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Man Charged with Promoting Prison Contraband

Written By Editor on 9/26/14 | 9/26/14

Sheriff's Deputies charged Gregory M. Duncan, 31, with promoting prison contraband in the second degree after he was remanded to the Schoharie County Jail on a separate charge. A subsequent search of his person by deputies revealed Mr. Duncan to be in possession of contraband. He was arrested at 7:36pm on September 25th. Mr. Duncan was issued an appearance ticket to return to the Village of Schoharie Court on October 13th.

Scenes of Irene: An Unseen Photoseries

Reader Ken Hubert sent us photos that he took of the area during and following August 2011's devastating flooding. Below are several photos of the Schoharie Valley during the disaster.




 Several from Mill Valley Road in Middleburgh.




To see the wider album, click here. For the Mill Valley album, click here.

Press Reports: Howe Caverns Casino Winners in Public Hearing

The public comment period may be over for the four potential casino projects in the area, but that doesn't mean that the rest of Upstate New York has stopped talking about them. The proposals that came before the NYS Gaming Commission had varying levels of public support, but it seemed like Howe Caverns won out, if you believe recent coverage.

The Times Union said that the Caverns project is a clear winner in public opinion:
I'll say this: The supporters of the Howe Caverns proposal have a great case to make for needing a casino's jobs and revenue. Their county, after all, is still recovering from the devastation wrought by Tropical Storm Irene three years ago — which only added to its problems with endemic poverty and unemployment.
TWC News also noted the high intensity among supporters, including the Scary Leg Runners' thirty mile run to the hearing:
Meanwhile back on the road, it's the end of the first leg of the relay and with rain beginning to fall spirits remained high. 
"This is what our community is about, just getting out and doing it," said Pamela Newell, who is running part of the relay.
The Cobleskill paper wrote in a similar vein Wednesday:
Heather Marr, a Schoharie native who's worked at Cobleskill Stone for 10 years, said she sees the project as a way to keep young people like herself here. 

"I love it here and I'm lucky that I have a job I love. I don't want to leave. But my friends...Everything's just falling down. There's nothing here for them. This will bring people in. It will be good for the community."
These reports, coupled with Howe Caverns' recent video ad could be seen as wind in the sails of the project.

Construction Begins on New Cobleskill Stewart's

Written By Editor on 9/25/14 | 9/25/14

Construction has begun on Stewart's new location at the intersection of Route 145 and Route 7 in Cobleskill.



Opinion: Now Move On

Did you hear? Cassandra Ethington has been found guilty of misconduct and removed from her position as County Personnel Director. Credit the County Board for a job well done, even if it took a while.

Still, there is much to be done. Ethington is gone from the office and will no longer be a factor. There will be effects lasting for months and years, revisions to policy recommended by the Fitzmaurice Report and other changes in the various departments.

However, there is a wider County to take care of. While unemployment is falling, it is still unacceptably high. Taxes are a major impediment to local economic growth. Costly New York State mandates handicap many businesses and local governments.

It's time to focus on all of these problems. The new Board, now in office for almost a year, has started on these programs. There's been approval of the Guilford project, hard work in containing taxes, and stiff opposition to unfunded mandates. However, now that the Ethington mess is behind the Board there is a chance to refocus efforts on these causes.

With Guilford filling and new businesses entering into Cobleskill, Middleburgh, Sharon, and Schoharie there is a very real opportunity for the County.

Seize it.

Dogtober Festival Aims to Raise Money for Animal Shelter

All are invited for the first ever "Dogtober," scheduled for Saturday, October 11th from 11am-3pm. The event at the Doc Reilly Park in Howes Cave will benefit the Animal Shelter of Schoharie Valley, the area's no-kill shelter.

There will be demonstrations of working dogs and vendors selling goods.

If you would like to be a vendor at the event, space is still available for a $
25 registration fee.
Please contact Kerrie at the Animal Shelter of Schoharie Valley 518‐296‐8390.
Flea market vendors welcomed, especially with family friendly goods. No Vendor's license is needed.

Howe Caverns Casino Launches Emotional Video Ad

The Howe Caverns Casino project released an emotional plea in its bid for gaming approval. The ad features several prominent locals, including Assemblyman Peter Lopez and Cobleskill Stone rep Chris Tague.

