Hometown Oneonta 02-29-24

Jump Raises 180K for Children with Serious Health Concerns

By WRILEY NELSON

MILFORD

The bright, cold afternoon of Saturday, February 17 saw hundreds of people flock to the waterside at Silliman Cove on Goodyear Lake for the 26th annual Polar Bear Jump. Participants and spectators huddled close to the shoreline as the weather seesawed between full sun and snow squalls that reduced visibility to a few hundred feet, all accompanied by a gusting, bitter wind. Due to poor ice conditions, the jump was moved from its usual location in the center of the lake to a wading area near the shore. Reactions to the change were mixed; jumpers who were accustomed to simply stepping off a platform all at once faced the far more daunting prospect of walking out into the four-foot water and immersing themselves a bit at a time. As always, volunteer teams of rescue divers and emergency medical responders waited in the wings.

Lifelong area residents Brenda and Jamie Waters started the Goodyear Lake Polar Bear Jump in 1996 with a handful of participants. It has grown to a major local tradition and fundraising institution that routinely attracts more than 200 jumpers. Entire families and workplaces attend as teams, competing against one another to raise the most money and often wearing matching uniforms for the jump. This year, the Polar Bear Jump family, as many participants call it, outdid itself, raising more than $182,000.00.

Although Brenda and Jamie have not yet confirmed the total, they believe that this year’s donations put their cumulative total over the past quarter-century at well over $2 million.

Organizers selected nine local children with chronic or severe health conditions as this year’s recipients, including Callie Shaw, Taylor Piucci, Rowan DeCocker, Windsor Tietjen, Madison Monton, Max Pascarella, Scarlett Vandermark, Jax Baldwin and Harlee Booker. Visit www.pbjump.com/ recipient-stories/ to read their stories. Several recipients attended the jump to watch their friends, family members and fundraising teams take the plunge.

“We had 223 people make the jump this year,” Brenda said. “We’ve had bigger turnouts in the past, but the people who turn up every year no matter what

are serious. Many of them have started their own annual fundraising events to get sponsors for the jump; some of them run line dancing events, and a few local businesses did daily donation drive events for weeks. I really can’t believe just how committed so many people are to helping out the recipients.”

The community spirit was palpable as the crowd cheered for each group running into the water. Many teams sported flashy or humorous outfits, and about half did their fundraising and jump on behalf of a particular recipient. One man raised more than $19,000.00 by himself, prompting a cheer from the audience that drowned out the rest of the announce-

ment. Several jumpers self-identified as the hapless partners or fiancées of people who have made the jump with their families for decades; “Now you’re really part of the family,” exclaimed an in-law on the shore.

The Polar Bear Jump recently received 501c3 status, allowing it to accept more corporate donations. Many local businesses donate money or items for the benefit auction that typically takes place a few weeks before jump day.

“With the new tax benefit for donating to us, we’ve gotten a lot more help from businesses around

Continued on page 11

Pulitzer Winner Speaks on Journalism, Democracy

By TERESA WINCHESTER ONEONTA

Since 2003, Mike McIntire has been reporting for the “New York Times” on issues such as health and safety, public institutions, white collar crime, Wall Street bailouts, terrorism, gun violence, and more. He is a two-time Pulitzer Prize winner, receiving his first award for his reporting on Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election and his second in 2021 for reporting on the nefarious underpinning beneath “routine” traffic stops across the United States.

On Thursday, February 22, McIntire returned to his alma mater, Hartwick College, to give the 2024 Leslie G. Rude Memorial Lecture, titled “Investigative Journalism and Democracy,” appearing at the invitation of the college’s Institute of Public Service. Speaking to an audience of approximately 90

people gathered in the theater of Hartwick’s Anderson Center for the Arts, McIntire talked about his early experience in journalism, the evolution of investigative journalism, and briefly reviewed a number of his own articles on topics such as former President Donald Trump’s undisclosed income tax returns, his tax avoidance, and his personal involvement in the January 6, 2020 insurrection at the United States Capitol.

A 1985 Hartwick graduate, McIntire gave a nod to Hartwick professors John Lindell (political science and international studies), Mary Vanderlaan (political science) and Sugwon Kang (constitutional law) as positive influences in his formative years.

“There is a writing component involved in political science, and I found I liked research and writing,” he said, further noting, “Hartwick courses gave me a foundation, the

Photo courtesy of Chipped Paint Media

Onlookers and jumpers waiting in line for their turn watch as intrepid community members take the plunge to benefit children with chronic or severe health conditions at this year’s Goodyear Lake Polar Bear Jump.

Photo by Nick George Two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Mike McIntire spoke at Hartwick College last week. Continued on page 7

First Presbyterian To Install New Lead Pastor, Associate Pastor

COOPERSTOWN

On Sunday, March

3, The First Presbyterian Church of Cooperstown will formally install two new pastors, the Rev. Jessica D. Lambert and the Rev. Faith E. Gay. Lambert, the new lead pastor, received her Masters of Divinity from Yale Divinity School, and pastored

Saint Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church from 2007-2021 in Jersey City, New Jersey. There she was involved in community organizing, especially around affordable housing, criminal justice, and food insecurity, and oversaw renovations to provide space for community nonprofits. Lambert moved to Cooperstown in 2021

The job scene

FullTime/Full Benefit in our Oneonta Health Center** No working holidays** no on-call hours and no late evenings** 2 weeks vacation accrued from date of employment** Fully paid individual Excellus Gold health and dental insurance**Life Insurance.

Under the Direction of the Director of Patient Services, the Health Center Nurse Manager provides leadership, supervision, and guidance to the Health Center Nurses, ensures that excellent patient care is being provided in accordance with agency policy and that quality standards are met.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Current license to practice as a registered professional nurse or licensed practical nurse in NYS. Experience in Ob-Gyn nursing desirable. A positive demeanor with the ability to be tactful, sensitive and empathetic to all patients and/or clients. Commitment to the mission of Family Planning. Must have a contact phone number. Access to reliable transportation to travel in all counties. Physically able to perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. $27 hr, 37.5 hours a week

EMAILS ONLY PLEASE WITH COVER LETTER AND RESUME TO: Deborah.sechrist@fpscny.org.

when her husband, the Rev. Nathan Ritter, was called as rector of Christ Church Episcopal. Since moving to Cooperstown, she served as operations manager for Cooperstown Food Pantry and is now working part time as chaplain at Bassett Healthcare. “I am honored and humbled to be called to serve as lead pastor at First Presbyterian Church,” said Lambert. “It fills me with great joy to be able work alongside the Rev. Faith Gay and the amazing congre-

gational leaders at First Presbyterian. They are such faithful people who are so committed to peace, justice and hope in the world.”

Gay, the new associate pastor, resides in Cooperstown and New York City with her spouse, Francesca Zambello. She also received her Masters of Divinity from Yale Divinity School and previously served the First Presbyterian Church of Cooperstown as designated pastor from 2020-2021. She is a founding partner of the

law firm Selendy and Gay, PLLC and, in addition to litigation, Gay is engaged in extensive local and international pro bono work.

“I am delighted to have the opportunity to serve First Presbyterian under the leadership of the wonderful Jess Lambert,” said Gay. “I was privileged to work with this congregation during the pandemic, and it is such a blessing to be called on again. I look forward to working closely with the greater community.”

The installation will take place on March 3 at 2 p.m., with The Rev. Serene Jones, president of Union Theological Seminary of New York City, preaching. Following the service, all are invited to a reception in the chapel. The church is located at the corner of Pioneer and Elm streets in Cooperstown. The church is eagerly anticipating the leadership of these amazing and gifted pastors, officials said.

Committee Helps New Folks Feel at Home

By ARYA PATEL COOPERSTOWN

Welcome Home Cooperstown was established in early 2023 and first met last year in May. Since then, this group has involved new and old community members in monthly gatherings to meet, build relationships, and form new friendships.

Welcome Home Cooperstown is a non-profit entity solely run by volunteers within the community who would like to see a more welcoming place for individuals to come to. The goal is to welcome area newcomers and assist them in building connections to established residents and institutions, and encourage them to make our community their permanent home.

A member of the committee, Erin Rawitch said, “I wish we had had Welcome Home Cooperstown when we moved here two and a half years ago. Welcome Home Cooperstown wants to make the difficult task of meeting people when you’re new in town a little bit easier.”

Families who are new to a community, in particular, can benefit from the assistance of those who will take them in and welcome them, and it is Welcome Home

Cooperstown’s mission to ensure this. Whether one is an established member of the community or new to the area, the Welcome Home Cooperstown meet and greets are designed to create a more diverse, strengthened community.

Longtime resident Ann Brown said, “We moved to Cooperstown, New York 20 years ago, and it took a while to get settled in. What I would like to accomplish with Welcome Home Cooperstown is to connect newcomers to activities and groups that are meaningful to them as quickly as possible. Thereby paying forward and sharing the beautiful community that I love.”

Brown has grown to love the Cooperstown area, and would like to share that joy with others.

“These meetings are for all who would like to create a more positive community,” Brown added.

Welcome Home Cooperstown monthly meet and greets take place on Tuesdays at the Village Hall at 22 Main Street. This year’s remaining dates are March 5, April 2, May 7, June 4, July 2, August 6, September 3, October 1, November 5 and December 3. These gatherings are suitable for entire families, with many activities dedicated to children, such

as arts and crafts, books, and drawing. Each meeting also has a theme, including Black History Month, St. Patrick’s Day, Cinco de Mayo, Pride Month, celebrating Otsego Lake, and more.

The March 5 event will include general information about the Cooperstown area and institutions, and will include a celebration of St. Patrick’s Day. There will be a craft for families and a brief overview of St. Patrick’s Day by Cooperstown Graduate Program’s Cosette Veeder-Shave. Local musician Jack Cooper will provide entertainment, and refreshments will be served by parishioners of Christ Church.

Members of the Welcome Home Cooperstown committee include interested citizens and representatives from the Village of Cooperstown, Bassett Healthcare, Cooperstown Central School, and the Cooperstown Chamber of Commerce, with support from the Friends of the Village Library and The Community Foundation of Otsego County.

To get in touch with members of the Welcome Home Cooperstown Committee, e-mail welcomehomecooperstown@gmail.com or join the Welcome Home Cooperstown Facebook page.

Group Seeks To Honor Vietnam Veterans

ONEONTA

The

Oneonta

Chapter National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, Otsego Chapter NSDAR and Vietnam Veterans of America Post #85 will hold an event on Sunday, May 19 to honor area

Vietnam veterans and their families.

In 2012, Congress authorized the establishment of The United States of America Vietnam War Commemoration. The primary objective of this organization is to thank and honor Vietnam veterans and their families for their service and sacrifice on behalf of the United States.

Since that time, commemorative partners such as the NSDAR have held hundreds of events honoring these veterans. As a token of the event, veterans have been presented with a Vietnam

Veteran Lapel Pin. Recently, the commemoration program has been expanded to include surviving spouses of deceased veterans.

The May 19 event will be held at the Masonic Temple at 322 Main Street (corner of Main and Grand streets) in Oneonta. This building is handicapped accessible and has ample parking. The program will begin at 2 p.m.

The following groups will be honored: living veterans who served on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces at any time during the period

November 1, 1955 to May 15, 1975, regardless of location of service; and the surviving spouse of a veteran who served on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces at any time during the period November 1, 1955 to May 15, 1975, regardless of location of service. Persons who are interested in participating in this event and receiving a lapel pin should register by calling (607) 9656419 or (607) 434-9884.

For more information about the Vietnam War Commemoration, visit vietnamwar50th.com.

Hartwick Prof Strives To Make Art More Inclusive through AR

By TERESA WINCHESTER

ONEONTA

At age 8, Joe Von Stengel, professor of art and design at Hartwick College, was a selfdescribed “Atari kid.”

Now 52, he is pushing the boundaries of electronics and computer graphics with his pursuit and promotion of augmented reality, or AR.

Defined formally, AR is “an enhanced version of reality created by the use of technology to overlay digital information on an image of something being viewed through a device, such as a smartphone camera.”

