Otsego Democrats Concerned About Federal Cuts that Will Likely Impact Local Budgets
By MONICA CALZOLARI
ONEONTA
t’s budget season. “There’s a lot we don’t know,” said Adrienne Martini, a member of the Otsego County Board of Representatives, to a group of about 15 people gathered in the community room at Green Earth Health Market on the morning of Saturday, September 13.
Martini led an informal discussion about the potential financial impacts of the passage of the federal government’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act on local residents and programs. She is a resident of the City of Oneonta and represents District No. 12 and Wards Three and Four on the county board.
Valerie Cole, a member of the Steering Committee for the Otsego County Democrats, announced a
number of opportunities for folks to get involved, including a dance party on Saturday, September 27 at 6 p.m., free canvasing training, an upcoming meet and greet at Wise Guy Sammy’s, and a second No Kings protest on the lawn by the Foothills Performing Arts and Civic Center on Saturday, October 18, among others.
High-Flying Dogs Visit Garrattsville for Toss, Fetch Competition
MARIA GRISWOLD GARRATTSVILLE
On September 10, one of 40 regional K9 Frisbee Toss & Fetch Worldwide Championships was held right here in Otsego County.
The competition originated with Mark Vitullo, an Ohio native. Vitullo’s passion for the sport began in 1977 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. It was there that he witnessed his first Frisbee competition for dogs, which sparked his interest in the sport.
Over the years, Vitullo entered his dogs in multiple competitions.
The K9 Frisbee Toss & Fetch Worldwide Championship was created in 2015 as
Vitullo’s way of making K9 disc sports accessible all around the world.
The annual worldwide championship competitions took place from Saturday, September 6 through Saturday September 13. This competition brings together more than 1,500 teams from 40 regional locations across the United States, Canada, Mexico and Europe.
The local event was held on Garrattsville K9 Frisbee Toss & Fetch Captain Sonja Galley’s property and included teams from the Garrattsville, Bainbridge, and Adirondack clubs. Entrants competed in three rounds of 60second play beginning
at 3 p.m. Team scores are determined by how far the Frisbee is thrown and caught.
“We had 47 teams compete, which is almost double what we had attend last year,” Galley shared. “Teams played steadily through the afternoon and the last few dogs finished their rounds in the dark, with car headlights lighting the field.”
In the K9 Frisbee Clubs Worldwide ranking, Adirondack placed 96th, Garrattsville placed 37th, and Bainbridge placed 19th. Individually at the Garrattsville event, there were winners in each of the Expert, Handler, Junior, and Master divisions. Expert Division winners were Marmite,
Guiry Named VP of Operations at A.O. Fox Hospital
ONEONTA B
assett Healthcare Network and A.O. Fox Hospital’s Board of Directors have announced the appointment of Michael Guiry, PA-C, MBA, as vice president of operations at A.O. Fox Hospital in Oneonta. Guiry, a healthcare administrator with more than 25 years of experience leading patient service operations and practicing as a physician assistant in cardiology, began his tenure at Fox on September 8, officials said in a press release issued on Thursday,
September 11. In his new role at A.O. Fox Hospital, Guiry will oversee day-today operations of A.O.
Fox Hospital, A.O. Fox Hospital’s Tri-Town Campus in Sidney, FoxCare Center and A.O. Fox Nursing Home.
According to officials, he will work closely with clinical leaders, nursing, ancillary services, and leaders across Bassett Healthcare Network to strengthen Fox’s position in the health system, build its business strategy and operations, and grow the institution as a key healthcare provider in the region.
“Fox is at a pivotal point right now, with immense growth opportunity,” said Guiry. “I knew right away when I became acquainted with the leaders and caregivers here that Fox is a special
place with extremely dedicated people. I am excited to work alongside them to continue building on the organization’s solid foundation and grow services.”
Guiry arrives at Bassett Healthcare Network with more than 25 years of leadership experience in healthcare operations, business development and physician practice management. Most recently, he served as associate vice president of the physician enterprise at Richmond University
Continued on page 11
Toast and Wonder, all competing with handler Jim Delaney. In the
Handler Division, the winners were Nanci Miller and Bo, Ashley Sherman and Storm, and Ivan Golovin and
Photo provided
Marmite, Toast and Wonder won the Master Division in last week’s K9 Frisbee Toss & Fetch Worldwide Championship competition.
Continued on page 8
Photo provided
Effective September 8, Michael Guiry is the new vice president of operations at A.O. Fox Hospital in Oneonta.
TEDx Appeals to Parents, Educators, Healthcare Professionals
ONEONTA
TEDx Oneonta returns to the Foothills Performing Arts and Civic Center on Saturday, October 4 at 5 p.m. This year’s six speakers include an award-winning elementary school teacher, a parenting educator, a recovering overachiever and three healthcare professionals.
Students pay no admission to this event and adults pay just $25.00 to hear all six speakers, as the event is subsidized by local sponsors. Tickets include a sampling of hors d’oeuvres prepared by the Green Earth Health Market from 56 p.m. Cookies will be served after the program, when guests can mingle with and get to know the speakers. A cash bar will be available.
Dr. De’Shawn C. Washington is the 2024 Massachusetts Teacher of the Year, a national education advocate, and founder of Cultivating Changemakers. He champions equity, joyful learning, and student empowerment through policy, storytelling, and purposeful disruption. His topic is “Lighting the Fire of Joyful Trouble.”
Lorena Seidel is a former Montessori teacher turned parent educator who helps communities raise emotionally resilient children. Her work has been
featured in “NY Metro Parents,” “Motherly” and “Welcome Parenthood.”
Seidel is an instructor on MasterClass and is featured in David Yeager’s book, “10 to 25: The Science of Motivating Young People.” Her talk is titled “Parenting on Purpose: Moving from Reaction to Intention.”
Erika Coleman is a speaker, consultant and recovering overachiever. She believes most successful people are getting accomplishment wrong. Coleman founded a million-dollar training company that serviced some of the world’s top organizations. Her curiosity about stress, motivation and well-being led her to a master’s degree in industrial-organizational psychology from Harvard. She will talk about “How to Reduce Stress without Sacrificing Success.”
Dr. Anna Thomas is a palliative care physician, speaker, author, and leadership coach who empowers individuals and organizations to navigate crisis, caregiving, and change with clarity and resilience. She is the founder of LifeCare Leadership and a passionate advocate for those balancing work, life, and caregiving. “Storm Leadership: How to Stay Grounded During Times of Crisis” is the title of her talk.
Dr. Judy Wright is a physician, international speaker and author, with over 20 years in healthcare leadership. She is passionate about burnout prevention and redefining success in today’s ultraspeed world. Dr. Wright hosts a podcast, “The Balance to Excellence Show,” and authored “Girl! Get Your Life Off The Fault Line.” She will address “Self-Care: The Overlooked Engine of Sustainable Living.”
Karen Komondor, RN, BSN, CCRN, is an internationally recognized health literacy leader and retired nurse. Founder of Health Literacy 360 and president of the U.S. Health Literacy Association, she delivers keynotes, training, and consulting that bridge the gap between medical expertise and everyday understanding—making healthcare clearer, more compassionate, and easier to navigate. Her talk is “AI, Jargon, and the Healthcare Maze: Time to Speak Up and Take Charge.” For more information and to purchase tickets online, visit www.tedxoneonta.com.
Pictured in the photo at top left is this year’s TEDx Oneonta lineup: from left, Lorena Seidel, De’Shawn C. Washington, Judy Wright, Karen Komondor, Erika Coleman, and Anna Thomas.
Photo provided
OCCA Continues Efforts to Remove Invasive Water Chestnuts
By BILL BELLEN MILFORD
Throughout the past few months, the Otsego County Conservation Association has been taking action against invasive plant species threatening the county’s waterways. In particular, the organization has performed five removal operations in Goodyear Lake alone across this summer. The threat at hand: the invasive water chestnut. These pesky plants outcompete native aquatic plant life by forming large, dense mats with their floating leaves that block sunlight and deplete oxygen.
These masses of plant matter can also severely impede recreational use on bodies of water.
“Its floating leaves form rosette patterns at the surface of the water which can grow over a foot wide, and its submerged stems can reach lengths up to 16 feet,” Victoria Prouty, OCCA field technician, wrote via e-mail. “They can grow so densely that the mats are nearly impenetrable, making it extremely difficult for boaters and kayakers to navigate infested waters. Each rosette is capable of producing 20 hard, nut-like fruits. These fruits have four extremely sharp spines, which create hazards for swimmers.
“The nutlets are nearly indestructible, and can remain viable in the sediment for up to 12 years. The reduction of native plant growth combined with the decomposition of large masses of water chestnut each year can reduce levels of dissolved oxygen in the water, impacting other aquatic organisms
and killing fish,” Prouty explained.
Water chestnuts first arrived in the United States after being imported from Europe, Africa and parts of Asia as an ornamental plant in the 1870s. As Prouty elaborated, the plant escaped its captivity by 1879, and had spread and become well established in the Hudson River and Great Lakes by the 1950s. Jeff O’Handley, OCCA program director, detailed how water chestnuts had been found in the Susquehanna River since the early 1900s, but that their organization was first notified of their presence in Goodyear Lake around 2005.
Since then, OCCA has been committed to trying to mitigate the environmental impact of this invasion as much as possible. Of the five water chestnut pulls conducted by OCCA in Goodyear Lake this summer, one was in partnership with the Cooperstown Lions Club, while another was one of their signature “paddle and pulls.” The organization also conducted pulls at numerous other major water bodies across the county throughout the summer months.
Each pull at Goodyear Lake resulted in roughly 100 pounds of water chestnuts being removed, amounting to a very significant total. Prouty noted that other sites that saw major pulls last year, such as Larchwood Lake and Oaks Creek, were far less densely populated than Goodyear Lake, showing the positive impact their efforts can have on the local ecology.
According to Prouty, “Days spent in the field pulling water chestnut can be long, but they are always incredibly rewarding. The plant itself can be quite satisfying to pull up, especially when you find the nutlet still attached to the bottom of the root system.”
