The Mountain Eagle

12/8/25

Around the Neighborhood - Summit

Written By The Mountain Eagle on 12/8/25 | 12/8/25

December already and the end of 2025, doesn’t seem possible.

Wow, 50 degrees last Wednesday and 30’s the next day on Thanksgiving; and then we got our first few inches of snow.

Time to switch the Thanksgiving decorations with Christmas.

The highway department has an opening for one position on the highway crew to replace someone that retired. If interested in applying call Jim Dibble at 518-287-1544.

Last issue of Farmers Almanac is 2026, published for 208 years, but The Old Farmer’s Almanac that was first published in 1792 will continue. I did not realize that there were two yearly Almanac’s..

Went out for late breakfast last week with Becky Bilby, of Richmondville at The Brick House Bakery in Cobleskill. A 20 something nice girl took our order and she remembered us as being her recess aides at Richmondville/Radez School; that was nice. From recess days we still call each other Mrs. Bilby and Mrs. Cuccinello when we first see each other.

Took my granddaughter to the Schoharie County Model Railroad Association Museum fundraiser at the Sunshine Fair Grounds last weekend. Fun to see all the model trains and Santa. If interested in joining the Schoharie Valley Model Railroad Association, that was organized in 1975, call John at 518-234-4108.

December 5 – Miracle on Main Street in Middleburgh 5:30-8:30pm.

December 6 – Schoharie Valley Concert Band Holiday Concert 7pm at CRCS High School.

December 6 – Christmas Parade in Cobleskill leaves Price Chopper parking lot at 5pm.

December 6 – Defensive Driving Course at Charlotteville Firehouse 9am-3pm, cost $35, call Sherry Stewart 607-538-9632 or Georgia VanValkenburgh 607-422-6000 to register.

December 7 - Summit Fire Dept. Annual Community tree lighting and Kids party with games, crafts, snacks and a Very Special Guest 3-5pm. Tree Lighting at 5pm.

December 7- Charlotteville Schoolhouse off-site fundraiser at Aubuchon Ace Hardware 783 East Main St Cobleskill Brooks BBQ chicken halves $10 - we start serving hot off the grill at 11am until sold. Assorted baked goods from our member volunteers will also be available for sale.

December 7 – Holiday Market at Panther Creek Arts, West Fulton 1468 Sawyer Hollow Road noon-5pm, pub open 4-8pm.

December 12 – Christmas at Stamford Library 3pm includes stories with Mrs. Claus, ornament making, letters to Santa, and lots of delicious cookies and cocoa! At 5 p.m., we will bundle up to sing Christmas carols along Stamford's Main Street!

December 13 – Chocolate Jumble/Jumbo Cookie Contest at Old Stone Fort Badgley Museum Annex, Schoharie- cookie drop off 10am-1pm- judging 1-3pm.

December 13- Wreaths Across America ceremony 11am at Charlotteville Cemetery, Baptist Church Rd. There are 78 veterans in the cemetery that will be getting wreaths.

December 13 & 27 - Fulton Recycling Saturdays 7am-noon at the town hall 1168 Bear Ladder Rd.

December 14 – Last day in 2025 that the Richmondville Antiques & Flea Market is open.

December 18 – Summit Town Board meeting 7pm at town hall.

December 25 - Christmas

History

November 14, 1929 Stamford Mirror-Recorder – Summit - Mrs. Celia Smith of Binghamton visited her sister Mrs. Lottie Collington.- Clifton Whitbeck visited his sister. Mrs. Robert Ryder of Ames. - Bert Tinklepaugh and family entertained company from Schenectady over the week end. - There will be a Thanksgiving dinner in the basement of the Summit M. E. Church on Thanksgiving day. November 28th. Everybody is invited to come. - John Whitbeck has purchased the Round Top farm of Frank Wayman of Summit.

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Kylie Soucia playing the part of Virginia saying her line for a play she's in at her school. Photos by Robert Duso.

Kyrie Gural who's playing the part of the Irish maid Margaret Murphy. Kyrie had the Irish accent perfectly. during the performance of Yes, Virginia There is a Santa Clause by the Theater Project of Schoharie County on Saturday, Nov. 22 at Golding Middle School.

Brian Elder playing the part of Uncle Sam O'Hanlon Virgina's uncle, dances with Virgina when he comes to the house.