Von Stengel defines it more succinctly.

“AR is the integration of virtual objects within the physical world, in real time,” he said.

Von Stengel, who holds a Master’s of Fine Arts in design from the University of Oregon, sees augmented reality as an inclusive art and has taken on projects which introduce AR to the community. One such effort was participation in CANO’s (Community Arts Network of Oneonta) City of the Hills Festival,

held in September 2023, for which he created the Augmented Reality Community Arts Gallery, a virtual art gallery providing a public space for community members to present their visual creativity.

The gallery utilizes a free augmented reality app, Artivive, and is mapped to local artist Carol Mandigo’s murals, “Windows in Time,” painted on the Dietz Street wall of the Greater Oneonta Historical Society building. To activate the virtual artwork, viewers should open the Artivive app and point a smartphone camera at the mural to see the virtual artwork come alive.

“You need to fit the image into the frame of the camera, so viewers at the Dietz Street location may have to stand out in the street a bit,” Von Stengel cautioned.

Many people from all walks of life came by the gallery at the CANO festival, he said.

“The app is free and there was nothing to set up. Once we got people going, you could see them really light up,” he said, elaborating, “Artworks presented in AR cannot

be seen until they load, so the viewer is always surprised. AR can contain moving images, sound, and can jump off the screen into 3D space. It can be a very different experience.”

The gallery’s images are rotated out each month, and anyone creating visual art can submit one digital image per month for free, “as long as images fit the parameters,” Von Stengel said.

there if they’d like to,”

Von Stengel said.

At Hartwick, Von Stengel teaches introductory and intermediate level “Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality” courses.

“AR also shows up in my foundation art course, “Creative Technology,” as well as my “Introduction to Digital Media” course. I teach an online “Introduction to Augmented Reality” course in the summer. Unfortunately, my summer AR course is already filled up for 2024. I do have some ‘how to’ help on my

personal website, jvonstengel.com, and am willing to teach people one-on-one,” he said.

ARCAG is the first virtual gallery of its kind, with regular art shows, that is solely augmentedreality based. and was made possible through funds from the Statewide Community Regrants Program, a New York State Council on the Arts initiative that also carries the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature. The grant program is administered by the Earlville Opera House.

The parameters are succinctly laid out in Von Stengel’s “Don’t Be a Jerk” policy on the ARCAG website. They prohibit personal attacks, bullying or slandering another person or group, hateful imagery, and Xrated content.

The submission process is simple. It involves taking a digital photo of a creative work on a smartphone, and emailing it through the arcag.org website. The

Riley To Address Local Dems

ONEONTA

Congressional

Candidate Josh Riley, 19th Congressional District, will be the special guest at a “Kickoff for Election 2024” event on Saturday, March 2 at 10 a.m. in the Otsego Grille of the Morris Conference Center at SUNY Oneonta.

“Josh Riley has deep roots in Upstate New York and proven experience taking on big fights on the national stage,” organizers said in a release. “Josh knows that our political and economic systems have been rigged

to benefit special interests at the expense of working folks. He’s running for Congress to change that.”

The kickoff event is hosted by the Otsego County Democratic Committee, SUNY Oneonta Democrats and the Oneonta Democratic Club. Light refreshments will be served. Riley and his hosts will be presenting information about petitioning, voter registration and other ways to be involved.

“We know that Josh is uniquely positioned to win his race,” said Steering Committee

O’Connor Sets New Record

ALBANY—Milford senior and Cooperstown/ Milford wrestling phenom T.J. O’Connor capped his varsity career with a fourth-place finish in the 152-pound class at the New York State Division II Wrestling State Championships in Albany on Friday and Saturday, February 23 and 24. He went 3-2 in the tournament, losing in the semifinals to Tioga’s Caden Bellis. O’Connor’s first match of the weekend, a 7-2 decision over PalmyraMacedon’s Keegin Christian, was his 193rd career win. This put him over the line to set Cooperstown wrestling’s all-time win record, surpassing Packy Burke’s 192. O’Connor missed a year of competition due to the COVID-19 pandemic and still compiled a 195-35 career record.

“It has been a long ride with this dude!” Head Coach Mike Croft said in a brief Facebook tribute after the tournament. “Congratulations, T.J., on setting the school career wins record and, more importantly, bringing the fight and placing fourth at the NYS Tournament. From a 99-pound seventh grader that people doubted could compete on varsity to the grown man on the podium at 152, I’m proud to have stood in your corner for 230 matches. I hope you are proud of the work you put in, and your success.”

member Gary Maffei. “Josh ran an exceptionally strong campaign in 2022, turning out a higher percentage of Democratic voters than any other House campaign in the state while also winning substantial Republican and Independent support.

“We believe we can finish the job in 2024, and we look forward to working with Josh to get it done,” Maffei said.

For more information or to RSVP, visit garymaffei@gmail.com or Oneonta Democratic Club Facebook page

artist’s name, website or social media information are optional. Without that information, works will be displayed without credit. The artist’s zip code is required.

“Most of the art project through the Dietz Street site has been student work, but I want to involve all blocks of life. I’d like to have art from the local schools and the LGBTQ and Black communities. Besides painting, movies, songs and 3D objects can be launched. Parents can put their kids’ work up

AllOTSEGO. dining&entertainment

Old Fashioned Unreserved Auc�on

Living Estate of Patricia Carrier

ONEONTA GUN SHOW

Saturday, March 9, 10;00 A M 22 Union St., Sidney , NY, American Legion Previews: Friday March 8, 10 - 4 & 8 am day of sale. Bidding in person or absentee only; 15% bp Go to AuctionZip NY, 2029 for photos & order of sale Over fifty pcs blue dec. stoneware, samplers, textiles incl. signed  1836 coverlet, country furniture, dolls, iron ware,  woodenware, painting & prints, oriental  carpets, cast iron toys, decoys, plus more !  Inquiries call Buzz Hesse, Antiques &  Appraisals  607-287-5320

Photo provided Hartwick College art professor Joe Von Stengel has launched the Augmented Reality Community Art Gallery, the first of its kind, accessible at the corner of Dietz and Main streets in Oneonta.

GUEST EDITORIAL

DILL

MAUREEN

Big PhRMA/Big Business, Big PhRMA/Bad Business

According to the latest report, the United States and New Zealand are the only countries in the world that permit advertising of prescription and over-the-counter drugs on television. License to promote these products on television in the U.S. came about some time in the 1980s, with the approval of the Federal Drug Administration. (If you have viewed the film “Dopesick,” starring Michael Keaton, and have seen the harm done by Purdue Pharmaceutical, you may feel as I do concerning the merits of the FDA.) Some sources suggest that permission by the FDA to promote these products on our airwaves may have been influenced not only by lobbyists in Washington, D.C., but also by physicians who had been sued by patients after having prescribed certain prescription or over-the-counter drugs.

The sometimes harmful side effects of many drugs promoted through television ads are often obscured by visually pleasing or pastoral images, sometimes accompanied by soothing music. In November 2023, the FDA published its final rule (https://www. natlawreview.com/article/fdas-final-rule-direct-consumer-advertising-presentation-risk-information) to amend its regulations concerning radio and television direct-to-consumer advertisements for human prescription drugs by firms, which includes manufacturers, packers, and distributors of prescription drugs and all of their representatives, both individuals and corporate entities (prescription drug firms).

The rule implements a statutory requirement established by the FDA Amendments Act of 2007 that DTC television or radio ads must be formatted to state the name of the applicable drug and its conditions of use and that the “major statement” relating to side effects and contraindications is presented in a clear, conspicuous, and neutral manner. The rule complements longstanding requirements, including risk information in prescription drug ads, setting standards for the manner in which the “major statement” is presented in DTC ads. The rule further ensures that this risk information is presented effectively, meaning in a way that helps consumers notice, attend to, and understand the applicable drug’s risks.

Financial payments from the drug industry to U.S. physicians are common and may influence physicians’ clinical decisionmaking and drug prescribing. Pharmaceutical companies often give doctors incentives, such as free trips, meals, gifts, and other perks to promote their products, but many companies offer financial incentives, such as cash payments for prescribing certain drugs or attending sponsored events.

An estimated $2 billion a year was paid by PhRMA (Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturing of America) companies to doctors, fueling an increase in prescriptions, according to a new report published in the “Annals of Internal Medicine.” Records show that 67 percent of doctors received some kind of payment from 2015-2017. The Open Payments database is a federal tool used to search payments made by drug and device companies to physicians and teaching hospitals. As an example, with regard to statins (prescription medicines that lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke) your doctor may be taking industry money. A Harvard study shows doctors who take industry payouts are more likely to prescribe brand-name drugs, which is driving up unnecessary healthcare spending, and some of the most excessive healthcare spending

Continued on page 11

BE AFRAID BUT DO IT ANYWAY ERNA MORGAN MCREYNOLDS

‘Come to the Cabaret, Old Chum...’

What makes you really afraid? Do you have a long list of things that scare you? How do you feel about getting up in front of a few hundred people to conduct an orchestra? Become the guest conductor? Maybe that doesn’t make you begin to shake, but it sure made me.

Here is the big question: Why did I end up in that position? People train to conduct orchestras. They are professional musicians.

Not like me—a girl who bumbled through clarinet lessons, band concerts, music competitions, marching band. Striving to be great, but undistinguished at best.

Why was I competing, trying to grab the baton and lead an orchestra? Because I was afraid. Afraid to lose the competition to conduct by not raising enough money to beat the other candidates. Scared if we didn’t raise enough. Back then, in the 90s, Catskill Symphony Orchestra was fighting for its life. Almost bankrupt. Every dollar we raised brought CSO, this gem of our region, closer to survival.

Nestled in our hills, Oneonta distinguished itself as the second smallest city in the country to be home of a symphony orchestra. The cabaret is CSO’s big fundraiser. Different than it was in the 90s, but still the highlight of the cold, grey winter. Real music. Fun for a cause.

How did this race to grab the baton work? Whoever raised the most money would get to conduct. Raise that baton. Make the orchestra play. Point at the trumpets or the saxophones or celli, to get them to play louder or change their beat. Getting the beat right really scared me. My high school band teacher despaired of me marching in time (as did I…) as our band paraded in the Memorial Day festivities.

But I planned to win, and wield the coveted baton. A few of my friends and I called all of the rest of our friends—and acquaintances and suppliers and vendors. Our maintenance people. Car repairman. If you knew me, you had to help me. Write checks. Bring cash. Charge a credit card. Every dollar counted.

If I had thought I was scared of conducting, I got walloped by my even bigger fear—not paying bills.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR … IN THEIR OPINION

What Is National Media Doing?

The national media has been in step with our Democrat/ Globalist party, for a long time, blinding us from what is really taking place in this country. We are watching the well-planned attempt to take over our country which is on fast track now. The goal is one political party with full control.

Cabaret Quick Facts

• Friday March 22 at the Foothills Performing Arts and Civic Center

• Pre-concert seated reception for ticket holders starts at 6 p.m., with complimentary hors d’oeuvres and a cash bar

• Theater doors open at 7 p.m.; concert starts at 7:30 p.m.

• This year’s Guest Conductor candidates are Stacie Haynes from the Susquehanna Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and Mary Ellen Hoffman from Hoffman Family Medicine.

• Silent auction with more than 20 items from local artisans and businesses

• Advance tickets are $65.00 and are available online and at the Green Toad Bookstore; $70.00 at the door if any remain.

• Students plus up to two accompanying adults are FREE thanks to the Wendy Brown Memorial Fund, but need to be reserved in advance online

• CatskillSymphony.org/Cabaret

My husband came to sit next to me after intermission. He whispered to me. Chuck (our conductor) had warned him during intermission, “If someone doesn’t give us $1,500.00, we will have to stop the concert.” All of that cabaret fun caused the concert to run overtime. Now, the only way to keep the music playing was by writing a bigger check. Not one we could afford. But we did it. The orchestra played the second half while the votes were counted.

