‘Antique Power Days’ Marks 10th With Record 279-Tractor Turnout
Thursday, August 14, 2008
By JIM KEVLINROSEBOOM
Every year, Barbara Lucas is thrilled as Roseboom’s “Antique Power Days” approach. At day’s end, she cries. Then Barbara, a retired Cooperstown postal clerk, starts preparing for the next year. “She’ll be crying again tonight,” predicted Jack Van Buren, looking around the field on the hamlet’s east end on Sunday, Aug. 17, at dozens upon dozens of vintage tractors and antique machines, and hundreds of happy people, looking at the displays, bidding on auction items, or chomping on Gaige’s Old-Fashion French Fries. “You don’t see ‘Made in China’ on any of this stuff,” said Chuck Brainerd, who had brought his machines up from Gilboa. One stripped the kernels off corn cobs. Another ground the kernels into corn meal, and so on. Van Buren and his wife, Norma, started the Power Days 10 years ago out of “the love of old engines – and people.” They’d been to the one in Sharon Springs, and why not? Year One – 1998 – there were 70-some tractors in the parade that loops around the hamlet. This year, there were a record “278, 279 tractors,” said son Aaron, who was 19 when it all started. Now, daughter-in-law Lorel helps too. Old-engine lovers, a breed apart, are also birds of a feather: People who haven’t seen each other for 5-6 years is common. The other year, two men who had been neighbors in the Hudson Valley and hadn’t seen each other in 20 years ran into each other in Roseboom. Come over and meet Bob Scramlin, Jack suggested. Scramlin had more than a dozen tractors, many of them International Farmalls, in the parade. It turns out he had another couple dozen at home, 36 in all. He has been driving tractor since age 9, when he started helping his father, Louis, on the family farm off Route 61 between Cherry Valley and Roseboom, and continued right up until he went off to SUNY Cobleskill. Returning in 1960, he went back to work with his father, and the two worked side by side until the older Scramlin died in 1988. In 1992, he sold the cattle and retired, although Bob’s son Ronald is still involved. For his part, Jack Van Buren had 25 tractors when he was running a farm, “and we used them all,” said Aaron. Everyone agreed that a John Deere B.O. Lindeman Crawler, brought to the show by Steve Witham of Cherry Valley, was the most unusual entry in this year’s show. For one thing, it’s small. Few were made. And it gets its traction, not from those big wheels, but from treads like those on a tank. About that time, Barbara Lucas, in a straw hat, rode by on a small yellow tractor. “I look forward to this, because it’s back to the way it ought to be,” she said, “simple country life, loving neighbors. “I’ll cry,” she admitted, “and then I’ll start planning for next year.” Lacking brakes, Barbara had a tough time keeping the tractor still, and finally it did nose off down Beaver Street toward Route 166. “Get yourself a tractor,” were her final words of advice. “It’s the most relaxing thing.”
There was a bit of a gasp when the number was announced. Over the summer of 2008, the village Police Department’s parking officers handed out 1,526 tickets, $35 each, Police Chief Diana Nicols had just told the village trustees. “A new world record for parking tickets,” she added. That’s a 45 percent increase from 1,055 the year before. This was at the trustees’ monthly meeting on Monday, Aug. 18. Paid-parking revenues are $45,306, reported Trustee Lynn Mebust, who chairs the Police Committee. If you add in parking fines – as some other communities do, she said – that’s another $20,000. But there was another wrinkle, Mebust said, “an increase in the number of people who are pleading not guilty,” which is causing a backlog in village court. Some of the cases may not be heard for months, and if no officer appears to testify, the tickets will be thrown out, she said. Parking Enforcement Officer Thomas “Stretch” Redding’s appointment runs out on Labor Day Weekend. So the trustees determined to explore keeping Redding on a retainer of sorts, so he could appear at court dates in the months ahead. In an interview the next morning, Chief Nicols said she’s seen good things and challenges coming out of the first summer of paid parking in the Doubleday Field parking lot and beefed up enforcement generally. It’s easier to find a two-hour parking space downtown, she said. Local people are complaining less. And tourists seem to like having the Doubleday lot available. In years past, when tourists asked where to park, she said, “we didn’t really have an answer for them.” The chief herself has noticed a “bubble effect,” with drivers who used to park all day in the Doubleday lot fanning out to new areas: upper Main Street and the streets leading up from Lake. Bassett employees, she said, have begun parking on Walnut and Eagle streets, where residents hadn’t complained about all-day parkers before. Some things will have to be addressed, she said. For one thing, there needs to be some sort of cover on the Pay & Display machines. The chief’s seen prospective customers juggling with an umbrella, a purse and a $1 bill in the rain, trying to feed the machine. Also, one of the machines – the one by the Main Street entrance – keeps breaking down, and often will only accept coins. Neither machine, she said, will take credit cards until the new cell-phone transmitter is installed in the courthouse tower to provide dependable wireless service. On the issue of tougher enforcement, the chief said, a new approach has “made it harder to mess with the system.” Previously, the parking officer would chalk the tires of cars parked in two-hour zones. Now, the chief said, Redding and the other parking officer, Mike Desimone, will write down license plates. If a car has only been moved a couple of spots after two hours, or if two drivers have swapped places, they will be ticketed. This is within the law, she said, as long as the cars remain in the same zone as defined in the law – Elm Street between Pioneer and Chestnut, say. If drivers were to move from one defined zone to another defined zone, they should not be ticketed. At this point, Mayor Carol B. Waller happened by, and she was unrepentant about the need for paid parking: With clay pipes in the 1899 sewers collapsing, the village is faced with $3 million in sewerage, road and sidewalk repairs on the south end. “It’s either parking,” said Waller, “or raise taxes.” Trustee Mebust is already preparing for the September post mortem, and said she plans to have an initial conversation with the chief and enforcement officers in the next few days. “Are we maximizing the use of Doubleday Field?” she asked. “It’s always been used heavily by locals, but it’s not featured on any of the promotional materials. It’s not marked on the maps or promoted on the web sites.” The tricky challenge, she said, is to make people aware of the Doubleday lot “without undermining the trolley system.” The Police Committee will continue the review when it meets on the second Tuesday in September, and then the trustees on the third Monday. Mayor Waller said some trustees are against bringing the public back into the conversation, since the debate became so inflamed last year, but she feels the public has to be consulted. For his part, Marc Kingsley, Cooperstown Chamber of Commerce president, said he hasn’t seen anything that would change his support of the chamber’s position last fall: That a comprehensive plan for parking – a big picture look – needs to be done. Meanwhile, “they’re enforcing it very strongly,” he said. “If they’re too strong, they drive tourists away. Is this level of enforcement necessary?”
COOPERSTOWNIt may be the jewel of Otsego County government, but can Otsego County afford it? That’s what the county Board of Representatives’ Otsego Manor Committee was thinking as it was planning to meet Thursday, Aug. 21 to begin deliberations on the 2009 budget. “It’s not that anyone is in favor of selling it,” said county Rep. Scott Harrington, R-Oneonta, who chairs the committee. “But it’s one of the options we have to consider.” The state, facing its own fiscal crisis, is cutting back, probably Medicaid and Medicare reimbursements. And the impact of skyrocketing oil prices on the heating bill is still uncertain, Harrington said. Other than selling, options include turning it over to a management company, or simply finding ways to make deep cuts to keep it affordable. A county-owned facility like Otsego Manor “is really unusual in rural Upstate New York. I think it’s the only one,” Harrington said.
That’s one heavy zucchini, Melissa Schuermann seems to be saying. It was one of four – grown by Lucy Hamilton, Peter Weil, Tony Capraro and Ellen Levine – that won $25 prizes as the biggest at The Farmers’ Market Zucchini Day Saturday, Aug. 16. Behind Melissa is sister Meagan.
GOOD WILL PLAY: The Goodwill Series may bring basseball players from all over the world to Cooperstown for its annual three-day tournament at the end of June 2009. The village’s Doubleday Field Committee is studying the possibility.
FAREWELL: John Bullis’ last day as Cooperstown Chamber of Commerce executive director was Tuesday, Aug. 19. He will be feted at a farewell party Sunday evening, Aug. 24, in the Glimmerglass State Park pavilion.
