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It’s summer in the village

17 Jun

 

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The Webster Schroeder Jazz Ensemble was one of three bands to play Friday night. 

It shouldn’t have come as any surprise to me that the Friday night concert series in Gazebo Park was starting up last night, but it did.

My husband and I were trying out the fish fry at the “new” Webster Hots Friday night (it was great) and while we were chatting with the owner, he told us about the concert, which featured three high school jazz bands. So after dinner we strolled to the park to check it out.

It was an incredibly perfect evening to sit outside and listen to music. After the Webster Thomas Jazz Band finished, we even went home quickly to grab our quad chairs, returning just in time to enjoy some of the Penfield Jazz Band’s set, and then the entire performance by the Webster Schroeder Jazz Ensemble.

As we always do at these concerts, we saw lots of our friends and neighbors there, which made the evening even more enjoyable.

The concert was the first in the village’s Friday Night Concerts series. The rest of the schedule looks like this:

  • June 30: Claudia Hoyser Acoustic Duo (country)
  • July 7: Burnt Cane (tropical)
  • July 28: The Ryan Johnson Project (fusion)
  • August 4: Rochester Metropolitan Jazz Orchestra
  • August 11: Rochester Brass & Electric

All concerts begin at 7 pm in Gazebo Park on North Avenue.

Also coming up this summer in the village are the Movies in the Park (kids’ movies on Tuesdays and two “date night” movies on Saturdays), the annual two-day Webster Jazz Fest on July 21 and 22, and the next Wine Walk on August 12. Stay tuned for more details about them in the coming weeks. More details about them all can be found at http://websterbid.com/.

Let the summer begin!!!!!

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Crowds for the first Friday Night Concert were pretty good thanks in part to the gorgeous weather

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Webster Hots has new owners

14 Jun
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Webster Hots’ new owners Kelly and Bill Mutschler, with their son Aidan.

Have you driven down Webster’s East Main Street lately?

Lately it’s been looking like a ghost town, with more “For Rent” signs than “Open for Business” signs in the storefront windows. Aside from the fact there’s usually a lot of good parking spaces available, there seem to be fewer reasons every day to head down there.

Bill and Kelly Mutschler, the new owners of Webster Hots, want to change that.

The Webster residents took ownership of the restaurant just a few weeks ago. For Bill, who was looking for a career change, it was the culmination of a long-time dream to open his own small business in Webster. When he and Kelly, found out that Webster Hots was for sale, they jumped on the opportunity.

Bill and Kelly decided to keep the name Webster Hots because that’s what people have come to know. But they readily admit they’re fighting against the negative reputation hots places can sometimes have of being small, and dark and catering to the young, late-night crowd who only want plates.

They want to be known for more than just plates. But don’t get them wrong. “I think our plates are really good,” Bill said, made better in that they make their hot sauce and mac salad on site. But he points out that their menu features so much more.

There are burgers and dogs, of course. But there are also plenty of sandwiches, wraps, appetizers, and even a beer-battered fish fry. Plus, they’re already planning to expand that menu, adding more options for kids, among other things.  And it’s all served in a bright, spacious environment.

Then there’s the ice cream. “The village has been missing ice cream since Hank’s left,” Bill noted, so the Mutschlers know how important it was to bring it back. They’re especially proud to have been able to contract with Purity Ice Cream, a very well-known and highly respected shop in Ithaca. (And if the sea salt caramel is any indication, it’s pretty fantastic.)

As Webster residents, Bill and Kelly are already involved with the village, but now they want to make sure that community connection also extends to their new business. They’re hoping especially to build stronger ties with the high schools, and start hanging photos of local sports teams and businesses. You can also expect to see them getting involved with village events like the Wine Walks and the Jazz Fest.

So when you walk into the new Webster Hots, you actually won’t see many differences … yet. But rest assured that now that Bill and Kelly Mutschler are at the helm, Webster Hots is stronger than ever, a great family spot for lunch or dinner, and will definitely help revitalize East Main Street.

Webster Hots is located at 55 East Main Street in the village of Webster. Connect with them on Facebook and call (585) 265-0824. 

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insideWH storefront

 

 

Community Blood Drive returns this week, with a new twist

4 Jun
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A peek at some of the prizes that can be won at this week’s Webster Community Blood Drive

The Webster Community Blood Drive will return to St. Paul’s Church and the Webster Rec Center this week,  and it’s got a brand new feature this year.

