News Briefs: March 5, 2026

State Designates Bank District

MORRIS—New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli and Acting Superintendent of the Department of Financial Services Kaitlin Asrow announced the approval of the Butternut Valley Banking Development District and deposited $35 million in state funds in Sidney Federal Credit Union’s Morris branch. The BDD program supports the establishment of bank and credit union branches in underserved regions of the state. The new district covers the towns of Butternuts, New Lisbon and Morris. The towns, the villages of Gilbertsville and Morris, and the Butternut Valley Alliance partnered with SFCU’s application.

“Sidney Federal Credit Union is both excited and grateful to the New York State Department of Financial Services for recognizing the Butternut Valley as a Banking Development District,” said Jim Reynolds, president and chief executive officer of SFCU. “This designation supports our mission to bring greater access to financial services and opportunity to rural communities that are often overlooked. We appreciate the partnership and support from the Department of Financial Services, the Butternut Valley Alliance, our municipal partners, and the residents of the Butternut Valley in helping make this possible. We look forward to working together to create a lasting, positive impact for Morris and surrounding communities.”

“Butternut Valley Alliance, through the Save Our Bank initiative that brought SFCU to Morris, is pleased to have worked with SFCU to achieve Banking Development District approval,” said BVA Vice Chair Maggie Brenner. “This designation is important for our municipalities to have local banking services and is a testament to the DFS recognition of the growth potential in our valley.”

New Music Festival Coming

EAST MEREDITH—The West Kortright Center announced that its inaugural Bucolic Valley, an intimate one-day psychedelic rock music festival, will take place on Saturday, August 22. It will feature a full day of music, colorful visuals and offerings from local vendors. The Mystery Lights will headline a lineup featuring Windows, Kid Bess and the Magic Ring, Gracie Gray, uncleshake and more, with additional groups to be announced. Passes will go on sale on westkc.org and bucolicvalley.org on Monday, March 9. Discounted pricing is available to WKC members. Individuals and groups interested in sponsoring the festival or WKC should contact info@westkc.org.

CAA Reception Is March 6

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.

Petition Party Planned

ONEONTA—The Otsego County Democratic Committee and Oneonta Democratic Club will host a petitioning party at Wise Guys Sammy’s, 261 Main Street, at 6 p.m. on Thursday, March 5. More than two dozen candidates for county board, state Senate and Assembly, town supervisor, and state and county committee members will collect signatures to appear on the ballot. Light refreshments will be available and the kitchen and bar will be open for purchases. All registered Democrats are invited to attend, meet the candidates and learn how to run for office themselves. For more information or to RSVP, contact garymaffei@gmail.com.

CSO Seeks Volunteer Ushers

ONEONTA—The Catskill Symphony Orchestra seeks volunteer ushers for its concert at Foothills Performing Arts and Civic Center on Saturday, March 14. Volunteers can support the CSO, meet community members and enjoy a fine classical music program featuring Corigliano’s “The Red Violin” and Mendelssohn’s Symphony No. 10 in B minor. Check-in for volunteers is at 6:15 p.m., with the doors opening at 6:30 and the concert beginning at 7. For more information or to volunteer, contact dcrpuffin17@hotmail.com or (607) 437-1529.

Tix on Sale for Yoga Festival

DELHI—The sixth annual Catskill Mountain Yoga Festival will be held on the SUNY Delhi campus on Saturday, July 25. In addition to an expansive lineup of yoga, movement, and wellness classes, there will be a curated outdoor marketplace with local creators, artists, wellness practitioners, and specialty vendors. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit catskillmountainyogafestival.com.

Blood Drive Is This Friday

ONEONTA—FoxCare Center, 1 FoxCare Drive in Oneonta, will host an American Red Cross blood drive from noon to 5 p.m. on Friday, March 6. Winter weather and the flu season have canceled many blood drives, contributing to a deficit of nearly 20,000 donations that endangers cancer patients and accident victims. Donors are strongly urged to give blood; walk-ins are welcome and pre-registration is available at redcrossblood.org, by calling 1-800-733-2767 or by using the Red Cross Blood Donor app.