Virginia (Kylie Soucia), Ellen Hopkins (Mya Perrotti), and Uncle Sam (Brian Elder) talking, when Virginia ask him if there is a Santa Claus?

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Thank You from the Cobleskill Little League

COBLESKILL — The Cobleskill Little League would like to thank D & D Power for their supporting and helping with our efforts in maintaining the ball field, in keeping it a safe place for the kids to play ball. They generously donated their time and equipment this past Wednesday in replacing three of the ball field light poles that were in need of being replaced.

Photos by Bill Combs.

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Local History - Thanksgiving Week in Cobleskill, November 1945

By Wildert Marte

COBLESKILL — Thanksgiving week in Cobleskill in 1945 read like a town settling back into old rhythms after years of upheaval. The war had ended only months earlier, and the Index carried the quiet, familiar signs of a holiday returning to normal families traveling, church groups organizing suppers, and neighborhoods preparing for a long weekend of company, cooking, and early winter chores.

You could see the holiday everywhere, not in bold headlines, but in the steady run of local notes that filled each column. In Sloansville, the paper reported that Mr. and Mrs. Charles Somers planned to spend Thanksgiving in Cherry Valley, joining relatives for the long weekend. Mrs. Floyd Harrington made her own pre-holiday visit among friends, and several families arranged to host returning servicemen home for their first Thanksgiving since V-J Day. These were short mentions, but they carried weight in a year when an extra seat at the table meant something again.

Church life reflected the same rhythm. The Methodist societies had just completed their annual meeting, reporting the largest offering ever given a fitting note heading into a season built on gratitude. The Zion Lutheran Church announced its Thanksgiving week services, underscoring how worship still framed the holiday for many households. Preparations for church suppers and socials came through the columns, from roast beef events to women’s society meetings where pies, place settings, and serving shifts were finalized for the week ahead.

Thanksgiving also had a practical side. In the rural notes from Bramanville and Central Bridge, the paper mentioned young men helping neighbors draw winter firewood and families finishing their butchering and canning before holiday company arrived. Even these small lines felt like part of the week chores wrapped up just in time for a table set with turkey, squash, and

pies that didn’t need ration stamps anymore. The holiday spirit blended into community traditions already beginning to gather momentum. The annual Christmas Seal drive launched that same week and was described as an effort “vital to the fight against tuberculosis.” The long list of district chairmen from East Cobleskill to Jefferson showed how the Thanksgiving season fed directly into charitable work, as households prepared donations alongside their holiday shopping and cooking. It was a reminder that the end of November always brought both gratitude and giving.

Social gatherings filled the rest of the news. Families welcomed sons discharged from the military, including Sgt. Donald Kane in Central Bridge, whose return turned Thanksgiving into a homecoming. In other neighborhoods, relatives arrived from Schenectady, Albany, Glens Falls, and Oneonta travel plans that made up their own kind of holiday map. Even the smallest notes Mrs. Minnie Guernsey returning from a weekend away, or neighbors exchanging visits captured

how the week moved: busy kitchens, cars packed for short drives, and porch lights burning a little longer as guests came and went. And in the middle of it all, the clubs completed their final preparations. The W.S.C.S. celebrated an “unprecedented crowd” at its turkey supper, serving over 350 people and raising $414 numbers that stood out in the paper as a sign of a community ready to gather again. Other church classes held parcel-post sales, decorated halls, and planned early-December socials, but Thanksgiving marked the moment when neighbors first came together after the long autumn.

Looking back at the November 22, 1945 paper, Thanksgiving wasn’t an announcement it was a feeling woven through every line. Families traveling, churches opening their doors, servicemen returning home, societies cooking for hundreds, and the first signs of Christmas charity all moved together. It was a holiday held close, warm, and steady one that meant a little more in a year when whole families could finally sit down at the same table again.

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Fire Strikes Harmony Acres

Credit to our own Robert Duso for these shots from the fire at the former Harmony Acres on Union St. in Cobleskill Monday on a cold night. Volunteers help when is needed most, anytime of day.

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Local History at the Old Stone Fort - Dental Keys & Rocking Chair

Dental (Tooth) Keys

Used for pulling out teeth during the 18th and 19th centuries at the Old Stone Fort in Schoharie sent to us by Site Administrator Clay Edmunds. Their handles were commonly made from wood or ivory. Dental Keys use dwindled during the 19th century due to the increasing use of forceps.

