Around the Towns: June 13, 2024

The One That Didn’t Get Away

OTSEGO LAKE—SUNY Oneonta Biological Field Station summer research interns Joshua Hardesty and Ellie Dubois (pictured above) made a big catch on Otsego Lake recently—a 26-½ inch walleye. The walleye were reintroduced to Otsego Lake in 2000 as part of a collaborative effort between the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, SUNY Oneonta, and local conservation organizations in an effort to eliminate the invasive alewife and re-establish a popular sport fishery. According to SUNY Oneonta officials, this walleye catch is significant not only because of its size (about as large as they grow), but because of the history it represents. The stocking of walleye in Otsego Lake was originally part of a SUNY Oneonta Master of Science biology thesis by Mark Cornwell, now associate professor at SUNY Cobleskill. Following eradication of the alewife, the walleye stocking initiative ceased, but—in collaboration with faculty and students at SUNY Cobleskill and SUNY Oneonta—the BFS continues to study the now-wild population that spawns in tributaries to Otsego Lake. This initiative included tagging fish with radio frequency identification chips and examining them when caught, to determine whether they are wild or stocked. Lack of tags or identifying features such as clipped fins indicate that this fish was wild-born, descended from the same walleye stocked as many as 20 years ago, officials said.

AllStar Arcade Opens on Main Street

COOPERSTOWN—The Cooperstown Chamber of Commerce and Mayor Ellen Tillapaugh attended a ribbon-cutting celebration for AllStar Arcade, a new family-owned recreation establishment on Main Street, on Thursday, May 23. “We would just like to say a huge thank you to the community for welcoming us and supporting us,” said co-owner Joe De Sanno. AllStar Arcade is open seven days a week from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. for folks to rediscover the thrill of classical arcade games or enjoy quality family time. “My husband has collected gaming machines for about 10 years now. We decided it would be fun to open an arcade in Cooperstown,” co-owner Katy De Sanno said. “We have 15 arcade games, two Skee-Balls, an air hockey game—25-30 games in total. Something for just about everybody.” Pictured above, from left, are: Cooperstown Chamber of Commerce Board member Andrew Marietta, Joey De Sanno, James De Sanno, Katy
De Sanno, Joe De Sanno, Jesse De Sanno, Laura and Doug Lefko, and Cooperstown Mayor Ellen Tillapaugh.

Doing Just Ducky

ONEONTA—Duck Derby is a free, family fun event that took place on Saturday, June 8 in Neahwa Park. A DJ entertained the crowd and yellow balloons were passed out. Among the stations of hands-on activities for kids, the sandbox filled with bird seed and miniature toys was a favorite. Pictured here is Lucas Henderson, of Massachusetts, as grandfather Roberto Calzolari looks on at right.

A Super Saturday for Animals in Need

ONEONTA—Super Heroes Humane Society celebrated the grand opening of its new facility at 160 Pony Farm Road on Saturday, May 11. “It’s been a whirlwind,” reported SHHS Board President Kristin Kulow, “straight from the grand opening to a plant, pottery, jewelry sale, to being inundated with kittens and lots of other projects.” Kulow said the opening event was very nice, with a steady stream of community super heroes coming through the doors, adding that adoption numbers have increased. “We certainly think the accessibility of the animals in our new location helps with that. We are just halfway through with this shelter project, so we will continue to work hard at raising the funds to complete it and give the animals the best care and accommodations we can during their brief stay with us on their journey to finding their new families,” Kulow said. Super Heroes Humane Society is open Wednesday through Sunday from noon to 5 p.m.