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ONEONTA
& The Otsego-Delaware Dispatch
On AllOtsego.com: Eco-Yotta AI Property Listed for Sale VISIT www.ALLOTSEGO.com, OTSEGO COUNTY’S NEWSPAPER/ONLINE Oneonta, N.Y., Thursday, February 19, 2026
Volume 18, No. 17
Newsstand Price $1
Solar Farm Proposed in Town of Hartwick
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By ERIC SANTOMAURO-STENZEL
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53-7433 onta · 607-3 e n O t, e e tr ain S 61 South M
HARTWICK olAmerica Energy, a Georgia based solar energy company with projects across the country including in New York, gave an initial presentation on a potential new solar field to the Town of Hartwick Planning Board on February 3. The project would be built on around 12.8 acres near the intersection of Greenough Road and Dobbs
Hill Road. The land, owned by Casa Vista LLC, is currently a field. “We are looking at doing a project within your jurisdiction,” SolAmerica representative Hurel Johnson told Planning Board members. “Our goal was to make sure that we understood fully your requirements for the site plan review process.” A formal application has not been filed yet. Johnson said he anticipated an application for site plan review would be submitted around April or May of this year.
The company estimates the project would produce 2 MW of power, with construction beginning in Q2 2027 if approved and concluding six to nine months later. It would include 5,568 solar panels which rotate to track the sun. The energy would go into the NYSEG grid. SolAmerica would be responsible for all phases of the project: construction, active use and decommission. “We will provide, where necessary, vegetative screening around Continued on page 9
Meeting Democratic Candidates for Assembly 102 and Senate 51 By ERIC SANTOMAURO-STENZEL
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FRANKLIN emocratic candidates seeking their party’s nomination for the New York State Assembly 102nd District and State Senate 51st District participated in a candidate forum hosted by the Franklin Democratic Committee/Franklin Forward at the Museum Community Building on Saturday, February 14. Candidates fielded questions from among the around 20 attendees at the hour-and-a-half-long forum. Village of Catskill Trustee Thomas Boomhower, activist Mary Finneran, and Village of Delhi Trustee Janet Tweed are seeking the 102nd seat. Former Oneonta City Council Member Michele Frazier and Ulster County Legislator Chris Hewitt are seeking the 51st seat. The 102nd includes the northeastern half of Otsego County including INSIDE ► Popular fundraiser makes a return, page 2
Cooperstown, and the 51st includes all of Otsego County. Each candidate said they supported the New York Health Act, a statewide single-payer healthcare proposal, and opposed building the recently-revived Constitution Pipeline. The candidates all spoke about using healthcare as a way to bridge divides and win over independents and some Republicans. While staying clear of directly criticizing each other, each candidate sought to position themselves as the most able to flip their respective seats, which have long been held by Republicans. Opening Statements “I’m a lifelong Democrat, I am an economic developer, I’m a historian, and I’m a committed public servant,” Boomhower said. He pointed to his mother’s work as a public servant as inspiration, adding that public service is about “using our voices to advocate Continued on page 14
Photo by PhotoJoe Photography-Joe Harmer
The Great Escape ONEONTA—Oneonta’s Alan Little working his escape and taking a secondplace finish at the Section IV wrestling championships on Saturday, February 14 at the Visions Arena in Binghamton.
Sugaring Off Sundays: a Sweet Tradition Returns
COOPERSTOWN enimore Farm and Country ► oneonta’s other Village announced the return railroad, page 3 next month of Sugaring Off ► new museum store to Sundays, a Cooperstown tradition open in may, page 3 celebrating the magic of maple ► editorial and an online sugaring. Every Sunday in March, families and visitors of all ages can poll, page 4 enjoy a day of hands-on activi► larry malone is at it ties, delicious food and immersive again, page 4 experiences. ► news in brief, page 6 Each Sunday March 1-29 begins with a pancake breakfast served in ► bellen and griswold the Louis C. Jones Center inside wrap it up, page 8 the main barn, featuring freshly► black labor movement made pancakes with toppings bar, focus of exhibit, page 9 scrambled eggs, sausage, home fries, salsa, and real maple syrup Photo courtesy of Fenimore Farm and Country Village provided by Otsego County Maple Visitors to Sugaring Off Sundays can enjoy “jack wax,” a syrup-snow Growers. Local producers will also taffy traditionally a feature of the “sugaring off” party held at sugar houses to celebrate the end of the syrup harvest. 1 98715 21709 4 offer maple goods for purchase.
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After breakfast, guests are invited to explore the historic village, where interpreters demonstrate the full maple syrup–making process, from tree tapping with traditional and modern spiles to the evolution of sugaring methods across centuries. Visitors can watch the transformation from sap to syrup using historic wooden buckets, open-fire boiling and a modern outdoor arch. According to a press release, families will enjoy a variety of interactive activities, including the creation of jack wax—made by drizzling hot syrup over fresh snow—a timeless maple-season treat. Children can participate in historic games such as Snow Snake, a Haudenosaunee winter Continued on page 9
THE FREEMAN’S JOURNAL & HOMETOWN ONEONTA, OTSEGO COUNTY’S AWARD-WINNING WEEKLIES 2010 WINNERS OF The Otsego County Chamber/KEY BANK SMALL BUSINESS AWARD
STD PRESORT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID ONEONTA PERMIT NO. 890