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Districts convene at Chocolate shop sees ESM for libraries ... Page 6 boost in sales ... Page 7 eaglebulletin.com Volume 125, No. 1 Jan. 5 to 11, 2011
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The Eagle Bulletin asked local officials and community members what their resolutions would be in the New Year. Manlius Town Clerk Allison Edsall said she wants to buy local through farmshare. Go to page 4 to read others’ plans for 2011.
Michael Edsall, 2, enjoys time at Common Threads in Madison County.
Manlius: Fun in the winter sun Residents sled and snowboard outside Manlius Village Centre. ...See page 3
Calendar �������������������2 Classifieds �������������� 19 Editorial ��������������������4 Obituaries ��������������� 17 Public notices �������� 18 School news �������������6 Sports ������������������������9
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Resolutions 2011: Support the local economy
Roberts sworn in Assemblyman Sam Roberts (D-119) takes his oath for office. ...See page 3
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New year, new site
By Tami S. Zimmerman tzimmerman@cnylink.com The town of Manlius has a new look. Its website, townofmanlius. org, now offers easier navigation, up-to-date calendars, a sign up for news alerts, village links and meeting details. “A lot of times people would try to find minutes and agendas,” on the old version, said town clerk Allison Edsall. “If someone wasn’t familiar with the website before, they struggled to find things. Now, under boards and committees, you can find [the minutes and agendas] all together.” Archived by year, meeting summaries extend as far back as 2006. The town is in the process of loading more. “ We’r e g o i n g a s f a r See Website, page 8
Finding inner peace in the darkest hours Fabius mom works through grief by helping others By Tami S. Zimmerman tzimmerman@cnylink.com Vera Rybak has found purpose again. When her first born son was shot to death, her life was turned upside down. That was three years ago, Nov. 13, 2007. De-
“There’s so many unanswered questions. How do you tell a mother she has to move on?”
- Vera Rybak
Witt police officers broke the news to her at L. and J.G. Stickley in Manlius, where she’s been a full-time employee for 21 years. “I didn’t know what they were there for,” she recalls. “They took me in a room and told me my son was dead. You don’t know what to think. I thought something happened in landscaping … a machine. I asked them how. They said he was shot in the head.” Robert “Bob” Rybak, 28, was employed as a supervisor with Pro Scapes in Jamesville. He had moved to the Jamesville home of co-worker Alec “Mac” McLean, and his sister, Quinn McLean, after separating from his wife. Four months later, he was found dead in his bedroom. The case, which began as a homicide investigation, was eventually ruled a suicide. For Rybak, events leading up to her son’s death remain a mystery. “There’s so many unanswered questions. How do you tell a mother she has to move on? How do you accept a death that had
no rhyme or reason?” she said. “When a mother loses a child, you don’t know how to fill that void. It’s a hole, an empty hole. You try to walk with a smile [but] your mind is constantly thinking, ‘w hat happened?’” To deal with her feelings, Rybak needed to stay busy. She wanted to do something that would mean something to Robert Rybak someone, which is why she applied at Clare Bridge of Manlius, an assisted living center that provides Alzheimer’s and dementia care for senior citizens. “The first year after Bob died, I was working 25 to 30 hours a week at Clare Bridge on top of what I was working at See Rybak, page 8
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