THE HOMER NEWSVolume IX Thursday, October 11, 2018 Issue 8

FREE

FREE

Coffee With A Cop

Homer Police Chief Robert Pitman and Cpl. R. J. Eckard meeting with a resident at "Coffee With a Cop" held recently at Sinfully Sweet Cafe on Main Street in Homer. Several of the Village Police Officers stopped in to meet with residents between 8 and 10 on a Wednesday morning. Look for more of these events in the future.

2 .October 11, 2018 • The Homer News

The next issue of The Homer News will be October 25, 2018. DEADLINE: for ads and news is October 17, 2018.

Around Town

FOOD PANTRYThe First United Methodist

Church has a Food Pantry for Homer residents, which is open

on Tuesdays, 10:00 am until 12:30 pm Walk-ins are welcome.

For information or emergency, call 749-7159

The Voice of the Town

Contributors:Priscilla Berggren-Thomas, Martin Sweeney, Ed Finkbeiner, Anita Jebbett, Harry Coleman

The Homer News is publishedin Homer by The Homer News.

Distribution is every other Thursday to all households and

businesses in Homer.The Homer News is a community-based news-paper dedicated to informing townspeople of current events and issues; serving as a forum for the free

exchange of views of town residents; and celebrating the people, places and happenings that make the

Town of Homer unique.

Editor:Donald Ferris***

Subscription Rates: The Homer News is delivered at no cost to all Homer addresses in the 13077 zip code. We now offer subscriptions to The Homer News. Personal or out-of-town subscriptions are available for $36 per year (First Class) Payable in advance. Send check or money order to: The Homer News, P.O. Box 125, Homer, NY 13077 Email your address to: editor@TheHomerNews.com

Signed Articles, Letters, Photographs and Drawings of interest are welcomed to be considered for publication. All articles are subject to editing for clarity and length. Materials not used will be returned if a self-addressed stamped envelope is provided.

THANK YOU!Circulation: 4,000 copies per issue. Copyright © 2018 The Homer News

The Homer NewsP.O. Box 125 Homer, New York 13077

Editor@TheHomerNews.com Telephone: 607-749-2613

The Homer NewsPublished for Homer Residents

Get The Homer News at:Village Food Market, Wall St. Laundromat, Phillips Free Library, Homer Men and Boys, Olde Homer House, Bev's, Lucky Kitchen, Sinfully Sweet Cafe, Key Bank, FNB of Dryden - Homer & Cortlandville Offices, Homer Town Office, Kory’s Diner, Super Cream, Origins, Anderson’s Farm Market, Dandy Mart, Brown’s Garage, Poole’s Drive In, Trinity Valley Dairy, Tops, Walgreen’s, Tyler's Cleaners, Hyde’s Diner, CNY Living History Center, Steve & Lu's Diner, Little Italy Pizzeria, Antiques on James.

On Line, www.TheHomerNews.com

Friend us on Facebook forupdates on news and events as we receive them.

ADVERTISINGTo place an ad inThe Homer News,

phone 607-749-2613or

email:editor@

TheHomerNews.com

All opinions expressedin Letters and Commentaries

are those of the writersand not of

The Homer News,which is publishedas an independent,

unbiased communityservice and forum.

HomerNewsAdsGet

Noticed.

EVENTSCALENDAR

As space permits, The Homer News will print a brief notice of your organiza-tion’s event at no charge in the EVENTS CALENDAR. For more detailed notices we suggest you purchase a display ad. Please keep in mind our publishing sched-ule and deadlines: October 17, 2018 for the October 25, 2018 issue.

October 18 - Thursday, Thursday, October 18th @ 7 p.,m. Homer Garden Club presents "Sustaining Healthy Lakes and Scenic Landscapes" by Andy Zepp, Exec. Director of the Finger Lakes Land Trust. Come find out about the future of our beautiful Finger Lakes. The Anna Hilton Lecture will be held at the Center for the Arts, Community Room, Main St., Homer. The lecture is free, open to the public and light refreshments will be served.

St. Margaret’s Annual

HARVEST DINNERWednesday, October 24, 2018 - St. Margaret’s Parish Hall

Seating: 5:00 pm & 6:15 pm-- Take-Outs available - Pick up Promptly at 4:45 pm --

Advance Sale Tickets ONLY - Sept 22 - Oct 16, 2018Available after weekend masses & by calling Elaine Kozub at 749-7456

Adults: $12.00 - Children 4-12: $6.00 - 3 & under: free

STORAGE SHEDSCold Spring Structures

Quality Storage Sheds and Garages - FOR ALL YOUR STUFF

315-497-9700

Jay Brubacker - Builder/Retailer

ADDITIONAL SALES LOCATIONS:1432 SR 38, MoraviaRte 34N, Weedsport

(1/4 mi. north of tollbooths)

Ask About RTO!

The Homer Community Blood Drive will be held Saturday, October 27th, from 8am to 1:00pm, at the Homer 1st United Methodist Church, 16 Cayuga Street(on the Green).

