DEC closed 2nd spill site
COOPERSTOWN _ The state Department of Environmental Conservation closed a second petroleum spill site in Cooperstown that does not meet state standards for safe drinking water.
Wal-Mart pulls Veggie Booty
A number of bags of a recently recalled snack food were found on the shelves of the Oneonta Wal-Mart on Friday.
Suspect hospitalized; hearing delayed
The felony hearing for a Maryland man arrested in an Internet sex-sting operation earlier this week was delayed until next week, a court official said.
Sixth Ward Democrat seeks post
A Parish Avenue resident gas declared her candidacy for the Sixth Ward seat on Oneonta’s Common Council.
Car show to honor wheelchair advocate
Wheels are an important part of any vintage auto show, but they have a particular significance at the 30th Annual Stamford Car Show, according to John Butler, Stamford Rotary Club show coordinator.
Emergency center established in Downsville for flood victims
Delaware County is establishing a disaster assistance center at Downsville Central School for the Colchester and Andes residents affected by June 19 flash flooding, Rich Bell, county emergency services director, said in a media release.
Area News Roundup
DELHI _ A Bloomville man was charged with a felony count of third-degree attempted arson Thursday after he allegedly tried to burn a house down, Delaware County deputies said in a media release.
Hartwick appoints dean
Katrina Zalatan, associate professor of business administration at Hartwick College, has accepted the position of dean of experiential and integrative learning at the college. She begins her duties Sunday.
June 29, 2007
Otsego starts anonymous tips line
The Otsego County Sheriff’s Department is starting a telephone and e-mail "tips line" to streamline the way it receives information from the public.
Checking out tips from the public is an important part of investigative work, Sheriff Richard Devlin Jr. said.
IRS: Sex-sting suspect owns nonprofit
A foundation owned by a town of Maryland man arrested this week in an Internet sex sting is recognized as a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization by the Internal Revenue Service.
But IRS documents signed by William Everett Sternberg for Student-Parent Support Services show less than $500 of income for 2004, no expenses and no salaries.
Data show special-ed progress
Special-education students continue to make progress in schools statewide, according to data release by the state Education Department and comments from area administrators.
Catholic Charities program to close
A program that has been helping seniors and people with disabilities in Otsego County is closing July 13, an official with Catholic Charities of Delaware and Otsego Counties said.
BOCES teachers lack contracts
The end of this month marks an anniversary in contract negotiations for both area Boards of Cooperative Educational Services.
Codes officer to stay
Dan Wilber, Otsego County’s code-enforcement officer, has been promised a $5,000 stipend and is staying on in his current position, according to Rep. Donald Lindberg, R-Worcester, who chairs the county Board of Representatives.
Campers explore sciences at SUCO
ONEONTA _ High school students in central New York are learning about science firsthand this week at the PR2EPS Summer Science Camp at the State University College at Oneonta.
Local graduates win Catskill writing prizes
MARGARETVILLE _ Four local high school seniors received the Catskill Heritage writing prize for their respective schools at graduation ceremonies over the weekend.
Area News Briefs
Power was restored by Thursday afternoon to all but two of the approximately 4,800 New York State Electric & Gas Corp. customers left without electricity by storms that passed through the area Wednesday, company spokeswoman Ann Carnrike said.
June 28, 2007
One year later: Families miss three lost in flood
When Robert and Jennifer Stockwell spied a piece of land off of Holmesville Hill Road in Chenango County, the couple knew right away that was where they would build their home.
Robert and his father, Roy Stockwell, began working on a two-story house in August 2005. In January, the Stockwell family took up residence.
Six months later Robert was dead, a victim of the Flood of 2006.
Schumer: Sidney sites contaminated
Despite state and federal efforts to clean up a toxic contaminant, many sites carrying a particular carcinogen continue to pose a threat throughout New York, Sen. Charles Schumer said Wednesday.
At least 4,800 without power after storm
About 4,800 people were without power in the area after a storm passed through Wednesday, according to New York State Electric & Gas Corp. officials.
Colchester awaits disaster declaration
Damage estimates from last week’s flooding continue to climb and have almost reached the $23 million threshold required to be declared a federal disaster area, Colchester Supervisor Bob Homovich said Wednesday.
Meredith wind law may get changes
After a public hearing Monday attended by more than 150 people, Meredith’s proposed law regulating wind-power projects will undergo more revisions, Meredith Supervisor Frank Bachler said Wednesday.
Two plead innocent to child-porn charges
In Otsego County Court on Friday before Judge Brian Burns, Robert W. Fitzpatrick, 54, of West Winfield, pleaded innocent to charges of possessing and promoting a sexual performance by a child,
Area News Briefs
A group of Sufi Muslims will speak at the Unitarian Universalist Society of Oneonta on Sunday, according to a news release.
