Wednesday, June 9, 2010

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.


Wednesday, June 2, 2010

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.