The Freeman's Journal 01-07-21

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Cooperstown’s offiCial newspaper

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IN COVID YEAR, AT LEAST AVIAN POPULATION HEALTHY, COUNT FINDS/B1

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VISIT www.AllOTSEGO.com, OTSEGO COUNTY’S DAILY NEWSPAPER/ONLINE Volume 213, No. 01

COOPERSTOWN AND AROUND

Cooperstown, New York, Thursday, January 7, 2021

Newsstand Price $1

Cuomo Calls Out Fox Use Vaccine Or Lose It, He Says

By CHRYSTAL SAVAGE COOPERSTOWN

I

n a daily press conference Monday, Jan. 4, Governor Cuomo called out Fox Hospital: If the Oneonta facility doesn’t use its antiCOVID vaccine allocation more quickly, it won’t get any more.

The Freeman’s Journal The governor said Fox had only used Driller Brian Frey pauses 18 percent of the doses it has. by his rig in front of 13 River St., Cooperstown

Geothermal Rig Closing River Street

New Senator Joining Salka To Stem COVID Overreach

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Thanksgiving Bubble Pops; County COVID Cases Drop 31 In Day

By CHRYSTAL SAVAGE

COOPERSTOWN till a novelty in the village, a geothermal rig is drilling down 400 feet alongside River Street this week, creating the basis for a heating and cooling system for a home under renovation.

Brian Frey, Alden, principal in Frey Well Drilling, said the system will work like an air conditioner, removing heat from the water in the winter and coolness in the summer.

The installation is part of a substantial redo of 13 River by owners Jack and Kim Alvarez of Albany.

The street will be closed for the next few days, Frey said.

Bassett Healthcare Network’s spokesman, Karen Huxtable-Hooker, said that figure is actually 30 percent as of Tuesday the 5th, both at Fox and its Tri-Town Campus in Sidney.

In all, she said, more than 2,000 Bassett NetCuomo work staffers had been This is the chart Governor Cuomo released vaccinated, with 52 percent of the Moderna Monday, Jan. 4, showing Fox Hospital near the virus supply used up. The network employs bottom in the number of staffers vaccinated.

Please See CUOMO, B5

By JIM KEVLIN COOPERSTOWN SCHENEVUS

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his could be the begining of a beautiful friendship.

Fresh from his swearing-in as state Sen. Peter Oberacker, R-Schenevus, in his hometown fire hall at 1:08 p.m.

New Year’s Day, the freshman signaled he is planning to collaborate with Assemblyman John Salka, R-Brookfield, on two key pieces of legislation: • One, as he promised during the campaign, Oberacker plans to introduce legislation mirroring Salka’s to overturn the Democrats’ bail reform, which has allowed suspects in petty and some less-petty crimes to be immediately released.

• Two, the new senator is Jim Kevlin/The Freeman’s Journal planning to carry the flag in the Senator Oberacker and his wife Shannon smile at the Please See TEAM, B4 end of his swearing-in New Year’s Day in Schenevus.

►Oneonta Man, Bruce S. Hall, 71, lost his life to COVID-19, Tuesday, Dec. 29 ►Bassett expands COVID-19 BUSINESS PARTNERS RETHINK VILLAGE MAINSTAY testing. Reservations at 4336510 ►Cooperstown to enforce no on-street parking in snowstorms.

By JIM KEVLIN ►Common council appoints Bonnie Coozzo as assistant city clerk COOPERSTOWN ►minimum wage rises but farm work week unchanged att Denison, new proprietor of ►benton abandons challenge Rudy’s with Joe Festa, remembers to County Rep. Marietta running into Karen Lemister in the ►Medical Researcher from alleyway between Schenevus, Patrick Tyler dies ►THE LEMISTER famithe liquor store at at 52. ly’s window displays 143 Main St. and Jim Kevlin/The Freeman’s Journal ►More New Yorkers moving and Bassett hound Alex’s Bistro.

Business partners Matt Denison, left, out than moving in U-Haul Barclay marked their “I think this is and Joe Festa have bought Rudy’s. tenure/B1 says.

Next Generation Buys Rudy’s

M

something you would have a lot of fun with,” said Lemister, who owned Rudy’s for 48 years with

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fter burgeoning since Thanksgiving get-togethers, the number of active cases county-wide have suddenly dropped by 31 in a single day.

Despite 10 new cases and 19 hospitalization of either new or ongoing cases being reported today, the total active cases as of Tuesday, Jan. 5, was 126, 30-plus-one lower than the day before.

Most likely, the drop is due to successful quarantines, said county Assistant Public Health Director Kim Schlosser, in charge while Director Heidi Bond is out of the office for a few days.

“Ten days after testing positive, the individual is considered to be negative for the virus,” Schlosser said.

And 10 days ago, local positive COVID cases saw a significant spike and, after successful quarantining, those individuals are now in the clear, she said.

Hospitalizations have also declined by two in the last 24 hours and no new deaths have Please See CASES, B5

City Hall Seeks $500,000 To Redo Oneonta Theatre

By CHRYSTAL SAVAGE ONEONTA

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ity Hall will seek $500,000 in state funding to restore the Oneonta Theatre, the former movie house at 27 Chestnut Freeman’s Journal file shot St. that has been on the mar- The Oneonta Theatre ket and unused for five years. has been on the market for five years.

Mayor Gary Herzig received Common Council’s Main Street Anchor Program husband Fred. One thing led to another, and unanimous approval Tuesaimed at restoring vacant day, Jan. 5, to seek the over the Christmas holiday the venerable buildings.

Please See PARTNERS, B2 money through the state’s Please See THEATRE, 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

A-2 THE FREEMAN’S JOURNAL

THURSDAY, January 7, 2021

LOCALS

Bassett’s First Baby Of Year 1st Christmas ‘Shop With A Cop’ Deemed Success “selfless,” according to Cavalieri. “He Born To Dolgeville Couple COOPERSTOWN got gifts for his siblings and his parents

COOPERSTOWN

Michael, 12, and Karman, 3, at tsego home, and older County has ones, Zachary welcomed in Missouri, the area’s first baby and Michaela in of the new year.

North Carolina.

Allan Cotton, “I already son of Mallory know it’s going Diederichs and Scott to be a great Cotton of Dolgeville, year because of was born – a week his arrival and Allan Cotton early – at 9:31 a.m. his brothers and New Year’s Day at sisters are very excited,” Bassett Hospital.

Diederichs said. “It’s all Allan weighs 9 pounds, been about family time 3 ounces and is 22 inches during this pandemic; all is long. good.”

Allan has four siblings:

O

Otsego Land Trust’s Pat Szarpa Retiring

‘S

hop with a Cop” came to Cooperstown this holiday season after a tip from Principal Tracy Durkee at Cooperstown Elementary.

According to Durkee, Village Chief of Police Frank Cavalieri reached out to her explaining that they had the means to give back to a student with a shopping trip to Walmart and would appreciate her input on identifying the recipient.

The concept was new to the department this year. One second grade child was served and the trial run” went well.

Durkee, who was new to the district in July, called on her grade level chairs and other resources for their input and experience with a number of deserving

T hank you!

COOPERSTOWN

P

atricia Szarpa will retire as executive director of the Otsego “Our community means everything to me!

Land Trust in February, I love my job at Price Chopper the board Cooperstown, I get to see my favorite of directors people and everyone eventually announced.

An interim becomes a friend. Thank you for all of executive your support and kindness! director will --Becky Welsh be appointed while a Pat Szarpa successor is sought. ·· Prior to her departure, Ms. Szarpa will finalize the Land Trust’s application to the Land Trust Alliance for accreditation.

Ring in the new YeaR

Patrolman Katie Mulcare and Cpl. James Kelman pose at Walmart with their beneficiary and his dad.

students. After a list was put together, Durkee reviewed items such as report cards and landed on this year’s recipient.

“He was perfect,” she said.

The boy was “cute,” “chatty,” and

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Durkee recounts her conversations with Cavalieri following the event saying, “[Cavalieri] was so excited to spend time with a student; it was beautiful.”

“I hold our community partnerships dear. Any time we are able to strengthen and improve the school’s and our student’s vital relationships with the community, we do it,” Durkee said. “It’s important that our students see our police resources.”

According to Patrolman Katie Mulcare and Cpl. James Kelman, the recipient was very excited about shopping for himself and his family, but he was perhaps most eager to get some mint chocolate chip ice cream.

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THURSDAY, January 7, 2021

THE FREEMAN’S JOURNAL & HOMETOWN ONEONTA A-3

Perspectives

THURSDAY, January 7, 2021

A-4 THE FREEMAN’S JOURNAL EDITORIAL

In COVID Year, Leaders Did Step Up T he choice of Heidi Bond, “General in the Fight Against COVID-19,” as we put it, has been seconded by many since the “Citizen of the Year” edition appeared last week. She and her team at the Otsego County Department of Health rose to the challenge.

All of us thank her for her tireless contributions in 2020.

