MARYLAND – Charles Harry Lewis, 84, a caretaker at Hartwick College and later, assistant caretaker at the Heyman Estate in Armonk, Westchester County, died peacefully at home surrounded by his family on March 25, 2020, according to his wishes.
Charlie was the son of Russell and Ethel Lewis of East Northport. Born on June 10, 1935, he was one of four children, along with Robert, Barbara and Donald.
Philip Ojedor, left, and Chesachi Chisomaga paint “We (Heart)wick Students” on the wall at West and Center streets as part of a virtual Admitted Students Day next weekend. Beth Steele, who was overseeing the project and making sure people kept the mandated six-foot separation, said “We painted this message to show our students that we miss them.” said Beth Steele, marketing and communications, who was on hand to make sure everyone stayed six feet apart. “It’s hard to be separated in a community this size.” With events for Admitted Students Day, scheduled for next Saturday, placed on hold, the college is planning on a virtual edition of the event, of which the wall and a time lapse video of it’s creation will be featured. “We will put it on our website and put it out on social media.” said Steele, “This gives the students a sense of who we are as a community.” (Ian Austin/AllOTSEGO.com)
ONEONTA – Both local college presidents – SUNY Oneonta’s Barbara Jean Morris and Hartwick’s Margaret L. Drugovich – this evening announced they will be shifting to online instruction, beginning Monday, March 23.
In sending the students home, both are acting out of concern about the unknown dimension of the coronavirus outbreak, which has emerged downstate and in Saratoga County.
In a statement issued at 7:50 p.m., SUNY Oneonta President Barbara Jean Morris said she was following Governor Cuomo’s directive, issued this afternoon, that “instruction across SUNY will move to other modalities.”
ONEONTA – With Coronavirus cases increasing daily, SUNY Oneonta students who hoped to study abroad will have to wait until the fall semester.
CDC image of the Coronavirus
“We have cancelled all study abroad programs for the rest of the semester,” said Kim MacLeod, SUNY Oneonta associate director of communications. “And we called back 33 students and faculty members who were already abroad, including four students in Italy and two in Japan.”
None of the students or faculty are in quarantine, but the recall is part of an increasing response to the rise of Coronavirus cases and precautionary measures aimed at reducing the rate of infection in the states.
Hartwick College, Bassett Healthcare, Cooperstown Center and Springbrook are also among the institutions that have issued travel bans, cancelled events and limited visitations to their campuses.
SUNY-wide, Chancellor Kristina Johnson has also issued a prohibition on any travel to countries that the CDC has issued a Level 2 or Level 3 Travel Health Notice on – China, Iran, South Korea, Italy and Japan.
“We may not use state money to pay for professional travel to these countries,” she said in a statement. “Nor may we use Faculty Development Grant money or department OTPS funding to pay for travel to them or reimbursements for travel to them.”
Hartwick College put similar travel bans in place for students, faculty and staff, banning any “non-essential” group or individual travel, and that all college-sponsored personal travel must be approved in advance by the vice president of the relevant school.
On-campus events will still be held; however, the college is not participating in men’s and women’s lacrosse games last week and the next week.
Bassett Hospital has also issued travel prohibitions for their employees, banning business travel to the Level 2 and 3 countries, as well as to any conference where there will be more than 100 participants, throughout the month of March.
They also encouraged that anyone traveling for personal reasons to refer to the CDC recommendations and to let team leaders know about travel so a potential quarantine may be put in place.
With the elderly as the most vulnerable to COVID-19 complications, Cooperstown Center (the former Focus) at Index has also cancelled travel. “We had to cancel our trips to Walmart,” said Lacey Rinker, director of nursing. “The residents are not happy, but it’s too much of a risk.”
All visitors, staff or vendors are screened at the reception area to determine whether or not they are healthy enough to enter the building. “We’ve increased our number of hand-sanitizer dispensers throughout the building, and enforce ‘gel in, gel out,” she said. “You use hand sanitizer when you come in the building and when you leave.”
Similarly, Springbrook has limited visits to emergency and essential visits only, switching instead to phone and video calls or teleconferencing, as well as suspending community visits and postponing our Special Olympics Basketball Tournament, which had been scheduled for Saturday, March 21.
Barbara Ann Heegan, Otsego County Chamber of Commerce president, has reached out to her members with links to the Center for Disease Control, the county Health Department and Bassett. “I think everyone is taking this very seriously,” she said.
She is looking at putting together a program for employers who may be dealing with impacts from Coronavirus on their businesses. “We’re waiting to hear some more direction, but we’re seeing what we can do over email, rather than gathering.”
But with the Chamber’s annual Spring Gala planned for Thursday, May 7, Heegan is hoping that the risk will be significantly reduced enough to host the event.
