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A little of this and that ...

By Charlie Haeffner

Odessa, Jan. 29 -- Congressman Tom Reed stopped by Montour Falls Thursday.

He was in town just two days after attending President Obama's State of the Union speech -- a national event, he says, that means "a very busy day in Washington." It was "our second year for that," he noted, saying that unlike some attendees who show up "hours early" to get good seats near the front for the speech, "I walked in about 45 minutes beforehand. I was seated on the right, back quite a ways."

Now, less than 48 hours later, he was stopping in Montour to meet with Dr. Stephen Spaulding -- one of several stops he was making to discuss Medicare and specifically the pending 27% cut in Medicare payments to doctors under a complex and convoluted formula. They were discussing, too, the "Docfix" legislation that has put off that cut until the end of February. It's all the subject of conference committee meetings this week and next in Washington.

Spaulding broke free from a busy day of seeing patients in his Montour House office to move to the adjacent coffee shop and discuss such heady matters as Medicare and Social Security. It all made for good public relations for Reed. But while I feel good about having a man like him as my Congressman, I doubt a discussion in a room in Montour Falls will merit a bleep on the national landscape of trillion-dollar deficits and habitually partisan bickering.

It's better than not talking, though. And kudos to the Congressman for caring.

*****

The students of the region were testing last week -- an end-of-semester rite -- and so there were no sports events until Friday night. And being the fourth week of the month, the government meeting slate was pretty clean, meaning I was able to avoid traveling to meeting sites to record their goings-on.

Accordingly, I got a chance to prepare a few more things for SchuyLines (our new website), which I'll trot out in the days ahead: a personality profile on retired County Judge J.C. Argetsinger, who graciously sat down with me for a couple of hours; a look at the Mustard Seed Ministries in western Schuyler County, courtesy of a visit I made to one of its recent board meetings; and Part II of my Schuyler autobiography.

We have a few other items in development, plus more photos from the vaults of the Schuyler County Historical Society, so stay tuned.

******

It has also been a time of familial concern, for one of my late wife's brothers has been stricken ill. Many of you know him: Bill Bauman, Watkins Glen photographer extraordinaire.

I've been asked by a number of people how they might reach Bill -- send him a card or note -- so here is the address, as of this morning: Strong Memorial Hospital, 601 Elmwood Ave., Bill Bauman, 6-1600, Room 17, Rochester, NY 14642.

******

You might have noticed a news item on the Home Page about Haleigh Wixson, one of the best swimmers to ever come out of Watkins Glen High School. She is at SUNY Geneseo now, and earned an Athlete of the Week honor for some outstanding performances there. Congratulations, Haleigh.

She is one of our former Top Drawer 24 kids -- Top Drawer being the annual team (sponsored by this website) that is composed of the best student-athlete-citizens in our area high schools. Haleigh was on the team three times. Coincidentally, Top Drawer committee members are currently in the process of filling out ballots for their preferences for this year's team -- a process leading, ultimately, to unveiling of the squad in May. A June party at the State Park pavilion will feature an array of impressive speakers, and introduction of each honoree.

******

And earlier:

The tajahenus and the turtle

By Charlie Haeffner

Odessa, Jan. 15 -- The publication on Kindle of my novel The Maiden of Mackinac has opened it up to more readers. Not that they're rushing to buy it, but a few have, and in the wake of that occurrence, I have been receiving suggestions that I write a sequel.

Truth to tell, I thought I had written the novel in such a self-contained way that a sequel wasn't terribly feasible. But in thinking about it, I struck on one possible way to do it: to own up to the fact that all that happened in Maiden was the truth; that it wasn't fiction -- that I was in fact the protagonist, Jefferson Madison (whose name I selected as a nom de guerre because I like those two Presidents).

So I started dabbling the other night, putting words to canvas, so to speak, and came up with an introduction -- or at least part of one -- based on a recent occurrence. The introduction features two of the characters from the book (they are in fact friends of mine): Tobias and Kingsley.

Tobias, for those new to the Maiden of Mackinac world, is the only remaining member of a cave-dwelling, bug-eating species called tajahenus. Kingsley is a giant talking turtle who plies the waters of the Straits of Mackinac in Northern Michigan, where I vacation and where much of the novel took place (although the early portions occurred in our region and near it.)

Tobias and Kingsley are friends of The Maiden of the title, a woman named Lillianna, born 700 years ago in the Ojibwe tribe. She has settled into modern ways, operating one of the many fudge shops that populate Mackinac Island.

What I wrote the other night follows. The conversation between Tobias and Kingsley was relayed to me first by Kingsley, and then later by Tobias, so I'm relatively certain of its accuracy.

*****

The message came in a roundabout way, from tajahenus to giant turtle to me.

It said, basically: "How about a sequel to the book?"

The tajahenus, a furry little fellow named Tobias who lives in a cave on Northern Michigan's Mackinac Island, ventured forth from the solitude of the woods surrounding his home one night in order to reach the shoreline of Mackinac, on the less populated north side.

The turtle, a talking creature named Kingsley, was waiting for him on shore, as he has a habit of doing. They are old pals, these two, and try to get together whenever possible for a talk. Kingsley has often tried to get Tobias to climb aboard for a ride along the waves of the Straits of Mackinac -- on a saddle strapped atop his large shell -- but the tajahenus has developed an aversion over his many years to bodies of water. "You can drown in that stuff," he has been known to say.

They have had to pick their meetings carefully in recent years, since Mackinac in season is a hotbed of tourism, and in offseason still has its human population. And since the island is relatively small -- just two by three miles -- such humans could conceivably pop up at any time, which would be most unfortunate.

It was at this night's meeting that Tobias issued his request:

"Could you go over to Bois Blanc and flag down Charlie? Lillianna says he's there this month." Bois Blanc is an island situated scant miles from Mackinac, to the east.

"Toward what end?" Kingsley asked in his deep voice.

"Toward the end of getting him to come over here. I want to talk to him about writing some more about me."

"Why?" asked Kingsley. "Why draw more attention to yourself? Didn't you already have a couple of unwanted visitors? Didn't you have to disguise the entrance to your cave, and draw them away, and ultimately confront them?"

"Yes," said Tobias, "but they were fans! They just wanted my autograph. Nice ladies ..."

"Next time," intoned his friend, "it might be hunters. I'm amazed you haven't become a tourist attraction or a wall trophy. That novel did you no favors."

"Are you kidding? It put my species on the map. Who'd ever heard of a tajahenus before Charlie wrote The Maiden of Mackinac?"

"Exactly my point," said Kingsley. "Nobody had, and you were relatively safe, as long as you kept out of sight. But now there are people who go looking for you."

"Well, not that many, because he wrote the book as a novel; made it sound like fiction."

"Well," said Kingsley, "clearly some people can't tell fiction from fact. They think the one is the other."

"Look," said Tobias, "are you going to do this for me or not? Will you alert him?"

"Why me?" Kingsley asked. "Why not have Lillianna just phone him?"

There was silence.

"Well?" said Kingsley.

"Because ...."

"Because she told you she wouldn't," said Kingsley. "Am I right? Don't answer. I know I'm right."

"She's stubborn," said Tobias. "And it's not fair. She's gotten most of the glory from the book. She was in the title, for Pete's sake. People are always dropping in to see her at her shop..."

"And she keeps denying that she is who she is," said Kingsley. "The book was appealing to her at first, but is now a nuisance. She doesn't look upon it kindly. So there is no way she wants more written about her, or about us."

"Look," said Tobias, "are you going to do me this favor, or do I have to swim over to Bois Blanc and tell him myself?"

"You can't swim."

"Exactly. So you'd rather I drown than do this for me?"

There was a full minute of silence. Tobias knew he had his friend cornered, and waited patiently.

Finally, Kingsley answered.

"Okay," he said. "Against my better judgment, okay."

*****

And he did come to see me -- Charlie Haeffner, sometime photojournalist, sometime writer, and sometime vacationer on Bois Blanc Island. Kingsley and I had long ago established a routine whereby, if I were out for my evening constitutional on the southwestern shore of Bois Blanc, and he wanted to reach me, we would meet in a remote spot -- beyond the end of the island sidewalk, down the shoreline from a pavilion situated to allow its infrequent visitors to watch the beautiful sunsets that grace the Straits.

It isn't his habit to turn up very often, but it is my habit to take that walk, and to venture out to that point and wade in the cooling waters and watch the sun go down. On occasion there might be another person or two present to spoil any meeting, but the sunsets are predominantly mine.

And so it was on such a walk, in mid-July -- that month being my normal one to visit Bois Blanc -- that I saw Kingsley surface 20 yards or so from shore. He was not easy to spot at that time of the evening, for his shell, dark with diamond-shaped silver spots, could just as easily be mistaken for one of the waves.

I was already offshore, barefoot, stepping from foot-sized rock to foot-sized rock when I spotted him. I decided not to save my pants from the water, and stepped from one of those rocks into it, and waded out farther until I was wet up to my knees. Kingsley paddled toward me at the same time, and we met, and nodded.

"Tobias wants a sequel," he said.

We looked at each other.

"Climb aboard," he said.

