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CCS Athletic Hall Of Famers
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Wednesday, September 30, 2009
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 Labels: 10-02-09, CCS, Sports |
posted by The Freeman's Journal @ 5:06 PM   |
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Redskins Beat Holland Patent In Final Minutes
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HOLLAND PATENT
CCS’ Redskins claimed a nail-biting 21-14 victory from Holland Patent Friday, Sept. 25, in the last two minutes of a game played on dew-heavy turf and punctuated by fumbles.
The first half ended 14-7, with the Golden Knights leading, and they maintained that lead until Tyler Hoke passed to Jeremiah Ford with 2:12 remaining.
With 1:09 left to play, Tanner Niedzialkowski charged the final yard to give the Redskins the winning touchdown.
Holland Patent was the team CCS had to beat, as both were undefeated.Labels: 10-02-09, Sports |
| posted by The Freeman's Journal @ 4:54 PM |
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Bound Volumes
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175 YEARS AGO
Found!!! On the 20th of September, about a mile south of Plainfield Centre, on the road leading to Cooperstown, a leather pocket-book, the contents of which are of considerable value. The owner is requested to call, prove property, pay charges of advertising &c., and take it away. Marshall Baker, Plainfield.
October 6, 1834
150 YEARS AGO
The County Fair – We were enabled to be upon the Fair Grounds long enough on Wednesday to take a “bird’s eye view” of what was to be seen there. We never saw so large a gathering of people on any former similar occasion, or so good a display of farming implements, cattle, sheep, wagons, articles of domestic manufacture, vegetables, butter, cheese &c. &c. In the line of patent mowers, wagons, sleighs, and farming implements generally, the show was very superior in quality and numbers.
September 30, 1859
125 YEARS AGO
A gentleman in this village thought he would experiment on some sunflower plants growing in his yard by applying a little phosphate to them. Last week he brought into this office a sunflower that would have delighted the eye of Oscar Wilde; it measured 14 inches across and weighed four pounds.
In pursuance of the statute, the Trustees of the village have named October 7th as the day when a special election will be held for the taxpayers to determine whether they will authorize the issue of bonds for the construction of sewerage in Cooperstown – polls to be open from 12 to 4 o’clock.
October 4, 1884
100 YEARS AGO
Construction of the state highway running through Otsego County from Cooperstown to Richfield Springs will be commenced next year along the west shore of Schuyler Lake (Canadarago), to be completed the following year. The proper place for this highway would be along Otsego Lake to Springfield Centre and thence to Richfield Springs. But, in going by that route, it would be necessary to cut across a corner of Herkimer County and the law states the road must go from Cooperstown to Richfield Springs “in Otsego County.” Therefore the road must be constructed along Schuyler Lake and over the hill from Fly Creek to Cooperstown, or connect to Cooperstown via a spur from Index!
The grandstand, judges’ stand, roof garden and a portion of the bandstand on the grounds of the Otsego County Agricultural Society were destroyed by fire at an early hour Sunday morning.
October 2, 1909
75 YEARS AGO
Advertisement – “Love is the sweetest thing!” The gal with the hour-glass figure that makes every minute count!! Mae West in “Belle of the Nineties” with John Mack Brown & Richard Pryor – Duke Ellington’s Orchestra – Hear Mae sing “My Old Flame,” “Troubled Waters,” “When a St. Louis Woman Comes Down to New Orleans,” – A Paramount Picture – It ain’t no sin to see the Bad Girl of the good old days passed as clean entertainment by all censors – The picture the whole country’s talking about – the best picture Mae ever made. At Smalley’s Cooperstown Theatre Wed., Thur., Fri, Oct. 10-11-12.
October 3, 1934
50 YEARS AGO
The Unitarian Fellowship of Cooperstown will resume its regular meetings with a get-together box supper picnic at the home of Dr. Eugene Rames on Nelson Avenue at 6:30 p.m. on Sunday, October 4. After dinner, the group will hold a discussion meeting at which Dr. Linden Summers, Jr., Leader of the Fellowship, will speak on “The Origins of Unitarianism.” The public is invited. The Unitarian Sunday School had its annual registration and picnic at Fairy Spring Park on Sunday, September 27. Sunday School will be held every week at 10:30 a.m. Teachers for the coming year include Mrs. Edward Wilcox, Mrs. Eugene Rames, and Dr. L.D. Summers, Jr.
September 30, 1959
25 YEARS AGO
Otsego Rural Housing Assistance (ORHA) is offering a match-up service for county residents interested in finding or providing shared housing. Such housing, ORHA officials say, allows people to rent unused portions of their home while certain areas, such as a kitchen or bath, are shared. Those offering such arrangements can be either owners or renters.
October 3, 1984
10 YEARS AGO
U.S. Representative Sherwood Boehlert (R-NY) and the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum have teamed up to transform the congressman’s Washington, D.C. office. Boehlert and Jane Forbes Clark, vice-chair of the National Baseball Hall of Fame, officially opened a special exhibit in the foyer of the congressman’s office in the Rayburn House Office building on Monday to highlight the Hall of Fame and other tourist attractions in central New York.
October 1, 1999Labels: 10-02-09, Columns, Opinion, Perspectives |
| posted by The Freeman's Journal @ 4:52 PM |
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If Only All Our Challenges Were As Small As 3 Parking Spaces
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Cooperstown firefighters are threatening to pack next month’s village board meeting with angry demands. (Please, Lord, not another one of those meetings.)
At issue is three parking spaces at the north end of the village-owned lot next to the firehouse. Tenants of nearby buildings – see Fred Lemister’s letter, below – have parked there for the past half-century, at least.
