COMMUNITY VOICES Five immigrants now living in the area—Al Amendolare (Frankfort), Natalia McPherson (Index), Paula Rudloff (Cooperstown), Emelia Williams (Index), and Cristina Hansen Ruiz (Cooperstown)—shared their personal experiences of adjusting to life in the United States during a panel discussion held on Sunday, January 22 at the Village Library of Cooperstown. The panelists, hailing from various countries, spoke about the cultural differences they faced, as well as the struggles with racism and discrimination some of them encountered. They also provided insight into the challenges they and their ancestors faced in getting established in this country. Despite these difficulties, the panelists expressed gratitude for the welcoming and helpful community they have found. Panelists also took questions and comments from the audience. This event, part of the Sunday Speaker Series, was presented by The Friends of the Village Library. Photo by Alex Torres
lAfter months of waiting, Spurbeck’s Grocery has finally reopened! Proprietor Mike Swatling, center right, assisted by his aunt, Kristi Swatling, and Ashley Young of Cherry Valley, foreground, take sandwich orders over the noon hour. The venerable landmark at Railroad and Leatherstocking opened today after months of extensive interior renovations. Lining up to be served are Jeremiah Parr, Lucas Busse and Matt Kehoe, who work for BTS, installing fiberoptic cable for Middleburgh Telephone’s new downtown Internet “hotspots.” The new Spurbeck’s has tables and chairs if you want to lunch in, and a beer cave is being added in the basement. (AllOTSEGO.com)
Daughter Vivi Born To Danielle,
Michael Henrici, Brother Dash
Vivienne Celeste (Vivi) Henrici was born at 11:38 pm at Bassett Hospital on Sunday, March 17, 2019 to Danielle, above, and Michael Henrici, 7 lbs 13 oz. 20 inches. She joins her brother Dash, and, Danielle reports. “The family is blissfully complete.”
Danielle and Michael are are Founding Co-Artistic Directors of Glimmer Globe Theatre and Danielle teaches acting as an adjunct professor for SUNY Oneonta, as well as serves as President of the Cooperstown Chamber of Commerce. Michael is the Democratic Commissioner of Elections for Otsego County.
Harrison Kessler Celebrates Bar Mitzvah
Harrison Sanford Kessler, second from left, son of Richard and Jeryl Anne (Bellantoni) Kessler, recently made his Bar Mitzvah on his 13th birthday. The celebration was held at Temple Solei in Encinitas, Cali. Mother Jeryl Anne, a graduate of CCS, 1982, is the daughter of John and Jean Finch of Toddsville.
Ian Austin/The Freeman’s Journal – Tom Hickey, Fly Creek, enjoys a hearty bowl of sausage and bean soup among friends at the annual Empty Bowls Supper, which hosted a near-record crowd Saturday, March 2. Around 200 people attended the the annual luncheon, which raises funds for the Cooperstown Food Pantry by selling handmade bowls filled with soup from 10 local restaurants.
Orzetti At ‘Chesapeake Lobby Day’ In D.C.
COOPERSTOWN – Leslie Orzetti, Executive Director for Otsego County Conservation Association (OCCA) will be part of a delegation to meet with New York Members of Congress in Washington, DC on March 6. The delegation is meeting to discuss the importance of maintaining programs to help protect water quality in the NY portion of the Chesapeake Bay watershed as part of Chesapeake Bay Lobby Day, organized by the Choose Clean Water Coalition.
“This is my first time attending ‘Chesapeake Bay Lobby Day’ with the Choose Clean Water Coalition, and I am proud to represent NY and our headwaters portion of the watershed,” said Orzetti.
Orzetti, the designated New York Outreach Lead for the Choose Clean Water Coalition (CCWC), will be joined by other New York members of the coalition including Emily Dekar (Upper Susquehanna Coalition), Mike Sellitti (Sidney Center Improvement Group), Jim Pfiffer (Friends of the Chemung Watershed), and Ramsay Adams (Catskill Mountain Keeper).
The group is scheduled to meet with Representatives Antonio Delgado (NY-19), Anthony Brindisi (NY-22) and Tom Reed (NY-23), and Senators Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand. Topics to be covered include funding appropriations for the EPA Chesapeake Bay Program, conservation programs included in the Farm Bill, the Clean Water State Revolving Fund, and new rules proposed that decrease protection for waterways under the Clean Water Act.
Cooperstown Farmers’ Market Profiled In ‘Country Folks’ Magazine
COOPERSTOWN – The Cooperstown Farmers’ Market was profiled in the most recent issue of Country Folks Magazine, a weekly regional agricultural industry magazine for the East Coast.
A story by Troy Bishopp highlighted the market’s history, the winter market and profiles market manager Josie Maroney, calling her “a youthful, exuberant, passionate leader.”
“For baseball fans, opera singers, tourists and local residents, the Cooperstown Farmers’ Market hits a home run in the local food field of dreams – even in winter” wrote Bishopp.
The Cooperstown Farmers’ Market was also named to the 2019 Class of the Cooperstown Chamber of Commerce Hall of Fame.
GROFF TALK: National Book Award finalist Lauren Groff will discuss her next novel, which focuses on early American captivity narratives, at Harvard University, on Wed., Mar. 13. Groff, the author of “Florida” and “Fates & Furies,” is the 2018–2019 Suzanne Young Murray Fellow at the Radcliffe Institute.
Virginia Aswad, Cooperstown, a biomedical science major at the Rochester Institute of Technology, was named to the Fall 2018 Dean’s List.
Also on the list were:
• Shane Tang, Cooperstown, computer science program.
• Jessi Falke, Springfield Center, ASL-English interpretation program.
• Adam Kruh, Maryland, electrical engineering program.
• Alexis Slentz, Edmeston, chemistry program.
• Nathaniel Wilcox, Fly Creek, electrical engineering program.