Suspect not related to us, school says
SCHENEVUS _ Schenevus Central School officials said Wednesday the town of Maryland resident charged Tuesday in an Internet sex sting has no relationship with the school.
June 27, 2007
Otsego faulted on finances
COOPERSTOWN _ An audit released this week by the state Comptroller’s Office criticizes the way Otsego County handled money in 2005 and 2006.
Teen killed in car crash
An East Branch teenager was killed in a one-car rollover crash in Delaware County on Monday night.
Dylan Polomcean, 17, died after the four-door sedan he was driving north on Dunk Hill Road at about 6 p.m. went off the right shoulder, overturned and came to rest on the driver’s side, said Senior Investigator Karl Vagts of the Delaware County Sheriff’s Department.
On The Bright Side: Concert series returns under new manager
Country, blues, rock, jazz and swing are all in the mix as the Summer Music Series in Neahwa Park gets under way.
The Frogs, who play rock and blues featuring a "dynamite singer," will perform Thursday at 7 p.m. in the second of nine events planned for the summer. Just Throw Money opened the series last week.
Feldstein to have Republican opponent
Republican Kathy Clark, of Otego, is running for the District 3 seat on the Otsego County Board of Representatives held by Ronald Feldstein, D-Otego.
Maryland man charged with explicit chats
A town of Maryland man was charged with a felony Tuesday for an alleged sexually explicit Internet chats with a Connecticut police officer posing as a 14-year-old boy.
William Everette Sternberg, 58, was arrested on a charge of attempted first-degree disseminating indecent materials to minors, a class E felony punishable by up to 4 years in prison.
Federal trial delayed
BINGHAMTON _ The federal trial of Unadilla resident Michael Frascatore has been adjourned until Aug. 27.
HIV tests offered today
Free HIV testing is available in the area today as part of National HIV Testing Day.
Area News Briefs
ONEONTA _ A public hearing on two zoning changes is scheduled for beginning of Tuesday’s Common Council meeting at 7:30 p.m. in the council chambers.
June 26, 2007
Search for missing ends
The search has been called off for the two women who remain missing after last week’s flooding, said the Sullivan County Commissioner of Public Safety.
Students uncover area history
Sometime between 3,000 and 4,000 years ago, a small band of people made camp on the north bank of Charlotte Creek.
They ate nuts, caught fish with nets and hunted game in the hills.
Today, their campsite is a meadow, and college students are gleaning what they can from the layers of earth that cover it.
Man admits impersonating officer
DELHI _ A Seaford man appeared in Delaware County Court on Monday on charges related to impersonating a police officer to obtain a handgun.
June 25, 2007
Two still missing after flood
Searchers over the weekend were unable to find two women missing since flash floods struck the Delaware County town of Colchester on Tuesday.
Graduates voice hopes, joys
Hundreds of area high school seniors received their diplomas in graduation ceremonies over the weekend.
Cooperstown honors missing classmate
COOPERSTOWN _ The class of 2007 at Cooperstown Central School honored a classmate at its graduation Sunday afternoon.
Main Headline
SIDNEY _ This year’s Sidney High School graduation ceremony was a time for looking toward the future while remembering the past.
Delhi grads urged to change the world
DELHI _ Eighty-four young men and women in maroon and white sat in rows on Delaware Academy’s lawn to receive their high school diplomas, as well as Oreo cookies, on Saturday.
Walton sends 91 graduates into the world
WALTON _ The sun shone on the 91 members of the class of 2007 as they took part in Walton Central School’s 154th commencement Saturday morning, but the crowd watching shivered in the bleachers and huddled under blankets as a chilly wind blew the mortarboards off the graduates’ heads.
Republican enters District 13 race
Republican Scott D. Harrington, 30, announced Friday that he is in the race to represent District 13 on the Otsego County Board of Representatives.
Douglas trial delayed
The federal trial of Corbin Douglas scheduled for today in Binghamton has been adjourned until Aug. 6.
Area News Brief
ONEONTA _ New York State Electric & Gas Corp. will be replacing 200 feet of natural-gas main today on Hudson Avenue between Rose Avenue and Eighth Street in Oneonta.
Oneonta City Court Report
Oneonta City Court reported that defendants pleaded guilty, unless otherwise indicated, and were fined and sentenced as listed below.
June 23, 2007
2nd flood victim found
The body of Marjorie Shutts, 79, of Colchester, the second confirmed victim of the Colchester flooding, was found in a pond at about noon Friday, according to state police Maj. Kevin Molinari.
Marchi may get job back
While in Richfield Town Court for his plea and sentencing on a drunken-driving charge, Otsego Manor Administrator Edmond Marchi said there is no medical reason why he cannot retake the reins at the county’s 174-bed nursing home.
