We Have Re-Opened our Outdoor Living & Garden Center! Come See Us!
New Asbury Gardens 248 River Street Oneonta 607-432-8703 newasburygardens.com
Cold and Rain Can’t Dampen Hall of Fame Memorial Day Weekend Baseball Celebration
By CHARLIE VASCELLARO COOPERSTOWN
Like the proverbial carriers of the U.S. mail, “neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night” was going to keep visitors and participants in the Hall of Fame’s Memorial Day Weekend celebration of the national pastime from having a
Rural Pathways: New Program to Entice Lawyers to Rural Areas
By BILL BELLEN MILFORD
Anyone who has had to navigate the legal system in the rural counties of New York State—Otsego County included—can tell you that it is not nearly as easy as it used to be to find proper legal assistance.
Populations of judges, attorneys and lawyers in Upstate New York have been steadily declining over the last few decades, as professionals reach the age of retirement with no newcomers to take their place. This creates a dire state of affairs for those in our region who find themselves in need of the legal advice or assistance
that only these professionals can offer.
“Populations of professionals in Upstate New York; it’s just not as what it was. It’s become really hard for people who need to have a will done, get divorced, get custody of their kids or, God forbid, have a criminal matter, to find an attorney in the area,” said Sarah Cowen, associate court attorney for Otsego County Court Judge Michael F. Getman and president of the Otsego County Bar Association. “I totally am of the mind that upstate New York summer is the best; the lakes, the hikes, the everything. If we could get people to come up here, there’s no reason why they wouldn’t like it
as well.”
With public access to the legal system at stake, Cowen and a number of her colleagues, both in Otsego County and statewide, have begun to take action to turn this trend around. This summer marks the launch of the state court system’s pilot program, dubbed “Rural Pathways.” This initiative seeks to incentivize young, outgoing law students to make the move to the areas of New York that need their practice the most.
Presiding Justice Elizabeth Garry, who oversees the New York State Appellate Court Third Judicial Department, of which
Continued on page 9
good time here in Cooperstown.
Leading off with the first annual Hall of Fame Film Series—running from Thursday, May 22 through Sunday, May 25—“Diamond Diplomacy: U.S. Japan Relations Through a Shared Love of Baseball,” directed by Yuriko Gamo Romer, was screened in the Fenimore Art Museum theater and was the first of the six-film series.
According to Romer, “The history of Japanese baseball is the history of Japan/U.S. relations.”
Kerry Yo Nakagawa, executive director of the Nisei Baseball Research Project, said that for the first and second wave of Japanese immigrants in the U.S., “Putting on a baseball uniform was like wearing the Continued on page 8
Fallen, But Not Forgotten
LAURENS—Laurens Central School fifth- and sixth-graders commemorated and honored the brave military men and women who served our country by placing long stem red carnations on veterans’ graves in the Laurens Village Cemetery and Elm Row Cemetery prior to Memorial Day 2025. This project was sponsored by the Laurens American Legion Auxiliary with assistance from Laurens American Legion members. Above, fifth-grader Hera Baker pays tribute to a fallen hero at Elm Row Cemetery.
Conserved Masterwork Returns to Museum
ONEONTA
After five centuries, most everything needs a little tender loving care. And that’s something Hartwick College’s Yager Museum of Art and Culture celebrated when, on April 30, it welcomed one of its Renaissance treasures back from a year’s conservation treatment at the Williamstown Art Conservation Center in Massachusetts.
Painted in the early 16th century by Andrea Previtali (ca. 1480-1528), “Madonna and Child in a Landscape” was acquired by the Reverend Louis van Ess, rector of Saint James Episcopal Church in Oneonta and a Hartwick College professor, in the 1950s. According to a press release, when van Ess passed away in 1960, he left much of his art collection, including the Previtali, to Hartwick.
“Louis van Ess had collected American impressionist art before coming to Oneonta,” Museum
Continued on page 7
Photo by williamjaymiller.com
Photo by Yvonne Eckert
Craft Festival Set for June 14
RICHFIELD SPRINGS—The Richfield Springs Church of Christ Uniting will hold its 43rd annual Friendship Craft Festival in Spring Park from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, June 14. In addition to craft vendors, the festival will feature a community bake sale, a food booth to benefit Richfield Youth Sports and Brooks’ Bar-B-Q from 11:30 a.m. until sold out. The application deadline for craft vendors is Sunday, June 1, although late submissions will be accepted until spaces are filled. E-mail friendshipcraftfestival@yahoo.com to apply.
ADK Club Announces Events
OTSEGO COUNTY—The Susquehanna Chapter of the Adirondack Mountain Club will hold its June potluck meeting at Briggs Pavilion in Gilbert Lake State Park at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, June 18. June Tuesday hikes will take place on the Catskill Scenic Trail in Hobart on June 3, Vroman’s Nose in Middleburgh on June 10, New Island in Oneonta on June 17 and Goodyear Lake on June 24. A full schedule, including trip leaders to contact for more information, may be found at susqadk.org/outingschedule. In addition to the weekly Tuesday hikes, the club holds longer, more strenuous Saturday excursions that require pre-registration. One will be held at Robert V. Riddell State Park, starting at Mud Lake, on June 21. The schedule may be viewed at susqadk.org/saturday-hikes.
Art Garage Exhibit Opens
MIDDLEFIELD—The Art Garage will open its summer exhibit, “Splendor in the Everyday,” with a reception from 4-6 p.m. on Friday, May 30. It features ceramic work by Normandy Allen and the pastel still lifes of Mary Padgett, and is on display through July 9. Padgett will give an artist’s talk at 4 p.m. on Thursday, June 12 and Alden will give a technique demonstration at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, July 2. Both artists will attend a panel discussion moderated by Megan Irving at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, July 9. Padgett will also host a one-day workshop. Reservations are recommended, as space is limited. For more information, contact leartgarage@gmail. com, (607) 547-5327 or (315) 941-9607.
Rep. Riley Seeks Utility Input
ITHACA—Congressman Josh Riley (D, NY-19) recently launched an investigation into ever-rising utility costs for families across his
district, which stretches from the mid-Hudson Valley into the Southern Tier and west to Ithaca. Constituents are asked to complete a survey on their experiences with utility companies at https:// iqconnect.house.gov/iqextranet/EsurveyForm. aspx?__cid=NY19JR&__sid=100018&__crop=1 4009.5430473.5105400.7162236.
Project Detours Begin June 2
ONEONTA—Phase I roundabout construction will begin at the intersection of Lettis Highway (State Route 23) and Oneonta’s Main Street (State Route 7) on Monday, June 2. It will last for about three months, depending on weather. Motorists are advised of extensive detours and urged to plan alternative routes and expect delays. Visit the project page at https://www.dot.ny.gov/oneontaroundabout for more information.
Onondaga Co. Detects Mpox
SYRACUSE—The Onondaga County Health Department recently detected several cases of Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox. All individuals are recovering at home and contact tracing efforts are underway. The public is urged to avoid close contact with people exhibiting rash or flu-like symptoms, avoid sharing personal items like towels or blankets, wash their hands often, practice safe sex and consider vaccination. Symptoms typically include fever, headache, swollen lymph nodes and a distinctive rash. Contact a healthcare provider with concerns about any of these symptoms. To view the full press release, visit https://healthnews.ongov. net/onondaga-county-new-mpox-cases-5-22-25/.
Next Meet, Greet is June 3rd
COOPERSTOWN—Welcome Home Cooperstown’s next monthly community meet-and-greet will be held at the Village Hall, 22 Main Street, from 5:30-7 p.m. on Tuesday, June 3. Newcomers and established community members are invited to mingle, share information and make connections. The Cooperstown Central School Identity Alliance will unfurl the village Pride Flag in honor of Pride Month. The Guild of Glimmerglass Festival will provide music and refreshments.
Women Composers Discussed
COOPERSTOWN—Fenimore Chamber Orchestra will present a talk on the groundbreaking contributions of women composers by Artistic Director
Maciej Żółtowski at 2 p.m. on Saturday, May 31. The free event will be held at the Fenimore Art Museum, and will cover important historical figures such as Louise Farrenc, Amy Beach, Florence Price, Joan Trimble and Graźyna Bacewicz. It will serve as a prelude to FCO’s June 7 concert, featuring work by Trimble and Bacewicz. For more information, visit fenimore-orchestra.org.
Museum Sets June Programs
EAST MEREDITH—The Hanford Mills Museum will host local expert Kurt Riegel for a historic window restoration workshop from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, June 7. A guided birding tour led by volunteers from the Delaware-Otsego Audubon Society will run from 8-9:30 a.m. on Saturday, June 14. The museum will run its popular Free Family Saturday event from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. the same day, featuring children’s activities and free admission. Cooperstown’s Small Town Big Band will perform at a free Summer Celebration Concert beginning at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, June 20. For more information or further schedule updates, visit hanfordmills.org or the museum’s Instagram or Facebook pages.
Election Results Announced
COOPERSTOWN—377 voters turned out for the Cooperstown Board of Education’s election on Tuesday, May 20. The budget passed 325-47 and the bus leasing proposition passed 328-43. Voters approved the library proposition 329-42 and elected Pete Iorizzo to the board with 309 votes.
Church To Host BBQ Dinner
COOPERSTOWN—The First Baptist Church of Cooperstown, 21 Elm Street, will offer take-out Brooks’ Bar-B-Q chicken dinners from 4:30-6 p.m. on the second Friday of each month this summer: June 13, July 11, and August 8. The cost is $14.00 by cash or check, with a $1.00 convenience fee for PayPal transactions. Pre-orders are strongly encouraged and may be made by contacting baptistcooperstown@gmail.com by the Wednesday preceding each dinner. They should include the buyer’s name, number of dinners and phone number.
Additional news briefs—including updates on Cooperstown Central School sports, the Baseball Hall of Fame’s upcoming Author Series, and the Greater Oneonta Historical Society’s summer walking tour program—can be found this week on AllOtsego.com.
Wong Speaks About Correlation Between Medicine, Art, Music
COOPERSTOWN
The Second Annual
David S. Svahn
Humanities in Medicine Memorial Lecture was held on Friday, May 16 at the Clark Auditorium at Bassett Medical Center. This year’s guest lecturer, Dr. Lisa Wong, delivered an address titled “Embracing the Art of Medicine in Uncertain Times” and played music on her viola.
In-person attendance at the auditorium was strong, ranging in age and experience level from students and residents to seasoned clinicians and department heads. Others joined virtually.
According to a press release, Dr. Wong is associate co-director and co-founder of the Arts and Humanities Initiative and an assistant clinical professor at Harvard Medical School. She is also a practicing pediatrician at Milton Pediatric Associates and past president and current member of the Longwood Symphony Orchestra, an orchestra composed of members of Boston’s medical community.
During her lecture, Dr. Wong spoke about her personal journey in medicine, music and community service, from childhood to the present. Music and the arts in general, she says, can bring people together and bolster an individual’s development.
“A major challenge that we’re having in our communities, starting before the COVID-19 pandemic and then accelerated and amplified during the pandemic, was an increase in loneliness, anxiety, and isolation, not only of the individual patient but also of the medical student, resident, our neighbors, and our friends. With that came a decrease in resilience, a decrease in the use of our manual dexterity, and a
decrease in curiosity and creativity. I argue that with the arts we can help address those changes,” said Dr. Wong. “Music can heal the patient, heal the community, and heal the healer,” she continued.
