Star Review digital edition - July 5, 2023

Bolton, Gustafson win in N. Syracuse

John bolton Patricia Gustafson

by DAviD TylEr

The final certified vote tallies were:

In a closely contested race for two trustee positions in the village of North Syracuse, Republican John Bolton, who was running for the position for the first time, was the top vote getter.

Mayor

Gary Butterfield – 203

Trustee

John Bolton – 161

Patricia Gustafson – 158

Fred Wilmer - 151

lican, who was first elected in 2019, was the third place finisher in the tight race.

Bolton, who is retired following more than two decades at Home Depot, also served on the police reform committee.

He will be joined on the board by Patricia Gustafson, who ran on the Democrat and Good Neighbors party lines.

Gustafson, who was first elected in 2021 to fill the remainder of Diane Browning’s term, currently serves as deputy mayor. Fred Wilmer, a Repub -

Gary Butterfield, who ran unopposed, will return for another term as mayor, a position he has held since June, 2015.

After the in-person votes were tallied, it appeared that Wilmer might claim the second trustee position, but there were 33 absentee votes to be counted which tipped the scales in Gustafson’s favor. Only 10 votes separated the top voter getter and the third place finisher.

Liverpool hockey merges with Fulton next season

by PHil blAckwEll

While much of the attention around Liverpool High School’s athletic program centers around whether or not it will change its “Warriors” nickname in the future, another big change is already assured.

For the 2023-24 season, Liverpool will not field its

best way to support

local farms’ Onondaga County kicks off Onondaga Grown campaign

by DAviD TylEr

The agricultural industry in Onondaga County produces enough food to feed a quarter of a million people.

On Thursday, the county held an event at Dutch Hill Maple in Tully to celebrate agriculture in the county and kick off its Buy Onondaga Grown promotion and prep for OnFarm Fest, which will feature 10 farms in the county on Sept. 16, including Sunshine Horses in Clay. It’s the ninth annual kick off event for the county’s annual celebration of agriculture.

“We need to continue to recognize our roots, and that is that we are - a strong ag community,” said County Executive Ryan McMahon. “We need to continue to look at ways to support the family farm. We need to continue to educate individuals in the community about how important it is that we make our own food.”

The celebration of agriculture in the county has two focuses, McMahon said. OnFarm Fest is a way to educate people throughout the county about what takes place on a wide variety of family farms in the community. Onondaga Grown is a campaign that encourages local residents to buy food and other products that are produced in Onondaga County.

Shoppers can find Onondaga Grown items by looking for the Onondaga Grown logo at local grocers, convenience stores, farm stands, farmers markets and restaurants –and by visiting www.onondagagrown. com for maps of businesses that produce or sell locally grown products.

“Onondaga Grown is about the best way we can to support these farms,” McMahon said. “We need to spend money supporting out local farms, and that will help the local economy, and that will help these farms continue to grow and be able to produce more food for more people here locally.”

Dave Skeval, the executive director of Cornell Cooperative Extension, one of the county’s partners in the Onondaga Grown campaign, recently

traveled to an agriculture event in Suffolk County on Long Island, which boasts the number one agriculture economy in the state. While Suffolk County has about 35,000 in agricultural production, Skeval said, Onondaga County has more than 170,000 acres in production. Suffolk County producers create a lot of money from things like lavender fields and wineries, Skeval said, “but the question is how many people do they feed?”

“We feed a quarter of million people out of Onondaga County,” Skeval said. “So it’s not just important to our county, it’s important to our region.”

Farms participating in OnFarm Fest

albanese longhorns in lafayette

Navarino Orchards in Navarino

emmi Farms in lysander

Sunshine Horses in Clay Crazy daisies in Camillus

brady Farm in Syracuse

Shepards Settlement in Marcellus anyela’s Vineyards in Skaneateles

Pumpkin Hollow in Marcellus dutch Hill Maple in Tully

Trustees pass local law prohibiting rentals of less than 30 days

by ruSS TArby ConTribuTing WriTer

At its June 26 meeting the Liverpool Village Board of Trustees approved a new local law prohibiting the operation of short-term rentals at homes within the village.

Village Codes Officer Bill Reagan said there are currently six dwellings within the village operating as AirBnBs, which offer short-term rentals.

Of those six, four of the AirBnB operators spoke at the public hearing which prefaced the trustees’ action. They said that they prefer renting to short-term tenants.

Reagan and the trustees expressed a desire to maintain stable local neighborhoods.

“Short-term rentals are not healthy for our community,” said Trustee Matt Devendorf. “People

need to know who their neighbors are.” If AirBnBs were allowed to proliferate, Liverpool could suffer the same fate as the village of Lake Placid, which now has several blocks full of short-term rental homes. Regan pointed out that Liverpool now has 803 single-family homes and 30 twofamily homes, 94 percent of which are owner-occupied. Six percent of single-family homes here are rentals.

A few of the AirBnB owners live in the homes which they’re renting, but others reside outside of the village.

Reagan worries that – without the new law – entire village neighborhoods could become dominated by short-term rentals. The AirBnB currently operate with little or no regulation and they do not pay tourism taxes.

The trustees’ approval of the new law was not unanimous. Trustees Devendorf, Michael LaMontagne, Christina Fadden and Mayor Gary White all voted in favor of it, while Trustee Dennis Hebert voted no.

Both Hebert and Fadden attended their final board meeting June 26. Fadden’s mayoral bid fell short at the June 20 village election as did Hebert’s bid for re-election.

Mayor w hite honored

White was honored by two proclamations announced as he presided over his final village board meeting on June 26. LaMontagne read the trustees’ resolution recognizing White’s 26-plus years of service at village hall, including seven twoyear terms as mayor. The trustees praised White’s detailed knowledge of the village infrastructure, and offered he and his family best wishes

in the future.

State Sen. John Mannion had an aide deliver a notice of a Senate proclamation which praised White for his “exceptional leadership and inspiring career.”

Ten accidents in May

Police Chief Jerry Unger reported via memo that his officers made 180 traffic stops and issued 164 citations for violations of the state’s vehicle and traffic laws in May.

Ten accidents were investigated here last month, and two motorists were arrested for driving while intoxicated. Officers made 56 residential checks and 156 business checks in April while responding to a total of 493 incidents and calls for service. The LPD arrested 24 individuals last month on 32 criminal charges.

