Hometown Oneonta 01-26-23

Chamber Kicks Off 2023 with ‘State of the State’ Breakfast Event

By CASPAR EWIG

ONEONTA

It was a sellout crowd last Friday, February 20, as the Otsego County Chamber of Commerce hosted its annual “State of the State” networking breakfast. The conference, which took place in the Otsego Grille of SUNY Oneonta’s Morris Hall, was introduced by Sean Lewis, president and chief executive officer of the chamber, as a vehicle to “allow the panelists a chance to express their view of where we are and their vision of where we are heading.”

The panel of eight public figures included New York State Senator Peter Oberacker and Assemblymen Brian Miller, Chris Tague and Brian Maher, whose constituents reside in various portions of Otsego County.

The county itself was represented by County Administrator Steve Wilson and Treasurer Allen Ruffles. Oneonta Mayor Mark Drnek and Village of Cooperstown Mayor Ellen Tillapaugh

rounded out the panel.

A thread running throughout the remarks of all the panelists as well as the question-and-answersession that followed was an emphasis on practicalities as opposed to an espousing of ideals and recounting talking points. In fact, a criticism by many on the panel was that the state is often much too quick to translate policy positions into legislation without having the necessary infrastructure in place.

Senator Oberacker set the tone of the conference when he bemoaned the population exodus due to “self-inflicted” problems of over regulation, over taxation and under appreciation of the criminal justice system. He urged New York State governance to concentrate on the practicalities of improving the infrastructure and, along with Assemblyman Tague, expressed the opinion that we must get away from reliance on fossil fuels, but without becoming captive to a green energy policy plan that is only destined to

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Student Photo Project Highlights WOFD

ONEONTA

By TED MEBUST

August Heminway, a SUNY Oneonta senior currently pursuing a degree in political science and criminal justice, recently introduced an individual photojournalism project documenting the West Oneonta Fire Department. In addition to his extracurricular activities as president of the college’s Taekwondo Club, Heminway serves as president of the Photo Society. The scope of his project, Heminway noted, combined his academic and personal interests to display an aspect of local life he found to be underrepresented.

“I’m interested in photojournalism and documentary photography, especially in the black and white medium, where I can really communicate interesting stories in a powerful way and convey the emotion and weight

behind them… I want to highlight causes of justice, conflict and humanitarian issues but break them down to a more specific, relatable, focused thing,” Heminway said of his project, which he pursued in collaboration with the university’s photography department.

Heminway spoke with local volunteers during visits to the WOFD throughout the fall semester about the state of its resources and their personal stories of involvement.

“It’s a rural, underfunded volunteer department. They don’t have the resources that a paid department has… I found that one, if not both, of their trucks was over 30 years old at this point and, because their community members make up the department itself, it’s a fluctuating number that entirely revolves around who wants to be involved,” Heminway said of his conversations with WOFD Chief Walt Schmitt.

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Catskills Agrarian Alliance Works With Local Farmers, Producers

By DARLA M. YOUNGS HAMDEN

press release, the CAA provides food production, food distribution, land stewardship and mutual aid services in the Catskills, Hudson Valley, and New York City.

By TED MEBUST COOPERSTOWN

For a decade, a community of farmers in Delaware, Otsego, and Schoharie counties have been working out of necessity on an alternative production and distribution project (first the Lucky Dog Food Hub and then The 607 CSA) to ensure food-security for our foodshed by creating a collaborative resilient local food system. CAA is the culmination of that work. We think of our organization as a pilot project and template for resilient regional food systems nation-wide.” – CAA website

The Catskills Agrarian Alliance is a newly formed 501c3 organization based in Hamden. Identifying itself as a comprehensive food sovereignty project in a recent

“We are an official New York State nonprofit organization as of May 2022,” said CAA Executive Director Tianna Kennedy, “but are still waiting for the IRS to review our 1023 form, so we are not yet listed in the IRS database as a 501c3 organization. The lawyers inform us that the IRS is very backed up at the moment because of the pandemic.”

At the heart of the CAA lies Star Route Farm. Located at 796 County Highway 40 in Charlotteville, this agroecology-centered farm—where food, jobs, and economic well-being go hand in hand with cultural, social, and environmental benefits—is also

Photo by August Heminway

Nate Johnson, Nate Tessitore and Dylan Babcock are among the subjects of Heminway’s WOFD photojournal.

SUNY Student Running for Common Council

By TED MEBUST OnEOnTA

SUnY Oneonta political science major and Maryland, new York native Andrew Hamill announced his candidacy for Oneonta Common Council in December, running as a member of his own party, “Unity for Oneonta.” Hamill hopes to bring accountability and pragmatism to the council, vowing to lead with a spirit of compromise.

“We need Common Council members who are willing, and dedicated to reason and building a consensus with their constituents,” said Hamill. “As a candidate for the Council, I intend to work with my constituents by

listening to their concerns about whatever they have to say and try to work on a consensus that can bring the people together.”

Hamill, who previously ran for town council in his hometown, detailed a vast array of issues on which he plans to campaign.

He hopes to see improvements to Wilbur Park by developing a community

garden, installing water fountains for passersby and planting more trees on the perimeter, “due to the impact of trees helping people and animals breathe better.” An additional proposal of Hamill’s was to bring hybrid electric buses to Oneonta, “to help lower the costs of fuel” in the city.

For housing and infrastructure, Hamill proposed implementing more street lights on Main Street and bike lanes around the city. Also, he hopes to “turn the historical buildings into housing units for low-income families, the homeless, seniors and the disabled who are on a fixed income.”

“I believe this could possibly be done via either state or federal grants to improve or fix the buildings or to rebuild them to make it possible for housing without the need to increase the taxes on the people. I firmly feel that housing is a fundamental right to our well-being,” Hamill stated.

The job scene job scene

Hamill hopes to draw support for public arts and pledges to “look into grants from all over the country and government… to help fund the Public Arts Commission… and attract more artists into the city.” He would like to see more murals around Oneonta and a museum to be erected, dedicated to the “rich history and culture of Oneonta,” a project he believes could “possibly be

achieved with a federal or state grant.”

The majority of Hamill’s proposals, however, involve the current functioning of city government and its relationship with residents. He would like to develop, “Youth Voices,” a commission for young people to make their concerns heard, and “College Voices Matter,” a commission for college students, officials, and area residents to “work on sharing their concerns and ideas of how to actually work together instead of against each other and to not show hostility toward each other.” Hamill hopes to increase the number of monthly Ward meetings and alerts on Oneonta’s Facebook page to keep residents more regularly informed.

Hamill proposed a limit on government salary and the development of “a moderate budget that makes it easier to live in the city without the burden of having to pay higher municipal taxes.”

He believes the elderly and disabled should not be required to pay school or municipal tax “so they can save their money without raising the taxes on others.”

Hamill summarized his mission as a Common Council member as “bringing back unity as well as accountability and helping the people in the best way possible not by my interests but by those who I hope to serve.”

cooperstown central school secretary to the s U per I nten D ent/DI str I ct cler K

The Cooperstown Central School District is seeking a qualified candidate for the position of Secretary to the Superintendent and District Clerk. This is a full-time, 12-month, Exempt Civil Service position offering a competitive benefit package. Salary $40K-$60K based on preparation and experience. District Clerk is expected to attend and record Board of Education meetings. Position details at www. cooperstowncs.org Deadline 2/3/23

FIRST IMPRESSIONS DAN SULLIVAN

Our Cultural Landscape Just Grew Richer

The Kasterine Farm is tucked into a charming valley in the Town of Exeter in northern Otsego County. The owners, Dmitri and Caroline Kasterine, are newcomers to the area, and they bring a wealth of cultural richness to our community. On December 10, the couple held an opening reception of their photography gallery, presenting to the attendees a stunning collection of photographs, the lifework of Dmitri.

By his count, Dmitri’s career has spanned 62 years—and counting. At 90, he shows no signs of slowing down. The breadth of his work is staggering. Working primarily as a portrait photographer, he has captured images of many of the most influential political and cultural figures of the last seven decades.

From Mick Jagger to Queen Elizabeth, Roald Dahl to James Baldwin, George Carlin to Jonathan Winters, Dimitri’s portraits evoke the zeitgeist of our era. A good place to start exploring his work is to get his latest book, “Who, How, When,

Where,” available for sale at both the gallery and the Richfield Springs Food Cooperative. Selecting from an earlier, larger collection, Dmitri has divided the book into two parts: “Portraits: Twentieth Century Cultural Figures and Others” and “Life Going On,” which draws from both his magazine and self-initiated work. Beautiful as they are, the photographs in the book provide only part of the enjoyment of perusing. Equally intriguing are the journal entries that accompany each photograph. Some entries detail the circumstances of the shoot, some offer humorous anecdotes about the activity, and some offer wonderful philosophical musings. All provide rich context to each image. It is a great book to settle with by the fire.

The gallery, of course, offers much, much more. In addition to “Who, How, When, Where,” there are other books for sale, but the framed photos in the place are really worth the trip. In several rooms, portraits cover the walls. Going through just one room can take an hour! And the most valuable part of the experience is having Caroline and Dmitri right there to provide comment. They are truly entertaining and charming hosts.

SECRETARY TO THE SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT BOARD

This administrative position serves as an officer to the Board of Directors and is a member of an interdisciplinary team responsible for the implementation and administration of Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) programs. The SWCD Secretary is primarily responsible for all fiduciary and financial functions of the Soil and Water District. Work shall be performed independently and professionally. The SWCD Secretary shall report directly to and receive direction from the SWCD District Manager and SWCD Board of Directors. Does related duties as required. Annual salary $45,000 to $55,000 commensurate with experience.

skills and abilities requirements, qualifications and special requirements go to otsegosoilandwater.com/job or call 607-547-8337 ext. 4.

After the gallery opening events, there will be a brief hiatus during the holidays and some of the winter. Look for a re-opening announcement in late February. Appointments can be arranged in January, however. Contact Caroline at ckasterine@gmail.com. The gallery is located at 1441 County Highway 23, Richfield Springs.

EOE

Photo by Dmitri Kasterine STANLEY KUBRICK, LONDON, 1969

Photo by Dmitri Kasterine MICK JAGGER, HOLLYWOOD, 1975

Photo provided ANDREW HAMILL

Fire District Holds First Meeting After December Election

By CASPAR EWIG FLY CREEK

The newly-constituted Board of Fire Commissioners of the Fly Creek Fire District held its annual organizational meeting and first monthly meeting on Thursday, January 12. The agenda moved forward in an organized manner and was free from the discord that had marked the recent election.

“We’re going to start with a clean slate,” said Sam Hoskins, who was elected chairman of the board on

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fail if it tries to push the envelope too far, too fast.

