Hometown Oneonta 04-02-20

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For a list of restaurants/A2 and A3

HOMETOWN E!

E FR Volume 12, No. 26

ONEONTA

& The Otsego-Delaware Dispatch

Oneonta, N.Y., Thursday, April 2, 2020

City of The Hills

Visit www.

AllOTSEGO.com

COVID-19 CLAIMS BRENDA L. UTTER, OF MORRIS

‘A Good, Kindhearted Person’

By ELIZABETH COOPER MORRIS

J

ust a few months ago, Brenda Utter celebrated surviving breast cancer for 5 years. “She was so ecstatic about making it,� her husband of 44 years, Phillip Utter, said Monday, March 30, just four days after she died of COVID-19.

Brenda Utter, of Morris, was the first person in Otsego County to die

DOING WHAT THEY CAN

HOMETOWN ONEONTA

When coronavirus closed the Green Earth Health Food Store’s doors, Rachel Shaughnessy decided to launch Community Ties, delivering dinner kits within 10 miles of Oneonta’s Main and Market streets/SEE B1

While homeschooling her son for the time being, Destination Oneonta’s Katrina Van Zandt is organing a coloring contest for county youngsters.

SEE MULTIPLE REPORTS ON

ON

Brenda L. Utter, 1956-2020

of the virus, which had taken 3,578 lives nationally and 1,500 in New York State as of press time.

In an interview, Phillip Utter said he was still in shock. The illness took his wife within about a week of her first signs of sickness, he said.

The couple went shopping for groceries on March 14 to buy provisions so they could stay home and practice social distancing, as health officials had advised.

They didn’t know anyone who had coronavirus, which causes COPlease See VICTIM, A7

AllOTSEGO.com

CORONAVIRUS STRIKES SENATOR SEWARD, WIFE

Cindy and Jim Seward

S

tate Sen. Jim Seward’s office announced Monday, March 20, that he and his wife Cindy have been stricken with the coronavirus.

He is being treated in Albany; she is recuperating at home. â–şSee EDITORIAL, A4

Bassett Holds Own – So Far Numbers Climb, But More Tests Available, Beds Not Lacking Yet

By ELIZABETH COOPER

- doctors at Bassett Healthcare Network have been anxiously preparing for an onslaught of patients here.

Though our numbers are growing, they have not leaped as high as feared. “We are able to manage the patients that are coming in and need to be cared for,� Dr. Steven Heneghan, Bassett’s Network chief clinical officer, who is overseeing the network’s clinical response to the virus.

The precautionary measures the public is taking, along with Bassett’s triage system, are working, he said.

But he cautioned that the picture could still change. “We are expecting the worst and preparing for the worst,� he said. “And we Please See BASSETT, A7

COOPERSTOWN â–şASSEMBLYMAN Brian MILLER tested positive for COVID-19. ine days ago there His district includes Springwere no Coronavifield, Middlefield, Westford rus patients among and Maryland. people who called Otsego â–şEMPLOYEE STEALS face mask from Bassett, sheriff says. Josie County home.

D. Wright, 33, was a contract As of Tuesday, March 31, employee at the hospital. there were 16. â–şPRESIDENTAL PRIMARY MOVED, And one of those, Brenda Jim Kevlin/HOMETOWN ONEONTA Utter of Morris, has died. to June 23. Cooperstown election date uncertain.

Patients range in age ►county encourages visitors from 20 to 75, county health to alert Health Department, officials said. There are 53 self-isolate for 14 days. can help keep Otsego County’s tourism top people more on mandatory

By LIBBY CUDMORE â–şMOTORCYCLE CRASH in quarantine because they of mind.

Richfield killed Kyle Seamon, have been in close contact After all, people aren’t going to be 20, Burlington Flats. with a positive case.

ONEONTA sheltering in place forever. â–şdecision on Glimmerglass As the state’s numbers “We know that tourism has a big impact Festival’s 2020 season is due have climbed to the highest oloring and photography cannot only on Oneonta,â€? she said. “So we partnered with in two weeks, said Francesca be calming, says Destination Oneonta This is Cooperstown on its coloring contest.â€? in the nation - some 75,000 Zambello, artistic & creative Director Katrina Van Zandt, but they Please See HELPERS, B6 as of Tuesday, March 31 director. â–şSUNY ONEONTA will host its delayed 2020 commenceONEONTA’S GEORGESON PRAISED ment on Saturday, Aug. 29. â–şFENIMORE, FARMERS’ museum announces schedule of “virIf Owners Must Abandon Pets, tual programsâ€? during April. â–şâ€?no wipes in pipesâ€? is a new Pet Food, Kennel Space Ready campaign by Delaware Engineering encouraging people would be

By LIBBY CUDMORE

By LIBBY CUDMORE to discard disinfecting wipes interested in in trash baskets rather than being the city’s flushing them down the toilet. ONEONTA health officer,â€? COOPERSTOWN â–şSCHUYLER LAKE man who she said. “I walks in front of truck on hen Dr. Diane was honored, tacie Haynes, executive director, Route 22 is killed.

Georgeson took a but I did not Susquehanna SPCA, doesn’t want ►county planners have call from Mayor anticipate a anyone’s pet to go hungry during the asked citizens to limit and Gary Herzig at the beginpandemic!�

Jim Kevlin/HOMETOWN ONEONTA COVID-19 crisis.

Georgeson shorten their visits to transfer SQSPCA Director Stacie Haynes ning of the year, she had no Georgeson, “We have a very well-stocked pet food panstations. sorts through pet food donations idea what awaited her. a recently retired Fox Hospi- try,â€? she said. “People can call or email us â–şOFO RECEIVED AN $11,000 “Gary asked me if I Please See DOCTOR, A7 Please See SHELTER, A7 that are pouring in. grant to help fight coronavirus.

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Van Zandt, Oliver, Drnek Take Initiative

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Animal Shelter Awaits Challenges

Expecting Little Excitement, Health Officer In Maelstrom

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S

HOMETOWN ONEONTA, OTSEGO COUNTY’S LARGEST CIRCULATION NEWSPAPER 2010 WINNER OF The Otsego County Chamber/KEY BANK SMALL BUSINESS AWARD Enjoy your Hawkeye Bar & Grill favorites from the comfort of home ‰b|_ o†u |o ]o v;uˆb1;Äş _;1h o†| |_; -‰h;‹; l;m† orাomv omŃ´bm; and simply call in your order. Drive right up to the Hawkeye Bar & Grill ;m|u-m1;ġ -m7 o†u v|-@ ‰bŃ´Ń´ 7;Ń´bˆ;u ‹o†u l;-Ń´ ub]_| |o ‹o†u 1-uÄş Call (607) 544-2524 to place your order today.

NOW O P EN 7days/week

TO GO

THURSDAY, aPRIL 2, 2020

A-2 THE FREEMAN’S JOURNAL & HOMETOWN ONEONTA

Thank you to all the restaurants remaining open! Call for details.

DesTinaTion MarkeTing CorPoraTion For oTsego CounTy ThisisCooperstown.com

Alex’s Bistro 607-547-4070

GoCooperstown

This is Cooperstown, NY

Alfresco’s Italian Bistro 607-432-8466

Fiesta Mexican Grill & Cantina

Earth’s Harvest Farm 607-263-5536

607-431-9898

Autumn Café 607-432-6845

Fly Creek Cider Mill & Orchard

Bear Pond Winery 607-643-0294

Fly Creek General Store and Café

607-547-9692

607-547-7274

Bella Michael’s 607-431-9166

Bella Michael’s

Bistro at 6208 607-282-4065

Bocca Osteria

Foolish Farms

607-282-4031

The Giving Bowl

607-263-2228

310-869-2946

5438 State Highway 28 | Cooperstown 607.282.4031 | www.boccaosteria.com

Center Street Deli and Bakery

The Green Cow 607-282-4095

607-432-0402

Center Street

Brooks’ House of BBQ

Deli

607-432-1782

607-544-2524

Chief Schenevus

The Hartwick Restaurant

607-638-9488

607-293-3043

Chief Schenevus Cooperstown Sports Bar & Grill 607-322-4003

Hawkeye Bar & Grill

Council Rock Brewery 607-643-3016

The Hartwick Restaurant

Jay’s Place Steak and Seafood 607-432-9584

Jive Café

607-547-4471

Danny’s Main Street Market 607-547-4053

Hometown Deli & Grocery 607-432-5151

THE

Jive Café

THURSDAY, aPRIL 2, 2020

THE FREEMAN’S JOURNAL & HOMETOWN ONEONTA A-3

Please give them your support!

Share your dining experience on social media using #WeGoOtsego.

Latte Lounge 607-432-6244

NY Pizzeria 607-547-2930

Destination Marketing CorPoration For otsego County thisisCooperstown.com

Stagecoach Coffee 607-547-62299

Star Mix

607-441-3016

ork pizzeria new y

NYPC

Co gs ope rstown • Richfeld Sprin

Cooperstown | Richfield Springs | www.nypizza.biz

Brewery Ommegang

Toscana Northern Italian Grill Cooperstown

607-544-1800

607-547-2100

Mel’s at 22 607-322-4012

Our Town Café & Pub

Tunnicliff Inn & Restaurant 607-547-9611

607-433-2250

Toscana Northern Italian Grill Oneonta 607-267-4530

Origins at Carefree Gardens 607-437-2862

Triangle Tavern Pondo’s Pizza 607-432-3334

Undercover Eggplant Co.

607-264-3449

607-432-9900

Triangle Tavern Pop’s Place 607-286-7219

264-3449 Tryon(607) Inn and the Backdoor Bar

Schneider’s Bakery 607-547-9631

607-264-3331

Upstate Bar and Grill 607-282-4525

Tryon Inn and The Backdoor Bar

24 beers on tap HappY HoUr

5 toGuys 8 pmSammy’s Wise

Simply Thai 607-441-5200

607-267-4347 Mexican Mondays 1/2 off Mex DisHes tUe & tHU 1/2 price DrinKs Wed $.50 Wings

Sloan’s NY Grill 607-267-4779

5418 State Highway 28, Cooperstown • 607.282.4525

Yellow Deli 607-431-1155

The Worcester Inn, Restaurant & Café 151 607-397-8500

Spike’s Pizza and Grocery 607-965-8776

The

Worcester Inn hIsTorIc counTry Inn FIne counTry dInIng

A-4 HOMETOWN ONEONTA

HOMETOWN Views

THURSDAY, april 2, 2020

EDITORIAL

MOST ‘OUT-OF-TOWNERS’ HAVE BEEN HERE FOR YEARS

Avoid ‘Reactionary, Emotional’ Steps, Governor Recommends. And We Have

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y now you’ve heard about Rhode Island: Last Friday, it had state police stopping cars with New York license plates at the state line, and instructing passengers they must self-quarantine for 14 days if they planned to stay in Ocean State.

The next day, National Guard troops went door to door in coastal areas, advising any Empire Staters who had gotten out of Dodge, NY, of the quarantine.

“I want to be crystal clear about this: If you’re coming to Rhode Island from New York, you are ordered into quarantine … More than half of the cases of coronavirus in America are in New York,” Gov. Gina Raimondo told the New York Post.

The other day, our friend (and

Rhode Island’s heavy-handed approach not recommended.

columnist) Adrian Kuzminski forwarded a Washington Post article

SAFER AT HOME

Visitors Advised: Shelter In Place, Alert Local DOH Editor’s Note: County baord Chair Dave Bliss issued this “Safer at Home” directive Saturday, March 28.