“There is definitely a strategy for removing the plants,” Prouty said. “You have to reach down as far as you can, apply light tension and gently wiggle the stem around to free the root system, and then pull the plant up little by little. Sometimes the stems will snap when the substrate is especially thick, which can be quite frustrating. Water chestnut days, especially those at Goodyear Lake, always have a high reward, with some days yielding well over 100
Kelsey Announces Board Candidacy
HARTWICK
Caren Kelsey, a resident of the Town of Hartwick for more than 65 years, has announced her candidacy for Hartwick Town Council. Kelsey will be running on the Hartwick United line, along with fellow town council candidate JoAnn Gardner and town supervisor candidate Cody Moore.
For 48 years, Kelsey has been a member of the Hartwick Fire Department and Emergency Squad. She previously worked for BOCES for 37 years, serving in the Health Occupation program as an instructor in CPR, first aid and phlebotomy. During that lengthy period of service, Kelsey regularly took students to local hospi-
Continued on page 8
pounds of plants and huge mounds of plants waiting to be taken to OCCA’s compost pile.”
“You always feel like you’ve accomplished something after pulling water chestnut,” Prouty wrote.
OCCA representatives emphasized how important it is for boaters and those who use Otsego County’s waterways to be conscious of this threat. Though the plant fragments that spread water chestnut seeds can simply follow the current or attach to birds, one of the easiest ways for them to spread is by attaching to man-made items. Uncleaned boats, trailers and fishing equipment all pose the risk of transporting these seeds to new regions.
To combat this threat, OCCA recommends cleaning, draining and treating all water-bound equipment before and after use. Washing equip-
ment in potassium chloride solutions—available online and in numerous retail locations—can kill plant fragments and seeds that may otherwise sneak through a general inspection of gear. Taking precautions around the plants, both for environmental and personal safety, is highly recommended.
With summer mostly behind them, OCCA staff is now looking ahead to the future and where their efforts can continue to help our local lakes, rivers, creeks, and streams tomorrow.
“Our team at OCCA plans to continue conducting water chestnut pulls at Goodyear Lake. We also hope to continue
surveying other bodies of water to monitor and treat current populations and detect new populations of water chestnut that may arise. Early detection, quick response, and consistent treatment will be essential for controlling water chestnut infestations in our beloved lakes and streams,” Prouty concluded.
Those interested in staying up-to-date on cleanup efforts or who wish to volunteer for chestnut pulls themselves can visit the OCCA volunteer info page at https://www. occainfo.org/volunteer or follow them for updates on Facebook at https://www.facebook. com/OCCAINFO.
When you need surgery, you want a remarkable surgeon caring for you with the latest technology, tools, and techniques.
That’s exactly what you’ll find at Bassett Healthcare Network’s Department of Surgery.
Not only are Bassett surgeons highly qualified, but they’re also supported by a team of trusted physicians, advanced practice providers, nurses, technologists, specialists, and assistants who are with you before, during, and after your surgery and recovery.
Dr. Casey Lamb is a board-certified general and bariatric surgeon who is fellowship-trained in complex hernia repair, bariatric, and foregut procedures. He is experienced in minimally invasive surgical procedures including robotic-assisted procedures — which typically offer patients better results, faster recovery, and reduced scarring. Dr. Lamb is dedicated to delivering compassionate, patient-centered care and is now accepting new patients in
Photo provided
OCCA works with local organizations and individuals to help eradicate aquatic invasive species in water bodies throughout Otsego County.
Perspectives
GUEST EDITORIaL DaRLa m.
To Governor Cox, With Love
Just hours after conservative and spiritual activist Charlie Kirk was gunned down in front of thousands of students who had gathered at Utah Valley University for the start of his “American Comeback Tour,” Utah Governor Spencer Cox spoke at a press conference about the shooting. I was deeply moved.
Kirk was 31 years old at the time of his death, with a wife of less than five years and two small children. From all accounts, his wife and children were in attendance at the UVU event when he was shot in the neck and killed.
When the news of the shooting was released, I was driving to Chittenango to visit my mom, who is in rehab after suffering a stroke some weeks ago. Ironically, I was listening to a recording of Kirk debating college students from Washington State University when he was shot. I was devastated when I learned later that he had died.
I first became aware of Charlie Kirk following the infamous debate on June 27, 2024 between then-President Joe Biden and now-President Donald Trump, which was disgraceful, and difficult—if not almost impossible—to sit through. In the editorial the following week, titled “Damn, Nation,” this paper wrote:
“The Democratic Party has failed us. The Republican Party has failed us. The sitting president, by all appearances last Thursday, ‘has left the building.’ The former president is a convicted felon. These two grumpy old men actually wasted time on national television arguing about who was the better golfer. What is a voter to do? As Mr. Bennett said to Elizabeth in ‘Pride and Prejudice,’ when considering the undesirable marriage proposal from Mr. Collins, ‘an unhappy alternative is before you.’”
I am slightly embarrassed to say that only after that debate did I really begin to pay close attention to national politics. I made it a point from then on to listen to news reports and commentaries from both sides of the aisle, trying to reconcile the often disparate accounts of various events. It was then that I discovered Charlie Kirk and his debates with college students, during which he outlined both his political and religious views and invited young voters to “prove me wrong.”
I do not share all of Kirk’s beliefs. In fact, I firmly believe—and this paper has commented on this as well—that anyone who advocates entirely on one side of the aisle or the other is not truly thinking for themselves. In this paper’s editorial of May 22, 2025, “Is the Media Doing Our Thinking for Us?” we wrote:
“Regardless of where you sit on the political spectrum—left, right or center—if you are getting all your news from one source, without doing some actual follow-up on your own, you might not be thinking for yourself. Don’t get us wrong. We’re all susceptible to being convinced, persuaded, influenced, ‘educated.’ But, from time to time, it
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR POLICY
behooves us to take a step back and consider whether we might be being misled, or misinformed.”
But I digress. For my part, listening to Kirk sparked in me an interest to learn more about our Constitution and our founding fathers. To listen to, consider, and educate myself on both sides of an argument and then to draw my own conclusions. To examine my relationship with God. To determine what “the good, the true and the beautiful,” Kirk’s mantra, means to me. And whether I agreed with him or not, I admired Kirk’s willingness to hold public, civil discourse with prominent figures whose beliefs did not necessarily align with his own—among them political commentator Bill Maher in April and California Governor Gavin Newsom in May—and to continue his public debates on college campuses across the nation despite numerous threats against his life.
On September 10, at the press conference that introduced me to Gov. Cox, details surrounding the shooting were unclear. What became clear very quickly, though, was that the governor is a man who bears listening to. In a statement that I still can’t get out of my mind, he said:
“This is a dark day for our state. It’s a tragic day for our nation. I want to be very clear that this is a political assassination.
“We are celebrating 250 years of the founding of this great nation—that founding document, the Declaration of Independence, this great experiment on which we embarked together 250 years ago; that we are endowed by our Creator with certain unalienable rights—the first one of those is life. And today, a life was taken.
“Charlie Kirk was, first and foremost, a husband and a dad to two young children. He was also very much politically involved, and that’s why he was here on campus. Charlie believed in the power of free speech and debate to shape ideas and to persuade people. Historically, our university campuses in this nation and here in the state of Utah have been the place where truth and ideas are formulated and debated. And that’s what he does—he comes on college campuses and he debates. That is foundational to the formation of our country, to our most basic constitutional rights. And when someone takes the life of a person because of their ideas or their ideals, then that very constitutional foundation is threatened.
“Now, we have a person of interest in custody; the investigation is ongoing. But I want to make it crystal clear right now to whoever did this: We will find you, we will try you, and we will hold you accountable to the furthest extent of the law. And I just want to remind people that we still have the death penalty here in the state of Utah.
“If anyone in the sound of my voice celebrated even a little bit at the news of this shooting, I would beg you to look in the mirror and to see if you can find a better angel in there somewhere.
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of
“I don’t care what his politics are. I care that he was an American. We desperately need our country. We desperately need leaders in our country. But more than the leaders, we just need every single person in this country to think about where we are and where we want to be—to ask ourselves: ‘Is this...is this it? Is this what 250 years has wrought on us?’ I pray that that’s not the case. I pray that those who hated what Charlie Kirk stood for will put down their social media and their pens and pray for his family, and that all of us—all of us—will try to find a way to stop hating our fellow Americans.”
According to an article published on September 11 by Jonathan Draeger for RealClear Polling, titled “Polls Show Rising Number of Americans Justify Political Violence,” in April of this year the Network Contagion Research Institute, along with Rutgers University, found that 55 percent of self-identified left-of-center respondents said that it was at least somewhat justified to murder President Trump.
“Forty-eight percent said the same of Elon Musk, and 40 percent of respondents, including 59.6 percent of left-of-center respondents, said it was at least somewhat acceptable to destroy a Tesla dealership in protest,” Draeger wrote.
A drastic increase from just five years earlier when, in a 2020 poll, 36 percent among Republican respondents and 33 percent among Democratic respondents said using violence to advance political goals was at least “a little” justified.
But in a poll conducted by YouGov taken after Kirk was murdered, it was reported that 11 percent said violence can sometimes be justified to achieve political goals, while 72 percent said violence is never justified. Evidently another 5 percent said they would prefer not to say whether they think violence is sometimes justifiable to achieve political goals. So, yeah. I love Governor Cox for admonishing us to find our “better angels” on September 10. Too many people, both Democrats and Republicans, have been victimized in the name of politics. Kirk’s death is not the first, but I hope it will be the last. Violence and destruction of property has not been limited to any one side of the political aisle, as discussed in this paper’s April 17 editorial, titled “There’s No Excuse for Violence.” In the aftermath of Kirk’s tragic death, I have hope that we, as citizens, can find a way to stop demonizing and dehumanizing each other—to clean up the angry, toxic, political rhetoric on both sides to which we are all being exposed daily.
If the recent poll is any indication, I think we may be moving in the right direction. I do think we can find our better angels. Don’t prove me wrong, please. Rest in peace, Charlie.
Darla M. Youngs is the general manager and senior editor of Iron String Press. She describes herself as a liberal conservative.
Low Bridge, Ev’rybody Down...
When I started writing this column, my objective was to bust myths about the economy. In a world fraught with disinformation and lies, it’s important to set the record straight. As was the case in my previous column that celebrated small businesses and their owners, I’ll detour in this one to commend an important American bicentennial that arrives in a few weeks.