2ND FAREWELL: Don Brigham has resigned as Village of Cherry Valley mayor after 15 years in the position. He cited demands on his time. He will be replaced by Trustee Jeff Stiles, effective Aug. 31.
NO MAINTENANCE: The Otsego town board has decided to no longer plow dirt roads through the winter, after expenses incurred by home building in the Keyes Road area.
LOTS OF BOATS: About 1,200 boat are launched each summer into Otsego Lake, Carl Good reported to the Otsego Lake Association at its annual informational meeting Saturday, Aug. 16.
NEW PRINCIPAL: Pamela Bliss of Cooperstown has been named principal of St. Mary’s School in Oneonta. A 1972 CCS grad, she lives in the Cooperstown area with her family.
TRIPLE-BYPASS: Hall of Famer Carl Yastrzemski was reported “resting comfortably” after undergoing a triple bypass Tuesday, Aug. 19, at Mass General in Boston. The Red Sox legend, 69, hadn’t made it to this year’s Induction weekend.
James B. Orthwein, 84; Patriots’ Owner Who Hired Parcells, Summered Locally
COOPERSTOWN – James B. Orthwein, a businessman, sportsman, civic leader and former owner of the New England Patriots, died Aug. 16, 2008, at his home in Huntleigh Village, Mo., after a long illness. He was 84. He spent many summers in Cooperstown and has many friends locally. Mr. Orthwein began his business career with D’Arcy Advertising Co. in 1947. He led the firm, which became known as DM&M Worldwide, as chairman and chief executive officer, from 1970 to 1983. During his tenure, D’Arcy expanded from a small Midwestern agency, headquartered in St. Louis, to become one of the top 12 agencies worldwide, with annual billings of over $1 billion and offices in 20 countries, when he retired. His key account relationships included Coca Cola Company, Mars Company, General Motors, Standard Oil of Indiana, Southwestern Bell Telephone and Anheuser Busch. He also was a member of the board of directors of Anheuser-Busch Companies Inc. from 1963 to 2002. Following retirement from D’Arcy in 1983, Mr. Orthwein was a co-founder and partner of Precise Capital, LP, a private investment partnership, with investments in public and private companies including stock and insurance brokerages, vehicle leasing, telecommunications, yacht building and image technology. In May 1992, he purchased the New England Patriots football team. As chairman and president he restructured operations on and off the field, hired Bill Parcells as its head coach, and drafted Drew Bledsoe as its quarterback. He sold the team in February 1994 to Robert Kraft. The team coached by Parcells and quarterbacked by Bledsoe went on to play in the Super Bowl following the 1996 season. Mr. Orthwein also was active in the St. Louis NFL Partnership which led the successful civic effort to build the new football stadium in St. Louis, and he was a significant contributor to bringing the Rams to St. Louis. An avid sportsman, Mr. Orthwein was a fisherman, hunter and skeet shooter and was master of foxhounds of the Bridlespur Hunt for 35 years. His principal avocation was fly fishing. He obtained four IGFA world records accomplished on flies he invented and tied himself. He also was a member of the 1,000-pound Blue Marlin Club. He was an accomplished painter, known for portraits of friends and animal scenes. Mr. Orthwein was born in St. Louis. He attended Country Day School, The Choate School in Wallingford, Connecticut and Washington University in St. Louis. Among the survivors are his wife, four children, nine grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Honoring his wishes, the funeral service will be private and no memorial service will be held. Memorial contributions may be made to Ducks Unlimited, One Waterfowl Way, Memphis, TN 38120, or the Humane Society of Missouri, 2301 Macklind Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110, or to a charity of the one’s choice.
Kenneth W. Hotaling, 65; Tended Doubleday Field
TODDSVILLE – Kenneth W. Hotaling, 65, of Toddsville, who for 12 years was groundskeep at Doubleday Field, died Sunday afternoon, August 17, 2008 at Mary Imogene Bassett Hospital in Cooperstown. He was born Sept. 24, 1942, at A. O. Fox Memorial Hospital in Oneonta, a son of Theron J. Hotaling, Sr. and Beatrice (Banker) Hotaling. Raised in the Middlefield area, Ken first attended Milford Central School and later attended Cherry Valley Central School, where he was a member of the varsity basketball team. Following high school he painted houses and had a whitewash business, and for a time he lived in Florida. Upon returning to the Cooperstown area, he was employed by the Village of Cooperstown and served as the groundskeeper at Doubleday Field for 12 years. He later was employed by the village’s highway department, from which he retired. During his years with the village, he will be remembered fondly for helping out at the ice skating rink on Lake Street, and especially for being such a friend to the kids. Throughout his life Ken always loved his family, especially his grandchildren. He was also a fan of NASCAR, Gib’s Racing, as well as the Washington Redskins Football Team. A true sportsman, he loved hunting and bird watching. Ken will also be remembered for his great gardens, late night pizza, horseshoe parties and secret sauces and recipes that no one could ever know how to make. In later years, Ken always enjoyed a daily joke from his good friend Jim Laden. Ken loved the game of baseball, and whether it was coaching Little League for many years, or caring for Doubleday Field, he did it with a passion. He will be greatly missed by his family and many friends. Ken is survived by his wife of 14 years, Joan Parrillo-Hotaling of Toddsville; two sons, Kenneth W. Hotaling, Jr. and his wife Billie Jo of Hartwick, and James S. Hotaling and his wife Dara of Fly Creek; one daughter, Sharon Chase and her husband Michael of Cooperstown; seven grandchildren, Kenneth W. Hotaling III, Mitchell S. Hotaling, Jarrett Hotaling, Luke Folts, Quincey Chase, Ellie Hotaling, and Sophia Hotaling; four brothers, William Hotaling and his wife Sandy of Oneonta, Roger Hotaling of Oneonta, Richard Hotaling and his wife Vera of South Kortright, and Eugene Hotaling of Esperance; three sisters, Linda Emerson and her husband Ken of Oneonta, Janet Hotaling of Cooperstown and Priscilla Hotaling of Tampa, Fla.; his mother-in-law, Mrs. Maria Parrillo of Toddsville, his brothers and sisters-in-law, Sara and Curt Terrano and Susan and Gary Jennings and many nieces and nephews. In addition to his parents, Ken was predeceased by one brother, Theron J. Hotaling, Jr., two sisters, June Olmsted and Patricia VanDyke, and his father-in-law, Lewis Parrillo. A private family funeral service, followed by burial in Hartwick Seminary Cemetery will be held on Saturday, Aug. 23. A public gathering and time of remembrance will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 23, at O’Hanlan’s Steakhouse at The Commons in Hartwick Seminary. During Ken’s recent illness, the care provided to him by Catskill Area Hospice and Palliative Care was greatly appreciated. Special thanks are extended to Ellen Schaffer, Sharon Scanlon, John Davidson and George Seeley for their kind, compassionate and understanding care. In lieu of flowers, expressions of sympathy in the form of memorial gifts may be made to Catskill Area Hospice and Palliative Care, 1 Birchwood Drive, Oneonta, NY 13820, or Cooperstown Youth Baseball, P.O. Box 282, Cooperstown, NY 13326-0282.
