The Freeman's Journal 08-31-23

LPC Meets To Discuss Project Proposals

Next Public Meeting Set for Wednesday, September 13

By DARLA M. YOUNGS COOPERSTOWN

The Village of Cooperstown Local Planning Committee met on Tuesday, August 22 to review projects submitted following an open request for proposals associated with the village’s New York Forward grant.

On March 2, the Village of Cooperstown was awarded a $4.5 million NY Forward grant, one of three Mohawk Valley winners of the first round of the new state grant program created to invigorate and enliven downtowns in New York’s smaller and rural communities. Building on the momentum of New York State’s successful Downtown Revitalization Initiative, the NY Forward program adopts the same “Plan-then-Act” strategy as the DRI to support a more equitable downtown recovery for New York’s smaller and rural communities.

LPC members reviewed seven public projects submitted by the Village of Cooperstown totaling $4.5 million and seven private projects from downtown property owners amounting to $6.4 million. There are 19 potential small projects under consideration as well.

According to project lead Laberge Group’s Adriana Beltrani, the goal is to submit $6-8 million in potential projects from which the state will then choose. Higher level projects that are more transformational are most attractive to the state, she said.

The public projects proposed by Village of Cooperstown officials include improvements to Fowler Way (pedestrian and vehicle safe pathway), Grove Street (pedestrian improvements), the Lakefront Park (platform for fishing and scenic enjoyment), Hoffman Lane (improving pedestrian design and managing stormwater), Pioneer Alley (pedestrian comfort and to improve stormwater infrastructure)

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Richfield, Oneonta Awarded Grants

By WRILEY NELSON OTSEGO COUNTY

New York State Archives recently announced the winners of the 20232024 Local Government Records Management Improvement Fund grant program. The Archives awarded 87 grants totaling $5.2 million for municipal projects related to inactive records, files

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Local Motorcycle Club Raises Funds for Helios Care

ONEONTA—On Friday, August 25, members of the Hudson Highlands Retread Motorcycle Club presented Helios Care with a check for $2,000.00. The club supports Helios Care every year through fundraising efforts by its members. This year, the group held a basket raffle in June and had donation baskets at several club events throughout the year, and donated the proceeds. “This unrestricted donation goes directly to support services for over 700 local patients and their families. We are so grateful for this group who have continued to fundraise for us for over 30 years,” said Helios President and Chief Executive Officer Dan Ayres. From left above are: front row, Hudson Highlanders Ruth Reynolds, Cindee Nevin and Aleta Dunham with Ayres and Kathryn Dailey, director of development at Helios Care; back row, Jeff Woeppel, chair of the Helios Care Board of Directors and Hudson Highlander Ed Niven.

SCHENEVUS

The generous gift of a home for the Town of Maryland Historical Society has been accepted by a vote of the membership (532), at a special meeting of the historical society on Wednesday, August 16. The building, at 99 Main Street, Schenevus, is being given by the current

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By WRILEY NELSON OTSEGO COUNTY

John W. Buddle, pastor at the Oneonta Elm Park and Otego United Methodist Churches, completed his tenth Otsego Outdoors Octet Challenge in late August. Otsego Outdoors has run these seasonal challenges of eight or more outdoor activities since winter of 2021. Participants complete hikes, paddles, bike rides, outdoor events and volunteer activities to earn their way toward a listing on the Octet Challenge Roster, as well as patches and stickers. The program is intended to encourage local residents to take full advantage of Otsego County’s superb natural beauty and outdoor activity opportunities.

The Summer 2023 Octet program includes activities at Fetterley Forest, Glimmerglass State Park, Star Field, Brookwood Point, the Cherry Valley Sculpture Trail, Robert B. Woodruff Outdoor Learning Center, Texas School House State Forest, Betty and Wilbur Davis State Park, the Table Rock Trails, the Portlandville Fishing Access Site, Gilbert Lake State Park, the New Lisbon bicycling circuit, Copes Corners Park, and SUNY Oneonta’s College Camp. Participants can also volunteer at events or take part in an outdoor activity of their own design for credit. The summer challenge continues through Friday, September 22, so community members still have plenty of time to get started.

“I started doing the Otsego Octet at its beginning as a way of getting my churches involved in some-

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Photo provided

Photo provided

The former McGregor Law Office at 99 Main Street, Schenevus is the future home of the Town of Maryland Historical Society Museum.

Richfield Wellness Fair Returns to Spring Park on September 9

By WRILEY NELSON

RICHFIELD SPRINgS

The Richfield Springs Community Food Cooperative will hold its second annual Wellness Fair in Spring Park from noon to 3 p.m. on Saturday, September 9. The free event is nearly twice the size of the inaugural fair last year, with 28 exhibitors on site to educate the public about a variety of topics related to human, animal, and community health and wellness.

“The Co-op’s fair

committee has been working on this second run since January,” said Coordinator Maureen Culbert. “It has taken a ton of community involvement from individuals and organizations to pull it together. The fair has grown exponentially from last year.”

Exhibitors will present on exercise programs like yoga, Pilates and Reiki, CBD treatment, and dementia care. The Otsego County Office for the Aging and the Department of Health will have information booths on site, as will

Bassett Clinic and the Bassett smoking cessation program. The SQSPCA will attend with animals for adoption, and the Richfield Springs garden Club’s own Dr. Pam Lea, DVM, a retired veterinarian, will be on hand to answer any questions about domestic animal health.

Dr. Lea will combine her two interests and provide information about pet-safe gardening practices. The garden Club, one of the most active organizations in the village, will also present on its reservoir project.

AllOTSEgO.

dining&entertainment

“We’re in the process of putting in a lot of native plants around the village reservoir,” Culbert said. “It’s about beautifying the town and making it better for everyone who lives here. It will help us draw more visitors to the town’s businesses as well. It’s ultimately about working together as a community and supporting the efforts everyone makes to make Richfield a better place.”

Helios Care and the Fenner Funeral Home will present on different aspects of end-of-life planning and care. The Otsego County Sheriff’s Department will have a booth to take children’s fingerprints. There will also be a number of

organizations related to fitness and community care, including the Clark Sports Center, Richfield Springs Youth Sports, the Richfield Springs Community Center, Otsego Outdoors, and more. A bike rodeo for children ages 6-12 will demonstrate safe bicycling and traffic practices.

“We expect a much larger turnout this year, in addition to the larger number of participants,” Culbert continued. “We had a few schedule conflicts last year due to events in Sharon Springs and Fly Creek that drew a lot of our prospective attendees. This year should be very well attended. Fortunately, the

park and the surrounding streets have plenty of available parking.”

“Any town has its problems,” she concluded. “A lot of these rural communities have problems with substance abuse, with domestic violence, and with the health problems of an older population. The idea of the Wellness Fair is that people need to be able to find the resources to get help. The fair allows those resources to come to them. The Office for the Aging, for instance, will come to speak directly to seniors. That kind of thing will be especially important as these communities age; a lot of seniors may have trouble seeking out these resources on their own in the digital age.”

In addition to the food co-op, the fair is sponsored by the Richfield Springs Area Chamber of Commerce and the Otsego County Board of Representatives. For more information, contact the Co-op or Town Supervisor Dan Sullivan.

Gravestone To Be Dedicated on Saturday

MORRIS

On Saturday, September 2 at 10 a.m., a grave marker dedication will take place for Benjamin Weston, a Revolutionary War ensign in the 9th Connecticut regiment who was residing in the New Lisbon area at the time of his death in 1818. The ceremony will take place at Harmony Cemetery, 164 Pegg Road, Morris. The event is free and open to the public.

The dedication marks the culmination of efforts by Weston’s fifth great-grandson, John Avedian of Winchester, Massachusetts, both to locate the grave and subsequently to work with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to obtain a grave marker to replace the original one, which had disintegrated.

Avedian will be present at the ceremony and will speak about Weston and about the process of procuring a replacement marker. He will be joined by his wife, Arevik, daughter Ani, and son Aram, as well as by his mother, Linda Coyle, three sisters, a brother-in-law, two nephews and a niece. Another Weston descendant, Barbara Bys of Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin, will also attend.

Members from both the Oneonta and the Tianderah

chapters of the Daughters of the American Revolution will conduct a ritual dedication of the marker. A color guard from Boy Scout Troop 61 of New Berlin will also participate.

Refreshments provided by the DAR chapters will be served on site after the ceremony.

Harmony Cemetery is owned by Morris’ Zion Episcopal Church and is the site of the parish’s first church and burial grounds. In 2022, a historic road marker was placed at the cemetery by the William G. Pomeroy Foundation, which fosters a New York State Historic Marker Grant Program commemorating historic people, places, things or events within the time frame of 1683-1923. Since 2006, the foundation has funded more than 950 markers in all 62 counties in New York State.

At left, Gary and Stacia Norman of Morris stand next to the commemorative marker placed at Harmony Cemetery by the Pomeroy Foundation. The Normans facilitated John Avedian’s search for the grave of his ancestor, Revolutionary War soldier Benjamin Weston, who is buried in the cemetery. (Photo by Teresa Winchester)

Perspectives

It’s Not ‘Over’ Yet

Something happened last weekend. All of a sudden the Village of Cooperstown was quiet; the sidewalks were sparsely populated; there were a number of parking spaces on Main Street (though not so many opposite the Hall of Fame, where the sign says 15-minute parking); there were no horns blaring (though the fire department siren was working hard, as is its wont); and there were fewer cars speeding up and down the lake and on Route 28, south toward Oneonta. The nasty traffic glitch at the entrance to the Cooperstown Dreams Park has disappeared as well.

So what has happened? The weeks-long runs of the Cooperstown Dreams Park and its Oneonta cohort, Cooperstown All Star Village, have come to a close. Dreams Park was created in 1996 by a former baseball player who believed every kid in America should have the opportunity to play baseball here, in Cooperstown. Since its founding, more than 200,000 players, coaches and umpires have plied their trade on the Dreams Park fields, some going further on to the World Series. In fact, in the 2022 World Series there were eight Phillies and five Astros who had spent at least one summer each at Dreams Park.

The more than 14,000 U12s who came from across the United States to play baseball at the Dreams Park this summer—that’s 100 teams per week, playing on 22 fields— have finished their 13 weeks of pitches, catches, slides, hits, runs, errors and at-bats, and they have all gone home, taking with them their coaches and their umpires, their families, who inevitably came along for the ride, and their new-found, fresh, and exuberating memories of having played baseball in the mythical Village of Cooperstown, just seconds from the Hall.

And we local residents of Cooperstown and Oneonta have watched these players and fans come and go, all summer, as we have done these past 27 years. We have rented our houses and camps, filled our shops with tantalizing commodities, provisioned our restaurants, planted our gardens, swept our streets and pasted some smiles on our faces. We know they had a good time here; we hope we did, too.

Fourteen thousand 12-year-olds and their entourage are a lot for the Village of Cooperstown to keep up with, not to mention the multitude of other than U12 baseball fans who come to the Hall of Fame. There isn’t enough room on our sidewalks, or on our streets. But we are lucky. We have not yet reached the tourism tipping point—overtourism, as it was so aptly named in 2012—that has hit the many towns and cities in this country and abroad that have viable, historical, attractive, beckoning attributes which appeal to the growing number of people who travel. On September 4, Greece will cap the number of visitors at 20,000 per day, to the Acropolis; in Paris, the Louvre has already limited its visitors to 30,000 per day; cruise ships are no longer allowed to dock near the city center in Amsterdam; Cambodia’s Angkor Wat has visitor limits, as do our national parks. Venice is not only sinking, it’s drowning in tourists.

