2018 Webster Jazz Fest: Music, dancing, and rain

22 Jul

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Well, we’ve had better weather for the annual Webster Jazz Fest, but we definitely have had much, much worse.

For most of the afternoon and evening on Saturday for Jazz in the Streets, cloudy weather remained just that: cloudy.  But just about when Bill Tiberio was finishing his set and Prime Time Funk was setting up, the thousands of music lovers who packed the streets and sidewalks started feeling some sprinkles. Most were undeterred.

That is, until the rain got a little heavier about an hour later. That’s when people started packing up their quad chairs and umbrellas were raised. And Prime Time Funk played on, his drum-beats heard even beyond Phillips Road (This is actually true. Someone who lives down there told me so.)

By all accounts, the 2018 Webster Jazz Fest was another rip-roaring success, and the rain really didn’t do much to dampen that. My daughter Erin (who, as you know, writes for the Webster Herald) and I were out there taking photos, which I have compiled into a gallery which you can see here.

If you didn’t make it this year, you missed out on something special. Put it on your calendar right now for 2019, because it WILL be back.

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Photos from the Firemen’s Parade

21 Jul

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It took me a while to get around to this, but I wanted to make sure to post this gallery of photos from last week’s Webster Firemen’s Parade.

I was actually out of town and tasked my daughter Erin to take photos for me that evening, and she did a wonderful job. Sorry it took so long for me to share them all.

Here are a few of her shots. Click here to see more.

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Christmas in July at the market

21 Jul

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So it was, like, 80 degrees outside this morning, and people were out in their tank tops and shorts. Still, it looked like Christmas at Webster’s Joe Obbie Farmers Market, held every Saturday at Webster Towne Center Plaza.

It was the market’s annual Christmas in July celebration. Today, in addition to the market’s normal assortment of fresh fruits and vegetables, flowers, cheeses, baked goods and more, shoppers found the sales tents draped with sparkling garland; the farmers and crafters wearing Santa hats and antlers; snowmen (albeit made of wood) and even a big reindeer (also made of wood). And at the far end of it all, Santa sat in his big chair to welcome children, offering them the chance to get their gift requests in early.

The Webster Village Band was scheduled to play some holiday tunes; I wasn’t able to get there early  enough to see them, so if anyone has a photo of that, please send it along!

Here, in the meantime, is a small gallery of photos from the day.

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Work means play at the elementary schools

20 Jul
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A view of the work happening at Plank North Elementary (photo courtesy H. Balsamo) 

School’s out, the teachers are taking a much-needed break, and students are spending their days riding bikes, traveling and hitting the pool.

Nevertheless, there’s exciting stuff happening at the elementary schools.

If you drive by your school in the next few weeks, chances are you’ll see a lot of work going on near one of the playgrounds. Each one of the district’s seven elementary schools is getting new equipment this summer.

At Plank North, principal Craig Bodensteiner said the installation should take only about two weeks. “It’s been so long since we provided our ‘wish list’ of the additional equipment, I’m not sure of all the details,” he said, but he thinks the project includes some additional swings and “green/gold fun stations for our kiddos.”

Bodensteiner added that each of the seven buildings asked for different equipment to add some variety throughout the community.

Click here to see several more photos from the Plank North and Plank South work.

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Webster community mailbag

20 Jul

Well, folks, I’m back in town after a 10-day trip with my daughter through Spain (with a side trip to Lisbon, Portugal thrown in for good measure). I tried my best to auto-post some blogs while I was gone, but finally I’m back at the keyboard to blog live and in person.

And to wade through about two dozen new emails I got in my absence.

First order of business, then, is a mailbag to pass along all that news that people passed along to me while I was in sunny Spain.

First off, don’t forget about the Webster Jazz Fest, which begins tonight (Friday) with Jazz in the Pubs, and continues Saturday night with Jazz in the Streets. This event features an incredible variety of great music, and I consider it one of the best events of the entire summer. Pretty much everyone in Webster comes out.