Otsego County has been lucky in leadership this year. Here are four other individuals who shone, and there are many others who, unheralded, have as well.

• One, County Treasurer Allen Ruffles, who returned Jan. 20 from a 12-month deployment in Djibouti with the 403rd Civil Affairs Battalion, Army Reserves, expecting to settle back into civilian life with wife Amy, daughter Mia, now 12,

Many county leaders stepped up during the COVID Year, among them, from left, County Treasurer Allen Ruffles, Bassett Healthcare Network CEO Tommy Ibrahim, SUNY Oneonta President Dennis Craig and SUNY Chancellor Jim Malatras.

and son Cooper, 7.

Instead, he went from one foxhole to another.

By the end of March, he was in the midst of COVID-19, and county government found itself in a financial crisis, laying off

To the Editor: Vitamins, minerals, and other supplements – there are numbers of people who say you should take vitamins.

Vitamin C for tissue repair, A for healthy skin, B for stress, E for women over 40, and a very popular one today – Vitamin D for overall health.

But the cost of the vitamins keeps getting higher and higher. A men’s multivitamin today will cost well over $50!

I was looking at the label on the jar and it said that a

number of the ingredients are foods, from foods? Why not just eat the right foods?

Well, they say foods are not as nutritional us as they used to be.

I remember reading about one genetically modified grain that was created so it would grow faster. One of the reasons that it grows faster was that the roots are shorter. Well , the shorter roots do not go deep enough to absorb enough minerals, which in turn affects the brain function because of the lack of the minerals.

Please See DUNCAN, A6

Treat All Writers With Respect

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ccessibility, accountability, transparency. To me, these are not just words— they are my creed. I can’t promise that we will always see eye-to-eye on a particular issue.

But I can and do promise you that I will listen to your views, that I will treat them and you with respect, and that, whether we agree on an issue or not, I will explain my position to you.

As I look ahead at my second term in office, these principles will continue to guide me.

I will remain a member of the Committees on Small Business, Agriculture, and Transportation & Infrastructure – not the most high-profile committees in Congress, by any means, but by far the most important for the needs of our district.

That’s where I want to be.

• Using my leverage on these committees, I will redouble my efforts to help our 27,000 small businesses and self-employed

Tara Barnwell

Advertising Director & General Manager

Chrystal Savage

Managing Editor

Larissa Ryan Business Manager

Kathleen Peters Graphics & Production

Elizabeth Cooper Correspondent

Ian Austin Photographer

Ivan Potocnik Web Architect

Tom Heitz/Sharon Stuart Consultant

IN MEMORIAM: Mary Joan Kevlin, Co-Publisher, 2006-17 OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER FOR Otsego County • Village of Cooperstown • Village of Milford Cooperstown Central School District MEMBER: National Newspaper Association, NY Press Association Subscriptions Rates: Otsego County, $69 a year. All other areas, $89 a year.

First Class Subscription, $155 a year.

Published Thursdays by Iron String Press, Inc. 21 Railroad Ave., Cooperstown NY 13326 Telephone: (607) 547-6103. Fax: (607) 547-6080.

E-mail: info@allotsego.com • www.allotsego.com Contents © Iron String Press, Inc.

From Congressman Delgado’s Facebook page

Antonio Delgado’s wife Lacey and their twin sons – Coltrane, left, and Maxwell – joined him in Washington D.C. Sunday as he was sworn in for a second term.

individuals thrive despite challenging economic circumstances.

I will keep fighting to ensure that our more than 5,000 farms – the backbone of both our upstate economy and our rural way of life – can compete in today’s farm economy.

And I will keep pushing

for investments in our region’s infrastructure – from roads, to rail, to broadband, to cell service, to hospitals, to public schools, to affordable housing – so that we can ensure a healthier, safer, and more productive future for ourselves and our children.

•

Our first order of business in this new Congress, however, will be to confront the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

While public health experts tell us that the darkest days of the pandemic have yet to come – and it is essential that we remain vigilant Please See DELGADO, A6

BE AFRAID, BUT DO IT ANYWAY

For 212 Years

James C. Kevlin Editor & Publisher

AllOTSEGO.com

Editor’s Note: This is an excerpt from Otsego County’s Congressman Antonio Delgado’s State of the District address Monday, Jan. 4, the day after he was sworn in for a second term at the U.S. Capitol.

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Delgado: I’ll Focus On What 19th District Needs

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Cooperstown’s Newspaper

election by 150 votes. Given the area is Republican leaning and that his family members are well-positioned in the area, this 150-vote win isn’t much to brag about.

Rather than spreading misinformation and inflaming the community he represents with buzz words (illegal immigrants, Nancy Pelosi), he should appreciate the hard work of the doctors, volunteers and members of the local League of Women’s Voters who care for our community.

I hope people remember his ingratitude at the next election.

ANITA LEMONIS Vancouver, B.C.

JU

To the Editor: As a former long-time resident of Otsego County, I still appreciate our community’s hospital workers, responsible gun owners and polite neighbors – even when we don’t always agree. Unfortunately, these are things Rick Brockway doesn’t seem to understand or appreciate.

I was struck by the angry and personal tone in one of Brockway’s latest rants when he attacked long-serving public health providers, including Mary Ann Whelan, for recognizing that gun violence is a national health issue.

Brockway should realize that he only won his last

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ext week’s edition of this newspaper will be a Tribute to State Sen. Jim Seward, who served our county in Albany for 34 years and retired Dec. 31.

You can Seward participate by sending a personal tribute to Seward.

Please keep your tribute to 100 words, and email it, along with your name and town of residence, by noon Friday, Jan. 8, to

LOOKING AHEAD

LETTERS

Quality Of Food Goes Back To Soil’s Quality

58 FTEs, and looking ahead to a hefty tax increase.

Then came the Ruffles Plan, which the first-term treasurer developed in consultation with colleagues in similar-sized counties: one, cuts; two, borrowing; three, chase limited

money still flowing from Albany.

The plan reduced the deficit from $13.5 million to $5.4 million; borrows $4 million over 20 years at a historically low interest rate (1.0033 percent), and front-loads road work next spring (CHIPS money is still flowing from Albany).

This kept the county 2021 budget under the 2-percent tax cap.

Ruffles could have been buried under county-budgeting minutiae, but was able to see the big picture: COVID isn’t going to last forever – it could be at bay in weeks, certainly months. Then, tourism will return, sales tax will return – and the county will be able to fulfill its obligations.

• Two, Tommy Ibrahim, recruited from nine-hospital Integris in Please See EDITORIAL, A5

PARTICIPATE IN A TRIBUTE TO SENATOR

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...But I Wasn’t Afraid Of ‘The Troubles’

ou already know that in advance. At Halloween I have been afraid to I reserved my slot for do almost everything Christmas Day. I ever did, but that And of course never stopped me. there was no InterBut then there net back then. Just were the times handwritten letters when I should on onion skin have been afraid paper to make them but wasn’t. lighter and cheaper Why did I think to mail. Even an I could head off air mail letter could around the world take weeks to get to at 21? Emigrate to ERNA MORGAN my family.

New Zealand from McREYNOLDS There were no a small Upstate credit cards in case dairy farm? of emergency From New Zealand there either. I hadn’t even was no easy way to call dreamed of seeing ATMs. home if I was in trouble So where was my fear or just homesick. With the when it should have seized primitive system there I had me? to book calls to the U.S. far I had booked and paid

Car bombs, like this one depicted in the Irish Times 50 years ago, were common during “The Troubles,” when Erna Morgan McReynolds visited Belfast.

for my 13,000-mile ticket which would let me see a lot of the world. I could get on and off planes, change airlines and visit as many countries as I wanted as

long as I didn’t exceed those 13,000 miles.

I put on nylons, dress, gloves and my sturdy walking shoes. One had to Please See ERNA, A5

AllOTSEGO.com

LETTERS TO EDITOR WELCOME • EMAIL THEM TO info@

THURSDAY, January 7, 2021

THE FREEMAN’S JOURNAL A-5

BOUND VOLUMES Compiled by Tom Heitz/SHARON STUART, with resources courtesy of The Fenimore Art Museum Research Library

200 YEARS AGO

125 YEARS AGO

The Florida Treaty – The Treaty ceding Florida to the United States has been officially communicated to Mr. Rush, the American Minister in London. Don Manuel de Barros, who is attached to the Spanish Legation to the United States, is arriving at the House of the Spanish Consul at Bordeaux, with the Treaty for the Cession of the Floridas which had been ratified by the Cortes. A letter from Bordeaux, received at Paris on November 7, says he will embark immediately in the ship Rapid of New York for Philadelphia.

January 8, 1821

175 YEARS AGO

Ed. Note: In the following report editor John Prentiss remarks on the swift arrival of an important report State of the State report from Governor Wright coming from Albany in time to be included in the weekly edition: “The message was received at Fort Plain by Express on Tuesday at half past two o’clock and was sent on here by Mr. Becker, coming to our hand at 4 p.m., the distance of 22 miles from Fort Plain, having been travelled in 1 hour and 45 minutes, and in four hours from Albany!”

