Star Review digital edition - April 24, 2024

BiG loss foR MoyERs CoRnERs

Slain sheriff’s lieutenant was an incredibly versatile

first responder

villAgE Of livERPOOl

in a neighbor’s backyard while Jensen was shot in the front of the Murphy household.

Investigators found that Murphy had been firing a Springfield Armory AR 15 semi-automatic rifle with an illegal 40-round magazine.

Hoosock was a resident of the town of Clay where he lived with his wife and three children. The family attended St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church in North Syracuse. He grew up in the town of Salina, specifically Lyncourt.

Jensen, who had served just twoand-a-half years with the SPD, was a native of Rome, N.Y. In Syracuse, he resided on Tipperary Hill.

Hoosock was known at Moyers Corners by his nickname, “Hootch.” He was a former deputy chief of the department. He was also the commander of the sheriff’s office bomb squad.

Last month Hoosock led a bomb squad team to Liverpool where they removed a live grenade that had been discovered at the village historian’s office at the Gleason Mansion.

Hoosock’s sudden death shook his fellow firefighters in Clay.

“I can’t tell you the amount of emotions that went through my head at the time,” said Moyers Corners Fire Chief Mike Brown. “Disbelief, shock, heartbreaking. It was very emotional.”

Hoosock was a versatile first responder. He was also employed as a paramedic with Rural Metro Syracuse, and its successor, AMR of Central New York, as well as with the Manlius Fire Department.

With Moyers Corners, Hootch served as a lieutenant and captain out of Station 2 from 2010-2015, chief of the second sattalion from 2015-2017, and concluded his stint in the chief’s

office as the second deputy chief in 2018. Brown described Hoosock as “one of the guys that would give you the shirt off his back if you asked. You could call him anytime day or night, he’d come out and give you a hand.”

Over his 16 years with the sheriff’s office, Hoosock filled many roles. He started as a road deputy, was promoted to patrol sergeant, and finally a watch commander as a lieutenant while also working on special assignments including the bomb squad, SWAT, AIR-1 and with the warrants squad.

Former sheriff’s Lt. Jon Anderson admired Hoosock. “He was very well-liked and re -

spected by his subordinate officers, peers, colleagues and supervisory officers,” Anderson said. “He had such potential.”

Arbor Day to be celebrated in N. Syracuse

Voters to choose referendum on election date, overweight truck fines proposed

By Russ TARBy Contributing writer

At its April 15 meeting, the Village of Liverpool Board of Trustees – Mayor Stacy Finney and trustees Melissa Cassidy, Rachel Ciotti and Matt Devendorf – voted 3 to 1 to conduct a referendum in which voters could switch the village election date from June to November.

While Democrats Finney, Ciotti and Cassidy voted in favor of placing the referendum on the upcoming June 18 village election ballot, Republican Devendorf voted against it. The board’s other Republican, Mike LaMontagne, was absent on April 15.

Although the board wasn’t conducting an official public hearing, Finney welcomed comments from the handful of residents in attendance. Several of them opposed the idea of changing the village election date.

Joe Ostuni Jr. – who is chairman of the village Republican Party – said that moving the election to the same day as the general election in November threatens the village’s identity. Resident Susan Wilson said she prefers June because of its warmer weather.

Christina Fadden, a Republican who ran an unsuccessful campaign for mayor last year, said that the referendum could fuel divisiveness among villagers. If the date is moved to November, Fadden said village elections would be overshadowed by state and federal races.

Mark Spadafore, a prominent Democrat and union leader, supports the referendum because it gives village voters a chance to make the decision. Other villages which have scheduled their elections in November have seen an increase in voter turnout, Spadafore added.

Finney emphasized that any date change would be in the hands of the voters.

“We’re not making the change,” Finney said. “We’re just putting it on the ballot.”

Cassidy explained how the referendum was inspired. When the Democrats were going door-to-door during last year’s campaign, they found that changing the election date was one of the top two issues concerning village residents.

“The idea came from knocking on your neighbor’s doors,” Cassidy said.

The referendum, she added, “is empowering our residents, allowing them to choose the date.”

Truck fines reduced

After conducting a public hearing about a new local law designed to “streamline” the enforcement of the village’s new ban on overweight trucks, on April 15 the board voted unanimously to adopt the new law which decreases fines for overweight trucks.

Last July, the trustees passed a local law prohibiting the operation of trucks weighing more than five tons within the village. In mid-January, Liverpool Police began warning drivers of heavyweight vehicles, and by the end of that month officers began ticketing alleged offenders.

The new fines were established as $1,200 for trucks and their loads totaling between five tons and seven-and-a-half tons. For weights between seven-and-a-half tons and 10 tons the penalty would be $1,700. The fines grow progressively higher for increased weights, with the top fine listed as $4,700 for trucks and their loads weighing 22.5 tons or more.

The new law sets fine of not more than $300 for first offenders. A second conviction within 18 months could draw a fine of not more than $600. And a third conviction within 18 months could draw a fine of not more than $1,200.

