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ajor repair to the columns and steps on Village Hall’s front porch was to begin Wednesday, May 11, a week ahead of scheduled, Trustee Lou Allstadt, who chairs the Village Board’s Building Committee, announced. During the work, library patrons and visitors to the Cooperstown Art Association, village offices and the police station may enter on the building’s Fair Street side. CANNY STEP: The CCS district had been receiving $2,500-$3,500 when trading in school buses, Business Manager Amy Kukenberger reports. In recent years, though, she’s been garnering $11,000 for the distict by selling them on eBay. DONATE BOOKS: The first drop-off of your books, CDs and DVDs for the Friends of the Village Library’s annual book sale is 10 a.m.-noon Saturday, May 14, at 22 Main. A second drop-off will be June 11, and the sale begins June 25.
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ristin Ratliff has never been so excited to get back to school. “It feels so weird being home on a Tuesday!” she said on May 10. “I’m feeling much better now – I guess I freaked out a lot of people.” Ratliff, 18, will return to her normal life as a CCS senior a week after going into cardiac arrest during the
Village Hall Work Starts Week Early
WWW.ALLOTSEGO.COM Newsstand Price $1
After Scare, CCS Athlete Home From Hospital COOPERSTOWN
Scott Feik escorts Abby Miller into the 2016 Cooperstown Cotillion Friday, May 6, at The Otesaga/MORE PHOTOS, A3
For 208 Years
Cooperstown, New York, Thursday, May 12, 2016
By LIBBY CUDMORE
Jim Kevlin/The Freeman’s Journal
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COOPERSTOWN AND AROUND
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Home Center State Conference track meet at the school Wednesday, May 4. “I ran the 4x8 relay, and the next thing I knew, I woke up in the ICU the next night,” she said. According to high school principal and athletic director Mike Cring, the record-holder collapsed at the end of the race. As it happened, Bassett Hospital was wellrepresented on the sidelines. Kristin’s father, Dr. Derek Ratliff, helped administer CPR, assisted by Dr. Eric Knight and Tom Fay, R.N. Jim Kevlin/The Freeman’s Journal Please See Kristin, A5
Kristin Ratliff and mom Janet
THE PRICE OF HUMANENESS
Oneonta veterinarian Joan Puritz performs volunteer spayings at shelter.
Who Should Help To Pay Shelter Cost? As County Board Debates, Animal Care Runs In Red By JIM KEVLIN HARTWICK SEMINARY
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n Sunday, March 13, Otsego County Sheriff’s deputies, acting on a report of animal maltreatment, seized seven pit bulls – mom and ITEMIZE BILL for six chilcare provided Kabella dren – at and her six pitbull a Laurens puppies appears on home and www.AllOTSEGO.com transported them here to the Susquehanna Animal Shelter (formerly the Susquehanna SPCA). The animal shelter’s new director, Stacie Haynes, asked the deputy in charge to sign a certificate of financial responsibility. “He told me that was above his pay grade,” said Haynes, and he referred her to his Please See INVOICE, A7
New President Bullish About Shelter Future By JIM KEVLIN HARTWICK SEMINARY
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aylord Dillingham, new president of the Susquehanna Animal Shelter Board of Directors, finds himself surrounded by “a very capable small group of Dillingham people.” Yes, he’d like a few more people on the board, but he’s quite happy with Kathy Clarkson, first vice president; Laurie Zimniewicz, second vice president; Jessica Sobers, secretary, Jim Kevlin/The Freeman’s Journal and board members Susquehanna Animal Shelter volunteer Sue Leonard, Cherry Valley, Please See FUTURE, A7 gets an appreciative kiss from Reagan, one of seven pitbulls seized during a March 13 raid in Laurens.
Ilion Lawyer Challenges Seward Candidate From Sherburne May Also Seek Democratic Nomination COOPERSTOWN
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uddenly, there are two Democrats looking to run against state Sen. Jim Seward, R-Milford, who would be running for his 21st term this fall. Audrey Dunning, an Ilion lawyer, an-
nounced to the Herkimer County Democratic Committee Tuesday, May 10, that she’s running in Seward’s 10-county 51st state Senate District. Also Tuesday, Otsego County Democratic Chairman Richard Abbate of Please See RACES, B6
Ann Mecciarello Promoted To Principal, Permanently COOPERSTOWN
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he Cooperstown Central school board confirmed Ann Meccariello as permanent elementary school princi-
pal at its Monday, May 9, meeting. She has served as interim principal since the retirement of Teresa Gorman in June 2015 “with poise and Please See HIRED, B6
THE FREEMAN’S JOURNAL & HOMETOWN ONEONTA, OTSEGO COUNTY’S LARGEST PRINT CIRCULATION 2010 WINNERS OF The Otsego County Chamber/KEY BANK SMALL BUSINESS AWARD