I did win that chance to pick up the baton. Quaking my way to the podium, the conductor handed me the baton. I tapped it on the music stand. Raised it. Lowered it. Waved it. Pointed it. The orchestra was ready. They started to play Sousa’s “Stars and Stripes Forever.”

But when the trumpets stood and blasted out their section—that did me in. Now what? Really terrified, I began waving that baton wildly. And the band played on. The players already knew what to do and when to do it. When they finally stopped, I heaved a sigh of relief, waved at them to stand for a bow. And I took one, too.

Today, the Catskill Symphony Orchestra needs your support as it did those decades

Continued on page 9

well on our way to government-controlled news.

It is our responsibility to ourselves, our grandchildren and our country to look beyond the convenient fake news. There are many resources of reliable news, but it takes research to find it and sort it out from the junk. Our technology today offers both, and it is up to us to research it and use the reputable offerings.

even “Hometown Oneonta” will find it difficult to analyze the governance of Oneonta because of the lack of actual information.

Vincent, Darla M. Youngs

Web Architect Xander Moffat Historian Tom Heitz/Sharon Stuart Legal Counsel Jill Ann Poulson MEMBER OF:

National Newspaper Association, New York Press Association

The Otsego County Chamber

Published Thursdays by Iron String Press, Inc.

21 Railroad Ave., Cooperstown NY 13326

Telephone: 607-547-6103. Fax: 607-547-6080.

Email: info@allotsego.com • www.allotsego.com

Contents © Iron String Press, Inc.

The national media is hiding this agenda from us very aggressively. At this point, many of us take for granted that the national media is reputable and serving us accurately. Truth is, today, they are owned by a small number of elites with script writers that make sure their articles and TV presenters are all in sync. When someone gets too far out of step, they are let go (e.g., Tucker Carlson). Many more conservative reporters stay within certain boundaries so they don’t end up like Tucker.

Historically, we depended on the media to guide us with non-biased information that we could trust and use to make sound decisions. Today the national media is used to shift our thinking the way they want us to think. We are

The 2024 election is life or death for our country, so our voters being accurately informed is critical. The Globalist force know this very well and they will throw more money and manipulation at this election than ever before. They haven’t worked decades to get it to this point to just let it go. Why do you think they have used every tool in their wildest imagination to take Trump down?

I pray God blesses our country.

Bruce Beckert South New Berlin

City Policies Defy Logic, Data

“Hometown Oneonta” is an excellent source of information about our county and the City of Oneonta. However,

City policy seems to defy data from the updated Census, the office of the New York State Comptroller, and the New York Housing Resource Center. The problem is that the revenue from actual taxpayers is declining. In fact, nearly 56 percent of the residents actually support 44 percent dependent upon social services.

Recent housing such as Dietz Lofts has become de facto low-income housing and a new initiative comes from a former director of a low income housing project in Troy, New York. Housing is a fundamental human right. The problem is that it is sustainable only by actual taxpayers and commercial taxes, and that seems to be declining.

The City of Oneonta has remarkable resources, such as nearby hydroelectric power, infrastructure, and ideal climate, that are ignored in its expensive marketing of itself. What is necessary is to follow the example of our state and develop a website that makes

Continued on page 7

110 YEARs AGo

Within the past few months many of the pool rooms, lunch rooms, cigar stores, candy stores, and public places of the like in oneonta have been operating slot machines, candy cards, cigar boards and numerous other devices in which a man might get a whole lot for a nickel or a dime, but the majority of players would be more likely to get nothing. The operation of such devices is in direct violation of the law and, at various times, the police department have made efforts to eliminate them from the city but without complete success owing in a measure to a lack of interest on the part of the judiciary. Within the past few days all places in the city operating such devices have been visited by the police and their owners notified to remove the same and keep them removed, lest they be punished under the provisions of the law.

February 1914

50 YEARs AGo

The neighborhood is still a cherished concept for oneonta families whose children attend schools in the oneonta school District. superintendent of schools Frederick Bardsley has been meeting recently with small groups of parents to discuss the district’s building needs. District officials are considering a number of proposals, one of which recommends closing the Junior High school and converting Riverside school into either a junior high or middle school. If this proposal is adopted Riverside students would be transferred to other city elementary schools. “The bussing issue came up continually during the meetings,” Bardsley said. “Many parents simply don’t want their kids bussed out of their areas.” Bardsley has found that interest in an addition to the senior high school is fairly strong. This option has not previously been discussed much because it would require expenditures that would exceed the district’s $1.3 million debt limit. To his surprise, Bardsley is finding that many parents are not opposed to the additional expense.

February 1974

40 YEARs AGo

An increase of more than 10 students in this fall’s Kindergarten enrollment would force the oneonta school District to add another Kindergarten class, according to local teacher contract regulations. Currently, 165 students are enrolled in the seven Kindergarten classes at the district’s four elementary schools. According to the terms of the teachers’ contract, the size of Kindergarten and first-grade classes cannot exceed 25 students. Enrollment levels at the four elementary schools put all of the district’s Kindergarten classes at or near maximum capacity. school superintendent Lowell Foland said district officials will have to wait to see how many youngsters officially register, and possibly how many students actually show up for classes this fall, before determining if an added class is required.

February 1984

20 YEARs AGo

The New York state senate has rejected a controversial Pataki administration plan to require periodic renewal of pistol licenses. Gov. Pataki’s budget would have required pistol owners to renew their licenses every five years and pay a fee of at least $100. The proposal angered many of Pataki’s fellow Republicans who saw it as both a new tax and an infringement on second Amendment rights. “It really only impacted law-abiding gun owners, who are not the problem,” said senator James seward, (R. Milford). The Governor’s budget estimated that the fee would generate $31 million a year in revenue, with most of the money going to the state’s general fund. Administration officials argued that the revenue would allow state police to keep the database of handgun owners current.

February 2004

Chamber Invites Community to ‘Take the Leap’

Hello readers of “The Freeman’s Journal” and “Hometown oneonta.” My name is sean Lewis, and I am the president and chief executive officer of the otsego County Chamber of Commerce. Welcome to Leap Day 2024. I am honored to have been given the opportunity to write to you on this special day that comes just once every four years. You can find my future musings on Memorial Day week and on Halloween this year, as we continue our mission to help bring about a better quality of place for everyone in otsego County.

since this is my inaugural submission, I think I should start by describing exactly who we are and what we do, so that you have a solid frame of reference. We currently serve more than 300 members of the chamber throughout otsego County by providing help that is customized to their unique needs. Whether an existing business needs help with workforce development and recruiting, governmental liaison support, or legal or human resources information, we are there to provide those connections. New businesses and start-ups may need marketing advice, information on grant availability and assistance, or help with a business plan. We are there to make those connections for them.

And of course, the lifeblood of any chamber of commerce is providing networking opportunities and platforms so that members can exchange ideas, share common challenges and even have a bit of fun. We host a spring Awards Dinner (this year at Cooperstown’s otesaga Resort Hotel), a Fall Members Meeting and Awards Celebration (at oneonta’s Foothills Performing Arts and Civic Center). We have quarterly Membership Mixers,

MERL REAGLE

“Every great leap in life comes after you have made a clear decision of some kind.”

—Brian Tracy

where members and non-members mingle and network at a local area business. This year, we are bringing back the summer soiree, which features live entertainment, food, drinks and fun. We also hold an annual Pickleball Tournament, Disc Golf Tournament, and our yearly golf outing. We can be found at the otsego County Fair, the Hometown 4th of July, and various parades and celebrations, from Gilbertsville and Burlington Flats to Cooperstown, Richfield, and Cherry Valley. We understand that all work and no play makes us all dull women and men, and we are anything but dull!

so now that you know what we do, we ask that you take that leap of faith and get involved. You can start by nominating community recipients for our spring Awards. Just go to https://form.jotform. com/info_info671_Chamber/2024-annual-dinneraward-nomination and submit your favorites for the Eugene Bettiol Jr. Distinguished Citizen Award, Business of the Year Award, and the 2024 Breakthrough Award. Winners will be selected by the chamber’s Nomination and Governance Committee in partnership with you!

After you submit your nominations, we invite you to visit www.otsegocc.com for more information on upcoming events, as well as news from New York state lawmakers, local municipalities and area citizen leaders. And of course, you are

Continued on page 9

WWII Mess Hall Slang…

on stage: Performing arts at our oneonta camPuses rachel frick cardelle

Students To Stage Story Focusing on Jack the Ripper’s Victims

The worldwide premier of “Dead by Jack: The Victims of Jack the Ripper,” directed by Kiara Pipino, comes to Oneonta next week! This is one of the exciting things about living in a small town like ours, with two colleges: One gets all the peace and beauty of a rural life, while at the same time there always seems to be loads happening on the art, lecture, special guest, musical, and theater fronts. To find out more about how “Dead by Jack” came to be, I went right to the source and interviewed the SUNY Oneonta students and director responsible for its development and writing.

My guess is that 86-94 percent of those reading this article know who Jack the Ripper was. But that range is probably

richard derosa

On Playpens and Politics

The other day, while walking, all I could think about is how much like a playground our contemporary political arena has become. Actually, much of what I know of playground behavior comes from what I have heard from others. Growing up, I never spent much time at all in anything akin to a playground. Although, I have fond memories of a favorite sandbox in a small play area adjacent to the main zoo in New York’s Central Park. But I think it is fair to extrapolate what we know about playground behavior to a generalization of the endlessly embarrassing behaviors on exhibit daily both in Washington, D.C. and around the country. Bullying seems to be rampant. And just about every childish behavior one associates with playground culture makes the daily headlines. That, in and of itself, is unfortunate. No need here to chronicle any specifics. Anyone opting to check out a newspaper or listen to any evening newscast is served up a full plate of clownish, even vulgar, performances.

When it comes to news and newspapers, I harbor conflicting feelings. A teacher I admired, who to this day exerts an enormous influence on my intellectual life, suggested that reading a newspaper every day is a waste of time. Change the names and dates and places, he said, and nothing ever changes. That also reflects the attitude of Thoreau, another of my enduring influences (some things digested with several grains of salt), who opined that if anything of significance transpired it would find its way to him. The counterpoint to that approach has always been a mother who stressed the importance of keeping up. Also, the small boarding school I attended required that we keep up with current affairs. We could be subject to a quiz in any class, the subject matter notwithstanding. Despite my early mentors’ admonitions against a too-zealous attachment to a daily newspaper, I do keep up despite the urge all too often to throw up my hands in despair, figuring the world is going to hell in a hand basket (imagining that journey takes some doing). Lifelong habits are tough to break.

One news tidbit today had to do with how much money each of the presidential candidates has amassed. I gave up donating money to political campaigns some time ago. I would rather donate my money to organizations that focus on urgent needs, such as hunger and eradicating malaria. Just think of the good those wasted millions could do toward addressing our many pressing societal needs. Instead, hard-working people, as well as

wealthy donors who care only about buying influence, fill coffers that fund silly, often derisive and downright nasty television ads. How much influence ads exert is an open question. Oodles of cash is pumped into political consultancies and law firms, both of which, especially lawyers, bill outrageous sums of money. Oh well, life in these United States!

Another newscast ended with a piece about Taylor Swift and her NFL boyfriend. Conspiracy theorists have had a field day with this one. Apparently, the benighted couple not only works as undercover PSYOP agents for the Pentagon, they are also co-conspirators in a plot to reelect Joe Biden. I wonder if they, too, are using Jewish lasers to turn up the heat for Joe. Until a few weeks ago, I had never heard any of Swift’s songs and had never seen a picture of her. I made a point of listening to some of her more heralded songs. Okay, nice sweet voice. But not all that different from scores of other singers that crowd the pop charts. Guess her theatrics must outshine others. I wish the couple well, but as is the case with millions of other couples, their romance is inconsequential, reporting about it positively boring, and a waste of air time and valuable newsprint space. Some things, such as mating rituals between consenting adults, are best left out of public view. If by some chance the happy couple invites the public into their otherwise private lives, well then, live the dream and don’t complain.

