Over five years ago an idea came to light with Liverpool Rotary and the Liverpool Chamber, starting a program Valentines for Seniors. Each year the community gathers in churches, businesses, daycare settings and schools to make valentines for seniors.
This year over 1,200 valentines were distributed to Meals on Wheels of Onondaga East, North Syracuse and Baldwinsville, Silver Fox Adult Day Care, Parkrose, Elderwood, Hearth at Greenpoint, Brookdale Facilities, Peace @ Home in Manlius and Aging Advocates.
Most valentines were homemade or designed and printed by area businesses. Among the contributors to the program were MinuteMan Press, Touching Hearts at home, Coldwell Banker, Forge Gone Conclusions, Faith Heritage, Faith Lutheran Cicero, Empower Federal Credit Union, Hope for Heather, Velocity and Floor Coverings International.
The Liverpool Central School District has kicked off its search for a new superintendent in partnership with consultants from Hazard, Young, Attea & Association (HYA).
greater LiverpooL Chamber of CommerCe through the Valentines for Seniors program, over 1,200 valentines were distributed this year to Meals on Wheels of onondaga East, north Syracuse and Baldwinsville, Silver fox Adult Day Care, Parkrose, Elderwood, Hearth at Greenpoint, Brookdale facilities, Peace @ Home in Manlius and Aging Advocates.
As part of the search process, HYA has been conducting extensive community engagement through in person and virtual stakeholder groups, interviews and surveys to understand the community’s desires for their next leader. That information will be used to help direct the board during its search and interview efforts and help ensure the board’s decisions align with the priorities identified by the district’s many stakeholders. Community members are invited to meet with the consul-
tants from HYA during a Community Forum on Feb. 26, from 6 to 7 p.m., in the district office board room at 195 Blackberry Road. If you are unable to attend the Community Forum, you can participate in an online stakeholder survey. The board of education is asking students, staff, families and the community to complete the survey, which is designed to
By ruSS tArBy Contributing Writer
that his department dealt with nearly twice the number of incidents handled in the previous year.
In 2023 officers answered 5,491 calls for service or incidents, but in 2024 they answered 8,221 such calls. In 2023 they averaged 15.1 calls per day, while in 2024 that rose to 22.5 calls per day.
LPD Sgt. Dave Sturtz presented the annual statistics filling in for Unger who was sidelined by the flu.
“Those calls for service stats show a pattern,” Sturtz observed.
Likewise, the number of traffic stops has more than doubled. Officers pulled over 1,112 vehicles in 2023 and 2,772 in 2024. The number of arrests made in 2023 was 271, which also increased significantly to 479 in 2024.
Only driving while intoxicated arrests declined last year, from 28 in 2023 to 11 in 2024.
For the past several years Unger has been slowly but surely building a battalion of effective officers. Staff shortages have threatened police agencies locally and nationally.
“But the board [of trustees] approved our request to add two more full-time slots,” Unger said. “So now we’ve got six full-time road patrol officers. We’re proactive right now.”
The LPD recently installed ELSAG license plate readers on two more patrol vehicles.
“So now we have three patrol cars with plate readers,” Sturtz told the trustees. “They’re in full use by all of our guys.”
ELSAG is a leader in law enforcement and communications technologies. Its Leonardo company is based in Brewster, N.Y. and Greensboro, N.C.
More trucks ticketed
Unger reported via memo that his officers made 354 traffic stops and issued 382 citations for violations of the state’s vehicle and traffic laws in the month of January.
Officers stopped 18 tractor trailers in the village last month, and issued 17 local law traffic tickets for being overweight.
Eight accidents were investigated here in January. Officers made 38 residential checks and 325 business checks last month, while responding to a total of 1,022 incidents and calls for service, an average of 32.9 calls per day.
The LPD arrested 101 individuals last month on 127 criminal charges.
LPD 2025
The Liverpool Police Department’s newest full-time officer, Matt Jones, was sworn in by Mayor Stacy Finney.
Jones joins four other full-time officers now handling road patrol duties here, Taylor Zinter, Morgan Baumler, Joe Ottaviano and Robert Llamas. Unger and Sgt. Sturtz also work full time.
Two part-timers, Officer Dana Vinch and Sgt. Sean Edwards, complete the current lineup. Another officer, Trenton Stillman, will graduate next month from the CNY Police Academy.
And the new police clerk is September Giacchi, daughter of Brenda Giacchi who retired as police clerk last year.
gather perceptions of the school district and the importance of various characteristics found in effective superintendents. The survey is conducted by a search firm, which ensures that individual responses are kept anonymous and confidential.
To participate, visit the Liverpool Central School District Superintendent Search Survey Web site at survey2.ecragroup.com/index.php/714214?lang=en. The survey will be open until Feb. 21. If you have any questions, e-mail the board of education (schoolboard@liverpool.k12. ny.us) or District Clerk Gail Massett (GMassett@liverpool. k12.ny.us).
By JEff SnoW
Editor’s note: This year the village of North Syracuse celebrates its 100th anniversary. Beginning as Podunk, later as Centerville and becoming North Syracuse by the US Post Office in the 1880s, the village of North Syracuse was officially incorporated by New York state in 1925. The two square mile area village straddles the towns of Cicero and Clay border. The village has grown from a small community to a busy crossroads stop on the Salina and Central Square Plank Road, Northern Electric Railway Trolley Line and modern highways.
