At the Cooperstown Farmer’s Market, Sherrie Kingsley, Otsego 2000 Executive Director Ellen Pope and Deb Dalton wear protective masks as they fill 40 orders for curbside pick-ups. “People order online and we follow the list going from vendor to vendor,” explained board member Robert Nelson, who was at the door making sure customers washed their hands before entering. “The vendors have been really prepared and organized, numbering the bags and making sure everything is organized. With this many orders, we kept this many people out of the market and kept that many safe. We hope this is successful.” Signs ask patrons to adhere to 6-foot social distancing and not to touch any of the produce; the sellers bag it themselves. At right, Seth Friedman, Greentopia Farm, Davenport, was offering some of his own masks (which he uses for harvesting mushrooms) to customers. “When you pick mushrooms you have to wear gloves and masks because you don’t want to be exposed too much to their spores,” he said. “So these safety measures are normal for me.” The markets, in Pioneer Alley, is open until 2 p.m. today (Ian Austin/AllOTSEGO.com)
CNN explores why Cooperstown Dreams Park closed for the summer and Cooperstown All-Star Village didn’t. Clips includes interview with Marty Patton, All-Star Village proprietor. (From ESPN video)
The Destination Marketing Corp. of Otsego County (DMCOC) sponsored two full pages of ads in this week’s Hometown Oneonta & Freeman’s Journal to benefit restaurants offering takeout in Otsego County. Patronize these fine restaurants. Let’s help our neighbors.
By ELIZABETH COOPER • Special to www.AllOTSEGO.com
HeneghanLeCates
COOPERSTOWN – Nine days ago there were no Coronavirus patients among people who called Otsego County home.
As of Tuesday, March 31, there were 16. And one of those, Brenda Utter of Morris, has died.
Patients range in age from 20 to 75, county health officials said. There are 53 people more on mandatory quarantine because they have been in close contact with a positive case.
As the state’s numbers have climbed to the highest in the nation – some 75,000 as of Tuesday, March 31 – doctors at Bassett Healthcare Network have been anxiously preparing for an onslaught of patients here.
Though our numbers are growing, they have not leaped as high as feared.
“We are able to manage the patients that are coming in and need to be cared for,” Dr. Steven Heneghan, Bassett’s Network chief clinical officer, who is overseeing the network’s clinical response to the virus.
COOPERSTOWN – A woman was arrested after she allegedly spit on Bassett Hospital employees and told them she had COVID-19, according to Cooperstown Police Officer David Kaminski.
“A female was being seeing by staff at Bassett when she became irate and began spitting in several staff member’s faces,” said Kaminski. “She then told them she had coronavirus.”
By ELIZABETH COOPER • Special to www.AllOTSEGO.com
HeneghanLeCates
COOPERSTOWN – Nine days ago there were no Coronavirus patients among people who called Otsego County home.
As of Tuesday, March 31, there were 16. And one of those, Brenda Utter of Morris, has died.
Patients range in age from 20 to 75, county health officials said. There are 53 people more on mandatory quarantine because they have been in close contact with a positive case.
As the state’s numbers have climbed to the highest in the nation – some 75,000 as of Tuesday, March 31 – doctors at Bassett Healthcare Network have been anxiously preparing for an onslaught of patients here.
Though our numbers are growing, they have not leaped as high as feared.
“We are able to manage the patients that are coming in and need to be cared for,” Dr. Steven Heneghan, Bassett’s Network chief clinical officer, who is overseeing the network’s clinical response to the virus.
The precautionary measures the public is taking, along with Bassett’s triage system, are working, he said. But he cautioned that the picture could still change.
“We are expecting the worst and preparing for the worst,” he said. “And we are hoping for the best.”
Bassett Healthcare Network has given about 500 tests in its eight-county region, and of those about 10 percent are positive, Network officials said. That stands in stark contrast with parts of New York City, where that number is as high as 65 percent.
“I am not saying everything is over and everything is fine,” Heneghan said. “What I am saying is that everything people are doing is working and keep it up.”
►EMOTIONAL TOLL
Even though the county’s numbers are still small, the death of a single resident holds significance for the entire community, as well as the hospital, Dr. Bill LeCates, Bassett Hospital president, said in an interview.
For instance, Phillip Utter, husband of Brenda Utter, 63, of Morris, the county’s first victim, told his wife he loved her as she entered Bassett Monday, March 23.