‘The

DaviD Tyler

county legislator Dave knapp and county Executive ryan McMahon held a kickoff event for the Onondaga Grown campaign last week, at which they announced the 10 farms that will participate in OnFarm Fest on Sept. 16.

Occ rEcEivES DONATiON FrOM AMAzON

by ANDrEw wEllivEr

Onondaga Community College received a $50,000 donation from Amazon on Wednesday, June 28 for their Student Success program.

The donation will be used to assist in supporting Student Success Coaches at OCC. Student Success Coaches responsibilities include activities such as monitoring student academic progress and providing proactive and just-in-time guidance and support; Providing a sense of community by organizing educational and social events for students in their respective school; Guiding students through the higher education landscape and managing competing demands from school, family, and work; and Collaborating with colleagues and departments across the institution to provide holistic support and meet the unique needs of individual students.

According to a press release from OCC, this donation is the latest example of Amazon’s commitment to the Central New York region and its mission to create paths to career success through education and learning new skills.

In October 2022, Amazon chose OCC to be its partner in the Career Choice program.

Career Choice provides Amazon’s hourly employees the opportunity to take classes at OCC at Amazon’s expense.

Employees can focus on the academic programs of their choosing and learn new skills for career success at Amazon or elsewhere.

OCC’s President Dr. Warren Hilton was on hand to receive the check and show the school’s appreciation for Amazon’s gift to them.

“We are grateful to Amazon for their partnership with us at Onondaga Community College,” Hilton said. “From the Career Choice program which is already changing lives, to today’s support of our Student Success Coaches, Amazon is truly making a difference. Their transformational support is paying dividends today, and will continue to do so in the future.”

OCC’s Student Success program pairs students with coaches that help them balance their student-life with the other responsibilities and obligations they have.

This includes monitoring their academic progress, providing them a sense of community by organizing social events, guiding the students through higher education landscapes, and collaborating with colleagues to give the best support they can to the students.

Since Amazon partnered with OCC in 2022 there have been 24 Amazon workers who have attended classes at OCC to work towards their degree.

Hilton has been pleased with this partnership since taking over as OCC’s president about one year ago.

Ty Parker, senior operations manager for the Amazon fulfillment center commented on how this donation was important for their own employees who come to OCC through their Career Choice program.

“This donation is a perfect compliment to OCC’s Student Success program,” Parker said.

anDreW Welliver Amazon presented Occ with a donation of $50,000 to help support the Student Success program.

During the spring 2023 semester nearly two dozen Amazon employees took advantage of Career Choice.

For Amazon employees and students like Ivan Kamdem who sends money home monthly to his family in Cameroon, or Kay Cee, a single mother who also works full time for the Syracuse City School District, Career Choice is providing them the opportunity to better their lives through higher education tuition-free.

“We know that OCC’s Student Success Coaches program is a critical resource for supporting students as they achieve their education goals,” said Carley Graham Garcia, Amazon’s head of community affairs in New York. “It’s also a great way to support Amazonians who are taking advantage of Career Choice and all the benefits it has to offer them and other employer-sponsored students.”

To learn more visit sunyocc.edu.

liverpool Middle School hosts Academic Awards Night

More than 90 Liverpool Middle sixth-, seventhand eighth-graders recently earned honors during the school’s end of the year Academic Awards. Win-

ning awards were:

Citizenship: Molly Alamond, Chase Anson, Alivia Barth, Alexander Bergman, Patrick Clancy, Judah Covell, Lexi Dlugo -

lenski, Zachary Ellinwood, Jennifer Fader, Josie Guba, Charlotte Hanavan, Kyle Hayes, Jayden Haynes, Milan Jackson, Kiril Kuzma, Joseph Lisi, Ryin Pope,

Francesco Primerano, Saturn Rothblatt, Cameron Sochia, Noah Spanfelner, Keelin Stevens, Sincere Stribling, Brionna Welenc and Leah Wood.

Most Improved: Nadia Adams, Lucia Angotti, Chara Baddal, Andrea Baranowski, Malachi Brown, Pearl Cogan, Suki Cogan, Anthony DeSimone, Nahzehia Grant, Pearson Gridley, Gregory Guzman, Khyla Hadid, Damarhi Hester, He’Zekiah Hudson, Joseph Lake, Breanna Laris, Darren McKennaHaynes, Ahriana McLaurin, Joseph Palmer, Francesco Primerano, Katie Reed, Kayleigh Reed, Gianna Rojas, Chase Rose, Adrian Shelley, Kyle

Smith, Sincere Stribling, Izaac Titus and Anna-Sophia Vieira.

Outstanding Student: Alana Bao, Grace Bedward, Allison Brandt, Kyler Cassidy, Patrick Clancy, Atreyu Cochran, Ryan Coir, Vienna D’ Amico, Louis D’ Eredita, Lexi Dlugolenski, Charlotte Domago, Jennifer Fader, Lauren Fader, Sam Gonzalez, Ryan Goodrow, Christian Graham, Liliana Hand, Emily Hanford, Kyle Hayes, Jack Hernandez, Damarhi Hester, Michael Hoey, Isabella Howard, Emma Kohberger, Kiril Kuzma, Ella LaMontagne, Antonio Lizzio, Logan Malinowski, Cameron Mason, Linh Nguyen, Braylon

Northrup, Hannah Putman, Kota Quirong, Katie Reed, Chase Rose, Chloe Ryan, Ala’a Saleh, Brooke Salvatore, Dean Scott, Adrian Shelley, Alyssa Taggart, Naomi Thang, Bernys Valerio, Natashia White, Parker Williams and Jhanique Wiltshire. Scholastic Achievement: Allison Brandt, Surai Carter, Cameron Coon, Madelyn Cordell, Louis D’Eredita, Isabella DiMillo, Lauren Fader, Dakota Gray, Joseph Lisi, Imran Mesanovic, Kota Quirong and Chloe Ryan. Spelling Bee Champions: Alana Bao, Zachary Ellinwood, Boston Titus and Jhanique Wiltshire.

Eighth-graders learn healthy financial habits

they were presented with either an unexpected expense or windfall. The credit union National Association developed the Mad city Money financial simulation to help students understand the importance of building healthy financial habits.

robert ward bitz, 92

loved his family farm and farming

Robert Ward Bitz, 92, passed away on June 17, 2023.

