Cigarette Tax Hike Does Double Duty?

Christine Pitawanich / NCC News

6/21/2010

Syracuse, NY – A new tobacco tax could hit smoker’s wallets pretty hard. The statewide legislation proposed by Governor Patterson in his emergency spending bill, would increase the cigarette tax from $2.75 to $4.35 per pack. But the revenue from the new tax may have more of an impact than just filling the state's budget deficit.

Health officials hope that the tax hike will reduce the number of smokers in New York.

“Increasing taxes is a proven method to help people reduce their chances of starting smoking,” said Amy Delia, of the American Cancer Society.

And reducing the number of smokers is exactly what the new bill seems to be doing. According to some Syracuse residents, the extra tax just isn’t worth it.

“It’s too much money,” began Julie Steinbrecher, a Syracuse resident who recently quit smoking. “It’s ridiculous, and with another dollar something, it’s going to be $10 a pack,” she finished.

The same sentiment is shared by others who are quitting because it’s getting too expensive.

"I'm going to quit. I have three kids, it's way too expensive," said Jeremy Degroot, a Syracuse resident.

But despite the fact that the cigarette tax will help people stop smoking, some smoke shop employees just aren’t concerned.

“They’ve raised taxes before and it didn’t really affect our business much,” said Joey Fantacone. “People aren’t going to stop smoking, cigarettes are just too addictive,” he added.

Friends and Family Come Together in Memory of Liverpool Teen

Christine Pitawanich / NCC News

5/26/2010

Bridgeport, NY – A vigil for 17-year-old Victoria Deverso of Liverpool is set to begin at 7pm. It will be held on Route 31 in Bridgeport at the crash site where she was killed on Monday. Hundreds of students are expected to attend.

Little Reminders

Though it has been a couple days since the accident, the light smell of gasoline lingers in the air near the site. Skid marks are still visible on the road. Shards of glass, metal, and fragments of a demolished car lay scattered around two hand-made crosses, put up in memory of Deverso. All are somber reminders that life is too short.

“It’s only here”

Even Michael Latzkowski, owner of Bridgeport Lawn and Garden Repair, built a cross so more people could share their memories and condolences. Latzkowski’s shop is located just a few steps away from the crash site. He was there a couple hours after the accident and watched authorities take the mangled cars away; he wasn’t surprised that the dangerous road took another life.

“This happens five times per year […] It’s definitely that corner. It’s only here and it’s only when people are going really fast,” said Latzkowski.

Some people living in the area are livid about the accidents that seem to keep occurring along the same stretch of road. A resident of Bridgeport said this was the third fatal accident since the first of the year and another crash is inevitable.

Adjustments at Liverpool High School

At Liverpool High, a mock DWI (driving while intoxicated) car wreck demonstration was postponed. On Tuesday, School officials said going through with the demonstration as planned would hit too close to home, so they decided to move it from this week to next week.

“One of the things we’re very concerned with [is] not only making our young people responsible citizens and taking responsibility for all of their acts but to be safe and be healthy,” said Liverpool Superintendent Dr. Richard Johns.

21^st Century Grieving

In addition to the vigil tonight, students have created a Facebook page for Deverso.

“I think that’s how they grieve now,” began Assistant Superintendent Dr. Maureen Patterson. “They grieve by communicating with each other, with photos, with words, with text as opposed to maybe verbalizing with each other. If they can find some sanity in that for themselves, that’s important,” she concluded.

Victoria Deverso was killed while riding as a passenger with 18-year-old Chelsea Kuss of Syracuse. The accident happened as they were driving westbound on Route 31. Kuss tried to pass a car and ran head-on into 38-year-old Peggy Blume. Currently, Kuss is in critical condition at University Hospital and Blume, who is also at University Hospital, is in serious condition.

Below is a short video of Michael Latzkowski talking about the accident aftermath and the reputation surrounding the small segment of road.

Holy Trinity Church: Worthy of Becoming a Landmark?