SuBMittED By
LutHEr MEMoriAL
CHurCH
LutHErAn
In March of 1947, Luther Memorial first gathered as a mission congregation in the Masonic Hall on Church Street in North Syra-
cuse. Norbert H. Stracker was the mission developer. On September 22, 1947, Luther Memorial Evangelical Lutheran Church was incorporated. In 1952, the church sanctuary and basement were constructed at 435 South Main Street, North Syracuse and dedicated on December 14, 1952. In 1960, the educational wing was added. In the 1950’s and the 1960’s the congregation grew rapidly. In August 1965, the sanctuary of Luther Memorial was destroyed by a fire. Pastor John Sanborn saw the sanctuary rise from the ashes into what you see today.
One of the most unique features in the sanctuary is the crucifix, which miraculously was
In
OuR vOicE
Library appreciation
From the Library of Alexandria, considered to have been one of the greatest repositories of knowledge and information in the ancient world, to the Library of Congress and the millions of pieces in its collection including everything from texts and manuscripts to film, music recordings and other significant pieces, to our own local libraries, these facilities have long been a great resource to the communities and the people they serve.
February is a month dedicated to the celebration of the libraryand is set aside as National Library Lovers Month.
As in the Library of Alexandria, libraries today are still repositories, places to find information. Whether it comes in the form of books, new or old, archived newspapers and in some cases microfiche or more modernized computer data bases or records that have otherwise been archived digitally, or even local historical records, libraries are an incredible resource for information.
Almost any subject one might want to explore can be at their fingertips thanks to the work that takes place at our libraries.
Whether it is getting lost in a great adventure or mystery story, learning about dinosaurs or the pyramids of Egypt, exploring texts on European history or the arts, it is likely you will find something you will enjoy and something that will help further your knowledge in any number of areas at your local library.
While lending and overseeing book collections is still very much at the heart of what libraries do, the reality is that these are facilities that are always adapting and looking ahead to meet the needs of the people they serve.
Today’s library still has stacks of books, but it is also a place where a great deal more has been happening in recent years as libraries have continued to grow and look for new ways to better serve and provide resources for thier communities.
In more recent years, libraries are becoming community hubs in new ways while still focusing on the initial mission of libraries, making books and information readily available.
Whether it was guest speakers, musical performances or hosting art exhibits, libraries have constantly worked to evolve to meet the needs of the communities and people they serve.
There are also story times and reading hours and other activities geared toward children, not only as entertainment, but as a means of getting them engaged with the written word and instilling an interest in learning and reading from an early age.
Libraries have also become a resource for internet access for some, particularly in areas where internet providers have been less diligent in creating infrastructure to reach more people.
And libraries have served as meeting places for public forums, social events and fundraisers.
Yes, libraries serve many purposes and can be and do mean different things to different people and that is the wonderful part about them, they are incredibly diverse places and places we all can find some appreciation for.
If you haven’t been there is a while, consider visiting your local library.
If possible consider showing support as a volunteer or donating books or supporting a library’s fundraising efforts like book sales in the future and remind those who work there that they are providing an incredibly valuable resource.
HOW CAN WE HELP?
MoMEntS tHAt MAttEr
This week, for some unfathomable reason, the major news broadcasts took time, actually two days, to tell us about a shark attack on two young women in the Bahamas.
Really? In a world that brings us news of devastation in Gaza, a president who now says he will take over Gaza and make it into an expensive Mediterranean beach club, when young boys without portfolios are halting foreign aid that saves the lives of sick and starving children, when these barely-boys have been able to gather private information about U.S. taxpayers and other murky, not-at-alltransparent dealings, do we need to spend our angsts on the fate of two vacationgoers in the posh Bahamas?
I mean, who lives in the waters off the Bahamas?
Fish and sharks and, being fish and sharks, they need to behave like what they are. We don’t often go into the lion’s den and expect a purring kitty, do we?
Or is this a way of teaching us about the scientific knowledge about the diets of cartilaginous fish?
Where are the stories about the far more immediately important bird flu and its effects on avian, bovine, feline and human populations as well as our pocketbooks? What we know about
Ramblings from the empty nest ann Ferro
the world from modern media is what the program director choses. Who or what motivates that person or persons?
Walter Cronkite, where are you when we need you?
I am no Walter Cronkite, but today I am offering my personal choice of a news story - and maybe some almost science.
There is a new Memory Café, to be called Refection’s Café, scheduled to be held on the first Tuesday of the month at St. Mary of the Assumption Church in Baldwinsville. Patterned after the Pebble Hill Presbyterian Church’s ministry of Memory Cafe, its promo reads: “Engage in fun, creative and stimulating activities. Build connections with others who understand your journey. Share moments of joy in a supportive community and access helpful resources for navigating memory challenges...” Cost: free.
The Café will meet from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on March 4, April 1, May 6, June 3, July 1, Aug. 5, Sept. 2, Oct. 7, Nov. 4 and Dec. 2. It holds great promise for a solid something that is as important… maybe as important as medications
available for those with dementia in all its varieties.
