HO 11-27-25

GOP Retains Otsego County Board Majority by Two Votes in Monday’s Hand Recount

By ERIC SANTOMAURO-STENZEL

OTSEGO COUNTY

fter a hand recount by the Otsego County Board of Elections on Monday, November 24 in the razor-thin 2nd District race for the Otsego County Board of Representatives, incumbent Republican James Powers won re-election by just two votes. He defeated Democratic challenger Jason Cianciotto to fill the seat representing Butternuts, Morris and Pittsfield. Board seats will be split seven to seven. Accounting for the county’s weighted voting system, where some

representatives hold more voting power than others according to district population, Republicans will maintain a slim 55–45 vote majority. To pass legislation without Democratic votes, Republicans on the board will need to be unanimous.

Democrats handily picked up three seats earlier this month, putting them in striking distance of a majority. Initial returns for the 2nd District showed Powers ahead by nine votes, a gap closed down to two by latest counts last week. Upon Monday’s hand recount, votes stayed the same: 458 votes for Powers to 456 for Cianciotto.

CCS Teachers File 16 Labor Grievances; School Board Seeks Treasurer, Positive Audit Results

By ERIC SANTOMAURO-STENZEL

COOPERSTOWN

At the Wednesday, November 19 Cooperstown Central School School Board meeting, representatives of the Cooperstown Faculty Association said its members have filed 16 grievances since the summer over alleged breaches of their contract, adding that this represents unclear and inconsistent policies within the district. Further, the Cooperstown Central School School Board said it continues to seek a new treasurer, but in the interim, Superintendent Sarah Spross said, the district has retained a third-party vendor to handle the work.

Alan Walther, partner of the Bonadio Group, presented the district’s annual audit, which offered an “unmodified opinion” on district financial statements. “That is the highest level of assurance,” he said. Walther reported that the district ended the last fiscal year with $7.1 million in its fund balance, “of which 1.4 million was appropriated to 2026” to balance this year’s budget. “Your unassigned fund balance was approximately $136,000.00—that is within the New York State limitation—and your net favorable variance to the budget was approximately $936,000.00 per year,” Walther closed.

Walther said the audit is incomplete, however, “because

the federal government has not issued its compliance supplement for 2025. There’s been a little bit of chaos at the federal level.”

During public comment, two representatives of the Cooperstown Faculty Association, the union representing the district’s teachers, reflected on positive events in the district before sharing concerns about labor grievances.

“Over the past six months, the Cooperstown Faculty Association has filed 16 grievances, nine progressing to stage three in requiring board-level review,” elementary school teacher Anne Reis shared. Reis said the volume was “unprecedented,” both at Cooperstown and compared to other schools in the region.

“Such a sharp increase is a clear indication that the systems, procedures and expectations guiding our working relationship are not functioning as intended. Grievances of this frequency and seriousness suggest recurring misunderstandings, inconsistencies or breakdowns in how contractual provisions are being interpreted and applied,” Reis said.

She called for a “focused, collaborative effort to examine the current procedures and parameters agreed upon by both the school district and the union.”

The district’s current contract with the CFA began in July

Continued on page 13

COOPERSTOWN—The New York Chapter of the American College of Physicians recently honored Dr. Douglas DeLong (above). Turn to page 11 to learn more.

BVA Names Cassandra Miller as First Full-time Director

MORRIS

Butternut Valley Alliance has appointed Otsego County native Cassandra Miller as its first fulltime executive director since the community-led nonprofit’s founding in 2008.

BVA connects people to place through community, conservation, and creativity—focusing on four key pillars: economic development, environmental stewardship, arts promotion, and education.

A group of engaged volunteers, BVA works

to enhance quality of life in the Butternut Valley— an area of western Otsego County along the Butternut Creek

Watershed connecting rural towns, hamlets, and villages from its headwaters near Basswood Pond in Burlington south to its confluence with the Unadilla River near Mount Upton. The main community hubs in the region are the villages of Morris and Gilbertsville.

Recent BVA initiatives include recruiting Sidney Federal Credit Union to open a full-service branch in Morris to prevent a banking desert after Community Bank NA’s closure in 2024, and leading NY Forward grant applications that

may bring a total of $9 million in revitalization funding to Morris and Gilbertsville.

The organization also advances conservation projects that protect the Butternut Creek Watershed and fosters community through events such as the Summer Harvest Festival and Gravel Grinder, On the Trail of Art, the Friendsgiving Fundraiser, and the Fun Creek Float. It also offers educational programs on the environment, history, and culture of the Butternut

Valley; organizes volunteer trail and creek cleanups throughout the year; and sponsors the annual Visionary Scholar Award for high-school seniors living in the Butternut Valley.

“BVA has done such important and impactful work in the region, and I’m thrilled to join as the first full-time executive director to help usher in its next chapter,” Miller said. “With everything happening in the world today, ensuring our local communities are vibrant and welcoming is more

Continued on page 13

Photo provided Retired Bassett Clinician Receives Major Award

Photo provided CASSANDRA MILLER

Sheriff’s Office Signs ICE 287(g) Agreement

By ERIC SANTOMAUROSTENZEL

OTSEGO COUNTY

The Otsego County Sheriff’s Office signed a warrant service agreement with Immigration and Customs Enforcement on October 17. The 287(g) program allows local law enforcement agencies to partner for immigration enforcement.

The Sheriff’s Office has signed up for the “Warrant Service Officer

.dining&entertainment

Program,” one of three 287(g) models. Under the program, “ICE trains, certifies and authorizes” officers “to serve and execute administrative warrants on aliens currently in [the] agency’s custody,” according to the ICE website.

Reached by e-mail, Otsego County Sheriff Richard Devlin Jr. told AllOtsego he signed the agreement “to identify individuals in custody who are also wanted by ICE before they are released.

“This will enhance community safety by enabling law enforcement to work with ICE to remove dangerous or potentially threatening

individuals rather than releasing them into the community,” he wrote.

Otsego County is now one of seven New York counties with a 287(g) agreement. New York has 62 counties.

Sheriff Devlin said the decision was under his own purview to make. He plans to train five jail supervisors under the program. To date, he said, no one in the Sheriff’s Office’s custody has been subject to the terms of the 287(g) agreement.

“This is a limited program where ICE trains correction officers to serve federal immigration warrants on inmates already inside the Otsego County Jail,” he wrote.

Join us Sun., Dec. 7 at 2 pm for a brief lecture presented by owner Rabbit Goody: The letters of Hannah Hayden Revisited, spinning & weaving in rural New York 1806-1822 See our current projects & buy HOLIDAY GIFTS!

The Village of Cooperstown and City of Oneonta have recently passed similarly-worded resolutions opposed to current immigration enforcement and deportation practices of the Department of Homeland Security, of which ICE is part.

“There are immigrants seeking asylum in the United States who live and work in Otsego County and the Village of Cooperstown and are law-abiding members of their communities and valued employees,” the Cooperstown resolution reads in part. “Among those immigrants are persons who have been subject to seizure, detention, and deportation by actions of the federal Department of Homeland Security.”

Food Drive Helps ‘Fill the Gap’

COOPERSTOWN

On Saturday, November 15, CooperstownOneonta Indivisible and the Otsego County Democratic Committee joined forces to cosponsor a “Fill the Gap” food drive. Running from noon to 3 p.m., this event was held in the parking lot of the First Presbyterian Church of Cooperstown to benefit the Cooperstown Food Pantry. In an informational letter sent out by the OCDC via e-mail, organizers asked donors to bring food, hygienic products or cash donations to support the effort. Virginia Kennedy, group leader of CooperstownOneonta Indivisible, explained, “Food banks, as you know, have been under pressure because of all kinds of things, not just the SNAP funding, which is why we’ve been paying attention to making sure every time we have a protest we have a food drive—because it’s a great opportunity when all those people are coming together to help

Continued on page 11

Eco-Yotta Inc. AI Research Center Project Faces Growing Hurdles

by ERIC SANTOmAUROSTENZEL

ONEONTA

The hill to climb for Eco-Yotta Inc’s proposal for an AI research center paired with hydroponic farming in the Town of Oneonta is growing steeper.

Community opposition has persisted meeting after meeting, the town (and planning) board has appeared exasperated by a lack of clarity in project specifics, and now Hartwick College—which Eco-Yotta had said they were hoping to partner with—has distanced itself from the project.

Over a series of increasingly testy exchanges at the November 12 board meeting, Eco-Yotta officials accused board members of stonewalling while the board in turn questioned the company’s sparse presentation of project specifics.

married couple Prashanth Gorantala, the

chief technology officer, and Tirusha Dave, the chief executive officer, repeatedly pointed to the recent approval of what Gorantala said is “the same exact project” in southern New Jersey, near their full-time home, as a proof of concept.

“I can give you a full tour of that. That’s not a problem,” Gorantala told the board when asked if contact information for local officials there could be shared.

In an interview with AllOtsego, Dave and Gorantala walked that back, saying it was for their safety. They declined to share the name of the municipality where the New Jersey project is located, and said they would no longer tell the town board. Increasingly, the couple has said they feel unsafe as a result of certain comments against the project. One anonymous comment among others the two cited as

cause for concern and said they received via their website during the November meeting, was “your presentation is a joke.”

“If I divulge the municipality where this project is being held,” Dave said, “what’s the guarantee, in general, from the public that people aren’t going to start picking up the phone and making, I have no better way of saying this, idiotic statements and phone calls to the municipality there?”

“If you’re not willing to be completely transparent, what makes you think anybody is—I mean, I just can’t even wrap my head around that sort of reasoning,” said a flabbergasted Patricia Jacob, a former town board member who coordinates town sustainability efforts through its Climate Smart Communities Task Force, in an interview. “The people are

Continued on page 11

5

5

5:30

6

7

The Voices of Cooperstown & Christ Church, Episcopal, present

Choral Concert “Gloria” by A. Vivaldi Excerpts from “Messiah” by G.F.Handel Traditional Carols Friday, December 12, 2025 at 7:00 pm (Doors open at 6:30 pm)

Christ Church, Episcopal 46 River Street, Cooperstown

Suggested Cash Donation $20 Students 18 and under FREE

Photo by Eric Santomauro-Stenzel

Representatives of Eco-Yotta Inc. again addressed the Oneonta Town Board on November 12. Pictured are Chief Executive Officer Tirusha Dave (standing), Eco-Yotta attorney Nathaniel Nichols (to her right), and Prashanth Gorantala (next to Nichols).

EDITORIaL

HOMETOWN Views

The Future’s So Bright...

You may remember that, back in October 2024, we announced an innovative new partnership with SUNY Oneonta. “The Institute for Local News at SUNY,” according to officials, “engages students in university-led reporting programs with local media partners to bolster local news coverage while giving students real-world learning experiences in multi-media story-telling and communications.”

At that time, Dr. Gayane Torosyan was the ILN lead for SUNY Oneonta. Her role, along with SUNY Oneonta part-time instructor, local media expert and now Butternut Valley Alliance Executive Director Cassandra Miller (congrats, Cassandra!) was to guide students in the writing of professionallevel news stories in their classes, which were then delivered to us publication-ready. Through this partnership, students receive an internship-like learning experience resulting in published work for their portfolios, officials said, while understaffed and resource-strapped local news outlets such as we get much-needed original content covering important community issues.

The initiative was developed in coordination with the national Center for Community News at the University of Vermont. SUNY Oneonta Communication and Media faculty member Dr. Andrew Bottomley, who serves on ILN’s Faculty Advisory Committee, is the program’s coordinator on the SUNY Oneonta campus. In fact, both Torosyan and Bottomley were honored by the Center for Community News for their efforts in helping to grow SUNY’s ILN and, in September 2024, both were named CCN Faculty Champions for developing new journalism-focused programs and collaborations with that organization.

In the first year of the program, students participating in ILN reported on the City of Oneonta

My last column celebrated the bicentennial of the Erie Canal. This one goes deeper into the ways government action can create prosperity for all of us. This flies in the face of being fed a constant diet of myths that any government actions and policies send us down the path to socialism.

