BY Jason Emerson

Editor

The year 2016 will be memorable for numerous events that happened around the country and the world, but in Cazenovia, this past year will forever be the year that Aldi came to town. This has clearly been the most read, most discussed, most clicked-on and shared story in our community. But it has not been the only story.

This past year has had a number of major headlines in the areas of community news, crime, arts, schools, business and sports that made us rejoice, lament, commiserate and, at times, shake our heads in utter consternation and confusion. But whatever the story, everything that has happened these past 12 months has all been the story of Cazenovia.

Thinking back over the past year, and looking through the past 52 issues of the Cazenovia Republican, some of the “top stories” of the year were obvious. In addition to the proposal and ultimate approval of the Aldi grocery store, major stories included: The DeRuyter armed bank robbery and subsequent arrest of the suspect; the stabbing in Cazenovia and ultimate arrest of the suspect; the groundbreaking, opening and ribbon cutting on the new Empire Farmstead Brewery; the opening and ribbon cutting of the new Hampton Inn and Suites Hotel on Route 20; the first-ever Friday Night Lights home football game for Cazenovia; the hiring and installation of the new Cazenovia College president; the naming and dedication of the Robert S. Dubik high school baseball field; and the Cazenovia Public Library’s Library of the Year award, coupled with Betsy Kennedy’s public library staff member of the year award.

On the social media side of the Cazenovia Republican, while many of the above stories were among the most-viewed and most-shared stories on the Republican Facebook page (which currently has 2,724 followers or “likes” — up 500 likes from last year), many other stories also had huge responses.

The stories with the most online views were not only the stories mentioned above — the Aldi approval story alone was viewed by readers 30,000 times — but also included: The Fenner windmill that had a blade fall off (20,000 impressions), the photo by Jonathan Holstein of a full rainbow over Cazenovia Lake (19,900 impressions), the rabid fox attack on two people on East Lake Road (10,100 impressions), the new location for Spruce Ridge Landscape and Garden Center in Nelson (9,400 impressions), local 12-year-old Helen Bonavita’s U.S. Figure Skating gold medal (9,400 impressions), and the announcement of the new Caz Fitness studio (8,400 impressions).

The two most-read stories of the year on our Facebook page were the Aldi/Cazenovia Market approval and the DeRuyter armed bank robbery — both of which readers viewed 30,000 times and vast numbers of shares and likes.

Both the most horrifying and most ridiculous story of the year was easily the 22-year-old Fenner man who was arrested for felony cruelty to animals after shooting his mother’s kitten six times with a .22 rifle. The man, Michael Vreeland, then received a second felony charge for making a threatening telephone call — using the county jail telephone, no less — to a person who had an order of protection filed against him.

The most shocking story of the year for us and many of our readers was when an apparently rabid fox attacked two people on East Lake Road last June, after which the animal was killed and disposed of. Neither of the people was bitten or injured, although both the truck one was driving and the riding lawnmower another was operating were damaged from the fox’s attacks.

One of the most interesting and inspiring stories of the year was about two Cazenovia kidtrepreneurs, Taven and Paige Reilley, ages 10 and 8, respectively, at the time, who started a new flavored water business in Cazenovia using water from Skaneateles Lake. They are handcrafting their new product, LoRH2O, in the Nelson distillery of their parents’ beverage company, Life of Reilley Distilling and Wine Company.

So many stories occurred this past year to uplift, frustrate, inspire and depress us; so many to enjoy revisiting, and some that we wish to never read again.

Looking back over the events of a year reminds us of our humanity, and brings into focus why it is important that we are — and that we remain — a thoughtful, caring and neighborly community.

Below are the top stories of the year 2016, listed chronologically by original publication:

Empire Farmstead Brewery opens

This was a milestone year for Empire Brewing Company, whose owner and founder, David Katleski, is also a Cazenovia resident. After beginning construction of its farmstead brewery on Rippleton Road in 2015, Empire kicked off 2016 with the January delivery and installation of brand new, state-of-the-art 60 barrel brewhouse, as well as a bottling line and cutting-edge water treatment facility. The machinery arrived during a three-day delivery process — and in the midst of a snow storm that shut down the Cazenovia school district — and all was installed immediately upon delivery.