Overtourism can, and does, damage fragile environments and landmarks, scare wildlife, push up local rents, crowd narrow streets, and irritate local residents whose quality of life is challenged in many ways. It can also disappoint the tourists themselves, especially when the systems break down. Although the tourism industry provides jobs and boosts economies, when tourism becomes overtourism and its negative consequences are not responsibly managed, the economic, environmental, and sociocultural effects are disruptive to everyone.

We need to make some plans.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR POLICY

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

THE PaRTIaL OBSERVER DENNIS HIGGINS

Bad Energy Planning Dangerous, Irresponsible

Under the 2019 Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, a group of political appointees—the Climate Action Council—was charged with developing a scoping plan to achieve major decarbonization goals in the law. Their plan, as implemented by the state energy and research development authority, NYSERDA, would require 55 gigawatts of solar, 10 GW of onshore wind, and 17 GW of offshore wind. NYSERDA believes we’ll need storage 50 to 100 times the size of the largest lithium-ion battery complex on earth, as well as backup generation equal to or greater than the state’s entire fossil-fuel power-plant fleet. Solar and wind resources will also need new transmission lines to connect them to the existing grid.

The North American Energy Reliability Corporation just came out with a report (www.nerc.com/comm/RISC/ Related%20Files%20DL/RISC_ERO_ Priorities_Report_2023_Board_Approved_ Aug_17_2023.pdf) identifying major risks to the bulk power system. The top two risks NERC identified are energy policy and grid transformation made in pursuit of that policy. In other words, it is precisely state policies arising from the CAC’s energy scoping plan, and the grid transformation currently underway, that are the top risks to our power system.

If an engineer had at their disposal a source of carbon-free baseload electricity which needed little land, could employ thousands of workers in high-paying jobs, required fewer materials than other resources, was as safe as solar or wind, and could last a hundred years, wouldn’t they make it the backbone of the grid? Or would they ignore rural opposition in order to bulldoze a million acres of farmland and forest for resources requiring new transmission, back-up generation, and storage infrastructure? Would they choose resources generating little energy and almost no permanent jobs; requiring the sacrifice of home rule, environmental review, and fair tax levies?

With pressure from big greens like Riverkeeper and support from NRDC, Sierra, AGREE, Food and Water Watch, and others, New York unplugged 2,100 MW of emission-free electricity when it shut down Indian Point. In all its safe years of operation, IP never prompted a “shelter in place” order

City’s Progress In Question

I firmly and completely agree with County Representative Clark Oliver’s statement about the situation facing the City of Oneonta and the importance of the county’s role in this matter at the County Board meeting. The question remains as to why the mayor of the City of Oneonta has not addressed this matter and others. He bypassed them when the question was addressed by a few city residents and now it is being bypassed again, but he has also made the false narrative that the “city is making great progress.”

from the governor, as recent fires at battery energy storage systems did. IP, which had supplied a quarter of metro NY’s power, was partially replaced with two big new gas power plants, increasing state emissions by tens of millions of tons annually. The grid operator NYISO notes that due to IP’s closure, energy prices have increased downstate. We see those price hikes are now percolating through upstate. Also related, NYISO’s recent second quarter reliability report (www.nyiso. com/documents/20142/16004172/2023-Q2STAR-Report-Final.pdf/5671e9f7-e996-653a6a0e-9e12d2e41740) indicates insufficient capacity margins for the metro region over the next decade. Even with normal weather, NYISO has predicted that New York City could experience a capacity shortfall of about 450 megawatts—meaning blackouts in the summer heat that could last many hours.

The Champlain-Hudson Power Express will bring hydro-generated electricity to the metro region. But Quebec is not obliged to send power during a polar vortex. With building electrification, New York will experience winter demand peaks.

Bad energy planning is not just irresponsible. It is dangerous. Roll-out of the state’s policy—in land-hungry panels and turbines, fiery BESS units, transmission cables, and back-up peaker plants—may ultimately be embarrassing for the governor, for NYSERDA, and for the CAC. But summer or winter power failures could prove fatal for the most vulnerable urban and rural populations: the elderly and poor.

New “environmental justice” communities are being created across rural New York. The land is being plastered with solar panels and gigantic turbines without full environmental review, over the rule of local law, robbing communities of fair revenue. And opposition is growing.

Ontario abandoned a “green energy” plan like New York’s in the face of fierce backlash from the rural north which was required to host the renewables resources expected to power the wealthier, more populous, south. Acknowledging the program’s failure, Ontario’s Energy Minister Glenn Thibeault issued a mea culpa. As reported, (globalnews. ca/news/4243590/billion-dollar-mistake-

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Columnists

Terry Berkson, Rachel Frick Cardelle, Elizabeth Cooper, Maureen Culbert, Richard deRosa, Caspar Ewig, Ian Kenyon, Marcia Kozubek, Joel J. Plue, Tom Shelby, Dan Sullivan, T. Stephen Wager, Teresa Winchester, Jamie Zvirzdin

Web Architect

Xander Moffat Historian Tom Heitz/Sharon Stuart Legal Counsel Jill Ann Poulson

Editorial Board

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

community,” which begs me to ask this: How many people on the commissions have a learning disability such as autism, are on the autism spectrum or are highly functioning autistic people? How many are African-American, Hispanic, Muslim-American, Jewish, physically disabled or handicapped, LGBT+, to add to the diversity of these city commissions? I suspect these represent a low percentage of those serving in the commissions.

County Clerk Choice is Clear

No, Mayor Drnek, it is not making great progress. As of last week Tuesday, the mayor said that the city is not doing well and gave false assurances that [problems] are being socalled “addressed.”

At my church and other public places—and on the streets as well as sidewalks and in front of the businesses on the sidewalks—there are hypodermic needles that any person can get stuck with and get sick and possibly die from whatever was running through the needles. We have a significant homeless problem that has been neglected for three and a half years and no progress has been made to create a homeless shelter nor any type of housing unit for the homeless.

The City of Oneonta has been described as a “diverse

Another committee is not going to fix the problem in terms of what is currently happening. Taking action, as well as being responsible and being accountable, will fix the problem. In my opinion, the only members of the City Council who are being thorough about fixing things and doing something are Murphy, Davies, Rissberger, Lipari-Shue, Harrington, Overbey and Falco. I believe the people need to know what their mayor’s intentions are and what his priorities and policies are, without false assumptions or narratives like “we’re making progress” when clearly the city is not making any progress.

This simply is not a Democratic versus Republican issue. This is a common sense issue. The question remains. Which is it, Mayor Drnek?

Is our city doing well or is it going to hell in a hand basket?

Just tell the public the truth.

John Hamill City of Oneonta

As a voter, your responsibility is to choose the candidate whom you believe is best suited for the position you are voting for. In the Otsego County clerk race, there are two candidates that are running. One candidate boasts over a decade of experience in the County Clerk’s Office, while the other candidate has absolutely no prior experience in this role. One candidate has been appointed by our current county clerk for two terms for reasons that are obvious. The other candidate worked at Board of Elections for a short time and served as a Village of Cooperstown trustee, with a focus on advocating for his personal beliefs.

Given this choice, if you were solely responsible for selecting the next Otsego County clerk, the obvious choice is Jennifer Basile, who has accumulated valuable years of experience in the County Clerk’s Office. The knowledge and experience she has is an asset in effectively fulfilling the responsibilities of the role. We should stop voting our party and start voting for the best person suited for the job at hand. Ultimately, the decision is clear cut when assessing qualifications and experience.

Michael Greco Hartwick

135 YEARS AGO

It was a double chime ringing at Christ Church on Wednesday afternoon last. We do not know that the same interesting event ever before occurred in the history of our village—a double wedding, which naturally, claimed almost undivided attention and interest. Walter H. Bunn, Jr., and Grace H. Farmer, Clarence W. Davidson and Gertrude A. Bunn, all residents of Cooperstown were the happy couples united in marriage.

August 31, 1888

110 YEARS AGO

The establishment of a brewery in the old Fenimore Mills at Phoenix Mills is the present plan of the Cooperstown syndicate composed of Martin Moakler, James J. Byard, Jr., W.D. Burditt and Jay D. Wilson, which purchased the real estate of the old Phoenix Mills for $3,900 at the auction sale last Thursday. It is their idea to incorporate and begin the operation of a brewery there this fall.

August 20, 1913

85 YEARS AGO

Among the members of the Cooperstown Community Band and their instruments are: Trumpet players— Samuel Nile, Donald White, Carl Gus, Edward McShane, Albert Harp, and Benjamin H. Lewis who has served as band director since 1929; Altos—Arthur and Thomas McShane, Peter Mason; Bass—Erdie Washburn, George Clarke; Clarinet—Carl Phieffer, Harold Hitchcock, Stanley Nojero, Tony Volience, Robert Hubble, John Albrecht, Harry Halstead, and Kenneth Eaton; Baritone—Robert Jones, Stewart Wooley; Snare drums – Lee Furlong, Bernard Dibble; Bass Drum & Cymbals —Albert Therekauf; Tenor Saxophone—William Quaif; Trombone—Livingstone Barker, James Scott, Matthew Gleason, James Yule, Floyd Dibble, Peter Hagen; Piccolo—Steber Kerr. The organization has $4,000 invested in instruments and a $2,500 music library.

60 YEARS AGO

Our Best Selves: Celebrating Recovery

Sometimes my columns are newsy, sometimes upbeat, sometimes free-flowing rambles, and sometimes they are personal. This one falls into that last category, with a few sprinkles of newsiness for good measure.

September is Recovery Month. This will be my 31st such month in my own recovery journey. I am a grateful human being.

As I am sure you are aware, we are in the midst of the greatest addiction and overdose crisis that our country has ever seen. We are losing more than 100,000 people per year, and that doesn’t even begin to count the friends, family, schools, communities, and workplaces that are impacted by those deaths. It is heartbreaking and it is a national tragedy.

Addiction is a confounding disease. It is a chronic, recurring, progressive and often fatal disorder that no one asks to have. People with addiction have brains that process mood-altering substances in a way that demands more. The internal, silent desire can become insatiable. The unfortunate reality is that no one knows if they have one of “those” brains until it happens. And even then, multiple bad events tend to happen before the person suffering with addiction can begin to get an inkling of the truth.

Too many people are still unaware that prevention works and that addiction can be treated, just like other health problems. I have witnessed the positive reality of recovery. Individuals who embrace recovery achieve improved mental and physical health and form stronger relationships with their neighbors, family members, coworkers,

By MERL REAGLE

and peers. It is important that we know, speak and share the truth in our community in order to help more people believe recovery is possible.

This is the part of our national addiction story that is filled with good news. It is a story I live daily as I interact with people who have either just started their recovery journey, or who have several trips around the sun in sobriety. And, even though my professional work is about prevention, people share their journey with me because I have been open about my own. I celebrate each and every one of those stories.

As a community and as a culture, we must welcome people into recovery, rather than shame them for not being there yet. Oftentimes, individuals who experience mental health or a substance use disorder feel isolated and alone. Every year, millions of Americans experience these conditions. Creating environments and relationships that promote acceptance and understanding is not easy, but it changes lives for the better.

In creating that welcoming atmosphere, support for the families and loved ones of those who struggle with addiction is also crucial. It is not easy being the loved one of a person with

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Political Maladies… A state of discomfort

August 31, 1938

The third annual boat gala of the Cooperstown Chamber of Commerce was held at Three-Mile Point Saturday afternoon. Highlights of the affair were a two-hour water ski show staged by the Titus Lake Ski Devils of Jefferson, and a boat parade. Taking first prize in the boat parade was a two-boat entry representing the Monitor and Merrimac of Civil War fame. In the Monitor were James B. Gallagher and Richard Currey. The crew of the Merrimac was made up of William Crain, David Gallagher and Gary Shove. They received a $25 U.S. Savings Bond donated by First National Bank of Cooperstown.