Assemblymen Miller and Tague echoed the overriding importance of keeping all new Yorkers safe, with Miller further urging the state to continue to address the need for good roads, good schools, and a budget that should limit itself to strictly financial issues and leave out policy statements. And, although both assemblymen sit on the new York State Assembly Standing Committee on Agriculture, it was Tague who decried the lowering of the overtime threshold as applied to farmers, and who advocated aiding dairy farmers by making whole milk an essential part of the school lunch programs. In short, Assemblyman Tague concluded that, in creating policies, the state should recognize the truth of the saying “no farm, no food.”

As the newbie on the block, Assemblyman Maher stated that his passion in his first legislative session will be on stopping the youth drain. And, prompted by his own experiences as the father of two toddlers, Maher said it is his intention to act as a driving force urging the state to turn its attention to providing affordable daycare.

Mayor Ellen Tillapaugh succinctly described the predicament Cooperstown faces. Thanks in large part to the n ational Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, the village is looked to as the driving force for the tourism dollars from which Otsego County derives its revenue, Tillapaugh said.

December 13.

At the outset, Hoskins emphasized that he is committed to instilling transparency into the actions of the Board of Fire Commissioners. He bemoaned the fact there were gaps in the board’s records, and that areas of the website were outdated.

“From now on, the draft minutes will be circulated among the commissioners and posted on the website as soon as possible, and then amended as needed after they are approved at the following meeting,” he said.

Hoskins also proposed

ChamberHowever, she noted that the village does not reap financial benefits equal to shouldering the costs associated with providing that service. In particular, she pointed out that $1 million in retail sales made in Cooperstown only netted $363.63 as the village’s share of sales tax revenue. Tillapaugh said Cooperstown should take pride in that—despite having a $6.3 million annual budget—it was able to secure many grants to improve the village so that property taxes have held steady, and are expected to remain set at $5.20 per $1,000.00 valuation.

Oneonta Mayor Mark Drnek ascribed the city’s ability to tackle its challenges on the close working relationship that exists between Oneonta’s governing body and its various commissions. These challenges include projects for developing housing for the elderly and the homeless and renovating lofts and other empty spaces for living accommodations, as well as creating a greater college presence in the downtown area. As for his vision of the future, Drnek remarked, “We have to reimagine and reinvigorate Main Street.”

He then added, “We have some developments on the drawing board, but it’s too early to talk about them at this time.”

The present state of affairs in Otsego County was described by County Administrator Wilson and Treasurer Ruffles. Since the position of county administrator is relatively new, created in 2019, Wilson described his initial efforts to install a management

that the board look further into a Chrome system proposed by the previous board for the purpose of memorializing e-mail exchanges among the commissioners.

“It’s important that we all know what has transpired in prior meetings,” Hoskins said, “and with this system each commissioner in the future could review the prior exchanges.”

At the conclusion of the meeting, the commissioners agreed to return to the former schedule of holding meetings on the third Thursday of the month.

system and adopt a strategic plan to establish efficiencies and control costs in Otsego County.

Contrary to his introductory promise that number recitations are always dull, Ruffles gave an interesting historical account of the pandemic’s effect on the county’s budget and the challenges Otsego County faces going forward.

While Ruffles admitted that planning a county budget is difficult due to the fluctuations in sales tax collections—which amounted to 43 percent of the total income in 2022— he reported that, at present, Otsego County is financially healthy, has $20 million in reserves and is ranked as the third lowest tax imposition in new York State.

The question-and-answer period was led by Korey Rowe of Otsego Media, who stated his frustration at the state’s inability to follow up on its legislative roll out of the cannabis industry. Many of the panelists agreed that the regulation and operation of licenses was in total disarray.

Another issue raised in the question-and-answer session was adequate housing as a necessary ingredient to increase the commercial viability of the area. Both Alan Rubin of A&D Transportation and Jen Gregory, executive director of Southern Tier 8, advocated for greater government partnership with businesses to rehabilitate “zombie” properties and agreed more should be done to explore the availability of grants from such entities as the Mohawk Valley Regional Economic Development Council.

Another Job Well Done

Photos provided

OTSEGO LAKE—Above, SUnY Oneonta Biological Field Station Master Diver Trainer Paul H. Lord, SUnY Oneonta BFS Volunteer Diver and Diver Instructor David Turner, SUnY Oneonta graduate biology major Brandon Guerrero and SUnY Oneonta undergraduate biology major Kari Minissale smile after diving in Otsego Lake to retrieve the Springfield Landing no-wake zone buoy on Saturday, December 17. Below, Alex Segina and Trey Lambrecht, both SUnY Oneonta undergraduate biology majors, give the okay sign after diving to retrieve the Lake Front Landing no-wake zone buoy the same day. The divers navigated through floating ice to reach their destinations. These same two buoys will be the first to be returned to Otsego Lake as soon as the ice is gone. not shown are SUnY Oneonta BFS Volunteer Diver and Master Diver Lee Ferrara, who coached divers through the swap of the nWZB for the winter spar buoy, and SUnY Oneonta graduate biology major Brian Hefferon, who assisted.

Let’s Chat

Last November OpenAI, a not-so-big (albeit associated, through a $1 billion investment, with Microsoft and co-founded, in 2015, by Elon Musk), artificial intelligence lab in San Francisco, introduced a newly developed chatbot—ChatGPT—that has made impressive inroads into our understanding of the challenges of artificial intelligence. The company first coded a chatbot in 2020, GPT-3, which is one of the first AI tools that responds to prompts in viable humanlike text, for the most part both grammatically and, it is hoped but not confirmed, factually, correct.

Google has been answering prompts for years, but not with the succinct conversations, comments and suggestions of these new chatbots. ChatGPT (Generative Pretrained Transformer) has achieved a cutting edge in the fast-growing market. Its core function is to mimic a human conversationalist, and in doing so it generates eerily articulate, nuanced, subtle, relevant text; it politely apologizes if it does not understand the prompt; it asks for clarification; it explains concepts and asks questions and includes related asides; it is very understandable. It can also answer test and exam questions, provide summaries of research, write poetry, plays, songs, and stories, play games, write and de-bug computer programs, and translate languages and dialects from the world over. And it accomplishes all of this, speedily, in human-like tones, understanding, and thought. What more could a struggling student, an aspiring professional or any social butterfly want?

The reason for the immense attention on ChatGPT lies in its massive corpus of high-quality text data, thought to be in the range of hundreds of billions of words, which allow it to generate coherent, grammatically correct responses to a wide range of topics and in a plethora of styles. On the down side it has demonstrated uneven factual accuracy, and it can write plausible-sounding, but nevertheless incorrect and nonsensical, responses—in AI speak, hallucinations. Of course we are in the early innings here; the more it’s used, the smarter it becomes.

ChatGPT has been caught writing papers for students. Because it sounds so like us and creates logical answers, the education sector—taken somewhat off guard—is now trying to figure out, quickly, how to deal with this new, artificial, very effective intelligence. Many public schools have banned the use of the chatbot on their campuses, fully aware that students can access it from any other place. Most colleges and universities, believing that ChatGPT’s potential as an educational tool far outweighs its risks, have gone another route: Professors are revising their curricula and their teaching methods—for starters, no more take-home exams, more in-class assignments and hand-written papers, and oral exams. They are also initiating required conversations with their students about academic integrity and plagiarism, and they are making use of the newly developed plagiarism detectors—Turnitin and GPTZero, the latter created by a college undergraduate. OpenAI is also working on technology to identify ChatGPT text.

ChatGPT is not the only generative AI chatbot. Google has built LaMDA and called Larry Page and Sergey Brin back for help, OpenAI soon will release GPT-4, and there are more coming from Silicon Valley. This is just the beginning of the generative AI eruption that may, and probably will, change the way we think, work, and create.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR POLICY

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THE PaRTIaL OBSERVER

Be Afraid, But Do It Anyway

Why did I say yes? How could I have let myself be persuaded to compete to be the guest conductor of the Catskill Symphony Orchestra?

Especially for the Cabaret concert, which is the symphony’s biggest fundraiser. Thinking back to my experience in the late 1990s, I can’t help but reflect and recall that without the extra money from this annual event, the symphony would have folded and our region would have lost a most valuable asset.

Classical music for families in rural upstate New York? The Cabaret concert is one of our region’s most prized annual events. Entire families dressed up and sometimes trudged through snow for this mid-winter concert, carrying beautiful picnic baskets with table cloths, special drinks, wine, and beautifully prepared hors d’oeuvres—and even desserts— with thermoses of hot drinks. Some concertgoers left their kids home and used this as a date night, or an excuse for a night out with friends.

Excerpts from “My Fair Lady” and “Chicago” and “Sound of Music,” maybe even a Beatles tune or two, lured those who may have shuddered when they read the words “classical” or “symphony.” What could be better than the chance to sit right in front of a full orchestra with a glass of wine listening to real, recognizable music?

To make the Cabaret even better, that year the master of ceremonies, well-known Oneontan Larry Heldman, did what Leonard Bernstein had done in his famous “Young People’s Concerts” with the New York Philharmonic. Beethoven came to life. We were excited to hear something as strange sounding as “Eroica”— Beethoven’s famous third symphony—which would have caused many to try to escape before Larry sucked them in.

This is where I come into the story. The winner of the Cabaret guest conductor contest got to lead the orchestra. If I did everything right—I could wield real power. I could conduct a symphony

LETTERS … In THEIR OPInIOn

Compliments and a Request for Coverage

“Everything Old Is New Again.”

Can only say your newspaper is excellent! Would like to see future articles highlighting Cooperstown businesses, Leatherstocking Golf Course and on surrounding golf courses.

Good day!

orchestra. I would be a star! All I had to do was raise more money than the other contestants.

When I played clarinet in Gilbertsville Central School, I had never dreamed that I might conduct an orchestra. To be in front waving a baton, that I could make all of those musicians speed up or slow down. I could guide them to become louder or quieter, or maybe halt these musicians in midmeasure. A professional symphony orchestra was way above a high school marching band.

How did I find my way to the rostrum? Whoever raised the most money won and got the chance to conduct the orchestra. How was I supposed to do that? Every year, the symphony found three or four people who would volunteer to stand in the spotlight (and potentially submit to humiliation). You hoped that enough of your friends would throw a check into the hat. You would also toss in as big a check from your own bank account as you could afford.

That year seemed different. The symphony desperately needed the money. If we didn’t raise enough money at this Cabaret, the Catskill Symphony Orchestra would be out of business. There was no more money.

The Catskill Symphony Orchestra was then, and is today, a shining gem in our region. How lucky are we? Oneonta is one of the smallest communities in the country to host a real symphony orchestra—and for nearly 70 years! Our children can hear this special music. You can live in one of our tiny, nearby villages and have frontrow access to the brilliant creativity and culture normally reserved for big-city dwellers. My husband and I can live a dozen miles away in the middle of the woods and, in just a short drive, sample the greatest works in music. This is a privilege and that privilege comes with a perennial ask: to raise enough money at Cabaret to keep our humble community symphony alive and to keep the music playing. Looking back, not only did I risk

dential communication between the school district and the superintendent. Neither party is allowed to disseminate or release information regarding the agreement unless required by law.