While pharmaceutical companies wander around in the molecular levels of our synapses seeking the cause of Alzheimer’s, others are investigating how the larger life experiences influence how this malady occurs and a good part of that investigation focuses on ordinary things like diet and social interaction. It is only recently that geneticists have uncovered how life experiences interact with the expression of genes. What we experience changes how signals are sent to genes, changing how they work. Called epigenetics, it acknowledges the strong influence of how and with whom we live.
Like all of the other prescriptions it does seem that sugar and other substances cause changes that are not what one could categorize as healthy. It hypothesizes that food is medicine and that isolation, loneliness, etc. also influences how we program our genes.
Being with those who care, living in an environment that supports that human need that translates into genetic expression is the current thinking. As always, as the world religions will tell us, the basic power to cure is …dare I say it … love or a reasonable facsimile thereof. If that word is
Sheriff resists federal
Onondaga County Sheriff Toby Shelley is taking a courageous stand against orders from the federal government to crack down on illegal immigrants.
Livin’ in Liverpool
russ tarby
Instead, he said, he will follow the law. His office will only detain undocumented immigrants in the county jail in cases in which a judge signs a warrant.
He pointed out that a New York appellate court case – People ex rel. Wells v. Demarco – determined that local law enforcement agencies are not authorized under state law to conduct arrests for civil law immigration violations.
“We follow the law,” Shelley said.
“If they get arrested, obviously lawfully, under probable cause, Fourth Amendment, and they’re in our jail, and a judge puts bail on them, the way I understand the guidance, we can keep them up until they make bail,” he said. “And we can let federal authorities know when they’re getting released, but we can’t detain them beyond when they make bail.”
A warrant vs. i CE order
That was the case recently when the sheriff’s department called the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), after 28-year-old Galindo Lopez was scheduled for release after being charged with sexually assaulting a woman in the restroom of a Cicero Walmart. Shelley stressed that his deputies will only jail individuals if there is a judge’s warrant, and not an administrative detainer request from ICE.
“Those administrative warrants are just that,” said Shelley said.
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too strong, then what about the concept of belonging, of mattering.
At the Pebble Hill Memory Café today, for example, we celebrated the eighth Anniversary of the café. Gathering, we shared a meal, sang songs, listened to inspirational poetry, to very awful jokes and enjoyed the rousing sing-a-long performance of the Salt City Ukelele community of joyful musicians. This ministry is a balm, a nostrum of significance for those whose memories are fading in the dark days of dementia and the loved ones who care for them.
So, the Memory Café presents us with a caring, nutritional environment, staffed by members of a congregation who makes it their job to create something greater than the sum of its parts …today with cake, music and song to celebrate … Ok, and a little sugar once in a while. It is a far better activity than swimming in waters where there are hungry sharks. A much better, more uplifting story than governmental chaos or the bird flu, too.
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.
ICE pressure
“It’s not a judicial warrant. We have to have a judicial warrant signed by a judge to keep someone, no different than anyone else. Now, it’s a judge that puts you in jail.”
Shelley’s decision against honoring ICE detainer requests represents a change in policy from his predecessor, Sheriff Gene Conway. Shelley’s a Democrat. Conway was a Republican.
Shelley bases his office’s policy on guidance from the State Attorney General’s office.
James vs. trump
Speaking of New York Attorney General Letitia James, she has also been resisting President Donald Trump’s obsessive targeting of immigrants.
Last week, Trump’s new U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi announced that the federal Department of Justice is suing New York over immigration enforcement, specifically the state’s Green Light Law. That law allows undocumented immigrants to apply for drivers’ licenses without providing a Social Security number. Applicants can use other forms of identification, such as passports or drivers’ licenses from other countries, and they are still required to pass a road test.
Last Thursday, Feb. 13, James released the following statement: “Our state laws, including the Green Light law, protect the rights of all New Yorkers and keep our communities safe. I am prepared to defend our laws, just as I always have.” She and a baker’s dozen attorneys general also praised a preliminary federal court injunc -
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tion to Trump’s Jan. 20 executive order to end birthright citizenship. Birthright citizenship
Birthright citizenship dates back centuries – including to pre-Civil War America. Although the Supreme Court’s notorious decision in the Dred Scott case denied birthright citizenship to descendants of slaves, the post-Civil War United States adopted the Fourteenth Amendment to protect citizenship for all children born in this country.
On Feb. 10, James joined 21 attorneys general from across the nation to challenge what she called an unlawful cap on funding for biomedical research by the Trump administration.
On Feb. 9, James joined with 20 other attorneys general and countless federal employees upset by the Trump administration’s misleading federal “buyout” plan.
On Feb. 7 and 8, James lashed out at Trump’s billionaire buddy, Elon Musk, who is now running the new Department of Government Efficiency. A federal judge in the Southern District of New York granted James’ motion for a temporary restraining order preventing DOGE from accessing citizens’ personal private data, state bank accounts and other sensitive information.
Last word
“On the issue of birthright citizenship, we immediately stood up for our Constitution, for the rule of law and for families across the country who would have been deprived of their constitutional rights.”
–NYS Attorney General Letitia James.