Born in Syracuse on Sept. 16, 1930, Robert (Bob) grew up on a farm of 71 acres near Plainville that was purchased by his great-great grandfather, William Ward, in 1835. He attended the two-room school in Plainville for eight years, followed by four years at Baldwinsville Academy, and then graduated from Cornell University where he was a member of Alpha Zeta Fraternity.

Following college, Bob returned to the Plainville farm to work with his father. A year later he married Janice Abbott who he met in high school. They had three children and lived on the family farm until 2013 when they moved to a retirement community. Bob loved the farm and farming. He felt blessed to grow up on a farm and wished that more children had that opportunity today. He also appreciated using many farming methods of the past several centuries and then during his adult life participating in the rapid changes taking place.

The family farm had a small dairy herd for over 100 years and grew a variety of crops including corn, wheat, oats, potatoes and tobacco. Beginning in 1923, Bob’s father and grandfather started growing turkeys in addition to the other crops. Twenty

OBITUARIES

years later, most of the other crops were eliminated and the turkey enterprise had become the largest in New York State. Bob pioneered the further process of turkeys into numerous ready-to-cook and readyto-eat turkey products.

Plainville Turkey products became famous for their taste and quality. In 1973, Bob opened the Plainville Farms Restaurant in Cicero. Over time, this restaurant became a regular destination for people living up to two hours away. Later, Bob opened another Plainville Farms restaurant on Erie Blvd. in Syracuse, and one on West Genesee St. in Camillus. He also had a fast-food turkey restaurant at the Great Northern and Fayetteville Malls, as well as one in the Sports’ Center near Baldwinsville.

After turning over the turkey farm to his son Mark in the early 1990s, Bob traveled a lot and started writing books about local history, agriculture and the farm. He published 12 books including “Four Hundred Years of Agricultural Change in the Empire State,” “The 375 Year Journey of One Family” and “Onondaga County Post Offices and the Postal System.”

Bob held offices in the Plainville Christian Church and was a trustee of the Plainville Rural Cemetery Association for over 50 years. He served on the Baldwinsville Central Schools Board of Education for 10 years, as a trustee of the Baldwinsville Library, as a member of the Town of

Lysander Planning Board, and as a member of the Town of Lysander Town Board. Bob was a director of the Seneca Saving and Loan Association, of the Farm Credit Bank of Northern NY, and of the Farm Credit Bank of Springfield. He served on the Small Business and Agriculture Advisory Board of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

He was president of the Cornell Agriculture Alumni Association and was recognized as an outstanding College of Agriculture alumnus. Bob was a Cornell University Trustee, named a trustee emeritus, and received the Frank Rhodes Exemplary Alumnus of Cornell Award. Bob was director and president of LEAD New York, a program for the development of agriculture leaders, and served as president and director of the NY State Agricultural Society. In the 1990s, he received its prestigious Service to NY Agriculture Award.

Bob is survived by his three children; Cynthia Bowen (Sean), sons Mark (Lou), and Bruce; granddaughters, Rebecca Bowen and Elizabeth Bowen; grandsons Karl (Kristi) and Asher (Kalee); four great grandchildren; his sister Ruth Dettbarn;

and several nieces and nephews. A private memorial service was held by the family. Donations in Bob’s memory may be made to the Syracuse Home Foundation, Beaver Lake Nature Center, or the Plainville Christian Church.

E. Falardeau Retired

D. Falardeau

Albert C. Clos Owner & Licensed Manager

Mary Falardeau Reed

robert ward bitz

OuR vOicE

Watch the heat

This year spring seemed to take its time settling into Central New York.

In the early month of April and May we saw temperatures and conditions seesaw from nice days to what at least felt like freezing temperatures. And with a few days of poor conditions where the sun and sky were blocked out with smoke from the wildfires in Canada, it felt like spring and summer might never really arrive.

The past week we saw temperatures begin to climb, even if mixed with some rain storm conditions and the forecast ahead looks more like the summer conditions we usually associate with June and July.

Of course as the old saying about Central New York weather goes, if you don’t like it, give it a minute and it just may change.

But it is likely there will be plenty of more warm days in the next few months and with that in mind there are some things everyone should be mindful of for their own health and safety as well as those around them.

According to the American Heart Association, as the temperature rises, so can your risk for suffering health issues like heat exhaustion and heat stroke.

Doctors recommend using good judgment when it comes to activities outside in the heat, and that you stay hydrated.

The Heart Association recommends that during hot days everyone keep a few guidelines in mind.

According to the Heart Association it is best to avoid the outdoors in the early afternoon, about noon to 3 p.m., because the sun is usually at its strongest, putting you at higher risk for heat-related illnesses.

Dressing for the heat is also important.

According to the Heart Association most people probably sweat the most in their shoes, so choose well-ventilated shoes and look for socks that repel perspiration. Foot powders and antiperspirants can also help with sweat.

It is also recommended that people wear lightweight, light-colored clothing in breathable fabrics such as cotton, or a newer fabric that repels sweat. Add a hat and/or sunglasses. Before you get started, apply a water-resistant sunscreen with at least SPF 15, and reapply it every two hours.

Staying hydrated is also vitally important.

It is recommended that people drink a few cups of water before, during and after exercise and void caffeinated or alcoholic beverages which can lead to dehydration.

If you are outside, take regular breaks and find a shady or cool place to rest and rehydrate if possible.

If you do have heart or other medical concerns, follow your doctor’s recommendations.

It is also important to know the signs of when you are reaching a point of being too hot.

Symptoms of heat exhaustion include, headaches, heavy sweating, cold, moist skin, dizziness or fainting (syncope), a weak and rapid pulse, muscle cramps, fast, shallow breathing and nausea, vomiting or both.

If you experience these symptoms, move to a cooler place, stop exercising and cool down immediately by dousing yourself with cold water and rehydrating. You may need to seek medical attention.

Heat stroke includes symptoms like warm, dry skin with no sweating, strong and rapid pulse, confusion and/or unconsciousness, high fever, throbbing headaches and nausea, vomiting or both.

If you experience these symptoms, seek medical attention right away.

For more information, tips and advice on how to take care of your heart, visit heart.or g

And if you are traveling, keep in mind children, older individuals and pets that may be in the vehicle with you.

If possible it is best to leave pets at home.

