Cazenovia Republican digital edition - Sept. 6, 2023

Local military historian to discuss controversial Army officer

billy Mitchell: ‘Father of the us air Force’ or Zealot?

By kAtE hill Staff writer

On Tuesday, Sept. 12, the Cazenovia Public Library & Museum will welcome Frank Stritter, Ph.D. of American Legion Post 88 to the Betsy Kennedy Community Room to present on the military career of William “Billy” Mitchell, a controversial World War I pilot whose name became synonymous with military aviation between the two world wars.

An outspoken and untiring advocate of air power, Mitchell was viewed as a gifted visionary by some and an egotist by others.

The free lecture begins at 7 p.m. and is titled “William L. ‘Billy’ Mitchell, Colonel, US Army Air Service, 1879 to 1936 –Father of the US Air Force or Zealot?” Stritter, a military historian and a Cazenovia native, said his interest in Mitchell arose from a more general interest in learning about the people responsible for start-

ing each of the US military forces.

“For the Air Force, it was Colonel William ‘Billy’ Mitchell,” Stritter said. “The more I read about him, the more I realized that he was a character that I had to talk about. He was controversial. He always seemed to be involved in a disagreement with someone, mostly his superiors in the Army or high-ranking officers in the Navy, but the men in the various units he commanded loved him. At the end of his career, he was court-martialed and then resigned his commission. Notwithstanding this, most historians today say that he deserves to be considered the ‘Father of the Air Force.’”

Stritter holds an undergraduate degree from St. Lawrence University, a master’s from Colgate University, and a doctorate in education from Syracuse University.

After completing his master’s, he was called up to active duty in the US Army and spent the next two years with the US 7th Army in Germany.

“That was in the middle of the Cold War, so there was a lot of high alert time, but no shooting,” he recalled.

While earning his Ph.D., Stritter put in five more years of active reserve in the

Army before deciding he had to choose between his academic career and the reserves.

“I could not do both, so I resigned my commission as a captain and was very proud of my years of service,” he said.

Stritter then joined the faculty of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he taught graduate students in the School of Education and faculty and residents in the School of Medicine. In 2003, after 32 years, he retired with the title of professor emeritus.

In his retirement, he joined the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 8866 in North Carolina, where he lives for part of the year, and the American Legion Post 88 in Cazenovia, where he spends his summers.

Stritter started speaking to groups about the military at the request of his VFW post commander.

“[He] asked me to help develop a curriculum that would tell the public about many of the varied aspects of military life, the good people who were involved in the military, and things the average civilian may not know about the military,” Stritter said. “He also wanted mem-

CLA, Madison County purchase new research and education boat

By kAtE hill Staff writer

The Cazenovia Lake Association (CLA) has partnered with Madison County to purchase a new, custom-built electrofishing boat for use on Cazenovia Lake and other lakes within the county.

The boat, which was delivered in July, will be used for research purposes and function as a “floating classroom.”

An electrofishing boat uses an electric field to temporarily stun fish that can then be collected with long-handled dip nets for identification. Data collected from electrofishing can be used to determine the abundance, density, species composition, and health of fish populations.

The CLA is a group of residents, homeowners, business owners, and elected officials that strives to protect the environmental and recreational sustainability of Cazenovia Lake.

“[We have] been sampling the lake in order to understand the ecosystem

from the sediment in the bottom all the way up to the fish populations,” said CLA President Dave Miller. “We are looking at the invertebrates in the sediment, the algae in the water, the zooplankton in the water, and the plant life. The missing piece is a good understanding of the fish population and proper tracking of the fish population. Over time if we notice a change in the fish population, [that] is an indicator that something is changing in the lake that we need to be aware of.”

In addition to facilitating annual fish surveys, the new boat will serve several other purposes.

For example, the vessel will be used for water quality testing multiple times a year, for Citizens Statewide Lake Assessment Program water sampling, and occasionally for CLA community outreach meetings.

According to Miller, the county is reforming the Madison County Federation of Lake Associations, and the new boat will also be utilized for floating meetings and boat tours

with other lake associations.

Additionally, the CLA and county are partnering with SUNY Morrisville and SUNY ESF to allow students to get out on the water for educational and data-collection purposes.

Miller said that enabling the students to conduct additional research on the lake will help the CLA better understand how to keep the lake healthy.

Use of the boat on Cazenovia Lake and other Madison County lakes will be supervised and coordinated by the CLA and

Dr. Thad Yorks, a senior planner with the Madison County Planning Department and an adjunct professor at SUNY Morrisville. Yorks previously served as a professor and the program director of biology and environmental biology at Cazenovia College.

Prior to the closing of Cazenovia College, the CLA partnered with the institution to purchase the electrofishing boat.

The college received a commitment for a New York State grant that would have covered approximately 90 percent of the cost

of the boat, and the CLA was planning to contribute 10 percent, according to Miller.

Once the college closed, however, it could no longer receive the grant and no longer contribute towards the purchase of the boat.

The CLA instead teamed up with Madison County to cover the $88,667 purchase and move forward with the acquisition of the boat.

The CLA contributed $63,667 with money from its long-term projects fund, which is held by the Central New York Community Foundation,

plus individual contributions directed specifically towards the purchase.

The county stepped up to secure a $25,000 grant from the Finger LakesLake Ontario Watershed Protection Alliance (FLLOWPA) on behalf of the CLA. “FLLOWPA has grant money from the state that can be used at their discretion for water-related projects,” said Miller. “The county can request money from FLLOWPA if they determine that there is a valuable project. The

Boat l Page 11

Submitted photo

Cazenovia native and military historian Frank Stritter will present a lecture titled “William l. ‘Billy’ Mitchell, Colonel, US Army Air Service, 1879 to 1936 – Father of the US Air Force or Zealot?” on Sept. 12 at the Cazenovia Public library.

