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In a pickle... Pickleball comes to Onondaga Lake Park By Janelle Davis The sport that has been sweeping the nation is now in Onondaga County. A new pickleball complex was unveiled on Aug. 16 at Onondaga Lake Park in the park’s Wegmans Landing section. Excitement was high as people gathered to watch and play the nation’s fastest-growing sport. The complex includes 12 courts that can hold three pickleball groups of up to four people. The courts were built running north to south to avoid the sun. Pickleball is a combination of tennis, ping pong, and badminton. It can be played as singles or doubles using a paddle and a plastic ball. Players hit the ball back and forth over the net until someone misses. “A couple of years ago we were pitched the idea by CNY pickleball ambassadors John Cooley and Brook Bregman, to bring the sport to our parks system,” County Executive Ryan McMahon said. “We were informed how big pickleball was getting. Judging by this unbelievable turnout, I would say they were right.” McMahon explained there are plans for the complex to include shade structures, benches, new landscaping, and whatever else that can be
done to improve the pickleball area. County Parks Commissioner Brian Kelley said that this new pickleball complex, which is the largest in Upstate New York, will have regional appeal. “We are thrilled to add these pickleball courts to our portfolio here at Onondaga Lake Park,” he said. “We realized that we have an opportunity here to make this a regional and possibly a national attraction. It fits in with what we do here at Onondaga Lake Park.” Before the unveiling, people were already gathered from out of town to play and claim one of the courts. From 10 to 1 p.m. people were enjoying the music, food trucks, and game of pickleball at Onondaga Lake Park. Brook Bregman shared that every day she teaches pickleball clinics with 10 to 30 new players. She said new players can buy equipment for about $25. Players can play from 6 a.m. to dusk. To reserve a slot at one of the 12 pickleball courts at Onondaga Park you can visit cnypickleball.com. A new pickleball court complex was officially opened at Onondaga Lake Park. Janelle Davis
Should village elections move to November? Fines to be hiked Trustees hear pro and con from residents at public hearing By Russ Tarby Contributing Writer
A
t its Aug. 14 meeting, the Liverpool Village Board of Trustees heard varying opinions from several residents about the possibility of moving the annual village election from June to November. The village presently runs its own elections, but if it moved to November, the elections would be supervised by the Onondaga County Board of Elections. Dustin Czarny, the Democratic commissioner of the county board of elections, appeared at the public hearing and told trustees that several of the county’s 15 villages have already moved their elections to November. Camillus opted for autumn elections in 2007. East Syracuse, Tully and Solvay moved in 2015, and Elbridge moved in 2019. Three prominent Republicans spoke against the move. Former Onondaga County Legislature Chairman Bill Sanford, former village Trustee Christina Fadden and village GOP Chairman Joe Ostuni Jr. all opposed moving the village election to November. The newly elected village board of trustees is now dominated by Democrats, including new Mayor Stacy Finney. Sanford asked Finney what
prompted the idea. During her campaign this spring, Finney said, she found many residents “confused” about the June date. “We heard many questions from voters wondering why the elections weren’t scheduled in November,” Finney said. Fadden, who ran unsuccessfully for mayor in June, said that if the village elections are conducted in November, local candidates will find it difficult to wage a campaign at the same time as state and national candidates. Ostuni pointed out that in the 1980s the village moved its elections from March to June. The June date, he said, “is part of our independence. Freedom isn’t free.” Three prominent Democrats spoke in favor of the move. They were union official Mark Spadafore, former trustee Martha Ours and 2023 caucus host Raul Huerta “There is no benefit to the status quo,” said Ours. “November is when everybody votes. It’s time for us to step forward into the future.” Spadafore was concerned about the village election’s hours, noon to 9 p.m. Those hours, he said, “limits voters’ options.” Lengthier voting hours in November would increase participation, Spadafore said. Likewise, Sarah Alamond suggested that a November date would encourage heavier voter turnout. Two advantages to November
elections, Czarny said, would be the availability of early voting and affidavit voting options. An affidavit ballot is filled out when someone shows up to vote but elections workers don’t have their information. If the move is to be made, the village board would have to pass a resolution authorizing the county board of elections to run the village election subject to permissive referendum. “We’re going to take our time, and do it properly,” Finney said. “The vote for determining whether or not to move the election to November will most likely be part of the June 2024 [village election] ballot.”
Seven accidents in July
At the village board’s monthly meeting on Aug. 14, Police Chief Jerry Unger reported via memo that his officers made 113 traffic stops and issued 92 citations for violations of the state’s vehicle and traffic laws in July. Seven accidents were investigated here last month, and two motorists were issued parking tickets. Officers made 39 residential checks and 162 business checks in July while responding to a total of 480 incidents and calls for service. That number represents an average of 16 calls answered per day. The LPD arrested 17 individuals last month on 21 criminal charges.
Public hearing set Sept. 25 regarding big penalties for big trucks By Russ Tarby Contributing Writer
The Village of Liverpool Board of Trustees will conduct a public hearing at 7 p.m. Monday, Sept. 25, at the village hall to get feedback about its plan to increase fines on big trucks. At its July 10 meeting, the village board approved a new local law prohibiting the operation of trucks weighing more than five tons within the village. The law specifically targets “truck, trailers and tractor-trailer combinations.” The current fine is $50, but the trustees have proposed raising that penalty to $1,200 for trucks and their loads totaling between five tons and seven-and-a-half tons. For weights between seven-and-a-half tons and 10 tons the fine would be $1,700. The penalties get progressively higher for higher weights, with the top fine listed as $4,700 for trucks and their loads weighing 22.5 tons or more. “The newly suggested penalties align with those of New York State,” said Mayor Stacy Finney. The new local law, which was drafted by the previous board of trustees headed by Mayor Gary White, aims to “regulate and control land use and to protect the health, safety and welfare of its residents as well as the integrity of village thoroughfares.” The resolution to create the law cited a December 2022 truck and traffic study conducted here by civil engineers Barton & Loguidice which documented existing traffic patterns and applicable laws, engineering design standards and signage. The law includes a notable exclusion, allowing trucks of all weights to make local deliveries and pickups. A public hearing about the new law on July 10 drew only one speaker. First Street resident Joe Ostuni Jr. said he appreciated the new law’s intent and urged the trustees to back it up by enforcing heavy fines.
Volume 131, Number 34 The Star-Review is published weekly by Eagle News. Office of Publication: 2501 James St., Suite 100, Syracuse, NY 13206. Periodical Postage Paid at Syracuse, NY 13220, USPS 316060. POSTMASTER: Send change of address to Star-Review, 2501 James St., Suite 100, Syracuse, NY 13206.
school news: LCSD staff attends institute.
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sports news: Local districts release fall sports schedules.
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