News Briefs: February 5, 2026

Pelcer Wins Wrestling Title

COOPERSTOWN—Cooperstown/Milford wrestling dropped a pair of dual meets on Wednesday, January 28, falling 44-27 to Adirondack and 45-29 to Unatego/Franklin/Unadilla Valley. Connor Van Buren, Thomas Geertgens and Andrew Spaulding each got two wins.

C/M placed seventh in the Center State Conference Wrestling Tournament at Sherburne-Earlville on Saturday, January 31. Max Pelcer won the title at 132 pounds with a pin and two majority decisions. Geertgens placed second at 157 pounds with two pins and an 8-4 loss in the finals. The team will compete in the Class D finals at South Lewis on Saturday, February 7.

Film Festival Set To Return

ONEONTA—Film Otsego’s Made by New York Women Film Festival will return to Foothills Performing Arts and Civic Center at 6 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, March 6 and 7. Comedies will be presented on Friday, followed by dramas on Saturday. Each night starts with an hour-long meet and greet with the filmmakers, featuring free food and a cash bar. Screenings begin with short film submissions at 7 p.m. For more information, visit filmotsego.org.

BHM Programming Scheduled

COOPERSTOWN—The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum has scheduled a series of events and special exhibits in observance of Black History Month. Jackie Robinson’s original Hall of Fame plaque will return from loan to the Jackie Robinson Museum for display in the hall’s “The Souls of the Game: Voices of Black Baseball” exhibit, alongside his 1947 International League batting champion trophy. There will be an in-depth guided tour of the Souls of the Game exhibit at 1 p.m. on Friday, February 20. A virtual field trip program on the history of American race relations and baseball will be held at 1 p.m. on Thursday, February 26. For more information or to register, visit baseballhall.org/events/.

State Launches New Program

ALBANY—The New York State Office of Mental Health launched a survey as the first phase of a major new effort to develop the mental health workforce. The brief survey will gather information from service providers to help design a website and resource portal that will highlight career paths and connect prospective workers to training programs and employers. Mental health professionals are encouraged to fill out the 10-minute survey to help the program gauge what resources they will find most helpful. It is available at www.surveymonkey.com/r/omhmhwi?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery. OMH will also host a webinar from 1-2 p.m. on Thursday, February 12 to outline the website project and answer questions. The effort is part of a $2.5-million, multi-year initiative to develop New York’s mental health workforce. OMH has provided up to $5 million to help repay student debt for mental health practitioners.

Rick Monday Flag on Exhibit

COOPERSTOWN—As part of its celebration of America’s 250th anniversary, the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum will exhibit the American flag saved by Cubs center fielder Rick Monday 50 years ago. During a game at Dodger Stadium on April 25, 1976, Monday grabbed the flag away from two protestors who were attempting to light it on the field. He has since used it extensively to fundraise for veterans and their families, and will lend it to the NBHoF from Memorial Day to Labor Day.

Meditation Classes Planned

COOPERSTOWN—Sahaja Meditation will hold free weekly meditation classes at Cooperstown Coworks, 6 Doubleday Court, from 5:30-6:30 p.m. on Tuesdays from February 10 to April 14. No registration or special clothing is required, and the classes are intended for all experience levels. For more information, contact info@meditateupstate.com.

Lund Named to Dean’s List

WILKES-BARRE—Wilkes University released its fall 2025 Dean’s List, honoring students who maintained a GPA of at least 3.5 while taking at least 12 credits of coursework. Among the honorees was Haylie Lund of Edmeston.

NYS Dairy Program Opens

ALBANY—The New York State Department of Agriculture announced that the USDA 2026 Dairy Margin Coverage Program is open for enrollment through February 26. The program provides financial assistance to participating farms when the margin between national milk and feed prices falls below the level of coverage selected by the farmer. For more information or to apply, visit fsa.usda.gov/resources/programs/dairy-margin-coverage-program-dmc.

