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Volume 217, No. 9
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griswold earns highest scout award, page 6 VISIT www.ALLOTSEGO.com, OTSEGO COUNTY’S NEWSPAPER/ONLINE Cooperstown, New York, Thursday, February 27, 2025
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Oneonta Mayor Gives City, Staff High Marks for Progress Made Over Last Three Years three additional police officers.” The State Department ONEONTA of Criminal Justice ayor Mark Services Accreditation D r n e k Council awarded the delivered Police Department rehis “State of the City” accreditation for the address to nearly 100 next five years based on Photo provided people gathered at the its inspection. Jill Eichler, Amy Wyant, Morgan Freehafer, David Meskheli and Larissa Ryan were on Foothills Performing The Department of hand for OCCA’s first “State of Conservation” Coffee Talk. Arts and Civic Center Photo contributed by Dr. Laurel Elder Public Works made in Oneonta on Tuesday, Oneonta Mayor Mark Drnek re- significant upgrades ‘State of Conservation’ Forums To Continue February 18. “The state viewed key accomplishments to its infrastructure during his time in office at his of our city is strong,” he final “State of the City” address with improvements nizations, including the Butternut By LARISSA RYAN said. to Oneonta’s Water Valley Alliance and the Otsego Lake on February 18. He pointed out that COOPERSTOWN Treatment Plant, WasteAssociation, to the OCCA Citizen “we pay less in debt service than most water Treatment Plant and Water n a cozy nook at The Local Science teams that help monitor cities, and our fund balance is stronger Distribution System “thanks to our Bird, 139 Main Street, a small water quality in the county. than any of the nearly two-dozen small identification of grants.” The mayor group of community members OCCA’s “State of Conservation” upstate cities we surveyed.” came together for the first “State of Coffee Talks with Amy Wyant praised Chris Yacobucci, director of “Everywhere you look, if you look for public works, and his crew. Conservation” Coffee Talk with Amy continue on Fridays through the it, you will see progress being made,” Wyant, Otsego County Conservation month of March: March 7 at 9 a.m. Drnek also highlighted the City of Drnek said. “We had more demolition Oneonta as being first in line for grants Association executive director. at the Elm Inn, Milford; March 14 and construction than we’ve had in with state agencies, which he said leads to Among the topics covered were at 10 a.m. at The Gatehouse Coffee many years, some of it long-planned. “significant savings of taxpayer money.” OCCA’s programs—from the home- Shop, Morris; and March 20 at 10 Some not.” school and mushroom walks, to a.m. at Social Eats Café, Oneonta. The exterior of the Transit Hub and Mayor Drnek reviewed key accom- Sidney Federal Credit Union on Market their work with various other orgaplishments during his time in office. Street will be finished in a few more “This will be my final State of the months, Drnek pointed out. City address,” Drnek announced. He also praised Springbrook as an He will complete his four-year term ideal partner and a change agent. He in the next 10 months and will not be reminded the crowd that “the long COOPERSTOWN seeking reelection in November. dormant Ford Block, with its perpetuspecial Mardi Gras celebration will be featured at Welcome Home ally empty upper floors, is now a beauCooperstown’s next monthly meet and greet, scheduled to take place at Key Accomplishments the Village Hall at 22 Main Street on Tuesday, March 4 from 5:30-7 p.m. This year the city added four police offi- tifully-realized apartment building.” Other high points during his tenure All members of the community are welcome to attend. cers to the Oneonta Police Department. The meet and greet will include general information about the Cooperstown Drnek acknowledged that “this year’s praised by Drnek: Hartwick College opened its Baking area and its institutions. The Mardi Gras celebration will be presented by Brian budget was a monster to tame…but I Continued on page 11 am so happy that we were able to fund Continued on page 11 By MONICA CALZOLARI
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INSIDE ► Dedicated Task Force Alleviates Animal suffering, page 2 ► democrats organize To resist trump administration, page 3 ► do as hartwick does: videotape municipal meetings! page 4 ► sharks arrive at foothills pac, page 4 ► TEAM WILL PROMOTE ENVIRONMENTAL POLICIES, page 5 ► CALENDAR: MARCHING INTO MARCH, page 12 Follow Breaking News On
Residents Portrayed in Song, Portraits at Dunderberg By TERESA WINCHESTER GILBERTSVILLE eith Torgan, who moved to Gilbertsville in 2021, is a multitalented artist: singer, songwriter, storyteller, musician and visual artist. All of Torgan’s talents are incorporated in his cabaret installation titled “Echoes of Otsego,” to be presented at the Dunderberg Gallery in Gilbertsville on March 15 at 7 p.m. “Echoes of Otsego” is a cabaret-style installation Photo by Gina Gardner created by Torgan and designed Keith Torgan in his Gilbertsville studio. Pictured on the computer screen behind to celebrate and reflect what he him is Bill Powell, one of the subjects of sees as “the vibrant community of Otsego County.” The project Torgan’s “Echoes of Otsego” cabaret.
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is comprised of song portraits and digital oil artworks created by Torgan. “This work celebrates the threads that weave us into a shared community and national identity,” Torgan said. Five lifelong Otsego County residents and five longtime residents are featured in Torgan’s artistic exploration. Lifelong subjects are Xanthe Elbrick, Richard Hill, Evan Jagels, Heather Melita Covington and William Powell. Other county residents featured are Jerry Wachter, Barbara Siesel, Florence Backman, Marcus Villagran and Cole Covington. In a process which Torgan calls “song-sitting,” he
conducted in-depth interviews with his subjects in order to transform their personal stories into “song portraits.” He then captured their likenesses in “Oilish,” a vibrant style he created during the COVID-19 pandemic. The portraits range in dimension from 13x19 inches to 36x 44 inches. “Oilish merges the texture and richness of oil painting with the flexibility of digital media,” Torgan said. There will also be video footage of the songs, featuring sitting interviews and scenes of Otsego County. Torgan will perform the songs live, alternating between singing and Continued on page 11
THE FREEMAN’S JOURNAL & HOMETOWN ONEONTA, OTSEGO COUNTY’S AWARD-WINNING WEEKLIES 2010 WINNERS OF The Otsego County Chamber/KEY BANK SMALL BUSINESS AWARD