Red team go! - Eagle News Online

Volume 160, No. 9 

March 1 to 7, 2006 

INSIDE: 

75 CENTS 

CALENDAR .......... 2 

CLASSIFIEDS ...... B5 

EDITORIAL ........... 4 

NIGHT LIFE ...... B1 

OBITUARIES ....... 10 

PUBLIC 

Camillus Fairmount jordan Elbridge Jack’s Reef Memphis 

‘THE WIZ’ AT 

WESTHILL THIS WEEK 

SEE PAGE 3. 

FOSPA HELPS YOUNG 

CHILDREN PREPARE FOR 

KINDERGARTEN 

ELKS CHICKEN-AND- 

BISCUIT DINNER 

ROAST PORK DINNER 

IN JORDAN 

FOR MORE COMMUNITY 

EVENTS, SEE DATEBOOK, 

PAGE 2. 

IN NIGHT LIFE: 

CRAVEN 

IMAGES 

‘The Hills Have Eyes’ 

double whammy 

will climax B-Movie Fest 

Sunday in Eastwood 

SEE PAGE B1. 

NOTICES ......... B12 

SPORTS PLUS .... 20 

SCHOOL NEWS ..... 6 

SPORTS ............. 21 

6 09859 00002 7 

The 

cnylink.com 

ADVOCATE 

Red team go! 

Local cops train for 

terrorist attack 

BY MATTHEW CRAVER 

Anyone driving by the Warners school last Friday 

might have thought a terrorist group released a toxic 

gas into the old schoolhouse. The lot was filled with 

police cars and emergency response vehicles, men in 

hazmat suits and a SWAT team armed, strapped with 

gas masks and ready for action. 

Actually, it wasn’t an emergency. It was only a test 

– literally. It was the final exam after a weeklong 

training course, provided by Louisiana State University 

and the Department of Homeland Security, designed 

to simulate a real time response to an incident 

involving weapons of mass destruction. About two 

dozen officers from departments in three counties 

responded. 

“It was a culmination of more than a week’s training 

to prepare our officers, specifically our SWAT 

and tactical teams, to deal with a hazardous materials 

situation caused by terrorist activities,” said Rich 

Flannigan, director of the Central New York Police 

Academy. 

The class consisted of a week of classroom and 

practical application, commencing on Friday with a 

written exam and real-time response. 

Camillus Police Chief Tom Winn said that even 

if the training wasn’t in Camillus, he would have 

sent personnel. If something like this ever did happen, 

the Camillus team would be part of a mass 

response that would include the county, state and 

federal agencies. 

“We want to know our capabilities if a situation 

like that happens,” he said. “We are just a small part 

of a big team and this is a huge undertaking.” 

Two officers from CPD, Det. Kristen Afarian and 

Det. James Nightingale, participated. 

Afarian said the training was different than any 

she had ever had. 

“Imagine wearing a full set of clothes and then 

putting another full layer on top of that,” she said. 

“These are things that firemen and hazmat workers 

are already acquainted with. This gives the police a 

chance to learn about how to deal with these situations. 

If anything, we should do this more often.” 

“These suits were not made for comfort,” 

Home of the Swartz family 

MATTHEW CRAVER 

On Friday a training course, provided by Louisiana State University and the Department of Homeland Security, was designed to simulate 

a real time response to an incident involving weapons of mass destruction. 


Two officers from CPD, Det. Kristen Afarian and Det. James 

Nightingale, participated. Afarian is pictured above. 

Flannigan said. 

Phil Politano, coordinator of the emergency management 

program at Onondaga Community College, 

agreed. 

“This course was designed to get people used to 

working in environments and with equipment 

they’ve never worked with,” he said. “Typically, hazardous 

material work is done by fire departments. In 

the post 9-11 world police officers need to be trained 

too.” 

There’s more to it than just entering a building and 

taking out the bad guys, Flannigan said. 

“Our officers learn how to use metering devices 

and sample the air,” Flannigan said. 

And for those who say a situation like this would 

never happen in Central New York? 

“That’s absolutely the wrong way to look at it,” 

Flannigan said, citing an incident in the area in 

which a threat was posed and arrests were made. 

The training goes beyond being prepared for a terrorist 

attack, Flannigan said. 

“The response to a terrorist event like today is 

very similar to a hazardous materials cleanup,” 

Flannigan said. 

Once the raid concluded, team members exited 

the building and awaited decontamination. 

ADVOCATE, MARCH 1, 2006/1 

Branching 

out 

Communities benefit 

from tree program 

BY ZACH HARKAVY 

Trees don’t plant themselves. 

Fran Lawlor knows that, while 

that may not be completely true, 

trees still do need some help. That is 

why Lawlor is looking forward to 

planting the seed for the upcoming 

CommuniTree Stewards Program, a 

program that helps beautify areas of 

Onondaga County by planting and 

maintaining trees. 

Lawlor is the coordinator for the 

CommuniTree Stewards Program 

and a community educator for the 

Cornell University Cooperative Extension 

in Onondaga County, the organization 

behind the program. 

“It’s a great chance to get into 

parks you never knew existed and 

get the satisfaction of helping out,” 

Lawlor said. 

While village and town parks are 

the primary locations for trees 

obtained through the program, just 

getting the trees isn’t all the program 

is about. The people who plant 

and maintain the trees is what makes 

the CommuniTree program unique, 

they are mostly volunteers. 

“The DPWs are pretty stretched 

out, so they can’t go back and look at 

(planted) trees,” Lawlor said. “It relieves 

them of a lot of the menial work 

and gets more knowledgeable people 

out there.” 

But before those knowledgeable 

people can help relieve towns and 

villages of maintenance work, they 

must first be trained. 

Root of the issue 

Within the next few weeks, the 

extension plans to start sending out 

registration materials for people interested 

in getting dirty for a good 

cause. 

Volunteer stewards receive 

roughly 10 hours of hands-on training 

in April and May through workshops 

and planting sessions. Volunteers 

learn how to do everything from 

dig proper holes to techniques of 

pruning. With such a range of opportunities 

Lawlor is not surprised by 

the range of volunteers. 

“We have everyone from college 

students to retired people to professionals,” 

Lawlor said. “People get out 

after work, it’s a stress buster.” 

In addition to busting stress, stewards 

also help build up some of the 

less attractive areas in the county. 

While the health of the trees is the 

main concern, the health of the program 

is also an issue. While some stewards 

continue to volunteer year after 

year, there is still a need for more. 

The CommuniTree Steward Program 

begins in May and continues 

through November. After completing 

the training volunteers are asked 

to donate a minimum of 20 hours for 

the six months, roughly eight to 

10projects. 

Anyone who is interested in becoming 

a steward may contact 

Lawlor at the cooperative extension 

located at 220 Herald Place in Syracuse. 

Lawlor can also be reached at 

424-9485 ext. 232 or FML7@cornell.edu.

2/ADVOCATE, MARCH 1, 2006 

ADVOCATE 

5910 Firestone Drive 

Syracuse, NY 13206 

Editor: 

Matthew Craver 

434-8889, ext. 337 

advocate@cnylink.com 

Sports: 

Phil Blackwell 

434-8889, ext. 348 

pblackwell@cnylink.com 

Display Advertising: 

Jack Gardner 

434-8889, ext. 313 

jgardner@cnylink.com 

(deadline: 5 p.m. Friday) 

Classified Advertising: 

Julie Galvin 

434-1988 

jgalvin@cnylink.com 

(deadline: 5 p.m. Thursday) 

This week 

FOSPA prepares kids 

The Jordan-Elbridge School 

District encourages parents of 4year-olds 

who live in the district 

to register their children for the 

FOSPA program. It is a free, educational 

pre-kindergarten program 

geared toward preparing for 

kindergarten. Winter session begins 

in March. To register, call 

689-3931 or in person at Elbridge 

Elementary School. 

St. Joseph’s Preschool 

has openings 

To register a 3- or 4-year-old 

call 484-2153 or visit stjosephs 

p r e s c h o o l 

camillus.catholicweb.com. 

Upcoming 

Roast pork dinner in Jordan 

The Jordan United Methodist 

Church will host a roast pork 

dinner from 5 to 7 p.m. Saturday 

March 11. Adults/$7, children 

ages 5-12/$3.50, children 

younger than 5 eat free. 

Ongoing 

WG class of ‘96 reunion 

The West Genesee class of 1996 

10-year reunion is coming up soon. 

Organizers plan to hold the event 

in November. 

Classmembers who would like 

to attend should contact Kristen 

Calebreese at 

wg96reunion@yahoo.com. Please 

include contact information. 

DATEBOOK 

SHS class of ‘75 reunion 

Solvay High School’s class of 

1975 is planning a reunion. 

Classmembers who plan to attend 

should send their contact information 

to jiamondo 

@hotmail.com or 

lynprz@aol.com. 

Lakeland Seniors 

casino trip 

The Lakeland Seniors will visit 

the Turning Stone Casino every 

second Monday of the month. The 

bus will leave Our Lady of Peace 

Church, Lakeland, at 8:30 a.m. and 

return at 5 p.m. Theresa Tarolli, 

487-6808. 

Kiddie Koffee Klatch 

Join the Kiddie Koffee Klatch 

from 10 to 11 a.m. every Thursday 

at the Solvay Public Library. Toddlers 

ages 1 to 3 enjoy a playgroup 

and storytime in the community 

room while parents or grandparents 

chat. The library is on the 

corner of Woods and Orchard 

roads. 468-2441. 

Storytime at Solvay library 

Solvay Public Library holds 

storytime Mondays at 6:30 p.m. 

and Wednesdays at 10:30 a.m. No 

registration required. 468-2441. 

Geddes Seniors 

group meeting 

The Geddes Seniors group 

meetings are scheduled for 7 p.m. 

the third Thursday of the month at 

Robinson Memorial Presbyterian 

Church. Residents of the town of 

Geddes, age 55 or older, may join. 

For more information, call Pat 

Mancabelli, 487-6430. 

Alzheimer’s support 

group meeting 

The St. Camillus Alzheimer’s 

support group meets from 5:30 to 

6:30 p.m. the third Tuesday of each 

month. Meetings are free and 

open to unpaid family caregivers 

of people with Alzheimer’s. St. 

Camillus is at 813 Fay Road, Syracuse. 

703-0676. 

Knitting lessons at Octagon 

House 

The Octagon House will host 

knitting lessons on Tuesday 

mornings and evenings throughout 

the year. There is a small fee 

for classes. For information, 

Donna Nortman, 672-8344. 

VFW meets Wednesdays 

The Herbert D. Rossberg Post 

8664 meets at 7:30 p.m. the second 

Wednesday of each month at 

Camillus Village Hall on Main 

Street. The ladies auxiliary 

meets at 7:30 p.m. the third Tuesday 

of each month, also at the village 

hall. There are no meetings 

scheduled during July and August. 

Knifetown Post meets 

Wednesdays 

The Camillus American Legion 

Knifetown Post 1540 meets at 7:30 

p.m. the first Wednesday of the 

month at the Elks Club on Newport 

Road in Camillus. For memberships, 

call Bill Wolfe, 487-1977. 

Octagon House membership 

meeting 

A general meeting for Octagon 

House members and volunteers is 

held at 7 p.m. the second Monday 

of every month. Octagon House is 

on West Genesee Street in 

Camillus. 488-7800. 

Elbridge Library story hours 

The Elbridge Library will hold 

fall story hours Wednesday mornings 

from 9 to 10 a.m. and from 11 

a.m. to noon. 

Fairmount Library 

story hours 

Story hours at the Fairmount 

Community Library will be held 

Tuesdays at 7 p.m. and Wednesdays 

at 10 a.m. The library is at 

406 Chapel Drive. 487-8933. 

What is Your New York State IQ? 

Q. What avant-garde rock group formed in 

New York City in 1965? Who were its 

members? And what is its connection to 

Syracuse? 

Find these and thousands of other fun and 

fascinating facts in The Encyclopedia of New York 

State, published by Syracuse University Press. It is 

available at Barnes & Noble, Borders or online at 

syracuseuniversitypress.syr.edu. 

A. The Velvet Underground. It was comprised of John Cale, Sterling Morrison, 

Maureen Tucker and Lou Reed, a graduate of Syracuse University.

IN BRIEF 

Mystery dinner 

theatre 

The Octagon House of Camillus 

presents its annual Mystery Dinner 

Theatre weekend Friday March 10 

and Saturday March 11 at Gilfillan’s 

Westhill Catering Club located on 

West Genesee Turnpike (Route 5) in 

Camillus. 

The Acme Mystery Company, a 

well-known local troupe, will 

present their original interactive 

mystery, “Florence of Moravia”. 

It’s 1927 and local radio personality 

Nevelle Haspin invites the dinner 

guests to the broadcast of a gala 

reception in the Ballroom of the 

Hotel Moravia. The reception is for 

silent film star Lorraine Bowes. Also 

attending will be actor Roland 

DeHay, agent Harold “Hawk” 

Toohey and columnist Helena 

Handbasquet. Come and see for 

yourselves what happens at the 

reception. 

Tickets are $35.00 per person by 

reservation only and include a “20sstyle” 

menu of salad, boned Cornish 

game hen, rice pilaf and dessert. Cash 

bar opens at 6 p.m. For more 

information or order tickets, please 

call event co-chairmen, Vars and 

Nancy Smith, at 487-5911. 

Woman struck by 

SUV in Camillus 

A Solvay woman suffered serious 

injuries when she was struck by a 

sport utility vehicle Friday on Milton 

Avenue in Camillus. 

Robin Wicks, 21, of 502 Third St., 

was walking west with her 

boyfriend’s 12-year-old sister at 

about 6:20 p.m. to a home in Camillus 

when she was struck by an SUV 

traveling west. 

Police said the driver, Robert K. 

Blanton, 25, of 22 Eagle Lane, 

Camillus, may have fallen asleep at the 

wheel. Drugs and/or alcohol are not 

a factor, police said. 

Wicks was in serious condition 

Monday at University Hospital. No 

tickets have been issued, police said. 

COMMUNITY 


“The Wiz,” adapted from “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” by L. Frank Baum, will play at Westhill High School Haws 

Auditorium at 7 p.m. Thursday March 2, Friday March 3 and Saturday March 4 and at 4 p.m. Sunday March 5. 