Tourism Magazine Highlights County's Bounty

Written By Editor on 9/24/14 | 9/24/14

Schoharie County has a new, independent tourism magazine. As we reported in March, The Seasons of Schoharie County, published by Cathleen Berry of Grindstone Press & Graphics, has hit the streets. Ten thousand copies of the full-color, glossy magazine are being distributed to hotels, restaurants, stores, and attractions outside Schoharie County. According to Ms. Berry, "My hope is to increase tourism in our unique county through articles and event information that spotlight the hidden and not-so-hidden gems in our region."

Produced completely by Berry, a well-seasoned graphic designer and resident of Schoharie County, this magazine demonstrates what one resident can do for an entire county. It is her goal to "help put Schoharie County back on the map and inspire others to do what they can to improve life for everyone who calls Schoharie County home."

"I'm not done yet," Ms. Berry added. "Next year, Middleburgh will host the Schoharie County Food for Thought Festival, which will celebrate wholesome food through 17 different events taking place throughout the county, on Columbus Day weekend. As committee chair, I invite everyone in the county to participate, either as a vendor or as an attendee." For more information, including sample pages, check out the magazine's Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/TheSeasonsOfSchoharieCounty."

Pharmacy Opening in Middleburgh This Week

Middleburgh will see a return of a pharmacy after almost four years. Located at 312 Main Street the Valley Pharmacy will be opening on Friday at 1pm. On Saturday at noon the drug store will have a grand opening. All are invited.


The owner, Akrum Mourad is excited to serve the community. He said that the pharmacy is "dedicated  to bringing exceptional health services to you."

The pharmacy's Facebook page can be found here.

Schoharie County Unemployment Falls to Lowest Level in Six Years

Written By Editor on 9/23/14 | 9/23/14

The unemployment rate in Schoharie County has fallen sharply, according to new statistics. The figures from the New York State Department of Labor see August 2014 being the best labor market in the County since October 2008.

According to the figures that can be found on the NYS DOL website, the rate has fallen to 6.3%.

Year January February March April May June July August September October November December Annual
Average
2014 9.2% 9.8% 8.8% 7.1% 6.8% 6.4% 6.9% 6.3%




2013 11.4% 11% 10.1% 8.9% 8% 7.9% 7.8% 7.1% 6.7% 6.4% 7% 7.4% 8.3%
2012 12.2% 12.1% 11.5% 9.2% 8.6% 9.6% 9.8% 8% 7.7% 7.7% 7.8% 9.6% 9.5%
2011 11.4% 11.6% 10.7% 9% 8.2% 8.8% 8.8% 8.5% 9.6% 8.7% 8.7% 9.5% 9.5%
2010 11.5% 11.8% 10.9% 9.1% 8.6% 8.8% 8.7% 8.5% 8% 7.9% 8.5% 9.6% 9.3%
2009 10.9% 11% 10.9% 8.9% 8% 8.6% 8.6% 7.9% 7.8% 7.6% 8.1% 9.5% 9%
2008 9% 8.9% 8.2% 6.6% 5.6% 5.9% 6% 5.8% 5.9% 5.6% 6.5% 8.4% 6.9%
With new businesses poised to open, the rate could fall further. Most years see a sharp increase in unemployment during the winter as contracting jobs subside.

The unemployment rate dipped as low as 4.1% in October 2006 and as high as 12.2% in January 2012.

Letter to the Editor: Neid Calls for Pipeline Withdrawal

Late this afternoon the Schoharie County Board of Supervisors passed a resolution opposing any additional pipelines through the county. The final vote came after several false starts in which the resolution was first passed, then withdrawn for reconsideration and finally passed again.
 
The resolution represents another impediment to the already troubled Constitution Pipeline and the more recently proposed Kinder-Morgan/Tennessee Pipeline and underscores the high level of opposition in Schoharie County to both projects. The resolution passed despite reported lobbying efforts by Constitution Pipeline representative John Faso at the County level.
 
The Center for Sustainable Rural Communities calls on the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to reject both the Constitution and Kinder-Morgan/Tennessee projects not only in response to overwhelming community opposition but also in recognition of the negative economic, environmental and cultural impacts they would cause across more than 120 miles of rural New York State. 
 
