Hometown Oneonta 01-13-2022

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AllOTSEGO.com, OTSEGO COUNTY’S DAILY NEWSPAPER/ONLINE COMPLIMENTARY

Oneonta, N.Y., Thursday, January 13, 2022

COVID-19

SUNY opens test site, County seeks answers to Milford test delays

Photo by Kathleen Peters.

On second thought, let’s not go outside The weekend’s freezing rain and sleet brought slippery roads and sidewalks, iced-over cars, and frozen windowscapes like this throughout Otsego County — all leading to quintessential January cold by the beginning of the week.

INSIDE ►THE CRYSTAL BALL: Otsego County Chamber of Commerce invites officials to predict 2022, page 2.

►loft-y goals: Oneonta’s Dietz Street project takes shape and preps for fall move-ins, page 3. ►NOT SO FAST, THERE: We suggest taking a moment or two on the idea of term limits, page 4. ►YOU’LL FREEZE YOUR WHAT NOW?: Clark Sports Center launches 2022 ‘Frozen Toes’ run and the Octet Challenge rages on, page 8. ►A FEW THOUGHTS ON IMPORTANT THINGS: Our columnists this week wonder about speed limit signs, raise the red flag on adhering to protocol, and ponder the value of radio silence during a cross-country road trip, pages 4 and 5. Follow Breaking News On

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Otsego Assemblyman warns state’s Farm Wage panel against drop in overtime threshold Otsego County farmers and their representatives wait anxiously as New York’s Department of Labor inches toward establishing its overtime work threshold for farm workers across the state — a decision that could come soon. Assemblyman Chris Tague (R), whose district includes a broad swath of the county and a former dairy farmer himself, isn’t optimistic about the outcome. “I was disappointed when I listened to Governor Hochul’s State of the State message last week,” he said. “When she started talking about increasing tax credits for farmers to offset operating costs, to me, that was a private message that the Wage Board will drop the overtime threshold.” “It was like she was saying to the farmers, ‘Here. We’ll give you some tax credits but we’re going to increase your operating costs by 40 percent,” the Assemblyman said. “People are already paying enough. Tax credits aren’t the answer.” Assemblyman Tague defended the state’s farming community at a January 4 virtual public hearing, during which New

York State Commissioner of Labor Roberta Reardon and the three members of the Farm Laborers Wage Board heard testimony from more than three dozen speakers. Buffalo Urban League President Brenda McDuffie chairs the Board, which also comprises New York Farm Bureau President David Fisher and former New York State AFLCIO President Denis Hughes. “It was a long session but I was very impressed by the way Chairwoman McDuffie ran the meeting,” he said. “She listened to every person’s testimony. She shows real knowledge about the issues facing farmers and I thought it was a very fair process.” The Assemblyman nonetheless remains concerned that the Wage Board ultimately will reduce the overtime threshold for farm laborers from 60 hours per week to 40. New York’s 2019 “Farm Laborers Fair Labor Practices Act” requires the Board to consider the reduction and whether “any such reduction should be phased in through a series of successively lower thresholds.” Continued on page 6

Public Health Director Heidi Bond told the January 5 Otsego County Board of Representatives her office is pushing New York State to speed up delivery of results from its Milford COVID testing facility as virus cases in the county go “through the roof.” “Results come back within six or seven days and it should only take two,” she said in a virtual address to the Board. “We’re pushing the state to push the contractor to rectify that.” “We’re trying to move to where the County Department of Health notifies people of their test results,” she said of the Milford logjam. Telling the Board the Omicron variant has caused a surge of infections across the county, Ms. Bond said her office will add more information to its website regarding the latest quarantining guidelines. “If you have been in close contact with a positive case and you only had two shots of the vaccine, or one in the case of Johnson and Johnson, it’s recommended that you quarantine,” she said. In addition to Milford, New York State opened a second COVID-19 test site on January 7 at SUNY Oneonta’s Emergency Services Building on the south side of the campus. Open Mondays, Tuesdays, and Fridays between 8:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m., the site targets tests for those experiencing symptoms associated with COVID-19 and its variants. Tests are free and open to the public, and the facility requires an appointment in advance. Continued on page 6

Transplant ‘didn’t take’ so supporters launch search for new donor [Editor’s note: Last week, we published a letter from Ln Alessi about her daughter, Vincenza, a 2012 Cooperstown Central School graduate who received a bone marrow transplant. This is an update to that letter.] “Scary news today, the transplant didn’t take,” Ln Allesi posted on Facebook last week. “We are praying for strength and wisdom.” With that, Cooperstown Central teachers Jennifer Pindar and Rebecca Sciallo jumped into action to help Vincenza find a matching donor. “It’s in the very early stages, but we are researching how we might be able to help by coordinating a bone marrow transplant candidate site,” Ms. Pindar said. “We want to find a match for Vincenza. We want to help.” Vincenza’s brother Dante provided the first marrow transplant. “Dante was the closest match available at the time,” Ms. Alessi said. “We know there is a potential to find someone with an even more exact match. People just need to get tested to find out if they are a match.” Supporters have established a GoFundMe account to help the family defray its costs; visit gofundme.com and type Vincenza in the search bar to make a contribution.

THE FREEMAN’S JOURNAL & HOMETOWN ONEONTA, OTSEGO COUNTY’S LARGEST PRINT CIRCULATION 2010 WINNERS OF The Otsego County Chamber/KEY BANK SMALL BUSINESS AWARD

THURSDAY, January 13, 2022

A-2 THE FREEMAN’S JOURNAL & HOMETOWN ONEONTA

County’s lawmakers agree: better broadband is the key Federal, state, and local representatives all agreed broadband access remains a significant impediment to Otsego County’s economic growth as they spoke to the Otsego County Chamber of Commerce’s virtual “2022 State of the State” presentation on January 11. The Chamber lined up Congressman Antonio Delgado, State Senator Peter Oberacker, Members of Assembly Chris Tague, John Salka, and Brian Miller, County Board of Representatives Chair David Bliss, Oneonta Mayor Mark Drnek, and Cooperstown Mayor Ellen Tillapaugh to outline their respective priorities for the year ahead. Infrastructure — which includes rural broadband — was high on everyone’s list. “Washington talked about infrastructure for decades,” Rep. Delgado said in his keynote address. “Finally in 2021 we were able to come together and get something done. Based on formula funding alone, New York should get $1 billion in highway repair funds, $2 billion for bridges, and $100 million for broadband access across the state.” “We know how critical broadband is in our community and it’s imperative that we make a massive, massive investment in it,” he said. “It’s what drives farms, seniors, small businesses.” The Congressman talked, too, about initiatives to foster manufacturing jobs in and around Otsego County. “COVID has showed us we rely too much on foreign production and manufacturing,” he said. “We need to double back down on creating local manufacturing jobs that don’t get caught up in supply chain worries.” County Board Chair David Bliss echoed Rep. Delgado’s themes, telling Chamber members of the “good projects” on tap for the next year. “Senator Chuck Schumer is working with Corning and with us to expand the Oneonta facility out for