Thirty-five years ago I published my second book, “Opening the West: Federal Internal Improvements Before 1860.” The book challenges our understanding of westward expansion in the United States before the Civil War. Rather than attributing the settlement and development of the American frontier to “rugged individualism,” I showed how the federal government played a prom-

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR POLICY

Common Council meetings and contributed feature articles on a Main Street vintage store and the SUNY Oneonta women’s soccer team’s mental health coach. Their fresh perspectives and individual voices contributed greatly to our content. Torosyan and Miller also wrote a number of articles for our papers and website. It was wonderful working with them.

Having gotten the ball rolling and worked out some of the first-year logistics, Torosyan and Miller have both moved on to other projects. Now, with a year under his belt, Bottomley and this semester’s students have hit the ground running. Bottomley’s stable of reporters—Logan Breen, Jaquelyn Carlo, Lillian Coleman, Julia Delpozzo, Brianna Ferguson, Florecita Silverio and Joshua Youngquist—have covered such controversial topics as the Albert S. Nader Regional Airport expansion and Eco-Yotta data center proposals. They have written about sports, the local dance community, political candidates and the recent Glimmerglass Film Days. And they are knocking it out of the park (baseball reference intended).

As we have reported before, approximately 80 million Americans live in news deserts, according to the Local News Initiative at Northwestern University. Researchers at the University of North Carolina identified 14 New York counties as being considered news deserts in 2020. Between 2004 and 2018, New York State lost 40 percent of its operating newspapers and saw a 63 percent decrease in newspaper circulation. According to the CCN, researchers have also found links between the lack of local news and lower voter turnout, less choice in political officials running for office, less participation in community events and higher levels of municipal funding.

According to a SUNY Oneonta media release, news-academic partnerships have emerged as a

Positive Externalities

inent role by investing in infrastructure—building roads, clearing rivers and constructing harbors—to open the west for migration from the east.

The study was initially conducted for my PhD dissertation, and it took four years of investigation to complete. Using accounting records from the federal government, I managed to track how transportation expenditures for projects in frontier regions from 1800 to 1860 laid the groundwork for settlers to move westward. The states I closely investigated were Arkansas, Michigan, Wisconsin, Iowa and Minnesota.

The investigation busts the romantic myth that courageous Americans moved west, on their own, with rifles on laps in Conestoga wagons. The truth

“Hometown Oneonta” welcomes letters to the editor that reflect the writer’s thoughts on an article or other item appearing in the paper. They must include the writer’s name, address, email and telephone/ mobile number; the opinions expressed must be the writer’s own. Hostile, offensive, factually incorrect or excessively inflammatory content will not be published. Preferred length is no more than 250 words. The editors reserve the right to accept, reject or edit letters for clarity and space. Please send letters to: info@allotsego.com.

A Note of Thanksgiving

critical contributor to the national news landscape and one solution to the crisis facing local news. “As the largest system of higher education in the nation, SUNY’s contribution to the state of local news and information could be profound for underserved regions,” officials said.

“The news coverage that these programs are providing in coordination with their local outlets is helping to meet critical information needs,” said Center for Community News Director Richard Watts. “Most importantly, they offer students a chance to contribute to public life and develop skills that will serve them in journalism and far beyond.”

The great thing about participating in ILN is that the skills students learn can be applied to any and all career paths moving forward. Coverage of municipal meetings teaches them about government and civic responsibility. The interview process helps students learn to communicate one-on-one again, following the social isolation of the pandemic. In writing their articles, students learn the importance of self-editing and fact-checking.

At a time when small, locally-owned, independent newsrooms are struggling, and as trust in the national media continues to trend downward, the Institute for Local News is a welcome and muchneeded initiative. Young people are the future of the United States, and programs like ILN—that reinvigorate their interest in the press, and teach them the importance of reporting the news in an unbiased fashion—are especially important in today’s uncertain political and social climate.

This partnership is a win-win-win, for our resource-strapped news room, for the students, and for our readers. And, if the past three months are any indication, the future of student reporting is very bright indeed.

is quite the opposite—the federal government used troops to mark and clear roads into the lands of Native Americans, terminating at a point where a fort was constructed. In this way, in 1831 the earliest road that bisected what is now Wisconsin cost just $232.00, a measly sum that paid for liquor rations to the troops clearing the paths for its construction. Similarly, Lyman Dillon of Cascade, Iowa was contracted by the federal government in 1839 to plow an 86-mile-long furrow into prairieland to mark a route between what became the towns of Iowa City and Dubuque.

So where is this history lesson headed? It’s simple to see, when we revisit the case of the Erie

Continued on page 10

beautiful and functional.

Cindy Falk on behalf of the Board of Trustees Deputy Mayor, Village of Cooperstown

CCS Response Is ‘Appalling’

HOMETOWN ONEONTA

o metown oneon t a 2008 - 2025 18th anniversary & The Otsego-Delaware Dispatch

a publication of Iron String Press, Inc.

Advertising Director / Publisher Emerita Tara Barnwell

General Manager / Senior Editor Darla M. Youngs

Staff Writer: Eric Santomauro-Stenzel Office Manager: Larissa Ryan

Sales Consultant: Randy Christian Intern: Arya Patel

Columnists and Contributing Writers Bill Bellen, Terry Berkson, Monica Calzolari, Rachel Frick Cardelle, Richard deRosa, Caspar Ewig, Maria Griswold, Chris Kjolhede, Larry Malone, Cassandra Miller, Wriley Nelson, Tom Shelby, Gayane Torosyan, Teresa Winchester, Jamie Zvirzdin

Web Architect

Xander Moffat Historian Tom Heitz/Sharon Stuart Legal Counsel Jill Ann Poulson

Editorial Board

Tara Barnwell, Faith Gay, Michael Moffat, Elinor Vincent, Darla M. Youngs

MEMBER OF:

National Newspaper Association, New York Press Association The Otsego County Chamber

Published Thursdays by Iron String Press, Inc. 21 Railroad Ave., Cooperstown NY 13326 Telephone: 607-547-6103. Fax: 607-547-6080. Email: info@allotsego.com • www.allotsego.com Contents © Iron String Press, Inc.

The Village of Cooperstown is grateful for the committed crew of volunteers who have cared for the rain gardens on Main Street this season. The rain gardens capture rainwater, allowing it to slowly soak into the ground where the soil naturally filters the water, ridding it of contaminants before it reaches the water table. As a result of their function and their convenient location, the rain gardens also collect trash and fallen leaves.

Volunteers plant, water, weed, pick up trash— including chewing gum and cigarette butts—and remove fallen leaves from the rain gardens.

This year we would especially like to thank the young people from the Community Bible Chapel and their leaders, Pastor Noah Kellerman and Dave Tedesco, for their help with the more onerous end-ofseason tasks.

A big thank you is due to these youth and all the volunteers and members of the village’s street crew who have helped keep the rain gardens

I read in “The Freeman’s Journal” an article that should have been above the fold on the front page, that was instead on page 13, about our school having half a million dollars stolen some 14 months ago. State Police are “working diligently” to find the culprits who outsmarted school officials, according to the story. I’m sure it must be on the top of their list after 14 months.

According to the school board president, the amount “represents only about 2 percent” of the annual school budget. The board president states that the “crime will not impact district operations.” So apparently, there is a lot of fat in the school budget that voters approved. So much fat, in fact, that losing $500,000.00 more or less will not impact school operations.

I am shocked by this cavalier attitude. Voters should think

long and hard when considering the Capital Improvement Proposition district voters are being asked to approve in December. This theft was committed in September 2024 and only reported by the school board six months later, in March. Now, 14 months later, a page 13 article informs the public, the ones whose tax money was stolen. The board must hire a team of forensic accountants to investigate how the theft occurred and develop recommendations for controls to never allow something like this to happen in the future. I’m sure there is enough excess money in the budget to find the money to hire accountants.

Also on page 13, just below the 1/2 million dollar theft article, “The Partial Observer” column suggest families join the CCS facility and BOA members in decorating holiday cookies. How about skipping the cookie decoration and find the missing money that has been gone for 14 months? The crime here is bad enough, but the delay and lack of information from the school board and then downplaying the serious

by Tom HeiTz/SHARoN STUART

135 YEARs AGo

The amount of bounty paid by the Town of Unadilla on woodchucks’ tails amounts to $257 and some odd. At 10 cents the tail, it accounts for 2,570 hapless chucks that lost their tails and their lives.so says a Unadilla correspondent, but a man who claims to be better posted asserts that the boys not only cut off the tails and let the “chucks” go, to be the parents of other burrowing rodents, but that they invaded other towns well, and thatsidney and Butternuts woodchuck farms have been pretty thoroughly cleaned out of chucks with tails.

November 1890

70 YEARs AGo

A musical product of France, born during the WWII resistance movement, will be heard on Tuesday in the state Teachers College Auditorium. Les Compagnons de la Chanson (The Companions ofsong), nine personable young Frenchmen, plus a feminine solo pianist are visiting America for the seventh time and making their second concert tour in the Unitedstates. They met and came together for the first time during WWII in southern unoccupied France where they had fled to escape the Germans. They formed an ensemble to earn money and soon became known throughout the resistance movement. Following D-Day, they enlisted in the French First Army. They were organized together as an entertainment unit for the French Army. The group met internationally-known Edith Piaf who was also active in raising funds for the free French movement. Piaf engaged them to tour along with her and they accompanied her to Norway,sweden, England, Italy and Egypt. They accompanied her to New York City where they became an instant hit. Howard Barnes, of the Herald Tribune, described them as “the funniest gang of singing comedians who have hit town since the Marx brothers.”

November 1955

40 YEARs AGo

some farmers inotsego County applying for food stamps find it painful and ironic. “It is degrading,” said Faye Meadows, a Milford farm housewife. “The first time I had to go to apply for food stamps I had tears in my eyes. Farmers produce all this food for the nation and they don’t even earn enough money to put food on their own tables.” The family received about $150 in food stamps this month. “We always felt we had enough pride to feed our family,” said Mrs. Meadows. “Now, we find we can’t do it anymore.

November 1985

oLA: ‘Commitment,support and Hard Work’

Theotsego Lake Association is an all-volunteer, 501c3 nonprofit organization, the mission of which is to educate, advocate, and actively participate in protecting the health, beauty, and well-being ofotsego Lake.

oLA members and volunteers work toward this mission by:

• Training boat wash stewards who protect the lake from invasive species.

• Maintaining no-wake buoys.

• Working with and supporting initiatives with thesUNYoneonta Biological Fieldstation.

organizing and conducting the annual Lake Clean-up Day.

• Providing books on lake science to local libraries and schools.

• Helping maintain the buffer strip at the end of Pioneerstreet.

•supporting thesUNYoneonta BFsVolunteer Dive Team.

• Collecting water samples for scientific analysis.

• Educating the public regarding threats to the lake.

• Publishing real-time scientific data on our website, otsegolakeassociation.org.

• Running fun events, such as our Annual July 4th Boat Parade.

• Publishing the award-winning “our Glimmerglass” journal.

Importantly foroLA, recent threats to our lake—including hazardous algal blooms, or

By MERL REAGLE

HABs—have focused our work with local and state governmental agencies and civic environmental organizations working to develop a Comprehensive Lake Management Plan.oLA is playing a leading role in that effort.

While we are the only organization solely dedicated to the welfare ofotsego Lake, we are proud to partner with other groups that share our goals. Those organizations include the Watershedsupervisory Committee, thesUNY oneonta Biological Fieldstation, theotsego Lake Watershedsustainability Fund of the Community Foundation ofotsego County, and theotsego County Conservation Association. Working

Continued on page 13

A Walk on the Wild Side… Playing with animals

1 Nyasaland, today 7 Jay of Pay It Forward

Watch things

___ up (sick)

Spotted cat

Part 2 of a sport 21 All in all 23 With 32 Across, tourist’s only complaint about his trip to Central America? 25 Isolate

Pamplona stampeder

Pet preoccupier 28 Greek peak

___ good turn

Sauce source

20 YEARs AGo November

See 23 Across

Actor Gulager

Based on birth

Repeated often, a child’s taunt

Song about birds (in the springtime)?