Bob Nied
Board of Directors
Center for Sustainable Rural Communities

Cobleskill Police Blotter

Monday, September 15, .2014

At 10:55 pm. Cobleskill Police arrested Jonathan A. Mascia, 20, of White
Plains: NY, for Violation of the Village Noise Ordinance. He was issued an
appearance ticket and released. He is to appear in Cobleskill Town Court on
September 30 at 5:00 pm.

At 10:55 pm Cobleskill Police arrested Spencer L. McKaig, 20, of Troy, NY, for
Violation ot the Village Noise Ordinance. He was issued an appearance ticket
and released. He is to appear in Cobleskill Town Court on September 30 at
5:00 pm.

At 10:55 pm Cobleskill Police arrested Andrew C, Caraballo, 21, of Brewster,
NY, for Violation of the Village Noise Ordinance. He was issued an appearance
ticket and released. He is to appear in Cobleskill Town Court on September 30 at 5:00 pm.

Wednesday, September 17, 2014

At 915 pm. Cobleskill Police arrested Chad Corsi, 32, or Carlisle, NY, on an
Arrest Warrant for Harassment. He was arraigned in Cobleskill Town Court and
remanded to the Schoharie County Jail on $2,815.52 due to a Family Court
Warrant. He is to return to Cobleskill Town Court on October 7 at 5:00 pm

Thursday, September 18, 2014

At 12:40 pm. Cobleskill Police arrested Stephanie Goodsill, 19, of Middleburgh
NY, for Petit Larceny. She was issued an appearance ticket and released. She
is to appear in Cobleskill Town Court on October 21 at 5:00 pm.

At 4:41 pm Cobleskill Police arrested Brandon J. Pileckas, 38, of Amsterdam,
NY, for Aggravated Unlicensed Operation of a Motor Vehicle 2nd, Criminal
Possession of a Hypodermic instrument, Criminal Possession of a Controlled
Substance 7th and Petit Larceny. He was arraigned in Cobleskill Town Court
and remanded to the Schoharie County Jail on $5000 Bail / $10,000 Bond. He is
to return to Cobleskill Town Court on September 30 at 5:00 pm.

At 4:41 pm Cobleskill Police arrested Danny P. Rivera, 31 of Amsterdam, NY,
for Petit Larceny and Criminal Possession of a Hypodermic instrument. He was
arraigned in Cobleskill Town Court and remanded to the Schoharie County Jail
on $5000 Bail / $10000 Bond. he is to return to Cobleskill Town Court on
September 30 at 5:00pm.


SUNY Cobleskill Hosting Beer Education this Saturday

SUNY Cobleskill's Office of Professional And Continuing Education (PACE) will be offering Grain to Glass Workshops on September 27th. The event is open to the public. All sessions are free with the exception of the beer tasting, which is $8.50.

Please see the schedule for the all day event below:


Ethington Found Guilty by County Board

Written By Editor on 9/22/14 | 9/22/14

A pared down panel of members of the County Board of Supervisors have found Cassandra Ethington guilty of misconduct. The eight panel ad-hoc jury voted tonight to remove the former Personnel Director from her position.

The vote was a unanimous 8-0. All of the Supervisors on the panel voted to let her go. The trial has been going on for several months. The Supervisors on the jury were Buzon (Middleburgh), Bleau (Wright), McAllister (Cobleskill), Federice (Conesville), Smith (Blenheim), Smith (Broome), VanGlad (Gilboa), and VanWormer (Esperance).

The deliberation took for an hour. Former Schoharie News editor Tim Knight said, "Tonight's verdict was the culmination of many months of investigation into misconduct in County government and tonight justice was done."

Ethington had been suspended from her position since last year.

Vote in Our Poll: Vote for Governor

Vote in the poll on our sidebar for who you would choose for governor. Current Governor Andrew Cuomo clinched the Democratic nomination and will face off against Republican nominee Rob Astorino. Who do you choose?

Poll: High Skepticism Regarding New Pipelines

Schoharie County residents are skeptical about the idea of having new pipelines in the County. There is widespread opposition to the installation of further pipelines and some support for removing those already in the country.

