The Newsletter of Franklin Local Vol. XIV, No. 3 Franklin, New York FALL 2020 ‘INDEPENDENT, FEARLESS AND FREE’

and others. I asked: what is DFA?. It is Dairy Farmers of FRANKLIN FM PLANS America, a dairy coopera- tive. [1] ELECTION DAY IS WINTER MARKETS! This was an anti-trust TUESDAY case (Allen, et al v. DFA, et NOVEMBER 3RD. al) with the plaintiffs hav- ing class action certifica- tion against Dean Foods, DFA, and Dairy Marketing DONT Services, LLC (DMS). Dean Foods settled early in the FORGET case for $30 million. DFA and DMS settled for $50 TO million in June of 2016, with The 2020 socially-distanced farmers’ market the court’s approval. [2] VOTE! SILVER LININGS the market was the oppor- DFA is the largest dairy . tunity for folks wearied by MR. SITTS cooperative in the United By Trish Tyrell weeks of isolation to dis- States, with over 14,000 cover a sense of normalcy GOES TO dairy producers. With that TENTATIVE Despite the sprawling in a strange new world, and $50 million agreement, stormfest that is 2020, there to be reassured that this too COURT there would be no admis- TOWN TAXES have been some silver lin- shall pass. Or, at least be- sion of wrongdoing from ings. One is a remarkably come less strange. By Jan Mulroy DFA. And so, the story 2021 successful and sunny four- Veteran vendors Hank continues. teenth season at the Frank- Stahler of Fokish Bread and On October 17, 2017, I Both Garret Sitts and his By Brian Brock lin Farmers’ Market. Bruce Zimmer of Cord- attended the Candidates father, Ralph Sitts, resigned Even with the ever- wood Acres marked their Forum for Franklin Town as Class Representatives, The tentative 2021 bud- present anxiety and con- See FFM, con’t on Page 9 Council candidates. At “opting out” of the case. get for the Town of Franklin cern around COVID-19, the one point, Garret Sitts men- They did not take settle- would spend $1.80 million. market saw record-break- tioned winning $80 million ment awards or Class Rep- To partially finance this, the ing growth, and vendors in a settlement against DFA See SITTS, con’t on Page 19 town board plans to raise experienced their most $1.23 million in property profitable year ever. It is taxes from landowners, an as if COVID led to a great- OFFICE increase of $ 0.017 million er appreciation for food (1.38%) over the 2020 bud- grown and processed by EFFORTS get. This increase in the local folks whom you know PART I: Not Here nor There levy would be just under and trust. the state-imposed soft cap, Remember the meat By Brian Brock same as last year. shortage? The bare Still the town offices Salaries of all town of- shelves when you shopped INSIDE The Town of Frank- Museum and the Franklin ficials (personal salary, PS) for basic groceries? Or THIS ISSUE... lin could use more office Farmhouse Community would the same: Superin- people sharing informa- space, and our town board Center, which are the core tendent of Highways Laing tion about where to get REGULAR FEATURES: has tried for three years to of its mission. $47,700, Assessor Basile this or that? Well, it turns Mayor’s Corner Pg. 3 build some. Over the years, the $27,750, Clerk/collector/ out that in the COVID era, Kitchen Basics Pg. 4 Inside Local Realty Pg. 6 The issue that sparked building fell into disrepair. registrar Johns $16,600, Su- farmers’ markets are one Pipeline Update Pg. 9 this search for office space The general impression pervisor Taggart $15,900, of the wheres. Blessed with lay in the lease from 2000 Green Banks Garden Pg.11 was that the Rich Founda- Code Enforcement Officer open-air, social distancing Real Estate Sales Pg.20 that gave the town half of tion would prefer that the Jacobs $15,000, Finance signage, a rope perimeter the Rich tenant house to use building be abandoned Director Warner $12,750, and a giant bottle of liquid LOCAL ISSUES: for 50 years. With rent of and demolished, thus in- Justice Arndt $6,500, Dog hand-sanitizer, the market Sidney Center Signs Pg. 2 only one dollar per year, all creasing the visibility of Control Officer Constable environment offers a com- Sidney Center Park Pg. 2 costs for maintenance had the museum behind it. But $1,800, and councilmen fortable and safe shopping On-line Scams Pg. 5 to come out of the budget the foundation has no such Bruno, Grant, Sitts, and experience for masked and Avoiding Ads On line Pg. 5 of the Walter Rich Charita- plans, according to its pres- Smith $1,200 each. (Tag- sometimes gloved patrons. Pipe Sale Pg. 8 ble Foundation. Any mon- ident, John Campbell. gart’s salary is $3,800 One of the few tradition- The Village Bountiful Pg.10 R.R. Museum Barn Pg.17 ey spent on this building In October 2017, at the (24%) from the town and al community events to sur- took away from continuing request of the town board, See TAXES, con’t on Page 16 vive during the pandemic, improvements to the Frank- Delaware Engineering THE PANDEMIC: lin Railway & Community Maywood Update Pg. 2 See OFFICE, con’t on Page 18 School News Pg. 3 Pandemic Scenes Pg. 7 FCEF Update Pg.15 Pandemic Update Pg.17

LOCAL ARTS: Franklin Stage Grant Pg. 3 Book Reviews Pg.12 Poetry Shelf Pg.12 Upstate Arts Pg.13 Catskill Cats Pg.14 What famous lost, local landmark is this? See Page 2 NFR Seeing Things Pg.14 Page 2 The New Franklin Register Fall 2020

tric and heating costs. The trustees voted to use our The View from Sidney Center... back-up emergency fund, built up from profits over WELCOME TO SIDNEY CENTER! the years, to pay these bills for 2020. Since announc- By Michael Sellitti ing the closing, the Group has received several unso- If you’ve driven through the hamlet of Sidney Cen- licited donations which are ter recently, you may have noticed our beautiful new en- greatly appreciated. trance signs. Funded and installed by the Sidney Cen- But life goes on and ter Improvement Group (SCIG), the signs are works of certain things must still be art created to welcome folks to Sidney Center by paying done. The Group thanks homage to the area’s long history with the railroad. members Bob King and Sidney Center was once known to have the longest, Lynn Roof for keeping the tallest railroad trestle in the world. Shaped like a horse- grounds mowed and the shoe, it towered one hundred feet over the hamlet. Sid- trimming done despite the ney Center is also home to the historic Maywood Depot MAYWOOD The Maywood Depot summer closure. With the Museum and Community Space – a beautifully restored ners, or parties during the help of Larry Mott, they and maintained building that was once a stop on the O&W IN THE summer months. The deci- also painted the outside of Railway system. The sion was based on being the Depot. Great job, guys! building and prop- PANDEMIC unable to set up for social It really looks nice. erty are currently distancing or make sure The Group has heard owned and oper- By Darryl Loker that everyone would be from several people how ated by a non-profit, safe. much they missed the gath- The Maywood His- The Maywood Histori- Closing the Depot for erings and the music at the torical Group of Sid- cal Group of Sidney Cen- the year meant that there Ice Cream Socials this past ney Center, Inc. ter, Inc., made the decision would be no income from summer. The Maywood SCIG enlisted last spring not to open the the ice cream socials that Historical Group looks for- the help of a local Maywood Depot for 2020. we have relied on for over ward to 2021 and hopefully artist for the de- This meant there would be twenty-five years. This in- getting back to some kind sign and creation of no Ice Cream Socials, fam- come always paid the elec- of normality. the signs. Ty Stein- ily gatherings, potluck din- bacher of Walton – whose family has SIDNEY CENTER PARK NEWS ties to Sidney Cen- By Michael Sellitti ter for generations Ty Steinbacker’s signs welcome visitors - hand-painted the This year has certainly presented many chal- nostalgic scene of a steam locomotive passing over the lenges for everyone, including community organi- trestle. SCIG hopes the signs will bring new attention zations like the Sidney Center Improvement Group and patronage to the Maywood Depot and reinforce the [SCIG]. When the pandemic hit, the all-volunteer group’s mission of moving forward, while not forgetting members of SCIG quickly transitioned to meetings our past. On your next drive to view the fall foliage, take held on Zoom with a commitment to keep moving a ride through the hamlet and see the signs for yourself! the efforts of the group forward for the community. SCIG has had to put on hold many of the park You can follow the Sidney Center Improvement Group enhancements planned for this summer. However, on Facebook at www.facebook/scigny or the Maywood some progress has been made, with larger improve- Depot by searching “Maywood Historical O&W” on ments to continue next spring. Facebook. New park benches To date SCIG has completed the following initia- tives: planted a dozen flowering and bank-stabiliz- ing trees, gave the swing set a new colorful paint job, repaved the bas- ketball court and installed new posts and backboards, took delivery of a new park announcement board, and had new picnic tables and benches designed and constructed by Sidney High School Students. New features planned for the spring include: new playground equipment, activity stations for senior citizens and people with limited mobility, a walking trail around the perimeter of the park, and a pavilion designed and constructed by Sidney High School students. SCIG thanks the Town of Sidney Highway Department for its ef- forts. We also appreciate the strong support and patience of the community as we navi- gate these tough times and find creative ways to achieve success with our projects. To follow the progress of the Park Project and all SCIG’s initiatives, visit our Facebook page: www.face- book.com/scigny. New student-built picnic tables SpringFall 2020 2018 The New Franklin Register Page 3 FRANKLIN LOCAL Local News Local Issues Local Events Local Concerns