MCREYnOLDS

humiliation if I were to lose the guest conductor contest, but we collectively took the risk that we could all lose much, much more. We had to make this concert pay the orchestra’s bills. Tickets don’t pay the bills; they don’t cover the costs. Donations and fundraisers are what keeps the symphony playing.

The Symphony’s Fundraising Committee lassoed three or four of us to jump into the ring in the battle for guest conductor. This was when my “I can’t lose” gene kicked in. We had to win for the symphony and I had to win because I couldn’t bear to lose. Most lucky I was that my family and friends felt the same: Make Erna win and keep the symphony solvent.

Taking on this challenge, how could we guarantee that I would be the one on the podium? That the symphony would get the money it needed? We made a plan.

We wouldn’t wait until the night of the concert. We would call our friends, our relatives, our colleagues and our vendors. We wouldn’t stop until we got checks or at least pledges. We didn’t know how much the others were raising but we did know that we faced stiff competition.

After intermission, the orchestra kept playing while the votes (measured in dollars donated to the symphony, for a specific guest conductor’s performance) were counted. Some good friends and my husband worried that we might not have raised enough—so they wrote additional checks (sort of stuffing the ballot box).

I remained perched on the edge of my seat. We knew that we had raised a lot of money. The moment came and Larry announced: “Our winner—Erna McReynolds.”

He shared how much my efforts raised, through me, my husband, my family, friends and all of those I reached out to throughout the community. The audience leapt to its feet and delivered a heartfelt standing ovation for all of us. The music would continue.

Now, the really scary part: I had Continued on page 10

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Contents © Iron String Press, Inc.

Tom Dahulick Omaha, NE

Law is Clear: Public Has Right To Know

Former school superintendent Theresa Carlin stated, “I’d love to comment and share the story, but am not able due to the NDA ...” (NonDisclosure Agreement).

When a public employee resigns from a position and taxpayers are obligated to pay the employee’s salary and health benefits for an additional year, the public has a right to know what happened.

Supt. Carlin and the school district entered into a “Release and Resignation Agreement.” The agreement indicated that the superintendent was withdrawing the complaint she filed through the State Division of Human Rights and was resigning her position. The agreement states further that it is a confi-

Fortunately the Freedom of Information Law requires that the agreement be released to the public, otherwise it would never see the light of day. Kudos to Nicole Miskell, a resident of the district who obtained the agreement through a Freedom of Information Law request. Ms. Miskell stated, “I FOIL documents once a month now, because it is the only way to get information. If I ask questions, I don’t get answers.”

There is no such thing as a confidential legal agreement when taxpayer funds are involved. Government officials try to keep such agreements confidential but the law is clear on this issue.

Peter Wolf President, New York Coalition for Open Government

MAGA Republicans Bear Watching

Everyone should be concerned about the new House majority, which couldn’t even select a Speaker without historic chaos.

The House of Representatives is now controlled by MAGA

Republicans. According to “The Washington Post,” over 70 percent of House Republicans are election deniers, and they will use their power to enrich their corporate donors and advance their extreme agenda—including threatening our freedom to vote, criminalizing abortion, and cutting Social Security and Medicaid.

Judging by how the election went to select Kevin McCarthy as the Speaker of the House, we should all be concerned about their ability to govern. They’ve already shown their cards—in their first act, the MAGA House Majority approved a rules package that gutted the nonpartisan Office of Congressional Ethics.

That’s just the beginning. MAGA cronies like House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, Jim Jordan, Steve Scalise, and Marjorie Taylor Greene have indicated that their top priority in 2023 will be sham investigations into the Biden administration and other democracy defenders, including those charged with investigating the attack on the Capitol on January 6.

We must call out their lies at every turn and combat their far-right agenda to protect our freedoms and our democracy in 2023.

Kathleen Palka Oneonta

Publisher / Advertising Manager

Tara Barnwell General Manager / Senior Editor Darla M. Youngs

a publication of Iron String Press, Inc.

News Editor

Ted Mebust Business Manager Larissa Ryan

Columnists and Contributing Writers

Terry Berkson, Maureen Culbert, Richard deRosa, Caspar Ewig, Daniel Francis, Ian Kenyon, Tom Shelby, Dr. Richard Sternberg, Dan Sullivan, T. Stephen Wager and Jamie Zvirzdin

Editorial Board

Tara Barnwell, Faith Gay, Michael Moffat, Elinor Vincent, Darla M. Youngs

Web Architect Ivan Potocnik Historian Tom Heitz/Sharon Stuart Legal Counsel Jill Ann Poulson

MEMBER OF: National Newspaper Association, New York Press Association The Otsego County Chamber

ERna MORGan

135 YEARs AGo

The Local News: Evaporated apples have superseded the old-time dried apple. A dealer of this town has long had on hand some 18 barrels of dried apples, for which there appeared to be no sale. He challenged another dealer the other day to make him an offer for them, and accepted fifty cents a barrel. on examining the apples they were found as lively with worms as the average Italian is with fleas. But the purchaser didn’t weaken. “I want them for a mincemeat packing firm,” said he, “and it will be economy to use those apples.” They were shipped. No patent mincemeat for us.

January 1888

110 YEARs AGo

S W O R D

Advertisement—Diabetes: A simple Herb Quickly Cures This Dread Disease To stay Cured. A plant recently discovered in Mexico called Diabotol Herb has been found to be a specific in the treatment of diabetes, quickly reducing the specific gravity and sugar, restoring vigor and building up the system. A 50 cent package of this harmless vegetable remedy lasts a week and will relieve the worst symptoms in the most aggravated cases or your money will be returned without question. send 50 cents to us for a week’s supply with free booklet of special value to the diabetic, containing latest diet list and exclusive table of food elements, giving percentage of starch and sugar (carbohydrates) in 250 different foods. Call the attention of your afflicted friends to this offer. Ames Chemical Co., Box 289-3, Whitney Point, N.Y.

January 1913

90 YEARs AGo

By Merl Reagle January 8, 2023

McClelland Barclay, noted artist and sculptor, advances the theory that the certain something that attracts us males to our particular screen favorite is not beauty or sex appeal, but rather “type appeal.” Elaborating, Barclay selects his list of the most “type-appealing” women in Hollywood. Claudette Colbert appeals to the man of the world; Joan Crawford to the family man; Katherine Hepburn to the professional man; Miriam Hopkins to the caveman; Elissa Landis to the student-scientist; and Myrna Loy to the adventurer. Barclay’s own dream girl would be a composite of several film queens. she would possess the legs of Marlene Dietrich, the hips of Carole Lombard, the chest of Miriam Hopkins, and the lips of Helen Twelvetrees. January 1933

50 YEARs AGo

The days of the Homer Folks Hospital as a treatment facility for victims of tuberculosis will sooner or later come to an end. Already, the hospital which employs 177 workers is not regarded as an economically sound or scientifically necessary operation and the state has decided that operations there should be phased out. But, as yet, there is no word as to what will follow. Almost every person you talk to has a different suggestion and almost all of them are good ones. There’s one suggestion, however, that most people don’t want to think about – a drug rehabilitation center. Freshman assemblyman Harold Luther is poised to stage an all-out effort to keep Homer Folks open, but talking to a reporter, Luther made it clear that a drug rehabilitation center isn’t his choice.

January 1973

40 YEARs AGo

Citing red ink that has risen to record levels, President Reagan called for provisional income and energy tax increases that could take effect october 1, 1985, if his freeze is approved, the economy recovers, and the deficit keeps going up anyhow. “America is on the mend,” the President declared. senators and representatives alike were brought to their feet in applause after President Reagan declared, “We who are in government must take the lead in restoring the economy.”

news from the noteworthy

Clark Dairy and Creamery Builds on a Century of Farming

T

After graduation from sUNY Morrisville in 2018, where he was introduced to modern creamery operation (and automated milking), Kyle began refurbishing the old creamery as a niche experiment. opened in 2020, demand took off, partly because of the pandemic-related shortage of milk in local groceries. soon he needed to install a refrigerated self-serve stand, where more than 200 gallons now sell out daily.

Clark Creamery also self-distributes to more than 60 grocers and restaurants across several counties. It sells whole milk, 2% milk, chocolate milk, whole cream, half and half, and butter. The creamery currently packages over 600 gallons of milk daily and will do more with upgrades of milking and creamery equipment.

Kyle offers reasons for Clark’s success. Aficionados of the milk say it is “sweeter” and “fresher tasting” than “factory milk.” In a single blind taste test, our sustainable otsego group was clearly able to differentiate Clark’s milk, describing it as “creamier” or “grassy.” This difference is partly attributable to Clark Creamery’s traditional vat pasteurization method of 30 minutes at 145 degrees Fahrenheit, compared to typical bulk high-temperature pasteurization and ultra-pasteurization processes, ranging from 160-280 degrees Fahrenheit, for briefer periods of time.

Milk produced on most area dairy farms is aggregated for bulk processing and the milk likely has a store brand name but is otherwise anonymous.

MERL REAGLE

Least amount + Greatest amount + Train = Actor

Radio need + Partition + Wise guy = Journalist

W.C. Handy’s birthpl.

Model played by Angelina

Driving need + Turn over + Turnover maker = Actress

he Clark Dairy Farm and Creamery, located near Delhi, dates to 1907. It is operated by fifth-generation dairyman Kyle Clark, in partnership with his father, Thomas. In an earlier era, the farm also ran a creamery, long closed, where their milk was packaged for local retail sale.Commercial high-temperature pasteurization is used because it makes packaging faster and prolongs shelf life, both of which are assets for mass production. But those are not issues for Clark products, which are single origin and routinely sell out in days. Clark’s customers know exactly where the milk is coming from, that it is impeccably fresh, and are happy to pay a little more for this local and better-tasting milk.

The creamery has five full-time employees, and the farm has five, including Kyle and his father. Yet, as in many farm jobs, Kyle finds it hard to recruit needed employees. His solution is to build an entirely new barn with automated milking. The 280 cows will not be restrained—but they will stay indoors, have comfortable, padded resting stalls, and move about freely. They decide when to be milked, then move into the milking stalls to be milked automatically and are then rewarded with grain supplements. They wear collars that track frequency of milking, body temperature, feed consumed and signs of general health. The collars also alert farmers to individual cows’ possible health or milk production issues. Today, the new barn foundations are in and the wood for construction has been cut and milled on the farm. Construction is ongoing and Kyle expects the new barn to be in use this summer.

In a time when small, independent dairy farmers are struggling to survive, Kyle Clark, his family, and the Clark Dairy Farm and Creamery are inventing a way to prosper for another century.

Authored by Sustainable Otsego. Since 2007 we have promoted ecologically sound practices—locally, regionally, and nationally. Our platform calls for sustainable living, economic independence and home rule. Visit us at sustainableotsego.net or facebook. com/SustainableOtsego.

