Horsin' Around Syracuse

It started 125 years ago. Now, the National Horse Show has made its way to the Syracuse Invitational Sporthorse Tournament. The event that started Tuesday will run through the weekend, with over fifty different class competitions, with first prize winners taking home anywhere from five hundred to one hundred thousand dollars. And that’s per event. But Deborah Sandore of Baldwinsville says just having the opportunity to compete, she is a great accomplishment. “These riders today, you have to have so many points to be in the show. And the other ones, you'd still have to qualify. You have to be, really well ridden.” Wednesday afternoon brought the hunter classes to the War Memorial. Whether it was an event in which the riders and horses had to jump obstacles, or just walking events that consisted of walking, trotting and cantering, the hunter class events are more about the animal. “It's about the form of the horse, and not so much the rider. And the evenness of going over the course” says Linda Peeters. She came from Oneonta to see her daughter, who has loved and ridden horses for over thirty years. She finished eighth and ninth in two events. And while it might be cold and snowy in Syracuse, competitors in this years show are descending upon the Oncenter with their horse trailers in tow from as far as California.

Exotic Pets- Hot or Not?

Oct 29 2008 Halloween fun is right around the corner, but not everyone needs a costume to look scary on this special day.

A bit scary, huh? But do they really deserve this notorious fame?

“People always assume they’re going to have salmonella. They’re dirty,” said Carl Ackerbauer, owner of Ack’s Exotic Pets store in Cicero. “I think it’s just hearsay. They get that misconception in their mind and they just don’t know the truth behind it. So they get scared and get nervous, but they really should not be worried at all.”

And more and more people are in fact learning about the “truth” behind exotic animals. Ackerbauer said his store is the only one in Central New York that sells hedgehogs and many other exotic animals, and hedgehog sales have doubled over the past two years. Right now he sells an average of six to ten hedgehogs, four birds and three boas every month. He says the Internet definitely plays a major role in people's rising interest

But Ackerbauer also said information on the Internet may not always be accurate, and there have been a few cases where his customers bought exotic pets home, only to find out a couple days later that these animals were not what they had expected. But he said there are several ways to avoid surprises like these.

“Do research. Come in and talk to us or talk to people who’ve had them!” said Ackerbauer.

But owning an exotic pet comes with a price. Although you will save some cash and a couple trips from going to the vet, since most exotic animals do not require shots or annual checkups that cats and dogs do, they are still generally more expensive. For example, a guinea pig is about six to ten dollars, but a hedgehog of about the same size can cost up to 125 dollars, before tax.

So once again, if you’re thinking about joining the trend, and buy a pet that’s not going to bark in the middle of the night or repetitively scratch your living room carpet- talk to people, do you homework, and then decide if an exotic animal is right for you.

Ever heard of a coatimundi? These raccoon looking animals are affectionate and intelligent, but are much less common than birds or snakes. You won't probably see them at typical, corporate pet stores, such as PetSmart or Petco.

Prayer March

OCTOBER 29 - This morning at around 11, a group of about 100 Catholics walked from the Roman Catholic church in downtown Syracuse to Planned Parenthood on East Genesee St, to pray the rosary.

The pilgrimage was in honor of "respect life" month. The whole thing was led by Bishop James Moynihan, and the group consisted of older people, students from two Catholic high schools, and even some smaller children in strollers.


They walked about a mile in the snow.

Bishop Moynihan gave a small speech after the rosary finished. He said he has been leading this group for 13 years, and although this year they had walked in the snow, he had walked in colder weather. Moynihan also said in his speech that it is important to get the anti-abortion sentiment out there, and that by coming out and praying today, the effect is positive.

"As a result of our prayer and testimony, others come to believe"


However, even though the group does walk to Planned Parenthood every year, they never march this close to election day. So the question of whether or not the timing of this march was politically motivated, was a question left hanging in the air.

Betty DeFazio of Planned Parenthood in Syracuse gave us this statistic,

"...according to polling, 79% of Catholics in the United States believe that Catholics can make up their own mind on moral issues like abortion and birth control."

So, although people participating in the march claimed there was no motivation, there perhaps could have been some underlying factors.

Exotic Pets Gaining Popularity

October 29-Dogs, cats, and the goldfish that has a lifespan of what seems like two weeks are yesterday's news. According to the National Pet Ownership Survey, the percentage of households that own dogs, cats, and freshwater fish is down.

Snakes, parrots, and hedgehogs are among the most popular exotic animals people are increasingly turning to for companionship.

The appeal of exotic pets comes simply from how different they are from the normal pet.

"It’s actually nice when people own snakes because it takes people out of their element and it almost makes them interested," says corn snake owner Nikki Carlson.

Carl Ackerbauer, owner of Ack's Exotic Pets, says the popularity of snakes is increasing, but they aren't the most popular exotic animal.

