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CREATE: Annual Artist Members Small Works Show

Written By Editor on 11/22/20 | 11/22/20

Drop-Off Dates - Thursday & Friday, Nov. 12, 13,19, 20
Times: 12:00 - 4:00 pm
Final Submission & Drop-Off Deadline: Nov.24
In Gallery and Via Email
CREATE Council on the Arts announces a call for art works for its Annual Artist Members Small Works Exhibition. This exhibition invites all member artists to submit compelling small-scale artwork of all media- including oils, acrylics, watercolors, pastels, drawings, sculptures in an medium, collage, printmaking, photography.

Works must be no larger than 16" x 20" in any direction, including framing or mounting. The size given for mounting must be the framed size. Height must be given before width regardless of whether the work is a vertical or horizonal piece.

The artworks may represent any subject matter. Works must be framed and wall ready to hang. The exhibition will be online as well as installed at CREATE- 398 Main Street, Catskill, NY for limited capacity viewing.
Works must be no larger than 16" x 20" in any direction, including framing or mounting.

REQUIREMENTS FOR DIGITAL SUBMISSIONS:

Number of Art Works: 2 works per artist member

Works must be no larger than 16" x 20" in any direction, including framing or mounting.
(If you have larger work than size requirement, you can submit 1 large work)

DimensionsImages should be 800 x 800 pixels minimum, maximum of 1200 x1200 pixels

File Type: Images must be saved as JPG, JPEG or PNG

File Name: Please name your files - Last Name-Title-Medium-Size
Example:martin-brooklynwoman-collage-16x20.jpg

Additional information: ARTIST BIO OR STATEMENT

An Artist Agreement Form will available to complete and/or signed when the work is delivered.

Email Submission images to marline@createcouncil.org
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Greene County History Notes: Amos Eaton

Amos Eaton (1776 - 1842).  Courtesy of Wikipedia. 

Submitted by David Dorpfeld, Greene County Historian


Amos Eaton was fairly famous in the early part of the 19th century; however, his reputation in Greene County could be termed infamous for a period of his life.  More about that later.


Eaton was a lawyer, natural scientist, educator and co-founder of the Rensselaer School, now known as Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) in Troy.   He was born on May 17, 1776 in New Concord parish (now Chatham, Columbia County, New York).   In 1799 Eaton graduated from Williamstown College in Williamstown, Massachusetts and was admitted to the bar in 1802.  From then until 1811 he practiced law and worked as a land agent and surveyor in Catskill.  


Facts about circumstances surrounding the next phase of Eaton’s life seemed to be sketchy, but here is what several sources agree on.  During his time in Catskill he was accused by a client of having forged a property release: some articles suggested that it was somehow a political frame up (although there’s little other evidence of any political activity on his part) and that he received less than a fair trial.  After his trail Eaton served more than four years at Newgate state prison in Greenwich Village, New York City.  He received a conditional pardon from Governor Tompkins in 1815 before being fully pardoned by DeWitt Clinton in 1816 or 1817.  As part of the conditional pardon he was exiled from New York State.  


Unable to ply his old professions, he studied botany and mineralogy at Yale College in Connecticut starting in 1815.  He then returned to Williams College as a lecturer and published “A Botanical Dictionary and Manual of Botany for the Northern States” in 1817.  In 1818 Eaton returned to the Troy-Albany area where for the next six years he worked as an itinerant lecturer, ranging from West Point to the Castleton Medical Academy in Vermont.  He also wrote textbooks in chemistry, zoology and geology -- a true Renaissance man.


During this period he became friends with wealthy Stephen Van Rensselaer.  Under Van Rensselaer’s patronage he did geological and agricultural surveys of Albany and Rensselaer counties and along the route the soon to open Erie Canal.  His work was widely recognized and in American geology the 1820’s have been designated as the “Eatonian era.”


To implement his novel teaching techniques Eaton enlisted the support of Van Rensselaer in founding the Rensselaer School in 1824.  They are credited as the founders of RPI.  Eaton served as Senior Professor at Rensselaer for the rest of his life and is credited with training a number of influential scientists.  


A document in the RPI archives says the following: “Eaton’s most significant and lasting contribution was to scientific education.  He developed a teaching theory and methods that focused on ‘the application of science to the common purposes of life.’ In contrast to the then current method of rote, students were to learn by doing.  Field trips were used to gather specimens, experiments were performed in laboratories, and students prepared and delivered lectures with the instructor and fellow students serving as critics.”


Eaton died on May 10, 1842 at age 66.  What an unusual life.  After serving over four years in prison and being discharged at almost 40, Eaton went on to make significant contributions in the field of science and co-founded one of the most prestigious colleges in the United States.  Interestingly, Eaton also had 12 children with four wives.  The first three preceded him in death and in each case he remarried quickly thereafter.  Four of the children were born in Catskill.

.

To reach columnist David Dorpfeld, e-mail gchistorian@gmail.com or visit him on Facebook at “Greene County Historian.”