In May, the farmstead brewery successfully brewed its first batch of craft beer, East Coast Amber Ale, which put Empire one step closer to bottling their beer for the very first time. The company released its first bottles of beer for commercial sale and bar consumption in early June, and then opened its tasting room and kitchen on June 25.

Since then, the Empire Farmstead Brewery has been churning out both new and traditional beers from Cazenovia, and the tasting room, which is open Thursday through Sunday evenings, has been the place to eat and drink in town — and has brought vast amounts of out-of-town visitors to Caz. The new brewery has also created 70 new full-time jobs in Cazenovia.

On Nov. 15, five years after the initial idea, 18 months after the groundbreaking and five months after the soft opening, the grand opening ribbon was officially cut on the Empire Farmstead Brewery. New York State Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul headlined a large contingent of local, regional and state elected officials at the Nov. 15 event, which was also attended by local community members, Empire employees, family members and friends.

“The reception [at the Cazenovia tasting room] has been very warm. I promised from day one we would bring a world-class brewery the likes of which was never seen before, and I think we’ve done that,” Katleski said “These are exciting times for Empire. Packaging and distributing our beer is like a re-birth of sorts. We look forward to the fun challenges that are before us.”

Chesbrough becomes new Cazenovia College president

Cazenovia College named Ronald Chesbrough, Ph.D., as its 29th president after completing a seven-month nationwide search in January 2016.

Chesbrough, at the time president of St. Charles Community College in Cottleville, Mo., brought with him more than 25 years of academic leadership experience and achievements, as well as a history of involvement in community organizations and professional associations. He is also a native of Northern New York and received his bachelor’s degree in psychology and economics from the State University of New York at Potsdam.

Chesbrough assumed his position on July 1, and was officially installed as the 29th president of Cazenovia College in an official ceremony on Aug. 19, the first day of college classes.

“It’s just been a spectacular welcome from everybody,” he said during an interview in August.

Chesbrough immediately began his tenure with hiring new administrators, reaching out to work with local community leaders, holding meetings with college personnel as a way to set a “blueprint” for the future and build a strategic plan for the institution.

He said one of his main priorities during his tenure will be to repair and rebuild those relationships so the college can once again be seen as a community partner. For many in Cazenovia, this was and is seen as a new beginning in community/college relations — relations that had soured over many years.

“Any time new leadership comes in, it’s an opportunity to build, maintain, rebuild or grow relations,” he said. “We need to make sure we are known and that we recognize our responsibilities as leaders of the community.”

Since Chesbrough became president, the college has hosted a community open house, officially opened its renovated Jephson Campus building, announced new academic and athletic offerings for students and joined in the community effort to consider creating a YMCA in Cazenovia.

Two stabbed in Jailhouse alley

An unusual crime for Cazenovia occurred early this year, when two Cazenovia College students were attacked and received multiple stab wounds during the early morning hours of Sunday, Feb. 7, in Jailhouse Alley. The two victims were treated for non-life-threatening injuries at area hospitals and released.

Within one week of the crime, Cazenovia Police investigators had identified the suspected perpetrator, who they said was visiting friends in the village, was not a resident of Central New York and had fled the region immediately after the crime occurred.

In May, a Madison County grand jury handed down indictments on Donald Linderfils, aka “Prince,” 19, of Brooklyn, for two counts of assault in the second degree, a class D felony, and one count of criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree, a class A misdemeanor. An arrest warrant was issued for Linderfils the same day.

On Friday, June 3, Linderfils was arrested without incident in New York City by Cazenovia police officers and charged with the crimes of the indictment.

“This was a great job by my officers in locating [the suspect], especially since we started with two uncooperative victims and nothing but a nickname,” said Cazenovia Police Chief Hayes.

Aldi grocery store proposed and approved for Cazenovia

The biggest, and most controversial, story of the year in Cazenovia was the proposal and approval of the “Cazenovia Market” redevelopment project in the Village Edge South development zone on Route 20. The project’s anchor building was announced to be an Aldi grocery store, and also included a pharmacy with drive thru, a bank with drive thru, a fourth unspecified retail business and 32 units of senior apartment housing. The project, officially submitted to the village planning board in April, required the annexation of 10.7 acres of land from the town into the village and, if approved, the demolition of the defunct Bella’s Restaurant and Cazenovia Motel buildings to make way for the Aldi.