Dr. Wong continued her address by speaking about neuroscience and the impact music has on the brain, looking through history at doctors and scientists who valued or performed music, like Dr. Rene Laennec, Dr. Virginia Apgar, and Dr. Theodor Billroth, and reflected on recent initiatives she’s been involved with, including the Ukraine Invisible Wounds of War Project and the Boston Hope Music Project, one of the wellness programs offered to patients at Boston Hope Medical Center, a field hospital in Boston established to care for patients recovering from COVID-19.
Dr. Wong’s full address can be viewed on the Bassett Healthcare Network YouTube channel at https:// www.youtube.com/ watch?v=9_ifx5Lri8o.
The day before the lecture, the importance of the arts was put into practice at Fenimore Art Museum. Dr. Wong led Bassett residents in a workshop comprised of three exercises and centered on the museum’s exhibits, officials said.
The first exercise focused on visual thinking. Residents analyzed works of art and offered their opinions on what the artist was trying to say, what emotions the work evoked, and what other interpretations could be make. The second was back-to-back drawing. Participants were paired up and tasked with describing a work of art to their partner, who was standing behind them and had never seen the original art. The third and final exercise was
centered on the viewer’s personal response to art. Residents were given prompts, asking them to find art that spoke to a variety of themes. They then explained their personal reasons for their selections to the group.
During the workshop, residents expressed their appreciation for this opportunity to take a step back from the highdemands of the hospital and shared how valuable the communication, empathy and visualization skills strengthened through art are in their medical work.
The Svahn lecture
series is presented as a tribute to Dr. David S. Svahn, a revered figure in the Cooperstown medical community who dedicated his life to instilling a profound sense of compassion and human connection in generations of physicians. He devoted the entirety of his 30-year career in medicine to Bassett Medical Center. It is made possible through an endowment from Dr. Jennifer Svahn, a practicing surgeon and the daughter of Dr. David Svahn, and her husband, Dr. Jeffrey Nicastro.
.dining&entertainment
Above, Dr. Lisa Wong stands with Bassett clinicians and
From left:
Erik Riesenfield, Dr. Kai Mebust, Dr. Jonathan Svahn, Dr.Tiffany Svahn, Dr. Lisa Wong, Karin Svahn, Dr. Jennifer Svahn, Dr. Jeffrey Nicastro, Dr. Alan Kozak, and Dr. Joon Shim. Below right, Dr. Kai Mebust, chief of the Department of Medicine at Bassett Medical Center, presents Dr. Lisa Wong with a customized baseball bat and the Svahn Memorial Lecture plaque, which will hang in the Medical Education Wing at Bassett Medical Center.
HOMETOWN Views
EDITORIaL
Promote It, and They Will Come
In his page one article this week, Bill Bellen introduces us to the New York State court system’s “Rural Pathways” pilot program, whereby officials hope to entice legal professionals to rural areas by wooing them in much the same way major law firms recruit graduates—enticing them with fine foods, exciting recreational opportunities, and cultural experiences that may tip the scales in their favor over competing employers.
Otsego is one of three of New York’s rural counties taking part in the Rural Pathways initiative which, as Bill describes, “seeks to incentivize young, outgoing law students to make the move to the areas of New York that need their practice the most.”
We think this is a great idea, and one that we believe may work to our advantage.
Bill’s article coincides with the publication and distribution of our annual “Guide to the Good Life in Cooperstown and Oneonta” (available now at various locations countywide), a brochure designed ostensibly for tourists but useful for Otsego County residents as well, as it is a reminder of resources we have at hand that are often taken for granted.
Flipping through the pages of the Good Life guide, we believe the Rural Pathways plan could work. Page one features a picturesque aerial view of historic Doubleday Field, courtesy of William Jay Miller, a Cooperstown feature that could help attract young professionals with a love for America’s pastime.
Advertisers in the guide include popular area restaurants and eateries appealing to a wide range of palates—including Sloan’s New York Grill and Brooks’ House of Bar-B-Q in Oneonta, Bocca and The Otesaga Resort Hotel in Cooperstown, The Horned Dorset Inn in Leonardsville (not located in Otsego County, but they deliver!), and Springfield’s Sunflower Café.
We have world-class arts, entertainment and museums appealing to a wide range of interests as well: The Glimmerglass Festival, Hyde Hall, the Cooperstown Art Association Galleries and The Smithy Gallery and Clay Studio, and, just an easy drive away, Howe Caverns and Hanford Mills Museum, to name a few.
For those looking to relax after a hard day at the office, Brewery Ommegang offers Fire Pit Fridays and live music from May through October and The Blue Mingo Grill features lakeside dining at its picturesque Sam Smith’s Boatyard location. The Cooperstown and Charlotte Valley Railroad has a full schedule of dinner trains, train robberies and, later on in the season, fall foliage excursions. Oneonta has its own New York State licensed adult-use cannabis dispensary, DOSHA, for those who are so inclined.
And there’s no denying the endless opportunities here in Otsego County for those with a hankering for exercise and recreation, both indoors and out. To wit, the Clark Sports Center, Cooperstown’s 7,000-square-foot fitness center, Rail Explorers, our golf (and mini-golf) courses, Richfield’s Bowl-A-Rama and, of course, Otsego Lake, which marks the start of the Susquehanna River. Speaking of which, New York State’s newest outdoor tourism destination, the Susquehanna Basin Water Trail, connects 190 miles of waterways from Cooperstown to Corning!
Let us also not forget the incredible selection of shops and boutiques at our disposal: Nordic-style gifts, home accents, and vintage finds at bluebird haus; the pottery of Azure Arts; fashions from LJ’s Sassy Boutique; recycled, repurposed and reloved items at Clutter; Posie’s Vintiques in Milford; unique gifts and souvenirs at The Tepee in Cherry Valley; the Hartwick Arms gun store and its sister shop, The Butter Chicken; used and rare books and ephemera at Willis Monie Books; collectible bats from Where It All Began Bat Co. and the Cooperstown Bat Company; and so much more.
Finally, for those looking to foster both physical and mental well-being, there’s Mountain Magic Market, “brimming with magic, intuition and nature-inspired treasures,” Cooperstown Natural Foods, the Cooperstown Farmers’ Market, with more than 30 local farmers, artisans, and makers, and Cherry Valley’s Plaide Palette, featuring the area’s largest selection of rocks, crystals, and minerals.
These are just a few of the reasons why we think rural Otsego County can and will attract young legal professionals to the area, and only a sampling of the businesses and services featured in our Good Life guide, not to mention the plethora of arts organizations, museums, orchestras, sports shops and facilities that didn’t make it in this year—the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, the Catskill Symphony Orchestra, the SUNY Oneonta and Hartwick College art galleries, and a host of others.
By focusing on all that our rural area has to offer, and by helping young legal professionals to get the most out of their experience here, we believe the Rural Pathways program can be successful. Otsego County is rich in its history, in its hiking trails and waterways, in its diversity of recreational offerings, and in its cultural significance both here in the U.S. and worldwide.
So we ask you, what’s not to love?
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR POLICY
“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.
Haw THORn HILL jOuRnaL RICHaRD DEROSa
The Comfort of Our Eternal Patterns
Hal Borland, a writer whose wisdom I often turn to, frequently referred to nature’s eternal patterns. Up here on the hill, we always look forward to those recurring patterns. Years ago, when we first spotted a nesting pair of Canada geese at the swamp down the road, we named them Max and Myrna. They are there now, their fuzzy little goslings in tow. Their reappearance gives us some solace about the nature of things. Something many of us find ourselves desperately in need of these days. Whether or not these are the original geese does not matter. What matters is the comfort they afford us. And the fact that the patterns persist. Life would be a tough row to hoe without some degree of predictability.
There are those who would extol the virtues of chaos. A little bit goes a long way. I am gratified by the return not only of Max and Myrna, but by the equally reassuring return of several pairs of bluebirds and the oriole whose early spring aria fills one with a sense of hope. Other familiars fly about the place searching out nesting sites setting the stage for the most crucial recurring pattern: procreation. And then there are those early spring chores we start to look forward to about mid-winter. All is ebb and flow.
Predictability is essential to spiritual stability. For most of our history we have been able, despite the execrable behaviors of some, to base our collective lives on certain assumptions. I write here of birds and spring chores because they are part and parcel of what have always been nature’s patterns. We depend on some certainties if we are to function with any degree of stability. The boat gets rocked from time to time. Much of the time we are able to ballast ourselves remarkably well. The question we face these days is how to find stability within the whirlwind of chaos.
Lawlessness works in no one’s favor. We hear the phrase “the rule of law” bandied about quite a bit nowadays. For good reason. It has been our collective practice to regard the rule of law as sacrosanct. And to accept the consequences of not doing so. Things seem a bit frayed these days. In order for any system to function there must be agreement as to its legitimacy. At least during my lifetime, there has been out there in the commonweal an acceptance of our judicial system and the constitutional principles upon which it is based. We now have people in the present administration who not only feel free to ignore established law, and the clear determinations of our courts, but have a chief executive officer who mumbles that perhaps he is not sure if he is bounded by the Constitution he swore to uphold and defend. There is genuine confusion and then there is outright contempt for everything we stand for. This sort of behavior is clearly at odds with the deeply embedded system of justice that we have for so long not only abided by, but have revered. Its imperfections notwithstanding.
No system can survive for long when its essential rhythms begin to break down. And that is where we find ourselves today. How long can the center hold when in the
Continued on page 11
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR … In THEIR OPInIOn
With Kudos to the Otsego Land Trust
The Otsego Land Trust’s work at Brookwood Point was on display for competitors and staff accommodating the 2025 General Clinton Regatta.
bring representation for the LGBTQ+ community. I identify as lesbian, gay and queer; my pronouns are she/they.
HOMETOWN ONEONTA
H o metown oneon t a 2008 - 2025 17th anniversary & The Otsego-Delaware Dispatch
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The new boardwalk is broad and elegant, providing a unique perspective on one of the few wetlands remaining along Otsego Lake’s shoreline.
The pier is fully functional but unobtrusive. The view of Kingfisher Tower across the lake is phenomenal. Paddlers, using all manner of craft, will make use of this facility for decades.
If possible, Otsego Lake just became a bit more beautiful. Take a walk and see it for yourself.
Paul H. Lord Lt. Col., USMC (Ret) Cooperstown
Join Us June 7th with Pride!
I am the first out, LGBTQ+ person on Oneonta’s Common Council—and proud of it! I am proud of myself, for what this means for my city, and to
Each time I come out and use these terms I am making myself vulnerable. I have reflected on questions of when and how much of myself to share since I first peeked out of the closet. Coming out is a process, not a one-time occasion. Living authentically takes courage, and over time has helped me build strength and compassion beyond measure.
Coping and responding to discrimination and hate continues to be part of the LGBTQ+ experience. I feel relatively lucky, but forces like this have impacted me and the trajectory of my life. From the persistent invisibleness of my identity growing up, to smaller things like off-putting comments. Now our federal administration is targeting attacks at the transgender community.
