James L. Seward, 72, of Milford, New York passed away on July 27, 2024 after a valiant and years-long fight against cancer. He was born on August 11, 1951 to Wes and Vivian Seward of Cliffside, Maryland, and educated in Oneonta public schools, graduating with the OHS class of 1969. He earned a BA in political science from Hartwick College in 1973, and undertook graduate studies at the Rockefeller School of Government at SUNY Albany. In 1999, Hartwick College conferred an honorary Doctor of Laws degree upon their noted alumnus.
But 1973 was significant for more than a college degree: On June 30 of
that year, Jim married the love of his life, Cynthia Milavec of Schenevus. They enjoyed 51 years of marriage; the highlight of his life and an example to many.
After dipping his toe into elective office with two Assembly runs and a town justice position, Jim was elected to the State Senate in 1986, representing the 50th Senatorial District. He retired in 2020 after serving 17 successful terms marked by excellence, dedication, integrity and commitment to the best of public service. At one time or another, he represented all or parts of Cayuga, Chenango, Cortland, Delaware, Greene, Herkimer, Otsego, Schoharie, Tompkins and Ulster counties.
By KRISTIAN CONNOLLY
COOPERSTOWN
No team in National Football League history has more Super Bowl victories than the six earned by the Pittsburgh Steelers. Over the 50 years since the franchise won its first Lombardi Trophy, only two broadcasters served as the “Voice of the Steelers.” Now there will be a third.
Cooperstown’s Rob King is next up in the Steelers’ radio booth following the announcement last month that he’s been chosen to fill the seat vacated by retired Pittsburgh broadcasting icon Bill Hillgrove.
King, a 1983 Cooperstown Central School graduate whose sports media career began when he covered a few CCS basketball games for this paper in the late 1980s, is elated about calling the action for one of the most-storied franchises and fervent fan bases in American sports.
“It’s thrilling,” said King last week while on his way to Latrobe, Pennsylvania for the first day of Steelers training camp. “It’s a big responsibility that I take seriously. If you’re the play-by-play voice of the Pittsburgh Steelers, you’re a conduit between the team and the fans.”
King then added, “It’s not lost on me, for a moment, how cool it is [to be named the ‘Voice of the Steelers.’]
… I’m extremely excited about the opportunity. I really am. I mean, I’m driving out to Latrobe now, and I could not be happier.”
In announcing the hiring of King,
Steelers team President Art Rooney II said, “Rob has done a great job in his 25-year career in the Pittsburgh market and is much respected among his peers in the business. We are excited for Steelers Nation to hear his unique perspective and excitement of making our fans feel they are in the stadium witnessing the action on the field. He has big shoes to fill with the legendary broadcasters that have come before him, but we are thrilled to have Rob step into his new role to bring Steelers football to our fans across the world.”
King told “The Freeman’s Journal” that he’s grateful to Rooney and the Steelers organization “for having faith in me.”
The “voice” of a team is someone who fans continually invite into their own lives, often for hours at a time. Fans rely on that voice to help them “see” and feel what’s happening with their favorite team and players, and for many people listening, that voice becomes an old and trusted friend, of a sort.
King brings the knowledge gained
Richfield Youth Take Top Prizes at Junior Livestock Show
COOPERSTOWN—Two young handlers from Otsego County took top honors at the 76th Annual Junior Livestock Show during the final event on Tuesday, July 9. Above, left, Dairy Cup Winner Justin Wolfe of Richfield Springs with his Holstein, Ovaltop Unst RoseannaRed. Also pictured: Greg Evans and Jacob Pieper, dairy cattle judges, and Paul D’Ambrosio, president and chief executive officer of The Farmers’ Museum. Above, right, Dairy Goat Cup Winner Olivia Hart, also of Richfield Springs, with her Recorded Grade Dairy Goat, Swamp-Hill Crystal. Also pictured: George Andrew, dairy goat judge, and Paul D’Ambrosio, president and chief executive officer of The Farmers’ Museum. Full show results can be found at AllOtsego.com. (Photos courtesy of The Farmers’ Museum.
Photo by Ian Austin
State Senator James L. Seward was surrounded by the people he loved most as he was sworn in on January 2, 2019 for his last term by County Judge Brian Burns. From left are son Ryan with his wife, Kelly; daughter Lauren with younger daughter Vivian; wife Cindy; and Vivian’s sister Norah.
Photo provided
Cooperstown Central School graduate Rob King is the new “Voice of the Steelers.”
EXPLORE CHERRY VALLEY cherryvalley.com
Weathertop Farmacy Offers Variety of Award-winning Products
CHERRY VALLEY
BUSINESS PROFILE
Weathertop Farmacy, located at 11 Main Street in Cherry Valley, is the retail space of certified organic Weathertop Farm. Owned by Kate Miller, Weathertop Farm grows a wide variety of culinary and medicinal herbs that are used to make their line of award-winning jams, drink mixers, and tonics, and natural wellness products.
They believe that a healthy economy is a local economy, and make supporting local beekeepers, maple producers, and vegetable farmers part of their everyday business. For this reason, many of the goods found at Weathertop Farmacy include numerous small-batch foods from other local producers Kate has met through the years.
You can also find a variety of housewares, gifts, cards and stickers, tarot and gemstones, and more, including a selection of books that are always 10 percent off the list price. Stop in for samples of their delicious products and enjoy the welcoming atmosphere. At left, Weathertop Farm tonics and teas are among the products available at Weathertop Farmacy. (Photos provided)
Folk Fest for Food Performances To Benefit Daily Bread Food Pantry
CHERRY VALLEY
About 20 years ago, Phil Zenir and his son, Luke, built a crude stage on top of a hay wagon frame for the purpose of holding benefit concerts for the newly formed Daily Bread Food Pantry. The concerts soon became known as “Folk Fest for Food,” an organized music festival. For the first few years it was just Phil and a handful of local enthusiasts playing on the stage three different Thursday evenings every August. As the seasons passed, the list of local talent began to grow, and Phil—along
with Cooperstown native Jeff Phillips—formed a band called Field Stone Pickers, which later was changed to gravel Yard. gravel Yard was and still is the anchor band of Folk Fest. Sadly, Phil passed away in 2019, but the festival carried on in his honor.
Today, bands from as far as Florida come to play at the festival, all donating their talent and time to help raise funds for the food pantry. The festival is a familyfriendly event with food vendors donating their time and profits to the pantry as well. The concerts are always the
second, third and fourth Thursday evenings in August.
This year, Folk Fest for Food kicks off on Thursday, August 8 at 7 p.m. with gus Leinhart opening for Carl and Jack. On August 15, Sam Whedon will open for The Currys at 7 p.m., and on August 22, gravel Yard will open for Scattered Flurries at 6 p.m. The concerts are free and open
to the public.
The all-volunteer board and staff of the Daily Bread Food Pantry, located in Cherry Valley, are working tirelessly to eradicate nutritional issues that affect the community’s school-age children and their families. The food pantry maintains a discrete location that disseminates food to qualified
recipients every Tuesday from 9 a.m. to noon and on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Each Thanksgiving, the pantry distributes approximately 40 turkeys with ingredients for holiday side dishes to members of the community, as well as approximately 40 Christmas dinners. While these services compose a large share of the pantry’s efforts, a vital part of their endeavors is their school “backpack” program. Each week during the school year, pantry volunteers send home approximately 60 backpacks filled with enough food for Friday/ Saturday/Sunday dinners and Saturday/Sunday breakfasts.
Those interested in helping out with the Daily Bread Food Pantry’s work can donate
non-perishable food items and monetary gifts at the Folk Fest for Food festival, August 8, 15 and 22, or drop off donations at the food pantry at 2 genesee Street, in the back of the “Old School,” during open hours. Food will be available for purchase at the concerts, the proceeds of which go directly to the food pantry, and T-shirts will also be available for purchase. Those who are not able to make it to any of the events or to Cherry Valley, but would still like to help, can mail checks to Daily Bread Food Pantry Inc., 2 genesee Street, PO Box 328, Cherry Valley, NY 13320.
“Please come out and enjoy the music and food and help to mitigate hunger in our community,” organizers said.
Photo provided The Currys will perform at Folk Fest for Food on Thursday, August 15.
SUNY Broome Makes College More Accessible with Mobile Unit
By MONICA CALZOLARI
ONEONTA
Providing easier access to higher education for residents of rural communities is the idea behind the refitted RV that carries the name “SUNY Broome on the Go.”
On July 3, Owen Conklin, the director of admissions for SUNY Broome Community College, parked the college’s mobile enrollment vehicle outside Huntington Library. The vehicle was also prominently on display at Oneonta’s 4th of July celebration in Neahwa Park.
Conklin is a resident of Oneonta. He became director of admissions at SUNY Broome in April 2023. He commutes to Binghamton daily in his own vehicle, which gets better gas mileage than the RV, which is reserved for special events.
Conklin considers both the July 3 and July 4 outreach successful. He said he spoke with
approximately 10 people in the Huntington Library parking lot and many more on July 4th.
“We talked to a wide variety of folks,” Conklin said. “We met a lot of alumni. We made a lot of different connections.”
One partnership that Conklin has been developing is with the four-county library system that serves Otsego, Chenango, Delaware and Broome counties.
He said, “When we go to libraries, they advertise what date we’ll be there.”
The vehicle is a fullyfunctioning office on wheels, with mobile Wi-Fi service powered by Verizon. The vehicle carries 10 laptops.
“I can help students apply to SUNY Broome or complete their Free Application for Federal Student Aid application,”
Conklin explained.
He said, “Our service includes helping people who have not started their financial aid application. We help students no matter where they are going to college. We like to practice good stewardship.”
For Conklin, it is all about helping rural students access higher education.
“SUNY Broome is
Fire Commissioners Schedule Vote on Capital Reserve Funds
By CASPAR EWIG FLY CREEK
At their monthly meeting on Friday, July 17, the Fly Creek Fire District Commissioners scheduled a vote for Tuesday, August 13 on a resolution the board had previously passed to establish three capital reserve funds related to continued operation of the Fire District. The three funds are as follows: a fund to cover the purchase of a fire truck, a second fund to finance repairs and general maintenance of the Fire District equipment, and a third fund to cover construction of, improvements to, and acquisition relative to the Fire District building.
“There is no question,” Fire Commission Chair Sam Hoskins said, “but that the Fire
District needs to prepare to purchase a new fire truck to complement the existing fleet.”
He noted that the Fire District’s present fleet consists of a 1985 pumper, a 1997 pumper/ tanker and a 1998 pumper/hauler.
“While this equipment is operable,” Hoskins continued, “the serviceable life expectancy is about 25 years, so that even the newer equipment will be beyond that date. And, of course, the older the equipment gets, the more it consumes repair costs, and replacement parts become harder to obtain, so a new or newer used unit becomes the more practical alternative.”
The Fire District Commission continues to investigate the possibility of obtaining used
The family of our beloved husband and father, Jim Renckens, thank all for their kind words, cards, flowers and attendance at his service; God bless you. Polly, Shannon, Patrick, Beth and families
equipment, but has to date been unsuccessful in its search. On the other hand, “the cost of a new pumper truck is in the vicinity of $900,000.00 and [it] would take three years to build,” Hoskins noted. “Therefore, the creation of a capital reserve account is essential.”
“The Fire District Commissioners, as the elected governing body,
Continued on page 17
the community college closest to Oneonta,” he said. “We are seeking students of all ages and backgrounds, not just high-school students.”
SUNY has 32 community colleges throughout
New York State.
SUNY Broome
Community College has gone through several name changes since it was founded in 1946. It is a public college located in Broome County and part of the State University of New York SUNY system. It is also known as BCC or SUNY Broome.
SUNY Broome purchased the mobile enrollment vehicle with grant money awarded by the New York State Department of Education. People in the admissions office and enrollment division at the community college had the idea, completed the grant application, and ordered the RV before
“I was able to care for my wife at home, thanks to Helios Care.”
“When Susie’s cancer reared its ugly head, we knew we needed hospice care,” Tom said. “She wanted to stay at home. Helios Care made that happen. They were like angels – expert caregivers, so loving and compassionate.”
Conklin started in April 2023. Conklin helped implement all the moving parts—both figuratively and literally—and bring the project to completion. The vehicle has been in service since October 2023. The college’s internal Marketing and Communications Department designed the vehicle wrap and called the vehicle “SUNY Broome on the Go.” In fact, they won the Judge’s Citation Award for their work from SUNY CUAD, which stands for Council for University Advancement.
Conklin is not aware of any other SUNY schools having a vehicle like this RV and there are 64 SUNY campuses in the state of New York.
“Other SUNYs are starting to take notice,” he said.
