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December 30, 2004

Delaware treasurer sues county, board
The Delaware County treasurer filed a lawsuit Wednesday against the county and its board of supervisors over resolutions that took away portions of her job.


Schools have year of trials and triumphs
Retiring superintendents, budget woes, standardized testing and building projects were just a few of the issues that many local educators dealt with in 2004.


Retired judge to show his art out of Africa
NEW BERLIN - Three years after Irad Ingraham of New Berlin camped out on the Serengeti Plains, his oil paintings of that trip have been installed at the Chenango County Council of the Arts in Norwich.


Holiday eating can be stressful for those with health issues
Sharon Wheeler of Oneonta knows what it’s like to watch what she eats.


GOP elections commissioner: Voter turnout can be better
COOPERSTOWN - Douglas Hamilton, Otsego County’s retiring Republican elections commissioner, said he wants to make voting easier and turnout higher.


Project to help fill need for rental housing
A $4.6 million housing project in Delaware County will provide needed rental residences for senior citizens and families in Middletown, an administrator said recently.


Area news briefs

December 29, 2004

Local governments faced ’difficult’ budget year in ’04
In 2004, the rising costs of health care, Medicaid and employees’ retirement pressured local counties to raise property taxes.


Otego church preparing for bicentennial
OTEGO - A group of dedicated people had to do a lot of digging to plan the celebration for next year’s bicentennial of the Otego Presbyterian Church on River Street.


Red Cross: Residents can help tsunami victims
The American Red Cross has sent tents, tarps and blankets to help victims of the tsunami in southern Asia, a spokesman for the local chapter said Tuesday, but area residents can help most by contributing money.


Low-carb diets not a piece of cake
There are days when it seems as if - at least according to the advertising hype - everyone is following a low-carb diet to some extent.


Board sets ’05 salaries
At Monday night’s meeting of the Otsego County Board of Representatives, members approved a number of contracts, interviewed candidates for the county’s code enforcement officer position and approved salaries, including the following, for 2005:


Fire destroys home
About 25 firefighters battled a blaze and frigid temperatures at a fire that destroyed a house, but no one was hurt, a Jefferson firefighter said Tuesday.


Two programs offer home-improvement funds
Housing assistance totaling $1.6 million will help some low-income families in Delaware, Otsego and Schoharie counties make home repairs and improvements, officials said recently.


Area news briefs

December 28, 2004

Businesses come and go in ’04
Openings and closings marked the area’s business year.


Grant to help paint creativity
The Upstate Homes for Children and Adults have received a grant to help students nurture their creativity.


Hospital aims for critical-access status
Delaware Valley Hospital in Walton has become the latest hospital in the region to proceed with an application to receive critical-access hospital designation.


Airline problems plague some local travelers
Some local travelers were affected by winter storms and baggage-handling problems that hit during the Christmas traveling season, officials said Monday.


Area news brief
Weather was the likely cause of an accident Monday afternoon, according to state police at Stamford.


Area Health Briefs
COOPERSTOWN - Hundreds of employees viewed the artwork of Lady Ostapeck during Bassett Healthcare’s Annual Holiday Tea on Dec. 16.


December 27, 2004

Area weather in ’04 had highs and lows
Cartoonist, journalist and philosopher Kin Hubbard once said, "Don’t knock the weather; nine-tenths of the people couldn’t start a conversation if it didn’t change once in a while."


Gift returners, bargain seekers flock to stores
ONEONTA - Crowds were out in full force the day after Christmas, according to two local retailers, but there was a twist to the blitz.


Albany lobbyists gear up for 2005
ALBANY - Christmas may be history, but a legion of special-interest groups, from medical centers and health-care workers to environmentalists and educators, hope state lawmakers stay in the giving mood for several months to come.


Area News Briefs
MIDDLEBURGH - A Christmas-night chase led Schoharie County sheriff’s deputies and state police through two counties.


December 24, 2004

Man arraigned in wife’s death
Timothy Beckingham pleaded innocent to manslaughter charges Thursday during his arraignment in Otsego County Court.


Year after blaze, family in new home
The really important things in life will be on the minds of members of a Bloomville family as they celebrate Christmas this year.


Hospice to send items to troops
In the midst of the gift-giving season, the Hospice of Oneonta is collecting items to send to troops.


Man, 69, dies in collision
A Schuyler Lake man died Thursday afternoon when his car struck the rear of a manure spreader being towed by a tractor on state Route 28 in Milford, Otsego County deputies said.