Prevented from being with her by measures designed to protect the community, “It was the last thing I told her,” the husband said. Brenda died Thursday, March 26.
Hospital staff did keep in constant contact, letting him know all her ups and downs, and he is thankful to them for their kindness, he said.
LeCates said he could not speak about specific cases, but that the COVID crisis is taking a toll on medical staff.
“Everyone here at the medical center shares in the difficulty of this illness, and the sadness and difficulty that comes to people who are separated from their family members, especially at times like the end of life,” he said.
“We recognize how difficult this is for everyone. For the families and people who are hospitalized and the staff who are caring for these patients. It is a tremendously difficult aspect of this pandemic that people are separated at their time of greatest need.”
The stress on patients and their families is always felt deeply by hospital staff as they do their work, but with the coronavirus it’s worse. Because of the danger of spreading contagion, family members of those with the virus are not able to be with their loved ones who are hospitalized.
►POPULATION RESPONDING
So far, Heneghan said, the hospital can handle the number of cases coming in.
“Our population had enough warning to use handwashing and social distancing,” he said. “It is proof of what other countries have shown us, that this is an effective way to reduce the spread.”
The network’s video conferencing system has enabled many of the patients to remain in their homes when they are sick, and at the moment “most are doing quite well and recovering,” he said.
“Of course not everyone has a quick recovery,” he added. “We are managing ill patients in the hospital.”
He declined to say how many COVID inpatients the network was treating, only that the number was “relatively small” and holding steady.
The hospital also has more than enough ventilators for the number of patients they are seeing now. They also have enough masks and face shields at the moment.
But, he cautioned that the picture could change.
There is an incubation period during which patients may not realize they are sick, when they may infect others as the go about their daily lives.
Also, the disease progression takes more than a week, and people with manageable symptoms in the beginning could take a decided turn for the worse and need to be hospitalized.
Heneghan said general statistics on COVID-19 show that for every 100 patients, 10 need hospitalization and five must go to the ICU.
He does not see COVID patients inside the hospital, but he does meet with patients being treated at home via the network’s video conferencing system.
►ENOUGH TESTS ON HAND
Heneghan said Bassett has enough tests right now to test people practitioners think might have the disease.
“We are not limited,” he said. “If we feel someone should have the test we will do a test.”
He encouraged anyone who believes they might have the virus to seek an evaluation, and to stay away from others until a determination is made.
“Other countries have had good results with that system,” he said.
►HUG THE PEOPLE YOU LOVE
For Phillip Utter the virus has already taken a heavy toll.
Asked what others could learn from his experience he recommended following the warnings of health officials and practicing social distancing as much as possible.
“You don’t ever know,” he said. “You could be the next one, you know. It has certainly proven that it isn’t just a downstate thing. It’s everywhere. It’s all over. You can’t be too careful.”
COOPERSTOWN – Martha S. Beals, 91, of Cooperstown passed away Sunday afternoon, March 29, 2020, at Bassett Hospital as the result of a recent stroke.
She was born Nov. 12, 1928, in Danby, a daughter of Andrew J. and Marian (Page) Scott. Following her graduation from Ithaca High School, Martha was employed as a secretary in the dairy department at Cornell University. It was there she met Harlo Peabody Beals, Jr., a native of Cooperstown, and the two were united in marriage on Sept. 17, 1949, in Ithaca.
Following Harlo’s graduation from Cornell in 1950, Martha devoted her time to raising their family.
In 1969 the Beals family moved to Cooperstown when Harlo became a principal in the McEwan Hardware Corp. Martha worked for Arthur T. Peevers at his insurance agency, and later owned the Montgomery Ward Agency while also working as a bookkeeper and tax preparer on her own as well as for H&R Block.
COOPERSTOWN – Virtual tours, crafting videos and updates on the baby farm animals are all part of the Fenimore Art Museum and The Farmers’ Museum’s “Digital April” series on Facebook, Instagram, and the museums’ websites.
At Fenimore, discover virtual walk-throughs and objects from new exhibitions including “Blue Gardens: Photographs by Gross and Daley,” “Prismatic Beauty: American People and American Art” and “Elegant Line/Powerful Shape: Elements of Native American Art.” Short videos will objects from the museum’s collections of folk art, fine art, and Native American art, and kids can even create crafts at home with instruction from members of the museum’s education staff.