Married in Otsego, on January 7, by the Rev. Job Potter, L. D. Brown, Esq., Attorney at Law, of Burlington, to Miss Elizabeth Wilson of Otsego. Married in Middlefield, on December 15, by William Temple, Esq., Mr. Andrew Woodbeck, of Summit, Schoharie County, to Miss Sally Ann Sweet of Middlefield. Married at Hartwick by Rev. M. Marvin, Mr. Grant Perry to Miss Maria Pratt. Married in Cherry Valley on December 24, by Rev. Wm. Lusk, Mr. Thomas J. Thompson to Miss Weighty J. Brown. (Ed. Note: Church pastors earned a portion of their incomes from performing marriages. Newspaper notices were placed by the pastors as advertisements of their availability to do so).

January 10, 1846

100 YEARS AGO

The latest U.S. Treasury Department figures show that the people of the United States now spend $2,200,000,000 yearly for tobacco products. This is $200,000,000 more than the total expenditure for automobiles. The quantity of tobacco consumed is enormous. The American candy bill runs up to a round one billion. For chewing gum, we spend 50 millions of dollars yearly.

(Ed. Note: Significant increases in expenditures for tobacco and candy products followed the prohibition of consumer alcohol beverage products).

January 5, 1921

75 YEARS AGO

Theodore P. Feury, a popular young Cooperstown attorney, who was recently discharged from the U.S. Navy, with which January 2, 1896 he attained the rank of Commander in three years’ service, and O.L. Van Horne, who has practiced law in Cooperstown with In reviewing the local meteorological eminent success since 1905, have formed a records we find that 1870 has exhibited partnership effective January 1, 1946, to be some remarkable features that have not known as Van Horne and Feury. The new characterized any previous season in our firm will occupy the offices on the second record of 21 years. In the first place we have floor of the Second National Bank building a daily mean temperature of 47.3 degrees. which previously have been occupied by Our average for the previous 20 years has Mr. Van Horne. Mr. Feury practiced law in been about 43 degrees, and this has been New York City for three years prior to 1931 very constant and uniform. In all our previand in January of that year took up law ous records we do not note a greater annual practice in Cooperstown. On April 15, 1942, variation than 2 degrees. The summer of 1870 he entered the naval service at Quonset, R.I. was the warmest we have noted in 21 years. His duty assignments included San Juan, The winter, with the exception of the month Puerto Rico, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba and of March was one of the mildest. The time then a year aboard the USS Saratoga before of sowing, ripening and harvesting of the a final assignment at Pensacola, Florida. crops was the earliest for a corresponding January 2, 1946 period. The shortest harvest of the year was the ice crop. Our 1870 rain record is much below average and the third lowest on reJerry M. Franklyn, officer-in-charge of cord. The beautiful fall weather of 1870 will the Immigration and Naturalization Service long be remembered and the much-abused office at Albany, has urged all aliens in the month of November 1870 receives a good area, who have not yet done so, to fill out mark for many bright, pleasant days. alien address report forms before January 31, January 12, 1871

150 YEARS AGO

50 YEARS AGO

EDITORIAL: County Leadership Met Challenge EDITORIAL/From A4 Oklahoma with a goal of elevating quality and efficiency at the eightcounty Bassett Healthcare Network, and returning it to profitability.

He arrived in June, and by December announced implementation of “OneBassett,” flattening the five “silos” – the five hospitals – and managing them horizontally, by discipline.

It’s hard to wrap one’s brain around, but Google “Bassett Hospital HR” and see how hiring, formerly scattered across the system, has been unified, a one-stop shop to getting a job at Basset, if you will.

Think it through. You can see how organizing and managing Bassett services individually – enabled by technology that wasn’t there a few years ago – could raise efficiency and lower costs across the board.

This isn’t just theoretical. Bassett has lost money for four years. Ibrahim – “call me Tommy,” he’ll say when you meet him – expects “OneBassett” to put the system at break-even by the end of 2021 and in the black after that.

A prosperous Bassett is essential to our aggregated health, prosperity and

T

he point is, there are a lot of people we can thank as Otsego County begins to come back to life in 2021. quality of life. Important stuff.

• Three and Four: SUNY Oneonta’s new president, Dennis Craig, and the new SUNY chancellor, Jim Malatras.

A “super spreader” event on Friday, Aug. 21, the first weekend students returned, had pushed on-campus “positives” to 107 within a week.

Sunday, Aug. 30, the new chancellor was at SUNY Oneonta, trying to figure out what went wrong. And he acted, suspending classes for two weeks. As positives went over 300, he closed the campus for the semester.

By mid-October, campus President Barbara Jean Morris had resigned and, to succeed her, Malatras named Dennis Craig, who as president of SUNY Purchase kept a campus outbreak to seven cases in New Rochelle.

Craig’s action team came up with a

plan of reopening within two weeks, and he successfully quelled a faculty revolt, and lined up enough support to aim at reopening on Feb. 1.

This is leadership.

• In crisis, leaders emerge. And that happened here. Happily, identifying Heidi Bond and four other high-profile leaders doesn’t take anything away from the many others.

County Board chair David Bliss, RCooperstown/Middlefield, as he does so well, brought together the talent around him – Ruffles, Meg Kennedy, Bond, Brian Pokorny and many others.

The mayors of Oneonta and Cooperstown, Gary Herzig and Ellen Tillapaugh Kuch respectively, Bill Streck in his final weeks at Bassett’s helm, and his COVID team, were all great.

And this doesn’t mention all of our fellow citizens who soldiered on – businesspeople and non-profits alike – and church, and schools, and police, and …

The point is, there are a lot of people we can thank as Otsego County begins to come back to life in 2021.

ERNA: Should I Have Been Afraid When I Wasn’t?

ERNA/From A4 “dress” for airplane travel in those days.

My foreign travel began with a drive from Upstate to the JFK airport. Without a look backward, I boarded a 727 and flew from that iconic TWA terminal.

First stop was Ireland to meet my Dad’s brother — my Uncle Tony, my cousins, Dad’s friends.

Dad left Northern Ireland in 1926.

He had never returned. I would be the first to visit his family since 1926!

After my TWA dinner, which was served on china even in steerage, I took a brief nap. I opened my bleary eyes at Shannon Airport in Ireland. Shannon was a world apart then, with donkeys hauling goods and people through Western Ireland. No tractors. Few cars.

• But my uncle and two of my cousins were there to greet me. Their hourslong journey to fetch me took almost as long as my trip from JFK. In my ignorance, my Upstate travel agent had booked me to the right island but the wrong side of it. The McReynolds lived near Belfast. Hours away from Shannon and often on singletrack roads flanked by hedgerows.

My cousin Tommy, who could tell

a tale about almost anything, told me those hedges housed the “wee people,” who built fires there and roasted mushrooms.

I have to admit I stared hard into those hedges. I wondered when one of the wee ones would spring out in front of our car.

This cousin never stopped spinning fairy stories. But he had some real stories to tell too. A tough Belfast city bus driver, Tommy had been held up at gun point more than once “in The Troubles.”

• My Dad had left half a century before. He assured us that it was a time of “The Troubles” back then. Nothing to worry about.

But there had been plenty to worry about then and when I arrived too.

After our visit to my cousin Iris in a border town in the Irish Republic, we had to go through a checkpoint to get into Ulster.

Soldiers dressed in camouflage wielding machine guns; sand bags to deflect bombs; questioning by sentries before we could pass through.

That was unnerving but with Dad’s reassurances I knew this was just normal life.

• A few days later when my cousins and Uncle were giving me a tour of a nearby city, a policeman was stopping the line of traffic in front of us.

As we neared the road block suddenly my cousin wheeled the car around and started tearing away.

But before we went more than a few yards, an explosion rocked our little Mini, our eardrums felt like they would break and black smoke plumed in the air. Sirens blared. Children on their lunchtime recess ran about screaming.

Parents arrived shouting, looking for their children in the mayhem.

Maybe I should have been afraid?

But I took my Dad’s advice and didn’t worry. I stayed in Northern Ireland for my 10 days. We were frisked as we went into Belfast department stores.

Stopped at roadblocks. Walked past young soldiers in camouflage. But I still had 9,000 miles to go.

Next stop London.

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 lives in Franklin.

at the nearest Immigration Service Office, or any U.S. Post Office. The Immigration and Nationality Act requires all non-citizens to report their addresses to the government each January. Persons in diplomatic status and foreign representatives to international are exempt. The parents or legal guardian of an alien child under 14 years of age must fill out the address report form and return it.

January 6, 1971

25 YEARS AGO

After four years of struggling with low attendance, and with plans to build a library and archives in the works, the Corvette American Hall of Fame and Museum has been sold to Wilber National Bank according to bank president Alfred S. Whittet. Allen Schery, listed as vice president and secretary, built the museum four years ago, using seven of his own Corvettes. Schery began collecting Corvettes when he was 18 years old, acquiring a used vehicle for about $1,800.

