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WISHING YOU AND YOURS A SAFE AND HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND! VISIT www.ALLOTSEGO.com, OTSEGO COUNTY’S NEWSPAPER/ONLINE Volume 218, No. 21
Cooperstown, New York, Thursday, May 21, 2026
BACK TO VICE! E SER TABLE-SID
Deep Dive into How the NY-19 Candidates Intend To Tackle Energy Affordability they’re sent to Washington, D.C.?
By ERIC SANTOMAURO-STENZEL and AMY OENOKIDA
-1782 607-432 q.com b brooksb
Newsstand Price $1
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UPSTATE NEW YORK n the hotly-contested race for New York’s 19th Congressional District, each of the three candidates for office have made combatting rising electricity costs the centerpiece of their campaign messaging. What have U.S. Representative Josh Riley, state Senator Peter Oberacker, and Alex Portelli done, and what do they hope to do, to address the issue if
Josh Riley (D) Representative Josh Riley is seeking a second term as NY-19’s congressman. He lost his first race in 2022 to Marc Molinaro before winning a rematch in 2024. Riley has positioned himself as a populist on the issue of energy costs, describing one of their main causes as “corporate greed and political corruption” in an interview with AllOtsego. Continued on page 14
Devlin Declines Participation in Proposed LWVCA Debate County GOP Chair Accuses Group of Being ‘Far-Left’ By ERIC SANTOMAURO-STENZEL
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COOPERSTOWN he League of Women Voters of the Cooperstown Area wants to host candidate debates, including in the closely-watched race for county sheriff between Sheriff Richard Devlin Jr. and his former deputy-come-primary challenger Mike Stalter. But the county GOP, according to its chair and County Board Chair Edwin Frazier Jr., has a “long standing position” against participating in debates the group sponsors, citing a negative debate experience in 2018 and LWVCA’s political views. The League, a nonpartisan organization which does not endorse candidates, maintains the 2018 incident was an anomaly, pointing to years of successful debates wherein debate moderation is separate from their published policy positions. When the LWVCA invited Stalter and Devlin to participate in a debate before the June 23 Republican primary, only Stalter agreed. Devlin “refused,” according to a LWVCA press release. “Without the opportunity for the two candidates to meet with their constituents and express their positions on the issues related to this office, democracy in Otsego County is diminished,” said Maureen Murray, chair of the group’s Voter Service Committee. In a statement, Frazier said the LWVCA “has abandoned any pretense of politContinued on page 10
THE FREEMAN’S JOURNAL & HOMETOWN ONEONTA, OTSEGO COUNTY’S AWARD-WINNING WEEKLIES 2010 WINNERS OF The Otsego County Chamber/KEY BANK SMALL BUSINESS AWARD
Putting the Community Back Into the Newspaper
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► POLITICAL DEBATES DEBATED, page 4
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► FARMERS’ MARKET STAFF HONORED, page 3
career spanning over half a century. Along with the late Ismail Merchant, Ivory ran the India-based producCOOPERSTOWN tion company Merchant Ivory Productions and created dozens of he 2026 “Hyde Hall Talks” films. Many won awards. series will begin with famed “The Remains of the Day,” adapted director James Ivory and a from a 1989 novel of the same name screening of his film “The Remains by Kazuo Ishiguro, focuses on the of the Day” (1993). The event is stories of a group of British servants scheduled for Saturday, May 23 at and political intrigue surrounding 4 p.m. The series will include four more talks with other guest speakers Photo provided World War II. “It’s about the servants in a through the summer, in addition to JAMES IVORY mansion like Hyde Hall,” Everitt four movies. “This is really great that he’s coming here said. “So the relationship was extremely tight, to speak about his film, and his long, varied and we had 20 servants living here at one time, career,” said Verna Everitt, events manager for and we had servants that lived on local farms.” Other talks slated for the rest of the summer Hyde Hall. “He’s had several Academy Awards, Photo provided BAFTA awards, Cannes Film festival awards, are: Hyde Hall’s new talk series kicks off with • Betsy Jacks, executive director emerita, special guest James Ivory and a showing so he’s quite amazing.” of “The Remains of the Day.” Ivory, now in his 90s, has a filmmaking Continued on page 12 By ERIC SANTOMAUROSTENZEL
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‘Hyde Hall Talks’ To Launch with Director James Ivory
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COOPERSTOWN—Ron and Susie Streek were honored during an Arbor Day memorial planting ceremony. Turn to page 6 for details.
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founded in 1808