Deadlock

Ladd’s daughter

La Scala solo

Free, in a way

At any time, to poets

Impressive

Mr. Ford’s nickname as a young Republican?

N. or S. state

Bank-line bypasser

Drum effect

Currency-stabilizing org.

With 76 Across, comment by an outof-sorts zookeeper? 72 Yung preceder

Graphic provided

the otsego lake association is dedicated solely to the welfare and protection of otsego lake.

GOOD NEWS YOU MAY HAVE MISSED

Prime Oneonta Rentals Makes Donation To Benefit Breast Cancer Patients in Need

ONEONTA

At the end of a Breast Cancer Awareness Month fundraising initiative, Prime Oneonta Rentals presented a check for $1,346.00 to Friends of Bassett Healthcare Network.

Money raised will go to the St. Agatha Cancer Patient Assistance Fund, established by the Saint Agatha Foundation, which provides financial relief to breast cancer patients across Bassett Healthcare Network who are facing monetary challenges. The fund can assist patients with both medical and nonmedical expenses, including physical therapy, wigs, prescriptions, health insurance premiums, and copays. Eligibility is determined for each individual patient’s financial counselor.

CFOC

SPRINGFIELD

TDuring the fundraising campaign, Prime Oneonta Rentals, a student rental property management company, offered everyone who gave $5.00 or more a pink “Get a Cure” T-shirt. Approximately 50 shirts were claimed throughout the month of October. Prime Oneonta Rentals extends a special thank you to Tino’s Pizza and Oneonta Ford for their contributions.

From left: Sheila LeMaster, vice president and chief development officer for Friends of Bassett, and Mickee Pomeisl-Spencer, service line director for Bassett Cancer Institute, accept a ceremonial check from Samantha Cole, marketing manager, Jazmine Maidens, office assistant and Jennifer Smith, office manager for Prime Oneonta Rentals.

Introduces New Board Members

he members of the Community Foundation of Otsego County’s diverse and active Board of Directors come from all walks of life, including college students. Officials announced recently that the addition of two new members brings the total number of directors to 17.

the region, and his ability to connect with different communities and understand regional needs will hopefully help lead to impactful contributions to the foundation’s mission.”

Girls Varsity Soccer Season Ends in Semifinal Thriller

By LOGAN BREEN SUNY Institute for Local News ONEONTA

The Oneonta High School Yellowjackets girls varsity soccer team held the second seed in the recent sectional semifinals. A crushing loss at home on October 29 against third-seeded Watkins Glen, however, ended their season.

The Yellowjackets lost to the Lake Hawks 3-4. It was a scrappy back-and-forth match that required extra-time to determine a winner. The Lake Hawks ultimately edged out the win on a last-minute goal that sent the Watkins Glen team to the New York state Section IV Athletics Class B Girls Soccer Championship.

Right off the opening kick, OHS took quick control of the game. They scored the opening goal within the first minute, with superb passing from Nora Sander giving sophomore Carly Stamas an open shot. Stamas’ shot looked like an easy save for the Lake Hawks keeper, though the ball slipped through her hands.

Up 1-0 early, the Yellowjackets team was clearly hopefully. And the home crowd seemed confident that their girls would cruise to a victory. The OHS side immediately got the ball back after the Lake Hawks opening kick, followed by a decent look at another goal.

Watkins Glen, however, quickly regrouped and ensured that this would not be a blow out. The Lake Hawks ran down the field with power. A great cross resulted in an equalizing goal.

The score was tied 1-1 and the game was still only four minutes in. After that quick start, the game slowed down. Possession swung between the two teams. Both sides had multiple great looks at goal, including a three-on-two break for the Lake Hawks. However, the Yellowjackets’ goalie, Desi Wheeler, made the save and kept the game tied. Wheeler, a senior, went on to have a total of 12 saves in the game.

With another great look at goal on a cross by OHS, the kick was overpowered and the ball flew over the post. Possession of the ball continued to switch constantly and the defenses prevented anything from getting through. Midway through the first half, it still could have been anyone’s game.

Newcomer Mike Balboa is the chief financial officer of Fenimore Asset Management, based in Cobleskill. According to a press release, he is a dedicated professional with enthusiasm for philanthropy and prosperity. With a strong background in finance and strategic planning, he plans to bring a diverse perspective to the Community Foundation of Otsego County. Officials said Balboa is “deeply committed to fostering positive change in

Joining Balboa is Emilie Peterson, an intern board member, coming to CFOC from the SUNY Oneonta Leadership Development Program.

“I’m thrilled about the chance to join the CFOC Board,” Emilie said. “I grew up just an hour north of Otsego County. Now, as I enter my final year at SUNY Oneonta as an accounting major, this seems like a great way to give back to a community that feels like home. I look forward to supporting the board’s efforts and helping Otsego County continue to succeed.”

For more information on the CFOC, visit www. cfotsego.org.

‘Happy Birthday to Sue’ COOPERSTOWN—Sue Drake was recently feted by friends at a luncheon at Bocca Osteria in celebration of her 85th birthday. Diane Richardson wrote of the event: “Interesting conversations flowed as we appreciated Sue and her long life and our many connections. In reply to an inquiry about Sue’s healthy habits, she recalled that during COVID, her daughter-in-law had taken on the challenge for both of them to walk 1,000 miles in a year. Sue was already walking in her neighborhood each day, so she upped her mileage to three miles a day. They each reached the 1,000-mile goal that year, and Sue still continues walking each day. Sue likes to travel and keep busy. This year, her adventure is a tour in Costa Rico that includes the

along with the volcano. Gail Lewis baked a caramel cake for the desert.” In attendance were, from

Dunlap, Sue Drake, Diane Richardson, Daphne Mason, Liz Susman, Gail

Maria Lazarich. Not pictured: Mary Anne Whelan.

Then, with 16:30 left in the first half, Watkins Glens senior Ava Kelly took the ball down the pitch effortlessly, making OHS defenders miss the ball the whole time. Kelly scored the third goal of the game, making the score 1-2 with the visiting Lake Hawks in the lead.

The Yellowjackets got some good shots at goal after that, though they were not able to connect on any of them. At the end of the first half, the score was still 1-2 for the Lake Hawks.

The beginning of the second half promised a battle. Both teams continued to get good looks at goal. Yellowjackets freshman Sander was able to get a great cross in and Watkins Glen’s keeper mistimed the ball, allowing for freshman Lyla Hinchey to get a tap-in goal with 20:30 left in the game. The match was again tied at two goals apiece.

After OHS slipped up at the Watkins Glen end, the Lake Hawks took advantage with a successful counterattack. They ended up scoring on a great shot that Yellowjackets keeper Wheeler had no chance of saving. The score was 2-3 in favor of the visitors.

As some fans began to fear that all hope was lost for the Yellowjackets, a desperation cross ended up saving their season for the time being. The OHS girls were able to tap in another goal. This time it was Sander with the score, following a pair of assists on the Yellowjackets’ first two goals.

The match was leveled 3-3 with only two-minutes left in the second half. Nobody scored in the final minutes of regular time, forcing the playoff match into extra time.

The home team used the momentum of their late surge to continue putting on great shots at goal. The Lake Hawks’ keeper made tremendous save after save, keeping the visitors’ hopes alive. The game went into a second extra time with no score change.

OHS got extremely close to scoring again in the double overtime. However, their shot was once again denied by the keeper. The Lake Hawks were given a throw-in and junior Michaela Wheaton controlled the ball in the Yellowjackets’ box. She put the ball into the top right corner, ending the game with a 3-4 victory for Watkins Glen.

Oneonta High School fans were devastated, watching the Yellowjackets’ season end so close to a trip to the championship. The Yellowjackets varsity girls soccer team ended their season with a 3-2-1 record.

The Watkins Glen Lake Hawks lost to the Chenango Forks Blue Devils in the Section IV Class B Girls Soccer Championship game on November 1.

This story was created by student reporters through the OnNY Community Media Service, a program of SUNY Oneonta and the SUNY Institute for Local News.

Photo provided

From left: Sheila LeMaster, vice president and chief development officer for Friends of Bassett, and Mickee Pomeisl-Spencer, service line director for Bassett Cancer Institute, accept a ceremonial check from Samantha Cole, marketing manager, Jazmine Maidens, office assistant and Jennifer Smith, office manager for Prime Oneonta Rentals.

rain forest

left: Karen

Lewis, Ann Roth, Jimmy Yurno and

Photo provided

Photo provided MIKE BALBOA

Photo provided EMILIE PETERSON

Michele Frazier Launches a Second Bid for 51st Senate Seat

By BILL BELLEN ONEONTA

At 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, November 19, attendees began to gather at The Depot Restaurant in Oneonta to commemorate the launch of Democrat Michele Frazier’s 2026 campaign for New York’s 51st State Senate District. Following an unsuccessful bid for the office in 2024 against incumbent Republican Senator Peter Oberacker, Frazier is seeking a second shot at the senatorial seat for all of Delaware, Schoharie, Sullivan, and Otsego counties, as well as portions of Broome, Chenango, and Ulster counties.

Shortly before the event kicked off, Frazier sat down for an exclu-

sive interview with AllOtsego. She emphasized her former presence on the City of Oneonta Common Council from 2017-2019 as a signifier of her past experience in office and in understanding the network needed to balance higher and lower levels of government.

Frazier spoke to her priorities of addressing healthcare access and housing in rural New York as a mother dealing with the struggle of finding adequate childcare, and as a real estate agent who has witnessed the effects of the housing crisis firsthand.

When asked about her plans to address rising utility costs and variability, Frazier responded, “It’s a state-level issue. We need to make sure that we have a voice—

Dignity, Respect, Tradition

Dignified and Caring Service since 1925

Peaceful grounds. Home-like atmosphere. Suitable for large or small gatherings.

Peter A. Deysenroth

82 Chestnut Street, Cooperstown | 607-547-8231 www.cooperstownfuneralhome.com

particularly in our rural communities—on those committees, because there’s a board that approves the rate hikes, and so we need representatives who aren’t getting money from the NYSEGs of the world.”

“And we need people who are then willing to take those large mega corporations on…” Frazier continued. “I do not want to see our billionaires benefit at the risk of our local folks, particularly from international corporations who have no stakes in these local communities.”

Frazier shared how she hoped to have office hours in which her constituents could speak to her directly about the issues facing them and their communities.

“What I focus on are the meat and potato issues, right? The people that are struggling with getting food and the

people who are struggling with their bills, and the housing issues and the healthcare issues. These aren’t necessarily red or blue issues. These are issues of our constituents.”

Frazier concluded the interview by expressing her personal attempts to aid families in need during the halting of SNAP funding earlier this month, as well as her confidence in victory, given the vacant seat left by Sen. Oberacker’s recently announced bid for the House of Representatives and shifting demographics of the region. She also welcomed Republican Terry Bernardo to the race.

“I look forward to a challenging campaign of ideas and being out there to really show who is going to serve our community to the best.

So I welcome that chal-

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.

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

lenge, and I look forward to the campaign trail.”

As of press time, Bernardo had not responded to inquiries for comment.

Upon wrapping the interview, Frazier mingled with the assembling crowd until shortly after 5 p.m. Joined by more than 45 guests, Delaware County Democratic Committee Chair Kathleen Hayek opened the evening formally by introducing Frazier and singing “Happy Birthday,” which just so happened to coincide with the day of her campaign’s launch.

Following some birthday wishes, Frazier welcomed everyone and recited a tale of the hours of travel between Delhi, Oneonta, and Cooperstown the day before to access medical care for her son, using the story as a platform to proclaim her support for universal healthcare in New York.

TalkAbout Vaping.org

“She is one of those rare people who enjoys driving this immense distance and going to every corner to actually talk to people and is happy when she gets there,” Berliant remarked.