Compiled by Tom HeiTz/SHARoN STUART with resources courtesy of The Fenimore Art museum Research Library

Cooperstown Swimming in Good Hands

By TED MEBUST COOPERSTOWn

Due to the fallout of team sports seasons being canceled for the 2020-21 season, the Cooperstown boys and girls swimming and diving programs were each left without coaches.

As the fall sports season approached in August of 2021, Coach John Hodgson said he felt compelled to step in and ensure his daughter, Ariadne—then a senior—could compete. After completing his first campaign with the girls team, a 3-9 effort with just 11 people, Hodgson said he immediately knew it wouldn’t be his last.

“It’s such a wonderful sport for competition. The goals are measurable and everything is in times, so you know exactly where you stand and how your progress is doing. It’s easy to measure yourself,” he said of his first experience as a swim coach. “It’s the best part of my day.”

With the boys’ season upcoming, Hodgson decided to stay on and help them compete as well.

“It was an easy transition, and such a good time, so it was impossible for me to say no,” Hodgson said of when he was asked to head

the boys team.

According to Hodgson, heading a team in a sport he had never participated in before, with no prior coaching experience, came with a learning curve. Additionally, his athletes had taken a year off, and some were participating in the sport for the first time, so getting right into the training brought its own challenges.

“That was the hardest part, getting them excited about athletics,” Hodgson explained. “The social part was easy, but the challenge was the yardage. Swimming is tough work; the team that wins is the one that practices the hardest, so getting them to that level was a fine line to walk.”

Hodgson credits the coaches of the seventeam Tri-Valley League as helpful mentors, teaching him how to write practices and coaching technique to ensure good competition amongst all teams in the conference.

In just his second season as the girls team coach this past fall, Hodgson and the Cooperstown swimmers posted a 10-2 season, with Hodgson being named AllMohawk Valley Swimming Coach of the Year. In addition, standout swimmers Emily Kane and Caitlin

O’Sullivan were named to the All-Mohawk Valley Girls Swimming Team, with eighth-grade Milford native Kane getting top nods as Swimmer of the Year in just her second season on the team.

“We just had a fantastic group that was willing to work hard,” Hodgson said of the girls swim teams during his tenure. “They all hold each other accountable.”

He also acknowledged the role of Cooperstown girls team swimmer, and boys and girls team manager, Arya Patel, in both teams’ successes, noting her commitment and effort in helping create workouts and keeping the athletes on track.

The 2022-23 Cooperstown boys swim team recently entered their postseason with the Tri-Valley League Championship Meet held on January 1920. After a short break, they will compete in the Section III Class C Championship Meet, then Section III State Qualifiers for those who make the cut.

The boys’ accomplishments thus far, Hodgson explained, are quite impressive given their roster of just seven.

“We are the smallest team, but we are currently ranked super high. So we’re

doing really well, we’re having a good season,” said Hodgson in the days prior to the Tri-Valley League Championship Meet. “Right now, our goal is to expand our comfort zones and try new strokes, so that when it comes time for sectionals, we’ll have a team of wellrounded athletes.”

“Wherever we went, we were always the smallest team,” Hodgson said of both boys and girls teams over the 2022-23 campaign. “I think what got us there was our attitude, the fact that everyone wanted to perform not just for themselves, but for other people on the team… they wanted to be a winning team.”

Hodgson cited previous swim coaches Cheryl Rock and Katy Haseley as “giants whose shoulders he stands on” in terms of continuing team success. Additionally, Hodgson recognized locals Matt Grady, Scott Whiteman, Frank Miosek and Lucas Spencer as sources of inspiration for committing fully to coaching.

When asked about coaching both the boys and girls teams going forward, Hodgson said that “initially it was temporary, but at this point I cannot see a future without it.”

Town Board Reviewing Cannabis Retail Law

The Oneonta Town Board discussed Local Law no. 1, “Cannabis Retail Dispensary Law of the Town of Oneonta,” during its January 11 public hearing and meeting. The draft law seeks to provide zoning district locations and regulations governing cannabis retail dispensary establishments.

“It is the express purpose and intent … to minimize the adverse impacts that cannabis retail dispensaries may have on adjacent properties and to provide standards for

BeerContinued from page 1

find the use of the term “nirvana” to be highly inappropriate. Calling for an apology, the pair stated that “breweries should not be in the business of religious appropriation, sacrilege and ridiculing entire communities.”

“The inappropriate usage of sacred scriptures or deities or concepts or symbols or icons for commercial or other agenda was not okay, as it hurt the adherents [of Hinduism and Buddhism],” read the joint statement made in nevada on January 18.

Zed referred to Hindu scripture, the BhagavadGita, in explaining that “brahma-nirvana” is a state of immortality. noting that Hinduism is the third largest

religion in the world, Zed said that such “symbols of any faith, larger or smaller, should not be mishandled.”

In the statement, Reverend Fisher declared that “naming a beer after the sacred goal of all Buddhists showed callousness on the part of the brewery.” Considering that “all Buddhists desire the state of clear and uninhibited freedom that is ‘nirvana,’ alcohol is literally the opposite of that… a pathway to delusion and degradation.”

In response to the comments of Zed and Fisher, Brewery Ommegang released the following statement:

“The name ‘nirvana IPA’ is intended to celebrate the atmosphere in which we hope beer lovers will enjoy the beer, which is that of tranquility when

the placement, design, siting, safety, security, monitoring, modification, and discontinuance of cannabis retail dispensaries,” the draft law reads.

According to Town Clerk Ryan Pereira, the law is not yet official and is currently being reviewed for further refinement.

To view the full document, visit https://www.townofoneonta.org/files/8916/7347/8150/Local_Law_1_ Cannabis_Dispensary.pdf

the noise and cares of the world fall away. Brewery Ommegang began distribution of nirvana IPA in 2015; however, until today, we were unaware of the apparent concern with the name within the Hindu and Buddhist communities. We never intended to disrespect any community or religious beliefs by including ‘nirvana’ in naming the IPA. We welcome the opportunity to educate ourselves and determine what potential changes we could consider for this beer.”

Peter Wood, new executive director at Samye Hermitage new York, a Tibetan Buddhist meditation and retreat center at 412 Glimmerglen Road in Cooperstown, shared his view on the topic.

“My personal feeling is really that I’m not

Project

In April of 2022, Heminway presented his analysis of transitional justice and the effectiveness of current judiciary systems in the United nations regarding war crimes at the 13th annual Undergraduate Political Science Conference hosted in SUnY Oneonta’s Hunt Union. While he hopes to pursue political science further after college, possibly exploring graduate school options, Heminway plans to eventually merge his passions, saying that his WOFD project is a good example of a larger story that can be told beyond upstate new York.

“While for me this was about trying to emulate a story that was important

and put out good pictures, it was one that was important to be able to make known. After talking with some of the people involved with the fire department, obviously in a rural community, some people might be less inclined to have their pictures taken and their story told, so it was difficult to get through. Ultimately, they understood that it would be good for the department because it brings publicity to their stories, issues, and cause… despite their challenges and being underfunded, they were still ready to be a part of the volunteer community,” said Heminway, whose grandfather was a fire department chief in Port Chester, new York.

To view Heminway’s photo gallery, visit augustheminwayphoto.weebly.com.

offended,” said the longtime adherent to Buddhism. “My role here is to help provide opportunities for people interested in terms like ‘nirvana’ to learn more about them.”

Wood reasoned that people use religious terms in all different contexts, and he’s not in the business of policing language.

Matthew Fisher and Rajan Zed further said that Buddhists and Hindus were for free speech and expression as much as anybody else if not more. But faith was something sacred and attempts at trivializing it were painful for the followers.

Correction

Last week, we inadvertently publicized the location for the Chestnut Crossing Open House as being in Richfield Springs. Chestnut Crossing, a certified Passive House building that uses 90 percent less energy than conventional buildings and has superior indoor air quality, is located at 10 Chestnut Street, Cooperstown. The open house will be held this Saturday, January 28 from 2-4 p.m.

Photo by August Heminway Nate Lowe is featured in Heminway’s photojournal of the WOFD.

Continued from page 1

OnEOnTA

Kernan M. cross

1948-2023

BOOTHBAY HARBOR, ME—Kernan M. Cross, 75, died January 13, 2023 at Thornton Oaks in Brunswick, Maine. Details of a service will be announced in a full obituary. Arrangements are entrusted to Hall Funeral Home and Crematory, 975 Wiscasset Road, Boothbay, Maine.

Janet B. Fikes 1936-2023

BURLInGTOn FLATS— Janet B. Fikes, 86, of Burlington Flats, passed away peacefully on January 19, 2023 in Oneonta.

Janet was born on October 1, 1936 in Burlington Flats, new York. She was predeceased by the love of her life and husband of 67 years, Arleigh Fikes, and her parents, Ward and Wilma (Cole) Baulch.

She is survived by a daughter, Cindi Sue (Phil) Mancino of Rome; a son, Terry (nanette) Fikes of Burlington Flats; grandchildren Steven (Dawn) Patafie, Kevin (Alicia Diamond) Patafie, Cassandra (Jared) Popiel, and Matthew (Ashley) Fikes; and great-grandchildren Peyton and Rocky Patafie, Cole and Jade Popiel, and Carter and Levi Malmquist (Fikes). She is also survived by nieces, nephews and close friends.

Janet graduated from

LegaL nOtice

Senior Citizen tax exemption SeCond notiCe

Property Owners 65 years of age or older may be eligible for Senior Citizen Tax Exemption on their primarY reSidenCe Senior Citizens have until March 1st to

Apply for such exemptions with the submission of renewal applications being required annually. For information please call or write the Assessor for the Town in which your property is located. The name, address and phone number is available on our website at: www. otsegocounty.com . Select Real Property Tax Services, Document Center then List of Assessors.

Income Limit for County purposes is $26,399.99

Higher exemption amounts with lower incomes.

ALL Senior Citizen Tax Exemptions are processed at the Town level and each Town and School Districts have different limits on income requirements.

none of the Town or School limits exceed the County limits shown above.

LegaL nOtice notiCe of publiC Hearing otSego CountY

Otsego County will hold a public hearing on february 1,

Edmeston Central School as Valedictorian of the Class of 1954, receiving the Loyalty Achievement Scholarship.

She was a majorette with the school marching band and was active in multiple sports.

She worked at Otsego Mutual Fire Insurance Co. in Burlington Flats for 55 years.

During that time, Janet went back to school and became an independent insurance agent. She was co-owner and bookkeeper for Fikes Farm Supply in Edmeston and later served as treasurer for the new York State Draft Horse Association.

Janet enjoyed the family hobby farm, raising horses, beef cattle, goats and sheep. She especially loved traveling the country with her family, showing Appaloosa horses and later raising, showing, and participating in parades with Percheron draft horses. To this day, the tradition that she and Arleigh started in the mid-1950s, of riding horses in the Burlington Flats Memorial Day Parade, has continued. In addition to her love of horses, she also enjoyed quilting, ceramics, cross-stitch, hunting and snowmobiling.

