Otsego Land Trust encourages women from all backgrounds to connect to nature in a new way at “Making the Cut—A Chainsaw Course for Women.” The free, two-day workshop will be held Saturday and Sunday, November 12 and 13 at the Upland Learning Center on the Thayer Farm property in Springfield.
This course is designed to teach safe handling of the chainsaw and to boost confidence through practical experience. Arborist Nathan Waterfield will help the beginner or novice chainsaw operator gain greater confidence with a common and useful tool.
The worst of the pandemic, perhaps, in the rear view; a nation tired and shaken looks for a way to celebrate its birthday in public for the first time in two years.
We spent the morning in Springfield Center, delighted and refreshed as the crowd grew in happy anticipation of the return of the Town’s rightfully heralded Fourth of July Parade. A joy to behold, a joy to talk with the participants as they lined up for the 11 a.m. step-off. Moms and dads, children and grandparents, friends and neighbors coming together on a postcard-perfect morning to celebrate the nation and salute the first responders, the veterans, the children, the bands so proudly marching by.
Then, the drive back to Cooperstown brings news of a wholly different parade experience in Highland Park, Illinois, one in which seven died and dozens were injured because this country has failed, repeatedly, to ban the sale of assault weapons. Because it was more important for Congress to pull a muscle patting itself on the back last week for passing “groundbreaking gun safety legislation” strong enough to barely break a pencil in half. Good job, Congress. You blew it, again.
New York State Police charged a Springfield, New York man with numerous felonies after members of the NYSP’s Bureau of Criminal Investigations discovered he was in possession of ’ghost guns’ and other firearms.
On April 10, 2022, Troopers from the Richfield Springs barracks responded to a 911 complaint of domestic incident that involved an attempted break-in at a residence on County Highway 54 in the town of Springfield.
Police said Kenneth A. Carson, age 37, of Springfield, attempted to enter the home of a known acquaintance and discharged a firearm while outside. No one inside was hurt.
Carson was arrested and charged with:
Attempted Burglary in the first degree, class “B” felony
Criminal Use of a Firearm in the second degree, class “C” felony
Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the second degree, class “C” felony
Manufacture of a Machine Gun, class “D” felony
Two counts of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the third degree, class “D” felony
Reckless Endangerment in the first degree, class “D” felony
Criminal Mischief in the third degree, class “E” felony
Carson was transported to Otsego County Central Arraignment and Processing and remanded by a judge to the Otsego County Jail on $20,000 cash bail or $45,000 bond. His next court date was scheduled for May 5, 2022, at the Springfield Town Court.
The New York State Police reminds people that possessing or making privately manufactured firearms without serial numbers (’ghost guns’) is a crime and is a threat to public safety. If you know of anyone who is making firearms, please contact your closest law enforcement agency.
He looked, with his shock of snow-white hair, like Boris Yeltsin. His bearing was ambassadorial, with all that the word implies: courteous, cordial, tactful, informed, balanced, refined.
George Goetz, longtime summer resident of Springfield, died in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts, on July 25 at 90, in the gentle loving presence of his family.
MUSIC ONLINE – 8 p.m. “Thank You For Your Service: Songs Of Mineworkers And Their Families” concert by John O’Connor to celebrate mineworkers throughout US history. Presented by the Yager Museum, Hartwick College, Oneonta. Visit www.facebook.com/yagermuseum/ for info.
FRONTIER HISTORY – 6:30 p.m. Terry McMaster presents “Ethnicity, Alliance, Family & War – Defenders of the NY Frontier & The Andrustown, Springfield, and Cherry Valley Attack of 1778.” Hyde Hall, 267 Glimmerglass State Park Road, Cooperstown. 607-547-5098 ext. 6 or visit hydehall.org/event/ethnicity-alliance-family-war/
Gathering at the Alice Busch Opera Theater in Springfield, The Cherry Valley-Springfield Central School class of 2018 received their diplomas on Saturday morning, marking the end of their high school careers as students. Valedictorian Kaitlyn Ehlers and Salutatorian Amanda Pressly both spoke during the ceremony, as well as CV-S Spanish teacher Donna Ahrens. (Parker Fish/AllOTSEGO.com)
From left, Greg Doyle, Gary Bradley, Commissioner of the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets Richard Ball, Farm Credit East CEO Bill Lipinski, Board Vice Chair Laurie Griffen, Senior Vice President Craig Pollock, Vice President Robert Yukewecz, Country Living Director David Pugh, and Paul Vandenburgh cut the ribbon on Farm Credit East’s new office in the town of Springfield. The company consolidated it’s Cobleskill and Sangerfield offices to bring 40 new jobs to Otsego County. (Parker Fish/AllOTSEGO.com).
With Grandma Corinne Fish looking over his shoulder, Alex Dowd-Fish, Springfield Center, reaches for more sprinkles for his Christmas cookies for Santa. The cookie-decorating event today at the Springfield Center Library brought out children from all over to decorate cookies for Santa’s big trip tonight. Needless to say, St. Nick won’t be going hungry tonight, with kids frosting dozens of cookies at this afternoon’s event. (Parker Fish/AllOTSEGO.com)
ONEONTA – State Sen. Jim Seward, R-Milford, today announced another $111,374 for renovations of an adjoining 19th century mansion as the new home of the Worcester Free Library, among $700,000 library construction grants forthcoming in his 51st District.
Farm Credit East’s proposal to combine its Sangerfield and Cobleskill offices in northern Otsego County goes to a public hearing before the Town of Springfield Planning Board at 7 p.m. Thursday, June 8, at the Community Center in Springfield Center. ((Previously, the date was incorrectly reported as June 8.) Farm Credit East President Bill Lipinski, whose company operates 19 offices in the Northeast, is expected to attend. The company is proposing a low-profile office building on the 13 southern acres of the former Ryerson Estate, across Route 80 from the Otsego Golf Course. Initially hiring 40 people, the company expects to expand its workforce to 50.
SPRINGFIELD – Farm Credit East, which provides loans, crop insurance and other financial services to farmers in 19 offices throughout the Northeast, plans to consolidate its Cobleskill and Sangerfield offices on Route 80, Town of Springfield.
COOPERSTOWN – A former employee of a Springfield convenience store was arrested and charged with stealing over $2,000 from the register, according to the Village Police.
Brandon Charles Demorest, 26, of Springfield Center was arrested Jan. 11 on charges that he had used the error/correct key to void out sales and keep the money customers paid for their purchases while employed at the store in summer 2015, said village police in a press release.
The 101st Springfield Fourth of July Parade happened this morning in a warm drizzle, but that failed to douse smiles along the parade route. Top, Rosie the Polka-Dotted Clown (aka Abby Koutnik of Oneonta) had the right sign, but Mother Nature ignored it. Top right, among those cheering on the parade route were Albert and Christine Weiss of Cooperstown’s visiting grandchildren – Claire Payne, 8, center, flanked by the Squires siblings, Maya, 6, and Ryan, 10. Below right, as usual, retired SUNY President Alan Donovan was along the parade route (his wife, Anne, was a judge) with SUNY Dean Susan Turrell. Below left is Velma Armstrong, Pierstown, who was trying something new at age 84 – she’d never ridden on a parade float, but took up the invitation of the Tanner Hill Herb Farm to promote the Pierstown Grange. (Jim Kevlin/allotsego.com)
MUSIC ONLINE – 8 p.m. “Thank You For Your Service: Songs Of Mineworkers And Their Families” concert by John O’Connor to celebrate mineworkers throughout US history. Presented by the Yager Museum, Hartwick College, Oneonta. Visit 