August 28, 1963

35 YEARS AGO

August 31, 1988

20 YEARS AGO

The Cooperstown Bat Company, a local institution since 1981, has been named the Otsego County Chamber’s Small Business of the Year. The business is owned by Donald and Sharon Oberriter.

August 29, 2003

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

Zoellner String Quartet Project Focus of Hyde Hall Event

By CASPAR EWIG SPRINGFIELD

Aunique presentation consisting of a concert and lecture will be presented at Hyde Hall on Sunday, September 10 at 7 p.m.

The event, titled “Zoellner String Quartet Project with Lady Alexandra Foley Performed by Musicians of Ma’alwyck,” will resurrect pieces by composers who were well established early last century, but are now relatively obscure. As such, they were a part of the repertoire of the Zoellner Quartet, a string quartet composed of a father and his children who toured throughout the United States and Canada in the 1920s.

The music will be performed by members and guest artists of the Musicians of Ma’alwyck. That group is a flexible-size chamber ensemble in residence at the Schuyler Mansion New York State Historic Site and Schenectady County Community College. It was founded in 1999 and specializes in music performed in America during the 18th and 19th centuries.

The ensemble will consist of two violins, a viola and a cello, thus replicating the original Zoellner Quartet. The lecture on the history, background and musical importance of the Zoellner Quartet will be presented by The Honourable Alexandra Foley, the great granddaughter of Joseph Zoellner Sr., who founded the quartet in 1903. Foley has written a book, edited by Ann-Marie Barker Schwartz of Ma’alwyck, memorializing the quartet, and that work is scheduled for publication later this year.

The Zoellner Quartet, comprised of Joseph Zoellner Sr. and his children, Antoinette, Amandus, and Joseph Jr., originated in Brooklyn in 1903, and shortly thereafter moved to California. Three years later the group went to Belgium under the sponsorship of Ethel Crocker, a member of the wealthy Californian banker family. They then spent the next six years touring Belgium, France, Germany and Russia, earning their reputation as a highly respected classical string quartet. In 1912, they returned to the

United States and undertook a breathtaking and uninterrupted performance circuit that continued until their retirement in 1925. It is estimated that during that time they played more than 2,500 concerts in all corners of the U.S. and Canada.

The trailblazing Zoellner Quartet was known and celebrated for not only reinvigorating the interest in classical music but also for displaying what one writer described as a musical catholicity, in that they simultaneously played the works of contemporary

composers with contemporary themes. Thus, the group often mixed Mozart and Beethoven with Frank Bridge, Charles Sanford Skilton and Alfred Hill. And if the latter names are unfamiliar, attendance at the Hyde Hall production will introduce them.

“It’s a shame that the Zoellner Quartet has been forgotten over the years,” said Foley. “When I learned that a trove of archival material documenting their amazing career existed at UCLA, I was impelled to spend three days there before the pandemic struck. Back in London and locked down, I decided to sit down and write the ‘The Lost Quartet.’”

“The stories and photographs from the archive at UCLA and my late mothers’ recollections in my book form the substance of the presentation I shall be giving to bring some life to the quartet at the time of the concert,” Foley continued.

The musical program for the evening will consist of selections by the “contemporaneous” composers Frank Bridge, whose “Novelletten” has been described as a wonderful example of atmospheric tone painting, and violinist-composer Alfred Hill, an Australian whose piece will reflect native themes. Works by Christian Sinding, Dutch composer Jan Brandts Buys, Leone Sinigaglia and Charles Sanford Skilton will round out the program. A more comprehensive description of the works and their composers will be part of the program notes.

“We are pleased to return to Hyde Hall to present this concert,” said Schwartz, the founder and director of Musicians of Ma’alwyck.

The Ma’alwyck ensemble, which has won numerous accolades, is well known in the Capital Region and at Hyde Hall. For this performance, in addition to member violist André Laurent O’Neil, the ensemble will be augmented by guest artists violinist Fritz Krakowski and violist/cellist Katrina Smith.

The entrance to Hyde Hall is at 267 Glimmerglass State Park Road, Cooperstown. For more information, visit https://hydehall.org/.

Hall of Fame To Host Banana Ball at the Hall on Friday, Sept. 15

COOPERSTOWN

The Savannah Bananas have made history with their unforgettable brand of baseball.

The National Baseball Hall of Fame will document that history with a new exhibit and welcome the Bananas to Cooperstown in a Friday, September 15 event at the museum the night before the Bananas’ final game of their 2023 World Tour at Doubleday Field. The museum will host “Banana Ball at the Hall,” a special event beginning at 5 p.m. on September 15 that will include the opening of a new exhibit display dedicated to the Bananas and a meet-and-greet-experience for fans.

Following the unveiling of the Bananas display with a ribboncutting event, members of the Bananas and the Party Animals, their opponents on their World Tour, will be stationed throughout the museum in a meet-and-greet experience for fans.

The “Banana Ball at the Hall” will run until 7 p.m. on September 15, and will be available to all guests with museum admission. Advance tickets can be purchased online at baseballhall. org/events/banana-ballhall and are recommended, as the event is expected to sell out.

A ticket to the September 16 game at Doubleday Field, which is sold out, is not required for entry to “Banana Ball at the Hall.” The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum will be open extended hours until 7 p.m. on Saturday, September 16.

The Cooperstown Trolley will feature special hours September 15-16, with visitors encouraged to use the Red, Blue and Yellow lots on the edge of the village. The trolley will be in service from 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Friday, September 15, and from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, September 16. Daily trolley passes, which are

$2.50 per person, with children under 5 free, are available from the trolley driver, cash only. Daily passes may also be purchased with a credit or debit card at convenient kiosks located in the trolley parking lots or in front of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.

The Savannah Bananas began play in the Coastal Plain League in 2016 before launching Banana Ball, which is played under modified rules, in 2020. Banana Ball features a two-hour time limit, no stepping out of the batter’s box or mound visits and no bunting, as well as the recording of an out when a fan catches a batted foul ball.

The team has sold out every game at Grayson Stadium in Savannah, Georgia for six straight years, and has sold out every game during their 2023 World Tour.

For the game at Doubleday Field, which begins at 1 p.m. on September 16, the

VIOLENCE INTERVENTION PROGRAM

The Violence Intervention Program at Opportunities for Otsego offers support to victims, survivors and families impacted by violent crime such as domestic violence, sexual assault, physical assault, elder abuse, stalking, hate crimes, motor vehicle assault and homicide.

The Violence Intervention Program offers assistance in accessing crime-related supports and resources. Counseling

Bananas will face off against their rival, the Party Animals. The Bananas and Party Animals rosters will be filled by independent professional players who have been scouted, tried out, and signed

contracts for the 2023 Banana Ball World Tour. The Bananas have been featured across the globe for everything from playing a game in kilts, using a Dancing First Base Coach, the Banana Nanas Dance Team, the

first ever baseball player to wear stilts, a Banana Pep Band, breakdancing players, and a whole lot more. For more information, visit baseballhall.org or call (888) 425-5633) or (607) 547-7200.

Art Garage To Host Rural Public Transit Panel COOPERSTOWN

The Art Garage will host a panel discussion as its final program associated with the “Passages” exhibition on Wednesday, September 6 at 5 p.m.

“Rural Public Transportation: Challenges and Opportunities” will feature Mohawk Valley Economic Development District Planner Anthony SwannMarris, Bassett Research Institute scientist David Strogatz and a representative from Getthere, a Binghamton-based rural mobility agency. Reservations for the talk are recommended but not required, and guests are reminded to park on the gallery lawns rather than the road. “Artists, by nature, think outside the box,” said Art Garage Founder and Director Sydney Waller. “The work they create can also inspire thinking outside the box.” Swann-Marris will speak about the history of public transportation in rural areas, including its prevalence before aggressive automobile marketing caused municipal policymakers to neglect or actively undermine other transit options in the mid-20th century. He will also touch upon a few 21st-century approaches and solutions he is working on. Swann-Marris grew up in rural Oneida County and was often “frustrated and perplexed” by the lack of transportation options, an experience which pushed him towards his career in community planning. He helped improve service on the Seattle area’s bus, train, light rail and streetcar options and now works at MVEDD to improve transportation access in rural communities. Strogatz and Getthere will describe their respective perspectives and projects, particularly related to the challenges older citizens of an automobile-centric society face when they can no longer drive. The gallery will open at 4:30 with light refreshments and an opportunity to view “Passages,” featuring work based on artists’ metro rides. The exhibition closes on September 9. The Art Garage is open 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturdays and daily by appointment; call (315) 941-9607 or contact leartgarage@gmail.com.

Photo provided Musicians of Ma’alwyck returns to Hyde Hall on September 10 for a presentation highlighting the history of the Zoellner String Quartet.

LegaL nOtice

SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF OTSEGO INDEX NO. EF2023-118

Plaintiff designates OTSEGO as the place of trial situs of the real property

SUPPLEMENTAL SUMMONS

Mortgaged Premises: 8 ELM STREET, WORCESTER, NY 12197

Section: 199.18, Block: 2, Lot: 48.00

MORTGAGE ASSETS MANAGEMENT, LLC Plaintiff, vs.

DAWN TOMEK, AS HEIR AND DISTRIBUTEE OF THE ESTATE OF WILLIAM VAJDA; DIANNE VAJDA, AS HEIR AND DISTRIBUTEE OF THE ESTATE OF WILLIAM VAJDA; JEFFREY C VAJDA SR, AS HEIR AND DISTRIBUTEE OF THE ESTATE OF WILLIAM VAJDA; UNKNOWN HEIRS AND DISTRIBUTEES OF THE ESTATE OF WILLIAM VAJDA, any and all persons unknown to plaintiff, claiming, or who may claim to have an interest in, or general or specific lien upon the real property described in this action; such unknown persons being herein generally described and intended to be included in 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 such deceased, any and all persons deriving interest in or lien upon, or title to said real property by, through or under them, or either of them, and their respective wives, widows, husbands, widowers, heirs at law, next of kin, descendants, executors, administrators, devisees, legatees, creditors, trustees, committees, lienors and assigns, all of whom and whose names, except as stated,

are unknown to plaintiff; SECRETARY OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT; NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF TAXATION AND FINANCE; UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,

“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.

To the above named Defendants

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

In the event that a deficiency balance remains from the sale proceeds, a judgment may be entered against you.

NOTICE OF NATURE OF ACTION AND RELIEF SOUGHT

THE OBJECT of the above caption action is to foreclose a Mortgage to secure the sum of $135,000.00 and interest, recorded on July 25, 2013, in Instrument Number 20133991, of the Public Records of OTSEGO County, New York., covering premises known as 8 ELM STREET, WORCESTER, NY 12197.

The relief sought in the within action is a final judgment directing the sale of the premises described above to satisfy the debt secured by the Mortgage described above.

OTSEGO County is designated as the place of trial because the real property affected by this action is located in said county.

NOTICE YOU ARE IN DANGER OF LOSING YOUR HOME

If you do not respond to this summons and complaint by serving a copy of the answer on the attorney for the mortgage company who filed this foreclosure proceeding against you and filing the answer with the court, a default judgment may be entered and you can lose your home.

Speak to an attorney or go to the court where your case is pending for further information on how to answer the summons and protect your property.