Calling hours were held on January 24 at the Burlington Flats Baptist Church, Arnold Road in Burlington Flats. Funeral services immediately followed at the church. Spring interment will be in Burlington Flats Cemetery.

2023 at 9:55am at the otsego County office building

Second floor board Chambers, 197 main Street Cooperstown, nY 13326 for the purpose of hearing public comments on the Otsego County’s community development needs, and to discuss the possible submission of one or more Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) applications for the 2023 program year.

The CDBG program is administered by the new York State Office of Community Renewal (OCR), and will make available to eligible local governments approximately $15 million for the 2023 Program Year for economic development, small business, and microenterprise activities, with the principal purpose of benefitting low/moderate income persons.

Otsego County is applying for $300,000 in CDBG funds to implement a Microenterprise assistance program.

The hearing will provide further information about the CDBG program and will allow for citizen participation in the development of any proposed grant applications and/or to provide technical assistance to develop alternate proposals. Comments on the CDBG program or proposed project(s) will be received at this time.

The hearing is being conducted pursuant to Section 570.486, Subpart I of the CFR and in compliance with the requirements of the Hous-

OBITUARIES

Donations can be made to the Dementia Society of America at www.dementiasociety.org.

The family would like to extend a special thank you to the compassionate staff at Chestnut Park Rehabilitation and nursing Center.

Arrangements are with Delker and Terry Funeral Home, Edmeston.

connie elizabeth gregory 1948-2023

GARRATTSVILLE—

Connie Elizabeth Gregory, 74, of Garrattsville, new York returned to the arms of our Holy Father on Sunday, January 15, 2023 at her home, after a lengthy battle with pulmonary fibrosis. Connie is survived by her husband of 52 years, Henry C. Gregory; sons Shad (Mary) and Seth (Kiley); sister Laurie (Lenny) Mellilo; many nieces and nephews who affectionately called her “Auntie Connie”; and her beloved dog, Lily. She was predeceased by her parents, Milton D. and Elizabeth Sterusky Ward; her brother, Brian M. Ward; and her dear cousin, William Grose.

Connie was born on Sunday September 26, 1948 in Schenectady, and as a toddler she and her family returned to her mother’s family farm on Kelsey Hill Road in Edmeston. Connie graduated from Edmeston Central School in

1966, attended flight attendant school in Chicago and worked at Walter Motor Truck in Voorheesville. After returning to the Edmeston area, she married Henry Gregory on november 7, 1970 at St. John’s Lutheran Church.

Connie raised her two beloved sons on their family farm. She loved socializing and traveling with family and friends. She took great joy in cultivating plants and flowers, indoors and out. Most of all, Connie loved animals of all shapes and sizes. Chicks and ducklings on the kitchen table were a common occurrence at her home. She loved St. John’s, “her” church, and enjoyed organizing rummage sales for its benefit.

A celebration of Connie’s life will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, January 28 at St John’s Lutheran Church, Route 80, Burlington. The family will receive friends from noon until the time of services at the church. A reception will follow at the Chobani Community Center in new Berlin.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. John’s Lutheran Church or the Susquehanna SPCA in memory of Connie.

Special thanks to caregivers Amy Dabreau and Marie Whitehill, and the entire staff at Helios.

Arrangements are with Delker and Terry Funeral Home, Edmeston.

LEGALS

ing and Community Development Act of 1974, as amended.

The Otsego County Office Building is accessible to persons with disabilities. If special accommodations are needed for persons with disabilities, those with hearing impairments, or those in need of translation from English, those individuals should contact Tammie Harris at 607-5474225, at least one week in advance of the hearing date to allow for necessary arrangements. Written comments may also be submitted to Otsego County Planning Department, 197 Main Street, Cooperstown nY 13326 until February 6, 2023.

LegaL nOtice

notiCe of formation of limited liabilitY CompanY

notice of Formation of COOPERSTOWn CAMP SERVICES LLC, filed with the Secretary of State on 01/18/2023.

Principal Business and Office Location: 4648 State Highway 28, Cooperstown, n.Y., Otsego County, n.Y.

The Secretary of State is designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. The Secretary of State shall mail process to 4648 State Highway 28, Cooperstown, n.Y. 13326.

Purpose: any lawful activity.

6LegalMar.2

LegaL nOtice notiCe of annual meeting

notice is hereby given that the annual meeting of the LOT OWnERS of the Hartwick Seminary Cemetery Association will be held at the Hartwick Seminary Fire House, Dept. 2, in Hartwick Seminary, nY.

This meeting will be held on Sunday, February 12, 2023, at 1 PM to transact a business meeting, which includes the election of Trustees.

COVID restrictions, such as a mask, will be up to each individual. Bottled water and wrapped snacks will be available.

3LegalFeb.9

LegaL nOtice notiCe of publiC Hearing

nOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEn that the Zoning Board of Appeals for the Village of Cooperstown will hold the following public hearing on Tuesday, February 7, 2023 at 5:00 P.M. or as soon thereafter as can be heard:

Meeting to be held in the Board Room of the Village Hall, 22 Main Street, Cooperstown, new York.

76 fair Street – applicant requesting a setback relief for residential construction 40 lake Street

– applicant requesting a fourbedroom, shortterm rental special permit

The plans for this project are on file with the Village Clerk’s Office at the Village Office, 22 Main Street, Cooperstown, new York, and may be seen during regular office hours, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Public comments must be provided by email to the Zoning Officer at zoning@cooperstownny.org or by regular mail to the address below no later than Tuesday, Feburary 7, 2023 at 3:30 p.m.

Jenna Utter Village Clerk Village of Cooperstown 22 Main Street Cooperstown, nY 13326

Tele: (607)547-2411 Email: jutter@cooperstownny.org

LegaL nOtice notiCe of publiC Sale

Public notice is hereby given Under Sec. 182 nYS Lien Law, that property described as contents of storage unit, will be sold at public auction at 1:00 PM on January 28th, 2023 at Rt.

23 Self Storage of Oneonta, 8745 St Hwy 23, Oneonta nY. The sale of such property is to satisfy the lien of Rt 23 Self Storage of Oneonta on property stored for the accounts of:

Unit # 607

Barbara Rico

Unit # 627 Carmen Sullivan

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

Dignity, Respect, Tradition

Dignified and Caring Service since 1925 Peaceful grounds. Home-like atmosphere. Suitable for large or small gatherings.

Peter A. Deysenroth 82 Chestnut Street, Cooperstown | 607-547-8231 www.cooperstownfuneralhome.com

LegaL nOtice notiCe of formation

of llC.

Janes Garden LLC (LLC) filed Arts. of Org. with Secy. of State of nY (SSnY) on 1/11/2023.

Office location: Otsego County. SSnY designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process may be served and SSnY shall mail process to the LLC at c/o William Weinert, 337 County Highway 34, Schenevus, nY 12155.

Purpose: any business permitted under law.

6LegalFeb.23

LegaL nOtice notiCe of formation of Highway 48 Property LLC.

Art. of Org. filed Sec’y of State (SSnY) 12/15/22.

Office location: Otsego Co. SSnY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served SSnY shall mail process to: The LLC, c/o Bradley Tillbrooks, 2831 Marsala Court, Orlando, FL 32806. Purpose: any lawful activities.

6LegalFeb.23

LegaL nOtice notiCe of formation of BOB’S JOB’S LLC, A Limited Liability Company. Articles of Organization were filed with the new York Secretary of State on October 7, 2022.

The office of the LLC is to be located in Otsego County. The Secretary of State has been designated as the 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 to: Robert nistad, PO Box 817, East Worcester, nY 12064.

The purpose of the LLC is to engage in any lawful act or activity.

6LegalFeb.23

LegaL nOtice notiCe of formation of Geoffrey Foster, LLC.

Articles of Org. were filed with the nYS Sec’y State on 01/03/2023.

The office of the LLC is to be located in Otsego County.

The nYS Sec’y of State has been designated as agent for service of process against the LLC. nYS Sec’y of State shall mail a copy of any such process to the LLC at: 383 Pink Street, Cooperstown, nY 13326.

The purpose of the LLC shall be general.

6LegalFeb.16

LegaL nOtice notiCe of formation of

Johnson Contracting & Trucking LLC.

Filed 5/4/22. Office: Otsego Co. SSnY desig. as agent for process & shall mail to: Po Box 492, Cooperstown, nY 13326. Registered Agent: United States

Corporation Agents, Inc., 7014 13th Ave, Ste 202, Bklyn, nY 11228.

Purpose: General. 6LegalFeb.16

LegaL nOtice

notiCe of formation of a nY limited liabilitY CompanY

name: V&H RAnCH LLC.

Articles of Organization filing date with Secretary of State (SSnY) was 6 January 2023.

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 20 W Main St, Milford, nY 13807.

Purpose is to engage in any and all business activities permitted under nYS laws.

6LegalFeb.16

LegaL nOtice notiCe of formation of DAnTE’S PIZZERIA, LLC.

Articles of Organization were filed with the nY Secretary of State on 11/28/22.

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, 416 1/2 Chest-

nut St., Oneonta, nY 13820. The purpose of the LLC is to engage in any lawful act or activity.

6LegalFeb.9

LegaL nOtice

notiCe of formation of Optimize Advertise LLC.

Filed 7/21/22.

Office: Otsego Co. SSnY desig. as agent for process & shall mail to: 1541 Mckoons Rd, Richfield Springs, nY 13439. Registered Agent: United States Corporation Agents, Inc., 7014 13th Ave Ste 202, Brooklyn, nY 11228.

Purpose: General. 6LegalFeb.2

LegaL nOtice notiCe of formation of Dragonfli Properties, LLC

Articles of Organization were filed with the nY Secretary of State on 7/5/22. 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, 1826 E. Parkridge Dr., Salt Lake City, UT 84121.

The purpose of the LC is to engage in any lawful act or activity.

6LegalFeb.2

Funeral Home

Introduction to Citizen Science: Finding Intellectual Security

Imagine you’re sitting in science class. On the paper before you, there’s a homework problem you don’t understand. You raise your hand to seek clarity, but the teacher responds, “Oh, that problem is easy! Just use your intuition.” The teacher then rattles off a bunch of specialized words—science jargon—you just learned.

“Thanks,” you say out loud, but your muddied thoughts are joined by the cold chill of shame: You’re more confused than ever, but because of fear, pride or both, you pretend to understand. Slouching deeper into your chair, you mentally check out for the rest of the lecture, maybe even the rest of the semester. If that was an “easy” problem, maybe science is not for you. Your curiosity in science, previously a roaring fire, sizzles and nearly dies.