Falk To Speak on Immigration

COOPERSTOWN—The Cooperstown Graduate Program will inaugurate its new Cooperstown Community Classroom lecture series with a talk on post-war immigration by Dr. Cindy Falk. The two-part presentation will take place from 7-8:30 p.m. on Thursday, February 5 and Thursday, February 12, with a $20.00 cost of admission per lecture. The lecture series will run through April 16. To view a full schedule or register for a class, visit cgpmuseumstudies.org/merchandise/the-cooperstown-community-classroom.

Drum Circle Set To Perform

COOPERSTOWN—The First Baptist Church of Cooperstown will hold the next event in its Race, Equity and Justice Series in the Village Hall ballroom, 22 Main Street, at 6 p.m. on Sunday, February 15. In conjunction with Black History Month, the Oneonta Drum Circle will lead an evening of community music making. Free pizza and beverages will be available. For more information, contact baptistcooperstown@gmail.com.

Cerus Quartet Tix Available

COOPERSTOWN—The award-winning chamber music quartet Cerus will kick off the Cooperstown Concerts season at the Fenimore Art Museum theater at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 16. Tickets are available at cooperstownconcerts.org. The group will visit with students and perform at Cooperstown Elementary School earlier in the day.

Grants Available for NFPs

COOPERSTOWN—The New York Council of Nonprofits, in partnership with The Scriven Foundation, launched the 2026 Otsego County Mini-Grant Program to improve the governance and management of qualifying county nonprofit organizations. A total of $46,500.00 in funding is available, to be awarded in amounts ranging from $500.00 to $2,500.00. Applications must be submitted by Friday, February 27. For more information or to apply, visit nycon.org/omg.

SUNY O Gets Student Grant

ALBANY—The first round of awards in SUNY’s new “Building Bridges” civic engagement student leadership grant program was announced on Thursday, January 29. Five SUNY campus groups were each granted $5,000.00 awards to lead student-designed projects that strengthen communities and build connections across lines of difference. The initiative was announced in SUNY Chancellor John B. King’s 2025 State of the University Agenda. One of the awardees is SUNY Oneonta’s Student Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Council, which will host monthly “Dialogue for Dinner” discussion groups to engage students from a wide range of backgrounds. Conversations will be supported by advisors from the Institute for Civil Society and Democracy, the Center for Racial Justice and Inclusive Excellence, and the Gender and Sexuality Resource Center.

CCS Bowlers Win Section Title

COOPERSTOWN—Cooperstown bowling swept Little Falls 5-0 and topped 3,000 total pins for the third time this year on Tuesday, January 27. Wyatt Butts bowled the high game and series (277-173-182), including the team’s highest single game of the season. Joey Paterno and Ryan Ford threw series of 643 and 586, respectively.

The Hawkeyes lost their first match of the year on Wednesday, January 28, falling 5-0 to Adirondack. Anthony McCoy rolled the high series of 545, while Paterno took high game with a 198. Despite the loss, Cooperstown secured the Division II title. They went on to win the Section III Class C/D title at the championships in Mattydale on Sunday, February 1, but lost the state qualifier spot to Beaver River 3-0. The Hawkeyes will compete in the Center State Conference Tournament on Wednesday, February 4.

Black Vets’ Event Is Friday

ALBANY—The New York State Department of Veterans’ Services will host a special Black History Month virtual program from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Friday, February 6. This reflective event will highlight and honor the legacies, resilience, and lived experiences of Black service members across the generations through film, spoken word, artistic expression, and dialogue. It is free and open to the public. Registration is available at tinyurl.com/dvsevents.

GOHS Announces Exhibit

ONEONTA—The Greater Oneonta Historical Society’s spring exhibition, “Oneonta’s Other Railroad: The Untold Story of the Ulster and Delaware,” will be on display from Saturday, February 7 to May. It will highlight the area’s lesser-known historical rail connection to Kingston and New York City. An opening reception with light hors d’oeuvres, beer and wine will be held from 5-6:30 p.m. on Saturday, February 7. For more information, visit oneontahistory.org.

Valley Health Receives Funds

HERKIMER—Bassett Healthcare Network’s Valley Health Services received a grant of $6,519.00 from the Health Forward Foundation to purchase textbooks and laptops for its Certified Nursing Assistant training program. This quarterly class advances the careers of new healthcare workers, providing the option to continue employment at the facility. For more information, visit bassett.org.

