IN MEMORIAM: Patrick Tyler French, 52; Medical Researcher Raised In Schenevus SCHENUVUS – Patrick Tyler French, 52, a medical researcher for the State of New York, died peacefully at his parents’ home in Schenevus, on Dec. 30, 2020, following a brief illness. He was born on Jan. 26, 1968, in Glens Falls, to Sharon (Lanphear) and Lawrence French. He moved to Schenevus with his family and attended Schenevus Central School, distinguishing himself as a standout scholar-athlete, competing in soccer, baseball…
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Editorial 15 Years Of ‘Citizens’ Prove: WE Can Overcome “Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them.” William Shakespeare Can it be 15 years since The Freeman’s Journal and Hometown Oneonta, (after its founding in 2008), have recognized a Citizen (or Citizens) of the Year in the final edition of the 12th month? In 2006, Cherry Valley Town Supervisor Tom Garretson, digesting information brought before him on industrial-scale wind turbines, changed his mind and…
Scrappy, Innovative GOP Chair Resigns, Focuses on Consulting By JIM KEVLIN • Special to www.AllOTSEGO.com It was 2013. The issue was fracking. And four prominent local Republicans knocked on Vince Casale’s door. “It was conveyed to me that the party was in some trouble,” said Casale, who last week advised the Republican County Committee he is resigning as chairman. “My work is done,” he said. “It’s time for a change.” He recommended Lori Lehenbauer of Worcester, Republican county elections commissioner,…
Benton Is Planning Primary Challenge To Veteran Marietta 2021 County Board Dispute Shaping Up By JIM KEVLIN • Special to www.AllOTSEGO.com COOPERSTOWN – Democrat MacGuire Benton confirmed a few minutes ago he plans to challenge the dean of the county board Democrats, Andrew Marietta, for the Cooperstown/Town of Otsego seat in next June’s primary. “Primaries are the sign of a healthy democracy,” he said, adding he’s looking forward to “an exchange of ideas.” He added, “It’s early, and I look…
GOP Kingpin Casale Resigns Chairmanship With Oberacker, Burns, Getman In Place, My Job Done, He Says By JIM KEVLIN • Special to www. AllOTSEGO.com COOPERSTOWN – Saying his work is done, Vince Casale of Cooperstown is stepping down as chairman of the Otsego County Republican Committee, he confirmed this evening. Committee chairman since 2015, Casale has recommended Lori Lehenbauer of Worcester, the GOP county elections commissioner, as his successor. In the past year, he’s been focused on ensuring two key…
EDITORIAL 3 Democrats Prove They Believe In Bipartisanship Let’s Call It: ‘Profiles In Fairness’ It’s a bit of a Christmas story, coming out of the Otsego County Board of Representatives, of all things. It involves at least four of Pope Gregory’s “Seven Virtues” – Charity, Patience, Kindness and Equanimity. (The Seven Deadly Sins, of course, have a higher profile.) Famously, talk is cheap, when it comes to bipartisanship (and generally). But three county representatives – Andrew Marietta, Andrienne Martini and…
Day of Decision Nears on Gun-Sanctuary Vote Legal Opinion Expected; Resolution In Hand By JIM KEVLIN • Special to www.AllOTSEGO.com Pending a legal opinion on proposed gun-sanctuary status for Otsego County, members of the county board’s Public Safety & Legal Affairs Committee are expected to consider a resolution on the matter when it meets at noon Thursday, Dec. 10. “I haven’t seen that opinion,” county Rep. Andrew Stammel, D-Oneonta, a PSLA member and an attorney, said Monday, Dec. 7. “The…
Democrats Back Away From Coup Control At Hand, But ‘It Wouldn’t Be Fair’ By JIM KEVLIN • Special to www.AllOTSEGO.com Democratic county reps this week were one vote away from shared control of Otsego County’s $120 million government for the next 14 months. They could have shared fully in who becomes the board’s chair and vice chair. They could have split committee chairmanships. They could have required consensus on every important decision as the county emerges from the COVID-19 threat.…
Editorial If You Want Public Office, You Ought To Say Why Publicly The county board’s Administration Committee set a poor precedent in deciding to interview candidates for state Sen.-elect Peter Oberacker’s District 6 seat in “executive session” – that is, in secret, out of the public view. The county attorney, Ellen Coccoma, last week advised the Admin Committee when it interviewed the Republican candidate, Jennifer Mickle, that whether to do so in public or not was optional, up to the reps.…
LETTER from ANDREW STAMMEL After Vacancy Rift, Bi-Partisan Trust Needs Rebuilding To the Editor: The run of bi-partisanship on the county Board of Representatives has been interrupted by the Republican caucus’ recent efforts to steamroll through a replacement for Representative Oberacker. During my two and a half terms on the county board, cooperation between parties has ebbed and flowed. Since the 2017 election it has been split 7-7 between Democrats and Republican-affiliated members. Thankfully, a bi-partisan governing coalition and leadership…