*****

That's as far as I got with the sequel -- a good start, and it didn't take me long to compose it because, as I said, all of this really happened. It doesn't take long to write about something autobiographical. It's the make-believe that takes time -- the building of characters and plot and texture from a starting point that contains none of them.

No, this -- being the truth -- was easier. And I suspect if I add more to it, I will find the going fairly effortless.

But we'll see ... we'll see.

*****

And earlier:

Some facts about SchuyLines

By Charlie Haeffner

Odessa, Jan. 8 -- The New Year has arrived, and with it resolutions (well, not from me), a mix of extremely cold and unseasonably warm weather, the return of a full high school sports schedule, and the advent of SchuyLines.

That last is, as most of you have likely discovered, a features website celebrating all things Schuyler. It was created by a meeting of the minds of three people -- me, my son Dave, and his business partner Trevor Moore. Those two guys are down in the Washington, D.C. area, so we communicate by email and phone.

They actually came up with the design -- nice and clean and green. I requested the green. That was about the extent of my contributions. They also figured out an advertising rate sheet, to which I added a few suggestions. But I let them do most of the thinking on that matter, too.

My job, basically, is to fill the site with various features.

I've received loads of photos from the Schuyler County Historical Society Museum, and columns and articles from various sources. I'm providing an autobiography of my Schuyler years, and seeking interview subjects such as Tom Phillips, whose story was told in our debut "issue" of SchuyLines.

We've been asked how often we'll be changing the lineup of stories, and I have no set answer; not yet. It will be regularly, but I suspect the frequency will depend on the amount of material we have in hand. I can say I've spent the past couple of days gathering and editing and writing, so I suspect we'll be updating soon.

(Part of the thinking in establishing a timeline for publication has to do with the habits of Odessa File readers -- the fact that while some folks visit The File every day, or even several times a day, others visit but once a week, every other week, or once a month. We want to cater to all of them on SchuyLines, and in the process learn what their visiting habits are on that site, too.)

Anyway, among the features about ready are: Part 2 of Schuyler County and Me (my autobiography); a look ahead at 2012 by the mayors of Odessa and Montour Falls; another piece of creative writing by Melissa Shutter; a Cooperative Extension article on controlling spending; a column on quilting by Sue Knapp of the O'Susannah's quilt shop in Watkins Glen; a column on cheese and the Cheese Trail by cheesemaker Carmella Hoffman; an engaging piece by John Pulos about a local survivor of the Titanic and about an upcoming celebration of the 100th anniversary of the sinking; and a slide show with several photos of Burdett in years gone by.

I hope to add, before long, another personality profile of one of our Schuyler County leaders.

If there is anyone out there who has an area of expertise that has something to do with life here in Schuyler (and that's a pretty broad canvas), you might consider writing about it for SchuyLines. It could be a one-shot feature, or a monthly effort (the planned frequency of the Knapp and Hoffman columns).

Finally, in answer to an oft-asked question: Does the arrival of SchuyLines mean the end of The Odessa File? Absolutely not. At least not now or in the foreseeable future. I'm thinking that I might retire in 10 years or so, and at that point I could sell The File. But that's way, way down the road ... and assumes we'll get past that Mayan thing about the end of the world on Dec. 21st. I'm betting we do.

*****

And earlier:

A visit from grandfather ...

By Charlie Haeffner

Odessa, Dec. 25 -- There once was a boy who loved two things most in life: books and baseball cards.

In particular, he enjoyed novels that transported him to worlds of adventure and intrigue -- worlds in which the hero lived by a code of honor and always won -- and he loved cards of his hometown team, the Detroit Tigers.

He longed to play major league baseball when he grew up, or in the alternative to be a hero of another stripe: a detective or a military general or a firefighter. He longed to be something special.

Christmas was always a magical time for him, and not just because of the presents in general that he would receive. He always looked forward to receiving cards and to the book or books he might be given, which he would read avidly before the holiday season was over.

Every year he would receive either books or cards or both under the Christmas tree. In his youngest years, he was thrilled by it. But as he grew older -- while his love of books and cards did not wane -- the gifts became less of a thrill and more of an expectation. He was spoiled.

And then, one Christmas -- perhaps perceived by Santa Claus as too jaded and unappreciative -- there were no books, and there were no cards. And the boy -- now in his teen years and turning, slowly, into a man -- was stunned. What had happened? Where were his true presents? What was he doing with packages of socks and underwear and ties?

It made him think, this sudden cessation of what had been for him a tradition. He thought back to what he might have done to deserve it, and was coming up empty. He thought about it on-and-off for three days, but could think of no suitable answer. And on the night of the third day, he had a fitful sleep, and was visited in dream by the ghost of his late grandfather.

"So, young Augustus ... you have come to a crossroads, have you?"

"Crossroads?" said Augustus. "I'm not sure what you mean, grandfather."

"I mean, you have come to the point in your life where you are being forced to think beyond your immediate needs -- to the cause and effect of life ... hopefully to a realization that life does not revolve around you. And that Christmas is not merely a time for gifts, but a celebration of a gentle carpenter's birth?"

"I know that, grandfather. But life does revolve around me. I have only my own perspective, and thus -- from my point of view -- am the center of all things. By entension, things therefore are indeed around me."

"You are spoiled, young man. Has it ever occurred to you that you are a spectator, and thus on the periphery of all things, looking on? That you perhaps have been put here -- not to enjoy the fruits of others' labor, but to glorify that which they do? To tell their story? You profess to love stories, to love books, so why has it not occurred to you that those very books, those very stories, are your training?"

"Training?"

"You have been chosen as a storyteller, my son. That is your role. Life does not revolve around you, but passes in front of you, in order for you to see it as clearly as possible and to tell about it. Others will value your effort; appreciate it."

"Really, grandfather? Does that mean, then, that I shall be paid well for the effort?"

His grandfather laughed. "Probably not," he said. "But payment is not always measured in dollars. To be valued, to be well thought of, is oftentimes the only payment available."

The boy nodded. He was, in this dream state, understanding things much more clearly than he had been while awake.

"A storyteller," he said.

"A storyteller," answered his grandfather, who then slowly faded away.

And the boy opened his eyes, and rejoined the waking world, and thought about what he had just experienced, and nodded.

"A storyteller," he said.

And so he grew up, and decided on a career in journalism and, on a day nine years ago (from this December 29th), he started an online newspaper. It was not particularly adventuresome -- was not a major league baseball career -- and, he realized, it did not qualify him as special or heroic ... which he thought in boyhood he might be.

But he had found a niche, a reason ... a goal. It was an ever-changing job, always dictated by the ever-moving parade of life passing before him. And he took notes, and snapped photographs, and wrote about all that he saw and heard.

And he was not disappointed with life.

*****

And that, dear readers, is my simple tale for you on this day of celebration in 2011. Merry Christmas, and I hope you'll have a gratifying New Year.

*****

And earlier:

An early Christmas present

By Charlie Haeffner

Odessa, Dec. 20 -- Christmas is almost upon us. It is, for many of us, a touchstone -- a reminder of the importance of family and faith ... and friends.

Angelo Pangallo received such a reminder on Monday evening, Dec. 19. Pangallo, convalescing from a second hip surgery stemming from an April accident, was wheeled into a conference room down the hall from his room at Schuyler Hospital, and there encountered a pleasant surprise, and an unexpected gift.

Waiting for him there were family and friends -- including some fellow members of American Legion Post 555 of Watkins Glen. One of those members, Tony Specchio, the post adjutant, handed Angelo a small bag, within which resided two small boxes.

In each box was a medal -- one a Good Conduct Medal and the other a National Defense Service Medal. They were earned by Pangallo -- but never presented to him -- during his U.S. Army stint in Korea between 1954 and 1956. Following his discharge, he served in the Reserves, and joined the American Legion in 1965.

Pangallo, 83 -- an International Salt Company retiree who lives in Montour Falls -- had tried over the years to have the medals sent to him, but never succeeded. Then he mentioned it a couple of years ago to old friend Specchio, who took it upon himself to try and secure them.

The whole matter -- the difficulty in getting the medals -- was possibly influenced by a fire decades ago that destroyed records at the National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis. But that's speculation, says Specchio.

"I don't know why he didn't get them," he added. "They should have been on his uniform when he was discharged. It's a mystery."

But eventually, somehow, two years after sending out a preliminary request, Specchio received the medals from that same, restored center, and in turn notifed members of Pangallo's family that he planned to deliver the medals to Angelo in the early evening on Monday.

****

When Pangallo was wheeled into the conference room, he was met by the smiling faces of family and assorted friends. There were three Glorias present -- a niece, a granddaughter and Pangallo's wife, who watched quietly from the side.

There was silence at first as the honoree took in his surroundings. "Now, what am I here for?" he asked softly.

Specchio stepped forward with the small bag holding the medals.

"I'm here to give you an early Christmas present," he told Pangallo. "See what it is."

Pangallo extracted the boxes, studied them, and them opened them to reveal the medals.

"This one is the National Service Medal for Korea," said Specchio while pointing to one, his voice noticeably breaking. "And this is your Good Conduct Medal."

Pangallo was silent, looking at the prizes.

"Well, I'll be ..." he said. "Thank you."

