A column by State Senator Tom O'Mara

New York State Senator Tom O'Mara graces our pages with a weekly column from his Albany office. This week: "The work of freedom." Column.

Left: State Sen.Tom O'Mara

A voice
of experience ...

Scott Westervelt (left) is running for re-election to the Odessa-Montour School Board, and in the editor's opinion is the top choice. Sponsors.

Rekczis wins spot in State tournament

Watkins Glen High School sophomore Keith Rekczis (pictured at right) advanced Saturday to the New York State Golf Tournament when he shot an 82 on Cornell University's par-72 Robert Trent Jones Golf Course and then survived a playoff. Rekczis, Vestal's Nick Barney and Corning's Alex Hepburn all finished at 169 in the 36-hole Section IV State Qualifying Tournament -- tied for 8th, 9th and 10th places with just the 8th and 9th slots available on the Section IV team that will compete against squads from other sections at States. Rekczis registered a bogey on the first playoff hole, as did Barney -- with Hepburn eliminated with a double bogey. Forty-five golfers started the Qualifying tourney Thursday, with 25 eliminated that day. Susquehanna Valley's D.J. Griffiths and Trumansburg's Dan Lapp tied with the tourney's low total, 154, but Griffiths was awarded medalist honors on a tiebreaker. The State tournament will be played on the Cornell course on June 2-3.

O-M boys, girls win IAC Small School titles

The Odessa-Montour boys and girls varsity track teams took first place Friday among Small Schools at the Interscholastic Athletic Conference Track and Field Championships, with Dakota Simpson and Dana Roberts leading the way. Sports.

This week's deals at Famous Brands

We are now carrying the weekly ad showcasing the latest deals available at Jim Guild's Famous Brands store on Franklin Street in downtown Watkins Glen. For a look, click here.

A much-needed voice

Writer Meredith Beardsley tells about the importance of the Farm Bureau in New York State and Schuyler County. See SchuyLines.

5th marking period Honor Roll unveiled

The Odessa-Montour Junior-Senior High School releases its High Honor Roll and Honor Roll for the 5th marking period of the 2012-13 school year. Honors.

Bridge replacement project set to go

Mill Street, which connects the north and south portions of the Village of Odessa, will be closed starting Monday, May 20 for replacement of the street's bridge, which crosses over Catlin Mill Creek. The work is expected to continue through the summer. Silverline Construction, Inc. won the project with a low bid of $735,249.

Glen school candidates meet public, teachers

The Schuyler County League of Women Voters held a Meet the Candidates Night Tuesday at which candidates for the Watkins Glen School Board introduced themselves to -- and answered questions from -- a small audience in the Watkins Glen Elementary School auditorium.

And then Wednesday afternoon, another Q-and-A candidate session organized by Watkins teachers was held in the Watkins Glen High School auditorium.

Each event attracted fewer than 30 people. Three of the five candidates were present Tuesday night: Kristin Hazlitt, Mark Franzese and Tom Lewis. Absent were Barb Schimizzi, who was attending an important family function, and Heidi Pike.

Present Wednesday were Hazlitt, Lewis, Schimizzi and Pike.

Questions Tuesday night touched on such matters as: "What is the biggest challenge facing the district?" (Long-term sustainable success, said Lewis; reduced aid and a need for mandate relief, said Franzese; a quality program with reduced dollars, said Hazlitt), and "How can you add to the strength of the School Board?" (A fresh set of eyes and a positive attitude, said Franzese; a legal background and experience handling Social Services cases, said attorney Hazlitt; diversity in terms of management experience, said Lewis). All three cautioned against jumping into merger with another district, but thought shared or consolidated services might be helpful in certain circumstances.

The election -- with two seats up for grabs -- is May 21, along with a vote on the school budget.

Photo in text: Candidate Kristin Hazlitt at Tuesday's session.

Hospital tests its emergency preparedness

Schuyler Hospital took part Tuesday in a region-wide test of its emergency preparedness, handling an influx of "patients" -- volunteers from Watkins Glen High School and The Arc of Schuyler -- "injured" in a natural disaster. In this test, the disaster was flooding. The hospital, which a spokesperson said conducts such a test annually, coordinated with Schuyler Ambulance and the county's Emergency Management Office for the event. Among the WGHS students were members of Margaret Swinnerton's health class as part of the course's required community volunteerism.

Photo in text: Sign in a hospital hallway.

A. Moralis returns

The pseudonymous columnist touches this time on self-fulfilling prophecies, unintended consequences and related legislative actions. Column.

Now available on Kindle: The Maiden of Mackinac

This story -- which spans 700 years and ranges from our region to Northern Michigan -- tells of a quest for the truth behind a legend ... the legend of a Native American maiden reputed to be centuries old. It was written by Charlie Haeffner, and is available now on Kindle at Amazon.com. To see the ad, click here.

Left: Cover art by Jon Haeffner

Visit Jerlando's Ristorante & Pizzeria

Three locations: in Watkins Glen, Horseheads and Montour Falls

Click here or on the photo at left to go to the Jerlando's website. There you will find information about all three locations, plus menus.

Left: The front of the recently renovated Jerlando's at Franklin and 4th Streets, Watkins Glen

Varsity, faculty play basketball for Devon

Play for Devon, a fundraiser pitting the Watkins Glen High School boys varsity basketball team against school faculty members in a hoop contest in the WGHS Field House, drew a supportive crowd Saturday night. All proceeds will go to Devon Shaw and his family to offset medical costs as Devon continues his battle against cancer. Basketball.

