Redneck Games Preview

A "redneck" in this image from the event's Web site.

Alex Blute

NCC News

More than fifty Syracuse residents are preparing to test their seed-spitting and beer-belly baring skills for this weekend's first annual Syracuse Redneck Games.

On Saturday, the parking lot of the local Quaker Steak and Lube will be transformed for the first annual Syracuse Redneck Games.

Just a joke.

One participant who's not taking the competition too seriously is Syracuse University Law student Derek English.

He knows he can take home prizes for winning events like the "Beer Belly Wet T-Shirt Contest" or the "Hub-Cap Hurl".

But English hasn't been practicing his redneck skills.

He entered the competition as a joke after he and a friend saw a billboard advertising the event.

They decided it would serve as a great venue to drink on Saturday.

What is a Redneck, anyway?

In fact, when it comes to what he calls 'real rednecks', English doesn't think he qualifies.

English hopes to see other competitors representing the more common redneck stereotypes at the games this weekend.

English still hopes to try his hand at the "Toilet-Seat Toss" on Saturday and thinks he'll stand a chance in the chicken-wing-eating competition.

He's won one in the past.

Who want's to play?

Marketing and Activities coordinator for the event Katie Rapp said ove 50 participants have signed up so far including men women and children from all walks of life.

Rapp said she expects as many as 100 participants in this weekend's events.

Redneck Final.mp3

Syracuse Community Comes Together for Peace

Christine Pitawanich
NCC News

Marking the 64^th Anniversary of Hiroshima and Nagasaki

A collaboration occurred this week between the Syracuse Peace Council, Peace Action and Pax Christi to put on a two-day long commemoration of the nuclear bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. An inter-religious remembrance service at the Everson Museum Plaza, took place on Wednesday and attracted about 75 people.

Advocating Religious Tolerance

Beth Dubois, a Southside pastor, was happy that her kids could mingle with others of different faiths. “My kids get to meet folks from different faith traditions and you can see, it doesn’t matter who the kids are, or where they’re from, kids are going to cross the lines faster than all the adults,” said Dubois. “If we give our kids any gift, that’s the gift we need to give them, to respect and honor other people’s traditions and learn about them,” she added.

High Hopes For A Peaceful Generation

15 year old Kenari Clark has high hopes, “to spread the peace and start peace in our generation,” he said. While making numerous origami paper cranes and a paper lantern for the event, Clark said he learned quite a bit, “I got to learn about atomic bombs and I never knew about the bombing in Japan, that it was a nuclear bomb.”

As the songs and prayers in the service came to an end candle-lit paper lanterns were released into the plaza’s fountain to float in remembrance of those who died in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. “History repeats itself,” said Carol Halter, a resident of the Westcott neighborhood. “There are a lot of lessons to learn from it and we can teach our children, because they are the future.”

*The radio story below was created the morning of Thursday, August 6th.

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Remembering Hiroshima... Part 2

Lihuan Wang

NCC News

Today marks the 64th anniversary of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Syracuse peace activsts took to the streets to commemorate the lives lost and to call for a nuclear-free world. The march went around downtown Syracuse and lasted for about fourty minutes. Organizers and volunteers handed out fliers and paper cranes, a symbol of peace and harmony.

Reinforcing the Message

This was the second part of an annual event. Organizer and Co-chair of Peace Action of Central New York Gerald Lotierzo is confident their message is more received each year.""If Henry Kissinger could come out for the abolition of nuclear weapons, god we must be getting our message through." he said.

Standing Up for Peace

For many participants, it's all about standing up for what they really believe in. "People kinda stare at us in the streets like we're freaks," said SU student Staci Schweitzer, "but we know what's right and we know we're doing the right thing."

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Remembering Hiroshima... Part 1

Lihuan Wang

NCC News

Peace was their common belief. People with different faiths united at the Everson Museum Wednesday to take part in a service commemorating the bombings of two Japanese cities, Hiroshima and Nagasaki. As faith leaders lead, people young and old alike said prayers, sang songs and launched lanterns.