Coop Basketball Carries On

COOPERSTOWN—Cooperstown boys basketball rolled to a 78-64 Division III victory over Hamilton on Tuesday, January 27. Miles Nelen scored 32 points and made five assists, followed by Jackson Crisman with 16 points and seven rebounds. Cooper Coleman had nine points and nine rebounds.

The Hawkeyes defeated Waterville 77-50 on Friday, January 30, led by Crisman’s 20 points and seven rebounds. Miles Nelen added 17 points and six assists. Christian Lawson scored 16 points and had six rebounds, four assists, and three steals. Cooperstown remains undefeated, with a 16-0 record for the season and 7-0 in their division. They will host Sherburne-Earlville after press time on Tuesday, February 3.

The girls team fell to Hamilton 59-34 in a Division III game on Thursday, January 29. Lanie Nelen scored 16 points, followed by seven each from Emma Johnson and Deanna Wolfe.

Cooperstown held Morrisville-Eaton scoreless for the first quarter of their 57-34 home victory on Monday, February 2. Emma Johnson recorded a double-double, putting away 29 points, 15 rebounds, three assists and three steals. Nelen added 13 points, and Wolfe contributed 11. The Hawkeyes rose to 4-13 for the season and 4-3 in their division. They will host Sherburne-Earlville after press time on Thursday, February 5.

Quilt Show Returns Saturday

COOPERSTOWN—Cooperstown Art Association will host the 35th Annual Fenimore Quilt Club Show, opening in conjunction with Winter Carnival on Saturday, February 7 and available to view through Sunday, February 22. It will feature more than 70 quilts by local artists, providing a wide range of traditional and contemporary designs. The opening day of the show, running from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., will include a meet and greet with Rotary Exchange student Catherine “Ashley” Nanyonjo of Kampala, Uganda. A woodland-inspired collector’s quilt, “A Walk in the Snow,” will be raffled at the end of the exhibition to support the Fenimore Quilt Club. There will also be a silent auction and quilting supply sale to benefit the Angel Network of Cooperstown and local food pantries.

Gas Prices Wobble After Storm

UTICA—The average price of gas in New York State rose two cents to $2.99 over the week ending Monday, February 2, AAA Northeast announced. The historic nationwide snowstorm disrupted crude production and refinery output across the U.S. Combined with a brief surge in demand as drivers prepared for the weather, this supply restriction contributed to rising prices. However, longer-term trends kept New York’s price four cents below last month and 18 below this time last year. To view the full report, visit gasprices.aaa.com.

Volleyball Regular Season Ends

COOPERSTOWN—Cooperstown volleyball swept Clinton 25-19, 25-21, 25-20 on the road on Wednesday, January 28. Hayden Merwin recorded 16 assists and four aces. Mia Pelcer had six kills and six digs. Jensen Merwin made 16 digs.

The Hawkeyes swept a Division II match against Sauquoit Valley 25-16, 25-14, 25-18 at home on Friday, January 30. Pelcer and Carlotta Falso each made six kills.

Cooperstown lost a Division II game 24-26, 25-19, 22-25, 23-25 to Clinton at home on Saturday, January 31. Pelcer recorded 10 kills and Falso made seven kills and four aces. The Hawkeyes finished the regular season with a 12-3 record and 6-3 in their division, and await seedings for the Section III playoffs.

Nominations Open for CCSHoF

COOPERSTOWN—The Cooperstown Sports Booster Club is now accepting nominations for the Cooperstown Central School Athletic Hall of Fame Class of 2026. A minimum of three individuals and one team will be formally inducted at a ceremony during Homecoming Week in the fall. Eligible nominees include athletes, teams, coaches, administrators and boosters who have had a significant impact on CCS athletics. Athletes must have graduated in 2016 or earlier, and teams must have competed in spring 2016 or earlier. Coaches and administrators must be retired from CCS for at least two years to be eligible. For more information or to access the nomination form, contact Athletic Director Josh Wagner at jwagner@cooperstowncs.org.