A Double Red Cell Collection unit will be available at this drive for type A-,B-,AB-, and O.

Donate during the month of October, and you’ll be automatically entered to win one of five $500 gift cards redeemable at hundreds of merchants.

Donors - get good night’s sleep, hydrate, and streamline your dona-tion experience and save up to 15 minutes by visiting RedCrossBlood.org/RapidPass to complete your pre-donation reading and health history questions on the day of your appointment.

Anyone who wishes to donate should call and make an appoint-ment at 1-800-RED-CROSS or go to: www.redcrossblood.org Folks with appointments are given first priority, but walk-ins are wel-come.

Blood Drive Oct. 27 at Methodist Church

Rescued kitty looking for a lov-ing home where she can get the attention she needs. Young spayed female up to date on shots. Playful and friendly and sweet. Please call Ray at 607-753-3802.

A six-hour AARP “Smart Driver” refresher course geared for driv-ers aged 50 and older, but open to drivers of any age, is being offered on Saturday, October 27 from 9:00-4:00 at The Cortland Community Center located at 90 Central Avenue in Cortland in the former train sta-tion. Participants are encouraged to bring a sweater or jacket and your AARP Membership card for a dis-count on the class fee. A one hour lunch break will be provided.

This course is approved by the N.Y.S. Department of Motor Vehicles for points and insurance reduction.

Preregistration is required by call-ing the Cortland County Health Department at 758-5509. Class may be rescheduled due to lack of reg-istrations, and walk-ins might be turned away.

This class is sponsored by AARP, the Cortland County Health Department, the Cortland County Area Agency on Aging, and the Cortland County Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP).

A six-hour AARP “Smart Driver” refresher course geared for drivers aged 50 and older, but open to driv-ers of any age, is being offered over two days on Wednesday, November 7 from 1:30-4:30 PM and Thursday, November 8 from 1:30-4:30 PM at the Scott Senior Center located in the United Methodist Church on Route 41 in Scott. Participants are encouraged to bring your AARP Membership Card for a discount on the class fee and a sweater or jacket.

This course is approved by the N.Y.S. Department of Motor Vehicles for points and insurance reduction.

Preregistration is required by calling the Cortland County Health Department at 758-5509. Class may be rescheduled due to lack of reg-istrations, and walk-ins might be turned away.

This class is sponsored by AARP, the Cortland County Health Department, the Cortland County Area Agency on Aging, and the Cortland County Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP).

Driver Refresher Class October 27 in Cortland

Kitten Looking for "Forever Home"

Driver Refresher Class Nov. 7 – 8 in Scott

TRIPP'SAUTOMOTIVE

207 S. Main St.Homer, NY

749-7400607

8b17

The Homer News •October 11, 2018

Team Hage ~ Where Knowledgeand Experience Count!

We Sell Results, Not Promises.Time to Buy or Sell?

Call us at 607-753-6766

4070 West Rd. (Rt. 281)Cortland, NY 13045

Sold on Cortland County!

www.hagerealestate.com

Computer, Smartphone or TabletOn Your

The Sennightly Literary Club, Homer, recently met in Jen Jones’ home for a resounding game of BUNCO with 23 members partici-pating. Refreshments and engag-ing conversations before and after play was enjoyed by all.

The next meeting is scheduled for Oct. 15, at The C4Arts. The pro-gram will include a Harvest dinner and the Rock Garden Art Show in the gallery.

Jen Jones will be the guest speaker: “Lend a Hand” to the Food Pantry. Social time: 6:00, dinner at 6:30. Guests/public are welcome; all attendees should RSVP to Janet Oeschsle: janetoechsle@gmail.com or call 749-7758.

Members are encouraged to bring a friend and a food item for the Pantry.

Sennightly Club to Meet Oct. 15

To the Editor; Since 1993, Cinquanti Real Estate has sponsored the “Mitten Drive” by collecting donations from our Cortland County neighbors to help keep the children of our community warm as the temperatures start to drop here in Central NY. With the merger of the two real estate companies, Yaman Real Estate plans to keep this won-derful tradition going. Each year the “Mitten Drive” seems to kick off the season of hope, generosity and goodwill. With this being the 26th year sponsoring the drive, we are truly amazed at the time and efforts displayed by all of you as you drop off your contribu-tions to this worthy cause. You truly make us proud to live and work here in Cortland County where folks are so willing to show they truly care! If you would like to donate new or gently used children’s

Mitten Drive: 26 Years of Givingmittens or hats for elementary school aged children (any chil-dren’s K- 6th Grade sizes), please bring them to Yaman Real Estate at 185 Clinton Ave, Cortland now through Friday, December 2nd. We are open 8:30am - 5:30pm, Monday through Friday and 9am to 1 pm on Saturdays. As in the past, all monetary donations will be used to pur-chase new, needed items to add to the distributed items, or dis-tributed to one of the children’s organizations in need. Checks can be made out to Yaman Real Estate and dropped off or mailed to 185 Clinton Ave, Cortland NY 13045 Sincere thanks from the entire staff of Yaman Real Estate, for your selfless efforts in keeping our kids warm again this year!