Show starts 

Thursday at Westhill 

BY MATTHEW CRAVER 

The Westhill High School 

Masquer’s Club will share its interpretation 

of “The Wonderful 

Wizard of Oz,” but in a musical 

version. 

“The Wiz” tells of Dorothy’s 

adventures in the Land of Oz set 

to music in a dazzling, lively 

mixture of rock, gospel and soul. 

The show originated on Broadway 

in 1975, became a hit movie 

in 1978, and will return to Broadway 

this fall. 

Director Mary Buchmann and 

her husband Joe have directed 

shows in Central New York for 

nearly 20 years. She said what 

makes Westhill different from 

the rest is how many students 

are willing to participate. 

“The talent pool at Westhill is 

absolutely amazing,” she said. 

“There are tons of leads, so many 

that we cast two in each role.” 

Casting call 

“This part allows me to act 

how I usually act,” said (The 

Wiz) senior Dominic Lloyd, a 

Westhill musical veteran. “The 

Wiz is a guy who can go bonkers 

one minute and then be very sincere 

the next.” 

“This is my second major 

The Wiz! 

role,” said (Scarecrow) senior 

Pat Lane, who has played in a 

musical in each of his four years. 

“Opening night is the best, it’s 

very emotional. Especially this 

year because for some of us it 

will be our last one here.” 

“This is my best role by far,” 

said (Cowardly Lion) Brett 

Kiley, a senior, who has appeared 

in musicals each of his 

four years at Westhill. “Being the 

lion is fun because you get to play 

the big scardy cat.” 

“This show has great music,” 

said (Tinman) Sean McAnaney, 

a junior. “It’s set for a modern 

audience and has a nice mix of 

pop, rock and soul.” 

“I love to sing and working 

with such a talented cast has 

been a delight,” said (Dorothy) 

Kara Tripoli, a sophomore. “ 

What it is 

“The Wiz,” adapted from “The 

Wonderful Wizard of Oz” by L. 

Frank Baum, will play at 

Westhill High School Haws Auditorium 

at 7 p.m. Thursday 

March 2, Friday March 3 and 

Saturday March 4 and at 4 p.m. 

Sunday March 5. 

The story begins in Kansas 

where Dorothy (Tripoli/Shannon 

McDermott), Aunt Em 

(Kristin Kavanaugh/Lauren 

Grinnals) and Uncle Henry (Dan 

Please see The Wiz, page 8 

Cast of ‘The Wiz’ 

Dorothy 

(Thursday/Saturday) Kara Tripoli 

(Friday/Sunday) Shannon McDermott 

Aunt Em 

(Thursday/Saturday) Kristin Kavanaugh 

(Friday/Sunday) Lauren Grinnals 

Addaperle 

(Thursday/Saturday) Ashley Kurtz 

(Friday/Sunday) Katie Lemanczyk 

Evillene 

(Thursday/Saturday) Samantha Rey 

(Friday/Sunday) Jennifer Easton 

Glinda 

(Thursday/Saturday) Korey Buecheler 

(Friday/Sunday) Agi Letkiewicz 

Scarecrow 

(Thursday/Saturday) Pat Lane 

(Friday/Sunday) Alex Cupelo 

Tinman 

(Thursday/Saturday) Sean McAnaney 

(Friday/Sunday) Andrew Pollock 

Lion 

(Thursday/Saturday) Brett Kiley 

(Friday/Sunday) Colin Gallagher 

The Wiz 

(Thursday/Saturday) Dominic Lloyd 

(Friday/Sunday) Mark Reeve 

Uncle Henry 

Dan O’Brien 

Tornado dancers 

Rachel Amsterdam 

Kasey Buecheler 

Gina Fortunato 

Rachel Gonzalez 

Carolyn Jannetti 

Hali Langdon 

Julianne Langston 


Harmonious 

administrator 

West Genny super 

to be honored by 

SSO Saturday at 

Civic Center 

BY RUSS TARBY 

West Genesee Central School 

District Superintendent Rudolph 

Rubeis is among five area winners 

of the 2006 Syracuse Symphony 

Orchestra Musicians’ Awards for 

Outstanding Music Educators. 

Rubeis, who has helmed the 

West Genesee school system for 

19 years, will be honored with a 

special award in administration 

by SSO Music Director Daniel 

Hege at 8 p.m. Saturday March 4, 

during the Orchestra’s performance 

of “Chang Plays Brahms,” 

featuring acclaimed violinist Sarah 

Chang. 

The Syracuse Symphony Orchestra 

performance will be at the 

Crouse Hinds Concert Theater, 

inside the Mulroy Civic Center, 

411 Montgomery St., in downtown 

Syracuse. Ticket prices 

range from $16 to $70, and there’s 

a special $5 student-rush price; 

424-8200. 

Rubeis, a resident of Stetson 

Circle in Camillus, has served as 

superintendent of the West 

Genesee Central School District 

since July 1987. He earned a degree 

in elementary education 

from Indiana University of Pennsylvania 

in 1970, a master’s degree 

in elementary education 

from the University of Pittsburgh 

in 1972, and a Ph.D. in educational 

administration from the University 

of Pittsburgh in 1977. 

Over the course of his superintendency, 

West Genesee schools 

have consistently turned out topquality 

scholastic ensembles 

ranging from symphonic groups 

to jazz combos to marching bands. 

Rubeis’ fellow honorees Saturday 

will include Smith Road Elementary 

School music teacher 

Rebecca Hall, winner of the classroom 

music award; retired Homer 

Elementary School music teacher 

Joanne Handy, winner of a special 

award in music education; Oswego 

Middle School vocal music teacher 

Edward Taverni, winner of the vocal 

music award; and Oswego High 

Please see Rubeis, page 6


EDITORIAL 

March for meals 

The Meals On Wheels Association of America created 

the March For Meals campaign in 2000 to call attention to 

the problem of senior hunger in America. The three main 

goals are to: 

✔ Raise awareness about senior hunger. 

✔ Recruit new volunteers to join in the fight against 

senior hunger. 

✔ Raise money that will be used on the local level. 

March was chosen because it was during March 1972 

that the law was enacted to include senior meal programs 

in the Older American Act. The March For Meals public 

awareness campaign is the way the Meals On Wheels 

Association of America, and its members, recognize the 

importance of this federal commitment. 

The slogan, “So No Senior Goes Hungry,” is the rallying 

cry of the campaign and ECHO Meals On Wheels is participating 

in this campaign once again. ECHO covers the 

Camillus, Marcellus, Geddes, Solvay, Fairmount, 

Onondaga and Lakeland areas. 

This year the campaign has a new component called 

“Mayors For Meals.” Mayor is used in a generic sense as it 

also includes town supervisors, board members,etc. 

Meals is asking local leaders to show their support by 

delivering meals to our clients on that day. Camillus 

Supervisor Mary Ann Coogan and Geddes Supervisor Bob 

Czaplicki will be among those delivering meals for the 

ECHO Meals On Wheels program. By getting involved, 

local leaders are showing that they have a concern for our 

seniors and fully recognize the importance of Meals On 

Wheels. 

It’s more than just our local leaders who need to be 

involved. Everyone should. So if you or someone you know 

has a little time during the afternoon use it to help those 

who can’t help themselves. 

The ECHO Meals On Wheels program delivers hot meals, 

bag lunches and frozen meals for the weekend, Monday 

through Friday. They deliver to the chronically ill, temporarily 

indisposed due to accident, illness or surgery, the 

homebound, senior citizens and those who otherwise 

would not have an adequate meal. Meals On Wheels served 

120-130 hot meals a day and during 2005. 

IN HISTORY 

March 2, 1933 - King Kong, starring Fay Wray, premiered in New 

York City. 

March 3, 1875 - Georges Bizet’s opera Carmen debuted in Paris, 

to cool audience reception and panned by critics. 

March 6, 1981 - Walter Cronkite, “the most trusted man in 

America,” retired from the CBS Evening News and was replaced by 

Dan Rather. 

March 7, 1876 - Alexander Graham Bell received a patent for the 

telephone. 

March 8, 1948 - The Supreme Court ruled that religious instruction 

in public schools violated the Constitution. 

ADVOCATE 

Camillus, New York 

Established 1926 

USPS 087-040 

Phone 315-434-8889 Ext. 337 • Fax 315-434-8883 

www.cnylink.com 

E-mail: advocate@cnylink.com 

Matthew Craver, Editor 

Jack Gardner, Ad Representative 

The Advocate is a unit of Eagle Newspapers 

Richard K. Keene, President and CEO, Ext. 302 

John McIntyre, Vice President and COO 

David Grieves, Operations Manager, Ext. 311 

David Tyler, Executive Editor, Ext. 340 

Daniel Lovell, Managing Editor, Ext. 330 

Tami Grashof, Corporate Advertising Director, Ext. 320 

Geoff Stickel, Marketing/Circulation Director , Ext. 312 

Sharon Doldo, Business Manager, Ext. 305 

Julie Galvin, Classified Advertising Director, Ext. 324 

Office of Publication: 5910 Firestone Dr., Syracuse, N.Y. 13206 

Periodical Postage paid at Syracuse, N.Y. 13220 

The Advocate serves the residents of the towns of Camillus and Elbridge 

The Advocate is published weekly by Eagle Media Partners, L.P., 5910 Firestone Dr., 

Syracuse, N.Y. 13206. Mail subscription rates: $25 per year in advance to addresses in 

New York State; $30 per year in advance to addresses outside New York State. 

Newsstands, 75 cents per issue. Postmaster: Send address changes to The Advocate, 

5910 Firestone Dr., Syracuse, N.Y. 13206 

Eagle Newspapers is owned by Eagle Media Partners, L.P. and Eagle Media Inc., G.P., 

Edward S. Green, chairman; David H. Northrup Jr., vice chairman; David Barclay, 

secretary/treasurer; Richard Keene, president; and John McIntyre, vice president. 

OPINION 

Step on the brake or step on the gas 

A rather curious philosophy 

seems to be operating in 

the greater Syracuse community 

in the matter of expanding 

or enhancing our local 

economy. 

Suppose a potential developer 

steps forward with an 

ambitious plan, one calling for 

the construction of an economic 

development project in 

the community. It could be a 

small-scale or even a large 

scale rendering it could be to 

erect a convention hotel, a 

mega shopping/entertainment 

center, a new Wal-Mart 

store, a new pizza parlor or a 

new restaurant. 

Is our first reaction to press 

on the brake pedal, or is it to 

press the gas pedal? Should 

we put our resources to work 

to provide an expeditious, 

objective assessment of the 

proposal? If he answer were 

yes, we would be applying the 

gas pedal. 

All too often, we seem 

determined to hit the brake 

pedal, throwing obstacles in 

Story of my life boat 

Some people can find $300 

million in a lottery ticket. 

Hamilton found $50,000 in a 

grant. Marquardt found 

$700,000 from the state. In the 

Curious George movie, the 

man in the yellow hat found an 

ancient 40-foot stone sculpture. 

I always like to go on 

treasure-seeking adventures. 

The possibilities, the pot of 

gold at the end of the rainbow, 

the treasure at the bottom of 

the sea, the Willie Mays in a 

pile of old baseball cards, 

always manage to keep me 

juiced with youthful vigor and 

the hope that someday my 

ship will come in. 

Invariably, as I cling to a 

meager faintness of the Indiana 

Jones fantasy, I merely fall 

into the shallow depths of the 

bellybutton lint discovery, the 

ear wax excavation, the eye 

corner encrustation retrieval, 

the toe valley jungle rot 

infestation, the fingernail 

dandruff accumulation, the 

various stalactites and mites 

of the nasal region, and the 

infamous orgy of the premeditated 

oral drop-off zone, 

where my tongue is ever 

vigilante at dislodging any 

deterred morsels of nutrient. I 

won’t even mention the gross 

stuff. And you thought being 

an editor was all about the 

money. 

I took the kids to see Curious 

George. It was about 

primary colors and the magic 

of a cute little monkey. One 

daughter had a cough, so my 

wife said, “get two sodas.” The 

small was $4.25; the medium, 

which was twice the size, was 

$4.50. After paying the bonus 

matinee price of $26 for the 

four of us, I bought the medium 

with extra straws. The 

kids could hardly carry it and 

we wound up throwing half of 

it out as we traipsed through 

the mall to complete our 

family day. 

The older girl had some 

Clyde 

Ohl 

The good 

Ohl days 

the path of the proposal. 

For starters, the really big 

proposals usually require the 

involvement of city-county 

governmental entities. Now 

one might think, given importance 

of building and expanding 

our local economy, the 

mechanisms for dealing with 

city-county economic development 

issues would be firmly, 

squarely in place. You would 

think no unnecessary citycounty 

duplication of studies, 

no time-consuming turf battles 

no excessive red tape would 

occur. 

Don’t you believe it? 

If there is one thing for sure 

in our area, we have many 

layers of government. In 

Willie 

Kiernan 

On the job 

birthday money saved up, so 

after the movie she bought 

some accessories, not important 

stuff, but necessary 

nonetheless. The little one was 

none too happy. 

“I want number one,” she 

said. 

“Does she have to go to the 

bathroom?” I asked my wife. 

No, she didn’t have to go to 

the bathroom, so we went to 

the pet store. The big girl had 

some money left and suggested 

a hamster. I avoided her gaze. 

“Why can’t I daddy?” she 

asked with sad eyes. 

I instinctively retreated to 

the mall to kill some time. 

After five minutes, I returned 

to the pet store and headed 

directly for the fish. In the 

back aisle, I noticed money on 

the floor, paper money. There 

was a guy looking at some fish, 

but he didn’t see the money. I 

bided my time. I planned to 

slowly approach my target, 

and place my foot upon it, thus 

rendering it parcel without 

visual. The guy suddenly 

retreated from the back aisle, 

and I was seemingly alone. 

Like a shark on a flounder, I 

scooped the currency with the 

deftness of a feline mouser, 

parcel pocketed. The $10 bill 

was in my pants in the blink of 

a turtle’s eye. Suddenly, there 

was someone else in the back 

aisle. I walked around him 

only to be questioned by an 

employee of the store. He 

asked if he could help me. I 

said, “What?” He repeated 

himself, and I said, “Yeah, tell 

me how to talk my daughter 

out of getting a hamster.” And 

he said, “Tell her they bite.” 

theory, the potential for 

cooperation and collaboration 

is Onondaga county is phenomenal 

- given the 15 village 

boards, 19 towns boards, a 

county, a city and 18 school 

boards. These, along with 

planning boards, zoning 

boards, housing authorities, 

water departments, fire 

departments - you get the idea. 

