Residents Rally for Richfield Springs Coach Cut from Softball Team; Administrators Silent
By ERIC SANTOMAURO-STENZEL
RICHFIELD
SPRINGS
Richfield Springs community members packed a school board meeting on Wednesday, April 15 to show support for a long-time coach who was let go from his girls’ softball team coaching position.
Coach Chris Butler told AllOtsego he has still been allowed to coach the boys’ modified baseball team, and engaged in coaching activities for that team since the softball decision was made.
“How come I’m, all of a sudden, a villain, you know? Nobody will say why I’m not allowed to be with the softball team. I can coach the boys modified [baseball team],” he said.
The Richfield Springs Central School District did not respond to multiple requests for comment for this story. AllOtsego was not able to independently verify the reason for the decision by press time, which remains an open question for many in the community.
Videos of public comments at the meeting posted by
Continued on page 11
Solstice Commons Site Plan Approved by Planning Commission
By ERIC SANTOMAURO-STENZEL ONEONTA
The City of Oneonta Planning Commission unanimously approved the site plan for Rehabilitative Support Services’ proposed Solstice Commons housing project at its meeting on April 15, held at the Foothills Performing Arts and Civic Center. The commission also declared that the project would not have a negative environmental impact. Now, RSS will move into a design process.
The resolution approving the site plan notes that the Solstice Commons project advances Planning Commission priorities enshrined in city code, including “the need to support the expansion of the local economy and need to increase housing opportunities and the need to protect the quality of existing districts.”
Wednesday, April 15.
Representing a “significant financial investment in the currently vacant property,” the resolution said Solstice Commons will offer affordable housing opportunities to local residents with supportive housing for those suffering from mental illness. It further states that the project conforms with
permitted uses for its zoning, and that sufficient steps are planned for protecting the overall district, in part with natural screening and placing parking away from other residential properties.
“Obviously, we are not starting construction tomorrow. There are many, many, many steps before that can happen,” RSS Director of Strategic
Partnerships Christine Nealon said in an interview. But the site plan approval “is a significant step toward completing this incredible opportunity for Oneonta, for Otsego County, and for all of its residents.”
The affordable housing project, located at 164 River Street, is planned to be three stories tall and contain about 61 units. Plans place the building on the northern 3.2-acre portion of the approximately 6.5-acre tax parcel, with a subdivision on the south side.
Around half of the units are planned to be available to individuals earning less than 70 percent of the Area Median Income and the other half for individuals with Serious Mental Illness, according to project documents. Plans include 41 one-bedroom units, 20 two-bedroom units, and 88 parking spaces.
According to 2020 census data, the City of Oneonta’s median household income in 2024 dollars is $61,111.00. Its poverty rate was 16.6 percent.
“I think the Planning Commission worked very hard” to be transparent, Nealon said. She added that
Old Goods Bringing New Life to Gilbertsville Shops
By TERESA WINCHESTER GILBERTSVILLE
Things are springing up in Gilbertsville, giving a welcomed boost to business life in the tranquil Butternut Valley village, home to 308 residents. Two endeavors dealing with antique, vintage or used goods will be opening their doors soon—Patina House and the Olde Stonehouse Emporium. Both promise to complement each other as well as the work that Five Kids Bakehouse has already done to establish a destination business for the area.
On the weekend of April 18 and 19, Jenna Haefelin and Craig Erigo were busy arranging their wares in a capacious store space of the Gilbert Block which has gone unoccupied for some three years. Haefelin and Erigo, who have a shared passion for
antiques, design, and giving beautiful old things a second life, have dubbed their new establishment Patina House because of their love for patina on vintage and antique items.
“It’s quick and simple and incorporates those concepts,” Haefelin said regarding the store’s name.
The store will offer antique and vintage furniture and décor, as well as custom lighting for light fixtures and possibly architectural salvage.
The couple live in Westchester, where they are restoring a barn built in the late 18th or early 19th century for their home. They discovered Gilbertsville and the Gilbert Block’s available space while visiting Erigo’s parents, Fran and Stella Erigo, who have lived in Gilbertsville since 2016.
The Gilbert Block itself is a Neo-Tudor-
Continued
Photo by Teresa Winchester
Craig Erigo and Jenna Haefelin, with their cockapoo Maple, in their recently-leased Gilbert Block store space on Commercial Street in Gilbertsville. Their shop, Patina, will be opening soon.
on page 11
Photo by Eric Santomauro-Stenzel
Betsy Brugg, an attorney with Woods Oviatt Gilman representing Rehabilitative Support Services in their Solstice Commons affordable housing proposal, addresses City of Oneonta Planning Commission members prior to environmental and site plan votes on
Springbrook Marks Autism Acceptance Month with Training, Advocacy
By HANNA TADESSE
SUNY Institute for Local News
COUNTY
OTSEGO
April marks World Autism Acceptance Month, an international observance dedicated to promoting understanding, inclusion, and meaningful support for neurodiversity and people on the autism spectrum. In Otsego County and across the region, Springbrook, the nonprofit organization serving individuals with developmental disabilities, is recognizing the
month through education, advocacy and programming that emphasizes acceptance in action.
Springbrook, which has supported local individuals and families for more than a century, provides a wide range of services, including education, residential programs, employment supports, and family engagement opportunities. During Autism Acceptance Month, the organization is highlighting approaches that honor neurodiversity and encourage inclusive communities both on and off its multiple campuses.
Assistant Director
of Marketing and Public Relations Tristan Pokorny said Springbrook’s focus goes beyond simply raising awareness to creating an environment of respect and understanding.
“At Springbrook, autism acceptance means moving beyond awareness and into action by creating environments where people are valued for who they are, supported in how they communicate, and included in every aspect of life.”
Pokorny added, “Communication may look different whether through an eye gaze, gestures, assistive technology, or behavior, but every form is meaningful and deserves to be understood.”
One recent initiative took place at The School at Springbrook in Oneonta, where staff participated in a professional development training aimed at deepening their understanding of neurodiversity and inclusive practices. The training was led by SUNY Empire State University Assistant Professor Dr. Lauren Lestremau Allen in collaboration with SUNY Empire’s Center for Autism Advocacy.
According to Pokorny, the session encouraged participants to “explore disability as a form of diversity” and reflect on the importance of respectful language and inclusive learning environments.
In a lengthy Facebook
post on Springbrook’s official social media page, Executive Director of Springbook Schools Traci Lanner stated, “This was a great training for the school on inclusion and respectful language.”
Springbrook’s Autism Acceptance Month observances will continue through several April activities at the school. Promoted widely on social media, the school participated in “Light Up Gold” national observances on Thursday, April 2, a visual show of support where the community was encouraged to wear gold “in support of acceptance, inclusion, and advocacy.”
Pokorny said that on Friday, April 24, students and staff will also wear shirts featuring positive messages to promote autism awareness.
Pokorny emphasized that recognizing behavior as a form of communication is central to Springbrook’s mission and to supporting individuals with autism in meaningful ways.
“There is no one-sizefits-all approach because true support is personalized, thoughtful and rooted in respect,” she explained.
In addition to oncampus programming, Springbrook is using social media platforms and online blogs throughout April to share stories, accomplishments, and personal perspectives from the people it supports. The organization’s messaging aligns with the broader goals of World Autism
Acceptance Month, which encourage communities to move beyond awareness toward inclusion, opportunity and belonging.
Returning to the theme of autism acceptance, Pokorny said, “Acceptance also means recognizing that behavior is communication, honoring each person’s unique strengths and needs, and creating sensory-considerate spaces where individuals can feel safe and supported.
World Autism Acceptance Month is recognized globally each April, beginning with World Autism Awareness Day on April 2. Local organizations like Springbrook and national groups such as Autism Speaks and the Autism Society use the month to encourage education, advocacy, and community engagement that supports autistic individuals across the lifespan.
This story was created by student reporters through the OnNY Community Media Lab, a program of SUNY Oneonta and the SUNY Institute for Local News.
“Most importantly, acceptance means creating opportunities, strengthening connections and ensuring every person has the chance to thrive,” Pokorny concluded.
Garden, Journal Workshop Set
ONEONTA—Otsego Master Gardener Volunteers will host a garden and nature journal workshop with writer, gardener and naturalist Gert Coleman on Sunday, April 25. It will take place at the Rowe House, 31 Maple Street in Oneonta, from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday, April 25. Space is limited and registration is required by Thursday, April 23 at cceschoharieotsego.org/events.
Photo provided
Springbrook has been observing World Autism Acceptance Month with countywide programming.
Portelli’s NY-19 Candidacy At Risk After BOE Petition Review
Longshot Candidate Makes Flurry of Accusations
By ERIC SANTOMAURO-STENZEL
CHERRY
VALLEY
Alexander Portelli may not appear on the June Republican primary ballot for New York’s 19th Congressional District. Pending further hearings, the New York State Board of Elections has found enough invalid ballot petition signatures to prevent him from meeting the 1,250 signature threshold.
The longshot candidate is hoping to beat state Senator Peter Oberacker to face incumbent Representative Josh Riley, a Democrat, in November. Allegations of fraud from a Valatie, New York resident, Olivia Clemente, have also threatened his plans. Portelli denies the accusations. Staff at the NYSBOE invalidated 387 of Portelli’s 1,609 signatures following Clemente’s objections.
State law requires that the NYSBOE finalize the ballot by April 29. Hearings for candidate petitions are being held this week, with NYSBOE commissioners making final determinations next week.
Unless Portelli is able to restore enough signatures to make up the gap, he will not be eligible to appear on the ballot.
On April 9, Clemente filed a general objection, the first step before detailing specific complaints. In response, Portelli claimed on Facebook that “The seditious Governor Kathy Hochul will use her minions to do all she can to stop this campaign, but we are ready to fight them to get this message to go to the voters.”
Portelli’s post included a photo first posted to social media last October by the Downtown Troy Business Improvement District–where Clemente is executive director–of Clemente and Gov. Hochul at a local business. The caption for the organization’s post thanks Hochul for supporting the City of Troy’s downtown.
Asked by AllOtsego whether he had any further evidence that Hochul was behind the petition challenge, Portelli replied that he did not know who Clemente was and he “couldn’t say it was done on behalf of Hochul.” Asked why he would make the post then, Portelli wrote, “Ya I should clarify” and that he would make a new post.
Portelli’s new April 10 post, without naming Clemente, alleged that she was filing objections “on behalf of the Republican establishment, as they are
.dining&entertainment
upset that we have to have a primary, like usual” and criticized the petitioning process as unnecessarily arduous. He said he originally concluded Hochul was involved because his campaign frequently criticizes her. While people have a right to file objections, Portelli wrote, the “notion that a person who chooses to interject themselves in a public election, and file legal paperwork that have ramifications in that election, is somehow immune from criticism for those actions, is ridiculous.”
The old post remains up, with more than 1,500 reactions and nearly 900 shares as of press time.
A text exchange between Columbia County radio host Jeff Yeh and Portelli, which Yeh posted on
Continued on page 9
Spring 2026 Concert “New Variations on America”
Andrew Pease and Amy Hoxie Conductors
Featuring:
Charles Ives's Variations on "America", American Overture, George Washington Bridge, Michael Markowski's Brooklyn Air, 76 Trombones, Fanfare Politeia, Of Our New Day Begun, Elegy for the U.S.S. Arizona and others
Foothills Performing Arts and Civic Center, Oneonta Sunday, April 26, 3 p.m. Free and Open to the Public (Donations Gratefully Accepted) For More Information visit: https://www.catskillvalleywindensemble.org
administered
Perspectives
Art, Artifice and Advertising
On October 10, 2024, AllOtsego published an editorial titled “The Extravagance of AI,” in which we explored some of the benefits of artificial intelligence, but also the ways in which the increasing use of AI is negatively impacting our energy and environmental resources.
At the time, we wrote that, ChatGPT, “along with its recently conceived competitors at Google, Amazon, and Meta, is now on the leading edge of a fast-growing market, solving problems in a variety of fields from automotive to climate to research and education, with many interested companies and organizations using it for their own benefit and, it follows, their own financial success. Indeed, ChatGPT holds a massive corpus of high-quality text data—in the range of hundreds of billions of words—that allows it to generate coherent responses to a wide range of topics and in a wide range of languages and styles.”