My wife and I were in love but unable to legally marry in early adulthood. When we finally could, we had to marry
in another state and lived in a strange kind of limbo where our legal marriage was not fully recognized nationwide. With the birth of our child, we added uncertainty and fear about our parental rights being questioned. This year marks 10 years of marriage equality, and we will celebrate this hardwon achievement by renewing our vows at Pridefest.
I will continue to do everything I can throughout my lifetime to fight for and protect human rights, along with Otsego Pride Alliance and the vibrant local Pride community. Join us for Pridefest in Neahwa Park on June 7 and you’ll witness true authenticity and beauty.
Happy Pride, y’all!
Elayne Mosher Campoli (she/they) City of Oneonta Common Council—1st Ward
We Must Make America Better
I have been dismayed by the opinions you continue to receive and publish that, in my view, are invariably rants
Continued on page 11
Tom HeiTz/SHARoN STUART
70 Y EAR s A G o
oneonta faces a spiritless, humdrum Memorial Day on Monday. In fact, disinterest may make this the last organized Memorial Day for oneontans, unless they can do something about it. Robert Kearney, Commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars is particularly worried. Few veterans have indicated that they will participate in the parade or services. None of the Gold star Mothers plan to take part. Mr. Kearney is further disturbed that organized celebrations of our major holidays have become routine. “We’re getting in a rut,” he told a VFW meeting. “We need something to bring back the old spirit of remembrance. I don’t know whether the people are losing interest in these holidays, and I don’t know why. “But,” he said, “I don’t think they should.”
May 1955
May 1975
30 Y EAR s A G o
The Colin M. Hyde murder trial, perhaps the highest profile case in otsego County’s history, is set to begin with jury selection today. The state hopes to prove to a jury beyond a reasonable doubt that it was Hyde who killed Ricky J. Parisian, an off-duty state police investigator, during an armed robbery at a local supermarket last May. Hyde is charged with eight felony counts including second-degree murder. If convicted, Hyde faces 25 years to life in prison.
May 1995
20 Y EAR s A G o
Jason West, the New Paltz Village Mayor who challenged New York law by attempting to marry gay couples will face trial, New York state’s highest court has ruled. Mayor West will face 24 misdemeanor counts of violating the state’s domestic relations law by marrying couples without marriage licenses. West’s defiance of a law that state officials say forbids gay marriage has made New Paltz a flashpoint in the national debate. The New York state Court of Appeals refused West’s request to hear the case first, avoiding the usual process of hearing cases in town, county and state appellate courts before they are considered by the state’s highest court. West had sought a “leave application” because he argued the case was unique, novel and critical to the state. The Appellate Court issued its ruling following a teleconference.
May 2005
summer Brings Tourists, Baseball and Train
Memorial Day has ushered in summer in the Mohawk Valley, and it’s going to be a busy one. There are many opportunities, and a few challenges, that await the citizens of otsego County over the next few months. Let’s take a look at what’s ahead.
June brings the return of baseball camp business to the region.
Cooperstown Dreams Park and Cooperstown All star Village will be in full swing, and thousands of visitors will be visible throughout the county. They will be eating in our restaurants, shopping in our stores, and walking on our streets the entire summer.
To some, this represents an inconvenience. I could not disagree more.
The economic impact of these baseball facilities measures in the hundreds of millions of dollars. Tourism has replaced railroads, manufacturing and agriculture as our
By MERL REAGLE
home’s single largest economic driver. When you see a baseball family on the streets of oneonta, Morris or Cooperstown, thank them for their visit. Answer their questions, make recommendations, and make sure they know they are welcome here. And be sure to support your local team, the oneonta outlaws, whose schedule begins June 3 and runs until July 29. Hometown baseball is the best baseball!
This July, we are ramping up the local flavor. oneonta is hosting its annual July 4th Parade, immediately followed by the Hometown Fourth Celebration in Neahwa Park. Families from all around the region come to experience live music, great food, dozens of local vendors, lots of activities for kids and the annual fireworks show presented by Five star subaru.
Continued on page 8
Blow Hard with a Vengeance…
50 Y EAR s A G o
Photo by Charlie Vascellaro
the Baseball hall of fame’s “yakyu Baseball: the transpacific exchange of the Game” exhibit opens in July as Ichiro suzuki becomes the first Japanese-born player to be inducted into the hall.
TERRY BERKSON
Five Easy Pieces and a Spinet
Awhile back my good friend and chicken guru, Jim McNulty, called to tell me that he had found the piano of his dreams: “a Winter spinet for free!” It was down in Middlefield and he wanted to know if he could have the use of my truck to bring it home. I told him about a terrible time two friends and I had had getting an old piano out of a basement because it was so heavy and the stairs up were steep and narrow.
“I got plenty of help,” Jim countered. “Billy Donnelly’s coming, my son-in-law, Bill Bowers and Reinhardt Erdman. Including you, that would make five of us.”
“That might do it,” I said.
But, I really didn’t think so. My wife, Alice, told me to call Jim back and tell him to draft some younger guys, but I told her I had already agreed while picturing a congregation of our Over-The-Hill-Gang favoring one ailment or another. A story about my old friend George Horrigan came to mind. He had bought a large piece of antique furniture, an oak dresser, I think it was, from a fussy guy over in West Winfield who kept telling him not to do any damage. George was in the process of moving it down a flight of stairs with the guy breathing down his neck and repeating, “Careful now!” When it became impossibly wedged between the wall and the banister, my friend struggled for a long time to free it, but without success. His back started to hurt, so he decided to take a break. That’s when I ran into him having a beer back at The Park Inn in Richfield Springs. When he described his predicament, I asked, “How are you going to clear the guy’s stairway?”
“I’m not,” George said after downing a long swig of Genesee beer and stretching his back from side to side. I pictured the fussy guy back in West Winfield sitting at the top of his stairs waiting for George to return.
When the piano moving day arrived, there was an added pressure. Our friend, Barbara Smith, had invited a professional pianist to town to give an informal concert on the handsome Baldwin upright in her parlor. She wanted all of us to attend. The performance would begin at one o’clock sharp, which required us to push moving the piano an hour ahead. We had two hours to get it from Middlefield to McNulty’s. If we were late, Barbara, not to mention the pianist, would be very disappointed.
Following a musical motif, Donnelly showed up for the move with a Blues Brothers hat on. Bowers came along with a comealong. Rheinhardt was already limping and an eager McNulty was impatiently strutting around like a rooster. We headed out in two vehicles. I pictured us all later, a bunch of Bassett cases trying to bargain with the hospital for a group rate on hernias.
As luck would have it, the piano was on the ground floor and a lot lighter than many of today’s chipboard pianos. Two side notes and the long pedal were down, but the
times with his elbows and his socked feet,” writes columnist Terry Berkson.
hammers looked good and the rest of the ivory keyboard was level with no chips. Most of the weight would come from the metal harp that a piano is built around. The owner, a 30-year-old woman, was nearly in tears as we raised one side of the spinet to put it on a dolly. She said that her mother had bought the piano for her when she was a little girl. Now, she never played and it was taking up needed space. To my surprise, the five of us easily got it onto the truck, but on the way home we had to stop one time to lift the piano that had tilted onto McNulty’s lap as he sat on a bench in back of the pickup pecking out a onefingered version of “It’s a Long Way to Tipperary.”
When we dropped the Winter off at McNulty’s and headed for Barbara’s, I was expecting to hear guest pianist, Drew De Four, play “Five Easy Pieces.” Instead, he dazzled us with music that ranged from Rachmaninoff to Jerry Lee Lewis. There was some heavy, serious stuff at the beginning and then the joint was jumping! The six foot seven, 28-year-old De Four was all over the keyboard. He was a gazelle and a jaguar. He played a lot of blues, ragtime and stride style jazz. He made that piano talk—at times with his elbows and his socked feet. He sang many of his own tunes. Two hours flew by like two minutes. McNulty was inspired and eager to get his “new” Winter into perfect working condition. The very next day he would call to have his ailing keys “glooed”—that is, put right, by local piano tuner, Eric Gloo. The move and the concert wound up to be a serendipitous Sunday which we all came through in one piece—except for the fussy guy in West Winfield who I imagined was still waiting at the top of the stairs for George.
Terry Berkson’s articles have appeared in “New York” magazine, “Automobile” magazine and many others. His memoir, “Corvette Odyssey,” has received many good reviews: “highly recommended with broad appeal,” says “Library Journal.”
Choices Lead to Life Changes
The Road Not Taken.” You might have heard or read the poem, written by Robert Frost more than 100 years ago.
“Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.”
Has someone ever asked you for advice? Should they move from this company to that one? From one career to another? From one city to another? A dear friend of mine has these questions looming large. Thinking about her choices at 3 a.m., suddenly I remembered several forks in the road I had taken. I had not known what they would mean
Coltsfoot Not Easy to Rein In
What could be more welcoming than the first flowers of spring? The little points of yellow on the sides of the road can bring a smile to the face of the winter-weary in our area. But hold that thought! Those swaths of golden cheer give way to saucersized, broad leaves that choke out nearly every other native plant.
Coltsfoot (Tussilago farfara) is a small perennial plant that is invasive in much of the northeastern United States. It crops up in areas where the soil has been disturbed, such as roadsides and building sites. Coltsfoot’s value to wildlife in our area is very small. It spreads by both sending out underground shoots (rhizomes) and by seeds carried on the wind after the bloom.
Coltsfoot is native to Europe and parts of Asia. It was likely transported by early immigrants for its medicinal properties (part of its Latin name comes from the word for tussis, cough!). And while some foragers will eat coltsfoot flower buds and young leaves, these contain a family of chemicals, pyrrolizidine alkaloids, which can be toxic. Coltsfoot is listed in the Poisonous Plant Database of the Food and Drug Administration. Traditionally, it has been used as a remedy for chronic cough, but has been noted to be toxic at certain high levels. None of the traditional uses of coltsfoot are supported by scientific studies and it is currently banned in Germany.
Coltsfoot is tenacious, and doesn’t
We have a pit mix—Della, about 65 pounds—that pulls like crazy. We have her on a prong collar but she still pulls hard and seems to feel no pain. Somebody mentioned a head halter and another person said get an easy-walk harness.
Your thoughts?
But they made all the difference. I thought about the decisions I made that I did know would change everything. Immigrating to New Zealand from a tiny upstate New York village would make all the difference. I knew that. But I just didn’t know how.
I knew leaving the morning paper in Wellington to be a TV/ radio reporter for the NZBC—the New Zealand Broadcasting Corporation—was a turning in the road. But I didn’t know which direction. NZBC sent me to its radio/TV journalist training school. I passed and was then sent off to my first
Continued on page 7
Jeff and Pat
Dear J and P, I prefer both to a prong collar. I’ll never forget the call from a young lady who told me the story of her dog who almost died because of the prong collar, not to mention the vet bills involved. Her pit mix was on a prong when it took off after a cat, ripping the leash from her hand and running at full speed, dragging the leash until it caught on a root and almost killed the dog with the damage it did to her throat.
I think your best option is the gentle leader. It fits around the snout, and you’ll be able to walk Della holding the leash with one finger. No pain involved! It works on what I call the “nose principle.”
