News Briefs: April 23, 2026

Benefit Concert Is Sunday

VAN HORNESVILLE–This Sunday, April 26 at 4 p.m., the Van Hornesville Community Corporation will host a community benefit concert at the Millpond Community Center on State Route 80. The group “Relative Harmony” will perform genres including blues, jazz and country. Admission is free, and refreshments will be served at intermission. Attendees are encouraged to donate to support the Millpond Community Center.

Subdivision at a Standstill

OTSEGO COUNTY—A proposal for subdividing around 1,500 acres of property in the towns of Otsego and Springfield has not had significant developments since last fall, Springfield Planning Board Chair Henry Miller told AllOtsego on April 20. Initial proposals would have created 111 buildable lots ranging from 4.2 acres to 60 acres on the property owned by Fraydun Manocherian, AllOtsego previously reported. Public meetings on the issue drew large crowds and the interest of several local nonprofits in August and September of 2025. Miller said no formal application has yet been submitted to his planning board.

Garden, Journal Workshop Set

ONEONTA—Otsego Master Gardener Volunteers will host a garden and nature journal workshop with writer, gardener and naturalist Gert Coleman on Sunday, April 25. It will take place at the Rowe House, 31 Maple Street in Oneonta, from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday, April 25. Space is limited and registration is required by Thursday, April 23 at cceschoharie-otsego.org/events.

NY Gas Down Two Cents

UTICA—The average price of gasoline in New York State fell by two cents to $4.10 over the week ending Monday, April 20, AAA Northeast announced. Oil prices fell about 10 percent by the end of the day on Friday after Iran announced it would reopen the Strait of Hormuz to tankers, and renewed talk of peace feelers drove West Texas Intermediate crude below $90.00 a barrel. However, uncertainty and renewed escalation took crude oil prices back up five percent over the weekend. Domestic inventories of both crude and gasoline tightened as demand increased and exports to parts of the world more directly impacted by the oil war surged. Gasoline stockpiles fell by more than 6.3 million barrels in the ninth straight week of decline as demand climbed by half a million barrels per day to 9.09 million. Total U.S. exports of oil, gasoline and diesel rose by over 1 million barrels per day to 12.75 million, beating the previous record from the 1991 Gulf War by nearly 600,000 bpd. New York’s average price of gas is 33 cents higher than last month and $1.01 higher than this week last year. To view the full report, visit gasprices.aaa.com.

CAA Offering Scholarships

COOPERSTOWN—The Cooperstown Art Association’s annual art scholarship prize is open to submissions through 4 p.m. on Friday, June 5. Up to $2,000.00 in awards is available to students who will graduate from any Clark Scholarship-eligible school district in 2026 and pursue art at the collegiate level. Eligible districts include Cherry Valley-Springfield, Cooperstown, Edmeston, Gilbertsville-Mount Upton, Laurens, Milford, Milford BOCES, Morris, Mount Markham, Owen D. Young, Richfield Springs, Schenevus and Worcester, and homeschooled students residing in those districts. Students may submit their application and a portfolio of five pieces at cooperstownart.com/art-scholarship.html.

Survivors Day Lunch Slated

COOPERSTOWN—Bassett Cancer Institute’s annual Survivors Day Luncheon will be held at Fenimore Farm and Country Village from 1:30-3:30 p.m. on Sunday, June 7. It is free to anyone who has received a cancer diagnosis, plus one guest. Registration is open through May 29 and is required for all attendees, as seats fill fast. Call 1-800-BASSETT or visit bassett.org/cancer-care to learn more.

Conductor Voting Opens

ONEONTA—The Catskill Symphony Orchestra’s 2026 Wendy Brown Cabaret Fundraiser will be an evening of George Gershwin music performed at SUNY Oneonta’s Hunt Union Ballroom at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 9. A reception with a cash bar, hors d’oeuvres and a silent auction will begin at 6 p.m. The cabaret is included in 2025-26 season subscriptions; subscribers will receive a direct RSVP email. Tickets for individuals or tables of 10 are available at catskillsymphonyorchestra.org/cabaret26.

