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INSIDER

JANUARY 2010

IN EVERY ISSUE: School News......................................................page 5 In Business.......................................................page 8 In Good Faith....................................................page 11 Announcements............................................page 13

SPORTS page10 EVENTS

page 4 PEOPLE page 9

Clay 2009 in review Supervisor Ulatowski talks about the town’s past, present and future

By Farah Jadran Pike fpike@cnylink.com The Clay Insider sat down with Clay Town Supervisor Damian Ulatowski to talk about what the town has accomplished last year and what the municipality and community have on the horizon for 2010.

One of many things Ulatowski was most proud of was the fact that the town took on several projects in 2009 without outsourcing contracts or services. Some projects included a road cohesion plan to connect Morgan Road and Henry Clay Boulevard and a sanitation rehabilitation project along certain parts of Morgan Road.

The sanitation project involved a new technology that saved the town thousands of dollars by incorporating an internal patch that made the line more efficient.

“We took [these projects] on as a town which can be unusual,” Ulatowski said. “We were able to control the costs, the cost was lower to taxpayers and we accomplished it.”

The town also acquired a community development grant which enabled street repaving within Casual Estates property.

“We were able to identify a certain neighborhood that could use the funds,” Ulatowski said.

Please see Review page 4

Please see Bayberry page 11

PHOTO BY FARAH JADRAN PIKE

Inside from the December chill of 2009, Clay Town Supervisor Damian Ulatowski, center, stands by the town hall Christmas tree with Town information Aide Barbara Laws, left, and Dawn Brocious, administrative assistant.

Traditions filled with history and new beginnings January 1. A time of celebration: getting together with friends and family, starting anew. It’s a time to look back on the past year and look forward to the possibilities of the New Year. There is so much that can be accomplished. Losing weight, giving up bad habits, and saving money have long been tops on the list of New Year’s resolutions. No matter what country you are in, or what ethnic background you are, New Years is a time for celebrations. But let’s start with a little background on the holiday.

New Years was originally started by the Babylonians 4,000 years ago. Back then the New Year was celebrated near the vernal equinox in March when spring begins. It made sense since spring is the time for rebirth and the planting of new crops. And it lasted 11 days! Some

Bayberry Community The Bayberry community has come a long way since its inception in 1956.

The first planned community in Central New York, Bayberry, located between Route 57 and Morgan Road, was originally constructed to house workers at the General Electric, Carrier and Chrysler plants in Syracuse and to give them easy access to businesses and amenities like grocery stores, restaurants and churches.

Now, many younger families are enjoying those same amenities meant for local workers more than 50 years ago, but it’s just as focused on community as it always was.

A neighborhood in the true sense of the word, the community of 1,500 homes provides numerous amenities for its residents, including holiday parades and activities, easy access to stores and businesses, a Neighborhood Watch program and outdoor concerts, among numerous other activities. Its kids attend Morgan Road and Elmcrest Elementary schools, Liverpool Middle School and Liverpool High School, and the neighborhood is home to

Happy New Year, Clay

By Susan E. Lindsley

In the neighborhood

By Sarah Hall

Clay efficiency

Ulatowski said the town was able to make town hall and other municipal buildings more energy efficient by way of a $500,000 energy grant. Although town hall is more than 5 years old, the building underwent green renovation with new lighting and weather-proofing systems, Ulatowski said.

The green renovations didn’t end there. The old town hall that is now the Onondaga Sheriff’s Department and the town’s highway building have gotten more energy efficient as well.

Ulatowski said the town partnered with National

Classifieds.......................................................page 14

countries and cultures celebrated the New Year near the harvest in the fall also.

Along the path of history, the calendar and along with it, the date of New Year’s Day has been changed. The early calendar of the Romans designated March 1 as the New Year. The calendar had just 10 months, beginning with March.

After January and February were added to the calendar, New Year’s Day was changed to Jan. 1 in 153 B.C. because it coincided with the civil calendar, when politicians would begin their terms. The month of January was named for the Roman god Janus, who had two faces, one facing forward and one facing back.

Jan. 1 wasn’t consistently used and a lot of people still used March 1st for New Years. During Julius Caesar’s reign, he changed the calendar to be solar based and Jan. 1 was officially New Year’s Day again.

No matter what the history of the day or the culture that celebrates it, New Years has common themes and traditions, such as turning over a new leaf. In Japan, they have forget-the-old-year parties to say goodbye to problems and concerns of the past and look forward to the New Year. The Chinese New Year celebration which is between Jan. 21 and February 20 begins with cleaning of the houses to get rid of bad luck from last year. There are parades through the streets with dancing dragons and lions to ward off evil. Firecrackers are set off to keep away the evil spirits too.

In Spain, people eat 12 grapes at midnight to ensure 12 lucky months of the year. In the United States, the biggest celebration takes place in Times Square with the ball drop at midnight. Millions of people crowd the streets to ring in the New Year.

Please see New Year page 4

Photo courtesy of the Bayberry Community Association/John Dougherty Residents of the Bayberry community who spruced up the area around the neighborhood’s entrance.

Clay puts history on the books last year

History Camp goers hang their pine cone bird feeders, from left, Molly Kotzin, Sarah Greenia, Brandi Feeney and Grace Murphy.

Please see page 15.

2009-2010

Men’s Basketball Schedule

Wed, Jan 6

University of Memphis

7:00 p.m.

ESPN2

Sun, Feb 7

University of Cincinnati

2:00 p.m.

TWC Sports

Sun, Jan 10

University of South Florida

2:00 p.m.

TWC Sports

Wed, Feb 10

University of Connecticut

7:00 p.m.

ESPN

Wed, Jan 13

Rutgers University

7:30 p.m.

TWC Sports

Sun, Feb 14

University of Louisville

1:00 p.m.

ESPN

Sat, Jan 16

West Virginia University

12:00 p.m.

ESPN

Thu, Feb 18

Georgetown University

7:00 p.m.

ESPN/ESPN2

Mon, Jan 18

Notre Dame University

7:00 p.m.

ESPN

Tue, Feb 23

Providence College

7:00 p.m.

ESPNU

Sat, Jan 23

Marquette University

2:00 p.m.

ESPNU

Sat, Feb 27

Villanova University

9:00 p.m.

ESPN

Mon, Jan 25

Georgetown University

7:00 p.m.

ESPN

Tue, Mar 2

St. John's University

7:00 p.m.

TWC Sports

Sat, Jan 30

DePaul University

2:00 p.m.

TWC Sports

Sat, Mar 6

University of Louisville

2:00 p.m.

ESPN

Tue, Feb 2

Providence College

7:00 p.m.

TWC Sports

SU game at the Carrier Dome

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Clay Insider,

January 2010

Snow Owls Snowmobile Club readies for the season

By Jim Horton The members of the Snow Owls Snowmobile Club of Cicero/Clay are out in the woods and fields busily preparing for the upcoming snowmobile season. The club’s members have been out building new bridges across streams, clearing trails and installing the various signs and trail guides to help guide snowmobilers through the Snow Owls trail system.

The most important part of the Snow Owls Club is the landowners who graciously give permission to our club and all other clubs for trails to pass over their property.

“The landowners are the life-blood for the sport of snowmobiling and without their support we would have very few or no trails at all. We can’t thank them enough,” according to Michael Murphy, president of the Snow Owls Inc. Snowmobile Club.

This year, the Snow Owls and the Clay Fire Department will initiate a new program to have the length of the Snow Owls

trail system within the Clay Fire District marked with “Trail location markers.”

Clay Fire Department Chief Dan Ford and Murphy have been working diligently to develop a program such as this for some time and have moved forward to have it in service for this season. The program is set up whereby signs are placed at various locations along the trail that indicate the fire district and a marker number that specifically identifies a section of trail. The signs are also different colors for each different fire district.

The Clay signs will be bright yellow with black printing. In the event that a snowmobiler needs emergency assistance on the trail and gives 911 the trail marker number, the 911 center will be able to dispatch emergency responders much closer to the location of the caller.

As with any emergency, the faster the response to aid the victim, the better the chances of a successful result.

At a recent meeting,

Ford explained that his department has been working toward a program such as this since they obtained a snowmobile with rescue sled and trailer. They can use this equipment to respond either within the Clay district or as a mutual aid call. The Snow Owls trail also travels directly behind and across a portion of Fire Department property, which makes response time even better.

