Murder Suspect Released from Jail

By Andrea Macko/Porcupine Soup

SCHOHARIE―The suspect in the November murder of a Middleburgh man has been released from jail.

On Monday afternoon, Michael Todtschinder, 24, of Middleburgh appeared in Schoharie County Court where Judge Ryan McAllister ordered him released because the Schoharie County District Attorney’s Office has not yet presented the case to a grand jury. According to jail records, he was out of custody by 3:20 p.m.

“After the arraignment, the judge holds a preliminary hearing. At a preliminary hearing, you and the prosecutor both present your case to the judge with witnesses and evidence. The judge will decide if there is enough evidence that you committed a crime to continue the case against you. If the judge decides that there is enough evidence, the prosecutor has 45 more days to take the case to the grand jury,” according to the New York State Unified Court System. “If the prosecutor does not present evidence that you committed any crime, the court must release you from custody.”

The release from jail does not mean charges have been dropped or dismissed. Schoharie County District Attorney Susan Mallery did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the case.

Todtschinder is charged with second-degree murder and tampering with physical evidence, both felonies, in the death of 41-year-old Jeffrey Mickle, also of Middleburgh.

Mickle was last seen and reported missing on November 25, leading the Schoharie County Sheriff’s Office to open an investigation into his whereabouts. On November 29, deputies located Mickle’s body in the area of Stone Store Road in Broome. According to the sheriff’s office, Mickle had been shot several times.

Further investigation led to the execution of multiple search warrants and the issuance of an arrest warrant for Todtschinder who was located on November 30 in Dalton, PA. Todtschinder was extradited back to Schoharie County, pleaded not guilty at arraignment, and until Monday had been remanded to the Schoharie County Jail without bail.

Also charged in the case is Walter Fahrenkopf, 39, of Fulton who was arrested for concealment of a human corpse, a felony. According to the sheriff’s office, Fahrenkopf allegedly assisted Todtschinder in hiding Mickle’s body. He was initially arraigned and remanded to the Schoharie County Jail but was later released on his own recognizance. Fahrenkopf is a native of Catskill.

Authorities have not yet disclosed a possible motive for the murder.

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RC Park Eyed in M'burgh

By David Avitabile

MIDDLEBURGH - Radio-controlled cars are becoming more and more popular with children and adults and Chance Smigiel and Talya Shulman are seeking a place to build an RC park in Middleburgh.

Mr. Smigiel and Ms. Shulman spoke to the Middleburgh village board Monday evening and planned to attend the Middleburgh town board meeting on Thursday. 

An RC park would need space for a dirt oval for racing, a drag strip for racing, and a crawler/basher course (rocks, sticks, and more). In addition, there is need for a power source for some track prep and maintenance, and lights, and a shed for storage. Ms. Shulman said.

There might not be space in the village for an RC park, and officials suggested areas outside the village such as near the Little League fields, the Valley soccer fields on Route 30 in the Town of Fulton, and the "frog pond" located at the end of Christmas Tree Lane where the Valley Bible Church was located. Fred Risse suggested the "frog pond" and also said any plans have to go to the planning board.

There is interest in a park and they will be soliciting sponsorships. Mr. Smigiel and Ms. Shulman said they want community involvement. An insurance certificate and an operating board would be required by the town or village.

Though there is not much room for an RC park in the village, board members felt it was a great idea. Trustee Amanda Fernandez said that children in the village need more outdoor activities.

Ms. Shulman said the RC cars are not loud and also gave board members a demonstration of the RC cars in the community room of the library.

The RC park would be great for family involvement and would be "fun" and volunteers "would create something special," she said.

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County Weighted Votes To Be Adjusted

By Mary A. Crisafulli

SCHOHARIE - Schoharie County Board of Supervisors operates off of a weighted voting system. Weighted votes allow for county supervisors to have varied voting power based on how many residents they are voting in representation. The more residents in a town, the more votes that supervisor will receive. Weighted vote calculations are based on the United States of America census report which is conducted every 10 years.

Clerk to the Board of Supervisors Judi Beeler said it has been over 30 years since the weighted votes were calculated.

