The photo shows Jeff Scherz being congratulated by New York State Senator, Jim Seward on June 1, 2010 during Jeff’s induction into the New York State Senate Veteran’s Hall of Fame.  Also in the photo is New York State Senator, Joe Griffo, who bestowed that honor upon Jeff.  

Also pictured is a copy of the certificate Jeff received when inducted.

(Boonville, NY) On Friday, Jan. 20, 2012, Charles “Jeff” Scherz of Boonville passed away after battling cancer for many years.

During World War II, Jeff was part of an Army communications unit that served under General George Patton.  Some of Jeff’s duties included sending coded messages via teletype, breaking the codes of enemy messages that were intercepted, and installing communications wires.

Jeff fought in two major World War II battles, D-Day and the Battle of the Bulge. Additionally, he was involved in the liberation of the Buchenwald Concentration Camp.

At the end of World War II, Jeff received five battle stripes.

Once Jeff returned back to Boonville after World War II, he started the Scherz Construction Company, a business he operated from his Boonville home. Some of the work his company did included working on projects at the former Griffiss Air Force Base in Rome.

He also found time to be involved in Boonville government, both at the Town and Village level. He retired a few years ago.

In 2007, Jeff was among Oneida County World War II Veterans who took part in a bus trip to Washington, D.C., to visit the World War II Memorial and other Memorial sites.

On June 1, 2010, Jeff was inducted into the New York State Senate Veteran’s Hall of Fame in Albany, NY by New York State Senator, Joe Griffo, after being nominated for the award by his nephew, Fritz Scherz.

Calling hours will be on Tuesday, Jan. 24 from 2 to 8pm at Mills Funeral Home, 301 Post Street in Boonville.  The funeral will also be at Mills Funeral Home, at 11am on Wednesday, Jan. 25.  Military burial will take place in the spring at a date and time to be determined.

(Boonville, NY – Jan. 17, 2012) The Boonville Black River Canal Museum Board of Trustees would like to announce that they were the recipients of a grant to insulate the Mercantile Building.

The grant is from The Community Foundation of Herkimer and Oneida Counties, Inc., the Helen Ney Best Crouse Fund.  The grant money was used to insulate the ceiling in the Mercantile Building.  The work was done by H & K Insulation, Inc. from Holland Patent.

The work was started in mid-December and was completed by Christmas.  Museum Board members and volunteers have stated that the insulation process went smoothly and they were impressed with the professionalism of the crew from H & K Insulation, Inc. as well as their work ethic.

(Boonville, NY – Jan. 6, 2012) On Jan. 5 Trooper Beth Lapmphere and Trooper Chris Tanoury of the New York State Police in Remsen arrested Michael P. Shea, 30, of 15915 Yortown  Dr., Tyler, Texas at a home in the Village of Boonville and charged him with being a Fugitive From Justice from the State of Texas. The Smith County Texas Sheriff’s Department had an active arrest warrant for Shea’s arrest for “Violation of bond associated with engaging in Organized Crime.”

Shea was arraigned in Trenton Town Court before the Hon. Donald Cannon and was committed to the Oneida County Jail on no bail pending an extradition hearing.

Although snowfall has been scarce so far this winter, it’s sure to come, and when it does, we’ll be more than ready for it. After all, the Central New York Region offers the very best of New York State, especially when it comes to snow play – from downhill and cross-country skiing, to snowshoeing and tobogganing, to ice skating, ice fishing and snowmobiling.

Families are invited to bundle up and head over to the McCauley Mountain Ski Area in Herkimer County’s Adirondacks. Known as “New York’s Best Family Mountain,” McCauley offers skiers and snowboarders two dozen trails of fun ranging from gentle cruisers for beginners to steeps and glades for thrill seekers. With views to the High Peaks from its 2,300 ft. summit and miles of groomed cross-country ski and snowshoe trails, McCauley is the most affordable and accessible Adirondack resort. A ski school, ski shop and cozy chalet with a restaurant and lounge complete the whole ski area package.

Glimmerglass State Park, overlooking Otsego Lake, the infamous “Glimmerglass” of James Fenimore Cooper’s Leatherstocking Tales, is located just outside the village of Cooperstown. With its rolling, partially wooded terrain that’s host to a wide variety of wildlife, the park offers the perfect adventure for the whole family. While tubing is wildly popular here, the landscape is excellent for cross-country skiing, ice skating, snowshoeing, snowmobiling and ice fishing, as well. An uphill trail through the forest offers a spectacular view of Otsego Lake, while the Beaver Pond and Woodland trails are picturesque in their own rite.

