Star Review digital edition - Aug. 30, 2023

‘Adirondack Escape’

By russ TArBy Contributing Writer

“Our landlord here really supports the arts,” Sa -

Mural l Page 13

Veteran recognized again for #StillServing

FrAncEs shArPlEs

By russ TArBy Contributing Writer

Since 1950, the Immaculate Heart of Mary Roman Catholic Church has faithfully served its Galeville congregation.

On Aug. 15, a letter from Bishop Douglas Lucia announced that next month the 73-year-old parish would be dissolved and its buildings put up for sale.

In an effort to resolve various “pastoral challenges” in 2011, the parishes of Saint Joseph the Worker in the village of Liverpool and the Immaculate Heart of Mary consolidated, eventually forming Epiphany Parish in 2019.

“Nevertheless, Epiphany Parish finds itself at another crossroads,” Lucia wrote.

In 2020, the parish trustees, along with members of the parish council began considering the future.

“The result of their deliberations, presented at various town hall meetings, was that maintaining both church buildings of the parish is no longer possible,” the bishop wrote. “This realization is based on the needs of the parish for the care of souls, the condition of the buildings, the continual maintenance they require, and the limited resources -- financial and other – available.”

According to Lucia’s announcement, it is “unfortunate that the number of faithful who take an active part in the mission of the church at these parishes has experienced a significant decline. Sadly, the same

decline is present in many of the parishes and in all the vicariates of our diocese.”

Lucia’s decree will be available on Sept. 8, 2023 at the diocesan website syracusediocese.org also at thecatholicsun.com and on the parish website liverpoolnycatholic. org. It will also be available at all masses on the weekend of Sept. 9 and 10 when it will be discussed.

“I am grateful to your parish trustees and parish council and to Father O’Hara not only for tending to your pastoral needs but for leading you through this difficult and challenging time,” Lucia wrote.

A final Mass of Thanksgiving will be celebrated at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church at 4 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 23.

Lucia’s announcement of the Galeville church closing comes just 20 days after the bishop announced on July 27 that the Syracuse Diocese had agreed to pay sexabuse survivors $100 million as part of its bankruptcy settlement, the latest payment by the diocese to survivors and the largest single settlement the Catholic Church has agreed to in the U.S. since 2007.

Of the $100 million, the diocese will pay $50 million and its parishes would contribute $45 million.

The diocese is comprised of fewer that 200 parishes in its seven counties in Upstate New York.

The settlement’s remaining $5 million would come from other diocesan entities, Lucia said.

Veteran, West Point alum, and upstanding community member Brett Hurlburt is being recognized by the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) #StillServing campaign for the second time in two years.

The campaign, according to the VFW website, honors and platforms the stories of hundreds of veterans worldwide who continue to support their respective communities through volunteerism.

“The VFW likes to highlight veterans that are still serving their communities in several different ways,” Hurlburt said. “I just happened to be picked up for ‘Still Serving’ when you have a service dog or an animal with you.”

Hurlburt’s #StillServing feature would not be complete without the lovable support of his dog, Rotary, or Roty, for short.

Growing up on a farm, Hurlburt’s life has been consistently affected by animal companionship, leading him to his current volunteerism at Sunshine Horses.

Hurlburt’s work with animals, along with Rotary’s role as a service dog for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), has helped him manage some of his anxieties and become more outgoing.

“I think animals just add a lot to our lives, and they pick up on things that we don’t know about,” Hurlburt said. “When I found out I had PTSD and that I could get a service dog, it just made sense. Roty picks up on things that I don’t even know are coming.”

Hurlburt’s understanding of care and devotion for animals, however, is not by any means a one-way street.

“If you have empathy for animals, you

have empathy for people,” he said. “There’s a nice connection with them—they don’t question, they don’t ask things about you. They just want love, and they give it freely in return.”

This free-flowing nature of connection and belonging is one that Hurlburt relates to adjusting to his life post-service.

“I have capacity in my life for other people,” Hurlburt said. “When you decide to serve your country, you’re trying to serve for the greater good, and I’m still doing that—it’s still for the greater good…I was medically discharged and kind of told, ‘Hey, you can’t run and jump like the rest of the kids—you gotta find another path.’ You kind of feel shut off from your community; but in doing the things that I’m doing, it’s like going into a new family.”

The principles of the #StillServing campaign as a whole reflect the honorable commitment of the veterans the campaign recognizes.

