Artware, Oneonta Downtown Staple, To Close In February
Artware, Oneonta Downtown
Staple, To Close In February
THIS WEEK — January 7, 2021
THIS WEEK’S NEWSPAPERS
The Freeman’s Journal • Hometown Oneonta
Jan. 7, 2021
PHOTO OF THE WEEK
FRONT PAGE
New Senator Joining Salka To Stem COVID Overreach
Thanksgiving Bubble Pops: County COVID Cases Drop 31 In Day
City Hall Seeks $500,000 To Redo Oneonta Theatre
EDITORIAL
In COVID Year, Leaders Did Step Up
COLUMNS
DELGADO: I’ll Focus On What 19th District Needs
McREYNOLDS…But I Wasn’t Afraid Of ‘The Troubles’
STERNBERG: COVID Transforming Calls For Better Understanding
‘Crisis Of Credibility’ Calls For New Ideas, New Leaders
LETTERS
DUNCAN: Quality Of Food Goes Back To Soil’s Quality
LEMONIS: Treat All Writers With Respect
BUTTERMANN: Bill Magee Set Example That Others Can Follow
HISTORY COLUMNS
HOMETOWN HISTORY, Jan. 7, 2021
AllOTSEGO.life
Lemisters’ Downtown Dynasty Ends With Rudy’s Liquor Store
OBITUARIES
Festival of Lights Opens In Neahwa Park
Festival of Lights
Opens In Neahwa Park
There’s Still Time To Reach Shoeboxes For Seniors Goal
There’s Still Time To Reach
Shoeboxes For Seniors Goal
Lord’s Table Serves Up 800 Thanksgiving Meals
RECORD SET THIS THANKSGIVING
Lord’s Table, St. Mary’s
Serve Up 800 Meals
In a collaboration of St. Mary’s Catholic Church and the Lord’s Table, 600 meals – turkey with all the trimmings – had already gone out the door for delivery by noon Thanksgiving Day, when curbside pickup began. Above, Volunteers Rosemary Collie and Keton Kling, both Oneontans, shuttles bags of food to the Lord’s Table. “We were averaging about 10 meals a minute.” said event overseer Mary Southern, seen at right advising Joyce Collier. “This year people are in even more need and we are making sure they all have food This year we planned for 800 meals.” The only lull in the action came when the turkey ran out with a handful of dinners to go. Some volunteers offered up their own meals without hesitation. Others were dispatched to Hannaford and returned with enough turkey to complete the meals. “This is the first year we ever ran out of turkey!” said Southern, “But we will provide!” Volunteer driver Paul Patterson, his car filled with meals, rolled his window down on the way to deliver meals saying, “Mary did an amazing job. It was like clockwork. Henry Ford would have been proud!” (Ian Austin/AllOTSEGO.com)
Veterans Honor Fallen Undamped By Storm
NEAHWA CEREMONY MOVED
Unbowed By Storm,
Veterans Honor Fallen
Following, attendees and their families enjoyed a hot lunch of roast beef sandwiches, ziti, beans, pizza and cake. (Ian Austin/AllOTSEGO.com)
Big Crowds Turn Out For Main Street Halloween
Big Crowds Turn Out
For Oneonta Halloween
While the annual Halloween parade may not be on, that gave throngs of ghouls, ghosts, superheroes and princesses all the more reason to head downtown for the annual trick-or-treating event on this afternoon on Main street in Oneonta. Above, Brendan DeFalco, a brother with Chi Phi fraternity, hands out candy outside Tokyo Japanese Cuisine to Oneonta’s Reese Robinson and Rowan and Wyatt Keto. At right, Benjamin Reese shows how to walk like a robot in his homemade robot costume. College students were invited downtown to help hand out the candy in front of local businesses as part of the renewed Town-Gown work groups, part of the city’s Survive, Then Thrive initiative. (Ian Austin/AllOTSEGO.com)
Supporters Of OPD Parade Through Town
AT ISSUE, ‘THIN BLUE LINE’ FLAG
Supporters Of OPD
Parade Through City
Amy Smithling of Oneonta, above, addresses crowd members gathered at the former Christopher’s Restaurant site on Southside as they prepare for a parade earlier this afternoon in support of the Oneonta Police Department. “This is about the OPD and the support they deserve,” said Smithling. “This is not about us versus them. This is not a Trump Rally. This is simply a show of force to support the OPD!” Inset, Genesis Bushnell, Laurens, and Shannon Speenburg, Unadilla, wave the “Thin Blue Line” flag in support support as they fall in line with numerous trucks and cars, including firetrucks and cement mixers, joined led the parade with flashing lights and sounding horns on their path through the city. The issue came to the fore when Oneonta Police Chief Doug Brenner removed the “Thin Blue Line” flag from the pole in front of the Oneonta Public Safety Building a few days ago. (Ian Austin/AllOTSEGO.com)
Residency Requirement, Budget Powers Debated For City Administrator
Residency Requirement, Budget
Debated For City Administrator
By LIBBY CUDMORE • Special to www.AllOTSEGO.com
ONEONTA – Residency and the budget process were two of the strongly-debated topics as Common Council continues refining the City Manager role to a City Administrator.
