Community

By Joan Lawrence-Bauer
Known alternatively as “Mr. Fix It,” “Mr. Legion” and “Mr. Boy Scout,” Bob Hill was remembered fondly this week for a lifetime of service to his country and his community. 

Pine Hill — The 26th broadcast of Catskill Cabaradio on Saturday, March 9 will be a tribute to Terry Doyle, one of the program’s originators, who passed away suddenly on February 6. 

Terry was instrumental in finding musical talent for this quarterly event as well as helping the show make a seamless transition to its live radio broadcast on WIOX Community Radio.  All proceeds from raffle tickets sold at the show will go to the Terry Doyle Fund to continue Terry’s work of supporting local music at WIOX, where Terry produced nine hours of music and interviews every week.  

The Big Indian-Oliverea Fire Co. Inc. and Ladies’ Auxiliary sponsored its annual Christmas and Installation Dinner at the Alpine Inn in Oliverea on January 11.
Hosts Eric and Edna Griesser and son, Jamie, must be commended for the superb feast they provided.

President George Long welcomed everyone and John Rossitz presented the Invocation. Guest were introduced as well as the commissioners: Chairman Richard Bennett, Brian Kelly, Bill Rudge, Clark Van Etten and newly-elected Gayle Yeomans.

The Auxiliary of Margaretville Hospital and Mountainside Residential Care Center kicked off its annual Membership Drive on February 7.

The auxiliary has a goal of 500 members during its 2013 membership drive. For a minimum donation of $5, anyone can join the auxiliary and help support the organization’s operating budget.
Pat Tucker, the group’s treasurer, said the donations from membership help the auxiliary pay for items like printing, office supplies and other essential elements.

By Jay Braman Jr.
The Onteora Central School’s Board of Trustees has made a deal with its teachers union for a three-year contract that increases salaries slightly, but also hikes up the teachers’ contributions to their health care coverage. And the teachers get a couple more days off too.

In a district where teachers have been accustomed to healthy wage hikes and a base salary higher than most neighboring school districts, the teachers union this time around agreed to a salary increase of only 1.91 percent spread out over three years.

By Joe Moskowitz
The debate over gun control has turned many people into experts on the U.S. Constitution.
This what the Second Amendment says: “A well-regulated Militia, being necessary to a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.”

The Fairview Public Library in Margaretville will be hosting Friday Night Flicks & Pizza, for all age, on Friday, Jan. 25.

Pizza will be served at 5:30 p.m. and the movie will be shown at 6 p.m. Fairview will be showing Walt Disney’s Brave (PG).

“Set in Scotland in a rugged and mythical time, "Brave" features Merida, an aspiring archer and impetuous daughter of royalty. Merida makes a reckless choice that unleashes unintended peril and forces her to spring into action to set things right.” — Walt Disney Corporation.

Pine Hill — Dare to write about food! Writers in the Mountains (WIM) will present its popular six-week workshop, Food for Thought with Ann Epner at the Pine Hill Community Center, every Monday, 10 a.m. to noon, from March 4 to April 8.

What we eat is so much a part of who we are. “We are what we eat!” For each of us, food has a special meaning – culturally, sociologically and personally. We all have stories about food; what our mothers fed us, what we cook, foods we dream of and foods we loathe. 

Margaretville — Margaretville Hospital has added state-of-the-art endoscopes that significantly enhance diagnostic capabilities.

Kevin K. Dodd, MD is a gastroenterologist specializing in diagnosing, treating and preventing diseases of the digestive system. He practices at Hudson Valley Gastroenterology in Kingston. For more than 10 years, he has been a visiting specialist at Margaretville Hospital. Dr. Dodd said that new equipment now being utilized at Margaretville provides unsurpassed imaging.

Staff report
When Governor Andrew Cuomo gives his State of the State address on Wednesday, he is expected to make a strong case for education reform and urge small school districts to consolidate.
However, many of the proposals that the governor is expected to pitch have already come under fire from educators.