“This just really does show that even though we might leave service, we really never leave service,” Hurlburt said. “[We] serve the country in uniform, and now we go out and serve our communities.”

In addition to advocating for the benefits of community service and interconnectedness with the world around us as steps toward healing, Hurlburt emphasized the importance of resources for veterans, such as those provided by the organization Clear Path for Veterans.

With locations in Vestal, Syracuse, and Chittenango—the location where Hurlburt and Rotary first connected—the wellness and enrichment-focused resources that Clear Path provides are accessible to veterans throughout New York State.

Submitted photo

liverpool veteran Brett hurlburt was recently recognized for his work with #stillserving by the VFW.

The parking lot at the Village Mall now basks in

the azure glow of a massive new mural painted by Liverpool Art Center owner Sandra Sabene and her as -

sistant, Jillian Hagadorn.

Submitted photoS

Jillian hagadorn and liverpool Art center owner sandra sabene created “Adirondack Escape” including images of fir trees and chairs, a sleeping canine, mountainous landscape and misty waterways. Sabene also created a mural at the Amazon Fulfillment center that is titled “yeti summer.”

C-NS leads, Liverpool chases in AA football

By Phil BlAckWEll

All that is left for the Cicero-North Syracuse football team is to win at least one more game – ideally, two.

Since breaking through for the first time at the Section III level in 2017, the Northstars have snared five consecutive sectional and regional Class AA championships.

Each time, though, C-NS has fallen in the state semifinals, often on its home turf at Bragman Stadium, with Buffalo Bennett beating the Northstars in both 2021 and 2022, the latter leading to a state title. All of these successes at the local level, and all of this frustration beyond it, defines 2023 and what the Northstars hope to accomplish.

“This might be the season to get over the hump,” said quarterback Jaxon Razmovski, a sentiment his teammates have echoed heading into Saturday’s season opener at West Seneca West

It helps C-NS to bring back Razmovski, a senior who threw for 1,737 yards and 12 touchdowns a season ago while also running for 531 yards and six scores.

Also back are the top two receivers, Nate Williams (29 catches, 500 yards) and Tristan Johnson (24 catches, 510 yards), giving the Northstars a potentially explosive passing attack to go with an experienced offensive line as junior Anthony Johnson takes over in the backfield.

Far more questions appear on defense, where standouts like Farouk Ibrahim, La’Quan Lemon, Amoi Caldwell, Ty Daughton, Roemellow Robinson and Jayceon McGrew have all graduated.

Cody Heller and Terrell Wright each recorded a team-high four sacks in 2022 and should anchor a strong pass rush, while Williams is expected to star in the secondary alongside Mason Mingle.

Three of C-NS’s first four games are on the road, including West Seneca West

(a Section VI school near Buffalo and the 2017 state Class A champions), a trip to 2022 state Class A finalist Union-Endicott and a Sept. 22 clash with Baldwinsville at Pelcher-Arcaro Stadium.

From there, though, the Northstars have three of its last four games at home. The lone exception is Oct. 13, when the “Star Wars Cup” rivalry with Liverpool is renewed at LHS Stadium.

As far as the Warriors are concerned, 2023 is a chance to take what it learned in a painful 2-6 campaign under first-year head coach Joe Sindoni and apply it to restore the program’s glory.

“We’re building a new program that gets back to our old level of success,” said senior lineman Seth Britton.

Implementing a new system with a new coaching staff took a lot of time, and Liverpool was competitive in its 20-14 firstround playoff defeat to Utica Proctor.

Still, the offense leaned heavily on running back Jah’Deuir Reese, who gained 1,025 yards and scored 11 TD’s. Reese has graduated, so more falls on sophomore quarterback John Sindoni.

A big help, said returning senior Tai’yari Sholtz, was the amount of time players spent together in the off-season, whether in the weight room or at team dinners.

There’s also a sense of stability on both front lines, with standouts like Britton and Jayce Bliss back. Bliss said that he and his fellow players are far more comfortable with the game plans now that they’ve had another year to digest them.

To a man, Liverpool players say an improved focus is necessary, along with a quick start in non-league games like this Friday’s opener against visiting Ballston Spa from Section II.

Three road games in four weeks follow, including one at CBA on Sept. 30, though both C-NS and B’ville will make visits to LHS Stadium.

Over the summer, 10 Liverpool High School seniors earned their high school diplomas by attending summer school. On August 18, several of those students donned the traditional caps and gowns to participate in a commencement ceremony held in the LHS Auditorium.