Finney said the new law was needed because “the only way to weigh the trucks” would be to build a weight station in the village. “And that’s not feasible,” she said.

said the new law makes it “much easier for the police to enforce it.”

SchOOlS ANd SchOlARS

local student inducted into honor society

Gemma Colasanti, of Liverpool, was recently initiated into The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, the nation’s oldest and most selective all-discipline collegiate honor society. Colasanti was initiated at Ithaca College.

Colasanti is among approximately 25,000 students, faculty, professional staff and alumni to be initiated into Phi Kappa Phi each year. Membership is by invitation only and requires nomination and approval by a chapter.

Only the top 10 percent of seniors and 7.5 percent of juniors are eligible for membership. Graduate students in the top 10 percent of the number of candidates for graduate degrees may also qualify, as do faculty, professional staff and alumni who have achieved scholarly distinction.

chack named to trustees,’ president’s lists

Sarah Chack, of Liverpool, was named to the Champlain College Trustees’ and President’s lists for the Fall 2023 semester.

Students on the Trustees’ List have achieved a 4.0 grade point average for two or more consecutive semesters.

Students on the President’s List have achieved a grade point average of 4.0 or higher during the semester. Chack is currently enrolled in the Secondary Education -English program.

Students inducted into honor society

Local SUNY Oneonta students were inducted into the Alpha Alpha Alpha national honor society during a ceremony on April 14 at Morris Hall. Inducted into the National Honor Society were Emma Piper of Cicero and Brianna Trent of Mattydale.

Alpha Alpha Alpha, known as Tri-Alpha for short, was founded in 2018 to recognize and celebrate the hard work and academic success of first-generation university students. This was the third class of SUNY Oneonta students to be inducted into the national honor society.

Students qualify for induction into Tri-Alpha if they meet the following criteria: The student has earned at least 30 credits/semester hours in the academic year toward an associate degree or baccalaureate degree; the undergraduate student has achieved an overall undergraduate GPA of at least 3.2 on a 4.0 scale; and neither of the student’s parents, stepparents, nor legal guardians, completed a bachelor’s or associate’s degree.

Students make Elmira college dean’s list

Local students were named to Emira College Dean’s List for Academic Achievement for the winter 2024 term. Named to the list were Jenna Ellis, of Brewerton, Ava Scanna, of Liverpool, and Kyleigh Sweeney, of Liverpool. The dean’s list recognizes full-time undergraduate students who were registered for at least 12 computable credit hours and who earned a term grade point average of 3.6 or higher.

C-NS, OCC grad to be honored

The American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) will present Onondaga Community College alumna Kayla McKeon ‘22 with the National Outstanding Alumni Award.

She was honored April 9 at the AACC’s annual conference in Louisville, KY.

McKeon is a graduate of Cicero-North Syracuse High School who earned her general studies degree at OCC over a 12-year period, graduating in 2022.

During that period, she became the first lobbyist in U.S. history with Down Syndrome, led an effort to pass legislation in Congress which aids people with disabilities; and was named the National Down Syndrome’s Self-Advocate of the Year.

She also helped Mattel design a Barbie Doll with Down Syndrome, and in 2023 participated in its big reveal on national television

OCC has a history of high-achieving graduates being recognized by the AACC.

McKeon joins the ranks of other award winners such as the 2023 recipient Lanessa Owens-Chaplin ‘03, 2018 recipient Dr. Daryll Dykes ‘83, 2017 recipient Dr. Emad Rahim, 2015 recipient Laurie Halse Anderson ‘81 and 2014 recipient John Dau ‘05

There are more than 1,000 community colleges in United States serving nearly 9

million students. The AACC recognizes remarkable community college graduates each year with the Outstanding Alumni Award. McKeon is OCC’s 6th such honoree in 11 years.

“My time at Onondaga Community College was remarkable and is something I will always be thankful for. I was fortunate to receive any assistance I needed from the Office of Accessibility Resources, advisors, tutors, and professors. Everything I learned guided me in my career to enhance and advocate for the Differently-abled community. I am incredibly blessed to be the recipient of the Outstanding Alumni Award for 2024, and am thankful to Dr. Warren Hilton for nominating me,” said McKeon.

“We are so proud of Kayla and everything she has accomplished as both a student here at Onondaga Community College, and her amazing work across the country advocating on behalf of those with Down Syndrome. Kayla is an inspiration to all of us and is most deserving of the Outstanding Alumni Award,” said OCC President Dr. Warren Hilton.

OCC announced on April 10 that McKeon would receive another honor in May. At the May 18 commencement ceremony, McKeon will receive a SUNY honorary

doctor of humane letters. She is also represented on Cicero-North Syracuse High School’s Wall of Distinction, completed an MIT management executive education program, and has won multiple Special Olympics medals.

In 2023, OCC also named her a distinguished “Alumni Faces” honoree. McKeon will be joined by London Ladd, who will also be receiving an honorary doctorate. “London and Kayla’s journeys to SUNY doctorate degrees are truly remarkable,” Hilton said. “Both displayed an inspirational level of dedication as they pursued their educational and life goals. The opportunity and encouragement they

received here played critical roles in their development, and we are proud that they are members of the OCC Family. We look forward to honoring them next month.”

