Community

By Pauline Liu
Five months after having been destroyed by flooding from Hurricane Irene, the Margaretville Hospital Auxiliary Thrift Shop has reopened.
Getting the shop, at 850 Main Street in Margaretville, back into operation was a community effort. As the Thrift Shop opened today, February 1, auxiliary volunteers agree that it looks better than ever. If the inside feels warmer and brighter than before, that’s because it is.
“We’re got a new heating system and new lights,” said Sue Adams, the auxiliary’s new secretary.

Margaretville — Eight streamside property owners and two municipalities (the towns of Shandaken and Halcott) have been awarded the first Catskill Watershed Corporation (CWC) grants for clearing flood debris from stream channels and floodplains.
A total of $212,345 had been awarded as of January 25 from the Stream Corridor Protection Debris Removal Program launched by the CWC in December. Projects are in West Shokan (six sites), Shandaken, Chichester, Lanesville and Halcott, where the town was awarded $37,455 to hire a contractor to clear three sites on Vly Creek.

Highmount — Joe Kelly, chairman of the Coalition to Save Belleayre, spoke at last Saturday’s Snowball about the community’s goals for the future of the state-owned facility.
Kelly said in part, “As you all know by now Governor Cuomo has proposed legislation to transfer operation of Belleayre Mt. from the DEC to the Olympic Regional Development Authority.  This is very much in line with his policies of streamlining government. We respond to this move with cautious optimism but with some definitive suggestions for going forward.” 

By Jay Braman Jr.
With 16 bobcats living in every 100 square miles of the Catskills and with the elusive creatures pushing their range west, New York State thinks it’s time to expand the hunting season on these critters and wants to hear what the public thinks about it.
Seldom seen and at one time considered a pest with a bounty, the bobcat population has grown to about 5,000 strong in New York and continues to grow.

Halcottsville – With the arrival of spring not far off, Alta Log Homes Vice President David Mann is optimistic that the housing market is slowly turning around.
Entering its 41st year in business, the company has weathered numerous economic cycles and Mr. Mann sees signs that the housing industry is finally emerging from a prolonged slowdown.
“We’re all planning for a bit of a recovery in 2012,” Mr. Mann commented.
National improvment

Fleischmanns — The Country Cutting Gallery Relay for Life team will hold a benefit auction on Sunday, Feb. 19 at 3 p.m. at La Cabana restaurant on Main Street in Fleischmanns. Viewing of auction items will be from 2 to 3 p.m.  In addition to a standard auction, there will be a silent auction of goods and services purchased from local merchants.
A listing of auction items will be advertised in the Catskill Mountain News and the County Shopper in the week prior to the auction. And, there will be lists posted at local businesses.

Prattsville — As part of the Rebuild Prattsville effort, the Prattsville Housing Committee will host a “Housing Expo & Home Improvement Show” on March 3 (with a snow date of March 10) at the firehouse in Prattsville. 
The Expo is Phase I of a two-part long-term community recovery project conceived and created by the Housing Committee.  Phase II will be a Housing Resource Center which is planned to open early to mid-spring and will provide ongoing assistance to local homeowners. 

By Pauline Liu
Just in time to help residents beat the winter blues, Zumba classes are now locally available at a number of locations, including the Roxbury Central School, the Pine Hill Community Center and the Phoenicia United Methodist Church.
The fitness phenomenon combines Latin dance with aerobics. Students may find themselves doing salsa, reggaeton, merengue and hip-hop, but instead of counting reps, as they would in aerobics, they get their workouts done while simply moving to the music. 

Staff report
Roxbury girls win twice
The scores were almost mirror images when the Roxbury girls’ basketball team took to the hardwoods last week. The Lady Rockets downed Jefferson and Stamford by near identical scores in Delaware League play.
Roxbury bested Jefferson, 39-24, on Wednesday then toppled the Indians, 39-25, on Friday night. The two wins are part of a late-season Rockets’ scramble to qualify for postseason play, improving Roxbury’s record to 5-6.

Margaretville Central School will take part in the American Cancer Society’s Coaches vs. Cancer awareness program at several upcoming basketball games.
MCS will participate in the Coaches vs. Cancer Program on Friday, Jan. 27 during the boys’ JV and varsity games against South Kortright at 5:30 and 7 p.m., respectively, and on Monday, Jan. 30 during girls’ modified game vs. South Kortright at 3:30 p.m. and the girls’ JV and varsity contests against Downsville at 4:30 and 6 p.m., respectively.