Throughout the year 2023, supervisors discussed conducting a recalculation, said Beeler. Schoharie County Attorney Michael West is currently researching a possible recalculation of supervisors weighted votes following the release of the 2020 census report. West said he has been a part of the recalculation process three times for the county. He explained that they have always used a percentage of population, around 1%, to calculate each supervisor's weighted vote. This process is simpler than hiring a company to use a more complex mathematical equation to conduct various computer modules which identify scenarios where one town might have tip a vote, explained West. Then supervisors would have a few options of weighted vote outcomes to choose from. This is the process that Delaware County recently conducted using SUNY New Paltz to conduct the recalculation. West plans to reach out to SUNY New Paltz representatives as well as Delaware County representatives to discuss the option. He said, during initial research, this type of recalculation was estimated to cost between $10,000 and $18,000.

West feels the current calculation works for Schoharie County and could be adjusted based on 2020 census data. “The way we do things is rational, it makes sense,” he said. West went on to praise the board of supervisors for the wonderful work they do stating they are usually able to discuss issues through the committee meetings and come to a reasonable understanding, leaving little weight in the weighted voting system, since generally they all agree by time the vote takes place. “It's rare that you run into an issue where we can’t use some common sense,” he said.

West hopes to have prepared recommendations for supervisors to review on a recalculation in the coming weeks.

Schoharie County is the 37th largest county in NY with 621.8 square miles and a total population of 29,714 according to the 2020 census report.

The following chart shows current weighted vote amounts with population numbers from 2000 and the new 2020 census-reported numbers. The census report from 2000 was used for comparison as the current weighted votes were likely calculated using this data. Census reports include SUNY Cobleskill students, however West said the county previously agreed to exclude college students from weighted vote calculation. It would give the town of Cobleskill too much voting power over other towns, he explained was the thought of county supervisors.

Supervisor & Town	Party Affiliation	Weighted Vote	2000 Census	2020 Census
Blenheim Supervisor Donald Airey	Republican	33	330	308
Broome Supervisor Stephen Weinhofer	Republican	95	947	862
Carlisle Supervisor John Leavitt	Republican	176	1,758	1,768
Cobleskill Supervisor Warner Hampel	Republican	481	6,407	6,086
Conesville Supervisor William Federice	Republican	73	726	687
Esperance Supervisor Earl VanWormer III	Republican	204	2,043	1,806
Fulton Supervisor Philip Skowfoe Jr.	Democrat	127	1,495	1,199
Gilboa Supervisor Alicia Terry	Conservative	122	1,215	1,111
Jefferson Supervisor Margaret Hait	Republican	129	1,285	1,333
Middleburgh Supervisor John Youmans	Republican	352	3,515	3,112
Richmondville Supervisor Jeffery Haslun	Republican	241	2,412	2,466
Schoharie Supervisor Alan Tavenner	Republican	326	3,299	3,107
Seward Supervisor Earlin Rosa	Republican	164	1,637	1,583
Sharon Supervisor Sandra Manko	Democrat	184	1,843	1,697
Summit Supervisor Harold Vroman	Republican	112	1,123	1,072
Wright Supervisor Alexander Luniewski	Independent	155	1,547	1,516

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Delaware Academy Receives Turf Field Donation

Plans for Athletic Capital Project Continue, April Vote

By Mary A. Crisafulli

DELHI - Delaware Academy Central School District Board of Education voted to accept a donation from Clark Companies for labor and materials associated with installation, maintenance, and end-of-life recycling of a synthetic turf on the Dave Kelly Field. The donation was accepted with President Tammy Neumann, and board members Seth Haight, Lauren Raba, Kimberly Shephard, and Ro Avila in favor and board members Sean Leddy and Lucy Kelly against.

The contribution is contingent on the approval of a capital project which includes the resurfacing of the track which is located on the perimeter of the Dave Kelly Field.

Plans for the capital project were presented in 2022 which included building and site improvements, development of an agriculture and technology innovation lab, updates to the music and performing arts equipment and auditorium, as well as physical education and athletic field improvements. Due to public concern regarding plans for the artificial turf field, the board opted to separate the capital project into two propositions for the 2023 vote. The physical education and athletic field improvements portion of the project was voted down with 583 no votes and 567 yes votes. The proposition failed by a measly 16 votes. 

It was proposed that the Dave Kelly football field's natural turf be replaced with artificial and become a soccer/football field and LED lighting would be installed. The track surrounding the field would be resurfaced as well. The Dave Kelly field was installed by Clark Companies roughly 25 years ago.

Voters will again see a proposition regarding physical education and athletic field updates on a ballot in April, however this round will exclude the artificial turf work. The board will move forward with plans to install the turf as long as voters approve the resurfacing of the track. Superintendent Kelly Zimmerman said the equipment needed to install the artificial turf would damage the track and it will require replacement. While the project looks roughly the same as previously proposed, the board is still required to hold public forums and informational sessions regarding the project. The board plans to hold the forums in an open house format, said Zimmerman. The forum will include several tables each with information on individual aspects of the project and school officials to answer questions. Zimmerman hopes the forum allows for efficiency and provides more space for specific questions.

