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on allotsego.com: BREAKING DOWN ONEONTA’S PROPOSITION THREE VISIT www.ALLOTSEGO.com, OTSEGO COUNTY’S NEWSPAPER/ONLINE Volume 217, No. 44
Cooperstown, New York, Thursday, October 30, 2025
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Funeral Home Marks 100th Anniversary
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By ERIC SANTOMAURO-STENZEL COOPERSTOWN o stranger to historic milestones, Cooperstown has just hit another one: the 100th year of operation for the Connell, Dow & Deysenroth, Inc. Funeral Home. “I’m proud of the heritage here,” said owner and operator Peter Deysenroth. “A lot of businesses don’t make a hundred years, and we have, and I’m very proud of that. A lot of it has to do with the families that we serve. They continue to call us, and I consider that a privilege.” Deysenroth said he has around 40 years of experience in the funeral home field, joining the Cooperstown busi-
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3-7433 neonta · 607-35 O , et re St n ai M 61 South
ness in 1994. Over the history of the business, he said, funeral preferences have changed significantly from burials to cremations. According to the business’ history page, it was founded on Pioneer Street as the “Ingalls Funeral Home” in 1925 by Chester and Mildred Ingalls. A year later, they moved to Main Street and grew to include a furniture store. Mildred Ingalls would use both locations as a beauty parlor business, too. The funeral home moved to Chestnut Street in 1936, and across the street in 1952. The business gained its Connell from George L. Connell and Dow from James E. Dow in the 60s and 70s. Deysenroth said businesses will always evolve, and Continued on page 13
Obstruction Clearance Project Proceeds Amidst Public Concern By BRIANNA FERGUSON SUNY Institute for Local News ONEONTA he City of Oneonta Airport Commission welcomed three new commissioners and approved two budgetary motions at its monthly meeting on Thursday, October 9. The newly-appointed commissioners are Richard Brockway, Isaiah Gibbs and Michael Lynch. The motions, which are now being recommended to the Common Council for its approval, involve the construction of a partial parallel taxiway and the design of a new entry road to the Albert S. Nader Regional Airport. Many of the more than a dozen area residents in attendance were there for another reason, however: to hear updates on, and to voice concerns about, the airport’s runway obstruction clearance project. The project has been an ongoing topic of distress within the community since April, when the Common Council approved a resolution to accept a Federal Aviation
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INSIDE ► AG: VAPORIZE THIS SHOP! page 2 ► HARTWICK WATER REPAIR UPDATE, page 3 ► Y LEAve? sTAY! page 3 ► VOTER VIEWs & letters, page 4 ► COUNTY BOARD REP q&A, page 6 ► LWV PROMOTES CIVICS EDUCATION , page 9 ► ONEONTA SUPERVISOR Q&A, page 12 ► GET READY FOR FILM DAYS, page 12 Follow Breaking News On
Photo by Andrew Bottomley
Bill Stevens was among the landowners with property neighboring the airport who shared his frustrations with the commission.
Administration grant. A condition of that federal funding is to clear approximately 150 acres of trees that sit on privately-owned land surrounding the airport. The topic appeared on the commission’s October meeting agenda
as “on-premises clearance” and “offpremises clearance.” Airport Commission Chair Martijn Kamerbeek and Vice Chair Justin Osterhoudt repeatedly reassured the landowners of the approximately one-
dozen properties affected by the “offpremises clearance” that the city and its consultants have not yet made any decisions about forest clearance. “There’s no ill intent. There’s no secret agenda,” Kamerbeek declared. The meeting contained frequent back-and-forth exchanges between the commissioners and members of the public that broke from Robert’s Rules of Order. Allowing those conversations to continue, Kamerbeek argued, proves the commission’s commitment to transparency and accountability. The use of drones to create aerial maps of the land around the airport was one of the updates given regarding the obstruction clearance project. The Common Council previously approved a budget transfer of $15,000.00 on October 7 to collect this aerial imagery. It will be used to precisely identify trees and other obstructions that need to be removed, including whether obstructions can be mitigated through less invasive actions like tree-topping as opposed to clear-cutting. Continued on page 13
Cider Mill Raises $3,585 for Local Cancer Support FLY CREEK ly Creek Cider Mill and Orchard reported its most successful Big Squeeze Day yet, raising $3,585.00 in support of patient services at Bassett Medical Center’s Cancer Center. The funds were donated to the Friends of Bassett and will directly aid cancer patient support services. “We were so very happy to surpass last year’s recordbreaking fundraiser with this year’s Big Squeeze Day supporting Bassett Healthcare,” said Bill Michaels, owner of the mill. “The weather was fantastic, and we sold over 360 gallons of fresh sweet cider, with all proceeds going to Bassett. We
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thank our many visitors who came out to purchase our cider and support our mission and community.” Held at the peak of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Big Squeeze Day also featured a partnership with the Cancer Services Program, which provided valuable information on early detection and available community resources. Fly Creek Cider Mill and Orchard is proud to support critical local healthcare initiatives while sharing its award-winning cider with the community, Michaels said. The Fly Creek Cider Mill and Photo provided Orchard, 288 Goose Street, is Rebecca Barringer and Monique Misner accept a $3,585.00 donation to open daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. the Friends of Bassett in support of Bassett Medical Center’s Cancer Center through Sunday, December 21. patient services from Fly Creek Cider Mill owner Bill Michaels.
THE FREEMAN’S JOURNAL & HOMETOWN ONEONTA, OTSEGO COUNTY’S AWARD-WINNING WEEKLIES 2010 WINNERS OF The Otsego County Chamber/KEY BANK SMALL BUSINESS AWARD