SkAndA to hoSt ‘REScuEFESt’ event will support animal adoption, welfare organizations
By kAtE hill Staff Writer
On Saturday, Aug. 31, The Haven at Skanda will present “RescueFest,” a family-friendly event supporting rescued animals and Central New York’s non-profit animal welfare organizations.
Located on Mosley Road in Cazenovia, Skanda is a nonprofit farm animal sanctuary and education center that supports severely abused and neglected farm animals and offers programs that enable people of all ages and abilities, especially children, to experience and learn from the animals, connect with nature, and discover new possibilities. Key offerings include a youth anti-bullying program, outreach and prevention programs, public education programs, and a robust volunteer program.
“[RescueFest was created] to bring more attention to our community’s local shelters and nonprofits and bring the community
Aug.
on
and information on programs and ways to support rescued animals.
Critz hosts first ‘Dog Days’ for National Dog Day
By kAtE hill Staff Writer
On Sunday, Aug. 25, Critz Farms celebrated “Man’s best friend” by hosting its first annual dog party in honor of National Dog Day.
The free “Dog Days at Critz Farms” event featured various dog activities, including walking trails, an off-leash area, and pools; a dog parade around the farm; and a talent show.
Critz Farms also teamed up with several local rescues — Country Acres Animal Shelter, Wanderers’ Rest Humane Association, Rover’s Do Over, and B&R Bunkhouse — to raise awareness of their work and collect donations for their shelters.
Visitors to the farm were encouraged to consider contributing a monetary donation or items such as dog food, cat food, treats, toys, KONG toys, kitty litter, towels, bedding, and cleaners.
Throughout the event, Crtiz Farms Tap Room was open, Rosie’s Place food truck served food, and multiple vendors sold dogrelated items, including personalized collars, dog bandanas, and dog treats.
“We have always wanted to host a dog-specific event on the farm,” Critz Farms Brand Manager Emma Lisell said leading up to the event. “National Dog Day is celebrated annually on Aug. 26, so we thought
this summer event would be perfect to celebrate our dogs and the many dog visitors we have on the farm almost daily. We also wanted to find a way to raise awareness about the incredible work local rescue organizations are doing and give back to them through donations. For this event, our goal is to create a space for dog owners to celebrate their dogs with others, make some new friends, give back to our community, and have a lot of fun.”
National Dog Day was founded in 2004 by pet & family lifestyle expert, animal rescue advocate, conservationist, dog trainer, and author Colleen Paige
this fall.
DBy kAtE hill Staff Writer
oyle Judge, a Cazenovia native and New York City-based playwright, is producing his one-act play, “The Tragedy of Nero, Emperor of Rome,” for performance in the 2024 New York Theater Festival.
According to Judge’s website, the play explores the themes of identity and masculinity.
“Emperor Nero, an effeminate, disturbed, and ultimately pathetic young man attempts to reform Rome’s traditional culture through artistic renaissance,” the website states. “Both allies and enemies malign his leadership: Nero struggles through a series of abandonments while his enemies work to depose him.”
Judge’s work was one of a handful of plays selected for the 2024 New York Theater Festival.
Each year, playwrights submit plays of various lengths to the festival’s review committee, which selects those to be produced and performed on an offBroadway stage in Manhattan.
The festival then works with each selected playwright to ensure they have the cast, crew, and technical support needed to put on a successful production.
The performances of “The Tragedy of Nero, Emperor of Rome” are scheduled for Wednesday, Nov. 13 at 4 p.m., Friday, Nov. 15 at 6:30 p.m., and Sunday, Nov. 17 at 1 p.m. at Teatro LATEA in Manhattan’s Lower East Side.
Judge, who also penned a full-length version of his play, originally came across Nero’s story in Plutarch’s “Parallel Lives, The Life of Galba.”
“The more I read about Nero, the more I realized he was a lens through which a writer could examine the fall of Rome and its parallels to modern America at both a larger thematic and smaller, more personal level,” he said. “Nero’s life as an effeminate man and rule as a progressive emperor put him at odds with the Roman empire’s traditions and conservatism. His inability to find common ground made it impossible for him to stabilize the chaotic early Roman empire.”
According to Judge, who graduated from Cazenovia High School in 2012, his path to playwriting was
Submitted photoS
Saturday,
31, the haven at Skanda will host “RescueFest,” a meet and greet with cny animal welfare organizations. the family-friendly event will feature adoption opportunities, training demos,
Submitted photo
cazenovia high School graduate doyle Judge is producing his one-act play, “the tragedy of nero, Emperor of Rome,” for performance in the 2024 new york theater Festival
Kate hill
Critz Farms celebrated National Dog Day on Sunday, Aug. 25 by hosting its first dog party.
Skanda l Page 2
together to help these animals in need right outside our own back door,” Nicole Woodruff, Skanda’s board president, said in an Aug. 16 press release.
The farm will be open to the public from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., for a meet and greet with representatives of Skanda, Helping Hounds Dog Rescue, Clear Path for Veterans, the CNY Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (CNYSPCA), Hunter Hollow Bunny B&B, and Critter Sitters.
Helping Hounds will have dogs available for adoption and information on how to volunteer and support the organization.
Trainers from Clear Path’s Canine Unit will do service dog training demonstrations and provide information on programs for veterans and their families.
CNYSPCA will offer information about its programs and animals available for adoption.
Hunter Hollow will have bunnies available for adoption, and Critter Sitters will provide training information and tips for new dog owners. They will also share information on their services, including classes, interactive puppy play, and boarding.