Submitted photoS

the Cazenovia lake Association partnered with Madison County to purchase a new, custom-built electrofishing boat to be used for research and educational purposes on Cazenovia lake and other lakes within the county.

Historian l Page 11

Trustees vote for Cazenovia Public Library to go fine free

By kAtE hill Staff writer

On Monday, Aug. 28, the Cazenovia Public Library & Museum (CPL) Board of Trustees voted to officially eliminate fines for overdue borrowed materials.

In the summer of 2020, CPL stopped collecting fines to provide financial relief to patrons during the COVID-19 pandemic. The library has been operating fine free “under amnesty” ever since.

On Aug. 28, the trustees were asked to vote on whether to start collecting fines again or to officially codify the elimination of fines. The board’s decision to go fine free was unanimous.

According to CPL Director Elisha Davies, the elimination of library overdue fines has become increasingly prevalent over the past decade.

Of the 43 libraries in the MidYork system, 30 are now fine free. In Madison County, Oneida is now the only Mid-York library to continue to collect fines. In the neighboring Onondaga County, Manlius, Fayetteville, and all the downtown city libraries have also eliminated fines.

“It’s been a plan for years to eliminate fines, and the timing was right to make it happen,” said Davies on Aug. 29. “Since 2020,

we’ve been very relaxed with collecting fines so it was a good test to see if and how we could manage going fine free. The initial reaction is [to think] that books will not be returned and [will be] kept indefinitely, but people continue to be good library users. In 2018, Mid-York enabled member libraries to have automatic [renewals]. When a book is due and no one is waiting for it or it hasn’t already been renewed twice, it’s automatically renewed. This cut down the number of overdue items we had, and by 2019, overdue fines accounted for less than .5 percent of our budget.”

In a document prepared for the trustees’ review in advance of the vote, Davies outlined several ways that fines can constrain a library’s ability to serve its community.

According to the document, CPL is aware of multiple times when the risk of owing money has deterred people — often lower-income families — from borrowing from the library, creating an “unnecessary block to literacy and learning.” Individuals who end up owing money might also be less likely to return to the library to take advantage of other services, such as adult and children’s programs, the museum and art gallery, the Internet, the copier, or the Carriage Barn

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The document also points out that prior to 2020, CPL staff spent hours each month calling patrons to track down lost books, recording fine and payment transactions, and explaining accrued

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fines to disgruntled patrons.

“It’s the library’s role to provide access, not police responsibility or punish,” Davies wrote.

Another issue under CPL’s former fining policy was that staff members were inconsistent when

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deciding when to waive a patron’s fines and when to collect them, leading to patron confusion.

The document also provides examples of libraries that eliminated fines and subsequently

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The Cazenovia Public Library & Museum Board of Trustees voted on Aug. 28 to officially

for overdue borrowed materials.

Mary Ann VanDruff, 83

Wife, mother, grandmother

Mary Ann (Douglass) VanDruff, 83, of Fayetteville, passed away peacefully on Aug. 28, 2023, after a long illness. Born and raised in Potter County, PA, her fondest childhood memories included horseback riding and visits to the family farm by her extended family. Mary Ann met and married her husband, Larry, while working at Cowanesque Valley High School. In 1970, they moved to Syracuse, where she excelled at her roles as wife, mother and homemaker. She enjoyed participating in the Syracuse University Women’s Club and served as its president in the 1970s. She was an active member of Rockefeller Methodist Church and volunteered as treasurer for many years.

In 1990, she moved with Larry to Cazenovia, and settled on a beautiful multi-acre property in Pompey Hollow. As her children became adults, Mary Ann found a new source of enjoyment by serving her community. She volunteered at Crouse Hospital, where she was recognized for over 2,500

hours served, and was also comanager of the Gift Shop. She served as an election official for many years, both in Syracuse and Madison County. During their lives together, Mary Ann and Larry traveled extensively, enjoying bird watching and nature tours throughout the United States and Central and South America.

Her greatest joy in life was watching her three grandchildren grow from babies into young adults. Each with their own distinct personalities, Grammy reveled in being included in the many joys of their daily lives and watching them thrive.

People who knew her well would invariably comment on how kind and thoughtful she was. She counted herself lucky to have so many wonderful, close friends from across the numerous years of her life. From high school classmates to university families to neighbors in Syracuse, Pompey Hollow, Florida and Towne Center, she treasured all of her friends and regarded them as she would her own family.

Mary Ann was predeceased by her husband, Larry Van -

Druff; and her older brother, Charles Douglass. She is survived by her children, Brenda (Timothy) Ko and Thomas (Laura) VanDruff; grandchildren, Andi Ko, Aaron Ko, and Noah VanDruff; her brother, William (Irene) Douglass; sister-in-law, Bernita Douglass; and many beloved nieces, nephews and cousins.

A private celebration of life will be held at a future date. Contributions in her memory may be made to the Crouse Hospital Auxiliary, 739 Irving Ave., Syracuse, NY 13210 or to The Baldwin Fund for Breast Cancer Research, P.O. Box 187, Warners, New York 13164. For guest book, please visit scheppfamily.com.

American Legion Post 88 plans

Veterans Day events

“The 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month” is Veterans Day.

That day honors all veterans of our armed forces who have served on active duty regardless of where and when they served who say, like the late actor and USAF Brigadier General Jimmy Stewart said, “It may sound corny, but what’s wrong with wanting to fight for your country.”

