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Luzerne County – the perfect getaway for your family and friends Luzerne County is the perfect getaway for your family and friends. Whitewater Challengers, in White Haven, has been guiding rafters down the Lehigh River for more than 30 years. Another experienced guide company is Pocono Whitewater, guiding trips on the Lehigh. If you like to bike, take a scenic ride along the Lehigh River. Rentals are available at Whitewater Challengers and Pocono Whitewater. Luzerne County has kayaking, too. Several outfitters in the area offer guided tours where you can see herons, beavers and even bald eagles. Springtime is tee time. Northeastern Pennsylvania offers golfers challenging, uncrowded courses. Call for the “Golf and Stay” brochure which offers various hotel/golf packages. Shoppers can go to the Arena Hub Shopping Plaza in Wilkes-Barre, which offers outlet shopping, such as Eddie Bauer Outlet and Barnes and Noble for a latte, reading material and more. History abounds in the region. Late in the 17th century, Native American Indians
settled in the meadows of the Wyoming Valley along the shores of the Susquehanna River. Innovations during the Industrial Revolution here set the standard for a growing nation and a foundation for American prosperity. Eckley Miner’s Village depicts life among the coal families with an authentic patchtown village, which was the film set for the movie “The Molly McGuires” starring Sean Connery. The Steamtown National Historic Site presents the history of steam railroading and the people who made it possible. At the Lackawanna Coal Mine Tour, a coal miner will take you 300 feet below the earth’s surface to give you an overview of the life of miners. Take the kids to the Houdini Museum and watch the eccentric John Bravo the Great make rabbits appear and people disappear. Knoebels Amusement Park, the #1 familyowned amusement park in the U.S., is just minutes away from Wilkes-Barre. Luzerne County hosts the Wilkes-Barre/ Scranton Penguins, the AHL affiliate of the Pittsburgh Penguins, at the state-of-the-art
Mohegan Sun Arena. Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs Casino is now open for business. The casino boasts 1,500 slots and table games, a beautiful view of the mountains, live harness racing and several restaurants. Fairs, parades and festivals, which represent the rich ethnic diversity and civic pride, abound here. Experience an Art Deco-style theater at the F.M. Kirby Center for the Kayak rentals are available on the Susquehanna River, Performing Arts. Awesome Wilkes-Barre, PA. Chocolates is located in Dallas, PA, and has a lovely café and gift shop for and whatnots, and treat yourself to homemade unique chocolate concoctions. The Victorian- ice-cream. The farm store offers an array era Luzerne County Courthouse is considered of country items, as well as organic milk, one of the most beautiful courthouses in cheese, eggs and more. Pennsylvania. Lastly, for another taste of “Luzerne County – You’ll Find it All Right Victoriana, visit The Lands at Hillside Farms, Here!” Call 1-888-905-2872 for a free Visitors where you can tour the dairy barns, bring Guide and Calendar of Events, or visit www. carrots for the Clydesdales, goats, donkeys tournepa.com.
Cortland Repertory Theatre announces 44th annual summer season Cortland Repertory Theatre announces its 44th annual summer season. “Each year, our Play Review Committee and myself consider a wide range of musicals and plays in order to select the best and most exciting season,” Producing Artistic Director Kerby Thompson says. From June 3-13 is “Always a Bridesmaid,” a comedy by Jessie Jones, Nicholas Hope and Jamie Wooten. Four high school friends made a vow to be in each other’s weddings, and more than 30 years later, they are still determined to honor that vow. From June 17- July 4 is “1776,” the Tony Award-winning musical with book by Peter Stone, and music and lyrics by Sherman Edwards. Follow John Adams, Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson as they attempt to convince the Continental Congress to vote for independence.
From July 8-25 is “The Addams Family,” a new musical based on the TV show and New Yorker cartoons, with music and lyrics by Andrew Lippa and a book by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice. Gomez and Morticia Addams love their children, but teenage daughter Wednesday is in love with a “normal” boy, and he and his parents are coming to dinner. From July 29-August 8 is “Sherlock Holmes and the West End Horror,” written by Anthony Dodge and Marcia Milgrom Dodge, and adapted from the novel by Nicholas Meyer. A theater critic has been murdered and aspiring Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw entices his friends, Holmes and Watson, to take on the case. From August 12-22 is a Buffalo-based family comedy called “Miracle on South Division Street,” based on a true story by
Tom Dudzick. Clara Nowak and her three grown children have always known they were special; in 1942, the Blessed Mother appeared to Grandpa in his barbershop. When daughter Ruth unveils her plan to write a play about the miracle, a long-ago deathbed confession unravels the legend and raises family questions. From August 26-September 5 is “Suds,” a 1960s musical by Melinda Gilb, Steve Gunderson, Will Roberson and Bryan Scott. Cindy works in a “Laundromat of Love,” where she is pining for the pen-pal fiancée who dumped her. Her two guardian angels appear to teach her about boys, true love and more. The musical includes favorites such as “These Boots Are Made for Walkin’,” “Respect,” and “Where the Boys Are!”