A MESSAGE FROM OUR FRANKLIN SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT: STAGE WINS Dear Franklin Community, to potential adjustments as needed. Our facility/cus- PRESERVE We hope this message todial department is effi- finds you well, now that ciently and effectively dis- NEW YORK we are over a month into infecting the building on the 2020-21 school year at a daily basis. Each week, GRANT Franklin CSD. Please know nutritious meals are being that we fully appreciate prepared for both in-per- Staff report all the support and coop- son and remote students by eration from our students, our food service depart- Franklin Stage Com- parents/guardians, fami- ment. Also, our transporta- pany has won a $5200 Pre- lies, and community mem- tion department is follow- serve New York (PNY) grant part of the Franklin Village The refurbished Chapel Hall bers to get the school year ing all necessary protocols to fund a Building Condi- Historic District. of the 2020 awards, support up and running in such a for getting students safely tion Report of historic Cha- This report will inform provided by Preserve New positive way. Assistance to and from school in a pel Hall, to be carried out Franklin Stage Company’s York since its launch in 1993 from outside the school has timely manner. Over sixty by Crawford and Sterns, planning for continued totals more than $3 million been a key to our success computer devices have Architects & Preservation restoration, rehabilitation, to 457 projects statewide. thus far. We are hopeful been distributed by our Planners, PLLC. The Pres- and upkeep of their his- The Preserve New York that the year will continue technology department ervation League of New toric home. “We’re thrilled grant program is a partner- to be both safe and produc- for use at home, along with York State and their pro- and grateful to be a grant ship between the New York tive as we move forward. troubleshooting for numer- gram partners at the New recipient this year!” said State Council on the Arts It has been a true team ous issues. Our students York State Council on the Co-Artistic Director Leslie (NYSCA) and the Preser- effort within the district, and families are continual- Arts (NYSCA) will fund this Noble. “In this difficult time vation League, made pos- with everyone playing an ly supported academically, important work. of pandemic, when we’re sible with the support of important role in the pro- socially, and emotionally Chapel Hall is a mag- not able to produce theater, Governor Andrew M. Cuo- cess. All FCS employees by our counseling depart- nificent three-story Greek it’s heartening to be able to mo and the New York State had a chance to provide ment. Additionally, our Revival edifice built in 1855 continue our stewardship Legislature. input regarding our prepa- faculty and staff are provid- as part of the Delaware Lit- of Chapel Hall.” Since 1993, the Pre- ration and planning for re- ing learning opportunities erary Institute, which pro- At its 2020 meeting, serve New York grant pro- opening, which forced us that maximize the potential vided a classical education the Preserve New York gram has been providing to consider a wide range of of our students while con- to young men and women grant panel selected 19 funds to municipalities and variables in multiple areas tinuing to build positive from across the country applicants in 15 counties nonprofit organizations that of responsibilities. I want and trusting relationships. until the early 1900s. From to receive support totaling need technical, profession- to take a moment to high- Helpful information is pro- 1911-1996, the Masons $193,390. Many of these al assistance to guide a va- light the great work that vided by our secretaries owned the building, con- grants will lead to historic riety of preservation proj- has been done across the to answer questions or verting the first-floor cha- district designation or ex- ects. The historic structure board. concerns. Lastly, all health pel into a theater and the pansion, allowing property reports, building condi- First, our directors and concerns are being han- third floor into a stunning owners to take advantage tion reports, cultural land- administrators are thought- dled by our school nurse in Masonic Temple. Chapel of the New York State and scape reports, and cultural fully implementing our accordance with the regu- Hall is on the National Reg- Federal Historic Tax Cred- resource surveys that are reopening plan while still lations provided by New ister of Historic Places as its. With the announcement See FSC, con’t on Page 4 being reflective and open See SCHOOL, con’t on Page 19 bring clarity to what demics are all cyclical (seasons). they work so hard to come up with we’re going through This is the universe, after all, and strategies to educate our children, THE MAYOR’S right now, but I read we have no choice other than to be are all positive responses to this something recently subject to its great balancing act. Is unexpected turn. posted by a Trappist it not our responsibility to respect As far as the current state of CORNER monk referencing the this, and to respond accordingly? the village, Franklin is doing sur- significance of the Humanity can defiantly push for- prisingly well. The Village budget third chapter of the ward with its recreational agenda is not impacted by the economic With Tom Briggs Book of Ecclesiastes and its warped sense of entitle- downturn at this time. Local busi- to these times. ment in the face of yet one more nesses are still operating, though I became a Byrds “turn”, or it can pause, mask up, they have seen a downturn in rev- To everything (turn, turn, turn) fan in 1965 when I first heard their and view life with a chastened ap- enue. Most of the village houses There is a season version of Turn, Turn, Turn, al- preciation. This is, as it were, a time that have gone on the market have (turn, turn, turn) though the depth of its meaning to seek purpose under heaven. been sold. Several of the new And a time to every purpose escaped me at the time. Folk mu- In concert with the act of seek- homeowners are planning to be under heaven sic types might remember Pete ing purpose, I’m pleased that in full-time village residents. A time to be born, a time to die Seeger’s original version from Franklin there have been many Our village infrastructure is A time to plant, a time to reap 1959, which drew attention to hu- instances where residents have sound, though we have had an A time to kill, a time to heal man rights issues. banded together to provide sup- unexpected delay in this season’s A time to laugh, a time to weep The passage, commonly attrib- port for those in need during this sidewalk replacement. To everything (turn, turn, turn) uted to King Solomon, is poetic, pandemic. Better still, there is a possibil- There is a season controversial, reprimanding, com- The relocation of the food bank ity that a new small business will (turn, turn, turn) forting. and pays tribute to the wis- and the accompanying volunteer be opening in the village, offering And a time to every purpose, dom of Solomon. effort, the social media posts of en- professional level employment. under heaven... The core message: to under- couragement, the support for local In short, while we must be cau- stand and accept that everything businesses, the rally in support of tious about whatever “turn” of the It was suggested that I write in life is cyclical. Wars, weather our post office, the kind words ex- pandemic we are entering as win- something about the COVID-19 events, periods of great persecu- changed on the street and the con- ter sets in, we can remain optimis- pandemic for the Mayor’s Corner. tion, world peace, periods of great tinued support and understanding tic about our community’s future. I’m not sure I’m the go-to guy to prosperity, famine, and even pan- of our school district employees as Page 4 The New Franklin Register Fall 2020 kitchen By Carla basics Nordstrom glue in a small bowl. Place Boil the potatoes whole some flour on a plate to use in a pot of water. When a for dusting the dough. You fork goes through them eas- will need two pans to cook ily, remove from the water, the samosas, an ungreased cool, and peel off the skin, skillet on medium low heat cut into small pieces, and and a deep fat fryer. set aside in a bowl. Add oil Remove the filling from Add 1-2 tsp. of mixture FILLING: to a frying pan at medium the refrigerator and mix in to the cone. Don’t fill it too SAMOSAS 2 medium potatoes heat. Add the cumin seeds the chopped cilantro. full. Smear the glue along 1 Tbsp. oil and roast until fragrant. Divide the dough into For years, you could the inside top edge of the 1 tsp. cumin seeds Add frozen peas and cook 6 balls. Roll out each into buy fresh samosas at Good cone, then press the edges ½ cup frozen peas until the skins are shiny, very thin round disk. Form Cheap Foods in Delhi. together and seal. Place sa- 1 small finely chopped and water has evaporated. and fill each samosa as Ironic that Indian pastries mosa on a plate with a light chili pepper Add the chopped chili pep- follows: were available in Delhi, dusting of flour. Using the ½ tsp. salt per and continue cooking Place a disk on the skil- New York. Vijaya Samu- same steps, continue mak- 1 tsp. garam masala until heated through. Set let for a short time, gently drala, who made them, has ing the rest of the samosas. ½ tsp. cayenne pepper aside to cool. Add salt, ga- baking it on one side. Re- been in India since last Heat enough oil to sub- 1Tbsp. grated fresh ram masala, cayenne pep- move to a flat surface and year so they are no longer merge the samosas at me- ginger per, and grated ginger to cut the disk in half. With available. dium high heat in a deep ¼ cup chopped fresh the potatoes. With a fork the baked side down, use Finding fresh samo- fat fryer. When it comes cilantro mash the potatoes gently, your finger to spread some sas is hard in our neck of to heat, fry 3 or 4 at a time PASTRY: add the pea mixture, and glue along the edge of half the woods and this led me until golden on both sides. 1 cup flour refrigerate while making of the cut side. Twist the to making them at home. Remove with a slotted ½ tsp salt the dough. semicircle into a cone and Thanks to a video, I learned spoon and drain on paper 1 ½ Tbsp,oil In a bowl, combine hold it between your thumb the trick of prebaking the towels. 1/3-1/2 cup water flour, salt, oil and water to and forefinger. The baked dough on one side. It has Serve samosas with GLUE: form a soft dough. Let it side will be on the outside. made making samosas as different chutneys such a 1 Tbsp. flour sit for 30 minutes. Com- Press the seam to make easy as pie. mango, cilantro, onion, or 1 Tbsp. water bine flour and water for the sure the cone is sealed. mint. Yield: 12 samosas.

Photos by Andy Bobrow Thank you, Franklin. FSC, con’t from Page 3 funded through this pro- gram can have profound It's easy to sell homes in such a great town. impacts on the sites they are studying. “Architecture and de- sign are vital art forms that greatly impact the charac- ter and health of communi- ties across the state,” said Mara Manus, Executive Di- rector of the New York State Council on the Arts. “Our longtime partner- ship with NYSCA has en- abled us to support pres- ervation initiatives in all of New York’s 62 counties,” said Erin Tobin, Vice Presi- dent for Policy and Preser- vation and the Preservation League. “This year’s group of Preserve New York grant Susan Barnett recipients continues the Licensed Associate Broker successful track record of this program of enabling 845.514.5360 (m) preservation to thrive in every corner of the state.” Connect with PNY at upstatecountryrealty.com preservenys.org, facebook. com/preservenys, twitter. com/preservenys, and ins- tagram.com/preservenys. Village Hall sign Village Photo by Tony Breuer Tony Photo by Fall 2020 The New Franklin Register Page 5 life on the internet: Click on the top right cor- on a Small Town” (Figure 2). Is the DON’T TAKE THE ner of the ad. > Choose Hide ad. > title informative or does it focus (CLICK) BAIT! Follow the on-screen instructions. on fear? A descriptive headline Hide all ads from an advertiser: might instead read “Local Fire at By Shana Ko Click on the top right corner Zoo under Investigation”. Can you of the ad and choose Why am I see- see the URL? Does it link to a site One of the first things you learn ing this? > From the Options menu, that you are familiar with? Check when studying cloud computing select “Hide all ads from this ad- that the URL is what you would ex- is the shared responsibility mod- vertiser”. > Follow the on-screen pect (news.com, not news.com.co). Figure 1. Minimizing Annoyance from instructions. If anything looks suspicious, do not el. Simply put, this means that the Video Ads: 1. Identify annoying Ad. 2. Click responsibility for security in the small X. 3. Make your selection. 4. Relax. take the click bait. The internet has forever cloud is shared between you and You may have heard the phrase or tablet, tap Info > Why this ad? changed our access to informa- your provider. If we apply this to “the internet is forever”. Keep this On YouTube, select Info tion. Much like the printing press, our own online experience, the re- in mind when critically evaluating > Stop seeing this ad. this great innovation, with poten- sponsibility is shared between you news reports. Out of date informa- On Gmail, select Info > tial to connect and inform, can just and the advertisers and content tion can be rebranded in the con- Control ads like this >Block this as easily become a tool for those creators. Below, I have outlined text of current events to mislead advertiser. with bad intentions. It is wise to several ways to curate your online the reader. Beware of satire sites On websites & apps that partner look closely at the inflammatory viewing experience. that present larger-than-life head- with Google to show ads: headlines, false reporting, and vi- First, let us discuss those an- lines. Look for the “about us” sec- At the top right of an ad, select ral memes that make your blood noying ads. While there is no way tion to learn more about the con- Remove X > Stop seeing this ad. boil. Read on for practical tips to to avoid advertising entirely, you tent creator. At the top right of an ad, select help critically evaluate the content can provide feedback and/or hide If you are curious, read more Remove X > Report this ad. you are viewing online and across than one article (Figure 3). Re- ads and advertisers that you pre- You can also let them know social media platforms. search multiple sources covering fer not to see. Most often, an ad about ads that violate their policies. When a headline makes you the same event or story. Read to will display a small symbol some- To turn off ad personalization angry, take a step back to consid- the end of the article to see if they where in the upper right corner from your Google account: er. In this example, we read “Py- have cited their sources and follow (Figure 1). Click this and a small Navigate to the Ad Settings romaniac Penguins Wreak Havoc those sources to make sure that window pops up that presents you page. they are legitimate. Who is the au- with a few options. Choose the one Turn off Ad Personalization. thor? Google their name. What are that best suits the situation. These Google will no longer use your their credentials? Do they have a small actions train the artificial in- information to personalize your clear bias? telligence about your preferences ads. However, ads can still be tar- As consumers of information, over time. geted using your general location some of the responsibility rests on Here is what Google has to say or the content of the websites you our shoulders. We should check about providing feedback and hid- are visiting. the quality of the content we are ing advertising: For Facebook, Instagram, and viewing online and across social Next to Google ad: Twitter: In Google Search on your phone Hide a specific ad: Figure 2. Is this Actually News? See BAIT, con’t on Page 17

