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SUNY COBLESKILL BASEBALL SWEEPS NAC DOUBLEHEADER WITH CAZENOVIA COLLEGE 5-1 17-2

SUNY COBLESKILL WOMENS TRACK FIELD COMPETES AT 2023 CORTLAND UPSTATE ALTERNATIVE INVITATIONAL

SUNY COBLESKILL MENS TRACK FIELD COMPETES AT 2023 CORTLAND UPSTATE ALTERNATIVE INVITATIONAL

Celestial Wonders

April skies full of celestial wonders By Jennifer Patterson As winter gives way to spring, April is the month to look toward the night sky. With Mercury reaching its highest point in the evening sky for the year, the Moon is also making its monthly rounds and will pair up with several planets later in April. Mercury – the smallest and fastest moving of the planets in our solar system – is only visible for a few weeks every three to four months. The rest of the time, it flies too close to the Sun and is lost in the bright glare. This weekend, the Moon will be near Saturn in the east, most visible in the few hours before sunrise. On April 23, the crescent Moon will hang just five degrees above Venus in the west after sunset, and on April 25, the Moon and Mars pair up high in the west after dark. Viewing conditions may also be ideal for the annual Lyrid meteor shower, one of the oldest known meteor showers in history (the first recorded sighting was in China some 2,700 years ago). The medium-strength shower begins on Sunday, but will peak on the morning of April 23 with as many as 20 shooting stars possible per hour, and comes to an end late in the month. The Lyrids are expected to put on an exceptional show this year, thanks to no interference from the Moon. As with most meteor showers, the best viewing time is before dawn, but the Lyrids will become visible beginning at about 10:30 p.m., according to NASA meteor experts. The radiant – the point from which the meteors appear to originate – will be high in the evening sky in the constellation Lyra to the northeast of Vega, one of the brightest stars visible in the night sky this time of year. Named after a constellation of shooting stars, the Lyrid meteor shower is the result of Earth passing through the tail of comet C/1861 G1 Thatcher. Last year, a bright moon made the shower difficult to see. Next week, however, viewing opportunities will be ideal due to a dim waxing crescent moon, which will only reach six percent illumination on the night of the shower’s peak. Darker skies will make the fast-moving meteors (which lack a persistent trail) easier to see. The shower can also produce the occasional bright meteor called a fireball, with luminous dust trails that can be observed for several seconds. According to NASA, the shower may surprise stargazers with as many as 100 meteors per hour, in what is called an “outburst.” The Lyrid meteor shower is not as bright as the famous Perseid meteor shower in August, which tends to produce more prominent trails. When stargazing, NASA recommends finding a dark place away from city lights and letting your eyes adjust for at least half an hour. Another tip is to avoid looking at your cell phone, which will interfere with natural night vision. For information about how best to view the Lyrids, go to https://solarsystem.nasa.gov.