A joint village/town board was created in May to discuss and vote on the proposed annexation. The group held two public meetings, during which numerous residents showed up and voiced opinions both for and against annexation — although the opinions typically were more about approving or rejecting the Aldi than the actual land annexation. Both the village and town boards needed to vote to approve annexation separately for it to occur. The village board unanimously approved to move, while the town board voted 4-1 to approve.

The village planning board review of the project took six months, during which board members were tasked to ultimately vote on site plan approval, special permit approval, subdivision approval and architectural review. The board worked for months with the developers and other municipal boards and agencies to ensure the proposed development conforms to village codes, specifically the VES Development Guidelines.

The proposal was a contentious one, with community members and preservation groups urging the planning board to reject the project for fear it will destroy the character of the village, while supporters said the project offered reasonable and necessary economic development to Cazenovia.

Into this mix, the Madison County Planning Department (MCPD) created shockwaves throughout the community when it issued an unprecedented nine-page GML Recommendation Report on Oct. 3 that meticulously dissected the proposal, rejected every aspect of it and called it merely “a start” that was so developer-driven as to be nowhere near approvable. In response, Mayor Kurt Wheeler sent a letter to the county and the village planning board calling the MCPD report inaccurate and biased in a way “unprecedented in scope and tone,” and “a direct attack on the sovereignty of the village.”

Cazenovia Town Supervisor Bill Zupan was also critical of the MCPD report, as was this newspaper, which published an editorial calling it egregiously and overtly biased and something that made the arguments and controversies over the project worse rather than objectively clarifying issues.

Almost two months later, after multiple meetings, hours of work, numerous changes to the project by the developers, the Cazenovia Market redevelopment project was approved by the village planning board on a split vote of 3-2. The approved resolution contained 17 conditions.

The developers said the project construction sequence will be for the Aldi to be built in spring 2017, with the residential apartments, bank building, road work and necessary infrastructure all done simultaneously next; and the drug store component maybe not for 12 to 18 months.

Baseball field named in honor of Robert S. Dubik

On a June afternoon that alternated between periods of sun and rain, more than 100 local residents gathered to dedicate the Robert S. Dubik baseball field at the Sean M. Googin Sports Complex on Fenner Road in honor of the former district superintendent who passed away in 2014.

Dubik had a 38-year career in education, which included 14 years in Cazenovia, the last 10 of which he served as district superintendent. During his tenure, the Cazenovia district had numerous accomplishments of which he was proud, he said shortly before his retirement in 2014, with the highlight being the recognition of Burton Street Elementary as a 2012 National Blue Ribbon School by the U.S. Department of Education.

Dubik was also an avid baseball fan, a little league coach and an umpire at the high school and college levels. One of the projects he helped bring to fruition as superintendent was the creation of the new varsity baseball field at the Googin Sports Complex, and he threw out the first pitch at the field dedication ceremony in 2011.

Dubik retired in June 2014 after 14 years in Cazenovia. Shortly after his retirement, he was diagnosed with cancer, and quietly passed away at his home just five months later.

In spring 2015, longtime Cazenovia school board members Karin Marris, Cindy Bell Tobey, Pat Vogl and Jan Woodworth broached the idea to honor Dubik by naming the ball field after him.

“He was there for everyone,” said Vogl who was school board president in 2015. “Dedicating this field to Bob is something that needed to be done and, by the turnout here today, it’s what everyone wanted to be done.”

Dubik’s widow Terri said she and her family were “truly humbled” by the honor given to her husband with the field naming. As rain poured down for a few minutes in the middle of the ceremony, she said the sun and rain just showed that Bob was looking down on the ceremony. “I know he’s smiling but crying too,” Terri said.

Hampton Inn and Suites opens for business

In July, the Hampton Inn and Suites by Hilton in Cazenovia opened for business. The four-story, 80-room hotel took eight years from conception to completion, and its construction has added not only more overnight accommodations to the community, but a much-needed 300-person conference facility as well.