Maybe, just maybe, we are we 

being “boarded” to death? 

In fact, economic development 

is a goal accepted by the 

majority of our residents. As an 

example, a recent public 

opinion poll showed more than 

half of county residents favored 

the Destiny proposal. However, 

at the same time, a 

majority of residents indicated 

they did not think it would 

ever be built. 

Which pedal do you favor 

using when it comes to eco- 

nomic development? 

Clyde Ohl is a former Onondaga 

County legislator and Camillus Town 

supervisor. Readers may respond to this 

article by e-mail at clydeohl@aol.com. 

It worked. We were leaving 

the store without a hamster. 

As I crossed the threshold, I 

honestly thought a buzzer 

would go off, or an employee 

would ask to talk to me. But 

nothing happened. This 

treasure grabbing was as 

much excitement as I could 

handle. By the time we got to 

the elevator to take us home, I 

was elated, kicking my heels 

in mid-elevation, and telling 

my wife I had found money. 

With this information in her 

head, she instinctively went 

into a store where they sold 

that number one finger thing 

that you see at basketball 

games, because that’s what 

the little one wanted all along. 

It was only five bucks; and she 

bought it. 

I was ok. Five bucks for the 

soda, five bucks for the finger, 

I figured I was breaking even. 

But then she came out of the 

store and said she lost her ten 

dollar bill. When she went to 

pay for the finger, the money 

she thought she had was gone. 

Probably, that was her $10 bill 

in the last aisle at the fish 

store. Oh well, easy come, 

easy go. 

On the way home, we 

stopped at the supermarket. I 

was going in alone; so I would 

leave the vehicle running. 

Because my store card was on 

my key ring, I asked my wife 

for her card. During that 

search, she discovered the $10 

bill she thought she was 

missing. She didn’t put it in 

her pants pocket after all. It 

was in her purse. 

By now, my nerves were 

shot. I didn’t know what to 

say. The found money was 

back, but already spent. I 

didn’t know how to feel anymore, 

guilty, piggy, thievish, 

opportunistic, rewarded, 

lucky, fated, jaded or just a 

victim and recipient of serendipity. 

My ship finally came 

in and it was a dinghy.

FROM THE MAILBOX 

The library of tomorrow 

To the editor: 

I send congratulations to the 

Solvay Public Library for its 

creation of a new program 

targeted at work place competency 

within the town of 

Geddes. 

The partnerships, with local 

institutions, businesses and 

universities, demonstrates the 

energy of our community to 

assist the work force of tomorrow. 

If we wish our families to 

remain in our region and 

state; there must be job 

opportunities. 

The village of Solvay provides 

the basic support to our 

Solvay Public Library. For 

decades the village has put 

forth dedication to history and 

preservation of services 

public libraries provide. The 

town of Geddes has also added 

its assistance for those residents 

outside the village who 

also use these many library 

services. It is my hope that in 

these final months of renovation 

to the Solvay library, all 

residents can give what they 

can for tomorrow’s library. 

Congratulations to Venison 

Inc. for its $ 20,000 to support 

the program, which has pulled 

together the tools needed for 

this workplace competency 

program. I know, as a baby 

boomer, it is a new employment 

world out there, every 

tool available is important 

when seeking work opportunities. 

Our library leaders, 

director and volunteers have 

proceeded to build, develop 

and promote literacy at many 

levels for our entire community. 

For years Geddes has 

enjoyed the reputation of 

three excellent public school 

districts, and one parochial 

high school. Let us now 

recognize or Solvay public 

library and its new partners in 

public education, business, 

higher education for there 

attention to workplace development. 

VINCENT PALERINO 

TOWN OF GEDDES 

COUNCILOR 

LETTERS POLICY 

The Advocate welcomes letters to the editor on subjects 

of interest to our readers. All letters must be signed and 

should bear a daytime telephone number. The telephone 

number will not be printed or released, and is for verification 

purposes only. 

The Advocate reserves the right to edit for space, clarification 

or to avoid obscenity, but ideas will not be altered. 

Letters should be legible and no more than 500 words long. 

Letters used do not necessarily reflect the newspaper's 

opinions. Anonymous letters receive no consideration. 

Send letters to: Advocate, 5910 Firestone Drive, Syracuse, 

N.Y. 13206. 

OPINION 

Conversations on a bus 

I spent 14 hours on a bus this 

weekend. I hopped the Greyhound 

to Boston, and with the 

speed-limit-observing bus 

drivers and stops and layovers, 

the trip drags out to seven 

hours each way. People engage 

in an astounding assortment of 

activities on buses. For the 

most part, we were all traveling 

solo, so conversation was sparse 

and awkward. Computer games 

and DVDs were popular, until 

batteries failed. I saw knitters, 

I-Pod nappers and cell phone 

gabbers. One woman scrunched 

over a crossword puzzle, and 

many people self-consciously 

slept. 

My own seatmate, suffering 

from some sort of attention span 

disorder, sighed and jiggled and 

finally outright talked to me. 

Her name was Jennifer. She 

was 17, on her way to visit her 

25-year-old boyfriend and 

planning to acquire her second 

tattoo once she reached that 

Puritanical city of vice. She 

had dropped out of high school 

but was pursuing her GED. She 

loved body piercings but was 

allergic to the metal that art 

form introduced to her skin. 

Most of all, she was ravenous 

because she only eats once a 

day, and she was saving her one 

meal for the spaghetti dinner 

her boyfriend would so succulently 

prepare. 

I had plenty of opinions on 

everything she divulged to me, 

but what is the role of a bus 

Susan 

Ashley 

Susan’s 

musin’s 

ride confidante? I fretted over 

her statutory relationship, her 

bony cheeks and shoulders, the 

puffy cartilage around the most 

recent ring in her ear. I 

couldn’t see the one she 

bragged was in her back. 

Should I listen without judging? 

Should I call the child 

welfare authorities? 

I was already in the mood to 

listen to the woes of young 

people. The purpose of my 

Boston expedition was to 

extend sororal support to my 

brother, a college senior overcommitted 

to his extracurricular 

activities, drowning in his 

thesis and stunned at his recent 

realization that he is truly in 

love for the first time in his life. 

I am not a wise woman yet; I 

trod the straight and narrow 

and boring and predictable 

when I was 17 and 22. I can’t 

imagine living like Jen or like 

my brother. Who am I to say 

what they should do? 

But here was this girl, with 

her blustery self-assurance, 

staring expectantly at me, 

challenging me to respond to 

each of her scandalous confessions. 

I sensed that she saw me 


not as an adult, but not as a peer 

either. I feel it too, that I am in 

this transition age of both 

exploration and establishment. 

So I responded from my nebulous 

position with an equally 

fuzzy blend of advice and 

questions. I tried to show her 

that I took her seriously. 

We pondered possible 

solutions to her allergy problems, 

like solid gold rings 

rather than alloys. Gradually, 

we eased into a woman to 

woman conversation delving 

into the underlying themes of 

the power balance in her 

relationship and her sense of 

self-worth. I don’t know if I 

helped her or not, or whether, 

hours later, my heart-to-heart 

with my brother amounted to 

anything. I think they both 

understood what I wanted to 

say: that they are autonomous 

and empowered in their own 

lives, that they deserve and 

should expect respect, and that 

I can listen and give my two 

cents if asked. 

I walked behind Jen as she 

sagged off the bus, stiff and 

lethargic after the long night 

ride. But she sprang forward at 

the sight of the skinny, gawky 

fellow waiting on the platform. 

And he equally lit up. I watched 

his face, and his expression 

showed how lucky and blessed 

he felt that this woman should 

travel all the way from Geneva 

for him. I waved and walked 

away. She’ll be fine. 

Your top news and community resource is www.cnylink.com


STUDENTS OF THE MONTH 

Samuel M. 

Bianco 

Samuel Bianco is the son of 

Mark and Sandra Bianco of 

Geddes. He has two older brothers, 

Anthony and Christopher 

Alvaro, both graduates of West 

Genesee High School. 

Sam is a member of the National 

Honors Society and has 

earned honor roll status each report 

card. He is most active in 

the fine arts curriculum and 

plays baritone in the school’s 

symphonic band. He also sings 

in both the concert choir and the 

chorale. In his junior year, Sam 

received the Most Outstanding 

Underclass Voice award. Sam 

has had the honor of participating 

in many All-County Choruses 

and was accepted into the 

winter conference All-State 

Mixed Chorus both his junior 

and senior years. He is also a 

member of the state champion 

Wildcat Marching Band, in 

which he plays mallet percussion. 

Sam has also secured leading 

roles in each of the last four 

high school musicals and was the 

student vocal assistant for this 

year’s production of “Oklahoma!” 

Sam is also an athlete, acting 

as captain to the varsity tennis 

team. He has been a member of 

the team all four years. He has 

received three scholar-athlete 

SCHOOLS 

Paula Nichols, mother of Morgan Nichols (center), shows Jennifer Eibert (right) and the other members of Girl Scout Troop 

719, her sash from her Girl Scout days. The scouts learned about the housekeeping patch she earned, an outdated patch now 

replaced with ones for science, careers and more. The lesson was part of the “Girl Scouts in the USA” patch the troop is now 

earning. Also for this patch, they are designing a service unit patch for a contest hosted by the Western Hills Service Unit, of 

which the troop is a member. Troop 719 also recently sold 855 boxes of cookies. The Junior Girl Scout Troop 719 is made up 

of fourth-graders from Split Rock School and led by Cara Burton and Chris Riccardi. Girls ages 4 to 17 interested in becoming 

a Girl Scout can visit the local council’s web site at gsccny.org. 

Rubeis 

Girl Scouts learn about the past 

Samuel M. Bianco 

Kelly C. McDermott 

From page 3 created in 1996 to recognize public, 

School band director Anthony Joseph, 

winner of the instrumental 

music/band award. 

The Syracuse Symphony Orchestra 

Musicians’ Awards for Outstanding 

Music Educators were 

parochial and private school music 

teachers in the region. 

“We’re pleased to present this 

year’s Music Educators Awards 

to such dedicated teachers and 

administrators,” said Susan 

awards and was named to the 

second team All-League in his 

junior year. 

Sam is currently employed at 

St. Luke’s Episcopal Church as a 

vocalist. He plans to major in 

both vocal performance and music 

education. 

Kelly C. 

McDermott 

Kelly McDermott is the 

daughter of Tim and Marilyn 

McDermott of Camillus. She is 

the oldest of four children. She 

has two sisters in high school, 

Erin and Morgan, and a brother, 

Kevin. 

Kelly is student council president, 

as well as a class senator, 

member of the National Honors 

Society, and involved in the Respect 

and Responsibility Club. 

She has been on the high honor 

roll every semester since entering 

high school and is ranked 19 th 

in a class of 375 students. Academically, 

Kelly is a strong student 

and is enrolled in six college-level 

courses. 

Kelly has been on the varsity 

volleyball team since her sophomore 

year and was named cocaptain 

this season. She also 

rows with the Syracuse Chargers 

rowing club. 

In the fall, Kelly plans to attend 

a four-year college and major 

in math or business. 

Jacobs, SSO violinist and chair 

of this year’s musicians’ committee. 

“Their dedication and 

achievements in music education 

are deeply appreciated and 

admired by the musicians of the 

orchestra.”

IN BRIEF 

Extensive renovation 

planned for The Auburn 

Holiday Inn 

The Holiday Inn Auburn 

located in the heart of the Finger 

Lakes announced an extensive 

renovation plan that 

will allow this IHG Quality 

Excellence Award winner to 

continue to be the leading hotel 

for leisure, business and 

banquets in the area. The 

Holiday Inn Auburn has 

served the immediate area for 

over 25 years and this important 

will ensure many more 

years of exemplary service to 

the traveling public. 

The renovation, in excess 

of $1 million, will touch on every 

area of the hotel to positively 

impact the guest experience. 

These ambitious 

plans include renovating 

guestrooms, meeting rooms 

and the exterior of the hotel 

as well. The improvement 

plan will include new carpet, 

draperies, bedspreads and 

new seating packages in the 

guestrooms. Wedding participants 

will revel in new 

banquet furniture and a modernized 

lighting scheme. Upgrades 

to the exterior include 

an upgraded roofline, decorative 

columns and new decorative 

lighting. 

General Manager Linda 

Knight states “as the market 

leader in Auburn we feel a 

keen sense of responsibility 

to continuously upgrade our 

hotel to serve the needs of all 

of our loyal customers who 

have come to count on us 

when they are staying in the 

Auburn area.” 

Her sentiments are indicative 

of why the Holiday Inn 

Auburn is a multiple year recipient 

of the Quality Excellence 

Award. Work is underway 

and a spring completion 

date is anticipated. All are 

welcome to stop by but “Pardon 

Our Dust!” 

The Bead Studio opens 

at Mottville Market 

Brenda Stenger, former 

owner of Beading Rainbow on 

Jordan Street in Skaneateles, 

opened her new enterprise, 

the Bead Studio at Mottville 

Market, on Jan. 1. 

The Bead Studio shares 

space with the Mottville Post 

Office on the corner of Jordan 

Road and Crow Hill Road, just 

two miles north of Stenger’s 

former location The shop offers 

beads and related supplies, 

classes, and a 

workspace, as well as a distinctive 

collection of unique 

designer jewelry. It is now 

open Monday through Saturday 

from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. 

A grand opening will he held 

in early April in conjunction 

with the Mottville Open 

House. 

Your news, 

Your newspaper 

BUSINESS 


A scientific approach to younger looking skin 

Anna C. Nelson, MSN, FNP always knew she wanted to open 

her own practice. This year her dream became a reality when 

she opened Allure Medical Aesthetics, a cosmetic dermatology 

office in the Creekside Books and Coffee building on Jan. 3. A 

private entrance is located from the Creekside parking lot and 

her office is on the lower level. 