Jamie Yaman

Our Readers Write

Homer News Ads Get Noticed

The Albright Grange in East Homer is having its Annual Chicken and Biscuit Dinner on Saturday, November 3, from 5 p.m. until ??

The menu includes Chicken & Biscuits; Mashed Potatoes, Squash, Cole Slaw, Drinks, Assorted Homemade Pies.

Adults: $9.00; Seniors 60+: $8.00; Children 5-12: $5.00; Under 5: Free.

Take-outs will be available.

E. Homer Grange Chicken & Biscuit Dinner Nov. 3

4 .October 11, 2018 • The Homer News

A Brief History of Education in Homer: 1819 – 2019

Homer HistoryBy Martin Sweeney, Homer Town and Village Historian

The Homer Central School District is the home of the Homer Trojans and “Blue Pride.” The stalwart city of Troy, under siege for ten years, figures prominently in the epic poems of the ancient Greek poet Homer, and provides the school’s namesake. Part of “Blue Pride” includes pride in our historic roots, in our stalwart behavior in athletics and other com-petitions, and in a tradition of academic excellence that dates back to February 2, 1819, when the genesis of today’s school, an academy on the Green, was chartered by the State of New York.As part of Homer’s Winter Fest, on Saturday, January 26, 2019, Homer Central School will be observing the bicentennial of education in Homer and letting our “Blue Pride” show. To help celebrate this event, this column will run installments that will provide an account covering more than 200 years of local education. It is hoped that readers will find this to be informative and entertaining, along with a display on January 26 of 200 artifacts -- one for each year since 1819.From the arrival of the town’s first settlers of European descent until today, the story of education in Homer can be broken down into four phases of development. First, there were the elementary schools of the early settlers. Then there was the Academy on the Green as a private institution of learning from 1819 to 1873. Next on the scene was the union free school district that incorporated the Academy as a public high school from 1873 to 1946. And finally, there is the centralized school district of the past seventy years that has expe-rienced remarkable growth, change, and controversy.

Ninth installment: The Centenary Year: Preparation On Commencement Day in June, 1918, there was a meet-ing of the Alumni of Homer Academy and Union School. At that time, a committee was appointed to take responsibility for the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the founding of the school. Owing to “war con-ditions,” however, the commit-tee did not organize for work until March 12, 1919. Lester Pratt Bennett, local business-man and president of the Board of Education, was the general committee chairman. Under him were about eighteen sub-committees with their own chairpersons. It took about two pages of the souvenir booklet to list all the people serving on the committees. The booklet was correct in pointing out “that the whole Village entered into the celebration, and the services of many more were enlisted than it is possible to name.” This was not going to be just a one-day affair. This was to be a three-day “Jubilee” set for June 25 – 27, 1919. And the village’s population was not nearly as large as today. So, many had to roll up their sleeves to make this event happen. There was a committee organized to clean up and beautify the village, with special attention given to the two points of entrance onto Main Street. Trees and shrubs were planted at these sites. The Green had a circular fountain at the time, and the school children bought barberry bushes to be planted around it and in front of the academy. Getting the word out to all past students, teachers, and trustees in an age with-out computers and Listserv software, was quite an undertaking. Thousands had attended the school by now. The local press donated considerable advertising space, and the Alumni Association mailed out three circulars advertising the event to the names they had at hand on a list of alumni. In addition, notices were placed in educational and religious magazines. The first letter sent out included a coin card asking for dues of fifty cents from alumni and a request to be notified as to who wished lodging and meals, or luncheon tickets during the week of the Jubilee. The second letter outlined the activities planned for the three days, asked for addresses of those who may have been overlooked, and assured the recipient that all former students, even those who did not gradu-ate, were to come back for this “unusual occasion.” Chairman Bennett made it clear: “We know that you have a warm place in your heart for the old school, and that you would like to be with us. Will you not make an effort to come?” The events planned were these: Wednesday, June 25: The regular graduation exercises at 2 P.M. followed by an annual meeting of the Alumni Association. That evening, at 7:30 P.M., there would be a formal welcoming event at the Town Hall, which was to include orchestral and vocal selections, reminiscent remarks by former students, and the main address to be delivered by Stephen Smith, M.D., from New York City. Smith, at age 97, was billed as “Homer’s oldest graduate.” Thursday, June 26: At 10 A.M., class receptions were to be “held at various homes in the village,” followed by a luncheon on the Green at 1 P.M. That evening, there were to be “a series of historical tableaux on the Green,” billed

as a “Pageant” that would “undoubtedly be a notable affair….” Friday, June 27: The day would give “Jubilee” participants free time to drive about. The Jubilee would conclude in the evening with “a grand centennial ball in the town hall.” The third mailed letter essentially asked for an RSVP to determine who was “coming to do honor to Homer Academy.” If you were planning to attend, they needed to know “whether you desire lodging and meals or will be entertained by friends.” And the letter asked if tickets were needed for the luncheon or dance, or seats for the pageant. The charges were to be as follows:

Luncheon Ticket…………. $1.50Pageant Seat……………… .50Alumni Dues…………… .. .50Souvenir Program………… .25Centennial Ball Dancing…. 2.00Centennial Ball Spectator… .50

This final letter was signed by Mabel B. Hyatt, Chair of the Committee of Arrangements. In the same year, Mrs. Hyatt became the first official town his-torian, in compliance with state law requiring every village, town, county, and borough of Manhattan to have a municipal historian.