But he hasn’t been asked back by the Otsego County Board of Representatives.
State Senate OKs Otsego bed-tax
A bill authorizing Otsego County to double its occupancy tax from 2 percent to 4 percent passed the state Senate on Thursday.
Main Headline
Because of Tuesday’s flooding, four roads are closed in the town of Andes until further notice, town Supervisor Martin Donnelly said Friday.
Missing man, 81, found dead in Colchester
The search for three people still missing after Colchester flooding on Tuesday will resume today at about 8 a.m., Capt. Rodney Campbell of state police at Sidney said.
Flood-damaged roads could be out at least 7-10 days
Motorists traveling sections of roadway damaged in Tuesday’s flooding in Colchester could be affected longer than the seven-to-10 days currently estimated, said Delaware County Director of Emergency Services Rich Bell.
A.L. Kellogg School closes for final time
TREADWELL _ Thursday was the last day of school for many districts around the area. It was also the last day students would have class at A.L. Kellogg Elementary School in Treadwell.
Tigers fans tour new, improved Damaschke
ONEONTA _ Between 250 and 300 baseball fans got a sneak peak Thursday of a refurbished Damaschke Field before the Oneonta Tigers’ home opener today against the Tri-City ValleyCats.
Democrat enters race in Fourth Ward
ONEONTA _ A Fourth Ward Democrat is running for the Common Council, potentially forcing a three-way race for the seat being vacated by Keith Bott.
Doctor to lead cancer center
A Springfield Center physician has been named the director of Bassett Healthcare’s Regional Cancer Program.
Main Headline
A person charged Tuesday with shoplifting is facing felony identity-theft charges, according to Otsego County sheriff’s deputies.
C’town students honored at National History Day
Four Cooperstown High School students were finalists and special-award winners at the National History Day competition recently at the University of Maryland in College Park.
Man pleads innocent to cocaine possession
On Monday, a Superior Court Information charging a Westford man with possessing cocaine was opened in Otsego County Court before Judge Michael Coccoma.
June 21, 2007
Four missing after flood
DOWNSVILLE _ Four people were missing and at least was one presumed dead after an 8-foot-high wall of water rushed through two valleys in the town of Colchester, officials said Wednesday.
Local woman escapes flood on Cat Hollow
A Downsville woman heading home on Cat Hollow after visiting her aunt in Tennanah Lake at 6:45 p.m. Tuesday was trapped in the flash flood that washed away three homes next to the house where she took refuge.
Oneontans stranded
"So this is how it happens," Oneonta resident Ed Blass recalled thinking as he and his daughter Melissa sat trapped by floodwaters and debris while trying to drive home on state Route 206 on Tuesday. "This happens to other people."
Firm: $500K cost to Oneonta
to improve communications
It would cost the city more than $500,000 to modernize its communication systems, according to an evaluation by an information-technology consulting firm.
Matthew Crider from ECC Technologies said the city is adequately meeting its Internet, telephone and radio communication needs but is doing so with dated equipment and an undersized emergency operations center.
P&G plant in Norwich could eliminate 180 jobs
About 180 people at the Procter & Gamble Pharmaceuticals plant in Woods Corners in Norwich could lose their jobs over the next two years, a company official said Wednesday.
Marchi gets probation
in DWI case
In Richfield Town Court on Wednesday, Otsego Manor Administrator Edmond Marchi pleaded guilty to driving while intoxicated Jan. 7 in the town of Richfield.
One pool opens in city
The Neahwa Park swimming pool opened Wednesday, but the pool in Wilber Park remains closed because of construction, city recreation director Steven Andrews said.
Court Report
Oneonta City Court reported that defendants pleaded guilty, unless otherwise indicated, and were fined and sentenced as listed below.
Land trust gets grants
The Otsego Land Trust in Cooperstown was awarded competitive matching grants Tuesday through the state’s environmental protection fund.
June 20, 2007
Bill pulls post-DWI licenses
The state Senate on Tuesday passed a bill that would require police to seize a conditional or hardship license from a motorist arrested on a charge of driving while intoxicated.
Seward: Cooperstown needs bed-tax cash
State Sen. James Seward, R-Milford, wants assurances on how money will be spent before he asks the state Senate to double Otsego County’s bed tax.
Firm to study roof of ex-Bresee’s building
The Common Council on Tuesday night approved hiring a Schenectady firm to evaluate the roof of the former Bresee’s building.
Stracher, Roth, Gilmore Architects submitted the winning contract proposal to study how deteriorated the roof has become and what can be done to fix it.
Storm darkens region, but no injuries reported
Oneonta dodged a first wave of thunderstorms that swept through the region Tuesday afternoon that downed trees and powerlines throughout Chenango County and to a lesser extent Otsego County.
