Friday, November 13

It's Friday the 13th!
Click Here for for some of the lore behind it from history.com

- WEATHER -

- COVID-19 UPDATES & IN THE MAIL -

Click Here for the Latest from Governor Cuomo

Click Here for the COVID Report Card

Click Here for the Latest from the CDC

Click Here for the NYS Department of Labor

Click Here for the NYS Park Department

Click Here for the Oneida County COVID-19 Dashboard

Click Here for the Madison County COVID-19 Dashboard

The second Parent/Teacher Conference Day is Wednesday!

Wednesday, November 18

Purple Team = No Classes

Gold Team = Virtual Classes Only from 1:30-4:00

- AROUND TOWN -

We wouldn't want to miss this one posted by Tom!

Plus an 18th!

Veterans Day the weather shifted, and the rain came. All day.

If you have not seen them, we recommend jumping on to the Waterville Residential Care Center's Facebook page to read about some of the fantastic veterans who now live there.

Photo: Waterville Residential Care Center
Anthony “Tony” Graziano

Mr. Graziano is a World War II Veteran, and a legend in both the boxing and restaurant worlds.

Mr. Graziano was a paratrooper in World War II and fought for our country and freedom for most of the duration of the war. He served in the European Theatre and was involved in many important battles including one of the major battles of World War II “The Battle of the Bulge”, which took place in Germany and Belgium and lasted for one month, one week and two days from December 16, 1944 to January 25, 1945. The “Battle of the Bulge” victory was an important step in enabling the Allied Forces to win the war.

Born in Verona, NY in 1922, Mr. Graziano began his boxing career early life and at one time had over 60 boxers under his wing and owned boxing gyms in Canastota, Rome, Syracuse and Utica. He became famous as a world-class boxing trainer/promoter/manager who worked with world champion boxing icons Carmen Basilio and Billy Backus. He also helped two other world champion boxing celebrities, Thomas Rocco Barbella and Jake “the Raging Bull” Lamotta get their life back on track to hall of fame boxing careers when he got them out of reformatory school early in their lives. In fact, Thomas Rocco Barbella took Mr. Graziano’s surname and became known as Rocky Graziano.

“Tony” Graziano also assisted in the establishment of the International Boxing Hall of Fame in Canastota, NY in 1989. He was inducted into the Bare Knuckle Boxing Hall of Fame in Belfast, Allegany County, in 2012 and was presented with a commemorative statue. Mr. Graziano helped the Onondaga County War Memorial in Syracuse, NY gain prominence in the 1950s and founded the Canastota Boxing Club. He was actively involved in the boxing world up until three or four years ago.

He began his culinary career as a teenager helping in elite restaurants in Utica, NY. In 1950, Mr. Graziano opened his own place and became the owner/operator and head chief of Graziano’s Italian Restaurant, located in Canastota, NY, that just recently closed after 70 years of business. His restaurant was known for having “five-star” cuisine and he was regarded as one of the best chiefs around.

​Mr. Graziano is a true American Hero, as a World War II veteran, a world champion in boxing and a restaurateur legend!

Happy Veteran’s Day

Thank you for your service!

After starting the week in the 70s, there was a short-lived frost today, Friday morning, that has given way to partly cloudy skies at a more November-like 46 degrees. With the mild weather and the kind of year we've had, holiday decorations of all kinds can be discovered right now, and we can't blame a single them on any level! The DPW had the right idea, and switched out the summer banners for holiday wreaths. The additional lights that wrap the poles have not been lit yet, so we have even more to look forward to after Thanksgiving.