Canajoharie

Twenty Years Ago

One of the big questions asked about the proposed merger of the Canajoharie and Sharon Springs Central School districts is why? Study consultant Jack Nagle noted at a public informational meeting in the East Hill cafetorium. Nagle reviewed the recently completed Reorganization Study Report, which was jointly compiled after 13 weeks of meetings of the study committee comprised of an equal number of residents from each district. This meeting, one of a series, will lead up to an informal straw vote set in the near future, the results of which will determine whether the two districts will ultimately combine.

Canajoharie High School students Susan Jones and Danise Douglass are vehemently against the use of drugs. Drugs of any kind. When they talk about the abuse of drugs, their definition of the drugs abused runs the spectrum, from cigarettes and alcohol, to marijuana and crack cocaine, and beyond. And now the young ladies are taking their anti-drug message into area elementary schools where they hope to explain to first grade students that abusing drugs isn’t the path to a productive and happy life. Through a Youth Drug and Alcohol Abuse Awareness Seminar the socially conscious students undertook in Binghamton in November, both Susan and Danise believe they’re ready to present the subject to local youngsters.

Navy Seaman Gregory C. Conrad recently reported for duty aboard the guided missile cruiser USS Bainbridge, home-ported in Norfolk, VA. He is the son of Dennes Conrad of Canajoharie and Penny Conrad of Fort Plain and a 1991 graduate of Canajoharie Central School.

Thirty Years Ago

The Canajoharie Village Board spent considerable time discussing the recent receipt of a $316,257 Small Cities grant, which is ear-marked for improvements and updates to the village’s water system. Mayor Mary Plank noted that studies have shown the village is losing some 400,000,000 gallons of quality drinking water per year. She added that work will be conducted on village water lines, the holding reservoir in Palatine and at the dam and filtration plant in the town of Ephratah.

A special meeting of qualified voters of the Canajoharie Central School District will be held to consider a proposition to purchase three school buses. Polls will be open in the lobby of the East Hill school for voters to ballot on the purchase of two 59 passenger buses not to exceed $34,000 each and a 16 passenger at an estimated cost of $16,000, for a total of $84,000. The proposition, if approved, will enable the district to replace present high mileage, over-age buses.

Forty Years Ago

The Canajoharie Village Board, at its recent meeting, passed a resolution opposing the controversial Okwari Park project.

Fort Plain

Twenty Years Ago

Mindy Logan and Mark Hisert were the top spellers in this year’s annual Harry Hoag Spelling Bee. The winning word was “nebulous”, the correct spelling of which earned Logan a U.S. Savings Bond donated by the Central National Bank, Fort Plain Branch.

During the month of December, the Fort Plain Free Library collected 57 food items, as well as cash donations during its second annual holiday ‘Food for Fines’ Program. All monies and food items were recently donated to the Fulmont Neighborhood Center for its food pantry. Fulmont Center Director Julie Scattergood noted that last year’s holiday season was “extremely busy,” adding that the center’s food pantry has become nearly exhausted of supplies. “Very often, in the winter time, many people, especially the elderly, have a choice of eating or heating,” said Scattergood. “Any and all donations are tremendously appreciated.” Librarian Debbie Klump noted that Food for Fines began last year as a way for library patrons to clear current, as well as past fines and at the same time help those in need. “The library wished to thank all those who participated and especially the many people who made donations to the collection box without owing for overdue materials,” Klump said.

Thirty Years Ago

Mr. and Mrs. Frank Vosburgh and four children escaped from their burning home on Railroad Street, Nelliston, but the blaze destroyed all of their clothing and personal possessions. Vosburgh said that he awoke in his upstairs bedroom at about 3 a.m., smelled smoke and ran downstairs to the front room. “It was like a ball of fire,” he said, referring to the wall just above a wood-stove where the pipe entered the outside chimney. He quickly alerted other members of his family and they left the house unharmed.

Over 40 firefighters from three departments battled a fire fanned by high winds which destroyed a large dairy barn and two concrete silos on the John R. Nellis farm along Route 5S at Charlesworth Corners. Thirty-eight heifers and a horse perished in the conflagration, which apparently was caused by a short circuit in a truck loaded with sawdust.

Forty Years Ago

Superintendent of Public Works Carlton Bowman, a village employee for 36 years, most of that time in a supervisory capacity, announced his retirement effective April 1.

St. Johnsville

Twenty Years Ago

When the local ambulance corp says they need a new piece of equipment, they usually have the hard facts to back themselves up. The St. Johnsville Area Volunteer Ambulance Corps have identified the need to own their own heart monitor/defibrillator. “Out of 221 calls answered by SAVAC in 1992, there were 122 calls that could have used the monitor defibrillator,” said corp Captain Tom Wolf. He said the monitor is used for cardiac patients, while the defibrillator is used in cases of cardiac arrest. “In the case of a car accident, a person may hit their chest against the steering wheel and complain about chest pains,” Wolf noted. When there are complaints of chest pains, Wolf said that “you really need to take a look at that heart.”

The St. Johnsville Lady Saints hurdled one more major obstacle in their quest for an unbeaten season, and, at the same time, officially annexed their fifth straight Tri-Valley League divisional title in the process, when they easily disposed of Saratoga Catholic, 72-45.

Thirty Years Ago

Retired minister Rev. S. Bowen Hawkins and Gary Warn have been named co-chairman of the American Heart Association’s fund drive in the town and village of St. Johnsville, according to David Briggs, chairman of the western Montgomery County division of the association.

Brian Haak, a sophomore at St. Johnsville High School, will be spending his junior year in Brazil, as the Rotary Club’s exchange student. He will be departing for the southern hemisphere in July.

Forty Years Ago

Sixty-nine blood donors responded to the Red Cross Bloodmobile sponsored by SAVAC.