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VISIT www.AllOTSEGO.com, OTSEGO COUNTY’S DAILY NEWSPAPER/ONLINE
Volume 212, No. 05
COOPERSTOWN AND AROUND
Cooperstown, New York, Thursday, January 30, 2020
Republican May Dent Democratic Blue Wall Village Hall Solidly One-Party Since 2012 By JIM KEVLIN COOPERSTOWN
M
ary Margaret Robbins Sohns, whose years-long
battle against Lyme Disease, culminating in a heart transplant last summer, inspired the community, is contending to be the first Republican elected to the Village Board since 2010. Please See CAUCUS, A7
Newsstand Price $1
TO SUCCEED SEWARD, A LOCAL MAN
It’s Oberacker For NY Senate Tague Drops Bid, Opening Up Field For Schenevus Rep
The Freeman’s Journal
Cooperstown Mayor Ellen Tillapaugh Kuch accepts praise from Congressman Antonio Delgado, D-19. Both were presenters at the Otsego Chamber’s annual State of the State Luncheon Friday, Jan. 24, at SUNY Oneonta’s Morris Hall.
By JIM KEVLIN SCHENEVUS
P
Trustees OK Videotaping All Meetings COOPERSTOWN
T
he Village Board Monday, Jan. 27, passed a resolution to allocate funds to provide audio and video recordings of all its meetings. The resolution had been proposed by freshman Trustee MacGuire Benton,who announced it on his campaign stationery. He is running for a full term. He said he was prompted by a concern that local government should be “proactive and accessible.”
ON
AllOTSEGO.com
Jim Kevlin/The Freeman’s Journal
Honoree Fred Lemister received a lot of hugs, including this one from Hartwick EMT Sue Hascup, as well as handshakes and accolades at the Saturday, Jan. 25, testimonial in his honor at Bassett Hall. At right is Sue’s husband Chuck.
For Fred, Outpouring Of Praise, Thanks EMT Pioneer, Lemister Trained Hundreds; They Packed Reception To Wish Him Well By JIM KEVLIN COOPERSTOWN
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or decades, they had learned from him. ►BASSETT HOSPITAL’S proposed They had emulated 143-car employee parking lot him. They had admired him. was met with generally favorAnd Saturday, Jan. 25, hunable reviews at a public hear- dreds of EMTs from around ing during the Cooperstown Village Board on Monday, Jan. 27. ►OF monsters and men were announced as the second band in the newly revived Brewery Ommegang concert series on Friday, June 5. ►CAROL LEE WHEELER of Morris,who was mentored by as a Mary Kay consultant by the founder herself, died Saturday, Jan. 18.
Otsego County gathered to celebrate Fred Lemister and to thank him for his training prowess and for 48 years of service to the Cooperstown Emergency Squad, where he responded to a record 9,400 emergency calls. “No one’s going to surpass After he hailed colleagues as “Good Samarthose numbers,” said John the audience rose as one in a standPlease See LEMISTER, A7 itans,” ing ovation. Frank Capozza is at center.
Arson Trial Testimony Sorts Tangled Tale By LIBBY CUDMORE COOPERSTOWN
T
he morning of Dec. 29, 2018, fire was in front of Heather Engler’s apartment door at 5 Walling Ave., Oneonta. Her stepmother, Rochelle Engler, Libby Cudmore/The Freeman’s Journal told District Attorney John Muehl Gabriel Truitt and his legal team. that accused arsonist Gabriel
►FOR UPDATES of the Truitt arson-murder trial, check at noon and late afternoon at
AllOTSEGO.com
www.
Truitt had contacted her. “He messaged me on Facebook to say that Heather’s house was on fire,” she said. “I didn’t understand, so he called me. He Please See TRUITT, B2
artner in his father’s market, executive with a multinational food corporation, entrepreneur in his own marketresearch firm, town supervisor, county representative and, now, candidate for state Senate from the Otsego-County-centric 51st District. Grounded in Main Street Peter Oberacker and Wall Street, Peter Oberacker confirmed Tuesday, Jan. 28, that he will seek to carry forward the 34-year legacy of Please See OBERACKER, A7
OYA Seeks Acreage For Solar Farm Canadian Firm Sends Letters To Town Of Otego Residents By LIZZIE COOPER
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or the second time in a month, word is out that a solar energy company is hoping to site a project in Otsego County, although much smaller than Storke LLC’s 3,000- acre project that’s surfaced in West Laurens. In the new project, New York and Toronto-based OYA Solar has sent letters of inquiry to landowners in the Town of Otego whose land appears to fit the requirements. Please See SOLAR, B5
THE FREEMAN’S JOURNAL & HOMETOWN ONEONTA, OTSEGO COUNTY’S LARGEST PRINT CIRCULATION 2010 WINNERS OF The Otsego County Chamber/KEY BANK SMALL BUSINESS AWARD