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Capital Region BOCES, SUNY Cobleskill and business partners team up to bolster the school to workforce pipeline

ALBANY – Capital Region BOCES, SUNY Cobleskill and area businesses Nortrax Inc., a John Deere Company, and Anderson Equipment joined forces on Thursday to once again boost the education of area high school students.

Representatives of the college and business partners met with dozens of students in the Capital Region BOCES Career and Technical School Diesel Tech and Automotive Trades programs on the Albany Campus. In doing so, they showcased some of equipment students could work with, repair and operate should they pursue careers in the industry. A Peterbilt service truck, a Takeuchi mini excavator, a John Deere excavator simulator, John Deere Forestry simulator, hydraulic cylinders and components were all on display and available for students to use and try to operate during the Thursday event.


Ed Wallace, SUNY Cobleskill with Harley Butler (right)


Capital Region BOCES Business Liaison Nancy Liddle said the event was designed to give students real life experiences and allow them to gain knowledge from, and network work with, employers in their programs of study.

SUNY Cobleskill Outreach Instructor Ed Wallace said the college is focused on strengthening its partnership with BOCES and the school to college to workforce pipeline. An example of that, is just recently, SUNY Cobleskill officials helped BOCES earn an Associated Equipment Distributors Foundation (AEDF) 5 year Certificate of Excellence certification, recognizing the its commitment to its students and the development of the industry’s workforce.

“Several students in recent years have come out of the BOCES program and entered the workforce as technicians and equipment operators, several others have gone on to secondary institutions like SUNY Cobleskill. What we want to do is shine a spotlight on the pipeline of school to college or workforce and show there is a way of having a good paying job right in your home community,” Wallace said.

“We are trying to grow this relationship – we want to connect those three groups into one pipeline. Student starts at CTE, they can then graduate and to contractor or go to SUNY Cobleskill,” he added.

Business officials said outreach events with high school students are crucial to keeping the industry alive.

“They are a good way to plant the seeds for students, to let them know what’s available to them, to get them interested in the industry and create the connections for them early on and is a way we can keep them in the pipeline as workers in our industry down the road,” said Jerry Skiff, director of service for Anderson Equipment Co.

 

Students taking part in the event said they thoroughly enjoyed the hands-on experience with the equipment.

 

“It’s cool to be able to see some of the tools that are out there and to get to try them out. I really enjoy this kind of learning and enjoy the feeling of working on a piece of equipment and getting it running again,” said Dan Jones, a Diesel Tech junior from Guilderland.

“I’m a motor head—this kind of stuff is what is going on in my head most of the time. I am interested, literally, in all of this,” added classmate Harley Butler from Schoharie.


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Davenport Man Arrested for Contempt of Court, Endangering the Welfare of a Child

Today, Sheriff Craig S. DuMond announced that the violation of an order of protection in the Town of Davenport has resulted in a Davenport man being charged with criminal contempt of court and endangering the welfare of a child.  


On Sunday, November 8, 2020, Sheriff’s Deputies responded to the Town of Davenport where it was reported that 65-year-old Jack Burgess, of Davenport, NY, had been engaging in on-going communications and the exchange of images with a child victim in violation of the terms of an order of protection issued by the court for the protection of that child.  That order of protection was issued as a part of the disposition of an endangering the welfare of a child charge filed against the Burgess in April of this year.


Upon the conclusion of their investigation, on Tuesday afternoon, November 10, 2020, Sheriff’s Deputies located, arrested and charged Burgess with criminal contempt of court and endangering the welfare of a child.


Speaking on the arrest, Sheriff Craig DuMond remarked, “Due to New York State Bail Reform legislation, Deputies were once again mandated to release Burgess on appearance tickets…another bail reform success story.  Something tells me this 2nd appearance ticket will not change his behavior…it will probably only get worse and just create further victim(s)”.  Burgess is directed to appear in the Town of Davenport Court on a later date to answer these charges. 



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DelCo Chamber Urges Lawmakers to Prevent Unemployment Insurance Premium Hikes

The Delaware County Chamber of Commerce joined nearly 30 other organizations on Nov. 16, in urging state lawmakers to take measures to avoid increases in unemployment insurance premiums that will have a negative impact on already over-burdened small businesses.

Under the leadership of  NFIB (National Federation of Independent Businesses), the Delaware County Chamber of Commerce asked lawmakers to allocate any remaining federal CARES Act funding to New York’s depleted unemployment insurance trust fund and to provide future federal funding to bolster the trust balance to reduce large increases in state unemployment insurance taxes. 

Lawmakers are also being urged to prevent unemployment insurance claims arising from COVID 19 to be included in business experience rating charges and delay any automatic unemployment insurance tax increase or stagger increases over time.
Economic recovery is a long way off with hundreds of Delaware County businesses desperately trying to survive, said Ray Pucci, president of the Delaware County Chamber of Commerce. Unemployment insurance premium increases will further negatively impact small businesses which are the backbone of Delaware County’s local economy, Pucci said.