" Birds are number one, birds are our number one seller," says Ackerbauer, "They don't need shots, they don’t need a yearly checkup, I do recommend it though just as a precaution."

Ackerbauer says across the board his business has been booming because people want different pets and he's got all kinds of animals from big to small, well known to unknown.

Ackerbauer says Central New Yorkers have requested from gigantic pythons to ferrets and cockatoos to kinkajous and coatimundis. But before you look into buying an exotic pet, Ackerbauer says do you research, "Look up animals on the internet or talk to someone who handles an exotic pet before buying."

Ackerbauer says this helps prevent the purchase of unwanted pets since many will be released to the wild when the owner no longer wants the pet.

What would you do with $1T?

The federal government has well exceeded the $1 trillion mark in the War in Iraq. It's even gotten to the point where people are thinking: what else could we do with that much money? Rob Simpson has 50 answers to that question in his new book, What We Could Have Done With the Money, and some of those answers are bizarre.

"Definitely paving the streets with gold," Simpson said by phone from his home in Tennessee. "That's about as silly as you can get."

Simpson also said that the government can build exact replicas of each of the wonders of the world and put them in America with the money. But Simpson says the real issue is that nobody seems to grasp the amount.

"We can't appreciate what they really represent and that leaves people divorced from the issue," Simpson said.

Some students don't even understand how to spend that much money.

"I couldn't even begin to imagine that much money, I can't," SU Senior Allison Gibbons said. "It's phenomenal to me that they've even managed to spend that much."

Onondaga County Legislator Tom Buckel (a Democrat) had some opinions on the matter at hand as well.  Unfortunately, none of what he said could make it into the actual package.  So with that in mind, here are a few of the highlights from my extensive interview with him.

Recession or Depression?

October 29, 2008

This was a common sight during the Great Depression of the 1930s.

Public domain photograph pulled from Franklin D. Roosevelt Library and Museum

This is a common sight in Syracuse today.

Today is the 79th anniversary of Black Tuesday, a day on which the stock market experienced a devastating crash, ushering in the Great Depression. LeMoyne College Economics Professor Wayne Grove said the United States is currently experiencing a recession, but warns that this recession can spiral out of control and become a depression.

Grove said the difference between a depression and recession is that a depression is a recession that becomes very severe or lasts for a long time.

Grove said the current economic crisis is driven by financial uncertainty associated with the failing housing market. Grove explained that money flowing into the country from foreign middle classes, as well as an intentional federal effort, drove down interest rates in recent years.

"Those interest rates were so low," Grove said," it made it really inexpensive to borrow. That encouraged a lot of people to borrow, and encouraged excessive borrowing, and helped fuel the rise in housing prices."

Grove further explained that the ease with which people were borrowing money meant that credit standards were lowered.

"As a consequence, you end up with people who are able to buy homes in which the mortgage payments they've got to make are really out of line with their earnings potential," Grove said. "Particularly the people who didn't have the kind of job security that would guarantee that for 30 years they would have the income earning ability that in good times they were able to have."

Grove said the current unemployment rate, 6.1 %, is high, but not excessively so. Instead, he asserts that many more people are under-employed (are part-time when they want to be full-time). He said under-employment rates are a stronger measure of the health of the economy.

Grove said the current recession can be resolved in two ways. First, he says, the housing market needs to bottom out and reach some realistic values.

"Once those are appropriate," he said," then a lot of the financial instruments associated with housing which are causing the collateral problems will sort themselves out, and the banking market can settle."

The second way to resolve the recession is to increase government spending, Grove said. New York State has balanced-budget requirements--it may not spend more money than it takes in. Grove said, however, the balanced-budget requirements contribute to the downward spiral of the economy.

"When you cut spending, as Governor Paterson is now doing--he's not a bad guy, but it's the state budget requirements of having balanced budgets--it's the cutting of jobs, which reduces people's incomes, which reduces people in the State of New York's abilities to buy goods and services, which exacerbates the recession.

A different kind of election. - October 29th, 2008

Senator Barack Obama has a 53-43 percent lead over John McCain according to a recent ABC News poll. He's also leading a different kind of race: Halloween masks sales. Buycostumes.com, an online Haloween store, reports in its Presidential Mask Poll Obama's mask is outselling McCain's by a margin of 55-45 percent.

Presidential and Vice-Presidential Candidates are some of the most popular costumes this Halloween. At Dougherty's Masquerade in Syracuse, John McCain and Sarah Palin masks are scarce on the racks, and buying an Obama mask is even tougher.

"We had quite a few of them. They sold literally within a couple of days. We had a list of people waiting for them" says Jen Ortiz, an employee at Dougherty's Masquerade.

Sales of Obama masks currently top Mccain mask sales by roughly 30 percent in New York State, according to the Buycostumes.com poll.

Want to be Sarah palin this Halloween, click below

Can Halloween Sales Predict the Next President?

