Schoharie Republicans Pick Slate for November

By Schoharie News Staff

SCHOHARIE - Republicans in the Town of Schoharie selected their slate of candidates for the upcoming general election inside a standing room only caucus on Thursday night.

Joined by several high ranking GOP officials, including Judge George Bartlett, Schoharie County District Attorney James Sacket, and Assemblyman Pete Lopez, the party faithful were tasked with nominating candidates to run for Town Supervisor, Town Clerk, two Town Councilmen seats, and Town Highway Superintendent.

Nominated by County Clerk Indy Jaycox for Town Supervisor, longtime Schoharie County GOP Vice-Chairman Chris Tague was praised for his moral character and qualifications for the position, which is currently held by Democratic incumbent Gene Milone.

With no opposition, Tague was nominated unanimously.

The most contentious moment of the evening came when the party faithful was tasked with nominating two candidates for the Town Councilman seats.

Currently held by incumbent Republican Councilmen Richard Sherman and James Schultz, Sherman decided against seeking his fourth term on the Town Board, while Schultz was nominated and seconded for his second term. Also nominated for the positions were local businessmen John Wolfe and Floyd Guernsey.

Because there were three candidates for two positions, paper ballots were distributed to caucus goers to cast their votes and nominate the top two vote recipients.

During the vote counting process, Town Councilman Alan Tavenner spoke to the crowd about his longtime colleague Richard Sherman's many years of dedicated service on the board.

After the voters were counted, it was announced that the two nominees to take the councilman ticket would be Mr. Guernsey and Mr. Schultz. Both men gave a few words of thanks.

Also nominated at Thursday's caucus:

- Incumbent Town Clerk Pamela Foland
- Incumbent Town Highway Superintendent Daniel Weideman.

County Closer to Admin

By Schoharie News Staff

SCHOHARIE - Schoharie County is one step closer to hiring an administrator.

Set to conduct interviews with seven candidates this week, Conesville Supervisor and Administrator Committee Chair Bill Federice reported at Friday's county board meeting that those seven had been selected from a larger pool of nineteen applicants.

Commenting that the seven are "really good candidates," Federice explained that only ten of the original applicants were qualified for the position and that the list was further shortened based on their resumes.

Whomever the administrator is, their list of responsibilities are likely to be a little bit bigger than previously expected.

With the recent announcement by Schoharie County Treasurer Bill Cherry that he would be stepping down from his appointed positions as Budget Officer and head of Economic Development, Mr. Federice said that he believed the new admin will have a role to play in both positions.

Established after more than fourteen months of public debate and committee research, the county administrator will serve as a full-time public officer to oversee the daily activities of county government, ending the county's status as one of the few entities without such an official in the state.

Beginning yesterday with a series of interviews conducted by the Administrator Committee and members of the Community Stakeholders Committee, applicants for administrator will go through a thorough interview process that is expected to be wrapped up by next month's county board meeting.

Where, approximately nineteen months after the first motion was brought forward to create the position, an administrator may be officially hired to oversee a divided county government that could not even agree for fourteen months on whether or not an administrator was needed in the first place.

Bleau Motions to Rescind Seebold Contract - Supers Vote No

By Timothy Knight

SCHOHARIE - It was deja vu all over again at the Schoharie County Board of Supervisors on Friday morning, where the location of the Public Safety Facility was discussed for the fifth time in three months.

The debate was assumed over after a packed public hearing was held on the issue on Monday, July 6th, where residents for and against the facility's location voiced their opinions, but it came back in full force despite not being on the agenda and led to an unsuccessful attempt to rescind the county's contract with Seebold Farms.

Raising concerns that "apparently there was some agreement before the meeting," resident Jim Nass voiced disappointment with the county board's lack of response following the public hearing, which he said was just silence.

Supported by a handful of residents who continue to object to the jail's location, Nass accused Flood Recovery Coordinator Bill Cherry of not answering any of his or the county board's questions related to the Seebold site or how the scoring process was conducted.

Nass would further allege that "the Seebold site did not have a total site evaluation" because three acres of wetlands were added to the proposed site's parameters later, sparking the resident to declare, "we lied to FEMA."

After more than three and a half years of battling with the Federal Emergency Management Agency to relocate the facility out of its existing position in the floodplain, Schoharie County received the go ahead in late April, but ever since has been embroiled in a battle against its own residents.