Between March and September, the New York State Department of Labor has provided almost $40 billion in unemployment benefits to more than 3.3 million New Yorkers, which, according to the Department of Labor, is over 18 years worth of benefits in just over five months. New York has also borrowed $7.9 billion from the federal government to pay unemployment insurance benefits, which will need to be repaid unless it is forgiven. 

With a long road to recovery, New York must make every effort to limit and mitigate damaging cost increases for businesses, Pucci said. 
 
The Delaware County Chamber of Commerce is a broad-based, member-funded business organization that actively represents the business interests of Delaware County to county, state and federal government.

For more information about how the Delaware County Chamber of Commerce, its programs and benefits, visit delawarecounty.org or call 607.746.2281

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Student Charged in Vandalism Case

Written By Editor on 11/18/20 | 11/18/20

FRANKLIN - Sheriff Craig S. DuMond announced that a vandalism incident at the Franklin Central School athletic field last week has resulted in a Franklin youth being arrested and charged with menacing.

On Thursday morning, November 12, 2020, Sheriff’s Deputies responded to the Franklin Central School to investigate an incident involving vulgar words being sprayed on the athletic field with shaving cream.  


During the course of the investigation by Deputies and School officials, it was learned that one of the students involved in the vandalism complaint had threatened another student by displaying what appeared to be a firearm and verbally threatening to use it on that student if he were to cooperate with the police investigation.  Investigation by Deputies led to the seizure of the involved weapon which was determined it to be a BB gun.


On Friday evening, November 13, 2020, Sheriff’s Deputies located, arrested and charged a 15-year-old male with one count of menacing in the second degree. The juvenile was issued a juvenile appearance ticket directing him to appear before Delaware County Probation Department with his parent/guardian at a later date to answer for the charge.


Franklin Central School administration is handling the vandalism to the athletic field by the involved youths as an internal disciplinary matter. 



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WIC Foods Can Supplement Your Thanksgiving Meal

Written By Editor on 11/12/20 | 11/12/20

Thanksgiving is traditionally a time when families gather together to celebrate. This year, the holiday celebrations will look very different for many of us. Many of us are staying home. Because we are staying home, this may be your first time cooking the Thanksgiving meal. Many of the foods offered by the WIC program can help supplement the traditional Thanksgiving meal. WIC offers so much more than formula and milk.
WIC offers a variety of foods in their food packages to help with the meal preparation. The fruit and vegetable benefit can be used to purchase squash, potatoes and cranberries. The bread can be used for stuffing or the rice for a side dish. The milk, cheese and eggs can be used in many ways. And the juice can be a beverage.
If you’re cooking a turkey for the first time and have questions, the Turkey Talk Line has been available for many years to help. Open in November and December, you can call 1-800-BUTTERBALL (1-800-288-8372). Or you can text 844-877-3456. The Talk Line answers over 100,000 questions each year.
The WIC program of Catholic Charities of Columbia and Greene Counties will be closed on Thanksgiving and the day after. WIC is currently doing appointments by phone. WIC offers nutritious food benefits to women who are either pregnant, breastfeeding or postpartum, and to infants and children up to 5 years of age. If you are interested in finding out more about WIC and whether you qualify, please call us at either 518-828-9668 or 518-943-9082, or visit www.wicstrong.com.


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COVID Update from Middleburgh Central School

Dear MCS families,

The district learned of a single positive COVID-19 case in the Jr. Sr. High School on the evening of Wednesday, November 11. Because of this, both the elementary school and the high school will be closed on Thursday, November 12 to allow time for the Schoharie Health Department to perform a situation review and thorough contact tracing.

Please note that out of district students will have school and transportation will continue as scheduled. 

Middleburgh Central School District continues to thoroughly clean and disinfect all buildings on campus, in accordance with requirements from the New York State Department of Health and the CDC. This instance reminds us of how crucial it is for all of us to do our part by wearing a mask, social distancing, washing our hands, and avoiding group gatherings.

It is important to understand that the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and other privacy laws restrict us from disclosing or confirming any identifiable information about a person who has tested positive.

District officials are working closely with the Schoharie Health Department. As we get more information, we will contact all parents with updates and next steps. Thank you for your patience as we navigate these challenging times together.

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New York Creates New COVID Travel Rules

Written By Editor on 11/5/20 | 11/5/20

The Governor has released Executive Order 205.2. Read Here! The Executive Order directs the Commissioner of the Department of Health to modify the travel advisory to state that:

All travelers entering New York from a state which is not a contiguous state shall quarantine for a period of 14 days consistent with Department of Health regulations for quarantine unless:

For travelers who travel outside of New York for less than 24 hours, the traveler does not need to test prior to departure from the state, and does not need to quarantine upon arrival back in New York. However, such travelers must continue to fill out the traveler form upon entry; and shall take a diagnostic test upon the fourth day after arrival in New York.

For any traveler who has traveled outside of New York for more than 24 hours, such traveler must seek testing prior to departure from that state, within 72 hours of departure, prior to arrival in New York. The traveler must, upon arrival in New York, quarantine according to Department of Health guidelines for a minimum of three days, measured from time of arrival, and on day four may seek a diagnostic test to exit quarantine. The traveler may exit quarantine upon receipt of the second negative test result.