Find out how Helios Care can help your family care safely for a loved one at home. 607.432.5525 • HeliosCare.org
Oneonta resident Owen Conklin, the director of admissions for SUNY Broome Community College, inside the “SUNY Broome on the Go” mobile enrollment vehicle. The RV has Wi-Fi capabilities that allow prospective students to apply for admission and/or financial aid on the spot.
Perspectives
So Long, Beloved Senator
Last Saturday, the 27th of July, in the morning, we here in Otsego lost one of the most notable figures in county history. Jim Seward, of Milford, died, after a long battle with cancer, leaving behind his beautiful wife, Cindy, and two children. He was born in Oneonta 72 years ago, and he was a graduate of Oneonta High School and Hartwick College; and he lived not far from there for the rest of his life.
For a good part of his life, and to the benefit of his home county, Jim Seward was our state senator. First elected in 1986, when he was 38, he served 17 terms, and retired in 2020, after 33 years in Albany. He represented all of us in Otsego, Cortland, and Schoharie counties, and some of us in Chenango, Tompkins, Cayuga, Delaware, and Ulster counties, fighting hard for what he believed to be the right ideas and opportunities for our reasonably large and unquestionably not-so-rich landed, forested and still somewhat wild portion of Upstate New York. He believed in his constituencies, he loved his work, and he performed it miraculously well, constantly working together with his fellow senators to reach reasonable, workable and forward-thinking agreements. In the end, Senator Seward accomplished a great deal for all of us, working through and around the mysterious and formidable bureaucracies of government. Jim Seward never gave up, his voice for us here in Otsego County was heard the state over, and he left an astonishing legacy that will be difficult to equal or better.
The senator always believed, even in the darkest of times. He believed in the uniqueness of Otsego County, the power and potential of its people, and the promise of its future. Ever optimistic and always cheerful, he was caring, considerate, and thoughtfully observant; his conversations always revealed both extensive knowledge and a keen sense of humor. He was a firm believer in the effectiveness of the local press as well, aware of the importance of information and clarity of facts and statements, as well as the importance of public knowledge and opinion. “The Freeman’s Journal,” in particular, was specifically honored by Senator Seward in 2008 when, in honor of the 200th anniversary of its founding, he arranged for a special Resolution from the State Legislature in acknowledgement of its status, age, accomplishments and continuing relevance to the people of Otsego County.
Jim was cut in the mold of the sort of ideal legislator envisioned by the founders of the Republic when setting out the political system—a citizen lawmaker, dedicated to one’s community and its future rather than to one’s personal advancement and political career. Despite ample opportunities, Jim never wanted to abandon his commitment to our area for political advancement. It was a vital part of him, and he of it.
Otsego County has been a grateful recipient of Jim’s tireless work and steadfast dedication to his home county; threats from outside the area have been neutralized and its natural potentials and strengths have been fostered and furthered by his efforts. Through his quiet diplomacy, dogged determination, and nimble negotiating, Jim was always able to bring people from different sides of an issue together—as much a result of his personal warmth and congeniality as a result of his extraordinary skill in finding paths to consensus. Jim’s was a welcome voice of reason, reverberating throughout his counties and enabling us to reach steppes and heights we did not know we could attain.
And now, suddenly, he is sadly gone. But the warmth of his memory will live on in all who knew him and the power of his name will be in the books for all those yet to be born. The gratitude of Otsego County will be evident forever.
Thank you, Jim. History will remember you well.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR POLICY
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OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER FOR
Otsego County • Village of Cooperstown • Village of Milford Cooperstown Central School District
MEMBER: National Newspaper Association, NY Press Association
Subscription Rates: Otsego County, $69 a year. All other areas, $89 a year. First Class Subscription, $155 a year. 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
Rise in Deer Population Sparks Concerns over Wasting Disease
The deer population in Central New York, including Otsego County, has seen a significant increase in recent years. This rise has brought with it a growing concern among local residents about the potential spread of chronic wasting disease, a fatal neurodegenerative disorder affecting deer, elk and moose.
Data from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation indicates a marked rise in the deer population in Central New York. This surge is attributed to several factors, including mild winters, changes in land use and successful conservation efforts.
Understanding
Chronic Wasting Disease
Chronic wasting disease is caused by prions, which are misfolded proteins that lead to brain damage in affected animals. The disease is characterized by severe weight loss, stumbling, listlessness and other neurological symptoms. It is always fatal for infected animals.
How CWD Is Spread
According to the NYSDEC website, “CWD prions are spread through saliva, urine and feces of infected animals. A healthy deer, elk or moose can pick up the disease by direct contact with an infected animal or contaminated environments. CWD prions bind with soil particles and remain infectious in the environment for years, with the ability to infect future generations of deer, elk or moose. Prions can also be taken up into plant tissues and remain infectious. Movement of infected animals increases the range of the disease. Live animals moved by captive deer owners or harvested game carcasses moved by hunters both pose risks.”
New York is the only state to have originally ceased the spread of CWD. According to the NYSDEC website, “Chronic wasting disease was first discovered within New York in captive and wild deer in Oneida County in 2005. A swift, intensive, and comprehensive $1 million testing and culling operation by DEC and NYS Dept. of Agriculture and Markets was able to stop the outbreak. New York is the only state to have eliminated CWD.”
Given the original success by the DEC and NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets, it is important to realize the significance of the ever increasing deer population in case of a returning outbreak.
Risks to Human Health
While CWD poses a significant threat to wildlife, its impact on human health is currently considered low. There have been no reported cases of CWD transmission to humans. However, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises hunters to take precautions when handling deer carcasses and to avoid consuming meat from animals that appear sick or have tested positive for CWD.
Impact on Local Communities
An outbreak of CWD could have far-reaching consequences for Central New York’s ecosystems and local economies. The deer population is not only a key component of the region’s biodiversity, but also supports recreational hunting, which is an important economic activity in many rural areas. A decline in deer health and numbers could disrupt these ecosystems and economic benefits. Continued monitoring and proactive management are crucial in addressing the dual challenges of a rising deer population and the threat of CWD.
For more information, residents can visit the NYSDEC website or contact their local wildlife office. Together, with informed and coordinated efforts, Central New York can manage its deer population responsibly and mitigate the risks associated with chronic wasting disease.
Joel J. Plue is a regular contributor to Iron String Press.
Sonia Massey
Deserves Justice
The Oneonta Area NAACP stands in solidarity with the family and friends of Sonya Massey as we mourn her tragic and unjust death. We are certain her untimely passing is a devastating loss for all who knew and loved her.
We are deeply saddened and outraged by the circumstances surrounding Sonya’s death. This incident is a stark reminder of the systemic injustices and inequalities that persist in our society. It underscores the urgent need for comprehensive reforms to ensure that all individuals, regardless of race or background, are treated with dignity, respect, and justice.
The Oneonta Area NAACP calls for a thorough and transparent investigation into the circumstances of Sonya Massey’s death. We demand accountability and justice for Sonya and her family.
We also call upon our own community to come together in solidarity by honoring her memory by continuing to fight for justice, equality, and the protection of all lives.
The Oneonta Area NAACP remains committed to advocating for systemic change and ensuring that all communities are a place where everyone can live safely and without fear. We urge local, state, and national leaders to prioritize meaningful reforms that address the root causes of racial injustice and discrimination.
Sonya Massey’s life mattered. We will continue to speak her name and fight for the justice she deserves.
Michelle Osterhoudt President, Oneonta Area NAACP
Senator Seward an Inspiration
Senator James Seward, who greatly inspired many to get involved with politics and government or simply to get out and vote, was and still is one of the greatest political leaders in our lifetime in his Senate district.
He was a lion at the Capitol building in Albany and a fighter, as well as a diplomat for constituents in his district, finding a common ground with all people. While not on Capitol Hill in Albany,
he was a dedicated family man who cared deeply about his family, and a dedicated member of his church.
To me, the hymn/song “To Be a Pilgrim” is appropriate in describing Seward not only as a family man, but also as a public servant. Another song that comes to mind is “I Vow to Thee My Country.” In my opinion, the first verse of the song defines Seward’s 33 years as our state senator: I vow to thee, my country, all earthly things above
Entire and whole and perfect, the service of my love
The love that asks no question, the love that stands the test
That lays upon the altar, the dearest and the best
The love that never falters, the love that pays the price
The love that makes undaunted the final sacrifice.
John (AJ) Hamill IV Oneonta
Senator Seward Will Be Missed
I was very saddened to hear of the passing of Senator James Seward on Saturday Continued on page 17
Richard deRosa, Caspar Ewig, Karolina Hopper, Wriley Nelson, Joel J. Plue, Tom Shelby, Dan Sullivan, Teresa Winchester, Jamie Zvirzdin
THE PARTIAL OBSERVER
JOEL J. PLUE
by Tom HeiTz/SHARoN STUART
210 YEARS AGO
James Graham was executed at Delhi, Delaware County, on Friday last, pursuant to the sentence of the law, for the murder of Hugh Cameron and Alexander McGillivray in July 1813. He ascended the scaffold with a firm and bold step, and before being turned off, declared, and called God to witness, that he was innocent of the crime; and that if ever a murder was committed in the State of New York, his executioners were now about to commit one. The evidence on his trial, though presumptive, left no doubt on the minds of the court and jury of his guilt.
August 4, 1814
135 YEARS AGO
Five hundred clerks employed in the recently created Pension and Record Division of the War Department have been denied an annual leave of absence. The Secretary says the old soldiers whose claims have accumulated into the thousands have waited long enough and now the clerks must wait. Thirty thousand claims are awaiting the action of the War Department, and it is said there are over 100,000 more pending, which have not yet been referred to the War Department. They have not been referred as it would take months to dispose of those already awaiting action. Eight hundred cases are being returned daily to the Commissioner of Pensions.
August 2, 1889
85 YEARS AGO
Before a large audience of parents, friends, village residents, and the Otsego Lake summer colony, a talented cast selected from the large enrollment at Pathfinders’ Lodge presented Wagner’s opera “The Flying Dutchman,” at the Lodge on the shores of Otsego Lake Saturday night. This is the 22nd season the camp has been conducted under the direction of Miss Valerie Deuscher. The performance Saturday evening was the sixth year that the works of Wagner have been offered. Otsego Lake played an important part in this year’s opera when the Flying Dutchman’s ship appeared bearing the mysterious wanderer and crew to the scene of action and later when the heroine cast herself in the wake of the retreating ship.
August 2, 1939
60
YEARS AGO
The village has paid the final $3,000 installment on $33,000 in bonds issued in 1952 to finance construction of water lines on Irish Hill. It completes payment for a $61,000 project carried out in that section of the village in 1951 which provided village water and sewer services to residents of the area for the first time in history. Prior to that, Irish Hill residents depended upon wells and septic tanks.
July 29, 1964
35
YEARS AGO
There was standing room only at last week’s village planning board meeting when local residents expressed their displeasure over a proposed Pizza Hut to be located on a commercially-zoned lot at 53 Walnut Street. “Why does Pizza Hut want to come to Cooperstown if Cooperstown doesn’t want Pizza Hut?” asked village resident Paula DiPerna. Her question reflected the general attitude of those at the meeting. (Ed. Note: The Pizza Hut went to the Hartwick Commons)
August 2, 1989
SQSPCA Expands Partnerships, Services
On July 21, the Susquehanna Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals quietly celebrated three years in our purpose-built shelter, which was made possible with the support of people who care about animals in need. We celebrated quietly, because we are so busy that we neglected to realize the occasion until after it had passed. Despite that, each and every day we are able to work in our shelter, we are grateful. This new facility has enabled us to grow into a regional animal resource center, and SQSPCA staff work hard to help animals and people beyond our walls. One way we do this is through our Shelter-to-Shelter program. Animal shelters and rescues who don’t have the medical suite and the medical staff that we have are welcome to join our program, and we schedule their animals for spay/neuter, dentals, and x-rays here at the shelter.
July 14-16, all of our staff had an opportunity to attend the ASPCA Cornell Maddie’s Shelter Medicine conference in Ithaca. The conference is designed to be affordable, and we are fortunate it is so close. At the conference, we learned additional ways in which we can help people and animals and make our communities better. We know from studies and research shared at the conference that animal shelters, even the best of them, induce fear, anxiety, and stress in animals. This is why when folks reach out to us to surrender, they go through a counseling process much like our adoption counseling process. We want to know if we can do a little something to help—e.g., share from our pet food pantry, provide flea/tick medication, offer emergency boarding, etc.—so that the pet can stay with their person. We truly value the human animal bond and when we can keep people and pets who
By MERL REAGLE
already love each other together, we can be an effective safety net for animals that really need to come into our facility.