The semi-annual two-day blood drive, heralded by the huge white signs placed all around town, is always one of the most popular and best attended drives of the entire year. It stands out among all others by the tremendous support it receives from Webster businesses.

This year, instead of receiving a packet of coupons, every presenting donor will be handed ten raffle tickets, which can be used to take chances on 30 different prizes provided by local businesses.

The raffle prizes will include:

  • Gift cards from Abbott’s Frozen Custard
  • Gift certificates from Barry’s Old School Irish
  • Paul Mitchell products from Beyond Cuts Salon
  • Gift certificate from The Chicken Coop
  • Gift card from Eastway Liquor
  • Free hair cut certificates from Great Clips
  • Gift basket from Hegedorn’s
  • Gift basket from Kittelberger Florist
  • Grumblers and pint glasses from Knucklehead Craft Brewing
  • Free month of classes from Matsunami Karate
  • Gift certificate from Natural Alternatives
  • Gift certificate from Ron’s Auto Repair
  • Gift certificate from Rubino’s
  • Fruit gift basket from Schutt’s Apple Mill
  • 10 free classes from Strike Back Martial Arts
  • Decorative vase and Lenox candle holders from The Garage Sale Store
  • A free ice cream cake from The Goodie Shoppe
  • Free month’s membership from World Gym

And there will be even more prizes that aren’t on this list.

Donors will also be pleased to hear that not all the coupons are history. One of the most popular coupons of all — from Bruster’s — will be returning. Every presenting donor will receive Bruster’s “Pint for a Pint” coupon, good for a free pint of ice cream or a free ice cream cone.

Wait! There’s  more! On top of all that, each donor will also be handed a free t-shirt from the Red Cross (while supplies last).

The Webster Community Blood Drive is scheduled for Wednesday June 7 at St. Paul’s Church, 783 Hard Road, and Thursday June 8 at the Webster Recreation Center, 1350 Chiyoda Drive, from noon to 7 pm each day. Make an appointment by calling 1-800-REDCROSS (1-800-733-2767) or by logging onto http://www.redcrossblood.org. Walk-ins are also welcome.

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A shout out to our Special Police

30 May

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Do you know those Special Police officers you always see working crowd control at parades, helping us cross the street during the carnival, and helping out at accident scenes?

Did you realize they’re all volunteers? Not only that, they have to go through a lot of training just to even become a volunteer.

Here’s a more detailed description from the Town of Webster website:

The Webster Special Police are a group of volunteers, appointed by the Town Board of Webster, whose mission is to assist the Webster Police Department during emergencies and special events. As certified NYS Peace Officers, our goal is to provide citizens with a professional organization that stands ready to fulfill this mission whenever activated. Our vision is to maintain the highest standards of organization, training, and professionalism in order to aid the police department in upholding the laws of the State of New York, County of Monroe, and Town and Village of Webster.

They were out in force during the Memorial Day Parade. I always make it a point to thank them for being there, and this time around I also snapped photos of as many of them as I could to single out this great organization for their service.

So take a look at these faces and when you see them at the Firemen’s Parade, make sure to give them a smile and a “Thanks for being here!” Because they don’t have to be.

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Photos from Webster’s parade

29 May

 

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So the weather could have been a little bit better for Monday’s Memorial Day Parade, but it also could have been a whole lot worse.

This is the first year I can remember that we’ve had any kind of rain for the parade. But even this year it wasn’t too bad; a few sprinkles during the marching, and a shower during the ceremony at Webster Rural Cemetery. The crowds lining Main Street and Ridge Road were noticeably thinner this year, probably thanks to the threatening weather, but there were still plenty of onlookers. Many of them came prepared with umbrellas and pop-ups, or found space under some of the large trees that lined the route.

Despite the dampness, I didn’t hear any grumbling. I think we all realized that the men and women we were honoring had suffered much worse.

The only disappointing thing about the day was seeing how many people forgot to stand when the flag came by.

I’ve posted a few photos here, but there are plenty of more here in my gallery, including some from where everyone was lining up, through to the ceremony.

P. S., if you got any great photos which I can add to my gallery, please email them to missyblog@gmail.com.


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Mini Webster mailbag

16 May

Just a few interesting notes this morning.

For starters, Webster Schroeder and Webster Thomas high schools will both have new assistant principals next year.

Karen Murray has accepted the position as assistant principal (alpha M-R) for Webster Thomas High School’s Gold House, effective July 1. Murray is replacing current interim assistant principal Jeremy Slack.