The designation provides an opportunity for awareness of the critical role community colleges play in the higher education system.

Here are some facts about OCC students and alumni: 89% of our students come from Onondaga County and the four surrounding counties; 34% of our students are first-generation college students; 72% of our students are age 21 or younger, 28% are non-traditional; 68% of our students complete their degrees debt-free; 85% of our graduates live and work within 25 miles of campus.

A very special Masters… It just seems right!

Tour. His character, integrity, temperament and constitution are being well received, not only by the players on Tour, but by his new fans around the world. I started talking about him in glowing terms last fall when he was the PGA Tour Money Winner for the second consecutive year, the ESPY Award winner for Best Golfer, the Byron Nelson Award recipient and the Vardon Trophy winner for lowest scoring average. Add the PGA Tour Rookie of the Year in 2019 and you have the makings of a true “Superstar” for the game of golf that I believe is desperately needed at this time. Hopefully, he will continue to keep his “Top ree Priorities” in life true to his faith.

He played the par fours…even par.

* He was two-under on the par 3’s.

* He shot nine-under on the par 4’s.

* He made nine birdies on the par 5’s.

* He hit 79% of the fairways.

* He hit 70% of his greens in regulation.

* He only putted 109 times in four rounds…average of 1.5 putts per hole…27 per round.

When you begin to combine all of Scottie’s stats and trivia over the last three years, it is easy to start comparing him to more than just a few current and past greats of the game. And when he readily admitted a er his Masters victory that, “ e game of golf is not my rst priority, it’s 4th a er our rst child that we are expecting in a few weeks, my wife and my faith”, you begin to realize this young man does have his life and priorities in the the proper order.

Refreshing, I would add.

I have been waiting a long time for someone like Scottie Sche er to play on the PGA

Here is what Martin Conway, professor at Georgetown University Sports Management has to say about Schle er…”Scottie Schle er is now equated to performance. Ultimately, he’s dependable and reliable. Performance day in and day out. He is a business machine and it is hard to overstate his dominance on the PGA Tour”.

e facts are mind boggling and clear. It is certainly a great time to be a good golfer. Over the past decade, the on course average for PGA Tour players has grown 57% to $1.6 million. at gure is pumped-up to an astounding 4,094% when compared to 1980, which was the rst publicly available data from the PGA Tour.

What Conway is saying is that the potential money for golfers at the top of their game to earn is astonishing and if Scottie continues to win at his present pace, he will shatter every career money record by the time he retires.

Submitted photo C-NS and OCC grad Kayla McKeon, who helped design a Barbie doll with Down Syndrome, is being honored by the American Association of Community Colleges with the National Outstanding Alumni Award.

It’s road work season

As the weather improves and spring turns into summer, one thing that we will see more and more of will be road work.

From roads being repaired and repaved to work taking place on electrical lines and other utilities, it is likely this will be come a common site in the coming weeks and months.

While the large bucket trucks that lift people up to work on power lines and the orange safety cones and flaggers directing traffic are very visible it is still important for drivers to stay focused and pay attention to what is going on the roads around them.

With this in mind, National Work Zone Awareness Week was created

This effort started with a reminder for drivers to slow down when approaching work zones on roads and highways as part of National Work Zone Awareness Week. The message of the campaign reminds drivers a temporary action behind the wheel, such as driving distracted by a cellphone for example, can have long lasting consequences.

The annual commemoration, promoted by the U.S. Department of Transportation, took place April 15 to 19 and marks the start of spring construction season, according to nwzaw.org.

The onset of spring means National Grid crews will begin performing necessary infrastructure upgrades along roads, and some may require roadway work areas, including lane or shoulder closures. Observing warnings is a matter of safety for both our crews and drivers. Slowing down and paying attention to your surroundings can ensure the well-being of all involved, according to National Grid.

Struck-by incidents are a leading cause of death among construction workers and the leading cause of nonfatal injuries in the construction industry. In 2021, 72 workers were killed, and 400 were injured in struck-by accidents in work zones, according to the most current data available from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

National Grid workers, for example, go through extensive training on work zone safety. Crews on duty in work zones or near our infrastructure wear highvisibility garments, eye protection, and hard hats.

The U.S. Department of Transportation offers the following tips for driving safely through work zones:

Plan ahead: Research your route before heading out. When possible, avoid work zones and use detours when available.

Stay focused: Keeping your eyes on the road is especially important in work zones. Note all instructions on work zone signage, including speed limits, lane changes and shifts, and any closures. Keep both hands on the wheel and off your cell phone, radio, navigation device, and food and drink.

Slow down: Many states require drivers to reduce their speed in work zones and follow the posted speeds. Drivers in Massachusetts and New York face increase fines and other penalties for speeding in a work zone.

Move into the open lane: When lanes close, move over as soon as it is safe and possible. Pay attention to your blind spot for other vehicles. Massachusetts and New York each have “move over” laws that include fines for drivers that fail to move to an open lane when stopped vehicles with flashing lights, such as utility vehicles, are at work.