Local soldier hurt in attack on Mosul base
A Milford family was waiting Thursday afternoon to talk to their son who was injured in the suicide bombing against the U.S. base in Mosul, Iraq, earlier this week. Theodore and Colaine Johnson said they expected to be talking with their son U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Garth Adam Johnson later that day.


Otsego County reps approve contracts
The Otsego County Board of Representatives has approved several contracts to take care of troubled children in the county in the next year.


Warm temps keep rain, wind from becoming blizzard
The same weather that brought snow to the Midwest is being blamed for the high winds and rain that hit the area Thursday afternoon, said Frank Ward, a weather observer for the National Weather service in Binghamton.


Chamber sets annual `State of State’ luncheon for Jan. 3
ONEONTA - The Otsego County Chamber has scheduled its annual "State of the State" legislative luncheon for Monday, Jan. 3, at the Holiday Inn in Oneonta


Area news briefs

December 23, 2004

Man, 49, charged in wife’s death
A Jordanville man was arrested late Wednesday afternoon and charged with first-degree manslaughter in connection with the death of his wife in July.


Cancer patient going strong
ONEONTA - This will be a very different Christmas for 27-year-old Brian Arenella. Last November, Arenella was diagnosed with stage three T-cell-rich large B-cell lymphoma: a complicated name for a type of cancer that affects the lymph nodes.


Morris students share joy at brunch
MORRIS - Numerous senior citizens were welcomed to Morris Central School on Wednesday morning as the school held its annual Christmas brunch.


White Christmas may only be a dream this year
Those wishing for a white Christmas this year shouldn’t get their hopes up too high.


Delaware board: Center residents are No. 1 concern
Residents’ concerns about the future of the Delaware County skilled-nursing facility in Delhi were addressed Wednesday when members of the Delaware County Board of Supervisors came to the site.


Last-minute shoppers running out of time
Only two days - that’s what stands between now and Christmas morning.


Asbestos scammers to be sentenced
Federal prosecutors are asking for more than $21 million in restitution from a father and son who will be sentenced today for running what federal officials claim is the nation’s largest criminal asbestos scam.


Officials offer tips for holiday travelers
State and local officials gathered Wednesday to remind motorists to drive safely during the busy holiday travel season.


Police arrest 2 for drugs
ONEONTA - Two men were arrested this week on drug-related charges, according to the Oneonta Police Department.


Area News Briefs
WELLS BRIDGE - A Wells Bridge man was arrested Monday on several charges after a domestic dispute.


December 22, 2004

City’s bar ordinance passes, 5-2
ONEONTA - An ordinance to regulate bars in Oneonta passed Tuesday by a vote of 5-2, with one abstention, during the regular meeting of the Oneonta Common Council.


Seniors celebrate season at party
ONEONTA - With a sing-along and hot food, some area seniors gathered to share holiday joy Tuesday afternoon at Elm Park United Methodist Church in Oneonta.


Doctors: Don’t panic about potential Aleve risks
It’s still too early to tell what the ramifications are from a clinical trial finding that naproxen - commonly sold as Aleve - may increase the risk of heart problems, two local pharmacologists said Tuesday.


Four indicted in Otsego court
Four indictments were handed up in Otsego County Court on Monday before Judge Michael Coccoma.


Laurens project defeated, 559-509
The proposed $15.1 million Laurens building project was defeated Tuesday by a vote of 559-509, members of committees both for and against the project said Tuesday night. Laurens Superintendent Romona Wenck could not be reached about the issue by 11 p.m.


Sidney man charged with assault
A Sidney man was arrested Monday after another resident was stabbed with a screwdriver and police were threatened with a knife, Sidney police said.


State troopers graduate
Seventeen new members headed to Troop C in Sidney were among the 182 new troopers to graduate from the New York State Police Academy’s basic school in Albany on Dec. 14.


December 21, 2004

Reigles sentenced to 15 years in prison
Another of the men charged in the death of a Sidney man was sentenced Monday in Delaware County Court.


Club announces contest winners
The Lake and Valley Garden Club has announced the winners of its annual Christmas decoration contest in the village of Cooperstown.


Otsego native killed in line of duty in N.M.
An Otero County sheriff’s deputy killed Saturday night in New Mexico had roots in this area.