J and P, if I pull you by your noses, you know what’s going to follow? Your heads, followed by your bodies. It’s that simple. The gentle leader fits around the dog’s snout, with the leash attaching
give ground easily. It grows in a variety of settings and soil types. Not only does it self-sow with little airborne seeds, but it sends out underground runners, out of sight, to increase its footprint even over the course of one season. It will come up even through asphalt when established next to walks or driveways. It occurs in the north from Minnesota and Canada, and to the south in North Carolina and Tennessee. Sadly, coltsfoot will sometimes infiltrate an area where Japanese knotweed has been painstakingly eradicated (another invasive species, previously addressed in this column).
Getting rid of coltsfoot is a challenge. The time to get some degree of control may be already past for this year. The explanation is that this invasive plant blooms and goes to seed before the invading leaves take over (and you thought those were just pretty spring flowers). In moist soils, coltsfoot pulls up easily and, with an hour of bending and pulling (and the stiff back to remind you), large patches can be significantly reduced. Alas, as is nearly always the case, a few underground runners will be missed and they will shortly leaf out. And then there are those seeds that floated off to populate another spot of disturbed ground. Invasive, indeed! We need to stomp out coltsfoot and rein in this invasive species.
Chris Kjolhede, MD, MPH, is an emeritus pediatrician at Bassett Healthcare Network.
underneath. The one negative, which I don’t really consider a negative—it will take you about 15 minutes to acclimate Della to the GL. Start with a very positive association to it. Show it to her and let her sniff it as you give her a special treat. Then have her stick her nose through it a few times for the special treats. Then attach it, again coupled with special treats. (By special treats, I’m talking about people food, like chicken or cheese.) Then immediately start walking with her, offering her the special treats every bunch of steps as long as she
Continued on page
Photo provided Piano player and song writer Drew De Four. “He made that piano talk—at
Photo courtesy of Adirondacks Forever Wild, https://wildadirondacks.org/ Coltsfoot self-sows with little airborne seeds and also sends out underground runners to increase its footprint even over the course of one season.
THE DOg CHaRmER
TOm SHELBY
Photo provided Della pulls like crazy. what does The Dog Charmer recommend?
Painting
Continued from page 1
Coordinator Doug Kendall noted. “But in the 1950s, he traveled to Europe several times and purchased a number of Italian Renaissance paintings. Among them were two by Previtali, who was a student of Giovanni Bellini.”
“Madonna and Child in a Landscape,” painted in oil on a wood panel, has been on display in the van Ess Gallery at the museum for several years. A survey funded with a Conservation Assessment Program grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services found that both the wood panel and a wooden cradle added in the 20th century had suffered woodworm damage. In addition, the painting’s surface had suffered some losses and showed the accumulated dirt and dust of the centuries.
In late 2023, the museum received a grant from the Greater Hudson Heritage Network and contracted with the Williamstown Art Conservation Center to treat and preserve the painting. A partnership between the New York State Council on the Arts and GHHN, the conservation grant treatment program is made possible with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature. Over the next year, Williamstown conservators Maggie Barkovic and Tatiana Shannon painstakingly
treated the painting, cleaned it, strengthened the wood panel and varnished it before returning it to the Yager Museum.
“It’s great to be able to share “Madonna and Child in a Landscape” with the community once again,” Kendall said. “We also acknowledge the vital support of both federal and state grants funding for the arts that made the conservation treatment possible that has ensured the preservation of this masterpiece.”
The museum unveiled the conserved Previtali painting on April 30 in the van Ess Gallery as part of the “Masterpieces of European and American Art: the Hartwick College Art Treasure Room” exhibition.
For more information, visit the museum’s Facebook page and webpage, call (607) 4314480 or e-mail kendalld@hartwick.edu.
Be Afraid
Continued from page 6
position in remote Palmerston North, at radio station 2ZA.
After two years working in London, lucky enough to be working for a wire service on Fleet Street, the job of my dreams came up. In that era the BBC, which is the British government run broadcasting network, controlled radio and TV news. Like in New Zealand, the journalists worked as civil
servants. Formal, absolutely government controlled—even a dress code. Radio announcers had to wear evening dress to read the news.
But in the 1970s, Parliament changed British broadcasting forever. It passed an act that allowed commercial radio broadcasting. That created an all-news and current affairs radio station as well as a commercial radio news network.
London Broadcasting and Independent Radio News were born across Fleet Street and down a little alley from where I worked. With my “God’s gift to journalism” image and my New Zealand broadcasting experience, I thought they needed me.
By then I had already done some freelance work for the BBC World Service, which tied the old empire to the mother country. I had figured the World Service could tolerate my American accent.
Scary? Imagine cold calling those Etonand Oxford-educated producers who made the decisions for the BBC, who were barely out of the era when news readers wore tuxedos and there were no women news readers.
How would I do that? After listening for hours, I picked out a show that I thought might want a creative feature. I got a story idea, wrote a “pitch.”
Back then there was no e-mail. No cell phones.
If you lived in a bedsit like I did—two twin beds doubling as couches, one leaky window which I covered with a blanket to keep heat in, and a hot plate. Shared, unheated shower and toilet in a stairway. My only choice was a red phone booth on the sidewalk. Armed with a sack of giant two pence coins, I called the BBC until finally someone took my phone call. I still remember his first name was Adam. He agreed to risk one piece. I bought a used reel-to-reel tape recorder and microphone. I lugged the 10+ pounds of it on my shoulder. Finally, the BBC bought two features. Not enough to buy fish and chips for dinner, but definitely moved me upward on my climb to fame. But I did know how to land a job at that commercial all-news radio station and news network. My coldcalling technique had worked with the BBC, so I tried it with the upstart station. And it did work. One night a reporter called in sick. They needed someone who could rush out to cover a story. And, even better, I knew how to edit and splice the tape so it was ready for the popular morning show. I dropped everything, grabbed my 10 pound recording machine and headed off to interview one of the most famous actors of all times—Richard Attenborough—later Sir Richard. Shouldn’t he have scared me? Not
sure why he didn’t scare me, but maybe it was because I was so embarrassed about my dress. Long but definitely not evening attire. More like a corduroy maxi with sensible lace-up shoes.
After more of these calls—when I would rush out and come back with a story about people like Keith Richards from The Who and bands like Jethro Tull—a producer told me to apply for the reporting job that was going to be advertised. And I got the job. At least I thought I had. I showed up in the newsroom on my first day with my tape recorder, sensible shoes, and a note pad, ready for my first assignment. Another woman with the same equipment, same height, even same hair color walked in the door with me. Ready for her first day as a reporter, too.
Suddenly our dreams were shattered. We stood, pencils poised, for our first assignments. The news director who hired us told us both to put our tape recorders down. “Someone made a mistake. You two are producers—not reporters.” Not the same job at all. Rather than rushing around interviewing prime ministers, our voices broadcast to the nation, we would be sitting in a windowless, airless studio, behind the scenes. Telling reporters where to go, what to do.
Forced to make a decision on the spot— without Frost’s time to
think about which fork to take — I did it. Years later I realized what I had done. That on-thespot decision did make all of the difference. I had already quit my other job. I couldn’t afford to lose this job. My counterpart dug in her heels. She told him she would be a reporter or else. The news director looked at me and said you are a producer or else.
That’s when I took the fork in the road. That made all the difference. I thought what I would learn would help me in the future. I didn’t know that I couldn’t turn back. I would never be a reporter again. This was not what I had planned for my life. But I was scared. I couldn’t lose this job. I still had my dream ahead of me. I wasn’t going to give up a job at London broadcasting. I could still be famous.
I didn’t understand that this fork would change my whole life and that it would be the right turn. A long story with more turnings. But my friend, whose dilemma wakes me in the night—what fork will she take? It will make all of the difference. Will it be the right turning in the road for her?
Erna Morgan McReynolds, raised in Gilbertsville, is retired managing director/financial adviser at Morgan Stanley’s Oneonta office, and an inductee in the “Barron’s” magazine National Adviser Hall of Fame. She and her husband, author Tom Morgan, live in Franklin.
Continued from page 1
American flag.”
Hall of Fame President Josh Rawitch used his introduction of the film to announce the opening of the Hall’s new Yakyu Baseball exhibit in conjunction with the 2025 Induction Ceremony, which includes Japanese superstar Ichiro Suzuki.
With a considerable array of archival footage, running from the late 1800s right up until current times, the history of Japanese and Japanese American involvement in baseball is depicted, explored, and examined in the film, including early professional Japanese teams, Negro League and Major League barnstorming tours, leagues that were created at Japanese incarceration camps during World War II, and the experiences of American “Gaijin” ballplayers participating in the Japanese professional leagues. The film’s soundtrack employs numerous Japanese stylized versions of the dual national pastime’s theme song, “Take Me Out to the Ball Game.”
“Just A Bit Outside: The Story of the 1982 Milwaukee Brewers,” codirected by Sean Hannish and Kelly Kahl, is a nostalgic, emotional, and heart-wrenching reflection on the almost World Champion Brewers that lost the World Series in seven games to a St. Louis Cardinals team that might not be quite as memorable as the charismatic and loveable assemblage of the ‘82 “Brew Crew” that had five future Hall of Famers on its roster,
provided Writer Charlie Vascellaro (right) with 23-year major leaguer Julio Franco, who retired at the age of 47 in 2007. A career .298 hitter, Franco compiled 2,586 hits and led the American League with a .341 batting average for the Texas Rangers in 1991.
including Robin Yount, Paul Molitor, Don Sutton, Ted Simmons, and Rollie Fingers. Other memorable members of the team that also made major contributions include Pete Vukovich, “Stormin Gorman” Thomas, Cecil Cooper, Ben Oglivie and Charlie Moore, all of whom are interviewed in the movie.
The animated commentary retrospectively delivered by the former Brewers players is personal and intimate. Catcher Ted Simmons discussing his work relationship with pitcher Pete Vukovich and how it developed into them becoming best friends exemplifies the closeknit nature of this team.
The film follows the wild ride and high-flying escapades of a raucous Brewers bunch, culminating in a tear-jerking conclusion that had Rollie Fingers all verklempt during the post-
by Charlie
HoF hurler Ferguson Jenkins (center) meets with fans in “The Souls of the Game: Voices of Black Baseball” exhibit at the Hall. Jenkins posted a 284-226 record in his 19 big league seasons, capturing the 1970 NL Cy Young Award as a member of the Chicago Cubs. He led his league in complete games four times, amassing 267 full contests.
film panel discussion.
“I was just proud to be on that team,” said Fingers, while choking up.
The culmination of the first annual Hall of Fame’s [six] Film Series, “The Battered Bastards of Baseball” (2014) is a documentary about the independent minor league Portland Maverick’s baseball team (19731977), owned by actor Bing Russell, father of actor Kurt Russell, who also played for the team and served as its vice president.
A rag-tag bunch of rejects and cast offs from Major League Baseball’s franchises and organized affiliates operating on a shoe-string budget, the Mavericks took the Class A-Short Season Northwest League by storm, nearly winning the 1977 league championship. Pitcher/author Jim Bouton, of “Ball Four” fame, was also on
Hall of Fame Manager of Digital and Outreach Learning Bruce Markusen (left) interviews Maclain Way (center), co-director of “The Battered Bastards of Baseball”—a documentary about the independent minor league Portland Maverick’s baseball team (1973-1977)— and player Rob Nelson (right) , creator of “Big League Chew” bubblegum, who earned his only professional win for the team in 1977.
the team, using it as a springboard to resurrect his major league career. Bouton helped teammate Rob Nelson create the “Big League Chew” brand of bubblegum while they were with the Mavericks in Portland.