One of the leaders of the residential opposition, Lynn Basselan, followed Mr. Nass by suggesting a proposal that the county reach out to the emergency management agency and request an extension to the project's timeline, which Basselan said has been used as a reason not to reopen the site selection process.

Beginning once the county signed the contract to purchase the disputed site in May, the county is on a forty-two month timeline to design and complete the $37 million facility, which will house the Sheriff's Office, District Attorney's Office, and the county jail.

The early morning display didn't end there, however.

Speaking on behalf of his town board, Jefferson Town Supervisor Sean Jordan addressed several of their concerns about the proposed facility's current site, including the cost and how the deal was structured.

"The Jefferson Town Board requests that the Schoharie County Board of Supervisors should reconsider placing it there," read the supervisor, before further adding that the county board "consider county owned sites, especially on the Fire Training Center."

Wright Town Supervisor Amber Bleau quickly concurred, arguing that the county will "save money by putting the Public Safety Facility at the Fire Training Center," which Bleau said could allow firefighters and first responders to have classrooms for training.

Ms. Bleau would then make a motion to rescind the county's contract with Seebold's, which was seconded by Middleburgh Town Supervisor Jim Buzon.

Questioning Ms. Bleau's point that she did not have the opportunity to read the site evaluation report before voting on naming Seebold as the primary site last June, Schoharie Town Supervisor Gene Milone remarked, "I guess there are some of us who have not done their jobs."

Recognized by a supervisor to speak again, Mr. Nass pointed to the report and said that it was incomplete because it listed only one parcel of land and "not the additional three acres."

Flood Recovery Coordinator Bill Cherry responded by stating all of the land has always been included in the process.

Speaking for himself, Blenheim Supervisor Shawn Smith added that he had several lengthy discussions with Cherry concerning the jail site, and that, "no one has withheld the information from me."

With three supervisors absent, the motion to rescind the contract failed by a fairly wide margin.

Voting yes on the motion were: Amber Bleau of Wright, James Buzon of Middleburgh, Sean Jordan of Jefferson, and Harold Vroman of Summit.

Voting no on the motion were: Carl Barbic of Seward, Larry Bradt of Carlisle, Bill Federice of Conesville, Mr. Lape of Richmondville, Mrs. Manko of Sharon, Mr. Milone of Schoharie, Mr. Skowfoe of Fulton, Mr. Smith of Blenheim, and Mr. VanGlad of of Gilboa.

Supervisors McAllister of Cobleskill, Smith of Broome, and VanWormer of Esperance were absent.

The Schoharie County Board of Supervisors later voted to award both Labella Associates a contract for achitectural and engineering services and BBL Construction Services a contract for construction management on the new Public Safety Facility.

Supervisors Bleau and Jordan opposed both contracts, while Barbic and Vroman only opposed the contract to Labella.

The award proposals were submitted by members of the recovery team, while includes Bill Cherry, Doug Vandeusen, Ron Simmons, Dan Crandall and Steve Dyer.

Coby PD Announce Wal-Mart Arson Arrest

COBLESKILL - The Cobleskill Police Department has announced the arrest of Michael D. Deyo, 51, for the recent arson of the Cobleskill Wal-Mart.

Deyo was arrested after an investigation into an intentionally set fire that occurred at the Cobleskill Wal-Mart store on 07/19/2015 at about 11:00 pm. Surveillance video showed Deyo intentionally set the fire inside of the store using flammable liquids he obtained from within the store. The video also showed him prepare the scene of the fire in such a way as to impede firefighting operations. At the time the fire was set, the store was open for business and there was an estimated total of 50 employees and customers within the store. Everyone inside was evacuated without injury. Deyo fled the scene of the fire on foot in an unknown direction.

Deyo, who is homeless, was arraigned by Judge Gary Bywater in the Town of Cobleskill Court and remanded to the Schoharie County Correctional Facility on $50,000.00 cash bail or $100,000.00 bond. Deyo is to return to the Town of Cobleskill Court on 07/28/2015 at 5:00 pm for further proceedings.

The Cobleskill Police Department was assisted in making the arrest by the Schenectady Police Department.

Broadband Pep Rally Planned in Lexington

LEXINGTON - The Town of Lexington Broadband Initiative is pleased to announce a Broadband Pep Rally. The committee will stage their Broadband Pep Rally for one hour during the Lexington Farmers Market at the Town of Lexington Municipal Building grounds, 3542 Route 42. The Pep Rally will run from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Saturday, July 18 and is sponsored by the Lexington Broadband Initiative in cooperation with its partners: MTC Cable, a subsidiary of Margaretville Telephone Company, Western Catskills Community Revitalization Council, Catskill Watershed Corporation, and Greene County department of Economic Development, Tourism and Planning.