Frederick K. Knapp, 72; Respected Dairy Farmer
FLY CREEK – Frederick Karl Knapp, a well-respected dairy farmer, who also grew vegetables and produced maple syrup, passed into the arms of our Heavenly Father early Monday morning, Aug. 18, 2008. Born Sept. 3, 1935 at Bassett Hospital, to Frank and Mary Stucin Knapp, he first attended the one-room Taylortown School in Fly Creek Valley, walking to and from school every day with several classmates. At Cooperstown Central School, he starred on the football team, played the French horn, and graduated in 1953. After attending Cornell, he returned home and worked on his parents’ dairy farm until his dad’s death in 1957. Then he and his mom kept the farm active until February 1959, when he joined the Army. He was assigned to Redstone Arsenal, Huntsville, Ala., where he studied rocketry and was chauffeur to a colonel. On May 27, 1961, Fred married Arlene F. Pierce at St. Mary’s “Our Lady of The Lake” Roman Catholic Church in Cooperstown by the Rev. Robert C. Murphy. Their two daughters, Cynthia Jayne and Susan Michelle, were born two and four years later, and were always involved in the many farm tasks. In 1965, Fred once again started producing milk from home-grown Registered Holstein heifers, and continued in the dairy business until 1994. A life-long member of St. Mary’s, he was also a member of the National Holstein-Friesian Association, the state Holstein Association, the New York Maple Producers Association and the Native Sons of Cooperstown. Predeceased family members include his mom in July 1991, his brother Frank in July 2007, his uncle John Stucin in November of 1977, aunts Genevieve and Frances Stucin, Hedy Meyer, Gertrude Korosec, mother-in-law Lottie Pierce-Merwin and her husband, George. Survivors include his wife Arlene; two daughters, Cynthia K. Mateunas of Hartwick, her husband Peter and their son Christopher J. Mateunas, and Susan M. Knapp of Basel Switzerland, and her husband Patrick Lindon; sister Marie J. Trenga of Jamesville; sister-in-law Edie Knapp of Grapevine, Texas; special Aunt Mary Stucin of West Oneonta; Arlene’s sister Carol Worden of Oneonta and her husband, Dick Worden; Arlene’s four brothers, Thomas E. Pierce of Lantana, Fla., and his wife Sandra, Charles F. Pierce of Otego and his wife, Mamie Gohde, David K. Pierce of Milford and his wife, Judith, and Paul E. Pierce of Bowie, Md., and his wife Emily; and a sister-in-law, Nora Pierce of Otego; many nieces, nephews and cousins and many very special neighbors and friends in Fly Creek Valley. Friends may call 5-7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 21, at Connell, Dow & Deysenroth Funeral Home, when Fred’s family will be in attendance. A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered at 11 a.m. on Friday, Aug. 22, at St. Mary’s, with the Rev. John P. Rosson, pastor, presiding. Expressions of sympathy in the form of memorial gifts may be made to Fly Creek First Responders, Box 218, Fly Creek, NY 13337-0218, the Cooperstown Emergency Squad, Box 322, Cooperstown, NY 13326-0322 or the Activities Fund at Otsego Manor, 128 Phoenix Mills Cross Road, Cooperstown, NY 13326. Funeral arrangements are with the Connell, Dow & Deysenroth Funeral Home.
Daniel E. Nelson, 54; Played As ‘Dangerous Dan’ In Band
ROSEBOOM – Daniel E. Nelson (AKA “Dangerous Dan”) passed away Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2008, at home after a long battle with cancer. He was 54. He was born Feb. 8, 1954 in Brookline, Mass., the son of James and Audrey Nelson. He was a graduate of SUNY Delhi and a self-employed auto mechanic. He was also a drummer for a local band. Survivors include his mother, Audrey W. Nelson of Branford, Conn.; a sister, Carol E. Nelson- Lee and her husband Vaughn of Jamestown, R.I.; a sister-in-law, Mary Nelson of the Town of Maryland, and several nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his father, James, and a brother, Matthew. Cremation took place at the Leatherstocking Crematory, Cherry Valley. A memorial service was planned at 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 21, at the Ottman Funeral Home, with the Rev. Ron Fralick officiating. Contributions in Dan’s memory may be made to the Catskill Area Hospice and Palliative Care, 542 Main St., Oneonta, NY 13820. Arrangements were with the Ottman Funeral Home, Cherry Valley.
Nancy Tilton, 86; Retired Here With Husband From Capital
COOPERSTOWN – Nancy McBlair Payne Tilton of Briar Hill Farm, Town of Springfield, died peacefully at her home on Sunday evening, Aug. 17, 2008. She was 86. Born Sept. 1, 1921, in St. Louis, Mo., Nancy was the daughter of James Keith Payne and Eugenia neé McBlair Payne. A graduate of Mary Institute in St. Louis, Nancy later served with the American Red Cross in Washington, D.C. On Jan. 5, 1963, she married Webster Tilton, Jr., at St. Alban’s Episcopal Church in Washington, in a ceremony co-officiated by the rector of St. Alban’s and the rector of Web’s parish at the time, Christ Church in Georgetown. During their years in The Capital, Nancy was employed by American University in fund raising and development. Upon her husband’s retirement in 1986, Nancy and Web moved to Cooperstown and settled into their home at Briar Hill Farm. Nancy was a member of Christ Episcopal Church in Cooperstown. She was also a member of the Cooperstown Country Club, the Lake & Valley Garden Club and the Friends of Bassett President’s Forum. Nancy is survived by nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her dear husband of 42 years, who died Nov. 9, 2006; and her two brothers, James Keith Payne and Brooke McBlair Payne. The Office of The Burial of the Dead will be offered at 3 p.m. Saturday afternoon, Aug. 23, in Christ Church’s St. Agnes Chapel, with the Rev. Samuel B. Abbott, rector, officiating. After a reception at Templeton Hall, the committal will follow in Lakewood Cemetery, Cooperstown, where Nancy will be laid to rest with her beloved husband, Web. In lieu of flowers, expressions of sympathy in the form of memorial gifts may be made to the American Cancer Society, 13 Beech St., Johnson City, NY 13790. Arrangements with the Connell, Dow & Deysenroth Funeral Home, Cooperstown.
Chris Gentile Tennis Tourney Raises $1,300 For Scholarship
COOPERSTOWN
The first annual Chris Gentile Memorial Tournament cleared $1,300 in two days of play Aug. 9-10 at the Clark Sports Center. The money goes into a CCS scholarship fund in his memory. “I would say that without exception, Chris played tennis with everyone who entered the tournament,” said his mother, Penney Gentile. In particular, she thanked Sherry Holohan, Clark Sports Center tennis instructor, Charlie Kieler of Cooperstown Country Club, and Rich Jantzi for making it happen. In all, 32 players participated in 41 events. A FLIGHT Singles: J.T. Closi, champion; Joseph Dwyer, finalist. Women’s Doubles: Finals delayed by rain. Finalists were Vicki Johnson/Jenny Bentley vs. Gwen Snyder/Glynis Gozigian. Men¹s Doubles: Jonathan Richman/Joseph Dwyer, champions; Fielder Thomas/J T Closi, finalists. Mixed Doubles: Jenny Bentley/Charlie Kieler, champions; Ali Angerer/Quinn Snyder, finalists. B FLIGHT Singles: Ryan Smith, champion; Cameron Holbrook, finalist. Women’s Doubles: Sarah Angerer/Ali Holbrook, champion; Kate Graham/Natalia Gadomski, finalists. Men¹s Doubles: J. Beightol/Chris Hulse, champions; Charlie Kieler/Tom Barry, finalists. Mixed Doubles: not completed due to rain.
Spa Team Wins Otsego Golf Club Tourney
SPRINGFIELD
Chip Taylor, Tyler Smith, Spencer Staley and Evan Truax, representing Cherry Valley & Richfield Spa, scored 33 for nine holes to win the Otsego Golf Club’s first annual Tom Hovey Jr. Open Golf Tournament Friday, Aug. 8. Six teams competed in a Captain & Crew format. In the junior division, the team of Harrison Clinton, Andrew Kaplan and Sam Bowen, all of Cooperstown, got a low score of 39. Chip Taylor, Springfield Center, won closest to the pin. The longest drive in each division went to cousins Noble Mattson and Henry Stewart, both from Cooperstown. The division winners took home a 2009 season membership.