Kelly said that while there is a portion of the population that may be happy with the generosity of the donation, another portion was in disfavor of the project because of possible long-term ramifications and its environmental impact. "I voted no because I felt that segment (of the population) had to be hurd," she said. "But I do trust the process."

Raba said the student input on the project got lost during previous public forums. There is huge support from the student body to have a turf field, she explained. "This is an amazing opportunity to have here for our students," said Raba, "My main reason to support it is I believe it will equalize the playing field for our athletes." She continued to add that the artificial turf will allow for maximum playing ability, which is of utmost importance. "They should be out there every day," Raba said.

Haight argued that after conducting diligence with the project, it appears to be the direction of the industry to accept artificial turf as a reasonable and viable resource. "Utilization is huge here," he said, "Our footprint has expanded dramatically over the years with all the additional teams we have added." The artificial turf will be the best and maximum utilization for players. He added that students' playoff games and many away games are already played on turf fields. "If we are not comfortable using ourselves how can we have away games," he asked redundantly. The financials make it even more desirable since there will be zero associated costs to the school or taxpayers. He concluded, "It's really about our students and I feel an overwhelming amount of support from our students."

Shepard said she wanted to make sure the voters had the final say, and she believes they will with the vote in April.

Avila accepted the funding as it addressed her three largest concerns with the artificial turf field which included installation, maintenance, and removal. 

During public comment, Matthew Krzyston said he supported the board's decision to accept the donation. "I think it's going to change the usefulness of a big piece of our property out there and it's going to make school a lot more fun," he said. 

Resident Dominic Morales spoke against the artificial turf. He said while the contribution by Clark Companies is very generous he felt the public concern regarding artificial turf was related more to a philosophical issue of a sustainable future and safety rather than financial costs. "I'm still not for it," he said, "Whatever the vote is I wish everyone the best of luck, in 10 to 15 years I won't be here to see what the results are."

The next regular board of education meeting and budget workshop is Monday, Feb. 26 at 5 p.m.

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EMS Budgets May Be Impacted by Hochul Budget

By Liz Page

Providing emergency medical services has been in critical condition for a while and Governor Kathy Hochul's proposed budget, along with a series of bills being introduced in the state Legislature could help get EMS off the critical list and provide much-needed EMS services to everyone. 

There will be a lot of debate over the budget in the coming weeks and local officials are hoping it leans toward providing relief or as some are calling it "Rescuing EMS"

Delaware and Schoharie counties have been dealing with the difficult ins and outs of establishing ambulance services, as local fire districts and ambulances have been seeking relief for several years, due to lack of personnel. The counties have established county ambulance services to back up volunteer agencies. However, it is a difficult, time-consuming, and complicated process, due to the fact EMS is not considered an essential service like fire and police services.

Making EMS an essential service, will require every county, city, town, and village, acting individually or jointly, or in conjunction with a special district, to ensure that an emergency medical service, a general ambulance service, or a combination of such services are provided. It allows them to establish a special district for the financing and operation of general ambulance services.

That one step will allow EMS districts to be established and provide ways for municipalities to fund ambulances and EMS. 

The state has private, public, or not-for-profit providers attend to demand across the state in a scattered, patchwork approach. It has left residents uncertain whether an EMS provider will be available in their locality, let alone in a time of need. 

Another issue is the existing framework for the provision of EMS. The Governor's budget provides “a coordinated system of healthcare delivery that responds to the needs of sick and injured individuals, by providing: essential emergency, non-emergency, specialty need or public event medical care; community education and prevention programs; ground and air ambulance services; emergency medical dispatch; training for emergency medical services practitioners, medical first response; mobile trauma care.," according to testimony provided by the New York Association of Counties (NYAC)

The Executive Budget provides investments to enhance the EMS statewide, including Ensuring emergency transportation providers are appropriately reimbursed for trips, by increasing Medicaid reimbursement for more complex patients; Establishing a working group to recommend ways to expand access to non-emergency medical transportation; Establishing nine regional EMS organizations that can better coordinate all the EMS agencies and providers operating within their region;  The budget proposes establishing a statewide EMS disaster response system that can rapidly deploy personnel and equipment when and where it is needed during an emergency; Allowing EMS providers to perform expanded clinical care in the community; and,  Permitting ambulances to treat patients in place or take patients to urgent care clinics without sacrificing payment for the trip, decreasing the number of unnecessary emergency room visits. The proposed budget reforms the delivery of public health, including an investment in emergency medical services that increases to an average annual value of over $30 million per year and new improvements to the certificate of need process.

