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nta Plaza o e n O • a eont Rt. 7 • On607-432-6000
Volume 10, No. 36
City of The Hills
HOMETOWN ONEONTA
& The Otsego-Delaware Dispatch Oneonta, N.Y., Friday, June 15, 2018 Visit www.AllOTSEGO.com Downtown Oneonta About Democrats Support Fernandez To Flower, Mayor Declares In Challenge To Sheriff Devlin E!
E FR
By JIM KEVLIN ONEONTA
T
he Oneonta of the future is arriving. With Common Council’s approval, Mayor
All of Cherry Valley is featured in a new Busch Beer commercial, starring resident Joe Gray, which premiered Tuesday afternoon on Youtube. Follow link from
AllOTSEGO.com
www.
State Probing Twelve Tribes After Exposé ONEONTA
T
he state Labor Department has launched on investigation into the Twelve Tribes after an Inside Edition TV report alleging child-labor violations on the sect’s headquarters farm in Cambridge, Washington County. Details at
AllOTSEGO.com
www.
BEALS FAN: With leading local Democrats leaning toward Brian Flynn in the 19th District Congresssional primary June 26, Mayor Gary Herzig has announced his support for maverick Jeff Beals, a Woodstock school teacher and former FBI agent. TRIAL DELAYED: The trials of James Brower and Tobias Rundstrom-Wooding, who were accused of the rape and murder of Jacelyn O’Connor, 11, of Morris last August, has been postponed until early 2019. NEW PROGRAM: Noah’s World has partnered with Otsego County Early Intervention to offer a new Developmental Program in July, aimed for 18 months 3 years. For more details, go to www.noahsworld.net HELPING HANDS: Fox Hospital is still looking for summertime volunteers, and has scheduled a training class for July 11. If interested, call 431-5042.
Gary Herzig is beginning negotiations with KCG Development of Indianapolis to redevelop the Westcott lot, now just a parking lot between Old City Hall and Jimmy T’s, into 12 apartments and stores with parkPlease See MAYOR, A8
By JIM KEVLIN COOPERSTOWN
T
he other shoe has dropped. As long ago as a March 17, 2017, report in this newspaper, word circu-
lated that friends of Republican Bob Fernandez were sounding out county Democratic Chairman Richard Abbate: Would the Democrats endorse a Republican for sheriff? At the time, Fernandez, a soon-to-retire Please See SHERIFF, From A11
Death Of Civic Leader Fells Focus Executives By LIBBY CUDMORE
19TH DISTRICT CANDIDATES DEBATE INDEX
F
ocus’ management of the former Otsego Manor took a human toll, according INJURY to the state AT FOCUS Attorney General’s Office. Robert Banta, 91, revered long-time chair of the Otsego Bob Banta County Soil ►INDICTED: & Water Court paConservapers detail tion District, alleged was admitneglect of ted to Focus one Focus Otsego for patient and rehabilitathe death of tion folanother/A4 lowing hip surgery June 17, 2015, following a history of falls. A registered nurse failed to complete the required fall assessment and did not Please See FOCUS, A11
Expected Fireworks Don’t Go Off By LIBBY CUDMORE COOPERSTOWN
G
rowing up, Erin Collier was used to debates. “I came out a Democrat,” she said. “But I have family members who were Republicans,” she told an almost SRO crowd at Cooperstown Central, where she went to school. “So I grew up having those debates across the dinner table,” she said, as the audience reacted with applause. “So when I was making calls and I got a Trump supporter on the line, I talked to him – and at the end of the call, he asked, ‘How can I support you?’” With two weeks to go before the Democratic primary on Tuesday, June 26, the seven candidates who hope
Parker Fish/HOMETOWN ONEONTA
19th District candidates in Cooperstown are, from right, Antonio Delgado, Jeff Beals, Jeff Flynn, Erin Collier, David Clegg, Gareth Rhodes and (standing) Pat Ryan. SUNY Poli-Sci professor Steve Schneider, left, moderated.
to challenge Congressman John Faso, R-Kinderhook on Nov. 6 – Collier, Brian
DOWNSTATE FACILITY SEEKS GROWTH
Dyslexia Experts Tour Otego School
Flynn, Jeff Beals, Antonio Delgado, Gareth Rhodes, Dave Clegg and Pat Ryan
Hands Off Our 600 Jobs, Schenevus Tells Oneonta By PARKER FISH
Kildonan Associate Head- SCHENEVUS master e want our 600Jeremy job distribution Robbins center, citizens in (blue shirt) led the Schenevus-Worcester the tour. corridor are saying –
By CATHY NARDI
W
OTEGO
T
here may be a new purpose for closed Otego Elementary School. Nine people from the Kildonan School for Empowering Students With DysPlease See DYSLEXIA, A9
Ian Austin/HOMETOWN ONEONTA
– reiterated their platforms to potential voters. Please See DEBATE, A9
emphatically.
And petitions are popping up along Route 7, so far in Mirabito’s here and The Center in Worcester. The goal is 1,000 signatures, and so far 250 people have signed the document. “Lately I found out that the county wanted to move the distribution center to Please See PETITIONS, A11
HOMETOWN ONEONTA, OTSEGO COUNTY’S LARGEST CIRCULATION NEWSPAPER 2010 WINNER OF The Otsego County Chamber/KEY BANK SMALL BUSINESS AWARD