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Gazebo blues summer reading success Homeowner claims village wants to ‘destroy’ his backyard building By Russ Tarby Contributing Writer Paul Blundell wants just one thing: a chance to finish building a backyard gazebo. The problem is that the construction has dragged on for five long years. Village Codes Officer Bill Reagan asked the Liverpool Village Board of Trustees to conduct a hearing at its Sept. 16 meeting at which both he and Blundell spoke about the impasse. Pointing to a thick file of accumulated case paperwork, Reagan said the homeowner repeatedly ignored state building codes and had failed to present required building designs. “I want to finish my gazebo appropriately,” Blundell told the trustees. He accused Reagan of trying to “destroy” his gazebo project. Blundell requested another six month extension of his building permit, but – by a unanimous vote – the trustees gave him just seven weeks, until Nov. 5.
Bike lanes nixed
As she reviewed the village’s “outstanding issues,” on Sept. 16, Mayor Stacy Finney announced that the state Department of Transportation had dropped its plan for bicycle lanes on along Route 370, also known as Second Street. At its Aug. 22 meeting, the trustees heard from 12 resi-
dents who opposed the bike lanes. “I spoke with DOT project director Paul Lo Gallo, and he agreed that the bike lanes would not be part of the project,” Finney said. Last November, Lo Gallo outlined the proposed reconstruction of Second Street easterly from the Liverpool Elementary School entrance to the intersection at Heid’s corner. Scheduled to begin in April 2025, the work will remove the road’s existing pavement, reconstruct the roadway base, upgrade traffic signals, update the drainage system and install handicapped-accessible curb ramps.
Trucks ticketed: 19
Police Chief Jerry Unger reported via memo that his officers made 174 traffic stops and issued 162 citations for violations of the state’s vehicle and traffic laws in the month of August. Officers stopped 21 tractor trailers in the village last month, and ticketed 19 of them for being overweight. Eight accidents were investigated here last month. Officers made 18 residential checks and 244 business checks in August, while responding to a total of 664 incidents and calls for service, an average of 21.5 calls per day. The LPD arrested 28 individuals last month on 41 criminal charges
NOPL’s summer reading program was a success, connecting with people of all ages. Over 300 children, tweens, and teens and several dozen adults made their summer both fun and educational by registering for the Northern Onondaga Public Library Summer Reading Programs. NOPL’s three branches featured exciting programs and book challenges to bring kids and families into the library throughout July and August. New this year, NOPL’s youth librarians each held a major event that invited patrons of all three libraries to gather together—a kick-off, halfway, and closing celebration. The kickoff program on July 1 featured a Solar Show Spectacular by the Syracuse Astronomical Society, along with Summer Reading sign-ups and goodie bags at NOPL Cicero. Patrons traveled from the skies to the seas for an Adventure on the
High Seas pirate-themed sing-along with Merry Mischief at NOPL Brewerton on July 31. Pirate facts and historical figure stories were shared along with great tunes! The duo played popular pirate hits from movies such as Peter Pan, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Muppet Treasure Island as well as classic kids tunes like Puff the Magic Dragon. At the End of Summer Reading Party, kids got to complete an adventure course, make a craft, and enjoy ice cream sundaes at NOPL North Syracuse. Kids, tweens, and teens tracked how many books they read or listened to and won prizes along the way. There were many other events to bring families to the NOPL branches, such as Zoo to You with Rosamond Gifford Zoo, Adventure Begins at the Library with the
Shaylene Harris
MOST, Cooking for Teens, , Adventures in the Ocean Twilight Zone with scientist Sophia Fiumano, Tweens & Teens Edible Engineering, and a Dinosaur Adventure Show with paleontologists Mike and Roberta Straka. Not surprisingly, one of the biggest draws was the Taylor Swift Party at NOPL North Syracuse on July 11, with 150 people attending. Since not everyone can see Taylor Swift on tour, this was a popular opportunity to gather to celebrate her music. Party-goers listened to Taylor Swift music, made friendship bracelets, took on a Swift song-themed scavenger hunt inside the library, and enjoyed food and drinks also based on song puns! Creative librarians put together a cheese and cracker platter with a sign saying, “You NOPL l Page 2
Raffle, bake sale and bottle drive planned CROP Walk planned for Oct. 6 The EJ Thomas United Methodist Men, the Little Utica United Methodist Church and the Corporal Kyle R. Schneider Foundation, along with other area churches are hosting a raffle, bake sale and bottle drive. The event is slated for Friday, Sept. 27, from noon to 8 p.m. at the Cicero American Legion during their famous fish dinner. All of the proceeds will go directly to the Corporal Kyle R. Schneider Foundation and the military veterans that they serve. Items offered for raffle are
donated by merchants, restaurants and families in the local area. Bake sale items are donated by excellent bakers from local churches and the Legion’s Auxiliary. The American Legion Post 787 is located at 5575 Legionnaire Drive, Cicero. The drawing will be held at 8:15 p.m. Raffle prizes will be picked up on Saturday, Sept. 28, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the American Legion. For more information, contact the church at 315678-2270 at littleuticaumc. org or by email at info@littleuticaumc.org.
