With food, music, dancing, bocce and even a little history and culture, Syracuse’s Festa Italiana has something for everyone. Celebrating its 27th edition in 2025, the three-day festival, which opens on Friday at 11 a.m. in front of City Hall, salutes all things Italian. The family-friendly event will feature live Italian entertainment, music and d...
READ MOREThe University’s first inclusive study abroad trip has redefined what inclusive higher education looks like, blending immersive cultural experiences with academic exploration of inclusive education across borders. This two-week program brought together students with and without intellectual disability, reflecting a commitment to making global educa...
READ MORE50 years ago to the day, Ralph Rotella opened Discount Shoe Repair in downtown Syracuse. Today, he was recognized by city hall for the heart-- and sole-- he's brought to Central New York over the years. Common Councilors Marty Nave and Pat Hogan stood alongside Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh to present the proclamation. In his remarks, Hogan recalled the...
READ MOREFinish a meal at Grotto in North Syracuse and you might wonder if you were magically transported to the times before the Covid-19 pandemic. Restaurant menu prices have spiked industry-wide since 2020 as the cost of food, labor and other supplies have trended upward, but order a dish like the pappardelle bolognese ($25) and you might wonder if the o...
READ MOREIt's been four years, five months and six days since Mayor Ben Walsh announced the intention to remove the Christopher Columbus statue downtown. He's now running out of time to get that done before he leaves office next January. Mayor Walsh said that he is committed to continuing following the process that began in October 2020, a process that has...
READ MOREWhile it’s still winter in Central New York, it’s never too early to think about your summer plans. For Syracuse University, students have an opportunity along with community members to travel to Italy. Students will get the chance as part of EDU-Tourism organized by the Whitman School of Management to travel along with professors to Florence for e...
READ MOREAndy Mitchell, managing director of Lega Serie A USA (the American division of Italy’s preeminent soccer league), recently visited Falk College to speak with students in the SPM/SAL 300 “Italian Football: Impact and Outcomes” class. The course includes a spring break trip to Italy, where the students will meet with Serie A organizations and other i...
READ MORESweetheart Corner, at the intersection of Route 11 and Taft Road in North Syracuse, is arguably one of the most iconic intersections in the greater Syracuse area. Yet one of the restaurants at that corner seems to be easily forgotten. It doesn’t help that for two years rumors circulated of the restaurant closing to be replaced by a Chick-Fil-A, or...
READ MOREAs they celebrated the milestone of their 50th wedding anniversary in Venice, Italy, in June 2023, Tony Smarrelli, 74, and his wife, Francine, 75, made an important decision. The retired elementary teachers, originally from Syracuse, New York, resolved to leave the US and move to Italy for good. That same year, the Smarrellis, both of Italian desce...
READ MOREOn October 12, 2024, the Columbus Monument in downtown Syracuse turns 90 years old. Most readers are familiar with the protracted legal battle over Mayor Ben Walsh’s decision to remove it amidst a national reckoning with public monuments in 2020. What less people are aware of is the historical context in which it was built. The story begins in 1910...
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