There was more silence -- emotion seemingly choking the room -- and then applause.

Angelo Pangallo nodded, and smiled.

"I sure appreciate it," he said, and nodded toward Specchio. "I thought he had something up his sleeve."

*****

Specchio then produced a photo that he held up for the audience to see. It showed six men -- a commander and a former commander of the American Legion Post 555 flanking four new Post members. The new members were Jack Standish, Jack VanDeusen, Angelo Pangallo and Tony Specchio.

"It was taken when we joined the Legion in 1965," Specchio said. He and Pangallo were side by side in the photo, as they were on this evening, in this conference room, 46 years later.

"You remember this?" Specchio asked Pangallo, leaning in close and showing him the photograph.

"Of course I do," Pangallo said, his eyes misting. "Of course I do."

Photos in text:

Top: Angelo Pangallo with his two medals, the Good Conduct Medal on the left, and the National Defense Service Medal on the right.

Bottom: Tony Specchio displays the 1965 photo from the American Legion Post 555 induction. From left are Charles Calhoun, Jack Standish, Jack VanDeusen, Angelo Pangallo, Tony Specchio and Jonas VanDuzer.

*****

And earlier:

Calling writers & advertisers

By Charlie Haeffner

Odessa, Dec. 11 -- SchuyLines, the sister publication to The Odessa File, is nearing a launch date, and we need your assistance -- well, at least assistance from some of you.

This is, at its heart, going to be a participatory exercise in Schuyler County coverage -- a celebration, really, of life here. We want input -- lots of it -- from advertisers and non-advertisers alike. We're looking for writers -- and in fact have found a few -- and photographers (a couple have expressed interest).

For those joining the game late, SchuyLines will be a website featuring all things Schuyler, sort of the opposite of The Odessa File in that instead of telescoping in on the day's events, it will back away and take a look at the width and breadth of the county -- its history, its business, its people, its religion, its geography, its ... well, its anything.

We'll start with a few features -- interactive trail maps, historical photos, a selection of writings from various volunteers, and hopefully a video or two -- along with some writing by me. And in the following weeks, we will be adding regularly -- more writings, more photos, more of anything we can think of. We'll look at businesses, at religion, at geography, at government and in particular at the interesting people who populate -- and have populated -- this beautiful area.

So ... if any of you out there have something Schuyler-related to write about -- one 90-year-old gentleman has volunteered to write about his boyhood in Burdett -- then get in touch with me by email. An email link appears at the bottom of each of these pages.

And about those advertisers. We're looking for a few, and providing them with a built-in, rather attractive offer: a $250 reduction in the ad price each month (cutting it effectively in half) if the advertiser signs on for a year and provides monthly (or nearly so) a bit of writing about his or her business. The possibilities of business-related subjects to cover are -- trust me on this -- fairly endless. So, in effect, we're offering the reduction in price if the advertiser will provide what amounts to a written installment -- which in essence serves as a second advertisement.

Call me crazy, but I like that arrangement.

So -- if there are any businesses willing to help out on this, to help celebrate Schuyler County, to help me as I try to make this new venture a success -- get in touch with me.

I'll be looking forward to hearing from you.

*****

And speaking of SchuyLines, one idea that occurred recently was this: to feature the hobbies of county residents. It was inspired by a gentleman who says he collects outhouses. An awfully lot can be told about a person by the hobby or hobbies he or she pursues, he said. And I concur.

So, if any one of you has a hobby you want featured, contact me and I'll try to work a story about it into the schedule. Or you can write about it yourself, and send along your own account -- preferably with photos.

And related only by the fact of the website-to-be is this -- another idea and another request. If any one of you out there has photos from the briny deep of Seneca Lake -- from its floor via scuba diving or other means -- and wishes to share them with the public, let me know and I'll get them on SchuyLines.

Thank you.

*****

On another matter entirely:

The vote is almost here on the proposed single-campus plan in the Watkins Glen School District -- a vote which would sanction the ultimate closing and sale of the Middle School.

Voting is from noon to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 13 in the lobby outside the school district office at the high school.

******

And earlier:

Farewell to the Pharmacy

By Charlie Haeffner

Odessa, Dec. 1 -- I first heard about it in an e-mail from an elderly female Montour Falls resident.

"This morning I heard (and verified) that Montour Pharmacy is closing Dec. 6," the e-mail read. "It has been bought out by CVS, and people's prescriptions are being transferred to them. I really feel this is upsetting in that there was no notice given to any of their customers."

She said she also felt sympathy for Nick Anagnost, who sold the business in 2003 to Larry Jepsen, head of the Henderson chain of pharmacies. Nick, she said, had "built a really good store and reputation." He had, by his own account, turned down offers from CVS that were more lucrative than the Henderson offer. The difference was that Henderson would keep the store open -- which it has, until now.

Businesses come and go, often without a ripple. But this departure will likely leave waves of discontent. Thanks to Nick's warmth and the warmth of the employees in the store -- their willingness to help people across so many years -- the store has been more than a stop-off for prescriptions.

It's been a gathering place for village residents -- a third stop after they had picked up their mail and had completed their banking across the street. It was a social high point of the day for many people across many years.

It was like a warm blanket on a cold night.

But now, with the speed at which this is unfurling, and with the short notice given to employees (just a week before the store closes), it seems anything but warm.

Gone will be the gathering place. Gone will be the convenience whereby local elderly could walk to the store for prescriptions and to fill other needs. In its place, at least for now, will be a vacant storefront. (Conversely, a cupcake shop, Over the Top Cupcakes, recently opened next door. I imagine it was looking forward to capitalizing on some of the Montour Pharmacy traffic.)

I'm not here to judge Mr. Jepsen or CVS, though. Business is business, I'm sure they would say if they were being public about this. And that's true -- especially in an age of conglomerates.

But Nick Anagnost saw business as more than that. He saw business as community and family -- and that seemed to be his legacy. The store remained open and viable for years after he had sold it.

But no more. And it is the sudden pending loss of what amounted to a touchstone that has left people disturbed at the development. Before news of the sale went public, I encountered several area residents in my day's travels. When I related what was happening with the store, a couple of them -- both Montour Pharmacy regulars -- said: "Oh, no! I love that place." Two others said: "It's sad. It's sad."

I imagine others would echo those sentiments.

******

Watkins Glen High School girls varsity bowling coach Ward Brower is justifiably proud of his squad, which won the Section IV, Class C-D title last year and looks strong again this year. But when he praised the team this week -- after its first match (a victory) -- it wasn't just for its bowling prowess.

"I think it is worth noting," he wrote, "that our women's team is not only the defending Class C-D champion, but all 10 made the High Honor Roll for the first marking period of the year."

That, he added, "is not really a quote, but a fact."

Congratulations, girls. Keep up the good work.

*****

Another e-mail -- this one from the Watkins Glen School District office -- brought a reminder of the next School Board meeting, set for Monday, Dec. 5 in the High School library. It is notable for what follows, at 7:30 p.m.: the second of two public information sessions on the proposed consolidation of district buildings onto one campus -- the 12th Street site where the High School and Elementary School now stand. The plan envisions the closing of the Middle School and expansion of the 12th Street facilities.

A vote to determine if residents will allow the district to borrow money for the project is set for Tuesday, Dec. 13 from noon to 8 p.m. Voting will take place in the lobby outside the district office at the High School.

*****

To those area residents who have expressed an interest in writing columns for the upcoming Odessa File sister website, SchuyLines -- please start writing. If you can each e-mail me your first column by mid-month or shortly thereafter, I would appreciate it. If you need some guidance or suggestions, feel free to call me at 594-3594. I will, in the meantime, try to touch base with you. And for anyone else interested in column writing, please call or e-mail me. An e-mail link is at the bottom of each Odessa File page.

*****

And earlier:

Welcome to a new writer ...

By Charlie Haeffner

Odessa, Nov. 18 -- I never thought of myself as a mentor.

That role bespeaks age and wisdom, and my brain keeps telling me I'm young and not terribly bright.

But there I was one recent morning, seated at a table in the ballroom of the Harbor Hotel, with a Watkins Glen High School senior on my left. Her name: Jessica Brogdon (pictured on the right).

We were part of a Chamber of Commerce mentoring program that pairs students with business people from around the area. The idea is to allow each student a glimpse into the world of the business person with whom he or she has been seated. The program title: "Planting the Seed to Harvest the Future."

The event featured song and patter from singer-songwriter Jared Campbell of Vestal and words of wisdom from Jeffrey Dill on how he started his business, JR Dill Winery outside of Burdett.

There was a word exercise overseen by Chamber President Rebekah LaMoreaux designed to familiarize student and mentor with one another, with each person then telling the other participants in the room what had been learned. In other words, I took microphone in hand to describe Jessica Brogdon.

There was lunch, too, during which further familiarization was possible. Among the participants were 33 business people and 33 students. The students included 15 from Watkins Glen, 14 from Odessa-Montour, and four from Bradford.

I bring it up for two reasons. One is this: It was a unique experience, kind of a cross between camp and concert. The other was this: I got a writer out of it.

