How badly does Liverpool Village Justice Tony LaValle, a Republican, want to be elected Salina Town Judge? Badly enough that he’s challenging a fellow Republican, Judge Andy Piraino, an incumbent with two decades experience on the bench.
How badly does LaValle want the town judgeship? Well, he has accepted the nomination of the Democratic Party to oppose Piraino on the November ballot.
How badly does Piraino want to retain his seat on the bench? Well, the longtime GOP stalwart seeks to strip LaValle of his Democratic nod by challenging him in a Sept. 12 primary.
That’s right: two Republicans are running against each other to claim the Democratic line on the Nov. 7 ballot for town judge.
Piraino reportedly gathered some 460 signatures of registered Democrats while LaValle collected about 388, to get their names on the primary ballot.
Objecting to signatures
How badly does Judge Piraino want to win a sixth term? Well, his campaign has twice officially objected to 45 of LaValle’s 388 signatures. To be listed on the primary ballot, each candidate needed at least 360 valid signatures. On July 26, however, the Onondaga County Board of Elections ruled that Piraino’s objections to LaValle’s designating petitions lacked merit and confirmed that LaValle’s name would appear on the Sept. 12 primary ballot.
That same day, July 26, the Piraino campaign petitioned New York State Supreme Court Judge Deborah Karalunas to overturn the BOE’s decision. Karalunas put the case on her August calendar, but on Aug. 1, the Piraino campaign suddenly withdrew its lawsuit.
So the battle lines have been drawn. It’s a classic clash between a crafty old pro and an ambitious, somewhat younger upstart — two longtime Republicans and former friends facing off in the unfamiliar trenches of a Democratic Primary! Stay tuned.
Correction
In my July 19 column, I inadvertently identified Sue Tillotson of Liverpool as the daughter of former Mayor Floyd Tillotson, but she’s actually his daughter-in-law. Sue is married to Floyd’s son, David.
“My dad died when I was very young,” she recalled, “so when I met Dave, Floyd became my dad.”
Free floats
The Liverpool Public Library Ice Cream Floats and Coloring with Book Exchange event is scheduled for 2 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 23, in the Carman Community Room. Enjoy a cool, refreshing ice cream float and exchange a well-loved book for something new and exciting. The event will offer books and coloring for the whole family, including adults. No registration required.
Free concerts concluding
The 2017 summer concert series presented by the Liverpool Is The Place Committee concludes next Wednesday, Aug. 23, when Two Feet Short take the stage under the new roof at Johnson Park, at 7 p.m.
The entertaining folk and oldies duo made up of Jimmy Flynn and Don Meixner host the annual John Denver Memorial Food Drive concert at which audience members contribute non-perishable food items which Liverpool Is The Place donates to the Fishes and Loaves Food Pantry at St. Joseph the Worker Roman Catholic Church, at Sixth and Tulip streets.
On Wednesday, Aug. 16, the park will resonate with R&B and soul music care of Syracuse singer Michael Houston & 5th Edition, and on Monday, Aug. 21, the Mario DeSantis Orchestra celebrates its 70th anniversary.
Salt potato variation
I hyped the Syracuse Chiefs’ Salt Potatoes promotion in last week’s column, but I forgot to mention a tasty appetizer special recently served at The Retreat, 302 Vine St., in the village. They’re called Loaded Smashed Salts. The sodium-crusted spuds are smothered with Monterey jack and cheddar cheese, chives, bacon, jalapeños and a dollop of sour cream, served in a skillet, for $8.95.
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