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hile it is our custom to welcome travelers from outside of Otsego County who visit and stay at second homes, short-term rentals, motels and hotels, during this unprecedented Public Health Emergency, visitors may be seeking refuge from COVID-19 hotspots.

We remind you that this is a global pandemic.

You and your families have a critical role to fulfill in halting the rapid spread of the coronavirus, which can be dangerous, even fatal, especially to the elderly as well as people with underlying health conditions.

Both you and our residents are “Safer at Home.”

You should not have an expectation that resources will be available to you here that are not also available to you in your own home town.

The risk to all increases with the movement of

non-residents in and out of Otsego County. Individuals who travel here increase the pressure on our already strained resources, including first responders, health-care providers, hospitals and other government services.

It could easily tax our health care system beyond its capacity.

In keeping with federal and state mandates warning people to stay at home and limit their movements, Otsego County strongly advises that you postpone your travels until this Health Emergency is over.

If that is impossible, we ask that seasonal residents, landlords, hotel/motel operators, and all other temporary lodging providers verify that occupants are following Governor Cuomo’s, President Trump’s and the Center for Disease Control’s guidelines.

Individuals who are traveling to Otsego County from the New York City greater metropolitan area, and other areas hard hit by COVID19, are asked to notify the Otsego County Department Please See VISITORS, A6

HOMETOWN

ONEONTA

& The Otsego-Delaware Dispatch

James C. Kevlin Editor & Publisher

Tara Barnwell

Advertising Director & General Manager

Libby Cudmore

Managing Editor

Larissa Ryan Business Manager

Thom Rhodes Advertising Consultant

Elizabeth Cooper Correspondent

Ian Austin Photographer

Ivan Potocnik Web Architect

Kathleen Peters Graphics & Production Tom Heitz Consultant

IN MEMORIAM: Mary Joan Kevlin, Co-Publisher, 2006-17 MEMBER OF New York Press Association • The Otsego County Chamber Published weekly by Iron String Press, Inc. 21 Railroad Ave., Cooperstown NY 13326 Telephone: (607) 547-6103. Fax: (607) 547-6080.

E-mail: info@allotsego.com • www.allotsego.com

headlined: “A plea from rural America: Urban COVID-19 refugees, please stay home,” by David Yamamoto, county commissioner of Tillamook County, Ore. “Thousands of urban visitors descended on our villages, with cars lined up for miles on highways to the coast. Once here, the out-of-towners swarmed our grocery stores and cleared the shelves,” he wrote.

He added later, “Near Mammoth Lakes, Calif., the tensions between locals and outsiders have gotten so bad that one of the county supervisors said recently she’s worried that ‘someone is going to get shot’.”

And, “This past week, the White House coronavirus task force asked Please See EDITORIAL, A5

A Charming Couple, Shocking News – And A Warning To All

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hat Otsego County’s Yes, we knew it in our first couple, state heads we could get it; now Sen. Jim and Cindy we know it in the gut.

Seward, contracted coronaSo, pay attention. Follow virus is a wake-up call for the recommendations: Stay the rest of us.

6 feet apart, wash your hands, If it can use hand happen to sanitizer, them, it can shelter yourhappen to self and your any one of us. loved ones By the nato the degree ture of their you can. public roles, MeanCindy and Jim Seward while, the the Sewards inevitably Sewards can come into contact with a be assured of everyone’s wide range of people, one, sympathy and best wishes. it turns out, who was carryLet’s look forward to a ing COVID-19. time – not tomorrow, but in It’s the rare Otsego County the near-term – when this person who hasn’t run into scourge passes, and we can the Sewards over the years, return to our pleasant way so what’s happened to them of life generally, includmakes the disease feel very ing enjoying the Sewards, personal. returned to good health.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN? Editor’s Note: The coronavirus has closed churches, but via the Internet and other means, pastors continue to preach. Over the next few weeks, we will share their words here.

enant for a new age, is by witnessing all the caring that’s going on, here in our community and all around the world.

People are taking care of their neighbors; they are calling our oldsters on the phone, checking in, getting their groceries, walking their dogs. There are school buses in front of our schools where families can get food. Rev. We live in a com- Swordsmunity with a lot of Horrell heart, and this crisis is strengthening the ties that bind and creating entirely new ones, ties across the airwaves, across cyberspace, binding us together in love. That’s Holy Spirit work.

So as we continue our journey through this dark wood, we will continue to ask, who’s lost? Who’s lost in our community, our world, and how can we reach out to help be finders and restorers of life and health, from a safe distance?

When God called out that night so long ago, “Samuel, Samuel”, the lamp of God had not yet gone out. It was the darkest hour of the night. Some of us remember how Mama Cass sang, “And the darkest hour, is just before dawn.”

As Marcia McFee wrote for our liturgy today, “The path of life is

Out Of Pain, Grief, Find Understanding

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alph Waldo Emerson, a Transcendentalist Unitarian, wrote, “There is a crack in every thing God has made.”

In 1992, Leonard Cohen, singer, musician, and song writer, sang in his song “Anthem”, “There is a crack, a crack, in everything. That’s how the light gets in.”

It is also how our light shines out.

Through our brokenness.

Things are going to be difficult for us Ian Austin/The Freeman’s Journal for a while.

Pastor Craig Schwalenberg’s There will be pain Unitarian Universalist Church, and struggle and 12 Ford Ave., Oneonta. grief.

Pastor And we will to our destructions – and uses those Schwalenfeel profoundly things to redeem us, and to glorify his berg broken but in our Name. Our sins do hinder us. They can brokenness. In our pain. In our grief. never hinder him.

In our struggle.

What’s God up to? What’s he Let us remember. doing? I cannot give you an answer We are rooted to the Earth. that will bring clarity to the days Connected in ways we cannot even ahead. I cannot sketch out for you begin to know or understand.

God’s game plan for what he’s We are both whole and holy, APART accomplishing in this moment. I it may seem, but truly, I tell you, A can only promise you this: the God PART of the greater whole. who came and walked among us Bound by spirit. Bound by Life. as one of us remains with us in our Bound by Love. hours of trial as much as in our Together. moments of triumph. The God Broken and Whole. who came and walked among us Rev. CRAIG SCHWALENBERG as one of us shall never leave us, Universalist Unitarian Church whatever the afflictions through Oneonta which we must walk. The God • who came and walked among us as one of us is with us still. He Jim Kevlin/The Freeman’s Journal goes still to the sick and suffering A traditional lychgate welcomes What’s God doing? What’s he parishioners to Father Dane up to? The same thing he has alBoston’s Christ Episcopal Church. ways been doing. The same thing n times like this, we must always he has always been up to. He is rarely clear or straight-forward. We remember that God is not the intervening, here and now in the life find ourselves lost in a Dark Wood, author of evil. He does not desire of this world—in your life and in unclear which direction to go, perto hurt or afflict his creation. my life – for his greater glory and haps having strayed from the path we But, as he did in for our ultimate good. Hold fast thought we were on. It is at these times the life of David to that assurance. Hold fast to that that the gift of getting lost is that we the King – the unshakable, unbreakable promise. begin to pay more attention than we “man after God’s Hold fast to one another, even from usually do.” own heart” who a distance, even while we are apart.

We’re standing together in a dark committed adultery Rev. DANE BOSTON wood, not sure which way to go. and contracted out Christ Episcopal Church We’re being invited to pay attention, a murder – he will Cooperstown to get quiet and open wide our senses. use evil to bring • We’re listening for our name, for the about good.

Father Dane call of God on our life. As individuals.

As he did in the Boston As families. As a church. As a nation. life of the man born As a planet. We’re getting quiet and blind, he will make we’re listening. We’re ready to say, our hurts and afflictions occasions “Speak, Lord, for your servant hears.” for his greater glory. he best evidence I’ve seen that Rev. MARTI SWORDS-HORRELL God grabs hold of the circumstances the Maker of heaven and earth First United Methodist Church we have made for ourselves – circumis searching for us, seeking to Oneonta stances that threaten to drag us down create a new relationship, a new cov-

He Intervenes, For Our Ultimate Good

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Lost In Dark Wood, We Find A New Way

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AllOTSEGO.com • MORE LETTERS, A6-8

LETTERS TO EDITOR WELCOME • EMAIL THEM TO info@

THURSDAY, april 2, 2020

HOMETOWN

HOMETOWN ONEONTA A-5

History

Compiled by Tom Heitz and SHARON STUART, with resources courtesy of The Fenimore Art Museum Research Library

150 Years Ago

Death of Bees – During the past few weeks, mortality among the bees about Portlandville has been very great.

One gentleman having 48 hives has lost 43 out of the number, and others have lost in nearly the same proportion.

The cause is attributed to a scarcity of the store laid up last season, which may be true, and if true, makes neglect on the part of the owners the more culpable.

Chicago is receiving California quail, salmon, asparagus, cauliflower, green peas, and mounting trout, by express from the Pacific Coast.

The edition of The London Times is now printed upon presses that take in the paper in a continuous roll.

April 1870

40 Years Ago

100 Years Ago

West Oneonta – Danny Forbes is ten pounds lighter this morning – and he’s glad. The ten pounds he lost yesterday comprised the weight of a metal head brace that he wore for more than two months to help heal a broken neck. The five-year-old son of David and Kathy Forbes of Route 23, West Oneonta, had the brace removed Monday afternoon, his mother said. Mrs. Forbes said Danny’s first words when he woke Monday morning were “Look Ma, my brace is all off.” He was able to come home tonight,” his mother said. Danny suffered a broken vertebra on January 27 in a sledding accident on a hill behind his home. The brace was installed by two physicians, Bruce Harris, a neurologist at Bassett Hospital, and William Hopper of Fox Hospital.

Danny now wears a foam-filled neck collar.

April 1980

125 Years Ago

Records of a Week – The Yale faculty has ordered Harry Moffat Wilson to leave the college for refusing to be vaccinated. He is a freshman from Newburgh, New York. His father is opposed to vaccination.

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday rendered its decision on the income tax law. By a majority of five to three the court declares unconstitutional so much of the law as taxes incomes from rents and state, municipal and county bonds. By an even division, four to four, it fails to affirm or deny the constitutionality of what remains in the law. The first effect of this decision will be to cut down by at least one-third, the estimated revenue of $30,000,000 which the Treasury Department expected to receive from the income tax law during the first year of its operation.

April 1895

80 Years Ago

Oneonta Sports Chatter – After opening the baseball season at Utica, on the afternoon of May 9, the Oneonta Indians will play the Braves at Neahwa Park the following day. The Indians will be at home for 63 games, including two or three holiday dates. “Jumping Joe” Polcha, tall substitute center for the Troy Basketball Celtics, will be farmed

by Albany to Gloversville. Polcha hit over .500 with two fast semi-pro leagues. Carl Delberta wired us yesterday that he came through his bout with Melio Theodorescu without a scratch. Delberta was a “last-minute” substitute for the Cocoa Kid and scored a unanimous 10-round decision over the Rumanian welter-weight champion. The National Boxing Association has ranked Arturo Godoy as the number one Heavyweight contender for Joe Louis’s title. But, personally, it’s about time for the boys along “Jacob’s

20 Years Ago

Construction to replace the Rose Avenue Bridge in the City of Oneonta could begin by the end of April. The concrete and steel structure which crosses Glenwood Creek on Rose Avenue at the intersection of Hudson Street was closed by the city on March 3 after a significant section of its top deck broke off and fell into the water. Work on a replacement, estimated to cost close to $90,000 is hoped to begin soon. The city is expected to award a construction contract on April 18 Oneonta City Engineer Joseph Bernier said. Meanwhile, nearby businesses have suffered as normal through traffic has been diverted. Even though local traffic is permitted past a barricade at the top of Rose Avenue, the barriers have discouraged customers from patronApril 1920 izing Coddington’s Florist at 12 Rose Avenue, said Kathryn Kroll, owner of the business. “I am truly affected by this,” Beach to check their fountain pens for a spell and seek a Kroll said. The Oneonta Tennis Club and Otsego Iron and “white hope” capable of giving the “Brown Bomber” and Metal are also affected by the bridge closing signs. the customers a fair run for their money.

