Hometown Oneonta 05-07-20

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Volume 12, No. 31

City of The Hills

E FR

LAYOFFS AT COUNTY NOT IF, BUT WHEN

Lisa Hughs waves to parade goers as she films the fire trucks passing by Fox Hospital in a parade to salute the front line healthcare workers on Tuesday, May 5.

Carson Asks County: Open Auto Dealers

& The Otsego-Delaware Dispatch

Oneonta, N.Y., Thursday, May 7, 2020

COOPERSTOWN

Ian Austin/HOMETOWN ONEONTA

ONEONTA

ounty Treasurer Allen Ruffles planned to brief the county board Wednesday, May 6, at its monthly meeting what 20-30 percent coronavirus-fueled cuts in state aid means in terms of layoffs of county workers. The county also expects sales tax revenues to drop 25 percent, or $10 million, the equivalent of its property tax levy. For details, check Wednesday afternoon at

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QUARANTINES, TREATMENTS WORKED

Only One COVID Case Left Locally

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By ELIZABETH COOPER COOPERSTOWN

ust one case. That’s where Otsego County’s COVID-19 numbers are right now. The Tuesday, May 5, data from the county Health Department showed, for

Bond

LeCates

the first time, no new cases for the past five days. Of the 62 total cases found in the county since March 23, 57 had recovered and four had succumbed to the virus. The one remaining patient is hospitalized. County Public Health Director Heidi Bond pronounced the numbers “great news,” but said that the virus is still cirPlease See ONE CASE, A7

Glimmerglass Fest Out • All Star Village Holds On

ONEONTA

iting the $117 million that car dealerships put into the local economy, Common Council member Len Carson, Fifth Ward, asked the county Board of RepreCarson sentatives Wednesday, May 5, to restart car sales in Otsego County. Carson told Oneonta Common Council that he sent the letter to the Board asking them to support the resolution, pointing out that it had already been done in Onondaga County. Details at

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SEE MULTIPLE REPORTS ON

AllOTSEGO.com

The Glimmerglass Festival’s Alice Busch Opera Theater on Otsego Lake in the Town of Springfield.

By LIBBY CUDMORE COOPERSTOWN

ith the curtain on “The Sound of Music” scheduled to rise in just two months, the Glimmerglass Festival has announced it will not host any

live performances this summer. “It was our hope this summer to gather at the Festival,” Francesca Zambello, artistic director, said Tuesday, May 5. “But it became clear that, for all our safety, we cannot gather together to perform the beautiful season we had planned for you.” Please See OPERA, A2

All Star Village’s diamonds in the Town of Oneonta, which featured a couple new turf fields this year.

By JIM KEVLIN WEST ONEONTA

ooperstown Dreams Park in Hartwick Seminary. Strike out. Derek Jeter’s prospective Hall of Fame Induction July 26 in

Drive-In Graduation Ruled Out, But OHS Seeks Other Novelties

►BAT, FOUR ONEONTANS tested for rabies. ►RAIN, SNOW FELL 19 days in April. By LIBBY CUDMORE ►SPRINGFIELD 4TH OF JULY, OHS Alumni weekend cancelled due ONEONTA to COVID-19 concerns. ►WHAT WAS A HORSE doing in uperintendent Thomas Center City, Oneonta? ►BORED? Try SUNY Oneonta Brindley wants to make jigsaw puzzle. sure that the Class of 2020 is cel►otsego Rural housing ebrated, no matter what. assistance launches rent “These students really deserve it,” he relief program. said. “It breaks our hearts that we might not

be able to all participate in the graduation milestones, but our mission is to put something together so that they can enjoy it.” Since Governor Cuomo announced Friday, May 1, that New York State schools would be closed for the rest of the year, Brindley is working to try and figure out a plan for prom, graduation, the Senior Brunch and Please See GRADUATION, A9

Cooperstown. Strike out. Even the Baseball Hall of Fame is waiting in the dugout for now. For now, that leaves one Otsego County baseball institution in the game this summer: Cooperstown All Star Village on Route 205 here. “We want to play baseball,” is how Marty Patton, All Star Village Please See BASEBALL, A2

Community Foundation’s 1st Grant Goes To Helios ONEONTA

ust two weeks after going public, the Community Foundation for Otsego County has awarded its first grant: $5,000 to Helios Care for PPE – personal protective equipment.

The money came from the foundation’s newly established COVID-19 Relief & Recovery Fund. “This award to Helios Care captures the goal of the fund to support firstLevine line health care providers by Please See HELIOS, A10

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THURSDAY, May 7, 2020

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Festival Season Cancelled, But Museums Hope To Re-Open Soon Summer Internship Program and its local Youth Opera Program. “Public performances are only the tip of the iceberg,” Zambello said. “Behind the scenes, the company invests an enormous amount of energy in training the young people who make up the future of the art form (through) group workshops and one-on-one mentoring from established professionals.” The festival is also planning “a robust selection of

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virtual opportunities.” The Glimmerglass Festival is late to the table. Other local cultural institutions, including The Farmers’ Museum, Fenimore Art Museum and Hyde Hall, remain closed at present, but all intend to open as soon as the governor declares it is safe to do so. “The museum is nothing without people,” said Paul D’Ambrosio, Fenimore and Farmers’ president. “We are preparing for an eventual reopening, with all proce-

BASEBALL/From A1 proprietor, explained his week-by-week strategy. “The kids want to play baseball. If it’s possible and it’s safe, why shouldn’t we have some hope?” This week, he was sending letters cancelling play to the 70 teams scheduled for what would have been the first week of the 2020 All Star Village season, beginning June 6. For now, he said, the idea is to continue to cancel a month

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into account in making his decision. Given his roots and Brenda’s, one of Patton Oneonta’s Colones, “We could never walk out on the community or those wonderful people who are coming from all over to visit.” On March 22, the weekend of Dreams Parks’ decision, he announced the week-to-week strategy. “Our reason behind this was, simply: we didn’t know enough back then (about how the COVID-19 threat was going to play out) to pull the plug,” he said. So far, Patton said, “we’ve only had a handful of cancellations. It’s amazing. We’ve had many teams

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in advance, week by week, in hopes of being able to hold at least some of the tournaments later in the summer, depending on how the coronavirus threat plays out. Patton, who was born and raised in Oneonta, took a markedly different approach to Dreams Park’s, the other youth tournament baseball camp. Dreams Park, based in Salisbury, N.C., simply posted a message on its website Friday, March 20, announcing it was cancelling its season, to the dismay of restaurants and merchants in Oneonta and Cooperstown, as well as hotels and dozens of property owners who rent out accommodations annually to hundreds of baseball families. Patton said he enjoys the season, as do the kids, but he also took his neighbors and fellow businesspeople

coming in June request to come in July or August. It tells you the strength of the Cooperstown brand.” During their week, All Star Village teams visit the Hall of Fame and shop the souvenir and equipment shops on Baseball Mecca’s Main Street. “We also promote The Farmers’ Museum; it’s fabulous,” said Patton, who founded his tournament venue in 1996, three years after Lou Presutti Jr. started Dreams Park. “We’re fortunate to have what we have in our community,” he said. Some have said Dreams Park needed to decide early on whether or not to open,because it needed to hire staff. Patton said, for him, that’s not a problem. “Seventy-five percent of our staff comes back every year,” he said.

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inspire dialogue around meaningful issues through storytelling and music,” Zambello said. “I am very excited about the prospect of bringing our Town Hall discussions to a potentially wider audience.” Though Hyde Hall is closed, Maney has invited visitors to tour the grounds and sit on the porch overlooking Otsego Lake. When tours can resume, he said, they will likely be by reservation only.

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logically in the 19th century. “We want to create a virtual museum experience,” said Jon Maney, Hyde Hall executive director. “It’s a good way to keep present in people’s minds, to make them interested for when they can come here.” Similarly, the festival will take its Town Hall series virtual, starting with a Live Conversation with Zambello and Music Director Joseph Colaneri. “A huge part of the Festival’s mission is to

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dures and guidelines in place.” Meanwhile, each is offering virtual programs. The Zambello Farmers’ focus is on crafts and cooking; The Fenimore on collection highlights and open mic nights, Hyde Hall with a new series on the mansion’s lighting, which was cutting-edge techno-

OPERA/From A1 Following Governor Cuomo’s order prohibiting attractions that would draw a large number of visitors, the Glimmerglass Festival Board of Trustees made its decision. The festival was slated to perform “Don Giovanni,” “Rinaldo,” “Die Feen (The Fairies)” and “The Jungle Book.” However, the festival will continue its educational programs, including the 2020 Young Artists program,

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Living with COVID-19

THURSDAY, May 7, 2020

County At Annuto’s Farm Stand in Oneonta over the weekend, the sun came out and so did the customers, keeping Andrew Dolan, foreground, and Patrick Sage busy updating inventory.