Logger pleads guilty
DELHI - A Downsville man agreed to get out of the logging business as part of a plea deal during Monday’s session of Delaware County Court.


Officials: Recycle, don’t burn, gift wrap
In this season of gift-giving, people should try to recycle as much packaging and gift wrap as possible, said Terry Bliss, Otsego County’s solid waste coordinator.


AmeriCorps programs awarded state funds to operate next year
AmeriCorps programs at colleges in Oneonta and Delhi were funded for the 2004-05 school year, Gov. George Pataki’s office announced Thursday.


Area News Briefs
CHERRY VALLEY - A Monday morning fire left a Roseboom family homeless.


Area Health Brief
RICHFIELD SPRINGS - Breast cancer screenings will be held Jan. 7 and 21 and Feb. 4 and 18 at Bassett Healthcare, Richfield Springs, 8550 State Highway 28, and Jan. 17 and Feb. 21 at Bassett Healthcare, West Winfield, 544 E. Main St.


December 20, 2004

4 aldermen favor bar ordinance
ONEONTA - The proposed Ordinance No. 5 to regulate bars in the city of Oneonta appears to be on the verge of passing.


Cold weather ’a little early’ causes accidents
The arrival of arctic cold Sunday glazed highways and sent temperatures plummeting into the single digits by late in the day.


Bresee’s elves live again
ONEONTA - A well-worn Christmas icon from the past has come back to life at St. James’ Manor.


Lake district could help ease Canadarago flooding
Property owners around Canadarago Lake may be eligible to receive state funds for a flood-control project if they opt to form a lake-improvement district.


City: Walks must be cleared
To shovel or not to shovel? Under city of Oneonta law, even after a light snowfall, sidewalks must be cleared of snow and ice by 9 a.m.


Bainbridge man killed in one-car crash
State police at Sidney are still investigating a one-car accident that killed a Bainbridge man early Sunday morning.


Community carols ring from church
The First United Methodist Church on Sunday was filled with community members who had battled icy, snow covered roads to attend the 31st annual Community Christmas Carol.


Davenport voters OK water district
Davenport voters last week approved the formation of a water district, said David Elmore, Davenport Water Co. secretary/treasurer. Margaret Bonney, Davenport town clerk, said the water district was approved Tuesday, 18-5.


Loans available for Delaware tourism
The Delaware County Department of Economic Development is launching a Tourism Opportunity Micro Enterprise Program using a $325,000 grant from the governor’s Office for Small Cities, said Glenn Nealis, director of the county department. The program will focus on assisting new and existing tourism-related small businesses.


NYSEG to inspect power lines
NYSEG will be taking to the skies over the next two weeks to inspect power lines in Otsego, Delaware, Chenango and surrounding counties, according to a news release.


December 18, 2004

Patient, family praise Hospice’s work
WALTON - Elmer Junge relaxed in a recliner in his living room Tuesday with his cat, Fluffy, on his lap. He talked about being able to remain in his home because of the assistance he receives from Catskill Area Hospice and Palliative Care Inc.


Son takes over father’s job at local church
When Pastor S. Hayden Walsh decided to retire from the Margaretville Advent Christian Church after 22 years, the congregation didn’t have to adjust to a new name.


Sentencing of Cutting defendant postponed
The sentencing of Gregory A. Hunt, one of the defendants in the Timothy Cutting case, was postponed Friday after Hunt wrote a letter to Delaware County court.


Otsego board releases official election results
Republican George W. Bush beat Democrat John Kerry by 619 votes in Otsego County, according to final results released by the Otsego County Board of Elections.


Scientists consider use of milk byproduct
A California food scientist said he thinks Little Miss Muffet was on to something by including whey in her diet.


Donation to help expansion of Delaware animal shelter
A gift from a benefactor is making a dream come true at the Humane Society of Central Delaware County, said shelter board President Ann Lukin.


Area news briefs

December 17, 2004

State proposes $690M more for rural schools
ALBANY - Poor, rural school districts would get about $700 more per pupil under a state Board of Regents plan to increase total state education aid by $1.5 billion for 2005-06.


Officials: We’ll wait for details
Area school superintendents said Thursday they are taking a wait-and-see approach to the state Regents proposal for 2005-06 state aid to education.


Santa Claus comes to town via tractor
NEW BERLIN - Everyone knows what a hard job Santa has, making his whirlwind tour every December. But what about the reindeer?


Vote set Tuesday for Laurens building project
Voters in the Laurens Central School District will be deciding the fate of a revised building project Tuesday.