April 2000 April 1940

60 Years Ago

The United States bolted past a new frontier in space Friday by firing the first-known weather-eye satellite into orbit. It photographed the Earth and its cloud cover from 450 miles up and televised back the images. A triumphant space agency rushed the pictures to President Eisenhower who exclaimed “I think it’s a marvelous development.”

NASA Chief Dr. T. Keith Glennan brought Eisenhower a four-picture sequence showing an 800-mile-square area comprising the Gulf of St. Lawrence.

April 1960

LIFE IN THE TIME OF COVID-19

The mission of the Oneonta Mural Project is “To realize a vision for original and professional murals that promotes community and economic growth.” The project, founded in 1999, is under the umbrella of the Upper Catskill Community Council on the Arts and was adopted by the City of Oneonta Beautification Committee. Now, 10 years later, at least 13 interior and exterior public murals have been painted in the Oneonta area by various artists and students.

Why murals? Because public art communicates ideas.

April 2010

WE’RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER

Why Wasn’t More Done Sooner?

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10 Years Ago

ver the last several days I reviewed that it would not come to the United States? a great deal of material regarding Why did they not prepare?

COVID-19 and the novel coronaviDr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy & Infectious rus. I looked at videos. I read scientific and lay papers. I scanned media reports. All to Disease who has generally been the voice determine what to write about. of comfort, reason, honesty and It was like drinking from a fire reconciliation, has been repeatedly hose. heavily criticized by some people But the Monday, March 30, anin that he was not sufficiently loyal nouncement by Dr. Deborah Birx, to President Trump. response coordinator for the White This might be the man who has House Coronavirus Task Force, been really holding everything acknowledging that the best case together at least on a national level. scenario would be 100,000-200,000 His numbers and statistics have deaths, made me really angry. been doubted and called fraudulent. My God, I wonder how we That’s not only because it is RICHARD unacceptable that so many innowould be doing without him adviscent lives will be lost, or because I STERNBERG ing the president. know a great number of healthcare For several weeks, New York providers, first responders and public serCity Mayor Bill DiBlasio told New Yorkers vants will be among them because of lack of they didn’t have to inconvenience themproper protective equipment. selves significantly during this outbreak.

What made me angry was that again gov- Where was he getting his information from ernment officials kept painting a relatively and why was he contradicting the experts? rosy picture of problems either being or Many of our leaders have failed us. I can coming under control. think of some exceptions, especially locally.

Otsego County Board Chairman Dave The last two months has shown the continued denial by America’s so-called leaders Bliss and Bassett Healthcare under the leadership of Dr. William Streck both started and lack of preparation that will probably lead to hundreds of thousands of unnecesplanning relatively sooner than many others. sary cases and deaths.

Bassett, in fact, began its planning way Why did they not learn from the outback in January before the first cases were break in China and its response to it? In this reported in the United States. More on these modern age how could they begin to believe Please See STERNBERG, A6

The Question Of Out-Of-Towners

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OR: First is the idea that all have the right to remove their family from a place of apparent danger to a place seen to be safer. Second is the economic idea that second-home owners have the absolute right to relocate to those homes, which they own and pay taxes on.

Presumably that is also true if a city resident can afford to rent a seasonal home here, or borrow one from friends or family who are not using it.

It’s hard to argue with the humanity of the first idea. It’s why the U.S. offers refuge to people fleeing failed LARRY states to the south. It’s why Europe BENNETT offers refuge to people fleeing the Syrian war and other such catastrophes.

Yet nations never do this as well as is possible, and they almost never welcome the poor as graciously as the well-to-do. But that’s a different story.

The second idea also seems reasonable.

If you have a right to flee and have the economic resources, you are entitled to utilize your resources to their maximum, and do or go where you desire. If you have been smart enough, or lucky enough, or born into the right family, who’s to say “no” to you leaving everyone else to their fate?

• AGAINST: What is the greater good?

What happens when your flight brings threats to those who live where you are fleeing? What if you leave the physical location of your troubles but unknowingly bring the underlying conditions of those troubles with you?

If you live in New York City and other downstate areas, you live in the eye of the COVID-19 storm. What if you flee the storm but bring the weather? It is going to happen. It is unavoidable.

What about the fact that every health expert says containment is only way to defeat the virus?

In a closed population it runs its course, and the severity of the course depends on how well the population follows the rules. If they do it well the virus runs out of opportunity faster and with less damage.

The CDC and the governor’s directive is, “Don’t travel unnecessarily and if you have to go out, keep your distance. Don’t spread the virus.”

Traveling unnecessarily might be taking the subway uptown to visit a friend, or driving out to Coney Island to find some sun and fresh breezes. Urban residents are being clearly directed not to do so. Is packing up their cars and driving three hours to here ignoring the directive?

News stories tell of an influx of people in Please See BENNETT, A6

EDITORIAL: Welcome Visitors, But Require Cautionary Steps EDITORIAL/From A4 everyone who’s recently left New York City to self-quarantine for 14 days after new infections started appearing in the Hamptons and other popular refuges in the area.

The spread has made Long Island locals so angry that one suggested small-town residents should “blow up the bridges.”

• By contrast, “Safer at Home,” a statement – see Page A4 – from the Otsego County Coronavirus Task Force released by county Board Chair Dave Bliss over the weekend, is mild, as befits our local situation. After all, many of the “out of towners” around here have been part-time residents – summers, holidays and weekends – for decades. They’re part of the picture.

A couple of the suggestions are fine, but probably unenforceable:

How would landlords and hotel/ motel operators ensure their tenants are “following Governor Cuomo’s, President Trump’s and the Center for Disease Control’s guidelines”?

Likewise, to require people traveling into the area to advise the county Health Department is undoubtedly admissible under the state of emergency, but how can we be sure they get the message and know who to call? The Health Department is a pretty busy place these days, and getting through the switchboard there isn’t always easy.

That said, the crux of the statement is solid: When you get to town, self-quarantine for 14 days.

If fever, coughing and shortness of breath occur, call a doctor, or the Bassett hotline, 607-547-5555.

• It’s hard to believe, but 14 days passed last Saturday, March 28, since Bliss declared the county a

state of emergency to smooth out local implementation of state and national emergencies declared the day before.

Anyone who has punctiliously followed the recommendations – self-isolate, monitor members of the household, keep strangers at a 6-foot distance, wash hands frequently and use hand sanitizer – are largely out of danger, as long as he or she continues to follow the recommendations.

But with state Sen. Jim Seward and his wife, Cindy, both coming down with coronavirus in the past few days, vigilance – as Bliss underscored – can’t be overemphasized.

The sad passing of our first neighbor, Brenda Utter, 56, of Morris on Thursday, March 26, is a case in point: Five days before, said her husband Phillip, she was fine. He’s tested positive, even

though he has none of the symptoms.

We regular folks can’t be 100 percent sure of anything.

The good news is as of Tuesday morning, the New York Times was following the worst-case scenario in predicting 100,000 to 200,000 deaths.

A Wall Street Journal editorial, following the University of Washington’s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, using the so-called Murray model, was estimating 81,114 deaths over the next four months, “with 95 percent confidence that the number would be between 38,242 and 162,106.”

So we’re not out of the woods yet, although there are signs things are turning around: New York State’s infections are growing, but the infection rate is dropping.

• So there’s no reason to lose our heads.

In the New York Post, Governor Cuomo called Raimundo’s actions “reactionary” and unconstitutional, saying he’d sue Rhode Island if the policy isn’t rescinded but believed they could “work it out.”

“I understand the goal … but there’s a point of absurdity, and I think what Rhode Island did is at that point of absurdity,” said Cuomo. “We have to keep the ideas and the policies we implement positive rather than reactionary and emotional.”

“Reactionary and emotional,” that’s what’s most to be avoided.

And the local Coronavirus Task Force’s statement clearly does that. As it seems in most every step the task force has taken to date, there’s reason for Otsego County to look to the future with expectations of hard time, but confidence things will get better, perhaps sooner than later.

THURSDAY, aPRIL 2, 2020

A-6 THE FREEMAN’S JOURNAL & HOMETOWN ONEONTA LETTERS

Here Are Heroes Of The Plague So Far

To the Editor: The humorist, Will Rogers, once said: “When all the filling stations on all the street corners are out of gas, then we’ll see what kind of people we’ve become.” It takes a pandemic to see what kind of people we’ve become and who the heroes are. Here’s my short list: 1. The staff of Bassett-Fox – for getting ready in time, working tirelessly, telling the truth, particularly Drs. Streck and Hyman, and all doctors, nurses and staff that are working 10-hour shifts to keep us all safe.

2. Local employers that are doing their best to keep their businesses going.

3. Essential workers – who some of us used to take for granted – pharmacy staff, grocers, farmers, mechanics, firemen, police and EMS. Linemen and utility workers.

Truckers and delivery men. All postal workers. All local government staff. Health equipment suppliers. Now we know who’s really important.

4. Jane Clark and Leatherstocking Corp, for shutting down tourist magnets to avoid

over-loading Bassett.

5. The Presutti family – who had the foresight to build Dreams Park and used the same foresight to close it down to avoid burdening the area with sick tourists.

6. Governor Cuomo – now officially “America’s Governor” for his leadership, his compassion and his insights.

7. The manufacturers – who rose to the task of making the supplies needed on the front line 8. This newspaper – for keeping us all posted, literally up to the minute on what’s going on.

In times of crisis, nothing is more helpful When this pandemic is completely over – when there is an effective vaccine that will enable people to congregate safely in groups – most of us will remember what kind of people we were in a crisis and we will remember who the real heroes were: They are the people that we cannot live without.

Remember that.

CHIP NORTHRUP Cooperstown

Fold Climate Measure Into Budget The emergency now unfolding due to the coronavirus is not the only global crisis we are facing. The threat of global warming also requires state-wide, indeed global, response.

The damage climate change is causing should not be ignored in the hope that it will magically disappear.

Perhaps we have learned this much.

Our governor has taken a leadership role in response to the current pandemic. He has also taken a leadership role in responding to the climate crisis. The Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA) was passed last year setting

BENNETT: In Pandemic, Visitors Can Be Worrisome BENNETT/From A5 the Hamptons, Martha’s Vineyard and other vacation destinations for the wealthy.

Those communities are not prepared for the crowds. They typically staff up in May, not now – hiring more people at everything from grocery stores to medical facilities, and increasing inventory of consumable goods, be they food or medical goods.

The communities are now feeling overwhelmed. Year-’round residents are now going to have to compete with short-term residents – or even just visitors – for common needs such as food, on up to vital needs such as tests, hospital beds and respirators.

