Canajoharie

Twenty Years Ago

The Board of Trustees appears to be trying to get its feet back on the ground with a recent appointment of Richard Miller to fill the trustee seat of former Village Trustee Dennis Yacobucci, a move that met with the applause of the majority of some 50 residents present. Miller, a Republican and member of the village Planning Board and County Ethics Committee, was administered the oath of office by Village Clerk Amy Kretser.

Each Saturday morning and afternoon, you can find Lawrence [Larry] Brown working as usual in his Iroquois Lanes. But on these Saturday’s his work is different as nearly 100 youths — from first graders to 13-year olds — come to his lanes to learn the family sport of bowling. You will find Larry Brown and his staff working hard with these youths, teaching the proper methods used in the sport — and sportsmanship. Brown noted that he takes great pride in this program, and that the youths come from not only the Canajoharie area, but from neighboring communities such as Fort Plain as well.

Three Canajoharie Central School seniors were recently named as Commended students in the National Merit Scholarship program. Kyle Frampton, James Robinson and Noelle Everett, all earned this honor by scoring among the top five percent of more than 1,000,000 students tested by the National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test in 1991.

Thirty Years Ago

The Canajoharie Town Board adopted a 1983 budget of $387,935, up from the current figure of $316,410, as well as a resolution affecting the residents of the villages of Canajoharie and Ames regarding the highway items of snow removal and miscellaneous services, as well as purchase and repair of town machinery.

Dr. Vincent DeStefano, retired Canajoharie dentist, was recognized by Mayor Mary K. Plank in a proclamation which read, “Dedicated to a lifetime of devotion to the high ideals of his profession.” The proclamation designated Nov. 10 as Dentists Recognition Day.

Boiling Pot Aerie, Fraternal Order of the Eagles, held the grand opening of their new club headquarters with New York State Eagles, President LaVerne Graham, Lockport, joining local Eagles President John Palmer, and the aerie’s first president, William Moyle, in opening the newly redecorated club on Church Street.

Forty Years Ago

Democratic Assemblywoman Mary Anne Krupsak, Canajoharie, was the winner of her race in the 44th District to become the first woman state senator in many years.

Fort Plain

Twenty Years Ago

Many Fort Plain High School students have begun work on a new literary endeavor for the enjoyment of fellow students. A new literary magazine has begun and it is hoped to publish one issue during each quarter of the school year. Although it is still in the organizational stage, enthusiasm is very high. Students meet with faculty advisor Dick deRosa weekly to review their work.

For 11 consecutive years, the Fort Plain Senior Center, Inc., has sponsored their annual Community Thanksgiving Dinner, complete with all the trimmings, for those who will be spending this holiday alone.

Members of Fort Plain Chapter National Society Daughters of the American Revolution celebrated the Chapter’s 95th anniversary at the Chapter House with a dinner catered by the Dorcas Society of Fort Plain Lutheran Church. Benjamin Miller, a Fort Plain High School student, received the DAR Good Citizen.

Thirty Years Ago

Sub-committees, through their chairman in the Fort Plain High School, presented brief verbal progress reports in their respective areas of the merger study involving the Canajoharie and Fort Plain central school districts.

Mr. and Mrs. Craig Ehle, Canal Street, observed their 25th wedding anniversary with an open house at the Firemen’s Home.

Mr. and Mrs. Lee Van Der Kar, Spring Street, observed their 50th wedding anniversary at a surprise party tendered by son-in-law and daughter, Mr. and Mrs. Burton Rumrill, Little Fills, at Natalie’s Elm Tree Restaurant.

Stephen Uebbing took over as the new principal of the Fort Plain High School. His initial reaction has been positive. “The community seems warm and friendly and the faculty willing and cooperative,” he commented. “I’m pleased to be here.”

Forty Years Ago

America’s craziest and most unpredictable sport — donkey basketball — was featured at the Elementary School, sponsored for the first time by the Booster Club.

Winners all in the 1972 election were President Richard Nixon in this bid for reelection; Donald Mitchell, the Republican-Conservative candidate for a seat in the House of Representatives from the newly formed 31st Congressional District; and Republican Charles Cook, who went to Albany as the representative in the 105th Assembly District.

St. Johnsville

Twenty Years Ago

After a five-month closure for reconstruction, the St. Johnsville-Minden bridge reopened for business. Department of Transportation Region II Project Engineer Andrew Roberts cited good weather for the bridge renovations being completed about two weeks ahead of time. It was originally scheduled to reopen Nov. 23 when it was shut down for the reconstruction project in late June.

For a first-ever event — and the club’s first fundraiser of the 1992-93 school year — the St. Johnsville High School chapter of the Future Business Leaders of America spiked a winner. The local FBLA group, which is composed of high school students from the St. Johnsville school district, sponsored its first annual Halloween Volleyball Tournament. The event, FBLA reporter Lisa Scherer explained, was held to generate funds for the club. She said the money would be used to pay for state and national club dues, and for the group’s own use as the school year progresses.

The village of St. Johnsville has good water, very good water. In fact, the water consumed by village residents is so pure and clean that the state Department of Health, in the words of Richard Armstrong of C.T. Male Associates, P.C., Latham, “had a hard time trying to find anything wrong with your water.” Armstrong’s comments were made during a special meeting of the Village Board, set to review the village’s water need and to go over the facts and figures of St. Johnsville’s soon to be started $1.6 million water filtration plant.

Thirty Years Ago

The 1983 budget adopted by the Town Board totals $190.65 higher than last year’s, due in part to the formation of a capital reserve fund set up for the purchase of newer equipment. After a public hearing held recently in the town barn, the $213,892 budget was approved, with estimated revenues being $135,742, the unexpended balance of $34,377 and taxes to be raised totaling $45,022. The tentative tax rate for village residents will be $1 per $1,000, while $2.10 per $1,000 will tentatively be paid by residents of the town, outside of the village, according to Supervisor W. Revere Dockey.

Mayor Wilfred Kraft cut the ribbon, marking the official opening of “Our Place,” a new coffee shop-restaurant located on Main Street. The new eatery is unique in that its owners, Deborah and Dawn Shostek, are only 20- and 19-years old, respectively. “We enjoy the restaurant business,” Deborah said after the grand opening ceremonies, adding that her mother and father, Rose and John Shostek, Averill Hill, are also involved in the new dining establishment. “The four of us are partners,” she said. “My parents also own the Canajoharie Village Restaurant. This is something we have always wanted to do.”