According to a January 2025 article by Adam Zewe in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s “MIT News,” AI energy usage presents a paradox, enabling significant sustainability advancements while creating massive demand for electricity and water. In summation, Zewe explained that the benefits of AI energy use include optimizing energy grids, driving efficiency in transport, and accelerating climate research. Conversely, negative impacts include massive carbon emissions from data centers, high water consumption for cooling, and strain on power grids.
There is no doubt there are advantages to AI, including advanced data analysis, increased productivity and efficiency, the use of AI-powered robots in hazardous environments, enhanced fraud detection, earlier disease detection and reduction of human error. At the same time, in addition to the massive amounts of energy and fresh water AI requires, the cost of implementation in general is high, people are displaced by automation and there are ethical concerns, among other drawbacks.
On Facebook these past few weeks, folks have been expressing their dismay at the growing use of AI to generate promotional materials for businesses, nonprofits, and local governments—fliers, social media posts, newspaper advertisements and the like—their concern being for the many artists and graphic designers whose work AI may be replacing.
This very dilemma was heralded in a piece written by Sachin Waikar in May 2025 for the Stanford Graduate School of Business. The article, titled “When AI-Generated Art Enters the Market, Consumers Win—and Artists Lose,” examines how the introduction of generative AI to a popular image platform boosted sales while squeezing out human creators.
Waikar wrote, “The results were striking: Once generative AI (GenAI) entered the market, the total number of images for sale skyrocketed, while the number of humangenerated images fell dramatically. On the flip side, consumers showed a taste for the influx of AI-generated images, choosing GenAI images over human-generated ones.”
The news was not all bad. Waikar reports that total sales for the platform rose by 39 percent after AI images arrived, but purchases of non-AI images dropped. But Samuel Goldberg, an assistant professor of marketing at Stanford Graduate School of Business said, “We as a society believe that art created by humans is somehow better than art created by machines,” Goldberg notes. “So one question you might ask is whether we’re at risk of these markets being completely dominated by generative AI, squeezing humans out. That’s a real policy concern.”
But we digress. What we see happening is consumers opting to use AI to create their own promotional materials, and we think what it all boils down to is money. Money and convenience. Just as Facebook and social media have changed the evolution of news consumption and caused a shift in advertising spend that has negatively impacted newspaper revenue, our artists and graphic designers are now feeling the pinch. Believe us when we say we know it hurts. But railing against and shaming our business community, our charitable organizations and our neighbors for taking advantage of an affordable tool now readily available to them is not the answer. We recognize the temptation, and we applaud the defense of our artists, but we doubt AI is going away any time soon (nor is social media) and we need to come to terms with this.
As of now, there are no rules or regulations for AI. We hope this will change, for a variety of very good reasons. In the meantime, we have confidence that our tremendously talented creative community will meet this challenge head on successfully and will continue to move forward in spite of the changing times. After all, we are.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR POLICY
“The Freeman’s Journal” welcomes letters to the editor that reflect the writer’s thoughts on an article or other item appearing in the paper, or on topics of general local interest. They must include the writer’s name, address, e-mail and telephone/mobile number; the opinions expressed must be the writer’s own. Hostile, offensive, factually incorrect or excessively inflammatory content will not be published. Maximum length is 300 words; however, the editors reserve the right to accept, reject or edit letters for clarity and space. Please send letters to: info@allotsego.com.
Counsel Jill Ann Poulson
MBuilding Memories
y son Jonathan called me the other night to tell me that he missed the old house in Brooklyn. He had lived there his whole life as I did mine— except for the Army, and my longest winter in Richfield Springs. I told him that I missed the house, too, and described my last days there. We had sold to a builder, so I knew the old Victorian was going to be demolished. In the meantime, we rented a one-room studio apartment only a block from the school where my wife Alice was finishing up her last year as a teacher. Both our kids were away working or at school. All of the furniture had been moved into the studio or up to the recently purchased farm, but I was still holding out at the house, sleeping on a mattress on the floor and using cardboard boxes to replace tables and such. Alice stayed at the apartment but old Rufus, our yellow lab, was an outside dog all his life and I didn’t think he’d do well in the confines of our temporary digs, so I stayed at the house for as long as I could. It was late December, a few days before the closing date, when I had the gas, electric and telephone turned off. The main water valve, I could close myself.
“Dad,” my son continued. “Do you remember when we’d get home from being away in
Richfield all summer? I had this ritual of checking out all the security measures you had made before we left, the bar across the front door, the timers, the note to a potential crook on our most vulnerable window, Make My Day!”
“I remember,” I said.
“I was always relieved to find that no one had violated our space.”
“Yeah, we were lucky.”
“Dad, this morning I woke up thinking about that and it made me very sad to think that the house was dead, all the living that we did there was gone.”
“It’s not gone, Jonathan. We’ll always carry the memories with us. I can see every nook and cranny in the house. I can walk through each room. It’s all in my mind,” I said.
“Me too. But, when you were telling me about your last days there and you were cutting off the gas and electric, the house that we had so many Christmases in was dying. It was being taken off life support.
“That’s very perceptive. I never thought of it that way,” I said.
“Now it’s gone and I just feel like I’m floating, not connected.”
“Now, home base is the farm,” I said. We’ll make new memories here. We already have. Your sister’s wedding!
Continued on page 9
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR … In THEIR OPInIOn
Kudos for ‘Citizen Science’ Column
I applaud you all at Iron String Press for continuing your column series “Citizen Science.” I have greatly appreciated the insights of Jamie Zvirzdin these last three years, and now look forward to more from Roberta McLain and the other two writers taking up the baton for the next months and years. As Isaac Asimov wrote in his 1970 review of “Geology of the Moon,” “There is a single light of science, and to brighten it anywhere is to brighten it everywhere.”
The Earth’s average temperature from 2023-2025 exceeded 1.5 °C above preindustrial temperatures (the “orange line” limit of the Paris climate accords), and carbon dioxide in our atmosphere surged past 430 parts per million (up from 280 ppm in 1750 and 325 ppm in 1970). It’s important for us to ponder that if we keep doing what we’re doing to this natural world, our children and grandchildren are as good as cooked. Helping us all understand how this works is a major public service, so thank you for offering great
science writing to readers of “The Freeman’s Journal!” Building from the column’s header, I also want to applaud the many citizen scientists who volunteer all over Otsego County: teams monitoring stream water quality, culvert integrity, invasive species spread, natural species decline, trail maintenance, and more. (Here’s a shout out to my Red Creek monitoring partner, Morgan Freehafer.) Folks who want to learn more about—and better yet, join— these efforts should contact the Otsego County Conservation Association at occainfo.org Happy Earth Day, everyone!
Ron Bishop Cooperstown
What Yale Study Isn’t Telling You
Yale University, from whence such local luminaries as Rhyming Waldo Johnston and Helpful Harry Levine came, has just finished a comprehensive analysis of how colleges are in part to blame for the current crisis in higher education (https://www.nytimes. com/2026/04/15/us/yalereport-colleges-unversities-
trust.html?smid=em-share). What the report evidently did not address was one fundamental flaw in the business model of large universities.
Studies have shown that, on average, the most productive college educations come from smaller schools—with better teacher/pupil ratios—such as our local Hartwick College, Hamilton College and Colgate University.
The dirty, not-so-secret business model of large universities is that they use grad students as teaching assistants (TAs) to class sections of a much larger lecture hall class. So if you take Geology 101 (aka “Rocks for Jocks”) from Professor Famouso, you go to a lecture hall once a week with a full professor, then go to a small section class taught by a grad student that can barely speak English and is constantly looking for the white-board eraser.
This TA is getting paid minimum wage, so this is a profit center for the university. If you took a chemistry class at SUNY Oneonta, you would get a professor—like Ron Bishop who, I would argue, Continued on page 11
Columnists and Contributing Writers
Bill Bellen, Terry Berkson, Monica Calzolari, Rachel Frick Cardelle, Richard deRosa, Caspar Ewig, Maria Griswold, Chris Kjolhede, Larry Malone, Cassandra Miller, Wriley Nelson, Tom Shelby, Gayane Torosyan, Teresa Winchester, Jamie Zvirzdin
Photo provided
The former Brooklyn home of generations of Berksons.
by Tom HeiTz/SHARoN STUART
160 YEARS AGO
Public Health—The Cholera having made its appearance in this country, the public authorities of New York and other cities are taking energetic measures for checking the spread of the disease. It may not be confined to the large towns or villages, but will be very likely to make its appearance, to some extent, in the rural districts. Therefore, each family is interested in seeing that there remains no inviting cause on their premises, which can be easily removed. The main point is to secure cleanly premises and a pure atmosphere. The free use of lime in cellars, out-houses, sinks, etc., is recommended. It is presumed our Village Trustees will take prompt measures to prevent a further accumulation of filth and decaying matter in the old Eagle Tavern cellar, and one or two other places on the corporation, which already give out offensive odors.
April 20, 1866
135 YEARS AGO
Local News—Dr. Bassett was brought to his home in this village from Oneonta last Wednesday. The doctor had a long and tedious sickness in Oneonta, and his friends are pleased that he has so far recovered as to come home, but regret that he is able to sit up only a part of the day.
Destructive Fire—About half past five o’clock Monday afternoon, the fire bell sounded an alarm, and soon a large volume of smoke was seen arising from a building near the railroad track southwest of the point where it crosses Chestnut Street. It was the storehouse belonging to Austin, Bolton & Bonner, in which were stored between 400 and 500 bales of fine cotton belonging to Mr. Freylinghuysen, proprietor of the knitting mills at the Phoenix, about 50 tons of hay belonging to D.J. McGown and E.A. Potter, 8 tons of straw belonging to Theo. Taylor and a small quantity of coal and salt. Mr. Freylinghuysen’s loss was about $25,000, fully insured. Austin, Bolton & Bonner’s loss on the building, $1,800; insured for $1,000; loss on stock about $400 but no insurance on that; loss on hay $400, no insurance; loss on straw, $100, no insurance. The fire’s origin was found to be a bonfire kindled by some children for their own amusement under a shed adjoining the storehouse.
April 23, 1891
110 YEARS AGO
In Our Town—Mr. and Mrs. Stephen C. Clark have taken a house at Southhampton on Long Island for the summer. Mr. and Mrs. Clark will not open Fernleigh, their farm at Cooperstown this season. Mr. and Mrs. F. Ambrose Clark have leased Ridgely Hall at Aiken, South Carolina for next season.
The local post office was required during the first 15 days of April to keep an accurate count of the parcel post mail matter handled. There were 2,879 incoming parcels, of which 2,130 were delivered in the village, the remaining 749 going out on the rural routes. The total number of parcels dispatched from the local office during the same period was 1,000.
April 19, 1916
35 YEARS AGO
John and Chris Gambino mortgaged their Burlington Flats farm last year to branch into the tourist business. The Gambinos didn’t want to keep all their eggs in one basket so to speak – their hog raising operation. So they diversified using the pig farm as a drawing card. They now operate a bed and breakfast, country gift shop and offer tours of their “working farm” three times daily in the summer.
April 24, 1991
20 YEARS AGO
Clara Welch Thanksgiving Home Notes – Monday we decorated the living room for the birthday party. We celebrated many birthdays, with four residents and eight staff members having birthdays in April. There was a chocolate cake made by Darcey Schilling with ice cream and punch with it.
April 21, 2006
The
WQuiet,
Essential Work of Family Planning
hen people hear “family planning,” they often picture a narrow slice of what reproductive healthcare actually looks like. The reality at Family Planning of South Central New York is something much broader, and for thousands of people across the five-county region, something they couldn’t do without.
At its core, the work centers on meeting a wide range of reproductive medical needs. At FamPlan’s six medical centers, in Oneonta, Norwich, Sidney, Walton, Binghamton, and Cortland, services include annual exams, birth control, cancer screenings, STI testing and treatment, HIV prevention, and more. Last year, nearly 5,500 individuals received that care. Another 5,074 adolescents participated in comprehensive sexual health education programs, the kind that are often inconsistent or unavailable in schools.
practitioner this way: “She was very knowledgeable. She took the time to explain my options and educate me. She was compassionate and an amazing listener. She made me feel comfortable during a vulnerable and scary time.”