It appears that our country has morphed into a vast playpen wherein some of the most flagrantly infantile behavior is not only tolerated, but often celebrated. Social media is one of the most egregious examples because it gives cowards cover. Playgrounds are great places. True, they can be incubators of nasty behavior at times. But we’re talking about kids, not adults, who should know better. But being an adult does not always mean acting like one. Most kids at a playground are monitored by an adult. So if less than kind behavior occurs, it can be dealt with. The American political arena is more gladiatorial than deliberative. Far too many of our politicians need a good old-fashioned spanking. Perhaps even a soapy mouthwash might do the trick. I know of this method’s efficacy from personal experience.

Dick deRosa’s Hawthorn Hill essays have appeared in “The Freeman’s Journal” since 1998. A collection, “Hawthorn Hill Journal: Selected Essays,” was published in 2012. He is a retired English teacher.

closer to 4-7 percent if I ask who Elizabeth Stride, Annie Chapman, Polly Nichols, Mary Jane Kelly or Kate Eddowes were. [Those numerical ranges are based on some extremely complicated, logical analysis, I swear! Or at least a wild guess made on my part, to make a point.]

Those are the names of the five female victims of Jack the Ripper, a serial killer who terrorized the Whitechapel area in London, England in 1888. “Dead by Jack” is a play that tells the stories of these women. Over the winter holiday break, the cast began doing research on the characters in the play. [One thing I know for a fact is that the amount of homework I did over college winter breaks was in the 0–0.01 percent range.] After they returned from their break a month ago, they began to develop the script. Ava Cancredi and Evelyn Winters described to me how they wrote the script based on specific moments they found compelling in the women’s lives.

“We began by creating moments for each character, picking which pieces of the character’s life we wanted to visualize. Since there are no ‘scenes,’ we created little moments from our research. It is all very symbolic, not literal,” Ava began.

“At the beginning of the whole process, Kiara asked us to pick out five different parts of our victims’ lives that we want to highlight. We chose what we thought was very important. Instead of it being just a verbal way of explaining their lives, we added a lot to the visual part. A lot of what we included [in the script] to highlight the women’s lives was because things at the time were blown out of proportion by the press. A lot of the things that people think they know about the victims is false. Like everyone thought they were all prostitutes, so we wanted to tell the truth,” Evelyn went on to explain.

“The first rehearsal we did in here [Hamblin Theater] was those ‘moments.’ We created these moments, and I had Annie, and she had the ‘kiss of death’ by her husband. Getting to create something out of that was huge. The first bit of my script was around that,” Angie Delgado commented. [For those who want more information on this “kiss of death,” you must come to the show. It wasn’t, I assure you, that she was married to Jack the Ripper. Although maybe she was…?]

“We also do a lot with sound, where we try to incorporate musical instruments. We incorporate lights, too. Even if they had been prostitutes, they were more than that. We were trying to create entire people [when we wrote this],” Leah Fridman continued.

Kara Durkin elaborated further on how they slowly pieced the play together, working to use all these

elements—the actors’ words, the visualization of different moments, the instruments, the lights—to keep the play from being too predictable. None of them wanted it to come across as a scholarly lecture.

Early in the development of the script, Kiara had “talked them through a corridor,” as Evelyn explained to me, walking them through the lives of the women in an immersive exercise, helping them to connect to the victims. Evelyn and the rest of the cast and crew agreed that this exercise helped them all to connect to the characters…leaving all of them, cast and crew alike, crying.

Kiara explained this is an exercise that often happens in the rehearsal process, although usually halfway through the rehearsal period, not at the beginning. She chose to do it at the beginning since this was a devised piece—one the actors themselves wrote in the rehearsal process—so she wanted them to get deep into their characters prior to the writing.

“It is interesting to think about, at least at our age, that the victims were in their 40s. I realized they were my mom’s age,” Evelyn commented.

“Except my character. My character was 25 years old, and yeah, it was weird to think about how much older the other victims were,” Ava added.

“It is so different from other pieces about Jack the Ripper because you really get to walk through the lives of the women. Alcoholism, domestic violence, family matters…as much as [this play] talks about events from the past, it talks about things from the present. It isn’t just something that happened in the past. We get to see the [victims] get married, have children— we don’t get to see them as just one-dimensional victims. I think it is a real honor to get to play Polly,” Jessy Gardner commented.

As one of the only two males in this show, Vinnie Iurillo focused on Jack the Ripper himself, which was a challenge since, as it was an unsolved series of crimes, no one knows who Jack was.

“My research was on the history of the events, who Jack the Ripper might have been, was it a he or a she…I watched documentaries about the murders. [I think] he might have been a doctor, based on how the bodies were mutilated.”

Kaia Laden researched modern victims of killers who mutilate the bodies of their victims, to give the play some perspective. Just as the victims of Jack the Ripper seemed to be dismissed by people of their time because they were all seen as prostitutes, and therefore almost “deserving” of their fates, Kaia found that a disturbing number of modern-day victims in the unsolved cases she researched are women of color, and Native American women. Kaia

and the other cast and crew members talked about society’s ability, both in 1888 and today, to devalue the lives of some victims as though some of us are worth more than others; a fact that in writing and presenting this play, these students hope to make us all think twice about.

As I interviewed the students over an hour, knowing they had added an hour to their rehearsal just to do this, I was struck both by their commitment to this work and how well they all seemed to get along. As we moved into how they put this script together, that closeness was given voice by the students themselves.

“The first days I walked into rehearsal were really confusing,” said Ava. “We only had a month to write and rehearse this script.”

Kara told me that she had done a devised script like this in high school, but they had four months of preparation, not one.

“We get along so well, and we marinate in each other’s ideas,” said Angie.

The cast and crew are predominantly women, with only two men in the production. The underlying theme of the show is violence against women. So how did it feel having these two men in the room? Or being these two men?

“We didn’t know

Vinnie and Kolby Cappelletti the first day and [yet] we all bonded,” Leah recounted.

“It was intimidating, and I had to walk into the room and slash throats,” Vinnie laughed.

“I think for me, I am not good in social situations. I walked in, I didn’t know anybody, it was very intimidating. So I made jokes and they laughed!” Kolby told me.

“Our chemistry is insane. We can be vulnerable in hard moments [in rehearsal]. Having guys who are genuinely—don’t let this go to either of your heads—good men and supportive is great. They were both raised right,” Evelyn voiced as she looked around the group.

Everyone grinned and nodded their heads in agreement.

Personally, I would say that all the cast and crew of this production have been raised right. And that watching the show it is a real pleasure to, how did Angie put it? Marinate in their ideas.

You can watch

“Dead by Jack: The Victims of Jack the Ripper”—directed by Kiara Pipino and written and performed by SUNY Oneonta students—in the Fine Arts Center’s Hamblin Theater on SUNY O’s campus March 1 and 2 at 7:30 p.m., March 3 at 2 p.m. and March 5 and 6 at 7:30 p.m. The cost is $5.00 for general admission or free with a SUNY Oneonta student ID.

UP NEXT: “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged),” directed by Marc Shaw and performed by Hartwick College students, April 10-13.

hawthorn hill journal

Photo by Rachel Frick Cardelle top, kolby cappelletti, Vinny iurillo; row two: ava cancredi, evelyn winters, leah fridman; row three: emily shufelt, angie delgado, kaia laden; bottom: sofia delgado, kiara Pipino, kara durkin, rachel wolf. not pictured: jessy gardner.

McIntire

Continued from page 1

best testament to a liberal arts education.”

McIntire spotlighted two pioneers of investigative journalism—both women and both named Ida.

Ida B. Wells was a Southern Black reporter whose research in the 1890s concluded that Black economic progress, rather than the rape of white women, was the underlying motivation behind lynchings.

Ida Tarbell, best known for her series of articles on the Standard Oil Company, published between 1902 and 1904, exposed the company’s monopolistic practices in regard to the distribution and sale of oil. Her articles ultimately contributed to the enactment of major anti-trust legislation.

McIntire then fastforwarded to the impacts of investigative journalism the 1960s and 1970s.

“The two biggest stories were Watergate and the My Lai massacre in South Vietnam,” he said.

Reporting on the 1968 My Lai massacre exposed atrocities committed by American troops, supported by grisly photos of the dead bodies of old men, women, and children, provided a forceful impetus for U.S. military disengagement in Vietnam, as did the 1971 publication of the “Pentagon Papers” by the “New York Times.”

These “top secret” documents revealed that, early on, the U.S. government knew the war in Vietnam most likely could not be won.

The dogged work of “Washington Post” reporters Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward resulted in the resignation of President Richard Nixon in August, 1974. Their investigations uncovered not only Nixon’s participation in the cover-up of the 1972 burglary at the headquarters of the National Democratic Committee, but also a broad spectrum of clandestine, often illegal, activities undertaken by members of his administration. One ultimate result of Watergate investigations was passage of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978, designed to prevent secret surveillance by the president and others.

Whereas the early investigative reporters had to do the heavy lifting of searching out records at state capitals, libraries, and other brick-andmortar repositories of knowledge, technology has fast-tracked the ability to transmit information rapidly and in great bulk, McIntire said. As an example, he cited the “Panama Papers,” a 2016 story developed from 11.5 million leaked documents, or 2.6 terabytes, of data exposing a rogue offshore financial industry.

McIntire spoke at length about his second Pulitzer Prize-winning article, written with Michael H. Keller, titled “The Demand for Money Behind Many

Police Traffic Stops.” A review of hundreds of municipal audits, town budgets, court files and state highway records supported findings that, especially in towns with populations of fewer than 30,000, the police have become money collectors in support of their town’s budget.

“There is a hidden scaffolding of financial incentives and all sorts of fees are tacked on,” McIntire said, citing the case of a Black man, Harold Brown of Valley Brook, Oklahoma, stopped because a light above his license plate was out. Brown wound up hand-cuffed, with a bloodied face and owing $800.00 in fines and fees.

The Harold Brown incident not only exemplifies how drivers are frequently stopped for minor infractions and how these stops often escalate, causing personal injury or even death; it is also indicative of the strong racial component associated with this practice.

Examining traffic stops in Newburgh Heights, Ohio, the article stated, “A Times analysis of more than 4,000 traffic citations there found that 76 percent of license and insurance violations, and 63 percent of speeding cases, involved Black motorists.”

The practice of bolstering municipal budgets and funding police departments stems in part, McIntire and Keller found, from $600 million for highway safety grants from the federal government, grants which subsidize ticket writing and, in some cases, lead to the establishment of quotas for numbers of tickets given out.

As the article relates, “[A]t least 20 states have evaluated police performance on the number of traffic stops per hour, which critics say contributes to overpolicing and erosion of public trust, particularly among members of certain racial groups.”

Further proof of the existence of quotas was made clear in an e-mail sent by Windsor, Virginia Police Chief Rodney Riddle to his force and obtained through a public records request to the Town of Windsor.

“Please remember,” Riddle wrote, “that you are required to write a minimum of two tickets per hour while on grant time and there is zero tolerance.”

These journalistic investigations have brought about results.

In 2021, the State of Virginia prohibited stops initiated due to defective

taillights, tinted windows and loud exhaust. In 2022, Windsor police ended grant-funded patrolling. For McIntire, this exposé on traffic stops, like all good investigative journalism, offers yet another example of “the ills exposed through the research of documents”—research which enables investigative journalism to put a check on power and call it to account.

Letters

Continued from page 4

it easy to know the revenue, expenditures, rental and new housing metrics, RFPs and new contracts, sales tax revenue, tax warrants, in rem housing, etc., of the City of Oneonta. Essentially, the information required by a voter to make decisions.

I have followed the Common Council on Youtube.com, through the New York Comptroller and, of course, “Hometown Oneonta.” But most city governance seems contrary to Urban Planning 101, and driving in the wrong direction.

Harvey Brody Oneonta

What Is Board Thinking?

