News Briefs: April 4, 2024

Schuermann Earns Conference Honors

WINTHROP, MA—Cooperstown native Meagan Schuermann put together an impressive first season on the Emmanuel College varsity basketball team. The Greater Northeast Athletic Conference released their All-Conference selections on Tuesday, February 27, and Schuermann earned a spot on the All-Rookie Team. She came off the bench in 25 of her 27 appearances, averaging 19.8 minutes per game. Scheurmann’s average of 10.3 points per game was the third highest on the team, and she was the only player in the entire GNAC to score an average of at least 10 points while playing under 20 minutes per game. She also added 3.5 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.1 steals per game. The Emmanuel Saints finished the season 15-12, making their ninth consecutive GNAC Semifinals appearance.

Audubon To Host Bunting

ONEONTA—Delaware-Otsego Audubon Society will host a special live presentation by area photographer and naturalist Rick Bunting at Foothills Performing Arts and Civic Center at 7 p.m. on Friday, April 19. Bunting recently returned from a trip to Florida and will present photos and stories from the experience. The event is free and open to the public. Attendees are encouraged to arrive early. The event will also be available on Zoom; visit https://tinyurl.com/4557csfv to register.

AAA Urges Check of Recalls

UTICA—To mark Vehicle Safety Recalls Week, March 4-10, AAA Northeast urged vehicle drivers and owners to check their automobiles and related equipment, such as tires and child seats, for open recalls. New data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration indicated that safety recalls affected more than 34 million vehicles nationwide in 2023, and that only about 65 percent of vehicles recalled in 2022 had their issues addressed. In the last two weeks alone, safety recalls affected more than 1.4 million vehicles. AAA urges owners and drivers to check for open recalls using free, easy tools like NHTSA’s Vehicle Identification Number Look-Up Tool or the SaferCar App. Vehicles with open recall notices should be taken to a dealership for free repairs immediately. Anyone wishing to report a safety issue that is not covered under a recall should contact NHTSA at nhtsa.gov or (888) 327-4236.

Aging Focus of Presentations

ONEONTA—The Otsego County Office for the Aging will host its popular “Planning for Successful Aging” presentation series again this spring, this time at The Gathering Place, 5506 State Route 7 in Oneonta. All talks will begin at 4 p.m. on Mondays and last for one hour, unless otherwise noted. The Leatherstocking Chapter of the New York State Funeral Directors Association will present “Funeral Pre-Planning” on April 8. “How to Have the Hard Talk with Loved Ones” will run on April 15, presented by Helios Care. Local lawyer Ryan Coutlee will give a 90-minute talk on advanced directives on April 22, and will return for a two-hour presentation on estate planning on April 29. OFA and the Alzheimer’s Association will present “Programs Available to Age in Place at Home” on May 6. Seats are limited and registration is required; contact (607) 547-4232 or nyconnects@otsegocounty.com to sign up.

CADE Offers Free Resources

NEW YORK STATE—The Center for Agricultural Development and Entrepreneurship launched a new website last summer that features a vast array of valuable information for farmers and other producers. In addition to articles, links, worksheets, and other resources, the CADE site has a video library with many webinars to guide and educate agricultural professionals. It offers information on accessing farmland, business development, accessing capital, licensing, regulations, certifications and marketing. Visit cadefarms.org for more information or to access the free content.

Thomas To Speak at Hartwick

ONEONTA—The Hartwick Institute of Public Service and the Oneonta Area League of Women Voters will host a talk by Dr. Alexander Thomas on local issues of political economy at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, April 8. Dr. Thomas, SUNY Oneonta professor of sociology and executive director of the SUNY PLACES Institute, will discuss regional demographic and economic challenges such as deindustrialization and rural outmigration, as well as ways to address these challenges. His talk will be followed by a rejoinder from Otsego County Board of Representative Members Edwin Frazier and Margaret Kennedy, which in turn will be followed by a reception with appetizers. The event will be held in Shineman Chapel on Hartwick’s campus, 24 Hartwick Drive in Oneonta.