Visitors can also sign up to interact with Skanda’s miniature donkeys, horses, and goats, and learn about the organization’s traumainformed programs for kids and adults, prevention and outreach programs, and
volunteer opportunities.
Other event highlights include games, face painting, farm tours, and food from Chef Mike’s Clear Path Food Truck. All food truck proceeds will go directly to Clear Path for Veterans.
Admission to RescueFest is $10 at the door for adults and free for kids. The proceeds will be divided equally among all participating nonprofits.
According to Ellen Beckerman, Skanda’s executive director, the invited organizations are all valued members of the animal
welfare community that share the goal of supporting rescued animals, finding them loving adoptive homes, and educating the public about the animalhuman bond and animals in need locally.
“We chose Helping Hounds because their adoption process matches humans to the animals, allowing animals to choose their people, ensuring their new family is a good fit and the adoption has the best chance of success,” Beckerman said. “Skanda advocates for animals to have
choices about how they live, so we love Helping Hounds’ approach. We chose Hunter Hollow Bunny B&B because they are orchestrating a planned closure and need to find homes for many of their bunnies. We chose Clear Path’s Canine Unit because they focus on each dog, getting to know them and learning what path is best for them. [They are also] helping so many of our veterans. We chose the CNYSPCA because we worked closely with them on the very first herd of rescued ponies Skanda took in back in 2013, and we continue to respect their work with animals in need all over CNY. We chose Critter
Sitters because they offer training and services to families with dogs that help them understand how to provide the best possible home and a loving supportive environment for their dogs.” Beckerman added that all the organizations represented at RescueFest prioritize the needs, health, and happiness of the animals they care for.
“Each of these organizations advocates for animals that have been left behind, forgotten, abused, and neglected,” she said. “We each help them overcome abuse, neglect, and loss and emerge from trauma as who they truly are, and we each have a hand in educating the public about how to see
animals as they really are, allow them to have choices about how they live, and support them with loving homes; this ultimately not only helps the animals, but [it also] brings so much meaning, hope, and love to the lives of the people who surround them.”
To learn more about The Haven at Skanda, call 315-480-9480, email Beckerman at ellen@thehavenatskanda.org, or visit thehavenatskanda.org
Tax-deductible donations can be made on Skanda’s secure website, via Venmo and Paypal @thehavenatskanda, or by check made out to “The Haven at Skanda” and mailed to 4000 Mosley Rd., Cazenovia, NY 13035.
H PS FOR HOPE
Tuesday, October 22, 2024 | DrumlinsCountry Club | Syracuse
Please join us at our annual Hoops for Hope Dinner Featuring an exclusive, early season Meet & Greet with our 2024-25 SU Men’s Basketball Team, including Head Coach Adrian Autry & Coaching
5:30 p.m. - Registration, Cash Bar & Silent Auction
6:15 p.m. - Autograph Alley: Purchase a $25 poster, signed by the Team & Coaches!
7:00 p.m. - Dinner, LIVE Auction & Coach Autry’s comments
National Champions Presenting Sponsor:
• Naming Sponsor on all Signage, Digital Billboards
• Thank You upon Opening/Closing remarks Prominent logo and Ad placement on all tables and event marketing materials
• Recognition in Press Release/media
• VIP Seating at Event (2 Tables/16 guests)
• “MVP Partner” Plaque with Company Name (Presented During Event)
• Autographed Team Ball
Final 4 Sponsor
• Recognition in announcements
• Preferred seating at event
• Full Page Logo in event materials
• Autographed Team Ball (1)
• Autographed Poster (Skip the Line)
• “Thank You Plaque” (Post Event)
• Table for 8 Guests
Elite 8 Sponsor
• Preferred seating at event
• Program Recognition
• Autographed Team Poster (4x)
• “Thank You” Plaque (post event)
Sweet 16 Sponsor
• Ta ble at event
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• Company Logo in Program
Boys & Girls Clubs
$15,000+ National Champion
Unable to attend the event but still want to support The Boys & Girls Clubs
Name recognition in media • and announcements
Full Page Ad/Company
• Logo in event marketing materials
2x Signed Posters of SU
• Men’s Basketball Team & Coaching Staff
Please make all checks payable to:
• Mail: Boys & Girls Club Syracuse: PO Box 606, Syracuse NY 13209
• Email form and payment to: smichalski@bgcsyracuse.org
• 2x Signed Posters of SU Men’s Basketball Team & Coaching Staff
CACDA
By kAtE hill Staff Writer
The Cazenovia Area Community Development Association (CACDA) has announced that the Village of Cazenovia is joining this year’s competition for New York State’s Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI) program, and community input is needed to complete the application.
Each year, the DRI awards one community in each region of the state a $10 million grant to transform their downtown. The goal is to increase walkability, redevelopment, business vitality, and economic and housing diversity in New York’s downtowns.
Cazenovia is in the Central Region; if selected, the village will undertake a year-long public process to determine the final projects.
CACDA and the village are currently soliciting ideas from the community to complete the DRI application.
The village and the Madison County Planning Department will present a public open house in the Cazenovia Public Library Community Room on Monday, Sept. 16 from 5 to 8 p.m. Attendees will have the opportunity to learn more about the projects proposed for inclusion in the application and provide feedback and ideas.
According to CACDA’s Aug. 19 press release, a survey will be available soon for community members to provide additional input.
“According to the DRI website, ‘The DRI represents an unprecedented and innovative “plan-then-act” strategy that couples strategic planning with immediate implementation,’” said CACDA Executive Director Lauren Lines. “Applicants are required to propose synergistic projects that collectively achieve a community-based vision for the downtown. Community input is needed to develop that community-based vision as the foundation
for the application.”
