Hometown Oneonta 05-02-24

SUNY Oneonta Downtown Space To Support Otsego Area Learners

SUNY Oneonta President Alberto Cardelle was joined by state, city and community leaders on Monday, April 29 to officially open the new SUNY Oneonta Extended and Community Learning Center.

Located at 2-4 Dietz Street, the ExCL Center is designed to strengthen the region by offering training for pressing job vacancies within Otsego County, officials said in a press release. SUNY Oneonta was awarded more than $450,000.00 from New York State and the SUNY system to support Otsego area learners and local workforce development through two initiatives.

The new space will act as a local destination for learning, including highschool students looking to get a head-

start on college courses, community members who want to receive training for a new career, or new drivers seeking the five hour pre-licensing course.

It will also facilitate the expansion of affordable, convenient trainings for career paths in key local industries with high needs, to fill vacancies through strategic partnerships with Bassett Healthcare, Springbrook, Pathfinder Village, The Arc Otsego and the Otsego Northern Catskill Board of Cooperative Education Services.

“SUNY Oneonta is excited to open the downtown ExCL Center and position learners across Otsego County for upward mobility,” said President Alberto Cardelle. “Local business leaders tell us they have job openings and want to hire locally. As an academic institution, we can be of value and service to our regional partners by providing access to the training programs necessary to align with local needs.”

Oneonta Mayor Mark Drnek emphasized that the success of the City of Oneonta is tied to the engagement of its colleges in the creation of a vibrant and vital downtown.

“On behalf of a grateful city, I applaud the vision and commitment of Dr. Cardelle, SUNY Oneonta, and our strategic partners, and salute the New York State and SUNY leadership for their commitment to the education and training of our local workforce, as well as for their embrace of the potential of our high-school students and community through the creation of the ExCL Center and its placement in the heart of our downtown. I am excited for our

Iron String Press Writers Earn Accolades from Their Peers

STAFF REPORT

COOPERSTOWN

Iron String Press, parent company of “The Freeman’s Journal,” “Hometown Oneonta” and AllOtsego.com, has received three awards from the New York Press Association.

The results of the 2023 Better Newspaper Contest were announced during NYPA’s Spring Conference, held Friday and Saturday, April 26 and 27, in Albany. According to organizers, 142 newspapers submitted 2,530 entries. The entries were judged by members of the Tennessee Press Association.

Of the 379 awards presented last weekend, “The Freeman’s Journal” received both second- and third- place nods for “Best Column, Division 3” as well as an honorable mention for “News Story, Division 4.”

Columnist Terry Berkson was awarded second place for his column, titled “Life Sketches.” The three columns submitted—“Yellow Submarine Haunts Coney Island Creek,” “On the Bug Bus to San Antonio,” and “Turkey Fishing: a Christmas Story”—were described by the Tennessee judges as “entertaining, well-written columns.” Berkson has a master of fine arts degree in creative writing from Brooklyn College. His articles have appeared in “New York” magazine, “The New York Daily News Sunday Magazine, and “Automobile” magazine. He lives on a farm in Richfield Springs with his wife, Alice. “Thanks so much for the great news,” Berkson said when he learned of the award. “It makes me want to get back home to my writing table.”

Jamie Zvirzdin’s “Citizen Science” columns—“False Alarms in Science and the Media: Examining Cause and

Otsego Abroad Chief Uncas Finds New Purpose on the Susquehanna

By EMILY HILBERT WRIGHTSVILLE,

PA

Have you ever wanted to take a scenic river cruise on a century-old boat once owned by a famous beer tycoon? Well, now you can. The Susquehanna National Heritage Area is preparing to hoist the metaphorical sail on its 2024 River Discovery season, featuring tours of the Susquehanna River aboard the Chief Uncas.

Set to finish its regular maintenance and launch in early May, the Chief Uncas was built for beer mogul Adolphus Busch in 1912 by the Electric Launch

Company, later renamed Elco Motor Yachts. Busch used the boat to take leisure cruises at his summer estate on Otsego Lake.

It stayed within the family for decades before being used for public tours.

Per an SNHA brochure, “the

Chief Uncas is 55 feet long with a 9.5 foot beam and 2.5foot draft, displaces 12 tons, and is constructed of mahogany planking with white oak ribs and frames…powered by two 4-hp electric motors and sixteen 12-volt batteries that propel the boat at 8 mph with an endurance of 8-10 hours.” It also adds that “with its well-documented family heritage, eco-friendly power, and historic association with the Susquehanna River at its source, the Chief Uncas is a fitting vessel to showcase SNHA’s mission and focus on history, environment, and the river.”

Photo courtesy SNHA

The Chief Uncas, once a familiar sight on Otsego Lake, is now the flagship tour boat of the Susquehanna National Heritage Area.

ONEONTA

Photo by Gerry Raymonda

DR. ALBERTO CARDELLE

Photo courtesy NYPA

Iron String Press columnist Terry Berkson received second place last week for “Best Column, Division 3” in the New York Press Association’s 2023 Better Newspaper Contest.

St. James’ Manor Resident Elva Baffa Turns 102 Years Young

By MONICA CALZOLARI

ONEONTA

Elva Baffa celebrated her 102nd birthday at St. James’ Manor on April 19, along with several other residents whose birthdays fall in April.

Baffa was born on April 20, 1922 in Flushing, New York. She grew up downstate, married and eventually moved to Bayside, Queens, where she lived for nearly six decades. She moved to Oneonta in 2007, and has resided at St. James’ Manor for the past 17 years.

Baffa said, “It feels like I arrived just yesterday. I cannot believe I have been here 17 years.”

Baffa has two daughters, Andrea Lister, who also lives in Oneonta and was on hand for the celebration, and Elizabeth Gish, who lives in Longmeadow, Massachusetts. Baffa’s son, William, passed away in 2001.

Lister said, “Elva is amazing. She loves to wander the halls of The Manor, visit the library, read the paper and spend time with her friends. She is quite mobile, and no one would believe she is 102 years young.”

Baffa admitted that most people ask about her unusual first name. The name, Elva, has an Irish origin.

Baffa said proudly, “I am Italian. My maiden name is Attanasio.”

Her daughter confirmed that one set of her grand-

Animals Seized in Cruelty Investigation

NEW BERLIN

More than 100 farm and companion animals in neighboring Chenango County were seized on Friday, April 26 as part of an animal cruelty investigation led by New York State Trooper Karley Davenport.

Approximately 40 law enforcement officials from Otsego and Chenango counties, including New York State Department of Environmental Conservation officers, were onsite to assess the animals’ health status and living conditions, with guidance from two local veterinarians.

They were joined by more than 30 staff members and volunteers from the Susquehanna Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, who assisted in cataloging the animals and transported them to safe harbor, and by members of other animal care organizations throughout the region.

Among the animals seized by law enforcement were mini horses, sheep, pigs, donkeys, mules, cats, dogs and a calf. All are now in the custody of the SQSPCA, and are being housed at various sites until further notice.

“Our team is spread across several different locations, working hard to provide care for these new animals along with the others already in our charge, and we’re doing our best to keep up with inquiries,” said SQSPCA Executive Director Stacie Haynes.

“We are working hard to provide daily care and

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to address medical needs. The animals are all now safe and comfortable, and you can see the relief in their eyes,” Haynes added. “Now we must have faith in the judicial process and pray the suspects are held accountable and do not get them back.”

For now, the best way to provide assistance for the rescued animals is to make a contribution to the SQSPCA to support their care, Haynes said.

This was the largest animal cruelty seizure the SQSPCA has assisted with to date. No further information about the case is available at this time.

parents were from Puglia, Italy and the other set were from Calabria.

Baffa is quite healthy for her age. She has no problems seeing, hearing or walking.

She said, “I wore eyeglasses since I was nine years old.”

Elva could easily read the handwriting on the birthday cards she received.

Lucille Wiggin, who has been a resident of St. James’ for about a year and a half, said, “Elva has wonderful hearing. Many residents here have hearing aids.”

Baffa has no dietary restrictions, either.

She said, “I can eat whatever I want.”

When her daughter asked if she wanted a cupcake

and a cookie, she said, “Yes, I’ll have both.”

Lister treated all the residents to almond cupcakes with lavender frosting made by a baker in Otego who goes by Simply Jess. Baffa seems to have a sweet tooth and luckily is not diabetic.

Asked if being athletic was a secret to her great health and longevity, Baffa said, “I do not have any secrets to share.”

Her daughter said, “One of our granddaughters plays softball and we discovered that mom used to play softball, too.”

Lister explained, “Our whole family were New York Yankees fans.”

Baffa has been to quite a few Yankees games. She said, “I lived in Queens, just over the Frog’s Neck Bridge.”

Baffa raised three children, who were ages 7, 9, and 13, on her own after her husband died at the age of 39. He was a fireman and the family lived very near both sets of grandparents. Baffa has remained quite independent.

Lister recalls, “Mom was 84 or 85 years old when she decided it was time to sell her house in Queens, where she lived for 56 years. She decided to move upstate to be closer to me and my sister, who lives near Springfield. Mom drove up to Oneonta on her own to look at St. James’ Retirement Community.”

That was 17 years ago. Baffa drove until she was 93 or 94, according to her daughter, who said, “She only gave up her car because she got tired of paying car insurance.”

Another St. James’ resident, Ruth Tompkins,

Continued on page 11

Photo by Monica Calzolari

St. James’ resident Elva Baffa celebrated turning 102 earlier this month.

HOMETOWN Views

EDITORIAL

Running in Otsego

April, an increasingly difficult month, has left us, and now we really can see the coming of spring and summer. The forsythia is blooming everywhere—a better sight than it once was, when the winters were so cold it hadn’t a chance of budding. Ramps, also called wild leeks or wild garlic, are filling the upper fields and sunny clearings all around, and appearing at the farmers’ markets; cherry blossoms are brightening our streets and gardens; wild turkeys and baby deer are rambling about, some causing those proverbial and expensive disfigurements in the fenders and grills of our winter-weary cars and pick-ups; the birds are returning from their winter roosts, and the shadbush, deciduous shrubs and trees that are harbingers of the spawning shad, which run up the rivers and tributary streams of the East Coast, have turned out their white blossoms.

