News Briefs: July 31, 2025

LRHS To Dedicate Marker

COOPERSTOWN JUNCTION—The Leatherstocking Railway Historical Society will install a historical marker funded by the Pomeroy Foundation at 1 p.m. on Sunday, August 27. Located at the Chase House, 6379 State Route 7 in Cooperstown Junction, the marker will pay tribute to the 16-mile short line that connected the Village of Cooperstown with the rest of the northeastern railroad system and laid the groundwork for its economic prosperity.

Golf Fundraiser Set for Sept.

DELHI—Helios Care will hold its annual “Chip in Fore Hospice” golf tournament fundraiser at Delhi’s College Golf Course on Wednesday, September 17. Breakfast and registration will open at 8 a.m., followed by a shotgun start on the course at 10 a.m. Participants will receive a bagged lunch and two drink tickets, and the tournament will end with an awards reception featuring hors d’oeuvres and a complimentary gift for each player. The tournament is one of Helios Care’s biggest annual fundraisers and provides key support to local hospice patients and their families. Registration may be completed for individuals or teams of four at HeliosCare.org/Events. Inquiries about sponsorships may be directed to Kathryn Dailey at (607) 432-6773.

Picnic, Officers Announced

ONEONTA—The Oneonta Area NAACP will hold its annual community picnic from noon to 4 p.m. at Neahwa Park on Saturday, August 16. The public is invited to enjoy music, refreshments, games and community discussions. The chapter also recently resumed in-person meetings at the Yoga Center at 50 Dietz Street, under new leadership elected last November. Poletta Louis is now branch president, assisted by Vice President Erin Wagner, Treasurer Dan Maskin, Secretary Marilyn Simurro and Assistant Secretary Paul Conway. General membership meetings are held on the second Thursday of every month. The chapter continues to respond to local allegations of discrimination against people of color and promote overall respect for human rights.

Acclaimed Violinist Returns

COOPERSTOWN—The Cooperstown Summer Music Festival will present a baroque concert by Twelfth Night: The Grand Tour at 7 p.m. on Sunday, August 4 at Christ Episcopal Church. Acclaimed violinist Rachell Ellen Wong, joined by harpsichordist David Belkovski and cellist Clara Abel, will perform a carefully curated baroque program featuring works by Biber, Bach, Veracini and Leclair. Tickets are $30.00 for adults and $15.00 for students and children. They may be purchased at cooperstownmusicfest.org or over the phone via Purplepass Tickets, (800) 316-8559.

Audition Dates Scheduled

ONEONTA—The Catskill Community Players will hold open auditions for Noah Haidle’s comedy “Birthday Candles” from 6:30-8:30 p.m. on September 3 and 5. They will be held at the Institute for Spiritual Development, 297 River Street Service Road, between Corning Inc. and the Hampton Inn. Youth auditions will be held from 6:30-8:30 p.m. on September 16 and 18, location to be announced. The show will be performed at Worcester’s Wieting Theatre at 7:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, November 14-15 and at 2 p.m. on Sunday, November 16. Contact Director Rosemary Summers at rosemaryfsummers@gmail.com to sign up. More information may be found at catskillplayers.org.

Gas Drops By Another Penny

UTICA—The average price of gas in New York State dropped one cent to $3.16 per gallon over the week ending Monday, July 28, AAA Northeast announced. Northeast regional gasoline inventories dropped by a hefty 3.3 million barrels, largely due to thunderstorm damage at Phillips 66’s Bayway refinery in Linden, New Jersey. Demand rose by more than half a million barrels to 8.97 million per day, more in line with typical seasonal trends than this year’s generally lackluster demand. However, strong inventories and market uncertainty about the global economy depressed demand and weighed down prices at the pump. New York’s average price is five cents lower than a month ago and 44 cents lower than this date last year. To view the full report, visit gasprices.aaa.com.

Connections To Hold Events

COOPERSTOWN—Connections at Clark Sports Center has released its August calendar. Highlighted events include a canoe and kayak outing to Brookwood Gardens from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday, August 12. Registration is available at the Connections table. There will be a mindful outdoor walk from 10-11 a.m. on Thursday, August 14, meeting in the front lobby. Helios Care will host a grief support meeting in the small meeting room from 1-2:30 p.m. the same day. An Alzheimer’s Caregiver Support Group will meet in the small meeting room from 11 a.m. to noon on Monday, August 18, and flower garden bouquets will be available in the front lobby from noon to 2 p.m. A diabetes prevention meeting will be held in the community room from 10-11 a.m. on Thursday, August 21. Connections also hosts a full calendar of athletic groups for seniors every Monday and Thursday; visit their Facebook page or contact connectionsatcsc@gmail.com for more information or the full schedule.