For more information, visit cacda. net/dri.html. Contact Lines at lines@ cacda.net or Village of Cazenovia Trustee Jen Lutter at lutter4caz@gmail.com with questions or ideas.
Funding opportunity for local businesses
Cazenovia area small businesses could be eligible for up to $35,000 in micro-enterprise grant funding through the NYS Office of Community Renewal.
According to an Aug. 22 press release, CACDA is partnering with Madison County and the Partnership for Community Development to provide grant funding for new and expanding small businesses with five or fewer employees — including the owners — in Madison County.
“The business must be owned by a low-to-moderate income person or must create at least one full-time equivalent
job made available to low-to-moderate income individuals,” the press release states. “The funding received must be matched by a minimum of 10 percent owner equity.”
The deadline to apply is Sept. 30, 2024.
“CACDA has always been committed to helping the small businesses, which are foundational in our community,” said Lines. “We understand the challenges inherent to running a small business in a rural area. Grants such as this help to catalyze new or expanding enterprises.”
Visit cacda.net for a link to the application or contact Lines at lines@ cacda.net for more information.
CACDA is an independent, not-forprofit community-based organization that works to enhance economic vitality and preserve the rural, historic character of the region through education, consensus-building, and project implementation.
2024-25 school tax rates for Cazenovia CSD established
The Cazenovia Central School District Board of Education approved 2024-25 tax rates for school district residents at its Aug. 12 meeting. For the most part, the rates are lower than the projected worst-case scenarios presented during budget season.
The primary factors that determine final tax rates are the school tax levy, towns’ assessed values and equalization rates. Tax rates are then used to calculate the amount each property owner ultimately pays in school taxes.
Tax rates may vary from town to
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long.
“After high school, I focused on getting an unrelated job that I really wanted,” he said. “Once I got the job and realized I didn’t fit, I was forced to consider paths I had never considered before. One of the first new things I tried was reading plays, and around the same time, one of my best friends gave me the
town because every year the New York State Office of Real Property Tax Services assigns an equalization rate for each municipality that creates an assessment value equal to its full market value. This process is intended to ensure that each town pays its fair share of school taxes based on the town’s full market value.
The school district does not control property assessments or equalization rates, however the district and its residents do control the property tax levy. In June, voters approved a revised $38.4 million
advice, ‘[You] know you’ve found the right fit when you can look at the people who did something before you and know you’d be happy if you someday were like them.’ I felt that way about the playwrights and plays I was reading, and so I stuck to it.”
Judge now has over five years of experience writing plays. His focus is on modernizing the language and dramatic styles of Elizabethan Eng -
budget, which included a reduction of $400,000 and a tax levy limit of 4.02%., which adheres to the statemandated tax cap formula. School tax bills are issued in September. Questions about assessments and equalization rates should be directed to the appropriate town assessor’s office.
Rates
Madison county
Village/Town of Cazenovia: a tax rate of $20.43 per $1,000 of assessed value;
land.
“I discovered meter, aesthetics, and phonetics in writing for the first time when I read writers from the time period,” he said. “There was a natural beauty to these fundamental components of writing that I wanted to emulate, and I also want to contribute in some small way to their modernization and inclusion in today’s writing styles.”
According to his website, Judge
Town of Fenner: a tax rate of $22.67 per $1,000 of assessed value; Town of Georgetown: a tax rate of $18.13 per $1,000 assessed value; Town of Lincoln: a tax rate of $22.67 per $1,000 of assessed value; Town of Nelson: a tax rate of $22.67 per $1,000 of assessed value; and Town of Sullivan: a tax rate of $20.87 per $1,000 of assessed value.
onondaga county
Town of Pompey: a tax rate of $23.02 per $1,000 of assessed value.
is currently developing three oneact plays: “Erie,” a 19th-century American riverboat comedy set on the Erie Canal; “Meghan & Harry,” a modern pop-culture comedy about Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s exit from the royal family; and another Roman tragedy.
To learn more about the playwright and his work, visit doylejudge.com.
OuR vOicE
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.
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 relieve 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.
PAtiEncE lEARnEd
The school calendar arrived today. It is full of the things that make up the context of what school means to the community, whether you have children currently enrolled, whether you are a staff member or whether you simply contribute to its existence and mission through your taxes … or any combination thereof. It reminded me of how
FROM THE MAILBAG
When you vote
To the editor:
Ferro
much school meant to me as a student, teacher, parent, board member and taxpayer. And it also reminded me that all of the lessons we learn don’t come from that institution. To succeed at school there have to be lessons
taught at home, basic lessons, some that I learned from my father a zillion years ago. My father found the boat lying in the reeds at the marshy beginnings of the smaller of the two lakes that make up Lake Carmel. He watched the swamped boat for some weeks before he retrieved it and brought it to sit upside down on his old
Last Sunday, there was a Commemoration of the Cazenova Abolition Convention held in 1850 where Frederick Douglas and others spoke against slavery to an estimated crowd of 2,500. Prior to attending the event, I finished Eric Larson’s latest book, The Demon of Unrest. It’s a gripping, fact filled read about the events leading up to the firing on Fort Sumter and the beginning of our Civil War. Interestingly, much of the slavery politics of that time tolerated or justified slavery primarily as a state’s rights issue.
That sentiment seems to echo some of today’s political perspectives by some of our elected representatives and Supreme Court justices. They believe that contraception, IVF and other reproductive health decisions should be a state’s rights issue. Historically, whenever personal or public freedoms are going to be infringed on or deprived, from slavery to whether women can vote, separate but equal educations, different bus seats by race or legally forbidding interracial marriage, the justification is frequently that it’s a state’s rights issue.