Frazier closed her address by sharing her family’s history of eating at The Depot, the personal connection she felt to the venue, and how she was glad she got to start her campaign there. She then joined her guests and family for a Depot-style dinner. After the event ended, Frazier shared via email, “The event was a success. We…raised close to $2,500.00 for the evening, plus we were able to collect four bags of groceries to be donated to a local food pantry. Almost all the counties in the district were represented, with some traveling over 1.5 hours for the event. It was truly a humbling way to start what I hope is years of service to the SD 51 people.”

She went on to reaffirm a number of the points made prior in her interview, sharing another story of a man suffering from heart palpitations due to the stress of needing to feed his family as justification for taxing billionaires. She also acknowledged the launch of Bernardo’s campaign, comparing personal experience working at a national philanthropic watchdog organization to reported accusations of Bernardo taking money from an IDA and “[running] away from a church fund that she was supposed to be helping with.” Frazier then introduced Leslie Berliant, recently elected to the Otsego County Board of Representatives as the representative of District 7, who spoke about how to support the campaign. Berliant encouraged people to reach out and invite Frazier to house parties and community events in order for her to meet constituents and get a feel for their desires.

Funeral Home

Supervisor-elect Discusses Future Plans

By ERIC SANTOMAUROSTENZEL

ONEONTA

After running a vigorous campaign for Oneonta Town Supervisor, Democrat Will Rivera was elected with around 57 percent of the vote earlier this month. According to available records, Rivera will be the first Latino town supervisor of Oneonta.

Due to most local elections changing to even years going forward, another supervisor race will occur in 2026. Rivera shared with AllOtsego that he will be running for re-election then.

“So I really have a lot to figure out between the role and running another campaign, being a dad, a husband, and having a professional life as well,” Rivera said.

Rivera’s victory is a sea change in the town, where in the 2023 election Republican Randal Mowers ran unopposed and in 2021 won with around 77 percent of the vote against Teresa DeSantis, who also just won a seat on the town board this month.

Rivera will succeed his opponent, Interim Town Supervisor Brett Holleran, a Republican who took over after Mowers’ health-related resignation and will remain a town board member.

“I think the attribution for this goes down to focusing in on listening and serving the people,” Rivera said of his victory in an interview with AllOtsego. He said his listening-first approach “shifted a lot of people’s votes and their way they’re looking at town government.” He added that being “relentless” in his campaigning with a “grassroots movement” pushed him across the finish line.

“I’m so appreciative of it,” Rivera said.

Rivera’s campaign included an unusually active social media presence among Otsego County candidates. He said he plans to bring that communication style to Oneonta Town Hall.

The town does not have a public affairs office, which Rivera said will offer a “learning process for me to understand the town’s capabilities.” He committed to using his own social media platforms to “highlight a lot of supports, a lot of services, what’s going on in the community” and to ensure people are informed that meeting agendas are publicly available.

“I think people just want to see what’s happening,” Rivera said. Rivera said he held his first transition meeting with Holleran last week, and spoke with Town Clerk Ryan Pereira this past Monday. He said his transition team includes Democrats Jill Basile, a 14th District Otsego County Representative, Eamonn Hinchey, the recent winner for the 4th District, and Patricia Jacob, a former Oneonta town board member. Rivera plans to attend a supervisor training in January.

Rivera was also

recently elected to the New York State Democratic Party’s State Committee to represent the 122nd State Assembly District. Caitlin Ogden, the Otsego County Democratic Committee’s Chair, nominated Rivera.

Upon taking office, Rivera said, his first priority will be the January reorganization meeting and getting meeting agendas online more quickly. He plans to “welcome all the community members to our meetings through having either an open house” or a “community town hall” so that residents can interface with government officials outside of the more formal meeting structure.

After that, Rivera said, is the comprehensive plan process. The Town of Oneonta’s last comprehensive plan, a document under New York State law that lays out a community’s longterm goals with particular attention to land use, was adopted in 2014 after having been commissioned in 2012.

Rivera said he will create an “ad hoc group to start preliminary discussions” and identify “what fundings are out there for us” to develop the

Member Spotlight: Holidays at the Fly Creek Cider Mill and Orchard

For nearly 170 seasons, the Fly Creek Cider Mill and Orchard has welcomed visitors with a blend of tradition, innovation, and genuine hospitality. The mill has grown from its 19th-century agricultural roots into one of Central New York’s most recognized agritourism destinations—yet it remains exactly where it began: serving neighbors, supporting the region and preserving a way of life that celebrates family and farming. Owner Bill Michaels captures this sentiment clearly: “Our favorite customer comment is when they tell us we are their favorite place to take company.” For generations, the mill has been a must-visit stop for locals to bring guests.

Founded in 1856 and powered through much of its history, by the iconic Boomer & Boschert water-driven press, Fly Creek Cider Mill is one of New York’s oldest continuously operated food businesses. The Michaels family has carried its legacy forward, adapting to changing times with continuing improvements while remaining committed to honoring the history of the mill. Visitors today enjoy a full, immersive experience—from watching fresh cider being made to sampling mill-aged New York cheddar, exploring the outdoor attractions with their kids, tasting apple wines and hard ciders, or walking the Millpond boardwalk. Though the offerings have expanded, the mission is unchanged: to provide a warm, welcoming and authentically local experience rooted in agriculture and hospitality.

Fly Creek Cider Mill is an anchor of the regional tourism economy and a proud partner in numerous collaborative efforts across Central New York. As a member of the Cooperstown Beverage Trail and the Central New York Cheese Trail, the mill helps strengthen the area’s appeal and extend visitor stays.

What truly sets Fly Creek Cider Mill apart is its deep commitment to community. Each year, the mill leads or participates in numerous local initiatives, fundraisers and partnerships. Its annual Big Squeeze Day, held during Breast Cancer Awareness Month, raises thousands of dollars for Bassett Medical Center’s Cancer Center, directly supporting local patient services. The mill also collaborates with Cornell Cooperative Extension, Fenimore Farm and Country Village, local schools, agricultural programs, and small regional food producers.

As another holiday season arrives, the Fly Creek Cider Mill continues its mission of welcoming families, celebrating regional agriculture, and elevating the Cooperstown area as a premier destination. For the holiday season, stop in for their Wassailing Weekends to taste and learn how to make traditional Wassail. The 2025 season ends on December 21 and more information can be found at www.flycreekcidermill.com.

(Sponsored Advertorial)

plan. “The comprehensive plan is a community guided procedure, and so it’s not about me, right? It’s about what the individuals on the committee want.” He said the process will be guided by survey responses.

Going through the community over the last several months, Rivera said he heard “people want their neighborhoods to stay family oriented.” He noted it was “great” that some conversations have already been happening about shortterm rentals.

“Number two is people are worried about what they have been seeing in recent years from the town board regarding spot zoning, or rezoning, or [Planned Development District] approvals,” Rivera added. Residents “want a balance of smart development, but also protecting the community from any harmful projects.”

Rivera also committed to creating a “community board committee” that will focus on “community level issues, events, mutual aid, all sorts of avenues of ways that individuals can get engaged with local government” outside of the more formal structures like the planning and zoning boards.

The town supervisor role is part time. The town board currently meets the second Wednesday of every month.

Woodside Hall

Woodside Hall is a NYS-certified Adult Home in Cooperstown, offering long-term Residential Living, short-term Respite Care, and a Social Day Program. We provide a warm, family-focused environment where residents feel safe, supported and truly at home. Our team offers daily activities, home-cooked meals and meaningful companionship— especially throughout the holidays, when connection matters most. Families are always welcome, and your loved ones are never alone.

Contact Heather Short Executive Director at 607-547-0600 or by e-mail HeatherShort@WoodsideHall.net for more info. Become a member of our community!

Photo by Eric Santomauro-Stenzel

Democrat Will Rivera (standing) was elected to become the Oneonta Town Supervisor this January.

Continued from page 4

Canal. When the federal government refused to construct the canal, the state provided $7 million in funding and the 363mile-long canal was completed in 1825. The financial commitment by the government created The Empire State—the richest in the union.

As the federal government built roads westward in the decades afterward, that effort used the Army to push Native Americans out of lands to be occupied by predominantly white settlers. That important part of American history is not a myth that needs further busting. We will turn instead to some of the ways government now acts to benefit the

LegaL nOtice

Notice of f ormatio N of American Destiny, LLC, filed with the Secretary of State on September 2, 2025. Office Location is in Otsego County.

The Secretary of State is designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served.

The Secretary of State shall mail process to P.O. Box 264, Cooperstown, New York 13326. Purpose: any lawful activity.

6LegalNov.27

LegaL nOtice

N otice of formatio N of L imite D

L ia B i L it Y com Pa NY:

The name of the limited liability company is: DMAJ Holdings, LLC (the “Company”).

The date of filing of the Articles of Organization of the Company with the Secretary of State was September 5, 2025. The county in which the principal place of business of the Company shall be located is Otsego County.

The Secretary of State has been designated as agent of the Company upon whom process against it may be served.

The Secretary of State shall mail a copy of any process against the Company to DMAJ Holdings, LLC, PO Box 614, Morris, NY 13808. The purpose of the business of the Company is any lawful business purpose.

6LegalDec.4

LegaL nOtice

Notice of f ormatio N of

John Henle Architecture, LLC,

economy, and us all. Economists acknowledge that government can spark economic activity, where it is absent or stalled, by setting positive externalities in motion. A positive externality occurs when an action by an individual, business or government creates economic benefits for others. For example, if a local foundation or community organization pays to beautify the Main Street of a village or town, that action can attract more visitors and traffic to local businesses. In the case of government, and reminiscent of the positive externalities released by the Erie Canal, we need look no further than the construction of Interstate 88 in the 1970s. Business owners in Albany, Cobleskill, Oneonta, Sidney and

a Professional Limited Liability Company (PLLC)

filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on July 23, 2025. NY office Location: OTSEGO County. SSNY is designated as agent upon whom process against the PLLC may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of any process served upon him/her to The PLLC: C/O John Henle Architecture, LLC, 1736 Sweet Hill Road, Milford, NY 13807. Purpose: Any lawful purpose. 6LegalDec.4

LegaL nOtice

Notice of f ormatio N of a NY Limite D Lia B i Lit Y c om Pa NY

Name:

HATCH OF NEW YORK LLC.

Articles of Organization filing date with Secretary of State (SSNY) was 25 September 2025. Office location: Otsego County. SSNY has been designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served and SSNY shall mail copy of process to 969 Alexandra Drive, Corona, CA 92881. Purpose is to engage in any and all business activities permitted under NYS Laws. 6LegalDec.4

LegaL nOtice

Notice of f ormatio N of

Renee Wellenstein, DO, PLLC. Filed 10/6/25. Cty: Otsego. SSNY desig. for process & shall mail to 109 Pioneer St., Cooperstown, NY 13326. Purp: any lawful. 6LegalDec.11

Binghamton were never going to form a group to contribute the tens of millions of dollars needed to complete the original 118-mile, four-lane highway. Nor would they have contributed the $64 million that paid for the recent reconstruction and repaving of 48 miles that runs through Schoharie and Otsego counties.

Instead, government stepped in, for the benefit of all, to create and maintain the highway and set loose the positive externalities that create economic activity that wouldn’t have otherwise happened. Would major hotel chains build on Oneonta’s Southside or Route 28 south of Cooperstown if travel between Binghamton and Albany was restricted to Route 7? Hardly. Would folks from this part of

the state shop or visit the Capital District or Southern Tier as often if Route 7 was the only option for travel? Hardly, doubled.

Interstate 88, like the Erie Canal, is an obvious example to better understand how government spending, funded by taxes, brings positive externalities for the benefit of all. Despite perhaps unsettling the minds of some readers, I’ll return to this theme in future columns, and Bust more Myths about the oft-villainized government. And I just might also explain how, along with Warren Buffet, I take pride in paying my fair share of taxes.

Larry Malone is professor emeritus of economics at Hartwick College.

LEGALS

LegaL nOtice

Notice of f ormatio N of Redpoint Design/Build LLC.