In our lakes and streams, the white suckers have begun their annual spring run. The first fish to run each year, and the most numerous, these bottomfeeding fish have fleshy lips at the underside of their heads that scoop up algae, small invertebrates, and plants from the bottom of lakes and rivers. They can grow to five pounds and can be 20 inches long. They live in all kinds of fresh water—muddy, clear, warm, cold, running and standing. Females can produce over 10,000 eggs, which enables them to maintain large populations despite their being prey to the many larger fish in the lake, and their presence early in the spring spawning months ensures the future health of their habitat: their mass migrations contribute essential nutrients to their environment. Their flesh is soft and inedible for much of the year, serving fishermen well as bait, but when spawning their bodies are firm enough to spear, fillet, and pickle. They are an ancient fish; fossils have been found that are 1.8 million years old.

Herring, too, have run here, though they do not now. It has been written that in 1789 the Cooperstown settlers were close to starvation, having been reduced to eating wild leeks (ramps), milk, and syrup made of maple sugar and water. As the settlement became convinced of a sure starvation in the wilderness, their leader, Judge William Cooper, heard that there was a strange fish in Otsego Lake which had never been seen before. The lake and river were suddenly full of herring, and no one knew from whence they had come. They rigged nets, salted the many fish they caught, and ate herring for the remainder of the spring and into the summer. In his “Guide to the Wilderness,” Cooper speaks of this as one of the most extraordinary occurrences in his lifetime.

The largest herring in North America, the Alosa sapidissima, or American shad, is an anadromous fish, a saltwater fish that matures at sea, the male for five years and the female for six, reproduces in freshwater tributaries where they were hatched and then returns to the ocean, often repeating this cycle for several years. American shad are native to the Atlantic coast from Newfoundland to Florida, and they were introduced successfully to the West Coast in 1871. This fish, deemed the fish that fed the American nation’s founders, also once ruled the waters of the Susquehanna River and its tributaries. Their sheer abundance and a single female’s ability to lay up to 600,000 eggs in a spawning season made for bountiful harvests each spring during their runs—they can travel more than 1,000 miles upriver –and they were one of the region’s most valued commodities for commerce and daily living through the 1830s. They, too, have been seen in Otsego Lake: “When Cooperstown was first settled the fish afforded the inhabitants were of great value,” wrote S.T. Livermore in 1862, “Shad then came up to the lake in the spring and returned to the ocean in the fall. Salt water herring also came up in such abundance that they could be caught in great numbers in a basket…”

Tragically, the shad’s, and the herring’s, natural migratory cycle was broken by human activities, primarily the construction of dams, both large and small, which prohibit the fish to return to their hatching pools, and pollution. A multi-milliondollar program, one of the largest restoration efforts of is kind, to return American shad to their historic range, including fish passage facilities in the big dams of the lower Susquehanna, fish ladders, the removal of dams, debris and culverts—called daylighting –is well underway. Overfishing and pollution are being addressed as well. This is a good start. The suckers will always run here; perhaps one day the shad will run again here, just when our shadbushes blossom.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR POLICY

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

Energy Demystified: Potential Energy’s Untapped Value

This month, as part of our year-long series on the different kinds of real, measurable energies in our universe, we shall cover a concept that, while foundational in physics, resonates with life itself: potential energy. It may sound technical at first, but I hope to show how potential energy, and gravitational potential energy in particular, embodies the idea that even when things seem stagnant and still, there’s a world of possibility waiting to be unleashed.

Potential energy is the energy stored in an object because of its position, condition or state. It’s the energy of anticipation, the calm before the storm, the coil in the spring, the water held back by the dam, the double-A battery fresh from the factory, the caterpillar before the butterfly, that butterfly and all his friends and relatives in your stomach right before the roller coaster’s plunge. It’s the marvelous moment before a significant change that will release other forms of “actual” energy: kinetic energy, heat energy, electromagnetic energy and more.

Although Lazare Carnot first used the term force vive virtuelle (“virtual living force”) to refer to untapped kinetic energy, it was William

Rankine, a Scottish physicist, who first coined the term “potential energy” in 1853. Rankine chose this term based on Aristotle’s discussion of potentiality and actuality, the capability of something to do work and the actual doing of the work when the conditions are right. His term “actual energy” was relabeled “kinetic energy,” the energy of motion, in 1867.

We’ll talk about other types of potential energy in the coming months, but let’s zero in on the easiest one: gravitational potential energy, often abbreviated as PE (or U or V, but for no good reason! Some physicists may claim they’re not good with words, but they’re obsessed with letters).

Gravitational potential energy is the energy stored in an object because of its position relative to a gravitational source. On Earth, that source is our planet’s gravitational field, which causes an object near the surface of the planet to accelerate downward—the apple falling on Newton’s head—at a rate of about 9.8 meters per second every second. I always picture a heavy round rock at the top of a steep hill: The boulder sits there, doing

Continued on page 11

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR … In THEIR OPInIOn

Empty Bowls

Filled for CFP

Thank you to the 200 guests that turned out to support the 16th Empty Bowls Luncheon on Saturday, April 20. Christ Episcopal Church welcomed the event with open arms and capable hands, courtesy of Mike Paige.

viduals who donated their time and talents is lengthy and includes many of your friends and neighbors. Together, we generated over $5,000.00 for the Cooperstown Food Pantry. We look forward to a day when there are no more “empty bowls.”

like this deserves the support by the public at large in our age of sensationalized and flash media.

Ed Wesnofske Sag Harbor

Pantry Could Use

More than Food

HOMETOWN ONEONTA

H o metown oneon t a 2008 - 2024 16th anniversary & The Otsego-Delaware Dispatch

a publication of Iron String Press, Inc.

Publisher / Advertising Manager

Tara Barnwell

Sales Consultant: Randy Christian

General Manager / Senior Editor Darla M. Youngs

Office Manager: Larissa Ryan

Interns: Emily Hilbert and Arya Patel

Columnists and Contributing Writers Terry Berkson, Monica Calzolari, Rachel Frick Cardelle, Elizabeth Cooper, Richard deRosa, Caspar Ewig, Karolina Hopper, Ian Kenyon, Wriley Nelson, Tom Shelby, Dan Sullivan, Teresa Winchester, Jamie Zvirzdin

Web Architect

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Editorial Board

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

MEMBER OF:

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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.

Thank you to the Smithy Clay Studio and many of its potters for creating the beautiful hand thrown soup bowls. Special thanks to Ann, Peter, Eileen and Donna.

Many individuals and restaurants provided the delicious soups and breads. Thirty volunteers ensured that the day ran smoothly. Our deepest thanks to all who helped make this event such a tremendous success, including soup makers Council Rock Brewery, Doubleday Café, Mel’s at 22, Origins Café, Upstate Bar and Grill, and Keith, Jay, Kitty, and Amanda, and our bread bakers, Maureen, Sandy, Susan, and Maryann.

A special thank you to Cooperstown Central School Room 309 for baking corn muffins.

The list of selfless indi-

Kathy Chase Empty Bowls Coordinator

Explosion Article

Appreciated

Thank you for the publication of the recent article, “Richards Avenue Gas Explosion Not Over for Residents” by Winchester and Bensen.

For local news coverage, it was a masterful piece of work on such a tragedy.

It evoked of the ongoing chaos in lives and the immediacy of the fright from the event, the tragedy of loss of life and for those left behind and the loss of property.

The writers gave testimony to the community for the support mobilized and to the bureaucratic coldness of corporate insurance business.

A great piece of local journalism and a prize-worthy narrative. Local journalism

The Cooperstown Food Pantry provides more than food to meet the needs of Otsego County residents. Certainly distributing more than 20,000 pounds of food to over 600 people a month is working toward the food pantry’s mission of relieving nutritional insufficiency. But there is another need—that of personal care items— which goes largely unnoticed, particularly women’s sanitary items. Donations of toothpaste, toothbrushes, soap and other personal care items come periodically, but there is a scarcity of women’s feminine care products.

While the food pantry can multiply donated dollars by 10 when purchasing food from the Regional Food Bank, as part of Feeding America, women’s personal items are purchased at list price from local stores. Continued on page 7

CITIzEn SCIEnCE jAmIE zvIRzDIn

CC BY-SA 2.0 Jonas de Carvalho, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Itaipu_Dam#/media/File:Itaipu_geral.jpg Tremendous energy is stored in the elevated water of dams such as Itaipu on the border between Paraguay and Brazil—the third largest hydroelectric dam in the world— ready to burst forth when the dam’s gates open.

Tom HeiTz/SHARoN STUART

70 YEARs AGo

Having outgrown its home in Huntington Library, the Upper susquehanna Historical society is turning its eyes toward the city government hoping to get some sort of storage space for its growing volume of historical records. Dr. Edward J. Parish, president, has appointed a special committee to confer with the Common Council on a place for the records and historical objects. on the committee are Julian B. Jackson, Chester A. Miller, Harry C. Bard, Mrs. Earl P. Francis and Mrs. Wendell Morgan. In addition to this course of action, officers of the society will meet at 5 p.m. today with the Huntington Library board to jointly consider the space problems of both organizations.

May 1954

40 YEARs AGo

state Motor Vehicles Commissioner John Passidomo announced an agreement Wednesday to end New York’s status as the only state in the nation without photo identification licenses. Passidomo said the new licenses would probably cost New Yorkers about $1.50 extra every four years. The current quadrennial license fee is $16.

Robert shear said Wednesday that the number of fatal car crashes involving 18-year-old drinking drivers fell by 42 percent in the 12 months after New York’s drinking age went from 18 to 19. Also the number of 18-year-olds involved in alcohol-related crashes overall decreased by 25 percent during the same period. New York’s legal drinking age, which had been 18 since the end of Prohibition, was raised to 19 in December 1982. shear said the new data provided the strongest evidence to date for raising the legal drinking age to 21.

May 1984

30 YEARs AGo

Fox Hospital lost almost half a million dollars in the first three months of 1994, hospital administrators reported. Although a loss was expected going into the year, the actual loss of $459,103 for the first quarter was much larger than expected. “What we take in doesn’t match what we spend,” said hospital president John Remillard. “We can’t allow it to continue. However, the hospital is not planning to cut costs with employee layoffs. The staff has been asked to look at more cost-effective ways of treating patients.