Otsego looking for barn site, official says
Eight to 10 town of Otsego property owners will receive letters in the next few days, asking if they would like to sell land on which the town could build a highway barn, a town official said.


Bomb at school prompts change in response procedures
Emergency response procedures have been changed since a homemade bomb was found at Downsville Central School, the superintendent said Thursday.


Delaware Opportunities complex should be done by April 30, director says
HAMDEN - The new Delaware Opportunities administrative office complex being erected on state Route 10 in Hamden is expected to be completed by April 30, according to John Eberhard, executive director.


Area news briefs

December 16, 2004

Davenport justice sworn in, will protest salary
Davenport Justice Britt Kelch was sworn into office Wednesday, but the newly elected official said he isn’t happy about his $500 salary.


Students create gingerbread village
There weren’t any visions of sugarplums at the Sidney Middle School library Wednesday. Instead, students were able to see the gingerbread village built by the 140 students participating in the project.


Man indicted on charges of sex abuse
SCHOHARIE - A Schoharie County grand jury on Wednesday indicted a former county social service fraud investigator accused of sexual abuse.


Volunteers needed to help with dinner
Volunteers and donations are being sought for an area Christmas tradition.


School board congratulates Oneonta girls soccer team
ONEONTA - The Oneonta City School Board congratulated the girls varsity soccer team during its regular Wednesday meeting at Center Street Elementary School.


Retired teacher to ring bell for charity, says she will match funds she raises
Nancy A. Iversen faces a day of reckoning.


Area news brief

December 15, 2004

Officials discuss public power
COOPERSTOWN - Two Auburn officials came to Cooperstown on Tuesday to talk about how the city has formed its own power company to cut utility costs.


Children’s book focuses on history of New York
A new children’s book has put The Farmers’ Museum on paper. Unadilla artist and author Rebecca D.M. Todd wrote and illustrated "The Farmers’ Museum and Historic Village.


City, businesses differ on garage traffic plan
ONEONTA - Three aldermen recommended Tuesday that the Common Council keep the revised traffic flow to the top level of the city’s parking garage.


LEAF appoints assistant director as interim leader
Julie M. Dostal was appointed last week as acting executive director of the LEAF Council on Alcoholism and Addictions, based in Cooperstown, according to a news release from the agency. She replaces Elizabeth "Betty"Currier, who announced her resignation in July.


Oneonta residents appear in court
COOPERSTOWN - Three indictments involving two Oneonta residents were handed up in Otsego County Court on Monday before Judge Michael Coccoma.


Margaretville school searched after threat
In response to a written threat, state police and a K-9 unit searched Margaretville Central School on Tuesday night but found no bombs or suspicious materials, school Superintendent John P. Riedl said.


Company’s ornaments to benefit children
DELHI - Dozens of ornaments adorning a Christmas tree in the lobby of the Delhi Telephone Company were crafted to make the holidays bright for area children.


Worcester principal picked to become superintendent
At the regular board of education meeting Thursday, Worcester Central School Principal John Selover was appointed to replace Superintendent Maureen McNolty, according to a release.


OHS grad gets Bronze Star for Iraq service
Capt. George K. Guszcza of the U.S. Army has been to Iraq, where his service earned him a Bronze Star.


Area News Briefs
SIDNEY - The Sidney Fire Department is trying to figure out how an all-terrain vehicle came to land upside down on a train trestle this weekend.


December 14, 2004

Health centers rationing flu vaccine
Now that Otsego County health-care providers have received additional flu vaccine, they have the tough task of deciding who receives protection.


Do’s and don’ts in the flu-vaccine search
Diane Cusworth, public health director for Otsego County, and Maggie Barnes, director of community affairs for A.O. Fox Memorial Hospital, have the following tips on what to do - and what not to do - to try to get a flu shot this year.


Job Corps essay takes 2nd in national contest
Charles Sheldon said the Job Corps Academy has changed his life and given him a future.


Man sentenced to prison for stealing guns
DELHI - A Deposit man who stole guns from a police station in Pennsylvania was sentenced to 3½ to 7 years in prison in Delaware County Court on Monday. Timothy Abuiz, 28, was found guilty on 16 out of 17 charges by a Delaware County jury Oct. 28.


2 plead guilty to possessing stolen property
DELHI - Two men charged with possessing stolen weapons and stolen property entered guilty pleas in Delaware County Court on Monday.


