News Briefs: April 13, 2023

Vendors Sought for Annual Fishing & Heritage Day

SOUTH OTSELIC—The Otselic Valley Fishing & Heritage Association is now accepting reservations for arts and craft vendors who would like to participate in the 14th annual Fishing & Heritage Day on Saturday, May 20. The event will take place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Chenango County hamlet of South Otselic, located along the scenic Otselic River. Hundreds of people attend this free family event featuring local and regional artists, craftspeople, antique dealers, food vendors, musicians, and special topic presentations. Fishing & Heritage Day provides a schedule of activities that promote understanding and appreciation of the area’s rich history, including its recreational fishing, industrial, and agricultural heritage. Vendors may reserve space up until May 14 to set up in the Town Park. Space is also available for nonprofit conservation, sporting, scouting and environmental organizations at the State Fish Hatchery, adjacent to the hamlet. Call (315) 653-7490 or email sotfishingday@gmail.com for the vendor registration form.

School Yearbook Receives National Recognition

MORRIS—The 2022 Morris High School yearbook was featured in the Jostens “Look Book 2023,” the yearbook manufacturer’s annual collection of the best designs. According to a release, the Look Book celebrates “creative themes, cool covers, beautiful designs, relevant coverage of school events, meaningful storytelling, and stunning photography” selected by a panel of nationally recognized scholastic journalism professionals and award-winning yearbook advisors. The “Morrisanian” staff of Ethan Franklin, Carissa Richards, Hannah Wist, Tatiana McAdams, Aislinn Ray, Noah Burlison, and Kelsy Chase received a copy of the Look Book, a commemorative pin, and a banner from Jostens. According to school Yearbook Advisor Julene Waffle, the “Morrisanian” received similar honors in 2015, 2019, 2020 and 2022.

Oneonta Democrats Meet; New Members Welcome

ONEONTA—The new Oneonta Democratic Club met on Saturday, April 1 to begin organizing for the 2023 election season. Town Councilmember Kim Fierke and Highway Superintendent Jim Hurtubise addressed the attendees about the past and future of politics and government in Oneonta. According to Steering Committee members Valerie Cole, Gary Maffei and Susan Sklenarik, “the club plans to reach out to local businesses and nonprofit organizations to coordinate efforts to better Oneonta. Other local Democratic clubs will also be engaged, including the area college Democratic clubs and the Otsego County Democratic Committee.” The club’s mission is to support candidates and democratic principles through civic involvement and by enrolling and informing voters. Residents of both the city and town of Oneonta are invited to interact with the Oneonta Democratic Club Facebook page or to contact garymaffei@gmail.com for more information. New members are always welcome. The next meeting will be held at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, May 6, location to be announced.

Comptroller: Town Did Not Audit Correctly

WORCESTER—A state comptroller’s audit has concluded that the Town of Worcester failed to effectively audit claims prior to payment. “In our sample of 199 claims totaling $824,330.00, 166 claims totaling $601,662.00 should not have been approved for payment,” the audit said. One hundred thirty-one claims totaling $597,410.00 were approved without evidence of compliance with competitive bidding requirements or the town’s procurement policy; 11 claims totaling $4,009.00 did not have appropriate support, such as an itemized receipt or invoice; 23 claims had sales tax totaling $243.00. “As a result, disbursements were made for unsupported and/or improper claims and not in the best interest of the taxpayers.” The state office recommended the town perform a complete audit of claims before approval and train personnel in statutory requirements and procurement policy. Town officials indicated compliance with the audit recommendations.

GOHS Announces Railroad Exhibit Opening

ONEONTA—The Greater Oneonta Historical Society will open its next special exhibition on Saturday, April 22 with a reception from 6-7:30 p.m. Released in two parts, the exhibition will commemorate the bicentennial of the D&H Canal Company charter, which provided more than 100 years of railroad service to the town and city of Oneonta. Part one, “Building Up Steam: The Rise of the D&H Railroad in Oneonta,” will be on display through August. Part two, “Leaving the Station: The Fall of the D&H Railroad in Oneonta,” will be shown August through November. This two-part exhibit explores the rise and fall of the D&H Railroad and its operations in Oneonta from the 1850s through modern day, including the invaluable impact the railroad had on Oneonta’s economic, social, and cultural landscape. On display in the Brzozowski Special Exhibition Gallery and the SUNY Oneonta Alumni and Buckingham windows, it will feature a variety of local D&H artifacts, documents, and photographs from the GOHS collection. A variety of free educational and public programs will coincide with the D&H Railroad special exhibition, including: a tour of the historic D&H red caboose in Oneonta’s Neahwa Park; a walking tour at the D&H Roundhouse remains; and a “History After Hours: All Aboard!” program on the history of the D&H Railroad and Roundhouse. Free public and private tours of the special exhibition will also be offered. The exhibit is curated by GOHS Executive Director Dr. Marcela Micucci and Associate Curator Bhanupratap Gaur, with the help of a talented team of exhibition designers, docents, advisors, and collections staff. It was made possible in part by a 2023 New York State Council of the Arts Support for Organizations grant. GOHS is located at 183 Main Street. The opening reception is free and open to the public; refreshments will be served.

