The Freeman's Journal 05-28-26

Village: New Boating Regulations Intended To Protect Lake from Erosion, Invasives

By JOSHUA YOUNGQUIST

COOPERSTOWN

The Village of Cooperstown has adopted two amendments to its boating regulations with the stated purpose of further protecting Otsego Lake, the community’s public drinking‑water source. The changes modify Chapter 44 of the Village Code, enacted under authority granted by New York State Public Health Law §1100, which empowers the village to safeguard “Otsego Lake and all watercourses tributary thereto”

from contamination.

The first amendment increases the fine for speeding within the lake’s no‑wake zone. Existing law states that “no vessel shall be operated within 200 feet of the shore line of Otsego Lake…at a speed exceeding five miles per hour,” and the updated penalty raises the fine from $50.00 to $250.00. Village officials say the increase is intended to reduce shoreline erosion and protect near‑shore habitat.

The second amendment adds a new Wakeboard Boat

Continued on page 8

Celebrating a Multitude of Milestones on Memorial Day Weekend

By CHARLIE VASCELLARO COOPERSTOWN

We’re only halfway through 2026, and it’s already been a big year for celebrating milestone anniversaries here in Cooperstown, across the country, and throughout the baseball community.

In conjunction with the ongoing celebration of the nation’s 250th anni versary, the first ever “Hall of Fame Military Classic: A Tribute to Service and Sacrifice” exhibition game on Saturday, May 23 signaled the begin ning of the summer season for the Hall of Fame and Cooperstown.

It’s a milestone anniversary for me, as well. Friday, May 22, 2026 marked the 50th anniversary of my first visit to Cooperstown and the National Baseball Hall of Fame. As a present for my 12th birthday on May 22, 1976, my father took his baseball crazy son to Cooperstown. We flew out of Islip Airport on Long Island to the Oneida Airport just outside of Utica. I think

►nicklas donates $10M to Hartwick, page 2

►lwVca co-Host s debate, page 2

►faletto rebuts state of education, page 4

►braVin wins lwG a award, page 5

►laurens central Honors Vets, page 6

►dillinGHaM warns of ‘rollinG Hills,’ page 7

►‘MoHawk Valley GiVes’ deadline nears, page 11

we flew on Mohawk Airlines. My dad owned a plumbing company on Long Island at the time and attended many New York UA Plumbers Union conventions back then, and Utica was a place with which he was familiar. We spent the first night in Utica and the next night in Cooperstown. We stayed at The Otesaga Resort Hotel. The Hall of Fame was a more modest museum back then, nowhere near its current size and scope; a half century ago, it was more a collection of old shoes, clothing, and equipment. Toward the end of our visit, Dad told me I could pick out one item from the gift shop. I could have picked anything to bring back to our Setauket, Long Island home; a T shirt, jersey or cap. Maybe a bat, a ball or a glove. Anything. The place was stocked with memorabilia that would have been the envy of all my friends. But there was one item that called out to me with a sentimental and nostalgic tone. In the formative years of my base

Continued on page 9

Bassett Surgeon Takes on Four New Leadership Roles

COOPERSTOWN

Joon K. Shim, MD, MPH, FACS, director of the General Surgery Residency Program at Bassett Healthcare Network, has recently been appointed or elected to new roles in four national organizations.

According to a recent press release, Dr. Shim is a surgeon who is fellowship trained in advanced minimally invasive surgery with expertise in foregut surgery, general surgery and metabolic surgery.

As an appointee to the American College of Surgeons’ Committee on Medical Student Education, Dr. Shim will work with other committee members

to improve surgical education across all four years of medical school and better facilitate the transition from medical school

into residency training.

As a director at large on the Board of Directors for the Association for Academic Surgery Foundation, Dr. Shim will support AASF’s mission to champion new surgeons at the outset of their careers.

As a member at large for the Association for Surgical Education, Dr. Shim will provide her insights to the Board of Directors of one of the leading national organizations dedicated to advancing surgical education, curriculum development, and innovation in training.

Dr. Shim was also appointed to serve on the Board of Directors of the Association of Program Directors in Surgery,

the only national organization dedicated to surgical residency leadership, program develop ment and resident education.

“These four national opportu nities are especially meaningful to me because they align closely with my passion for surgical education, mentorship, leader ship development and building thoughtful training environ ments for future surgeons,” said Dr. Shim. “I am committed to the work of preparing these surgeons to be compassionate, technically excellent, resil ient, and ready to serve diverse communities.”

Under Dr. Shim’s leadership, Bassett Healthcare Network’s

Continued on page 8

Photo provided DR. JOON K. SHIM

Photos by Charlie Vascellaro

Photo at left: Four members of the Louisville Slugger Warriors—a competitive amputee baseball team—participated in the Hall of Fame Military Classic on May 23. Pictured here is team member Lonnie Gaudet with former deaf Major Leaguer and LSW coach Curtis Pride (right), and Pride’s son, Colten (center). Photo at right: Team Stripes catcher and inaugural Women’s Professional Baseball League player Alyssa Zettlemoyer (left) and Team Stars center fielder Brittany Apgar, also a WPBL player, fist bump during batting practice before the Military Classic game at Doubleday Field.

Hartwick College Receives ‘Transformational’ $10 Million Gift

ONEONTA

Hartwick College has received a transformational $10 million investment from Brent R. Nicklas, retired founder of Lexington Partners, a leading global alternative investment firm.

According to a press release, the gift “will strengthen both Hartwick College and its School of Nursing, reinforcing its leadership in healthcare education across New York State, and expand its impact on students, the region and beyond.”

In recognition of this “extraordinary vision and generosity,” the School of Nursing will be named the Brent R. Nicklas School of Nursing at Hartwick College, officials said.

This comprehensive investment represents a defining moment for Hartwick and its strategic priorities, according to the press release. It strengthens enrollment and retention, expands learning opportunities and supports long-term sustainability, while increasing the college’s capacity to respond to urgent and growing workforce needs in nursing and healthcare.

Officials said it also reinforces Hartwick’s identity as “The Life Balance College,” where academic excellence,

SALE

well-being and career outcomes are intentionally connected.

“I know I speak for the entire Hartwick family in expressing gratitude to Brent Nicklas for this extraordinary investment in our college and our region,” said James H. Mullen, president of Hartwick College.

“This is a moment of real momentum for Hartwick,” Mullen continued. “In a highly competitive environment, we have taken bold, strategic steps to strengthen our academic programs and position ourselves for the future. This invest-

ment enhances our ability to be at the front line of education and builds on a strong network of regional partners committed to advancing care, particularly through our nursing program.”

Across the region, Hartwick nursing students and graduates play an essential role in expanding access to care and improving quality of life. According to officials, the key component of this work is Hartwick’s longstanding partnership with Bassett Healthcare Network, “where all nursing students complete clin-

ical experiences and many begin their professional careers.”

The investment will support instruction, including faculty, clinical adjuncts and program operations, while also establishing named nursing scholarships. In addition, it will enhance the Clark Nursing Simulation Lab, providing students and community healthcare partners and professionals with expanded access to advanced, hands-on professional development in a stateof-the-art learning environment.

“This gift supports both Hartwick’s future and reflects the strength of the college’s nursing program,” said Laurel Bongiorno, presidentelect and vice president for academic affairs and provost. “It allows us to build on what we do best, preparing students not only for careers, but for lives of purpose and impact. It also strengthens our ability to serve our region in meaningful and lasting ways.”

Although not a Hartwick alumnus, Nicklas has demonstrated a deep commitment to Hartwick’s mission and

to the role the college plays in strengthening the region’s economy, culture and health.

“Supporting education has always been central to my philanthropic work,” said Nicklas. “Hartwick College is making a meaningful difference by preparing students to meet real needs in their communities. I am proud to name the School of Nursing and support the next generation of leaders who will expand access to care and improve lives across the region.”

Nicklas is the retired founder of Lexington Partners, a global alternative investment firm specializing in secondary private equity and coinvestment funds. He served as non-executive chairman until 2018 and was instrumental in developing the secondary market for private equity and alternative investment interests, as well as helping to establish one of the first independent co-investment programs. Earlier in his career, he was a founding partner of Landmark Partners and spent more than a decade in the Capital Markets division at Merrill Lynch, focusing on private and public equity investments.

A native of Cooperstown, New York, Nicklas has demon-

Continued on page 8

The Pine Shop

Leagues Partner To Present Pre-Primary Debate

COBLESKILL

The League of Women Voters of Albany County and the League of Women Voters of the Cooperstown Area will hold a candidates’ debate for the 102nd

NY Assembly District contest in advance of the primary on Tuesday, June 23. The debate will take place on Thursday, June 4 from 7-9 p.m. at SUNY Cobleskill’s Bouck Hall Theater, 106 Suffolk Circle, Cobleskill.

According to a press release, each candidate will have an opportunity to speak and answer questions that are submitted before the debate at tinyurl.com/ Assembly102Questions; questions may be submitted until Monday, June 1. In addition, members of the audience may submit written questions at the forum.

The debate recording will be available on the YouTube links of the LWV Albany County, @ lwvalbany, and the LWV of the Cooperstown Area, @leagueofwomenvotersoftheco5492.

Vying to be the Democratic Party candidate in the November election are Thomas Boomhower, Mary T. Finneran and Janet S. Tweed. All three candidates have agreed to debate.

Boomhower has worked for both houses of the New York State Legislature, as a legislative assistant in the New York State Senate and a researcher for the New York State Assembly Majority, and as an economic development specialist for Greene County. He is currently a village trustee in Catskill.

Finneran lives in Cairo and is an artist by vocation and education. With a master’s degree in fine arts from Syracuse University, she taught art for 25 years in the New York area. She currently serves as the president of the Cairo Democratic Committee.

Tweed is a physical therapist and a local elected official. She was elected to the Delhi Town Board in 2017. At the end of her service on

the Delhi Town Board, she continued in public office as a trustee of the Delhi Village Board. New York State Assembly members serve two-year terms without term limits.

The two collaborating leagues are committed to holding forums in advance of early voting for the June 23 primary, when party members choose candidates to run in the November election. New York State has closed primaries, which means only members of a party may vote in a primary.

“Those running for office make an important commitment to the region. We hope the community will turn out to hear these candidates speak on June 4,” said Maureen Murray, voter services chair of the LWV Cooperstown Area.

The 102nd Assembly district contains all of Greene and Schoharie counties; Albany County towns of Berne, Coeymans, Knox, Rensselaerville, and Westerlo; Delaware County towns of Bovina, Davenport, Delhi, Franklin, Hamden, Harpersfield, Kortright, Meredith, Roxbury, Stamford, and Walton; Otsego County towns of Cherry Valley, Decatur, Maryland, Middlefield, Otsego, Roseboom, Springfield, Westford, and Worcester; and the Ulster County Town of Saugerties.

For primary voting times and places and information about absentee ballots and early voting, voters should refer to their county’s Board of Elections.

Photo provided

Hartwick College’s School of Nursing is now named for philanthropist Brent R. Nicklas, a Cooperstown native.

Photo provided

Brent R. Nicklas, above, and his wife, Laura, have made significant contributions throughout the region.

Local Fire Departments Call for Help as Recruitment Lags

By JAQUELYN CARLO

SUNY Institute for Local News

COUNTY

OTSEGO

Volunteer fire departments across Otsego County are continuing to face recruitment and retention challenges, even as they ramp up community outreach through statewide campaigns like RecruitNY.

Departments in Milford, Mount Vision and Unadilla participated in this year’s RecruitNY weekend, a coordinated effort on April 18-19 designed to open firehouse doors and encourage residents to consider volunteering. While the events succeeded in raising awareness, they produced few—if any—new applicants, underscoring a persistent struggle for rural emergency services.

“We have found that our events that engage the community can help,” said Unadilla Fire Department Chief Tyler Post. “They don’t always produce applicants. However, they do show the community we are out there working on adding new members to our rolls.”

In Unadilla, the campaign generated conversation and coordination but no immediate recruits.

“Most recently our RecruitNY event produced no applicants,” Post said. “It did give us an opportunity to work with our partners in law enforcement and discuss how we can continue to support each other.”

That outcome reflects a broader trend felt across Otsego County, where smaller populations, demanding training requirements and rising costs continue to strain volunteer departments.

At the Milford Fire Department and Emergency Squad, recruitment events saw modest participation, with only a small number of attendees converting into volunteers.

“I consider them successful because each time we have received at least one application to join our department,” said firefighter and department Secretary Devin Kiser. “The number of attendees are low, so I would say that in terms of [turnout] it could be considered unsuccessful.”

Over the two recruitment days in mid-April, Milford brought in three new volunteers—a gain, but one that highlights how difficult it is to build and sustain membership.

Mount Vision Fire Department fared worse this year in terms of turnout.