Construction began in May 2015 and the hotel opened on July 1 of this year. The total project cost $9 million, part of which was paid through a $1.28 million grant the company received from the New York State Regional Economic Development Council in December 2014.

The grand opening ceremony and ribbon cutting, which took place Wednesday, Aug. 24, was attended by local residents, project contributors, and numerous local, regional and state political officials, including New York State Lieutenant Governor Kathy Kochul.

“We have a room deficit in the county — people can’t always stay here when they come for events. This hotel will go a long way to close that gap for us,” said Madison County Tourism Office Executive Director Scott Flaherty in August. “I’m also excited about the hotel’s ability to host groups. This opens us up for more motor coach business and makes us more amenable to those group travelers. It’s a great opportunity for everyone in the county.”

DeRuyter bank robbed by armed man

An armed robbery occurred the morning of Aug. 26 at Citizens Bank in DeRuyter, when a male suspect entered the bank wearing a disguise, displayed what was described as a flintlock pistol and demanded money. The robber got away with $3,868.

The suspect fled in a black midsize pickup truck, possibly a Chevrolet Canyon or Colorado, headed north on State Route 13. State police, Madison County Sheriff’s Office deputies and Cazenovia police officers mobilized immediately upon hearing of the alleged robbery and began to scour Madison County roads in search of the suspect.

The robber, later identified as Michael J. Butler, 39, of LaFayette, was arrested by state police nine days later on Berwyn Road in Fabius and charged with robbery in the second degree.

Butler pleaded guilty to the charge in Madison County Court and received a determinate sentence of from 3.5 to 7 years in state prison, with a post release supervision of from 3.5 to 5 years, and restitution for any stolen money not recovered by police.

Friday Night Lights football in Caz

On Friday, Sept. 23, Cazenovia football experienced its first night home game when the Lakers took on the Camden Blue Devils at Buckley-Volo Field under temporary field lights. A drizzling rain, that at times changed to a downpour, did not stop 1,500 people from attending the game and watching Caz crush Camden in a 67-6 victory.

This special event – for one game only last season – was conceived by the football staff and football program supporters as a way to have a big football game and be part of the Friday Night Lights culture that exists nationally for one time at a home game. Cazenovia varsity football has never played a night game at home because there are no lights on the high school field, while the vast majority of schools the Lakers play do have both lights and night home games.

The Board of Education and the district administration enthusiastically supported the idea, seeing it as good timing with the Lakers coming off a year as state football champs and a lot of excitement in the community for the new season.

While the rain, coupled with cold temperatures, may have shrunk the size of the crowd from what was expected and hoped, everyone involved called the event a success.

“Not only was it a resounding win on the field, but it also clearly was a victory for school and community spirit and pride,” said Superintendent Matt Reilly. “We can’t thank enough all of the groups and individuals that helped put this special event together. Feedback has been incredibly positive with many people asking whether this might become an annual event.”

Cazenovia Public Library named Library of the Year

The Cazenovia Public Library and its director, Betsy Kennedy, were singled out this year as the best public library and best public library staff member in a four-county area of 63 library systems. The honors, handed out by the Central New York Library Resources Council (CLRC) on Oct. 4, were given after months of public voting with library users writing up to 250 words on why their libraries were the best in the region.

Nominated libraries needed to exhibit certain qualities in order to be considered for the award, including their convenience, activeness and response to patrons; the quality of their collections, programs, services and patron assistance; and having knowledgeable staff and welcoming physical and online spaces.

Nominated library staff were to be recognized as an individual who routinely goes above and beyond to serve their community.

During this year’s awards voting, there were a vast number of nominations made, but Cazenovia, as Public Library of the Year, “received by the far the most nominations,” said CLRC Executive Director Debby Emerson.

The nominations for Cazenovia included references to its collections, its art gallery and cultural museum, its mummy and Egyptian collection and its outstanding staff.

Kennedy said one of her favorite nomination letters was written by 11-year-old Claire Braaten, who began her letter stating, “Have you ever walked into a room that immediately made all your worries melt away? That felt like you were surrounded by magic? Well that’s how Cazenovia Library makes me feel. They deserve to win Library of the Year.”