Top 40 band rocks Andes school
In front of his high school Monday, Mike Batiste was a rock star.
He had movie cameras on his every movement, a fan club of teenagers and a brand-new electric guitar.
Man sentenced in attack on deputy
DELHI - A Davenport Center man was sentenced to six months in jail and five years probation in Delaware County Court on Monday after admitting to striking a deputy trying to serve him papers in a civil case.
COOL funds not included in budget bill
A spokesman for Rep. Sherwood Boehlert, R-New Hartford, confirmed Monday that funding for country of origin labeling is not included in the 2005 federal budget.
Bugbee School planning 2nd reunion
ONEONTA - Organizers of this year’s reunion for alumni of the Percy I. Bugbee School for Children in Oneonta are expected to announce the date for a follow-up.
Area News Briefs
ONEONTA - City police were investigating Monday a burglary at a Hartwick College dormitory by an apparent video-game aficionado.
Mother, son will discuss drinking
Binge drinking, and how it affects students and families, will be the focus of a program at Hartwick College’s Yager Museum this week.
First Night fest to honor Foothills progress
This New Year’s Eve, it will be all about the music.
The city’s annual First Night Celebration, as always, will feature live musical and artistic performances, but organizers say it has gone up a pitch with its theme, "The Hills are Alive!"
Bed-tax money to fund events
The Otsego County Board of Representatives has allocated $25,000 for the 2005 bed-tax events grant program.
Shoppers swarm to local stores
Whether they were drawn by big bargains or the chance to get a jump on a yearly ritual, shoppers were in area stores on what is traditionally one of the busiest sales day of the year.
Oneonta starts gearing up for holiday season
ONEONTA - In the Christmas spirit, area residents have been sharing their time and donating their efforts preparing for the holiday season.
Bank reopens after heist
The Franklin bank that was robbed Wednesday reopened for business Friday morning.
Area farmers want to keep food COOL
Should you know which country your food comes from?
Dairy farmer Cliff Brunner of Hartwick believes you should, but a federal law mandating country of origin labeling may not be funded in Congress’s 2005 appropriations bill.
Volunteerism to be topic at conference
ONEONTA - The State University College at Oneonta will hold its third annual "Volunteerism and Social Responsibility" conference from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 11, in the Hunt College Union and Morris Conference Center
Robber strikes bank
FRANKLIN - An investigation into a Wednesday morning robbery at a Main Street bank in Franklin continued throughout Thanksgiving Day.
Local rape charge tossed
ALBANY - A state appeals court threw out a Unadilla man’s rape conviction Wednesday because one of the jurors at his trial was related to the prosecutor.
Merchants: Oneonta offers shoppers unique gift ideas
ONEONTA - While not the same as the platinum fob chain and tortoise-shell combs in O. Henry’s "Gift of the Magi," downtown Oneonta merchants said they’re pinning their holiday hopes on unique wares.
Delaware board votes against two pay raises
DELHI - Proposed pay raises for two department heads were voted down by the Delaware County Board of Supervisors during its regular Wednesday meeting.
Storms don’t stop dinner from being served
SIDNEY - When the lights switched on over the turkey dinner at the First Congregational Church in Sidney on Thursday, the seated crowd and kitchen volunteers showed their thanks.
Police nab man after farm spree
After allegedly flipping three vehicles and damaging a milking parlor, a Cooperstown man led state police and Otsego County sheriff’s deputies on a slow chase Tuesday.
Board to discuss two offers to buy Countryside Care
DELHI - The Delaware County Board of Supervisors will meet in executive session today to discuss two firm offers from private individuals to buy Countryside Care Center.
Man, 55, beaten outside area bar
A well-known Margaretville handyman and animal lover was badly beaten by three or four men outside the Village Pub on Main Street in Margaretville at about 9 p.m. Friday.
3 Oneonta residents protest in Ga.
Three Oneonta residents were among a record 16,000 people who demonstrated Sunday outside the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation at Fort Benning, Ga., calling for the school to be shut down.
Courtroom’s past seen in mural
DELHI - A balcony in the Delaware County courthouse closed for nearly 60 years is once again letting people see the courtroom beneath it.
