We have lived in rural areas and own a cottage in the mountains, but we have never seen as many deer as there are in the city. We live near Nottingham High School, and we see deer almost every day. We once saw a herd of 12 walking down our driveway. At times we saw it as humorous, saying, “There must be a sign somewhere: 'Free Eats at the Yonai Home.'” However, it is also a very serious problem. We wrote this haiku a year before the community held a meeting attended by several hundred people complaining about the same things. Deer are destroying our yards and eating our plants. People are getting sick from deer ticks with Lyme disease. The deer run in front of cars, causing injuries to the drivers, passengers and deer. It's not an easy problem to solve.

“May you live in interesting times.” We started following the I-81 viaduct issue back in 2015. The community has become actively involved with the fate of this section of highway through community meetings, heated discussions, political posturing, letters to the editor, and media coverage. Through it all one thing stands out—people love our city and only want what's “best” for it. Like a sleeping giant, Syracuse is emerging from its rest and regaining the vibrancy that has been dormant for many years. Just walk around downtown during the work week to see the hustle and bustle of a dynamic city.

No matter the decision about the road, the soul of Syracuse will be able to handle it.