Keep your distance: Rear-end collisions are very common in work zones, as cars wait until the last minute to change lanes or stop quickly. When driving, leave sufficient distance between you and the vehicle in front of you. Never cut off a bus or large commercial vehicle, like a box truck or 18-wheeler, as those vehicles require more braking distance to reach a stop.

ConTEMPlATinG CoMPETEnCE

Yes, I know. When someone who is of the mature persuasion offers what she considers to be a valuable insight into a current problem, the observer might note the rolling of the eyes of those not so mature. But, while I don’t offer any comprehensive vision for solutions to today’s perceived economic issues, I do have a point of view that deserves some thought.

My siblings and I were raised to appreciate thrift. I don’t mean stinginess, or that you would call us cheap, but we did have our priorities in place when it came to money and, extrapolating from that, our other resources. We emerged on this earth right after the Depression and in the midst of World War II, both lending a sense of circling the wagons when it came to earning and spending income.

We weren’t poor. We owned our own

Ramblings from the empty nest

ann Ferro

house and a car - a 1942 Ford. In order to do these things, with a household of six and sometimes more, depending on what relatives sought shelter and sustenance in our home, we had to live close to the bone.

Each of us had one new outfit every Easter and we always were gifted with new underwear and socks for Christmas, but most of our clothing originated in the bins at the Good Will on Third Avenue. Sometimes we wore the clothing as it came, sometimes made over by my mother or grandmother.

We never went hungry. We ate simple, nutritious meals made from inexpensive ingredients. Who today eats kidney stew? Not even me. Or soup made from collected vegetable parings, onion ends and chicken necks and feet? Our bread came from the day-old bakery, our books

from the public library on 53rd street. My mother’s one extravagance was the fresh squeezed orange juice that she made every morning.

The only thing that we owned on credit was our house. No one even considered obtaining something called a credit card, which in those days, were given out by individual stores rather than banks. Extras, treats and such were just that because they were so infrequent. There was always room for something “special” when those extras that are common today were not then.

I, being the eldest, energetically undertook my share of the chores, and for that my mother gave me 25 cents a week to spend however I wanted. I soon learned that spending made the money disappear and began saving my earnings in a blue Noxema jar that my father made into a bank by making a slit in the lid.

Fatal shooting rocks residents of The Meadows

Residents of “The Meadows” were shocked when 10 full seconds of gunfire reverberated through their otherwise quiet, upscale neighborhood shortly before 9 p.m. on Sunday, April 14.

“I was outside with my dogs when I heard what sounded like fireworks rapidly going off,” wrote Amy Savic, a resident of The Meadows who posted her observations on the NextDoor website.

Other area posters typed simple, oneword responses. “Devastating,” wrote Anne Costa of Cold Springs Road. “Sickening,” said Alyson Szumloz of Cicero.

Anne Ruggeri, who lives in Brewerton’s Mudmill, offered “Prayers to the families of the two law enforcement officers, and also to the family of the suspect who has passed as well. I’m also sending comfort to the first responders (including dispatch), the neighbors and others who unfortunately were witnesses to this incident. Things like this should not occur.”

Two more homeowners at The Meadows shared their thoughts.

“I always walk my puppy that way and right over there and that day decided to go the opposite direction,” wrote Richard McLaughlin. “I heard the semiautomatic gunfire which scared my puppy

FROM THE MAILBAG

Develop professional services To the editor: Your “Our Voice’ column in the April 10, 2024 Star Review cited the many economic savings provided by New York State’s mostly volunteer fire services. You also provided great examples of the heroic service provided by our many generous firefighters, including tremendous research and reporting by the Firefighter Association of New York (FASNY).

What you and FASNY seem to be trying to convey is that New Yorkers benefit financially from free fire response services, and that everyone should make time and put in the effort to continue this incredibly unsustainable scam. Our dedicated first responder heroes deserve better than your shameful support of this continued exploitation and public policy guilt trip.

It is 2024, and many fire departments cannot find enough volunteers to fill their ranks, training requirements have become more demanding, the population requiring first responder support has grown, and New York state can and should afford to pay and equip professional union-represented firefighters. Would you recommend the same volunteer work of county sheriffs? Would you recommend the same volunteer work for highway crews? Would you recommend the same volunteer work for teachers and nurses and corrections officers that all provide tremendous public

Livin’ in Liverpool

who hates fireworks but obviously I knew it was semiautomatic gunfire not fireworks.”

The Meadows is a fashionable suburban tract located between Hopkins and Buckley roads. Darien Drive sits right smack in the middle of the development.

Hollie Berrie reported that “On the corner of Patricia just off Buckley, at around 9 we neighbors watched dozens of police cars and emergency vehicles speeding at probably fifty mph… knew something terrible was happening. And it was.”

Donna Garvey of Pitcher Hill tried to sum it all up. “Makes no sense,” Garvey wrote. “Why do evil people do this? So very sad...”