Arts. of Org. filed with NY Dept. of State: 10/27/25. Office location: Otsego County. Sec. of State designated agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served and shall mail process to: 5934 State Hwy. 80, Cooperstown, NY 13326. Purpose: all lawful purposes. 6LegalDec.11

LegaL nOtice

Notice of f ormatio N of a NY Limite D Lia B i Lit Y c om Pa NY

H&K 449 Main Street Properties LLC

Articles of Organization filing date with Secretary of State (SSNY) was 09/16/2025. Office location: Otsego County. SSNY has been designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served and SSNY shall mail copy of process to P.O. Box 1238, Oneonta, NY 13820. Purpose: to engage in any lawful purpose.

6LegalDec.11

LegaL nOtice

Notice of f ormatio N of HANSEN VISION GROUP LLC.

Filed with SSNY on 09/22/2025. Office: Otsego County. SSNY designated as agent for process & shall mail to: 2 HANDSOME AVE., ONEONTA, NY 13820. Purpose: Any Lawful. 6LegalDec.11

LegaL nOtice

N otice of formatio N of L imite D L ia B i L it Y com Pa NY: Nordholm Brewing Company LLC,

Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of the State of New York (SSNY) on 10/31/2025.

Office Location: Otsego County. United States Corporation Agents, INC has designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to the LLC, 7014 13th Avenue, Suite 202, Brooklyn, NY, 11228, USA. Purpose is to engage in any and all business activities permitted under NYS laws.

6LegalDec.18

LegaL nOtice

Notice of f ormatio N of C&C’S REST NEST LLC.

Filed 9/4/25. Office: Otsego Co. SSNY desig. as agent for process & shall mail to: c/o Zenbusiness Inc., 41 State St, Ste 112, Albany, NY 12207. Purpose: General. 6LegalDec.18

LegaL nOtice

N otice of formatio N of GATHERING GRATITUDE FARM, LLC

Articles of organization filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 11/09/2025.

Office Location: Otsego County. SSNY Designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to Gathering Gratitude Farm, LLC, 1609 County Highway

artifacts from dodgers’ ninth title headed for ‘autumn glory’

COOPERSTOWN—The Los Angeles Dodgers have added to their remarkable franchise history with their ninth World Series championship, and artifacts telling the story of their run to the title are on their way to the home of baseball in Cooperstown. Artifacts donated by the Dodgers following Game 7 in Toronto include:

• Cap worn by World Series MVP Yoshinobu Yamamoto in Game 7

• Glove worn by Mookie Betts, who turned the seriesending double play after converting to shortstop

• Bat used by Freddie Freeman in Game 3 when he hit the game-ending home run

• A base used during Game 3, which at 18 innings tied for the longest game in Postseason history

• Glove worn by Will Klein, who earned the victory in Game 3 with four scoreless innings in relief

• Spikes worn by Will Smith when he hit the go-ahead home run in the final inning of Game 7

• Jersey worn by manager Dave Roberts

• Championship celebration shirt worn by Andrew Friedman

These and other pieces from the 2025 Postseason will be featured in the “Autumn Glory” exhibit, which will be on display through the 2026 Postseason, officials said in a press release.

For more information, visit baseballhall.org or call (888) 425-5633) or (607) 547-7200.

13, New Berlin, NY 13411

Purpose: Any lawful purpose.

6LegalDec.18

LegaL nOtice

Notice of f ormatio N of 23 West Pizza Company LLC

Articles of organization filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 11/5/2025. Location: Otsego County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to 27 West End Ave., Oneonta, NY 13820. Purpose: Any lawful purpose. 6LegalDec.25

LegaL nOtice

Notice of f ormatio N of Debloat LLC

Articles of organization filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 11/04/2025. Office Location: Otsego County. SSNY Designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to 24 Leatherstocking St., Cooperstown NY 13326. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.

6LegalDec.25

LegaL nOtice

Notice of f ormatio N of Farmhouse & Fields LLC

Articles of organization filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 11/10/2025. Office: Otsego Co. SSNY Desig. as agent for process & shall mail to: 297 County Rd. 9, Oneonta, NY 13820.

Purpose: Any lawful purpose. 6LegalDec.25

LegaL nOtice

Notice of f ormatio N of COOPERSTOWN HOLSTEIN HOLDINGS, LLC

Articles of Org. filed NY Sec. of State (SSNY) 1/23/20. Office in Otsego Co. SSNY desig. agent of LLC upon whom process may be served. SSNY shall mail process to 426 Chestnut St., Oneonta, NY 13820.

Purpose: Any lawful purpose. 6LegalDec.25

LegaL nOtice

Notice of f ormatio N of DMC SNACKS LLC.

Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 11/12/25. Office: Otsego County.

SSNY designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to the LLC, 2390 Moss Hollow Road, Chillicothe, OH 45601. Purpose: Any lawful purpose. 6LegalDec.25

LegaL nOtice

N otice to B i DD er S NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that sealed bids will be received until 2:00 p.m. on December 11th, 2025, at the Village Office at 22 Main Street, Cooperstown, New York by the Village Clerk of the Village of Cooperstown for the purchase of 35,000 gallons of No. 2 Heating Oil and 11,050 gallons of LP gas for heating. The successful bidder will be obligated to de-

liver the purchased oil and/or LP gas during the time period beginning January 1, 2026 and ending December 31, 2026. Specifications may be obtained from the Village Office at 22 Main St., Cooperstown, New York, Monday-Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. or by calling (607) 547-2411. Bids must be submitted on or before 2:00 p.m. on December 11th, 2025 in a sealed envelope addressed to the Village Clerk, Village of Cooperstown and marked “BIDFUEL OIL/LP Gas” and may not be withdrawn within thirty (30) days after the bid opening. Faxed bid proposals will not be accepted.

Bidders are advised not to rely on the Postal Service or any other mail delivery service for the timely and proper delivery of their bid proposals. The Village of Cooperstown reserves the right to reject any or all bids.

Dated: November 26th, 2025

Jenna L. Utter, RMC Village Clerk Village of Cooperstown 22 Main Street Cooperstown, NY 13326 607-547-2411 (phone) jutter@cooperstownny.org (email) 1LegalNov.27

LegaL nOtice

Notice of f ormatio N of a NY Limite D Lia B i Lit Y c om Pa NY

Name:

SULPHUR SPRINGS SANITATION LLC.

Articles of Organization filing date with Secretary of State (SSNY) was 17 November 2025. Office location: Otsego County. SSNY has been designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served and SSNY shall mail copy of process to 209 VanDerwerker Rd, Cherry Valley, NY 13320. Purpose is to engage in any and all business activities permitted under NYS laws.

6LegalJan.1

LegaL nOtice

Notice of f ormatio N of Bruin Forest Publishing LLC

Articles of organization filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on Oct. 2, 2025. Office Location: Otsego County. SSNY Designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to 725 State Highway 205, Oneonta, NY 13820. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.

6LegalJan.1

LegaL nOtice

Notice of f ormatio N of LZRBCORP LLC

Articles of organization filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 09/24/25. Office Location: Otsego County. SSNY Designated as agent of LLC

upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to the LLC, 277 Rendering Works Rd., Cherry Valley, NY 13320. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.

6LegalJan.1

LegaL nOtice

Notice of f ormatio N of

TC Adventures Oneonta LLC.

Articles of organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 11/17/25. Office location : Otsego County. SSNY designated as agent of Limited Liability Company (LLC) upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY should mail process to TC Advevtures Oneonta LLC: 5-7 South Main Street Oneonta, NY 13820. Purpose: any lawful purpose. 6LegalJan.1

LegaL nOtice N otice of formatio N of Little Nuthouse LLC

Articles of organization filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 9/26/2025. Office Location: Otsego County. SSNY Designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to 151 Kinney Rd., Cooperstown, NY 13326. Purpose: Any lawful purpose. 6LegalJan.1

Larissa at (607) 547-6103 or ads@allotsego.com

Eco-Yotta

Continued from page 3

very welcome. It’s the project that’s not,” she said, observing that there have not been threats against the couple in the many meetings she has attended.

Meanwhile, the opportunities for collaboration with educational institutions Eco-Yotta has said were a key reason for their purchasing the property at 357 County Highway 9 are starting to dry up. Some faculty and staff at SUNY Oneonta have grown concerned by the university’s announcement it had reached a memorandum of understanding to work with Eco-Yotta if the project moves forward, and Hartwick College has balked at the proposal.

“We never reached the stage of an agreement or partnership,” Hartwick College spokesperson Gail Glover said in a statement to AllOtsego.

“While Hartwick is supportive of the kinds of opportunities this project could potentially bring, including internships, research and career pathways for students, we are also mindful of the longterm impact this type of initiative could have on our region’s shared resources,” Glover wrote. “Ultimately, the College determined that the proposed project would not meaningfully advance opportunities for our students or Hartwick at this time. In short, our involvement has not progressed beyond the informationsharing stage,” according to Glover.

The project application lists 3,000,000 kWh as its estimated annual electricity use, the equivalent of nearly 300 homes. EcoYotta says that number is a maximum, and the real number would be closer to 584,000 kWh per year, “although this may be lower depending on the hydroponics model we finalize.” They say they are no longer pursuing Phase 1 in the garage, a small number of servers to test heat output, due to delays.

“Power requirements vary significantly by crop type and system design,” Gorantala said. “We will select the most efficient model once we complete our technical discussions and research with educational partners.”

The Planning Board has twice recommended against the project in different iterations. EcoYotta says their comments about hydroponics were omitted from July minutes of one such meeting, causing what they say is a misperception that they want to build a large commercial data center. Eco-Yotta’s first two applications, obtained by AllOtsego, described the

project as a “data center.”

Eco-Yotta argues it has offered transparency in response to board questions “ad nauseum,” as one of their attorneys, Nathaniel Nichols, put it in the November meeting.

But board members have said that is an inversion of the obligations of the developer.

“I would get down in here and write it up, show us examples,” outgoing town board member Kim Fierke told EcoYotta. Not what they did before, which included some diagrams of the technology, but “exactly what are you thinking and trying to do. Help us to understand, so we can support you.”

Some arguments against the project, particularly from the town board, focus on “spot zoning,” a practice of zoning individual parcels for particular projects rather than developing an overarching plan for land use.

“This is a legislative act, and one that has community-wide consequences,” Republican board member Trish Riddell Kent said at a July meeting. “It’s often pursued not because it’s appropriate planning, but because the applicant knows their proposal would not meet the legal thresholds required by the [Zoning Board of Appeals].”

The project’s next test will come at a special meeting on Tuesday, December 9, where the board has requested a full presentation on the project. The next day, December 10, the board will have its last general meeting of the term.

Come January, a 14-

point winning candidate who campaigned against data centers and spoke against the Eco-Yotta proposal at multiple town meetings will take office as town supervisor. Democrat Will Rivera told AllOtsego he is personally opposed to “harmful rezoning requests” and that “they’re changing the structures of the neighborhoods, and the community doesn’t want it.”

In parallel to its rezoning request, EcoYotta argues most of what they hope to do with the property is already permitted under its residential agriculture zoning as a “home occupation.” That town code designation requires the use be “incidental and secondary to the use of the dwelling for dwelling purposes and does not change the character thereof.”

According to both the town and Eco-Yotta, the town has not responded with its assessment of the “home occupation” issue.

Some have speculated in both public and private that Eco-Yotta’s recent retention of Whiteman Osterman & Hanna LLP, a large Albany-based law firm with some highprofile clients, and some of the arguments they are making for the project and about opposition to it, are evidence the company is preparing to file a lawsuit.

Asked by AllOtsego about that speculation, Dave replied, “I have no comment on that.”

READ MORE details on the project in “Tour with Eco-Yotta Officials Unpacks AI Research Center Proposal,” from our November 6 issue or on AllOtsego.com.

Continued from page 2

the food pantries.”

Kennedy went on to elaborate on her concerns regarding federal cuts to grants and service programs that assist people with lower incomes in being able to sustainably access food. She also levied criticisms at the $300 million construction of the new White House ballroom when the money could have been used to supplement funding for food-insecure families.

President Donald Trump, however, has maintained that the multi-milliondollar project will be paid by private donations and not by taxpayers.