Speaking of coming into our facility, this time of year you see a lot on social media, and you might hear at the neighborhood store, about how shelters are full and unable to take in animals. When this happens, shelters and rescues are at their capacity to care for animals and are being responsible when they say they can’t help. At the Susquehanna SPCA, we try to empower people to join our mission and to provide assistance for the animal they are calling about. Maybe we can talk them through their situation and advise on the food and supplies they need to care for the animal themselves. Maybe we can rehome their pet, but we need them to foster the animal for a while. As we work to increase our impact and help more animals, it involves keeping folks who care about animals close and making sure they know we are all in this together.
The impact the SQSPCA has, and the impact that we are working to expand, is achievable because of our facility and the opportunities we have worked so hard to secure. There were many people who helped move us in this direction and we were so sad to see this week that we lost one of them.
Senator James L. Seward was an advocate and friend of the Susquehanna SPCA. There were times when we had to convince people we could handle such a project, but we didn’t have to convince him. Right away, Senator Seward gave us confidence and encouraged his New York State colleagues to support us. Our first big contribution toward the SHELTER US project came from the New York State Companion Animal Capital Fund. It was a $500,000.00 jump start to a $5 million
Continued on page 18
Hannibal House… Character
20
YEARS AGO
The story behind the 1939 “Centennial of Baseball” stamp will be the topic of the Leatherstocking Stamp Club’s August program. Dr. Roger MacMillan, philatelist and National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum volunteer, recently published an article on the stamp in the summer 2004 edition of “Memories & Dreams” a museum periodical. The 1939 stamp is closely linked to the formation of the stamp club in 1934 which promoted the idea for such a stamp. July 30, 2004
Energy Demystified: Understanding Sound Energy
The intense hum of a singing bowl reverberated through the quiet yoga studio, filling the space with an almost otherworldly sound. For many, this practice brings peace and mindfulness. But for me and my mother-in-law, Catherine, the experience was quite different. As our yoga teacher circled the mallet around the edge of the bowl, we both felt a sharp discomfort, a painful resonance.
Wincing, I covered my ears, as I do when ambulances pass. I didn’t feel I could interrupt or leave, which might be considered rude, so I endured it as best I could with my ears covered. As class concluded, I asked the yoga teacher why the sound hurt my ears, and she said it was because my sexual chakra was off-balance.
This was laughably far from true, and it rather astonished me that she’d say this in front of the whole class, but the mystery remained: Why did Catherine and I feel physical pain at this sound when others liked it?
How Sound Energy Is Produced
So what’s going on with singing bowls?
When the suede mallet is rubbed around the rim of the singing bowl, the friction of this action is not uniform, but “stick-slips”: Essentially, the mallet grabs the bowl’s metal surface, then slips, then grabs again, repeating this cycle rapidly. Every time the mallet sticks, it actually deforms the metal very slightly, on the microscopic scale. These small deformations store elastic potential energy (remember Citizen Science article No. 17?) in the metal.
Then, when the mallet slips, this stored energy is released as kinetic energy (see Citizen Science article No. 15) in the form of vibrations. The vibrations then emanate through the bowl at a fundamental frequency, but as they do, the shape of the bowl amplifies the sound, producing resonance. Curiously, this same stickslip friction phenomenon also happens with screeching chalk, squealing brakes and squeaky shoes on a basketball court. All these vibrations have measurable energy.
How Sound Energy Is Measured
Whether it’s a screech, a squeal, a squeak, or a much more pleasant sound—a violin bow rubbing across a string is another stick-slip example—sound energy is a form of mechanical energy that travels through a medium (usually air, water or solid objects) as a wave. Sound waves push and pull air molecules, creating areas of high pressure (compression, where the air molecules are close together) and low pressure (rarefaction, where the air molecules are spread apart). Imagine this invisible, undulating movement propagating from the bowl through the air toward you at a certain speed (the speed of sound in air at room temperature is 346 meters per second!) until it reaches your ears, where it is interpreted as sound when the waves stimulate nerves, which then send electrical signals to the brain in a fascinating and complicated way.
Sound energy can be measured in Joules, just like all the other energies we’ve talked about this year. For sound, however, it’s more practical to see how that wave energy moves through space and time—think of sound waves from a singing bowl spreading through the yoga studio space over a period of time. When we account for those extra factors that affect how we perceive the sound, we call this sound intensity, which is the power per unit area carried by a sound wave. We measure sound intensity in decibels (dB), a logarithmic scale that gives us the comparative intensity or loudness of a sound.
For example, if you’re in a quiet office with some mild background noise, that’s about 30–40 dB. If you’re sitting a few meters from gentle waves lapping on the beach, that’s about 50–70 dB. If you’re on a boat in a terrible tempest with waves crashing all around you and the captain is screaming at you to abandon ship, that’s about 90–120 dB. I estimate that the singing bowl I heard was between 70 and 90 dB, which is usually considered a safe level for short-term exposure. Usually.
The frequency of a sound refers to the number of cycles (vibrations or waves) that occur in one second. Think of a wave crashing on the beach: it crests, then crashes, then draws back. That is one full cycle. We measure frequency in units of Hertz, abbreviated Hz and named after Heinrich Hertz, a German physicist. For a visual comparison, the average ocean wave crashes on the beach at a frequency of 6 to 12 waves per minute, which is equivalent to 0.1 to 0.2 waves per second (even though this makes less sense visually). We can now say that the average frequency of a physical wave crashing on a beach is about 0.1 to 0.2 Hertz (Hz). With sound waves, the frequency of the vibration determines the pitch of the sound. We humans can typically hear sounds ranging from 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz (an enormous range). The sound of waves crashing on the beach, for
example, has a broad frequency range, typically between 100 Hz and 1,000 Hz. This range includes a mix of lower frequencies that give the sound its deep, rumbling quality, as well as higher frequencies that add the splashing and crashing details. This soothing mix of frequencies is why we like to go to the beach and why we often use the sound of waves as white noise if we have trouble sleeping. However, sometimes the frequency can make the sound seem louder. The human ear is naturally sensitive to frequencies between 2,000 Hz and 5,000 Hz because of the length of the ear canal (around 2.5 cm, about an inch long). Hence bird chirps, alarm clock alerts and other electronic noises, baby cries, buzzing mosquitoes, high-pitched music notes, and some human speech sounds (like the “s” and “t” sounds) can seem particularly loud to us even if they have a low decibel level.
How Sound Energy Is Enriched
Here’s where things get particularly interesting. Musical instruments, voices, even wind, trees, and machines, can resonate at a fundamental frequency, which varies according to shape, material, and other characteristics. When the vibrations repeat, the next round of waves can amplify the first round of waves, creating higher frequencies known as harmonics and overtones (they’re defined slightly differently but they are similar in nature). Sounding an Anote on a violin, for example, gives us a fundamental frequency of 440 Hz, but then additional harmonics at 880 Hz, 1320 Hz, and so on join the sound. This gives the sound its timbre, its particular tone quality.
A typical singing bowl, therefore, might produce a fundamental frequency between about 100 Hz and 500 Hz (the bigger the bowl, the lower the starting frequency), with harmonics and overtones reaching right up into that sensitive 2,000 to 5,000 Hz range. If the sound echoes in an enclosed room like a yoga studio, even more overtones could drive up the frequency.
I don’t know if it was the material, the shape, the loudness, the pitch, or any echoing overtones from the singing bowl that day that caused Catherine and me to feel pain, but I do know that humans can experience hyperacusis, an increased sensitivity to sound. Hyperacusis has been reported by a variety of people with conditions like multiple sclerosis, post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression, Lyme disease, migraines, autism, ADHD, severe head trauma and more.
I have never been fully tested, but I suspect I have some level of ASD or ADHD (or both), as it runs in my family. I have a problem with all of the sounds I mentioned in the 2,000 to 5,000 Hz range, particularly if they are repeated. In March of 2012, Catherine was hit on the side of the head with a heavy backpack by a special-needs student, which knocked her into a storage cubby. She experienced a traumatic brain injury that took her years to come back from. She was incredibly sensitive to sound—clocks ticking, birds singing, large groups of people all talking all drove her bananas. Yoga teachers can be more aware of conditions like hyperacusis among their participants, and we can all manage our acoustical environment for our greater health and happiness.
Listening to singing bowls, it turns out, is a relatively modern phenomenon, starting in the United States around the 1970s. Since then, the benefits of singing bowl therapies are still debated. In a review of studies involving how singing bowls affect human health, researchers Stanhope and Winstein said, “Given there were few studies and the potential risk of methodological bias, we cannot recommend singing bowl therapies at this stage” (“Complementary Therapies in Medicine Journal,” 2020).
Even if I choose the sound of mild ocean waves over singing bowls, I marvel at the interesting, powerful, and measurable sound energy these stick-slippery bowls produce, as well as the range and complexity of the human auditory system.
Jamie Zvirzdin researches cosmic rays with the Telescope Array Project, teaches science writing at Johns Hopkins University and is the author of “Subatomic Writing.”
Port of Call
Yokohama it is not. Nor is it Cape Town. Or Marseille, or Odessa, or Sydney, or St. Louis. It may be none of the above, but Cooperstown is nevertheless a port.
In the 19th century, there was steamer traffic between the north end of Otsego Lake and Cooperstown. The Public Landing in Springfield was a destination for travelers from Albany who would leave their carriages and embark on the steamer, which would make several stops on the journey south, for example at Five Mile Point and Three Mile Point. Once arrived in port, passengers would alight and go about their business in town. Commuters were also known to travel to work by boat. Although such traffic no longer exists, one can get a feel for life in the old days by boarding the Glimmerglass Queen at the Lakefront Hotel for a scenic circuit on the water.
In the storied ports named above, particularly as depicted in film and in literature, a hallmark is a profusion of foreign tongues. A random sampling of the sounds echoing in the streets, avenues, lanes, and the one boulevard in Cooperstown includes Swahili, French, Hebrew, Arabic, Estonian, Italian, Russian, Tibetan, Greek, German, Swedish, Laotian, Turkish, Danish, Tagalog, Norwegian, Hindi, Spanish, Albanian, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Finnish, Shona, Czech, Hungarian, Farsi, and Nepali, for starters. Quite a range for a port of fewer than 2,000 souls.
Another hallmark of a port is a network of bars, pubs, taverns, diners, cafes, restaurants, ice cream shops and pizza parlors. It is not unusual to lose count of such establishments up and down Main Street. There are at least 25 to 30 of them. Not too shabby. Naples has Mount Vesuvius. Rio de Janeiro has Sugarloaf Mountain and Christ the Redeemer. San Francisco has the Golden Gate Bridge. New York has the Statue of Liberty. Not quite so grand, the port of Cooperstown has Kingfisher Tower. But we have an added distinction: Cooperstown presides over the source of the Susquehanna River. According to Riverkeeper, an environmental institution whose business it is to know about such things, the Susquehanna is the oldest major river system in the world. Yes. You read that correctly. IN THE WORLD.
The mind boggles.
Sam Goodyear was born in Cooperstown and, because of his father’s profession in the Foreign Service, grew up all over the world and continued that pattern throughout his adult life until two years ago, when he returned to where he was born. It took him only 80 years to do so.
LVGC To Present Its Annual Flower Show
COOPERSTOWN
The Lake and Valley Garden Club will hold its 2024 Garden Club of America Flower Show at The Farmers’ Museum’s Louis C. Jones Center on August 7 from 2-4:30 p.m. and August 8 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Judged exhibits, themed “Sunrise, Sunset,” will display club members’ skill in floral design, horticulture and photography. Creative floral designs are to include miniature designs, Ikebana inspirations and table setting artistry. Horticulture classes will feature garden cuttings, a sunflower growing challenge and potted plants.
Also included will be an educational exhibit focusing on the significance of the sunflower as a native species— its unusual biology and history, symbolism in ancient cultures, and importance in agriculture—and will explore the many ways the sunflower’s cheerful countenance has appeared in media images and symbols.
Local florists will also be represented in a non-judged exhibit showing off their flower-arranging skills.
The Lake and Valley Garden Club is a member of the national organization, The Garden Club of America. Admission to the flower show is free with museum entry.
Village Meet, Greet To Highlight Hiking
COOPERSTOWN
Welcome Home Cooperstown will host the next of its monthly meet and greets at the Village Hall at 22 Main Street on Tuesday, August 6 from 5:30-6:30 p.m. The event is intended to welcome newcomers to the community, to share information, and to make connections with established residents. All members of the community are welcome to attend.
The event will include general information about the Cooperstown area and institutions, with a special focus on area hikes and featuring remarks by local hikers John Rowley and Mike Bauer. Local musician Luke Gheen will provide entertainment, and refreshments are being sponsored by the Rotary Club of Cooperstown.
Welcome Home Cooperstown hosts monthly gatherings designed to bring together new area residents with longtime community members. The goal is to welcome area newcomers and assist them in building connections to established residents and institutions, and encourage them to make Cooperstown their permanent home.
All residents are welcome to attend and participate in the work of building a stronger, more diverse, and welcoming community.
