News Briefs: January 1, 2026

Boys Move to Tourney Final

COOPERSTOWN—Cooperstown boys basketball defeated Saratoga Catholic 82-53 in a battle of top-ranked Class C teams at home on Monday, December 22. Miles Nelen put away 38 points, including 16 in the third quarter alone, and made three assists. Jackson Crisman added 13 points, followed by Christian Lawson with 12 points and three steals. Cooper Coleman had eight points and seven rebounds.

The Hawkeyes edged past Delaware Academy 88-78 in the first round of the Dick White Holiday Basketball Tournament at Red Bursey Gymnasium on Monday, December 29. Nelen led with 30 points, followed by Jackson Crisman with a personal record of 28 points, 18 rebounds and two blocks. Lawson added 12 points, seven rebounds and four assists. Cooperstown rose to 7-0 for the season and 2-0 in their division, and will face Cato-Meridian in the tournament finals after press time on Tuesday, January 30.

The girls team fell to Unatego 50-41 in the opening round of the tournament on Monday, December 29. Eighth grader Emma Johnson scored 17 points, followed by Lanie Nelen’s 16. The Hawkeyes fell to 1-6 and 1-1 for the season and will face Hamilton in an unranked consolation game after press time on Tuesday, January 30.

NY Overdose Deaths Drop

ALBANY—New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports Commissioner Dr. Chinazo Cunningham reported a 30 percent drop in overdose deaths in 2025. OASAS invested in several initiatives across the state, including increased access to addiction medication through mobile units and brick-and-mortar locations, expanded access for inmates in correctional facilities, and public awareness efforts. For more information, visit oasas.ny.gov.

‘Oklahoma’ To Be Performed

ONEONTA—Orpheus Theatre’s Starstruck Players will present the Youth Edition of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “Oklahoma!” at Foothills Performing Arts and Civic Center on January 16-18. This special one-hour version of the classic musical is specially designed for young performers. It will begin at 7:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, January 16 and 17, and at 3 p.m. on Sunday, January 18. Advance tickets are $20.00 for adults, $15.00 for seniors and $10.00 for students, and are available at orpheustheatre.org. Tickets will also be available at the door, pending availability, for $5.00 more.

Paid Internships Announced

ALBANY—SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr. announced a partnership with the New York State Insurance Fund to provide 100 SUNY students with paid internships. Since an earlier form of this program began in 2023, NYSIF has hosted 46 SUNY interns and hired 11 program alumni for permanent, full-time roles. The new partnership furthers SUNY’s goal for every student to have an internship or experiential learning opportunity by the time they graduate. Participating students will work in a variety of roles for the state’s largest workers’ compensation carrier, including administration, claims, finance and underwriting. For more information, visit suny.edu.

Blood Drive Planned for Jan. 7

ONEONTA—Bassett’s FoxCare Center, 1 FoxCare Drive in Oneonta, will host an American Red Cross blood drive in conference room 1 from noon to 5 p.m. on Wednesday, January 7. Appointments may be made by calling 1-800-733-2767, visiting redcrossblood.org or using the American Red Cross Blood Donor app. Walk-ins are welcome.

Stores Issue Shrimp Recall

SCHENECTADY—Market 32 and Price Chopper issued a voluntary recall on Market 32 by Price Chopper brand frozen 26-30 count farm raised raw shrimp with UPC code 4173501358. The recall is in compliance with an FDA advisory due to potential Cesium-137 contamination prior to shipment to the Market 32 and Price Chopper Distribution Center. It was done out of an abundance of caution, as no product has yet tested positive and no illnesses have been reported, although symptoms would require repeated, long-term ingestion to manifest. Affected products were sold after July 11, with “best by” dates between April 22, 2027 and April 27, 2027. Customers who purchased these products should contact their local store for a full refund. For more information, contact consumerresponse@pricechopper.com or call Direct Source Seafood, LLC directly at (425) 455-2291.

ADK Releases January Events

ONEONTA—The Susquehanna Chapter of the Adirondack Mountain Club will host four Tuesday morning hikes in January: Homer Folks State Forest in Oneonta on January 6, the SUNY Delhi Education Center on January 13, Gilbert Lake State Park in Laurens on January 20 and Lower Robert V. Riddell State Park in Oneonta on January 27. Call or text the Hike Line at (607) 431-8010 for meeting times and places. The monthly meeting will be held at the Elm Park United Methodist Church, 401 Chestnut Street in Oneonta, on Wednesday, January 21. There will be a potluck dinner at 6 p.m., followed by the presentation of teen scholarship awards at 7 p.m. For more information, visit susqadk.org.

25 Main Announces Exhibit

CHERRY VALLEY—25 Main Collective’s next exhibition, “Into the Fold,” will open with a reception from 5-8 p.m. on Friday, January 2 in conjunction with Cherry Valley’s First Friday event. Featuring the work of Judith Jaquith, Enrique Bayron Perez and Elizabeth Wilde, it will be on view through Sunday, February 1. An artists’ talk will be held at 5 p.m. on the final day. Additionally, the gallery will host a wire beaded bracelet workshop with Amanda Trumbull from 1-3 p.m. on Saturday, January 17. The cost is $50.00 and spaces are limited. For more information, contact 25maincollective@gmail.com.

C/M Wrestling Places Fourth

COOPERSTOWN—Cooperstown/Milford wrestling finished fourth in a field of 15 teams with 111.5 points at the Cooperstown Invitational on Saturday, December 27. Maine-Endwell won with 215 points. Senior Andrew Spaulding went 5-0 and pinned M-E’s Jerry Harman in the finals on his way to a first-place finish in the 150-pound class. Max Koffer went 4-1 in the 138-pound class, securing a second-place finish after losing to New Hartford’s Victor Petronella in the finals. Max Pelcer and Matt Duszynski each placed third, in the 126-pound and 215-pound classes, respectively. The Hawkeyes will travel to Herkimer for an East Division dual meet on Wednesday, January 7.

Gas Prices Continue To Fall

UTICA—New York State’s average price of gasoline declined two cents to $3.04 per gallon over the week ending Monday, December 29, AAA Northeast announced. During the holiday-shortened trading week, global oil prices dropped nearly three percent, although detailed information on supply and demand is not yet available due to holiday closures. The current New York price is nine cents lower than a month ago and eight cents lower than this week last year. To view the full report, visit gasprices.aaa.com.