get ready for spring! HOME IMPROVEMENT TIPS, CONTRACTORS/
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HOMETOWN ONEONTA E!
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& The Otsego-Delaware Dispatch Complimentary
Oneonta, N.Y., Friday, February 22, 2013
Volume 5, No. 22
POLAR BRRR!
City of The Hills
2 Chambers Collaborate On Strategy
Jim Kevlin/HOMETOWN ONEONTA
Lady Yellowjacket Minnie Webster, right, is congratulated by teammates after sinking the winning threepointer in overtime in the STAC championship Sunday, Feb. 17, at SUNY Binghamton/
By JIM KEVLIN
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MORE PHOTOS, A2
NY Gun Law Won’t Stand, Gibson Says
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ew York State’s new SAFE gun law “will be thrown out,” according to U.S. Rep. Chris Gibson, R-19. Speaking to Cooperstown Rotarians Tuesday, Feb. 19, in a tour of the county that included a visit to Springbrook that afternoon, he said the U.S. Supreme Court has concluded guns “can be regulated, but not banned.” He questions the term “assault rifle” for weapons like the Bushmaster XM-15 E2S. “It’s a rifle,” he said. HONOREE SOUGHT: The city Commission on Human Rights & Community Relations is seeking nominations for its Trailblazer Award for a local woman who has enhanced the stature of her gender. Forms are available at the City Clerk’s or by calling 432-6450. ALUMNI, LUNCH: Registration is limited to 40 at the SUNY Oneonta annual Spring Alumni Luncheon, 11:30 a.m. Friday, March 15, at Morris Hall, so register today: 436-2526. Dr. Ben Dixon speaks on “A Visual History of Our Campus.” BLUE RIBBONS: Hartwick freshman Taylor Trombley, OHS ’12, graduate, began her college equestrian career by winning two firsts at the Skidmore College Show Saturday, Feb. 15.
‘Local First!’ Starts May 1
Ian Austin/HOMETOWN ONEONTA
Shawn Roth jumps for Oneonta’s Holiday Inn Hotties at the 18th Goodyear Lake Polar Bear Jump Saturday, Feb. 15. Joe Miller holds the tether/MORE PHOTOS, A3
Dr. Seth Mathern flew in from Wyoming to jump for Morris’ Samantha Perry, a beneficiary and his patient.
Most Jumpers Raise Most Money At 18th Plunge At Goodyear Lake GOODYEAR LAKE
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record number of jumpers – 400 – raised a record amount of money – $106,000 – at the 18th annual Goodyear Lake
Polar Bear Jump Saturday, Feb. 15. Cooperstown’s Ed Gwilt again raise the most, $8,000 – $4,000 from small donors, matched by $4,000 from the Delaware Otsego Corp., where Gwilt works.
AllOTSEGO.com
DETAILS OF THIS YEAR’S BENEFICIARIES AT www.
uy Local!” is a phrase that comes to mind naturally. But the executive directors of Otsego County’s leading chambers of commerce, Oneonta’s Barbara Ann Heegan and Cooperstown’s Pat Szarpa, have discovered a softer way to say it: “Local First!” The multi-chamber “Local First!” campaign we’ll all be hearing a lot about after May 1 “in no way is a knock or a slap to anyone who frequents Walmarts or other ‘big box’ stores in our region,” said Szarpa, who planned to sit down with Heegan at midweek to begin preparing action steps in the new drive.” “We’re thrilled these stores are here and employing local people. We’re speaking to those employees” in addition to everyone else: “When you are out shopping, think about our region, instead of just reverting to the Internet.” “It’s top of mind awareness,” said Heegan, who joined Szarpa Wednesday, Feb. 13, in hosting “stakePlease See LOCAL, A6
Venerable Curling Comes To Town
Cynthia Walton-Leavitt demonstrates her technique as Lynn Abarno, Stamford, Jean Seroka, Otego, Linda Stringer, Oneonta and Nancy Kocher, Laurens, look on.
Sport, Rooted In Middle Ages, May Now Sprout Here, Thanks To Pastor By LIBBY CUDMORE
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n 1967 in Wilmette, Ill., if Mrs. Green didn’t like it, then Rev. Dr. Cynthia Walton-Leavitt’s mother was all for it. “They had started a curling club, and Mrs. Green” – a Walton family neighbor – “was saying ‘Who’s ever heard
of curling? No one’s going to do it!’ My mother didn’t like Mrs. Green, so whatever curling was, we were going to participate.” So began a lifelong love for the sport, which has taken the “Red Door” Church pastor all over the world, including a recent trip to Perth, Scotland, the country where the sport was invented. Please See CURLING, A7
Ian Austin/HOMETOWN ONEONTA
HOMETOWN ONEONTA HAS LARGEST PRINT CIRCULATION IN OTSEGO COUNTY 2010 WINNER OF The Otsego County Chamber/KEY BANK SMALL BUSINESS AWARD OT113_19SommWine6cx3_AD_OtesagaSommelier_Ad_FJ 2/12/13 12:46 PM Page 1
GREAT WINES FROM THE GREAT NORTHWEST! Taste the Wines of Oregon and Washington • Fri. Feb. 22 • Uncorks at 5:30PM
Only $25.00
Please stay for dinner! After our Wine Tasting, we hope you’ll enjoy dinner in our casual Hawkeye Grill.
(including tax & service charge) Reservations are required!
To make Wine Tasting or Hawkeye Grill reservations, please contact Maitre d’ Lori Patryn at (607) 544-2524. You must be at least 21 years old to participate.
Over 100 Years of Gracious Hospitality ® THE OTESAGA RESORT HOTEL, 60 LAKE STREET, COOPERSTOWN •
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