Graphic provided
New Hotel, New Fields, New Restaurants for Town of Hartwick
By DARLA M. YOUNGS
HARTWICK
Yes, there’s lots of activity on Route 28,” Town of Hartwick Planning Board Clerk Elise Shiellack said on July 17 in an email, when asked about ongoing development south of the Village of Cooperstown.
Shiellack confirmed that the former Pizza Hut building next to McDonald’s is still going to be a combination Dunkin’/Baskin Robbins.
As reported in “The Freeman’s Journal” and “Hometown Oneonta” on April 27, 2022, Town of Hartwick Planning Board members reviewed the site plan submitted
by ADP Engineering and Architecture in December 2022, determining that changes to the property at 23 Commons Drive would be minor.
Those changes include: relocation of ADA parking and curb cuts; a new sidewalk; improved stormwater runoff and green space; resurfacing and restriping of the parking lot; and new street lighting and signage. A new drivethrough lane will also be constructed.
As use of the building will remain similar to that of the former Pizza Hut, the New York State Department of Transportation determined no traffic studies would be necessary. ADP representatives indicated
at the December planning board meeting that the new facility could be open by summer 2023.
The project application was declared complete by the Hartwick Planning Board on March 7. A motion was made and passed by planning board members at that meeting to designate the project as an unlisted action with a negative declaration under the New York State Environmental Quality Review Act. A public hearing was deemed unnecessary, as the building is changing over from one restaurant chain to another.
Following the March 7 meeting, the application was sent on to the Otsego County Planning Department for further
review, where it was determined to have “no significant county-wide or inter-community impacts.” The project was unanimously approved by the Hartwick Planning Board on April 4, 2023.
“There have been many rumors circulating on Facebook that it’s going to be something other than that, but I confirmed with the engineering and architecture firm this week that nothing has changed from what the Planning Board approved,” Shiellack wrote.
A little closer to Cooperstown, construction of the Hampton Inn is well underway. According to Shiellack, that project had been delayed by the pandemic.
Next door, Bob Hickey’s Cooperstown Experience is also taking shape.
“Bob Hickey has a lot going on,” Shiellack said. “His Cooperstown Experience project was originally supposed to open this summer— plans were approved in the summer of 2022 and amended in the fall of 2023 and spring of 2024—but has been pushed back a little bit.”
Cooperstown Experience, once completed, will include four turf fields for baseball and softball tournaments, as well as an indoor family entertainment center.
Hickey is also renovating both of his restaurants, Rookies and the Dugout Bar & Grill, Shiellack said.
Across from the Dreams Park, the former DiMaggio’s hot dog restaurant has been reopened by Perry Ferrara, owner of Cooperstown’s Railroad Inn and Heroes of Baseball Wax Museum. The new Bambino’s Cantina menu includes tacos, burritos, quesadillas and nachos.
“It did not need Planning Board approval because the building and parking lot aren’t changing at all,” Shiellack said. “Behind the restaurant, they just opened up Cooperstown Axe Throwing.”
Cooperstown Axe Throwing is open seven days a week, weather depending.
Nurse Practitioner Urges Patients: ‘Take Care of Your Bones’
By MONICA CALZOLARI
OTSEGO COUNTY
One of the many conditions that Bassett Healthcare Network Nurse Practitioner Kelsey E. Olmstead treats is osteoporosis.
Olmstead has been an NP for nine years and has worked at Bassett for seven and a half years in endocrinology. She sees patients at four Bassett Healthcare Network locations: Oneonta, Cooperstown, Herkimer and online via telemedicine.
“We typically start screening women [for osteoporosis] at age 65,” Olmstead said. “If you have a higher risk of fracture, earlier screening is
recommended. Age, sex, race and family history are all risk factors that can affect your bone density.”
According to the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, 10 million people in the U.S. over the age of 50 have osteoporosis. Most are women. Two million are men, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Olmstead said, “Osteoporosis has no symptoms. There is no pain, but your bones look like Swiss cheese. The biggest concern with osteoporosis is the high risk of fracture.”
Fractures of the hip, wrist and spine are the breaks that occur most
Photo provided KELSEY E. OLMSTEAD
often in aging patients.
To monitor the progress of the disease, a bone density scan is recommended every two years. A DEXA scan measures bone mass density and assigns a Tscore. The lower the Tscore, the higher the risk of fracture.
“There are several
medicines to help maintain bone densities—some build bone,” Olmstead said.
The main goal is to prevent fractures and maintain quality of life. Having an adequate amount of calcium and vitamin D helps maintain bone health.
“Medication can help pull calcium and vitamin D into the bones,” Olmstead explained.
Good sources of calcium include eggs, broccoli, cheese, nuts, spinach, milk, yogurt, cottage cheese and tofu. Vitamin D intake is important, too, because it helps the body use calcium.
Olmstead said, “Our bodies naturally build and break down bones.”
Osteoporosis develops when the body breaks down more bone than it produces.
Prevention is key, Olmstead said. A good diet, exercise,
and avoiding falls and fractures are critical. Weight-bearing and muscle-strengthening exercises are recommended.
Those who smoke, drink alcohol or have an eating disorder are at a higher risk of developing osteoporosis. Also, estrogen drops sharply after menopause. Hormone replacement therapy for menopausal women can help prevent deterioration of bone tissue.
Prevention of bone loss starts well before age 65. Not drinking enough milk as a kid and being long-term deficient in vitamin D can affect the health of young bones, too.
Born and raised in the Mohawk Valley, Olmstead is a graduate of SUNY Polytechnic in Utica. She earned her bachelor’s degree while working as a registered nurse and added
a master’s degree to become a nurse practitioner. She also has five years of specialized knowledge in endocrinology.
Olmstead explained the reason she was drawn to nursing.
“I have family members who are nurses and nurse practitioners,” she said. “I have always had a desire to help people.” If you or someone you know may be at risk for osteoporosis, speak to a primary care practitioner about scheduling a screening.
Otsego 2000 To Present Walking Tour of Fly Creek
GILBERTSVILLE—
Otsego 2000 will offer a walking tour, “Gilbertsville: Advocacy and Activism,” on Sunday, August 4 at 3 p.m. The tour will be led by Dr. Cindy Falk, assistant dean of graduate studies at SUNY Oneonta and professor of material culture at the university’s Cooperstown Graduate Program.
The Gilbertsville Historic District, which was first listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974, was inspired by a plan to place dams that would flood the Butternut Valley, destroying the historic landscape. In the Village of Gilbertsville, this is just one example of the advocacy that has led to action in the areas of education, natural resources and human rights.
This walking tour was researched and developed by students Emily Boozel and Peg Engasser in Dr. Falk’s Historic Preservation class at CGP.
Ellen Pope, executive director of Otsego 2000, will have information on the Historic Home and Barn Tax Credits available to homeowners living in communities like Gilbertsville that are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Otsego 2000 offers free technical assistance in applying for these tax credits. The Otsego 2000 Continued on page 16
Chamber Seeks Fair Volunteers
COOPERSTOWN—The Cooperstown Chamber of Commerce will host its annual Artisan Fair at the Otsego County Campus from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, August 31 and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, September 1. Volunteers are needed to assist with organization, children’s activities and other tasks. For more information, contact office@cooperstownchamber.org.
OLA Gathering Scheduled
COOPERSTOWN—The Otsego Lake Association will host its annual gathering at the Otsego Sailing Club, 5992 State Route 80, on Saturday, August 10. There will be refreshments and a silent auction beginning at 8:30 a.m., with reports on the state of the lake from 9-10:45. Dr. Florian Reyda, director of SUNY Oneonta’s Biological Field Station, will be the special guest. Attendees are encouraged to bring a lawn chair and a friend.
CAA Announces Art Camp
COOPERSTOWN—Cooperstown Art Association will host a summer art camp for children ages 6-14 from 2-4:30 p.m. on August 12-16. Each session, hosted by artist and educator Lexi LeRoux, will focus on a different art project or medium. Registration is required by Saturday, August 10. The camp is $30.00 per day or
The Oneonta Community Concert Band presents Kerri L. Hogle conducting a
Teddy Bear’s Picnic Concert
Sunday, August 11, 2024 • 3:00 p.m.
Wilber Park Pavilion, Oneonta Instrument demos and teddy bear raffle! Free and open to the public. For information, call the Oneonta Community Concert Band at 607-376-7485.
$145.00 per week for CAA members, $35.00 per day or $175.00 per week for nonmembers. Classes include pulled string art, bubble painting, nature printing and dreamcatchers. For more information, contact CAA at (607) 547-9777 or gallery@cooperstownart.com.
Grammy Winner to Perform
COOPERSTOWN—Grammy winning jazz vocalist Catherine Russell and her trio will perform as part of the Cooperstown Summer Music Festival at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, August 6. The concert will be held in The Otesaga Resort Hotel ballroom. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.cooperstownmusicfest.org.
Agrarian Alliance To Hold Party
CHARLOTTEVILLE—The Catskill Agrarian Alliance, a nonprofit dedicated to building sustainable and locally-sufficient agriculture, will host its annual fundraiser farm party from 5-10 p.m. on Saturday, August 17 at Star Route Farm, 796 County Highway 40 in Charlotteville. It will feature a wide variety of locally-sourced food and drinks, as well as live music. Concert-only and concert/dinner tickets are available. For more information, visit www. catskillsagrarianalliance.org.
Haudenosaunee Event Slated
COOPERSTOWN—Fenimore Art Museum will host a special presentation of Haudenosaunee
(Iroquois) history and culture from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, August 10. It will be held at the Lucy B. Hamilton Amphitheater on the museum’s shoreline. This year’s theme is “Women’s Vital Role in Native Cultures.” Seneca Nation Archives Manager Rebecca Bowen will give a presentation, followed by performances by the Akwesasne Women Singers and Chris Thomas and His Smoke Dancers. Native crafters and artists will have work for sale. The event is included with regular museum admission.
Pet Food Drive Announced
ONEONTA—Super Heroes Humane Society and Roots Public Social Club will hold a pet food drive from August 1-18 in observance of Feeding the Pets of the Homeless Week. Last year, they collected more than 100 pounds of donated pet food and supplies.
Donations can be left at Roots, 175 Main Street, during business hours. Super Heroes maintains a pet food pantry for community members in need at 160 Pony Farm Road during regular business hours. There will be a bingo fundraiser event at Roots from 6-8 p.m. on Sunday, August 18.
BFS Open House is Thursday
COOPERSTOWN—SUNY Oneonta’s Biological Field Station will open its doors for a community open house from 4-7 p.m. on Thursday, August 1.
BFS Director Dr. Florian Reyda, Dean for Schools of Science Dr. Tracy Allen and SUNY Oneonta President Alberto Cardelle will attend. Students will give short presentations on their work at 5 p.m., and there will be project posters and hands-on learning opportunities for all ages.
Additionally, there will be refreshments and boat tours, if weather allows. The open house will be held at the main BFS facility at 5838 State Route 80.
Dreams Summer
life sketches
teRRY beRkson Moon Glow over Allen Ginsberg
For several years, my wife Alice and I have been attending a summer concert that takes place at the Windfall Dutch Barn in Salt Springville, New York. There’s always a different group that comes to entertain, but musician and composer Carlton Clay usually enthusiastically presides over the event. One year, conductor and pianist Charles Schneider, accompanied by four singers, came to explain and then demonstrate how Leonard Bernstein almost mathematically put together “West Side Story”—not to mention words by Stephen Sondheim. The result was both ear opening and entertaining.
A bring-a-dish pot luck dinner always follows the show, so that a voluntary setting-up— by the audience—of chairs, tables and food is routine. The result is a great social exchange during the feast that follows the music. At the end of the day, everyone helps to stack the furniture so that the dance floor will be left available for future events. That’s when the frustrated musician in me comes out and, after doing some stacking, I can’t resist sitting down at a lonely upright piano that’s set off in a corner, where I begin to play old songs like “Deep Purple,” “Million Dollar Baby” and “My Blue Heaven.” I picked up these songs mostly by ear and osmosis from my father, who had a piano repertoire that would take days to exhaust.
So, the first song I begin with this time is a beautiful tune called
“Moonglow.” I’m surprised when Carlton Clay rushes over with trumpet in hand and begins to accompany my playing. I’m thrilled. To me, coming from Carlton Clay, this is a real validation of my “pianistic” abilities—a pro wanting to play along with me! But, when I get to the bridge in the song, which amounts to a musical move in a different direction, I skip it and Carlton stops short. I go back to the main part of the song and he begins to play. When I get to the bridge again—I skip it. Carlton stops in mid note and looks at me as if to say, ‘Are you kidding?’ When it happens a third time, he puts his instrument down in frustration and walks away. I continue with a new song, but the pro doesn’t come back and I’m really feeling wounded. Later, I bump into Carlton outside the barn and explain to him that I play mostly by ear and never bothered to memorize the bridge in “Moonglow.”