Art Scholarships Announced

SPRINGFIELD—The Leatherstocking Brush and Palette Club announced that it will award three $400.00 scholarships to graduating Otsego County students, including homeschooled students, this spring. Applicants should submit four samples of their best work digitally or via photograph. No originals should be submitted. Drawings, paintings or 3D art are preferred; photography and computer-generated art will not be accepted. Applicants must also send a brief statement explaining what art means to them, how they intend to use the scholarship and how they will continue their work after graduation. Applications may be sent to LBandPClub@gmail.com or mailed to PO Box 136, Springfield Center, NY 13468. Applications are due on Wednesday, May 15 and winners will be announced by Saturday, June 1.

CAA Seeks Art Submissions

COOPERSTOWN—The Cooperstown Art Association announced that the annual regional and national juried art exhibitions will open for submission soon. The regional show, “Essential Art,” open to New York State residents and featuring more than $2,000.00 in prizes, will accept in-person submissions between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, May 10 and 11. Artists are allowed to submit a single piece that must be available for sale. The exhibit will be on display Friday, May 17 through Wednesday, June 26. It will be juried by Ruben Salinas and Timothy Sheesley.

The 88th National show will accept online submissions through Wednesday, May 15, and will be displayed from Friday, July 12 to Friday, August 16. This year’s juror is Thomas Sarrantonio. For more information on either show, or to view a prospectus, visit www.cooperstownart.com or call (607) 547-9777.

Dems To Discuss 27 Market St.

ONEONTA—The Oneonta Democratic Club will hold its monthly meeting at Get Fresh on the Main Cafe, 254 Main Street, at 9 a.m. on Saturday, April 6. Common Council Member Don Mathisen will give a brief overview of the development plans for 27 Market Street. Rehabilitation Support Services and local landlord Bryan Shaughnessy have competing bids for the city-owned property. Seating is limited; attendees should RSVP to garymaffei@gmail.com.

Esports Invitational Planned

HERKIMER—Herkimer College will host its first Esports Invitational Super Smash Bros Ultimate Tournament in the Recreation Gym on Saturday, April 6. It will feature high-school students from Herkimer, Madison, Oneida, Otsego and Onondaga counties. Tours of the college’s new state-of-the-art Esports Center will be offered between rounds. For more information, visit www.herkimer.edu.

Hartwick Offering New Major

ONEONTA—Hartwick College will begin offering a major in sport management this fall, the school announced on Thursday, March 21. Students enrolled in this program will study team and athlete management, marketing, budgeting and analytics, contracts, and event planning. Courses will be taught by Hartwick’s business faculty, athletic staff and working industry professionals. In addition to their coursework, sport management students will complete an internship with a local, regional or national organization, and a senior capstone project.

“The sport management major is one more way we’re continuing to build on our legacy of student-athletes,” said Associate Professor Pauline Stamp, program coordinator for sport management and chair of the Social and Behavioral Sciences Division. “We’re preparing students who are passionate about athletics and wellness for the rapidly growing, multi-dimensional industry of sport.”

For more information, visit hartwick.edu/sportmanagement.

Ag Discussion Announced

SCHOHARIE COUNTY—The Schoharie County Farm Bureau and Cornell Cooperative Extension Schoharie Otsego Counties will host two Agriculture Issues Networking gatherings to encourage constructive discussions and identify opportunities and needs for local agricultural stakeholders and residents. The first event will take place at Carlisle Town Hall, 541 Crommie Road in Carlisle, at 1 p.m. on Saturday, April 6. The second will be held at the Middleburgh Reformed Church, 178 River Street in Middleburgh, at 1 p.m. on Saturday, April 13. Participants will have the opportunity to network with others who are interested in similar issues and to brainstorm on next steps and action items. In addition to live comments, written comments will be accepted. All residents are strongly encouraged to attend. For more information, contact CCE Schoharie Otsego Executive Director Liz Callahan at Eac283@cornell.edu or (607) 437-1934, or President Steve Smith of the Schoharie County Farm Bureau at ses19@cornell.edu or (518) 207-7112.

