A look at some of the highs and lows...
January 2011
For the first time in about 20 years, and if you live in Middleburgh, you will have to travel out of the village to get prescriptions filled. Valley Pharmacy closed and its staff, including owner Scott Van Kuren have transferred to Price Chopper in Cobleskill.
After eight years at the post, Earl Van Wormer is no longer chairman of the Schoharie County Board of Supervisors. In a split vote, supervisors elected Summit Supervisor Harold Vroman to replace the Esperance supervisor.
A handful of agricultural service agencies are moving in together and relocating from Cobleskill to Schoharie. The Schoharie County Soil and Water Conservation District is one of the agencies that will be in the USDA Service Center being built behind Dunkin Donuts in Schoharie.
The Town of Middleburgh continues to have a problem with pigs running loose on Durfee Road. A resident on the road has hundreds of pigs that are not confined and the roaming pigs have damaged the roads, neighbor's properties and have made it difficult to maintain the road.
Intelligent Fish is a bit closer to coming to Cobleskill, and bringing 50 jobs with it. The company intending to buy the vacant Guilford Mills put $50,000 towards the purchase price, completing the deposit on the sale.
Local loggers gave the Town of Cobleskill an earful over a contract for eight acres of timber at the old Greenbush Road landfill that they argued should have been bid out. Supervisor Tom Murray voted against the December motion to award the contract to Clapper Logging of Cobleskill because he felt it was being rushed through behind closed doors.
Middleburgh town board members agreed to stop charging for state mandated fire and safety inspections. There are about 40 buildings in the town that needed to be inspected according to state regulations. Supervisor Dennis Richards said he was in favor of eliminating the fee to help local businesses.
Inside what was not that long ago a tumbled-down bowling alley, the Sharon Springs Free Library celebrated a Schoharie County milestone, its 100th birthday. Dozens of supporters turned out for the event; Senator Jim Seward and Assemblyman Pete Lopez were also on hand to offer well wishes.
February 2011
One hundred starving llamas trucked cross-country from Montana are getting another chance in Middleburgh. Called the New York 100, the llamas were abandoned after the Montana Large Animal Sanctuary Donations dried up. The animals are being cared for at Wes and Darcy Laraway's Red Maple Farm.
Work crews have demolished an addition to the back of what was once Cobleskill's United States Hotel and more recently, Lambert's. But the Main Street structure will remain standing until owner Mark Nadeau can come up with the $60,000 he needs for asbestos abatement.
Cobleskill Partnership Inc. seated its new officers and board members for 2011 in an organizational meeting. The group re-elected Brian Kaiser as president. Eric Stein is the vice president, Angie Frank is the Treasurer and Maggie Pryor is the secretary. Jacqui Hauser remains as executive director.
A grand opening was held for Mr. B's Hot Dogs and More on Main Street in Middleburgh. On hand to cut the ribbon were Marion Borchert, Mayor Bill Ansel-McCabe, owner Dan Bartholomew and Dennis Doyle. Mr. Bartholomew said his brother, who owns a hot dog truck in Ulster County turned him on to opening a similar business in Schoharie County.
State Police are on the lookout for thieves who stole money and drugs from the Animal Shelter of Schoharie Valley. The break-in occurred at the Howes Cave shelter on January 30. Shelter officials have offered a $250 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the thieves.
Talked about for years, the first of two Cobleskill area bridge closures is coming in less that a week. The Warnerville Cutoff will close February 28 for replacement of its two bridges. The contractor, Bette & Cring, will post detour signs and re-route traffic on Route 10, Elm Street in Cobleskill, and on Route 7.
Pancakes, syrup and good cheer kicked off a new year for the Friends of the Community Library. Hosting their annual meeting, Friends of the Community Library greeted library directors and 50 or so visitors for the celebration.
Agricultural problems were the topic of discussion when United States Senator Kirsten Gillibrand stopped in Cobleskill in her Listening Tour. Among those in attendance were dairyman John Radliff, sheep farmer Linda Cross, dairyman Fred Risse and Richard Ball of Schoharie Valley Farms.