The Snow Owls trail system travels through multiple fire districts. Ford and Murphy are working to expand the program to the entire trail. On Nov. 30, the Clay Fire Department sponsored a meeting at the firehouse to look for support from all the other fire departments the trail passes through. The response was very positive. The Snow Owls trail runs from Cicero Center Road in Cicero up to Pennelville. At each end of the trail it connects with a trail maintained by a different snowmobile club.

There are some areas in the state that have systems like this in place, but this is a first for Central New York.

We do hope that it can be expanded to the whole area, but right now just trying to get it implemented in our area, Murphy said.

Murphy wants everyone to know the Snow Owls are always looking for new members.

You can find them online by searching “Snow Owls Inc.” where you can join online or print and mail in an application. The organization will also meet at 7:30 p.m. the first Monday of the month at the Euclid Restaurant on Route 31.

Jim Horton is the Snow Owls secretary.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF JIM HORTON

Above, the entry to the Snow Owl Trail System.

Left, the Clay Fire Department Protective District.

January 2010

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Clay Insider,

January 2010

NSJHS presents ‘Crazy for You’

Review From Page 1

Students prepare forJanuary performances The North Syracuse Junior High School will be presenting the Tony Award winning musical “Crazy for You” Jan. 8 and 9. “Crazy for You” is filled with recognizable Gershwin songs such as: “Someone to Watch Over Me,” “I Got Rhythm,” and “They Can’t Take That Away From Me.” The book by Ken Ludwig offers the fun tale of Bobby Child, the rich son of a banking family who really longs for the lights of the stage.

However, Bobby is asked to head to Deadrock, Nevada to foreclose on a theatre. When Bobby arrives in Deadrock he meets and falls in love with Polly Baker - who along with her father - owns the theatre.

She vows to get even with the person responsible for closing her theatre! Bobby offers to help her save the theatre by putting on a show, but before he can get it organized, Polly discovers that he is “Bobby Child.”

From there many hilarious turn of events ensue.

The audience will enjoy singing cowgirls, slow talking cowboys, tap-dancing galore, multitude of laughs along with a host of memorable characters.

A cast of 40 students will bring this musical to life.

The students include: Nick Yanchisin, Caroline House, Mike Dober, Franceska Dancil, Jake Natali, Trevor Miller, Matthew LaVigne, Kayla Campbell, Madison Taylor, Bailey Gildemeyer, Katelyn Leonard, Margaret Wood, Darian Carrow,

Kathy Nguyen, Sydney Hurn, Katie Drake, Jeffrey Stickel, Patrick O’Leary, Charlotte Brennan, Gianna Annesi, Jordan Black, Emily Budge, Danielle Carnifax, Jessica DeStefano, Bailey Gannet, Jessica Gilmour, Lorin Williams, Erica Zimmerman, Brianna Zinger, Keelin Abbott, Marielle Austin, Brianna Avicolli, Rachel Buchanan, Kaitlyn Crobar, Danielle Elder, Angelina Grasso, Kali Hoppe, Delia King, Bliss Wyatt and Toni Wyatt.

The Tech Crew students working behind-the-scenes to set the stage with special lighting, sound and props are: Jamie Alberici, Michelle Catalfamo, Ed Swackhamer, Breanna Savage, Adam Impellizzieri, Erik Washington, Matthew Catalfamo, Carmen Bovalino, Kurt Dobler, Vince Scipione, Mike Mekker, Kevin Aloi, Mike Deyo, Nick James, Dan Quackenbush, Josh Jump, Ryan Buswell, Kaitlyn Jackson, Collin Hotchkiss, Mike Brisson, Nick Cavanaugh, Eddie Hickey, Ryan Coots, Elijah House.

The Production Team includes: Director: Ms. Suzanne Tiffault; Assistants to the Director: Marie Washington and Sara Boileau; Choreographer: Mrs. Lisa VanBeveren; Costumes: Mrs. Paula Lawton; Music Director: Ms. Bridget Moriarty; Technical Advisor: Mr. John Nadler; Set Design/ Construction: Mr. Timothy VanBeveren; Producer: Ms. Connie Turose; Advisors:

Please see NSJHS page 11

Grid to make some of the energy changes in 2009, but that he hopes to “explore what else can be done” to make the town’s buildings even more efficient.

“That’s a part of lowering the utility bill that affects the taxpayers,” Ulatowski said.

Spreading the green

The green in Clay is two-fold, the town hopes to bring alternative technology and commercial business to the area as well as service the town within a fiscally sound budget.

“The next thing to do is try to bring commercial growth into the town of Clay,” Ulatowski said. “The way we can do that is by green technology.”

As previously reported by the Star-Review, Reva Electric Car Company has made plans to arrive in Clay by September of this year.

Ulatowski hopes the company’s presence will enhance job growth and the town’s sense of doing good for the environment, of which it has already strongly established, he said.

“I think this could really kick off green technology,” Ulatowski said of Reva’s relocation in Clay.

Ulatowski said he firmly believes that “green technology is the next industrial revolution,” which is why he wants the town to be a part of the movement.

“That’s the next path for the town,” he said.

The town board has a commitment to ensuring Clay’s residents are aware of all the services available and that the town is benefited to its fullest, Ulatowski said.

There was a modest tax increase, according to Ulatowski’s take on the 2010 budget, but it’s lower that the town’s 2008 tax rate.

“The town is very fiscally responsible and has been or years,” he said. “We’re the largest town in Onondaga County and we’ve managed to balance residential growth with commercial growth.”

Ulatowski said the town has benefited greatly by the recent merger of police services by bringing in the sheriff’s department.

He said the town is “in favor of consolidation.”

“It won’t be out of the realm of possibilities for residents to expect more consolation,” he said.

Clay 2010 With many successes in the rearview mirror, Ulatowski said the town has many more items on the agenda to make the town an even better place than it already is.

Ulatowski said the town is about 80 percent of the way closer to executing the remediation of the Brownfields within Three Rivers Point near the northern part of

town. The town has sought funding and has acquired an abandoned asphalt company’s buildings on the land which are in dire need of asbestos and soil contaminant removal, he said.

It’s now a town imitative, Ulatowski said as the municipality is closer to getting a contractor that can make the land viable again.

“Why we like it, it’s two-fold,” Ulatowski said. “Not only are we eliminating a blighted area, but we are bringing it back into its prominence.”

He explained how the area was once a “gathering point” and how it “holds great history and culture to Native Americans.”

“Our doing in the future will be with reasonable responsibility which is a hallmark of what the town of Clay has always been about,” he said.

While 2010 may appear in dim light to some areas across the state, Ulatowski said he sees a bright and “green” future for the town of Clay. He said there is much to live up to with the town’s 2008 ranking in the top 100 places to live in the country.

“It didn’t become a top 100 place to live by accident,” Ulatowski said. “I think the town of Clay likes having that mantle on its shoulders and we want to keep it there.”

New Year From Page 1 Champagne bottles are popped, faces are kissed and everyone is ready for what the New Year might hold for them.

And resolutions, there are many. It’s the time for looking back on what we have done, taking stock of things and looking for ways to improve it. Losing weight/getting in shape

The Clay Insider is currently delivered at no cost to the areas of Clay in the following zip codes: 13041, 13027 and 13090. If you are not in those areas and would like to receive the Insider, please contact the editor at news@clayinsider.com.

is always on the top 10 of resolutions along with financial ones.

And will we stick to them? On Jan. 1, our resolve is strong. And if we don’t, there is always

another year just 364 days away. So, wherever you celebrate New Year’s, whether it is in another country, Times Square, or right here in the town of Clay, enjoy it with your

loved ones because when it comes right down to it, New Years is about forgetting what is past, and looking to the future. Happy New Year!

Attention Residents!

There is a Lost & Found box in town hall, located by the clerk’s desk. All items left behind in the building or during a town meeting are collected and held. If you have reason to believe you lost something there, please stop by and check the box, M-F 8:30am4:30pm!

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Farah Jadran Pike Editor

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Clay Insider,

January 2010

News from the Liverpool Central School District News from Dollars for Scholars LHS seniors help through the holidays Plans are underway for our annual Dollars For Scholars Phone-a-thon, when Liverpool High School students will call Liverpool Central School District residents, family members and friends to gather pledges for scholarships to be awarded to graduating LHS seniors in June 2010. The more money we raise, the more scholarships can be awarded and the closer we get to our goal of a scholarship for every college bound senior.