Literacy Vols To Present

COOPERSTOWN—The First Baptist Church of Cooperstown will continue its Race, Equity and Justice Series in the upstairs ballroom of the Village Hall at 6 p.m. on Sunday, March 8. The Literacy Volunteers of Otsego and Delaware Counties will discuss their work and offer opportunities to volunteer. Pizza and beverages will be served. For more information, contact baptistcooperstown@gmail.com.

Craine Elected PMIC Chair

NEW BERLIN—Preferred Mutual Insurance Company announced that William C. Craine has been elected chairman of the company’s Board of Directors, replacing John C. Mitchell. Craine has been on the board since 1978 and currently serves as chairman of the Board of Directors and chair of the Audit Committee for Willow Run Foods. He has also chaired several financial institutions and nonprofit organizations and served as treasurer and budget officer for Chenango County. For more information, visit preferredmutual.com.

Popular Contradance Returns

COOPERSTOWN—Otsego Dance Society’s community Contradance will return to the First Presbyterian Church from 6:30-10:30 p.m. on Friday, March 6. It will be called by Quenna Crain and feature live music by Trish Miller and John Kirk. There is a suggested donation of $10.00 for adults and $5.00 for teens and students. For more information, contact (607) 433-6613 or visit otsegodancesociety.weebly.com.

Poll: Housing Is NY Top Issue

ALBANY—A recent statewide Marist poll of 1,552 adults found that 59 percent rate housing affordability as the top issue impacting the area where they live, followed by 18 percent for crime and nine percent for healthcare access. Regardless of demographics, housing emerged as the top issue across the board. Sixty-one percent of urban residents, 60 percent of suburban residents and 53 percent of rural residents rated it the most pressing concern. Thirty-five percent of adults statewide believe it should be a top priority for the state budget in the ongoing legislative session. To view the full report, visit ruralhousing.org/wp-content/uploads/Rural-Housing-Coalition-of-NY-Statewide-Survey_2026.pdf.

Dance Will Support Legal Aid

COOPERSTOWN—Hiscock Legal Aid Society will host a “Dance for Democracy” community fundraiser at Templeton Hall in Cooperstown at 7 p.m. on Saturday, March 7. It will feature live protest music by Matt Whyte and Friends as well as DJ Raphael. Admission is $20.00 at the door. All proceeds will support the organization’s work offering legal services to immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers across Central New York. For more information, visit hlalaw.org.

Ashia Ajani To Read at SUNY

ONEONTA—Author and poet Ashia Ajani will headline the next SUNY Oneonta Red Dragon Reading Series at 7 p.m. on Monday, March 9 in Hamblin Theatre. She will read poetry from her 2023 collection, “Heirloom,” and passages from her forthcoming novel, “Tending the Vines.” “Heirloom” will be available for purchase and signing at the event or in advance at Green Toad Bookstore. For more information, visit suny.oneonta.edu/english/public-events.

CCS Boys Heading to Finals

COOPERSTOWN—Cooperstown boys basketball swept passed Onondaga 89-47 in the Section III Class C quarterfinal at home on Wednesday, February 25. Jackson Crisman led the top-seeded Hawkeyes with a double-double, putting away 26 points and 12 rebounds. Miles Nelen scored 17 points, followed by 12 from Cooper Coleman and nine from Brody Murdock.

Nelen, a senior, was named Most Valuable Player in the Center State Conference Division III, according to a release on Monday, March 2. He has scored 598 points this season for a three-year varsity total of 1,320, and has also made 95 assists and 50 steals this year. Coach John Lambert was named Coach of the Year. Seniors Crisman and Christian Lawson and junior Murdock were named All-Stars.

The Hawkeyes continued their romp with a 62-49 victory over four-seeded Dolgeville on Monday, March 2. Nelen scored 23 points despite getting in foul trouble early in the second quarter. Crisman recorded another double-double with 15 points and 12 rebounds. Murdock had 10 points and 10 rebounds. Cooperstown moved to an undefeated 23-0 for the season and will seek to defend its section title against two-seeded Cato-Meridian in the championship at SRC Arena in Syracuse at 11 a.m. on Sunday, March 8.