In August, the village trustees – acting on fire department concerns that parked cars had blocked ambulances from responding to calls – had the lot striped to make the emergency right-of-way perfectly clear. Inadvertently, the vote put the three parking spaces off limits.
Receiving Lemister’s letter – he also issued a personal appeal at the trustees’ September meeting – the village board clarified its intent, allowing the public to continue using those three spaces.
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With what may be a watershed village election coming up next March, this simple sequence has become controversial.
The vote to adjust the situation was 4-2, with the new bloc – Trustees Booan, Hage, Monie and Weiller – voting aye; Trustees Katz and Mebust voted nay. (Mayor Waller votes to break ties.)
The four were accused of inconsistency – reference Ralph Waldo Emerson’s hobgoblins – and of caring for businesses at the expense of people.
The volunteer firefighters plan to declare: See how you like shouldering the expense of a paid fire department.
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Let’s look at the legitimate concerns.
One, that parked cars were preventing ambulances from responding to emergencies. The stripes have taken care of that.
Two, that the fire department needs more parking. Fine. But three parking spaces aren’t enough to make a difference one way or the other. (Beside, firefighters can park there if they are vacant.)
Pacing off the grassy stretch on the north end of the firehouse, you discover seven or eight diagonal spots can be put there.
When the volunteers respond to a fire, no doubt Vinnie Russo wouldn’t begrudge them a space in his lot across the street. Nor would state Supreme Court Judge Mike Coccoma (himself an EMT), who holds sway over that parking lot just south of the firehouse.
Three, to extract good rents from downtown buildings, tenants need to have parking. Lemister’s concerns are just the tip of an iceberg that village government needs to melt.
It’s been noted in this space before that, the more valuable downtown buildings, the better the tax base and tax revenues. There’s a related issue: Cheap rents would tend to bring in a rougher clientele, which would degrade the downtown.
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The debate on the three spaces has been formulated in a win-lose way: Firemen lose, tenants win; firemen win, Fred Lemister loses.
In fact, everybody can win. And that’s what our village trustees – all six, plus the mayor – should be seeking.Labels: 10-02-09, Editorial, Opinion, Opinions, Perspectives |
| posted by The Freeman's Journal @ 4:37 PM |
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Country Fair Seeks Repeat Of ’08 Smash
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RICHFIELD SPRINGS
Why not try a “country fair” as a fundraiser, it was suggested during a Richfield Springs Chamber of Commerce planning session in the summer of 2008.
“It was absolutely amazing,” said Harriett Sessler, chamber president, recalling the first Richfield Springs Country Fair, held that October. “Hundreds of people showed up; literally hundreds.”
Well, the second annual Richfield Springs Country Fair is coming up 11 a.m.-4 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 11, in Spring Park, and Sessler and her team anticipate it will be even better.
The “country fair” idea involved contests and ribbons for the winners – of a pie-baking contest, for instance.
“We were hoping for one or two or three,” said Sessler. “We had a minimum of 30 pies.”
There were 10-15 entries in all the jams, jellies and pickle categories.
This year, contestants are asked to bring their entries to Spring Park between 10 and 11 on the morning of the country fair. Judging will ensue, with the winners announced at 2 or 2:30. After that, entries will be sold, including pies by the slice or whole pies.
And there is a new category, quilting.
The ribbons, said Sessler, aren’t to be believed: They were custom-made in Canada and first-place ones are 29 inches long.
Horse-drawn wagon rides, popular last year, are returning.
Plus, Otsego County sheriff’s deputies from Operation Safe Child will be on hand, issuing ID cards.
“Buttons” The Clown will do facing painting, also new.
Homemade chili and apple crisp will be available, plus hot dogs and pizza.Labels: 10-02-09, Richfield Springs |
| posted by The Freeman's Journal @ 12:00 PM |
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Obituaries
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Sylvia M. Toth, 98; Served Holy Cross Church, Morris
COOPERSTOWN – Sylvia M. Toth, 98, who was housekeeper at Holy Cross Catholic Church, Morris, for 17 years after being twice widowed, died Saturday, Sept. 26, 2009, at Guilmour Nursing Home, Norwich, where she lived for the past year.
Sylvia was born in Brooklyn on Nov. 3, 1910, a daughter of Charles and Barbara (Pociute) Wishinsky.
In 1918, the family moved to a farm in Mount Vision, where she received her schooling at a one-room school house.
Growing up on a farm intensified her love for animals, especially cats and horses. She was a charter member of the SPCA of Otsego County.
From 1928 until 1956, she worked for Fidelity & Casualty Insurance Company of New York, advancing from assistant file clerk to manager of accounts.
She married William Renz in 1943, and the couple lived in Richmond Hill, Queens, until his death in 1956.
The lure of the country found her moving back to Laurens, where she married John Toth, a prominent area farmer who died in a hunting accident in 1969.
It was then she began work for Holy Cross parish, serving under three pastors, Fathers Stone, DiMaggio and Dwyer.
Retiring in 1998, she moved to Cooperstown to live with her sister, Mary Pangborn, at 61 Pioneer St.
In addition to her sister, she is survived by four nephews; two nieces; and numerous grand nieces and nephews.
She was predeceased by two sisters, Anna Finnerty and Stephanie Madebach; and one brother, John Wishinsky.
A Mass of Christian Burial at St. Mary’s “Our Lady of the Lake” Church was Wednesday, Sept. 30, concelebrated by Father John Rosson, pastor, and Father John Roos, former pastor. Burial followed in St. Mary’s Cemetery, Index.
Funeral arrangements were under the direction of the Tillapaugh Funeral Service, Cooperstown and Milford.