medical equipment manufacture,” he said, calling it a ‘game changer’ for the entire county and “especially for Oneonta.” He spoke, too, to the broadband question, turning more to the regulatory structure in place limiting the Otsego Electric Cooperative’s access

nated no positions and furloughed no employees through the pandemic,” she said. “We thought times were hard enough on people, we didn’t need to add to it.” She said the village will build in 2022 on the projects already funded, such as upgrades to Main Street’s Pioneer Park, and move forward with the completion of We know how critical broadupgrades to Doubleday band is in our community and it’s Field and the construction of new apartments imperative that we make a on existing commermassive, massive investment in it cial space on Chestnut Street. Oneonta’s new --Congressman Antonio Delgado mayor, Mark Drnek, finished the presentations and told the to a market controlled now by other Chamber he is looking forward to providers. “some really exciting stuff” as the new “We have the funding in place to year and his new term unfold. expand broadband to some extent,” he “We have all the park improvements said. “We need the regulations at the coming from the federal funding,” state and federal level to change, we he said. “We have the Dietz Street need the legislation to allow the Co-op lofts that will bring people downto do the work.” town. Market Street and downtown Cooperstown Mayor Ellen revitalization.” Tillapaugh told Chamber members He said he wants to work with that her village had been hard-hit by Mayor Tillapaugh and other regional the pandemic’s impact on the tourism leaders to team up on a ‘destination industry, amounting to some $1 marketing’ strategy inviting visitors million in lost revenue from parking, and businesses to the region. sales tax, and Doubleday Field rental. Moderating the discussion, Federal population-based COVID aid Chamber interim president and CEO covered less than 10 percent of that Al Rubin thanked the public officials loss. for participating and said he and the Mayor Tillapaugh said despite the Chamber look forward to the day comparatively small federal relief and when the popular event returns to an a sales tax distribution formula that in-person presentation. means “Oneonta gets more money on sales on Main Street in Cooperstown than we do,” the village nonetheless relies on its success with grant writing to Timothy McGraw 607-432-2022 fund various public 22-26 Watkins Avenue, Oneonta projects. Monday through Friday 8 am - 4:30 pm “We’ve elimi-

The

job scene ob scene To place effective employment ads, call 607-547-6103

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THURSDAY, January 13, 2022

THE FREEMAN’S JOURNAL & HOMETOWN ONEONTA A-3

Dietz Street preps for artists, families in 2022 tional facility developing a 100 percent whole-grain flour from a variety of different grains and provide testing and support for bakers and growers. “It’s Hartwick’s first footprint in downtown Oneonta,” he said. “We’re thrilled to have them.” Both Mayor Drnek and his predecessor emphasized the importance of the Lofts to downtown Oneonta’s rebirth. Mr. Herzig said the City’s 2016 comprehensive plan focused on the fact that “people want to like downtown,” but a limited housing stock stood in the way of easy access. That plan also showed City leaders a vibrant artist community living in and around Oneonta. “I think there are many people who want to be a part of this community but can’t afford The Lofts on Dietz Street, downtown Oneonta’s $19 million project aimed at attracting artists it,” Mr. Herzig said. “One thing our downtown needs is more The in-store sign says it all: Tops Friendly Market closes and middle-income families, takes shape as officials look toward opening later this year. people. We have empty store- its Cooperstown/Hartwick Seminary location January 30 but fronts, and the reason is there’s reopens February 6 with the return to the area of the Grand Oneonta leaders continue to strategize logistics as the not enough people. Not enough Union brand. Lofts on Dietz Street take shape on the one-time municipal customers. It’s clear that Oneonta has a thriving artist popuparking lot and city residents wonder what’s ahead. lation. It’s an asset we should be focusing on.” “We’re looking at sometime during the summer and fall of Mayor Drnek said artists and families living on Dietz this year when people can start moving in,” Onoenta Mayor Street will “make a huge difference to the amount of foot Mark Drnek said during the Otsego County Chamber of traffic on Main Street,” and called the project a centerpiece Commerce’s 2022 “State of the State” virtual conference on to his larger plan to attracting more workers and families Music from the Great January 11. “We’ll be talking about parking for the tenants to live in the City. He said, too, he wants to work with the American Songbook and how they’ll get around. We expect it to be fully occu- developers to make the building experience a positive one. LIVE! pied as we move through the fall.” “We’re not a big city like Syracuse or Albany,” he said. Fri & Sat, Former Mayor Gary Herzig took Hometown Oneonta “We want to show developers that we can make the process Jan. 14 & 15, /The Freeman’s Journal on a tour of the construction site work for them as we rebuild.” Jan. 28 & Jan. 29 during his final days in office in 2021 and said applicaThe mayor also referenced a 24-unit housing project in tions for apartments at the Lofts should be available in early the works from Springbrook, an organization providing 5 pm until 8 pm 2022. support for the developmentally disabled. Springbrook plans Roma’s Ristorante Lofts developers, Kearney Realty Group, say the project to build the market-rate units in the Ford Block building on 25 Union Street • Sidney features 64 apartments – 50 set aside as one-bedroom units Oneonta’s Main Street. “for those involved in artistic or literary activities,” the remaining 14 as two-bedroom apartments carrying income limits to ensure access to affordable housing. “The eligibility is going to be different for artists and middle-income families,” Mr. Herzig said. “The family apartments have to be no more than 130 percent of area median income for Otsego County. Criteria for artists will be a little different.” Median income in Otsego County stands at some $54,000 annually, based on census data collected between 2015 and 2019. For artists to meet the requirements for loft eligibility, they’ll need to present a portfolio of their work to a The Oneonta Leatherstocking committee that will examine Roundhouse Rails: the extent to which art generThe complete, A History of in-depth story of the Railroading ates their income. Mr. Herzig birth, life and death Along the said art need not be a person’s of the world’s largest Upper sole source of income roundhouse. Susquehanna to qualify for a loft unit, 133 photographs, A comprehensive provided “artists are active in including interior history of all the their creative pursuits.” shots taken while railroads that served Mayor Drnek told the building was in operation. the Upper Susquehanna Region 43 blueprints and diagrams, with thorough Includes: Paper railroads of Otsego County; the County Chamber of documentation of building construction and Albany & Susquehanna/Delaware & Hudson; Commerce he is particuspecifications. 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THURSDAY, January 13, 2022