Snow causes several minor car accidents
Monday’s snow caused a spattering of accidents in the area, dispatchers said, but nothing serious.<


DEC stops work at building site in town of Otsego
The state Department of Environmental Conservation halted work Friday on a barn-building project on Keating Road in the town of Otsego.


Accused stabber, 19, to appear in court today
ONEONTA - A man accused of a stabbing on Main Street in Oneonta early Saturday morning is scheduled to appear in Oneonta City Court today, city police said.<


Police looking into bomb threat

December 13, 2004

Ex-staffer rips Otsego’s top planner
COOPERSTOWN - The recent resignation of Otsego County’s senior planner has raised eyebrows among members of the Otsego County Board of Representatives.


’Wick students rewarded for project proposals
ONEONTA - Beethoven’s "Greatest Hits," a computer engine and meditation were topics among prize-winning projects by Hartwick College students.


New shipments boost supplies of flu shots
A recent shipment of flu vaccine to county health departments will allow more people who meet federal guidelines to get the shots, officials said.


Local projects may benefit from `slush fund’
The deals New York lawmakers made on several controversial bills last week were cut in true Albany fashion. They were done behind closed doors and included a $350 million slush fund to be doled out by the leaders.


The search for the right Christmas tree
Sunday marked a first for some people when it came to Christmas-tree shopping.


Man charged in stabbing
An Oneonta man was charged Saturday after another man was stabbed in downtown Oneonta, according to city police.


Boys arrested in bomb scare
police at Margaretville have made two arrests after investigating a bomb scare at Downsville Central School last month, troopers said in a release Saturday.


Store aids shelter by playing host to homeless cats
Shoppers browsing through the Holiday Store often find themselves falling in love with the shop mascots, and the store manager says that thrills him. Bella already captured someone’s heart, and C.J. is wandering the aisles looking for an angel to take her home.


December 11, 2004

City project helps families buy houses
ONEONTA - The city of Oneonta has helped dozens of families buy their first homes since 1996, officials said this week, and another round of funding is available to help about 20 more families.


Past is on file in Delhi Tech’s library archives
DELHI - Photos of Gov. Nelson Rockefeller landing at Delaware Academy in a helicopter and President Franklin Delano Roosevelt at the annual farmer’s picnic are just two of the treasures in the State University College of Technology at Delhi’s library archives.


Doctors: Breast cancer drug shows promise
Two area doctors said older women with a certain type of breast cancer could benefit from the findings of a recent study on a newer drug to fight the disease.


Schools prepare for Daily Star’s yearly spelling bee
Thirty-six local public and private schools are buzzing with activity as they prepare for this year’s Daily Star Spelling Bee.


Ex-pastor sentenced
Mark Cole, the former pastor of Saint James’ Episcopal Church in Oneonta, was sentenced Friday in U.S. District Court in Syracuse, Glenn T. Suddaby, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of New York, said in a news release.


Family marks anniversary of transplant, hears from first daughter’s donor
It has been a year since Brynne Backus received the gift of life from an anonymous donor. Her mother wanted to say thank you, but a strange twist of fate gave her the opportunity to thank another donor from the past.


The secret’s out: Area native uses experience to develop book about why tots do what they do
By Lisa Miller Contributing Writer When Jana Murphy graduated from Hartwick College in 1993, she launched two careers - one in parenting and one in publishing. Eleven years later, she has combined her knowledge and skills in both areas to conceive and create a widely praised book titled "The Secret Lives of Toddlers: A Parent’s Guide to the Wonderful, Terrible, Fascinating Behavior of Children Ages 1 to 3."


Review: Book balances advice, stories, information
By Lisa Miller Contributing Writer I heard about Jana Murphy’s parenting book at just the right time. My subscription to Parents magazine had lapsed, I’d put away "What to Expect the First Year," and my just-turned-1-year-old, Allie, was yip-yipping like a puppy as she scooted around on the floor, pausing under her high chair to pick up crumbs.


Area news briefs

Area news brief

December 10, 2004

Outage hits NiMo users in 2 counties
It’s doubtful anyone will write a song about the night the lights went out in Otsego or Schoharie counties. But that is what happened, at least for four hours Thursday.


Circus tricks come to school
COOPERSTOWN - To the strains of "Thunder and Blazes," a Barnum and Bailey favorite, students at Cooperstown Elementary School have been learning this week to juggle, walk on stilts, twirl devil sticks and do other amazing feats.


