Diocese reopens hotline, removes priests
The Archdiocese of Albany has reinstated a hotline for area Catholics to express their views about efforts to deal with charges of sexual abuse involving priests.

N.Y. uninsured numbers steady
ALBANY — While the number of uninsured Americans continues to grow, the number of state residents without health coverage has held steady.

City OKs adjustments to Emprire Zone
ONEONTA — Oneonta aldermen Tuesday approved the latest additions and deletions of city acreage eligible as part of Otsego County's Empire Zone.

DOT targets summer of 2006 for Southside improvements
ONEONTA —The state Department of Transportation expects to begin improvements to the Southside Corridor no sooner than the summer of 2006, a department representative told the Town Planning Board Tuesday night.

Tuesday, April 15, 2003

Elks following woman for first time in history
ONEONTA —Less than 10 years after the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks started accepting women, the Oneonta Lodge has its first woman leader. Joanmarie Lyons of Oneonta said she was installed as exalted ruler of Oneonta Elks Lodge No. 1312 on March 26 and took office April 1. Lyons, a supervisor at Verizon directory assistance, joined the Elks Lodge four years ago, she said, because she felt it was a good organization that did a lot of charitable work.

Charges dismissed against two in stabbing case
ONEONTA —Charges were dismissed Monday against two of the three accused of stabbing a man at Wal-Mart last month, after the victim didn't identify them at a felony hearing.

Oneonta may clean rail yards
ONEONTA — City officials say they want to clean up the former Delaware & Hudson rail yards of possible contamination so the property will be more attractive to potential developers.

Driver gets 2 to 6 for manslaughter
COOPERSTOWN - Edward A. Warner, 39, was sentenced Monday in Otsego County Court to two-to-six years in state prison for second-degree vehicular manslaughter.

Parade planned for kids in Delhi
DELHI — The second annual Parade and Children's Festival will begin with a parade along Main Street in Delhi at 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday.

Tax break sought for senior housing
ONEONTA — A local businessman is petitioning the city for a tax break on his proposal to build senior housing in the Sixth Ward.

Forum focuses on post-war role in Iraq
ONEONTA —Post-war Iraq and the role of the United States in the world were the topics of a community forum that drew an audience of more than 50 Monday night.

State may raise timber-theft penalty
ALBANY — State lawmakers Monday introduced legislation that for the first time in nearly 100 years would stiffen the penalty for the theft of timber on state and private land.

Monday, April 14, 2003

Health-care privacy rules will affect 'openness'
Starting today nursing homes, hospitals, doctor's offices, insurance companies and pharmacies will begin new practices to protect the privacy of their clients. The changes are a result of the privacy rule of the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, or HIPAA, which takes effect today. Kurt Apthorpe, administrator of the Delaware County Countryside Care Center, said HIPAA forces all health-care providers to keep personal health information from being used in the wrong way or ending up in the wrong hands.

Cooperstown senior wins poetry prize
STAMFORD — The third time was the charm for Cooperstown poet Sarah Poulette. Three readings of her original poetry in three heats won top honors for Poulette, a senior at Cooperstown High School, at Word Thursdays seventh annual Share the Words High School Poetry Competition.

Audits tell Delaware to cut down on cars
DELHI — Two recent state audits indicate that Delaware County lost about $46,000 in interest income in 2002 and could save $195,000 by not replacing 15 older vehicles.

Audit: Delaware could save with better investments
DELHI — An state audit indicates that Delaware County could have earned more than $46,000 in additional interest revenue in 2002.

Chamber cites Bassett, late Gene Bettiol Jr.
ONEONTA —The Otsego County Chamber honored Bassett Healthcare and the late Eugene A. Bettiol Jr. during the chamber's Annual Dinner and Celebration of Business Saturday.

Village to close bridge for repairs
COOPERSTOWN - Cooperstown's Main Street bridge will close next Monday when a long-awaited project to replace the bridge begins.

Area news briefs

Saturday, April 12, 2003

Gibbons fires assistant over DA race
COOPERSTOWN - Otsego County District Attorney William "Jack" Gibbons, 57, fired his chief assistant district attorney, Richard Brown, on Friday afternoon at the Otsego County Courthouse. On Monday, Brown, 37, announced his intention to run for Gibbons' job. Both Republicans have sent letters to the county's Republican Committee, seeking its endorsement. Also seeking the GOP nod is Milford lawyer John Muehl, who is chief assistant district attorney in Delaware County.