Sending a payment to the mortgage company will not stop the 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: August 11, 2023

ROBERTSON, ANSCHUTZ, SCHNEID, CRANE & PARTNERS, PLLC Attorney for Plaintiff Matthew Rothstein, Esq. 900 Merchants Concourse, Suite 310 Westbury, NY 11590

516-280-7675

4LegalSept.21

LegaL nOtice NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

Otsego County

Otsego County will hold a public hearing on September 6, 2023 at 9:55am at the

LEGALS

Otsego County Office Building Second Floor Board Chambers, 197 Main Street Cooperstown, NY 13326 for the purpose of hearing public comments on the County of Otsego’s current Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) project: 868PF111-22, Otsego County Springbrook Fence, $300,000.

The CDBG program is administered by the New York State Office of Community Renewal (OCR), and provides resources to eligible local governments for housing, economic development, public facilities, public infrastructure, and planning activities, with the principal purpose of benefitting low/moderate income persons.

The hearing will provide further information about the progress and eventual closeout of the ongoing CDBG project. Comments related to the effectiveness of administration of the CDBG project will also be received at this time. The hearing is being conducted pursuant to Section 570.486, Subpart I of the CFR and in compliance with the requirements of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974, as amended.

The CDBG program is administered by the New York State Office of Community Renewal (OCR), and made available to eligible local governments approximately $15 million for the 2023 Program Year for economic development, small business, and microenterprise activities, with the principal purpose of benefitting low/moderate income persons. Otsego County, along with the subapplicant, Springbrook, applied for $300,000 in CDBG funds to construct a security/safety fence along the Springbrook campus boundary.

The Otsego County Office Building (197 Main Street, Cooperstown) is accessible to persons with disabilities. If special accommodations are needed for persons with disabilities, those with hearing

impairments, or those in need of translation from English, those individuals should contact Trevor Fuller at 607-547-4340, at least one week in advance of the hearing date to allow for necessary arrangements. Written comments may also be submitted to Otsego County Planning Department, 197 Main Street, Cooperstown NY 13326 until September 11, 2023.

Dated: August 22, 2023

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NOTICE OF FORMATION OF Infinite Hearts Reiki L.L.C.

Filed 8/21/23.

Office : Otsego County . SSNY designated as agent of L.L.C. upon whom to process against LLC. SSNY shall mail a copy of the process to LLC, 177 Cemetery Rd, Fly Creek , N.Y. 13337.

Purpose, general 6LegalOct.5

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NOTICE OF FORMATION OF LLC.

Monticello Wind LLC (LLC)

Filed Arts. of Org. with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 8/22/2023.

Office location: Otsego County. SSNY designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process may be served and SSNY shall mail process to the LLC at c/o Liberty Renewables Inc., 90 State Street, Albany, NY 12207.

Purpose: any business permitted under law.

6LegalOct.5

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NOTICE OF FORMATION OF A LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY

Crooked Reel Productions LLC filed Articles of Organization with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on APRIL 28, 2023.

Office location: Otsego County. SSNY designated as agent upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of any process served upon him or her to: 228

Mountain Tom Road Springfield Center, NY 13468 and 1967 Wehrle Drive Suite 1086 Buffalo, NY 14221.

Purpose: Any lawful act or activity.

6LegalSept.28

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NOTICE OF FORMATION OF ACKLEY TREE SERVICE LLC.

Filed 4/7/23. Office: Otsego Co. SSNY desig. as agent for process & shall mail to: 3 Rose Ave, Oneonta, NY 13820. Registered Agent: United States Corporation Agents, Inc., 7014 13th Ave , Ste 202, Bklyn, NY 11228.

Purpose: General.

6LegalSept.28

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NOTICE OF FORMATION OF 62 Maple Street, LLC.

Articles of Organization were filed with the NY Secretary of State on 7/12/23. The office of the LLC is to be located in Otsego County. The Secretary of State has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. The Secretary of State shall mail a copy of any process against the LLC served upon him to: The LLC, 493 Chestnut St., Ste. 2, Oneonta, NY 13820. The purpose of the LLC is to engage in any lawful act or activity.

6LegalSept.14

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NOTICE OF FORMATION OF The Turk Plantation LLC

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

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

Purpose: Any lawful purpose. 6LegalSept.14

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NOTICE OF FORMATION OF Waterman Trucking LLC.

Filed 7/18/23.

Office: Otsego Co. SSNY desig. as agent for process & shall mail to: 242 Waterman Rd, Worcester, NY 12197.

Purpose: General.

6LegalSept.14

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NOTICE OF FORMATION OF DOMESTIC LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY;

Name of LLC: 379 COUNTY HIGHWAY 33, LLC;

Date of filing: July 26, 2023; Office of the LLC: Otsego Co.; The NY Secretary of State has been designated as the agent upon whom process may be served. NYSS may mail a copy of any process to the LLC at 6559 State Highway 80, Cooperstown, New York 13326; Purpose of LLC: Any lawful purpose. 6LegalSept.7

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NOTICE OF FORMATION OF Pleasant Brook Hotel LLC.

Filed 6/28/23.

Office: Otsego Co.

SSNY desig. as agent for process & shall mail to: 510 State Hwy 165, Roseboom, NY 13450.

Purpose: General. 6LegalSept.7

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NOTICE OF FORMATION OF RCBJ PROPERTIES, LLC

Notice of formation of Limited Liability Company (“LLC”). Limited Liability Company Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of New York (“SSNY”) on 07/21/2023. Office location: 168 Clover Hill Road, Oneonta, Otsego County, NY.

SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY may mail a copy of any process to the LLC,

168 Clover Hill Road, Oneonta, New York 13820.

Purpose: Any lawful act under New York LLC Law.

6LegalSept.7

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NOTICE OF FORMATION OF Kostek Consulting LLC

Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on April 30, 2023.

Office Location: Otsego County. SSNY Designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of process to 20 Quarry Street, Cherry Valley NY 13320

Purpose: Any lawful purpose.

6LegalSept.7

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NOTICE OF FORMATION OF JNC OTSEGO LLC.

Filed 6/26/23. Office: Otsego Co.

SSNY desig. as agent for process & shall mail to: James Crutchley, 13 Oliver St, Framingham, MA 01702.

Purpose: General.

6LegalSept.7

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NOTICE OF FORMATION OF 31 Walnut Street, LLC, a Limited Liability Company (LLC)

filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on July 18, 2023. NY office Location: OTSEGO County. SSNY is designated as agent upon whom process against the LLC may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: 31 Walnut Street, LLC, 31 Pioneer Street, Suite 3, Cooperstown, New York 13326. General Purposes.

6LegalSept.7

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NOTICE OF FORMATION OF

Alan/Roberta Steere LLC.

Articles of organization were filed with the NY Secretary of State on 6/30/2023. Office location

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, 161 Tunnicliff Road, Richfield Springs, NY 13439.

Purpose: any lawful.

6LegalSept.7

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NOTICE OF FORMATION OF

The Chief Schenevus, LLC. Arts. of org. filed with SSNY on 07/13/2023.

Office: Otsego County. SSNY designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of process to the LLC, 104 Stevens RD, PO Box 126, Maryland, NY 12116.

Purpose: Any lawful purpose.

6LegalAug.31

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NOTICE OF FORMATION OF Oneonta Family Medicine PLLC

Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 7/10/23

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 1123 County Highway 26, Fly Creek NY 13337.

Purpose: Any lawful purpose.

6LegalAug.31

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NOTICE OF FORMATION OF RSD Enterprises LLC

Articles of Organization filed with the SSNY on 6/29/2023.

Office location: Otsego County. SSNY designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of process to: RSD Enterprises LLC, c/o Robert Dunbar 235 Flax Island Rd, Otego, NY 13825.

Purpose: Any lawful purpose.

6LegalAug.31

Betty A. Bell 1930-2023 COOPERSTOWN—

Betty A. Bell, age 92, of Cooperstown, passed away Tuesday, August 22, 2023.

She was born September 20, 1930 in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, a daughter of Harness E. Alt and Mary gorence.

A graduate of Cooperstown High School, Class of 1948, she graduated from the nursing school at Crouse Irving Hospital in Syracuse, which she attended from 19511953. A registered nurse at Mary Imogene Bassett Hospital from 1955-1992, Betty was a clinic coordinator for 10 years and an ER nurse for 13 years, where she was a respected and admired dignitary of the community.

She was known for her spirited sense of humor and animated story telling.Alifetime member of the VFW Auxiliary in Cooperstown, she was also a member of the Native Daughters of Cooperstown.

Betty had a large family, many to whom she was a caregiver, including her mother, Mary. She loved to polka dance and frequent The Otesaga with her Aunt gladys. She was also an avid reader and enjoyed her daily crossword puzzles.

Betty was predeceased by her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Roy Roberts, her daughter, Wendy Lee, her sister, Pauline, and brother Roy Jr.

She leaves behind her son, geoffrey Bell, and his wife, Christine Bell; granddaughter Kimberly Baker, along with two self-estranged grandchildren, Victoria and Brock Bell; and two greatgranddaughters that she never met but held dearly in her heart. She also leaves behind numerous cousins including Louise, her best friend, Suzette, and godchild Becky, who provided special support in her final days.

A private graveside service will be held at St. Mary’s Cemetery, Index, where Betty will be laid to rest near her daughter, Wendy Lee.

A celebration of Betty’s life to which all are invited will be offered from 2-5 p.m. on Saturday, September 2, 2023 at the Cooperstown Veterans Club.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be directed to the VFW Auxiliary, PO Box 1272, Cooperstown, NY 13326.

Arrangements are under the care and guidance of the Connell, Dow & Deysenroth Funeral Home in Cooperstown.

Edward G. Burns 1954-2023

OTE g O—Edward g. “Chip” Burns Jr., 68, of Otego passed away August 22, 2023 after a 13-year battle with cancer.

He was born on September 1, 1954 in Oneonta, the son of Edward g. and Ella M. (Tuttle) Burns.

Chip graduated in 1973 from Oneonta High School.

He married his highschool sweetheart, Joan Van Curen, on February 9, 1974.

Chip was employed with the D&H Railroad in Oneonta from 19741986. In 1989, Chip started working with his childhood friend, Harold Wakin. Chip and Harold worked together as subcontractors for 20 years until Chip became ill in 2010.

Chip loved hunting, ice fishing, golfing, shooting his guns, and hanging with Dick and the guys on Tuesday’s blues night.

Chip is survived by his wife, Joan; son Jason and wife Jennifer, and son Marshall; 10 grandchildren; one great-granddaughter; brother Tom and wife Connie; sister Julie Minerosa; sister-in-law Denise Burns; brotherin-law Tom Downs and wife Mary Ellen; as well as several nieces, nephews, cousins, and special friends Chip played pool and cards with—Joe, Dave, Delbert, and Dennis. He was predeceased by his parents, Edward and Ella; brother Randy; and brothers-in-law Charles Van Curen and Carl Van Curen.

At Chip’s request, there will be no calling hours or service. Burial will be private with the family. A celebration of Chip’s life will be held at The Depot Restaurant on September 9, 2023 from 12:30-3:30 p.m.

To send the family an online condolence, please visit www.bookhoutfuneralhome.com

Arrangements are by the Bookhout Funeral Home, Oneonta.

Howard Charles Michaels

1934-2023

FLY CREEK— Howard Charles Michaels, known affectionately as Charlie, died August 26, 2023, following a brief illness. He was 89.

A fifth-generation Cooperstownian, Charlie was born and raised in Cooperstown. He graduated from Cooperstown High School then enlisted in the U.S. Army, serving in the signal corps during the post-war occupation of germany.