Other Memorial Day weekend activities included the grand opening of the “Getting the Nod” bobblehead collection exhibit gifted to the Hall of Fame by former Miami Marlins owner and art collector Jeffrey H. Loria and his wife, Julie.
The return of the “Night at the Museum” program presented fans with an opportunity to meet with seven Hall of Famers and former major league stars—including Lee Smith, Harold Baines, Wade Boggs, Fergie Jenkins, Jim Kaat, Ozzie Smith, Vince Coleman, Jason Kendall, and Rollie Fingers— stationed at various exhibits throughput the museum.
The group also trudged through a cold, cloudy and misty Hall of Fame fundraiser golf tournament over the weekend at the historic Leatherstocking Golf Course on Otsego Lake.
Despite the inclement weather, a good time was had by all.
Summer
Continued from page 5
July also brings the National Baseball Hall of Fame Induction Weekend to Cooperstown. This year’s inductees will be making history. In addition to former Yankees pitcher CC Sabathia and former Mets pitcher Billy Wagner, Dave Parker and Dick Allen will also enter the Hall. But for the first time in the history of the Hall
of Fame, a Japaneseborn player will be inducted. Ichiro Suzuki will be enshrined in Cooperstown’s hallowed halls, and this will bring thousands of Japanese fans to Otsego County. And not just this year, but for decades to come.
On August 23rd, the Oneonta Boys and Girls Club welcomes the band Train to the 6th Ward Booster Club Field along with Edwin McCain and Graham Barham. Tickets are available at www.
oneontabgc.org. See you there!
Whether you choose any of these special events, kayaking the Susquehanna River, hiking Table Rock, or antiquing with friends, Otsego County has so much to offer this summer. It is why we choose to live here, so live it up!
Sean Lewis is the president and chief executive officer of the Otsego County Chamber of Commerce.
Photo
Photo by Charlie Vascellaro
These two shelves of Bobbleheads are part of the more than 600-piece “Getting the Nod” collection now on display at the Hall of Fame.
Photo
Vascellaro
Photo by Charlie Vascellaro
Photo by Charlie Vascellaro Fans were greeted by a life-size Willie Mays bobblehead at the grand opening of the “Getting the Nod” bobblehead exhibit on Saturday, May 24. The collection was donated to the Hall by former Miami Marlins owner and art collector Jeffrey H. Loria and his wife, Julie.
Photo by Milo Stewart Jr /National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
From left, “Just A Bit Outside” producer Kelly Kahl, director Sean Hannish, and former Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Rollie Fingers (1981-1985) participate in a panel discussion with Hall of Fame Manager of Digital and Outreach Learning Bruce Markusen after the screening of their documentary on the 1982 Milwaukee Brewers on Friday, May 23, part of the Hall of Fame’s first annual Film Series.
Photo by Charlie Vascellaro Hall of Fame pitcher Jim Kaat (center) poses for a photo with fans in the “Diamond Dreams” women in baseball exhibit. A 16-time Gold Glove Award winner, Kaat compiled 85 victories in his 25-year career.
Additional photos of the Baseball Hall of Fame’s Memorial Day Weekend festivities taken by Charlie Vascellaro can be found on AllOtsego.com.
Pathways
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Otsego County is a part, helped to lead this charge for change alongside Cowen.
“I have deep, deep rural roots and I have seen firsthand the diminishment of availability of legal services in our rural communities, and that’s why when Sarah came to me with this idea, I thought, ‘This is really great, a placement program,’” Justice Garry said.
“I have regular interactions with the lawyers and judges within my 28 counties,” Justice Garry continued. “I was reaching out to the North Country, where there’s a lot of rural population. Working with the judges there, we identified that the two [counties] who might most need or benefit from this project were the far north, Clinton [County], that’s where Plattsburg is, and St. Lawrence [County], where Canton and Ogdensburg are.”
Thanks to Cowen’s connection to Otsego County, Clinton, St. Lawrence and Otsego were chosen as the coun-
Mary E. Dunkle
1929-2025
COOPERSTOWN—
Mary E Dunkle passed away peacefully on May 23, 2025, just shy of her 96th birthday.
She was born on May 30, 1929 to Kenneth Edwards and Mildred Gregg Edwards in Sussex, New Jersey. When Mary turned one, they moved to manage a family farm in Wayne County, Pennsylvania. She graduated from Damascus High School and then from East Stroudsburg State University and became a teacher.
She married John Kiernan in 1950, and divorced in 1969. They had two daughters. She taught in Ithaca and Sherburne, but finished her career in 1978 in North Salem Schools in Northern Westchester County.
In 1972 she married Edwin Dunkle of Katonah. With Ed she purchased a camp on Lake Otsego where they would spend weekends and summers. Ed passed in 1979. Mary then sold the camp and purchased her home in the Village of Cooperstown, where she retired in 1984. Mary had many interests—sailing with the Otsego Sailing Club, skiing, and hiking each Tuesday with the Susquehanna Chapter of the Adirondack Mountain Club. She enjoyed sewing with
ties where the pilot program would launch.
Two students were to be selected through an application process to take part in a six-week program, combining the educational experience of various assignments within the rural court system with the rest and relaxation of being exposed to the beauties of Upstate New York. A program like this mirrors the conventional practice of larger law firms located in major cities across the state and country.
“When I was in law school, there’s this thing you go through where you interview on campus for large firms. If you get a job at a large firm, basically what they do is the summer between your second and third years, they try and woo you to come work for them. They don’t make you work the long hours, you just get to do the fun stuff … If you’re in the city, you go to the box seats at Yankee Stadium, you go to the fancy steak restaurants, you go to all these places,” Cowen said.
Rural Pathways is hoping to capture this alluring energy in a way that encourages participants to take their prac-
tice to locations they may otherwise have never been exposed to. This experience will involve both representatives of the legal community and members of the general community, taking prospective lawyers out boating, hiking, or to local historical sites in order to acclimate them to the region and help them build connections.
Though there was much enthusiasm surrounding this idea, the biggest obstacle in the way of progress was funding. Luckily, this is something that was easier to overcome than expected.
When he heard about the idea for Rural Pathways, the Hon. Rowan D. Wilson, chief judge of the State of New York and the New York Court of Appeals, was all ears.
“[When] people can’t afford lawyers or can’t find lawyers because there aren’t any … then the justice system doesn’t work properly, because it’s very difficult for somebody who’s not a lawyer and doesn’t really know about the law to represent himself or herself,” Hon. Judge Wilson commented. “Because I’m responsible for the whole justice system in the state, the
court system, it matters to me professionally, as well as personally, that people are represented and not coming into court unrepresented unless that’s really what they want to do.”
With the full support of the court system behind the program, funding for Rural Pathways was secured. The initiative was designed to hone in on a similar scope to those of city firms, targeting second year law students in order to give them vital work and lived experience heading into their final year of law school. Information about the program was posted on the state court website and distributed to 13 different law schools to be shared with their students. More than 100 students applied, with candidates gradually being weeded out until the final six were invited to join the pilot launch.
With the groundwork laid, it is now up to community engagement to determine the success of Rural Pathways.
When asked about the importance of community involvement to the program, Hon. Judge Wilson responded, “The people in the local community have to really integrate these students into various
OBITUARIES
things of community life there, so you need to make sure you have people committed to do that. And then the other thing is, in addition to the community being able to do that, the court system has to have people, or at least the bar associations, who are interested in the legal part of it. And those three counties, I think [Justice Garry] picked because there were people in each of them who would fulfill those roles.”
Involvement from the community of Otsego County and beyond in these endeavors is vital to the project’s continuance.
As Hon. Judge Wilson and many other officials have emphasized, access to the legal system is crucial not only to one’s personal life, but the functioning of the democratic system as a whole. Opportunities to encourage those who can fill these gaps in the system to come to our region are not common, and if this initiative is deemed successful by the state court system, there could be more where this came from.
“There’s 62 counties in New York State. There’s probably 20 of them where we don’t really need to do anything like this, but maybe 40 where we do.
And what I’d like to do, if it’s successful, is to move it into all those counties, to try and help populate them with lawyers down the road,” Hon. Judge Wilson said.
Rural Pathways is merely a pilot program, and there may still be kinks to work out in its methodology. However, now and throughout this summer is the most important time frame for support of, and feedback on, this initiative. Many citizens of Otsego County have already volunteered to assist in these measures and donate their resources toward making Rural Pathways a success. With enthusiastic support from the state court system, and empowered and passionate legal officials willing to push for change on the ground, the future of legal services in Upstate New York is starting to look a little brighter. Those interested in volunteering their time, who would like to learn how to be more involved or have feedback they would like to share can reach out to Justice Garry’s Chief of Staff Judd Krasher, who is also helping to launch Rural Pathways, at JKrasher@ nycourts.gov.
the Presbyterians, knitting, overnight education trips with grandchildren, cooking for friends, volunteering and was a crossword fanatic. Mary was involved in the beginning of the Glimmerglass Opera Guild and was president of Opera Guild International. She also was a great Friend of Bassett. She loved arranging fundraisers and was known for her fabulous parties. She was a master of entertaining.
Mary traveled the world and would collect ornaments from all over. She would decorate her home every Christmas with the ornaments and recruit her friends to assist. Her collection is close to 1,000 pieces.
Mary was predeceased by her parents, her sister Eleanor Edwards Pallis, brother Arthur Edwards and nephew Daniel Pallis. She is survived by her daughters, Sandra Kiernan Fowlston (Tim) and Meg Kiernan (Mike), her grandchildren, Clint Fowlston (Vannesa), Jack Fowlston (Bryanna), Kate Haynes (Kenneth), Meg Rathbun (Tom), and Molly Hernandez (Dan). Also survived by her great-grandchildren, Brie, Brooke, Jayden, Camden, Owen, Kiernan, Penelope and Stetson. Also surviving are her step-children, Steven, Eric and Denise Dunkle. We invite her friends to join us for Mary’s last party, which will be held on Sunday, June 8, 2025 at 4 p.m. at Cooperstown Coworks, 6 Doubleday Court, Cooperstown. In lieu of flowers, we encourage you to donate to the Glimmerglass Opera Guild, PO Box 491, Cooperstown, NY 13326 or the Friends of Bassett, One Atwell Road Cooperstown, NY 13326.
Arrangements are under the care and guidance of the Connell, Dow & Deysenroth Funeral Home.
Marlene J. Malone 1932-2025
COOPERSTOWN—
Marlene J. “Lee” Malone, a longtime Cooperstown resident who was actively involved in many aspects of village life as a business owner and dedicated public servant, passed away Friday evening, May 23, 2025, at Cooperstown Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing. She was 93.
Born April 17, 1932 in Chicago, Illinois, Lee was a daughter of Vincent J. and Margaret M. (Demy) Pacini. After graduating from high school, she attended Loyola University.
On January 8, 1953, Lee married Thomas William Malone in Greenwich, Connecticut.
A licensed insurance agent for many years, Lee began her career with Allstate Insurance Company in Huntington on Long Island.
In 1971, the Malones moved to Cooperstown when Tom purchased the Hotel Pratt on Pioneer Street. Lee continued in the insurance industry, first as an agent and later as a marketing representative, with the Lewis L. Wilson Insurance Agency, which was purchased in 1988 by Colonial
Insurance and located at 169 Main Street in Cooperstown. Lee also assisted her husband in owning and operating the Hotel Pratt until he retired in 1992.