The Lexington Broadband Initiative is the outcome of community goal setting recognizing acquisition of high-speed, business capacity Internet and reliable cell service as essential to Lexington's future. Working under a Long Term Recovery Grant post Hurricane Irene, the Long Term Recovery Committee surveyed and met with residents in 2014 to set long and short term goals for the town, concentrating on safety in emergencies and revitalization.

Lexington is now poised to take advantage of "New New York Broadband 4-Everyone" expansion grants designed to help rural towns overcome obstacles to broadband coverage that arise from their geography or demographics. Lexington Broadband Initiative co-chair Bonnie Blader states, "Rural towns often do not meet the population formulae that bring broadband carriers to them for coverage. The Governor's proposed grants, a part of the 2015 Opportunity Agenda, take advantage of bank settlements the state has secured, to produce a 500 million dollar fund, available as a one to one dollar match, for providers and towns that succeed in forming partnerships."

At the Pep Rally, Lexington will host David Salway, Executive Director of the NY State Broadband Office; Senator George Amedore; Assemblyman Peter Lopez; Warren Hart, Director of Economic Development, Tourism and Planning in Greene County; Ann Mueller, Broadband Specialist in Congressman Gibson's office; county legislators Larry Gardner and Kevin Lewis; and the town.

The Lexington Farmers Market opens at 10AM on July 18 with music from Staber & Chasnoff, and a special cooking demonstration and tasting provided by NYC chef and part-time Lexington resident, Fred Sabo, Executive Chef of the Metropolitan Museum of Art Members' Dining Room. Lexington start-up West Kill Brewing, will provide tasting samples of their brew and Lexington's new business, Nina's Home Cooking, will feature a menu of Broadband-ly food items to enjoy.

For more information on this event or the Lexington broadband project, please contact Bonnie Blader, blader.bonnie9@gmail.com, 989-6211, or go to lexingtonbroadband.org.

Patriot Highlander Challenge to Host Fundraiser Dinner July 25th

COBLESKILL - The Patriot Highlander Challenge will be hosting its annual fundraiser dinner on Saturday, July 25th at the SUNY Cobleskill Ball Room to support Central, New York wounded veterans.

Set for 5:00 p.m. at a cost of $40 per ticket, attendees are encouraged to reserve via phone no later than Wednesday, July 15th.

According to their official website, the Patriot Highlander Challenge's goals are to "raise and donate funds to benefit wounded veterans and selected support networks located in the New York Capital District Region and North East, specifically Adaptive Sports Foundation(ASF). Provide monetary support for state-of-the-art adaptive sports equipment; help wounded veterans participate in ASF events promoting physical, psychological and emotional well-being."

Registrants can mail checks to Patriot Highlander, Inc., P.O. Box 776, Cobleskill, NY, 12043, or on their website at www.patriothighlander.com.

If you have any questions concerning the fundraiser, please contact Beth Gray at 607-376-2098.

Cobleskill Wal-Mart Closed After Apparent Arson Damages Store

COBLESKILL - Schoharie County's largest grocery store is closed after a suspicious fire occurred at Wal-Mart over night, prompting the Cobleskill Police Department to open an investigation into the matter.

Receiving the call at approximately 11 pm last night, the Cobleskill Police and Fire Departments responded to the scene. Upon arrival, all employees and customers had been evacuated from the store and no injuries were reported.

The Richmondville Fire Department also responded to the scene. The fire was contained to a small area of the store. The fire was suppressed and minimal fire damage was noted. There was also smoke and water damage noted to the contents of the store. The store is closed at this time, and it is not known when the store will re-open.

The Cobleskill Police Department was assisted at the initial scene by the New York State Police, the Schoharie County Sheriff's Office, the New York State Environmental Conservation Police, and New York State Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Services OFPC Fire Investigators, the County Fire Coordinator, and members of the Schoharie County Fire Investigation Team (FIVES Team).

Once the fire scene was investigated, evidence showed that the fire was intentionally set by an unknown male suspect, who fled on foot in an unknown direction. The area was searched with negative results. The Cobleskill Police Department is conducting a criminal investigation into the incident, and the investigation is on-going at this time.

If anyone witnessed anything or may have any information regarding this incident, please contact Lt. Investigator Jeffery Brown at 518-234-2923.