Historical perspective

Sheriff’s Lt. Michael Hoosock and Syracuse Police Officer Michael Jensen were the 18th and 19th law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty in Onondaga County’s history, according to local historian and author Jon Anderson. “Hootch’s shared service as a police officer and firefighter demonstrates one of the earliest common traditions of those professions tracing back to the Roman Empire,” Anderson added. “The Roman Vigiles formed by Emperor

services? Of course not, but you seem to be OK with exploiting the very dangerous and demanding work of firefighters, all in the name of chasing a measly few billion dollars of tax savings.

Your opinion piece suggests that property taxes would balloon if we move to a professional fire service.

The property tax is not the best way to provide the sole funding of essential emergency services, as it only is paid by families and the politically not-well connected; big businesses get shameful PILOT agreements to avoid paying property taxes. A mixture of the sales tax and income tax and a small property tax could consolidate our publicly-funded volunteer fire departments into countywide services, just like the fire service dispatchers exist now, the county sheriffs, the county B.O.C.E.S., the myriad of other county services professionally provided and paid for by the taxpayers.

If we truly value our heroic volunteer firefighters, and want the best for the citizens of New York State, we should not continue the guilt-tripping and begging for volunteers; and we should develop county-wide professional fire services.

CHRiS ANDRuS LiverpooL

From the Red Cross

To the editor:

The nation’s most frequent disaster is one that rarely makes national headlines — home fires. Yet these represent most of the disasters that the American Red

Augustus Caesar practiced both police and firefighting duties and responsibilities. Today, both professions trace roots to this common historical title.” Anderson is a former lieutenant with the sheriff’s office, and author of the Images of America book, “Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office.”

Edit Point relocates

After 35 years of serving the Syracuse community as Edit Point Video at Liverpool’s Ponderosa Plaza, the business has rebranded as EPV Media, and has relocated down city at 333 W. Washington St. in Armory Square.

“This change reflects our evolution and expanded services,” said owner Doug Falso EPV now offers comprehensive video production, social media management, media buying, search engine optimization and web design.

For information about EPV Media, visit epv-media.com or call 315-3820986.

Last word

“I know everybody very closely because we try to look out for one another...We’ve been here seven years, and we never expected anything like this in our neighborhood.”

--The Meadows resident Jim Wolf

Cross responds to every eight minutes in the U.S. In Central and Northern New York, Red Cross volunteers responded to 300 of these devastating crises last year.

Home fires claim seven lives a day in our country — but a working smoke alarm can cut the risk of death by half. To help keep families safe, local Red Cross volunteers and partners are joining to install free smoke alarms for vulnerable households in the City of Syracuse on Saturday, May 4. The local initiative is part of a national Sound the Alarm effort to install free smoke alarms in at-risk neighborhoods across the country.

Events like these are truly lifesaving — and at the heart of our national Home Fire Campaign, which has helped save more than, 2,000 lives, including over 100 in the Eastern New York Region, since 2014.

If you live in Syracuse and need assistance, visit redcross.org/STAeny to schedule an appointment for a free smoke alarm installation. During a home visit, volunteers will also share information on the causes of home fires, how to prevent them, what to do if a fire starts and how to create an escape plan.

While volunteers will focus on the Syracuse area on May 4, home visits in other local communities may be accommodated that day or will be scheduled for another date.

russ Tarby

MEET PEANuT AND LiAM

By DONNA nEwMAn

Peanut and Liam are like the waves of the ocean; one ebbs, the other flows, but they’re intrinsically linked and cannot be separated. That’s what happens when you spend your entire life with another being. At five years old, this committed canine couple spend their entire lives as the beloved companions in a loving home. unfortunately, their family fell ill and is unable to care for them. Liam is the male and weighs twenty pounds, and Peanut is the female and weighs eleven pounds. Both can

After graduating from Fremont Ross

School, Margery attended Hiram College in Ohio. Later she earned a master’s degree in education from Syracuse University. A long-time resident of Manlius and Fayetteville, Margery taught home economics for many years at North Syracuse Central School.

Margery and Dallas traveled extensively worldwide well into retirement. They had a particular love for our National Parks and the cultures of the U.S. Southwest and Mexico. Margery was also passionate about the communities she lived in. She was a member of the Central New York Fasching Guild and Syracuse Opera Guild, loved the Syracuse Symphony and was a Democratic Party volunteer.

Margery is survived by her daughter, Cynthia Semmens, wife of George,

her son, Douglas Bowser, husband of Gail, her grandchildren, Katharine, Geoffrey, Erin and Kyle, her greatgrandchildren, Clara, Lydia, Emma and Cameron, who was born two days after Margery’s passing, and her brother, Richard L. Harter, husband of Cathy.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra (syracuseorchestra.org). Bean Funeral Homes, Sinking Spring is in charge of arrangements and online condolences may be made at beanfuneralhomes.com

donnA newmAn

Margery M. Bowser

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Competence

Like all eighth grade females, I took a course called home economics. We learned how to budget our money and time; how to shop for nutritious and economical food, how to prepare things like soup stock, a stew, salad and, strangely enough, a teabased punch. We learned to bake cookies, cake and bread.

We were taught basic clothing construction techniques and were required to prepare a fashion show of our creations with refreshments that we had budgeted, shopped for and prepared.