The Commissioner may issue additional protocols for essential workers, or for other extraordinary circumstances, when a quarantine is not possible, provided such measures continue to safeguard the public health. Any violation of a quarantine or isolation order issued to an individual pursuant may be subject to a civil penalty of up to $10,000.

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Arrest in Catalytic Converter Thefts

Sheriff Craig S. DuMond announced that a Delhi man is facing felony charges following the theft of catalytic converters from vehicles at a Delhi auto repair shop in early September. 
On Wednesday morning, November 3, 2020, Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 40 year-old David J. Alleyne, of Delhi, NY, on arrest warrants issued by the Town of Delhi Court charging him with two felony counts of criminal mischief in the third degree, one felony count of criminal mischief in the third degree and the misdemeanor crime of petit larceny.
It is alleged that on two separate occasions during early September, Alleyne damaged the exhaust systems and stole catalytic converters from two different vehicles parked at a Delhi auto repair shop.
Alleyne was later released after being issued an appearance ticket directing him to appear in the Delhi Town Court on a later date to answer the charges. 
The Delhi Town Court has also issued an arrest warrant for 21-year-old former Bovina resident Sean R. Gillespie in relation to these incidents.  Delaware County Sheriff's Deputies are currently attempting to locate Gillespie and are asking the public to contact the Delaware County Sheriff's Office at (607) 832-5555, Extension “0”, and report any information that may lead to his apprehension and arrest. 


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Vote in Our Poll: Who Do You Support for President?

Written By Editor on 10/31/20 | 10/31/20



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Obituary: Barbara Rion




Prattsville – Barbara Helen Jaeger Rion, 75, born on July 1, 1945 of Prattsville passed away on October 26, 2020 after a brief illness.

Barbara was predeceased by her parents Herman and Margaret  Jaeger Jr., her husband, Walter Rion, a granddaughter Sierra Thorington, her in-laws Marvin and Virginia Rion, and her siblings and in-laws; Joan Gonzalez, Herman and Linda Jaeger, James Jaeger, Carole and Stanley Sutton, Linda and William Hoagland, Karl Jaeger, and Debbie and Robert Kenneally.

She is survived by her children Lisa (Edwin) Zimmerman, Jr.; Bobby (Sandi) Rion, and Chrissy (Jim) Thorington, along with 3 grandchildren, Kyle and Kendall Thorington and Robert Rion.

She enjoyed spending time with her family and friends and chatting with her neighbors. She loved to bake including her famous lemon merengue pie, and banana and zucchini bread, which was loved by many. She looked forward to following her grandchildren and nieces and nephews at sporting events, playing cards and planting flowers. She especially enjoyed her phone calls from her nephews and nieces and her love of Fireball mixed with Rum Chata. She was the last of her eight siblings to leave this earth and now the Jaeger clan has been reunited! She always remarked, “I know how loved I am.”

A viewing will take place at Decker’s Funeral Home, 5312 Main Street,  Windham on Wednesday, October 28th from 2-6 PM, with a service to be held on Thursday, October 29th at 10 AM at the Prattsville Community Church, Main Street, Prattsville, with a burial to follow immediately thereafter. Family and friends are welcome to gather at the Community Church Hall immediately following the burial for refreshments. Masks will be required.

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Obituary: Pamela Perreault




Ballston Spa - Pamela A. Perreault, 63, died peacefully at home surrounded by her loved ones, on Sunday, October 25, 2020, after a courageous fourteen month battle with cancer.  
Affectionately known to many as Pammy Whammy, Pam was raised in Gilboa, NY, the daughter of Estella (Rogers) Nolte and Kenneth Nolte.  She was predeceased by her father, Paul Clark, Jr. at a very young age.  She attended Gilboa High School, graduating in 1975.  Pam was an account executive in the food service brokerage industry for several years.
She is survived by her loving husband of 20 years, Gregory; loving daughter, Karrie (Will) Ott; son, David T. Shepard; two stepdaughters, Jaime (Heather) Bernier and Heather (Steven) Comstock; loving grandmother to her most treasured and precious gifts, Sienna, Daxton, Tristan, Megan, Camron, and Jilian.  Pam is also survived by her sisters, Paula Tuosto, Darlene (Randy) Briggs; brothers, Joe (Becky) Clark, Tim (Heather) Clark, and Kraig (Stephany) Nolte; and several nieces and nephews.
Special thanks to her sister Paula and all of our dear friends, especially Julie Lynch, Kathy Gower and Mary Kay Greenfield for all their love and support provided.  Thank you as well to Hildegard Medicus Cancer Center, Troy, NY for all of their care and compassion during this difficult time.
Calling hours will be held on Thursday October 29, 2020 from 4pm to 7pm at Armer Funeral Home, Inc., 39 East High Street, Ballston Spa. Social distancing and facemasks are required per CDC guidelines.
A private funeral service will be held and burial will be in Pleasant Valley Cemetery, Ashland, NY.  A celebration of her life will be held on a future date.
In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to American Cancer Society, 1 Penny Lane, Latham, NY 12110 or The Saratoga County Animal Shelter, 6010 County Farm Road, Ballston Spa, NY 12020. 
Online remembrances may be made at www.armerfuneralhome.com