Employees of the national supermarket chain were posted in the parking lot this morning and afternoon, alerting customers that the store is closed with no date of re-opening set as of now.

Cherry to Step Down From Additional Roles

SCHOHARIE - In an unexpected power shift, Schoharie County Treasurer Bill Cherry has announced his resignation from two of his appointed positions in county government.

Informing the Schoharie County Board of Supervisors in an email two weeks ago that he would be stepping down from serving as Budget Officer and de facto head of Economic Development effective upon the county's hiring of an administrator.

Cherry's decision has come as a surprise to legislators, with some expressing private concerns that his departure will leave county government in a weaker position.

Having served as Budget Officer for eighteen of the twenty years he has held the position of Treasurer, Cherry told The Schoharie News that in light of his coming retirement after his likely next term, "If I don't make this transition now...I'll never be able to do it."

Further emphasizing that he believes the soon to be hired county administrator should take on the responsibilities, because they will "be the person to chart that course," Cherry again added, "I'm not going to be here forever."

Stating that the responsibilities of economic development "is absolutely a full time job in itself," Cherry pointed out that he had recommended that the county board increase bodies in the department when it was split from planning last December as part of the adopted 2015 county budget.

Believing "we need someone at the table everyday" for economic development, Cherry stressed that he just doesn't have the fuel in the tank. Typically starting his days at four in the morning and concluding his responsibilities near midnight, the official commented, "There's a limit to how much I can do."

Seen by some as the most powerful figure in county government at the moment, Cherry has attracted a legion of supporters and detractors on and off of the Board of Supervisors.

The satirical anti-Cherry website The Schoharie Onion welcomed the news sceptically, warning to its loyal fanbase, "Mr. Cherry cited his heavy workload as the reason [for stepping down], but we aren’t buying it."

Cherry is, however, remaining on board as the Flood Recovery Coordinator.

Commenting "we still have a great deal of work to do," Cherry listed the construction of the relocated Public Safety Facility, the implementation of flood gates around the county office complex, and the reconstruction of the Blenheim Covered Bridge as projects that are still in progress in flood recovery.

Reflecting on his decision to remain on board as Flood Recovery Coordinator, while stepping away from his other responsibilities, Cherry stated simply, "I feel that I'm needed in the county in that role more than the others."

Schoharie Extends Moratorium Through New Year

By Schoharie News Staff

SCHOHARIE - Facing an imminent lapse in the municipality's moratorium on heavy industry last week, the Schoharie Town Board voted unanimously to extend the moratorium through the remainder of the year on Monday evening.

Currently in the process of drafting a new set of zoning laws, the town has adopted a series of stop gap moratoriums to prevent the expansion of heavy industries previously prohibited under the old land use regulations.

Commenting that his law firm is "very close to having them done," attorney David Brennan said the new zoning laws will be sent in advance to the town planning board once they are finalized to begin the process of adoption.

The moratorium, which was originally set to be adopted at the regularly scheduled June Schoharie town board meeting but was delayed until last Monday, was approved 4-0 without dissent from council members. Town Councilman James Schultz was absent.

In other business, the town board:

• Voted unanimously to advertise in the Times Journal for a recycling attendant. Interviews will be held for submitted applicants before the August Schoharie town board meeting on Wednesday, August 12th at 6:00 pm.

Food Programs Help Support Families in the Summer - Meals Available for Young and Old Alike this Summer

By Maureen Blanchard

COBLESKILL - Feeding families during the summer is difficult for many families.

With children home from school, there are more mouths to feed at more meals. Families don’t see an increase in their SNAP benefits or in their salaries during the summer months to make it easier to feed their families. There may be more demands on the family finances to spend money on activities to entertain children and keep them busy and out of trouble as well. These added costs may take away money that families would need to spend on food. Fortunately there are many resources in the community to assist families with extra food during these next couple of months.

Schoharie Fresh the online farmers’ market will be running a promotion program for families who use SNAP. From now until the end of August for every $10 a family spends in SNAP they will earn $5 in Veggie Bucks that can be used to purchase vegetables or fruits at either that visit or at a future visit. This will hopefully encourage families to purchase some fresh produce from local farmers through Schoharie Fresh.

