thursday, september 4, 2025
celebrating 122 years
free
N • Interfaith focus
C • Lasting legacy
S • Cook’s chance
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After years abroad, Rabbi Natan Levy begins his chaplaincy focused on supporting all SU students.
While Dazed is no longer hosting music shows at the house venue, the organizers reminisce on the impact the space had.
Johntay Cook is ready for a new beginning after previous college setbacks and wants to make up for lost time.
city
ONE-AND-IMMORTAL Carmelo Anthony’s Hall of Fame career began with transcendent SU one-and-done
What you missed at first mayoral debate By Sydney DePietto, Chloe Fox Rinka the daily orange
The four candidates contending for the vote in the city of Syracuse’s mayoral debate deliberated key community issues, including policing and government spending, at their first debate of the election season. Democratic candidate and current Deputy Mayor Sharon Owens, Republican candidate Tom Babilon and independents Alfonso Davis and Tim Rudd spoke to around 60 attendees at St. John Baptist Parish Hall in the Northside. The Washington Square Task Force, a Syracuse community group focusing on neighborhood safety, local events and community support, hosted the debate. Task Force facilitator Bonnke Sekarore mediated the event, aiming to create open dialogue between candidates. Sekarore referred to Tuesday night’s event as a “forum” intended to educate the public on each candidate’s goals as mayor. “I did not want this to be barking at each other, calling each other names, or anything of that nature,” Sekarore said. “You’re here today because you want to make an informed decision on Nov. 4.”
Introduction
Before embarking on a Hall of Fame professional career, Carmelo Anthony had a one-and-done season at SU, popularizing the tactic for many to come. courtesy of scrc, daily orange archive photo, meghan hendricks daily orange file photo
By Justin Girshon senior staff writer
A
s he glanced at a shirtless Carmelo Anthony, Hakim Warrick had doubts. Unlike current five-star recruits, who sometimes are bigger stars than NBA players before reaching college, Anthony’s teammates didn’t know much about him. But based on Anthony’s status as a McDonald’s All-American and conversations with Syracuse assistant coach Troy Weaver, Warrick said he was expecting big things from his freshman teammate. That expectation briefly changed when Warrick eyed Anthony before their first practice.
“I was looking at him like, ‘Everyone’s so hype about this? This little chubby dude?’” Warrick said. By the time the Orange finished practice that day at Archbold Gymnasium, any doubts were silenced — the 6-foot-8 forward possessed elite skill, strength and quickness. He wasn’t a normal freshman. Yet Warrick’s wildest dreams couldn’t have envisioned the transcendent campaign Anthony was about to have. In his first step toward becoming a firstballot Basketball Hall of Fame selection — where he’ll be inducted Saturday — Anthony led Syracuse to its lone national championship in 2003. Throughout the campaign, he starred as the first freshman in modern see anthony page 13
It was unheard of. To put up numbers and win the way we did that, that’s just something that wasn’t done before. Hakim Warrick
former su forward
At the forum’s start, each candidate introduced themselves and had five minutes to speak about their backgrounds. Davis said he’s running on a platform of integrity, accountability and collaboration. From Syracuse’s Southside neighborhood, he spoke of his “non-traditional” route after graduating from Buffalo State University, becoming a nurse’s aide and eventually going back to school for a degree in elementary education. Davis ran for mayor in 2009, 2013 and 2017 but was removed from the ballot for invalid signatures. Rudd, the other independent candidate, said his campaign is also focused on accountability, as well as transparency arguing that his roots in Syracuse give him a personal perspective and the professional experience necessary for mayor. After graduating from Syracuse University in 2004, he eventually ran and won as Finance Chair on the Syracuse City Common Council. “I was a team player. I think I really paid attention to the interests of the city,” Rudd said. Rudd served as budget director for the city council, which Rudd said he “did with honor,” but was fired in February over comments made about fellow candidate Owens. Owens, also an SU alumna, is running as a Democrat with the Working Families Party. After receiving an economics degree from SU, she interned with the Dunbar Center and said she knew she had to continue her work with the people of Syracuse. Currently serving as deputy mayor under incumbent Mayor Ben Walsh, Owens told attendees she’s running on a platform of executive experience, efficient management and public services. “There are things we still need to do in the city. We are on a trajectory for amazsee debate page 4