Another scenic area to admire the romance between Mother Nature and Jack Frost is the Landis Arboretum, a public garden on 548 acres and six miles of hiking trails overlooking the Schoharie Valley. Forty acres feature trees, shrubs, and perennial plants from around the world while the remainder of the property consists of woodlands and open fields, ideal for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing.

Smack dab in the middle of the region, Chenango County encompasses more state land than any other county besides the Adirondack Park. Snowmobilers are welcomed to hop on their Arctic Cats for 150 miles of State Corridor Trail spanning to the north and east, used exclusively for snowmobiling. For cross-country skiers, snowmobilers and snowshoe fans, Bowman Lake State Park has 660 acres of snowy nature trails.

For cross-country skiing in Greater Binghamton, the combined trail system at Greenwood Park is approximately 5.5 miles and includes groomed trails for beginners all the way up to the expert skier. Additional winter facilities include toboggans, snowshoes and a warming room to melt the icicles off guests’ noses between trails. There are plenty of routes for snowmobiling as local clubs groom challenging trails throughout the county each year, like the BC Sno Riders and Ridge Riders Snowmobile Club. Fantastic ice skating rinks in the area include the Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena, Broome Community College Ice Center and the Chenango Ice Rink.

The 13-mile-long Stoney Pond Nordic Ski Trail in Madison County presents awesome trails through woodsy wonderlands. Snowmobiling fanatics are invited to dive into the powder at Brookfield State Forest, where a highly acclaimed 130-mile horse and snowmobile trail system navigates across 13,000 acres of Beaver Creek, Brookfield Railroad and Charles E. Baker State Forests. Home to interesting terrain and a wide variety of wildlife species, the forest provides families with the perfect winter wonderland setting for their recreation of choice.

For cross-country skiing in Madison County, the Great Swamp Conservancy in Canastota, Madison County’s only nature center, boasts several miles of skiing and snowshoeing trails through forests, fields and swamp.

The Val Bialas Ski Center in Oneida County offers guests night skiing, snowboarding, plus a quaint ski chalet complete with a snack bar and double-sided fireplace to thaw out next to. For the downhill skier, there are five trails at different degrees of difficulty, a sledding hill for those who prefer tobogganing and seven miles of groomed cross-country trails with varying degrees of difficulty. With 540 miles of trails, Oneida features exceptional lodging with direct access to snowmobile trailheads from the property, like Inn at the Beeches and Headwaters Motor Lodge.

Also, Boonville presents the Boonville Snow Festival and Vintage Sled Races every year and was recently named the sixth snowiest city in the US by the Weather Channel.

The Central New York Region has the best of all four seasons, and winter is no exception. Snow sports enthusiasts are encouraged to grab their skis, skates, sleds, snowshoes and snowmobiles and make the most of the region’s serene, frosty surroundings.

For more details concerning the Central New York Region, or to plan your snow-day getaway, visit JustGoCNY.com.

(Boonville, NY – Dec. 6, 2011) On Dec. 4 the New York State Police in Lee Center responded to a trespassing complaint on private land located in the Town of Western.

A landowner had reported that a number of people were illegally trespassing on his property and were hunting.

Subsequent investigation by Inv. Chad Tangorra and Trooper Thomas Dienhoffer of the New York State Police and Encon Officer Russell Ritzel of New York State Department of Environmental Conservation led to the arrest of Bradley D. Fosberg, 21, of 1429 Gill St., Building 455A, Watertown.

Fosberg was found to have a loaded shotgun within a motor vehicle and was ticketed for possession of a loaded firearm in a motor vehicle by Officer Ritzel.

Further investigation determined that the shotgun possessed by Fosberg was stolen from within the State of Kansas.

Fosberg was additionally charged by the New York State Police with fourth-degree Criminal Possession of Stolen Property. He was issued an appearance ticket returnable to the Town of Boonville Justice Court.

Pictured are students from Adirondack High School and South Lewis High School rehearsing their song for the Adirondack Community Chorus Christmas concert “A World of Christmas.”  From left to right: Brooke Pominville (SL), Claire Haile (Adk), Christie Lee (Adk), Carl Bailey (Adk) and Chris Scouten (Adk).