There are reports of wealthy visitors arriving and immediately going into grocery stores to buy thousands of dollars of staples at a time. And those actions also raise the issue of the 14-day self-isolation that travelers to a new location are supposed to observe, but many do not. All of these actions are cause for real concern.

A friend says that it is wrong to discriminate against people because of where they are from. But what if it’s not because of where they are from, but because of what they may bring with them?

Since the virus only travels through people it’s inevitable that they will

bring more of the virus up here. On the other hand, we are not going to the city – for any reason – and bringing the virus back.

Should we do our best to welcome and help urban dwellers who rightfully fear the chaos and uncertainty in the city? If so, are there measures to take to better protect ourselves? Or should we implore the residents to please not leave the city – to not bring us a bigger share of chaos and uncertainty, which we are ill-equipped to handle?

Larry Bennett, recently retired Brewery Ommegang creative director who is active in local causes, lives in East Merideth.

STERNBERG/From A5 in subsequent columns.

Right now, I don’t know what to believe. There are professionals, epidemiologists and statisticians, who provide data to support real predictions on how this will turn out. We all need to seek out these sources and then trust them.

I feel that at this point the only public figures I can trust to be straightforward and honest with us are Dr. Fauci and Governor Cuomo.

In the meantime, there are many good places to get information relevant to those of us in Otsego County. The bassett.org website (hit the link on top of the home page) has all the information Bassett has put out along with some excellent videos.

The state Department of Health, health.ny.gov, and the governor’s daily news conferences are also excellent sources of information.

I know that being angry is not going to help but it is the way I feel

right now. I hope that other areas of the country stop their denial and learn from New York State’s experience.

I can also hope for some early breakthrough in treatment or immunization but that does not appear likely.

Richard Sternberg, a retired Bassett Hospital orthopedic surgeon, has agreed to provide his professional perspective while the coronavirus threat continues. Dr. Sternberg, who is also a village trustee, resides in Cooperstown.

STERNBERG: Bassett Website Wealth Of Information

ambitious goals to reduce fossil fuel use for electricity generation (70 percent non-fossil fuels by 2030; 100 percent by 2040). The Governor now proposes a budget amendment to expedite implementation of the CLCPA known as the Accelerated Renewable Energy & Community Benefit Act. Adoption of the budget amendment will lead to accelerated state-wide permitting of renewable energy projects, specifically solar, wind, and related transmission infrastructure.

While CLCPA implementation is critical, this amendment as written raises concerns for erosion of Home Rule. I do not believe Michael Zagata (at one time an executive in the fossilfuel industry, and briefly a DEC commissioner in the Pataki Administration) is the best qualified to advise on the merits of Home Rule.

He fought Home Rule for years in the fracking debate.

His attachment to it now is disingenuous. Without a state-wide fracking ban, individual municipalities could permit fracking without regard to risks to neighboring towns.

Similarly, Home Rule in renewable-energy development without state-wide support will be ineffective.

The two must work together.

Those who claim that there

will be no benefit to host communities as a result of expedited solar and wind development are also wrong.

The budget amendment specifically provides that host communities will benefit through payment in lieu of taxes (PILOT) agreements and negotiated reduced electric rates.

Landowners who lease their land will also receive substantial rental income.

Finally, mitigation of climate change clearly will benefit all.

Conversion to renewable sources for electricity generation is a crucial state-wide initiative, like the state-wide ban on fracking.

At the same time, the budget amendment should strengthen protections for prime agricultural land, wildlife habitat, tourism, recreational land use, and historic preservation, all matters of intense local concern. Host communities should be accorded deference in siting based on these key local considerations.

New York can and must lead in conversion to non-fossil fuels, while supporting existing state policies to protect Home Rule and local economic drivers.

NICOLE A. DILLINGHAM, J.D. Board President, Otsego 2000, Inc.

County Urges Visitors To Check In VISITORS/From A4 of Health upon their arrival by phone and self-isolate for 14 days. During the 14-day period, you should monitor all household members for signs and symptoms of COVID-19.

These include fever, cough and shortness of breath. Contact your healthcare provider for further directions if you have questions.

We look forward to a return of normalcy in the near future, when we can again welcome visitors to our area with open arms.

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OtsegO COunty’s Daily newspaper/online Call Larissa at 607-547-6103 to get started.

THURSDAY, aPRIL 2, 2020

THE FREEMAN’S JOURNAL & HOMETOWN ONEONTA A-7

Cases Mount, But Bassett Still Has Beds, Enough Tests For Now

BASSETT/From A1 are hoping for the best.”

Bassett Healthcare Network has given about 500 tests in its eightcounty region, and of those about 10 percent are positive, Network officials said. That stands in stark contrast with parts of New York City, where that number is as high as 65 percent.

“I am not saying everything is over and everything is fine,” Heneghan said. “What I am saying is that everything people are doing is working and keep it up.” ►Emotional toll Even though the county’s numbers are still small, the death of a single resident holds significance for the entire community, as well as the hospital, Dr. Bill LeCates, Bassett Hospital president, said in an interview.

For instance, Phillip Utter, husband of Brenda Utter, 63, of Morris, the county’s first victim, told his wife he loved her as she entered Bassett Monday, March 23.

Prevented from being with her by measures designed to protect the community, “It was the last

thing I told her,” the husband said.

Brenda died Thursday, March 26.

Hospital staff did keep in constant contact, letting him know Heneghan all her ups and downs, and he is thankful to them for their kindness, he said.

LeCates said he could not speak about specific cases, but that the COVID crisis is taking a toll on medical staff.

“Everyone here at the medical center shares in the difficulty of this illness, and the sadness and difficulty that comes to people who are separated from their family members, especially at times like the end of life,” he said.

“We recognize how difficult this is for everyone. For the families and people who are hospitalized and the staff who are caring for these patients. It is a tremendously difficult aspect of this pandemic that people are separated at their time of greatest need.”

The stress on patients and their families is always felt deeply by hospital staff as they do their work, but with the coronavirus it’s worse. Because of the danger of LeCates spreading contagion, family members of those with the virus are not able to be with their loved ones who are hospitalized. ►Emotional toll So far, Heneghan said, the hospital can handle the number of cases coming in.

“Our population had enough warning to use handwashing and social distancing,” he said. “It is proof of what other countries have shown us, that this is an effective way to reduce the spread.”

The network’s video conferencing system has enabled many of the patients to remain in their homes when they are sick, and at the moment “most are doing quite well and recovering,” he said.

“Of course not everyone has a quick recovery,” he added. “We

are managing ill patients in the hospital.”

He declined to say how many COVID inpatients the network was treating, only that the number was “relatively small” and holding steady.

The hospital also has more than enough ventilators for the number of patients they are seeing now.

They also have enough masks and face shields at the moment.

But, he cautioned that the picture could change.

There is an incubation period during which patients may not realize they are sick, when they may infect others as the go about their daily lives.

Also, the disease progression takes more than a week, and people with manageable symptoms in the beginning could take a decided turn for the worse and need to be hospitalized.

Heneghan said general statistics on COVID-19 show that for every 100 patients, 10 need hospitalization and five must go to the ICU. He does not see COVID patients inside the hospital, but he does meet with patients being

treated at home via the network’s video conferencing system. ►ENOUGH TESTS ON HAND Heneghan said Bassett has enough tests right now to test people practitioners think might have the disease.

“We are not limited,” he said.

“If we feel someone should have the test we will do a test.”

He encouraged anyone who believes they might have the virus to seek an evaluation, and to stay away from others until a determination is made.

“Other countries have had good results with that system,” he said. ►HUG THE PEOPLE YOU LOVE For Phillip Utter the virus has already taken a heavy toll.

Asked what others could learn from his experience he recommended following the warnings of health officials and practicing social distancing as much as possible.

“You don’t ever know,” he said.

“You could be the next one, you know. It has certainly proven that it isn’t just a downstate thing. It’s everywhere. It’s all over. You can’t be too careful.”

First Victim ‘Kindhearted’ If Needed, Shelter Ready Retirement Job? R-r-right VICTIM/From spreading the virus, hospitals A1

SHELTER/From A1 (info@sqspca.org) and tell us what they need, and we will leave it out front with a note for them to pick up.”

Delivery options are also available for those who may not have transportation, Haynes added.

Donations are left to sit for a minimum of 72 hours, she said, and are handled with gloves in order to avoid spreading germs.

The pantry was part of the emergency preparedness plan put together by consultant Barbara Carr in early March.

“She said that this was about to become an issue and that we not only needed to be ready for it, but we needed to be leaders,” she said. “So we put together an emergency preparedness plan.”

Included in that plan were stockpiling six months of supplies and hosting an adoption event in order to empty out the kennels and cages. “It was extremely successful,” she said. “We wanted to clear out those cages in case people get sick, we can offer emergency boarding.”

Adoptions are still ongoing, but the shelter is only open by appointment

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And with many people working from home, she said that there has been an outpouring of offers to foster animals. “We’ve had more fosters than ever before,” she said. “And normally, we don’t have people foster younger animals because they get adopted quicker, but because we have such limited hours, we are letting people foster them.”

Ten puppies recently came to the shelter, and all are with families. “We’ve seen that it’s actually a really good thing,” she said. “The foster families are able to socialize, housetrain and get them used to a leash, so when they are adopted, their chances of success in a home is that much better.”

They’ve also taken things digital, moving their New Leash on Life thrift store and their annual Cider Run 5K online.

“We’ve had a virtual accompaniment to the race in the past, especially with people who couldn’t come that weekend, but still wanted to participate” she said. “So it wasn’t that hard to transition to an all-virtual race.”

Virtual run participants are invited to share videos and photos of their experience throughout the day on the Cider Run Facebook page, and the Cider Run committee will announce winners in various categories, including farthest run, most scenic route, participants with the most dogs and more, on Monday, April 27.

“It can be as serious or as silly as you want it to be,” she said.

DOCTOR/From A1 tal physician and the medical director of Family Planning of South Central New York, has been at the forefront of the city’s COVID-19 defenses.

“I told her the health officer is called once, maybe twice a year because someone might have too many pigeons in their back yard,” said Herzig. “But she has stepped up, and we’ve really come to depend on her.”

Trained as an OBGYN, the closest she had come to a pandemic previously was the AIDS crisis of the 1980s, while she was in medical school. “There was a fair amount of fear and unknowing,” she said. “We were trying to understand a new, frightening virus, but nothing I’ve seen has been anywhere near this scale or direct impact.”

An Oneonta native, she is the daughter of former mayor James Georgeson, and the granddaughter of former mayor Joseph Lunn.

One of her first calls to make was whether or not to begin “social distancing” even before the state mandated the practice be put into place.

“I was asked if the Catskill Symphony Orchestra should cancel their Cabaret Concert,” she said. “My initial response was no. But 12 hours later, everything had changed and it became clearer what we had to do. I told them that they should cancel.”

She also began advising the city on best practices for keeping the public safe, while still providing services.

“I see myself as a communicator,” she said. “My job is

to translate the guidelines of the county, state and World Health Organization. Things are changing so rapidly that communication really is key.”

In mid-March she was approached by David Hotaling, Oneonta Public Transit transportation director, about the best practices for disinfecting buses. “I did some research and found what the COVID19-approved disinfectants were.”

She instructed the city to buy a disinfecting fogger, which is used frequently on the buses and on the ambulances after every transport.

Similarly, she worked with Water/Sewer when they sought her guidance on wastewater management.

“I managed to find some World Health Organization guidelines on just that,” she said. “And I reviewed protocols with police and first responders so that they’re prepared. This whole experience has really given me so much respect for how the city works.”