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Karen Murray and Dan Sepka

Murray, a Webster resident and graduate, previously served as a middle school ELA teacher and literacy specialist at both Spry and Willink middle schools. She also was a high school literacy specialist at Webster Thomas HS.

 

Dan Sepka will be the new assistant principal (alpha A-E) for Webster Schroeder High School, also effective July 1, replacing current interim assistant principal Jim Vitale.

Sepka is currently an integrated co-teacher at Spry Middle School and prior to that, worked for 10 years at State Road Elementary School as a consultant teacher.
He has spent his entire teaching career in Webster CSD as a co-teacher in all subject areas, and has been a Warrior varsity assistant coach since 2005.  He is also a graduate of Webster Schroeder HS and a Webster resident.

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The Webster Parks and Recreation Department has asked me to remind everyone about their great summer camp programs.

Right now is the time to sign up for programs to keep your kids active and entertained this summer. The Rec offers both full-day camps for children ages kindergarten through 5th grade, and fun camps for teenagers.

In full-day camp, kids are grouped by grade and rotate through a variety of indoor and outdoor activities. Campers will also enjoy several field trips to miniature golf, Seabreeze, bowling, movies ad more.

The Fun Camps will take teenagers to a new exciting destination every dayfrom ice skating to RocVenture, a baseball game to paintball.

The Rec also offers a preschool camp for children ages 3 to 5, and half-day fun camp for kids in kindergarten through 3rd grade.

For more details about all the options, click here.

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opioidThe Monroe County Legislature and the school district are teaming up for a very important presentation on May 31 to raise awareness about the rising threat of opioid abuse in our community.

The presentation will be held Wednesday May 31 at 7 pm at the Webster Community Center, 1350 Chiyoda Drive. Click on the poster for more information.

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Webster Mailbag

25 Apr

mailbagI tell ya. Go away on a cruise for a week, you think you’ve got everything tucked away for a while, and you come back to an overstuffed email box.

Let’s get started.

The Webster Public Library’s spring book sale, sponsored by the Friends of the Library, happens this week.  Tuesday night is the members-only preview night, from 5 to 8:30, when members of the Friends get first crack at the incredible selection of books for sale. Don’t worry if you’re not a member. Memberships will be available at the door, so walk right up and take advantage of this special opportunity.

The general sale begins Wednesday April 26 at 10 am and runs through 8:30 pm. Thursday April 27 is buy one get one free day, and Friday (10 am to 5 pm) and Saturday (10 am to 1 pm) are bag days, when you pay just $3 for a bag of books.

All monies raised go to support library programs.

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The Webster Museum will host Webster resident Ed Harding for a very interesting archaeology program on Saturday April 29 at 2 p.m.

Harding will share his story on how finding a projectile point while digging a fence post in his father’s back yard in 2012 has kept him digging and finding many more Native American artifacts. He learned that the first arrowhead was more than 3,000 years old.

If you’ve found any smooth rocks or interesting rocks you think might be important, feel free to bring them along to the presentation and have Ed take a look at them.

And while you’re at the museum, make sure to check out the collection of Native American artifacts, which are also located on a Webster map according to where they were discovered. If you haven’t seen the woolly mammoth molar yet, which was found on a farm on State Road, it’s pretty cool.

The Webster Museum is at 18 Lapham Park in the village. It’s open Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday from 2 to 4:30 p.m. Admission is free and it’s  handicap accessible.

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St. Martin Lutheran Church, at 813 Bay Road in Webster, will host its Spring Chicken BBQ and FunFest on Saturday April 29 from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.

Half-chicken dinners including salt potatoes, cole slaw, roll, butter and beverage are available for $10.00. Pie slices and other desserts will also be available for purchase. A hot dog dinner for kids is $2.00.

Dinners are eat-in or take-out. Tickets can be reserved by calling the church office at 671-1899, or purchased at the event while supplies last. Proceeds support the church’s Christmas Stocking Project, which reaches more than 500 local youth in Monroe and Wayne counties.

The FunFest will feature the a bounce house, face painting and balloons.

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The First Baptist Church of Penfield, 1862 Penfield Road, has let me know about two events coming up in the next few weeks.

The Holy Yoga Spring Series, titled “Finding the Extraordinary in Our Ordinary Lives,” begins April 27 and runs every Thursday through May 25. The series is described: “Each week we will become a living prayer; praying together the prayer that Jesus gave us. Gentle, slow flow Holy Yoga will stretch us in heart, mind, body and soul.”