May 1994

20 YEARs AGo

After a decade of discussion and more than 18 months of construction, otsego Manor is nearly finished. The $30 million nursing home just south of Cooperstown should be ready to open in late June or early July according to Rep. Carl Higgins, R-Edmeston chairman of the otsego County Board of Representatives. The construction phase will be completed by the end of May, Higgins said, but added, “all dates are tentative.” The new facility will house up to 174 residents.

May 2004

Tide Turning for Animal Cruelty offenders

For years and years, animal lovers have advocated for law enforcement, government officials, and society in general to take animal cruelty seriously. I’m so proud to report that this is happening here in our region. We are fortunate to have brave women and men who will take action to fight this cruel reality.

In April alone, susquehanna sPCA staff have tackled multiple cases with multiple agencies, ranging from the otsego County Department of social services to the New York state Police.

We all know that the punishment for animal cruelty is weak, and it is discouraging to those of us fighting for the cause, but I can report firsthand that when there is a case of suspected animal cruelty, we often have multitudes of people reaching out because they care about animals. They show they care through volunteering, by assisting us with networking, in their encouraging messages, through donations of supplies, with their financial contributions, and by helping us to rehome these precious souls.

while we can’t wrap our heads around how some people can watch animals suffer and die of neglect and lack of basic care, there are so many more who will come to their rescue.

so often in the animal care industry, particularly in cases of animal cruelty, we hear folks say, “I hate people” and “People are the worst.” However, we take great pride at the susquehanna sPCA in our ability to respond when animal cruelty is suspected, and our rapid response is only made possible with the help of people.

our most recent case in New Berlin—where more than a dozen animals were found dead, 107 were rescued alive, and more have been left behind who had escaped the farm and are living wild in the nearby state forest—showed us that,

By MERL REAGLE

I.Q. Test… “I Quit” is

As we worked side by side with law enforcement officials last Friday in New Berlin, somewhere around 70 people—sQsPCA staff, volunteers, representatives from other animal care organizations—assisted throughout the day.

In retrospect, and given the progress being made to properly address animal cruelty—it seems people can actually be pretty great.

Stacie Haynes is executive director of the Susquehanna Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

Photo provided

sqsPca adoption counselor samantha ceresna spends some time with one of the donkeys rescued on april 26.

AROUND THE TOWNS

Water Works

ONEONTA—The Yager Museum of Arts and Culture at Hartwick College partnered with Hanford Mills Museum in February to host “World of Water,” a room full of activities for families and children to learn about water and how to treat it respectfully. Soleil Aster, lead educator at Hanford Mills, stated that the museum wants to maintain relationships with other local institutions and that the Yager’s exhibit on water was a perfect way to partner with them. Hanford Mills brought a plethora of historic games and science experiments to let the children experiment and be curious about how water works. Above, Jiya Managalmurti (left) draws on a coffee filter to learn about capillary action, while Dominic Lewis tests the tension of water with a paper clip.

A Warm Welcome

COOPERSTOWN—Iron String Press General Manager and Senior Editor Darla

M. Youngs was the guest speaker at the Rotary Club of Cooperstown’s February 27 meeting. Youngs gave a brief overview of the history of ISP’s flagship publication, “The Freeman’s Journal,” addressed the struggles faced by small, independent weekly newspapers and was reunited with former TFJ editor Tom Heitz/Sharon Stewart. Rotarians welcomed Youngs with a display, shown above, and received her talk with a round of warm applause.

Many Hands, Lighter Work COOPERSTOWN—Village residents heeded the call of Friends of the Parks on Sunday, April 21, assisting with the Badger Park ice rink roll-up. Pictured above are volunteers Paul Crowell, Boyd Richards, Collette Tangel, Dee Crowell, Gerald Landry, Mark “Turf” Regester, Owen Marling, Ben Lewis and Luke Wyckoff. Next up for Friends of the Parks is the Three Mile Point Park Spring Clean-up on Thursday, May 9 at 4 p.m. Those interested in helping out can reach out via the Cooperstown Friends of the Parks Facebook page.

Fire Department Names Officers, Board

FLY CREEK—The Fly Creek Fire Department recently announced its officers and board for 2024-2025. Congratulations to the following: Chief Steve Baker; First Assistant Chief Adam Kantor; Second Assistant Chief Jess Lanza; Third Assistant Chief Lenny Pashley; Captain Henry Hight; Equipment Engineer Dani Dayton; Fire Police Captain John Phillips; EMS Captain Patti Schultz; EMS Lieutenant Harry Winnie; President and Treasurer Joan Kegelman; Vice President Ruth Bennet-Kitchen; and Secretary and Auxiliary President Cassidy Lent.

Works by Milford Students Featured in Gallery Exhibits

By EMILY HILBERT

COOPERSTOWN

Last month the Cooperstown Art Association collaborated with Milford Central School on two exhibits, “On a Roll!: Steam Roller Printmaking” and “Adjectives, Verbs, and Nouns…Oh My!”

“On a Roll!” featured works from high-school students who designed their own block prints using medium-density fiberboard. Traditional printmaking tools such as gouges and dremels were employed to carve out the design, and Kiser Sand and Gravel donated a steam roller to use for the pressing process, to transfer the designs onto canvas and paper. Both prints and blocks were on display, with the occasional print and block combo showing off how the inverted design transfers to the canvas.

“Adjectives, Verbs, and Nouns…Oh My!” was a collaborative project which paired fourth- and fifth-grade students, who chose a noun, with high-school students, who chose a verb and an adjective. The students then worked independently in the art medium of their choice to create something they felt best represented the prompt. Finally, the work was exhibited side-by-side, allowing for conversation between students and visitors regarding where the two interpretations matched, as well as how they differed.

Photo by Emily Hilbert

Photo provided

“Guilty Eating Black Lab”—Abby Brooks, grade 5 (left), and Braden Murphy, grade 12.

Photos by Emily Hilbert

“Studious Driving Raccoon”—Lark Brose, grade 4 (left), and Elias Miritello, grade 11.

“High-fiving Unusual Sour Patch Kids”— Marlee Moore, grade 4 (clay), and David Pitt, grade 11.

“Exhausted Melting Snowman”—Isaac Miller, grade 4 (clay), and Alex Colwell, grade 12.

“Bear Hug” block (left) and print, with compliments left via sticky notes. The artist was not identified.

Photo provided

Uncas

Continued from page 1

According to President Mark Platts, SNHA acquired the Chief Uncas from Busch family member Lou Hager in July 2021. Using a crane and flatbed, the boat was loaded on Wednesday, October 13, 2021 and departed for Pennsylvania the next day.

“We moved it to Pennsylvania by truck, after initial prep work by Cooperstown area boatwright Tom Krieg,” Platts wrote in an e-mail.

“To meet U.S. Coast Guard requirements for use as a passenger vessel on the Susquehanna River, we had to have the boat’s electrical system redone to marine standards, replace windowpanes with tempered glass, add safety equipment and signage, add a ton of ballast (repurposed railroad track), and pass a USCG stability test to confirm the number of passengers we could safely carry, which turned out to be 24,” Platts explained.

“All of this prep work took months in 2022, but we were able to get the boat USCG certified and begin public tours by fall 2022. Last year was our first almost full season, after a delayed start to finish up additional work,” Platts said.

Armella Agnes Phillips 1923-2024

FLY CREEK—

Armella Agnes Phillips (Aimee), age 100, passed away peacefully with family by her side on Monday, April 15, 2024.

Born into a loving Midwest family on September 19, 1923, she was the 8th child of Henry and Mathilda Mescher and grew up in Dyersville, Iowa with her 13 siblings. She made front page news when she was the first young lady from her area to join the U.S. Women’s Army Corp in 1944. While serving, she met Hubert “Bud” Phillips, a dashing Air Force gunner. They were married in 1947 and had a wonderful, loving marriage for 54 years.

Armella was an outstanding mother to her nine children, giving them the love, care, and support they needed while giving them enough freedom to grow and explore. She was an excellent seamstress, doing alterations for Clark’s Men’s Store and The Paula Shop, and she also enjoyed working at The Otesaga Hotel front desk for 27 years. Her passing has left a great void, but she will be remembered with love by her children, grandchildren, greatgrandchildren, her two

This past winter, SNHA worked on revarnishing the boat decks, polishing bronze hardware, and installing new, stateof-the-art Elco electric motors in partnership with Elco Motor Yachts, the reborn company that built the boat and is now a major supplier of electric boat motors, Platts added.

Where does the name “Chief Uncas” come from? Unsurprising to literary fans or locals to the area, Chief Uncas is a character in James Fenimore Cooper’s “The Last of the Mohicans.”

This character was most likely inspired by the Mohegan Sachem Uncas, a Native American leader from Connecticut, during the 17th century. While one can see this naming of the boat as fitting given its location, the SNHA brochure points out that “Adolphus Busch’s naming of the boat for Cooper’s fictional Uncas reflects the common appropriation and romanticizing of Indian culture and leaders in early 20th century America.”

Now that we know a little more about the boat, how about a ride? Tours will run from Memorial Day to October and depart from the Zimmerman Center at 1706 Long Level Road, Wrightsville, Pennsylvania. Ticket sales are set to start mid-May.

remaining brothers, her sister-in-law, Joan Clark, and countless nieces and nephews.

She is survived by her nine children: Sue Holmes (Bert) of Cooperstown, Michael Phillips (Margie) of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Brian Philips (Beth) of Mt. Vision, Peggy Stote (Jeff) of Oswestry, England, Craig Phillips (Cheryl) of Herkimer, Terry Eng (Matt) of Wasilla, Alaska, Kathy Graham (Sean) of Cherry Valley, Jeff Phillips (Barbara) of Cooperstown, and Laurie Tilley (Jeff) of Mt. Vision; 23 grandchildren and 30 great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by her husband, Bud, in 2001 and an infant daughter, Julie Ann, in 1967.