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Obituary: Alice Olive Ostrander



Alice Olive Ostrander, 101, also known as “LaLa” or “Lummy”, of Howes Cave, NY passed away peacefully on Thursday, October 14th, 2020, with her family by her side. Alice was born on April 3rd, 1919 in Catskill, NY to William J. and Agnes M. (Stromaier) Shufelt. She graduated in 1937 from Catskill High School. After graduating she was a secretary for a few years before meeting her husband Lawrence Ostrander. They married on May 29th, 1939.

            Once married they moved to Windham, NY where Alice ran the Wyndham Country Club Pro Shop while her husband was a member of the PGA and taught golf for several decades. Her family built the Pro Den, which is now the Vesuvio restaurant. Once they both retired their time was split between West Palm Beach, FL and the family’s dairy farm in Howes Cave, NY. Her husband predeceased her on October 13th, 1995. After his passing Alice spent several years as a homemaker and being cared for by both daughters. Most of all, she loved spending time with her family. Anyone that knew her knew she was a kind hearted and gentle soul.

            Alice is survived by her daughter, Alice “Irene” Sutch (Horst Prenha); grandchildren Lawrence (Debra) Sherman, Scott Sherman, Heather Sherman, and Joel (Debbie) Sutch; great grandchildren Melissa Keys, Christopher (Samantha) Sherman, Ryan (Sarah) Sherman, Kaitlyn Sherman, Sean Sherman, Sarah Belden (Nicholas Righi), Cody Ganson, Calob Ganson, Connor Ganson, Gerald Sutch, Naomi Sutch, Joelene Sutch; and great great grandchildren Peyton Sherman, Jacob Sutch, Ella Sherman, Adelyn Sutch, Julia Keys, Tala Sherman, Issac Sutch, Emmitt Sherman, Carter Sherman, Evelyn Sherman, and Isabel Sutch.  In addition to her husband, Alice was also predeceased by her daughter, Nancy McQueen Sherman, on March 9th, 2013.

            A period of visitation will be held at Langan Funeral Home, 327 Main Street, Schoharie, NY on Monday October 26th, 2020 from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM. A private burial will be held at a later date at Jefferson Heights Cemetery in Catskill, NY. In lieu of flowers, Alice’s family has requested donation be made to the Schoharie United Presbyterian Church, PO Box 340, Schoharie, NY 12122.

The Langan Funeral Home of Schoharie and the Robert A. Guffin Funeral Home of Cobleskill are assisting the Ostrander family. 
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Letter to the Editor: Support Tague

To the editor:
A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to attend a dedication ceremony for the new paramedic station in Hunter and the unveiling of Greene County's fifth paramedic response vehicle. This event was the culmination of hard work by those at all levels of government, with officials coming together to respond to the needs of the community they serve.
As a town supervisor and resident of the mountaintop region of Greene County, I know just how rural and distant this area is, and that is part of its appeal. The remoteness however, can also be disastrous, adding precious minutes to response times in the event of an emergency.
That is why concerned residents, community leaders, elected officials, including NYS Assemblyman Chris Tague, and our emergency service providers came together to add an additional vehicle to the county-wide fleet dedicated to the mountaintop. This vehicle will operate 365 days a year, available 24/7, and will cut over five minutes off of average response times.
I am proud of the efforts of all involved and am grateful to have been a part of the solution. A special thank you goes out to Assemblyman Tague who worked diligently at the State level to secure a $50,000 grant for the purchase of the vehicle. During his tenure in office, Assemblyman Tague has been an advocate for our emergency service providers across New York State and not only supports legislation to help our everyday heroes in carrying out their duties but also delivers when he sees a need in the communities he represents.
When the health and safety of our residents is at stake, Assemblyman Tague has proven that he will work with local leaders to ensure that we have the necessary resources to aid those in their time of need. This coming Election Day, I urge you to keep in mind the assistance the Assemblyman has contributed to our community and I hope you will offer your support to his reelection effort.
Thomas Hoyt 
Windham


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Letter to the Editor: On Black Lives Matter