Joseph M. Hennigan, 70
dedicated husband, father and friend
Joseph Michael Hennigan, 70, of Skaneateles and Sarasota, FL, passed away on Dec. 22, 2024, after a four year struggle with Alzheimer’s Disease.
Born Feb. 21, 1954, in Syracuse, Joe was the third of Robert D. and Virginia Egan Hennigan’s eight children. His parents instilled in him a strong sense of responsibility to your family, friends and community that he carried with him throughout his life. Joe spent his formative years in Skaneateles, where he excelled at sports and academics, challenged authority and made lifelong friends.
Educated at Syracuse University with a BA and MBA, Joe was a dedicated Syracuse sports fan and season ticket holder. He started his career at KPMG Peat Marwick, a tenure that over the next 15 years included becoming a tax partner in Washington DC, Rochester, N.Y., London, England, and Cincinnati, OH. Moving his family around the world and country, he returned to his hometown of Skaneateles in 1996 after his mother’s Alzheimer’s diagnosis.
He continued his professional career at Welch Allyn as the director of corporate tax and risk, a role that would lead him to become the CFO of Hand Held Products, Executive Director of The Allyn Family Office, and back to Welch Allyn where he was CFO from 2012 until it was sold in 2015. Joe was a dedicated husband, father and friend, nurturing these relationships with the same loyalty as his professional obligations. In the early years he enjoyed coaching his kids’ youth soccer and baseball teams. He loved Sunday morning hikes and skiing as a family at what he called the “Church of Our Lord at Song Mountain.” Communing with nature was where he felt most at peace. Aspiring to be an Adirondack 46er, he enjoyed the 20 peaks he was
DEATH NOTICES
Mary Ann R. Jackson, 85, of North Syracuse, passed away Feb. 9, 2025. Fergerson Funeral Home, North Syracuse, has arrangements.
able to conquer. The last two summits were the absolute best with his three children and future son-in-law, one year after his Alzheimer’s diagnosis. Foremost among his qualities, Joe was an excellent advice-giver. He shared wisdom and honesty when his children, friends and family needed it most, a gift that was dearly missed in his final years. Some of his best advice was as lasting as it was simple - “keep smiling.”
Apart from his wife Mary Ellen, Joe’s true love was Skaneateles Lake. Summer days of his youth were filled with swimming, boating and waterskiing.
He met and married Mary Ellen beside it and, as they spent their 20s renting summer camps with friends, they dreamed of someday having a place of their own. That dream was realized in 1992 when they purchased “Trailer on the Lake,” eventually building a yearround home that became a generational gathering place. His extended family reunites there every summer for Cousin’s Weekend, a tradition started by Joe to keep his nuclear family connected to his brothers, sisters and their families. Evenings around the porch dining table sharing a meal, a bottle of wine, and lively conversation with his favorite people in the world was Joe’s idea of the perfect end to a perfect day on the lake!
Since retiring, Joe enjoyed the winter months with new and old friends, staying warm and maintaining his active lifestyle on Lido Beach, Sarasota. He faced the illness that gradually took his memory with dignity, humor and love. We owe tremendous gratitude to the many family and friends who stood by us through this difficult journey. In that time Joe was able to see his daughter marry, his son get engaged and the birth of his first grandchild. It was at Claire’s wedding in 2022 that Joe got to live up to his nickname on the dancefloor, one last time… Joe “Stayin Alive” Hennigan! Joe was predeceased by his parents, Bob and Ginny Hennigan; brothersin-law, Larry Arlotta and Jeff Janson;
Marian Cooper, 87, of Syracuse, passed away Feb. 6, 2025. The Bush Funeral Home of Elbridge has charge of arrangements.
sister-in-law, Margie Hennigan and beloved Jack Russel Terrier, Huck.
He is survived by his wife of 44 years, Mary Ellen Driscoll Hennigan; his son, Matthew D. Hennigan of Lisbon, Portugal; his son, Michael J. Hennigan and his fiancé, Ritza Francois of Trumansburg, N.Y.; his daughter, Claire M. Hennigan MD, her husband, Maxwell Struever and grandson, Egan Joseph Struever of Brooklyn, N.Y. He is also survived by his brothers, Robert, Peter (Sue), Bill (Moira), Dan and Christopher (Buffie) Hennigan and their families; his sisters, Patti Hennigan and Karen Janson and their families; his sister-in-law, Kathleen D. Arlotta and her family; his aunts and uncles, Mary Egan, Ellie Egan (George) Wendell and William (Beverly) Egan DDS; as well as 20 first cousins, 20 nieces and nephews and 15 great-nieces and nephews.
Donations may be made in Joe’s memory to the Skaneateles Lake Association (skaneateleslakeassociation.org/ P.O. Box 862, Skaneateles, N.Y. 13152) or the Cure Alzheimer’s Fund (curealz.org / 34 Washington St., Suite 230, Wellesley Hills, MA 02481).
A Celebration of Life is planned for Sunday, May 4, 2025 at 1 p.m. at The Allyn Lodge, 4355 State Street Road, Skaneateles Falls, NY, 13153. Joe’s family will welcome all who want to remember, honor and toast him at that time. Words of comfort may be expressed at tjpfuneralhome.com.
Gary J. Ewald, 86, of Port Byron, passed away Feb. 9, 2025. The Bush Funeral Home of Elbridge has charge of arrangements.