BOCES Launches Mobile App

NORWICH—DCMO BOCES is launching a new mobile app to help students, parents, and community members keep up with campus news and events from their phones. It will feature the latest announcements, offer updates on programs and services, and organize important documents in a single location. It is available to download for free on the Apple and Google app stores.

Wax Workshops Planned

COOPERSTOWN—Cooperstown Art Association announced two new classes for local residents interested in the arts. Kristin Stevenson will teach cold wax painting techniques on four Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The series, which will be held on April 20 and 27 and May 4 and 11, explores the basic tools, materials, and techniques of the cold wax medium. It is suitable for established artists or for beginners and costs $120.00, with a $5.00 discount for CAA members.
Regina B. Quinn will lead a one-day workshop on painting with hot wax from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, May 19. It will provide an introduction to encaustic wax as a medium. This session costs $125.00 for members and $130.00 for non-members, plus a $30.00 materials fee.

For more information on either workshop or to sign up, contact gallery@cooperstownart.com or (607) 547-9777.

NY Farmers Give Generously

OMAHA—New York Farm Bureau members donated eight million pounds of food to food banks through the Harvest for All program in 2023, the American Farm Bureau announced at its annual Young Farmers and Ranchers Conference in Omaha. Once again, New York had the second highest statewide total in the country, after Florida. Additionally, NYFB’s YF&R program was recognized for providing 250 hours of volunteer service and collecting more than $25,000.00 in donations. Harvest for All is a nationwide annual farm donation partnership linking Farm Bureau and Feeding America in each state. Over the past two decades, New York farms have donated more than 130 million pounds of food, or more than 100 million meals.

“The work highlights the importance of our regional food banks in helping reduce food insecurity in the state,” a NYFB release said. “NYFB and Feeding NYS continue to advocate for full funding of Nourish NY and the Healthy School Meals for All programs in the New York State budget. The vital programs, in part, provide food banks with resources to purchase healthy, local food which benefit New Yorkers in need and the state’s farming community.”

Vendors, Food Trucks Sought

CHERRY VALLEY—Historic Cherry Valley Businesses put out a request for food trucks and vendors for the third annual Spring Into Summer Festival this Memorial Day weekend. The festival is free and open to the public, and vendors should plan to be open at least 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday, rain or shine. Festival planners will provide space in the downtown area of the village, advertising and marketing, and restrooms and other facilities in exchange for a reasonable space fee. Food trucks will primarily be located in the bank parking lot. All vendor applications will be reviewed for approval; no multi-level marketing vendors will be accepted. For more information or to apply, send your name, business, contact information and product description to Noelle Adamoschek at 25maincollective@gmail.com or (518) 231-3093. Applications are due by Wednesday, May 1.

Survey Is for Food Buyers

ONEONTA—The Center for Agricultural Development and Entrepreneurship and the Catskills Agrarian Alliance are working to connect local food producers and consumers in New York State to strengthen regional food systems. They have more than 2,000 local farms and food businesses in their network. CADE and CAA requested that local food buyers fill out a 10-minute survey to help them better understand the local market. For more information, visit cadefarms.org.
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Friends of the Parks Requests Volunteers

COOPERSTOWN—Cooperstown Friends of the Parks requests volunteers to join them in Badger Park to put away the ice rink at 1 p.m. on Sunday, April 21. Volunteers should wear waterproof shoes, gloves, and bring a push broom if they have one.

Price Chopper Announces Pet Supply Drive

SCHENECTADY—Price Chopper/Market 32 will collect pet food and supplies for local animal protective organizations at its stores throughout the month of April. Guests are encouraged to place donation items in conveniently labeled shopping carts at the front of each store.