Along with the museum, Schery planned to build a Corvette Library and Archives using the same architectural firm that designed the library addition to the National Baseball Hall of Fame. That structure was completed and opened in 1993.

January 14, 1996

10 YEARS AGO

Louis Tadross began working in kitchens when he was 12-years-old. Fifty years later Tadross is celebrating his 50th anniversary in food preparation and service as Chef at the Otesaga Hotel and Cooper Inn. “They are great people to work for,” Tadross said. Tadross first became a member of a kitchen staff at the age of 12 in Meadville, Pennsylvania. Tadross recalled “I was sick of asking my Dad for money every time I wanted to go to the movies. So I went and got a job at a diner.”

January 13, 2011

LIFE IN THE TIME OF COVID-19

COVID Transforming Calls For Better Understanding

T

here is a large amount journal articles, that number of concern about this several hundred each week new strain of COVID on all platforms. None of that just Monday was these individual articles can confirmed to have reached give an overall picture of New York State. what is happening and the At this time, I keep hearbasic science in an orgaing that it is more nized fashion. contagious than Interestingly, the strain we are a close friend, an familiar with but electrical engineer, not more lethal. turned me onto an What we don’t online course ofknow, and what we fered by the Maswill have to find sachusetts Institute out, is whether it is of Technology this as sensitive to the past semester for approved vaccines undergraduates and RICHARD as the strain we are graduate students. most familiar with. STERNBERG There were 13 I am personally lectures, about concerned that we are losing 45 minutes long, on many our focus on standard epide- aspects of the COVID-19 miologic ways of preventing crisis by experts who are spread: This is not the time leaders in their fields. The to give up on distancing, course is available to anyone masks, online at no charge. and avoiding groups let While some of the alone crowds. lectures, and lecturers, are • a bit esoteric, some were In preparing these quite easy to follow. Many columns, as I have stated in explain things so simply the past, there is a plethora and well that the average of new information availinterested person can come able every day. away with a fairly complete There are at least 50 articles understanding of the imporI can choose from, not tant points of this pandemic including original scientific Please See STERNBERG, A6 FOOD FOR THOUGHT

‘Crisis Of Credibility’ Calls For New Ideas, New Leaders

‘I

don’t think globalization is coming to an end. I think the global system is in crisis. I think every major institution in our society is in crisis …

“I think the (World Health Organization) is a discredited organization. I think the White House is a discredited institution.

“I’m sorry to say this because I know it’s your former employer: I think the New York Times does not

have the credibility it once had. It reads like the Guardian or the Nation. It doesn’t read like a newspaper.

“There is a crisis of credibility and trust.

“I don’t think that means institutions are going to go away. What it means is those institutions are going to need new leaders who have a different world view.”

MICHAEL SHELLENGER “Apocaplyse Never” author Interviewed on C-Span.

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THURSDAY, January 7, 2021

A-6 THE FREEMAN’S JOURNAL & HOMETOWN ONEONTA LETTERS

Bill Magee Set Example That Others Can Follow

DELGADO: Above All, 19th Matters DELGADO/From A4 and take the necessary precautions to keep our loved ones safe – we can find hope in the fact that the scientific community has produced a safe and effective vaccine in record time.

• As of today, New York has administered more than 275,000 vaccine doses with almost 500,000 more doses on hand. While the vaccine rollout in New York and across the nation has gotten off to a slower than anticipated start, I’m confident that our state and our country will continue to accelerate the rate of vaccinations in the coming months.

To that end, it is imperative that Congress provides more funding for state and local governments to support those on the ground doing the heavy lifting of coordinating the vaccine’s distribution.

“As some of you know, I received the first dose of the Pfizer vaccine here in D.C. on Dec. 18, and I will receive my second and final shot here this coming Friday. I took the vaccine upon

To the Editor: me he gave an example to Thank you Bill Magee. follow. When I called I join community his office to make an members across appointment, he set Upstate New York the appointment that – friends and day. I didn’t get any colleagues alike – to sort of , “I’ll get back say: We will all miss to you.”

Bill Magee.

The day before our His service to our meeting a problem communities was a came up in his lifelong passion and schedule. Instead of a Bill Magee staff member calling commitment. He worked across the to reschedule, I got political spectrum to deliver the call directly from Bill. for his district and he did it In short, I will miss Bill without the fanfare many Magee. He served our politicians expect to receive. district for many years, and He did it by acting on as a result we have done solutions to meet constituent better together. He also left needs, and not making prom- us with many stories that we ises he couldn’t fulfil. remember with a smile, and I first met Bill Magee in I suspect many reading this 2013. I had an interest in letter are thinking of theirs. public service and asked for Going forward, I will his advice. He gave it. As remember Bill Magee as a we all knew about Bill – he friend and mentor, and whose did not add more words than example I hope to emulate.

STERNBERG/From A5 needed, so his advice was Thank you Bill Magee. short but still useful.

DAN BUTTERMANN and how the biology behind treating it More than what he said to Oneonta works and is implemented.

• I suggest at least taking a look at it and going over some of the lecturers.

The way she takes care of I admit several of the lecturers, while DUNCAN/From A4 things! Think about this: the leaders in their fields, had problems You can see why a lot of people think that you should COVID virus. It is keeping speaking to a non-technical audience but most of them did a good job of people inside, thereby eat organic, non-GMO educating overall. reducing their impact on foods. So I wonder why To access the course, Google “MIT nature. Example: air polluisn’t the food as good as it course 7.00”, then hit the first listing. tion. The virus is killing lots used to be?

Individual lectures can also be found of people, which reduces A lot has to do with the through YouTube. soil. It’s been depleted and in the population and also the I am over 40 years from studying stress on the environment. many places contaminated. this material as coursework and Nature has her way of There’s a graveyard for cars

the advice of the attending physician and consistent with continuity of government guidelines.

But I also took the vaccine to show that the vaccine is safe, and to demonstrate my trust in the public health officials whose expertise and advice has so often been ignored and undermined by those in elected office since the pandemic began.

As I travel back and forth between home and Washington and then make my way all across the district engaging with constituents about the health and the safety of the vaccine, my goal is to build trust and faith in this treatment.

When I look someone in the eye and urge them to get vaccinated, I want them to know that I’ve done it, myself.

• We have seen the impact of inconsistent leadership on important measures like mask-wearing, and I believe it is critical to clear up any confusion there may be around the safety and efficacy of the vaccine.

I will continue to put my faith in this treatment while also ensuring that New

York State, and the local governments therein, from counties to hamlets, have all the federal support needed to continue to roll out the vaccine at home.

• In closing, I want to say how honored I am to be representing New York’s 19th District for another term. It has been the privilege of a lifetime. On Sunday, I took a sacred oath to support and defend the Constitution and faithfully discharge the duties of this office.

Tonight, I make another pledge to you: that I will continue to listen to your concerns and priorities for our nation; that I will always put what is right for our community above what is easy but wrong; and that I will strive to be an effective representative for everyone in our district.

Thank you, and God bless you.”

Congressman Delgado, now living in Millbrook, is a Colgate and Harvard Law School graduate, a Rhodes Scholar, and an experienced litigator on his election in 2018.

STERNBERG: MIT Makes C-19 Knowledge Available To All

DUNCAN: Eat Good Food

around here. Tons of cars lined up near a river. Every time I drive by I think how stupid to be so close to the river. The acid rain comes down on all the cars and carries all the pollutants into the river and into the farmland.

Man just ignores the cycles of nature, giving little respect to the natural process. They think science can do a better job. There is no balance between nature and science. You really don’t want to wait for nature to build the soil back up.

balance if we don’t play fair. Building up the quality of soil in Otsego County should be a pretty high priority on the list. Quality of soil equals quality of food equals quality of people.

I wonder what is being done to protect and enrich our local soil for, as they say, future generations?

R. SCOTT DUNCAN Hartwick Forrest

much of what we know about viruses and immunology has changed since then but as I said above, some of the lecturers were able to distill out the essence of what they were saying so that anyone with only a high school biology background could follow it.

I particularly found interesting the first lecture, “COVID-19 and the Pandemic,” the second lecture “Corona Virus Pathology” and the fourth lecture, “Insights from the Corona Virus Pandemic” (which is given by Dr. Anthony Fauci, who is a wonderful teacher) Number 10, “Vaccines”, is also among the easiest to understand for

non-technical audiences.

• It is very important that all of us try to obtain as much factual knowledge as possible.

Only in this way can we make informed decisions for ourselves and our families. Taking a course like this one I describe is as equally important as to gathering information by reading individual articles.

Richard Sternberg, retired Bassett Hospital orthopedic surgeon, is providing his professional perspective weekly during the COVID-19 threat. A village trustee, he resides in Cooperstown.

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OTSEGO.life

B

THURSDAY, January 7, 2021

D

espite All,

PAGE B-1

irds Flourish For DOAS Bird Count organizer Sandy Bright and Charles Schweim, DOAS treasurer, birdwatching is a year-’round activity, and their backyard on Fair Street, Oneonta, is set up to maximize their hobby.