That number now totals close to 41 million of us since our nation began in 1775.

That also means that Cazenovia American Legion Post 88 is planning on honoring those veterans on 11 November 2023 with a program will be held at 11 a.m. in Memorial (Cannon) Park in downtown Cazenovia.

The preliminary program will be MCed by Legion member Retired Col. Fritz Koennecke, USAF and the featured speaker will be Town of Cazenovia Supervisor Bill Zupan.

The legion has invited the Cazenovia Community Band and the Cazenovia High School Chamber Choir to provide the music.

“We hope that many Cazenovia area residents will join us,” the legion said in a press release.

Immediately following the program Post 88 and its auxiliary assisted by the scouts and Project Café will provide lunch for all veterans at the Post Home located at 26 Chenango St.

“We regret that we will be able to host veterans only at lunch and not their families,” the press release said.

Mary Ann VanDruff

OuR vOicE

Extreme weather

This spring and summer saw weather that was chaotic to say the least. From unseasonably cold temperatures, a frost that has posed possible damage to this fall’s apple crops, to heavy rains and extremely hot temperatures. And that is just in Central New York.

As we saw news reports across the country and the globe, people were faced with ever changing weather and conditions.

The American Red Cross reminds people that September is National Preparedness Month, and the organization urges people to be prepared for extreme weather and the problems that can come with is such as flooding and damaging storms.

This message comes ahead of winter, which in Central New York we know can be everything from oddly mild to extreme bursts of cold and snow or long, sustained cold and snowy days.

According to the Old Farmer’s Almanac, the northeast may face plenty of cold and snow this year after a mild winter in 2022-23.

The Red Cross said worsening weather is part of a national trend it is seeing and responding to, noting it has responded to twice as many large disasters across the country than it did a decade ago.

To help address this the Red Cross has announced an ambitious national pla n to take urgent action.

With more climate-driven disasters upending lives and devastating communities, the organization is racing to adapt its services and grow its disaster response capacity across the country, while also funding new international programs on climate response and preparedness, as well as minimizing its own environmental footprint.

According to the Red Cross this includes recruiting and training more volunteers to respond to disasters locally and across the country, and joining community partners to offer a variety of emergency preparedness programs to help adults and children better prepare for emergencies.

For National Preparedness Month, the Red Cross encourages people to take three lifesaving actions — get a kit, make a plan and be informed — to help protect yourself against local emergencies. Follow safety tips now at redcross.org/prepar e. You can also deliver relief and care to families by becoming a Red Cross volunteer.

While the Red Cross responds to a number of emergencies, many people likely associate the Red Cross with its efforts to collect blood donations.

The two go hand in hand to some extent.

The Red Cross has noted it is seeing declining numbers of donations in recent years and during emergency situations blood is often something that is needed.

With declining donations it is hard to keep pace with the need for blood products.

Blood and platelet donations that go uncollected due to climate-related events, such as hurricanes, wildfires and extreme heat, can put further strain on the national blood supply, according to the Re Cross.

As extreme weather events are worsening, the Red Cross is seeing this translate into more blood drive cancellations.

In 2022, over 1,300 blood drives were canceled due to weather — about 23% higher than the average of the prior nine years.

The Red Cross encourages those who can to consider donating blood.

Other efforts to be prepared to address emergencies by the Red Cross include enhancing large-scale disaster response services by bolstering the aid provided in emergency shelters and extending casework support to help people with the most recovery needs; expanding financial assistance to help more families with unmet needs and bridge the gap between immediate disaster relief and long-term recovery assistance; and strengthening local partner networks in targeted areas that face a high risk of extreme weather and existing societal inequities with a focus on increased access to health and mental health services, nutritious food and safe housing for local families.

Donors can schedule an appointment to donate using the Red Cross Blood Donor App, by visiting RedCrossBlood.or g or by calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767). If you are unable to give blood you can volunteer to support blood collections. Visit redcross.org/voluntee r to learn more.

trUth iS thE BESt PAth

We were driving through one of the eastern suburbs the other day when one of my friends pointed out the size of the homes that we were passing.

“What do people do for a living to afford such a home?, one asked.

I immediately countered with the brilliant statement, “I wouldn’t want so much space. I would have no time to do anything but clean.”

Whereupon my car mates laughed … no, guffawed at my seeming naivety.

“Don’t be ridiculous. If you own a home like these, you have ‘help.’”

Now all of this was said with that difficult-to-describe edge that underscores the duality of thinking that permeates a society without classes that builds phantom classes in our minds. We are proud to be a culture where it is possible to succeed professionally and with some marked financial success. We measure success as income. Chasing that success sometimes follows accepted paths, paths that involve specific career choices. Other career choices do not give those who choose them the same kind of crack at wealth. While we acknowledge that we all have, at least theoretically, a chance to do well, to make any of a wide variety of choices in how we make a living, we, and I qualify that to include those who eschew financial success for any reason, do not accept the success of others with equanimity.

The same thing is true of education. Every child in our country has access to an education. Granted the quality of that education varies, but, even without the disparity of that quality, are the cultural taboos that preclude becoming too educated.

FROM

THE MAILBAG Re: Disturbing and troubling

To the editor:

The letter from one Stephen Benson published in the 08/23/2023 edition of the Eagle Bulletin captioned “Disturbing and troubling” is in fact itself disturbing and troubling from start to finish with omissions of fact, disinformation and misinformation, and more correctly constitutes a diatribe than that which he accuses John Boyd, Democratic candidate for town justice, of having engaged.