The Erie Canal was completed on October 26, 1825. It was 363 miles long and connected the Hudson River to Lake Erie. Just 4 feet deep and 40 feet wide, it opened the American West to migration and trade and was the first step in making New York “The Empire State.”
To get from Albany to Buffalo, the original canal needed 83 locks to lift early pack boats 565 feet in total elevation. Each lock was 90 feet long and 12 feet wide. Five of those locks were in Lockport, New York, where 60 feet of elevation had to
be conquered to continue the path westward. The second largest hurdle was closer to our region, in Little Falls, where four locks were needed to surmount a 40 feet rise in elevation.
On average, it took nine days in 1825 to make the journey from Albany to Buffalo, with boats pulled by horses or mules attached to heavy ropes. The original Erie Canal was not all romance though, as tow animals were urged forward by switch sticks wielded by young, often orphaned, children. When the canal froze, the orphans wintered over in warehouse lofts in big towns along the route, in living conditions that matched what Charles Dickens was writing about in England.
The original canal has largely vanished after two upgrades to handle larger boats. The first began in 1835 and was completed in 1862. The width almost doubled to 70 feet and the depth was increased to 7 feet. The second enlargement,
from 1905 to 1918, created the working canal that exists today—the Barge Canal. That upgrade harnessed large parts of the Mohawk and Genesee rivers, with a minimal width of 120 feet and depth of 12 feet. Today’s “Erie Canal” has just 34 locks.
Given our proximity to the canal, there are plenty of opportunities nearby to soak up some of the history of our early American Republic. Schoharie Crossing offers a state park where you can see the ruins of an impressive aqueduct that carried pack boats across the Schoharie Creek. This massive structure was completed in 1841 and is considered a 19thcentury American engineering marvel. You can also see the path and some of the stonework of the original Erie Canal on the opposite side of the creek.
Little Falls offers remnants of some of the original locks and contemporary Lock 17, which climbs more than four stories through solid rock. Its
Continued on page 11
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
YOUnGS
THE mYTH-BUSTInG ECOnOmIST
LaRRY maLOnE
by Tom HeiTz/SHARoN STUART
185 YEARS AGO
September 21, 1840
135 YEARS AGO
If your hay crop is large and you wish to feed it out on the farm, call at Dr. James’ when you come to the Fair, and have your horse’s teeth put in order. Chris Post says that his horses eat three times the amount they did before he had their teeth floated.
Ladies Cloaks—You certainly must buy you a new cloak this fall, for B.F. Murdock & Sons are offering them cheaper than ever. They have an elegant stock to select from, and feel confident that they can please all, both as to quality and price.
September 19, 1890
110 YEARS AGO
During the summer numerous repairs have been in progress at Hartwick Seminary, Otsego County’s oldest institution of learning which opens for the fall term Tuesday, October 5. A basement has been put under the south wing and the toilet with tub and shower baths placed there. A new cesspool has been dug and connected with the new basement. All the rooms on the third floor, both wings, have been wainscoted and sides and ceiling covered with beaver board and painted in pleasing colors. New hard wood floors have been laid. The same has been done on the second and first floors of the south wing. New doors have been hung and casings repaired where damaged. Window sashes likewise. The roof with eave troughs have been repaired and painted.
60 YEARS AGO
September 15, 1915
At the annual meeting of the Upstate Home for Children, held at the Home in Milford Center, the membership present approved a change in corporate powers and purposes to permit operation of a home for mentally retarded children of ages 8 through 18 at entry. The change is subject to court approval as well as approval of the State Department of Social Welfare and the State Commissioner of Education.
35 YEARS AGO
September 15, 1965
Mother Nature’s kind ministrations to her children in the form of raindrops and the plucky fielding of “Little Egypt” Reid for the Cat Town Scholars, combined to defeat the Cardiff Giants by a 9-5 tally on Sunday, bringing an end to the regular season town ball schedule at The Farmers’ Museum. It was in the second hand that the stakes were loaded for “Slick” Reese of the Cardiff Giants who caught one with the meat of the bat and sent it high and deep in the direction of the General Store. The ball entered the top of a tree and began a slow descent through the limbs before dropping into the waiting palms of “Little Egypt” Reid who gathered the object to her bosom as a mother would a favored child.
20 YEARS AGO
September 19, 1990
A whole roasted pig, coleslaw, baked beans, and dessert will be featured at a benefit dinner for the Fly Creek Historic District initiative. Sponsored by the Fly Creek Area Historical Society, the dinner will be served at the Fly Creek Grange on Cemetery Road from 4:30 to 7 p.m. on Saturday, September 24. The pulled pork, a donation from Portobello’s of Fly Creek, will be slow-roasted on the Grange lawn. The cost is $7.50 for the meal.
September 16, 2005
Acclaimed Artists To Perform at Foothills
As the Catskill Symphony Orchestra prepares to launch its 72nd season on Saturday, September 20 at Foothills Performing Arts and Civic Center in Oneonta, we are reminded of a truly original cultural treasure that calls our region home. CSO’s season opener, “Iconic Legends,” brings together two remarkable international artists whose presence here demonstrates the orchestra’s unique ability to attract world-class talent to our shared Catskill and Leatherstocking regions.
orchestra’s reputation and artistic standards.
First among our noteworthy guests is pianist Philip Edward Fisher, a virtuoso whose credentials read like a classical music dream. A graduate of both the Royal Academy of Music and The Juilliard School, Fisher has graced stages from Alice Tully Hall in New York to the Wigmore Hall in London, and from the Royal Festival Hall to Symphony Hall in Birmingham. “New York Lifestyles Magazine” describes him as “one of the world’s most accomplished classical pianists,” and his performances with orchestras like the Royal Scottish National Orchestra and Copenhagen Philharmonic have earned him the prestigious Julius Isserlis Award from The Royal Philharmonic Society in London. That such an internationally acclaimed artist chooses to perform Brahms’ monumental Piano Concerto No. 1 with the CSO orchestra speaks volumes about the
By MERL REAGLE
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Big Red, once
What “Piaf” means
Serpent’s tail? 29 Smallest drink you can get in a bar?
What Roget eats every morning? 35 When most people work
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Dates for 80 Across, perhaps
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Equally noteworthy is 32-yearold composer Marc Migó, who is flying in from Barcelona specifically for the world premiere of his “The Ecstasy of St. Teresa.” Winner of the Leo Kaplan Award 2023 and currently completing his doctorate at Juilliard, Migó represents the best of contemporary classical composition. Described as “one of the most internationally acclaimed young Catalan composers of classical music,” his presence transforms our concert from a performance into a historic moment—the birth of a new work witnessed first right here in our back yard.
These artistic partnerships illuminate why the Catskill Symphony Orchestra remains vital to our region’s cultural ecosystem. For 72 years, the CSO has served as more than an entertainment venue; it’s an educational institution that opens doors for young minds. Through the Wendy Brown Student Ticket Fund, every school-age and college student receives free admission, while their parents, guardians, and chaperones pay only $10.00. This isn’t charity—it is an investment in cultural literacy, exposing the next generation to music that spans centuries and crosses continents.
The educational impact extends beyond the concert hall. When students witness Fisher’s
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Cognac maker ___ Martin
What you find on the face of a mechanic’s baby?
“So you’re the one!”
Writer Sheehy
John O’Hara novel, A ___ Live
Operatives’
Photos provided
the Catskill symphony orchestra will welcome composer marc migó (left) and pianist philip edward fisher on saturday, september 20 for its “iconic legends” concert.
NEWS BRIEFS
‘I Voted’ Contest Announced
ONEONTA—In honor of Constitution Day, the Hartwick Institute of Public Service announced an “I Voted” sticker design contest for local students. It is open to elementary, middle, high-school and college students, with one winning design chosen from each cohort. The selected designs will be distributed to voters at Hartwick College’s polling place in November. High-school and college winners will also receive a $100.00 prize. Paper or digital designs will be accepted as photographs at instituteofpublicservice@hartwick.edu. More information and eligibility guidelines may be found at https://www.hartwick.edu/academics/academicdepartments/political-science-department/instituteof-public-service.
Bassett Announces Vol Drives
COOPERSTOWN—Bassett Healthcare Network will hold volunteer drives at Cooperstown’s Bassett Medical Center and Oneonta’s FoxCare Center on October 2 and 7, respectively. The former will take place in the lobby of the Fieldstone Building, 1 Atwell Road, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., while the latter will be held in the Main Concourse at 1 FoxCare Drive at the same time. Volunteer positions are available in a wide variety of locations across the network, including information desks, emergency departments, long-term care facilities and more. Bassett runs a Volunteer Program, a Junior Volunteer Program and a local chapter of No One Dies Alone. Interested volunteers who cannot attend may contact the Volunteer Services Office at (607) 547-3120 or bhnhr@bassett.org. Volunteer applications are available at Bassett.org/volunteer.
Stores Launch Pet Food Drive
OTSEGO COUNTY—In celebration of Market 32’s 10th anniversary, Market 32 and Price Chopper stores will run a pet food drive through Saturday, October 4. Customers will have the option to purchase and donate $10.00 bags of pet food to local animal shelters. Donations will benefit animals awaiting adoption and outreach programs that provide support to pet owners experiencing food insecurity.
Hartwick To Dedicate Center
ONEONTA—Hartwick College will hold a dedication ceremony for its new Belonging Center during True Blue Weekend, at 2 p.m. on Saturday, September 20. Located on the fourth floor of Yager Hall, the center will be renamed in honor of Harry Bradshaw Matthews, a retired associate dean, founding director of the Office of Intercultural Affairs and the U.S. Pluralism Center, and recipient of the College’s Doctor of Humane Letters in 2024. Matthews is a nationally recognized scholar and activist with a research specialty in African American military history and access to education. He led the United States Colored Troops Institute, dedicated to the study and celebration of the approximately 180,000 Black men in uniform who helped win the American Civil War. Following the dedication, guests are invited to view the Yager Museum’s exhibition “Memorializing the Underground Railroad: The Harry Bradshaw Matthews Collection,” on display through December 12.
RAG Announces Transition
ROXBURY—Roxbury Arts Group announced that the 2025 season marked the end of Jenny Rosenzweig’s 14-year tenure as executive director. She oversaw 14 seasons of live music, local art and workshops, continued programming during the COVID-19 pandemic, expanded the organization into Stamford, increased professional development and grant opportunities for Delaware County artists, and supported the arts in 14 school districts across four counties. The Board of Directors has launched a search for new leadership and requests that interested candidates submit a resume and letter of interest to jobs@roxburyartsgroup.org. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. More information may be found at roxburyartsgroup.org.