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BEST BETS

AllOTSEGO.life

Ian Austin/

Will you spot a Canada Goose or a Bald Eagle? There are plenty of birds to look for as the Delaware-Otsego Audubon Society hosts a birdwatching scavenger hunt.

AllOTSEGO.life

Ian Austin & Jim Kevlin/

To Beat Covid Blahs, Shoppers Want Flowers, ‘Victory Gardens’ By LIBBY CUDMORE MOUNT VISION

‘V’ Mount Vision Garden Center’s Ed Wilms has 26 warehouses worth of verdant offerings.

for vegetables – or victory. “A lot of the companies we buy from say the ‘Victory Garden’ is making a comeback,” said Ed Wilms, Mount Vision Garden Center, who opened his family’s 26 greenhouses Friday, May 1. “People are worried they won’t have enough vegetables, so they’re planting their own. Sales are up across the board.” “We’re starting a new garden,” said Sarah Jahnke,

At Carefree Gardens’ outside Cooperstown, Mary Leonard, here with daughters Kristen, left, and Dana, says customers are looking to blueberries for solace.

Schenevus. “We’re mostly buying veggies” – not full grown: vegetable plants. This past weekend was the first sunny one in a while, so customers came out in force –

wearing masks and maintaining social distance, of course – not just here, but at garden centers across the county. “We’ve got people coming Please See GREEN, A8

‘SMALL TALK WITH JILL’ DEBUTS

Oneonta’s Jill MorganMeek, Transitions Boutique owner, is taking care of other businesses from her in-home studio.

On Youtube, Oneonta Merchant Tells Story Of Local Businesses store from Cindy Staffin in 2014, has launched “Small Talk With Jill,” a weekly video series that highlights local business and cultural entities by inviting the owners to sit down with her – over Zoom, for now – and tell customers and potential customers what they have to offer. “It’s been in the back of my mind for several years,” she said. “I want people to meet our shop owners.” A Pennsylvania native with roots in Elmira, Morgan-Meek moved to Please See JILL, A8

By LIBBY CUDMORE ONEONTA

hough she calls it “Small Talk With Jill,” it could become anything but little. “I know a lot of incredible businesses, and I asked myself, ‘What can I do to help them?’” said Jill Morgan-Meek, owner of Transitions Consignment Boutique, 6 Dietz St. Morgan-Meek, who took over the

AllOTSEGO.life

Libby Cudmore/

Watch For Birds Get In Shape, Or See A Photo Show

f you went a little crazy buying seeds and now don’t know what to do with them, The Farmers’ Museum has got you covered with a video tutorial on seed starting. www.facebook.com/farmersmuseum/videos/657656571445914/ • What does a red cabbage have to do with acidity and the blue sky? The AJ Read Science Discovery Center will answer all these questions with a kitchen science lesson. BYOC – Bring Your Own Cabbage! 2 p.m. Thursday, May 7, www.facebook. com/AJReadSDC/ • LIBBY Get in pitch-perfect CUDMORE shape with a Spring workout centered around the soundtrack from the “Pitch Perfect” movies. 7:15 p.m. Thursday, May 7, www. facebook.com/OneontaFamilyYMCA/ • There’s still time to find some birds as part of the Delaware-Otsego Audubon Society’s Bird Scavenger Hunt! Download the form, grab your binoculars and see how many you can identify before the deadline on Friday, May 8. www.doas. us/2020-gone-birding • Photographer Leila Durkin takes her “Twenty Years Later” show online, with new photos taken of past participants displayed alongside their photos in previous shows. www.facebook. com/theroseboomshows • Inspired? The Cooperstown Art Association is still seeking entries for their 85th Annual National Juried Art Exhibition through Saturday, May 30. • Treat Mom to a double bill at the Metropolitan Opera with a free livestream of Mascagni’s “Cavalleria Rusticana” and Leoncavallo’s “Pagliacci.” 7:30 p.m. Sunday, May 10, www.metopera.org/user-information/nightly-met-opera-streams/week-8/

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HOMETOWN Views

THURSDAY, May 7, 2020

EDITORIALS

IN OTSEGO COUNTY, ONLY ONE ACTIVE CASE

War Not Over, But Let’s Take Victory Lap For Battle Won

et’s take a victory lap. As of Monday, May 4, the coronavirus threat in Otsego County had been reduced to one case. One case in the whole county. It’s a battle won, not the war. Testing for the coronavirus identified 62 positive infections once symptoms appeared, through the Bassett Hospital hotline

(547-5555) and other means. In all likelihood, though, there is still coronavirus in our neighborhoods. Testing for antigens, which is expected to ramp up in the days ahead – soon, in local pharmacies. It will identify people who have been exposed to COVID19, have it in their bloodstreams, but may not have infected anyone else. Further, no county is an

island, as much as we might wish it to be. People are driving up from New York City, the national center of the epidemic – many fewer than would have been if Induction 2020, Cooperstown Dreams Park and the Glimmerglass Festival hadn’t been cancelled – but still, some. Some people, it’s said, are renting now-vacant Please See EDITORIAL, A5

With Time On Our Hands, Let’s Revisit One Oneonta

Act Now To Ease Your Loving Dog’s Separation Anxiety To the Editor: Because of the pandemic too many dogs are getting used to having their owners around 24/7. In many cases this will result in possible severe separation anxiety (panic attacks from being left alone which can result in lots of unwanted behaviors: barking, peeing and pooping, destructive chewing, etc). As a preventative – LEAVE YOUR DOG ALONE SEVERAL TIMES A WEEK! The separation anxiety section in my book, “Dog Training Diaries,” details how to leave your dog alone and return creating the least possible stress for your four-legged significant other. TOM SHELBY The Dog Charmer Cooperstown

HOMETOWN

like in our lives after the COVID-19 virus has been vanquished? What can we do to make Oneonta a better, more vibrant and a truly innovative place as we move to the future? Many of us have time on our hands, time that could be productive and beneficial for our community. Why not take the current down time to craft a referendum to merge the city and town of Oneonta? We all know, bucks were very tight before the pandemic and it’s not hard to imagine that available dollars will be far more restricted afterward. Let’s produce one Oneonta that can run leaner, more efficiently and one with a better chance of increasing municipal revenue. Coming out of the pandemic, one Oneonta would glow with commercial and social productivity. We don’t need a study to do this! We already know one Oneonta would be a heck of a lot better than the two flailing Oneontas we currently have. All we need is for Mayor Herzig and Supervisor Wood to name an 11-member blue ribbon commission, five from the city and six from the town, charged with producing a consolidation referendum in time for Election Day 2021! The group will no doubt need the advice and guidance of a professional consultant and they are readPlease See COLONE, A6

ONEONTA

& The Otsego-Delaware Dispatch

James C. Kevlin Editor & Publisher

Tara Barnwell

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 National Newspaper Association, 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

there’s almost nothing left. Patton’s strategy – cancelling the first week in June during the first week in May, etc. – may allow him to salvage two weeks, four weeks, six weeks, maybe more. He is emphatic, as every sensible person should be, that safety will guide any final decision. Given where were are, it’s possible COVID-19 may be just an unhappy memory locally in a few weeks. The pacing factor for Patton is where his teams are coming from: Detroit and Houston and Tucson and wherever the disease’s arrival came later. When and where are questions Patton’s struggling with, as he should be. Let’s hope facts break his way, for the benefit of all of us.