The annual children’s show will be “The Jungle Book,” adapted by local playwright Kim L. Hubbard. Mowgli is a boy raised by wolves, who lives in the jungle with his friends Baloo the bear, Bagheera the panther and Kaa the python. The man-eating tiger Shere Khan wants to rule the jungle and it’s up to Mowgli to stop him. Children will participate by portraying monkeys, elephants, wolves, reptiles, bees and even a tropical storm. Performance dates will be announced closer to the season. More information on all shows, ticket prices, gift certificates and box office hours is available at www.cortlandrep.org. Discounts are available for seniors, students and groups of 10 or more. Call 800-427-6160 for more information.
Experience! The Finger Lakes with full-service guided tours Experience! The Finger Lakes is a full-service, experiential, family-owned touring and events company based out of Ithaca, NY. It specializes in wine tours, gorge and waterfall tours, and sightseeing tours of the Finger Lakes region. It also provides itinerar y development services and receptive services to the motor coach industry, as well as excursion planning for conferences and corporations. Guests of Experience! The Finger Lakes on a tour of the Laura and Alan Falk, the Sheldrake Vineyard. owners of the company, have lived and experienced the Finger Lakes for along the wine trails. Also offered are special more than 30 years. Their mission is to monthly farm-to-table cooking class tours provide guests with the best experiential throughout the growing season featuring a touring in the region. As Laura explains, “We regional chef cooking up seasonal delights focus on experiences that lead our guests to right at a local farm. Regular public tours are offered seven understand why those of us who live here stay here, and those who visit come back days a week that explore the Cayuga, Seneca and Keuka Lake Wine Trails that depart out again and again.” Experience! The Finger Lakes customers of Ithaca, Watkins Glen and Corning. Public visit the area to enjoy the best the region has tours are never larger than 13 guests in order to offer. The company guides its guests to- to ensure a personalized, intimate experience ward attractions, accommodations and dining for each and every guest. Laura and Alan experiences that will perfectly complement a also provide private tours for groups of any vacation weekend, a special event, or a cor- size that can be customized to meet their porate outing. Laura and Alan focus on the specific needs. “The Finger Lakes is rich in natural beauty best by developing partnerships with wineries, attractions, restaurants and inns that will enrich that we love to show off to visitors,” Laura and guests’ experiences while also supporting local Alan note. “We offer sightseeing tours of the business and bringing national attention to the waterfalls in and around Ithaca, and guided natural history hikes through our beautiful area’s cultural treasures. The company’s specialty is high-end wine gorge trails in the State Parks. Intimate boat and culinary tours where knowledgeable cruises on Cayuga Lake also round out the guides take guests behind the scenes for an opportunities to truly experience the wonders up-close, intimate experience like no other in of our region.” So whether you are looking for a sumthe region. Enjoy owner-led vineyard/winery tours, custom wine tastings, barrel sampling mer getaway for two, the perfect family in the wine cellars, and food-wine pairings day trip, or that overdue ladies’ road trip, featuring local cheeses and chocolates. Both look no further than Experience! The Finger full-day and half-day wine tour experi- Lakes, and experience the region at a whole ences are offered to meet your time frame new level. Visit ExperienceFingerLakes.com or phone and budget. Full-day tours include custom wine-pairing lunches designed to show off 607-233-4818 for more information or to the wonderful seasonal bistros and eateries book a tour.
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JCC of Syracuse’s Camp Rishon offers plenty of summertime fun There’s plenty of excitement, fun and adventure for children and teens to experience during summer camp this year at the Sam Pomeranz Jewish Community Center of Syracuse. The JCC’s Camp Rishon is a weekly summer day camp for children and teens, which runs weekdays for eight weeks from June 29-August 21. Each week, campers will have plenty of opportunities to interact with peers, make new friends and have a blast. There’s nothing boring about summer camp at the JCC of Syracuse, as campers go swimming and are kept active every day. JCC summer camp caters to three distinct age groups. The early childhood camp is for children 6-weeks-old through entering kindergarten, school-age camp is open to children entering grades one-six and the SyraCruisin’ teen travel camp is for young teens entering grades seven-10. Each camp day begins and ends at the JCC at 5655 Thompson Rd., DeWitt. Depending on the camp, some campers may go off-site for scheduled field trips and activities. Early and late care options are available for all campers.