The boys in our class took something called industrial arts or shop, where they learned basic carpentry, plumbing, electrical and auto repair skills. Antediluvian in terms of separation of the genders, but useful no less. I am wondering what the world would look like if males and females both took home ec and shop?

I am thinking back to that home ec classroom in the basement of Carmel High School. It was always sparklingly clean, outstandingly organized and it provided the students with lessons that aimed for similar excellence. Of course that excellence was aspirational, but aspiring to excellence by precept and example is a good thing.

I remember the garment that I produced for the fashion show. It was a skirt, made of dark green corduroy. Corduroy fabric

has what is known as a noticeable grain, that is, the fabric has a decided direction. If you ignore that, or in my case, forget that, the resulting product will look odd. Mine looked very odd with the grain of the wales going one way on one side of the skirt and the other way on the other side. But I aspired to something better.

And then there another lesson in aspiration vs. reality. I was the babysitter for our home economics teacher, and her home did not look like the home ec room. It looked like my house, with four children, and sometimes even worse.

Those kinds of classes don’t exist anymore. Why? Is there some unspoken belief that these skills are no longer important? Are today’s adults exempt from needing to dust, purchase food or fix a leaky faucet?

Basic living skills have been outsourced to whom?

There is an adult sense of control that comes with the ability to live your life with a measure of competence. As we scroll through the answers of “how to” on our computers, searching for the answers that were common to those who had home ec and shop, YouTube does seem to be the source of competence for newer generations.

But, YouTube or not, the concept of living within your means, of developing living skills that allow you to live within your means is not out of date and will, for those who follow that idea, provide the means to weather economic ups and downs.

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

she lives in Marcellus with lots of books, a spouse and a large orange cat.

By Phil BlACkwEll

Each of the Liverpool and CiceroNorth Syracuse Blue girls golf teams intended to take strong records into their early-season showdown this Thursday afternoon at Hickory Hills – and got part of their task accomplished.

Having won its opener against Baldwinsville White on April 12, the Warriors could not follow it up last Monday against Fayetteville-Manlius White, falling to the Hornets 169-215.

Maddie Turck shot 44 to lead Liverpool, but that trailed the F-M White rounds of 37 from Emma Li and 41 from Katherine

By Phil BlACkwEll

Having lost its first two games this season, including one to archrival Liverpool, the Cicero-North Syracuse softball team faced a bit of urgency going into what was supposed to be its busiest stretch of the regular season.

Yet when the Northstars took on reigning sectional Class AA champion Baldwinsville last Tuesday afternoon, everything, especially the pitching, clicked and C-NS knocked off the Bees 3-0.

Throughout the game, the Bees gave itself chances, netting seven hits to C-NS’s five. Layla Trendowski had two of those hits, with Julianna Gingrich, Frankie DeSantis, Bella Hotchkiss, Leah Verschneider and Mackenzie Southworth all getting hits, too.

None of it led to runs, though. Combined, Northstars pitchers Kiyara Bembry (four innings) and Lilian Hotaling

By Phil BlACkwEll

When the Liverpool track and field teams challenged Cicero-North Syracuse on Tuesday at Bragman Stadium, it did so with two high-profile meets already in the books.

Parmley. Chloe Jaquin finished with a 54 ahead of Hailey Jaquin’s 58 as Naiah Lyons and Audrey Seymour both shot 59.

When C-NS Blue opened its season last Monday against Baldiwnsville Red at Northern Pines, it immediately displayed strong form in putting away the Bees 168211.

Isabella Borte shot a 38, edging out teammate Chloe Tice (39) for individual honors. Lindsey Kubala, with a 41, also topped B’ville Red’s low total of 46 from Peyton Kowalski and Abby Hildreth finished with a 50.

The younger C-NS Green squad had good scores in last Monday’s match against

(three innings) escaped possible jams and notched 11 strikeouts between them. Hotchkiss, B’ville’s pitcher, earned 10 strikeouts, but five hits and five walks proved costly, C-NS getting single runs in the first, fourth and fifth innings.

Sydney Rockwell led with a single, double and RBI. Eva Farone walked twice and scored a run, with Aubrey Coyle and Paige Pangaro getting the other RBIs, Erica Hibbard also scored a run.

Liverpool, fresh off those impressive wins over C-NS and reigning sectional Class B champion Chittenango, had a challenge last Tuesday against West Genesee, but rallied late to beat the Wildcats 6-4.

WG had beaten C-NS a week earlier and, despite losses to Whitesboro and Rome Free Academy, inched in front twice against the Warriors with single runs in the first and fourth innings.

Down 2-1, Liverpool did exactly what

West Genesee at West Hill Golf Course, but still fell to the Wildcats 172-188.

A lot of that difference came from the 35 shot by WG’s Sophia Simiele, 10 shots ahead of the 45 from the Northstars’ Meghan Spink. Grace DiOrio put up a 46 equaled by the Wildcats’ Mia Barbuto and Lena Kent as Jillian King had a 48 and Katie Bouziden finished with a 49. Then the C-NS sides both met up with their Fayetteville-Manlius counterparts on Wednesday, and both would take defeats.