For many years Lee served the Cooperstown community, a place she truly loved. She served on the Village Board of Trustees for several terms, and also served through the years on the village’s Finance and Personnel Committee, Planning, Publicity and Entertainment committees, the Board of Park Commissioners and as deputy mayor. One of her proudest accomplishments was spearheading the renovation of the bandstand in Lakefront Park. Lee served twice as president of the Criterion Club, and she also served the wider community as a three-term member of the BOCES Board of Directors and as a hospice volunteer for six years.
Despite her years of community activity, Lee was always quick to say that her proudest achievement was her family, of whom she was extremely proud.
Lee is survived by her four daughters, Susan Trainor of Ronkonkoma, Gwen Malone of Cooperstown, Nancy Tallman and husband
Jim of Cooperstown, and Carol Jennings and husband Chip of Cooperstown; grandchildren Eamon Trainor and wife Megan, Meaghan Rose Trainor, Clayton Weeks and wife Hiromi, Ryan and Michael Jacobson, Brooke Tallman, Jared Tallman and wife Allison, Adam Jennings, and Kerri Jennings Graber and husband Chad; greatgrandchildren Abigael Trainor, Finn and Kai Weeks, Colin, Riley, Molly and Andrew Bowen, Claire and Nolan Tallman, and Ella and Everly Graber; plus several nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband of 50 years, Tom Malone, who died October 30, 2002, and her son-in-law, William F. Trainor, who died March 1, 2013.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, June 18, 2025 at St. Mary’s “Our Lady of the Lake” Roman Catholic Church in Cooperstown, with the Very Rev. Michael G. Cambi, pastor, officiating. Immediately following the Mass there will be a time for refreshment and fellowship in the Parish Hall.
The Service of Committal and Burial will be private in St. Mary’s Cemetery, Index. Arrangements are under the care and guidance of the Connell, Dow & Deysenroth Funeral Home in Cooperstown.
Constance Wood
1931-2025
ONEONTA—A funeral service for Constance Wood, who passed away February 12, 2025, will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, May 31, 2025 at St. James Episcopal Church, 305 Main Street, Oneonta, New York. She was born on May 16, 1931.Her ashes will be interred in the columbarium at St. James Church. A reception will follow in the church social hall. Husband Bob designed and built the columbarium for them and many others to repose in. Connie and Bob will be together again for eternity.
Arrangements are being made by the Lewis, Hurley & Pietrobono Funeral Home. Expressions of sympathy may be made at www.lhpfuneralhome.com.
Photo provided
MARY E. DUNKLE
Charmer
Continued from page 6
isn’t pawing at the GL or protesting it one way or another. If she paws at it, give a gentle jerk on the leash while saying “Uh, uh” and then continue to walk, offering her the treats as long as she’s cooperating.
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NOTICE OF FORMATION OF LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY
(1) Name: Ingalls Blueberry Hill LLC (the “LLC”).
(2) Articles of Organization of the LLC were filed with the Secretary of State NY (“SSNY”) on April 3, 2025
(3) Its office location is to be in Otsego County, State of New York.
(4) The SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. The post office address to which the SSNY shall mail a copy of any process against the LLC is: 132 Ingalls Pond Road, Milford, NY 13807
(5) Purpose: Any lawful act or activity.
6LegalMay.29
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NOTICE OF FORMATION OF
WC Peak Property Maintenance LLC.
Articles of organization filed with Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 04/11/2025. 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 Peak Property: 175 Louie Dickinson Road, Edmeston, NY, 13335, USA. Purpose: Any lawful act or activity.
6LegalMay.29
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NOTICE OF FORMATION OF
CNY Hay Hauling LLC.
Articles of organization filed with Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 04/11/2025. Office location: Otsego County. SSNY designated as agent of Limited Liability Company (LLC) upon whom
Ninety percent of the time I acclimated a dog to the gentle leader it took about a 15-minute walk for the dog to be fine with it. Occasionally a dog will protest it quite vigorously, rolling on its back, pawing at it, refusing to walk while constantly pawing at it. In those cases it would
process against it may be served. SSNY should mail process to CNY Hay Hauling LLC: 175 Louie Dickinson Road, Edmeston, NY, 13335, USA. Purpose: Any lawful act or activity.
6LegalMay.29
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NOTICE OF FORMATION OF
226 MAIN STREET OF WORCESTER, LLC A Limited Liability Company.
Articles of organization were filed with the New York Secretary of State on April 22, 2025. The office of the LLC is to be located in Otsego County.
The Secretary of State has been designated as the agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served.
The Secretary of State shall mail a copy of any process against the LLC to: Janet Muller, 154 Spur Road, West Fulton, NY 12194.
The purpose of the LLC is to engage in any lawful act or activity.
6LegalJun.5
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NOTICE OF FORMATION OF Cleaning By Deb LLC
Articles of organization filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on April 19, 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 2986 County Highway 11, Hartwick, NY 13348. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.
6LegalJun.5
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NOTICE OF FORMATION OF LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY
Grace on Grove LLC
Articles of organization filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on April 27, 2025. Office Location: Otsego County, NY. SSNY is designated as agent upon whom process against the LLC may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to PO Box 422, Cooperstown, NY 13326. Purpose: Any lawful activity.
6LegalJun.12
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NOTICE OF FORMATION OF COOPER’S HAVEN 28, LLC.
Filed with SSNY on 03/28/2025. Office: Otsego County. SSNY designated as agent for process & shall mail to: 61 EAST RAMAPO AVE., MAHWAH, NJ 07430. Purpose: Any Lawful 6LegalJun.12
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NOTICE OF FORMATION OF All Season Handyman Services LLC
Articles of organization filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 03/14/25. 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 525 St. Hwy. 51, Gilbertsville, NY 13776. Purpose: Any lawful purpose. 6LegalJun.12
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NOTICE OF FORMATION OF VHL Properties LLC.
Articles of organization were filed with the NY Secretary of State on 3/13/2025. The office of the LLC is to be located in Otsego County. The Secretary of State has been designated
take me an extra 20 minutes or so to persevere with firm coaxing and treats. If there is more than one person who walks the dog, it is imperative that everyone use the GL. One case I can remember where the dog, a Lab, never accepted the GL was because the husband lied
to me, saying he used it when he didn’t. His wife told me the truth, and the lack of consistency made it tough for her because the dog kept fighting the GL by pawing at it and rubbing his face on the ground, trying to get it off. I’ve lost count of the dogs I acclimated to the GL, and it’s a life
LEGALS
as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. The Secretary of State shall mail a copy of any process against the LLC served upon him/her to: The LLC, 81 Ransom Ave., Sea Cliff, NY 11579. The purpose of the LLC is to engage in any lawful act or activity.
6LegalJun.19
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NOTICE OF FORMATION OF
Pioneer Energy Solutions LLC
Articles of organization filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on March 24, 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 172 Burdick Road, Milford, NY 13807. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.
6LegalJun.19
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NOTICE OF FORMATION OF Miller’s Co. Rt 17, LLC
Filed arts of org. April 24, 2025. Office: Otsego Co. SSNY designated as agent for process & shall mail to: 1277 Co. Hwy. 14, Mt. Vision, NY 13810. Purpose: Any Legal Purpose.
6LegalJun.19
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NOTICE OF FORMATION OF A NY LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY
Name: Burren Properties, LLC.
Articles of organization filing date with Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) was May 6, 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 The LLC, 115 Eggleston Hill Road, Cooperstown, NY 13326. Purpose is to engage in any and all business activities permitted under NYS laws.
6LegalJun.26
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NOTICE OF FORMATION OF Kingfisher Financial Planning LLC
Art. of org. filed with Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) 04/07/2025. Office Location: Otsego County. SSNY designated as agent upon whom process against it may be served & shall mail a copy of process to 37 Chestnut Street, Cooperstown, NY 13326. Purpose: Any lawful purpose. 6LegalJun.26
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NOTICE TO BIDDERs
Sealed bids will be received as set forth in instructions to bidders until 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, June 26, 2025 at the NYSDOT, Office of Contract Management, 50 Wolf Rd., 1st Floor, Suite 1CM, Albany, NY 12232 and will be publicly opened and read. Bids may also be submitted via the internet using www.bidx.com. A certified cashier’s check payable to the NYSDOT for the sum specified in the proposal or a bid bond, form CONR 391, representing 5% of the bid total, must accompany each bid. NYSDOT reserves the right to reject any or all bids.
Electronic documents and Amendments are posted to www. dot.ny.gov/doing-business/opportunities/constnotices. The Contractor is responsible for ensuring that all Amendments are incorporated into its bid. To receive notification of Amendments via e-mail you must submit a request to be placed on the Planholders
List at www. dot.ny.gov/doing-business/ opportunities/ const-planholder. Amendments may have been issued prior to your placement on the Planholders list.
NYS Finance Law restricts communication with NYSDOT on procurements and contact can only be made with designated persons. Contact with non-designated persons or other involved Agencies will be considered a serious matter and may result in disqualification. Contact Robert Kitchen (518) 457-2124.
Contracts with 0% Goals are generally single operation contracts, where subcontracting is not expected, and may present direct bidding opportunities for Small Business Firms, including, but not limited to D/M/WBE’s and SDVOBs.
The New York State Department of Transportation, in accordance with the Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 78 Stat. 252, 42 U.S.C. 2000d to 2000d-4 and Title 49, Code of Federal Regulations, Department of Transportation, Subtitle A, Office the Secretary, Part 21, Nondiscrimination in Federally-assisted programs of the Department of Transportation and Title 23 Code of Federal Regulations, Part 200, Title IV Program and Related Statutes, as amended, issued pursuant to such Act, hereby notifies all who respond to a written Department solicitation, request for proposal or invitation for bid that it will affirmatively ensure that in any contract entered into pursuant to this advertisement, disadvantaged business enterprises will be afforded full opportunity to submit bids in response to this invitation and will not be discriminated against on the grounds of race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability/handi-
changer, especially with big dogs. The pleasurable walks are well worth the small amount of effort to acclimate the dog. Jeff and Pat, stay with it and enjoy the more relaxed walks. Best wishes, Dog Charmer Tom Tom Shelby, “The Dog Charmer” Cooperstown author,
answers pet owners’ questions on training their dogs. E-mail questions to dogsrshelby@ msn.com. Tom’s book, “Dog Training Diaries,” was judged one of the three best training books by Dog Writer’s Association of America. Look for his new book, “Dog Training: It Ain’t an Accountant’s Job.”
cap and income status in consideration for an award.
BIDDERS SHOULD BE ADVISED THAT AWARD OF THESE CONTRACTS MAY BE CONTINGENT UPON THE PASSAGE OF A BUDGET APPROPRIATION BILL BY THE LEGISLATURE AND GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
Please call (518)457-2124 if a reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the letting.