A Mass will be held to celebrate Armella’s life at St Mary’s “Our Lady of the Lake” Roman Catholic Church in Cooperstown on Saturday, May 4 at 11 a.m. Burial will be held at later date.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Helios Care, 297 River St. Unit 1, Oneonta, NY 13820.

Martin Douglas Sorin 1944-2024

SPRINGFIELD CENTER—Martin Douglas Sorin, PhD, 79, of Springfield Center, passed away on April 11, 2024 at Bassett Medical Center in Cooperstown.

Martin Douglas Sorin was born on September 16, 1944 and grew up in Brooklyn, New York. He was the son of Joseph and Lillian Simpkin Sorin. His father taught him to fish, which

One way to guarantee a seat is to purchase a gift certificate in advance, as certificate holders get priority booking before sales go public.

“Last year, the Chief Uncas welcomed more than 4,000 passengers aboard for tours and charter trips, and this season we expect to host over 6,000,” Platts said.

“The Chief Uncas has become a local star on the river here. People love the preserved character, the Busch family history of the boat, the connection to Cooperstown and Otsego Lake as the headwaters of the Susquehanna, and its green boat heritage as a 112-year-old electric vessel,” Platts continued. “They enjoy learning about the history of our National Heritage Area and the Susquehanna River from the boat while cruising in the very same waters it always has.”

There are three types of tours currently being offered by the SNHA: River Discovery Tours, Sunset Cruises and the Private Chief Uncas Experience.

The River Discovery Tour is the standard hour-long tour of the river, which is open for all ages and dives into the history of the boat, the landscape, and the Susquehanna River.

The Sunset Cruise is an hour-and-a-half tour which departs in time for sunset. The original Chief Uncas ice box is used to store food and alcoholic beverages that can be brought aboard and enjoyed by passengers as they watch the sun set and the vintage lights glow. Seats are limited to 14 on this tour.

The Private Chief Uncas Experience must be requested through the SNHA website.

According to the brochure, “acquisition of the Chief Uncas was made possible through a major gift by Ann B. Barshinger of Lancaster, PA and generous donations from Doug Hoke and George & Bambi Long of York, PA.”

While the SNHA has been able to cover the start-up costs for the Chief Uncas through private gifts and public grants, income and donations fund operating expenses. To donate, visit https://susqnha.org/ support/donate/ or call (717) 252-0229. For more information about the Chief Uncas, to purchase a gift certificate, or to request a private tour, visit https://susqnha. org/programs/boat-tours/ Darla M. Youngs contributed to this article.

OBITUARIES

would become a lifelong passion. When he was a teenager, he started a fishing business, rising early in the morning to catch fish and sell them on the pier in Sheepshead Bay. He always thought that his career would be to captain a fishing boat, but a teacher convinced him to go to college. He attended Long Island University and found a second passion in the study of politics. He graduated from Long Island University with a degree in political science and went on to New York University, where he earned a PhD in political science and graduated with distinction. His course of study

focused on the Supreme Court and he maintained an interest in the court throughout his life, but his dissertation was on health care delivery on the Upper East Side in New York and would presage a career in public health. He was most interested in public programs that would make people’s lives better and in making sure that those programs were effective. To this end, he began his career working for think tanks. First, the Center for Policy Research at Columbia University and later the Lazar Institute in Washington, D.C., where he worked on a national study exploring pre-trial crime. In it, he explored how judges determined whether to release suspects on bail and whether they considered dangerousness as a criterion.

After his brother-inlaw died from AIDS, he went to work for the AIDS Institute, evaluating programs for people with the disease. He worked on AIDS programming for nine years. Until his retirement in 2016, he worked

ExCL

Continued from page 1

future,” Drnek said. The SUNY Oneonta ExCL Center will be open Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. To learn more, visit https://suny. oneonta.edu/admissions/ extended-learning/workforce-training.

Letters

Continued from page 4

local stores. This impacts the budget for maintaining the flow of food and sustaining the operations of the organization.

The need for women’s items may not immediately come to mind when thinking of nutritional insufficiency, but if food is needed because of family budget shortfalls, then other non-food, but essential, items often fall by the wayside. The Cooperstown Food Pantry tries to fill this gap to the best of its ability, but many times runs short of supplies.

CFP accepts gifts of food but also would accept personal care items, particularly women’s sanitary products. Contact the food pantry at (607) 547-8902 for more information or to donate.

Bill Waller Cooperstown

Elva

Continued from page 3

shared, “The thing I like about Elva is that she has her own opinion on things and is not afraid to share it.”

Lister recalls that her mom was 97 when she decided, “Maybe we should buy a walker.”

Baffa has been living on her own terms all her life. There was no need to take away her car keys or convince her to move. She initiated both of these transitions.

Her daughter recalls, “I was so impressed. When Mom decided to sell her home, she networked and sold most of the furniture herself. My sister and I helped her pack, of course.”

Asked if she had a goal of living until a certain age, Baffa said, “I never give it a thought.”

She simply lives in the present moment.

Baffa has three grandsons and five great-grandchildren. Most live outside of New York State. One of Lister’s three sons lives on Cape Cod in Harwich, Massachusetts. Another lives in Scottsdale, Arizona and one lives in the Carolinas. All three have children.

Lister said, “They try to visit regularly.”

for the New York State Health Department’s Wadsworth Laboratories as director of program evaluation in the Director’s Office and NYS Health Research Council. In this role, he managed the state’s breast cancer research advisory board and the spinal cord injury research board chaired by Christopher Reeve.

It was during his PhD work at New York University that he met Gretchen Sullivan, a freshman at Rutgers University in New Jersey who would become his wife. They moved to Springfield Center so that she could attend the Cooperstown Graduate Program, and later she became its director. They were married for 49 years and 11 months.

Martin was an avid gardener and had a wonderfully dry sense of humor and loved to laugh, a characteristic that was sometimes surprising because of his introverted nature, but also showed off his

impressive intellect. He is survived by his wife, Gretchen Sullivan Sorin; daughter Meredith Sorin Horsford and son-in-law Robert Horsford; son Gregory Sullivan Sorin; and two granddaughters, Lily and Maya Horsford, as well as dear friends John and Florence Carnahan and Barbara and Ted Bartlett.

Martin knew how education can change a life, as his life was transformed. Donations in his memory may be made to the Martin D. Sorin ‘70 Endowed Scholarship at Long Island University by sending a check payable to Long Island University, Attn: Advancement, 720 Northern Blvd, Brookville, NY 11548 with “Martin Sorin ‘70 Scholarship” in the memo line. At his request, there will be no services. A private function will celebrate his life and personality.

Arrangements are with the Connell, Dow & Deysenroth Funeral Home in Cooperstown.

Photo provided ARMELLA AGNES PHILLIPS

Photo provided MARTIN DOUGLAS SORIN

Cemetery Association Launches Community Facebook Page

By EMILY HILBERT BURLINGTON FLATS

The Burlington Flats Cemetery Association has a new Facebook group for those in the community interested in joining. The cemetery is regulated by the New York State Division of Cemeteries and the association is a not-for-profit governing body that runs the cemetery in Burlington Flats. The current board members are all local to Burlington Flats. They are: Rick Graham, president; Joy Miller, vice president; Paula Wengert, secretary; and Gene Mayne, treasurer.

The Facebook group was started by ShariLou Baulch McConnell, who also serves as its moderator. Anyone may visit the group online, but those seeking membership must be approved by McConnell before they can join or post.

The aim of the Facebook group, according to McConnell is, first and foremost, to “support the new Burlington Flats Cemetery Board and to ensure our loved ones’ final resting place reflects our love and devotion to their memories.

“More importantly, this group is a

place to house the history that defines us,” she added.

The new group page will also be a place to share photos and memories of family members gone by. Historic documents and pictures are highly encouraged and, for McConnell, are “the best part of having this group—it’s a place to house the history that defines us.”

On a more pragmatic level, the Facebook group will help to create an up-to-date list on all cemetery lot owners, which will only be shared with the cemetery board. The group page will also be a central place to share any important information about the cemetery and provide resources for those who may need them. Resources can include, but are not limited to, cemetery prices, decorations, recommendations, and donation information.

McConnell finished by adding, “Whether members grew up in Burlington Flats but moved away after high school or those who stayed to raise the next generation, this group reminds us that our history connects us.”

More information can be found at http://www.facebook. com/groups/burlingtonflatscemetery/.

Land Trust, CADE Win Grant to Protect Farmland in Otsego County

COOPERSTOWN

Otsego Land Trust has been awarded just under $50,000.00 through Round 5 of the Land Trust Grants program from the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets. OLT applied for the funding in partnership with the Center for Agricultural Development and Entrepreneurship, to inventory farmland throughout Otsego County and support outreach activities for farmland protection.

According to Gregory Farmer, OLT executive director, “The NYSDAM grant will help protect high-quality agricultural land in Otsego County, using mapping, analysis, and coordinated outreach to farmers, landowners, and next-generation farmers to keep the land in production. The project will build a stronger relationship with Otsego County’s farming community and work toward keeping a higher percentage of farmland in agricultural use.”

“Farming is a key economic driver in Otsego County and has the additional benefit of feeding our local communities and preserving the rural landscapes for which our region is famous,” said CADE Executive Director Phoebe Schreiner. “CADE looks forward to working with Otsego Land Trust and landowners to transition agricultural land to the next generation of farmers, so that Otsego County can continue to produce food, and farmers can continue to steward our land, water, and other natural resources and create ‘green’ jobs. We are also committed to matching beginning farmers with affordable farmland for those historically marginalized from food production,” she said.

Farms in Otsego County account for

Continued on page 9

Garden (and Song) Editing

Several years ago, thanks to a friend who gave us cloves and seedlings, we already had garlic and tomato plants growing in the garden. A few days before, I had driven over to a nursery for some other vegetables. Unfortunately, they were out of cucumbers and I had to make several stops before I finally found a place that still had some.

It wasn’t too late to start from seeds, but I was eager to get the garden going. I also came home with broccoli, potatoes and cucumbers.

Alice was weeding when I got home and she offered to do the planting if I would fetch what she needed.

The broccoli went in okay, as did the potatoes, but before the cucumbers found root my wife dropped a shovel on the pack, crushing some of the seedlings.