When any person or politician says that, they are leaving inalienable rights and freedoms meant for all Americans, wherever citizens reside, essentially unprotected and left to vary state by state. When you vote, protect your rights and your freedoms. Say no to politicians who favor a state by state approach to reproductive health and other key rights.
kEvin cuRtiS Cazenovia
Explain it to me
To the editor:
I have lived in Manlius village or town for the past 38 years. During that time, I cannot remember our congressional representative, whether Republican or Democrat, airing political commercials “Paid for by Official Funds authorized by the House of Representatives.” That is, not until now. How is it that taxpayer dollars can be used by Brandon Williams for partisan political advertising?
The first of these televised ads seemingly informed us about constituent services available through Rep. Williams Office. Presumably, these services, such as assistance in obtaining a passport, were always available through his office. Suspiciously, his ad informing us of these services only became expedient in time for his re-election campaign. Why for the first year and a half of his term in office didn’t Brandon Williams think it necessary to inform us?
Subsequent media ads paid for by public money have taken on a decidedly more partisan tone by labeling his opponents the “radical left.” This moves the advertisement from being informational to being political advocacy. If Williams wants to engage in partisan mudslinging, he should at least have to pay for it on his own dime or through one of the PACs supporting him, but don’t use taxpayer dollars to make partisan attacks.
Perhaps someone can explain when and how the Republican House of Representatives authorized funding for partisan political advertising. I always thought Congress was prohibited from using tax dollars for partisan political purposes. It’s bad enough that politicians show up for ribbon cutting events financed by public money when they voted against the project. But there is no justification for using taxpayer dollars to support partisan messages for a re-election campaign. In my opinion, Brandon Williams has crossed the line with these publicly funded political ads.
cRAiG A. dudczAk fayetteville
Yard sale success
To the editor:
We would like to thank the entire Cazenovia Community for making the second year of the “Cazenovia Community Yard Sale for Charity” a great success.
Because of all the generous donations we were able to raise $5,900 for this years’ charities; Scouting America Troop 18 of Cazenovia, Caz Cares, Caz Garden Club, and Hopital Sacre Coeur in Haiti. Thank you to all the volunteers without whose hard work this sale could never have been held. Thank you Alicia, Bonnie, Denny, Denise, Kay, Laurie, Marie, Monica, Susan and student volunteers Tyler and Natalia. I would especially like to thank Cunningham Excavation for the generous use of their property for the site of the sale, Cazenovia Self Storage for use of a storage unit and Borsellino Home Services for clean up services.
We hope to be able to have the Yard Sale for Charity again in 2025 and look forward to the generous support of the Cazenovia Community once more.
kEvin kEnnEdy And toM GREEn Cazenovia
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paint-spattered saw horses for another month while the local constabulary tried to find its owner. Finally, it was ours … to repair.
This was my dad’s opportunity to teach his children the method and meaning of persistence, goal seeking and having a boat that wouldn’t sink. I was 10 years old
Years Ago in History
By cindy BEll toBEy
60 years Ago – Aug. 27, 1964
Construction of six miles of new natural gas line between the Hamlet of Oran and the Village of Cazenovia is underway, according to Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation.
Designed to provide an additional source of natural gas supply to growing suburban communities east of Syracuse, the new line will connect two existing gas supply routes.
One line, through DeWitt and Fayetteville, presently ends at Oran. Another runs from a point south of Cazenovia to the western boundary of the village.
The connecting line, containing over 31,500 feet of 12-inch welded steel piping, will parallel New York State Route 92 and a short portion of U. S. Route 20.
The utility said construction of the new line, begun early this month, is expected to be complete by the first part of September.
55 years Ago – Aug. 27, 1969
Guidelines for control of Dutch elm disease are provided in a publication co-authored by Wayne A. Sinclair and John A. Weidhaas, Jr. of the State College of Agricultural at Cornell University.
The work points out that there is no known cure for Dutch elm disease, but by persistent and effective removal of trees as they become infected a community can substantially reduce the advance of the disease in these major shade trees.
In such a “sanitation” program, removal should be supplemented by spraying.
“Effective sanitation alone can keep Dutch elm disease losses in a community to less than two percent of the elm population per year,” the booklet declares. The Village of Cazenovia has had a spraying and removal program, but only for trees on village property.
50 years Ago – Aug. 28, 1974
Mystic Mountain, an approximately 313-acre ski area in New Woodstock, operated by Andy Leidal, who headed the New Woodstock Recreation Corp. that has several stockholders, have moved to Florida.
The property is for sale. Promoted as a family ski center, Mystic offered ski lessons, racing, child care, a cafeteria, a Steinhous serving beer and wine, a ski rental shop and over seven miles of ski trails.
The lodge was extensively renovated in 1970. In 1971 a chair lift with 86 two-passenger chairs suspended from 10 towers was installed.
Other improvements made by New Woodstock Recreation included outdoor lighting for night skiing, snowmaking equipment and development of an additional ski hill.
The Mystic Mountain area is on the east side of a 1,900 foot high ridge and has a 590 foot drop. Last winter’s gasoline shortage, together with the second consecutive ski season without sufficient snow, caused a decline in daily attendance.
Another Central New York ski area, Intermont, was also hard hit by poor snow conditions and closed during the 1973-74 season.
45 years Ago – Aug. 29, 1979
Cows, corn, oats and hay, that’s what you see on local farms. Right?
Wrong!
There’s a new crop coming and it’s big and yellow and passersby gasp when they see an acre of it.
The newest cash crop, believe it or not, is sunflowers. And we’re not talking about bird seed.