AAA: Air Travel Up in 2025

UTICA—Domestic air travel set a new record in 2025, AAA Northeast reported in a new analysis of TSA checkpoint data. More than 904 million passengers went through TSA checkpoints in 2025, an increase of 2.5 million over 2024. This amounts to less than a one percent increase year-over-year, compared to a 5.3 percent increase in 2024 and 13 percent in 2023. Sunday was the busiest travel day; passengers looking for the best prices should consider flights that begin and end on the quieter Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Fewer passengers flew in the first half of the year than in recent years, but an uptick in shoulder-season travel, especially October, outweighed the decline. The TSA reported its highest single-day passenger volume on June 22, with more than 3.09 million travelers screened. This record was broken again on November 30 with 3.13 million. To view the full report, visit northeast.aaa.com.

Nominations Open for Awards

CLINTON—Nominations are open for the Mohawk Valley Women of Worship Awards through March 30. Founded in 2008, the awards recognize women who have provided countless hours of service to religious congregations and their programs. For more information or nomination forms, contact wowa@live.com or (315) 525-9792.

Historical Society To Meet

FLY CREEK—The Fly Creek Area Historical Society will hold its next monthly meeting at 852 County Highway 26 at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 25. Wes Ciampo will present a lecture on the Benjamin Family of Fly Creek. Following the program, there will be refreshments before the business meeting. All are welcome.

Delhi Renames HVAC Lab

DELHI—SUNY Delhi renamed its HVAC teaching laboratory as the Midea HVAC Technology Classroom to recognize a major in-kind equipment donation from Midea America Corp. This leading HVAC manufacturer provided a wide range of modern heating and cooling equipment, offering students hands-on experience with updated systems. The naming designation will remain in effect for five years.

Classic To Feature Veterans

COOPERSTOWN—The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum will honor the long connection between the nation’s military and pastime at the Hall of Fame Military Classic on May 23. Hall of Famers and other players with direct and familiar military connections will play on historic Doubleday Field. Two participants, Lt. Mitch Harris of the Navy and Lt. Chris Rowley of the Army, matriculated from their respective service academies before serving on active duty. The Classic will feature Hall of Famers Wade Boggs, Rollie Fingers, Todd Helton, Fergie Jenkins, Tony La Russa, Scott Rolen and Joe Torre, with more to be announced later in the spring. For more information, visit baseballhall.org/hofclassic.

NYS Gas Prices Ticking Up

UTICA—The average price of gasoline in New York State rose by a penny to $3.00 per gallon over the week ending Monday, March 2, AAA Northeast announced. Demand started its typical rise as winter draws to a close and domestic refiners operated at their lowest capacity since October as they conduct maintenance before the summer driving season. Markets have just started to react to the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran, the long-term outcome of which is unpredictable. About one fifth of global gas and oil trade passes through the Persian Gulf and adjacent regions impacted by the conflict. Oil prices and cargo insurance rates have already jumped, with the former reaching levels not seen in more than a year. New York’s current price is two cents higher than a month ago and 15 cents lower than this day last year. To view the full report, visit gasprices.aaa.com.

Stores Launch New Campaign

SCHENECTADY—Market 32 and Price Chopper invite their customers to round up their purchase totals at checkout to support local United Way chapters. The campaign will run through March 31 and support United Way’s work on food insecurity, housing stability, access to health and child care, and financial empowerment programs. For more information, visit pricechopper.com.

AAA Issues Recall Reminder

UTICA—In observance of Vehicle Safety Recalls Week, March 2-8, AAA Northeast issued a reminder to all drivers to check for open safety recalls. There were 1,073 safety-related recalls in 2024 alone, affecting more than 29 million vehicles in the U.S. To determine if a vehicle is safe, visit NHTSA.gov/recalls or download the SaferCar app and enter the VIN and registration card number. There are still tens of millions of unsafe Takata airbags on the road nationwide, posing a serious safety risk. Drivers of cars that have had their airbags deployed are also warned of an influx of defective replacement airbag inflators. Nine people have died and two others have been seriously injured due to these illegally imported airbags. For more information, visit northeast.aaa.com.