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cherry valley: a village for all seasons, page 2 VISIT www.ALLOTSEGO.com, OTSEGO COUNTY’S NEWSPAPER/ONLINE Volume 218, No. 10
Cooperstown, New York, Thursday, March 5, 2026
Newsstand Price $1
Town Board Splits on Data Center Moratorium; Habitat for Humanity Seeks Tax Relief
T!!!! E F F T E U F B F T BEESST BU B
By JAQUELYN CARLO SUNY Institute for Local News ONEONTA he Town of Oneonta board narrowly rejected a motion to schedule a public hearing for a one-year moratorium on data centers during its monthly meeting on Wednesday, February 11, despite growing pressure from residents and a formal proposal from the
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town’s attorney. The proposed moratorium, presented by attorney Chris McIlveen of Coughlin & Gerhart LLP, sought a 12-month prohibition on the construction and operation of data centers to allow the board time to evaluate land-use regulations. While newly elected Town Supervisor William Rivera Jr. urged immediate action, citing “urgency from the community,” the motion
failed in a 3-2 vote. Board members Joe Camarata, Brett Holleran, and Teresa DeSantis voted against the hearing, stating they had received the draft resolution only minutes before the meeting and required more time for review. Rivera and Deputy Supervisor Patricia Riddell Kent voted in favor. The debate followed months of community pushback against EcoContinued on page 10
Demonstrators Raise Chorus Against ICE, Sheriff’s Agreement By ERIC SANTOMAURO-STENZEL
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COOPERSTOWN round 60 demonstrators gathered at the Otsego County offices in Cooperstown to oppose U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the county sheriff’s 287(g) agreement with them on Saturday, February 28. Organized by the new group Singing Resistance Central New York, the crowd sang movement songs and heard speeches for about an hour and a half. “We gather today to protest Otsego County’s affiliation with an unchecked, unaccountable and unhinged ICE,” chapter founder Khalil Jade Carney of Gilbertsville told demonstrators. “We’ve all seen how ICE has been terrorizing our country and community.” The Sheriff’s Office 287(g) agreement deputizes certain corrections officers in the county jail as immigration officers for the purpose of facilitating transfer of individuals with immigraINSIDE ► local asylum seeker applicant deported, page 2
Photo by Eric Santomauro-Stenzel
Demonstrators sang songs and heard speeches at the Otsego County offices to oppose the Sheriff’s Office agreement with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Saturday, February 28.
tion warrants to ICE custody at the conclusion of their criminal custody. Several protests by different groups across the county have highlighted opposition to the agreement. Speakers and singers connected
stories of ICE’s aggressive tactics nationally with local impacts. Referring to the recent Buffalo death of Myanmar immigrant Nurul Amin Shah Alam, Clark Oliver said, “Immigration and Customs
Enforcement dropped off a blind man at a closed coffee shop without alerting his family, and he was found dead two days later with no shoes on.” The former Democratic county board Continued on page 10
Polar Bear Jump Breaks $200,000.00 Fund Milestone
recent snow made it appear “like we were literally in a snow globe. MILFORD [We] couldn’t ask for anything more ► sock hop benefits perfect as far as the day goes.” n Saturday, February 21, the family service When asked about the strength Goodyear Lake Polar Bear association, page 3 of support this year, Brenda said Jump once again broke its ► coop accepts $2.5M Bid, few stopped at the individual fundown fundraising record, garnering page 3 raising goal of $100.00. A majority a grand total of $203,000.00 for of jumpers raised at least $500.00, ► berkson crisis children and families in need. One the amount that qualified volunaverted! page 4 hundred forty-eight jumpers and teers for a complementary T-shirt, what organizers estimated to be a ► public shares thoughts sweatshirt and meal after the event rotating crowd of roughly 600 gathon RSS project, page 5 Photo courtesy of Catalin Popescu/Goodyear Lake Polar Bear Jump concluded. Many raised even more, ered at Silliman Cove to raise aware► willow brook study ness and show support for what Alex Scorzafava exits the frigid waters of Goodyear Lake after his with the father of a former recipreleased, page 7 ient incredibly bringing in roughly ended up being 12 recipient families jump on February 21. $30,000.00 alone. and the Hopeful Hearts Foundation. Goody the Polar Bear, was there alongside a ► THINGS TO DO, page 16 Though organizers were initially Following a smooth sign-up registration DJ to help pump up the audience as jumpers concerned about its prospects, the experiFollow Breaking News On and the collection of the final donations of began to take the plunge. mental ticket raffle went off without a hitch. Brenda and Jamie Waters, the founders the morning, jumpers and crowds gathered Many of those who won money from the for socializing along the ice, with many of the charity, spoke giddily about the Continued on page 9 past recipients present. The jump’s mascot, day’s weather, with Brenda noting that the By BILL BELLEN
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THE FREEMAN’S JOURNAL & HOMETOWN ONEONTA, OTSEGO COUNTY’S AWARD-WINNING WEEKLIES 2010 WINNERS OF The Otsego County Chamber/KEY BANK SMALL BUSINESS AWARD