Nelson is a Skaneateles resident, originally from Weedsport, 

although she is part of the Curtin clan from Bear Swamp. She is 

one of four siblings, her mother and a 

Allure Medical 

Aesthetics 

procedures: 

✓ Laser hair removal 

✓ Laser vein treatment for 

spider veins and broken 

blood vessels 

✓ Botox 

✓ Collagen & Captique 

✓ Vitalize chemical peels 

✓ SkinMedica Skin Care 

✓ GloMineral make up 

✓ Elta Gold Sunscreen 

sister both live in town. 

Anna lived in South Florida for 17 

years and practiced in the Palm Beach 

area. She received her bachelor’s and 

master’s degrees in nursing as a family 

nurse practitioner from Barry University 

in Miami Shores, where she was 

named to the President’s list and inducted 

into Sigma Theta Tau, International 

Honor Society for Nurses. She 

spent many years as a cardiology nurse, 

but studied dermatology under Dr. 

Steven Shapiro a dermatologist who 

also teaches at Miami University. 

She developed an interest in cosmetic 

procedures and sought out addi- 

tional training and certification in each procedure that she performs. 

“Standards were high in Florida, only physicians or nurse 

practitioners could perform laser hair removal. I was required to 

take a 40 hour course in laser hair removal, which included 10 

hours of hands on training with various lasers and a written 

exam before I became certified.” Anna said. 

When a job opened up for a nurse practitioner using a laser and 

focusing on cosmetic procedures, she jumped at the opportunity. 

In this position she also trained laser practitioners from various 

locations across the country and even from outside of the states 

in laser hair removal and vein treatments. 

“If that laser was the Cadillac, I bought the Bentley,” she said. 

“It’s from Sciton and is called the Profile ClearScan Laser. It is 

the only one that has advanced contact cooling using a sapphire 

crystal, it also has a unique computer-guided scanning system 

ensuring rapid and even treatment. The Sciton penetrates 

deeper and can safely and effectively treat all skin colors.” 

Her practice is one on one. She doesn’t charge for consultations 

and her office is elegant, comfortable and private. 

She also carries the SkinMedia skin care line, which has been 

featured on Oprah for it’s TNS Recovery Complex. Her makeup 

line is GloMineral, created from pharmaceutical grade minerals. 

“I want this to be a treat for my patients,” Anna said. “When 

you do something for yourself you should feel great about it.” 

She is available Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday by 

appointment. Call 685-4888. 

Anna C. Nelson, 

MSN, FNP


The Wiz 

From page 3 

O’Brien). A tornado sets Dorothy 

down in Munchkin Land where 

she meets Addaperle (Ashley 

Kurtz/Katie Lemanczyk), the 

Good Witch of the North. After celebrating 

the demise of the Wicked 

Witch of the East and being given 

her silver pumps, Dorothy departs 

for the Emerald City with a live 

yellow brick road. 

On her way, she encounters a 

group of sassy Crows, a hip Scarecrow 

(Lane/Alex Cupelo) who 

wants a brain, an uptight Tin Man 

(McAnaney/Andrew Pollock) 

who needs a heart and a mama’sboy 

Lion (Kiley/Colin Gallagher) 

who needs some courage. Together 

they will seek help from 

the Great Wiz (Lloyd/Mark 

Reeve). After surviving the poppies 

and awful Kalidahs, they finally 

meet with the Wizard, who 

agrees to grant all their wishes as 

a package deal ‹ if they knock off 

Evillene (Samantha Rey/Jennifer 

Easton), the Wicked Witch of the 

West who has enslaved a group of 

people called the Winkies. 

Dorothy and her friends nearly 

get to Evillene but she sends her 

Funky Monkeys led by the Monkey 

Leader (Brian Lemmo) to capture 

them. Only when the witch is 

at her meanest does Dorothy lose 

her cool and douse the witch with 

water. The witch is destroyed and 

the Winkies are now free. Confronted 

with their triumph, the 

Wiz confesses that he was only a 

two-bit con man from Omaha and 

that only through his ability to 

give everyone in town a pair of 

green sunglasses has he been recognized 

as the powerful Wiz. 

Then, using similar magic, he 

convinces the Scarecrow, the 

Tin Man, and the Lion of their 

brains, heart, and courage. After 

Dorothy misses her chance to 

leave with the Wiz on his balloon, 

Addaperle reappears and 

suggests that Dorothy ask Glinda 

(Korey Buecheler/Agi 

Letkiewicz), the Good Witch of 

the South for help. Glinda is 

beautiful and gracious and surrounded 

by a court of pretty girls 

and handsome escorts. Glinda 

informs Dorothy that the silver 

shoes she is wearing have always 

had the power to take her home, 

but like her friends, Dorothy 

needed to believe that fact before 

it was possible before it 

could come true. 

Dorothy bids a tearful goodbye 

to her companions, and as their 

faces fade into the darkness, she 

thinks about what she has learned, 

what she has gained, and what she 

has lost. She taps the heels of the 

silver shoes together three times, 

and as she is home. 

The Westhill High School 

Masquer’s group has been working 

hard to raise money to pay for 

this huge production. Sets were 

purchased from Hangar Theatre 

in Ithaca and elaborate costumes 

are being rented from Broadway 

Costumes in Chicago. 

Nearly 100 students are involved 

in the production between 

the cast, crew and pit orchestra. 

The lively and rhythmic musical 

score includes “He’s the Wiz,” 

“Ease on Down the Road” and 

more. The show is directed by the 

Buchmanns. The choreographer 

is Laura Metallo. Student leaders 

include Dance Captain Melynda 

Meszko, Stage Manager TJ 

Gaines, Director’s Assistant Kyle 

Teufel and assistants Erin 

Canavan and Jennifer Donahue. 

Reserved seating tickets are 

$10 and will be available at the 

Westhill High School main office 

on Onondaga Boulevard from 7:30 

a.m. to 3:30 p.m. each weekday 

beginning Feb. 8. Tickets will sell 

very quickly and may not be 

available at the door. 

Cast continued 

Melynda Meszko 

Moira Parkinson 

Maria Rotella 

Nicole Walker 

Munchkins 

First Munchkin Caitlin O’Meara 

Second Munchkin Jennifer Donahue 

Third Munchkin Casey Smith 

Fourth Munchkin Carissa Nardello 

Fifth Munchkin Melissa Orioli 

Munchkin Ensemble 

Kathleen Bronchetti 

Meeghan Byrne 

Ally Ciciriello 

Kelly Clancy 

Katelyn Field 

Jamie Grimm 

Heather Grzasko 

Taylor Hagen 

Lauren Hallman 

Abbey Kresser 

Emma LeStrange 

Kristin McAvoy 

Kelsey Persons 

Lizzie Rastelini 

Lauren Rice 

Christie Sterbank 

Diane Zoanetti 

Yellow Brick Road 


Hali Langdon 


Maria Rotella 

Nicole Walker 

Crows 

Erin Canavan 

Sarah Holmes 

Kyle Teufel 

Renee Rorer 

Jordan Westfall 

Danny Monroe 

Kalidahs 

Jon Alt 

Mike Epifani 

Eric Field 

Brian Lemmo 

Pat Lemmo 

Brandon Meszko 

Danny Monroe 

Dan O’Brien 

Ben Rinaldi 

Sean Selbach 

Adam Verone 


Poppies 




Kelly Clancy 

Taylor Hagan 



Casey Smith 

Field Mice 

1st Mouse Katelyn Field 

2nd Mouse Kathleen Bronchetti 

Royal Gatekeeper 

Adam Verone 

Emerald City Citizens 

First Citizen Erin Canavan 

Second Citizen Sarah Holmes 

Third Citizen Renee Rorer 

Fourth Citizen Kyle Teufel 

Emerald City Ensemble 

Jennifer Donahue 


Carissa Nardello 

Caitlin O’Meara 


Mike Epifani 


Danny Monroe 

Dan O’Brien 

Ben Rinaldi 


The Wiz Entourage 


Hali Langdon 


Maria Rotella 

Nicole Walker 

Lord High Underling 

Eric Field 

Messenger 

Jon Alt 

Monkey Leader 

Brian Lemmo 

Funky Monkeys 

Mike Epifani 

Pat Lemmo 

Dan O’Brien 

Sean Selbach 

Winkies 

First Winkie Taylor Hagan 

Second Winkie Brandon Meszko 

Third Winkie Ben Rinaldi 

Danny Monroe 



Kathleen Bronchetti 


Meeghan Byrne 

Erin Canavan 


Kelly Clancy 

Jennifer Donahue 

Katelyn Field 


Rachel Gonzales 

Jamie Grimm 

Heather Grzasko 

Taylor Hagen 

Lauren Hallman 

Sarah Holmes 


Abbey Kresser 

Hali Langdon 


Emma LeStrange 

Kristin McAvoy 


Carissa Nardello 

Caitlin O¹Meara 

Melissa Orioli 


Kelsey Persons 

Lizzie Rastelini 

Lauren Rice 

Renee Rorer 

Maria Rotella 

Casey Smith 

Christie Sterbank 

Kyle Teufel 

Nicole Walker 

Diane Zoanetti 

Glinda’s Girls 






Casey Smith 

Glinda’s Escorts 

Jon Alt 

Mike Epifani 

Eric Field 

Brian Lemmo 

Pat Lemmo 


Ben Rinaldi 

Sean Selbach 

Student crew 

members 

TJ Gaines (Head) 

Alison D¹Angelo 

Lise Brown 

Phil Canavan 

Amy Christfield 

Sara Felice 

Jesse Gallop 

Andy Hopson 

Chris Lleres 

Kristy McGough 

Peter Metz 

Chris Piering 

Cory Snyder 

Maggie Syron 

Bethany Wickham

EAGLE NEWSPAPERS, MARCH 1, 2006/9

10/EAGLE NEWSPAPERS, MARCH 1, 2006 

Myron ‘Mike’ F. Sullivan, 75 

Career physics teacher 

Myron “Mike” F. Sullivan, 75, 

of Skaneateles, passed away Feb. 

23, 2006. The son of Lawrence 

and Marion Sullivan, he was a 

native of Central New York and 

attended Eastwood High School. 

A veteran of the U.S. Air 

Force, he was a radio operator 

aboard a C-54 Skymaster transport 

plane, participating in the 

Berlin Airlift after World War II 

and in more than 100 combat 

missions during the Korean War 

delivering vital supplies to U.N. 

Obituaries 

forces. 

After military service, he received 

college degrees from the 

University of Maryland (B.S. 

physics) and Arizona State University 

(M.S. nuclear physics), 

as well as certification in ad- 

vanced materials study from 

Argonne National Laboratory. 

A career physics teacher 

starting out at West Genesee 

High School, Camillus, he then 

spent more than 30 years at Cayuga 

Community College, Auburn. 

Professor Sullivan dedicated 

his life to helping students 

achieve their ambitions both in 

and out of the classroom. This 

teaching also extended to two 

generations of nieces and nephews, 

where he tried to instill an 

appreciation for education and 

world travel. 

He was the youngest of eight 

children, preceded in death by a 

brother, Lawrence, and a sister, 

Loretta (John LaFex). 

He is survived by a sister, 

Christopher E. LaFrance, 22 

Attended J-E High School 

Christopher E. LaFrance, 22, 

of Jordan, died Feb. 18, 2006 in 

Auburn Memorial Hospital. 

Born in Syracuse, Chris was a 

life resident of Jordan. 

He attended Jordan-Elbridge 

High School, where he was a member 

of the football, wrestling, and 

baseball teams. He also enjoyed 

fishing. 

Chris was employed with 

Gypsum By McCarthy of Syracuse. 

Surviving are his parents, 

Karen T. LaFrance and Ronald 

LaFrance, both of Syracuse; his 

brother, Martin and wife, Jolene 

LaFrance of Jordan; his fiancé, 

Shannon Gonyea of Jordan; maternal 

grandmother, Patricia 

LaFrance of Florida; his niece, 

Jocelyn LaFrance of Jordan, and 

several aunts, uncles and cous- 

Tracey L. Davis, 51 

J-E High School, Ithaca 

College graduate 

Tracey L. Davis, 51, formerly 

of Elbridge, died Feb. 22, 2006 at 

home in Battle Creek, Mich. A 

native of Elbridge, Tracey was a 

1972 graduate 

of Jordan- 

Elbridge High 

School and a 

1976 graduate 

of Ithaca College. 

She was 

formerly a 

production 

coordinator 

for Storer 

Communications 

in Dallas. 

Tracey L. Davis 

She was predeceased by her 

father, Verner T. Davis, and stepfather, 

Dr. George M. 

Chamberlin. 

Surviving are a son, Jacob 

Wayne Davis-Zweig; her 

mother, Vivian B.Chamberlin; 

brother, Thomas Davis; sister, 

Trudy (Thomas) Daum; step-sisters, 

Mary Carr, Jill Chamberlin 

and Julie Munson; grandson, 

Isiah Davis and several nieces 

and nephews. 

Services were held at the 

Bush Funeral Home, Elbridge. 

Spring burial will be in Maple 

Grove Cemetery. Friends were 

invited to call at the funeral 

home, 120 E. Main St. (Rt. 5), 

Elbridge. 

Cecelia Fletcher, and brothers, Eugene 

(Theda), John (Rosemary, 

predeceased), Wendell Thomas 

(Virginia) and Everett (Myrna). 

A funeral 

mass was 

held in 

Holy Family 

Church, 

Chapel Dr., 

Fairmount. 

Spring 

burial will 

be in St. 

Mary’s 

Cemetery, 

Skaneateles. 

Friends 

called at 

Myron ‘Mike’ F. 

Sullivan 

Whelan Bros. Funeral Home, 3700 

W. Genesee St., Fairmount. 

ins. 

A Mass of Christian Burial will 

be offered 

Thursday in 

St. Patrick’s 

Church, Jordan 

at a time 

to be announced. 

Burial will be 

in Greenlawn 

Memorial 

Park. Friends 

may call 4 to 8 

p.m. Wednesday 

at the 

Bush Funeral 

Home, 120 E. 

Main St., Elbridge. 

Christopher E. 

LaFrance 

Contributions may be made to 

the Jordan-Elbridge Scholarship 

Fund, P.O. Box 901, Jordan, 

13080 in Chris’s memory. 

Helen Warren Burke, 

91 

St. Patrick’s Church 

communicant 

Helen Warren Burke, 91, of 

Clinton St., Jordan, died Feb. 20, 

2006 at home. Born in Solvay, 

Helen lived in Jordan for the 

past 80 years. She was a 1932 

graduate of Jordan High School. 