For more details about the Fest, including who is playing and when, click here.

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Also tomorrow (Saturday) July 21, grab your kids and make your way down to the Joe Obbie Farmers Market for their annual Christmas in July event, featuring (of course) Santa Claus.

The Webster Village Band will be there playing holiday music and the entire market will be decked out in holiday splendor with special treats for the kids.

The Joe Obbie Market runs every Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Webster Towne Center Plaza (Kohl’s/Target Plaza) at the corner of Ridge and Holt roads.

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This is most definitely not Webster news, but it’s a great cause and you golfers out there will want to know about it.

The 23rd annual Leatherneck Open will take place on Monday July 23 at Greystone Golf Club in Walworth. Veterans, active duty and civilians are all welcome to participate in the event, which helps support Marines all across Western New York.

The event begins at 11 a.m. with a presentation of the colors in front of the Greystone club house, followed by a shotgun start. It’s not too late to register; for that matter, they’ll be taking registrations that morning at the event.

For more information, click here.

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Next weekend, July 28 and 29, the annual Waterfront Art Festival returns to North Ponds Park.

The event features artisans from all over Monroe County, who line the sidewalks with their tents, selling high-quality art and craft items. Food trucks and live entertainment will add to the fun.

Hours are Saturday July 28 and Sunday July 29 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. Admission is $3, with children 12 and under free. North Ponds Park is located on the Rt. 104 access road between Holt Road and Rt. 250 (use the Rt. 250 exit).

For more information click here.

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More news from the village:

The last Webster Wine Walk of the year is Saturday August 11 from 4 to 7 p.m. You’ll want to be at this one for sure, even if you’ve participated in these wine walks before, because there are different venues included this time around.

At 9 p.m. Kittelbergers Florists invites everyone down to their shop for fireworks to celebrate their 90th anniversary.

For tickets to the wine walk click here.

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Finally, this is news from the Town of Webster for folks who live on or near Gravel Road.’

Beginning the week of July 23, workers will be milling and paving Gravel Road between Regina Drive and Klem Road.

According to the press release from the Town,

During construction, traffic will be maintained with daily lane closures as needed. Flaggers will be used to guide traffic around the work areas. Continuous access to driveways and side streets will be maintained, except when work is occurring directly in front of these access points. In these situations, the delay will only be for a brief time until construction personnel indicate that it is safe to cross the work zone.

The work will progress rapidly and is expected to be completed by mid August. All work will be performed during the day.

For more information and a map, click here.

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Jazz Fest returns this weekend

18 Jul

This summer has already been a hot one, but it’s gonna heat up even more this weekend when the annual Webster Jazz Festival rolls back into town.

The fun starts this Friday night July 20 with “Jazz in the Pubs,” an opportunity to hop from one pub to another, sampling great drinks and great music.

The schedule Friday night looks like this:

  • 6:15: Carlton Wilcox at Sweet Wood BBQ
  • 6:30: El Rojo Jazz at The Coach Sportsbar
  • 7:00: Higher Ground at Barry’s Old School Irish
  • 7:00: Marco Amadio at the Brimont Bistro
  • 7:30: Paradigm Shift at Ploty’s Hometown Tavern
  • 8:00: Amanda Ashley at Pub 235

Then on Saturday night July 21, everything moves into the street. West Main Street will be cordoned off, a huge stage set up, with plenty of room left over for lawn chairs and snack tables.

Here’s the schedule for Saturday:

  • 6:00 to 7:15: The Klick
  • 7:30 to 8:45: The Bill Tiberio Band
  • 9:15 to 11:00: Prime Time Funk

Bring your own picnic fixings and beverages or you can buy something from one of many food vendors set up along the street.

Admission to all of this great entertainment, indoors and out, is free. If you’d like to check out a gallery of photos from last year, click here.

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My thoughts on the proposed new school start times

15 Jul

clockI’ve been giving some thought recently about discussions the Webster school district has been having about changing our schools’ start times.