As temperatures can soar in a parked car, even with the windows open or tinted windows, it is best to leave anyone who might not want to or be able to leave the car at home as well for their own safety.

HOW CAN WE HELP?

where have all the workers gone?

I felt a bit odd the other day, when, after a morning without as much as a cup of coffee, I stopped at one of those fast-food franchises. I went in and stood at the counter waiting for someone to appear below the signage and coffee pots. The other side of the counter was deserted.

“Hello,” I offered. Nothing. Again, “Hello!” - this time a bit louder.

A surprised-looking young man appeared from somewhere behind the machines and said, “What are you doing in here?”

Now, in a retail establishment that is in the business of having people “in here” to purchase their goods and services, that question seemed strange.

“I’m here to get a cup of coffee,” I said. The young man replied, “We’re closed. Wasn’t the door locked?”

“You’re closed?’ I asked, “But there’s a huge line outside your drive through window.”

“Yes,” he responded. “The drive through is open but the restaurant is closed.”

Before I could ask why he replied, “Short-staffed today.”

Ah. I understood. The huge sign at the entrance offering a beginning wage of over $15 an hour with other workplace enticements should have tipped me off.

I understood, because it wasn’t the first time that short staffing has affected how I live my life.

Where the heck have all the workers gone? All of a sudden there aren’t enough people to fill all kinds of jobs from doctors to lifeguards.

Not four years ago, right before the pandemic, if I called my doctor for a same day appointment, I got one. Of course, I have to add, my reason for the appoint-

ment was a legitimate problem. It wasn’t as if I had a few free hours and thought I would shoot the breeze with the doctor. If I needed a diagnostic procedure or a visit to a specialist, I would be seen almost immediately.

Now? Are you kidding? Getting an appointment is a tad, no, wait … what is bigger much bigger than a tad … massively more difficult. Here’s my latest example. My mammogram scheduled almost a year ago for this July has been moved to September because of staffing shortages. This particular practice had to close an entire service site for the summer because of staffing shortages.

Haven’t we all heard about the shortage of nurses that required hospitals to hire traveling nurses at uber premium wages?

Locally, some of my favorite eateries no longer offer lunch or Sunday meals. Not enough staff. I hear about pools not being able to open across the country because they don’t have the lifeguards. Trying to find someone to do repairs around the house is like spitting into the wind … no carpenters, masons, plumbers, etc. We sent all our young people to college to prepare for professional jobs, denigrating the value of blue-collar careers so there aren’t enough men and women working in the trades. But then even the professions are facing the staffing famine. Our accountant told us that his firm had trouble finding staff during the last income tax go around. Accountants?

Didn’t the Syracuse City School District have trouble finding enough

teachers to begin the year?

There are many reasons for the shortfall of workers, some relating to retirement, educational preparation, COVID (the source of all maladies and complaints,) working conditions and salaries, on and on. Some, and I hear this a lot … think that it can be blamed on the government’s paying people not to work during the COVID years … but then, that has been over for a while, how are these people living without jobs? One response to that question is that these slackers are playing video games in their parents’ basements.

Others point out that, as the demographics change with aging out of the workforce, we haven’t prepared similar numbers to replace those that leave. Aspirational choices for lifetime work have changed. A discussion on a popular syndicated television show came to the conclusion that younger generations see themselves in a variety of jobs, doing the minimum to stay employed until they find something they like better. Apparently, there is a nirvana job out there somewhere and changing jobs helps you find it. You put in the effort to stay employed but hold off putting in your best effort until you find the job that fits your needs. So, along with staffing shortages we have staffing inadequacies … the minimum effort brigade. Where did this kind of thinking come from? Is this one of those generational things?

Oh joy! Maybe that is why, with a short-staffed medical referral service employing people who may only putting in the minimum amount of effort, my doctor’s request for a Holter Monitor for me took two and a half months to be filled. Probably not, but one

does wonder. Work is a concept that is relatively new in human history. During most of that history, humans spent their days providing for the necessities of living - food, shelter, clothing, etc. Work was life. With the agricultural and the industrial revolutions work became the intermediate, the thing that you traded for the necessities of life. More recently, finding work that meets the needs of the individual and thus the training to get that work has moved us away from the basics. Economic, cultural, generational, geopolitical and climatic changes have affected our relationships with employment, with work.

The anecdotal “great resignation” would tell us that COVID’s shut down of normal economic activities has led some to leave their jobs to seek something that better fits how they want to spend their time.

If there is truth to this anecdote, we should see an explosion of wineries, craft beer brewing, glue gun purchases, small holding farms, soap making and craft fairs. Entrepreneurs seeking personal fulfillment will increase or parents will face the cost of continuing to provide for their adult offspring and their electronic devices.

There are help wanted signs everywhere. Where are the workers to fill these jobs? Are the workers here already or are they at our borders, asking to come here for work? That is another question that we will have to answer.

Ann Ferro is a mother, a grandmother and a retired social studies teacher. While still figuring out what she wants to be when she grows up, she lives in Marcellus with lots of books, a spouse and a large orange cat.

Officer Brough stopped a child-killer in his tracks

All police officers carry firearms. But most cops will never even draw their weapons during their careers.

A small percentage of policemen will actually draw their weapons. Fewer still will fire them.

And even fewer will find their target and actually kill another human being.

My friend, Fred Brough, was one of those final few.

I’m remembering that dramatic chapter of his law enforcement career because Fred died last week at his winter home in Florida. He was just 52 years old. Heart disease is thought to be the cause.

Fred Brough (pronounced “Bruff”) grew up on Oswego Street, right here in the village, and he worked his first

job as a page with Liverpool Public Library. He was retired after 20 years with the Syracuse Police Department, and he had worked part-time for his hometown Liverpool Police Department for six years.

Justified shooting

Shortly after 6 p.m. on Dec. 16, 2011, Fred was working for the Syracuse Police when he was sent to investigate a report of a man knocking and kicking at a back door on Grace Street on the city’s West End.

There he encountered a Vietnamese immigrant, Cuong Tran, on a second-

art@eaglenewsonline com

floor back porch, accompanied by a barking dog. Tran immediately threatened Fred with violence.

“He said to the officer, ‘If you come up here, I’ll shoot you’ and points a gun at the officer,” reported SPD spokesman Tom Connellan.

With Tran’s gun aimed directly at him, Fred ordered the man several times to drop the weapon. When he didn’t drop it, Fred shot him. He also had to shoot the traumatized canine.