(Boonville, Old Forge, Lyons Falls, NY – Dec. 2011) The Adirondack Community Chorus will present its annual Christmas concert entitled “A World of Christmas” on three separate occasions.

The first will be at the Forest Presbyterian Church, Center Street, Lyons Falls on Sunday, Dec. 11 at 6 p.m. The second performance will be held on Saturday, Dec. 17 at 2 p.m. at the new Arts Center in Old Forge.  At this time, the ACC will be joining with the Nicholls Memorial Presbyterian Church Choir, prepared by Judy Barker.

The third performance will be held on Sunday, Dec. 18 at 2 p.m. at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, Charles Street, Boonville.  The ACC will again be joined with members from the Old Forge choir during this performance.

The concerts will be conducted by Peg Nuspliger and accompanied by Sylvia Fici on piano.

“A World of Christmas” is composed by Joseph M. Martin, a pianist who plays over 70 concerts a year. Martin has stated that “music is the language that transcends every cultural and national boundary.  It connects us all with the tethers of our shared faith and mutual dreams for hope and peace.  Music teaches us what can happen when differences come together to make harmony.”  Many of the songs, such as “Silent Night” are reflective in nature while others have a rhythmic beat.  Narrators for the concert will be The Rev. Naomi Kelly and The Rev. Sean O’Brien.

This is the 35^th year of performances by the Adirondack Community Chorus under the direction of Peg Nuspliger.  The chorus consists of over 80 members of all ages that come from a wide geographic area.  Included are several high school students from both Adirondack and South Lewis Central Schools.  The students will be performing an opening number.  The concert will end with Handel’s “Hallelujah Chorus” joined by members of the audience.

All venues for these concerts are handicapped accessible.  Admission is free.  Donations are gratefully accepted and will be used to purchase music for future concerts.

(Boonville, NY – Dec. 2011) The Boonville Black River Canal Museum will be hosting their 7th Annual Christmas on the Canal on Saturday, Dec. 3 from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm at the Museum Complex at 502 Water St., Boonville.

The Hemlock Mercantile will be open for the Christmas Gift Shopper.  Books such as the “Black River Canal,” “Around Boonville,” “Forestport Breaks,” “Rome Haul” and a host of other titles along with canal throws, canal memorabilia and canal clothing are available for sale.  Canal clothing is on sale at 20 percent off.  For the person that is hard to buy for; brick pavers can be purchased in their honor or in memory of a loved one.

There will be several crafters throughout the complex offering an assortment of crafts and gifts for the Christmas Shopper from Pampered Chef, homemade soap, jewelry, hardwood trucks and board games. A large selection of locally made wreaths will be for sale.

Three local authors, Irene Uttendorfsky, Stephanie Dietz and Dorothy Duflo, will be on hand selling their books.  There will also be a bake sale to tempt any sweet tooth.  Hot dogs, coffee, hot chocolate and popcorn will be for sale throughout the day.

Come and browse and enjoy the sights and sounds of the Christmas Season at the Boonville Black River Canal.

(Forestport, NY – Nov. 17, 2011) “I have learned that you can make it through anything with the help of faith, family and friends.  A long walk now and then helps too!” Tasha the dog, sums up what she learned on her walk with cancer in the unique, new book, “Good Days Are for Walking,” by central New York native, Donna Marie Mucks.

In the story, Tasha the dog tells about her diagnostic workups, hospital stays and chemotherapy treatments.  There is also a glossary and a reader’s guide to encourage dialogue on a topic often difficult to discuss, cancer.  Donna’s desire is that whoever needs it will find truth, hope and comfort in Good Days Are for Walking.

Donna’s involvement, as a volunteer musician with a children’s cancer charity, the KEYS Program, lead her to believe this would be a helpful book for children whose lives have been affected by cancer.  It matters not, whether it is a pet, a friend, a family member or themselves.

The KEYS Program (www.thekeysprogram.org) has also set up the Ted Eychner Memorial Fund in memory of Donna’s father, to purchase Good Days Are for Walking for inclusion in the care packages that KEYS provides to children who are battling cancer.  The KEYS Program’s goal this year is to serve 5,000 children across the United States.