ted potrikus

08 - 2021

ONEONTA

& The Otsego-Delaware Dispatch Tara Barnwell Publisher Ted Potrikus Editor

Larissa Ryan Business Manager

Kathleen Peters Graphics & Production

Kevin Limiti Staff Writer

Ivan Potocnik Web Architect

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The son of two former members Monday, January 10, with 959 active sinus condition and other members of of my religious congregation died of cases, 92 new cases, and 1 new death. his family tested negative. He refused complications of COVID over this The percentage testing positive is 15.3%. my recommendation. past weekend. He was 38 years old. Some people are telling me that I myself have eight risk factors. Of course, his parents are devastated. the current spike in COVID cases, I am very concerned. Not only do I He was an adamant anti-vaxxer. which is massive, is nothing to worry greatly resent those who won’t protect Currently, in the intenothers by getting immusive care unit at Bassett nized, I am concerned that Hospital, which, by the overwhelming hospitals New York ordered every hospiway, is full, there is a both with bed limitations tal in the state’s Mohawk Valley, 30-something female and loss of staff will cause who has complications of care for problems other Central New York, and Finger Lakes COVID. I’m told that she than COVID to be delayed regions to its list of “impacted had been vaccinated, but or avoided. This has been facilities” to stop non-essential, nonI don’t know her booster recognized as a national status or whether she was problem. urgent elective surgeries “due to eligible. I have an elective surgical theF Oincreasing COVID-19 cases and UNDE New York ordered every procedure scheduled for D R hospitalizations” in those regions. hospital in the state’s March. Will it be delayed Mohawk Valley, Central again, and will that delay Cooperstown ’s offiCial newspaper founded in 1808 New York, and Finger allow the underlying condiLakes regions to its list of “impacted about since Omicron causes less sick- tion to get worse? facilities” to stop non-essential, ness and death than did Delta. Some We are effectively heading for a non-urgent elective surgeries “due to say that we have to just live with local lockdown soon, not because of the increasing COVID-19 cases and the virus, it’s here to stay. Some still mandates but because there won’t be hospitalizations” in those regions. believe that it is a government hoax. enough people to get the work done. That includes the whole of the Bassett Others believe that they (and their Doesn’t it make sense to do everyHealthcare System with the exception families who don’t seem to figure in thing possible to slow down this of O’Connor Hospital in Delhi. their calculations) will only get, at disease and mitigate the height of The local numbers are the worst worst, a mild form of the virus. the curve so that health care doesn’t they have yet been. Otsego County’s A friend who called me today totally implode? Department of Health counted 1,207 sounded very sick. I told him to get cases per 100,000 population on tested. He insisted it was just a chronic 1808 BY

th anniversary

Mohawk Valley, Central New York hospitals still on hold for elective surgical procedures

HOMETOWN

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wn on to

drivers should do what they’re supposed to do and let them cross safely. If you’ve driven around town, though, you know the signs aren’t always where they were the last time you drove past. They’re pretty banged up, too, inanimate victims of drive-bys from drivers who either don’t see them, forget that they’re there, or cut the lane a little too close. Cooperstown Mayor Ellen Tillapaugh said the signs are the result of a 2019 safety evaluation from the New York State Department of Transportation that led, too, to repainted crosswalks. “When the state offered the signs, we could’ve said no,” the mayor said. “We’ve had pedestrian accidents in the village and we do take pedestrian safety very seriously. The signs from DOT are designed to break away, they’re supposed to bend if they’ve been hit.” But the state doesn’t seem too eager to replace the dinged and dented crosswalk signs with new ones. These and other pedestrian signs stem from the state DOT’s “Pedestrian Safety Action Plan” a report chock-full of alphabet soup acronyms that lays out all manner of rules and recommendations for keeping people safe when they walk. It’s a typically bureaucratic document that can lead the reader down all kinds of hyper-technical rabbit holes but, in summary, offers a decent overview of why signs are where they are and say what they say. And it’s not rude.

richard Sternberg, M.D.

The Freeman’s Journal welcomes letters to the editor that reflect the writer’s thoughts on an article or other item appearing in the paper. They must include the writer’s name, address, email and telephone/ mobile number; the opinions expressed must be the writer’s own. Hostile, offensive, factually incorrect or excessively inflammatory content will not be published. The length must be no more than 250 words. The editors reserve the right to accept, reject or edit letters for clarity and space. Please send letters to: info@allotsego.com.

no cars driving by at the same time in either direction and no — let me assure you — I’ve never walked or run at 18 miles an hour in my life. Tut-tutting speed limit signs ought to shoot out a little congratulatory spray of confetti (biodegradable, of course) each time the driver nails the speed limit right on the mark. Not 31, not 29 — but if the driver hits 30, the sign gives the driver some props beyond the tepid little “thank you” that just sounds so half-hearted. As a devout pedestrian, I have a love/hate relationship with the signs dotting crosswalks on Chestnut Street in Cooperstown and several Oneonta streets reminding drivers that they must stop for pedestrians inside the crosswalk. It’s a fine state law that goes beyond mere courtesy; if the peds are doing what they’re supposed to do by using the crosswalk, then the

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR POLICY

I get a kick out of the ROUGH ROAD sign on I-88 west, just past the Worcester exit. The overused “Thanks, Captain Obvious” comes to mind as my car frame rattles through the next dozen miles of highway that, at my most charitable, I refer to as ‘rough.’ Closer to home, I look forward to the LED radar speed limit signs that tell me precisely how fast I am going as I enter Cooperstown’s village limits. I do not discount their value, particularly for those of us who occasionally may be prone to a lead foot. I’d rather not run a story in this newspaper about how its editor got pinned for going 40 in a 30 or some such. Those signs — at every main road entry to the village — provide wise guidance for our out-of-town visitors who may need the reminder that they’re not on the Garden State Parkway so it might be a good idea to tap the brakes. But they sure are rude. The one on Route 28 as you’re driving into town — I get that the village speed limit is 30, but if I’m going 31 — 31! —do you have to shout — in all capital letters — WARNING? Same on 80 out by The Farmers’ Museum — TOO FAST, it barks as I brake from my tire-shredding 35 down to 30. I’m not sure of the accuracy of their calibration, to be honest. I like a brisk morning walk around the village; my path one day last week took me down Walnut Street after turning left off of Chestnut. I keep a pretty good pace and, as I strode past the radar sign by the elementary school, it clocked me at 18 miles an hour. No, there were