Jessica Brogdon, it turns out, can write, and quite well. I didn't know this going in -- and I'm not quite sure why I hadn't heard of her prowess before -- but she told me there at the mentoring session of an interest she has harbored toward journalism, and how she had taken a journalism course offered by WGHS. While that interest is shifting now toward one in epidemiology, she nonetheless agreed to do some work for me, starting with coverage of the Interact Club's annual (and free) Thanksgiving Dinner at her school the following Sunday.

I awaited that article with some trepidation, not knowing if she could actually construct a sentence that made sense, but was pleasantly surprised by how clean and efficient and energized her writing turned out to be.

I mentioned it the next day to two teachers -- Marie Fitzsimmons and Travis Durfee -- who have instructed Jessica in the classroom. "She's good," both told me. "My favorite writer among all the students," added Fitzsimmons.

And so, hopefully, we'll be seeing more of Jessica Brogdon's words in the months ahead. There are quite a few months before she graduates, and a summer break after that before she goes to college (at this point Tulane or Rochester).

Now, about that word exercise and what I've learned:

Jessica rides horses -- and not just rides, but has competed in shows. She is president of the Interact Club. She plays volleyball, and in fact was an IAC (and Odessa File) All-Star. She plays varsity tennis, too. She is a High Honor student. She is single-mindedly determined in anything she attempts. She is a native of Schuyler County. She has a bunch of friends, and is known to them simply as Jess. She is upbeat, and community-minded (hence her Interact role, the club being service-oriented). And she has a winning smile.

There. The rest, I suspect, we can derive from her writings in the coming months. I hope so.

*****

And speaking of the Chamber of Commerce: It received a 15-year designation the other night from the Schuyler County Legislature as the Legislature's official Tourism Promotion Agency. This means the Chamber can, under extended contract, derive funds from the county Room Tax to help it operate its programs and, accordingly, promote tourism in Schuyler -- something it's been doing for years, but never with assurance of such an extended pact.

The Chamber, by the way, is playing a key role in helping to promote the upcoming SchuyLines website -- an Odessa File sister publication which will focus on all things Schuyler, in a featurized way. Among those things is tourism, of course -- which makes the website a natural fit with the Chamber's goals. Launch date for the website: Jan. 1.

*****

I heard by email from Maggie Coffey, matriarch of a remarkable clan whose offspring includes Olivia (Livy), who is training for the Olympics in rowing. (Olivia is a member of our Decade of Stars team. For details, click here). Maggie -- who with husband Cal lives down South now but spends summers outside of Watkins Glen -- said that coincidentally "both Livy and Courtney Warren (another member of the Decade of Stars) are living in Princeton, NJ, Courtney pursuing a Masters/PhD and Livy an Olympic berth. As I understand, the girls get together often and are so very glad to have each other's company."

Both Olivia and Courtney played basketball at Watkins Glen High School -- Olivia in her freshman year before going on to prep school and Harvard, where she was All-America in rowing. Courtney attended WGHS for four years, excelling in swimming and basketball before continuing with a stellar swimming career at Bucknell University.

Good luck to both young women.

Photo in text: Jessica Brogdon

******

And earlier:

A little of this and that ...

By Charlie Haeffner

Odessa, Nov. 10 -- Well, the votes are in, and the decisions made. We have winners in the judge, legislature and treasurer races on the county level, and in various supervisor and council races on the town level.

It was a long campaign -- especially the judge and treasurer races -- that had a lot of people talking. There were intriguing choices, and dramatic substories, and compelling personalities. None of it went unnoticed on this website -- through ads, especially, and through the occasional appearance (and photo opportunity) of candidates at local events such as harvest suppers -- although the practice here was to withhold endorsements.

"That's really not your job," one friend told me, and I concurred. It is not my role, I believe, to try and influence anybody one way or another. It's to try to inform in as balanced a way as possible.

So ... congratulations to the winners, my sympathies to those whose vote counts fell short, and now it's time to move on.

*****

I received a message from Sylvia Waite noting that her son, Col. A. Phillip Waite, Jr., will be featured on WSKG-TV (Channel 8 for most local viewers) at 1:30 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 13 conducting the United States Air Force Band of America, honoring our veterans and military personnel. The concert, she said, "is being shown nationwide on Veterans Day by whichever Public Broadcasting channels choose to air it. However, the scheduling for WSKG for that day was full, and thus they will air it on Sunday." The concert, she said, was "taped for TV last May, and received wonderful reviews."

Colonel Waite is a graduate of Watkins Glen High School, and was honored earlier this year by the WGHS Alumni Association as a Distinguished Alum.

*****

The fall high school sports season is essentially over, although the WGHS boys varsity cross-country team is competing this weekend at States after capturing the Section IV, Class C title. Congratulations to that squad, and good luck. And congratulations to the school on what was a pretty successful sports season -- with winning records in football, volleyball, cross country and boys soccer. And the girls swim team was third among Section IV, Class C teams.

*****

I've just unveiled this website's seasonal MVP award and All-Schuyler honorees. The MVP goes to one person in the county who best exemplifies a winning tradition and sportsmanship -- in this case Watkins Glen cross-country standout Matt Gill. The All-Schuyler team is largely based on the points accumulated on this website that count toward the eventual selection of an Athlete of the Year in June. And it's based, I hope, on common sense.

In any event, there were so many eye-catching performances this fall that I added a new layer -- a Second Team to go with the usual All-Schuyler First Team. There are, as in the past, a group of Honorable Mention honorees, as well.

*****

A note from the Athletic Director at Dryden High School, Ralph Boettger, reminded me of a sad truth. "The Dryden Athletic Department," he wrote, "in conjunction with the IAC, is pleased to announce that the 2012 IAC Cheerleading Championships will be held on Feb. 4th at Dryden High School. Details coming soon."

When I first heard about this last month, I shook my head in dismay, for Watkins Glen had hosted the competition for several years in its cavernous Field House gym, a more spacious expanse than the Dryden facility. But somehow the event got away from Watkins, along with the money it brought to local coffers -- not the least of which were the cash registers of local restaurants that served a good number of cheerleader parents and families.

"What happened?" I asked the Watkins Glen Superintendent of Schools, Tom Phillips. His response:

"The IAC named a new Cheerleading Coordinator and she suggested moving the event to Dryden, and the IAC voted to accept the Coordinator's recommendation."

And so it goes.

******

And earlier:

My choice for county judge

By Charlie Haeffner

Odessa, Oct. 26 -- We are in the homestretch of the local election season. Door-to-door campaigns, advertisements, Meet the Candidates gatherings, endorsements, and the usual worried hand-wringing by candidates are all hallmarks of the exercise. It is democracy in all its messy, lovable action.

There are interesting races in the towns -- particularly Hector, where Bob Fitzsimmons is trying to unseat longtime incumbent Ben Dickens as supervisor -- and in the county, where there are treasurer, legislator and judge races.

You've likely been following one or all of those county races. The treasurer's contest has been enlivened by the decision of the Legislature to call the treasurer's office incompetent, and the Legislature race for two seats is influenced by a Local Law that gives one of the three candidates -- incumbent Chairman Dennis Fagan -- a free pass to reelection, even if he finishes third. (The other two opponents are from the Town of Reading, and he's from the Town of Tyrone, and both towns, since they have candidates, have to be represented on the Legislature.)

But most of the attention has been focused on the judge's race, which has predominated in terms of campaign signs for both candidates along the roadsides, and in media advertising. The two candidates -- Joe Fazzary and Dennis Morris -- are visible everywhere, it seems, and the whole thing is all the more interesting for the fact that Morris seemingly came out of nowhere to challenge Fazzary.

The thinking originally had been that Attorney John Hayes would challenge Fazzary, the Schuyler County District Attorney for the past 14 years. It was a foregone conclusion that Fazzary would seek the county judge's seat, which is being vacated by the retiring J.C. Argetsinger, himself the D.A. before becoming judge.

But when Hayes encountered health issues that dissuaded him from a run for office -- a long and arduous process -- Morris, a longtime Assistant County Attorney who has since taken over the County Attorney's office, decided to run. He started his advertising -- at least online -- a good deal earlier than Fazzary, which might have given him the toehold he needed.

The campaigns led to a fairly close Republican Primary won by Fazzary, but Morris came away with the Conservative nod, and has since been endorsed by the county Democratic Party.

I covered a recent Meet the Candidates forum, and tried to maintain a strict middle-of-the-road approach (see column below). I've heard from various people that I was "spot on" in my reporting, but one longtime political observer thought I missed the anger occasionally bubbling to the surface. Well, she's probably right. There was a bit of that going on.

*****

Some people have asked me who I favor for judge, and I always duck the question. What I think or who I favor really doesn't matter, and besides, I've learned from experience that even expressing a preference in a race -- let alone endorsing anyone -- can only lead to trouble.

There was one time in my long journalism career (which dates back 40-some years) that I dared write something in that vein. It involved a School Board race. I didn't endorse anyone; just said who I was voting for and why.

The end result: I was pretty well vilified, with suggestions from relatives of the person I didn't support suggesting I do something anatomically difficult.

I don't know if I had any effect on that election. I doubt it. But the lesson stuck.