CCE Joins MVG Fundraiser
COOPERSTOWN—Cornell Cooperative Extension of Schoharie and Otsego County announced that it will participate in Mohawk Valley Gives, a community-wide fundraising drive that will be held on Friday, September 19. Last year, the giving day raised more than $5 million for hundreds of local organizations. CCESO seeks to raise $5,000.00 to expand its Veggie Van program, a mobile market initiative that provided local produce to nearly 1,500 food-insecure Herkimer County residents last year. They also aim to fund major renovations at their Otsego County Education Center, 123 Lake Street in Cooperstown, including exterior rehabilitation and accessibility upgrades. For more information or to make a donation, visit givemv.org/organizations/cornell-cooperativeextension-of-herkimer-county.
Tough Week for Soccer Teams
COOPERSTOWN—Cooperstown girls soccer fell 5-1 to Frankfort-Schuyler in a non-division home game on Tuesday, September 9. Freshman Lanie Nelen scored the lone goal of the day late in the first half. The Hawkeyes lost 2-0 to West
Canada Valley on Thursday, September 11. The rough streak continued with a 2-0 loss in a rematch with Frankfort-Schuyler on Monday, September 15. Cooperstown fell to 1-4 for the season and 1-0 in their division. They will host Webb after press time on Wednesday, September 17.
The boys team shut out Little Falls 5-0 on the road on Wednesday, September 10. Sophomores Henry Ayers and Beckett Grady each recorded a goal and an assist. Juniors Gavin Grady and Shane Bradley and senior Jameson Gable each scored, and junior Landon Seamon made an assist. Senior Cooper Coleman made one save in the net.
Cooperstown battled Utica Academy of Science to a double-overtime 0-0 draw at Utica’s Prospect Park on Friday, September 12. The Hawkeyes outshot their hosts 38-6 but could not overcome 18 saves by the UAS keeper. Coleman made two saves for Cooperstown.
The team lost 1-0 to Frankfort-Schuyler on a penalty kick with 90 seconds remaining in an overtime match on Saturday, September 13. Coleman made three saves and stopped a first-half penalty kick. Cooperstown moved to 2-1-1 for the season and will visit Westmoreland for their first division match of the year after press time on Tuesday, September 16.
CCS Football Trounces Clinton
COOPERSTOWN—The Cooperstown football team rolled to a 40-7 victory over Clinton at home on Saturday, September 13. Senior Brenin Dempsey threw for four touchdowns and ran for a fifth. He made a touchdown throw to sophomore Parker McManus in the first quarter and two to senior Thomas Hellenthal in the second. McManus scored again on a 49-yard pass in the third quarter. Dempsey rushed for a 20-yard touchdown in the fourth and junior Caden Laymon rounded out the day with a 19-yard run. Sophomore Sawyer Bridger made two kicks and senior Ryan Ford made one. The Hawkeyes will visit South Lewis for a nondivision game on Thursday, September 8.
Rotary Club Seeks Applicants
COOPERSTOWN—The Allocations Committee of the Rotary Club of Cooperstown will accept applications for the organization’s fall round of nonprofit funding through Thursday, September 25. Applications and criteria may be found at portal. clubrunner.ca/3556. Completed forms should be sent to tlbhinmanhollow@gmail.com or PO Box 993, Cooperstown 13326. After review, the committee will make funding recommendations to the Board of Directors in October.
Constitution Day Talk Planned
ONEONTA—Hartwick College’s annual Constitution Day Address will be delivered in the Shineman Chapel House at 5 p.m. on Friday, September 19, followed by a reception from 6-7. Geoffrey Corn ’83, the George R. Killam Jr. Chair of Criminal Law and director of the Center for Military Law and Policy at Texas Tech University School of Law, will give a talk titled “Commander-in-Chief or Constitutional Overreach?” The event is free and open to the public and will be livestreamed.
Shock-toberfest Set To Return
ONEONTA—Film Otsego and Foothills Performing Arts and Civic Center will present the 4th annual Shock-toberfest at 24 Market Street from 3-10 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 11. The double headliner will be locally-made “Popeye the Slayer Man” at 6 p.m. and Metallica cover band “Obey Your Master” at 8 p.m. A block of six short horror films will be screened at 3 p.m., followed by “Hellbender,” a film made by Roscoe’s Poser-Adams family, at 4 p.m. There will be a horror festival in the Foothills atrium and parking lot, featuring axe throwing, food trucks, tarot, vendors, and more. Tickets are available at tinyurl.com/Shocktoberfest25. For more information, follow @filmotsego and @foothills on Facebook and Instagram.
Pathfinder Art Show Is Saturday
EDMESTON—Pathfinder Village will present its second annual INSPIRE Art Gala from 1-3 p.m. on Saturday, September 27. Staged at Pathfinder’s new “Dan’s Depot” community space, 2102 State Route 80, the exhibition will feature art by more than a dozen Pathfinder residents. Attendees can purchase framed artworks, meet the artists and tour the new facility. Pathfinder is an internationally recognized residential community for people with Down syndrome and related disabilities. For more information, visit pathfindervillage.org.
Shelter Offers $20 Adoptions
COOPERSTOWN—Susquehanna SPCA will participate in the community-wide Mohawk Valley Gives fundraising drive from September 15-19, including an offer of 1:1 matching funds up to $20,000.00 from the Staffworks Fund. To highlight the campaign, SQSPCA will offer $20.00 adoptions all week long. Prospective families may visit the shelter to meet adoptable animals and take advantage of the reduced fee from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday. For more information on adoption, donation or volunteering, visit SQSPCA.org. To make a donation during Mohawk Valley Gives, visit givemv.org/organizations/susquehanna-spca.
FCO Announces Matching Grant
COOPERSTOWN—Fenimore Chamber Orchestra has received a $15,000.00 matching grant from an anonymous donor to expand its program of live orchestral music across Central New York. Every gift made through November 1 will be matched dollar-for-dollar up to $15,000.00. For more information or to make a donation, visit fenimoreorchestra.org.
Arts Organizations Join MVG
COOPERSTOWN—Cooperstown Art Association and The Smithy Gallery and Clay Studio announced they will join the community-wide Mohawk Valley Gives fundraising campaign, open through 9 p.m. on Friday, September 19. They have goals of $1,500.00 and $1,000.00, respectively, to support their educational work. Visit givemv.org to make a donation.
RAG Schedules Workshops
WALTON—Roxbury Arts Group will hold a Target Market and Pricing Workshop for artists at William B. Ogden Free Library, 42 Gardiner Place in Walton, from 12-1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, September 23. This newest iteration of the group’s professional development classes for creatives will help local artists identify target audiences and sell their work. For more information or to register, visit roxburyartsgroup. org. RAG’s Headwaters Arts Center, 66 Main Street in Stamford, will also host local fiber artist Annie Hayes for a five-session hooked rug making workshop from 5-8 p.m. on every Wednesday evening in October. All tools and materials are provided. The workshop is offered with tiered equity pricing ranging from $160.00-$275.00. Registration information is available on the website.
Community Plan Input Sought
COOPERSTOWN—The ongoing community effort to develop a comprehensive Otsego Lake Watershed Management Plan and consulting group Anchor QEA recently released an online survey to gather community feedback. Watershed Management Plan organizations, including SUNY Oneonta’s Biological Field Station and the Otsego Watershed Supervisory Committee, need input on a variety of topics relevant to the watershed. The 15minute online survey will help define a collective vision for shared land and water resources, and all watershed area residents are strongly encouraged to participate. It may be found at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/otsego9Eplan.
Mammals, Dean To Play WKC
EAST MEREDITH—The West Kortright Center will present a concert by The Mammals at 7 p.m. on Friday, October 10. Hailing from the Hudson Valley, the group consists of folksingers Ruth Ungar and Mike Merenda, backed up by fiddle, banjo, guitar, organ, bass and percussion from a quintet of multiinstrumentalists. Tickets are $25.00 in advance, and there is a 10 percent discount for WKC members. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit app.arts-people.com/index.php?show=291305. WKC will present folksinger Cranston Dean for its Second Sundays free concert series at 2 p.m. on Sunday, October 12. The free community concert will feature workshops, local art and food.
Responsible Gaming Month Set
ALBANY—New York State’s Responsible Play Partnership, Gaming Commission, Office of Addiction Services and Supports, and the New York Council on Problem Gambling issued a joint statement recognizing September 2025 as Responsible Gaming Education Month. Devised by the American Gaming Association, an industry and lobbying group, the month is intended to promote gambling literacy and consumer education. The commission highlighted its new requirement that operators collect demographic data on patrons to facilitate targeted education and treatment resources. New York has the nation’s only blanket voluntary self-exclusion program, allowing individuals to bar themselves from all legal gaming facilities in the state.
Hunger Action Month Observed
ALBANY—New York State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball kicked off Hunger Action Month by highlighting the success of the Food Access Expansion Program. Announced earlier this summer by Governor Kathy Hochul, the initiative provided $10 million in grants to nine food access projects across the state. The projects, including development and expansion of supermarkets, cooperatives, farm stands, mobile markets, and other food retail sites, are intended to increase access to healthy local foods in underserved areas and provide new markets for New York farmers. Awards included $2.1 million for the City of Schenectady and $1.8 million for the Syracuse Economic Development Corporation. According to a report from the Office of the State Comptroller, about 10 percent of New Yorkers, or 800,000 households, experienced hunger or food insecurity between 2019 and 2021. In a release, Hochul drew attention to the recent “Big Beautiful” federal budget bill, which will result in an estimated 300,000 New York households losing some or all of their SNAP benefits. For more information, visit governor.ny.gov/news/governorhochul-announces-137-million-awarded-19-farmand-food-organizations-through-2024.