E WIL

Far be it from this page to look a gift horse squarely in the mouth, but open wide, equine friend: Term limits aren’t government reform. We do not blame Governor Kathy Hochul for saying eight is enough when it comes to years in office for a governor. Her predecessor’s bullying monomania for cementing his legacy by winning the fourth term that eluded his father was his undoing. She calls for that same two-term limit on the lieutenant governor, attorney general, and comptroller. She ups the ante putative Republican gubernatorial candidate Lee Zeldin slapped on the table in December — his proposal would, so far, limit only the governor’s time at the helm. Neither yet loops in the state Legislature — a wise political move, given the fact that it’s the state Legislature that would have to approve the deal in the first place before sending to the state’s voters. We doubt they’d agree to vote themselves out of office, but we also think they’d be hard-pressed to carve themselves out if public pressure demanded otherwise. Term limits are an artificial cap that erases a lawmaker’s ability to gain institutional knowledge or historic perspective on an issue — both key ingredients to sustainable public policy. Instead of taking the time they need to look at more than one angle, the term-limited are under the gun to get something done quickly, usually haphazardly, and only because they’re looking first at the clock that now dominates every decision they make. It does nothing but change the name on the marquees and throw way too much power into the hands of an already-powerful Capitol staff. Not to diminish the importance and work of the individuals whom we elect to represent us in Albany, but New York’s state government is a staff-driven operation that cements deals on the days that the legislators themselves aren’t in town. Sure, staff will “run it by the boss” or, perhaps, take marching orders now and again — but in the end, you just don’t want to be the one standing in between two warring senior staffers when your cause is on the line. Staff work is its own cutthroat Machiavellian fiefdom as young committee directors angle for who gets to control what. Within a few years, an ambitious sort can go from coffee-getting-intern to bill-killing potentate holding sway over junior staff, hundreds of bills, and at least a couple-dozen elected state legislators. It’s the natural state of things: stick around long enough and one gets to make the bigger decisions. And there’s no question that a strong and well-oiled staff is essential to good government at any level. Yet equally essential are lawmakers tenured long enough to counterbalance the monopoly on the inside game that makes the wheels turn. We recognize that term limits can keep the elected themselves from becoming the dangerous masters of that inside game, but take caution: if they go, they leave behind the staffers who carried out the mechanical shenanigans on their behalf. Arbitrary term limits open the door, too, to lobbyists who often are better at inner workings than even the most seasoned staffer. A good advocate’s charm offensive can be pretty powerful stuff to the uninitiated. The irony at play here is that many of the same people who fight to ‘let the market decide’ on any number of business issues will stand among those who fight to ‘let the cap decide’ on who should get to be in office and for how long. We do not want to kick someone who is doing a good job out of office simply because his or her “time is up.” Artificial caps don’t work in the marketplace, and they won’t work in politics.

Signs, signs. Everywhere the signs.

Maybe not

editorial

AllOTSEGO.com

Editorial Board Elinor Vincent, Michael Moffat, Tara Barnwell, Ted Potrikus MEMBER OF National Newspaper Association, New York Press Association The Otsego County Chamber Published weekly by Iron String Press, Inc. 21 Railroad Avenue, Cooperstown, NY 13326 Telephone: 607-547-6103. Fax: 607-547-6080. E-mail: info@allotsego.com • www.allotsego.com

“I own no interest and no party, but my country.” –

Banner motto of The Freeman’s Journal, 1823 to 1827

THURSDAY, January 13, 2022

HOMETOWN ONEONTA A-5

Richard Derosa

Desert Dispatch 1

Compiled by Tom Heitz/SHARON STUART with resources courtesy of The Fenimore Art Museum Research Library

135 Years Ago

The gentleman who is to start the chair factory in Oneonta was in town this week, and submitted for examination the ground plans for the buildings of the factory, five in number as follows: main building, boiler and engine room, paint shop, drying building and office. These buildings are to be of brick, and the plans provide a more extensive establishment than was expected. A meeting of the committee was held on Monday evening when a contract was made to deed to the chair manufacturer, as soon as the foundations for the buildings are laid, about ten acres of land lying near the railroad track, on Fonda Avenue. Work upon the foundation for the factory will begin as soon as the frost is out of the ground. The chair factory promises to be of benefit to Oneonta in various ways. Aside from the employment of a large force of men, it will provide work in their homes for scores of women and girls at caning the bottoms of chairs, and in addition to this, will furnish a good market for the maple and other hardwood timber growing hereabout. January 1887

110 Years Ago

Charles G. French, the landscape gardener of New Hartford, on Thursday last completed a contract with the city officials of Oneonta, whereby he is to prepare a park design for Neahwa Park for the sum of $150, and further take charge of and control the execution of the design for the first three years of park work. For this service, Mr. French is to receive $30 a visit and is to make at least 42 visits during the development of the park. The expenses of the plan and of Mr. French’s oversight of the work will be defrayed by the Civic League; and this city has appropriated $1,000 for the park work during the present year. The cold weather of the present week emphasizes the suggestion, made by W.W. Hazelton, that bed blankets should be sent to the Salvation Army for distribution among the poor. Mr. Hazelton set the example by donating two fine comfortables and others should not be slow to follow his example. January 1912

70 Years Ago

D&H workers and Oneonta businessmen troubled by recurrent rumors that the railroad plans to move out of Oneonta were given blunt reassurance to the contrary yesterday by Susquehanna Division officials. “There is nothing in sight which will affect Oneonta men in the short range picture. By that, we mean a year or two – which appears to be what people worry about,” a railroad spokesman declared flatly. Eventually, he said, the D&H, like all railroads in the nation, probably will “dieselize” because of the operating economies possible. On the other hand, such alternatives as steam turbines are now in the experimental stage, and more efficient means of locomotion than even the Diesel may be developed. January 1952

40 YEARS AGO

January 1982

Solution: ‘‘Mother Nature” (Jan. 6)

We arrived at our winter redoubt in Arizona about a week ago. We have made this cross-country trek several times and always enjoy it. Even look forward to it. Each of us experiences it differently. And those differences have elicited some curious responses when chatting about it with friends, not to mention some friendly quarreling about when to turn on the radio to catch up on the news. One of my quirks when traveling is to shut out the news as much as possible. I could easily drive back and forth across this endlessly beautiful and fascinating country without ever turning on a radio or sticking those god-awful buds into my ears. I am one of those rare birds who, as Thoreau put it so sagely in Walden, has “never met a companion as companionable as solitude.” As I see it, how could I possibly see this country, really see it — meaning looking at it — if my attention were distracted by, well, noise. A puzzled friend once asked how it could be possible to sit behind the wheel all day without some sort of extracurricular entertainment. I realize my response might have seemed a bit pompous. I enjoy and relish each and every thought that invades that silence. As I see it, there is never a dearth of things to think about, not is their ever a shortage of inter-

esting — and thought-provoking — scenery to digest visually and aesthetically. Some examples: I can do a fair amount of birding while driving, all the while keeping my eyes and mind on the job of driving. I rarely ever go beyond the posted speed limit, sometimes maybe a mile or two below. I figure in that way my mind is free of the worry of being pulled over (got a nasty warning from the DMV years ago!) And, quite frankly, what is the big hurry. I see hawks perched on tree tops and atop telephone poles that I would never see at home. It has also enhanced my visual identification acuity, since I must take a quick inventory of salient characteristics and check my inclination as to species when we stop for the night. Years ago while driving across North Dakota I happened to see a black bird with a yellow head pecking at something near the road. A yellow-headed blackbird. Took me a while to check it out in the blackbird section of my field guide. Rivers, creeks, streams; the larger ones come to mind. On this trip I was fascinated by the many rivers we crossed, some wide, others barely a trickle. I wish I could remember all the names. Next time. But I do remember Brushy Creek and the Happy Bank while driving through western

Texas two years ago. If my ears were in service to anything but silence so much of what makes this vast and beautiful land so fascinating would easily have passed me by. Names and places evoke thought — about the lives lived there and our common humanity and yet we express it so differently. The often garishly decorated crosses that crop up so often on our highways prompt me to wonder about the lives lost, the grieving families and friends, and the extent to which otherwise happy lives might have been changed forever. I also wonder if these memorials have the preventative effects they represent. Given some of the reckless antics we witnessed on this and other drives, I doubt it. Most of all while driving I often find myself seeking answers to questions bugging me as well as some tricky existential conundrums. I thought most about how we might bridge the divide that defines our cultural discourse these days. No final thoughts yet. But what strikes me most, marveling at all that I see, it just seems so downright silly wasting so much time and energy on what divides us when there is so much for us to be thankful for and celebrate together. I know Gabby would agree with that sentiment.