So you'll pardon me, I hope, if I don't respond to queries about who I might be supporting in the county judge's race, other than to stick to the middle. As bland as it might appear -- and as disappointed as some readers might be that I'm not willing to stir up trouble -- holding the middle ground, for all practical purposes, comes out sounding like this:

I am in favor of whoever wins. I'm sure either man will do a fine job.

****

Here's a dispiriting fact -- perhaps indicative of today's economy, or perhaps a sign that this website has become so much a part of the fabric of Schuyler County society that it is taken for granted.

I received a reader donation this week by way of Paypal -- through one of several links carried high on the left side of various of The Odessa File pages -- and realized it was one of very few I'd seen in the past few months. So I totaled up the 2011 donations, and noted that they're down about 50% from normal -- "normal" never having been particularly high. Then I counted the number of donors, divided by the number of absolute unique users on this website this year, and came up with this:

About one fifth of 1% of the readers contribute anything to the upkeep of The Odessa File. That's a little discouraging. But thanks to those who do.

******

And earlier:

Hector Town Council candidates (from left) Bo Lipari, Marie Stevens and Clifford Yaw.

And in this corner ....

By Charlie Haeffner

Odessa, Oct. 20 -- It's a shame so few people ventured to the Watkins Glen Elementary School Wednesday night for the League of Women Voters Meet the Candidates night.

There were only three score-plus present, a rather low turnout when considering the thousands of registered voters in Schuyler County, and the import of the County Judge race.

Anyone attending would have seen -- well, rather heard -- some interesting things. It was a bit like a prize fight. For instance:

--The GOP county judge candidate, Joe Fazzary (pictured at right), took an aggressive tone, asserting forcefully that "for 19 years (as Assistant District Attorney and then DA) I've been trying to protect the people of this county," and that he has handled "serious felony cases," making him "the only candidate with that kind of experience."

"I've been a voice for the victims in the county for the last 14 years," he said, referring to his tenure as District Attorney. "I have a passion to protect this county, a passion to protect its people, and a passion to protect its children. The difference between us (Fazzary and his opponent, Dennis Morris) is that for 14 years I've been making decisions" -- including one in which "I had to decide if a person had to be dug out of his grave. That's the kind of decisions I've had to make."

Those decisions -- often developed quickly, on his feet in the courtroom -- are something "I've been doing for years," he said. "That can't be said of my opponent. He's been an assistant" while the only boss Fazzary has answered to has been "the people of the county."

--That seemed like the equivalent of a knockdown, but Morris (pictured at right) popped back up by pointing out that the County Judge job is three-pronged -- County Court, Family Court and Surrogate's Court -- and that he's had more experience in the latter two than Fazzary has. There was a disagreement between the two candidates over the use by Morris of the word "trial" to describe fact-finding sessions in Family Court, with Morris asserting he had gone through 200 such proceedings, and Fazzary scoffing that they weren't really trials. Morris produced what he said was an accepted legal definition that showed that they evidently are. Points to Morris.

--Fazzary continued to hammer away at Morris's lack of criminal trial experience, citing his own handling of "every jury trial" in Schuyler County in the past 14 years, including "some of the most difficult in Schuyler County history," and his success in them. They included murder cases and sexual abuse cases, including one recently in which the accused was found guilty and sentenced to 25 years to life in prison -- "one of the first cases in the state where a sexual abuser received a life sentence." Points there for Fazzary.

--But Morris retaliated by pointing out again that since Family Court and Surrogate's Court -- where "I've had 20 years of experience" and "processed hundreds" of cases involving the probate of wills and administration of estates -- are a large part of the County Judge's domain, "I believe I am the most qualified due to my breadth of experience in all three courts." He also pointed out that he had received the endorsement of the Schuyler County Democratic Party -- a possibly telling development -- and closed by urging everyone to go to the polls on Nov 8. "It's up to you to decide," he said.

****

While Fazzary and Morris were the main fight card, there were undercards of interest -- even of entertainment. Some town candidates -- for clerk, highway superintendent, justice, council and supervisor -- were given the opportunity to speak, and to debate if two from a particular race were present.

There was no representation from the Towns of Montour or Orange, but spectators saw debates between various candidates from Tyrone and Hector -- the latter interesting for the contentiousness between incumbent supervisor Ben Dickens (pictured at right) and challenger Bob Fitzsimmons (left) over the matter of hydrofracking.

Fitzsimmons wants it banned in Hector, but Dickens thinks the town should wait and see what happens in existing court cases before stumbling into a situation where the town is taken to court by the gas companies in a costly proceeding. Those opposing views were echoed in a debate among three candidates for the Hector town council -- incumbents Marie Stevens and Clifford Yaw, both of whom took the wait-and-see approach embraced by Dickens, and challenger Robert "Bo" Lipari, a forceful and engaging speaker who argued against waiting, calling it "a serious mistake" and "a capitulation to the gas companies."

*****

The final bout of the night was between Schuyler County Legislature Chairman Dennis Fagan (pictured at right) and challenger Mark Rondinaro (below right), who are seeking four-year seats on the county Legislature. Absent from the stage was incumbent Legislator Stewart Field, who moderator Jim Wilson said was "out of town on business." Rondinaro and Fagan discussed their qualifications for the job, the property tax cap imposed by the state (which Fagan, as he has in the past, ripped as "a political sham"), term limits (Fagan is opposed, while Rondinaro supports them), hydrofracking (both are opposed) and the proposed Inergy LPG storage plan on the west side of Seneca Lake (which Fagan said he supports while Rondinaro wants more information).

But in the end, Rondinaro put the spotlight on the seemingly specious nature of his debate with Fagan, noting that Fagan-- because of a longstanding local law -- will automatically regain his seat on the Legislature because he is the sole representative on the ticket from the Town of Tyrone. Rondinaro and the absent Field -- who submitted a letter to the League of Women Voters outlining his qualifications and his position on various issues, calling himself "a fiscal conservative" and"proud to be part of a team" that has helped "stabilize the tax base and increase tourism" -- are both from the Town of Reading, and the Local Law prohibits two people from one town being elected to two available seats when a third candidate represents a different town within the voting district.

So, said Rondinaro, while he and Fagan were there answering questions, "my opponent is not here tonight." He tried to draw a distinction between himself and Field, noting that "I'm the one who's active, out there, making noise" and taking the issues to the people.

*****

There were other absentees. For instance, Alan Gregory, running for re-election as justice in the Town of Dix, was tied up in court, moderator Wilson said, which left the stage, briefly, to his opponent, Ron Alexander. And there were other debates, not the least of which -- from a public relations standpoint -- was between the County Treasurer candidates, incumbent Peggy Starbuck and challenger Gary Whyman, who defeated her in the GOP Primary. Their discussion was very tame, however, compared to, say, the fire of the Hector exchanges and the salvos of the main Fazzary-Morris card.

In sum, it was an entertaining, informative evening. It's too bad there weren't more voters there.

Photos in text:

From top: County Judge candidates Joe Fazzary and Dennis Morris; moderator Jim Wilson; Hector Supervisor candidates Bob Fitzsimmons (left) and Ben Dickens (right); Legislature candidates Dennis Fagan and Mark Rondinaro.

*****

And earlier:

Looking back and ahead ...

By Charlie Haeffner

Odessa, Oct. 10 -- Happy Columbus Day.

Well, it isn't really Columbus Day; not the original, traditional one. That was October 12th. It was also my parents' anniversary, so we knew Columbus Day well in my family.

No, this day, October 10th, is my birthday, and as I grew up, the two never coincided. My day was the 10th, my parents' the 12th. But, of course, the government has seen fit to provide long weekends here and there, and decided old Christopher was worthy.

So ... yes, it's my birthday -- which the calendar will tell you is my 63rd, but which I have decided to counter. I going backward from here on out, like Benjamin Button. So I'm 61, from that viewpoint.

But 63 or 61, it is a milestone that has had me thinking, and not about the future. I've been looking back, and taking stock of all of the people I've lost: my mother recently, my wife nearly seven years ago, my father 10 years to the day before that, an uncle, an aunt, a father-in-law, a friend.

They have fallen quietly, victims of various things that end us: cancer, old age, infection, embolism.

Life is a wondrous thing, but death is part of it, and we have to be prepared for it. And yet we never quite are.

*****

Once I get past this birthday, though, I imagine my spirits will be reinstated. I am, after all, making a living doing things I enjoy: writing, reporting, photography, and all while being self-employed.

I get to meet a lot of interesting people, and participate (in a sense) in what goes on here in Schuyler County. And that, I have to think, keeps me moderately young -- or at least slows the aging process.

And I have projects to look forward to: completion of my new office, constructed from what was a ramshackle, dirt-floored garage; installation of a new furnace; renovation of a bathroom; reconstruction of my kitchen. And I'll probably oversee construction of a new porch or two.

I guess that means I've decided to stay here in Schuyler for awhile. The Island I visit every summer always seems to beckon, but I'm aware that very little happens there, and that I would, consequently, be rather bored. I have to be plugged in, or I go a little batty (a fitting term, considering that bats periodically put in appearances on the Island).

And, of course, I am looking forward to the debut of SchuyLines, our sister website. That's coming soon, I'm assured.