(AP Photo)

October 29, 2008--Political Figures like Sarah Palin, John McCain, and Barack Obama are all getting face time this Halloween. If you want to be John McCain this season, you could still get a mask at several Halloween stores in Syracuse. But, if you want to be Barack Obama, you are out of luck.

Stores like Dougherty's Masquerade, and Party City have sold out of all Barack Obama masks. Jennifer Ortiz, manager at Dougherty's Masquerade says, "they sold out literally within a couple of weeks." She adds that the store has people on a long waiting list for these popular masks. Buycostumes.com, which is a national costume retailer claims, "it has successfully predicted the winning presidential candidate since 2000, based only on mask sales." This Halloween, Obama is outselling McCain in New York State 63 percent to 37 percent. Nationally, Obama Masks lead McCain, 55 percent to 45 percent.

Even though Obama masks are hard to find, many retailers say Sarah Palin is the number one costume for the season. Boom Babies, a local Halloween store, doesn’t carry masks, but they have dressed several customers in Palin customs. Salesperson, Stefanie Sigirist says, "You can have a lot of fun props. You can have a shot gun, a dead moose, a bulldog and the lipstick."

According to a Washington Post ABC News Poll out this week, Obama is leading McCain 53 percent to 43 percent. Similar to the 10 percent lead Obama has in national mask sales.

Want to be Sarah Palin for Halloween? Sefanie Sigirist from Boom Babies shows you how.

Orange Basketball Tickets Go On Sale

Season and individual tickets for the 2008-09 Syracuse men's basketball season went on sale Wednesday, drawing a crowd of nearly 100 people to the box office at the Carrier Dome.

The line extended from Gate B about 75 yards, and if you were in the back of the line, the wait was nearly an hour to get to the box office. It shouldn't come as a surprise, given the team's expectations for this year.

"I would expect there's a lot of preseason high expectations for this team," said Pat Campbell, the associate director of athletics, "and that will translate into better-than-usual ticket sales, I'm hoping."

Those who showed up in nearly freezing temperatures expressed their hopes for the Orange. "Let's try to get to the NCAA [tournament]", said Fred Straud, who bought tickets for all Big East games. "I want to compete for the Big East crown, and just see some good basketball."

"I think the team is starting to gel together," said Don DeGiovine, who will be going to six or seven games this year. "They've got two guys coming back [Andy Rautins and Eric Devendorf], and I think they'll be strong even though they lost [Donte'] Greene."

Campbell said the recent national economic downturn has not and can not affect ticket prices, since they have been set since the spring.

"There's a limit we can price our basketball product at, and we're at it. It's consistent to what we've done in previous years."

Campbell said prices for most Big East games are $30, but that a few selected games will go as high as $33, depending on the prestige of the school. Campbell said that if business expectations are met, there should be at least a couple games this year that exceed 30,000 people in attendance.

SU Won't Forgot Students Lost In Pan Am Flight 103

It's been nearly 20 years since 35 Syracuse University students aboard Pan Am Flight 103 lost their lives on December 21, 1988 when the plane blew up over Lockerbie, Scotland.

SU Staff Member Kelly Rodoski was a freshman at SU in 1988 and says she'll never forget that day.

"It was the end of the world as we knew it, for all of us -- even if we didn't know anyone on the plane," she said.

And despite the fact that many SU students were not even born at the time, Rodoski says she commends the University for its efforts to keep the memories alive of those lost in the crash.

Around campus, monuments, sculptures, ribbons and pictures of the 35 students lost are on display for Remembrance Week.

Rodoski says every student should take the time to honor those lost in the crash because it's part of SU history.

Fighting for Funds

Senator Chuck Schumer proposed a bill today that he says will help save nursing schools in Central New York.

For the past year, The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) - a government organization - has been cutting back on the amount of money it gives to teaching hospitals.

St. Elizabeth, Crouse, and St. Joseph's hospitals haven't felt the pinch yet, but they're feeling the pressure.

"I'm operating under the assumption," said Marianne Markowitz, Dean of St. Joseph's Hospital College of Nursing, "that the money is going to continue. But if it doesn't, then we are going to have answer some questions about enrollment, and if we can stay open."

Yes. The implication there is that without this money, St. Joseph's Hospital College of Nursing might have to shut down.

How much money are we talking about? Sen. Schumer says CNY nursing schools will lose about a total of $7.5 million per year - that's about $2.5 million each for St. Elizabeth, Crouse, and St. Joseph's.

Dean Markowitz says that money is used for teacher salaries, upgrading equipment, and keeping the tuition affordable.

The bill Sen. Schumer proposed prevents those funds from being cut.

"The future of nursing depends on [this bill]," said Cynthia Korff, second-year student at St. Joseph's College of Nursing. "If these funds get cut, I don't know what's going to happen...I mean I do know what's going to happen - nursing schools are going to shut down and there's going to be a lot less nurses.

