News Briefs: August 13, 2026

Choral Society Holds Auditions

ONEONTA—The Catskill Choral Society will hold auditions for new members at the Unitarian Universalist Society, 12 Ford Avenue in Oneonta, from 6-7:30 p.m. on Thursday, August 27. CCS rehearses at the same location every Thursday from 7-9:30 p.m. and will present its winter concert on December 4 and 5. To schedule an appointment, contact auditions@catskillchoralsociety.org. More information may be found at catskillchoralsociety.org. The Youth Choir will hold its next auditions on January 26, with registration available by contacting cdonaldson@stny.rr.com.

Green To Address LWVCA

COOPERSTOWN—The League of Women Voters of the Cooperstown Area will host journalist and author J.J. Green for a discussion of dis- and misinformation during election seasons from 5-6 p.m. on Thursday, September 17. Green is national security correspondent for WTOP in Washington, D.C., and the author of “The Noise War: How to Fight Disinformation and Find the Truth when Everything is Lying to You.” Held in the Cooperstown High School auditorium, the talk is free and open to the public.

Festival Seeking Donations

COOPERSTOWN—The Cooperstown Artisan Festival will return for its ninth year on September 5 and 6, and the Chamber of Commerce plans to put together two raffle baskets with goods from local businesses. Gift certificates, locally-made products, special experiences, branded merchandise and other items representing the local community may be donated through Friday, August 21. Contact cooperstowncommerce@gmail.com for more information or to arrange a drop-off.

Church Soliciting Donations

HARTWICK SEMINARY—Evangelical Lutheran Church, 4636 State Route 28 in Hartwick Seminary, will host its annual End of Summer Rummage Sale on August 28-29 and September 4-5. Donations are still welcome. Contact OCLP_NY@outlook.com for more information. The Otsego County Lutheran Parish will hold its next Men’s Breakfast at St. John’s, 2546 State Route 80 in West Burlington, on Saturday, August 22.

Area Blood Drives Planned

OTSEGO COUNTY—The nationwide emergency blood shortage that the American Red Cross declared in July continues to threaten patients and the public health system. The public is strongly urged to consider donating. Donors may sign up by visiting RedCrossBlood.org, calling 1-800-733-2767 or using the American Red Cross Blood Donor App. Walk-ins are also welcome. Upcoming local blood drives include: 1-6 p.m. on August 13 at Sacred Heart Hall, 27 Harper Street in Stamford; noon to 5 p.m. on August 17 at the Clark Sports Center in Cooperstown; 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on August 21 at Delhi United Ministry, 1 Church Street; 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on August 22 at Southside Mall in Oneonta; 12:30-4:30 p.m. on August 25 at Pines Brook Church, 1444 Pines Brook Road in Walton; 1-6 p.m. on August 25 at the Sidney Elks Lodge, 104 River Street; 1-6 p.m. on August 27 at Foothills Performing Arts and Civic Center in Oneonta; and 1-5:30 p.m. on August 31 at Quality Inn, 5206 State Route 23 in Oneonta.

Research Grants Available

COLLEGE PARK, MD—Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education has made available $750,000.00 in funding for graduate student research projects that will strengthen agriculture in the northeastern and mid-Atlantic states. Awards of up to $30,000.00 are available for projects that promote SARE’s sustainable agriculture priorities. Proposals are due at 4 p.m. on September 29. Q&A sessions for prospective applicants will take place from noon to 1 p.m. on each Tuesday from September 1-22. For more information or to register, visit northeast.sare.org/grants/get-a-grant/graduate-student-research-grant-program/.

Pettibone Demonstration Set

COOPERSTOWN—The Art Garage, 689 Beaver Meadow Road, will host famed artist, illustrator, and toy designer Nancy R. Pettibone for free demonstrations of her watercolor techniques on Saturdays, August 15 and 22. Running from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., both sessions are free and open to the public. Pettibone’s work is featured in The Art Garage’s “Powering the Grid” exhibition, on display through September 12. Visit the @CooperstownArtGarage Facebook or Instagram page for updates.

Rabid Skunk Reported

SPRINGFIELD—The Otsego County Department of Health announced that a skunk in the Town of Springfield tested positive for rabies on August 5. The public is cautioned to avoid stray or wild animals and ensure that all pets and livestock are vaccinated in compliance with state law. Visit otsegocountyny.gov or call the health department at (607) 547-4230 for updates.