Family and friends joined LHS Executive Principal Brett Woodcock, Liverpool Central School District Superin -

tendent Daniel G. Henner and Board of Education President Richard Pento in celebrating the accomplishments of the students.

Receiving diplomas were: Mohammed Al-Dabis, Atawlah Barakati, Elijah Benson, Jordyn Bird, Glenn Cosby, Anistasia Gaster, Gabrielle Kalin, Calli Rushia, Liliya Sabeti and Allissa Voorhees.

Graduates of Onondaga Community College (OCC ) can take advantage of a seamless pathway to undergraduate study at Syracuse University, thanks to a new agreement between the two institutions.

The Direct Transfer Admission Program Agreement guarantees eligible OCC graduates admission to academic programs in Syracuse University’s College of Arts and Science s , College of Engineering and Computer Scienc e , School of Information Studie s and College of Professional Studie s , where they can complete a bachelor’s degree in four semesters.

“Syracuse University is proud to partner with Onondaga Community College to offer a new pathway to prepare students for emerging careers,” said Syracuse University Chancellor Kent Syverud. “To fully take advantage of the economic opportunities developing in the region, we need a workforce with the training and knowledge to meet the needs of emerging industries. This new agreement makes it easier for learners from OCC to benefit from the outstanding educational opportunities available at Syracuse University while

building a ready workforce for the region’s employers.”

“We’re honored to partner with Syracuse University on this Direct Transfer Admission Program,” said OCC President Warren Hilton. “As the community’s college, we are committed to giving students access to higher education pathways, and ultimately the opportunity to enjoy rewarding careers at places like Micron’s new chip fabrication facility right here in Onondaga County. This agreement gives our students a clearly defined pathway to one of the top institutions in the country, and we are proud to collaborate with Syracuse University for the betterment of our students and the Central New York region.”

“This partnership reflects the University’s commitment not only to expanding academic excellence in STEM and other areas, but also to growing and strengthening our local community and embracing economic opportunities for our students and alumni,” said Syracuse University Vice Chancellor, Provost and Chief Academic Officer Gretchen Ritter.

“We appreciate the tireless work of our innovative faculty who have built more

than 20 new programs in health and human services, STEM and advanced technologies and the liberal arts,” said Adds OCC Provost and Senior Vice President Anastasia Urtz. “Our programs respond to local economic needs and prepare people for careers across New York state and around the world.”

To be eligible for the program, OCC graduates must have earned a minimum GPA of 3.0.

Those with GPAs of 3.25 or higher will be awarded a merit-based scholarship of at least $10,000.

Both OCC and Syracuse University will establish advising guidelines and course transfer recommendations to support students in the program and ensure their ability to complete their degrees in a timely manner.

The institutions will also work together to recruit students to the program from the Syracuse City School District and other regional schools.

While participants in the program may study a range of disciplines, an emphasis on pathways to STEM-related majors will serve to prepare students for careers at high-tech companies, including Micron Technology, which plans to build a $100 billion semiconductor fabrication facilit y in the Syracuse suburb of Clay.

In this way, the program dovetails with OCC’s new associate degree in electromechanical technolog y and related electromechanical technology certificate progra m , as well as existing degrees in engineering science and liberal arts: mathematics and science.

kathleen Johnson active community volunteer

Kathleen Kortright

Johnson passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by family on Tuesday, Aug. 15, 2023. She was the daughter of Mary Henessey Kortright and Donald Joseph “Pete” Kortright of Skaneateles.

Kathleen was a graduate of Skaneateles High School. Following high school, she attended Powelson

OBITUARIES

Business Institute in Syracuse. In 1963, she married the love of her life, William “Shadow “Johnson. Kathleen was a lifelong member of Saint Mary’s of the Lake Church. Her strong faith is what got her through the most difficult times. Kathleen embodied what it truly means to be a kind person. She was always extending a helping hand, no matter what was going on in her life, showing the kind of character she had. She was a member of the

Skaneateles Country Club, was an active volunteer in the Skaneateles Community and held various retail positions in the village, retiring from The Bookie.