“We were unsuccessful drawing anyone to our recent open house event,” said Chief Joseph A. Malecki. “However, it was a good day for our members.”

Despite the lack of public attendance, Malecki said the event still provided value internally.

“Our volunteer members were able to get together to spend the day together,” he said. “Our volunteers were able to give our apparatus, equipment and station some Saturday afternoon TLC.”

While recruitment events have produced limited results, the need for volunteers remains urgent—particularly during daytime hours when many members are working their full-time jobs.

“Our staffing levels fluctuate based on availability of our volunteers,” Malecki said, “and that availability fluctuates based on day and time of day.”

Ideally, a fire engine responds with a crew of at least four. But in smaller communities, that level of staffing is

not always guaranteed.

“In a perfect world, we’d love to be able to recruit at least four more people that are available during the weekday, during the day,” Malecki explained, noting that weekday coverage is often the most challenging. “We could use any help we could get, day or night and any day.”

He then referenced the proverb, “Many hands make light work.”

Kiser echoed that unpredictability in Milford.

“We always need more volunteers,” he said. “How many individuals we have showing up for calls is very dependent on the time of day. Most of our volunteers work full time during the day and cannot make calls within that time frame.”

Even in departments that have added members in recent years, gaps remain.

“In the past three years we have added 23 members to our roster,” Post said of Unadilla. “This brings our total members to 53.”

However, more members does not necessarily translate into more available responders.

“Those 23 people and the other 30 members no longer have the same amount of time to commit as members in the past,” Post revealed.

Beyond recruitment, volunteer fire departments across the region are also grappling with financial pressures and evolving standards in training and equipment.

“Our biggest challenge is meeting the strict standards and acquiring the funds to support the standards,” Post said. “Training and safety are important—we are fully committed to being in compliance. These new standards add cost and those costs are hard to fund.”

Fundraisers help to bridge the gap, but they come with trade-offs.

“We work a lot of fundraisers,” Post said about the Village of Unadilla. “These are great to help with our budget gaps, but they are additional time spent away from our other responsibilities.”

Kiser said Milford faces similar financial hurdles.

“Most departments are having challenges with the rising costs of utilities and fire equipment prices,” he said.

“Our department has received many grants for new equipment—which we are extremely grateful for, as we would not be able to complete necessary

upgrades and replacements to some of our equipment without it.”

In Mount Vision, infrastructure concerns add another layer of difficulty.

“Other challenges our small department faces include: aging apparatus and equipment without appropriate funding to replace; an aging firehouse without appropriate funding to replace; retention of volunteers due to growing training requirements; and a decrease in general societal support for first responders,” Chief Malecki said.

The challenges facing Otsego County’s volunteer fire departments are particularly acute in rural areas, where smaller populations limit the pool of potential volunteers and longer distances can increase response times.

Unlike urban or paid departments, volunteer agencies rely almost entirely on community participation—meaning every new recruit can make a significant difference.

Departments must also compete with modern work schedules, family commitments and longer commutes, all of which reduce the time residents can dedicate to volunteering.

“Capacity is a tough one to quantify,” Post said. “I would say we need funding to fill our gap.”

Despite the challenges, local fire officials emphasize that volunteering is not limited to fighting fires and remains accessible to people of all backgrounds and skill levels.

“The volunteer fire service needs all types of people because there are so many different types of work to be done,” Milford’s Kiser said. “A lot of people believe that by putting in an application you want to run into a burning building—that’s not true.”

Kiser detailed the wide range of nonfirefighting roles that support emergency response.

“There are so many different roles. Administration tasks, fundraising, traffic control, scene security, pump operators, scene support, and so many more,” he said. “I can’t go into the burning building without someone completing all of those tasks. They are all important. There is something for everyone.”

Malecki delivered a similar message.

“You need no prior experience to volunteer for your local fire department and there is seriously a job for everyone,” he said. “We provide all training for the job that you’d be fulfilling.”

Roles can include “fundraising, station maintenance, apparatus maintenance, recordkeeping, social media interaction, fire pump operation, traffic control, Emergency Medical Services, and so many more opportunities,” Malecki said.

For those who do join, fire departments offer more than just a chance to help others—they provide a sense of

Continued on page 7

Photo courtesy of the Milford Fire Department

Events such as RecruitNY are intended to educate the public as well as to attract new volunteers to participating fire departments.

Perspectives

GUEST EDITORIAL DAVID FALETTO

American Education: There Is No More Room for Grace

As a general rule, I, too, like to show grace as much as possible when sharing opinions about public education, but in the case of the schools in Otsego County, I must respectfully disagree with Mr. Murphy [“American Education: a 125-Year-Old Failure?”]. For our local region, it is imperative that parents and the local citizens demand better academics and better learning environments for our children. For far too long, the communities have been showing the schools grace, and look what it’s got us—a declining population, standardized test scores that are below the state average, school taxes that increase each year, above average school spending in more than half of the county school districts, rampant bullying, and schools that cannot meet the academic needs of children in the 21st century.

There are 12 school districts in Otsego County with a total of 6,066 students, 18 school buildings and combined budget spending of $224,364,253.

Based on the latest publicly available data, superintendent salaries top out at $1,843,170 for the 12 superintendents currently employed in Otsego County schools. This is salary only—not the total compensation package. The money spent on retirement, social security, health insurance and other employee benefits raises this figure much higher.

Compare this figure to the district in New York that is considered New York’s best—Syosset. The superintendent there serves 6,980 students in 10 buildings, slightly more students than all districts in Otsego combined and in fewer buildings. His salary is $305,000—a savings of $1,538,170 in salary alone, if Otsego schools would combine under one superintendent (which it most absolutely should do).

To add salt to Otsego’s wounds, Syosset Central School District also has a consistently high rate of proficiency for state standardized tests—80 percent for English Language Arts (ELA); 91 percent for math; 88 percent for science.

Compare these figures also to the school district of Brookline, Massachusetts. Brookline is considered one of the best districts in Massachusetts, and Massachusetts is considered the very best state in the nation for education.

The Brookline superintendent serves slightly more than 7,000 students. Her salary is $217,500—$1,625,670 less than what is spent on superintendents in Otsego County.

Both of those superintendents are in charge of the education of more students and receive better academic results than what we find in any school in Otsego County, and yet it costs much less to employ them. These are just two examples. There are dozens of similar examples that can be found all across the country and in New York State.

Each district in Otsego also has its own school board and employs other district administrative positions, such as a dedicated administrative assistant to the superintendent, district level finance personnel, curriculum coordinators, and others—all positions that could be shared across all Otsego County districts.

Millions of dollars are misspent on administration alone. Each school spends a minimum of $1,500,000 on administration, with most spending more than $2 million per year. Oneonta City has a proposed administration budget of almost $4 million for the upcoming year. It’s a combined expense of almost $30 million dollars. None of this money goes toward teaching the children.

Combining all the school districts in the county into one district could result in a savings of more than 20 million dollars per year. The districts in Otsego also overspend on capital expenses. Oneonta City operates five schools but has only enough students for three. Cooperstown operates two school buildings but only has roughly 760 students. Unatego

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR POLICY

operates three schools at two addresses with fewer than 700 students. The other schools average 325 students per school building. Schenevus operates an entire school building with only 233 students. Laurens has only 275.

More than $30 million is spent each year in Otsego County on school capital expenses alone (in addition to the $30 million spent on administration). None of the school buildings in Otsego County is at capacity. They all have room to take on more students. Based on the low enrollment numbers in the local schools, I estimate at least six schools could close with an estimated savings in capital expenses of $15,000,000 a year.

That money could be used to improve the academic outcomes of Otsego County’s children.

Cost per student spending is another area that is out of control. Five Otsego districts spend more money per pupil than the state average of $31,791. Two others spend almost the average. All seven of those districts spend more than $30,000 per student each year, with one district spending $35,744 per student.

Even with all that spending, those schools do not get stellar academic results. Throwing money at the problem obviously does not solve the problem. The ONLY district in Otsego County that achieved proficiency on the New York State standardized test last year at every grade level was Cooperstown Central School District—77 percent for ELA; 67 percent for math; 71 percent for science.

Oneonta City schools didn’t have any grade level meet the state’s average scores. Cherry Valley-Springfield only met the level in sixth-grade math. Gilbertsville-Mt. Upton, Milford Central, and Morris Central only met the average in eighth-grade science.

Cherry Valley-Springfield had only 7 percent of their eighth-grade reach proficiency on the New York State standardized test for math. Gilbertsville-Mt. Upton had only 6 percent meet proficiency in seventh-grade ELA. Milford had only 5 percent meet proficiency for third-grade ELA. Morris had no grades meet the state average for proficiency in Math or ELA. Only their eighth-grade science scores were slightly higher than the state average. They have shown a steady decline in scores in each of the last four years.

A majority of the grade levels across the 12 districts fell below 50 percent proficiency. The tests were given to students in third through eighth grades (six grade levels x 12 districts = 72 scores).

There were nine scores between 12 percent and 15 percent proficiency for ELA across the 12 districts. There were nine scores between 23 percent and 28 percent, 13 scores between 30 percent and 39 percent, and 17 scores between 40 percent and 47 percent.

Of the 72 possible scores, 50 did not hit the 50 percent proficient mark for English Language Arts. The test measures reading comprehension. These scores show that most Otsego County children can’t pass a basic reading comprehension and grammar test for their grade level.

For math, six scores fell between 10 percent and 17 percent proficiency. Eight fell between 20 percent and 29 percent. Fourteen fell between 32 percent and 39 percent, and 14 fell between 40 percent and 48 percent. Forty-five of the 72 scores were below the 50 percent mark. Most Otsego County children can’t do math at their grade level.

It’s true that state standardized tests do not show a complete picture of the child, but the tests do show an adequate measure of the quality of teaching that goes on in the schools. The tests measure basic grade-level material—nothing advanced.

It’s also true that comparing students from affluent

“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.

Columnists and Contributing Writers

Counsel Jill Ann Poulson

of Cooperstown

MEMBER: National Newspaper Association, NY Press Association

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Class Subscription, $155 a year.

Riley Must Return AIPAC Monies

Flooding political campaigns with outside money has made a mockery of our election system. Contributions to political campaigns ought to be limited to flesh and blood individuals living within the districts in question.

AIPAC, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, a pro-Israel lobby, just spent $35 million in an unprecedented media campaign to defeat Republican Congressman Thomas Massie of Kentucky in a primary election. They were able to control the message that got to the voters. They supported his opponent by flooding the district with negative ads against Massie and drowning out his voice. Massie earned the ire of AIPAC by opposing illegal U.S. involvement in the Israeli-initiated war on Iran, and for calling for the release of the Epstein files.

Our Congressman Josh Riley is also the recipient of AIPAC money, to the tune of $171,802, according to a website tracking their contributions. See: https://www.track-

suburbs to students in rural areas is not exactly an appleto-apple comparison, but every child has the ability to learn, regardless of circumstances, if taught well by teachers who know how to do it.

The administrators and teachers are quick to make excuses and put a spin on their failures, but the proof is in the academic pudding. When the smart students graduate, they move away and don’t come back. They realize right away that life is better elsewhere. They want a better education for their own children, so they stay away. The population in this region has been declining for decades, and it is expected to continue to decline. The schools are a huge reason for that. No well-educated, professional family wants their children to attend these schools. They don’t come here at all, or they get out as soon as they can.

The push for regionalization is about 40 years too late, and from what I’ve seen from those meetings, even the best ideas are a small fraction of what this area actually needs to do to improve education for the children. The place to start is not regionalization but a complete reorganization—a merger of the 12 districts in the county into one.

I realize that tradition means a lot to the residents of Otsego County. It’s a trait that should be admired, but the children really need better options than what they are currently receiving. I also realize 11 superintendents are not going to volunteer to give up their jobs and the compensation that goes with it to do what’s right for the children, but change must happen.

A merger would save the schools millions of dollars each year that could be spent on bringing educational offerings up-to-date and competitive with other schools in New York and the nation—cutting edge science labs at every school, competitive robotics teams for elementary, middle, and high-school students, fully developed STEAM programs at each school, medical careers magnet program, competitive marching bands and choirs, competitive team sports, fitness centers to promote overall health, law and criminal justice magnet program, and gifted programs to name just a few. A good start, however, would be to teach the children how to read and do math at grade level—something the schools here seem to be having a difficult time accomplishing.

There is often the stated belief in this region that economically disadvantaged children cannot be expected to learn. I say, “Bologna.” As I mentioned before, every child has the ability to learn, regardless of circumstances, if taught well by teachers who know how to do it.

An example of the possibility for success comes from Albany School of Humanities. Sixty-nine percent of their students are economically disadvantaged. Sixteen percent have disabilities. Twenty percent are English language learners, yet they scored 70 percent proficiency for the state standardized ELA test and 74 percent proficiency for math. It can be done.

