The City of Oneonta Police Department announced this afternoon they had made an arrest in connection to the December 29th, 2021, robbery of the NBT bank on Wall Street.
Elijah Vergari, 29, of Oneonta was arraigned in Otsego County Court on Monday February 14th, for third degree robbery. Bail was set at $10,000 due to an existing pending felony charge in Delaware County.
Vergari was remanded to the custody of the Otsego County Sheriff.
The Cooperstown Summer Music Festival will open its 23rd season with a free outdoor community concert featuring the Caroga Arts Ensemble, led by cellist Kyle Price, at 7 p.m., Tuesday, Aug. 10, on the lawn behind the Fenimore Art Museum.
The concert, entitled CSMF Musical Kaleidoscope and sponsored by NBT Bank, will feature a repertoire of bluegrass and classical to jazz and pop in a musical variety show.
“CSMF is thrilled to be partnering with the Caroga Arts Ensemble for our return to the stage,” said Festival Founder and Artistic Director Linda Chesis in a media release. “We wanted our first concert to be a gift to the community so that everyone can experience the joy of music after such a difficult year.”
This car was seen in the vicinity of the attempted bank robbery, although troopers are unsure what role it might have played in the attempted bank robbery. (Images courtesy Trooper Aga Dembinska)State Police at Sidney released this image of the suspect in yesterday’s attempted bank robbery in Cherry Valley.
CHERRY VALLEY – Troopers at Richfield Springs are actively investigating an attempted bank robbery in Cherry Valley, and seeking help identifying the suspect.
The incident occurred at 1:56 p.m. yesterday at the NBT Bank, 16 Main St. The suspect did not threaten or display a weapon.
The suspect is described as a white male, with a darker complexion. He appears to be 30-40 years of age and is approximately 5-foot-5 to 5-foot-7 tall.
Oneonta Job Corp Academy Director Chris Kuhn, above left, accepts the NBT Bank Quality of Life Award from Jamie Reynolds, the bank’s regional executive and senior VP, this evening at the Otsego County Chamber of Commerce’s first Summer Soiree under a tent on the tarmac of Oneonta Municipal Airport. Inset, OCCA President Vicky Lentz, left, and Executive Director Leslie Orzetti accept a proclamation from state Sen. Jim Seward, R-Milford, after the Otsego County Conservation Association received the chamber’s NBT Insurance Agency Environmental Stewardship Award. (Parker Fish/AllOTSEGO.com)
Being escorted by her grandsons, Eric Michelitch, left, and Ryan Laytham, right, Betty Bettiol accepted her late husband’s distinguished citizen award tonight. (Parker Fish/AllOTSEGO.com)NBT Bank Senior Vice President and Regional Manager Jamie Reynolds accepted NBT Bank’s Distinguished Business Award this evening. (Parker Fish/AllOTSEGO.com)
By PARKER FISH • Special to www.AllOTSEGO.com
ONEONTA – The crowd rose to its feet with a roaring applause at the annual Otsego County Chamber of Commerce dinner Thursday evening as Betty Bettiol made her way to the podium to accept the Distinguished Citizen Award, given posthumously to her husband, Eugene A. Bettiol Sr.
Accepting the award for her husband that was named in honor of her late son, Gene Bettiol, Jr., was an emotional moment for everyone in attendance, most of which knew Gene through many years of business in Oneonta.
Betty, her daughter Jaci, and her two grandsons Ryan Laytham and Eric Michelitch took to the stage to accept the award, with Jaci making an acceptance speech in her father’s honor.
“My father was not fond of receiving recognition, and would always say, ‘it’s not my time’,” said Jaci. “Well dad, time is up, and this is for you.”
Cutting the ribbon at NBT’s Oneonta Regional Financial Center at One Wall Street last year are, from left, Mayor Gary Herzig, Otsego County Chamber Board Chair Jim Potts, chamber President/CEO Barbara Ann Heegan, NBT Bank Regional Executive Jamie Reynolds, NBT-Mang Insurance Agency President Tucker Lounsbury, and state Sen. Jim Seward, R-Milford.Gene Bettiol Sr.
ONEONTA – NBT Bank will be honored as the NYCM Insurance Distinguished Business of the Year at the Otsego County Chamber of Commerce annual dinner, Thursday, May 3, at Foothills, beginning at 5:45 p.m., the chamber announced today.
Earlier, it was announced that Eugene A. Bettiol Sr., who passed away in December, will received the Eugene A. Bettiol Jr. Distinguished Citizen Award named for his son and sponsored by Bassett Healthcare.
The evening’s theme is “Supporting Entrepreneurial Spirit in Otsego County.”
Now dubbed the NBT Financial Center, the ribbon was cut on the new offices of the NBT-Mang Insurance Agency, relocated from River Street to the NBT building at One Wall Street. Cutting the ribbon are NBT Vice President Jamie Reynolds and Tucker Lounsbury, NBT-Mang Insurance Agency president. Others, from left, are Oneonta Mayor Gary Herzig, Otsego Chamber Board Chair Jim Potts, Otsego Chamber President Barbara Ann Heegan and, at right, state Sen. Jim Seward, R-Milford.
ONEONTA – Calvin W. “Cal” Chase, 67, considered the “first fan” of the Hartwick Hawks soccer team, which won the NCAA National Championship in 1977, passed away Monday, July 31.
Retired from a long career at NBT Bank, Cal rallied alumni when the college was considering dropping its Section 1 status during financial challenges in the early years of this century. The drive largely met the fund-raising goal set by the college’s then-president, Dick Miller, and the program was saved.
Cooperstown Middle School students participated today in NBT Bank’s Strive Program, which teaches such money management skills as the benefits of saving for unexpected opportunities or problems, and understanding compound interest to determine returns on investments. Meeting with NBT Cooperstown Branch Supervisor Renee VanAlstyne are, from left, students Kai Boulet, Dillon Burns, Garet Bush, Grant Crowson, Theo Ignatovsky, Evan Osterberg, Reisen Sheldon and Gaby Woeppel. Teacher John Brotherton is in the back.
EDMESTON – An Earlville man is in Otsego County jail today after he was arrested Sunday and charged with robbing the NBT Bank branch in Edmeston on May 23.
Dennis D. Gelatt, 31, was taken into custody when Otsego and Madison county sheriff’s deputies executed a search warrant at a Madison County home.
At the Otsego County Chamber of Commerce’s holiday party this evening at NBT Bank’s Wall Street, Oneonta, branch, bank Regional Vice President Jamie Reynolds, lower right, introduced Chamber President Barbara Ann Heegan, who spoke on how small businesses who drive our local economy need more support, and that this year will focus on attracting more “homeowner-type jobs.” “We are here to support you!” said Heegan. The chamber is celebrating its 30th year. (Ian Austin/AllOTSEGO.com)
NYSHA President Paul D’Ambrosio, right, today accepts a $3,000 donation from NBT Bank Oneonta Regional Executive Jamie Reynolds, left, and Donna Shipman, vice president/retail market manager in the Cooperstown branch. The donation will help underwrite “Step Back in Time Weekends” at The Farmers’ Museum, which feature artisans, experts in farming and other professionals who can help bring to life the 19th century village on Otsego Lake. This weekend’s “Plants and Herbs: Historic Remedies,” is one such weekend. Visit FarmersMuseum.org for our full schedule.