Honorably discharged, Charlie joined New York Telephone automating switchboards and spent off-hours enjoying Otsego Lake while entertaining aboard the Alkies Away. A chance meeting while skiing at Mt. Otsego introduced him to Barbara Yuenger and they were married in 1962. They settled in Fly Creek, where Charlie’s career path evolved into carpentry.

He joined the Neilson Corporation as a union carpenter building Bassett Hospital and Hartwick College. He worked for Harris Clark building Cooperstown’s Woodland Museum, then became an independent contractor specializing in home renovations, particularly kitchens, and leaving his mark on numerous Otsego Lake camps.

Charlie and Barbara’s shared entrepreneurial spirit shone as they painstakingly restored and expanded the old cider mill on their property. What started as a modest endeavor transformed into a beloved agritourism destination, where they pressed apples and created cherished memories with visitors. Their hard work and dedication to the Fly Creek Cider Mill has created a lasting legacy.

In the winter months, Charlie and Barbara lived in Park City, Utah, enjoying the famous powder snow and developing many friendships.

They continued with winters in Mesa, Arizona, fostering new connec-

pietrobono

51 Dietz Street oneonta, nY 607-432-1511

www.lhpfuneralhome.com

tions and enjoying the warmth of the desert.

Upon retirement, Charlie and Barbara embraced new adventures, moving to Camp Red Roost on Canada Lake. There, Charlie loved his workshop, and maintained the camp while tending to his collection of apple parers and planes. He relished his days on the Nick Stoner golf Course and the camaraderie of the 19th hole.

As an avid deer hunter, Charlie traveled to Canada, where he bagged his prized buck. Closer to home, he enjoyed a lifetime of hunting seasons on the east side of Otsego Lake, Bed Bug Hill, and at the Wedocandors in the Adirondacks. As a life-long skier and proud member of the National Ski Patrol, Charlie was known for his smooth form and tight cristies, and explored many mountains in North America and Europe.

Charlie is survived by his wife, Barbara; daughter Francine (Warren) Hoffman; his sons, H. William Michaels and Richard (Kimberly) Murphy; grandchildren Arthur and Jane Hoffman, H. Henry and Sadie Michaels, and great-granddaughter Serenity Hoffman. He is predeceased by generations of the Michaels and Simonds families of Cooperstown.

In accordance with his wishes, private services will be held, and Charlie’s resting place will be Lakewood Cemetery, as well as the cherished landscapes of Canada Lake, Bedbug Hill, and the great North Woods. Charlie leaves behind memories of fun and adventure, an empty glass, no untracked powder, and a few lucky deer.

Arrangements are under the direction of Tillapaugh Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, expressions of sympathy can be made with the Friends of Bassett.

Linda Louise Reeves 1955-2023

LAURENS—Linda Louise Reeves, 67, of Laurens passed away on Thursday, August 17, 2023, surrounded by her family. She was born September 9, 1955 in Norwich to Leland and Wanda (Dain) Hoag.

Linda was employed by the Laurens Central School as a teacher’s aide. She was a Zumba instructor at the school as well. Her favorite

Home

155 Main Street Worcester, nY 607-397-9711

www.hellerskinnerfh.com

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

pastime was gardening.

Linda is survived by her children, Danielle (Nate Sheldon) Fish and Matthew (Angela) Fish; brothers Charles (Marie) Hoag, Joseph (Cheli) Kollgaard, and Lee Hoag; sister Lisa (Jeff) Bower; sister-in-law Barbara Hoag; and grandson Nash Taylor Sheldon; as well as several nieces, nephews, and cousins. Besides her parents, Linda was predeceased by her brother, Randy Hoag.

Linda’s funeral service was held on Friday, August 25, 2023 at The g rove of Butternut Valley in Morris. Her burial is at the Laurens Village Cemetery privately.

Donations in Linda’s memory may be made to the American Cancer Society, PO Box 6704, Hagerstown, MD 21741.

Linda’s family has entrusted her care to the Johnston & Stanimer Funeral Home of Morris. Online condolences may be made at www.johnstonfh.com

Lawrence P. Richards

1976-2023

COOPERSTOWN—

Lawrence Penson “Larry” Richards, a lifelong resident of the Cooperstown area, passed away unexpectedly late Friday morning, August 11, 2023 at Bassett Medical Center in Cooperstown.

He was 47.

Born July 31, 1976 at Mary Imogene Bassett Hospital in Cooperstown, Larry was the son of Lawrence Dale “Lannie” Richards and Shari L. Nelson Richards. Raised in Cooperstown, he graduated with the Class of 1995 from Cooperstown Central School.

Throughout his life he worked at Haggerty Ace Hardware and gordy Robinson’s Service Station on Chestnut Street in Cooperstown.

Larry is survived by his sister, Jennifer Lea Richards, of the Town of Middlefield.

He was predeceased by his mother, Shari L. Richards, who died June 16, 2011, and his father, Lawrence Dale “Lannie” Richard, who died June 10, 2022.

There will be no services at this time.

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

Kenneth Lynn Tompkins

1960-2023

WEST LAURENS—

Kenneth Lynn Tompkins of West Laurens, New York went home to the loving arms of his Savior on August 21, 2023. Ken was born the eldest of four boys on January 17, 1960 to the late Lynn and Jane (griffin) Tompkins in Carbondale, Pennsylvania.

Ken grew up in the rural town of South gibson, Pennsylvania. Although not born into farming, Ken realized early on in his upbringing that he enjoyed all aspects of the trade. As a boy, he loved working on the neighboring Decker farm, and he could be found there constantly. After graduating high school, with

Continued on page 12

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

Photo provided BETTY A. BELL

Photo provided EdwA rd G. Burns

Photo provided HOwA rd C. MICHAEL s

Photo provided LI ndA LO u I s E r EEVE s

Oneonta-based Company Principals arrested for Medicaid Fraud

By WRILEy NELSON

ONEONTa

Philip Mtui, Mbaga Kaiza and Tony Taylor, principals at the Oneonta-based Phinaliz Communications LLC, were arrested in connection with a massive Medicaid fraud scheme on Thursday, august 24. State Comptroller

MACHINIST

Thomas P. diNapoli announced the arrest on Monday, august 28 on behalf of state, local and federal investigating agencies. The defendants are accused of stealing over $1 million from Medicaid by billing for fake transportation services, duplicating and inflating costs, and paying kickbacks to Medicaid recipients.

Phinaliz Communications is enrolled in Medicaid as a participating transportation provider. It is owned by Mtui, 46, of Mechanicville. Kaiza, 47, is operational manager and is also a New york State resident. Taylor, 42, is a manager, dispatcher and driver. Medicaid patients may use registered transportation services to access legitimate medical appointments, with costs billed to Medicaid by the service provider. a fouryear investigation by state, local and federal authorities revealed that Mtui and Kaiza defrauded Medicaid by

Sportsfield Specialties is seeking a hands-on Machinist who can work independently and/or with others as a production team member with good analytical skills. Candidate must be reliable and flexible with schedule during summer months.

Responsibilities/Duties inclu D e but not limite D to:

• Maintain safe and clean working environment by complying with the required procedures, rules, and regulations.

• Program and operate various CNC equipment such as lathes, vertical mills, full turning centers, saws.

• Ability to read prints, product paperwork, and specifications.

• Inspect parts with precision measuring tools.

• Monitor output to ensure consistency with specifications and disregard defects.

• Perform other related duties as assigned.

requ I red quA l I f ICATI o NS/

S k I ll S:

• High attention to detail.

• Ability to complete tasks in a safe and efficient manner in a deadline-driven environment.

• Ability to communicate effectively.

• Ability to use and operate hand tools and warehouse equipment safely.

• Must be mathematically inclined.

edu CATI o N/exper I e NC e:

• High school diploma or equivalent required.

• Trade School, College and/or experience in machine operating or relative field preferred but not required.

pHySICA l r equ I re M e NTS:

• Prolonged periods of standing and walking.

• Frequent lift, push/pull and carry anywhere up to 7Slbs periodically and occasionally above shoulder.

• Frequent hand/wrist movement and forearm rotation.

• May be required to participate in medical exams that are required, such as NYS DOT physical and or NYS DOT drug screen, 3rd party hearing test, and/or medical exam for required PPE (respirator medical form).

High Growth Potential, Salary DOE, great benefit package includes but not limited to: health, dental, vision, 401(k) with company match, life insurance, flexible spending and paid time off. To apply, submit application online at www.sportsfield.com, fax resume to (607) 746-3107 or send resume to: Human Resources, P.O. Box 231, Delhi, NY 13753.

Authorization to work in the U.S. is a precondition of employment. We do not sponsor employment visas.

claiming payments for rides that never occurred and by charging double, triple or quadruple the approved rates for rides that did occur.

Investigators found that Medicaid enrollees were paid kickbacks to use Phinaliz services and to provide their personal information to facilitate the alleged crimes. The multi-year investigation involved extensive surveillance and the execution of a search warrant on company headquarters. according to a release, this is the first round of arrests in an ongoing investigation. another Phinaliz LLC has been registered

The job scene

To place effective employment ads, call 607-547-6103

Renovation SaleS/PRoject ManageR

The ideal candidate is a self-starter, independent thinker, and problem solver.

Role and Responsibilities

• Receive phone calls and emails from homeowners

in East Greenbush for the past 10 years, and Mtui’s LinkedIn profile says he is a University of albany graduate and is based in the East Greenbush area.

Mtui and Kaiza were arraigned in Oneonta City Court on one count of grand larceny in the first degree, theft of over $1 million. They were both held on $250,000.00 bail. Taylor was arrested on one count of conspiracy in the sixth degree, a charge related to the kickback scheme, and will be arraigned on Tuesday, September 19. The Otsego County department of Probation, the Otsego County department of Social Services, the New york State department of Motor Vehicles, the Oneida County Sheriff’s Office, the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office and the East Greenbush Police department assisted in the investigation.

of Police [Christopher] Witzenburg and the U.S. department of Health and Human ServicesOffice of Inspector General, this fraud was uncovered and now these defendants will be held accountable.”

“In initiating this investigation, we immediately realized its impact and importance and are therefore appreciative of the support we received,” added devlin. “We commend our local, state, law enforcement, and administrative partners, especially Paul White of Viapath Technologies, for their tireless dedication to a comprehensive and thorough investigation. Collectively, this effort identified, disrupted, and dismantled criminal activity that affected every citizen and taxpayer of New york State.”

• Setup showroom tours and home visits

• Execute field check/measure window openings for quoting purposes

• Build turnkey proposals using window software and pdf builder

• Complete sales, release orders, build installation summary

• Work with General Manager to set up all installations

• Visit installations

•Qualifications

Those with residential construction experience HIGHLY preferred. Education level not important

• Construction project management a plus Required Skills Computer proficiency required – pdf builder, two different window software programs (we will train), Quickbooks, Microsoft Suite (Excel, Word), Outlook

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To apply, send resume to heather@oneontawindowanddoor.com

“The defendants allegedly engaged in a systematic scam to defraud the Medicaid program of millions of dollars,” said diNapoli. “Medicaid fraud impacts us all and diverts money from those truly in need. Thanks to the partnership between my office, Otsego County district attorney [John] Muehl, Otsego County Sheriff [Richard] devlin, Oneonta Chief

“The disruption of this criminal behavior and associated kickbacks for fraudulent charges has an impact beyond theft,” said Witzenburg. “The kickbacks were undoubtedly used to fuel substance abuse issues for vulnerable people, resulting in a host of other complications in our community. It is not just an example of theft and fraud from the public, but the exploitation of people for profit.”

