For decades every December when Santa Claus rolled into Johnson Park atop a shiny red Liverpool Fire Department truck, it was Vietnam veteran Garrey Curry who made sure old St. Nick was properly portrayed. Curry has been helping Santa here ever since 1972.
For the past few years, however, Garrey has been fighting the effects of various maladies, and for the first time this year – when American Legion Post 188 celebrates the season at 6 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 11, in the center of the village – he’ll forgo the fire truck ride and the annual appearance at the park.
Instead, one of his colleagues from the American Legion Post 188, Gary Collins, will don the crimson costume and carry that sack of sugary goodies on his back.
Collins has some big shoes to fill…and I don’t mean Santa’s.
Frog legs at Euclid
A few weeks ago, I waxed poetic about Bayberry Seafood serving frog legs, but come to find out the reptilian delicacy is also available at the Euclid Hotel.
Everybody always says that frog legs taste like chicken but, truth be told, the flavor’s far closer to alligator. Just ask the “Swamp People.”
USA Today skips L’pool
A Liverpool murder case was covered in “The Nation’s Newspaper,” USA Today, on Nov. 18, but Liverpool wasn’t even mentioned.
Instead, the item about Nicole DeJaynes being indicted for second-degree murder in connection with the death of her newborn daughter last January, was datelined Syracuse, which is indeed where the indictment came down and where the accused mom remains in jail.
New village constable
The Liverpool Police Department has hired a new officer, former Onondaga County Sheriff’s Deputy David Sturtz. A nine-year veteran of the sheriff’s department, Surtz also served in Iraq as a captain in the U.S. Army and is a member of the North Syracuse Fire Department.
An ecumenical effort
Two local churches – St. Joseph the Worker Roman Catholic Church and Liverpool First United Methodist Church – have united in an artistic effort to be staged twice on Sunday, Dec. 11, at St. Joe’s.
“Amahl and the Night Visitors,” Gian Carlo Menotti’s beloved operetta about the Nativity, will be conducted by James Welsch at 3 and 7 p.m., at the church, at the corner of Sixth and Tulip streets. Admission is free, but donations will be accepted; 457-5180.
SSO gone, not forgotten
Symphony Syracuse flutist Deb Coble, who lives in Liverpool, appeared at both the Syracuse Area Music Awards Hall of Fame induction on Nov. 10 at the Dinosaur Bar-B-Que, and at the Sammy Awards show at the Pirro Oncenter Nov. 11. She was among a handful of former Syracuse Symphony Orchestra musicians who proudly accepted the Sammys 2011 Lifetime Achievement Award on behalf of the now-defunct 50-year-old orchestra.
Symphony Syracuse, a “lifeboat” orchestra comprised of former SO musicians, will perform a holiday pops concert at 2:30 p.m. Dec. 18, at the Mulroy Civic Center, 411 Montgomery St. down city. Ticket prices range between $25 and $40; 472-7372.
Limestone Crick flows
Speaking of good music, guitarist Frank Rhodes (who plays with both Smokin’ and El Kabong) plays a solo set at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 8, at Café at 407 at Ophelia’s Place. Then the folk-rock combo Limestone Crick appears at 407 at 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 9.
Next week, it’s Two Brothers featuring (sister?) Debbie Gilbert at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 15; and Mark Zane & Friends at 7 p.m. Dec. 16. Admission is always free at Café at 407, but please drop a buck or two into the performers’ tip jar; 451-5544; opheliasplace.org.
Long winter expected?
Everyone’s asking when winter’s gonna begin.
Liverpool Trustee Bob Gaetano has an idea.
At a recent village board meeting he proclaimed, “Winter begins tomorrow and ends on Memorial Day.”
Enough said.
