News Briefs: December 4, 2025

Youth Repeats Legends Win

COOPERSTOWN—Cooperstown Central School’s Team Youth defeated Experience 6-3 in a muddy Thanksgiving Day Legends game on Thursday, November 27, their fifth victory of the last six years. Roland Gardner-Olson and Liam Spencer scored for Youth about 10 minutes into the match, before Chad Welch and Mike Boland answered for Experience late in the first half. Riley Diamond, Luca Gardner-Olson, Colby Diamond and Declan Spencer rounded out the scoring for Youth. Diamond made several assists and added his own goal on an assist from Frank Panzarella. Welch made Experience’s final goal shortly into the second half. Matt Spencer ’90 was named Most Legendary and Dan Crowell earned MVP.

Gatehouse Holiday Party Set

MORRIS—The Gatehouse Coffee Shop and Mercantile, 129 Main Street in Morris, will host its free annual holiday party from 5-8 p.m. on Friday, December 12. Evan Jagels and Wyatt Ambrose will perform live holiday jazz, and there will be seasonal beverages and snacks available for purchase. The celebration also features a raffle and ugly sweater contest. For more information, visit thegatehouseny.com.

Fire Victim Now Identified

COOPERSTOWN—The Cooperstown Police Department identified the victim of a November 22 house fire as 89-year-old Elizabeth Peck. Police and Fire personnel were dispatched to the residence at 125 Lake Street at about 11:20 p.m. The cause and origin of the fire are still under investigation. In a release, the Cooperstown Police and Fire departments extended their condolences to Peck’s family.

LandMARKET Begins Saturday

COOPERSTOWN—The Landmark Inn, 64 Chestnut Street, will host its inaugural LandMARKET holiday pop-up from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, December 6 and 7. Intended to celebrate craftsmanship, creativity and community, the sale will feature work by more than a dozen local artists, crafters, and makers. For more information, visit landmarkinncooperstown.com/landmarkpresents.

Art Garage To Feature Ganio

MIDDLEFIELD—The Art Garage, 689 Beaver Meadow Road, will host Roseboom-based printmaker Mary Lou Ganio as one-day artist-in-residence from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, December 6. Gallery visitors are invited to view the holiday show, “Something Old, Something New,” which features a number of Ganio’s wildlife block prints, and to enjoy refreshments. She will demonstrate her technique and show off a portfolio of unframed works. The exhibition is open from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays through January 17, or by appointment. Contact leartgarage@gmail.com or (315) 941-9607 for more information.

McCall Accepts Write-in Win

BURLINGTON—Russell McCall, the town supervisor for the Town of Burlington, has decided to accept his write-in victory for re-election, according to Town Clerk Deborah Wengert. His next term will begin in January. No candidates appeared on the ballot for the role. All votes were write-ins. McCall received 26 votes out of 43 cast.

ORHA Among Grant Awardees

ALBANY—New York State Homes and Community Renewal awarded $16.2 million in grants to 11 non-profits and local governments across the Finger Lakes, Mid-Hudson, Mohawk Valley, North Country and Western New York. Part of the 2025-26 state Enacted Budget, the funding will transform buildings with up to five vacant or distressed rental units into safe low- and moderate-income housing. It will support renovations at 230 housing units. Awardees include Otsego Rural Housing Assistance Inc., Delaware County’s M-ARK Project Inc. and the Utica Neighborhood Housing Service Inc. Applications are open for the third round of funding through January 15. For more information or to apply, visit hcr.ny.gov/vrp.

Bowling Season Is Underway

COOPERSTOWN—Cooperstown bowling opened the season with a 5-0 rout of Herkimer at home on Tuesday, November 25. Joey Paterno led the team with a 255-193-233 series, a total of 681. The Hawkeyes dominated in total pins, recording 2,879 to Herkimer’s 1,945. Anthony McCoy (597), Wyatt Butts (542) and Kaden Card (525) followed Paterno in the scoring.

Otsego Express Cancels Rt. 12

OTSEGO COUNTY—Otsego Express will cancel route 12, serving Bassett Hospital, Cooperstown County Annex Building, Fly Creek General Store, First Baptist Church of Burlington, NYCM, Edmeston Dollar General, Schuyler Lake Post Office and Richfield Springs, effective January 1. These stops will be served by route 2 at an earlier time. Schedules may be viewed at otsegoexpress.com or by calling (800) 388-9853. Public comment on the cancelation may be submitted to rahnn@otsegocountyny.gov or (607) 547-4338.

HCR Donates Food Baskets

ROCHESTER—HCR Home Care and its employees donated 84 Thanksgiving food baskets to families in need across the Catskills, Central New York, Finger Lakes and North Country, the company announced. This was the 15th year of its annual charity drive. For more information, visit hcrhealth.com.