Farmers weather wet spring
Recent snow and rain, coupled with high fuel prices and low milk prices, have left several area dairy farmers wondering what to expect from the spring planting season.

'She makes my job a lot easier'
HAMDEN — Hamden is throwing a party to honor the woman who has served as town clerk for three decades, according to Hamden Supervisor Wayne Marshfield.

Judge dismisses 12 counts against LaDukes
COOPERSTOWN - In court Friday, Otsego County Judge Brian Burns dismissed 12 counts of a 19-count indictment against former Milford Mayor Michael LaDuke and his wife, former Milford village Clerk Debra LaDuke.

Ski season nears end across area
As the first daffodils push their way up through the lingering snow, the ski season is drawing to a close.

School board OKs budget
The Sidney Central School District Board of Education passed its budget for next year during a meeting Thursday, school officials said.

Got milk? Students at Unadilla Valley do
NEW BERLIN - When students at Unadilla Valley Central School are thirsty next week, they'll have a new, healthy option available in the school's cafeteria.

Petroskey: Hall shouldn't be a platform

In your opinion
Baseball Hall's Cancellation Of `Bull Durham' Event

Area news briefs

Friday, April 11, 2003

Regents grads rise in state
ALBANY — More students in New York are passing Regents exams, yet many minorities are doing so with grades below 65, new school report cards show. While the number of graduates in the state has slightly increased, it's still taking many students longer than four years to finish high school, according to Thursday's report. These statistics pose a challenge for the state Board of Regents, which sets education policy. Though the passing grade on three Regents exams next year is scheduled to be raised from 55 to 65, concerns over a lingering achievement gap between poor, minority and wealthy, white students may lead the Regents board to delay raising the bar.

Some in area say reports can be misleading
While the state school report card has its merits as an evaluation tool for school and student academic performance, the quantitative data has flaws, say area district superintendents and educators.

N.Y. education leader turns to Norwich for helpful hints
NORWICH — Students at the Norwich Middle School provided a lesson in good teaching Thursday to the state Commissioner of Education.

Schumer to push for dairy compact
COOPERSTOWN - U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., said Thursday he's working on legislation to create a new Northeast Dairy Compact to boost prices paid to dairy farmers.

Actor Robbins `dismayed' at cancellation
Actor Tim Robbins said he was "dismayed" by the Baseball Hall of Fame decision to cancel the 15th anniversary celebration of "Bull Durham" because of anti-war criticism by he and Susan Sarandon, both co-stars.

Reported assault case closed
ONEONTA — Last month's reported hate crime involving the alleged assault of an openly gay woman in Huntington Park is being considered a "cold case" at this point, city police said.

State says justice should be censured |
ALBANY — A Cherry Valley town justice should be censured for numerous actions, a state commission ruled Thursday.

Toy gun sales stopped
Wal-Mart on Thursday suspended all sales of toy guns in its New York stores days after the state's attorney general sued, accusing the nation's largest retailer of selling toy guns that lack required safety markings to distinguish them from real weapons.

Business Beat: Kids' clothing store to reopen in city
Children's clothing store G. W!ll!kers! is reopening on Main Street in Oneonta this spring, the store's manager said. Renovations started at the former home of Video-to-Rol in March, manager Lisa St. Onge of Oneonta said.

Thursday, April 10, 2003

Baseball Hall snubs celebrities
COOPERSTOWN - The National Baseball Hall of Fame has canceled an appearance by Academy Award winning actress Susan Sarandon and her longtime companion, actor and director Tim Robbins because they've spoken out against attacking Iraq. Sarandon and Robbins, co-stars along with Kevin Costner in the 1988 film, "Bull Durham," had been scheduled to discuss the movie, a comic look at life in the minor leagues, at the Hall of Fame on April 25 and 26.

Renovation renews the Otesaga Hotel
COOPERSTOWN - Restored from the ground up over the last five years at a cost of $34 million, the Otesaga is ready to open for its 94th season.

No SARS reported here
ONEONTA —No potential cases of severe acute respiratory syndrome have been reported in the area, local health officials said, but health-care providers are on the lookout.