Morris Dancing Featured Countywide Apr. 22-23

OTSEGO COUNTY—The Binghamton Morris Men will perform with the Newtowne Morris Men of Boston, Massachusetts, the Bouwerie Boys Morris Dancers of New York City, and the Toronto Morris Men of Toronto, Ontario at five separate shows in Otsego County on Saturday and Sunday, April 22 and 23. The first performance will take place on Saturday, April 22 at 10:30 a.m. on Commercial Street in Gilbertsville, followed by a show at Pathfinder Village, Edmeston, at 12:30 p.m. From there, the dancers will head to Cooperstown for a show in Pioneer Park at 3:30 p.m. and at Red Shed Brewery at 4:30 p.m. The final performance is scheduled for noon on Sunday, April 23, once again on Commercial Street, Gilbertsville.

Cherry Valley Sculpture Trail Calls for Entries

CHERRY VALLEY—Entries for the 10th-anniversary biennial Cherry Valley Summer Sculpture Trail will be accepted until April 30. Established and emerging artists are invited to submit applications, which should include images of previous or available sculptures. Existing and new works are welcome. All entrants will be eligible for the $1,000.00 grand prize and $500.00 first prize. There is no application fee. Cherry Valley Artworks will provide installation support and liability insurance, and can offer limited assistance with moving expenses upon application. Sales will be actively encouraged. Previous shows have featured work from across the U.S. and from as far away as Japan and Iran. The 2023 show will run from July 3 to October 6. It will be curated by Marc-Anthony Polizzi, of Utica. Polizzi is a founding member of the Upstate Artists Collective. His work has been featured in shows nationwide. Artists should submit their applications to Sculpturetrailinfo@cvartworks.org by April 30. For more information or to complete an application form, visit https://www.cvartworks.org/sculpturetrail23.

CFOC Selects April Nonprofit of the Month

SPRINGFIELD—The Community Foundation of Otsego County announces it will select and help publicize an Otsego County nonprofit as our Nonprofit of the Month, throughout 2023. This will be seen in a Nonprofit Spotlight on our website, cfotsego.org. The first selection for the series is the Cooperstown Food Pantry, which serves large parts of Otsego County, including the Village of Cooperstown and 18 other townships and villages.

Boy Scouts Host First Aid Meet

ONEONTA—The Boy Scouts of America Leatherstocking Council hosted the annual regional First Aid Meet at SUNY Oneonta’s Chase Gym on Friday, March 17. Twenty-two teams totaling around 110 scouts attended. Each team responded to three first-aid scenarios of increasing difficulty. Judges selected first-, second-, and third-place winners for junior and senior divisions. The BSA Council plans to hold the event again next year.

Hartwick Announces Speaker, Honorary Degree

ONEONTA—Hartwick College will confer an honorary degree on Francesca Zambello, artistic and general director emerita of the Glimmerglass Festival, and will welcome Baseball Hall of Fame President Josh Rawitch as commencement speaker for the May 20 ceremony. Zambello is an internationally recognized opera and theater director who steered Glimmerglass Festival for 12 years. She is now artistic director at the Washington National Opera. Among many prestigious international awards, Zambello has received the San Francisco Opera Medal for Artistic Excellence, the Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres, two French Grand Prix des Critiques, and the Russian Federation’s medal for Service to Culture. Before joining the Hall of Fame, Rawitch served as senior vice president of content and communications with the Arizona Diamondbacks for 10 seasons. He received the 2018 Robert O. Fishel award for public relations excellence among non-uniformed MLB representatives. “Francesca Zambello and Josh Rawitch are visionaries who have each demonstrated an exemplary commitment to this region,” said Hartwick President Darren Reisberg. The commencement ceremony will begin at 11:30 a.m. on May 20. For more information, visit the college website.