Meet the Candidates Event Set

ONEONTa

The Oneonta democratic Club will hold its second Meet the Candidates Breakfast of the season at 9 a.m. on Saturday, September 9 at Get Fresh on the Main Café, 254 Main Street in Oneonta. deirdre Hay, candidate for New york State Supreme Court Sixth district, which covers much of the Southern Tier, and MacGuire Benton, candidate for Otsego County Clerk, will address the gathering and take questions from the audience.

Candidates for the County Board and Oneonta Common Council may also attend.

“I’m looking forward to having breakfast with community members,” Benton said. “Listening and taking questions from residents is my top priority. I’m eager to share my vision and ideas for the future of the County Clerk’s office and dMV. Many thanks to Get Fresh on the Main for hosting us.”

attendees are asked to RSVP in advance by emailing garymaffei@gmail.com or by visiting the Oneonta democrats Facebook page.

Partial Observer

Continued from page 4

hydro-ontario-green-energy/) Economist Brady youch at the Canadian Consumer Policy Institute said that “[the government] appears to have overridden concerns of experts” and “now you have a political electricity system, as opposed to one that’s based on economics or cost-effectiveness,” he said. Liberals ignored advice that could have saved Ontarians billions. Ontario will instead add a third generating station to the Bruce Power nuclear facility near Kincardine.

Weatherization/Energy Svcs.

Home Energy Auditor

Education/Disabilities Specialist

Head Start Recruiting & Outreach Coordinator

Home Visitor

FT Weatherization/Energy Svcs. Positions working 4 days, 10-hr. shifts:

Crew Laborer

Crew Leader

FT Head Start Positions with school breaks and summers off: Bus Driver Family Partner Classroom Aide

Here in New york, too, a more efficient and economical grid could be achieved by relicensing existing upstate nuclear plants and integrating new nuclear power into the grid. Nuclear does not require new transmission or new storage. Each nuclear reactor can last 80 years and support a thousand good jobs. It requires a fraction of the land needed for solar or wind. Pursuing New york’s slogandriven policy, the first 80,000 acres of farmland bulldozed for Chinese panels will represent New york’s flawed effort to replace Indian Point’s reliable baseload generation with under-performing solar. as gas and electricity prices continue to spike, as grid reliability declines, as rural New york becomes more resolute in its opposition to state-sponsored energy sprawl, perhaps we will hear similar mea culpa coming out of the CaC, NySERda, and the governor’s office in the next few years.

Dennis Higgins is a retired math/computer science professor. He and wife Katie run a farm in Otego and, as a family, they are committed to addressing climate change any way they can, including 20KW of solar panels, geothermal heat, all electric appliances, and driving an EV. Dennis has been engaged in regional energy issues for approximately 15 years.

News briefs

Compiled by Wriley Nelson

Art by the Lake Winners Announced

COOPERSTOWN—Fenimore Art Museum held its 16th annual Art by the Lake juried art invitational on the museum grounds on Saturday, August 12. Eight awards were presented, including the prestigious Fenimore Award, which represents “best in show,” won by Matthias Kern of Andes. Kern will lead relief printmaking lessons for adults at the museum. A two-day basic linocut and woodcut class for students with little or no experience will take place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, September 9 and Sunday, September 10. The advanced class in printmaking techniques will follow on Saturday, September 16 and Sunday, September 17.

Kathryn DeZur of Oneonta won the Photography Award. Marie Sanderson of Ithaca received the Painting Award. The 2D/Mixed Media Award went to Sonoka Fukuma Gozelski of West Edmeston and the Sculpture/3D Award was awarded to John Jackson of Jefferson. Golden Artist Colors sponsored two painting technique awards: the Painter’s Award, for best use of color, went to Karen Cooper of Duanesburg and the Judge’s Award, for best technique, went to Alex Roediger of Brooklyn. Kate Sullivan, from Cooperstown, received the Viewer’s Choice Award.

Benton Wins ‘Customer Service’ Line Bid

COOPERSTOWN—Following a challenge by opponent Jennifer Basile, the New York State Supreme Court recently ruled in favor of the MacGuire Benton campaign, allowing Benton to appear on both the Democratic and independent Customer Service ballot lines in November’s election for Otsego County clerk. The court ruled that the challenge was invalid. “This is a win for the people of Otsego County and the more than 1,300 voters who signed my independent petition. Like all elections, it is important for the people to have their voices heard and to have a fair and open choice in November. This ruling upholds that ideal and gives the people of Otsego [County] the power to make the decision,” Benton said in a press release.

Bass Tournament Attracts Devoted Anglers

RICHFIELD SPRINGS—The Richfield Springs Community Center held its annual bass fishing tournament on Canadarago Lake on Saturday, July 15. The event drew 32 boats and 76 anglers. The competition was judged by the combined weight of the three largest bass caught by each boat, with a separate “lunker” contest for the largest single fish. Top honors went to Nick Brutsky and Stan Rozyla, with 12.85 pounds; Don Hoag, with 10.36 pounds; and Matt Weisbecker and Jon Czarnecki, with 10.16 pounds. Weisbecker and Czarnecki also took home the “lunker” prize with a single fish weighing 4.93 pounds.

Event organizer and Community Center Board Director Bill Kosina said the tournament was a huge success.

“The fishing tournament was my dad’s idea for a fundraiser for the Community Center many years back,” Kosina said. “He had a bait shop and was in the Susquehanna Bass Association. He passed away in 2015 and this is one way of keeping his memory going.”

Sponsor donations and 10 percent of the entry fees funded the $1,188.00 prize pot. The bass tournament is held in cooperation with the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. For more information on the Community Center, visit www.richfieldspringscommunitycenter.org.

Cooperstown Artisan Festival To Return

COOPERSTOWN—The Cooperstown Chamber of Commerce will present the sixth annual Cooperstown Artisan Festival outdoors on the Otsego County Campus, 193-197 Main Street, on Labor Day weekend. The two-day family-friendly festival will feature more than 50 regional artists and crafters offering a wide range of handcrafted goods. It will run from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, September 2 and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, September 3. Saturday will feature live music by The Small Town Big Band and the Mopar Cams, and Warren Sieme and The Council Rock Band will play on Sunday. Brake from the Grind, Tacocat, B&B Kettle Korn and All the Perks coffee will offer food and drinks. Children’s activities will include a craft tent by the Fenimore Art Museum and The Farmers’ Museum, face painting by Nature’s Canvas, and an appearance by the Utica ZooMobile from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday. The festival will take place rain or shine and is free to attend. Visit https://www.cooperstownartisanfestival.info/2023festival?fbclid=IwAR2U_3YjnJaKKvyYPw2qzj89bAVEcl_8nxlJ6HsWjAQuIBqZtZRTA2R81U0 or call (607) 547-9983 for a schedule and complete list of vendors. For more information, contact office@cooperstownchamber. org or call (607) 547-9983.

MEF To Host Golf Tournament Fundraiser

FRANKLIN—Milford Education Foundation, a non-profit that supports educational programming and scholarships in the Milford area, will host its 15th annual golf tournament fundraiser on Sunday, September 17 at the Ouleout Golf Course in Franklin. The captain-and-crew format tournament begins at 8:30 a.m. Registration is $70.00 per person, which includes green fees, a cart, prizes and dinner, and supports the MEF. The winning team will receive a $200.00 prize. To register, visit www.milfordeducationfoundation. org or call (607) 286-7721, extension 8408.

Reception to be Held for New Art Exhibit

CHERRY VALLEY—25 Main Collective will host an opening reception for its September exhibition, “gestures,” from 5-8 p.m. on Friday, September 1. It will be part of the village-wide Cherry Valley First Fridays festival. The exhibit features recent work by local artists Christine Capuano, Donald Cook, Timeteo and Rebecca Zeh. It will be open through Sunday, October 1. The gallery is generally open for viewing 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Wednesday through Sunday. Interpretive Arts Dance Ensemble will headline the reception with a dance performance. Refreshments will be served.

Cornfield Contradance to Return

FLY CREEK—Otsego Dance Society will present a community contradance at Cornfield Hall in Fly Creek on Friday, September 1. The social dance will begin at 7:30 p.m. and last about three hours. Traverse, featuring Bernd Neumann, Liz Brown and Carol Mandigo, will perform the music, and Katy Heine will call. There is a suggested donation of $10.00 per adult and $5.00 per teen. For more information, visit the Otsego Dance Society Facebook page or call (607) 965-8232 or (607) 547-8164. Contradance is made possible by the Statewide Community Regrants Program.

DSS Sets Foster Care Information Session

COOPERSTOWN—The Otsego County Department of Social Services will hold an information session on foster parenting from 4-6 p.m. on Wednesday, September 6. There are more than 16,000 foster children in New York and there is a critical need for new families to provide this life-changing assistance. The event will be held on the third floor of the Otsego County building, 197 Main Street in Cooperstown. Call (607) 547-4355 for more information.

Continued from page 5

addiction. It is especially difficult when the fear of getting “the” phone call looms over one’s life like a storm cloud. Ask anyone who has been through it. They would probably be grateful for the question. A genuine, non-judgmental conversation can mean the world.

Hope is everything. I encourage you to not give up on people who, at this moment, can’t seem to find their way out. They have to fight past the

lies coming from their own brain. Love and acceptance can go a long way toward illuminating that path. Likewise, I encourage you to celebrate your friends, family and coworkers who are in recovery. It can be a real spirit booster when a person in recovery experiences appreciation and respect for their ongoing success.

Recovery is possible.

Recovery is hard.

Recovery is hope.

Recovery is a worthy pursuit. Celebrate Recovery 2023.

Obits

Continued from page 9

his father alongside him, Ken worked in masonry and construction for years, where a profound work ethic was further instilled in him. He continued this work until he returned to farming in 1980.

On February 25, 1989, Ken united in Holy Matrimony with his lifelong partner, Judith anne Lopatofsky, at Elm Park Church in Scranton, Pennsylvania. He was a devoted husband of 34 years and always kept God at the center of their marriage. He made it his sole ambition to provide for his wife and his children and, in that regard, he never fell short. Even through trials and tribulations, he and Judy had a way of giving their troubles to God, keeping it “lite,” and jokingly remarking that it’s all “peaches and cream.” Just as iron sharpens iron, they made each other stronger with each passing year.

Ken began managing a dairy farm of 55 cows in 1980 in West Clifford, Pennsylvania. He was able to expand the dairy to 75 cows while earning quality awards for milk he sold. In 1995, Ken and Judy took over the farm and began Elkdale Farms. and, in 2002 at the age of 42, when most would be complacent in their work lives, Ken relocated his entire working dairy farm and family 150 miles away to West Laurens, New york. With this move providing ample acreage and a larger barn capacity, Ken was able to soon double his herd in a free-stall dairy operation.

While raising a herd of just over 300 cattle, Ken continued to expand the cropland and reach of the farm. He thoroughly enjoyed working with his family and was especially proud to work with his sons and grandsons. Words cannot do justice to the energy and hours Ken spent on the dairy farm. His work ethic was unmatched, and he successfully farmed until God called him home.

Ken enjoyed the company of neighbors and friends; even when his schedule was totally filled, he made it a priority to make time for others—even if it meant chores were going to end very late that night. a charitable man, sacrificing for his family and friends in countless quiet ways, Ken was a man

Death Notice

Laura J. Seeley

BENNINGTON, VT—

Cooperstown Central School alumna Laura

private match and no match for public projects. Grants toward submitted projects qualify as part of the match, allen said.

projects in comparison to each other.”

of action, not of words and he led his family by example through many ups and downs in the dairy business and in life. Ken proved his love and devotion day after day, working tirelessly to provide for his family.

Ken was blessed with a remarkable 63 years of life filled with an abundance of God’s many blessings, great love and laughter. He was a beloved father, grandfather, brother, cousin, uncle, friend and neighbor. Ken was the quiet stronghold of his family and will be deeply missed by all who loved him.

