Hometown Oneonta 04-30-20

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LOCALLY, MASKS BECOME FASHION STATEMENT/A3

O CRIBE T ►SUBS

O.com G E S T O nty’s

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ne O COu Otseg paper/onli ews started. Daily n 3 to get 47-610 at 607-5 a s is r a L Call

Volume 12, No. 30

HOMETOWN E!

E FR

ONEONTA

& The Otsego-Delaware Dispatch

Oneonta, N.Y., Thursday, April 30, 2020

Visit www.

AllOTSEGO.com

MAY 15, CONSTRUCTION, FACTORIES RESTART

City of The Hills

USA TODAY COLUMN:

NO JETER INDUCTION UNTIL 2021

BEGINNING OF THE END? three of the state’s economic development regions, including the Mohawk Valley, which y May 18, Greg Ward includes Otsego County. hopes that Burt Rigid For a region to reopen, Box in the Town of hospitals need to be operating Oneonta can bring its 44 at less than 70 percent capacemployees back to work. ity, and infection rates must be “We’re in the process of putdeclining below 1.1 percent 14 ting plans in place,” said Ward, days in a row. the plant’s operations manager. In the meantime, the gov“We’ve got a crew in there ernor said, businesses should Governor Cuomo announcing deep cleaning now, and we’re prepare plans, using social Sunday, April 26, that Otsego and constructing Plexiglas barriers other rural counties may reopen. distancing, masks and other for when people can’t exercise measures to ensure their emsocial distancing.” ployees can work safely. During his daily briefing Sunday, April 26, “Essential services” not open now and businesses Governor Cuomo announced Upstate construction that don’t present a high risk of COVID-19 infectfirms and factories can “un-PAUSE” on May 15 in Please See THE END, A9 By LIBBY CUDMORE

B Ian Austin/HOMETOWN ONEONTA

Laurie Zimniewicz took advantage of the sunny skies on Saturday, April 25 to admire her daffodils, part of the Oneonta Garden Club giveaway, which distributed 4,500 bulbs across the city and town/STORY, A3

‘Bad Batch’ May Cause 4 Oneonta ODs ONEONTA

O

neonta Police were called to the scene of four heroin overdoses in 48 hours, according to Police Chief Doug Brenner, prompting fears that drugs tainted with fentanyl may be on the streets. Police revived three of the victims with Narcan, and the fourth, a woman found passed out on the street, was revived by a bystander. Details at

AllOTSEGO.com

www.

SEE MULTIPLE REPORTS ON

AllOTSEGO.com ►TREATED FOR COVID, Assemblyman Brian Miller out of intensive care. ►20-percent state aid cut possible, Ruffles tells towns, villages. ►billboard magazine says SUNY-O music program tops. ►2 men arrested in Oneonta, Otego robbery spree that hit 4 gas stations, 2 stores. ►HELIOS, OFO top community grant recipients. ►oneonta wendy’s sign declares “Enough is Enough.” ►democrat, republican primaries to be held here.

By LIBBY CUDMORE & JIM KEVLIN COOPERSTOWN

A

s many as 90,000 fans were anticipated in Cooperstown for this year’s July 26 Induction of Yankees’ superstar Derek Jeter. But instead of a potential recordbreaking crowd, USA Today revealed this week, the Clark Sports Center field may be empty. “With the COVID-19 pandemic raging across the country – with 292,000 Please See INDUCTION, A9

AllOTSEGO.com

►UPDATES ON www.

SENATOR RECOUNTS HIS COVID-19 ORDEAL

Week 1, Donors Give Foundation $127,000 Seward: Prayers Pulled Me Through cancer bout – the first was in 2016 – he went to Albany Medical Center Thursday, March 26, MILFORD for routine chemotherapy. ►TO join donors to the “They always take your vital Community Foundation of he coronavirus came on signs before: I was running a Otsego County, visit bit by bit. high fever,” he said in an www.cfotsego.com “In late March, I got interview Monday, April 27. a cough, a hacking cough,” He was tested for the coronasaid state Sen. Jim Seward, Rvirus: “The next day, midday, “The community is really Milford, now recuperating at it came back positive. They coming on like gangbusters home from a narrow escape knew what it was.” to support their neighbors Other members of the state and fellow community mem- from COVID-19. “I didn’t HOMETOWN ONEONTA Senate and Assembly have think a lot about it.” bers,” said Harry Levine, Then, “I started feeling quite The senator at an acquired the virus, including CFOC board chairman. April 18 parade in fatigued and lethargic.” state Rep. Brian Miller, R-New Encouraged by public his honor in MilAlso suffering from a second ford. Please See SEWARD, A9 support, several donors gave more than once, according to a press release. By JIM KEVLIN

First Beneficiaries Will Be Announced Soon COOPERSTOWN

I

n less than a week, the fledgling Community Foundation of Otsego County raised $127,000 towards its “COVID-19 Relief & Recovery Fund for Otsego County.” The original $30,000 challenge grant, announced Tuesday, April 21, was matched in 72 hour. A second $20,000 challenge, announced Friday the 24th, was met over the weekend.

T

From Edmeston, NYC Angel Of Mercy

With Elective Surgery, Bassett Is Normalizing By ELIZABETH COOPER COOPERSTOWN

A

s COVID-19 cases slow and the virus appears more contained, Bassett Hospital is beginning to start the process of returning to a new version of normalcy. “We realized that things

that could be put off for a few weeks can no longer be deferred,” said Dr. William LeCates, hospital president. “What was elective for a week or two is often not for two to three months.” All elective surgeries had been canceled by state order to make those beds available for COVID-19 patients and out of fear Please See NORMAL, A10

By LIBBY CUDMORE EDMESTON

T

he family, David Delker said, was desperate. “They were calling from Florida, but their mom was in The Bronx,” he said. “She wasn’t a COVID-19 death, but the funeral homes in the city had a month and half backlog, and they were just calling further and further upstate. “They were panicking, they had seen the horror stories and were thinking the worst. But as soon as I started talking to them, you could hear that fear dissipating.” Delker, owner of Delker & Terry Funeral

Ian Austin/HOMETOWN ONEONTA Funeral Director David Delker discusses his missions to New York City.

Home in Edmeston, has begun serving families from New York City and downstate. Please See DELKER, A9

HOMETOWN ONEONTA, OTSEGO COUNTY’S LARGEST CIRCULATION NEWSPAPER 2010 WINNER OF The Otsego County Chamber/KEY BANK SMALL BUSINESS AWARD


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