Ever since opening here in Ponderosa Plaza more than a year ago, Regional Donut Authority has proven itself to be a serious cut above the usual fried-cake fare.

“The large chain donut companies get their donuts from a central processing plant where they are made the day before,” says Regional Donut Authority owner Rich Lickfield. “Our donuts are made while you wait, so you get a hot and fresh donut that literally melts in your mouth every time.”

Staffed by Rich, his wife, Sue, and sometimes their kids Richie, Mandy, and Logan, the Regional Donut Authority sells classic old-fashioned donuts as well as newfangled fried cakes with various glazes, ices and candy toppings all of which can be washed down with apple cider or hot coffee.

But what’s going to happen when Dunkin’ Donuts opens its drive-thru restaurant two blocks away at 105 Second St.?

Good chance that Lickfield’s family business will suffer.

Last Sept. 8, Lickfield was one of 10 local folks who spoke out against the DD proposal here at a public hearing conducted by the planning board. He assured the planners that if the drive-thru was allowed to open on Second Street, his shop was doomed. Village officials simply ignored him and gave Dunkin’ Donuts a green light.

Instead of helping out a local guy who sells a superior product, village officials helped out Ed Wolak, a Portland, Maine-based entrepreneur who has expanded into Central New York. Today The Wolak Group and its affiliates own and operate more than 70 Dunkin’ Donuts restaurants in New England and New York.

Unless the contractors hit a snag on Second Street, it appears that the Dunkin’ Donuts will open here in a few weeks. How long the Lickfields can stay in business remains to be seen, but Rich and Sue know for certain that village officials simply don’t care.

For info, visit donutauthority.com or call (315) 451-3000.

Barking Gull now open 

The Barking Gull at 116 S. Willow St. opened for the season on June 7. Now sporting a big outdoor bar on its front patio, the Gull serves up wood-fired pizzas and a decent array of seafood dishes from steamed clams and mussels to fried calamari and clam boats.

General manager Adam Gormel has hired the well-experienced Rachel Chatterton as floor manager along with plenty of enthusiastic bar maids and servers. Adam himself often mans the 900-degree Italian-made wood-fire stove, which can cook a pizza in a matter of minutes.

The Gull is open from 4 p.m. to closing Tuesday through Friday and noon to closing Saturday and Sunday. The kitchen closes at 11 p.m., and the club is closed every Monday; (315) 457-2780 or retreatrestaurant.com/pages/gull/gull.html.

Death don’t have no mercy   

One of Liverpool’s best rock musicians has played his last chorus. Keyboardist Bob Lindberg died June 1, at Francis House. The longtime Galeville resident was 68 years old.

“The world has lost a terrific keyboard player,” said Syracuse Area Music Awards Hall of Famer Jan Fetterly. “Bob was one of the best that I ever performed with. He was a great husband, and an all-around cool, quick-witted, level-headed guy and good friend.”

Bob was a graduate of Liverpool High School Class of 1966, an avid golfer and sports fan plus an obsessive collector of vintage music and movies.

Earlier in his career, Bob played with Carnage and The Limit, and more recently with Smokin’ and The Strangers.

His friend and bandmate Frank Rhodes said Bob enjoyed vocalizing a handful of memorable rock tunes like “Great Balls of Fire,” “I Fought the Law,” “Ride the Pony” and “Where Have all the Good Times Gone?”

Bob’s calling hours were Wednesday, June 7, at Maurer Funeral Home in the village.

A moment of silence was observed at Johnson Park before the concert by Butternut Creek Revival that evening.

Free concerts at Johnson Park

The free concerts presented by Liverpool is The Place continue at 7 p.m. Wednesday, June 21, The Other Guise return with legendary Liverpool rocker Jan Fetterly on drums and vocals. And the big-band bonanza continues on Monday, June 26, with Jeff Stockham’s 20-piece Stock Market Swing Orchestra playing jazz from the 1920s and ’30s. On Wednesday June 28, the Budd Zunga Band powered by Liverpool drummer Dave Clement, will deliver two electric sets of rock ’n’ roll;(315) 457-3895.

Contact the columnist at [email protected].