News Briefs: April 2, 2026

Sink Hole Closes Part of I-88

OTSEGO COUNTY—The New York State Police and Department of Transportation announced the immediate closure of Interstate 88 between exits 10 and 12 (Unadilla and Otego) in both directions until further notice. Detour signage is in place to direct motorists onto State Route 7 for this stretch of the journey. As of noon on Tuesday, March 31, there is no timetable for repairs. According to the NYSP website, the closure is due to a large sinkhole and culvert collapse. Further information will be announced by the DOT.

Revolution Topic of Progam

HARTWICK—Town of Maryland Historian Robert Parmeter will present the Otsego County Historical Association’s first program of the spring at Hartwick Kinney Memorial Library at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 9. He will discuss the American Revolution in the local area. The presentation is free and open to the public, and will be followed by a discussion period with light refreshments.

Hardy Chair Lecture Slated

ONEONTA—Hartwick College will host its 2026 Hardy Chair Lecture in the Celebration Room at Shineman Chapel House at 5 p.m. on Thursday, April 2. Alicia Suarez, the Otto L. Sonder Professor of Sociology at DePauw University, will examine the contradictory ways incarcerated pregnant women interact with guards during pregnancy, labor and childbirth. The talk is free and open to the public.

Walling Makes Phi Kappa Phi

ITHACA—The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, the nation’s oldest and most selective all-discipline collegiate honor society, initiated about 20,000 new students, faculty, staff and alumni this year. Among the honorees was Jessica Walling of Worcester, a student at Ithaca College. Membership is by invitation only and is available to the top 10 percent of seniors and graduate students, top 7.5 percent of juniors, and faculty, staff and alumni who have achieved scholarly distinction. For more information, visit PhiKappaPhi.org.

Otsego Lake Opens for Season

COOPERSTOWN—The SUNY Oneonta Biological Field Station Volunteer Dive Team finished deploying the Springfield Landing and Lakefront no-wake zone buoys on Sunday, March 29. The lake is now open for the season. For more information, visit suny.oneonta.edu/biological-field-station.

NBHoF Activity Book Coming

COOPERSTOWN—The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum partnered with becker&mayer! kids, an imprint of The Quarto Group, to release a new children’s activity book on April 29. “The National Baseball Hall of Fame’s Big Baseball Activity Book: Puzzles, Games, and Fun Facts for Kids,” features 128 pages of puzzles and activities for children ages 8-12 and offers a guided tour of baseball history. For more information, visit baseballhall.org.

Agency Welcomes Maffei

ONEONTA—Benson Agency Real Estate announced that Charlie Maffei, the 2025 Best of the Best Real Estate Agent, has joined their firm. Born and raised in the Oneonta area, Maffei returned home in 2018 after three decades in New York City. He became a realtor last year and made four sales in his first 13 months. Benson Agency is a full-service real estate brokerage that has served the Oneonta area for more than 40 years. To contact Maffei, e-mail Charlie.Maffei@bensonre.com or call (917) 541-3436.

Gatehouse Announces Events

MORRIS—The Gatehouse Coffee Shop and Mercantile announced “Spring Awakening,” a series of special April events celebrating the turn of the season. It will host a seed starting workshop from 4-6 p.m. on Thursday, April 2. “The Quiet Turning,” an exhibition by local artist Elizabeth Wilde, will open with a reception from 4-6 p.m. on Friday, April 3. Jenny Riffle will lead a lumen painting workshop from 1-3 p.m. on Saturday, April 4. “Healing Love Water,” a musical performance by Shira Small-Cangialosi and Adam Cooper, will run from 1-3 p.m. on Sunday, April 4. There will be a day-long Easter Egg Hunt Sale in the shop the same day. There will be a special screening of the film “Killing Me Softly” at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, April 10, with a suggested donation of $10.00. Julene Waffle will lead a writing workshop from 1-3 p.m. on Saturday, April 11. Multi-instrumentalist Chuck Wood will perform from 1-3 p.m. the next day. A meditation session will be held from 5-6:30 on Sunday, April 12. Finally, The Gatehouse will co-host a “Creative Expression for Grieving Hearts” support group with Helios Care; registration is required by calling (607) 432-5525. For more information, visit thegatehouseny.com.

Stone Celebrates 50 Years

RICHFIELD SPRINGS—Butternut Barn Primitives, a carefully curated antiques shop located in a historic two-story carriage house, will celebrate its 50th anniversary from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, April 18 and 19. Shopkeeper Judie Stone said in a release that she started the business with a $300.00 personal loan from a friend and is grateful for the opportunity to help create welcoming homes. For more information, visit butternutbarn.com/.

New Poetry Group Launches

COOPERSTOWN—Village Verses, a new multi-generational poetry group, will hold its first meeting in the Village Library from 5-6 p.m. on Tuesday, April 14. Co-founded by village residents Ella Swift, 13, and senior citizen Aviva Schneider, the group is intended to bring people together across generations for lively discussion and wordsmithing. It will meet on the second Tuesday of each month from 5-6 p.m. The theme for the inaugural gathering is “Anything Goes,” and participants are invited to bring a poem to share or simply come to listen. In a release, the organizers thanked Heather Urtz Amendolare and the Village Library for their support.