"It scares me that this is even an issue."

The Circus is Here

October 22, 2008 - The Ringling Brothers Circus is in Syracuse at the War Memorial with their Boom A Ring show that has white tigers and Asian elephants in it .

But before the fun starts, the team under the production manager, Jason Gibson's commend will have to piece the work that goes behind the show together, which provides the excitement.

"It's a puzzle. You got to get every piece from the cast to the crew to the staff. We need every piece in there. If there’s a missing piece in the puzzle, you don’t have . . . the greatest show on earth," said Gibson.

His team of about 100 people started setting up since 7 a.m Wednesday.  It is just a routine for them. But you have to make sure everything is in place.

“It’s a lot of hard work to get the show up and running,” said Gibson. “I have to make sure every little detail the show is working properly from the sound to the lights to the props.”

Gibson said, in the end, the most important thing that matters to his entire team is putting smiles on people’s faces.

“It’s a passion of entertaining people for a living,” said Gibson. 

Living with autism on the farm

As a parent with a child with autism, Katrina Blanchard did something unique to care for her.
She opened a corn maze and harvest festival.
"Our mission is to look at the person not the disability," Blanchard said.
Wolf Oak Acres in Oneida features corn cannons, pig races, gem stone mining, a cow train, and pedal karts.
Each activity caters to a different sense, Blanchard said.
The Autism Society of America (ASA) said physical and sensory therapy, like the one Blanchard uses, are forms of treatment for autism.
ASA also said it is better to avoid large crowds and loud noises with autistic children.
But for Blanchard, it is just what the doctor ordered.

Remembrance Week At SU

Syracuse University is remembering the 35 students who died in the Pan Am 103 Flight bombing in 1988.

Kelly Rodoski was a freshman living at Flint Hall at the time of the attack. She said she remembers, "A girl on my floor screaming that there was a plane crash. It was unlike anything we had ever seen before."

Rodoski is now the communications manager of news services at SU. As part of her job, she organizes Rememberance Week. On the week she said, "It's a celebration of the lives of the students who died."

Rodoski, along with other students and volunteers, has set up various monuments, sculptures, and displays across campus this week to remember the 35 students who died in the crash.

For more information on events taking place during Remembrance Week, you can visit: http://undergraduatestudies.syr.edu/Remembrance/LEVEL%202/RemembranceWeek.html

Fun on The Farm- 10/22/08

The sun is shining, the air is crisp but not cold, and the leaves are peaking in beautiful oranges and reds. What a wonderful day to wander around a maze mowed into a 10 acre corn maze in Central New York. Today was not one of those days. It was wet, it was cloudy, and it was cold. Yet about one hundred local kindergartners, along with teachers and chaperons, wandered the pathways of CNY's Largest Corn Maze at Wolf Oak Acres in Oneida. But wander was not all they did. Dressed in layers and donning hats and mittens mostly likely for the first time this season they took a hay ride, played in a pit of corn kernels, took a ride on a "cow train", and watched a pig race. Despite the bad weather, they spent over two hours outside on the farm.

Maybe it was all those fun activities, maybe it was the popcorn, maybe it was the hot apple cider, or perhaps just the fun of the farm that kept all those five year olds in good spirits in the frigid temps. Whatever it was, it is probably the same thing that has already brought thousands to the field on Creek Road in the farm's first season of fall fun operation.

The crowds may be large, but so are the bills. Owner Katrina Blanchard says the price of keeping the tanks of her four tractors full is "astronomical". But don't expect the cost passed on to visitors. Blanchard says jacking up the prices doesn't make any sense, the most important thing is that people get the hands on experience and fun of the farm. Wolf Oak Acres caters to those that could use that fun the most, offering discounts for children with disabilities, servicemen and women, and of course students. By the final weekend Blanchard says they will have treated at least three thousand students to a day of a corny fun.

Senior Citizens Talk About Upcoming Election

Senator John DeFrancisco held his Fifth Annual Senior Fair on Wednesday, giving senior citizens from the area a chance to find help on different issues concerning their lifestyles.

These are issues that could play a big part in determining how the demographic votes in next month's Presidential election. Seniors we talked to had differing opinions on what they thought were top priorities.

"Social security, the strength of that program, and Medicare have to be in the top three at least," said Brenda DeGroff, a senior citizen from Syracuse.

"We're used to doing some traveling and a lot of things, gas has affected us," said Joanne Whalen of Syracuse, after saying that the economy was the top concern for everyone. "Anything that affects anybody affects a senior citizen."

One senior didn't offer an opinion as to what was most important when we asked him, rather he vented about the political system in general.

"The whole system is terrible," said Norman Nikolini of Solvay. "Everything is corrupt as far as I'm concerned. It's so crooked, it's unbelievable."

For those who had opinions on what was most important to the country, DeGroff summed it up accurately.