Rocking Chair

Owned by David Ellerson who served in Morgan's Rifle Brigade during the American Revolution along with Timothy Murphy. Ellerson also helped defend the Middle Fort during the 1780 Johnson Raid. The chair's finished wood features a split cane seat and backrest, patterned in a

herring bone style.

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Around the Neighborhood -Summit By Angela Clapper

Hello readers! My name is Angela (Whitbeck) Clapper. I have been a resident of the town since September of 2004. We began as renters, then purchased our first home in Janesville November 2005 and our second home December 2012 in Hyndsville. We enjoy this small town and have been raising our two boys here, Dalton and Larson.

Some town news: Tony Kuleza won the election for our town Highway Superintendent on November 4, 2025. He has since stepped down. I would like to thank him for his service in this position. Well wishes to him and his family.

Chad Evans was appointed to fulfill the remainder of the term from November 25th December 31st. Tony officially won the election so he will take office again Jan. 1st and either take his Elected position back or resign again which the board will then again have to make an appointment to fulfill his vacant term.

There was a combine fire on Lowe road. Mr. Barbic was chopping his soy bean and this incident occurred. He is safe and no one was harmed. Sending him and his family prayers. Very thankful he was not hurt.

Looking for something to do? Cobleskill Christmas parade December 6, on main street at 5:00 p.m. Then stop on in to the Cobleskill Fire Department for different activities. Sunday December 7 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Come on down to the Richmondville Volunteer Rescue Squad. Wheels for The Community is holding a family event. There will be vendors, free crafts for kids, meet and greet with Santa and the Grinch.

Looking to help your community? The Farm Bureau meeting will be held at Serious Brewing Company December 11 at 7:30 p.m.

Business Spotlight: Seward may be small but there are many businesses in it. For instance, I run a small cottage bakery. Pig Out. It is made to order, sourdough bagels, jumbos, cookies, cakes, brownies, bread and more. Wish to make an order? Call 518-337-3722.

Lastly, we would like to say happy 13th birthday to our son Larson! He will be 13 on December 6.

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Bonczkowski Drops 16 as Tigers’ Late Rally Comes Up Short at Sage, 71-68

COBLESKILL – The SUNY Cobleskill women’s basketball team put together a big fourth-quarter run Monday night inside the Kahl Campus Center, but their late push came up just short in a 71–68 finish against Russell Sage.

Hannah Bonczkowski (Gilbertsville, NY) kept the Tigers within striking distance all night, leading the way with 16 points, four rebounds, two steals, and four made threes, including two clutch triples in the final minute. First-years Sydney Delisle (Mechanicville, NY) and Kate Hadwen (Fair Haven, VT) continued to shine, each finishing with 14 points. Delisle added seven rebounds and an assist, while Hadwen contributed four boards and two assists.

Kayleigh Bryant (Schenevus, NY) anchored the interior with seven rebounds, two blocks, two steals, and four points, and Zaylee Ramos (Worcester, MA) chipped in six points and four rebounds.

Cobleskill shot 35.2 percent from the field (25-71) and a strong 37.9 percent from three (11-29). Sage countered with 36.9 percent overall (24-65) and 29.4 percent from deep (5-17), but the difference came at the free-throw line, where the Gators went 18-for-23 compared to Cobleskill’s 7-for-9. The Tigers’ bench was a major boost once again, outscoring Sage 40–11, while the Gators edged the rebounding battle 49–46. Cobleskill’s defense forced 14 turnovers that they turned into 19 points.

The Tigers weathered an early Sage run, with Bonczkowski drilling a deep three to keep things within reach before the Gators took an 18–10 lead after the first. Ramos opened the second quarter with a strong drive to the rim, and Cobleskill caught fire midway through the period. Delisle and Hadwen buried back-to-back threes, sparking a 6–0 burst that pulled the Tigers within 29–24. Another quick run trimmed the gap to 31–28 before Sage took a narrow 36–31 lead into halftime.

Delisle opened the third quarter with a three to make it 38–31, but Sage responded with a big push, stretching their lead to 51–35. Cobleskill refused to fold, closing the quarter on an 8–0 run behind a deep Bonczkowski three and a Hadwen and-one, cutting the deficit to 51–43 entering the fourth.

The Tigers came out firing in the final frame. Hadwen, Delisle, and Emilie Eritano connected on three straight threes, trimming the gap to 53–52 just two minutes in. Cobleskill finally pulled even at the 5:46 mark on another Hadwen and-one. Sage responded with a late 6–0 stretch, but Bonczkowski answered with back-to-back clutch threes to make it a 68–66 game with 21 seconds left.

