News Briefs: June 20, 2024

Summer Reading Kicks Off

ONEONTA—Huntington Memorial Library will host a kick-off party for its Summer Reading Program for children at 5:30 p.m. on Friday, June 28. The event will feature balloon animals, bubbles, games, a bounce house, refreshments and more. Children must be registered in advance to receive a goodie bag. The reading challenge runs through Friday, August 30. For more information or to sign up, visit https://hmloneonta.org/youth-programs/.

July 4th Parade Is Back On

ONEONTA—Hill City Celebrations will hold its annual Hometown Fourth of July Festival in Neahwa Park on Thursday, July 4, with a rain date the next day. It will begin with a parade on Main Street at 1 p.m., followed by an afternoon of activities, live music, food and craft vendors, a bounce house, and family-friendly games. There will be a fireworks show after dark. Local businesses interested in participating as vendors can contact argogc@gmail.com for more information.

Grief Camp for Kids Offered

ONEONTA—Helios Care will hold a free day camp for children who have lost a loved one at Riverside School in Oneonta on Wednesday, August 7. Camp Forget-Me-Not provides customized counseling, activities and resources to help school-age children move through the healing process. It is facilitated by Helios professionals and runs from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Lunch will be provided. There is no cost, but registration is required; visit HeliosCare.org/events or call (607) 267-8111. Helios also offers free coping kits with grief resources for children, which can be ordered by calling (607) 432-5525.

Kasterine To Discuss His Work

SCHOHARIE—Famed portrait photographer Dmitri Kasterine will visit the SEEC Gallery, 287 Main Street in Schoharie, for a lecture on his craft at 2 p.m. on Saturday, June 22. Much of his work, which includes portraits of major 20th-century figures as well as everyday people, will be on display at the gallery until early October in an exhibit titled “They are all Strangers.” Participants are encouraged to bring a few of their own photographs to contribute to the discussion.

GOHS To Present CCC Talk

ONEONTA—The Greater Oneonta Historical Society will host local historian and museum volunteer Rich Ranieri for a presentation on the history of the Civilian Conservation Corps in Gilbert Lake at 2 p.m. on Saturday, June 29. The CCC camp at Gilbert Lake was one of the longest-running facilities in the nationwide program, open from 1933-1941. “President Roosevelt’s Tree Army” brought many much-needed jobs to the area and preserved major natural resources during the depths of the Great Depression. Ranieri will display a collection of pictures, memorabilia, books and more. The talk is free and open to the public, but registration is required by Friday, June 28; contact directormm@oneontahistory.org or (607) 432-0960 to RSVP. The New York State CCC Museum is located on the beach at Gilbert Lake and is open daily from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Memorial Day through Labor Day. Call (607) 432-2114 for more information.

‘Roadhouse Coup’ To Be Feted

WORCESTER—The historical societies of Westford, Worcester and Maryland will co-host a screening of the locally made local history film “A Roadhouse Coup” at 2 p.m. on Saturday, June 29. There will be a parade at noon, followed by a 1930s costume contest and local history exhibitions and activities. The screening will take place in the Wieting Theatre, 168 Main Street in Worcester. Free tickets through Otsego County Community Events are available by calling (607) 638-9343. Donations are welcome.

Improv Art Fest Is Saturday

CHERRY VALLEY—The Telegraph School and Cherry Valley Artworks will present an improvised art festival at the Star Theater, 44 Main Street, on Saturday, June 22. There will be two afternoon workshops and an evening performance to celebrate improvisation in all art mediums. Musician and teacher Evan Jagels will lead a music improvisation and graphic scores workshop geared toward children and families at 3 p.m. Angelica Dzeli Palmer will teach a dance improvisation and contact improv workshop for all ages and skill levels at 4 p.m. The evening will end with a multidisciplinary performance at 7 p.m. For more information, workshop registration or performance tickets, visit TheTelegraphSchool.org.

BOCES Holds Free CDL-A Class

GRAND GORGE—Otsego Northern Catskills BOCES will provide free CDL-A training courses to 10 eligible applicants later in the summer. Students must be graduates of ONC BOCES Career and Technical Education programs in Grand Gorge or Milford and must be 21 years of age or older. Winners will be selected by lottery after the application deadline closes on Friday, June 28. To apply, visit oncboces.org or the ONC BOCES Facebook page.