Deposit man gets prison for stealing timber
DELHI - In Delaware County Court on Monday, a Deposit man was sentenced to prison for stealing timber and a Sidney man was arraigned on charges of raping a child.
Area News Briefs
DELHI - There still isn’t an official cause of death for Nancy E. Griffin, the woman whose body was found Sunday, said Delaware County Sheriff Thomas Mills.
November 22, 2004
Missing woman’s body found
The body of a Trout Creek woman who was missing more than a month was found Sunday morning in the town of Walton near the West Branch of the Delaware River.
’Working poor’ struggle to survive on earnings
ONEONTA - Both Sandi Daloco and Rosemarie Whittaker said they know what it’s like to have to work more than a 40-hour-per- week job to make ends meet.
Hop house, farm restored
PITTSFIELD - The Beardslee Homestead in the town of Pittsfield fell on hard times before good times returned.
Budget bill funds projects
Congress on Saturday passed a 3,000-page, $388 billion spending bill that funds numerous area projects, area congressmen said.
Teens nabbed in theft spree
Dozens of cases could be affected by the recent arrests of two teens, Sidney police said Friday.
Upstate manufacturing jobs lost
Upstate New York lost 7,500 manufacturing jobs during the 12-month period ending in September, according to a report by the state’s largest business group.
November 20, 2004
DEC: Deer numbers recovering
Hunters armed with shotguns and rifles will take to the woods and fields at sunrise Monday, the opening of deer hunting season in the state’s Southern Zone.
Mr. and Mrs. Claus coming to town Saturday
ONEONTA - More than 100 people are expected to participate along with Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus in the Oneonta Christmas parade at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, organizers said.
Police investigating theft of art at SUCO
University Police are investigating the theft of 11 pieces of artwork from a gallery exhibit in the Fine Arts Building at the State University College at Oneonta, the director of police said Friday.
Molinaro to debut piano concerto
The world premiere of a concerto written and performed by a prize-winning concert pianist will take place during Saturday’s performance by the Catskill Symphony Orchestra. The concert is at 8 p.m. in Hunt Union Ballroom at the State University College at Oneonta.
Residents to appeal decision on signatures
Lawyer Andrew Puritz has filed a notice of appeal in the case of 15 Otsego County residents who had sued the county board and its clerk, Laura Child, for disallowing petition signatures last year.
Area news briefs
A new superintendent for Roxbury Central School was appointed by the school’s board of education during its Nov. 10 meeting.
November 19, 2004
Groups to offer holiday meals
ONEONTA - Thanksgiving dinner for some will come in laundry baskets, on parish hall tables and from fire department ovens as the season of giving begins next week.
Teachers consider Catskills curriculum
ONEONTA - More than the hills may come alive after area teachers start to use a curriculum involving materials about the Catskills.
Otsego board sets salaries for some officials
COOPERSTOWN - While about 65 visitors watched and listened, the Otsego County Board of Representatives held two public hearings Wednesday evening.
Association cancels Santa photo contest
The New York State Historical Association has canceled its Picture Perfect Santa photo contest, which had been scheduled for next month.
Modifications to EMS dispatch rules put on hold
About 65 members of emergency squads and fire departments responded to the Otsego County Board of Representatives at a meeting Wednesday night, and they left knowing that the rules they operate under will not change immediately.
Delaware board reduces tax hike
DELHI - Delaware County’s proposed 2005 tax levy increase dropped from an estimated 28.4 percent to 12.76 percent after adjustments were made in the tentative budget and $3 million in fund balance was used to lower the total.
Cost of fire protection to rise in town of Oneonta
ONEONTA - The price of fire protection for the town of Oneonta could continue its yearly climb as the city’s Common Council authorized a $517,500 contract Tuesday.
Wood stoves gaining popularity
What used to be one of the most popular heat sources - albeit before the 1900s - is coming back in style again, thanks to rising fuel prices.
Residents settle into new home
PHOENIX MILLS - An army of county workers and volunteers moved 162 nursing-home residents to Otsego Manor on Tuesday.
Colleges help seniors as job market looks up
The job outlook for college seniors is improving, according to a recently released survey from the National Association of Colleges and Employers.