“That’s okay,” Carlton says, but I can hear disappointment in his voice.
So, in preparation for the next year’s concert, I learned the bridge and practiced playing it for months. Again, at the end of dinner after the concert, I found my way to the upright in the corner. Not to be obvious about my intentions, I didn’t play “Moonglow” right away. Instead “Moonglow” was about the fifth song I played, but Carlton Clay was nowhere in sight and I felt that I had missed the opportunity to show him what I’d learned. I was now
McMaster to Present on Sidney’s History
ONEONTA—Terry McMaster will offer a lecture on the early history and settlement of Sidney at the Swart-Wilcox House Museum from 1-3 p.m. on Sunday, August 4. It will cover the Johnston settlement in the years before and during the American Revolution. The talk is part of the museum’s Summer Sundays series and is free and open to the public. Guests are encouraged to bring a folding chair. The Swart-Wilcox House Museum is located on Wilcox Avenue in Oneonta, across from the Riverside School.
resigned
to think that I’d never get to play with
Continued on page 16
Photo by Terry Berkson
A piano once belonging to famed beat poet Allen Ginsberg can be seen (and perhaps played) at Windfall Dutch barn in salt springville.
►Fri., August 2
OTSEGO COUNTY
FAIR
All day. Continues through August 4.Tractor pull, livestock shows, music, petting zoo, more. Otsego County Fairgrounds, 48 Lake Street, Morris. (607) 263-5289.
CAREGIVERS 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. “Noble Living, Noble Caring, Noble Dying.” 2-day retreat dedicated to giving compassionate care at the bedside. Fees apply. Continues 8/3. Offered in person and virtually via Zoom. Samye Hermitage, 412 Glimmerglen Road, Cooperstown. (607) 5475051.
KNITTING CIRCLE
9:30 a.m. Bring a knit project and work with the group. Beginners welcome. Held every Friday. Harris Memorial Library, 334 Main Street, Otego. (607) 988-6661.
FOOD 11-11:30 a.m. Grab and go lunches for adults available. Held Monday, Wednesday, Friday. Presented by Catholic Charities and First United Presbyterian Church of Oneonta in Neahwa Park, Oneonta. nyconnects@ otsegocounty.com.
GARDEN Noon to 12:30 p.m. “What’s Bugging You” series presents “Spotted Lanternfly Update” and “Box Tree Moth Update.” Integrated Pest Management webinars given by Cornell on the first Friday of each month.
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. Held Monday, Wednesday, Friday and 6-9 p.m. on Thursdays. The Smithy Clay Studio, 1 Otsego Court, Cooperstown. Gallery@SmithyArts.org.
MUSEUM 2 p.m.
“Otsego: A Meeting Place—Guided Tours.”
Included with admission. Fenimore Art Museum, 5798 State Highway 80, Cooperstown. (607) 5471400.
YARN CLUB 2-3:30 p.m. First Friday each month. Huntington Memorial Library, 62 Chestnut Street, Oneonta. (607) 432-1980.
EXHIBIT OPENING
5-8 p.m. “The Wild Party.” First Friday event. Show runs through 9/1. 25 Main Collective, 21 Main Street, Cherry Valley. (607) 264-5340.
CONCERT 5-7 p.m.
“Summer Concert Series Under the Tent: Country Express.” Fees apply; open to the public. Includes local crafters and vendors. Light refreshments available. Oneonta Gathering Place, 5506 State Route 7, Oneonta. (607) 267-4732.
THEATER 7:30 p.m.
“The Bad Seed,” based on the novel by William March. Not appropriate for young children. Fees apply. Also showing 8/3 and at 2 p.m. on 8/4. Then 8/9, 8/10 and at 2 p.m. on 8/11. Production Center, Foothills Performing Arts and Civic Center, 24 Market Street, Oneonta. (607) 4312080.
BIRDING 7:30-9:30 p.m. “What Happens After Dark.” Families with children aged 5+ learn about local nocturnal species. Free; registration required. DOAS Sanctuary and Franklin Mountain Hawkwatch, 52 Grange Hall Road Spur, Oneonta. (607) 397-3815.
CONTRADANCE 7:3010:30 p.m. Fun, social dance with the Otsego Dance Society, featuring music by Miss Marty & SGB, with Pamela Goddard calling. Suggested donation, $10/ adult. First Presbyterian Church, 25 Church Street, Cooperstown.
MUSIC 7:30 p.m.
“Yolanda Bush and the Coolwater Collective.” Blues, jazz and rock. Free admission; donations accepted. Also performing 8/3 and at 5 p.m. on 8/4. Franklin Stage Company, 25 Institute Street, Franklin. (607) 829-3700.
►sAt., August 3
CONSERVA -
TION 8 a.m. to noon.
“Susquehanna River Clean Up.” Led by the Cooperstown Lions Club. Registration required. Susquehanna River.
VOLUNTEER
10 a.m. to noon. “Community Volunteer Day: Herb Transplanting.” Free. Participants will receive two potted plants of their choice to take home.
Unadilla Community Farm Education Center, 5937 County Highway 18, West Edmeston.
PLANETARIUM
Explore the cosmos with the staff of SUNY Oneonta. Fees apply.
FUNDRAISER 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. “Community Fun Day Fundraiser for the Brookfield Cemetery.” Raffle, bake sale, auction, face painting, more. Brookfield Town Park, Academy Road, Brookfield.
PICNIC Noon to 4 p.m. “2024 Oneonta Area NAACP Picnic.” Neahwa Park, Oneonta.
ARTS AND CRAFTS
1 p.m. “Sponge Painting.” Meet in the campground.
Glimmerglass State Park, 1527 County Road 31, Cooperstown. (607) 5478662.
OUTDOORS 6 p.m. “Family Olympics.” Gather a team and compete against other families. Gilbert Lake State Park, 18 CCC Road, Laurens. (607) 432-2114.
►sun., August 4
TRACK 10-11:30 a.m. “DRFTD: R/C Car Racing.” Open track practice. Fees apply; registration required. Interskate 88, 5185 State Highway 23, Oneonta. drftrcracing@gmail.com.
COMMUNITY 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. “Harris Memorial Library Community Picnic.” Free hot dogs, ice cream sundaes, games, prizes and drinks. All welcome. Harris Memorial Library, 334 Main Street, Otego. (607) 988-6661.
FUNDRAISER Noon and 2:30 p.m. “Wells Bridge Fire Department Ox Roast.” Featuring live entertainment by The Jason Wicks Band. Clam chowder, noon to 1 p.m. and ox roast at 2:30 p.m. Wells Bridge Fire Department, 114 County Highway 4, Wells Bridge. (607) 988-2542.
LECTURE Noon and 2 p.m. Mark Twain Lectures on “The American Vandal Abroad.” Leatherstocking Stage on the Bump Tavern Green, The Farmers’ Museum, 5775 State Highway 80, Cooperstown. (607) 547-1450.
SUMMER SUNDAY 1-3 p.m. “Sidney’s Early History: Johnston Settlement 1772 to 1777.” Presented by Terry McMaster. Swart-Wilcox House Museum, Wilcox Avenue, Oneonta. (607) 287-7011.
MUSIC ON MAIN 2-4 p.m. “The Council
Rock Band.” Pioneer Park, Main Street, Cooperstown. (607) 5479983.
WALKING TOUR
3 p.m. The Otsego 2000 Historic Preservation series presents “Gilbertsville: Advocacy and Activism” with Dr. Cindy Falk, professor of material culture for the Cooperstown Graduate Program. Fees apply, registration required. (607) 547-8881.
MUSIC 7 p.m. “Sing with Oneonta Kirtan.” Held each first Sunday. Foothills Performing Arts and Civic Center, 24 Market Street, Oneonta.
CONCERT 7:30 p.m. “Fenimore String Quartet.” Classical music at its finest. Back by popular demand for the 14th season. Fees apply. Cherry Valley Artworks, The Star Theater. 44 Main Street, Cherry Valley. (607) 2643080.
►Mon., August 5
PLAY & LEARN
10 a.m. Guided sensory learning for children aged 5 and under. Held each Monday. Cooperstown Village Library, 22 Main Street, Cooperstown. (607) 547-8344.
BLOOD DRIVE 1-6 p.m. Worcester United Methodist Church, 111 Main Street, Worcester. Visit RedCrossBlood.org
FOOD 4-6 p.m. “Cherry Valley Mobile Food Pantry.” Residents of the CV-S School district are invited. Intake required; free; bring reusable bags. Cherry Valley-Springfield Central School District, 597 County Road 54 (use Nelson Road), Cherry Valley. (607) 264-3265.
CHAMBER 5-8 p.m.
“2nd Annual Disc Golf Outing” with the Otsego County Chamber of Commerce. Oneonta Sports Park, 132 County Highway 47, Oneonta. (607) 432-4500.
SUMMER CONCERT 5:30 p.m. Matt Grainger
Acoustic. Free. Dinner available for purchase. Pathfinder Village, 3 Chenango Road, Edmeston. (607) 965-8377.
RAILROAD 7 p.m.
“The Little Red Caboose.” A documentary film about the historic railroad car. Little Red School House Community Center, 516 County Route 11, Oneonta.
CONCERT 7 p.m.
“Music at Meadow Links: The Tom Hovey Summer Music Festival.” Giancarlo Sidoli performing classical guitar. Free; all welcome. Meadow Links Golf Pavilion, 476 County Route 27, Richfield Springs. (315) 858-1646.
►tues., August 6
STORYTIME 9:30
a.m. “Baby & Toddler Storytime.” Bond with baby while staff share stories, activities and play. Recommended ages: birth-2. Held Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Huntington Memorial Library, 62 Chestnut Street, Oneonta.(607) 432-1980.
COMMUNITY HIKE
9:45 a.m. Hike with the Adirondack Mountain Club. Bring appropriate equipment/water and be aware of your level of fitness. This week’s hike will be at the Catskill Rail Trail, Hobart. Contact hike leader Jim Ipsen at (607) 715-0752.
LIBRARY 1 p.m.
“Adult Summer Crafts: Book Binding.” Registration required; donations appreciated. Be prepared for mess. Harris Memorial Library, 334 Main Street, Otego. (607) 988-6661.
LIBRARY 1:30-2:30 p.m. “S.T.E.A.M at the Library: Egg Drop.” Registration required. Huntington Memorial Library, 62 Chestnut Street, Oneonta. (607) 432-1980.
MEET & GREET 5:307 p.m. “Welcome Home Cooperstown.” Gathering to welcome new residents to the Village of Cooperstown. Village Library of Cooperstown, 22 Main Street, Cooperstown. (607) 5478344.
market; only 1 owner. If you are looking for a little space to spread your wings, this home offers it both inside and out! $349,000. MLS#R1552782
Seward
Continued from page 1
In his first term, he was appointed chairman of the Senate Energy & Telecommunications Committee, championing innovative legislation like the “Power for Jobs” program and working to reduce utility costs and consumers’ energy bills.
Senator Seward assumed leadership of the Senate Insurance Committee in 1999, where he was a key player in developing state policy that strengthened New York’s insurance industry—directly helping insurers and their employees—and he provided state leadership in a vital segment of New York’s financial services industry.
Senator Seward worked to broaden health insurance coverage, and to lower costs for employers and small business owners, among other key reforms. In his last term, he was named ranking Republican on the Senate Finance Committee. In his entire Senate career, his veteran leadership and upstate rural viewpoint were indispensable to the Senate’s leadership and policy decisions.
He was a fierce advocate for his district and his
Farewell, Good Friend
constituents. As a senator, he placed a premium on assisting constituents with their problems with state government, and enjoyed interacting with the people of his district in venues from town hall meetings to fire department award banquets. He was gracious to all without exception; no one was too insignificant to merit his time or attention. Availability and accessibility were no mere slogans for Jim Seward; he lived it out day by day in his district. He never apologized for securing state financial assistance for his district; whether for school districts to reduce pressure on taxes, to first responders for vital equipment, or for local economic development programs.
In the community, he served on the boards of Wilber National Bank, Pathfinder Village, Glimmerglass Opera, New York Central Mutual Insurance Company, the Catskill Symphony, the regional advisory board of Community Bank, and the Community Foundation of Otsego County. He will be missed by all those who knew him, worked with him and loved him.
Senator Seward is survived by his beloved wife, Cindy; son Ryan
(Kelly); daughter Lauren (Kevin Morse); granddaughters Nora and Vivian Thomas; sisters Marjorie Hill (Phil Eno) and Leona Hoag, and brother John (Hortencia); and many nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his parents, Wes and Vivian Seward. He was a faithful member of the Milford Methodist Church.
Senator Seward’s life will be celebrated Saturday, August 3, at 11 a.m. at the Hunt Union Ballroom at SUNY Oneonta. A private burial will follow.