The committee charged with the housing of guests advertised for hostesses to entertain during the Jubilee. The response was most gratifying. Many resi-dents were willing to open their homes for the three days; they showed great hospitality. Citizens even placed their automobiles at the disposal of guests, conveying them to and from the train depot and reunions.

The committee charged with lining up speakers went to work. An extensive amount of private, written correspondence with former alumni and teachers was required, but their diligence paid off, according to the souvenir booklet that was prepared. The Music Committee was lucky. They were able to obtain the services of Becker’s Orchestra of Syracuse. This group agreed to furnish music for all the events: Commencement, the Welcome Meeting at the Town Hall, the luncheon on Thursday, and the Centennial Ball.

Through the generosity of Dr. and Mrs. F. R. Thompson a store in the Brockway Block was loaned as the Headquarters for the Jubilee. The space was outfitted by F. M. and W. D. Briggs with rugs, tables, and chairs so that guests could register for the Jubilee, comfortably sit to write picture postcards to send to family and friends, and inspect the collection of local historical artifacts on display. These items would include china, pictures, blankets, and utensils that were loaned for the occasion. Of major interest would be the col-lection of Academy catalogues from 1834 to 1919 and other documents in a scrapbook contributed by Dr. Frederick W. Putnam, M.D., Class of 1876, from Binghamton, NY (later donated to the school).

Another document of interest that was to be exhibited was said to be a deed for fifty acres of land on Lot No. 45 that included the Green and extended east to the center of the Tioughnioga River. The deed was then in the possession of Mrs. C. P. Walrad of Cortland. The deeded land had been given for fifty dol-lars on July 6, 1803, to her grandfather, Charles Chamberlain, by one Harry Garrison of Phillipstown, Dutchess County. Charles Chamberlain had lived in a log house on the southeast corner of what is now the Green, and it was there that Mrs. Walrad’s father had been born. Yet another document for display was a deed for a tract of land on West Clinton Street at the intersection with West Road. It was dated 1818. It was giving title to Zenus Lilly as trustee and to his successors in the trusteeship with the understanding that all proceeds from the land would go to the support of church and school. Apparently, Mr. Lilly tilled this land, raised vegetables, and gave the proceeds from his sales to “the two institutions that were dearest to the early population.”

Two other documents to be on exhibit must have drawn much attention. They were the original charter of Cortland Academy, beautifully engrossed on heavy parchment, and the twenty-page list of names from December 27, 1810, titled “Subscriptions for Building a Schoolhouse in the Village of Homer.” These documents were retrieved from the vault of the Homer National Bank where they had been stored for safekeeping until the Jubilee.

After the Jubilee, the documents must have been returned to the bank’s vault and forgotten. They would not be discovered there until January of 2008 when the bank was Key Bank. At that time, Town Historian Martin Sweeney and Homer Board of Education member David Quinlan sought out the artifacts after stumbling upon a source that cited their existence and location. “This is not very common,” bank manager Sue Sandy said about local residents look-ing for documents in the bank’s vault. “You’re the first ones that have come in the last 25 years.” The long forgotten artifacts were then handed over to Homer Central School.

Next installment: The Centenary Celebration: Day One

The Homer News •October 11, 2018

6 .October 11, 2018 • The Homer News

Bob PascalCHIMNEY

From Minor Repair to Complete RebuildsCentral NY’s Oldest Chimney Service

Family Owned & Operated for 4 Generations

ProfessionallyInstalled

“Safe Vent”Liner SystemsAll Work 100%

Guaranteed

315-729-2544CallToday! BobPascalChimney.com

Physical TherapyReturn to what matters most

Mark Williams, PT, DPTEhren Heyer, PT, DPT

Help Us

Support Homer

Businesses!

Stop in for a quote on your home, auto or

business insurance and receive a

$10 gift card to your favorite

Homer shop!!

Call us at 607-756-2805, or stop in to our office at 2 N. Main Street in Cortland

Where is The Homer News Being Read??

Cal and Heather Norris from 28 Warren St. Homer NY reading The Homer News in Siesta Key, Florida.

Gary and Joanne Harrington were reading The Homer News in Fenwick Island, DE while celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary/

The Homer News •October 11, 2018

Post FrameSteel FrameDesigning andBuilding for Over 35 Years

Complete ConstructionConcepts,LLC137 South Main Street

Homer, New York 13077Office 607-749-7770 - Fax 607-749-7239

Big or Small We Tackle It All

Marjorie, Linda, Lee, Stephanie, Annette and Matt

Local Residents & Your Neighbors!Auto Home Business Contractors Recreational Vehicles

Your “Homer” town insurance agency!bensondavis.com

Benson Davis InsuranceHomerNewsAdsGet

Noticed.A gift subscription to The Homer News will help keep your out-of-town friends and relatives informed. $36/year for 1st Class Mail. Call 749-2613

Honoring Service Families who give selflessly to our country & community.