Region 09: New York State Department of Transportation 44 Hawley Street, Binghamton, NY, 13901 D265389, PIN 9LC101, FA Proj , Broome, Otsego Cos., CULVERT REHABILITATION - Various Locations., Bid Deposit: 5% of Bid (~ $375,000.00), Goals: DBE: 6.00% 2LegalMay.29
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NOTICE OF FORMATION OF 119 BADGER LANE LLC
Articles of org. filed NY Sec. of State (SSNY) 05/20/2025. Office in Otsego Co. SSNY designated Agent of LLC upon whom process may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to 119 Badger Lane LLC, 6718 State Highway 80, Cooperstown, NY 13326
Purpose: Any Lawful purpose. 6LegalJul.3
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NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Historic Preservation and Architectural Review Board for the Village of Cooperstown will hold the following public hearing on Tuesday, June 10th, 2025 at 5:00 p.m. or as
soon thereafter as can be heard:
• Meeting to be held in the Village Office Building, 22 Main Street, Cooperstown.
6 Pine Boulevard – Demolition mudroom on rear of residence
The plans for this project are on file with the Village Clerk’s Office at the Village Office, 22 Main Street, Cooperstown, New York, and may be seen during regular office hours, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Public comments must be provided by email to the Zoning Officer at zoning@cooperstownny.org or by regular mail to the address below no later than Tuesday, June 10, 2025 at 3:30 p.m.
Jenna Utter, RMC Village Clerk Village of Cooperstown 22 Main Street Cooperstown, NY 13326
Tele: (607) 5472411
Email: jutter@ cooperstownny. org 1LegalMay.29
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NOTICE OF FORMATION OF APPLEFIELDS 257, LLC.
Filed with SSNY on 04/21/2025. Office: Otsego County. SSNY designated as agent for process & shall mail to: 30 HENRY ST., BAYPORT, NY 11705. Purpose: Any Lawful, 6LegalJul.3
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NOTICE OF FORMATION OF 278 COOPERSTOWN, LLC.
Filed with SSNY on 04/21/2025. Office: Otsego County. SSNY designated as agent for process & shall mail to: 30 HENRY ST., BAYPORT, NY 11705. Purpose: Any Lawful 6LegalJul.3
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NOTICE OF FORMATION OF
SWEETSPOT 354, LLC.
Filed with SSNY on 04/21/2025. Office: Otsego County.
SSNY designated as agent for process & shall mail to: 30 HENRY ST, BAYPORT, NY 11705. Purpose: Any Lawful
6LegalJul.3
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NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
NOTICE is hereby given that there has been duly introduced before the Board of Representatives of the County of Otsego, New York, a Local Law entitled: A Local Law to be known as Oscar’s Law, protecting animals from abuse by establishing a registry for animal abusers.
NOTICE is further given that the Board of Representatives will conduct a public hearing on the proposed Local Law in the Representatives Chambers at the County Office Building in the Village of Cooperstown, New York on Wednesday, June 4, 2025 at 9:50 a.m. at which time all persons interested will be heard. The location of the public hearing is accessible to persons with mobility impairment.
The public hearing will be streamed via Facebook Live on the official Otsego County Facebook page: https://www. facebook. com/otsegocountynewyork
A copy of this Local Law is available on the Otsego County website.
Dated: May 29, 2025
Carol D. McGovern Clerk of the Board of Representatives Otsego County, New York
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against Trump and his administration that are windy, flawed, irrelevant, and self-serving. I question the purpose they serve.
My entries are designed to be creative and light-hearted so that people will read them. But as you know, each one raises a serious issue which I believe our country needs to address. The one I have enclosed below lacks the usual banter because it is so important. How on earth can we consider returning to preHolocaust days when our youth are so antisemitic? What has happened? Are the colleges to blame for swapping education for indoctrination? Are their parents at fault for funding their tuitions?
Whatever the cause, this behavior must be stopped immediately!
Coincidentally, I am writing this a day after the murders of two young Israeli staffers in Washington D.C. Is there a connection?
In the meantime, thanks for allowing me to conduct my civic duty by trying to make America better.
It’s tragic that godless Hamas Are killing Israelis en mass. But when college kids make excuses
For these ghastly abuses, They should be banned to remote Alcatraz.
Waldo Johnston
Vero Beach, Florida and Cooperstown U.S. a Banana Republic?
When I was an undergrad, I thought that everything could be explained by psychology. As a grad student, I came to believe that economics explains it all. Economics explains our priorities as individuals, as families and as a country.
Almost every country in the world has defaulted on its debt or devalued its currency at one time or another—with some
notable exceptions being Canada, Denmark, Belgium, Norway, Finland, Holland, Australia, New Zealand and the United States.
The likelihood of default is based in part on the amount of debt to economic output, as measured by Gross Domestic Product. Denmark’s Debt/GDP ratio is 29 percent. Sweden is 31 percent. Venezuela, which has defaulted on its debt a dozen times, is 145 percent. The United States, which now has a ratio of 122 percent, is on track to match Venezuela’s debt to output ratio with the new Republican budget. Meaning we are becoming an economic banana republic, with a downgraded credit score to prove it.
Chip Northrup Cooperstown
Rose Belongs in the Hall
“The Freeman’s Journal” and Charlie Vascellaro last week gave page one credence to the not unfathomable idea that Major League Baseball caved on Pete Rose’s lifetime ban owing to strongarm tactics from President Donald Trump. Top-of-the-fold feature placement with a pair of high-resolution photos “courtesy of Andy Levine, head of sales, Trump National Golf Club Hudson Valley” suggests to the reader the story was a pitch from Mr. Levine, replete with the promise of a picture of the president autographing his Rose-endorsement baseball like it was one of his ubiquitous executive orders.
Mr. Vascellaro’s analysis drives home that idea, observing “current Commissioner Rob Manfred, who denied Rose’s two previous applications” for reinstatement, changed his mind “three weeks after meeting with President Trump at the White House on April 17” and lifted the ban to reinstate Mr. Rose and his eligi-
bility for Hall of Fame immortality.
Perhaps we shouldn’t hold Rob Manfred to standards higher than Jeff Bezos, the United States Congress, and magnates everywhere capitulating to the bottomless roster of Trump demands, but after decades of Major League Baseball insisting that Mr. Rose and his gambling pals from the Chicago Black Sox were some sort of pox on baseball’s selfsatisfied moral purity, it would be nice if he came clean and just said, “The President threatened to Make Baseball Great Again unless I let Pete Rose into the Hall. It was either that or every team would have been required to wear those silly red caps.”
Trump lobbying or no, I have no problem with the best hitter in the history of the game getting his plaque in Cooperstown. He could have his own little section in the Hall sponsored by, oh, I don’t know, FanDuel.
MLB’s sniffy declamation on the brightline separation between gambling and the game should have come to an end the minute the corporation struck its deals with this sports book and that. You can neither watch nor listen to a game these days without the incessant pelting of newly-made-up statistics, commercials, and flashy graphics offering best
bets, shortcuts, and easy in-app mid-game wagers.
I’m personally opposed to gambling— not to claiming some moral high ground but because I’m too thick to understand it and I know I’d end up losing my shirt by the third inning on opening day. I couldn’t tell you the difference between a parlay and an over-under.
Yet gambling now is as much a part of Major League Baseball as is StatCast, Sabermetrics, AppleTV’s very bad Friday night broadcasts, walk-up music, hot dogs, apple pie, and Chevrolet. It’s ridiculous for the League to continue its pollyannaish belief that its players—the stars on whom billions are betting billions and therefore driving billions in revenue back into the League—should be robotically immune from dabbling in the monolith staring hard at them with every pitch.
I think Pete Rose belongs in the Hall. He bet on his own team but never to lose. He got caught and he fessed up. He did enough of a mea culpa that it’s a shame he won’t get to make the speech in Cooperstown he should’ve been allowed to make years ago.
Ted Potrikus Tucson, Arizona
Editor’s Note: The photos of President Trump and his auto-
LIFEGUARDS FOR VILLAGE PARKS
The Village of Cooperstown has seasonal openings for lifeguards
For further information including applications please contact the Village Clerk at the address listed below or call 607-547-2411.
Positions are needed from now through Labor Day for lifeguards at both Three Mile Point Park and Fairy Spring on Lake Otsego.
Reimbursement of certification/re-certification costs will be made by the Village to lifeguards working at least 220 hours during the season. Applications will be accepted until the positions are filled.
L.
graphed baseball for Pete Rose used on page one last week [“Posthumous Reinstatement Resurrects Rose’s HoF Candidacy,” May 22, 2025] were not provided by the Trump administration or any other Trump affiliates. The photos were provided by a third party and used with permission. Mr. Vascellaro’s story was not prompted by Trump entities in any way.
deRosa
Continued from page 4 the throes of such destabilizing forces, especially those willfully created by a monkey wrench gang unimpeded by ethical standards akin to any norm we have known and counted on?
The reason we have laws, the reason we have courts, the reason we have a written document that guides us in our search for our better selves is because we know all too well what our darker angels are capable of.
Fortunately, there are many efforts afoot to right the ship and get us back on some sort of recognizable track. Court
cases take a great deal of time. We need to find ways amongst ourselves to find common ground. The recurring patterns of shared cultural values that have shaped our relationships for so long have worked pretty well. Dissent and difference have always been at the core of our cultural mosaic. Ideological greediness has no place in a free society. Yet, that seems to be the fly in the ointment.
Expecting politicians to lead us back to the center is fruitless. They can do all that macro, performative stuff they do, but in the end it falls upon each and every one of us to make an effort— if we believe our essential patterns are worth saving. Edmund Burke once offered some very good advice: “When bad men combine, the good must associate; else they will fall, one by one.”
Dick deRosa’s Hawthorn Hill essays have appeared in “The Freeman’s Journal” since 1998. A collection, “Hawthorn Hill Journal: Selected Essays,” was published in 2012. He is a retired English teacher.
Jenna
Utter, Village Clerk, Village of Cooperstown PO Box 346, Cooperstown, NY 13326
Otsego County
Volunteers. Fees apply. Held from 5:30-7 p.m. on 6/5, 6/12, 7/10 and 7/17. Cornell Cooperative Extension Educational Center, 123 Lake Street, Cooperstown. (607) 5472536 ext. 225.
YOGA 9 a.m. “Yoga with Alyx Braunius.” Suggested donation applies. Held each Friday. The Gatehouse, 129 West Main Street, Morris. (607) 285-4111.
SENIOR COFFEE
HOUR 10 a.m. Coffee, tea, pastries, games, puzzles, special events and good conversation. Held each Friday. Kinney Memorial Library, 3140 County Highway 11 Hartwick. (607) 2936600.
MEMORIAL DAY
11 a.m. Troop C annual Memorial Day Services to remember fallen officers. Troop C Headquarters, 823 State Route 7, Unadilla. (607) 561-7400.
BLOOD DRIVE
1-6 p.m. Quality Inn, 5206 State Highway 23, Oneonta. RedCrossBlood. org POTTERY
1:30-4:30 p.m.
Open Studio. Experienced potters work on personal projects. No instruction provided. Fees apply. Held Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and 6-9 p.m. on Thursday. The Smithy Clay Studio, 1 Otsego Court, Cooperstown. Gallery@ SmithyArts.org.
OPENING RECEP-
TION 4-6 p.m. “Splendor in the Everyday.” All welcome. On view Saturdays, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., through July 9. The Art Garage, 689 Beaver Meadow Road, Cooperstown. (315) 941-9607.
FIRE PIT FRIDAYS
6-10 p.m. Live music, food and more. Featuring music from the Lazy II. The Tap House, Brewery Ommegang, 656 County Highway 33, Cooperstown. (607) 5441800.
