Otsego County’s departing congressman, John Faso, R-19th, asked for recommitment to “civil, respectful” debate in the public arena. He also cited two efforts, so far unachieved, of the past two years: One, to lift the burden of Medicaid costs from counties; only New York State has such a requirement, and its counties pay more than than the counties in all other 49 states combined; two, to remove the “absolute liability standard” on falls from scaffolds on construction jobs, which increases all construction projects in New York State by 7 percent; again, only New York has that provision. Faso’s farewell speech was broadcast live yesterday morning on C-Span.
Friends and family gathered to enjoy sounds of the season as music teacher Domnick D’Imperio, center, directs a group of Riverside Elementary first graders singing holiday songs in Oneonta’s Muller Plaza earlier this morning. This is the 17th year Riverside first-graders have sung carols at Community Bank and Ruffino’s, but with the latter business now closed, they moved to the plaza. After singing, the children enjoyed a walking tour of the gingerbread houses in business windows before returning to class. (Ian Austin/AllOTSEGO.com
SUNY Oneonta President Dr. Barbara Jean Morris, left, readies a tray of Double Double Chocolate Chip cookies for the oven as part of a staff-wide cookie bake-off held at SUNY this afternoon. But My Kitchen chef Donna Bond and Angie Eichler, Student Life, have their own entry coming out of the oven – Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookies. The cookies will be blind taste-tested this afternoon and a winner announced. (Ian Austin/AllOTSEGO.com)
Members of Realty Check and Advancing Tobacco Free Communities Delaware, Otsego & Schoharie Counties met with state Sen. Jim Seward, R-Milford, in his Oneonta District Office. Standing behind the senator are, from left, Brea Fyfe (Oneonta Community Christian School), Jasmine Neill (Sharon Springs Central School), Ava Valetutto (Sharon Springs Central), Linda Wegner (ATFC-DOS Program director), Bonnie Peck (Reality Check Youth Engagement coordinator).
Spurbeck’s proprietor Mike Swatling and his Aunt Kristi posed in front of a huge, beer-can-festooned wreath that has caused much comment since it was hung in the past couple of days. Before it became Cooley’s in 2003, the wreath would hang annually on the Bold Dragoon Tavern, 49 Pioneer St. Kristi, who worked at the Dragoon, used to decorate it annually, and inherited it when the business changed hands. This is her nephew’s first Christmas season since buying the venerable Spurbeck’s, so his aunt dusted off the wreath and is launching a new tradition. Drive by Railroad and Leatherstocking and take a look. (Jim Kevlin/AllOTSEGO.com)
Amanda Boomhower of Greene County, who has held staff positions with three congressmen, will be district director in the 19th Congressional District, which includes Otsego County, Congressman-elect Antonio Delgado announced today.
She would be the point of contact for local constituents, and oversee county offices.
Newyorkupstate.com’s reporter Ben Axelson followed up on last week’s article on the three highest-paid teachers in each of the 53 Upstate counties with the three highest-paid superintendents.
They are: Oneonta’s Joe Yelich, Cooperstown’s Bill Crankshaw and Laurens’ Ramona Wenck.
For the 30th year, Cooperstown Central’s PTA sold crafts and pancakes Saturday to raise money to enhance local education programs at the elementary school gym. Here, parent Daphne Monie buys a Christmas present from a booth staffed by Julia Greenberg. (Patrick Wager/AllOTSEGO.com)
Santa (Paul Bedworth) and Bob Cratchit (Bob Satriano) await the arrival of a couple of hundred youngsters Saturday afternoon at the Cooperstown fire hall on Chestnut. The firefighters annual Christmas party for local children also including county Correctional Officers Rich Mann and Lynda May, who were fingerprinting youngsters as part of the sheriff’s department Safe Children ID Program. (Patrick Wager/AllOTSEGO.com)
Cooperstown native and NBC’s TODAY senior producer Karen Trosset, second from left in this photo from Kennebunkport, Maine, where President George H.W. Bush maintained a summer home, has worked on numerous projects with Jenna Bush Hager and the Bush family. In her own words, she remembers President George H.W. Bush.
Newyorkupstate.com’s reporter Ben Axelson followed up on last week’s article on the three highest-paid teachers in each of the 53 Upstate counties with the three highest-paid superintendents.
Santa (Paul Bedworth) and Bob Cratchit (Bob Satriano) await the arrival of a couple of hundred youngsters Saturday afternoon at the Cooperstown fire hall on Chestnut. The firefighters annual Christmas party for local children also including county Correctional Officers Rich Mann and Lynda May, who were fingerprinting youngsters as part of the sheriff’s department Safe Children ID Program. (Patrick Wager/AllOTSEGO.com)