Yes 25% - 45
Yes if deemed environmentally safe 24% - 43
Yes if fracking is banned 2% - 4
No-- we have enough 38% - 68
No-- get rid of the existing ones, as well 8% - 14
Don't know/undecided 3% -6
Total: 180

In another way, the poll could be seen as:

Yes- 25%
Yes, conditionally: 26%
No: 46%
Don't know/undecided: 3%

The opposition to the pipeline plan as currently configured is the strongest portion of the local populace.

Opinion: End the Ethington Era

Written By Editor on 9/21/14 | 9/21/14

Cassandra Ethington's rise to Personnel Director and her seizure of power over the Health Department and manipulation of the Planning and Development Department were a black mark on Schoharie County's history.

Now it's time to erase that mark for the County Board of Supervisors.

With eight members remaining on the "jury," it is their responsibility to make sure that Ethington's alleged misdeeds are confronted and punished. With a decision expected later this Monday, it is time for the Board to fire her once and for all: no more paid suspension, no more delays, and no hung jury.

It's the least that the Board can do, especially after the employees that had to face her wrath, including employees that should not have been removed in the first place. Constant manipulation, hiring of political allies, and the near breakdown of the County's system of government should have consequences.

And if there was anyone else that aided or directed Ethington's reign of terror, they should face justice as well.

Send her out the door.

Letter to the Editor: Why the Lack of Coverage?

Written By Editor on 9/19/14 | 9/19/14

Dear Times Journal,

Shame on you! I am referring to the lack of coverage of the Country Rock the Valley Concert in
Schoharie on August 23, 2014. Just because it was not advertised in your paper, does not mean that it
should not be covered as a popular community event. You also excluded the Schoharie Promotional
Association which puts on events all year long, for free!! There are 16 towns in Schoharie County which should receive coverage in the Times Journal, but it seems that only events in Cobleskill, Sharon Springs and Middleburgh, get coverage.

Paul LoCascio, Pete Bruyn and many others have been organizing the Country Rock the Valley Concert since Hurricane Irene in 2011. They even managed to get a huge concert together that year!!! Together they have raised over $100,000 for the people of Schoharie that were devastated by the Hurricane. The organizers and all the volunteers work tirelessly for months to ensure the success of the Country Rock the Valley Concert and to bring it to the level that it has become today.

All the bands donate their time and ask nothing in return. Maybe in the future the Times Journal could adopt a similar philosophy and help community groups and support them. I understand you are in business to make money, but if an organization chooses not to advertise in the paper, the news story of that event should not be underpublicized.

Although you published pictures of the bed races, there were no explanations as to why they were
taking place. Do you even know why?? The bed races are a fun way to get people out into the village
and have some fun together, while raising money for the Schoharie Volunteer Fire Department. They
still need help rebuilding three years after the Hurricane.

Please do not advertise as “The News of Schoharie County” if the news from the entire county is not
being covered.
Shari Carr
Schoharie, New York

450 Signatures Presented to Middleburgh Against Fracking

Last Thursday the Middleburgh Town Board had a lively debate about the potential merits and dangers of fracking. Most of the conversation warned against the practice, with various fears regarding the possibility of it coming to Schoharie County.

Village Trustee William Morton with the help of several volunteers received a series of signatures asking the Town Board to ban hydrofracking within its borders. The petition specifically asks for the Town Board to pass the "Slottje provisions," written by two attorneys as a watertight law unlikely to be overturned in appellate court.

The 450 signatures represent a large segment of the Town's population, noted Trustee Morton. He stated that upwards of 80% of those asked to sign did so.

In order to pass the Slottje provisions into law, the Town Board must first set and hold a public hearing. There was a lively debate over whether to set this hearing among the members.

Council member Susan Makely said that the signatures represent many people that want something done immediately.

Supervisor James Buzon, who has struggled to convince the Town Board to agree to ban fracking, agreed.

Council member Frank Herodes said that he did not like mention of how natural gas development could affect deer hunting. He said that he did not like hunting.

After a spirited debate, the Board voted 5-0 to set the public hearing on the Slottje provisions. While it is unclear if the provisions will pass next month, it is the farthest the discussion has gone in over two years of debate.

Letter to the Editor: Will There Be Change in Jefferson?