Dear Editor, 
As an octogenarian, I've seen and heard a few things in my time but never have I seen such delusional reasoning and hatred. It's hard to understand how a person can say they love our country, if they hate half the people in it. Remember the time when, if we didn't like the politicians who were running the show. We simply voted the "bums” out. 
It seems that voting isn't good enough. Now, it appears in order to get what you want, you can loot and burn down businesses. You can just deface, damage, or destroy statues and monuments you think are offensive. You can spit on, throw bricks at or bottles of urine at, and fire bomb police cars. You can deny someone's freedom of speech, if they disagree with you and if they persist in disagreeing with you. You have the right to be violent. You can even cause them injury because their speech is unworthy. 
I am sure there are many peaceful protesters whose motives are sincere. They seek constructive change and their activities are guaranteed by the First Amendment. Unfortunately, these very same people can be and are co-opted by organizations whose motives appear pure and sincere but upon examination, they are not. 
The tragic death of George Floyd is simply a crisis to be exploited 
Nobody wants to unknowingly be a “Useful Idiot" for someone else's cause. I think it is imperative that we look behind the curtain. We need to find out more about these organizations and who is behind the protests and riots that are tearing our country apart, pitting one American against another. In order to bring about meaningful constructive change, there must be meaningful constructive solutions. The old axiom is: if you are not part of the solution you are probably part of the problem We need to understand the motives, intentions, and the direction these organizations would take our nation. 
Let us look at Black Lives Matter first and examine some of their goals, known facts about them, and some of the statements their leadership has made. 
The stated goals of Black Lives Matter: 
-Advocate the overthrow of the President of the United States. -Advocate skin color reparations. (BLM.Com.) -Advocate for the transfer of property from white people to black people, -Advocate for the disruption of the western prescribed nuclear family structure, (BLM.Com.) -Advocate against religious faith/Christianity. (BLM.Com.) -Advocate for the dismantling of cisgender privilege and uplift black transgender folks, especially black transgender women. (BLM.Com.) -Advocate for the fostering a queer affirmation to free themselves of heterosexual thinking. 
Background info on BLM: 
-BLM is a corporation, its full name is: Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation, 
-BLM has chapters in over a dozen major U. S. cities. -BLM is not a grassroots organization. -BLM is closely linked to Socialism and Communism. 
The U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights has no place in BLM plans. -BLM is big business which is hcavily associated with and supports the Democrat Party, -BLM is a leftwing political movement that will have significant impact on Democrat Party programs. -6 out of 7 BLM members are white and a majority of them are college educated millennial women. 
Video clips of comments made on National TV: 
-We all have seen the video of a group of BLM protesters marching down a street after Ferguson chanting: "Pigs in a blanket - fry-um like bacon". Another chant we've heard: “What do we want? Dead cops! When do we want it? Now!" -The President of the Greater New York BLM said, if the movement fails the achieve the changes they want, it will, "Burn Down the System.” -The co-founder of BLM, Patrisse Cullor, has stated, “We are trained Marxists”. More recently she has demanded the Defunding of the Police, the Abolishment of I.CE. and the Closing of Prisons be included in the Democrat Party Platform. -Susan Rosenburg is the Financial Officer of BLM. She is a convicted domestic terrorist who was sentenced 58 years in prison. She was pardoned by President Clinton. -Recently, I was watching the News from Chicago in disbelief as a Black Lives Matter's member, Ariel Adkins, said:that it was OK to loot because her people needed food and clothes, that looting was a form of reparations and that the stores wouldn't be hurt because they have insurance. 
If black lives really matter, then why haven't we heard them say anything about the black on black crime in our major cities. Bob Woodson, former Civil Rights Activist said, that for every black person killed by the police there are 270 killed by other blacks. Also, in 2018, 52% of the black unborn babies in NYC were aborted. Maybe it is not about All Black Lives Matter. Maybe it is not about promoting justice. Maybe it is not about safe policing. Just maybe it is simply about a cabat of Marxists attempting to tear our country apart. 
Why have the politicians danced around criticizing Black Lives Matter? For the Democrats their silence is a green light for more and for the Republicans, their lack of push-back is also a green light for more, 
If you doubt the validity of this letter, please check it out for yourself. Don't hop on the bandwagon before you know which way the bandwagon will take our nation. Our greatest asset is an informed public. 
Respectfully submitted, 
Frank Masterson, Jr. 
Sharon Springs 


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Letter to the Editor: Barber for Senate

Dear Editor,
For the first time since I was born in the early nineties, Schoharie County will be represented by a new State Senator because longtime representative Jim Seward is retiring at the end of this year. After a lifetime of service to us – not only in Schoharie County, but across the entire 51st Senate District – Mr. Seward has earned a well deserved retirement, and I wish him nothing but health.
This retirement, however, means that voters have an awfully important choice to make on Election Day to decide who our next State Senator will be, and to me, the choice is fairly simple.
Jim Barber’s roots run deep in Schoharie County, literally. Born and raised down the road in Fulton, Jim is the fifth generation of farmers who have cultivated a living from the fertile soil of our blessed Valley. He has not only carried over the legacy of his family’s farm for another generation, but he has provided a source of honest labor and employment for residents over many years.
When Jim has not been busy working on the farm or raising a beautiful family, he has been fighting for our agricultural interests on the state level as the Special Assistant in the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets and on the federal level as the New York State Executive Director of the USDA Farmer Service Agency.
Since announcing his Senate candidacy last year, Jim has impressed me greatly with his depth of knowledge and his truly bipartisan spirit. A graduate of Cornell, he hit the books and proposed a six-point tax policy to shift the burden of crippling property taxes off of Upstate New York’s residents, while ensuring that he will be a voice for us in Albany.
A lifelong farmer and businessman, Jim understands that we need to simplify the regulatory state that New York has become, while ensuring the environment – our most precious asset in the Schoharie Valley and beyond – is protected for generations to come, and that our Second Amendment rights are preserved now.
One of the truly admirable qualities of Jim’s character is that he always shows up for us:
- Whether it be as our local farmer who needs to prepare the farm stand, he showed up.
- Whether it be as our local school board member at Middleburgh Central, he showed up.
- Whether it be as our local agricultural voice in Albany or Washington, he showed up.
- Whether it be as our local candidate for New York State Senator, he showed up.
The same, unfortunately, cannot be said of his opponent, Peter Oberacker.
When it was time for Peter and Jim to debate before the League of Women Voters, Peter claims he didn’t show up because the nonpartisan League is anti-Second Amendment, which makes me wonder how he’ll ever find the courage to step foot in Albany then. We don’t have to worry about that problem with Jim, because not only does he show up, but he does so while standing for our values.
Please, on this upcoming Election Day, head to the polls and cast your ballot for Jim Barber to represent us in Albany.
Timothy Knight,
Middleburgh Village Trustee


