News Briefs: December 18, 2025

CCS Winter Sports Kick Off

COOPERSTOWN—Cooperstown boys basketball opened the season with a 74-63 non-division victory over Utica Academy of Science on Thursday, December 4. Miles Nelen led the Hawkeyes with 33 points, followed by Jackson Crisman with 19 points and 19 rebounds. Brody Murdock recorded 19 points. The game was tied at 37 at the half, but Cooperstown went 20-7 in the third quarter.

Nelen once again led the way with 33 points in Cooperstown’s 75-60 victory over Mount Academy on Saturday, December 13. Christian Lawson scored 11 points, followed by Murdock’s 10. Crisman recorded eight points and 14 rebounds.

Crisman put together a double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds in Cooperstown’s 73-41 win over Waterville on Monday, December 15. Nelen scored 28 points, followed by Murdock with 13 and Cooper Coleman with five. Lawson put away five points and had four assists and four steals. Cooperstown moved to 3-0 for the season and will face Sherburne-Earlville on Thursday, December 17.

The girls basketball team dropped their season opener 70-32 to Delaware Academy at the Dick Alwine Tournament on Friday, December 5. Lanie Nelen led the Hawkeyes with 18 points, followed by Deanna Wolfe with nine and Sophia Johnson with five. Cooperstown defeated the Bulldogs in last year’s regional championship game.

The Hawkeyes fell 74-34 to Unatego in the second round of the Alwine Tournament on Saturday, December 6. Nelen scored 14 points and made the All-Tournament Team. Eighth-grader Layla Zylinski scored 10 points in her varsity debut.

Cooperstown lost a non-division game to Dolgeville 67-42 on Monday, December 8. Nelen set a new personal record of 24 points. Wolfe and Johnson scored six points each.

Nelen broke her record the next game, putting away 27 points in Cooperstown’s 74-44 loss to Jefferson/Stamford. She also had eight steals. Britten Hill added nine points for the Hawkeyes.

Cooperstown volleyball shut out Westmoreland 3-0 in their division season opener on Thursday, December 4. Jensen Merwin recorded nine aces and 10 digs. Chloe Jubar had five kills. Hayden Merwin had 15 assists.

Joey Paterno bowled 629 to lead Cooperstown bowling to a 5-0 shutout of Clinton on Thursday, December 4. He recorded a 172-225-232 series, followed by Theo Ritter with 575 and Wyatt Butts with 571. The Hawkeyes had a total of 2,931 pins to Clinton’s 1,531.

Paterno and Kaden Card each bowled a 584 in Cooperstown’s 5-0 sweep of New York Mills on Tuesday, December 9. The Hawkeyes totaled 2,873 pins to New York Mills’ 1,995.

Cooperstown/Milford wrestling defeated Canajoharie/Fort Plain 60-24 and fell 47-35 to Little Falls in a tri-meet on Wednesday, December 3. Kaleb Chase, Max Koffer and Andrew Spaulding got double wins. Thomas Geertgens, Matt Duszynski and Adam Cole beat their opponents from Canajoharie/Fort Plain, and Alissa Stone, Max Pelcer, Emma Lamont, and Mathias Pawlowski got forfeit wins. Pelcer, Chase, Koffer and Spaulding got wins against Little Falls. Pawlowski and Duszynski got forfeit wins.

Pelcer and Rowan Brown each placed second for Cooperstown/Milford at the Captain Tony Bailey Memorial Tournament in Boonville on Saturday, December 6. Pelcer went 4-1 at 132 pounds and lost in the final to Jake Burton of Marcellus. Brown went 4-1 at 118 pounds and dropped the final to Adirondack’s Seth Strain.

Anti-bullying Work Continues

LAURENS—Josiah McKeon of youth leadership team Sweethearts and Heroes returned to Laurens Central School for the second round of anti-bullying work on October 29 and 30. For the past 16 years, Sweethearts and Heroes has presented its “stop, drop and roll of bullying” to more than 2.5 million students across the U.S. and Canada. It aims to prevent hopelessness, bullying, and suicide by providing dynamic, inspiring content that promotes social skills like empathy and teamwork. For more information or a complete list of services, visit linktr.ee/sweetheartsandheroes.

Artists Featured at Open House

MIDDLEFIELD—The Art Garage, 689 Beaver Meadow Road, will host a holiday open house for its “Something Old, Something New” show from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, December 20. Artists-in-residence Enrique Bayron Perez and Ada Yonenaka will display some of their work from the show and discuss their technique. Festive refreshments will be served. The show is open each Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and other days by appointment until January 17. For more information or to schedule a viewing, contact leartgarage@gmail.com or (607) 547-5327.