We sold everything and moved from New Jersey a year ago to live in this beautiful, tranquil area near the Holy Trinity Monastery. We love the peaceful rural living; we love to see deer in the fields and eagles in the sky; we love the beauty of rolling hills and waterfalls. My children love their Owen D Young school and their new friends. It cost our family almost $400,000.00 to buy the land and to build a house on it. We had plans to continue investing: building a garage, and perhaps opening a crêperie place on Main Street in Jordanville. We wanted to grow a family here.

Instead, a decision the town could make may force us to leave. When industrial wind turbines are built—structures taller than the Statue of Liberty—our rural quality of life is destroyed. Home prices for everyone near the wind turbines devalue: Families are effectively robbed. We will be forced to move out of state and we will be taking our tax money with us. Why? No one will want to live next to the noisy, eagle-killing monsters. As houses in the area devalue, the entire town loses tax dollars. When $400K properties become $50K properties, the town’s economic base evaporates.

We must ask, what is

the town board thinking? Many families who recently moved into this area were escaping the noise pollution of big cities. Families are still coming to the area, families who don’t yet know about the New Leaf wind turbine proposal.

There were three houses built on Chyle Road in the past year alone. But newcomers who invested into the area—as my family did—will be robbed. They weren’t planning or hoping to live next to wind turbines or a field of solar panels. They moved here in search of a quiet, non-polluted area, hoping to live in the heart of these beautiful, but now threatened, surroundings.

As news of the turbine proposal spreads, people are putting their plans on hold. Our neighbors on Chyle Road are already talking about moving if the project is approved. Bassett Hospital has a very hard time attracting medical personnel and provides huge incentives to bring people into the area, but New Leaf’s turbines will only serve to chase people away. You will obtain a lump sum of dollars from the wind and solar farm companies (to build salt warehouses), but in the long-run, Stark and all the surrounding towns will lose tax dollars as the properties lose their values and residents move away. That’s what my mother would call “penny smart and pound foolish.”

I hope that the Stark Town Board will preserve this beautiful area. Please consider how your decision will affect the wildlife, the beautiful landscape, and the lives of so many families.

Irina Zubritskaya Jordanville

What Is the Bassett Plan?

Bassett has published its latest Form 990 tax return, and the 2022 loss is staggering: $64,501,658.00. Since Bassett is surrounded by larger healthcare systems, its ongoing losses continue to beg the question whether it can survive as an independent system and, if so, how.

Dr. Tommy Ibrahim was brought in to “turn it around,” but that was Mission Improbable. The challenges may be

beyond the control of any turn-around artist. The American healthcare system is notoriously the most expensive in the world—with a secondrate outcome. Longevity and the well-being of the average American is subpar.

Some of Bassett’s peers—regional not-forprofit hospitals—did make money in 2022. For instance, Southwestern Vermont Health Care in Bennington, Nebraska Medicine in Omaha, Greenwich Hospital, and Methodist Hospital in Dallas all made an operating profit in 2022.

There must be a way forward for Bassett, but more-of-the-same may not be an inspired plan.

Chip

Northrup Cooperstown

SUBSCRIBE TODAY!

CALL 607-547-6103

GIVE THE GIFT OF A RIDE!

Doctor’s appointment, grocery shopping!

Thanks

WE NEED DRIVERS FOR SENIORS!

Did you know 27% of seniors live alone?

• Help our community to stay independent!

• Drive our seniors for food shopping and medical appointments

• Make your own schedule while making a difference

• Driving distance reimbursed

Please contact the VolunteerTtransportation Center luanne@volunteertransportation.org

The Glimmerglass Festival Loses Two Valued Friends

JOAN

this February, two friends, whose professional contributions to the Glimmerglass Festival helped propel the opera company forward during an era of significant growth, passed away on opposite coasts, both as a result of Parkinson’s disease. Music Director Emeritus Stewart Robertson, 75, peacefully passed away at his home in Carmel Valley, California, surrounded by his family; and former Director of Press and Public Relations Michael Willis, 81, serenely passed away at his home

in Pierstown, with his husband, Bill Oliver, at his side.

Born in Glasgow, Scotland, Robertson studied piano in London and conducted at the

Mozarteum Academy and Vienna Academy. He became the youngest conductor at the time to lead a performance at the Cologne Opera. He went on to become music director of the Zurich Ballet and Scottish Opera Touring Company, until, in the 1980s, he was appointed conductor of the San Jose Symphony Youth Orchestra, which brought him, his wife, Meryl, and their family to America.

A Dream Opening

In 1987, the year the Alice Busch Opera Theater opened, Robertson and his wife spent the summer in Cooperstown when he was invited to conduct that season’s stunningly memorable production of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” The opening of the theater was a grand occasion and an organizational turning point for the company, which was then known as the Glimmerglass Opera. A year later, Robertson was appointed Glimmerglass Opera music director, a position he retained until 2006. In addition to continuing his vibrant international conducting career, Robertson also served as artistic director and principal conductor of the Florida Grand Opera in Miami, the Atlantic Classical Orchestra in Stewart and Vero Beach, Florida, and Opera Omaha.

In 1989, his first year as

music director, Robertson established the company’s Young American Artists Program, which became renowned as one of the finest professional training programs in the country for emerging American opera singers. In the 2000s, the program evolved to include directors, conductors, and pianists alongside American and international singers, and “American” was dropped from the program’s title.

The ‘Triumvirate’ Glimmerglass Opera’s long-standing artistic director, Paul Kellogg, formed what was amusingly referred to as a “triumvirate” throughout the 1990s, with Robertson and then-Director of Production John Conklin collaborating with Kellogg on the shaping of each summer’s festival at a time when the music world began paying extra attention to what was happening in Cooperstown—in part attributable to the opening of the archi-

tecturally noteworthy theater and its beautiful setting as a tourist destination, and in larger part attributable to the level of artistry brought to bear by these three creative leaders.

This era of growth also attracted substantial support from the National Endowment for the Arts at a time when the NEA made large institutional advancement grants, as well other major foundations and individual contributors. One such award enabled Glimmerglass Opera to expand from an average 21 performances of three-to-four operas each summer, performed one after the other, to what ultimately became more than 40 performances of four operas presented in rotating repertory. This expansion and scheduling change enabled out-of-towners to see all four productions during a single visit, while also exploring Cooperstown and other area attractions.

Along with this

growth came the need to expand the small, fulltime staff, which resulted in the hiring of Willis as director of press and public relations in 1995.

Wooed and Wowed Willis and his husband, Bill Oliver, were life-long opera fans when they discovered Glimmerglass Opera through friends who summered in the Cooperstown area, at a time when the company was still performing in the high school and producing seasons with the tremendous help of a community of volunteers, alongside professional musicians and performers. As Metropolitan Opera regulars, Willis and Oliver approached their first evenings at the opera with a touch of skepticism, but were delightfully surprised and wowed by the quality of the singers and productions. Wooed by the beauty of the area and the fact that they could see opera in the summer, they bought a second home in Pierstown in 1985, and along the way were introduced to Kellogg and his partner, the painter Raymond Han.

When the time came to expand the staff, in 1994, Kellogg hired Oliver—who had been director of development for Columbia College and was at the time director of alumni and university relations for Columbia University—as the opera’s first full-time development director. A year later, in 1995,

Continued on page 11

Photo provided Stewart a ND M erYL r obertS oN

Photo provided

MICH ae L w ILLIS a ND b ILL o LIV er

Be Afraid

Continued from page 4

ago. Join us at the Cabaret on Friday, March 22. Vote for your favorite candidate with all the dollars you can. Give your choice the chance for real power. Keep the music playing in our hills.

Dorothy B. Carrington

1929-2024

ONEONTA—In

Loving Memory of Dorothy Bennett Carrington. It is with very heavy hearts that we announce the passing of our beloved Dorothy. She was an extraordinary woman, a dedicated teacher, a loving wife, a devoted mother, a proud grandmother and greatgrandmother; and a cherished friend to many. Her kindness, grace, wisdom and faith inspired all who knew her.

A celebration of her life will be announced for June when her entire family and her friends can gather to celebrate her.

Expressionsofsympathy may be sent to www. lhpfuneralhome.com, the website of Oneonta’s only family-owned funeral home, Lewis, Hurley & Pietrobono at 51 Dietz Street.

Erna Morgan McReynolds, raised in Gilbertsville, is retired managing director/financial adviser at Morgan Stanley’s Oneonta office, and an inductee in the “Barron’s” magazine National Adviser Hall of Fame. She and her

Chamber

Continued from page 5 invited to attend our mixers and events so that you can get to know us better. You can also speak to Katrina Van Zandt (our director of operations), Karen Laing (our director of finance and administration), or

with me to get answers to your questions or to discuss the value of membership. We are here to serve.

Everyone at the Otsego County Chamber of Commerce looks forward to seeing all members and Otsego County citizens throughout 2024 as we

OBITUARIES

crisscross the county for both business and fun. We have a lot to accomplish. Who wants to make that clear decision to take the leap and join us?

Sean Lewis is president and chief executive officer of the Otsego County Chamber of Commerce.

WE WANT TO CELEBRATE YOU!

Promotions, births, events, new hires, milestones, grand openings, awards, meetings, opinions, results of sporting events, personal bests, weddings and more. Photos welcome, too. info@allotsego.com

Edward B. Snyder

1941-2024

MIDDLEFIELD—

Edward B. Snyder, 83, husband of Joan, died Friday, February 16, 2024 at his home on County Route 33.

Arrangements are with Tillapaugh Funeral Service,

Michael Willis

1943-2024

PIERSTOWN—

Michael Willis, 81, for many years a senior executive in the book publishing business in Manhattan and more recently the director of Press and Public Relations at Glimmerglass Opera, died Friday, February 16, 2024 at his home in Pierstown. He is survived by his husband, Bill Oliver.

Arrangements are with Tillapaugh Funeral Service, Cooperstown.

Francis L.

Wycoff Jr.

1952-2024

ONEONTA—Frank left his life on earth on Friday, February 23, 2024 and is on his way to explore the cosmos.

Born July 15, 1952 in Columbus, Georgia, he spent his younger years split between the San Francisco area and summers with his grandparents on Long Island.

Frank was an avid

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

soccer fan and a follower of the Premier League— especially the Liverpool team. He shared his enthusiasm for the sport by coaching his son’s team and conducting coaching clinics for parent volunteers. In later years, he enjoyed watching grandchildren play.

In California, he and Nancy joined with neighbors to found an association to build a park and plant several hundred trees to make a greener, safer neighborhood. It was through his work there that he made many lifelong friendships.

He and Nancy had a commercial printing company in California for 20 years. After they moved to New York, he put his creativity and talent for fixing things to work with his Around the House Repairs business.

He was predeceased by his father, Francis Wycoff Sr. and sister, Michelle Pollard. He is survived by his wife, Nancy Bullock Wycoff; son Francis III (Otego);

stepson Benjamin Payne (Bend, Oregon); stepdaughter Megan Payne (Oneonta); and grandchildren Dexter, Annabel, Francis IV, and Suzanne. In addition, he leaves behind Steve Pollard, Steve and Helen Mader, Jan Baughman, Jennifer Wycoff, Carol (Charles) Verry, Dale (Maryrose) Bullock, Mary Beth (Dave) Waite, Pamela (Raymond) Key and 17 nieces and nephews.

Frank would prefer that any donations in his

name be made to Helios Care, 297 River Street Service Road, Suite 1, Oneonta, NY 13820 or the Susquehanna SPCA, 5082-5088 State Highway 28, Cooperstown, NY 13326.

In lieu of a traditional service, there will be a celebration of his life in July.

The Connell, Dow & Deysenroth Funeral Home in Cooperstown is serving the Wycoff family.

leW i S, HurleY & pietrobono

Funeral Home

51 Dietz Street oneonta, nY 607-432-1511

www.lhpfuneralhome.com

Heller & Skinner

Funeral Home

155 Main Street Worcester, nY 607-397-9711

www.hellerskinnerfh.com

Proud to be family-owned John & Kathleen (Heller) Pietrobono

Funeral Home

Photo provided

DOROTHY B. CARRINGTON

Photo provided

F RANCI s L. W YCOFF J R

LegaL nOtice

NOTICE OF VILLAGE ELECTION VILLAGE OF MILFORD, NEW YORK

Elections for the Village of Milford will take place on Tuesday, March 19, 2024 at the Milford Village Office, 64 South Main St, Milford, New York from 12:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m.