March 2011
From volunteer to grants coordinator to woman-in-charge, Renee Neid of Richmondville is the new executive director of the Tri County Arts Council. Ms. Nied replaces Mark Eamer, who took the position in September 2004 while on leave from his teaching job at Head Start. Mr. Eamer has returned to teaching.
In what's viewed as an unprecedented move, Schoharie County supervisors committed $2 million for water and sewer lines that will aid a private business. The $2 million is part of a $7.8 million package to bring the lines from the Village of Cobleskill to Howe Caverns' major expansion.
Bent against the weather and a steep hill a lone shoveler was spotted going up North Street in Cobleskill after winter's latest gift dumped 15 inches of snot on the village, and more in surrounding areas.
Crews from Economy Paving began work at the intersection of Rose and Bridge streets in Cobleskill in preparation for a rehabilitation of those streets. The project is preliminary to replacing the nearby Route 7 bridge, expected to begin this spring.
There will be no new Stewart's Shop in Middleburgh, at least for the near future. Stewart's officials wanted to buy a piece of property behind the current store on Main Street. Stewart's official Tom Lewis has been trying to negotiate with Fred Bush for the land behind the convenience store.
Newland Development is slowly moving ahead on Cobleskill's newest drug store- and street. The planning board will hold a public hearing on Newland's request to demolish four East Main Street buildings to clear a space for a new Rite Aid.
Even though five teams took home the big bucks, everybody was a winner in a SCRABBLE tournament held at Radez School in Richmondville. Proceeds topped $10,000 for Literacy New York- Fulton, Montgomery and Schoharie Counties.
In a move called for by many in the public Cobleskill-Richmondville administrators agreed to freeze their salaries next year. The decision came at the school board's meeting, the latest session in an attempt to slash costs in the 2011-12 budget.
Faced with deep cuts in Cobleskill-Richmondville's sports programs, parents and teachers are gearing up to keep athletics intact. Those in the All Sports Booster Club's Save Our Sports committee include Meka Osterhoudt, George Bird, Kevin Billington and Jessica Culver.
April 2011
Traffic from the new ARC house in the Village of Middleburgh is causing hazard according to several residents. The bus that stops at the new ARC home on Grove Street leaves little room for motorists to pass.
Now that Aggie Scott is gone, it's up to someone else to make the cookies, cakes, pies, meatballs and sauce that fed local fundraisers for years. Ms. Scott, who many considered Cobleskill's most dedicated volunteer, died last week at age 87.
Officials and friends of the Animal Shelter of Schoharie Valley held a ground breaking ceremony for their new facility in Howes Cave. Those attending included Mark Galasso of Lancaster Development, Emil Galasso of Cobleskill Stone, Shelter President Mina Stella and board members Alan Rubin, David Spaulding, Cori Canastra and Paul Palmer.
Cobleskill-Richmondville school board members got an earful at their meeting from parents trying to save sports for next year. Parents blasted the board for not restoring money for modified sports and some varsity athletics when they revised their adopted budget.
One of Schoharie County's oldest landmarks should soon have a new owner. Dave McSweeney who runs a restaurant in the Boston area, has already begun work on the Parrott House in Schoharie in order to open as soon as possible.
In what is seen as only a temporary setback, Schoharie County officials learned that they won't receive a $2.575 million federal grant essential for the Route 7 water and sewer line project. The project is seen as crucial to the Howe Caverns dinosaur park and future commercial develop-ment on Route 7.
Eight long-time employees have taken advantage of retirement incentives at Middleburgh Central School. Those employees are Patricia McCoy, Theresa Smith, Michael Ryder, David Cain, Loretta Bolen, Claudette Wainwright, Susan London and Bernice Bates.
May 2011
The Cobleskill-Richmondville Bulldogs will open their 2011 football season in the Carrier Dome at Syracuse University. The National Football Foundation is hosting the Carrier Classic.