Orchestra
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technical mastery of brahms or hear migó
discuss his creative process, they experience art as a living, breathing force. These encounters plant seeds that can blossom into lifelong
SECURITY/SAFETY GUARD
FULL-TIME, YEAR ROUND POSITION
Fenimore Farm and Fenimore Art Museum are seeking applicants for a Security/ Safety Guard. Must have a clean driving license, be able to walk considerable distances in all weather conditions and have open availability including weekends and holidays. The workday includes using computer based monitoring systems, walking extensive museum grounds, completing incident reports, and troubleshooting for potential hazards. We provide training, certification, an excellent benefit package, including health and dental insurance, paid holidays, vacation, and sick pay. $17-$20/hr. based on experience. This position is for 2nd Shift, 2:15p – 10:45p. To apply visit fenimoreartmuseum.org or fenimorefarm.org for a printable application, or contact Human Resources, at 607-547-1462, or hr@fenimoreart.org.
Fenimore Farm has an opening for a Custodian.
This is a Full-Time, Year-Round position with an excellent benefit package. Applicants with basic construction and carpentry knowledge for small to moderate repair jobs are sought. Responsibilities include routine cleaning/maintenance of public and office spaces, light carpentry/painting, and special event setup. If you are a steady, reliable worker, have a valid driver’s license, are capable of operating power equipment and enjoy working both inside and outdoors year-round, apply today! Benefit package includes 3 weeks of vacation, personal time, sick time, paid holidays, employer funded retirement plan, and much more. $17-$19/hr. To apply for any position, applications can be found at fenimorefarm.org and mailed to PO Box 800, Cooperstown, NY 13326. Human Resources can be reached at 607-547-1462 or mary.myers@fenimoreart.org. $17-19/hr. EOE
appreciation for classical music or even inspire future musicians and composers. Creativity has no standard formula—it requires constant experimentation and exploration. Is our next legendary figure among us? but perhaps most importantly, events like these prove that exceptional art belongs everywhere, not just in major metropolitan centers. The CSO’s ability to attract artists of Fisher and migó’s caliber demonstrates that our fair and bucolic region deserves—
and can sustain—cultural experiences of the highest order.
The CSO’s season theme, “The Orchestral Kaleidoscope,” reflects this philosophy perfectly. Like a symphony itself, it truly takes an entire community—musicians, board members, volunteers, donors, and audience members—working in harmony to create something greater than the sum of its parts.
As we gather on September 20 to celebrate these noteworthy artists and
launch another season of musical excellence, we are not just attending a concert. We are participating in the continuation of a 72-year legacy that enriches our community, educates our youth, and proves that world-class art can flourish anywhere there are people passionate enough to sustain it.
You are invited, and you know where to find the tickets: www. catskillsymphony.org.
Ian Kenyon is vice chair of the Catskill Symphony Orchestra Board of Directors.
Frisbee
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Cooper. Junior Division winners were Clara De Dominicis and Roy, Quort DeDominicis and Hoyt, and Wyatt DeDominicis and Jolene. Last but not least, marmite, Toast, and Wonder were victorious in the master Division with handler marlys Delaney. In conjunction with the dog events, several youths were present representing the Otsego County 4-H program. They served food and collected pantry items and monetary donations for the butternut Valley pet Food pantry. preparation for the next season of competition begins on Tuesday, September 30 at 6:30 p.m. in Garrattsville. Newcomers are always welcome. For more information on the K9 Frisbee Toss & Fetch competition, visit https://tossandfetch.com/.
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tals and nursing homes as part of their preparation for acquiring their CNA licenses.
“I am eager to work with our community, along with Cody and JoAnn, to bring unity back to Hartwick and create better relationships within the town,” said Kelsey. “It is important to understand what the residents are looking for— resisting this desire to raise taxes while also keeping up with improvements that are needed within Hartwick. This can be done. I also want to see our wonderful summer program continue; it is a program that I ran for several years, and I know that it can be done at a very reasonable cost, with the benefits far outweighing the expenses.
For more information, visit the “Hartwick United” Facebook page.
EOE
Village Adopts Resolution on Federal Immigration Policies
COOPERSTOWN
On Monday, August 25, the Village of Cooperstown Board of Trustees approved Resolution No. 4 of 2025, regarding the federal government’s policies on immigrant seizure, detention and deportation.
“I am very proud of the Village Board for unanimously approving our resolution on the federal government’s immigrant seizure, detention and deportation policies,” Cooperstown Mayor Ellen Tillapaugh said in an e-mail on Tuesday, September 16.
“The Village of Cooperstown is committed to being a welcoming community for all and that commitment recognizes the fundamental right for everyone to receive due process and equal protection under the laws instituted by our nation and enshrined in our country’s Constitution.
Deputy Mayor Cynthia Falk echoed those sentiments.
“The Village Board of Trustees values diversity and promotes inclusivity for all the members of our community. This resolution recognizes that immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers are important parts of the fabric of our village and that recent actions have had, and may continue to have, detrimental effects on community members whom we value,” Falk said.
The full text of the resolution is as follows: Village of Cooperstown Resolution No. 4 OF 2025
RESOLUTION on the federal government’s immigrant seizure, detention, and deportation policies.
WHEREAS, there are immigrants seeking asylum in the United States who live and work in Otsego County and the Village of Cooperstown and are law-abiding members of their communities and valued employees; and
WHEREAS, among those immigrants are persons who have been subject to seizure, detention, and deportation by actions of the federal Department of Homeland Security; and
WHEREAS, the Village of Cooperstown is home to people of diverse backgrounds, abilities, and identities, from communities of diverse beliefs and cultures, including immigrants and nativeborn citizens; and
WHEREAS, the Village of Cooperstown, as a tourist destination and home to a major medical facility, welcomes people from throughout our region, nation, and world; and
WHEREAS, the Village of Cooperstown supports comprehensive due process as well as humane treatment and strict adherence to constitutional legal procedures for all immigrant members of our community; and
WHEREAS, the seizure, detention, and impending deportation of law-abiding immigrants have adverse impacts on the economy, health, and welfare of residents of the Village of Cooperstown and its business community; and
WHEREAS, the seizure, detention, and impending deportation of law-abiding immigrants is contrary to the values of the rule of law and due process owed to all persons; and
WHEREAS, The Village of Cooperstown is a community committed to dignity, freedom, equality, and safety for all;
Now, therefore, be it resolved, the Board of Trustees of the Village of Cooperstown:
(1) Condemns the seizure, detention, and impending deportation of law-abiding immigrants;
(2) Steadfastly confirms the Village of Cooperstown’s dedication to the rights and dignity of all people;
(3) Denounces in the strongest terms the increase of hate speech, intimidation, violence, and hate crimes targeted against immigrants, refugees, and people of diverse racial, ethnic, religious, and linguistic backgrounds;
(4) Recognizes that people of every background-irrespective of race, religious belief, national origin, and language-have made countless positive contributions to our community;
(5) Declares that the civil rights and civil liberties of all people living in the Village of Cooperstown should be protected and preserved;
(6) Reaffirms the inalienable right of everyone in the Village of Cooperstown to live without fear and intimidation; and
(7) Affirms that the Constitutions of the United States and State of New York fully support this Resolution.
Adele Louise Johnson
1938-2025
FLY CREEK—Adele
Louise (Merkle) Johnson, a local artist and former librarian, died on Labor Day, September 1, 2025, at her retirement community home in Concord, New Hampshire. She was 87 years old.
Born August 4, 1938 in Port Chester, New York, she was the daughter of Robert R. Merkle and Marie L. Merkle. Her childhood was spent in Twin Falls, Idaho, and Teaneck, New Jersey, and she graduated from Teaneck High School. Adele graduated from Wittenberg University with a BFA in 1960. She spent her junior year in France, studying art history at La Sorbonne and the École du Louvre in Paris. She did studio work at Wittenberg and the Académie de la Grande Chaumière in Paris, and studied life drawing and oil painting at The New School in New York City from 1961 to 1963. Adele continued drawing and painting throughout her life.
On April 20, 1963, Adele married Edwin Arthur Johnson in St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Teaneck. They lived in an apartment in Leonia,
New Jersey, before moving into their first house, in Harrington Park, New Jersey.
From 1960 to 1963, Adele worked at the Soviet and East European Desk for the Foreign Area Fellowship Program at the Ford Foundation in New York City. A new job for her husband brought Adele and her family to Otsego County, New York, in 1975. They found an old farmhouse to fix up in Fly Creek, and Adele found work in Cooperstown. Adele enjoyed Cooperstown’s role in history and literature, the beauty of its hills and valleys, and the warmth of its people. She also delighted in its art scene. Adele initially worked part time at the Village Library of Cooperstown. In May, 1977, she started a decades-long run at
The New York State Historical Association, where she became an acquisitions librarian, and where her artistic skills led to having more than 60 works of art published in “New York History” and various books, pamphlets, and leaflets.
Adele worked in crafts from a young age and also made drawings, particularly during family vacations in Cape Cod, Massachusetts. She also chronicled her family with her trusty camera and a careful eye.
After the move to upstate New York, Adele eventually turned her artistic attention to the myriad views and buildings which surrounded her in Otsego County.
She did more drawings, reproducing many of them on note cards for local sale. That progressed to matted reproductions of fullsize drawings. At age 65, upon retirement, Adele increased her art activity, and soon realized that with a little more effort, she would have enough material for a book. That resulted in the publication of “My Otsego,” in her words, “a collection of what moves me in Otsego County, New York. My wish is that my love of this place will bring pleasure to you, as it has to me.”
Aside from her art and the art that inspired her (particularly that of Paul Cézanne), Adele loved her family;
old and new friends; standing up for what she believed in; antiquing, flea markets and craft shows; her gardens in Fly Creek; North Truro and Provincetown on Cape Cod; hiking with friends and acquaintances in the mountains of Italy, Switzerland, and France; walking around her beloved Fly Creek Valley; and her cobalt blue bottle collection, which long resided on her kitchen window sills, as well as the shadows they made on the ceiling at a certain hour of the day.
Adele was predeceased by her husband, Edwin A. Johnson, to
whom she had been married for 52 years, and her sister, Phyllis Marie Carstens. She is survived by her children and their spouses: Kristina Marie Levine and Leigh Levine, Christopher E.S. Johnson and Jennifer Griffin, and Philip R.S. Johnson and Elise Blackburn; her grandchildren, Nathan Levine, Charlie Levine, Madeline Johnson, Jake Johnson, Eloise Johnson, and Finn Johnson; and her artwork. Adele loved and was very proud of her six grandchildren. Donations can be made to www.smiletrain.org, a group that supports cleft palate surgery around the world.
