Arkville

Staff report
The primary construction phase of the Arkville Water Project upgrade is wrapping up this week with the installation of new sidewalks along Route 28.

The Hubbell Inc. of Margaretville began work on the system upgrade in August. The project was put on hold for more than a month following the historic August 28 flood. A long stretch of the new main had to be replaced due to flood damage.

By Jennifer Kabat
Moving to Arkville was a conversion experience of sorts for singer-songwriter Steve Koester. He found himself in nature and got a sense of peace. He’s also well aware that he’s hardly the only person to have that experience.

By Pauline Liu
Four members of an extended family are receiving help from the community, relatives and the Red Cross, after being left homeless by a smoky clothes dryer fire that destroyed their Margaretville trailer home on October 30.

The four, including the homeowner, lived at 47 Fred Circle in Glen Acres. Dana Baker explained she bought her trailer six years ago and it was uninsured.

By Brian Sweeney
The Cha-Cha Hut BBQ, an eatery specializing in a wide assortment of barbecued offerings, is moving to Arkville.

Owners Frank and Cherie Davis will start serving barbecue at Casey Joe’s Coffeehouse at 43311 state Route 28 in Arkville (intersection with county Route 38) this Thursday, Oct. 20 from 6-8 p.m.

Arkville — In the aftermath of disaster, the impulse to rebuild and re-inhabit our homes and businesses is extremely urgent. In the wake of Irene, however, The MARK Project is spearheading a program to harness the energy of volunteers and the expertise of building and rehab specialists to make sure rebuilding and recovery is done correctly with long-term sustainability in mind.

By Pauline Liu
Classes at the Delaware Opportunities Inc. Project Headstart Arkville Center began a week late to allow the staff members to clean up after the flood.

When the facility reopened on Tuesday, it looked clean and the staff looked ready, but there was one thing sorely missing. The beloved playground had been wiped out by Tropical Storm Irene. “The playground was our pride and joy,” said Lead Teacher Kyle Holden. 

Andes — Chace-Randall Gallery will present new works by Meredith Rosier and Sharon Wandel in an exhibition that will hang from September 23 to November 6. The exhibition is comprised of drawings in conte crayon, pastel, gouache and ink by Rosier and sculpture in bronze and steel by Wandel. A reception for the artists is scheduled on Saturday, Sept. 24 from 5-7 p.m.

Meredith Rosier’s drawings hover between exactitude and vagueness. Employing tonality to sustain an apprehension of the picture plane and slow the process of categorical recognition, she courts a dialogue of abstraction.

By Brian Sweeney
Approximately 30 families in Arkville likely lost their homes during Sunday’s devastating flooding.
The entire Pavilion Road was wiped out, with many mobile homes along this stretch being swept away or heavily damaged as a torrent of water from the nearby Dry Brook stream raged throughout low-lying portions of the hamlet.

Severe impact

Staff report
An updated spending plan for the Arkville Water District upgrade project was approved by the Middletown Town Board last Monday.

The board passed a resolution authorizing the issuance of an additional $556,625 in serial bonds to help fund the project.

The total price tag for the water system upgrade is $2,344,000. The town has secured $1,492,000 in grant funding to offset project costs. Water district residents will repay the anticipated balance of $852,000 through loan-interest loans over a 38-year period.

Twilight on a lovely evening, rolling fields, passing farms, and the rhythm of the rails are all on track as the Delaware & Ulster Railroad offers another moonlit excursion. Music, food, fun and a little romance play a part in this magical evening train ride through the scenic Catskills as the D&U rolls out of the Arkville depot on Saturday, Aug. 6 at 6 p.m.