Dear Supervisor Sean Jordan,

When you were first elected, we anticipated the beginning of a new era. An era free of corruption, ineptitude and bias. We welcomed the new leadership and the opportunity to start a fresh, positive relationship with the town. We hoped to see a change in attitude, a fair approach, a new face.
Sadly, nine months later, we have yet to see any indication that there’s been any change in Jefferson. All we see is the perpetuation of old biases, the retaining of unqualified and incompetent contractors, the same old excuses, tired and worn pretexts.

As you well know, the governing body of the Town of Jefferson has been embroiled in an ugly dispute with Oorah for years. Repeatedly and through various means, the town has attempted to prevent our organization from fulfilling its mission. Documents have established that there has been a clear pattern of bias and abuse of power.

Oorah was forced to sue the town four times over the past four years. First because, under former Town Supervisor Daniel Singletary’s leadership, the town refused to issue building permits for properly designed camp structures. The town’s defense was unsuccessful and the permits were issued. Schoharie County Attorney Michael West, who represented the town in that case, later accepted an appointment as an administrative judge, proposing to decide a regulatory matter filed against Oorah by the County Department of Health.  This revealed Mr. West’s disregard for the rules of professional conduct by serving in positions that placed him in a direct conflict of interest. Every decent lawyer knows that you cannot serve as a judge over a party that the lawyer just had a case against. Later, Mr. West reluctantly recused himself when we pointed out the ethical problem, and the routine Department of Health matter was then easily resolved administratively.

Then the town, again under Mr. Singletary’s leadership, twice refused to grant Oorah its tax exemption, and again, lost the two suits filed against it. Town assessor Mark Los publicly stated, “It was worth the fight”. It is difficult to imagine that the town’s taxpayers would agree with this assessment.

In this ongoing fourth case, Oorah seeks certificates of occupancy for its completed camp buildings. The town refuses, baselessly, to issue them. Within the last week, the Supreme Court of New York has issued the third interim order requiring the township to allow Oorah to occupy and use its gymnasium, the primary building in question. Yet the Town of Jefferson continues to drag out the legal process, with no end in sight.

 From the start, we have done everything in our power to bring this case to a peaceful resolution, attempting at all times to comply with the town’s requests and demonstrating our good-faith efforts to move toward a mutually satisfactory conclusion. Our position has always been clear: we are here to make peace.

Every indication had been that you, too, were interested in a fair resolution of issues and putting aside ill will and uncalled-for antagonism. Yet we are sorry to say that those indications seem to have been unfounded.

We had hoped that we would finally be able to focus our time and resources on our vital mission without the distraction of baseless harassment by a town government motivated by bias. Those hopes have regrettably remained unrealized.
  
It’s not only we who deserve a clear answer. Your constituents, the good people of Jefferson, deserve to know as well: Why does its government  continue to waste taxpayer dollars on a lost case? Let the residents of Jefferson know why its political leadership stubbornly continues to fight an old battle which the courts have found to be without merit, carelessly spending tax money on exorbitant legal fees.

The facts of the case are clearly documented. We have been forced by the town’s desire to extend this battle to retain engineers and other experts who have certified that our buildings are safe, but you unreasonably refuse to accept these findings. The courts have ruled in our favor. Oorah, the residents of Jefferson, and the cause of justice are owed leadership that will step up to the plate to end this pointless war. Leadership that will control ethically compromised lawyers and bring the case to its end, as should have happened long ago.

We urge you to take the reins and change the way you will be perceived in this narrative. Will you go down in the annals of Schoharie history as the hero who finally brought an end to this dragged-out affair or as the weak leader who followed meekly in the footsteps of his belligerent and biased predecessor in wasting town funds to launch a losing and hopeless battle?

We would like to see this case settled and leave it behind us so that we can begin a new, improved relationship. But we’ve been mistreated for far too long already, and our responsibility to ourselves, to those we serve, and to those who support our work is to ensure that this illegal and unjust campaign is brought to an end. In addition to the actions already taken, keep in mind that there are other legal options open to us. Indeed, the documentary evidence seems to indicate that such measures will further vindicate Oorah, and expose the town, and possibly its officials, to extensive liability.

We offer peace.  Will you work with us to bring peace to the Valley or will you continue to allow your constituents to fund, and others to wage, this needless, lost war of retribution?

-- Camp Oorah

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