Town of Otsego Considers Real EstateTax Exemption for Volunteers By CASPAR EWIGFLY CREEK At its monthly meeting on February 8, the Town Council of the Town of Otsego considered what to do with a newly enacted state law that permits each local taxing authority to pass a law granting a 10 percent real estate tax exemption for active volunteer firemen and ambulance workers. Fire Chief Chris Voulo of the Fly Creek Volunteer Fire Company spoke out in favor of having…
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03/02/23
Thinning of Deer Herdthe Only Viable Solution By SANDRA BRIGHTONEONTA I used to consider myself an animal lover, against harming any living creature. I still care about animals, very much, but my concern has grown to envelop all of nature; because of this, I now advocate reducing the deer herd. There’s a delicate balance, and if one species thrives, it is often at the expense of others. As a prey species, deer evolved to have multiple births. In the absence…
Empty Bowls Luncheon Returns;Proceeds To Benefit Food Pantry COOPERSTOWN—The 2023 Empty Bowls Luncheon will be held on Saturday, March 4 from noon to 2 p.m. at Christ Church Parish Hall, 69 Fair Street. The Empty Bowls project was begun in 1990 by Michigan art teacher John Hartom as a way for his students to raise money for a local food drive. Hartom and wife Lisa Blackburn, also an art educator, created a model for others to follow and the concept…
SUNY Theatre Department to Present ‘Bernhardt/Hamlet’ ONEONTA—Beginning Friday, March 3, the SUNY Oneonta Theatre Department will present “Bernhardt/Hamlet,” a play written by American playwright Theresa Rebeck. The production shows the challenges faced by 19th-century actress Sarah Bernhardt in her role as Shakespeare’s Hamlet. The real-life Bernhardt performed as Hamlet in 1899, and this play captures both the drama and comedy of the international celebrity’s performance during this time. The SUNY Oneonta production of “Bernhardt/Hamlet” is directed by John McCaslin-Doyle, professor…
Middlefield Adopts Solar Panel Zoning Law By CASPAR EWIGMIDDLEFIELD Installation of solar panels was not listed as a permitted use in residential zoning districts established by the Town of Middlefield Zoning Law as amended in 2016. But with the present emphasis on the development of renewable energy, the Town Board determined that an overall law should be enacted to deal with the various forms of solar panel installations. Accordingly, the board held a public hearing on February 14, at which…
OHS Drama Club Disney Character ‘Breakfeast’ Is This Saturday ONEONTA—The Oneonta High School Drama Club will host “Belle’s Disney Character Breakfeast” on March 4 from 9 a.m. to noon in the OHS Cafeteria. The “breakfeast” includes: pastries, pancakes, bacon and/or sausage, eggs, juice, plus coffee, tea, and cocoa at a cost of $10.00 for adults and $5.00 for teens. Kids 12 and under eat free Also featured at this event will be photos with the characters, storytime with Belle and…
Letter from Jim Howarth Lake AssociationHas HAB Update A recent article in “The Freeman’s Journal” asked, “Do Blooms Also Like It Cold?’’ and comments questioned what is being done to address our harmful algal blooms—HABs. The answer is, a lot. We consider Otsego Lake to be unique—and in many ways it is. But one of the ways it is not unique is its susceptibility to HABs. Hundreds of bodies of water in the Northeast have experienced HABs recently. The causes…
Letter from James L. Northrup Permit Should Be Denied 40 Lake Street is one of the oldest houses in the Village of Cooperstown, in one of the most prominent single-family locations. It is probably the worst candidate in the historic heart of the village to be turned into a short term rental property. The house and location are simply not suited for short-term rental, which, in this instance, would amount to a form of house and neighborhood abuse. The village…
Letter from Bryan LoRusso Rebuttal to County EMS Program Stance I have been following the movements of the Board of Representatives and the 911 director over the last two years in regard to the county’s paid EMS program that the constituents of Otsego County never approved. After reading last week’s article on AllOtsego.com, I have many thoughts to share and questions to be answered. The Board of Representatives, including prior members, has never aggressively helped fire/EMS volunteerism in Otsego County.…
The vast majority of us want to be wise, we want to be safe, and we want to be good to our planet and each other, especially our kids. But false alarms stress us out: How can we keep our families and flocks safe from both wolves and little boys who cry wolf?…