‘The Hanging of Freeman,” painted on a 12-by-8-foot piece of pillow ticking, is one of the more troubling images in “Through the Eyes of Others: African Americans and Identity in American Art,” which opens Saturday, Aug. 23, at the Fenimore Art Museum. Part of what’s troubling: Freeman, a black accused in brutal murder of a white family in Auburn in the mid-19th century, was never hanged at all. He died in prison, according to Gretchen S. Sorin, the exhibition’s curator, and an autopsy discovered a brain defect that proved the defense’s case. William Seward, who would later be governor of New York and Lincoln’s secretary of state, had taken Freeman’s case, not because he believed in the man’s innocence, but because he believed everyone deserved a defense before the bar. He’d argued the man was mentally defective. No matter that he was. And no matter that he wasn’t hanged. The public wanted its revenge. And so “The Hanging of Freeman” and several other painted sheets of ticking – another three are in the exhibit – were taken from opera house to opera house throughout Upstate, the centerpiece of a dramatic reenactment that ended the way the audience believed it should have. “Some of these paintings” – it’s not known who did this particular sequence – “are hard to like,” said Sorin during an interview in advance of the show’s opening. The question about “The Hanging of Freeman” – what was really going on? – was echoed throughout the conversation. Take a look at “Kept In,” by Edward Lamson Henry, an 1889 painting showing an inscrutable girl confined in a classroom while her classmates, outside, appear to be going home. In studying Henry, Sorin discovered he got to know his subjects, many of them from his neighborhood of Cragsmoor, in the Hudson Valley, and he referred to them by name. But never the little black girl; nothing about her appears in any of his notes. “She’s a prop to him,” the curator suggested. “He doesn’t think of her in the same way as Maude Powers or the other people in his paintings.” Many of the artists of the day were relatively open-minded on race issues, she said, but they also wanted to sell their paintings, and understood that to do so they would have to depict African-Americans in ways that wouldn’t make white patrons uncomfortable. Take “Politicians In A Country Bar,” (1844), by James Goodwyn Clonney. White men are debating around a table. At one periphery is a black; at the other, a woman. Take “The Turkey Shoot,” (1857), by Tompkins Harrison Matteson, depicting a scene from James Fenimore Cooper’s “The Pioneers.” Even though a black, also named Freeman, organized the shoot, he is depicted crouching. The light in the center of the painting shines down on a plump country squire and his delicate lady. Off to one side, a downcast Iroquois. Take “Eel Spearing At Setauket,” (1845), by William Sidney Mount, where a well-tended lad is being taught to spear fish by a black woman. Actually, Mount had been taught by a black man, Hector, but he would have been an unacceptable mentor for a white lad in those overheated days before the Civil War. Gretchen Sorin has been the director of the Cooperstown Graduate Program in Museum Studies since 1994, and also teaches there. Herself a CGP graduate, she has been familiar with Stephen Carlton Clark’s acquisitions – the foundation of the Fenimore Art Museum collection – since her student days there, and has been thinking about this particular exhibit for a while. As it happens, when she raised it three years ago with Paul D’Ambrosio, NYSHA vice president and the Fenimore’s chief curator, they had no idea race would be a central topic of conversation in this year’s presidential race. It’s a happy coincidence, Sorin believes. The American conversation about race – “the elephant in the room” – can be awkward, she continued. But “art museums are great places for civil conversations. Ambiguity in art allows that civil conversation.” The exhibit will be at the Fenimore until the end of the year, when it will go on a nationwide tour.
The patronage bestowed upon The Freeman’s Journal by a liberal public, has induced its editor to make arrangements to enlarge it to the size of the largest class of newspapers published in the State. The population of the county will justify the attempt – its increasing business relations demand such a medium of advertisement. The sheet will be enlarged equal to an increase of seven columns, on or about the first of October, but no increase will be made to the price of the present subscription, by mail or otherwise. August 26, 1833
150 YEARS AGO
Mr. Edward Clark and eldest son left “Apple Hill” last Monday, designing to sail for Europe on Saturday. They will be absent two years.
Female clerks are being employed in many of the Post Offices and the experiment gives general satisfaction. Stillman would be glad to follow suit, but as the change would involve the necessity of a larger room, he has concluded to defer it until a radical change in fashions shall occur! (Ed. Note: Ladies’ skirts, spread over hoops and petticoats, were too voluminous to allow work in cramped spaces in the postmaster’s opinion) August 20, 1858
125 YEARS AGO
The Right Things to Tax – The past year illustrates the capacity of spirits, beer and tobacco for yielding revenue without perceptible hardship to the country. The entire collections of the internal revenue bureau for the year amounted to $144,553,000. The cost of collecting this revenue was about three and a half percent. The revenue from spirits shows an increase of $4,495,000 over that for the preceding year; tobacco shows a decrease of $5,287,000, due to the reduction in tax rates made by the late Congress. Fermented liquors show an increase of $746,000. It is curious to observe that notwithstanding the heavy taxes on spirits and tobacco, the consumption of these luxuries has steadily increased. The increase in the amount of spirits distilled in 1883 over 1882 was 4,749,000 containers; cigars increased 36,518,000, a number sufficient to supply three cigars a day to 12 million smokers; cigarettes increased 85,477,000, or three a day to 28 million smokers; tobacco production increased 9,000,000 pounds, and fermented liquors increased 805,000 barrels. August 25, 1883
100 YEARS AGO
Advertisements – M. Imogene Bassett, M.D., Physician and Surgeon, office in brick house on Fair Street, one door north of Main Street, Cooperstown. Office hours from 9 to 10:30 a.m.; 1:30 to 3 p.m. No office hours on Sunday. Albert Jewett Butler, Doctor of Dental Surgery, graduate of New York College of Dentistry; Office at Terrace Cottage, corner of Glen Avenue and Grove St. Telephone Connection. Edward D. Boden, Undertaker and embalmer, one door east of Park Hotel. Night calls at residence on Main Street opposite Sheriff’s residence. Telephone. V.L. James, Veterinary Surgeon, residence on Susquehanna Ave., Cooperstown. Calls receive prompt attention. James J. Byard, Jr., Attorney and Counselor at Law, Byard Block, Office adjoining Second National Bank, Cooperstown. August 20, 1908
75 YEARS AGO
Changes in school hours – Convinced from experience that 40 minutes is not adequate time for a recitation period under conditions prevailing in the school, new principal Prof. Ralph W. Perry has arranged for seven periods of forty-five minutes each. In order to make this possible, the morning sessions of the school will begin at 9 o’clock and there will be no study period. Assemblies of the combined Grammar and High School departments will be held on Tuesday and Thursday mornings. Morning sessions of the school will be dismissed at noon and the afternoon session will begin at 1 o’clock instead of 1:30 as at present and will close at 3:15 instead of 3:30 as at present. This will allow four forty-five minute recitation periods in the morning and three in the afternoon. The intermission for lunch will be an hour instead of an hour and a half. August 23, 1933
50 YEARS AGO
Playing at Smalley’s Cooperstown Theatre – “The Naked and the Dead,” based on the best seller by Norman Mailer that electrified seven million readers – a tale of youth and love in wartime. Starring Aldo Ray, Cliff Robertson, Raymond Massey, Lili St. Cyr, Barbara Nichols. It’s big, it’s terrific, it’s exciting. Here is action-packed entertainment from the greatest best seller of World War II. August 20, 1958
25 YEARS AGO
Former Cooperstown high school diamond star Jim Curtis figured prominently in the semipro Macs’ three victories last weekend. Curtis, who plays college ball at Princeton University, homered in Saturday’s second game over the Walton Shamrocks, which the Macs won 20-0. He had doubled in his squad’s 15-2 opening round victory. Curtis homered again and doubled in Sunday’s first game, an 11-0 demonstration.
Beth Kerr, 18, daughter of Mrs. Janet Kerr of Cooperstown, won a gold medal as part of the Open Division Central Region field hockey team at the Empire State Games, August 10-14, in Syracuse. Kerr, a 1983 graduate of Cooperstown Central School will play field hockey for Colgate University this fall as an entering freshman. August 24, 1983
Bound Volumes is compiled from resources provided courtesy of the New York State Historical Association Library. Tom Heitz is the Town of Otsego historian.