L-r: JCC Camp Rishon counselor Sean Mulvihill helping Alessio Vega launch his homemade rocket during the rocketry camp’s final day and rocket launch on August 15 last year. The early childhood camp offers developmentally appropriate, interactive, indoor/ outdoor activities geared toward fun-filled days with friends. Toddlers 18 months and older participate in daily Red Cross swim
Summer shows at the Anderson Center
Three blockbuster shows will fill the Anderson Center’s 2015 summer schedule. The Steve Miller Band will start off the summer fun on Wednesday, June 24, at 8 pm. One of rock music’s all-time greats, Diana Krall the Steve Miller Band has sold more than 40 million records in a career spanning more than 40 years. Miller’s trademark blues-rock sound made him one of the key artists in classic rock radio. In 2014, Miller released a live version of “The Joker” album to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the original number one studio album. On Tuesday, July 21, at 8 pm, five time Grammy-winning jazz pianist and vocalist Diana Krall will perform. Krall is considered one of the most accomplished and distinctive musicians in the world today, having sold more albums than any other female jazz artist of the last 30 years. Krall ventures into new territory with her new CD, “Wallflower,” a collection of songs from the 1960s to the present, with classics like the Mamas and the Papas’ “California Dreaming” and the Eagles’ “Desperado,” plus vintage songs by Krall’s musical heroes, Bob Dylan (he inspired the album’s title track, “Wallflower”) and Elton John (“Sorry Seems to be the Hardest Word”). Closing out the summer of fun on Saturday, August 22, at 8 pm, is‘70s era rock featuring Atlanta Rhythm Section, Orleans, Firefall and John Sebastian. With Atlanta Rhythm Section’s first breakthrough single “So Into You,” in 1977, the band took off with a gold (“A Rock and Roll Alternative”) and platinum (“Champagne
Jam”) album, followed by the blockbuster single “Imaginary Lover.” With original members Barr y Bailey, Ronnie Hammond and Dean Daughtry, ARS continues to entertain today. With more than four decades of entertainSteve Miller ment under its belt, Orleans is best known as the ‘70s pop/rock band that performed hits like “Still the One,” “Dance With Me” and “Love Takes Time.” Orleans has produced 16 albums and several DVDs, and continues to be in demand. The melded countr y-folk-easy listening-rock and roll band known as Firefall was formed in the early ‘70s, filling the air waves with a string of Top 20 hits like “You Are the Woman” and “Just Remember I Love You,” earning two platinum and three gold records. It was the band’s dynamic live performances that gave it a large, loyal fan base that continues today. John Sebastian was a member of The Lovin’ Spoonful who played a major role in the mid-‘60s rock revolution, with the band’s first seven singles landing in the Top 10 during the height of Beatlemania. Sebastian participated in Woodstock and the English equivalent, the Isle of Wright. He has been involved in films and Broadway, and, most notably, he wrote the theme song for the 1976 hit show “Welcome Back Kotter,” which became a chart-topping solo record. Sebastian was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000 and is still going strong. Call 607-777-ARTS or visit anderson. binghamton.edu for tickets and more information.
lessons. Enrollment for the infant camp, ages 6-18 months old, is on a monthly basis, while toddlers and preschoolers can enroll in camps on a weekly basis with options for flexible days and times. School-age campers can take in the traditional summer camp experience with Nitzanim or attend a specialty camp focused on a specific interest area, such as art, sports, rocketry, gymnastics, fishing and more. Overnight options are available. A variety of optional after-camp clinics are also offered. SyraCruisin’ offers teens the opportunity to embark on a new adventure each day. The weekly camp’s local and regional field trips encourage social and cultural awareness, community service, team building and fun, of course. Each session will feature different field trips so each day is completely different from the next. Four optional overnights are also available. Other JCC summer camp teen and pre-
teen weekly programs include camp aide, counselor-in-training (or CIT) and fitness training classes. Both the camp aide and CIT programs require current JCC family membership to enroll. Camp Rishon registration is currently in full swing and will continue right up until the start of camp on Monday, June 29, and throughout the summer, but don’t delay. Spots go quickly and some camp sessions close out early. Except for the camp aide and counselor-in-training teen programs, current JCC membership is not necessary for Camp Rishon registration. However, JCC members receive discounted camp rates. Discounts for siblings and payments made in full at time of registration are also available. For more information about the JCC of Syracuse’s 2015 Camp Rishon, and to request a camp program guide, call 315-445-2360 or visit www.jccsyr.org.
