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a deep dive into Eco-yotta ai research center project, page 2 VISIT www.ALLOTSEGO.com, OTSEGO COUNTY’S NEWSPAPER/ONLINE Volume 217, No. 45
Cooperstown, New York, Thursday, November 6, 2025
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Village Approves Small Apartment Building, Permits; Trustee Bauer Submits Resignation By ERIC SANTOMAURO-STENZEL
COOPERSTOWN t the Village of Cooperstown’s monthly board meeting on Monday, October 27, officials approved a special use application for 26 Walnut Street for four apartments, a rezone for 15 Chestnut Street for the Leatherstocking Corporation, and a variety of permits. Trustees also voted
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to declare old electric vehicle chargers at Doubleday Field as surplus and to accept a budget proposal from the Town of Middlefield for fire services. Committee reports included the information that the EMS Emergency Squad was only able to raise a crew 39 out of 59 calls during the prior month reporting period. The board approved permits for the Halloween parade, a veterans’ parade, Alzheimer’s walk, Christmas
parade, Christmas decorating day, the winter carnival, a fireworks display, and, retroactively, a Diwali celebration. Two public hearings were held for different land uses. A rezoning request by the Leatherstocking Corporation for 15 Chestnut Street, the former site of the Cooperstown Inn that is now used as offices, was accepted without objection or public Continued on page 13
Otsego County Veteran Journeys to Washington on Honor Flight By WILLIAM BELLEN
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HUDSON VALLEY hortly before 6:30 a.m. on Saturday, October 18, 80 veterans from across and beyond the Hudson Valley gathered at New York Stewart International Airport to board Mission 37 of the Hudson Valley Honor Flight program. This American Airlines charter plane was bound for Washington, D.C. to bring these veterans, their guardians, and event staff on an all-expenses paid tour of the many memorials of the nation’s capital. The Hudson Valley Honor Flight, based out of Walden, is one of more than 100 hubs for Honor Flights across the country. On its website, the nationwide nonprofit details a vision of all American veterans receiving honor and gratitude for their service, with their primary goal being the “celebrat[tion of] America’s veterans by inviting them to share in a day of honor at our nation’s memorials.” Flights typically consist of 75-80 veterans, each having an accompanying guardian and some INSIDE ► d’ambrosio readies for retirement, page 3 ► CANDIDATE DEDICATION QUESTIONED, page 4
Photo by Maria Griswold
Bill Bellen, grandfather of reporter William Bellen, is welcomed back from his journey aboard the Honor Flight, flanked on either side by American flags and well-wishers.
trained event and medical staff present at all times. Honor Flight events regularly gather sizable crowds of both families and volunteers who come out to support loved ones and those who protected their freedoms. “This place was packed. There were people wall to wall. The buses brought
Sherri France Honored with 2025 Fetterman Award By ERIC SANTOMAUROSTENZEL
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COOPERSTOWN herri France, local athlete, coach, and educator, was honored by the Clark ► COMMUNITY FOUNDATION Sports Center and The Clark MAKES BIG IMPACT, page 5 Foundation at an emotional cere► SPORTS, MUSIC, CLASSES mony at The Otesaga Resort Hotel AND SHOPPING, page 6 on Wednesday, October 29. Named ► KOLIADA CELEBRATION TO for Patrick C. Fetterman, longtime associate director of the ACC RETURN, page 10 Gymnasium and the Clark Sports ► READERS WRITE, page 12 Center, the award recognizes ► PLACES TO GO AND THINGS “individuals who have demonstrated outstanding commitment TO DO, page 14 to serving Cooperstown’s youth, Follow Breaking News On particularly through athletics,” according to CSC’s website. “It honors individuals who lead ► TERRY BERKSON BEMOANS ‘HENICIDE’, page 4
them in from Montgomery with a motorcycle escort, police…It’s a very emotional, patriotic thing,” recounted Bill Bassett, an Honor Flight volunteer and Vietnam-era veteran. “When you land in Washington, there’s volunteers all over the place to help with wheelchairs. Where’s the elevator? Where’s
the bathrooms? So there’s volunteers on both ends. There’s quite an operation.” “It’s so rewarding,” Bassett continued. “Most of [the staff] are veterans, but not all. I went on the flight last year, and it was a very patriotic, emotional day, all day long.” Bill Kirnan, an Airforce strategic air command veteran from the Vietnam era and original Hudson Valley Honor Flight charter board member from 2012, shared Honor Flight information and his thoughts on the program. “There’s no cost for veterans. Every veteran is accompanied by at least one guardian,” Kirnan explained. “Each of the guardians we ask for a donation of $500.00, so they pay some of it. But one of our main supporters is ShopRite. ShopRite usually gives us over $100,000.00 a year, so they are a major supporter.” “We see them off in the morning and they’re figuring all right, we’re going for a trip. But when they come home after the full day down there, it’s rather emotional, and we have things on board Continued on page 13
with integrity, compassion and a commitment to lifting others up,” CSC Director David Fontaine said. “This year’s recipient, Sherri France, embodies those values everywhere.” France teaches at Worcester Central School, leads the Cooperstown JV girls basketball team, and serves as an assistant coach for Cooperstown’s girls soccer and softball teams. A former high-school athlete, France was a key player for a Cherry Valley soccer state championship win before graduating in 1984. She has also supported sports activities at the CSC. Photo by Eric Santomauro-Stenzel “Beyond coaching,” said Clark Sherri France, a longtime figure in the Otsego County youth athletics world, was presented with the prestigious Fetterman Award on Octo- Foundation Executive Director ber 29 by Doug Bauer (left) and David Fontaine. Continued on page 13
THE FREEMAN’S JOURNAL & HOMETOWN ONEONTA, OTSEGO COUNTY’S AWARD-WINNING WEEKLIES 2010 WINNERS OF The Otsego County Chamber/KEY BANK SMALL BUSINESS AWARD