The family would like to thank all the exemplary doctors and nurses at Albany Medical Center and Bassett Healthcare, the outstanding Helios Hospice of Otsego County providers, Pastor Deokryeol Bak and members of the Milford United Methodist Church, and former pastor of the church, Sylvia Kevlin, Jim’s senate staff, and the outpouring of love and care of family and friends, near and far.
In lieu of flowers, contributions in his memory may be made to Helios Care, 297 River Street Service Road, Suite 1, Oneonta, NY 13820, or the Milford United Methodist Church, 86 N. Main Street, Milford, NY 13807.
LEAF
THANK YOU SENATOR SEWARD...
...for always understanding prevention and being a stalwart cheerleader for LEAF
...for supporting LEAF’s work in promoting Recovery Friendly Employment
...for being our colleague and loyal partner in community initiatives throughout the years
We will miss the Senator and our heartfelt condolences go out to his family.
Reclaiming Lives • Strengthening Families Building Communities in Otsego County
LEAF Council on Alcoholism and Addictions is dedicated to helping create a community where children and adults can live in a healthy environment that is free from the effects of alcoholism and other addictive diseases. www.leafinc.org • 607-432-0090
Senator Seward cared so deeply about the communities he represented, and was also a wonderful advocate for the businesses and nonprofits in his district. We shall miss his wonderful smile, his always optimistic perspective, and his desire to enhance the lives of the people of New York State.
On behalf of our organizations, we send our deepest appreciation for a life well lived and sincere condolences to the Seward family.
-- Jane Forbes Clark
The Clark Foundation
The Scriven Foundation
The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
The Fenimore Art Museum
The Farmers’ Museum
The Leatherstocking Corporation
The Otesaga Hotel
The Clara Welch Thanksgiving Home
C ondolences to the S e ward Family.
Senator Seward was a key supporter of Hyde Hall for many, many years. We treasured his friendship and dedication to our mission and purpose.
Our hearts go out to the Seward family. You will be missed.
Jim and Sylvia Kevlin
“We were saddened by the news that Senator Seward has passed. We can not say enough about the impact Senator Seward had on our communities. We send our sincere condolences to the entire Seward Family”
--Peter & Tom
Peter ArmAo | tom ArmAo
It is with tremendous sadness that we heard about the passing of Senator Jim Seward. Jim was a friend of the Leatherstocking Railway Historical Society and it’s Cooperstown & Charlotte Valley Railroad since our inception in 1982. From helping us purchase our first property in Cooperstown Junction in the mid 1980’s, to the purchase of the Railroad in 1997, Jim was always there, always supportive, always available.
We will be forever indebted to Jim for his decades of efforts on our behalf, and our prayers and thoughts go out to Jim’s family and countless friends.
Bruce J. Hodges, President Leatherstocking Railway Historical Society
Cooperstown & Charlotte Valley Railroad
On behalf of the Susquehanna SPCA, we extend our sincerest condolences to the family of Senator James L. Seward.
Senator Seward was always a strong supporter and advocate for our shelter and for animals in general. Even after he retired from office, we knew we could still count on him. Throughout his many years of support, we were always so happy to see him. He was kind, generous, and genuine and contributed to our shelter in many ways, including through adopting. He will be greatly missed. A piece of his vast legacy will live on through the work we do at the SQSPCA.
5082-5088 NY 28 • Cooperstown 607-547-8111 • www.sqspca.org
The Otsego County Soil and Water Conservation District joins countless others in mourning the passing of the Hon. State Senator Jim Seward. He was respected and held in the highest regard in Albany, and we had the privilege to know him as a friend and a neighbor. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends at this difficult time.
During his tenure in the New York State Senate, James Seward firmly supported the mission of the Soil and Water Conservation Districts. We were his home district, and his support was unwavering and enthusiastic. We remember his commitment and are sad to see the passing of a good partner and a loyal friend.
The district sends its sincerest condolences to the family and friends of the late Hon. State Senator James Seward. We recognize his positive legacy and strive to continue to carry it forward.
Pathfinder Village Celebrates 225 Years of Service by Staff
EDMESTON
Pathfinder Village celebrated the work anniversaries of 26 employees and their dedication to serving people with intellectual disabilities during a special luncheon at the Pathfinder Village Pavilion on Wednesday, July 10. The staff members were honored for their collective 225 years of service to the community and Pathfinder Village families.
In addressing the honorees, Board Chair William F. Streck, MD, said, “I’ve been associated with Pathfinder since 1982. Over that time, there have been great leaders, and we built a lot of things. We’re still building. But the fundamental thing I’ve realized over all these years is the whole heart of Pathfinder is in the work you do.”
Brittany Bond, Residential Team Leader Lisa Roper, and DSP Tyler Wranovics, all of the Residential Services; Manager of Fund Development & People Engagement Monica Clark of the Development Office; Director of the Kennedy Willis Center on Down Syndrome Brittany Goodrich, Classroom Aid Christopher Jones and Board Certified Behavior Analyst Sherri Palmer of Pathfinder School; and Ancillary Staff Member Grant Stubbs.
“Our staff innovates and motivates as it supports individuals—this commit-
In loving memory of
Jim
ment reveals itself in many ways and has lasting impacts,” said President and Chief Executive Officer Karen Knavel.
“Your dedication to the ‘greater good’ leads to raising awareness of the possibilities for people with Down syndrome and other developmental disabilities.
contributions
and Southern Tier Connect,
ensured the future of services for people with developmental disabilities. While we are deeply saddened by the news of Mr. Seward's death, we want to celebrate his outstanding achievements and express our gratitude for the steadfast support he provided for the 51st district of New York and for all those who knew him.
It also leads to greater inclusion and offers our individuals and coworkers opportunities for growth.”
This year’s honorees include Chief Financial Officer Caprice Eckert, who completed 30 years of service to Pathfinder, providing leadership and expertise in all areas of nonprofit administration and human resources management. Residential Team Leader Nancy Olsen and Direct Support Professional Peter Iorio, both veterans in direct care services, have completed 15 years each.
Those celebrating 10-year anniversaries include DSP Nicole MumbuloFallon with Pathfinder’s Adult Day Services; Chenango House Manager
Those honored for five years of service include (by department): Adult Day Services— Pre-Vocational Support Professionals Brittany Harty and Roxanne Mills, Pathfinder Produce Workers Brandy Mockovciak and Christopher Scott; Facilities—Maintenance Worker/Water Systems Operator James Harrington; Residential & Program Services—House Manager Sandra Campbell, DSP 2.0 Valerie Estell, DSP Jackie Heelein, DSP 2.0 Samantha Hill, Residential Support Staff Jessica Lund, DSP 2.0 Kaleb Nix, and DSP Donna Potter; and Administrative Assistant Roderick Simmons.
Pathfinder Village is an internationally respected livable community and services provider in upstate New York. To learn more, visit http://pathfindervillage.org.
County Seeks Energy Roadmap Feedback
OTSEGO COUNTY—The public is urged to provide feedback on the draft Otsego County Energy Roadmap during the comment period from August 1 to September 13. The plan is the culmination of years of work by the county’s Energy Task Force, composed of local businesses and organizations, to plan for the area’s energy future. Comments may be made at https://tinyurl.com/otsegoenergyroadmap. Businesses, institutions, municipalities and organizations are encouraged to contribute to the planning. There will also be a webinar at noon on Thursday, August 8 to provide more information on the Roadmap and the challenges the county faces. To register, visit https://tinyurl.com/ycwc24tn.
Berkson
Continued from page 9
the pro again—and that all those months of practice were for naught--but that’s not really true, because it is a beautiful song and knowing it completely can’t be bad.
At the following year’s concert, we heard an interesting and exotic mix of jazz and music out of India played by Steve Gorn and Narendra Budhakar. The routine of setting up and breaking down the food tables followed, but before I found my way to the upright, Carlton Clay came over to me and declared, “You know who used to own your piano?” (He called it my piano!)
“Who?” I asked, inflated by the “your piano” business.
“Allen Ginsberg!”
“The poet who lived in Cherry Valley?”
“None other,” Carlton answered.
“Wow, I didn’t know he played the piano,” I said, while wondering if the bard wrote songs as well as poetry. Learning to play a Ginsberg song might be a good way to team up with Carlton Clay—again. But, I must admit, with trepidation, that I looked up the poet’s work and—with beautiful music and the harmony of sweet instruments in mind—regretfully found that the title of Ginsberg’s most famous poem is unfortunately called…“Howl!”
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.”
Walk
Continued from page 7
Historic Preservation Series will continue with walking tours in Hartwick on September 8, Worcester on October 6 and Cooperstown on November 10.
Dr. Falk was coeditor of “Buildings & Landscapes: The Journal of the Vernacular Architecture Forum” for five years and is the author of “Barns of New York: Rural Architecture of the Empire State.” She has been a visiting lay pastor at the Gilbertsville Baptist Church and First Presbyterian Church. She says of Gilbertsville, “The community has such strong values and a rich history of art and architecture. It is visibly infused with concern for others and for the environment.”
The walking tour will last two hours and include walking on steep inclines and uneven surfaces with a route of a little over one mile.
The cost for the walking tour is $10.00. Register in advance at otsego2000.org or by calling (607) 547-8881.
Photo provided
Pathfinder Village veteran staff members were honored at a special luncheon at the Pathfinder Village Pavilion on Tuesday, July 10 for their collective 225 years of service to the residential community that serves individuals with Down syndrome and other intellectual and developmental disabilities. Front row (l to r): Christopher Scott, Caprice Eckert, Brandy Mockoviack,
Monica Clark, Brittany Bond, Grant Stubbs. Back row: Jessica Lund, Christopher Jones, Jackie Heelein, Roxanne Mills, Roderick Simmons, Brittany Goodrich, James Harrington (far back), Kaleb Nix, Valerie Estelle, Lisa Roper, Nicole Fallon-Mumbulo, Nancy Olsen, Pete Iorio.
Letters
Continued from page 4
[July 27]. Sen. Seward was more than a friend and mentor to me; he and Cindy have been like family since I was a teenager. He was one of the greatest statesmen to ever walk the halls of Albany.
In my service to others, it is my hope that I can live up to half the reputation and respect he earned. All of us who were represented by him in the Senate and all those across this state touched by his good deeds were blessed to have him in our lives.
My thoughts and prayers are with Cindy and the entire Seward family. May God bless them in their time of mourning and may God bless my friend, Sen. James Seward. Thank you for all you did for me. I miss your advice, your counsel, and above all your friendship. Until we meet again.
Assemblyman Chris Tague 102nd Assembly District
Katz: ‘Seward
Was a Giant’
Karen and I were saddened to receive word early Saturday morning that Jim Seward had passed.
I was lucky to work with Jim for six years as mayor of Cooperstown (and seven years before that as a village trustee). The man was the ultimate public servant, consistently delivering to his community, and always with a smile and a twinkle in his eye. He deftly guided me through the Albany labyrinth and the millions of dollars in grant money that we received to rebuild Main Street, the wastewater treatment plant, and Doubleday Field, would not have been possible without his savvy and leadership.
I was fortunate to work with Jim again in his role as a founding board member of the Community Foundation of Otsego County. He was an integral part of the CFOC family and always represented us well and with great enthusiasm.
Three weeks ago, Jim called me to let me know how he was doing. Even in the face of declining health, he was cheerful, funny and engaging. We talked about how much he loved connecting with people and how much he enjoyed that (I told him that lots of people like to connect to others, but few were as good at it as he was!). Jim was impossible to dislike, smart, knowledgeable and always available.
Jim Seward was a giant. I was honored to know him.
servant who would cross the aisle to serve all the municipalities in his jurisdiction, regardless of political party. He frequently collaborated with former Assemblyman William Magee to provide important funding to the village, including over $2 million for the Doubleday Field renovations.
His actions on the state level ensured critical protections for Otsego Lake and its watershed. In consultation with the governor’s office, the village lowered the U.S. flag to half-staff on all public property.
We are sincerely appreciative of his years of dedicated service and extend our sincere sympathy to his family.
Mayor and Board of Trustees
Village of Cooperstown
King
Continued from page 1
from a career having witnessed the transitions that occur—both within teams and among fan bases—when a great and revered player or team figure retires, and “the new guy” is brought in to take his place.
So now that it’s his voice that will occupy a special role within Steelers Nation, and now that he finds himself in the position of following a legend into the broadcast booth for one of the most famous and ardently followed teams in sports, is King ready for what’s next?
“Part of the nature of sports is that great players move on,” said King. “In Pittsburgh, those great players are still revered.
Pittsburgh is wonderful about not forgetting its legends.”