“I feel terrible,” she groaned.

“That’s okay,” I said. “We have plenty left.”

As if to prove I was wrong, Alice lifted the plant box with a gloved hand only to have it slip to the ground upside down. I turned the box over. Now, every plant was broken.

“Is it that you don’t like cucumbers?” I asked.

“The gloves made me do it,” she said in a tone reminiscent of Flip Wilson. “I’ll drive to town and get some more.”

“No problem,” I said. “The roots are still in good shape. They’ll just take a little longer to grow.”

“Are you sure?” my wife asked.

“I’m sure,” I said, but I wasn’t.

So, Alice sheepishly buried the remains of the plants I had searched all over town for. All the time I was thinking of how I could erase them from the garden and insert some new seedlings without my wife knowing about it.

As luck would have it, an hour later a friend called to invite Alice to the Stanley Theater in Utica to see Billy Joel’s “Movin’ Out.” It seems her husband wasn’t feeling up to attending the show and she wanted someone to accompany her and not waste the ticket.

When my wife left for Utica there was still time to drive to the nursery

to buy some more cucumber plants. I returned home and dug out the roots she had just planted, and put the new seedlings in the original row.

I guess my switching the plants and the mention of Billy Joel and the show, “Movin’ Out,” had triggered a long-ago memory involving another kind of deception.

I was working on construction in a high-rise building in lower Manhattan. My partner, “Roidney” Bunion, was 10 years younger than me, an ex-football player and a product of the “tune out and turn on” generation.

One day he came to work so high on Quaaludes he couldn’t drive a nail in the wall in order to hang up his jacket. His whole world seemed to revolve around how and what he could find to get high on.

Imagine my surprise one morning when he comes to work with a song he’s written on the kind of beige paper they used to pack your shirts at the Chinese laundry. I get to read it during coffee break and it’s good! Real good! I think it fits into the category of urban folk.

It’s about this young couple, Brenda and Eddie, who were still going steady in the summer of seventy-five.

“You got talent!” I tell my young partner.

He knows I’m a writer, respects my opinion and gloats through clouded eyes. Also, I’m sure he thinks the 10 years I have on him has put me in the Over The Hill Gang. To him I’m a square.

Nevertheless, I took out a pencil and began to do some editing to smooth out some of the rough ways he expressed himself. He didn’t say anything. I figured he had confidence in my writing skills.

A few days later, Roidney (I got the name from various ailments and injuries he had) came in with this beat up, ragged, scratchy record album, “The Stranger,” by Billy Joel.

Up until then, the only song I could attach to the singer was “Piano Man.”

“Take it home and listen to it,” Roidney tells me.

I reluctantly followed his advice and once I got past all the skips and

Continued on page 9

life sketches

terry berkson

Photo provided

this week’s column is about editing of both the gardening and writing varieties.

OLT

Continued from page 8

154,634 acres (24 percent of the land area) and produce more than $56 million in annual market value, according to a release issued by OLT. Agriculture is central to the county’s character, economy, and food supply, but Otsego County is losing farmland at an alarming rate, officials said. Labor shortages, rising costs and changing markets are the primary factors that have made agriculture less viable. Otsego County lost 14 percent of the farmland in five years (2012-2017), reflecting a steady decline since the 1980s. With almost a third of farmers (28 percent) over the age of 65, the land that has been farmed for generations is at risk of being sold or converted to non-agricultural use.

Real estate developers actively seek out underutilized farmland, already cleared and well-drained, for low-density residential development, renewable energy installations, and commercial distribution centers. According to the press release, more than 700 new single-family residential building permits have been issued in Otsego County in the past five years, despite population declines of 4-20 percent in every one of the county’s 24 towns. many of the new homes are on large lots that were formerly farmland. The result is that farmland is permanently removed from production and priced too high for next-generation farmers to afford. (US Department of Agriculture 2017 Census)

Both Farmer and Schreiner contend that the risk of losing farmland is great. New or beginning farmers and farmers looking to expand operations often cannot afford to purchase farmland. Linking current landowners with a new generation of farmers will keep agricultural land in production and protect it from development. Encouraging minority farmers and improving access to farmland will help diversify the agricultural community in Otsego County. The overall opportunity, officials said, lies in connecting these new generation farmers with current farmers and landowners.

Berkson

Continued from page 8

scratches, I found myself listening to some excellent music and words that I could really relate to, songs like “Vienna,” “She’s Always a Woman” and “Just the Way You Are.”

Then I got to the song with the line about Brenda and Eddie, and I realized Roidney didn’t write it, that he’d been goofing on me pretty much the same way that I was now deceiving my wife about the cucumber plants. I still hadn’t told her about the switch and the next day, when she went out to the garden, she was very pleased that the roots had “sprouted new leaves in such a short time!” Devil that I am, I was

tempted to send her down to the nursery for some subterranean puffball seeds. When I had been an apprentice on construction, a mechanic once sent me to the supply house for a can of steam.

Alice won’t know what I had done with the cucumbers until she reads about it in “The Freeman’s Journal.”

Sometimes when we think we’re in the know, we’re not, and sometimes “when we’re wrong we’re right.”

There’s always room to learn something more.

I wasn’t mad when I found out Roidney didn’t write the song. I hope that Alice, “who’s always a woman,” isn’t angry when she finds out what I did with the cucumbers. And as for Billy Joel, he’s been a great success—even without the benefit of my editing.

Terry Berkson’s articles have appeared in “New York” magazine, “Automobile” magazine and many others. His memoir, “Corvette Odyssey,” has received many good reviews: “highly recommended with broad appeal,” says “Library Journal.”

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

NEWS BRIEFS

CAA Seeks Art Submissions

COOPERSTOWN—The Cooperstown Art Association announced that the annual regional and national juried art exhibitions will open for submission soon. The regional show, open to New York State residents and featuring more than $2,000.00 in prizes, will accept in-person submissions between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, may 10 and 11. Artists are allowed to submit a single piece that must be available for sale. The exhibit will be on display Friday, may 17 through Wednesday, June 26.

The 88th National show will accept online submissions through Wednesday, may 15, and will be displayed from Friday, July 12 to Friday, August 16. For more information on either show, or to view a prospectus, visit www.cooperstownart.com or call (607) 547-9777.

Candidate To Tour District

ONEONTA—Oneonta native, former Common Council member and 2024 candidate for New York State Senate michele Frazier will make a sevencounty district speaking tour on the weekend of may 4 and 5.

Local engagements include a stop at Social Eats Cafe, 546 main Street in Oneonta, from 2-4 p.m. on Saturday, may 4 and another at Black Cat Cafe, 19 main Street in Sharon Springs, from 5-6:30 p.m. the same day. RSVPs at tinyurl.com/district51tour are requested but not required. For more information, visit https://www.michelefrazierfor51.com/ .

Church Taking Dinner Orders

COOPERSTOWN—The First Baptist Church of Cooperstown will offer take-out Brooks’ BBQ chicken dinners from 4:30-6 p.m. on the second Friday of each month from may to October. Each dinner includes a chicken half, baked potato, coleslaw and roll. Pre-orders by the Wednesday preceding the dinner are strongly recommended; contact baptistcooperstown@gmail.com with name, number of dinners and phone number.

Burlington Announces Parade

BURLINGTON—Organizers of the Town of Burlington memorial Day Parade announced that it will line up at 1 p.m. and step off half an hour later on monday, may 27. All participants are welcome; for more information or to sign up, contact Deb Wengert Covert at dwengert1@hotmail.com or (607) 437-4667.

Bird Flu Update Released

NEW YORK STATE—The New York State Department of Agriculture and markets released updates on the nationwide response to detection of highly pathogenic avian influenza in dairy cattle and goats in several other states. To date, no cases have been detected in New York, and pasteurized dairy products remain safe to consume. Effective monday,

April 29, the federal government has mandated HPAI testing for all dairy cattle moving across state lines. Laboratories and state veterinarians are also required to report positive tests. Farmers and vets are urged to visit https://www.aphis.usda.gov/livestockpoultry-disease/avian/avian-influenza/hpai-detections/livestock for information on the detection and prevention of HPAI. Since the outbreak was initially detected in Texas in late march, cases have spread to Kansas, New mexico, michigan, Idaho, Ohio, North Carolina, South Dakota and minnesota.

Coop Tennis Still Undefeated

COOPERSTOWN—Cooperstown’s varsity tennis team remains undefeated this season, boasting a 10-0 record as of monday, April 29. The Hawkeyes swept a doubleheader against Little Falls at home on Tuesday, April 23. Coach Amy Porter reported the following results:

• First singles Isaiah George defeated Sean Carroll 10-2

• Second singles Henry Ayers defeated Elijah German 10-1

• Third Singles Bianca Adam defeated marshall Chandler 11-9

• First doubles Alexis Wolfe and Alfred Hom defeated Evan Petrie and David Brown 10-7

• Second doubles Owen marling and Trey Hassman defeated mason Sausa and matt Otero 10-0

• In the second match, George and Ayers defeated their singles opponents 10-1 and 10-0, respectively

• Third singles Emily menzies defeated Petrie 10-4

• Wolfe and Adam won first doubles 10-7

• Hom and marling won second doubles 10-1 Cooperstown swept Hamilton the next night, losing only four games in the entire match. George and second singles Eero Aho swept their opponents in straight sets and menzies won by default. Wolfe, Ayers, Adam and Hom won the doubles matches in straight sets.

Thursday, April 25 was Poland’s turn to fall in a doubleheader at Cooperstown. George, Ayers and Adam blanked their singles opponents, while Wolfe, Aho, Nancy Dong and Hassman defeated the Poland doubles teams. In the second match, Aho, menzies and Hom handled singles while Adam, Wolfe, micah Raffo and Hayden Spencer won the doubles matches.

The Hawkeyes defeated mount markham on the road on Friday, April 26. George, Aho and Ayers won the singles matches, although the scores were closer than the week’s other matches. Wolfe, Adam, Hom and menzies comprised the victorious doubles squads.

Finally, Cooperstown got its tenth win of the season against Westmoreland on monday, April 29. George, Aho and Ayers once again defeated their singles opponents in straight sets. Wolfe, Adam, Hom and marling won the doubles matches.