Photo provided ADELE LOUISE JOHNSON
Cooperstown Graduate Program Welcomes Incoming Students
By CONOR S. BRANDT
COOPERSTOWN
Look out for the newest batch of excited young people who have just arrived in the area, ready to be molded into accomplished museum professionals at the Cooperstown Graduate Program.
Twenty-four new students began their first semester at the program at the end of August with a tour of Cooperstown, learning about the history of the village and becoming acquainted with the local area and SUNY Oneonta.
These students are unique in many ways. They are diverse, with accomplished individuals coming to the program from many corners of the country. In addition to New York State`, they hale from as far away as Ghana, Florida and Missouri. They are also arriving with previous museum
experience, many having worked in museums before applying to the program. Now they look to CGP to gain knowledge about museums that can’t be found anywhere else, officials contend.
Last week, classes began in earnest. CGP students will be learning all there is to know about museums and working with local communities,
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Notice of formatioN of
109 EAST MAIN STREET LLC.
Filed with SSNY on 07/16/2025. Office: Otsego County. SSNY designated as agent for process & shall mail to: 153 SIDNEY ST, OYSTER BAY, NY 11771. Purpose: Any Lawful.
6LegalSept.18
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Notice of formatioN of 10 KILFOIL ST LLC
Arts of Org. filed SSNY 7/16/2025 Otsego Co. SSNY design agent for process & shall mail to 41 STATE ST, # 112, ALBANY, NY, 12207 General Purpose
6LegalSept.18
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Notice of formatioN of CRIMSON DRAGON REALTY LLC
Articles of organization filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 8-62025. Office Location: Otsego County. SSNY Designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process
to 1 Weidman St. Unadilla NY 13849
Purpose: Any lawful purpose. 6LegalSept.18
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Notice of formatioN of
CSL Pristine Properties LLC.
Filed 7/1/25. Cty: Otsego. SSNY desig. for process & shall mail 7228 St Hwy 7, Maryland, NY 12116. Purp: any lawful. 6LegalSept.25
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Notice of formatioN of Little Red Barn Micro Bakery, LLC
Articles of Organization filed with the Secy. of State of New York (SSNY) on 8/18/25. Office Location: Otsego County. SSNY Designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to 386 East St., Oneonta, NY 13820. Purpose: Any lawful purpose. 6LegalOct.2
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Notice of formatioN of
TRIA FRATRES LLC.
Filed 7/25/25. Office: Otsego Co. SSNY desig. as
agent for process & shall mail to:
c/o Legalinc Corporate Services Inc., 1967 Wehrle Dr., Ste. 1 #086, Buffalo, NY 14221. Purpose: General.
6LegalOct.2
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Notice of formatioN of WYN GIFF, LLC.
Articles of Organization were filed with the NY Secretary of State on 08/21/2025. 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, 491 West Street, Oneonta, NY 13820. The purpose of the LLC is to engage in any lawful act.
6LegalOct.2
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Notice of formatioN of DSJA Enterprises, LLC.
Articles of organization were filed with the NY Secretary of State on 8/25/2025. The office of the LLC is to be located in Otsego County. The Secretary of State has been designated
►Need to publish a Notice of
studying everything from fundraising and development to museum education and material culture.
In all its classes, CGP makes sure to maintain an emphasis on projectbased learning. This semester, students will be documenting the oral histories of local residents and working with the Adirondack Experience museum,
collecting memories for an exhibition on African Americans in the Adirondacks. They will also be collaborating with the League of Women Voters of the Cooperstown Area and conducting research for a local historic house and property. Students will also practice their event planning skills, as they host CGP’s annual
LEGALS
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 him/her to: The LLC, 142 Winney Hill Rd., Oneonta, NY 13820. The purpose of the LLC is to engage in any lawful act or activity.
6LegalOct.9
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Notice of formatioN of Golden Swan Property LLC.
Articles of organization filed with SSNY on 8/29/2025.
Office location: Otsego County. SSNY designated as agent upon whom process against the LLC may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to PO Box 1469, Richfield Springs, NY 13439. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.
6LegalOct.9
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Notice of formatioN of
Yoga Strategy, LLC
Articles of organization filing date with the Department of State (SSNY) August 13, 2025.
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: 34 West End Ave., Oneonta, NY 13820. Purpose: to engage in any and all business activities permitted under NYS law.
6LegalOct.9
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Notice of formatioN of a NY Limited LiabiLitY compaNY Name:
Gothicville Enterprises LLC.
Articles of organization filing date with Secretary of State (SSNY) was 12 April 2025. 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 988 County Highway 38 Worcester, NY 12197. Purpose is to engage in any and all business activities permitted under NYS laws.
6LegalOct.9
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Notice of formatioN of Stepping Stones Behavioral Solutions, LLC
Filed with SSNY on 8/4/2025. 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 1511 County Rt. 39, Worcester, NY 12197. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.
6LegalOct.16
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Notice of formatioN of
TLC ENGINEERING, PLLC
Articles of Org. filed NY Sec. of State (SSNY) 9/3/25. Office in Otsego Co. SSNY desig. agent of LLC upon whom process may be served. SSNY shall mail process to 8-12 Dietz St., Ste. 202, Oneonta, NY 13820, which is also the principal business location. Purpose: To practice Engineering.
6LegalOct.16
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Notice of formatioN of JDG CONTRACTING LLC,
Articles of org. filed with the SSNY on 8/22/2025. Office: Otsego County. US Corporation Agents Inc designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to US Corporation
Snowed-In Soiree.
It has never been more exciting to be a new student at the graduate program, students said.
CGP maintains a commitment to teaching excellence in museum studies with an emphasis on instructing its students through hands-on projects that are designed to serve local organizations and to push students out of the
Agents Inc., 7014 13th Ave., Suite 202, Brooklyn NY 11228. Purpose: Any lawful purpose. 6LegalOct.16
LegaL nOtice
Notice of formatioN of Shove Enterprises LLC.
Arts. of org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 3/4/2020. Office Location: Otsego Co. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process: Robert A. Gouldin, Esq., 93 Main Street, Oneonta, NY 13820. Purpose: any lawful activities. 6LegalOct.16
LegaL nOtice
Notice to Lot HoLders
To: The last known owner or owners of the following burial lots located in the Maple Grove Cemetery, Town of Worcester, Otsego County, New York, and all persons having or claiming to have an interest in said burial lots: (Cemetery Section in parenthesis) Dodge, Blanche (A) Andrew, Betsey (A) Helen (A) Livingston, Mrytle (A) Livingston, Levi (A) Livingston, Jacob (A) Shaw, Rev. Horatio Watson (A)
classroom and into the real world. According to officials, no student leaves the program without an exemplary resume filled with experiences working with and for museums across the country.
Conor S. Brandt is a student in the Cooperstown Graduate Program, studying museum administration and history.
Slosson, Eunice S. (A) Pierce, Martin (B) Treat, Sarah (B) Cipperly, David (B) Cipperly, Clarinda (B) Cipperly, Willis G. (B) Chesebro, Austin D. (1) Chesebro, Gipeon E. (1) Chesebro, Ausker W. (1) Henrietta (1) VanWie, John (2) McDonald, Mary (2) VanWie, Jackson (2) Stillwell, Libbie (2) VanWie, Dan (2) Stillwell, Mary (2) Partridge, Mary A. (2) Bentley, Rev. Sylvester (2) Bentley, Zilpha (2) Miller, Ann Eliza (2) Johnson, James (4) Johnson, Rose (4) Johnson, Silas (4) Johnson, Roxca (4) Johnson, Marilla (4) Johnson, Burton G. (4) Chestney, Sherman V. (5) Chestney, Mary E. (5) Cornish, Elisha (7) Jewell, Sally T. (7) Cornish, Albert W.S. (7) Cornish, Thompson E. (7) Allen, Timothy B. (7) Crippen, Claribel (V) Crippen, Florence (V) Stever, Charles W. (V) Chamberlain, Catherine M. (V) Stever, Rachel Rose (V) Stever, Mary E. (V) Stever, Emma R. (V)
PLEASE TAKE NOTICE: That (1) the monuments or markers are so badly out of repair
or dilapidated as to create a dangerous condition, (2) the persons to whom this notice is addressed must repair or remove said monuments or markers by December 2, 2025, and, (3) if the persons to whom this notice is addressed fail to repair or remove said monuments or markers by the previously stated deadline, the Maple Grove Cemetery Association may remove or repair said monuments without further notice to the persons to whom this notice is addressed.
Contact Maple Grove Cemetery Association at P.O. Box 164, Worcester, NY 12197 or by email at maplegrovecem12197@ gmail.com by December 2, 2025. 3LegalOct.2
LegaL nOtice
Notice of formatioN of Starview Storage LLC
Articles of organization filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on September 2, 2025.
Office Location: Otsego County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to 271 Texas Road Springfield Center, NY 13468 Purpose: Any lawful purpose. 6LegalOct.23
Photo provided
Twenty-four new Cooperstown Graduate Program students are diving into Cooperstown history and the art of managing art (and all things museum).
Dems
Continued from page 1
Martini said that Otsego County does not receive much money from the federal government directly. The money goes to the state government in Albany first and then is allocated, she said.
The State of New York’s budget is due April 1 each year. The federal government must pass its budget by the end of September, although Democrats are currently debating a government shutdown to oppose cuts to social spending. The counties, cities and town budgets follow.
Martini concentrated on the possible fate of three programs that are most vulnerable: the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, the Home Energy Assistance Program and Medicaid.
“SNAP is likely changing,” she said.
Until the Farm Bill passes at the federal level, the repercussions will not be known, Martini explained. The State of New York and the county currently share the cost of administering the SNAP program.
Each funds 50 percent of the administrative costs. Martini said she has heard that the county may bear 75 percent of the expense in the future. How the county will make up the difference is unknown. Martini said new HEAP applications cannot currently be processed.
According to Martini, qualifying for Medicaid used to be reviewed every 12 months and will change to every six months. She said this essentially doubles the workload without any financial assistance to manage the additional work.
Heidi Siegfried, also in attendance, has been a health policy associate for the NY Association of Independent Living for the past 20 years. Medicaid policy is her expertise.
“Cuts to Medicaid funding will affect local hospitals and nursing homes,” she projected.