His greatest joy was his loved ones, and his legacy will live on through his children and grandchildren. He is survived by his adored wife, Judy; cherished children, Sandy of High Springs, Florida and son Calix, Clair and wife Kayla of Morris and their children, Elijah, Clara, Emory, and Kristen; Paulina of Oneonta; Hollis and wife Marci of West Laurens, and their children, Jameson, della, and Laura; MJ and her husband, Greg, of Saratoga Springs, and their son, John.

Other survivors are brothers Wayne and wife Barbara of athens, Texas; John and wife Cheri of South Gibson, Pennsylvania; and Nate and Marsha Tompkins of South Gibson, Pennsylvania.

Family and friends are welcome to attend calling hours on Friday august 25, 2023 from 47 p.m. at the Johnston & Stanimer Funeral Home, 60 Broad Street, Morris. His funeral service will be held Saturday at 1 p.m. at the First Baptist Church, 50 Broad Street, Morris with his burial in Hillington Cemetery and a reception to follow.

His family has entrusted his care to the Johnston & Stanimer Funeral Home in Morris. To offer an online condolence to his family or to watch his tribute video please visit www. JohnstonFH.com.

Jane Seeley, Class of 2002, has died following a two-vehicle crash in Bennington. according to police, Seeley crossed the center line in her Jeep Cherokee around 1:45 p.m. on Tuesday, July 22 on Route 279 near the U.S. Route 7 connector, hitting a truck with a camper attached to the bed. Seeley died on Wednesday afternoon, after being airlifted to albany Medical Center.

The driver and passenger of the truck sustained non-life threatening injuries, police said. The crash remains under investigation.

LPC

Continued from page 1

and Upper Main Street (wayfinder signage).

Private projects submitted were for KeyBank at 103 Main Street (21 apartment rental units), 134 Main Street (four two-bedroom apartments), 22 Glen avenue (apartments/ townhouses), Railroad Inn at 28 Railroad avenue (three long-term rental units), Wood Bat Factory Flagship Store at 33 Chestnut Street (demolish existing batting cages and rebuild/ expand), The Smithy at 53 Pioneer Street (full restoration of the interior to include heating and cooling restoration of the building facade), and the Pioneer Valley Microbrewery (primary access to Pioneer alley with tap room at the Pratt Hotel).

Following the overview of the 14 larger projects, LPC members discussed whether matching funds would be required and, if so, what those percentages might be.

LPC Co-chair Ken Meifert proposed no municipal match, a private match of 50 percent and a 25 percent match for nonprofit organizations, to get the discussion started.

according to Nicole allen of the Laberge Group, the other two New york Forward municipal awardees—Sharon Springs and dolgeville— chose different routes with regard to matching funds. Sharon Springs has set “recommended guideline” percentages of 30 percent private, 25 percent public and 30 percent for nonprofits, she said, while dolgeville requires a 25 percent

after a lengthy discussion, the Village of Cooperstown LPC determined that private projects would require a 50 percent match, with a 60 percent match preferred. Public projects and those submitted by nonprofits will require no match, with a 10 percent match preferred.

during the back-andforth, LPC member Carolyn Lewis said “there should be some municipal skin in the game,” while Cooperstown Mayor Ellen Tillapaugh pointed out that the village projects are “for the public good” and are not in any way a private benefit.

It should not be forgotten, Tillapaugh said, that “we wouldn’t even be in this room if the village hadn’t written this grant with certain projects in mind. I’m glad we’ve opened the doors, but keep that in mind.”

Meifert said he did not want to hamstring the village by requiring a public match.

LPC member Josh Edmonds recommended that someone should have a conversation with, and give guidance to, those submitting private projects to let them know the higher their match, the more attractive their project will be when submitted at the state level.

LPC working groups will meet in executive session in the coming weeks to fully vet the 14 large projects, and will be reviewing the small projects to see if any of those can be moved up to the large project level.

as part of New york Forward, a maximum of $300,000.00 can be allocated by the village to a Small Project Fund. a separate local group will administer those projects, which will require a 25 percent match.

The group then assessed the draft project evaluation criteria provided by Laberge. allen said the worksheet has been relatively vetted already, including comments from Sharon Springs and dolgeville officials. Meifert described the document as “exhaustive” and Carolyn Lewis said “it’s a great guide, I wouldn’t overthink it.”

department of State Revitalization Specialist Stefan Lutter reiterated that the worksheet was essentially “a qualitative discussion guide to help you think about the

The LPC’s final act of the evening before public comments was to discuss a boundary expansion for the project area to fully incorporate project proposals involving Willow Brook, Grove Street and Upper Main Street. Meifert moved to expand the boundary with a second by Tillapaugh and the expansion was approved.

during the public comment portion of the meeting, village resident Michael Bartlett asked for confirmation that vehicular traffic would still be allowed on Hoffman Lane. Lutter assured Bartlett that it would, but the “design would discourage thru-traffic.”

Liz Callahan cautioned the group that any changes to historic character and properties would need to be weighed at the state and local levels. Ellen Pope expressed concern regarding the intensity of water use and disposal of the proposed microbrewery. Given the proximity of that property to the lake and sewer, the brewery may not be feasible in that location, Pope said.

at the close of the meeting, Mayor Tillapaugh expressed how incredibly pleased she was with the support the village and LPC are receiving from the department of State and the Laberge Group. The next Ny Forward public meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, September 13 from noon to 4 p.m. at the Cooperstown Firehouse, 24 Chestnut Street. Final project proposals are due to the state by November 15.

Octet

Continued from page 1 thing,” Buddle recalled in an e-mail on Sunday, august 27. “COVId restrictions were still rampant and there wasn’t much we could do together. Local outdoor hiking was the perfect solution.”

Buddle has since completed every Octet challenge, along with his nephew, Jack. They did four of the 10 challenges as “ultras,” meaning that they did all eight hikes in a single day. Three of their finishes, including the most recent, have been “supers,” meaning that they did everything on the Octet list rather than choosing eight hikes. according to an Otsego Outdoors post, the Super Summer Octet involved 15 activities, and Buddle

borrowed one of the organization’s bicycles to complete a New Lisbon bike loop challenge.

“Our next goal is to work on ‘super ultras,’ meaning everything on the list in one day,” Buddle said.

“Initially what amazed me was that I have lived in Oneonta for 15 years and wasn’t even aware of the existence of a lot of these trails,” he continued. “Each trail has something special.”

Buddle strongly recommends the Fetterley Forest trail in Richfield, Star Field, outside of Cooperstown, and the Woodruff Center, adjacent to Owen d young Central School in Van Hornesville. He also said that the Table Rock Trails at Hartwick College and the audubon Bird Sanctuary on Franklin Mountain provide excellent contrasting views of Oneonta.

“The Texas School House walking trail is an excellent outdoor learning center resource with a gorgeous beaver pond,” he said. “However, this particular trail has not been maintained this year and is overgrown. I wouldn’t recommend it until maintenance has been done, unless you like bushwhacking.”

Buddle is an avid outdoorsman and qualified for the Catskills 3500 Club in October 2019 by summiting all 35 high peaks over 3,500 feet. He has repeated four of those peaks in winter conditions. Buddle has climbed a total of 76 mountains and completed two Catskill Fire Tower Challenges, but has largely stepped back from intensive climbing due to knee problems.

“The Otsego Octet trails have been a perfect replacement and I plan on continuing as long as they do,” he said.

“Here’s one of the best parts that people don’t realize: Most of these hikes are not difficult,” Buddle concluded.

Even the steep inclines of the Sleeping Lion trails at Glimmerglass are doable and easy to enjoy with a little preparation. “dress appropriately for the season, use bug spray and sunscreen in the summer and proper footwear in the winter. There will be ice!”

For more information on Otsego Octet challenges, visit https://otsegooutdoors.org/

Photo provided KENNETH LYNN TOMPKINS

Letters

Continued from page 4

Seward Endorses Jennifer Basile

I worked with hundreds— maybe thousands—of public servants during my decades of serving our region as state senator. There’s no question that Jennifer Basile is one of the best of the bunch. She is hardworking, detailoriented and committed to customer service. I’m proud to call Jennifer Basile a friend and look forward to casting my ballot for her for Otsego County clerk in this year’s election. She has my full endorsement.

Senator James L. Seward (ret.) Milford

Senior Picnic was ‘Spectacular’

On behalf of the Otsego County Council of Senior Citizens, I write to express our gratitude for the success of the 2023 Annual Otsego County

Grants

Continued from page 1

management, management of historical records or digitization. The LGRMIF was created in 1989 and is funded by fees collected by county clerks and the New York City Register during the recording of certain documents and the indexing of some court cases.

According to the grant awards list, the Town of Richfield received $13,891.00 and the City of Oneonta received $60,460.00, both in the inactive records grant category. This category encompasses projects to improve the management of records during the inactive phase of their life cycle. Inactive records are used infrequently, if at all, but have yet to reach the end of their required retention period. It also supports surveys of existing records backlogs to identify obsolete files, improve organization and plan for the near- and longterm future of municipal records retention.

Richfield Town Supervisor Dan Sullivan said that the town has not reorganized its records system since 1996. Previous supervisors did not apply for grant funding, but he made it a priority to get the resources to clean up the retention program.

“We have storage space of a certain size,” he said, “but we also have records going back almost to the 1700s scattered all over the office with nowhere to put them.”

Sullivan said the town reached out to a grant writer specializing in records maintenance grants to apply for the funding. The grant writer will also execute the grant once funds are disbursed. The town will develop a more detailed timeline once the money has been received.

“We’re hoping to develop the space to organize archives and records. This project will improve the efficiency of the entire town hall by freeing up space.”

The Oneonta Common Council approved receipt of the funds at its regular meeting on Tuesday, April 15. The full amount

Senior Citizens Picnic. It was held at the Glimmerglass State Park on August 9 and had 212 registered seniors for the event. The day was spectacular!

The weather favored folks to leave their homes, enjoy each other’s company over lunch catered by Mel’s at 22, participate in either the guided hike or stroll led by OCCA intern Nick, listen to the songs of the 70s by singers Jim and Marion Dorn, and try their luck at Bingo. The volunteers for the event were energetic, enthusiastic, and quick to offer assistance, making the picnic safe and fun for everyone no matter their physical limitations.

There were a number of area sponsors that made this event a success: Stagecoach, Stewarts’ Shops, Otsego County Dairy Promotion, Hannaford, Cooperstown Center, Chestnut Park/Robinson Terrace, Aqua Valley, Price Chopper, BJs, Walmart, Cooperstown Fire Department and Springfield Center EMS. NYCM has recently made a generous donation to initiate the planning of next year’s picnic.

We look forward to next

of funds will be used to commission consulting firm K Sickler Murphy to collect and organize paper records. The city is seeking other funding sources for a future project to digitize the records.

The Village of Margaretville and Walton Central School District each received an inactive records grant, as did the City of Utica. The long

year’s picnic for Otsego County adults, 60 and over.

Michael P. Lachance President

Otsego County Council of Senior Citizens

Wilber: ‘Keep the Experience’

We have two candidates in the running for Otsego County clerk. Jennifer Basile, a paralegal, and a notary who has been working in that office for 14 years. Jennifer has been the deputy clerk for seven of those years. She knows the complex workings of that office inside in out. Local attorneys who are a prime source of the documents maintained by the office give her great reviews. Jennifer understands the importance of these documents and the requirement for accuracy and completeness. Then we have MacGuire Benton. MacGuire, 25, a former four-year, parttime Cooperstown Village Trustee, with a year and a half as a deputy elections commissioner and three years in sales in a local business. This time totals about six and a half

process of records digitization in rural areas will likely continue for many years and inactive records will continue to drain the time and resources of small municipalities.