BY Merl Reagle

If I Owned a Travel Agency…I’d tell you where to go ACROSS 1 I’d send Inuits to ___ 6 City near Tempe 10 Get rambunctious 15 Hormel product 19 Shed ___ 20 Summarily let go 21 Actress Christine 22 Sinuous dance 23 ... I’d send Sylvester Stallone to ___ 25 ... I’d send Chevy Chase to ___ 27 Damaged, as damask 28 A lower figure 29 Critter or leg part 30 Collection agcy. 31 Roguish 32 Use a fly rod 33 ... I’d send magicians to ___ 38 Next-to-last round 39 Quebec assent 40 Steps out of line 41 Little one 42 ... I’d send half the plumbers to ___ ... 45 Minor 47 Tubside flooring 48 Principle 49 Outfit anew, as a horse 51 ... I’d send Cheech and Chong to ___ 53 ... I’d send the other plumbers to ___ 56 Volunteer’s response 58 Child who behaves perfectly 59 Bingeing 60 ... I’d send cold sufferers to ___ 64 Some IRAs 65 Singer Leonard 67 Thrill 68 Spray 72 ... I’d send lawyers to ___ 74 Moderately slow 76 Jordan’s capital 80 Snack cracker brand 81 ... I’d send Mr. Garcia and Mr. Williams to ___ 82 ... I’d send Hiawatha to ___ 85 Avoidance, perhaps 88 Seriously impairs 89 Hollywood opening 90 Straighten 92 ... I’d send William F. Buckley to ___ 95 Outwitter of 40 thieves 96 Lena of movies 97 Baked treat 98 Nautical term 99 ... I’d send fortunetellers to ___

103 “West and wewaxation” seeker 104 Word that might accompany a fist pump 107 Odin, for one 108 John’s Welsh equivalent 109 Stare in wonder 110 Author Emile 111 ... I’d send the Three Stooges to ___ 115 ... I’d send myself to the Swiss city of ___ 117 Skin feature 118 Actor Davis 119 German river 120 Overturn 121 Sleeping Beauty waker 122 Gardening bane 123 Night predators 124 ... and I’d send banana salesmen to ___, New York DOWN 1 L.A. hot spot, 8/11/65 2 Dramatist Fugard 3 Suspicious 4 ___ interest 5 Sellout sign 6 Succeeds 7 Am alive 8 Witnesses 9 Newspapers, mostly 10 Pond scum 11 Cheers barmaid 12 John Donne poem 13 Stage coach Hagen

14 Tire-change place 15 Puppeteer Lewis 16 Athrob 17 Total effort 18 More, to Miguel 24 Slangy dollars 26 Partner of starts 29 X, to Xanthippe 32 City near Calexico, El ___ 33 Wine vats 34 Lawyer-creating guy 35 Web addresses, familiarly 36 “It’s true!” 37 Purloin 38 Percale items 39 Have debts 42 Seer Dixon 43 Available, as ale 44 Valuable dust, to Valdez 45 Plug place 46 Piddling 47 Weight unit 48 Terrible time? 50 Fruit drink brand 52 Touch a Tiger 54 Some math sets 55 Scoreless tie 57 Court assn. 60 Nettlesome 61 Historic Korean port 62 Jazz setting? 63 M. Descartes 66 “Come again?” 68 Bone hurler in 2001 69 Salman Rushdie’s birthplace

70 Flower supports 71 Hardy heroine 72 Icy treats, ___-cones 73 Charged particle 75 Halted the flow of 76 Tapestry 77 Slangy dollars 78 Feigns illness 79 Fuel ending 81 Prop for Tiger 83 Fearsome Hindu goddess 84 Yale students 86 Elec. co., e.g. 87 That girl 91 Ardent 93 Destitute ones 94 Birch tree 96 Latin word on a dollar bill 97 Hook’s undoer 100 Deals (with) 101 Egg-shaped 102 Diamond “corners” 103 ___ Attraction 104 Bumpkin 105 Nicholas Gage book 106 Wall St.’s ___ 500 109 Eat like a rat 110 Shocks 111 Toll rd. 112 ___ polloi 113 Moon jumper 114 Sugar ending 115 Metrics opener 116 Him, in Nimes

THURSDAY, January 13, 2022

A-6 THE FREEMAN’S JOURNAL & HOMETOWN ONEONTA

Is an overtime boost in the cards for farm workers? Citing a report from Farm Credit East promising a 42 percent increase in a farm’s cost of labor were the threshold to drop to 40 hours, he said he fears for farmers’ ability to compete against other states. “Farmers get told how much they’re going to pay for fuel, energy, their mortgage, Assemblyman Chris Tague worries New York’s agriculture economy will suffer if their equipment, their labor,” he said. “They the state’s Wage Board drops the overtime threshold for workers. have no choice in what Continued from page 1 they’ll get paid for their New York last adopted the phase-in tactic for product. They’re told every month what they’ll increasing the state’s minimum wage to $15/hour get paid but somebody else is setting their overhead.” in areas outside of metropolitan New York. “For farmers, labor gets paid first,” he said. “I “Given what I heard in the State of the State, I know that is the case for nearly 100 percent of think it’s a foregone conclusion,” Assemblyman Tague said of the Board’s ultimate decision. the farms in New York State. I want everyone to

make a decent living. I want everyone to do well and if they’re working on a farm, I want them to be able to make that decent living. I just don’t see how farmers can keep up.” California dropped its overtime threshold for agricultural workers to 40 hours beginning January 1, 2022 – a precedent not lost on Assemblyman Tague. “All we do is follow California,” he said. “New York should be setting the precedent. We should be the leader across the world. Instead we outsource our processing. Schools in New York get their milk from farms in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut. We can’t keep doing that.” “My colleagues in the state Legislature like to say they’re there for the little guy,” he said. “Something like this overtime threshold will really hurt the small farmers. Let’s hope we’re there for the little guy.” The Wage Board plans two final hearings on the already-delayed overtime decision on January 18 and January 20, after which it will render its decision.