But a second wave caused power outages in the East End and toppled trees into at least one house and one garage on Valleyview Street, said Oneonta Assistant Fire Chief Shane Mattice.
Cooperstown seeks details about spill at former station
The village of Cooperstown has retained Manlius attorney Douglas Zamelis to investigate the cleanup of the former Mobil gasoline station at 29 Chestnut St., Mayor Carol Waller said Tuesday.
Schumer: Don’t abandon rail tracks
Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., is calling on Walter Rich to delay plans to abandon the track of the New York Susquehanna & Western Railway in Chenango County.
area news roundup
CHERRY VALLEY _ Voters in the Cherry Valley-Springfield Central School District approved a 2007-08 budget by a vote of 364 to 255, Superintendent Nicholas Savin said Tuesday night.
June 19, 2007
Otsego
to avoid trash gap
Otsego County’s deliveries to MOSA spiked in May, a boost in trash that may save money in December.
Developer: Bassett welcome in Sidney
A real-estate group spokesman said Monday he was waiting for Bassett Healthcare of Cooperstown to clarify its position on the pending sale of the former Hospital building in Sidney before the developers can proceed.
Work affects I-88 traffic
Traffic on Interstate 88 from Exit 16 to Exit 13 in Oneonta will get a little tight this summer.
Stamford faces suit over wind
The Western Catskill Preservation Alliance filed an Article 78 petition Friday against the town of Stamford for the way the Town Council handled its "Wind Energy Facilities" ordinance.
Southside fix delayed to 2010
Construction on the long-envisioned Southside highway reconstruction project is not slated to start until 2010.
Damaschke tours set
The city of Oneonta will host a grand opening of the Damaschke Field buildings in Neahwa Park on Thursday
Man proposes change in neighborhood zone
A zone change promoted by a Sixth Ward resident is expected to be before the Common Council tonight.
The proposal would create a Neighborhood Business District zone that would allow for residential buildings alongside small businesses catering to local residents.
Area News Roundup
The second vote on the 2007-08 Cherry Valley-Springfield Central School District budget will take place today from noon to 8 p.m. at the school building on county Route 54 in Cherry Valley.
June 18, 2007
Hartwick president to retire
Hartwick College President Richard Miller will be stepping down at the end of the 2007-08 academic year.
Miller, saying it is the right time for himself and the college, will retire June 30, 2008 after five years at Hartwick’s helm.
Villagers get surprise tax break
Village residents got an unexpected break on their tax bills after a mix-up related to the recently organized Delhi Fire District, Mayor David Truscott said Friday.
Students taking Regents
"I’m trying to take it one test at a time," Oneonta High School junior Kaitlin Pondolfino said Friday.
Main Headline
COOPERSTOWN _ Mary Imogene Bassett Hospital of Cooperstown was one of more than 40 school-based health-care providers in the state to receive a share of $13.2 million in grant funding, according to a Friday announcement by Gov. Eliot Spitzer.
Area News Roundup
A Unadilla woman was arrested Sunday after allegedly using her sister’s identification to get into the Otsego County jail, according to Otsego County sheriff’s deputies.
June 16, 2007
Information on hospital complaints isn’t easy to get
New York state makes it fairly easy for patients to find out their doctor’s disciplinary record and for people to check if nursing homes have been compliant.
But where do patients go to find whether the state Department of Health has cited their hospital for improper care?
Bassett
drops
Sidney plans
Bassett Healthcare of Cooperstown will look for a new site to provide emergency care in Sidney.
Teacher offers students course on the Holocaust
Eleven years ago, a Worcester Central School teacher was awarded a fellowship in Europe to study the Holocaust. This year, she had the opportunity to put her knowledge to use in the classroom.
Grant to spur wireless service into Delaware
Delhi, Stamford and Sidney will be going wireless thanks to a partnership between the Empire State Development Corporation and Pragmeta Network Consulting, a Pragmeta executive said Friday.
Schoharie board moves to foreclose on site
A Massachusetts man whot purchased the abandoned Guilford Mills factory in Cobleskill owes more than $1 million in property taxes on the site, and the county Board of Supervisors on Friday agreed to foreclose on the property.
Codes officer resigns
Dan Wilber, Otsego County’s codes enforcement officer, is resigning to take a job with the state Department of Transportation.
June 15, 2007
Star comptroller named publisher
ONEONTA _ The Daily Star’s comptroller, Tanya Shalor, was named publisher of the newspaper Thursday by parent company Community Newspaper Holdings Inc.
Walton celebrates post-flood progress
WALTON _ Balloon bouquets bobbed along Delaware Street in Walton on Thursday, marking the businesses that participated in the $8 million New York Main Street Flood Relief Program.
Mayor: Station cleanup should resume
Cooperstown Mayor Carol Waller said Wednesday she was disturbed to learn last week that the gasoline cleanup at the former Mobil gas station has not met state standards.