BCBS Names Award Winners

ROCHESTER—Excellus BlueCross BlueShield announced its 2025 Health Equity Innovation Awards, an annual funding opportunity that supports Upstate New York nonprofit organizations working to eliminate health disparities and improve outcomes, on December 2. Twenty-two organizations in the Rochester, Central New York, Southern Tier and North Country regions were selected from a pool of nearly 300 applicants. Local recipients include Bassett Medical Center’s Bassett Cancer Institute Partnership, the Madison County Rural Health Council, the Mohawk Valley Resource Center for Refugees and the St. Lawrence Health Foundation. For more information, visit ExcellusBCBS.com/community.

Holiday Market, Stroll is Tues.

COOPERSTOWN—The Cooperstown Farmers’ Market will hold a special Holiday Market with more than 20 local vendors from 4-7 p.m. on Tuesday, December 23. It will feature free hot cider, a make-and-take craft station for children, gift wrapping and live music. Alongside the farmers’ market, many Main Street retailers will have extended hours until 7 p.m. for the annual Cooperstown Stroll. Cooperstown Art Association will have extra hours for its Holiday Show and Sale and will offer prosecco and treats. Santa’s Cottage will be open from 3-5 p.m. A caroling group will leave Pioneer Park at 5:30.

NYS Gas Prices Keep Sliding

UTICA—The average price of a gallon of gasoline in New York State dropped two cents to $3.09 over the week ending Monday, December 15, AAA Northeast announced. Crude oil prices dropped to seven-month lows over warnings of serious oversupply in the new year, overshadowing price increases due to tensions between the Trump administration and Venezuela, which holds the world’s largest proven petroleum reserves. Domestic inventories increased by 6.4 million barrels for a total growth of 15.75 million over the last month, placing significant downward pressure on prices. Demand ticked up slightly but remains nearly five percent below comparable periods in 2024 and 2023. Gas prices nationwide are flirting with their lowest point since 2021. Today’s New York price is four cents lower than a month ago and five cents lower than this week last year. To view the full report, visit gasprices.aaa.com.

RAG Announces Art Program

STAMFORD—The Roxbury Arts Group’s Headwaters Arts Center, 66 Main Street in Stamford, will host a free weekly creative project from 6-7:30 p.m. on Wednesdays from January 14 to April 8. Intended to dispel winter doldrums, the program will teach participants to explore their creativity and practice mindfulness. All materials are provided and no registration is necessary. For more information, visit roxburyartsgroup.org.

State Celebrates Local Mural

ALBANY—New York State celebrated Mural Day statewide on December 12, highlighting 50 public works of art across the state. The celebration was a program of Cultivating Havens for the Arts through Regional Murals, or CHARM, a program of the governor’s office supported by the state legislature. Among the works recognized was a West Oneonta mural by local tattoo artist James McIlroy.

Grant Assistance Available

EARLVILLE—Wave Farm’s Media Arts Assistance Fund for Artists, a re-grant program of the New York State Council on the Arts, is open for application through January 15. MAAF provides up to $7,500.00 in support for the completion or public presentation of new or recent artwork in all genres of sound and moving image art, including emergent technologies. There is no application fee. For more information or to apply, visit wavefarm.org/grants-services/nysca-regrants/maaf-artists/about.

Concession Volunteers Needed

COOPERSTOWN—The Cooperstown Sports Booster Club seeks concession stand volunteers for junior varsity and varsity boys basketball and volleyball home games, as well as for three major annual tournaments. The Varsity Wrestling Invitational will be held on Saturday, December 27, followed by the Dick White Holiday Madness Basketball Tournament on Monday and Tuesday, December 29 and 30. Students are encouraged to work tournament shifts, which count toward Leadership Training for Athletes community service hours. Beyond volunteering, there will be food donation opportunities from December 26-30. For more information or to sign up, contact an LTA member or visit tinyurl.com/CCSSnackShack.

‘Miracle on Ice’ Honored

WASHINGTON, DC—President Donald Trump and North Country U.S. Representative Elise Stefanik formally ordered three Congressional Gold Medals for the “Miracle on Ice” hockey team. This team of underdogs, mostly amateur undergraduates, scored a stunning upset 4-3 victory over the Soviet Union at the 1980 Lake Placid Winter Olympics, at the height of late Cold War tensions and the USSR’s 20-year dominance of Olympic hockey. The Americans secured the gold medal four days later with a 4-2 victory against Finland. A majority of surviving team members attended the White House signing ceremony. The Congressional medals will be displayed at the Lake Placid Olympic Center, the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Museum in Colorado, and the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame in Minnesota. According to a release, Stefanik first introduced this legislation in September 2024, and her reintroduced bill passed with bipartisan support in September.

