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For 206 Years
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COOPERSTOWN AND AROUND
Newsstand Price $1
Cooperstown, New York, Thursday, January 2, 2014
Volume 206, No. 1
DOUBLEDAY FIELD PAVED WAY FOR HALL Editorâs Note: This is the first of a series of articles base- 8 ball historian Tom Heitz, Fly Creek, will write during 2014 to 2014 INDUCTEES TO BE ANNOUNCED commemorate the 75th anniversary of the National Baseball Greg Maddux, a former Atlanta Brave and Chicago Cub, Hall of Fame. and Tom Glavine, former Brave and New York Met, were By TOM HEITZ COOPERSTOWN
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eaders who picked up The Freemanâs Journal on Thursday, March 26,
1908, could not have fully realized the long-term implications of two frontpage articles, both summarized with staggered headlines in the journalistic fashion of the day.
considered the leading contenders as the National Baseball Hall of Fame prepared to announce the 2014 Hall of Fame inductees Wednesday, Jan 8., at the Waldorf Astoria in New York City. For the announcement that day, check
WWW.ALLOTSEGO.COM
Along the newspaperâs right-hand margin readers saw the expected confirmation of a development
A GALA WITH A The Freemanâs Journal
âĽ
that had been rumored for months: âCOOPERSTOWN IS JUBILANT â To Have Fine Summer Hotel on
RENERT EXTRADITED
Murder âIntentâ Alleged
The Fort Plain Hilltoppers were on CCSâ Team Captain Jordan Manikas like glue, but were unable to block the basket. The Hawkeyes went on to win the Dick White Christmas Tournament Saturday, Dec. 28, in Bursey Gym/MORE PHOTOS, B5
Vermont Expert Will Speak On Sustainability COOPERSTOWN
By JIM KEVLIN
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ruce Seifer, former economic developer for the City of Burlington, Vt., will speak on âSustainable Communities: Creating a Durable Local Economy,â at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 15, at the county courthouse. Seifer, who assisted 4,000 businesses while at city hall, frequently speaks at national forums on sustainable community revitalization. The public is welcome, according to Adrian Kuzminski, moderator for Sustainable Otsego, which is the sponsor. HAPPY 206TH! With
this edition, The Freemanâs Journal enters the 206th year since its founding as The Impartial Observer in 1808 by William Cooper, Cooperstownâs founder. BYE, TANNENBAUM: To
dispose of Christmas trees in the village, simply drag them to the strip between sideway and street in front of your home.
COOPERSTOWN
B
arry Renert, suspected of driving all the way from Florida to confront his former employer at the Seventh Inning Stretch baseball store, will face an âintent of murderâ charge when he is brought back Ian Austin/The Freemanâs Journal
Renee Scialdo-Shevat, Herkimer, the Friends of Bassett president, makes the acquaintance of the eveningâs royalty, the King and Queen of Hearts (Sal Pavia, center, and Anthony Fett, left, both of New York City and members of Shazaam Entertainment). The troupe was a centerpiece of the entertainment at the Friendsâ 20th annual New Yearâs Eve Gala at The Otesaga. On the theme, âQueen of Hearts,â the evening benefited Bassett Hospitalâs Heart Care Institute, which on Dec. 31 complete its 10th anniversary year/MORE PHOTOS, A3
Hartwick Seminary Pipes Going To Make Way For Rebuilt Organ By JIM KEVLIN HARTWICK SEMINARY
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hereâs a gaping hole in the front right corner of Evangelical Lutheran Church here. And itâs only going to get worse.
Then, it will get better, and there will be beautiful music emanating from the 15-16 sets off pipes â up from the current five â that Sid Chase of the Chase Organ Co. is installing in time for the church to celebrate its 175th anniversary â aka, Please See ORGAN, A6
Lakefront â Edward S. Clark and Stephen C. Clark Purchase the Holt-Averell Property â New Hotel Next Year.â Thus was the birth announcement of what became The Otesaga, opened in July 1909. Over in the middle of the page came the stunning news: âHome of Baseball â Game Originated In Cooperstown â Abner Please See 75TH,A3
PIT STOP ROBBED BY 2 AT GUNPOINT
Deputies are seeking two armed men who robbed the Pit Stop at gunpoint the day after Christmas. Story, photos at WWW.ALLOTSEGO.COM
to Otsego County, probably next week, according to District Attorney John D.A. Muehl Muehl. Renert, 62, sought in a Dec. 23 confrontation with his former boss, Vincent Carfagno Jr. in the former Smalleyâs cinema at 137 Main St., was apprehended that evening at a bus station in Richmond, Va., seeking to board a bus, according to a Dec. 24 statement from Village Police Chief Michael Covert. Please See D.A., A7
Deck Is Laid, Cold Slows Curing, But Route 11C Span Opens Soon By LIBBY CUDMORE INDEX
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ew year, new bridge. âWeâre really close to finishing up,â said county Highway Superintendent Ron Tiderencel as he surveyed the
$1.7 million truss across the Susquehanna River nearing completion on Route 11C here. âIt should be ready in about two weeks.â Work on the new bridge, designed by Shumaker Engineering, Binghamton, started in late September, after the 1932 trestle bridge had been struck March 20 by Please See BRIDGE, A6
THE FREEMANâS JOURNAL & HOMETOWN ONEONTA, OTSEGO COUNTYâS LARGEST PRINT CIRCULATION 2010 WINNERS OF The Otsego County Chamber/KEY BANK SMALL BUSINESS AWARD