Edward J. McMahon, 87; Banker Lived In Westville
Retired banker Edmund J. McMahon of Delmar, formerly of Westville, died Tuesday, Sept. 29, at The Community Hospice at St. Peter’s Hospital in Albany after a long illness. He was 87.
He was born and raised in White Plains, the youngest child of Joseph C. and Lucy (Smith) McMahon. After graduating from White Plains High School, he joined the County Trust Co. in 1941.
After service in World War II, he returned to the County Trust, where he ultimately rose to the position of vice president for business development. He retired in 1982 as vice president of the County Trust Region of the Bank of New York, then consulted for several years.
He was married Sept. 8, 1951, to the former Jane Marie Shine of White Plains. The couple lived in Cortlandt and Mahopac.
He retired in 1990 to Westville, where he was an officer in the Grange and a Milford Rotarian. He moved to Cobleskill in 2002 and Delmar in February.
He is survived by his wife; four sons, Edmund J., Jr. (Joan) of Delmar, Peter of Patterson, Robert (Elizabeth) of Alexandria, Va., and Christopher of Delmar; daughter Patricia (Steven) Houser of Carmel.
A funeral mass is 1 p.m. Friday, Oct. 2, at St. Mary’s “Our Lady of the Lake” Church, Cooperstown.
Rita A. Jorgensen, 92
COOPERSTOWN – Rita Audrey Cashman Jorgensen, a long-time resident of Cooperstown, died Saturday, Sept. 19, 2009, at Faxton-St. Luke’s Healthcare in Utica. She was 92.
Rita was born March 24, 1917, in New York City, the second child of Timothy and Margaret (McCormick) Cashman.
She was raised in Manhattan, and enjoyed sharing memories of growing up there: of entering a dance marathon, spending 16 hours on her feet and winning the grand prize; or of a helicopter trip around her beloved Manhattan.
In 1936, Rita married Arthur I. Jorgensen. They were married for 58 years, until Mr. Jorgensen’s death Oct. 13, 1994.
They originally settled on Staten Island, where Arthur founded Jorgensen Motors, a Chrysler dealership. Rita worked with her husband in the automobile business and in his real estate business, in which he built some very fine residences.
In 1963, Rita and Arthur, and their daughter, Barbara, moved to Cooperstown, and on Christmas Eve settled into their new home on Pioneer Street. They later came to live in Senator Stokes’ residence, Woodside Hall.
For many years, Rita enjoyed her work for the Clark Foundation. After her retirement she lived at 125 Lake St., and for the last two years, she has lived with her daughter and son-in-law on River Road, where she enjoyed the countryside and the company of dogs, cats and birds.
Rita is survived by her daughter, Barbara Gloria Lamb, and her husband, Charles, of Cooperstown; and one sister-in-law, Mrs. Frieda H. Cashman of Poughkeepsie.
In addition to her husband, she was predeceased by her sister, Ruth Dorothea Cashman, and her brother, Wilfred Clement Cashman, who both died in 2001.
A private graveside service was planned in Lakewood Cemetery.Labels: 10-02-09, Obituaries |
| posted by The Freeman's Journal @ 12:00 AM |
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OUT OF SCHOOL IN THE ZONE
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‘We want to give children a safe, quiet place for homework,” said Susan Boss, The Zone’s after school program coordinator.
The after-school program, launched last April, started again Tuesday, Sept. 22.
During a typical afternoon at The Zone, Grade 5-8 students arrive by bus for a quick healthy snack, an hour of homework with supervision and assistance from retired teachers and honor students, and then 45 minutes of free time for games.
“A lot of kids go home to an empty house, here they would have a healthy snack and someone to ask how their day was,” said Boss.
The hours are 3-5:15 p.m. after school every Tuesday and Thursday.
To sign up, or to volunteer your math skills, stop by The Zone or call and leave a message at (315) 858-3200.
“If kids can finish their homework here, there will be more time for family time when their parents get home from work,” said Boss.Labels: 10-02-09, Richfield Springs |
| posted by The Freeman's Journal @ 12:00 AM |
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Along Route 20
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80% Of Grads Attend College, Barraco Reports
RICHFIELD SPRINGS
Eighty percent of Richfield Springs Central School’s Class of 2009 are attending college this fall, Superintendent of Schools Bob Barraco reported to the school board.
That’s well above the state average, he said, adding RSCS’s report card shows the district in good standing on all measurements.
Barraco said RSCS is looking to share a school psychologist with Cherry Valley-Springfield.
NEW HIRES: Joe Manzo has joined RSCS as assistant football coach, Matt Nelson as bus driver, Maureen Davidson as permanent substitute, Jacqueline Parry as ISS monitor, and Lisa Mang as part-time teaching assistant.Labels: 10-02-09, Richfield Springs |
| posted by The Freeman's Journal @ 12:00 AM |
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Letters To The Editor
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Upgrading Lakefront Motel ‘A Non-Starter’
To the Editor:
It would help clarify matters for the village trustees to admit the obvious concerning the Lakefront Motel - that it was a mistake to have been built in the first place.
And so it would be disingenuous for the village to do anything that might encourage the owners to expand it.
A flat-roof, low-rise motel makes no sense in that location. Motels of this sort were intended for ‘50s style highways, like Route 20, not cul-de-sacs on quiet neighborhood streets.
Its neon “motel’ sign is emblematic. It’s built to be visible from a mile away on a highway, yet it’s barely visible from a block away. So it serves no economic purpose: By the time you see it, the motel is in plain sight.
The motel’s faux nautical motif would be appropriately kitschy for Lake Havasu in Arizona, not the Glimmerglass National Historic District.
It’s past time for the Lakefront Motel to be converted into a use that is in keeping with the historic character and ambience of the village.
