Weight Loss Surgery
It’s about more than just weight loss. It’s about reducing your risk for serious conditions like heart disease and diabetes — and regaining the stamina, mobility and confidence to take on every day.
Crouse’s bariatric surgery program offers a dedicated team of physicians and providers, as well as psychological and nutritional counseling — all with the expertise to support you every step of the way.
Begin the process from home by viewing our online informational video. Then consult with our bariatric team via telemedicine visits to start your journey. It’s time — and now easier than ever.
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Life in balance.
We are growing and have exciting career opportunities in the health care industry.
We are growing and have exciting career opportunities in the health care industry. To join our talented, professional team, please visit one of our care facilities career pages for available positions.
We are growing and have exciting career opportunities in the health care industry.
A company philosophy that speaks to a continual process of individual and collective development to improve our well-being, quality of life and personal relationships.
Life in balance.
To join our talented, professional team, please visit one of our care facilities career pages for available positions.
A company philosophy that speaks to a continual process of individual and collective development to improve our
Our Mission.
Life in balance.
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To provide people in our community with healthcare, customer services, support & employment to achieve their individual best quality of life.
Our Vision.
quality of life and personal relationships.
A company philosophy that speaks to a continual process of individual and collective development to improve our well-being, quality of life and personal relationships.
A company philosophy that speaks to a continual process of individual and collective development to improve our well-being, quality of life and personal relationships.
To redefine skilled nursing care through successful team development, use of technology, progressive service and being a strong community partner.
Our Mission.
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Our Team.
To provide people in our community with healthcare, customer services, support & employment to achieve their individual best quality of life.
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To provide people in our community with healthcare, customer services, support & employment to achieve their individual best quality of life. Our Vision.
To provide people in our community with healthcare, customer services, support & employment to achieve their individual best quality of life.
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17 Sunrise Drive Oswego, NY 13126 315-342-4790 | www.morningstarcares.com
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To redefine skilled nursing care through successful team development, use of technology, progressive service and being a strong community partner.
Registered Nurses
To join our talented, professional team, please visit one of our care facilities career pages for available positions. 17 Sunrise Drive Oswego, NY 13126 315-342-4790 | www.morningstarcares.com 220 Tower Street, Waterville, NY 13480 315-841-4156 | www.watervillecares.com
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To redefine skilled nursing care through successful team development, use of technology, progressive service and being a strong community partner.
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To redefine skilled nursing care through successful team development, use of technology, progressive service and being a strong community partner.
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17 Sunrise Drive Oswego, NY 13126 315-342-4790 | www.morningstarcares.com 220 Tower Street, Waterville, NY 13480 315-841-4156 | www.watervillecares.com
132 Ellen Street, Oswego, NY 13126 315-343-0880 | www.thegardensbymorningstar.com A ssist ed Living Community
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OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2024
16 Elections
Brandon Williams v. John Mannion: Who will represent District 22 in Congress? A Q&A with each candidate
20 Car Buying
Buying a car? Pay your price, not the dealer’s
22 Radio
As it enters its 32nd year on the air, The Car Care Clinic radio show continues to draw thousands of loyal listeners
26 Life
Jim Carroll recently donated $12 million to Le Moyne, the largest alumni financial gift to the college to date
28 Cover
Mark Teece of Kirkville is The British Blacksmith. He is still teaching, tinkering
32 Winterization
Get your home ready for snow and cold now
34 Decoration
Try these tips when you update your home’s decor
38 Guitar
What do member of the Guitar League do when they get together? Well, they play guitar
40 Dance
Meet the dancing duo JoAnne and Tony Barbetta
Want
Recently retired as an artist at MacKenzie-Childs, Dawn Jordan has found a new passion for painting murals
A team of volunteers is in charge of the Community Clothing Room in Syracuse. The organization provides free clothing to those in need
Pulaski woman stands out in
Former
Winter
FCMG welcomes new Physicians & Nurse Practitioners to the family!
FCMG is thrilled to welcome our newest Physicians and Nurse Practitioners to our medical practice! Each of these highly competent and experienced health professionals brings a wealth of knowledge, deep compassion, and an unwavering commitment to providing family-oriented care.
Moreover they are passionate about helping the FCMG and CNY community thrive by providing exceptional quality of care!
• Christina Fazio, N.P. - Brighton Medical Associates
• Dr. Sarah Wineholt - Cortland Health Center
• Dr. Anthony Rotella - Manlius Office
• Heather Bienz, N.P. - West Taft Family Care
• Dr. Shareen Ismail - The Synergy Center
• Dr. Cory Stewart - Fairmount Family Medicine
• Dr. David Urciuoli - Community Internists
• Rebecca Jorolemon, N.P. - Office of Heather Wasileski, DO and Gabriel Lurvey, DO
Welcome to the family, everyone!
savvy senior
By Jim Miller
Medicare: What Happens When You Move
Do you need to notify Social Security and Medicare if you move to different state?
Yes, if you’re a Social Security and Medicare recipient you definitely need to let these federal agencies know when and where you move so there are no hiccups in your benefits or coverage.
Here’s what you should know.
How to Update Your Info — If you’re receiving Social Security retirement, survivors or disability benefits, it’s required that you notify the Social Security Administration when you move to ensure your deposits continue and you avoid disruptions.
You’ll need to provide them your new mailing address so they can deliver important documents to you like your annual SSA-1099 tax form. And if you’re switching banks or credit unions, you’ll need to update your direct deposit information by providing your new financial institution’s routing number and account number.
If you’re a Medicare beneficiary, they too need your new mailing address so bills, correspondence, your Medicare summary notice and other statements can go to the right address.
You can update both your Social Security and Medicare contact information online by simply using the “My Profile” tab in your personal “My Social Security” account at SSA. gov/myaccount. If you don’t have an account, you can create one online for free in just a few minutes.
Or, if you need some help or don’t have internet access, you can call Social Security at 800-772-1213, or visit your local Social Security office and they will make the changes for you.
Medicare Private Plans — You also need to know that if you’re enrolled in original Medicare, you can move anywhere within the United
States without losing coverage. But if you have Part D prescription drug coverage or a Medicare Advantage plan from a private health insurance company, and you move out of the plan’s service area, you’ll have to switch plans or you’ll face losing coverage.
Part D service areas typically are statewide or can extend to parts of neighboring states, while Medicare Advantage plans’ service areas vary by county.
Moving out of a plan’s service area qualifies you for a special enrollment period (SEP) of at least two months to get a new plan. You may also qualify if you move within your plan’s service area and it offers options different from what you had. The enrollment timing depends on when you notify the plan.
If you tell your plan before you move, your chance to switch plans begins the month before the month you move and continues for two full months after you move. If you tell your plan after you move, your chance to switch plans begins the month you tell your plan, plus two more full months.
To shop for new Part D and Medicare Advantage plans in your new area, use the Medicare Plan Finder tool at Medicare.gov/plan-compare.
You can also switch Part D or Medicare Advantage plans during open enrollment, which runs each year from Oct. 15 to Dec. 7 for coverage starting Jan. 1.
Medigap Plans — If you’re enrolled in original Medicare and have a Medigap supplemental policy you usually don’t have to switch plans if you move, but you do need to notify your provider. Some insurers let you keep the rate based on the state where you originally applied for Medigap. Others may change your premiums to coincide with their coverage in a different zip code.
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By Jim Sollecito
gardening Time Flies. And Butterflies Do, Too
Idon’t like those “Save the Date” announcements. I just never know what to do with them.
If I place magnets on the fridge, it gets tedious to be reminded every time I open the door. Put it away in a drawer and I’ll probably forget all about it. I say this because I recently received a notification from a local funeral home reminding me that my expiration date is approaching and I should budget accordingly.
I pose this question: how do
they know?
But one thing is certain, my favorite time of year, autumn, is flying in fast.
Anticipating the lovely fall planting time, when our landscape plants literally thank us for placing them into their new home.
There is no question that the climate is changing. There is emphasis on plants that provide not only fall foliage colors, but also seasonal flowers during September and October.
In addition to the many varieties
of panicle hydrangeas (we carry at least 27), other plants such as Tianshan autumn lilac, Denim ’n Lace Russian sage, Pure Joy sedum, Rozanne cranesbill and, of course, Purrsian Blue catmint are some of the most durable and visually exciting late-blooming plants you should have in your landscape.
Although we see most activity in spring and summer, many varieties of butterflies, such as the red admiral, still require sustenance. Butterflies that live in more northern latitudes migrate to the southern states to continue finding food resources in the winter. You can help by offering butterflies their last meals before their next big adventure.
When it’s time to replace a plant, it’s important to analyze what’s been happening. It may have not been your fault. More likely, something was amiss. Sometimes, it’s merely age. Other times conditions change and that plant just couldn’t tolerate it. So don’t replace with the same variety. Try something different. Particularly now, when garden centers like ours are bringing in next spring’s nursery stock. We used to say the best selection was in the spring, but not so much anymore. The best time is probably right now. Stocking a garden center isn’t the same as it used to be. If we don’t get our fresh material now, it may not be available in April. That’s the new normal.
The ground is warm. Ample rainfall hydrates. Shorter days offer moderate temperatures for plants to settle into to their new surroundings. Plus, the only plant part that grows now is their essential roots. The larger and healthier the root system, the better overall vigor for the entire plant.
It’s just flat out easier to dig in autumn and you usually don’t have to water as frequently. Take home some flowering shrubs or perennials. It’s perfect timing for you — and the butterflies.
Jim Sollecito is the first lifetime senior certified landscape professional in New York State. He operates Sollecito Landscaping Nursery in Syracuse. Contact him at 315-468-1142 or jim@sollecito.com.
Red admiral butterfly closeup.
Q: I’m reaching my full retirement age and thinking about retiring early next year. When is the best time of year to apply for Social Security benefits?
A: You can apply as early as four months before you want your monthly benefits to begin. To apply, just go to www.ssa.gov/apply. Applying online for retirement benefits from the convenience of your home or office is secure and can take as little as 15 minutes. It’s so easy!
Q.: I haven’t received my Social Security Statement in the mail the last few years. Will I ever get one again?
A.: We currently mail Social Security statements to workers age 60 and over who aren’t receiving Social Security benefits and do not yet have a personal my Social Security account. We mail the statements three months prior to your birthday. Anyone can access their statement online if they have a personal my Social Security account. We encourage you to create your own account at www. ssa.gov/myaccount and check your statement at your convenience.
Q.: I am receiving Social Security retirement benefits and I recently went back to work. Do I have to pay Social Security (FICA) taxes on my income?
A.: Yes. By law, your employer must withhold FICA taxes from your paycheck. Although you are retired, you do receive credit for those new earnings. Each year Social Security automatically credits the new earnings. If your new earnings are higher than in any earlier year used to calculate your current benefit, your monthly benefit could increase. For more information, visit www.ssa.gov or call us at 1-800772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778).
51 YEARS
Dining Out -
RESTAURANT GUIDE
COMFORT FOOD, CLASSICS STAR ON MENU OF RILEY’S IN SYRACUSE
By Julie McMahon
Succulent, well-cooked meats and decadent dessert make comfort food the star of the menu at Riley’s on Syracuse’s North Side.
The experience at Riley’s dimlylit tavern begins with the restaurant’s famous handwritten menus, which are crafted by the staff each day with fresh ingredients.
The menu features a selection of appetizers, seafood, sandwiches and other entrees. While we were perusing, the server brought us bread, which was fresh and fluffy, very good as always.
Riley’s has a good-sized wraparound bar and with it, a good beer and wine selection and full bar. We opted for a local Prison City Mass
Riot IPA and a house red, a dry wine good for accompanying the meal.
We started with a wedge salad advertised high up on the menu that sounded intriguing for an appetizer. The salad was enormous but missed the mark. There was simply too much going on — spiced nuts, cucumbers, raspberries, blackberries and gorgonzola — all dressed in a light Greek-style vinaigrette. The flavors just didn’t marry together and the dish felt like a “kitchen sink,” with a little bit of everything thrown in.
It should be noted that for all of our visits to Riley’s over the last several years, this was the first disappointment. The great service at Riley’s is also noteworthy. The owner
was checking on tables and chatting up friends throughout the meal. We were seated immediately, though the bar and restaurant quickly filled up by 6:30 p.m.
Our server was quick, attentive, warm and friendly. Riley’s creates a warm and cozy vibe, with yellow lighting, soft music and sounds of chatter emanating from the bar. The wooden booths and tables give the restaurant and bar a tavern aesthetic.
For our entrees, we chose the 14-ounce angus New York strip steak, which came out cooked exactly to medium as we ordered.
The steak was really very good — it had a juicy pink tender inside and the outside was blackened and
1. Cornell chicken: well-seasoned, juicy and tender. It was served with a crunchy coleslaw that had a strong peppery flavor and fresh thick-cut French fries — really top-notch fries.
2. The wedge salad is advertised high on the menu, but it missed the point: too many ingredients whose flavors didn’t marry together.
3. The 14-ounce angus New York strip steak was served in a pepper bleu cheese sauce, vegetables and a buttery sweet potato puree. It stood out as the highlight of the meal.
4. The restaurant’s famous handwritten menus, which are crafted by the staff each day with fresh ingredients.
charred to perfection. The flavor the chef got on the steak was excellent. It was served doused in a pepper bleu cheese sauce in which somehow the cook achieved a subtle bleu cheese flavor, not overwhelming but a nice complement to the flavorful steak. The cut of steak itself was excellent, not too fatty or gristly.
That was served with a buttery sweet potato puree that soaked up the juices of the steak nicely and enhanced the flavor. The zucchini, yellow squash and green beans on the side were fresh and a nice addition to round out the meal.
We also ordered the Cornell chicken, which came out warm and crisp. The chicken had a very light vinegar flavor — not a strong marinade, but very good nonetheless. The chicken was well-seasoned, juicy and tender.
We needed extra napkins to dissect and eat this half chicken. It was served with a crunchy coleslaw that had a strong peppery flavor and fresh thick-
cut French fries — really topnotch fries — that were golden crispy. They were so good I was thinking about them the next day.
Still, the steak stood out as the highlight of the meal — though the rest — with the exception of the salad — was outstanding.
We could have walked away very full, but couldn’t resist a slice of the raspberry pie. We were given a hefty chunk of homemade pie served with homemade whipped cream that can’t be described as anything but decadent.
The tart raspberries matched the classic pie crust and the sweet whipped cream balanced out the dish very nicely.
Our total bill with drinks, an appetizer, two entrees and a dessert came to $102, making this a very affordable, filling and satisfying meal.
Riley’s is a staple of Central New York and shouldn’t be missed.
election
Brandon Williams v. John Mannion WHO WILL REPRESENT US IN CONGRESS?
Two candidates with non-political backgrounds duke it out for New York District 22
By Tim Bennett
Ahotly contested seat in the House of Representatives this November is NY District 22, which represents all of Onondaga and Madison counties, as well as parts of Cayuga, Cortland and Oneida counties.
Incumbent Republican Brandon Williams is running against Democrat John Mannion.
Congressman Williams is ending his first term in office. Mannion has been a New York state senator for the 50th Congressional District since 2020.
