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honoring our fallen military, pages 8-9 VISIT www.ALLOTSEGO.com, OTSEGO COUNTY’S NEWSPAPER/ONLINE
Oneonta, N.Y., Thursday, May 23, 2024
Volume 16, No. 30
COMPLIMENTARY
Legends Game To Be Played May 25 at Doubleday Field COOPERSTOWN ith an all-star roster on the diamond May 25 at Doubleday Field, a legendary coaching staff consisting of Cooperstown heroes will lead the way at the Hall of Fame East-West Classic. Six Hall of Famers will serve as coaches on both the East and West squads as the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum salutes Black baseball by hosting the Hall of Fame EastWest Classic: A Tribute to the Negro Leagues All-Star Game. Presented by Boeing and fueled by assistance from Major League Baseball, the Memorial Day Weekend celebration will feature more than two dozen former big leaguers in a seven-inning legends game. The East squad will be coached by Fred McGriff, Eddie Murray, Jim Rice, Lee Smith, Joe Torre and Dave Winfield. The East team will include team captain Chris Young along with
players Josh Barfield, Mo’ne Davis, Doug Glanville, Tony Gwynn Jr., Jerry Hairston Jr., Scott Hairston, LaTroy Hawkins, Ryan Howard, Edwin Jackson, Jeremy Jeffress, Adam Jones, Russell Martin, Melvin Mora and David Price. The West team will feature coaches Harold Baines, Jim Kaat, Rollie Fingers, Ken Griffey Jr., Fergie Jenkins and Ozzie Smith. CC Sabathia will be the team captain on a roster that will include Tim Beckham, José Contreras, Ian Desmond, Prince Fielder, Dexter Fowler, Curtis Granderson, Matt Kemp, Darrell Miller, Tyson Ross, Tony Sipp, Photo provided Dee Strange-Gordon, B.J. Upton and Dr. Joon Shim congratulates Otsego County Veteran Services Officer Jamie Carkees on her Justin Upton. recent award for assistance to veterans in navigating the VA system. Two-time All-Star Harold Reynolds of MLB Network will join Mets World Series hero Mookie Wilson as honorary team members. Former Negro Leagues stars Sam Allen and Continued on page 11 officer here in Otsego County since By DARLA M. YOUNGS May of 2022. A former veteran herself, Memorial Day Observance Activities COOPERSTOWN she is an alumna of Cooperstown Cherry Valley Memorial Day Parade. 10 a.m. Steps off from intersection of loyd Bourne, commander of Central School. Main and Church streets and proceeds down Alden Street for a memorial service VFW Post 7128, describes “I graduated from Cooperstown in the Cherry Valley Cemetery. Jamie Carkees as “an angel.” in 2002, but I enlisted in the Army in Cooperstown Memorial Day Observance. 11 a.m. Remember our fallen First Vice Commander David Turner 2001 in what is called the Delayed soldiers with keynote speaker Dr. Joon Shim, the Cooperstown High School says “the breadth of her assistance has Entry Program,” Carkees recalled. band, local fire departments, other local organizations. Kicks off from the been phenomenal.” “In August of 2002, I went to basic Cooperstown Vets Club, 60 Main Street, Cooperstown. Her good works were officially training. I knew I wanted to be in the Gilbertsville Memorial Day Observance. 9 a.m. Kicks off at the Old School recognized on Thursday, May 9 military since I was a freshman in high with the GMU marching band and proceeds up Bloom Street to Brookside when Carkees was presented with an school. Cemetery for a memorial ceremony. Finishes on Commercial and Spring streets. Appreciation Award by VFW members Carkees served both on active duty Laurens Memorial Day Parade. 9:30 a.m. Active and retired military march for “meritorious and distinguished and in the Army reserves until 2012. with members of the Laurens American Legion. Kick off from Laurens Town service in furthering the aims and ideals “I started off as a military police Hall, Brook Street, Laurens. of the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the officer and eventually transitioned to Oneonta Vets Club. 11 a.m. Memorial Day Service. United States.” human resources. Since I got out of Turn to the calendar on page 12 for additional events and information. Continued on page 8 Carkees has been a veteran services
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Local Vets Show Gratitude for Help from One of Their Own
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Otsego Abroad
INSIDE ► arrests made in animal cruelty case, page 2 ► CFD gets long-awaited fire engine, page 3
Peggy and Bob’s Himalayan Trek By ROBERT POULSON
► erna: be afraid but do it COOPERSTOWN anyway, page 4 y wife, Peggy, and I have been ► master gardeners hold plant sale, page 5 ► ny forward chooses eight projects, page 6 ► general canoe regatta is this weekend, page 7 ► early voting location and times, page 7 ► hyde hall open, page 12 Follow Breaking News On
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hanging out together for more than 60 years. In that time, we’ve done many bold and exciting things, but none more bold or exciting than the recent trek we took in the Himalaya Mountains in Nepal. No, we didn’t climb Everest, but we took what was billed as an easy trek from the little village of Kande in central Nepal up to Australian Base Camp in the Annapurna Range of the Himalayas, at an elevation of about 6,900 feet. Kande itself is about 4,500 feet above sea level, so our trek was about 2,500 feet up, and I do mean up. The distance was between two to three miles, and some advanced trekkers can cover that
in under two hours. It took Peggy and me close to four hours to get to the base camp. That’s because, although we’re advanced in many things, mountain trekking is not one of them. It’s also possible that my age, 86 years old, slowed us down. So, how did this all come about? Early in 2023, Peggy and I planned to spend Christmas with our daughter, Sharon, who resides in New Zealand. Once you’re in New Zealand from Cooperstown, New York, you’re already halfway around the world, so you might as well keep going, which we decided to do. Candidly, I was not enthusiastic about the trip and early last summer I indicated to Photo provided Peggy my reservations and, to my surprise Octogenarians Peggy and Bob Poulson enjoyed and distress, she started to tear up, saying, their recent trek to Nepal’s Australian Base Camp Continued on page 6 despite the many challenges.
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