Groups preparing for fight over health-care policy
ALBANY - The medical-services industry and labor unions ratcheted up their political contributions this year in the first salvo for what’s expected to be a major battle over health-care policy in the state.
Maple, beech best to burn, seller says
Good woods for stoves include maple and beech. Terry Collins - "The Firewood Man" - said lesser possibilities would be cherry, ash and oak.
Business Beat: Liquor store to donate part of proceeds
Denny’s Liquors in Norwich will be donating a portion of the proceeds from its sales next week to the Chenango United Way, according to a news release from the United Way.
Measure targets backyard burning
New York has joined seven northeastern states in an initiative to prevent people from burning rubbish in backyard barrels.
Residents to move into Manor today
Today, more than 100 volunteers and county workers will help move residents to Otsego Manor, the county’s new $30 million nursing home.
Gov. asks for extension of national milk program
New York Gov. George Pataki was one of 12 governors who sent a letter Monday to congressional leaders requesting a two-year extension of the Milk Income Loss Contract Program.
Sidney High School gym to make its debut
SIDNEY - There will be a couple of firsts Monday when the Sidney High School junior varsity and varsity boys basketball teams tip off against rivals from Bainbridge-Guilford High School.
Directors say they protect disabled residents
Protecting vulnerable populations is a serious task, said directors of local residential homes for developmentally disabled individuals, but there’s no fail-proof way to keep them safe from abuse by caregivers.
Bovina barnyard race inspires documentary
A documentary film about a barnyard race in Bovina is making stars of some of Delaware County’s daredevils at film festivals nationwide.
L.I. man charged with shooting son, 7
A 7-year-old boy was still hospitalized Sunday after his father shot him Saturday, according to Delaware County sheriff’s deputies.
Drug suspect flees police High-speed chase ends with collisions
A North Carolina man is in jail after leading police on a chase through Oneonta and Colliersville after he allegedly sold cocaine to an undercover officer.
James M. Allen, 39, fled from police after an attempted drug bust in the town of Oneonta on Friday.
Business Roundtable to meet Tuesday
MARGARETVILLE - The Catskill Business Roundtable will review accomplishments and consider goals when it meets at the Catskill Watershed Corp. offices, 905 Main St., from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday.
Fox emergency entrance changes
ONEONTA - The construction project at A.O. Fox Memorial Hospital will affect how people can access the emergency department.
November 13, 2004
Otsego EMTs upset over plan
Several of Otsego County’s emergency services providers are upset with a proposal that would change how ambulances are dispatched in the county.
Group wants to save church
A hastily formed historical group wants to buy a 19th-century church building in Mount Vision and turn it into a community center.
Association looking for perfect Santa
The New York State Historical Association is looking for the perfect Santa Claus, one with a 19th-century look, as if he’d been drawn by Thomas Nast.
Teachers to discuss changes in math
Area mathematics teachers will soon be meeting with their department heads and principals to formulate a response to a state plan to change standards.
Bumpers are election sticking points
ONEONTA - Not only is the presidential election becoming old news, but a search for people who still had bumper stickers on their vehicles found only two in two hours in the Wal-Mart parking lot Thursday.
Grant money from state fuels teachers’ ideas
ONEONTA - "Puppets for Peace" and "Taking Steps Toward Good Health" were just a couple of the displays Tuesday showing the results of mini-grants awarded last year by the Catskill Regional Teacher Center.
Student musicians to perform at festival
ONEONTA - More than 300 students from 38 schools in Otsego, Delaware, Schoharie, Chenango, Tioga and Montgomery counties will gather for the annual NYSSMA Zone 8 Area All-State Festival in Oneonta this weekend.
Delaware County could see tax hike
Delaware County’s tentative 2005 budget carries an estimated 28.4 percent tax levy increase, but the budget is built on numbers that aren’t certified.
Veterans honored at Franklin school
FRANKLIN - John Nowhitney, 81, served in the Navy in the Pacific during World War II. Joseph John Nowhitney, his 38-year-old son, was in the Navy, too, serving in the Mediterranean in Operation Desert Storm.
USC offers courses at businesses
With its latest certificate program, the Utica School of Commerce is aiming to get more students by taking classes out of the classroom.