“Even without the SNAP disruptions, it’s coming into the winter season in a rural county with a tremendous amount of poverty, espe-

cially in the working populations,” wrote Caitlin Ogden, OCDC chair. “Anything we can do to help make sure our neighbors are fed is a worthy cause.

The Cooperstown Food Pantry does amazing work, as do all the other food pantries operating all over the county.”

The drive itself went very well, with members of both co-sponsoring organizations being present to run and manage the event. Five hundred two pounds of food were collected, along with $200.00 in cash donations. Both Kennedy and Ogden expressed their gratitude for the success of the drive, speaking to just how helpful this communal effort would be in picking up the slack of faltering SNAP benefits.

“Especially [during] the holidays…community organizations need to

be supporting each other in the community and CooperstownOneonta Indivisible, we focus on making sure that our democracy is fair and equitable,” Kennedy said. “A big way to do that is to make sure that our communities can thrive [and] be sustainable. If people are worried about starving, they’re not voting. They don’t have time to listen to what the best policy is. They just need to find food. So we really don’t want people in our own communities to feel that kind of desperation.”

With this success behind them, CooperstownOneonta Indivisible and the OCDC are cosponsoring a second food drive in December, though the date and location of this event is still to be determined. For further information, visit https:// cooperstownoneontaindivisible.org/.

Retired Bassett Clinician Receives Major Award

COOPERSTOWN—Last

month, retired Bassett Heathcare Network clinician Dr. Douglas DeLong, MD, MACP was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the New York Chapter of the American College of Physicians.

“I’m truly humbled by this honor,” said Dr. DeLong, “but in reality I received much more personal benefit from my years of affiliation with NYACP than any contributions I may have made.”

In addition to holding many leadership positions within NYACP and the national ACP over the years, Dr. DeLong’s nomination praises his decades as a clinician, teacher, and advocate at Bassett Healthcare Network as an essential reason for his award.

“Doug has been a tireless champion for primary care internal medicine in rural Upstate New York,” explained his nominator, “caring for patients and teaching countless medical students and resident learners.”

Dr. DeLong served as chief of the division of general internal medicine at Prime Care in Cooperstown for 18 years until his retirement from practice in January 2022. He currently teaches Bassett residents one day a week in internal medicine during their outpatient clinic rotations. He is an associate clinical professor of Medicine in the Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons at Columbia University. He is also an alternate delegate of the Senior Physician Section to the American Medical Association.

Above all, this award recognizes Dr. DeLong as a moral leader, officials said.

“I have known many physicians with deeply-held beliefs,” the nominator also said. “Though few who are able—as he is—to articulate them with integrity, clarity, conviction, credibility and passion. He is sincere, supportive and eminently likable.”

Dr. DeLong resides in Cherry Valley with his wife, Lynn Marsh.

Email Publisher Tara Barnwell at Tarab@allotsego.com.

Legends Game Is Thursday

COOPERSTOWN—Cooperstown soccer’s 2025 Legends game will be played on Lambert 2 Field at 10 a.m. on Thursday, November 27, regardless of weather. All former male and female Cooperstown Central School soccer players are invited to participate, including graduating seniors. All community members are invited to watch.

Cookie, Crafts Sale Returns

ONEONTA—The Unitarian Universalist Society of Oneonta, 12 Ford Avenue, will hold its 38th annual Cookies and Crafts Sale from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, December 6. Local vendors will offer hand-crafted jewelry, quilted items, pottery, stained glass, ornaments, handmade aprons, wallets, bags, scarves and more. In addition to the bake sale, corn chowder, vegetarian chili and muffins will be available for purchase.

Vols, Matching Funds Sought

COOPERSTOWN—Cooperstown Friends of the Parks will roll out its Badger Park skating rink in memory of longtime board member Bill Ralston at 1 p.m. on Sunday, December 7. Volunteers are encouraged to bring a push broom and a friend. The group also seeks volunteers throughout the season to assist with the skate shack and ice maintenance; contact millerbu@yahoo.com to sign up.

Additionally, Friends of the Parks announced an anonymous $25,000.00 donation of matching funds to support renovations at Fairy Spring Park. The project will include an accessible viewing deck, ADA-compliant bathrooms, caretaker cottage upgrades and traffic pattern updates. Donations may be sent by check to Friends of the Parks, Attn: Project Fairy Spring, PO Box 1008, Cooperstown, NY 13326, or by Venmo @FOTP-COOP.

Garden Club To Lead Tours

RICHFIELD SPRINGS—The Garden Club of Richfield Springs and the Richfield Springs Historical Society will lead tours of the historic William E. Soeffling Mansion, 50 Church Street, on Saturday, December 6 and 13. The house will be decorated for the season and feature a wide variety of Victorian artifacts and holiday customs. There will be live music and light refreshments, and guests will receive a small complimentary gift for dressing in their Victorian best. Antique ornaments will be available for purchase, and visitors who park in the pavilion area of the Village Park can ride to and from the mansion in a wagon. Tours leave every 45 minutes from 5-8 p.m. Tickets are $10.00, and available at Ace Hardware, the Public Library, NBT Bank and Showcase Antiques.

CCE Announces Workshops

NEW YORK STATE—Cornell Cooperative Extension will hold a workshop for new and prospective small farmers from 6-8 p.m. on December 1 and 8. The first session will cover reading the land, value added, farm stands and soil health, while the second will feature information on small ruminants, fruits and vegetables, beef and swine, and beekeeping. Registration is available at blogs.cornell.edu/cceherkimer/2025/11/13/so-youbought-the-farm-now-what/. There will be a farm disaster preparation certification course via Zoom from 6-9 p.m. on January 27 and 29. Participants must attend both sessions to complete the course. Middlefield Orchard, 2274 State Highway 166 in Cooperstown, will co-host a fruit tree pruning workshop from 12-2 p.m. on February 28. To view a full list of events or register, visit pub.cce.cornell. edu/event_registration/main/events.cfm,

Breen To Read Holiday Classic

ONEONTA—The Friends of Christmas Community Dinner will host its annual staged reading of O. Henry’s classic Christmas short story “The Gift of the Magi” at the First United Methodist Church, 66 Chestnut Street, at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, December 2. Local actor Patrick Breen will lend his talent to the dramatic reading. Admission is free, but donations to the annual community dinner are appreciated.

Kane Swims at State Meet

WEBSTER—Milford Central School junior Emily Kane made her third trip to the state swimming championships on Friday, November 21, placing 36th in the 200m individual medley with a time of 2:18.76. Kane won the Section III B/C

title in the event on November 1, then recorded a personal record time to win the State Qualifier on November 4. She and state championship cross country runner Evelyn Rhodes will be honored in a Cooperstown parade after press time on Tuesday, November 25.

Delhi Team Takes Second

ALBANY—A team of students from SUNY Delhi’s construction management program earned second place in the Associated Schools of Construction Region I Heavy Civil Competition in Albany. The competition brings together teams from 13 states for a demanding two-day test of industry knowledge and skills. This year’s challenge required a full response to an industry-grade request for proposals based on the I-540 loop project in Raleigh, North Carolina. Delhi’s team included seniors Daniel Carlos of Putnam Valley, Frank Caminitti of Mahopac, Luca Russo of Lynbrook and Riley Welsome of New City.

Plastic Recycling Event Slated

COOPERSTOWN—The League of Women Voters of the Cooperstown Area will host a “Healthy Homes, Healthy Holidays” program to highlight the problem of plastic waste and pollution from 1-2:15 p.m. on Thursday, December 4. It will take place in the Community Room of the Clark Sports Center. The event features home and personal care products, holiday gift ideas, information, and demonstrations of DIY personal care items. The event is free and open to the public. For more information, visit LWVCooperstownarea.org.

Relocation Project Underway

ONEONTA—The Swart-Wilcox House Museum has begun its relocation project for a historic English threshing barn that will be moved from Crumhorn Mountain to the museum grounds. The new foundation will be laid shortly. In a release, museum officials noted with gratitude that they are only $30,000.00 short of a $572,000.00 project fundraising goal. For further details or to support the project, visit https://swartwilcoxhouse.wordpress.com/.

Delgado Fundraiser Planned

ONEONTA—New York Lieutenant Governor Antonio Delgado, former Congressman for Otsego County and candidate for the Democratic nomination for governor in 2026, will hold a fundraising party at Foothills Performing Arts and Civic Center at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, December 10. Supporters are invited to enjoy an evening of conversation, with an open bar included. There is a suggested donation of $25.00, but all New Yorkers are welcome to attend. Register via ActBlue or on the Otsego County Democrats Facebook page.

Foster To Lead Sewing Class

COOPERSTOWN—Cooperstown Art Association will host a two-day holiday sewing class for children ages 7-12 from 1-4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, December 6 and 7. Betsy Foster will teach fundamental sewing techniques and help participants create holiday gifts and decorations. All supplies are included. The class is $90.00, with a $5.00 discount for CAA members. For more information, visit cooperstownart.com.

Blood Drive Is December 3rd

ONEONTA—A.O. Fox will host an American Red Cross blood drive in the Levine Conference Room from noon to 5 p.m. on Wednesday, December 3. Walk-ins are welcome, but appointments may be made in advance at 1-800-733-2767, via redcrossblood.org or by using the American Red Cross Blood Donor app.

WHC Hosts Gingerbread Stroll

COOPERSTOWN—Welcome Home Cooperstown’s December community gathering will be a festive gingerbread stroll beginning at 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, December 2. The Village Library will host holiday crafts and story time, and there will be a free gingerbread house decorating workshop in the upstairs ballroom from 3:30-5 p.m. while supplies last. Cooperstown Central School faculty and board members will join the decorating to meet new residents. The first floor meet and greet will feature live music by Polly Messenger, and the Cooperstown Art Association will open its Holiday Show and Sale for special evening hours. After the Village

Hall, participants are encouraged to stroll up Main Street, where more than 20 local businesses and restaurants will stay open until 7 p.m. for holiday shopping. All community members are welcome.

CSO Concert Coming Up

ONEONTA—Catskill Symphony Orchestra will present its annual Poinsettia Pops Concert at SUNY Oneonta’s Goodrich Theater at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, December 13. Jazz vocalist Jeanine Ouderkirk will make her CSO debut. Tickets are $25.00 for adults, with free admission for students and $10.00 tickets for their parents, guardians, and chaperones. Attendees are also invited to purchase a poinsettia to decorate the concert hall; pre-ordered plants are $15.00 each and will be given to the donor after the performance. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit catskillsymphony.org or call (607) 269-7501.

Adorn-a-Door Starts Saturday

COOPERSTOWN—Cooperstown Art Association’s ever-popular Adorn-a-Door Wreath Festival will return to the upstairs ballroom of the Village Hall, 22 Main Street, from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, November 29. More than 100 festive wreaths decorated by local businesses, artists and families will be available by silent auction. The drawing for the much-anticipated “Dinner’s On Us” raffle item, featuring a week’s worth of gift certificates to local restaurants valued at $400.00, will take place at 4 p.m. There is a suggested entry donation of $5.00. All proceeds support CAA and its scholarship fund for local high-schoolers. For more information, visit cooperstownart.com.

ORHA Receives State Grant

ALBANY—New York State Homes and Community Renewal awarded $16.2 million in grants to 11 nonprofits and local governments across the Finger Lakes, Mid-Hudson, Mohawk Valley, North Country and Western New York. Part of the 2025-26 state Enacted Budget, the funding will transform buildings with up to five vacant or distressed rental units into safe low- and moderateincome housing. It will support renovations at 230 housing units. Awardees include Otsego Rural Housing Assistance Inc., Delaware County’s MARK Project, Inc. and the Utica Neighborhood Housing Service, Inc. Applications are open for the third round of funding through January 15. For more information or to apply, visit hcr.ny.gov/vrp. HoF

Holiday Event Announced

COOPERSTOWN—The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum will host its annual holiday celebration on Tuesday, December 2, coinciding with Welcome Home Cooperstown’s village-wide festivities. All local residents will receive free admission after 4 p.m. There will be a holiday bobblehead workshop near the Information Desk starting at 4 p.m., followed by a performance from the Pathfinder Village Bell Choir in the Plaque Gallery at 4:30. Guests are encouraged to participate in the village Stroll the Street event on Main Street from 4-7 p.m.