Illustrations in Alan Taylor’s “William Cooper’s Town” including, upper right, Cooper’s Otsego Manor, where Victor Salvatore’s James Fenimore Cooper statue is today, and, upper left, Elihu Phinney, Otsego Herald publisher, a friend of Cooper’s who became a bitter political foe. The Freeman’s Journal

First Cooperstown Village Election Was A Wild One Editor’s Note: The uncertainly surrounding this year’s village elections locally and throughout New York State, now scheduled six months late on Sept. 15, brought to mind the tumult surrounding Cooperstown’s first village elections, recounted in Alan Taylor’s “William Cooper’s Town,” which won a 1996 Pulitzer Prize.

he (state) Legislature (in 1807) was considering two rival petitions to incorporate the village at the foot of Lake Otsego. Incorporation would provide Cooperstown with a government distinct from Otsego Township. Gilbert Stuart’s portrait of Ostensibly the rival petitions William Cooper, in The Fenimore disputed the official name for the Art Museum’s collection. incorporated village (formation of an aqueduct company was also at isthe Otsego Herald, the state Legislasue): in one, (Cooperstown’s founder, ture passed a bill incorporating Otsego Judge William) Cooper and the village Village and empowering Phinney Federalists sought to retain the name and four associates to establish their Cooperstown, while the other chamaqueduct company. pioned by (Otsego Herald publisher) Wounded by the theft of his village, Elihu Phinney and his new Republican William Cooper plunged into the friends, favored “Otsego Village” in campaign of 1807 with a vengeance. It order to dishonor the judge. became his personal mission to punish …The judge spent much of March Phinney and the (ascendant Democratin Albany haunting the Assembly ic Republicans) by helping to defeat lobby to press for passage of his bill. their candidate for governor. Instead, on April 3, the day after Flushed with victory, Phinney and Phinney openly endorsed (gubernatohis associates aggressively moved to rial candidate Daniel) Tompkins in implement the new government for

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Libby Cudmore

t may turn out Marty Patton made the right call, delaying opening of his Cooperstown All Star Village, the youth baseball tournament camp in West Oneonta, in hopes of salvaging at least some of the 2020 season. Things are happening so quickly. With this week’s Glimmerglass Fest cancellation, pretty much all of the major summer activities have been cancelled or delayed – mostly notably, of course, Derek Jeter’s July 26 Induction and the 2020 season of Patton’s competitor, Cooperstown Dreams Park. Meanwhile, the coronavirus threat seems to be easing day to day, from New York City to Otsego County where, for now,

Turbulent Times. Then, Now

LETTERS

To the Editor: During this time of crisis, Governor Cuomo’s daily report on the coronavirus in New York State has brought me a sense of reassurance that we will “beat the beast!” He regularly talks of making something good come out of bad situations; he speaks of the positive outcomes which have resulted from past crisis. What will things look

For Good Of All, Hope Marty Patton’s Right

Otsego Village. The May 14 issue of the Otsego Herald announced Tompkins’ sweeping victory and summoned the villagers to meet at the courthouse on Tuesday, May 19, to elect five trustees. But Phinney and Metcalf underestimated the resiliency and the anger of the Federalists, who were still a solid majority in the village, if no longer in the county at large. On the 19th, the Federalist majority packed the courthouse and elected five trustees favored by William Cooper. Four days later the village Federalists reconvened at Maj. Joseph Griffin’s Red Lion Tavern. They instructed the new trustees not to act until the legislature amended the incorporation and restored the name Cooperstown. …Enraged by Phinney’s betrayal, Cooper urged his neighbors to cancel their subscriptions to the Otsego Herald, and he launched an effort to bring another, solidly Federalist newspaper into the village. In late 1808, the Cooperstown Federalists established their own newspaper, misnamed The Impartial Observer, (renamed The Freeman’s Journal in 1817.) …The Federalists briefly obtained a majority in the state legislatire and, in June 1812, pushed through a bill reincorporating the village as Cooperstown.”

TAKE THE TEST AT www.acesconnection.com

You Too Had ‘Adverse Childhood Experiences’

esearch on the impact of what are known as “Adverse Childhood Experiences,” described in more than 70 studies over more than two decades, shows the potential long-term health and mental health consequences of unusually stressful childhood experiences. These contribute to the risk BILL of developing diabetes, chronic HAYES obstructive lung disease, heart

disease, obesity, liver disease, sexual victimization, depression, substance abuse, and a host of other issues. The impact of corrosive childhood stress can be cushioned by protective factors such as parents’ capacity for empathy, having a nurturing extended family, economic stability, accurate knowledge of

child development, effective stress management skills, engagement with nurturing and supportive role models, and children’s access to mitigating experiences. Take the ACES survey at the web site above. The number of “yes” responses is your ACE Score. In the initial study of 17,000 employed, mainly white middle class people with good health insurance as adults, 2/3 had at least one ACE, and Please See HAYES, A6

AllOTSEGO.com • MORE LETTERS, A6

LETTERS TO EDITOR WELCOME • EMAIL THEM TO info@

THURSDAY, May 7, 2020

HOMETOWN

HOMETOWN ONEONTA A-5

History

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

135 Years Ago

The Delaware & Hudson Canal Company held their annual meeting in New York, Tuesday. The old board of managers was re-elected with the exception that Thomas Cornell resigned in favor in favor of John A. Stewart, who was chosen as his successor. A set of by-laws, the first ever possessed by the company, was adopted. The leased lines of the company, the report showed, have shared in the general business depression that marked the year, and show an aggregate loss of $174,489.65, a result which has its encouraging feature in being relatively better than the showing of very many railroad properties. Of the gross receipts, $5,177,353 were from passenger, freight and miscellaneous business on the railroads, and $10,755,137 from the sales of coal, canal tolls, interest, etc. May 1885

90 Years Ago

A Great New Industry – The roadside stand, where the American motorist buys hot dogs, ice cream cones, green corn and pink balloons while he pauses in his travels, doesn’t look like much of a business, perhaps; yet cold statistics show that it is becoming one of the foremost industries of the country. Dr. Julius Klein, assistant secretary of commerce, reveals that there are now between 110,000 and 125,000 roadside stands in the United States. They are increasing at the rate of 3,000 a year, and more than half of them remain open all year round. More impressive yet, however, is the fact that these stands last year had a total sales volume of fully $500,000,000. A half-billion dollar turnover is not to be sneezed at. The automobile, which has turned American life topsy-turvy in many ways during the last couple of decades, has provided a new business of mammoth proportions here. May 1930

70 Years Ago

State Comptroller Frank C. Moore says that New York State is “determined to provide the new teachers required for its

schools.” Moore spoke at ceremonies last Friday during which the cornerstone was laid for an $800,000 dormitory and student union building at Oneonta State Teachers College. Sheldon H. Close, president of the local Board of Visitors, laid the cornerstone of the new building accepting the trowel from Orlando B. Rowe, former president. Approximately 1,000 persons attended the ceremony. Construction began on August 9, 1949 and it is expected the building will be ready for occupancy by September 1, this year. Moore predicted that the enrollment at Oneonta would increase to about 1,000 in the next five years. Enrollment has increased from less than 400 in 1942 to more than 600 this year. May 1950

50 Years Ago

Although education is far and away the most costly item of local government in Otsego County, the other public expenditures add up to a sizable figure. They include outlays for such services as roads and highways, police protection, health, public welfare, sewerage, water supply, and general administration and maintenance, among others. According to the latest figures, the annual cost for such services amounts to $136.84 per capita for residents of Otsego County. May 1970

50 Years Ago

The Lot of Women – Some say that job discrimination against women will be the issue in the 70s that job discrimination against blacks was in the 60s. Certainly, statistics support the need for change. Fifteen years ago full-time women workers’ wages were 63.9 percent those of men. Now, they have fallen to 58.2 percent of men’s earnings. In terms of median income, white men last year earned $7,870, black men $5,314, white women, $4,580, and black women $3,478. In terms of education, women with four years of college earned less than men who didn’t graduate from high school and only half as much as men with the same degree. Whereas ten years ago unemploy-

ment was the same for both men and women, by last year, the rate was twice as high for women. The U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Constitutional Amendments has begun hearings on an amendment that would upgrade the job and legal status of women. One of the odder provisions of the amendment (first proposed in the 1920s) would require women to register for the draft just like men. And while a case could be made for filling the multitude of supportive jobs with distaff soldiers, one can hardly think of a sphere where women would have a harder time breaking into the chain of responsible command than the military. May 1970

125 Years Ago

40 Years Ago

The Delaware & Hudson Railway Co. is considering expanding its freight service through northeastern Pennsylvania because of significant growth since the service began a year ago. Richard E. Long, D. & H. secretary, said that the carrier showed a profit in March and April, the first time in four years the line has operated in the black. Long credits the north-south corridor service that connect major southern points through the Potomac yards near Washington, D.C. with markets in New England and Canada. The D. & H. began service to Potomac Yard last year and since then volume has grown from 1,250 cars to 2,750 cars a month. “The line shows very significant growth, but we cannot go further unless we put on a second train,” Long noted. Only one train a day currently moves out from Potomac Yard. The D. & H. is awaiting a response from Conrail, the federally chartered rail system, on a proposed agreement to acquire the line, Long added. May 1980