Where is The Homer News Being

Read??

Julia and Sara Brazo reading The Homer News at the Grand Canyon.

Autumn in Homer

Harry Coleman photo

Don Ferris

8 .October 11, 2018 • The Homer News

Police Chief Robert Pitman was at Sinfully Sweet Cafe recently to meet with resident to disccuss any concerns that the residents may have as part of the nationwide "Coffee With a Cop" program.

A village resident accompanied by her dog brought some prescription drugs for disposal as part of a county-wide program to safely dispose of outdated or unneeded prescription drugs

Homer History Celebration - Don't Miss It

The Homer News •October 11, 2018

News from the LibraryBy Priscilla Berggren-Thomas

WELCOME HOME TO HERIT

AGE

YOUR LOCAL REAL ESTATE CONNECTION

Birds and Books

Cool morning air. Fog. Coursing above the river,Two Great Blue Herons.

One of them had a fish in its mouth. Silver belly reflected in the early morning sunlight. I expected the other to follow, but it veered off, flying out across the cornfield and away from the bend of the river. Unusual to see two together, even if they were simply near each other and not truly together. I can count on one hand the number of times I've seen two Great Blues together and I'd still have fingers to spare. Great Blues, I think, are the solitaries of the bird kingdom. They spend the nesting season communally, but then they’ve got to get away. They need time alone. Being a reader is a lot like being a Great Blue Heron, I think. Nose buried in a book, mind so far away we don’t hear someone calling our name, readers can get the reputation for being anti-social, misanthropes even. And some of us probably are. Reading like writing is a solitary act. It requires sinking down into another world. Getting lost with the characters and the land of an author’s imagina-tion. Learning from people who only exist in our minds. And yet, there’s so much we can learn from them. There’s undoubtedly, like there is for a Great Blue Heron, a time to be social. And then there’s a time to live in our minds, with our thoughts, our emotions, and the things we can learn from other worlds and other people. On the way back from our walk, Ben and I saw an immature Bald Eagle fly-ing lazily over the field across from the house. As I stopped to watch, I caught sight of an adult Bald Eagle landing in a dead tree along the river. Like soli-tude for readers and writers, dead trees serve such useful purposes for birds of prey. A place to sit apart and watch the world from afar. To gather insight and knowledge in the quiet. Back in the house, I sat down to write. I could see the older eagle still sitting in the tree. She swiveled her head watching almost 180 degrees of the space around her. For a second, I thought she was staring in the window at me as I watched her through binocu-lars. There are days, a lot actually, that being watched by an eagle is prefer-able to being observed by humans. I think that’s why we read after all, and take walks, and spend time watching the world around us. We prefer being the observer to being the observed.

What’s New at the Library? Toddler Story Time Toddler story time with Miss Martsje is on Wednesdays at 10:30 am. This fun program for children from infants to pre-school age meets every Wednesday morning when school is in session. There is no program on snow days or school vacation. Upcoming themes include:

Oct. 17th – ApplesOct. 24th – Mice Oct. 31st - Pumpkins

Rockin’ Readers Rockin’ Readers, our K-2nd grade story and activity time restarts on Wednesday, Sept. 19th. This program is every Wednesday from 3:25 pm to 4:15 pm that school is in session. This is a fun program with stories, crafts, games, and songs. Upcoming themes are:

Oct. 17th – Planet ProtectorsOct. 24th – Jungles Oct. 31st – Halloween

Teen Writers Any 9th to 12th grader interested in writing can sign up for our writers’ group which will meet 3 Mondays in October. From 4-5 pm on Monday, Oct. 1st, 15th and 29th, we’ll be work-ing on prose poems and flash non-fiction. Learn to write short to tell that funny story that happened when you were five, or express your thoughts on feelings on the things that matter to you. Stop by the library to sign up.

Teen Read Week Teen Read Week is Oct. 7th to 13th and the theme is It is Written in the Stars. We’ll be marking this celebra-tion of fantasy, science fiction, and speculative stories with a program for teens on Thursday, Oct. 11th from 5-6:30 pm. Stop by to register and pick up a copy of the short story by Jim Hines and an essay by Maryanne Wolf that we’ll be discussing. The program is open to 9th through 12th grade stu-dents. There’ll be food and a hopefully lively discussion of the future; yours and the world’s. Registration starts on Sept. 27th.

MakerSpace in the Wonder and Discover Center Our MakerSpace is open to everyone on Wednesday evenings from 6 to 7:30 pm. Not sure what being a “maker” as all about? Well then come discover all the wonders of the Wonder and Discovery Center during the month

of October. The library’s Knight of the Tech Table will be showing all the dif-ferent things that can be learned and created at the library. Parents, adults and teens– don’t let the kids have all the fun. Come on Wednesday Oct. 17th to see our 3-D printer, Cricut paper cutting machine and MindStorms robotics in action. On Oct. 24th, we’ll be highlight-ing remote control vehicles, Cubelets, and Little Bits and on Oct. 31st, we’ll be getting out the Legos and Keva Blocks. Stop by for some fun on Wednesday evenings.