So, no, there is no more room for grace. Parents and community members are right to question what is happening in schools. More people need to speak up. Major changes need to happen and happen fast. The children’s futures depend on it.

David Faletto is an IT professional with over 30 years of experience with Fortune 500 companies and the U.S. Department of Defense. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in mathematics and computer science from the University of Pittsburgh and an Executive MBA degree from Rollins College. He currently resides in the Town of Morris. Data included in this opinion piece is all public information and as of the publication of this guest editorial can be found at nysed.gov, opengovpay.com, and individual school websites.

aipac.com/states/newyork.

Is Josh Riley representing the people of the 19th Congressional District or the interests of the state of Israel?

Is it possible for him to oppose Trump’s illegal war of aggression with Israel while taking AIPAC money?

It’s time to get outside money out of politics. As a step in that direction, Riley needs to return AIPAC’s contribution in full. Nothing less will do, unless he wants to appear as another political stooge in Washington. Returning the money would show integrity and real courage. It would win my admiration and my vote for him, and I suspect the votes of many others.

Adrian Kuzminski Fly Creek

Church, State Must Remain Separate

In this year marking the 250th anniversary of the founding of the nation, the Trump administration held a prayer vigil for our nation sponsored by Christian Nationalists and Christian Evangelicals. Christian Nationalists would

like our country to throw away the constitutional protections against Church and State impinging upon one another, and they would like to enshrine the idea that the U.S. has always been a Christian nation. It hasn’t been, for good reason.

The founders and authors of the Constitution insisted on the separation of Church and State so that all may worship freely in their own tradition, or not worship at all, without coercion or prejudice.

Our founding fathers knew they did not want a monarchy who would have the power to favor one religion over another and violently punish protesters, so they wrote into the Constitution three equal branches of government to put a check on power and affirm the separation of Church and State.

From what I have heard of the Christian Nationalist agenda, I fear that only a certain, particular strain of Christian doctrine will be endorsed and laws will be codified to prevent any deviation from the perceived right interpretation of the Scriptures. That leaves all other religions

Continued on page 8

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

by Tom HeiTz/SHARoN STUART

185 YEARS AGO

The “Law Reforms,” about which the Legal Gentlemen talk so much as “taking the bread from the mouth of labor,” seem to have but little effect upon the rush to the Bar, for the New York papers give the names of 45 persons admitted as Counsellors, and 81 as Attorneys, during the present term of the Supreme Court. The profession must be a lucrative one still, for if it were otherwise, many young men would not be attracted to it. And who can doubt that we are a very restive, litigious race, when so many are paid to redress the difficulties in which we get entangled.

May 24, 1841

160 YEARS AGO

The Susquehanna Railroad—To reach the Delevan House, Albany, from Cooperstown, requires about seven hours, whether one goes by the Central or Susquehanna road. Eastern travelers generally take the latter route, for the reason that it requires ten miles less of staging; and the hour of departure of the two daily stages leaving our village for Collier’s are very convenient. The “Western Union” Company now owns the line of telegraph to this place (Cooperstown). A line is being run to Canajoharie via Clarksville (Middlefield), Cherry Valley and Sharon Springs. If our trustees have any authority in the matter, they should require the company to put up decent-looking poles. A coat of paint would improve them.

May 25, 1866

135 YEARS AGO

A New Polyclinic—The handsome new clinic of the Philadelphia Polyclinic, on Lombard Street, west of Eighteenth, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was formally opened recently by Lieutenant-Governor Watres as a charitable institution of the State. It is the establishment of a unique medical school and all the undergraduate medical colleges send their representatives with greetings to the successful launching of this institution. Previous to the opening prayer, Dr. Thomas J. Mays, president of the faculty, unveiled the brass tablet of the perpetual endowment fund of the Polyclinic Medical Society on the first floor corridor. This tablet contains the names of the founders. Among the number is that of Dr. M. Imogene Bassett of this village, who we are pleased to note, has through persevering and hard study become one of the foremost women in her profession. The hospital, which has accommodations for fifty patients, is a marvel of comfort, convenience and neatness.

May 28, 1891

85 YEARS AGO

The first New York State Selective Service registrants to go to a civilian project camp for conscientious objectors will be ordered by their local boards to report at the Cooperstown Camp on June 5, it was announced by Brigadier General Ames T. Brown, state director of Selective Service. The national headquarters of the Selective Service has forwarded to the New York State headquarters a list of seven registrants whose order numbers have been passed by their draft boards, and who have been certified by state headquarters as conscientious objectors to all forms of combatant or non-combatant military service. They are given classification IV-E under the Selective Service regulations. Among the seven is one from local board 403, Cooperstown.

May 28, 1941

LWGA Announces Inaugural Golf Award

COOPERSTOWN

The Leatherstocking Women’s Golf Association recently announced the establishment of the LWGA Golf Award and the selection of its inaugural recipient, Rimma Bravin, a graduating senior from Cooperstown High School. This milestone award, created in 2026, reflects the LWGA’s commitment to promoting and growing the sport of golf among women in our community, officials said.

Bravin was selected from among eligible female members of the Cooperstown Central School golf team who are graduating and pursuing higher education. She exemplifies the values the LWGA seeks to honor: a positive attitude with a lifelong love of golf.

The LWGA Golf Award was established to celebrate young women who have demonstrated not only athletic participation, but a genuine passion for golf as a lifelong pursuit. The award recognizes the

By MERL REAGLE

1 Grosbeak’s beak

Actress Allgood

Hard-to-lift instruments 17 Soothing TV game show?

20 Don’t forget (to)

Door doohickey

Climber’s spike

Instrument heard at the start of J. Arthur Rank films

in Love Story

Doberman hue

San Francisco, e.g.

Surface for Kerrigan

Checkers doubledecker 39 Cartoonist who invented the Republican elephant

Small horse-drawn carriage

Unfamiliar

Newsman Charles and family 46 Crude stone tool

35 YEARS AGO

Fifteen Cooperstown-area residents received diplomas at the 102nd Annual Commencement ceremonies at the State University College of Oneonta on May 18. Virginia Heitz, a pre-Kindergarten teacher at Cooperstown Elementary School received the Master in Education diploma, and her daughter Jennifer Heitz, a Bachelor of Science in Education. Other Cooperstown residents earning the Master in Education degree were Jeannine Groff, Kathleen Galland-Bennett and Carole A. Alicino.

May 29, 1991

“Trait Names” (May 21)

lessons the sport imparts—sportsmanship, resilience, honesty, and personal growth—and the role those lessons play in shaping future leaders.

Each year, the recipient will be selected in May and introduced to LWGA members at the association’s spring meeting. The award will then be formally announced at the Cooperstown High School graduation ceremony in June.

The award consists of a $500 cash award, paid directly to the recipient for use toward educational expenses such as a laptop, books or tuition, as well as a complimentary LWGA membership for the season following graduation, awarded to recipients who are Leatherstocking subscribers.

The award is open to female members of the Cooperstown High School golf team who are graduating and have plans to pursue a higher level of

Continued on page 7

Pre-1917 rulers

The remainder of the remedies?

Exisle? 55 Pope in 1050

A movie was all about her

“___ about it!”

Chord with a flatted third and fifth: abbr.

Caterpillar hairs

First words of Cash’s “I Walk the Line”

Puppy’s bark

Superstitions, home cures, etc.

69 Soothing former gameshow host? 71 Part of SHAZAM 72 Start of a verse?

Eniwetok event

99’s pal

Abuse 76 “Let’s shake on it!”

Ill-comforted one

Jazz style (original name)

Roscoe of Cimarron

Soothing advice to a victim of red tape?

Surveillance planes

Star of “The Flight that Failed”?

Photo provided

Rimma Bravin received the Leatherstocking Women’s Golf Association’s first golf award, which celebrates “young women who have demonstrated not only athletic participation, but a genuine passion for golf as a lifelong pursuit.” Holding the display check, from left, are Shelley Graham, Cay Franck, Bravin and Melissa Barry.

Center To Celebrate Opening

GLOVERSVILLE—The Senior Citizens Service Center of Gloversville and Fulton County, 53 Church Street in Gloversville, will hold a grand re-opening and ribbon cutting from 1-4 p.m. on Tuesday, June 16. The 50-year-old facility underwent extensive interior and exterior renovation with supporting funds from Gloversville and New York State. Members of the public are invited to tour the facility and enjoy refreshments.

FCO Spring Fling Is Sunday

COOPERSTOWN—Fenimore Chamber Orchestra will hold its annual Spring Fling concert at Cooperstown Beverage Exchange, 73 Main Street, from 3-5 p.m. on Sunday, May 31. There will be a silent auction, open bar and refreshments. Tickets are $50.00 and all proceeds support FCO’s live music projects. Contact info@fenimore-orchestra.org.

Smithy Exhibit To Open 6/2

COOPERSTOWN—The Smithy Gallery will open its 2026 season with “A Square Deal: Small Works Exhibition,” featuring work by 90 Smithy and guest artists. It will open with a reception from 5-7 p.m. on Tuesday, June 2 and remain on display through July 11. The gallery is open 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday. For more information, visit smithyarts.org.

CCS School Budget Passes

COOPERSTOWN—Cooperstown Central School voters approved the proposed 2026-27 district budget by a margin of 368-104 in the election on Tuesday, May 19. The bus lease proposition and public library tax proposition were approved by votes of 384-86 and 381-89, respectively. Maggie Dowd and Christopher Franck were elected to the two open school board seats with 301 and 276 votes.

Charity Fan Drive Returns

COOPERSTOWN—The Salvation Army and Westlake Ace Hardware’s annual fan drive charity event will run through Saturday, June 6. Westlake Ace customers are invited to round up their totals at checkout to provide new box fans to local families in need. Last year, customers at the Cooperstown, Delhi and Walton locations donated 79 fans. To make an online gift, visit salarmy.us/FanDrive.

Summer Contradance Slated

FLY CREEK—Otsego Dance Society will hold its first contradance of the summer at Fly Creek’s Cornfield Hall, 655 County Route 26, from 7:3010:30 p.m. on Friday, June 5. Binghamton duo Rosetree will perform live music and Ithaca dance teacher Pamela Goddard will call. There will be a brief introduction for beginners at 7:30. There is a suggested donation of $10.00 per adult and $5.00 per student. For more information, visit otsegodancesociety.weebly.com.

‘Art in Bloom’ Show

Planned

ONEONTA—Community Arts Network of Oneonta will hold its annual “Art in Bloom” art and floral arrangement show at Wilber Mansion, 11 Ford Avenue, on June 12-14. There will be a reception from 5-8 p.m. on Friday, June 12 and the gallery will be open from noon to 3 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, June 13-14. The show is open to the public.

Helios Camp Dates Released

OTSEGO COUNTY—Helios Care will run three of its popular Camp Forget-Me-Not one-day grief counseling camps for children this summer. Led by experienced Helios professionals, the camp provides a safe, welcoming environment for children ages 618 who have lost a loved one to connect with peers, express their feelings and learn healthy coping strategies. It will be held at Radez Elementary School, 319 East Main Street in Richmondville, on Saturday, June 20; at Townsend Elementary School, 42-66 North Street in Walton, on Thursday, July 23; and at Hartwick College Pine Lake Campus, 1894 Charlotte Creek Road in Davenport, on Thursday, August 13. All sessions run from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and are free of charge. For more information or to register, visit helioscare.org/support-for-families/ kids-camp/ or call (607) 432-5525.

Baseball, Softball Seasons End

COOPERSTOWN—Cooperstown baseball rode a five-run fifth inning to a 7-6 comeback win against Herkimer on Wednesday, May 20. Wyatt Butts earned the win in relief, striking out five and allowing a single walk in four innings. Ty Burkhart, Coltan Hill, Sawyer McManus, Tommy Geertgens and Joey Paterno scored runs. The Hawkeyes

Honoring Those Who Served

LAURENS—Laurens Central School fifth- and sixth-graders left long stem red carnations on veterans’ graves in the Laurens Village and Elm Row cemeteries on Monday, May 18. The event was organized by the Laurens American Legion Auxiliary with assistance from Laurens American Legion members. Pictured above is sixth-grade student Vincent Sparaco.

finished their regular season 10-3 and received the fourth seed for the Section III Class C Tournament. They will host 13-seed Hamilton after press time at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 26. Cooperstown softball ended the season with an 11-4 loss to West Canada Valley on Tuesday, May 19. Carlotta Falso was stuck with the loss after striking out three batters and giving up six hits and eight walks. Emma Green had two RBI and Lanie Nelen had two hits. Scarlett Bong went two-for-two with an RBI and a run. The Hawkeyes finished the year with a 2-14 record.

Hamilton Honors Higgins

CLINTON—Hamilton College held its annual Class and Charter Day awards presentation on Tuesday, May 12. Among the honorees was Patricia Higgins of Otego, who earned the Franklin G. Hamlin Prize in French.