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 #:

EF2023-651

Nationstar Mortgage LLC

Plaintiff, vs

Mark Madero as heir to the estate of Joseph J. Madero, Daniel F. Madero as heir to the estate of Joseph J. Madero, unknown heirs of Joseph J. Madero 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, widows, 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, Patricia J. Madero as heir to the estate of Joseph J. Madero, Samuel A. Madero, Sr. as heir to the estate of Joseph J. Madero 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:

111 Broad Street Morris, NY 13808

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.

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 Joseph J. Madero 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 Twelfth day of April, 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 June 29, 2019, executed by Joseph J. Madero (who died on June 1, 2020, a resident of the county of Otsego, State of New York) to secure the sum of $75,750.00.

The Mortgage was recorded at Instrument Number 2019-3016 in the Office of the Otsego County Clerk on July 10, 2019. The mortgage was subsequently assigned by an assignment executed December 20, 2022 and recorded on January 5, 2023, in the Office of the Otsego County Clerk at Instrument Number 2023-062.

The property in question is described as follows: 111 Broad Street, Morris, NY 13808

HELP FOR HOMEOWNERS IN FORECLOSURE

NEW YORK STATE LAW REQUIRES THAT WE SEND YOU THIS NOTICE ABOUT THE FORECLOSURE PROCESS. PLEASE READ IT CAREFULLY.

SUMMONS AND COMPLAINT

YOU ARE IN DANGER OF LOSING YOUR HOME.

IF YOU FAIL TO RESPOND TO THE SUMMONS AND COMPLAINT IN THIS FORECLOSURE ACTION, YOU MAY LOSE YOUR HOME.

PLEASE READ THE SUMMONS AND COMPLAINT CAREFULLY. YOU SHOULD IMMEDIATELY CONTACT AN ATTORNEY OR YOUR LOCAL LEGAL AID OFFICE TO OBTAIN ADVICE ON HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF.

SOURCES OF INFORMATION AND ASSISTANCE

The state encourages you to become informed about your options in foreclosure. In addition to seeking assistance from an attorney or legal aid office, there are government agencies and non-profit organizations that you may contact for information about possible options, including trying to work with your lender during this process. To locate an entity near you, you may call the toll-free helpline maintained by the New York State Department of Financial Services at 1800-342-3736 or the Foreclosure Relief Hotline 1800-269-0990 or visit the department’s website at WWW.DFS. NY.GOV.

RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS YOU ARE NOT REQUIRED TO LEAVE YOUR HOME AT THIS TIME. YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO STAY IN YOUR HOME DURING THE FORECLOSURE PROCESS. YOU ARE NOT REQUIRED TO LEAVE YOUR HOME UNLESS AND UNTIL YOUR PROPER-

LEGALS

TY IS SOLD AT AUCTION PURSUANT TO A JUDGMENT OF FORECLOSURE AND SALE. REGARDLESS OF WHETHER YOU CHOOSE TO REMAIN IN YOUR HOME, YOU ARE REQUIRED TO TAKE CARE OF YOUR PROPERTY AND PAY PROPERTY TAXES IN ACCORDANCE WITH STATE AND LOCAL LAW.

FORECLOSURE RESCUE SCAMS

Be careful of people who approach you with offers to “save” your home. There are individuals who watch for notices of foreclosure actions in order to unfairly profit from a homeowner’s distress. You should be extremely careful about any such promises and any suggestions that you pay them a fee or sign over your deed. State law requires anyone offering such services for profit to enter into a contract which fully describes the services they will perform and fees they will charge, and which prohibits them from taking any money from you until they have completed all such promised services. § 1303

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: April 16, 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. 80449 4LegalMay.16

LegaL nOtice

Supplemental SummonS

SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF OTSEGO

NEWREZ LLC D/B/A SHELLPOINT MORTGAGE SERVICING, Plaintiff, -against-

UNKNOWN HEIRS OF THE ESTATE OF ELEANOR M UTTER DECEASED their wives, husbands, heirs-at-law, next of kin, distributees, executors, administrators, assignees, lienors, creditors, successors in interest and generally all persons having or claiming under, by or through said ELEANOR M. UTTER, by purchase, inheritance, lien or otherwise, of any right, title or interest in and to the premises described in the complaint herein, and the respective husbands, wives, widows or widowers of them, if any, all of whose names are unknown to plaintiff, LEGACY MORTGAGE ASSET TRUST 2022-SL1 MORTGAGEBACKED NOTES, SERIES 2020-SL1, U.S. BANK TRUST NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS TRUSTEE, NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF TAXATION AND FINANCE, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA - DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY - INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE, Defendants.

INDEX NO.: EF2023-839 FILED: 3/28/24

TO THE ABOVENAMED

DEFENDANTS: 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 summons, to serve a notice of appearance on the plaintiff’s attorney within 20 days after the service of this summons, exclusive of the day of service or within 30 days after completion of service where service is made in any other manner than by personal delivery within the State. In case of your failure to appear or answer, judgment will be taken against you by default for the relief demanded in the complaint.

TO THE ABOVE NAMED DEFENDANTS: The foregoing Summons is served upon you by publication pursuant an Order of the Brian D. Burns, a Justiceof the Supreme Court, of Ostego, dated March 15, 2024 and entered March 19, 2024.

NOTICE OF NATURE OF ACTION AND RELIEF SOUGHT

THE OBJECT of the above captioned action is to foreclose a Mortgage in the amount of $65,000.00 recorded in the Otsego County Clerk’s/City Register’s Office on March 7, 2006 in Book 1478 of Mortgages at Page 822 covering the premises known as 4 ROSE AVENUE, ONEONTA, NY 13820. Thereafter, the Mortgage was assigned to NEWREZ LLC F/K/A NEW PENN FINANCIAL, LLC D/B/ A SHELLPOINT MORTGAGE SERVICING, by an Assignment of Mortgage dated December 14, 2022 and recorded with the Otsego County Clerk on December 20, 2022, in Instrument No. 2022-6834. The relief sought in the within action is a final Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale directing the sale of the premises described above to satisfy the debt secured by the Mortgage described above. Otsego County is designated as the place of trial on the basis of the fact that the real property affected by this action is located wholly within said County.

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: Westbury, New York February 14, 2024

DRUCKMAN LAW GROUP PLLC, By: Maria Sideris, Esq. Attorneys for Plaintiff, 242 Drexel Avenue, Westbury, NY 11590 (516) 876-0800 4LegalMay.2

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notice of foRmation of Scott Boys Farm LLC.

Articles of Organization filed with the New York Secretary of State (SSNY) on 04/18/2024. Official Location: Otsego County. SSNY designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: 1444 County Highway 10, Laurens, NY 13796. Purpose: any lawful purpose. 6LegalMay.30

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notice of foRmation of ROCKY HILL HOMESTEAD & FARM LLC.

Articles of Org. filed with NY Secretary of State (SSNY) on 02/23/2024. Office Location: Otsego County, NY. SSNY has been designated as agent upon whom process against the LLC may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: 124 Harmouth Rd., Burlington Flats, NY 13315.

Purpose: Any Lawful Purpose. 6LegalMay.30

LegaL nOtice notice of foRmation of limited liabilitY companY (llc).

Name: B&S Farms, LLC.

Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 02/05/2024. NY office location: Otsego County. SSNY has been designated as an agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. The post office address to which the SSNY shall mail a copy of any process against the LLC served upon him/her is 7717 State Highway 7, Maryland, NY 12116. Purpose/character of LLC: Any lawful purpose.

6LegalMay.30

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notice of foRmation of VRH3, LLC.

Articles of Organization were filed with the NY Secretary of State on 04/02/2024. 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, 31 Bloom Street, Gilbertsville, NY 13820.

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

6LegalMay.23

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notice of foRmation of Sal Pal Enterprises LLC

Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 03/27/2024.

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 496 Eggleston Hill Rd., Cooperstown, NY 13326. Purpose: Any lawful purpose. 6LegalMay.23

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notice of foRmation of Worms Waste Not, LLC

Articles of Org. filed w/ SSNY 3/13/2024

Otsego County. SSNY designated agent for process and shall mail to Worms Waste Not, LLC, 189 Main Street, STE. 500, Oneonta, NY 13820 General Purpose. 6LegalMay.23

LegaL nOtice application foR autHoRitY of

SCHWEDE L.L.C.

Articles of Org (NYS foreign entity L.L.C.) filed with NY Sec. of State 03/13/2024. NY location, Otsego Co. SSNY designated agent of LLC upon whom process may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: SCHWEDE L.L.C., 332 Adams St., #3R, Hoboken NJ 07030. Purpose: Any lawful purpose. 6LegalMay.9

LegaL nOtice notice of foRmation of Valley Property Holdings LLC

Art. Of Org filed with Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) 03/19/2024. Office Location: Otsego County. SSNY designated as agent upon whom process against it may be served & shall mail a copy of process to 21 Main St., Cherry Valley, NY 13320. Purpose: Any lawful purpose. 6LegalMay.2

LegaL nOtice notice of foRmation of Streamside Wellness, LLC.

Art. of Org. filing date with Sec. of State of NY (SSNY) was 03/11/2024. Office location Otsego County. SSNY has been designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to PO Box 1027, Cooperstown, NY 13326. Purpose: any lawful purpose. 6LegalMay.2 continued Pg. 11

Continued from page 1

Effect,” “The Power of the Placebo Effect, Part II: When Belief Brings Harm,” and “AI Renaissance: a Chance to Reduce Cheating, Revitalize the School Experience”—were thought to be “wellwritten, interesting columns.” Zvirzdin, who also has ties to Richfield Springs, researches cosmic rays with the Telescope Array Project, teaches science writing at Johns Hopkins University and is the author of “Subatomic Writing.”

“What a nice surprise! It’s been my honor to support local newspapers and help build up our community’s intellectual immune system,” Zvirzdin said in an e-mail on Monday, April 29.