Hartwick fraternity may lose city permit
A Hartwick College fraternity may lose the special-use permit authorizing its Greek house on Spruce Street.
City police were called to the Alpha Sigma Phi house at 71 Spruce St. on April 14 and encountered a party of about 200 people concentrated in the basement and first floor.
Board OKs ex-Hospital sale
The Sidney Town Board approved the sale of the former Hospital building for $4.9 million to a Brooklyn development company during its regular Thursday meeting.
Area News Brief
ONEONTA _ The contractor hired to repave Fairview Street in the city of Oneonta said the work will begin next week.
June 14, 2007
Thayne’s acts legal, DA says
COOPERSTOWN _ Myrna Thayne is the clear winner in her latest battle with the leadership of the Otsego County Board of Representatives, according to District Attorney John Muehl.
Events to help family recover
EAST MEREDITH _ The outpouring of community support continues for the residents of an East Meredith farm that suffered a fire May 3.
DEC official: Black flies not released
The pesky big black flies that have appeared throughout the area are the result of the large forest tent caterpillar population, Rick Georgeson, a state Department of Environmental Conservation spokesman, said Wednesday.
No date set for Fox psych-unit closure
It will be later in the summer before the adolescent and adult psychiatric units at A.O. Fox Memorial Hospital close for good, Fox President John Remillard said Wednesday.
On The Bright Side: Opera to have release on CD
The recording of a Glimmerglass Opera performance last summer will be released on CD this month by Naxos, a classical-music label.
The Franco-Prussian War was the setting of Stephen Hartke’s opera "The Greater Good or The Passion of Boule de Suif."
Spitzer: Lake district adds to government
Gov. Eliot Spitzer has said he vetoed the proposed Canadarago Lake Improvement District because he didn’t want to create another layer of government in the state.
Town park gets makeover for picnics
The former Hemstreet Park in the town of Oneonta has been transformed from a one-time teen party site to a quiet, shady retreat along the bank of the Otego Creek.
Lowe’s employees want to help clean access site
WEST ONEONTA _ A group of Lowe’s employees is hoping it can spruce up the area around the Southside Dam access site on state Route 23 in the town of Oneonta.
Delaware OKs seeking extension of sales tax
The Delaware County Board of Supervisors passed a resolution Wednesday asking the state Legislature to extend the collection of an additional 1 percent sales tax for two years, but the vote wasn’t unanimous.
June 13, 2007
Area man pleads guilty in child-porn case
A former pizzeria owner who allegedly videotaped himself having sex with a preteen girl in 2003 pleaded guilty Tuesday to producing child pornography.
On The Bright Side: Teens display history in D.C.
Two Cooperstown High School students are taking their award-winning multimedia exhibit on the Berlin Airlift to the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum today.
Ninth-graders Dieter Ulken and Yale Weiss, who placed second at the New York State History Day competition in April, are among just five students nationwide selected to present their projects at the museum in Washington, D.C.
Spitzer vetoes district for lake; officials upset
A project to address flooding at Canadarago Lake will have to wait at least another year as Gov. Eliot Spitzer has vetoed the proposed Lake Improvement District bill.
Oneonta budgets $278K for summer sidewalk work
The onset of summer-like weather and the end of the school year means street and sidewalk construction will soon be in full swing in Oneonta.
The Common Council has authorized spending $277,720 to fix sidewalks this year, with work already starting on nine major projects and about 20 smaller sections throughout the city.
Second Dem enters race in District 13
There are now two city residents seeking to appear on the Democratic line for the District 13 Otsego County Board of Representatives seat.
Annmarie Hosnedl, 56, said Tuesday she will be canvassing door-to-door in the city of Oneonta’s Fifth and Sixth wards to get on the ballot as a Democrat and as an independent.
Agent:Watch use
of Net
ONEONTA _ More than 300 students at Oneonta High School have posted profiles on the popular MySpace.com social-networking site, an FBI agent told a group of Oneonta parents Monday night.
Laguna not running again
COOPERSTOWN _ Democrat Rudolph Laguna Jr. is not seeking a second term on the Otsego County Board of Representatives, and Democrat Charles Hobbib, who ran against him in 2004, wants to succeed him.
Delaware to seek sales-tax extension
DELHI _ The Delaware County Board of Supervisors is expected to pass a resolution Wednesday asking the state Legislature to extend the collection of an additional 1 percent sales tax for two years.
Troopers: Herkimer man in bar fight
State police at Oneonta said they have found the other person involved in a bar fight June 2 at the Country Rock Cafe that left a man dead.
Suspect in police chase faces more felony charges
A man who allegedly led police on a car-and-foot chase through the city of Oneonta last fall was arrested Monday on felony weapons and possession of stolen property charges.