And it would be productive for the village trustees to convey that message to the owners.
It’s a great site - for a more appropriate use. If the owners will work with the HPARB, they can build something that they and the rest of the village can be proud of. But adding on to a mistake is a non-starter.
CHIP NORTHRUP
Cooperstown
Museyb Shareef, Longtime ‘Saint,’ Key Member Of Combo
To the Editor:
I just wanted to add some information to your very nice article and picture of the Saints Jazz Quintet Plus One, appearing in The Freeman’s Journal (Sept. 4), headlined “’Route 20 Takes Me/Home’ Goes On The Road.”
My very good friend and original member since we started 21 years ago, Museyb Shareef of Cooperstown, a very fine trombone player and a great singer, could not make that gig.
He was ill at the time and hoped he could be there, but at the last minute he had to cancel his appearance.
Museyb has always been a big part of our group and we missed him very much that evening.
Also in the article, it said that I agreed to orchestrate the song. I agreed to having my band play the song. The person who did the arranging was our fine keyboard player Tommy Zinis.
He used the chords that Terry gave him, wrote down the actual notes to play and also decided on a tempo.
He also did the actual singing of the song and decided on a tempo with the rest of our rhythm section, Duke and Kevin, and they all did a great job.
I just wanted to give credit to my fellow musicians.
GEORGE EHRMANN
Richfield Springs
Ted Hargrove Stands His Ground
To the Editor:
In response to a recent letter, I would like your readers to understand that I have lived in the Cooperstown area since 1955, attended both Hartwick and Cooperstown schools.
My children were born in Cooperstown and attended Cooperstown school. My grandchildren were born in Cooperstown and attended Cooperstown school.
I lived in our village for 20 years and had to move out because of the aggravation, the taxes and the lack of benefits.
Mr. Kuhn does not understand why he should never make assumptions. The one remark that he made that was correct is that I think the Historic Preservation and Architectural Review Board are a crock. Again, I will make a statement that we do not live in a museum.
Those who do not understand my criticism of this new board need only attend a couple of meetings requiring something to be done on their property to understand what I am saying.
When you come away in disbelief, stop in at TJ’s Restaurant and let me know what has been done to you.
Once again, Mr. Kuhn states that I am misinformed, misguided, inarticulate, arrogant and ignorant, and obviously a self-serving individual who provides a degree of comic relief.
I would say that all of these adjectives pretty much cover my background. I would say in my 68 years of life that this whole past statement applies to all of us from time to time.
However, I am really surprised – wait a minute, I am not surprised – that Mr. Kuhn, obviously a member of the upper crust, a highly educated individual, would stoop so low as to pick on a man with my obvious lack of knowledge.
On several occasions I have applauded the hard, tireless work of the various board members past and present to improve the village we live in.
Also, I support our police department 100 percent. My son, Bill was a meter attendant and officer in our village. He is now a sergeant on another police force.
I wouldn’t say that anybody was irresponsible. Some trustees might be in favor of spending money we do not have and others may not. Is it right or is it wrong to continually spend money we do not have in our budget?
You, the readers, be the judge.
TED HARGROVE
Thanks For Help In Raising $1,000
To the Editor:
The Lions Club of Cooperstown would like to express its appreciation to the many individuals who participated in the Great American Duck Race at the Fly Creek Cider Mill Sept. 12-13.
We are especially grateful to the mill and the Michaels family for allowing us to participate in this wonderful event. The generosity of the mill, and all those who attended, allowed us to raise over $1,000.
These funds will be used to support local projects that directly benefit members of our community, along with aiding Lions International in our mission to empower volunteers to serve their communities, meet humanitarian needs, encourage peace and promote international understanding through Lions clubs.
JOHN ROWLEY
President
Cooperstown Lions ClubLabels: 10-02-09, Letters to the Editor, Opinion, Perspectives |
| posted by The Freeman's Journal @ 12:00 AM |
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Parking Important To Attract Tenants Downtown
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FRED LEMISTER
THE PARTIAL OBSERVER
Editor’s Note: This letter from Fred Lemister convinced the village board, by a 4-2 vote, to reverse its decision of Aug. 17 regarding three parking spaces next to the fire hall on Chestnut Street:
I wish to address a letter my wife received from Village Clerk Teri L. Barown, written on the 18th of August, addressing action taken by the board on the previous evening.
The letter states, “The trustees voted to approve the parking behind the fire hall, which is village property, be restricted to members of the Cooperstown Fire Department only. This restriction takes effect on Sept. 8, 2009, and will be strictly enforced.”
My wife and I have several problems with this action.
First, a little background. My family has owned the property at 161 Main St. (commonly known as the Sherry’s building) since 1952. I have personally lived in one of the apartments from 1952 through 1977.
During that entire time we had parked on village property behind, first, the old station, and then, after 1973, the present fire hall.
I am also one of the most senior members of the fire department, having joined in March 1969, and remain active today. I joined the newly formed emergency squad two years later, in March 1971, and I am its longest serving care provider.
I can speak from both points of view concerning the parking behind the fire station. It is with this point of view that I seriously question the action taken by the board on Aug. 17 and have several issues to raise.
First, I am told there was a meeting with all concerned property owners prior to the actions of Aug. 17. Neither my wife nor I were informed of, or invited to, this meeting. Since we are directly affected by this action, I believe such exclusion was arbitrary, capricious and discriminatory.
Secondly, to what end does your action serve? The fire department does not, nor never has, regularly bunked crews at the I station. The spaces in discussion are rarely used by fire personnel.
What benefit does preserving three empty parking spaces accomplish?