"The economy. Education. Terrorism. We all as Americans think of those things as being very important."

Falling Gas Prices in CNY

With the price of crude oil dropping, so is the price of gasoline nationwide. You can find out where the gas is cheapest in your neighborhood at gasbuddy.com. In the Syracuse area, the cheapest gas is at the Kwik Fill on Route 31 in Cicero, just off of 81, at 2.93 per gallon.

“Well everybody hopes it’ll stay down. I mean it puts a big press on everybody’s pocketbook,” says Patrick Keefer. Having once had to pay around one-hundred dollars to fill the tank in his pickup truck, Keefer adds, “I don’t really fill it up every week but I got change left over.” Others enjoy the relief at the pump, but weren’t so optimistic about the future of gasoline prices. “It’s a good psychological barrier were under three. For how long who knows” added Paul Powers of Cicero.

At AAA, everyone is just hoping that people are more willing to travel now that they may save some money. Diana Dibble, the Public Affairs Manager for AAA Western and Central New York says gas prices are down because as summer ended, the demand has dropped. “We haven’t noticed anything immediately. We do realize that the gas prices being on the decline may encourage people to travel later into the year of for the holidays” but added that not formal research has been conducted, but will take place prior to Thanksgiving.

As gasbuddy.com gives the cheapest locations for gasoline, it also gives the most expensive, which at the time was a Mobile station on the West side, pushing the 3.60 mark. The only thing of note there was that there were few customers, proving that people are willing to drive further to get cheaper gas.

Gas Prices are Free Falling

Gas prices have fallen to their lowest levels in months after the price of crude oil has tumbled by over $60 in the past six weeks. Gas prices in response have dropped upwards of 75 cents across the Syracuse area.

Despite the drop in prices, some drivers in the area say they wont be changing their driving habits anytime soon.

" I Consolidate trips though locally, pay a lot more attention to trying to do things in a circle so I don’t go out and do just one thing which I certainly used to do," says Jamesville resident Michael Lazare.

" You gotta go places, do what you go to do, they are going to charge whatever they want to charge," Syracuse resident Joe Glisson says.

According to lawn scaper Paul Esposito, prices reached as high as $4.43 in the area. Those high prices hurt this lawn care business.
" Oh it was terrible, it was terrible," says Esposito, "That’s one of the worst conditions you can have when running a lawn and garden service is the fuel consumption and fuel costs. Terrible."

The drop in price has made a noticable impact in the wallet. Glisson says it used to cost him $100 to fill up his tank just over a month ago, but now he can fill up for about $80. Despite the lower prices, Glisson says he still won't be doing any extra driving.

The Liverpool AAA says they've seen the same trend.

" We haven’t seen a pick up just yet, gas prices are down, but still we’re hearingfrom our members and travelers that they are proceeding with caution," says Diana Dibble, the Public Affairs Manager.
According to Dibble, prices will continue to drop throughout October and into November.

Supply and demand makes gas prices fall

The cost of a regular grade gallon of gasoline is at the lowest it has been in months. The average price in Syracuse Wednesday was $3.25.

At the four stations near the corner of
I-81 and NY-31 in Cicero, however, gas cost $2.98. According to gasbuddy.com, that is the lowest price in the Syracuse area.

Diana Dibble, the public relations manager of the Western and Central New York AAA, said the price drop is a result of supply and demand. The peak automobile travle season has ended making demand lower than it was weeks ago. Dibble said the relatively low cost of a barrel also accounts for the reduced price reflected at the pump.

But, gas cost $3.59 at a station on Syracuse's Far Westside the same day. Dibble said it is not uncommon to have prices fluctuate on the local level. She said the difference in prices may be a result of stations getting gasoline from different suppliers, as well as other factors including having a convenience store to offset revenue lost by higher gas prices.

This package with a look-live donut:

Bad Economy Not the Thing Affecting Apple Sales

The apple business in Central New York has had a harder year than previous, but not because of the stock market. No, the reason is one far more ominous because not even Barack Obama can't vote for change on this one. Hail. The hail and frost earlier in the spring caused a damaged apple crop. According to the Sales Manager at Beak & Skiff Farms , Candy Morse, "We had a frosty spring where ...some of the blossoms were injured by the frost...Then what apples we did have, we had some bad hail storms go through, and touch and go, they sort of jumped around. Some of the acres were damaged pretty badly with hail." So what does that mean for an apple business? Well, dented apples aren't sold wholesale, which means they're not sold in supermarkets. Instead, those apples are brought to the cider mill where they'll be put into the apple cider the farm makes. So what? Well, apples that are sold wholesale are worth a lot more than apples that go into cider. Wholesale apples draw a bigger profit for the farm. So, in a season where they've had to put a lot more apples into cider, and selling a lot less apples to the supermarket has some unseen repercussions. When asked what the problem with putting apples into cider, Morse said, "We are going to run out of apples a lot sooner." Also, Morse said that competition from Chinese apples has been hard on the business the past couple of years. She said China started shipping out apple concentrate, which is cheaper to buy than apple juice NOT made from concentrate that Beak & Skiff was selling. New York State is the second largest apple producing state in the United States (second to Washington State). The United States is the second largest apple producing country (behind China). On the up side, lower gas prices have been better for the farm. Morse said that families really like coming to the farm for a family trip, because it's an inexpensive trip to make. Also, with more people coming to the farm, their retail business (it's like a little general store that sells pies, cakes, cider, among other things) has been doing a lot better. With their wholesale business going down, the farm has been relying on its retail income.