People come here for all kinds of reasons. Some have lost their insurance. Some can’t keep up with rising copays at other providers. Some are navigating a health concern they’re not sure how to talk about anywhere else. Many come simply because they know they won’t be judged here— that whatever they’re dealing with, someone will take the time to actually listen.
That last part matters more than it might seem. One patient described her experience with a nurse
By MERL REAGLE
That kind of care is the standard Family Planning of South Central New York holds itself to every day.
Here, at Family Planning of South Central New York, the care someone receives doesn’t depend on their income, insurance coverage, or immigration status. That’s the work. Quiet, consistent and needed more than people may realize.
Debra Marcus is the chief executive officer for Family Planning of South Central New York.
And Now a Word from Alcatraz
Graphic provided
Famplan’s six medical centers are located in Oneonta, Norwich, Sidney, Walton, Binghamton and Cortland.
Benefit Concert Is Sunday
VAN HORNESVILLE–This Sunday, April 26 at 4 p.m., the Van Hornesville Community Corporation will host a community benefit concert at the Millpond Community Center on State Route 80. The group “Relative Harmony” will perform genres including blues, jazz and country. Admission is free, and refreshments will be served at intermission. Attendees are encouraged to donate to support the Millpond Community Center.
Subdivision at a Standstill
OTSEGO COUNTY—A proposal for subdividing around 1,500 acres of property in the towns of Otsego and Springfield has not had significant developments since last fall, Springfield Planning Board Chair Henry Miller told AllOtsego on April 20. Initial proposals would have created 111 buildable lots ranging from 4.2 acres to 60 acres on the property owned by Fraydun Manocherian, AllOtsego previously reported. Public meetings on the issue drew large crowds and the interest of several local nonprofits in August and September of 2025. Miller said no formal application has yet been submitted to his planning board.
NY Gas Down Two Cents
UTICA—The average price of gasoline in New York State fell by two cents to $4.10 over the week ending Monday, April 20, AAA Northeast announced. Oil prices fell about 10 percent by the end of the day on Friday after Iran announced it would reopen the Strait of Hormuz to tankers, and renewed talk of peace feelers drove West Texas Intermediate crude below $90.00 a barrel. However, uncertainty and renewed escalation took crude oil prices back up five percent over the weekend. Domestic inventories of both crude and gasoline tightened as demand increased and exports to parts of the world more directly impacted by the oil war surged. Gasoline stockpiles fell by more than 6.3 million barrels in the ninth straight week of decline as demand climbed by half a million barrels per day to 9.09 million. Total U.S. exports of oil, gasoline and diesel rose by over 1 million barrels per day to 12.75 million, beating the previous record from the 1991 Gulf War by nearly 600,000 bpd. New York’s average price of gas is 33 cents higher than last month and $1.01 higher than this week last year. To view the full report, visit gasprices.aaa.com.
CAA Offering Scholarships
COOPERSTOWN—The Cooperstown Art Association’s annual art scholarship prize is open to submissions through 4 p.m. on Friday, June 5. Up to $2,000.00 in awards is available to students who will graduate from any Clark Scholarshipeligible school district in 2026 and pursue art at the collegiate level. Eligible districts include Cherry Valley-Springfield, Cooperstown, Edmeston, Gilbertsville-Mount Upton, Laurens, Milford, Milford BOCES, Morris, Mount Markham, Owen D. Young, Richfield Springs, Schenevus and Worcester, and homeschooled students residing in those districts. Students may submit their application and a portfolio of five pieces at cooperstownart. com/art-scholarship.html.
Survivors Day Lunch Slated
COOPERSTOWN—Bassett Cancer Institute’s annual Survivors Day Luncheon will be held at Fenimore Farm and Country Village from 1:303:30 p.m. on Sunday, June 7. It is free to anyone who has received a cancer diagnosis, plus one guest. Registration is open through May 29 and is required for all attendees, as seats fill fast. Call 1800-BASSETT or visit bassett.org/cancer-care to learn more.
Conductor Voting Opens
ONEONTA—The Catskill Symphony Orchestra’s 2026 Wendy Brown Cabaret Fundraiser will be an evening of George Gershwin music performed at SUNY Oneonta’s Hunt Union Ballroom at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 9. A reception with a cash bar, hors d’oeuvres and a silent auction will begin at 6 p.m. The cabaret is included in 2025-26 season subscriptions; subscribers will receive a direct RSVP email. Tickets for individuals or tables of 10 are available at catskillsymphonyorchestra. org/cabaret26.
The evening’s grand finale will be “Stars and Stripes Forever” conducted by the winner of the annual Guest Conductor Competition. Votes are available for a $1.00 donation and voting is open until the end of intermission at the cabaret. The candidates are David Rowley, Ramona Wenck and Gary Kuch. To cast a vote, visit the CSO GiveButter website or mail a check to PO Box 14 Oneonta, NY 13820. ‘Plants, Etc.’ Sale Announced
FRANKLIN—The Franklin Improvement Society will host a “Plants, Etc. Sale” at the farmers’ market, 25 Institute Street in Franklin, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday, May 24. Donations of perennials, annuals, houseplants, trees, shrubs, seeds and seedlings, gardening books, tools and supplies, containers, or decor may be dropped off between 8:30-10 a.m. on the morning of the sale. Alternative drop-off arrangements may be made by contacting franklinisny@gmail.com. Proceeds
will support planting and maintenance in Franklin Memorial Park, the Edible Walking Trail and other Improvement Society projects.
ADK Club Announces Hikes
ONEONTA—The Susquehanna Chapter of the Adirondack Mountain Club will hold its monthly meeting and potluck dinner at the Elm Park United Methodist Church, 401 Chestnut Street, at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, May 20. The business meeting and a presentation titled “A Treasure in Our Valley” will begin at 7 p.m. Upcoming Tuesday hikes will be held at Susquehanna Greenway in Oneonta on May 5, Homer Forks Forest in Oneonta on May 12, Bulldog Run Loop in Delhi on May 19 and Pine Lake in Davenport on May 26. For meeting time and place, call or text the Hike Line at (607) 4318010. All-day Saturday hikes will run from Pine Lake to Robert V. Riddell State Park on May 2 and at Pharsalia Woods State Forest in Chenango County on May 16. Pre-registration for Saturday hikes is required at susqadk.org.
Study Highlights Tick Control
STATE COLLEGE, PA—A new study by researchers at Penn State and other institutions has cast doubt on traditional tick-control methods, particularly mowing and leaf removal. Tick spraying, deer fencing and tick tubes emerged as the most effect practices; pesticides reduce nymph populations by nearly 94 percent while deer fencing reduced them by 84 percent. Tick tubes may be an easy and effective solution, especially next to stone walls, where tick densities can be nearly triple their value elsewhere. To view the full report, visit https://link. springer.com/article/10.1186/s12879-025-11183-z.
Church Seeks Craft Vendors
RICHFIELD SPRINGS—The Church of Christ Uniting seeks craft vendors for two popular annual fairs. The 45th Annual Friendship Craft Festival will be held in Spring Park on Saturday, June 13 and the 6th Annual Fall Craft Fair will be at 587 Cullen Road on Saturday, October 3. For more information or application materials, contact friendshipcraftfestival@yahoo.com or fallcraftfair@yahoo.com, respectively.
Growing Workshops Planned
GILBERTSVILLE—The Butternut Valley Grange and Gilbertsville Baptist Church will cosponsor three “Come Grow with Us” workshops as part of the nationwide Grange “Garden to Table” Rural Life Initiative for Sustainable and Modern Agriculture Outreach. The first session, held at the church from 1-3 p.m. on Saturday, May 2, will cover soil testing, growing techniques and containers, with seeds and plants provided. There will be a harvesting workshop at the Grange Hall, 7 Bloom Street, from 1-3 p.m. on Saturday, July 18. A Harvest Dinner featuring food grown in the program will be held at the Grange Hall on Saturday, August 22. All sessions are free, but registration should be made by Friday, April 24. Call (607) 764-8720, (607) 783-2409 or (607) 386-2701 for more information or to sign up.
Contradance Set for May 1st
COOPERSTOWN—Otsego Dance Society’s next contradance will be held at the First Presbyterian Church of Cooperstown on Friday, May 1. There will be live music by Miss Marty and her Smokin’ Good Band and calling by Binghamton Community Dance founder Hilton Baxter. There will be a brief instructional session for beginners at 7:15 p.m. and dancing runs from 7:30-10:30. Light refreshments will be served halfway through. There is a suggested donation of $10.00 for adults and $5.00 for children over 12, with a maximum of $25.00 per family. For more information, visit otsegodancesociety.weebly.com.
Gallery Opens Two Exhibits
ONEONTA—SUNY Oneonta opened “Change is the Only Constant,” a student show by Tessa DeLisio, Anjali Malcomson and Sidney Rabeck, in the Project Space Gallery, to be displayed through May 9. “1000 Cranes,” a group exhibition inspired by the work of Sadako Sasaki, a victim of the Hiroshima bombing who died in 1955 at the age of 12, will be open in the Fine Arts Building hallway through May 31. The galleries are open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday. Visitors may obtain parking passes from the University Police Department.
Hewitt Withdraws from Race
ULSTER COUNTY—Ulster County Legislator Chris Hewitt announced his withdrawal from the race for New York’s 51st State Senate district on Wednesday, April 15, throwing his support behind Delhi’s Michele Frazier. Frazier, a former Oneonta Common Councilmember, is now unopposed in the June 23 Democratic primary for the seat vacated by Peter Oberacker (R-Schenevus), who is running for US Congress. Frazier will face either Assemblyman Chris Tague or Sullivan County Legislator Terry Bernardo in the November election.
“I’m proud of the campaign we ran and deeply grateful to everyone who donated to the effort, helped us gather signatures, share our message and talk with voters across District 51,” Hewitt
said in a release. “People want practical solutions, honest leadership and a government that understands what working families are going through…I respect Michele and believe she is a strong candidate for this seat. I will do what I can to support her campaign and help ensure this district has a serious, values-driven voice in the State Senate.”
SHIFT Fair Is This Weekend
ONEONTA—The SHIFT New York Holistic Living and Psychic Fair will be held at FoxCare Center from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, April 25 and 26. There will be more than 20 psychic readers and energy healers from across the Northeast, as well as a variety of vendors and workshops on topics from tarot cards to guided meditation. Admission is $10.00 for one day or $15.00 for the weekend. The Institute for Spiritual Development, 297 River Street Service Road, will hold a gathering of mediums at 7 p.m. on Saturday.
Juried Shows Open for Entries
COOPERSTOWN—Cooperstown Art Association’s much-anticipated 35th Regional and 91st National Juried Art Exhibitions will be on display from May 16 to June 25 and from July 11 to August 14, respectively. The regional show is open to all New York artists, offers $2,400.00 in prizes, and will accept in-person submissions from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, May 8-9. The National Exhibition has $3,100.00 in prizes. All entries must be submitted online by Thursday, May 15. For more information or to view a prospectus, visit cooperstownart.com.
Plant Sale Set for May 2nd
COBLESKILL—Cornell Cooperative Extension’s Schoharie Master Gardener Volunteers will hold their annual Plant Sale in conjunction with the SUNY Cobleskill Plant Sale from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, May 2. It will take place at CANR Greenhouse, 114 Rockland Lane in Cobleskill. Cash or checks are preferred but credit cards are accepted. For more information, visit cceschoharieotsego.org.
Broadband Meeting To Be Held
MILFORD—Otsego County and the Mohawk Valley Economic Development District will hold a public meeting to review key findings, maps and projects for the Broadband Technical Assistance Project from 4-6 p.m. on Tuesday, April 28. It will take place in the auditorium at Milford Central School, 42 W. Main Street. All members of the public are invited to attend and provide feedback.