Although the town board has scheduled the permissive referendum on the ward system for Sept. 23, 2023 in accordance with the applicable statute it should not be surprising that the board members might be a bit angry about the manner in which this August surprise from town Republicans was launched and the rank hypocrisy which it represents as the town Republicans had been vehemently opposed to a ward system of representation when they previously had complete control of town government.

Benson states that “We can certainly have a discussion on the merits of the systems”. However, the permissive referendum procedure precludes any such discussion.

It ignores the fact that the recently approved town comprehensive plan specifically provides for such a discussion thereby demonstrating the open-minded attitude of the current town board about a ward system.

Most of the Benson letter constituted a grossly unfair attack on John Boyd for his remarks made at the 08/09/2023 town board meeting at which I also spoke. I have replayed the audio of those remarks on the town web site. While they exhibit what I as a longtime white resident of the town might believe contained a bit of unjustifiable paranoia, they certainly did not represent “bigotry” or slander segments of the Manlius community as Benson

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Like those who decry the demonstrations of accumulated wealth, there are those who find the trappings of a good education to be anathema. Education then, like wealth, delineates the phantom classes in a classless society.

Thinking of education, there is history, which it is true, is written by the victors in curricula that focuses on what is called the “war-cycle.”

The history of a people is laid out as the result of the causes and effects of conflict. While conflict does effect significant changes in the way that people live their lives, it is not the only way to remember what a people experienced in the past, is living with currently or is projected into the future.

In the United States, we are basically teaching history as the nation unfolded from war to war - the French and Indian War to Afghanistan and Iraq and all the conflicts between, those that we know about and those we don’t.

People who determine what we should know about who we were, are and can be write curricula and text books. And today’s news media tells us that now there are vested interest groups that want our already carefully written “so-that-nobody-will-be-offended” texts and curricula changed to eliminate some of the realities of our history that are troublesome, that cause students to dig deeper into how the who we are was created from those we were or continue to be.

Along with those who fear any kind of education beyond minimum are the polarities that want to hide the truth of slavery, business practices, local mores and such, to ban books that contain ideas that they don’t

alleges. I for one am willing to cut an African American like Mr. Boyd a bit of slack in this regard given the past and more recent events in American racial history and the emergence of right-wing extremists in the U.S. House of Representatives from certain congressional districts in what amounts to a national wardlike system of representation.

Given his impressive educational and experiential background including three years as an associate attorney in one of Syracuse’s most prestigious law firms I believe Boyd is eminently qualified for town justice and would do an excellent job in fairly meting out justice.

JAMES thoMAS BASSEtt manliuS

Perspective

To the editor:

I wanted to provide some perspective for our Town of Manlus citizens on a special election to be held Sept. 23, that has been called due to a petition to switch to a ward system to elect councilors of the town from Tim Kelly, the chair of the Manlius Republican party.

This is an unnecessary special election because it could have been presented to the town board and placed on the ballot in November if Mr. Kelly was truly interested in the voice of the town on the matter. Yet the Republicans decided to submit this to the town clerk, on a Friday, so that a challenge could only be put together by the following Monday as per town rules on this type of petition and without a successful challenge this vote had to be held within 75 days of submission. Knowing this would kick off a special election, which costs the town unnecessary dollars, inconveniences to voters, and historically low turnout in these types of elections. Why do this? Well, we’ve seen this nationally with the Republican Party. This gives them a better chance of a win when their positions are not in step with the majority of the electorate. Mr. Kelly’s

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like, facts that crash into their ideas of history and that deny the truth of science.

We have the pitchfork-carrying groups who want to turn the system that draws us together as Americans into a vehicle for political ends. Rewriting those parts of our history doesn’t eliminate the fallout from the seedy, immoral, unjustified parts of our history. Denying climate change and the role that burning fossil fuels has played will not prevent the catastrophic results that climate scientists are predicting. Did your eyes burn when the smoke from Canadian fires came here?

Sit down and talk to some people about teaching the truth in history and science and you may be called names that I won’t type onto this page. There are two paths to take. History and science that serve political ends and special interests or the truth. Truth is the path that has the best results. Truth, by the way, can be challenged, is not afraid of challenge, doesn’t deny opposition.

I am getting too old to worry about this. But I do, and I pray that those younger than I are worrying about it too. The lives we live are human constructs.

Billy Joel said it this way: “We didn’t start the fire / It was always burning, since the world’s been turning / We didn’t start the fire / No, we didn’t light it, but we tried to fight it.”

Humans created our world. Humans can fix it.

I am going to take a nap now.

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.

main concern at a town hall meeting on the comprehensive plan for the town’s future was the cost of putting the plan together. Even after the majority thought it was thoroughly done with input from many. Not a problem spending money when it’s about getting a vote to go their way, which this town has rejected three times previously.

And why do Republicans want this? To carve out a seat that increases their chances of winningsimple. It’s not about geographical representation but having their party’s representation. Mike Nesci, who served in the Minoa FD and lives in Fremont, is running but he’s not the right party for them.

Wards will create safe havens for both parties and we’ve seen the types of candidates in our House of Representatives that type of entitled mindset produces. A “town” is one of the smallest sectors of our democracy yet can affect us more directly than our federal representatives. We should want the best six candidates, who will work for the whole town, on our board. I’ve seen that with this board. I’ve watched our supervisor personally come to my neighborhood to hear out all members regarding a water issue. I’ve watched our board diligently work through a variety of issues taken up with them. They work with urgency and professionalism regardless of who stands before them because they know they’re accountable.

