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.

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.

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