What this could look like a customer could purchase turnips, swiss chard, sugar snap peas and lettuce for $11 and then get a quart of strawberries for free with their veggie bucks. Everything would need to be ordered in advance but they could use the veggie bucks the day they earn them or save them for a later date to purchase veggies later in the month when they may have used all their SNAP benefits.
Tessa Brinks says that “Schoharie Fresh makes it easier for her to budget her money because she knows how much she is spending on vegetables through Schoharie Fresh. Plus the vegetables last longer than typical store bought produce and there is greater variety in season.”

Typically farmers will harvest what is needed either Thursday afternoon or Friday morning for Schoharie Fresh and customers pick up Friday afternoon.

For those not using SNAP benefits who may want to help families out, you can purchase through Schoharie Fresh and pick up at Bethany Lutheran Church in Central Bridge or Schoharie Presbyterian Church in Schoharie. A portion of the proceeds of the sales for these locations is then returned to the churches to supplement the food pantries. Pick up in Central Bridge is on Friday from 4-5:15 and in Schoharie also on Friday from 5:30-6:30. Funding to assist Schoharie Fresh with this comes from United Way of the Greater Capital Region. The goal is to promote food security for families who may be struggling to put food on the table.

Schoharie Fresh was initially funded through Creating Healthy Places, a grant from New York State Department of Health. The goal was to increase access to fresh produce and encourage people to eat 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day.

Schoharie Fresh is located at SUNY Cobleskill in the Red Barn on Route 7 west of Agway. Pick up at the Red Barn is Friday from 3-5:30 PM. Schoharie Fresh sells locally produced foods and products from Schoharie County. Orders must be placed by Wednesday at 11:59 PM in order to guarantee products available on Friday. Please go to www.schohariefresh.com or email us at schohariefresh@gmail.com.

There are also several community meal programs throughout the County. In Cobleskill, Zion Lutheran Church will be offering lunch each day (Monday through Friday) to anyone who wants to join them from July 6th- August 21st. They will be open from 11:00am-1 PM and are always looking for volunteers and donations to support this program. They will feed adults as well as children to help families stretch their food dollars.

In Jefferson, Jefferson Central School will offer a Summer Food program at the school serving both breakfast and lunch through the month of July for children under the age of 18. Hours for breakfast are from 8:15-9 am and for lunch from 10:45-11:30.

In Middleburgh, the Joshua Project will coordinate the lunches held at the high school cafeteria beginning June 29th. Lunch will be served between 12 noon-1:00PM Monday through Friday until the end of August. Everyone is welcome – no need to be alone. Volunteers and donations are still needed to make this third year a success.

In addition to the meal site, a backpack program is being coordinated from Middleburgh that will provide 200 backpacks to children all over Schoharie County who may not have enough to eat.

In Schoharie, the Joshua Project is also coordinating lunches at the Schoharie Presbyterian Church Monday through Friday. Lunches will be served from 12 noon to 1PM until the end of July. As with Middleburgh, everyone is welcome and there are no age limitations.

Donations and volunteers are still being recruited and those interested should contact the food pantry at the Presbyterian Church. Jean Sparks said that lunches include sandwiches on white or wheat bread including turkey, ham and peanut butter with fresh vegetables, fresh fruit and something for dessert.

All the summer meal sites are looking for donations of produce. If you have extra in your garden please consider sharing it with others. For more information, please contact Maureen Blanchard, Project Coordinator of Creating Healthy Places who will direct you to the person in charge of each site at 518 255-5294. Let us all work together and make sure no one goes hungry this summer if we can help it.

The Mayor's Nest, By Matthew Avitabile

Fitting for the July 4th weekend, the history of the Schoharie Valley comes into focus. Our reputation as the Breadbasket of the American Revolution is supported by our appreciation of our local heritage. Fireworks and barbecues are surpassed by our local commitment to public service.

So many Schoharie residents have given their lives to service in the armed forces and community groups. Perhaps the recent trials of our county's history: Irene, recession, and political dysfunction can reinforce local commitment to making our area a better place.

I'm reminded of the service that many performed since August 2011 to help their friends or neighbors. These hours and sweat dovetail well with the efforts of many EMTs and firemen that show the best our area has to offer. Many of our community groups are in need of young people to help build the next generations of public service-- I hope that the many examples of love of Schoharie County and its residents can help create such a brighter future.

Mayor Matthew Avitabile,
Middleburgh, New York

The Schoharie View- For Some, Irene's Pain Remains

The end of next month will mark the four year anniversary of Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee's two-punch knock-out of Schoharie County, where our livestock, homes, and businesses were decimated by strong winds and rising waters.

