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VOLUME 1 ISSUE 22
DECEMBER 16-22, 2016
The Official Newspaper
of the Village of Springville, NY Springville-Griffith Institute Central Schools
Mill Street Lights
Continue to Bring Joy and Charity
Kissing Bridge Opens Dec. 16
Upcoming Events Springville Area
See page 5 for all the latest KB news
December 16 Kissing Bridge Opens
December 17 Salute to Service Girls Basketball Game
By Derek M. Otto
Since his earliest memories, Jim Jozwiak says he has been fascinated by Christmas lights. He remembers checking the bulbs with his grandfather and later helping his brothers decorate the house they lived in as a kid. But it was his
late wife Deb that truly started the fascination. “ She was the original Christmas kid,” he said. The true inspiration for the display that Jozwiak has built up for many years was a trip that he and Deb took to Frankenmuth, MI, not
only known for the largest Oktoberfest in America, but also having largest German Christmas Market in the United States. Jozwiak recalled, “The lighting they had there my wife loved and we started from there.”
A LOOK BACK:
December 21 Chamber of Commerce Winter Open House
Snowy Main Street, Springville
December 23 SGI Holiday Recess Begins
See Mill St. Lights page 3
SGI Board Looks to Change District’s Wellness Policy Appoints Interim Board Member
The Union Block Building on Main Street in Springville during the winter in1910s. No snowplows or heavy equipment to move snow. The same building was featured several times in national news coverage of last week’s lake effect snow event. By Derek M. Otto
By Christopher Gordon
Because of the concern over obesity in the district, the Springville-Griffith School Board is looking at possible changes to its wellness policy, which may lead to the removal of unhealthy foods for celebrations such as birthdays. “I have concerns about the obesity rates,” said Board Member Michael Connors – who is also a member of the district’s policy committee.
He said one of his concerns is the amount of snacks, such as cupcakes and cookies, that children consume throughout the year as students celebrate birthdays. “We are a globally obese society,” Connors said. Superintendent Kimberly Moritz said the board has a number of options with this issue, one being it could maintain the current wellness policy as worded. Or it could
Tammy Sherwood of Springville has been appointed interim school board member. See page 5 for details.
return the policy back to the committee to discuss possible proposed changes to it. “It will come down to the opinion of the board,” Moritz said. “Obesity comes in nowhere in the policy,” School Board President Allison Duwe said. According to Duwe, when she joined the board, the
See SGI Board page 5
‘Salute to Service’ Girls Basketball Game Dec. 17 By Alicia Dziak
If you’re looking for an opportunity to cheer on your hometown Lady Griffs, enjoy some hoops and do them both while supporting a great cause, look no further than the Salute to Service basketball game on Saturday, Dec. 17. Two games will be played at the SGI High School; the JV girls tipping off at noon, followed by the Varsity squad at 1:30 p.m. The games have the Lady Griffs facing off against Mt. Mercy Academy Magic. See Salute to Service page 4
mugs
hats
clocks
caps
The only thing historic about the snow storm late last week might be the media coverage. It was the first time in which the big three—NBC, CBS, ABC—and the Weather Channel broadcast from snowy Springville. Yes, it was a bad storm even for Springville, but in reality, we have had many more storms in recent history that should have brought the
Weather Channel’s Mike Seidel to Springville. My Facebook page reminded me of my post on Dec. 12, 2013: “Twenty inches already on the ground, school is closed two days in a row.” That was only three years ago, no Weather Channel then. So what were the really bad storms? Let’s take a look back. The first one is not just related to Springville, but to the
whole Northern Hemisphere. It was 200 years ago, in 1816. It wasn’t a storm; it was the year without a summer. The Albany Advertiser in Albany, NY reported “The weather during the past summer has been generally considered as very uncommon, not only in this country, but, as it would seem from newspaper accounts, in Europe also. Here it has been dry, and cold. We do not recollect the time when the drought has been so extensive, and general, not when there has been so cold a summer. There have been hard frosts in every summer month, a fact that we have never known before. It has also been cold and dry in some parts of Europe, and very wet in other places in that quarter of the world.” We do know that spring came and went right into winter. See A Look Back page 10
Town Board Votes to Install Camera at Library
January 2017 Appointments Approved
By Jennifer Weber
At the Dec. 8 meeting, the Town of Concord Board voted to install a camera system for the Hulbert Library due to recent vandalism issues. Supervisor Gary Eppolito requested a proposal from Gerwitz & McNeil for the cost of the camera system. Additional quotes will be entertained and voted on at the next meeting. Eight candidates were interviewed for the part-time Senior Center Clerk position. The Board will schedule a special meeting and have an executive session to discuss the hiring at an upcoming
meeting. Councilman Snyder went to the Senior Center the prior week for a visit and reported that the building was full of people at the time. Several Board appointments
Gift ideas from our Parts Department
EMERLING
Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram
were voted on and approved at the meeting, including: Supervisor Eppolito was approved to represent the Concord IDA for a five year
See Town Board page 9
gift certificates
hoodies
t-shirts
water bottles
www.emerlingjeep.com • 195 West Main Street, Springville NY (716) 592 - 2881 • Open Mon & Tues 9 - 8, Wed 9 - 5, Thurs 9 - 8, Fri 9 - 5, Sat 9 - 4