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RENOWN CATERER’S SWEETHEART KEEPS MEMORY ALIVE/B1
For 210 Years
AllOTSEGO.com
Volume 210, No. 47
Cooperstown, New York, Thursday, November 29, 2018
COOPERSTOWN AND AROUND
COUNTY REPS, SUPERVISORS MAY BENEFIT
Newsstand Price $1
Pay Hikes Considered By JIM KEVLIN COOPERSTOWN
W Ian Austin/The Freeman’s Journal
Joseph Hempstead, Springfield Center, is off on the Turkey Trot 5K run Thanksgiving Day in Oneonta, in 15-degree weather.
Carbon Monoxide Blamed For Death Of Bassett Guard
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n its four-year fight to block a natural gas line through southern Herkimer County, Otsego 2000 Monday, Nov. 26, took its case to the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals, a step short of the U.S. Supreme Court. The Cooperstown-based environmental group is challenging FERC’s mid-summer decision to allow Dominion Transmission’s New Market Project to proceed. For details and Otsego 2000’s brief, visit
AllOTSEGO.com
www.
IN THE RACE: MacGuire Benton, former chair of the Otsego County Young Democrats, said he plans to run for Cooperstown Village Board next March. Trustees Bruce Maxson, Richard Sternberg and Jeanne Dewey are up for reelection.
►EDITORIAL: County needs “best practices”; Gentile plan is “best practices”/SEE A5 similar Upstate counties. “M&C” stands for “management and confidential,” and includes
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LESSED
department heads. The proposed 2019 county budget also includes almost $3,000 raises for each of the 14 county representatives, from $10,500 to $13,400. The last county-rep raise, $259 a year, was approved in 2007 for the Please See RAISES, A7
SEASON
Patients Recall Wade Bostwick Fondly
Otsego 2000 Goes To D.C. In Gas Fight COOPERSTOWN
ith a calm public hearing behind it, the Otsego County Board of Repre-
sentatives appears to have an open field to approve sweeping pay hikes that, while costing $1/2 million, would raise its 104 “M&C” employees only to the average level of similar employees in 16
By LIBBY CUDMORE MILFORD
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hen Kerry Hall took her son, J.T., then 10, into Bassett Hospital, it was a struggle to get him to communicate with his doctors. “He was scared, Visitors to Bassett he wouldn’t let the doctors near him,” she recall Wade Bostwick manning said. “He was just sitting front door of Field- in a corner.” stone Building. But Wade Bostwick, veteran Bassett security guard, knew what to do. “He came in and sat on the floor with him and asked him about what he liked,” the mother said. “He brought him a stuffed animal and a Pepsi, and they chatted about video games and fishing. After Wade was able to bring him out of his shell, he Please See BOSTWICK, A3
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Village Clears Title, Muddied Since 1813, On ‘Phinney’s Field’ By PATRICK WAGER
ICE DUE: The perimeter COOPERSTOWN boards are up and the Badger Park rink is expected to be he ghost of Elihu ready for the skating public Phinney – or at at 1 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 2. least his estate – may finally be put MORE ON TREES: The to rest. Davey Resource Group will The Village Board at discuss Cooperstown’s trees its monthly meeting on at 7 p.m. Dec. 13, in a venue the 26th bought a 12-foot to be announced. strip of land that splits the driveway leading from Elm Street into Doubleday Field; 30-foot
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long, the strip extends into left field. According to Village Attorney Phinney Martin Tillapaugh, Doubleday Field – formerly Phinney’s cow pasture – was assembled in the 1930s from 39 different deed holders. Please See LAND, A7
Libby Cudmore/The Freeman’s Journal
hough the weather outside was frightful – minus 10 degrees! – crowds lined Cooperstown’s Main Street for a parade to help welcome Santa and Mrs. Claus, top photo, as they returned to their Pioneer Park home on Friday, Nov. 23. Santa will be in residence at his cottage every weekend through Dec. 24, hearing the Christmas wishes of good girls and boys like Charlie Ellsworth, 4½, Cooperstown, at left, who took a peek through the window of the cottage to see what wonders awaited him.
OTSEGO HILLS TOUGHENED DEWEY, RUSSELL
Cooperstown Pals Win One Of 10 Boston Marathon Wheelchair Spots By LIBBY CUDMORE COOPERSTOWN
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he Boston Marathon’s infamous “Heartbreak Hill” – a half-mile stretch just over the 20 mile mark – doesn’t worry Jacob Russell and Patrick Dewey one bit.
“Coming from Cooperstown, every hill is Heartbreak Hill,” said Russell. “We’ve done the Coop Loop and the Race The Lake half-marathon. We’re used to hills.” Russell, a senior at Harvard, and Dewey, a senior at Edinboro University, qualified for the 2019 Boston Marathon as a wheelchairracing team. “They have 10 spots for Please See PALS, 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