They may even place a follow-up ally press and hold your finger on a popup alert saying your com- IS IT A SCAM? call to assure you they are helping. the sender’s name to see the un- puter is infected, click here to get Or they will offer a call-back num- derlying email address. help, never click on such a popup. By Helen McLean and Bill Gruber ber, lending a false assurance that Instead of clicking on any links Some popups do not allow you to they are legitimate. The aim is to within the email, the best way to close or get away from them, so Recently, we’ve received an un- keep you engaged long enough to check for a purported problem you might have to resort to force usually high number of calls from do an end run around you and col- with your account is to sign onto -quitting the browser (Command- friends and clients who have been lect your information, then charge your account directly by typing Option-Esc on a Mac; CTRL-ALT- swindled by scammers. This is a you for it, too! the address (e.g., amazon.com) DEL on a PC). A last resort is to brief summary of ways scammers Here are some specifics: into your browser, or by using a force your computer to shut down. try to con you, but remember: your We all get spam. If we use bookmark you’ve saved and know One common popup alert - the best defense is to be aware and Gmail or sophisticated spam de- to be correct. When logged in to Flash Player update scam - is still cautious. tector software, hopefully most your account, look at your account around. This lures you to a bogus All these scams share a com- spam ends up in a junk folder. But settings, your order history, your site to download a version of Flash mon thread: to get your money for eventually, something ends up in profile. If all that looks good, the Player that will infect your com- a supposed service, such as clean- the inbox that makes us think twice. email alert was a scam. If there are puter and give access to scam- ing an infection on your computer. There are the obvious spam mes- oddities, such as a shipping ad- mers. If you want to update Adobe But what they really want is access sages hawking V1AGRA, but then dress you don’t recognize or other Flash Player, go directly to Adobe to your computer, thereby gaining there are the possibly legitimate changes you did not make, some- and download it: get.adobe.com/ access to your personal informa- emails about a problem with your one has gained access to your ac- flashplayer. tion, which they can use either to Amazon or Netflix or online bank- count. Change your password im- If you think you may have down- con you themselves or to sell to ing account. Maybe it looks okay, mediately and notify the company. loaded the fake Flash Player, do other scammers. the icons are familiar, so you con- If you use “Google” or another not resort to Google to find the fix They often ask to connect to sider clicking on a link to check it search method to find a website unless you know what to look for. your computer in order to “clean” out. and click on a link, there is further Many sites will discuss the prob- it. They may display messages that Pause right here and look for possibility for deceit. Scammers lem credibly but then invite you look like errors or even simulate a clues. If reading email on a com- can push their fake sites to the top to download a “cleaner” program. cleaning process, but meanwhile puter, hover your cursor over the of search lists, so instead of the In most cases, these cleaner pro- they are stealing your data and plac- link to display the true link - does actual Amazon site, the first link See SCAM, con’t on Page 18 ing malware on your computer, giv- it look legitimate? Or does it try to may take you ing them a “back door” to visit your fake you out by grouping a familiar to amaz0n. computer later and gather more URL with other info, such as “ama- com or some information. The malware planted zon.com.someothername.ru”? other mis- on your computer may collect your Or look at the actual email ad- spelled link, keystrokes, passwords, credit card dress by hovering over the send- or even a numbers, and other sensitive infor- er’s name. If it purports to be from completely mation which may then be sent off Amazon but is actually from Gmail different to another site. or any domain besides amazon. link. If this scam includes a phone com, it is definitely a scam. If, while conversation, they will try to keep If reading from a smart device browsing the you on the line long enough to give (phone, tablet, etc.) you can usu- web, you get them time to download your files. Page 6 The New Franklin Register Fall 2020 INSIDE LOCAL REAL ESTATE with SUSAN BARNETT

lected COVID-19 disclosure forms, country. PORTRAIT OF A handed out masks and gloves, and According to SELLERS’ MARKET followed buyers around houses, the county regis- wiping down doorknobs with dis- trar, 34 properties A Wild Ride, Then a Slow Crawl To infectant cloths as we went. sold in Franklin The Finish Everything sold. Well, almost this year through everything. The properties that lin- August. [See Page By Susan Barnett gered on the market were in three 20] More are just waiting for clos- categories: multi-family, commer- ing. There are six homes for sale 2020 has been a wild ride for for more than half a million dollars everyone. For people buying or now. That’s unusual. selling properties, it’s a ride they’ll Even more eye-popping is the probably never forget. Multiple Listing Service statistic on Real estate, like everything sale price. The average sale price else, was shut down in the spring. was 97% of asking. That’s the defi- er arrives ready to fall in love. But my phone rang throughout the nition of a sellers’ market. Down- If you’re a buyer, I’m sorry. It’s shutdown. People stuck at home state buyers looking in Delaware a tough market. Act quickly if you had plenty of time to surf the Inter- County expect to find bargains, find a house you like. Have your fi- net, looking for their dream prop- and they do. But the market here nancials ready, your mortgage pre- erty in the country. isn’t what it was even two years qualification in hand, and make a The shocking inflation in pric- 725 Main St., listed at $189,000, expected to ago. It’s much stronger. And prices good offer as soon as you’re think- close in October. es upstate is driving buyers further reflect that. ing this is the house for you. Be- into the Catskills, and Franklin is cial, or properties with a challenge. cause if you don’t, it’ll be gone. very much on their radar. Every The properties with a chal- And finally, buyers and sellers buyer I’ve worked with this year lenge either need a lot of work, or both must be prepared for the frus- has known about Franklin, and have a location issue. But at the tratingly slow experience that fol- many of them say it is their com- right price, even those properties lows the excitement of an accepted munity of choice. Just as I saw hap- are getting a lot of interest. As in- offer. The shutdown has impacted pen in Kingston, they know people ventory dwindles, they start be- everything, and closings that once who live here, or they know people coming more marketable. took six to eight weeks are taking who want to live here, and they’re Commercial and multi-family 2047 Russell Rd. sold in June for $250,000 three months or more. Lawyers are spreading the word. But those ur- properties aren’t moving. But that’s swamped, title search companies ban expats have a strong sense of how it happened in Kingston, too. Sellers, despite being in the are drowning. Some banks are the market. They know it’s a sell- The residential rush was a couple driver’s seat, also need to under- moving forward fairly smoothly, er’s market, but they’re not willing stand that the key to making the others are crawling. Sellers are an- to pay inflated prices. most of a strong market is to price gry and buyers are, too, but there’s Good houses with prices high- a property well. Houses priced nothing to be done. The backlog er than similar houses in the same to undercut the competition just after the shutdown was compound- community are not selling fast. slightly generate showings, and ed by a flood of new deals. It’s just They sell eventually, because there that gets a house sold. It may even slow. just isn’t enough inventory to meet result in multiple bids. How long will the sellers’ mar- the demand this year. But they’re Staging still matters, too. The ket hold? No one knows. But my sitting on the market longer. houses that sell fast and sell for the guess is that as long as COVID is Virtual tours became essential, best price are the ones that show an issue, we’ll see downstate buy- and homeowners were enlisted to well. Don’t wait to fix problems un- ers looking for country homes. coordinate showings while realtors 272 Main St., in contract to sell, was put on til you’ve had lots of showings but Many of them are working from the market at $179,900 during the shutdown. were prohibited from attending. lost buyers. Look at Zillow. Com- home now. All they need is a good One sale I handled was done com- of years old when the businesses pare the houses with pictures that Internet connection. And a place pletely remotely, sight unseen. moved in to capitalize on the new are dark and cluttered. Your brain to unwind. Once the restrictions were customer base. Kingston has now immediately says, “Looks like We’ve got both. relaxed, the floodgates opened made national news with the big- work.” A clean, bright, spacious and the buyers poured in. I col- gest property price spikes in the home looks move-in ready. A buy-

Kaeleen has suffered a devastating that was slowly killing her. Yet she persevered debilitating disease. A disease that and convinced a doctor to examine her records went undiagnosed for many years. and do some more extensive testing. ABBEY MOVERS For fifteen years, she sought an- As devastating as it was to be diagnosed swers to her deteriorating health and with Cushing’s disease, it was also a relief. A re- 40 Years Experience unexplained weight gain. You could lief to know her weight was not her fault. It was Households-Offices see her weight gain was unusual by due to the hormones her tumor was secreting. Pianos-Antiques-Heavy Equipment the places it formed on her body. Her Now she had a diagnosis and was looking face got round and a large amount forward to surgery and better health. But it was Storage-Local-Long Distance-NYC formed on her upper back, while her not to be. Not just yet. Family Business legs and arms got smaller. All those Here is where you all come in. Kaeleen still years she endured the stares and faces surgery. Her expenses have been mount- knew what people were probably ing and she could use a little support. A call or 607 -437 -1878 - [email protected] thinking. note of encouragement. A prayer for her and Few knew that in 2013 she over- maybe one of gratitude for yourself. came thyroid cancer. Even fewer Please consider a donation to help Kaeleen BUT FOR THE GRACE OF GOD knew that In 2015 she developed during this trying time for her and her family. DVT blood clots in her legs and a blind spot in By Robert Lamb her vision. When she had to leave her job, some If you would like to help Kaeleen, you can We have all seen someone somewhere at thought she was just too obese or lazy. find her go fund me page at: sometime and wondered. In reality, she had been suffering from a tu- https://www.gofundme.com/f/243kdfav5c Why doesn’t she go on a diet? Or she would mor in her pituitary gland deep in her brain. not be obese if she exercised more. Even with this evidence from a MRI, the doctors Despite the global slowdown caused by Some may have thought more distasteful misdiagnosed her. For another four years she the coronavirus pandemic, the amount of thoughts. continued to fight the symptoms. During this CO2 in the atmosphere hit a record high of A few might have thought, “There but for time people seemed to pull away as she also 417 parts per million on May 2020. the grace of God go I.” pulled away from attending events. Imagine her In one such case, most will never know that isolation. Imagine the years lost to a disease Audubon, September/October 2020 Fall 2020 The New Franklin Register Page 7 FRANKLIN IN THE PANDEMIC WHO ARE THESE MASKED FRANKLINITES? PHOTOS BY TONY BREUER

Page 8 The New Franklin Register Fall 2020 FOCUS ON ENERGY

FOR SALE: CONSTITUTION PIPE ments are mainly niobium, vanadium, and tita- Buy America Act as well as those that are often High-quality, U.S.-made, never-used nium. This X70 pipe is a premium grade piping in place for city, town, county or state contracts. material that meets American Petroleum In- All the half million feet of pipe will be sold stitute 5L-0476 standard specifications with a FOB Albany, New York. (Free on Board means By Brian Brock minimum yield strength minimum of 485 Mpa that the buyer takes liability at time of purchase or 70,300 psi. and is responsible for shipping.) This pipe Due to the cancellation of the Constitution All pipe is coated with fusion-bond epoxy is stored at an industrial yard in Guilderland Pipeline project last February, the now-excess and an abrasion-resistant coating. An industry Center just west of Albany. The sale partners inventory of pipe is available for purchase have an on-site crew and front-end loader avail- -- over 96 miles of it. This 30”-diameter line able to load the pipe onto buyer’s train cars or pipe is suited for a range of uses including: trucks. Cutting and welding are also offered pipe for culverts, gas transmission, and water; for dead lengths if needed. The yard where the or pilings for bridges, buildings, transmission material is stored includes an active rail spur towers, and moorings. and is also paved, which allows loading even “All of this line pipe is double-submerged under wet conditions. and arc-welded, with material test reports avail- Guilderland Center is only 90 miles from able for every foot,” said Chad Farrell, manag- Franklin down I-88. When else will you have ing director of Tiger Commercial & Industrial a chance to buy this quality of steel at surplus Dispositions of California, which is managing prices? The possible uses are endless. Or just the sale. “This sale presents a unique opportu- own a piece of history from a time when people- nity for commercial buyers looking to leverage power triumphed over two Oklahoma compa- the secondary marketplace to purchase line nies that tried to run roughshod over New York pipe manufactured by top-quality U.S. mills.” One of more than a dozen such racks of pipe in Supply Yard 5, Guilderland Center, New York. Photo by Tiger Group. landowners to profit from selling Pennsylvania The pipe was rolled by Berg Pipe in Pan- group recommends that anti-corrosion epoxy gas to Canada. ama City, Florida or Dura-Bond Industries in be exposed for only six months, but this pipe Duquesne, Pennsylvania. has been sitting exposed to the elements for al- The line pipe on offer includes: 332,000 feet most six years. In addition, there are a few hun- “A federal judge rules that Devin with 0.529” thick walls, 177,000 feet with 0.562” dred lengths that are additionally coated with Nunes, an anti-environmental Califor- walls, and 1,700 feet with 0.750” walls. The vast concrete. nia representative, cannot sue Twit- majority of the over 12,000 lengths of pipe are It has been several years since a compa- ter over mocking tweets by a fictional 40 feet long. Such lengths weigh from three to rable amount of unused, 30-inch line pipe has cow.” five tons each. come on the U.S. market, Farrell noted, and be- - Audubon, September/October The walls are controlled micro-alloyed car- cause all of the inventory was domestically pro- 2020 bon/manganese steel. The micro-alloys ele- duced, it meets the requirements of the federal Fall 2020 The New Franklin Register Page 9 PIPELINE UPDATE Compiled by Brian Brock