To the Editor: As a resident of Springfield Center it is obvious that only a madman could possibly object to the prospect of Madison Square Garden buying 900 acres of farmland to put on a three-day-a-year music concert in our town. For anyone who has ever plucked a guitar, sung outside a girlfriend’s window, or dreamed of prancing across a stage with Mick Jagger, this project, truly, is an opportunity not to be missed. Employment opportunities will abound. To be sure, it is a once a year event, and MSG Entertainment will probably import the majority of skilled labor it needs, but there still will be a need for: A) People to build the wire cage to keep the 75,000 music fans in a secured enclosure. The fans, I’m sure, are great, but those of you who have read “Lord of the Flies” know a big crowd can get just a tad crazy. B) Valet car parkers to line up the anticipated 4,000 cars per hour that will roll into town. Who says we have a gas crisis? C) Tractor drivers to haul the cars out of the parking fields after a big rain, together with shovelers, sand spreaders and car pushers. There could be as many as 30,000 cars that need help if it rains hard enough, and slipping around in the mud is fun for kids and adults of all ages! D) Security guards. Some will be needed to ensure the 75,000 fans stay in the chain-linked enclosure, while other guards will be needed to deal with those angry, disappointed extra fan hordes who arrive after tickets are sold out, and decide to roam the countryside in search of a meal, a swim or an empty house. A great way to start a law enforcement career! E) Ambulance drivers and aspiring health care workers. With only some 14 emergency beds available at Bassett, there will be the need for people with some CPR training to drive dehydrated, overmedicated, intoxicated, trampled or otherwise damaged fans to hospitals within a gas tank of the concert. Better than watching ER reruns! F) Traffic enforcement. No one will be able to use Route 20 during those 3 days anyway, but gridlock will give anyone ambitious about working a Big City intersection a chance to hone their skills. G) Sanitary workers. Just imagine the opportunities for those interested in human waste disposal, recycling and trash removal. 75,000 hot dog eating, beer swilling folks! H) Road repair. All those cars mean road damage. For those owning a grader, happy to spread a little gravel, or just owning an orange flag, there might well be year round work between concerts. I) Water hauling. There seems to be ample evidence that the water table for Springfield will be affected by the need to provide 75,000 people with water over three days. To replenish the town, truck drivers will be needed to drive water trucks to a depot that will need to be constructed conveniently for thirsty town folk. J) Pollution abatement. Since underground streams at the concert site feed Lake Otsego, an important reservoir, water contamination will bring endless opportunities to our scientific community. Get out those microscopes and petri dishes! K) Real estate. This is a long-term and ongoing employment opportunity. Since the music will be almost incessant for three days, traffic a gridlock, the potential for petty crime, general mayhem and pollution a sure-fire benefit for everyone in the general community, the effect on property values could be far reaching. No one has to worry about selling a peaceful rural retreat. Boring! MSG brings the Big City right to our door. “Don’t it always go to show, that you don’t know what you’ve got ‘til it’s gone. You pave Paradise, put up a parking lot.” We’re ready. Bring it on, MSG! GAYLORD DILLINGHAM Springfield Center
‘Miss Mary’ Thanks Community, Can’t Wait To Be Back
To My Wonderful Cooperstown Community: When I first heard the diagnosis of cancer, my world turned upside down. I prayed for the strength and support I would need to get through this. My prayers were answered with all of you. Your support, love, cards, prayers, hugs, flowers and my quilt – my beautiful quilt, made by the children – have meant so much to me. I believe now that God places people in our path when we need them the most. The fundraiser at the Barnyard Swing astounded me. I want to thank each of you for your generosity and thoughtfulness, your hard work and your prayers. I am overwhelmed and overjoyed by the donations and well-wishes I have received. I have spread your cards, gifts and my preschoolers’ works of art throughout my house so that I am always surrounded by your good thoughts and love. Over the past 22 years you have blessed my life by allowing me to care for your children. I truly have loved them all and have missed working with them over the last several months. I can’t wait until my life is back on track and I am with those “little cherubs” once again. Love, “MISS MARY” MARY TURI Milford
Community Pulled Together Despite Very Short Notice
To the Editor: The Cooperstown Community recently supported fund-raising events for Mary Turi of Cooperstown Preschool – in a very big way. In addition to anonymous direct donations to the bank account set up at the Leatherstocking Region Federal Credit Union, families pitched in to make “Miss Mary Day” at the Barnyard Swing a resounding success! I want to thank Marcy Birch for generously offering the Barnyard Swing as the perfect venue, forfeiting an entire Saturday of receipts. Julie Cring, Mo Shuermann and other parents pulled together a delicious bake sale. The Aiken family helped design the signs for the sponsorships. I also want to thank the many individuals who donated anonymously or directly to Mary and the following businesses and individuals for providing supplies and services or sponsoring mini-golf holes: Ashley-Connor Real Estate, Barnyard Swing, Becky Davidson’s Jewelry & Augur’s Books, Ben Ingalls Construction, Bruce Hall Corp, Carefree Gardens, Carr-Adams Cottage, Church & Scott, Cliff Archer/Legends of Baseball, Cooper Country Abstract, Cooperstown Action Photography, Cooperstown Agway, Cooperstown Book Nook, Cooperstown Natural Foods, Cooperstown Rotary, Cooperstown.com Accommodation Service, Don Olin Realty, G & S Construction, Girls on the Run, Hubbell’s Real Estate, Huff Ice Cream, Ingalls’ Blueberries, Jamie Sharratt, John Mitchell Real Estate, Jon Edgington Construction, Katie, Victoria, Jimmy and Bella Anania, Lambert & Trossett, Lasting Expressions, Leatherstocking Regional Federal Credit Union, Major League Motor Inn, Margaret Buchanan Meg’s Gems, Nate Ingalls Electric, Oaknut Forest Products, OCCA, Peter & Derek Hochbrueckner, Putnam Insurance Agency, Royal Chrysler, Ryan Wilcox & Son, Sarah Ryan-Wilcox & Patricia Ryan, Schlather & Birch, Stagecoach, Suzanne Summers, The Bistro, the Busse family, The Clay Café, Copy Shop Plus, the Gable, Geertjens, Lambert and Mackie families, Thomas Lach and the Legends of Baseball tournament players. The community pulled together on very short notice and I want to thank you all. JULI SHARRATT Cooperstown
No, Chicken Little, The Sky’s Not Falling
To the Editor: Lock the doors, hide the children, natural-gas drilling is coming! The paper went from objective reporting and environmental concern to scare tactics with its front page banner, “Natural-Gas Drilling, Radioactivity Linked”. Today’s drilling is not like the John Wayne driller from the 1950’s movie, “Hellfighters.” Today’s drillers have bonds to post and have safety and environmental supervisors to make sure all federal and state environmental standards followed. They commonly include mitigations for nearby buildings, streams, etc. All drill fluids and muds are approved and environmentally safe. If problems arise, companies have to provide mitigation, be fined, or shut down if not in compliance. It’s not like building a laundry without permission; they are under continued governmental supervision. It is implied by the article that “barium sulfate” is somehow evil. The truth is that barium sulfate is the common mineral known as barite. A mineral additive used in oil, gas and water well drilling, pigment in paint, filler for paper, and many more uses. I was glad to see the article did mention that the NORM (naturally occurring radioactive material) “levels will be quite low.” However, The Freeman’s Journal left out an important quote from the Earthworks report, where Professor Engelder of Penn State “is quoted as saying that he thinks the radioactivity is in such low concentrations that it does not bother anyone.” Heck, there is more radon and radioactivity from some granite countertops than the Marcellus shale. The paper should have also listed the political focus of the lobbying group that produced the shale report. Earthworks (formally the Mineral Policy Center) is anti-mining and oil & gas drilling. Oil and gas exploration is expensive. This will not be willy-nilly drilling. It will take time by geologists to determine which leases have the best chance and the state will review the permits. It is up to the state to weed out the bad companies and let the responsible ones drill. Responsible development of the Marcellus Shale and other prospective areas in the U.S., along with energy conservation, nuclear, wind, solar, and biomass power is the best way to future energy stability. GREGORY FRENCH Geologist Reno and Cooperstown
A County Can Adopt a Moratorium
Editor’s Note: Afton lawyer Mary Jo Long, at the invitation of Sustainable Otsego, gave this presentation at the Aug. 6 meeting of the county Board of Representatives, explaining how it would be possible for a county to adopt a moratorium.