OBITUARIES Mary Lee Andrews, 86

Death Notice

October 7, 1935 – December 14, 2021

MIDDLETOWN – Mary Lee Andrews entered into rest on December 14, 2021 after battling dementia for many years. She was 86 years old. Mary was born and raised in Cooperstown to Ernest Schidzick and Bernice Smith Schidzick. She attended Cooperstown High School, class of 1953. She married Ronald C. Andrews on August 17, 1957. They were married for 22 years until his passing in 1981. Mary was a receptionist for many years at a local orthodontist before moving on to be employed at the family care division at Middletown Psychiatric Center. Upon her retirement, she remained active doing volunteer work in the Middletown area.

She served with the Meals on Wheels program, the Middletown Paramount Theatre, and was an active member of the Middletown YMCA where she made many friends in the water aerobics classes. In her mid 60s, Mary challenged herself to the Susan G. Komen 60-mile walks for breast cancer after several friends were affected. Mary participated in 7 walks throughout the years, with each walk being 3 days, 20 miles each day. The walks were held all over the country, with Mary travelling as far as San Francisco, Seattle, and Atlanta to participate. She called participating in these rewarding events, “the most satisfying thing I have ever done in my life.”

Mary is survived by her three children, Karen Andrews of Irmo, S.C., Michel Andrews of Port Jervis, N.Y., and Martin Andrews and his wife Nola of Valley Springs, Calif. She is also survived by her two grandchildren, Heidi Furman Clark and her husband Thomas of Columbia, S.C. and Bradley Andrews of Valley Springs, Calif. Burial will be a private family service at Harwick Seminary in Cooperstown. Mary was passionate about dogs, her time at the YMCA, and finding a cure for breast cancer. In lieu of flowers, donations to the Middletown Humane Society, the Middletown YMCA, or the Breast Cancer Research Foundation can be made in Mary’s name in her memory.

Douglas L. McLaud

Douglas Lynn McLaud of Springhill, Fla. passed away on Friday, January 7, 2022 with his beloved wife Pauline Miller McLaud by his side. A complete obituary will follow. A memorial service is planned for a later date.

County weighs COVID options as numbers rise Continued from page 1 “Bringing more options for testing is important to our community,” Ms. Bond said of the new site. “Testing and knowing your status can help to reduce transmission in our community. Anyone with symptoms of COVID-19 should get tested, regardless of their vaccination status or prior infection.” SUNY Oneonta, Otsego County, New York State, and Syracuse-based Quadrant Biosciences collaborated to set up the new SUNY site. SUNY Oneonta students and faculty already use the same test on offer at the new site – a self-administered, saliva-based test sent to a lab in Syracuse with results expected in two to three days. Officials expect the testing site to accommodate approximately 100 people per day. Oneonta Mayor Mark Drnek, SUNY Oneonta President Alberto Cardelle, and volunteers received tests in an opening-day practice run. The mayor called the testing process “very easy.” “This is going to be a tremendous asset to the community,” he said. SUNY President Cardelle called the new site “one more of our interventions to keep the community safe.” “We’ll be looking for other ways to keep students and faculty safe,” he said, adding pool-testing remains underway for the asymptomatic.

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THURSDAY, January 13, 2022

THE FREEMAN’S JOURNAL & HOMETOWN ONEONTA A-7

OBITUARIES Nelson A. Bradshaw, 74 An Actor’s Final Curtain

Nelson Allen Bradshaw’s more than 10-year fight against Parkinson’s disease with Lewy body dementia (LBD) ended on December 31, 2021. Nelson was born in Redwood City, Calif., on April 14, 1947 to Obeda Rogers and Robert P. Bradshaw and was raised by his father. Nelson early discovered a love of acting, appearing in productions at Sequoia High School (Class of ’65) under the direction of Ray Doherty. He was also editor of the school paper. For a brief time as a young man he was a cub reporter for the San Francisco Chronicle. He joined the East West Players in Los Angeles in the early 1970s. One of the productions he performed in with EWP was In the

Jungle of Cities. He was one of the initial members of EWP’s newly formed subgroup, the Total Theatre Ensemble, which performed in schools. He worked in soap operas and had small parts in movies, such as a popcorneating theater patron in The World According to Garp and as a juror in the 1975 made-for-television film, Guilty or Innocent: The Sam Sheppard Murder Case. The summer of 1979 found him performing at the Shawnee Summer Theatre in Indiana. While hitchhiking across the country, Nelson got a ride from a couple who were Quakers; impressed by their peaceful kindness, he became a Quaker himself. After his arrival in New York City, he worked

as a medical transcriptionist, received a bachelor’s degree in Economics from the College of Staten Island and a master’s in Political Science from Brooklyn College. Nelson then taught Social Studies in the New York City school system. But no matter what else Nelson did, he continued to perform. With the Staten Island Shakespearean Theatre Company, he appeared as Richard III in an evening of Shakespearean monologues and as American negotiator John Honeyman in A Walk in the Woods. Also on Staten Island, Nelson appeared as Editor Webb in a uniquely staged, multi-venue Imagine Project production of Our Town. Another significant event during Nelson’s Staten Island years was meeting

his wife and sweeping her off her feet in just a few short weeks after living five houses apart, unknown to each other, for seven years. Moving to Stamford, New York, in 1997 resulted in numerous opportunities to perform over the years. He was the first performer to appear at the Performance Plus Stamford Performing Arts Center coffee house with an evening of readings of Edgar Allan Poe stories and poems. Dylan Thomas’s A Child’s Christmas in Wales and readings from Mark Twain soon followed. Also in the coffee house, with the Little Victory players, Nelson appeared as the ghost of Jacob Marley in A Christmas Carol, and in the carriage house theater as Elwood P. Dowd in Harvey and Boolie in Driving Miss Daisy.

Grandma loved her farm, her family, and playing her old guitar. Lester R. Grummons Funeral Home will take the time to find out what made your loved one special. Whether it’s finding just the right flowers, or finding a musician to play her favorite tunes on her old guitar, we’ll do what’s necessary to make her service as unique as she was.

Lester R. Grummons Funeral Home 14 Grand Street, Oneonta • 607-432-6821 www.grummonsfuneralhome.com

Legal

Legal nOtice Notice of Democratic Party Caucus Village of Cooperstown A caucus of the enrolled members of the Democratic Party in the Village of Cooperstown will be held at the Village Hall, 22 Main Street, Cooperstown, NY on Wednesday, January 19, 2022, at 7pm. (Please enter through Fair St entrance and follow signage to the caucus). The purpose of the caucus is to nominate candidates for the following offices (or any offices that may become vacant) to be voted upon at the General Village Election on March 15, 2022: Mayor: 2-year term Trustee: 3-year term Trustee: 3-year term Due to the pandemic, attendance is limited to enrolled Democrats and members of the press, and masks are required. Those wishing to vote by proxy should send a request via email to CoopDems@gmail. com by noon on 1/19/22. Lynne Mebust Chair, Cooperstown Democratic Committee 1LegalJan.13 Legal nOtice PUBLIC NOTICE OF LAW

Legal

NOTICE is hereby given that the Board of Representatives of the County of Otsego at a meeting thereof held on the 5th day of January 2022, duly adopted a Local Law entitled: A Local Law establishing the salaries of Emergency Services Coordinator, Director Real Property Tax Service II, Personnel Officer, County Clerk, Sheriff, County Superintendent of Highways, Commissioner of Social Services Group I, Director of Public Health, Commissioner of Elections (Rep) for the year 2022, which is subject to permissive referendum.