June 30th: U.S. Court of Appeals, D.C. Circuit in ALLEGHENY DEFENSE PROJECT, ET AL. v. FERC (No. 17-1098) rules en banc that FERC has ille- gally used tolling orders to deny landowners timely judicial review while easements were seized by eminent domain and construction commenced. Consolidated with 17-1128, 17-1263, and 18-1030. July 23rd: Constitution Pipeline Company, LLC submits Quarterly Report No. 7 for the Constitution Pipeline project under CP13-499. August 4th: CPC requests that towns along the right-of-way terminate their road-use agreements with it. September 1st: Franklin Town Council passes a resolution to terminate the road-use agreement with CPC of April 5, 2016, pending a review by the town attorney. September 17th: For the U.S. District Court of the Northern District of New York, Syracuse, senior judge Norman Mordue issues a decision and order that dissolves his two previous orders from February 22, 2015. The first order was a partial summary judgment granting CPC the right of eminent domain to seize easements. The second was a preliminary injunction against landowners allowing CPC immediate access to the land prior to its seizing the easements. Mordue further orders CPC to record his decision with the appropriate county clerks, thereby removing from their deeds those easements so seized. This order applies to deeds of only the 39 landowners who resisted signing away their rights. All the other landowners who did sign easements will have those attached to their deeds in perpetuity. September 17th: Tiger Commercial & Industrial Dispositions puts up for sale the 510,700 feet of 30”-diameter pipe that is stored at Supply Yard #5 in Guilderland Center, New York. October 6th: With only $12,000 remaining in mechanical equipment appropriation for 2020, the Franklin Town Council adds the $56,000 from the CPC road-use agreement to buy a 2012 Volvo grader with 5,800 hours for $65,000. October 16th: CPC submits Quarterly Report No. 8 for the Constitution Pipeline project under CP13-499.

gang expanded to offer delicious lo- FFM. continued from Page 1 cally grown whole chickens. Poultry products complement- ed other protein-packed produc- ers, such as Mike Sellitti with Sky- top Springs’ rainbow trout fillets, sold fresh and smoked. Since the smoked trout almost always sold out, it is important to know that or- ders can be placed in advance. The same is true for Meg and Empire Angus. With eager beef- eaters blowing up her Messenger since March, it was a challenge for The new market entrance the Shivers family to meet the sig- Also offering maple products John the Baker tenth year at the market, having nificant increase in demand for their was Larry of Elk Meadow Farm. His silk-scarves. joined early on. This year, Fokish beef throughout the entire market maple-pepper seasoning has al- While the weekly market has shelves were often empty before season. Angus beef has most cer- ways been a hit. Honey is another ended, significant vendor and cus- noon. Bruce sold almost all of the tainly been what’s for dinner. sweet treat for sale. Alongside Lar- tomer interest prompted explora- 800-plus goat’s milk soap bars he ry was Betty, who sold hand-made tion of a winter market possibility, crafted over the previous winter. masks in both adult and children’s from November to April. Success! Newbies Jade and Asa of Vi- sizes. A location has been identified. tality Homestead brought peren- Karen of Hare and Feather Thanks to the hospitality of the nial plants, reishi and chaga mush- Farm expanded her stock of tradi- Walter Rich Foundation, both the rooms, Herkimer diamond rings, tional jams, jellies, fudges, salsas, Community Center and Railroad quail eggs, and delicious fresh and eggs, despite an “unofficially Museum will be housing vendors. vegetables, joining the FFM’s other declared” jar-shortage. John the The inaugural Winter Franklin traditional produce vendors. In Baker has again sent thousands of Farmers’ Market will be on Sunday, addition to soap, Cordwood Acres dollars to St. Jude’s and Tunnels for November 8th, featuring almost sold locally cultivated gourmet Towers charities with his authentic all of your favorite vendors. CO- fungi such as Lion’s Mane and Blue The addition of Lindner’s Cider Italian cookies and desserts. John’s VID-19 guidelines will be in effect Oyster Mushrooms, garlic variet- provided a new treat: hard apple commitment to his causes has been and enforced. More details will ies, and continued to expand in the cider products. Having all the an inspiration to us all. be available through Facebook at number and volume of fruits and components of a meal available in Occasional appearances in- Franklin, NY Farmer’s Market. berries available. one place - including beverage - cluded newcomer Ostrander Lastly and always, thank you to East Brook Farm rocks on as definitely adds market appeal. Woodworking, with handmade all the volunteers who make each reigning regenerative farming Diane Jordan from Off Road wooden spoons and kitchen uten- week possible, to the vendors who champ, first with hundreds of veg- Maple offered a selection of Pure sils; Grandpas’ Garlic, with garlic offer amazing products, and to our etable and herb seedlings, then the NYS Maple Syrup products and re- and scape pesto; Braestone’s Al- loyal customers. freshest greens, biggest beets, and… lated items, including syrup (some paca Farm, with knit items made of Your support gives strength to the whole-est chickens?! That’s bourbon-barrel infused), candies, local fiber, including from Frank- the market and the community. right! In addition to their amazing teas, coffee, sugar, pancake mixes, lin; and, finally, much missed Izza- veggies, Cicada and the East Brook and more. bon handmade jewelry and dyed

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contact Manette Berlinger [email protected] The last outdoor market is celebrated with a socially distanced pot luck lunch. Page 10 The New Franklin Register Fall 2020 economy. At Village Boun- feels as if we have lost it. tiful, everyone can shop The market is open annals of sustainability and anyone can join. Mondays, Wednesdays, and What began as an idea Fridays from 10 A.M. to 1 THE VILLAGE in a time of need has grown P.M., Tuesdays and Thurs- into a year-round opportu- days from 4 P.M. to 7 P.M., BOUNTIFUL: nity for surrounding com- and Saturdays from 8 A.M. Unadilla’s New Food Co-Op munities to buy local, and for to 2 P.M. consumers to have a say in To become a member, By Cassidy Frazier what is offered. You can feel visit: good about giving back to www.villagebountiful.com The Village Bounti- local businesses simply by or “The Village Boun- ful Community Market, on shopping for your groceries. tiful Community Mar- Route 7 just west of the vil- A sense of community is re- ket” on Facebook, or call lage of Unadilla, opened its stored during a time when it 607-353-1946. doors on September 26th. The Village Bountiful Community Market on Route 7 in Unadilla This small-town food co-op Need exercise in the pandemic? wholesome food and prod- buyers simultaneously sup- has been in the works for a Hungry for something new? Step out on... ucts grown or made in up- port the local economy by couple of years and is sus- FRANKLIN’S EDIBLE WALKING TRAIL tained by vendors from the state New York. The group shopping at the market. behind the Village Park! surrounding area, its mem- created a mission state- And The Village Bountiful bers, and its shoppers. ment outlining core values provides its fresh, locally WHAT YOU WILL FIND THERE (depending on the season): The idea for the food that would root the market sourced products at prices Fruit/Nut Trees: co-op began after Unadil- within the town and strive you might not find at your Apple, Cherry, Maple, Black Walnut, Oak, Beech, la’s one and only grocery to bring people together. regular grocery store. Shrubs/Bushes: store closed in spring of As committees formed, the Like other food co-ops Blueberry, Blackberry, Currant, Raspberry, Ground 2018. Suddenly, there was idea grew with each meet- across the nation, Village Cherry*, Elderberry, Gogi Berry, Witch Hazel** a huge gap to be filled for ing. The shop went from an Bountiful Community Mar- Tubers/Bulbs: accessible, everyday gro- idea pitched in a local cof- ket offers memberships, Jerusalem Artichoke, Horseradish*, Egyptian ceries in Unadilla. But lo- fee shop to a reality: a local, though you do not have to Walking Onion*, Garlic*, cal residents felt the need consumer-owned market be a member to shop there. Grape Hyacinth, Ditch Daylily, Ramps* for something more in their with great potential to unite A membership comes Herbs/Flowers: community and met to dis- the community. with perks; for a one-time Wild Thyme, Spearmint, Oregano, Lemon Balm*, cuss it: a place to shop for Although The Village payment of $250 (with op- Yar row*, Echinacea*, Hibiscus*, Hosta*, Red Clover, fruits and vegetables but Bountiful is not a health tional payment plans), you Dandelion, Comfrey**, Chives also to support local busi- food store, it offers an array receive 10% off all your Other: nesses, to reconnect the of wholesome foods such as purchases. By shopping Grapes, Watercress, Asparagus, Fir, Sumac, Partridge community, a store that felt dairy, meat, fruits, vegeta- at this market, not only are Berry* like home. It started with a bles, jams, jellies, and much you opening the door to vision: a store that could be more. The co-op sources healthy food options, but * Newly planted ** For Medicinal Use Only, Not accessible, refreshing, and a majority of its products you will also be supporting For Consumption convenient - a market for from upstate New York, local jobs, sustainable agri- the community, but also run supporting local business- culture, business startups, Planned Plants: Rhubarb, Bee Balm, Calendula by the community. A place es and vendors through the family farms, a connected Planned Projects: Green Space, Signage, for citizens to purchase sale of their products, while community, and a localized Seating/Benches, Pavillion

Greater Franklin Food Pantry 574 Main Street, PO Box 209, Franklin NY 13775 Holiday Boxes Open Fridays 2-4PM or by appointment In coordination with Headstart, Franklin Central School, Delaware Opportunities and the Methodist churches of Call or text: 607-386-1601 Franklin and Treadwell, the Greater Franklin Food Pantry supplies boxes of Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday meals every year for families in need. Pantry Hours Sponsor a box: You may sponsor a box for $50. Please Individuals or families send a check to our PO Box. residing in the town Receive a box: Do you want to be on the list to receive a of Franklin, including box? Reach out to the pantry with your information. Treadwell and the former Treadwell Holiday Boxes include turkey, ham or other meat school district, may choices, potatoes and vegetables, dessert and basic shop once a month staples to help you through the week when kids are on Fridays 2-4PM or home from school. by appointment. First-time customers are required to fill out a brief and confidential questionnaire. We welcome donations: Thanksgiving Holiday Box - Please mail checks to Sponsor or Reserve by Oct. 31 our Post Office Box - Food (non-expired) may be dropped off during pantry hours, or call to Christmas Holiday Box arrange another time or Sponsor or Reserve by Nov. 30 pickup.