Christine Pitawanich / NCC News

6/9/2010

Syracuse, NY – They say beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and for many Northside residents, the Holy Trinity Roman Catholic Church sitting on 503 Park Street is the definition of beauty. But since its closure in February, a handful of parishioners have been fighting to make the more than 100 year old church, a protected site in Syracuse.

The Syracuse Landmark Preservation Board met on Monday to hear arguments for, and against, preserving the church. However, there will be no decision on the issue until a later date. Board members said they wanted to see the church’s beauty for themselves before making the final call.

Parishioners Band Together

In attendance were several people in support of making the Holy Trinity Church a protected site.

“What are we leaving behind, another boarded up building?” asked Anna Giannantonio, a devoted Holy Trinity parishioner. “We need that on the Northside and it needs to be preserved for our future,” she continued.

More Than Just a Building

And for some people living on the Northside, preserving the church would communicate an important message.

“I believe designating Holy Trinity Church as a historic landmark will send a message to the people of the Northside of Syracuse that this area, our entire area, is worth preserving for future generations,” said Katherine Scott, a Syracuse Resident who has attended Holy Trinity for the last 55 years.

Holy Opposition

But not everyone is in favor of making the church a protected site. Father John Warner of the Roman Catholic Church attended the board meeting and voiced his opposition.

“For too many years we have been in diminishment mode, cutting back on ministry, staff and maintenance, simply to keep parishes open,” explained Father Warner. “We cannot pretend that there are not serious problems. The finances and the staffing are not there to support a historic landmark,” he concluded.

The People’s Church

Though the Diocese has said it doesn’t have enough money to maintain Holy Trinity Church as a landmark, some parishioner’s say it’s not up to the Diocese.

“The parishioners, the people, we are supposed to be the ones who take care of our church,” said parishioner Sylvia Flores. “It is a home, it is my mother, and my refuge,” she continued.

If the proposal passes at the next Syracuse Landmark Preservation Board meeting, the next step will be getting passed through the Common Council.

Tanning Beds May Increase Risk of Melanoma Up To Fourfold

Christine Pitawanich / NCC News

6/2/2010

Syracuse, NY – The summer sun is shining, but bronzed beauties beware: if you’re hitting the tanning bed before the beach, you might want to reconsider. According to a new study by theAmerican Association for Cancer Research (AACR), people who tan indoors are up to four times more likely to develop Melanoma than those who don’t use tanning beds.

What is Melanoma?

Melanoma is one of the deadliest forms of skin cancer. It is the leading cause of death from skin disease and can spread to other organs in the body.

“Melanoma [is] very rapidly spreading. I don’t think there is any such thing as a healthy tan or anyone that really should tan,” said Sue Green, a Crouse Hospital RN.

“Tanning represents the skin’s response to injury; it’s trying to prevent injury to the skin so it darkens,” she continued.

New Findings

Before the study, tanning beds were only weakly associated with Melanoma. Now, the AACR’s in-depth study points to the conclusion that tanning indoors causes cancer.

Along with the new findings, the Food and Drug Administration(FDA) is considering stricter regulations, or possibly a complete ban, on tanning for teens under the age of 18. But according to the study, the age people start tanning doesn’t matter nearly as much as how often they do it.

Tanning Salons Not Too Concerned

But despite the negative attention the study brings towards indoor tanning, some salon owners aren’t expecting to see much change.

“We actually saw a mild spike in tanning this year, about 3% up,” said Dominick Barbano, owner of Garbo’s Tanning Salon.

“Truth be told, young people especially, are concerned with their appearance and It’s also a proven statement that people of color are more attractive,” he concluded.

For Barbano, it’s all about moderation.

“Listen, It’s been medically proven for decades that alcohol causes cerosis of the liver. Does that mean you’re not supposed to drink?” asked Barbano. “No, it means you’re not supposed to drop a quart of vodka every night. Apply that to tanning: if it’s in moderation, and you can tan, then it’s fine,” he said.