The full text of this Local Law is available for inspection in the Clerk of the Board’s Office in the County Office Building, Cooperstown, New York during regular business hours and is also available on the County’s website.

This Local Law establishes the following salaries for 2022:

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Board of Trustees of the Village of Cooperstown will hold the following public hearing in the Village Office Building, 22 Main Street, Cooperstown, New York on Monday, January 24th, 2022 at 7:00 p.m. or as soon thereafter as can be heard, to discuss the following

Emergency Services Coordinator $64,640 Director of Real Property Tax Service II $69,048 Personnel Officer $74,151 County Clerk $69,877 Sheriff $88,679 County Superintendent of Highways $93,952 Commissioner of Social Services Group I $89,532 Director of Public Health $85,906 Commissioner of Elections (Rep) $50,551

Dated: January 13, 2022 Carol D. McGovern Clerk of the Board of Representatives Otsego County, New York 1LegalJan.13 Legal nOtice NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

Proposed Law No. 1 of 2022 – to amend the Village Charter Section III – the annual Village Election shall be held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November from 6am until 9pm or at the time set for general elections by the New York State Board of Elections,

Legal

LEGALS

at such place as shall be designated in the notice of such election, and such notice signed by the Trustees shall be posted in at least three public places in the village, six days before the day of the election. Any resident of the Village of Cooperstown is entitled to be heard upon said local law at such public hearing. Disabled citizens, who require assistance in attending said public hearing, or in furnishing comments or suggestions, should contact the Village Clerk to request assistance. A copy of the proposed law is available for inspection at the Village Clerk’s office, 22 Main Street, Cooperstown, New York during normal business hours Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Dated: January 3, 2022 By order of the Village Board Village of Cooperstown Jenna L. Utter Village Clerk Village of Cooperstown 22 Main Street Cooperstown, NY 13326 (607) 547-2411 (phone) jutter@cooperstownnny.org (email) 2LegalJan.20 Legal nOtice

Legal

Nelson also appeared with Cooperstown’s Leatherstocking Theatre Company as Larkin in Six Degrees of Separation, as Norman Thayer Jr. in On Golden Pond, and at the Foothills Performing Arts Center in Oneonta as Prosecutor Meyers in Witness for the Prosecution, a White Knuckle production. The move to the Catskills also opened up opportunities to reignite his writing career. He wrote news and features for the Delaware County Times, Catskill Mountain News, Country Folks, Catskill Region Guide, and the Daily Star. Nelson accepted every assignment and gave it his all — from hard news to garden cleanup checklists to a multipart in-depth interview with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on watershed issues. His writing and acting merged on the radio, writing news stories and then broadcasting them in his actor’s voice on WZOZ, WDHI and WDLA. Teaching continued to be important to Nelson, as a classroom substitute both in the Albany area and in the schools of the Richmondville — Cobleskill district, where he also served as an at-home tutor for ill and suspended students. Nelson gifted a few of his longterm at-home students with tiny companions — parakeets his son Benjamin had raised. At various times throughout his teaching career, Nelson

Legal

VILLAGE OF MILFORD, NEW YORK

6LegalFeb.3

Legal nOtice

CHANGE OF VILLAGE BOARD MEETING

Notice of Formation of

The Board of Trustees of the Village of Milford, New York, will change its meeting dates to the first Monday of the month. Meetings start at 6:00 pm at the Milford Village Office, 64 South Main Street, Milford, New York, and are open to the public. February 7, 2022 March 7, 2022 April 4, 2022 May 2, 2022 Kitty Ruling Village Clerk 1LegalJan.13 Legal nOtice Notice of Formation of Dooalot, LLC, a Limited Liability Company (LLC) filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on May 5, 2015. NY Office Location: OTSEGO County. SSNY is designated as agent upon whom process against the LLC may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of any process served upon him/her to: C/O Dooalot, LLC, 255 County Highway 27, Richfield Springs, NY 13439. General Purposes.

Brookrose Farm LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 12/15/21. Office location: Otsego County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: c/o Michael Telesco, 283 County Highway 57, Cherry Valley, NY 13320. Purpose: any lawful activity. 6LegalFeb.3 Legal nOtice Notice of Formation of Chief Schenevus Farms, LLC Office Location: Otsego County N.Y. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of New York (“SSNY”) on December13, 2021. SSNY is designated agent of LLC upon whom process may be served and SSNY shall mail process to Chief Schenevus Farms, LLC located at 6004 Vista Linda Lane, Boca Raton, FL 3343 Purpose is to engage in any and all business activities permitted under NYS laws. 6LegalFeb.3

POLAR BEAR CONCESSIONS, LLC. Articles of Organization were filed with the NY Secretary of State on 10/26/2021. The office of the LLC is to be located in Otsego County. The Secretary of State has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. The Secretary of State shall mail a copy of any process against the LLC served upon him/her to: The LLC, 7 Maplecrest Way, Otego, NY 13825. The purpose ofthe LLC is to engage in any lawful act or activity. 6LegalFeb.3

provided guidance for student chess clubs. Nelson viewed his fellow actors with affection and admiration (even if he didn’t always show it), especially Reggie Brunson, Ernie Schenk, Sherry Pagan, Bob Gaffney, Andy Puritz, Michael Henrici, and Wilma Mazo. As the disease process slowly stole his abilities, Nelson did whatever he could with what was left to him. Once he was no longer able to work, he would walk the two miles from his home to Robinson Terrace nursing home to read to the residents. They, too, were the recipients of little yellow and blue companions, parakeets to add cheer in the shared spaces. Nelson is survived by his wife, Terry; his sons, Brad and Ben; stepson Bill Brooks and his wife, Ann Brooks, grandchildren Victorya Phillips, Martha Brooks, and Wil Brooks; brothers Jim Rogers and A. Z. Smith; and cousin Linda Thatcher. There are many choices to honor Nelson’s memory: play a game with a young person or help with homework; consider brain donation or support the work of a brain research foundation; read to someone or, what he might have liked best, go see a play — actors need audiences above all. Condolences at MacArthur Funeral home, macarthurfh.com.