Cooperstown teachers union rejects contract
Cooperstown Central School’s Board of Education and the Faculty Association are at an impasse, awaiting the appointment of a fact-finder by the state Public Employees Relations Board.
Chenango proposes 7.02% raise in tax
Continued increases in costs of social services, especially Medicaid, are being cited as the chief reason for an increase in the proposed 2005 Chenango County budget.
Children taught to say ’no’ to drugs
ONEONTA - Hartwick College students lectured about saying "no" to drugs and alcohol Wednesday, while fifth- and sixth-graders listened carefully.
Area News Briefs
COOPERSTOWN - David West, Otsego County’s code enforcement officer, will retire Dec. 17.
November 10, 2004
Officials: Local voter turnout high
Voter turnout in this year’s presidential election was above average in the state and quite good in local counties, elections officials said Tuesday.
Snow causes cars to slide, slip on roads
The first proper snowfall, albeit a light one, sent some drivers sliding off roads Monday, and accidents and snow continued Tuesday, area fire chiefs said.
Delhi Tech buildings put to many uses
DELHI - A 150-bed suite-style residence hall and a state-of-the-art athletic facility are the newest additions to the campus of the State University College of Technology at Delhi.
Veterans Day
ONEONTA - Oneonta veterans groups will be observing Veterans Day on Thursday with the following events:
November 9, 2004
Chairman: Otsego won’t see tax increase
Otsego County’s tax levy will not increase in 2005, Carl Higgins, chairman of the Otsego County Board of Representatives, said Monday.
Arafat’s death may bring change, conflict
Yasser Arafat’s grave illness and eventual death will have serious effects on Palestinians and Israeli-Palestinian relations, said local residents on both sides of the issue.
Counting has gone ot the dogs
Winning a prize in a national talent contest was as easy as one, two, three for a Fly Creek dog.
City bar owners write letter instead of proposal
ONEONTA - After having a month to write their own bar ordinance proposal, downtown tavern owners instead called the city’s proposal redundant in a letter Monday.
Man, 21, arrested after burglaries
ONEONTA - After a string of burglaries in the past few days, Oneonta Police arrested a 21-year-old Job Corps student Friday.
Democratic candidate named Davenport justice
Democratic candidate Britt Kelch was declared the winner of the Davenport justice race after absentee and provisional ballots were counted Monday.
GOP committee gives votes of confidence to 2 members
DELHI - Damage control was on the agenda when the Delaware County Republican Committee called a special meeting Saturday to hold a vote of confidence for two party members.
Man, 49, pleads guilty in assault
DELHI - A Davenport Center man pleaded guilty to a reduced charge in Delaware County Court on Monday, admitting to striking a deputy trying to serve him papers in a civil case.
Sidney gearing up for holiday campaign
While some children are starting to think about what they want for Christmas, others are helping to provide a brighter holiday for children around the world.
City works to update flood plain
With several flood-prone areas in Oneonta, city officials say they are required to remind property owners that flooding is not covered by regular homeowners’ insurance.
2 charged in parking-lot crime
Two teenagers were arrested Saturday in connection with a reported armed robbery a day earlier but they were charged with lesser crimes.
Bainbridge United Way supports community programs
The Bainbridge United Way helps fund cultural events, food for the hungry and early education for children, among other programs, campaign officials said last week.
November 6, 2004
Deer-car collisions on the rise
Almost everyone who drives in this area has a story about hitting a deer - or at the very least, a near miss.
Witness, doctor testify during felony hearing
A witness and a surgeon testified during a felony hearing for a man accused of causing a life-threatening injury during a stabbing, the Otsego County district attorney said Friday.
Heating aid won’t go as far
Higher fuel costs plus cold weather tends to equal larger heating bills for homeowners and renters who pay their own utilities.
Otsego board clears trash from scenic route
COOPERSTOWN - Dressed in yellow hard hats and neon-green jerseys, nine members of the Otsego County Board of Representatives cleaned up a stretch of county Route 31 in Middlefield on Wednesday.