Thirdly, as a property owner and a renter of apartments, this action, along with action taken by the board last year, burdens me with an extreme hardship.
Last year, you took away local summer parking in the Doubleday Field lot. Now you take away the three spaces behind the fire hall.
When meeting with a prospective tenant, what do I tell him/her when asked about parking? At least prior to the 17th , I could say there were three spaces behind the fire station available on a first come-first serve basis. What do I say now?
In your letter of the 18th it was mentioned that the spaces were on village property. So are the spaces in Doubleday Field and behind the Chamber of Commerce. What is the difference?
Fourthly, when the parking issue came-up, I was under the belief that it was just about the narrow bottleneck between the northern edge of the fire department meeting room and the row of buildings closest to it.
The village crew clearly marked that right-of-way in early August and I thought the matter was settled. I never was aware the three spaces behind the hall were in discussion.
Finally, it was reported in the paper that the trustees are very concerned about improving the viability of second- and third-floor properties on Main Street.
How does your action of Aug. 17 address this concern other than by making it worse?Labels: 10-02-09, Opinion, Perspectives, The Partial Observer |
| posted by The Freeman's Journal @ 12:00 AM |
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Locals
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Pa. Fruit Wins Pumpkinfest; Sundstroms Third This Year
COOPERSTOWN
Dave Hilstoski, Wyoming, Pa., won the $2,500 first-place prize for the largest pumpkin at the sixth annual Cooperstown Pumpkinfest Saturday, Sept. 26, in the Doubleday Field parking lot. The winning entry weighed 1,557 pounds.
Winner of the Otsego County contest was John Elliott, Cooperstown, with an 880-pound entry. Linda Selover, Cooperstown, was second with a 201-pound entry. Megan Lohan, Town of Middlefield, was third (160) .
Deb and Randy Sundstrom, Walton, who won last year, took third place and $750 this year with a 1,382-pound entry. Last year, the Sundstroms winner weighed 1,248.
Tom and Kim Privatera, Poughkeepsie, took second and $1,500 at 1,410 pounds.
The next day at the regatta, Matt Aldrich, New Lisbon, paddling for the National Baseball Hall of Fame, took first in the sponsors’ race.
Courtney Yonce, paddling for Howard Johnson Inn & Suites, was second, and Dave Weaver, Gordon B. Roberts Agency, third.
In the growers’ race, John Lohan, paddling for Steven Short, Whitney Point, was first.
Alison Weber, paddling for Matt Verschneider, was second and Deb Miller, for David Lansing, Essex, was third.
Former Candidate Abbate Named Chairman Of Village’s Democrats
COOPERSTOWN
With village elections coming up in March, Richard D. Abbate has become chairman of Cooperstown’s Democratic Committee, replacing Richard Campbell.
Abbate, who ran for village trustee last March, was active in local, state and national Democratic campaigns while in Staten Island. He also served as state committeeman. He said he will be seeking candidates for mayor, trustee posts and justice.
He, wife Rosemarie, and sons Dominick, 10, and Richie, 8, moved here in 2002.
Signs Of Life Emerge In One Unlikely Place
 HARTWICK
To her surprise, Shirley Walrath of Cooperstown has found herself with a living reminder of her husband, George, who died on Christmas Eve 2004.
Make that 10 reminders.
Last Halloween, Mrs. Walrath decorated her husband’s grave in Hartwick Cemetery with hardy mums and a pumpkin.
“...and a little stuffed kitty cat,” she said, “because he loved cats.”
She continued, “We left it there. Six months later we went back and took it away.”
During a recent visit to the grave, the widow was in for a surprise: Her husband’s plot was covered with a flourishing vine, which turned out to be a pumpkin plant.
It would have tickled his sense of humor, she reasoned, so she left it there.
Returning the other day, she discovered 10 pumpkins growing there ... just in time for Pumpkin Fest.
AT THE FAIR: Molly Watson, Cooperstown, and Sharla Woodrow, Milford, won dairy cattle ribbons at the 163rd New York State Fair. Molly also won a swine show ribbon. Michael Jicha, Cherry Valley, showed in the Youth BuildingLabels: 10-02-09, Locals |
| posted by The Freeman's Journal @ 12:00 AM |
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Cooperstown And Around
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NBT Planning Expansion In Cooperstown
COOPERSTOWN
NBT Bank is planning a 4,600 expansion behind its branch at 62 Pioneer St.
The bank has received approval to demolish the cinder-block building behind the branch. It was built to house The Freeman’s Journal press after its building at Main and Pioneer burned in 1964. If the bank gets approval on construction, work will begin in the spring.
GOING, GOING ... The 1942 ALCO locomotive parked in the Delaware Otsego Corp. parking lot at Main and Railroad has been sold. The new owner was expected to move it, beginning Thursday, Oct. 1.
REGISTER NOW: There’s still time to register for the Otsego County Chamber’s 10th annual Small Business Banquet Oct. 8 honoring architect Jim Jordan and Ioxus, the super-capacitator manufacturer. Call 432-4500 or e-mail pam@otsegocountychamber.com
NOMINATE! Send nominations for the annual Patrick C. Fetterman Award for service to local youth to Brenda Wedderspoon-Gray, Clark Sports Center, Box 850, Cooperstown, 13326Labels: 10-02-09, Cooperstown and Around, Front Page |
| posted by The Freeman's Journal @ 12:00 AM |
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Blessed Sacrament Full For Church’s Final Mass
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By JIM KEVLIN
SPRINGFIELD CENTER
With a nod to the realtors’ dictum, “location, location, location,” the Rev. John Roos declared “amen” on Blessed Sacrament Roman Catholic Church’s home of 107 years on Public Landing Road.
