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Volume 10, No. 08
City of The Hills
IMMORTAL FROM FARMING BOYHOOD, HE ROSE TO ARTISTIC HEIGHTS/B1
HOMETOWN ONEONTA E!
E FR
& The Otsego-Delaware Dispatch Complimentary
Oneonta, N.Y., Friday, December 1, 2017
Democrats Tap Muller As Party’s Next Chair Leadership Returns From Coop To Oneonta By JIM KEVLIN ONEONTA
K
im Muller, former Oneonta mayor and a member of the state Democratic Committee, was expected to be elected chair of the Otsego County Democratic ComIan Austin/HOMETOWN ONEONTA mittee at a caucus at 7 Ana Gonzalez, center, p.m. Thursday, Nov. 30, in takes off down Main Street Saturday, Nov. 25, with Malina Dukaczewicz, left, and Malena Butterman. All were dressed as mice to promote the upcoming Fokine Ballet’s production of “The Nutcracker.” For more Thanksgiving weekend fun photos, see A3
RUBIN, CATAN SUBMIT PAPERS
Fire-Pact Crisis Spurs 2 To Run By LIBBY CUDMORE
Muller with Senator Gillibrand at the Women’s March.
Cooperstown Village Hall. “She knows a lot of Please See MULLER, A7
ONEONTA
W
ith two years under a court order and city-town of Oneonta fireprotection talks still stalled, a
brave pair have stepped into the fray. In hopes of resolving the crisis, two businesspeople, Al Rubin and Michelle Catan, have filed paperwork to run for two vacancies on the town Board of Fire Commissioners in the Tuesday, Dec. 12, elections. Rubin, the owner of A&D TransportaPlease See STALLED, A7
NEW GENERATION MADE THIS YEAR’S FEAST POSSIBLE
To Keep Taxes Down, City Hall Study Cut Out ONEONTA
T
o reduce taxes, a $50,000 study of the state of the City Hall building is being delayed. That allowed City Manager George Korthauer to reduce a prospective tax increase from from 3 percent to 1.84 percent when he presented a revised budget to a Common Council committee Monday, Nov. 27. Korthauer acted after Mayor Gary Herzig said 3 percent was too much. The change reduces the increase to roughly $40 per $100,000 of assessed value. More details at
AllOTSEGO.com
www.
OPEN HOUSE: St. Mary’s Catholic Church is hosting an open house noon 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Dec 2 - 3 to showcase the newly renovated sanctuary. CASTING CALL: Brewery Ommegang is looking for males ages 21 - 40 for a commercial being shot in Cooperstown’s Pioneer Park Monday, Dec. 4. If interested, email larry@ommegang.com THEFT AT MALL: Deputies report arresting a suspect for allegedy entering the Piercing Pagoda kiosk while it was closed in Southside Mall and taking money from the till.
Ian Austin/HOMETOWN ONEONTA
Diners – 200 in all – packed the Elks dining room to partake of the annual Community Thanksgiving Dinner.
With Uncle’s Passing, Nephew, 17, Steps Up To Cook Community’s Thanksgiving Dinner By LIBBY CUDMORE ONEONTA
F
or 17-year-old Nate Carpenter, cooking at the annual Community Thanksgiving Dinner is a family legacy. ”My uncle, Ricky D’Ambrosio, was the chef at the Elks Club Nate Carpenter succeeded when he heard they needed Uncle Ricky D’Ambrosio, someone to cook the Community who died last spring. Thanksgiving Dinner,” said Nick Carpenter. “I started working 11, with my dad, my stepmom there alongside him when I was and my sisters.” New county Rep. Adrienne Martini at her desk at SUNY Oneonta, where she edits Reflections, the alumni magazine.
D’Ambrosio died in April. And this Thanksgiving, the nephew carried on the family tradition, leading the kitchen staff in putting on the annual dinner Thursday, Nov. 23. “I love to cook,” he said. “I love to make dinner for my family, and this is just an extension of that.” The annual dinner, hosted by St. Mary’s Catholic Church and the Lord’s Table, is provided free of charge to anyone in the community. This year, Nate estimates that 200 meals were served in Please See UNCLE, A7
Chef Nate on the job
She’ll Fight For Citizens – And Cats, Dogs By LIBBY CUDMORE ONEONTA
N Ian Austin/HOMETOWN ONEONTA
ewly elected to the Otsego County Board of Represen- ADRIENNE MARTINI tatives, Adrienne Martini District 12 wants to represent everyone in the county – even the cats and dogs.
“We expect and require the Susquehanna Animal Shelter to take in stray cats and dogs, or animals from hoarding situations,” she said. “But then we hope donations will cover the cost. It’s counter-productive. If they’re taking care of t hese animals, the county needs to support that.” Please See MARTINI, B7
HOMETOWN ONEONTA, OTSEGO COUNTY’S LARGEST CIRCULATION NEWSPAPER 2010 WINNER OF The Otsego County Chamber/KEY BANK SMALL BUSINESS AWARD