We have all come a long way forward since then in our recovery efforts, but there are still symbols of all the pain and disaster that occurred - one of them being the county's Public Safety Facility, where our law enforcement officers and district attorney's staff operate from.

I recently had the pleasure of spending several hours on patrol with a deputy sheriff, where I learned the painful effects of Irene are still very much so being felt today, despite the progress that has been made.

Corrections Officers, who transport county prisoners to and from Albany County for court appearances and processing, are still operating out of a FEMA trailer that was never intended for that use. It lacks the basic uses of any modern office, such as a suitable kitchen area or functioning bathroom.

There are roughly a dozen Road Patrol Officers and Sergeants, but only three desks in the entire department for them to operate from, and even then, they are operating with other department personnel nearby and with little to no barriers to conduct private interviews or view confidential information.

Worst yet, is the degradation in morale that our law enforcement personnel face every day when arriving at what use to be their functional Public Safety Facility and jail, which has been reduced to the hollowed out fragments of concrete and loose wiring.

However, hope if anything, springs eternal and was fueled by the April announcement that a new Public Safety Facility will be constructed at the Seebold Farms site, just a short drive down the road from the existing facility.

Or so they hope.

With the community pushing back and the Board of Supervisors wavering over the Seebold site, all they can do is report for duty, keep their heads down, and hope that the project will move forward - and that they will finally have a home once again to operate from.

- Timothy Knight,
Editor and Publisher,
The Schoharie News.
Tuesday, July 7th, 2015.

Schoharie Graduate Dead After Apparent Suicide

Tragedy has struck one of Schoharie Central School's Class of 2014 graduates.

In news reported Thursday afternoon by Albany media, police have announced the death of Heather Ladayne, a nineteen year old girl who grew up in Schoharie, following an apparent suicide. 

Reportedly found "deceased in a wooded area by search teams from the New York State Police in Warren County in the vicinity of where her vehicle had been located," according to News 10, Ms. Ladayne had been sought by police as a missing person before their unfortunate discovery.

The young lady had been attending Hudson Valley Community College. 

Our thoughts and prayers are with Heather's friends and family. 

New York State Senate Puts NY SAFE Act in Crosshairs

By Schoharie News Staff

ALBANY - The New York State Senate voted to amend the controversial SAFE Act two years after its passage. The bill that severely curtails gun rights has been contested in both the legislature and the courts, and the Republican dominated house took up the issue in early June.

The bill to strip out many provisions of the law was sponsored by local State Senator Jim Seward (R-Milford). Included in the changes are provisions that include:

•Restoring the ability to gift semi-automatic long guns between family members

•Avoid public disclosure of pistol license applications and data

•Provide due process in case of mental health concerns

•Restore ability of county clerks to oversee pistol licensing, not the State Police

The bill passed 35-26. The bill is being sent to the Assembly, where the Democratic-dominated body is unlikely to pass the legislation. Regardless, the legislation would likely be vetoed by Governor Andrew Cuomo, who has been criticised for signing the unpopular legislation by upstate legislators.

Schoharie County has been a hotbed of opposition to the SAFE Act, where residents, supervisors, and state representatives have loudly protested and called for its repeal, including County Sheriff Tony Desmond, who has been featured in national media for his attacks on the law.

Before this bill, no successful repeal attempts had been made.

Small Business Profile: Cobleskill Outdoor Sports

By Timothy Knight

COBLESKILL - Citing the community's need for a locally owned sports store following the death of beloved Richmondville sportsman John Barlow, Mike Spenello and his wife Nancy opened Cobleskill Outdoor Sports in the Village of Cobleskill on March 11th, 2012.

With close to thirty years of experience in the firearms industry, both in another firearms shop and his own establishment, Mike commented that owning a shop has, "always been kind of a dream of mine."

Located at 116 France Lane, the store offers a wide variety of ammunition, handguns, rifles, and shotguns, but what ties it altogether according to Mr. Spenello is both the excellent response the shop has received from the community and that "we offer things big gun shops can't - personalized service."

Founded just ten months before the infamous NY SAFE Act became law, the veteran of the firearms industry could not stress more that his business has been effected by the legislation.

Pointing out that fifteen to twenty percent of his firearms were made illegal overnight, Spenello further stated that the amount of paperwork has increased tremendously, all thanks to the law's more stringent requirements for background checks, including even the private sale of firearms between family.

