[Editor’s Note: Joseph Genco is a recovering newspaper reporter and editor who publishes a daily opinion column called Short Takes, which we have re-posted with permission. Joe moved to Clarence to serve as Bee editor in 1987, and he and his wife Beth raised their sons Joe and Ben here. The opinions expressed herein are strictly his own.]

–Great to see Judy Sirianni helping as a judge with faithful sidekick Carol Conway by her side. Judy and Carol, by their presence, give me hope the Clarence Chamber is headed in the right direction. By my count, over 400 cars.

–Wonderful that Troop 93 was there to park cars, but when stopping every guest for a donation backs cars up on Main all the way to Goodrich, something needs to change.

-And the winners:

Best Appetizer: Locale Grill Beef on Weck Eggroll.

Best Entree: Carmine’s Crab stuffed Shrimp

Best Dessert: Clarence Coffee House Frozen hot chocolate

Silver Spoon winner (Peoples choice award): Brennan’s

Brennan’s with the 4 peat winner- but it was close, within 4 votes of the next closest restaurant

–Great to see Bill O’Donnell, eagle-eyed park security guy, spy a young hot-rodder he recognized whom he had previously watched speed in the park a few months ago and walk over to give him a what for.  Stupid is as stupid does but 40 mph on a bike path is fun and games until somebody mows down a bicyclist or child.

–I saw Elaine without Peter for the first time. It made me sad.

–Hung out for a while with Tom Lester of Complete Payroll, discussing how he helps businesses solve the payroll problem, big or small, while referring employee benefits like group life, workman’s comp, and retirement planning to someone like me. Learn more at www.completepayroll.com

–Nice to see our Financial Partners of Upstate New York booth staffed by Alexio Medina, Ryan Wargala and Mike Budaszewski, telling folks about how we protect families and help people plan for retirement. I was busy parking cars with Scott R. Medole as they hung out in the shade.

–As I was leaving, I had a nice chat with Bob Hartinger (sp) of Lockport. He told me about all the custom paint on his 2005 PT Cruiser “Small but Mighty.” He bought it in New Jersey from someone who decorated it with images honoring 9/11 victims. A touching tribute.

–Saw my neighbor Josh Newton and his girlfriend. Josh was driving some kind of 1930s sedan hopped up into a hot rod, way too cool for an old guy like me to understand and way to powerful for a young guy like him to be driving. Then again, he dreamed it and built it and brought it to show, so bully for him. Newton’s Car Care is where we go for anything repair related because Perry and family are honest and hard working

–Had a nice discussion with Mary Jo of www.Sitkasalmonshares.com. She was serving awesome samples of smoked and peppered salmon, chilled on dry ice. They will have fish available at the Clarence Farmer’s Market. You can take $25 off your first share by using the code MT19.

–Adventures in car parking: Scott R. Medole roped me in but I was glad to help, planting my bicycle next to his truck and taking position to flag cars into place with Don Schmidt. It is a joy to ride a bike to a car show and avoid the traffic

–The first vehicle I admired was an early 1970s Buick Electra 225. 225 because that’s how many inches long it is, almost 19-feet from stem to stern.

–Saw Councilman Peter DiCostanzo struggling as guys like me do at shows like this, wondering how it was he didn’t have a glorious vehicle to show. 

–Great to see Simone Fancher and Jonathan Rowan working side-by-side in the Cheesy Chick Truck, all smiles.

–Jeff Wass and Mya Wright were there representing the Hurt Locker, offering a prize to anyone who could do 15 pullups. I did not try but likely would have maxed out at 10 or 12. 

–Admired Dick Kashdins 1972 Pinto with a big blower on top of the V8, hopped up enough to be scary, one accelerator push away from something wonderful or awful.

–There are always people behind the scenes making a difference, like Scott Medole parking show cars, Mark Medole helping with regular cars and Alayne Donner always reliably there helping out as needed as well as folks like Craig Arrison and Mark Fogal and Mark Johnson, happy to chip in and not often enough recognized. Great job by everyone involved and the chamber staff. 

Vol. 5, Issue 121 (130 possible) 9 consecutive, 1,519 overall