There will be an informational meeting for seniors during Academic Support sometime in February. Dollars for Scholars Board members, Liverpool High School personnel and recent graduates will talk about Dollars for Scholars, the Phone-athon and the scholarship application process. Student volunteers will be recruited to participate in the Phone-a-thon, which will be held in the LHS cafeteria on Sundays March 7 and 14. The Phone-a-thon is a wonderful opportunity for students to provide a community service and have fun working together for a worthwhile cause.

Volunteers are treated to supper and a training session before they begin making phone calls. Students in grades nine, 10 and 11 will also be encouraged to participate.

Dollars for Scholars Board member Matt Hinkey will chair the Phone-a-thon, with lots of assistance from other active Board members who continue to work hard to raise money for LHS graduating seniors.

The Phone-a-thon is our biggest fundraiser and we look forward to another successful year. During these difficult economic times, we are more grateful than ever for the generous support from individuals and businesses in our community. When money is tight, the Dollars for Scholars scholarships make an even bigger difference in the lives of the Liverpool High School graduating seniors who receive them. The board continues to appreciate the support of the entire Liverpool community as we work together for the higher education of our LHS graduates.

LHS Annex students gain real world experience SUBMITTED PHOTO

These Liverpool High School Seniors served the St. John’s Food Pantry in Liverpool with their time and efforts to help feed more than 100 families during Thanksgiving and Christmas. From left, food pantry student coordinator Julia Bruno, Ally Muehlemann and Ryan Tibbetts.

‘Liverpool Live’ visits News Channel 9

The “Liverpool Live” broadcasting classes at Liverpool High School recently visited News Channel 9 as a guest of producer Jim Campagna. The students had the opportunity to watch the noon broadcast and learn how a news station gathers local and national news and prepares for a broadcast.

After the show, the students attended a question and answer session with news anchor Carrie Lazarus and meteorologist Jim Teske about topics such as being a broadcaster, college choices, internships and challenges on the job.

“Liverpool Live” student producer Jordan Harmon and student directors David Owens and Jamie Campagna, who is Jim Campagna’s son, interviewed news anchor Dan Cummings about how he got started in broadcasting and the best things about his job. This interview was featured on a later LHS morning show for the LHS student body.

The students were then treated to a great behind-the-scenes tour, lead by Jim Campagna, where they visited the News Channel 9 control rooms to see how

newscasts are produced. They also talked with news anchor Rod Wood and all the editors, reporters, floor people and camera men on the tour. The students even had the chance to visit the news van garage and see the trucks that deliver the news by satellite connections to the station.

“The visit was top notch and the students really got to see what this job was all about,” said LHS technology teacher Sean Brown. “The visual learning and hands on that the kids received on this field trip cannot be learned in the classroom.”

Brown said every single student, as well as LHS Executive Principal Greg Avellino who joined the students on the trip, learned something that they have brought back to the LHS television station and improved upon.

“Many of the kids are in the process of applying to communications schools and the time these professionals gave to our students was outstanding,” Brown said.

“We would like to thank our friends at News Channel 9 for hosting us and spending time with our future broadcasters.”

It started out as a chat between two Liverpool High School Annex colleagues. Math teacher Mike Wolf came to technology education teacher Todd Dischinger with a problem.

The calculators students are required to use in math class, which cost more than $100, were constantly falling on the floor because students had too much stuff on too small a desk.

Dischinger thought this would be a great real life problem for some of his

and spent the next few Design and Drawing for Production students to months designing, fabricating and testing several solve. Many students took advantage of this extra prototypes for Wolf. credit project and submitThere was a lot to figure out: how to hold and posited concept sketches as requested. Two students tion the calculator, how to hold the device to the desk expressed an interest in continuing the project, so and what material to use.

Dischinger approached They tried rubber feet, suction cups, Velcro and finally sophomores Zack Koster and Ben Zenker and a spring clip bend to attach offered them the opportuthe device to the desk.

The acrylic they tried first nity to work with him and develop a solution. cracked too easily, so they These skilled students switched to polycarbonjumped at the chance Please see Experience page 12

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Liverpool High School senior Jamie Campagna, left, interviews News Channel 9 anchor Dan Cummings during the recent Liverpool Live field trip to the television station.

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Clay Insider,

January 2010

News from the North Syracuse Central School District NYS Commissioner of Eduction vis- Main Street kids fill food pantry in North Syracuse its the Career Academy

By Caitlin Donnelly New York State Education Commissioner David Steiner visited the OCM BOCES Career Academy at the Lee G. Peters Career Training Center in Liverpool on Monday, Dec.7 as part of a “listening tour” of schools throughout the state.

“I’m new to the commissioner position, so we’re taking a tour to talk to students and teachers to see what’s going on in the schools and what sort of improvements need to be made,” said Steiner.

The visit included a student-guided tour of the facilities, followed by a question and answer session with Steiner and students from the school. Those in attendance also included Dr. Jessica Cohen, OCM BOCES district superintendent; Karen Clark, OCM BOCES director of Alternative Education; Dr. John King, Senior Deputy Commissioner for P-12 Education; Tom Dunn, NYSED Communications Director; and Tony Bottar, member of the NYS Board

York.

“We’re acting as the eyes and ears for the board, which then takes our advice into consideration when mandating rules and regulations in the future,” Steiner said. OCM BOCES Career Academy is only one of the many public, private, charter, magnet, alternative education and other types of schools that Steiner plans on visiting during his tour.

The Career Academy is an alternative education program for students in grades 9-12 from the Liverpool, North Syracuse, Fayetteville-Manlius, and Baldwinsville school districts that are at risk of dropping out of school.

Career themes are incorporated into the regular academic courses, and students grades 11 and 12 participate in hands on career training each week.

The school opened in 2006, and currently has 130 students enrolled in the program. Career Academy graduated its first class in June of this year.

of Regents.

During the meeting, five pre-selected seniors met with Steiner and the other officials to discuss the pros and cons of the school, their experiences in the alternative education program, and their plans for the future.

All the students agreed that they enjoy the small class sizes, one-onone relationships with teachers, career skills, and regents’ exam preparation that the Career Academy provides the students. The student participants included Sarah Newton, Ryan Misener, Cory Laris, Teddy Barbuto and Justin Hathaway.

“It’s a good idea for the commissioner to visit the schools and walk around with the students because they get to see what goes on first hand,” said Hathaway. “The might actually make some schools better by basing them on other successful schools.”

After the listening tour, Steiner will be making recommendations to the NYSED Board of Regents on how to better the education system in New

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Students, families, and staff of the North Syracuse Early Education Program at Main Street School recently held a food drive to support the community food pantry located at St. Rose church.

A full truckload of food was collected. Preschool students assisted in sorting and boxing donated items. As they worked they practiced sorting and counting skills as well as language and social skills.

Visit the school online at nscsd.org.

1999

By Farah Jadran Pike fpike@cnylink.com For community members interested in knowing more about where their taxpayer dollars are being funneled, seethroughny. net gives spending allocation information on each school district and municipality in New York.

Because of the current economic climate, educational funding and spending has been redefined. With data collected from the Office of the State Comptroller, seethroughny.net provides the opportunity to view schools’ state aid per pupil, total spending per pupil, instruction per pupil and more.

The information is made possible with further calculations by the Public Policy Institute, research affiliate of the Business Council of New York State and the Empire Center for the New York State Policy, Superintendents in the Liverpool Central School District and the North Syracuse Central School District have both taken closer looks at the 2010-11 budgets and realize that many things could change over the next few years.

LCSD Superintendent Dr. Richard N. Johns said if the information is provided by the Office of the State Comptroller, then the information is probably as accurate as possible. Since the site’s most current data is from the 2007-08 school year, Johns does not have knowledge of the numbers as he has taken the superintendent’s position less than a year ago.

Asked if the site’s gateway of information is a good thing, Johns said yes.

“I think that’s great, it’s taxpayer money, “he said.

As the site provides municipal information as well, Johns said he, “as a taxpayer, wants to know how money is being spent any time money is spent by government.”

Johns said he believes the more information the district can provide to taxpayers, the better.

“One of my key marks of my administration is transparency,” Johns said.

Having been active in his position long before and during the 2007-08 school year, North Syracuse Central School District Superintendent Dr. Jerome Melvin said he found the data “very interesting.”

An example of the data reported that NSCSD’s spending per pupil was $14,673 matched with the average of $16,882 in Upstate New York for similar districts that contain between 4,501 and 1,000,000 students enrolled. LCSD has a reported $17,772, which comes in at almost $1,000 more than the Upstate average.

“We certainly budget very carefully and in a meaningful way,” Melvin said.

