Some years, the biggest stories
leap off the page, their effects so
great and compelling that people
remember where they were when
they happened.
This year, though, our area’s biggest
story _ the Marcellus Shale
formation and the natural gas beneath
it _ was one with great longterm
regional impact that traveled
under the radar. The issue is still
evolving, its effects uncertain.
There are the promoted positives:
untold millions in leasing
and royalty fees, a state and local
tax bonanza, and jobs in drilling
and related industries. Then there
are the fears: a marred landscape,
a region stripped of its richest
natural resource for the profit of
outsiders, and polluted land and
water.
The other familiar type of gas,
gasoline, is also an unfinished story.
Despite the recent drop below
$2 a gallon, we suspect gas prices
and related energy issues are a
permanent part of our reality.
There was some closure brought,
however, with regards to two of
the most controversial deaths this
region has seen in many years.
Peter Wlasiuk was convicted and
sentenced for the second time in
the 2002 murder of his wife, Patricia.
And back in January, Corbin
Douglas Sr. was sentenced to 30
years for federal crimes related to
the death of his toddler namesake
son. Those are two felons whose
presence in these pages will likely
be missed by few.
As we look forward to 2009, too,
we look at new eras.
Minor league baseball has a
long-standing, proud tradition
in Oneonta. The Oneonta Tigers,
formerly the Yankees and Red Sox,
had known but one parent since
1966: The Oneonta Athletic Corp.
But the torch has been passed to E.
Miles Prentice.
The franchise’s direction _ indeed,
its future here _ remains to
be seen.
The National Baseball Hall of
Fame remains strong, but it has
undergone a change in president
and in its second-biggest event, the
Hall of Fame Game. That decadeslong
tradition is no more, despite
vocal and organized opposition,
though 2009 is expected to bring
a new tradition of having retired
players compete.
And at the college level, two
titans of recent years have retired
from the State University College
at Oneonta and Hartwick College.
Their successors came highly
recommended and looking to build
upon the foundations left them. As
higher education grows in importance
and cost, their success will
impact thousands of students, the
local economy and the reputation
of this region.
2008 here had its stories. But it
may be remembered most for what
it produced in later years.
Editorials
Top stories will last beyond ’08
- Editorials
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Embargo no longer serves a purpose
Fifty years ago this week, President John F. Kennedy signed executive order 3447, banning trade with Cuba "in light of the subversive offensive of Sino-Soviet Communism." As this anniversary passes, it's worth asking whether this policy has had its desired effects and how much longer it should remain in place.
Continued ... -
Women must win fight for opportunity
The Pentagon announced Thursday that it will recommend that Congress officially allow women to serve in more jobs closer to the front lines.
Continued ... -
Center helps victims of child abuse and neglect
We learned some good news about some terrible news in a story by reporter Joe Mahoney in Tuesday's Daily Star.
Continued ... -
Chamber made excellent choices on service awards
A special committee selected by the Otsego County Chamber has made two excellent decisions regarding the organization's annual awards for service to our communities.
Continued ... -
Cheers
To Michael Shea, Terry Bliss, and the passage of the bill to allow Otsego's exit from MOSA.
Continued ... - Monday, February 6, 2012
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A sad tale may come to an end with arrests
People are almost always sad, and sometimes outraged, whenever something awful happens to a fellow human being.
Continued ... - Saturday, February 4, 2012
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Pill abuse should be a priority for police, pols
Sens. Charles Schumer of New York and Mark Pryor of Arkansas proposed a bill this week to help police combat a disturbing trend of increasing prescription drug abuse.
Continued ... - Friday, February 3, 2012
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More needs to be done to aid vets with PTSD
The recent story of Stamford grandmother Melody DiGregorio grieving the loss of her grandson, Air Force veteran Edward "Drew" Snyder, brings home the debilitating and often-unreported effects of post-traumatic stress disorder on our service men and women.
Continued ... - Thursday, February 2, 2012
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Area 'shocked' at underage drinking? That's shocking
It has been referenced so often that it has become a cliché.
Continued ... - Wednesday, February 1, 2012
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School's new lease on life a welcome development
It is a big place designed to echo with the sounds of young people in a healthy learning environment.
Continued ... - Tuesday, January 31, 2012
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Cheers
To the Central American Youth Ambassadors Program, to Ray Preston and to the NCOC building trades class and the Prattsville Fire Department.
Continued ... - Monday, January 30, 2012
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Mitt's not at fault for loopholes in tax code
As the longtime frontrunner for the Republican presidential nomination, Mitt Romney has faced withering attacks from rivals seeking to upset him.
Continued ... - Saturday, January 28, 2012
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Rest in peace, Naples and Stalter
Our area recently lost two important and influential members of our community: Oneonta surgeon Dr. Kenneth D. Stalter and newly elected Sixth Ward Council Member Mike Naples.
Continued ... - Friday, January 27, 2012
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Case closed on 2 years of turmoil
"Case closed."
Continued ...
Oneonta Mayor Dick Miller was referring to possible criminal charges against fired police officer Michael Breen on Wednesday, but Miller just as easily could have been talking about the more than two years of turmoil the city has endured with its police department. - Thursday, January 26, 2012
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Obama played his cards right Tuesday
Despite a daunting economy and a challenging re-election campaign, on Tuesday night President Barack Obama displayed what Mark Twain called "the calm confidence of a Christian holding four aces" in his State of the Union address.
Continued ... - Wednesday, January 25, 2012
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Searching for votes instead of honor
Say what you will about John McCain, the Republican nominee for president in 2008 who inflicted an ignorant Sarah Palin upon an unsuspecting nation.
Continued ... - Tuesday, January 24, 2012
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Cheers
To MLK Jr. Day events, Diana Nicols, and Jordan Beers and Mariah Ruff.
Continued ... - Monday, January 23, 2012
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Dignity not enough to show in speech
After weeks of watching the often unseemly, if not downright humorous, antics of the Republican candidates for his job, President Barack Obama should have little trouble providing at least one thing Tuesday night in his State of the Union address. Dignity.
Continued ... - Saturday, January 21, 2012
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Tension with Iran is better than war
The dispute between Iran and the U.S. appeared close to boiling over into outright war last week, when a bomb in Tehran killed an Iranian nuclear scientist and Iran sentenced an accused Iranian-American spy to death.
Continued ... - Friday, January 20, 2012
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Let's hope no funding means no drilling
When it comes to state approval or disapproval of hydrofracturing in New York state, we certainly hope that no news is good news.
Continued ...
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Embargo no longer serves a purpose