And many customers agree. For them, the risk is worth it.

“I don’t worry about it too much, I just don’t,” said Terri Battisto, a Garbo’s Salon customer. “It’s worth the tradeoff for me, it really is.”

Bronzing Without the Burn

There are many ways people can get that coveted tan without exposing themselves to damaging UV rays. One method is a paying around $25-$30 for a spray tan, where a salon employee airbrushes the customer by hand with bronzer.

But if you’re not willing to spend that kind of cash on temporary color, there are more affordable spray-on tanners costing around $10 a bottle.

Friends and family come together in memory of Liverpool teen

Christine Pitawanich / NCC News

5/26/2010

Bridgeport, NY – A vigil for 17-year-old Victoria Deverso of Liverpool is set to begin at 7pm. It will be held on Route 31 in Bridgeport at the crash site where she was killed on Monday. Hundreds of students are expected to attend.

Little Reminders

Though it has been a couple days since the accident, the light smell of gasoline lingers in the air near the site. Skid marks are still visible on the road. Shards of glass, metal, and fragments of a demolished car lay scattered around two hand-made crosses, put up in memory of Deverso. All are somber reminders that life is too short.

“It’s only here”

Even Michael Latzkowski, owner of Bridgeport Lawn and Garden Repair, built a cross so more people could share their memories and condolences. Latzkowski’s shop is located just a few steps away from the crash site. He was there a couple hours after the accident and watched authorities take the mangled cars away; he wasn’t surprised that the dangerous road took another life.

“This happens five times per year […] It’s definitely that corner. It’s only here and it’s only when people are going really fast,” said Latzkowski.

Some people living in the area are livid about the accidents that seem to keep occurring along the same stretch of road. A resident of Bridgeport said this was the third fatal accident since the first of the year and another crash is inevitable.

Adjustments at Liverpool High School

At Liverpool High, a mock DWI (driving while intoxicated) car wreck demonstration was postponed. On Tuesday, School officials said going through with the demonstration as planned would hit too close to home, so they decided to move it from this week to next week.

“One of the things we’re very concerned with [is] not only making our young people responsible citizens and taking responsibility for all of their acts but to be safe and be healthy,” said Liverpool Superintendent Dr. Richard Johns.

21^st Century Grieving

In addition to the vigil tonight, students have created a Facebook page for Deverso.

“I think that’s how they grieve now,” began Assistant Superintendent Dr. Maureen Patterson. “They grieve by communicating with each other, with photos, with words, with text as opposed to maybe verbalizing with each other. If they can find some sanity in that for themselves, that’s important,” she concluded.

Victoria Deverso was killed while riding as a passenger with 18-year-old Chelsea Kuss of Syracuse. The accident happened as they were driving westbound on Route 31. Kuss tried to pass a car and ran head-on into 38-year-old Peggy Blume. Currently, Kuss is in critical condition at University Hospital and Blume, who is also at University Hospital, is in serious condition.

Below is a short video of Michael Latzkowski talking about the accident aftermath and the reputation surrounding the small segment of road.

A Love of Clocks in Central New York

Christine Pitawanich / NCC News

4/21/2010

Syracuse, NY – Finding a clock maker or a clock repair shop can be pretty tough these days. As people have moved towards digital timekeeping, horologists, experts who build or repair clocks, have slowly begun to vanish. But Central New York is home to two men who still pursue a craft that’s steeped in tradition.

In Madison, New York, Chris Harter makes 18th century-style clocks and furniture, while in Syracuse, Karl Kascha fixes and sells clocks at his shop. In this digital era, their passion for hand-made clocks is something of a rarity among a generation which relies almost solely on digital time-keeping devices.

A Hidden Gem in Syracuse

From the outside, Karl’s Klocks doesn’t look any different from all the other homes and buildings lining the street. There’s no big sign, no big parking lot, and no big fancy storefront. But despite all that, a steady stream of customers manage to find Karl’s shop in hopes that he will work some magic on their beloved, but broken clocks.