30 Years Ago

The board of directors for the United Way of Delaware and Otsego Counties, Inc. announces the appointment of officers and new directors. Chairperson for the 1991fund drive will be Dr. Alan Donovan President of S.U.N.Y at Oneonta. His appointment

May 1895 follows a fund drive that raised more than $223,000 for service agencies in Delaware and Otsego counties. May 1990

10 YEARS AGO

The history of Oneonta Little League resides in one man, Oren “Doc” Knapp, (who’s also a pretty good golfer). So he knew of what he spoke when, after opening ceremonies Saturday, May 1, at, yes, Doc Knapp Field, at the end of Park Avenue, he said: “Oneonta has been very supportive of Little League. I’m very grateful to Oneonta for that.” May 2010

LIFE IN THE TIME OF COVID-19

THE VIEW FROM ALBANY

Your Arm, My Nose

Don’t Forget Lyme Disease

n 1882, John B. Finch, then chairman In it the authors, in very easy to underof the Prohibition National Committee, stand language, discuss the epidemiology of wrote “… your right to swing your arm disease spread, the physics of droplets and leaves off where my right not to have my aerosols, the material science of masks, the nose struck begins.” mathematics of disease transmisThis seems like a very approsion, the politics of mask wearing, priate commentary on the current mask-wearing experiments, the argument between those who are behavioral science of mask concerned about easing COVIDwearing, the economics of mask 19 restrictions now and those wearing, and the anthropology of who want to open the economy mask wearing. immediately. The bottom line is that most of Sadly this, like almost all things the scientific evidence supports mask wearing and, to quote Govin this country, has become highly politicized with each side having RICHARD ernor Cuomo, “It’s disrespectful to its own facts. Interestingly, me (for you) not to wear a mask.” STERNBERG there appears to be a reasonable In my opinion it would be much compromise to allow rapid and easier for me, someone who has safe recovery of the economy while six co-morbid conditions for complications with COVID-19, to accept opening things decreasing risk of propagation of the disease: Everyone wears a mask while in up more if everybody did everything public, all the time, everywhere. reasonable to protect each other. I am indebted to Martin and Meg The arguments against mask wearing Tillapaugh for directing me to the article that I’ve heard include its uncomfortable, it “Masks for All? The Science Says Yes” by looks funny, I’m not at risk, kids and young Trisha Greenhalgh and Jeremy Howard. Please See STERNBERG, A6

he Coronavirus threat continues to dominate our lives in so many ways. As the weather starts to improve and people spend more time outdoors, while practicing social distancing and following other safety guidelines, there is another issue to keep in mind – Lyme disease. May is Lyme Disease Awareness Month and with the number of reported cases in New York rising each year, it is important to arm yourself and your family with the tools to avoid the disease when possible, and detect and treat when JIM necessary. SEWARD Lyme disease is an infection, caused by bacteria, that is spread by the bite of an infected blacklegged tick. Lyme disease can affect the skin, joints, nervous system and/or heart. When detected early, it usually can be treated with oral antibiotics. If left untreated, it often causes serious health problems. According to reports by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), New York State has

the third highest number of confirmed cases of Lyme disease in the country, trailing only our neighbors, Pennsylvania and New Jersey. While this problem has historically been concentrated on Long Island and in the Hudson Valley, the state Department of Health reports that it is quickly migrating to other counties across New York. Not all ticks carry the bacteria that cause Lyme disease; they become infected after feeding on infected animals such as mice or other small mammals. Transmission times for Lyme and other tick-borne diseases vary, and the sooner a tick is removed, the lower the risk of infection. Always check for ticks after spending time outdoors. You cannot get Lyme disease from another person or an infected animal. Ticks can be active all months of the year when temperatures are above freezing. However, most tick encounters occur from April through November. Their preferred Please See SEWARD, A6

Many Responsible For COVID Retreat EDITORIAL/From A4 Dreams Park families’ accommodations, seeking to shelter their families from the disease’s Ground Zero. Who can blame them? According to an order from county Board Chairman David Bliss, they are required to report their arrival to the county Department of Health and to go into a 14-day quarantine. But it’s unlikely everybody is doing so. Yes, it’s not over. • Still, we – look in the mirror; look around you to see who’s within sight – all of us, have participated in this success, in reducing 62 cases (and, potentially, rising) to one. We’ve sheltered at home. We’ve washed our hands and used hand-sanitizer. We’re wearing masks. We’re staying 6 feet away from each other. We’ve avoided congre-

ll of this shall pass, preferably sooner rather than later, but at some point regardless. Still, we citizens of Otsego County can be proud today. gating outside our families. We’ve cancelled all major local events, from the Otsego Chamber of Commerce’s spring gala, to the Greater Oneonta Historical Society’s annual dinner, to all sporting events and high school graduations – you name it. All churches and social clubs are in abeyance. We’ve sacrificed, for the good of all. County government sprang into action, beginning with Bliss’ emergency declaration, a day after

President Trump’s and Governor Cuomo’s, to enable quick implementation of state and national orders. In addition to a COVID19 task force, chaired by County Treasurer Allen Ruffles, sub-task forces for economic development (DMOC’s Cassandra Harrington, chair) and health (Bassett’s Diane Johnson) were spun off. Individual initiative played a part: Oneonta City Councilman Mark Drnek comes to mind. His www.supportoneonta.com, which evolved into www. supportotsego.com, has been adopted by the City of Oneonta’s Economic Development Task Force, appointed by Mayor Gary Herzig. Our elected officials – the county board, the Cooperstown village trustees, our school boards in Oneonta, Cooperstown and across the county – have

been on it, strategizing, cutting, with more to come – to ensure an unprecedented challenge doesn’t become an unprecedented fiasco. • In the front ranks, we should be thankful to county Public Health Department and its director, Heidi Bond, for reducing 62 confirmed cases of coronavirus to a single one. These unsung heroes have enforced the quarantines, and ensured those under quarantined are tended and kept in place. Of course, this has been a 24-7 undertaking for Bassett Hospital and Fox Hospital, on the job unstintingly since March 13 – 54 days as of Wednesday, May 6. This represents a lot of individual dedication and institutional muscle. OK. Down to one. Breathe deeply. The signs are good. But challenges remain. Foremost, remember,

HOMETOWN ONEONTA

Bassett Hospital’s Jan Calhoun hoists a poster thanking in turn the EMTs, police and firefighters who paraded by Atwell and Fair in Cooperstown April 22 in tribute to this crisis’ first responders. In reducing coronavirus to one case in Otsego County, there’s a lot of thanks to go around.

that one neighbor of ours who is still suffering. It’s not over yet. Given the bludgeoning New York City has taken, it’s to be expected that Governor Cuomo – he’s performed superbly in this crisis – is moving forward so cautiously. But human beings are human beings – communal

animals, energetic, crying and laughing, jostling each other, pushing ever forward – and won’t be constrained beyond what’s reasonable. All of this shall pass, preferably sooner, but at some point regardless. Still, we citizens of Otsego County can be proud today.