“But we can’t avoid the fact that we only have 10 buildings. It’s a plus and a negative.”

Melvin said that the low cost per pupil is “good from a financial perspective, but not when there’s over capacity in certain areas.”

The district does however show fiscal responsibility with taxpayers’ money as indicated by the Web site’s data collection, Melvin said.

The Web site provides such comparisons as state aid per pupil and federal aid per pupil. A ranking designated for districts with population between 4,501 and 1,000,000 students in Central New York ranked Syracuse City School District first as it received $12,657 state aid per pupil. Liverpool’s $7,373 state aid per pupil third in the ranking, and North Syracuse ranked fifth with $6,097 among seven schools in the category.

Spending data for each school district in the sate is available at the Web site, including village, county and town information as well.

LCSD and NSCSD side by side Local revenue per pupil NSCSD - $7,805, ranked 19th (out of 49 Central New York schools) LCSD - $10,088, 8th State aid per pupil NSCSD - $6,097, ranked 42nd LCSD – $7,373, 36th Please see Web site page 12

Clay Insider,

January 2010

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Clay Insider,

January 2010

In business

Northside Collision achieves ICAR Gold Status

Northside Collision is pleased to announce that six of its stores have been certified as Gold Class Businesses with I-CAR. I-CAR is an international not-for-profit training alliance and certification organization that is universally recognized by both the insurance and collision repair industry. The group provides ongoing training in the latest methods of collision and mechanical repairs.To achieve I-CAR Gold status, Northside technicians completed the required training courses and they will keep current in their field through continuing education to maintain Gold Class status. Northside provides all training during business hours, making it a unique auto body employer.

More information on this program and the benefits of working with a Gold Class Business can be found at I-CAR.com.

Northside Collision Centers is in its 35th year of business and has locations in Baldwinsville, Camillus, Cicero, Clay, Dewitt and Mattydale making it the largest collision repair organization in Central New York.

CXtec, a global provider of new and certified pre-owned data networking and voice equipment, has promoted Matt Graham, of Liverpool, to director of CABLExpress sales.

Graham has been with CXtec for six years and is responsible for providing leadership, vision and direction to the sales force for the continual growth of the cable business and associated product lines.

He has a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Columbia College.

Graham was also recently announced as one of the 2009 recipients of theGreater Syracuse 40 under 40 awards.

About CXtec

Point of view

For more than three decades, CXtecR has provided new and pre-owned networking, voice and cabling and data

Seasonal Gifting; Oneself About this time of the year, many of us think we have our shopping done, others haven’t started, but we are likely to all be back in the stores sometime between now and the big gift-giving day. It is almost too late for Internet/phone orders (unless, of course, you want to purchase some stocks), so you know you will have to return to the stores. Voltaire told us that “self-love is the instrument of our preservation.” What are you doing for yourself at this point?

Self-investment can be a form of self-love. There are many ways to do it in your own portfolio. Perhaps it is time to give yourself a stock you believe in but might not be recommended by your broker, or a type of investment you always wanted to try, but it didn’t seem right at the time. Perhaps you could take the $200 you want to spend on a new toy or day at the spa and add a little extra to your Roth IRA this year. Maybe you know you want to go back to school when you retire to learn a little more about that subject you always wanted to know more about. So open a 529 plan for yourself, and contribute to it slowly. You could always change your mind later, and “give” it to someone in your family, or use the money with some penalties.

Last week I gave to myself by taking a break from writing. It was an unintended break, I was a day behind in traveling while working, and then was caught up in reunions and Christmas parties between destinations. All week I had been planning the article about giving to yourself at Christmas time too, little did I know I would act on it. While it isn’t the type of investment that is generally covered in this section, it was still a gift to myself. Know that it is okay to do things that others don’t always consider traditional.

The job market is still not “recovering fully”, many people in high-salaried professions are still out of work. It is a tough environment for spending money. So if being around all the merchandise is making you think you “need” things you didn’t know existed last week, perhaps it is time to place your money somewhere you know it will go towards your future. Happy New Year!

Got news?

Have a new business opening in the area?

Send us your business news to fpike@cnylink.com.

SPACIOUS NEW HOMES!

CXtec announces promotion of Liverpool man

center technologies, and helped customers reduce the cost of their networking infrastructure and technology equipment.

CXtec offers cash, credit or trade for used hardware and its equal2newR hardware is backed by an industry-leading warranty. As an ISO-certified company, CXtec is committed to maximizing value for its customers through needs-based, customized solutions.

The year 2009 marks the eighth consecutive year CXtec has been ranked in the VARBusiness list of North America’s Top 500 Technology Integrators. The company’s World Headquarters is in North Syracuse, N.Y., and its Technology Certification and Distribution Center in Syracuse.

For more information about CXtec, please visit cxtec.com or call (800)767-3282.

Clay resident graduates from NTTS Clay resident Timothy May, 28, is a recent graduate of National Tractor Trailer School in Liverpool. He has begun a new career as a tractor-trailer driver for the Swift Transportation. Prior to his graduation, Timothy worked for a local retail store.

May completed N.T.T.S.’s Commercial Drivers Course, which included Department of Transportation rules/regulations, hours of service, trip planning, and behind the wheel instruction on a variety of equipment operated on secondary roads, city streets, and interstates.

N.T.T.S., established in 1971, and has trained over 17,000 new drivers, is accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges, and offers daily, night and weekend courses Timothy May certified by the Professional Truck Driver Institute at both its Liverpool and Buffalo campuses.

Information on campus tours, courses, schedules and financial aid may be obtained by contacting director Kimberly Sather, at 451-2430 or visit ntts.edu.

Buying local in Onondaga County Central New York’s farm families are challenging their neighbors and their communities to try to purchase their entire Thanksgiving and Christmas meals this year from farmers and other food producers inside New York State.

“Buying your food locally is good for you because you get the freshest fruit, vegetables, dairy and meat possible when they come from a farm right here in Central New York,” said Onondaga County Soil & Water Conservation District (OCSWCD) Interim Executive Director Mark Burger. “You also know that your food was produced under the strictest environmental and health standards in the world.”

“It’s good for the economy, too,” said OCSWCD Board Chair Tom Trinder, who owns an award-win-

ning organic dairy farm in Fabius. “Agriculture is New York’s number one industry.

When farmers do well, the whole community reaps the benefits. Unlike global corporations, farmers spend most of their income within a few dozen miles of their farms. Currently, direct sale to local customers is the fastest growing sector of the farm economy. We need to encourage this expansion.”

“Well-managed family farms protect our open spaces from suburban sprawl and from intensive development, which can cause water pollution, traffic congestion and higher property taxes for everyone,” said Trinder.

“Buying locally grown food helps the environment by reducing the fuel bill for your food,” said Burger. “The farther away your food is

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produced, the more it costs in terms of environmental impact -- including acid rain, smog and global climate change -- just to get it to your table. The best part of all is that you can get everything you need, from the turkey to the whipped cream on your pumpkin pie from local farmers.”

New York farmers grow potatoes, yams, sweet potatoes, squash, sweet corn, beans, cranberries, peas, pearl onions, sausage for stuffing, sage for seasoning, flour for bread, rolls and pie crust and a wide variety of apples, cherries and other pie fillings. New York wineries make many varieties to complement any meal.

“So make a statement with your food budget this Thanksgiving,” said Burger.

“It will help your wallet, your community and the environment at the same time.

And you will ensure your family of the highest quality, best-tasting Thanksgiving meal possible.”

An excellent source of information on local food resources in the Central New York area is the Cookin’ In the ‘Cuse blog at http://jbbsyracuse. typepad.com/cookin_in_ the_cuse/2009/06/syracuse-firstthink-local-buylocal-be-local.html. It lists local sources for dairy products, grass-fed meats, produce, wines, grains and cereals, coffees, teas and chocolates.

The mission of the Onondaga County Soil and Water Conservation District is to promote excellence in the wise use of our rural and urban natural resources.

Clay Insider,

January 2010

News from the Baldwinsville Central School District

Elden students spread holiday cheer

On Dec. 16, 2009, teacher Aaron Bullis and his fourth-graders from Elden Elementary School spread a little holiday cheer at the Silver Fox Senior Social Club in Baldwinsville.

That morning the class cut a tree down and brought it to the club, where they decorated it with stockings they made for each club member. After eating lunch with the members, the students sang holiday songs and read “Twas the Night Before Christmas.” The visit was a lesson in generosity for the fourth-graders. Bullis explained that the day before the outing he and his students discussed the importance of putting the needs and wants of others first to cultivate a caring attitude.

