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:

Mary Ward’s parents were American WW II physician and combat nurse from Buffalo. Her mom’s 1945 wedding dress in France was made of silk from Luftwaffe parachute. They died young. Mary was orphaned. Last week, she lived out their last great lesson. column: centralcurrent.org/sean-kirst-o...

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:

Saturday, in gratitude and appreciation, a crowd will gather at Kirk Park in Syracuse for dedication of bench to honor Al Turner, whose dedication to community was so intense his friends say his spirit will still be around. My Central Current column: centralcurrent.org/sean-kirst-a...

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:

such a great story, @seankirst.bsky.social does it again. you are one hell of a storyteller my friend.

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:

In 1971, Buffalo newscaster Irv Weinstein read this want ad with disbelief: A guy with one foot size nine, one size 13, was looking to find his exact opposite, and thus buy shoes together. Impossibly, he found him - touching off friendship of 55 years. My column: centralcurrent.org/sean-kirst-a...

Light speckles a Julia Child Rose blooming in the Delaware Park Rose Garden in today's #EveryDayAPhoto by Joshua Bessex. https://buffalonews.com/multimedia/collection_1c4bf885-0fa0-446c-97ee-769a9040f2a6.html?utm_medium=social&utm_source=bluesky_ 

‘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:

At 95, farewell to the great Tom Coulter of Syracuse, Olympic boxing coach who worked with legends ... but whose greatest impact was undoubtedly on young people he trained at a small city gym in Syracuse at the old Kennedy Square. My column, with Mike Roy images: centralcurrent.org/sean-kirst-t...

Fifteen months ago, wrote this piece for #BuffaloNews upon passing of my brother. Hopefully, a few universals. Many people beyond Buffalo, without subscriptions, couldn't read it. The #BN dropping its paywall for Fourth of July weekend. Here's the piece: buffalonews.com/news/local/c...

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:

In Syracuse, city officials saw passionate response to pop-up roller skating at Clinton Square as a statement of possibility, not as a one-and-done - and promise it will only serve as ignition point. My Central Current column, images by David Trotman-Wilkins: centralcurrent.org/sean-kirst-a...

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:

John Kucko’s beautiful digital reminders of magnificent landscape along New York’s western Thruway corridor has built global audience. On Father’s Day, as their dad recovers from brain surgery, his daughters offer thanks for sweeping love and support. My column: centralcurrent.org/sean-kirst-o...

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:

Rev. Jermaine Loguen credited by historians with helping beyond 1,000 flee to Canada and liberty along Underground Railroad. Group of Syracuse teens, feeling he’s too often overlooked, worked on marker in his honor, unveiled in same week as Juneteenth. My column: centralcurrent.org/sean-kirst-s...

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.

In Syracuse, excitement of Saturday’s annual Light A Candle literacy parade amplified by dreams of South Side literacy center in landmark Hayden home. My column: centralcurrent.org/sean-kirst-s...

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:

Coach Alfonzo Whitehurst knew the Brighton Academy modified flag football team needed a collective turnaround. The means, the ignition, became sharing the pain of his own story. My Central Current column, with stunning Michelle Gabel images: centralcurrent.org/sean-kirst-a...

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.

Arts and crafts movement was passionate, elevate-humanity-and-artistry response to industrialization of craftmanship, dehumanization of the work. Central Current shared my TedX talk, basically: We need arts and crafts reaction to industrialization of imagination. centralcurrent.org/watch-sean-k...

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:

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:

Services Friday for Bob Menotti, Syracuse giant and leader of CNY Deaf community, who lived to see - and fully enjoy - his 100th birthday. My Central Current column: centralcurrent.org/sean-kirst-s...

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:

He’s a treasure. Sending all the good vibes in the world to his recovery.

A few days ago, John Kucko saw astounding rainbow at Letchworth waterfall. Driving home, he suddenly endured a seizure. Tuesday, beloved envoy of regional beauty shares live message with thousands of followers about a brain tumor, and 'path ahead.' My column: centralcurrent.org/sean-kirst-f...

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:

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:

Forty-two years after he designed the Korea-Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Syracuse, Kevin Kane - whose brother Coley died in Vietnam - returned with friends on Memorial Day to wash it by hand. My column, with beautiful Mike Greenlar images: centralcurrent.org/sean-kirst-e...

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:

My TedX talk last month at @syracuseu.bsky.social gave me the chance to talk about three unforgettable human beings whose journeys are testament to what we can't forget, in age of AI, as journalists and storytellers - and also point to a means of hope, going forward: www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxXV...

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:

Sean with another great story on the passing of a local icon and ice cream genius.

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:

In Syracuse, the astounding ice cream legacy - and touch of genius - of Eileen Gannon, quiet civic giant whose funeral is this morning. My Central Current column: centralcurrent.org/sean-kirst-e...

The intriguing family journey of Brad Clarry - at 75, born in Hawaii, raised in Syracuse neighborhood of Elmwood - and a guy who just donated a vehicle to the war effort in Ukraine in memory of a brother renowned for humanitarian work. My column: centralcurrent.org/sean-kirst-a...

The extraordinary basketball shot clock monument in Syracuse, restored and in (slightly) new downtown location, makes a point about sports history - but also the power of possibility, when you least expect it. My column for The Central Current: centralcurrent.org/sean-kirst-s...