Kathleen is survived by her daughter Lisa, beloved grandchildren Allison and Kathleen “KC” Clark, her brothers and sisters; Mary Keough, Patricia Eisenberg, Peter Kortright and Mark (Nancy) Kortright; several beloved cousins, nieces and nephews. Special also to Kathleen, was the Murphy family - Steve, Cindy and Ava. Predeceasing Kath-

leen were her parents, Pete and Mary Kortright, as well as her husband William C. Johnson, a son William M. “Billy” Johnson’s brothers, William R. and Michael S. Bass, and a sister, Bonnie A. Littlefield.

A funeral mass was held on Tuesday, Aug. 22 at 10 a.m. at St. Mary’s of the Lake Church in Skaneateles. Private burial in St. Mary’s.

In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to Sarah’s Guest House 100 Roberts Ave., Syracuse, New York 13207.

dEATh NOTicES

Jean K. Glover, 93, of North Syracuse, passed away Aug. 24, 2023. Fergerson Funeral Home, North Syracuse, has arrangements.

Jerry K. Chappell, 83, of Bernhard’s Bay, New York passed away Aug. 19, 2023. Fergerson Funeral Home, North Syracuse, has arrangements.

To send condolences, visit robertdgrayfuneralhome.com.

Norma M. Snow, 98, of Lyons passed away Aug. 22, 2023. The Bush Funeral Home of Elbridge has charge of arrangements.

kathleen Johnson

Focus on wellness

The month of August was dedicated to National Wellness Month, but no matter what month or day it may be there is never a bad time to take your overall health and wellness into consideration.

Both mentally and physically our wellness is vital and these are things that like any other aspect of our lives need and deserve time to be focused on.

And increasingly in recent years we are coming to have a better understanding of the connection between these two aspects of ourselves and how they collectively play a role in how we feel.

In a world that moves ever faster and is connected 24/7 and where the line between work and personal life is blurry we are realizing that the constant toll on our mental wellness can impact our physical wellness and manifest in physical ways with feelings of being tired or rundown or mentally drained.

But many agree that by taking some time to focus on wellness and do things that benefit our personal wellbeing we can break this cycle.

But as difficult as it can be to find the time, our awareness of how important this is continues to grow as we come to better understand the toll constant stress can take on our health.

While there are numerous opinions about ways to better care for our overall wellness, there seems to be consensus around several key things that we can do to improve our overall wellness.

Doing an online search can provide a great deal of information to consider and of course speaking with your healthcare provider is an important resource when you are making any decisions about your health and wellness.

Some common examples include things like exercise, even 30 minutes a day, is believed to have significant benefits to both physical and mental health.

Exercise, depending on what form it takes, can have a variety of benefits. It can help improve mood while also helping maintain a healthy weight or helping with weight loss, it can boost energy, help with pain management and improve cardiovascular health among other benefits.

Along with exercise stretching is also recommended, not only to help muscles before and after exercise but also for overall health benefits.

For people who may work in a situation where they are on their feet all day or people who work at desks, stretching can help with aches and pains as well as help with back pain and better posture.

Stretching can also help us relax and release some stress benefiting our mental health as well.

And as we better understand the connection between our physical and mental wellness we are learning how feeling better and relieving those aches and pains can help improve our mental feeling of wellbeing.

It is also recommended to take some time to get outside, especially exercise like going for a walk or hike and getting some fresh air have been found to improve memory and help lower blood pressure while also helping improve mood.

When exercising or in general focusing on breathing is also recommended as deep breathing has been found to help relive stress and when we are stressed it has been found we often take shallow breaths and may even hold our breath, tensing up over time. Deep breathing can help relive that.

And other factors such as getting enough sleep are vital to our physical and mental wellbeing.

Lack of sleep has been connected with weight gain, depression and anxiety and can even take a toll on our immune system.

And getting enough water is also highly recommended.

Hydration we know plays an important roll in our health. In the warmer months of summer being dehydrated can be dangerous but staying hydrated can help our body manage nutrients, lower blood pressure and improve our mood.

Other things like taking a break from social media and taking the time to connect with friends and family can also play an important part in how we feel and our overall health and well being.

POrch PErFEcTiOn

They are friends of my husband, friends from college, Alan and Cookie.

Cookie and Alan live in West Virginia. Alan is an architect and Cookie is a retired professor of French from Sweet Briar College.

Cookie, a native Syracusan, has maintained her family’s home in Liverpool since her parents passed on, visiting several times a year as a kind of retreat. When they are here, we try to catch up, sometimes at the Liverpool house, sometimes a restaurant, sometimes at our camp.

