushed hard for this legislation.

Tenants of Skyline Apartments are speaking out about the conditions in the building that have come to light after the death of a resident last month.  Several of them spoke out this weekend to shed light on the ongoing problems.

Syracuse’s Lead Poisoning crisis affects the health of as many as one-in-ten children.  It also has costs to society, in increased crime, teen pregnancy, and other problems that have to be addressed.  In part two of our series on lead poisoning: How some of those impacts play out in the community.

Central New York was hit hard during the second wave of the Coronavirus, and the Veterans Administration Medical Center in Syracuse was no different. Director of the Medical Center Dr. Frank Pearson says despite the expected challenges, the hospital was able to successfully weather the storm.

Syracuse has one of the worst lead poisoning crises in the nation.  One in 10 children have elevated blood lead levels, and this rate jumps to a staggering one-in-five in some of the lowest income neighborhoods,  according to Onondaga County Health Department data.