THURSDAY, May 7, 2020

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

The Answer? Conservation

To the Editor: George W. Bush is an old acquaintance of mine, I have known him since before he was governor of Texas, much less President. Although he was a so-so governor and a terrible President, one thing he’s not is a hypocrite. His erstwhile opponent, Al Gore, became the darling of the environmental movement with his groundbreaking film, “An Inconvenient Truth.” The most inconvenient truth about “Inconvenient Truth” is that Gore subsequently cashed in on “green technology” without limiting his own consumption of energy – while, in contrast, George retired to his solarpowered, energy-efficient, rain-harvesting, minimalconsumption Texas ranch. I was in the solar energy business from 1973 to 1980, when we sold Northrup Energy to Atlantic Richfield, to create ARCO Solar, where I became the planning manager for alternative energy systems. So I know the potential of alternative energy and its limitations. Michael Moore has

attempted to overturn some shibboleths of the green apple cart with his new documentary “Planet of the Humans.” When you cut through the melodrama, misstatements and erroneous assumptions, the core conclusion of the film is sound, and one I agree with: The fundamental problem is our consumption of resources, the primary solution is conservation. The easiest way to reduce energy consumption is to not use it. That was part of the original environmentalist message – conserve, recycle, reuse – much of which has been drowned out by the marketing of alternative energy systems as if overreliance on fossil fuels can simply be replaced with over-reliance on renewable energy systems, some of which, particularly biomass, may not be so environmentally friendly after all. It’s an inconvenient point that we have learned during The Plague: the most effective green solution is plain old-fashioned conservation. Try it some time. CHIP NORTHRUP Cooperstown

In Crisis, Unite 2 Oneontas COLONE/From A4 ily available and likely now, for super competitive fees. Between modest funding from the city and town and perhaps a match from Department of State, funding the initiative would be “a walk in the park!” Should our key leaders be considering retirement, this would be the opportune time toward establishing a very positive leadership legacy! If we don’t do this now,

you can “bet the ranch” a post-pandemic Oneonta will be far worse than the prepandemic Oneonta; please don’t think we’ll make it on future public grants in that they’ll likely go away. Let’s do it! I’d be glad to volunteer my time, not as a committee member, but perhaps in some type of secretarial role. ALBERT COLONE Resident, City of Oneonta

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SEWARD: Fight COVID-19 – And Lyme Disease, Too SEWARD/From A5 habitats are wooded areas and adjacent grasslands. Lawns and gardens at the edges of woods may also be home to blacklegged ticks. Ticks may feed on wild animals such as mice, deer, birds and raccoons, but domestic animals such as cats, dogs and horses can also carry the ticks closer to home. I have worked to enact several new laws in New York State to improve our response to Lyme and other tick-borne diseases. We have also taken steps to upgrade education efforts and enhance efficiency when it comes to treatment and reporting measures. However, more work remains. One bill that I have co-sponsored would serve as a major step forward for treatment of Lyme. The legislation would create specific protocol to notify

individuals of their diagnoses related to Lyme and other TBDs. The bill would require the commissioner of health to work with health care providers to develop a standard protocol and patient notification for the diagnosis and treatment of Lyme and TBDs. In discussing this issue with individuals who have contracted Lyme and doctors alike, it is clear that diagnosis and treatment plans vary greatly. We need to develop a uniform health care strategy that will increase positive outcomes so people aren’t left guessing if they are infected or if they will be left to struggle with a debilitating disease for the rest of their lives. Additional information regarding Lyme disease prevention, how to remove a tick, and symptoms is available through the New York State Department of Health website at www.

health.ny.gov. By knowing the facts and taking precautions, you can enjoy the outdoors and avoid Lyme disease. Turing our attention back to the Coronavirus pandemic, please keep in mind the health and safety guidelines along with ever changing state policies. Complete information is available at https://coronavirus.health. ny.gov/home. It is terrific to see improvements regarding health statistics. Moving forward, I will continue to advocate for a commonsense regional approach to re-open our economy. Again, let me stress, public health needs to be the top priority as New York makes informed decisions during this crucial transition period. State Sen. Jim Seward, R-Milford, has represented Otsego County in Albany for 35 years.

STERNBERG: To Finish This, Let’s Do What We Must STERNBERG/From A5 people don’t get it, it’s a free country, I don’t have to do what anybody tells me, and it’s a Democratic conspiracy. None of these are valid in this situation. Well, we are all at risk. We are all at risk of spreading it to friends, loved ones, other human beings, and of becoming infected, contracting the disease, getting sick, and dying. Children are not immune. They can become very ill and die or transmit it to someone else who becomes sick and dies. One form of the disease in children, Pediatric Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome, is particularly nasty. If the number of children dying of this wasn’t overshadowed by the

unfathomable numbers dying overall there would be public uproar of why we weren’t doing more to help these poor children. Trying to out yell or politicize this disease is not going to lead to solutions. Marching on state capitals while refusing to social distance and not wearing masks, thereby putting everyone including the children present at risk, and carrying semiautomatic rifles which in that context can be for no reason but intimidation, which no government could capitulate to, doesn’t win any additional support. On the other hand, if everyone who wanted to see everything open up quicker than it has so far, and that should be about everyone, were to

wear masks whenever in public, transmission rates would drop, new cases would drop, and deaths would drop, all strongly supporting allowing a return to normalcy. To quote a famous American, “Why can’t we all get along?” If we all work together and compromise in what we are saying to each other and in what we are doing, we will find that all win. This would not be a you or me, win or lose, but win/win all the way around. 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.

HAYES: All Should Be Able To Empathize With Abused Kids HAYES/From A4 of these, 87 percent had two or more. More ACEs were correlated with more adult problems. A score of 4 or more meant a 390 percent increase in the likelihood of COPD, a 460 percent in likelihood of depression, and a 1,220 percent increase in likelihood of suicidality. Mitigating factors can make a big difference, if available. Consider what policies and budgetary decisions contribute to heightened or overlooked risk – or to mitigation. Consider that large and complex caseloads, or staff turnover, or lack of resources to turn to affect the effectiveness of DSS and other agencies’ work. In 2019, Otsego County Child

The

Protective Services staff responded to 1,034 reports of suspected child maltreatment, an especially difficult and sometimes dangerous job. Of 29 caseworker positions, at times six were vacant in 2019. Eight positions are specifically CPS. They are fortunate to have the Child Advocacy Center, under the District Attorney’s auspices, to assist with assessing challenging situations. In 2018, the CAC dealt with 90 cases. In 2019, a 30 percent increase to 127. We know what it takes to make a difference. Keep your ACES awareness alive as you contemplate the value of an “ounce of prevention”. Take care of yourself. Take care of the children. Get and offer help.

For detailed information on programs serving Otsego families, see our Parent Handybook, found on the county website at www.otsegocounty. com; click on Social Services, then on Parent Handybook. This is in the process of being updated, hopefully to be completed by late summer 2020. Finally, take a moment to enjoy the blue and silver pinwheels displayed around the county, reminding us of happy and secure childhoods, and of the protective power of prevention. Bill Hayes, a retired Licensed Clinical Social Worker and a member of the Otsego Committee on Child Abuse & Neglect, lives in Toddsville. He prepared this column in April, Child Abuse Prevention Month.

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

Careers begin here!

Come Work for Oneonta Job Corps Academy! Do you enjoy working with young adults and wish to inspire people for success? Are you looking for a career opportunity with benefits and retirement? Job Corps is the nation’s largest career technical training and educational program for young people ages 16-24. Established in 1964, Job Corps serves approximately 60,000 young people each year. We are a national, primarily residential training program, who attracts eligible young adults to teach them the skills they need to become employable and independent, and place them into meaningful jobs or further education. OPEN POSITIONS: Cafeteria Dishwashers- (2) full time Cafeteria Cook assistant- full time Dorm Counselors- over night & weekenDs- full time reCreation speCialist- evenings & weekenDs- full time outreaCh & aDmission Counselors- full time traDe substitute instruCtors- on-Call for meDiCal traDes, ConstruCtion traDes, automotive traDes aCaDemiC substitute instruCtors- math, reaDing, english, sCienCe

BENEfITS: meDiCal, vision anD Dental • 401k retirement employer paiD life insuranCe • paiD siCk anD vaCation time paiD holiDays all appliCants must pass a post-offer baCkground CheCk and drug sCreen. ETR is an Equal Opportunity Employer and herein reiterates its policy of equal opportunity for all qualified individuals without distinction or discrimination because of race, color, religion, marital status, political affiliation or belief, sex, age, national origin or veteran status

Email resumes to Oneonta.HR@etrky.com Or Fax 607-431-1519 or Call 607-431-1457 Amanda Reeder HR Specialist Our address is 21 Homer Folks Ave, Oneonta NY 13820

laurEns cEntral school Are you looking for an employment opportunity in a local public school district? Would you enjoy working in a positive environment; in a culture that encourages both personal and professional growth? Do you enjoy working with children? We are presently seeking the following Full and Part-time positions: K-12 Physical Education tEachEr: Successful candidate must hold a valid NYS K-12 Physical Education Teaching Certification and have NYSED fingerprint clearance. Please apply online at www.olasjobs.org/southern or send cover letter, completed LCS application (available on school website), career placement portfolio including resume, sealed transcript, and a minimum of three letters of recommendation. K-12 art tEachEr: Successful candidate must hold a valid NYS K-12 Art teacher certification and have NYSED fingerprint clearance. Please apply online at www.olasjobs. org/southern or send cover letter, completed LCS application (available on school website), career placement portfolio including resume, sealed transcript, and a minimum of three letters of recommendation..

