Santa Claus Hears

Last-Minute Wishes

Mason Rice, 9 months, and sister Arianna, 3, were relating their last-minute Christmas wishes a few minutes ago to Santa Claus in his cottage at Pioneer Park, Cooperstown.  The children’s parents are Lindsay (Rowley) and Tim Rice, visiting the grandparents in Cooperstown from South Carolina.  With just 32 hours left to Christmas, their was much anticipation in the queue outside, too, as Phoebe Squadrito, 3, and Madison Kane, 4, and her brother Daniel, 8, in photo at right, waited their turns to see Santa with, from left, Kristin, Shari and Riley Crane, all of Richfield Springs.  Santa and Mrs. Claus will be in their Cooperstown cottage 1-4 p.m. Saturday for a last time this season.  In Oneonta, Santa Claus finished his season today at Southside Mall and Muller Plaza.  (Jim Kevlin/AllOTSEGO.com)