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Oneonta, N.Y., Thursday, July 11, 2024
Volume 16, No. 37
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COMPLIMENTARY
Emotional Wellness Is Theme of First Children’s Book by Oneonta Native span of 36 hours, only after I had actually seen the gardens. ONEONTA The story’s theme is about aabiba Rothenbergemotional wellness.” Whitney, a 1992 Natalie Fielding photograduate of Oneonta graphed the miniature habiHigh School, has written and tats featured in the book. illustrated her first children’s Rothenberg-Whitney also book and her first coloring illustrated the book. She book. Both are titled “Tell Me created the main character, About Your Happy Place.” which she calls “The Shy Rothenberg-Whitney said, Giraffe.” “This was a unique collaboraShe said, “There is a tion. I was asked to write the little bit of me in this charbook as a fundraiser for the acter. I was hesitant to go Springfield Garden Club.” public with my writing and The garden club hosted illustrations.” its first-ever Magical Fairy The book tells the story of Garden Tour, May 18-27, at a shy giraffe who explores the home of Vana Nespor in the tiny world of 36 fairy Springfield, Massachusetts. gardens. Nespor and RothenbergRothenberg-Whitney Photo provided Whitney are neighbors who Haabiba Rothenberg-Whitney autographs said, “I lived in Franklin have known each other for her first children’s book, “Tell Me About and attended fourth through seven years. Nespor owned Your Happy Place.” eighth grade there. I consider and operated a publishing Franklin and Oneonta home.” company with several partners in the past. She She gets home to visit her mother, Monet had the idea of creating a book with photographs Rothenberg, about once a month. of the beautiful miniature habitats to sell at the After graduating from Oneonta High School, garden club event. Rothenberg-Whitney earned a bachelor of science “I always dreamed of writing a book,” in human services from Springfield College in Rothenberg-Whitney said. “I have written ever 2001 and settled in Springfield, Massachusetts. since I was a child. I love to write poetry. It is just She taught middle school in English language a passion.” arts there for 10 years and now works in youth For the garden tour, artists created 44 minia- services. ture garden habitats with natural materials. Some She said, “I taught sixth through eighth grade. artists created more than one. I definitely observed students who are struggling Rothenberg-Whitney viewed each of the habi- with mental health issues.” tats and created a special story page about 36 of She hopes that her stories may be a way to the fairy gardens and featured them in “Tell Me normalize the topic of emotional wellness. About Your Happy Place.” On an interview with “Mass Appeal,” she said, She said, “This experience was particularly “I get my inspiration from my life experiences unique. I wrote the majority of the book in the Continued on page 11 By MONICA CALZOLARI
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THE PARTIAL OBSERVER
INSIDE ► oneonta native lands role in ‘zero day’, page 2 ► top CCS seniors speak at graduation, page 2 ► otsego twinkles with stars of its own, page 4 ► minimum wage myth debunked, page 4 ► whelan: biden fit for presidency, page 8 ► art enlivens empty storefronts, page 9 ► art, music, sports, talks: it’s all happenin’ here, page 12 Follow Breaking News On
AllOTSEGO.com
JOEL J. PLUE
Local Historical Societies Hold 1930s-themed Film Fundraiser WORCESTER he Wieting Theatre buzzed with excitement as the local community gathered for a special showing of “A Roadhouse Coup,” a film showcasing the life and crimes of the notorious Eva Coo, who would become known as the mallet murderess during prohibition in Oneonta, New York. The film was produced on location in and around Oneonta in 2022 by local filmmakers Lori Kelly-Bailey and Joel J. Plue. The film was used to raise funds for three local historical societies. The event, origi-
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nally planned to coincide with a parade, saw a remarkable turnout despite the inclement weather that moved the festivities indoors. Attendees dressed in 1930s attire, fully embracing the theme of the evening. The event was orchestrated by a collaboration of the Town of Maryland Historical Society, the Westford Historical Society, and the Worcester Historical Society. Bob Parmerter, a trustee and program committee chairman for the Town of Maryland Historical Society, played a pivotal role in the Continued on page 11
Photo courtesy of Lakewood Cemetery Association
A close-up of Leather-Stocking and Hector at the top of the Cooper Monument, after cleaning.
Monument Preservation Project Now Completed COOPERSTOWN he Cooper Monument is a historic landmark and focal point in Lakewood Cemetery, Cooperstown. Recently, the 30-foot marble monument commemorating James Fenimore Cooper was power washed by Humphrey Memorials Inc. of Herkimer, following environmental guidelines. The project is an important part of the mission of the Lakewood Cemetery Association to preserve and restore monuments, gravestones and stone steps. The Cooper project was supported by members of the Cooper family, members of the James Fenimore Cooper Society and Lakewood lot owners. The monument, of white Italian marble with a statuette of Leather-Stocking at the top, was sculpted by Robert E. Launitz and erected in Lakewood Cemetery in the spring of 1860. The following history of the monument is excerpted from Ralph Birdsall’s “The Story of Cooperstown”: “James Fenimore Cooper’s most famous hero, Natty Bumppo, carved in marble, rifle in hand, and with the dog Hector at his feet, stands at the top of the monument in Lakewood Cemetery on a rise of ground near the entrance, overlooking Otsego Lake from the east side, about a fifteen minute walk from the village of Cooperstown. That a monument commemorative of Cooper and Leather-Stocking should stand in the public cemetery, in which neither the author nor his supposed model is buried, is sometimes puzzling to visitors. It is said, however, that the site was chosen with reference to certain scenes in “The Pioneers.” “The monument stands near the spot upon which the novelist, for the purpose of his romance, placed the hut of Natty Bumppo. It is not far below the road referred to in the opening scene of the tale, where the travelers gained their first Continued on page 11
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