CFM Vouchers Available
COOPERSTOWN—Clients of the Cooperstown Food Pantry, which serves all of Otsego County, are now eligible for $30.00 monthly vouchers to buy fresh produce, meat, eggs and other SNAPeligible food at the Cooperstown Farmers’ Market. The program is funded by $20,000.00 from the Community Foundation for South Central New York’s Chobani Community Impact Fund. Started in 2017, the voucher program was recently included to cover all SNAP-eligible food. In a release, Otsego 2000 Executive Director Ellen Pope said that food access initiatives at the farmers’ market, run by Otsego 2000, provided more than $55,000.00 in support to families in need in 2025. In addition to the food pantry vouchers, the market also accepts SNAP, the Cooperstown Lions Club’s SNAP Match and Double Up Food Bucks. It is located at 101 Main Street in Pioneer Alley and is open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays year-round.
Fest Moves to SUNY Campus
ONEONTA—Otsego County Conservation Association’s annual Earth Festival will be held at SUNY Oneonta’s Chase Gymnasium from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, May 9. A Drive-Through Drop-Off recycling event will run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and Cooperstown Repair Café will be available to help restore broken items. Volunteer shifts are available by contacting volunteer@occainfo. org. A planetarium show will run at 11 a.m., noon, 1 p.m. and 2 p.m., with $4.00 tickets available online ahead of time or at the door.
OCCA will host Delaware-Otsego Audubon Society Co-President Becky Gretton for a birding walk at Springfield’s Mohican Farm, 7207 State Route 80, from 7-9:30 a.m. on Saturday, May 2.
State Funds Youth Fairgoers
ALBANY—The New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets awarded $475,000.00 in total funding to 22 organizations statewide for its 2026 Transportation for Youth to Local and County Fairs program. Now in its second year, the program offers assistance to bring youth groups to local and county fairs. Local awards included $25,000.00 each for the Cornell Cooperative Extensions of Madison, Cortland and Oneida Counties and for the Albany, Schenectady, Greene Counties Agricultural and Historical Society. A full list of supported projects may be found at agriculture.ny.gov/system/files/documents/2026/04/ projectdescriptions_rfp0385_transportationforyouthtocountyandlocalfairs.pdf. In addition to The Great New York State Fair, the state is home to more than 50 local and county fairs that draw a combined 3.7 million visitors between July and mid-September.
Competition Engages Community in Addressing Food Insecurity
By MONICA CALZOLARI
ONEONTA
For the 15th year, SUNY
Oneonta’s Center for Volunteerism and Community Engagement organized multiple community participants in Canstruction, an international not-for-profit organization that alleviates hunger through CanArt®
On Saturday, April 18, 10 local teams assembled their structures made of cans, water bottles and Chobani yogurt containers inside Southside Mall. Their artistic creations will be on display until Sunday, April 26, before being donated to local food pantries throughout Otsego County.
At 4 p.m. on April 18, Francis Carter, interim director of SUNY Oneonta’s CVCE, announced the winners of trophies which were awarded to four of the 10 participating teams.
The “Most Cans” award went to the Rotary structure, comprised of a total of 2,394 cans which were arranged to show Rotary International’s motto, “End Polio Now,” embedded in a wall of cans.
The Oneonta Rotary, along with the Milford Rotary, Hartwick College and the Delta Xi Phi Multicultural Society, collaborated on this endeavor. They raised the money to purchase nearly 2,400 cans of food, chose the polio vaccination theme, designed a structure to communicate that message and assembled it.
“The fundraising and design took about two months,” said Lynne Sessions, Oneonta Rotarian and captain of the project. “Since 1988, Rotary International has eradicated 99.9 percent of polio globally.” Sessions was responsible for the team’s design showing a droplet of the polio vaccine on one side and the words “End Polio Now” on the other side.
The Rotary team wanted to remind people what is possible when members of our community come together and support a common cause like alleviating hunger locally, Sessions said.
The youngest team to participate in Canstruction was a group of 12- and 13year-olds from Oneonta Middle School, who won the “Best Meal” trophy. They built a lighthouse with 646 cans of spaghetti and meatballs, high-protein black beans, yellow beans, and tuna fish surrounded by 432 bottles of water.
This is the fifth year that Colin Mallea is participating in Canstruction.
“The lighthouse represents a beacon of hope,” he said, “after a cold winter.”
The team’s poster states that their structure is supporting those facing food insecurities by providing a stable base.
Macall Heller helped Mallea on this project for the third time and Silas Tenace-Howard assisted for the first
time. The youth had the financial support of The Ninash Foundation started by their grandmother, Linda Drake, and grandfather, Ashok Malhotra, 30 years ago. The foundation educates thousands of children in India according to Drake, whose husband was born in India.
Drake is the former director of SUNY Oneonta’s CVCE. She convinced her grandson, Mallea, to help feed the hungry through Canstruction five years ago.
“Colin and his team have won the People’s Choice award every year for the last four years,” she said proudly. “They have also won one of the four trophies awarded every year for the past five years.”
The “Structural Integrity” trophy was awarded to the
FARMER FULL-TIME, YEAR ROUND POSITION
Qualified applicants will be knowledgeable in the care and feeding of museum livestock and farm animals. They will assist with maintenance, care and upkeep of barns, outbuildings, and fencing, along with planting, maintaining, and harvesting field demonstration plots and gardens. Knowledge of hand operated and mechanical equipment is necessary. Experience working with the public to provide a pleasant, informative atmosphere. Ability to lift 50 lbs. Excellent benefit package, including health and dental insurance, pension plan, vacation, holiday and sick pay. $40 - $50K per year, based on experience.
Please forward application to Mary Myers, Fenimore Farm, PO Box 800, Cooperstown, NY 13326, or email mary.myers@fenimoreart.org.
Springbrook team. Their CanArt creation represented a bumble bee. Springbrook’s poster stated that “bees commonly symbolize hard work, teamwork, and dedication to the community,” the same traits and values that Springbrook epitomizes.
Chobani and its collaboration partner, the Unadilla Valley Robotics Club, won the “Best Use of Labels” trophy. Their design, made out of Chobani yogurt containers instead of cans, featured a PacMan chasing a cat. It celebrated the famous video game introduced
46 years ago in 1980.
Other contributors included SUNY Oneonta’s food pantry team supported by Sodexo, SUNY’s thirdparty food vendor, the National Society of Leadership and Success chapter at SUNY Oneonta, a sports team, and Sigma Gamma Phi supported by Residential Life. “I really enjoy working for this office,” said Jaden Santisteban, a junior at SUNY Oneonta who has been a work-study student at CVCE since his first year in college. He is learning the value of getting involved and giving back, he said.
Attention
Please send cover letter and resume to info@allotsego.com,
Interviewing for: Advertising Sales Agent
Applicants are currently being sought for the position of advertising sales agent to represent “The Freeman’s Journal,” “Hometown Oneonta” and “AllOtsego” media outlets. Required skills include: Excellent communication skills essential. • Driver’s license necessary Must be able
Photo by Monica Calzolari
From left, Silas Tenace-Howard kneels, holding the team trophy, next to Colin Mallea, Macall Heller and Colins’ little sister, who helped build a lighthouse made of 646 cans and 432 bottles of water. Their Canstruction installation won the “Best Meal” trophy on April 18 at Southside Mall.
Team Intent on Continuing Legacy as Cooperstown Seniors Depart
By ARYA PATEL COOPERSTOWN
For the first time since 2019, the Cooperstown boys high school basketball team won the state championship title on March 23 at Visions Veterans Memorial Arena. Coached by John Lambert, the team won 52-43 against Berne-Knox-Westerlo, the reigning state champions. Throughout the season, which began in November, the team was undefeated. They ended the season with a record of 27-0.
The team will lose six graduating seniors this year: Cooper Coleman, Jackson Crisman, Brenin Dempsey, Christian Lawson, Benjamin Lewis and Miles Nelen. These seniors made a tremendous impact on the team, in particular toward the underclassmen who look up to them.
Junior Brody Murdock said, “Playing with people who feel more like brothers than teammates makes accomplishing what we’ve talked about since we were kids feel a lot more personal than it could’ve felt with anyone else.”
The team will miss the seniors, many of whom ended their high-school careers with enduring legacies. Both Nelen and Lawson reached 1,000 points this season and exceeded that milestone as the season progressed. Nelen was this season’s top scorer, averaging 27 points per game and scoring 720 points this year. Nelen was also named The Daily Star’s Player of the Year and Center State Conference Division III’s Most Valuable Player.
Jackson Crisman, Christian Lawson and Brody Murdock were recognized as CSC DIII All-Stars. Notably, Crisman shot a buzzer beater three-point basket in the state semi-finals against Lyons, securing a win for Cooperstown with a final score of 66-64. At this game, Lewis received the Sportsmanship Award from the New York State Public High School Athletic Association, recognizing his team spirit, kindness, and dedication to both his teammates and others. Coleman is also a key reason for this team’s banner season, being a part of the starting lineup and motivating others around him.
The team’s success is greatly accredited to Coach John Lambert, who was named Coach of the Year by “The Daily Star.” A quote Lambert used all season has been taken to heart by the team—“I know you can fight, but it’s our wits that make us men.” Nelen shared that this sentiment has encouraged him for the past several years.
Not only this group of seniors, but the entirety of the team has played together since their youth, all continuing their love for the game.
“We have played together since we were kids,” Crisman said, “and it was really special to win the championship with the same group I grew up with.”
For the Cooperstown boys varsity basketball team, the season ended with a state championship. The six seniors leave behind their legacy, and it is next year’s team that will carry it into the future.
Arya Patel is a senior at Cooperstown Central School.
2026 Buckley Scholar To Speak at Cooperstown Graduate Program
COOPERSTOWN
The Cooperstown Graduate Program and the Buckley Selection Committee have announced Dr. Ellen McHale as the 2026 Buckley Scholar. Dr. McHale will speak at CGP on Thursday, April 23 at 7 p.m. Her lecture is titled “Voices from the Racetrack: The Occupational Folklore of America’s Racing Stables.” This event is free and open to the public.
McHale will explore the
occupational lives and lore of thoroughbred racetrack workers in the United States. This work resulted in the monograph, “Stable Views: Voices and Stories of the Thoroughbred Racetrack,” which was a finalist for the Dr. Tony Ryan Book Award in 2015. Her other research interests include responses to climate change, refugee and immigrant inclusion and adaptation, and the intersection between culture and
the environment. She has written numerous articles and produced exhibits that reflect these interests.
McHale holds both a masters and a PhD in folklore and folklife from the University of Pennsylvania. She is currently the executive director of New York Folklore, a statewide cultural services organization that has grown significantly under her leadership. She is also president of the board for Catskills Folk Connection
and a board member for the Downtown Schenectady Improvement Corporation.
Prior to her work at New York Folklore, Dr. McHale worked as a public sector folklorist throughout the state. She has previously served as executive director of the Shaker Heritage Society and later as the director of the Schoharie County Historical Society.
The Bruce Buckley Lectureship is named in honor of Dr. Bruce Buckley, an
accomplished folklorist and co-founder of the Cooperstown Graduate Program.
This lectureship celebrates Buckley’s contributions to the field by honoring a folklorist who has made significant contributions to fieldwork and the public’s understanding of folk culture. Current CGP students, faculty, alumni and the larger Cooperstown community are invited to attend.
Grow a Row: Helping Feed Our Community, One Garden at a Time
OTESGO/SCHOHARIE COUNTIES
The Master Gardener Volunteers of Cornell Cooperative Extension Schoharie and Otsego Counties invite local gardeners to take part in their newest project, “Grow a Row,” a community-powered initiative aimed at increasing access to fresh, locally grown food for families in need.
Grow a Row encourages home gardeners to plant an extra row—or simply grow a little more—of fruits and vegetables to donate to local food pantries in Schoharie and Otsego counties. By sharing garden abundance, participants can play a direct role in addressing food
insecurity across the two counties, officials said in a press release.
“Many gardeners grow more produce than they can use,” explained Marcie Foster, horticulture and natural resources educator at CCESO. “Grow a Row offers a simple way to turn that extra harvest into something meaningful for our neighbors.”
Pantries in Otsego or Schoharie counties interested in receiving fresh produce from growers can contact Foster to be added to an interactive map for growers at mkf48@cornell. edu or (607) 547-2536 extension 235.