Contributing writer and former ISP News Editor Wriley Nelson earned an honorable mention for his news article, “Fox Nurses Rally against Understaffing,” published December 21, 2023. Nelson, a lifelong Otsego County resident and 2018 graduate of Cooperstown Central School, earned a political science degree from Hamilton College in December 2022. He wrote for Hamilton’s satirical paper, “The Duel Observer,” all four years at college.

“I am extremely grateful to the New York

from Pg. 10

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Notice oF

FormatioN oF

Rolling Acres Construction, LLC

Office Location: Otsego County N.Y.

Articles of Organization Filed with the Secretary of State of New York (“SSNY”) on March 12, 2024.

SSNY is designated agent of LLC upon whom process may be served and SSNY shall mail process to Rolling Acres Construction, LLC located at 139 Quinn Road, Cherry Valley, NY 13320. Any lawful purpose. 6LegalMay.2

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Notice oF

FormatioN oF

Longespee Legacy LLC

Articles of organization filed with the SSNY on 1/18/24.

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 39 Elm St., Richfield Springs, NY 13439.

Press Association for this honor, and to my wonderful co-workers at Iron String Press for their support. I would be remiss, however, if I did not note that at least 100 journalists have been killed by Israeli occupation forces since October— in order to cover up a genocidal assault on a dense urban refugee camp that has already killed at least 15,000 children—representing the deadliest period for journalists worldwide since the Committee to Protect Journalists began keeping records in 1992. This profession is under unprecedented assault at home and abroad.”

“Iron String Press has been in a rebuilding phase these past 12 months or so, and it is very edifying to once again be recognized by our journalism peers,” said General Manager and Senior Editor Darla M. Youngs.

“Terry’s columns have been well-loved by readers for a number of years, so it’s nice to see him get the recognition he deserves. Jamie joined our ‘stable’ of contributing writers in 2023 and her unique observations and perspectives have been very well received.

“Wriley came on like gangbusters in March 2023, when he was hired as staff writer. In just four short months, he was promoted to news editor. It was no surprise to me that this article garnered

Purpose: Any lawful purpose. 6LegalMay.2

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Notice oF FormatioN oF

HEWLETT RENTALS LLC

Arts of Org. filed SSNY 2/29/2024

Otsego Co. SSNY design agent for process & shall mail to ZENBUSINESS INC. 41 STATE ST #112 ALBANY, NY 12207 General Purpose 6LegalMay.2

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Notice oF PUBLic SaLe

Public Notice is hereby given Under Sec. 182 NYS Lien Law, that property described as contents of storage unit, will be sold at public auction at 6 PM on May 10th, 2024 at Rt. 23 Self Storage of Oneonta, 8745 St. Hwy. 23, Oneonta NY. The sale of such property is to satisfy the lien of Rt. 23 Self Storage of Oneonta on property stored for the accounts of:

Unit # 126

Melissa Lindberg-Buck

Unit # 230

Johnathon Brezinsky

Unit #608

Lacey Keenan

Unit # 631

accolades—Wriley’s work has been nothing short of excellent since day one,” Youngs said.

Iron String Press is the sole remaining independent and locally owned newspaper publishing enterprise in Otsego County. Through its print publications and its digital counterpart, AllOtsego.com, Otsego County households have the benefit of local news in local hands at a time when the U.S. is losing an average of more than two community newspapers each week. Over the last 10 years, more than 2,600 weekly publications have closed or merged with other papers.

“As an organization, we are so proud of all of our writers; we’re proud of our entire staff. We work very hard to produce quality newspapers each week,” said ISP Publisher Tara Barnwell. “Local journalism is very important in our community. It brings everyone together to talk about issues that matter. Support from the community is what makes us who we are and will ensure our longevity in the future.”

To subscribe to “The Freeman’s Journal,” visit https://www.allotsego.com/subscribe/. Subscriptions to TFJ include free access to AllOtsego.com. Those who prefer their news online can subscribe to AllOtsego.com via this link as well.

Isiah Montgomery

2LegalMay.9

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Notice oF PUBLic SaLe

Notice is hereby given that the undersigned will sell at Online Public Auction pursuant to New York State Lien Law, Article 8, Section 182, per order of North Street Storage, 14 North Street Oneonta, NY at www.bid13.com.

The personal property described as household goods heretofore stored with the undersigned by Katelyn Becker, Unit 3 beginning on 08/ 31/23, Jordan Valentine, Unit 8 beginning on 11/24/23, Javier Macias, Unit 42 beginning on 10/13/23 and Pamela Murphy, Unit 24 beginning on 11/27/23 . All sales are subject to prior claim, postponement and/or cancellation.

2LegalMay.9

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Notice oF eLectioN oF Fire

DePartmeNt oFFicerS

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE, that having received nominations for offices to be filled in the Cooperstown

Zvirzdin

Continued from page 5

nothing, its latent energy waiting to be released. But give that ball a push, it starts rolling faster and faster, accelerating…and suddenly it’s a force to be reckoned with, Indiana Jones–style. What physics has that new-age energy practitioners do not, even for a hidden, invisible, “stored” energy like gravitational potential energy, is a measurable, reliable, replicable formula: PE = mgh. Mass times gravity times height is all we need to get a first look at how much energy the rock will have if you push it down the hill. The units for potential energy are the same as for every other type of energy: Joules, as we’ve talked about in earlier articles. Energy is energy is energy, and it cannot be created nor destroyed. Such consistency and reliability, in a society that often peddles lovely magnetic bracelets and pretty magic rocks, can be comforting. Physics offers us a different kind of Joule, one that is maybe not as lovely or pretty but certainly more powerful.

Understanding this particular “virtual” energy can give us a new perspective on how the energy can be stored. It also encour-

LEGALS

Fire Department you are hereby notified that the Election of Officers will take place on Monday, May 13, 2024 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Cooperstown Fire Hall, 24 Chestnut Street, Cooperstown, New York. Voting is only open to Cooperstown Fire Department members. Voting is not open to the general public.

Nominees and positions to be filled are as follows:

Chief Mike Molloy

1st Assistant

Chief Billy Smith

2nd Assistant

Chief Chris Satriano

Captains (4) Jonathan Roach

Steve Clancy

Joel Bostwick

Matt Pernat

Kevin Preston

Fire Police

Captain

Jim Leslie

Fire Police Lt. Jim Tallman

President Glenn Falk

Treasurer Frank King

Secretary Thomas A. Redding

Dated: April 25, 2024 1LegalMay.2

ages us to think about the hidden…but scientifically measurable… energy all around us. When you climb a hill or carry groceries upstairs, you’re working against gravity, increasing your gravitational potential energy. When you drop something, you convert that object’s potential energy into kinetic energy. Potential energy serves as a reminder that, even in seemingly static moments, energy is stored, waiting for the right conditions to unleash its power.

Or consider the water held back by a dam. It’s quiet and still, the opposite of popular river rapids. But that calm is deceiving. There’s tremendous energy stored in the elevated water, ready to burst forth when the dam’s gates open. As the water rushes down, it transforms its gravitational potential energy into kinetic energy, turning turbines and generating electricity in hydroelectric power plants. Such a dramatic transformation shows how energy can be harnessed from a seemingly passive state and used to power entire communities.

I think many of us are fearful of the “potential” adults often tell us we have when we’re young. The expectation that our work will yield only remarkable results causes a kind of stagnant

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Notice oF PUBLic HeariNG

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Historical Preservation and Review Board (HPARB) for the Village of Cooperstown will hold the following public hearing on Tuesday, May 14th, 2024 at 5:00 p.m. or as soon thereafter as can be heard:

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

217 Main St.

– Application to demolish warehouse building.

The plans for this project are on file with the Village Clerk’s Office at the Village Office, 22 Main St., Cooperstown, New York, and may be seen during regular office hours, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Public comments must be provided by email to the Zoning Officer at zoning@ cooperstownny. org or by regular mail to the address below no later than Tuesday, May 14th, 2024 at 3:30 p.m.

Jenna Utter Village Clerk Village of Cooperstown

22 Main Street Cooperstown, NY 13326

Tele: (607)5472411

Email: jutter@ cooperstownny. org 1LegalMay.2

LegaL nOtice

Notice oF PUBLic HeariNG

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Zoning Board of Appeals for the Village of Cooperstown will hold the following public hearing on Tuesday, May 7th, 2024 at 5:00 p.m. or as soon thereafter as can be heard:

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

11 Westridge Road – Application to construct a garage within side setback.

The plans for this project are on file with the Village Clerk’s Office at the Village Office, 22 Main Street, Cooperstown, New York, and may be seen during regular office hours, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Public comments must be provided by email to the Zoning Officer at zoning@cooperstownny.org or by regular mail to the address below

paralysis at the top of our own personal hills. So the nudge we need to give ourselves never comes, the boulder never moves, the water never flows to the people who need it most.

This month, I encourage you to find and utilize your own reservoir of potential energy. What is holding you back? What barriers keep you transforming that potential into meaningful action? Identify those barriers and take that first step to release your energy. Like the rock rolling down a hill, once you start moving, it’s much easier to keep going.

Remember, potential energy isn’t just a term from physics; it’s a reminder of the untapped energy we possess. Find what fuels you, give yourself that push, and see how your energy transforms the world around you. Be the boulder that rolls down the hill, the spring that snaps into action, the water that powers a city. You have that energy within you—give yourself a push, and watch the world come alive.

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

no later than Tuesday, May 7th, 2024 at 3:30 p.m.

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

Tele: (607)5472411

Email: jutter@ cooperstownny. org

LegaL nOtice

Notice oF PUBLic HeariNG

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Historical Preservation and Review Board (HPARB) for the Village of Cooperstown will hold the following public hearing on Tuesday, May 14th, 2024 at 5:00 p.m. or as soon thereafter as can be heard:

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

36 Grove Street – Application to demolish a collapsing outbuilding.

The plans for this project are on file with the Village Clerk’s Office at the Village Office, 22 Main Street, Cooperstown, New York, and may be seen during regular office hours, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00

p.m. Public comments must be provided by email to the Zoning Officer at zoning@ cooperstownny. org or by regular mail to the address below no later than Tuesday, May 14th, 2024 at 3:30 p.m.