Thanks for your support
To the editor: The Skaneateles Sunrise Rotary club would like to thank all of the volunteers, sponsors, merchants and their hardworking staffs who made WinterFest ‘25 and the Taste of Skaneateles possible. Through their generosity the Skaneateles community enjoyed a wonderful winter day of good food, beautiful ice sculptures, and family fun. All of the funds raised support Rotary causes such as our community food pantries, youth exchange students, Sea Scouts, Baltimore Woods, International Rotary projects and Disaster Relief, and more. In addition, our Polar Bear Club friends also had a great plunge turnout and raised separate funds for local first responders and education.
Our WinterFest 2025 sponsors/contributors included: 1911 Distillery, 1st National Gifts, Ameriprise Financial Services, Anyelas Winery, Arbor House Inn, Arnie Rubenstein, Bartlett Tree Experts, Berkshire Hathaway CNY Realty, Bluewater Grill, Clover’s, Dave Pirro Ford, Delmonico Insurance, Doug’s Fish Fry, DROOZ and Company, Elephant and The Dove, Emma + James, Excavation Plus, Finger Lakes Insurance Agency, Finger Lakes Luxury Rentals, Fleur de lis, Gilda’s, Good Eats & Sips, Hannum House, Hap + Main, Hidden Fish, Jean and John Vincent, Lake House Pub, Little Cow Ice Cream, Lucky Dogs, Mid-Lakes Navigation, Nest 58, Packwood House, Patisserie, Peggy Brown’s Tax Service, Rebound Sports and Orthopedic PT, Rhubarb Kitchen, Robert D. Gray Funeral Home, Roland’s, Sea Culture, Sherwood Inn, Skan 300’, Skan Bakery, Skan Brewery, Skan Community Center, Skan Dental Associates, Skan Historical Society, Skan Masonic Lodge, Skan Rotary Club, SPACE Architectural Studio, Tessy Plastics, The Krebs, The Local Branch, The Milkhouse, The Savage Homestead, Valentine’s Pizza & Deli, Vermont Green Mountain, Village Bottle Shop, Village Inn, Wegmans. CHriS LEGG / PrESiDEnt 2024-2025 skaneateLes sunrise rotary
Joseph M. Hennigan
B’ville airman receives new rank
Major General Ray Shields, the adjutant general for the state of New York, recently announced the recent
promotion of New York Air National Guard member Todd Chisamore from Baldwinsville, assigned to the 174th Attack Wing, to the rank of senior master sergeant. Air National Guard promotions are based on a Air -
man’s overall performance, demonstrated leadership abilities, professionalism and future development potential. These promotions recognize the best qualified Airmen for a career in the New York Air National Guard.
Are golf mulligans good or bad?
Did you know that the… For those of you who have had the “annoying” pleasure of sharing an a ernoon of golf with me over the last 25 years, the answer to the question in the title of this article should be very clear. My answer is a resounding…GOOD! Mulligans are specially good for beginners and average golfers. As you probably have already experienced, approximately 20% of golfers in general, including 20% of you reading this column also disagree with me. I will not apologize for my “incomprehension”. e traditionalists, perfectionists, and fault- nders nd the “habit” of taking Mulligans while playing golf…deplorable. erefore, you should be more selective when you set up a friendly match or are invited to play with golfers you don’t know who play “strictly” by the Rules of Golf. By the way, I am not against playing by the Rules of Golf. ere is a time and place for adhering “strictly” to the rules. ose times are as a PGA or LPGA Tour player, as competitive amateur golfers or as average golfers who play in leagues or occasional tournaments.
In addition, 98% of you already know that the word Mulligan does not appear anywhere in the o cial Rules of Golf. Mulligan is a surname originating from Ireland, coming from the Irish “O’ Maolagain”, literally meaning ‘grandson of a bald man’. I don’t particularly like that de nition. I found another one I like better that “ ts” how 80% of golfers around the world feel about the subject of Mulligan’s in golf. According to e Content Authority, “In it’s simplest form”, a Mulligan is an extra shot or stroke that a golfer is allowed to take without penalty a er a poor initial shot. It o ers players the chance to correct their mistake and improve their overall performance”. Actually, the exact origin of the term Mulligan in golf is uncertain. However there is one very popular theory that I really like. It suggests that the term was named a er a Canadian golfer named David Mulligan, who was also known for his frequent wayward shots. Legend has it that Mr. Mulligan would o en take an extra shot to make up for his poor initial shot and his fellow competitors began referring to his “habit” as another Mulligan. ank you Mr. Mulligan.
Proper Grammar:
In its most common form, “Mulligan” is used as a Noun that is a singular countable noun. is of course means that it requires an article, (such as “a” or “an”) before it, or it should be preceded by a determiner (such as “my” or “his”). Example:
* “He took a Mulligan on the 9th hole”.
* “I decided to give myself a Mulligan and start over”.
When used as a verb, it should be conjugated
accordingly based on the subject and tense of the sentence. Example:
* She Mulliganed her rst shot and tried again.
* ey will Mulligan their approach to the problem.
Enough of proper grammar. Let’s move on with some “Good” reasons to use Mulligans.