Driving Downtown?

This is downtown Manhattan.

   

This is downtown Syracuse in front of city hall at 6 pm on Wednesday.

     

   

It’s much quieter in Syracuse.

No wonder Mayor Matt Driscoll has proposed a new parking plan that was presented to the Common Council today. The plan will encourage people to spend more time in downtown Syracuse by providing free parking and adding more parking spaces by adopting the reverse diagonal parking system- a system that is relatively new to most people in Central New York.

“It’s a very simple process: 1, 2, 3. You pull up. You stop. You back in.” Commissioner of Public Works Jeff Wright said. Wright was part of Driscoll’s task force that devised the new traffic plan for Syracuse.

He said the reverse diagonal system has been adopted in Seattle and Portland, and it’s a safer system that allows drivers to access their cars from the curb line.

“If you’ve got kids in you pull into the space, you’re opening your car and the kids are heading towards traffic. In this particular case, you open the door, the kids are getting out- they’re heading toward the curb line.”

Wright said the only negative to the system that he can think of is the “getting used to,” but there will be diagrams that teach people how to back their cars into a parking spot to ease the transition.

Red Cross Relief Efforts

When disasters happen, hundreds or even thousands of men and women volunteer their time and effort to making life better for those who were affected. The American Red Cross employs many people nationwide to help with disaster relief efforts. The same holds true in Onondaga County, according to Richard Blansett, director of public support at the Red Cross. “So far we’ve deployed twenty-six people to the gulf coast. Some of those folks have already come home. They’ve been out for more than three weeks.”

The Syracuse chapter of the Red Cross has one emergency response vehicle for local emergencies such as house fires, and another that can be deployed at a moments notice to a national disaster site. The most common use of an ERV in the time of a national disaster is to deliver food to hundreds or even thousands of those affected.

Whether a home or on the road, all types of disaster relief is important for their own reasons. One volunteer who worked in the gulf coast earlier this season says, “No matter what the disaster is whether it’s a single family fire or a huge disaster like Gustav and Ike, they’re so very appreciative of any assistance you can give to them.

The Exceptional Colors of Fall

Photo/AP

It's the time of year when the hills of Central New York become a rolling canvas for the artistic hand of Mother Nature. This season, the fiery red, brilliant orange and vivid yellow foliage is expected to be one of the more incredible fall displays of recent years. Dr. Allen Drew, a forestry ecologist at SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, says the stunning colors are the result of combining bright sunny days with cool nights. “The second week in October,” he explained, “is when you get the brightest colors.” For the fans of fall foliage, take note. It means that the stunning colors are at their peak.

This fall’s breathtaking views are worth taking a special ride or hike to enjoy. There are several places in your area to enjoy the foliage. At Onondaga Lake Park, three year old Nathan Ellis of Liverpool enjoyed rolling through the leaves with his father, Tim. “I love the four seasons, and the fall is definitely my favorite,” his father said, “and I think it’s his too.”

Blame it on the Weather

It's been over 100 days since the end of Spring. Basically, it's long over. But farms like Beak & Skiff in LaFayette are just now starting to deal with the consequences of the stormy season.

"We had a frosty spring where some of the blossoms were injured by the frost," Candy Morse, of Beak & Skiff farm said. "So our crop is lower than it normally would be."

That doesn't even account for the hail storms, which Morse said badly damaged some of the crop. With all the damage, she predicts the farm will run our of apples quicker than normal. More than that, the weather hasn't accounted for all of the hardships this season.

"We thought September was very slow because of gas prices," Morse said. "But the Wall Street crisis hasn't affected us so much because people still want to do a traditional apple picking."

Art from the Youth of Syracuse- October 15, 2008

Japanese lanterns hang from the ceiling. Self Portraits, masks, and paintings of pets and family members adorn the walls. These works of art do not come from any established artist but from a group of local elementary schoolers.

The Museum of Young Art, which opens Thursday on the corner of Fayette and Clinton Streets in Syracuse, is the brainchild of Susan Mastine-Fix. An art teacher at Chestnut Hill Elementary in Liverpool, Mastine-Fix is very excited for her students and their big opening.

