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are otsego county birds in danger from development? page 11 VISIT www.ALLOTSEGO.com, OTSEGO COUNTY’S NEWSPAPER/ONLINE Volume 218, No. 31
Cooperstown, New York, Thursday, July 30, 2026
Reports Indicate Growing Strain Inside Hartwick Town Government
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HARTWICK eports provided to AllOtsego indicate rising tension inside Hartwick town government, where concerns over financial procedures, communication lapses and labor‑law compliance have prompted scrutiny of Town Supervisor Cody Moore’s administrative practices. Multiple town officials and individuals familiar with recent proceedings describe a breakdown in coordination between the supervisor’s
office, the Town Board, and department heads, culmi‑ nating in a formal legal opinion that found the town acted improperly in a recent payroll matter. The situation centers on the handling of retirement contribution arrears for Highway Department employee James “Jimmy” Croft. According to the labor‑law opinion issued July 2 by Roemer Wallens Gold & Mineaux LLP, the town deducted $584.92 from Croft’s paycheck without union involvement, advance notice or Town Board approval. The attorneys concluded that “the Continued on page 8
Bassett Convenient Care Clinic Quickly Becomes Key Access Point for Summer Patients By JOSHUA YOUNGQUIST
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HARTWICK SEMINARY ess than two months after opening its doors, Bassett Healthcare Network’s new Convenient Care clinic near Cooperstown is already seeing a surge of demand, treating more than 1,200 patients and emerging as a critical access point for both resi‑ dents and the thousands of visitors who arrive in the region each summer. Located at 4580 State Highway 28 inside Bassett’s Hartwick Seminary Specialty Services facility, the walk‑in clinic opened June 1 and has rapidly filled a long‑standing gap in local acute‑care options. In June alone, more than 100 of the clinic’s patients were entirely new to Bassett Healthcare Network—a reflection of the area’s heavy seasonal tourism and the influx of baseball families attending INSIDE
► All Star Memories, page 2 ► have a ball(room), page 3 ► trials and tribulations, page 4 ► Meet Madeline Zenir, page 5 ► blood, blazes and blooms, page 6 ► triptych’s last hurrah, page 7 ► dog day afternoon, page 7 Follow Breaking News On
Cooperstown Dreams Park and other tournaments. Bassett officials say the clinic has become a steady resource for baseball players, families, coaches, staff, and umpires seeking treatment for sprains, falls, hit‑by‑pitch injuries, heat‑related conditions, and other non‑life‑threat‑ ening issues that commonly arise during tournament play. By absorbing these cases, the clinic is helping preserve emergency department capacity at Bassett Medical Center for patients with more serious medical needs. The clinic is also seeing consistent use from year‑round residents. Tick bites, upper respiratory illnesses, minor injuries, and acute conditions make up a significant portion of daily visits—a pattern Bassett leaders say underscores the community’s need for accessible, same‑day care. Continued on page 6
Photo by Milo Stewart Jr./National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
A Grand Old Flag COOPERSTOWN—The American flag rescued by Rick Monday on April 25, 1976 at Dodger Stadium is now on display on the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum’s third floor, finding a home in Cooperstown through Labor Day Weekend. It will mark the longest time the flag has been in one public location for as many days and is on loan from Monday, who has preserved the flag since that day during America’s bicentennial. Monday was honored on July 25, the 50th anniversary of his rescue of the flag, as part of the Hall of Fame’s Induction Weekend festivities.
Mom’s Personal Story Drives Upcoming Short Film By GAYANE TOROSYAN
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OTSEGO COUNTY or Cooperstown resident Heather Grace Sharpe, “Beneath the Silence” is more than a film project. It is a deeply personal story inspired by her experiences as a single mother and a reflection of strug‑ gles many parents face behind closed doors. “This film is almost a mirror of my journey through mother‑ hood as a single mom raising four children,” Sharpe said. Photo by Dylan Avery Sharpe, who works in Actor Elana Juliano, left, with Heather Grace Sharpe, right, on the set of Bassett Healthcare Network’s “Popeye The Slayer Man 2,” where Juliano was cast as Olivia. Audiology Department, wears many creative hats. She owns memorial jewelry business, Otsego, works with Otsego Luna & Grace Keepsakes, a serves as vice president of Film Media, and has built a résumé in
film as a hair and makeup artist and crew member on feature films, shorts, and music videos. Now, she is stepping into the role of writer and director for “Beneath the Silence,” a psychological drama short film scheduled to shoot in Oneonta on October 2-4. Sharpe’s children, ages 17, 15, 12 and 8, inspired many elements of the story. She said parts of the film, including some of the dialogue, are drawn directly from her experi‑ ences raising two sons and two daughters. “In my short, when it is done, when people are watching, I want it to be very raw, very Continued on page 9
THE FREEMAN’S JOURNAL & HOMETOWN ONEONTA, OTSEGO COUNTY’S AWARD-WINNING WEEKLIES 2010 WINNERS OF The Otsego County Chamber/KEY BANK SMALL BUSINESS AWARD