Building

Continued from page 1 owners and society members, Peter Oberacker and Ronald Wheeler, along

years of non-relevant positions. MacGuire boasts 10 years of excellent customer service. Where and how? My math places him counting time back to the age of 15? Further, he doesn’t even appear on the notary public list. I can speak for myself in stating that with 33 years of local and state government supervisory experience, six years as a town justice and eight years as a county board member, I wouldn’t know what to do in that office. Let’s keep the experience and elect Jennifer Basile for Otsego County clerk.

Dan Wilber County Representative for District 10, Burlington

Basile is Right Candidate for Job

I am writing to express my opinion on the upcoming Otsego County clerk election. It is imperative that the right candidate be chosen for the position to ensure that the clerk’s office and DMV are managed effectively. In this regard, I strongly believe that

with a gift of $35,000.00 to go toward the renovation of the mid-1800s, two-story building.

Most recently, from 1962 to 2021, 99 Main Street was the law office of Bruce McGregor, and has an interesting history as the location of an early Schenevus bank; a general store and post office; an insurance office; the home for several attorneys;

Jennifer Basile is the right candidate for the job.

Unlike MacGuire Benton, Jennifer Basile has worked in the office for years and has the relevant experience to run the clerk’s office and DMV efficiently. She has a strong track record of providing excellent customer service to the public and is well-versed in administrative procedures. Her knowledge and experience will be crucial in ensuring that the office is run effectively and efficiently.

On the other hand, MacGuire Benton has no experience in running a clerk’s office or DMV. Without the necessary experience and knowledge, it is unlikely that he will be able to perform the duties of county clerk effectively.

Therefore, I urge all voters to consider Jennifer Basile’s experience and track record when casting their vote in the upcoming election. She is the most qualified candidate for the job, and her election will ensure that the clerk’s office and DMV are managed effectively.

Bernie Zeh Hartwick

a meeting place for the Civil War veterans group, the Grand Army of the Republic, and its sister organization, the Woman’s Relief Corps.

“Future plans are for this location to become the Town of Maryland Historical Society Museum and meeting place. The society looks forward to making it an important part of a revitalized Main Street

Schenevus, thanks to the generosity of Pete and Ron,” according to a recent press release. Membership applications for the Town of Maryland Historical Society may be found on the organization’s Facebook page or by contacting Charlene Rubino at (607) 638-9028.

►Friday, Sept. 1

SENIOR MEALS

11:30 a.m. Seniors are invited to enjoy a delicious meal each Monday through Friday. Suggested donation is $3.50 for seniors, $10 for guests. Today, enjoy a lunch of breaded fish on a bun, macaroni and cheese, stewed tomatoes, and pudding. Nader Towers Housing, 2 Mitchell Street, Oneonta. (607) 547-6454.

OPENING RECEP-

TION 5–8 p.m. “Gestures” opens during the First Friday events. 25 Main Collective, 25 Main Street, Cherry Valley. (607) 264-5340.

TRAIN RIDES 6:30

p.m. Ride the Richfield Springs Scenic Railway. Tickets, $20/adult. Richfield Springs Scenic Railway, 168 McKoons Road, Richfield Springs. (315) 717-5969.

FIREPIT FRIDAY 7-10

p.m. Music, a bonfire and some beer. This week, enjoy indie rock and soul music with Gooseberry. Brewery Ommegang, 656 County Highway 33, Cooperstown. (607) 5441800. JAZZ NIGHT 7 p.m.

Come out for a fun night of jazz music with Rich Mollin. Admission is by donation. Cash bar available. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Foothills Performing Arts and Civic Center, Oneonta. (607) 4312080.

LATIN DANCE 8-11 p.m. Full Moon Party/Lat-

in Dance Night featuring salsa dance class at 8 and DJ Raphael mixing it up at 9. Origins Café, 558 Beaver Meadow Road, Cooperstown. (607) 4372862.

►Saturday, Sept. 2

DINE OUT 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Eat out at local restaurants to support Helios Care. Also held 9/3, 8 a.m. to noon. The Sunflower Cafe, State Highway 80, Cooperstown. (315) 985-8096

YARD SALE DAY

8 a.m. West Oneonta. (607) 376-7599 or visit facebook.com/DestinationOneonta MEMORIAL 9 a.m. to noon. Memorial garden workday with The Compassionate Friends. Oneonta Senior High School, 130 East Street, Oneonta. Visit tcfoneonta. org

EXHIBIT OPENS

9 a.m. to 4 p.m. “A Moveable Narrative.” Works that illustrate new perspectives on “still lives.” Roxbury Arts Center, 5025 Vega Mountain Road, Roxbury. (607) 326-7608.

RECOVERY RUN

9 a.m. 6th annual Rothenberger Road to Recovery Run. Includes options for 1K fun run/ walk, $20; 5K run/walk, $25; 10K run, $30. Features $1,200+ in prizes. Registration required. Neahwa Park, Oneonta. Visit rothenbergerrun. itsyourrace.com

PROGRAMMING

9:30-11:30 a.m. Learn to code Python. Held Saturdays 9/2 through 9/30. Huntington Memorial Library, 62 Chestnut Street, Oneonta. (607) 432-1980.

EXHIBIT OPENS

10 a.m. to 5 p.m. “James Edward Deeds: Drawn from the Asylum.” On view through 12/31. Fenimore Art Museum, 5798 State Highway 80, Cooperstown. (607) 5471400.

ART FAIR 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. “Fine Arts on the Lawn.” Find unique arts & crafts from area creators. Continues 9/3. Cooperstown Art Association, 22 Main Street, Cooperstown. (607) 5479777.

ARTISAN FESTIVAL 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Cooperstown Artisan Festival. Two-day event celebrates the creative spirit of the region and includes 50+ regional artists and crafts people selling handcrafted goods. Includes live music, food, activities, more. Continues 9/3, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Held on the grounds of the Otsego County Office Building, 193-197 Main Street, Cooperstown. (607) 5479983.

IROQUOIS ART FESTIVAL 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Celebration of Iroquois creativity, featuring the Iroquois Invitational Art Market, social performances by The Sky Dancers of Ontario, Onondaga storyteller Perry Ground family activity area with participatory crafts, and much more. Continues Sunday 9/3. Admission, $8/adult. Iroquois Museum, 324 Caverns Road, Howes Cave. (518) 296-8949 or visit www.

iroquoismuseum.org

EXHIBITION 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. “Passages: Creatures & Curiosities,” featuring Petey Brown, Ava Fedorov and Helen Quinn. Free admission. Also open daily by appointment. The Art Garage, 689 Beaver Meadow Road, Cooperstown. (607) 547-5327.

TRAIN ROBBERY

Noon. Action-packed ride featuring shootouts, period costumes and fun for the whole family. Tickets, $25/adult. Reservations required. CooperstownCharlotte Valley Railroad, departing from 136 County Route 166, Milford. (607) 432-2429.

PERIOD FARCES

Noon & 2 p.m. “A Good Night’s Rest” presented by The Templeton Players. The Farmers’ Museum, Cooperstown (607) 5471450.

TRAIN RIDES 1 p.m. Nature discovery and appreciation on the “Mink Creek Local” over railway bridges and into the “Great Cedar Swamp.” Learn the history of the local railway built in 1868. Tickets, $20/adult. Richfield Springs Scenic Railway, 168 McKoons Road, Richfield Springs. (315) 717-5969.

WRITERS GROUP 1:30 p.m. Join online group to work on writing prompts, share current work and get some feedback. Presented by the Huntington Memorial Library, Oneonta. Register at hmlwriters@gmail.com

CONCERT 7 p.m. Robin and Linda Williams. Close harmonies with lively guitar and banjo.

Admission, $15. Windfall Dutch Barn, GPS location is 2009 Clinton Road, Fort Plain. (518) 9922976 or visit windfall-

dutchbarn.com

MUSIC 7:30 p.m. Bid summer farewell with a rollicking party featuring The Rubber Band. Doors open at 7. Tickets, $10. The Star Theater, 44 Main Street, Cherry Valley. (607) 264-3080.

►Sunday, Sept. 3

CONCERT 3 p.m. Oneonta Community Concert Band presents “Dreamscapes.” Program features “In Dreams“ by Cait Nishimura, “Ember Skies” by Kevin Day, “American Riversongs” by Pierre La Plante and more. Free; held rain or shine. Pavilion, Wilber Park off Center Street, Oneonta. (607) 376-7485.

►Monday, Sept. 4

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

►tueSday, Sept. 5

COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS—8-9 a.m. Networking group discusses Oneonta’s past, present and future. No agenda, just informal, nonpartisan conversation. All welcome. Held each Tuesday at Green Earth Health Market, 4 Market Street, Oneonta. SCULPTURE—9:45

a.m. Human Sculpture Bust. 8-week sculpture class exploring general human facial proportions and solid clay construction techniques. Held Tuesdays through 10/24. Tuition, $280 includes clay. Adults of all levels welcome. The Smithy, 1 Otsego Court, Cooperstown. Gallery@ SmithyArts.org.

COMMUNITY HIKE

9:45 a.m. Hike with the Adirondack Mountain

Club. Bring appropriate equipment, water, and be aware of level of fitness. This week’s hike will be at Betty & Wilbur Davis State Park, Schenevus. Contact hike leader Linda Pearce at (607) 432-8969.

MONTHLY MEET & GREET—5:30 p.m. Welcome Home Cooperstown Community Meet and Greet. Welcome new residents to the area and help them make connections with established residents and institutions. Village Hall, 22 Main Street, Cooperstown.

ART COLLECTIVE

6 p.m. Teens and adults are invited for this quiet time to work on your art with likeminded company. Richfield Springs Public Library, 102 West Main Street, Richfield Springs. (315) 858-0230.

►Wed., Sept. 6

ART CLASS—10 a.m. to noon. Sign up for “On the Edges of Transparency and Opacity” with instructor Phil Young. Explore the use of self-leveling acrylic gels. $40, includes materials. Continues Wednesdays through 9/27. Presented by The First United Methodist Church, 66 Chestnut Street, Oneonta. (607) 432-4102. CROCHET CIRCLE

3:30 p.m. Bring a crochet project and work with friends, learn to crochet, more. Worcester-Schenevus Library, 170 Main Street, Worcester. (607) 397-7309.

ART WORKSHOP

6-7 p.m. Make an owl or a hedgehog out of a recycled book. Registration required. Huntington Memorial Library, 62 Chestnut Street, Oneonta. (607) 432-1980.

FIGURE THIS—6-9 p.m. Practice drawing from life in the studio with models and professional artist Jonathan Pincus on hand to answer questions. $18/session (cash). Cooperstown Art Association. (607) 547-9777 or visit https://www.cooperstownart.com/

►thurS., Sept. 7

MAKER CLUB—10 a.m. Bring your art, crochet, sewing, knit or other handwork project to chat, share and enjoy making. Held each 1st and 3rd Thursday. Springfield Library, 129 County Road 29A, Springfield Center. (315) 858-5802 or visit http://libraries.4cls.org/ springfield/programs-andevents/adult-programs/ COMMUNITY TABLE 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Enjoy a free lunch each first Thursday. St. Joseph the Worker, 35 Canadarago Street, Richfield Springs. (315) 858-1682 or visit https://stjoseph.work/ google-calendar

BOOK CLUB—Noon. Potluck Cookbook Club. Village Library of Cooperstown, 22 Main Street, Cooperstown.