Area News Briefs
SIDNEY _ School officials and village police are investigating an act of vandalism at Sidney High School, officials said Monday.
Bill: Track sex offenders earlier
A convicted sex offender may not have abused children in Jefferson County after being placed on bail in Schoharie County if a recently passed state Senate bill was in place at the time, Assemblyman Peter Lopez said Sunday.
CV-S principals resign in restructuring
Cherry Valley-Springfield Central School’s two principals have resigned their positions for next year.
High School Principal Charles Strange and elementary Principal Grace Coddington are opting for jobs as fifth-grade teachers at the same salary, Strange said Sunday night.
Agent to offer safety tips
The Oneonta Police Department and Oneonta City School District are teaming up today to present parents with news they can use to help keep teens safe on the Internet.
Inmate charged in assault
An Oneonta man held at the Otsego County jail was arrested Wednesday for allegedly assaulting another inmate, according to Otsego County sheriff’s deputies.
Sign-up begins for rec activities
The city Recreation Department is trying something new this year as it seeks to sign up children for summer activities in Neahwa and Wilber parks.
All this week, the department will have registrations for its swimming, tee-ball, softball, baseball, tennis and playground programs.
Unlike previous years where registration for each activity was done on an individual basis, parents will be able to register their children for the activities all at once, said Recreation Supervisor Steve Andrews.
Downsville sets vote on project
Voters in the Downsville Central School District will go to the polls June 26 to decide on a $19.5 million building project.
Area News Briefs
ONEONTA _ An Otego teen injured in a car crash Friday was in guarded but stable condition Sunday at A.O. Fox Memorial Hospital, officials there said.
June 9, 2007
DEC: Cleanup at gas station fell short
The cleanup of a massive gasoline spill at the former Mobil Station on 29 Chestnut St. in Cooperstown did not meet state standards, DEC officials said Friday.
Chemicals pose risks to health
When gasoline spills, people trying to clean it up often search for BTEX, short for the components: benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene.
On The Bright Side: Area gets chopper tour
Someone with 20 bucks and a lot of luck will win the Delaware County STOP-DWI Orange County Chopper on Nov. 3, but until then, the custom-built motorcycle will be making appearances throughout the area, Lisa Barrows, county STOP DWI coordinator, said Friday.
Field growing in city’s Fourth Ward
Walnut Street resident John Pontius announced his candidacy on Friday as the Republican candidate for the Fourth Ward on the Oneonta Common Council.
Hodne to run in Eighth Ward
Kevin Hodne announced Friday that he will run for the Democratic nomination for the Eighth Ward seat on the Oneonta Common Council.
Grant OK’d to study Delaware tourism
The Delaware County Chamber of Commerce has been awarded a $12,500 Appalachian Regional Commission grant to conduct a tourism assessment for towns surrounding the Catskill Park.
Colorful cows, new tents mark Dairy Fest
Organizers of the annual Meredith Dairy Fest said it would take a mighty wind on Saturday and Sunday to cause problems at this year’s festival.
Hundreds
of residents
to see Graham
Hundreds of area residents are planning to attend evangelist Franklin Graham’s NYPENN Festival in Binghamton this weekend, according to the Rev. Phil Livermore of the Main Street Baptist Church in Oneonta.
Bear roams near Coopertown school
Things were a little out of the ordinary Thursday morning at Cooperstown Middle/High School when a bear was spotted behind the building, officials said.
Dealership collects thanks
An area car dealership collected thank-you letters for Americans in the armed services during May.
Artisan joins Seventh Ward alderman race
ONEONTA _ Lizabeth Shannon, 46, announced Thursday she will be seeking the Democratic nomination for Seventh Ward alderman.
She also will petition to run as an independent candidate for the November election, according to a news release.
June 7, 2007
Reps OK Bassett request
At Wednesday’s meeting, the Otsego County Board of Representatives approved issuing tax-free bonds for Bassett Healthcare’s $13.5 million expansion project in Oneonta and Hartwick.
Local boy gets aid
Tammy Mott said she kept hearing "no" from Social Security when she tried to get disability assistance for her son, Erik Liddell.
Coalition, Delaware: Watershed deal illegal
The Coalition of Watershed Towns and the Delaware County Board of Supervisors contend the federal government is violating the law by not adhering to conditions set down in a 10-year-old watershed agreement with New York City, officials said.
EPIC users get advice on Part D
Area senior citizens have another decision to make within the next month if they are part of the state’s Elderly Pharmaceutical Insurance Coverage program.
Cocaine cases heard in Otsego
In Otsego County Court on Monday before Judge Michael Coccoma, Andrew Hathaway, 33, of Oneonta, pleaded guilty to third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance, cocaine.