Man was killing his kids

After an ambulance arrived on the scene, medics determined that Tran had died from his gunshot wound. Police also discovered that, before his encounter with Fred, Tran had brutally

killed two of his sons, Randy, 5, and Danny, 6. Further investigation suggested that Tran murdered his young sons to punish their mother for her alleged infidelity. District Attorney Fitzpatrick presented a grand jury with the details of the deadly encounter, and they found Fred was fully justified in shooting Tran. In fact, when Fred would recall the incident in later years, he said that he felt worse about having to dispatch the guiltless dog than he did about shooting the murderous father.

k 9, hogs and moviemaking

While Fred’s life was undeniably short, he certainly lived a full

Officer l Page 5

Ramblings from the empty nest ann Ferro

Livin’ in Liverpool

russ Tarby

Historic Moment: Village lighting part II

by JOrGE bATllE SkaneaTeleS village

hiSTorian

In the following year, 1902, a larger coal fueled boiler and larger steam engine were added to the system. The Skinner steam engines not only generated electric current for the village, but were also used to pump water. At that same year, a steam whistle was installed at the plant to alert the firemen of a fire. By 1904 the electric plant was operating all but one hour in a day.

By 1910, the number of electric customers had grown to 231. Larger generators of 75 and 100 kilowatt, single phase of 1100 volts were up and running. One was used for daylight hours and the other for nighttime hours. Power lines were extended through-out the Village, and 61 street lights now illuminated the village.

By 1913, the electric plant employed three people. Two daytime employees, one stayed at the plant while the other one worked on the lines. The third took the night duty at the plant. Some of these employees attended a concentrated course at the Bliss Electric School, in Silver Springs, Maryland in order to receive their qualification for this specialized work. These men received a 1913 salary of $50 a month with one weekday of rest and

l

no vacation. Things changed in 1914 when electric power became available from the Niagara, Lockport and Ontario Power Company. This power could be bought cheaper than that the village electric plant could produce, so the village contracted to purchase power from this agency.

Motor generator sets were installed to replace the existing steam powered generators. Their purpose was to convert the 25 cycle power purchased from Niagara, Lockport and Ontario to 62.5 cycle which the village used. (This was changed to 60 cycle in January1941 to be more in line with standard service and for the use of electric clocks.) Statewide (for example, the Town of Skaneateles) the conversion from 25 cycle to 60 cycle was completed in 1963.

October of 1940, the village board of trustees purchased a backup sixcylinder diesel generator system for $30,779 from Auburn’s MacIntosh & Seymour Co. (became ALCO - American Locomotive Works). This system, set up in the water and light plant building, will be used “to supplement the Niagara service and replace it during power interruptions.” It was said that this generator set could carry the full load of the village, at that time.

The electric system continued to expand

life. As a policeman, he became a dog handler in the SPD’s K9 units, studied a variety of martial arts and worked briefly for the Performance HarleyDavidson motorcycle dealership in Syracuse, and he also performed serious dog-training for friends and clients.

But his primary second career was in real estate. Fred became a licensed realtor in 2007. Two years later, he completed the New York State brokers course and later earned the right to sell commercial real estate as well. Fred was recognized several times as a top agent for Realty USA, and he also worked for more than a year alongside his sister Joyce, and bother-in-law Mark Cardone, owners of Liverpool’s Rooftop Realty.

Fred also had a creative side. At the time of his death he was working as an extra and doubling as a firearms consultant for

serving 700 customers, three times more than in 1910, a new 1000 kva (kilovolt/ampere) substation was erected. A story tells of the Tallcot Mill (Old Stone Mill) requested and was refused a special electric rate from the village. So, they ran their own diesel generator for about two years. They ultimately found this was more expensive than buying from the village. They removed the generator.

The building boom after World War II (locally, for example, the addition of the Lakeview Circle subdivision) increased the load, so the substation was increased

“The Sentinel,” a movie written and directed by local filmmaker Joe Cunningham.

Paro prevails in primary Town of Salina Supervisor

Nick Paro cruised to victory in the Republican primary election on June 27. Paro drew 416 votes to comfortably defeat challenger Stella Penizotto who got 342 votes. In terms of percentages, Paro took 54.81 percent of the vote while Penizotto took 45.06 percent.

The two candidates will go head-to-head again in the November general election because Penizotto will be listed on the ballot as a Conservative Party candidate.

l ast word “As supervisor, I am laser focused on economic development that will help lower taxes for residents while leading to growth and modernization of our town.”

– Salina Town Supervisor

Paro.

Nick

to 1500 kva. Downtown street lighting now used 400 watt mercury vapor fixtures with a light output 5 times brighter than the pole ornamental lamps. A current example are the gateway lights on Genesee Street.

In 1959, the village negotiated with the New York State Power Authority to purchase power from the St. Lawrence Hydro Project. This gave a substantial reduction in power costs. Available in 1961, the village reduced their rates to its customers. The reduction to the average customer was approximately 10%, figuring about one month’s

light bill free each year.

The substation’s capacity was increased to 3000kva, to keep pace with the increasing demand.

When the village exceeded its allotment of cheap hydro-power the village had to contract for more expensive nuclear power from the nuclear Fitzpatrick Plant in Oswego. This was called “the Nuclear Sur-charge.”

Over the years the plant and system has received many upgrades. In 1980, the substation capacity was increased to 8,000kva. Transformer capacities were increased. Village circuits

increased from 4 to 5. Voltage regulators were added to each circuit.

There are 45 municipal electric systems in New York State, one being Solvay Electric. These departments work together in large projects and rendering assistance after storms. These utilities (munies) account for about 9% of all the power used in the state, about 1 billion kilowatt hours annually.

Historian Jorge Battle, extends special thanks to Town Historians Batlle and Ionta for providing very detailed information for this moment.

A half-season full of surprises

As Major League Baseball passed 81 games, halfway to 162, a team which made the playoffs a year ago was on top of the AL East and a team from the Lone Star State led the AL West.

Only it was Tampa Bay, not the Yankees, and the Texas Rangers, not the Houston Astros, occupying those top spots. Wait, there’s more. There’s Baltimore chasing

Random Thoughts

Phil

blackwell

the Rays in the AL East, Miami the closest pursuer to Atlanta in the NL East, Arizona leading the NL West and San Francisco second, ahead of L.A. and San Diego. Cincinnati spent time atop the NL Central and St. Louis has spent most of the season in the cellar of that division.