Both candidates share common ground in the fact neither had run for public office before winning their current positions.
Williams’ background includes service in the U.S. Navy as an officer
Why should the general population vote for you as opposed to your opponent this fall?
Over the last four years, Americans have been on the receiving end of inflationary spending policy that’s made it much more expensive just to get by. They’ve had to foot the bill for the White House’s irresponsible financial agenda and the best way to
stop it is with their vote.
on a nuclear submarine and running a successful software company. Mannion, on the other hand, has worked in public education for 30 years as a biology and chemistry teacher.
The two candidates were sent the same five questions by 55 Plus magazine. Below are their written responses.
BRANDON WILLIAMS
In late 2023, the typical American family had to spend over $11,000 more per year to maintain the same standard of living they had in January of 2021. During this administration, we witnessed inflation reach 40-year highs!
Inflation is, ultimately, a burden that all Americans share. Because of
it, our dollars don’t go as far and we pay more for just about everything. Meanwhile, the Bureau of Labor Statistics just announced that over 800,000 of the jobs the administration claims to have “created” don’t exist — that’s their largest downward revision in 15 years.
This is unacceptable and what is the administration doing about it?
Instead of reining in out-of-control spending, they’ve doubled down on the same agenda that got us here.
As a Navy veteran and as an entrepreneur, I understand the value of hard work. I understand that it’s not the government’s place to devalue the work Americans are putting in by devaluing their currency.
My experience has also taught me the value of accountability.
The founders enshrined our right to participate in the political process for this exact reason, so that our government would truly be accountable to the American people. I have been a consistent advocate for Central New York throughout my public service and I will continue to stand for CNY in Congress.
Too often, Washington and Albany are governed by interests and values that aren’t right for Central New York, the same ones that have been great for Martha’s Vineyard but left everyone else behind. Families in our district deserve representation that they can count on and I work every day to live up to that expectation.
Why should senior citizens want you as their representative?
Nobody has felt the impact of reckless government spending more than our nation’s seniors, as well as people living on fixed incomes. The men and women who have worked hard their entire lives for financial security, in pursuit of the American Dream, directly suffer because of this administration’s unsustainable, inflationary agenda.
Our district can’t afford to have a representative who will continue to rubber stamp the same policies that have crushed the middle class and abandoned seniors.
Our district can’t afford to have a representative who will vote to perpetuate the migration and inflation crises that have directly harmed our communities.
My opponent voted in the State Senate to give illegal migrants government-funded healthcare. He believes that you, as a taxpayer, should pay for it. Beyond that, when he had the opportunity to redirect $2.1 billion from a program for illegal migrants to a tax credit for working-class Americans, he voted against it.
During my time in Congress, I’ve been able to secure $45 million to invest
More About the Candidates?
There are several debates scheduled between Rep. Brandon Williams and John Mannion. Reportedly, the candidates agreed on these dates:
• Oct. 1. Hosted by syracuse.com | The Post-Standard
• Oct 8. Hosted by WCNY-TV, the PBS member television station in Syracuse
• Oct. 22. Hosted by WSYR-TV (Channel 9)
An additional debate will be hosted later in October and will air on CNY Central, the combination of WSTM-TV (Channel 3) and WTVH-TV (Channel 5) in Syracuse. At press time, the exact day of the debate had not been determined.
in our district’s infrastructure. I’ve supported legislation to responsibly fund the government, protect Social Security and promote a sensible energy policy that doesn’t leave the American taxpayer behind.
According to the May 2024 Social Security trustees report, the fund reserves that help pay for Social Security benefits will run out in 2035. Without congressional intervention, retirees would then only be able to receive 83% of their full benefits. What will you do to protect these benefits and make sure this does not happen?
What we’re facing is a complex and unprecedented situation and we have limited time to ensure that benefits are protected for everyone who paid into the system. We cannot, under any circumstances, abandon the men and women who did the right thing their entire working lives.
Exploration of policy solutions is ongoing. It will require careful and diligent planning, informed by experts, to navigate properly. One potential solution being discussed by Senator Cassidy is to invest $1.5 trillion over five years into an investment fund separate from the Social Security
Trust Fund. The fund would then be invested into the U.S. economy and any dividends would be reinvested and kept in escrow for 70 years. This would help to keep Social Security afloat without raising the retirement age. It is crucial that Congress not forget the human aspect of the policy they craft surrounding Social Security. To recklessly raise the retirement age, or to cut benefits, is to come in between a person and the life they’ve earned through hard work. No matter what, Congress shouldn’t do that.
Will you actively initiate and support a policy to stop taxing Social Security benefits?
In Congress, I’ve always stood up to protect Social Security and Medicare. To that end, I’ve cosponsored the Social Security Fairness Act, which eliminates the windfall elimination provision that, in some instances, reduces Social Security benefits for those who also receive a pension or disability benefit from an employer that didn’t withhold Social Security taxes.
Especially for seniors struggling financially, we should protect their benefits from additional taxation and I will support policy initiatives to that end.
What do you see as the biggest issues facing Central New Yorkers in the next two years and what do you plan to do about it?
The issue that impacts the most Americans today is the cost of living, increasing because of inflationary spending policy, a reckless green agenda, and the ongoing migration crisis at the southern and northern borders.
The current administration has shown no regard for the consequences of their actions, instead choosing to double down on policy with demonstrated harmful effects.
If we don’t act at the federal level to spend taxpayer money more responsibly, secure our border and rebalance our energy investment, it’ll only get worse from here. That’s why this election cycle is so important.
Our current trajectory is unsustainable and it will take representatives with commonsense leadership and an authentic commitment to the people they serve to see us through this pivotal moment.
Why should the general population vote for you as opposed to your opponent this fall?
Thank you for the opportunity to speak with your readers. My wife and I have lived in NY-22 for our entire lives and we raised three children here. I was a public school science teacher for almost 30 years, my district’s teachers’ association president for eight years and am currently a two-term New York State Senator representing parts of Onondaga and Oswego counties.
I have a strong record of working across the aisle to deliver for our region- including accelerating middle class tax cuts, fighting for property tax relief and helping to secure Micron’s $100B investment and promise to create 50,000 good paying jobs that will keep our workers in the district. I have passed dozens of bills into law, including creating the first new police force in New York state in 50 years and setting New York’s flood mitigation strategy to protect upstate communities. I also voted to eliminate junk fees, limit utility charges and suspended the state tax on gasoline to combat rising costs.
Meanwhile, Brandon Williams has repeatedly proven he’s out of touch with Central New York and Mohawk Valley families. In Congress, Williams has supported a far-right budget proposal that cuts Social Security and privatizes Medicare, continues attacks on reproductive freedoms and raises costs for hard-working Americans. Additionally, Williams initially opposed the bill that has helped make Micron’s investment that’s creating good-paying jobs in NY-22 possible.
JOHN MANNION
In Congress, I am committed to fighting for policies that will deliver for Central New York and the Mohawk Valley — including to lower prices, protect Social Security and Medicare, create jobs, protect the environment, protect a woman’s right to reproductive health care and support our students and schools.
Why should senior citizens want you as their representative?
As a state senator, I have supported and voted for legislation that increases the quality of life in New York state for senior citizens. I voted in favor of authorizing the state to negotiate drug prices and capped the cost of insulin. I also voted in favor of increasing property tax exemptions for seniors.
My opponent, on the other hand, endorsed $1.5 trillion in cuts to Social Security, including raising the retirement age and cutting disability benefits. In Congress, I’ll always work to ensure affordable drug prices and a stable Social Security safety net for all Central New Yorkers and residents of the Mohawk Valley.
According to the May 2024 Social Security trustees report, the fund reserves that help pay for Social Security benefits will run out in 2035. Without congressional intervention, retirees would then only be able to receive 83% of their full benefits. What will you do to protect these benefits and make sure this does not happen?
I believe that it is the responsibility of Congress to fully fund Social Security. Social Security is a promise and it is unacceptable to me that any American who has reached retirement
age and paid into the system not to receive full benefits. I will make sure that the system that helped my parents retire comfortably will be available to future generations.
Will you actively initiate and support a policy to stop taxing Social Security benefits?
Yes. I strongly support limiting the taxation of Social Security. I want as many middle class Americans as possible to be eligible for tax-free benefits.
What do you see as the biggest issues facing Central New Yorkers in the next two years and what do you plan to do about it?
Affordability and housing will be major issues. But thanks to strong leadership at the state and local levels, the region is well-positioned to address them. Micron and the semiconductor supply chain will require smart growth strategies and significant investments in workforce training and development and I have secured over $5 million to support ongoing efforts across the district.
In Congress, I will work to ensure that companies are not price-gouging, while supporting small businesses and everyday Americans. I will vote to cut taxes for middle-class families and small businesses, make sure the wealthiest Americans are paying their fair share and protect consumers against utility rate hikes and junk fees.
I’m asking for your vote so together we can continue to fight for increased Social Security benefits and lower prices for basic goods like prescription drugs and groceries.
Do you qualify for Medicaid?
Do you have enough $$$ set aside for your funeral?
Do you qualify to get money back in your Social Security check?
or over the
We’re in your corner in the fight against breast cancer.
“I love that I’m having an impact on breast cancer patients’ lives right here in CNY.”
Through the Livestrong at the YMCA program, Laura Clary helps achieve the physical and mental wellness goals of individuals who have received a cancer diagnosis. With annual grants from Saint Agatha Foundation, she is also able to reduce the strains and stresses of unmet financial needs oftentimes experienced by local breast cancer patients, in particular. If your medical or nonmedical organization would like to provide financial support to CNY breast cancer patients – so they can focus on their fight, and not their finances – visit saintagathafoundation.org/for-providers to learn more and watch Laura’s complete interview. New provider partners are always welcome!
saintagathafoundation.org
Laura Clary, Health & Wellness Director YCMA, Auburn NY
car buying
Buying a Car? Pay Your Price, Not the Dealer’s
Shop near and far, compile competing offers — and always be willing to walk away
By Lucy Lazarony
Looking for ways to save money on your next car purchase? It is easy to see why. According to Cox Automotive, the average price of a new car in 2024 is $48,155, an increase of 15.5% since March 2021. That is a lot of money to spend but there are things you can do to lower the price of the car you have your eye on. Here are 10 smart car buying tips from the experts.
1. Do plenty of research. Finding the right car for your family's needs takes some time and some research.
"First, think about the kind of car that will best fit your needs both now and in the future — small SUV, pickup
truck or sedan? —then research the various models in each class to decide which could be best for you," says Matt Degen, senior editor for Kelley Blue Book, the vehicle valuation firm.
Don't just stick to just one brand or model. Research several.
"Research various makes and models. Take test drives to make sure a car is a good fit for you," advises Tom McParland who runs Automatch Consulting.
2. Set a budget. Take some time to peruse your finances and determine how much you can afford to spend on a car.
"It's also crucial to set a budget at the beginning of your shopping
process. This should factor in not just the cost of the vehicle and monthly payments, but associated expenditures that will go with it, such as insurance and fuel. Check the Kelley Blue Book fair purchase price, (and) know how much you should pay for the vehicle, right down to your ZIP code, as well as the five-year cost to own figure for the bigger picture on expenditures over the years," Degen says.
Use loan calculators to help determine how much a monthly payment would be.
"Know your budget," McParland says. "The best way not to get ripped off is to have an honest understanding of what you can really afford. Use loan calculators to work backwards from a
The average price of a new car in 2024
is $48,155,
according to Cox Automotive, a company that designs software for automotive dealers and consumers
via phone and email," McParland advises. "Do not negotiate in person. Request itemized out-the-door prices on cars you are interested in. If the dealer doesn't provide them, move on."
5. Shop around for financing. Obtaining a lower interest rate can save you significant money over the years.
"Remember that you shouldn't just shop for the best deal on a car; you should shop for the best deal on financing, too," Degen says. "See what financing terms and interest rates your bank or credit union offers and be sure to search for current deals from automakers. Getting pre-approved for a loan from your bank also gives you more power to negotiate at the dealership."
6. Get good value for your trade-in. Now is a good time to trade in or sell your used car.
than ever, it is easier to buy a car from a dealer in a different city or even different state.
"Yes, you'll have to arrange for the vehicle to be transported to you, but if you zero in on the exact car you want at a price you like, this route can be worth it."
9. Shop certified pre-owned cars. One way to pay less on your next car purchase is to search a dealer's inventory of certified preowned cars.
"Certified pre-owned models are used cars that are backed by a factory warranty and have been combed over by mechanics to make sure everything is in working order," Degen says.
target monthly payment to a total cost. Focus on vehicles that are at or below that total, and don't forget to buffer for your local sales tax and DMV fees."
3. Make dealers compete for your business. Shop several dealerships, not just one or two.
"The only way to know if you are getting a good deal on a new car purchase is by making dealers compete," says Mike Rumple, founder of Yourcarbuyingadvocate.com in Warren, Ohio. "This means you need to reach out to multiple dealers on the same vehicles with the same MSRPs (manufacturer's suggested retail prices) and get proposals or buyer's orders to compare deals.
"If you go to only one dealership you'll never know if you've gotten a good deal or not. This is the only way to ensure you are getting the best possible deal."
4. Negotiate by phone or email. There's no need to negotiate with a car dealer in person if you don't want to.
"Conduct all of your negotiations
"Although the market is starting to 'normalize' relative to the car-buying frenzy of the past few years, used car values are still elevated, so your tradein vehicle may still be worth more than you expected. Shop your vehicle around, including using appraisal tools like one from Edmunds," says Joseph Yoon, consumer insights analyst at Edmunds.
7. Make supply your best friend. Save money by choosing a car with a big inventory.
"Sometimes, it's as simple as that concept you learned back in Econ 101: supply and demand. The larger the supply of vehicles, the better your deal might be. Starting your search online should give you a good idea of the brands carrying greater inventory. Dealers with higher volumes of inventory for a specific model might be more willing to incentivize or negotiate on a better deal," Yoon says.
8. Shop beyond your local area. The car you are looking for with a great price may be in a different city or state.
"Whether you want a particular car with specific features or you're just not finding a great deal for the vehicle you want in your area, expand your search," Degen says. "Now, more
"Buying a CPO car that is just two or three years old will still get you the latest tech and safety features but can save you many thousands of dollars versus buying new. This method lets you avoid the initial and significant depreciation that comes with a new car."
10. Consider leasing an electric vehicle. If you have ever thought about an electric car, now is a good time to shop.
"Demand for new electric vehicles has plateaued, and automakers are eager to help dealers make deals with shoppers via massive discounts and other incentives," Yoon said.
When leasing, he added, buyers can take advantage of the full $7,500 electric vehicle (EV) IRS tax credit without worrying about rules regarding your household income or where the vehicle was made. But as always with EV consideration, make sure it's a fit for your lifestyle with respect to charging and range," Yoon says.
Lucy Lazarony is a freelance journalist living in South Florida who writes about personal finances, the arts and nonprofits. Her writing Is featured on Next Avenue, Bankrate.com, MoneyRates.com, MSN.com and the National Endowment for Financial Education. This article was previously published online at www.nextavenue. org. Reprinted with permission.
