By Cheryl Petersen
Plaques of appreciation were given to two county retirees at the year-end Delaware County Board of Supervisors meeting in Delhi on December 10.
John Boecke, outgoing director of veterans’ affairs, was recognized for his passion and dedication to veterans and their families.
Bovina Supervisor Tina Molé and Andes Supervisor Marty Donnelly acknowledged Boecke’s positive impact on the county, showing special appreciation for his ability to include Vietnam Veterans.

Former Margaretville resident Amy J. Hyatt was confirmed last week as the U.S. Ambassador to Palau.
The new ambassador to the West Pacific Island nation of Palau is a career Foreign Service Officer who has served mostly in Asia. The United States Ambassador to Palau is the official representative of the President of the United States to the head of state of Palau.
Amy Hyatt

The date for the rescheduled Roxbury Central School Capital Project vote has been set by the school’s board of education for Tuesday, Jan. 6 from 3 to 9 p.m. in the school’s cafetorium. The original vote, set for Tuesday, Dec. 9, was postponed because of bad weather.

By Jay Braman Jr.
The attorney representing the staff at the state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) in the ongoing debate over whether or not the Belleayre Resort review should go back to court has issued a rebuttal to opponent’s claims that court proceedings are necessary.
The rebuttal, released to the public on Monday, makes DEC’s position very clear: No.

By Cheryl Petersen
The Andes Town Board unanimously voted Tuesday afternoon to ban the use of hydrodracking waste fluids in the township.
Anti-fracking activists in Andes started digging through the garbage a couple of months ago, “fracking garbage that is,” said Bob Lidsky. “And it deals with the frack brine or flow-back after wells are fracked. We discovered the flow-back is a radioactive, chemical laden, heavy metal laced brew of unlisted, unregulated, hazardous chemicals.”

By Brian Sweeney
A Community Drug Forum is planned at the Margaretville Central School auditorium on Monday, Jan. 12 at 6 p.m.
The forum will focus on the wide use of heroin and other illegal drugs in Delaware County. Representatives of the Delaware County Sheriff’s Department, the Delaware County Alcohol and Drug Council and the Delaware County Alcohol and Drug Abuse Services agency will conduct the program.

By Joe Moskowitz
The State of New York has promised the Village of Margaretville $6 million to help limit the damage caused by future floods.
Margaretville Mayor Diana Cope said the state will indeed write the checks to Margaretville and other “Rising Communities,” but she said that the state doesn’t want any more planning, so it has hired outside help to get the planning process finished and the work begun.

By Jay Braman Jr.
A Shandaken woman, who allegedly stole $50,000 from a former employer over a four-year period, was arrested by state police on Wednesday, Dec 3. According to state police, Hope Peters, no age provided, has been charged with felony grand larceny.
According to Trooper Steven Nevel, public information officer for the state police at Kingston, Peters allegedly stole the money from a law firm. “They don’t want their name released though,” Nevel said.

By Jay Braman Jr.
In some cases, less is more.
In the case of the Phoenicia Water District, which is facing a $70,000 bill for a new pump, less income district wide can mean getting a large grant to pay for it.
So, the Town of Shandaken is now trying to find out just how much income is earned by district residents, and they are prepared to go around knocking on doors to do it.

Roxbury Central School decided Monday to postpone the vote on its proposed Capital Project, set for Tuesday, December 9, due to an impending snowstorm.
“Due to the impending winter storm, the Capital Project Vote for Roxbury Central School that was scheduled for Tuesday, Dec. 9 was postponed. A new date will be determined at the next Board of Education meeting and announcements will be issued,” said RCS Superintendent Tom O’Brien in a news release.