The pastor of St. Thomas the Apostle in Cherry Valley, which will absorb the parishioners, gave his valedictory sermon Saturday, Sept. 29, to a packed house.
He spoke of this transition as reflecting “the already of our faith and the not yet of our faith” – the momentum from Christ’s time on earth to his anticipated coming on the Last Day.
Still, Father Roos – former pastor of St. Mary’s “Our Lady of the Lake” Church, Cooperstown – confessed “a special attachment and feeling for this lovely little rural church.”
He also took the opportunity to trace the Catholic Church’s history in the Town of Springfield to the first masses in a farmhouse on the Continental Road.
The congregation later rented the Universalist Church in Springfield Center – $1 a week, paid promptly – but it burned in 1899, moving the faithful to the upper ballroom of the Central Hotel.
In 1902, Father Thomas Early, pastor at Cooperstown, signed a $2,000 contract for the construction of Blessed Sacrament, to be paid through “pew rent” and the weekly collection.
Bishop Thomas Burke, Diocese of Albany, joined Father Early in celebrating the first mass locally later that year, and Catholics from Cooperstown came out on the Mohican and Natty Bumpo to worship with their neighboring Catholics to the north.Labels: 10-02-09, Front Page |
| posted by The Freeman's Journal @ 12:00 AM |
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CV Art Center May Be Active By Spring
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CHERRY VALLEY
Cherry Valley Artworks hopes to have enough work done on the old village hall – a future community arts center – to have its annual gala there next spring.
Jane Sapinsky, Artworks director, voiced that expectation after receiving a $1,000 donation from NBT Bank Thursday, Sept. 24.
Artworks has met with architect Clemens McGiver, Cobleskill, who has determined the building is structurally sound and is proceeding to develop the “greenest possible plan,” Sapinsky said.
Initial hurdles are installing a sufficient septic system and building a handicap ramp to the second-floor former Star cinema, simplified because it is on the level with the lane that runs up the side.Labels: 10-02-09, Cherry Valley, Front Page |
| posted by The Freeman's Journal @ 12:00 AM |
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Guitar Hall Surmounts 1st Obstacle
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By JIM KEVLIN
COOPERSTOWN
The International Guitar Hall of Fame & Museum made beautiful music with the village’s Planning Board the other day during their first jamming session.
After a half hour of friendly review, the Planning Board Tuesday, Sept. 29, ruled Arlen Roth’s proposal would “not be detrimental to the community and value of surrounding properties.” The vote was unanimous.
“There’s potential to increase the value of the neighborhood,” said Cindy Falk, Planning Board alternate.
While the reception was warm, this is the first of perhaps a year of regulatory steps before Roth – friend of Les Paul and Pauls Simon and McCartney, and successful guitar-teaching entrepreneur (950,000 players log on to his daily on-line lesson) – can send in the construction crews to make his dream a physical reality.
The Planning Board, in effect, is recommending that the village trustees issue a special permit.
If they do, the next step would be for Roth to return to the Planning Board with a site plan. If approved, the Zoning Board of Appeals would likely have to act on a parking plan.Labels: 10-02-09, Front Page, Guitar Hall Of Fame |
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CCS Superintendent Search Begins
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COOPERSTOWN
The timing of Mary Jo McPhail’s letter of resignation will allow the Cooperstown Central school board to “get ahead of the herd” in finding a replacement, according to the board’s president.
“The pool has gotten much smaller because of the demands of that job,” said Tony Scalici, who said the school board will be meeting with BOCES Superintendent Nick Savin in the next several days to begin the search for a new superintendent.
McPhail’s retirement – she has served CCS for 13 years, three times the average tenure of a superintendent these days – had been anticipated for some time before she gave the board the formal letter Sept. 16.
She said it “was in the best interest of the school district” to give sufficient notice to have a successor in place by the end of the school year, the date of her retirement.
Scalici said the school board has three ways to proceed: go it alone, which he said is unlikely; use the recruitment assistance provided by BOCES, or hire a consultant to guide the board through the process.
The president said he prefers the third option, as the one that would be ensure a successful search.
The idea would be to identify five or six good candidates, and bring them in next February or March to sit down with at least two committees – one of district residents, the other of teachers.
He anticipated the school board will choose from two candidates by next April.
Asked what he’s looking for, he said “I would look for someone with the kind of integrity we have right now with Mary Jo ... She formed a good standard.”
Scalici was the only current person on the school board when McPhail was hired to replace Douglas Bradshaw in 1996.
For her part, McPhail, who came here from Victor, outside Rochester, where she was a building principal, said she doesn’t know what role, if any, she will play in the search.
“That’s up to the board,” she said. “It’s their decision, it’s their search. I’m happy to do whatever they ask of me, but I also recognize that’s it’s their decision.”Labels: 10-02-09, CCS, Front Page |
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Drogen's Your Store For The Home For 60 Years At 60, Otsego County Retailing Mainstay Still Avows Success-Yielding Principles
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By JIM KEVLIN
ONEONTA
The first store, 60 years ago, was shared with a shoe-repair shop at Main and Broadway.
Any evidence of it is beneath Kim Muller Plaza.
The second store, a half-dozen years later, was at Main and Luther, near the Golden Guernsey.
Any evidence of it was obliterated by I-88.
That said, at age 60 there’s no lack of evidence that Drogen’s is still here, and thriving.
The Southside store – pioneer Paul Drogen correctly anticipated what would happen to the neighborhood when he moved there 31 years ago – has been expanded over the years to the size of a football field.
On River Street, a former disposable-diaper factory now houses Drogen’s electrical and lighting outlet, the company warehouse and the corporate offices.
Both properties provide plenty of space for expansion.