Nazareth

Names Dean’s List

ROCHESTER—Nazareth University announced its spring 2026 Dean’s List, honoring students who maintained a grade point average of at least 3.5 while completing 12 or more credit-hours of coursework. Among the local honorees were Leah McCrea of Cooperstown, Anna Wick of Maryland, Hannah Sawyer of Morris, Ariana Bosc of Springfield Center and Amelia Johnson of Worcester.

Park To Unveil $10M Reno

COOPERSTOWN—Cooperstown Dreams Park will open its 31st season with a ribbon-cutting ceremony for its $10 million expansion at 11 a.m. on Friday, May 29. Cooperstown Mayor Ellen Tillapaugh will join. For more information or to RSVP, e-mail contact@cooperstowndreamspark.com.

Scholarship Apps To Close

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.

Talk Focuses on 1960 Maryland

MARYLAND—The Town of Maryland Historical Society will meet in the AmVets Building, 25 Main Street in Schenevus, at 2 p.m. on Sunday, May 31. Attendees will discuss and examine local events from the year 1960. All are welcome.

New York Gas Prices Dip

UTICA—The average price of gas in New York State leveled off and dropped three cents to $4.58 per gallon over the week ending Monday, May 25, AAA Northeast announced. Oil prices declined worldwide as the U.S. and Iran signaled progress in recent rounds of peace talks, but renewed American strikes on Iranian targets on Monday threw this progress into doubt. Domestic oil and gas inventories continued to fall for the 14th straight week despite near-record production levels, settling at about 214 million barrels per day and about five percent below the seasonal average. New York’s price is 41 cents higher than a month ago and $1.46 higher than this week last year. To view the full report, visit gasprices.aaa.com.

Cooperstown Tennis Wraps Up

CLINTON—Cooperstown’s Henry Ayers fell 60, 6-0 to Manlius-Pebble Hill’s Savir Gambhir in the Sectional tennis finals at Hamilton College on Wednesday, May 20. Ayers, a sophomore, lost 6-1, 6-0 to three-seeded Tyler Cranfield of Cortland at the State Qualifiers on Monday, May 25. Freshman Alfred Hom lost 6-0, 6-0 to Liverpool’s top-seeded Justin Barrett.

Grange Chili Supper Is May 30

COOPERSTOWN—The Pierstown Grange, 137 Wedderspoon Hollow Road in Cooperstown, will hold a chili supper from 4:30-7 p.m. on Saturday, May 30. Dinners are $9.00 and available to eat in or take out. Call (607) 437-1232 for more information.

ADK Club Announces Hikes

ONEONTA—The Susquehanna Chapter of the Adirondack Mountain Club will hold its next meeting and potluck at Gilbert Lake State Park on Wednesday, June 10. The month’s Tuesday hikes will be at Windswept Acres in Delancy on June 2, Star Field in Cooperstown on June 9, Mine Kill State Park in North Blenheim on June 16, Kelly Hollow Trail in Margaretville on June 23, and a hike and paddle at Goodyear Lake on June 30. There will be an extended outing to Plotter Kill Preserve in Schenectady County on Saturday, June 20. For more information or to sign up, contact (607) 431-8010 or visit susqadk. org/outing-schedule/.

SEED Dance To Visit Oneonta

ONEONTA—Soul Expansion Embodiment Dance, a group that blends ecstatic dance, community connection and somatic wellness, will lead a judgment-free dance workshop at the Oneonta Unitarian Universalist Society, 12 Ford Avenue, from 12-2 p.m. on Sunday, May 31. Tickets are available via EventBrite or by contacting Islavaa@ gmail.com.

Filmmaker Returns Home with Caregiving Drama; Fundraising Efforts Underway

By GAYANE TOROSYAN

OTSEGO COUNTY

Ellie Pink is coming home to make a film about leaving, or perhaps more precisely, about what it means to stay.

Pink, a Cooperstown-area native, plans to begin shooting her short film, “Too Late,” in Otsego County in early to mid-September, working with a small cast and crew to tell an intimate story about caregiving, loss, and the quiet deci-

sions that shape a life. The film centers on Shannon, a woman in her 60s caring for a husband with late-stage lung cancer. The production remains modest in scale but ambitious in scope. Pink and her team are working toward a roughly

$40,000.00 budget, with fundraising underway through multiple channels. The project’s crowdfunding page at https://www. indiegogo.com/en/projects/ ellie-pink/too-late1 or tinyurl. com/toolateotsego includes a

budget breakdown, a production timeline, and rewards for potential donors. The fundraiser will continue until Sunday, June 21.

To read Gayane Torosyan’s article in its entirety, visit AllOtsego.com.

Photo by Mindy Madison, Laurens Auxiliary member

Book Talk Examines Civil Rights Movement Citizenship Schools

By ERIC SANTOMAURO-STENZEL COOPERSTOWN

The League of Women Voters of the Cooperstown Area, with over a dozen local sponsors, is set to host a book talk with the author of “Spell Freedom: The Underground Schools That Built the Civil Rights Movement,” Elaine Weiss, on Thursday, May 28 at 7 p.m. The event will be held at the Village Hall Ballroom, 22 Main Street, Cooperstown.

“This particular story, it’s very compelling,” LWVCA Co-president Hudi Podolsky told AllOtsego. “It really speaks to what individual students, individual people can do to change the world.”

The talk, moderated by Cooperstown Graduate Program Director Dr. Gretchen Sorin, will dive into the history described in the book and related topics. Published last year, Weiss’ book chronicles the Citizenship Schools project that equipped tens of thousands of black Americans with reading, writing, voting and advocacy skills that were a boon to the

THE PARTIAL OBSERVER

TCivil Rights Movement.

“In the summer of 1954, educator Septima Clark and small businessman Esau Jenkins travelled to rural Tennessee’s Highlander Folk School, an interracial training center for social change founded by Myles Horton, a white southerner with roots in the labor movement,” a book description reads. “There, the trio united behind a shared mission: preparing Black southerners to pass the daunting Jim Crow era voter registration literacy tests that were designed to disenfranchise them.”

By the time the Voting Rights Act of 1965 became law, the description says, the project established more than 900 such citizenship schools across the South.

Highlander continues similar work to this day, serving as a hub for interracial movement training and building.

“I want us to stay focused on what we can do at the grassroots,” Podolsky said of the event, “what individual people can do to change the conversation to change what people know and understand, and to

give people a sense of their own agency.”

Podolsky said the idea for the event came from her sister and fellow LWVCA board member Aviva Schneider. In organizing the event, LWVCA accrued the following sponsors: Connections at Clark Sports Center; Cooperstown Graduate Program; Cooperstown PTA; Community Foundation of Otsego County; AllOtsego, The Freeman’s Journal, and Hometown Oneonta; Friends of the Village Library; Green Toad Bookstore; NAACP Oneonta Branch; Otsego 2000; Race, Equity and Justice Series of the First Baptist Church of Cooperstown; Rotary Club of Cooperstown; Village of Cooperstown; and Village Library of Cooperstown.

“We didn’t want their financial support, we just wanted them to help spread the word,” Podolsky said. Additionally, “we really wanted to demonstrate that there’s a strong network of community organizations that are dedicated to keeping our democracy strong.”

Don’t Roll Over on Rolling Hills Industrial Wind

he threat of an industrial scale wind turbine project negatively impacting the Glimmerglass Historic District and the Holy Trinity Monastery is looming once again here. The developer is Terra-Gen and the project is euphemistically called “Rolling Hills.” We should not “roll over” on this.

Terra-Gen has assured residents that the 300megawatt project will be as big as possible, with 75-80 turbines projected at a height of 600 feet each, lit at night with red flashing lights. Plus roads, collection facilities and transmission lines. This project will negatively impact the religious rites of the Holy Trinity Monastery, and Museum, listed on both the State and National Registers of Historic Places, and dramatically negatively impact the Glimmerglass Historic District with flashing red lights illuminating the turbines, visible from Lake Otsego.

Terra-Gen is now approaching landowners in the vicinity to sign up leases. At the same time, they are conducting bird studies, including a “large bird” survey of eagle nesting grounds, sound tests, archeological tests and wetlands delineation. They plan to complete their application by early next year, with construction commencing in 2028 and

Golf Award

Continued from page 5

education, including college, trade schools, military service or other postsecondary paths.

Recipients are chosen by the LWGA Award Committee based on a written essay and a conversation with CCS golf coach Tom Parker. Applicants submitted a one-page essay exploring how golf has influenced their lives, challenges they have faced, and how the game of golf can be translated to the game of life.

Rimma’s essay was exceptional and hit all the values that matter, according to the LWGA Award Committee, which stated, “Golf teaches us resilience, persistence and how to meet challenges with grace. The LWGA is thrilled to honor a young woman who embodies these values and carries them forward into her future. We look forward to watching Rimma, and how she will apply those values beyond the golf course.”

The Leatherstocking Women’s Golf Association is a membership organization that promotes the sport of golf among women. Through camaraderie and competition, the LWGA fosters a welcoming environment for golfers of all skill levels.

While Otsego 2000 strongly supports the development of renewable energy, we believe these projects must be sited with attention to the impacts on local historic sites, religious intuitions, historic viewsheds and protection of endangered species. We cannot support destruction of nature in the name of protecting it.

completion expected by 2030.

Significantly, electricity generated by the project will be fed directly into the Marcy South power line due to extra capacity in that line. There is no plan to make the electricity available to the affected towns or residents, and no hope that it will reduce electric rates in the affected communities. While a “pilot agreement” in lieu of property taxes could be negotiated to aid host communities, there is no expectation that this would aid landowners in the region whose property values will fall drastically if this project is built.

Terra-Gen claims that extensive studies of visual impacts have already been done, including a study of visual impacts on the monastery and Otsego Lake, but this study has not been released for public comment.

Terra-Gen claims that, in the past, “NIMBYS” objected to a prior project due to negative impacts on the monastery, the Otsego Lake viewshed

Fire Dept.

Continued from page 3

purpose and community.

“The volunteer fire service can be a very rewarding use of your time,” Malecki said. “Not only are you serving your neighbors and community, but you are truly joining a ‘brotherhood.’”

He said many volunteers discover unexpected personal benefits.

“Most of our volunteers become close lifelong friends,” Malecki said.

“Most of our volunteers either join for the camaraderie or join to serve their community. But all seemingly find a piece of their life that they may or may not have known they were missing.”

As departments across Otsego County continue their recruitment efforts, they hope more residents will step forward— not just during organized campaigns like RecruitNY, but year-round.

“The calls for help come day or night, every day,” Malecki said.

And for many departments, the message remains simple: The door is open, and help is needed.

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.

Hard-copy subscriptions include unlimited access to AllOtsego.com. Or you can subscribe online only for a lower rate.

and the Glimmerglass Historic District. They are referring to an industrial wind project proposed by Iberdrola, which Otsego 2000 fought and stopped in 2007. The Iberdrola project was, in fact, half the size of the project now proposed by Terra-Gen. We firmly reject these derogatory attacks by Terra-Gen on residents and institutions fighting to protect their communities from abuse by foreign developers. While Otsego 2000 strongly supports the development of renewable energy, we believe these projects must be sited with attention to the impacts on local historic sites, religious intuitions, historic viewsheds and protection of endangered species. We cannot support destruction of nature in the name of protecting it. I hope you will follow these developments, attend local town board meetings to express your opposition to improperly sited industrial developments, and support Otsego 2000 in this effort. Nicole Dillingham is a board member and former board president of Otsego 2000.

NICOLE DILLINGHAM

Continued from page 1

Policy as §44-4. The law identifies wakeboard boats as a potential source of contamination and physical impact “by virtue of their unique design and operation that can introduce invasive species to Lake Otsego in their ballast water, and cause damaging impacts to the lake shore and structures, riparian habitat, the lakebed, and ecology.”

Wakeboard boats are defined as monohull motorboats equipped with ballast tanks or hydraulically controlled devices intended to increase wake size. Bait wells and live wells used for holding fish are excluded.

Two restrictions were adopted. Wakeboard boats with ballast tanks may not be launched from the village’s public motorboat launches at Fair Street or Fish Road. Additionally, wakeboard boats may not be operated in a manner that creates a wake exceeding 12 inches from trough to crest within the village’s jurisdiction, which extends 1,500 feet from any point on the shoreline within village boundaries.

Violations carry fines of $100.00 for a first offense, $250.00 for a second offense within two years, and $500.00 for a third offense within two years. Enforcement may be carried out by the Cooperstown Police Department as well as county or state law enforcement officers.

Deputy Mayor Cindy Falk said the Watershed Supervisory Committee brought concerns about wakeboard boats to the village. According to Falk, the ballast-tank restriction addresses the risk of invasive species that may be present in ballast water and are not easily detected through visual inspection. The wake-height limit, she said, is intended to reduce impacts on the shoreline and lake bottom.