Yes, I've been looking backward, feeling a bit depressed, but the very act of writing these words has turned my attention forward, where it will serve me best.

So, as is often the case, typing words on my computer screen has proved therapeutic.

No wonder I love writing.

*****

And earlier:

A little of this and that ...

By Charlie Haeffner

Odessa, Oct. 7 -- We are moving slowly closer to the start of our new website. My youngest son, Dave, who is in charge of site development, has had his hands full with other projects, but assures me that SchuyLines is within sight.

I've been gathering up old photos for use on the site, and have received assurances from various people that they will produce columns for it. I will be writing feature stories, and hope to feature the writing of some of our young, developing authors.

I would like to engage a local historian in the effort, and will myself be producing a history of sorts -- a look at Schuyler County from the perspective of my time here. It's a slice of an autobiography, I guess, but always with Schuyler in mind as backdrop and, sometimes, as major player.

******

Note to anonymous letter writers: If you hope to get anywhere with me, it would behoove you to include your name in your messages.

*****

It's been an interesting high school sports season, what with the Watkins Glen football team winning two games (well, it will be three if, as expected, Newfield concedes that suspended contest), while O-M has gone winless under the former Watkins coach, Bob Lee -- unless you count the forfeit victory the Indians are picking up this weekend against Newfield. "We don't want to win like that," said Lee. "We want to win on the field."

The Watkins boys soccer team has lost just once going into a key matchup this afternoon at Notre Dame -- which topped Watkins in the GLM tournament in a semifinal game marred by a fight.

Oddly, possibly the most likable local team has been the winless Odessa-Montour girls varsity soccer team, a mix of largely inexperienced players who were nowhere near victory in their first eight games, but then knocked on the door in the past three -- losing late, 2-1, to Campbell-Savona after leading most of the game; tying a good Candor team 0-0, and losing 1-0 to Tioga, which itself had been winless to that point. This group has character.

In a season of some parity in IAC swimming, Watkins Glen and O-M have both registered as many losses as wins, with WG prevailing twice over Odessa. Amid it all, there have been bright spots: Watkins' Haley Tuttle, Sam Gill, Victoria Wixson and Abby Cocca, and O-M's Quinn Griswold and Jordan Little.

And the Watkins Glen cross-country team has won all of its league contests going into the Divisional Meet this next Tuesday at the Watkins Glen State Park. The varsity boys race starts at 5:20, and the girls race at 5:50. There's plenty of room for anyone who wants to watch. The start and finish points are near the Recreation Building, up the road from the pavilion, which is near the park's south entrance.

*****

Being a former Michigander who lived north of Detroit and loved the Tigers growing up, I am not displeased with their success in the playoffs -- and yet having been a New York resident for decades and a Yankee fan since Catfish Hunter, I found myself cringing in Game 5 of the ALDS both times A-Rod batted in key situations, and especially when Jeter's fly ball landed short of the rightfield wall. What was that song? Torn Between Two Lovers ...

*****

And earlier:

Of alpacas and columns ...

By Charlie Haeffner

Odessa, Sept. 25 -- I had the pleasure Saturday of visiting an alpaca farm in Altay.

It's run by Brett Wicker, and it started as something of a lark -- something fun to do. But it's growing into a pretty good side business, to go with his job as a teacher's assistant at the Keuka Lake School in Penn Yan, which serves pre-schoolers with developmental disabilities.

Wicker started with three alpacas two years ago, and now has 29 of varying types and sizes, and produces income from them in various ways.

His is, in fact, the kind of story I hope to present on the upcoming website, SchuyLines -- and so I'll wait to tell his tale until that is up and running, hopefully soon.

*****

And speaking of which: I've approached a number of community and business leaders about the possibility of writing columns for the new website. The columns can be one-time efforts or continuing ones of either a semi-regular or regular nature.

Sue Knapp of Oh Susannah's quilt shop, for instance, offered one on quilting. And Carmella Hoffman, who produces cheese on the family farm in Catharine, says she'll write one on the cheese trade, cheesemaking, the Cheese Trail and so on. Hopefully Jim Guild will be telling us about the early days of Famous Brands and other tales of business.

I'm putting an invitation out there right now -- for anyone with an area of expertise relating to life in Schuyler County -- to write a column along those lines, either of a one-time, semi-regular or regular nature. Recommended maximum length would be about 500 words, although it could be shorter. If you're interested, contact me by email (a link is at the bottom of each Odessa File page) and we can discuss it further. Or you can try calling me on my home-phone land-line, 607-594-3594. I'm often not around to field those calls, but my son can take a message if he's home.

I would like the first such efforts to be written soon, so that I have plenty in hand with which to start the website. I will need a photo of each author, too, along with a little background information with which to introduce him or her to the reading public.

*****

Speaking of Schuyler, one issue that has been front and center for months is the LPG storage project that Inergy wants to establish in salt caverns on the west side of Seneca Lake. A public hearing by the Department of Environmental Conservation is set on the issue this Tuesday at 7 p.m. in the Watkins Glen High School auditorium. Inergy has scheduled a pre-hearing presentation there at 6.

For an article on the subject, and on Inergy's financial state itself, our area's Peter Mantius has written a thought-provoking piece for dcbureau.org. You can access it here.

*****

And I've got to congratulate the Watkins Glen varsity football team for its exceptional play this season, and in particular in The Bucket Game this Friday past. The team has won two straight after losing to Lansing, and is on the cusp of another win from its opener -- a game at Newfield suspended because of excessive heat at halftime with WGHS leading 28-14.

Considering that this is a team that appeared in jeopardy of even existing this season, the accomplishment thus far is stunning. And the emergence of Brady Myers as a premier running back has been an eye-opener.

Keep it going, boys. You're doing great.

*****

And earlier:

The Children's Crusade ...

By Charlie Haeffner

Odessa, Sept. 15 -- Kurt Vonnegut Jr. once wrote a classic novel called "Slaughterhouse-Five," about the horrors of war. He subtitled it "The Children's Crusade," which is applicable to all wars.

It is always the young who go and fight. It is always those who have not lived very long who are asked to put their lives on the line. And, too often, they lose those lives.

One such young man was Christopher J. Scott, 21, who died in action Sept. 3 in Afghanistan, where he was serving with the U.S. Army. His funeral service was held Wednesday in Dundee, days after a processional carried his body from the Elmira-Corning Regional Airport to the village where he had attended high school. The processional passed through Montour Falls and Watkins Glen -- capturing the attention of a lot of people lining the streets with flags, awaiting him, or simply walking along, wondering what on earth was happening that so many law enforcement and firefighting vehicles, not to mention hundreds of motorcycles, were passing by at a stately pace.

This young man's sacrifice has captured the attention and the hearts of many. It is a heartwarming thing, this reaction to Christopher Scott's passing. It is fitting, and yet not exactly commonplace.

I for one had never seen anything quite like the Saturday procession from the airport, and it was new, too, for spectators to whom I talked. It's not that we ignore our fallen soldiers; there are monuments in veterans' parks and, for that matter, in front of the county courthouse, erected in their honor. And we pay our respects on Memorial and Veterans Days (although the turnouts at some of those ceremonies are meager).

I'm just saying that the attention and the honor paid Christopher Scott should be the norm, not even a slight aberration. We should honor our war dead like that at every turn and every opportunity, for they represent us and the freedoms we hold dear. They are the young among us, for the most part, and they have sacrificed not just their lives, but potentially long lives, so that we might go on living ours in the manner to which we have become accustomed.

A line in "Slaughterhouse-Five" became emblematic of the disdain with which the author held the universe's seeming indifference to our role on Earth, and to the fate of soldiers who, put in harm's way, often die there.

"And so it goes," Vonnegut said, a laid-back version, really, of a scream if you take it in its context. Vonnegut himself was in harm's way, in an underground slaughterhouse when the Allies fire-bombed the cultural city of Dresden, Germany, during World War II. He was a prisoner of war, one of the children in that conflict's crusade.

His whole book is a muted scream, really -- a cry against our inhumanity to one another and to the propensity to use our young men and women, our promising leaders and citizens of the future, as chess pieces in a large, global contest called war.

It is that muted scream I hear now, thinking about Christopher Scott. I never knew him, but I've known many people of his generation. And they are like the generations that went before, and the ones yet to come. They are good people, people of promise with hopes and dreams that can be ended in an instant on a battlefield by a bullet or a bomb blast.

And when that happens, they should be duly honored, and they should be duly mourned.

And somehow, some way, sometime, perhaps we can reach a point in humankind when we stop killing one another over land grabs and religiously-fueled disputes and whatever else -- pride, avarice, you name the sin -- that sparks a war, that forces young men and women to take up arms and to sacrifice themselves for the cause that we in this nation, for centuries now, have deemed right and proper: freedom.

God bless you, children of war. God bless you, Christopher Scott.

*****

A note: The Wixson clan, Sean and Sheli and children, are planning a trip to areas to our east this weekend to deliver some goods to folks over there devastated by flood waters. And they'll likely contribute some muscle power to the cleanup.

