By Cheryl Petersen
A general store replete with practical, striking, and lovely items for sale to the public held its opening day Saturday. Paper lining the store-front windows came down and the doors opened. “The store is a wonderful addition to Roxbury,” said Helen Faraci, a lifelong resident.

Chilled crossing guard: Photo by Dick Sanford

Crossing Guard Janice Armstrong of Andes, had the right idea, as she wisely layered herself against those balmy -2 degree temperatures on Wednesday, Jan. 8. Like the rest of us, we're sure she was very happy to get back to "room temperature."

A large crowd — most solidly in favor of the proposed Belleayre Resort — turned out for Thursday’s Middletown Planning Board public hearing on the project.
Approximately 75 people were in attendance at the Middletown Town Hall to express their opinions on the planned resort in Highmount. The project, first proposed in 1999, currently includes two hotels, lodging units, a spa and a golf course. If approved, the Belleayre Resort would be built in both the Towns of Shandaken and Middletown. The Middletown portion would primarily include the golf course and related structures.

By Joe Moskowitz

Margaretville Liquor vandalized: Photo by Joe Moskowitz

The Margaretville Liquor Store on Main Street was burglarized early Tuesday morning and the person who did it may have been thoughtful enough to call the storeowner in order to prevent any further losses.
Storeowner Steve Yaekel said that he got a phone call at home at about 12:30 a.m. from someone who told him that the one of the store’s front windows had been broken out.

Wine taken

By Jay Braman Jr.
The owners of a farm stand on Route 28 in Mt. Tremper, that the state Supreme Court ordered removed, have filed an appeal of that verdict and are taking steps to apply to the Town of Shandaken for a permit to continue to do business.
On November 27, state Supreme Court Justice Mary Work gave the owners of Hanover Farms 60 days to take down their farm stand.
That gives Al Higley, and his son Alfie, until January 25 to remove the structure. But, with 10 days to go, the place looks just like it did on the day that Judge Work signed her decision.

An article in the current issue of My Ford magazine has brought national attention to naturalist John Burroughs and Woodchuck Lodge, his Catskill Mountain retreat in Roxbury.
The article, which spotlights the unlikely friendship of Burroughs and industrialist Henry Ford, appears in a magazine that goes to an estimated four million Ford automobile owners. Countless more viewers can read the story online, and see a short video featuring Woodchuck Lodge Board President Bill Birns and Burroughs’ great-granddaughter Joan Burroughs.

The Catskill Mountain News continues its look back at the top stories during the last six months of 2013.

July 3, 2013
GOP backs Delameter in Supervisor’s race
Arkville resident Nelson Delameter has been officially endorsed by the Town of Middletown Republican Committee as its candidate for supervisor.
The endorsement is unusual because Delameter is a registered Democrat and will challenge incumbent Supervisor Marge Miller in the September Democratic Primary.

By Brian Sweeney
Old-fashioned charm and modern convenience will be blended when Roxbury General opens on January 18.
Husband-and-wife Doug McLaurine and Robin Factor are busy putting the finishing touches on a business venture that will feature an interesting mix of locally made products, everyday goods and even a scattering of basic hardware supplies.

By Joe Moskowitz
This may be the winter of everyone’s discontent. There has been too much snow for the haters, but warm-ups and rain have melted the snow that skiers and those who depend on snow, such as plow operators, need to make their living. Despite the snowmelts, there have been periods of bitter cold, which have stretched already thin heating budgets. And, it’s still just early January.

By Jay Braman Jr.
Most people in the region know that when the thermometer goes down into the single digits, it means higher home-energy bills, but for area ski centers, really cold weather means money.
That’s because they make snow, not heat.
Snow making, which has become more and more important to ski areas as climate change messes with natural snowfall totals, can be an expensive process.