Just like everyone predicted back in March.

Some might cringe at this

DEATH NOTICES

Marcia J. Mattice Lasinski, 54, of Cato, passed away June 17, 2023. The Bush Funeral Home of Elbridge has arrangements.

Robert T. Mantia, 77, of North Syracuse, passed away June 23, 2023. Fergerson Funeral Home, North Syracuse, has arrangements.

James J. Norman, Jr., 78, of Cicero, passed away June 27, 2023. Maurer Funeral Home Inc.,

upheaval, especially TV executive who keep putting the Yankees, Red Sox, Mets and Dodgers in prime viewing spots no matter what they’re doing while the better stories are elsewhere.

Yet if you’re a true baseball, you’re loving this. Optimism is everywhere when a season starts, but usually when summer rolls around that’s replaced by stark realism and a long slog toward the autumn.

Half l Page 10

Liverpool, has arrangments.

Joyce Russo, 80, of Liverpool, passed away June 23, 2023. Maurer Funeral Home Inc., Liverpool, has arrangments.

Historian Jorge battle looks at the way power and lighting have helped shape the village of Skaneateles.

CROSSWORD

Please say it isn’t so!

US Senator Richard Blumenthal, Democrat, and Senator Ron Johnson, Republican, have sent a formal invitation to PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monaghan, Public Investment Fund (PIF) governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan, and LIV CEO Greg Norman to testify in front of the US Senate on July, 11, 2023.

PLEASE SAY IT ISN’T SO! Well, it is so and there is nothing we can do about it…yet. At 12:09PM on June 21, 2023, Blumenthal sent this out on Twitter…

”Today I am officially inviting the PGA Tour Commissioner, LIV Golf CEO, & Saudi Public Investment Fund Governor to testify in front of my Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations. We need to get to the bottom of the planned agreement between the PGA & Saudifunded LIV Golf”.

I tried to find out if Senators Blumenthal and Johnson even played golf, not that it matters, but I would probably feel a little more comfortable about the July 11th hearing knowing they did play and at least had a basic understanding, appreciation and respect for the game so the hearing doesn’t turn into a “political circus”. I just can’t get my head wrapped around a hearing where the US Senate, PGA Tour and Saudi Arabia are going to accomplish much of anything on July 11th except perhaps create even more “bad headlines” and confusion for all parties. By the way, the invited “parties” to the hearing are supposed to respond to the request by June 28…last Wednesday. The deadline for this article, which will appear in the July 5th issue of this publication, was the morning of June 28.

My first prediction - The PGA Tour and the PIF will ask for and receive an extension for the hearing to a later date. They may even ask for a private meeting before the public meeting.

Have you asked yourself “why” this is all happening “now”, with all of the problems our nation is facing both at home and around the world?

Blumenthal’s reason for the hearing is this, “Our goal is to uncover the facts about what went into the PGA Tour’s deal with the Saudi Investment Fund and what

the Saudi takeover means for the future of this cherished American institution and our national interest. American’s deserve to know what the structure and governance of this new entity will be”. Sounds pretty, but can you imagine what the US Senate will have to do to, “uncover the facts” about the deal…or..what the Saudi “takeover” means for the future of this cherished American institution. Come-on…it’s all a bunch of political BULL. Our Senate has at least “25” other priorities to deal with rather than the game of golf at this time. I believe Blumenthal’s requested hearing for July 11th is just a diversion to take away the current horrible media headlines about the current existing problems our nation and the world is facing.

My second prediction - No major news will be discovered at the Senate hearing until the PGA Tour reaches some kind of an understanding with the Tour players about how the “new” arrangement with the Saudi’s will benefit them financially.

My third prediction - If the PGA Tour players are not satisfied with what the PGA Tour proposes, they “WILL FORM A UNION” !!!

My forth prediction- The PGA Tour will offer some type of financial reimbursement to the players (collectively or individually) who stayed to play on the PGA Tour rather than jump to the LIV Tour.

My fifth and final thought - The game of golf will thrive and survive with or without the Senate investigations into the contracts and financial records of the PGA Tour and…CNY will continue to be one of the best and strongest amateur golf areas in the US.

l From page 5

From the outset, the Rays set the surprising tempo, matching a modern MLB record with a 13-0 start. Despite some regression to the mean, Tampa Bay might have a club better than the two that won pennants in 2008 and 2020.

It will need to be. Baltimore’s 2022 progress wasn’t a fluke, and the Adley Rutschmann-led Orioles have outperformed the inconsistent Blue Jays and Red Sox, not to mention the injury-prone Yankees, who just aren’t the same without Aaron Judge and aren’t sure when he’ll return.

Texas took an even bigger leap, from irrelevant to unstoppable at the plate, and the Rangers get enough pitching even with Jacob deGrom shelved (again). Yet it has to worry about Houston roaring back to life and the Angels with a healthy Mike Trout and incomparable Shohei Ohtani, who might as well secure the MVP now.

What’s not as pretty is the lameduck A’s and rebuilding Royals careen toward 110 defeats or worse. Seattle hasn’t scored enough runs. Nor has Cleveland, who has seen Minnesota take the lead in an awful AL Central where the White Sox have disappointed and Detroit remains a few steps away from contending.

Over in the National League, it’s turned into a routine of sorts to report on the woes of the Mets and Padres, who combined to spend high nine figures for…teams below .500 stuck in fourth place.

But it’s better to celebrate what’s going on in Miami, where Luis Arraez has gone half a season hitting close to .400. Please, please let this continue. Doing anything for the first time in 82 years is beyond cool.

Plus there’s the rise of Arizona, close to irrelevant the last 15 years but thriving behind rookie sensation Corbin Carroll, along with San Francisco climbing back into the fray against all expectations.

With Milwaukee so-so and the Cubs taking small steps, it was a real rush to see Pittsburgh (!) lead the NL Central for a long while before reality hit hard in June, only to have Cincinnati win 12 in a row and emerge as the most delightful team in baseball with a breathtaking newcomer in Elly de la Cruz – he can do everything.