Popcorn and a Movie Join us on Oct. 12th at 4 pm for a showing of Hocus Pocus. The movie is open to all ages. Popcorn is provided.

TEchExplorers – Technology and Engineering Exploration for Children Our TEchExplorers program, includes a robotics component using Cubelets for K- 6th graders and an electronics inven-tion component using Little Bits for 3rd through 6th graders. These programs are funded by a generous donation from a community member. TEchExplorers meet twice a month for K- 6th graders to build with Little Bits and Cubelets. There will be a meetings on Monday, Oct. 15th from 4:00 until 5:00 pm. Space is limited to 12 children. Sign up starts a week prior to each program.

Upcoming Fall Programs for Adults Fiction, Food, and Flick on Oct. 16th and 30th at 6 pm. This unique, twice-monthly program includes a book discussion, viewing of the movie based on the book, and a chance to try one dish or snack that the characters in the story eat. Come for just the book discussion, just the food and flick, or for both. The book/movie for October is Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman. We’ll be discussing the book on Oct. 16th and watching the movie (with snacks) on Oct. 30th.

A Writing Workshop for Adults starts in October. This program will meet on the first Tuesday of the month, starting on Oct. 2nd and run until January. Sessions are from 6:30 – 8 am and will center around critiquing and discussing each other’s work. It will also include writing

exercises. For the introductory session, please bring five copies of your written work (no more than five pages, double-spaced) to be reviewed for the next workshop.

Jr. High Writing Workshop If you’re in Jr. High, November is the month for writing. Join us for a flash fiction writing workshop on Monday, Nov. 5th and Monday, Nov. 19th from 3:30 to 5:00. Flash fiction includes drib-bles (50 word stories), drabbles (100 word stories) up to 500 word stories. Plus, we might even go micro and write six word stories. Come write about the holidays, fall, or winter. Registration starts on Oct. 22nd.

Author Visit Don’t miss a visit from children and teen author Megan Shepherd. Megan is the author of several YA authors and the wonderful Middle Grade novel, The Secret Horses of Briar Hill. The Secret Horses is a historical fantasy, set in England during WWII. It has adventure, mystery, history and something just a little fantastical. Even if you’re an adult, uou don’t want to miss out on reading this book. Ms. Shepherd will be at the library on Friday, Oct. 26th from 5:30 till 6:30 providing a writing workshop for youth from grades 5th through 12th and talking about her book.

Megan Shepherd’s visit is made possi-ble through a grant from the Myrtle Dee Nash Memorial Fund of the Community Foundation of Tompkins County.

Board of Trustees Meeting The Phillips Free Library’s Board of Trustees will meet on Monday, Oct. 15th at 7 pm in our Wonder and Discovery Center. Meetings are open to the public.

For more information about any of our programs call 749-4616 or check out our website at www.phillipsfreelibrary.org.

Phillips Free Library Hours:Monday 10 am to 6 pmTuesday 2 pm to 8 pmWednesday 10 am to 8 pmThursday 2 pm to 8 pmFriday 2 pm to 6 pmSaturday 10 am to 2 pm

607/753-1714Rt. 13 North at Lorings Crossing

Automotive, Inc.

Bring Us Your Car, Van, or Truck

10 .October 11, 2018 • The Homer News

3b15

Business Meetings-Conferences-TrainingsWeddings-Birthdays-Graduations-Reunions-Anniversaries-Parties

Stop by or give us a call today to book your event! 607-753-1447

Douglas and Marian Withey 607-345-0016 e-mail: w2otg@verizon.net

the PORT WATSON MINI CONFERENCE CENTER

131 PORT WATSON STREET, CORTLAND, NY 13045

Your GO-TO venue for every occasion!

BUSINESS DIRECTORY

12c17

(607) 753-0300Homer, NY 13077

Paving - Residential & Commercial - Asphalt Sealing

607.756.4307

4 Convenient Locations:

r

Climate controlled available at Luker Road

Sizes: 5’ x 10’ to 10’ x 30’

12b17

12b16

CONTRACTINGPROPERTY MANAGEMENT

(607) 749-5649Homer, NY 13077

Elizabeth Brewster HouseNYS certified Adult Home/Respite Care Provider

MICHAEL KILMER, administrator

607-749-2442Comfortable and Dignified Living in

a Gracious Village Setting

mkilmer@brewsterhouse.org 5b18

Pat Hill Community Building Contact Us For Your Rental Needs Wedding Recep ons Wedding Showers

Birthday Pa es Gradua on Pa es Family Reunions Work Pa es

Group Organiza ons Fundraisers

Behind the Homer Fire Department at 45 South Main St., Homer, NY

Please contact 607-756-2056 or 607-423-1761

Homer Men’s & Boy’s Store- QUALITY FAMILY CLOTHING SINCE 1951 -

(607) 749-3314

Historic Homer Tours

http://www.townofhomer.org/history/index.htmlby appointment: 607-345-0608 - Kathy

