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From the Polka to the party the first ever Oswego Oktoberfest brought Deutschland to downtown Oswego.

“This is the first time running the Oktoberfest. So this is something that I think a lot of people have been interested in and we’re just putting it together for a fun community event,” said Event Director Chris Jones.

Jones felt that whether people came for the food or the fun. Everyone found something worth staying for.

Jones said, “Honestly I think it’s a little bit of both. For me the fall season’s the best time to eat and you know, we’ve got about three hundred pre-sales on the event. Hopefully with everything looking the way that it is hopefully about five hundred or so.”

Ice-cold local beer topped everyone’s glass while the polka band played on, but the beer wasn’t the only thing that was cold. With temperatures in the forties most individuals camped out. Enjoying some good times as well as some delicious local beer.

“Most of them are New York State breweries. There are seventeen different beers that are going to be on tap in addition to a couple wines and beverages. So there’s a long list, Adirondack, Woodchuck, Davidson brothers, quite a few on there,” said Jones.

The weather was cold but more than 400 turned out for the night’s events.

Jones felt, “This is fall weather, this is what Oktoberfest is about,” and he hopes to re-create the event again next year. And based on the reception from Oswego resident Trish Auer.

“I think, yeah I’d love to see it come back again and definitely more entertainment,” said Auer.

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Jones added, “I think that bringing more events into the community and encouraging not only the people that live here to come out, but start getting people to come here from other regions.”

And Auer felt, “I just love it there’s just so much more going on here. This year especially and it’s just so exciting to have everybody out and about.”
Although next year’s Oktoberfest is a year away you can visit WTOP10.com and take a look at some photos of this year’s festivities.

By Nick Schmidt

Oswego State women’s soccer goaltender Emma Allen was named the SUNYAC defensive player of the week. Against Brockport last Friday, the sophomore surrendered only one goal while playing the full 90 minutes. The following day in the Lakers’ win over nationally ranked Geneseo, she notched ten saves, just four shy of her career-high. Her efforts against the Knights also gave her her third shutout of the year. 

With 49 saves this season, Allen is currently in a tie for fourth in the SUNYAC. She will be back in action along with the rest of the Lakers on Saturday when they travel to Cortland to take on the Red Dragons.

In a Common Council meeting, Mayor Billy Barlow’s proposal to increase the rental permit fee was approved; after a 5-1- 1 voting result.

Mayor Billy Barlow says the proposal will make the “landlords accountable and pressure them into maintaining their property and treating their tenants fairly.”

According to the proposal, the new fee is $150 dollars for a three year period, which is five times more expense than the current $30 fee. This new fee will become effective as of October 1st.

The last time the fee was increased was back in August 22nd, 2005.

The Mayor says they will be adding a new code enforcer next year; saying that with all of the new expenses and upgrades in the code enforcement department; he believes that it will improve the department and the inspection process.

Some property owners in Oswego have spoken out against the new proposal, saying it would have made more sense if the penalties for landlords that were in violation of the city code; were increased.

Mayor Barlow says there will be more amendments added to the city charter regarding code enforcement. He says this proposal is only the beginning of his campaign to crack down against negligent landlords.