GreaterFranklinFoodPantry.org • [email protected] • facebook.com/GreaterFranklinFoodPantry Fall 2020 The New Franklin Register Page 11

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even though the slope makes that browning hostas, astilbes and ferns. In fact, the area fast draining and the plants hellebores looked newly minted with glossy GREEN BANKS were in full sun. The soil was often dark green leaves. very dry, but the bed contains many Other stars in my dry shade included Ha- GARDENING plants that prefer those conditions, konechloa (Japanese forest grass), carex, Athy- including penstemon, Echinacea rium niponicum (Japanese painted fern), Ge- With (coneflower), alliums, veronica, ranium phaeum, Brunnera, Japanese anemones bearded iris, weigela, bronze fen- and Eurybia divaricata (our native wood aster). Deborah Banks nel, hardy geraniums, Nepeta (cat- Some pulmonarias and heucheras also did well, mint), sedums and Physostegia. Put- especially those with heavily silvered leaves. ting the right plant in the right place The more common pulmonarias fried and also This summer, my garden went through a cou- is the key to limiting the need for water. succumbed to powdery mildew. ple of dry periods where every rain cloud went Other plants that do well in sunny dry con- My list of plants that did well in my dry gar- just north of us or veered south. Each week with- ditions include most ornamental grasses, laven- den applies only for the well-established plants. out rain, I carried water to the handful of peren- der, Phlox paniculata (summer phlox), Euphor- I watered newly planted perennials often, even nials I had planted this year. (I keep a list of them bia polychroma (cushion spurge), Echinops ritro if the variety was on my drought-tolerant list. each year.) They were the most vulnerable since (globe thistle), Eryngium planum (sea holly), Any garden fares better in a drought if the they were not rooted into the soil yet. Perovskia (Russian sage), Agastache (Anise Hys- soil has been amended with compost or shred- As the dry period continued, I watched hos- sop), yarrow, lamb’s ear, salvia, asters, Phlomis ded leaves and if the bed has been mulched to ta and primula leaves wilt and turn brown. The russeliana and several Artemisia species (com- conserve what moisture is present. When I do ligularia leaves drooped during what should mon cultivars are ‘Silver Mound’, ‘Valerie Finn- water, I try to water deeply once a week (or have been their moment of blooming glory. is’ and ‘Powis Castle’). As you plan your own less) instead of doing frequent light sprinkling. The Kirengeshoma palmata looked miserable, drought tolerant garden, a general rule of thumb I want to encourage my plants to root deeply. despite some hand watering. Finally, when the is that a plant with silver or furry or tiny leaves is I’m sure my talk of drought would be laugh- middle of my oldest Daphne mezereum died, I more likely to be drought tolerant, with the bo- able to Californian gardeners who wait years belatedly realized more action was required. I nus of being less attractive to deer and rabbits. for rain instead of weeks. However, we too dragged the hoses out and started watering in I try to group plants according to their need should try to make our gardens more resilient earnest. However, I still only watered certain for water. If I had planted ligularia or blue flag to weather extremes. Regardless of your opin- areas, especially my shade gardens. The sun- iris in that dry bed, I would have needed to wa- ion of climate change, it is certain that our sum- baked beds were doing fine. ter frequently, even though most of the plants in mers are often warmer and dryer than in the My biggest shade area is under maple trees the bed didn’t need that help and, in some cases, past. We should all think about a plant’s water with greedy surface roots that continually rob would even resent it. If I site a plant badly but needs as we choose what to add to our gardens. the bed of water and nutrients. All trees do follow my watering plan for the bed, the plant this of course, but some trees are more diffi- will alert me that it needs moving by its failure cult to garden under than others. Even though to thrive, its yellowing leaves or sometimes by its my shade plants are protected from the dry- death, if I have been slow to take notice. ing heat of the sun, they suffer more from lack So that’s great for the sunny bed, but what of rain than plants in other parts of my garden. can I do to improve the drought tolerance of the And when it does rain, not as much water makes shady areas? Even here there are plants that it down through the trees to the ground. can tolerate dryness. In my stressed shade gar- This summer I never watered the sunny bed den, hellebores and various epimedium culti- on the south-facing slope in front of our house, vars still looked great this year amidst the sea of Page 12 The New Franklin Register Fall 2020

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THE DAISY FOLLOWS SOFT THE SUN at the - Emily Dickinson Poem 106 The Daisy follows soft the Sun— library And when his golden walk is done— Sits shyly at his feet— He—waking—finds the flower there NEW BOOK reviews Wherefore—Marauder—art thou here? Because, Sir, love is sweet! HAMNET: a Novel of the Plague when his twin sister suddenly collapses. By Maggie O’Farrell But it is Hamnet who dies, not his sister, and We are the Flower—Thou the Sun! Reviewed by Lynne Kemen the family is deep in grief. Shakespeare Forgive us, if as days decline— arrives too late, then leaves and does not We nearer steal to Thee! The irony of reading a historical fic- return for almost a year. During that time, it Enamored of the parting West— tion about a child dying during the Lon- is his wife’s grief that is central to the story. The peace—the flight—the Amethyst don plague of 1596 while “Every life has its ker- Night’s possibility! we are in the middle of a nel, its hub, its epicentre, pandemic in 2020 is huge from which everything but appropriate. Maggie flows out, to which every- Emily Dickinson was born in 1830 and died in 1886. O’Farrell’s HAMNET: a thing returns. This moment “The Daisy Follows Soft the Sun,” one of the many poems novel of the Plague was is the absent mother’s: the written by Dickinson, was published posthumously in released this year, but I am boy, the empty house, the 1890 in the book Poems by Emily Dickinson, edited by quite certain that the au- deserted yard, the unheard Mabel Loomis Todd and T. W. Higginson, which contained thor did not know how pre- cry ... It will lie at her very 115 of Dickinson’s poems. scient the book would be. core, for the rest of her life.” She was a prolific poet, but she hid most of her verses; William Shakespeare Midway through the after her death, 900 of them were found in a small box, is probably the world’s book, there is an interlude bound in 60 little volumes tied together with twine. Al- most famous playwright, concerning the flea that though Emily Dickinson lived a “small” life in Amherst, yet we know almost noth- caused the death of Ham- Massachusetts, this American genius had a vast under- ing of his private life. He net and spread the plague. standing of people, animals, and the world. was married and had three It is very dispassionate and — Bertha Rogers children: Susanna and the effective. By the end, we twins Hamnet and Judith. He spent most are in London at a production of Hamlet. of his career in London or touring with We see how an artist immortalizes his son his company while his family remained and his grief. in Stratford. In the book, the family stays “If thou didst ever hold me in thy heart, in the small town due to health issues of Absent thee from felicity awhile, the younger daughter and the dangers of And in this harsh world, draw thy breath Kenneth L. Bennett plague and pollution in London. in pain, Shakespeare is never mentioned by To tell my story.” name. The book opens with an 11-year- —Hamlet, Act V, scene ii old boy desperately searching for an adult Funeral Home

LIBRARIAN’S PICKS By Wendy Barckhaus Two great graphic novels: guard and government of a Birmingham church, sanctioned racism. Mean- which killed four little THEY CALLED US while, his parents struggle girls. It takes us through ENEMY to keep their family safe as the Freedom Summer and 425 Main Street By George Takei they are moved from camp ends with Bloody Sunday, to camp. A story that needs March 7, 1965. As non-vi- Franklin, NY 13776 This book recounts the to be told. And yes, this IS olent demonstrators tried story of the author’s impris- the George Takei from Star to march over the Edwin onment in “relocation cen- Trek. Pettis bridge in Selma, they ters” set up by the United were savagely beaten, John States government during Lewis included. He does 607-829-2272 World War II. Takei was not sugarcoat the horrific four years old when he and violence that civil rights his family were moved from advocates were subjected their home to the camps. to. A must read for all ages. Their “crime” was being ALL THE DEVILS ARE Horowitz, joins them. The Japanese-American. Takei HERE family reunion is spoiled writes about the trauma of By Louise Penny. when Horowitz is hit by a growing up under armed car and lies in a coma. Of This latest Inspector course, Gamache must in- Gamache novel takes place vestigate the hit and run. in Paris, not in the usual vil- And of course, secrets will lage of Three Pines. Ar- be uncovered. mand and his wife Reine- This novel is a de- Marie go to Paris to await parture from her fifteen MARCH the birth of their grand- other Inspector Gamache By John Lewis and Andrew child. Their daughter An- novels. Its Paris locale is Aydin nie and husband Jean-Guy, beautifully described, but Gamache’s former second it lacks the quirky charac- This is the third book in command, live in Paris, ters we’ve come to love that the late, great John as does the Gamaches’ son from Three Pines. Are they Lewis wrote about the civil Daniel. Gamache’s god- much missed? Readers of cide when they read this rights movement. It starts father, billionaire Stephen the series will have to de- latest book. in 1963 with the bombing Fall 2020 The New Franklin Register Page 13 The COVID-19 virus ple entering the downtown and protective health man- district to wear a mask. One dates have brought to pub- with person, incensed by the lic spaces a look that many UpState notion of being told what to Americans might better Charlie do, resorted to vandalism. associate with Halloween, He snuck around town with criminals, or surgical pro- Arts Bremer black spray paint to put a cedures. Today, more than large X over each sign. Had in any recent moment, we he done as the sign request- live in a world of masks. ed, he might never have Traditionally, mask masks. When I asked my mask - better yet, several. been identified by security wearing generally falls un- friend, Franklin artist Ed- Dust storms appear quite cameras and subsequently der one of three categories: mond Rinnooy-Kan, if he suddenly off the desert pla- arrested. Irony prevails. protection, expression, or had ever painted a mask on ya and swallow this gath- Our deepest connection ritual transformation. Ety- his iconic character Gou- ering of 70,000 people in to masks derives from an- mologists trace the origin of gou, he very aptly replied: minutes, art and all. Amaz- cient and primitive societ- the word “mask” back to the “Gou-gou is a mask.” ing masks and costumes ies throughout every cul- Arabic maskharah, meaning are an essential part of this ture and time. The oldest “buffoon”. The word for annual and remarkable known masks date back Witch-seeker mask 20th Century mask in Latin is persona or “no spectator” art event. some 10,000 years. Here, Dan People, Liberia/Ivory Coast larva, suggesting our Eng- Bank robbers and thieves the evocation of deity and liberal, male / female, and lish language connection usually wear masks, but the transformation of life perhaps every role we play with personality and trans- then, so do their adversar- spirit become one through in life is a form of mask - formation. A mask can pro- ies. The Lone Ranger, Zor- the mask. Rites of passage, artist included. From our vide the cover needed to ro, and most of our DC and fertility, marriage, good participation in society to evoke a different being harvest, connecting to the the revelations of our in- spirit of ancestors, or the ner self, a mask is often journey to the afterlife are the creative tool of choice. “Gou-Gou” all woven into the power by Edmond Rinnooy Kan of masks. It is speculated Surrealist artists em- that the wearing of animal ploy masks as symbols of masks may date as far back the subconscious or per- as 35,000 years. “Intrigue” by James Ensor, 1980 sonalities of the alter-ego. Even a primitive “witch As an element of fine Numerous examples are seeker” mask seems to art, masks are used in the- found in the work of Rene share a relevance today ater to mythologize or ag- Magritte and Man Ray. with our over-heated po- Sometimes masks are a part grandize characters in the “American” by Charlie Bremer, 2020 litical climate. Amid CO- storytelling. But they ap- of art in unexpected ways. VID-19, we wear masks pear also in painting, most Anyone attending the Burn- Marvel Comic superheroes to protect ourselves and notably in the work of James ing Man art festival in the all get masked up for bat- others. In many ways we Ensor (Belgium 1860-1949) Black Rock Desert of north- tling crime. Recently in have always been a na- “A Shared Step on a Long Journey” who grew up in a family ern Nevada during late Cooperstown, NY, signs tion of masks: Republican August had better bring a went up requiring all peo- William Kelly, Charlie Bremer, whose shop sold carnival / Democrat, conservative / Louise Neaderland, 2020