Pathfinder Breaks Ground

EDMESTON—Pathfinder Village started construction recently on its $5.5 million Farmstead Market and Community Center Project, expected to finish in fall 2026. By repurposing a historic farmstead at the village, the market will increase healthy food access in the Northern Unadilla River Valley, create job training opportunities for adults with intellectual disabilities, and serve as a new venue for community events. It will be the new home of Pathfinder’s Adult Day Services pre-vocational programs and Pathfinder Produce, allowing the latter to expand its store hours to five days a week. The market will include a culinary arts training kitchen that will serve grab-and-go items while providing a 12-week vocational training program. The project received $1.8 million in funding from the Empire State Development Corporation and will feature state-of-the-art energy saving technologies. For more information on the project or Pathfinder’s services for people with intellectual disabilities, visit pathfindervillage.org.

Schuermann Named Wayne VP

HONESDALE, PA—Wayne Bank announced that it hired Cooperstown resident Matt Schuermann as a vice president mortgage loan initiator on Thursday, July 17. In his new role, he will work out of the Cooperstown and Oneonta offices to evaluate loan applications and ensure a smooth and transparent lending process. Schuermann has more than 30 years’ experience in business and mortgage lending and is a founder of Leatherstocking Group Inc.

Dance Troupe To Perform

FRANKLIN—Franklin Stage Company will present a dance concert by internationally-known New York-based dance company Bridgman|Packer Dance at Chapel Hall, 25 Institute Street in Franklin, on August 1-3. Shows will begin at 7:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday at 5 p.m. on Sunday. Admission is free, with a suggested donation of $25.00 per person. For more information or to make a reservation, visit franklinstagecompany.org.

O’Connor Names ER Head

DELHI—O’Connor Hospital named Aaron Wilson DNP, FNP-C its new medical director of the Emergency Department. He has worked within Bassett Healthcare Network for more than 15 years, including a stint as an emergency department nurse at O’Connor. Wilson earned his doctor of nursing practice degree from Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama in 2020.

‘Turn Two’ Event a Success

COOPERSTOWN—Thirty-eight National Baseball Hall of Fame supporters participated in Ozzie Smith’s “Turn Two” fundraiser at Doubleday Field on Friday, July 25. Joined by Joe Mauer, Tony LaRussa, Tony Oliva and Jim Thome, Smith shared stories and game secrets on the Doubleday infield to kick off Hall of Fame Weekend. The annual event has raised more than $310,000.00 over 22 years, providing critical support to the hall’s educational programming and diversity scholarships for its internship program. For more information, visit baseballhall.org.

FCAHS Plans Ostapeck Show

FLY CREEK—The Fly Creek Area Historical Society will present a portrait show by the late local photographer Lady Ostapeck at its facilities at 207 Cemetery Road. The exhibition will be on view from 4-8 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, August 7-8 and from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, August 9-10. There is a suggested donation of $5.00 to support the historical society’s work.

OASAS To Bolster Workforce

ALBANY—The New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports announced that it will allocate more than $2 million from the New York State Opioid Settlement Fund to the Addiction Professionals Scholarship Program. Established in 2023, the program helps community-based organizations address addiction workforce shortages through training, credential and degree programs for addiction professionals. Community organizations and SUNY and CUNY schools have assisted more than 1,300 individuals with scholarship funding since the program began. For more information or to view available programs, visit https://oasas.ny.gov/addiction-professionals-scholarship-program.

Ag Dept. To Support Gardens

ALBANY—New York State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball announced that $2.5 million will be made available for the third round of the Urban Farms and Community Gardens Grant Program. Intended to support urban growing spaces, such as farms, school gardens, and community gardens, and bolster their contribution to food resiliency and security, the program awarded more than $1 million to 22 project recipients in the last round. Eligible applicants include nonprofit organizations, educational institutions, municipal governments and Indian tribal organizations. For more information or to apply, visit agriculture.ny.gov/rfa-0344-urban-farms-and-community-gardens-grant-program.