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Cooperstown, New York, Thursday, December 15, 2016
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‘Parking Crisis’ Over, Trustee Declares $420,000 In Revenues Most Of What’s There; Only ‘Tweaking’ Remains, Falk Says Village Trustee Cindy Falk lays out 2016 parking data, and later declared “parking crisis” over.
By JIM KEVLIN COOPERSTOWN
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wo years ago, Village Trustee Cindy Falk famously declared Cooperstown in a “parking crisis.” “Literally, anything we try to do as village government or a private entity within
the village, parking always comes up – and not in a positive way,” she declared on Sept. 19, 2014, in a follow-up interview after the particularly stressful trustee meeting in August. Tuesday, Dec. 13, she agreed, the “parking crisis” is probably over, at least for now. If the trustees’ meeting Please See PARKING, A3
Jim Kevlin/The Freeman’s Journal
Ex-Soldier Who Lost Farm Sues County For $5M
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ob Force, a veteran who lost the Gilbertsville farm where he intended to retire in the county’s 2014 tax sale, has sued the County of Otsego and officials for $5-15 million in federal court. The notice was read into the record at the county board’s December meeting on the 7th. For details, go to
AllOTSEGO.com
www.
The Freeman’s Journal
In the stables at The Farmers’ Museum during Candlelight Evening 2016 on Saturday, Dec. 10, the Rev. Dane Boston, rector, Christ Episcopal Church, Cooperstown, draws on the Gospels of Matthew and Luke to relate the Nativity story/MORE PHOTOS, B2
County Puts Conditions On Aid For Kiosk
CFA May Allow Redo Of Doubleday By 2019 CHRISTMAS BY THE CATALOGUE
COOPERSTOWN
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ounty representatives removed $4,000 from their 2017 budget for the kiosk in Pioneer Park until the Cooperstown Chamber of Commerce assures them it will be accessible to all tourism entities in the county. An official resolution will be required from the chamber assuring not just chamber members will be allowed to use the tourism venue. County Rep. Keith McCarty, R-East Springfield, raised the issue. DISTILLERIES DOUBLE:
On Dec. 13, the second anniversty of the Craft New York Act, Governor Cuomo announced the number of farm distilleries has nearly doubled to 107 since the law was implemented, with 50 new establishments in the past year. CANCER AID: Community
Bank President/CEO Mark Tryniski was in the city Friday, Dec. 9, delivering a $20,000 check to Fox Hospital, the last payment of a $100,000 commitment for a linear accelerator, a piece of equipment that can pinpoint treatment of cancer.
Second Funding Round Expected From Governor By JIM KEVLIN
Playboy brand pajamas were among the items in 20,000 catalogues sent to Otsego County homes during the department store’s heyday.
COOPERSTOWN
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$49,500 grant may seem small amid the $700 million in annual economic-development funding Governor Cuomo announced Thursday, Dec. Cuomo 8, at The Egg in Albany, but the local impact may be far greater than the modest sum. The part of the money dedicated to developing a marketing plan for Doubleday Please See CFAS, A7
By LIBBY CUDMORE
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amilies throughout Otsego and Delaware counties knew Christmas was coming when the Bresee’s catalogue arrived in the mail. “We sent out 20,000 of them every year in a 50-mile radius,” said Marc Bresee of Milford Center, whose family owned the Oneonta department store since 1899 through 1994. “We did inserts and flyers throughout the year, but that Christmas catalogue was our big one.” “We carried every single item that was in that catalogue, in our store,” said his wife, Elaine Bresee. “And every year we matched our shopping bags to that cover. If there were candy canes on the cover, there were candy canes on the bag.” Please See BRESEE’S, A6
Ian Austin/HOMETOWN ONEONTA
Elaine Bresee wears a coat that was listed in the family’s namesake catalogue, as husband Marc points out.
Oneonta Samaritan To Aid ‘Baby Hazel’ By LIBBY CUDMORE
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his Christmas, Amy Allen plans to give the gift of
life. “My husband Wayne and my step-kids Emmy and Connor were watch- Baby Hazel ing ‘American Ninja Warrior’ and this one man, Kenny Niemitalo, was competing to raise awareness for his baby girl, Please See HAZEL, A3
THE FREEMAN’S JOURNAL & HOMETOWN ONEONTA, OTSEGO COUNTY’S LARGEST PRINT CIRCULATION 2010 WINNERS OF The Otsego County Chamber/KEY BANK SMALL BUSINESS AWARD