SUNY COBLESKILL MENS LAX SWATS NVU-LYNDON HORNETS 21-5 IN NAC ACTION

Upcoming George Steele Workshops at Landis

Schoharie County DMV Teams Up with Donate Life NYS

From left: Mark Schroeder, NY State Commissioner DMV; Indy Jaycox, Schoharie County Clerk; Aisha Tator, Executive Director of Donate Life NYS; Holly Tanner, Columbia County Clerk SCHOHARIE- Schoharie County Clerk Indy Jaycox is proud to announce that the Schoharie County Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) is teaming up with Donate Life NYS in observance of National Donate Life Month (NDLM) this April, celebrating the lifesaving impact made by organ, eye, and tissue donors. Donate Life NYS is the statewide nonprofit organization whose mission is to increase organ, eye and tissue donation in New York State through collaborative advocacy, education, research, and promotion. The theme of 2023’s Donate Life Month, “Make a Splash,” was inspired by the natural world of a pond coming to life in the spring. During the month of April, the Schoharie County Clerk urges all residents to learn more about organ, eye and tissue donation and to say yes to donation while completing transactions at the DMV. Brochures, posters and enrollment forms will be on display in the lobby of the County Office Building throughout National Donate Life Month as a reminder of the importance of the gift of life. While nearly 3,400 lifesaving organ transplants were performed in the state last year, more than 8,100 New Yorkers remain on the national organ transplant waitlist. In 2022, more than 400 patients awaiting an organ transplant in New York State died because the organ needed to save their lives was not donated in time. “DMVs throughout the state have already helped nearly six million New Yorkers enroll in the New York State Donate Life Registry. By providing the opportunity for the public to enroll in the NYS Donate Life Registry, they are the key to saving and healing the lives of the thousands of New Yorkers in need of a transplant,” explained Aisha Tator, Executive Director of Donate Life NYS. “As the Schoharie County Clerk, I am thrilled that we can offer visitors the chance to make a life-saving impact by enrolling in the New York State Donate Life Registry while conducting any license, permit, non-driver ID transaction, or when registering a vehicle.” said County Clerk Indy Jaycox. “Throughout the month of April, our office is dedicated to raising awareness of the critical need for organ, eye, and tissue donation in New York State. We urge all residents to consider saying ‘yes’ to being a donor and making a profound difference in the lives of others.” Regardless of your medical history, all New Yorkers aged 16 and above can join the New York State Donor Registry through forms used to apply for or renew a driver’s license or non-driver identification card or registering a vehicle. By choosing to donate, you have the potential to save up to eight lives through organ donation, restore sight with cornea donations, and enhance the lives of 75 others with tissue donation. To register, simply visit donatelifenys.org/register , and take the first step towards giving someone a second chance at life. Your kindness can make a lasting impact and create a legacy of compassion and generosity. Learn more about National Donate Life Month and Donate Life NYS at donatelifenys.org and donatelife.ny.gov . ###

Opus 40

THE CATSKILL GEOLOGISTS BY PROFESSORS ROBERT AND JOHANNA TITUS Creepy Crawlers at Opus 40 When you are a geologist and are exploring a new location, you can expect to find something remarkable, even exciting things. That was the case with our visit to Opus 40. Take a look at our photo. That is one very eye-catching fossil. We think it is something called a trace fossil. It’s not the skeleton of an ancient animal; it is the evidence of an animal’s activity. We think this is the trail left behind by a critter walking across soft wet sediment on top of the Catskill Delta back in the Devonian time period, perhaps some 385 million years ago. Each dark dimple on the rock surface is the imprint of an animal’s appendage. There are a lot of them, and they are lined up in two rows. Which way was it going? Top to bottom or bottom to top. We can’t tell. Well, maybe we don’t know which way it was going but what can we tell? How do we go about working on such a problem? What is it that we do when we find something like this? Let’ make this a column about scientific thinking. The first thing we do is to shoot lots of photos, trying to catch the sunlight from different angles. The gives us plenty of take-home evidence to work with. That’s important and it’s very helpful. Then we look again. We see those two lines of dimples. We are guessing that these are the left and right impressions of that critter’s feet (we scientists call them appendages) left behind as it walked along. That gives the animal bilateral symmetry, a left and a right. And that also gives it a front and a back, a head, and a tail. This is fine but it doesn’t do much to help narrow down the identification, does it? So, then we rely on our experience. Over the years we have learned that there were some interesting candidate creatures that lived in the Devonian. Among them there were millipedes, big millipedes (you might know them as thousand leggers), on the Catskill Delta. Millipedes have sets of left and right appendages similar to what we see here. So, millipedes come to make up an interesting working hypothesis. We wrote about some of these recently. Did you read our Oct. 7, 2022 column? We liked the millipede hypothesis, so we googled “millipede tracks” and clicked on images. There, by accident were some photos of centipede tracks and those were very interesting. Centipedes (“hundred leggers”) are cousins of millipedes but have differently structured legs. Some of the appendage imprints we saw online were offset. That is that the left and right prints were not exactly parallel; instead, they zigzagged left to right. Sure enough, that’s ’what ours did. Take a look; do you see that? As of today, that’s how far we have gotten with this. If we were doing serious peer review scientific research, we would dive into the issue of millipede and centipede locomotion. That might tell us a lot more and perhaps enough to solve the problem. But this project is only aimed at writing a Mountain Eagle column so that’s going to be it for today. You likely have seen both millipedes and centipedes, living ones. But look at our photo again and see the knife. There were big bugs, don’t you think! Contact the authors at randjtitus@prodigy.net . Join their Facebook page “The Catskill Geologist.” Read their blogs at “thecatskillgeologist.com.”