The Car Guys radio
As it enters its 32nd year on the air, The Car Care Clinic on WSYS continues to attract thousands of loyal listeners
By Tim Bennett
Terry Bish, owner of North Syracuse-based Terry’s Transmission in May of 1993, was literally minding his own business when he got a call from his friend, Ed Swank, at WSYR (106.9 FM, 570 WSYR AM), the local radio station in Syracuse.
The friend got right to the point: “How would you like to replace the guy who had a car repair show at our station?”
Bish was stunned, speechless. Swank continued, “The guy we had just left and we’d like to keep the program going. You know cars, Terry, whatta ya say?”
At first, Bish was hesitant. Yes, he’d been doing repairs on cars since he was a teenager; had worked for
AAMCO Transmissions for 13 years as a manager and now had his own business for six years. But answering calls from random people on live radio? He was non committal.
Ed pressed on: “Terry, you answer calls all day at your office about car repairs. Just respond the way you always do.”
Bish reluctantly agreed knowing it would be a stretch, but he liked risk and adventure, so why not?
He said the first day in the studio was nerve-wracking, especially when the red “LIVE” light went on, but after he fielded a few questions his confidence grew.
After a year, however, Bish felt he needed a partner who could help cover all the bases. With two people
there would be less pressure to come up with a diagnosis on the spot. While one of them was shooting from the hip, the other could be thinking about other possibilities.
John Metzler, a master mechanic Bish had recently hired to manage his shop, immediately came to mind. Metzler had an encyclopedic knowledge of cars and had years of experience working on most makes and models. Metzler was thrilled with the opportunity. The gregarious Metzler and the soft-spoken introvert Bish were a perfect match.
This year marks The Car Care Clinic’s 32nd year on the air, the No. 1 rated local radio show for many years boasting 70, 000 to 90,000 listeners every Saturday from 9 to 10 a.m. from all over New York state, Canada and beyond.
Bish said he once got a call from a guy in Hawaii at 3 a.m. HST time (Hawaiian-Aleutian Time).
I met Bish and his wife, Charlene, in the parking lot of the radio station at 500 Plum St. in Franklin Square and then Metzler inside the iHeart Radio station. I was surprised not to see any logo whatsoever for WSYR on the
Terry Bish and John Metzler stand in front of an iHeartMedia sign at the radio station in Syracuse.
walls or on the outside of the building.
When I mentioned that to Bish he said, “Oh, that’s because they’re rebranding.”
The office was almost vacant at 8:45 a.m. except for two young women from WSYR who would be managing the sound board. Along with making sure everything ran efficiently, their role was to keep Metzler and Bish current as to the names of the callers on the line and how much time was left between ad breaks. Usually, there was only one WSYR staffer, but today a new tech was being trained. During the hour of The Car Clinic, 12 minutes are allotted for the ads of sponsors of the program, which pays for the show. Bish’s company TD Bish Productions, now owns the program and pays WSYR for the hour time slot.
At the entrance of the spacious office was a room with walls completely in red with a reception counter and the words iHeart Radio on the wall in large letters. I followed Metzler and Bish toward the studio in the right corner of the room. I fully expected to wait for them outside of the studio until they were done.
“Oh, no, Tim. C’mon in,” Bish said.
The room was maybe 12 x 15 feet with a large octagonal type table in the center with a slew of microphones mounted on it. Bish handed me a set of headphones to put on so I could hear the callers’ questions and their responses. Bish sat to my right, Charlene next to him, and Metzler at the other end. The two technicians sat across the table from us. There was a large digital clock on the wall facing us with the seconds changing quickly.
When the show started, Metzler and Bish chit-chatted informally on various topics like Bish trying to sell some of his vintage cars. As a spectator I felt like I was privy to light banter between old friends and I could understand why the program had such a loyal listener base. You felt comfortable listening to them. They both had pleasant and naturalsounding voices and they treated every caller with respect and appreciation. I marveled with how Metzler seamlessly eased into a commercial break or how he could fill in non-caller time flawlessly. Bish added depth and weight to the conversations by either confirming Metzler’s perspectives or suggesting other possible scenarios from his many years in the car industry. Both of them knew of common car problems or recalls with various years, makes and models.
Metzler continues to do the show every week while Bish, now retired, only comes in once a month.
“The three weeks Terry isn’t here
we bring on the sponsors of our show. This helps listeners to get to know and support local businesses in the area,” Metzler said.
Bish said they only allow sponsors on the program who have a high level of integrity and a solid reputation in the area for doing quality work and honoring their promises.
“After you are in the industry for 30 years you learn who does good work and who doesn’t,” Bish said.
Over the three decades The Car Care Clinic has been on the airways, both Bish and Metzler have seen dramatic changes in the car industry and the listeners calling in.
“It was a lot easier to diagnose car problems 30 years ago than today where everything is computerized,” Metzler said. “Now you have to connect your car to a computer to diagnose a problem. It also used to be maybe two or three issues. Today it could be a dozen different things. So we have to be more general in our answers now. A car today could also have three different engine options with one built in Italy, another in Tennessee and another in Canada,” Metzler said. “It makes things complicated.”
“The callers today are also better educated and knowledgeable about the cars,” Bish said. “Their questions are more precise and focused. They call in after they have Googled the problem or gone to some of the online forums.”
When Bish was asked why their program resonated so much with people he said, “One thing that we do differently from other car radio shows is we don’t make fun of people. Some guys crack jokes at the expense of the callers. We don’t do that although we do rib each other occasionally. We respect everyone and take every question seriously. We also talk about our lives, our families and things we do over the weekend. We let people get to know us a little bit and I think listeners like that.”
To Listen to The Car Care Clinic
The Car Care Clinic can be heard at 106.9 FM and 570 WSYR AM every Saturday from 9 to 10 a.m. and from their pod cast. Their website is www. carcareclinicradio.com.
John Metzler and Terry Bish answer carrelated questions from listeners.
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Preference
By Marilyn L. Pinsky
aging What Have You Accomplished Today?
That is the question my mother asked me at the end of every day and the question I still ask myself every night.
There’s a ‘to do’ list running on my devices that I look at every hour and I’m either feeling good when I can check things off or unhappy at the end of the day to see I haven’t accomplished what I wanted.
I just started a new one this week called “In the Event of My Death To Do List.” I’m not racing to finish that yet.
I recently read that a morning person, which I am, judges her day by how much she has accomplished by lunchtime. At least that says I’m not the only one out there judging themselves. We are the people who love a snowstorm so bad that there is no choice but to stay home and veg out. We are the ones who look forward to getting a flu that makes us really, really sick so that we can stay in bed and watch TV all day without feeling guilty.
When I retired, I assumed that compulsion would also retire. It didn’t.
So in the category of “maybe you can teach an old dog new tricks,” I came across a class called Triggers, co-taught by a husband and wife team, both therapists — and I signed up hoping to get some answers.
A group of about 15 people, some couples, some singles, were there to learn what causes us to act in ways that doesn’t make us happy.
Not surprisingly, it all goes back to how we were raised as children, which is what made me recall the memory of my mother asking every night “what had I accomplished” that day. So at least I know where that voice in my head comes from. So much of who we are now goes back to our childhood, that at the end of the five classes I wondered how can anyone be sane unless they were raised by wolves?
So triggers. Why do we overreact to certain things people say to us and conversely, why do some things we say
trigger strong reactions in others? We learned the top triggers that set most people off are money, time, children, relatives, organization, weight, power and politics. So basically, anything.
Let’s look at a couple where one partner thinks the other is a spendthrift and the other thinks that they’re a cheapskate. In this case the issue is leaving on lights (actually, that’s my issue.) In looking for the cause, probably one person grew up in a family that watched every penny and was taught not to be extravagant and the other in a house that felt money, was to be spent in a ‘seize the day mentality. So if you are the one that grew up in the watch-every-penny house, you can probably figure out why your partner’s habit of never turning out a light bothers you, but you might not realize what a strong trigger that is to both of you until your partner finally yells, “stop telling me to turn out the lights; I’ll turn them out when I want.”
And you’re off to the races.
But by understanding why it bothers you so much to have the lights left on, you can then get to a point of saying to yourself, “is the amount of money spent on the electric bill worth ongoing arguments that can affect the whole relationship?”
An added benefit of examining your triggers is that it can open up a whole conversation of things you each do that bothers the other and work together on figuring out what’s really important.
Triggering is also at work in a broader context. We are going through a difficult time as a country and often find ourselves overreacting to someone who differs from us politically.
My close friend and I are political opposites; because the relationship is so important to us, we find ourselves continually exploring why something the other’s party or candidate says bothers us so much. The fact that we recognize we are triggered but are still able to talk about it, puts it into a safe area for discussion as we can look at it more dispassionately and work at not taking it personally.
And I am so grateful to have this friend in my life. If we expect everyone we come into contact with to have the same beliefs we do, we are really narrowing down our world.
And living in an echo chamber isn’t stimulating for the brain.
Paying it Forward
Jim Carroll just donated $12 million to Le Moyne, the largest alumni financial gift to the college to date. He now spends most of his time caring for his wife who has from Alzheimer’s
By Margaret McCormick
James J. “Jim” Carroll selects a spot on the lawn in front of the stage at Johnson Park in Liverpool and sets up two camp chairs, one for himself and one for his wife, Mary. A crowd is gathering for a summer evening performance by Letizia and the Z Band. He gets Mary settled in her seat and walks through the park, stopping at a table operated by the Liverpool Public Library and at a vendor selling ice cream before making his way back to Mary with two treats.
Carroll, 79, is dressed in gray
shorts, a striped shirt and an orange and gray Syracuse University hat with a houndstooth-style pattern.
You wouldn’t know he’s a millionaire — he doesn’t dress, drive or live the part glamorized on TV and in the media. Yet he is a millionaire. And a very generous one.
Carroll made headlines earlier this year when he donated $12 million to his alma mater, Le Moyne College. The donation, Le Moyne’s largest alumni financial gift to date, gave the College of Arts and Sciences a new name. It’s now known as the Dr. James J. ’66 and
Mary A. Carroll College of Arts and Sciences.
The college has called Carroll’s gift “transformational.’’ Carroll says Le Moyne transformed him.
“Le Moyne really totally changed my life,’’ Carroll said recently. “My grades weren’t terrific. I was working two jobs while taking classes. Le Moyne helped me with financial aid. The college really helped me a great deal.’’
In his student days in the 1960s, Carroll had no money to spare, let alone share. He grew up in Binghamton and
Mary and her husband Jim Carroll on the lawn in front of the stage at Johnson Park in Liverpool during a summer evening performance. “She enjoys those,’’ Carroll says. “But she doesn’t remember them.’’ Mary suffers from Alzheimer’s. Photo of Margaret McCormick
graduated from the former St. Patrick’s Academy. Two months before he was due to leave for college, his father died. In addition to the money Carroll saved from his summer job, his mother was able to come up with the funds to cover his freshman year in full.
Carroll originally studied math but ended up with dual majors in political science and history.
On top of his course load, he worked two jobs: one for the Syracuse Department of Parks and Recreation and the other as a dishwasher at the campus dining hall. In his junior year, he recalls, he moved off campus to save money. He and a friend shared a room in a house that cost $1 a day. College had its rocky moments, but one of the high points was meeting his future wife.
Following graduation from Le Moyne in 1966, Carroll continued his education at Syracuse University, earning a master’s degree in social studies education in 1970 and a doctorate in social science from SU’s Maxwell School in 1985. He began his career in education as a social studies teacher at Bishop Ludden High School before accepting a teaching position at Westhill High School. By this time, he and Mary had young children at home. (They have seven adult children and
eight grandchildren.)
During his time at Westhill, Carroll created Project LEGAL, a program designed to advance elementary and secondary students’ problem-solving skills and knowledge of the U.S. legal and judicial system. The grantfunded program earned state and national validation and Carroll left Westhill to move it to BOCES and then to Syracuse University. He retired from SU as a research associate professor earlier this year.
Some people dream of being a millionaire, but Carroll never dreamed that an investment he made in 2016 would result in a big payoff. He invested in NVIDIA, a company that’s a pioneer in computer technology and artificial intelligence, and watched it, in the words of financial services company The Motley Fool, “catch lightning in a bottle.”
“I never really expected anything in return,’’ Carroll said. “I was really shocked.’’
Their unexpected fortune hasn’t changed them. The Carrolls live in the same house in Syracuse they’ve lived in since 1987 and Jim drives 2016 and 2005 cars.
An estate lawyer encouraged him to establish a family trust and consider a plan for charitable giving. Giving back to the small college that shaped him personally and professionally came to mind naturally. Much of his donation will provide scholarships to students in need of financial support.
“There wasn’t any big moment where I decided to donate… I just thought, Le Moyne is what really was responsible for my whole career. So, if there was some way I could pay it forward I wanted to do that,” he said. “My original intent was to provide students in economic need with scholarships. That’s what most of my gift is going towards.’’
Carroll’s drive and emphasis on education left a mark on his kids: All of them went to college. The family includes a social worker, a dentist, a veterinarian and a lawyer, among other professions.
“I always remember my oldest, Annemarie, telling me one time: ‘When you grow up as a Carroll, you’re expected to go to college and do
well.’ They grew up seeing my strong work ethic and knowing the same was expected of them,’’ he said.
It was Annemarie, a clinical psychologist, who confided to her father in 2012 that Mary exhibited signs of Alzheimer’s disease, which can include memory loss, confusion and difficulty completing tasks.
Two medications help to moderate the symptoms, Carroll said. He is Mary’s primary caregiver and he tries to get his “bride of 57 years” out several times a week. They go to mass at St. Lucy’s Church in Syracuse, as they have for about 20 years. They frequent local restaurants, like the Blarney Stone on Tipperary Hill and Pasta’s on the Green in Baldwinsville and are fixtures at venues and outdoor events where there’s live music.
“She enjoys those,’’ Carroll said. “But she doesn’t remember them.’’
Returning home after an outing can be hard, he added.
“‘Coming home’ to her means that both of her parents are still alive. That’s where her home is, in her mind. Her father died in 1964 and her mother died in 1990,” he said. “She gets upset when I enter the driveway to our home at night.’’
Day-to-day life has its challenges, Carroll said, but his retirement earlier this year came at a good time. Mary’s condition has worsened in the last year, which makes travel and long-range plans difficult. They stay close to home.
“I need to be here with my wife,’’ he said.
The Carrolls attend Le Moyne events as they’re able and Carroll is happy to speak with fellow alumni considering legacy gifts. He also has completed training with the Alzheimer’s Association so he can educate and help others providing care to loved ones with dementia and Alzheimer’s.
“The main thing, at least right now, is there is no cure for Alzheimer’s,’ Carroll said. “There are only medications that delay the progression of the symptoms.
“Alzheimer’s can greatly affect mood and attitude. From day to day, you’re never sure what mood the person you’re caring for is going to be in. The only good part is they forget five minutes later. I always keep reminding myself of that. In five minutes, she’ll be smiling again or saying to me, ‘can I get you something?’”