ONEONTA

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he year was 1889, the day was Dec. 25. In many rural parts of the nation, the festive “Christmas Side Hunt” was underway, where – according to one description – “armed participants wandered the countryside shooting at every bird and small animal they saw.”

The DOAS bird count spotted more blue jays, left, than ever.

And the dark-eyed junco, above, was spotted more often than any other bird.

year, as usual, there were three counts: Dec. 19 in Oneonta, Dec. 26 in the Mohawk Valley and, finally, Jan. 2 in Delaware County.

Because of COVID-19, the DOAS discouraged new participants during this year’s Christmas Bird Count. “We’re dealing with a high-risk population,” Please See COUNT, B3 From the Audubon Field Guide

FAMILY COOPERSTOWN MAINSTAY SINCE 1952

Lemisters’ Downtown Dynasty Ends With Rudy’s Liquor Store

By JIM KEVLIN COOPERSTOWN

A

mong other things, Fred Lemister was famous for decorating the front window of Rudy’s Liquor Store, which he and his wife Karen operated for 48 years.

His final window – the Lemisters sold Rudy’s to Matt Dennison and

Joe Festa at year’s end – was the simple crèche you may have noticed walking by 143 Main St. this Christmas season.

A perennial was Fred’s Titanic window. “I’m a Titanic buff,” he said, also noting the local connection: Arthur L. Ryerson, president of Ryerson Steel, Chicago, who owned a summer estate on Otsego Lake, died in the sinking, although his wife Emily and four children rode Please See LEMISTERS, B2

BEST BETS

The Art Of Russia, Teen Game Night And Much More!

By CHRYSTAL SAVAGE

Concerned about the toll on the bird population, a year later American ornithologist Frank Chapman of New York City attempted to undo this now-infamous tradition by replacing it with the Christmas Bird Count.

Since 1970, the Delaware Otsego Audubon Society (DOAS) has participated in the new tradition. This

in Otsego County

A discussion of Russian art, such as this work by Konstantin Gorbatov, will be analysed virtually this weekend.

AllOTSEGO.life

Ian Austin/

Mother Nature Victorious, Audubon Census ’20 Says

what’s fun

AllOTSEGO.life

Jim Kevlin/

Last September, Rudy’s Liquor Store proprietor Fred Lemister reflects on what would be his final 9/11 window display at the 143 Main St., Cooperstown, establishment.

xplore history through art. Take a guided virtual tour through “Old Russian Style” exhibit on works from the end of Imperial Russia featuring a large vocabulary of Onion Domes, Illuminated Manuscripts, Kokoshnick and much more. Free. 1 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 10.

The Russian History Museum, Jordanville. www. russianhistorymuseum.org • Teens getting cooped up? Send them out for a night of board games with their peers at the Oneonta Teen Center. LARISSA RYAN Don’t want them to leave the house? Call and get them set up on the Discord server so they can play along. 4 - 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 7. Club Odyssey, 80 Water St., Oneonta. 607-353-7143.

• Mets fans tune in to get a glimpse behind the scenes of the team from the perspective of their long-time Public Relations Director Jay Horowitz, in his new book “Mr. Met: How a Sports-Mad Kid from Jersey Became Like Family to Generations of Big Leaguers.” 2 p.m. Friday, Jan. 8. Baseball Hall of Fame, Cooperstown. www.baseballhall.org • Calling all writers. The deadline to submit works for the NEXT! Playwright series or the WRITE OUT LOUD open mic is approaching.

Last day to submit works is Sunday, Jan. 10. Fenimore Art Museum, Cooperstown. www.fenimoreart museum.org/write

THE FREEMAN’S JOURNAL • HOMETOWN ONEONTA

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THURSDAY, January 7, 2021

Lemisters Tended Rudy’s, 2 Other Key Downtown Businesses

LEMISTERS/From B1 on Lifeboat Four to safety.

“The one that meant the most to me was our 9/11 window,” said Lemister, himself the celebrated responder to 9,400 calls in a half-century with Cooperstown’s EMT squad.

“I always found it extremely hard to put up. Tears would come to my eyes thinking of

the young men and women who passed away on that day.”

The Lemister family has been a force on Main Street since 1952, when Andrew Lemister, Fred’s father, bought Sherry’s Restaurant in the three-story red brick block “at the light” where Mel’s at 22 is now.

In 1970, a few years after his father’s passing,

Fred’s mother Evelyn married Rudy Omerzu, a local painting contractor.

Looking for a less strenuous occupation for her new husband, Fred’s mother and her son approached Cyril T. George, who had opened the liquor store, called George’s, in the late 1960s.

George also operated the Hitching Post at 149 Main,

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next door to the liquor store, where Alex’s Bistro is now, and he offered mother and son a two-business deal: Buy the restaurant now (1970), and the liquor store at a future date.

On Aug. 7, 1972, the Lemisters did buy the liquor store, renaming it Rudy’s, although things didn’t turn out as anticipated. That Christmas, Rudy Omerzu suffered a fatal heart attack while bowling at the BowlA-Rama (today’s Price Chopper).

So Fred, his mother and Karen found themselves running three establishments: Sherry’s, the Hitching Post and – keeping the name in Omerzu’s memory – Rudy’s.

In 1989, an electrical fire in the kitchen damaged the Hitching Post, and former Bruce Hall partner Richard White bought and renovated it for his daughter Ellen Weir’s Homescapes.

AllOTSEGO.life

Fred and Karen Lemister last February when EMTs from around the county honored his 9,400 calls over 50 years, and her sacrifice that enabled his responsiveness.

It became a restaurant again in 2007.

In 2018, the Lemisters sold the former Sherry’s property to restaurateur Brian Wrubleski, who operates Mel’s at 22 there.

So the Rudy’s sale, which includes the building, signals the end of a 67-year family and Main Street legacy.

In an interview, the Lemisters said they plan to put their Eagle Street house on the market in the spring. Son Andy lives in Jacksonville, Fla., and daughter Kim Knapp, near Orlando, so the parents are looking at the St. Augustine area, in between.

The four grandchildren are also a draw: Andy’s twins Addison and Andrew (A.J.), and Kim’s Makenna, 10, and Kassidy, 8.

In addition to the window displays, the Lemisters’ landmark Rudy’s is remembered for Bassett hound Barclay, who in the early days greeted patrons at the door.

When he passed away, the Lemisters commemorated him with a front window display of Bassett hound memorabilia.

“For 14 and a half years, he was the ruler,” Karen remembers.

Buyers Aim To Preserve, Reinvent

PARTNERS/From A1 business changed hands – and generations – from the retirement-age Lemisters to the 30-something business partners.

Karen calls the new owners “the three Es” – “They have never faltered in energy, exuberance and excitement.”

The transition from one generation to another “is really exciting,” said another 30-something merchant, Jess Lanza, Cooperstown Chamber of Commerce president, who operates Kate’s Upstate with his wife, across from Rudy’s.

What happened is the ideal, Lanza said: “Instead of having a business closed by retirement, it’s passed on to new owners who can bring new ideas and new vitality.”

Denison agrees, pointing out that Alex Guenther, a partner with her dad Brian Wrubleski in Mel’s at 22, was a classmate at Cooperstown Central. “2007 dominates!” he declared.

Matt is a member of Cooperstown’s Haggerty clan, which until recently operated Haggerty Hardware. His mother, Trista Haggerty of Cherry

Valley, has also been in retail, he said.

Graduating from CCS, he attended Bennington College, finishing his degree at New York City’s Pratt Institute. Then – after a year producing videos for Sports Illustrated and other Time magazines, 70 hours a week – he came home to bartend at Alex’s Bistro, where he found he enjoyed the public contact and associated salesmanship.

Festa, The Fenimore Research Library’s special collections librarian, has a bachelor’s in art history from SUNY New Paltz, followed by two masters: in art history from Hunter College and in library science from Queens College.

He was a reference librarian at the New-York Historical Society before joining The Fenimore in 2014. “I fell in love with Cooperstown,” he said, “with the museum, with the culture, with Main Street.”

A patron at Alex’s, he met Denison there.

The idea is for Matt to work days, and Joe to continue at The Fenimore – he loves that job, too – and fill in evenings and

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weekends.

The two have been thinking about adjusting the inventory. Matt has some ideas for the tequila section; Joe is interested in bourbons and whiskeys.

They are exploring “more price-affordable wines that are good.”

They also have some ideas for social media marketing. A virtual winetasting, for instance, where customers buy samples and taste them with Matt’s guidance. Or a cocktailmaking class. Or how to make white sangria. (Hint: It includes peach brandy and a pear liqueur.)

Over New Year’s weekend, as the partners were trying out their hightech calculator, a patron bought a $75 bottle of Cooperstown Distillery’s premium bourbon.

The next morning, the patron came back and bought another $75 bottle.

The new merchants were thrilled.

Denison and Festa closed the deal with the Lemisters on Dec. 16, and received a certification to charge sales tax on the 24th. The store was open over the New Year’s weekend, but closed this past Monday for two weeks of renovations – painting and reorganizing the inventory.