Gas Up 8 More Cents in NYS

UTICA—The average price of gasoline in New York State rose eight cents to $3.93 per gallon over the week ending Monday, March 30, AAA Northeast announced. The national average reached $3.99, an increase of a dollar in just over a month. Crude oil prices continue to rise and fluctuate on uncertainty about the ongoing U.S.-Israeli war on Iran, which has greatly reduced oil transportation across the critical Strait of Hormuz and threatens the physical destruction of much of the world’s oilfield and refining infrastructure. Domestically, demand rose as warmer weather and spring break season drew more Americans onto the road. Gasoline demand rose by nearly 200,000 barrels per day to 8.9 million, more than 280,000 higher than the same week last year. Domestic stocks declined for the sixth straight week to 241.4 million barrels a day, a week-over-week decrease of 2.6 million bpd. New York’s price is 93 cents higher than a month ago and 82 cents higher than this week last year. To view the full report, visit gasprices.aaa.com.

SBA Announces New Program

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The U.S. Small Business Administration announced that small businesses in the food supply chain are now eligible for an enhanced Grocery Guarantee through the International Trade Loan Program. The loans come with a 90 percent federal guarantee and will be available to a broad range of agricultural and logistics producers, with the aim of increasing supply and lowering consumer prices. On May 1, small businesses in more than 20 NAICS Groups and National Industry Codes categories will become eligible for the program. For more information or to apply, contact an SBA Finance Manager at sba.gov/local-assistance/export-trade-assistance/finance-managers.

FSC Celebrates 30th Season

FRANKLIN—The Franklin Stage Company announced that its 30th anniversary season will run from May 31 to August 23. It will open with an anniversary fundraiser on May 31, featuring music group Duo Extempore and the debut of its commissioned piece for the celebration. Tickets may be purchased at franklinstagecompany.org. All other programming is free and open to the public. Shakespeare’s “Much Ado About Nothing” will run from July 3-19 with five shows per week. FSC will present Hend Ayoub’s solo show “HOME? A Palestinian Woman’s Search for Life, Liberty and Happiness” on the weekend of July 24-26. Dual Rivet Dance Company will perform on the weekend of July 31 to August 2. The final production of the year is the world premiere of Kyle Bass’s “The Civilities,” exploring the relationship between a young Black Cornell graduate student and an elderly confederate veteran in 1930s Upstate New York. It will run from August 7-23. All evening shows have a curtain time of 7:30 p.m.; Sunday shows begin at 5 p.m. “Much Ado About Nothing” and “The Civilities” will also have 3 p.m. Saturday matinees. Admission is free with a suggested donation of $25.00. Visit the website to make reservations.

Legion To Hold Chicken Dinner

LAURENS—The Laurens American Legion, 11 Main Street, will host a barbecue chicken dinner from 4:30-6 p.m. on Friday, April 10. Dinners are $12.00 and chicken halves are $7.00. Dine-in and takeout are available.

CANO Calling for Submissions

ONEONTA—The Community Arts Network of Oneonta asks local artists to submit work for the upcoming Annual Mansion Exhibit. Held at the Wilber Mansion, 11 Ford Avenue, from May 15 to June 14, the Mansion Show will open with a reception from 5-7 p.m. on Friday, May 15. The theme is “precipice,” inviting artists to explore edges and turning points. Each person may submit up to three works for consideration, with a submission fee of $15.00 for CANO members and $25.00 for non-members. All entries must be made by Wednesday, April 15. For more information, visit canoneonta.org.

Rotary Funding Round Opens

COOPERSTOWN—The Allocations Committee of the Rotary Club of Cooperstown will accept applications from nonprofit organizations for the spring funding cycle from Wednesday, April 1 through the end of the month. Applications and eligibility criteria are available at portal.clubrunner.ca/3556. They should be mailed to Cooperstown Rotary Club, PO Box 993, Cooperstown, NY 13326 or e-mailed to tlbhinmanhollow@gmail.com. The committee will review applications and make recommendations to the Board of Directors at the May 11 meeting.

Study: $31K To Have a Baby

NEW YORK STATE—New research from health insurance comparison company iSelect has ranked New York the 14th worst state in the nation for the overall toll of giving birth. The average total cost of giving birth is $31,345.00. Employers are obligated to provide paid maternity leave, and the state’s maternal mortality rate stands at 22 per 100,000 births. The overall score was 39.7 out of 100, with higher scores indicating better patient experiences. Alaska, Nevada, and Wisconsin were the worst states to give birth; Maryland, Delaware, and Rhode Island were the best. Full data and methodology are available at iselect.com.au/health-insurance/insights/global-toll-of-giving-birth/.

Gregory Is VP for Enrollment

ONEONTA—Hartwick College announced the appointment of Jacqueline “Jackie” Gregory as vice president for enrollment management, effective June 1. Gregory brings more than a quarter-century of experience in enrollment, financial aid and education marketing, including successful service as interim vice president since July. She began her career with a decade in Hartwick’s admissions and financial aid offices, spent 14 years in the private sector, and returned to Hartwick as director of enrollment management in October 2023. Gregory earned two bachelor’s degrees summa cum laude in history and geography from Salisbury University.

Gronwall Plays at Band Fest

SCRANTON—Liam M. Gronwall of Sidney was among six student musicians in The University of Scranton’s Performance Music program who performed at the Pennsylvania Intercollegiate Band Festival at Bucknell University on March 10-12. Gronwell played tenor saxophone at the event. Pennsylvania’s is the oldest continuously running intercollegiate band in the U.S.