A Thousand Paper Cranes

Children listened closely as the story of a thousand paper cranes was told. It was about a young Japanese girl named Sadako Sasaki who got leukemia from the radiation and wanted to fold a thousand paper cranes to get her wich granted. She died before she could make it, but paper cranes became a symbol for peace.

Unity and Hope

"There's a sense of unity and of hope, even though our world is at war in many ways," said Marilyn Goulet of Syracuse, "It's wonderful to know that there's people in little pockets all over with the same hopes and same dreams."

The interfaith service was the first part of a two-day commemoration, followed by a march through downtown on Thursday.

Sometimes Tough Choices for Pet Owners

Dog Owners at Wegmans Good Dog Park have mixed feelings about treating their pets for serious illnesses

Ashley Moss, N-C-C News

What would you do if your cat or dog came down with cancer? Many owners are faced with a difficult choice...treating them with rigorous and expensive treatments and medicines or putting them to sleep.

Studies show that dogs get cancer at a similar rate as humans. Like people there are a variety of treatments but there are no current medicines specifically for animals.

Memory of a Beloved Pet

Judy Taylor of Syracuse doesn't think there needs to be a separate drug for animals.Elwood was a cat that survives cancer for over eight years. Her owner Judy Taylors started the Elwood Fund in her honor. She founded the Elwood Fund in honor of her pet to ensure better treatment for animals with terminal diseases.

The Elwood Fund

The fund is sponsored by the Syracuse Cancer Research Institute and is a memorium to animals with serious and terminal diseases. The purpose is to provide funding and support for pets and to ensure that they are properly cared for and treated. The fund also supports research that will benefit the longevity of the animas. She says the drug Hydrazine Sulfate (Hi-Dru-Zeen Sul-Fate) is an effective drug for people and animals. She says it stops the body from wasting and the cancer from flourishing.

Tough Choices
Sandy Breed in Liverpool has lost one dog to cancer and hopes her current dog, a pomeranian, poodle mix doesn't get the disease. But if she did, She would not take her through treatment due to the emotional toll and the large costs. If her dog got cancer, she would prefer to put her to sleep.

Preferences for Natural Treatment

Sandy Breed thinks cancer is preventable and keeps dog healthy by feeding her mostly organic food. Pfizer Animal Health will release drug just for dogs in 2010. The Pfizer Animal Health is planning on releasing a drug specifically for dogs sometimes next year.

Syracuse Cancer Research Institute, Elwood Fund, 600 E. Genesee Street, Syracuse, NY 13202.

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Poise on Horseback

Dontré L. Conerly

NCC News

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CNY SPCA Sees More Cats

Sara Sultanik 

NCC News

The Central New York SPCA animal shelter is busy this summer.  And Paul Morgan, Executive Director the Central New York organization thinks the economy may be to blame.

                        Not A lot of Space

Executive Director Paul Morgan says the SPCA is seeing a lot of cats this summer.  He says there are 105 spaces available for cats.  But this summer there are over 180 cats.  He blames this on the economy.  Morgan says, "People just can't afford [their pets] anymore." But he along with the rest of the SPCA staff are always trying hard to "get the animals in better situations and get them out to better homes."

She Had to Give Them Up  

Local woman, Ms. MacLean, as she refers to herself, is recently homeless.  She says this is "...because of the economy, people losing their homes with foreclosures..." And her cats had to pay the price of a tough economy.  MacLean was living in her car with her two cats because local shelters did not allow pets.  Maclean says the cats were fine but the days were getting hotter so she didn't want them to "...suffocate and die..." So she brought them to the CNY SPCA today for them to live safely for ten days while MacLean looks for permanent lodging.    After the ten days, if MacLean does not have a home for the cats, they will go up for adoption.                                                                              

                                                                                          

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