SALLY BROWN KURTZAHWD, CBR, GREEN, GRIReal Estate Associate BrokerSally@hometoheritage.com

Heritage Realty

7 James Street, Homer, NY 13077

607.345.5353 Cell 607.428.0708 Office5b19

NEED WATER?WELLS • WATER CONDITIONING • PUMPS

607-218-8744AmberWellDrilling.com

FREE Estimates and On-Site Review Reasonable Rates • Prompt Service

Since 1968

Open Mon-Sat.: 8 am - 7 pm5887 Rt. 281 - Little York, NY

- APPLES - GRAPES - PEPPERS - 11X SHARP CHEESE

QUALITY AT THE RIGHT PRICER

owner/operatorr, NY

Located behind Steve & Lu’s Diner

607-591-0105

Ed & Laurie PooleRoute 13

Between East Homer and Truxton(607) 753 – 1912

Poole’s Drive In

6:30am – 1:30pmFood DailyFriday Fish Fry 11:30 am - 8 pm

Homemade Pies

The Homer News •October 11, 2018

Solution toSept. 27 Puzzle

= TOTAL ENCLOSED ________________

The Homer News

CLASSIFIED ADS - $7.50$7.50 per issue for the first 20 words,

5¢ for each word over 20 wordsFill out and mail this coupon with your payment to the Classified Department,

PO Box 125, Homer, NY 13077. All ads must be in our hands by Friday at 5 p.m. for Thursday’s paper.

Name ________________________________________________Adress _______________________________________________Phone ___________________________No. of Issues to run ____Heading to be placed under ______________________________

1________________ 2 ________________ 3 ________________4________________ 5 ________________ 6 ________________7________________ 8 ________________ 9 ________________10______________ 11 _______________ 12 ________________13______________ 14 _______________ 15 ________________16______________ 17 _______________ 18 ________________19______________ 20 _______________21______________ 22 _______________ 23 ________________24______________ 25 _______________ 26 ________________27______________ 28 _______________ 29 ________________30______________ 31 _______________ 32 ________________33______________ 34 _______________ 35 ________________

$7.50 for this many words5¢ for each additional word

No. of words over 20 = __________ x 5¢ = ___________+ $7.50

= subtotal __________x No. of issues __________

CLASSIFIEDS

A gift subscription to The Homer News will help keep your out-of-town friends and relatives informed. $36/year for 1st Class Mail. Call 749-2613

Publication ScheduleTHE HOMER NEWS

HANDYMAN SERVICES

This Could Be YOURBusiness Card Ad

$15 for 1 issue$85.50 for 6 issues

email your ad to:editor@thehomernews.com

credit card payments accepted

VOL ISS PUB DATE DEADLINE

HEATING STOVES

THEME: WORLD SERIES

ACROSS1. Got some shuteye6. Pop-ups, e.g.9. Mound13. String quartet instrument14. Wisecrack15. Batu Khan’s posse16. Famous fabulist17. *Number of World Series won by the Senators18. Blue-Green scum19. *One of two baseball teams to play for both leagues21. *Home of team with most World Series titles23. Reggae precursor24. “The Man Who Mis____ His Wife for a Hat”25. Have a bawl28. Wing-shaped30. Handrail’s main supports35. It often runs deep37. It cuts a furrow39. Double, in French40. Shakespeare’s tragic monarch41. Sunny prefix43. Notary Public’s mark44. Run on a bank, e.g.46. Building extensions47. 18-wheeler48. *One of two teams to win in its only appearance50. Dutch cheese52. Actors’ group53. OK55. *”____house Gang” nickname for 1934 World Series victors57. *Fall ____61. *Baseball league award65. Bald symbol66. Bauxite, e.g.68. Andrea Bocelli, e.g.69. Walk like a peacock70. *R in RBI71. Old but in72. Clothes line73. Tennis divider74. Are not

DOWN1. Union foe2. Sinister look3. “What ____ can I say?”4. Works the soil5. Brown v. Board of Education city6. ____ ‘n’ Andy7. *He pitched the only World Series perfect game8. Shorthand

9. Sacred10. “Cogito, ____ sum”11. Month of Purim12. Sneak a look15. Sold20. Actor Fiennes22. Long time24. Streetcar named Desire, e.g.25. Planktonic tunicate26. 2018 movie “____’s 8”27. Edible cannabis substance29. Away from wind31. Weak one32. The Three Musketeers’ swords33. Camel’s cousin34. *Commissioner Emeritus of Baseball36. Great Lake38. *____ card42. Missouri River tributary45. Skeleton’s hiding place49. Hit the slopes51. “I think I can, I think I can...”, e.g.54. Oak fruit56. Expression of contempt57. ____pool or ____pit58. Like the White Rabbit59. Taj Mahal city60. Shantytown61. Closely confined62. A chip, maybe63. Fate of Norse mythology64. Turkey dance67. Poe’s Morgue