1. When I play by myself, I use Mulligans to increase my practice time for the week and also work on the timing and tempo of my swing. Sometimes I hit two drives o the tee. Sometimes three or four. I do the same for approach shots, chip shots, in bunkers and putts on the green. And yes, there have been times when I have hit ve balls o the tee because I was not satis ed with my previous attempt. In fact, several years ago, my most memorable “MULLIGAN BONANZA” was when I took over “72” Mulligans during an 18 hole round of golf playing by myself. I decided to play “5” balls for 18 holes (90 holes in total) to see how many strokes it would take me. It was challenging, fun, exciting, and a monumental learning experience.
2. When you play in a twosome or threesome… try allowing each player to take a Mulligan o the tee, from the fairway, around the green and on the green. I call the game a “One-Man Scramble”. Why? Because your score will be lower, you will gain con dence, and you will certainly have more fun…during and a er your round.
3. A er you have played 5 rounds of the “OneMan Scramble” game, add up your
strokes and divide by 5. Your average score for the 5 rounds will be your “Potential in the
Golf” providing, you are willing to
at
3 rounds of golf a week and practice at least two times a week. Please believe me…it is not a theory. It’s not easy, but it works. I know from personal experience.
When you play using Mulligans, always be aware of the group behind you as well as the group ahead of you and ALWAYS repair “all” of your divots.
MULLIGANS ARE GOOD…
C-NS girls hoops draws even with Liverpool
By PHiL BLACkWELL
If once again the Cicero-North Syracuse and Liverpool girls basketball teams have a post-season encounter, it will prove a tie-breaker following a pair of encounters where each side won once.
The Northstars atoned for a 55-48 January defeat by prevailing 49-44 in a physical, hardfought rematch last Saturday at its refurbished home gym where relentless defense and welltimed baskets made the difference.
All through the last three years C-NS met with frustration against Liverpool both in the regular season and in two playoff showdowns, including the 2024 Section III Class AAA final.
So it had to feel good for the Northstars not just to win, but to do so in the way it did, starting strong, withstanding a mid-game drought and then making the necessary plays down the stretch.
Not only did C-NS start out with a 13-2
lead, Liverpool had to deal with its top scorer, A’briyah Cunningham, taking a bad step on the game’s opening possession which briefly sent her to the bench. Already Liverpool was without one of its starters, Gia Kinsey, injured earlier in the week in her team’s 58-35 win over Baldwinsville.
Cunningham returned, but for the rest of the game she had to battle for every opportunity as first Jilly Howell, then Liv Cook defended her, limiting her touches and holding her to 11 points.
Liverpool’s Gracie Sleeth nearly made up for this, hitting on 16 points in the first half and bringing her team back to briefly go in front in the second quarter before it settled into a defensive stalemate which lasted until the final period.
Even though Howell fouled out with more than four minutes to play the Northstars kept its poise, Grace Villnave answering a Gianna Washington 3-pointer with one of her own that gave C-NS the lead for good with 3:11 left.
An even bigger 3-pointer by Leah Benedict
with less than two minutes left made it 45-39, and though Liverpool would cut the margin to three in the final minute Benedict hit a trio of free throws to seal it.
All told, Benedict had a game-high 23 points, spreading her production out as Sleeth, despite finishing with 21 points, was blanked in the fourth quarter. Villnave added 14 points.
Liverpool arrived at this regular-season finale at 17-2 and no. 13 in the state Class AAA rankings after its clean sweep of Baldwinsville, completed last Monday night at Baker High School.
Back home after losing 53-32 at Liverpool on Feb. 7, the Bees this time were in catch-up mode from the outset, the relentless Liverpool defense holding it to less than double-digit points in each of the first three quarters.
Focused and not looking ahead to C-NS, Liverpool built a margin of 48-23 by the fourth quarter, ultimately keeping every B’ville player other than Olivia Davis (10 points) from netting more than four points.
And though the Bees did contain Cun-
ningham well and limited her to 10 points, Washington made up for it landing 20 points and Angie Kohler earned 11 points. Kinsey contributed seven points before her injury.
Rebounding from its Feb. 7 defeat to Rochester Aquinas, C-NS, no. 15 in the state Class AAA poll, put together a fine all-around performance against Henninger last Tuesday night, topping the Black Knights 56-33. A 17-7 start got C-NS well out in front and it again held Henninger to seven points in the second quarter, with the margin continuing to grow the rest of the night.
Villnave continued her late-season surge in production, getting 17 points in the paint as Benedict earned most of her 16 points from four 3-pointers. Meadow Werts contributed eight points.
An even bigger win followed against Liverpool, sending C-NS with a lot of momentum toward games this week against Bishop Ludden and Marcellus before the sectional playoffs get underway.
C-NS boys shut down Liverpool late, earn win
By PHiL BLACkWELL
Energy, intensity, high emotion – every one of these characteristics marks a boys basketball game between archrivals Cicero-North Syracuse and Liverpool
Having nearly seen a fight break out late in their first regular-season encounter in January, the two sides got together again last Saturday afternoon and, while it proved calmer, the energy and intensity remained.
Most importantly from C-NS’s standpoint, it maintained the upper hand it earned a month ago, its defense down the stretch a key factor in prevailing 53-48 to move its record to 18-1.