In response to questions about the scientific

basis for the amendments, Mayor Ellen Tillapaugh provided written explanations from Dr. Kiyoko Yokota, a SUNY professor and limnologist who advises the village and surrounding townships. Yokota emphasized that the WSC is a governance body, not a research institution, but said its support for wake-boat regulations is grounded in decades of documented evidence from Otsego Lake and lakes worldwide.

“Shoreline erosion, benthic disturbance, and increased turbidity from both natural and human causes and their negative effects on lake ecosystem functions have long been documented,” Yokota wrote, noting that prevention is more effective than reactive management. She cited the principles of the state’s Nine Element Plan, a proactive watershed - management framework for waterbodies not yet classified as impaired.

Yokota said that while Otsego Lake has unique features, the physics of water and sediment movement are universal.

“There is no scientific evidence to support the hypothesis that Otsego Lake is an exception to the basic laws of physics at work in other lakes,” she wrote.

Yokota pointed to several indicators of stress already visible in the lake. Long-time SCUBA divers and shoreline property owners have observed erosion throughout the lake, including at Lakefront Park. Repeated collapses along Highways 80 and 33, she said, reflect sediment movement into the lake. The northern end of the lake and Hyde Bay now contain roughly a foot of accumulated flocculate muck, and the area south of Glimmerglass State Park becomes unnavigable for motorboats each summer due to dense aquatic-plant growth, including invasive curly-leaf pondweed. Quagga mussels have colonized even the deepest parts of the lake, taking advantage of soft sediments that

now blanket much of the lakebed. Otsego Lake also experienced its first toxic cyanobacterial blooms in 2022, which Yokota described as evidence that “multiple ecological stressors have significantly altered the aquatic ecosystem beyond a tipping point.”

Yokota also addressed comparisons between wake boats and other vessels. She noted that most boats on Otsego Lake are small, day-use craft, and that even conventional water skiing or tubing can generate wakes strong enough to move objects onshore from 1,000–2,000 feet away. Wake boats, she said, can produce large wakes even when not towing a surfer, making their behavior less predictable. She also pointed to the limited law enforcement presence on the lake and the challenges of emergency response.

Regarding non-regulatory alternatives such as designated wake zones or boater-education efforts, Yokota said Otsego Lake’s narrow, V-shaped basin allows wakes to travel long distances without dissipating. She added that shoreline - mitigation projects would likely require state permits and impose high costs on property owners.

Yokota also noted that commercial vessels are required to use ballast-tank designs that can be fully drained, disinfected, and inspected— standards not applied to recreational wake boats. Existing technologies, she said, could disable wake-enhancing systems in shallow or near-shore waters, but manufacturers have not adopted them.

Following the adoption of the amendments, residents raised questions about how the rules apply to existing slip holders, boats that leave and re-enter the lake during the season, and other watercraft that move between waterbodies, including bass-tournament boats and sailboats with bilge water. The village has

not yet issued additional guidance on implementation, including how wake height will be measured or how enforcement will occur on the water.

Officials said further clarification may be provided as the boating season approaches, emphasizing that the purpose of the amendments is to protect the village’s drinking-water supply and the ecological condition of Otsego Lake.

This is part one of a two-part series.

Surgeon

Continued from page 1 General Surgery Residency Program has continued to expand its national reputation as a high-quality rural surgery training program, officials said.

“This year marks the first time in the history of the residency program that there are more female residents than male residents in training, something I view as an important reflection of intentional recruitment, mentorship and culturebuilding within surgical education,” said Dr. Shim.

Dr. Shim performed the first robotic Roux en Y gastric bypass surgery in Bassett Healthcare Network’s history in 2022. She is a United States Army veteran who served two deployments to Afghanistan in 20112012 and again in 2013, where she led surgical teams caring for combat casualties.

“My military experience profoundly shaped my leadership philosophy, teamwork approach, resilience and commitment to service,” said Dr. Shim.

Letters

Continued from page 4

in jeopardy and also threatens main stream Catholicism and Protestantism.

I want to live in a free country where all religions are protected, where the three branches of government function properly and give the checks and

balances the founding fathers intended, and where peace, justice, and service are the bywords of the day.

Karen Mihan Cooperstown On ‘Core Value Hypocrisy’

I believe our federal government’s moves to reduce Medicare and Medicaid fraud by cutting payments to states with unacceptably high error rates are efforts we could all support—if only everyone in the administration shared that goal. President Trump has pardoned 13 people convicted of felony Medicare fraud, including Phillip Esformes ($1.3 billion). Did our poor neighbors getting kicked off healthcare coverage take too much—or far too little?

While the numbers of people covered by Medicare and Medicaid are dropping, thanks to this administration’s policies nearly everyone’s health insurance premiums are rising to the point where many folks are opting out of health insurance (and preventive healthcare) altogether. So much for the “Make America Healthy Again” initiative: It’s a sham.

In his State of the Union address, President Trump claimed that his and Congress’ Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) policies “lifted 2.4 million people off food stamps.” In fact, more of our neighbors go hungry now than this time last year because of the onerous new rules.

Then Mr. Trump launched a wretchedly strategized war that primarily achieved skyrocketing fuel prices. Operation Epstein Distraction has gone badly enough that officials have resorted to religious platitudes, buttressed by War Secretary Hegseth quoting lines from “Pulp Fiction” as if they were Scripture.

Whatever our Otsego County leaders are (or are not) doing to mitigate the wrongful impacts of these policies on folks here, I would not expect

attacks on the League of Women Voters, as we witnessed last week, to help. Local officials who waste time on partisan spats and demean others who don’t embrace their “values” are indistinguishable from our flagging national leaders. Sadly, it appears to me that the Republican core value most prevalent these days is hypocrisy. Ron Bishop Cooperstown

Hartwick

Continued from page 2

strated a strong commitment to philanthropy and community engagement. He is a generous donor to Different & Able, an organization founded by his daughter to support individuals living with disabilities and medical conditions, and he serves as president of the Brent Nicklas Foundation, which supports organizations dedicated to education, healthcare, human services, civic life, and the arts.

Nicklas and his wife, Laura, also have made significant contributions to the cultural life of the region, including support for the Cooperstown Art Association and The Smithy Gallery through a $1.5 million gift supporting the 53 Pioneer Project. Additionally, Nicklas Hall at Amherst College was named in recognition of the family’s generosity.

Nicklas earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from Amherst College and an MBA from the Stanford University Graduate School of Business.

“This gift also reflects the critical role of Hartwick’s Board of Trustees in advancing the College’s priorities,” the press release reads. “Through strong relationships and active engagement, board leadership helped identify, cultivate and secure this transformational investment, reinforcing the essential role trustees play in shaping Hartwick’s future.”

SEE ALLOTSEGO.COM FOR ADDITIONAL NEWS

Perry ‘Pete’ Collins Jr. 1947-2026

FLY CREEK—In the early-morning hours of Thursday, May 21, 2026, Perry “Pete” Collins Jr. of Schuyler Lake and Fly Creek passed away peacefully at Chestnut Park Rehabilitation and Nursing Center in Oneonta, surrounded by his partner, Angela Harrington, and his loving

Funeral Home

Dignified and Caring Service since 1925 Peaceful grounds. Home-like atmosphere. Suitable for large or small gatherings. Peter A. Deysenroth 82 Chestnut Street, Cooperstown | 607-547-8231 www.cooperstownfuneralhome.com

family. He was 79.

A native of Delaware County, Pete was born February 17, 1947, a son of Perry Collins Sr. and Jennifer “Jennie” C. Mondore Collins. He attended South Kortright Central School.

Throughout his life, Pete was known above all for his “open door policy.” There was always room at the table and coffee ready.

Pete is survived by his family: James and wife Lisa of Schuyler Lake, Joan Collins of Yorkville, Judy Collins of Austin, Texas, and Jeff and wife Amber of Sherburne; grandchildren Mykahla Collins and Mike Jones of Gansevoort, Maverick Collins of Richfield Springs, and Andrue Lewis of Sherburne; Sue and Leo Balboni of Chicopee, Massachusetts, Jayson Balboni, Tyler and

fiancé Liz of Chicopee, Massachusetts, Alyssa and Samuel Houle of Palmer, Massachusetts, Scott and Melinda Harrington of Richfield Springs, and Katie and Nate of Nanticoke, Pennsylvania; and greatgrandchildren, Jax of Palmer, Massachusetts, and Avery of Nanticoke, Pennsylvania.

Pete is further survived by two brothers, Charles and Bob and wife Peggy; a brother-in-law, Butch Bender; and an uncle, Bill Mondore.

He was predeceased by his parents, Perry and Jennifer Collins; his spouse, Maxine Collins; a sister, Geraldine “Gerri” Bender and a sister-inlaw, Eileen Mondore.

For 30 years, Pete worked in shipping and receiving at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, and then in retirement he volunteered

during Hall of Fame Induction weekends.

Pete loved the outdoors, and worked at Melinda’s Garden Barn for a few summers and helped out at the Fly Creek Cider Mill.

He was an avid country-western music lover, and an overall friend to all.

Family and friends are invited to pay their respects on Sunday afternoon, May 31, 2026, from 2-3 p.m. at the Connell, Dow & Deysenroth Funeral Home in Cooperstown.

At 3 p.m., a service will be held at the funeral home, with the Rev. James Crouthamel officiating.

A private service of committal and burial will follow in Schuyler Lake Cemetery, after which all are invited to The Lake House Restaurant on County Highway 22,

Richfield Springs for a time of refreshment and fellowship. Memorial donations may be made to the Fly Creek Volunteer Fire Company, PO Box 89, Fly Creek, NY 13337, in memory of Perry Collins Jr. Arrangements are under the care and guidance of the Connell, Dow & Deysenroth Funeral Home in Cooperstown.

Photo provided PERRY ‘PETE’ COLLINS JR.

Weekend

Continued from page 1

ball fandom, I spent a lot of time listening to Mets games on a transistor radio tucked under my pillow. Extending my bedtimes were the voices of the Mets’ mighty broadcasting triumvirate of Bob Murphy, Ralph Kiner and Lindsey Nelson. It was music to my ears. And now, in the gift shop, I could barely believe my eyes. There in front of me was an album cover bearing big, yellow letters reading, “Ya Gotta Believe.” Underneath, smaller type promised “all the exciting play-byplay action highlights and interviews of the Amazin’ Mets 1973 end of season play-offs and World Series Championship Games.”

I had struck gold. “Ya Gotta Believe” was the battle cry of the 1973 Mets. The memories of that season were still fresh in my head—what an opportunity to relive the favorite year of my so-far brief life. If I could have traveled back to any year back then, or even now, it would have to be 1973, the defining season of my life as a Mets fan.

It was the beginning of a love affair that I’ve had with this beautiful little town for 50 years

Corps veteran Rick Monday prevented two protestors from burning an American flag on the field during a game at Dodger Stadium.

As the Cubs players were warming up prior to the start of the bottom of the fourth inning, two individuals found their way onto the field. Running out to a spot in left-center field, they spread an approximately 2’ x 3’ American flag on the outfield grass and began dousing it with lighter fluid. After one failed attempt to light it with a match, Monday swooped in and snatched the flag away from them.

The older of the two individuals attempting to burn the flag was later identified as William Errol Thomas Jr., 37, a Native American member of an Indigenous community from Maine. The younger person, a minor, may have been his son or nephew.

In a recent blog post written by writer/ researcher Bill Staples, according to Thomas Jr.’s father’s 1958 obituary, “Thomas...was also a Marine Corps veteran— just like Rick Monday.”

Thomas was also connected to baseball history as the stepgrandson of Louis Edward Sockalexis,

and running. I’m not sure how many birthdays I’ve spent here. This is my third in a row and I know there have been many more, but this one feels special. I celebrated my birthday with former Hall of Fame Library Director Tim Wiles and author and Co-Director of the NINE Spring Training Conference, Willie Steele. We had an enjoyable lunch at the Origins Café.

Rick Monday’s Great Play

Another 50th anniversary is being acknowledged in a new display at the Hall of Fame commemorating April 25, 1976, the day when former Chicago Cubs center fielder and Marine

Rick Monday with the flag he

ago. The flag is on loan to the

nephew of Louis Francis Sockalexis, who became the first Native American in Major League Baseball history with the Cleveland Spiders in 1897.

When he was arrested and booked for trespassing, AP news sources reported Thomas claimed that his actions were “a protest against the discrimination of American Indians and a lack of interest in their plight.”

Monday was on hand for all of this year’s Memorial Day weekend events and participated in a conversation on Friday, May 22 with Hall of Fame Manager of Digital and Outreach Learning Bruce Markusen as part of the “Baseball’s American Voices” series. At the time of the incident, Monday said he knew nothing about the reasons for the protest, but he knew that entering the field of play was against the law and said, “It was easy for me to make a quick decision between right and wrong,” adding that he was protecting “the rights

and freedoms represented in that flag,” which ironically enough, include the rights of the protestors to do what they were doing.