Participants who sign up as growers
will join a growing network of community members committed to expanding access to fresh, nutritious food in our region. In addition to making an impact, growers will receive seasonal gardening education and support from CCESO Master Gardener Volunteers. According to the press release, resources include workshops, written materials, and direct assistance, along with guidance on connecting to local food pantries and produce drop-off locations.
To help gardeners get started, CCESO is offering several informational and educational opportunities. Virtual information sessions via Zoom are scheduled
OBITUARIES
Paul A. Carnicelli Sr. 1931-2026
SCHENEVUS, NY—
Paul A. Carnicelli Sr., 95, the heart and soul of the Carnicelli family, passed away at home on March 17, 2026. While we are heartbroken, we are so grateful to have been a part of the life he lived and the legacy he leaves behind.
Paul was born on January 22, 1931 to Joseph and Julia Carnicelli of Maryland, New York, and was one of 11 children. After high school and college, he joined the Air Force and trained as an air traffic controller in Mississippi. After the completion of his training, he married Caroline A. Sugarick and they were stationed in Albuquerque, New
Mexico. His service took them to Rome, New York, Iceland, Duluth, Minnesota, Las Vegas, Nevada, the Philippines and finally Alaska, where he completed 20 years of distinguished service. While he was stationed in Nevada he was part of the Detachment 1 - Area 51, known as the Road Runners.
Through his vision, Paul started and operated several businesses, manufacturing and distributing Alaskan art and souvenirs to the tourism industry. He owned and managed
several rental properties on Government Hill. He did most of this simultaneously; to say he was a busy man would be an understatement.
In 1979, Paul was sought out and employed by the civil engineers on Elmendorf AFB, where he remained employed in Alaska in numerous positions for 29 years.
He enjoyed operating his fish wheel on the Chitna and Copper rivers with his friends and partners and was widely known for his outstanding smoked salmon and salmon dip,
for Wednesday, April 22 and Thursday, May 28 at 6 p.m. An in-person workshop on square foot gardening will be held on Monday, June 29 at 6 p.m. at the Otsego GROW Garden, 123 Lake Street, Cooperstown.
According to officials, there are no minimum donation requirements— participants are encouraged to give what they can, when they can.
To register for these programs up to sign up to be a grower, reach out to Foster directly or visit https:// cceschoharie-otsego.org/gardening/ grow-a-row-helping-feed-our-community-one-garden-at-a-time.
which was eagerly anticipated by friends and family alike. He was proceeded in death by his son, Paul A. Carnicelli Jr. He is survived by his wife of 73 years, Caroline A. Carnicelli; his daughters, Lia A. Carnicelli (James) Dahler and Ann M. Carnicelli (Steven) Pearsall; his grandsons, John P. (Jennilee) Minier, David M. (Donna) Cloninger, Jeffrey S. Cloninger and his granddaughter Karri M. (Matthew) Balzarini; nine great-grandchildren; two great-great grandchildren, and his siblings, Mary Sparaco and Joseph Carnicelli. A graveside service with military honors will be held on Thursday, May 28, 2026, at 1 p.m. at Fort Richardson National Cemetery in Anchorage, AK. Those attending are asked to meet at the Fort Richardson Main Gate (D Street gate) by 12:45 p.m. to join the procession to the cemetery committal shelter for the service.
In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests donations be made in his memory to the American Diabetes Association.
Photo provided PAUL A CARNICELLI sR.
Photo by PhotoJoe Photography-Joe Harmer
Christian Lawson with the long three pointer.
Continued from page 4
Everyone who came to the farm. It was like they used to come to the house in Brooklyn.”
“That’s only one memory.”
“There will be more.” I told my son some last details of my stay at the house before the closing. Luckily the weather was relatively mild for December. The morning of the sale, I crushed my cardboard furniture and carried the mattress out to the front of the house where I leaned it up against the hedges that we planted to hide the trash cans.
Then I locked the back door, looked around the yard for the last time and loaded Rufus into the station wagon.
The buyer wasn’t at the realty office when I arrived. An hour later he called to say that there was some kind of a problem and the closing would have to be postponed. I looked out the realtor’s window. Dark clouds were threatening rain. I thought of the mattress out by the hedges and headed back to the house as fast as I could. It was drizzling as I dragged it up the front steps. Now, Rufus would remain in his own back yard until the buyer got his ducks lined up.
“It wasn’t just for Rufus, Dad.” You stayed there at the end to say good-bye to your father’s father’s house.”
“Yes, of course, but still, I knew it was time to move on. The neighborhood had changed. Almost everyone we knew was gone. It was like we were living in a different place without having moved.”
“But it was still home,” my son said.
“You’re right.”
Alice and I recently drove down to Brooklyn and among other things visited the site of our old home. Five floors of condos now stand there. The realtor was having an open house, so we ventured inside and stood where our living room used to be. I didn’t feel a connection. It was no longer the same place as the living room in my mind.
They say it takes five years to feel rooted after you relocate. (Speaking of rooted, last fall we buried Rufus in a hedgerow on the farm: a memory). To make the adjustment a little easier, I had taken the mantelpiece from the old house, some brass doorplates,
stained glass windows and coincidentally a leaded glass window from Jonathan’s room. Progress has been slow, but one day he will be coming up the road and he’ll see the old window from his room mounted on the south side of the “new” house and maybe I’ll just happen to be looking out at the time—to see my son coming home.
Terry Berkson’s articles have appeared in “New York” magazine, “Automobile” magazine and many others. Reviews on his critically-praised memoir, “Corvette Odyssey,” can be found on TerryBerkson.com.
RSS
Continued from page 1
she has “great respect” for the commission’s detailed process.
That process has included a range of questions and RSS engaging with various city agencies since the application was filed in September. RSS has made alterations to its proposal in recent months stemming from those comments and deliberations.
“There have been multiple requests that have been made by the Planning Board and Delaware Engineering that are not required by code,” Planning Commission Chair Marcela Micucci said prior to the vote. “RSS is going above and beyond to accommodate our suggestions, revisions and recommendations.”
Exchanges posted on the Planning Commission’s website between Oneonta’s code enforcement and civil engineer Shelby Vakiener of LaBella Associates, who is working on the
project, detail some of those changes.
According to the March letter from Vakiener, standpipes and fire alarm annunciators will now be included in stairwells; Knox boxes, which allow emergency services to access secure areas quickly, will be installed; accessibility areas of refuge will be included in at least two of three stairwells; and lease agreements will prohibit e-bike storage inside the building. RSS also met with City Transportation Director David Hotaling in March, and is moving forward to develop plans for a new bus stop on the south side of River Street. Further, “RSS will work with the City [Department of Public Works] to determine a cost sharing plan for restoration” of West Broadway, which will need to be dug up for water and sewer line connections to the project.
Next steps will be more granular, Nealon said. “In order to submit plans, we had to have those big picture items like code compliance,” and now “we get down to faucets and locks on doors.” RSS will also be addressing areas like hours of construction. Nealon encouraged residents with questions to reach out.
The site plan approval comes after months of public meetings, resistance and support, correspondence, and meetings between RSS and various city departments. Lawn signs both in support and opposition to the project have popped up around the city, and the project became a campaign issue in last November’s mayoral race.
Some of that disagreement was present in the crowd of around 25 at Wednesday’s meeting. Prior to the vote, one community member seated in the auditorium crowd began expressing concerns about hours of construction.
“We are not open to public comment,” Micucci said.
“Bull****!” another audience member shouted in response. “Why’d you invite us here?”
“All Planning Commission meetings are open to the public,” Micucci replied.
“We did hold a public hearing where we gave everyone ample opportunity to express their feelings,” Micucci said, referring to a February 24 hearing that allowed written comment submission until March 10.
Asked about engagement with those hesitant or opposed to the project, Nealon said, “I just continue to be transparent and honest and talk about the direct experiences I’ve had in building safe, affordable, and supportive housing throughout the state.”
Portelli
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Facebook on April 12 and Portelli later confirmed with AllOtsego was real, debated the original post. Yeh, who withdrew his support for Portelli, claimed in the messages that the post led to Clemente receiving death threats. Portelli claimed the post was going viral with over 100,000 views.
Among other messages, Portelli responded to Yeh’s message about not wanting “death threats sent to anyone period,” by saying, “Why wouldnt people be pissed at her? I running to repeal the income tax, end foreign aid, and kickout the foreign energy companies. Anybody who sabotages my campaign is going to get people upset” [sic].
Portelli told AllOtsego that “the situation really was unintended. I don’t want people to feel threatened or intimidated. It’s unfortunate my texts were posted but it is what it is I suppose.”
Clemente, who previously worked as director of operations for the New York Republican Assembly Campaign Committee, filed specific objections to 1,120 of Portelli’s signatures. In
INSURANCE
her April 14 NYSBOE filing, Clemente alleged that “this entire petition is invalid due to fraud on the part of the candidate causing the petition to be permeated with fraud.”
Clemente alleged in her objections that Portelli falsely claimed to fill out signature witness information himself and that he “purportedly witnessed multiple petitions on the same day in parts of the state that are several hours away from each other.” Itemized objections ranged from ineligible voter signatures to an incorrectly listed town or city.
Clemente did not respond to AllOtsego’s requests for comment for this story.
In a Facebook post on April 15, Portelli denied the allegations.
“I personally witnessed all of my signatures; many of you following the page met me personally as I knocked on your doors in the cold or rain, and signed my petition,” Portelli wrote. “Every witness on my petition can be questioned, and will most definitely remember me.”
Portelli previously told AllOtsego he had personally collected approximately 1,100 signatures himself, with the rest coming from volunteers. He filed the signatures
on April 6, NYSBOE records show. It is not the first time Portelli has faced petition troubles. When running as a Libertarian for mayor of Albany in 2013, the “Albany Times Union” reported at the time, thenAlbany County GOP Elections Commissioner Rachel Bledi described Portelli’s ballot petitions as “one of the worst petitions we’ve ever seen come across our desk.”
Portelli also faced questions about his ability to witness petition signatures and run as a parolee, the “Albany Times Union” reported. He had been convicted of two drug charges and announced his campaign shortly after going on parole. Portelli eventually dropped out before legal eligibility questions could be resolved.
Today, Portelli sees the petitioning process as evidence of a corrupt political system that locks out everyday people who do not have the benefit of party insider connections.
“It’s quite sad that the people trying to stop this movement are not Democrats. It’s my own party,” Portelli said in an April 12 video. “They don’t even want to put this campaign to the voters.” He promised to “expose” them over the coming weeks.
Hawkeyes Win Tennis Opener
COOPERSTOWN—Cooperstown varsity tennis swept Waterville 4-1 and 5-0 in a Division I doubleheader at the Clark Sports Center on Friday, April 17. In the first match, Bianca Adam and Hayden Spencer swept their opponents 8-0 in second and third singles, as did Micah Raffo and Deanna Wolfe in first doubles. The second doubles pair of Yimmy Gyamtso and Rigzin Gazan also won. Emmett Ayers lost first singles 8-6 to Oscar Yang. In the second match, Hayden Spencer defeated Yang 8-6 in first singles. Raffo won second singles 8-0, as did the doubles teams of Adam and Ayers and Finn Lukovsky and Dunham Toulson. Yousef Khedr won third singles 8-4.
Show Closes Sunday with Talk
CHERRY VALLEY—25 Main Collective’s “Enlightenment” exhibition of lamps and light fixtures by Smithy Clay Studio artists will close on Sunday, April 26 with a 5 p.m. artists’ talk. The gallery is open 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Wednesday through Sunday. The next exhibit, “Impressions,” features work by Jasmine Crowe, Kristen Griger and Katherine LaMere-Fortman. It will open with a reception from 5-8 p.m. on Friday, May 1, and remain on display through May 31. The reception coincides with Cherry Valley’s First Friday, which also offers a Telegraph School open mic at the Old School Music Room at 6 p.m. and live music by Mike Feulner at Red Shed Ale House at 7 p.m. Businesses and restaurants across the village will be open late.
Historic Items To Be Shown
SCHENEVUS—The Town of Maryland Historical Society will hold a meeting at the AmVets Building, 25 Main Street in Schenevus, at 2 p.m. on Sunday, April 26. All are welcome to view a sample of more than 100 photos, maps, books, documents and other objects from the Town of Maryland’s historical collection of thousands of items.