Careers Begin Here!

ETR Oneonta Job Corps Academy is looking for energetic and motivated teachers to work with students between the ages of 16 – 24. A recognized strength that puts ETR above other workforce development providers is the lasting relationships we establish with each student; and our individualized approach to helping our students achieve their academic, career training, and employment goals. If you have a passion for teaching and are looking for a job that is rewarding, then this is the job for you! Seeking on-call or substitute positions in the following areas:

Education/ Experience:

Master’s degree • Valid NYS Teaching Certification • One year instructional experience with youth. • Excellent verbal and written communication skills and proficiency required. • Valid driver’s license with acceptable driving record; and Must pass post offer background check and drug screen.

Benefits :

Medical, Vision and Dental • 401K Retirement • Employer Paid Life Insurance Paid Sick and Vacation time • Paid Holidays

school counsElor: Successful candidate must hold a valid NYS K-12 School Counselor certification and have NYSED fingerprint clearance. Please apply online at www.olasjobs. org/southern or send cover letter, completed LCS application (available on school website), career placement portfolio including resume, sealed transcript, and a minimum of three letters of recommendation.

$10,000 Sign on Incentive for Instructors w/ valid NYS Certification at time of hire. Additional Eligibility Requirements May Apply.

Return all application information to: Mrs. Romona N. Wenck, Superintendent, Laurens Central School, PO Box 301, Laurens, NY 13796

ETR is an Equal Opportunity Employer and herein reiterates its policy of equal opportunity for all qualified individuals without distinction or discrimination because of race, color, religion, marital status, political affiliation or belief, sex, age, national origin or veteran status

Submit all required information by May 18, 2020

Salary range $43,000.00- $47,500.00 and are based on certification status and experience.

all appliCants must pass a post-offer BaCkground CHeCk and drug sCreen.

Email resumes to Oneonta.HR@etrky.com Or Fax 607-431-1519 or Call 607-431-1457 Amanda Reeder HR Specialist Our address is 21 Homer Folks Ave, Oneonta NY 13820

THURSDAY, May 7, 2020

THE FREEMAN’S JOURNAL & HOMETOWN ONEONTA A-7

Down To One Case, But Not All-Clear Yet

LETTERS

The Future Is Coming. And Plastics Aren’t In It To the Editor: Every few weeks I wait with wonder, “what flavor cool-aid is he drinking now?” And, sure enough, Mike Zagata brought me up to date. Last week’s column told me just how far out of touch he is on virtually all matters related to science. His latest entry (“Better Living Through Plastics”) touts the virtues of plastic and the petroleum industry that provides it, and wouldn’t you know this month’s edition of Consumer’s Report contains detailed coverage of the problems/hazards plastics pose for the global society. All of which is founded in solid science. Get with the program, Mike. Plastics are a thing of the past – like telephone booths and black & white television. We are heading into a new age, one free of plastics and free of the oil and gas industry they depend on. Plastic bottles hold everything from water to mustard,

all frozen food packaging, the micro chips in your computer, the fenders on your car - they sure are convenient but they also endanger our health, our environment and are deadly to marine organisms. Right now there are three permanently floating islands in the Pacific so big they can be seen from outer space – all made entirely of plastic trash, the same trash that endangers marine life. In fact, micro particles of plastic has been found in sediment at the bottom of the ocean, as well in some foods we eat. It’s pretty simple – plastic is bad for the living environment – like the food we eat, the water we drink and the air we breathe. John Muir’s birthday was two weeks ago. He was the guy who, 100 years ago, taught us that it is impossible to touch anything without touching everything – within Earth’s environment everything is connected.

Having attended hundreds of science conferences at which new, creative and imaginative concepts are introduced and ultimately peer reviewed for publication, I am confident that science, if unimpeded by political bias, will lead to a brighter, healthier and innovative future. I trust science and imaginative engineering to replace jet fuel with something equally volatile – a fuel that will allow us to end our dependency on the oil industry, yet support airline travel in the future. It’s coming Mike, along with electric cars, wind turbines and solar panels. Our grandchildren’s grandchildren will look back on the current society as primitive and wonder how we could possibly have claimed intelligence, yet ignore the ongoing biggest global hazard - the biggest hazard of all – man’s contribution to climate change. P. JAY FLEISHER Geologist Oneonta

Thank you.

ONE CASE/From A1 culating in surrounding counties and new cases are being reported. To the north in Herkimer County, for example, there are still 18 active cases, though no one is currently hospitalized. Bond expressed optimism about careful reopening in the near future. “As a region we do not yet meet the criteria to open up,” she said. “Our region may meet the criteria by the 15th and then we will open utilizing guidance put out by the state and the CDC.” That doesn’t mean this ordeal is over, she cautioned. “I don’t think anyone should think we are out of the woods yet.” Governor Cuomo has designated May 15 as the end of his “New York PAUSE” period in which statewide social distancing measures must be in place. After the 15th, some regions may be allowed to slowly reopen under strict guidelines. He announced Friday, May 1, that schools across the state will not reopen this year. At Bassett Healthcare Network’s flagship hospital in Cooperstown, doctors are awaiting the go-ahead to begin outpatient and elective surgeries in earnest. Under New York PAUSE, such surgeries had been

put on hold statewide so that hospitals could free up beds for the possible wave of COVID-19 patients, but most of those beds were never needed. Without those procedures, revenue is being lost and staff is being affected. Cuomo announced last week that hospitals in some counties could resume the surgeries, but Otsego was not on the list. Even facilities in Herkimer County, with its larger number of COVID cases, was allowed to start up again. Some of those facilities are even in Bassett’s network, like Little Falls Hospital. Bassett Hospital President William LeCates said it’s likely that Otsego County didn’t make the list because there are fewer intensive care beds here. “Bassett has the only intensive care beds in Otsego County,” he said. “They want to make sure that we have plenty of intensive care beds at any point in time in case a recurrence of COVID occurs.” Such recurrences have happened in other areas, and hospitals everywhere need to be prepared, he said. Bassett would need to be able to provide beds for COVID cases, as well as seriously ill patients and elective surgery patients if a sudden resurgence occurred. LeCates said Bassett has

that capacity and has now submitted its evidence to the state. “I think we have a very favorable case that we are well prepared to do all aspects of care for our population,” he said. LeCates said the community has reason to be cautiously optimistic about reopening. “One measurement of success is the low number of positive cases we see in Otsego County,” he said. Those low numbers reflect the very careful attention people in our communities are paying to social distancing,” he said. “It can be very difficult and a burden for businesses and for people’s social practices, but it has brought us success.” And if the virus does come back here? “We have learned a great deal about it and will be better prepared,” Lecates said. “Researchers and doctors are learning more about the disease every day, and communities now have experience with working together in a health crisis. “There’s a strong partnership between Otsego County, our hospital system and local organizations, employers and schools. I think that close partnership is so important in our ability to respond to situations that haven’t happened yet.”

Thank You nurses for all that you do!

Bassett Healthcare Network salutes the dedicated women and men caring for our family, friends, and neighbors during this great time of need and always. Honoring the nurses, physicians, advanced practice clinicians, therapists, aides, environmental care and food service workers, non-clinical professionals, volunteers, administrators and many more who continue to serve selflessly and tirelessly.

Nurses, we appreciate all that you do all of the time!

Your compassion and commitment to patient care brings invaluable service to our communities.

sfcuonline.org

IA L

AllOTSEGO.com

OUNDED

E WIL

Cooperstown’s Newspaper

•F

& The Otsego-Delaware Dispatch

1808 BY

ONEONTA

Thank you to the heroes working the front lines during this time of crisis. We salute you!

HOMETOWN

O M C O PE

Oneonta (2 locations) • Sidney • Norwich • Sidney Bainbridge • Walton • Greene

A.O. Fox Memorial Hospital, A.O. Fox Tri-Town Campus, At Home Care, Bassett Medical Center, Cobleskill Regional Hospital, First Community Care of Bassett, Fox Nursing Home, Little Falls Hospital, O’Connor Hospital, Regional Health Clinics, School-Based Health Centers, & Valley Health Services

For 212 Years

Thank You Nurses! A special thanks to all of our nurses and healthcare workers for your commitment to our community.