EMS crews now have guidelines for when and how to use Personal Protective Equipment, as well as what to do when one of them has been exposed to a potential COVID-19 case.

On Georgeson’s recommendations, police and fire personnel are maintaining social distancing in their stations, and police have been tasked with breaking up people congregating in groups.

“The people of Oneonta have been wonderful about staying home, but every so often, there will be some kids playing basketball and the police will have to tell them they can’t,” said Herzig.

VID-19, and they had not traveled abroad. They had no idea that would be the last time Brenda Utter left the house until she was hospitalized.

Though they felt fine that day, they knew they should be careful. In addition to being a cancer survivor, Brenda Utter had diabetes and heart issues.

“Obviously, she had everything going against her, if you want to get down to it,” the husband said.

“We had kind of hunkered down because we were hearing that we should, and then she kind of got a cough and a fever,” he said. “And then it developed a little bit more.”

By Monday, March 23, Brenda was having trouble breathing and the couple called her healthcare provider in the Bassett Healthcare Network. After discussing her symptoms, the provider said Brenda Utter should come to the hospital to be seen.

“They took her into the tent and I sat in the car for close to two hours,” her husband said. “Finally a nurse came out and said they were going to admit her”.

He went home to get her CPAP machine to help her breath at night, and when he returned he was allowed to see her. “She was having a lot of trouble breathing; she was scared,” Phillip said, his voice shaking with emotion.

“That was the last time I talked to her.”

She had to be intubated and could no longer speak, but medical staff were in constant contact so he always knew what was happening.

“She was gone in three days’ time,” he said. “It didn’t take any time to take her life.”

Because of the danger of

across America are observing strict quarantine policies with their COVID patients; Bassett is no exception.

Brenda’s husband understands the reasons, but it was unbearably hard. “It is horrible that you can’t be there,” he said. “That is what you are supposed to do. Be there with them and hold their hand or whatever to comfort them. I guess she knew I was there in spirit.”

Now, Utter, who works at Amphenol Aerospace in Sydney, has himself tested positive for the disease.

Because of socialdistancing protocols there shouldn’t be a funeral now anyway, just a graveside service when the COVID crisis is over and people can gather again.

Instead, the funeral director will bring Brenda Utter home one last time.

First close family members will come to say farewell.

“When they are done, I will put on my mask and gloves and go in and say my goodbyes,” said Utter, who must follow precautionary measures so nothing gets contaminated.

Now, after more than four decades of marriage, he is left only with his memories.

“Brenda was a good hearted person,” he said. “She was kind to everybody.”

He said she loved to go to North Carolina’s Outer Banks on vacation, she loved the waves there and the peace they brought her.

Her former co-workers from Preferred Mutual Insurance – she retired a few years ago – told him that what they will miss the most is her laughter.

“Her heart was bigger than all the outdoors,” Phillip Utter said.

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For more information, please contact

Otsego County Office for the Aging 607-547-4232 or 607-432-9041

Email: aginginfo@otsegocounty.com

THURSDAY, aPRIL 2, 2020

A-8 THE FREEMAN’S JOURNAL & HOMETOWN ONEONTA

Second Amendment Relic Of Early Republican

To the Editor: Otsego County is facing a proposal to declare this county a “gun sanctuary.” This would mean that our county board would ban compliance with the Safe Act passed by the state Legislature in 2013.

That act LETTER promoted, among other things, background checks, banning assault weapons, and limiting ammunition. It was not anti-gun, rather it was pro-gun safety.

However, the Safe Act has been perceived as a violation of Second Amendment rights by citizens who feel that guns are a vital part of their protective system and feel their right to buy any gun and any amount of ammunition is being blocked.

They cite this Amendment as if it were intended to be unchangeable for all time.

They seem unaware that the Constitution was drawn up in the turbulent period of seeking

independence from England’s exploitive hold on its colonies in the New World.

Too, the war for independence relied not only on the Continental Army but wellarmed militias.

Though the Constitution reflected important visionary, democratic rights, there were flaws in it such as lack of democratic regard for women and African-Americans.

It was not a perfect, untouchable document. In fact, amendments were soon being made.

The Second Amendment was in the historical context of relying on well-armed militias to defeat lingering efforts of English troops to subdue the rebellious colonials, a condition that no longer prevails.

Yet, pro-gun citizens abetted by the National Rifle Association seem to believe the Second Amendment simply established forever the inalienable right to own guns and ammunition with no restrictions.

Fast forward, and we have a supposedly sane, First World country like the U.S. condoning its populace being armed by guns and unlimited ammunition, even those designed for warfare. This condoning of the vast arsenal of guns in our country ignores evidence that the more guns possessed in any country, the more deaths there will be by gunfire.

No wonder we are among the seven countries of the world with the highest rate of death by gunfire from murder, accident, suicide and mass shootings. It is as if we extol weapons of mass destruction.

Please, let us not take a step backward from the Safe Act by becoming a “gun sanctuary.” We accept many restrictions for car ownership and operation. Why? It lowers the motor vehicle death rate by making driving safer. Why should we not accept similar restrictions about guns?

SAM WILCOX Cooperstown

ART TO THE EDITOR

NICK LOMANGINO, Schenevus

SHARE THE LOVE, IT SAVES LIVES Times like these make you think and over think about what is the right thing to do, for your family, for your employees, for your business, for your customers, and even for your community.

It can be confusing to determine what the right decision is when you have so many different and conflicting opinions and facts coming at you all day, every day.

Every hour, it’s changing, and at a speed faster than you’re accustomed to for making big decisions.

In reflecting on all of these thoughts, I found myself looking at who am I and how do my lifelong experiences help me make these big decisions for all involved. After all, everything is related and the answer should be in my heart.

So let me start by telling you a little about who I am and I think you will understand why and how I have made my decision.

For as long as I can remember, I felt that if I were ever in the position to give back, I would. Although I was not sure in what way I would or could do that, or if I would ever have the opportunity to do so.

In May of 2005, I came across an opportunity to purchase a new-vehicle dealership in Oneonta. I had resided in Oneonta with my family since 1986, and became very attached to the little town known as the “City of the Hills”.

It was not just any dealership, it was a Subaru dealership. I was more than excited to be a part of the Subaru brand family.

I don’t know why, but I felt like I had a connection with the brand. After all, when I first got into the car business in the early ’80s, it was with a Subaru dealership in Rhode Island.

But now at this time in 2005, Subaru had been in the process of building a safer and more dependable vehicle for their small, but loyal fan base.

Subaru was a relatively small manufacturer compared to some of the big guys out there, but most of the people who owned a Subaru were diehard Subaru fans and loyal to the brand.

Subaru was focusing on building a safe vehicle that could get you anywhere you needed to go and with the dependability and ruggedness to fill the needs of nature-loving outdoor people, you know, the “Tree Huggers.”

Tree Hugger became the nickname of a typical Subaru owner. And I think you’ll find that most Subaru owners are proud to be called a “Tree Hugger.”

There was something else though, I couldn’t help but notice, that whenever I asked someone, “How do you like your Subaru?”, they would always reply with, “I love my Subaru!”

This was amazing to me. I had been around the vehicle business my entire life, and had never heard 90-plus percent of people use the love word to describe their feelings towards their vehicle.

Was it the product or was it the niche of people that owned them? I later found out: It was a little bit of both. The kind of person who owns or buys a Subaru is also the kind of person who appreciates a product that fills their needs and also is a person who makes good and intelligent decisions.

This love towards their vehicle actually came from a lot of what their car was saying about themselves.

In other words, “I love what my Subaru says about me, who I am as a person.” Subaru ownership said that you were a caring, kind and an intelligent decision maker. Their Subaru was complimenting them also.

So now Subaru was building a solid foundation of loyal customers with this mindset. By having the philosophy that “haste makes waste,” or “slow and steady wins the race,” they were filling a niche of people who were a small group, but yet a fast-growing group.

While filling this niche, Subaru would make very deliberate and carefully thought out steps towards improving their vehicles. They really listened to their customers’ needs and never took their eye off of the importance of building around their number one priority, safety.

This was the catapult I needed to somehow give back. Shortly after acquiring Five Star Subaru, I had figured out the way that I could give back. I would start by helping anybody who was already helping other people. It seemed to be the most logical and quickest way to give back.

After all, why reinvent the wheel when there are so many people already out there with wheels, but just needed the help to get their wheels up and rolling?

So anytime somebody would come into the dealership looking for any kind of donation, I would set up an appointment with them to find out more about what they were trying to accomplish with their fundraiser or non-profit and who benefits from their program.

The more worthy the program and the more people, children or animals it would have a good impact on, the more I would sink my teeth in to helping their program.

Word got out quickly on what we were doing.

More and more people and not-for-profit organizations would stop in and be looking for Five Star Subaru’s unique style of help.

The whole program just snowballed. We currently commit to helping some 70-plus organizations or small groups annually. Positively affecting directly or indirectly the lives of an estimated 20,000 children and adults in our local communities, every year since 2006.

And the lives of, a total guess of maybe another 1,000-plus dogs, cats and other pets.

So you can only imagine my excitement when

Subaru launched the Love campaign in 2008. This now felt like we were part of a brand that felt exactly the same way we felt at Five Star Subaru. A company that gives back to people with a good cause.

So the Subaru “Share the Love” commitment is known for giving back and being involved in many programs that positively impact our local communities.

Five Star Subaru feels that this is a commitment to our customers and our community as a whole and is something we take very seriously.

This commitment to put our community, customers, employees and their families, first means nothing if we are not prepared to back it up when things get tough. Simply put, it would just be words, not a real commitment.

During this time of crisis, we have the opportunity to prove that people and our community matter and are most definitely our number one priority, the profitability of our business takes a backseat to the safety and well-being of those we care about.

Particularly when a decision we make today could save thousands of lives in the days to come.

All that being said, we are currently in the middle of a pandemic like our generation has never seen.

The medical community is overwhelmed as the cases of COViD-19 are rising to an unprecedented level.

So, back to the questions at hand: First, who currently needs the most help? Second, how can Five Star Subaru help and give back to the people in this particular situation?

Five Star Subaru is trying to do our part in flattening the curve and helping the people in the frontline of this pandemic. These are the very people who are feeling the brunt and will continue to feel the brunt of this COVID-19 pandemic.

We now know that if we don’t help these medical professionals by flattening the curve, these medical professionals are going to get overwhelmed with the influx of people coming into the hospital. We also know that we have a limited supply of the medical equipment needed to save the lives of the people that will need it.

I ask each and every one of you, would you willingly put yourself in the frontlines as our medical professionals are doing? These people are our friends, family, neighbors and saviors. We owe them the utmost respect. They are putting their lives on the line for us.

They need our help and they need it now.

So, Five Star Subaru is making the difficult but yet easy decision of closing its doors temporarily to help flatten the curve by keeping people from contributing to the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.

We will have a staff that will help in emergency-only cases, particularly those in the medical field. All emergencies will be at our discretion. We hope that others will join with us and help turn the tide of this pandemic!

Please know how thankful we are to be a part of this great community and will always be an integral supporter of community. Even when times are tough!

Stay healthy and safe, Ben Guenther

All ‘THE GREENS’

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►WHEN CORONAVIRUS CLOSED THEIR DOORS TO CUSTOMERS, ONEONTA’S GREENS WENT ON THE ROAD Bell peppers ready for stuffing and avocados ready to mix with mac ’n’ cheese are awaiting Community Ties patrons.