Focus on Herbs This Weekend

COOPERSTOWN—The Farmers’ Museum will host a variety of special demonstrations during Herbal Remedies Weekend, running from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, June 22 and 23. Herbalist and farmer A.C. Stauble will demonstrate the production of herbal salves in a workshop from 3-4:30 p.m. on Saturday. She will also hold herbal extract demonstrations and offer products for sale. The blacksmith’s shop will create lab equipment used in the distillation of medical extracts, and other interpreters across the museum grounds will demonstrate other aspects of 19th century medicinal plant production and use. Entry to Herbal Remedies Weekend is free with regular museum admission. The Farmers’ Museum works with Museums for All to provide free admission for up to four people to those receiving SNAP benefits. For more information on admission, exhibits or events, visit FarmersMuseum.org.

Smithy Hosts Raku Workshop

COOPERSTOWN—The Smithy Clay Studio will host a raku pottery firing workshop from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, June 22. Participants can fire up to 12 items in this western-style process inspired by traditional Japanese raku firing, in which red-hot pottery is removed from a kiln and placed into a closed container with combustible materials, leading to intense chemical reactions and powerful colors. Options and pricing are available upon registration. Walk-ins and spectators are also welcome. For more information, visit www.smithyarts.org.

Tri-Town Clinic Has Reopened

SIDNEY—Bassett Healthcare Network has re-opened its specialty clinic at 43 Pearl Street West in Sidney. It is once again open to patients for appointments in orthopedics and podiatry. Patients should speak to a primary care practitioner for a referral or call the scheduling line, (607) 547-3652.

Book Sale Returns Saturday

COOPERSTOWN—The much-anticipated Summer Book Sale run annually by the Friends of the Village Library of Cooperstown will return beginning on Saturday, June 22. It is open on the Fair Street side of the Village Hall, 22 Main Street, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily through Sunday, June 30. There will be a wide selection of books for all ages and interests. All proceeds will benefit the Village Library of Cooperstown; in support of Cooperstown’s PRIDE Block Party on Sunday, June 30, a portion of the final day’s sales will support LGBTQ-related materials for the library.

Dunderberg Concert Set for Saturday

GILBERTSVILLE—The Summer Concerts at the Dunderberg series will present “1824: The Music They Played in Gilbertsville, Baroque and Classical” at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, June 22. This second concert of the season will feature music by Bach, Mozart and Charpentier, as well as favorites from the early American frontier. Tickets are available at https://dunderberggallery.com/ or at the door.

New Stories Featured in Author Series

COOPERSTOWN—The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum’s 2024 Author Series will bring 10 of the most exciting contemporary baseball authors and historians to Cooperstown over the course of the summer.

These programs are held in the museum’s Bullpen Theater and are included with museum admission. Authors will discuss their work, answer questions, and sign copies, and each event will be livestreamed on the museum’s Facebook page.

The series begins with Dan Schlossberg, author of “Home Run King: The Remarkable Record of Hank Aaron,” at 1 p.m. on Thursday, June 20. Mitchell Nathanson will present on his book, “Under Jackie’s Shadow: Voices of Black Minor Leaguers Baseball Left Behind,” at 1 p.m. on Thursday, June 27.
For a complete list of programs, visit https://baseballhall.org/visit/events.

CAA, Lexi LeRoux To Offer Children’s Art Camp

COOPERSTOWN—The Cooperstown Art Association will host a kids’ art camp with Lexi LeRoux from 1:30-4 p.m. from Monday, July 15 to Friday, July 19. Open to children ages 6-14, the camp will offer instruction in artistic media from paint to printing. All materials are provided, excluding special materials requested for the Tuesday, July 16 session. Registration is due by Saturday, July 13. LeRoux earned a degree in art education from Tufts University and has taught art in the U.S., India, and Spain. For further details call (607) 547-9777.

Concert Pours Will Benefit TNR Efforts

MIDDLEFIELD—Friends of the Feral-Trap, Neuter, Release, a non-profit organization dedicated to the humane solution of feral cat proliferation in Otsego County, will provide volunteers to serve beer at Brewery Ommegang’s CAKE con-cert on Saturday, July 22. Dozens of volunteers, including board members, will be on hand to answer questions about the feral cat population and the organization’s efforts to sterilize and adopt out animals. All tips will support Friends of the Feral’s operations.