2007 brought more than its share of highs--and lows.
Here's a look back at the first six months and what we remember best.
Next week we'll kick off 2008 with highlights of July through December.

January 2007
For being the man who went to the meetings that started the website that led to the group that pushed New York City into fast-forwarding repairs to the Gilboa Dam, Schoharie’s Lester Hendrix was chosen as the 2006 Times Journal Star.
Long-time Department of Motor Vehicles representative Indica Jaycox is the new Schoharie County Clerk. She was appointed by outgoing Governor Pataki. The appointment was somewhat of a surprise since Gary Hayes of Middleburgh was the person selected by a meeting of Republican committeemen to replace Peter Lopez.
The Sharon Springs Joint Fire District is celebrating the arrival of its new truck, a 2006 Pierce pumper that will be used primarily as a supply truck and for fighting brush fires. The custom-order truck replaces a ’78 Dodge pumper.
A shoulder-to-shoulder crowd watched the swearing in of Peter Lopez, Schoharie County’s first assemblyman in more than 20 years. County Judge George Bartlett administered the oath of office, Jim Crum sang “The Star Spangled Banner,” and Sister Joan Curley of St. Joseph’s Church gave the benediction.
Eric Stein is the new president of the Schoharie County Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Stein, CEO at Bassett Hospital of Schoharie County, took over from Jim Gaw, Chamber president the last two years.
The Village of Cobleskill decided again to keep its water in the Village of Cobleskill. Mayor Mike Sellers, and Trustees Carol McGuire, Sandy MacKay and Rebecca Thillet all voted not to grant a request from Lancaster Development of Richmondville to purchase village water through an expanded Warnerville Water District.
Bassett Hospital of Schoharie County became Cobleskill Regional Hospital. The hospital will keep its affiliation with Bassett Healthcare.
Describing the burglar as neat and even polite, police are looking for someone who broke into 14 businesses. The burglar took only paper money, about $3000, from businesses in Cobleskill and along Route 7 to Central Bridge on the nights of January 20-21 and 21-22.
Mark Eamer is the new president of Cobleskill Partnership Inc. He replaces Donna Lavigne in the volunteer post. Ms. Lavigne, president for six years, will remain on CPI’s board of directors.
February 2007
In a project nearly a decade in the planning, the Cobleskill Community Library made a temporary move to the old Lewin dealership on Barnerville Road while some $1.6 million in repairs and renovations are made to the building that’s housed it since the 1930s.
The Village of Cobleskill considered rewriting a 100-year-old agreement with the Cobleskill Fairgrounds that trades free water for the Fair for an easement for the lines supplying the rest of the village.
Schoharie County has sent its first Empire Zone project to the state, where final approval is expected for Kintz Plastics’ expansion plans.
The Schoharie Valley Concert Band honored three young musicians at the annual Donald Webster solo Festival. They were: Sarah Ellis, flute soloist from Schoharie High School; freshman flutist Jared Harrison from Cobleskill-Richmondville High School; and Daniel Kozak, a sixth grade trumpet player from Cobleskill-Richmondville Central School.
What was one of the worst blizzards on record passed fairly quietly in Schoharie County. Howes Cave topped the charts with 38.3 inches, Summit had 36, and Fulton, Gilboa, Cobleskill, Seward, Jefferson and Richmondville in the low 30s, according to the National Weather Service.
Schoharie County Supervisors named Thomas Fagnani of Schoharie as the new commissioner of public works. Mr. Fagnani had been the department’s deputy com-missioner for almost seven years. He takes over for County Treasurer Bill Cherry who had been acting commissioner since the resignation of Wayne Palmatier.
March 2007
Howe Caverns, Schoharie County’s major tourist attraction and one of its largest employers, has been sold to Wright-Galasso Inc., a local investor group comprised of Charles Wright and Emil Galasso. Last spring, Howe Caverns’ General Manager John Sagendorf and his wife, Susan, made a bid to buy the Caverns, but the deal didn’t go through.