Jaime and Gavyn, mother and son, “It was AWESOME! We LOVED IT!  We thought the descriptions of the pictures were great and really liked the discussion questions and glossary at the end. Gavyn LOVES the pictures. They are large and beautiful! Very, very well-written for young ones (as well as older) It is hard to find books out there that deal with this difficult topic that children can understand and relate to (I know this from my years of working as a social worker with young children). I would look to your book if I were still working in the field to read to little ones”

There are two book signing opportunities coming up, Nov. 26 during Christmas in the Country at Erwin Library in Boonville, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Dec. 3 at Life Discovery Christian Bookstore in New Hartford from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.  Donna will share a portion of the proceeds at both sites.

(Boonville, Camden, Rome, Vernon, Whitesboro, NY – Nov. 2011) Operation Christmas Child’s National Collection Week has begun and will run from Nov. 14 through Monday, Nov. 21 at local collection sites in Boonville, Camden, Rome, Vernon, and Whitesboro. The hours to drop shoe boxes filled with school supplies, hygiene items, and small toys off at local collection sites are:

Boonville United Methodist Church, 202 Main Street, Boonville, 315-942-2626:
Monday, November 14: 10am-2pm
Tuesday, November 15: 10am-2pm
Wednesday, November 16: 10am-2pm
Thursday, November 17: 10am-2pm
Friday, November 18: 10am-3pm, 5pm-7pm
Saturday, November 19: 9:30am-5pm
Sunday, November 20: 12noon-5pm
Monday, November 21: 9:30am-7pm

Servant Baptist Church, 10570 State Route 13, Camden, 315-245-2516:
Monday, November 14: 10am-1pm
Tuesday, November 15: 10am-1pm
Wednesday, November 16: 10am-1pm
Thursday, November 17: 10am-1pm
Friday, November 18: 10am-1pm
Saturday, November 19: 9am-12noon
Sunday, November 20: 10am-12noon
Monday, November 21: 8:30am-10:30am

Resurrection Life Church, 628 Floyd Avenue, Rome, 315-339-6318:
Monday, November 14: 11am-1pm
Tuesday, November 15: 11am-1pm
Wednesday, November 16: 11am-1pm
Thursday, November 17: 11am-1pm
Friday, November 18: 11am-1pm
Saturday, November 19: 9am-11am
Sunday, November 20: 1pm-3pm
Monday, November 21: 9am-11am

Beacon Light Baptist Church, 5058 State Route 31, Vernon, 315-829-2086
Monday, November 14: 10am-12noon, 3-6pm
Tuesday, November 15: 10am-12noon, 3-6pm
Wednesday, November 16: 10am-12noon, 3-6pm
Thursday, November 17: 10am-12noon, 3-6pm
Friday, November 18: 10am-12noon, 3-6pm
Saturday, November 19: 10am-12noon, 3-6pm
Sunday, November 20: 10am-12noon, 3-6pm
Monday, November 21: 10am-12noon

Crosspoint Church, 317 Oriskany Boulevard, Whitesboro, 315-797-4520.
Monday, November 14: 9am-1pm
Tuesday, November 15: 9am-1pm
Wednesday, November 16: 9am-1pm
Thursday, November 17: 9am-1pm
Friday, November 18: 9am-1pm
Saturday, November 19: 9am-1pm
Sunday, November 20: 9am-1pm
Monday, November 21: 9am-11am

On Monday, Nov. 21, the boxes will be transported to the Operation Christmas Child processing center in Charlotte, NC where they are packed for overseas shipment. The gifts for boys and girls ages 2-14 are sent by ship and plane into more than 100 countries. Boxes go to new children each year. The relief and evangelical outreach is a ministry of Samaritan’s Purse led by Dr. Billy Graham’s son Franklin Graham.

In 2010, 8.18 million Operation Christmas Child shoe boxes were distributed around the world. More than 10,210 boxes were collected in Jefferson, Lewis, Oneida, Oswego, and Herkimer counties last year. For more information about how you can participate in Operation Christmas Child locally, contact volunteer Area Coordinator Patty Jennings at 315-232-2690 or pjennings21@yahoo.com. Information is also online at www.samaritanspurse.org/occ.

(Boonville, NY) Plans are being made for the 7^th Annual Christmas on the Canal at the Boonville Black River Canal Museum on Saturday, Dec. 3, 2011 from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm.   There are a few spots available for any interested crafters.  For information please call 392-4639 or 942-5444.

The museum is also looking for a wheelchair that can be used for the walking impaired during tours.  If anyone has a wheelchair, in good working order, that they would like to donate, please call 942-4049.