Cobleskill had one last look with seven seconds remaining, but the potential game-tying shot at the buzzer bounced off the rim as Sage escaped with the 71–68 finish.

Up Next

The Fighting Tigers return home on Friday, December 5, for a 7:30 p.m. North Atlantic Conference matchup against VTSU–Lyndon in the Iorio Gymnasium.

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Christmas Bazaar & Bake Sale Dec. 6

COBLESKILL — There will be a Christmas Bazaar and Bake Sale at the Lawyersville Reformed Church Hall at 109 Philip Schuyler Road in Cobleskill Saturday, Dec. 6 from 9am to 2pm with a snow date of Dec. 13.

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Christmas Season Coming to Cherry Valley This Weekend

CHERRY VALLEY - The Christmas season is officially coming to Cherry Valley this weekend starting with a tree lighting and parade Friday night.

The 34th annual Cherry Valley Holiday Weekend will run from 5 to 9pm on Friday and from 10am to 5pm on Saturday and Sunday.

The historic businesses invite you to join in a cherished community tradition.

It kicks off Friday with a delightful array of events and activities spread throughout the village and town.

The highlights of the weekend include a tree lighting ceremony, live music, raffles and prizes, and workshops and activities.

The tree lighting will be at 6pm along with a tractor parade, Santa, Holiday Karaoke, hot drinks, the Happy Haggs, and a fire dancer. There will be live music at the Red Shed on Main Street, a marketplace at 25 Main Collective, and an open mic sponsored by the Telegraph School.

Help them decorate the village Christmas tree on Friday.

Please join them Friday at 5pm, before the Cherry Valley Tractor Parade and Tree Lighting Ceremony, to decorate the tree and the gazebo together.

The big snowstorm has kept the village employees very busy and they need your help to get ready for the holidays.

All the decorations are provided.

On Saturday, there is a free event from 1-3pm on Saturday, December 6 and make a snow flake with bead and wire with Amanda. All materials supplied.

Father Christmas will be at the Cherry Valley Museum on Saturday from 1 to 3pm.

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County Board Approves Budget With 8.17% Tax Increase

A large crowd attended the Nov. 21 Schoharie County Board of Supervisors meeting where the 2026 budget was adopted. Photo by Chris English.

By Chris English

SCHOHARIE COUNTY — One of the largest turnouts in recent memory saw the Schoharie County Board of Supervisors at its Friday, Nov. 21 meeting adopt a $104.39 million 2026 budget with an 8.17 percent property tax increase.

The county will use $5.5 million in fund balance, or surplus, to avoid an even steeper hike. A tax increase ranging from about 12 to 16 percent was discussed at a Nov. 10 public hearing, but the Finance Committee chaired by Supervisor Alex Luniewski and other county officials worked hard to bring the final increase down.

"This Finance Committee has worked so hard, weekends, evenings, etc.," BOS Chairman Bill Federice said. "They deserve a lot of credit."

The high tax increase is a product of county expenses going up in nearly every area, officials have said.

"These guys (Finance Committee) have left no stone unturned," Supervisor Donald Airey said. "For the past six or seven years the tax levy (increase) has been flat or very low. We've used the fund reserve to protect taxpayers, but we knew at some point it was going to come back."

Luniewski said the total fund balance currently stands at $33 million but much of that money is committed to other areas and at the end of the day including the $5.5 million being used to balance next year's budget, there will be about $6 million left.

During Privilege of the Floor at the Nov. 21 meeting, county retirees Connie Skinner and Marjorie Troidl stood up to protest a proposal to have retirees contribute 5 or 10 percent toward their health insurance premiums, a move estimated to save the county between $119,000 and $139,000. The proposal was not approved at the Nov. 21 meeting and retirees will continue having no contribution.

"It's very upsetting when we hear that benefits we all worked for are being taken away," Troidl said. "We worked for less of an annual salary because we had a benefit that was good. The small amount of money you will save is not worth upsetting this many people."

Skinner had similar thoughts, speaking before the motion to have retirees contribute toward their health insurance premiums was rescinded.

"It's really sad that myself and fellow retirees have to stand before you asking you not to take away benefits," she said.