A nearly perfect spring day provided the perfect backdrop for the 46th annual Maple Festival held at the Cobleskill fairgrounds. The 2010 Queen Nicole Van Glad of Jefferson crowned Stephanne Henzler of Central Bridge as her successor. Aleshia Davis of Howes Cave and Hannah Judd of Sharon Springs were named princesses.
Depressed prices in real estate may lead to some good deals in the auction of county-owned properties when Schoharie County Treasurer Bill Cherry auctions off 35 properties on Saturday. The unpaid taxes total $260,903. Mr. Cherry and his team of appraisers estimate the sale will raise $450,000, a net for the county of just under $190,000.
Almost a year after the fire that left one of Cobleskill's oldest buildings a shell, the former Harmony Acres is down. Demolition crews got to work on the once-grand United States Hotel, and after that Lambert's this week.
The Tri-County Arts Council handed out 33 grants totaling $38,000 to groups, organizations and individuals in Schoharie, Montgomery and Fulton Counties. Those in Schoharie County were Breakabeen Grange, Cobleskill Partnership, Cobleskill Youth Commission, Community Christmas Chorus, Richmondville Historical Society, Schoharie Colonial Heritage, SCCAP, Schoharie County Maple Festival, Schoharie Valley Watch, Sharon Springs Citizens Council on the Arts, Town of Jefferson, Upper Catskill String Quartet and Village of Schoharie.
Paul and Loretta Nelson celebrated the grand reopening and 45th birthday celebration of their Harmony Acres/Partyland. The Nelsons have suffered two fires in their 45-year career. They reopened at 108 Union Street, next to the Community Library.
Assistant Summit Fire Chief Josh Gaida was honored recently for continuing to search for a lost 11-year-old boy in December, even after the search had been called off. Chief Gaida went with a "gut feeling" and found the boy at about 1am.
June 2011
Howe Caverns broke ground on its planned $3 million Howe High Adventure expansion. John Lamery of Howes Cave Development announced that the project is receiving a $100,000 grant from Empire State Development.
More than a dozen Richmondville officials and community members gathered at the site of the new town highway facility on Podpadic Road for a ceremonial groundbreaking. Those on hand included Richard Lape, named to replace John Barlow, along with former supervisors Fred Guay and Dave Ullman.
Tiptop weather and plenty of walkers made for a successful marathon for a Better Life. The event again topped the $100,000 mark, with all of the proceeds going to Schoharie County cancer patients.
Bikers, friends and family turned out for the sixth annual Rolphie Run which started at the Cobleskill Fairgrounds. The event raises funds to help needy children. The run raised $40,000 with more fundraisers to be held.
Three teachers were granted tenure at Middleburgh Central School. School board members granted tenure to: Math teacher Jennifer Bindrim, elementary teacher Kathryn Cole and teacher Shannon Harris.
Enduring the heat, employees of Sterling Insurance Company of Cobleskill, spread mulch and cleaned the median on Route 7 east of Cobleskill, with the temperature hovering around 95 degrees. Sterling's work continued an effort started by the employees several years ago.
The end of one era will mean the start of another. On June 2, the Schoharie County Cooperative Dairies farm store in Cobleskill closed its doors after 72 years, a victim of changing farm times. By requests of many farmers, Rese Boughton, owner of the Feed Bag, has expanded to offer almost everything the Co-op did.
Brittany Hagadorn, a junior at Cobleskill-Richmondville school, was crowned Schoharie County's 2011 Dairy Princess at the Dairy & Berry Festival in Centre Park. In representing local dairy interests, she will be joined by Jolene Mercer, Mathilda Scott, Kayla Stanton and Abby DeSormeau.
Cobleskill Mayor Mark Galasso and trustees agreed to take developer Mark Nadeau up on his offer to lease to the Village of Cobleskill the site of the former Lambert's for use as a parking lot.