Concert Season Ends Sunday

STAMFORD—Friends of Music of Stamford will present Pegasus: The Orchestra for the last concert of the season at 3 p.m. on Sunday, December 7. The free performance will feature a wide range of work, from Spanish folk melodies to compositions by Schoenfield, Poulenc and Horowitz. It will be held at the First Presbyterian Church, 96 Main Street.

Cider Mill Launches Fundraiser

FLY CREEK—The Fly Creek Cider Mill launched a Give Butter fundraising campaign to support Jamaican victims of Hurricane Melissa. The mill employs several Jamaican H-2B visa workers, many of whom lost part or all of their homes to the recent storm. To view their stories or make a donation, visit givebutter.com/FlyCreekJamaicanReliefFund.

Live Radio Play Opens Friday

MARGARETVILLE—The Open Eye Theater, 960 Main Street in Margaretville, will present “It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play” at 7 p.m. on December 4-6 and at 3 p.m. on Sunday, December 14. Tickets are $25.00 for adults and $10.00 for students, with pay-what-you-will admission on Friday, December 5. For more information or to reserve seats, visit theopeneyetheater.org.

‘Magi’ Reading Rescheduled

ONEONTA—Due to the nor’easter on Tuesday, December 2, the Friends of Christmas Community Dinner postponed its annual staged reading of O. Henry’s classic Christmas short story “The Gift of the Magi” to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, December 9. It will be held at the First United Methodist Church, 66 Chestnut Street. Local actor Patrick Breen will lend his talent to the dramatic reading. Admission is free, but donations to the annual community dinner are appreciated.

NY Gas Prices Edge Down

UTICA—New York State’s average price of gasoline dropped by a penny to $3.13 per gallon over the week ending Monday, December 1, AAA Northeast announced. Nationwide demand soared by 200,000 barrels a day to more than 8.7 million the week before the holiday, significantly higher than the year before. However, surging domestic production caused a net increase in oil and gas inventories and put downward pressure on consumer prices. The national average gas price has dropped to $3.00 for the first time since May 2021. New York’s price, the 12th highest in the nation, is three cents higher than last month and two cents lower than last year. To view the full report, visit gasprices.aaa.com.

Holiday Stroll, Market Returns

FRANKLIN—The Franklin Improvement Society will host its traditional Christmas Stroll House Tour from 1-5 p.m. on Saturday, December 13. It includes seven historic homes and the Franklin Railroad and Community Museum, all decorated for the holidays. Tickets are $10.00 per person or $15.00 per couple, and will be sold at the Firehouse Holiday Market. The market runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 351 Main Street and will feature a wide variety of local crafters and vendors. The Franklin Free Library, 334 Main Street, will have a holiday story time at 11 a.m., followed by a visit from Santa and Mrs. Claus. The rest of Franklin’s businesses and restaurants will be open for the holiday traffic. Visit franklinny.org/stroll25 for updates.

CAA Announces Holiday Hours

COOPERSTOWN—Cooperstown Art Association will remain open until 7 p.m. on Tuesday, December 23, the last day of its Holiday Show and Sale, in conjunction with Otsego 2000’s Holiday Stroll. In addition to a final opportunity for holiday shopping, the evening will offer chocolate, Prosecco and a raffle for a Family CAA membership. The gallery is open Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on regular business days.

Commercialism Topic of Talk

COOPERSTOWN—The First Baptist Church of Cooperstown’s Race, Equity and Justice series will discuss the commercialism and consumerism of modern holiday celebrations at their next meeting, 6 p.m. on Sunday, December 14. Held in the ballroom of the Village Hall, the free event will feature pizza and beverages.

Holiday Auction Is Saturday

RICHFIELD SPRINGS—The Richfield Springs Community Center will hold its 16th Annual Holiday Auction and Reception at 6 Ann Street at 5 p.m. on Saturday, December 6. Their largest fundraiser of the year, the event will begin with an auction preview and free refreshments at 5 p.m., and bidding will start at 6 p.m. There will also be a raffle for a wreath with $120.00 worth of lottery tickets. For more information or to donate auction items, contact (315) 858-3200 or visit richfieldspringscommunitycenter.org.

Chamber Meeting Postponed

UNADILLA—Due to the snowstorm, the Unadilla Chamber of Commerce postponed its December meeting to 8 a.m. on Tuesday, December 9. It will be held at the Public Library, 193 Main Street. Community Christmas trees are still available; they will be installed on the Community House Lawn by village personnel and must be decorated by the “adopting” family by December 10. To reserve a tree, Venmo $35.00 to Mayor Jason Cotten via @Jason-Cotten-6. All proceeds will benefit 4-H.

Bischoff Joins Sigma Theta Tau

ONEONTA—The Hartwick College School of Nursing held an induction ceremony for 16 new members of the Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing on November 19. Oneonta’s Anna Bischoff ’27 was among the honorees. To earn admission, a nursing student must rank in the top 35 percent of their class and demonstrate clear academic integrity and leadership potential.