FEMA gives more for snow cleanup
Additional federal funding was released Wednesday to area counties hit hardest by severe snowstorms in December and January.

College suspends student for story
A 27-year-old Hartwick College sophomore who admitted fabricating a story to college officials and The Daily Star about training military police at Fort Drum has been suspended from college pending a hearing, a college official said.

Bonacic talks nonprofit tax exemption
DELHI — Removing tax-exempt status from some properties would be a boon to local property taxpayers, according to Sen. John Bonacic, R-Mount Hope. Bonacic attended the Delaware County Board of Supervisors meeting Wednesday to discuss his proposal to end tax exemptions on some nonprofits' properties.

State of emergency lifted; NYSEG says power all back
ONEONTA —A state of emergency for Chenango County was lifted Wednesday morning after NYSEG finished restoring power to the remaining customers affected by last week's ice storm.

Former insurance agent arrested on fraud charges
A former employee of the Bob Putnam Insurance Agency in Cooperstown was arrested last month on charges stemming from insurance fraud, the state Insurance Department announced.

Wednesday, April 9, 2003

Power back, but some still paying
ONEONTA —Power companies reported Tuesday they were nearly finished restoring service affected by last week's ice storm — but the lights couldn't come on fast enough for dairy farmer Beverly Lenz-Fagan.

Student's soldier story turns out to be a hoax
ONEONTA — A 27-year-old Hartwick College sophomore featured in a front-page story in Tuesday's Daily Star admitted to college officials Tuesday he perpetrated a hoax on Hartwick and the newspaper. Rob Williams had claimed to be an inactive Army Reservist who spent his spring break training Iraq-bound military police at Fort Drum.

Despite safeguards, we fell for a tall tale
Just about every reporter and editor has heard this very sound journalistic advice: "If your mother tells you she loves you, get a second source." That saying is meant to reinforce most newspaper people's inborn skepticism about statements from people we write about.

Another hat in DA ring
COOPERSTOWN - Richard Brown, Otsego County's chief assistant district attorney, has decided to run for district attorney.

Otego cashes in at market registers
Things have really added up for Otego Elementary at the registers of the Oneonta Hannaford. Otego beat 20 other area schools to win the "Helping Schools" program, in which the supermarket gives $1,000 to the school that turns in the most receipts to the store.

Otsego reps to look at how to divide sales tax revenue
COOPERSTOWN - Now that the Otsego County Board of Representatives has decided to ask the state to increase the sales tax rate in the county to 8 percent, discussions have begun on how that money should be divided.

Oneonta police charge man in robberies
ONEONTA — An Oneonta man was arrested this week for allegedly robbing an acquaintance on three occasions, once at knife point, city police said.

State's CROP grant to help schools in area
Six school districts in Delaware and Otsego counties will benefit from a $4.9 million state grant to expand an after school and summer program for children in kindergarten through eighth grade.

Some smokers object to state's ban on lighting up in bars
ONEONTA — It's happy hour at the Brass Rail, an Oneonta pub. Smoke hangs heavy above the dimly lit bar as Betty Catapano, holding a drink in one hand, takes a contemplative drag from her cigarette and states what she believes is the obvious. "A beer and a cigarette go together," Catapano says matter-of-factly, nodding to several others who raise their bottles and smokes in agreement.

Conference to examine role of community in obesity
Cornell Cooperative Extension in Delaware County will play host to an April 24 satellite teleconference from Iowa State University titled "Overweight Issues in Childhood: Role of Environment and Community."

Two poets to read at Word Thursdays event
Word Thursdays will begin its celebration of National Poetry Month at 7 p.m. Thursday, with featured writers Andrea Carter Brown and Allen C. Fischer.

Tuesday, April 8, 2003

Snow comes calling later than expected
ONEONTA —It was the storm that almost wasn't, but by Monday evening snow was falling across a region still recovering from last week's ice storm. "The weather bureau said this was a slow mover and I guess they were right," said John Bramley, a National Weather Service observer in Delhi. "It's a little late but it's here."

Soldier pitches in back home
ONEONTA - When Hartwick College sophomore Rob Williams saw news reports of coalition soldiers at the Baghdad airport, he said, "This is when I would get my call — this is what I do."