She estimates that 400,000-500,000 people will lose Medicaid coverage in New York State.
Elayne Mosher Campoli, a member of the Oneonta Common Council representing the First Ward, said, “I work with disability recipients, and it can take more than six months to receive benefits.”
Mosher Campoli said she is receiving lots of questions from applicants that she is currently unable to answer.
Martini estimates that Otsego County’s Commissioner for Disability Support Services will need to add five staff members to review qualifications. The county budget is already tight, she said, so adding salary and benefits for five additional employees will strain the budget.
“A lot of the services the county provides are mandated,” Martini said. “We must start to cut programs that are not mandated.”
“Technically, SNAP administration is not mandated,” she added.
College Democrats
Charlie Miller introduced himself as the new president of the SUNY Oneonta College Democrats.
“Students mostly worry about what they see on their Instagram and Tik Tok feed,” he said.
Miller’s message to students is that they cannot do much about what is happening at the federal level. They can, however, make a difference at the local level, he said. The club will be holding voter registration drives on campus.
Miller said he is part of Oneonta Mayor Mark Drnek’s Town-Gown Task Force. He plans to attend the October 18 No Kings rally and bring as many students as possible. He pointed out that the national organization states that it is committed to nonviolent action.
There were 5-6 million attendees across the country at the No Kings peaceful protests nationwide. Almost 1,300 people attended No Kings 1.0 in Oneonta, one woman at the gathering reported.
“It is really important to show up,” she said.
To Miller’s knowledge, there are only a few SUNY campuses with Democrat Clubs, including SUNY Oneonta, SUNY Albany and Binghamton University.
Early Voting
Gary Maffei reminded everyone that Saturday, October 25 is the beginning of early voting. The November 4 voting will be held at the Foothills; early voting will take place at the Brenner Building, located in Neahwa Park at 24 Bertus Lauren Drive, next to the pond.
Maffei gave everyone running for office an opportunity to speak.
Candidates
Kim Fierke currently serves on the Town of Oneonta board. Her term expires on December 31 of this year and she is running for re-election. Fierke is on the ballot as an Independent.
“I espouse Democratic
values,” she said.
Dan Buttermann announced that he will be part of the upcoming Candidate Forum on Tuesday, October 28. His motto is a “Better Oneonta.”
Will Rivera is running for Oneonta town supervisor, a position that is currently vacant.
“Campaigning is ridiculously hard and expensive,” he commented.
Rivera said several of his signs have already disappeared.
the War of 1812 and the Civil War. The progress the canal brought also divided farmlands, inconvenienced those who lived alongside it, and gave new meaning to ownership and trespassing.
me to the world of rural health, and I developed a deep appreciation for the needs of patients in rural and remote settings who overcome unique challenges to obtain care.
serving in hospital leadership roles, gaining broad experience in clinical care, operations and team development.
Continued from page 4
Moss Island location is accessible to the public, and you can also watch climbers conquering boulders and walls as boats move through the lock.
The 45,000 members of the Facebook Group “Historic Erie Canal” are passionate about uncovering the path of the original canal, and they post about where to find its remains. Between Utica and Amsterdam, especially on a leisurely drive along Route 5, it’s possible to spot the route of the early canal. The towpath is overgrown but evident as you pass through and between Fort Plain, Ilion, and Frankfort. The right of way established by the canal is often the present day right of way for powerlines and parts of the roadway. For the ambitious cyclist, New York State has constructed an easily navigated bicycle path alongside parts of all three canal routes.
The Erie Canal changed the political and social fabric of a young American nation, not unlike the times we find ourselves in today. Historian Carol Sheriff explores many of those cultural themes in her award-winning book “The Artificial River: The Erie Canal and the Paradox of Progress, 1817-1862.” Sheriff renders a rich account of how the canal changed American life between Malone
The Erie Canal led to personal transformations and new perceptions across all ranks of American society, redefining the meaning of work as well as creating new forms of leisure and diversion. Also similar to our current times, the State of New York stepped in to build the canal when the federal government backed away. That state leadership launched the growth of such towns as Utica, Syracuse, and Rochester, making them hubs of global commerce and innovation through World War II. And all the while the spoils and benefits were shared by both commoners and the rich.
So join me this fall and venture north to embrace the Bicentennial of the Erie Canal!
Larry Malone is professor emeritus of economics at Hartwick College.
Guiry
Continued from page 1
Medical Center in Staten Island. Prior to that, he spent five years overseeing the cardiovascular service line at a large health system in Pennsylvania, supporting 12 hospital campuses and more than 20 outpatient offices. Earlier in his career, Guiry held leadership roles at hospitals in Manhattan, where he directed cardiac services, business development and operations.
“I am passionate about bridging communication, building teams that optimize patient service operations, and driving process improvements,” Guiry said. “Much of my experience has been at busy medical centers in the greater New York City area. My time serving in Pennsylvania introduced
“Though A.O. Fox Hospital is based in the most populated municipality within Bassett Healthcare Network, the surrounding areas we serve are stretched across quaint communities and vast rural areas,” Guiry continued. “Everyone I’ve met in the Oneonta and Cooperstown communities has been incredibly welcoming, which makes me even more excited to begin this work. I am eager to be part of this health system and help continue to build and offer best-in-class care to our population in Oneonta and beyond.”
According to the press release, Guiry earned his bachelor’s degree in biology at the University of Scranton, completed physician assistant studies at St. John’s Sisters of Charity Physician Assistant Program in Staten Island, and later obtained his MBA at Fairleigh Dickinson University. He practiced in cardiology while also
“Working at the bedside has helped instill in me what makes an extraordinary patient experience,” he said “In rural communities especially, connecting patients with the right care, at the right time, close to home is of utmost importance. A.O. Fox Hospital is a premiere facility with a proud 120-year legacy of caring for the community. I am very excited to get to work with my colleagues at Fox and across the network to continue building on that tradition and ensuring patients in Otsego County receive the care they depend on.”
“We are thrilled to welcome Michael to our leadership team at Bassett Healthcare Network,” announced Staci Thompson, MHA, FACMPE, president and chief executive officer of Bassett Healthcare Network and president of A.O. Fox Hospital. “His extensive clinical and operational experience, knowledge, passion, and can-do attitude is exactly what we need.”
►Fri., Sept. 19
MOHAWK VALLEY
GIVES All day. Support local non-profits. www. givemv.org/info/otsego
BOOK CLUB Read “The Only One Left” by Riley Sager and discuss with the group at 4 p.m. on 10/23. Village Library of Cooperstown, 22 Main Street, Cooperstown. (607) 547-8344.
BANNED BOOK
CLUB Read “The Handmaid’s Tale” by Margaret Atwood and discuss with the group. The next meeting will be on 10/8 at 5:30 p.m. Sunflower Cafe, 7629A State Highway 80, Cooperstown. (315) 9858096.
RUMMAGE SALE
9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Bring your own bag; pay what you want/can. Continues 9-11 a.m. on 9/20. First Presbyterian Church of Cooperstown, 65 Pioneer Street, Cooperstown. (607) 547-8401.
SUPPORT 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Half off everything through 9/20. Helios Care Thrift Shop and Boutique, Price Chopper Plaza, 5626 State Highway 7, Oneonta. (607) 432-5335.
PIG ROAST 5-8 p.m.
3rd Annual Pig Roast for UYSA Football and Cheer. Live music, food, raffles and more to support youth sports programs. Fees apply. The O at 112, 112 Main Street, Otego.
CONSTITUTION DAY
5 p.m. “Commander-inChief or Constitutional Overreach?” Delivered by George R. Killam Jr., chair of Criminal Law and director of the Center for Military Law and Policy at Texas Tech University School of Law. Reception to follow at 6 p.m. Free; open to the public. Livestreamed and in person at the Shineman Celebration Room, Shineman Chapel House, Hartwick College, 1 Hartwick Drive, Oneonta. (607) 4314045.
QUILTING 5-8 p.m. “Foundation Paper Piecing.” Fees apply; registra-
Things
To
Do In and Around
tion required at (607) 4413111. Leatherstocking Quilts 155 Main Street, Suite B, Oneonta.
FIRE PIT FRIDAYS 6-10 p.m. Live music, food and more. Featuring music by Rusticator. The Tap House, Brewery Ommegang, 656 County Highway 33, Cooperstown. (607) 5441800.
PRESENTATION
7:30 p.m.; doors open at 7 p.m. “Favorite Photos and Stories 2025 with Rick Bunting.” Presented by the Delaware-Otsego Audubon Society. Held online via Zoom or in person at Elm Park United Methodist Church, 401 Chestnut Street, Oneonta. FILM 8 p.m. Frightful Friday: “Diabolique” (1955). Presented by the SUNY Oneonta Activities Council. The wife and mistress of a loathed school principal plan to murder him with what they believe is the perfect alibi. Free. Red Dragon Theatre, Hunt Union, 68 Bugbee Road, Oneonta. (607) 436-3730.
►Sat., Sept. 20
HIKE All day. “Saturday Hike: Kaaterskill Falls.” Hike with the Susquehanna Chapter of the Adirondack Mountain Club. Bring your own lunch. Registration required with hike leader Jim Austin, (607) 4375734. Near Hunter, New York.
FUNDRAISER
7:30-11:30 a.m. Middlefield Volunteer Fire Department Fly-In Pancake Breakfast. All-you-can-eat pancakes, eggs, real maple syrup, sausage and beverages. Fees apply. Cooperstown/Westville Airport, 866 State Highway 166, Cooperstown. (607) 547-9007. COIN SHOW 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oneonta Numismatic Association Coin Show. Atrium, Foothills Performing Arts and Civic Center, 24 Market Street, Oneonta. (607) 4312080.
Time OuT OTsegO
Things To Do In and Around Otsego County
VETERANS 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. “Oneonta Veterans Stand Down.” Connect with fellow veterans, get medical screenings, VA registration, housing assistance, food, and much more. Oneonta Veteran’s Outreach Center, 4 Academy Street, Oneonta. (607) 203-2228.
FUNDRAISER 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Houseplant Sale to support the Super Heroes Humane Society, 160 Pony Farm Road, Oneonta. (607) 441-3227.
CHILDREN 10 a.m. “Story Time and FingerPaint: Exploring Color.” Harris Memorial Library, 334 Main Street, Otego. (607) 988-6661.
