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vISIon emS DI t S y S atIon Inform re
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th anniversary
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panelists speak on ‘farm to fork’ efforts, page 3 VISIT www.
AllOTSEGO.com, OTSEGO COUNTY’S NEWSPAPER/ONLINE COMPLIMENTARY
Oneonta, N.Y., Thursday, March 14, 2024
Volume 16, No. 20
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Point/Counterpoint
Oneonta Mayor, RSS, Others Respond to Concerns Voiced by Citizens That Care Group By DARLA M. YOUNGS
Photo by Emily Hilbert
Library Offers Crafts, Creative Learning WORCESTER—On Friday, February 23, the Worcester-Schenevus Library hosted the first of three “Craft Fridays” where, this time, participants could make a book. Sonja Eklund, who led the event, said it is a great thing to do in a library surrounded by books, and helps people better understand how they are made. She kept the process simplified and physically smaller, to allow younger children the ability to participate and understand it. The library’s next Craft Friday is scheduled for Friday, March 22 at 3:30 p.m. Visit https://www.facebook.com/WorcesterSchenevus/ for more information. In the photo above, Anya Gonopolskiy sews the pages of her book together. The library is located at 170 Main Street, Worcester.
Boosters Announce New Project By DARLA M. YOUNGS
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COOPERSTOWN ooperstown Central School’s Lambert Field will see an upgrade to the concession stand there as early as this summer if all goes as planned—including Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant bathrooms and a large storage area—thanks to the
Cooperstown Sports Booster Club. “This project was started by a previous group of boosters,” said current club President Greg Klein in an e-mail. “When Alicia Chase and I became president and vice president, in 2022, we inherited a dedicated account with $10,000.00 in it. We were told it was supposed to be donated to Continued on page 11
ONEONTA Editor’s Note: This article includes input from multiple individuals and resources. The story begins here in the newspaper and continues on AllOtsego. com for those who would like to read the piece in its entirety. he proposed Rehabilitation Support Services housing project at 27 Market Street has been met with strong public push-back, but city officials contend that misinformation, disinformation and fear are driving the response. “People are not hearing the facts,” said City of Oneonta Mayor Mark Drnek in an e-mail on Sunday, March 10. “They’re distrustful and they are afraid.” So distrustful and afraid, in fact, that a group calling themselves Citizens That Care held their own Town Hall meeting on March 2, in response to not feeling heard by Common Council members and Mayor Drnek at a citysponsored Town Hall just days before on February 27. “The town hall was not prompted by any particular details about the project itself, but rather due to the need for people to share their reactions and thoughts about the project who had, up to that point, not felt as though there was sufficient time for public comment,” explained CTC Town Hall organizer Dan Buttermann, an Eighth Ward resi-
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dent. “I was approached by several people who attended the Tuesday night presentation at the Foothills, and were upset that there was little time for public comment or questions, so I offered to arrange a town hall specifically for the opportunity for community members to share their thoughts and feelings for each other to hear.” Luisa Montanti, who organized the CTC Town Hall along with Buttermann, wrote in a letter to the editor published on March 7: “We, the concerned citizens of greater Oneonta, are frustrated by the apparent lack of transparency in the administration of our City Hall government. Dear Mayor Drnek and city staff, your behaviors of ignoring us are clear and your unwillingness to listen and act accordingly is causing this divide in our city.” Mayor Drnek Responds This weekend, Mayor Drnek addressed the major concerns voiced by CTC organizers and attendees of the March 10 CTC Town Hall. Those concerns, and Drnek’s answers, are as follows. Concern Number One: Parking availability downtown if such a project proceeded, and considering the demolition of the parking garage. Drnek: There is currently parking for all who use our downtown, although it is not as convenient as it once was. We are continuing to seek additional Continued on page 9
Joe Torre Elected Vice-Chairman of NBHoF Board
INSIDE ► dan sullivan to be honored, page 2 ► LWV shines light on local gov’t, page 3 ► what is causing rise in inflation? page 4 ► resveratrol good but no magic bullet, page 5 ► food pantry grateful for support, page 6 ► cabaret coming! page 7 ► GOHS Heroes program returns, page 8 ► numerous st. patrick’s day activities, page 12 Follow Breaking News On
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ORLANDO, FL he National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum’s Board of Directors has elected Joe Torre as vicechairman. Torre’s selection was announced on Monday, March 11. Torre, elected to the Hall of Fame in 2014 and appointed to the board in 2023, fills a position previously held by Joe Morgan from 2000 until his passing in 2020. “Joe Torre is universally respected throughout baseball, and his passion for the Hall of Fame has been unwavering during his career as a player, manager, and executive, and as a member of the Hall of Fame Class of 2014,” said Jane Forbes Clark, chairman of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. “Joe’s leadership skills will help the board continue to keep the Hall of Fame relevant and dynamic.” Born July 18, 1940 in Brooklyn, Torre
Photo by Milo Stewart Jr. National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
JOE TORRE
signed with the Milwaukee Braves in 1959. A little more than a year later, he was in the big leagues. By 1963, Torre had earned the full-time job behind the plate in Milwaukee and was named to the first of nine All-Star Games. Torre won the 1971 National League Most Valuable Player Award with the Cardinals and finished his playing career with a .297 batting average, 252 home runs, and 2,342 hits. He managed the Mets for five seasons starting in 1977 and later skippered the Braves and Cardinals. Then, following the 1995 season, Torre took over as manager of the Yankees, leading New York to four World Series titles from 1996 to 2000. The Yankees qualified for the postseason in each of Torre’s 12 seasons as manager, winning 10 AL East titles and six AL pennants to go along with the four Continued on page 11
THE FREEMAN’S JOURNAL & HOMETOWN ONEONTA, OTSEGO COUNTY’S LARGEST PRINT CIRCULATION 2010 WINNERS OF The Otsego County Chamber/KEY BANK SMALL BUSINESS AWARD RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMER EDDM PRESORT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID ONEONTA PERMIT NO. 890