Editorial of May 29, 2025

Promote It, and They Will Come

In his page one article this week, Bill Bellen introduces us to the New York State court system’s “Rural Pathways” pilot program, whereby officials hope to entice legal professionals to rural areas by wooing them in much the same way major law firms recruit graduates—enticing them with fine foods, exciting recreational opportunities, and cultural experiences that may tip the scales in their favor over competing employers.

Otsego is one of three of New York’s rural counties taking part in the Rural Pathways initiative which, as Bill describes, “seeks to incentivize young, outgoing law students to make the move to the areas of New York that need their practice the most.”

We think this is a great idea, and one that we believe may work to our advantage.

Bill’s article coincides with the publication and distribution of our annual “Guide to the Good Life in Cooperstown and Oneonta” (available now at various locations countywide), a brochure designed ostensibly for tourists but useful for Otsego County residents as well, as it is a reminder of resources we have at hand that are often taken for granted.

Flipping through the pages of the Good Life guide, we believe the Rural Pathways plan could work. Page one features a picturesque aerial view of historic Doubleday Field, courtesy of William Jay Miller, a Cooperstown feature that could help attract young professionals with a love for America’s pastime.

Advertisers in the guide include popular area restaurants and eateries appealing to a wide range of palates—including Sloan’s New York Grill and Brooks’ House of Bar-B-Q in Oneonta, Bocca and The Otesaga Resort Hotel in Cooperstown, The Horned Dorset Inn in Leonardsville (not located in Otsego County, but they deliver!), and Springfield’s Sunflower Café.

We have world-class arts, entertainment and museums appealing to a wide range of interests as well: The Glimmerglass Festival, Hyde Hall, the Cooperstown Art Association Galleries and The Smithy Gallery and Clay Studio, and, just an easy drive away, Howe Caverns and Hanford Mills Museum, to name a few.

For those looking to relax after a hard day at the office, Brewery Ommegang offers Fire Pit Fridays and live music from May through October and The Blue Mingo Grill features lakeside dining at its picturesque Sam Smith’s Boatyard location. The Cooperstown and Charlotte Valley Railroad has a full schedule of dinner trains, train robberies and, later on in the season, fall foliage excursions. Oneonta has its own New York State licensed adult-use cannabis dispensary, DOSHA, for those who are so inclined.

And there’s no denying the endless opportunities here in Otsego County for those with a hankering for exercise and recreation, both indoors and out. To wit, the Clark Sports Center, Cooperstown’s 7,000-square-foot fitness center, Rail Explorers, our golf (and mini-golf) courses, Richfield’s Bowl-A-Rama and, of course, Otsego Lake, which marks the start of the Susquehanna River. Speaking of which, New York State’s newest outdoor tourism destination, the Susquehanna Basin Water Trail, connects 190 miles of waterways from Cooperstown to Corning!

Let us also not forget the incredible selection of shops and boutiques at our disposal: Nordic-style gifts, home accents, and vintage finds at bluebird haus; the pottery of Azure Arts; fashions from LJ’s Sassy Boutique; recycled, repurposed and reloved items at Clutter; Posie’s Vintiques in Milford; unique gifts and souvenirs at The Tepee in Cherry Valley; the Hartwick Arms gun store and its sister shop, The Butter Chicken; used and rare books and ephemera at Willis Monie Books; collectible bats from Where It All Began Bat Co. and the Cooperstown Bat Company; and so much more.

Finally, for those looking to foster both physical and mental well-being, there’s Mountain Magic Market, “brimming with magic, intuition and nature-inspired treasures,” Cooperstown Natural Foods, the Cooperstown Farmers’ Market, with more than 30 local farmers, artisans, and makers, and Cherry Valley’s Plaide Palette, featuring the area’s largest selection of rocks, crystals, and minerals.

These are just a few of the reasons why we think rural Otsego County can and will attract young legal professionals to the area, and only a sampling of the businesses and services featured in our Good Life guide, not to mention the plethora of arts organizations, museums, orchestras, sports shops and facilities that didn’t make it in this year—the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, the Catskill Symphony Orchestra, the SUNY Oneonta and Hartwick College art galleries, and a host of others.

By focusing on all that our rural area has to offer, and by helping young legal professionals to get the most out of their experience here, we believe the Rural Pathways program can be successful. Otsego County is rich in its history, in its hiking trails and waterways, in its diversity of recreational offerings, and in its cultural significance both here in the U.S. and worldwide.

So we ask you, what’s not to love?