They arrived a few days ago. This time we decided to invite them to our home for a dinner, nothing elaborate, since elaborate has gone the way of short shorts and bathing suits in my lexicon and practice. But something casual and nice, with emphasis on nice, since that isn’t a category much used these days.

The weather, as we all know, has been erratic and when the erratic runs into humidity in the 70s, in a

house without AC, I eschew most of anything in favor of sitting in front of one of our many fans and vegging but at our station in life, missing out on time with friends takes precedence over much of what else there is.

How to accommodate friends and climatic discomfort?

Why, our front porch, of course. Our porch. It’s wide enough for four chairs and a glider, the latter needing a lot of work, but I think I can pull off a shabby chic vibe there. I’ll pull some of the impatiens from our patio out onto the wide railings of the porch for an attempt some kind of décor, a bright red against a very conservative gray-green. The porch is surrounded by trees, a burning bush, two apple trees, a wildly-out-of-trim viburnum and a dogwood. To be truthful, this summer’s climatic events have caused these landscaping beauties to grow without limits and I am thinking that I had better call someone who knows how to trim them without doing

damage to their ability to provide privacy to those on our porch. That will be next week. But for now, I think that we can facilitate a casual “nice.”

And so, with some simple hors d’oeurves and Ina Garten’s recipe for Cosmos, the time passed as if it hadn’t. Our lives had branched in so many different ways and yet we were still the young, striving achievers dressed in, to paraphrase Billy Joel, an old person’s clothes.

Mixed in with descriptions of balance issues, doctor’s advice and so forth, we still brought the Peace Corps, teaching, summers in Paris, children who left home for Europe or Georgia or Rochester or Cazenovia, with grandchildren often seen and not often seen, siblings’ and mutual acquaintances’ lives, innovative architectural ideas and stained glass and …memories of silly times and poignant events… all jumbled together in the back and forth conversations on the porch. We did eventually go

inside to eat dinner, but the warmth of that simple time amidst the overgrown landscaping and soft late August breezes was more special than anticipated.

The porch was perfect, or at least as close as I could come that day.

I’ve often wondered why people removed porches. You can see the houses where that has been done and somehow the houses look less. A porch serves the purpose of summer. It is where you can be alone and let the lists of responsibilities slide for a time. It’s where friends can gather their memories and share validation that friendship offers.

I am sure that there are other ways to engender these moments, but having a porch makes it easy.

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.

Forget Kentucky, bourbon is being distilled right here

Another myth demolished.

No, by law bourbon whiskey does not need to be distilled in the state of Kentucky in order to be called “bourbon.” But it must be made in the United States of America. And it must be made primarily from fermented corn and stored in new charred-oak barrels.

Nevertheless, the quintessential American whiskey is strongly identified with the South, specifically the Bluegrass State. Although Kentucky boasts some four dozen bourbon distilleries – from Jim Beam to Bulleit, from Wild Turkey to Woodford Reserve – many of those are operating on land that was once part of the commonwealth of Virginia.

Anyhow, these days there are even distilleries as far north as Ulster County, right here in the Empire State.

Thanks for support

To the editor:

The Female Charitable Society of Baldwinsville has been quietly meeting the needs of our neighbors for over 200 years; most people know us for our medical equipment loan closet. We are an all-volunteer organization, and there are times when we need assistance outside of our immediate pool of volunteers.

Timber Tree Service

recently provided such assistance to us by trimming a large tree branch that was in danger of falling and damaging our headquarters on River Street. Last fall, Stan Dombroski and his team also trimmed a few trees behind the building that houses our loan closet. Both times, Stan refused to charge us for Timber Trees’ services.

Stan believes in supporting the community and the services we provide, and we are grateful for his donation.

pnagle@eaglenewsonline com

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Bright Lights, Big Bourbon

I recently had my bartender at The Retreat pour me a healthy shot of Bright Lights, Big Bourbon, a new brand created by Hudson Whiskey NY. I was attracted to its bottle, a smallish, kinda cute, mugsized container prominently displaying its “NY” origin.

Though it definitely tasted like bourbon (my “usual” is Jim Beam), at 92 proof Bright Lights had a bit more bite and was noticeably less sweet than most Kentucky whiskeys.