The Launch of Boating Season

Boating Season Has Begun Its that time of year again. Boaters with crafts of all types and sizes are getting them ready to launch. There are important reminders for all those who operate everything from a kayak or canoe to larger motorized vessels; NYS law requires anyone aboard vessels less than 21 feet in length to wear a personal flotation device (PFD) between November 1 st and May 1 st . Dressing in layers is also recommended to avoid hypothermia as water temperatures are still quite cold this early in the boating season. Another thing to consider before operating any motorized vessel is the need to have obtained a boating safety certificate depending upon your age. While all operators of motorized vessels regardless of age, will have to possess a boating safety certificate effective January 1 st 2025, here are the current requirements: For calendar year 2023: You must possess a boating safety certificate to operate a motor boat if you were born on or after January 1 st 1983. For calendar year 2024: You must possess a boating safety certificate to operate a motor boat if you were born on or after January 1 st 1978. As stated, effective January 1 st 2025 ALL operators of motorized vessels must obtain and possess a boating safety certificate while operating that vessel. To get a boating safety certificate, you must take The New York Safe Boating Course. According to NYS Office of Parks Recreation and Historic Preservation’s website, ( https://parks.ny.gov/boating/education.aspx ), the class “…teaches basic boating skills and encourages common sense and courtesy to all who share the water.” Boaters can earn their certificate by taking a classroom course with certified New York State instructors or through approved online courses. Certificates issued by the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary , America's Boating Club , US Powerboating (These classes are also offered by Waterfront | SUNY Maritime College ) and any NASBLA certified course from other states are also recognized. With an approved online course, learning is completed online and successful completion of unit exams is required in order to advance through the course. Fees paid to the online provider include the cost of your permanent certificate issued by the provider. Registering for a classroom course is quick and easy - follow the below links to find a course. Registering for a classroom course is quick and easy - follow the below links to find a course. Aceboater America's Boating Club (formerly known as US Power Squadron) Spanish online course available Boat-ED Boat U.S. BOATERexam BOATsmart BoatTests101 Disponible en español iLearnToBoat Courses are available both in person and online so that you can choose the course the best fits your needs. You must be at least 10 years old to take a safe boating course. Classroom courses are offered around the state by our certified and experienced instructors. Classroom courses offer the opportunity for boaters of all ages, especially first time and youth boaters, to earn their certificates. Some instructors may charge an instructional fee. Fees paid to your instructor do not include the fee for a permanent certificate for students age 18 and older. With an approved online course, learning is completed online and successful completion of unit exams is required in order to advance through the course. Fees paid to the online provider include the cost of your permanent certificate issued by the provider. To register for a classroom course - follow the below links to find a class near you. Boating safety certificates are required for recreational boaters using motorized vessels, including personal watercraft. * Operators of non-motorized boats, such as kayaks and canoes, are not required to have a boating safety certificate at this time. Other things to know about Boating Safety Certificates New York recognizes the boating safety certificate issued by your home state. Persons may rent and operate a motorboat from a livery without first obtaining a boating safety certificate. Staff at the livery must provide basic instruction and safety information before you depart the dock. While operators of non-motorized boats do not need a safe boating certificate, they are encouraged to take a safe boating course as well. For more information on boating safety and navigation laws, visit the NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation website Happy boating, hunting, and fishing, until next time!