I have to admit (rather sheepishly) that I haven’t really been paying very close attention to the process. I didn’t attend any meetings, didn’t follow the reports posted to the district website. Because the main focus seems to be on the secondary schools (based on adolescent sleep needs), I guess I really didn’t think it would affect me much, since I work in elementary.

That was my bad. It will definitely affect a lot of people, and as the blogger I should have followed it all more closely.

But not long ago a Plank North colleague of mine pointed out that the proposed changes will definitely affect us — and every elementary school — as well.

Allow me to back up a bit and fill in some long overdue details.

Based on the results from study groups and a community forum, a recommendation has been placed on the table that the board consider changing the district’s school start times to approximately 8:45 for secondary schools and 7:45 for elementary schools.

My colleague, and others, believe that this radical change in the start time for elementary students (whose school day now starts around 9 a.m.) will pose some challenges, especially with day care, after-school programs, breakfast programs and very early busing concerns.

There’s also some question about how well these young students will be able to adapt to the much earlier time, as they haven’t quite developed the self-management skills to stay focused and engaged that early.

There’s a lot to think about. I don’t know the answer, and I trust that the smart minds who are working on it are considering all the angles. It’s definitely a sticky problem, the solution to which will not make everyone happy. But I hope that the district plans another community forum in the near future, specifically to address some of these concerns from elementary school parents and teachers.

You can find a lot more information about this issue including a video from the June 5 community forum at this link.

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Bygone blog: Summer camp

14 Jul

This is the seventh in my series of Bygone Blogs, in which I am re-posting some of my favorite blogs from the last 10 years. This one was originally published on June 20, 2011. I post it today in honor of all the kids (young and old) who are going off to camp this summer. 

A letter to my son at camp

Lenore Skenazy had a funny column in Sunday morning’s newspaper. Maybe you saw it; she had come across a website which actually gave instructions to parents on how to write a letter to their child at camp. Now, I didn’t go so far as to try to find that website, but I suspect the advice is aimed at parents whose young children are at a sleep-away camp, perhaps for the first time.

My daughter showed me the column yesterday.  She suggested I follow the website’s instructions and send a letter to my son, who left for camp Friday morning.  I thought that was a terrific idea.

But since my son is 21 years old and will be spending his entire summer as a counselor at the YMCA’s Camp Gorham in the Adirondacks, mine reads a bit differently:

Dear Sean,

I hope you had a safe trip to camp on Friday morning. Actually, I know you did; your dad took you there personally since we won’t let you have your own car until you can pay collision costs yourself for a change.

I miss you already. I was just remarking on that as I gathered your laundry from the floor in your room and rediscovered the color of your carpet.  I will miss all the charming peculiarities that make you unique and that bring us such joy at home.

Like your superhuman ability to eat an entire box of cereal in just two bowlfuls. And an entire 29-ounce can of peaches in one sitting.

I will miss seeing what new musical instrument you have decided to befriend this week. I will miss the way you can see music in everything. Like when you “conduct” the directional signal in my car as it makes its steady blinky noise, and how you can turn any surface in the house into an impromptu drum when we least expect it. I will miss having to high-step through my office so as to not step on a cymbal or flute or tambourine.

I will miss hearing the “SLAM!  THUNK!” when you come in from teaching in the evening, slamming the door behind you and dropping everything you carry within a one-foot radius. I will miss having to kick you out of the lounge chair because Dad and I want to use the TV ourselves for a change.  I will miss worrying if you’ll be up in time for your appointments because you stayed up all night playing video games.

Yes, I will miss all of these things, because as aggravating as they all are, they all mean you’re home and you’re safe. And that’s all a mom needs to know.

So have fun at camp this summer, Sean. I’ll miss you. But I’ll try to remember that I get you nine months of the year, so it’s only fair those kids at Camp Gorham get you the other three months.

They have no idea how lucky they are.

