FIND MEDALLION, WIN $500 INSIDE, 2ND COOPERSTOWN WINTER CARNIVAL CLUE/SEE A3
HOMETOWN ONEONTA !
E RE
F Volume 6, No. 19
City of The Hills
& The Otsego-Delaware Dispatch Complimentary
Oneonta, N.Y., Friday, January 31, 2014
Ethan Harris, Oneonta 2011 Idol, Wows J-Lo, Heads To Hollywood By LIBBY CUDMORE
I
n his 2011 Morris Central School yearbook, Ethan Harris quoted Martin Fisher: “Life is the greatest ticket to the greatest show on earth.” Now, he has another great ticket: to the
Ethan Harris wows J-Lo in a screen capture of a video of his Detroit performance Wednesday, Jan. 22.
Hollywood stage where 31 “American Idol” contestants perform. On Wednesday, Jan. 22, the former Oneonta Junior Idol took the “American Idol” audition stage in Detroit in front of judges Harry Connick Jr., Jennifer Lopez and Harris’ own musical idol, country Please See IDOL/A7
RECORD POLAR TALLY! Ian Austin/Hometown Oneonta
Oneonta’s George Siatos of Trout Unlimited shows Brianna Angellotti, Middlefield, how to bob the bait to attract the fishes’ attention at Hartwick Rod & Gun Club Saturday, Jan. 25. But she was after selective catches, claiming, “I am only fishing for boy fish.”
4-3 Vote Backs Focus, $18.5 Million Bidder By RICHARD WHITBY INDEX
T
he sale of Otsego Manor to a private buyer is being predicted by year’s end after a Stuligross county committee appointed to privatize the nursing home voted 4-3 Monday, Jan. 27, to begin contract negotiations with Focus Ventures L.L.C. of Rockland County. “We voted to sell to Focus Ventures because we had determined they would continue the high quality of care expected,” county Rep. Kay Stuligross, DOneonta, who chaired the effort, Please See MANOR, A6
NWS Observer David Mattice Provides Data
B
eginning with this edition, David Mattice, National Weather Service observer for the Oneonta area for the past 30 years, will provide local weather data monthly to this newspaper. His first report appears in this edition/See Page 5 LOTS OF HELP: In all,
571 volunteers “carried puppets, danced or played music” at First Night Oneonta New Year’s Eve, Carol Mandigo, board chair, estimates. FILLING VACANCY: The
Oneonta school board is seeking applicants to replace Grace Larkin, who resigned Jan. 6. To apply, call Eileen Lishansky, district clerk, at 433-8232, ext. 300. UP AND AWAY: The city
Airport Commission, created by Common Council in December, planned to meet for the first time at 4 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 30, in council chambers. IRON CHEF ALERT: The
deadline is Friday, Jan. 31, to compete in Bassett Research Institute’s first Junior Iron Chef competition. Details from Doris, 547-7696.
Manor’s Sale Due This Year
Ian Austin/Hometown Oneonta
With a turnout of over 260 bidders, the Goodyear Lake Polar Bear Jump Chinese Auction, held Sunday, Jan. 29 in the Milford Central School gym, raised a record $7,100 to help seven local children afflicted with debilitating conditions. Above, Matt Epps, Oneonta, places tickets in prize bags from local businesses as his son Kason waits patiently in the stroller. Right, recipient Isabelle “Tinker” Ewing, Oneonta, shares a hug from Goody the Polar Bear with her sister Teresa and her friend Kaitlyn Sobey.
Strip Mall Likely At Neptune Site, Supervisor Says Ian Austin/HOMETOWN ONEONTA
Decker’s Dancers To SUNY Oneonta Rescue High School Girls Due To Perform In College Production Of Purcell’s ‘Fairy Queen’ By LIBBY CUDMORE
C
olby Thomas, a SUNY Oneonta voice instructor, asked Donna Decker about historical dances for the Apollo
Music Club’s performance of Henry Purcell’s baroque opera “The Fairy Queen.” Decker had it covered. Over the summer, students in her Donna Decker School of Ballet had studied just those kinds of historic dances.
“I said, ‘We can do that’!” she said. “It was such a coincidence. We had even done ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream,’ last year for our recital. It was déjà vu.” The previous summer, Decker Please See DANCERS, A7
By LIBBY CUDMORE
W
here once the Neptune Diner was, a retail space will soon be. At least that’s the hope of Tasi and Paul Karabinis, the former owners of the diner, which closed its doors on Dec. 29 after 28 years of service. The Karabinises, as NSN & PK Realty Inc., submitted an application and a site plan to the Town of Oneonta for 18,999-square-foot retail space where the vacant Please See NEPTUNE, A6
HOMETOWN ONEONTA, OTSEGO COUNTY’S LARGEST CIRCULATION NEWSPAPER 2010 WINNER OF The Otsego County Chamber/KEY BANK SMALL BUSINESS AWARD
THE RETURN OF TWO FAVORITES! FRIDAY PRIME RIB & FISH FRY
SUNDAY BRUNCH A delicious buffet awaits you with an omelet bar, fresh waffles, bacon, sausage, homemade sticky buns, yogurt and salad bar and much, much more! Full menu also available. 9 am to 2 pm $11.95 adults • $9.95 kids and seniors
Join us for dinner & enjoy a satisfying Prime Rib or our Guinness Beer-Battered Fish Fry! Complete with salad, veggy and potato of your choice. 5 pm to 9 pm
Come for dinner, stay for fun!
Call for reservations 607-433-2250
Holiday Inn Oneonta • 5206 State Hwy 23, Oneonta
DJ Patrick Del Rosario on board! Karaoke starts at 9 pm on Fridays.