Of course, some things haven’t changed. Washington remains stripped and overwhelmed, its youth movement a couple of years from really taking hold. Atlanta remains the NL’s consistent team to beat, Philadelphia starts slow and picks up steam in summer and Colorado – well, the Angels scored 23 runs on them in four innings, so you can see how that’s going.

Maybe this is all a three-month mirage that dissipates in the July and August heat, leaving us with the all-too-familiar sides climbing back to the top and the dreamers left to dream for 2024.

Or it doesn’t happen and, come late October, we’re seeing something like Cincinnai and Baltimore battling to win it all, two great baseball cities brought back to life half a century after the Oriole Way and the Big Red Machine.

Two possible paths, Robert Froststyle, and like the poet, we just might find what we want on the road less traveled.

Phil Blackwell is sports editor at Eagle News. He can be reached at pblackwell@ eaglenewsonline.com.

SCHOOLS

lHS senior awarded Senate youth leadership Award

Liverpool High School senior Nneamaka

Nwaezeapu recently was honored by New York State Senator John Mannion with a NYS Senate Youth Leadership Award.

Nwaezeapu was nominated for the award by LHS school counselor Jeremy Fryer because of her leadership within several organizations that promote awareness of global humanitarian issues, especially as it relates to inequity and race.

This school year, Nwaezeapu served as a student liaison to the Liverpool Central School District Board of Education.

She has been a facilitator for the Community Wide Dialogue Program, secretary for the LHS UNICEF Unite Club and student leader for the Student Coalition on Race and Equity (SCORE) in Syracuse. She is a member of the National Honor Society and the French Honor Society, has been awarded Student of the Month (more than once) and has received Science and Math Academic Awards.

Nwaezeapu was born in Nigeria and grew up in Trinidad, and is always excited to share regarding her cultural heritage, whether part of a classroom or pri-

Send your events to adearborn@ eaglenewsonline.com. Notices must have the date, time and location of the event. Deadline for submissions is 12 p.m. Friday. No calendar item can be guaranteed for placement in the papers, nor run for multiple weeks, unless it is a paid announcement. All free placement is on a space-available basis. Event information may be subject to change, so be sure to contact the event organizer to confirm the details.

Through JuLY 27

The Manufacturers Association:

Become a real-Life rosie Program

5:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m. MACNY aims to enhance helping women transition into manufacturing. join a 12 week program that will include on-the-job training through virtual and in-person classes. Contact Yawa Zewon at yzwon@mancy. org or visit www.macny.org/womenin-the-workforce.

SATurDAYS Through AuguST

Schroeppel historical Society open house

10 a.m.-1 p.m. 486 Main St., Phoenix. All interested in the local history of Phoenix and the Town of Schroeppel are invited to visit to check out the building’s renovated interior and the society’s artifacts.

WEDNESDAY JuLY 5

Jess Novak Band Concert

7 p.m. Johnson Park, Liverpool. One of Syracuse’s best singer-songwriters with her band is a part of the 375th annual Liverpool is the Place Summer Concert Series.

WEDNESDAY, JuLY 12

Plank road Quilt guild

9:30 a.m. Cicero United Methodist Church. After the meeting, demonstrations of Christmas-themed gifts will

vate discussion. She is a model member of the LHS student body, and possesses a genuine love of learning.

“It has been a pleasure to work with Nneamaka over the past three years,” Fryer said. “I know she will continue to shine academically and become an active member of her college/university community.”

Nwaezeapu will attend the University at Albany in the fall.

The NYS Senate Youth Leadership Award recognizes outstanding high school students for excellence in the classroom, athletics, and extracurricular or community activities.

be offered by members. Visit www. plankroadquiltguild.org.

hump Day Lunch

11 a.m.-1 p.m. Liverpool American Legion, 295 Cypress St. $7 includes meatball sub, pasta salad, chips, dessert, and drink. Call 315-451-9544 to pre-order.

Baldwinsville Public Library Board

Meeting

7 p.m. Baldwinsville Public Library.

Monthly business meeting of the BPL Board of Trustees. All board meetings are open to the public.

FrIDAY, JuLY 14

Drag Me to Death: A Drag Show

Murder Mystery

7:30 p.m. Homer Center for the Arts. Inspired by the 1985 movie Clue, this show will have you dying to know whodunit and why. Drag kings and queens will lip sync, dance, and act to a soundtrack that will have something for everyone.

SATurDAY, JuLY 15

Yard and Craft Sale

9 a.m.-3 p.m. North Syracuse Community Center, 700 South Bay Rd. Shop from a variety of craft items and garage sale goods. Supports the charities of the Columbiettes. To be a vendor, call 315-458-8657.

WEDNESDAY, Aug. 9

Baldwinsville Public Library Board Meeting

7 p.m. Baldwinsville Public Library.

Monthly business meeting of the BPL Board of Trustees. All board meetings are open to the public.

SATurDAY, Aug. 19

Community Trash and Treasure Sale

8:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Corner of US-11 and NY-31, Cicero. Hosted by the Cicero VFD Auxiliary. $20 donation to reserve your 10 sqft spot. Bring your own tables

COMMUNITY CALENDAR

and chairs. Email cathay.barling@ cicerofd.org

SEPT. 13-oCT. 1

What the Constitution Means to Me Syracuse Stage. Heidi Schreck’s boundary-breaking show traces the relationship between four generations of women and the founding document that shaped their lives. Hilarious, hopeful and honest, this play exposes baked-in biases and omissions while imagining how American lives will be impacted for generations to come.

WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 13

Baldwinsville Public Library Board

Meeting

7 p.m. Baldwinsville Public Library.

Monthly business meeting of the BPL Board of Trustees. All board meetings are open to the public.

WEDNESDAY, oCT. 11

Baldwinsville Public Library Board

Meeting

7 p.m. Baldwinsville Public Library.

Monthly business meeting of the BPL Board of Trustees. All board meetings are open to the public.

oCT. 18-NoV. 5

Thunder Knocking on the Door Syracuse Stage. This intoxicating blues musical is filled with humor, affection and extraordinary music. In a small Alabama town, a mysterious guitar-player arrives at the door of the milti-generation Dupree family, and what starts as a deal with the devil turns into a love story for the ages.

WEDNESDAY, NoV. 8

Baldwinsville Public Library Board

Meeting

7 p.m. Baldwinsville Public Library. Monthly business meeting of the BPL Board of Trustees. All board meetings are open to the public.