Chamber Seeks Award Noms

UNADILLA—The Unadilla Chamber of Commerce will accept nominations for the 2026 Good Neighbor Commitment to Community Award and Business of the Year Award through Sunday, August 30. Contact unadillachamber@yahoo.com to make a nomination.

Tariff Relief Deadline Is Aug. 18

ALBANY—The New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets extended the deadline to apply for the $30 million Agricultural Resiliency Against Tariffs Program to 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday, August 18. First announced in Governor Hochul’s 2026 State of the State Address, the program offers direct payments of $1,000.00-25,000.00 to offset rising costs and market losses that New York farmers faced in 2025 due to federal tariff policy. Eligibility guidelines and applications are available at agriculture.ny.gov/agricultural-resiliency-against-tariffs-program.

Craft Fair Registration Opens

RICHFIELD SPRINGS—The Church of Christ Uniting’s sixth annual Fall Craft Fair will be held at the Cullen Pumpkin Farm, 587 Cullen Road in Richfield Springs, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, October 3. Vendors may apply for a space through October 1. Contact fallcraftfair@yahoo.com for more information.

‘Summer Shortcuts’ Slated

MARGARETVILLE—The Open Eye Theater, 960 Main Street in Margaretville, will present its 16th iteration of “Summer Shortcuts” from August 20-30. It features a dynamic, diverse lineup of six 10-minute plays from local and regional authors. For more information about productions or showtimes, visit theopeneyetheater.org.

Marsh Triptych To Be Shown

ONEONTA—Foothills Performing Arts and Civic Center will host the last U.S. display of the monumental triptych “Liberty’s Harbor at Dusk: Sint Eustatius 1776” from 4-7 p.m. on Saturday, August 22. Created by artist Cynthia Marsh, the historical painting was commissioned as a gift to the people of the Dutch Caribbean island of Sint Eustatius by Tom Morgan, in memory of his late wife, Erna Morgan McReynolds. There will be a keynote address by historian Russell Shorto, live music and light refreshments.

Susan Cooper Subject of Talk

ONEONTA—The Swart-Wilcox House Museum will hold its next Summer Sunday Series event from 1-3 p.m. on August 16. Cooperstown Village Historian Will Walker will discuss Susan Fenimore Cooper, her 1850 book “Rural Hours,” and his nature observations from around the Cooperstown area. Held on the museum’s front lawn, the event is free and open to the public. Lawn chairs or blankets are recommended.

Smithy To Host Free Concert

COOPERSTOWN—The Smithy Gallery will host “Small Towns,” an admission-free concert and live album recording, at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, August 18. Musicians Evan Jagels, Laura Andrea Leguia and Nicholas Anderson will premiere original music celebrating the culture and community of small towns across the Americas.

Tax Credit Applications Open

ALBANY—New York State’s Farm Employer Overtime Credit Advance program will accept reimbursement applications for eligible overtime paid between January 1 and July 31 through Wednesday, September 30. Now in its third year, the program provides farmers statewide with timely, seasonally appropriate relief to maintain their agricultural workforce and output. For more information or to apply, visit agriculture.ny.gov/farming/farm-employer-overtime-credit-advance.

Gas Down 6 Cents

UTICA—The average price of gasoline in New York State fell six cents to $4.16 per gallon over the week ending Monday, August 10, AAA Northeast announced. Gas and oil markets repeated the weekly pattern they have held consistently for much of the 23-week U.S.-Iran war: declining prices late in the week on rumors, more or less substantiated, of progress in peace talks, followed by renewed conflict and a spike in uncertainty and prices over the weekend. Crude oil prices were down by about $6.50 per barrel over the course of last week but jumped about 1.5 percent overnight on Sunday following news of a hardline Iranian proposal for control of the Strait of Hormuz and the Netanyahu regime’s rejection of a U.S.-Iranian peace plan. Domestic gasoline demand remains relatively weak for this time of year, but inventories continued their decline to more than seven percent below the five-year average. Net gasoline exports declined by about 10 percent week-over-week but remained at a strong 807,000 barrels per day. New York’s current price is six cents higher than last month and $1.01 higher than this week last year. To view the full report, visit gasprices.aaa.com.