Certificate of Nomination has been duly filed by the candidates with the Village Clerk, as follows:

Position: Village Trustee – term of two years

Candidate: David West, 15 Brook Street Kirsten Ruling Village Clerk LegaL nOtice

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

NOTICE is hereby given that there has been duly introduced before the Board of Representatives of the County of Otsego, New York, a Local Law entitled:

A Local Law extending Local Law No. 2 of 2021 continuing the rate of tax of 6% -Imposing a tax on the occupancy of certain hotel, motel and similar rooms in Otsego County.

NOTICE is further given that the Board of Representatives will conduct a public hearing on the proposed Local Law in the Representatives Chambers at the County Office Building in the Village of Cooperstown, New York on Wednesday, March 6, 2024 at 9:45 a.m. at which time all persons interested will be heard. The location of the public hearing is accessible to persons with mobility impairment.

The public hearing will be streamed via Facebook Live on the official Otsego County Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/otsegocountynewyork

A copy of this Local Law is available on the Otsego County website.

Dated: February 29, 2024

Carol D. McGovern Clerk of the Board of Representatives Otsego County, New York LegaL nOtice

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ON INCLUSION OF LAND INTO CERTIFIED AGRICULTURAL DISTRICT

NOTICE IS HEREBY

GIVEN that a public hearing has been scheduled by the Board of Representatives of Otsego County, State of New York, in the Representatives’ Chambers at the County Office Building in the Village of Cooperstown, New York, on Wednesday, March 6, 2024 at 9:55 a.m. for consideration of requests to include two parcels of viable agricultural land into certified agricultural districts located within the County of Otsego and the recommendation of the Agricultural and Farmland Protection Board. This request has been filed with the County legislature, pursuant to Section 303-b of the Agriculture and Markets Law.

Two landowners have requested that their agricultural land, located in the Town of Richfield and the Town of Oneonta, be included in Agricultural District # 1 within Otsego County.

A listing of the parcels to be included and the recommendation of the Agricultural and Farmland Protection Board may be examined at the Otsego County Planning Department, located at the Meadows building, 140 Co Hwy 33W, Cooperstown, New York during regular business hours.

All parties in interest and citizens will be heard by the Otsego County Board of Representatives at the public hearing. The location of the public hearing is accessible to persons with mobility impairment.

The public hearing will be streamed via Facebook Live on the official Otsego County Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/otsegocountynewyork

Dated: February 29, 2024

Carol D. McGovern Clerk of the Board Representatives Otsego County, New York

LegaL nOtice

SUPPLEMENTAL SUMMONS AND NOTICE OF OBjECT OF ACTION

Supreme Court Of The State Of New York County Of Otsego

Action to Foreclose a Mortgage

Index #: EF2023-383

Keybank, N.A.

Plaintiff, vs Jude B Lynch

As Heir To The Estate Of Barbara A. Campbell, Michael J Lynch

As Heir To The Estate Of Barbara A. Campbell, Unknown Heirs Of Barbara A. Campbell If Living, And If He/She Be Dead, Any And All Persons

Unknown To Plaintiff, Claiming, Or Who May Claim To Have An Interest In, Or General Or Specific Lien Upon The Real Property Described In This Action; Such Unknown Persons Being Herein Generally Described And Intended To Be Included In Wife, Widow, Husband, Widower, Heirs At Law, Next Of Kin, Descendants, Executors, Administrators, Devisees, Legatees, Creditors, Trustees, Committees, Lienors, And Assignees Of Such Deceased, Any And All Persons Deriving Interest In Or Lien Upon, Or Title To Said Real Property By, Through Or Under Them, Or Either Of Them, And Their Respective Wives, Wido ws, Husbands, Widowers, Heirs At Law, Next Of Kin, Descendants, Executors, Administrators, Devisees, Legatees, Creditors, Trustees, Committees, Lienors, And Assigns, All Of Whom And Whose Names, Except As Stated, Are Unknown To Plaintiff, People Of The State Of New York, United States Of America On Behalf Of The IRS, United States Of America

John Doe (Those unknown tenants, occupants, persons or corporations or their heirs, distributees, executors, administrators, trustees, guardians, assignees, creditors or successors claiming an interest in the mortgaged premises.) Defendant(s).

Mortgaged Premises: 109 East Main Street Milford, NY 13807

To the Above named Defendant: You are hereby summoned to answer the Complaint in this action, and to serve a copy of your answer, or, if the Complaint is not served with this Supplemental Summons, to serve a notice of appearance, on the Plaintiff(s) attorney(s) within twenty days after the service of this Supplemental Summons, exclusive of the day of service (or within 30 days after the service is complete if this Supplemental Summons is not personally delivered to you within the State of New York). In case of your failure to appear or answer, judgment will be taken against you by default for the relief demanded in the Complaint.

LEGALS

The Attorney for Plaintiff has an office for business in the County of Erie. Trial to be held in the County of Otsego. The basis of the venue designated above is the location of the Mortgaged Premises.

TO Unknown

Heirs of Barbara A. Campbell Defendant In this Action. The foregoing Supplemental Summons is served upon you by publication, pursuant to an order of HON. Brian D. Burns of the Supreme Court Of The State Of New York, dated the Sixteenth day of February, 2024 and filed with the Complaint in the Office of the Clerk of the County of Otsego, in the City of Cooperstown.

The object of this action is to foreclose a mortgage upon the premises described below, dated October 4, 2007, executed by Barbara A. Campbell (who died on July 25, 2022, a resident of the county of Otsego, State of New York) to secure the sum of $42,000.00. The Mortgage was recorded at Book 1536, Page 925 in the Office of the Otsego County Clerk on October 18, 2007; The property in question is described as follows: 109 East Main Street, Milford, NY 13807

NOTICE YOU ARE IN DANGER OF LOSING YOUR HOME

If you do not respond to this summons and complaint by serving a copy of the answer on the attorney for the mortgage company who filed this foreclosure proceeding against you and filing the answer with the court, a default judgment may be entered and you can lose your home. Speak to an attorney or go to the court where your case is pending for further information on how to answer the summons and protect your property. Sending a payment to your mortgage company will not stop this foreclosure action.

YOU MUST RESPOND BY SERVING A COPY OF THE ANSWER ON THE ATTORNEY FOR THE PLAINTIFF (MORTGAGE COMPANY) AND FILING THE ANSWER WITH THE COURT.

DATED: February 22, 2024

Gross Polowy

LLC Attorney(s) For Plaintiff(s) 1775 Wehrle Drive, Suite 100 Williamsville, NY 14221

The law firm of

Gross Polowy LLC and the attorneys whom it employs are debt collectors who are attempting to collect a debt. Any information obtained by them will be used for that purpose.

79822

4LegalMar.21

LegaL nOtice NOTICE TO BIDDERS

Sealed bids will be received as set forth in instructions to bidders until 10:30 A.M. on Thursday, March 14, 2024 at the NYSDOT, Office of Contract Management, 50 Wolf Rd, 1st Floor, Suite 1CM, Albany, NY 12232 and will be publicly opened and read. Bids may also be submitted via the internet using www.bidx. com. A certified cashier’s check payable to the NYSDOT for the sum specified in the proposal or a bid bond, form CONR 391, representing 5% of the bid total, must accompany each bid. NYSDOT reserves the right to reject any or all bids.

Electronic documents and Amendments are posted to www. dot.ny.gov/doing-business/opportunities/constnotices. The Contractor is responsible for ensuring that all Amendments are incorporated into its bid. To receive notification of Amendments via e-mail you must submit a request to be placed on the Planholders List at www. dot.ny.gov/doing-business/opportunities/constplanholder. Amendments may have been issued prior to your placement on the Planholders list.

NYS Finance Law restricts communication with NYSDOT on procurements and contact can only be made with designated persons. Contact with non-designated persons or other involved Agencies will be considered a serious matter and may result in disqualification. Contact Robert Kitchen (518)457-2124.

Contracts with 0% Goals are generally single operation contracts, where subcontracting is not expected, and may present direct bidding opportunities for Small Business Firms, including, but not limited to D/M/WBE’s and SDVOBs.

The New York State Department of Transportation, in accordance with the Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 78 Stat. 252, 42 U.S.C. 2000d to 2000d-4 and Title 49, Code of Federal Regulations, Department of Transportation,

Subtitle A, Office the Secretary, Part 21, Nondiscrimination in Federally-assisted programs of the Department of Transportation and Title 23 Code of Federal Regulations, Part 200, Title IV Program and Related Statutes, as amended, issued pursuant to such Act, hereby notifies all who respond to a written Department solicitation, request for proposal or invitation for bid that it will affirmatively ensure that in any contract entered into pursuant to this advertisement, disadvantaged business enterprises will be afforded full opportunity to submit bids in response to this invitation and will not be discriminated against on the grounds of race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability/handicap and income status in consideration for an award.

BIDDERS SHOULD BE ADVISED THAT AWARD OF THESE CONTRACTS MAY BE CONTINGENT UPON THE PASSAGE OF A BUDGET APPROPRIATION BILL BY THE LEGISLATURE AND GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

Please call (518) 457-2124 if a reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the letting.

Region 09: New York State Department of Transportation 44 Hawley Street, Binghamton, NY, 13901

D265203, PIN 9PM024, FA Proj Y2409PM0-243, Broome, Chenango, Delaware, Otsego, Schoharie, Sullivan, Tioga Cos., HIGHWAY - PAVEMENT MARKING, Various Routes in Various Locations., Bid Deposit: 5% of Bid (~ $200,000.00), Goals: DBE: 0.00%

LegaL nOtice SUMMONS Supreme Court of New York, Otsego County.

U.S. BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS LEGAL TITLE TRUSTEE FOR TRUMAN 2016 SC6 TITLE TRUST, Plaintiff, -againstLAURIE HEXT AS HEIR AND DISTRIBUTEE OF THE ESTATE OF MARILYN L. HEXT; ASHLEY MATTESON AS HEIR AND DISTRIBUTEE OF THE ESTATE OF MARILYN L. HEXT; HELENE EJDESTAM AS HEIR AND DISTRIBUTEE OF THE ESTATE OF MARILYN L. HEXT; UN-

KNOWN HEIRS OF THE ESTATE OF MARILYN L. HEXT; LSF9 MASTER PARTICIPATION TRUST; NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF TAXATION AND FINANCE; UNITED STATES OF AMERICA (NORTHERN DISTRICT) O/B/O INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE; “JOHN DOE” AND “JANE DOE” said names being fictitious, it being the intention of Plaintiff to designate any and all occupants of premises being foreclosed herein, Index No. EF2023-772.

Mortgaged Premises: 16 Canterbury Circle, Washingtonville, NY 10992

Section: 103 Block: 4 Lot: 18

TO THE ABOVE NAMED DEFENDANTS:

YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED to answer the Complaint in the above captioned action and to serve a copy of your Answer on the Plaintiff’s attorney within twenty (20) days after the service of this Summons, exclusive of the day of service, or within thirty (30) days after completion of service where service is made in any other manner than by personal delivery within the State. The United States of America, if designated as a Defendant in this action, may answer or appear within sixty (60) days of service hereof. In case of your failure to appear or answer, judgment will be taken against you by default for the relief demanded in the Complaint.

NOTICE OF NATURE OF ACTION AND RELIEF

SOUGHT

THE OBJECTIVE of the above captioned action is to foreclose on a Mortgage to secure $107,167.62 and interest, recorded in the Otsego County Clerk’s Office on April 17, 2008 in Book 1550, Page 350, Document Number 2008-00062996, covering the premises known as 325 Butternut Road, Richfield Springs, NY 13439. The relief sought herein is a final judgment directing sale of the premises described above to satisfy the debt secured by the mortgage described above.

