Holiday Angel Gift Giving

AIDS Community Resources is hosting their annual Holiday Angel Gift Giving Program this winter season. So far, more than 200 people have become angels this holiday season.

Wil Murtaugh of AIDS Community Resources says many give because they've lost a loved one from AIDS. "So many people have been touched from losing someone that they don't want to have someone else go through that pain. At this time of the year people are extremely generous and want to do whatever they can to support people."

Shirley Bacon's sorority, Lambda Kappa Nu, is an annual angel. "Part of our main thrust is to create awareness and relief to those with AIDS, so this is really exciting."

AIDS Community Resources says people can choose to give to entire families or just to an individual. The organization will give angels a list of personal needs for a family; including simple supplies like soap, shampoo, and toothpaste. "Personal care you cannot buy with foodstamps," Murtaugh says.

Gifts have been filling entire rooms at the Resource building, and according to those that work there, people can still become angels until all the gifts are delivered on December 23rd.

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Gingerbread Exhibit Brings Holiday Cheer

The 24th Annual Gingerbread Exhibit at the Erie Canal Museum in Downtown Syracuse is now on display. The creations create a boom in business for the museum, who sees 5000 visitors including 20-25 school groups in the month of December.

There are multiple categories of gingerbread creations and designers don't have to stick to just house-like structures. Some of the pieces exhibited include Santa Claus, carousels, the Wizard of Oz, Rapunzel and Noah's Ark.

Yesterday a 24-year veteran of the exhibit named Margaret Solomon was at the museum. She votes for her favorite creation every year and told me that each season the exhibit gets more and more impressive. This year, as in some years past, she voted for a white church.

Anyone can enter a gingerbread creation in the contest. Solomon said she always thinks about it but becomes intimidated by what she calls the "fabulous" decorations. Voting takes place through this week and winners have ribbons placed in their cases for the remaining duration of the exhibit.

All Saints Celebrates Veterans Day

All Saints Parish on Lancaster Ave in Syracuse celebrated Veterans Day yesterday with a special mass and flagpole dedication ceremony. Veterans brought the gifts to the altar and the homily was about giving thanks to the vets, both living and deceased. Rev. Frederick D. Daley asked us to especially remember those who lost their lives in the Fort Hood tragedy.

The flagpole dedication ceremony took place immediately following the service. It was a beautiful sunny day and there were many tears as names of those killed in action were read aloud. Attendees were able to mention those close to them as well.

World War II and Korean War veteran Fred Bishop raised a flag to the top of the new pole at the conclusion of the ceremony before saluting the stars and stripes. On a day surrounded by memories of our loved ones who have served and gone before us, this 91-and-a-half-year-old vet is still full of energy.

Bishop spends his Veterans Day every year thinking back on his time in the military. Initially stationed in California to protect the coast from possible Japanese attack during WWII, then he went to Hawaii and bombed the Pacific coast before ending in the Philippines.

Says Bishop, "We were up in the Philippines with nothing to do!" As a navigator, he waited for the opportunity to return home and then navigated his way back.

Like so many other living veterans, Bishop was very eager to share his story. There was excitement in his voice as he recalled the tales of his 13 years of military service and was so excited that I'd taken the time to listen that he gave me a big hug after our interview.

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Tire Prices Rise Just in Time for Winter

Syracuse, N.Y.--It sounds like a pun. Inflation is bad for tires.

On average, the price of an individual tire is up $2 from last year. Chinese made tires have seen a more significant price increase because of a 35 percent tariff on foreign manufacturers passed by the federal government in September. Chinese tires make up 17 percent of all tires sold in the United States each year.

Some retailers also attributed the price increase to rising transportation costs and the fact that more expensive tires are being put on passenger cars by the original manufacturer. As a result, it is more expensive to replace those tires when they wear out.

With winter just around the corner, many Central New Yorkers have yet to buy snow tires. Local retailers say this year they see a noticeable increase in people "shopping around" for tires rather than buying.

One employee at Kost-Tire Muffler at Syracuse says the price of snow tires also might be increasing as a result of a higher demand for them among Canadians.


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Learn more about the tires shown in this story here.
Watch KUSA's Kevin Torres' story on tires.

End of Month, End of Construction?

For residents of Onondaga County, the morning and evening commutes are becoming impossible.

Three major construction projects are taking place simultaneously, leaving few alternate routes and many angry commuters. Three Syracuse bridges that run along I-81--Spencer St., Court St., and Butternut St.--are in the process of being reconstructed.

But Department of Transportation Public Infomation Officer Gene Cilento says the Spencer St. and Court St. bridges should be completed by Oct. 31. The demolition of the Butternut St. bridge will take place this winter and it will be reconstructed next spring. The bridge projects began last November.

In addition, there has been paving on 690 since last April. Cilento also expects it to be completed by the end of the month. The paving on 81 and 690 is simply routine maintenance to get 8-10 more years out of the roads, according to the DOT.

Here are some useful Web sites for regular commuters:

http://trafficland.com/ - features live video of local roads 24/7!

http://511ny.org/ - find out where the accidents are!

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