The evening’s grand finale will be “Stars and Stripes Forever” conducted by the winner of the annual Guest Conductor Competition. Votes are available for a $1.00 donation and voting is open until the end of intermission at the cabaret. The candidates are David Rowley, Ramona Wenck and Gary Kuch. To cast a vote, visit the CSO GiveButter website or mail a check to PO Box 14 Oneonta, NY 13820.

‘Plants, Etc.’ Sale Announced

FRANKLIN—The Franklin Improvement Society will host a “Plants, Etc. Sale” at the farmers’ market, 25 Institute Street in Franklin, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday, May 24. Donations of perennials, annuals, houseplants, trees, shrubs, seeds and seedlings, gardening books, tools and supplies, containers, or decor may be dropped off between 8:30-10 a.m. on the morning of the sale. Alternative drop-off arrangements may be made by contacting franklinisny@gmail.com. Proceeds will support planting and maintenance in Franklin Memorial Park, the Edible Walking Trail and other Improvement Society projects.

ADK Club Announces Hikes

ONEONTA—The Susquehanna Chapter of the Adirondack Mountain Club will hold its monthly meeting and potluck dinner at the Elm Park United Methodist Church, 401 Chestnut Street, at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, May 20. The business meeting and a presentation titled “A Treasure in Our Valley” will begin at 7 p.m. Upcoming Tuesday hikes will be held at Susquehanna Greenway in Oneonta on May 5, Homer Forks Forest in Oneonta on May 12, Bulldog Run Loop in Delhi on May 19 and Pine Lake in Davenport on May 26. For meeting time and place, call or text the Hike Line at (607) 431-8010. All-day Saturday hikes will run from Pine Lake to Robert V. Riddell State Park on May 2 and at Pharsalia Woods State Forest in Chenango County on May 16. Pre-registration for Saturday hikes is required at susqadk.org.

Study Highlights Tick Control

STATE COLLEGE, PA—A new study by researchers at Penn State and other institutions has cast doubt on traditional tick-control methods, particularly mowing and leaf removal. Tick spraying, deer fencing and tick tubes emerged as the most effect practices; pesticides reduce nymph populations by nearly 94 percent while deer fencing reduced them by 84 percent. Tick tubes may be an easy and effective solution, especially next to stone walls, where tick densities can be nearly triple their value elsewhere. To view the full report, visit https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12879-025-11183-z.

Church Seeks Craft Vendors

RICHFIELD SPRINGS—The Church of Christ Uniting seeks craft vendors for two popular annual fairs. The 45th Annual Friendship Craft Festival will be held in Spring Park on Saturday, June 13 and the 6th Annual Fall Craft Fair will be at 587 Cullen Road on Saturday, October 3. For more information or application materials, contact friendshipcraftfestival@yahoo.com or fallcraftfair@yahoo.com, respectively.

Growing Workshops Planned

GILBERTSVILLE—The Butternut Valley Grange and Gilbertsville Baptist Church will co-sponsor three “Come Grow with Us” workshops as part of the nationwide Grange “Garden to Table” Rural Life Initiative for Sustainable and Modern Agriculture Outreach. The first session, held at the church from 1-3 p.m. on Saturday, May 2, will cover soil testing, growing techniques and containers, with seeds and plants provided. There will be a harvesting workshop at the Grange Hall, 7 Bloom Street, from 1-3 p.m. on Saturday, July 18. A Harvest Dinner featuring food grown in the program will be held at the Grange Hall on Saturday, August 22. All sessions are free, but registration should be made by Friday, April 24. Call (607) 764-8720, (607) 783-2409 or (607) 386-2701 for more information or to sign up.