C-NS Blue played well in a 171-178 loss to F-M Green at Green Lakes. Borte shot a 39, with Tice getting a 42 and Kubala a 47, but the Hornets had the low round of 37

it did in that game with the Northstars –namely, put up five runs in the sixth inning, taking advantage of a poor Wildcats defense which finished with five errors.

Only Maya Mills was credited with an RBI as Katia Flavin, Joelle Wike, Lauren Ragonese, Emily Nestor and Alexis Mathers scored runs, as did Mackenzie Frani, who overcame six hits and three walks to strike out nine in a completegame effort.

Saturday brought, for Liverpool, a trip to the Grand Slam Tournament at Ballston Spa, where the Warriors met two Section II opponents – and lost to both of them.

The first game was far closer, a 6-5 defeat to Shaker where leads of 1-0, 2-1 and 5-3 all got away, the last of them in a sixth inning where Liverpool’s three runs were answered by three from the Blue Bison, who held on from there. Mills had two of her team’s seven hits while joining Wike, Ava Falvo and Alivia Henty-Goldberg in

from Bella Fullmer, plus a 41 from Elizabeth Noel and 45 from Lindsey Chong.

More lopsided was C-NS Green’s 203262 defeat to F-M White at Beaumont, where the Hornets swept the top four, led by Li (47) and Parmley (48) as Jessica Barnes, with a 58, had the only Northstars total under 60.

Liverpool took a turn against West Genesee on Thursday and lost, 172-196, to the Wildcats at West Hill Golf Course. Turck shot 44, but that was well back of the blistering 30 by Simiele, while Alyssa Henderson and Harper Foriero both shot 50.

the assist column.

Then host Ballston Spa jumped all over the Warriors, prevailing 14-1 as it netted four runs in three of the first four innings to go with a two-run second after Frani singled home Mills in the top of the first.

C-NS, meanwhile, had its doubleheader at the Gillette Road complex against Shenendehowa and Saratoga Springs from Section II postponed, but did play at New Hartford and took a 1-0 defeat to the Spartans.

Hotaling was superb through most of her duel with New Hartford ace Ruby Gehringer, only allowing one hit - a single to Alessandra D’Apice. Olivia Vitullo scored the lone run in the bottom of the fourth.

The Northstars got three hits off Gehringer, one each by Pangaro, Mila Owens and Payton Bach, yet could not cross the plate, Gehringer recoring six strikeouts.

By Phil BlACkwEll

It hasn’t taken long to figure out that the Cicero-North Syracuse girls lacrosse team is quite good – and the heights to which it could reach seem more reasonable with every impressive victory.

Routs of strong opponents like South Jefferson and West Genesee helped the Northstars climb all the way to no. 2 in the first state Class A rankings of the spring, best among public-school teams and behind only St. Anthony’s from the Catholic Association.

Right after this came out, C-NS made the short trip to face rival Liverpool last Tuesday night at LHS Stadium and gave another demonstration of its all-around excellence in a 20-7 victory over the Warriors.

Even though it sat at no. 20 in that same state Class A poll, Liverpool found it difficult to keep up with the Northstars, who not only

Tamia Tearney, clearing 5 feet, won the pole vault over second-place Audrey Jenkins (4’10”) and then, in the long jump, Tearney prevailed again with 14’6 1/2” to go with a second (29’11”) in the triple jump. Jenna Hayes was second in the shot put with 27’4 1/2”.

B’ville’s domination of the boys meet didn’t keep Liverpool’s NyQuez Madison from getting first-place finishes. Madison went 20’1 3/4” in the long jump as no one else topped 19 feet and also unleashed a top triple jump of 40’3”, more than a foot ahead of his challengers.

The Warriors began its season April 10 hosting Baldwinsville, with the girls Warriors rolling to an 81-49 victory and the boys unable to keep up with the Bees in a 100-41 defeat. Leading Liverpool’s girls, Kaitlyn Hotaling won twice in distance events, covering 1,500 meters in five minutes, 2.10 seconds ahead of Yolanda Wei (5:06.90) and adding a 3,000-meter title in 10:56.89. Completing the distance-race sweep, Taylor Page was first in the 800-meter run in 2:19.55 as Charlotte Warner (2:30.63) got second place. Maddie Devendorf needed 12.96 seconds to hold off Mia Wright (13.12) for the top spot in the 100-meter dash, while Mikayla Greene got the win in the 200-meter dash in 26.38 to Devendorf’s 26.81.

It nearly got to a third title, Madison’s 11.58 seconds in the 100 sprint one-hundredth of a second behind Antonio Rivera’s 11.57. Madison also topped 5’4” in the high jump to finish second there. Roman Murray’s 2:00.28 in the 800 was close behind the Bees’ Chris Zellar (2:00.24), who also won the 200 and 400 sprints as Murray added a second in the 3,200. Ade Adefashola got second in the 110 hurdles, with Maltrin Ramidani second in the 400 hurdles and Andrew Lodge second in the pole vault, clearing 9 feet.

earning two hits, while Dylan Wiggins got credit for an RBI. Ben Watkins and Chris Williams drove in the C-NS runs scored by Shacory Williams and Andrew

were potent, but really spread things around. Seven different C-NS players had multiple goals, but none had more than three as Mackenzie Prentice, Sophia Nesci and Miabella Gates all finished with hat tricks.