Schoharie CSD Alumni Not Happy About New Mascot

A STORM of Controversy Opinions Mixed but Most Schoharie Alumni Not Happy with Choice for New Mascot By David Avitabile SCHOHARIE - Now that the Storm has been chosen as the new mascot for Schoharie Central School, what does the public feel about the name? In a very unscientific Facebook poll conducted by the Mountain Eagle, most people do not like the choice for the new mascot which replaced the much beloved (by most) Indian. The state education forced state school districts to remove Native American names and images under penalty of loss of state aid and removal of officers. Schoharie Central School asked for ideas for a new mascot and received hundreds of suggestions. In a public vote, the Storm finished first ahead of the other semi-finalists Coyotes, Titans, Vales, and Hawks. A sampling of the opinions on the new names: * Robin Rowlison, "We have beautiful Eagles that have moved into the valley...Not sure why Eagles wasn't even a choice. Since it HAS to be replaced, doing so with one Majestic icon for another would be way better than Storm...." Other posters noted that Duanesburg is already the Eagles. * Midge Diamond Howland, "Worse name ever! Now we will forever be reminded of the damage the storm caused and affected so many Schoharie County residents! I am a Schoharie school alumni from 1969 and I will forever be a Schoharie Indian. How that name was even put into the voting is beyond all reasoning.." * Mike Taccone, "Poor choice to name it after something that had a negative impact. Heard this name floating around before the committee was even formed so it is what it is unfortunately." * Jennifer Crewell Alescio agreed, "Yes you are correct !! I believe it was set way back and we just went through the process !!! My opinion !!" * Tammi Puchala Cammer, "I was hoping for something historically accurate. (Revolutionaries, Patriots, etc.)" * Gammie Pals, "It’s ridiculous. My opinion." * Shari Brienza Carr, "I understand how some people feel 'triggered' by the implication of storm. I see it has we survived the storm. It shows strength and resilience.." * Dave Yorks responded, "Oddly enough, Indians showed strength and resilience to most people. In my 69 years never heard anybody say that it was offensive....Some 'woke' people at the state-level forced the change." * Jake Davis answered, "The Native Americans are the ones who find it offensive and they are vocal about it (to anyone who cares to listen). That’s why it’s being changed." * Frank N Tucker responded, "'Woke' means caring, supporting others, having compassion." * Lora Newell, "The larger issue is: Why we are allowing ourselves to be bullied by the state?" * Travis Hofmann was direct and concise with his opinion, "It's s**t." * Rachel Bernhardt, "I agree. They have left it as Schoharie Indians. There was nothing Wrong with this School Mascot. We will always Be The Schoharie Indians No Matter What!!!" * Amy Wilber Wayman, "I am not at all happy with having to change the mascot. I want to know if anyone took the time to research contacting a Native American tribe to see if they would give the ok to keep the Indian since that was an option? As an alumni I will always be a Schoharie Indian." * Katie O'Brien, "My opinion is almost anything is better than the old mascot. Educated change is good!" * Raema Obbie, "I think it's unique and pays homage to this valley's resilience. It sure beats the mascot my high school came up with when we had to do away with the Indians mascot I grew up with... ahem... 19 years ago! People are always going to take issue with a change like this because of the sentimentality of the old mascot - it's understandable. But it's long overdue." *Joe Nastasi, "Okay folks, so to all that want to keep the name, Indians is another slag term pertaining to the Native Americans. Does anyone see a team called the Hispanics or the caucasians. I don't think so." * Bonita Mickle, "It's always been Indians so leave it alone." * George L. Diamond "Personally I don't like Storm, too much of a reminder. Being around Schoharie area there was Foxendorf and Foxenkkill and Fox Creek, just seems like I could come up with something using a fox and smart as a fox, I think Storm is terrible." * Dee Meese, "It doesn't fit..." * Susan Margas Miers, "Don't like it!!!"

DEMOCRAT JOSH RILEY ANNOUNCES 2024 CAMPAIGN FOR CONGRESS IN NEW YORKS 19TH DISTRICT

Fenimore Art Museums Glimmer Globe Theatre Announces Auditions for This Summers Lakeside Performance of The Tempest