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Oneonta, N.Y., Thursday, October 3, 2024
Volume 16, No. 49
Community Continues To Mull Over Sign Law Amendments By DARLA M. YOUNGS
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COOPERSTOWN here seemed to be something of a disconnect when community members gathered on Monday, September 23 at Village Hall for the public hearing on a proposal to amend the village’s current sign law. Proposed changes to the law could allow “Hometown Heroes” banners honoring individual veterans to be hung from utility poles on four streets in the Village of Cooperstown, pending approval from New York State Electric and Gas, which owns the poles. Nineteen speakers addressed the assembled crowd of more than three dozen people, speaking both in favor of and against the current sign law as well as the Hometown Heroes banners program. Recurring themes in opposition to the banners were that they would be too distracting, would cause accidents and are not in keeping with the current sign law. Those in favor of amending the law in such a way that the banners INSIDE ► middlefield festival is sunday, page 3 ► let’s ditch the lawn signs, page 4
might be allowed entreated village officials to reconsider the current regulations in the hopes that veterans could be honored in the Village of Cooperstown as they are in many other cities, villages and hamlets across the state. Several speakers veered a little off topic, emphasizing the need for monetary support for veterans’ services in general versus honoring veterans with banners. Some chastised village officials for their seeming unwillingness to allow such banners, although the law itself is the stumbling block. If changes to the village sign law are approved as proposed, this could open up the door for Hometown Heroes banners to be hung on utility poles on portions of Lake Street, Pine Boulevard, Chestnut Street and Glen Avenue—the equivalent of about two miles, or 15 percent, of village streets—but only with approval from NYSEG via its sign application for nonprofit organizations. Other charitable organizations could also apply. Not all poles
would be eligible for banners; the number of poles that might be used has yet to be determined. Following last Monday’s public hearing, Iron String Press reached out to Cooperstown Mayor Ellen Tillapaugh to follow up on one of the most common concerns voiced by opponents to the Hometown Heroes banners—that such banners would be too distracting and may cause accidents. Among those in favor of the banners at the September 23 public hearing was Diane Adams, who wondered aloud, “How many people are just assuming there will be distractions caused by these banners? Has anyone communicated with other communities?” “I spoke to both the [Greater Oneonta] Historical Society and the City of Oneonta, both Mayor Mark Drnek and City Administrator Greg Mattice,” said Tillapaugh in an e-mail on Tuesday, September 24. “In Oneonta, the city did support the banners, which are handled by the 501c3 historical associaContinued on page 11
98715 21709
Male Great Dane Succumbs to Illness; Female Still Improving By DARLA M. YOUNGS
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COOPERSTOWN ne of two badly emaciated Great Danes rescued by local law enforcement in the Town of Milford on September 3 has died following emergency surgery for gastric dilatation-volvulus at Upstate Veterinary Specialties in Latham,
By CASPAR EWIG
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according to Susquehanna Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Executive Director Stacie Haynes. The second dog is currently under the care of SQSPCA medical staff and is holding her own. The dogs—Oscar, a male, estimated to be almost two years old, and Belle, a Continued on page 12
‘Live in HD’ Kicks Off with ‘Les Contes d’Hoffmann’
ONEONTA outing a premier work ► 4-hers are ‘beyond and three new productions ready,’ page 5 of operatic classics, the ► deeper thoughts on hot Metropolitan Opera and Foothills Performing Arts and Civic Center ISSUES, page 6 recently announced the Met’s ► the tepee still going 2024-2025 “Live in HD” season. strong, page 8 The season opener will be ► readers write letters, Jacques Offenbach’s “Les pages 4 and 12 Contes d’Hoffmann” on October 5, followed by the Met premier ► what oneonta does of Jeanine Tesori’s 2023 opera best, page 13 “Grounded” on October 19 and ► calendar, page 14 Giacomo Puccini’s “Tosca” on Follow Breaking News On November 23. Rounding out the year, on December 7, an encore presentation of the 2006 abridged English version of
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Photo provided
SQSPCA Licensed Veterinary Technician Avalon Kubis and Veterinary Assistant Ryan Banks spend time with Belle as she recuperates at the animal shelter.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s “The Magic Flute” will be rebroadcast. A contemporary opera, Tesori’s “Grounded” is a Metropolitan Opera-commissioned work that wrestles with the ethical, psychological and emotional issues connected with remote warfare. It was first performed at the Washington
National Opera in November 2023 to mixed reviews. “Live in HD” continues with Giuseppe Verdi’s “Aida” on January 25 and Ludwig van Beethoven’s “Fidelio” on March 15. Thereafter, the season will close with an opera-packed month of May. Mozart’s “Le Nozze di Figaro” will be broadcast on May 3, followed two weeks later by a new production of Richard Strauss’ “Salome” on May 17 and Gioachino Rossini’s “Il Barbiere di Siviglia” on May 31. All performances are offered at the Foothill’s The Loft at 34 Market Street. Because the performances are broadcasts of live presentations at the Met, they will begin at 1 p.m., except
for the production of “Aida,” which will begin at 12:30 pm. Prior to the opening of “Les Contes d’Hoffmann,” Abby Kreh Gibson, vice president of The Guild of Glimmerglass Festival, will host a pre-opera discussion beginning at 12:15 p.m. “Music, including operatic music, is my oxygen and I like to convey an appreciation for the music of the opera in addition to the acting, the scenery and the story line,” Gibson said. By making the presentation prior to the overture, Gibson said she hopes to convey an appreciation for the coming attraction. In addition, Gibson will lead “Talking Opera” presentations Continued on page 9
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