The new enterprise delivers within 10 miles of the Green Earth Health Food Store.

E!

BEST BETS

Cooperstown native Lauren Groff’s “Fates & Furies” is in some local reading stacks for COVID-19 quarantine.

Classic Literature A Local Author And True Tales

F AllOTSEGO.life

Jim Kevlin/

GREEN EARTH Delivers Health Food Dinner Kits

By JIM KEVLIN ONEONTA

R

achel Shaugnessy’s boys – Noah and Lucas, one year apart – were both in the mac ’n’ cheese phase at the same time.

“My kids had been eating it like it was going out of style,” the manager of the Green

►WHO YOU GONNA CALL? Rachel Shaughnessy at 432-6600

Earth Health Food Market Street, said the other day, “and I wanted to make it good for them.”

She added spinach and artichokes, and that didn’t slow the boys down at all.

What was a hit with her Please See DINNER, B2

The Green Earth’s Rachel Shaughnessy hopes the Community Ties delivery service will introduce patrons to the health food store’s more exotic grains.

GREEN TOAD Brings Books By,

Perhaps Pausing For A Literary Chat

By LIBBY CUDMORE

►WHO YOU GONNA CALL? Jim Havener at 433-8898

ONEONTA

Main St. under COVID-19 precautions, Havener has developed new ways to help people enjoy a good book while cooped up inside.

“We do curbside pickup and delivery,” he said. “We’re completely online, or you can come in through the Latte Lounge and I’ll hand your book to you across the end counter.”

Sales have been down 65 percent, he said, but it’s forcing him to get creative in how he engages with customers.

Please See BOOKS, B2

I

t’s not often that Jim Havener gets to have a beer while at work inside the Green Toad Bookstore.

All hail, Takeout!

“I was doing deliveries and I saw some friends of mine sitting out on their porch having martinis,” he said.

“They invited me over for a drink, and so I sat with them – on the other side of the porch – and just enjoyed some street life.”

With his doors shuttered at 198

Green Toad proprietor Jim Havener prepares a packet of books for delivery.

AllOTSEGO.life

Ian Austin/

inally, a chance to catch up on your reading! Whether it’s a book in hand or apps like Kindle, Libby and Hoopla, we asked what story they couldn’t put down.

• “My high-school student will be starting ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ today.

As for myself, “The House Girl” by Tara Conklin – Christina Wooley, Cooperstown • “I just started, ‘Killers LIBBY of the Flower Moon: The CUDMORE Osage Murders And the Birth of the FBI’ by David Grann. My Dad passed it along to me, said it’s great.” – Erika Heller, Oneonta.

• “American Dirt by Jeannine Cummins” – Marcy Birch, Cooperstown.

• “Fates & Furies” by Lauren Groff – Alison Phillips, Cooperstown • “‘Queen Victoria: 24 days That Changed Her Life’ by Lucy Worsley” – Gina Aswad, Oneonta.

• “My 10-year-old son is reading ‘Old Yeller’... we haven’t got to the heartbreaking point yet but we are getting close.” – Laura Liddle Walsh, Milford.

• “’Reckless: My Life As A Pretender’

by Chrissie Hynde.” – Tom Donovan, Oneonta • “‘Beneath The Rising’ by Premee Mohamed – alternate present, presence of ancient evil...or otherworldly evil. Still finding that out.” – Jen Donohue, Oneonta • “‘All American Boys’ by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely. I think this is book number 6!” – Jessica Hongach, Worcester • “‘Parable of the Sower’, Octavia E. Butler and ‘The Dispossessed’ by Ursula K. Le Guin” – Caitlyn Davey

THE FREEMAN’S JOURNAL • HOMETOWN ONEONTA

AllOTSEGO.com, WHERE OTSEGO COUNTY GOES FOR BREAKING NEWS

VISIT www.

Brenton P. Dadey

Theodoros Basdekis

Scarzafava, Basdekis & Dadey, PLLC LAWYERS FOR THE PEOPLE

LAW FIRM

607-432-9341 • 800-805-9344

48 Dietz Street, Oneonta, New York 13820 www.PersonalInjuryLawersOneonta.com

B-2

AllOTSEGO.life

THURSDAY, April 2, 2020

Barring Of Patrons Inspires Action On Business Idea Sheltering In Place Brings Change In Reading Habits was raised in Oneonta – maiden DINNER/From B1 boys – Noah’s now 7, and Lucas, 6 – may soon be a hit with youngsters at large in the City of the Hills.

Wednesday, April 1, by the times you pick up this paper, Rachel will have launched Community Ties, picking up on a national recipe and mixing in localness, plus gluten-free and vegetarian options.

Community Ties, modeled after national companies like Blue Apron, is a twist on the take-out craze – and necessity – that’s emerged since President Trump, Governor Cuomo and county board Chair Dave Bliss declared States of Emergency the weekend of March 13.

Rachel is offering a meal kit – three meals, delivered to your door, containing “healthy, local organized food with simplicity, ease and the community in mind,” is how the publicity describes it.

The kits include healthy ingredients and a recipe card. All the mom or dad of the house has to do is assemble.

And yes, one of the meals is the Shaughnessy’s healthy mac’n’cheese.

The two other inaugural recipes are stuffed bell peppers – “everybody likes them,” Rachel said, “but nobody every makes them” – and a Mediterranean salad.

The recipes were designed to “appeal to everyone: hardy comfort food,” said Rachel.

name, Milavec – and after graduation departed in 1992 for San Diego, where she was a hairdresser for 20 years.

Around 2010, she reconnected with Michael Shaughnessy, stepson of Dean Roberts, Green Earth proprietor, who had been a friend from high school, and – after a long-distance relationship of a year or so – he talked her into returning to her hometown.

After two years working at the Green Earth, Rachel and Michael married, and she was soon pregnant with Noah. Lucas soon followed.

The Community Ties idea grew out of a conversation with a girlfriend. “We were talking about our business and how to increase it, how to get more people in here,” Rachel said.

There was a lot of confusion about the bulk food section, her friend told her, with its “grains that nobody had ever heard of.”

Not only does Community Ties provide the immediate gratification of three squares, it will help introduce participants into many of the Green Earth’s offerings they may not be aware of.

The store has “dozens” of local suppliers – local produce, local meat, local flowers. And the variety is seasonal; it will only increase as summer arrives.

AllOTSEGO.life

Jim Kevlin/

Rachel Shaughnessy, daughterin-law of Green Toad proprietor, discusses menus that are guiding Community Ties, her dinner-delivery services that began April 1.

You simply have to call the Green Earth, (607) 432-6600, to order a meal kit. You can pick it up a 4 Market St., or Community Ties will deliver within 10 miles of Main and Market. For particulars about the menu and order, let your fingers do the walking to www.greenearthoneonta.com The founder of Community Ties

BOOKS/From B1 “Before this, when a customer came in, I might be putting away books and I might not get a chance to really talk to them,” he said.

“But now, I’m engaging with them in a much more intimate way.

“They want to talk about the situation they’re in, they want to tell me about what they’re looking for, and I can talk to them about what they might like.”

Customers are buying literary fiction, including new novels such as “My Dark Vanessa” and “American Dirt.” “I bought some books on pandemics, like ‘Guns, Germs and Steel,’ but no one went for them!” he said.

He is seeing sales of what he calls “little books,” especially the mindfulness practices of Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh, which include “How To Sit” and “How To Connect.”

“People have more time for mindfulness,” he said.

And they’re buying more books at a time in preparation for who-knowshow-long a period of social

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Thank You for all that you do!

AllAll OTSEGO.com OTSEGO.com

From Eastman Associates to our community: THANK YOU

“Thank you to all of the healthcare workers caring for our community, our dedicated Helios Care staff and those we are privileged to care for.”

--Dan Ayres, President/CEO

HeliosCare.org

distancing. Where someone might have come in and bought a single book, he said, now they’re buying multiples for the whole family. “I’ll get an email or a call saying, ‘I need a book for my husband, he likes this. And I need a book for my 6-year-old daughter.”

They’re not forgetting their disadvantaged neighbors either. “One woman came in and bought $300 worth of children’s books,” he said. “She was taking them to the food pantry so when families came in, they could take a book for their kid to read.

“I donated some ARCs (Advance Reader Copies) for the parents too.”

At Oneonta’s Huntington Memorial Library, Director Tina Winstead is also finding new ways to keep people engaged. “A lot of people don’t know about some of the electronic services we offer,” she said.

The Libby App, she said, offers ebooks and audiobooks, while Hoopla specializes in comic books, as well as music and movies. “We upped the number of titles you can have on your card to 28 loans in a month,” she said.

“It’s the least we could do.”

The library also has the Flipster app, which is dedicated to magazines.

“You can even ‘cut out’ articles and save them,” she said. “Sometimes, when people are stressed, the only thing they can handle is a magazine.”

In addition, the library is offering their storytime on Facebook Live, and working out a way for their Minecraft club to meet in a digital space.

But despite the challenges, Havener is focusing on the positive aspects of his work.

“It’s a lot of fun,” he said.

“I call myself ‘The Book Fairy’.”

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Serving the Upstate New York area with Quality & Dependability

Springbrook would like to thank all of the people who continue to deliver the essential services that keep our community safe and healthy.

We are proud to be essential, and our Direct Support Professionals are essential to our continued success.

YOU MAKE THE DIFFERENCE Learn how you can join our amazing team! Visit www.SpringbrookNY.org

THURSDAY, April 2, 2020

AllOTSEGO.life

All

OTSEGO. dining&entertainment

Inspired American Cuisine 22 Chestnut Street, Cooperstown Open 7 days a week 11 am - 7 pm To pre-order: 607-322-4012 | melsat22.com As our community battles the Corona virus we have made changes to our menu in an attempt to offer great food that travels well in take-out boxes and family platters.

We have simplified our menu and removed some of our favorite seafood offerings in order to adjust to the changing times but promise to have our full menu available as soon as we are able. All of our entrées below are also available family-style which come with a large mixed green salad, bread and butter and are meant to feed a family of 4-6 people. Please call us to ask about daily specials like Taco Tuesday, Fish Fryday, Prime Rib Saturday and Turkey Dinner Sunday. Thank for your continued support!

Take out or stay home and be safe, because WE WiLL DELiVEr! Pre-order your take-out EASTEr DiNNEr

LUNCH MENU SALADS

Dressing choices: house (white balsamic vinaigrette), raspberry vinaigrette, ranch, blue cheese, caesar, thousand island Southwest Salad—$12 Buffalo Salad—$12 Classic Caesar—$9 with Chicken—$12 with Crabcake—$14

Reuben—$11 Veggie Wrap—$13

BUrgErS AND SANDWiCHES

Choice of Fries, Tater Tots, or Side Salad.

Add ons: Pickles 1 | Bacon 2 | Fried Egg 1 | Caramelized Onion 1 | Avocado 2 | American, Swiss or Provolone 1 | Fresh Mozzarella 1.75 | Pesto 2

Chicken Tenders—$8 Macaroni & Cheese—$7

SiDES French Fries Small—$3 Large—$5 Tater Tots Small—$3 Large—$5 Small Salad—$4.50

Hang Ten—$12

Hometown Burger—$11

Macaroni & Cheese—$5

Cobb Salad—$13 with Grilled Shrimp—$15

California Dreaming Burger—$13

Garlic Truffle or Chipotle Aioli—$1

Mediterranean Salad—$11

PANiNi & WrAPS

Chicken-Bacon Sandwich—$12 Gruyere Mushroom Burger—$12

Breads made fresh from local heidleberg bakery: choice of white, ciabatta, multigrain, rye or wraps: spinach or garlic & herb.