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Syracuse Jewish Music and Cultural Festival on Aug. 30 The16 Syracuse Jewish Music and Cultural Festival (formerly KlezFest) has been set for Sunday, August 30, from noon-6 pm, at the Sam Pomeranz Jewish Community Center, 5655 Thompson Rd, DeWitt, NY. “As always, the music is the main draw,� said Vicki Feldman, co-chair of the event. “But we have terrific kosher foods that reflect both Middle Eastern and Eastern European favorites, and artisans with jewelry and apparel. There’s plenty for kids, too – and there’s free parking at and near the JCC.� th
The music schedule is as follows: noon-12:45 pm – Keyna Hora Klezmer Band 1-2 pm – Alhamba Sephardic Ensemble 2:30 pm – Community Hora 2:30-4 pm – Robin Seletsky and the Big Galut(e) Ensemble 4:15-5:15 pm – Farah 5:30-6 pm – Community Open Jam For more information, visit the festival’s website at w w w.SyracuseJewishFestival. org.
The Jewish Music Festival of 2014.
Binghamton Zoo animal spotlight: North American River Otter The 140th season at the Binghamton Zoo kicked off in April. If you haven’t checked out the Binghamton Zoo’s website, www. rossparkzoo.com, recently, what are you waiting for? It includes all the information you need for your next zoo visit. Check out the Among the animals on exhibit at zoo’s upcoming events the Binghamton Zoo are North on the events calendar, American River Otters. watch ZooTube videos and read the latest zoo news. Guests of the Binghamton Zoo this year are in for a jam-packed special events schedule. Be sure to look for the zoo’s signature events and promotions schedule, which is full of giveaways. Among the many animals on exhibit at the Binghamton Zoo are North American River Otters. The otters are found throughout Canada and the United States and down into the Gulf of Mexico, from the Pacific to the Atlantic oceans. These otters occupy habitats that have a permanent food supply and easy access to water. They build dens in the burrows of other animals, natural hollows, or in river banks that have an under water entrance. They line their den with leaves, grass, moss and bark. Fish, small mammals, turtles, crayfish, crabs and an occasional amphibian make up their diet. The North American River Otter is a semi-aquatic mammal, which means otters spend their time equally in water
Binghamton Volleyball Camps Youth Camp
Individual Camp
Position Camps
Elite College Prep Camp
July 27 Ages 5-11
July 28-29 Ages 12-18
July 31- August 1 July 30 Grades 9-12 Ages 12-18 All camps are held at Binghamton University
Register online today
Contact Assistant Volleyball Coach Valerie Armstrong Call: 607-778-0869, email:valerie.armstrong.vb@gmail.com Register for camp ONLINE at www.binghamtonvolleyballcamps.weebly.com
and on land. Their fur insulates them in water and allows them to regulate their body temperature. These otters have a wide, round head, small ears and nostrils that can be closed underwater. During the breeding season (late winter or early spring), males will breed with several females that are within range of their own home area. Females give birth to, nurse and care for their young in dens near the water. The babies are born with fur, but are other wise helpless. They are
weaned at 3 months old and will start to explore their range at 6 months. Otters are very playful animals and can be found playing in the water, making snow and mud slides, and burrowing in the snow. These activities help in strengthening social bonds, practicing hunting techniques and to scent mark. More information on river otters can be found online at Animal Diversity Web, http://animaldiversity.org/accounts/ Lontra_canadensis.
Arts and Wine Festival in Cortland County The Cultural Council of Cortland County has had exciting changes this past year. The council moved into its new office space/galler y, The Vault, located at Cortland Rural Cemeter y. Here there have rotating exhibits, open
mornings and Fridays, including First Fridays. On May 1, the Cultural Council launched its new website, culturalcouncilofcortlandcount y.org. Take a look, explore area events, meet the board and find out how to get involved, including becoming a member. The ninth Annual Arts and Wine Festival will be held on August 1 at Courthouse Park in Cortland. There will be events for everyone in the beautiful setting of the Cortland County Courthouse Park. Live music featuring local bands, alternating between two stages, will begin at 10 am, when artists and artisan crafters will also have their booths ready for viewing and purchases. For those over age 21, the wine tasting tent will open at noon.
Snake Creek Marine The ninth Annual Arts and Wine Festival will be held on August 1 at Courthouse Park in Cortland.
Snake Creek Marine is a third generation, family-run business located in Montrose, PA. It has been a Mercury dealer since 1972 and Starcraft dealer since 1974. Stop in and check out the inventory of Starcraft fiberglass runabouts, Arima fishing boats, aluminum fishing boats and pontoons. Snake Creek Marine also sells boat lifts and boating accessories. Accessories help to make your boat unique to your needs. Items such as global positioning systems (GPS), extra seating, rod storage, draw plugs and bikini tops, just to name a few accessories, are among the many products displayed in the vast showroom. Snake Creek Marine’s helpful staff can get you on the water and keep you there. For further information, visit Snake Creek Marine’s Web site at www.snakecreekmarine.net or call 570-967-2109 or 1-800-453-3820.