Fall athletes score high in the classroom All 12 fall athletic teams of the Baldwinsville Central School District have qualified for recognition from the New York State Public High School Athletic Association for outstanding academic achievements. In order to qualify, a varsity team must have a team composite grade point average above 90 percent. All 12 fall varsity teams met this standard. These team averages will now be ranked against other New York teams in the same sports for possible additional state recognition.

Congratulations to the following teams and individuals who qualified:

Varsity Boys’ Cross Country, 97.253 grade point average

Andrew Biedermann, Patrick Colligan, Justin Dalaba, Andrew Fleming, Jonathan Hingre, Andrew Hoover, Gregory Johnson, Theodore Kaminski, Nathan LoParco, Connor Martin, Antonio Martinez, Ronald May, Casey McAllister, Zachary McCaleb, Adam Pacheck, Ethan Pacheck, Charles Parker, Kevin Pregent, Matthew Purdy, Shaun Thompson

Varsity Girls’ Tennis, 95.977 grade point average

Kaili Alberici, Sarah Corcoran, Melinda Davis, Madeleine Fiello, Rebecca Guzzo, Taylor Harris, Taylor Haynes, Nicole Leader, Kelsey Leitgeb, Hannah Mautz, Lauren Mautz, Leena Mian, Colleen Morgan, Amari Pollard, Madison Price, Michelle Saintey, Rachel Taylor, Katie Tryniski, Kellie Tryniski

Varsity Girls’ Swimming, 95.825 grade point average

SUBMITTED PHOTO

Silver Fox Senior Social Club member Ginny Loweecey enjoys a moment of friendship with Elden Elementary School fourth-grader Cameryn Williams.

Baker students participate in SU Body Image Project

By Kelly Cary Health classes at Baker High School in Baldwinsville recently participated in a project entitled “Body Talk,” coordinated by Harriet Brown, an assistant professor in magazine journalism at Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications. Brown has been collecting positive and negative audio stories, many anonymous, from people concerning their feelings about their bodies and food. Brown

will use some of these stories on a website she is developing and others for National Public Radio’s “51 Percent, The Women’s Perspective.”

The students recorded their stories as podcasts in the school’s computer lab, and Baker’s library media specialist Pat Wilson compiled them into one submission for Brown.

For some of the students, the project was their first experience with podcasting. Health teacher Jeanna Gates said the opportunity to use the tech-

nology for this project tied in nicely with a nutrition unit the health classes were completing. Gates said her students and teacher Corinne Price’s students had been studying body image and eating disorders with this unit, and most were excited to share their thoughts and experiences regarding these issues in a personal, yet anonymous way.

Students’ recorded stories included subjects such as food cravings, the persuasion of the media in making food choices, meeting weight requirements for certain athletic teams and living with a family member with an eating disorder.

Kelly Cary is the school information officer for BCSD.

Baker High School health students work on their podcasts for a body image project being coordinated by a professor at Syracuse University. The project features recorded stories from people about how they view their bodies and food.

Paige Altman, Ghena Binzer, Whitney Brand, Joclyn Butler, Elizabeth Collins, Victoria Connor, Megan Eubank, Laura Farleman, Carly Gummer, Gabrielle Hood, Elena Margrey, Kaitlyn Martin, Dana Mitchell, Hannah Murphy, Kelly Noll, Charis Parker, Margaret Walsh, Abigail Whiting, Sharon Wolff

Varsity Girls’ Cross Country, 95.813 grade point average

Cassandra Alencewicz, Jaimee Balloni, Kristen Biedermann, Kimberly Contant, Kimberly Cushman, Lydia Darling, Catherine Felberbaum, Sarah Hall, Maria Halstead, Julia Johnson, Holly McMahon, Heather Mendiola, Kylie Mosher, Abigail Nelson, Anne Peterson, Danielle Petti, Ashley Shaheen, Lara van Braam, Erika Wilcox

Varsity Boys’ Soccer, 95.578 grade point average

Kyle Beckhusen, Alexander Bono, Matthew Boyle, Andrew Coughlin, Sean Coyne, Jonathan Goodridge, Michael Guardino, Daniel Knight, Jacob Lunduski, Adam Lauko, Stefan Merchant, Matthew Miles, Kyle Mulligan, Trevor Pauldine, Jonathon Price, William Skinner, Kevin Thompson, Anthony Vecchio

Varsity Girls’ Soccer, 95.207 grade point average Jasminn Bean, Emma Firenze, Jacqueline Firenze, Kathleen Gildemeyer, Laura Hanford, Amanda Ingersoll, Claire Monnat, Margaret Monnat, Lauren O’Connor, Lauren Roberts, Jamie Schmidt, Ashley Squairs, Lowyse van Fulpen, Lana Vecchiarelli, Erin Ward, Amanda Wolgemuth

Varsity Boys’ Football, 94.541 grade point average

Tyler Candee, Casey Colligan, Michael Guinta, Thomas Lawrence, Nicholas Manning, Jacob Margrey, Stephen Mitchell, Bernard

Paprocki, Curtis Stanard, Mark Stanard, Eric Tommarello, Carter Twombly, Matthew Varga

Varsity Girls’ Field Hockey, 93.622 grade point average

Anna Andris, Nicole Bourdon, Taylor Cherney, Nicole Contant, Grace Crowell, Andrea Davaro, Sierra Earle, Lindsey Halstead, Jennifer Hennigan, Natalie Lynch, Laura Passamonte, Lindsay Varga, Elizabeth Ventura

Varsity Boys’ Golf, 93.114 grade point average

Lucas Ciulla, Connor Dowd, John Maurer, Robert McCall, Brendan Polsin, Earl Strodel, William Ward, Daniel Wright

Varsity Girls’ Volleyball, 93.063 grade point average

Allegra Lee Bell, Jenna Blujus, Megan Collins, Elizabeth Giromini, Carrie Hack, Ashley Marsh, Lauren McVey, Brianna Stewart

Varsity Boys’ Volleyball, 92.573 grade point average Peter Cuppernull, Daniel Dubiel, Matthew McKee, Shane Rahrle, Jarret Reaume, Kevin Saintey, Ryan Shelton, Christopher Thayer

Varsity Girls’ Gymnastics, 92.010 grade point average Samantha Cammuso, Casey Devlin, Alexis Diaz, Lauren Fisher, Lauren Furcinito, Virginia Kamide, Sara Perrone, Chelsey Pitcher

Varsity Fall Cheerleading, 92.339 grade point average

Shaina Brook, Krista Brower, Kelly Carr, Kendal Glynn, Lindsey Hirsh, Melissa Hunter, Julianne Landon, Amanda Mackey, Beata Rubacha, Angelica Santana, Bailey Sweeting, Taylor Toomey

Although the New York State Public High School Athletic Association does not recognize all of the sports that Baldwinsville offers, based on local criteria the fall varsity cheerleaders also qualified for this award.

REAL ESTATE MATTERS

by Donna Rausch

Revitalizing an old listing Your home has been on the market for six months, and it just isn’t moving. What can you do to introduce some extra energy into the sale?

The first thing you should do is to have a frank talk with your agent in order to get feedback. What are people thinking? Ask yourself: Does your home look its best? Is it accessible for agents to show on short notice? Is the price in line with the rest of the market?

Do you need to consider neutralizing any strong decorating features that may not have wide appeal?

Think about it.

Getting your home sold is a collaborative effort. It is important that it is marketed aggressively, but you must do your part to ensure that buyers see a home that is as appealing as it can be. Try new ideas that will create better results.

Donna Rausch is the Branch Manager of the Liverpool office of RealtyUSA. Donna is an Associate Broker, holds the prestigious Certified Residential Specialist designation as well as the Seniors Real Estate designation. Donna and her 3 experienced associates can be reached at 315-622-2111 x124 for additional information regarding any Real Estate Matter.

Clay Insider, 1 0

January 2010

Sports

LHS grad returns to present Champion of Choices

Warriors on ice

Former pro wrestler Marc Mero drops puck at hockey game; speaks at high school and local church

By Farah Jadran Pike fpike@cnylink.com

Former professional wrestler and Liverpool High School graduate Marc Mero dropped the puck at the high school face-off between Liverpool and West Genesee Dec. 15 at the New York State Fairgrounds.

Mero, also a former Warrior hockey player, had Tuesday night’s game on his radar as well as some local speaking engagements.