Having led most of the game, the Northstars led 46-37 early in the fourth quarter, largely a byproduct of hot 3-point shooting through the early part of the second half by Nate Francis and Sam Werts.
But Liverpool threatened to turn it around, going on a 12-0 run over a four-minute span which Danny Dunn capped with a 3-pointer that, with 3:10 to play, put the visitors up 48-46,
its first lead since the opening minutes.
That lead only lasted 15 seconds – the amount of time it took C-NS to head down the court, find Francis in the corner and have him drill his third 3-pointer of the game.
Liverpool never scored another point, forced into bad shots by a tight Northstars defense which produced a series of empty possessions. Plus, since it only had one team foul, it had to foul several times before Werts hit the clinching free throws with 11 seconds to play.
Werts, with 14 points, and Francis with 15 points balanced well with Andrew Benedict, who had 16 points. Before the late drought, Liverpool got 14 points from Giancarlo Galimi, Freddy Fowler adding 12 points as Dunn got nine points and Alex Trombley eight points.
C-NS had back-to-back games early in the week – one lopsided, the other a genuine scare.
Hosting New Hartford last Monday night the Northstars unloaded on the Spartans, especially in the second half of a 79-51 victory.
New Hartford caused some early worry and only trailed 36-29 at halftime, but C-NS dou-
bled up the Spartans 24-12 in the third quarter to thwart any hopes of a comeback.
Held relatively in check in recent weeks, Benedict roared to form with 32 points, his second-best total of the season. Brennan Tyler set a career mark with 17 points mostly from five 3-pointers, while Francis managed 13 points and Miy’Jon McDowell Reed gained 10 points.
Given this result, the Northstars may have gone to Baldwinsville a night later with complacency and with an eye toward the Liverpool battle, especially since C-NS routed the Bees 89-52 when they met in mid-January.
If so, it nearly proved a massive error, the Northstars only able to correct it late and, in the final moments, pull out a 55-54 win.
Led by M.J. Young, the Bees made plenty of shots early to fire up the home crowd and led 18-12 through one quarter. Then it remained steady through the game’s middle stages, not allowing C-NS any kind of sustained run.
Still down 46-41 going to the fourth quarter, C-NS cranked up its defense, only allowing
eight points the rest of the way and giving the offense a chance to produce just enough points to pull it out.
Francis had 15 points, with Benedict adding 13 points and Andrew Potter 12 points. Werts got seven points, far back of Young, whose 26 points led all scorers as Matt Pope added 12 points.
By contrast, Liverpool handled Corcoran that same night in a 72-54 decision, racing out to a 35-13 halftime lead through near-flawless defense and an attack heavily leaning on Trombley.
Hitting on 10 field goals, three of them 3-pointers, Trombley gained 26 points. Fowler earned nine points as Dunn got eight points. Three others Gallimi, Braylon Otis and Jayden Cromwell – finished with six points apiece.
As C-NS prepared for a Tuesday regularseason finale against Fayetteville-Manlius Liverpool would take its 13-6 record to Henninger on Monday before finding out what the Section III Class AAA playoff bracket would reveal.
Cavallerano leads swimmers at sectional meet
By PHiL BLACkWELL
Both the Liverpool and Cicero-North Syracuse boys swim teams carried strong expectations into last Wednesday’s Section III Class A championship at Nottingham High School.
Led by Jack Cavallerano, Liverpool picked up 258 points to take fourth place and C-NS was sixth with 194 points, all of them chasing Fayetteville-Manlius, who fully utilized its depth to soar to the team title with 416 points.
Cavallerano was victorious in the 100-yard butterfly. Having already qualified for next month’s state meet at Ithaca College in this event, Cavallerano went 50.58 seconds here, just off his season-best 50.47 but well clear of the 53.52 from Jamesville-DeWitt/CBA’s Lesha Kabunov and 54.54 from C-NS’s Brandon Keil, which was the Northstars’ best individual finish in a race.
This came after a dramatic 50 freestyle where Cavallerano and Fulton sprint specialist Logan Ames nearly touched at the same
time. Cavallerano’s 21.32 seconds was just onehundredth of a second behind Ames’ 21.31 and bested his previous mark of 21.94 by more than half a second.
All told, Cavallerano was part of three winning efforts. In the meet-opening 200 medley relay Sean O’Neil, James Hayden and Bryce Shutts joined Cavallerano to prevail in 1:39.80, just ahead of F-M’s 1:40.10 as both qualified for the state meet. Later, in the 200 freestyle relay this same Liverpool quartet pulled away in 1:31.12 from F-M’s 1:32.82
Hayden was victorious in the 100 backstroke, too, his 55.53 seconds more than a second ahead of the 56.60 of West Genesee’s Sean Putnam as Shutts gained third place in 58.48. In the 200 individual medley Hayden finished third in 2:06.99, with Shutts fourth in 2:10.56.
O’Neil went 49.88 seconds for fourth in the 100 freestyle and was seventh in the 50 freestyle posting 23.10 as Ryan Vann added an eighth in the 200 freestyle in 1:57.31.