NYSEG Adds Mobile Substations

BINGHAMTON—New York State Electric and Gas announced it has commissioned two new mobile substations, bringing the fleet it shares with its sister company, Rochester Gas and Electric, to 24 active vehicles. The extra capacity will further enhance safety and reliability for nearly 1.3 million electric customers across the state. Mobile substations are used to bypass permanent ones during maintenance or unplanned outages. For more information, visit nyseg.com.

USPS Issues Safety Reminders

NEW YORK STATE—The U.S. Postal Service reminds all customers and communities to carefully observe winter safety guidelines so they can ensure prompt and safe delivery. Residents should carefully remove enough snow from roadside boxes to allow couriers to approach, access and leave without needing to back up or exit the vehicle. Walkways, steps, and handrails must be kept clear and in good condition, and overhangs should be free of ice and snow. For more information, visit USPS.com.

No-wake Buoys Removed

COOPERSTOWN—Divers and researchers from SUNY Oneonta’s Biological Field Station officially declared Otsego Lake closed for the season on Sunday, December 14. Teams of BFS volunteers removed the last remaining no-wake zone buoys from Springfield Public Landing and Cooperstown’s Lakefront, noting the recent appearance of autumn ice. The dives went well despite 17 degree temperatures and 10 mph winds.

Virtual Senior Center Is Free

ALBANY—The New York State Office for the Aging and Selfhelp Community Services announced free access to Selfhelp’s Virtual Senior Center for all individuals age 60 and up in New York. The VSC includes more than 400 monthly live programs, events, and features that help foster connections for older adults who are homebound or simply wish to explore a wider community. Access is available at vscm.selfhelp.net; register as a participant by calling (718) 559-4370.

Drum Circle, Church Partner

ONEONTA—Oneonta Drum Circle, Body and Soul Dance, and the First Presbyterian Church of Oneonta announced a new set of collaborative programs to support local food pantries and bring the community together. Beginning on January 10, Drum Circle will meet from 2-5 p.m. on every other Saturday at the church, 296 Main Street. Participants are strongly encouraged to bring cash or non-perishable food donations. Body and Soul Dance will hold weekly dance gatherings at the church from 2-4 p.m. on Saturdays, starting on January 3. Admission is also by donation to the church’s food program.

Buck, Hoynes To Be Inducted

COOPERSTOWN—The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum announced that Joe Buck, who called more World Series and All-Star Games than any other broadcaster in television history, has been selected as the 2026 recipient of the Ford C. Frick Award. He is the 50th winner of this highest award in baseball broadcasting and joins his father, 1987 winner Jack Buck, as the only father/son duo to win. At 56 years old, he is the second-youngest recipient in the history of the award.

Paul Hoynes was named the 77th winner of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America Career Excellence Award. He has covered more than 6,000 games and is still at work deep into his fifth decade as a beat writer. Buck and Hoynes will be honored during Induction Weekend, July 24-27. For more information, visit baseballhall.org/our-stories.

Badalian Elected IUGA Chair

COOPERSTOWN—Dr. Samuel Badalian, Bassett Healthcare Network’s chief of women’s health, was elected chair of the Membership Committee of the International Urogynecology Association on December 9, effective January 1. He was named to his current position in 2019 and has demonstrated leadership in expanding access to urogynecological services in rural areas. Badalian earned a prestigious Fulbright Award in 2021 for his work establishing urogynecology fellowships in Armenia, helping to establish the discipline as an official subspecialty in that country.

CAA Holiday Sale Ends Dec. 23

COOPERSTOWN—Cooperstown Art Association’s annual Holiday Show and Sale will close after Tuesday, December 23, although it will be open until 7 p.m. on its final night in conjunction with the Cooperstown Holiday Stroll. The evening will feature festive treats, prosecco for visitors 21 and older, and a raffle for a 2026 CAA Family Membership. The gallery is open for regular hours, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday, until then. Following the show, CAA will close for the season until February 7.

Two Food Recalls Announced

NEW YORK STATE—Lion of Judah African Foods Wholesale of Mount Vernon issued a recall for its 700g plastic packages of “Lion of Judah Tom Brown Breakfast Cereal” due to contamination with undeclared peanuts. People with allergies risk serious or life-threatening reactions if they consume this product. No illnesses have been reported. The affected product was sold under batch number TB 012/25 BEST BEFORE April 2028. Customers who purchased this item should return it to the place of sale for a full refund.

South Asian Food Inc. of Maspeth, Queens issued a similar recall for its 12.34 oz. packages of Bengal King Jhal Chanachur food treats. Affected products were in lot B No. HCNCU1205/24, with an expiration date of June 2026 and UPC code 8941153046243. They should be returned to the point of purchase for a full refund.