It is clear that horizontal gas drilling will impact our roads, our water, noise, air pollution, among other things. It will also make some people a lot of money. Communities that have already experienced horizontal gas drilling say that unless we act before it happens, the social costs will fall on local communities. Municipal officials have a responsibility to see that those social costs are not foisted off on our taxpayers. A moratorium is a way to pause the drilling while we study the impact and resources affected. A county can pass a moratorium and study the impact of horizontal gas drilling before it begins. ... Courts tell us that a moratorium is a common device that municipalities use to put a temporary hold on an activity – often a residential or industrial development – so that the public safety, health and well being, including the social costs of development, can be considered. ... Careful, comprehensive planning is one of the fundamental objectives underpinning all land use regulation and it therefore follows that municipalities should have the ability to slow down the growth process in order to ensure that their policies are well thought out and not determined in an ad hoc, de facto basis, so that changes are not rendered moot by immediate development. One misunderstanding, which is promoted by those who want gas drilling to happen as soon as possible, is that A MORATORIUM IS A REGULATION OF GAS DRILLING. We cannot deny that under present law ONLY THE DEC CAN REGULATE GAS DRILLING. A moratorium is NOT a regulation of gas drilling. A moratorium is a stopgap measure, a pause. It does not say how tall drilling rigs can be or other things that regulate gas drilling. Can a county have a moratorium? Legal research showed several examples of county moratoria. A county can have a moratorium. During the interim period of the moratorium the community will have time to study the impacts and consequences of gas drilling and perhaps pass laws and rules that a county government is responsible for. Such as: 1. County roads and property taxes seem to be the most obvious since the Environmental Conservation Law explicitly acknowledges municipal responsibility for those. 2. County Law Article 5 also gives a county responsibility for water quality management, flood control & soil conservation, EMS training. The lawyer from the Oil & Gas Accountability Project said that gas drilling is an industrial activity and there will be industrial scale injuries and accidents. Emergency response teams will have to handle a whole new range of emergencies including chemical and gas fires (which are not put out with water) and industrial injuries from burns, torn limbs, etc. Also counties are responsible for solid waste management: resource recovery. 3. Under Municipal Home Rule Law, which applies to counties, counties also have power to protect and enhance its physical and visual environment, safety, health and well-being of persons or property therein. Also Counties specifically have responsibility for control of floods or the conservation of soil, the regulation or prohibition of the dumping of garbage or other waste material in or adjacent to creeks or streams in watershed areas improved under any flood control or soil erosion program. Also it is very important to get baseline date on what’s in your water now, because without it you can’t prove if it has been polluted. Remember that the attorneys representing people with leases want drilling to happen as quickly as possible. They are representing their clients when they try to discourage legislators from enacting a moratorium that will delay the payment of royalties. But the gas isn’t going anywhere while we consider the need to implement increased bonding for roads, or rules to deal with the dumping of solid waste or waste water. DEC permit-review process doesn’t include what will be done with waste water. That may be the county’s responsibility. Slowing down the development until we know more will benefit everyone. Because even those who have signed gas drilling leases expect their elected officials to act for the general benefit of the population and property in their county or town. We municipal officials have a responsibility to protect health and well-being of our people and their property.
To the Editor: Thank you, Lynn Mebust; this is the kind of action we need. The facts let everybody know what’s going on. Let the rest of the committee chairs take the same kind of action. We all understand a start-up program needs time to perfect. I applaud this information and would be glad to take part in the comments we at TJ’s hear every day. I hope Lynn continues to chair this committee without interference from Mr. Katz. Her commitment to informing the community of their actions and her sincere work and understanding that corrections are needed in field scheduling and correcting the lack of preparedness in paid parking at Doubleday Field will help us attain the revenues that the village can use to offset the ever-rising cost. TED HARGROVE Cooperstown
Provide Same Health Coverage To All, Gay, Straight Or Single
To the Editor: I moved to Arizona from Otsego County nearly five years ago. Since then I’ve tried to avoid getting involved in local issues. But Otsego County Treasurer Myrna Thayne’s behavior forces me to break that self-imposed rule temporarily. Her ban on coverage of gay couples in the county health plan is an outrage not only from a moral standpoint but also as a sheer abuse of power. Gay couples deserve the same coverage as straight couples. It’s a matter of fairness. Beyond that, however, is the spectacle of the county’s financial officer making policy for the county. It’s completely and utterly inappropriate. The county Board of Representatives has that responsibility. Whether they support or oppose Thayne’s position, board members must not allow her to sneak substantial changes into county policies. At very least, they need to vote on this health plan policy statement. And, in committee, county reps should make it clear that she stepped way over the line by not consulting them first. A final point: It seems clear from the memo Thayne sent to county employees that unmarried straight couples as well as gay are targeted by her actions. How else can this sentence from her memo and policy be interpreted: “A common-law spouse, civil-union partner, same-sex spouse or domestic partner is not recognized as your legal spouse under the plan, even if it is recognized in the state or municipality of residence.” I’m proud that two years ago Arizona voters became the first to turn back an anti-gay amendment. We did it because the zealots went too far, as Thayne did. In targeting unmarried couples, gay or straight, they affect a significant percentage of families. I was amazed how Thayne survived the budget and tax-levy mess she helped create a couple of years ago. She led board members astray that time with disastrous consequences. She’s at it again! BILL GATES Sun Lakes, Ariz Gates is a former member of the county Board of Representatives and Town of Otsego supervisor
One More Chance To Object To Development
To the Editor: Ned Walker will present the final revised plans for his proposed subdivision off Browdy Mountain Road to the Town of Otsego Planning Board Sept. 2. Unless the residents of Cooperstown, Town of Otsego, and those who appreciate the natural forested surroundings of the lake take action now, the tall, richly wooded mountain face just south of Five Mile Point will be changed forever. There are very serious reasons to oppose this subdivision, which involves carving up the steep face of the mountain above the lake in order to build three new houses. Mr. Walker’s original plan has had to be considerably revised because of objections from the state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and the Board of Health. And although it appears that some of the problems have been addressed, such as septic systems and storm-water run-off plans, the proposed development still poses a threat. A key concern is the steep, narrow private road that is supposed to serve the entire development. Mr. Walker obtained permission for a minor subdivision in 1994 to build his own and one other house on his 24.5-acre property in 1994. Because it was only a minor subdivision, presented as a family compound, the requirements for the private road that served both houses were waived. Now Mr. Walker wants the same narrow, 800-foot-long, steep road to serve three more houses. This is a major safety threat, as it involves the ability of emergency vehicles such as fire trucks to gain timely access. The consequences of not being able to quickly contain a fire on one of the steep slopes surrounding the lake would be horrific, and make it imperative that this issue be addressed. The Planning Board was initially concerned about the safety of the road, but inexplicably, has let this issue go. At its February meeting, according to the minutes, “there was considerable discussion about the suitability and safety of the road.” But when Walker presented his application at the March meeting, the minutes record that “[Planning Board] Attorney Ferrari said he foresaw no problems for the board on the road, saying ‘This is how these projects get done in rural areas’.” I find this attitude appalling. Mr. Walker’s private road either meets the requirements or it doesn’t, and according to letter of the law, it doesn’t. The other key issue is that this development will change the character of the lake. That may sound dramatic, but it’s true. Most of us who enjoy being in a boat out on the lake cherish the large areas of natural, forested mountains around the lake. The proposed Walker subdivision, which is on the tallest mountain on the west side of the lake, would diminish the unspoiled beauty that residents and visitors so deeply value and enjoy. If approved, it would also set a precedent that will only encourage more developments, more trees cleared, more impacts on the ecology of the lake and its surroundings. As more people learn the details of this proposed subdivision, they are opposing it, and we encourage other Cooperstown residents to take action immediately! There’s not much time. The Planning Board will discuss and likely vote on Mr. Walker’s final revised application at its meeting at 7:30 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 2. Make your voice heard by writing a letter to the Town of Otsego Planning Board (Town Hall, Route 26, Fly Creek, 13337) so that it will be received before Labor Day weekend, so that it can be available to the Board before the meeting. Planning Board meeting minutes relating to the Walker subdivision may be accessed online at http://townofotsego.com/planningminutes.htm. Other background information, such as previous letters to the Planning Board, reports, photographs, etc., is available by e-mailing savethemountainside@gmail.com. We urge you to contact us, ask questions, request information, and join us in preserving the beautiful mountainside on the lake. MARILYN BRADSHAW Cooperstown