As for C-NS, it finished fifth in the 200
medley relay in 1:47.08 and sixth in the 200 medley relay (3:38.22) as Keil went exactly 23 seconds for fifth place in the 50 freestyle. Seventh-grader Anthony Aloi was seventh in the 500 freestyle posting 5:23.23, with Ryan Lasher seventh (1:00.35 in the 100 backstroke as Leo Alexander took ninth in the 100 freestyle in 53.45.
Friday’s sectional state qualifier had Liverpool take fifth place with 148 points as New Hartford (354 points) pulled away from F-M to take the George Falwell Cup.
Cavallerano again won the 100 butterfly holding off Skaneateles’ Gavin Van Kersbergen, 50.60 seconds to 50.85, and again took a close second (21.39 seconds) to Ames (21.36) in the 50 freestyle where Keil was 10th in 22.79.
In the 100 butterfly Keil went 53.99 seconds for fifth place just missing the state qualifying standard of 53.95. O’Neil got sixth in the 100 freestyle in 49.76 while Shutts finished fifth in the 200 in the 200 IM posting 2:10.21, a new season mark, and did the same in the 100 back-
stroke going 58.88 to finish sixth.
All of this followed the sectional Class A diving meet where C-NS’s Nate Ornoski set a new personal mark with 528.8 points, second only to the 574.7 from Baldwinsville’s Nick Pompo, while Carter Canastra was fourth with 487.15 points.
Chris Koegel was sixth with 444.9 points, just missing the state qualifying standards of 450 points. Ornoski and Canastra joined Pompo and J-D/CBA teammates Cameron Corona and Garrett Fuller advancing to the state meet.
Moving on to last Tuesday’s state qualifier, Ornoski had 493.2 points which put him in third place, Pompo again in the top spot with a school-record 576.15 points and Corona second with 534.55.
Canastra nearly caught Ornoski but settled for fourth place earning 488.2 points. Koegel claimed seven place, again getting close to the state standard with 437.6 points.
C-NS hockey earns no. 3 seed for sectional playoffs
By PHiL BLACkWELL
Ultimately, the Cicero-North Syracuse ice hockey team’s reward for a 14-3-2 regular season was the no. 3 seed for the Section III Division I playoffs.
Parked at no. 14 in last week’s state Divi-
l From page 2 Clay
Harvey and Howard and daughters Caroline and Mary. There are two pictures of the family farm house with and without trees. I have a picture
l From page 2 Church
opened in October, 1975 with 30 students. Enrollment increased to 50 children in 1976. In 1977, an afternoon program was added that increased enrollment to 70 children. Bonnie Kerschner served as the first director of the Nursery School.
In the 1980’s and early 90’s the building was made more accessible and welcoming to
sion I rankings, the Northstars would host a quarterfinal at the Twin Rinks, with the exact opponent determined by Monday’s openinground game between no. 6 seed Watertown IHC and no. 11 seed Mohawk Valley.
If the Cavaliers won, it would face C-NS, but if the Jugglers prevailed the bracket would
of the location where the farm once stood showing a now and then comparison. I have four out of five Bettinger siblings shown in the pictures. The only one I don’t have a picture of is John. Everyone mentioned unfortunately has passed away and they have cemetery lots at Pine Plains Cemetery over near 31 and
the community by installing an elevator and a handicapped accessible bathroom.
The beautiful stained glass windows were installed in the 1990’s to remind us of how God speaks to us and touches our hearts.
The most recent property additions were in April, 2001 when the front driveway was installed, and in 2004 when the Columbarium garden was built. The Columbarium serves as a reminder for future generations of the people
shift and no. 7 seed Syracuse, who topped CNY Fusion 6-2 in the opening round, would visit. Ironically, the only regular-season game C-NS was unable to make up was against Rome Free Academy – who got the no. 2 seed, meaning that if they won their respective quarterfinals the Northstars and Black Knights
Henry Clay Boulevard.
If anyone would like to read these stories in full, they are encouraged to email me. For more information, suggestions, or article requests, please visit the Clay Historical Association’s Google page. Any questions can be directed to historian@townofclay.org. The
who found a home at Luther Memorial and have gone on before us.
The pastors who have served Luther Memorial in past and present are Norbert Stracker, John Sanborn, Intern Bruce Schrader, Kenneth Kuhn, Eric Pearson, Michael Lagerman, Intern George Post, Alice Moberg-Sarver, Paul Messner, Leonard Johnson, Leslie Wilder, Lawrence Isbell, Randolph Bishop, Intentional-Interim, Elaine Berg, Intern Evan Albright,
could meet at Kennedy Arena in next week’s semifinal round. Before all this, C-NS closed the regular season by going north to Fairgrounds Arena to face IHC. In this potential playoff preview, the Northstars were sound in all phases of the game and defeated the Cavaliers 4-1.
Clay Historical Association meets on the second Wednesday of every month at 6:30 p.m. at the Clay Historical Park. Those interested in attending, inviting others to join, or sharing historical photographs are encouraged to reach out
Gail Wolling, Susan Feurzeig, and Richard Yost. Betty Swinehart served as deaconess during John Sanborn’s tenure at Luther Memorial. As we joyfully open our hearts to new ideas, opportunities and people, Luther Memorial continues its mission to serve Christ for the sake of the world. The history of our parish is one of spiritual and physical growth, as well as service to the community.