Although a bureaucratic hindrance, the NY SAFE Act did bring droves of customers out of the woodwork, a phenomena documented nationwide. Sporting signs that boast his support of the National Rifle Association, Mike said that whenever new gun control legislation is considered, "people start getting worried they're going to pass some gun law."

A joint venture between husband and wife, Mrs. Spenello handles the bookwork and paperwork behind the scenes while Mr. Spenello works the front end and makes repairs. Commenting that it has been a good joint venture between the two, Mike said that they have been very fortunate to be able to work together.

With an eye toward the future, Mike stated that there have been thoughts of expanding the shop, but for now they are hoping to just continue supporting local sportsmen and the community.

For more information you can call Mike at Cobleskill Outdoor Sports at 234-2400 or visit their website at www.coblelskilloutdoorsports.com.

Schoharie GOP Caucus - July 16th

SCHOHARIE - The Schoharie Republican Caucus will be convening on Thursday, July 16th to nominate its candidates for the upcoming municipal elections in November.

With the exception of Chris Tague, who has announced his bid for Town Supervisor, no other candidates have officially thrown their hats in the ring for either of the Town Councilman seats, both of which are currently held by incumbent Republicans.

Occupied by three-term incumbent Richard Sherman and one-term incumbent James Schultz, the seats are currently apart of the Republican Party's narrow three to two majority on the Schoharie Town Board, with Supervisor Gene Milone and Councilman Matt Brisley the resident Democrats on the board.

Supervisor Milone has also announced his intention to seek re-election, setting up what should be a close match up with presumed Republican nominee Chris Tague, the longtime Vice-Chairman of the Schoharie County Republican Party and General Manager of Cobleskill Stone Products.

Middleburgh Dedicates Timothy Murphy Park

By Schoharie News Staff

MIDDLEBURGH - The culmination of over three years of work, Middleburgh officials, residents, and veterans braved the rain on Saturday morning to celebrate the official dedication of the Timothy Murphy Park alongside State Route 30.

Concurrently they unveiled a stone monument featuring a plaque of Murphy's likeness, the monument being the brainchild of Village Trustee Bill Morton.

Morton, who officiated over the dedication ceremony, recounted both the generous donations totaling $6,000 from the community toward the purchase of the monument and the project's glitches in finding a suitable stone.

Originally intending to use a black graphite stone, it was discovered that such stones are available for mining only from China or Africa, which raised objections. The monument would eventually be crafted from a stone sold by Cobleskill Stone Products.

Recognizing the patriotism of colonial soldier Timothy Murphy, a sharp shooter credited with killing British General Simon Fraser at the Battle of Saratoga, the turning point of the Revolutionary War, several of the hero's descendants were in attendance for the event.

An undertaking that required the assistance of numerous individuals and firms, the monument's plaque was designed by local artist Jonathan Stasko; the monument's landscape design, layout, and pavers was done by Douglas Stinson and son; the construction itself was accomplished by the Village highway crew; and, the paver engraving was completed by Cherry Valley Memorials.

On hand to mark the ceremony with a rifle salute and rendition of taps were members of the appropriately named American Legion - Timothy Murphy Post #248 (pictured on page 1), while members of the Veterans of Foreign Wars - Middleburgh Post #284 acted as the Color Guard for the July 4th festivities.

To Protect and Serve: Schoharie County's Finest

By Timothy Knight

SCHOHARIE - The Schoharie County Sheriff's Department Road Patrol is tasked with a herculean charge on a daily basis: providing protection and security to over thirty thousand residents spread across sixteen towns and six villages.

Although not the only police force in the county - the Villages of Cobleskill and Schoharie maintain full time and part time departments while the State Police have a station in Cobleskill - the Sheriff's Department is often seen as the face of county law enforcement.

Recently, The Schoharie News took part in a five hour road patrol with Deputy Sheriff Bruce Baker, where I spent the day in the life of Schoharie County's finest.

2:30 PM - I meet with Deputy Sheriff Bruce Baker (pictured left) at the Public Safety Facility in Schoharie, where we tour the hollowed remnants of the one-time administrative offices and jail on the first floor of the facility, which was devastated by Hurricane Irene.

Now situated on the second floor of the facility, which had previously housed the Emergency Management Office, the Sheriff's Department is currently operating in a fraction of the space they had before Irene's wrath left their offices unusable.

Space being the key word, as before the hurricane there were enough desks for every road patrol officer, sergeant, staff, and separate departments within the office to operate comfortably in. Now, there are only a handful of desks for everyone to work at.