Scenarios like this happen to many of us, from grade school to graduate school. Subtle science shaming is a teaching tic that causes a storm of self-criticism and intellectual insecurity. Add poor science studies, plagiarism, misinformation, bad actors and new viruses to the mix, and we become mired in a sludge of nationwide confusion, fear, pride, anger and mistrust: In 2022, the Pew Research Center reported that the percentage of U.S. adults who have “a great deal of confidence in scientists” dropped from 39 percent to 29 percent, and China and Russia now lead international student competitions in math and science, as “Forbes” reported at the end of 2021. Although nPR stated in October 2022 that college enrollment rates are finally falling less rapidly, they’re still falling—and have been since 2012.

Students who remain in college and science sometimes feel the need to cheat, another form of intellectual insecurity. In november 2022, Harvard reported catching and expelling a record number of students for cheating, and 85 percent of these academic dishonesty cases happened in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) courses. Beyond the classroom, adults of all education levels and political affiliations fall prey to pseudoscientific thinking, conspiracy theories, harmful biases, and logical fallacies. Collectively, these sciencerelated issues affect our overall happiness, health, wealth and progress as a nation, especially when we start shaming our young children, too.

I’ve experienced subtle and not-so-subtle education shaming myself, many times. Such academic chest-thumping was sometimes unintentional, acci-

dental, even misinterpreted; other times, it was openly cutthroat, mean-spirited or discriminatory—perhaps a sign that those teachers themselves felt insecure as leaders. For instance, when my AP Computer Science teacher saw I was the only young woman in his class, he said, “I hope you don’t transfer out like all the other girls have.” When my mom started chemotherapy, you can bet AP Computer Science was the first class I dropped to ease school pressure.

As an undergrad, even though I loved physics, I lacked the confidence and cultural support to pursue it. I decided to do what came most easily to me, editing and writing, and I worked my way up the communication ladder. I learned grammar, punctuation rules, linguistics, Latin. With my newborn son asleep in his crib, I edited U.S. science textbooks and learned what types of words keep an audience’s attention and what types of sentence patterns drive them away. I helped European researchers write newspaper articles for their fellow citizens all over the European Union. They called it “citizen science,” and I loved it. I got a master’s degree in writing. I began teaching science writing at Johns Hopkins, and as best I can—no teacher is perfect—I make my material and teaching style rigorous but also inclusive, accessible, and empathetic.

When I decided to go back and earn a master’s degree in physics, you can imagine my renewed

frustration when: 1) the professor would skip steps during class instruction, calling the problem easy; 2) the textbook was riddled with words like “clearly” and “obviously,” but the concept, as it was written, was neither clear nor obvious; and, 3) the problem sets and lecture material were sometimes poorly described, riddled with jargon and bloated with long sentence patterns, the very patterns that drive people away. My fellow classmates, many of whom had been doing physics most of their lives, expressed similar feelings of confusion and frustration.

But this time I did not slouch in my chair. I did not drop the class. Instead, I asked follow-up questions. I met with the professor outside of class, I formed a study group, I found better instructional materials and I rewrote the difficult material in my own words. I managed my emotions and took charge of my own learning.

In short, I found a measure of intellectual security. If your own science fire has been stamped out by previous negative experiences, I would be honored to help you relight it. The purpose of this new monthly column is to review and fortify the scientific knowledge of our citizens, which will increase our collective power and confidence to make smart choices for ourselves, our families, and our communities. In this anti-science era, when American citizens are tired of feeling stupid, dismissed and disempowered, we shall help save the science baby from being thrown out with the bathwater. But good science takes time, humility, courage, honesty and patience. It is susceptible to human bias, error and abuse, especially when the scientific method is skirted or fudged. So we’ll scrub that science baby clean, inspect it for injuries and parasites, and send it toddling on its way, cheering it on and making sure it doesn’t wander too far afield.

And it will take a village, all of us, to raise it.

This is citizen science, and I invite you to read it every month. If you feel so inclined, share the digital version of this article from www.AllOtsego.com with your friends and family. We will cover “knowledge about knowledge,” as well as anything from what stove you should buy to how to interpret the movement of planets and stars. Thanks for reading.

Jamie Zvirzdin researches cosmic rays with the Telescope Array Project, teaches science writing at Johns Hopkins University and is the author of “Subatomic Writing.”

Desert Dispatch #2: Remembering and Re-remembering

Every spring up on the hill a process of re-remembering inevitably takes place. Bird calls and songs lain dormant all winter need to work their way back to conscious memory. And as the world greens up and comes to life, memory needs to do a few tricks as well. Can’t remember how many times I have been on a walk, noticed a spring flower and then spent a good part of the walk wracking my brain for its name, knowing all along that I really do know it. Few mental conundrums are as exasperating as knowing something and not being able to dig it out. Sort of like forgetting one’s name. Perhaps it is a function of age, but that is no matter. The process of

recall is as welcome as it is frustrating. Eventually memory eases up a bit, opens a few doors, however slowly, and stuff happens. It is a waiting game—at times the wait is too darned long. But, when memory’s initial intransigence takes a break, it is really a glorious feeling. At this point in my life, a few years shy (but still pretty spry) of 80, I get it—one’s gray matter gets a bit lazy. One has no choice but to work with whatever tools one has in one’s cerebral tool kit.

That brings me to our recurring winter respite here in Tucson. We come for the warmth, and the sunny, cornflower blue skies. The hiking is wonderful, with endless possibilities over varying terrains and, depending on where one hikes, the

mountains and canyons are filled with an impressive array of flora and fauna. Our walks are interrupted from time to time to identify a flower or shrub and, when they deign to appear or even be heard, one of the many not always gregarious birds that inhabit these fascinating landscapes. Among my favorites are the canyon wren and the cactus wren. From time to time, a little flock of black-tailed gnat catchers might bustle noiselessly within a trailside bush. no snakes or mountain lions yet; early for the former and the latter have as little interest in us as we them. We are always on the lookout for long-horned sheep; no luck as yet… Among the most nimble-footed creatures of these rocky slopes, they

prefer consorting with their own, a characteristic not exclusive to their species.

Hiking is a solitary activity. The solace of silence is what appeals to me most, as does getting lost in swirls of unsolicited thoughts. It requires nimble-footedness as well. One must travel two tracks; the conscious and the unconscious. Many of the most inviting trails are a bit rocky and we have discovered the virtue of walking poles—finally. I had eschewed them for years, admittedly more of a “you will never catch me using those damn things.” I also swore against ever becoming a snowbird—times, as well as attitudes, change. They say wisdom comes with age. There is hope for the most curmudgeonly among us.

Dear TomWhen you look at the picture, it’s hard to believe that this dog can be so frustrating for me. He is good when we are here alone, but when guests come, he becomes so hard to manage. He wants to be the center of attention and won’t leave people alone. I filled a hollow bone with meat today when a friend stopped by and that occupied him for about a half hour. For the next 1-1/2 hours he was stubborn, wouldn’t listen or stay off, and downright obnoxious! It adds so much stress to my life right now. I’m not sure what to do.

Looking forward to our next session. Thank you, Sue

Dear Sue,

Some dogs are like politicians, always wanting to be the center of attention. So, when you have the audacity to invite a guest and pay attention to that guest, Duncan feels the need to compete for the attention and, at 95 pounds—with the potential stubbornness of a Chesapeake Bay retriever—we’re talking about World Cup competitive intensity.

Having met Duncan and experienced his pushy persistence, I suggest the following. When your guest is at the door with Duncan also at the door standing on his hind legs, tell the guest to wait a second as you lure Duncan a few feet away from the door with a great treat, to a spot where he can be tied down, unable to reach and jump all over the entering guest.

Then give him a “special” toy like a Kong with peanut butter or hollow marrow bone with meat wedged in the middle to enjoy while you and your guest relax. When Duncan appears calm, he can be released and introduced to the guest with (where feasible) the guest

having him sit for a small treat. If, after sitting for the treat, Duncan proceeds to become overbearing with the guest, he immediately gets lured away to another tie down, in the loop of activity, again with a re-directing special toy.

In order for you and your guests to enjoy your visitations, Duncan will need to be physically restrained from harassing you and your guests until, with proper training, he develops the manners necessary to be a cooperative gentleman.

Sue, keep the faith. I’ve met my share of dogs like Duncan, and sooner than later he will come to appreciate the benefits of being a cooperative gentleman.

Dear Tom,

Dog Charmer Tom

I have a 16-year-old mini-pin who has to be on a leash at all times. It’s frustrating, because I would like to let him play outside but I can’t trust him. He takes off running to explore every time without regard to his own safety. I’ve tried to stop this behavior over the years with no success. Is it just in his nature? Any advice?

Josh Bennett

Dear Josh,

I often refer to what you’re talking about as the “stickin’ around” command, which needs to be coupled with the “recall.” First thing—“people food” treats OnLY when nicky’s outdoors, off leash. Off leash means he’s wearing a harness and dragging a 25-foot-long, light rope attached to the leash.

Start calling nicky to come when he’s in the house, and every time he arrives he gets a tiny treat. If you have to, start him off smelling the treat in your hand as you back up while calling him to come. After a few days he’ll be quite “conditioned” to come when called.

Then to outdoors, where it’s the only time he gets people food treats for coming. Twenty-five feet of a light line should give you adequate time to step on the leash and stay in control, should he decide to flip you the bird and take off. Especially since, at age 16, he’s not the athlete of his youth.

Give nicky a kiss for me.

Dog Charmer Tom

HawtHorn Hill Journal ricHard derosa

Photo provided

the purpose of this new monthly column is to review and fortify the scientific knowledge of our citizens, which will increase our collective power and confidence to make smart choices for ourselves, our families, and our communities.

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LOCALS: PEOPLE & BUSInESSES In THE nEWS

SEMESTER STANDOUTS: SUnY Canton recognized the following area students’ academic achievements in making the fall 2022 semester President’s List: Frances Utter, a healthcare management major from Maryland; Kelsey Bers, a healthcare management major from Oneonta; Lauren Marszal, a funeral services administration major from Unadilla; Marijke Kroon, a veterinary technology major from Van Hornesville; and Victoria L. Biegel, a criminal investigation major from Westford. President’s List honors are awarded to full time students earning a grade point average of 3.75 or higher. In addition, Cooperstown’s Savannah Beckley earned Dean’s List honors for achieving a GPA between 3.25 and 3.74 and Oneonta’s Kelly C. Cleveland earned Part Time Honors for maintaining a GPA of 3.25 for six to 11 credit hours this past fall semester.

GOOD NEWS FROM GOOD NEIGHBORS: The Community Bank nA Milford branch made a “Good neighbor” donation of $250.00 to the Milford Free Library, who recently welcomed Karen Zimba as their newest librarian.

DEAN’S LIST NODS: Area students named to the nazareth College Dean’s List for the fall 2022 semester include Annika DeVries of Burlington Flats, Morgan Stoecklin of Hartwick and Leah Woertendyke of Oneonta. To qualify for the Dean’s List at nazareth College, students must maintain a GPA of 3.5 or higher while completing 12 credit hours of graded work.