Let’s not create safe zones for either party but continue to hold competitive elections throughout our town. I hope you’ll join me and send a clear message to Republicans- if you want to win, run strong candidates. We won’t allow you to change the rules here and set up a system that other towns move away from not toward.

Vote “no” to the ward system proposal on Sept. 23. Voting will take place 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. or via absentee ballot.

BoB WhEElEr manliuS

Ramblings from the empty nest ann Ferro

Years Ago in History

by CinDy bell Tobey

70 Years Ago – Sept. 3, 1953

Local and Personal Items - About 125 firemen and their guests attended the Cazenovia Fire Department annual clambake at Slabsides Sunday.

– The James E. Strates Shows carnival train which passed through Cazenovia on the Lehigh Valley railroad Sunday afternoon was the first carnival train through here on the Lehigh in over 25 years. The “shows” which had been a part of the Cortland County Fair were moving to Syracuse for the New York State Fair. – Cazenovia, along with the rest of the country, is in the throes of the summer’s longest and hottest heat wave. For 10 consecutive days the mercury has soared into the 90’s, dropping to the top 60’s or low 70’s at night. A brief shower Monday morning did little good and was mostly local, no rail fell in sections south of the village.

60 Years Ago – Sept. 5, 1963

A new Madison County Public Park in the Ox-bow area adjacent to the Clockville-Peterboro road in the Town of Lincoln was approved by the Madison County Board of Supervisors at their August meeting in Wampsville. The property, which comprises nearly 80 acres of land, is made of three parcels, total cost of which will be $11,800. Of this amount the State will pay 75 per cent and the remaining 25 per cent will be a county charge. The supervisors action called for purchase of 35.63 acres from Jack’s Tasty Snacks Corp., Oneida, for $4800; 29.89 acres from the Madison County Boy Scout Council for $2000; and 11.86 acres from Mr. and Mrs. Myron B. Smith, Clockville, for $5,000. Two more parcels, which are needed to complete the park project, will be acquired through condemnation proceedings according to County Atty. William E. Burke. Supervisor Hugh T. Davis, chairman of the board’s Parks Committee, reported that the site which contains a small scenic water-

fall, would be ideal for picnic use.

50 Years Ago – Sept. 5, 1973

When Rhoda Lerman’s mother heard that her daughter’s first novel, Call Me Ishtar, was entered by Doubleday and Co. as its candidate for the Pulitzer Prize she said, “I’d better read it again.”

Like the book, that’s a two-level remark. Mrs. Lerman has written on two planes of the spiritual and earthy qualities of Woman, with a capital W. Woven through the novel are allegories, myths, and fairy tales. Mrs. Lerman said she had spent years sending short stories to publishers, “but it just doesn’t work. They get thousands every day. So, I gave away stories to the underground, or alternative press. Doubleday saw one in the Nickel Review and asked for a book.” The wife of Robert Lerman, Syracuse businessman, the mother of three children, Jill, Julie and Matthew, Rhoda Lerman is working on a new book at Shore Acres, the Lerman house on East Lake Road. The house, designed by Stanford White, was built in 1892, and she loves it.

40 Years Ago – Sept. 7, 1983

Old Home Day, a celebration that for more than half a century has been a homecoming for the congregation of the Welsh Church in East Nelson will be held Sunday, Sept. 11. The St. David Choir of Utica will sing and the Rev. Robert Knapp, former pastor of the Nelson-Erieville Churches, will return from his home in Prattsburg for the service. The church was organized by Welsh settlers in Nelson in 1850. The present church building was erected in 1876. Until the 1920s, the services were conducted in the Welsh language and the hymnals in the pews were printed in Welsh. In the cemetery behind the church are the graves of many of the pioneers of Nelson and generations of Welsh families. The charm of the church was described in an article years ago in The Republican, written by Mrs. Theodore Jones, “memories linger around this little white church nestling at the foot of the hills and they are fond memories, or there would not be such a homecoming every year.”

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Snow needs a home

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photo by Donna newman

no one wants to think about “Snow” right not, but please make an exception in this case! Snow came to the shelter as a stray. She’s about two years old and weighs about sixty-five pounds. She was very overwhelmed when she first came to the shelter, but she’s starting to settle down. Snow loves to train and wants to please you. She takes treats very gently and rides great in the car. She’s also a proud member of the doggy play group. Snow would make a welcome addition to a family with kids eight and up. This sweet girl is the only Snow you would love to see any day of the year! (of course, you can always change her name!) For more information about adoption, call 315-454-4479, email frontdesk1@cnyspca.org, or visit cnyspca.org.

Into another NFL season

Well it’s only proper that this NFL season will end with a Super Bowl in Las Vegas.

Watch any single game between now and Feb. 11, 2024, You’ll only get blitzed with a few billion reminders that you can bet on the action. Multiply it by 250 games or so, and it’s a cancer that could really hurt the sport.

And combine it with the fantasy obsession, it’s a wonder we even focus on, you know, who wins, and if we do, we hardly bother to care about who else besides the quarterback may have contributed to it.

Yet there are 32 teams out there, and what to make of them?

AFC East- Even if the buzz and HBO cameras are elsewhere, it’s still Buffalo’s division until toppled. The Bills have small issues and a very tough schedule, but they don’t compare to the questions of competence (New England) or health (Miami) their division rivals face, never mind the need for the Jets to live up to the biggest hype the team has faced since Joe Namath.

AFC North – Cincinnati’s championship window is now and coming close twice has the Bengals quite hungry. Baltimore rid itself of Lamar Jackson contract drama and has better weapons at receiver. Pittsburgh could shut both the Ravens and Bengals down, and Cleveland could see wholesale changes if there isn’t a 2023-24 turnaround.

