BEST BREWER IN THE WORLD
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erby or two under its shelter. If you have a Totes, there’s less shelter, reasons Vinnie Russo, proprietor of Mickey’s Place and dean of the downtown baseball merchants. “When attendance at the Hall of Fame began to decline, fewer Please See 20 YEARS, A7
Vinnie Russo, dean of the downtown baseball merchants, has been reflecting on Dreams Park’s impact for 20 years. Jim Kevlin/The Freeman’s Journal
Word Circulates That CVS Is Buying Motel
Bank-robbery suspect Dennis Gelatt is booked by sheriff’s deputies.
Deputies Arrest Edmeston Bank Heist Suspect
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Newsstand Price $1
Main Street Now Depends On Dreams Park’s Success COOPERSTOWN
n Earlville man is in Otsego County jail after he was arrested Sunday, June 5, and charged with robbing the NBT Bank branch in Edmeston on May 23. Dennis D. Gelatt, 31, was taken into custody when Otsego and Madison county sheriff’s deputies executed a search warrant at a Madison County home. For details update, visit:
For 208 Years
WWW.ALLOTSEGO.COM
Cooperstown, New York, Thursday, June 9, 2016
By JIM KEVLIN
EDMESTON
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COOPERSTOWN AND AROUND
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Volume 208, No. 23
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Mainstay May Quit Main Street By JIM KEVLIN COOPERSTOWN
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commercial properties outside the downtown. O’Brien’s heirs, sons Albert and Edward, and daughter Kathleen Ramirez, set a floor on bids – $2 million, some say. Martin Tillapaugh, lawyer for the estate, opened the bids last week, but was unavailable for comment for this article. Others briefed on the bidding, however, said CVS’ bid caused other interested parties to quickly drop The Freeman’s Journal out. The village’s existing Michael and Hali CVS, the pharmacy at Bloom, Sarasota, Fla., who have twin 100 Main St., is a major sons at Dreams year-’round draw to the Park, walk past the downtown, equaled endangered CVS. Please See CVS, A7
ONE FOR THE TEAM
t was the worst-kept secret in downtown Cooperstown this week. While there was no official announcement, word quickly circulated that CVS Health of www. OTSEGO.com Woonsocket, R.I., had submitted the high bid to acquire the 1.25-acre WATCH FORUM: The forum of Democratic and Re- Cooperstown Motel publican candidates seeking property at the village’s busy southern gateway. to succeed U.S. Rep. Chris After long-time Gibson, at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Foothills in Oneonta, may motel operator Albert K. also be viewed later at www. O’Brien died last Oct. 23, a half-dozen unsoliclwvoneonta.org. ited bids were received for one of village’s rare FOND FAREWELL: His congregation is planning a retirement reception for Rev. Bill Delia, pastor, Cooperstown Methodist Church, 1-4 p.m. Saturday, June 11, at the church, 66 By LIBBY CUDMORE Chestnut St. All friends and fans in the community welcome. HARTWICK
All
Re-Erecting Markers Can Affect Insurance, Hartwick Kin Advised
the Hartwick Cemetery Association. “But they have to stay down so that the insurance investigators can photograph them the way they are.” On Wednesday, SHE INSPIRES: CCS he hardest part June 1, Phillips got third-graders are dedicating in the vandala call that there was this year’s annual track meet, ism of the broken glass in the planned Thursday, June 9, to Hartwick Cemetery cemetery driveway. Kathleen Galland-Bennett, is doing nothing. She and supervisor the teacher and running en“People, busiJerry Gage went to thusiast who died of cancer nesses keep calling, investigate, and found last summer. asking if we want that 54 tombstones had them to help put the been overturned, broThe Freeman’s Journal tombstones back up,” 54 tombstones were ken and vandalized. said Ina Phillips, the toppled in Hartwick Please see secretary/treasurer of Cemetery. VANDALS, A6
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Jim Kevlin/The Freeman’s Journal
CCS phys-ed teacher Monica Wolfe finishes the Cooperstown Triathlon Saturday, June 4/MORE PHOTOS, B5
THE FREEMAN’S JOURNAL & HOMETOWN ONEONTA, OTSEGO COUNTY’S LARGEST PRINT CIRCULATION 2010 WINNERS OF The Otsego County Chamber/KEY BANK SMALL BUSINESS AWARD