SPELLING STAR: Oneonta City School District eighth-grader Richard Tang recently won The Daily Star Regional Spelling Bee in the competition’s 15th round. Tang beat 29 other area students, advancing to the upcoming Scripps national Spelling Bee. The national competition is set to be broadcast live on the IOn network the night of June 1, according to the organization’s website.

PEER-REVIEWED: Otsego-Delaware Board of Realtors® named Alden Banks, owner of Bluestone Country Real Estate Services, a brokerage in Oneonta, as 2022 Realtor® of the Year. The award is given to an individual who “exemplifies outstanding knowledge, leadership skills and service in the real estate profession,” according to ODBR. Banks serves as the OBDR board trained mediator and ombudsman, where he advises on ethical issues faced by area clients, brokers, and realtors. He was chosen by his peers for this award.

NEW DIRECTORS WELCOMED: Springbrook added Alberto J.F. Cardelle, SUnY Oneonta president, and Mary Ann C. Krisa, a Rochester-based lawyer, to its board of directors this past December. Cardelle brings a background in public health policy, while Krisa has been a “long-time professional in diversity, equity and inclusion.” According to Springbrook, the organization is the third-largest employer in Otsego County, with more than 1,300 employees across new York State.

CLERK OFF THE CLOCK: Kathy Sinnott Gardner, who has served as Otsego County clerk since 2003, recently announced her retirement from the position. After nearly three decades of service to Otsego County in total, her term will end on December 31, 2023. A Republican, Gardner plans to pursue new career opportunities, saying she will “miss serving the people of Otsego County.” Current Otsego County Deputy Clerk Jennifer Basile, also a Republican, announced her candidacy to fill the seat the day after Gardner’s retirement announcement. A Town of Otsego resident, Basile has worked in her current position for nearly a decade-and-a-half, according to her announcement. Before Basile’s tenure began in 2009, she said, she worked in various managerial roles for a total of 12 years. The election will take place on Tuesday, november 7.

SUNY SCHOLARS: SUnY new Paltz announced the recipients of its fall 2022 semester Dean’s List for students averaging at least a 3.3 GPA while maintaining a full course load, including area natives Ashley Clareen of Richmondville, Adell Coe of Oneonta, Hart Frable of Oneonta, Bryce Graham of Burlington Flats, Hannah Gray of Sidney, Delilah Griger of Cooperstown, Eliza Hamm of Otego, Olivia Hansen of Oneonta, Morgan Keuhn of Gilbertsville, Sonja Reyda of Otego, Emily Rifanburg of Edmeston, Vincent Santini of new Berlin and Abigail Waters of Milford.

POTSDAM NAMES PRESIDENT’S LIST: SUnY Potsdam named the following area students to its fall 2022 President’s List: Andrew Bowen, Hartwick, Art Education; Theresa Cerosaletti, Oneonta, Environmental Studies; Jason Donovan, Cooperstown, undeclared; Kaylee Hovick, Otego, Music Business; Chloe Munfro, Milford, Childhood/ Early Childhood Education; Caroline Whitaker, Hartwick, Art Education. To achieve the President’s List, SUnY Potsdam students must maintain a GPA of 3.5 or higher while completing 12 numerically-graded semester hours. President’s List students were honored by Officer-in-Charge Dr. Philip T. neisser.

SUPERB STAFFERS: Two Bassett Healthcare network employees, Deanna Charles and Henry Knoop IV, were named to the “Becker’s Hospital Review” Rising Stars List. Charles serves as vice president, chief ambulatory and transformation officer at Bassett Healthcare network, and Knoop is chief advanced practice officer and associate chief clinical officer, one of Bassett’s highest clinical roles. The Rising Stars List, according to Becker’s, “focused on leaders with a diverse background from across the industry who are 40 years old or younger. We accepted nominations for this list and selected members based on their quick ascent within their organizations and drive to improve patient care.”

CORTLAND ANNOUNCES LOCAL SCHOLARS: SUnY Cortland has released its fall 2022 Dean’s List, which included the following area students: Khi Atchinson, Oneonta; Molly Babcock, Sidney; Eliza Bernardo, Oneonta; Tyler Bruce, Oneonta; Mallory Frazier, Unadilla; Jordyn Lang, Sidney; Maci Milavec, Worcester; Cameron neer, West Oneonta; Brynn Rifanburg, Edmeston; Justin Schrom, Richmondville; and Haley Smith, Sidney. To qualify, students had to earn a minimum 3.3 GPA for the semester.

superintendent of schools at Jefferson Central School, congratulated Cammer on her service and dedication to a career where she taught all levels of elementary school. In 2019, Cammer became the district’s K-6 reading teacher, allowing her to pursue her passion of teaching students to read. Cammer has also served as an adjunct lecturer at her alma mater, SUnY Oneonta, working with preservice teachers since 2018. Also pictured, from left to right, are: OnC BOCES Board President Antoinette Hull; Jefferson Central School District Board President Jessica Hendrickson; Cammer; Jefferson Central School District Superintendent Dr. Tarkan Ceng; and OnC BOCES District Superintendent Dr. Catherine Huber.

STATE ASSOCIATION TAPS COUNTY RESIDENT: Lisa Jackson, manager of the Otsego County Fair, has been chosen as the third vice president of the new York State Association of Agricultural Fairs. This is the first appointment for an Otsego County resident in the state association in 30 years.

FUTURE LEADERS LAUDED: Omicron Delta Kappa, the national Leadership Honor Society, welcomed Samantha Harvery of Maryland and Elizabeth Thompson of Morris, both SUnY Oneonta students, among its 646 new initiates nationwide for the fall 2022 semester. To be initiated into ODK, students must be sophomores, juniors, seniors, or graduate students in the top 35 percent of their class and demonstrate leadership experience in at least one of the five ODK pillars: collaboration, inclusivity, integrity, scholarship, and service. According to the organization, “fewer than 5 percent of students on a campus are invited to join each year.”

DEAN’S LIST DESIGNATIONS: SUnY Oneonta recently announced the names of more than 1,250 students who qualified for the Dean’s List for the fall 2022 semester. A GPA of 3.5 or higher while taking a course load of 12 hours or more is required for the Dean’s List. The following area students qualified: Aliyah Abdelsalam, Oneonta; Jacob Aubrey, Oneonta; Savannah Baldwin, Unadilla; Patricia Biegel, Westford; Quinten Bissell-Smith, Oneonta; Riley Bowen, Hartwick; Jerred Brodie, Mount Vision; Zachary Brown, Fly Creek; Miranda Buck, Worcester; Andrew Carrington, Oneonta; Talia Casimir, Oneonta; Megan Catella, Oneonta; Alexander Ceacareanu, Oneonta; Ethan Chichester, Richmondville; Madison Clark, Richfield Springs; Raynella Clarke, Richfield Springs; Ronica Clarke, Richfield Springs; neil Cotton, Maryland; Cadence Dudley, Oneonta; Erica Eggleston, Cooperstown; Tristan Ethier, Richmondville; Jacob Ghiorse, Oneonta; Timothy Ghiorse, Oneonta; Samantha Harvey, Maryland; Raven Henry, Unadilla; Keegan Holt, new Lisbon; Abigail Hubbard, Oneonta; Trystan Jennings, Oneonta; Laine Johnson, Oneonta; Isabella Jones, Cooperstown; Katherine Kodz, Richfield Springs; Joseph LaRosa, Oneonta; Trey Lambrecht, Oneonta; Andrew Lutz, Oneonta; Aubrie Malesky, Davenport; Bertha Miller, Schenevus; Dylan neer, Otego; Adrianna newell, Oneonta; Samantha Ruisi, Oneonta; nathaniel Schwed, Oneonta; Jillian Segina, Mount Vision; Amanda Snyder, Fly Creek; Tanner Sorbera, Burlington Flats; nicholas Stein, Otego; Camilla Tabor, Cooperstown; Gabriella Terrano, Schenevus; Samantha Vezza, Cooperstown; Victoria Villaverde, Oneonta; Chelsea Waid, Davenport; Yifan Wang of Zheng Zhou, Oneonta; Jacson Wolfe, Oneonta; and nicholas Zamelis, Cooperstown.

PROVOST’S PRIDE: SUnY Oneonta’s Provost List, reserved for students who received a 4.0 GPA, included the following area students: Olivia Card, Oneonta; Christine Finch, Cooperstown; Amethyst Gardner, Oneonta; Colin Gilbert, new Berlin; Jessica Hoffman, Mount Upton; Faith Logue, Hartwick; Samantha Lyons, Oneonta; Allison Miller, Oneonta; Olivia O’Donnell, Oneonta; Gabriella Ragozzine, Oneonta; Samantha Spina, Davenport; Risa Tanaka, Oneonta; Bethanie Weand, Oneonta; Allison Winn, Oneonta; and Graham Wooden, Oneonta.

Send news of promotions, births, awards, milestones, anniversaries and more to “Locals” at info@allotsego.com. We will do our best to share your accomplishments, and those of family members and friends. High-resolution photos always welcome.

a site for farmer incubation, where the next generation of farmers is trained.

“We host farmers at Star Route while they get their legs under them,” Kennedy explained. “Last year, we hosted Iridescent Earth Collective, who this year will farm in Delancey, new York at their own property.”

Kennedy, hired as CAA executive director in August, has been running Star Route Farm and The 607 CSA since 2015. Her background is in the arts/ non-profit sector; she holds a master’s degree in arts and sciences from new York University.

The 607 CSA, in collaboration with small-scale family farms, provides direct-to-consumer food to more than 700 households in the CAA service region.

Somewhere in the vicinity of four tons of sustainably produced and nutritious food items, including local produce, dairy, eggs, meat, baked goods, grains, and legumes, plus value-added goods, are distributed weekly through The 607 CSA.

According to Kennedy, the organization worked with 39 farmers and producers in 2022, including Middlefield Orchard and Worcester’s Family Farmstead Dairy from Otsego County.

The CAA also works to make farmland accessible for historically marginal-

ized communities. Through a partnership with the American Farmland Trust and the Agrarian Trust, the organization is currently facilitating the creation of new York State’s first Agrarian Commons— alongside Francis Yu, Iridescent Earth Collective and Tommy Hutson—at River Haven farm, a fourth generation dairy farm in Delancey. Yu holds a master of science in urban planning degree from the Columbia University Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation. Iridescent Earth Collective is a Queer, Black and Latinx led farm group from the Bronx growing food upstate for mutual aid in the Bronx. Hutson is a fourth genera-

tion dairy farmer, awarded “Steward of the Land” honors in 2006 by the American Farmland Trust.

“In short,” Kennedy explained, “an Agrarian Commons is a community land trust that is part of a national trust.

“The process of forming an Agrarian Commons involves starting a community management board, a 501c2, procuring land and working with Agrarian Trust to observe all protocols with their organization,” Kennedy continued.