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SERVING THE LOCAL ART COMMUNITY FOR 37 YEARS. OPEN: Noon 4 pm SAT. & SUN. April to December www.muralartgallery.org Page 14 The New Franklin Register Fall 2020 CATSKILL CATS YES ! Music Notes YES ! by John O’Connor There is a recording studio in WHITHER SENSUALITY? visible pests Franklin that cause havoc on our respiratory systems. Being one of zillions who Since March, the live mu- finds the virtual version of art, act- sic scene has been, for the most ing, music, etc. extremely unsatis- part, dead. Musicians, as well as factory and depressing, I decided other performing artists, lost their to make the trip to New York to visit means of making a living over- the Met (as well as one of my favor- night. Had COVID-19 happened ite galleries, St. Etienne). I thought twenty years ago, some of the loss it would be a nice to see the Jacob would have been made up in sales Lawrence show: paintings of the of recordings, but that source of American experience. In person. income has been long decimated On my wanderings through the by the digital world. Performing American wing to reach the Law- freelance musicians were able to rence exhibit, I feasted on the many Professional Full Service Audio Production take advantage of the extension of twentieth century paintings grac- unemployment insurance to inde- ing those walls. Paintings that make Custom Original Music for Film, TV, Video pendent contractors. But life has you stand in wonder of this mag- been tough for these musicians, nificent art form and those whose Full Song Recording, Mixing, Mastering as it has for all performing artists. gigantic talents move us through a In the phases of partial opening meditation of visual stillness. Paint- Audiobook Production, Voicing and Talent in the pandemic, the last includes ing has always seemed to me the musicians, but only under limited closest art to poetry. Good poetry Tape/Vinyl Transfers to Digital Formats. conditions. can be read and re-read, reveal- In the scene loosely defined Preserve those memories ! ing something new each time. The as folk music - my turf - musicians same is true with a painting. But I have resorted to various formats don’t think you can experience this available to them on the internet. 845-679-5674 discovery and rediscovery without I did a Zoom concert in May for seeing the painting directly, having Music on the Delaware, which has [email protected] in front of you its texture and real- hosted a series of virtual concerts. world dimension. In the middle of The experience, frankly, is unsat- Consultation, Rates, Bookings the pandemic, standing in front of isfying for both the audience and these paintings, I felt what a human Aural Gratification, Inc. Since 1983 the performer. No matter how privilege it is to see works that are advanced the technology, noth- tremendously moving and filled ing makes up for the interaction of tion cannot help but be interpreted with the context of the epoch that SEEING THINGS audience and performer in a live by the reader as a reflection of the produced them. setting. Still, musicians persist, unique time in which they were I have never been a big ad- By Susan Barnett and many artists have been able written – life before and during a mirer of Edward Hopper, but there to make up for their loss of live pandemic. I was, entranced by his painting of The spring of 2020 punched performance income by playing The shutdown itself impacted a restaurant with a waitress pre- holes in our expectation of “nor- for venues offering this virtual al- the writers in different ways. paring a fruit counter (can’t recall mal.” Life, for many of us, slowed ternative, or by hosting their own Strother said the shutdown the title), and acutely aware of its down. Bird watching, gardening, concerts online, charging admis- “strangely” didn’t really affect painterliness. I learned the word stargazing, all enjoyed a renais- sion on a mandatory or voluntary her creative life. “I had visions “painterly” from painters who sance. It seems an appropriate basis. The experience lacks the vi- of great productivity, but it never have been personal friends, and time for a collection of poetry en- tality of live performance, but there materialized. I continued to write for me the term expresses the di- titled Seeing Things. are consolations - the audience at the same pace as I always have mension that paint adds to the two Seeing Things is a compilation doesn’t have to travel distances, and that, unfortunately, is slow and we normally consider a painting of poems written by participants of making it possible for someone sporadically.” to exist in. But paintings are, if one Robert Bensen’s writing workshop of anywhere in the world to “attend”. For Miritello, the shutdown was observes their painterliness, any- the same name, held at Treadwell’s And everyone has a front row seat. an opportunity to work. “I was thing but two-dimensional. So, it is Bright Hill Literary Center. Bensen, *** able to do so many things that my impossible to understand and ex- an author and former Director of In March of this year I visited ordinary schedule doesn’t permit perience a painting without being Writing at Hartwick College, said the Metropolitan Museum of Art. me to do. Of course. it naturally in front of the actual work. that after a year of workshops, he en- The next day, I left New York and shifted the point of view, but as far The sensuality of my visit to visioned creating a simple collection drove back to Franklin. On that as opening up a window of time, I the museum that day was unlike of the group’s work. day, the museum closed due to the See POEMS, con’t on Page 16 any other time viewing paintings But “the project grew to a 120- COVID-19 pandemic. And so be- of the stature seen at the Met. Our page file that begged to be a print- gan the suspended world we now world cannot be truly represented ed book,” he explained. “Several live in. Artists, musicians, theater by the virtual, in my opinion. And anonymous donors contributed artists, and dancers since then that world, I think, is in danger of nearly $5,000, which enabled us to have tried to practice their art in slipping away. The pandemic has raise our production values to the the way we call “virtual”, using shown how important it is. Perhaps highest standards available.” the various platforms of the inter- that is the silver lining of the pan- Among the contributors are net that allow us to sit in our rooms demic; the appreciation of what is Bensen himself, plus area residents and watch an approximation of real and sensual. including Lynne Kemen, Karen what was (and with some luck, will Miritello, Pam Strother, and Vicki be again) the real world of space Whicker, who also contributed and reaction, of touch and visual photos to the book. Once the state and audio sensuality that has been shutdown forced the workshops to ours until the year of 2020. move to a virtual format, Benson A few weeks ago, the Met said participants joined from the opened its doors again under strict Capital District, downstate, and pandemic guidelines, assuring that Washington D.C. the museum is not too crowded The poems weren’t written spe- and that viewers take precautions cifically for a book, but the collec- not to catch or spread the little in- Masks off Main Street - Photo: Tony Breuer Fall 2020 The New Franklin Register Page 15 FRANKLIN lated student body - chal- plies required for in-per- lenges faced throughout son programing, such as COMMUNITY the state and country. carts to move supplies Fortunately, the com- with teachers between EDUCATION munity of Franklin again classrooms. proved itself strong. The On Friday, September FOUNDATION school and community 4th, FCEF kicked off the generally had the resourc- First Annual School Supply By Trish Tyrell es needed to get through. Give-Away. Due to CO- In the one instance where a VID-19, this was done in a During the greater por- technology need was iden- drive-thru format, open to tion of 2020, COVID-19 sig- tified, FCEF met it through anyone who came. The left- nificantly impacted the ac- the generosity of Erna Mor- over supplies were given tivities typically conducted gan McReynolds and Tom to the school to be passed by the Franklin Commu- Morgan. For other needs, along to any student need- nity Education Foundation federal and state programs ing them. A big thank you (FCEF). In addition, CO- were often able to step in. to ACCO Brands for their VID-19 has impacted two Summer provided some generous donation, which academic years and the relief to weary teachers contributed to the overall educational experience of and students alike. How- success of the event. FCEF every child in Franklin and ever, concern remained was also able to purchase a beyond. about what the 2020-2021 Chromebook to feature in The First Annual School Supply Give-Away in action Following the shutdown school year would look like, the annual raffle, resulting keeps Franklin strong by field trips and scholarships. at the end of the 2019-2020 about when and if school in a successful fundraiser. academic year and the supporting our youth and Regardless the situation, might start, and what kind Additionally, a Fire8 Tab- our school. FCEF is proud to serve the start of “crisis education” of support the school might let was donated to be giv- through remote learning, it Our greatest strength Franklin community. require. en away as a promotional is the support of individu- was difficult to determine The problem of educa- prize. the real needs of the school, als in the community, so The Franklin Community tion during the pandemic Through its partner- we will be asking for do- Education Foundation sup- students and community. remains an evolving one. ship with Franklin Central Lengthy email and nations through a mail-in ports extracurricular and Providing an in-person ed- School, FCEF will continue giving campaign. FCEF is supplemental education op- Zoom discussions were ucation requires additional to identify current needs held about internet and grateful to each and every portunities to the youth and expense, and the Fall of that support in-person pro- person who contributes to students of Franklin from technology access, trans- 2020 has proven much dif- gramming and remote stu- portation costs, food sta- our efforts and activities. cradle to career. ferent than the Spring. dent learning. In these un- Hopefully, we will one- bility, supervision and FCEF has been able precedented times, FCEF guidance, and the social day resume support of to support the school with is honored to be part of more traditional items like consequences of an iso- funding for tools and sup- the resource network that

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TAXES, continued from Page 1 These appropriations would be calGovIntro.cfm. Our board has POEMS, con’t from Page 14 $12,100 (76%) from the county.) mostly paid by property taxes, but not audited town books for 2009 to honestly loved that!” Total of salaries for town officials there are significant contributions 2013, nor has the supervisor filed Whicker, too, found creative would be $137,300. Benefits would from revenues and appropriated AUDs for those years. fuel in the shutdown, with an ac- increase $2,360 (3.8%) to $64,010. fund balances. Revenues would The levy for the Franklin and celeration of her output, and more Capital expenses (contractual remain essentially unchanged Treadwell fire departments, which space to create. “The anxiety and expenditures, CE) for government from 2020 at $0.376 million. Most is set by the departments them- despair can work well for poetry, would decrease a total of approxi- of the revenue would be the $0.250 selves, was not known at the time too.” mately $17,500: tax collector $435, million from New York state under of the budget workshop. Levy for Bensen viewed the shutdown attorney $1,200, buildings $15,000, the Consolidated Local Streets and 2020 was $0.227 million. While this more as a logistical challenge, and dog control $885. Highway Improvement Program. levy is collected through the town as he sought to keep the writing For the highway The next largest would tax billing, it is not part of the town group together. “We had to adjust department, total sal- be $0.038 million from budget. to the new social modes imposed aries would stay the rent of the land under the This tentative budget was con- by ZOOM, but the online form was same at $350,000 and cellphone tower. sidered during the annual budget a blessing, in that we were able benefits would in- Appropriated bal- workshop at the meeting of the to bring in writers who could not crease $9,400 (4.5%) ances are funds carried board on October 6th. Beforehand, drive to Treadwell every Monday to $217,835. Benefits over from the previous the tentative budget was prepared night for in-person meetings. And are state retirement, years. These funds are by supervisor Taggart (financial recording the sessions meant that social security, and allocated to provide officer) in consultation with direc- people could watch and hear the medical insurance. Of the highway operating cash and a buffer for tor of finances Warner (assistant workshop at a more convenient appropriations, labor (wages and unexpected costs. The total of financial officer). At the work- time, if they couldn’t ZOOM in at benefits) would account for $0.568 $0.188 million would be the same shop, Mr. Warner read only the few the moment.” million or 41.4%, which would be as last year. Over the last decade, changes from the 2020 budget. (If The book may be complete, 31.6 % of the total budget. fund balances have declined from you forgot to bring your copy of but the online workshops continue, Highway capital expenses $0.262 million. last year’s budget, then starting Monday, September 21. would increase by net $20,000: Annual [Financial] you could not follow Seeing Things is available equipment maintenance increas- Update Documents (2014 along.) After some re- at The Green Toad Bookstore in ing by $30,000 and machinery de- to 2019) reveal funds marks by the supervisor, Oneonta: creasing by $10,000. that are not reported in the board approved his https://greentoadbookstore.com/ Appropriations and revenues the budget document, tentative budget without For more information on the for the hamlet of Treadwell would typically a hundred thou- discussion. Thereby, it book or the workshop, contact be unchanged from 2020. Ex- sand dollars or more. became our preliminary Robert Bensen at bensenr@hart- penditures for water and light of In the most recent AUD, budget. wick.edu, or the Bright Hill Press $26,750 would be partially offset cash on hand was $0.526 Copies of the bud- and Literary Center. by revenues of $11,015. The bal- million whereas the total allocated get are available from the town ance of $15,735 would be a subsidy fund balances reported in the 2020 clerk. A public hearing on the pre- paid by all Franklin landowners. budget was $0.188 million – a third liminary Town of Franklin Budget With only these small changes, that amount. Funds in these eleven 2021 will be held Wednesday the the 2021 budget would be similar town bank accounts are not includ- 4th of November at 6:00 p.m. in the to that of 2020, with highway de- ed in the budget document. Cash town hall. partment receiving $1.371 million in the Kellogg-Franklin Trust is not Immediately after this hearing, (76.2%), all other town accounts included in that total. the board may approve the prelim- (general) $0.401 million (22.3%), Annual financial reports for inary budget either with or without and Treadwell light and water Franklin 2005 to 2008 and 2014 to revisions. While a budget does not $0.027 million (1.5%). The propor- 2019 can be read, downloaded, or have to be passed that evening, it tion of budget for the department printed at: http://wwe2.osc.state. should be approved by November rose about a percent. ny.us/transparency/LocalGov/Lo- 20th. Martha Bremer at Burning Man in August Fall 2020 The New Franklin Register Page 17