18 months of award, after submission of a close-out report, itemized invoices, and proofs of payment. Sales tax will not be reimbursed for any reason.
Applications are due no later than May 8, 2026 and award
Photo by Terry Berkson
Moving the mantelpiece from the Berksons’ Brooklyn homestead provided the family comfort as they transitioned to their new home in Richfield Springs.
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NOTICE OF FORMATION OF Pasquale Enterprises LLC.
Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 1/25/26.
Office Location: Otsego County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to: 568 Co. Hwy. 25 Richfield Springs, NY. Purpose: any lawful activity.
6LegalApr.23
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NOTICE OF FORMATION OF Fonda Construction LLC
filed Arts. of Org. with the Sect’y of State of NY (SSNY) on 1/6/2026. Office: Otsego County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served and shall mail process to: c/o The LLC, 20 Depot St., Unadilla, NY 13849. Purpose: any lawful act.
6LegalApr.30
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NOTICE OF ORgANIzATION OF SunnySide 217 LLC under Section 203 of the Limited Liability Company Law.
1. The name of the limited liability company is SunnySide 217 LLC.
2. Articles of Organization of SunnySide 217 LLC were filed with the New York Secretary of State on March 13, 2026.
3. The county within this state in which the office of the limited liability company is to be located is Otsego County.
4. The street address of the principal business location of the limited liability company is: 217 County Highway 38A, Richmondville, NY 12149.
5. The Secretary of State is designated as agent of the limited liability company upon whom process against it may be served. The post office address within or without this state to which the Secretary of State shall mail a copy of any process against the limited liability company served upon him or her is: SunnySide 217 LLC, 217 County
Highway 38A, Richmondville, NY 12149.
6. The limited liability company is organized to carry on all lawful activities.
6LegalApr.30
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NOTICE OF FORMATION OF
SCE MANAGEMENT, LLC,
Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 03/09/2026. Office loc: Otsego County. SSNY has been designated as agent upon whom process against the LLC may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: The LLC, 49 Main St., E. Worcester, NY 12064.
Reg Agent: Stephen Attard, 716 Cape Horn Rd., Stamford, NY 12167. Purpose: Any Lawful Purpose. 6LegalApr.30
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NOTICE OF ORgANIzATION OF SHEREEN MORKEH LLC
Articles of Organization were filed with the New York Secretary of State (SSNY) on February 23, 2026. Office Location: Otsego County. SSNY is designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served and shall mail process to: The LLC, 10 Fernleigh Dr., Apt. A7, Cooperstown, NY 13326. Purpose: all lawful purposes. 6LegalApr.30
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NOTICE OF FORMATION OF H&K 449 Main Street Properties LLC. Filed 9/16/25. Cty: Otsego. SSNY desig. for process & shall mail POB 1238, Oneonta, NY 13820. Purp: any lawful. 6LegalMay.7
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NOTICE OF FORMATION OF Elkan Family Farm, LLC
Articles of organization filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on: March 22, 2026. Office Location: Otsego County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to: 2224 County Route 26, Fly Creek, NY 13337. Purpose: Any law-
ful purpose. 6LegalMay.7
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NOTICE OF FORMATION OF MARINO & SEGAR PROPERTIES LLC.
Filed with SSNY on 03/23/2026. Office: Otsego County. SSNY designated as agent for process & shall mail to: 27 WEST END AVE., ONEONTA, NY 13820. Purpose: Any Lawful. 6LegalMay.7
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NOTICE OF FORMATION OF LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY:
The name of the limited liability company is: CALAMA Management, LLC (the “Company”).
The date of filing of the Articles of Organization of the Company with the Secretary of State was March 19, 2026. The county in which the principal place of business of the Company shall be located is Otsego County. The Secretary of State has been designated as agent of the Company upon whom process against it may be served. The Secretary of State shall mail a copy of any process against the Company to CALAMA Management, LLC, 38 Nokomis Avenue, Oakland, NJ 07436. The purpose of the business of the Company is any lawful business purpose.
6LegalMay.7
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NOTICE OF FORMATION OF A NY LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY
Name: EAST HILL 95 LLC
Articles of Organization filing date with Secretary of State (SSNY) was 2 March 2026. Office location: Otsego County. SSNY has been designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served and SSNY shall mail copy of process to 192 Main Street, Cooperstown, NY 13326. Purpose is to engage in any and all business activities permitted under NYS laws.
6LegalMay.7
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NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARINg, BUDgET VOTE AND ELECTION
LEGALS
City School District City of Oneonta, New York
PLEASE TAKE
NOTICE that a Public Hearing of the qualified voters of the Oneonta City School District, Otsego County, New York, will be held on Wednesday, May 6, 2026, at 5:30 p.m. at the Oneonta Senior High School cafeteria, 130 East St., Oneonta, NY 13820, pursuant to Section 2022 (41) of the Education Law of the State of New York, for the presentation of the budget document.
NOTICE IS ALSO GIVEN that the Annual Meeting and a vote, by voting machine, will be held on Tuesday, May 19, 2026 at The Foothills atrium, 24 Market Street, Oneonta, at which time the polls will be open from 11:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m., EST, for voting on the following items:
To adopt the annual budget of the Oneonta City School District for the fiscal year 2026-2027 and to authorize the requisite portion thereof to be raised by taxation on the taxable real property of the District,
To elect two (2) members of the Board of Education, each to serve three (3) year terms, commencing on July 1, 2026 and expiring on June 30, 2029, to succeed Shawn Beckerink, and Margot Reynolds, whose terms expire on June 30, 2026.
To transact such other business as may properly come before the meeting pursuant to the Education Law of the State of New York.
Voting at said Annual Election will be by use of voting machines.
ALL VOTINg WILL TAKE PLACE AT: THE FOOTHILLS 24 MARKET STREET, ONEONTA, NEW YORK
Petitions nominating candidates for the office of member of the Board of Education to fill two (2) expired terms of three (3) years shall be filed with the Clerk of said School District at the District Office, no later than April 29, 2026, between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Each petition must be directed to the Clerk of the District, must be signed by at least one hundred (100) qualified voters of the District and state the residence of each signer; the name and
residence of the candidates.
NOTICE, is also given that any person, otherwise qualified to vote, who is currently registered for any general election, pursuant to Section 5-100 of the Election Law, shall be entitled to vote without further registration pursuant to Sections 2014 and 2606 of the Education Law.
NOTICE IS ALSO GIVEN THAT military voters who are not currently registered may apply to register as a qualified voter of the School District by requesting to be registered by the District Clerk at [607-433-8200 ext. 1300] or [rmcguinness@ oneontacsd.org]. Military voters who are registered and qualified voters of the School District may apply for a military ballot by requesting an application from the District Clerk at the phone number or email address listed above. For a military voter to be issued a military ballot, the District Clerk must have received a valid ballot application no later than 5:00 p.m. on May 4, 2026. In a request for a military ballot application or ballot, the military voter may indicate their preference for receiving the application or ballot by mail, facsimile transmission or electronic mail. The School District will transmit military ballots to military voters on May 5, 2026. Completed military ballots must be received by the School District by 5:00 p.m. on May 19, 2026, in order to be counted.
PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that the Board of Education of the Oneonta City School District has fixed May 5, 2026 as the date on which the Board of Registration of said school district will meet at 31 Center Street, in Oneonta, New York, in said school district, for the purpose of preparing a register for each school election district for the Annual City School District Election to be held on May 19, 2026. Said Board of Registration will meet for said purposes on May 5, 2026 between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.
At such hours and place, any person who has not permanently registered by May 5, 2026 or who did not register for the general election held on November 4, 2025, or who is permanently registered, but at the time of
such registration resided in a school election district other than the one in which he or she presently resides or has not voted in an intervening election, must in order to be entitled to vote at said election, present himself or herself personally for registration.
The register so prepared pursuant to Sections 2014 and 2606 of the Education Law will be filed in the Office of the Clerk of the School District at the Board of Education Offices at 31 Center Street, Oneonta, New York 13820 and will be open for inspection by any qualified voter of the district beginning May 5, 2026, between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. on weekdays and each day, except Saturday or Sunday, prior to the day set for the election, May 19, 2026, and at the polling place on the day of the vote.
Copies of the proposed budget may be obtained by any resident of the Oneonta City School District each day of the week other than Saturday, Sunday or a holiday, during the period of seven days immediately preceding the date of the public hearing to be held on May 6, 2026.
Copies of the proposed budget will be available on said days at the Board of Education Office, 31 Center Street, Oneonta, New York, between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.
Copies of the proposed budget may be obtained by any resident of the Oneonta City School District at each schoolhouse in the district between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. each day of the week other than Saturday, Sunday, or a holiday during the period of fourteen days immediately preceding the date of the annual meeting and election, and on the date of the election.
AND FURTHER NOTICE IS GIVEN that the Board of Education of the Oneonta City School District shall provide for early voting and absentee ballots for the election of Board of Education member, the school budget and any other referenda stated in this notice. Applications for early voting and absentee ballots for said annual election are available at the Board of Education Offices, 31 Center Street, Oneonta,
New York. Completed applications are to be submitted to the Clerk of the Board of Education at said address no later than May 12, 2026 if mailed, and May 19, 2026 if personally delivered. Early voting and absentee ballots are to be submitted no later than 5:00 p.m. on May 19, 2026 the day of said election, to the address of the Clerk of the Board of Education.
A list of all persons to whom early voting and absentee ballots have been issued will be available in the office of the District Clerk from 8:00 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. on each of the five days prior to the day of the election, except Saturdays and Sundays, and on the day set for the election. Any qualified voter may challenge the acceptance of the ballot of any person on such list, by making his/ her challenge and reasons therefore known to the Inspector of Election on election day.
PROPOSITION 1 – PURCHASE OF SCHOOL BUSES
Shall the bond resolution adopted by the Board of Education on March 18, 2026, authorizing the purchase of school buses, including incidental expenses, at a maximum estimated cost of $715,000, and the issuance of $715,000 bonds of said School District to pay the cost thereof, to mature over a period not exceeding five years, providing that such bonds shall be payable from amounts to be levied in annual installments on taxable real property of said School District; pledging the District’s faith and credit for the payment of such bonds; delegating powers to the chief fiscal officer with respect to the issuance and sale of bond anticipation notes and such bonds, containing an estoppel clause and providing for the publication of an estoppel notice, be approved?
Dated: April 3, 2026 Oneonta, New York BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OF THE ONEONTA CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT
Regina Ranieri McGuinness Regina Ranieri McGuinness, District Clerk 4LegalApr.23
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NOTICE OF FORMATION OF LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY:
The name of the limited liability company is: Boundless Courage, LLC (the “Company”).
The date of filing of the Articles of Organization of the Company with the Secretary of State was April 2, 2026. The county in which the principal place of business of the Company shall be located is Otsego County. The Secretary of State has been designated as agent of the Company upon whom process against it may be served. The Secretary of State shall mail a copy of any process against the Company to Hinman, Howard & Kattell, LLP, Attn: Christina J. Graziadei, Binghamton, NY 13901. The purpose of the business of the Company is any lawful business purpose. 6LegalMay.14
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NOTICE OF FORMATION OF
92 MAIN ST COOP LLC
Articles of Organization filed with the SSNY on 2/25/2026. Office Location: Otsego County. SSNY Designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copies of process to 92 Main St Coop LLC, 6098 St. Hwy. 80, Cooperstown, NY 13326. Purpose: Any lawful purpose. 6LegalMay.14
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NOTICE OF FORMATION OF NOM NOM ENTERPRISES LLC
Article of Organizations filed with the SSNY on 2/14/2026. Office Location: Otsego County. SSNY Designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copies of process to Member, 6098 State Hwy 80, Cooperstown, NY 13326. Purpose: Any lawful purpose. 6LegalMay.14
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NOTICE OF FORMATION OF
PIONEER PROPERTY MANAGEMENT LLC
Article of Organization filed with the SSNY on 3/5/2026.
Office Location: Otsego County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC
upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copies of process to The LLC, 29 Pioneer St., Cooperstown, NY 13326. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.