The rescued flag is displayed on the museum’s third floor under a headline wrapped in quotes reading “Rick Monday…You made a great play,” in reference to a message posted on the Dodger Stadium scoreboard immediately after Monday intervened. The flag will remain on display through Labor Day, marking the longest time it has been in one public location, and is on loan from Monday, who has preserved the flag since that day during America’s bicentennial.

Another 50th: ‘The Bad News Bears’

This year also marks the 50th anniversary of the release of my favorite film of all time, “The Bad News Bears,” starring Walter Matthau, Tatum O’Neal, Jackie Earle

Haley and Vic Morrow, released in April of 1976. While there was no special presentation made, the movie is represented in the Hall of Fame’s permanent “Baseball at the Movies” exhibit on the first floor, behind the “Scribes and Mikemen” display and near the Hall of Fame Library.

Original ‘Rules of The Game’ on Display

Yet another new exhibit making its debut this

Memorial Day weekend, “The Rules of Base Ball” the documents originally penned by members of the Knickerbocker Base Ball Club in 1957 were purchased at auction by fan and former American League office employee Hayden Trubitt, who has loaned them to the museum.

“I bought the documents in an auction from SCP (Sports Memorabilia Auction and Consignment) in 2016,” said Trubitt, adding that there are two different authors of these documents—Doc Adams and William Grenelle. The documents were sold by the Grenelle family and first auctioned by Sotheby’s in 1999.

“I’ve been interested in baseball rules all my life,” said Trubitt. “In fact, as a boy it was one of my marks of interest, and between college and law school I worked in the office of the American League and one of my functions there, because no one else would do it, was when people from all

Continued on page 11

Photo from the Hall of Fame 1974 Yearbook

A young fan circa the mid 1970s listens attentively to the recorded voice of Babe Ruth at the Hall of Fame, just like Charlie Vascellaro on his first visit to the Hall in 1976.

Photo by Charlie Vascellaro

Author Charlie Vascellaro’s prize possession, purchased at the Hall of Fame Gift Shop in 1976.

Photo provided

Author Charlie Vascellaro, former Baseball Hall of Fame Library Director Tim Wiles and author Willie Steele enjoying Charlie’s birthday lunch at Origins Café. It was the 50th anniversary of Charlie’s first visit to Cooperstown and the Hall of Fame.

Photo by Charlie Vascellaro

rescued from being incinerated at Dodger Stadium 50 years

Hall of Fame and will be on display until Labor Day 2026.

Photo provided Charlie Vascellaro representing his favorite film, “The Bad News Bears,” in the Hall of Fame’s “Baseball at the Movies” exhibit. The fictional Little League Baseball masterpiece is celebrating its 50th anniversary.

Photo by Charlie Vascellaro Owner and loaner of the 1857 “Rules of the Game” documents Hayden Trubitt, second from left, is flanked by Hall of Famers Jack Morris (left) and Wade Boggs and Rollie Fingers (at right) during the exhibit’s debut on Friday, May 22.

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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.

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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, GILBERTSVILLE, NY 13776. Purpose: Any Lawful.

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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.

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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 prac-

tice 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.

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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.

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NOTICE OF FORMATION OF

Reborn Hope LLC

Articles of Org. filed with the SSNY on 4/7/2026. 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, 140 Sanly Rd., Unadilla, NY 13849. Purpose: any lawful purpose.

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NOTICE OF FORMATION OF SUNFLOWER SLG LLC

filed with the Secretary of State on April 26, 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 P.O. Box 21, Springfield Center, NY 13468. Purpose: any lawful activity.

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SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF OTSEGO

SUMMONS AND NOTICE

Index No.

EF2025-1093

Date Filed: 12/22/2025

Equity Prime Mortgage LLC, Plaintiff, -against-

Daryl Kiel; Deborah Allen; Any unknown heirs, devisees, distributees or successors in interest of the late Jared Kiel, if they be living or, if they be dead, their spouses, heirs, devisees, distributees and successors in interest, all of whom and whose names and places of residence are unknown to the Plaintiff; and “JOHN DOE”, said name being fictitious, it being the intention of Plaintiff to designate any and all occupants of premises being foreclosed herein, and any parties, corporations or entities, if any, having or claiming an interest or lien upon the mortgaged premises, Defendants.

PROPERTY ADDRESS: 0 County Highway 3A, Unadilla, NY 13849

TO THE ABOVE NAMED DEFENDANTS: YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED to answer the complaint in this action and to serve a copy of your answer, or a notice of appearance on the attorneys for the Plaintiff within thirty (30) days after the service of this summons, exclusive of the day of service. The United States of America, if designated as a defendant in this action, may appear within sixty (60) days of service hereof. In case of your failure to appear or answer, judgment will be taken against you by default for the relief demanded in the complaint.

TO THE ABOVE NAMED DEFENDANTS: The foregoing Summons is served upon you by publication pursuant to an Order of the Hon. Brian D. Burns, a Justice of the Supreme Court, Otsego County, entered April 22, 2026 and filed with the complaint and other papers in the Otsego County Clerk’s Office.

NOTICE OF NATURE OF ACTION AND RELIEF SOUGHT THE OBJECT of the above captioned action is to foreclose a Mortgage to secure $194,250.00 and interest, recorded in the Otsego County Clerk’s Office on August 13, 2024, in Instrument Number 20243099 covering premises known as 0 County Highway 3A, Unadilla, NY 13849 a/k/a Section 323.00, Block 1, Lots 23.00 and 21.32.

The relief sought in the within action is a final judgment directing the sale of the premises described

LEGALS

above to satisfy the debt secured by the Mortgage described above. Plaintiff designates Otsego County as the place of trial. Venue is based upon the County in which the mortgaged premises is situated.

NOTICE YOU ARE IN DANGER OF LOSING YOUR HOME

IF YOU DO NOT RESPOND TO THIS SUMMONS AND COMPLAINT BY SERVING A COPY OF THE ANSWER ON THE ATTORNEY FOR THE MORTGAGE COMPANY WHO FILED THIS FORECLOSURE PROCEEDING AGAINST YOU AND FILING THE ANSWER WITH THE COURT, A DEFAULT JUDGMENT MAY BE ENTERED AND YOU CAN LOSE YOUR HOME.

SPEAK TO AN ATTORNEY OR GO TO THE COURT WHERE YOUR CASE IS PENDING FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ON HOW TO ANSWER THE SUMMONS AND PROTECT YOUR PROPERTY.

SENDING A PAYMENT TO YOUR MORTGAGE COMPANY WILL NOT STOP THIS FORECLOSURE ACTION.

YOU MUST RESPOND BY SERVING A COPY OF THE ANSWER ON THE ATTORNEY FOR THE PLAINTIFF (MORTGAGE COMPANY) AND FILING THE ANSWER WITH THE COURT.

Dated: December 19, 2025

V. Melanie Rajaphoumy, Esq. Associate Attorney LOGS LEGAL GROUP LLP Attorneys for Plaintiff 175 Mile Crossing Boulevard Rochester, New York 14624 (585) 247-9000 Fax: (585) 2477380 our File No. 25-100401 #102945 4LegalMay.28

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SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF OTSEGO

Index No.: EF2026-156

SUMMONS Original Filed with Clerk on: 2/25/2026

Plaintiff Designates Otsego County as the Place of Trial

The Basis of Venue is that the

Subject Action is Situated in Otsego County

Subject Property: 244 Chestnut Street, Oneonta, NY 13820

NEWREZ LLC D/B/A SHELLPOINT MORTGAGE SERVICING, Plaintiff(s), -againstDEBRA L. CHRISTIANCE F/K/A DEBRA L. CARR AS HEIR TO THE ESTATE OF JAMES A. CHRISTIANCE JR.; JENNIFER REGG AS HEIR TO THE ESTATE OF JAMES A. CHRISTIANCE JR. AND JAMES A. CHRISTIANCE JR.’S UNKNOWN HEIRS AT LAW, NEXT OF KIN, DISTRIBUTEES, EXECUTORS, ADMINISTRATORS, TRUSTEES, DEVISEES, LEGATEES, ASSIGNEES, LIENORS, CREDITORS, AND SUCCESSORS IN INTERST AND GENERALLY ALL PERSONS HAVING OR CLAIMING UNDER, BY OR THROUGH SAID DEFENDANT WHO MAY BE DECEASED, BY PURCHASE, INHERITANCE, LIEN OR OTHERWISE, ANY RIGHT, TITLE OR INTEREST IN THE REAL PROPERTY DESCRIBED IN THE COMPLAINT HEREIN; UNITED STATES OF AMERICAINTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE; NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF TAXATION AND FINANCE, Defendant(s).

TO THE ABOVENAMED DEFENDANTS:

YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED to answer the Complaint in this action and to serve a copy of your answer, or, if the Complaint is not served with this Summons, to serve a Notice of Appearance on the Plaintiffs Attorney(s) within 20 days after the service of this Summons, exclusive of the day of service (or within 30 days after the service is complete if this Summons is not personally delivered to you within the State of New York); the United States of America may appear or answer within 60 days of service hereof; and in case of your failure to appear or answer, Judgment will be taken against you by default for the relief demanded in the Complaint.

TO THE ABOVE NAMED DEFENDANTS: The foregoing Summons is

served upon you by publication pursuant to an Order of the Hon. Brian D. Burns, a Justice of the Supreme Court, Otsego County, entered April 22, 2026 and filed with the complaint and other papers in the Otsego County Clerk’s Office.

NOTICE OF NATURE OF ACTION AND RELIEF SOUGHT THE OBJECT of the above captioned action is to compel a determination of claims and to foreclose the right of redemption which Defendants may claim to certain real property in connection with the foreclosure of mortgage held by Plaintiff recorded in the County of Otsego on May 5, 2008 in Instrument No. 2008-00063432 covering premises known as 244 Chestnut Street, Oneonta, NY 13820.

Dated: Uniondale, New York February 23, 2026

Respectfully submitted, PINCUS & TARAB, ATTORNEYS AT LAW, PLLC By: /s/ Linda P. Manfredl, Esq. Attorney for Plaintiff 425 RXR Plaza Uniondale, NY 11556 (516) 699-8902

TO: Debra L. Christiance A/K/A Debra L. Carr as Heir 1250 Russell Drive Ocoee, FL 34761 Jennifer Regg as Ileir 2 Club Avenue Oneonta, NY 13820

United States of America-Internal Revenue Service 86 Chambers Street New York, NY 10007 #102949 4LegalMay.28

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NOTICE OF FORMATION OF A NY LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY

Balanced Living Studio LLC

Articles of Organization filing date with the Department of State (SSNY) April 28, 2026. Office location: Otsego County. SSNY has been designated as the agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served and SSNY shall mail copy of process to: 145 Collins Drive, Oneonta, NY 13820. Purpose: to engage in any and all business activities permitted under NYS laws. 6LegalJun.18

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NOTICE OF FORMATION OF MADE BY MADS LLC

Articles of organization filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 04/04/2026.

Office Location: Otsego County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of any process to the LLC, 40 Main Street, PO Box 1036, Cooperstown, NY 13326.

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NOTICE OF FORMATION OF ELECTRIC 7 TATTOO LLC. Filed 4/13/26. Office: Otsego Co. SSNY desig. as agent for process & shall mail to: c/o Christopher Hotchkin, 3067 Merrickville Rd., Franklin, NY 13775. Purpose: General. 6LegalJun.18

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NOTICE OF FORMATION OF Sacred Ojas Wellness, LLC.

Arts. of Org. filed with SSNY on 04/14/2026.

Office location: Otsego County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: Sacred Ojas Wellness, LLC, P.O. Box 36, Springfield Center, NY 13468. Purpose: Any lawful purpose. 6LegalJun.18

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NOTICE OF FORMATION OF Artificers Almanac LLC filed articles of organization with SSNY on April 15, 2026. Office Location: Otsego County. Alison Dossick is designated as agent upon whom process against the LLC may be served and shall mail process to 21 Marion Lane, Otego, NY 13825. Purpose: Any lawful purpose. 6LegalJun.18

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NOTICE OF FORMATION OF Faithful Friends, LLC.

Articles of Organization were filed with the NY Secretary of State on 04/23/2026. The office of the LLC is to be located in Otsego County. The Secretary of State has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. The Secretary of State shall mail a copy of any process against the LLC served upon it to: The LLC, 1977 New York State Highway 23, Morris, NY 13808. The purpose of the LLC is to engage in any lawful act.

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NOTICE OF FORMATION OF 11 Sisson Hill Rd, LLC.