Crews were working to try to dislodge ice clogging four large siphons at the Gilboa Dam. Once cleared, the siphons will be used to lower the water level in the Schoharie reservoir to reduce the risk of flooding when the snow melts and the spring rains come.
In what could be the last chapter in the long case of convicted sex abuser Patrick Cascanet, the former security guard and private investigator was sentenced to two more years in state prison. Cascanet, 54, who was also a former investigator for the Schoharie County Department of Social Services, is already serving 10 years in prison.
In what police called “unfortunate acts of stupidity,” a spree of arson, vandalism and burglary led to the arrest of three Cobleskill men, Alexander Becker, David Brinkman and Matthew Jones. They were accused of burning cars, and vandalizing vehicles in the villages of Cobleskill and Richmondville and the towns of Carlisle, Seward and Cobleskill.
A Cobleskill man in jail on charges of beating a man who later died last October, has been offered a plea bargain that would put him behind bars for the next 18 years. Miguel Carmona III, 19, was indicted in the death of Jesse Schuyler of Cobleskill.
Picture Perfect Lawn & Landscape Supply opened in the Old Mill store on Route 30 in Schoharie. There to serve customers will be Ray VanderVeen, Rob VanderVeen and Mike Griffin.
SUNY Cobleskill’s Early Childhood Department honored this year’s Notable Women at a luncheon. Those recognized for leadership and service are Mary Phillips, Angeline Fornoff, Sandra Manko, Lorene Barone and Doris Wood.
A downtown farmers’ market that will offer everything from produce to jewelry is planned for the parking lot at the corner of Union and Main Streets in Cobleskill. Niles McGiver, a member of the village planning board, has been working on the market for several months and he believes the Renaissance Farmers’ Market will be well-received.
Six mayors of Schoharie County participated in the national “Mayors for Meals” campaign designed to publicize the Home-Delivered Meals Program. They were Omer Cousineau, Mike Sellers, John Borst, Kevin Neary, Bill Ansel-McCabe and Steve Miller.
Good food and good times for a good cause was the theme for the Schoharie County ARC as it hosted its Legacy of Love Celebration 2007 at the SUNY Cobleskill ballroom. Two bands, Flame and Neil Brown and Friends provided the music. Lydia Kulbida of WNYT was the master of ceremonies.
April 2007
Volunteers turned out to break ground on a new piece of history at the Cobleskill Fairgrounds: The Historic Treasures Museum. Among those on hand for the ceremony were Coordinator Hope Coons, Morris Coons, Joan Palmer, Neil and Bev Stanton, Ginny and Ray Fernandez, Henry and Mona Whittaker, Dwight Harpp, Lavina Mulbery, and Loren and Ruth Guernsey.
A shareholder is Howe Caverns for more than 50 years, Margaret Bliss of Middleburgh is leading a fight to keep the Caverns from being sold to Emil Galasso and Charles Wright.
Bob LaPietra’s vocal Tea Party won’t be allowed to use the Cobleskill Fire House because of a village policy that bans its use by political parties. That’s the decision made by Mayor Mike Sellers and trustees.
The investors hoping to re-establish Sharon Springs as a resort community said at a presentation that they will begin by renovating and restoring the Imperial Baths and Adler hotel. They said work on the first phase could begin in 2008 and will take at least a year and a half to complete.
Earl VanWormer, Chairman of the Schoharie County Board of Supervisors, and Steve Barrie Sr. of Mid-State Communi-cations announced the in-stallation of the first siren for the early warning system along the Schoharie Creek, which is to be used in the event of a failure at the Gilboa Dam.
Jean Bakkom and Harrie Washburn, both of Sharon Springs, were honored by the Captain Christian Brown Chapter National Society American Revolution at a luncheon held at the Sharon Reformed Church. They were presented with the National NSDAR Award for Community Service recognizing their efforts involved in the moving of the Sharon Springs Free Library to its present location.
