Last chance to see the Farmer's Museum

For a while anyway. Their regular season ends Saturday. I find myself already looking forward to 'sugaring off' (aka. pancake breakfast with real maple syrup) in the spring.

http://thefarmersmuseum.blogspot.com/2009/10/2009-season-wrap-up.html

TGIF

Fri 30 Oct 2009, Halloween Hop 7-9pm. Dance the night away with DJ Frankie Frank White. Refreshments served, costumes optional. $2 admission. Sponsored by The Arc Otsego. Asa C. Allison Municipal Bldg, 4 Academy St. Oneonta. Info: 432-8595, www.arcotsego.org.

Koresh Dance Company Open Rehearsal, Fri 30 Oct at 5:30pm, free admission, Goodrich Theater, Fine Arts Building, State University College at Oneonta.

7pm Fri at the Green Toad Bookstore, Spooky tales, frivolous fun, paranormal treasure hunt, 198 Main St. Oneonta, NY 13820, 607-433-8898.

Haunted Halloween Trains are nearly sold out! Fri and Sat 6pm http://www.lrhs.com/.

11 am Sat is the 2009 Gift of Life Kidney Walk at 1 Ravine Parkway Oneonta, NY, call 518 533-7883.

Sat 31 Oct, 11am Creepy crawly creatures' program at Sherburne Environmental Center. Info: 674-4017.

In Oneonta Saturday: Farmers Market, 9am-2pm. Trick or Treating on Main Street 3-6pm, with over 35 participating downtown businesses. Participating stores will be marked with an orange Halloween poster in their store front window. The Halloween Parade on Main Street is at 7pm. For Trick or Treating info: 434-6755, www.mainstreetoneonta.com.

Halloween in Stamford: Fun party, bonfire, scary stuff, eerie music and costume competition. Fun for all ages. 5 - 8 pm. At the Stamford Fire Hall, Stamford, NY.

Looking ahead:

Volunteers needed, no experience necessary: The Lord's Table, 18 Elm St, Oneonta, a feeding program, has been running short on volunteers at a time when the community needs this service more than ever. If you are able, do lend a hand. Call 432-3558 for details.

Paintfest is Saturday Nov 14th, bringing washable fun for the whole family! Children and their grown-ups are invited to join us to paint in fun, creative and unexpected ways from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. at The ARC, Oneonta Day Services, 63 Lower River Street, Oneonta. 5$ suggested donation. Vote for your principal at www.OneontaWorldOfLearning.org. There will also be workshops available, I just don't have the details at my fingertips (and it's late!).

Interview with Jason Corrigan

As promised here is a statement from Oneonta Mayoral candidate Jason Corrigan, regarding programs and activities such as OWL:

"Thank you for your consideration in this matter. As mayor, I look to expand off of a number of current opportunities that exist within our community, as I believe we have a decent base of attraction that can be improved."

"I look at several programs that exist and look to either promote them to a larger extent, or to expand off of their success in order to increase tourism and community activities for our community members. For example, with the addition of the Foothills Performing Arts Center, I have already worked with their director, and have taken the initiative to speak with officials from Madison Square Garden Productions. Together, I look to bring in mainstream music and theater productions to provide additional areas of entertainment for our community, increase foot traffic and revenue downtown, and to market our community to the greater New York region."

"As for programs that I believe we can expand on, I attended our summer balloon festival and believe that there is a lot more we can do to bring in more tourists, while making the event more exciting for our residents. Where I grew up, there is an annual balloon festival that takes place in Glens Falls, NY. My family and I often attended the event, and it was very impressive as far as how many balloons were present, as well as how many local businesses were hands on in promoting their community. "

"I believe we can market this event even further so that we can reach more residents in central and upstate New York. As mayor, I would look to expand this program for an entire weekend, establishing space that allows families to camp out in Neawha Park for the weekend, granting them the opportunity to share an exciting weekend with their loved ones."

"In addition to this, I see an opportunity in expanding off of our summer baseball leagues, and creating a summer soccer league program. In Clifton Park, there is an annual soccer tournament where families as far as Italy come for the weekend, and spend their time and money in the community. I think this would be an excellent opportunity for Oneonta, as again, we would be able to increase our revenue and foot traffic, but this would also create an opportunity for our community's families to enjoy this sport with our children participating and their parents supporting them."

"Overall, these are just a few of many opportunities that we can explore. As mayor, I will be open for any suggestion or point of interest that would benefit our community and the families within our community. This is an excellent place to live and it is no coincidence that it has become my first "adult" home away from the place I grew up. I look forward to working with everyone in our community so that we, as a community of one, can create the environment that we see fit for our needs and others."

Thank you sincerely,

Jason Corrigan

OWL speaks with mayoral candidate

One of our board members, Aaron Sorenson, recently contacted Dick Miller, candidate for Mayor of Oneonta. The following statement represents Dick's official position with regard to Oneonta World of Learning (OWL).

"I am aware of OWL and support your efforts. I believe, in the new economy, that families, neighborhoods, and communities will become more important. America has lived in an unsustainable world of two parents working, pre-schools, childcare, easy credit, two homes, expensive vacations, etc. Our economy's contraction, which I believe is permanent, has the unintended positive consequence of making our nearby environment more important to us."

"Oneonta's nature is such that it will be easier for us than most communities to advantage ourselves in this changing world. We are big enough, but not too big. There are few class distinctions. "Community" is already real here. We have only to enjoy it and expand upon it. Your efforts are completely compatible with that."

"A word of caution. The community is dealing with underfunded NSHOF and Foothills. We have to be careful, in considering new initiatives, to not get out ahead of realistic funding hopes. I will work with and support you in the spirit expressed above."

We are still hoping to gather statements from Dick's competitors, Jason Corrigan and Erik Miller.

Paint your principal!

Students from Center Street, Riverside, Greater Plains, and Valleyview can vote for their principal, and the principal with the most votes will be painted by the children at Paintfest, Nov 14th, 2009.

Cast your vote here! Vote early, vote often!

Details about Paintfest: OneontaWorldOfLearning.org