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THURSDAY, May 7, 2020

A-8 THE FREEMAN’S JOURNAL & HOMETOWN ONEONTA

From Broccoli To Fancy Flowers, You Can Grow It ALL At Home GREEN/From A3 out just to look,” Wilms said. “They want to get out of the house, and they know it’s safe here.” Victory Gardens were popular in World War II, where families planted vegetables to supplement their menu amid food rationing. It was also a morale booster, helpful during the coronavirus shutdowns even though locally supermarkets haven’t had

vegetable shortages so far. “We’ve tripled our business,” said Debbie Annutto, Annutto’s Farm Stand, Oneonta. “There’s a big movement to buy veggies, especially with younger people. They’ve never planted before, but they want to start growing vegetables.” “We sold a lot of fruit trees and blueberry bushes,” said added Mary Leonard, proprietor of

Carefree Gardens, outside Cooperstown. “There’s a lot of food insecurity, and people want to know where their food is coming from. Growing it yourself is the best way to know that.” Annutto recommends that garden newbies starting with herb pots, or even broccoli. “Broccoli isn’t hard to grow!” she said. “You can also do lettuce or spinach, or green beans.” For new victory

gardeners, Wilms also recommends tomatoes and peppers, which – if you lack space for a full garden – can be grown in pots. “It’s hard to mess up tomatoes,” he said. “Same with cucumber and zucchini.” He cautioned about zucchini, which can quickly get out of hand. “You have one and then you have a bunch,” he joked. In addition to planters and small herb pots, raised beds – dirt-filled wooden boxes on stilts – are also popular with younger gardeners. “We sold out of raised bed soil,” said Annutto. “We’ve been slammed all weekend.” This doesn’t mean people are skimping on flowers. “Mother’s Day is coming up and a lot of restaurants are closed, so we’re predicting it’s going to be a big flower weekend.”

ife on the Ingalls Blueberry Hill Farm - Every late winter and early spring, we gather 8-10 family members and friends together for the spring blueberry pruning. This year has been quite a bit different with the corona virus and all. It has driven up our anxiety, seasonal depression and personal ADHD. I guess they are reasonable responses given the ‘global pandemic’. We have practiced twelve feet of social distancing while pruning between the berry rows. Fortunately, the outside country air has been crisp and pure. During the event I read that ‘catastrophes tend to drive us into taking a next step in our lives’. We marketed a record amount of frozen blueberries this winter. Here’s hoping that picking blueberries in July and August will be the next step in your life. See you in the summer...when summer is truly here. -Sincerely, David and Darlene Ingalls

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Legal

Legal nOtice NOTICE OF COMPLETION OF THE TENTATIVE SOLID WASTE USER FEE ROLL Notice is hereby given that the Otsego County Planning Department has completed the tentative Solid Waste User Fee Roll for the year 2020 and 2021 taxes. The Solid Waste User Fee Roll contains solid waste billing units established for each parcel. A copy has been filed in the Planning Department Office located at 140 County Highway 33W, Cooperstown, New York. Due

to the COVID-19 PANDEMIC, individuals interested in examining the tentative roll, may do so by viewing a copy on the county website at https:// www.otsegocounty. com/departments/ solid_waste/solid_waste_user_fee. php or if necessary a hard copy can be mailed directly. Until further notice, the office is not entertaining walkins. Please call in advance for any questions. Thank you. Karen Sullivan Director Otsego County Planning/Solid Waste Dept. 1LegalMay.7

Melinda’s Garden Barn & Landscaping mother’s Day is may 10 great gifts for mom! Hanging Baskets for mom!

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COMPANY Legal nOtice NOTICE OF FORMATION of Victoria Tarbell, Mental Health Counseling, PLLC, Art. of Org. filed with SSNY on 1/29/20. Off. loc.: Otsego Co. SSNY desig. as agent upon whom proc. may be served & shall mail 50 Dietz St., Oneonta, NY 13820. Purp.: any lawful. 6LegalMay.28 Legal nOtice NOTICE OF FORMATION OF DOMESTIC LIMITED LIABILITY

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Name of LLC: UAS Oneonta Property, LLC; Date of Filing: 3/20/2020; Office of the LLC: Otsego Co.; The NY Secretary of State (NYSS) has been designated as the agent upon whom process may be served. The NYSS may mail a copy of any process to the LLC at P.O. Box 155, Robesonia, PA 19551; Purpose of LLC: Any lawful purpose. 6LegalMay.28 Legal nOtice Notice of Formation of

“Planting really doesn’t get started until Memorial Day,” he said. “We won’t know until we get later into the season.” Many seasoned gardeners are waiting another week before picking up their plants he said, noting, “It’s going to get cold again, and next weekend it’s supposed to snow.” Said Annuto, “People who are buying flowers are putting them in their sun room or in their garage.” Or pick out some coldweather plants to start with. “Kale, broccoli and lettuce can go in when it’s cooler,” said Leonard. “And strawberries too.” But worry not if you haven’t picked out your plants yet – there are still plenty to pick from. “We have hundreds of plants,” said Wilms. “People are worried that we won’t have enough, but we have plenty.”

‘Small Talk’ Brings County To Viewers Everywhere

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“We always get hanging baskets for Mother’s Day,” said customer Amanda Hitchcock, Mount Vision, who brought her family to Mount Vision last Sunday. “We live just up the road but we’ve never been here, so we thought today would be a good day.” At this time of year, garden centers attract a Who’s Who. Bill Michaels, Fly Creek Cider Mill proprietor, was there, too, buying fresh herbs and palm trees to decorate the mill. At Annutto’s, Jackie Hesse, with husband Buzz in tow, was up from Otego to buy heirloom tomato plants and basil. “Flowers make people feel better,” said Annuto. Mount Vision does wholesale business to stores and garden centers downstate, but with the season just starting, he isn’t yet sure how COVID-19 will affect his business.

JILL/From A3 Oneonta from Rochester in 2013, when her husband Phillip took a job at Ioxus. So far, she’s interviewed Underground Attic’s Elizabeth Raphaelson, Eighth Note’s Ruth and Fred Cleveland, the Scanlon Team, part of Oneonta Realty, and the Artisan’s Guild’s Deborah Blake. Jill, who’s related to the Peet family, early Oneonta settlers, has gone beyond stores to cultural and religious institutions, including the Greater Oneonta Historical Society and the Milford United Methodist Church. “In talking with Pastor Sylvia, I asked her for one word that inspires her, and she said ‘resilience,’” Morgan-Meek said. “I was so struck by that. Because resilience is more than hope. It says that we will get through this.” “Small Talk” was inspired by “Follow Me Friday,” based in New York City and posted on talkradio. nyc. It’s hosted by social media personalities Joan Pelzer and Priya Nembhard, who highlight their favorite small businesses across the city and frequently invite Morgan-Meek as a guest. (In a recent show, she touted The Otesaga and other of her favorite dining spots.) “It was allowing me to have this great platform to tell people in New York City about everything we have up

here,” Jill said. “I thought, with so many people in the city who have second homes up here, I could be that ambassador for all our businesses.” And with the loss college students and the prospective loss of much of this summer’s tourism, MorganMeek sees “Small Talk With Jill” as a way to attract business to stores’ online portals, or to bookmark a visit for when the city re-opens. “People learn about us through tourism,” she said. “But now if they can’t come, we need another way to reach out and let people know that we are here and we are open for business.” Because of social distancing, she conducts and edits the interviews from a home studio and releases them every on YouTube. “That way, the business can link to it from their page,” she said. The show is also promoted through her Instagram and SupportOneonta.com The temporary closure of her Dietz Street storefront has also given her a chance to improve her own online store. “I didn’t focus on it as much as I should have,” she said. One of the items she recently put in her online shop is a pair of high-couture floral Daniel Storto gloves, made by the founder of The Glove Museum in Dorloo. “Maybe gloves will finally come back in fashion!”

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Live Wire Trucking LLC.

SSNY desig. agent of LLC whom process may be served. SSNY shall mail process to 204 Roundhouse Rd., Oneonta, NY 13820, which is also the principal business location. Purpose: Any lawful purpose. 6LegalMay.21

The office of the LLC is to be located in Otsego County. The Secretary of State has been designated as the 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 him/her to: Shehnaz Irani, 5981 State Highway 7, Oneonta, New York 13820. The purpose of the LLC is to engage in any lawful act or activity. 6LegalMay.21

Cookies & Crumbs, LLC, a NY limited liability company (LLC).