In the World championship Wrestling, Mero was known as “Johnny B. Badd” when he entered the pro circuit in the early ‘90s.

He later moved on to the World Wrestling Federation in 1996, now known as the World Wrestling Entertainment. In that arena, he wrestled under the name “Wildman Marc Mero,” and later became “Marvelous Marc Mero.”

After battling some bouts of drug and alcohol abuse during his wrestling career, Mero realized there was more to life, his life in particular. As he progressed through his professional wrestling career,

he witnessed many changes in his life, many close to home.

Through his experiences, Mero knew his journey and new outlook on life would benefit others. He is now the founder of the non-profit organization Champion of Choices for which he travels the country “trying to make a difference in their lives.”

Mero began the organization in August of 2007 after his close friend Chris Benoit faced a dire tragedy while killing his wife and family and then committing suicide in June of that year. Mero said Benoit is “one of 31 friends he had that died or killed themselves because of drugs or alcohol.”

“I was so sick of being that person that said, ‘You know someone should do something about this,’” Mero said.

“I wanted to be the person that did something about it.”

On Mero’s Web site, championofchoices.org, he talks about the ups and downs he experienced in the athletic arena, but also many life-changing events that have shaped the person he is today.

“The reason I decided to write this is that I have learned so much through tragedy,” Mero said in his life story.

Mero spoke at LHS in the morning Dec. 16 and later that night at Trinity Assembly of God, located at 4398 Route 31 in Clay, to the Inside Out Youth Group.

Mero said Champion of Choices will visit Indiana in January and then he is off to Russia the following month for his first international speaking engagement. There may be plans in the near future for Mero to return when he finalizes some speaking tours at other Central New York schools in North Syracuse and Fayetteville.

Right, Warrior sophomore Anthony Eno moves swiftly after a pass he sent flying to a teammate during the Warriors face-off with West Genesee Tuesday Dec. 15. The Warriors battled to a 4-1 loss to the Wildcats at the State Fair Coliseum.

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January 2010

In good faith Immanuel – ‘God with us ’

This month’s article was submitted by King of Kings Lutheran Church Pastor Rev. Dr. Paul A. Herpich.King of Kings Lutheran church is located at 8278 Oswego Road, Liverpool As I write this column, Christmas is one week away. I have lit three candles on the Advent wreath and watered our Christmas tree. The promise and hope of these seasons of the church year adds shape and meaning to my faith. I will preach Christmas Eve on the confession of the Christian faith found in John’s gospel: “and the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth…”

God in the flesh. God living in our midst as one of us. God taking on the full nature of humanity. God experiencing the pain, suffering, and loneliness that characterizes

many of our lives. I find this confession of the Christian faith to be most profound and personal.

In Matthew’s gospel we read that Jesus will be known as Immanuel - God with us.

The doctrine that is connected with this confession is the incarnation. God - in the flesh - in the person of Jesus. What wonderful good news! God has chosen to live among us; to teach us about the meaning and purpose of life.

For that reason, getting to know Jesus - his way of living, his actions, his teaching - has become all-consuming for me.

Remembering Clay By-gone winters on Horseshoe Island

By Dorothy Heller Though neither our ancestors nor we were around in 1854, the earliest map of Horseshoe Island does show a school on the corner of Bonstead Road, which the children attended. It shows mostly forest and a few houses on the lower part along the road. The schoolhouse that was lost in the tornado of 1983 was built in 1880 and used as a school until 1952. Think of the children walking to school and thinking about Christmas.

In a few years, there were a dozen farms on the Island. Of course, they grew everything they needed, some coopers making barrels from the vast forest, making butter, preserving, drying (learned from the local Natives).

I have found the meaning and purpose of life itself in his words. I experience freedom and hope as I live in relationship with him through his death and resurrection. I live a forgiven and abundant life in relationship with the one who is Immanuel - God with us.

When you read these words the church will be celebrating the season of Epiphany, which commemorates the visit of the magi to this child in Bethlehem. One key image for this season is light. As the star led these travelers to Jesus, so we confess that Jesus is the light of the world. In these

short and dark days, this confession of faith also brings me life and hope. Each one of us faces darkness; sometimes daily. The anguish and pain, the disappointment and fears, the sorrow and despair of life can be a most difficult burden. The Christian faith confesses that in Jesus, the Light has shined. I have been given the promise to dispel this darkness, and to overcome the darkness in the person of Jesus. I find this to be the very best of news. My life finds order and makes sense because of the one who is Immanuel - God with us - Jesus.

Worship Listings

residents were stranded on Fishing, and hunting. They would go to the Center of the Island for days: and the Town in Clay for supplies at rescue of a deer who had fallen through the frozen the three stores. EventuRiver in the 1990s by Mr. ally, trains made it easier White. to go to town and ship their farm products to New York Old-fashioned Christmas – of course everyone City. cut down his own tree – if In winter, besides not on his own property, their chores, the children maybe off to Pine Plains. probably went ice skating on the Oneida River. It It would be decorated with real candles, popcorn still freezes over in a cold chains, cranberry chains, winter. They probably had pinecones, hand-made homemade skates and decorations made in the I have heard they made homemade skis from barrel one-room school house, staves. Transportation was beads, etc. Gifts were probably hand-made since this by snowshoes. Also, the was a farming community horses would be hitched to and money was scarce. a sleigh – no snow plows Lots of wooden toys and in those days. The snow knitted scarves and mitwould be packed down for the sleigh ride with the bells tens.

Christmas Dinner: let’s ringing. think venison (deer still Two more recent live on the island in large memories are the blizzard of 1966 when the Please see Horseshoe page 12

NSJHS From Page 4 Mr. Nadler, Mr. Morse and Mr. Kelson; Publicity: Mrs. Glenda House.

Tickets will be available for purchase starting Jan. 4 at the North Syracuse

Junior High School bookstore or from Ms. Suzanne Tiffault in the Music Department. Ticket prices are as follows: $6, students/ seniors; $8, adults; $10

reserved seating (available only through Ms. Tiffault).

For additional information, contact the North Syracuse Jr. High School at 2183600.

Bayberry From Page 1 the Liverpool Central School District Office (former Craven Crawford Elementary).

Bayberry is also home to churches, businesses and a green area maintained by the town.

Bayberry Community Association President Debbie Magaro-Dolan said she and her husband were happy to find a home in the neighborhood.

“I grew up in Liverpool, and when we were looking for a place to live, we wanted to stay close,” Magaro-Dolan said. “It’s a great community, and there’s a lot close by – the city of Syracuse, Lake Ontario, the Finger Lakes. As for Bayberry specifically, there are a lot of great qualities that made us want to buy a house here. It’s good, quality housing, the BCA keeps things nice, there are good schools – it’s just a really great place.”

Indeed, the BCA is a great draw for many neighborhood residents. Bayberry is one of just a few local communities that still has a homeowners’ association, and MagaroDolan said the BCA does everything it can to promote a neighborhood atmosphere.

“We do focus a lot on families,” she said.

“We have a Halloween parade and a visit from Santa every year. We have a snow sculpture contest. But we’re starting to focus

on the social connections for adults, too – we’re going to have a bowling night and some other things.”

Everything the BCA does, MagaroDolan said, from neighborhood events to encouraging neighbors to maintain their homes, is focused on making Bayberry a true community.

“We want you to know your neighbors,” she said. “We want to have everybody be happy in their homes and happy to be here.”

For more information about Bayberry, check out the Bayberry Community Association’s Web site at bayberrycommunity.org.

“In the neighborhood” is a new monthly feature in which the many neighborhoods in the town of Clay are profiled. If you’d like to see your neighborhood in this feature, e-mail Sarah Hall at shall1023@ gmail.com. Just tell us the neighborhood and why it’s a great place to live, and we’ll do the rest.

Is your church, synagogue or place of worship in Clay missing? Send us the information at news@clayinsider.com and we will include it next month.

Clay Insider, 1 2

January 2010

Special Olympics State Winter Games to be held in Syracuse Hundreds of volunteers needed for February events Special Olympics New York officials have announced that the State Winter Games will be held in Syracuse in February of 2010. State Winter Games showcase the achievements of Special Olympics athletes and is one of three annual state games and 4,000 competitive experiences held each year throughout New York.

On the weekend of Feb. 5 and 6, in Syracuse, more than 400 Special Olympics New York athletes and coaches from across the state will join the State Winter Games. Athletic competitions will be held in Alpine and Nordic skiing, speed and figure skating, floor hockey and snowshoeing. More than 450 volunteers from surrounding communities are needed to support the event and are key to its suc-

cess.

