News Briefs: July 13, 2023

Helios Care To Host Caregiver Support Group

ONEONTA—Helios Care will hold a support group for caregivers of people with severe or chronic illness. The group will provide connections, identify local resources and help create strategies for self-care. It will be held from 10-11:30 a.m. on Thursdays from July 20 to August 17 at Southside Mall in Oneonta. The group is free but registration is required; call Jessica Weeden at (607) 432-5525.

Edmeston Selects New Superintendent of Schools

EDMESTON—The Edmeston Central School Board of Education has appointed Christine Nichols as the next superintendent of schools. According to a release, Nichols is an experienced legislator who has spent 18 years at Edmeston, first as a social studies teacher and then as building principal. Nichols earned her bachelor’s degree from SUNY Oneonta, her master’s degree from The College of Saint Rose and her professional certificates in educational leadership, school building leader, and school district leader from SUNY Stony Brook. Board of Education President Jay Lyon said, “The board was looking for a leader who is focused on establishing strong relationships with our students, staff and community. Christine has proven to be that type of leader and we are looking forward to continuing to work closely with her to achieve our shared district goals.” Nichols will assume her new position on Thursday, July 13.

Otsego County DMV To Offer E-ZPass Tags

COOPERSTOWN—Deputy County Clerk Jennifer Basile announced on Thursday, July 6 that the Otsego County Department of Motor Vehicles office will begin offering E-ZPass soon. E-ZPass tags are currently only available at select retail locations or online via the New York State Thruway. The Otsego County Board of Representatives has adopted a resolution approving the plan and the Thruway Association will finalize the process over the next several weeks. “This new service will make a great addition to the County Clerk’s office and I am thrilled to bring it to the DMV and to the residents of Otsego County,” said Basile. “Inquiries from the public regarding E-ZPass have continued to increase and I expect this service to streamline the acquisition process for our residents.” For more information on the tag service, visit https://www.e-zpassny.com/en/home/index.shtml.

A.O. Fox Conducting Water Flow Testing on July 13

ONEONTA—A.O. Fox Hospital will conduct a water flow test of its fire sprinkler system on Thursday, July 13 at approximately 6 p.m. The test will last one to two hours. Residents in the immediate area may notice a temporary drop in water pressure or a slight discoloration of water during and directly following the testing period. The safety of the water will not be compromised during this time.

Lecture Proposals Sought by Village Library

COOPERSTOWN—The Village Library of Cooperstown has received a small stipend to provide lectures relating to the “Iconic America” series on Public Broadcasting Service television. Library officials are seeking interested speakers to give lectures this fall that speak to the overarching themes of Hollywood, Fenway Park and the cowboy/American West. According to a press release, these will be funded, hour-long lectures given at the library and, if proposals are strong enough, virtual lectures will be considered. Those interested are asked to submit a brief statement outlining their proposed lecture to co.heather@4cls.org.

Mayor To Address Democratic Club About Parking

ONEONTA—Special Guest Oneonta Mayor Mark Drnek will join the Oneonta Democratic Club when it meets at 9 a.m. on Saturday, August 5 at Get Fresh on the Main cafe, 254 Main Street. Mayor Drnek will speak about the state of parking downtown, efforts to address short-term concerns, future plans and timelines, evolving strategies, and opportunities for the community to engage in and assist with the city’s successful transition to a new parking paradigm. The club—which includes both City of Oneonta and Town of Oneonta residents—supports candidates, democratic principles, and civic involvement, and enrolls and informs voters. Club members will also be at the Otsego County Fair the first week of August. For more information, contact garymaffei@gmail.com or visit the Oneonta Democratic Club page on Facebook.

Louisiana Fort Renamed After Henry Johnson

VERNON PARISH, LOUISIANA—The Louisiana U.S. Army base that specializes in training light infantry was renamed after Albany resident and World War One National Guard soldier Sgt. Henry Johnson in a ceremony on Tuesday, June 13. Fort Polk, named after Confederate general Leonidas K. Polk, is one of nine Army forts in the process of shedding their Confederate names. Polk was one of the so-called “political generals,” appointed as a political favor rather than for military reasons; he is known to military historians as one of the most incompetent and willfully disobedient officers of the Civil War.

Henry Johnson was working as a porter at Albany’s Union Station when he enlisted in the New York National Guard’s segregated 15th New York (Colored) Infantry Regiment in June 1917. He became a national hero after fending off a German trench raiding party with a knife and rescuing a fellow soldier in hand-to-hand combat, receiving 21 wounds in the process. He was awarded the French Croix de Guerre, becoming the first American solider so honored by the French military. However, the segregated U.S. military overlooked Johnson’s achievement, and he was blackballed from speaking engagements after exposing discrimination in the Army. He was too badly wounded to resume his former job and died in poverty at the age of 36 in 1929. He was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart in 1966, the Distinguished Service Cross in 2002 and the Medal of Honor in 2015.

“Sgt. Henry Johnson embodied the warrior spirit, and we are deeply honored to bear his name at the Home of Heroes,” said Brigadier General David Gardner, commanding general of the fort’s Joint Readiness Training Center. Brig. Gen. Isabel Rivera Smith, the New York National Guard’s director of joint staff, will represent the Guard at the ceremony.