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Volume 211, No. 01
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Otsego County’s Newspaper
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CAMERA BUFF COLLECTED ‘THOUSANDS’ OVER THE YEARS/B1
For 210 Years
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Cooperstown, New York, Thursday, January 3, 2019
Newsstand Price $1
The Fenimore ROCKS! Museum’s Biggest Show To Feature Photos Of Madonna, Cher, All Of Rock’s Greatest
“There are more than 100 pieces to this collection,” said curator Chris COOPERSTOWN Rossi. “It’s the largest show we’ve ever put on.” adonna is Ritts’ “Rock Portraits” coming to debuted at the Rock & Cooperstown. Roll Hall of Fame in So is David Bowie. Cleveland, Ohio, in 2015. Bob Dylan, Bruce “There’s a whole difSpringsteen and Tina ferent element to his rock Ritts took iconic Turner will be here too, portraiture. It’s not just the photos of Cher – and part of “Herb Ritts: The many other rock stars. visual connection, there’s Rock Portraits,” due to a sonic connection as open April 2 at The Fenimore Art Muwell,” said Greg Harris, Rock & seum. Please See PHOTOS, B5
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame President Greg Harris, right, visited The Fenimore’s Clark Gallery over the weekend to see where Ritts’ photos will land. With him is Todd Kenyon, Fenimore director of marketing.
By LIBBY CUDMORE
Ian Austin/The Freeman’s Journal
Christian Shaefer of Richfield Springs, who mounted a surprise write-in campaign to win a county coroner post in the Nov. 6 election, takes the oath of office Tuesday, Jan 1, at Foothills in Oneonta/
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MORE PHOTOS, A3
Both Mayors, Seward Weigh State Of State ONEONTA
John Heller, Oneonta • 1980-2018
FIREMAN DIES A HERO
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tate Sen. Jim Seward, R-Milford, and two mayors, Cooperstown’s Ellen Tillapaugh Kuch and Oneonta’s Gary Herzig, were due to address the Otsego Chamber’s annual State of the State Breakfast at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 2, at SUNY Oneonta’s Morris Conference Center. For details, check
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AllOTSEGO.com
AllOTSEGO.com
►THE OTSEGO LAND TRUST announced the donation of a conservation easement on 133 acres of forests, hills, farmland and wetlands in the Town of Oneonta on Friday, Dec. 28.. ►A FIRE DESTROYED the Fred A. Roos Jr. house at 264 Geywits Road, Town of Springfield on Friday, Dec. 28, according to Assistant Chief Dale Schulz of the Springfield Center Fire Department. No injuries were reported, but the fire remains under investigation. ►OUTGOING CONGRESSMAN John Faso wouldn’t rule out running for Congress again in 2020 – but wouldn’t rule it in either, he told WAMC President Alan Chartock. ►310 AIRBNB HOSTS in Otsego County each earned about $5,900 in supplementary income in 2018, the company announced at year’s end.
Convenient Care Opens At Bassett’s Mother Ship By PATRICK WAGER
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Ian Austin/The Freeman’s Journal
John Heller, engaged to marry next Oct. 12, helped his fiancee, Amber Roe, and his four nephews to safety before being trapped inside 5 Walling Ave., Oneonta, last Saturday evening, Dec. 19
By LIBBY CUDMORE
here’s been one in Herkimer for 18 years and in Oneonta for 10. And Thursday, Jan. 3, Bassett Hospital will open an “after-hours” Convenient Care Center at the main hospital here. Dr. Winther The new unit will have seven patient-care rooms and will be staffed at first with “an advanced practice clinician” – a physician’s assistant or nurse practitioner – one registered nurse, one medical office assistant and one registration staff. Over time it is expected that the unit Please See BASSETT, B4
Local Women Plan Bus To D.C. March By LIBBY CUDMORE
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ohn Heller died a hero. The former Oneonta firefighter made sure his four nephews, Donovan, 9, Maddox, 7, Macall, 5 and Rawley, 2, as well as his fiancée, Amber Roe, were safe when an early-morning fire broke out in his 5 Walling Ave. home on Saturday, Dec. 29. “He and Amber are my heroes,” his sister-inlaw, Erika Heller, wrote in an emotional FaceIan Austin/The Freeman’s Journal Heller was trapped in the top floor of 5 book tribute. “They saved my babies and he Walling Ave., where he may have tried to made the ultimate sacrifice for our family.” Please See FATAL FIRE, B5 escape through the broken window.
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his year, Butternuts Valley Indivisible won’t just be marching in the third annual Women’s March for Women Jan. 19 in Washington, D.C. They’ll be marching for everyone, said Amy Pondolfino, who is organizing the local contingent. Please See MARCH, B4
THE FREEMAN’S JOURNAL & HOMETOWN ONEONTA, OTSEGO COUNTY’S LARGEST PRINT CIRCULATION 2010 WINNERS OF The Otsego County Chamber/KEY BANK SMALL BUSINESS AWARD