is a warning level, two percent is into the surrounding community, Cloth masks mostly protect others SARS VS. US a danger.) During an uptick, the let alone Delaware County. in case the wearer is infected. It is number of people under mandato- Starting the last weekend in considerate of others to wear them By Brian Brock ry quarantine spikes from a few to September, an outbreak spread outdoors in crowds and indoors. To a few dozen. The department has through the general population protect yourself where the virus is By and large, we have managed to manage each person for 14 days in the greater Binghamton re- likely floating about, you need an well since the first wave of SARS- from the initial letter of quarantine gion, becoming one of the top 20 N95 mask that fits tightly on your CoV-2 infections swept through until the letter of release. hotspots in our state. First week of face, or something better. Delaware County in late March and Four patients died during the the month saw over 340 positive It might be spring of 2021 be- April. By avoiding crowds, keep- first month of the pandemic, but tests, the second over 500, and 440 fore we can begin to achieve herd ing distant, and wearing masks only four more died in the next six the third. While SUNY Binghamton immunity through vaccinations. when close or indoors, our sacri- months. Hospitals have become was not the cause of this outbreak, The alternative of herd immunity fices have been rewarded by low better at treating COVID-19 as we once over a hundred students were through infections would be costly. levels of infection and death. Posi- As of late October, there were tive tests for this virus show a back- 150 positive tests in Delaware ground increase of about two each county. Even if this indicates a total week among the 44,000 residents. of 1,500 infected individuals, that Epidemiologists estimate that for is only 3 percent of our population. every case identified there could An estimate of the fraction that be nine that were missed, so for us would be required to protect the about 20 infections a week. Half of community from further outbreaks those infected are asymptomatic of COVID-19 through herd immu- and go untested. In addition, some nity is 60 to 70 percent recovered sick people prefer not to go to the or 26,000 to 30,000 more people doctor. here. Since this first wave subsided, Since the first wave ended, Del- our county has suffered four up- aware County has been averaging ticks when people were careless: a one death for every 20 positive cattle auction in mid-May (8 posi- tests (four dead and 80 positives) tives), field days around the Inde- or maybe 200 infections, assuming pendence Day weekend and then learn more about this disease. infected, it paused in-person class- a a ratio of positives to infections of a church service and reception in Nearby, there have been two es for two weeks. 1:10. Therefore to achieve herd im- early to mid-July (14), the start of full-scale outbreaks that required Here, there was only a small munity would cost the death of 130 the fall semester at SUNY Delhi in outside intervention: Oneonta and uptick at SUNY Delhi. As in Oneon- to 150 of your neighbors, seven to late August (16) and the start of in- Binghamton. ta, students began showing symp- eight in our town alone. person grade school in October In early September, SUCO toms about a week following the The dead are not the only last- (30+). During up-ticks, the testing students started being infected. weekend of freshman orientation. ing cost of this pandemic. There averaged seven new infections per Eventually over 700 tested positive, Likely a few infected but asymp- are those who survive but remain week. a quarter of those attending. This tomatic students spread it to other disabled months later. Some might Fortunately, the Delaware outbreak was a failure of some stu- students, some of whom developed never fully recover. County Department of Health dents to behave responsibly and of a more serious case. However, stu- Winter is coming. Much of our managed to identify many of the the administration to prepare for dents accounted for only half this time will be spent indoors, thereby infected through testing and con- this inevitability. In Oneonta, gov- uptick. increasing risks of spreading. Past tact tracing. By late October, they ernments at city, county, and state The outbreaks in Oneonta and pandemics have had a second had recorded 22,500 tests and levels cooperated to contain this Binghamton showed how quickly wave in winter, larger than the first. found 150 infected individuals, a outbreak to the student body. For- SARS-CoV-2 can spread if safe- Now is the time for diligence. rate of 0.7 percent. (One percent tunately, the virus did not spread guards are neglected or disdained.

THE BARN IS OPEN! At the Franklin Railroad and Community museum: “Our biggest project has been the addition of George Rich’s barn, offer- ing more display area for the museum. Some of the displays include farm ma- chinery, an old time house display, an O&W train sta- tion display, hit-and-miss engines, and historic items from Franklin.” FOR HOURS AND DIRECTIONS, VISIT OUR NEW WEBSITE: https://franklinrrcommmuseum.wixsite.com/museum OR FIND US ON FACEBOOK OR INSTAGRAM.

BAIT, continued from Page 5 media. Clicks are the currency of this new world. On- line advertisers and content creators are competing for your views. In our example, somebody clearly does not like penguins and is using this platform to spread fear and misinformation. I hope that this information grants a little bit more control and peace of mind to your online experience. SHOP HOURS & SCHEDULE April – December January – March Saturdays 11–5:30pm & Sundays 11-4PM By chance or appointment only Figure 3. Read a Little Further and do research. (or by appointment)

HAS ANYONE 322 MAIN STREET, FRANKLIN, NEW YORK

SEEN HOMER? BlueFarmAntiques.com /BlueFarmPhil /BFAntiques 718.781.5487 If you have any in- formstion, please call The South Pole is warming three times as fast as the rest the Whitakers at of the planet. Sweden and Austria have closed all their 607-432-3747 coal-fired power plants. - Audubon, Oct./Sept. 2020 Winter Page 18 2009 The New Franklin Register Fall Pag 2020e 12

the needs of the Justice ADVERTISE IN YOUR HOMETOWN Court and offices. Looking in the village, NEWSPAPER! a search found no suitable empty lot on Main Street. THE NEW FRANKLIN REGISTER In 2017, Chris Downin pur- chased the former Bradley contact house and gas station at Manette Berlinger: 202 Main Street for $64,000, [email protected] which he offered to sell part of to the town. Again, OFFICE, con’t from Page 1 ment review) and as the Delaware Engineering was annual polling place. Vot- contracted, and this time P.D.C. of Oneonta made a ing at town hall has been it came up with three pos- presentation of possible crowded since all polling sible plans. The least ex- layouts for a new office in Franklin was consolidat- pensive was to renovate building. Then in 2018, ed there. the first floor for the court the heating system in the In 2014, newly elected and offices. Space would tenant house failed and re- supervisor Taggart set-up be cramped even with pairs had to be paid for by a savings account for con- some offices remaining the town. Our town board struction which is funded at the town garages. An- decided that rather than by rent payments from the other plan dedicated the put more of the taxpayers’ owner of the cellphone tow- first floor for offices with an money into someone else’s er. (Unlike a reserve fund, addition behind to be built property, they would build such an account does not for a duel courtroom and a new office building. Not require public notice.) By meeting hall. On consid- only would it be owned and 2019, it had accumulated eration, bringing this resi- operated by the town, but $91,300. However, with an dential structure up to com- a new building could pro- estimated cost of $750,000, mercial building codes was vide much needed addi- Pandemic Hopes - Photo by Tony Breuer most of the construction too expensive. tional space. would be paid with grants The most elaborate Our Justice Court is and debt. plan was to demolish the very short of space. The CONSTITUTION PROJECT The first hurdle for this existing house, garage, and existing non-jury court- project was finding a build- out-buildings. Then a new ENDS WELL FOR SIDNEY room and office is crowded ing site. The initial choice single-story building in the into around 400 square feet. was to adjoin the existing rear of the lot would house Staff Report whereas the NYS Unified town hall, which itself ad- offices and a combined Court System recommends joins the garages. How- courtroom and meeting The Amphenol Aerospace manufacturing plant in a minimum of 600 sq. ft. for ever, the nearby cellphone hall. A parking lot would Sidney was built on a floodplain and was flooded by the a courtroom alone. tower limits the possible be built where the house Susquehanna River in 2006. After that, the company built The tenant house has floor space, and during stood. This plan ran afoul of a more modern facility a mile upslope and demolished office space for only the the day the area in front is a village law that requires the old buildings. On this now-vacant land, it built a so- clerk and code enforce- much trafficked by high- obtaining a permt from the lar farm of 23 acres. The 18,000 collector panels produce ment officer. Offices of as- way department heavy village for the demolition 7,540 Mw per year, thereby providing as much (clean) sessor and bookkeeper are equipment. Despite this, of any building deemed power as would have come from the (polluting) burning a mile down the road at the the board contracted with to have “historical value” of methane acquired from the Constitution Pipeline. Any highway department ga- Delaware Engineering for (e.g., 50 years or older). excess power can be fed into the local grid. This is one rages (aka sheds), as is the evaluation of site and draft Since then, this property of the largest on-site corporate solar farms in the U.S. and town hall. Also, Franklin a possible plan. Locally DE was sold to Matthew Camp- largest such in New York. Amphenol is the largest manu- has no dedicated records has designed the Village bell for his offices. facturer of military and aerospace connectors in the world room to preserve vital of Walton police building With no suitable site in and provided many of the components for the project. documents. A new build- and several town highway the village, the board re- ing could accommodate all garages. In the end, the sumed searching outside A short video on this project: https://www.youtube. these functions. board decided against this of it. com/watch?v=AfE3DDG4Mew&feature=emb_logo In addition, a larger option. courtroom could double as Briefly interest shifted Part II will conclude meeting hall for our boards to a double wide on the this chronicle of our town (town board, planning same property, but this board’s unsuccessful ef- board, zoning board of ap- could not accommodate forts to build a new office peal, and board of assess- building.

Artist’s birdseye rendering of Amphenol’s solar farm in Sidney, NY

SCAM, continued from Page 5 grams cause more problems than they fix. Some are even malware that create problems that they then claim can only be fixed by paying the scammers. It bears repeating: your best defense is to be aware and cautious. If an email, phone call, or browser popup suddenly offers to fix a problem you didn’t know you had, stop and think about it before paying, answering questions, or downloading software. Above all, do not let someone unknown to you have access to your computer.

