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Volume 213, No. 04
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THRILLER DEBUTS FEB. 4 AT SHUDDER.COM/A3
Cooperstown, New York, Thursday, January 28, 2021
Newsstand Price $1
Thank Heaven For Derek Jeter No 2021 Inductees, No Schilling, No Bond, No Clemens By CHRYSTAL SAVAGE COOPERSTOWN
I The Freeman’s Journal
“I’m so excited,” said Hanna Bergene, on being nominated Thursday, Jan. 21, for a seat on the Cooperstown Village Board. Trustee Cindy Falk, the deputy mayor, is also running again. Details at
f not for Derek Jeter and his Classmates of 2020, this would have been another sparse summer
for baseball in Cooperstown. For the first time since 2013, the Baseball Writers’ Association of America elected none of the 25 Hall of Fame candidates above 75 percent, leaving the class of 2021 at zero. Hall of Fame President Tim Mead announced results pf BBWAA
balloting Tuesday, Jan. 26 – for the first time, broadcast from the Hall of Plaques at 22 Main St. He said he’s confident that the ceremony will take place on July 25, saying that there is a lot of “diligent” work happening “behind the scenes.” of Fame President Tim Please See INDUCTEES, A6 Hall Mead breaks the news.
P
ANDEMIC TAKES DOWN FLY CREEK CIDER MILL Cleaning up the sparser offerings at Fly Creek Cider Mill Tuesday afternoon, Jan. 26, are, from left, Caralee Elson, Mount Vision, cofounder Barbara Michaels, Lin Molloy, Springfield, and President Bill Michaels. Elson and Molloy are long-tenured employees at the attraction, which will close at least temporarily on Sunday, Jan. 31. Business dropped during the COVID-19 pandemic.
AllOTSEGO.com
www.
Superintendent: From Maryland To Cooperstown COOPERSTOWN
S
arah Spross, a Milbrook native and Maryland Department of Education assistant Spross commissioner, will become Cooperstown Central School’s new superintendent, beginning March or sooner. She succeeds Bill Crankshaw, who accepted the Greater Johnstown School District superintendency last August in his hometown. Details on Spross at:
AllOTSEGO.com
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AllOTSEGO.com ►COVID SURFACES at Red Jug Pub, as SUNY students prepare to return to school. ►HOSPITALIZATIONS DIP to 5 per day, Cuomo says. ►OBERACKER TELLS Governor: restart school sports, performing arts. ►PBS ELEVATES Oneontan’s Dad, famous sculptor, in fall show. ►DRIVER FACES multiple charges in Westford highspeed chase. ►VP KAMALA HARRIS portent of future, Delgado says.
Jim Kevlin/The Freeman’s Journal
By JIM KEVLIN FLY CREEK
T
he numbers told Bill Michaels it was time. “I learned a lot going through the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program,” said the Fly Creek Cider Mill & Orchard president. “One of them was knowing your numbers.
I spent a lot of time looking at them throughout the pandemic.” In 2020, “our customer visitation was down all year. Then, after the holidays, it just stopped, to the
point it was not sustainable.” said Michaels, whose family announced Wednesday, Jan. 20, they would close the regional tourist attraction, perhaps forever. Sunday, Jan. 31, it will be open from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. That’s it. The decision set off a near panic, with loyal customers lined up, 6-feet apart, per social-distancing guidelines, waiting up to an hour Saturday and Sunday for perhaps a final taste of a favorite Cider Mill goodie.
Some 300 Internet orders came pouring in, Bill said. “We’re grateful for the online support and had a wonderful online season,” he added. “However, there are costs associated with operating online stores, as with brick-and-mortar stores.” By early this week, many favorites had disappeared, but not all. “We have plenty of cider left, plenty of doughnuts, plenty of extra sharp cheddar,” Michaels said. Please See CIDER, A7
Winter Carnival Will Go On, Precautions Working The System, Getting The Shot With COVID-19“Around the World” theme LIFE IN TIME OF COVID-19
I
had my first COVID-19 vaccination Sunday, Jan. 26. To get an appointment, I went through all the protocols and algorithms that I discussed previously in this column. I was able to find an appointment Sunday in Plattsburgh. A day later I found an appointment for Utica on Feb. 3 and canceled the Plattsburgh appointment and then I kept looking RICHARD STERNBERG for something closer and sooner.
Lucky for me, some close friends were also going through the various procedures and last Friday, Jan. 24, they found Kinney Drugs in Richfield Springs was scheduling appointments for the next two days; this past weekend. They had just scheduled theirs and immediately called me and told me about it. I went online, followed the proPlease See STERNBERG, A6
By CHRYSTAL SAVAGE
COOPERSTOWN
T
his year, the Cooperstown Winter Carnival’s theme is “Around the World, but Safe at Home.” Scheduled Feb. 16-21, a couple of weeks later than usual, the carnival’s
was intentionally broad to allow for more participation, according to Committee Chair Molly Myers. And, because of COVID19, it sought to reflect the need to stay safe. In past years, all events were held in-person; precautions are being taken this year. Please See CARNIVAL, A6
THE FREEMAN’S JOURNAL & HOMETOWN ONEONTA, OTSEGO COUNTY’S LARGEST PRINT CIRCULATION 2010 WINNERS OF The Otsego County Chamber/KEY BANK SMALL BUSINESS AWARD