When I was a kid in WNY factory family, my mother used to daydream about how nice it would be to spend time in Finger Lakes. Never happened. Sixty yrs later, gather my family there for a few days every summer - which was good setting when Aiden McGuire asked me to list 5 points of inspiration:

We were away for a few days in the Finger Lakes, stop that has become annual joy, respite for my family, when Aiden McGuire asked me to identify five things that inspire me each day for his Instagram spot. It was good reminder, something I should always contemplate: www.instagram.com/p/DbLRmmekaR...

One last thought on my column on Capt. Glenn Leak and 1st Lt. Nora McFarland, WWII surgeon and nurse from Buffalo who married at war: Heard from several medical historians who emphasized Dr. Leak’s importance in postwar cancer medicine, as noted in address by Dr. Douglas Tyler…

Central Current, new nonprofit news site in Syracuse, has assembled staggering photojournalist lineup with major paper experience. Example - Images by internationally honored Michelle Gabel for my piece on Mary Ward and her parents, surgical team married near front lines in WWII:

Their World War II romance, surgeon and nurse from military hospital who married while at war, was front page story in Buffalo when they came home. The couple died all too young of cancer, causing orphaned daughter, now retired teacher, to make lasting and precious gift last week. My column:

Janelle Kraus, president of the Syracuse Inner-City Rotary, with Kirk Park bench that will be dedicated at this morning in memory of Al Turner, quiet guy who lifted up the lives of countless young people in the heart of Syracuse. My column:

An update: Funeral Mass for boxing legend Tom Coulter scheduled for Aug. 10. Details in my column:

Theardis Marino, a founder of Inner-City Rotary in Syracuse, was passionate about creating memorial for Al Turner, his cousin and tireless volunteer. Saturday, that will happen in Al's memory - and crowd will also think of Marino, who died before he had chance to see it happen. My column:

If famed newscaster Irv Weinstein had skipped past extraordinary want ad, buried in back pages, in 1971 - written by Buffalo guy in hard spot involving need to buy mismatched shoes - one of most impossible and beautiful of friendships might never have come to be. My column:

A sand castle recreation of the late Jim McCormick’s feet by his children and grandchildren, one foot four sizes larger than the other, a condition going back to infancy that became the centerpiece of an extraordinarily beautiful 55-year friendship. My column:

Passing of Jim McCormick ends one of most beautiful friendships Buffalo has ever seen. Condition going back to infancy left him wearing one size 13 shoe and one size 9. To buy shoes without throwing one pair out, he needed to find mirror opposite. Impossibly, he did. My column:

‘Spike’ Nulle still lives in apartment across Seneca Turnpike from now-closed Remedy, legendary Syracuse tavern that he and co-owner Tom Coulter, boxing legend, closed 11 years ago. Of Coulter’s death last week at 95, Spike said: ‘He lived such a complete life.’ Images: Mike Roy.

Former super middleweight world champion Frankie Liles, mourning deaths of Syracuse youth boxing legends Tom Coulter and Ray Rinaldi within recent weeks: ‘They kept the love of the sport alive.’ Image is Liles, when he fought from Coulter’s gym at Kennedy Square. My column:

Some wonderful David Trotman-Wilkins images of the wildly successful ‘pop-up’ roller skating in Clinton Square, some gatherings of love and support - particularly for children of the community - after a week of grief in Syracuse. My Central Current column:

Only a few weeks after brain surgery, digital storyteller John Kucko is again taking Upstate America images like this for a global audience. On Father’s Day, his daughters surprised him with these reflections of gratitude. My column:

John Kucko, in 2010, with his daughters at Letchworth - place that changed his life, inspired transition to digital storyteller. For Father’s Day, as Kucko recovers from brain surgery, his kids offer gratitude for their dad - and for global wave of love and support. My column:

Yes. His name is the man. It was self-created, for burning reasons of identity and liberty:

Rev. Jermain Loguen: A figure of staggering impact - he helped hundreds upon hundreds in flight from enslavement achieve freedom - yet too often overlooked; a group of high school seniors in Syracuse played central role in new historical marker that celebrates Loguen’s stature. My column:

The annual Light A Candle For Literacy parade and festival - all of it built around literacy giant Geneva Hayden’s lifelong mission and belief that reading is of transformative power, particularly for children raised amid struggle - is today in Syracuse. Images by Mike Greenlar.

Classic image of late Ruth Colvin, at 105, with Geneva Hayden, incredible photo of meeting of pivotal American literacy giants, taken by Mike Greenlar at Light A Candle For Literacy parade in 2022. Greenlar - like all great photojournalists - has gift for right place, right time.

Gift of working with photographers whose work has earned international honors: I told Michelle Gabel my column on Alfonzo Whitehurst, his Brighton Academy football team was really about a season that taught life-affecting lessons of friendship, community. An example of Michelle’s response:

It is an incredibly meaningful coincidence to be asked to speak at the Salt Springs Neighborhood Festival on June 6 - at 2:50 pm, at the Salt City Coffeehouse, operated by Le Moyne College - about the meaning and power of storytelling. It’s free and open to the community.

When Bob Menotti was 12, a Deaf child who had yet to learn sign, he left home for the Rochester School for the Deaf. Eighty-eight years later, the CNY community gathers Friday to honor a legendary life that marked a triumph for disability rights. My column with beautiful Michelle Gabel images:

John Kucko, 9 years ago, with famous ‘ice house’ after a Lake Ontario storm: At 845 am today, a guy whose photos and reflections capture the soul of a region will update thousands of people who follow his work about his sudden diagnosis with a brain tumor, and the path ahead. My column:

Beautiful Mike Greenlar Memorial Day image of Tom Slater, retired director of the Food Bank of CNY, cleaning Korea-Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Syracuse designed by Slater’s childhood friend, Kevin Kane, whose brother Coley died in Vietnam. My column:

Irving Gill, brilliant architect from Syracuse, rose to greatness at time when mass industrialization threatened soul of craftsmanship, found solace in honesty of form. In my new TedX talk, I speak of similarities for journalists and storytellers today when facing industrialization of imagination:

You ever see this image @justintyper1.bsky.social? This is Elmwood in the heyday, maybe late 1950s. Staggering how much of commercial fabric is gone:

JP Crangle, whose-stream-of-consciousness cartoons helped give Gannon’s Isle cream distinct identity, says Eileen Gannon - a founder who died this week - had vision to see potential, courage to take chances, toughness to will a fledgling Syracuse business into legend. My column:

Every community has ice cream stands. But not every community has a Gannon’s Isle - where Eileen Gannon made extraordinary string of brilliant decisions in Syracuse to create a great #UpstateAmerica tradition. Her death this week touched off a wave of civic sorrow. My piece for The Central Current:

Ice cream is one of most commonplace & popular summertime products in the nation. That only underlines brilliance of Eileen Gannon, who died this week at 68 - and extraordinary civic oasis she built with brother John (they’re shown in memorable JP Crangle mural) at Gannon’s Isle: