News Briefs: June 5, 2025

Flag Day Deadline Is June 7th

UNADILLA—The Unadilla Chamber of Commerce will hold an expanded Flag Day parade and celebration on Saturday, June 14, featuring a bounce house and ice cream social in addition to the parade. Five hundred “Shop Local Unadilla” tote bags with items from local businesses will be distributed to parade attendees. Businesses wishing to participate should drop off their cards or samples at the House of Consignment by Saturday, June 7. Examples of previous contributions include brochures, coupons, bookmarks, pens and business cards. The chamber will also hold its annual Carnival of Sales on Saturday, July 12. Vendor inquiries and applications may be sent to unadillachamber@yahoo.com.

Smithy Gallery Now Open

COOPERSTOWN—The Smithy Gallery’s first summer exhibition, “Shadows and Reflections,” will be on display from Tuesday, June 3 through Saturday, July 12. It features work by more than 40 member and guest artists and will be on display Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Additionally, the studio will host a raku firing event for bisqueware artists from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, June 7. For more information, pricing and registration, visit smithyarts.org.

Antropow Cramer To Read

ONEONTA—Fiction writer Marina Antropow Cramer will present a talk and discussion of her novel, “Winners and Losers,” at the Community Arts Network of Oneonta’s Writers Salon on Thursday, June 19. The free event will begin at Wilber Mansion, 11 Ford Avenue, at 7:30 p.m. For more information, visit canoneonta.org/writers-salon.

Spring Park Concerts Slated

RICHFIELD SPRINGS—The Richfield Springs Area Chamber of Commerce will present concerts in Spring Park from 7-8:30 p.m. each Wednesday from late June to the end of August. They are free and open to the public and will run rain or shine. Attendees are encouraged to bring a blanket or folding chair. Glimmerglass Festival’s Young Artists will present a season preview and Broadway music selections on June 25, followed by a polka/country mashup by Fritz’s Polka Band on July 2. Helen’s Dixielanders will perform a wide variety of music, including polka, show tunes and opera on July 9. Dirt Road Express, offering classic rock and country, will play on July 16. The July 23 show will be the Cooperstown Community Band, followed on July 30 by the Nelson Brothers. Justine Smithson will play a diverse selection of genres on August 6, as will Double Chase-Matt and Thelma on August 13. New Horizons Barbershop Chorus and Individual Quartets will perform on August 20. The season will end with Seth Owen Becker’s Americana and folk music on August 27. For more information, call (315) 858-0964.

Grange Seeking Donations

OTSEGO—Pierstown Grange, 137 Wedderspoon Hollow Road in Cooperstown, will hold a fundraising auction to support its building fund starting at 11 a.m. on Saturday, June 21. It seeks item donations, including household goods, tools, vintage items, furniture, and more, which may be dropped off before the sale. Contact (607) 437-4656 or (607) 264-3069 for more information or to schedule a drop-off time. Clothing, books, lamps and computers will not be accepted. There will also be a bake sale and refreshments.

Community Band To Perform

ONEONTA—The Oneonta Community Concert Band will begin its 2025 summer season with a performance at Neahwa Park’s Large Pavilion at 3 p.m. on Sunday, June 8. Thanks to a grant from the New York State Council on the Arts, it is free and open to the public. Lawn chairs and blankets are encouraged. Thirty-two experienced local musicians will perform a diverse selection of music ranging from traditional folk melodies to contemporary compositions. For more information, visit the band’s Facebook group or call (607) 376-7485.

Plant Sale Returns Saturday

RICHFIELD SPRINGS—The Garden Club of Richfield Springs will hold its annual plant and bake sale at the public library, 102 Main Street, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, June 7. In addition to a wide selection of annual and perennial plants, club members will offer information on hydroponics and assist prospective new members.

CCE Announces June Events

OTSEGO COUNTY—Cornell Cooperative Extension will host a fiber quality workshop at Washington County Fairgrounds, 392 Old Schuylerville Road in Greenwich, from 3-5 p.m. on Monday, June 9. For more information or to register, visit https://cceschoharie-otsego.org/. The CCE Agritourism Program Work Team will hold its next monthly webinar, discussing marketing and media strategies, at noon on Tuesday, June 10. Register at bit.ly/3VngowY. In partnership with NY FarmNet, CCE will present a webinar on agricultural cooperatives at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, June 11. There will be a free food and dairy processing boot camp to train and certify prospective agricultural workers in food processing safety at SUNY Schenectady, 78 Washington Avenue, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Tuesday, June 24 through Thursday, June 26. No experience is required, but participants must be at least 18 years of age. For more information or to register, contact tp393@cornell.edu or hb466@cornell.edu.

NYSEG Unveils Usage Alerts

BINGHAMTON—New York State Electric and Gas and Rochester Gas and Electric launched a new usage alert system for customers with a smart meter. The alerts will notify residents if their energy usage is higher or lower than usual, or if they have exceeded their goals for the month. This will empower customers to monitor and regulate their monthly energy bills. For more information, visit nyseg.com.

Yard Sale Day Is Saturday

COOPERSTOWN—Cooperstown’s annual Community Yard Sale Day will return with more than 30 participating households on Saturday, June 7. Sales run from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., with maps available at coopyardsales.com or at the Chamber of Commerce Visitor Center, 31 Chestnut Street. For more information, contact the chamber at (607) 548-9983.

Barn Sale Is This Weekend

MILFORD—The Guild of Glimmerglass Festival’s annual Barn Sale will return to 3975 State Route 28 in Milford on Saturday and Sunday, June 7-8. It will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days. Sale items include furniture, home furnishings and collectibles, boutique clothing and jewelry, potted plants, and baked goods.

Library Offers Youth Programs

ONEONTA—Huntington Memorial Library hosts a Teen Writers Group workshop and writing exercises for youth ages 12-18 each Thursday at 4:45 p.m. It also offers children’s story time each Tuesday and Wednesday at 9:30 a.m, and a homeschool hangout for all ages at 1 p.m. on Mondays. For more information or a complete schedule, visit https://hmloneonta.org/youth-programs/ or call (607) 432-1980.

City Launches Solar Campaign

ONEONTA—The City of Oneonta officially launched a citywide community solar campaign in partnership with Solar Simplified, offering electricity savings and green energy to area residents. Homeowners and renters can subscribe for free to local solar farms and receive a guaranteed savings of 10 percent on monthly NYSEG electricity bills. The initiative is expected to provide $100,000.00 in savings for area residents while developing the region’s green energy infrastructure. For more information or to sign up, visit SolarSimplified.com/Oneonta or call (888) 420-9831.

‘Goonies’ Screening Slated

ONEONTA—Film Otsego and Foothills Performing Arts and Civic Center will host a 40th anniversary screening of the classic children’s adventure film “The Goonies” at Foothills at 7 p.m. on Friday, June 20. Doors open at 6 p.m. and there will be an after-screening party featuring costume and trivia contests and a cash bar. The event is free with a suggested donation. Visit filmotsego.org for more information.

Summer Camp Announced

ROXBURY—The Roxbury Arts Group has opened registration for three summer creative camps. “Feathers in a Notebook,” led by artist and botanist Andie Hope, will teach participants to create art inspired by the natural environment. It will be held in Kirkside Park in Roxbury, with a children’s camp from 1-4:30 p.m. on August 4-8 and an adult section from 5:30-7:30 p.m. on August 4-7. Camp Create, held at the Headwaters Arts Center in Stamford, will offer dedicated support and education to young artists ages 6-13. It will run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on August 11-14 and 18-21, with flexible registration that allows children to attend for a day, a week, both weeks or selected dates. Equity pricing options are available for all Roxbury Arts Group programs. For more information or to register, visit roxburyartsgroup.org/camps or contact programs@roxburyartsgroup.org or (607) 326-7908. Space is limited and early registration is recommended.

‘GodSent’ Premieres June 21

MOUNT VISION—“GodSent,” a Words to Stage production featuring a compelling mix of dance, ballet, aerial arts, videography and storytelling, will premiere at The Visionary at 7 p.m. on Saturday, June 21. It is inspired by Samuel Beckett’s one-act play “Catastrophe.” The Visionary is a historic venue located at 2381 State Route 205 in Mount Vision. Tickets are available onsite or via EventBrite. Seating is limited and advance reservations are recommended. For more information, visit thevisionaryny.com or contact prapp@upsi-ny.com.

Juneteenth Plans Underway

ONEONTA—The sixth annual Oneonta Juneteenth Festival, commemorating the final destruction of American chattel slavery in 1865, will be held in Neahwa Park on Saturday, June 21. This family-friendly celebration will honor Black culture, resilience, and community through education, music, joy, and community building. It is free and open to the public, and attendees are encouraged to bring lawn blankets. The day will begin with a community yoga session led by Jackson Reddy at noon, followed by festival activities from 1-5 p.m. These include children’s events, arts and crafts, a Black Town Hall, and more. There will be a break for a free community meal from 2-3 p.m. Lead festival organizer Diandra Sangetti-Daniels will give brief remarks at 4:45, followed by a mini concert finale at 5 p.m. For more information, visit the Oneonta Juneteenth social media pages or contact oneontajuneteenth@gmail.com.