MUSEUM 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Coopering Workshop. Fees apply; registration required. Continues 9/21. Hanford Mills Museum, 51 County Highway 12, East Meredith. (607) 278-5744.
OPENING 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Corn maze and pumpkin patch open for the season. Fly Creek Valley Corn Maze and Pumpkin Patch, 1316 County Highway 26, Fly Creek. (607) 358-5748.
FIBER ART 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. “Tiger Portrait Needle Felting Workshop.” Presented by Grey Fox Felting. Fees apply; registration required. Fenimore Art Museum, 5798 State Highway 80, Cooperstown. (607) 5471400.
FESTIVAL 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sharon Springs Harvest Festival. Continues 09/21. Main Street, Sharon Springs. sharonspringsharvestfest@ gmail.com.
FESTIVAL 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. “25th Annual Susquehanna Valley Garlic Festival.” Presented by the Susquehanna Valley Garlic Growers Association. Local growers with many varieties and more. Free. Wood Bull Antiques,
3920 State Highway 28, Milford. farmers@svgarlicfestival.com.
PLANETARIUM Family-friendly shows open to the public. Fees apply. SUNY Oneonta Planetarium, Perna Science Building, Room 018A, Oneonta. (607) 4362011.
• 10:30 a.m. “Worlds of Curiosity.”
• 11:30 a.m. “The Sky Tonight.”
BENEFIT 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. “Spaghetti Dinner, Chinese Auction Benefit for Bob Croft.” All proceeds support Robert Croft in his battle against lung cancer. The Meeting House, The Old Methodist Church, 3080 County Highway 11, Hartwick. (607) 267-0790.
OPEN HOUSE
11 a.m. to 3 p.m. “Fall Open House.” Farm equipment display by Eklund Farm Machinery. Sweet Meadows Apiary, 18269 State Highway 23, Davenport. (607) 2784005.
LATTES & LITERATURE 1-3 p.m. Book discussion group presented by the Morris Village Library. The Gatehouse, 129 Main Street, Morris. (607) 285-4111.
POTTERY
1:30-4:30 p.m. Open Studio. Experienced potters work on personal projects. No instruction provided. Fees apply. Held Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and 6-9 p.m. on Thursday. The Smithy Clay Studio, 1 Otsego Court, Cooperstown. Gallery@ SmithyArts.org.
OKTOBERFEST
2-5 p.m. “Hops For Sight.” Presented by the Oneonta Lions Club. Raise funds to assist with eye exams and glasses for those without insurance or who have lost their glasses in an extreme event. Includes live music, beer tasting with the Oneonta Hops Brew Club and more. Tickets required. Deer Haven Campground, 180 Deer Haven Lane, Oneonta. (607) 287-8462.
OPENING RECEPTION 4 p.m. “Memorializing the Underground Railroad: The Harry B. Matthews Collection.” An exhibit of books, images, and objects which tell the story of the Underground Railroad, the Abolitionist movement and the Civil War. Free. Refreshments available. Yager Museum of Art and Culture, Hartwick College, 1 Hartwick Drive, Oneonta.
FUNDRAISER
4-7 p.m. “Tampon Fundraiser for Local Women In Need.” Food, drinks, live music, vendors, entertainment and more. Admission is a box of pads or tampons. Unadilla Pavilion, 245 Main Street, Unadilla.
POTTERY
4:30-6:30 p.m. “Saturday Night Out: A Pottery Immersion Workshop.” Groups or individuals learn/expand wheel throwing skills. Tickets required. Azure Arts, 1149 Allen Lake Road, Richfield Springs. (315) 858-8899.
PRIDE 5 p.m. “Back to School Pizza Party.” Presented by the Otsego Pride Alliance. All welcome. Unitarian Universalist Society of Oneonta, 12 Ford Avenue, Oneonta.
OPEN MIC 5 p.m. The Gatehouse, 129 Main Street, Morris. (607) 2854111.
SPIRITUALISM
6-9 p.m. “Death and Dinner: 19th-Century Spiritualism.” Talk on Victorian spiritualism and a candlelit dinner in the Wood Barn. Tickets required. Hyde Hall, 267 Glimmerglass State Park Road, Cooperstown. (607) 547-5098.
TASTING 6 p.m. “2nd Annual Taste of Oneonta.” Tickets required. Benefit for the Future for Oneonta Foundation. Oneonta Country Club, 9 Country Club Drive, Oneonta. (607) 437-0563.
LIBRARY 7 p.m. Movie Night: “ET the Extraterrestrial.” Edmeston Free Library, 26 East Street, Edmeston. (607) 965-8208.
CONCERT 7:30 p.m.; doors open at 6:30 p.m. “Iconic Legends.” Presented by the Catskill Symphony Orchestra. Featuring virtuoso Philip Edward Fisher. Tickets required. Foothills Performing Arts and Civic Center, 24 Market Street, Oneonta.
►Sun., Sept. 21
BIKE RACE 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. “Drops to Hops Bike Race.” Fees apply; registration required. Starts and ends at Brewery Ommegang, 656 County Highway 33, Cooperstown. (607) 5472800 ext. 111.
MEDITATION 11 a.m. “Sundays at Samye: The Practical Bodhisattva—How to Be a Spiritual Hero in Everyday Life.” Meditation, study and discussion. Held Sundays through 12/21. Samye New York, 412 Glimmerglen Road, Cooperstown. (607) 5475051.
PICNIC 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. “Unadilla Mayor and Trustee Picnic.” Hot dogs and hamburgers. Free while supplies last. Unadilla RDC Field, Clifton Street, Unadilla.
OUTDOORS 2-4 p.m. “Queer and BIPOC Outdoor Adventure: Moving Meditation.” Presented by the Otsego County Conservation Association. Free; registration required to receive location. Held in Richfield Springs. (607) 547-4488.
CONCERT 3 p.m.
Friends of Music of Stamford presents Fracesca Anderegg, violin, and Joy Cline Phinney, piano, performing works by Mozart, Debussy, and more. Suggested donation applies. First Presbyterian Church, 96 Main Street, Stamford. FOMAdmin@friendsmusic. org.
FUNDRAISER
4-10:30 p.m. “Dine Out for a Cause.” Eat out and support Helios Care. Reservations required. Thursdays and Sundays in September at The Empire House, 136 Marion Avenue, Gilbertsville. (607) 783-2859.
BLOCK PARTY
4-6 p.m. “4th Annual Greater Metropolitan Gilbertsville Area Block Party.” The Major’s Inn, 104 Marion Avenue, Gilbertsville. (607) 7832730.
DRUM CIRCLE 5 p.m. “Cherry Valley Drum Circle and Potluck.” Presented by The Telegraph School. All ages/skill levels welcome. Bring your own or use the provided drums. Free-will donations appreciated. Cherry Valley Gazebo, 3 Main Street, Cherry Valley. (607) 2643785.
►Mon., Sept. 22
DRIVING 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.; registration starts at 8:45 a.m. “Defensive Driving Course.” Presented by the Otsego County Office for the Aging and NY Connects. Fees apply; registration required. Otsego County Meadows Office Building Emergency Services Classroom A, 140 County Highway 33W, Cooperstown. (607) 538-9632.
TAI CHI CLASSES 12:15-1:15 p.m. “Tai Chi for Arthritis.” 8-week course held Mondays and Thursdays. Available to those aged 60+. Free; donation welcome. Pre-registration required; must attend minimum of 11 of
16 sessions. Clark Sports Center, 124 County Highway 52, Cooperstown. (607) 547-4232.
BLOOD DRIVE
1:30-5:30 p.m. Richfield Springs Community Center, 6 Ann Street, Richfield Springs. RedCrossBlood. org
CLASS 5:30 p.m. “Healthy Living for your Brain and Body.” Fees apply; registration required. SUNY Oneonta Extended and Community Learning Center, 4 Dietz Street, Oneonta. (607) 4362831.
PICKLEBALL
6:30-8 p.m. Fees apply; registration required. Presented by the Cherry Valley-Springfield Central School Fall 2025 Continuing Education Classes. Held each Monday. In the Cherry Valley-Springfield Elementary Gym, 597 County Route 54, Cherry Valley. (607) 264-3265 ext. 110.
COMEDY 9 p.m. “Chuck’s Comedy Club: Christian Escoto.” Presented by the SUNY Oneonta Activities Council. Fees apply. Hunt Union Red Dragon Theatre, 68 Bugbee Road, Oneonta. (607) 4363730.
►
tueS., Sept. 23
VOLUNTEER 7 a.m.
Beautify Main Street with other volunteers. Clean the rain gardens, care for the trees, collect trash, pull weeds and more. Supplies provided. Meet at the entrance to Doubleday Field, Main Street, Cooperstown.
GOVERNMENT 9 a.m. Meeting of the Technology and Strategic Planning Committee, chaired by Andrew Marietta. Board Chambers, Otsego County Office Building, 197 Main Street, Cooperstown. (607) 547-4203.
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 Gilbert Lake State Park, Laurens. Contact hike leader Laurie Pike, (609) 713-9338.
LIBRARY 10 a.m. “Toddler Tuesday Craft: Rainbow.” Village Library of Cooperstown, 22 Main Street, Cooperstown. (607) 547-8344.
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 Salisbury steak, rice pilaf, mixed vegetables and sherbet. (607) 547-6454. • Each Monday-Friday. Nader Towers Housing, 2 Mitchell Street, Oneonta. • Each Tuesday and Thursday. Richfield Springs Community Center, 6 Ann Street, Richfield Springs.
WORKSHOP
1:30 p.m. “Canva Essentials.” Harris Memorial Library, 334 Main Street, Otego. (607) 988-6661.
BOOK DISCUSSION 4 p.m. “Carry: A Memoir of Survival on Stolen Land” by Toni Jensen. Led by professor Thor Gibbins in partnership with SUNY Oneonta’s Common Read. Also held 9/25 at 5 p.m. Huntington Memorial Library, 62 Chestnut Street, Oneonta. (607) 432-1980.
YOGA 5 p.m. “Slow Flow Yoga with Arlana.” Presented by SUNY Oneonta ExCL Center. Fees apply; registration required. Held Tuesdays through December. SUNY Oneonta, Morris Conference Center, Room 104, 108 Ravine Parkway, Oneonta.