9 9 10/25/2018 10/17/20189 10 11/8/2018 10/31/20189 11 11/22/2018 11/14/20189 12 12/6/2018 11/28/20189 13 12/20/2018 12/12/20189 14 1/3/2019 12/26/20189 15 1/17/2019 1/8/20199 16 1/31/2019 1/22/20199 17 2/14/2019 2/5/20199 18 2/28/2019 2/19/20199 19 3/14/2019 3/5/20199 20 3/28/2019 3/19/20199 21 4/11/2019 4/2/20199 22 4/25/2019 4/16/2019

/ / / /

PELLET STOVE for sale. ENVIROFIRE EF3 SOLD in good working order. $550.00 607-756-6504. SOLD 10.11

Karen GaeblerMortgage Loan OfficerNMLS #481402

KeyBank MortgageMailcode: NY-34-99-004425 S. Main StreetHomer, NY 13077

phone: 607-745-4882

karen_gaebler@keybank.com

SHANE'S HANDYMAN SERVICE Lawn Mowing; Fall Clean Ups; Gutter Cleaning; Junk Removal; Painting; Staining; Shrub Trimming; Pressure Washing Houses, Decks; Driveway Sealing; Landscaping; Mulching; much more. Fully Insured. Reasonable Rates. Free Estimates. 607-299-4676 12a

THE HOMER NEWSVolume IX October 11, 2018 Issue 8

Hours:Mon.-Fri. 8AM-6PM

Sat. 9AM-1PM orCall For An Appointment!

For a complete list of homesfor sale, visit:

www.yaman.com

For the second year, the students at Homer Nursery School were happy to help the victims of recent hurricanes and floods by partici-pating in the cleaning bucket program run by the United Methodist Committee on Relief. The buckets contain items used to help clean up water and other damage left by hurricanes and floods. The students eagerly donat-ed the supplies needed to fill the cleaning buckets. When the buck-ets were full, they were donated to UMCOR, who will then distribute them to the people in need. The students were very excited to be able to help others.

Nursery School Helps Flood Victims Department Amends Timeline for Hogs Operations

WASHINGTON, Sept. 21, 2018 – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue today announced the addition of commodities to the trade mitigation package aimed at assisting farmers suffering from damage due to unjustified trade retaliation by foreign nations. Starting Monday, Sept. 24, producers of shelled almonds and fresh sweet cherries may apply for Market Facilitation Program (MFP) payments at their local Farm Service Agency (FSA) office. In addi-tion, the timeline for hog producers has been extended.

Perdue announced in July that USDA would act to aid farmers in response to trade damage from unjustified retaliation. President Trump directed Secretary Perdue to craft a short-term relief strate-gy to protect agricultural producers while the Administration works on free, fair, and reciprocal trade deals to open more markets in the long run to help American farmers compete globally. These programs will assist agricultural producers to meet some of the costs of disrupted markets.

The sign-up period for MFP for other eligible commodities is now open and runs through Jan. 15, 2019, with information and instruc-tions provided at www.farmers.gov/mfp. The MFP is established under the statutory authority of the Commodity Credit Corporation CCC Charter Act and is under the administration of USDA’s FSA. Eligible producers should apply after harvest is complete, as pay-ments will only be issued once production is reported.A payment will be issued on 50 percent of the producer’s total pro-duction, multiplied by the MFP rate for a specific commodity. A sec-ond payment period, if warranted, will be determined by the USDA.

The initial MFP payment rates starting Sept. 24:• Shelled Almonds - $0.03 per pound• Fresh Sweet Cherries - $0.16 per pound

MFP payments are capped per person or legal entity at a com-bined $125,000 for shelled almonds and fresh sweet cherries.

Eligible applicants must have an ownership interest in the com-modity, be actively engaged in farming, and have an average adjusted gross income (AGI) for tax years 2014, 2015, and 2016 of less than $900,000. Applicants must also comply with the pro-visions of the “Highly Erodible Land and Wetland Conservation” regulations.

Expanded Hog Timeline

USDA has expanded the timeline for producers with whom the Aug. 1, 2018, date does not accurately represent the number of head of live hogs they own. Producers may now choose any date between July 15 to Aug. 15, 2018 that correctly reflects their actual operation.MFP applications are available online at www.farmers.gov/mfp. Applications can be completed at a local FSA office or submitted electronically either by scanning, emailing, or faxing. To locate or contact your local FSA office, visit www.farmers.gov.

USDA Adds Shelled Almonds and Fresh Sweet Cherry to Market Facilitation Program

From the Archives....

Post Card from the Collection ofKelly Preston

From: The Homer NewsP.O. Box 125 Homer, NY 13077

Copyright © 2018

Deliver to: LOCAL BOXHOLDER PRSRT STD

US POSTAGE PAIDHOMER NY

PERMIT No. 82

Where is The Homer News Being Read??

The Gilfilian, Smith and Ferris families were reading The Homer News at Bethany Beach, DE