“We’ve had so many issues with the last three city managers finding a place to stay, as well as issues with our housing stock, that we should allow the City Manager to live outside the city,” said Council member Dave Rissberger, Third Ward.
Patriot Rally Calls For Vigilance, Local Assessment
‘Patriot Rally’ Calls For
Vigilance, Local Reflection
At what its organizers called “The Patriots Rally” this afternoon in Oneonta’s Muller Plaza to combat “white supremacists and racism,” co-organizer Diandra Sangetti-Daniels, above, calls for the continued defense against racism in all forms. Sixty-five people stopped to listen to several speakers, including co-organizer Johnny Brown, inset photo, as well as Anthony Baron, Zach King and Anthony Eardley, who recited Martin Luther King Jr.’s speech, “America’s Chief Moral Dilemma.” Sangetti-Daniels is also organizing a Community Speak-Out, where people can come and tell their experiences to community leaders. While the date has yet to be set, she is excited for the meeting; “Many people come to these rallies and tell their stories, but feel the people who need to hear them are elsewhere. At this meeting, the people who implement chance will be there.” (Ian Austin/AllOTSEGO.com)
Students & Merchants Adorn Downtown With Scarecrows
Students, Merchants Adorn
Downtown With Scarecrows
Downtown Oneonta was filled with seasonal flair this afternoon as Hartwick and SUNY students gathered with merchants to stuff and hang “branded” scarecrows from light poles as part of the Town-Gown Work Group collaboration. Above, Hartwick Student Government Association members and college seniors Jennifer Paszko, and Lydia Mateney, work at filling the body of a scarecrow with newspapers outside of GOHS. At right, members of the Kappa Sigma fraternity Dalton Wooder helps Betsy Cunningham, owner of Artware, and Susan Blass, Oneonta, decorate the Artware scarecrow outside the store. The scarecrows will remain on display throughout the month of October. (Ian Austin/AllOTSEGO.com)
Legion Riders Help Benefit Relay For Life
Legion Riders Run
Benefits Relay For Life
Jennifer Mickle, Chair of the Relay For Life of Otsego County Committee, pins a purple ribbon button on the vest of Chris Chase, Assistant Director of the American Legion Riders, before the start of the third annual Foliage Run to benefit the Relay for Life at the American Legion Post 259 this afternoon. “Cancer didn’t stop just because COVID happened,” said Mickle. “We can’t hold the walks right now because of social distancing, but donations are appreciated and needed now more than ever.” Another rider who drew some attention was Chase’s dog Pixel, pictured at right, who was ready to ride inside her safety harness and goggles. To donate, please call (607) 287-3588, or visit the Relay for Life of Otsego County facebook page. (Ian Austin/AllOTSEGO.com)
Race Day Goes Virtual, But Skies Remain Clear
27th Annual Pit Run On Through Oct. 31
Race Day Goes Virtual,
As Skies Remain Clear
Since the first race in 1994, it has never once rained on the day of the annual Pit Run, and that track record continued today as Mike Rubino, Bob Scanlon, Eric Michelitsch, and Nancy Scanlon joined Deb and Sid Parisian this morning in Neahwa Park to honor fallen Trooper Ricky J. Parisian at the traditional finish line for the annual PIT Run, which is being held virtually throughout October. A few racers did come down to the park to run the 5 and 10K courses, including family friend Don Guinta, who was “first” to cross the finish line with a time of 36:29. New this year is the 100K challenge, where runners and walkers can add up their daily totals to try and reach a 62 mile goal. Registrations are open through Oct. 15. (Ian Austin/AllOTSEGO.com)
27th PIT Run, Underway – Virtually!
27th Annual PIT Run,
Underway – Virtually!
Scoop! Ice Cream Returns To Oneonta’s East End
Scoop! Ice Cream Returns
To Oneonta’s East End