Sheli says the trip is specific in its goal: to help families that her family has gotten to know through swimming competitions. Her kids -- Haleigh, a state-level swimmer who graduated in June from Watkins Glen High School and is now at SUNY Geneseo; Victoria, currently a standout swimmer for WGHS, and Homer, a standout WGHS diver -- all came up through the Gators swim program, and have amassed a large number of friends in such places as Tioga and Waverly and Athens.

Sheli says if anyone feels compelled to send something along with her family -- clothing, food, whatever -- that would be fine, although she does not intend for this to be a widespread relief effort. That is better left to relief organizations, she indicated. This is more in the way of an attempt to help a specific group with specific needs. If you wish to, you can contact her by email at hwixson@stny.rr.com.

*****

And earlier:

The election is upon us ...

By Charlie Haeffner

Odessa, Sept. 11 -- Here comes the election.

It's Primary time Tuesday, and it's been, thus far, quite interesting.

We have, on the one hand, the race for County Judge. We've known for years that District Attorney Joe Fazzary would be running now -- the now being the point at which J.C. Argetsinger, having reached 70, is being forced by state regulations to retire.

Many observers thought Fazzary's opposition would be John Hayes, an attorney of some local renown, but Hayes' health issues forced him to the sidelines -- and allowed Dennis Morris to step in, a man of quiet determination.

And from all appearances -- roadside signs, advertising, door-to-door campaigning -- this has been seriously contested. But it likely won't end here with the Primary. Both men have filed independent nominating petitions, positioning themselves for a run to the general election in November, no matter who wins the Primary -- assuming the Primary isn't, say, a Fazzary blowout victory that discourages his opponent to the point of withdrawal.

For anyone trying to read between the lines here for an indication of my preference: I have none. These are, by almost every account, both credible candidates who would do well wearing the judge's robes.

One thing that disturbs me, though, is the mandatory retirement age. It came into sharp focus for me the other day, at the Grand Prix Festival, when the incumbent, Judge Argetsinger, was in lengthy converation with old friend Bill Milliken, a former race-car driver and extraordinary engineer. Milliken, still sharp, is 100 years old -- 30 years older than the retiring judge.

Thirty years. Nearly a third of century older. It makes 70 seem young, which it can be. And it makes me wonder why men and women of accumulated wisdom are not -- thanks to mandates -- permitted to use it.

*****

There are other races, too -- not the least of which is that for County Treasurer.

This is an unusual race in that the entire County Legislature has come down against the incumbent, Peggy Starbuck, for various alleged transgressions on the order of ineptitude. She and some friends have fired back in her defense, making this a bit of a fairer fight. There are some observers, however, who see her rebuttals as the equivalent of a politician warding off the darkness with a penlight.

But ... and this could be significant if those naysayers are wrong ... the Starbuck camp managed to get challenger Gary Whyman's independent nominating peititions rejected. Whyman, sitting off to the side, saying very little in recent weeks -- pretty much letting the Legislature do the talking -- is suddenly faced with the prospect of "Win Now or Never."

Enough signatures on his petitions were rejected by Board of Elections commissioners Joe Fazzary and John Vona to invalidate Whyman's independent candidacy. The challenge came from within the Treasurer's office, triggering a line by line study by Fazzary and Vona -- and the invalidation.

So Whyman must win either the Republican or Conservative Primary, or be eliminated. The Conservative Primary -- in which he drew the top line on the ballot -- could prove valuable. Even if only one person voted in that Primary, it would be enough for Whyman if that lone vote were for him. He would advance to the general election. Starbuck, who drew the top Republican line on the ballot, has successfully filed independent petitions and can appear on the ballot in November regardless of the Primary outcome.

I don't know what to make of that whole issue involving Starbuck and audits critical of her office. I am not an accountant, nor a biz whiz. So I'll just hope the voters can sort it out to their satisfaction.

******

There is also a contest in the Primary in District 1 for two seats on the County Legislature. Incumbents Dennis Fagan and Stewart Field are being challenged by Mark Rondinaro. That contest has generated little heat, with Fagan and Field seemingly ignoring Rondinaro while focusing on the treasurer, Starbuck.

Little (or no) publicity has been given races in the Town of Cayuta, where four people -- Kathleen C. Cleveland, Thomas J. Russen, David A. Reed and Karen A. McLean -- are seeking nominations for two available four-year seats on the town board. Reed and Russen are incumbents. And in the race for town supervisor, newcomers Terry F. Gardner Sr. and Brandon K. Theetge are squaring off in the Primary.

Tyrone also has a race -- for Town Clerk/Tax Collector. That one features newcomers Deborah L. Tyler and Michele M. Gee.

The polls are opened Tuesday from noon to 9 p.m. Stay tuned for results...

(For a list of candidates and polling places, see Government.)

*****

And earlier:

Farewell to the matriarch

By Charlie Haeffner

Sarasota, Florida, Sept. 3 -- We said our farewells to Mom on Thursday, at an air-conditioned Church of the Redeemer in a steamy downtown Sarasota.

The entire immediate family was there, which is to say not just Mom's three sons, but her four grandsons and three granddaughters, along with four great-grandchildren and her two surviving daughters-in-law.

The memorial service came four days after Mom -- Eleanor Bennett Haeffner -- had died at the age of 92 in a nearby Bradenton, Florida hospital.

Now, on Thursday, Sept. 1, 2011, we celebrated her life. We were all there in that church; had found our way to it from various parts of the country -- Texas, Colorado, New York and Florida -- and from our various lodgings in and near Sarasota. We were together as one, to share in a final tribute, and to commiserate.

(Parenthetically, we determined, much to our surprise, that the sons, grandsons and granddaughters had never gathered together as a full unit, ever -- not even for my parents' 50th anniversary in 1990 nor my father's memorial service four years after that. In the two cases, first one and then another of the grandsons was missing, stuck elsewhere in the world, unable to attend.)

Anyone participating in a funeral gathering wonders why it takes death to draw everyone together like that. Good question. I suppose part of it is the workaday world that puts such demands on us that we find it difficult to break away, all at one time, just to hang out. Rare indeed is the extended family that can achieve that.

*****

The service was full of prayers and hymns and organ music and a hope that this is not the end of Mom's journey, but a continuation. I can't speak to that hope, exactly, since I'm of two minds on it. But I can speak about Mom, and did in a sense, in a eulogy I wrote (and a minister read). My eldest brother Bob and his wife Gussie added some biographical facts and thoughts. I don't have the finished copy in hand, but present a version of the original below, with a couple of those additions inserted. It went like this:

"Eleanor Bennett Haeffner was a daughter, a sister, a wife, a mother, a grandmother and a great-grandmother. She was an artist. She was a Sunday School teacher. She was a member of a church choir. She was an integral half of a complete couple who raised a family of three boys and spread kindness to many.

"Eleanor was a woman of conviction and compassion -- especially where her family was concerned, although she had a wide range of friends and was close to her siblings. She had helped raise those siblings, taking over as matriarch while a teenager when their mother died at an early age. She was a fair but firm leader, referred to lovingly on occasion as The General by her brother and two sisters.

"She was a thespian in high school, participating in the play 'Romeo and Juliet,' and was in the school's Literary Club -- foreshadowing a love of reading that she tried to pass along to her children. She attended Syracuse University, but didn't finish -- which likely accounts for her enthusiasm in seeing her three children earn college degrees.

"But in talking about Eleanor, it is difficult to separate her from Gus, her husband of 54 years. It could be said that her course was set the day that Gus swam out to introduce himself to her on a raft on Auburn's Owasco Lake in Central New York. They were married a short time later, and embarked on a successful journey that saw Gus, always with support from Eleanor, build a business career that resulted in a beautiful home and a wonderful upbringing for sons Bob, Jim and Charlie.

"Gus and Eleanor were two halves of a whole. Theirs was a strong union that imparted in their children traditional values of love and compassion, and gave the children a sense of what a marriage should be.

"When Gus passed away, Eleanor was left to fend for herself, and she was not happy at the prospect. But being a strong person, she managed well, and made many new friends. But there was always an emptiness without Gus.

"Now, her long journey through life at an end, she is reunited with Gus. One can imagine that he was longing for such a reunion, just as she was patiently awaiting it. Now, under God's good graces, they are whole again."

******

That's nice, I suppose, but now that I'm reading it over, it really only scratches the surface. For example, it doesn't touch on Mom's sometimes wicked sense of humor -- like the time she picked me up from school in the middle of the day for an appointment of some kind when I was in fourth grade. She was wearing, on her right thumb, something she'd picked up at a novelty store: a bloodied and gauzed fake rubber thumb. She wanted to shock me, and thought it hilarious. I was shocked -- my beautiful mother, maimed! -- and didn't think it very funny at the time (although I attempted various such jokes myself after attaining adulthood).

And it didn't touch on the gentle guidance she provided her children. For example, during my college years, I wanted to go with friends to the Democratic Convention in Chicago, where Hubert Humphrey was to get the nomination in the wake of the assassination of Bobby Kennedy weeks earlier in Los Angeles. My generation -- along with a lot of other folks -- was angry at our government and at just about anything having to do with the status quo (some things never change), and so trouble was expected in Chicago: protests and police reaction. I was among the angry, and wanted to be there. But Mom, presenting her argument logically -- not exactly ordering me not to go, but strongly discouraging it -- won the day. I stayed away from that convention, where, as it turned out, cops wielding nightsticks weren't too shy about forcibly breaking up a demonstration or two.