Co-honorary chairs of the State Winter Games are Onondaga County Executive Joanne Mahoney and James Gaspo, president of Citizens Bank. Co-games organizing committee chairs are William Fisher and Ann Rooney, also from the Onondaga County executive’s office. Citizens Bank and Wegmans Food Markets are premier event sponsors.

All State Winter Games events are free and open to the public.

Event schedule:

 Opening Ceremonies will be held at 7 p.m. Friday Feb. 5 at the Oncenter Complex, featuring the Parade of Athletes, entertainment and the lighting of the Special Please see Volunteer page 14

Horseshoe From Page 11 numbers) or a wild turkey. Recipes from “The Methodical Cook,� written by Mary Randolph 1831. Remember all was openhearth cooking.

Turkey, after it is stuffed: put in a pot over the fire and cook slowly, covered until done. Set on the turkey in time, that it may stew, as above; it is the best way to boil one to perfection.

Ham (from the smokehouse): boil it well, take off the skin and cover the top thickly with bread crumbs, put it in an oven to brown and serve it up. (Dutch over – open fire) Winter squash (from the root cellar): cut the crooked neck portion into 1-inch slices, take off rind, boil them with salt in the water, drain them well before they are dished, and pour melted butter over; serve them up very hot.

Flummery: one measure of (homemade) jelly, one of cream, and half of wine, boil 15 minutes over low fire stirring all the time; sweeten it and add a spoonful of rose water; cool it in a mould, turn it on a dish, and pour around it cream.

Apple Pie, (apples from the root cellar): Put a crust in the bottom of a dish, put on it a layer of ripe apples, pared and sliced thin – then a layer of powdered sugar. Do this alternately until the dish is full; put in a teaspoonful or two of rose water and some cloves – put on a crust and bake it.

Would you like to have lived in the “Good Old Days?�

Dorothy Heller is the town of Clay historian.

Bville senior wrestlers honor teachers The senior wrestlers of the Baldwinsville Central School District varsity wrestling team honored their favorite teachers before their first home match on December 8. The students presented teachers with a teacher appreciation t-shirt and a special

certificate. The players honored teachers in recognition of all that they do to help athletes succeed in the classroom. The senior wrestlers and the teachers each one chose to honor are: Please see Honor page 14

Web site From Page 6 Federal aid per pupil NSCSD - $534, 38th LCSD - $599, 33rd Total spending per pupil NSCSD - $14,673, ranked 46th LCSD - $17,772, 21st Effective property tax NSCSD – 1.57 percent, ranked 22nd LCSD – 2.05 percent, ranked 3rd Administration per pupil NSCSD - $187, ranked 49th LCSD - $321, ranked 44th Instruction per pupil NSCSD - $6,795, ranked 40th LCSD - $7,761, ranked 25th

Instructional support per pupil NSCSD - $688, ranked 40th LCSD - $1,076, ranked 9th Medical insurance per pupil NSCSD - $1,779, ranked 30th LCSD - $2,296, ranked 11th

The information provided has data from the 2007-08 school year. More categories are available at seethorughny.net. State and area rankings are also available.

Experience From Page 5 ate. To hold the calculator on, they tried a lip, rubber bands and Velcro. The final design used the Velcro.

The boys spent their free time making a class set of devices for Wolf to use in his class, and they were a huge hit. No more calculators falling on the floor! In addition, inventory control was easier because Wolf could see at a glance if all the calculators were in place. Because the calculators were positioned in a

more upright position, they were easier for students to use and see.

The design was so successful that Dischinger, Koster and Zenker formed a company and applied for and were awarded a utility patent, which basically protects the design and configuration of their device from being copied. At this point they are waiting for a company to buy their idea and produce their design.

In the meantime, the

rest of the math teachers were envious of Wolf, and wanted calculator clips for their classes as well.

Dischinger approached colleague Karin Dykeman, who teaches a Material Processing class in the LHS main building. Could her class use experience in plastics fabrication?

Would the students be interested in producing more of the calculator clips for the other classes?

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Clay Insider, 13

January 2010

Events & Announcements Guitar League to begin in January

Meetings Weight matters

Guitar League will meet monthly from 7 to 9 p.m. on the first Monday of each month beginning Jan. 4 at 312 Lakeside Road in Syracuse. For more information call 407-8463 or visit guitarleague.com. The first meeting is free. Yearly and monthly memberships are available. All guitar enthusiasts are welcome.

Start the year off right and achieve your weight loss goals. Weight issues can cause a host of problems, such as heart attack, diabetes and stroke. Weight issues often stem from emotional problems such as sadness, anger or guilt. Weight Matters, a new weight loss support group, focuses on both the physical and emotional issues that surround weight loss. Learn healthy strategies for losing and maintaining weight, what emotional triggers cause binge eating and how to make healthy food choices.

Above all, receive support from other individuals contending with similar issues.

Weight Matters meets from 6 to 7 p.m. Monday Jan. 11 and Monday Jan. 25 in Bayberry. For further information, call Monica Gullotta at 622-5596.

Staying yoga fit through winter

MOMS Club of Cicero

We are looking for stay-at-home moms or moms that work part-time, to join our group. Our activities include weekly play dates, field trips and a monthly MOMS night out. We are a charitable organization supporting our community and our moms. If you live in Cicero, Clay, North Syracuse, Liverpool or Baldwinsville, contact us at orgsites.com/ny/momsclubofcicerony.

CNY SPD Parent Connections Support Group

A support group for Parents of children with Sensory Processing Disorder will be held at 7 p.m. Thursday Jan. 21 at the Beacon Baptist Church, E. Henry Clay Blvd., Clay.The topic will be: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Autistic-Like: Grahamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Story,â&#x20AC;? to be followed by dicussion.

For more information about our group please visit the Web site at cnyspdparents.com.

Are you yoga fit? The younger we are the more pliable and flexible our muscles and joints are. YogaFit Kids encourages kids to explore their natural abilities in an active, safe and fun way that honors diversity of each studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; flexibility and strengths.

YogaFit Kids is a fun, playful class where kids can move energy through their bodies and bring into their minds.

The class is designed for children ages 4 to 10 and will meet at the town of Clay-

Old Town Hall Meeting Room, 4483 Route 31, Clay, from 6 to 7 p.m. every Thursday Jan. 14 through March 4.

The fee is $40 per particpant. Instructor Florence Drago, a pilates, dance and fitness professinoal, will lead the kidsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; winter session.

Registration is needed. Call the townâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s park and recreation office at 652-3800, ext.

139 or e-mail recreation@townofclay.org.

Recreational gymnastics in Clay Recreational gymnastics will be held through the Clay Town Park and Recreation Department every Saturday from Jan. 9 to March 13.

There will be a class for kids ages 3 to 5 from noon to 1 p.m. A class for kids 6 and up will be held from 1 to 2 p.m. as well.

The fee is $60 per participant and space is limited for each section.

Registration is needed. Call the townâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s park and recreation office at 652-3800 or e-mail recreation@townofclay.org.

Visit the Web site, townofclay.org, for more information.

Take an art exploration Know someone who has accomplished something outstanding? Send their story and photo to the Clay Insider at news@clayinsider.com for our new â&#x20AC;&#x153;Local Accomplishmentsâ&#x20AC;? page!