Jim Carroll in March announced he was making a donation of $12 million to his alma matter, Le Moyne College.
Mark Teece, also known as The British Blacksmith, working on a piece at his studio in Kirkville.
Photo by Chuck Wainwright
The British Blacksmith:
STILL TEACHING, TINKERING
By Mary Beth Roach
Mark Teece said he’s always been a tinkerer ever since his childhood days in England. He especially liked working with metals.
Over the years, Teece, aka The British Blacksmith, has forged that interest into a business. He creates works of art, both small and large, offers classes and produces pieces throughout the Central New York area.
“I like to take something that’s hard and inanimate and form it into something that looks soft and beautiful,” he said, as he shows off a metal bouquet of flowers that he created in his workshop.
Teece, 55, has been in the United States for 29 years and has a workshop in Kirkville. He makes a wide range of items, from ladybugs that can fit in the palm of your hand to a 12-foot by 12-foot gourd.
Crafting such items takes an enormous amount of patience, attention to detail and focus.
“You’re focused when you’re holding something that’s red hot. You get rid of that white noise,” he said.
And with a temperature of 2,300 degrees inside the forge and with metal that comes out at about 1,800 degrees, you’d better remain attentive.
And it requires a lot of tools, which he also makes.
“I have a ridiculous number of tools,” he joked. “Every time you want to make a new shape, you want to make a new tool.”
He likes to work with surplus steel and recycled metal. He has
several drawers in his workshop filled with an assortment of pieces — for example, pieces of an old bridge from Oneida, partial links from an anchor chain in the Great Lakes, part of an old mine track from Jamesville quarry — and even an axle from a NASCAR car.
When he does a commission piece, he said he’ll often ask the client if there’s metal from the property that they might like forged into the piece.
“I like the idea of steel with a story — gives a second life to that piece of steel,” he said.
Teece worked as a chemistry professor at SUNY ESF for 25 years, before retiring just a few months ago. While he may have stepped out of the world of higher education, per se, he still is teaching.
His blacksmithing classes are one of the most favorite parts of his business. He’s been teaching the craft for about eight years.
The majority of people who take an introductory class has never forged before and some may never have swung a hammer, he said. But at the end of the threehour session, they have completed a fire poker, a herb chopper, a steak flipper, a candlestick or maybe even a wine bottle holder. He has storyboards as well, which show the progression of the projects.
“I love seeing people when they understand what’s happening or they make something. That’s the big joy for me, when somebody realizes, ‘Oh, I can actually do this,’” he said.
He told of a recent class with four women, average age of 72, who were celebrating one of the women’s birthday. They made an herb chopper, Teece said. They used it to cut up the birthday cake after the class was over.
He posts the classes being offered a month in advance on his website — thebritishblacksmith.com — with each class specific to one particular item. Each session is $170 and includes the materials; the use of tools; protective eyewear and earbuds; and snacks.
There is no alcohol allowed. Those taking the class must be able to lift a two-pound hammer.
He also offers private classes for small groups such as friends and families and they can choose their item from a list that Teece provides. More advanced classes are a little more expensive because they run longer than the three hours.
Teece also takes his craft — and sometimes his forge — out into the Central New York area.
“I like trying to take art into the community,” he said. “I’m trying to build a community of blacksmiths, craftspeople.”
He has hosted classes at Clear Path for Veterans; he’s visited Frazer School in Syracuse and worked with the fourth-grade students to create 3D drawings out of small individual copper sheets; and he’s been involved in creating railings at the Erie Canal Museum in downtown Syracuse. He met with visitors at the museum in late July to get input about their images of the famed canal and those will be reflected in medallions he is incorporating into the railings.
Probably his most unique commission was the 12-foot by 12-foot gourd-shaped trellis for Gourdlandia in Ithaca.
According to Gourdlandia’s website, it is an activity destination, where visitors can learn how to grow, dry and create art out of gourds. Teece crafted the enormous sculpture at his workshop in Kirkville and then transported it to the site.
Gourd vines are starting to creep their way up the trellis and Teece was at Gourdlandia in September to teach interested participants how to make iron tendrils for the trellis.
As for taking art into the community, a 12-foot by 12-foot gourd sculpture will certainly make an impact.
Teece, 55, has been in the United States for 29 years and makes a wide range of items, from ladybugs that can fit in the palm of your hand to a large gourd. Pictured is a large gourd-shaped trellis for Gourdlandia in Ithaca.
Time to Tackle Home Winterization
Get your home ready for snow and cold now
By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant
Your fuzzy sweaters may be in storage for a while, but it’s time to get those repairs and other tasks scheduled.
Contractors appreciate timing jobs for when the weather is nice. It’s also helpful for them for planning their work rather than receiving dozens of “emergency” calls once the snow flies. Especially pertinent are winterization tasks to keep your home energy efficient and cozy for the season and ensure that winter weather won’t damage your home.
Gutters on your roof serve an important role: keeping precipitation away from your foundation.
“Get the gutters repaired and cleaned; get the leaves out,” said Jared Raffa, owner of Raffa Remodeling in Oswego.
In addition, Raffa recommends that homeowners “clean up the landscaping. Make sure any drainage systems in the yard are flowing freely. Anytime you can, make sure the ground is pitched away from the house.”
Your home can feel drafty for many reasons. According to www. energystar.gov, a well-insulated home without air leaks can save homeowners 10% on their energy bills. Insulating homes doesn’t mean tearing up your
house. Blowing insulation into walls uses a minimally invasive system to properly insulate.
Replacement windows can reduce drafts. They start at about $150 each and can save about 12% on your energy bills.
In addition to preventing water damage, replacing or repairing the roof can keep your home better insulated. And there’s no time like the present to have roof work done.
“Make sure you don’t have any missing shingles or things that ice dams can get up underneath,” Raffa said. “Close up any gaps around the foundation.”
Tim Shattuck, soon-to-be-retired owner of Shattuck Remodeling & Home Repair in Syracuse, encourages homeowners to get caulking done around doors and windows, common areas that experience air leaks.
“It’s important to get done because you can’t paint when it gets too cold and caulk won’t cure,” he said. “Weather stripping is important to get done so your heat won’t go right out the window and door. It will help your utility bills.
“If you have cracked or broken windowpanes or storm windows missing, get those replaced now before winter.”
Waiting until cold weather to have your furnace serviced is risky. Have a pro check out the furnace and also the hot water heater so these appliances will run more efficiently, saving you energy costs.
According to www.energystar.gov, the average household spends $2,000 on energy with about half of that going toward heating and cooling costs.
Do It Yourself
A few DIY projects and strategies can help your home stay warmer this winter—no handyman skills or tools required.
• Just before it turns cold, seal windows on the inside with plastic. The budget-friendly kits are readily available at hardware or general merchandise stores and are easy to install.
• Test areas around windows and doors to find air leaks by having someone else inside feel for air as you blast it from the outside with a can of compressed air (look for it among office supplies). Caulk around window and doorframes. Buy a few draft blockers. Some are rubbery and permanently installed for frequently used doors. For seldom used doors, the stuffed type provides a decorative touch.
• Close off spare bedrooms and close the vents so you’re not heating space no one uses regularly.
• Clean your heat vents before you turn on your furnace.
• Set ceiling fans to clockwise mode to push warm air down.
Ditching Dated Décor
Try these tips when you update your home
By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant
If your home is swathed in minimalistic gray or (shudder) still boasts the Tuscan theme, it’s a great time to freshen up your home.
The quarantine period of the pandemic caused a lot of people to take a frank look at their homes. Now that home centers have supplies in stock, why not renovate?
To avoid a dated look, Dina PollittsMcCarthy, owner of Fiddlehead and Fern in Phoenix, said that the first step is to assess what you have. There’s no need to chuck all of your home furnishings — in fact, it’s a mistake to do so.
“When you stay with pieces that resonate with you and express your own personality, over time it’s something that still feels comfortable, like home to you,” she said. “I actually celebrate people’s own life experiences and try to fit the pieces they most value and love and that most inspire them into their space.”
She might center a room around a rug that was handed down in the family or has some kind of meaning and use colors from the rug to inspire the rest of the room’s décor. When she’s shopping for that client, she would look for things that work with that special item.
“Keep anything that holds significant sentimental value and is good quality, yet don’t be afraid to use things and alter things in ways that make sense for you, such as repurposing or painting furniture,” Pollitts-McCarthy said.
Holding on to pieces that represent you can help your home reflect you, even if they don’t perfectly match your design concept. No design concept? No problem. Review ideas on Pinterest for inspiration for a few minutes for a few weeks. Once you’ve collected numerous images, pare them down to about 10 or fewer that are your favorites and try to incorporate the
Bedroom makeover: before and after, a mix of vintage and contemporary items. Photo courtesy of Julie Ann Shahin, owner of Julie Ann Rachelle Interiors in Rochester.
colors, styles, textures and shapes you see.
“If it’s really kind of too formal for my taste, but I love it, I’ll find ways to bridge the gap,” she said. “I’d mix a more casual look with that formal piece. You can do that by bringing in other little formal details.”
For example, an intricate gold frame could bring in other little touches of gold into the room to pull the whole look together.
It’s OK if a beloved item doesn’t really “fit” with the rest of the house. In fact, Pollitts-McCarthy said that’s an ideal way to create a focal point for a room, with an item that sparks curiosity from visitors.
The “canvas” for all the furnishings and walls should be neutral if you want your décor to remain timeless.
“Then you can switch out smaller items over time,” Pollitts-McCarthy said. “Like a neutral sofa. You can change out the throw pillows and blankets not only to go with the seasons but to accommodate changes in your taste over time. You can change out accent pieces.”
Wallpaper is back. However, it’s not as permanent as it used to be. Pollitts-McCarthy said that the new peel-and-stick wallpaper allows for customization without a long-term commitment, as it’s easy to remove.
Subway tile is very popular. However, Pollitts-McCarthy views it as timeless because it has remained a staple for the past 100 years.
“I don’t think you can go wrong unless you use a colored grout that is very strongly colored,” she added.
Traditional woodworking details that are also timeless include recessed panels, chair rail molding and wainscoting.
“They add detail to your house but it’s not something that’s dated in a way that will hurt the resale of your house,” Pollitts-McCarthy said. “Use what you love and what speaks to you. Ultimately, it’s a sanctuary for you. If it feels like a sanctuary, you can enjoy it in your life while you’re there. If you stay with purely timeless foundation pieces and color, what you love can be translated into something that appeals to a wider group of people.”
If it seems too overwhelming, working with an interior designer can ease the process. However, homeowners should communicate with the designer and to speak up when they feel things aren’t working.
Living room before and after. “Gray is out. Now warmer tones are what is going to make a space look fresh and contemporary,” says Julie
Ann Shahin of Rochester. Photo courtesy of Julie Ann Shahin.
5 Expensive Renovations Homeowners Always Regret
By Nicole Spector
Home renovations are getting more expensive due to a few factors, including ongoing supply chain issues, labor shortages and inflation.
Many homeowners, however, still seem willing to cough up the cash.
The 2022 Houzz & Home Survey, published last June, found that homeowners planned to spend $15,000 in 2022 to renovate their houses — a 50% jump from the $10,000 Americans spent over the previous three years. When it comes to home renovations, there’s so much you can do, and thanks in part to a plethora of reality TV shows focused on home design — and redesign — consumers are everinspired.
But as touched upon, major home renovations are not cheap. More importantly, perhaps, they are typically not easy to undo. So if you’re going for a swimming pool or a full
kitchen remodel, you’d better be fully committed to your choices, because they’re going to stay with you, your home, and your home’s value for the long haul.
This is where regret can occur. Often, homeowners opt for a major, expensive renovation and then later wish they had done things differently.
What are some top revamps and overhauls that homeowners frequently come to regret? Let’s have a look.
1. Creating a Game Room
A game room may sound like a great idea, but homeowners often regret building one, according to Tara Spaulding, an interior design coordinator and a consultant for Patio Productions.
“Having a purpose-built space, like a gaming room, is not always the best move,” Spaulding said. “A game
room limits how the room can be used and does not also increase the value of your home should you decide to sell it.” She estimated that a game room costs around $4,500 to build.
“I would advise someone to consider a siding replacement [instead],” Spaulding said. “The siding of a home is among the most noticeable things, and it needs to remain sturdy and attractive. Replacing siding can cost $4,500 to $15,000 depending on the materials and has a higher return on investment should you consider selling. Its ROI is at 60% or higher.”
2. Converting a Garage Into a Living Space
Converting a garage into a living space can seem like a great idea — but it can often lead to big regrets. For one, it will cost you around $30,000 to execute, Bill Samuel, residential real
estate developer estimates.
“Most buyers don’t value this type of renovation,” Samuel said. “Even though this renovation will add more living space to your existing home at a lower cost than a new addition, the additional space is difficult to blend in with the existing floor plan of the home. So these conversions typically result in an awkward final floor plan for the home. Garage conversions also look very awkward from a curb appeal perspective which further limits your pool of potential buyers.”
Instead of throwing $30,000 at one huge endeavor, opt for smaller, more practical home improvements that will bring value and functionality to your abode.
“This could include updating paint, flooring or lighting or adding new landscaping or outdoor living spaces,” said Ryan Zomorodi, COO and co-founder at Real Estate Skills. “The cost of these improvements can vary widely, but they are often more affordable than major renovations and can have a significant impact on the home’s value and livability.”
3. Adding a Spa Tub
Installing a luxurious spa tub is a frequent expensive home renovation
that homeowners usually regret later.
“These tubs have a starting price of only $200, but they go up to $15,000,” said Matt Bigach, real estate expert and founder of We Buy Houses For Cash. “Homeowners usually regret getting a spa tub installed in their bathroom because they take up a lot of space. Plus, they are also difficult to keep clean and are not a good option for water preservation.”
Instead of buying a spa tub, opt for a quality showerhead. “It will be a cheaper option, while also leaving ample space in the bathroom,” Bigach said.
4. Replacing the Bathtub With a Shower
Since bathtubs tend to use a lot of water, homeowners often opt to replace them with a shower instead. This also helps cut down on space, making bathrooms larger. But these pricey renovations can lead to regret.
“Removing a bathtub can cost between $200 and $1,000 depending on the type of tub that needs to be removed,” said Charlotte Granville, a home remodeling specialist at Fixr. com. “The cost to install a shower varies between $7,000 and $12,000. Replacing a bathtub with a shower will
usually end up costing between $1,000 and $9,000 on average.”
Regret manifests once homeowners realize they no longer have the luxury or convenience of their bathtub. Then they may find themselves in the bind of having to replace their shower with their bathtub, which Granville says costs between $4,300 and $11,800. So instead, go for a combo.
“Homeowners who wish to have the option of taking a shower can simply turn their current bathtub into a bathtub–shower combo for an average of $300 to $2,000,” Granville said. “Having the best of both worlds prevents any regret from opting for one or the other, and allows you to choose between saving some water or having a relaxing moment in the comfort of your own bathroom.”
5. Using Overly Elaborate Crown Molding
Decorative crown molding can be a lovely way to add value and elegance to your home, but installing too much can actually be an expensive mistake.