So, in an interview as the store’s 60th anniversary arrived, Arnie Drogen, Paul and Muriel’s son, reflected with some satisfaction that the retailer is positioned for success for a long time to come.
With “good prices, good quality, good service” – Drogen’s words – why not?
Together, the Southside and River Street properties provide 160,000 square feet of space, a long way from the 200 square feet in the original location.
Back from World War II, Paul Drogen, an electrician before the war, looked north from New York City, seeking a quieter lifestyle in a good community to raise a family.
“He came here one day and fell in love with Oneonta,” said his son.
That was the hey-day of downtowns nationwide, and Oneonta’s was no different.
Every storefront was filled. That said, “it was an era where there were not a lot of options for people to buy electrical products,” said Drogen.
So Paul made a deal with the cobbler, divided the store in half and got started, primarily serving electrical contractors.
By the time he moved to the corner of Luther five years later, he was selling small appliances – toasters, percolators – as well as major appliances.
By this time, young Arnie had arrived on the scene, and would spend much of the next two decades at the various Drogen’s locations.
Until just a few years ago, old-time customers would tell him, “I remember when your mother would bring you in in a baby carriage.”
By the time he was 4 or 5, Arnie Drogen was greeting customers. As he grew, he worked behind the counter, in the warehouse, driving delivery trucks, doing pretty much everything.
He graduated from OHS, then Union College, where he studied English, theater and foreign languages, then went off for a year at the Sorbonne in heady 1968. He still speaks French well.
Returning to The States, Drogen spent the next several years at Berkeley, obtaining an advanced degree in theater, producing avante garde plays and absorbing the atmosphere.
He would walk by Alice Waters’ famed Chez Panisse on the way to campus, and would often stop in for a bite, meeting many of the celebrities who flocked to the birthplace of “California Cuisine.”
Arnie returned to the family business in 1978, about the time the Southside store opened as a full-range home-products and furnishing emporium, and the city was abuzz.
“Mr. Drogen has lost his mind,” people were saying, “putting up a building on Southside, in the middle of nowhere.”
Said Paul’s son, “It was rather courageous.”
It was also visionary, given everything that’s happened there since.
Back home, the younger Drogen refocused his theater training on showmanship in marketing and promotion. He organized the first tent sale. He developed the anniversary sale – the 60th is going on now – as the crown jewel on Drogen’s promotional calendar.
“We’ve made it a point to go all out,” he said, “to make it our biggest promotion.”
To compete with the Big Boxes, Drogen’s affiliated with BrandSource, a coop that buys $8-10 billion annually for independent stores, assuring they can match anyone’s prices.
“We buy at the same level as any of the so-called big guys,” said the president and CEO.
Another strategy has been treating employees well, said Drogen, who concluded that salespeople treat customers they way they are treated.
“People who work with Drogen’s and for Drogen’s” – 70 in all – are our family,” he said. “There is a lot of good feeling here and a lot of love.”
That’s evident in the longevity of much of the staff.
Marilyn Hillis, who joined the company right out of high school a half-century ago and still works part-time, is legendary in that regard.
But Dale Bullock, co-manager, Drogen Electric Supply, has been with the company 31 years. The other co-manager, Chris Puerile, has been there a decade.
(Drogen’s other key manager is Arnie Levy, at the Southside retail store; Jim Morris is Levy’s deputy.)
In addition to promotion and human relations, the owner credits the company’s continuing success to “a lot of grace. A lot of good fortune.”
But let’s back up a minute to promotion.
tED – the Electrical Distributor magazine – singled out Drogen’s “Field of Dreams” promotion in its “Best Practices” section of the August 2008 issue.
Drogen’s partnered with Crescent/Stonco, the lighting company, inviting their best customers to a reception, tours and dinner at the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
A sales contest ensued, with the winner of five divisions hosted at Crescent/Stonco’s box seats behind home plate at Yankee Stadium.
By the time it was done, related business had gone up 35-40 percent.Labels: 10-02-09, Glimmerglass |
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Weekend's Best Bets
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Homecoming At Oneonta, Cooperstown
Hometown games are upon us at Oneonta City and Cooperstown Central high schools.
Oneonta’s game is 1:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 3, when the Yellowjackets face Unatego.
Cooperstown’s game is at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 2, when the Redskins face Frankfort Schuyler.
QUILTS APLENTY: Quilting enthusiasts have been looking forward to “Rainbows of Color,” the annual quit show 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Friday-Sunday, Oct. 2-4, at the Major’s Inn, Gilbertsville.
BLESSING: All pets – and friends – are welcome at the annual blessing of the animals at 5:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 2, at St. Mary’s Church, Oneonta.
ANNUAL LUNCH: The Cooperstown Native Daughters’ annual luncheon is noon Saturday, Oct. 3, at The Otesaga. To be a daughter, you must be at least 50 and have been born within a 10-mile radius of Cooperstown, or lived there 50 years.
ART EVERYWHERE: Eugene Lissandrello and Dan Friend open at UCCCA’s Wilber Mansion at 5 p.m. Friday, Oct. 2; “Catskill Landcapes,” 4-8 p.m. Saturday, at the B. Sharp Gallery, Route 28, Franklin Mountain; and nine artists will exhibit 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday at the Unadilla Historical Society’s annual show.
SHOP EARLY: A Christmas shopping party is planned 3:30-6 p.m. Sunday at The Zone Community Center, Ann Street, Richfield Springs.
