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It is a bit strange: The holiday to celebrate the independence and birth of our 234-year-old government has evolved into a celebration of things that bind us together beyond government.
The weekend will be filled with lots of activities and opportunities to relax and enjoy the company of friends and family _ a time of parades and partying, of fireworks and fun. On Friday, the Cooperstown Community Band, whose patriotic tunes have stirred Otsegoans since the start of the Civil War, will perform at 8 p.m. in Lakefront Park. At dusk, the Cooperstown Volunteer Fire Department will put on its show of fireworks over Otsego Lake. The Cooperstown Rotary will provide concessions. If it rains festivities will take place on Saturday instead.
On Sunday, The Farmers’ Museum’s Independence Day festivities will give you a look at what celebrations of the past were like in a tribute to nationalism as it was more than 160 years ago.
Festivities will begin at 10 a.m. Visitors will have the opportunity to explore the 1840s historic village, adorned with patriotic banners and bunting, and witness numerous ways of honoring our nation’s rich cultural history. Throughout the day, spirits will be buoyed by live patriotic music at the Cornwallville Church and Bump Tavern. At 1 p.m., there is a special ceremony on the Tavern Green that includes a recitation o f the Declaration of Independence, toasts to the original 13 colonies, and then a militia muster salute of 13 musket volleys, once for each colony.
On Monday, you can enjoy the 96th edition of the Springfield Fourth of July Parade. You will see example after example of the things that bind our country and communities together and bring out the best in us.
This year’s theme is ``United We Stand.’’
Every year, a large crowd turns out in this town of about 1,400 residents to see and hear military veterans, school bands, local dignitaries and others march down state Route 80 on the nation’s birthday. You will see volunteer fire departments and emergency squads _ men and women who devoted endless hours each year, without pay, to protect their communities. You will see Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, members of 4-H clubs and many other young people.
The parade starts at 11 a.m., and after the marching ends, friends and neighbors will share a chicken barbecue on the grounds of the Springfield Community Center and have another opportunity to hear The Cooperstown Community Band.
The Springfield Historical Society plans to have a ``Postcards from the Past’’ display, at the Community Center on Route 29A. More than 150 postcards from Mike Fassett will be on display, as well as some others from the society. Fassett also was able to secure a postcard book from eBay which contains some local photos which were made into postcards. The display will be available to view beginning at noon. In addition to the display, Kate Gray’s ``History of Springfield’’ book will be available for purchase. All we need now is a little cooperation from the weatherman.
Our Opinion
United we stand
- Our Opinion
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Our Opinion: Enjoy the carnival
It does not look like there will be much snow, if any at all for this year’s Cooperstown Winter Carnival. Although many events are weather-dependent, that will not spoil all the festivities. As far as getting out your hats and mittens, you might want to dig them out. At least it does not look like the weather will be as abnormally warm as it has been so far this winter.
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Our Opinion: Roses
Roses to Cooperstown sixth-grader Tom Knight, who once again might have the chance to compete in the state level geography bee. He won his school district’s competition for the second year in a row this year and will be taking a written test to see if he qualifies. One could wish him luck, but Tom said he feels more confident taking the test this time around the now knows what to expect. He also said he feels more comfortable answering questions on paper that out loud in front of an audience.
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Our Opinion: Buying locally is right
We are happy to report this week that buying locally made products appears to be on the upswing in the Cooperstown area. We have long been a proponent of shopping locally. It stimulates the local economy, returns more sales tax to the county and is more environmentally sound. Buying locally made or grown products takes it one step further.
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Our Opinion: Confused much?
As if figuring out one’s tax bill isn’t mind boggling enough. Now, with a two percent limit on property tax increases, there will be more brains flustered. It is not a simple calculation at all. In fact, the tax cap will affect each school district’s levy in various ways. So don’t think you will be able to take your bill from last year and just increase it by two percent. The process uses a much more complex formula eight steps, as a matter of fact.
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Our Opinion: We’ll miss Nicols
Cooperstown Police Chief Diana Nicols will be leaving her job shortly and will be missed by the community. She is being retired by the New York State and Local Retirement System that notified her last week that she is “permanently incapacitated for the performance of duties.” The incapacitation is the result of a knee injury she received in 2008 during a training class.
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Our Opinion: Roses and Raspberries
Roses to Cooperstown Central School graduate Molly Pearlman for putting off her college plans for a year to serve a 10-month term of service in the National Civilian Community Corps, an AmeriCorps program. She said her inspiration to participate in the program came from her father and brother.
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Our Opinion: Looking forward
While many will spend the next few days reminiscing about 2011, we at the Crier are looking forward to next year. We are ready to ring in a new year and look forward to the events to come. Of course there are those events that happen annually such as the Cooperstown Winter Carnival,The Goodyear Polar Bear Jump, the Farmers’ Museum’s Junior Livestock Show, The National Baseball Hall of Fame’s Father’s Day Classic and Induction weekend, the Pumpkin Festival and Regatta and many more.
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Our Opinion: Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus
At this holiday season, we take great pleasure in reprinting one of the classic newspaper editorials of all time − perhaps the best Christmas editorial ever written. It has survived the test of time and seems particularly fitting and poignant this year.
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DEC should not dismiss findings
Last week, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency released the findings in a draft of a new federal report that links hydraulic fracturing for natural gas in Wyoming with groundwater pollution. Hydraulic fracturing is a process that pumps millions of gallons of chemically treated water into gas wells to fracture the rock and release the gas.
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Our Opinion: Who would have guessed?
Much has been revealed during the baseball winter meeting in Dallas this past week. The Miami Marlins seem to be in hot pursuit of all the big name players to fill their new stadium, Manny Ramirez announced he would like to return to Major League Basbeall, Pedro Martínez announced he plans to officially retire, elections have been held and it appears former Red Sox manager Terry Francona is swapping places with the franchise’s new manager Bobby Valentine.
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Our Opinion: Enjoy the carnival