Helen was 

a communicant 

of St. 

Patrick’s 

Church, Jordan. 

She was 

a former 

member of 

the Jordan 

American 

Legion Post 

Auxiliary. 

She was the 

widow of 

George K. 

Burke, who died in 1978 

Helen Warren 

Burke 

Surviving are her daughter, 

Kathleen M.B. Dennison of Jordan; 

five grandchildren; four 

great-grandchildren; a niece and 

a nephew. 

A Mass of Christian Burial will 

be offered in St. Patrick’s 

Church at a time to be announced. 

Spring burial will be 

in Maple Grove Cemetery. 

Friends were invited to call at 

the Bush Funeral Home, 15 N. 

Main St., Jordan. 


the Jordan Ambulance Fund or 

St. Patrick’s Church.

Rose Vetroock Winnicki, 84 

Holy Family Church communicant 

Rose Vetroock “Rosie” 

Winnicki, 84, of Fairmount, 

died Feb. 24, 2006 at James 

Square Health and Rehabilitation 

Center. 

Born in Syracuse 

on June 

22, 1921, she 

was the 

daughter of 

Theodore 

Vetroock and 

Katherine 

Kuzio. 

She lived 

Rose Vetroock 

Winnicki 

i n 

Fairmount 

for 18 years 

until moving 

to the Jordan-Meridian area, 

where she resided for 25 years. 

In 1944, she returned to 

Fairmount. 

Rose was a 1940 graduate of 

Blodgett Vocational High 

School. 

During World War II, Rose 

was employed by D. 

Grandinetti Manufacturing 

Co. as a machine operator and 

inspector, W.T. Grant as section 

head and salesclerk and 

G.C. Murphy as floor lady and 

salesclerk. 

Rose was a former member, 

president and trustee of the 

Cross Lake Boat Club. She 

was also a member of the Canton 

Woods Senior Centers and 

former member of the Jordan- 

Elbridge Senior Center. She 

was a communicant of Holy 

Obituaries 

Family Church. 

She enjoyed fishing, knitting 

sweaters for her family 

and the casino. 

Her husband, Anthony Joseph 

“Woe” Winnicki, died 

Aug. 26, 1985. 

Surviving are her daughter 

and son-in-law, Sharon and 

John Roth of Fairmount; four 

granddaughters and their 

husbands, Rosemarie and 

David Menga of Newport 

News, Va., Elizabeth and William 

Cerchia of Weedsport, 

Jennifer and Michael 

Skotniski of Weedsport and 

Amy Corey LaVigne of Bear, 

Del. and seven great-grandchildren, 

Anthony, Alissa, 

Matthew, Jonathan, Abigail, 

EAGLE NEWSPAPERS, MARCH 1, 2006/11 

Zachary and Gabrielle. 


Buranich Funeral Home, 5431 

W. Genesee St., Camillus and 

in Holy Family Church where 

a funeral Mass was celebrated. 

Friends called at 

the funeral home. Burial was 

in Woodlawn Cemetery. 

Contributions may be made 

to the Carol M. Baldwin Breast 

Cancer Research Fund of Central 

New York, Inc., Suite 188, 

P.O. Box 250, Camillus, NY 

13031. 

One may sign the guest 

book at www.Buranich 

FuneralHome.com. 

... see more Obituaries on pages 12 & 13 

To submit an obituary, 

e-mail Tami Schoeneck at 

tschoeneck@cnylink.com


Kathleen Alger, 66 

Retired from IBM 

Obituaries 

Thomas J. McMahon Jr., 79 

Army Air Corps veteran 

Thomas J. McMahon Jr., 79, of 

Westvale, died quietly at his home 

Feb. 22, 2006 after suffering from a 

brief illness. He was a 1945 graduate 

of North High School. 

Mr. McMahon was born in Syracuse 

on Feb. 17, 1927, the son of 

Thomas John McMahon Sr. and 

Helen Johnson. 

In World War II, Mr. McMahon 

volunteered for the Army Air Corps 

(the forerunner of the United States 

Air Force). He served for two years 

as a cryptographer, decoding messages 

for the military. He was a 

member of the occupation forces in 

Germany. 

After returning from military 

service, Mr. McMahon entered 

Syracuse University on the G.I. Bill 

and earned a B.A. in 1950. He later 

earned a master’s in social work 

from Syracuse University in 1963. 

Mr. McMahon spent 40 years 

working for the Onondaga County 

Department of Social Services, 

starting his career as a caseworker 

and eventually becoming the director 

of income maintenance in 1968. 

He retired in 1991. 

He was a family man who loved 

his children. 

Mr. McMahon is survived by his 

wife of 49 years, Marie G. McMahon 

(formerly Marie M. Gettino) and 

four sons, Timothy C. McMahon 

(Rebecca), an electrical engineer 

Kathleen Alger, 66, formerly of 

Baldwinsville, died Feb. 25, 2006 in 

Paoli, Pa. Born in Detroit, Mich., 

she lived in the Syracuse and 

Binghamton areas for 50 years. 

Kathleen was an inspector for 

IBM, retiring in 1976. 

She was a member of the 

Onondaga Harness Horse Association. 

She was predeceased by her husband, 

Stephen D. Alger in 2004. 

Surviving are two daughters, 

for IBM in Burlington, Vt., Stephen 

T. McMahon, an attorney in Syracuse, 

Robert J. McMahon 

(Rosemarie), an electrical engineer 

for IBM in Burlington, Vt. and John 

T. McMahon 

(Kathleen), a 

premium auditor 

for Overland 

Solutions 

in Syracuse. 

Mr. McMahon 

is also survived 

by four granddaughters 

and 

one grandson. 

Services 

were held at the 

Buranich Funeral 

Home, 

5431 W. 

Thomas J. 

McMahon Jr. 

Genesee St., Camillus and in Holy 

Family Church where a funeral 

Mass was celebrated with The Rev. 

Cleophas Tuka officiating. Friends 

called at the funeral home. Burial 

was at Greenlawn Cemetery in 

Warners. 


the American Cancer Society, 6725 

Lyons St., P.O. Box 7, E. Syracuse, 

NY 13057. 

One may view the McMahon 

video tribute and sign the guest 

book at www.BuranichFuneral 

Home.com. 

Patricia Barker and Melanie Blowers; 

her son, Gregory Blowers; stepson, 

Michael Stevens; her sister, 

Carol Perry; two grandchildren and 

several nieces and nephews. 

Special thanks to niece, Sandra 

Garrison. 

A funeral service was held at 

Whelan Bros. Funeral Home. Burial 

was in Onondaga County Veterans 

Cemetery. Friends called prior to 

the funeral service at the funeral 

home, 3700 W. Genesee St..

Lois F. Jones, 86 

Fomerly active in many community organizations 

Lois F. Jones, 86, of Oneida 

Towers, died Feb. 23, 2006 in 

the Francis House, Syracuse, 

where she had been a resident 

for the past two months. 

Born in Oneida on June 25, 

1919, she was 

the daughter 

of Harry and 

Grace Potter 

Ferguson. 

A lifelong 

resident of 

the area, 

Mrs. Jones 

was a graduate 

of Oneida 

Lois F. Jones 

High School 

and the EasternAcad- 

emy of Radiology. 

She married Donald H. 

Jones in Oneida Castle in 

1950. Mr. Jones died in December 

1983. 

Mrs. Jones was employed 

for several years as an x-ray 

technician with the former 

Oneida City Hospital. 

Hilda E. Jacobson, 94 

Former J-E School 

District bus driver 

Hilda E. Jacobson, 94, of E. Main 

St., Elbridge, died Feb. 18, 2006 in 

Cayuga County Nursing Home. 

Born in Syracuse, Hilda lived most 

of her life in the Elbridge area. She 

was a 1929 

graduate of 

Elbridge High 

School and attended 

CCBI. 

Hilda was a 

former bus 

driver for the 

Jordan- 

Elbridge 

School Dis- 

Hilda E. 

Jacobson 

trict. 

She was a 

member of the 

Elbridge Com- 

munity Church and the Women’s 

Christian Society. She was an organist 

for several area churches. 

Hilda was a long time volunteer 

at the Elbridge Thrift Shop. She was 

a former Town of Elbridge Republican 

Committeewoman. 

In 1989, Hilda and her late husband, 

Howard, received the 

Greater Elbridge Chamber of Commerce 

Community Service Award. 

She was a devoted member of 

the Eastern Star, having been a 

member of the former Ida Star 

Chapter and recently a member of 

the Brutus-Cato Star Chapter 86 

OES. She served as chapter musician 

for several years. 

Surviving are a son, Alan H. 

Jacobson of Plant City, Fla.; a niece, 

Peggy Suddaby of Baldwinsville; 

great-nieces; great-nephews; cousins 

and friends. 

At Hilda’s request, there are no 

calling hours. A graveside service 

will be in the spring in Mt. Pleasant 

Cemetery, Elbridge. 


Brutus-Cato Star Chapter 86 OES, 

c/o Marilyn Cole, 11249 Bonta 

Bridge Rd., Cato, 13033 or the 

Elbridge Community Church. 

She was a member of the 

First Presbyterian Church 

where she served as an elder 

and deacon, was a founding 

charter member of the board 

and two-term past president 

of the Madison-Cortland 

County ARC, a member of the 

Canastota Civic Orchestra, a 

member of the Oneida Elks 

Auxiliary, a board member 

and past president of the 

Madison County Mental 

Health Board, a member of 

the Community Services 

Board, a past president of the 

Greenpointe Residents Council, 

served as an ombudsman 

for the Hazel Carpenter Home 

and the Extended Care Facility 

of the Oneida Healthcare 

Center and was a former Girl 

Scout leader. 

Surviving are two daughters, 

Kay M. Jones of 

Canastota and Ruth A. Jones 

of Camillus; one son, Roy A. 

Jones of Lincoln, Ark.; three 

grandchildren, Robert, Brian 

Eric C . Green, 57 

Navy veteran 

Eric C. Green, 57, of Memphis, 

died Feb. 24, 2006 at 

Crouse Hospital after a courageous 

battle with cancer. 

Born in Syracuse on Aug. 5, 

1948, he was the son of Albert 

E d w a r d 

Green and 

A n n e 

Murray. He 

lived in 

Camillus until 

moving to 

Memphis 27 

years ago. 

Eric was 

employed by 

Allied Laun- 

Eric C. Green 

dry for 26 

years. 

He was a Navy veteran of 

the Vietnam Conflict, having 

served with the Seabees. 

A member of the Camillus 

Elks, he enjoyed the outdoors 

and loved to travel and 

gamble. 

Eric was a wonderful husband, 

good friend to all and 

had a great sense of humor. 

Surviving are his wife of 32 

years, the former Susan 

Graton; sons, Peter of San 

Francisco, Calif. and Seth of 

Memphis; mother, Anne 

Green of Camillus and brothers, 

Bruce of Marshfield, Mo. 

and Greg of Darden, Tenn. 

An Elks service was held at 

the Buranich Funeral Home, 

5431 W. Genesee St., 

Camillus. Friends called preceding 

the service at the funeral 

home. 

Contributions may be 

made to American Cancer Society, 

6725 Lyons St, P.O. Box 

7, East Syracuse, NY 13057- 

0007. 

One may sign the guest 

book at www.Buranich 

FuneralHome.com. 

See more Obituaries 

page 15 

Obituaries 

and Leah Jones and several 

cousins. 

Funeral services were held 

at the Campbell-Dean Funeral 

Home, Inc., 260 Main Street, 

Oneida, with the Rev. Cathryn 

Stevenson officiating. Spring 


interment will be made in 

Oneida Castle Cemetery. 

Friends called at the funeral 

home. 

Contributions in her 

memory may be made to 

Madison-Cortland ARC, 770 

Lenox Avenue, Oneida, NY 

13421 or the Francis House, 

108 Michaels Avenue, Syracuse, 

NY 13208. Envelopes for 

this fund may be obtained at 

the funeral home.


Losky wins laptop from Lyons Bank 

Charles Losky Sr. was the 

winner of one of ten laptop computers 

given away during the 

free checking campaign at The 

Lyons National Bank. 

Branch Manager Bill 

Dungey presented the laptop to 

Losky. 

“He was very happy that he 

won the laptop computer and is 

using it for his personal enjoyment 

and playing games with his 

grandchildren. Our customers 

had a lot of fun with this campaign 

and were constantly ask- 

ing who won the drawing!” said 

Dungey. 

The Lyons National Bank is 

a $330 million community 

bank with 10 offices located 

throughout the greater Finger 

Lakes marketplace. 

OCC NEWS 

Arts Across Campus offers 

full March schedule 

Onondaga Community 

College’s Arts Across Campus 

initiative offers a full schedule of 

events in March that includes 

poetry, visual arts and film. All 

events are free and open to the 

public, and signs will direct the 

public to free, on campus parking. 

For more information on any 

of the Arts Across Campus 

events, call 498-ARTS (2787). 

✔ “From the Studio” Art 

Show, February 27 to March 30, 

Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. 

to 4 p.m., Gallery at the Ann 

Felton Multicultural Center. 

Featured artists are Gail 

Hoffman (sculpture); Susan 

D’Amato (drawing) and Sarah 

McCoubrey (charcoal drawings 

and photography). Artists’ reception 

to be held Thursday, 

March 9, 3:30 to 7 p.m., Gallery at 

the Ann Felton Multicultural Center. 

Note: this show was previously 

billed as “Women Artists Invitational.” 

✔The Mandarins, Friday, 

March 3, 11 a.m., Storer Auditorium. 

For more information, call 

498-ARTS (2787). The Arts 

Across Campus debut by the 

award-winning women’s 

acapella group. 

✔ Quraysh Ali Lansana Poetry 

Reading: A Tribute to 

Harriet Tubman, Wednesday, 

March 8, 11 a.m., Storer Auditorium 

Chicago author and poet 

Quraysh Ali Lansana pays tribute 

to Harriet Tubman with poems 

from his second collection, 

“They Shall Run: Harriet Tubman 

Poems.” Lansana, is author of 

“Southside Rain” and co-editorof 

“Role Call: A Generational Anthology 

of Social and Political 

Black Literature and Art” (Third 

World Press, 2004, 2000, and 2002, 

respectively). 

