Legacy Of Philanthropy TO PACKED HOUSE, JANE FORBES CLARK DETAILS FAMILY’S MISSION/B1
HOMETOWN ONEONTA !
E RE
F Volume 8, No. 15
City of The Hills
& The Otsego-Delaware Dispatch Complimentary
Oneonta, N.Y., Friday, January 15, 2016
Peter Macris Envisioned County As Arts Mecca Choral Society, Symphony, Opera, Orpheus Theater, Foothills Part Of Same Piece By JIM KEVLIN
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hat do the Catskill Choral Society, Glimmerglass Opera, Orpheus Theater and Foothills Performing Arts Center, four cornerstones
Ian Austin/HOMETOWN ONEONTA
Maj. Sharon Harford, commander of the Salvation Army’s Oneonta post, stands with the melted bins at the back of the Salvation Army Emergency Services Vehicle, the scene of a possible arson on New Year’s Eve/STORY, A2
of the arts in Otsego County, have in common? Peter Macris, 84, who passed away Saturday, Jan. 9 in Suffield, Conn., where he and wife Ursula lived since 2008, was a founder of each. On arriving in Otsego County in 1964,
he discovered singers, musicians and actors, and spent the next 40 years creating the outlets they needed to thrive artistically, is how Dorothy Caswell, a Choral Society co-founder, explains him. “Peter was an idea person,” she said, as Please See MACRIS, A3
City Hotels Filling Up For Griffey Jr., Piazza Day Of Dreams
3 Oneonta Reps Appointed Chairs On County Board COOPERSTOWN
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or the first time in memory, Oneonta reps are chairing three Otsego County Board of Representativies committees. Craig Gelbsman, R-12, chairs the influential Intergovernmental Affairs Committee, as well as a special committee, Government Efficiency. Freshman Len Carson, R-13, chairs Public Safety & Legal Affairs. And veteran Kay Stuligross, D-14, chairs Health & Education. Also at the Wednesday, Jan. 6, organizational meeting, freshman Andrew Stammel, D-Town of Oneonta, took his seat. HELPING HAND: Plattekill Mountain in Roxbury is offering $45 lift prices on “Platty Gives Back” Day Monday, Feb. 1, with a share to be donated to the Delaware/Otsego United Way. Call Susan Kurkowski at 432-8006 for details. AT STATE OF STATE: Former mayor Kim Muller and her daughter, Hannah, were headed to Albany Wednesday, Jan. 14, to hear Governor Cuomo deliver his State of the State speech for 2016.
Peter Macris
Julianna Britton, Berne, models a flower girl’s dress at the Rainbow’s End fashion show.
By LIBBY CUDMORE
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n hour before Mike Piazza and Ken Griffey Jr. were even announced as this year’s Baseball Hall of Fame inductees, the phones at the Courtyard By Marriot on Southside were ringing non-stop. “They continued through the night and into the next day,” said Alison Crotts, sales manager. But surBaseball Hall of Fame photo prisingly, as Ken Griffey Jr., and Mike of Tuesday, Piazza meet theleft, press Thursday, Jan. 12, Jan. 7, at the New York Athletic Courtyard Club after being named to the still had a Hall of Fame’s 2016 class the few rooms evening before. available for Induction Weekend, July 22-25. “At this same time last year, we weren’t completely booked,” she said. “But this year there’s going to be a higher demand.” At the Holiday Inn/Southside, rooms have already Please See INDUCTION, A7
Downtown Beautification Will Get Underway Soon Ian Austin, Chris Eldred/HOMETOWN ONEONTA
Bride-to-be Katie Monser, Hartwick, above, and her mom Karla stop at one of the 43 vendors at Foothills “I Do” Bridal Expo Sunday, Jan. 10, traditionally the first bridal show of the year.
Janet Quackenbush, right, briefs Hazel Coyle of Oneonta and bride-to-be Eileen on Sunrise Catering’s goodies.
Springbrook, Polar Bear Jump Collaborate By LIBBY CUDMORE
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f Springbrook CEO Patricia Kennedy has her way, COO Seth Haight will take the polar plunge into Goodyear Lake on
Saturday, Feb. 20. “Who do we want to see jump?” she asked the crowd gathered for a pep rally to support the 21st annual Goodyear Lake Polar Bear Jump. Please See JUMP, A2
By LIBBY CUDMORE
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mooth brick pavers, new planters and maybe even a bandstand in Muller Plaza. It’s the Main Street that Community Development Director Bill Kerbin and Mayor Gary Herzig are envisioning. “It’s going to really continue to improve downtown Oneonta for future development,”
said Kerbin. “It’s complementary to the whole strategy of economic Kerbin examines a developdeteriorat- ment.” In ing planter. 2014, the city received a $400,000 Community Block Please See WORK, A7
HOMETOWN ONEONTA, OTSEGO COUNTY’S LARGEST CIRCULATION NEWSPAPER 2010 WINNER OF The Otsego County Chamber/KEY BANK SMALL BUSINESS AWARD
“Sometimes I think my head is so big because it is so full of dreams” Written by Bernard Pomerance · Directed by Darcy Gibson Starring Steve Dillon, Darcy Gibson, Rachel Rissberger and Gary E. Stevens
January 29 and 30 at 8 pm · January 31 at 3 pm Tickets: 607-434-6606 Adults - $15 • Seniors and Students - $12 • Under 12 - $10 Performed at
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Sponsored by