Plaintiff designates Otsego County as the place of trial. Venue is based upon the County in which the mortgaged premises is located.

NOTICE YOU ARE IN DANGER OF LOSING YOUR HOME

If you do not

respond to this summons and complaint by serving a copy of the answer on the attorney for the mortgage company who filed this foreclosure proceeding against you and filing the answer with the court, a default judgment may be entered and you can lose your home.

Speak to an attorney or go to the court where your case is pending for further information on how to answer the summons and protect your property. Sending a payment to your mortgage company will not stop this foreclosure action.

YOU MUST RESPOND BY SERVING A COPY OF THE ANSWER ON THE ATTORNEY FOR THE PLAINTIFF (MORTGAGE COMPANY) AND FILING THE ANSWER WITH THE COURT.

FRIEDMAN VARTOLO, LLP 1325 Franklin Avenue, Suite 160 Garden City, NY 11530, Attorneys for Plaintiff.

4LegalFeb.29

LegaL nOtice

NOTICE OF FORMATION OF Kelmarra LLC. Filed 2/13/24. Cty: Otsego. SSNY desig. for process & shall mail 162 Sonata Dr, Jupiter, FL 33478. Purp: any lawful. 6LegalApr.4

LegaL nOtice

NOTICE OF FORMATION OF The Turk’s Plantation, LLC

Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on June 3, 2023

Office Location: Otsego County SSNY Designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to 810 Mooney Road, Worcester, NY 12197

Purpose: Any lawful purpose. 6LegalApr.4

LegaL nOtice

NOTICE OF FORMATION OF Hardstone Hauling, LLC.

Articles of Organization were filed with the NY Secretary of State on 02/05/24.

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 it to: The LLC, 1113 River Road, South New Berlin, NY 13843.

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

6LegalApr.4

LegaL nOtice

NOTICE OF FORMATION OF IIIB, LLC.

Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 08/13/21.

Office Location: Otsego County. SSNY Designated as an agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to 99 Washington Avenue, Suite 700, Albany, NY 12260.

Purpose: Any lawful purpose.

6LegalMar.28

LegaL nOtice

NOTICE OF FORMATION OF Blissful Stays LLC

Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 02/12/2024.

Office Location: Otsego County. SSNY Designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to 3737 County Highway 35, Cooperstown, NY 13326. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.

6LegalMar.28

LegaL nOtice

NOTICE OF FORMATION OF How Life Works, LLC. Filed 12/21/23.

Office: Otsego Co. SSNY desig. as agent for process & shall mail to: 361 Bush Rd., Cooperstown, NY 13326. Registered Agent: Usacorp Inc, 325 Division Ave, Ste 201, Bklyn, NY 11211.

Purpose: General.

6LegalMar.21

LegaL nOtice

NOTICE OF FORMATION OF ELITE SANITATION ENTERPRISES LLC A Limited Liability Company. Articles of Organization were filed with the New York Secretary of State on February 5, 2024. 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 continued Pg. 11

Jump

Continued from page 1

the area,” Brenda said. “In-kind donations of stationery, posters, food and so on have reduced our operating costs to essentially nothing, so we’re able to pass everything on to the recipients.”

“The community here is amazing,” Jamie added. “We don’t get told ‘no’ very often.”

The jump is ultimately a community effort, Brenda and Jamie said. It is entirely run by volunteers, many of whom have been fixtures at the events for decades.

“The volunteers who run the concession stand told us several years ago, ‘We don’t want you to worry about this part, just assume we’ll be there every year,’ and now a lot of the volunteers are like that,” Brenda said. “Everyone just comes together for the kids. Neil Case, who works for the New York State Police diving team, is the father of a past recipient, and he reached out to us to offer the volunteer rescue dive team. It really makes the jump feel safer and more professional. That’s how every part of this comes together: Someone will have an idea to make

PhRMA

Continued from page 4

involves the purchase of cholesterol-lowering statins.

Add to this that the number of licensed lobbyists in Washington, D.C., according to a 2022 report, is more than 12,400, while men and women elected to the U.S. Senate number only 100, and those representatives elected to the House total only 435. The

the jump better, and then they go out and do it. You have the divers, the drone photography pilot, the concessions, the businesses who donate our operating materials— everyone has something unique to offer and they offer it.”

In addition to the jump and auction, there is an awards banquet that is open to the community. In recent years, the Polar Bear Jump has also expanded to run fundraising events earlier in the winter and fall, as well as sickbed visits by beloved mascot Goody the polar bear. Like nearly every other jumper or volunteer to mention it, Brenda and Jamie said that the banquet is the most rewarding part of the entire process. Jumpers, volunteers, donors, recipients, and other community members sit down for a hot meal and to recognize the most successful fundraisers.

“It’s a really special experience, getting to see what the donations mean to the children and their families, and what that means to the donors, jumpers and volunteers,” Brenda said. “A recipient’s family member this year said, ‘doing this jump restored my faith

number of paid licensed lobbyists does not include advocates or advocacy groups.

Lobbying spending in Washington, D.C. in 2022 reached $4.1 billion, with Big PhRMA investment in lobbying overshadowing all but one larger entity. According to the chart, “Leading Lobbying Industries in the United States in 2022,” found at www.statista.com/top, pharmaceutical and health product lobbyists spent

on December 21, 2023.

Office Location: Otsego County. SSNY Designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to PO Box 1431, Richfield Springs, NY 13439. Purpose: Any lawful purpose. 6LegalMar.14

LEgAL NOTiCE

NOTICE OF FORMATION OF SG JUNIOR, LLC. Articles of Organization were filed with the NY Secretary of State on 01/26/24. 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, PO Box

in humanity,’ and I’m not sure there is higher praise.”

Another volunteer, explaining a few tears at the dinner, said “there are people with sick children here, and they’re smiling.”

Jamie and Brenda are pleased with and grateful for their event’s expansion, but want it to retain its community spirit. They are considering running more events over the course of the year. However, as they and other volunteers emphasized, the jump and the people it brings together will always be the heart of the operation.

“Truly, any help that people can offer makes a difference,” Jamie said. “We need jumpers and sponsors, of course, but we can also make good use of food, gift certificates, in-kind donations for the auction or for operations. Anything helps.”

Visit the Goodyear Lake Polar Bear Jump Facebook page or https:// pbjump.com/ for more information on future events.

Contributing writer and former Iron String Press News Editor Wriley Nelson attended and made the jump on behalf of the newspaper.

$374 million that year. In 2023, it was reported that PhRMA spent $29.2 million in federal lobbying.

To learn more, check out this and other news reports: “Federal Lobbying Spending Reaches $4.1 billion” (https://www.opensecrets.org/news/2023/01/ federal-lobbyingspending-reaches-4-1-billion-in2022-the-highest-since-2010/).

According to OpenSecrets—a nonpartisan,

Festival

Continued from page 8

Kellogg brought on board Willis, whose work in publishing, notably as associate publisher and director of subsidiary rights at E.P. Dutton and Company, made him the ideal individual to liaise with the national and international press that was beginning to take a keen interest in the festival.

Road Signs and International Notices

Among Willis’ accomplishments for the festival was his extensive campaigning and frequent phone calls to the New York State Department of Transportation to get

Glimmerglass Opera road signs established along Route 20 in both directions. But his greatest achievement was the cultivation of the national and international press, which resulted in extensive coverage for the festival throughout the U.S. and abroad, attracting visitors from nearly every state and typically 10 foreign countries each summer, an important factor in the opera’s explosive growth in attendance and as a world-renowned cultural attraction.

Willis and Oliver retired from Glimmerglass in 2004 and were married on September 17, 2011. At the time of Oliver’s death, they had been a devoted couple for 64 years, having

FAM To Host Master Artisans

COOPERSTOWN—The Farmers’ Museum will present a live Zoom conversation with famous master artisans Roy Underhill and Peter Ross at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, March 27. Participants will enjoy a lively discussion followed by a question and answer period. Visit www.FarmersMuseum.org to register; a $10.00 donation is suggested. Underhill is best known as the creator and host of the PBS series “The Woodwright’s Shop,” one of the longest-running programs in the history of television. He is the author of seven books on traditional woodcraft and served as Master Housewright for the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. Ross is a nationally recognized artisan blacksmith and whitesmith who served for 23 years as the master of the Colonial Williamsburg blacksmith shop.

independent and nonprofit research group tracking money in U.S. politics and its effect on elections and public policy—Akin Gump reported receiving a total of $53.2 million from clients for federal lobbying in 2022, slightly less than the $53.8 million the firm reported receiving for federal lobbying in 2021. Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, which reported receiving $61.2 million from clients last year, was the highest grossing

federal lobbying firm for the second consecutive year. That’s another new record—annual lobbying revenue reported by a single federal lobbying firm never reached $60 million in past years, even adjusted for inflation. The top 10 lobbying firms raked in more than 9 percent of the $4.1 billion spent on federal lobbying in 2022, a new OS analysis found.

People concerned enough about this issue to take action may sign

met as freshmen at Columbia University in 1960. Robertson planned his departure from the opera to coincide with Kellogg’s retirement in 2006. Mr. and Mrs. Robertson met at the Bearsden Burgh Choir, near Glasgow, in 1969, and Mrs. Robertson recalls being “immediately smitten”—she was a mezzo-soprano in the choir, and he was a student in his last year at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama. They married July 8, 1972, nearly 52 years ago. Until his struggle with Parkinson’s became overwhelming, Robertson continued his conducting and music director career for a few more years.

WE WANT TO CELEBRATE YOU

Promotions, births, meetings, new hires, events, milestones, grand openings, sports results, anniversaries and more. Photos welcome, too! info@allotsego.com

a Change.org petition at https://chng.it/ n99vq8McCN. They may also contact their representatives at the local, state and federal levels to demand a ban on drug advertising on television.

Maureen Dill is a retired social worker and former disaster preparedness and response planner, having served as human services and emergency services director for two international nonprofit charitable organizations.

1373, Oneonta, NY 13820. The purpose of the LLC is to engage in any lawful act or activity.

6LegalMar.14

LEgAL NOTiCE

NOTICE OF FORMATION OF LOTUS GLASS STUDIO, LLC

Articles of Org. filed with NY Sec. of State (SSNY) 2/2/24. Office in Otsego Co. SSNY desig. agent of LLC upon whom process may be served. SSNY shall mail process to 1091 County Hwy 46, Oneonta, NY 13820, which is also the principal business location.

Purpose: Any lawful purpose.

6LegalMar.14

LEgAL NOTiCE

NOTICE OF FORMATION OF Doubleday Court LLC, Arts of Org. filed with Sec. of State of NY (SSNY) 2/1/2024. Cty: Otsego.

SSNY desig. as agent upon whom process against may be served & shall mail process to Molly Hernandez, 17 Walnut Street, Cooperstown, NY 13326.

General Purpose 6LegalMar.14

LEgAL NOTiCE

NOTICE OF FORMATION OF Butternut Valley Ventures LLC filed 1/18/24

Office: Otsego Co.

SSNY designated as agent for process & shall mail to: 4021 State Highway 51, Garrattsville, NY 13342

Purpose: all lawful 6LegalMar.14

LEgAL NOTiCE

NOTICE OF FORMATION OF GLIMMERGLAS S MEDICAL & WELLNESS LLC

Arts of Org. filed w/ SSNY 1/19/24. Otsego Co.

mail a copy of any process to the LLC at 21 Frederick Avenue, Babylon, New York 11702.

Purpose: General. 6LegalMar.7

LEgAL NOTiCE NOTICE OF

OF

COMPANY Articles of Organization of Schweitzer GC LLC (the “LLC”) were filed with the Secretary of State of New York (“SSNY”) on May 15, 2023, effective upon the date of filing. Office Location: Otsego County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom

process against it may be served. SSNY may mail a copy of any process to the LLC at 21 Frederick Avenue, Babylon, New York 11702.

Purpose: General. 6LegalMar.7

LEgAL NOTiCE

NOTICE OF FORMATION OF Randylayne And Sons Consulting LLC. Filed 1/7/24.