Contradance Set for May 1st

COOPERSTOWN—Otsego Dance Society’s next contradance will be held at the First Presbyterian Church of Cooperstown on Friday, May 1. There will be live music by Miss Marty and her Smokin’ Good Band and calling by Binghamton Community Dance founder Hilton Baxter. There will be a brief instructional session for beginners at 7:15 p.m. and dancing runs from 7:30-10:30. Light refreshments will be served halfway through. There is a suggested donation of $10.00 for adults and $5.00 for children over 12, with a maximum of $25.00 per family. For more information, visit otsegodancesociety.weebly.com.

Gallery Opens Two Exhibits

ONEONTA—SUNY Oneonta opened “Change is the Only Constant,” a student show by Tessa DeLisio, Anjali Malcomson and Sidney Rabeck, in the Project Space Gallery, to be displayed through May 9. “1000 Cranes,” a group exhibition inspired by the work of Sadako Sasaki, a victim of the Hiroshima bombing who died in 1955 at the age of 12, will be open in the Fine Arts Building hallway through May 31. The galleries are open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday. Visitors may obtain parking passes from the University Police Department.

Hewitt Withdraws from Race

ULSTER COUNTY—Ulster County Legislator Chris Hewitt announced his withdrawal from the race for New York’s 51st State Senate district on Wednesday, April 15, throwing his support behind Delhi’s Michele Frazier. Frazier, a former Oneonta Common Councilmember, is now unopposed in the June 23 Democratic primary for the seat vacated by Peter Oberacker (R-Schenevus), who is running for US Congress. Frazier will face either Assemblyman Chris Tague or Sullivan County Legislator Terry Bernardo in the November election.

“I’m proud of the campaign we ran and deeply grateful to everyone who donated to the effort, helped us gather signatures, share our message and talk with voters across District 51,” Hewitt said in a release. “People want practical solutions, honest leadership and a government that understands what working families are going through…I respect Michele and believe she is a strong candidate for this seat. I will do what I can to support her campaign and help ensure this district has a serious, values-driven voice in the State Senate.”

SHIFT Fair Is This Weekend

ONEONTA—The SHIFT New York Holistic Living and Psychic Fair will be held at FoxCare Center from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, April 25 and 26. There will be more than 20 psychic readers and energy healers from across the Northeast, as well as a variety of vendors and workshops on topics from tarot cards to guided meditation. Admission is $10.00 for one day or $15.00 for the weekend. The Institute for Spiritual Development, 297 River Street Service Road, will hold a gathering of mediums at 7 p.m. on Saturday.

Juried Shows Open for Entries

COOPERSTOWN—Cooperstown Art Association’s much-anticipated 35th Regional and 91st National Juried Art Exhibitions will be on display from May 16 to June 25 and from July 11 to August 14, respectively. The regional show is open to all New York artists, offers $2,400.00 in prizes, and will accept in-person submissions from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, May 8-9. The National Exhibition has $3,100.00 in prizes. All entries must be submitted online by Thursday, May 15. For more information or to view a prospectus, visit cooperstownart.com.

Plant Sale Set for May 2nd

COBLESKILL—Cornell Cooperative Extension’s Schoharie Master Gardener Volunteers will hold their annual Plant Sale in conjunction with the SUNY Cobleskill Plant Sale from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, May 2. It will take place at CANR Greenhouse, 114 Rockland Lane in Cobleskill. Cash or checks are preferred but credit cards are accepted. For more information, visit cceschoharie-otsego.org.

Broadband Meeting To Be Held

MILFORD—Otsego County and the Mohawk Valley Economic Development District will hold a public meeting to review key findings, maps and projects for the Broadband Technical Assistance Project from 4-6 p.m. on Tuesday, April 28. It will take place in the auditorium at Milford Central School, 42 W. Main Street. All members of the public are invited to attend and provide feedback.