Legal

Twin Mountain Properties, LLC. Articles of Organization were filed with the NY Secretary of State on 10/30/2019. The office of the LLC is to be located in Otsego County. The Secretary of State has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. The Secretary of State shall mail a copy of any process against the LLC served upon him to: The LLC, 832 Winney Hill Rd., Oneonta, NY 13820. The purpose of the LLC is to engage in any lawful act or activity. 6LegalJan.20 Legal nOtice Notice of Formation of

Legal nOtice

312 Cornish Hill Road LLC

NOTICE OF FORMATION OF

Filed 10/15/20 Office: Otsego Co. SSNY designated as agent for process & shall mail to: PO Box 87, Cooperstown, NY 13326 Purpose: all lawful 6LegalJan.13

BLC Keeping, LLC Article of Organization filed 12/03/21 with the Secretary of State Office Location: Otsego County SSNY designated as agent for process & shall mail to: 197 Main St Worcester NY 12197 Purpose: all lawful 6LegalJan.20 Legal nOtice Notice of Formation of

Legal nOtice Notice of Formation of Oneonta Yoga LLC Filed 10/28/21 Office: Otsego Co. SSNY designated as agent for process

Legal

& shall mail to: 253 Southside Dr, Oneonta, NY 13820 Purpose: all lawful 6LegalJan.13 Legal nOtice Notice of Formation of Rooted Space LLC Articles of Organization were filed with New York Secy of State (SSNY) on 26 November, 2021. Office location: Otsego County. SSNY has been designated as agent for process and shall mail to: PO Box 132, Laurens, NY 13796. Purpose: any lawful purpose. 6LegalJan.13 Legal nOtice Notice of Formation of a NY Limited Liability Company (LLC) Name: DRI 8, LLC. Articles of Organization filing date with Secretary of State (SSNY) was 30 November 2021. Office location: Otsego County. SSNY has been designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served and SSNY shall mail copy of process to 393 Main Street Suite 104, Oneonta, New York, 13820. Purpose: any lawful activity. 6LegalJan13

►Need to publish a Notice of Formation, Public Notice, Supplemental Summons, or Notice to Bidders? Contact Larissa at 607-547-6103 or ads@allotsego.com and she can get you started.

THURSDAY, January 13, 2022

A-8 THE FREEMAN’S JOURNAL & HOMETOWN ONEONTA

Wake up your extremities with Clark race and regional hikes in State Parks, State Forests, and some on private property open to the public. To officially complete the Winter Octet Challenge, explorers must navigate their eight trails between December 21, 2021 and March 19, 2022. All who finish will receive an embroidered Winter Octet patch. Those who participated in a previous Octet and plan to participate this year will receive an add-on Rocker Patch. More than 250 people have completed three prior ‘Octet’ challenges in other seasons. Mrs. Odell said Otsego Outdoors plans new octets in the spring and summer of 2022. “The response to the Octet Challenge and the incentive and guidance it offers has been very positive,” she said, adding it has been wonderful to partner with the Otsego County Land Trust and the OCCA. Otsego Outdoors serves as a clearinghouse and information source for publiclyaccessible land as well as businesses that help people access the outdoors. For a full list of featured trails and to sign up for the Winter Octet Challenge, visit www.otsegooutdoors.org.

By Patrick Dewey

If you’re looking for opportunities to experience exhilaration and local winter scenery, both the Clark Sports Center and Otsego Outdoors have activities that might just be your next adventure.

The Clark Sports Center Frozen Toes 5-mile Race and 2.5-mile Fun Run The Clark Sports Center hosts its third Frozen Toes 5-mile race and first-ever 2.5mile Fun Run, each kicking off on Saturday, January 22 at 11 a.m. The races take runners around the Center’s property perimeter, with fields, wooded areas, and significant hills. Special Events Director Doug McCoy said runners will likely encounter snow, with the race happening regardless of weather. “Each race we sponsor has a target audience,” Mr. McCoy said. “Runners who truly want to challenge themselves in any weather are our target for this event. We wanted something people could participate in even if they were not a skier or there was not enough snow to ski.” “Our calendar of races is busy from April through November, but it was notably empty in the winter months,” he said. “We wanted to combat the doldrums.” Because COVID forced the Clark Sports Center to cancel Frozen Toes and other races over the past 20 months, admission for the upcoming race is free. “We want to welcome everyone back, get people active, and let them know there will be more races in the spring,” Mr. McCoy said. Runners can register on the events page at the Clark Sports Center website, with race-day registration available in the Sports Center lobby from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. on January 22.

Otsego Outdoors Winter Octet Challenge Local scenery this time of year lends itself to hiking, cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing. Otsego Outdoors, a collaboration among Otsego 2000, the Otsego

Left to right: Pearson, Richard, and Rocco Ough run the Clark Center’s Frozen Toes race in 2018.

County Land Trust, and the Otsego County Conservation Association, offers its Winter Octet Challenge as a chance to take it all in through publicly-accessible trails throughout the county. To complete the challenge, Octet participants choose and complete eight of the 13 trails included in Otsego Outdoors’ winter list. In addition, they offer a “choose your own” winter outdoor activity option that can fulfill part of the Octet. To promote

discovery, Otsego Outdoors encourages participants to visit featured locations in four distinct regions of the county. Peg Odell is Program and Communications Manager at Otsego 2000. She said the emphasis on discovering locations in various county regions is key to the challenge. “Participants have said they discovered natural places new to them or that they have not visited since childhood,” she said. The list of challenge locations includes trails

John Buddle completed all eight trails in his ‘Octet Challenge’ in one day and even had the time to capture this photo along the way(s).

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Also specializing in Property Management

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Buzz Hesse Antiques & Appraisals, Estates, Artifacts Over 60 years experience Call today for a courteous and confidential talk 370 MAin StrEEt, otEgo 607-287-5320 buzzh123@gmail.com

Buying AntiquES, EStAtES, ArtifActS

Rob Lee Licensed Real Estate Salesperson 607-434-5177 roblee1943@gmail.com

New Purchases and Refinances Debt Consolidation Free Pre-Qualification Fast Approvals • Low Rates

Matt Schuermann

Registered Mortgage Broker NYS Banking Dept.

20 Chestnut Street • Suite 1 • Cooperstown 607-547-5007 www.leatherstockingmortgage.com

Center City Oneonta Gem! Amazing front porch, garage w/workshop, private backyard. On the first floor: beautiful updated kitchen open to large formal DR, LR w/fireplace, foyer, and 2 half baths! Upstairs features 3 good-sized BRs, family room w/laundry, updated full bath, and on the third floor there is an amazing master BR w/walk-in closet, window seats, fireplace,and private full bath. Full finished basement w/den, fireplace, ½ bath, and large bar area! Call today! MLS#133536 $319,900

Thinking of Selling Your House? Locally owned and operated Single and multi-family homes Commercial property and land

99 Main Street, Oneonta office 607.441.7312 fax 607.432.7580 www.oneontarealty.com

Inventory is low and buyers’ interest is at an all-time high! Call today! Our professional team of Realtors is excited to help you start the new year right by listing with Oneonta Realty and the Scanlon Homes Team.

166 Main Street, Suite 1 Oneonta | 607.433.2873 oneontarealty.com

Lizabeth Rose, Broker/Owner Cricket Keto, Licensed Assoc. Broker Peter D. Clark, Consultant

Selling or buying? Do it all in the Real Estate section! Call 607-547-6103 for information.