Open Eye Theatre Shows Set

MARGARETVILLE—The Open Eye Theater, 960 Main Street in Margaretville, will host its annual Elves Workshop after the village Holiday on Main parade, which starts at 4:30 p.m. All are welcome for arts and crafts, light refreshments and holiday games. The theater will present “It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play” at 7 p.m. on December 4-6 and at 3 p.m. on Sunday, December 14. Tickets are $25.00 for adults and $10.00 for students, with pay-what-you-will admission on Friday, December 5. For more information or to reserve seats, visit theopeneyetheater.org.

Gas Prices Inch Up a Bit

UTICA—New York State’s average price for a gallon of gas rose by a penny to $3.14 over the week ending Monday, November 24, AAA Northeast announced. Demand surged ahead of the Thanksgiving travel period, lowering northeast regional inventories to nearly 4.3 million barrels below the five-year average. Crude oil prices dropped to a four-year low of $57.00 per barrel, in part due to a growing prospect of peace between Russia and Ukraine, putting downward pressure on gas prices. New York’s price is three cents higher than a month ago and a penny lower than this week last year. To view the full report, visit gasprices.aaa.com.

Gatehouse To Host Nields Art Opening, Birthday Celebration

MORRIS

The Gatehouse Coffee Shop and Mercantile, 129 Main Street, will host a special art opening on Friday, December 5 from 4-6 p.m. featuring local ceramic artist Elizabeth Nields. The event is free and open to the public.

According to a press release, this December exhibition highlights the depth and breadth of Nields’ decades-long career in

clay. Known for her sophisticated handling of texture, form, and firing technique, Nields’ work spans both sculptural ceramics and functional pottery made to enrich everyday life. The installation will showcase bowls, serving pieces, tableware, and Raku-fired vessels reflecting her uniquely expressive and timeless aesthetic.

In addition to the exhibition, visitors will discover a limited series of custom holiday gifts

designed by Nields exclusively for The Gatehouse. These pair her handcrafted ceramics with both local and international specialty goods—collections that celebrate the function, spirit, and beauty of her work. Among the featured items is the shop’s top-selling Artichoke Baker Gift, a handcrafted oven-safe ceramic bowl paired with The Gatehouse’s bestselling Warm Artichoke Dip, finished with an olive wood

knife and ribbon.

“These thoughtful gifts highlight Elizabeth’s commitment to artful, intentional living, and her collaboration with makers near and far,” organizers said.

The opening also serves as a celebration of Nields’ birthday, offering friends, neighbors and longtime admirers a chance to honor her creative legacy.

Guests are invited to meet the artist, enjoy light refreshments,

and experience the warmth of The Gatehouse as it honors one of the region’s most cherished makers.

“Elizabeth’s work has shaped our local arts community for decades,” said co-owner Tim Atticus. “Her dedication to craft and her gift for elevating everyday objects make her a truly exceptional artist. We’re honored to celebrate her work—and her birthday—here at The Gatehouse.”

BVA

Continued from page 1

important than ever. BVA is so special because it’s a true alliance—focused on collaboration and connection to support the region’s environment, arts, culture, and sustainable economic future. I grew up in Otsego County and moved back as an adult because I love this community so much. I’m very excited to work with the passionate people of the Butternut Valley.”

In her new role, Miller will lead BVA’s strategic planning and oversee marketing and communications, development, and community partnerships while supporting BVA’s active volunteer board of directors and its membership base.

In addition to leading the application for “Butternut Valley Forward” NY Forward grants to enhance the downtown business districts of Morris and Gilbertsville, the organization’s current activities include hosting its next major event—the 2025 Friendsgiving Fundraiser and Annual Meeting, which is open to the public and will be held from 3-5 p.m. on Sunday, November 16 at Gilbert Lake State Park’s Briggs Pavilion.

BVA collaborates with a range of partner organizations, including the Otsego County Conservation Association, Otsego Land Trust, Otsego 2000, Otsego County Soil and Water Conservation District, CADE, Upper Susquehanna Coalition for Clean Water, and the Mohawk Valley Economic Development District.

“The board is thrilled to welcome Cassandra as BVA’s first full-time executive director,” said Ed Lentz, chair of the BVA board. “Her enthusiasm for our community, strong background in communications, and deep experience working with nonprofit organizations make her the ideal person to lead BVA into this next chapter of growth and impact.”

Miller’s background includes leadership roles in the arts, media, and community development. Locally, she has served as executive director of

the Catskill Symphony Orchestra; director of marketing and communications at Munson in Utica (formerly MunsonWilliams-Proctor Arts Institute); marketing manager of the Iroquois Museum; lecturer in communication studies at SUNY Oneonta; and community editor at “The Daily Star.” She also founded “The Scene,” the paper’s weekly arts and entertainment publication, and now runs Culture Rally Communications, a New York State Certified Women-Owned Business providing marketing and public relations services to arts, culture, and nonprofit organizations.

For the past two years, Miller has published “Townie,” a weekly newsletter highlighting local events and stories, and serves on the City of Oneonta Public Arts Commission.

Miller will hold office hours at Five Kids Bakehouse in Gilbertsville on Tuesdays from 9-11 a.m. and at The Gatehouse in Morris on Thursdays from 9-11 a.m. to meet residents and learn more about their ideas and priorities for the Butternut Valley. For more information about BVA, visit butternutvalleyalliance.org or e-mail info@butternutvalleyalliance.org.

CCS

Continued from page 1 2023, and is set to expire at the end of June 2026.

Another union member, special education teacher Katie Lambert, also highlighted several district achievements before expressing her concerns.

“While we value and appreciate these accomplishments, we must also address an issue affecting teacher support,” Lambert said. “We’ve become increasingly frustrated by the lack of clear and consistent processes, which has had a particular impact on our new teachers, who struggle to understand expectations and locate essential information.

“One example is this year, the mentor assignment process was delayed, leaving several new teachers without mentors in appropriate departments or without a mentor assigned in a

timely manner. Clear procedures and strong, reliable support systems for teachers are essential to building and maintaining a thriving school community,” Lambert told district officials.

Lambert and Reis emphasized they were there speaking on behalf of their colleagues.

Peter Iorizzo, the school board’s president, told AllOtsego in a statement that “We take all employee concerns seriously, and our goal is always to support a collaborative working relationship among staff, administrators and the board. While I can’t comment on individual grievances, I can say that every concern brought forth is reviewed thoroughly and thoughtfully through the established contractual process.

“We appreciate the hard work of both our educators and our administrators, and we’re grateful for their partnership in creating the best possible environment for teaching and learning in Cooperstown,” Iorizzo said.

Throughout the meeting, district officials and teachers celebrated a wide range of successful events. They included the recent high-school play reportedly having more than 400 attendees on opening night, firstgraders visiting the Fenimore Art Museum, a 10th grade career fair with Bassett Healthcare Network, a college day where 41 different higher education institutions shared information with students, a Veterans Day blood drive, and more.

OLA

Continued from page 5

together, we have been able to leverage the resources and talents of these organizations for the benefit of our lake.

OLA has always been proactive in its efforts to preserve the quality of our lake. This year we initiated “The Pledge to Keep Otsego Lake Healthy” by stressing individual responsibility and best property and lake management practices.

Some key points include:

The Otsego Lake Association invites all

lake property owners to formalize their commitment to sustainable practices, inspire neighbors to do the same, and encourage tangible behavioral changes that further our mission of stewardship for this most prized resource, Otsego Lake. The pledge serves as a shared promise that fosters community engagement, accountability and a unified effort toward a healthier future for all residents. Below is a list of best management practices that help make a lake healthy.

1. Keep nitrogen and phosphorus out of the lake: maintain your on-site septic system; minimize fertilizer and dish washer detergent; use only phosphorus-free fertilizer and detergent; and pick up pet waste and dispose of it properly in the trash.

2. Friendly lawn care: maintain a buffer of native plants along your shoreline; mow grass no shorter than three inches; avoid or minimize use of fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides.

3. Protect the lake’s inhabitants: do not flush medications down the toilet; dispose of household hazardous waste properly so it does not end up in the lake; avoid fluid leaks from watercraft or other vehicles; keep plastics out of the lake; and reduce, reuse, recycle.

4. Reduce water runoff: reduce impermeable surfaces; install a rain barrel to catch your roof gutter water; and wash your vehicles and watercraft at the car wash, not in your driveway.

5. Keep out invasive species: clean, drain, and dry your watercraft and trailers; do not dump unused live bait into the lake.

OLA is fortunate to have a growing, talented, and diverse membership, group of advisors and officers, and Board of Directors—all committed to the maintenance and future of our lake.

Our thanks to all for their commitment, support and hard work.

Jim Howarth is the president of the Otsego Lake Association.

Election

Continued from page 1

Eleven people who voted in the district either undervoted (did not pick a candidate), overvoted (picked more than one candidate), or wrote in a name.

Powers is a longtime local Republican leader and previously served as chair of the county board.

Continued from page 4

nature of this by the board president is appalling.

Orlo Burch Hartwick

Why Work With ICE?

Donald Trump campaigned on deporting the “worst of the worst” and has, as I expect you’re aware, hired a poorly trained army of well-funded yet poorly trained, unaccountable, masked men to meet unrealistic quotas. As a result, the vast majority of people arrested and often deported to random locations have been law abiding community members with no criminal record.

In attempting to learn more, I accessed the ICE website, https://www. ice.gov/identify-andarrest/287g. Clicking on the link for cooperating agencies, I found Otsego County to be one of only seven out of 62 counties in New York participating. The agreement only dates back to last month—10/17/2025.

Why is our county stepping out ahead of most other counties to embrace this behavior and potentially violate the due process rights of our neighbors? Perhaps I’m

misreading something— but I don’t think so. I think this story would be of interest to your readers and worth investigating. Paul Mendelsohn Cherry Valley Editor’s Note: See Eric Santomauro-Stenzel’s article on page 2.

Do Not Be

Indifferent

Although keeping track of what is happening in our country overwhelms most of us, it’s important to remember that terrible things are being done in our names and with our dollars. It’s also important to raise our voices in protest.

The same Republican law passed this summer that is destroying rural hospitals and Medicaid and increasing families’ healthcare costs (things that matter to all of us) also funnels $170 billion to government agencies to detain and deport people. That’s right. Our tax dollars are paying for masked secret police to grab people out of homes and cars and courthouses and workplaces and daycare centers. Instead of being used to feed people (SNAP costs $100 billion/ year), our tax dollars are being used to terrorize human beings denied due process of the law. These actions are not about rounding up criminals and making our country safe; they are about instilling fear among targeted groups and encouraging indifference among the rest of us. Please do not be indifferent. Do not be silent as our neighbors get disappeared by our government. Stand up for democracy and freedom. Kathleen Taylor Cherry Valley

►Fri., Nov. 28

BLOOD DRIVE Noon

to 4 p.m. Clark Sports Center, 124 County Highway 52, Cooperstown. RedCrossBlood.org

HIKE 1-3 p.m. “Day After Thanksgiving Hike.” Presented by the Otsego County Conservation Association. Glimmerglass State Park, 1527 County Route 31, Cooperstown. (607) 547-4488.

FAMILY MOVIE

2 p.m.

“Elf.” Arkell Museum and Canajoharie Library, 2 Erie Boulevard, Canajoharie. (518) 673-2314 ext. 106.

HOLIDAYS 2 p.m.

“Tree Decorating.” Crafts, live music and more. All ages welcome. Arkell Museum and Canajoharie Library, 2 Erie Boulevard, Canajoharie. (518) 6732314 ext. 106.

FOOD 4-5:30 p.m. Take-out only starting at 5:15 p.m. “Your Safe Haven.” Free food each Monday through Friday. Bring your own Tupperware. One-story building behind St. James Episcopal Church, corner of Elm and Main streets, Oneonta.