COOPERSTOWN – Village elections, rescheduled to correspond with the Democratic presidential primary, have now been shifted back to a separate day, Village Administrator Teri Barown announced today.
In the first days of the coronavirus State of Emergency, elections in Cooperstown, and villages statewide, were rescheduled from March 18 to April 28, the same day of the Democratic primary.
Governor Cuomo announced over the weekend that the presidential primary has again been moved, to June 23. Today, it was announce village election will again been rescheduled. No firm date was set, except to say it will be June 1 at the earliest.
COOPERSTOWN – A Morris woman was accused of stealing face masks and alcohol prep pads from Bassett Hospital, where she worked as a contracted employee, according to the Otsego County Sheriff’s Department.
Josie D. Wright, 33, was arrested after Bassett Security called the Sheriff’s Department to assist them in an investigation into the thefts of personal protective equipment (PPE) from the hospital.
Every emergency situation is unique. The needs presented are always different. In this case, the unexpected need is for ventilators. Our projections show that we need more ventilators and I will do everything in my power to make sure that we secure these critical supplies.
COOPERSTOWN – The county’s Emergency Task Force has formed two subsidiary task forces – one focused on health, the other on economy – to advise the Otsego County government how it can help efforts to combat the coronarivus and its fallout, Task Force chairman Allen Ruffles, the county treasurer, said a few minutes ago.
The COVID-19 Health Impact Task Force/Otsego County, which meets Monday, is being organized by Diane Parker, Bassett Hospital’s director of education. The Economic Development Task Force, which met Wednesday, is being organized by Cassandra Harrington, executive director, Destination Marketing of Otsego County.
“The two groups need to come together and share their ideas,” said Ruffles. “We’re keeping health in the forefront, but we’re also considering the economic fallout of all this.”
Glimmerglass Festival, as Glimmerglass Opera, has held a summer season annually since 1975. (Glimmerglass Festival photo)
By JIM KEVLIN • Special to www.AllOTSEGO.com
Francesca Zambello
COOPERSTOWN – In a letter to the “Glimmerglass family” dated today, Artistic & Creative Director Francesca Zambello said “possible scenarios on the 2020 schedule are being examined” and it will be for “the next two weeks” before a decision is made on the future of the upcoming season.
During that time, “we will be heavily weighing what is happening in the world and our local community, and will keep you updated,” said Zambello.
Destination Oneonta’s Katrina Van Zandt holds up two of the “#ColorMeCoop” coloring contest pages that Destination Oneonta is sponsoring with Destination Marketing of Otsego County to boost spirits and support of the downtown merchants. The pages can be downloaded from their Facebook page and are due April 12; winners will receive Downtown Dollars to spend at Oneonta merchants and restaurants. In addition, the winners of the Balloonfest Photo Contest will be announced this week; the finalists are all posted on their Facebook page. (Jim Kevlin/AllOTSEGO.com)
It’s become a Dreams Park tradition for departing teams to get photographed by the front gate.
Editor’s Note: Cooperstown Dreams’ Park Friday, March 20, announced it is cancelling its 2020 season due to coronavirus.
In the best interest of our country, state, local community, local partners, coaches, umpires and most importantly, our employees, players and their families, whose health and safety we are obligated to protect, Cooperstown Dreams Park has determined it is necessary to cancel the 2020 season.
All teams will receive a 100% refund or the option of future participation. Cooperstown Dreams Park employees will remain working at reduced hours and payroll, to the extent permitted by the mandates of Governor Cuomo.
In response to calls by many levels of government for help from the private sector, we have notified the New York State Department of Health, Otsego County Emergency Services and Bassett Healthcare that our facilities are available for use, if needed in combating COVID-19 or for caring for those inflicted with the virus.
Cooperstown Dreams Park will also establish a local food donation center and food kitchen for those in our community that are in need of basic essentials, as permitted by governmental agencies.
Cooperstown Dreams Park was hoping to avoid this outcome, but it is the only responsible course of action. Like the rest of the nation, we have never experienced anything like this. We know our staff will be resilient and steadfast in its preparation for the 2021 season and that once again the joyous sounds of kids playing the game of baseball at Cooperstown Dreams Park will be heard.