6LegalMay.14
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NOTICE OF FORMATION OF KTR Construction LLC, filed with the Secretary of State on April 2, 2026. Office location is in Otsego County. The Secretary of State is designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. The Secretary of State shall mail process to 639 Green Road, Otego, New York 13825. Purpose: any lawful activity.
6LegalMay.14
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NOTICE OF SELF STORAgE PUBLIC SALE
Public Notice is hereby given Under Section 182 New York State Lien Law, that property described as contents of storage unit stored at North Street Storage located at 14 North St., Oneonta, NY 13820, will be sold at public online auction via www.Bid13. com on April 27th, 2026 at 6:00 p.m.
The sale of such property is to satisfy the lien of North Street Storage on property stored for the account of: Unit #57 Stephanie Peters
2LegalApr.23
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NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARINg
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Zoning Board of Appeals for the Village of Cooperstown will hold the following public hearing on Tuesday, May 5th, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. or as soon thereafter as can be heard:
• Meeting to be held in the Board Room of the Village Hall, 22 Main Street, Cooperstown, New York.
108 Fair St - Application for an area variance to build a detached shed within the side-yard setback.
The plans for this project are on file with the Village Clerk’s Office at the Village Office, 22 Main Street, continued pg. 11
Shops
Continued from page 1
style structure designed by Boston architect Henry Forbes Bigelow and built between 1893 and 1895. It features three two-story, attached, brick commercial spaces and is owned by the Village Improvement Society of Gilbertsville.
“We’ve been dreaming of opening a shop for some time, and when we saw this space, we knew instantly it was perfect. It has incredible charm and our goal is to simply spruce it up, bring out its original character and fill it with carefully sourced vintage and antique treasures,” said Haefelin, who operates SPIFF, a home-organizing business dedicated to sustainable home organization through eliminating plastics and curating earthconscious materials.
According to SPIFF’s website (spifforganizing. com), “Her distinctive approach quickly gained recognition, attracting a discreet clientele of Alist celebrities, professional athletes, and design-forward families. Jenna’s work has been featured in ‘Forbes,’ ‘Bravo,’ ‘People,’ ‘US Magazine,’ ‘Insider,’ ‘Apartment Therapy’ and more.”
Erigo, who works for a utility company in Westchester and New York City, is especially interested in lighting.
“We will have custom lighting. Customers will be able to shop ā la carte. They can choose what they want for a base and what they want for a shade. If they have something in mind that they want, we will work with them to find it,” he said.
The couple say that they are not “just looking for a shop.”
“We want to create a space where the building’s history and our love for vintage come together in a way that feels special for everyone who visits,” said Haefelin.
Part of making the Patina House a special space for the community would be, according to Haefelin and Erigo, hosting private events such as bridal and baby showers, community
get-togethers and more. They also foresee organizing workshops such as flower arranging, wreath-making, caning, knitting and crocheting.
“We’re open to many more ideas from the community on these workshops,” Haefelin said.
With the opening of Patina House, there is an element of things coming full circle. Haefelin’s grandmother sold antiques and from 1970-1990, Dora Miller, Margo Albanese, and Helen Clineman—grandmother, mother and aunt respectively to Cece Rowe (current executive director of the Major’s Inn Foundation)—operated Valley View Antiques in the Gilbert Block. The former antique store started out in the middle space and later moved to the current location of Patina House.
A soft-opening for Patina House is planned for Memorial Day weekend, with the hope of regular operations beginning June 1. Current plans are to operate Tuesday through Sunday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Hours of operation, especially winter hours, are not yet firm, however.
“We need to see how
much traffic we create, how things go,” said Erigo.
Patina House will complement the Olde Stonehouse Emporium, an existing establishment at 128 Marion Avenue. Tracie Martinetti, who until recently sold goods at the Green Giraffe in Unadilla, will be stepping in to help care for and reimagine the space originally created by Kate Banta, who transformed the stone and board-andbatten structure beside her 19th-century stone house into the Emporium in 2014.
“It’s a familiar space with a fresh touch—a whimsical new chapter in Gilbertsville,” said Martinetti, who describes herself as a “creator of whimsey.”
Martinetti sees more cooperation than competition between the two establishments. The Emporium and Patina plan to promote each other, along with the Major’s Inn gift shop, which also offers antique and vintage items.
“It’s good when people can come to a destination with more than one thing to do or see,” said Martinetti.
The Olde Stonehouse Emporium features a wide array of vintage
and re-purposed pieces, including furniture, home décor, housewares, jewelry, paintings, and much more. Products exclusively made by local artists—pottery by Esperanza Roncero, Jennifer Kemper and Kelly Drumgoole will be available, as well as candles made by Tammy Retz. Martinetti also plans to frame and sell vintage postcards of local landmarks and an editorial from a local newspaper, written by former Butternuts Town Justice David L. Coster, protesting the eminent inundation of Gilbertsville by the Army Corps of Engineers—a project which met with great resistance and was never carried out.
“Plans are also underway for small, hands-on classes— stitching, painting or something new. The idea is to bring people together in a simple, approachable way,” Martinetti said.
The structure itself, built in the 19th century, is appropriate for Martinetti’s numerous vintage offerings. During the 1870s and 1880s, it functioned as a small carriage factory. It also served as a cabinet maker’s shop, and the Butternuts Brass Band practiced upstairs during
LEGALS
the latter half of the 1800s.
Martinetti grew up in Lichfield (Staffordshire), England, where she attended art school. She is a 35-year resident of New York State. From 2008-2010 she operated “The Tearoom” in Main Street Nursery, Huntington, Long Island, where she organized activities such as high teas, children’s birthday parties, and baby and wedding showers. She also taught art at Cold Spring Harbor Labs. She moved to Gilbertsville with her husband, Chris Kaylor, in 2021.
“Gilbertsville reminds me of home,” she said.
Martinetti’s Olde Stonehouse Emporium grand opening will be on April 30. Operating hours will be Thursday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Martinetti will also be open some late nights during the summer.
Letters
Continued from page 4
can speak English and find an eraser at the same time.
This small class size model was, in fact, the basis of Yale’s success— well over 100 years ago. When Waldo and Harry were there with Teddy Roosevelt and Ralph Waldo Emerson.
The universities that can deliver those smaller class sizes are colleges that do not have graduate schools and some staterun universities.
The best investment in higher education is in small colleges, some online courses and enlightened public universities that can offer smaller class sizes taught by professors. The Yale study left that bit out.
Chip Northrup Cooperstown
Coach
Continued from page 1
one of Butler’s daughters, Kennadi Butler, have spread in the community. They show at least eight community members rising to speak against the decision.
“I don’t know who started the problem,” said Floyd Bourne, a retired teacher and coach for
the district who counted Butler among his former players. “I just know that there is a problem, and it needs to be solved. It can’t be swept under the carpet.”
In an interview, Bourne told AllOtsego that he had received at least six calls from former students and players as news of the termination circulated.
“This is hurting him terribly, and it bothers me enough so that I feel I have to speak up. I usually just observe, but this is important. This is something that can’t be allowed to happen,” Bourne said.
Chris Butler told AllOtsego he has coached various district teams since around the time he graduated from the high school, over 40 years ago.
“I’m just devastated. I’m heartbroken,” he said. “I’ve never done anything to dishonor the school.”
Board meeting minutes show the school board entered executive session at its March 25 meeting to discuss personnel issues, and also had an agenda item for softball coaching. Kennadi Butler alleged that the move was related to a student-athlete on the softball team not being named as MVP, and that false accusations were made against her father in the following years.
Chris Butler said the MVP situation is “possibly” related and that he did not know if false accusations were related to the decision. Both the Otsego County Sheriff’s Office and New York State Police told AllOtsego they had no information on Chris Butler when asked if he was the subject of any criminal investigation or charges.
We Want tO ceLeBRate YOU Promotions, births, meetings, new hires, events, milestones, grand openings, sports results, anniversaries and more.
Photos welcome, too! info@allotsego.com
New York, and may be seen during regular office hours, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Public comments must be provided by email to the Zoning Officer at Zoning@ cooperstownny. gov or by regular mail to the address below no later than Tuesday, May 5th, 2026 at 3:30 p.m.
Nick Fornario Zoning Enforcement Officer Village of Cooperstown 22 Main Street Cooperstown, NY 13326
607-547-2411 Zoning@cooperstownny.gov 1LegalApr.23
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NOTICE OF FORMATION OF HARBOR PHYSICIAN SERVICES, PLLC.
Art. of Org. filed with NY Secretary of State (SSNY) 04/02/2026. Office location: Otsego County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process may be served. SSNY shall
mail copy of process to: 48 Monroe Ave., Oneonta, NY 13820 Purpose: To practice the profession of medicine. 6LegalMay.28
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NOTICE OF FORMATION OF
TALBOT PROPERTIES LLC.
Filed with SSNY on 04/13/2026. Office: Otsego County. SSNY designated as agent for process & shall mail to: 2187 CNTY. HWY. 4, GIL-
BERTSVILLE, NY 13776. Purpose: Any Lawful.
6LegalMay.28
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NOTICE OF FORMATION OF Hill City Hitting Center, LLC, a limited liability company (the “LLC”).
Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (the “SSNY”) on 4/15/2026. Office location: Otsego County.
The SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC, upon whom process against it may be served. The SSNY shall mail a copy of any process to the LLC, 253 Southside Drive, Oneonta, NY 13820. Purposes: any lawful activity.
6LegalMay.28
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NOTICE OF FORMATION OF Grounded Minds Mental Health Counseling, PLLC.
Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on May 6, 2025. Office location: Otsego County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the PLLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of any process to: 29 Pioneer Street, Cooperstown, NY 13326. Purpose: to practice mental health counseling and any lawful act or activity for which a professional limited liability company may be organized under the laws of
New York. 6LegalMay.28
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NOTICE OF FORMATION OF DESIGNING OTHERWISE, LLC.
Articles of Organization filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 3/9/2026. Office location: Otsego County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process
to the LLC at 107 Haggerty Road, Cooperstown, NY 13326. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.
6LegalMay.28
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VIllAgE OF MIlFORd PublIC budgET HEARINg
The Village of Milford will hold a Public Hearing to review the proposed budget for the Fiscal Year ending May 31, 2027, on Wednesday, April 29, 2026, at
5:30 p.m., at the Village Office, 64 South Main Street, Milford, NY. The budget, as proposed, is available for review at the Milford Village office, during regular office hours: Mon. & Wed. 10 a.m.
p.m., Thurs., 1 p.m. – 4 p.m.
Salaries of Board members: Mayor - $3,824.00, annual Trustees (2) - $2,245.00, each annual Patricia Winsor Village Clerk Submitted April 20, 2026 1LegalApr.23
►Need to publish a Notice of formatioN, public Notice, supplemeNtal summoNs, or Notice to bidders? Contact Larissa at 607-547-6103 or ads@allotsego.com and she can get you started.
Photo by Teresa Winchester
Tracie Martinetti stands amid her numerous vintage offerings at the Olde Stone House Emporium on Marion Avenue in Gilbertsville. Martinetti has taken over management of the shop, adding her own sense of style and whimsey to existing merchandise.
►Fri., April 24
REGISTRATION Reg-
ister for the “Annual Survivors Day Luncheon.”
Presented by the Bassett Cancer Institute. Free to anyone who has received a cancer diagnosis, plus one guest. Last day to register is 5/29. Held 1:30-3:30 p.m. on 6/7 at Fenimore Farm and Country Village, 5775 State Highway 80, Cooperstown. 1-800-
BASSETT.
WELLNESS 10 a.m.
to 2 p.m. “Spring Into Wellness and Aging.” 20+ community-based organizations share resources and programs to help with aging in place and staying active. The Gathering Place, 5506 State Highway 7, Oneonta.
OPEN HOUSE
2-6 p.m. New Executive Director Meet and Greet with Phoebe Schreiner. Otsego Land Trust Office, 101 Main Street, Cooperstown. (607) 5472366.
BALLET CLASS
3:30 p.m. Presented by instructor Campbell Colby. For children ages 2-7. Practice continues 4/29 with a recital on 5/2. Registration required. Worcester-Schenevus Library, 170 Main Street, Worcester. (607) 3977309.
