Columnists

Cicero sees significant economic development

In the last year and a half, the town of Cicero has been interested in advancing the economic development of our community. As liaison to the zoning and planning department, I have been active in encouraging new residential and commercial projects. One measure taken has been to create a streamlined approach for business owners and representatives to come in and work with the planning board, and this has been key to successes that have come to pass.

Still in our hearts 20 years later

East of the playground at Willowfield Elementary, there’s a 20-year-old red maple tree nestled among the greenery. I helped plant that tree as a sapling, tossing in a shovelful of soil along with dozens of others who finished the sixth grade at WFE in the summer of 1993, because that shovelful of dirt was all we could offer to honor the friend in whose memory the tree was planted. Nick Isgro passed away after a battle with leukemia on June 19, 1993. He’d had a bone marrow transplant in Boston not long before, but developed complications after the surgery. That very day, we’d held a car wash in order to raise money for his care at the school; we all danced around and sang a song we made up (the lyrics and tune escape me now) and sprayed each other with the hose and threw sponges at each other (I doubt too many cars actually got clean) while Nick breathed his last. It took me years to stop feeling guilty about that.

Keep Salina beautiful by following town codes

The warm weather is here, and as I drive around town I notice that many people are out and about doing yard work and keeping their lawns looking neat and tidy. Thank you, Salina residents, for showing pride in your homes and keeping Salina looking beautiful. Unfortunately, there are a number of properties that don’t look as nice. As stated in Salina’s property maintenance code, if a property owner’s lawn is found to be too long, a notice will be sent to that property owner to remedy the issue within a specified period of time, usually 10 days. If this issue is not taken care of within the allotted timeframe then the town of Salina, with the use of an approved contractor, will go in and cut the lawn, with the cost being placed on the taxes of the property owner who is in violation. If you notice a property in your neighborhood that has property maintenance issues, please don’t hesitate to contact the supervisor’s office to report them.

Local girl fighting an antibiotic-resistant infection

Parishioners at St. Joseph the Worker Catholic Church will gather Saturday afternoon to help out one of their own, the young and lovely Sarah Wansart who faces a lengthy recovery after being hospitalized with a serious MRSA infection. The daughter of St. Joe’s parish council member Jane Wansart, Sarah has been hospitalized for more than a month after developing complications. “Like her mother, Sarah is an energetic and compassionate person dedicated to serving others,” noted the parish music director, Eileen Brody. Besides serving on the parish council, Jane Wansart sings in the church choir under Brody’s leadership.

Along the Lakeshore: June 12

Trip to Virginia, dairy farms

Along the Lakeshore column from the June 12 edition of the Skaneateles Press.

Macbeth’s witches to stir their brew at Johnson Park

A dark cave. In the middle, a caldron boiling. Thunder. Double, double toil and trouble; Fire burn, and caldron bubble That Bill Shakespeare certainly had a way with words! The Liverpool Is The Place Committee apparently has a soft spot for The Bard. The committee, which brings you two dozen free concerts every summer at Johnson Park, is trying something new this year. At 7 p.m. on Fathers’ Day, Sunday, June 16, LITP has engaged Syracuse’s Redhouse Arts Center to present a one-hour adapted version of Shakespeare’s tragedy, “Macbeth,” at Johnson Park. The performance is designed for all ages, and admission is free. Considered one of Shakespeare’s darkest tragedies, “Macbeth” was originally staged circa 1607 in London. Set in Scotland, the action boils over with blood and betrayal as Lord Macbeth kills his king to fulfill his own lust for power. Wracked with guilt, Lady Macbeth leads her lord down a maelstrom of madness and death.

Along the Lakeshore: June 5

Thunderstorm wreaks havoc on trees

Along the Lakeshore, from the June 5 edition of the Skaneateles Press.

Please support Skaneateles schools capital project referendum

Guest column submitted by the Skaneateles Board of Education asking for the public's support of two referendums up for vote on June 11.

Representing quite well

Local athletes making it big at college, pro level

Section III’s athletes are going after state championships this week, from boys lacrosse in Pittsford to baseball in Binghamton to girls lacrosse at Cortland to softball at Queensbury to track and field at Middletown to girls golf at Delhi. They do so amid a year where, everywhere you look, from the college to professional ranks, local athletes are seizing their moments in the spotlight and shining brightly.

LHS jazz musicians ready to swing into summer

Hot on the heels of a Gold-Rated performance at the recent Oneida Jazz Festival, the Liverpool High School Jazz Ensemble has a busy week coming up. At 7 p.m. Friday, May 31, the student musicians present their 16th annual Jumpin’ Jazz Jam featuring the Manhattan-based DIVA Jazz Orchestra, at the high-school auditorium at 4338 Wetzel Road. Then, at 7 p.m. Monday, June 3, they make their annual appearance to kick off the Liverpool Is The Place summer concert series at Johnson Park.

New highway policy will extend the life of Cicero’s roads

Spring is on its way out and summer is just around the corner. Like many other northern clime communities, the town of Cicero has embarked on its road maintenance program for the season. What is different this year is that the town board and the highway department joined forces to develop a comprehensive plan to deal with our failing infrastructure. It has been apparent for some time that our roads were deteriorating much faster than the pace at which they were being repaired. Specifically, the problem was that only two to three miles of road were being repaired each year, but, with 130 miles of road, it would take 45 to 65 years to get to all them. And there is no road that lasts 45 years, so a new approach had to be implemented — and quickly.

Along the Lakeshore: May 29

Road trip to Virginia, new recliner, softball

Along the Lakeshore column from the May 29 edition of the Skaneateles Press.

Symphoria’s first full season an ‘Overture to the Future’

Symphoria outlined its first-ever full season for 2013-14 at a press conference down city at the Mulroy Civic Center on May 15. Fifth District Legislator Kathy Rapp (R-Salina) spoke at the press confab, reflecting on how far Symphoria has come in the single year since the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra sputtered out of business and into bankruptcy.

COLUMN: Funding restored, staging auto accidents, improving ATV rider conditions

There have been quite a few newsworthy items coming out of Albany in recent weeks. I want to share a few of them with you in this column pertaining to health services funding, insurance fraud and tourism.

COLUMN: Library Focus - The library will be closed May 26 and 27

Like this on again, off again weather, I am not ready for summer. Unfortunately, it’s coming anyway whether we’re ready or not. Stop in, online or in person, and we’ll help you get ready or maybe we’ll help you procrastinate more creatively. Either way, the library is here to help you.

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