There are also bills introduced in the state Legislature to help facilitate EMS. Those six bills include. special taxing districts, removing EMS services from the municipality's tax cap, making it easier for them to fund expanded services; providing state and local tax credits; increasing the state's personal income tax credit for fire and ambulance workers from $200 to $800 and creating a methodology for Medicaid reimbursements that more closely match the cost of the services.

Stamford Fire Commission Bill Sharick provided a rundown of these proposals during a department meeting this week.

The Stamford Fire Department moved to a first responders unit a few years ago and three towns have been working to establish a non-profit ambulance service, Headwaters EMS, to serve the towns of Harpersfield, Stamford, and Kortright. It is a lengthy, ongoing process. The new ambulance service has resulted in much faster response times, but it is still working towards its advanced life support certification through the state Department of Health. Those involved say it has not been an easy process.

As budget negotiations get underway, it is hoped state Legislators will rescue EMS.

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'How Do I Love Thee' on Valentine's Day

By Liz Page

We don't really know the true origin of Valentine's Day, but many of us observe it. The Baby Boomers began in elementary school when they saved their favorite cards for those they liked the most. My class handed them out to everyone with various messages of love or asking if "You Will Be My Valentine". It was a stress-driven process to make sure your favorite cards with the best sayings got to those you wanted them to.

It was a time to get bags of those little multi-colored candy hearts with messages of love as well. I just learned they are called conversation hearts. They are manufactured year-round and have a shelf-life of five years. So, if you have a bag or two left over, they will be good for quite a while.

Cupid, that chubby half-naked, angel of love, is most often depicted for Valentines, along with red hearts. 

The origins of the day are obscured by martyrs with the name of Valentine and with the advent of spring and Christian beliefs. Saint Valentine is the first spring saint. The day has been marked by feasts. Romance became a part of it because as it was believed it is the date birds start their mating season.

Now it is a highly commercialized, some say holiday, although you usually don't get the day off from work. No longer do those in love have to sit and ponder about how to profess their true love. With a mouse click you can find verses, poems, and pictures, depicting love and your feelings for whomever.

Flowers are a common gift to a lover and chocolate is synonymous with Valentine's Day. If you need some help, there are booklets you can purchase to help you find the right words to send to your loved one, called a Valentine Writer Book,  or there's the novel by Elizabeth Wetmore.

Even my father, a staid Englishman, who didn't say much and certainly not in terms of professing his love out loud, would get Mom flowers and a card. I don't remember any chocolate. Perhaps she hid the chocolate from us.

Now you can get a huge, heart-shaped box of chocolates that you wonder if what is inside is going to be something you are going to like, or if you will have to spit it into the garbage. Some people just press on them to see what is inside and leave them for the next person. 

Red roses are another popular symbolization, although other flowers will do.

I prefer the simpler amenities. A big bag of m and m chocolate-covered peanuts. Save your money on a card or flowers and simply say: "I love you".

Some may say that is too cheap, but is it about how much you spend on your loved one, or that you have someone you love? I vote for the latter.

In the good old USA, it is a $25.8 billion industry (with inflation), with an average of  $185.81  spent per person. My research also referred to the National Retail Federation which indicated that in the last decade, fewer people are celebrating the day, citing too much commercialization, not having a significant other or simply not being interested in celebrating.

Just a few more interesting tidbits about Valentine's Day: Hallmark has reported 145 million cards, not including those exchanged in elementary school, will be exchanged.

Cupid originates from Greek mythology and used an arrow to strike the hearts of people, causing them to fall in love. Please don't do that to me.

And don't forget Fido. According to an article in Good Housekeeping pets in 27.6 million American households will get Valentine's Day presents. That's worth $751.3 million going to the cats and dogs. Of course, some might say they prefer the furry creatures.

Oh, and here's another non-romantic statistic. Those heart-shaped conversation candies got their start with medical lozenges. 

Valentine's Day is the second biggest holiday for greeting cards and teachers receive the most cards if you want a special postmark on your Valentine's Day card, there is a Valentine, AZ, TX, NE, and VA, with VA and TX offering special holiday postmarks.

My research didn't say much about social media, but it will be used to profess love and wish everyone a  Happy Valentine's Day.

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