CHICKEN DINNER
4-7 p.m. Brooks’ Chicken BBQ to support the Springfield Fire Department. Includes auxiliary bake sale. Fees apply. Springfield Fire Department, 5727 US Highway 20, East Springfield. springfieldfiredept@gmail. com.
DINNER
4:30-6:30 p.m. Spaghetti Dinner. Free. Laurens Presbyterian Church, 3 Main Street, Laurens.
QUILTING 5 p.m.
“Friday Night Delights: Tulip Table Runner.” A fun project that can be completed in one session. Series held the last Friday of each month. Fees apply; registration required. Leatherstocking
Things To Do In and Around Otsego County
Quilts, 155 Main Street, Suite B, Oneonta. (607) 441-3111.
ART & MUSIC NIGHT
5-7 p.m. View inspiring display of artwork from Cooperstown students in grades K-12. Featuring live music, refreshments and more. Free and open to the public. Cooperstown Art Association, 22 Main Street, Cooperstown. (607) 5479777.
FUNDRAISER
5:30-7:30 p.m. Spaghetti Dinner. Featuring live music from the Schenevus Music Department. Proceeds support the Schenevus Central School music program. By donation. Draper Room, Schenevus Central School, 159 Main Street, Schenevus. (607) 638-5881.
OUTDOORS 6 p.m.
“Guided Herp Walk.” Presented by the Otsego County Conservation Association. Registration required. Wilber Lake, Oneonta. (607) 5474488.
PLANETARIUM
7 p.m. “The Life and Death of Stars.” Familyfriendly show open to the public. Fees apply. SUNY Oneonta Planetarium, Perna Science Building, Room 018A, SUNY Oneonta, 108 Ravine Parkway, Oneonta. (607) 436-2011.
CONCERT 7 p.m.
“Signal Flow Concert
Series: A SUNY Oneonta Audio Arts Showcase and Audio Production and Engineering Club Fundraiser.” Fees apply. Foothills Performing Arts and Civic Center, 24 Market Street, Oneonta. (607) 431-2080.
THEATER 7 p.m.
“Alice By Heart.” The story of a young girl in London during the blitz of WWII. Also showing at 7 p.m. on 4/25. Richfield Springs Central School, 93 Main Street, Richfield Springs. (315) 858-0610.
►S At., April 25
TURKEY CONTEST
8 a.m. to 2 p.m. “CPL Michael Mayne Youth Tur-
Time OuT OTsegO
Things To Do In and Around Otsego County
key Contest.” Presented by the Otsego County Limb Hangers National Wild Turkey Federation. No registration required, just come with a bird for weigh-in. Free to ages 12-15. Continues 4/26. Burlington Flats Fish and Game Club, 615 Louie Dickinson Road, Edmeston. (607) 293-0341. PASSPORT FAIR
9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Morris Fire Department, 117 East Main Street, Morris. (607) 547-4276. FUNDRAISER 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Dragon Auction. Supports the classes of 2027 and 2028. Schenevus Central School Gym, 159 Main Street, Schenevus. (607) 638-5881.
SPRING CLEANING
9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Spring Cleanup at Brookwood Point Conservation Area, 6000 State Highway 80, Cooperstown. justin@ otsegolandtrust.org.
CEMETERY 9 a.m.
Clean-up Day at the Old Village Cemetery. BYO tools/equipment. Meet at Christ Church 166 Marion Avenue, Gilbertsville.
BOOK COLLECTION
10 a.m. to noon. Donate books in good condition for the annual Summer Book Sale. No textbooks or travel books. Use the Fair Street entrance. Also held 6/13. Village Library of Cooperstown, 22 Main Street, Cooperstown. (607) 547-8344.
DRUG TAKEBACK
DAY 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
DEA National Drug Takeback Day. Return unused, unneeded or expired prescriptions, free and anonymous. No liquids, inhalers, ointments, thermometers, needles or aerosols. Otsego County Sheriff’s Office, 172 County Highway 33 W, Cooperstown. (607) 5474271.
JOURNALING
10 a.m. to noon. “Nature Journaling Workshop.”
Led by writer, naturalist, gardener and herbalist Gert Coleman. Fees apply; registration required. Presented by Cornell Cooperative Extension of Schoharie and Otsego Counties at the Rowe House, 31 Maple Street, Oneonta. (607) 547-2536 ext. 228.
WORKSHOP
10 a.m. to 4 p.m. “Broom Making Workshop.” Fees apply; registration required. Fenimore Farm and Country Village, 5775 State Highway 80, Cooperstown. (607) 5471450.
POTTERY 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. “Scented Candles.” Fees apply; registration required. The Smithy Clay Studio, 1 Otsego Court, Cooperstown. (607) 5478671.
FESTIVAL 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. “22nd Annual Shift NY Psychic and Holistic Fair.” Continues 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on 4/26. Foxcare Center, 1 Foxcare Drive, Oneonta. shiftnewyork@gmail.com.
PUBLIC HEARING
10:30 a.m. Hearing on Library Tax Levy Vote on the School Budget Ballot. Richfield Springs Public Library, 102 Main Street, Richfield Springs. (315) 858-0230.
DANCING Binghamton Morris Men perform English Morris dancing with guests from Boston and New York City. Free. kkearns5592@gmail. com.
• 10:30 a.m. Commercial Street, Gilbertsville.
• 12:30 p.m. Pathfinder Village, 3 Chenango Road, Edmeston.
• 3:15 p.m. Pioneer Park, Main Street, Cooperstown.
• 4:45 p.m. Council Rock Brewery, 4861 State Highway 28, Cooperstown.
PLANETARIUM Family-friendly shows open
to the public. Fees apply.
SUNY Oneonta Planetarium, Perna Science Building, Room 018A, SUNY Oneonta, 108 Ravine Parkway, Oneonta. (607) 436-2011.
• 10:30 a.m. “Messengers of Time and Space.”
• 11:30 a.m. “The Sky Tonight.”
LEGO CLUB 11 a.m. Kinney Memorial Library, 3140 County Highway 11, Hartwick. (607) 2936600.
WORKSHOP 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. “Beaded Bracelet Making with Amanda.” Fees apply; registration required. Main View Gallery and Studios, 77 Main Street, Oneonta. (607) 432-1890.
EXERCISE Noon. “Let’s Move: Come Play Capoeira.” Unique Brazilian practice that blends martial arts, dance, music and culture. Held each Saturday. Green Earth Health Market, 4 Market Street, Oneonta. (607) 432-6600.
LOCAL YARN SHOP
DAY Noon to 3 p.m.
Bring a project and a chair and get to work with fellow crafters. Pioneer Park, Main Street, Cooperstown. (607) 2864061.
QUIET CAT CAFÉ
Noon to 3 p.m. Presented by Super Heroes Humane Society. Registration required. Huntington Memorial Library, 62 Chestnut Street, Oneonta. (607) 432-1980.
CONCERT 1 p.m.
Senior Recital, Piano. Featuring Patrick Close and Fideliz Sta. Brigida. Anderson Theater, Hartwick College, 1 Hartwick Drive, Oneonta.
LATTES AND LITERATURE 1-3 p.m. Book discussion with the Morris Village Library. The Gatehouse, 129 Main Street, Morris. (607) 285-4111.
FUNDRAISER
1-4 p.m. Ice Cream Social. Fundraiser for Lisa’s Spark of Hope. Fees apply. Oneonta Vets Club, 279 Chestnut Street, Oneonta.
GARDENING 1 p.m.
“4-H Grow and Show Workshop.” Get ideas for horticulture fair exhibits. Cornell Cooperative Extension Education Center, 123 Lake Street, Cooperstown. (607) 5472536 ext. 225.
LYSD 1:30-5:30 p.m.
“AffiKnity Public Market Day.” Celebrate Local Yarn Store Day. Discover beautiful yarns, unique gifts and more. The Otesaga Resort Hotel, Ballroom, 60 Lake Street, Cooperstown.
HOMEMAKER SWAP
2-4 p.m. Trade homemade jams, candles, crafts, baked goods and more. Refreshments available. Registration required. Edmeston Free Library, 26 East Street, Edmeston. (845) 3255848.
DEATH PLANNING
2-5 p.m. “A Good Death: Unboxed.” Presented by the Upper Catskill Natural Burial Association. Explore all the aspects of death planning. Free; registration required. First United Methodist Church, 66 Chestnut Street, Oneonta.
DINNER 4-6 p.m.
“Schenevus Methodist Church Annual Ham Dinner.” Eat in or take out. Schenevus Methodist Church, 66 Main Street, Schenevus. (607) 6385604.
CONCERT 7 p.m.
“The Beach Boys and The Beatles—A Tribute Concert Celebrating 60 Years of Pet Sounds and Revolver.” Tickets required. Foothills Performing Arts and Civic Center, 24 Market Street, Oneonta. (607) 431-2080.
MOVIE NIGHT 7 p.m. “Zootopia 2.” Movie with popcorn and other refreshments. Edmeston Free Library, 26 East Street, Edmeston. (607) 965-8208.
CONCERT 7 p.m.
“The Justice League Presents Pet Sounds and Revolver—60th Anniversary Concert.” Tickets required. Foothills Performing Arts and Civic Center, 24 Market Street, Oneonta. (607) 4312080.
OPEN MIC 7-9 p.m. “Coffee House.” Singers, writers, musicians and more are invited to share works. 10-20 minute slots. Light refreshments available. Free, open to public. Held each 4th Saturday. Schuyler Lake United Methodist Church, 128 Church Street, Schuyler Lake. (315) 8582523.
►Sun., April 26
FUNDRAISER 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. CV-S FFA All-YouCan-Eat Pancake Breakfast. Fees apply. Cherry Valley Fire Department, 11 Railroad Avenue, Cherry Valley. mrichards@ cvscsd.org.
FUNDRAISER
11 a.m.; registration at 9 a.m. “28th Annual S.A.D.D. Strides for Safety 5K.” Benefit for schools to provide safe after-prom activities. New this year, activity fair from 9:3010:30 a.m. Oneonta City School District, 31 Center Street, Oneonta. (607) 433-8200.
DANCING Noon. Binghamton Morris Men perform English Morris dancing with guests from Boston and New York City. Free. Commercial Street, Gilberstville. kkearns5592@gmail. com.
ART WORKSHOP
1 p.m. Sign Painting Workshop for children ages 8-12. Inspired by the Bull’s Head Tavern Sign by Thomas Cole and Frederic Church. Fees apply; registration required. Fenimore Art Museum, 5798 State Highway 80, Cooperstown. (607) 5471400.
FUNDRAISER 1 p.m. “Basket Bingo.” Proceeds benefit LCS World Cultures Club’s Trip to Iceland. Enter 50/50 raffle or Lake George trip raffle. Includes bake sale and drinks available for purchase. Laurens Central School cafeteria, 55 Main Street, Laurens. (607) 432-2050.
THEATER 1-3 p.m. “2026 NEXT! Stage Reading Series; Doubt & Frisbee.” Free; donations accepted. Fenimore Art Museum, 5798 State Highway 80, Cooperstown. (607) 5471400.
HISTORICAL SOCIETY 2 p.m. “Items in Our Collection.” View a sampling of the 100+ items from the Town of Maryland’s historical collections. Photos, maps, objects, books, documents and clippings. Presented by the Town of Maryland Historical Society, AmVets Building, 25 Main Street, Schenevus. (607) 638-9343.
CONCERT 3 p.m. Catskill Valley Wind Ensemble Spring Concert. Foothills Performing Arts and Civic Center, 24 Market Street, Oneonta.
SUNDAY SPEAKER
3 p.m. Friends of the Village Library hosts local author Rebecca Weil for a reading of her new book, “Shadow of a Bear: A Poem in 23 Passages.” 3rd Floor Ballroom, Village Hall, 22 Main Street, Cooperstown. MEDITATION 5-6:30 p.m. The Gatehouse, 129 Main Street, Morris. (607) 285-4111.
ARTIST TALK 5 p.m. Discussion with the artists behind the exhibit, “Enlightenment.” 25 Main Collective, 21 Main Street, Cherry Valley. (607) 264-4025.
►Visit allotsego.com/ otsego-county-events-calendar/ for the full calendar