AFC South – Late last season, Jacksonville overtook Tennessee, and the Jaguars now could stretch out depending on how much it improves its depth. Only the Titans seem capable of keeping up, since Indianapolis has initiated a youth movement and Houston will need a couple of years, even with a great young coach like DeMeco Ryans.

AFC West – Hosting five straight AFC title games and winning it all twice gives Kansas City every benefit of every doubt, even if the Chris Jones holdout is a problem. The Chargers face internal demons greater than any opponent before it can challenge the chiefs, with Sean Payton bent on turning Denver around and the Raiders needing a lot to go right if it wants to do more than host the last game of the season.

NFC East – Suddenly this is a good division again. Philadelphia has all the tools to defend the NFC title and is still mad at how things ended in Glendale last February. Dallas has to figure out the post-season to save Mike McCarthy, and the Giants must be amused at all the Jets talk given that Big Blue was the ones to win a playoff game. Washington is just joyful that Dan Snyder is gone, whatever the season holds.

NFC North - Gone is no. 12 in Green Bay and hope abounds even if the Packers, free of the drama, focus on the field and thrive again. Minnesota knows it can’t win that many close games again, and wouldn’t it be great if Detroit, so long forlorn, sees the Lions build upon its 2023 finish? Chicago must still be patient with its young core.

NFC South – Another division where one departure changed everything. Tampa Bay, sans Tom Brady, must move on with its defense leading the way, and if the Bucs stumble, New Orleans could climb back on top and even Atlanta has reason to think about a division title. Carolina can join this fray, too, is Bryce Young is all that he was at Alabama.

NFC West – San Francisco doesn’t need a savor at QB, just competence since the rest of the 49ers’ roster is so good. Seattle’s 2023 revival might continue if the defense remembers its Legion of Boom legacy. There’s just too mnay roster holes on the Rams, and even more in Arizona, who might be bound for a first overall pick next April.

So how does it end? Of course the dream here is to see the Bills finally get there and finally win it all, and it could happen, but absent the dream, what’s the other most likely scenario?

Well, it could end up as a nod to past history, with Cincinnati and San Francisco making their way to Sin City to replay the two Super Bowls they played in the 1980s when Bill Walsh made Paul Brown pay for passing him over as a successor. Or the Chiefs could get there again.

Just remember one thing – those who say gamble responsibly, well, they still want you to gamble.

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

Steve

Phil Blackwell | Sports Editor | 434-8889

Caz football to play entire 2023 season on the road

By Phil BlACkWEll

Consistency and continuity formed the foundation for what the Cazenovia football team has achieved throughout the decades as one of Central New York’s most successful programs.

All of that character will be needed in 2023, a season quite unlike many the Lakers have ever faced.

By far, the biggest feature is a lack of home games. A long-awaited artificial surface is getting installed at Buckley-Volo Field, which will finally allow Cazenovia to have the same surface for its games as it faces nearly everywhere else.

But since it’s not completed, the Lakers

will play four times on the road and have three “home” games in consecutive weeks elsewhere.

It starts Sept. 16 with a clash against Little Falls in the JMA Dome. Six days later, Cazenovia has its Lakers clash with Skaneateles on the brand-new black turf at Morrisville State College, and on Sept. 30 a game with Solvay takes place at nearby Fayetteville-Manlius Stadium.

To a man, the Lakers have embraced this challenge. Senior Taven Reilley said he felt his team played better in road games and thrived on artificial surfaces, and fellow senior Brayden Weismore said the Lakers won’t adjust its traditional style of play.

Of course, the larger issue has nothing

Cazenovia boys golfers get off to 2-1 start

By Phil BlACkWEll

Before anyone else, it was boys golf teams from Cazenovia and Chittenango getting the 2023 fall sports season underway late in August.

Tryouts were followed, on Aug. 25, by an opening match between Cazenovia and Skaneateles, and it was the other Lakers side that prevailed by a 211-235 margin.

Nico Segall shot 40 to lead Cazenovia, third behind a 36 from Jack Marquardt and 39 from Drew Mancini. But no other Cazenovia golfer broke the top five, Will Guider finishing sixth with a 45 ahead of 49s from Edmond Richardson and Ben Bianco plus a 52 from Dan Bliss.

Rebounding from this at Stone Creek last Monday, Cazenovia defeated Hannibal 217-254, leaning on its depth to overcome a 37 from Hannibal’s Tyler Emmons.

Guider’s 39 equaled Chris Weldin and four others topped the rest of the Hannibal roster. Bliss shot a 42, Bianco got a 43, Segall managed a 44 and Richardson contributed a 49.

At Orchard Valley two days later to face LaFayette, the Lakers prevailed again, topping the Lancers 220-259 to improve to 2-1 in its early slate.

Here, Cazenovia had a top-five individual sweep, led by a 40 from Guider. Segall finished with a 43, Bianco adding a 45 and Richardson equaling Paul Mitchell, both shooting 46 ahead of a 48 by LaFayette’s Reed Warren.

Back on Aug. 24, Chittenango got its turn in a season opener against Phoenix, at Beaver Meadows, and prevailed 249-293 over the Firebirds.

Sweeping the top three individual spots, Anthony Thousand had a 43 to lead the Bears as Ryan Skoglund’s 48 and Wyatt Perry’s 49 beat out the 50 by Phoenix’s Cameron Dryer. Matthew Huckabee gave Chittenango a 52 and Sam Martin added a 57.