He later added, “I hope that the fact that I’ve been here in Pittsburgh for almost a quarter of a century will help me in my new role. I acknowledge that hearing my voice will still be new, though, after fans have listened to, and grown a connection with, the great Bill Hillgrove for three decades. I take the responsibility to the fans very, very seriously.”
Fans like Rob Locke, of Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, located just outside of Pittsburgh and known as the hometown of NFL legend Joe Namath. Stopping in Cooperstown with his family for just a few hours last Thursday, Locke—clad in a Pittsburgh Pirates Tshirt depicting the great Roberto Clemente—was surprised when he was stopped on the street by a stranger and asked where he resided. Upon hearing the name “Rob King,” Locke’s eyes instantly flashed with the spark of recognition, and after the additional surprise of learning that King hails from the “Home of Baseball,” Locke gave a ringing endorsement to the Steelers’ choice.
“I’ve seen Rob King lots of times, I think he does a great job, and I think he’s a good man for the job,” Locke said before heading into the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.
King wore “the orange and the black” while playing varsity football for three years at CCS, and later played Division III ball at Washington University in St. Louis.
On the way to calling Steelers games on the radio, King’s professional journey included TV work for sports departments in Utica, Syracuse, St. Louis, and Pittsburgh, and he has called the land of the “Black and Yellow” home for more than two decades.
So how did the Steel City put its iron grip on King?
“I could write a book on what makes Pittsburgh so great, but I think it comes back to the people,” said King, sharing a sentiment similarly expressed last month during former Pirates manager Jim Leyland’s Hall of Fame induction speech. “They love sports, as I do. The city is the most courteous city I’ve ever lived in, but there is an absolute honesty here as well. It’s a hard-working honesty, and an honesty that people will share with you about what they think of you.”
King’s wife, Meghan (Johnson), has longtime family ties to Cooperstown and went to school in Edmeston. The couple has two children, a daughter, Cooper, and son, Schaefer. King’s mother, Marion, continues to reside in the area. As King prepares to embark on his next professional adventure, he’s grateful that the path he has traveled has its origins in Otsego County and has led to something special in Western Pennsylvania.
“It’s been a long and wonderful journey,” said King. “I feel blessed that it started in Cooperstown and has taken me to Pittsburgh—two of my favorite places in the world.”
The job scene
place effective employment ads, call 607-547-6103 or email Tarab@allotsego.com
is responsible for fire protection and prudent use of taxpayer money within the Fly Creek District,” Hoskins added, “and the best way to fulfill that obligation is to establish formal funds dedicated to that purpose.”
“The Fire District presently has certificates of deposits totaling $381,000.00 which are designated for the purchase of firefighting equipment,” Hoskins explained, “but even though those funds have an intended designation, they remain unrestricted. By creating capital reserve funds, the monies become legally obligated to be used as described in the capital reserve fund document.”
Establishing a capital reserve account, as opposed to designation of unrestricted funds, is in accord with the guidelines established by the New York State Comptroller. Those guidelines state that no more than 20 percent of the budget be in unrestricted funds. Furthermore, reserve funds, according to the comptroller’s office, represent a discipline to use the funds for which the capital reserve fund is created and is a prudent practice to protect those funds.
Also creation of the funds will ease the budgetary problem of saving for the capital cost. Hoskins explained that once the three capital funds are established, the Board will propose that $175,000.00 from the CDs will be transferred into each of the fire truck funds, and the remainder will be taken from the general funds and transferred to the building capital fund and the repair capital fund. Three prior resolutions to establish similar capital reserve funds had been voted down by fire district voters in December 2022. The prevailing argument in opposition to the resolutions was that they impeded on the discretion in allocating the funds. However that was a contentious period of time for the Fire District, Hoskins said, and he is convinced that the defeat of those resolutions was due to their being victims of general voter dissatisfaction at the time. It is his belief that greater disclosure of the concept underlying the capital reserve funds, and the passage of time, will allow the resolutions to viewed more dispassionately by district residents.
ORTHOPEDIC
SURGEON
The Mary Imogene Bassett Hospital seeks Orthopedic Surgeon for Cooperstown, NY. MD, DO, or equiv course of study. Completion of 5 yr Ortho Surgery Residency. NY Med License. American board cert or eligible in Ortho Surgery. Valid DEA registration and Controlled Substances Cert. BLS cert. Ability to work day, evening, night shifts, weekends. More than 50% travel to affiliate locations in Otsego and Herkimer counties. Salary range is $500,000-$600,000. Resume to debra.ferrari@bassett.org
Director,
Jeff Katz Executive
Community Foundation of Otsego County
Dedication
Appreciated
The Village of Cooperstown mourns the passing of former Sen. James Seward, who conscientiously served our community and region for over three decades. Jim was a devoted public
SQSPCA
Continued from page 5
project that came to fruition in
Mary Jo Barnes
1944-2024
ONEONTA—Mary Jo
“Jody” Barnes, 79, passed away July 25, 2024 at Chestnut Park Nursing Home, Oneonta with her husband by her side.
She was born July 29, 1944 in Oneonta, the daughter of Joseph F. and Harriett (Rathbun) Mitchell.
Jody graduated from Oneonta High School and then continued on to beautician school in Binghamton. She
July of 2021. Senator Seward wasn’t just professionally supportive, either—he and his beautiful family would come in to visit and socialize
retired as an operator at New York Telephone Company, Oneonta.
She loved gambling and enjoyed participating in sports pools, especially the Super Bowl. She was a very social person, enjoyed the company of others and was a collector of many “treasures.” She loved animals, especially her beloved African gray parrot, Mr. Mitch.
Jody is survived by her husband of 30 years, Charles David Barnes; her siblings, Betsy and Ronald Brazier and Joseph and Christine Mitchell; nieces Mary and David Stalder and Amy and Craig Harvey and their families, Erin Stalder, Nicolas Stalder, and Meredith Smithling.
She was predeceased by her parents.
Private services with the burial at Mt. Calvary Cemetery, Oneonta will be held at the convenience of the family.
Donations may be made to the Susquehanna SPCA.
Grandma loved her farm, her family, and playing her old guitar.
Lester R. Grummons Funeral Home will take the time to find out what made your loved one special. Whether it’s finding just the right flowers, or finding a musician to play her favorite tunes on her old guitar, we’ll do what’s necessary to make her service as unique as she was.
Lester R. Grummons Funeral Home 14 Grand Street, Oneonta • 607-432-6821 www.grummonsfuneralhome.com
Funeral Home
Dignity, Respect, Tradition
Dignified and Caring Service since 1925 Peaceful grounds. Home-like atmosphere. Suitable for large or small gatherings. Peter A. Deysenroth 82 Chestnut Street, Cooperstown | 607-547-8231 www.cooperstownfuneralhome.com
Articles of
animals. They contributed to our mission, and they adopted animals.
Senator Seward was one of the best and he will be
truly missed. His legacy will live on in so many ways—the SQSPCA’s continued work on behalf of animals in need is one of them.
OBITUARIES
Arrangements are by Oneonta’s only family owned funeral home, Lewis, Hurley & Pietrobono, at 51 Dietz Street; www.lhpfuneralhome.com.
James Frazier 1940-2024
ONEONTA—James “Jimmy” Frazier died peacefully on July 17, 2024 at 84. He was born March 29, 1940 to Mabel and Leslie Frazier in Davenport, New York. James married the love of his life, Roberta (“Bobbie”), on January 2, 1962. Together, they built a thriving family business. James loved beauty. This passion led him to establish J.R. Frazier and Sons, a company that became a cornerstone of our community.
From a Radio Flyer wagon full of vegetables, the business flourished, earning a reputation for quality, integrity and customer service. At one point, the familyrun geranium business became one of the biggest in the Northeast, shipping cuttings nationwide. He filled his gardens with over 10,000 perennials and hosted many visitors to enjoy the beauty.
James was not only a successful businessman but also a generous individual. Many will testify to his influence on their lives.
James had a profound love for birds and antiques, which were also turned into business ventures. He was a perpetual learner, creator and entrepreneur.
James is survived by Roberta “Bobbie” Frazier, the mother of his children, and their five children: Rodney (Rosa) Frazier, Daryl (Norm)
Hickling, Jackie (Steve) Roese, Jay (Kim) Frazier, and Michele (John) Frazier. He was also grandfather to Hunter, Amanda, Hampton, Madison, Rylee, Jackson, Makenna, Kyden, Cohen and Shepherd. His siblings, Barbara, Crystal, Carla, Clara, Evelyn, Helen, Mary and Leslie, also survive him. His sister, Joanne, passed in 2023.
A celebration of James’ life will be held on August 2, 2024 from 1111:45 a.m. at Bookhout Funeral Home, 357 Main Street, Oneonta, New York. A reception will follow at SUNY Oneonta College Camp, 119 Hoffman Road, Oneonta, from 1-3 p.m. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests donations to Helios Care in James’ memory.
James Frazier’s life was a testament to hard work. May he rest in peace.
Mark David gobel
1955-2024
ONEONTA—Mark David Gobel, 69, beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother and friend, left his earthly body on June 1, 2024 after facing cancer with unwavering strength and grace. Mark’s determination
leW i S, HurleY & pietrobono Funeral Home
51 Dietz Street oneonta, nY 607-432-1511 www.lhpfuneralhome.com
Stacie Haynes is the executive director of the Susquehanna SPCA.
and loving spirit touched all who knew him.
Mark was born on May 29, 1955 in Johnson City, New York, the son of the late Donald Raymond and Frances Jane (Duroe) Gobel. He grew up in Apalachin, New York and graduated from Vestal High School.
Mark is survived by his loving wife of 46 years, Lisa; his son, Peter Gobel (Nicole), and grandchildren Riley and Maxine of Clifton Park, New York; and his sister, Donna Lee Boyd (William). He was pre-deceased by his son, Andrew Mark Gobel.
Mark earned his bachelor of science in medical technology from Hartwick College in 1977. It was during his college years that he met his future wife, Lisa Reed Gobel, who also graduated with a bachelor’s degree in medical technology. They were married September 17, 1977.
Mark began his career in the laboratory at A.O. Fox Memorial Hospital, specializing in hematology. After spending 30 years at Fox Hospital, he brought his expertise to Cobleskill Regional Hospital, retiring after 45 years in the field in 2021. He also studied and practiced the field of homeopathy, graduating from The New England School of Homeopathy.
Mark was a gifted athlete and had a lifelong passion for competition, winning countless trophies and awards. As a teenager, he rubbed elbows with the best in motocross of the era. He later pursued crosscountry skiing, road and mountain bicycling, and canoeing. He combined running, biking and canoeing to win the
Proud to be family-owned John & Kathleen (Heller) Pietrobono Heller & Skinner Funeral Home
155 Main Street Worcester, nY 607-397-9711 www.hellerskinnerfh.com
LEGALS
Glimmerglass Triathlon twice, the most recent at age 50. He mentored many young adults, sharing his love of sport, his most recent event being the 2024 Empire State Winter Games Snowbike Race, in which he won a silver medal alongside his son and grandson, who won gold and bronze respectively in their categories.
Mark and Lisa cherished their tandem bicycle rides, creating lasting memories and friendships on tours through Ireland, Canada, and the Eastern U.S. Mark was also a talented photographer, sharing his love through photo cards sent to family and friends every Christmas. A celebration of Mark’s life will be held on Sunday, August 11, 2024 at Gilbert Lake State Park, Briggs Pavilion, from 1-5 p.m. Attendees will have an opportunity at the gathering to contribute to a memorial bench in Mark’s memory, to be placed at Gilbert Lake State Park. Memorial donations may also be made to Oneonta Soccer Club’s Andrew Gobel Memorial Scholarship at Oneonta Soccer Club 5001 Route 23 Suite 3 Box 108 Oneonta, NY 13820.
Mark’s final gift was donating his body to Albany Medical Center Anatomical Gift Program.
His favorite quote: “Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, latte in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming ‘Woo hoo, what a ride.’”
6LegalAug.1
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Notice of formatioN of a NY Limited LiabiLitY compaNY
The Butter Chicken, LLC
(SSNY) was 18 June 2024. Office location: Otsego County. SSNY has been designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served and SSNY shall mail copy of process to 393 County Highway 9, Oneonta, NY 13820. Purpose is to engage in any and all business activities permitted under NYS laws.
Articles of Organization filing date with the Department of State (SSNY) June 13, 2024
Office Location: Otsego County United States Corporation Agents, Inc. (USCA) has been designated as the agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served and USCA shall
mail copy of process to: 3522 County Highway 11, Cooperstown, NY 13326
Purpose: to engage in any and all business activities permitted under NYS laws
6LegalAug.1
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Notice of formatioN of
DROM HOLDINGS LLC
Articles of Org. filed NY Sec. of State (SSNY) 6/10/24. Office in Otsego Co. SSNY desig. agent of LLC upon whom process may be served. SSNY shall mail process to 426 Chestnut St., Oneonta, NY
13820, which is also the principal business location. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.