Hudson Whiskey NY describes this bourbon as “a bold, grain-forward, noholds-barred straight bourbon whiskey, distilled from New York corn and aged in new

MAryAnnE WilliAMs direCtreSS, Female Charitable SoCiety oF baldWinSville

Amphitheater lacks ADA compliance

To the editor: I recently had the opportunity to visit the St. Joseph’s Health Amphitheater in Syracuse for the Phish concert on July 23. Our group included one person in a wheelchair. I have been to dozens of venues around the country and have never seen such an appalling lack of ADA compliance, much less welcoming location for those of us with disabilities. Honestly, in my humble opinion, it strikes me as illegal and find it even more surprising the venue is named after a health institution which apparently has no regard for those who are less than completely able-bodied.

First, parking. Not clearly labeled in any way. That said,

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charred American oak barrels, with notes of rich vanilla and lightly salted caramel on the finish.”

The phrase “grain-forward” may explain the tartness, which thankfully diminished after a subsequent shot.

Anyhow, Bright Lights in the second bourbon manufactured by Hudson Whiskey owned by the scotch giant William Grant & Sons. The first bourbon made at the company’s Tuthilltown Distiller in 2020 was called Fistful of Bourbon.

The distillery’s 36 acres are situated on the outer fringe of the New York metropolitan area, at the foot of the Shawangunk Mountains, in the heart of the Hudson Valley, in Gardiner in Ulster County. By the way – and this may be unique to a New York State bourbon – Bright Lights is also Kosher certified.

as we drove in, at each area where we encountered a staff person, they directed us further along the way to the ADA parking section. However, when we finally arrived, there was not a single space left in the ADA parking and numerous vehicles were parked without any ADA rearview hanger card or license plate. There was no guidance or enforcement for this parking. Although still relatively close to the entrance, we needed to park further than ADA, a struggle for those with limited mobility.

Second, once we entered the venue, there were zero signs indicating where the ADA section or sections were located. None of the staff we asked knew anything about where ADA or wheelchairs could be safely located to view the concert. This is outrageous on any number of levels and while I don’t expect every single staff member to know all aspects of a venue, at least one

Plaintive picnic

A silent shadow of sadness surely overshadowed the annual Epiphany Parish Picnic on the afternoon of Sunday, Aug. 27 at the St. Joseph the Worker campus. Parishioners enjoyed the food and fellowship, but no doubt they experienced an unmistakable angst after Bishop Douglas Lucia had announced the imminent closing of Galeville’s Immaculate Heart of Mary Church.

last word

“Just try to walk as one and walk together because in so many ways that’s how we get through these things by reaching out to each other.”

The Rev. Daniel O’Hara, pastor of Liverpool’s Epihany Parish which is closing the Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Galeville next month.

should know. The able-bodied among us searched for ADA areas, to no avail. Ultimately, we had to land at the top of the lawn hill where it was relatively flat and also about as far away from the stage as possible. Generally speaking, most ADA/wheelchair sections are located within easy view of the stage whether in a pavilion or lawn section. I personally saw only one other wheelchair at the venue down by the moat between lawn and reserved and that person was there with their friends. Honestly, I have no idea how they managed to get there as accessibility ramps weren’t signed or easily visible. My friend took it in stride but I am outraged. Every other venue I’ve ever been to has easily accommodated anyone with special needs including large venues like Madison Square Garden and outdoor venues like the Mann Music Center in Philadelphia. While I won’t be the one to sue, this

Ramblings from the empty nest ann Ferro

Livin’ in Liverpool russ tarby

FROM THE MAILBAG

From the supervisor: Technology meets genealogy Once more before the breach

By JAnET AArOn SkaneateleS toWn SuperviSor

It was a day that brought generations together on Wednesday, Aug. 14 at the Skaneateles Historical Society Museum at the Creamery.

One simple message on Ancestry. com brought together several members of the Evans-Parker families to find out how they were all related.

All originated from the Somerset area in England. Coincidentally, the majority of the earliest settlers in Skaneateles were from this area in England.

The ancestor who started this quest was Reuben Evans, son of Thomas and Hannah Evans from Draycott, England.

Reuben served in the Civil War and is buried at Lakeview Cemetery.

His service to this country is also recognized in the Soldiers and Sailors Monument in the cemetery.

Charles was the son of Thomas and Hannah Evans and brother of Reuben and was the next to migrate.

Charles’ son Frank owned Pine Grove Dairy in Skaneateles.

