Murphy, who had a 31-year career with the weekly Messenger Post Newspapers in Rochester's suburbs, died shortly after covering a youth sports event at Frontier Field in Rochester.

   Such events were the staple of his columns and notebooks over the years, and "Murf" sitings -- usually with a baseball cap and a camera -- on the sidelines of high school sports events were also common.

   "Murf was the classic dedicated journalist, always covering what needed to be covered no matter what," MPN executive editor Robert Matson said. "He hardly ever took a vacation."

   Murphy grew up in the Rochester area and earned a bachelor of arts degree in speech communications from Geneseo State in 1975. He soon signed on at Wolfe Publications, which was later purchased by the Ewing family and merged with The Daily Messenger of Canandaigua.

   Code of conduct: The Horseheads school board on Monday adopted its new comprehensive code of conduct for athletes, coaches, parents and spectators by a vote of 7-1.

   The code of conduct, under study since November by committees representing the various groups, sets standards of accountability for behavior during athletic events. Coaches are not bound to the code until it's adopted by their union.

   School officials say they will re-examine the rules annually over the first three years.

   Counting down to the ESGs: LoHud.com, the web site for The Journal News, has launched its 2007 Empire State Games site. The 30th anniversary Empire State Games come to Westchester County for the first time July 25-29.

   Extra points: Vinnie Montagna, boys soccer coach at St. Joseph by-the-Sea, is retiring after 20 seasons and will be replaced by assistant Bill Hunt, The Advance of Staten Island reported.

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