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Over 60 Farmers and Producers Across District and State Support Jim Barber for State Senate

Jim Barber, a fifth-generation farmer from the Schoharie Valley running for New York State Senate in the 51st District has seen overwhelming support from farmers across the district and the state. Over 60 farmers and producers have joined “Farmers for Barber” to show their support for Barber who, if elected, will be the only full-time farmer in the State Senate. 

"These farmers understand, as I do, how critical it is that we have a representative in the State Senate who shares our values and work ethic,” said Barber. “Someone who can speak from the personal experience of earning a living as a full-time farmer. We can be sure that Albany will continue to enact legislation that will mandate how we should be farming and running our businesses. I need to be there to represent all of us.”

Farmers for Barber include:

Jeff and Sallee Ten Eyck, Summerhill Farm and Brewery
Kareem Massoud, Paumanok Vineyards
Dave Handy, Sharon Springs Garage
Mark Henry, WD Henry and Sons
Jim and Shannon Hayes, Sap Bush Hollow
Kathie Arnold, Twin Oaks Dairy
Darrel Aubertine
Ed Hansen, Hansen Farms
Ralph Child, Child Farm
Maureen Marshall, Torrey Farms
John Martini, Anthony Road Winery
Mike McMahon, EZ Acres Farm
Kate Mitchell, Chicory Creek Farm
Brian Nicholson, Red Jacket Orchards
John Noble, Noblehurst Farm
Scott Osborn, Fox Run Vineyard
Amy Machamer, Hurd Orchards
Pete Ferrante, Wallkill View Farm
Shannon Finn-Danforth, Cowbella
Allen Gandelman, Main Street Farm
Bill and Jan Gibson, Gibson and Son Farms
Linda Cross, Pitreadie Farm
Paul Fouts, Fouts Farm
Richard Giles, Lucky Dog Farm
Sandy Gordon, Gordon Farms
Ginny and Todd Green, Mid-Lakes Highlands
Kenyon Parsons, Parsons Farm
Greg Coon, Coon Brothers Dairy
Seth Friedman Greentopia Farm
Emily and Daniel Hallahan, Art Farm Flowers
Carrie Edsal, Black Willow Pond Farm
Ilyssa Berg, Painted Goat Dairy
Jesse Pascale, Rock Hill Farm
Chrissy Chiacchia and Holly Kingstrom, Gaia’s Breath Farm
Kate Miller, Weathertop Farm
Dwayne Hill, Shaver-Hill Maple Farm
Corey Mosher, Mosher Farms
Douglas Muller, Hudson Valley Seed Company
Joy Crist, Crist Orchards
Ed King, King’s Ransom Farm
Theresa Pullis, Dream Weaver Farm
Roxana Hurlburt, Hurlburt Farm
Kenny Migliorelli, Migliorelli Farm
Stewart Young, East River Dairy
Fred Wilklow, Wilklow Orchards
Brian Reeves, Reeves Farms
Emily Baker and Graham Savio, Conrad Hill Farm
Jack and Alice Schoonmaker, Schoonmaker Farms
Peter Ten Eyck, Indian Ladder Farms
Sharon Tomaselli, Cooperstown Cheese
Don and Rita Barber, Rosebarb Farm
Dave and Joyce Barber, Breezy Acres
Tom Della Rocco
Mark and Kim Dewey, Dewey Produce
Peter Ferrante
Norman Greig, Greig Farm
Richard Jacobson, Hill Haven Farm
Zaid Kurdieh, Norwich Meadows
Klaas Martens, The Martens Farm
Carolyn and Frank Wellington, Wellington Herbs and Spices

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Letter to the Editor: Common Sense versus Emotions

Written By Editor on 10/30/20 | 10/30/20

Once upon a time in America, common sense was, well, common. But not today.  A friend of mine said in joking: “Common Sense is like a super power, it is unique”.  As we see today’s events unfolding, I have to sadly and whole heartily agree.  Only a few select individuals seem to currently possess this trait that was common amongst our Founding Fathers.
We are in a period of very troubling times for America as well as our Rights and Freedoms.  Illogical, emotional thinking and reactive actions have resulted in the complete lack of common sense to prevail in the face of the chaos that is upon our nation.  While claiming that riots are ‘free speech’ and ‘peaceful protests’, we have seen Governors, Mayors and politicians siding with rioters and looters while allowing law-abiding citizens to be at the mercy of terrorist activities.  We have seen calls to defund/abolish our police departments across the country.  Does anyone really believe this will resolve the problem and appease the rotestors? 

