Nearly three years ago, lovers of the Manlius swans were outraged when a man destroyed swan eggs in a nest near the village pond.

Now the state wants the village itself to destroy its swans' eggs.

Swan images can be found on village signs, its website and its logo. People line the fence at the swan pond to see the swans, and admire the baby swans when they first venture into the Manlius Swan Pond. The swans and their offspring have become iconic symbols of the village.

Faye (the female) is the carrier of a recessive gene for a rare mutation that give swans white bills and feet and blue eyes rather than the typical black feet, black-and-orange bills and brown eyes.

Grant the village of Manlius an invasive species license and allow them to keep Faye, Manny, and their offspring! As long as they follow the new regulations to allow responsible ownership of the birds in captivity.