One Candidate ‘Qualified’ – John Lambert
To the Editor: A recent letter to the editor described the interim, appointed county court judge as “the only candidate for Otsego County judge who has been deemed ‘highly qualified’ by the most strict review board in New York state.” Since the letter was very vague about this review board, I decided to do some research and I encourage all readers to do the same. I went to the website of the state Office of Court Administration. I then clicked on “Judges” and then “Judicial Campaign Ethics Center.” From there I was able to look up “Candidate Ratings” and discovered that the ONLY candidate listed as “Qualified” for Otsego County Family/Surrogate’s Court judge by the Independent Judicial Election Qualifications Commission was John F. Lambert. I looked at last year’s ratings as well and found six other candidates listed as “Qualified,” including Michael V. Coccoma, whose vacancy is to be filled in this November’s election. Noticeably absent from both lists was the appointed, interim judge. The aforementioned letter to the editor opens by referencing the ills of political parties and their inappropriateness in elections for officials such as judges. I could not agree more. The current interim judge was a political appointment by the Spitzer/Patterson Administration and the review board is made up of other appointees. Meanwhile, the Independent Judicial Election Qualifications Commission is a non-partisan body whose sole purpose is to assess the qualifications of judicial candidates. Therefore, I do not understand how any candidate other than John Lambert can refer to themself as the only or most qualified candidate. PHILIP LEWIS Cooperstown
Don’t Worry: Radioactivity Only Minimal
To the Editor: Despite your bold headline across the front page, radioactivity is only a minor risk from horizontal drilling in black shales such as the Utica and Marcellus shales that are being targeted by drillers in Otsego County. Also, this risk is mostly temporary and largely confined to the drilling site. Radon gas can be released from the well, which can be a hazard to drillers before it dissipates in the air. Precipitation of radioactive elements can contaminate drilling equipment, which can be cleaned and will be removed after a few weeks. The pile of slightly more radioactive shale cuttings, if left at the drilling site, could be a hazard if someone built a house on it. More significant risks to the community are to the aquifers from improperly drilled holes and to roads from truck traffic. BRIAN BROCK Franklin
Property-Tax Cap Wrong Way To Go
To the Editor: The more I read about the tax cap debate at the state Capital, the more I’m convinced the state Senate was wrong when it voted the cap. When the Assembly votes on this issue, it should do what’s fair for senior citizens, middle-class families and school children. The circuit-breaker proposal makes sense. It gives real tax relief to those seniors and families who need it the most, and it doesn’t limit the resources available to our children and their schools. The circuit breaker may not be the easiest catch phrase for these politicians in an election year – but at least it won’t wind up causing more pain in our community, like the tax cap would. MARJORIE SCHLEINING NYSUT President Cooperstown
Art is said to have many properties. Where life is said to be short, art is said to be long. It also is said to soothe the savage breast. And it is said to exist for everyone. Unfortunately, there are sectors of the population that have relatively little access to art. Circumstances, along with blind social convention, often prevent people who are perhaps in greater need of the healing and curative powers of art from having any access to it. How refreshing, and inspiring, then, the collaboration of the ARCs of Chenango, Delaware and Otsego Counties with the Foothills Performing Arts Center and Orpheus Theatre in producing an important series of performances Friday-Sunday, Aug. 22-24. ARC stands for Association of Retarded Citizens and adult residents of the three local chapters cited above are bringing to life “Circus in the Wind,” on stage and backstage, actors and technical crew as well as scenery designers. It is a lively play with music about a boy who runs away to join the circus. Grandpa goes in search of him and promptly decides to join the circus, too. Grandma comes along determined to lure little Johnnie and her husband back home. I have been present at some of the rehearsals for this singular collaborative effort and I can attest to the infectious joy and exuberance generated by the impressive team of participants. The performances will take place at the Foothills Performing Arts Center under its own “big top,” the tent erected in the summertime behind the Production Center at 24 Market St., Oneonta. On view will also be striking entries in the poster contest organized as part of the promotion of the show. This event is a cause for rejoicing, a true example of art for all and by all. And by all means, call (607)431-2080 for reservations or visit foothillspac.org. You too can join the circus.
Sam Goodyear’s column on the arts in Otsego County appears weekly.
No Drilling, No How, No Way, No Where Around Glimmerglass
It wasn’t much of a confidence-builder in the DEC. “We’re not giving interviews right now,” said a spokesperson for the state Department of Environmental Conservation, “because we’re getting so many requests.” Presumably, if no one were interested in interviewing DEC’s various specialists, they’d be clamoring to be interviewed. Shades of Joseph Heller. • Which brings up a pet peeve. Any newspaperperson used to be able to pick up the phone and talk directly to pretty much any government official. In the 1990s, a new “communications” philosophy swept government. Suddenly, all calls had to be siphoned through the “media relations” department, sometimes staffed by some knowledgeable people, but rarely as knowledgeable as the experts in the particular divisions and bureaus, who were now barred from talking directly to the press. There you have it. A “communications” policy designed to limit communications. Joseph Heller. When editorial writers start waving the Bill of Rights, don’t you always find yourself saying, There they go again? That said, does a state agency have the authority to prohibit their employees from talking to anyone? From a management standpoint, certainly, the DEC would be interested in training the rank and file to be clear on what’s departmental policy and what’s personal opinion, etc., what to watch out for when one of those sneaky reporters calls, etc. But why shouldn’t any citizen chat with Bradley J. Field, director, DEC Division of Mineral Resources? His number’s (518) 402-8076. Or Jack K. Dahl, director, DEC Bureau of Oil and Gas, (518) 402-8056? And if they can talk to citizens, is a reporter no less a citizen? • All this is particularly troublesome because of the amount of reportage that’s going on surrounding the prospect of natural-gas drilling in the Marcellus Shale Formation that underlies Otsego County -- yes, people do want interviews. And the DEC is largely absent, except for the “media relations” people. It defies explanation that the DEC had planned to send an expert to that forum at Oneonta High School the other week, then changed its mind. Natural-gas drilling, yes, is this year’s windmills. But, same as last year with the turbines, labelling a reaction NIMBY doesn’t mean an undertaking has merit. Even if natural-gas drilling were a good idea in the Glimmerglass National Historic District -- it isn’t -- doesn’t mean it would be benign. That report in the New York Times the other day about Attorney General Cuomo investigating big-wind developers in the North Country -- the tale includes bags of cash and quid-pro-quo jobs -- suggests that when big money meets poor communities, ethics can go out the window. • Good for T. Boone Pickens, but put his windmills in one of the best wind corridors in the world that “we’re blessed with” -- in the nation’s ever-less-inhabited mid-section, the Dakotas to West Texas -- not the Northeast, which has so much more to offer. OK, that’s chauvinistic. But just because it’s chauvinistic doesn’t mean it’s wrong. A moratorium is fine, and the Otsego County Board of Legislators should declare one, but the right attitude is no drilling, no way, no how in the Glimmerglass National Historic District. If you don’t appreciate what you have, you lose it.
3 Fair Street Houses In A Row Shine In Annual Beautification Competition
Rich, Kathryn Busse Claim Triple Honors
COOPERSTOWN
The neighbors have got something going on Fair Street. This year, Richard and Barbara Havlik at 94 Fair won first place in the “Most Appropriate Residential or Business Window Box or Boxes and/or Hanging Basket or Baskets” category in the 2008 Cooperstown Beautification Contest. The judges remarked upon the “well-chosen plant material creating an abundance of color on a multi-level display.” Two houses down at 90 Fair, Elisabeth Giffin won second place in “Most Effective Overall Planting Which Enhances A Residential Property, As Seen From The Street.” The judges called it “a fine example of a mature, well-maintained cottage garden.” And in between at 92 Fair, Donald and Mary Evans, who took a first last year, won an honorable mention in the Havliks’ category. Also exceptional this year: Richard and Kathryn Busse won three prizes for floral displays at their businesses. The contest was started more than 50 years ago by Susan Vanderpoel Clark, and today is continued by her granddaughter, Jane Forbes Clark, president of the Clark Foundation. Her grandmother, she said, “would be so happy by the many wonderful properties considered by the judges this year. The tremendous efforts of all of the participants help make our beautiful Village so special.” This year’s results, by category, are accompanied by comments from the judges, Harry Teich and Robert Sutherland. Mr. Harry Teich, Hartwick, proprietor of Snowden Hill Farms, and Robert Sutherland, SUNY Cobleskill greenhouse manager and instructor. Sutherland is also on the board of New York State Floral Industries. Here are the other winners: CATEGORY I Most Attractive Floral Display in a Business Setting First – The Busses, All American Cafe, 99 Main. Second – Pioneer Patio, also owned by the Busses, 46 Pioneer St. Third – The law office of Timothy Johnson, 203 Main. Honorable Mention – C.J. Dimick, The Pratt Hotel, 50 Pioneer; Martin Tillapaugh, Tillapaugh Funeral Home, 28 Pioneer; Christmas Shoppe, 46 Pioneer, again the Busses.