Close behind them, Brooke Molchanoff and Gabby Putman scored twice and got two assists, with Putman also winning nine draw controls. Natalie Wilson and Elizabeth Smith also had two-goal outings.

Single goals went to Kaelyn Reid, Marissa Doty and Gabby Pauline, with Reid joing Ella Grotto in the assist column, while the Northstars’ defense made sure no Liverpool player could get comfortable.

Though well-balanced, the Warriors did not have a single player score more than once. Those goals went to Mia Berthoff, Gianna Carbone, Maura Woods, Emma Esposito, Caitlyn Guilfoil, Lilia Hertweck and Lauren Sacco, with Berthoff getting two assists.

West Genesee visited LHS Stadium a week later and the boys won 97-44 over the Wildcats, with three wins from Madison as he edged Dylan Frost, 11.62 seconds to 11.63, in the 100 sprint, went 18’5 1/2” in the long jump and 38’4 1/4” in the triple jump.

Taj Ryan also had a big meet, beating out Brayden Smith, 18.19 seconds to 18.57, in the 400 hurdles while clearing 5’4” in the high jump. Murray took the 800 in 2:03.07 and the 1,600 in 4:32.72 as Brady Ruediger won the 3,200 in 10:33.91.

Having taken the 400 hurdles in 1:02.07 to edge the 1:02.46 from WG’s Nick Lamanna, Ramadani also helped Murray, Josh Vang and Evan Slater run the 4x400 n 3:45.76 as Murray, Ruediger, Josh Vang and Nate Aurello got 8:34.84 in the 4x800.

As for C-NS, it went to Henninger and won 89-42 on the boys side, with Rhett Andrews going 2:05.8 in the 800 and 4:37.6 in the 1,600 as David Henry ran the 400 sprint in 53.5 seconds. Moving to the pole vault, Henry managed to clear 10 feet.

Anthony Johnson, having taken the 100 sprint in 11.4 seconds, had a top triple jump of 41 feet. Matt Jordan topped 5’4” in the high jump and Dante Melfi (3,200, 10:24.3) prevailed, as did Andrew Potter going 18.5 in the 110 hurdles.

Davis. Both sides came into this game undefeated, Liverpool winning its third in a row last Tuesday at Oswego as it blew past the Buccaneers 10-1.

Single runs in the first and second innings were followed by a three-run third and fiverun fifth that put Oswego away. Nate Benjamin led with three hits, three runs scored and two RBIs.

Vivacqua scored twice as he joined Roden, Austin Burch, Lucas Crawford and Cayden Nappa driving in one run apiece. Wiggins pitched, holding the Bucs to two hits in five

As C-NS prepared for a weekend trip to Washington, D.C., Liverpool had to turn around and, 24 hours later, face state Class C no. 13-ranked Fulton, which turned into quite a battle.

The Warriors built an 8-5 advantage by halftime and maintained that lead through most of the second half before the Red Dragons, down 13-9, erupted for four unanswered goals late in the second half.

Then Mya Carroll’s goal broke the tie, and from there Fulton held on to prevail 14-13, its offense nearly carried by the duo of Carroll, who had six goals, and Carleigh Patterson, who got five goals and two assists.

Hertweck’s career-best total of five goala and two assits helped lead Liverpool. Berthoff had four assists as she and Carbone scored twice, with single goals going to Guilfoil, Esposito, Sacco and Addyson Graham. Between them, goalies Gianna Tantalo and Ava Eich-

innings before Ryan Densmore worked two innings of scoreless relief.

Far closer was C-NS’s 4-3 win over East Syracuse Minoa where it trailed 3-2 going into the top of the seventh inning, only to notch the tying and go-ahead runs against Spartans reliever Mike Munger.

Davis and Mason Mingle scored those runs, having crossed the plate earlier in the game as Davis got two hits and two RBIs. Carter King went three-for-four and added an RBI. Battista Wood pitched three innings of relief to get the win after Kaden Kalfass struck out nine in his four-inning mound stint.

olzer earned eight saves.

Liverpool recovered Saturday to beat Rome Free Academy 11-2, Tantalo and Eicholzer stopping seven of the Black Knights’ nine shots to make sure the opposition never got any momentum.

Sacco joined Carbone with three-goal hat tricks. Wood had two goals and one assist, with Graham getting a goal and two assists. Berthoff and Hertweck also had two assists as Cali Brancato and Addison Sullivan found the net, too.

By the time Liverpool was done with Fayetteville-Manlius, Baldwinsville and West Genesee this week, it will have played seven games in 15 days. C-NS, meanwhile, had its trip to Washington, D.C., for a pair of games against local opponents last weekend before a much shorter venture to F-M on Thursday night.