"I'm just going to revel in the fact that their art's being hung in public"says Mastine-Fix. "The kids have bought new outfits. They're dressing up and it's going to be a big party".

The museum is funded completely from donations particularly from the students' parents and other donors. Mastine-Fix first asked for help in January and within a day she had more than 30 responses from people willing to help.

The Museum's grand opening will be from five to eight PM on Thursday. Future events include a Halloween party on November 1st.

Rebuilding Independence - From the Ground Up

Blindness takes away your independence.

Down Syndrome takes away your independence.

Autism takes away your independence.

Therapeutic horseback riding helps you get it back.

At least that’s the way Andrea Colella looks at it. She’s the director of From the Ground Up, located in Pompey. Colella says she has riders with – as mentioned – anything from Autism to Down Syndrome, even people recovering from a Stroke.

The lessons are pretty much just like a typical horseback riding lesson, but Colella says these riders get a lot more out of it. She says the more they can do on their own, the better they will feel about themselves.

“We are focused on independence,” she says. “Seeing them go from being completely dependent on spotters that guide the horse, to slowly being able to do it own their own, is pretty special.”

Therapeutic horseback riding isn’t a new concept. Colella says it’s been around for about 30 years. But it’s still not a widely recognized treatment option by the medical world.

“The hope is that someday not only will doctors prescribe it,” says Colella, “insurance companies will pay for it. But my understanding is for that to happen, there needs to be more research.”

While that process leisurely works itself out, Colella says her biggest reward is the look on all her riders’ faces.

“Most of them really enjoy being here,” she says. “It’s not a chore.”

Disease takes away their independence.

Therapeutic horseback riding slowly helps them get it back.

Despite Balloon Crash in New Mexico--A Local Balloonist Says Balloon Rides Safe

49 year old Stephen Lachendro of Butler, Pa., was killed when his hot air balloon crashed into power lines and burst into flames on Friday in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Lachendro’s ballooning partner Keith Sproul of North Brunswick, N.J., was critically injured. The crash happened during Albuquerque's annual balloon fiesta.

Munnsville, NY resident Dwight Cramer runs Airborne Adventures Ballooning (http://www.flyairborne.com/). Cramer says that hot air balloon accidents are rare.

“There is a little bit of risk with anything. Driving down a road is probably more dangerous than flying in (this) balloon. It’s very smooth and very calm.”

Cramer has more on hot air balloon safety under the FAQ’s section of his website: http://www.flyairborne.com/faq.shtml#I-4

Senior citizens Talk Economics at DeFrancisco's Annual Fair

"Senior citizens are not an amorphous group, there are young people that are out there too. They don't vote the same way. Seniors don't all vote the same way; they have different philosophies," said State Senator John DeFrancisco when asked about what's on the minds of senior citizens heading into the 2008 Presidential Election.

Just don't tell him this--the senior citizens we spoke to at his 5th Annual Fair made it abundantly clear -- the economy is a huge issue heading into November.

Brenda DeGroff, Baldwinsville, says she's too afraid to look at her potential losses following the recent string of banking failures.

"If I don't have my IRA, you know, if that got decimated, I wouldn't have enough to support my modest lifestyle."

Others were just as concerned, primarily because they were living on a fixed income.

"Things that you've been used to all your working life have to take a change anyway and when prices keep going up and your income doesn't keep up with inflation...it's very hard sometimes," said Joanne Whelan, North Syracuse.

Not helping matters were reports showing that over the past 15 months, the stock market lost more than $2-trillion in retirement savings.

With that in mind, it was difficult to measure who senior citizens favored as America's next president.

A few hinted at Barack Obama, a little less favored John McCain, but the majority said they'd leave their pick private heading into the polls.

In any instance, you can bet the economy will play a big role in their decision making.

Central New York Seniors Come Together for Senator DeFrancisco's Fifth Annual Fair

Hundreds of seniors filled the Center of Progress Building at the New York State Fairgrounds not only to get information from over 70 county, state and private organizations but to simply get back in touch with life long friends, attendee Mike Randall said. The senior fair came back for another year and featured health screenings, safety information and even some musical entertainment from Mickey Vendetti and Steve Johnson. Several couples took the chance to dance a couple of songs and the refreshment area tables were filled with the conversations of people getting back in touch. “I see a lot of people here and enjoy talking to everybody in the booth. I think this is wonderful, I really do,” Liverpool senior Rose Marie Palmon said.

5th Annual Senior Fair

Senator John DeFrancisco’s fifth annual senior fair has drawn over 12,000 senior citizens this year. Besides receiving information and learning about health care, senior citizens were able to enjoy something that they were also looking forward to.

“See a lot of people that I have known all the years that I have been alive,” said Mike Randall of Syracuse.

Over 70 organizations came to this fair, providing services from checking blood pressure and lung disease to fire safety.