NoV. 24-DEC. 31

A Christmas Carol Syracuse Stage. Featured in a two-ring circus, the Christmas classic shares a light on the power of kindness and love as Ebenezer Scrooge journeys to redemption.

WEDNESDAY, DEC. 13

Baldwinsville Public Library Board

Meeting

7 p.m. Baldwinsville Public Library.

Monthly business meeting of the BPL Board of Trustees. All board meetings are open to the public.

JAN. 31-FEB. 18

Clyde’s Syracuse Stage. Lynn Notlage’s dramady tells the story of the formerly incarcerated staff at Clyde’s Truck Stop. Deeply felt and quirky, this play reminds us that sometimes a hero is more than just a sandwich.

MArCh 12-APrIL 7

Agatha Christie’s Murder on the orient Express Syracuse Stage. Wherever famed detective Hercule Poiret goes, murder is never far behind. On the luxurious Orient Express, an avalanche stops the train and Poirot must interrogate passengers, solve the murder, and save the reputation of the train before the killer strikes again.

SEPTEMBEr 12-15

Lancaster, PA Bus Trip

Sponsored by the Cicero United Methodist Church. Trip includes transportation, three breakfasts, three dinners, three shows, Famous Chalk Talk Artist, tour of an ice cream factory, pretzel factory store, driver gratuity, and more. For more information, contact Mary Alice Scheel at 315-699-7181.

oNgoINg EVENTS

ThurSDAYS Family Storytime

10 a.m. NOPL Cicero, 8686 Knowledge Lane. Join Miss Raena for Thursday morning storytime to enjoy stories, songs, and fun! Registration is required; call 315-699-2032 or visit nopl.org.

Adult Exercise: Chair Yoga

9:15 a.m.-10:15 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m. Marcellus Free Library. $25 for 8-week session. Register at 315-673-3269.

read, Sing, Play Story Time

10:30 a.m. Skaneateles Library, 49 E. Genesee St. Can’t sit still? No problem! Join us for stories, songs and movement. For ages 18 months to 4 years. NoPL English Language Conversation group 4-5 p.m. Zoom. New English learners seeking practice in pronunciation, grammar and vocabulary are welcome to join this virtual meeting. Topics will focus on shopping, talking to a healthcare provider, ordering food and more. Please register by calling 315-6992032 or visiting nopl.org. An email with a link to the Zoom meeting will be sent out to registrants.

Bingo

4 p.m. Fingerlakes Mall Conference Center, 1570 Clark Street Rd., Aurelius. Yoga with Becca 6 p.m.-7 p.m. Brewerton Center for the Arts, Rt. 11. Registration and information: 315-920-8121 or www.yogosnacks.org. All levels welcome. Baldwinsville rod & gun Club 7 p.m. First Thursday of each month. 1405 Kingdom Road, Baldwinsville. Learn about the workings of the club and help us run the organization. For more information, visit bvillerodandgun.com.

SubmiTTeD phoTo

liverpool High School senior Nneamaka Nwaezeapu recently was honored by New york State Senator John Mannion with a NyS Senate youth leadership Award. Pictured, from left, are liverpool central School District Superintendent of Schools Daniel G. Henner, Nwaezeapu and Senator Mannion.

own ice hockey team, choosing instead to send its players north to join Fulton for a combined squad.

This was approved at last Monday’s Liverpool Board of Education meeting, with head coach James Henty joining Fulton’s staff as an assistant to Jason Mucha.

The last decade has proven turbulent for Liverpool ice hockey, from different venues for home games to the COVID-19 disruption, but the biggest obstacle has proven to be small rosters.

Going 5-16-1 a season ago, Liverpool did have an All-Division I firstteam selection in goaltender James Welch, but he graduated, along with six other seniors.

Now the remaining players, in -

cluding top scorers Evan Haskins (15 goals) and Calen Brown (seven goals), could join a Fulton program that did not win a single game in 2022-23, the two sides hoping their combined efforts will produce better on-ice results.

Also, the school board approved Liverpool’s continued collaboration with East Syracuse Minoa for gymnastics and with Oswego for girls ice hockey.

One irony of Liverpool and Fulton joining for boys ice hockey is that the Fulton district was also asked to change its nickname and has already announced that, as the result of a student survey, it will change from “Red Raiders” to “Red Dragons,” pending school board approval, but maintain its green and red colors.

clay Dems hold personal hygiene drive

Presenting the Sound of Now

Share your milestone celebrations!

Eagle Newspapers is here to help readers share their milestone celebrations, including birth announcements, engagements, weddings, anniversaries and milestone birthdays. The deadline to submit an announcement is 10 a.m. the Friday before publication. Announcements of up to 250 words with a photo cost just $50, with an additional 15 cents per word over 250 words. Announcements will be posted to eaglenewsonline.com within 24 hours of receipt of payment. To submit a milestone announcement, email Alyssa Dearborn at adearborn@eaglenewsonline.com, or call 315.434.8889 ext. 305.

Road. 8:30am

July 29

Mattydale American Legion celebrates their 55th birthday

July 1 - 30: Invitational Art Exhibit - art by 28 regional artists throughout the village

July 6 TAURUS film at Caz Library 7 p.m. New music at Cazenovia Farmers Market

July 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, 10-noon

July 15: Plein Air Art event in Village; Art Exhibit Reception at St. Peter’s Epis. 1-4 p.m.; music by CNY Jazz Youth Orchestra 1 p.m.

July 17 - 21: Young Composers Corner (YCC) 1st Pres.

July 18 & 26 at 7:30 p.m.: Poetry Round-Robin at 36 Albany; Writers Corner at St. Peter’s

July 12, 19 & 26 at noon: Rising Stars concerts at 1st

Presbyterian - classics alongside premieres

July 19 at 7:30 p.m.: MEDITATIVE MUSIC at St. Peter’s

July 23 at 4 p.m.: RESOUNDING EARTH concert at 1st

Presbyterian

July 28 at 7:30 p.m.: CREATION, A CELEBRATION

concert with video at St. James Church

July 30 at 4:30 p.m. PREMIERS of YCC works at Lakeland Park

Details: www.societyfornewmusic.org

SubmiTTeD phoTo

The Town of clay Democratic committee recently held a personal hygiene drive, collecting supplies like toothpaste, shampoo, soap, tooth brushes, feminine hygiene products, etc., donating the products to a local pantry.