“Overly elaborate crown molding can be difficult and expensive to install, often taking longer than anticipated due to its complexity,” said Shaun Martin, the owner and CEO of We Buy Houses In Denver. “Additionally, depending on the style you choose, it may not work with the existing design of your home.”
The cost of installing elaborate crown molding will vary.
“Generally speaking, it can range from a few hundred dollars to several thousand dollars depending on the details,” Martin said. “In some cases, if the project is especially complex, it may require hiring a professional carpenter or builder who will charge an additional fee for their services. Some people have reported spending upwards of $10,000 on intricate crown molding designs.”
Martin recommends using these big bucks on smaller, more practical home renovation projects like “painting the walls or updating fixtures and appliances.”
Story was published in April online at www.gobankingrates. com. Reprinted with permission.
Members of the Guitar League in Asheville, North Carolina, get together to play guitar. The club is led by Jim Horsman, who started the Syracuse chapter and now lives there.
Guitar League Members Keep on Strumming
What do the members of the Syracuse Guitar League do when they get together? You guessed … they play guitar
By Mary Beth Roach
“If music’s in your blood…”
This is the explanation that Syracuse native Jim Horsman gave for why he formed the Guitar League in 2005 — a group that continues strumming along today, nearly 20 years later.
The 71-year-old said he’d been a drummer in what he called bar bands for years. But in his 50s he decided he wanted to take up the guitar.
He admitted he wanted to learn quickly. So he gathered together some guitarist friends he had come to know during his band days and they would meet up once a month to learn and share their talents.
Those get-togethers morphed into the Guitar League, with Syracuse being its first of eight chapters and the idea of “learn, play, share” has become the group’s motto.
Initially, the group consisted of
about eight to 10 people, Horsman said.
Today, the Syracuse chapter numbers about 70. It meets the first Monday of the month at the Christ Community United Methodist Church, 3474 Stiles Road, off the Farrell Road exit of Route 690 West.
The group is open to all ages. Horsman and Bob Lewis, chapter leader, agree that the overwhelming majority of the members are older than 55.
And it’s open to all abilities — from the rookies, minors to majors and a group that Lewis called “the rusties.”
Each meeting is broken into three sessions, starting with an opener, which features a performance by a member of the group that runs for about 30 minutes.
Up next is a special presenter who focuses on certain tips and then
the meeting caps off with a breakout session, during which the members move into smaller groups and work on music, helping each other with chords, fingering and technique.
Some members, like Lewis and Kathy Dillon have returned to the guitar after multi-year breaks.
Lewis, 72, had taken guitar lessons when he was 14 from his sister’s then-boyfriend. When they broke up, that was the end of the lessons, Lewis chuckled.
Years later, the Liverpool resident said, his wife got him a guitar and he had one goal — to play the song they walked down the aisle to — “If Not For You.”
Lewis has learned the song — and about 100 more, he said, quickly adding that he hasn’t committed them to memory; that he needs the music in front of him.
Dillon, 76, of Syracuse, has always loved to sing. She started playing the guitar at the age of 16, but eventually she sold it. She would go on to enter the workforce and raise a family.
She bought a new guitar at the encouragement of one of her sons and in 2010 attended her first Guitar League meeting after seeing an announcement about it.
That particular night, one of the area’s leading acoustic guitar performers, Loren Barrigar, was performing. He invited members to join him on stage. After much encouragement from another member, Dillon joined in and has been coming back for 14 years, finding great camaraderie.
“Everybody is so kind. You can stop anyone of them and ask them ‘how did you play that? Could you show me how to do a certain chord?’” she said.
A nine-year member, Bryan Dickenson, 71, also loves to sing. The Syracuse resident said that he’s been singing since he was in the crib, claiming his mother told him he would wake from his naps singing. He has
gone on over the years to hone that skill, along with songwriting and guitar-playing.
Dickenson picked up the guitar at the age of 12, although he joked that “there wasn’t a lot of progress for the first 10 years or so.”
And Horsman, who now lives in Asheville, North Carolina, visits
Syracuse from time to time, started a chapter in his new hometown.
There are also chapters in Boston; central Massachusetts; Phoenix, Arizona; Poconos, Pennsylvania; St. Petersburg, Florida; and southern Wisconsin.
For more information on Guitar League visit, guitarleague.com
Bryan Dickenson and Kathy Dillon, both of Syracuse, practicing before a recent meeting of the Guitar League.
dance
Dancing Duo JoAnne and Tony Barbetta
Learning dance has kept couple moving in retirement
By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant
JoAnne and Tony Barbetta of Manlius aren’t taking retirement lying down.
For the past 14 years, the couple, now in their 70s, has taken dance lessons at Fred Astaire Dance Studios in Fayetteville.
With many other couples, the wife drags the husband into dancing lessons.
The Barbettas buck that stereotype.
“My husband signed us up for dance lessons,” JoAnne said.
They study all styles of social dancing such as salsa, West Coast swing and more. The couple winters in Florida and attend dances every Saturday night in their community.
“We go out dancing every opportunity we can,” she said. “It’s a way to have a partnership connection that’s happy, uplifting, joyful. It’s a wonderful way to connect and have a good time.”
In addition to the fun, she likes that dancing helps improve the body mind connection as the mind must pay attention to the rhythm, coordinate the steps and pay attention to the dance partner. She feels that the last aspect of dancing is tougher on men as they have to “remember everything for themselves and where their lady is, and where their lady needs to go and how to get her there. Dancing keeps you young. It keeps your body moving, your muscles moving. I think it fights depression, loneliness and a lot of things. It’s the best thing for a human being to do.”
She encourages everyone to try dance lessons, even if they don’t have a partner. She especially lauded the instructors at Fred Astaire as “professional and patient” and noted
that the social dances hosted by the school are “a lot of fun.”
Many of the students at Fred Astaire are people who received a gift certificate for lessons but would have never considered trying dance lessons and still attend the school.
“The dance community is the one place where we have found everyone to be happy and enjoying life,” she added.
Social dancing isn’t the only style available in lessons in the area.
Kathleen Rathbun owns Ballet & Dance of Upstate NY in Syracuse.
A 55-plusser herself, Rathbun said that many of her students study ballet because they want to get back into it. However, some are completely new to the style. The school sometimes offers jazz dancing lessons, too.
“The benefits we see are obviously physical,” Rathbun said. “Plus, you have to really use your brain as there are different combinations all the time. You’re working on certain muscles and use them correctly.”
Especially for people who hate pounding the pavement or slogging through a gym workout, a dance lesson “doesn’t feel like you’re working out,” Rathbun said. “Your whole mind and body are involved in this amazing art form and every muscle gets developed and use. You also get to listen to beautiful music.”
She has students who are at least 75, a testament to the notion that age is just a number.
“It’s different from aerobics,” Rathbun said. “You can do as much as you can do. If you want to do less, you can. You can do whatever your body lets you do and get a ton out of it.”
Do You Have
Rizz?
Understanding Today’s Slang
Improve your communication with your kids or grandkids: know their language
By Kathryne Rakowski
It seems each generation has their own language: A collection of slang words that keep older generations scratching their heads or, in these days, turning to Google.
Social media has helped new terms used primarily by the Gen Z population to spread quicker than ever before. If a celebrity uses a slang word on Tik Tok, or an influencer coins a new phrase on Instagram, this will be mainstream in no time. Are you lost sometimes when listening to your grandchildren? If so, you’re not alone. So here is a list of the top 10 slang words that are hot right now. Use them in conversations with the Gen Zers in your life to let them know you’re in the know!
Rizz
Do you have rizz? Rizz is a sort of charisma that a person has or would aspire to have to attract a love interest. Someone with a lot of rizz would be able to charm a person and glean many compliments. If you happen to receive a flattering remark from someone, just tell them you’re working on your rizz game.
Slay
Word
This word (no pun intended) has been used with previous generations and is making a comeback! It indicates that you’re agreeing with or that you understand what someone has said to you. Next time you want to agree with someone, just respond with a resounding “word.”
Bet
It’s a short and sweet word that can be used in a variety of ways. You can use it to let someone know you agree with them. You can use it to mean “OK.” And you can also use it to mean, “yes, you can count on it!” If you want someone to definitely trust
If someone says you slayed something, take it as a compliment! It means you did something exceptionally well. Often referring to fashion, it can be used in any context to let someone know you are very impressed with a job well done. Did your grandchild post a very flattering picture on Instagram? Comment “slay” to brighten their day and let them know you are slang-savvy.
you on a prediction you are making, bet should be your go-to word.
I’m down
I’m down is a fun way to let someone know you’d like to do something with them that they may have suggested. Because, why just say “yes” when you can sound young and hip? If you are invited to do something, enthusiastically respond with an “I’m down.”
Delulu
Why use the word “delusional” when you can use the word delulu? This trendy word refers to someone who is delusional, primarily referring to a relationship. Hopefully, you won’t have to use it to describe the person you yourself are in a relationship with.
Drip
You’ll be happy to hear it if you’re drip, drippin or drippy. This has nothing to do with running water. This is another way to compliment someone’s fashion sense or convey that you love their outfit. If you like the way someone looks, tell them they have some serious drip
Pressed
No, this actually doesn’t refer to an ironed shirt. If someone is pressed, it means that they are upset about something. If your grandchild tells you I’m pressed, you may want to press them for information as to what happened (once again, no pun intended). They’ll be happy you want to help and presently surprised you know what they mean.
Sus
Might not surprise you to learn that sus is short for suspect. Gen Z’s will use this term to describe an untrustworthy or suspicious person or a situation that doesn’t sound quite right. Next time something seems odd, just say, “sounds sus to me!”
Cookin’
You may think this has something to do with being in the kitchen, but not necessarily. This newer term is a way to refer to something as cool. If you want to sound really cool, just tell your family you are cooking something very cookin. You’ll be met with confusion by some and excitement by others.
New Passion for Artist: Mural Painting
Recently retired as an artist at MacKenzie-Childs, Dawn Jordan has found a new passion for painting murals
By Joe Sarnicola
Dawn Jordan is an artist with a wide range of talents and interests.
She often combines her love of local history with her creativity.
She was fortunate to have been born into an artistic family. Her grandfather was a skilled boat builder, her grandmother was a landscape painter, her father became well-known
in Cayuga County for his caricatures and her sister owns a creative arts business.
Recently retired as an artist at MacKenzie-Childs, she now has more time to pursue her own art projects.
In addition to having inherited artistic skill and being surrounded by art and artists, Jordan studied at the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale,
Florida, and the Ealing College of Higher Education in London.
“Living and studying in London and South Florida, two very different places, both inspired my horizons, but I definitely learned more about life than art,” she said during a recent interview.
That training led her to become a graphic artist at Cayuga Community
Finished mural created by Dawn Jordan. The mural can be seen from the parking lot of Willard Memorial Chapel and features crows, which have been roosting in Auburn over the winter for more than 20 years.
College in Auburn where she designed some of its catalogs and brochures. She eventually started her own graphic design business.
In 1995, she received her first commission to paint a mural. The American Legion in Moravia had hired an artist to paint a scene for them, but unfortunately he died before the work was completed. Jordan’s grandmother was asked to complete the mural, but she recommended Jordan instead. Although she had never worked on such a large scale before, she accepted the assignment.
Murals have since been an important part of Jordan’s success and recognition as an artist, with many of the murals being history-based. She painted the Brutus Historical Society building in Weedsport, a boating scene on the Shopping Guide and Press, Inc. building in Port Byron and a Freedom Train scene on a former railroad abutment on Route 31 between Weedsport and Port Byron.
The town of Montezuma has been a strong inspiration for some of
her recent work. She had previously painted “The Richmond Aqueduct: Then and Now” for the Montezuma Historical Society, which won the Viewers’ Choice Award at the 2016 Global Mural Conference and Expo in Fairport.
In honor of the town’s bicentennial celebration, she painted a mural on a facsimile boat built in the style of those that traveled on the canal at the Montezuma Heritage Park. That “boat” sometimes serves as a stage for town events.
Her most recent historical project is a bit different from the murals she has created.
“The Erie Canal Marionette Show” tells the story of the Erie Canal from a script she wrote and using puppets and a set she made herself.
“I’ve been working on the Erie Canal show for two years,” she said. “Town Historian Cheryl Longyear said she wanted to celebrate the town’s 200th anniversary. Eventually, I hope to bring the play to area schools.”
In order to broaden her knowledge
of puppetry, Jordan attended the International Puppet Festival in Paris in 2017. The first “Festival Mondial des Theatres de Marionnettes” was held in 1961 and has become a bi annual, nine-day event that attracts more than 150,000 visitors. Her first exposure to marionettes happened when she was in her grandparents’ attic and found “Marionettes: Easy to Make! Fun to Use!” a book by Edith Flack Ackerly, which was published in 1929 and not long after that she saw a live puppet show. Her grandmother taught her how to make the costumes for the puppets and her grandfather built her first puppet stage.
Hand puppets are worn like gloves, but marionettes are controlled above the stage by strings connected to various moving parts of the puppets.
“Puppetry is a way I can put a story together with color and action in a small setting. I love stories, music and art. So for me it is all about putting it together. If it is done well, the audience can suspend their reality and it’s kind of magic,” she said.
LEFT: Dawn Jordan starts a recent mural job — a crow mural near the Willard Memorial Chapel in Auburn.
RIGHT: Mural by Dawn Jordan at the Montezuma Historical Park.
A performance of the Erie Canal marionette show was part of the Summer Festival of the Arts at Willard Memorial Chapel in Auburn in August.
She has also created backdrops for performances of many local high school plays and musicals. She often reuses some of the panels for the art.
“I paint over the five-foot by 30foot backdrops from previous shows. I have to work fast, because there is a lot of surface area to paint. I work backstage and I love it,” she said.
Of course, with anything having to do with live performances, things can go wrong. One example happened back on March 13 (Friday the 13th) of 2020 just before a performance of “Matilda, the Musical,” at Auburn Junior High School. After weeks of rehearsals, that was the first and last performance of the show because after that all schools were closed because of the coronavirus pandemic.
“After hearing the news of the cancellation, kids and their parents were crying,” she said.
Her most recent mural is painted on the back of a building that has housed several different grocery stores in Auburn, but is now the home of Zen Den Yoga Studio, Sew What! Fabric store and the office of The Citizen, Auburn’s newspaper. The mural can be seen from the parking lot of Willard Memorial Chapel and features crows, which have been roosting in Auburn over the winter for more than 20 years.
“I received permission from the owners, Washington Street Partners. There is no political or historical statement different from any of my other works. This is purely for enjoyment. I painted the crows with human eyes,” she said.
The cinder blocks that make up the wall served as a natural grid, making the scale of the project easier than if she had to create a system allowing her to transfer a drawing into a large-scale painting.
She is also a board member of the Fingerlakes Art Council, whose mission is “to create an environment that supports, fosters, provides and promotes inclusive arts programming open to all residents, artists and visitors throughout the Finger Lakes Region.”
For more information or to view some of her work online, visit streetsmartart.com or email: muralsbydawn@gmail.com.
Dawn Jordan speaking to the audience before one of her shows.
