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Cooperstown’s offiCial newspaper
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founded in 1808
winter carnival is this weekend! MORE DETAILS INSIDE VISIT www.ALLOTSEGO.com, OTSEGO COUNTY’S NEWSPAPER/ONLINE Volume 218, No. 6
Cooperstown, New York, Thursday, February 5, 2026
Newsstand Price $1
County Code Blue Continues, Advocates Say More Support Needed for Otsego Unhoused By ERIC SANTOMAURO-STENZEL
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ONEONTA ver a stretch of ongoing deep cold starting the weekend of January 24, often dropping below 0℉, new discussions have arisen about local support for those without shelter. When temperatures drop below 32℉, considered a “Code Blue,” New York State requires local
governments with social services to take extra steps to ensure people have access to warm shelter. Otsego County is currently in Code Blue. During the day, individuals have been able to seek shelter at two county buildings: 197 Main Street, Cooperstown and 140 County Highway 33W, Cooperstown. A warming station run by Catholic Charities with 10 cots is available at 291 Chestnut Street, Oneonta, from
5:30 p.m. to 7:30 a.m., when individuals have often been told to leave. “When that is over capacity,” County Administrator Steve Wilson told AllOtsego, “when there’s more people than we can hire or have in there, we have other arrangements. Typically, we’ll move people into hotels.” According to the Otsego County Department of Social Services, three Continued on page 2
Anti-ICE, Sheriff 287(g) Agreement Protests Continue in Oneonta By ERIC SANTOMAURO-STENZEL
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ONEONTA t 10℉ and -2℉ wind chill, it wasn’t the ice on the ground that more than 400 demonstrators were protesting at Muller Plaza on Saturday, January 31. Organized by CooperstownOneonta Indivisible, Butternut Valley Indivisible, and the Otsego County Democratic Committee, local demonstrators again gathered to oppose Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s actions nationwide and a recentlysigned Warrant Service Officer agreement between the agency and the Otsego County Sheriff’s Office. The agreement deputizes certain county corrections officers as immigration officers to facilitate the transfer of individuals with immigration warrants to ICE custody at the conclusion of their criminal custody in the county jail. “You should know, our sheriff,” Virginia Kennedy, the group leader of CooperstownOneonta Indivisible said into a microphone, bundled-up locals in front of her booing Otsego County Sheriff Richard Devlin (R), “has signed a 287(g) agreement with ICE.” “We have been letting him know what we think Photo by Eric Santomauro-Stenzel about that for the last couple of months, letters to the More than 400 demonstrators gathered at Oneonta’s Muller Plaza to protest ICE’s national operations and its agreement Continued on page 2 with the Otsego County Sheriff’s Office on January 31, 2026. INSIDE ► INSIDE CLARK CREAMERY STOPPAGE, page 3 ► FAMILIAR Coop village candidates, page 3
Coop Art Association Preps for Spring Cleaning Event By MARIA GRISWOLD
COOPERSTOWN he Cooperstown Art ► derosa’s midwinter Association is currently THOUGHTS, page 4 gearing up to host its popular Spring Cleaning Art ► devlin ahead of the Bazaar from Saturday, March 7 curve? page 4 through Saturday, March 28. The ► A MILLION REASONS spring cleaning event is considTO GIVE back, page 5 ered by organizers to be an “art ► FILM FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS yard sale,” featuring fine arts, WOMEN, page 5 crafts, and gently used or new art materials donated by community ► BIDDING FAREWELL TO OLD members. Everything donated is FRIENDS, page 11 sold at heavily discounted rates, ► THINGS TO DO, page 12 officials said. Daniel Francis, CAA gallery Follow Breaking News On manager, told AllOtsego that the mission of the spring cleaning event is to “facilitate the prac-
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tical redistribution of unused, forgotten, or unwanted fine arts and craft items, as well as art supplies and materials that would otherwise be destined for a dumpster.” The donation period for this event is Monday, February 23 through Friday, February 27, during which the CAA will be accepting donations of lightly used original fine arts and fine crafts, framed prints and posters of sophisticated quality, and new or good condition art supplies and materials. Once all of the donations are collected, CAA employees and volunteers will sort through them and organize the contributions to be sold in March.
Photo provided
The Cooperstown Art Association’s Spring Cleaning Art Bazaar, coming up next month, is an “art yard sale.”
“The CAA has hosted the Spring Cleaning Art Bazaar on a biennial schedule since 2005,” Francis explained. “[It] started
as a result of the CAA being the recipient of Harold Birch’s estate, a gift that included all his Continued on page 2
THE FREEMAN’S JOURNAL & HOMETOWN ONEONTA, OTSEGO COUNTY’S AWARD-WINNING WEEKLIES 2010 WINNERS OF The Otsego County Chamber/KEY BANK SMALL BUSINESS AWARD