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

Tele: (607)5472411

Email: jutter@ cooperstownny. org 1LegalMay.2

LegaL nOtice

Notice oF PUBLic HeariNG

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Historical Preservation and Review Board (HPARB) for the Village of Cooperstown will hold the following public hearing on Tuesday, May 14th, 2024 at 5:00 p.m. or as soon thereafter as can be heard:

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

44 Lakeview Drive North – Application to demolish a small addition on east side of home.

The plans for this project are on file

with the Village Clerk’s Office at the Village Office, 22 Main Street, Cooperstown, New York, and may be seen during regular office hours, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Public comments must be provided by email to the Zoning Officer at zoning@ cooperstownny. org or by regular mail to the address below no later than Tuesday, May 14th, 2024 at 3:30 p.m.

Jenna Utter Village Clerk Village of Cooperstown 22 Main Street Cooperstown, NY 13326 Tele: (607)5472411

Email: jutter@ cooperstownny. org

1LegalMay.2

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Bimbercurly, LLC

Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 04/15/2024. 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 174 Cemetery Rd. Fly Creek NY 13337.

Purpose: Any lawful purpose 6LegalJun.6

►Friday, May 3

FUNDRAISER 9 a.m.

to 1 p.m. “Rummage & Book Sale” with $2 bag sale after noon. Presented by the United Women in Faith at First United Methodist Church, 66 Chestnut Street, Oneonta. (607) 432-4102.

KNITTING CIRCLE

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

SPRING 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. “3rd Annual Native Plant Sale.” 25+ native plant species available. Continues 5/4 from 10 to 4. Hartwick College, 1 Hartwick Drive, Oneonta. Visit facebook.com/theferneryatwhitehouse

YOGA 10 a.m. Gentle class perfect for seniors. All welcome. Followed by 15 minute Reiki demonstration. Suggested donation, $10. Held each Friday. Strawberry Hall, Worcester-Schenevus Library, 170 Main Street, Worcester. (607) 3977309.

SENIOR MEALS

11:30 a.m. Seniors are invited to enjoy a delicious meal Monday-Friday. Suggested donation is $4 for seniors, $10.60 for guests accompanying a senior. Today, enjoy a lunch of cheesy egg bake, sausage patty, hash browns, muffin and a fruit cups. Nader Towers Housing, 2 Mitchell Street, Oneonta. (607) 547-6454.

GARDEN Noon-12:30 p.m. “What’s Bugging You” series presents “NoMow May” and what to do with grass clippings. Integrated Pest Management webinars presented by Cornell on the first Friday of each month. Visit cals. cornell.edu/new-yorkstate-integrated-pestmanagement/outreacheducation/events POTTERY 1:304:30 p.m. Open Studio. Experienced potters are invited to work on personal projects and hone their skills. No instruction provided. $30/session. Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and 6-9 p.m. on Thursdays. The Smithy Clay Studio, 1 Otsego Court, Cooperstown. Gallery@SmithyArts.org.

YARN CLUB 2-3:30 p.m. First Friday each month. Huntington Memorial Library, 62 Chestnut Street, Oneonta. (607) 432-1980.

FUNDRAISER 5-9 p.m. “Dine Out For A Cause.” Enjoy a meal and support Helios Care programs. Reservations recommended. Tryon Inn Restaurant & Backdoor Bar, 124 Main Street, Cherry Valley. (607) 2643331.

EXHIBIT OPENING 5-8 p.m. “Totems and Opuscula: The Work of Richard Talcott and Carol Swierzowski.” First Friday event. Includes refreshments by Erich of Coffee & Crumb Café. Show runs through 6/2. 25 Main Collective, 21 Main Street, Cherry Valley. (607) 2645340.

NEW HOME SITE - FOR SALE BY OWNER

PIERSTOWN AREA - 13.5 ACRES - 1 GB INTERNET - VIEWS, BRIGHT AND SUNNY OPEN FIELDS - TAMARAC WOODLOT2 PONDS - 1,800 FT ROAD FRONTAGE ON TWO ROADS - COOPERSTOWN SCHOOLS

$128,000 607-435-0255. COOPERSTOWNPROPERTY.COM

CONTRADANCE 7:3010:30 p.m. Fun, social dance with the Otsego Dance Society. Features music by the band Eivey, featuring Eileen Kalfass and Harvey Nusbaum, with Hilton Baxter calling. Suggested donation, $10/adult. First Presbyterian Church, 25 Church Street, Cooperstown. Visit otsegodancesociety. weebly.com

THEATRE 7:30 p.m. “Rent, the Musical.” Tony Award-winning musical based loosely on Puccini’s “La Boheme.” Cost, $20/person. Also showing 5/4 and at 2 p.m. on 5/5. Sidney High School Auditorium, 95 West Main Street, Sidney. Visit www. tritowntheatre.com

THEATRE 7:30 p.m.

“The SpongeBob Musical.” SpongeBob and friends save Bikini Bottom from a volcano with the power of music and optimism. $25/adult. Also showing 5/4 with a matinee at 3 p.m. on 5/5. Foothills Performing Arts and Civic Center, 24 Market Street, Oneonta. (607) 431-2080.

COMEDY 8 p.m.

Stand-up comedy with Jamal Harrington. Featuring Jonathan Ziegel and Keith McKenzie. Hosted by Glenn Cohen. Tickets, $20. The Loft, Foothills Performing Arts and Civic Center, 24 Market Street, Oneonta. (607) 4312080.

►Saturday, May 4

BIRDING 7-9 a.m.

“Morning Birds with Becky Gretton.” Gretton leads a walk for beginning and expert birders. Free. Bring binoculars, bird guide, and be prepared for the weather/wet grass. Pre-registration required. Mohican Farm, 7207 State Highway 80, Cooperstown. (607) 5474488.

VOLUNTEER “I Love My Park Day.” Plant trees, tend the gardens, restore trails, remove invasive species and help staff prepare for the summer season.

• 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Gilbert Lake State Park, 18 CCC Road, Laurens. (607) 432-2114.

• 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Glimmerglass State Park, 1527 County Road 31, Cooperstown. (607) 5478662.

• 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Betty and Wilbur Davis State Park, 133 Davis Road, Schenevus. (607) 547-8662

Visit https://www.ptny. org/events/i-love-mypark-day/find-event

KIDS YOGA 9-11

a.m.”Pretzel Kids Yoga.” Free class for girls in grades 2-4. Registration required. Includes healthy snack, discussion on mindfulness, more. Held again 5/11. Richfield Springs Community Center, 6 Ann Street, Richfield Springs. (315) 858-1451.

DEMOCRATIC CLUB

9 a.m. “Refugee Resettlement Talk with Oneonta Dems.” Debra Marcus of the Otsego Refugee Resettlement Coalition discusses the group’s accomplishments and future plans with the Oneonta Democratic Club. Get Fresh on Main Café, 254 Main Street, Oneonta. Garymaffei@

gmail.com. ONEONTA FARMERS’ MARKET 9 a.m. to noon. Produce, arts, crafts and more from area producers. Dietz Street, between Main and Wall Street, Oneonta. Visit https://oneontafarmersmarket.org/

DOG WALK & WELLNESS 9 a.m. to noon. “SQSPCA Dog Walk and Free Wellness Clinic.”

1.25-mile dog walk. First 100 to finish will receive a free pup cup from Oneonta Starbucks. Registration $10/dog; includes free hat. SQSPCA medical team available for free wellness clinic. Neahwa Park, Oneonta. (607) 547-8111.

VOLUNTEER 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. “Volunteer Day at Brookwood Point.” Help the Otsego Land Trust spruce up gardens and trails for the summer season. Includes free lunch and swag. Brookwood Point, 6000 State Highway 80, Cooperstown; and Parslow Road Preserve, 127 Parslow Road, Oaksville. (607) 547-2366.

GARDEN 10 a.m. to noon. “Ask a Master Gardener.” Get answers to your gardening questions. Springfield Library, 129 County Road 29A, Springfield Center. (315) 858-5802.

ART WORKSHOP

10 a.m. “Fused Glass Program.” Create a beautiful, spring-themed fused glass project with The Studio for Art and Craft. $15/person. Registration required. Huntington Memorial Library, 62 Chestnut Street, Oneonta. (607) 432-1980.

GARDEN 10 a.m. to noon. “Be Informed: Apple Grafting.” Ryan Trapani, director of forest services at the Catskill Forest Center, presents on the propagation of apple trees. Begins with classroom instruction, then moves outside for a hands-on workshop. Presented by the Otsego

County Conservation Association at Mohican Farm, 7207 State Highway 80, Cooperstown. (607) 547-4488.

PLANETARIUM 10:30

a.m. “Max Goes to the Moon.” 35-minute film following a dog named Max on his journey to the moon. $3/person. SUNY Oneonta Planetarium, West Dormitory Road, Oneonta. (607) 4362011.

PLANETARIUM 11:30

a.m. “The Sky Tonight” 45-minute tour showcasing the constellations currently in the sky. $3/ person. SUNY Oneonta Planetarium, West Dormitory Road, Oneonta. (607) 436-2011.

FUNDRAISER Noon to 3 p.m. Spaghetti dinner to benefit the family of Ronald “Red” Monroe. Eat-in or takeout available. Dinner is by donation. Hartwick Fire Department Co. #1, 3088 County Highway 11, Hartwick. (607) 2937741.

PLANETARIUM 1:30 p.m. “Out There: The Quest for Exoplanets” learn about how astronomers search for planets beyond our solar system. $3/person. SUNY Oneonta Planetarium, West Dormitory Road, Oneonta. (607) 4362011.

WRITERS GROUP

1:30-3:30 p.m. Supportive group to practice writing exercises and receive feedback. Session held through May 25. Huntington Memorial Library, 62 Chestnut Street Oneonta. (607) 432-1980.

ROLE PLAY 5-9 p.m. Play “Magic the Gathering” with the group. Held each Saturday. Richfield Springs Public Library, 102 Main Street, Richfield Springs. (315) 858-0230.

FUNDRAISER 5-9 p.m. “Dine Out For A Cause.” Enjoy a meal and support Helios Care programs. Reservations recommended. Tryon Inn Restaurant & Backdoor Bar, 124 Main Street, Cherry Valley. (607) 2643331.