Assemblyman: Entire state should be an Empire Zone
ONEONTA - New York must take steps now to make the state more friendly to businesses and revitalize its tourism industry, an assemblyman from Rochester said Thursday.


Two stores begin to buy textbooks from students as semester comes to end
ONEONTA - As finals week approaches, the Red Dragon Bookstore at the State University College at Oneonta and Damascene Book Cellar will buy back used books, and two college students said they are eager to cash in.


Area news briefs

December 9, 2004

Delaware board OKs ’05 budget
The Delaware County Board of Supervisors made sweeping budget cuts and found additional revenue to lower the proposed 2005 tax levy increase from 12.76 percent to 4.4 percent, board members announced at their Wednesday meeting.


Consultant to raise funds in Beirut
Stan Hall said he has seen a model for cooperation in the war-torn Mideast, and he wants others to see it, too.


Check out memories at Sidney library
Along with books and magazines, patrons of the Sidney Memorial Library can also check out the memories this month.


Four Delaware supervisors take salary cut
Four Delaware County town supervisors took a stand and a salary cut Wednesday as the county board was preparing to adopt the proposed 2005 budget.


Oneonta officials, administrative staff to get raises
ONEONTA - City department heads, administrative staff and elected and appointed officials will receive salary increases ranging from 2.5 percent to 3.7 percent, city chamberlain David Martindale said Wednesday.


Common Council sets salaries for 2005
ONEONTA - The Common Council set 2005 salaries for department heads and other administrative employees and officials during a meeting Tuesday night.


TraCS system to change way tickets issued
Computers are starting to ride along with the state police in Sidney to help them do their job.


Otsego board OKs loans for stable, restaurant
COOPERSTOWN - The Otsego County Board of Representatives has approved low-interest loans to two local businesses.


Area news briefs

December 8, 2004

Kraft plant to close in S. Edmeston
Kraft Foods will close its yogurt-making plant in South Edmeston in April, leaving 67 employees without work, company officials announced Tuesday.


What will workers do now?
Workers at the Kraft plant in South Edmeston were told Tuesday, 18 days before Christmas, that they’re losing their jobs.


SUNY cuts possible
ALBANY - New York college students, fearing sharp cuts in state funding for higher education, launched a lobbying effort Tuesday to ward off tuition increases and reductions in financial aid.


Deer season has been ’rotten’
This year’s deer season has been terrible, said owners of area butcher shops.


Director of OFO to say goodbye
ONEONTA - After 19 years at the helm of Opportunities for Otsego, executive director Cheri Albrecht is stepping down.


Common Council marks Allison’s 80th birthday
ONEONTA - Great mentor. Incredible work ethic. Man of wisdom, generosity and a living treasure.


Case against lawyer adjourned
DELHI - An Oneonta lawyer was given an adjournment in contemplation of dismissal on a second-degree harassment charge in Delhi Village Court on Tuesday.


School adviser: Zone study may be done by April
ONEONTA - About 18 people, including school officials, attended a meeting Tuesday to discuss possible rezoning in the Oneonta City School District.


Critical-access status must be done right for hospitals to reap benefits, officials say
As well as temporarily closing its obstetrics unit and limiting surgical services, The Hospital in Sidney is working on converting to a critical-access hospital.


First Night Oneonta receives more support
ONEONTA - More businesses than a year ago are supporting First Night Oneonta, which for the first time received support through state politicians, the organizing chairman said Monday.


Business Beat: Time Warner deal to help OFO
Time Warner Cable has launched a campaign for the holidays to donate money to Opportunities for Otsego.


Area News Briefs
HAMDEN - State police at Margaretville have identified the Hamden woman hit and killed by a tractor-trailer Monday night.


December 7, 2004

The Hospital in Sidney to close unit
SIDNEY - A bleak financial picture is the root of changes at The Hospital in Sidney, including the closing of the obstetrics unit and limiting surgical services.


Teen pleads guilty to assault
The seventh and last defendant in the Timothy Cutting case pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of first-degree assault in Delaware County Court on Monday.


Library evokes Christmas past
The windows and tree are decorated with white lights, as in days of old.


Man accused of attack in Hartwick Commons lot
COOPERSTOWN - A Franklin man was charged with second-degree assault Sunday night, accused of attacking a man in the Hartwick Commons parking lot.


