News Briefs: February 26, 2026

Chili Bowl Returns Saturday

ONEONTA—Community Arts Network of Oneonta’s 21st Annual Chili Bowl Cook-off and Fundraiser will return to the Wilber Mansion, 11 Ford Avenue, from 1-4 p.m. on Saturday, February 28. CANO members may arrive at noon for first picks of chili and homemade bowls. New and returning restaurants and chefs will provide a wide variety of chili recipes as they compete for the People’s Choice and Judges’ Choice awards. There will also be a cornbread contest, music, craft beer, and hand-painted bowls and other artworks for sale. All proceeds support CANO’s work to promote regional arts and culture, especially by providing scholarships for its youth Summer Arts Program. For more information or to purchase tickets, contact admin@canoneonta.org.

Donations Sought for Cat Care

COOPERSTOWN—Susquehanna SPCA issued a call for public donations to assist with their impending intake of nearly 40 cats in need of care. Dry cat and kitten food, canned cat and kitten food, bath towels, and paper towels are in especially short supply. Their online wish list of donation items may be found at chewy.com/g/susquehanna-spca_b82583932#wish-list&wishlistsortby=DEFAULT. Monetary donations to support medical care are also appreciated.

Molinaro To Run for Assembly

CATSKILL—Former Congressman and Administrator of the Federal Transit Administration Marc Molinaro announced that he will return to New York State to run for the 102nd Assembly District being vacated by Chris Tague. Molinaro was elected mayor of Tivoli at age 19, becoming the youngest mayor in the country. Before Congress, he served as an assemblymember and as Dutchess County executive.

“While I was working to move America forward, I was watching what was happening in New York,” Molinaro said in a statement. “Progressive special interests and incompetent far-left politicians like Kathy Hochul and Zohran Mamdani now have a stranglehold on our state—making it more expensive and less safe. That’s why I’m getting back in the fight—to fill the void of sensible leadership, help like-minded Republicans win, and give ordinary New Yorkers a voice in Albany on day one.”

Smithy Classes Announced

COOPERSTOWN—The Smithy Clay Studio will run another eight-week session of classes for children and adults from March 9 to May 2. All eight-week adult classes are $280.00, the Kid’s Clay class is $250.00 and the four-week beginner course is $140.00. There will be open studio hours from 1:30-4:30 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, and from 6:30-9:30 p.m. on Thursdays. Mairi Meehan will lead the “Exploring the Potter’s Wheel” class from 6-9 p.m. on Mondays. Kid’s Clay runs from 3:15-5:15 p.m. on Tuesdays. Karla Andela teaches “Centering the Potter and Clay” from 6-9 p.m. on Tuesdays. The intermediate class “Throwing with More Clay” with Ursula Hudak runs from 6-9 p.m. on Wednesdays. Thursday classes are “Hand Building” from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and “Hand Building Planters” from 1:30-4:30 p.m. Laura Parker leads a hand building and sculpture class from 6-9 p.m. on Fridays. The four-week beginner clay class will run from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays in April, and Toni Harnett will lead a one-day scented candle workshop from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, April 25. For more information or to register, visit smithyarts.org.

ADK Releases March Calendar

ONEONTA—The Susquehanna Chapter of the Adirondack Mountain Club released its schedule of events for March. Tuesday hikes will be held at Clark Tower in Cooperstown on March 3, Pine Lake in Oneonta on March 10, the Catskill Scenic Rail Trail in Stamford on March 17, Gilbert Lake State Park in Laurens on March 24 and Whaupaunaucau State Forest in Norwich on March 31. For meeting times and places, call or text the Hike Line at (607) 431-8010. The monthly potluck dinner at Elm Park United Methodist Church, 401 Chestnut Street in Oneonta, will begin at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, March 18. Jim Mills will give a presentation on a new walking pilgrimage pathway in Oneonta starting at 7 p.m. For more information, visit susqadk.org.

‘Presence of Poe’ Opens

ONEONTA—Hartwick College’s Yager Museum of Art and Culture will open an exhibit on the life, work and legacy of Edgar Allan Poe with a reception from 5-7 p.m. on Thursday, February 26. The reception is open to the public and will offer refreshments. “The Presence of Poe” features original prints, illustrated editions and source materials for many of his most famous works, as well as examples of Poe’s enduring influence on popular culture. The Yager Museum is open from 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday, while the college is in session. The exhibit will be on display through May 16. For more information, contact Curator Quentin Lewis at (607) 431-4481.

King Pens USA Today Op-Ed

ALBANY—SUNY Chancellor John B. King highlighted the university system’s strengths and recent progress in an op-ed published by the USA Today Network on February 19. He described the statewide benefits of a strong public university system and calls for continuing investment in the next generation of New Yorkers. The piece is available at lohud.com/story/opinion/2026/02/19/suny-higher-education-global-leader-opinion/88665371007/?gnt-cfr=1&gca-cat=p&gca-uir=false&gca-epti=z115525p000750l004450c000750u117925e1160xxv115525&gca-ft=285&gca-ds=sophi.