✔ Reel World: Documentaries 

Quraysh Ali Lansana will be reading poetry 

honoring Harriet Tubman as part of 

OCC’s Arts Across Campus. 

with a Difference presents 

“What I Want My Words to Do to 

You” Thursday, March 9, 2 p.m. 

and 7 p.m., Storer Auditorium. 

A rare and intimate look inside a 

women’s maximum security facility 

in upstate New York, this 

film goes inside playwright and 

international women’s rights activist 

Eve Ensler’s writing workshop 

series at Bedford Hills Correctional 

Facility. 

Arts Across Campus is a yearround 

series of high quality arts 

and cultural programming that 

includes art and photography 

exhibits, performances, concerts, 

lectures and film. Last 

year, Arts Across Campus 

hosted more than 40 events that 

attracted more than 60,000 visitors 

to the OCC campus. The initiative 

is funded in part by the 

OCC student activity fee. Community 

partners include the 

Everson Museum of Art, Syracuse 

Stage, Syracuse Symphony 

and the Syracuse M&T Jazz Fest.

MOVERS AND SHAKERS 

Onondaga Hill woman joins 

Home Aides staff 

Laurie R. Walker of Onondaga 

Hill has joined Home Aides of 

Central New York as director of 

development and public relations, 

Sandra H. Martin, agency president, 

has announced. 

“Ms. Walker will be responsible 

for all fundraising activities 

associated with the Eldercare 

Foundation, as well as public relations 

activities for both Home 

Aides of Central New York and 

the Eldercare Foundation,” stated 

Martin. 

Ms. Walker has over 15 years 

of experience in the development 

field with local not-for-profits, 

most notably as lead staff for the 

leadership, major gift and 

planned giving activities of 

United Way of Central New York 

for many years. She is a graduate 

of the State University of New 

York at Fredonia (B.S., 1988) and 

Fournier joins Cazenovia 

College Board of Trustees 

Stephen D. Fournier, of 

Camillus, has joined Cazenovia 

College’s Board of Trustees. He 

has been with KeyBank N.A. 

since 1986 and is currently the 

bank’s Central New York district 

president. 

He was a faculty member for 

the 2004 Bank Administration 

Institute’s Graduate School of 

Retail Banking, at the University 

of Wisconsin. He will serve 

on Cazenovia College’s audit, budget 

and faculty to board committees. 

Fournier earned a bachelor of 

science degree in management 

and finance from the University 

of Dayton, and attended the 

American Bankers Association 

Stonier Graduate School of Banking 

at University of Delaware. 

He is a board member of the 

Metropolitan Development Association, 

the Downtown Committee, 

the Elmcrest Children’s 

John F. Gebhardt, 86 

Army veteran 

John F. Gebhardt, 86, of 

Camillus, died Feb. 18, 2006 at Community 

General Hospital. Born in 

Syracuse on Sept. 15, 1919, he was a 

lifetime resident of the Syracuse- 

Camillus area. 

John was an Army veteran of 

World War II. 

He was 

employed by 

Crucible 

Steel Corp. 

a n d 

Sanderson 

Steel, retiring 

in 1981 after 

46 years. 

He was a 

communi- 

John F. Gebhardt 

Obituaries 

cant of St. 

Brigid & St. 

Joseph’s 

Church and St. Joseph´s Church. 

John was predeceased by his 

brothers, Charles, William, James 

and Thomas Gebhardt; sisters, Dorothy 

Barone, Catherine Carolin, 

Mary Wenzel, Margaret Welch, 

Loretta DeSpirito, Anne Warlick, 

Helen Paoli, Joanne Flaherty and 

Alice Williams and parents, 

Johanna Ahern and John Gebhardt. 

Surviving are his son and daugh- 

Laurie R. Walker 

is a former president and current 

member of the Association of 

Fundraising Professionals, Central 

New York chapter. 

Stephen D. Fournier 

Center, the Salvation Army, the 

Syracuse Community Health 

Center Foundation, Inc., the 

Hope for Bereaved Foundation, 

and the Syracuse Chamber of 

Commerce. 

ter-in-law, John P. and Carolyn 

Gebhardt of Camillus; two sisters, 

Edna Borio of Cicero and Florence 

(Anthony) Modafferi of Syracuse; 

one brother, David Gebhardt of 

Syracuse; three grandsons and their 

wives, John J. and Monica 

Gebhardt, Gregory and Lynn 

Gebhardt and Jason and Jennifer 

Gebhardt; six great-grandchildren, 

Emily, Sarah, Taylor, J. Cameron, 

Ryan and Emma Gebhardt and 

many nieces and nephews. 


Buranich Funeral Home, 5431 W. 

Genesee St., Camillus and in St. 

Brigid & St. Joseph’s Church, 318 

Herkimer St., Syracuse with The 

Rev. George Hartnett officiating. 

Friends called at the funeral home. 

Burial was in the Onondaga County 

Veterans Memorial Cemetery, 

Syracuse. 


Living Hope Christian Center, 824 

N. State St., Syracuse, NY 13208 or 

to St. Brigid & St. Joseph’s Church, 

318 Herkimer St., Syracuse, NY 

13204. 

One may view the Gebhardt 

video tribute and sign the guest 

book at www.BuranichFuneral 

Home.com. 


CNYSPCA to offer pet first aid, CPR classes 

CNYSPCA will be offering 

pet first aid and CPR classes, 

taught by the Politano Group. 

Classes will be held on March 

15 for dogs and March 22 for 

cats from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. at 

the CNYSPCA, located at 

5878 East Molloy Road, Syracuse, 

New York 13211. Cost 

will be $40 for one class or $60 

for both. (Portion of fee goes to 

the CNYSPCA) Pre-registration 

is required. 

Of course, there is no substitute 

for immediate veterinary 

medical attention, but 

there are things you can do to 

help your pet before you can 

get him or her to your veterinarian. 

This course will provide 

you with the basic 

knowledge to handle nearly 

any medical emergency. 

Course contents includes: 

injuries to muscles, bones 

and soft tissue, poisonings, 

eye injuries, bleeding control, 

CPR and rescue breathing, 

choking relief, common 

illnesses. 

For more information 

pleases contact the 

CNYSPCA at 454-0409.


73 DE AMATEUR RADIO 

Upon a Ham’s death 

BY VIVIAN E. DOUGLAS, 

WA2PUU 

When a licensed amateur 

radio operator becomes a 

Silent Key (dies), it is 

important to notify the 

Federal Communication 

Commission, preferably from 

a member of the family or a 

close friend. 

The letter of information 

should include some type of 

proof such as a copy of the 

death certificate, a copy of 

the obituary from the paper, 

a letter from the family 

lawyer or executor. The date 

of death should be given 

along with the amateur’s full 

name, address and call sign. 

Also include the FRN number 

(the amateur’s coded Social 

Security number). 

All information would go 

to the FCC, 1270 Fairfield 

Road, Gettysburg, PA 17325. 

If the Silent Key was a 

member of the American 

Radio Relay League a copy 

should be sent to them at 

ARRL, Main Street, 

Newington, CT 06111. 

Weekly events 

● March 2, FCC VE tests 

will be held at 7 p.m. at West 

Genesee High School, 5201 

W. Genesee St., east of 

Camillus Commons in 

Camillus. All class levels 

will be available, including 

CW (code) exams. Exam fee 

$14. 

● March 5, Central New 

York Communications 

Breakfast will be held at 

Ramada Inn, 7th North 

Street and Buckley Road in 

Liverpool. This is not a club 

but a group of those interested 

in communications. 

All are welcome who enjoy 

talking about communications 

of any kind; broadcasting, 

ham radio, shortwave 

listening, whatever you 

enjoy the most, relating to 

communications. Reservations 

are not necessary, 9 to 

11 a.m. 

● For those willing to 

travel a bit, on March 5 the 

Greater Buffalo Winter 

Hamfest will be taking place 

where commercial vendors, 

ham gear, electronics and 

computers are displayed. 

From 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. the 

Lancaster Amateur Radio 

Club will be at Main Transit 

Fire Hall, 6777 Main Street 

on Route 5, Williamsville, 

thruway exit 49. Admission 

$6. This is Hamfest number 4 

in the Western New York 

Section for 2006. 

● March 7, the Oneida/ 

Madison Emergency Net, 

OMEN, members of the 

Amateur Radio Emergency 

Service, ARES, will meet for 

their on-air meeting at 7:15 

p.m. They will be on the 

145.17 frequency. 

● March 9, Radio Amateurs 

of Greater Syracuse, 

RAGS, will hold their regular 

meeting at 7:30 p.m. at 

the Onondaga Hill Masonic 

Club, Rt. 173 and Velasko 

Roads, Onondaga Hill. 

Following a short meeting, 

their evening program will 

offer members help with 

their two-meter handhelds. 

Icom, Yaesu, Kenwood, 

Alinco. Those who attend 

looking for assistance should 

bring their handheld and 

manuals. 

In case of inclement 

weather and the meeting 

needs to be canceled, listen 

on the 147.90/30 repeater 

from 4 to 7 p.m. for announcements 

on the half 

hour. 

During the St. Patrick’s 

Parade held in downtown 

Syracuse March 18, RAGS 

will cover communications 

with staging and timing of 

the divisions along the 

parade route. They also 

monitor for emergencies 

among the spectators and the 

lost child van. RAGS has 

worked with the parade 

committee for the past 24 

years. 

Subscribe 

to the Advocate/ 

Express today! 

Call 434-8889.

SPORTS 

Ludden girls face adversity, 

reach B-2 final 

BY PHIL BLACKWELL 

Battling through all kinds of 

difficulties, the Bishop Ludden 

girls’ basketball team worked its 

way into an shot at the Section 

III Class B-2 championship. 

Just before the playoffs got 

underway, Ludden’s top forward, 

Shannon Sangster, broke 

a bone in her foot, taking her off 

the court for one game and perhaps 

limiting her contributions 

the rest of the way. 

Still, with a no. 3 seed and a B- 

2 bracket full of teams that 

mostly played against weaker 

competition than the Gaelic 

Knights did, the prospects for a 

championship were still good. 

Starting out in last Tuesdays 

night’s B-2 quarterfinals, 

Ludden flew out of the gate and 

never stopped, beating no. 6 seed 

Sauquoit Valley 58-44. 

Eager to play again after a long 

layoff, the Gaelic Knights 

quickly shook off any possible 

rust and raced to a 21-8 advantage 

over the Indians through 

one quarter. 

Comfortably ahead the rest of 

the way, Ludden got its usual 

strong games from Katie 

Sierotnik, who had 15 points, 

and Molly Byrne, who added 12 

points. 

The real story here was forward 

Sheila Campolieta, who eagerly 

filled the scoring void 

Sangster left behind. Campolieta 

led the Knights with 18 points. 

Now in the B-2 semifinals, 

Ludden went to Sandy Creek 

Saturday to face no. 2 seed 

Lowville, an easy winner over 

Canastota in its quarterfinal contest. 

And it would do so with 

Sangster back in the lineup. 

Still, the Gaelic Knights faced 

a big challenge from the Red 

Raiders, who took the battle all 

the way to the wire before 

Ludden prevailed, 44-40. 

This game brought about another 

crisis for the Gaelic 

Knights. At one point, 

Campolieta, amid a scramble in 

the paint, fell to the floor and hit 

her head. After a long period of 

attending to her, Campolieta left 

on a backboard for precautionary 

reasons. 

Despite all this, Ludden maintained 

its focus, clinging to a 22- 

21 halftime lead and thwarting 

all of Lowville’s attempts to 

rally. 

Sangster, in her return, put up 

nine points. Byrne was the main 

threat this time, with 16 points, 

including a pair of 3-pointers, 

while Katie Sierotnik stepped 

up with 10 points. Chelsea Berry 

(14 points ) and Meredith Young 

(12 points) led Lowville’s effort. 

On Tuesday night, Ludden, 

now playing without 

Campolieta, met Sherburne- 

Earlville for the Class B-2 title at 

LeMoyne College, hoping to return 

to LeMoyne on the weekend 

for the overall Class B final 

against South Jefferson or 

Westhill. 


Track athletes compete in Select Meet 


Winter break allowed 

many area high school track 

and field athletes bound for 

Saturday’s state championship 

meet at Cornell University 

to rest. But not everyone 

did. 

In fact, many of the top 

competitors returned to 

Manley Field House one 

more time last Tuesday 

night for the Select Meet. 

On the girls’ end, Westhill 

nearly won the title, gaining 

52.5 points for second 

place, just behind 

Liverpool, who won with 54 

points. 

Brittany Pelsue starred 

in this meet. On her own, 

she won the 3,000 meters in 

a time of 11:17.67, more than 

eight seconds ahead of 

Westmoreland’s Amy 

Schachtler. 

Then, in the 4x400 relay, 

Pelsue joined Emily 

Ondrejka, Renay Tucci and 

Carolyn Clark as, in a time 

of 4:13.89, the Warriors beat 

runner-up Fayetteville- 

Manlius by more than three 

seconds. 

Ondrejka, Tucci and 

Clark were also in 

Westhill’s second-place 

4x200 relay (1:54.48) with 

Laura Zimmerman. The 

quartet of Jamie O’Hern, 

Lissa DiPaola, Abby Lee and 

Danielle Rafte got sixth in the 

4x800 in 10:47.47. 

Meanwhile, in field events, 

Owen was fourth in the triple 

jump (31 feet 3 3/4 inches), 

Suzanne Lee got fourth in the 

high jump (4 feet 6 inches) 

and Elena Mangano cleared 8 

feet for fifth in the pole vault. 

Back on the oval, 

Zimmerman worked her way 

to fourth place at 1,500 meters 

(4:55.66) and Owen was fourth 

in the 1,000 in 3:08.44. 

Jordan-Elbridge took 11th 

place with 12 points, as Ingrid 

Forward was third in the 55meter 

hurdles in 9.43 seconds. 

Libby Forward got fifth in both 

the 600-meter run (1:48.50) and 

triple jump (30 feet 9 1/2 

inches), while Katie Darling 

gained fifth in the long jump, 

going 14 feet 8 3/4 inches. 

Solvay worked its way to 

three points as Lauren Klasen 

was sixth at 600 meters 

(1:50.20) and the 4x800 relay 

quartet of Marisa Riverso, 

Jessica Goodrich, Princess 

Jimenez and Morgan Lucio 

finished fifth, in 10:38.72. 