Articles of Organization were filed with the NY Secretary of State on 05/06/2026. The office of the LLC is to be located in Otsego County. The Secretary of State has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. The Secretary of State shall mail a copy of any process against the LLC served upon it to: The LLC, 1 Spruce Street, Garnerville, NY 10923. The purpose of the LLC is to engage in any lawful act.

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NOTICE OF FORMATION OF ARC REFRIGERATION LLC A Limited Liability Company.

Articles of Organization were filed with the New York State Secretary of State on February 22, 2026. The office of the LLC is to be located in Otsego County. The Secretary of State has been designated as the agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. The Secretary of State shall mail a copy of any process against the LLC served upon hirn/ her to: The LLC, 6 Raymond Ave., # 1, Oneonta, NY 13820. The purpose of the LLC is to engage in any lawful act or activity.

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NOTICE OF FORMATION OF A NY LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY

Name:

WELCOME CABIN PROPERTIES LLC.

Articles of Organization filing date with Secretary of State (SSNY) was 1 May 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 St., Cooperstown, NY 13326. Purpose is to engage in any and all business activities permitted under NYS laws.

6LegalJun.18

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NOTICE OF FORMATION OF A NY LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY.

Name:

WELCOME CABIN RENTALS LLC.

Articles of Organization filing date with Secretary of State (SSNY) was 1 May 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 St., Cooperstown, NY 13326. Purpose is to engage in any and all business activities permitted under NYS laws.

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Name: 111 FAITH HOLDINGS LLC.

Articles of Organization filing date with Secretary of State (SSNY) was 1 May 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 PO Box 1042, Cooperstown, NY 13326. Purpose is to engage in any and all business activities permitted under NYS laws.

6LegalJun.18

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Name:

PLEASANT HEARTH LLC

Articles of Organization filing date with Secretary of State (SSNY) was 1 May 2026. Office location: Otsego County. SSNY has been continued pg. 11

Continued from page 9

across the country would call in with their rules questions based on things that actually happened right in front of them. I would answer the phone and give my best answer to their questions,” said Trubitt, who worked in the American League office under Lee MacPhail in 1975 and 1976.

“It makes sense for [the documents] to be here. The Hall of Fame is about the history of baseball, and they deserve to be here and I’m happy to share them with everyone so they can learn about these things that were basically newly discovered just before I bought them,” said Trubitt.

Museum visitors can experience the “Rules of Base Ball” via the new exhibit, and the documents can be viewed in their entirety online.

Game cut Short, but plenty of pomp and circumstance

Saturday’s main event, the Military Classic and pre-game Home Run Derby, ended up being more about the weather

than anything else. A smattering of fans braved the elements while the participants sloshed through the proceedings.

An interesting array of players from various walks of life dotted the rosters of the “Stars” and “Stripes” teams, wearing uniforms representative of the various service branches of the U.S. military. Hall of Famers Wade Boggs (Marines), Todd Helton (Air Force), Tony La Russa (Army) and Jack Morris (Navy) served as coaches for the Stars team and wore uniforms respective to those military connections.

Rollie Fingers (Army), Fergie Jenkins (Navy) and Scott Rolen (Navy) coached the Stripes.

Other former major leaguers participating in the Military Classic included: Nick Ahmed, Danny Graves, Ian Kennedy, Jonathan Lucroy, Josh Reddick, Todd Zeile, Brad Ziegler, and Jonny Gomes, the winner of the pre-game Home Run Derby.

Four members of the Louisville Slugger Warriors—a competitive amputee baseball team that consists of U.S.

military veterans, active duty personnel, Wounded Warriors, and current and former amputee college baseball players—participated in the Hall of Fame Military Classic, including: Carlo Adame, U.S. Army sergeant first class who served three tours in Iraq; Kenny Celeste, a U.S. Navy chief petty officer who served in Iraq and Afghanistan; Lonnie Gaudet, a U.S. Army sergeant who served in Afghanistan; and Derrick Victor, a U.S. Air Force technical sergeant who served one tour in Iraq and two in Afghanistan.

Lonnie Gaudet, who served in Afghanistan in 2010 and 2011 and lost a leg when he stepped on a land mine, said he was inspired to get back on the ballfield after seeing a double-amputee playing

ball on an episode of the “Good Morning America” news program.

“When the team received me, it happened quickly. Everybody was working so hard to get back into playing shape. You had no choice but to do it,” said Gaudet.

Former major league outfielder Curtis Pride, who overcame hearing loss during an 11-year career, is an active coach for the Warriors and also played in the brief game that lasted only one inning due to the steady rain that turned the field into mush and made it impossible to maintain.

“These guys serve as an inspiration for many, many people,” said Pride, who was asked to be a coach by Louisville Slugger Warriors General Manager Dave Van Sleet. Two members of the

inaugural Women’s Pro Baseball League were also on the Stars and Stripes rosters, including outfielder Brittany Apgar and catcher Alyssa Zettlemoyer. Zettlemoyer, 19, was informed of the possibility of playing in the game in an e-mail she received from the WPBL office.

“They told us about this event and that they could select two of us to come here. They asked us if we had family members in the military, or had served ourselves, or had any involvement with the military, and what our involvement was, and how it affected us and how we connect baseball to the military. I did, and I was lucky enough to get picked as one of the two,” said Zettlemoyer, whose mother and father both served.

“My mom joined the Marine Corps early after 9/11 and my dad had served for 20-plus years. I’ve had a lot people on my dad’s side going back generations that have also served in the military. I put all that in there and apparently it was enough,” said Zettlemoyer, who signed with the league New York team as a catcher.

Night at the museum

The WPBL season opens on August 1 at Robin Robberts Stadium in Springfield, Illinois. Both Zettlemoyer and Apgar, who plays for the Los Angeles WPBL team, also participated in the Hall of Fame’s “Night at the Museum” photo op session, providing fans with the opportunity to take photographs with players at various stations throughout the museum.

‘Mohawk Valley Gives’ Registration for Nonprofit Fundraising Closes May 31

SPRINGFIELD

the Community Foundation of Otsego County is again partnering with the Community Foundation of Herkimer and Oneida Counties on “Mohawk Valley Gives,” a highly successful nonprofit giving day now in its fifth year.

The idea is simple: Otsego County nonprofits, with the assistance of CFOC, engage the community in a

from pg. 10 designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served and SSNY shall mail copy of process to 13 Spencer Meadow, Hartland, VT 05048. Purpose is to engage in any and all business activities permitted under NYS laws.

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Notice of formatioN of a NY Limited LiabiLitY compaNY

Name: TAYLORTOWN EQUINE LLC

Articles of Organization filing date with Secretary of State (SSNY) was 1 May 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 1486 County Highway 26, Fly Creek, NY 13337. Purpose is to engage in any and all business activities permitted under NYS laws.

6LegalJun.18

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Notice of formatioN of a NY Limited LiabiLitY compaNY

Name: LLGG18 LLC

Articles of Organization filing date with Secretary of State (SSNY) was 1 May 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 15 Hill St., Cooperstown, NY 13326. Purpose is to engage in any and all business activities permitted under NYS laws.

6LegalJun.18

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Notice of formatioN of The Answer Consulting and Bookkeeping LLC

Art. Of Org. filed with Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) 3/4/2026. Office Location: Otsego County. SSNY designated as agent upon

24-hour community-wide giving day on September 18, 2026. Donors are prompted to give via an online website, www.givemv.org, to support their favorite charities.

In 2025, Otsego County came together and raised more than $355,000 for the 85 participating nonprofits in 24 hours. This year, CFOC is again honored to be part of the event, and is excited to work with Otsego nonprofits,

whom process against it may be served & shall mail a copy of process to 6 Beech Street, Cooperstown, NY 13326. Purpose: Any lawful purpose. 6LegalJun.25

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ViLLaGe of miLford Notice of coLLectioN of ViLLaGe taXeS

Please take notice that I, the undersigned Village Clerk / Tax Collector of the Village of Milford, New York, have received the tax roll and warrant for the collection of Village Taxes for the fiscal year June 1, 2026–May 31, 2027. Taxes will be collected at the Village Office, 64 South Main Street, PO Box 1, Milford, NY 13807 from June 1st through October 31st 2026. Office Hours Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday 10 a.m.–5 p.m.

Take further notice that on all taxes remaining unpaid after June 30th, 5% (five percent) will be added for the first month and an additional 1% (one percent) for each month and fraction

businesses, donors, board members, and community residents to make its participation a success.

Nonprofits must register at www. givemv.org by Sunday, May 31. Otsego nonprofits should choose the Otsego campaign when they register.

This is an opportunity for Otsego nonprofits to increase the visibility of their work, to engage current donors and encourage new donors to partici-

LEGALS

thereafter until paid or returned to Otsego County Treasurer

Michelle Weigel

Village Tax Collector PO Box 1 Milford, NY 13820 clerk@MilfordNewYork.com 2LegalMay.28

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Notice of SeLf StoraGe pUbLic SaLe

Notice is hereby given Under Section 182 New York State Lien Law that the undersigned will sell at Online Public Auction per order of North Street Storage, 14 North Street Oneonta, NY 13820 at www. bid13.com on June 7, 2026. The sale of such property, described as contents of storage unit, is to satisfy the lien of North Street Storage on personal property stored for the account of: Unit #64 - Harry Ramirez 2LegalMay.28

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pate, CFOC officials said. Participating nonprofits can promote their mission, raise unrestricted dollars to support their organizations’ needs, and be placed in the running for several prizes and incentives that will be awarded throughout the giving day. E-mail contact@cfotsego.org with questions or call CFOC Executive Director Jeff Katz at (607) 286-3750.

Arts. of Org. filed with NY Sec. of State (NYSS) on 01/20/2026. Office: Otsego County. NYSS designated agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. NYSS shall mail process to: LLC, County Highway 18, South New Berlin, NY 13843, USA. Purpose: Any lawful purpose. 6LegalJun.25

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Notice of formatioN of LLc

Martin Salvage, LLC,

filed Articles of Organization with the New York Secretary of State on May 20, 2026. Its office is located in Otsego County. The Secretary of State has been designated as agent upon whom process may be served and shall mail a copy of any process served on him or her to, Martin Salvage, LLC, PO Box 336, Richfield Springs, NY 13439.

Notice of formatioN of River Valley Campground LLC, a NY limited liability company (LLC).

Its business is to engage in any lawful activity for which limited liability companies may be organized under Section 203 of the New York Limited Liability Company Act. 6LegalJul.2

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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, June 2nd, 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.

84 pioneer Streetapplication for an area variance to build an addition within the sideyard setback.

The plans for this project are on file with the Village Clerk’s Office at the Village Office, 22 Main Street, Cooperstown, 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, June 2nd, 2026 at 3:30 p.m.

Jenna L. Utter, RMC Village Clerk Village of Cooperstown 22 Main Street Cooperstown, NY 13326 607-547-2411 jutter@cooperstownny.gov 1LegalMay.28

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Notice of formatioN of

DJ’s Cards & Creations LLC

Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of New York on May 7, 2026. Office location: Otsego County. Secretary of State of NY is designated as agent upon whom process against it may be served and shall mail process to 228 Park Ave S #953117, New York, NY 10003. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.

6LegalJul.2

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Notice of pUbLic HeariNG

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Board of Trustees of the Village of Cooperstown will hold the following public hearing in the Village Office Building, 22 Main Street, Cooperstown, New York on Monday, June 22nd, 2026 at 6:30 p.m. or as soon thereafter as can be heard, to discuss the following:

proposed Local Law No. 4 of 2026 - amend chapter 233-3 a- Smoking and Vaping by adding: the following buildings and adjoining land owned by the Village of cooperstown are hereby designated as smoke and vape free zones: Water treatment plant, Waste Water treatment plant, Streets building, fire Hall, Village Hall, and adjoining land at 22 main Street; doubleday field, the doubleday field grandstand, bleachers, and other spectator

and player areas; sidewalks and adjacent public property on main Street between fair Street and pine boulevard; and council rock park, Lakefront park, pioneer park, badger park, three-mile point park, and fairy Spring park.

Any resident of the Village of Cooperstown is entitled to be heard upon said proposed applications at such public hearing. Disabled citizens, who require assistance in attending said public hearings, or in furnishing comments or suggestions, should contact the Village Clerk to request assistance.

Dated: May 28th, 2026

By order of the Village Board Village of Cooperstown

Jenna L. Utter, RMC Village Clerk Village of Cooperstown 22 Main Street Cooperstown, NY 13326 (607) 547-2411 (phone) jutter@cooperstownny.gov 1LegalMay.28

Photo by Charlie Vascellaro Team Stars gets ready to take the field. Due to the incelement weather, the Military Classic was called after one inning.