CFM Vouchers Available

COOPERSTOWN—Clients of the Cooperstown Food Pantry, which serves all of Otsego County, are now eligible for $30.00 monthly vouchers to buy fresh produce, meat, eggs and other SNAP-eligible food at the Cooperstown Farmers’ Market. The program is funded by $20,000.00 from the Community Foundation for South Central New York’s Chobani Community Impact Fund. Started in 2017, the voucher program was recently included to cover all SNAP-eligible food. In a release, Otsego 2000 Executive Director Ellen Pope said that food access initiatives at the farmers’ market, run by Otsego 2000, provided more than $55,000.00 in support to families in need in 2025. In addition to the food pantry vouchers, the market also accepts SNAP, the Cooperstown Lions Club’s SNAP Match and Double Up Food Bucks. It is located at 101 Main Street in Pioneer Alley and is open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays year-round.

Fest Moves to SUNY Campus

ONEONTA—Otsego County Conservation Association’s annual Earth Festival will be held at SUNY Oneonta’s Chase Gymnasium from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, May 9. A Drive-Through Drop-Off recycling event will run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and Cooperstown Repair Café will be available to help restore broken items. Volunteer shifts are available by contacting volunteer@occainfo.org. A planetarium show will run at 11 a.m., noon, 1 p.m. and 2 p.m., with $4.00 tickets available online ahead of time or at the door.

OCCA will host Delaware-Otsego Audubon Society Co-President Becky Gretton for a birding walk at Springfield’s Mohican Farm, 7207 State Route 80, from 7-9:30 a.m. on Saturday, May 2.

State Funds Youth Fairgoers

ALBANY—The New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets awarded $475,000.00 in total funding to 22 organizations statewide for its 2026 Transportation for Youth to Local and County Fairs program. Now in its second year, the program offers assistance to bring youth groups to local and county fairs. Local awards included $25,000.00 each for the Cornell Cooperative Extensions of Madison, Cortland and Oneida Counties and for the Albany, Schenectady, Greene Counties Agricultural and Historical Society. A full list of supported projects may be found at agriculture.ny.gov/system/files/documents/2026/04/projectdescriptions_rfp0385_transportationforyouthtocountyandlocalfairs.pdf. In addition to The Great New York State Fair, the state is home to more than 50 local and county fairs that draw a combined 3.7 million visitors between July and mid-September.

Hawkeyes Win Tennis Opener

COOPERSTOWN—Cooperstown varsity tennis swept Waterville 4-1 and 5-0 in a Division I doubleheader at the Clark Sports Center on Friday, April 17. In the first match, Bianca Adam and Hayden Spencer swept their opponents 8-0 in second and third singles, as did Micah Raffo and Deanna Wolfe in first doubles. The second doubles pair of Yimmy Gyamtso and Rigzin Gazan also won. Emmett Ayers lost first singles 8-6 to Oscar Yang. In the second match, Hayden Spencer defeated Yang 8-6 in first singles. Raffo won second singles 8-0, as did the doubles teams of Adam and Ayers and Finn Lukovsky and Dunham Toulson. Yousef Khedr won third singles 8-4.

Show Closes Sunday with Talk

CHERRY VALLEY—25 Main Collective’s “Enlightenment” exhibition of lamps and light fixtures by Smithy Clay Studio artists will close on Sunday, April 26 with a 5 p.m. artists’ talk. The gallery is open 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Wednesday through Sunday. The next exhibit, “Impressions,” features work by Jasmine Crowe, Kristen Griger and Katherine LaMere-Fortman. It will open with a reception from 5-8 p.m. on Friday, May 1, and remain on display through May 31. The reception coincides with Cherry Valley’s First Friday, which also offers a Telegraph School open mic at the Old School Music Room at 6 p.m. and live music by Mike Feulner at Red Shed Ale House at 7 p.m. Businesses and restaurants across the village will be open late.

Historic Items To Be Shown

SCHENEVUS—The Town of Maryland Historical Society will hold a meeting at the AmVets Building, 25 Main Street in Schenevus, at 2 p.m. on Sunday, April 26. All are welcome to view a sample of more than 100 photos, maps, books, documents and other objects from the Town of Maryland’s historical collection of thousands of items.