Organizations like Miracle-Ear has been attending the fair ever since it started five years ago, with one goal in mind. David Bugin, CEO of Miracle-Ear, said that they want the seniors to come here and take advantage of their services.

“We do the video scope, so we are looking in people’s ears to see if there’s wax built up, which can cause hearing lose,” said Bugin.

Everybody has learned many important facts about their own health today.

“I’m learning a lot about cholesterol and heart disease,” said Rose Palmon a Liverpool senior, whose family has suffered from the disease for decades.

This fair hasn’t just provided a helpful learning environment, which the people call it “one-stop shopping” for seniors but also “an enjoyable social experience as well,” said Randall.

From the Ground Up Therapeutic Horsemanship

"Horses don't see disabilities", Andrea Colella director of From the Ground Up Therapeutic Horsemanship says, "To them its just another rider." Collela created From the Ground Up in 2002 after she says she saw the need for equine therapy in the area. Equine therapy uses horseback riding to help people with disabilities develop skills such as motor skills, planning, balance and coordination. At From the Ground Up, at Windy Hill Farm in Pompey, the riding program consists of three parts: riding, stable management and horse care, and fitness. Colella says all of the parts of the program are aimed at the riders achieving as much independence as possible.

The riders' disabilities range from blindness to autism, even people recovering from strokes. The riders, both adults and children, take lessons either individually or in groups with Colella as the instructor and five or more volunteers that act as side riders and spotters. Colella says the program would not be possible without its 80 volunteers. Donations of time aren't the only donations From the Ground Up receives. The five horses in the program, much of its equiptment, and the facility in which it takes place are all donated.

Habitat on the S.U. Quad

The Syracuse University chapter of Habitat for Humanity built shacks on the quad to raise money and awareness for the organization.

Jim Armstrong, co-executive director of S.U.’s Habitat for Humanity, said 18 student organizations built 12 shacks to decorate and live in for two nights and three days.

Each organization is required to raise $1,000 for Habitat for Humanity by December 1. Armstrong said Habitat for Humanity would help the organizations come up with ideas and run fund raisers to achieve this goal.

Armstrong said the Shack-a-thon will help raise $15,000, which would go straight towards the chapter’s build at 619 Tully St. The organization is about $20,000 short of having enough money to finish the project by their projected date in May, said Armstrong

The issues of poverty and substandard housing are very real in Syracuse. More than one in three people in Syracuse lives below the poverty line, according to the 2007 U.S. Census.

Armstrong said he hopes that students who experience what it is like to live in substandard housing for a few days will understand what it is like for people for whom substandard housing is the only option.

The Dark Side about Pumpkin

 

Seeing the jack-o-lantern on your neighbor’s porch greeting you with a grin is one of the best parts about Halloween. But the same pumpkin that brought a smile to your face may have brought another pumpkin farmer misery, because unlike carving them, selling pumpkins is no laughing matter.  

“Just by survival of the fittest, you’ve got fewer of us left,” said Brian Reeves, owner of Reeves Pumpkin Farm. “More and more farmers have gone out of business. Many of them who aren’t the sharpest business people.”

Reeves also said there is an increase in pumpkin supply this year due to adequate moisture and temperature. He said when there is a bigger crop, it’s usually better to sell pumpkins at the level they’re supposed to be sold than to sell them cheap and find out in the end there is no margin on any of them.

Reeves said New York State ranks number two in the country of pumpkin production, and he has both regular pumpkin customers and customers who are particularly budget-minded. He often has to offer these floaters a deal if he wants their business.

“The free lancers, the wildcatters. There’re some derogatory names you could use, but they just cherry pick. They never have a steady supply. They never have loyalties,” said the farm owner.

Reeves also said that a huge portion of a pumpkin’s value comes from its stem. Without the stem, the retail price of a pumpkin can drop drastically from 10 dollars to one. 

Fans Who Turn Out for the Fights

October 1, 2008- With over one hundred fights last season, fans are looking forward to see what will happen during this years Syracuse Crunch ‘08-‘09 hockey season. Local fans turned out today to watch the Crunch’s first practice at the War Memorial at Oncenter. As onlookers gathered, Head Coach Ross Yates had the players do line drills, practice open ice skating and transitions from offense to defense for more than an hour, before ending with a scrimmage.

Cicero Resident, Brandon Bullet, who has been coming to games for the last four years, says that Crunch fans not only come to watch goals, but to see the fights on the ice. He explained, “I like to see fights. That’s the main reason I come.” He added that other fans would rather watch a good fight over cheering for a goal. Robert Walsh, of Syracuse says, “I love a good goal because in the end, you want to win, but I also love to see a good fight on the ice.”

Although fans did not get to see any fights at practice, from the size of the crowd that came out to watch, you get the feeling that some fans just can’t wait for the bedlam to begin. The first game of the season is against Rochester Americans at the War Memorial.