Love, Mom

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First Responders 5K scheduled for August in Webster

12 Jul

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There’s a new 5K in town — and I mean in WEBSTER — and it’s one I think we can all get behind. It’s called the First Responders 5K, scheduled for 6:30 p.m. the evening of Friday August 31.

This information about the race comes from the event’s Facebook page:

The First Responders 5K will recognize the strength, perseverance, and courage of police officers, firefighters, EMTs, and their families in our local community.

First responders put their lives on the line for us every day as they face hardships that most of us will never know. The repetitive negative experience of stressful and potentially traumatic events that first responders face on a daily basis leaves them particularly vulnerable to post-traumatic stress disorder.

We hope that this event can raise awareness for PTSD in first responders, and raise funds to create a local charity that will provide support, awareness, assets, and services to first responders seeking assistance in dealing with the effects of PTSD. Join us as we recognize the service and sacrifice of the people who dedicate their lives to protecting ours.

The race will begin (and end, I assume) at Fireman’s Field on Ridge Road just west of the village of Webster. Cost is $20, or $10 for active first responders. T-shirts are not included but may be ordered for an additional $10. The race will be chip-timed, with finisher medals, post-race food and live music. To register or find out more information, click here .

Note: In conjunction with this race, a separate  Facebook event has been established for those interested in running in memory of Jimmy Weaver, a firefighter and paramedic who most recently served with the Holley Fire Department as a lieutenant. Jimmy passed away unexpectedly on June 28.

If you’d like to read more about Jimmy, click here for his obituary. If you would like to join the group running in his memory, still sign up on the regular race site, but then clock over to the group’s Facebook page to let them know about your support.

 

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The carnival is back in town!

10 Jul

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Let’s hope the weather keeps holding, because there are a lot of fun events coming up.

This week, of course, is when the Webster Firemen’s Carnival returns to town, kicked off with the huge Firemen’s Parade which will take over Main Street in the village on Thursday evening beginning at 6:30 p.m.

You can find all the details here on Facebook and here on the North East Joint Fire District website  about the Kiddie Parade, the Firemen’s Parade, and the carnival, but here are a few highlights:

  • Wednesday: Carnival opens at 6 pm at Firemen’s Field on Main Street. Featured attraction is a Craft Beer Night with wine and local breweries.
  • Thursday: The Firemen’s Parade kicks off at 6:30 p.m. , starting at Phillips Road and continuing down Main Street to Firemen’s Field. The carnival is open from 6 pm till late.
  • Friday: Carnival opens at 6 p.m., featuring live entertainment by Stateline from 8 to 11 p.m. in the beer pavilion.
  • Saturday: The Kiddie Parade will be held beginning at 12 noon. Registration begins at 11 a.m. at Spry Middle School on Sanford Street. The carnival runs through midnight with live entertainment, rides, games, food and drink, a bike raffle, and fireworks to end the night.

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marching bandAnd don’t forget about the Webster Marching Band Boosters’ thurd annual Food Truck Rodeo, scheduled for Friday July 20 from 5 to 9 pm in Webster Schroeder High School’s front parking lot.

The Marching Band Boosters sponsor various fundraising events throughout the year to help pay for the Webster Marching Band’s equipment, show productions, and competition-related trip expenses.

Organizers promise 15 food trucks including Macarollin’, Tuscan Wood Fired Pizza, Bob’s Kabobs, The Meatball Truck Co., Street Eats, Abbott’s, Kona Ice, Smoothies Plus, Eat Greek, Whole-E Roasters, Sweet Sammie Jane’s Pastry Shop, Chef’s, East Coast Toast Truck, Marty’s Birdland, and Brunch Box Rochester.

There will also be face painting for the kids, a visit by a West Webster Fire Department truck, and live music. Admittance to the rodeo is FREE, and all proceeds will benefit the Marching Band Boosters and Webster Marching Band members.

Webster Schroeder High School is located at 875 Ridge Road.

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