Lynn Ketcham, who lives on Peth Road in Cazenovia, has 23 acres of sunflowers nodding their enormous heads on the Ketcham family farm on the Manlius end of the road, Peck Hill.
He’s raising them to sell to brokers who will in turn sell them to food processors.
And the next time you buy Promise Margarine or sunflower oil for cooking, you might be buying Mr. Ketcham’s crop.
Ramblings from the empty nest
ann
All-conSuMinG BRAckEt
Already it’s here, inevitable, unavoidable and wildly premature.
The very first ESPN promos for the very first college football games of 2024included, as its primary non-game graphics, a bracket with 12 spots, perhaps because they need to remind us that they’ll air most of the newly-styled playoff once December rolls around.
To which I would say: already?
Then again, it’s not surprising. For a decade after major college football finally instituted a small-scale version of the large-scale playoff long done at the FCS, Division II and Division III levels, absolutely everything centered around who would qualify and who wouldn’t, rendering anything other than the last four as irrelevant.
Conferences were judged by whether they got teams to the CFP and, when they didn’t, either withered or, in the case of the Pac-12, fell apart. Players whose teams
Random Thoughts
Phil Blackwell
were denied and/or shafted and had an NFL payday close at hand didn’t bother with the bowl games anymore. The gap between the powerful and everyone else only grew.
In theory, growing the playoff from four to 12 should alleviate some of this inequality. Each of the major conference champions gets automatic berths. The best of the non-power conference group will, too. Past glaring omissions (see Florida State, 2023) were just that – a part of the past, never to return.
Ah, but the new format was conceived when there were five power conferences plus the “Group of Five”, meaning just six at-large berths available to the rest, far too little for those accustomed to getting everything they wanted.
Thus, an SEC ballooned to 18 schools, most of them athletic behemoths, plus a Big Ten with four West Coast out-
Patience l From page 6
at the time, which meant that my siblings were, in order, 8, 7 and 6 years old. Thinking about this now, it is clear why most of those lessons seemed deigned to be my lessons. I mean, what can you do with six- and seven-year-olds and my eight-year-old sister was a master of having to use the bathroom whenever there was work to be done.
The boat, lying bottom up, dried out, soaking up the sun of a sunny June.
It was a sorry sight. Painted green many times over, its surface had a lizard-like appearance. One of the seats was rotten and the sun squeaked through the bottom boards making bright lines on the ground underneath. Even a 10year-old knows that doesn’t bode well for seaworthiness … in this case, lake worthiness.
I was anxious to repaint the boat, but my father cautioned me that it was important to prepare the surface for the paint.
I had no idea what he meant until he handed me a paint scraper and showed me what to do. At first, this seemed exciting. The “at first” part lasted a very short time. It seemed to take months to remove all of the “alligatored” paint.
My father coached, “Don’t gouge the wood. Use long even strokes to loosen the paint.”
How much of this kind of energy and focus can a 10-year-old have? The sun was hot, the effort was both difficult and boring. I whined but persisted with visions of us in the boat out on the lake,
posts, an ACC stretching itself to Dallas (SMU) and the Bay Area (Cal and Stanford) and a Big 12 with its own 2,000-plus mile range from the mountains of Morgantown to the desert of Tucson.
Like it or not, these superconferences will wield most of the power and do everything possible to keep the CFP to themselves, doing everything they can to crush the dreams of outsiders.
This alone is discouraging, but pushing the playoff at us from the opening kickoff does its own unintentional damage.
A fairly large segment of college fans long have defended the sanctity and meaning of the regular season when opposing any playoff plans. To me, at first they sounded too eager to apologize for an elitist status quo, but as time has passed some of their contentions ring truer.
Really, we shouldn’t even be considering the playoffs until November. It can take half a season to separate top teams from the pack, and in
and, with Dad’s help, the boat was prepared, primed and painted. A new seat was installed.
My Dad showed me how to caulk the open seams of the boat’s bottom. “The cording swells and keeps the water out.” Just in case, we hunted up an empty coffee can for bailing.
Dad bought some oars and oar locks from Sears.
Finally, somewhere near the end of July, the unnamed boat was ready. My father made a transport vehicle out of baby carriage wheels and his stash of scavenged pallets. The flat-bottomed boat made its way down Ogden Road to the small spit of land that juts out behind the row of mailboxes on Route 52.
We spent so many happy hours in that little boat. The last time I remember being in it, I was in my early 20s and had taken my in-laws to be out onto the lake to fish for perch. My Dad was quite ill by then, but his hand was there, in mine, in the boat and in the lessons that he taught me that went far beyond the boat repair.
And today, as the opening of school comes closer, I am reminded that this lesson of goal setting, persistence, hard work and support was a skill set that I used as a student, a teacher and a parent.
Let’s wish that all children come to school having experienced their versions of old green boats.
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.
the NFL no one in October is thinking much about a postseason which starts in January. Waiting gives us a chance to establish conference races and fully enjoy the big games (think Texas-Michigan, or Alabama-Wisconsin) early in the season, reminding us of the incomparable spirit of a Saturday on a campus, from first tailgate to final whistle.
And even when we’re in November and decision time nears for the CFP committee, mass quantities of oxygen get swallowed up by pointless weekly ranking shows that will no doubt feature mock brackets. Oh joy, just like February and March for basketball, where we’re so eager to project how it will look that we forfeit the element of surprise.
What will make this all worthwhile? Perhaps the sight of an Iowa or Missouri or Ole Miss or Penn State finally making their way into a playoff long denied to them, forcing us to look beyond our usual stops (Tuscaloosa, Ath -
chair or stool?