Instructor shows range of the violin
ONEONTA — Who ever said the violin was only good for playing classical music? Not Mark Wood, an electric violinist and international recording artist, who had area violin students bowing Eric Clapton songs on Monday during a workshop at the State University College at Oneonta.

Assembly GOP task force hears of illegal ag imports
ALBANY — Within the past year, more than 32,000 pounds of illegally imported dairy products have been removed from the New York marketplace. Among the contraband was yogurt from Israel, cheese and sour cream from Mexico, a cultured beverage called Kefir from Canada, and 700 liters of Russian milk.

Dating violence to be topic of play
ONEONTA — "Four Hearts Changing," an interactive play that focuses on dating violence, will be presented by PlayRights in the Anderson Center for the Arts Theatre at Hartwick College at 7 p.m. Wednesday.

Burglars sentenced to probation in Delaware court
DELHI — Two men who participated in burglaries appeared in Delaware County Court on Monday.

Monday, April 7, 2003

Storm puts weekend on ice
ONEONTA —Thousands spent the weekend without power as utility companies, road crews and fire departments worked to clean up damage from a late season ice storm. Freezing rain coated roads, cars and trees with as much as an inch of ice in some areas starting Thursday night.

Masons struggle to maintain membership base
ONEONTA - As membership statewide has dwindled, New York Masons are taking steps to boost their ranks. "We are always looking for, like the Marines, a few good men," said William Martin, master of Laurens Lodge #548.

Inductee to be recognized for outdoor achievements
An Oneonta man has been named to the New York State Outdoorsmen's Hall of Fame. Robert Pierce, 51, of Crestview Lane in Oneonta will be inducted into the hall during a dinner in New York Mills on April 12.

Health-care budget in jeopardy, group says
ALBANY — Oneonta area hospitals and nursing homes stand to lose more than $6 million if Gov. George Pataki's budget cuts go through.

SUCO professor secures funding
ONEONTA —A SUCO physics professor has been awarded a fellowship to continue her research this summer into developing a maximum security communication system.

Delaware historian retires, urges county to support position more
DELHI — Delaware County's historian is retiring from her official position to pursue some historic research of her own.

Area students heading to OM championships — again
SIDNEY — Sidney is among the area schools sending teams to the Odyssey of the Mind World Championships this June in Ames, Iowa.

Friends of the Library group in the works
SIDNEY — A Friends of the Library group is being formed at the Sidney Memorial Public Library to help with fund raising, officials said.

Saturday, April 5, 2003

Students play dress-up while learning
WALTON — A man dressed in a topcoat and knickers from the Revolutionary War era told second- and third-graders at Walton's Townsend Elementary School that it's like Halloween every day at his house. Michael Dooling, 44, of Audobon illustrates children's books. He was at the school Friday to give the students a behind-the-scenes look at the creation of a book. Dooling's illustrations feature historic people in costume. He said he poses for many of the characters in his books. He and his wife, Jane, have acquired an extensive collection of vintage clothes and costumes, which they may cut, shape or sew into something suitable.

Some think Farrell may face interest conflict
ONEONTA — Alderman Sean Farrell says he sees no problem weighing in on a proposal that would mandate costly safety upgrades in downtown bars — even though he owns a downtown building that houses a bar.

Oneonta will look again at bar sprinkler plan
ONEONTA — City officials will take another look next week at a recommendation that would mandate sprinklers in most downtown Oneonta bars.

Judge notes solution may be in the ballot box
COOPERSTOWN - Three Unadilla residents seeking the cleanup of a construction and demolition debris landfill on Valley View Road in their town were disappointed after a session in state Supreme Court on Friday.

Delaware helps museum with pond
DELHI — The Delaware County Department of Public Works has been stirring up the mud at Hanford Mills Museum in East Meredith this week, according to Liz Callahan, museum director.

Mayor takes clerk post
RICHFIELD SPRINGS - Gerry Buck, 50, has resigned as Richfield Springs mayor and has been appointed the village's clerk-treasurer-registrar.

Meadows runs in the red in first quarter
COOPERSTOWN - Otsego County's nursing home, The Meadows, lost about $100,000 in the first quarter of the year, according to Rep. Sam Dubben, R-Middlefield, who chairs the county's Meadows Committee.

