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Volume 13, No. 08
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Oneonta, N.Y., Thursday, November 26, 2020
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C-19 Triples; Vaccine Due Bond: Beware On Thanksgiving Local Drugstores Prepare
from four to six, since last week, according to Heidi Bond, Otsego County Public COOPERSTOWN Health Director. That makes the highest ast Tuesday, Nov. 17, number of community cases there were 37 new – that’s not counting the 700plus SUNY Oneonta outbreak cases of COVID-19 reported. – since the pandemic started in Heidi Bond March. In the seven days since, that number tripled to 126 by Nov. “If our cases continue to increase 24, with hospitalizations up two, Please See BEWARE, A6 By LIBBY CUDMORE
L Michael Foster Rothbart/ HOMETOWN ONEONTA
SUNY Oneonta faculty staged an on-campus protest against a proposed reopening plan Tuesday, Nov. 24. Here, Tenali Hrenak, Oneonta, and Education professor Lee Graham light 1,200 candles representing the county’s total COVID cases. Out of caution, the protest was limited to 12 people. More photos on
AllOTSEGO.com Oneonta City Schools Shut Until Jan. 19 www.
ONEONTA
A
fter the Otsego County Health Department declared Oneonta “the epicenter” of the recent COVID-19 spike, all Oneonta schools have gone to remote learning through Tuesday, Jan. 19. Superintendant Thomas Brindley also cited two-day waits for testing, with slow results. Five faculty members and one student have testing postive for COVID-19, with 81 students in quarantine. FULL COVID STORIES ON
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►View the Video, Rocky the owl takes flight. ►kansas driver, strikes pedestrian, charged with attempted murder. ►In worcester slaying, first teen pleads guilty. ►CSO CONDUCTOR’S FUNERAL streamed online. ►RETIRED PLANNER Karen Sullivan wins recycling leadership award ►county’s 2021 budget held below tax cap.
To Give Protective Shots By LIBBY CUDMORE COOPERSTOWN
W
hen the COVID-19 vaccine is available, Otsego County will be ready. “Before the pharmacies could
ELVES return to Main Street
AT ISSUE: OBERACKER SEAT
Vacant-Seat Controversy May Go On
Bob Brzozowski adjusts The Artist, one of the Bresee’s Christmas elves, in the window of the Greater Oneonta Historical Society on Monday, Nov. 23. The elves, on loan from St. James Manor, will be on display for two weeks.
By JIM KEVLIN SCHENEVUS
A
Ian Austion/HOMETOWN ONEONTA
COMMUNITY FOUNDATION SEEKING ADVICE ON SPENDING $200K IN’21
O
ur COVID Fund has now secured $220,000 to address many needs arising out of the pandemic. We issued 25 awards to date and have about $40,000 remaining to distribute. Next Up is our plan for 2021. Our board has authorized allocation of $200,000 to the 2021 Awards Round. “We need community input on how to focus our investing these funds,” said Harry Levine, foundation board president. Twenty-five non-profits have received funding so far, beginning with a $5,000 grant on May 5 to Helios Care, the successor to Catskill Area Hospice, for PPE equipment. “COVID awards used funds to address issues ranging from rewarding first line health professionals with gift cards to buy food from local restaurants to extending working capital grants (not loans) to small businesses to help them get back on their feet after shuttering this spring,” Levine said. “...Over 300 donors supported this Fund demonstrating the we live in a caring community.”
►TO FILL OUT QUESTIONNAIRE, VISIT WWW.CFOTSEGO.ORG
give the flu shot, we used to do a lot of the vaccinations,” said Heidi Bond, county public health director. “We are well aware of what needs to be done when we go into communities that may not have a lot of options for Please See VACCINES, A6
fter a week of political wrangling, two women – one Republican, one Democrat – have emerged as prospective successors to state Sen.-elect Peter Oberacker, R-Schenevus, on the county board. The Republican is Jennifer Mickle, an Oneonta businesswoman who lives in the Town of Maryland, where she has chaired the town Board of Assessment Review. The Democrat is Diane Addesso, former Worcester town supervisor who operates a graphic-design studio there. Please See VACANCY, A8
After Downturn, Sale, Ioxus Set To Expand Building, Workforce By JIM KEVLIN ONEONTA
I
oxus was going strong, with manufacturing plants here and in Japan, and a growing reputation as producer of the best ultracapacitor in the world. Then, in 2019 it hit a bump: Its best-selling product, uSTART, a “smart power system” that “dramatically increases the starting reliability of trucks and heavy machines,” had to be recalled. “That set us back,” said Chad Hall Walton-born Chad Hall, Ioxus co-founder and senior vice president,
Jim Kevlin/HOMETOWN ONEONTA
Ioxus’ headquarters, in the former National Soccer Hall of Fame, was built with expansion in mind.
interviewed last Thursday, Nov. 19, on the second floor of the futuristic former National Soccer Hall of Fame. Suddenly, Ioxus was in trouble. Please See IOXUS, A7
HOMETOWN ONEONTA, OTSEGO COUNTY’S LARGEST CIRCULATION NEWSPAPER 2010 WINNER OF The Otsego County Chamber/KEY BANK SMALL BUSINESS AWARD