“I’m a sentimental fool as well as a lot of my customers,” said Karl as he repaired an old cuckoo clock. “It’s a good thing there’s a few of us out there or I would be out of business.”

Shared Sentiment

One of Karl’s customers, Teri Brush also values the sentimental aspect of clocks. To her, clocks play a more important role than keeping time.

“[That] clock is over 150 years old,” began Brush as she motioned towards the clock Karl was inspecting. “It was in my family, it was my grandfathers. It’s been handed down; it’s tradition,” she said.

And tradition is what Chris Harter loves about making clocks in his Madison workshop.

“250 years from now these pieces should still be around,” said Chris. “Children are going to take [the clocks] with them and that’s where you see generation after generation have these pieces,” he finished.

Quality, Not Quantity

According to Chris, it’s the quality of a hand-made clock that sets it apart from others.

“Every aspect is being done by one person [and] there is a high degree of quality,” said Chris. “My greatest motivation is just that passion of what I love to do and doing it with excellence...I’m glad I’m not making furniture item 4412 with finish a, b, or c.”

And excellence is exactly what both Chris and Karl strive for as they make and repair clocks that could potentially keep ticking for hundreds of years to come.

Adaptive Sports Growing in New York

Christine Pitawanich / NCC News

2/17/2010

Syracuse, NY - Each year as more people become disabled, adaptive sports programs across the country grow as well. New York ranks high on the list of states with the most adaptive sports programs which give people with disabilities an opportunity to stay active.

Adaptive Sports in the State

In New York, almost 1.5 million people have either a physical or intellectual disability, according to a 2006 Census survey. Laurie Kennedy, New York’s Special OlympicsRegional Director, is seeing more competitors in the Winter Games this year, and in general, more adaptive sports.

“ New York is pretty ahead of the curve in adaptive sports. Because there’s a lot of organizations that are […] having lots of opportunities like more than one season, more than one sport,” said Kennedy.

Going for the Gold

Kayla McKeon plays more than eight sports. But McKeon isn’t just any athlete, she’s a Special Olympian.

“The more excited you are, the more pumped you are to get out there and work hard and for the gold,” said McKeon.

And to get the gold, she focused on being a good goalie for her floor hockey team, which included practicing her smack talking skills.

“[I usually say] hey buddy boy want a piece of me? Come over here and let me have it,” said McKeon.

At last week’s New York Special Olympics held in Syracuse, 400 athletes with intellectual disabilities came together to compete in the Winter Games.

“When I was in high school I really couldn’t keep up physically, but in Special Olympics, I know I can,” said McKeon.

Special Olympics isn’t the only organization that’s seen an increase in athletes. Other adaptive sports programs in the area have seen growth as well.

A Chance to Ski Again

At Toggenburg Mountain, the Arise and Ski program teaches 80 people how to ski, has doubled the number of sessions and is inclusive of all disabilities. Gregg Kuersteiner was diagnosed with Muscular Dystrophy in his mid-30’s and through the program, has learned to use a bi-ski on the mountain.

“If it wasn’t for the program I wouldn’t be skiing at all,” said Kuersteiner.

Eric Kuersteiner, Gregg’s brother and volunteer instructor with the Arise and Ski program, skis with his brother and sees the benefits of the program.

“Gregg’s normal way of being is struggling hard to do basic things,” said Kuersteiner. “This allows him so much freedom that he almost has no place else in his life.”

Win or Lose, There’s Still Pride

For those who participate in adaptive sports, freedom, fun, and support is what it’s all about. And back at the Special Olympics, winning or losing doesn’t really matter so much to McKeon.

“No matter what we do, we always make our family and friends proud of who we really are,” she said.

And pride was in the air when, for the first time, McKeon and her floor hockey team claimed the gold medal for their division.