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Clay Insider, 14

January 2010

Happy New Year from the Clay Insider

OCM BOCES receives $469,012 rural development grant

Grant Will Help Install Interactive Video System in 11 Rural School Districts Rep. Dan Maffei (NY-25) joined USDA 9,000 students in small, rural Central New Rural Development State Director Jill York districts and I am pleased â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and proud Harvey Monday Dec. 14 to present a â&#x20AC;&#x201C; that my agency is able to support such a $469,012 Distance Learning and Teleworthwhile effort.â&#x20AC;? medicine Grant to the Onondaga Cortland â&#x20AC;&#x153;On behalf of OCM BOCES, the 11 Madison Board of Cooperative Educadistricts, and especially the students that tional Services (OCM BOCES). will be able to reap the tremendous benefits OCM BOCES will use the grant to of the video conferencing technology and install an interactive video conferencsupport, I would like to thank the USDA for ing system that will connect its Syracuse selecting our organization to receive these campus with 23 schools in 11 rural Cenfunds,â&#x20AC;? said Dr. Jessica Cohen, OCM BOtral New York school districts. The videoCES superintendent. â&#x20AC;&#x153;OCM BOCESâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Central conferencing system enables students to New York Regional Information Center has take courses that are generally not availlong been providing superior technological able at their schools, including advanced opportunities to our 23 component districts placement classes and college courses. and beyond, but with this additional money The system also provides a cost-effective to serve our rural districts, we open doors for method for professional development and our students to take advantage of opportunijob retraining. Video conferencing proties they may not otherwise have.â&#x20AC;? vides students with excellent instructional The DLT Grant Program is administered opportunities, including collaborations

by USDA Rural Developmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s national FARAH JADRAN PIKE with other students across the state and office and provides access to education, Outside Clay Town Hall in December 2009. nation, virtual field trips to museums and training and health care resources in rural organizations like NASA, and interactions areas. Matching funds are required on with professionals from a variety of fields. the part of the recipient and OCM BOCES The 11 districts involved in the project are provided $786,010 for the project, which Tully, Onondaga, McGraw, Marathon, LaFay- has a total price tag of more than $1.25 From Page 12 ette, Homer, DeRuyter, Cincinnatus, Chitmillion.

Olympics Cauldron. Olympic Village, a rec- walk-in volunteers are welcome. For more tenango, Fabius-Pompey and Cazenovia.

Nationally, 111 projects in 35 states reation area for athletes and the public, will information on volunteering, please visit â&#x20AC;&#x153;Providing new opportunities for our received more than $34.9 million in DLT be open at the Oncenter prior to Opening specialolympicsNY.org and click on Winter students to excel, no matter where they live, funding this year. Four New York projCeremonies. After Opening Ceremonies, Games, email volunteer@nyso.org or call is incredibly important,â&#x20AC;? Maffei said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;To be ects, including OCM BOCES, received (800) 836-6976. floor hockey pairing games will be held at able to bring such cutting edge technology $1,350,052 in funding. the Oncenter to division the athletes for the Special Olympics New York, which does to small schools and rural areas across the USDA Rural Developmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mission following dayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s competition. not charge athletes to participate, provides area is exciting, and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m pleased that even is to increase economic opportunity and ď&#x201A;§ Athletic competition will begin at 8:30 year-round sports training and athletic in tough economic times we are making improve the quality of life for rural resia.m. Saturday Feb. 6 in six Olympic-style competition in a variety of Olympic-style important investments in our students and dents. Rural Development fosters growth sports, including floor hockey at the Onsports for more than 47,000 children and our future.â&#x20AC;? in homeownership, finances business adults with intellectual disabilities. center Complex, speed and figure skating â&#x20AC;&#x153;One of Rural Developmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s primary development and supports the creation at the War Memorial Arena, Alpine skiing â&#x20AC;&#x153;Special Olympics aims to demonstrate missions is improving the quality of life in our of critical community and technology that when people with and without intelat the Toggenburg Mountain Winter Sports rural communities and supporting innovative infrastructure. Further information on rural Center in Fabius, Nordic Skiing at Highlectual disabilities are brought together educational initiatives is one of the ways we programs is available by calling the state land Forest Park in Fabius and Snowshoeby its year-round program of training and achieve that objective,â&#x20AC;? Harvey said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The office at 477-6400 or by visiting USDA ing at Thornden Park in Syracuse. competition; myths are dispelled, attitudes OCM BOCES project will directly improve Rural Developmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Web site at rurdev. are changed and new opportunities to educational opportunities for more than usda.gov/ny.

Volunteer duties: embrace and celebrate people with intelď&#x201A;§ Set up and break down sports venlectual disabilities are created,â&#x20AC;? said Neal ues, present medals, distribute lunches, J. Johnson, president and CEO of the sell merchandise and help with Opening From Page 12 organization.

Ceremonies and Olympic Village.

Premier Sponsors Citizens Bank and John Herholzer â&#x20AC;&#x201C; honored Gail Lamton, Baker High School science teacher ď&#x201A;§ Staff the following athletic venues: Wegmans Food Markets are joined by bert, Baker High School special education Nick Jacobs â&#x20AC;&#x201C; honored Paul Mizer, Alpine skiing, Nordic Skiing, figure skating, these additional sponsors: NYSUT, A teacher Baker High School technology teacher speed skating, snowshoeing and floor Union of Professionals; Civil Service EmKurt McArdell â&#x20AC;&#x201C; honored Thomas ManMichael Lukasiewicz â&#x20AC;&#x201C; honored Robert hockey. ployees Association; Knights of Columbus; ning, Durgee Junior High School special Miller, Baker High School art teacher The deadline for volunteer assignWal-Mart and media sponsor Galaxy Com- education teacher Joseph Senf â&#x20AC;&#x201C; honored Michael Scuderi, ments given is Jan. 27; after that date munications.

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Clay Insider, 15

January 2010

Clay adds to rich history throughout 2009 Take a look at what’s been done and what’s to come

for the Clay Historic Park under the leadership of Jim Palumbo. Assisted by his Following is a list of troop with donations of masome of the projects and terials from the community events related to Clay Hisand financial help of the tory for 2009. Many are Clay Historical Association, ongoing and/or are continan entrance sign and a site ued from previous years. map are now erected in the The Cub Scouts of Park. He was awarded his Den 4, Pack 620, under Eagle Scout Badge in July. the leadership of Jim The Clay Fall Festival Palokiewicz, constructed in September was a big 10 benches for the Clay success as usual.

DemonHistoric Park and finished strations, exhibits, games, painting them in the spring food for all ages, tours – green to match the and music were available.

Railroad Station. Their idea About 30 members and was to have a place, espeparents of Cub Scout Wolf cially for the seniors, to rest Den of Pack 116 under while touring the Park and the leadership of Steve to contemplate Clay’s HisPerrigo, attended, including tory. They also did a spring many visitors from other cleaning of the grounds. parts of the state.

The Spring Conference History Camp for of the Association of Public children ages 8 to 12 was held in July. They were taught and made a craft related to Native Americans, plants and birds, candle-making, homemade ice cream, farming implements and an American flag.

Their favorite old game was the hula-hoop.

On the South side of Oak COURTESY OF DOROTHY HELLER Orchard Road is an historic The Oak Orchard land marker.

By Dorothy Heller

Historians of New York State (APHNYS) was also a “quadricentennial” celebration of Henry Hudson’s exploration and Samuel D. Champlain’s exploration of the New World. It also commemorated Robert Fulton’s 200th Anniversary of his steamboat. Paul Stewart, a presenter, was able to supply me with information on Clay’s denouncement of slavery before the Civil War. Each municipality was asked to provide a quilt block with an explanation representing their area for a quilt to be hung in the State Capital. Clay’s represents the New Town Hall.

Olakunle Akinpelu of Boy Scout Troop 203 constructed two new signs

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marker to commemorate the Oak Orchard site. It was well known to the Haudenosaunee Natives as a crossing place when hunting and fishing. Also, from archaeological digs, remains of campsites were found, including skeletal.

Tully Mayor Beth Greenwood and Historian Lynn Fisher brought a number of people to tour the Clay Historic Park in September with promises to bring more town people later.

The October Symposium on the Mohawk Valley History was very enlightening since that was the way West after the Revolutionary War. The Founders of Clay traveled via the Mohawk Valley in the early 1800s to settle what is now Clay.

Lysander Historian, Bonnie Kisselstein made a presentation to the Clay Historical Association in November on the History

of the property previous to being Radisson, its use during World War II – for munitions. Please take note that a section of what is now Clay came from Lysander.

The “Three Rivers Project” is progressing.

For many years it was a historic Indian area at the junction of the Three Rivers. The project now includes the 27 miles of waterfront, the old Cibro Tank area and the former Three Rivers Hotel Property. Grants have been obtained for clean up and traffic study among other things. Recently the final draft was sent to the State on the “Local Waterfront Revitalization Project” (LWRP) and the land were inventoried. Grants are being sought presently for analyzing the potential use of the contaminated area – known as a “Brownfield Opportunity Area.” The

20

Dorothy Heller is the Clay Town historian.

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The renovation of the old Clay Hotel, a wellknown landmark for more than 100 years, is complete. You may remember years ago that it was known for its sauerbraten, which was written on the side along with paintings of Schultz and Dooley. It now has a restaurant downstairs and a banquet room upstairs. The beautiful red building can be seen from a long distance when traveling on Route 31.

Finally, Clay was part of history as one of the few towns in Onondaga County that went with the new voting machines on Election Day Nov. 3.

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