“I don’t know how realistic that is,” she admitted. “It changes every day.”
At SUNY, the administration is using spring break to begin putting a contingency plan in place. “It’s great that we have a week to work on what we would do if we had an individual who exhibited symptoms,” said MacLeod.
Ahead of the break, SUNY posted a series of health tips for travelers – including hand-washing, cleaning frequently-touched surfaces and carrying a first aid kit.
They also asked students to volunteer to “self-identify” where they were traveling. “Not the entire population told us, but more of them told us than I thought,” she said. “It will give us a better feel for how to handle.”
FILM SOCIETY – 7 – 11 p.m. Cooperstown film society presents Noir double feature ‘The Big Clock’ (1948) & ‘An Act of Violence’ (1949) with special guest Libby Cudmore, author ‘The Big Rewind’ & journalist, joining us for dark discussion of black & white crime. Cooperstown Village Library, 22 Main St., Cooperstown. Visit www.facebook.com/FilmSocCoop/
ONEONTA – Dr. Eugene Darden Milener III, 89, formerly of Oneonta and Cooperstown, and retired chairman of Hartwick College’s Economics Department, died on Jan. 8, 2020, in Naples, Fla. He chaired the City of Oneonta’s Bicentennial Celebrations Committee helped found the tennis club on Rose Avenue.
Gene was born in Baltimore, Md., on May 3, 1930. He was the only child of Eugene II and Eleanor. The family moved to New York City.
BOOK SIGNING – 6:30 p.m. Signing , reception to celebrate new book ‘Driving While Black’ by Cooperstown Graduate Program Director Gretchin Sorin. Roots Brewing Company, 175 Main St., Oneonta. 607-433-8898 or visit www.facebook.com/TheGreenToadBookstore/
MOVIE NIGHT – 5:30 p.m. Enjoy Valentines themed movie night with your best gal’s watching ‘Bridesmaids’ (rated R), while snacking on decadent desserts, mocktails. Huntington Memorial Library, 62 Chestnut St., Oneonta. 607-432-1980 or visit www.facebook.com/hmloneonta/
Tom Travisano, Hartwick College professor of English emeritus, briefs a local audience “Love Unknown: The Life and Worlds of Elizabeth Bishop” at Foothills Preforming Arts Center on Saturday. Travisano spoke on the poet’s upbringing and early days while including photos of her childhood as well as scans of her earliest letters. Following the talk Travisano signed copies of the book, which was published this past November by Viking. Copies are available locally at the Green Toad. (Ian Austin/AllOTSEGO.com)
ONEONTA – Beth LeTendre ’90, chief executive officer of GroupM Performance U.S., has been chosen as the speaker for Hartwick College’s 2020 commencement at 11:30 a.m. Saturday, May 16, at Elmore Field.
LeTendre, a 1990 graduate of Hartwick College, was the first choice among nominated speakers considered by the Student Commencement Committee and reviewed by President Margaret L. Drugovich.
MEMORIAL LECTURE – 7 p.m. Caitlin Jewitt (class of ‘06) presents Rude Memorial Lecture titled “The Primary Rules and the 2020 Presidential Nomination Contest.” Free, open to public. Celebration Room, Shineman Chapel House, Hartwick College, Oneonta. 607-431-4044 or visit www.hartwick.edu/news/hartwick-welcomes-jewitt-06-for-rude-memorial-lecture/
CONCERT – 6 – 7:30 p.m. Presenting ‘Songs of Struggle’ a concert of political & rights music by John O’Connor. Coincides with exhibit “Art/Politics: Power, Persuasion, and Propaganda” Free, open to public. Yager Museum, Hartwick College, Oneonta. 607-431-4480 or visit www.facebook.com/yagermuseum/
Honorees at the Otsego County Chamber of Commerce’s “Ignite the Fire of Entrepreneurial Spirit” banquet that ended a few minutes ago at The Otesaga are, from left, Helios Care’s board Chairman Connie Jastremski and President/CEO Dan Ayres, winners of the Excellus BlueCross BlueShield Breakthrough Award; Laura and Rick Bennett, proprietors of Rustic Ridge Winery, Burlington, winners of the Key Bank Small Business Award; and NBT Insurance Agency Interns of the Year Jared Ciccarelli from SUNY Oneonta and Caitlyn Herlihy from Hartwick College. At right are Chamber President Barbara Ann Heegan and board Chair Al Rubin. Some 250 attendees helped celebrate the honorees’ accomplishment. Assemblyman John Salka, R-Brookfield, presented Assembly citations to the honorees; and Oneonta Mayor Gary Herzig delivered the closing remarks where, among other things, he urged Caitlyn and Jared to pursue their careers in Otsego County. (Jim Kevlin/AllOTSEGO.com)