6LegalAug.1
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Notice of formatioN of VANDUSEN CONSTRUCTION SERVICE LLC
Articles of Org. filed NY Sec. of State (SSNY) 6/10/24. Office in Otsego Co. SSNY desig. agent of LLC upon whom process may be served. SSNY shall mail process to 426 Chestnut St., Oneonta, NY 13820, which is also the principal business location. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.
6LegalAug.1
Photo provided Mary jo barnes
Photo provided ja M es frazier
Photo provided M ar K DaV i D G obe L
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from Pg. 18 filing date with Secretary of State (SSNY) was 29 May, 2024.
Office location: Otsego County. SSNY has been designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served and SSNY shall mail copy of process to 261 Van Alstyne Rd., Jordanville, NY 13361.
Purpose is to engage in any and all business activities permitted under NYS laws.
6LegalAug.8
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Notice of formatioN of a NY Limited LiabiLitY compaNY
STONE QUARRY VENUE LLC.
Articles of Organization filing date with Secretary of State (SSNY) was 29 May, 2024. Office location: Otsego County. SSNY has been designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served and SSNY shall mail copy of process to 181 Stone Quarry Rd., Cooperstown, NY 13326. Purpose is to engage in any and all business activities permitted under NYS laws.
6LegalAug.8
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Notice of formatioN of a NY professioNaL Limited LiabiLitY compaNY.
STRANGE WORKS STUDIO ARCHITECTURE, PLLC
Articles of Organization filing date with Secretary of State (SSNY) was 31 May, 2024. Office location: Otsego County. SSNY has been designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served and SSNY shall mail copy of process to 1663 Appian Way, Charlottesville, VA 22911. Purpose is to engage in any and all business activities permitted under NYS laws.
6LegalAug.8
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Notice of formatioN of
D.M. Wedderspoon Unlimited LLC
Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY
(SSNY) on 4/29/24. Off. loc: Otsego Co. SSNY des. as agent of LLC upon whom process may be served. SSNY shall mail process to Derek Wedderspoon, 592 Co. Highway 28, Cooperstown, NY 13326
Purpose: Any lawful purpose.
6LegalAug.8
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Notice of formatioN of Erythron Mechanics, LLC.
Articles of Organization with the New York Department of State on 5/22/24. Office location: Otsego County. The New York Secretary of State is designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served and is directed to forward service of process to 19 Woodside Avenue, Oneonta, NY 13820. Purpose: any lawful act or activity.
6LegalAug.8
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Notice of formatioN of Clear Run Farm LLC.
Articles of incorporation filed with Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on July 4, 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 3250 State Highway 166, Cherry Valley, NY 13320. Purpose of LLC: Any lawful purpose. 6LegalAug.15
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Notice of formatioN of a NY Limited LiabiLitY compaNY RODRIGO MAPLE LLC.
Articles of Organization filing date with Secretary of State (SSNY) was 3 July, 2024. Office location: Otsego County. SSNY has been designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served and SSNY shall mail copy of process to 15 South St., Cooperstown, NY 13326. Purpose is to engage in any and all business activities permitted under NYS laws. 6LegalAug.15
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Notice of formatioN of Big Lion Little Bear LLC
Articles of organization filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 05/04/2024.
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.
6LegalAug.15
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sUppLemeNtaL sUmmoNs
OTSEGO - INDEX NO.: EF2023-717–
Plaintiff designates OTSEGO COUNTY as the place of trial based upon the location of the premises herein described having tax map Section 282.06, Block 1, Lot 90.00, GILBERTSVILLE, NY, County of OTSEGO
U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, NOT IN ITS INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY BUT SOLELY AS TRUSTEE FOR THE NRZ PASSTHROUGH TRUST XVIII, PLAINTIFF, -againstALLISON LOUISE PIANOFORTE, AS HEIR TO THE ESTATE OF LUCINDA D. WILSON A/K/A LUCINDA DUBBEN; ANDREA L. PENNELL, AS HEIR TO THE ESTATE OF LUCINDA D. WILSON A/K/A LUCINDA DUBBEN; Any and all persons unknown to plaintiff, claiming, or who may claim to have an interest in, or generally or specific lien upon the real property described in this action; such unknown persons being herein generally described and intended to be included in the following designation, namely: the wife, widow, husband, widower, heirs-at law, next of kin, descendants, executors, administrators, devisees, legatees, creditors, trustees, committees, lienors, and assignees of LUCINDA D. WILSON A/K/A LUCINDA DUBBEN, deceased, any and all persons deriving interest in or lien upon, or title to
LEGALS
said real property by, through or under them and their respective wives, widows, husbands, widowers, heirs-at law, next of kin, descendants, executors, administrators, devisees, legatees, creditors, trustees, committees, lienors, and assignees, all of whom and whose names, except as stated, are unknown to plaintiff; LVNV FUNDING LLC; NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF TAXATION AND FINANCE; UNITED STATES OF AMERICA - INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE “JOHN DOE #1” through “JOHN DOE #12,” the last twelve names being fictitious and unknown to plaintiff, the persons or parties intended being the tenants, occupants, persons or corporations, if any, having or claiming an interest in or lien upon the premises, described in the complaint, 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 the service is complete if this summons is not personally delivered to you within the State of New York); and in case of your failure to appear or answer, judgment will be taken against you by default for the relief demanded in the complaint.
NOTICE 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 against you 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: June 28, 2024, Syosset, New York.
Roach & Lin, P.C., attorney for Plaintiff, 6851 Jericho Turnpike, Suite 185, Syosset, NY 11791. Tel: 516-9383100.
To the abovenamed defendants:
The foregoing summons is served upon you by publication pursuant to an Order of the Hon. BRIAN D. BURNS County Clerk together with the supporting papers thereon. This is an action to foreclose a mortgage held by Plaintiff on the premises known as Section 282.06, Block 1, Lot 90.00, GILBERTSVILLE, NY, County of OTSEGO as described in the complaint on file and commonly known as 2 ELM STREET A/K/A 6 ELM STREET, GILBERTSVILLE, NY 13776. 81542 4LegalAug.1
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Notice of formatioN of
Traveling with Natasha Rifenburgh, LLC.
Articles of organization filing date with Secretary of State (SSNY) was 29 June, 2024. Office location: Otsego County. SSNY has been designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served and SSNY shall mail copy of process to 955 Center Valley Road, Worcester, NY 12197. Purpose is to engage in any and all business activities permitted under NYS laws. 6LegalAug.15
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Notice of formatioN of A. Mercado 13820, LLC.
Articles of Organization were filed with the NY Secretary of State on 07/03/2024. 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, 693 St. Hwy. 205, Oneonta, NY 13820. The purpose of the LLC is to engage in any lawful act.
6LegalAug.22
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Notice of formatioN of Watson’s Acres LLC.
Filed 5/15/24. Cty: Otsego. SSNY desig. for process & shall mail to 141 Allen Rd., Mt. Vision, NY 13810. Purp: any lawful. 6LegalAug.22
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Notice of formatioN of ALM Handyman LLC
Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 7/7/2024. 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 276 Fred Ottaway Rd., Cooperstown, NY 13326. Purpose: Any lawful purpose. 6LegalAug.22
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Notice of formatioN of CONCIERGE MEDICAL LIAISON PLLC
Arts. of Org. filed SSNY on 7/3/2024. Otsego Co. SSNY design. agent for process & shall mail to 101 CEMETERY RD., FLY CREEK, NY 13337 General Purpose. 6LegalAug.22
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Notice of formatioN of professioNaL Limited LiabiLitY compaNY, (pLLc);
Name:
Howser Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist, PLLC; Articles of Organization filed with Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 07/15/2024. Office Location: Otsego County.
SSNY designated as agent of PLLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to 678 Beaver Meadow Road, Cooperstown, NY 13326. Purpose: Registered Professional Nursing. 6LegalAug.22
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Notice of formatioN of Denim & Diamonds, LLC
Article of Organization filed 7/15/2024 with the Secretary of State of NY. Office Location: Otsego County. SSNY designated as agent for process & shall mail to: 244 Pomeroy Rd., Franklin, NY 13775. Purpose: all lawful 6LegalAug.29
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Notice of formatioN of
FLY CREEK EQUESTRIAN, LLC
Articles of Org. filed with NY Sec. of State (SSNY) 7/22/24. Office in Otsego Co. SSNY desig. as agent of LLC upon whom process may be served. SSNY shall mail process to 311 Ainslie Rd., Richfield Spring, NY 13439, which is also the principal business location. Purpose: Any lawful purpose. 6LegalAug.29
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Notice of formatioN of STAGECOACH PRESERVE, LLC
Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 07/15/24. Office location: Otsego County. Princ. office of LLC: 4 International Dr., #224, Rye Brook, NY 10573. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to Corporation Service Co., 80 State St., Albany, NY 12207-2543. Purpose: Any lawful activity. 6LegalAug.29
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Notice of formatioN of a NY Limited LiabiLitY compaNY
Name:
ALFHEIM BOTANICAL LLC.
Articles of Organization filing date with Secretary of State (SSNY) was 23 July 2024. Office location: Otsego County. SSNY has been designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served and SSNY shall mail copy of process to PO Box 405, Cherry Valley, NY 13320. Purpose is to engage in any and all business activities permitted under NYS laws.
6LegalSept.5
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Notice of formatioN of a NY Limited LiabiLitY compaNY
Name: TAOS MOUNTAIN SPIRIT LLC.
Articles of Organization filing date with Secretary of State (SSNY) was 22 July, 2024. Office location: Otsego County. SSNY has been designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served and SSNY shall mail copy of process to PO Box 32, Fly Creek, NY 13337. Purpose is to engage in any and all business activities permitted under NYS laws.
6LegalSept.5
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Notice of formatioN of a NY Limited LiabiLitY compaNY
Name: 93NY7 LLC.
Articles of Organization filing date with Secretary of State (SSNY) was 22 July, 2024. Office location: Otsego County. SSNY has been designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served and SSNY shall mail copy of process to PO Box 133, Schenevus, NY 12155. Purpose is to engage in any and all business activities permitted under NYS laws.
6LegalSept.5
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Notice of formatioN of a NY professioNaL Limited LiabiLitY compaNY
Name:
DR. JEFFREY BAILEY DNP NURSE PRACTIONER IN FAMILY HEALTH PLLC.
Articles of Organization filing date with Secretary of State (SSNY) was 22 July, 2024. Office location: Otsego County. SSNY has been designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served and SSNY shall mail copy of process to 389 Thurston Hill Rd., Richfield Springs, NY 13439.
Purpose is to engage in any and all business activities permitted under NYS laws.
6LegalSept.5
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Notice of formatioN of a NY Limited LiabiLitY compaNY
Name: HOLSCHER PROPERTIES LLC.
Articles of Organization filing date with Secretary of State (SSNY) was 24 July, 2024. Office location: Otsego County. SSNY has been designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served and SSNY shall mail copy of process to 155 Peebles Hill Road, Oneonta, NY 13820. Purpose is to engage in any and all business activities permitted under NYS laws.
6LegalSept.5
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GiLbertsviLLe GroUp to hoLd aNNUaL meetiNG
The annual meeting of the Village Improvement Society of Gilbertsville will be held on Sunday, August 11 at 5:30 p.m. at the Major’s Inn, 104 Marion Ave. The meeting will give members an opportunity to socialize and pay their annual dues if they have not yet done so. Refreshments will be provided by Five Kids Bakehouse. A review of the VIS accomplishments since the 2023 annual meeting will be given. Three amendments to VIS bylaws will be voted on. Only members whose dues are current may vote. Information or questions may be directed to visgilbertsville@ gmail.com. 1LegalAug.1
Otsego County Hazardous Waste Day
August 16-17, 2024
Household Collections:
Friday August 16 – 8am – 11am
Unadilla Hwy Building 216 Co Hwy 3 Unadilla NY 13849
Parking Lot Project Begins at O’Connor
Saturday* August 17 – 8am – 1pm Meadows Office Complex 140 Co Hwy 33W, Cooperstown NY 13326
*Saturday Only: Arrive by last name
A-H: 8:00am – 9:30am
I-Q: 9:30am – 11:30am R-Z: 11:30am – 1pm
Accepted: paints, solvents, pesticides, cleaning chemicals, hobby & pool chemicals, fluorescent bulbs, batteries, and more* *Pharmaceuticals accepted at Cooperstown only
Not Accepted: motor oil, syringes, explosives, ammunition, tires, electric vehicle battery cells, items with Freon, propane tanks, microwaves, and electronics For more information: www.otsegocounty.com/departments/solid_waste/ solidwaste@otsegocounty.com 607-547-4225 To The good SamariTanS who reScued our dogS, Lizzy and Buddy, on main STreeT