►Friday, May 29

DEADLINE Last day to register for “4-H Child Care Clinic.”4-H youth ages 11+ learn safety, child development, nutrition, activities and business skills for their childcare business as well as putting together a “Babysitter’s Bag of Tricks.” Fees apply. Held

9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on 6/6. Cornell Cooperative Extension of Schoharie and Otsego Counties, Education Center, 123 Lake Street, Cooperstown. (607) 547-2536 ext. 225.

DEADLINE Last day to register for “Annual Survivors Day Luncheon.” Presented by the Bassett Cancer Institute. Free to anyone who has received a cancer diagnosis, plus one guest. Held

1:30-3:30 p.m. on 6/7 at Fenimore Farm and Country Village, 5775 State Highway 80, Cooperstown. 1-800BASSETT.

OPEN CALL Scarecrow Installation. All artists are invited to submit proposals for the inaugural “Scarecrow Village: Once Upon a Time” exhibit around the themes of fairytales, fantasy, folklore and more. Proposals are due 6/22. Fenimore Farm and Country Village, 5775 State Highway 80, Cooperstown. (607) 5471472.

SENIOR MEALS

11:30 a.m. Seniors are invited to enjoy a delicious meal Monday-Friday. Suggested donation is $4 for seniors, $11 for guests accompanying a senior. Today, enjoy a lunch of roast turkey dinner, stuffing, corn and no-bake cookies. Nader Towers Housing, 2 Mitchell Street, Oneonta. (607) 547-6454.

OPENING

12:30-2 p.m. Ribbon cutting and grand opening of Bassett Healthcare Network’s Convenient Care Center serving the Cooperstown area. Open seven days a week. 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. MondayFriday; 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Bassett Hartwick Seminary Specialty Services,

Things To Do In and Around Otsego County

4580 State Highway 28, Milford. (607) 547-4782.

BINGO 3:30 p.m.

Winner gets a Freddy Plush. Worcester-Schenevus Library, 170 Main Street, Worcester. (607) 397-7309.

AGING 4 p.m. “Planning for Successful Aging: Programs Available to Age in Place at Home.” Hosted by Helios Care. The Meadows Office Complex, Classroom A, 140 County Highway 33W, Cooperstown. (607) 547-4232.

COMMUNITY BARBECUE 5-7:30 p.m. Brooks’ BBQ, Nate Gross band and more. Held rain or shine. Donations accepted. Milford Central School, 42 West Main Street, Milford. (607) 286-7721.

QUILTING 5 p.m.

“Friday Night Delights: Make a Red, White and Blue 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 Quilts, 155 Main Street, Suite B, Oneonta. (607) 441-3111.

SHOOTING 6 p.m. regular shoot; 8 p.m. blacklight shoot. “Shoot For The Moon” shooting practice. Concessions available. Milford Fish and Game Club, 432 County Highway 33, Cooperstown. (607) 3226118.

LIVE MUSIC

6-10 p.m. Scattered Flurries. Includes food truck, outdoor/indoor bar and bonfire. Brewery Ommegang, 656 County Highway 33, Cooperstown. info@ ommegang.com.

MEDITATION

6:30 p.m. “Community Meditation with Jaime.” Followed by optional reflection and discussion with the group. All welcome; donations appreciated. The Local Bird, 139 Main Street, Cooperstown. (607) 2824166.

CONCERT 7 p.m.; doors open at 6 p.m. “Nail Bite with Special Guests Strange Culture and Isochronon.” Tick-

Time OuT OTsegO

Things To Do In and Around Otsego County

ets required. Foothills Performing Arts and Civic Center, 24 Market Street, Oneonta. (607) 4312080.

►Saturday, May 30

SPRING CLEAN-

ING 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Town of Hartwick Spring Clean Sweep. Hartwick residents dispose of mattresses, tires, scrap metal and more. Not accepting household garbage, hazardous waste or electronics. Town of Hartwick. (607) 386-9769.

OPENING DAY 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Avoid heavy traffic and pedestrians on State Route 205. Cooperstown All Star Village, Oneonta. wegootsego.com/changeover/

GILBERTSVILLE FARMERS’ MARKET 9 a.m. to noon. Saturdays through October. Located by the Gilbertsville Post Office, 3 Commercial Street, Gilbertsville. (607) 7832305.

RUMMAGE & BAKE

SALE 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Elm Park United Methodist Church, 401 Chestnut Street, Oneonta. (607) 432-6552.

FUNDRAISER 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. “Love for Lyra Basket Raffle.” Basket raffle to support 6-yearold Lyra Duffy, who is fighting stage 4 Wilms tumor cancer. Worcester Firehouse, 36 North Church Street, Worcester. (607) 437-2305.

GARDENING 9 a.m.

Annual Plant and Flower Sale. Annuals, perennials, vegetables, herbs and houseplants. Proceeds support the Oneonta Federated Garden Club. Huntington Park, Oneonta. HORSES 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Equine Adoption Program. Meet and interact with the adoptable horses in the care of the Susquehanna SPCA. Campbell Hill Farm, 167 Campbell Hill Road, Cooperstown. (607) 5478111.

BLOOD DRIVE

10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Southside Mall, 5006 State Highway 23, Oneonta. RedCrossBlood.org

EXHIBIT 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. “Obsessed (Artists).” Quirky assemblages, Kelley drawings and spalted bowls. On view 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturdays through 7/4. The Art Garage, 689 Beaver Meadow Road, Cooperstown. (315) 9419607.

TRADE

12:30-3:30 p.m. “The Really Really Free Market!” Take what you need, bring what you can. Followed by games and discussion of tenant unions and the “Good Cause Eviction Law.” Presented by Reclaim Oneonta in Huntington Memorial Park, Oneonta.

PUZZLE TOURNAMENT 1 p.m. Teams of 1-2 people, 300-piece puzzle, random draw, team that finishes first wins. Kinney Memorial Library, 3140 County Highway 11, Hartwick. (607) 293-6600.

OPERA 1 p.m.; discussion starts 45 minutes prior. “El Ultimo Sueno de Frida y Diego.”

Live HD broadcast from The Metropolitan Opera. Tickets required. Foothills Performing Arts and Civic Center, 24 Market Street, Oneonta. (607) 4312080.

WORKSHOP 1-3 p.m.

“Denim and Doodles.” Turn jeans into wearable art. Bring your own jeans; all other materials provided. Fees apply. The Gatehouse, 129 Main Street, Morris. (607) 2854111.

WORKSHOP 1-3 p.m.

“Quartz Point Pendants” with Amanda Trumbull. Fees apply; registration required. 25 Main Collective, 21 Main Street, Cherry Valley. 25maincollective@gmail.com.

OUTDOORS 1-3 p.m.

“Forest Walk: Inside a Forester’s Toolkit.” Presented by the Otsego County

Conservation Association. Hands-on introduction to forest management led by professional consulting forester Kellen Murphy. Includes indoor overview followed by a guided walk in the woods. Wear sturdy footwear and be prepared for uneven terrain. Registration required. Thayer Farm, 7027 State Route 80, Cooperstown. (607) 547-4488.

DINNER 4:30-7 p.m.

Chili Supper. Chili, cornbread, tossed salad, apple crisp and a beverage. Fees apply. Eat in or take out. Pierstown Grange, 137 Wedderspoon Hollow Road, Cooperstown. (607) 437-1232.

BENEFIT 6-9 p.m. “A Night of Music.” Fundraiser for the Cherry Valley Health Center. Admission by donation. Food available for purchase. Cherry Valley Community Center, Old School Gym, 2 Genesee Street, Cherry Valley.

MOVIE NIGHT 7 p.m.

Edmeston Free Library, 26 East Street, Edmeston. (607) 965-8208.

LIVE MUSIC

7-10 p.m. “The Lake House Summer Concert Series: Sara Albright.” Back Patio, The Lake House, 2521 County Highway 22, Richfield Springs. (720) 940-8377.

CONCERT 7:30 p.m.; doors open at 7 p.m. Second Suitor, with special friends My Cousin’s Girlfriend’s House and Maxx Wright. Tickets required. Foothills Performing Arts and Civic Center, 24 Market Street, Oneonta. (607) 431-2080.

►Sunday, May 31

DANCE Noon to 2 p.m. “SEED—Soul Expansion Embodiment Dance.” All experience levels welcome. Tickets required. Unitarian Universalist Society of Oneonta, 12 Ford Avenue, Oneonta. (518) 386-9633.

BABY GOATS Noon to 2 p.m. “Mingle and Meet the Baby Goats.” Presented by NY Goat Yoga. The Gatehouse, 129 Main Street, Morris. (607) 2854111.

BENEFIT CONCERT

1 p.m. Classical Guitar Society of Upstate New York presents a benefit concert for the Unadilla Food Pantry. First Presbyterian Church of Unadilla, 156 Main Street, Unadilla.

LIVE MUSIC 1-3 p.m.

“Sunday Sessions with Isaac Hill.” The Gatehouse, 129 Main Street, Morris. (607) 285-4111.

OPENING DAY

2-3:30 p.m. If traveling south on State Route 28, seek an alternate route. Cooperstown Dreams Park, Cooperstown. wegootsego.com/changeover/

HISTORY 2 p.m.

“1960.” Program on the year 1960 and what was happening in the Town of Maryland that year. Each attendee will be given a number of events and asked to share them. Meeting includes updates on the progress of renovations and plans for the 250th Parade and Celebration on 7/18. All welcome. Town of Maryland Historical Society, AmVets Building, 25 Main Street, Schenevus. (607) 638-9343.

BENEFIT 3-5 p.m.

“Spring Fling.” Benefit for the Fenimore Chamber Orchestra. Silent auction, open bar, hors d’oeuvres. Tickets required. Cooperstown Beverage Exchange, 73 Main Street, Cooperstown.

BENEFIT DINNER

3-6 p.m. Support Dustin Mcentee in his fight against cancer. Dinner choice of chicken parmesan or eggplant parmesan. Cost by donation. Eat in or take out. Also featuring a basket raffle and 50/50 raffle. Schenevus Masonic Lodge, 82 Main

Street, Schenevus. (607) 206-2166.

►Monday, June 1

CONNECTIONS

10:30 a.m. “One-on-One Tech Support.” Help using personal devices, from iPhones to tablets. Held first Monday of the month with Debra Miller. Connections at Clark Sports Center, 124 County Highway 52, Cooperstown. connectionsatcsc@gmail. com.

BLOOD DRIVE

1-6 p.m. Worcester United Methodist Church, 111 Main Street, Worcester. RedCrossBlood.org

HISTORY 7 p.m. Video documentary on the 1906 Oneonta Roundhouse. Presented by the Laurens Township Historical Society at the Little Red Schoolhouse Community Center, 516 County Route 11, Laurens. (607) 432-0277.

BASEBALL 7 p.m. Oneonta Outlaws vs. Glens Falls Dragons. Damaschke Field, Neahwa Park, 15 James Georgeson Avenue, Oneonta. (607) 4330545.

YOUTH 1 p.m. “Homeschool Hangout.” Held each Monday. Huntington Memorial Library, 62 Chestnut Street, Oneonta. (607) 432-1980.

►tueSday, June 2

COMMUNITY CONVER-

SATIONS 8-9 a.m. Community members gather to chat about what’s happening around Oneonta. Held each Tuesday. Green Earth Health Market, 4 Market Street, Oneonta. (607) 432-6600.

COMMUNITY HIKE

9:45 a.m. Hike with the Susquehanna Chapter of the Adirondack Mountain Club. Bring appropriate equipment/water and be aware of your level of fitness. This week’s hike will be at Windswept Acres, Delancey. (607) 431-8010.

VETERANS 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Free Veterans’ Lunch and Veteran of the Month Celebration. All veterans and their families are invited. Held first Tuesday of each month. Presented by the Oneonta Veteran’s Outreach Center. The Armory, 4 Academy Street, Oneonta. (607) 203-2228.

YOUTH 3 p.m. “After School at the Library.” Reading, games, arts and crafts. Held each Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Huntington Memorial Library, 62 Chestnut Street, Oneonta. (607) 432-1980.

OPENING RECEPTION 5-7 p.m. “A Square Deal: Small Works Exhibition.” Featuring works by 40 Smithy member artists, alongside 50 invited guest artists, exploring the creative possibilities emerging from intentional limitations. Free and open to the public. On view through 7/11. The Smithy Gallery, 55 Pioneer Street, Cooperstown. (607) 547-9777.

MEDITATION

5:30 p.m. “Let’s Meditate: Sahaja Meditation Drop-in Classes.” Free. Continues through 6/9. Cooperstown Coworks, 6 Doubleday Court, Cooperstown. (518) 4284692.

MEET & GREET

5:30-7 p.m. “Welcome Home Cooperstown.” Gathering to welcome new residents to the Village of Cooperstown. Held first Tuesday of each month. This month will feature a cookout on the lawn and a display of items to be placed in a time capsule to celebrate America250. Village Hall, 22 Main Street, Cooperstown. (607) 5478344.