3. You have to use the hand rail while walking up a ight of stairs?
4. You can no longer do a dead hang with your feet o the oor for one minute?
5. You can’t get up o the oor without using your arms to assist you?
6. Your body aches a er any type of physical activity?
7. You can no longer do 10 squat thrusts or 10 pushups?
OR..
8. Your back starts to bother you during a round of golf?
9. You have lost a minimum of 10-15 yards o the tee in the last two years?
10. You have to take a nap a er playing a round of golf?
If you answer “YES” to anyone one of the “10” questions above, and your symptoms are “mild”, as compared to “moderate” or “severe”, BE CAREFUL, your symptoms are about to become “moderate” or “severe” if you don’t start paying more attention to your body. I KNOW! I experienced all “10” a er I turned 50…at the “moderate” level. Why? Because it was EASY to gain 10 lbs. EASY to use the hand rail to walk up stairs. EASY to tie my shoe laces using a chair. EASY to use my arms to brace myself while getting o the oor. In other words, it is EASY to ignore the symptoms our body makes us aware of as we age and really HARD to get back to doing the things we considered EASY in our 30’s and 40’s. When, and only when we make a commitment to improve our overall mental health, strength and exibility will we be able to improve our personal life, our job or our golf game. A few of the aging symptoms our body makes us aware of a er 50 can be reversed in one month. Some might take 6 months. e majority might take over a year
ens, Ann Arbor, Columbus) to find the best stories.
Even bigger, though, would be the sight, during the playoffs, of one or two unexpected results. Maybe the first-round winners ride that momentum to a stunner in the quarterfinals against the rested top four, and too bad these games aren’t on campus instead of at the stodgy bowl sites.
Rarely, if ever, has the maxim of enjoying the process instead of solely focusing on the outcome applied as it does with college football circa 2024. Whether it’s long-boiling rivalries or outstanding individuals, there’s plenty to track and dissect in the early going without shoving that blasted bracket in our faces.
Leave the playoff alone, and you might find its arrival a blessing, rather than a burden.
Phil Blackwell is sports editor at Eagle News. He can be reached at pblackwell@ eaglenewsonline. com.
or perhaps even for the rest of our life.
e hardest thing about making a commitment is that you do not truly appreciate the bene ts of your hard work until you actually start doing some of the things you took for granted when you were in your 30’s and 40’s. You might not do them quite as well as you once did, but “good enough” today is…“good enough”!
ere is both a physical and mental relationship with the game of golf that can not be denied nor ignored. Whether you are a beginner or an elite golfer, your success is directly proportional to the e ort and commitment you decide to undertake to achieve the results you desire.
I do not use the words always or guarantee when I respond to a question about the things that are required and necessary to become a better golfer. However, I highly recommend the following “Formula for Success” that I have adapted over the years that comes as close to perfect as anything else I have ever done…
“MAKE A COMMITMENT TO START DOING THE THINGS I MENTIONED IN THE FIRST SEVEN QUESTIONS AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS ARTICLE…TO THE BEST OF YOUR ABILITY. REMEMBER TO BE PATIENT. YOU WILL BE AMAZED AT THE SUCCESS IN BOTH GOLF, WORK AND LIFE YOU WILL EXPERIENCE IN EACH OF THE DECADES THAT ARE AHEAD OF YOU”.
ere are times in our life when it is necessary for us to look in a mirror and make commitments about ourselves, our family and our future. I sincerely hope this is one of those times for you! It won’t be easy. It will be hard, but it will also be gratifying, enriching and worthwhile.
Cazenovia Artisans to present Vartan Poghosian
rom Sept. 1 to 30 Cazenovia
FArtisans will host Vartan Poghosian’s work is a poignant expression of the wide range of human emotion he encounters from his travels and his life experiences.
“Often, my creations take the form of a container, frequently delving into the notion of a vessel for travel. I consistently view them as protectors of valuable cargo, while simultaneously embodying the characteristics of a voyager,” Poghosian said.
Poghosian was born and raised in Yerevan, Armenia.
He received his education at the Mkhitar Sebastatsi Educational Complex in Yerevan, specializing in ceramic arts and furthered his knowledge through mentorships.
Following his military service, Poghosian then relocated to the United States and settled in Upstate New York.
There, he embarked on a journey of
Send your events to Alyssa Dearborn at adearborn@ eaglenewsonline.com. Notices must have the date, time and location of the event. The deadline for submissions is 10 a.m. on Friday for the following week’s editions.
THROUGH SEPTEMBER
Autumn Leaves Arts Festival Village of Cazenovia. Enjoy the historic village of Cazenovia as the leaves begin to turn. Arts events include live music, gallery showings of local artists, activities for all ages, and more.
THROUGH AUG. 30
Art Exhibit New Woodstock Free Library. View the mixed media art of Richard Marchant, including oil painting, pen and ink, and clay.
SUNDAYS THROUGH SEPT. 1
Gerrit Smith Estate Summer Sunday Sessions
1 p.m. 5304 Oxbow Rd. Join each week
teaching and volunteering at art centers and community colleges.
He established the community art center known as 4 Elements Studio in 2009 in Utica. This center provides exhibition space and art classes for individuals of all ages, including children, adults, immigrants, and those with disabilities.
In 2020, Poghosian established Clayville Pottery, the primary platform for highlighting his original ceramic creations and artwork.
An artist reception will be ehld Sept. 7 from 2 to 5 p.m. and is free and open to the public. Light refreshments will be served.
For more information visit cazenoviaartisans.co m , 315-655-2225, or stop by 39 Albany St.
cazenovia Artisans will feature vartan Poghosian’s work during the month of September.