Down below in the parking lot, the department's remaining Corrections Officers are still using a FEMA trailer that was not meant for 24/7 occupation.

Equipped with neither a functioning kitchen nor restroom, the officers are operating in conditions that can be best described as primitive while awaiting the construction of a new Public Safety Facility.

3:00 PM - Deputy Baker is explaining to another officer how to file warrants into the system while we wait for the shift change. The Deputy cannot leave for patrol until he has obtained a taser for his protection. After shifts change, we depart the office.

Explaining that he "wanted to be a cop from high school," Deputy Baker joined the Schoharie County Sheriff's Office first as a part time E-911 Dispatcher in 1999 after moving to the county from Long Island. Five years later in January of 2004, he joined the road patrol.

In addition to his road patrol duties, which place him on the road for upwards to forty hours per week, Baker has added additional responsibilities through training, such as becoming a field training officer, master instructor, evidence technician, and warrant control officer.

4:02 PM - After an hour on the road, Deputy Baker receives his first call to assist Deputy Prall and emergency services in a medical situation in West Fulton.

Short staffed since the department lost two officers due to retirement and transfer, deputies have managed to maintain a cost effective and a noteworthy amount of coverage for local residents despite the financial stumbling blocks the county has faced since August, 2011.

Patrolling from five in the morning until one at night, coverage has actually increased by four hours per day since the flood, even though the number of bodies on duty has decreased.

However, despite pointing out the department's successes in light of difficult obstacles, Baker said that deputies will maintain their current level of coverage, but warned "we can't increase that level of productivity," because they simply just do not have the resources.

4:50 PM - Leaving West Fulton, Deputy Baker receives his second call of the night to assist at a car accident in the Town of Carlisle.

With the department set to add a new deputy in the next week, Baker looked toward the future with optimism.

Observing that the department is only two certifications from being able to host its own police academy, the deputy praised his superiors advocacy for proactive training, which afforded him the opportunity to pursue and progress in his role as a evidence technician.

Still, cautioning that "crime isn't going to go away," Deputy Baker commented offhandedly that the department is "four more uniformed patrols away from 24 hour coverage" in the county, but for now their priority is to maintain the level of service residents have come to expect.

5:03 PM - Diverted from the car accident after it was secured, Deputy Baker is called to a camp site in the Town of Middleburgh, where he assists a camper in unlocking his automobile after he had accidentally locked himself out.

Unlike the hostility that many police officers face nationwide, Baker observed "we have a very positive relationship with our community," even going so far as to state, "we know most of the people we deal with."

Although admitting that he thinks about all the incidents that have occurred nationwide since last year, the deputy recounted how he use to wear the East Hampton Police uniform of his father's friend when he was a child, adding about being a deputy, "it's all I ever wanted to be."

7:20 PM - Parting ways at the Public Safety Facility almost five hours after first meeting for the ride along, I wish the deputy a safe second half to his shift. Climbing behind the wheel of my car, I realize that I know what my night will entail as I travel home, but as he drives off to continue his patrol, Deputy Baker is unaware of what the night will send his way, which is what makes him, and every other man and woman who wears the Sheriff's badge in Schoharie County: our defenders in the night, our protectors in the day, and our heroes all the time.

State Police Arrest Carlisle Man for Assault of Minor

CARLISLE - New York State Police stationed in Cobleskill have announced the arrest of a Carlisle man for various charges stemming from a physical confrontation that occurred on June 19, 2015.

Troopers arrested Victor M. Gonzalez, 41, of Carlisle and charged him with Assault in the Third Degree, Menacing in the Second Degree, and Endangering the Welfare of a Child.

The charges resulted from a physical confrontation that occurred between Gonzalez and a 16 year old male. During the confrontation the 16 year old suffered injuries that required him to be transported to the hospital.

Gonzalez was processed and arraigned before being released on his own recognizance. An Order of Protection was issued by the court protecting the injured victim.

Coby PD now R.A.D. Certified

COBLESKILL - The Cobleskill Police Department has announced that they now have an officer who is a certified R.A.D. Instructor.

Standing for Rape Aggression Defense, it is a course of self-defense tactics taught to women in order to build their confidence and abilities to defend themselves should they ever find themselves in an unsafe situation.

Police Chief Rich Bialkowski commented in a facebook status announcing the certification, "We are glad to be able to offer this service to our community."

Cobleskill PD will be partnering with SUNY Cobleskill Police and the county's local Catholic Charities Domestic Violence Program to offer the courses to the community on and off campus.