The Community Clothing Room: More Than Clothes
Run
by volunteers, store in Syracuse provides free clothing
to those in need
By Carol Radin
Racks and racks of men’s and women’s clothing — but nothing is for sale. The garments look new. But they are actually gently-used and donated. It is the Community Clothing Room or Clothing Room for short, a service of the Interfaith Community Co-Op @ 324, housed in University United Methodist Church on East Genesee Street in Syracuse. On typical Thursday and Sunday
mornings, when the Clothing Room is open, anyone can browse the circular racks, labeled by category, size, age group and gender, in a room that looks like an old-school department store.
There is energy here: Hangers squeal as they are reeled along the racks, conversations criss-cross the room in English, Spanish, Arabic and African languages and volunteers call a warm greeting to strangers and returning visitors alike.
Multi-tasking, the volunteers may be sorting garments, restocking, folding and at the same time circulating among the browsers who have questions about fit and fabric.
A volunteer might be scooping through a deep box of sneakers looking for sizes for three children in a family. Another might be directing a teen to the blouses. Another might show a mother to the children’s room, where sizes 0 months to 16 years are folded on shelves.
Joyce Flynn, 68, is the coordinator of the Clothing Room. She spends about 15 hours a week on the responsibilities related to replenishing garments and preparing them for display.
The Clothing Room relies on donations from area churches, synagogues and other organizations; private donors and clothing drives; and even some unexpected sources. For instance, Copper Beech Commons, the student apartment building near the church, makes arrangements for a large collection of students’ gently-used clothing at the end of the college semester. In turn, Flynn spends some of her time delivering clothing to organizations and churches that need it for their own neighborhood distributions. Always ready to do the above and beyond, Flynn sometimes even takes worn clothes home to wash before displaying.
The basement where the clothing is housed also has three adjacent rooms for storage and one room for sorting. As in a regular retail store, the array of inventory has to move.
“We flip the fall clothes to make room for the winter clothes, flip the winter clothes....” and so on, Flynn explained. Although she and the other volunteers welcome people to take what they need, they have had to put signage up to limit the number of men’s shirts taken. There is always a shortage of men’s clothes — donors take note!
Jackie Sadowski shows a visitor the selection of toddler sneakers. The clothing room has a separate room for infants’ and children’s clothing.
Run by volunteers
The Clothing Room evolved over the past five years as Flynn and her daughter, Kate, made changes side by side to a space that was once no bigger than a walk-in closet. Together with Galyn Murphy-Stanley, the executive director for the Interfaith Community Co-Op, Flynn and Kate helped to fill in more and more gaps. The mother and daughter started a little library, then offered some clothing items along with the books, then helped with food, like Thanksgiving bags and Sunday breakfast for as many as 100 people.
Flynn describes Kate as “a real cheerleader” who overcame several health challenges when younger and continues to help her mother with clothing collections, the Sunday breakfast program and general allaround advocacy and clothing drives
The Community Clothing Room
The Clothing Room is part of the Interfaith Community Co-Op@324
Address
1085 E. Genesee St. Syracuse, NY 13210
Hours
Thursdays 9 a.m. to noon
Sunday 9 a.m. to 10 a.m.
Donations especially needed:
Men’s clothing
Youth clothing: Ages 7 - 16
For information on donating and volunteering for Interfaith Community Co-Op activities,
Email: outreach@uumcsyracuse.org
in her workplace. Flynn and her husband, Sean, have three adult daughters — Kate is the oldest.
The other volunteers at the Clothing Room are an enthusiastic corps of retirees with their feet on the ground and their sleeves rolled up.
Paulina Murray-Lee, 76, calls herself “The Queen of the Sorters.” True to form, she barely pauses while whipping through piles of shirts to separate by size and gender. Retired from medical administration in New York’s Beth Israel Hospital and New York Presbyterian, Murray-Lee moved here and got word of the Clothing Room when she was volunteering at a polling place and mentioned that she had a hard time finding the rare clothing size worn by her autistic nephew. At the suggestion of another polling place volunteer, Murray-Lee found clothes that fit her nephew. She also found the place where she wanted
to pitch in.
Jackie Sadowski, who retired from the county health department, has been with the Clothing Room for almost four years. “I’ve always been the person who volunteered for everything!” she exclaimed. “I love it!” Her other activities each week include tutoring children from Syracuse’s Huntington Elementary School in math and reading skills and working with the ReStart Program, under the United Methodist Ministries, which assists renters in seeking and furnishing apartments. The 79-year old quipped, “Volunteering and grandchildren keep me young!”
Why do volunteers show up weekly to sort, stock and interact with people in need? Shaelon FergusonDavis, 65, said, “I am always trying to make a difference.”
The emphasis is on “always.” She has been there since her retirement
Paulina Murray-Lee, aka”Queen of the Sorters,” separates men’s clothing on recent Thursday at the Clothing Room.
from SUNY-ESF two years ago. Like many other volunteers, FergusonDavis is engaged in the community in other ways, including volunteering in hospitality at All Saints’ Church in Syracuse.
Ann Owens, 69, and a retired nurse, can also explain immediately why she’s here.
“It’s the people. The need is so great. Some people will come here with the soles coming off their shoes,” she said.
Yet, in spite of the life obstacles that many of the visitors face, they are always grateful and courteous, Owens said.
Joyce Flynn reflected on her many encounters by saying, “I’ve learned not to judge. When you talk to people, you find out what they are truly going through.”
Given the many visitors’ circumstances, Clothing Room assistants realize this is a place where the support goes far beyond the clothes on someone’s back. “They have a place to come,” Owens said.
And a place for friendly conversation. Flynn has a knack for drawing out even the most reserved.
“I give them my name and ask for theirs. I have a map and I will ask them to show me where they are from,” she said.
Flynn and the other volunteers set a tone for mutual respect and validation. Several volunteers can recount stories of people who come in to browse and end up simply sitting down to chat, and sometimes to vent a bit about the problems that led them to the Clothing Room and to the Interfaith Community Co-op’s other resources. Fortunately, the volunteers have a wealth of social service experience and knowledge among them. So they can sometimes suggest to visitors additional services that might be helpful.
Unfortunately, the needs seem to increase rather than decrease. At the Clothing Room, Flynn sees firsthand what she deems “the injustice of poverty.” Yet on a practical level at least, she and the other volunteers can continue helping people find garments that will make them feel better about themselves.
“It’s not about giving people the clothing,” Flynn said. “It’s about seeing them as human beings, giving them dignity and making them feel safe and welcome.”
Joyce Flynn, 68, is the coordinator of the Clothing Room. She spends about 15 hours a week on the responsibilities related to replenishing garments and preparing them for display.
The Community Clothing Room has a variety of items available for those in need, including a men’s shirt rack.
Do You Need a Digital Will?
By Jim Miller
If you or your wife spend much time online, adding a separate digital will document to your estate plan that provides a list of your digital assets would be extremely helpful to your loved ones when you die, not to mention it will help protect your privacy. Here’s what you should know.
Do You Have Digital Asset?
The term “digital assets” refers to personal information that is stored electronically on either a computer or an online cloud server account that belongs to an individual. Anyone who uses email, has a PIN code protected cell phone, makes online purchases or pays bills online has digital assets. Digital assets generally require a username, a password or a PIN to access and can be difficult, if not impossible, to retrieve if someone is incapacitated or dies.
Creating a digital will (also
known as a digital estate plan) will help your loved ones access your electronic devices and online accounts more easily so they can manage your electronic affairs, according to your wishes, after you’re gone. This in turn will also protect your digital assets from hackers or fraud, which can happen to dormant accounts after you die.
How to Write a Digital Will
Your first step in creating a digital will is to make an inventory list of your digital assets, which includes everything from hardware to email accounts. Here are a few categories to help kick-start your list:
• Electronic devices (computer, smartphone, tablet, external hard drive).
• Digital files (for photos, videos or documents)
• Financial accounts (like bank and brokerage accounts, credit cards,
cryptocurrency).
• Bill paying accounts (utilities, mortgage accounts)
• Social media accounts (like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn).
• Email accounts (Gmail, Yahoo, Outlook, etc.).
• Cloud-storage accounts (like Google Cloud, iCloud, Dropbox, Microsoft OneDrive)
• Movie or music streaming services (like Netflix, Hulu, Spotify, Apple Music)
• Online purchasing accounts (like Venmo or PayPal)
• Subscription services (magazines, newspapers, Amazon Prime, etc.).
• Reward programs (travel, stores, etc.).
• Membership organizations (AARP, AAA, etc.).
When making your list, you’ll need to include usernames, passwords, PINs, account numbers or security questions for accessing each account. And provide instructions on how you want your assets managed after your death. For example: Do you want certain accounts closed, archived or transferred? Do you want specific files or photos to be deleted or shared with loved ones? Do you want your social media profiles memorialized or deleted? Be clear and specific about your wishes.
You’ll also need to appoint a digital executor that you trust to execute your wishes after you die.
From a legal perspective, you should know that most states have enacted the Revised Uniform Fiduciary Access to Digital Assets Act (RUFADAA), which legally recognizes digital estates. This law gives your personal representative or executor legally protected access to your online accounts.
Once your digital will is written, store it with your other estate plan documents either in a fireproof safe or file cabinet at home, on your computer hard drive, with your estate planning attorney or online at a reputable digital estate planning service like Everplans. com or Clocr.com. But make sure your executor knows where it is and has access to it.
Also remember to keep your digital will updated regularly when you create any new digital accounts or change passwords.
taxidermy
Meet Maggie Rathje, Taxidermist Pulaski woman stands out in male-dominated job
By Stefan Yablonski
Maggie Rathje is 70 years old and still goes to work every day. She is an awardwinning taxidermist who runs Fish Wish in Pulaski.
She has been in business over 40 years and is one of the few women doing taxidermy.
“I was born in Hicksville to a family of five children,” she said. “My father was a minister and my mother was a textile designer with the exclusive contract from Walt Disney to do all the Disney characters when they were on sheets, towels, blankets etc. She was an incredible artist.”
Rathje went to SUNY Cortland and received a degree in biology and geology.
“I was certified to teach secondary science,” she said. “I taught for a year and it did not suit me.”
She then worked for the New York DEC as a fish and wildlife technician for six years, a job that brought her to Pulaski.
She married Carl Rathje, who worked for the DEC at the fish hatchery.
“He encouraged me to become a fish taxidermist as they were just building the Salmon River Hatchery and he knew the fishery would take off,” she explained.
She worked part-time for a taxidermist while working as a technician.
“With a little background, I watched videos and took a couple of seminars and basically taught myself taxidermy. It was a natural parallel to my wildlife artwork — I painted wildlife with watercolors on canvas,
wood and slate,” she said.
For a while, she was the only one mounting fish in the area.
“Being a woman in taxidermy was a hardship at first, as it was purely a man’s profession,” she explained. “But as my work got out there it became an asset as I was the only woman. My mother’s artistic talent handed down to me gave me the edge on painting the fish which is very important.”
Because her customers requested it, she eventually branched out to birds and deer and small mammals.
“My teaching background helped me get affiliated with nature centers and so I was able to be special permitted to work with protected wildlife,” she said. “I was able to mount protected wildlife for schools and nature centers and museums which really broadened my work.”
She has been working Fish Wish Taxidermy for more than 40 years. When not working in her studio, she said she likes to golf, ski (both downhill and cross-country), fish on the lake, rivers and the ice.
“I hunt deer, ducks and pheasant,” she said. “I have chocolate Labrador retrievers which I have raised eight generations from pups. I have trained them all to master hunters. I am also a judge for both NAHRA [North American Hunting Retriever Association, a national organization that sponsors trials similar to AKC] and AKC for retriever hunt tests. I will be judging the AKC Master National this year.”
Diverse clients
“I have had all walks of life in my shop — from waitresses paying for their grandchild’s fish with tip money each week to millionaires representing Safari Club International,” she said. “I have customers from Canada, Japan, Lebanon, Russia, Spain, Poland — all parts of Europe.”
She has done life-sized Musk ox from Alaska, Orapollo Sheep and a chamois from New Zealand, African antelopes, hartebeest and wildebeest, an 11-foot anaconda, a nine-foot alligator. Also, a hummingbird and a bat for the nature center along with hawks and owls for the center and for Fort Drum environmental center, cormorant for the US Fish and Wildlife as well as a 10-foot marlin, 11-foot sailfish, state record steelhead and a world record coho.
“I have people in my shop from all over the world. I have met and befriended a lot of interesting people through my work and being a hunt test judge has taken me a lot of places to meet great people,” she said. “This keeps me busy and feeling young. Every day is different and provides new challenges!
“I used to get out to my shop 5 a.m. and work until late at night. Now, I am working more like a 10-hour day — but not every day, so I guess I am slowing down.”
For more information on Maggie Rathje’s business, visit www. fishwishco.com.
1. Maggie Rathje at her studio in Pulaski.
2. Some of the deer she has worked on as taxidermist.
3. Rathje and her dog, Rascal.
She Lets Her Creative Side Shine at Her Business
Former
graphic designer now in charge of her own specialty store in Syracuse,
Metro Home Style
By Margaret McCormick
When she was in high school and college, Linda O’Boyle wanted to become a graphic designer.
After graduating from Mohawk Valley Community College, she did just that, designing brochures, publications and promotional materials for Lockheed Martin and later for environmental engineering
firm Blasland, Bouck & Lee.
“I loved the creative side,’’ O’Boyle said. “I didn’t like the corporate.’’
While she was at Blasland, O’Boyle flexed her creative and entrepreneurial muscles with a small business, Covent Garden Antiques.
She rented booths at several multivendor dealer shops and offered secondhand furniture and home décor items that she painted and reimagined for resale.
“It was fun to go out and find the stuff and redo it and repurpose it. But it took a lot of time,’’ O’Boyle said of her side hustle. “It was hard to find things that were affordable to re-do and hard to find the time to do that. But I loved it.’’
She did it for many years, while balancing the demands of her fulltime job.
Then she embarked on her own retail venture, Metro Home Style, a lifestyle boutique and gift shop in Syracuse. It opened in the Regional Market Commons in 2006 and relocated to North Clinton Street, in the Franklin Square neighborhood, in 2011. It’s in the same building as Spaghetti Warehouse.
O’Boyle said she always felt drawn to locally owned retail shops — for the atmosphere, the thoughtfully curated merchandise and the opportunity to talk to shopkeepers. That’s why she decided to open her own business.
“I just always liked that environment and I love business,” she said. “When traveling or even when I was local, I’d always go to small indie shops. I liked the whole feeling and I wanted to create that. The neat thing about indie retail is there can be
five gift shops in town and they’re all different from each other.’’
According to Dun & Bradstreet, the gift-novelty-souvenir store industry includes about 22,000 shops in the U.S., counting national brands like Disney, Hallmark and Spencer’s (formerly Spencer Gifts). It’s a competitive category, Dun & Bradstreet said, with traffic driven by special occasions, holidays and tourism.