Luniewski lamented the false rumors going around that the county planned to do away with health insurance for retirees, a program called NYSHIP.

"All we were looking for was a minor contribution because if not it would be passed on to taxpayers," Luniewski said. "There was no plan to take away NYSHIP."

Budget or finance-related motions passed at the Nov. 21 meeting were:

To switch employee health insurance plans in 2026 from CDPHP to MVP with an individual's deductible of $200 and a family's deductible of $400 in 2026, with an individual's deductible of $250 and a family's deductible of $500 in 2027 and forward.

To add the following positions to the list of exemptions from this year's hiring freeze: One dispatcher in Communication, one full-time and one part-time bus driver in Transportation and one part-time Aging Services Specialist in the Office For The Aging.

At the Nov. 10 public hearing, the Board of Supervisors had enacted a hiring freeze for the rest of this year, with the exceptions of a new Department of Public Works Commissioner, corrections officers, mental health department staffers and EMTs and Paramedics.

Other finance-related motions approved at the Nov. 21 meeting were:

Delay hiring until the second quarter of 2026.

Approve all open items in the 2026 budget.

To exempt the Communications E911 Department from the hiring freeze.

To exempt the District Attorney's Office from the hiring freeze.

To exempt drivers and bus drivers in the Transportation Department from the hiring freeze.

To create a Fire Training Reserve Account and fund it.

In some other actions from the Nov. 21 meeting, the BOS approved the appointment of Tiffany LeRoy of the Town of Cobleskill as the county's new Director of the Real Property Tax Service Agency for a term retroactive to Oct. 14 and expiring Sept. 30, 2030. Her starting annual salary will be $83,909.

Also approved was the appointment of Robert Breglio as an alternate member of the Schoharie County Planning Commission.

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Construction On Sharon Springs Inc. Could Start In Spring

By Chris English

SHARON SPRINGS — Building could commence on the Sharon Springs Inc. project in the spring, a representative for the developer said at the Wednesday, Nov. 19 meeting of the Sharon Springs Joint Planning Board.

The project is a redevelopment and Revitalization of the Imperial Baths site on Main Street in the Village of Sharon Springs. The joint planning board would have to grant site plan approval before anything can proceed.

The representative originally said he hoped construction could start in late February or March but quickly added "as soon as the weather breaks" when reminded how long winters can sometimes be in Schoharie County. Discussion at the Nov. 19 JPB meeting centered on rehabilitation of the Imperial Building, which is slated to include installation of a restaurant open to both guests and the general public, sauna, gift shop and other elements. Construction should take about 120 days once it starts, the representative said.

In other news from the Nov. 19 joint planning board meeting, there was brief further discussion on the Sharon Solar Vista project, a proposal to build a five megawatt solar energy facility on about 9.5 acres of the Helen Roberts Farm on Slate Hill Road.

Chad Dickason, owner of Free State Solar LLC and Sharon Solar Vista that is building the facility, said there is going to be a switch on the solar panels from a fixed tilt to a tracker system that can follow the sun and produce more power and add value to the project.

Dickason said he and others are working hard to minimize the visual and other impacts of the project, and are also working on a new decommissioning plan.

"It's important to me that we do everything we can to mitigate the impact on neighbors," he said. "We will be back when we have more to talk about."

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Local Mechanic Opens Mobile Shop

SCHOHARIE COUNTY — Local mechanic Cody Phillips announced that he is opening a new mobile shop for those in need of maintenance work, fabricating, welding, and mechanical repair. FBN Mechanical will travel to you and have the means to have important equipment trailered to the site. Call 518-245-6712 or email gabrielle.phillips@FBN-mechanical.com for more information.

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Recent Articles

Around the Neighborhood - Summit

Written By The Mountain Eagle on 12/8/25 | 12/8/25

Thank You from the Cobleskill Little League

Local History - Thanksgiving Week in Cobleskill, November 1945

Fire Strikes Harmony Acres

Local History at the Old Stone Fort - Dental Keys & Rocking Chair

Around the Neighborhood -Summit By Angela Clapper

Bonczkowski Drops 16 as Tigers’ Late Rally Comes Up Short at Sage, 71-68

Christmas Bazaar & Bake Sale Dec. 6

Christmas Season Coming to Cherry Valley This Weekend

County Board Approves Budget With 8.17% Tax Increase

Construction On Sharon Springs Inc. Could Start In Spring

Local Mechanic Opens Mobile Shop

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