Alleged car thief arrested in Albany
ONEONTA - The Oneonta man who allegedly broke into two homes and stole two cars last week was arrested in Albany on Monday.


Defendant re-arraigned on 1st-degree rape charge
DELHI - Defendants facing charges of rape, vehicular assault and criminal possession of stolen property appeared in Delaware County Court on Monday.


Most area ski centers open for the season, officials say
Unseasonably warm weather and rain have not deterred avid skiers who are already hitting the slopes.


Clergy member says he is disappointed jury voted to defrock lesbian minister in Pennsylvania
The United Methodist Church has stripped a lesbian minister of her ordination, and two local clergy said the church was upholding its law.


Area news briefs

December 6, 2004

Couples, experts say marriage requires effort
Times have changed since Frank Sinatra sang that love and marriage "go together like a horse and carriage."


Volunteers keep stones gleaming in cemetery
All things old appear new again in the West Delhi Cemetery.


School redistrict meeting Tuesday
ONEONTA - An informational meeting to look at the possibility of redistricting in the Oneonta City School District will be at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Greater Plains Elementary School


State poised to OK minimum-wage increase
ALBANY - With an increase in the state’s minimum wage looming, New York’s business leaders are putting last-minute pressure on the state Senate to ease the payroll squeeze.


Budget reform may be on agenda
ALBANY - New York lawmakers are headed to Albany today to wrap up what’s been considered the least productive legislative years in recent memory. It’s unclear whether they can change that distinction in the next day or two, but they are expected to try.


SUCO band to perform Tuesday
ONEONTA - The State University Concert Band, under the direction of Associate Professor Rene Prins, will present a concert Tuesday commemorating Pearl Harbor Day and other events relating to this date in history


Area news briefs
BOVINA - A Long Island child shot himself Sunday morning while hunting, state police at Margaretville said


Couples, experts say marriage requires effort
Times have changed since Frank Sinatra sang that love and marriage \


December 4, 2004

Otsego explores waste options
In May 2014, the service agreement that binds the Montgomery Otsego Schoharie Solid Waste Management Authority together will expire.


Sidney board hears details on school buildings
No decisions were made Thursday during a special meeting of the Sidney Board of Education to review options for use of the five buildings in the district.


Property tax break could help Schoharie
A new state law could give Schoharie County volunteer firefighters and medical technicians a property tax break, officials said Friday, and help fill emergency-service ranks.


Area news briefs

$1M gift to Hartwick will help expand programs at Pine Lake
Hartwick College plans to use a $1 million gift to support the Pine Lake Summer Institute, which will offer existing and expanded programs for students, faculty, public-school teachers and pupils and community members.


December 3, 2004

Schools: Safety data incomplete
Some area superintendents said the latest state Education Department report on violent incidents in schools does not give an accurate picture of what is going on.


’Wick students search cemetery
WEST BURLINGTON - A team of geology experts from Hartwick College searched for hidden gravestones Thursday in West Burlington.


Children’s advocate honored for tenure
ONEONTA - Keeping children safe has been a mission for Barbara Marsala, who since 1996 has promoted wearing helmets, buckling seat belts and washing hands.


’Wick student with suspected case of meningitis ’doing fine’
ONEONTA - Students at the two colleges in Oneonta have been immunized against meningitis or decided against vaccination, said health administrators who nonetheless remain alert for the possibility of other cases.


One of ’Sidney Seven’ pleads guilty to charges of assaulting inmates
DELHI - A defendant in the Timothy Cutting case appeared in Delhi village court Wednesday to plead guilty to charges that he assaulted two inmates in the Delaware County jail.


Dance marathon to benefit Alzheimer’s Association
ONEONTA - Dancers will shake it like a Polaroid picture today for a good cause. State University College at Oneonta students will hold a dance marathon to raise money for the Alzheimer’s Association at 7 p.m. in Lee Hall.


Six people homeless after fire
SMITHVILLE FLATS - A dropped cigarette is being blamed for a fire that left at least six homeless in Smithville Flats on Wednesday, fire officials said.


’Wick students glean food for the hungry
ONEONTA - At a time when community need for donated food has skyrocketed, nine Hartwick College students jumped in to help.


Area news briefs

December 2, 2004

Delaware County to work on budget
The Delaware County Board of Supervisors agreed to continue working on the budget to try to reduce the double-digit tax levy increase after eight people spoke at a public hearing Wednesday.