Have a question? Reach out to us at: Turkey vultures gather on the Bridge to Nowhere Photo by Craig Brock [email protected]. Fall 2020 The New Franklin Register Page 19

SITTS, continued from Page 1 School writes, “As cooperatives have ac- resentative Incentive payments. They and crued more control of the dairy industry, 114 others wanted to take DFA to trial. [3] and smaller farmers have seen their own On October 26, 2016, the first docu- power diminish, this language provides a ment, “Complaint and Jury Demand” was powerful tool for litigants to pierce the veil filed for Sitts, et al, or “Farmers United”, of Capper-Volstead protection.” The Newsletter of Franklin Local Plaintiffs v. The Dairy Farmers of America, After conferences in August and Sep- Inc. and Dairy Marketing Services, LLC, tember, on the 28th of September Judge Editorial Board Defendants. The Complaint and Jury De- Reiss signed a stipulation of dismissal with Ellen Curtis Helen McLean mand or “Complaint” is brought under prejudice, which was mutually agreeable. Eugene Marner Manette Berlinger Associate Editor: Brian Brock Sections 1 and 2 of the Sherman Anti-Trust “With prejudice” means the case is dis- Act, 15 U.S.C. §§ 1 and 2. charged permanently and may not be re- Editor From this Complaint, Plaintiffs allege: filed with this court. Marjorie Bradley Kellogg “Defendants (however) have engaged in an illegal conspiracy to restrain competi- Endnotes HAVE AN OPINION? WRITE TO US! tion, fix and suppress prices paid to farm- [1] How Can We Reinvigorate Our Farms At: The New Franklin Register ers and monopolize/monopsonize the raw https://www.facebook. P.O. Box 258 Grade A milk market in the Northeast. This com/1554768334759293/vid- Franklin, NY 13775 eos/2048821858687269/Reinvigorating Our activity has suppressed at artificially low or by email: [email protected] levels the over-order premiums that would Farms otherwise exist in a competitive market. [9] [2] Case 5:09-cv-00230-cr, OPINION AND What are we about? “At its core, the conspiracy is simple; ORDER GRANTING MOTION FOR FINAL AP- PROVAL OF DECEMBER 2015 PROPOSED SET- DFA/DMS controls the milk producers and Franklin Local Ltd, the parent organization for The TLEMENT (Doc. 2076) New Franklin Register and the Franklin Farmers’ Market, then sells the milk at a low price to pro- https://www.courtlistener.com/re- is a not-for-profit corporation made up of Franklin resi- cessors, also partially owned by DFA/DMS. cap/gov.uscourts.vtd.18481/gov.uscourts. dents who volunteer their time to serve this community. Instead of distributing the money back to vtd.18481.2093.0_2.pdf Our mission statement: to work to preserve the rural its members, DFA/DMS use complex ac- [3] Judge Denies Motion to Dismiss Sitts character of Franklin, to grow the local economy, foster counting and opaque financial records to vs. DFA/DMS Antitrust Case community solidarity, encourage volunteerism, and raise https://www.themilkweed.com/MWP- keep the money for their executives and awareness of economic and social challenges that are 102019-Month.pdf their cronies.”[4] likely to result from the transiton from fossil fuels to sus- [4] Case 2:16-cv-00287-cr, COMPLAINT The Capper-Volstead Act provides an- tainable energy. AND JURY DEMAND (Doc.1) ti-trust immunity or exemptions for agri- We generally meet once a month, at 7 P.M. at the https://www.courtlistener.com/re- cultural cooperatives. For the exemptions Franklin Free Library. The date is posted on our website. cap/gov.uscourts.vtd.27234/gov.uscourts. All are welcome, to offer questions and help us answer to apply, two universal conditions must vtd.27234.1.0.pdf them, to share thoughts and ideas, to make things happen. be met. The first one figures prominently [5] STATEMENT OF INTEREST ON BEHALF in this case, stating that “the cooperative OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA We have a number of projects that we hope to move must be operated for the mutual benefit of https://www.justice.gov/atr/ from idea to action: its members insofar as they are producers case-document/file/1298411/download • Local food production network [6] U.S. Agriculture Secretary: Family farms of agricultural products, in that they are • Skills and services exchange might not survive OCTOBER 2, 2019 / 1:41 PM farmers, planters, ranchmen, dairymen, • EV Charging Station / CBS/AP nut or fruit growers.” • Ride sharing bulletin board and/or website https://www.cbsnews.com/news/agri- On July 27, 2020, the U.S. Justice De- • Farm to School Program for school lunches culture-secretary-sonny-perdue-says-family- partment filed a Statement of Interest in • Community Greenhouses farms-might-not-survive/ • Community Energy Production this case (document 285). The conclusion [7] Case 2:16-cv-00287-cr, OPINION AND • Community Health Network reads “The Capper-Volstead exemption ORDER GRANTING IN PART AND DENYING IN should be construed narrowly and con- PART DEFENDANTS’ MOTION FOR SUMMARY Together, let us imagine a more energy efficient, sistent with the Act’s purpose to enhance JUDGMENT (Doc. 91) healthier habit of living, and put it to work here in Frank- the bargaining power of farmer-produc- https://www.courtlistener.com/re- lin, for a brighter, more sustainable future. ers. It should be applied as an affirmative cap/gov.uscourts.vtd.27234/gov.uscourts. defense, with the defendant bearing the vtd.27234.130.0_1.pdf PLEASE JOIN US! burden of showing that the exemption ap- [8] Monopsonize: In business, where there is a single buyer of a good or service plies.” [5] as opposed to a nonopoly where there is For meeting times, location and At a World Dairy Expo last year in a single seller. In either case, the single directions,as well as lots of oth- Madison, Wisconsin, Agriculture Secretary operator distorts the market by controlling the price of the good or service. er information about our town, Sonny Perdue said, “In America, the big check our website: get bigger and the small go out.” [6] In 2016, according to the Complaint, franklinlocal.org DFA’s member farms produced more than 20% of the total US milk production. DFA Printed in Norwich NY by Sun Printing, Inc. also marketed 30% of the total US milk production, representing three-quarters of The New Franklin Register is an independent entity DFA’s revenue. funded by our local advertisers and contributions DFA is Goliath to Farmers United’s Da- from interested friends. We have no granting orga- vid. If DFA is the largest dairy cooperative nizations to answer to, no rich sponsors pay our tab, in the US, controlling 20% of the total milk and no taxpayer dollars come our way. production in the US, how could its appar- ent success affect smaller farms in such a SCHOOL, continued from Page 3 negative way as to cause litigation? York State or Delaware County. In a case document, Judge Christina Please join me in recognizing and Reiss states “Plaintiffs proffer admissible thanking everyone involved for working evidence from which a rational jury could together to put our students in the best conclude that DFA management favored possible position to be successful. I am growth of its commercial operations and proud to be the superintendent in a dis- empire building over the interests of its trict that has met the challenges of the last farmer-members, including through ex- six months with understanding, flexibility, ecutive compensation and benefits which and professionalism. were not fully disclosed to DFA members As always, please do not hesitate to and improper payments to DFA Board contact our offices at any time with ques- Members and Area Council Members.” [7] tions, concerns, or ideas. This case could level the playing field for independent and smaller dairy pro- Respectfully, ducers alike. As the first condition of the Capper-Volstead Act states, “for the mu- Brad Zilliox tual benefit of its members”, Eduardo Franklin CSD Superintendent The Franklin Village Board meeting on October 15th Castro at the University of Minnesota Law [email protected] Photo by Tony Breuer Page 20 The New Franklin Register Fall 2020

RECENT REAL PROPERTY SALES IN THE TOWN OF FRANKLIN

DATE LOCATION ACRES TYPE ASSESS SALE SELLER BUYER 1/15/2020 577 Main St 0.31 Apartment 200,000 229,000 Menard, Faith J Siddiqi, Ali 1/24/2020 700 Sanly Rd (2) 77.53 Rural Res 246,000 200,000 MTGLQ Investors LP, Zaiser, William 2/3/2020 652 Main St 0.46 1 Family Res 98,000 80,000 Cassinelli, Gary Ecklund, Bianca B 3/17/2020 816 Main St 0.59 1 Family Res 102,000 11,000 Bank of New York, Matheson, Ronald 4/13/2020 2445 Merrickville Rd (2) 268.50 Rural Res&Ag 550,000 325,000 DalCanton, James A Montuori, Raymond A 4/20/2020 70 Case Hill Rd 0.57 1 Family Res 145,000 64,760 HSBC Bank USA, Potrzeba, Luke 5/6/2020 9219 State Hwy 357 4.60 1 Family Res 200,000 190,000 Brown, Bruce A Doig, Kevin William 5/7/2020 127 Center St 0.36 1 Family Res 84,000 35,000 Carr, William Ibrahimovic, Emsud 5/11/2020 950 Campbell Rd (2) 12.37 1 Family Res 108,000 30,700 Deutsche Bank Nat Trust Zhang, Richard 5/15/2020 78 Bennett Hollow Rd 44.40 Rural Res 219,000 295,000 McCabe, Thomas Garofalo, Charles Anthony 5/27/2020 4386 County Hwy 14 0.73 1 Family Res 95,000 135,000 Joan Dworkin Living Trust Houshmand, Jessie M 6/4/2020 6732 County Hwy 16 3.10 1 Family Res 122,000 120,000 Currie, Robert H Talbot, Tera L 6/10/2020 2047 Russell Rd 13.72 Rural Res 102,000 250,000 White, Gail Ortiz, Richard 6/10/2020 3058 Russell Rd 15.53 Rural Res 103,000 135,000 Falco, Silvana Rocha, John-Paul 6/15/2020 738 State Hwy 28 S 5.20 Mfg Housing 60,000 105,500 Rose, Joshua B Powers, Jennifer 6/18/2020 1681 Buck Horn Fm Rd 53.33 Mfg Housing 105,000 105,000 Leva, Salvatore T Smith, Thomas 6/22/2020 State Hwy 357 31.63 Rural Vac>10 65,000 34,000 Little, Paul Lyons, Michael 6/25/2020 136 Water St 0.15 1 Family Res 58,000 75,000 Winfield, Rose M Simonds, Donald J 7/2/2020 140 Bennett Hollow Rd 42.89 Rural Res (S) 149,000 293,000 Nystrom, Michael A SSMK West Cat LLC 7/9/2020 East Brook Rd (2) 7.20 Rural Vac<10 21,000 32,500 Walley, Brian Salzmann, George Richard Jr 7/20/2020 2447 Sanly Rd 9.50 1 Family Res 127,000 197,000 Fairbairn, Susan Beadle, Darrell 7/23/2020 Pomeroy Rd 10.30 Rural Vac>10 21,000 26,000 Wallace, Michael S Broni Properties LLC 7/27/2020 State Hwy 28 S 13.20 Rural Vac>10 34,000 63,100 Menendez, Maya Zoller, Daniel E 7/31/2020 5180 County Hwy 14 9.60 1 Family Res 225,000 315,000 Matthews, Ian P Coulter, Murray Keedick III 8/5/2020 Dunk Hill Rd 7.58 Rural Vac<10 31,000 30,000 Wisbrun, Wendy Fundaro, Samuel 8/10/2020 669 Main St 0.55 1 Family Res 200,000 230,000 Cable, Umayyah Frankel, Leah H 8/12/2020 855 Thoroughbred Rd 24.00 Mfg Housing 65,000 117,000 Spinelli, Daniel Deonandan, Ashwant Kumar 8/20/2020 2888 Tupper Hill Rd 1.40 Mfg Housing 35,000 25,000 Javaly, Nicole Vessey, Tricia 8/21/2020 3205 County Hwy 14 9.00 1 Family Res 280,000 286,000 Konuklar, Gul Bishop, Ebone 8/24/2020 2 Campbell Estates Rd 7.59 Vac w/Imprv 20,000 30,000 Stack, Richard Brody, Adam Chad 8/24/2020 Ed Klug Rd 30.00 Vac w/Imprv 67,000 30,000 Leva, Salvatore T Leva, Salvatore T 8/26/2020 5800 State Hwy 357 11.40 Rural res 133,000 242,000 Otello, Donna Vuolo, K. Mishell 8/27/2020 4132 E Handsome Bk Rd 5.10 Res w/Com 186,000 350,000 Holliman, Emily Mathew, Della M 8/31/2020 499 Otego Rd 2.00 Mfg Housing 58,000 75,000 Thowe, William B Wikoff, Joseph C (2)TwoParcels (S) Changes