After 41 years, Cobleskill’s Eden Park will close its doors in July, as announced by CEO Scott Hoffman. As CEO of the family-run business, Mr. Hoffman said he made the decision to close Cobleskill’s Eden Park after they were unable to sell it as part of a package of facilities.
Cobleskill Regional Hospital Auxiliary volunteers who logged 1000 hours or more were honored at a Volunteer Recognition Luncheon: Jane King, Marion Latham, B.J. Tissiere, Aggie Scott, Janet Gorton and Mary Miller.
May 2007
Baseball season got off to a great start in Cobleskill. Led by the Cobleskill Exchange Club, players and coaches held opening day ceremonies at Dornet Field. This is the 55th year the Exchange Club has sponsored the ball programs which include Little League, softball, minor league and tee-ball.
Lynn Macan, assistant superintendent at Niskayuna, will be Cobleskill-Richmond-ville’s new superintendent. She starts July 2, replacing Sam Shevat, who’s retiring after 20 years.
Kintz Plastics Inc. is the first business to take advantage of Schoharie County’s new Empire zone. County officials presented a “Certificate of Eligibility,” to owner Wynn Kintz, which allows him to take advantage of the Zone’s tax breaks and incentives.
Schoharie County Treasurer Bill Cherry made history when Republicans honored him as their 2007 Republican of the Year. The history part came in because Mr. Cherry’s work has made Schoharie County New York’s first debt-free county. Joanne Smith was honored as Republican Woman of the Year.
The newly-formed Cobleskill-Richmondville Education Foundation had its first meeting and election of officers. Trustees are Steve Cole, Randy Crapser, Dodi Cechnicki, Dusty Putnam, Vice President Harold Loder, Treasurer Paul Murray, Secretary Bruce Wright, President Stanley Kivort, Gayle Westervelt, Jan Gile and Howard Stauble.
What could be the biggest parade Schoharie County has ever seen will step off in Cobleskill on Saturday. The two-hour Armed Forces Memorial Parade is expected to feature as many as 65 vehicles from the Wings, Wheels and Tracks Collection.
Schoharie County taxpayers got a big break as a sale of foreclosed properties netted more than $350,000 and all of the money will go to keep taxes in line.
For the second time in less than 18 months, Middleburgh Central School is seeking a new superintendent. Douglas Kelley, who became MCS superintendent last February, was appointed as Hoosic Valley’s superintendent on May 7.
June 2007
The Marathon for a Better Life was held at SUNY Cobleskill. The day-long event broke all records by raising more than $100,000, all of which go to Schoharie County cancer patients.
In a visit to John Radliff’s Cobleskill dairy farm, Senator Charles Schumer talked milk prices, ethanol, high speed internet access and Sharon Springs, during his hour-long stop.
Members of the Schoharie Niagara Engine Company No. 6 celebrated the department’s 175th anniversary with two days of festivities. Activities included a parade, children’s games, firematics, fire fighting demonstrations and fireworks.
Emil Galasso and Charles Wright, who purchased Howe Caverns less than two months ago, hit the ground running. Since late April, the Caverns has redirected and extended its advertising, started engineering plans to expand the restaurant and extend the Caverns tour, and put in a water line at the nearby Cave House.
Schoharie County Republicans nominated Ms. Indica Jaycox to run for re-election as county clerk. Ms. Jaycox outpolled Gary Hayes of Middleburgh by a 3-1 ratio. Ms. Jaycox has been county clerk since the beginning of the year, replacing Pete Lopez who was elected as assemblyman last November.
Long-time Middleburgh town justice Edward Griebel is retiring at the end of the month. Mr. Griebel, who has served as justice since January 1997, and his wife are moving to North Carolina.
Schoharie Central gave a hero’s welcome home to their own Joe Luz, who had been serving with the United States Army Reserve 399th Combat Support Hospital near Mosul, Iraq since last September. It’ll be another couple of months before Dr. Luz is home for good. His tour ends in September.
John McRae has been named food service manager at Howe Caverns, and his wife, Sascha, has been appointed to the newly-created position of director of sales.