On the boys’ end of the Select 

Meet, the Bearcats finished 

in fourth place, gaining 

34 points, as CNS (73 points) 

edged past Baldwinsville (72 

points) for the title. 

Michael May gave Solvay a 

victory in the 600-meter run, 

as his time of 1:26.59 was 

nearly three seconds ahead of 

B’ville’s Mike Jones. 

Then, in the 4x200 relay, 

Michael Grobsmith, Geoff 

Kobuszewski, Greg 

Kobuszewski and Brian 

Goodrich combined to win 

that race in 1:34.74, just holding 

off B’ville (1:35.45), in second 

place. 

Mike Acchione nearly won 

the triple jump, but had to 

settle for second place with 

39 feet 11 inches, just behind 

Nottingham’s Brandon Jordan 

(41 feet 5 3/4 inches). 

Matt Shutts helped with a 

fourth in the 55-meter 

hurdles (9.19 seconds) and 

was in the sixth-place 4x800 

relay (8:49.71) with May, 

Angel Cordero and Will 

Hnatko. 

Westhill got 12 points, 

mostly from the 4x800, 

where Sean Bardenett, Greg 

Pallotta, Andrew Corcoran 

and Tim Hartnett combined 

to finish second, in 8:22.69. 

Pat Niedzwiecki was 

fourth in the long jump, going 

18 feet 9 1/2 inches. J- 

E’s Steve Heffernan was 

third in the triple jump, going 

38 feet 3 1/4 inches.

18/EAGLE NEWSPAPERS, MARCH 1, 2006


NEWSPAPERSSPORTS SPORTS 

EAGLE 

Westhill subdues 

Solvay in B-1 semifinal 


Never before had the Westhill 

and Solvay girls basketball 

teams ever faced each other with 

so much at stake. 

After years of building and 

hard work, the Bearcats had won 

a post-season game for the first 

time and were in the Section III 

Class B-1 semifinals, trying to 

thwart the Warriors’ plans of 

adding to their championshiprich 

legacy. 

Paired up against each other 

Saturday at Liverpool High 

School, Westhill and Solvay 

played hard from beginning to 

end, but the Warriors overcame 

the Bearcats’ gritty effort to prevail, 

58-44. 

This advanced Westhill (21-1) 

to a highly anticipated Class B-1 

final against 22-0 South Jefferson 

Wednesday night at 7:45 p.m. at 

LeMoyne College. A year ago, 

the Spartans beat the Warriors 

in this same title game - with 

Cassidy injured. 

Even though it had not played 

in more than a week, Westhill 

still got off to one of its trademark 

fast starts, going up 15-6 

before the game was six minutes 

old. 

But the rout never materialized. 

Solvay exploited Carlee 

Cassidy’s two early fouls and attacked 

hard, relying mostly on 

solid rebounding and better freethrow 

shooting to pull within 

four, 25-21, at halftime. 

Sensing the urgency, Westhill 

stepped up its own defense in the 

third quarter, forced an array of 

turnovers, and closed the period 

with a 15-4 run that all but put 

the game out of reach. 

Cassidy, Section III’s all-time 

leading scorer, sealed that run 

with a long three-pointer just before 

the third-quarter buzzer. Of 

her 22 points, nine came in that 

period. 

Solvay, which trailed by as 

much as 20, whittled that lead 

down to nine in the final period, 

but could not get closer. 

Kylie Bartlett, in her last 

game as a Bearcat, had 19 points. 

When she fouled out, she tearfully 

went to the bench and got a long 

hug from head coach Shawn 

Mitchell as fans from both teams 

gave her a standing ovation for 

her effort. 

Becky Finch also went out 

strong, with 11 points and her 

usual domination of the boards. 

Carrie Smith added 10 points. 

As for Westhill, Cassidy was 

the only player in double figures, 

though Courtney McPhail (nine 

points), Carly Cooper (eight 

points) and Alex Dwyer (seven 

points) all came close. Lisa 

Olszewski had six points, battling 

foul trouble all game long. 

All of that toughness bred into 

the Bearcats, especially in its 

holiday trip to a tournament at 

Walt Disney World, was on display 

in last Tuesday night’s 38- 

37 victory over no. 3 seed 

Cazenovia in the B-1 

quarterfinals at Buckley Gym. 

Trailing as regulation time 

wound down, Solvay spun it to 

Smith, who drained the biggest 

three-point shot of her high school 

career with 15 seconds left. That 

proved to be the game-winner. 

Long before that, the Bearcats 

had established itself by holding 

the Lakers to five points in the 

first quarter. 

Cazenovia rallied to take a 17- 

16 halftime edge, and the two 

sides spent the rest of the game 

swapping the lead and gradually 

increasing the tempo. 

What was true throughout the 

game was that Solvay had a big 

edge on the glass. Finch, the 

Bearcats’ all-time leader in rebounds, 

grabbed 14 more boards 

to go with her seven points, 

while Smith put up 10 rebounds 

before her clutch shot at the end. 

On the perimeter, Bartlett 

gained 11 points, while Lisa 

Ladouceur put up six points. 

Cazenovia freshman Kiley Evans 

led both sides with 14 points. 

Solvay would not topple 

Westhill, but that couldn’t detract 

from a 13-9 season that reconfirmed 

the team’s place 

PAT ORR 

PAINT BATTLE: Westhill senior forward Kristen Lake (22) tries a hook shot over 

Solvay’s Becky Finch (5) in last Saturday’s Class B-1 semifinal. 

among the area’s most improved 

programs. 

Now the Bearcats faces the major 

challenge of replacing a great 

senior class that includes Finch 

and Bartlett, two cornerstones of 

that building project. Having 

Smith and Chelsey Chavez-Egan 

around will help. 

RIGHT: NO EASY LOOK: Solvay senior 

forward Mallory Lostumbo (21) guards 

Westhill’s Carlee Cassidy (5) in last 

Saturday’s Class B-1 semifinal. Cassidy, 

Section III’s all-time leading scorer, still 

managed to add to that total with 22 

points as the Warriors beat the Bearcats, 

58-44. 

Wildcats put scare into RFA in AA playoffs 


If no favorite was going to feel too 

safe in the Section III Class AA girls’ 

basketball playoffs, then the West 

Genesee Wildcats wanted to play a 

big part in that upheaval. 

At the very least, the no. 8 seed 

Wildcats hoped to throw a scare 

into top seed Rome Free Academy 

in last Tuesday’s AA quarterfinals - 

and they did so. 

All game long, WG made the 

Black Knights work hard, dictating 

the game’s tempo, and staying in it 

to the end before dropping a 49-41 

decision. 

Part of the reason the Wildcats 

were so effective is because they did a 

strong job defending RFA’s Nikki 

Jo Rotolo, holding her to 14 points, 

far below her season average. 

That, combined with long possessions 

and reasonable success 

putting in baskets, allowed the Wildcats 

to stay within single digits all 

night. 

Kaylah Sardino finished with 12 

points, while Nicole Monroe had 10 

points and Alyssa Sutherland 

gained six points. With Rotolo contained, 

her RFA teammate, Jessica 

Berry stepped up with a game-high 

18 points. 

Under first-year coach Jeff Ross, 

PAT ORR 

WG concluded with an 11-11 mark - 

quite good, given the team’s youth 

and the toughness of the entire 

Class AA contingent. 

Sardino, Shawn Murphy and 

Colleen Leahy depart, but Monroe 

and Sutherland will be back in 2006- 

07, as will Chrysa Lyons, Karen 

Bianchi, Liz Wierbinski and Karen 

Bianchi, so the Wildcats have a 

good chance of improving. 

Warriors rip 

South 

Jefferson, go 

to B-1 final 


Once in the post-season, 

records really don’t mean that 

much. All that counts is that one 

side is better than the other on a 

given day. 

A classic example of this cold 

reality was served up by the 

Westhill boys’ basketball team in 

the midst of a 62-38 romp over 

South Jefferson in last Friday 

night’s Section III Class B-1 semifinals 

at Jefferson Community 

College in Watertown. 

Judging solely by the won/loss 

marks, this was a major upset. 

South Jefferson was a perfect 21- 

0, while Westhill slid into this 

game at 14-7. 

However, that masked the fact 

that the Spartans built up their 

record by beating up a schedule 

filled mostly with Class C opposition, 

while the Warriors absorbed 

all kinds of defeats against opponents 

in the Class B ranks or 

higher. 

Thus, Westhill had been tested a 

lot more, and toughened by it. Plus, 

the team was playing its best basketball 

of the season in the month 

leading up to this semifinal. 

Combine all that with a defense 

that only seems to be gaining confidence 

with each passing game, and 

the Spartans’ undefeated season 

was doomed. 

Not immediately, though. 

Westhill trailed, 12-11, after one 

quarter, as the Spartans were initially 

sparked by playing in something 

close to a home crowd in 

Watertown, which is not far from 

South Jefferson’s home in Adams. 

Then the Warriors’ head coach, 

Kevin King, ordered a switch to fullcourt 

pressure. That paid off immediately, 

as guards Mike Musak, 

Rich Conway and Matt Brody constantly 

harassed the Spartans and 

forced all kinds of turnovers. 

By doing this, Westhill took control 

and built a 30-22 edge by halftime. 

Stung by the press, South 

Jefferson never recovered, watching 

as the Warriors steadily pulled 

away, its swarming defense the 

starting point for everything. 

On the offensive side, guards 

Dale Ross and Jake Ristoff each finished 

with 16 points. Colin Haigney 

held his own in the paint against 

the Spartans’ 6-6 center, Matt Pond, 

finishing with 13 points, not far from 

Pond’s total of 17 points. 

Westhll, the no. 4 seed, now 

moved on to Tuesday night’s B-1 

final at Liverpool High School, 

where it faced no. 6 seed Cazenovia 

for the right to face Mount 

Markham or Ilion at Manley Field 

House Saturday for the overall Class 

B title. 

This marked the sixth time the 

Warriors had faced their former head 

coach, Todd Widrick, and the 

Laker team he now leads. Each of 

the previous five times, Westhill 

has won.

Got sports? 

Call Phil Blackwell 

at 434-8889, ext. 348. 

Neil is hip 

Neil Diamond. Cool. Now 

those are three words that I 

would never have put next to 

each other in the past. 

Just say “Neil Diamond”, and 

what comes to mind? Jet-black 

hair, glitzy outfits, middle-aged 

female fans screaming their 

lungs out, and that dramatic 

delivery of those hokey songs 

you’ve heard scores of times at 

some of the better karaoke 

establishments in this great land 

of ours. 

Or, as one person described 

him, “the Jewish Elvis” – and 

we’re not talking about the thin 

Elvis of the early days in Memphis, 

either. 

So why on earth am I sitting 

here singing Neil Diamond’s 

praises? Well, if you’re so inclined, 

go out and find “12 

Songs,” a record he put together 

with Rick Rubin late last year. 

It’s simple and magnificent, a 

visible reminder of how immense 

Neil’s talent is, once you 

take away all the pretense. 

This was how it used to be – in 

the late 1960s, to be precise. Then, 

Neil Diamond was a lean, hungry 

and talented product of the Brill 

Building, wielding his guitar 

and cranking out his own string 

of quality songs and handing 

some others, like “I’m A Believer,” 

to the Monkees, with 

smashing results. 

But sometime in the early ’70s, 

quality got shoved in the background, 

and cheese took over. 

In short, Neil became the 

world’s biggest lounge act, often 

leaving the guitar behind in 

favor of theatrical delivery and 

body gyrations that, among 

other things, gave Celine Dion 

way too many ideas. And don’t 

even bring up “The Jazz Singer,” 

okay? 

Nothing in the ’80s or ’90s 

changed the indelible image Neil 

left on people. Some could not get 

enough of it – that means you, 

Mom – and others of the younger 

generation just pointed their 

fingers and tried to contain the 

guffaws. 

Enter Rick Rubin, musical 

guru. The one-time rap impresario 

has made a cottage industry 

of resuscitating legendary 

careers, as evidenced by the 

extraordinary collaboration he 

made with Johnny Cash in the 

last decade of the Man In Black’s 

life. 

Now it was Diamond’s turn to 

receive the Rubin magic touch. 

The result is “12 Songs,” all 

original and wonderful tunes free 

of most of the schmaltz that had 

come to define Neil for more than 

three decades. 

That’s how it often works, 

doesn’t it? Music, at its best, can 

overwhelm the senses, but in my 

experience, the songs that have 

meant the most to me combine 

emotional vocal delivery with a 

stripped-down motif that allows 

those emotions to be projected in 

a direct and honest way, increasing 

the impact. 

And “12 Songs” (the same title 

Phil 

Blackwell 

Random 

thoughts 

as a great 1970 Randy Newman 

album, by the way) fits that 

character trait to the utmost. 

From the plaintive longing of the 

opener, “Oh Mary” to the jaunty 

romp of “Delirious Love,” Neil 

doesn’t miss on any of the tunes. 

Just try not to be affected by that 

last chorus of “Hell Yeah,” a song 

that might make Stone Cold 

Steve Austin sue for copyright 

infringement. 

Another reason to get the 

record: you won’t hear this stuff 

on mainstream radio. Neil 

suffers from the same malady of 

country legends – namely, they 

get older, and programmers 

obsessed with demographics put 

the legends to pasture. 

Cash, Loretta Lynn, Merle 

Haggard – they all met this fate, 

either shunned by stations or 

dropped by labels. They still had 

a lot to offer, and if you doubt me 

on this, just give a listen to “Van 

Lear Rose,” Lynn’s collaboration 

with Jack White. Simply great 

stuff. 

In this case, it’s a bit different. 

All those soft-music stations find 

Neil Diamond to be a darling – 

the 1970s Neil of “Sweet 

Caroline,” that is. God forbid he 

should, in his later years, 

rediscover his muse and put out 

some of the best stuff of his 

career. 

The past is nice. It’s something 

we can eternally take 

lessons from. But it’s not a good 

idea to be stuck there, to celebrate 

a one-time ideal that 

either (1) no longer applies or (2) 

fails to take into account the 

marvelous ideas of change and 

evolution. 

Even with “12 Songs,” I 

wouldn’t put Neil Diamond on a 

part with people like Cash, or 

Ray Charles, or Willie Nelson, 

legends whose vitality and 

impact were undiluted by fame, 

fortune or changing musical 

tastes. 

