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Parker Fish/The Freeman’s Journal
For 210 Years
AllOTSEGO.com
Cooperstown, New York, Thursday, April 5, 2018
Newsstand Price $1
BREAKTHROUGH ON SHERIFF’S SON County Board Voting On Devlin, Bliss Agreement
Challenger: Father Gave Ros Devlin Paid Vacation
By PARKER FISH
By PARKER FISH
COOPERSTOWN Ari Reardon, 3, Worcester, peeks from underneath his Easter egg helmet during the Lions Club’s Easter Celebration at the Tunnicliff Inn in Cooperstown Saturday, March 31/MORE
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COOPERSTOWN AND AROUND
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Volume 210, No. 14
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LOVE OF BUILDING BLOCKS HELPED VETERAN HOME/B1
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FOR RESULT of Wednesday, April 4, vote, visit
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ounty Sheriff Richard J. earing of the deal that may allow allegaAllOTSEGO.com Devlin Jr. has reached tions against suspended Correctional an agreement with the Officer Ros Devlin to be resolved, county board chairman that may end a 15-month county sheriff candidate Bob Fernandez is impasse over the suspension of the sheriff’s son, The Freeman’s Journal skeptical. Ros, from his corrections officer job. County Sheriff (and Ros’ father) Richard J. Ros Devlin, left, with his family at his Please See ACCORD, B7 father’s 2012 swearing-in. Please See CAMPAIGN, B7
PHOTOS, A3
Cameras Set Stage, Helped Solved Killing ONEONTA
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tsego County’s first slaying of 2017 – on New Year’s morning – happened in an Oneonta apartment with a surveillance camera in every room. The cameras helped put suspect Joshua Underwood, 25, in the victim’s room, and help convict the man, said District Attorney John Muehl. Underwood was sentenced Friday, March 30, to 20 years in jail. More details at
AllOTSEGO.com
www.
JOINS USGA: Josh Truman, Friends of Bassett executive director since 2014 and a scratch golfer, has joined the development department of the U.S. Golf Association in Far Hills, N.J. FAMILY LEGACY: The Tillapaugh family marked its 180th year of operating funeral homes on Wednesday, April 4. IN MEMORIAM: Revered Bassett physician Bruce Harris, 79, passed away Saturday, March 31/ SEE OBITUARY, B6
NYSEG’s President Vows Help
COOPERSTOWN’S NEW MAYOR TAKES OATH
Utility Retreats From Gas Pipeline Upgrade By JIM KEVLIN ONEONTA
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ince Jody Zakrevsky’s arrival as Otsego Now CEO last September, a Chinese company came looking to Taylor establish a manufacturing plant here. “We had proximity to an Interstate, water, sewer – but we could not meet their energy demands, either electrical or gas,” said Zakrevsky. “That not to say they would have come Please See NYSEG, A7
Jim Kevlin/The Freeman’s Journal
Ellen Tillapaugh Kuch is sworn in as Cooperstown’s mayor Monday, April 2, by Village Administrator Teri Barown. Husband Gary Kuch holds the Bible/DETAILS, A2
Husband-Wife Team ADVISE Molinaro
Casales’ One Customer: Candidate For Governor By LIBBY CUDMORE COOPERSTOWN
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t 5 years old, Vince Casale was already in politics. “I handed
out pens at the county fair for my father,” he said. “My entire childhood, my father was in a government office, either elected or appointed.” The years of experience are bearing fruit. Please See CASALE, A2
2 Priests Who Served In County Named In Report On Sex Abuse Lawyers Pressure Diocese On Fund For Victims By LIBBY CUDMORE
A Father Douglas
ttorney Jerry Kristal hopes that by exposing the names of all the priests in the Albany Diocese, the victims
can finally begin to heal. “We are trying to encourage survivors to come forward,” said the lawyer for Weitz & Luxenberg. “And we’re hoping that this will encourage the Albany Diocese to open compenPlease See PRIESTS, A7
THE FREEMAN’S JOURNAL & HOMETOWN ONEONTA, OTSEGO COUNTY’S LARGEST PRINT CIRCULATION 2010 WINNERS OF The Otsego County Chamber/KEY BANK SMALL BUSINESS AWARD