Choice of fries, tater tots, or side salad

Impossible Burger—$16

Chicken Caprese—$11 Turkey Bacon—$11 Smothered Portabella Sandwich—$11

DiNNEr MENU

APPETiZErS

Asian Pork Belly Over Tots—$9 Pulled Pork Tacos—$10 Potato Skins—$8.00 Garlic Fried Cheese Curds—$8 Calamari—$12 Garlic Parmesan Fries—$8

SoUP New England Clam Chowder Cup—$4 Bowl—$6

DriNKS SALADS

Black and Blue Burger—$12

Soft Drinks (with Complimentary Refills)—$3

Haddock Tacos—$13

San Pellegrino—Bottle $5

Dressing choices: house (white balsamic vinaigrette), ranch, blue cheese, caesar, thousand island

KiDS 12 and Under Includes Kids Cup

Assorted Juices—$4

Classic Caesar Salad—$9 Add Chicken—$12

Milk—$3

Roasted Beet Salad—$11

Chocolate Milk—$4

Cobb Salad—$9 Add Chicken—$12

Big Kid Burger—$8 Shrimp in a Basket—$8

Baked Haddock—$13 Family Style—$44 Brian’s Original Fried Haddock—$12 Family Style—$40 Shrimp Over Ravioli—$14 Family Style—$48 Chicken Parmesan—$13 Family Style—$44 Chicken Saltimbocca—$14 Family Style—$48 Macaroni & Three Cheese—$11 Family Style—$40

Coffee (Endless Cup)—$3 Tea (Hot)—$2

Fried Haddock Sandwich—$12

ENTrÉES

Includes a small side salad with choice of dressing: House (White balsamic vinaigrette), ranch, blue cheese, caesar, thousand island

Asian Tofu—$11 Family Style—$38 8oz Bistro Filet—$15 Family Style—$50

DESSErTS

Call for our desserts of the day

B-3

THURSDAY, April 2, 2020

B-4 HOMETOWN ONEONTA

IN MEMORIAM Richard ‘Dick’ W. McVinney, 68; Civic Leader, City Court Judge ONEONTA – The Honorable Judge Richard “Dick” W. McVinney of Oneonta passed away at his home on Saturday, March 28, 2020, following a threeyear battle with declining health.

Dick was born on Dec. 22, 1951, in Oneonta to Clifford “Mac” and Elizabeth “Betty” (Platt) McVinney.

A true Oneontan, Dick attended Bugbee Elementary School and earned the rank of Eagle Scout at just 13 years old. With his Varsity “O” in tennis, he graduated from Oneonta High School in 1970. Beginning his collegiate studies at McGill University in Montreal, Canada, Dick went on to receive his bachelor’s degree from SUNY Oneonta in 1973 and his master’s

degree from the University of Maine in 1974, and Juris Doctorate from Albany Law School in 1982.

Elected in November 1975, Dick was the youngest citizen to ever serve on the Oneonta Common Council, from 1976 to 1979. He proudly led the council’s efforts to preserve the Old Post Office on Main Street (present-day City Hall) and to purchase the land and steer funding for the construction of the Oneonta Public Safety Building.

Dick married Kathleen “Irish” Rose Dougherty on July 29, 1978, at St. Mary’s Church. His staunchest and steadiest supporter, Irish pushed Dick to pursue his life’s calling in law.

Graduating from Albany Law School in 1982, Dick

went into practice with his friend and mentor, John Van Woert.

After two decades of private practice, Judge Dick was Richard McVinney appointed to the position of Oneonta City Court judge in 2009, serving until his retirement in 2019.

Ever the athlete, Dick enjoyed tennis in Wilber Park, basketball on Woodside Avenue and Maple Street and golfing at the Oneonta Country Club.

Dick was also an accomplished chess player; being ranked by the U.S. Chess Federation in the 1960s in

correspondence chess.

His love for the law shone through memberships in the American Bar Association, the New York State Bar Association, the state Trial Lawyers Association, state Public Defenders Association and state Board of Public Relations as an arbitrator.

His love for this area shown through service on the Catskill Area Hospice Board of Directors, the Hartwick College Citizens Board, Hanford Mills Museum, Oneonta Kiwanis Club, Oneonta Rotary Exchange, Delaware County Fish & Game Committee, Habitat for Humanity and many other civic organizations.

Dick is survived by his best-friend and loving wife, Kathleen McVinney of

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.

Oneonta; daughter Megan and her husband, Daniel Fetterman; son Richard and his wife, Amber McVinney; seven grandchildren his brother, Charles; his sister, Sarah and her husband, Gary Bush; many nieces, nephews, great-nieces, great-nephews and Rotary

Exchange children Tomoko, Mandy and Miguel.

Public calling hours and a graveside service at Glenwood Cemetery will be held at a future date.

Arrangements are entrusted to the Lewis, Hurley & Pietrobono Funeral Home,

The

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

WANTED - Six Internships/Temporary Employees Watershed Agricultural Council seeks 6 Interns/Temporary employees to perform various duties as part of a Watershed Agricultural Program (WAP) serving farms within the NYC Watershed. Four (4) of the positions will be Nutrient Management soil samplers who will perform the duties of soil sampling and data collection, One (1) position will be a WAP Ag/Field intern who will assist WAP staff with the design, implementation, installation and site inspections of BMP’s. One (1) position will be a WAP Planning/Technical Intern who will perform the duties of WFP monitoring, BMP inspections and installation and BMP data collection. These are 10 week summer positions that pay $13.00 per hour. Must have dependable vehicle, insurance and a valid N.Y.S. DL. Will be reimbursed for mileage incurred on the job. E.O.E. Please specify which position(s) you are interested in and send resumes to Amy Faulkner, WAC, 33195 State Highway 10, Walton, NY 13856, fax (607) 865-4932 or email afaulkner@nycwatershed.org. Deadline April 10, 2020.

Lester R. Grummons Funeral Home 14 Grand Street, Oneonta • 607-432-6821 www.grummonsfuneralhome.com

PRODUCTION ASSEMBLER NEEDED

Assembles electronic components and sub-assemblies.

Reads work orders, follows production drawings and sample assemblies.

Come be a part of a family-owned business that has been employing in the greater Oneonts area for 59 years.

• One shift only • Weekends off • On a major bus route • Family-friendly hours • Benefits, 401k plan Conact Jerri at 607-432-1930 ext. 103 For more info and to apply, find us on the web at: wwwastrocom-electronics.com/Astrocom/ employment-opportunities.html

Legal

Legal

Legal nOtice

Notice of Formation of JUST JUMP SKYDIVING, LLC. Articles of Organization were filed with the NY Secretary of State on 2/10/20.

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 it to: The LLC, 1693 Co. Hwy. 10, Laurens, NY 13796.

The purpose of the LLC is to engage in any lawful act.

6LegalMay.7 Legal nOtice

Notice of Formation of Shove Enterprises LLC.

Arts of Org filed with Sec of State of NY (SSNY) on March 5, 2020.

Office Location: Otsego County.

SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall may process to Robert A. Gouldin, Esq., 93 Main Street, Oneonta, NY 13820.

Purpose: any lawful purpose.

6LegalApr.23 Legal nOtice

Notice of Formation of Emerald Glen Morris Ny LLC Arts of Org. filed SSNY 12/26/19.

Office: Otsego Co. SSNY design agent of LLC upon whom process may be served & mail to 1967 Wehrle Dr #1-086 Buffalo, NY 14221 General Purpose 6LegalApr.16

Legal

Legal nOtice

Notice of Formation of 47 Chestnut LLC. Arts of Org. filed with the Secretary of State on 03/05/2020.

Principal Business and Office Location: 47 Chestnut Street, Oneonta, NY 13820.

The Secretary of State is designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. The Secretary of State shall mail process to 47 Chestnut Street, Oneonta, NY 13820.

Purpose: any lawful activity.

6LegalApr.16 Legal nOtice

NOTICE OF FORMATION OF A NY LIMITED LIABILTIY COMPANY Richfield Grange, LLC Articles of Organization was filed with the Secretary of

Legal

LEGALS

State of New York (SSNY) on February 25, 2020.

Office Location: Otsego County SSNY is designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of the process to 1019 County Highway 25, Richfield Springs, NY 13439.

The purpose of the LLC is to engage in any lawful act or activity.

6LegalApr.16 Legal nOtice

NOTICE OF FORMATION OF DC Estates LLC Art. of Org. filed with Sec. of State of NY (SSNY) on 2/11/2020.

Office in Otsego Co. SSNY designated as agent upon whom process against it may be served.

SSNY shall mail copy of process to: 297 Main St, Suite M6, Oneonta, NY, 13820.

Legal

Purpose: Any lawful purpose.

6LegalApr.16 Legal nOtice

NOTICE OF FORMATION OF LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY (LLC) Name: JCN Cranes, LLC. Articles of Organization filed with Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on February 14, 2020.

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 The LLC, 6 Railroad Avenue, Oneonta, New York 13820.

Purpose: Any lawful business purpose.

6LegalApr.16 Legal nOtice

Legal

Notice of Formation of Inner Awakening with Janice LLC Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 01/13/2020.

Office: Otsego County.

SSNY designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of the process to the LLC, PO Box 513 Morris, NY 13808.

Purpose: Any lawful purpose.

6LegalApr.9 Legal nOtice

Notice of Formation of MICHAEL F. ALLEVATO LLC Art. of Org. filed with Sec. of State of NY (SSNY) on 2/21/2020.

Office location: Otsego County, SSNY designated as agent upon whom process against

Legal

it may be served.

SSNY shall mail a copy of process to 810 Mooney Road, Worcester, NY. Purpose: Any lawful purpose permitted under LLC law.

6LegalApr.9 Legal nOtice

Notice of Formation of 1945 County Highway LLC Arts. of Org. filed w/ SSNY 2/12/20.

Off. in Otsego Co. SSNY desig. as agt. of LLC whom process may be served. SSNY shall mail process to the LLC, 1945 County Hwy. 22, Richfield Springs, NY 13439.

Purpose: any lawful activity.

6LegalApr.9 Legal nOtice

Notice of Formation of Raldor73 LLC,

Legal

Legal

Art. of Org. filed with SSNY on 8/15/19.

Off. loc.: Otsego Co. SSNY designated as agent upon whom process may be served & shall mail: 101 Cemetery Rd., Fly Creek, NY 13337.

Purp.: any lawful purp.

6LegalApr.9

SSNY shall mail copy of process to 685 Hoose Rd, Cherry Valley, NY 13320.

Purpose is to engage in any and all business activities permitted under NYS laws.

6LegalApr.2

Legal nOtice

Notice of Formation of

Notice of Formation of a NY Limited Liability Company

Copper Helix Design, LLC.

Name: STEVEN M. GRIDLEY EXCAVATING LLC Articles of Organization filing date with Secretary of State (SSNY) was 20 February 2020.

Office location: Otsego County.

SSNY has been designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served and

Legal nOtice

Art. of Org. filed with Sec. of State of NY (SSNY) on 02/18/2020.

Office location: Otsego County.

SSNY designated as Agent upon whom process against it may be served. Post office address SSNY shall mail copy of process to is 258 Bloomfield Rd, Richfield Springs, NY 13439.