“This is something new, but holding onto the old tradition,” said Joe. “It’s like having a piece of Main Street to maintain and update.”

“There are ’70s vibes we really don’t want to replace,” said Matt.

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THURSDAY, January 7, 2021

B-3

Audubon Annual Count Finds, Despite COVID, Birds Thriving Here COUNT/From B1 DOAS co-President Susan O’Handley, Hartwick, said of the bird-counters. “Many of our birders are elderly, which has guided many of our decisions.”

Still, there are a number of records set within the Oneonta circle. For instance: • Blue jays, with 546 upsetting the previous high of 500 in 1970.

• Carolina wrens and dark-eyed juncos, with more juncos spotted than any other species.

• Winter wrens, which tied their highest recorded 2019 count.

• Fox sparrows and red crossbills, spotted for the first time in a number of years.

This year in the Oneonta count, 4,500 birds were spotted, compared to the average 4,600 birds. And 52 species were spotted, compared to the 41.8 average.

That could have been because it was a nice day, compared to a stormy one the year before, said Sandy Bright, Oneonta, DOAS count coordinator.

The second DOAS co-president, Andy Mason, didn’t notice the day was that different from the

year before, and suggested weather and food availability in Canada may have encouraged more birds to fly into this area.

The third and final DOAS co-president, Becky Gretton of Springfield, had another take.

“Normally we go out with our birding buddies,” she said. “However, this year, due to the coronavirus, we were divided up more.”

That resulted in 11 teams of 16 individuals each, instead of the usual larger nine teams. The teams didn’t have to move as quickly from one location to another, giving them

more time to record birds at each stop.

This allowed the teams to be more relaxed and more thorough, said Gretton, allowing care to ensure the same bird wasn’t counted more than once.

Each count occurs within a 7.5-mile radius, DOAS Treasurer Charles Scheim of Oneonta wrote in “Christmas Bird Counts”, published in a 2012 edition of The Belted Kingfisher, the DOAS publication.

“One might think that the experience of birding each of our assigned areas would be very similar. They are, after all, separated by

a mere 25 miles, as the crow flies,” he wrote. “But geographical features can make a world of difference in attracting different species.

“There is no expectation that a team will find all the birds in an area, or even count all that can be found: many quiet woodland species may go uncounted; large flocks of geese or buntings can only be estimated.”

Nonetheless, the counts are consistently performed at the same time of the year, year after year, to maintain some standard.

Despite the inability

The

to host in-person events, Mason, O’Handley and Gretton encouraged anyone interested to join the DOAS and help contribute to science.

“The organization goes beyond birds,” Mason explained. Our focus is really on general conservation.

Added O’Handley, “We look to introduce and promote policy that benefits wildlife and their habitats, often that coincides with improved human health as well.” Among the issues - the elimination of lead ammo, carbon reductions, protecting and preserving natural resources and more.

“As issues come up, we move to address them in a way that’s beneficial to nature and hopefully to humans as well;” Gretton added. “We look to build our connection with nature and it is a shared source of interest for the members of the chapter.

Scheim concludes his DOAS piece in posing a poignant question, “Why should anyone forego the comforts of home, perhaps by a fire with a hot beverage, to spend a day enduring freezing temperatures, biting winds, or possibly worse, just to count birds?

“The answer is this: it’s all part of the tradition” – a new tradition of course that seeks to preserve nature instead of destroying it.

The chapter currently has approximately 250 members. If you or someone you know has an interest in joining or participating in any of the upcoming self-guided or virtual events, please visit doas.us

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Large, State of the art facility in Gilboa, NY is seeking full-time employees immediately. Being multi-skilled is a big PLUS! Excellent place to work with rewarding pay.

at OFO shelters (PT-weekends; Subs-all shifts; Addl. shift pay for qualifying shifts)

Contact Michael 908-770-4599 Michael.mandel@oorah.org

with school breaks & summers off

FT Head Start Positions Food Service Supervisor

Campus Manager

Please send resumé, cover letter and references to Jenna Utter, Village Clerk, Village of Cooperstown, PO Box 346, Cooperstown, NY 13326.

Large facility in Gilboa, NY, seeking dynamic manager immediately.

Includes all general maintenance, and all other duties.

Fabulous work environment. Great team.

Excellent pay. Experience and resume required.

Applications will be accepted until the position is filled.

Any questions regarding this position should be directed to the Village Administrator at 607-547-2411.

EOE Candidates must be Otsego County residents.

For all applications, please submit your resume and contact information to: raizel.hoffman@oorah.org

Family Partner Assistant Teacher Center Associate Food Service Associate Bus Driver OFO is a family-oriented organization offering competetive wages, excellent benefits and opportunities for professional growth. For an application, submission instructions, benefit package summary and descriptions of all employment openings, visit

www.ofoinc.org/jobs

EOE

The leader in developing innovative solutions to promote healthy lives, thriving families, and caring communities since 1966.

_________

THURSDAY, January 7, 2021

B-4 THE FREEMAN’S JOURNAL & HOMETOWN ONEONTA

A complete Guide to

what’s fun in OtsegO COunty _________

Oberacker, Salka Aim To Be ‘Team Otsego’

TEAM/From A1 upper house for Salka’s counter-legislation to two Democratic bills requiring New Yorkers to be vacciSend calendar items to info@allotsego.com nated for COVID-19 or, in one of the bills, face possible detention. “That ►Thursday, January 7 skills to help them through life. Presented by The Oneonta should be a personal Teen Center. The Sol Center, BLOOD DRIVE – 1 - 6 p.m. choice,” said Oberacker.

50 Dietz St., Oneonta. 607Donate blood, save lives.

“Peter and I have become 441-3999.

Donors will be entered for good friends,” the secondchance to attend the Superterm assemblyman said bowl in 2022. St. James Epis- ►Sunday, January 10 Tuesday, Jan. 5, the first copal Church, 305 Main St., day of the 2021 session.

DEADLINE – 10 a.m.

Last Oneonta. 800-733-2767.

“I’m excited about having day for writers to submit new TEEN GAME NIGHT – 4 plays, poetry, & prose for a member of the Senate to - 7 p.m. Teens aged 12-24 Fenimore Winter Performconsider and possibly carry enjoy socially distanced night ing Arts Series. Send in your of board games with the our legislation through this in OtsegO COunty works for chance to have it Oneonta Teen Center. Can’t session.” staged and critiqued before leave the house? Call to play Both men appeared an audience. Presented by along on Discord. Masks Tuesday morning via Zoom Fenimore Art Museum. 607required. Club Odyssey, on the Otsego County 547-1400.

80 Water St., Oneonta.

Chamber of Commerce’s Second sunday soup!

607-353-7143.

State of the State meeting.

– 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. Serving Afterwards, Oberacker, homemade soups every 2nd ►Friday, January 8 Sunday of month. Takeout his Chief of Staff (and only. All are welcome. DonaAUTHOR SERIES – 2 p.m. former campaign manager) tions to Schuyler Lake United Ron Wheeler, and his Presentation by Jay Horowitz, Methodist Church apprecilong-time New York Mets Communications Director ated. At The Pantry, 1472 Public Relations Director and Jeff Bishop headed to County Hwy 22, Schuyler Lake.

Team Historian on book ‘Mr. Albany, where the senator Met: How a Sports-Mad Kid ►Monday, January 11 has been assigned Office from Jersey Became Like 506 in the Legislative Office Family to Generations of Building in Empire State MOBILE COACH – 9 a.m.

Big Leaguers.’ Free, registra2:30 p.m.

Stop by mobile Plaza. tion required. Presented by cancer screening coach for Salka was clearing his Baseball Hall of Fame. free mammograms, more 607-547-7200. desk in his Oneida office, for women over 40 with no planning to head up to ►Saturday, January 9 insurance or underinsured.

Albany Wednesday.

Southside Mall, Oneonta. 1To help continuity 888-345-0225.

VIRTUAL ART TOUR – 1

what’s fun in OtsegO COunty _________ what’s fun _______

p.m. “The Old Russian Style and the Arts of Nostalgia” presented by art historian Wendy Salmond. Explore the making and meanings of works in the ‘Old Russian Style’ through virtual tour of the museum.

Free, registration required.

Presented by The Russian History Museum. 315-858-2468.

LIFESKILLS – 4 - 6 p.m.

Workshop for teens to learn

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BLOOD DRIVE – Noon - 5 p.m. See Thursday Listing.

Quality Inn, 5206 St. Hwy. 23, Oneonta. 800-733-2767.

HISTORY PROGRAM – 7 p.m. “Learn How To Create Your Family History - Geneology 101” with Bonnie Dailey.

Free webinar, pre-registration required. Presented by Sharon Historical Society. Call 518-860-5513.