Hartwick will honor couple
as ’Citizens of Year’ at gala
ONEONTA _ Hartwick College has announced that Linda and Geoff Smith, longtime supporters of the college and the Oneonta community, have been named the Hartwick College Citizens Board Outstanding Citizens of the Year.
Man pleads to giving narcotics
Sarupindar Singh, of Rexford, a former Cobleskill dentist, pleaded guilty Wednesday in U.S. District Court to a felony information document charging him with dispensing and distributing hydrocodone mixed with a nonnarcotic for nonmedical purposes, according to a media release.
June 6, 2007
Bar had expired
license
The liquor license for a Laurens bar expired two days before a fatal fight in which an Oneonta man was killed, according to the State Liquor Authority.
The license held by JGB Layton Inc. was effective from June 1, 2005, to May 31, 2007, state liquor licensing records indicate.
Otsego plans parking for 50K visitors to Baseball Hall
Thousands of visitors to Cooperstown on Hall of Fame weekend will ride in on school buses, according to a plan being worked out by Deborah Taylor, Otsego County’s tourism director.
On The Bright Side: Seniors thank foundation for support
One said captaining the lacrosse team. Another said making Eagle Scout. And another said simply getting through high school.
The 44 Onoenta High School seniors who were awarded Dollars for Scholars scholarships Tuesday were asked to share their greatest accomplishment as they were recognized at a ceremony in Hartwick College’s Stack Lounge.
Although their answers were different, all 44 seniors thanked the local scholarship foundation that for 15 years as been helping Oneonta High School graduates on their paths to a college degree.
Man accused of stealing from father
The son of a missing Laurens farmer was arrested Tuesday in Otsego County and charged with stealing $60,000 from his father.
Matthew M. Arbas, 37, was taken into custody without incident after a trooper on patrol noticed his vehicle parked in the driveway of the Arbas family farm on county Route 10, said Senior Investigator Robert Fernandez of state police at Oneonta.
House: Trend is for smaller spaces
Downtown Developer Jeff House said the former Resnick’s building on Main Street is not the only large retail space downtown that may be split by property owners into smaller spaces.
In his first address to the Common Council under the terms of a new contract, House said there are three other property owners who may look to subdivide their first floors.
State criticizes 3 area schools
Three area schools were cited in a state audit Tuesday for not complying with Regents examination security requirements.
District 8 challenger steps forward
Republican James Johnson, former owner of the BanJo Communications Group, announced plans Tuesday to run for the District 8 seat on the Otsego County Board of Representatives.
Meredith wind-law hearing likely June 25
DELHI _ A final draft of a proposed law regulating wind-power projects was reached during the final joint meeting of the Meredith Town Board and Meredith Planning Board on Monday, Supervisor Frank Bachler said Tuesday.
SUNY ranks two area professors
as distinguished
Two area professors were among 28 faculty statewide to receive distinguished ranks Thursday from the State University of New York Board of Trustees.
Joseph Greenfield from the State University College of Technology at Delhi and Janet Nepkie from the State University College at Oneonta received Distinguished Service Professorships.
Fatal hit was likely self-defense
A bar fight at the Country Rock Cafe on Saturday night that resulted in the death of an Oneonta man may have been a case of self-defense, police and a prosecutor said Monday.
Rite Aid’s purchase of Eckerd complete
It could be as long as 16 months before Eckerd stores in the area are converted to Rite Aid stores, a Rite Aid spokeswoman said Monday.
Agency lets pets, owners skip shelter
Local pet owners who must give up a cat or dog but want a say in who adopts it have a new way to do so,
Home-to-Home Pet Adoption Services offers an alternative to putting a pet into an animal shelter or publicizing its availability.
Two Republicans to seek re-election in town of Oneonta
Town Councilman Carleton Delameter made his run for re-election official last week.
Delameter and Councilwoman Janet Hurley-Quackenbush, who had already committed to run, issued a joint statement saying they were seeking re-election to the board.
Area News Briefs
EDMESTON _ A 21-year-old former resident of Otsego County remained in a medically induced coma Monday at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, eight days after a sport utility vehicle slammed into a taxi in which she was a passenger, sources said.
Council likely to make way for condos
The Common Council is expected to vote tonight on a special-use permit authorizing the building of Riverside Gardens, a condominium development in the Sixth Ward.
New York City developer Israel Gold is proposing to turn 6.4 acres of wooded land between River Street and West Broadway into a 60-unit condominium complex complete with a homeowners’ association.
Man labeled Level 2 offender
A man convicted of raping and sodomizing a 14-year-old was labeled a Level 2 sex offender in Delaware County Court on Monday.
Man dies after bar fight
An Oneonta man died Saturday night after a fight at the Country Rock Cafe in the town of Laurens.