More parents investing in N.Y. college-savings program
ALBANY — While a year's worth of falling stock prices may be causing jitters on Wall Street, the downturn doesn't seem to be scaring off parents looking to invest money for their kids' college education.

Friday, April 4, 2003

Paralysis can't halt one girl's comeback
ONEONTA — Butterflies have gotten the best of 15-year-old Chelsea Nattrass, as she contemplates her stage debut in an Oneonta High School production of "Bye Bye Birdie." It's Thursday afternoon, and with only a dress rehearsal remaining before the next night's show, Nattrass displays all the classic symptoms — a flushed face, tense laughter and last-minute worries about a forgotten line. "I am so incredibly nervous," she says, rolling her eyes at the notion of acting before an auditorium full of people. But for those who know Chelsea Nattrass, it would seem the hardest part is behind her.

Web provides new dimension to news of war
ONEONTA - When Alex Thomas, chairman of SUCO's sociology department, wants to find out what's happening in the war against Iraq, he's more apt to turn on his computer than his television.

Internet find opens path to maps of the area
COOPERSTOWN - Want an authentic, century-or-more-old map of your hometown? Call Marybeth Vargha, Otsego County's geographical information systems specialist.

Budget delivery could set drug offenders free
ALBANY — Thousands of drug offenders could see prison doors swing open once state lawmakers finally agree on a budget.

Tourism inquiries on the rise, officials say
ANDES — More than 120 tourism leaders from a four-county area gathered at the Andes Hotel in Andes on Thursday for a forum on key issues affecting the tourism industry.

Landfill cleanup to begin
SIDNEY — Three property owners near a closed landfill attended the first of two informational meetings held Thursday by the federal Environmental Protection Agency at the Sidney civic center to discuss a planned cleanup project.

SUCO gets early OK
ONEONTA — The State University College at Oneonta received a positive preliminary report Wednesday from the nine-member Middle States accreditation team that just completed a three-day visit to campus, college officials said Wednesday.

Fund-raiser set to help troops call home
WALTON — Operation Can Call is under way at Townsend Elementary School — where students are collecting cans so members of the armed forces serving in the Middle East can call home.

Rules proposed to change the way 911 calls are handled
ALBANY — A new state board has proposed rules to change the way 911 calls are handled in many places.

Thursday, April 3, 2003

Felony hearing postponed for stabbing suspects
ONEONTA —The felony hearing for three people accused in a stabbing early Sunday at Wal-Mart was postponed Monday. The men were arraigned on new charges. Vernon R. Brockington, 20, of Oneonta; Stacey B. Hill, 26, of Oneonta; and Vincent L. Bolling, 25, of Westbury were arraigned before Oneonta Town Justice June Sheehan on charges of second-degree attempted murder, a felony. The three men are accused of stabbing Christopher Smith, 22, of New York City on Sunday morning at Wal-Mart.

Otsego board chooses plan for 13 representatives
COOPERSTOWN - For the second time in six months, the Otsego County Board of Representatives voted Wednesday to send a 13-member redistricting plan to county voters.

Otsego to seek state's OK for 8 percent sales tax
COOPERSTOWN - By a 10-4 vote Wednesday, the Otsego County Board of Representatives opted to ask the state for permission to raise the sales tax rate from 7 percent to 8 percent.

Outdoorsman to be honored for teaching hunting skills to others
WALTON — A Walton man who has been teaching hunter-safety courses for almost 40 years is being honored by the New York State Rifle and Pistol Association.

Oneonta trims proposed hike
ONEONTA — Another $47,500 in cuts has further reduced the proposed tax hike in the school district's 2003-04 budget plan.

Garcia will head Hospice development
ONEONTA —Huemac Garcia is joining Catskill Area Hospice as director of development, the hospice announced Wednesday.

Songs of conflict go largely unnoticed
The war against Iraq is generating protest music, here and nationally, although little of it is heard on the radio.

State will follow up on local forum on civil rights
ONEONTA — As a follow-up to the community forum on civil rights last month, the state attorney general's office will be leading civil rights sessions Tuesday for law enforcement workers, forum organizers said.

Officials could up some limits to 65 mph
ALBANY — Transportation officials, and not just state lawmakers, would have the authority to raise the speed limit on roads of their choosing to 65 miles per hour, under a bill passed yesterday in the Senate.