’Wick speaker spurs debate
Remarks made at Hartwick College by a Federal Reserve Board governor landed him in the middle of a Social Security debate in a Bloomberg news column.


Intruder takes two vehicles in Unadilla
A search continued Wednesday for an Oneonta-area man who, in a T-shirt and underwear, stole and crashed two cars and broke into two Unadilla homes Sunday night.


Jefferson alum to present recital
A Jefferson High School graduate has found a way to benefit with a little help from his friends that the Beatles may have missed.


Otsego County board approves $86 million budget
By a 9-to-3 vote Wednesday, the Otsego County Board of Representatives approved an $86 million budget for 2005.


’Wick student being treated for meningitis
ONEONTA - A Hartwick College student was hospitalized Wednesday for treatment of a suspected case of bacterial meningitis, a college official said.


Laurens sixth-grader brings knife to school; nobody threatened, hurt
A female student at Laurens Central School was discovered to have a knife at the school last month, but no one was threatened or hurt, the superintendent said Tuesday.


Man pleads innocent to assault, attempted murder
COOPERSTOWN - During arraignment in Otsego County Court on Wednesday, an Oneonta man pleaded innocent to charges of first-degree assault and attempted murder.


Maryland resident, 21, charged in string of nine burglaries
ONEONTA - The safe that state police fished from a Davenport pond Wednesday morning was just one of the items they said a Maryland man stole in a string of nine burglaries.


Holiday train will stop in Oneonta
ONEONTA - Canadian Pacific Railway’s Holiday Train will be coming ’round the mountains Friday and stopping in Oneonta at 4:30 p.m., organizers said.


Tree-lighting set for tonight
ONEONTA - Mayor Kim Muller is scheduled to turn on lights adorning a Christmas tree downtown at 6 p.m. today, and discounted tickets for First Night Oneonta will go on sale.


Santa and Mrs. Claus to visit Delhi hospital
DELHI - Santa and Mrs. Claus will pay their first official visit to O’Connor Hospital’s newly constructed wing Saturday during the sixth annual Christmas Parade and Holiday Open House, said Pamela Karwan, hospital spokeswoman.


Winners of ’sweetest’ contest announced; prizes awarded
ONEONTA - Winners in the Sweetest Little Houses in Town Gingerbread Contest and Display were chosen Wednesday night at the Clarion Hotel in Oneonta, organizers said.


Union members bring concerns to school board
ONEONTA - More than 150 members of the Oneonta Teachers Association came to the Oneonta City School Board meeting at Center Street Elementary School on Wednesday to share concerns about a new contract.


Area news brief

December 1, 2004

Doctor runs no-insurance clinic
ONEONTA - Dr. Joan Bachorik’s office on Dietz Street is sparse: only two employees, no computers, a simple waiting room and no fancy artwork on the walls.


Newspaper gives glimpes into past
MILFORD - A Milford Central School class learned something about life during the early 1900s when a student teacher brought in a family find Tuesday.


No arrests made in alleged Margaretville fight
The Margaretville man allegedly beaten by a group of men on Main Street in Margaretville said Tuesday his injuries are healing but he still doesn’t remember the attack.


Gilbertsville man sentenced for DWI in Otsego court
A Gilbertsville man was sentenced in Otsego County Court on Monday to 1½ to 4½ years in prison for driving while intoxicated.


Cooperstown to receive $246,000 in grants
At the Cooperstown Fire Station on Tuesday, state Sen. James Seward announced that the 2004-05 state budget includes $246,000 in grants for Cooperstown-area organizations and municipalities.


Man dies in rollover accident
A 29-year-old Gallupville man died early Sunday morning in an alcohol-related rollover accident.


Effort to extend Milk Income Loss Contract fails
A recent effort by federal legislators to extend the national dairy program was unsuccessful, and further action is expected before the Milk Income Loss Contract expires next year, officials said.


Police buy digital camera with money from grant
With a $1,000 grant from the Wal-Mart Foundation, the Oneonta Police Department bought a digital camera that arrived Monday.


Elections commissioner won’t seek eighth term
Douglas Hamilton has decided not to seek an eighth term as Otsego County’s Republican elections commissioner.


Business Beat: Glass and art gallery open in Oneonta
A glass and art gallery has set up shop on Main Street in Oneonta. Volcano Editions, owned by Sven and Karen Anderson, features digital prints, reproductions, archival work and art glass.


Area news briefs





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