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Legal nOtice

NOTICE OF PUBLIC AUCTION Public Notice is hereby given under Section 182 NYS Lien Law, that property described as contents of storage unit will be sold at public auction at 1:30 pm on Saturday, January 23, 2021 at Southside Self Storage, 7352 State Hwy. 23, Oneonta, NY. The sale of such property is to satisfy the lien of Southside Self Storage on property stored for the accounts of : Unit B8 Robert Ashley Unit B9 Robert Ashley Unit B5 Charles Loucks Unit B6 Charles Loucks Legal nOtice

Notice of formation of a Limited Liability Company (LLC) Name: AutoTech Mobile Specialties, LLC Articles of Organization filed by the Department of the State on: 01/01/2021 Office location: Otsego County The Secretary of the State has been designated as the agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served and SSNY

shall mail copy of process to P.O. Box 754 East Worcester NY 12064.

Purpose is to engage in any and all business activities permitted under NYS laws.

6LegalFeb.11 Legal nOtice

NOTICE TO BIDDERS Sealed bids will be received as set forth in instructions to bidders until 10:30 A.M. on Thursday, February 04, 2021 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/const-notices. 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

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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/W/MBEs. 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 Federallyassisted programs of the Department of Transportation and Title 23 Code of Federal Regulations, Part 200, Title IV Program and

Jim Kevlin/HOMETOWN ONEONTA & The Freeman’s Journal

On New Year’s Day, Maryland Town Justice Joseph Staruck swears-in newly elected state Sen. Peter Oberacker, whose wife Shannon holds the Bible. Oberacker’s mother, Carol, also a town justice, served with Staruck.

between his predecessor, state Sen. Jim Seward, R-Milford, who represented Otsego County in Albany for 34 years, the new senator will occupy Seward’s Oneonta office on South Main Street.

He has also kept most of Seward’s staff, except his chief of staff, Duncan Davie, the former Oneonta town supervisor, who retired.

Already, Oberacker said in an interview Monday, Jan. 4, constituents are calling, seeking his assistance.

The foremost issue is COVID-fueled unemployment. “I’ve had many inquiries. A lot of folks

are wanting to know what should they do, how they should go about it.” He convened a staff meeting that afternoon “to put together an action plan.”

The second issue came out of the Mohawk Valley, where RemArms, controlled

by Roundhill Group LLC, described in news reports as “a group of experienced firearms manufacturing and hunting industry professionals,” is seeking to work around the United Mine Workers in reopening the Ilion plant.

The plant, which has traditionally employed many people from Northern Otsego County, was sold to RemArms when

Remington was broken up under the supervision of U.S. Bankruptcy Court, according to www.syracuse. com.

Oberacker said he has been seeking to ensure to clear red tape and allow the plant to reopen as soon as possible.

The new senator attended two days of orientation at the state Capitol in mid-December, “to get to know my fellow senators,” and to get guidance from “the vast knowledge that incumbents have. It harkens back to being a freshman on campus.”

Asked about the chances of overturning bail reform, Salka pointed out that Upstate Democrats like Assemblywoman Marianne Buttenschon, D-Marcy, support him, suggesting he may win votes from across the aisle on his measure.

“We’re hoping to present these bills” – bail reform and blocking mandatory vaccinations – “and get bipartisan support,” he said.

Meanwhile, he pointed out, Job One will be “the 800-pound gorilla in the room – the $16 billion deficit,” which has risen from $10 billion in a year due to COVID challenges.

$500,000 Sought To ‘Stabilize,’ Restore Oneonta Theatre THEATRE/From A1 While there is no time-frame for approval or construction, Herzig said the priority is stabilizing the building.

“The theater is not only beautiful and vintage, it is a glorious piece of Oneonta’s history,” he said. “If the building could not be restored, it

Legal

would be a loss that would never be recovered.”

Plans for the restorations would include maintaining the building as a theater. “It would be a place to have a variety of performances, including live stage and film productions within the community,” Herzig said.

LEGALS

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 insure 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/handicap 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 D264416, PIN 935843, FA Proj Z001-9358-

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433, Otsego Co., Crack and Seat Rehabilitation on I-88 in the Towns of Milford and Maryland., PLA Candidate, Bid Deposit: 5% of Bid (~ $1,500,000.00), Goals: DBE: 5.00% 2LegalJan.14 Legal nOtice

Notice of Formation of Johnston Trucking LLC. Filed 11/23/20.

Office: Otsego Co. SSNY desig. as agent for process & shall mail to: 2291 Rt 23, Po Box 204, Morris, NY 13808.

Purpose: General.

6LegalFeb.4 Legal nOtice

Notice of Formation of Detox With the Docs, LLC. Art. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 11/03/2020.

Office: Otsego County.

SSNY designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to Jackson LLP @ 11 Broadway, #615, New York, NY 10004.

Purpose: all lawful 6LegalJan.21 Legal nOtice

Notice of Formation of Trip L Farm LLC

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Filed 6/30/20 Office: Otsego Co. SSNY designated as agent for process & shall mail to: c/o Miosek Law, 29 Pioneer Street, Cooperstown, NY 13326 Purpose: all lawful 6LegalJan.21 Legal nOtice

Notice of Formation of Gretchen Raddatz Wellness LLC Filed 8/27/20 Office: Otsego Co. SSNY designated as agent for process & shall mail to: 6559 State Highway 80, Cooperstown, NY 13326 Purpose: all lawful 6LegalJan.21 Legal nOtice

Notice of Formation of Platt Hollow Homes, LLC. Filed 10/23/20.

Office: Otsego Co. SSNY desig. as agent for process & shall mail to: Chad Whitbeck, 360 County Hwy 42, Maryland, NY 12116.

Purpose: General.

6LegalJan.14 Legal nOtice

Notice of Formation of BYAM’S RENTAL PROPERTIES LLC Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State

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of NY (SSNY) on 11/17/20.

Office location: Otsego County.

Princ. office of LLC: 35 Country Ln., Oneonta, NY 13820.

SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to Corporation Service Co., 80 State St., Albany, NY 12207.

Purpose: Any lawful activity.

6LegalJan.14 Legal nOtice

Notice of Formation of HFB PROPERTIES, LLC Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 11/13/20.

Office location: Otsego County.

Princ. office of LLC: 35 Country Ln., Oneonta, NY 13820.

SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to Corporation Service Co., 80 State St., Albany, NY 12207.

Purpose: Any lawful activity.

6LegalJan.14 Legal nOtice

Notice of Formation of PEACEFUL FLATS PROPERTIES, LLC Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on

He added, “It would increase the quality of life of our residents and also provide an asset and attraction to visit and possibly even relocate to the area.”

“We’re off to the races,” Herzig said as the motion passed.

He plans to complete the application prior to the Jan. 15 deadline.

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11/13/20.

Office location: Otsego County.

Princ. office of LLC: 35 Country Ln., Oneonta, NY 13820.

SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to Corporation Service Co., 80 State St., Albany, NY 12207.

Purpose: Any lawful activity.

6LegalJan.14 Legal nOtice

Notice of Formation of a NY Limited Liability Company Name: MMS-DS PROPERTIES LLC. Articles of Organization filing date with Secretary of State (SSNY) was 2 December 2020.

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 144 Johnny Cake Rd, Cooperstown, NY 13326.

Purpose is to engage in any and all business activities permitted under NYS laws.

6LegalJan.14 Legal nOtice

Notice of Formation of

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LLC

Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 11/13/20.

Office location: Otsego County.

Princ. office of LLC: 35 Country Ln., Oneonta, NY 13820.

SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to Corporation Service Co., 80 State St., Albany, NY 12207.

Purpose: Any lawful activity.

6LegalJan.14 Legal nOtice

Notice of formation of Limited Liability Company (LLC) OTICA, LLC, Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on November 2, 2020.

Office location: Otsego County.

SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of process to: Incorporating Services Ltd: 3500 South Dupont Highway, Dover, DE 19901.

Purpose: Any lawful acts or activities.

Latest date upon which LLC is to dissolve: No specific date.

6LegalJan.14

JGG PROPERTIES,

►Need to publish a Notice of Formation, Public Notice, Supplemental Summons, or Notice to Bidders?

Contact Larissa at 607-547-6103 or ads@allotsego.com and she can get you started.

THE FREEMAN’S JOURNAL B-5

THURSDAY, January 7, 2021

IN MEMORIAM

Thomas J. Merlino Sr., 82 Oct. 10, 1938 – Dec. 24, 2020

ONEONTA – Thomas M. Merlino, Sr., 82, passed away December 24, 2020 at his home with his family by his side.

Tom was born October 10, 1938 in Syracuse, the son of Angelo and Concetta (Amato) Merlino.

He was a United States Army veteran, serving from 1954-1958 and was discharged from the Reserves in 1968.

Tom married Dolores Rheaume on October 7, 1961 at Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Syracuse.

Tom was in partnership with Al Bagnard at The Travelers Motel and Golf Course from 1971-1976. He was a manager in the shoe department at James-

Thomas J. Merlino Sr.

way in Oneonta for 34 years. He then worked for Ames Department Store in Norwich and Spaulding’s Bakery for several years, as well as in the family business Shady Ideas at the Oneonta Southside Mall.