We have also seen an all-out attack on our history and culture under the false premise that removing symbols will erase our history and make today OK.  Our history is what made America great – good or bad – and it is a permanent part of who we are. 

It seems as though many segments of society have been injected with an emotional venom that destroys anything that hints of logic.  Everything from politics to the ‘food police’, with businesses and government agencies in between, react emotionally to the baseless whining of extremists rather than proceeding rationally, in ways that make sense.

The anti-gun / anti-Second Amendment establishment are front and center when it comes to subversives who loudly tell the biggest lies; so loud and so repetitive that low informative viewers, listeners and readers end up believing them. Persistent back-biting, spiteful language and intentional lies have become the way of the world and the more outrageous the allegation the wider it is disseminated. As the old saying goes: “A lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes.” 
 
There are myriad reasons why the situation has developed to where it is now. Pick one – dumbing down of schools, breakdown of the family unit, the overreach of “Big Brother”, biased media with their political agenda, political politicians pandering for votes and leaning whichever way the ‘wind is blowing’, the Anti-Trump factor and, just recently, the COVID 19 pandemic, cancel culture and the BLM movement. 

Law-abiding citizens need to be extremely aware of our actions and how we behave in public and on ‘social media’ platforms. We must be careful of the image we project, lest we inadvertently defeat ourselves in the PR war that is raging against our Second Amendment Rights and Freedoms.  But I am in no way suggesting that we relinquish our right of free speech and expression.  We must aggressively defend all our rights as protected by our Founding Fathers and bestowed upon us our Divine Creator.  When we show pride and respect for everyone’s rights under the Constitution, we not only demonstrate the untruths of the anti’s lies, but we also inoculate ourselves against those same lies.  It’s our PR strategy to combat the assault on all of our rights.

This madness needs to stop immediately and the only way this will happen is if ‘We The People’ – the American law-abiding citizens of every political party or race - stand up and say enough is enough and save our country.  One way we can do this is by voting!  

God Bless our great nation and may she continue to stand for Liberty, Freedom and Justice for all. We can make a difference, IF we stand together. United we stand and divided we fall.

Richard Rossi
Denver, NY

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Funds available for supplies and equipment to help area farms fend off COVID-19

Written By Editor on 10/27/20 | 10/27/20

The COVID-19 pandemic has added a new burden to already challenged farmers. In response, the New York Center for Agricultural Medicine and Health (NYCAMH) has created a matching fund program for farms in Chenango, Delaware, Otsego, and Tioga Counties. The funds help to pay for supplies and equipment needed to prevent COVID-19 from spreading on farm operations. 
Unlike many grants applications, which can be complicated and lengthy, the application process for the Stop Covid On Your Farm program is very simple. 

Fill out a short, easy-to-understand application 
Meet with a NYCAMH Ag Safety Educator at the farm to learn how COVID-19 could spread and explore possible ways to prevent that.
Complete the project and submit your receipts. You are then reimbursed 50% of the cost of the project – up to $1500
 The application includes a list of suggested projects, such as:
Cleaning supplies (soap, laundry detergent, disinfectants, single use towels)
Thermometers and visitor logs
Handwashing stations
Plexiglas/curtain separators
Touchless time clock software/services
Hooks, hangers, lockers for employees
Equipment for improving ventilation or air quality

Because each farm is unique, farms are encouraged to propose projects based on their specific needs. For example, LBJ Farms, a dairy in Delaware County has improved ventilation by installing fans in the barn and the milk house.

“Airflow in the barn and milk room are now amazing after installing the fans,” said owner Steve Bishop.

This matching fund program is made available through a generous grant from the Community Foundation for South Central New York. The Foundation’s program officer, Tina Barber, says: 
“Keeping farmers safe and healthy means they can continue to provide vital food and dairy products to communities experiencing food insecurity.” 
NYCAMH’s Director Julie Sorensen added, 
“The pandemic has presented challenges for all of us. However, given farmers designation as “essential workers” they have had the unenviable task of looking for ways to stay open while keeping workers safe. We hope the funding and technical assistance provided through the Stop COVID On Your Farm Program will make it easier for farms to balance these demands.”
Find an application at https://www.nycamh.org/about/funding-opportunities.php or contact NYCAMH by phone at 800-343-7527 or e-mail at stopCOVIDonfarms@bassett.org  

NYCAMH is a private, non-profit occupational health center serving the health and safety needs of New York’s farmers.


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