MEDITATION 6 p.m.
“Friday Evening Meditation at The Gatehouse.” All welcome. The Gatehouse, 129 Main Street, Morris. (607) 285-4111.
MUSIC 7 p.m.
“Echoes of Otsego: A Living Portrait in Song and Store—Live and Live Streamed!” Inspired by real people from Otsego County. Fees apply. Dunderberg Gallery, 118 Marion Avenue, Gilbertsville. (607) 783-2010.
OPERA 7 p.m. “Talking Opera.” Music Director Joseph Colaneri discusses Giacomo Puccini’s “Tosca.” Presented by The Glimmerglass Festival at Fenimore Art Museum, 5798 State Highway 80, Cooperstown. guild. of.glimmerglass.festival@ gmail.com.
FILM 7:30 p.m. “Free Outdoor Movie Night.” Pathfinder Village, 3 Chenango Road, Edmeston. (607) 965-8377 or pathfindervillage.org ►Sat., May 31
OUTDOORS SPORTS 7 a.m. “Race the Lake Marathon and Half Marathon.” Fees apply. Presented by the Clark Sports Center. Glimmerglass State Park, 1527 County Highway 31, Cooperstown. (607) 5472800.
CLEAN-UP 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. “17th Annual Hartwick Clean Sweep.” Residents can dispose of household furniture, yard trash, scrap metal, tires, mattresses and much more. Check for restrictions/fees. Hartwick Town Hall, 103 Town Drive, Hartwick. (607) 4342946.
CRAFT 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. “Reversal—Intermediate Panel Quilt: 1-Day Retreat.” Fees apply; registration required. Leatherstocking Quilts, 155 Main Street, Suite B, Oneonta.
YARD SALE 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. UUSO Yard Sale. Benefit for the rehabilitation of 10 Ford Avenue/Chapin Memorial. Presented by the Unitarian Universalist Society of Oneonta, 12 Ford Avenue, Oneonta. (607) 4323491.
GARDEN 9 a.m. to noon. Oneonta Federated Garden Club Spring Flower and Plant Sale. Perennials, annuals, herbs, vegetables and house plants. Huntington Park, Oneonta.
CONSERVATION
10 a.m. to noon. “Trails Team Training: Become a Friend of the Forest.” Presented by the Otsego County Conservation Association. Registration required. Basswood Pond State Forest, Town of Burlington. volunteer@ occainfo.org.
PLANT SALE 10 a.m.
“Plant Sale with Roaming Roots Farm.” The Gatehouse, 129 Main Street, Morris. (607) 285-4111.
FOOD DRIVE 10 a.m. to noon. “Ward 1 Food Drive.” Presented by Oneonta Common Council Member Elayne Mosher Campoli. Collect/donate food for Valleyview Elementary School students. Drop off at the Hudson Street entrance of the Valleyview Elementary
School, Oneonta. (607) 376-7578.
WORKSHOP 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. “Willow Bark Basket Workshop.” Hosted by Sandra Kehoe. Fees apply; registration required. Butternut Valley Arts and Crafts Center, 124 Main Street, Morris. (607) 263-2150.
SPRING 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. “Head Start: Spring Carnival.” Presented by Opportunities for Otsego. Oneonta Boys and Girls Club, 70 River Street, Oneonta. (607) 433-8000.
CRAFT 11 a.m.
Owner of My Crafts Your Memories helps to assemble resin rainbow prisms. Free; registration required. Unadilla Public Library, 193 Main Street, Unadilla. (607) 369-3131.
MEDITATION 11 a.m. “Sangha Saturdays.”
Start with a meditation session for all, followed by potluck lunch, then study group on the Tibetan Buddhist tradition at 3 p.m. Held Saturdays through June 7. Samye New York, 412 Glimmerglen Road, Cooperstown. (607) 5475051.
OUTDOORS 1-3 p.m.
“Spring Plant Walk.” Presented by herbalist AC Stauble-Hill. Fees apply. The Gatehouse, 129 Main Street, Morris. (607) 2854111.
OPERA 1 p.m. “Il Barbiere di Siviglia.”
Livesteam from the Metropolitan Opera House. Fees apply. Foothills Performing Arts and Civic Center, 24 Market Street, Oneonta. (607) 4312080.
YOGA 1-3:30 p.m.
“Yoga and Meditation Class at UUSO.” Donations welcome. Unitarian Universalist Society of Oneonta, 12 Ford Avenue, Oneonta. (607) 4323491.
ANNIVERSARY
5-7 p.m. “Bugbee Children’s Center’s 40th Anniversary Bash.” Alumni family and friends, hors d’oeuvres and a cash bar. Ages 16+ welcome. Bugbee Children’s Center, 19 State Street, Oneonta. (607) 436-2484.
DANCE 6 p.m.
Ecstatic Dance Oneonta presents “ABUNDANCE.” Free; registration required. Unitarian Universalist Society of Oneonta, 12 Ford Avenue, Oneonta.
OPENING 6-8 p.m.
“Dmitri Kasterine Photographs: Here & There.”
Opening reception and artist talk. Free. Hyde Hall, 267 Glimmerglass State Park Road, Cooperstown. (607) 5475098.
►Sun., June 1
MIDDLEFIELD MARKET 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Fresh produce, flea market, artisans, crafters, small animal swap and more. 973 Whiteman Road, Middlefield.
AGING 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.; registration at 8:45 a.m. “Defensive Driving Course.” Fees apply. Emergency Services, Classroom B, Otsego County Meadows Office Building, 140 County Highway 33W, Cooperstown. (607) 5389632.
GRAND REOPENING 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Giveaways and light refreshments. F&C Firearms, 6524 State Highway 23, Oneonta. (607) 6523123.
CHALLENGE Noon. “Trap Shoot Challenge: Do You Think You Can Outshoot the Worcester High Trap League?” Fees apply; open to adults and youths aged 16-18 (with parent’s permission.) Bring your own ammo. All welcome. Milford Fish and Game Club, 432 County Highway 33, Cooperstown. (607) 3226118.
CONCERT 4-7 p.m.
Little Delaware Youth Ensemble Spring Concert and 25th Anniversary Celebration. Held at the Foothills Performing Arts and Civic Center, 24 Market Street, Oneonta. (917) 902-9301.
EXHIBIT 5 p.m. Talk presented by the artists behind “Elemental.” Includes Q&A session. 25 Main Collective, 21 Main Street, Cherry Valley. (607) 264-4025.
DEADLINE 5 p.m. Last day to submit works for “Art by the Lake.” Event held 8/9. Fees apply. Fenimore Art Museum, 5798 State Highway 80, Cooperstown. (607) 547-1400.
DRUM CIRCLE
6 p.m. “Cherry Valley Drum Circle.” Held Sundays in summer. Presented by The Telegraph School at the Cherry Valley Gazebo. (607) 2643785.
MUSIC 7 p.m. “Sunday Kirtan: Interfaith Devotional Music Meditation.” Held each first Sunday. Unitarian Universalist Society of Oneonta, 12 Ford Avenue, Oneonta. ►Mon., June 2
CONNECTIONS
10:30 a.m. “One on One Tech Support.” Reserve a spot to get help using a personal device 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.
LIBRARY 1 p.m.
“Home school Hangout.”
Stories, activities, crafts and learning for home school families. Held each Monday. Huntington Memorial Library, 62 Chestnut Street, Oneonta. (607) 432-1980.
BLOOD DRIVE
1-6 p.m. Worcester United Methodist Church, 111 Main Street, Worcester. RedCrossBlood.org
DISCUSSION 3-5 p.m.
“Current Events Discussion Group.” Held each Monday. Village Library of Cooperstown. 22 Main Street, Cooperstown.
HISTORY 6:30 p.m.
“A Civil War Presentation” by Frank Antonucci. Looking back at the 121st New York Infantry Regiment, commonly known as the “Onesers” or “Upton’s Regulars” recruited from Otsego and Herkimer Counties. Free, light refreshments included. Presented by the Town of Laurens Historical Society at the Little Red School House Community Center, 516 County Route 11, Oneonta. (607) 4320277.
►tueS.,
June 3
VOLUNTEER 7 a.m.
Join the group to clean the rain gardens on Main street. Care for the trees, collect trash, weed and more to beautify Main Street. Meet at the Entrance to Doubleday Field, Main Street, Cooperstown.
STORY TIME
9:30 a.m. Staff share stories, activities and play. Held Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Huntington Memorial Library, 62 Chestnut Street, Oneonta. (607) 432-1980.
COMMUNITY HIKE
9:45 a.m. Hike with the Susquehanna Chapter Adirondack Mountain Club. Bring appropriate equipment/water and be aware of your level of fitness. This week’s hike will be on the Catskill Scenic Trail, Hobart. Contact hike leader Don Thomases, (607) 287-9690.
POTTERY 10 a.m. to noon. “Spill the Tea with Normandy Alden.” Lively discussion on cups and mugs for potters. Suggested donation applies to benefit a spring glow-up at the studio. The Smithy Clay Studio, 1 Otsego Court, Cooperstown. (607) 547-8671.
SENIOR MEALS
11:30 a.m. Seniors are invited to enjoy a delicious meal Monday-Friday. Suggested donation is $4 for seniors, $11 for
guests accompanying a senior. Today, enjoy a lunch of macaroni and cheese, green beans, stewed tomatoes and zucchini, and ice cream. (607) 547-6454.
• Each Monday-Friday. Nader Towers Housing, 2 Mitchell Street, Oneonta.
• Each Tuesday and Thursday. Richfield Springs Community Center, 6 Ann Street, Richfield Springs.
FINALE Noon. “AgeTastic.” Fun, interactive board game designed to improve health, safety and well-being. The Gathering Place 50 Plus Community Center, 5506 State Highway 7, Oneonta. (607) 5474232.
GARDEN 3-5 p.m. “Growing Green Thumbs.” Afterschool club open to grades K-2 and grades 3-6. Fees apply; registration required. Held Tuesdays through 6/17. Clark Sports Center, 124 County Highway 52, Cooperstown. (607) 5472800-124.
OPENING RECEPTION 5-7 p.m. “Shadows & Reflections.” Exhibit on view through 7/12. The Smithy Gallery, 55 Pioneer Street, Cooperstown. (607) 547-9777.
MEET & GREET
5:30-7 p.m. “Welcome Home Cooperstown.” Gathering to welcome new residents to the Village of Cooperstown. Include info about area institutions, members of the Cooperstown Central School Identity Alliance unfurling the Village Pride flag and music/refreshments by the Glimmerglass Opera Guild. Village Library of Cooperstown, 22 Main Street, Cooperstown. (607) 547-8344.
MEDITATION
5:30 p.m. “Let’s Meditate: Sahaja Meditation DropIn Classes.” Presented by Sahaja Meditation. Held each Tuesday through 6/24. Cooperstown Coworks, 6 Doubleday Court, Cooperstown. (518) 428-4692.
BASEBALL 7 p.m. Oneonta Outlaws vs. Auburn Doubledays. Damaschke Field, 15 James Georgeson Avenue, Oneonta. (607) 4330545.
►Wed., June 4
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 & Boutique, Price Chopper Plaza, 5626 State Highway 7, Oneonta. (607) 432-5335.