Office: Otsego Co. SSNY desig. as agent for process & shall mail to: 23 Watson St., Unadilla, NY 13849. Registered Agent: United States Corporation Agents, Inc., 7014 13th Ave, Ste 202, Bklyn, NY 11228.

Purpose: General. 6LegalMar.7

LEgAL NOTiCE

NOTICE OF FORMATION OF Serowski LLC. Filed 11/08/23. Office: Otsego Co. SSNY desig. as agent for process&shall

mail to: 131 Clintonville rd, Milford, NY 13807.

Purpose: General. 6LegalMar.7

LEgAL NOTiCE

NOTICE OF FORMATION OF Gun Club Rd LLC.

Filed with SSNY on 1/22/2024. Office: Otsego County. SSNY designated as agent for process & shall mail to: 4305 61st St, Apt. C2, Woodside NY 11377.

Purpose: any lawful 6LegalMar.7

LEgAL NOTiCE

NOTICE OF FORMATION OF Roaming Roots Farm LLC, Arts of Org. filed with Sec. of State of NY (SSNY) 1/14/2024. Cty: Otsego. SSNY desig. as agent upon whom process against may be served & shall mail process to 174 Main St, Otego, NY 13825.

General Purpose 6LegalFeb.29

LEgAL NOTiCE

NOTICE OF FORMATION OF Quicksilverkeys LLC filed w/ SSNY 1/18/24.

Off. in Otsego Co. Process served to SSNY - desig. as agt. of LLC & mailed to the LLC, PO Box 386, Oneonta, NY 13820. Any lawful purpose. 6LegalFeb.29

LEgAL NOTiCE

NOTICE OF

FORMATION OF Terraforge Motorsports LLC

Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State Of New York (SSNY) on 01/14/2023.

Office Location: Otsego County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against may be served. SSNY should mail process to Alfred W. Quick: 7553 NY-80, Richfield Springs, NY 13439. Purpose: any lawful purpose. 6LegalFeb.29

►Fri., March 1

SCHOLARSHIP Call for applications for 3 art scholarships ($400 each) for graduating Otsego County seniors (home school students included). Applications due by May 15. Leatherstocking Brush and Palette Club, PO Box 136, Springfield Center, NY 13468. E-mail lbandpclub@gmail.com for information/application. BOOK CLUB “Show & Tell Book Club.” Choose a book to read around this month’s theme, then discuss that book at the meeting. March’s theme is “change.” Meeting held 5:30-7 p.m. on 3/28. Huntington Memorial Library, 62 Chestnut Street, Oneonta. (607) 432-1980.

KNITTING CIRCLE

9:30 a.m. Bring knit project and work with the group. Beginners welcome. Held every Friday. Harris Memorial Library, 334 Main Street, Otego. (607) 988-6661.

POTTERY 1:30-

4:30 p.m. Open Studio. Experienced potters are invited to work on personal projects. No instruction provided. $30/session. Held Monday, Wednesday, Friday. The Smithy Clay Studio, 1 Otsego Court, Cooperstown. Gallery@ SmithyArts.org.

YARN CLUB

2-3:30 p.m. First Friday each month. Knit, crochet or do other fiber crafts with the group. Huntington Memorial Library, 62 Chestnut Street, Oneonta. (607) 432-1980.

CRAFT FRIDAYS

3:30 p.m. Make a cardboard robot with the Worcester-Schenevus Library, 170 Main Street, Worcester. (607) 3977309.

DINNER 5-7 p.m. Fried Fish Dinner. Includes French fries, coleslaw, dessert and beverage (with dine-in). $14/dinner. Take-out

available. Oneonta Veterans Club, 279 Chestnut Street, Oneonta. (607) 432-0494.

OPENING RECEP-

TION 5-7 p.m. “Made in Middlefield: Part 1.” Paintings, textiles and more by Middlefield artists. The Art Garage, 689 Beaver Meadow Road, Cooperstown (607) 5475327.

OPENING RECEP-

TION 5-8 p.m. “3rd Annual Youth Arts Show.” Juried show featuring works from local high schools. Refreshments included. Show runs through 3/31. Part of Cherry Valley First Friday. 25 Main Collective, 21 Main Street, Cherry Valley. (607) 264-5340.

COOKING 6-8 p.m.

“Greek Cooking Class.” Learn about Greek cuisine and prepare a Greek meal to enjoy. $25/person. Cherry Valley-Springfield Central School, 597 County Highway 54, Cherry Valley. (607) 2643265 ext. 518.

CONCERT 7:30 p.m.

“PROJECT Trio.” Oneonta Concert Association presents one of the most watched instrumental ensembles on the Internet, known for their wide appeal, subversive humor and first-rate playing. General admission, $25. First United Methodist Church, 66 Chestnut Street, Oneonta. (607) 432-1589.

THEATER 7:30 p.m.

“Twisted: The Untold Story of a Royal Vizier.” Parody of Disney’s “Aladdin” (1992), told from Jafar’s point of view. Recommended for ages 18+. $20 general admission. Also showing on 3/2 and 3 p.m. matinee on 3/3. Foothills Performing Arts and Civic Center, 24 Market Street, Oneonta. (607) 431-2080.

THEATRE 7:30 p.m.

“Dead by Jack: The Victims of Jack the Ripper.”

Written by students and based on the book “The Five” by Hallie Rubenhold;

inspired by the stories of the real women murdered by Jack the Ripper. General admission, $5. Also held 3/2 with a matinee at 2 p.m. on 3/3. Then held 3/5 and 3/6.

SUNY

Oneonta Theatre Department, Hamblin Theater, 106 Fine Arts Center, 108 Ravine Parkway, Oneonta. 607-436-3414.

►Sat., March 2

WINTER MARKET

9 a.m. to 1 p.m. “Winter Farmers’ Market.”

Vendors, coffee truck/ food, produce and more. Pathfinder Village School Gymnasium, 3 Chenango Road, Edmeston. (607) 965-8377.

AWARENESS

10 a.m. to 2 p.m. “March

Into Health: A Cancer Awareness Health Fair.”

Presented by Bassett Healthcare Network at the Southside Mall, 5006 State Highway 23, Oneonta.

ART FEST 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. “Paintfest 2024: The Science of Color.” 11+ activities, reading library, and more where children learn about color, design, and science while being creative and having fun. Admission by donation. Presented by Oneonta World of Learning at FoxCare Center, 1 FoxCare Drive, Oneonta. (607) 431-8543.

CRAFT 10-11:30 a.m.

“Crochet with Marki.”

Learn basic stitches of crochet, how to read a pattern, practice and get questions answered. Also held 3/9 and 3/16. The Green Giraffe, 179 Main Street, Unadilla. (607) 369-3234.

POLITICS 10 a.m.

“Kickoff for Election

2024,” featuring Congressional Candidate Josh Riley (19th Congressional

District). Hosted by area Democratic clubs at the Otsego Grille, Morris Conference Center, SUNY Oneonta, 108 Ravine Parkway, Oneonta. garymaffei@gmail.com or visit the Oneonta Democratic Club Facebook page.

TAX PREP 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. “Free Tax Preparation.” Get help with taxes from IRS-certified volunteers. Held Saturdays through 4/15. Huntington Memorial Library, 62 Chestnut Street, Oneonta. (607) 432-1980.

EXHIBIT 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. “Made in Middlefield: Part 1.” Paintings, textiles and more by Middlefield artists. The Art Garage, 689 Beaver Meadow Road, Cooperstown (607) 547-5327.

POTTERY Noon to 3 p.m. “Independent Study with Karla.” Potters with adequate throwing skills explore their creativity with experienced an potter available to answer questions. Open to adults with intermediate skills. Held Saturdays through April 27. Tuition, $280. The Smithy Gallery & Clay Studio, 1 Otsego Court, Cooperstown. (607) 5478671.

FUNDRAISER Noon to 7 p.m. “Inaugural Cornhole Tournament: A Recreation Program Fundraiser.” Cash prizes, raffle drawing, 50/50 raffle and more to support the programs of The Arc Otsego. Held at The Quality Inn, 5206 State Highway 23, Oneonta. americanglorycornhole@gmail.com.

WRITERS GROUP

1:30-3:30 p.m. Supportive group to practice writing exercises and receive feedback. Huntington Memorial Library, 62 Chestnut Street Oneonta. (607) 432-1980.

HISTORY 4-6 p.m.

“The History of Clothing.” Presented by Linda Hovey. Everything Textiles, 179 Main Street, Unadilla. (607) 369-3234.

►Sun., March 3

SUGARING

8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

“Sugaring Off Sundays.” Pancake breakfast from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. with contemporary and historical maple sugaring demonstrations, activities for kids, more from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Admission, $15/adult. Held Sundays through March 24. The Farmers’ Museum, 5775 State Highway 80, Cooperstown. (607) 547-1450.

GUN SHOW 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oneonta Gun Show. 50+ dealers showing arms and military relics from pre-Revolutionary War to present. Buy, sell or trade. All federal and NYS firearm laws will be observed. Admission $5. Presented by Midstate Arms Collectors Inc. at the Oneonta Elks Lodge, 84 Chestnut Street, Oneonta. (607) 748-1010.

DEATH Noon to 1:30 p.m. Death Café to discuss death and dying while celebrating life and living. Snacks and beverages included. Free. Hosted by the Upper Catskill Natural Burial Association at The Unitarian Universalist Society of Oneonta, 12 Ford Avenue, Oneonta. (607) 432-3491.

SERVICE 2 p.m.

Installation of the Rev. Jessica Lambert to the office of lead pastor and the Rev. Faith Gay to the office of associate pastor. Reception to follow. First Presbyterian Church of Cooperstown, 25 Church Street, Cooperstown. (607) 547-8401.

OUTDOORS 2-4 p.m.

“Queer Outdoors: Greenway Trail.” Short hike to see the hidden beauty of the Susquehanna shoreline. Park in Catella Park

(accessed from Neahwa Park), Oneonta. (607) 375-7280.

FUNDRAISER 6 p.m.

“International Rescue Cat Awareness Month Bingo!” 8 rounds with fun prizes, raffles to support Super Heroes Humane Society. $10 minimum drink/food purchase to play. Roots Public Social Club, 175 Main Street, Oneonta. (607) 349-3842.

CONCERT 3 p.m. Little Delaware Youth Ensemble presents the Jason Anick Trio. Free, open to the public. Anderson Theatre, Hartwick College, 1 Hartwick Drive, Oneonta.

►Mon., March 4

EXERCISE CLASS

9-10 a.m. Each Monday and Thursday with instructor Carol Thompson. Worcester-Schenevus Library, 170 Main Street, Worcester. (607) 3977309.

MUSIC 10-11:15

a.m. Concert followed by workshop/jam session with the Jason Anick Trio from noon to 1:15 p.m. Workshop open to musicians of all ages and instruments. Free, open to the public. Foothills Performing Arts and Civic Center, 24 Market Street, Oneonta. (607) 4312080.

PLAY & LEARN—|

10 a.m. Guided sensory learning for children aged 5 and under. Held each Monday. Cooperstown Village Library, 22 Main Street, Cooperstown. (607) 547-8344.

CONNECTIONS

10:30-11:30 a.m. “One on One Tech Support.” Reserve a spot to get help using a personal device, from iphones to tablets. Held first Monday of the month with Debra Miller. Connections at Clark Sports Center, 124 County Highway 52, Cooperstown.

SENIOR MEALS

11:30 a.m. Seniors are invited to enjoy a delicious meal Monday-Friday. Suggested donation is $3.50 for seniors, $10 for guests accompanying a senior. Today, enjoy a lunch of pork chop, sweet potatoes, cauliflower and brownies. Nader Towers Housing, 2 Mitchell Street, Oneonta. (607) 547-6454.

MEET & GREET 5:307:30 p.m. “City of the Hills Fest Social Mixer.” Hosted at Wakeman Coffee West End, West Gate Plaza, 107 Winney Hill Road #1, Oneonta. cityofthehillsfest@gmail.com.