CATEGORY II Most Effective Overall Planting Which Enhances A Residential Property, As Seen From The Street First – Paul and Mary Margaret Kuhn, 51 Chestnut. Judges’ comments: “Dramatic integration of garden and house colors creates a striking overall appearance.” Third – Robert and Claire Satriano, 66 Susquehanna. Honorable Mention – Linda Parmalee, 16 Glen; Richmond and Jeanne Hulse, 9 Pioneer; Paul and Ruth Schweinfurth, 15 Brooklyn.
CATEGORY III Most Appropriate Residential or Business Window Box or Boxes and/or Hanging Basket or Baskets Second – Joan Wilbur, 12 Grove Third – James and Debra Dow, 9 Orchard Lane Honorable Mention – Martha Grossi, 1 Old School Court; Donald and Mary Evans.
BLUE RIBBON: A wooden sap bucket, owned by Mary Stannard, Cherry Valley, was a blue-ribbon winner in “antiques used on the farm” competition at the Otsego County Fair.
SIBLINGS HONORED: Christopher M. Harmon, CCS ‘05 and a biology major, and his sister, Mary Catherine, CCS ‘07 and a nursing student, are both on the Dean’s List for the spring semester at LeMoyne College in Syracuse. They are children of Mark and Mary Harmon, Hartwick.
DEMO WINNERS: Mark Wallen, Cooperstown, won a heat during the Total Destruction Demolition Derbuy before a grandstand crowd of 2,000 at the Otsego County Fair. Jerry Madsen, Laurens, and Tim Thompson, Burlington, were the co-winners.
Ida (Sally) Lee celebrated her 100th birthday on Tuesday, Aug. 19, with a party at the house of her niece, Nancy Erway, daughter of Ida’s brother, the late Victor Rezen. Born in Franklin, Kansas, Ida grew up knowing four languages and living in several mid western states before moving to New York. While living in Springfield, Ill., she remembers that she and her bother Victor used to wave to Charles Lindberg’s airplane as he flew the mail from Chicago to St. Louis. Ida’s immigrant father worked in the coal mines at times, so she often jokes that both she and Loretta Lynn are coal miners’ daughters. Her family moved to the Middlefield area when she was a young woman, but she soon struck out on her own to find a job in New York City. There she was hired by her soon to be husband, Eugene Lee, to help him manage a resort in the Adirondacks. The couple then moved to Cherry Valley, and then Hartwick. After his death over 50 years ago, Ida became a single mother before the days of modern social services. While living in Hartwick and later Cooperstown, she re-invented herself several times, working as a food vendor at auctions, as a social worker for the county Social Services, and as a bed and breakfast owner. Even in her retirement, she was very successful in managing her own investments until her 90s. She was very active as a gardener and health food advocate, possibly a testament to her current relatively good health except for some mobility issues. Ida still entertains her friends and family with quick humor and stories of the incredible events and changes which she has witnessed in her 100 years.
Folk Fest For Food Raises $546
CHERRY VALLEY
The first of three Folk Fests for Food has raised $546.50 for the Cherry Valley Food Bank. Additionally, canned food was donated at the Thursday, Aug. 14, enough to fill the Zenir family’s Jeep Cherokee, which transported it to the food bank at the Assembly of God, run by Dee Mihalick. Phil Zenir of the Cherrypickers came up with the folk-fest idea, noting that similar events happen in Sharon Springs and Canajoharie. He’d been aware from news reports that food banks are feeling the strain of the down economy. The first evening, Stone Soup joined the Cherrypickers. The second Thursday, Aug. 21, Mike Feulner was due. The third Thursday, Aug. 28, will be an all blue-grass evening, with a band from Mount Upton joining the Cherrypickers. A chicken barbecue is also planned to kick of the Labor Day Weekend. The concerts are at 7 p.m.
Kathryn J. Walker, Nathan T. Sentz Wed In Double-Ring Ceremony
Kathryn J. Walker, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Edward B. Walker of Cooperstown, was joined in marriage to Nathan T. Sentz, son of Mr. and Mrs. Ronald Sentz of Galway, Saratoga County, on July 5, 2008, at the First Presbyterian Church. The Rev. Betsey Jay performed the double-ring ceremony. A graduate of Mount Markham Central School, the bride received her B.A. from Hartwick College in 1995, majoring in English, and received an advanced degree at Russell Sage. She is a guidance counselor at Gilbertsville-Mount Upton Central School. The groom graduated from New Paltz Central School and received a degree from Utica College, majoring in childhood education. He is employed at Waterville Elementary School. Readings were by Barbara Welsh and Catherine Sentz. Best woman was Deborah Grimaldi Zeh, friend of the bride. Best man was Jeffrey Beyer, friend of the groom. The flower girls were the nieces of the bride and groom, Gabrielle Walker and Anna Dombrowski. A reception was held at Templeton Hall. The couple is residing in Cooperstown.
Susan Lettis, Dan Oiumet Join The Freeman’s Journal
COOPERSTOWN
Susan Lettis of Cooperstown joins The Freeman’s Journal this week as office manager, overseeing customer service and administrative functions. She joins another newcomer, Dan Ouimet of Oneonta, who joined the newspaper staff earlier this summer, responsible for graphics and technology. A CCS graduate, Susan recently returned from 27 months as a Peace Corps volunteer in Benin, West Africa. A CCS graduate, she spent a year in Hungary as a Rotary Exchange student before attending Syracuse University, where she earned a B.A. in International Relations. She intends to enter graduate school in fall 2009. Dan, who studied fine arts at SUNY Oneonta and Hartwick College, has 10 years experience in graphic design. A native of Oneonta, he has a son, Myles, 21.
Wouldn’t it be wonderful to live in a place where there’s something to do? Something, say, that resonates with history, maybe famous presidents like Theodore Roosevelt? (At noon Saturday, Aug. 23, the Richfield Springs and Jordanville historical associations are hosting a picnic at the Jordanville Public Library to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Teddy Roosevelt’s dedication of that lovely Greek Revival building.) ...or martial history, perhaps, maybe the Civil War. (Bob Consigli will lecture on “The 121st Infantry At Petersburg and Appomattox” at 2 p.m. Saturday at the Upper Susquehanna Cultural Center, Milford, part of the Abner Doubleday Civil War Roundtable. The public’s welcome. You may also want to ask about being a reenactor.) In small towns, people are supposed to look after each other. How come we never hear about anything like that? (A benefit for Madison Hastings, a little girl with a heart problem and big medical bills, is Saturday at the Cherry Valley Community Center. 3-6 p.m. is a Car Cruise-In; 4-7 p.m., a spaghetti dinner; 8-11 p.m., a dance, featuring Mike Feulner & the Burners, $10 singles and $15 couples.) Simply good food and fresh produce would be welcome, but where? (7:30-11 a.m., also Saturday, there’s a pancake breakfast at the Fly Creek Fire Hall. Or burgers, hot dogs and soda from 11 a.m. on at the Fly Creek Grange, all part of the community yard sale. The Dancing Veggie Farm Garlic Harvest Celebration is also Saturday, 10-6; follow the signs from downtown Fly Creek to Ainslie Road, Town of Richfield.) Or maybe just a party! (The Otsego Land Trust is celebrating its 20th anniversary 5-8 p.m. Saturday at Thayer Farm. Sunday evening, the Cooperstown Chamber of Commerce is hosting a farewell party for departing executive director John Bullis, in the Glimmerglass State Park Pavilion.) ...or maybe...