Juror: It all came down to the text messages

A juror in the Alice Trappler murder trial says text messages arranged in a timeline helped convince the jury of Trappler's guilt in the killing of her former lover, Daniel Bennett. The first day of deliberations, the juror said, ended in an 11-1 vote. The one holdout made it unanimous within a half-hour on the second day. Juror.

Photo at right: Alice Trappler

Trappler found guilty on all counts

A Schuyler County jury on May 8 found Alice Trappler guilty on all counts in connection with the murder of Daniel Bennett on April 19, 2012 in his Town of Dix home. Trappler -- who gave a little shake of her head but was otherwise impassive upon hearing the verdict -- faces 25 years to life in prison when she is sentenced by County Judge Dennis Morris on July 11.

The jury returned the verdict only a half-hour after beginning its second day of deliberations, with the foreperson intoning "Guilty" on each count read by Morris: 2nd Degree Murder, Burglary 1st and 2nd Degree and Conspiracy 2nd Degree. Said District Attorney Joe Fazzary: "The jury had it spot on." Added Alecia Bennett, sister of the victim: "Justice prevailed." Defense attorney Susan BetzJitomir, who said she was "floored," promised to appeal. Verdict and Reactions.

Photo in text: Alice Trappler leaves court after the verdict.

Watkins Glen holds its annual Dumpster Day

The Village of Watkins Glen held its annual spring Dumpster Day May 11th in the parking area across from the Community Center, filling more than a half-dozen dumpsters with broken, aged or no-longer-wanted items from mattresses to TVs to appliances to ... well, a host of items. The event, held for a few years on a semi-annual basis but found to be more effective annually, was overseen by village officials who were putting some muscle into the effort (top left, trustee Tony Fraboni, and bottom, Mayor Mark Swinnerton dispatching a TV screen per the directive of dumpsters owner Swarthout Recycling).

Authors to discuss new book

Award-winning motorsports author Michael Argetsinger and renowned race historian Bill Green will launch a new book about the history of the Watkins Glen race track at the International Motor Racing Research Center in Watkins Glen on Saturday, May 18. Book.

Rotary honors Groll as Student of the Month

Watkins Glen High School senior Elise Groll (left) was honored May 9th by the Watkins-Montour Rotary Club as its WGHS Student of the Month for May. Groll was introduced by teacher Sam Brubaker, who called the honoree "polite, conscientious, hard working and a pleasure to be around." She is a member of the school Band, Music Club, National Honor Society, Foreign Language Club and Interact Club, and has competed in volleyball, tennis and track. She is also a member of the Youth Leadership Institute and Hector Youth Group, and plans to attend Binghamton University.

Labor of Love holds
its fundraising dinner

The annual Labor of Love Spaghetti Dinner in memory of Lindy Bond and Rosanne Paradiso was held May 9th at St. Mary's Parish Center on 10th Street in Watkins Glen. As usual, one of the highlights was the dessert selection. Take-out dinners were available, packaged with care by Midge and Dom Franzese at a table in the rear of the Center's cafeteria. All proceeds from the event will benefit Labor of Love, created to carry on the good works of Bond and Paradiso by providing food, clothing and other basic necessities to those in need in Schuyler County. Donations may be mailed to: Labor of Love, c/o Rev. Michael Hartney, 112 Sixth St., Watkins Glen, NY 14891.

Bev Stamp honored as 'Woman of Distinction'

Beverly “Bev” Stamp, co-owner and operator, with her late husband LaMont “Monty” Stamp, of Lakewood Vineyards in Watkins Glen, was honored in Albany May 7th by State Senator Tom O'Mara as a New York State Senate “Woman of Distinction.” Government.

Watkins Police study: 1st phase is in

The first of two phases in the study by the Center For Governmental Research on The Future of Law Enforcement in Watkins Glen has been completed -- a baseline report of existing law enforcement operations in the village that will lead in the near future to recommendations regarding options for the Village Police Department and the Schuyler County Sheriff's Office. Those options, the report says, "can range from continuing in the status quo, to sharing more services, to modeling a full consolidation of the two departments." The baseline report can be found by clicking here and then on "Baseline Report."

Speakers set for
Top Drawer 24 party

The 8th annual Top Drawer 24 celebration at the Watkins Glen State Park on Thursday, June 6 has a lineup of four distinguished speakers. To see who they are, click here.

Candidates set for School Board elections

The petition deadline for a spot on the ballot in the race for two School Board seats each in the Watkins Glen and Odessa-Montour School districts came and went April 21 -- with five candidates in Watkins and four in Odessa-Montour.

Running for two 3-year seats on the Watkins Board are Kristin Hazlitt, Heidi Pike, Tom Lewis, Barb Schimizzi and Mark Franzese. Incumbents Brian O'Donnell and Joe Fazzary are not seeking re-election.

Running for two 3-year seats on the O-M Board are Scott Westervelt, Robert Tuttle, Wendy Shutter and Sharon Lewis. Westervelt is the only incumbent running. Another incumbent, Chris Scata, is not seeking re-election.

The vote is on May 21, the same day as the vote on the district budgets.

Photo in text: O-M incumbent Scott Westervelt (File photo)

Odessa's latest report on water quality

To see the Village of Odessa's latest Water Quality Report, click here.