Long-Pose Session Offered

COOPERSTOWN—Cooperstown Art Association’s increasingly popular “Figure This!” open-studio nude model figure drawing program will hold a long-pose pop-up session for artists who would benefit from a longer pose. It will be held in the CAA classroom space from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Wednesday, March 18. Admission is $18.00 in cash. For more information, contact gallery@cooperstownart.org or (607) 547-9777.

SUNY Partnering with FFA

ALBANY—SUNY Chancellor John B. King announced a new partnership between the university system and the New York State Future Farmers of America on Wednesday, February 18. FFA will share information on SUNY agriculture programs with middle- and high-school students across the state, send regular updates to K-12 educators, and otherwise help students explore agricultural career paths. The partnership includes the launch of a new website, suny.edu/agriculture.

$600K Raised with Red Kettle

SCHENECTADY—Salvation Army volunteers at Market 32 and Price Chopper stores raised more than $623,000.00 during the six-week Red Kettle holiday campaign in November and December. Donations will support essential services such as food assistance, shelter and emergency relief in the communities where they were collected. For more information, visit pricechopper.com.

HoF Remembers Mazeroski

COOPERSTOWN—The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum mourns Class of 2001 infielder Bill Mazeroski, who passed away on Friday, February 20. The hard-working defender helped lead the Pittsburgh Pirates to three division titles, two pennants, and a pair of World Series Championships while racking up eight Gold Gloves, 10 All-Star appearances, and one of the best defensive second baseman’s records in history. He made 2,016 career hits and in 1960 became the first player to end a World Series with a home run. For more information, visit baseballhall.org/hall-of-famers/mazeroski-bill.

Weatherization Workshop Set

JOHNSTOWN—The Mohawk Valley Region Clean Energy Hub and Cornell Cooperative Extension will host a free Energy Education Weatherization Workshop to help save money on heating and cooling bills from 1:30-3:30 p.m. on Monday, March 9. All attendees will receive lunch and a weatherization kit at no charge. It will be held at the Montgomery County Office Building, 20 Park Street in Fonda. Spaces are limited; register at mohawkvalleyenergychoices.org/events.

Frazier Wins Endorsement

KINGSTON—Michele Frazier won the endorsement of the Ulster County Democratic Committee for the 51st New York State Senate District at the county nomination convention on Monday, February 16. Frazier received a record-breaking 7,297 votes, a margin of victory of nearly 7-to-1 over Ulster County Legislator Chris Hewitt. For more information or updates, visit michelefrazier.com/newsandupdates.

Art Assoc. Releases Schedule

COOPERSTOWN—The Cooperstown Art Association’s annual Spring Cleaning Art Bazaar, a sale of gently used fine arts, crafts, and supplies from local artists and patrons, will run in Gallery A from March 7-28. “Comfort Reimagined: The Art of Stuffies,” a collaborative exhibit between Milford K-2 elementary students and high-schoolers based on stuffed animals, will be displayed in Gallery B from March 7-27. It will begin with an opening reception from 5-7 p.m. on Friday, March 6. The CAA gallery shop also opens for the season on March 7. For more information, visit cooperstownart.com.

Hanson Named to Dean’s List

MEMPHIS, TN—Rhodes College released its fall 2025 Dean’s List, honoring students who maintained a grade point average of 3.70 or better while completing at least 16 credits of coursework. Among the honorees was Natalie Hanson of Cooperstown.

CCS Boys Win, Girls Bow Out

COOPERSTOWN—The top-seeded Cooperstown boys basketball team rolled to a 98-66 win over 16-seed Citizenship and Science Academy in the first round of the Section III Class C playoffs at home on Saturday, February 21. Miles Nelen scored 26 points. Jackson Crisman recorded a double-double with 20 points and 12 rebounds. Cooper Coleman added 13 points and seven rebounds, followed by Christian Lawson with 12 points and five assists. Brody Murdock scored nine points. The Hawkeyes rose to 21-0 for the season and will host eight-seeded Onondaga at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, February 25.

The girls’ season ended with a 64-46 loss to five-seeded Tully in the opening round of the playoffs on Saturday, February 21. Lanie Nelen scored 17 points, followed by Emma Johnson with 15. Cooperstown, which entered the playoffs with the number 12 seed, ended the season with a 5-16 record.

Plantholt Earns Degree

ADELPHI, MD—Shane Michael Plantholt of Oneonta earned a bachelor of science in applied technology from the University of Maryland Global Campus in fall 2025. He was one of more than 6,400 students worldwide who earned degrees at UMGC that semester.