Charles’ descendants in attendance included Nancy McKnight

Letters

l From page 6

is a lawsuit waiting to happen. As the owner of the venue responsible for hiring any contractors you may require to run the venue, Onondaga County is liable for, and responsible for providing a legally ADA compliant venue for all customers, regardless of their abilities.

n r. McDOnnEll burlington, vt

Legg announces candidacy

To the editor:

I am running for Town of Skaneateles supervisor because I believe that local government can be the best government. Under proper leadership, local government is the most responsive, transparent, and accessible. With my four years’ experience as a town councilor and lifelong Skaneateles residency, I am ready to go forward on day one. The Leggs arrived in Skaneateles in 1804. On my mother’s side the Gallaghers arrived in Skaneateles Falls during the 1840s followed by the Stinsons after the Civil War. I know and love Skaneateles. My extensive military, public, and community service proves my commitment to serving you.

A career naval officer, educator, and town official, I lead by engaging others: listening, learning, and imple

cNYSPcA PET OF ThE WEEK

Smith, Laura Evans Godfrey, Janet Evans Aaron, Karen Richards, and Skip Godfrey.

Attendee Julie Clark Dibagio, President of the Skaneateles Historical Society, descends from Reuben’s sister Rhoda Evans, who was the daughter of Thomas and Hannah Evans and sister of Charles.

Attending descendants of Reuben Evans’ sister Elizabeth Evans Parker included Somerset native Kay Parker Xuereb and her niece on the Parker side of the family, Naomi Lawrence.

Attendee Denise Rich descends from Elizabeth’s daughter Caroline who also emigrated from Somerset.

This ancestor connection meeting provided many highlights including a visual presentation developed by Skip Godfrey showing how we were all related.

Next was Naomi Lawrence.

She and her husband moved from England to the United States with their children, and she was celebrating her recent successful path to citizenship.

I dare say many of us would not be able to pass the test and many additional requirements.

menting. In 22 years as a U.S. Navy surface warfare officer, my leadership ability and technical expertise enabled me to earn increasingly more challenging assignments: deal with North Koreans as the onsite negotiator at the border, manage a Pentagon $100M budget, and command a billion-dollar ship crewed by 300 sailors and 500 embarked Marines. Helping at risk students achieve success for over 22 years highlights my teaching career. Continuously engaged in numerous community service projects, I helped SkanRaces raise over $600,000 supporting fitness and wellness, led youth activities, Sea Scouts, and Faith Formation/Confirmation, spearheaded Rotary $20,000+ in emergency aid to Ukrainian refugees and rescue of 1337 hemlock trees from invasive insects at the Baltimore Woods Nature Center.

I have executive experience and four years of town board service with detailed knowledge of budgeting and operations. As town board liaison to the transfer station, I reversed escalating costs to taxpayers for our most expensive town department while improving and adding services. An excellent steward of tax dollars, my management of planned maintenance reduces operating costs, increases reliability, and extends equipment life.

Working with our Hamlet Committee and consultant, we are nearing completion of the first ever Northern

MEET hArrisOn

By DOnnA nEWMAn

photo by donna neWman

There’s not many dogs like harrison! We think he’s a pit bull/bull terrier mix. Bull Terriers have been described as “a three year old in a dog suit” and that’s the perfect description of Harrison! He’s playful, mischievious, energetic and charming, and like a toddler, he has the tendency to explore the world with his mouth. he loves his treats, he loves his toys, he’s comfortable in a crate, and he loves other dogs. He’s a mainstay of the doggy playgroup and has a lot of personality. harrison came to the shelter on December 24, 2022, and since then he’s only had one visit. He’s almost two years old, so at this point he’s spent almost half his life in a shelter! The ideal home for harrison would be a patient family with a fenced-in yard so he can run and romp, and a friendly, energetic dog for him to play with. If you have a dog who needs a playmate, Harrison’s the dog for you! For more information about adoption, call 315-454-4479, email frontdesk@ cnyspca.org or visit cnyspca.org.

Dr. Godfrey Xuereb, who is related to us through his wife Kay gave us an overview of his native country, Malta, and meeting President Biden in April of this year to present his credentials as the 14th Maltese Ambassador to the United States.

His Excellency Ambassador Dr. Godfrey Xuereb was not here on official business, but to learn about Kay’s family.

The ambassador generously provided an overview of the history of Malta and the White House ceremony where he presented his credentials to President Biden in the Oval Office of the White House.

We thank Geralyn Huba, who welcomed us to the Skaneateles Historical Society Museum at the Creamery.

This kind of connection can be yours, too.

The museum has a wealth of information and can start you down the path to find your ancestors, just like we have.