Clay seniors host events Pop up thrift, craft shop
The town of Clay Senior Center will host a pop up thrift and craft shop at 9 a.m. Friday, Sept. 27 at the Town of Clay Senior Center, 4948 Route 31. Free and open to the public, the shop will be open until the vendors leave. For more call 315-652-3800, ext. 137 or email cclancy@ townofclay.org.
Candidate meet and greet
The public is invited to an informal Meet and Greet the Candidates event on Thursday, Oct. 17, at the Town of Clay Senior Center, 4948 Route 31, Clay. Doors open 10 a.m. for coffee social; the candidates will speak at 11 a.m. Light refreshments will be provided. For further information call Chrissy Clancy, senior coordinator, at 315-652-3800, ext. 137 or email her at cclancy@ townofclay.org.
No one in this world should be hungry, that is the message and the motivation of organizers behind the Greater Syracuse CROP Hunger Walk which is slated to take place Oct. 6 beginning at noon at Onondaga Lake Park at Willow Bay. According to Bob Graves, co-chair of the walk, local CROP Walks began in the early 1970s. But the history of the walk goes back a bit further. According to crophungerwalk.org, the Crop Project began in 1947 when farmers were asked to donate food and seed crops to hungry people in postWorld War II Europe and Asia. The first CROP Hunger Walks took place in Bismarck, North Dakota in 1969 and York, Pennsylvania in 1970. Since then, CROP Hunger Walk events have been held in hundreds of communities, large and small, raising millions of dollars to eradicate hunger and poverty. For decades walks have been taking place across the country to shine a light on the need to help others. This year’s local walk will help a number of people and organizations. Twenty five percent of the funds raised goes to five local agencies to support their mission including In My Father’s Kitchen, Samaritan Center, Interreligious Food Consortium, Isaiah’s Table, and Epiphany ParishLiverpool. “Hunger does not go away,” Graves said. “The money raised supports the agencies who are committed to mak-
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The Greater Syracuse CROP Hunger Walk will be held Oct. 6 at Onondaga Lake Park. ing a difference in the lives of those who are hungry.” Graves went on to say that is why the Greater Syracuse CROP Hunger Walk is more than just a gathering of people in a place. “We are part of a movement, taking steps and raising funds together to provide meals for those in our own community who need them - and supporting programs that create greater food security in communities all around the world,” he said. Graves said organizers hope to see 100 participants this year, but more
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cnyspca pet of the week: Diablo is waiting for his forever home.
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sports: C-NS, Liverpool cross country get big league wins.
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are most welcome. He said thinking about those who may need to walk miles just to get food and water and who will benefit from their steps often serves as motivation for participants. Whether joining in on the Oct. 6 walk, or walking virtually or just making a donation, every contribution can go a long way to help others, Graves said. Visit events.crophungerwalk.org/ cropwalks/event/syracuseny to register or call Graves at 315-427-6054 for more information.
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