Classes begin at 6:30 p.m. and cost $10 each. All are welcome. Please bring your own mat.

On Saturday May 6, join the First Baptist Church of Penfield for Chicken Barbecue from 2 to 6 p.m., or until sold out. Chickens will be prepared on site by Gale-Wyn Catering. Dinners are $10.50 and include a half barbecued chicken, coleslaw or macaroni salad, salt potatoes, roll and butter, plus a dessert. Eat in or take out.

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Chorus of the Genesee announces annual show

14 Apr

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One of the most entertaining concerts of the spring is fast approaching: the Chorus of the Genesee’s 64th annual show, on Saturday May 20.

This year’s show is called “The Songs of Your Life,” with a fun theme. It’s a radio show being presented by WCOG Radio, featuring “best of” segments from four locations around Rochester, with each segment or locale having its own theme. Each segment is sponsored by one vintage advertiser, and will feature the Chorus of the Genesee and one quartet.

The internationally-ranked quartet “Throwback” will join the Chorus as this year’s special guest. Throwback has placed in the top 10 in international competition for the past two years, and their performance is always a crowd-pleaser.

“The Songs of Your Life” will be presented on Saturday May 20, beginning at 7 pm at Penfield High School. Tickets are $16 in advance ($12 for students), $18 at the door, and group pricing is available. To purchase, call (585) 265-9540 or contact any Chorus of the Genesee member.

The Chorus of the Genesee is a non-profit, educational organization devoted to preserving the original American art form of Barbershop Harmony. The Chorus rehearses in Webster, New York, but performs all over the greater Rochester area. A portion of our proceeds support both local and national service projects. For ore information, visit their website here.

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Greater Rochester Peep Show a sweet success

8 Apr

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Just a quick blog to tell everyone to tell everyone about my trip to the Greater Rochester Peep Show on Saturday afternoon.

What fun it was. More than 80 “paintings” and dioramas featuring marshmallow Peeps were spread among two rooms at the Webster Recreation Center, depicting everything from a library to a construction site to a baseball field. The creativity was amazing, and several of them made me laugh out loud.

The Peep Show runs through Sunday, from noon to 4 pm. There’s no admission charge, but you can purchase concessions and voting tokens to vote for your favorite entry. Kind of the “Peeple’s Choice” winner.

The kids will enjoy peeking out of the 8-foot long fairy castle and shooting peeps with a slingshot on the Peeps target range.

You don’t want to miss it. Noon to 4 Sunday, Webster Recreation Center, 1350 Chiyoda Drive.

You can see a lot more photos in my Webster on the Web Facebook gallery.

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Busy weekend ahead

5 Apr

I’ll be bopping around Webster all day Saturday, camera in hand, taking photos of two

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Student artwork from all of Webster’s schools will be on display at Community Arts Day. 

great community events you and the family will not want to  miss.

 

For starters, the Webster Central School District’s annual celebration of our students’ artistic talents, Community Arts Day, returns this Saturday from 10 am to 4 pm at Webster Schroeder High School, 875 Ridge Road.

This is a super family-friendly event, which features artwork from students representing all of our Webster schools, elementary through high school. There are free music performances, dance, community displays, food and baked goods for sale, and plenty of things for kids to do. And just about everything is free of charge.

It’s a great entertaining, low-cost way for the family to spend a morning or afternoon. You can check out the whole schedule here.

And while you’re out and about…

The Greater Rochester Peep Show is also Saturday (and Sunday) at the Webster Recreation Center.

This fun fund-raiser sponsored by the Webster Community Chest invites community groups and agencies to create sculptures or dioramas completely out of — or utilizing — marshmallow Peeps candies. This is the second year the Community Chest has hosted the show, and they expect it be even bigger and more spectacular than the last.

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One of the fanciful creations from the first Greater Rochester Peep Show in 2015.

You can vote for you favorite Peeps creation with tokens which you can buy at show, or just wander around the display rooms and admire the artwork. In either case it should be lots of fun and I am looking forward to seeing this year’s displays. There’s also free face painting for the kids.

 

The show will run from from 11 am to 6 pm Saturday and noon to 4 pm Sunday. You can read more about it here.

The Webster Recreation Center is located at 1350 Chiyoda Drive, just north of the village of Webster.

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