Historian Offers Digitization

OTSEGO COUNTY—Otsego County Historian Deb Mackenzie will go on the road with free digitization stations throughout the county in June and July. Local residents are urged to bring historic photos, newspaper clippings, ephemera and more to have them scanned. Scanned copies will be furnished to local historians, historical societies, and libraries, offering the opportunity to contribute to local museums and historiography without relinquishing family treasures. There is no charge to participants or recipient organizations. Full newspapers will not be accepted. Digitization stations will be set up at the following locations and times: South Side Mall, 10 a.m. to noon on June 7; Kinney Memorial Library in Hartwick, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on June 14; Harris Memorial Library in Otego, 9 a.m. to noon on June 21; the Worcester Museum, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on June 28; the Morris Museum, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on July 12; Richfield Springs Museum and Historical Society, noon to 2 p.m. on July 19; Otsego County Fair Grandstand in Morris, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. from July 29 to August 2. Contact Mackenzie at (607) 293-6635 with questions.

Mineral Expert Set To Speak

HOWES CAVE—The Cave House Museum of Mining and Geology, 136 Blowing Rock Road, will open its summer programming on Sunday, June 8. Educator, lapidary artist and jeweler Jim Pecora will present a talk on minerals titled “Mind-blowing Mica” at 2 p.m. The museum is open from noon to 4 p.m. Admission is free, with donations accepted. The next program, “Young Forest Management to Protect Declining Species,” with SUNY Cobleskill Professor of Wildlife Management Roger Masse, will be held on July 13.

Planting To Honor Jim Seward

MILFORD—The Greater Milford Historical Association and the family of late state Senator Jim Seward will host a tree planting and dedication ceremony in his honor on Sunday, June 8. It will take place on the front lawn of the Upper Susquehanna Cultural Center, 77 North Main Street, beginning at 2:30 p.m. Milford Rotary and Mount Vision Greenhouses will collaborate on the project, and there will be a dedication blessing by the pastor of the Milford Methodist Church. For more information, contact GMHA President Marvin Zachow at (607) 431-9663.

CCS Baseball Season Ends

COOPERSTOWN—The Cooperstown baseball team finished its season with a 7-4 loss to second-seed Bishop Grimes in the sectional playoffs on Tuesday, May 27. The Hawkeyes tied the game at 3 runs in the fourth inning, and eighth-grader Coltan Hill rounded out Cooperstown’s scoring with an RBI single in the fifth. It was not enough to overcome Bishop Grimes’ late-game comeback. Junior Joey Paterno was saddled with the loss, striking out four and giving up four runs in three innings. Sophomore Elijah McCaffrey struck out four batters in relief, allowing three runs and four hits in the final three innings. Senior Aaron Katz went two-for-two and scored a run. Sophomore Dylan Craig batted in two runs with a single. The Hawkeyes ended the season with a 7-7 record and will lose Katz and Adam Ubner to graduation.

Tennis Wins Make-up Match

COOPERSTOWN—Cooperstown tennis defeated Waterville 4-1 in a make-up match from earlier in the season on Tuesday, May 27. Owen Marling defeated Alexis Maine 6-1, 6-1 in first singles. At second singles, Alfred Hom beat Allyson Ford 6-0, 6-0. Hayden Spencer won third singles 6-1, 6-0 against Julianna Parmeter. The first doubles team of Bianca Adam and Alexis Wolfe fell 1-6, 6-4, 1-0 and 10-7 in a tiebreaker to Edmond and Oscar Yang. Micah Raffo and Emmett Ayers, at second doubles, defeated Riley Moot and Hannah Welch 6-0, 6-0. This concludes Cooperstown’s regular season unless another cancelled match against Little Falls is made up; information was not yet available at press time.

Gas Prices Down a Cent

UTICA—Following the annual Memorial Day demand surge, gas prices across the Northeast declined slightly over the week ending Monday, June 2. The average price in New York State fell by one cent to $3.11, according to AAA Northeast. This price is a penny higher than last month, 54 cents lower than a year ago and three cents below the national average. Although the holiday weekend demand spike drove domestic inventories to a 2025 low, the prospect of increased crude oil production worldwide put a damper on upward market trends. The OPEC+ nations, for instance, agreed last week to increase output by up to 400,000 barrels a day in July, the third straight month of production increases. To view the complete report, visit gasprices.aaa.com.

Send community event news to darlay@allotsego.com for inclusion in our News Briefs section.