TO HONOR AT HOME CARE, HUGH HENDERSON AT GALA/See B1-5
HOMETOWN ONEONTA !
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Complimentary
Oneonta, N.Y., Friday, March 15, 2013
Volume 5, No. 25
City of The Hills
& The Otsego-Delaware Dispatch
Oneonta’s Nobel Friend POET DEREK WALCOTT PAYS 26TH VISIT
By LIBBY CUDMORE
Keith Wilber, chief manager of Rental One, shares concerns with 100 fellow landlords and neighbors of the proposed student housing complex on Bugbee Drive during a Wednesday, March 6, meeting at the Unitarian Universalist Church.
‘W
hen I first came to Oneonta,” said Nobel Laureate Derek Walcott, “I was surprised at how barren the hills were. It was late winter, and Ian Austin/HOMETOWN ONEONTA I had to adBrittany Young of just – then Otego, and Michaela Young and Rachel GriffI could see ing of Oneonta model that this blues and greens at place was Prom-A-Palooza, a very beautipre-prom fashion show ful.” HOMETOWN ONEONTA Sunday, March 10, at It was Nobelist Derek Southside Mall. this sense Walcott shares his of beauty Lady Jackets, latest poems with a Hartwick College that inspired Irvington Vie him to write audience. “Upstate” In Final Four while traveling from Oneonta on fter their 55-52 an NYC-bound Trailways bus. The victory over Utica poem appeared in 1981’s “The FortuNotre Dame Saturnate Traveller.” day, March 9, the Lady YelThe attraction remains. Monday, lowjackets head to Troy this March 11, Walcott returned for his weekend for the Final Four. 26th visit since 1979 to Hartwick At 10 a.m. Friday, March College as the third in the “Four 15, they’ll take on threeWriters Who Changed The World” time state defending champ reading series. “He has been a friend Irvington at Hudson Valley Please See NOBELIST, A3 Community College. “Our hands are full, but we’ll go after them,” said Athletic Director Joe Hughes. The winner will go on to the championships at 4 p.m. Saturday, also in Troy.
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MANOR MEETINGS: The Otsego Manor Committee has scheduled the first of three public meetings on privatization at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, March 16, at the American Legion, Worcester. Meetings will follow in Cooperstown on the 23rd and April 6 in Oneonta. WHITHER FOTOT? Patrice Macaluso, who heads the Friends of the Oneonta Theatre, will give an update on the status of its revival at 2 p.m. Saturday, March 16, at the History Center, 183 Main. Public welcome. STILL TIME: Nominations will be accepted until Monday, March 25, for the city’s seventh annual Trailblazer Award. Nomination forms at www.oneonta.ny.us/ pdf/trailblazer.pdf. Call Joyce Miller, 432-8751.
Ian Austin/HOMETOWN ONEONTA
Neighbors, Landlords Organize Over Student Housing Complex But Mayor, Developer Say Many Of Concerns Won’t Come To Reality
Broadband To Expand Countywide
By JIM KEVLIN
S
ides are choosing up over ON THE WEB: Newman Folks objecting to Development Corp.’s the Blodgett Drive proposed 325-student project were due at housing complex to the city Environmental Board Wednesthe north of the SUNY day, March 13. Full Oneonta campus. report at: In one camp are www.allotsego.com landlords and people living in the Bugbee INSIDE: For an Drive neighborhood “Other Views” comwhere the project is mentary by Rick planned. About 100 of Weinburg, proprietor them met Wednesday, of Rental One, Inc., March 6, at the Unitar- SEE A4 ian Universalist Church on Ford Avenue to discuss their options. The landlords are concerned students will be siphoned away from their downtown rental units; residents fear the impact on their neighborhood and its environment. In the other is Jeff Smetana, Newman’s vice president, who is making the case that SUNY Please See HOUSING, A3
$½ Million NY Connect Grant Hailed By Seward By LIBBY CUDMORE
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ial-up and satellite Internet may soon go the way of typewriters and tape decks in Otsego County. “At the 2012 Economic Summit, our lack of broadband service was identified as a real need, as really holding Otsego County back economically,” said state Sen. Jim Seward, R-Milford. “People use broadband in their daily lives and in conducting Please See BROADBAND, A7
Peter Clark of Peter Clark Rentals helps himself to a sign expressing opposition to the project.
For HAPPENIN’ OTSEGO Doings, See Page A7 This Week HOMETOWN ONEONTA HAS LARGEST PRINT CIRCULATION IN OTSEGO COUNTY 2010 WINNER OF The Otsego County Chamber/KEY BANK SMALL BUSINESS AWARD O v e r
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CELEBRATE ST. PATRICK’S DAY AT THE OTESAGA’S Saturday, March 16th
HAWKEYE GRILL
Enjoy a traditional menu of Classic Corned Beef and Cabbage with Red Bliss Potatoes. All for only $14.95 per person. The delicious regular Hawkeye Grill menu is also available.
For more information and reservations, please call Maitre d’ Lori Patryn at (607) 544-2524. O v e r 1 0 0 Ye a r s o f G r a c i o u s H o s p i t a l i t y ® THE OTESAGA RESORT HOTEL, 60 LAKE STREET, COOPERSTOWN • www.OTESAGA.COM