Sunday’s at the Merlino house was

well known for Sunday dinners with family and many friends.

Tom and his family vacationed to Florida, Virginia Beach and Myrtle Beach yearly from 1969, enjoying the food and meeting many friends. He enjoyed writing funny short stories, many of which were about the fictitious 39-cent store.

He was a member of the Oneonta Elks Club and

Oneonta St. Mary’s Catholic Church.

He is survived by his wife, Dolores Merlino of Oneonta; his children, Kim and husband, Shawn Scott of Fredericksburg, VA and Chris Merlino of Oneonta; grandchildren, Shane and Cierra Scott, Matthew Fischer and was known as “Peepaw” to Christina Merlino.

He was predeceased by

his parents; two sons, Tommy and Scott Merlino; and his brothers and sisters.

A graveside service at the Mt. Calvary Cemetery in Oneonta will be announced at a later date.

Expressions of sympathy may be sent to, www.lhpfuneralhome.com Lewis, Hurley & Pietrobono Funeral Home, 51 Dietz St., Oneonta, is handling the arrangements.

Aneilia ‘Nini’ J. Mead, 91 July 2, 1929 - Dec. 26, 2020

ONEONTA – Aneilia J. Mead “Nini” was born July 2, 1929 at the Parshall Hospital in Oneonta, the daughter of Evelyn and Benjamin Blowers.

Nini graduated from Oneonta High School in 1947.

She married Richard J. Mead “Dick” at the old Elm Park Methodist Church. They were married for 63 years.

She was predeceased by her husband, Dick on October 26, 2011; her father, Benjamin Blowers; mother, Evelyn Nichols; stepfather, Vern

Nichols; mother and fatherin-law, Helene and James Mead and her sister, Carol VanDusen.

Nini is survived by her son and daughter-in-law, Jim and Sharon Mead; grandson, Andy Mead (her pride and joy); nephew, David VanDusen and niece, Kay VanDusen Ward.

She worked at the West End Supermarket as a young woman. She worked with her husband at JR Mead & Son, Meat Processing Plant.

Nini also worked with her son

Jim in his business, Mead’s Reloading and Gun Supply as the bookkeeper.

Nini’s life centered around her family and her home.

She loved flowers and tending her yard. She could be seen each spring planting flowers and often mowing her yard.

Nini and husband, Dick, were avid motorcycle riders. They traveled across the United States and Canada, riding their Harley and pulling a small pop-up camper.

They traveled with groups of

OBITUARIES

Elizabeth W. Clark, 88; Former Cooperstown Mayor’s Widow COOPERSTOWN – Elizabeth “Liz” Bridger Feltz Clark, 88, passed away at home on Christmas afternoon 2020, 10 days after her husband, former Cooperstown mayor Bill Clark.

She was born Feb. 6, 1922, in Cooperstown, to A. John and Ada (Bridger) Wedderspoon. She graduated from Cooperstown High School in 1941 and from Cazenovia Junior

College in 1943. to Cooperstown where she Upon graduation she was employed in the Bassett accepted a job at Hospital research Medina Memorial department.

Hospital. While living In October in Medina, she met 1969, Liz married and married John P. William D. Clark (Jack) Feltz in 1949. and together Their union produced they raised his two children, Linda six children and and Craig. her two children.

Elizabeth Jack died at the age It was a match Clark of 42 in 1960 and Liz made in heaven. and her children returned At the time of her death, they had guided a close, loving family for more than 51 years. Bill passed away only 10 days before Liz, truly a fitting and precious conclusion to more than a half-century of love and devotion.

In addition to her first and Grandma loved her farm, her family, second husbands, Liz was predeceased by her parents; and playing her old guitar. sister A. Jane Cerio (1990), Lester R. Grummons Funeral Home will take the time and special friends Ruth to find out what made your loved one special.

(Feltz) and Don Cielewich, Whether it’s finding just the right flowers, or finding her sister and brother-in-law. a musician to play her favorite tunes on her old guitar, She is survived by her eight children, Margaret we’ll do what’s necessary to make her service as Clark and John O’Meara unique as she was. of North Salem, Linda and Lester R. Grummons Funeral Home Steve Roach of Fredonia, 14 Grand Street, Oneonta • 607-432-6821 Sara (Gary Barnum) of www.grummonsfuneralhome.com Cooperstown, Cathy and Ned Perkins of Bennington, Vt., David and Pam Clark, also of Bennington, Craig (Peggy Torruella) Feltz of Walden, Bill Clark of Cooperstown and Jean and Rob Bohm of Cooperstown.

Liz is further survived by 11 grandchildren.

Liz was a wonderful wife, mother, aunt, and Nana to her family. Her legacy lives on in stories to be told and meals to be prepared.

Family funeral services will be held Dec. 31, at the First Baptist Church of Cooperstown of which she was a life member.

In lieu of flowers, please donate in her memory to the First Baptist Church, 31 Elm St., Cooperstown, or Helios Care of Oneonta.

Arrangements are under the care of Tillapaugh Funeral Service,

friends and alone.

Nini had many friends throughout her life.

She continued to make new friends when she moved to Cooperstown Center. She lived at the Center for nearly two years and was cared for by many wonderful staff.

One of her friends, Doug Bennett took her on a motorcycle ride every year on her

birthday from 2013 through 2019, when she was 90 years old.

Sadly, she contracted COVID at the Cooperstown Center and after a nearly 3week battle passed away December 26, 2020 at Bassett Medical Center ICU. She had wonderful caring staff attend to her at Bassett.

Aneilia Nini was full of life Mead all of her life. She

will be missed.

A graveside service will be planned for May 2021 at the Oneonta Plains Cemetery.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Laurens Fire Department and Emergency Squad, 34 Main St., Laurens, NY 13796.

Expressions of sympathy may be sent to, www.lhpfuneralhome.com Arrangements are with Lewis, Hurley & Pietrobono Funeral Home, 51 Dietz St., Oneonta.

Fox Rolls Out Vaccinations Too Slowly, Governor Says, But Bassett Disagrees CUOMO/From A1 5,200 people over nine counties.

Bassett Hospital received its Moderna allotment Dec. 23, and immediately began vaccinating, HuxtableHooker said, and continues “to offer vaccination clinics for our health care staff, as do all of the hospitals in the Bassett network.”

The pace of vaccinations is just one challenge Bassett is facing, along with rising hospitalization – “double what it was in November,” she said. “The continued escalation of COVID19 cases is challenging resources, but (at Bassett Hospital) we are managing.”

“Fortunately, with five hospitals in the network, we are able to make use of all available beds to meet patient needs to identify space within our hospitals that can appropriately be converted for patient care needs as demand dictates,” she said.

On a “case-by-case basis,” she continued, some elective surgeries that require hospital says have been postponed “ to have those beds available for seri-

ously ill patients,” HuxtableHooker said.

Despite such challenges, Huxtable healthcare workers see the vaccine as a light at the end of the tunnel.

Some staffers have declined the vaccine, “but this has been the exception,” the spokesman said. “Most staff members are anxious to receive the vaccine as soon as they are eligible and can be scheduled.”

While there are two bills in the state Legislature seeking to mandate that healthcare workers and others be vaccinated, they have not yet been acted on.

(See related story, Page A1).

Nor has the state Department of Health issued any such order, so “we cannot require staff to get the COVID-19 vaccine, but we are strongly encouraging it,” Huxtable-Hooker said.

Meanwhile, she said, masks, social distancing, hand-washing and the like is being encouraged to reduce

transmission, she said.

At his Sunday, Jan. 3 press conference, Cuomo said 70-90 percent of New Yorkers need to be vaccinated to push back COVID-19, part of his dismay at the vaccination rate.

If hospitals do not use up their allotment they may face fines and/or possible disqualification from future vaccine distributions, according to Cuomo’s statements.

“Bassett Healthcare Network continues holding vaccination clinics with the goal of using the vaccine allocated to us,” HuxtableHooker said.

Meanwhile, on Saturday Jan. 9 and Jan. 16, asymptomatic rapid testing will be available to the public as long as supplies last at Bassett’s Oneonta location on 125 Main St. Reservations are required by calling 607-433-6510 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Monday through Friday.

The network is working to schedule other locations and dates for asymptomatic testing.

Thanksgiving Bubble Bursts, Cases Drop CASES/From A1 been reported as of Dec. 29.

“For whatever reason, it seems some people are responding to treatment,” Schlosser said, although she wasn’t aware of any changes in COVID treatment.

Dave Weaver

It remains to be seen if the Christmas Holiday will result in a spike, as was experienced after Thanksgiving.

“We believe we’re still really only dealing with the aftermath of Thanksgiving at this point,” Schlosser concluded.

607-432-2022

22-26 Watkins Avenue, Oneonta Monday through Friday 8 am - 4:30 pm

B-6

AllOTSEGO.life

THURSDAY, January 7, 2021

OTSEgO AUTO MAll

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Prices subject to change. Inventory based on availability and subject to change. For qualified leasees.