Metro Home Style is a store you visit to find the perfect card or gift for a friend, family member or colleague — and maybe end up heading home with a little something for yourself. It’s small, but big on carefully selected merchandise. There are candles, linens (think colorful dish towels), home accents and décor, local food products (like Syracuse Salt, Salt City Coffee and Dutch Hill maple syrup), food books and cookbooks, market totes, purses, costume jewelry, pet gear, hand soaps and lotions and more.
When she had the opportunity to expand the store slightly into a back room, O’Boyle took a gamble on giving space to greeting cards, stationery, notebooks, journals, pens and pencils and stickers. It paid off: Paper goods are her biggest sellers, along with gourmet food items.
O’Boyle, 58, is the sole proprietor and employee but brings in reinforcements — and plenty of new merchandise — for the busy holiday season. Family members help behind the scenes, on the floor and with complimentary gift wrapping, which is available with all purchases at all times of year. O’Boyle’s husband creates and serves shoppers a holiday drink (with or without alcohol).
The store might be best known for its customer service. O’Boyle travels to trade shows a couple times a year and uses social media, primarily Facebook and Instagram, to ask her customers what they’d like to see in the store. When the store is closed and she’s away at a retail conference, as she was in late July, the business owner offers online shopping deals and promotions. She recently introduced “Markdown Mondays’’ on social media, spotlighting a different discounted item each week.
Rea Carver met O’Boyle and got to know Metro Home Style more than a decade ago at the annual Holiday Shoppes fall fundraiser sponsored by the Junior League of Syracuse. She’s
been a regular customer at the store since then.
What keeps her coming back?
“A little of everything,” Carver said. “It’s the attention to detail and the things she brings in. To me, it’s stuff I can’t really get anywhere else. Everything is quality. It’s the little touches, the way she wraps everything. I just love the atmosphere. And I think she’s the perfect person to do this kind of work. It’s nice to know I can walk in and say, ‘I need this hostess gift in an hour. What can you do?’ She takes care of it.’’
COVID-19 disrupted the retail world. But O’Boyle navigated the challenges and said the pandemic had “hidden benefits.’’ It caused her to focus more on the store’s website and to put more merchandise on there. Customers were encouraged to shop the website and take advantage of curbside pickup. To this day, customers can order online and arrange for instore pickup — a wagon at the front of the store holds orders labeled with customer names.
“I have amazing customers,’’ O’Boyle said. “I have customers who have been with me since day one at the market store. Being the only employee, you get to know the customers. Everything I do is about ‘what would my customer want?’ The store exists for them.’’
The pandemic also nudged her to make more and better use of social media — to show people not only what’s new in the store or promote a sale, but to show people what’s happening in the Franklin Square neighborhood and in Syracuse in general.
In her leisure time, O’Boyle likes to relax at her family’s cottage on Oneida Lake and travel with her husband, Tim. They’re history buffs and work in visits to historic cemeteries on their trips. She also likes to help Tim with social media for his business, gravesite maintenance and repair provider With All Respect Due.
O’Boyle said she has no plans to retire. She likes her job too much.
“I love pretty much every aspect of it. I love the buying. I like the social media,” she said. “I like the merchandising. I love the customers who have become friends.’’
For more information on Metro Home Style, visit www. metrohomestyle.net.
Linda O’Boyle stands in front of shelves packed with products available at her store, Metro Home Style on North Clinton Street, in the Franklin Square neighborhood in Syracuse.
Farm Goods All Winter
Winter CSAs promote small businesses and healthful eating
By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant
If you enjoy frequenting farm stands, consider purchasing a community supported agriculture (CSA) share for the winter season.
Typically, CSAs provide local buyers with a pre determined amount of farm goods for a set price. Farmers receive cash flow and an established market for their goods. Customers receive regular portions of the freshest food around while supporting a local business.
The reasons for buying CSA shares are obvious to Dick de Graff, owner of Grindstone Farm in Pulaski.
“It helps consumers eat more vegetables,” de Graff said. “They get them landed in their laps. It’s usually discounted pricewise because we can count on that market as we grow things. We can pass savings on. There’s more hands on labor with direct retail sale. We don’t usually ask for a lot of money upfront but a verbal commitment that they’re interested in that food for that period of time.”
The winter CSA share includes root crops like turnips and beets; greens such as collards, kale, bok choy and salad mix; and value-added items
and a few things from other farms. These may include jelly, honey, maple syrup.
Shares are available for pick-up at the farm market on Fridays monthly or every other week. Shares are $30 to $50 per pick up. Customers may choose their items from among what’s available and listed on the farm’s posted selections. The winter CSA runs from November or December through March.
Wendy Burkhart-Spiegel, coowner of Common Thread Community Farm in Madison, operates a winter CSA. The shares are available midNovember through late January.
“We distribute very locally so they get to know the farmers and the farm,” she said.
The share boxes even include a weekly newsletter to keep customers apprised of what’s going on at the farm. The winter shares include root crops, leeks, onions, garlic, salad greens, squash, sweet potatoes, brussels sprouts and cabbages. Along with herbs and greens. Common Thread also includes items from nearby farms, such as mushrooms.
It’s a lot of work operating a CSA during a time of year when most produce farms take a break.
“We build community around food and farming,” Burkhart-Spiegel said. “They know where the food comes from. A lot of places that are putting together assembled boxes; it’s hard to know where the food is coming from. Our customers know how the food is grown and stored.”
She also gives customers recipes and ideas on how to use the food they receive.
Although buying seasonal produce directly from farms seems like a summertime ideal, BurkhartSpiegel believes that during winter, the practice helps people access the hearty and nourishing foods that they need that time of year.
“Eating in season is great for your body and delicious and nutritious and feels really good,” she added.
Most CSAs warn that customers will need to remain flexible if the harvest isn’t what the farm expects. For instance, that Swiss chard may be replaced with endive if the Swiss chard didn’t do well this year.
Some CSAs may supply goods from other farms along with their own. Some include meat, dairy, eggs, cheese, baked goods, jams and jellies and other value-added goods.
Winter CSAs tend to focus on “root crops” like potatoes, turnips, carrots and sweet potatoes. They may also offer storage crops like squash, pumpkins, onions and apples. Some use greenhouses to extend the growing season for a few weeks, offering greens into the fall.
Box of vegetables provided by Common Thread Community Farm in Madison.
Community Supported Agriculture
In addition to Grindstone Farm in Pulaski and Common Thread Community Farm in Madison, you can get fresh produce during the wintertime in the following farms:
•Abbott Farms, Baldwinsville
•Brady Farm, Syracuse
•Brownson Family Farm, Kirkville
•Eden Fresh Network, Syracuse
•Freedom Rains Farm, Pulaski
•Greyrock Farm, Cazenovia
•Hartwood Farm, Chittenango
•Jones Family Farm, Herkimer
•Main Street Farms, Cortland
•Mountain Grown Farm, Jamesville
•Off the Muck Farm Market, Canastota
•Old Fly Farm, Fabius
•Spencer’s Folly, Elbridge
•Stones Throw Farm, Nedrow
•Will-Sho Farms, King Ferry.
Note that some of these may not operate winter CSAs. Check here to see what’s available this coming season: www. localharvest.org.
By Eva Briggs, M.D.
your health Infectious Diseases: Beyond COVID-19
Four infectious diseases that get less attention than COVID-19 and flu have recently been in the news.
The first two, while rare, could be contracted in the Central New York area. The second two are causing outbreaks in other areas but rarely occur in people who have traveled to these spots.
West Nile virus made news when Anthony Fauci was hospitalized for this illness. It belongs to a group of viruses called flaviviruses and is related to dengue, zika and yellow fever.
All 48 of the contiguous United States and many other countries harbor West Nile virus. It’s not named after the Nile River, but for the Ugandan district called West Nile where the virus was first isolated.
Birds are the main hosts of the virus. Although it can kill some birds such as crows and jays, the main reservoir species include robins and house sparrows. Mosquitoes that feed on infected birds transmit West Nile to people. It can spread from person to person rarely, only via blood borne routes such as transfusion, blood or organ donation — or from mother and child.
Most (eight out of 10) people who contract West Nile virus have no symptoms. Those with symptoms develop fever, headache, muscle aches, vomiting, diarrhea, and rash. One out of 50 people suffers serious neurologic disease with high fever, severe headache, stiff neck, stupor, confusion, coma, tremors, seizures, vision loss, numbness, and paralysis. One out of 10 patients with severe neurologic disease die and others are left with permanent impairments. There is no vaccine to prevent West Nile disease and no specific treatment.
Preventing mosquito bites is the best way to reduce risk.
Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) is another viral disease. It is also spread via mosquitoes. There is no vaccine and no specific medicine to treat the disease. This dangerous disease kills about 30% of patients. It spreads to humans from birds in freshwater swamps. Despite the name equine, horses and people are dead-end hosts and can’t transmit the disease.
Oropouche virus is one that I learned about recently. It is found in South America, Central America and the Caribbean. Biting midges are the main route of transmission although some mosquitoes can spread it. Midges, also called no-see-ums, are tiny insects much smaller than mosquitoes. Because oropouche virus has occurred in travelers in the U.S. returning form areas where this disease is found, there is concern that it could become established and spread by midges in the eastern U.S. Infected pregnant woman can spread this virus to their fetus, leading to stillbirth. Symptoms include fever, headache, muscle aches, and chills. There is also no vaccine or specific treatment for oropouche. Another name for oropouche is sloth fever because it was first isolated from three-toed sloths.
Valley fever was in the news on the day I wrote this article due to an outbreak at a California music festival. This one is due to the fungus coccidiomycosis. Fever, cough, and fatigue are the usual symptoms. It’s contracted by inhaling fungal spores in contaminated soil. It’s found in the south and west. So, while it wouldn’t be contracted here in New York state, it can return home with travelers. A friend who lives in Oklahoma had a dog who died from valley fever.
life after 55
By Michele Bazan Reed Email: bazanreed@hotmail.com
A Little Movie Magic
In July, I broke my kneecap and spent several weeks in an immobilizer. Not being able to get around, I spent hours every day just sitting.
I whiled away as many hours as I could reading books and magazines on my tablet, listening to audiobooks and playing every word game published by the New York Times and in apps on my phone.
But sometimes I needed something even more passive.
And I asked myself, what do modern people do with forced rest? Answer: Binge watch, of course.
My best friend at these times was the Turner Classic Movies channel.
In August they ran Summer Under the Stars. Each day was dedicated to the movies of one star. So for 24 hours we had Cary Grant, then Katharine Hepburn. Jerry Lewis gave us as day of slapstick comedy and Dean Martin had his moment next.
Fred MacMurray is a favorite of mine, and he got to shine not only in noir classics like “Double Indemnity” and “The Pushover,” but comedies like “The Apartment” and “The Egg and I,” where he and his bride refurbish an old
egg farm with the help of none other than Ma and Pa Kettle.
Grace Kelly in “To Catch a Thief” took me on a thrilling ride on the hairpin turns of the Upper Corniche in Nice, a trip Bill and I made at a much more sedate speed in a tour bus in 2016.
Then, in “Dial M for Murder,” she played the intended victim of a classic Hitchcock murder plot.
Bette Davis, Donna Reed, Barbara Stanwick all kept me company on the couch.
As I write this I’m still immobilized and hoping for James Stewart day, where in “Rear Window,” he’s exactly in my position, but with much more exciting viewing.
Movies have always been a big part of my family’s life. My late husband, Bill, loved the old films from his childhood when one of the Syracuse TV stations ran the classic movies every Saturday afternoon. He passed his love of cinema on to our children.
Each year, on the last day of school, he would take the children out, individually, for lunch and a movie. Sometimes he’d let them pick
a movie I wouldn’t necessarily enjoy like some giant robot movie and the Bill and Ted films. And always the “lunch” consisted of a giant banana split sundae. “Don’t tell Mom,” he’d say to them, making it not only their special outing but a shared joke. Of course, he always told me.
Then in 2013, the year Bill retired, our son Mike took him to “Pacific Rim,” a giant robot movie, for his “last day of school.”
In 1998, Bill and Katie, our daughter, marked the centennial of Alfred Hitchcock’s birth with TCM’s retrospective of the master’s greatest films. Night after night, they sat glued to the screen for “North by Northwest,” “Saboteur,” “Rope” and Katie’s favorite, “Vertigo,” alongside standards like “Psycho” and “The Birds.” Then friendly arguments would ensue about which films were the greatest.
Holiday time was a time for movies. We always made a special outing to a movie theater usually with Bill’s brother and his family for the Christmas blockbuster movies, often a Star Wars or Harry Potter film.
But New Year’s Eve was the big
‘What
night. The kids could stay up late watching kid-friendly videos and eating snacks that I usually frowned upon over-indulging in, like Hot Pockets and Tater Tots and drinking soda. We carried the tradition on until Bill’s death. One year, Katie visited us in France for the holidays and we ran a James Bond marathon on French TV with subtitles. The French love Jerry Lewis and Charlie Chaplin and we saw a lot of their flicks over the holiday as well.
In our empty nest, Bill and I treated ourselves to whatever TCM was playing that night, lately the Thin Man movies, many of which were set on New Year’s Eve.
And it stuck with the kids. Mike majored in film and psychology at university. And Katie, now a musicology professor, made music in films one of her academic specialties.
And she even married a film buff. Greg studied films majoring in visual studies at Cornell and owns a collection of about 4,000 classic and modern films.
I found my own solace in films this summer, but there are plenty of ways to indulge your own inner movie buff, from streaming online to borrowing films from the public library. Many libraries host film nights and so do college campuses and historical societies.
And what better way to enjoy them than in the company of a grandchild, niece or nephew or even a neighbor. The old classics take on new life through fresh eyes and you’ll be laying the seeds for a lifetime tradition of movie magic.
druger’s zoo
By Marvin Druger Email: mdruger@syr.edu
Poetry?
Mindless
There was an echo in the hallway, Huge clouds hovered overhead, There was graffiti everywhere, Earth became a source of undeniable destiny, The paths to heaven were open And birds of paradise feasted on worms
That glowed in the dark, A lonely cat crept through the high grass
And snakes devoured the eggs of the cuckoo bird
While I luxuriated in a bathtub of warm water.
What am I talking about? I have no idea what this poem means, but this is my attempt at modern poetry. A prominent magazine features many such meaningless poems and the reader has to struggle to figure out what they are all about.
Several years ago, I was reading a children’s book to my granddaughter. It was terrible, but it was published. I thought, “I could do better than that,” and I started writing poetry books for children and adults.
My poetry is the traditional kind. Phrases rhyme. My poems are also meaningful and each poem conveys
a positive message about life. Most of the poems are based upon real life experiences. Many different topics are included. My poetry book has a few blank pages at the end and readers are encouraged to write their own poems. Anyone can be a poet.
I included my grandchildren’s poems at the end of the book. Unlike modern poems, my poems rhyme and are understandable. But poems do not have to rhyme. To me, a poem is simply an interesting thought put into words. Reading poetry should be a pleasurable, meaningful experience.
My poetry is accompanied by appealing, childlike illustrations. I hired a professional illustrator, but I didn’t like what the illustrator did. I had a vision of what each illustration should look like, but this illustrator could not meet my expectations. I am not a trained artist, but I decided to draw all the illustrations myself. A professional artist said, “Who did the illustrations? They’re great!” So, I suddenly became an artist.