Art. of Org. filed with SSNY on 1/28/20. Location: Otsego County SSNY desg. as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. Mail process to 4 Garden St., Oneonta, NY 13820. Any lawful purpose. 6LegalMay.21 Legal nOtice NOTICE OF FORMATION of TREFF SALES, LLC Articles of Org. filed NY Sec. of State (SSNY) 1/10/2020. Office in Otsego Co.

Legal nOtice NOTICE OF FORMATION of PERSEPOLIS PROPERTIES, LLC A Limited Liability Company. Articles of Organization were filed with the New York State Secretary of State on February 12, 2020.

Legal nOtice Notice of LLC Formation of

Arts. of Org. filed with NY Sec. of State (NYSS) on 03/18/20. Office: Otsego County. NYSS designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. NYSS shall mail process to: 126 Louie Dickinson Road, Edmeston New York 13335. Purpose: Any lawful purpose. 6LegalMay.14 Legal nOtice Notice of Formation of

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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

►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.

THURSDAY, May 7, 2020

HOMETOWN ONEONTA A-9

Drive-In Graduation Ruled Out, But OHS Seeks Other Novelties

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GRADUATION/From A1 other celebrations for the class of 2020, who have already seen the cancellation of spring sports, tournaments and more. “We’re exploring a lot of options,” he said. “Everything we do will have to be informed by state, legal and Department of Health guidelines.” Initially, Brindley proposed a “drive-in” graduation or one where adequate social-distancing spacing would be laid out, but those soon proved to be untenable. “When we can’t ‘police’ a crowd, it becomes problematic,” he said. “How do we physically space the cars or people rolling down

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their windows at a drive-in ceremony? Nothing is totally off the table, but we’re exploring other options.” Among the top choices are a scheduled ceremony, where students would show up in small groups to receive their diplomas, or a virtual ceremony, creating a digital scrapbook of the day’s celebration. “We’d put together the slideshow that we normally show at the Senior Brunch, and all the speeches would be recorded and played,” said Brindley. “We would show each student’s photo and list their awards when they receive their diploma, and at the end, we’d put a virtual tour of the school, since they won’t get to do a last walk-through. It’ll be a keepsake, so they could show their kids one day.” It could also be a hybrid of both, said Brindley. “From the moment a kid registers for kindergarten, everything we do is set to culminate on graduation day,” he said. “We want to do something to give them a good memory.” Across the county, school superintendents are working to figure out how they can laud the class of 2020 in the era of social distancing. “We’re surveying the students and parents on how

we want to go forward,” said CCS Superintendent Bill Crankshaw. “We want them to play a part in creatively celebrating these students.” Among the ideas being considered is a parade of the graduating seniors through downtown. “We want something that the community could enjoy from a safe distance,” he said. Crankshaw is also considering a live graduation on the grounds of the school. “That one we have to think through carefully,” he said. “We have to work it out so we’re observing all the rules while still creating positivity.” And Wendy Kiuber has designed yard signs to celebrate the Cooperstown Class of 2020 as a show of community support. “We wanted it to be a surprise for the seniors,” she said. “When they came in to pick up their packets for the week, every senior got a sign and a bumper sticker.” The mom of Ashley Kiuber, a member of the Hawkeyes girls basketball team that was headed to the state championship when Cuomo’s state of emergency cut it short, Wendy is collaborating with Colleen Donnelly, mom of Lady Hawkeye Kate Donnelly, in the undertaking.

IN MEMORIAM

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WHITE RIVER JUNCTION, Vt. – Jeanne W. Carey, 85, died Monday May 4, 2020 at Valley Terrace Assisted Living in Wilder, Vt. She was born May 2, 1935, in Flushing, a daughter of John and Helen (Fritschi) Wilmarth. Jeanne grew up in Bayville, Long Island, graduating from Oyster Bay High School before attending Cornell University School of Nursing, where she earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing. She was married to Edward James Carey Jr. in 1957 and they made their

May 2, 1935 - May 4, 2020

home and raised a family in Cooperstown. During this time, she became a teacher in the art of rug hooking and was active in the Otsego Sailing Club. After her husband’s death in 1986 she returned to her nursing career, eventually becoming a licensed EMT for the Carrier Corp.’s health department in Syracuse. After her retirement, she moved to the Sterling Springs Community in White River Junction. Jeanne has been a resident at Valley Terrace for the past year. In addition to sailing and rug hooking, Jeanne also

enjoyed needlework, knitting, reading and spending time outdoors, particularly gardening and hiking. Most of all, she loved spending time with her grandchildren and greatgrandchildren. Jeanne was predeceased by her husband, Edward, and her three sons Edward Carey III, John Carey and Michael Carey. She is survived by her daughter Jill Erickson and husband John of Bridgewater, N.H.; sister Helen Wilmarth of White River Junction; grandchildren, Stephanie Burrows, Heidi Mattson, Katie Carey,

Edward Carey IV, Barbara Carey, Brianne Carey, Connor Carey and Teddy Carey; greatgrandchildren, Ellie Mattson, Elsa Mattson, Leif Burrows and Kaiden Carey. A celebration of Jeanne’s life will be held at a later date. Condolences to her family may be made in an online guestbook at knightfuneralhomes.com. In lieu of flowers, contributions in Jeanne’s memory may be made to the Upper Valley Haven, 713 Hartford Ave, White River Junction, VT 05001.

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ONEONTA – Alvin L. Osterhoudt, 91, passed away from natural causes on April 23, 2020, at the NYS Veterans Home in Oxford. He was born Nov. 24, 1928, to Millard J. and Alice (Morey) Osterhoudt, and was raised on the family farm in Emmons. After he graduated from Oneonta High School in

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.

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Nov. 24, 1928 - April 23, 2020 1946, he furthered his education at Alfred State College with a degree in Refrigeration. Alvin enlisted in the United States Army, serving during the Korean Conflict and attaining the rank of Second Lieutenant in the Corp of Engineers. He married Janet McLaury on Nov. 13, 1948. After finishing his commitment to the Army, he worked for an appliance repair company, starting his own business Alvin L. Osterhoudt Commercial Refrigeration in 1954. He sold the business to his son, Bruce, in 1985. Alvin spent much of his retirement in Florida. He enjoyed the outdoors; golfing, bicycling, swimming, gardening and especially boating and sailing. He loved to play cards, never missed a game of Bridge. He enjoyed the many varieties of dining, as well as laughing and having fun. He never met a stranger who did not become a friend. He is survived by his second wife whom he married in 1988, Arlene Osterhoudt; his sons, Leslie (Noreen) Osterhoudt and Bruce (Joanne) Osterhoudt; Arlene’s children,

Lori (Jeff) Taggart and Mark (Judy) Doring; 13 grandchildren, Justin, Amanda, Luke, Cassandra, Cody, Andrew, Jeannine, Brian, Leanne, Brad, Tiffany, Tara, and Trever; 19 beloved great-grandchildren; several nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his parents; first wife, Janet Osterhoudt; sister, Thelma Gold; brother, Carl Osterhoudt; and grandson, Troy Doring. A private graveside service with military honors for the family will be held at the Ouleout Valley Cemetery in Franklin. A public memorial service to celebrate Alvin’s amazing life, with reception to follow, will be announced at a later date. Donations may be made to the Resident in Need Fund, NYS Veterans Home, 4207 State Highway 220, Oxford, NY 13830. For expressions of sympathy and to sign the online guestbook, visit, www.lhpfuneralhome.com Arrangements are with Oneonta’s only family owned funeral home, Lewis, Hurley & Pietrobono at 51 Dietz Street.

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THURSDAY, May 7, 2020

A-10 THE FREEMANâ€™S JOURNAL & HOMETOWN ONEONTA

Community Foundation Awards 1st Grants, Seeks More Donors

HELIOS/From A1 supplying them with (PPE) they need to safely conduct home visits,â€? said foundation President Harry Levine. â€œThe Community Foundation of Otsego County is honored to be able to award these funds to Helios Care.â€? Additionally, the United Way of Delaware & Otsego Counties awarded $2,500 to Helios. Helios Care sought the funds for staff to use in caring for palliative and hospice care clients.

â€œHelios Care providers are serving the most vulnerable members of our community during this national emergency,â€? said Helios CEO Dan Ayres in thanking the foundation. Though Helios Care has received the first grant, the Community Foundation is reviewing several more applications from local nonprofits seeking help during the COVID-19 crisis. Additional recipients are expected to be announced soon. To apply for a grant or donate to the foundation, go to www.cfotsego.org.

Now More Than Ever

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HOMETOWN ONEONTA

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