To date, 300 acres of prime farmland is being preserved in Delaware County for the next generation.

Through its farm-toinstitution programming, the CAA works with 27

Delaware-ChenangoMadison-Otsego BOCES and Broome-Tioga BOCES K-12 school districts throughout the region, including Oneonta and Unatego according to Kennedy, as well as with Hartwick College and SUnY Delhi. More than 30,000 pounds of local food has been distributed to these schools already in the 20222023 school year, according to the CAA website.

The organization also provides connection and capacity-building services to further land access opportunities for Queer, Trans, Black, Indigenous, and People of Color who face systemic barriers in terms of accessing agricultural land. Food justice and

sovereignty is the impetus behind the CAA’s work with 22 mutual aid societies, each serving hundreds of families weekly. According to the press release, Star Route Farm alone has contributed more than 17,500 pounds of fresh produce donated to these organizations.

Looking ahead, Kennedy said her hopes for the organization in 2023 are to “continue developing our mutual aid, land access, and farm-to-institution work and to collaborate more with regional food hubs to expand our reach.”

The CAA is actively seeking funding to maintain current operations and support its donative work. For more information, visit catskillsagrarianalliance.org.

Photo provided

EDUCATING EXCELLENCE: Andi Cammer (above, center), a 32-year career elementary school teacher at Jefferson Central School, was recognized as one of five finalists for the 2023 new York State Teacher of the Year Award on December 21. The OnC BOCES Board of Education and Dr. Tarkan Ceng,

Photo provided DEANNA CHARLES

Photo provided HENRY KNOOP IV

SENIOR MEALS 11:30 a.m. Seniors are invited to enjoy a delicious meal. Suggested donation is $3.50 for seniors, $8.60 for guests accompanying a senior. Today enjoy shepherd’s pie with mashed potatoes, corn and lemon pudding. Richfield Springs Community Center, 6 Ann Street, Richfield Springs. (607) 547-6454.

SENIOR GAMES 12:302:30 p.m. Seniors are invited to play games during the Connections program each Monday. Games range from cards, cribbage, puzzles and more. Held at the Clark Sports Center, Cooperstown. connectionsatcsc@gmail.com

SENIOR TECH SUPPORT 1:30-2:30 p.m. Seniors are invited to bring their phone or tablet to learn to get connected, use common apps and build confidence with devices with Heather Amendolare at the Clark Sports Center, Cooperstown. connectionsatcsc@gmail.com

TEEN ZONE 4-6 p.m. Teens aged 12-15 are invited for this after-school program to de-stress, enjoy a nutritious snack and play games with their peers in a safe environment. Held Tuesdays and Thursdays at the Richfield Springs Community Center, 6 Ann Street, Richfield Springs.

►Friday, Jan. 27

BLOOD DRIVE 1-6 p.m. Save up to three lives with the American Red Cross. Otego Community, 5 River Street, Otego. Register at redcrossblood.org

CABARET 5-9 p.m. The CCS Music Association presents Cabaret Night with stu-

Cabaret

never held a baton in my hand. I had never climbed on a podium facing an orchestra. I was terrified. This was not a Cabaret like the one coming up on March 25 this year. no rehearsal. no clever outfits.

One tiny bit of reassurance: Concerts are dress-up occasions. My husband had bought me a special black velvet dress—and with a special back designed to charm the audience.

Applause filled the room. I climbed the stairs to the stage and tripped onto the podium. Picking up the baton (I still don’t know if I held it the right way…), I tapped on the music stand. The musicians picked up their instruments. I raised my baton. I was terrified. Sousa’s “The Stars and Stripes Forever” came

dents and community groups. Includes a silent auction. Held at Cooperstown High School Cafeteria & Auditorium. (607) 547-8181.

CABARET NIGHT 6:30 p.m. Join the Stan Fox and Friends jazz band for an evening of music, dancing and good vibes. There will be a cash bar and light refreshments available. Admission by donation. Proceeds support the programming of the Foothills Performing Arts and Civic Center. Held at the Foothills, Oneonta. (607) 431-2080.

CABIN FEVER 7 p.m. The Cabin Fever Film Series presents “Tár” about Lydia Tár (played by Cate Blanchett), the first female conductor in Germany, and her work to live up to her name as she records her latest symphony. Free admission, donations gratefully accepted. Auditorium, Fenimore Art Museum, Cooperstown. (607) 547-1400.

TEEN ZONE 7-10 p.m. Students in grades 7-12 are invited for a fun night of games and activities each Friday. Games range from air hockey to Xbox games to board games, with arts and crafts, baking, movie nights, and more also offered. Held Fridays at The Richfield Springs Community Center, 6 Ann Street, Richfield Springs. THEATER 7:30 p.m. The

blasting toward me from the orchestra and blew me backward. I nearly pitched off the podium in a back flip from the stage onto the concert hall floor.

Wow. This was more powerful, better than I had dreamed. My hands trembled. I couldn’t even stick to the beat. How did those musicians cope with me?

But I kept bravely waving my baton until the

Starstruck Players youth troop of the Orpheus Theatre presents “Into the Woods,” which brings together the classic fairytales from Rapunzel to Little Red Riding Hood for an adventure with a Big Bad Wolf, a princess festival, and a quest. Tickets, $15/adult. Held at the Foothills Performing Arts and Civic Center, Oneonta. (607) 432-1800.

►s aTurday, Jan. 28

BLOOD DRIVE 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Save up to three lives with the American Red Cross. Elm Park Methodist Church, 401 Chestnut Street, Oneonta. Register at redcrossblood.org

SEED SWAP 9 a.m. to noon. Visit with the Otsego County Master Gardeners and pick up seeds saved from previous years to plant in spring. Held at the Oneonta Farmers’ Market, Foothills Performing Arts Center, Oneonta. Visit cceschoharie-otsego.org

SNOW TUBING 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Weather permitting, Glimmerglass State Park will be open for snow tubing on the hill. Admission is $5/person. Snow tubes are provided; there is a warming hut with snacks and hot chocolate available for purchase. Check the Facebook page or call the park office to confirm the slope is open. Held Saturday

trumpets stood up. Back at it again. Waving my baton. It would soon be over, fortunately. I could get the orchestra to stand and take its bows. I could take my final bow.

The real prize, the real triumph for you and me, for our children, our communities—we raised enough money to keep the music playing that year and for years beyond. We

and Sunday. Glimmerglass State Park, 1527 County Highway 31, Cooperstown. (607) 547-8662.

ART OPEN HOUSE 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. View “Kelley’s Carved Convoy,” a surroundsight of trucks carved 1950s1990s by acclaimed Oneonta farmer and folk artist Lavern Kelley. Also includes mugs and ornaments by Marcie Schwartzman and wooden Kenyan miniatures (proceeds benefit Mukuru Art Collective). Free admission. The Art Garage, 689 Beaver Meadow Road, Cooperstown. (315) 941-9607.

PHOTOGRAPHY 1-3 p.m. Learn the basics of photography, from composition and lighting to shutter speed and aperture. Class is geared toward digital photography but analog cameras are welcome. No experience required. Tickets, $15/person. Pre-registration required. Headwaters Arts Center, 66 Main Street, Stamford. (607) 214-6040.

LIFESKILLS 4-6 p.m. Teens are invited to learn to cook with Lynn. Menu posted to FB. Seating limited, reservations required. Presented by The Oneonta Teen Center. 50 Dietz Street, Suite L, Oneonta. (607) 441-3999.

COFFEE HOUSE 7-9 p.m. Music jam in a range of genres by amateur local performers. Sign up to perform

hit our goal. I hit my goal and made sure our children continued to get that special concert each year.

Every year, my husband and I sponsor this very special concert: to honor my sister, to help make sure we all keep this music alive.

Today the Catskill Symphony Orchestra needs your help as much as it did nearly three decades ago

or just enjoy the show. Light refreshments included. Free, open to the public. Schuyler Lake United Methodist Church. Church Road, Schuyler Lake. (315) 858-2523.

THEATER 7:30 p.m. The Starstruck Players youth troop of the Orpheus Theatre presents “Into The Woods.” See Friday listing.

►sunday, Jan. 29

THEATER 3 p.m. The Starstruck Players youth troop of the Orpheus Theatre presents “Into the Woods.” See Friday listing.

GOODBYE BINGO 6 p.m. Say goodbye to 2022 with your friends and a fun game of Bingo. Spend a couple of hours with your friends and win prizes, bid on the gift basket, and enter the 50/50 raffle. Proceeds of the night go to support the Superheroes Humane Society. Minimum purchase of $10 to play. Roots Brewing Company, 175 Main Street, Oneonta. (607) 435-0035.

►Monday, January 30

BLOOD DRIVE 12:305:30 p.m. Save up to three lives with the American Red Cross. Bassett Medical Center, 1 Atwell Drive, Cooperstown. Register at redcrossblood.org

when we brought it roaring back to life. Let’s keep the music playing. Join me at the Cabaret on March 25 at SUnY Oneonta and vote for your favorite guest conductor candidate. Keep on voting. Put your dollars (votes) in the bags—every dollar you can afford. Vote for everyone—recognize their time, tribute and willingness to take the spotlight for a few moments,

SENIOR GAMES 12:302:30 p.m. Seniors are invited to play games during the Connections program each Monday. Games range from cards, cribbage, puzzles and more. Held at the Clark Sports Center, Cooperstown. connectionsatcsc@gmail.com

BLOOD DRIVE 1-6 p.m. Save up to three lives with the American Red Cross. Quality Inn, 5206 State Highway 23, Oneonta. Register at redcrossblood.org RESTORATIVE YOGA 7 p.m. Enjoy a restorative yoga session taught for and by members of the queer/trans community. Free, registration required. Donations being accepted for community member’s gender-affirming surgery. Yoga People Oneonta, 50 Dietz Street, Oneonta. Visit facebook.com/ yogapeopleoneonta/ COMEDY—9-10 p.m. Enjoy a fun show with the quickwitted Derrick Knopsnyder, who encourages audience participation and will keep you engaged and laughing throughout the night! Tickets, $6/person. Hunt Union Waterfront, SUNY Oneonta. (607) 436-3012.

►Tuesday, Jan. 31

COMMUNITY HIKE 9:45 a.m. The community is invited for a group hike with the Susquehanna Chapter of the Adirondack Mountain Club. Please bring appropriate clothing, gear, enough water to stay hydrated and be aware of your level of fitness. Contact hike leader for more information. This week’s hike will be at Lower Riddell State Park, Oneonta, with hike leader Diane Aaronson. (607) 432-9391.

doing something they’ve never done before (in front of the entire town!) Make an extra donation. Buy season tickets. Be a sponsor. Support a powerful resource for our area’s children, and the brilliant musicians that make it all possible.

In these times, the symphony needs the money more than ever. Let’s keep the music playing.