Hometown Oneonta 12-15-17

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& The Otsego-Delaware Dispatch Oneonta, N.Y., Friday, December 15, 2017 Visit www.AllOTSEGO.com

431.5454 neonta • 607. O e, riv D e ar 1 Foxc

Volume 10, No. 10

City of The Hills

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Stabbing Learning Moment At SUNY Relationships Can Turn Dangerous, Students Advised

PROBE UNDERWAY, BUT CHIEF DOESN’T WAIT

After Suspect Dies, A New Holding Cell Since a suspect died in custody at the holding cell in the city’s Public Safety Building, Chief Douglas Brenner had the room’s door replaced with a curtain and took other precautions to make sure it doesn’t happen again. That bar is hollow, so it will break under a grown man’s weight.

By LIBBY CUDMORE ONEONTA Parker Fish/HOMETOWN ONEONTA

Hillary Reiter, who grew dancing with Donna Decker’s Fokine Ballet School, returned to the city again for the 30th annual performance of “The Nutcracker” over the weekend at SUNY’s Goodrich Theater/MORE WEEKEND PHOTOS, A3

Governor Set To Announce CFA Winners

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overnor Cuomo was planning to announce his annual CFA economic-development grants at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 13, at Empire State Plaza in Albany. Local officials have been invited to the ceremony but, as usual, they have been asked not to discuss the announcements until they are made public. Otsego County has received $40 million over the past few years but, with turmoil at Otsego Now, it was unclear how much may be forthcoming. Details at

AllOTSEGO.com

www.

IT’S RUBIN, CATAN: With higher than normal voter turnout, Al Rubin and Michelle Catan were elected to the Town of Oneonta Fire Commission. Rubin received 82 votes, Catan received 83. However, commissioners resisting a renewed pact with the city fire department still control three of five seats. SEEKS VOLUNTEERS: St. James Episcopal Church, is seeking volunteers for a medical and construction mission to the Dominican Republic Feb. 17-25. The estimated cost is $1,700 per person and a $400 deposit is needed to hold a spot. For more infomation, contact masonj@stjamesoneonta. org.

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ollowing the arrest of junior Julian VanCourt-Wels for the attempted murder of his girlfriend, SUNY Oneonta is helping students be aware and prepared to help those who might be facing domestic violence. VanCourt“Many Wels of these students don’t have a lot of relationship experience,” said Rebecca Harrington, a health educator. “We’re trying to create a community where students have the language and understanding to get support, as well as provide prevention education.” VanCourt-Wels, 20, Schenectady, was arrested after police responded to a 911 call of a stabbing at 30 Maple St., Apartment 2, in Oneonta on Friday, Dec. 8. According to the accusatory instrument, when Officer P.A. Kraft arrived on the scene, he allegPlease See STABBING, A2

Ian Austin/HOMETOWN ONEONTA

By LIBBY CUDMORE ONEONTA

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ollowing the overdose death of Kenneth J. Faulker in a police holding cell, Police Chief Doug Brenner wants to make sure

that suspects are safe when they are in custody. “We’re converting a storage space into a new holding cell,” he said. “This one has a curtain instead of a door, so it won’t have that obstruction that gave Mr. Faulkner the few seconds he needed to eat the cocaine.” Faulker, 54, locked himself inside a

holding cell during a strip search after he was arrested on suspicion of narcotics trafficking on Nov. 3. Though Brenner estimated he was only away from the officers “two or three seconds,” it was enough time for Faulkner to retrieve a bag of cocaine hidden on his person and swallow it, according to Please See CELL, A7

Farwell At all Monthly Meetings

Gene Bettiol Will Live On In Momentum For 2 Years, Representative Of Future Projects, Mourners Conclude Prepared Self For New Job

By LIBBY CUDMORE

By JIM KEVLIN ONEONTA MORRIS

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n 2011, when the fracking debate was at its height, District 2 Michele Farwell ran with Heather Covington for Morris Town Board. And they won. “Within a week, there was a letter to Michele Farwell the editor that basically said, they won, but they are one-issue candidates, and that’s unfair to the town,” said Farwell, who was elected Please See FARWELL, B8 MICHELE FARWELL

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e didn’t expect a recent conversation with Gene Bettiol to be their last, state Sen. Jim Seward, RMilford, told 150 mourners at his mentor’s funeral in Foothills’ Bettiol Theater Sunday, Dec. 10. “I told him he still had a few projects to do,” said Seward. “I thought he would go on living and working in our community forever.” Eugene A. Bettiol Sr., the community benefactor and developer most responsiPlease See FUNERAL, A7

Ian Austin/HOMETOWN ONEONTA

Grandson Eric Michelitsch speaks on behalf of all six grandchildren, from left, Ryan Latham, Amanda LoPiccolo, Brooke Bettiol, Carleigh Bettiol and Scott Latham.

HOMETOWN ONEONTA, OTSEGO COUNTY’S LARGEST CIRCULATION NEWSPAPER 2010 WINNER OF The Otsego County Chamber/KEY BANK SMALL BUSINESS AWARD


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