Submitted photo
to learn about a different historic topic relating to the Gerrit Smith Family of Peterboro and the crusade for human rights.
WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 11
Erieville Nelson Heritage Society Meeting
7 p.m. Erieville Firehouse. Historian Susan Millet will present on Camp Syracuse WWI.
SEPT. 11-14
Jazz-N-caz Village of Cazenovia. Part of the Autumn Leaves Arts Festival, there will be four days of nine free jazz concerts. www.cazarts. com/autumn-fest.html.
SEPT. 14 & 15
cNY Folks March
Clark Reservation, Rt. 173. Saturday registration: 9 a.m.-12 p.m. Sunday reg-
istration: 1 p.m.-3 p.m. $4 for adults, $1 for kids ages 5-18. Active military and vets are half price. Your first time is free. www.folksmarch.wordpress.com.
ONGOiNG
MONDAYS
Mindfulness and Meditation with Ava
12 p.m.-1 p.m. Clear Path for Veterans. This workshop will provide participants the opportunity to destress and learn about different techniques and skills.
Dungeons & Dragons
6 p.m. New Woodstock Free Library.
TUESDAYS
Baby Storytime
10:30 a.m. Story Garden, Cazenovia Library, 100 Albany St. Bring your baby for a lapsit story time! Features interactive movement
and singing. Children under 3 only.
WEDNESDAYS
Family Storytime 10:30 a.m. Cazenovia Library. Join Ms. Jenna for stories, songs, and fun!
THURSDAYS Preschool Story Hour 1 p.m. Cazenovia Library. Join Ms.
Debora in reading books for preschoolers, with activities and a new theme each week.
FRiDAYS Friday Night Fire 4:30 p.m. Clear Path for Veterans. Join for a complimentary dinner and family friendly activities. No registration required. Open for the public.
Newspaper Delivery (Surrounding Syracuse)
Fall Sports Schedule Good Luck Cazenovia 2024 Athletes!
Sept. 6: at South Jefferson, 6:30 p.m.
Sept. 14: General Brown, 1:30 p.m.
Sept. 20: at Lowville, 7 p.m.
Sept. 27: at Skaneateles, 6:30 p.m.
Oct. 5: Southen Hills, 1:30 p.m.
Oct. 11: at Solvay, 6:30 p.m.
Oct. 18: at Marcellus, 7 p.m.
Oct. 26: Bishop Ludden/SAS, 1:30 p.m.
Girls Soccer
Sept. 10: at Chittenango, 5 p.m.
Sept. 12: at Hannibal, 5 p.m.
Sept. 17: at Westhill, 6:30 p.m.
Sept. 21: CBA, 1 p.m.
Sept. 24: Hannibal, 5 p.m.
Sept. 26: at Homer, 6 p.m.
Sept. 28: at Phoenix, 1 p.m.
Sept. 30: Chittenango, 6:30 p.m.
Oct. 3: Marcellus, 6:30 p.m.
Oct. 5: Bishop Ludden, 4:30 p.m.
Oct. 8: at CBA, 7 p.m.
Oct. 10: Phoenix, 4:30 p.m.
Oct. 11: at Bishop Grimes, 4:30 p.m.
Oct. 15: Homer, 4:30 p.m.
Oct. 17: Cortland, 4:30 p.m.
Boys Soccer
Sept. 6-7: at DeRuyter Blast-Off Tournament
Sept. 10: Jordan-Elbridge, 6:30 p.m.
Sept. 12: at Skaneateles, 6:30 p.m.
Sept. 14: Syracuse Academy of Science, 9:30 a.m.
Sept. 17: at Solvay, 5:30 p.m.
by Phil Blackwell
Sept. 20: at Canastota, 4 p.m.
Sept. 24: at Chittenango, 5 p.m.
Sept. 26: Cortland, 6:30 p.m.
Sept. 28: at Manlius Pebble Hill, 11 a.m.
Oct. 1: at Jordan-Elbridge, 6:30 p.m.
Oct. 4: Canastota, 6:30 p.m.
Oct. 8: Solvay, 6:30 p.m.
Oct. 10: Chittenango, 6:30 p.m.
Oct. 12: Lowville, noon
Oct. 15: at Cortland, 7 p.m.
Field Hockey
Sept. 5: Camden, 5:30 p.m.
Sept. 7: at Oneida, 10:30 a.m.
Sept. 9: at Cato-Meridian, 4:30 p.m.
Sept. 11: Cortland, 4:30 p.m.
Sept. 17: at Weedsport, 5:30 p.m.
Sept. 19: at Homer, 4:30 p.m.
Sept. 23: Whitesboro, 5:30 p.m.
Sept. 25: Port Byron/Union Springs, 5:30 p.m.
Sept. 27: at Cortland, 6 p.m.
Oct. 1: Cato-Meridian, 5:30 p.m.
Oct. 3: Weddsport, 5:30 p.m.
Oct. 4: Oneida, 5:15 p.m.
Oct. 7: at Port Byron/Union Springs, 6 p.m.
Oct. 9: Homer, 5 p.m.
Oct. 12: Central Valley Academy, 10 a.m. Plus home game vs. FayettevilleManlius date TBD
Girls Volleyball
Sept. 4: Jordan-Elbridge, 6:15 p.m.
Sept. 9: Marcellus, 6 p.m.
Sept. 12: at Westhill, 6 p.m.
Sept. 14: Hornet Pride Tournament at Fayetteville-Manlius, 8 a.m.
Sept. 16: Skaneateles, 6 p.m.
Sept. 18: Cortland, 6 p.m.
Sept. 24: Indian River, 5:30 p.m.