My poetry is sprinkled with humor. One over-55 reader said, “Whenever I feel sad, I read Marvin’s poems and they make me smile.”
Here are a few of my poems that may be of interest to the over-55 generation:
What Love Means
One day while walking down the street
A little girl I did meet, She said that she wanted to find How the word love might be defined. The meaning was inside my head And I was pleased with what I said, “Love is when I want to do Less for me, and more for you.
Strange Creatures
An elephant is big and strong, Its ears are large, its nose is long, I laugh to see its funny face Its body seems so out-of-place. But then I think how it would be, If the elephant studied me, My face is thin, my body’s tall, My head has hair, my nose is small. The elephant would laugh to see How strange I really seem to be.
The Grump
I am a grump, I’m nasty and mean, I’m the grumpiest grump That’s ever been seen.
When someone says “yes,” I always say “no,” I’m a negative grump Wherever I go.
I complain about everything, Nothing is right, I make people miserable, That’s my delight. Someone suggested That I try to smile, I think I will try,
But it may take a while. I’ll stretch my lips
In an upward direction, I’ll practice a smile ‘Til it reaches perfection. My face looks so strange, My lips now are curled, My teeth are exposed, As I smile at the world.
Hey, I never knew That a smile feels so good, I’m losing my grumps, They told me I would.
My whole life is changed now, I’ve learned a new style, I’m no longer a grump ‘Cause I know how to smile.
Two Old Horses
Two old horses in the field, Both of them were white, They rubbed against each other And whinnied in delight. They shared the field together, They had lots of grass and space, They were happy older horses Who lived at their own pace. I went to see them yesterday And much to my surprise Only one white horse was there, I could not believe my eyes, “What happened to your friend?” I asked, “Where did your partner go?” The old horse stared at me, She seemed to think I’d know That her partner left this world, That he had left her all alone, That her happiness had gone, That her world had turned to stone. But she was brave and strong, She overcame her sadness, She thought about the pleasant past And sadness turned to gladness. The happy memories of him Brought her joy and laughter And even though she missed him, She lived happily ever after.
Three Horse Friends
The old white horse Who lost her mate
Stood bravely in the field, She lived with pleasant memories That thoughts of him revealed, When I drove by the other day I was pleased to see Two brown horses in the field, To make the total three. They say that three’s a crowd, But they were a lovely sight, Three horse friends in the meadow, Together day and night.
Aging
We get older every day, There’s not much we can do, The years fly by too quickly And youth fades out of view. In younger days an illness Would be someone else’s thing, Now illness greets old age And we take pills for everything. Pains are not uncommon, Arms and legs both ache, Walking becomes difficult And bones can split and break.
We lose much of our abilities, But our emotions stay, We still can love and laugh And that will never go away.
Older People
Many people who are old Seem silly in their ways, They always seem to talk About the good old days. They talk about the past And how grand it used to be, They always try to tell us What they’ve stored in memory
To them it makes no difference
That many things are past, Because when we get older
We want the past to last.
My Haircut
When my hair looks like a mop I run right to the barber shop, My friendly barber’s always there
To cut and groom my messy hair. He cuts each hair
With pride and skill, He does his art
While I sit still.
I watch each hair
Float to the floor, The hair piles up
But he cuts more.
My hair looks short But there’s no sorrow, Hair today… And gone tomorrow.
Beauty Inside
Everyone is different, No two are made the same, Each one has special features And beauty has no name. Eyes and nose and mouth Are all a different kind, What someone thinks is beautiful Is only in one’s mind. What we look like outside Is something we can’t hide, But what really makes us beautiful Is the beauty that’s inside
A Lifetime
When I was a little baby
My screams made lots of noise, I hugged my little teddy And I played with many toys.
Then as I grew older
And became a little boy, A small laptop computer
Became my favorite toy. Adulthood was my favorite time, I had a job and money, I had a wife and children
And I had a dog named Honey. Old age happened suddenly, Time was quick to disappear, Before I knew what happened, The Golden Years were here. When I look into a mirror
And I see my wrinkled face, I think of past experiences
That old age can’t erase, I’m not sorry to be old, For I’ve seen many things, My memories prepare me For what the future brings.
The Yellow Day Lily
The yellow flower was beautiful, It sparkled in the sun, I put it in a vase
To be seen by everyone. I told my wife the flower Was as beautiful as she, They both had special features That brought happiness to me. The next day the flower was gone, It lay upon the floor, It now was shrunken orange And its yellow was no more. It was here for just an instant But then it went away, I wish this lovely lily Could have stayed Just one more day.
I did a reading of my poetry to a class of fourth graders at an elementary school. At the end of the session, I asked, “What is the most important thing that I told you today?”
A student yelled out, “Buy the book!”
This was good advice. Try it and see.
“Strange Creatures and Other Poems About Life” by Marvin Druger. Published in 2022 by Newman Springs Publishing. $13.95. Available from Amazon or by order from your local bookstore.
visits
A Day Trip to Oswego
The Port City is rich in history — and plenty of different foods
By Chris Clemens
LEFT: Downtown Oswego seen from the Rooftop Lounge.
RIGHT: Rooftop Lounge offers fine dining and a view of the city like no other restaurant can offer.
Any leaf peeper knows the trees in New York start to turn soonest in the Adirondacks.
From there colors creep outward in all directions until eventually the Empire State is a gorgeous landscape of yellows, reds and oranges.
Oswego isn’t in the Adirondacks — but because of its proximity, you’ll typically see changing colors here a little sooner than you might in regions further south.
This fall get a head start on your foliage tour and checkout the Port City of Central New York.
As a port city, Oswego’s shipping history goes back centuries. This stopoff in Lake Ontario meant merchant ships could deliver goods to regions in New York that weren’t otherwise as accessible from ports in New York City. As a result, the city’s relationship to the shipping industry and its maritime culture runs deep.
The H. Lee White Maritime Museum sits properly on the edge of the water and offers a glimpse into the long history of Oswego’s shipping industry. Here at the museum, you can also take a boat ride, about one mile, out to the historic West Pierhead Lighthouse, known locally as the Oswego Lighthouse. For many years the lighthouse wasn’t open to the public. But now it’s one of the most unique tours you’ll find in the region.
The city’s position on the water didn’t just give it a legup with commerce, but also with national security. The stories of U.S. military battles fought on these shores are
retold through historical exhibits at Fort Ontario State Park. The star-shaped fort is now a New York state historic site and offers an opportunity to walk through an important piece of the state’s history. Visitors to the park might also be surprised to learn that the land adjacent was the site of the only place in the country to house Jewish refugees during World War II. The Safe Haven Museum is walking distance from the fort and tells the story of those brought here from other countries seeking refuge and safety. Even the most casual of history buffs will appreciate that there’s no other place like it in the country.
The water systems in Oswego haven’t just been used for commerce and war. There’s also a burgeoning recreational boating scene here. Marinas on the lake give locals access to the Great Lakes. Plus, visitors by
boat can step off the dock and be walking distance to the downtown area.
In 2023, Oswego became the first city in the state to complete its Downtown Revitalization Initiative. Years earlier the Governor’s office in Albany awarded a number of improvement grants to different municipalities and each set out to use those funds to reinvent their communities.
Oswego’s efforts gained special recognition for not only completing the projects sooner than other cities, but for creating improvements that impact visitors in addition to the local residents. While you’re completing your tour of the water’s edge, be sure to visit the new River Walk. The modern upgrades to the public park really give visitors an opportunity to view Lake Ontario in ways you won’t find in
other parts of the state.
The Downtown Revitalization Initiative also gave the city a shot at revitalizing their city center. A brand new Water Street Pocket Park — between Water Street and West First Street — now hosts regular live music events and a chance to sit and enjoy the city. The park is surrounded by views of downtown that blend historic legacy and modern upgrades.
Anyone who has been to Oswego in the past and is revisiting now will likely catch themselves noting how much has changed in this section of the city.
The construction of buildings like the Litatro right on the river have given the landscape a fresh makeover. On the top floor of Litatro you’ll find the Rooftop Lounge with fine dining and a view of the city like no other restaurant can offer. A few doors up, the Red Sun
West Pierhead Lighthouse, known locally as the Oswego Lighthouse. The local maritime museum offers boat tours that take visitors to the lighthouse.
A view of downtown Oswego.
Fort Ontario State Park: The star-shaped fort is now a New York state historic site and offers an opportunity to walk through an important piece of the state’s history.
Fire Roasting Co. provides a more casual atmosphere with an elevated menu highlighting its wood-fired oven.
For a super casual breakfast, Wade’s Diner is a veteran gem on the eastside featuring classic diner favorites like eggs and pancakes. Locals know the food here is fantastic, but they also know the quirky history with this spot. The original diner was housed in a Pullman train car when it opened in 1937. When Neal Wade purchased the train car to open his diner, he hadn’t gotten a proper permit to bring it into town. Instead of dealing with the bureaucratic red tape of procuring a permit, he and a few friends moved the car into place in the middle of the night when no one was paying attention. The next day everyone couldn’t believe their eyes when a Pullman train car was sitting at the side of the road and no one could (or would) explain how
it got there. With no evidence of how it arrived, there was no scapegoat to issue a ticket to. History was made with the founding of Wade’s and since then the survival of a fire, multiple owners and nearly a century of great food they’re still continuing to make history.
If you’re just looking for a quick snack, Oswego has also been incredibly supportive to small businesses with a niche offering. Heidi Ho Donuts just up the road from Wade’s is a small woman-owned bakery that offers doughnuts that go way above and beyond. River Walk Coffee Roasters is just a few doors up from the pocket park and its own coffee roasts bring a big-city specialty coffee flare to the small urban community here.
Further west near SUNY Oswego is Rudy’s, which is practically famous for its hot dog and fries style menu.
Plus, any Oswego local will tell you that the shoreline next to Rudy’s is the best place in all of Lake Ontario to catch a sunset.
Whether it’s a small specialty doughnut shop or high-end rooftop dining, there’s a wide range of offerings in Oswego that will appeal to any palate. With museums, waterside recreation, festivals and plenty more, Oswego has plenty of reasons to visit.
Chris Clemens was born, raised and still lives in Rochester. With a penchant for exploring his own backyard, he has used words and digital media to tell the stories of Upstate New York that he’s discovered on the road.
By Stefan Yablonski
Christopher DelGuercio, 55
Local author and writing instructor publishes a book of short stories
Christopher DelGuercio, 55, released “An Unsettled Score” in October 2023, the second book of his 18-year professional writing career. In addition to writing, the 1994 SUNY Oswego graduate teaches fiction writing at the Downtown Writers Center, Syracuse
Q: Where do you live?
A: In Clay, just outside of Cicero. I grew up in Liverpool.
Q: How long have you been writing?
A: I’ve been writing for almost 25 years — professionally for about 18.
Q: What’s “An Unsettled Score”?
A: It’s a collection of short stories (and a few poems) that I’d published previously and many newer stories. It’s sort of “best of” anthology from the past 10-15 years of my writing career.
Q: What genre is it?
A: Speculative fiction — a combination of sci-fi, fantasy, horror and suspense. Most of the stories have a “fantastic” element to them. I
describe them as being akin to those one might find in the old Twilight Zone series. There are 20 pieces — a score — of “unsettling” fiction in the book; hence the name. It’s my second book.
Q: How’s the response been so far?
A: I just got word a few days ago that it has been nominated for the 2023 CNY Book-of-the-Year Award in the fiction category. Very exciting news for me and the book!
Q: How did this start?
A: After having written for more than 20 years and wanting to collect the best examples of my work, I decided it would be a good idea to put them all in one anthology. I have a previous relationship with the publisher [Phase 5 Publishing]. They published my first book, a novella, “Eden Succeeding,” which is included in the new book.
Q: How long have you been teaching?
A: I’ve been a fiction writing instructor at the Downtown Writers Center [part of the arts branch of the YMCA] since 2009. It opened in 2001. I
took classes there as a beginning writer for several years before I published my first short story in 2006. After I’d published a few short stories I thought it’d be great if I could go back and do for some of their students what the program did for me — namely, teach me valuable writing skills and instill within me the confidence to write stories and submit them to magazines, e-zines, anthologies, podcasts, etc.
Q: What’s the content of your classes?
A: My yearlong series of classes, “The Writer’s Life,” is meant to guide beginning writers through the pitfalls of writing in those beginning and intermediate stages. Part one concentrates on discovering your writing voice and helping you create work. Part two is largely concerned with the editing process of your newly created work and part three (as well as part four) introduces the student to workshopping. I’m told it’s a foundational piece of the fiction curriculum as most students start with these classes when they first endeavor to learn how to write fiction.
Q: Who are your students?
My students are mostly adults just getting into writing for the first time since they were kids. That first section of “The Writer’s Life” is primarily concerned with breaking the modes of thinking that adults have been in for most of their lives and tapping into the subconscious to create something that is interesting (albeit not necessarily polished). It takes a lot of practice to get our brains out of their “normal” modes and into creative thought patterns.
Q: What does it cost?
A: The classes have a cost attached to them — but if you’re a Y member, I believe you can take a certain number for free. Many students are local. But with the online format, anyone can join.
Q: Has the center spawned any professional writers?
A: I’m aware of several talented students who went on to become published authors (myself included) or make a career of their writing prowess. The first class I attended at DWC, I shared with a young woman, Jennifer Pashley, who, like me, went on to teach at the center and later became an accomplished novelist.
WHEN
SHOULD YOU GO TO THE EMERGENCY R OOM ?
Here are the conditions professionals say should always be directed to the ER.
Upstate has a dedicated senior emergency room at its Community Hospital and the area's first Comprehensive Stroke Center at its Upstate University Hospital.
This list is a guide only and is not individual medical advice. For any life-threatening concerns, call 911. If you are not certain you are experiencing a medical emergency, you can be assessed at any emergency room.
VISIT THE EMERGENCY ROOM
• Abuse (domestic, child, elderly)
• Allergic reactions (anaphylactic shock)
• Breathing problems:
severe respiratory distress
• Bleeding you can’t stop
• Burns: severe or smoke inhalation
• Choking
• Drowning or near drowning
• Electric shocks
• Eye Injuries
• Head trauma with loss of consciousness
• Heart attack, chest pain, or chest pressure
• Losing consciousness
• Suicidal thoughts or severe psychiatric complaints
• Seizure
• Severe cuts (lacerations)
• Severe pain
• Sexual assault
• Stroke symptoms
• Trauma with significant injury
VISIT URGENT OR PRIMARY CARE
• Burns: minor
• Ear infections
• Colds
• Coughs
• Diarrhea
• Flu, Cold or mild COVID symptoms
• Insect bites
• Minor cuts or lacerations that require stitches or glue
• Rashes
• Skin infection
• Sore throats
• Sprains and strains
• STD (sexually transmitted disease) treatment
• Vomiting
OVER 50? DISCOVER OASIS
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Explore something new in a friendly environment. Oasis also offers online classes for those with health or transportation issues. Start anytime.