Then the Bears lost, 215-259, to Westhill last Monday in the home opener at Woodcrest. Thousand and Huckabee both shot 46, but were matched by the Warriors’ Anthony Sampo and topped by Grady Pens (37), Danny Young (40) and Evan Chaddock (43).

In last Wednesday’s 233-241 defeat to Mexico, Chittenango saw Thousand put up a 41 to lead all individuals. But four Purple Tigers golfers equaled or bettered the 48 from Martin and 49s from Huckabee and Perry.

Cazenovia girls soccer, tennis score early victories

By Phil BlACkWEll

New seasons began for the Cazenovia girls soccer and girls tennis teams last Wednesday afternoon, and each of them proved successful in close contests.

On the soccer pitch, the Lakers met Tully and pulled out a 2-1 decision over the Black Knights, while a Lakers duel in girls tennis had Cazenovia edge Skaneateles 4-3.

A season ago, the girls soccer Lakers went 12-4-2, taking a narrow first-round sectional Class B playoff defeat to Marcellus and then seeing four top scoring threats – Julia Reff, Katie Rajkowski, Caitlyn Smithers and Riley Knapp – graduate.

Cazenovia’s attack would thrive early against Tully, with Abby Lansing and Caitlin Dolan each earning goals and assists credited to Dinah Gifford and Raeanne Thompson.

Tully pulled within one on Mia Woodcock’s second-half tally, but the Lakers held on, getting a stellar effort in goal from Skye Stanford, who finished with 14 saves. As this went on, Cazenovia’s girls ten-

nis side overcame a forfeit in one doubles match to win the rest of the doubles contests against Skaneateles.

In a three-set comeback, Audrey Henry and Lila Campagna got the clinching point, beating Makayla Barron and Madelyn Vance 5-7, 6-1, 6-2.

Ava Dalton and Katie Williams swept past Georgia Kriedler and Bryn Butler 6-1, 6-1, with Nora Berg and Grace Probe getting a 6-2, 6-3 sweep over Katie Danforth and Caitlin Day.

Though Rachel Molloy and Leah Bell lost their singles match, Madden Cobb got another point for Skaneateles, defeating Addison Zieler in straight sets 6-3, 6-4.

Over in boys soccer, Chittenango, who went 10-6-2 a season ago and reached the sectional Class B quarterfinals before falling to South Jefferson, opened with a tough 2-1 road defeat to Central Square.

After a scoreless first half, the Bears got on the board with Gavin Karowski’s goal, assisted by Landon Touchette. Yet it wasn’t enough as the Redhawks’ Demetrius Blake assisted on goals by Rory Poole and Gavin Ribarovski, which overcame six saves by Logan Bronner.

to do with where Cazenovia plays, but centers on who plays there after the graduation of 16 seniors.

Gone from 2022 is J.P. Hoak, who threw and ran for more than 2,400 yards and was responsible for 33 touchdowns during an undefeated regular season and playoff run that ended in a Section III Class C semifinal defeat to General Brown.

So is defensive leader Jed Olkowski, who had 72 tackles, four of them sacks, along with leading tackler Brad Gagnon (73.5 tackles) and top wide receiver Jack Byrnes (28 catches, 617 yards, 13 TD’s).

No single player can make up for such losses, but Cazenovia will press forward with sophomore Bobby Livingston taking over at quarterback. Martin said that Livingston learned a lot from watching Hoak and will try to incorporate all of these lessons into his play.

Larger roles will come from players like Reilley and fellow senior Christian Schug, who between them last year caught 48 passes for 713 yards. They also combined

for seven interceptions and will lead a strong Lakers secondary.

Having Jack Donlin and Wyatt Scott to join Reilley and Schug back gives Cazenovia more stability at the skill positions, especially with a lot of new faces up front. Jack Macro, Miles Weller, Cy Abbott, Kyle Caraher, Connor Frisbie and Dylan Bowersox are all battling for starting spots on the offensive line.

Rice, Weller and Macro all expected to join Donlin on the defensive line. Weismore leads a group of linebackers that includes Abbott, Scott, Bryce Enders and Zander Sizmer.

Right away, Cazenovia gets a chance at payback against General Brown in this Friday’s season opener before the three “home” games and then October trips to Bishop Ludden, Marcellus and Canastota.

Reilley said that, despite what seems like a fair amount of adversity, “we have the same expectations very year, regardless of what everyone thinks” - that is, to win, a lot.

Monday - Men’s (5 man teams)

Tuesday - Men’s (5 person teams)

Wednesday - Women’s (3 woman teams)

Thursday - DoublesStarts in October (6 weeks)

4 Person LeagueStarts after Thanksgiving (16 weeks)

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 OCT. 9

Lorenzo State Historic Site Tours

Wednesday-Sunday 10 a.m.-4:40 p.m. $5 for adults, $4 for seniors, $4 for students, ages 12 and under free. Groups of 12 or more need two weeks advance notice.

SATURDAY, SEPT. 9

Chicken BBQ and Bake Sale

11 a.m.-sold out. Manlius United Methodist

Church. Menu: ½ chicken, salt potatoes, cole slaw, and roll. Senior discount.

Nelson Psychic and Wellness Fair

11 a.m.-5 p.m. Mike’s Pond, 3733 Old State Rd., Erieville. Join for psychics, mediums, reiki, astrologers, henna, aura reading, tarot, vendors, food, and more.

SEPT. 9 & 10

Madison County Craft Festival

Saturday: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday: 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

435 Main St., Oneida. Adult admission: $5. Weekend pass: $8. Children 12 and under free. Enjoy juried artisans, live music, food, wineries, and kids activities.