Sept. 25: Mexico, 6 p.m.
Sept. 30: at Phoenix, 6 p.m.
Oct. 3: Homer, 6 p.m.
Oct. 7: at Solvay, 6 p.m.
Oct. 9: at Marcellus, 6:30 p.m.
Oct. 16: at Skaneateles, 6 p.m.
Oct. 19: OHSL Tournament at Phoenix, 8 a.m.
Oct. 21: Westhill, 6 p.m.
Oct. 24: Hannibal, 6 p.m.
Boys, Girls Cross Country
Sept. 18: at Cortland (w/CBA, Jordan-Elbridge), 4:30 p.m.
Sept. 25: at Mexico (w/Cortland, Phoenix), 4:30 p.m.
Oct. 9: at Chittenango (w/Cortland, Solvay), 4:30 p.m.
Oct. 30: OHSL Championships, 4:30 p.m.
Nov. 9: Section III Championships at Mount Markham, 9 a.m.
Nov. 16: NYSPHSAA Championships at Queensbury
Girls Tennis
Sept. 4: at Homer, 4:30 p.m.
Sept. 6: Mexico, 4:30 p.m.
Sept. 9: at Westhill, 4:30 p.m.
Sept. 10: at Vernon-Verona-Sherrill, 4 p.m.
Sept. 11: CBA, 4:30 p.m.
Sept. 13: at Cortland, 4:30 p.m.
Sept. 16: Chittenango, 4:30 p.m.
Sept. 20: Marcellus, 4:30 p.m.
Sept. 25: Manlius Pebble Hill, 4:30 p.m.
Sept. 28: Pulaski, 10 a.m.
Sept. 30: at Phoenix, 4:30 p.m.
Oct. 1: Skaneateles, 4:30 p.m.
Plus home match vs. Clinton date TBD
Boys Golf
Home matches at Cazenovia Country Club
Aug. 29: at Westhill, 3:30 p.m.
Sept. 3: at Phoenix, 3:30 p.m.
Sept. 6: Chittenango, 3:30 p.m.
Sept. 9: at Cortland, 3:30 p.m.
Sept. 11: Mexico, 3:30 p.m.
Sept. 13: CBA, 3:30 p.m.
Sept. 16: at Homer, 3:30 p.m.
Sept. 20: Westhill, 3:30 p.m.
Sept. 23: Phoenix, 3:30 p.m.
Sept. 25: at Chittenango, 3:30 p.m.
Sept. 27: Cortland, 3:30 p.m.
Sept. 30: at Mexico, 3:30 p.m.
Oct. 2: at CBA, 3:30 p.m.
Oct. 8: Section III Small School Championship at Beaver Meadows, 9 a.m.
to bring attention to the plight of animals around the globe and encourage adoption. The holiday celebrates all dogs, mixed breed and pure, and was adopted into New
York State Legislation in 2013.
“Dogs put their lives on the line every day [for] personal protection, for law enforcement, for the disabled, for our freedom and safety by detecting bombs and drugs and pulling victims of tragedy from
wreckage,” the National Dog Day website states. “Now they’re detecting cancer and seizures — things even humans cannot do.”
To learn more, visit nationaldogday. com. For more information on Critz Farms, visit critzfarms.com.
Sept 1 - Caz Heritage Barn Tour - Meadowood Farms, the 1790s threshing barn will be open for a rare glimpse inside its historic interiors, 2-3pm Sept 2 - 261 Fearless Running Group @ High School Green, 6-7pm
Sept 7 - Artist Reception “Barque” w/ ceramist Vartan Poghosian @ Cazenovia Artisans, 2-5pm
Sept 8 - Limestone Creek Hunt Club’s Parade and Blessing of the Hounds @ Lorenzo, Parade starts at 9am Sept 11 through 14 - Jazz in Caz. Visit cazarts.com for schedule.
Sept 11 - 9/11 Candlelight Vigil and Ceremony @ Memorial Park on Albany St, 7-8pm
Sept 14 - Saturday Stewardship Workday with CPF @ St Peter’s Church Parking Lot, 8-11am
Sept 14 - Dangerous Type playing live @ Madison County Distillery, 5-8pm
Sept 15 - Lorenzo Fine Art Tour w/ art historian Elisabeth Genter Montevecchio, 2-3pm
Sept 20 - Caz Forum - The Power of Story Telling: w/ Michael O. Snyder @ Caz Highschool, 7-8pm
Sept 21 - Gorge Trail Gateway Grand Opening w/ CPF @ Buyea’s Parking Lot, Ribbon cutting, live music, food trucks, & more, 10-2pm
Sept 21 - Jess Novak Band playing live @ Madison County Distillery, 5-8pm
Sept 22 - Chad And Friends Live @ Madison County Distillery, 1-4pm
Sept 22 - Rippleton Schoolhouse “Community Day” @ The Lorenzo, w/ period games, live music and more! 1-4pm
Sept 26 - Trail Work Thursday @ Meet at St Peter’s Church parking lot, 4:30-6:30pm
Sept 27 - Cazenovia Art Trail Kick-off Gala Reception @ Carpenter’s Barn, 6-8pm
Sept 28 & 29 - Cazenovia Art Trail, Twenty eight Artists Studios will be open to the public throughout the town of Cazenovia. More info at https://art-trail.org/
Every Tuesday:
Yoga @ St James Church, 6-7pm
Every Saturday: Cazenovia Farmers Market @ Memorial Park, 9am - 2pm Sensory Saturdays @ Rippleton Schoolhouse, 1-3pm
Every Sunday: Yoga On The Docks @ The Brewster Inn, 9:30am