Municipalities seek ways to meet pension costs
ALBANY — Already struggling with soaring Medicaid costs and rising property taxes, New York's local governments want state approval to borrow about $1 billion to meet a projected boom in pension obligations for next year.

Wednesday, April 2, 2003

Yellow ribbons sign of times
DELHI — Almost a quarter century after the first yellow ribbons began to appear in America, the symbols of hope are once again fluttering in the wind. Over the weekend, Joan and George Verspoor, and Grace and Chuck Deitzman adorned the lampposts along Delhi's Main Street with 20 yellow bows. The Verspoors and the Dietzmans both have sons stationed in the Middle East. In Walton, Erin Walsh, Wendy Worden, Nancy Reach, Dawn Cronin and Judy Ogden tied more than 60 yellow ribbons on trees and posts along Delaware Street, according to Walsh. Walsh, Worden and Reach all have sons or husbands in the armed forces.

For the troops
SIDNEY — There are several activities going on locally to send items to the troops. The Happy Helping Hands knitting group is making items such as hats and boots for the troops.

Request probable for sales tax hike
COOPERSTOWN - On Wednesday, the Otsego County Board of Representatives is likely to ask the state legislature for permission to raise the sales tax to 8 percent.

Bald eagles becoming more plentiful in area
People traveling on state Route 10 in Hamden, who know where to look, can watch a pair of nesting bald eagles incubating their eggs.

Soldier's sister taking care
ONEONTA — It won't be long before Marine Cpl. Jeffrey Holbrook, a Laurens native stationed in Iraq, receives an all-American care package from his sister.

Police recover knife
ONEONTA —State police have recovered a knife, but don't know if it is one of the weapons used in the stabbing of a New York City man Sunday morning at Wal-Mart.

Sidney soil hearings set
SIDNEY — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is holding two informational meetings this week about a project to remove soil pollution at its Richardson Hill Road Superfund site.

City extends moratorium
ONEONTA — Oneonta aldermen Tuesday approved a six-month extension of a moratorium on new bars.

Break-in, sex abuse reported in Oneonta
ONEONTA — City police are investigating a case involving the alleged sexual abuse of a 9-year-old girl.

BOCES honors Daily Star, board member
ONEONTA —The Daily Star and former BOCES board member Robert Squires are the recipients of the BOCES Annual Service Award, District Superintendent Marie Warchol said.

Tuesday, April 1, 2003

Oneonta assesses airport damage
ONEONTA — Whoever broke into the Oneonta airport over the weekend was able to find a chink in the security system used to protect the facility, city officials said Monday. Several airplanes and the hangar at the Oneonta Municipal airport were damaged after a break-in late Friday or early Saturday, according to state police at Oneonta who are investigating the case. Bruce Amadon, coordinator of the city's buildings, maintenance and staff, said a motion sensor security system is used to safeguard the city-owned airport on Airport Road in the town of Laurens.

Quick action saves woman
COOPERSTOWN - A Fly Creek woman may be alive today because of the quick response of emergency workers and the presence of an automated external defibrillator.

Three arrested in Oneonta stabbing
ONEONTA —Three men were charged with attempted murder after allegedly stabbing a man at Wal-Mart early Sunday morning, state police at Oneonta said Monday.

SUCO welcomes donation
ONEONTA —Fashions may come and go, but a million dollar software donation will help SUCO students decide what's in vogue.

Redistricting options to be shown Wednesday
COOPERSTOWN - On Wednesday, the Otsego County Board of Representatives will air three proposals for redistricting to conform to the 2000 census.

Accused burglar seeks trial in Delaware court
DELHI — A Bainbridge man charged with breaking into a Sidney home decided not to accept a plea bargain in Delaware County Court on Monday.

Senator backs jet at Sidney airport
SIDNEY — A U.S. senator has become involved with efforts to bring jet service to Sidney.

Firm announces management changes in news group
ONEONTA — Ottaway Newspapers, owner of The Daily Star, announced changes in corporate management effective today.

Clean Air Act change bashed by politicians
COLONIE — A Bush administration plan to change the Clean Air Act would increase acid rain in Catskill and Adirondack parks and weaken the state's standing in lawsuits against Midwestern power plants, critics charged Monday.

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