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Mayor questions opponent’s residency Clerk clarifications Democrat Finney fighting her Republican challenger on two fronts By Russ Tarby Contributing Writer
Liverpool’s first-term Mayor Stacy Finney, a Democrat, is fighting on two fronts to have her Republican opponent, attorney Tom Valerino, removed from the November ballot. She has registered an official complaint with the Onondaga County Board of Elections claiming that Valerino does not actually reside at the address he listed on his recent voter registration, 300 Tulip St.
Valerino and his business partner Clay Town Judge Jeffrey Schiano do own that historic brick building at the corner of First Street, but the mayor maintains that Valerino lives in Syracuse. Not only has Finney prompted the BOE to reconsider Valerino’s eligibility, she also filed a lawsuit last month against both Valerino and the BOE. Finney has retained Syracuse attorney Ronnie White Jr. White previously worked for Mackenzie Hughes law firm and for Onondaga County’s law de-
partment. A Democrat, White also served briefly as a councilorat-large on the Syracuse Common Council. In a letter attached to the lawsuit, village Codes Officer Bill Reagan said Valerino’s three-story building currently has no dwelling spaces. “I’m just baffled,” Finney told a reporter. “The Tulip Street address is a vacant building and is obviously under construction.” Valerino told the Star-Review that he intends to either buy a Mayor l Page 11
New part-time village clerk/treasurer Desiree Salvagni is an Army veteran By Russ Tarby Contributing writer Liverpool’s new part-time village clerk and treasurer, Desiree Salvagni, is a U.S. Army veteran who served in Germany and Bosnia-Herzegovinian from 1993 to 1997. She later worked for the Greater Syracuse Association of Realtors from 2012 to 2014. “In 2019, I became the clerk to the comptroller at the Town
of Schroeppel,” Salvagni said, “and it is there that I have gained knowledge in municipal accounting.” She is still employed part time at that Oswego County town. The village board -- Mayor Stacy Finney, Melissa Cassidy, Rachel Ciotti, Matt Devendorf and Michael LaMontagne -- appointed Salvagni at their July 21 meeting.
Annual AIDS Walk/ Run returns to Onondaga Lake Park By Katherine Rakowski ACR Health’s 33rd Annual AIDS 5K Walk/Run will be held on Thursday, Sept. 18 from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at Onondaga Lake Park in Liverpool at the Saw Mill Creek Shelter. The walk was initially scheduled for early June, but with the poor air quality caused by the Canadian wildfires, ACR Health moved the event to September. The air quality, combined with the hot summer might have limited the amount of people who felt comfortable taking part, and this is too important of an event for people to miss, ACR Health’s Director of Development and Community Engagement Katherine Lowe, said. “The run highlights where we used to be while leading us into where we are now,” she said. “And we’ve come a long way since the AIDS crisis of the 90s.” ACR Health is a not for profit, community based organization providing a wide range of educational programs and a variety of services for those impacted by STI’s, including HIV and AIDS. These services include free and confidential testing, medication management, support groups, a housing program, a Q Center, and most importantly, a social network for those who otherwise may not feel comfortable seeking out care. “Being welcome is something that a lot of us take for granted,” Lowe said. “We’ve had people come to us who are afraid to seek help because they’ve been made to feel less than because of a diagnosis. We do not judge. All are welcome here.” The walk provides an opportunity for the organization to call attention to the fact that HIV and AIDS is still out there, and everyone is at risk, but there is a lot of hope and there have been significant strides in treating this illness. “This is now considered a chronic illness which is very manageable,” Lowe said. “There is actually a vaccine now for people who are at risk, and that’s just mind boggling. It’s a very manageable disease with great medicines out there to help you survive and live your life.” Supporting the walk means participants will be ensuring that people in need are served immediately, as ACR is often the first place people at risk turn to, providing mediWalk l Page 2
Submitted photo
ACR Health’s 33rd Annual AIDS 5K Walk/Run returns to Onondaga Lake Park in Liverpool Sept. 18.
North Area Meals on Wheels breaks ground on expansion Aug. 7 by Elena Ehrhart
On Aug. 7, volunteers, staff, local politicians and other supporters gathered for the ground breaking of the North Area Meals on Wheels’ expansion. After having the facility built in 2004, the North Area Meals on Wheels met the needs of the com-
munity, serving 55,000 meals in their first year. Now, the organization is on track to serve over three times that amount to their 500 clients across the North Syracuse area. “This expansion has been a long time coming,” said North Area’s Executive Director Randy LaManche. “We’ve outgrown
this building due to demand. Our meal production is increasing, as is our demand in North Onondaga County.” The addition of 2,400 square feet will provide more space for employee offices, storage for meal components and more space for volunteer parking. Additionally, a second phase
will install a solar field behind the facility in hopes of aiding in a fully electric transition for the appliances within the building. Supporters of the project, Assemblyman Al Stirpe and Frank Ridzi of the CNY Community Fund each provided their own remarks centered on the impact Meals on Wheels has had on the
community and the importance of the work done. While many of the public figures provided remarks commending the organization and those who volunteer, others like Ridzi and Gary Butterfield, mayor of the Village of North Syracuse provided their own stories of personal NAMOW l Page 11
Volume 132, Number 33 The Star-Review is published weekly by Eagle News. Office of Publication: 2501 James St., Suite 108, Syracuse, NY 13206. Periodical Postage Paid at Syracuse, NY 13220, USPS 316060. POSTMASTER: Send change of address to Star-Review, 2501 James St., Suite 108, Syracuse, NY 13206.
CNYSPCA PET OF THE WEEK: Birdie needs a home.
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sports: Syracuse Salt Cats crowned champions for second year in a row.
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