CANCER CHECKS: Bassett Healthcare’s new Mobile Cancer Screening Coach will be at the Fly Creek Cider Mill’s “Big Squeeze” weekend 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 3. Sunday, breast examinations and digital mammography will be provided 11 a.m.-4 p.m.. | Labels: 10-02-09, Glimmerglass, Weekend's Best Bets |
| posted by The Freeman's Journal @ 12:00 AM |
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Moms Go On The Road
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SAM GOODYEAR
ART BEAT
So you thought there was no life after summer? O, ye of little faith!
Sure the festival mania is behind us, but this is Otsego County, our very own bucolic Florence, and the artistic pulse here never slows:
We spoke a couple of weeks ago about the Catskill Symphony Orchestra’s season now under way.
There’s the Cooperstown Concert series to note on your calendar.
The Oneonta Concert Association will soon be in full swing.
Orpheus Theatre is revving up as we speak (write).
And let’s not forget the new excitement at Foothills Performing Arts Center, where Executive Director Jennifer McDowall has engaged a hot new rock concert musical to perform Thursday-Saturday, Oct. 1-3.
It’s called “MoM” and was a sensation at the New York International Fringe Festival this past summer, subsequently selected to move on to the Encore Series.
Written and directed by Richard Caliban (artistic director for 14 years at NYC’s Cucaracha Theatre), “MoM” tells the story of a group of middle-aged suburban mothers in the Midwest who put together a band, just for laughs, and play at a fund-raiser at their children’s high school.
Ha ha. The laugh is on them as they find themselves thrust into unexpected limelight and embark on fulltime, big time rock band tours.
Hopes spawned in the constrictions of domestic life suddenly become realities, but not without struggle and serious challenges to their marriages and family life.
We hesitate to quote our out-of-town competition, but the Village Voice proclaimed that the show’s “songs are a terrific mix of styles, and the lyrics… aim for humor and genuine emotion, often inspiring both… A life for ‘MoM’ post-Fringe is undeniable.”
And so it has proved, and here is your opportunity to be in on it. Sound like a plan?Labels: 10-02-09, Art Beat, Glimmerglass, Sam Goodyear |
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Classified
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 Storage
Heated Storage
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607-433-1951
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Oct9
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Fly Creek house for rent. 5 bedrooms, garage. $1200 + utilities. Contact Mike Swatling (607) 435-6454
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Village House For Rent: 3 bedroom, 2 bath, laundry, newly renovated, well insulated, large yard, garage, central Cooperstown village house. Pets OK. $975/month plus utilities. Rob Lee (607) 434-5177.
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547-8551
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For Sale
Well cared for BOAT FOR SALE:
* 17-foot Starcraft WV171 (OMC V6, Stringer drive)
* 1981 model with recently redone interior
* Used only on Otsego Lake
* Stored and maintained annually at Sam Smith’s boatyard
* Asking price: $2000
* Boat used this season and can be seen at Sam Smith’s Boatyard, where it has been stabilized and fogged.
Call Susan R. Hughson, 543-9700 or 433-1847
3ClassOct9
Dachshunds AKC puppies longhair & short silver & red dapples. De-wormed & shots. Females $400, males $350. 12 weeks old. Parents on premises. Two 6 month old puppies 1 female & 1 male $250. 607-488-4047.
3ClassOct16
Business for Sale
Cooperstown Village, turnkey, great inventory and lease, 2000 sf, off-street parking Serious, interested parties only
607-435-7960
TFN
Business Opportunity
Commercial Office Space Available for rent in a fine location. Call Dick
Cavanagh of ERA
Cavanagh-Wright Real Estate at 607-432-9700 ext. 321 for more details.
3ClassOct9
Free
2 AKC registered yorkie terriers for free,contact
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Adoption
ADOPT: Childless loving woman (teacher) wishes to adopt a newborn. Financially secure home with close extended family. Legal/Confidential. Expenses paid. Please call Denise: 1-866-201-4602Pin#0196
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Business Opportunity
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Financial
Get cash for residential/commercial property, notes, portfolios, private party loans, real estate equity/debt, patented technology, business expansion/acquisitions. Atlantic Capital Fund 1-866-218-1185.
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Equipment For Sale
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Home Improvement
HAS YOUR BUILDING SHIFTED OR SETTLED? Contact Woodford Brothers Inc, for straightening, leveling, foundation and wood frame repairs at 1-800-OLD-BARN. www.woodfordbros.com.
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Houses For Sale
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Land For Sale
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ATTEND COLLEGE ONLINE from home. *Medical, *Business, *Paralegal, *Accounting, *Criminal Justice. Job placement assistance. Computer available. Financial Aid if qualified. Call 888-201-8657 www.CenturaOnline.com
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Real Estate
SULLIVAN COUNTY REAL PROPERTY TAX FORECLOSURE AUCTION. 50 Properties October 22 @10:30AM. The Lodge at Rock Hill, NY 800-243-0061 AAR & HAR. Free brochure: www.NYSAUCTIONS.com
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NEWBURGH, NY REAL PROPERTY TAX FORECLOSURE AUCTION 48 Homes October 1 @ 11AM. Homewood Suites Stewart- Newburgh. 800-243-0061 AAR, Inc. & HAR inc. www.NYSAuctions.com
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AUCTION REAL PROPERTY TAX FORECLOSURES IN DUTCHESS COUNTY. Selling Properties October 14 @ 11am. Mercury Grand Hotel, Poughkeepsie. 800-243-0061 AAR HAR. Free Brochure: www.NYSAUCTIONS.com
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Vacation Rentals
OCEAN CITY, MARYLAND. Best selection of affordable rentals. Full/ partial weeks. Call for FREE brochure. Open daily. Holiday Real Estate. 1-800-638-2102. Online reservations: www.holidayoc.com
1NyscanOct2Labels: 10-02-09, Classifieds |
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