Otsego cell-phone users to begin paying surcharge
COOPERSTOWN - Cellular telephone owners will begin paying a 30-cent-per-month surcharge Jan. 1 as the result of a local law passed at Wednesday’s meeting of the Otsego County Board of Representatives.
Man, 23, pleads innocent to DWI
COOPERSTOWN - An Oneonta man was released on $1,000 bail Monday after pleading innocent in Otsego County Court to charges of driving while intoxicated and second-degree vehicular assault.
Village awarded for wastewater plant
The village of Cooperstown has been recognized by the New York State Conference of Mayors for its efforts to halt the discharge of chlorine into the Susquehanna River.
Park plans discussed at Walton meeting
WALTON - Two hours of discussion about the development of a park along the West Branch of the Delaware River in Walton didn’t result in any concrete answers Thursday.
Students upset that SUNY chancellor may raise tuition
ONEONTA - Some students at the State University College at Oneonta object to the idea of a tuition increase, while the State University of New York chancellor isn’t ruling one out.
Emotions high after tight presidential race
ONEONTA - Having watched results late into the night from an election too close to call and then a concession less than 12 hours later, some local residents are asking, "What’s next?"
Union president addresses Oneonta school board
ONEONTA - It was standing room only at the regular meeting of the Oneonta City School Board meeting Wednesday, held at Valleyview Elementary School.
Boehlert re-elected
Incumbent Rep. Sherwood Boehlert, R-New Hartford, cruised to victory Tuesday in the 24th Congressional District.
Local parties tally results
ONEONTA - Watchful waiting was the theme Tuesday night as Democrats and Republicans alike anxiously looked to see who would win several key races.
Hooker holds off Neary challenge
In the state’s 127th Assembly District, first-term incumbent Republican Daniel Hooker of Saugerties beat a challenge by Democratic Kevin Neary, mayor of Richmondville and a newcomer to state politics.
Sweeney defeats Kelly in 20th
Republican John Sweeney of Clifton Park won a fourth term by a large margin in the 20th District congressional race, easily defeating rival Democrat Doris Kelly of Hyde Park.
Many students make effort to vote
ONEONTA - Joan Boone, a student at the State University College at Oneonta, took a city bus downtown to vote Tuesday.
City: Legislation needed for development
ONEONTA - Still stuck in legislative hang-ups after months of work, Common Council members discussed Tuesday the next step for the Silver Creek condominium development.
Area News Brief
SIDNEY - A former Sidney school staff member who resigned her position soon after criminal charges were brought against her appeared at her arraignment in Sidney Village Court on Tuesday.
November 2, 2004
Voters to decide several local races
Voters in the Heartland of New York area will select four U.S. representatives, three state senators, five assemblymen and a member of the Otsego County Board of Representatives today.
State shows gains in voter registration
In the past four years, Democrats made gains in most local counties as well as statewide, according to figures released Saturday by the New York State Board of Elections.
Grant to help reading program
Bassett Healthcare will be encouraging more children to "Pat the Bunny" and say "Goodnight Moon" with the help of a grant from a national corporation.
Man could face serious charges, Otsego DA says
ONEONTA - Anthony G. Downs could be looking at more than an assault charge in connection with a Saturday morning stabbing that nearly killed a man.
Local ticket-splitting could benefit Kerry
Like the national map showing presidential preference, central New York is mostly Republican red, but four years ago there were blue exceptions when Democrat Al Gore faced Republican George W. Bush in the presidential election.
Parade draws sizable crowd in costume
ONEONTA - Balmy temperatures and hundreds of people helped brew the city’s biggest Halloween parade in years Sunday night.
Oneonta man jailed in knife attack
ONEONTA - Anthony G. Downs, the 33-year-old against whom a slashing charge was dropped less than six months ago, was arrested Saturday in connection with a second knifing.
Park fate in hands of voters
BAINBRIDGE - Bainbridge voters will decide the ownership of General Clinton Park on Tuesday when they go to the polls for the general election.
Landfill cleanup completed
SIDNEY- Construction work needed for cleanup of the Sidney Landfill Superfund site has been completed, Environmental Protection Agency officials said last week in a news release.
Area News Briefs
ONEONTA - A 37-year-old Oneonta man is scheduled to appear in city court this morning on a robbery charge from Friday.