Nor did it touch on all the sporting events Mom attended in which her sons were competing, or the two plays she watched in which I performed, or the days when she would tend to one ailment or another that put me in bed. It didn't touch on the grace with which she would play hostess to the many customers that Dad -- who sold shoes to stores in Michigan for a Cincinnati, Ohio firm -- brought home for cocktails and dinner. It didn't describe the many, many fine meals she prepared in the kitchens of our homes in Birmingham and then Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, or the cars she selected to tote her family around. One of those was practical -- a 1953 Ford station wagon -- while another was anything but: a hot-looking little 1964 Mustang. She got that vehicle after one son had left the nest and another had a foot out the door, college beckoning. That car, I suppose, represented the sporting side of Mom.

The eulogy didn't touch on many things -- such as the joy and pride Mom took in her painting, an avocation she pursued in the 1960s. Or the lack of zeal with which she approached downhill skiing after her family had embraced and pursued it. (She never got past the beginner's slope, and finally just gave it up. Mom and skiing just didn't mix.)

And the eulogy didn't touch on her various hairstyles or hair colors, or on the simple fact of her beauty. She was, in truth, a physically attractive woman, and was full of different components that shone from within: charm, spirit, and a sense of fun. But she was at the same time also practical and, when needed, suitably somber.

Mom lived to be 92, but that age -- that number -- simply defines how far she went in life. It doesn't embrace what I remember about her, recollections starting from the time she was in her mid-30s and to my mind was the prettiest mother in the world.

The eulogy was nice, but as most eulogies do, it missed the mark. Eulogies are for the masses, or the moment, and are written through a veil of grief. I have yet to hear one that catches the joy and the magic of what makes a departed human so very special -- what made my Mom so very special.

And while the eulogy might have intimated it, it didn't come right out and say what we, the clan, were all thinking there in that church:

God bless you, Mom. We love you.

*****

And earlier:

A personal note ...

By Charlie Haeffner

Odessa, Aug. 29 -- My mother died at 10:05 p.m. last night -- Sunday, Aug. 28, 2011 -- down in Florida, where she had resided for years.

Eleanor Leigh Bennett Haeffner was 92, and had retreated into a world in which she recognized little of her past. They call it dementia, or perhaps the form known as Alzheimer's. It is cruel, whatever the name, whatever the cause.

She had been wavering of late, falling a few times. This last challenge was an infection that proved too much for her strong constitution. She was always strong, even at a young age, helping to raise her siblings after her own mother died at an early age. The siblings called her The General.

But she was a kind, loving mother, make no mistake. She and Dad -- who passed away in 1994 -- provided a dream upbringing for me and my two brothers. We lived in a modern (even fancy) home alongside a lake, went to upscale schools, were provided with college educations. We were given everything we could want.

Mom is gone now, and the family is heading down to Florida for a farewell service, and to commiserate. I will be gathering my three sons and driving down shortly, and will accordingly be missing the start of the Schuyler County high school sports season. I will trust in volunteers to provide as many photos as possible, and I will be talking to coaches after games, if possible. I will have my laptop with me, and so should be able to report on those contests.

But forgive me if I take a misstep or two. I am a bit disoriented right now, and in truth this website is not at the top of my priority list. I'll return soon, though, and will hopefully get back on track. In the meantime, be patient. And be well.

*******

And earlier:

New site needs a name ...

By Charlie Haeffner

Odessa, Aug. 24 -- When I started The Odessa File more than 8 1/2 years ago, I hoped that it might turn into a community gathering place. And it pretty much has.

Now, after pondering what has been missing in the operation, I've decided to start -- in conjunction with my youngest son, Dave -- a sister online publication that will do what The Odessa File can't: paint a broad picture of Schuyler County.

By that I mean it will offer looks at many, many subjects that are intrinsic to life in this county: historical, religious and business-based stories, aerial photographs, columns and artwork and video presentations by leaders in all walks of Schuyler life, contests (such as poetry), paintings by local artists, a Business of the Month spotlight, photos from the past, racing-related articles and photos, nature stories, tales (legendary and otherwise) from specific locales, such as the Finger Lakes National Forest, personal looks at the many interesting people with whom we share this beautiful land ... and on and on. We have a list that runs on for pages, and I'm sure we'll come up with more, or have them suggested to us

Think of the county as a canvas upon which you and I can paint anything -- in words, photos, drawings, oils -- and you might get the picture. Nothing representational is out of bounds. History -- both new writings and reprints -- can be included, as can behind-the-scenes looks at businesses, prepared by people in the know, who help run them.

The website will be participatory -- with input from whoever wants to help out -- in an effort to provide the most comprehensive look available of Schuyler County. It will be ever-changing, ever-growing and, I hope, everlasting.

I say participatory because it will be structured so that incoming columns and articles and art will flow through my desk, but not require my presence on the scene, gathering the facts. I will function as editor, yes, but also as a sort of bandleader and cheerleader.

What we lack right now -- as work is underway to create a template upon which to place everything -- is a name that resonates. Dave and I have tried various ones -- The Seneca File, The Schuyler File, Seneca Lake.com and so on -- but nothing has struck us as emblematic of what the website will provide, will be.

So ... I'm asking for help in coming up with a name. If we get a winning suggestion, the person who provides it will receive a $100 gift certificate from Watkins Glen entrepreneur Jim Guild for use at his Famous Brands store or his Seneca Lake General Store.

Just send your suggestions to me through the email link at the bottom of any Odessa File page, and we'll take a look. Send as many suggestions as you like; the more the better.

The deadline is Sept. 3. We'll make a selection shortly thereafter, and hopefully have the website up and operational within a few weeks of that. Startup date depends on a number of factors, including how much sleep I'm managing to get while trying to develop the new site and keep The Odessa File humming at peak efficiency.

And while we're at it, if there is anyone out there interested in writing a column pertaining to his or her area of expertise (I already have offers from people in the cheese-making, quilting and agricultural areas), please let me know of that interest by email.

Thanks in advance for any help you can provide.

******

And earlier:

She was something special

By Charlie Haeffner

Odessa, Aug. 17 -- People gathered in bittersweetness Tuesday night at the Red Newt Winery in Hector and at wineries and eating establishments around the region.

They gathered in bittersweetness to watch an episode of the Food Network contestant show "Chopped" that featured the late Debra Whiting, executive chef and co-owner of Red Newt who died June 30 in a motor vehicle accident on the New York Thruway.

Deb was in competition on the show with other chefs seeking a $10,000 prize. It was taped in New York City last November, three months after a "Chopped" film crew had visited Red Newt in August 2010 to record Deb in her element there -- the kitchen -- for a promo of the TV show.

She had invited me that August morning, to watch and take photos and write a story about how she was going to be on "Chopped." But when the "Chopped" people there got wind of why I was present, they said No, No, No, that wasn't allowed; I couldn't print anything about it on the website. If I did, it would put Deb's appearance in jeopardy.

And so I let it go, muttering something -- on the way back to my van, parked in front of the Red Newt establishment -- about getting rousted out of bed for nothing. But Deb promised she would let me know the moment she had a show date -- the moment she learned when the program would be airing. Then I could publish something about it.

She went down to New York for the taping three months later, but was never able to let me know when her segment would air. I asked her from time to time, but she still didn't know. The show officials simply hadn't chosen a date, or if they had, they hadn't told her when it would be.

And then she was gone ...

*****

They gathered Tuesday night at Red Newt and other establishments to honor Deb; to watch her one last time doing something she loved: cooking creative meals. The fact that she failed to make the show's finale -- failed to grab that $10,000 prize -- was of little moment. As she said in a taped interview afterward: "If nothing else, I got here, and that's a feather in my cap."

I, like so many, had been stunned and saddened at her passing, and like so many, I've been struggling to put the tragedy in some sort of perspective. A foundation has been started that will ensure her legacy: a devotion to food and wine and, in particular, to the use of local products.

She was a community leader and a regional leader whose passing generated an outpouring of grief and regret -- regret at the shortness and harshness of life -- that is rarely seen.

I watched the show from my living room easy chair so that I could be alone with my thoughts, my feelings; so I could try to sort them out. I didn't wish on this night to publicly celebrate her life, as her family and friends were doing at Red Newt, although it was a life worth celebrating. No, I wanted to get in touch with my emotions. I wanted to see how it felt to be in Deb's presence again.

I watched, fascinated that we could share in this phenomenon through our TV sets. I watched, and admired her grit, as I always did, and her competitive fire. And I smarted when she was eliminated --"chopped" -- from the event before the finals.

I watched, and I found myself not saddened at all by the program, as I thought I might be. I found myself smiling, for it was a bonus, this show. It reminded me -- us -- in stark colors and slightly overblown dramatics what we had long known: Deb was an unusual blend of grace and grit, of heart and hope. She was always looking ahead, trying to improve matters in the kitchen and in the community.

I watched, and I had one prevailing thought:

Debra Whiting was something else, something special. And we would do well to emulate her.

*****

For recent columns by Charlie Haeffner, click here.

******

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