Laurence W. Miller, 41, was standing when he was apparently hit by another man and struck his head on the floor, said Investigator Jeff Moore of the Oneonta trooper barracks.
Ex-Oneonta priest charged with child porn
A Catholic priest from Columbia County charged last week with possessing child pornography was an associate pastor at St. Mary’s Church in Oneonta for five years in the 1990s.
Raymond Ethier, 50, of Hudson, was charged Tuesday with possessing child pornography downloaded from a popular Internet file-sharing program, a felony under federal law punishable by a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years and maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, as well as up to a $250,000 fine.
On The Bright Side: Old toys to create new fun in Delhi
DELHI _ The "Toys from the Past" at the Delaware County Historical Association will conjure up memories for those who played with similar items and wonder for 21st-century children, Mary Jane Henderson, guest curator, said Friday.
Stayton to seek full term
ONEONTA _ Democratic Rep. Marti Stayton, of District 11 on the Otsego County Board of Representatives, said Sunday she was running for a full term on the board in November.
Revised CV-S budget up for vote June 19
Voters in the Cherry Valley-Springfield School District will go to the polls from noon to 8 p.m. June 19 to decide on a revised 2007-08 school budget.
Magazine for gays marks milestone
ONEONTA _ Those involved in the area’s first full-fledged magazine for the gay and lesbian community celebrated the publication’s first anniversary Sunday.
Group
to focus on ending violence
A group of Margaretville area residents concerned about recent acts of violence at college campuses, workplaces and shopping malls has established a "Day of Dignity" to focus attention on a culture of violence, Joyce St. George, group organizer, said Wednesday.
Couple charged with fraud
An Afton couple was arrested Friday for alleged welfare fraud, according to Chenango County sheriff’s deputies.
Baseball symposium begins Wednesday
A State University College at Oneonta professor will serve as director of the 19th annual Cooperstown Symposium on Baseball and American Culture at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum from Wednesday through Friday, June 8.
Area News Briefs
WALTON _ The cause of a building collapse in Walton is still under investigation, Walton Fire Chief Jimmy Jacobs said Sunday.
June 2, 2007
$4.9M Hospital sale near
The Sidney Town Board conditionally agreed Friday to sell the former Hospital building to out-of-the area developers for $4.9 million.
Otsego, CSEA negotiations at impasse
Negotiations between Otsego County and its largest union, the CSEA, are at an impasse, according to John Imperato, president of CSEA Local 8100.
Meeting set on wind-turbine law draft
A fourth and final joint meeting of the Meredith Town Board and Meredith Planning Board will be held at 6 p.m. Monday to finalize changes to proposed wind-power regulations, Supervisor Frank Bachler said Friday.
Fewer caterpillars creeping this year, expert says
Forest and eastern tent caterpillar nests are again appearing in trees throughout the area, but the infestation is not expected to be as bad as it was last year, an expert said recently.
Edmeston grad in coma after crash
A 2004 Edmeston High School graduate remained in a coma Thursday after the taxi she was a passenger in was struck over the weekend in a Boston suburb by an unlicensed driver allegedly fleeing from police.
Katelyn Hoyt, 21, suffered severe head trauma, a shattered pelvis and other injuries in the early Sunday morning collision and is in critical condition at Massachusetts General Hospital, said Aileen Howard, a friend of Hoyt’s family.
Two in for Oneonta supervisor
ONEONTA _ The town of Oneonta has two candidates for supervisor.
The town Democratic Committee announced Thursday it has endorsed Robert T. Wood, a former city alderman and the owner of Woody’s Market in the city, in his run for supervisor.
Third-party hopeful to run in 4th Ward
A Ford Avenue resident said Thursday he will be running for the Fourth Ward Common Council seat as an independent or on the Working Families Party line.
Michael E. Lynch Jr., a labor-relations specialist with New York State United Teachers, said he reached his decision after learning current Fourth Ward Alderman Keith Bott would not be on the ballot Nov. 6.
Reps question Thayne actions
The battle between Otsego County Treasurer Myrna Thayne and the Otsego County Board of Representatives is escalating.
Man purchased too many pills, authorities say
A Bainbridge man was among 10 arrested Thursday for allegedly violating a federal law to reduce the availability of a drug used in the illegal manufacture of methamphetamine, according to a news release from the U.S. Department of Justice.
SUNY Delhi alumni
to visit this weekend
DELHI _ The State University College of Technology at Delhi is expecting more than 200 alumni and friends as part of Alumni Weekend 2007 today through Sunday on the college campus.
Oneonta Sports Park open
The Oneonta Sports Park opened for business this season May 26, manager John Snyder said Thursday. The facility in the town of Oneonta, on county Route 47 near the Emmons exit for Interstate 88, is open seven days a week. It includes a driving range, nine-hole golf course, miniature golf and baseball and softball batting cages.