SUNDAY, SEPT. 10

Limestone Creek Hunt Club’s Parade and Blessing of the Hounds

9 a.m.-10 a.m. Lorenzo. Signifying the start of the hunting season, it begins at the village green and ends on the front lawn of Lorenzo. Free.

SEPT. 13-OCT. 1

What the Constitution Means to Me

Syracuse Stage. Heidi Schreck’s boundarybreaking show traces the relationship between four generations of women and the founding document that shaped their lives. Hilarious, hopeful and honest, this play exposes baked-in biases and omissions while imagining how American lives will be impacted for generations to come.

MONDAY, SEPT. 11

Homeschool Sculpture, Printmaking, and Collage Class Carpenters Barn, Cazenovia. A four week class for kids ages 6-11. $100 plus a $10 materials fee. Any additional child receives a 20% discount. www.cazarts.com.

Homeschool Sculpture, Printmaking, and Collage Class

Carpenters Barn, Cazenovia. A four week class for kids ages 12-16. $100 plus a $10 materials fee. Any additional child receives a 20% discount. www.cazarts.com.

Painting with Acrylics Class Carpenters Barn, Cazenovia. A four week class for adults of all skill levels. $185. Bring your own supplies. www.cazarts.com.

TUESDAY, SEPT. 12

Animation Class for Kids Carpenters Barn, Cazenovia. A six week class for kids ages 6-12. $120. www.cazarts.com.

WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 13

Drawing Class Carpenters Barn, Cazenovia. A six week class for adults of all skill levels. $150. Bring your own supplies.

SATURDAY, SEPT. 16

Wayne’s Canine Carnival

10 a.m.-3 p.m. Jamesville Beach Dog Park. Enjoy food, music, local rescues, and adoptable animals.

SUNDAY, SEPT. 17

Lorenzo Fine Art Tour

2 p.m. Lorenzo. Join historian Elizabeth Genter Montevecchio for a free tour highlighting Lorenzo’s fine art collection. Reservation required. 315-6553200 ex: 106.

THURSDAY, SEPT. 21

Painting Class Carpenters Barn, Cazenovia. A six week class for adults of all skill levels. $185. Bring your own supplies.

SUNDAY, SEPT. 24

Rippleton Schoolhouse Community Day

1 p.m.-4 p.m. Lorenzo. Hundreds of CNY pupils

have attended classes in the restored one-room schoolhouse. Kids of all ages can participate in games, enjoy live music, fall refreshments, horse-drawn wagon rides, crafts, and more. Free.

MONDAYS STARTING OCT. 16

Intro to Sculpture Class

10 a.m.-12 p.m. The Carpenter’s Barn. For ages 6-11. $100 plus a $10 materials fee. Additional child receives a 20% discount. www.cazarts.com.

OCT. 18-NOV. 5

Thunder Knocking on the Door

Syracuse Stage. This intoxicating blues musical is filled with humor, affection and extraordinary music. In a small Alabama town, a mysterious guitar-player arrives at the door of the milti-generation Dupree family, and what starts as a deal with the devil turns into a love story for the ages.

NOV. 24-DEC. 31 A Christmas Carol Syracuse Stage. Featured in a two-ring circus, the Christmas classic shares a light on the power of kindness and love as Ebenezer Scrooge journeys to redemption.

JAN. 31-FEB. 18

Clyde’s Syracuse Stage. Lynn Notlage’s dramady tells the story of the formerly incarcerated staff at Clyde’s Truck Stop. Deeply felt and quirky, this play reminds us that sometimes a hero is more than just a sandwich.

MARCH 12-APRIL 7

Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express Syracuse Stage. Wherever famed detective Hercule Poiret goes, murder is never far behind. On the luxurious Orient Express, an avalanche stops the train and Poirot must interrogate passengers, solve the murder, and save the reputation of the train before the killer strikes again.

ONGOING

MONDAYS

Story Time

11-11:30 a.m. East Syracuse Free Library, 4990 James St. Enjoy stories, music, and crafts. 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.

TUESDAYS

Toddler Storytime

10:30 a.m. Manlius Library, 1 Arkie Albanese Ave.

Continue to support your toddler’s language and social development with storytime with Miss Karen. Intended for ages 0-3.

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

Weekly Woodcarving for Veterans

9 a.m.-12 p.m. Clear Path for Veterans, Chittenango. Meet in the woodshop for woodcarving and camaraderie overseen by a volunteer.

Canteen Luncheon

11 a.m.-1 p.m. Clear Path for Veterans, Chittenango. Join the Clear Path family for lunch! Menu changes every week. Complementary, no registration required. Music & Movement

10-10:30 a.m. Fayetteville Free Library, 300 Orchard St. Bring a blanket and join us for singing, dancing, and movement in the Greenspace.

Preschool Storytime

10:30 a.m. Manlius Library, 1 Arkie Albanese Ave.

Listen to Miss Karen read stories! Children are invited to share stories and social experiences that continue to support literacy and learning. This program is intended for children ages 2 ½-5.

Family Storytime

10:30 a.m. Cazenovia Library, Creekside Park (alternate location: story garden). Pack a blanket and join us for story time at Creekside Park! Storytimes will be outdoors as long as the weather allows.

Paws & Relax

3:45-5:15 p.m. every other Wednesday. Manlius Library, 1 Arkie Albanese Ave. Feeling stressed? Need a study break or a furry snuggle? Love dogs and want to relax? Stop by the library for canine stress relief! The Manlius Library has teamed up with Pet Partners of CNY to bring therapy dogs to the Teen Room. No registration is necessary.