Oh, boy; just when you were harboring smug thoughts about Syracuse University’s mortal football enemy, the Penn State sex abuse took a back seat. The Bernie Fine scandal redirected the national spotlight on Syracuse, and shortly thereafter Mayor Stephanie Miner, the Syracuse Police Department and the district attorney jumped into the fray.

Mike Hopkins, the assistant coach for the Syracuse University men’s basketball team, was asked in mid-November if Orange sophomores Dion Waiters and C.J. Fair could do for this year’s team what Kris Joseph and Scoop Jardine did for the 2009-’10 squad. During that season, Joseph and Jardine were the best one-two punch off the bench in the country and helped an Orange team led by Wes Johnson and Andy Rautins reach the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament.

It’s the cinematic seasonal favorite. Yet director Frank Capra’s 1946 classic took an unusual path to belated success that nearly rivals the story of its small-town big-dreamer protagonist, George Bailey, a savings-and-loan businessman (a career-best turn by James Stewart, pictured, with Donna Reed...

The New York Voices will provide holiday harmonies for the third annual Dunbar Association fundraiser on Saturday, Dec. 17, 8 p.m., at Eastwood’s Palace Theatre....

That’s the burden of all of the drama surrounding former associate head coach Bernie Fine, whom the university fired Nov. 27 amid growing accusations of child molestation against Fine. The story has had a new twist or turn almost daily, and the players have been left to face repeated questions about Fine and how the ordeal has affected the team.

With more than 600 shows under their belt in the past four years, Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad.

numbers inspired by “Twas the Night Before Christmas” and “The Nutcracker” on Sunday, Dec. 11, 3 p.m., at Eastwood’s Palace Theatre,.

Lauren Watson, a senior at Liverpool High School, dons the red nose (sort of) for the 33rd annual holiday production, as students from Dance Centre North perform this show on Saturday, Dec. 10, 11 a.m., at the Mulroy Civic Center’s Crouse-Hinds Concert Theater, 411 Montgomery St. Tickets are $10, $13.50, $14.50, $19. Call 476-7372 for details.

Students from the Syracuse University Drama Department have been touring area schools with this production, a familygeared show dealing with issues concerning racism, peer pressure and conflict resolution. Now the public can take in the show during a noon performance on Dec. 11 at Syracuse Stage’s Storch Theater, 820 E. Genesee St. Pictured are, from left, Emily Rice, Johnny McKeown and Juan C. Velez- Sanchez. Tickets are $5. Call 443-3275 for informatio

Bill Wharton, a.k.a. the Sauce Boss,.