Purpose: Any lawful purpose permitted under LLC Law. 6LegalApr.2

►Need to publish a Notice of Formation, Public Notice, Supplemental Summons, or Notice to Bidders?

Contact Larissa at 607-547-6103 or ads@allotsego.com and she can get you started.

AllOTSEGO.life

THURSDAY, April 2, 2020

( Five Star Subaru

LOVE. It’s what makes a Subaru a Subaru...

...and it’s what keeps our community together.

(

Five Star Subaru

331 Chestnut Street • Oneonta

wedosubaru.com

FOR TAKE-OUT AND DELIVERY

B-5

TUNNICLIFF TAKEOUT SPECIALS!

$5 Lunch Express • $7 Tues. Night Dinner

$995 Featured Dinners, Wed. - Sat. (inc. soup & salad) Specials & menu at

www.tunnicliff.net/restaurants Curbside delivery or pick up in “The Pit”, under the Tunnicliff

Call 607-547-9611

Open Tue-Sat Noon - 8 pm

34 Pioneer Street

For almost 150 years, we’ve been here for you.

SOME THINGS DON’T CHANGE. Church & Scott Pharmacy 5396 St. Hwy. 28 • Cooperstown 607-547-1228

Wanna Curl Up With a Good Book?

We Are Open fOr Business!

Please help us support all of these local businesses who are staying open to serve you during these uncertain times.

Green Toad is happy to offer both curbside and home delivery, or we can ship to your home.

Of course we have books, but you can see our soaps, candles, puzzles and more online at greentoadbookstore.com!

Mohican Flowers

198 MAin sTreeT, OneOnTA 607-433-8898

To respond to the community and brighten up everyone’s day:

we HAVE FRESH FLOWERS!

Call and we can arrange some beauty for you and your home.

607-547-8822 Curbside pickup or we DELIVER

We have always delivered

207 Main Street, Cooperstown on facebook Mohicanflowers.org

WE’RE OPEN. WE’RE ESSENTIAL. WE’RE HERE FOR YOU. SUPPORT LOCAL JOURNALISm.

NEWS TO GO!

With your support, we can continue to bring YOUR local news straight to you!

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OUNDED

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JOIN OUR SUBSCRIBERS via AllOtsego.com.

Call Larissa at 607-547-6103 for an easy start-up or email her at LarissaR@allotsegocom.

For 212 Years

45 Pioneer Street

607-547-8100 cooperstownwines.com HOURS: Tu-Th 11 - 7; Fri 11 - 8; Sa. 10 - 8; Su Noon - 7

Nourishing bodies, minds, spirits, and community during these difficult days.

We are happy to announce

CommuNity ties

weekly to-go meal kits which include a recipe card and fresh local ingredients.

We are incorporating healthy local organic food with simplicity, ease, and community in mind, for you and your family to create a yummy, healthy meal to gather around.

These healthy meals can be delivered to your door (within a 10-mile radius) or picked up at our store.

Gluten-free and vegan options are available.

4 Market Street OneOnta Open: Mon-Sat 8 am to 6 pm Sun 10 am to 5 pm Café: Mon-Sat 8 am to 2 pm Sun 10 am to 2 pm

WHILE OUR RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Carryout service is available from 11 am to 7 pm Tuesday - Sunday.

FREE DELIVERY SERVICE within a 10-mile radius and $20 minimum order.

Place orders via phone at 607-432-1782, at www.brooksbbq.com or the Brooks’ BBQ app on your iPhone or Android.

% OFF 20 mixed cases of wine *

every day

* 750 ml sizes and larger.

WE DELIVER FOR FREE!

Curbside Pick-Up Too! Stay Safe Everyone!

Check out our menus online and give us a call!

5438 State Highway 28 | Cooperstown 607.282.4031 | www.boccaosteria.com

Family Meal Deal $29.95 Feeds up to 6 people with entrée, salad, and garlic bread. Choose from Chicken Marsala, Chicken Parm, Chicken Piccata, Chicken Riggies, Eggplant Parm, Baked Ziti, or Vodka Riggies. ork pizzeria new y

NYPC

Co gs ope rstown • Richfeld Sprin

Cooperstown | Richfield Springs | www.nypizza.biz

2 Large Plain Pizzas extra $25 tax inc. Toppings

Not good with other offers

B-6

AllOTSEGO.life

THURSDAY, april 2, 2020

Van Zandt, Drnek, Oliver Step Up HELPERS/From A1 It’s one of several ways entities in Oneonta, Coopertown and in between are reaching out to their neighbors under COVID-19 quarantines.

Sweet Home Productions, Destination Marketing of Otsego County (DMOC), Van Zandt and county Rep. Clark Oliver, D-Oneonta, are each taking steps to help the county through the crisis and into a better time. ►TO A BRIGHTER DAY The coloring pages, available on the Destination Oneonta Facebook Page, are open to anyone who wants to enter. “We’re giving away Downtown Dollar prizes in five categories,” she said. “You can use them at restaurants and stores, to buy those groceries

at the Green Earth or treat yourself to dinner from the Autumn Café.” ►DOWNTOWN PROMOTIONS Entries must use the #ColorMeCoop hashtag and must be completed by April 12, with winners chosen April 13.

Destination Oneonta is also working with Mark Drnek, Sweet Home Oneonta and the Eighth Ward Council member, on promoting downtown businesses online. “People were on Facebook asking where they could buy gift cards online to support local businesses,” he said. “We had the time, so we thought we should put together something.”

The website, www.

SupportOneonta.com, aggregates local businesses by type and directs people to

online ordering. “Everyone is doing what they can,” he said. “This is about getting this information out there to help these businesses replace this income.”

It’s free for businesses to be listed, and he is working with the Otsego County Chamber of Commerce to link additional resources for business assistance. ►COUNTY AND COUNTY He also built a www.Support Otsego.com for businesses outside the city, and is working on similar pages for Delhi and Schoharie County.

The SupportOtsego page will also host the county’s Economic Impact Task Force survey, aimed at helping understand what businesses need to recover. (That task force and

a Health Care one, appointed by county board Chair Dave Bliss last week, are aimed at getting more people involved in tackling today’s foremost local challenges.”)

“I’ve been getting a lot of questions about relief efforts, loan availability and how to access those programs,” said Cassandra Harrington, DMOC executive director. “We put together this survey to make sure we know what the businesses need.”

The survey asks questions on whether businesses are remaining open or haven’t opened yet, how many employees they have, and how they promote their business.

“Businesses want to present a unified front,” she said. “We want to get them all together in a digital format so they can compare and be fair to their customers.”

The surveys will be collected

throughout the week and analyzed at the task forces’ next meeting. ►LINING UP EXPERTS Meanwhile, Oliver, the freshman county representative, has put together a growing list for county residents looking for educational resources, food pantries and restaurant deals, healthcare information and more.

“When the crisis began, there was just this onslaught of Facebook posts,” he said.

“And I thought we needed a centralized location of all this information.”

Working with LEAF Executive Director Julie Dostal and Elyane Mosher Campoli, a local event organizer, Oliver put together the Google Doc. “Each school district, for instance, has its own food pickup, so we have a category for that,” he said. “We’ve got educational and entertainment

pages, health info, deliveries and child care.”

There’s even a section for stress management and volunteers, and many of the services available are no-cost or a low-cost service.

And Oliver is hoping that people will add their own resources to the list.

“We’re really looking for people who are willing to do deliveries of groceries or medicine, or who might be willing to offer pet or child care,” he said.

The list is accessible at http://tinyurl. com/OneontaResourceForm.

“It’s a positive aspect,” he said. “Seeing the community band together has been a really bright spot. It’s important that we help those in need.”

“I’ve never been more proud to be an Oneontan,” said Drnek. “Everyone is doing what they can to help out.”

AllOTSEGO.homes 157 Main Street,Cooperstown 607-547-5740

hubbellsrealestate.com

Buying Antiques, estAtes, ArtifActs

Buzz Hesse Antiques & Appraisals Over 60 years experience

Call today for a courteous and confidential talk

Dynamic Dutch-style

370 MAin street, otego 607-287-5320 buzzh123@gmail.com

(8662) Distinctive 5-BR, 3-bath contemporary home w/rolling hill views on 41.60 acres. Double-door entry to 2-story foyer, LR w/fireplace, large built-in bookcases, French doors to charming veranda. Impressive staircase, formal DR, crown moldings, maple floors, mudroom, laundry. Gourmet kitchen w/eating area, master suite, 3-car garage. Cooperstown Schools.

Buying Antiques, estAtes, ArtifActs

Hubbell’s Exclusive—$679,000

More Than a House…It’s a Lifestyle! This light-filled City of Oneonta contemporary home is as unique as it is beautiful. Ceiling-to-floor glass w/commanding views of the city and mountains, exposed metal beams and ducts, 3 commissioned stained glass installations including the front door.

Perfect for entertaining: formal LR and DR have large sliding doors leading down to patio and pool, large atrium/family room w/double Jotul fireplace leads to greenhouse, another large family/media room w/sliding doors to covered patio, and adjacent to 2-story foyer is cozy den w/fireplace and a wall of ceiling-to-floor bookshelves. Custom chef’s kitchen and pantry w/black cabinetry, Corian counters, peninsula for quick meals, built-in desk, black oak floor. Master suite includes sitting area, large bath w/Jacuzzi tub, shower w/steamer, walk-in closet. There are 2 other BRs, 1 w/en suite bath. More entertainment w/patio, in-ground pool, pool house w/bar, garden/fountain.

MLS#124849 $475,000

In these moments of uncertainty, we would like to share the Governor’s message:

Stay Calm. Stay Safe. Stay Home.

Help us slow this pandemic by eliminating gatherings and practicing social distancing.

All of us hope that you all stay healthy.

Locally owned and operated Single and multi-family homes Commercial property and land

99 Main Street, Oneonta office 607.441.7312 fax 607.432.7580 www.oneontarealty.com Lizabeth Rose, Broker/Owner Cricket Keto, Licensed Assoc. Broker Peter D. Clark, Consultant

166 Main Street, Ste 1, Oneonta office 607.433.2873 www.oneontarealty.com

Easy One-Floor Living!

Home of the Week Office fOr rent

cooperstown Village 209B Main Street

$500/mo. 2-yr lease

Includes electric, internet, heat, plus access to conference room and kitchenette. Available March 1.

Call Steve at 865-384-9884, or email bieritzinsurance@aol.com.

And a second-floor BR option if needed! 3 BRs downstairs, 1 BR upstairs in this West End Oneonta charmer! Cute vinyl-sided bungalow features enclosed front porch and rear screened porch overlooking terraced, private lower back yard w/stone retaining walls.

Side yard has a full garden, and several 2nd-year grape vines. Inside is recently freshly painted throughout, offset nicely by natural woodwork on the first floor. Make your appointment to view this home.

MLS#124695 $134,900

New Purchases and Refinances Debt Consolidation Free Pre-Qualification Fast Approvals • Low Rates

Matt Schuermann

Registered Mortgage Broker NYS Banking Dept.

20 Chestnut Street • Suite 1 • Cooperstown 607-547-5007 www.leatherstockingmortgage.com

INSURANCE MANY COMPANIES. MANY OPTIONS. Bieritz insurance agency

Real people who truly care... your hometown insurance agency!

209 Main Street, Cooperstown 607-547-2951 across from Bruce Hall 607-263-5170 in Morris Celebrating our

Ben Novellano

th 30 YEAR! 1990-2020