We certainly know that this connection has bonded us, and we look forward to future reunions, with plans already underway for a trip to Somerset, England.

Hamlet Plan. The plan incorporates significant input from residents and businesses gleaned from surveys, focus groups, interviews, emails, and public comments to best meet the desires of our residents. As water department liaison, we gained a NYS $4.4M grant, the largest in town history, to correct decade old health department violations regarding fire flow, capacity, and pressure in the town and village.

I will continue collaboration with other town board members to incorporate public feedback in drafting local laws and project plans. Our public hearings will truly hear the concerns and ideas of residents for understanding and consideration.

I know how to lead high performing teams to solve complex problems. As an experienced negotiator in procurement and employment issues both as an employer and as a union representative, I am well prepared to represent you in major contract negotiations in 2024 and 2025.

Website: tinyurl.com/4zeukuw2, Instagram and Facebook: chrisleggskantownboard. Email: chrislegg4skantwnbd@gmail.com, I get things done efficiently and effectively.

I am ready to serve you now as Skaneateles town supervisor.

chris lEGG

SkaneateleS toWn CounCilor

Early in November, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State will renew on the gridiron the rivalry they call “Bedlam” in Stillwater.

Random Thoughts

Phil blackwell

Later in the month, it’s the turn of Washington and Washington State, competing again for the Apple Cup, while just down the Pacific coast Oregon and Oregon State have one more chapter of what they long called a “Civil War”.

Note the words – just one more chapter.

Come 2024, it’s quite likely none of these three feuds, dating back more than a century, will have a place in the autumn. Not with Oklahoma flush in SEC riches and Washington and Oregon part of the Big Ten.

Of all the many, many casualties of conference realignment madness, none sting as much as seeing fierce rivalries blown up and cast away because a bunch of college presidents caught a serious case of FOMO.

Forget about what football players, or coaches, or fans, or support staffs, or anyone else with a shred of common sense and perspective feels. Only pledge loyalty to the network willing to give you more millions for a few Saturdays in the fall.

And it might not be done. Florida State has made noises about ACC discontent, and you can almost count on Clemson being just as noisy.

Between them, the Seminoles and Tigers have (checks notes)…..six national championships, all achieved under the ACC banner. For both, it’s still the easiest, safest way to glory, but they want more and if the SEC , already bloated, wants to get even bigger…

Among other things, it might leave Syracuse off the big-time college-football carousel. All the history and tradition stocked up at SU, and its growing profile in sports beyond basketball and lacrosse, carries little weight in this landscape defined entirely by brand names and fall TV ratings.

So the 2023 season carries a particular urgency for the Orange beyond Dino Babers’ job security. Wins, and a lot of them, are required to reclaim a secure place in the upper echelon, at least enough to make other schools think longer about their path toward destruction.

You can also feel that desperation in Corvallis, in Pullman, and in any other place where their identity as a town is centered on their college campuses.

Essentially, they were all told by their haughty rivals that they don ‘t count that much. It’s the kind of sting and pain that only a public rejection can produce.

Thus, when they do meet late this fall, one of two things will happen. Either the wealthy side proves that they were right to chase financial security, or the state schools provide one more victory whose memory will resonate far beyond the ugly divorces this has produced.

Already enough rivalries – think OklahomaNebraska, or Pitt-Penn State, or Missouri-Kansas – have proven themselves casualties of realignment. Just as animosity takes a long time to build, it doesn’t dissipate because one school desperately needs that 3:30 time slot.

It’s more than fair to ask if college football is making the same mistake that NASCAR did early in the 21 st century, proving so eager to find new fans with endless combinations of marquee matchups that they neglect all those who made it so popular in the first place.

Simply put, this sport, or any sport, is far less compelling if it lacks the element of surprise or the ability of those with less means to dream, work hard and, just maybe, upend the big-time powers.

Maybe, in whatever system leads to a playoffs –four teams, soon to be 12, perhaps more down the road – we get Alabama or Ohio State or Georgia still winning it close to every time.

Fine, as long as there remains the possibility that it doesn’t always happen. All it takes is one team from one non-power or perennial doormat making the semifinals or final to change perceptions and make the whole corrupt enterprise tolerable.

Now I almost want Oregon and Oregon State to go into their game with a lot on the line besides a long period of bragging rights. The idea of the Beavers making a title push, and the Ducks sinking, would make the powers squirm and turn their heads even as they count their riches.

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

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