However, it’s about time we 

freed Neil from the lounge and 

cheese. He’s too good of a voice, a 

talent, a songwriter, to be lumped 

in with the Paul Ankas and Steve 

Lawrences of this world who 

offered nothing to the world 

other than a voice and handsome 

face. 

Fortunately, Rick Rubin saw 

that crime being committed, and 

did something about it, reminding 

everyone of Mr. Diamond’s 

way with a tune. 

With any luck, and with good 

health, we could get a decade out 

of Neil’s revival, too, and that 

would be wondrous. I hope “12 

Songs” is just the first dozen we 

get to hear. 

e-mail us! 

newsroom@cnylink.com 

SPORTSPLUS 

Seeking magic number 20 

Syracuse falls to Georgetown, 

with DePaul and Villanova up next 

BY TY DOYLE 

The Syracuse Orange forwards got in early 

foul trouble, point guard Gerry McNamara had a 

rough day and the Georgetown Hoyas rolled to a 

68-53 victory at the MCI Center in Washington, 

D.C. on Saturday. Syracuse (19-9 overall, 7-7 in 

the Big East) could not follow up on Monday 

night’s huge 60-58 victory over then 15 th ranked 

West Virginia but still controls its own destiny 

in terms of an NCAA Tournament berth. 

Junior center Darryl Watkins continues to 

impress on both ends of the court and was a rare 

bright spot for the Orange. Watkins, who has 

struggled (especially on the offensive end) for 

much of the season, finished with 12 points, 

eight rebounds and four blocked shots. Against 

West Virginia, Watkins finished with 10 points 

and nine rebounds. His front court mate, power 

forward Terrence Roberts, could not put up the 

type of effort that he did against the Mountaineers 

(where he had 16 points and 10 boards) 

because of foul trouble. Roberts saw very limited 

second half action after picking up his fourth 

foul early in the half. He finished with two 

points and two rebounds before fouling out. The 

other starting front court player, small forward 

Demetris Nichols, also saw little second half 

court time due to fouls and finished with nine 

points. 

For the second straight game, McNamara 

suffered from the field. Against West Virginia, 

he scored only five points on two-for-14 shooting. 

In this one, he managed only eight points on 

three-for-10 shooting (two for seven on three 

pointers). Eric Devendorf led the squad in 

scoring with 13 points, but shot only five of 15 

from the floor. 

Forward Jeff Green paced a balanced Hoya 

attack with 18 points. Guards Ashanti Cook and 

Jonathan Wallace each finished with 10 and 

reserve Darrel Owens had 12. 

If Georgetown’s berth to the Big Dance was 

ever in doubt, it is now secure. The Hoyas 

improved to 19-7 overall (10-5 Big East). 

As for the Orange, a win Saturday would have 

ended all the bubble talk, but a berth to the 

tournament still looks probable. At 19 wins, the 

Orange will head to Chicago to take on DePaul 

(11-14, 4-10). If the Orange does as it should and 

takes care of the Blue Demons, it will get to the 

magical 20 win mark heading into Saturday’s 

showdown with Villanova (ranked second 

nationally as of Sunday) at the Carrier Dome. 

This game will give the Orange another shot at 

a W over a ranked opponent before heading to 

the Big East Tournament in New York, where it 

will have another shot to firm up its resume. 

But if the Orange beats DePaul, it is hard to 

believe that a 20-win ‘Cuse squad with a solid 

RPI and strength of schedule will be banished to 

the NIT. 

CHUCK WAINWRIGHT 

A win against DePaul could assure Jim Boeheim’s Orange 

an NCAA Tournament berth. 


Gerry McNamara struggled against Georgetown. 

Lacrosse clinic coming to Drivers Village 

The Upstate New York chapter of U.S. Lacrosse 

is presenting a youth clinic for boys and girls 

coaches. 

It will take place Sunday, March 12 from 2 to 

5:15 p.m. at Drivers Village in Cicero. Registration 

is from 12 noon to 2 p.m., with a stick-making 

demonstration by Alf Jacques. U.S. Lacrosse 

members pay a $20 fee, all others $25. 

This is an informational, educational event 

with a chance for coaches to interact with other 

coaches, plus major manufacturers. 

Speakers include: 

John Sardella - Local youth lacrosse leader 

Jack Emmer - All time winning collegiate lacrosse 

coach 

Kevin Sheehan - Youth lacrosse expert 

Jeff Tambroni - Cornell head mens lacrosse 

coach 

Meg Stevens - Buffalo State head women’s lacrosse 

coach 

Register online after March 1 at 

www.UpstateNYLacrosse.org 

Send us your sports news 

Mail photo prints to Sports Plus, c/o Eagle Newspapers, 5910 Firestone Drive, Syracuse, 

N.Y. 13206. E-mail jpeg or tiff photo attachments to newsroom@cnylink.com. 

Articles should be no longer than 500 words and can be mailed or e-mailed to the 

above addresses or faxed to 434-8883.

SPORTS 


Ludden drops AA semifinal thriller to CBA 


This time, they thought it would 

be different. 

All the Bishop Ludden boys’ basketball 

players were sure that it 

would shake off two previous regular-season 

losses to “Holy War” rival 

Christian Brothers Academy 

and win the only one that mattered 

- the Section III Class AA semifinal. 

Better yet, the Gaelic Knights 

would win in the most exciting way 

possible - on a last-second shot, 

right in front of the loud and proud 

Ludden student section. 

Sure enough, as the final seconds 

ticked down last Friday night at 

Cicero-North Syracuse, Ludden, 

trailing by two, got the ball to Kyle 

Roy, who slipped in between CBA 

defenders and was open just beyond 

the three-point line, the ideal script 

come to life. 

Roy, without hesitation, fired 

the shot that would win it and create 

Ludden ecstasy. It hit the rim - 

but was too strong and fell away 

toward the left corner as the clock 

ran down to zero. 

This was not in the script - but it 

was the cold and cruel reality 

Ludden had to deal with, its dreams 

of a Class AA title thwarted by the 

Brothers in a 49-47 decision that 

was in doubt from the opening tip to 

the final shot. 

A long time had passed since the 

Gaelic Knights’ second defeat to 

CBA on Jan. 6. Much had changed 

on both sides. 

Ludden got red-hot down the 

stretch of the regular season, then 

carried it over to playoff wins over 

Auburn and Corcoran. The Brothers 

welcomed Mike Paulus back 

into the starting lineup and continued 

their winning ways. 

Yet like two quarreling lovers, 

Ludden and CBA could not stand 

being apart from one another. So 

the fates had them together again at 

CNS, the ninth time in 10 years they 

had met in the sectional playoffs. 

The previous eight playoff meetings 

had been split, four apiece, just another 

example of the rivalry’s close 

nature. 

Fans filled the CNS gym long before 

tip-off, creating a tension that 

rivaled that of an actual championship 

game - and to many on both 

sides, winning this was more important 

than any banner or trophy 

down the road. 

After a tentative start, both 


MY REBOUND: Bishop Ludden senior 

Kyle Roy (34) goes up and beats everyone 

else for the loose ball in last Friday 

night’s Class AA semifinal against CBA. 

Roy had 14 points in the Gaelic Knights’ 

49-47 loss to the Brothers. 

teams got hot late in the first quarter. 

Ludden senior Ryan Chapman 

poured in 10 of his eventual 16 

points, but CBA (despite two early 

fouls on Paulus) matched each of 

Chapman’s thrusts, and the period 

ended in a 20-20 deadlock. 

The second quarter was just as 

close - only both teams got tentative 

and, in the process, went cold. 

Ludden endured more than six 

minutes without a point, yet still 

clamped down on defense to scrape 

out a 25-25 draw going into halftime. 

CBA made its big move early in 

the third quarter, breaking out of a 

27-27 tie with nine unanswered 

points, all in a span of less that two 

minutes. Four different players - 

Paulus, Matt Kinnan, Mike 

Goodman and Marcus Sales - had 

the baskets in that spurt. 

Ludden would not break, fighting 

back within five, 40-35, by the 

end of the period, then spending the 

fourth quarter inching even closer. 

Chapman had cooled off, but Roy, 

his fellow senior, had taken charge, 

putting up seven consecutive 

points (he finished with 14) for his 

team. When his three-pointer 

swished with 3:05 to play, Ludden had 

a 45-44 edge, its first lead in the entire 

second half. 

As they had so many times before, 

Ludden and CBA were going 

to the wire to settle their differences. 

Kinnan hit two free throws to 

put the Brothers ahead. With 1:10 

left, Pete Byrne answered with two 

successful foul shots of his own to 

put the Gaelic Knights back in 

front, 47-46. 

Again, CBA countered, as Sales 

hit a running one-hander with 52 

seconds to play Down a point, 48-47, 

Ludden called time-out, then 

worked a play from the right 

baseline. Senior Jared Dewberry’s 

drive was thwarted, as Gaelic 

Knight fans screamed for a foul that 

wasn’t called. 

Now forced to foul, Ludden 

hacked Sales, then called a time-out 

to set things up and try to ice the 

CBA sophomore. With 16.5 seconds 

left, Sales had two shots. He missed 

the first, then made the second. 

Facing a two-point deficit, coach 

Pat Donnelly didn’t call another 

time-out, letting his five seniors - 

Roy, Chapman, Dewberry, Byrne 

and Nick Cavallaro - settle the game 

for themselves amid the noise and 

tumult. 

With the inside covered, 

Ludden looked to set a screen. It 

worked, in that Roy got an open look 

at the three-pointer that would produce 

a victory, if it had gone through. 

Since it did not, the Gaelic 

Knights’ adventurous 14-9 season 

came to a conclusion, with all kind 

of successes contradicted by the 

three defeats to CBA, only the second 

time that has ever happened in 

the 43 seasons they’ve faced each 

other. 

Byrne, Roy, Dewberry, 

Cavallaro and Chapman now depart, 

and a new starting five will be 

needed in 2006-07, looking to go a 

couple of steps further - and, of 

course, to get payback against the 

Brothers. 


CLEAR OUT: Bishop Ludden senior Ryan Chapman (23) beats CBA’s J.T. Miranda 

(left) and Mike Goodman for the rebound in last Friday’s Class AA semifinal. 

Chapman led the Gaelic Knights with 16 points in a 49-47 defeat.


MAKING TRACKS 

WG strong at season’s end 

Two days before their Section 

III championship meet, the West 

Genesee girls’ indoor track team 

lost one of their best sprinters and 

top sectional long jumper to a 

school transfer. 

Regrouping, the Wildcats mustered 

up their distance runner 

strength to place fourth in the 

thirteen Class A sectional field. 

It was a long night for some 

Wildcats who competed in triple 

events to help the team. 

Junior Stephanie McGrath 

was one. She ran the opening leg 

of the WG 4x400 relay, which raced 

to their best time of the season in 

placing fourth. On short rest, 

McGrath stepped into the 600 meter 

and grabbed sixth place. 

Near meet’s end, she was back 

on the track, running an opening 

relay leg again, this time in the 

4x800 which took third place. 

Also busy was eighth-grader 

Katie Bott. A rapidly improving 

400-meter runner, Bott anchored 

the 4x400 meter relay, provided 

the second leg of the 4x800 relay 

and also triple jumped. 

The Wildcats also benefited 

from their dependable and talented 

junior, Elizabeth 

McMahon. McMahon placed 

third in the 1,000, and then turned 

around on short rest to take second 

in the 1,500. She later anchored the 

4x800 relay. 

In the 3,000, Colleen Smith, in 

fourth place, and Maggie Nealer, 

in fifth place, both contributed to 

the West Genesee scoring effort. 

Other scoring relay members 

were E.J. Reedy and Sarah Kibby. 

Help from the field events 

came in the form of solid vaulting 

by senior Nichia Horvath. 

Horvath equaled her school 

record in placing second. 

With only a few days’ rest, qualified 

team members returned to 

Manley Field House for the Feb. 16 

state qualifier meet, where the top 

two finishers advance to the state 

championship. 

Hoping to mount a 4x800 relay 

strong enough to surprise other 

favored teams, the Wildcat foursome 

of McGrath, Reedy, Kibby 

and McMahon were unable to 

chase down the Fayetteville- 

Manlius squad that ran the 

section’s best time this winter. 

The Wildcats did, however, establish 

a new school record in 

placing second. 

Also on the track, Colleen 

Smith raced personal record in 

the 3,000 for a 10th place finish in 

her elite field. 

Earlier in the meet, McMahon 

stepped onto the track for the 

1,500. Though qualified in the 600 

and 1,000-meter events as well, 

McMahon decided to focus on the 

1,500. 

That decision paid off well as 

she raced away from F-M’s 

Kristen Taylor to win the event 

and a trip to the state championship 

meet. McMahon’s 4:44.75 

clocking also shattered her old 

record by almost 10 seconds and 

currently ranks her no. 10 in the 

state. 

Attempting to remain competition-ready, 

several Wildcats 

compete in last Tuesday night’s 

Select Meet for athletes meeting 

strict qualification standards. 

Nealer placed 12th in the 1,500, 

while Smith continued running 

well with a fourth in the 3,000. 

McGrath continued her impressive 

late-season surge with a 

fourth-place finish and personal 

record in the 600. 

The 4x400 relay team of 

McGrath, Reedy, Kibby and 

McMahon had arrived at the 

meet intent on a establishing a 

new school record in that event - 

but fell a second shy. They did 

however, run thirrd with only the 

second sub-4:20 in the school’s in- 

BILL MEYLAN 

BOUND FOR STATES: Elizabeth McMahon of West Genesee prepares to challenge 

Fayetteville-Manlius senior Kristen Taylor at the indoor track State Qualifier 1,500 

meter event on Feb. 16. McMahon won in school record time and advanced to 

Saturday’s state meet at Cornell University. 

door history. 

McMahon now turns her attention 

to this Saturday’s 1500 meter 

state championship event in 

Cornell University’s Barton Hall. 

She enters as a potential seeded 

section runner. 

McGrath, Reedy, Kibby, 

Smith and Nealer will continue 

training with McMahon the following 

week in preparation for 

the March 11 National Scholastic 

Championship 4x1 mile Relay in 

New York City’s Armory Track & 

Field Center. 

Legals

Red team go! - Eagle News Online

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