HOLIDAYS

4:30-8 p.m. “Glimmer Nights.” Featuring the Holiday Market (opening at 3 p.m.) and the new Holiday Tree Decorating Contest. Continues Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings through 1/4/26. Fenimore Farm and Country Village, 5775 State Highway 80, Cooperstown. (607) 5471450.

SANTA PARADE

5 p.m. Santa arrives at the Christmas Cottage, Pioneer Park, Main Street, Cooperstown.

FILM FEST 7 p.m. “The Ref.” Presented by the 2025 Worcester Wieting Theatre Fall Film Festival. Free; donations appreciated. Worcester Wieting Theatre, 168 Main Street, Worcester.

►Sat., Nov. 29

HOLIDAYS 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. “Laurens Fire Aux-

Things To Do In and Around Otsego County

iliary Holiday Bazaar.” Local vendors, raffle items, Lotto board and more.

Laurens Fire Department, 34 Main Street, Laurens.

HOLIDAYS 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. “Holiday Bazaar.” Presented by the Bainbridge Chamber of Commerce. Free and open to the public. Bainbridge Community Center, 5 Prospect Street, Bainbridge. (607) 226-3993.

HOLIDAYS 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. “Adorn-aDoor Wreath Festival.” Cooperstown Art Association, 22 Main Street, Cooperstown. (607) 5479777.

FOOD 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. “Saturday’s Bread.” Sit-down meal served hot. Take-out available. Held each Saturday. First United Methodist Church, 66 Church Street, Oneonta.

ART EXHIBIT 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. “Something Old, Something New: The Holiday Show.” Group show of cyanotypes, paper earrings, woodblock prints and carved birds by Lavern Kelley. The Art Garage, 689 Beaver Meadow Road, Cooperstown. (607) 547-5327.

HOLIDAYS Noon to 3 p.m. “Small Business Saturday Vendor Bazaar.” Wise Guys Sammy’s, 261 Main Street, Oneonta.

MARKET

12:30-3:30 p.m. “The Really, Really, Free Market!” Take what you need, bring what you can. Unitarian Universalist Society of Oneonta, 12 Ford Avenue, Oneonta. (607) 4323491.

SEWING CLASS

1:30-3 p.m. All experience levels welcome. Held every Saturday. The Green Giraffe, 179 Main Street, Unadilla. (607) 369-3234.

HOLIDAYS 2-4 p.m. Visit with Santa. Christmas Cottage, Pioneer Park, Main Street, Cooperstown.

OPEN MIC 7-9 p.m. “Coffee House.” Singers, writers, musicians, and more are invited to share works. 10-20 minute

Time OuT OTsegO

Things To Do In and Around Otsego County

slots. Light refreshments available. Free, open to public. Held each 4th Saturday. Schuyler Lake United Methodist Church, 128 Church Street, Schuyler Lake. (609) 2347769.

►SuN., Nov. 30

CASUAL TEA HOUR

11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Held Sundays. The Sugar Beat, 281 Main Street, Oneonta. (607) 2674374.

HOLIDAYS

11 a.m. “Mohican Flowers Wreath Workshop.” Tickets required. Brewery Ommegang, 656 County Highway 33, Cooperstown. (607) 5441800.

MEDITATION

11 a.m. “Sundays at Samye: The Practical Bodhisattva—How to Be a Spiritual Hero in Everyday Life.” Meditation, study and discussion. Held Sundays through 12/21. Samye New York, 412 Glimmerglen Road, Cooperstown. (607) 5475051.

HOLIDAYS Noon to 2 p.m. Visit with Santa and get photos with the pets. Christmas Cottage, Pioneer Park, Main Street, Cooperstown.

WORKSHOP

1-4 p.m. “Vintage Postcard Ornament/Charm.” Presented by Wendy Reich of Don’t Tell Stella Designs. Fees apply; registration required. 25 Main Collective, 21 Main Street, Cherry Valley. 25maincollective@gmail. com.

MUSIC 1-3 p.m. “Sunday Sessions with Mary Cordelia.” The Gatehouse, 129 Main Street, Morris. (607) 285-4111.

FUNDRAISER

2-4 p.m. “Milford Strong Holiday Launch Party Featuring Nate Gross.” A portion of proceeds will benefit Milford Strong to support the local commu-

nity. Cooperstown Brewing Company, 10 River Street, Milford. (607) 286-9330.

FOOD 4 p.m. Free Sunday meal at the Salvation Army, 25 River Street, Oneonta.

FILM FEST 7 p.m. “Seven Samurai.” Presented by the 2025 Worcester Wieting Theatre Fall Film Festival. Free; donations appreciated. Worcester Wieting Theatre, 168 Main Street, Worcester.

►MoN., Dec. 1

STORY TIME

9:30 a.m. Staff share stories, activities and play. Held Mondays through Thursdays. Huntington Memorial Library, 62 Chestnut Street, Oneonta. (607) 432-1980.

CONNECTIONS

10:30 a.m. “One-on-One Tech Support.” Get help using personal devices, from iPhones to tablets. Held each first Monday of the month with Debra Miller. Connections at Clark Sports Center, 124 County Highway 52, Cooperstown. connectionsatcsc@gmail.com.

SENIOR MEALS Seniors are invited to enjoy a delicious meal MondayFriday. Suggested donation is $4 for seniors, $11 for guests accompanying a senior. All participants are encouraged to call to reserve a meal 24 hours in advance; however, diners can be added on as late as 9 a.m. the day of the meal. Today, enjoy a lunch of fish on a bun, seasoned noodles, spinach and Mandarin oranges. (607) 547-6454. • 11:30 a.m. Each Monday-Friday. Nader Towers Housing, 2 Mitchell Street, Oneonta. • Noon. Each Monday and Wednesday. Cherry Valley Facilities Corporation Café, 2 Genesee Street, Cherry Valley.

BLOOD DRIVE 1-6 p.m. Worcester United Methodist Church, 111 Main Street, Worcester. RedCrossBlood.org

POTTERY

1:30-4:30 p.m. Open Studio. Experienced potters work on personal projects. No instruction provided. Fees apply. Held 1:30-4:30 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and 6-9 p.m. on Thursday. The Smithy Clay Studio, 1 Otsego Court, Cooperstown. Gallery@ SmithyArts.org.

MUSIC 7:30 p.m. “SUNY-Hartwick Orchestra Concert.” Anderson Theater, Hartwick College, 1 Hartwick Drive, Oneonta.

►tueS., Dec. 2

COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS 8-9 a.m. Local community members gather to chat about what’s happening around Oneonta. Held each Tuesday. Green Earth Health Market, 4 Market Street, Oneonta. (607) 432-6600.

COMMUNITY HIKE

9:45 a.m. Hike with the Susquehanna Chapter of the Adirondack Mountain Club. Bring appropriate equipment/water and be aware of your level of fitness. This week’s hike will be on the New Island Trail, Oneonta. Contact hike leader Laura Hurley, (607) 435-1786.

VETERANS Noon to 2 p.m. Free Veterans Lunch. Warm meal with fellow vets. Veteran families welcome. Held first Tuesday of each month. Oneonta Veteran’s Outreach Center, 4 Academy Street, Oneonta. (607) 203-2228.

MEET & GREET

3:30-7 p.m. “Gingerbread Stroll: An Evening of Holiday Spirit and Community Celebration.” Presented by Welcome Home Cooperstown. Starts at the Village Hall, featuring a community fire pit, gingerbread house decorating, children’s story time with live music and more. Then wander down Main Street for holiday shopping and treats at local restaurants. Begins at the Village Hall, 22 Main Street, Cooperstown.

GAMING 3:45-4:45 p.m. Learn about our world through Minecraft. Held Tuesdays through 12/16. Huntington Memorial Library, 62 Chestnut Street, Oneonta. (607) 432-1980.

HOLIDAYS 4 p.m.

“Deck the Hall: Holiday Celebration 2025.”

Special performance by the Pathfinder Village Bell Choir, craft table and free admission for local residents. National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, 25 Main Street, Cooperstown. (607) 5477200.

MEDITATION

5:30 p.m. “Fall Meditation Drop-In Series.” Presented by Sahaja Meditation. Free; all skill levels welcome. Continues each Tuesday through 12/16. Cooperstown Coworks, 6 Doubleday Court, Cooperstown. (518) 4284692.

GARDENING

6:30 p.m. “Make and Take Workshop: Holiday Wreaths.” Presented by the Oneonta Garden Club. Fees apply; registration required. All materials included. St. James Church, 305 Main Street, Oneonta.

FIGURE DRAWING

6:30 p.m. Held each Tuesday. Green Earth Health Market, 4 Market Street, Oneonta. (607) 483-8432.

CHRISTMAS 7 p.m.

“The Gift of the Magi: A Short Christmas Comedy.” Benefit for the 38th Annual Friends of Christmas Community Dinner. Free admission; donations accepted. First United Methodist Church, 66 Chestnut Street, Oneonta. (310) 621-0084.

►WeD., Dec. 3

VETERANS BREAKFAST 8-10 a.m. Free breakfast for veterans, active military, firefighters, EMS and law enforcement. Held first Wednesday of each month. Cost for guests is $5. Laurens American Legion, 11 Main Street, Laurens. yreckert@yahoo.com

OTSEGO COUNTY 9:50 a.m. Meeting of the Public Works Committee. Chaired by Keith McCarty. Purpose: Contract and budget transfer. Board Chambers, Otsego County Office Building, 197 Main Street, Cooperstown. (607) 547-4202.

SUPPORT 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Half-off everything except priced jewelry and furniture. Every first and third Wednesday. Helios Care Thrift Shop and Boutique, Price Chopper Plaza, 5626 State Highway 7, Oneonta. (607) 432-5335.

BLOOD DRIVE Noon to 5 p.m. AO Fox Memorial Hospital, Levine Center, 1 Norton Avenue, Oneonta; and at Hunt College Union, SUNY Oneonta, 108 Ravine Parkway, Oneonta. RedCrossBlood.org

ART CLASS

6-9 p.m. “Figure This! Open Studio Life Drawing.” Non-instructional workshop with nude models for sketching. Hosted by a Cooperstown Art Association member. Fees apply, cash. Held each Wednesday. Cooperstown Art Association, 22 Main Street, Cooperstown. (607) 547-9777.

MUSIC 7:30 p.m. “Hartwick College Opera and Musical Theatre Scenes Concert.” Anderson Theater, Hartwick College, 1 Hartwick Drive, Oneonta.

►thurS., Dec. 4

EXERCISE CLASS 9 a.m. Free; all welcome. Held each Monday and Thursday. Strawberry Hall, Worcester-Schenevus Library, 170 Main Street, Worcester. (607) 3977309.

RECOVERY 10 a.m. Veterans in Recovery AA Meeting. Held each Thursday. Oneonta Veteran’s Outreach Center, 4 Academy Street, Oneonta. (607) 203-2228.

CRAFT 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. “Open Sew.” Work with fellow crafters on current projects. Demos held at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Fees apply. Message/call to reserve a spot. Held each Thursday. Leatherstocking Quilts, 155 Main Street, Suite B, Oneonta. (607) 4413111.

CONNECTIONS

1-2:15 p.m. “Healthy Homes, Healthy Holidays.” Presented by the League of Women Voters of the Cooperstown Area. Learn about reducing single-use plastics in the home. Connections at Clark Sports Center, 124 County Highway 52, Cooperstown. connectionsatcsc@gmail.com.

LIBRARY 4:30 p.m. “Teen Writers Group.” Recommended ages 12-18. Held each Thursday. Huntington Memorial Library, 62 Chestnut Street, Oneonta. (607) 432-1980.

CLAM NIGHT 5-7 p.m. Held each Thursday. Fees apply. American Legion Post 259, 279 Chestnut Street, Oneonta. (607) 432-0494. SKATING 5:30 p.m. “Beginner Roller Skate Lessons.” $15/lesson. Includes skate rentals, instruction, skate game and admission to open skate (6:30-9 p.m.). Held each Thursday. Interskate 88, 5185 State Highway 23, Oneonta. (607) 2015308.

►

Visit allotsego.com/

otsego-county-events-calendar/ for the full calendar