Margaretville

By Dick Sanford
A Margaretville resident was discovered dead in his Main Street home Monday morning after a concerned employee at the Margaretville Post Office reported to state police that he hadn’t picked up his mail in five weeks.

State police responded to the home at 711 Main Street to find the body of Richard Driscoll, 60, the home’s owner. New York State Police Sergeant Andy Leahy told the News that Driscoll may have been dead for as long as five weeks and that he saw no sign of foul play in the home.

Margaretville — The Historical Society of the Town of Middletown (HSM) will host two genealogy roundtables in the coming weeks, when Sally Elliott Scrimshaw and Ed Stewart will share information and memorabilia on local families, some of which go back more than 200 years in this area and have roots in Scotland.

The informal gatherings will take place Saturdays, March 24 and April 14, at 10 a.m. in the Community Room of Fairview Public Library, 43 Walnut St., Margaretville.
The roundtables are free; donations to cover the cost of room rental will be welcomed.

By Pauline Liu
An eight-year-long dispute between the Village of Margaretville and local landowner Lauren Davis ended last Friday in Delaware County Supreme Court in Delhi. Margaretville won the eminent domain case, which was brought by Davis of Davis Holding Co. LLC.

The village now has the legal right to maintain the bulkhead on Davis’ property in an effort to keep water flowing in the Binnekill.

“The judge reviewed the village’s petition, heard the arguments from the landowner and found in favor of the village on all grounds,” said Village Attorney John Fairbairn III.

By Brian Sweeney

Margaretville Central School will hold a public vote on a Capital Building Project on Tuesday, March 13 from 2-8 p.m. in the cafeteria.

The project will include both maintenance work and classroom enhancements, including:
• Creation of a 25-station computer laboratory for the Middle School ($147,000);
• Installation of wireless networking capabilities throughout the building ($154,181);
• Alterations to the music and maintenance rooms ($37,619);
• Repairs to the drainage system, concrete floor and walls in the locket room area ($114,300);

By Pauline Liu
The Margaretville Central School Board of Education plans to ask district voters to approve a 2.04 percent tax-levy limit for the 2012-2013 school year. 

According to MCS Superintendent Tony Albanese, each school district has a different tax-levy limit based on a formula from the Office of the State Comptroller. For MCS, that percentage is 2.04.  The board made its decision at a budget workshop last Tuesday and school officials have since notified the state of their plans. 

Margaretville — Opening this week at Margaretville’s Longyear Gallery is “Vernal Equinox,” a group show featuring the work of Longyear Gallery members. An artists’ reception will take place Saturday, March 10 from 3-6 p.m.

By Pauline Liu
While the name of Margaretville’s latest pizza establishment is new, the owner and his much acclaimed pizza are oh, so familiar. Nick Malaxos of Grand Gorge and his popular deep-dish pizza known as the “La Bella,” are back in town. 

Malaxos is busily preparing to launch his latest venture, Riverside Pizza, on lower Main Street in Margaretville right across from Margaretville Central School. He hopes to open in early March. 

Margaretville — The Margaretville Central School (MCS) Booster Club will host its ninth annual indoor soccer tournament at MCS on Friday evening March 9 and all day Saturday, March 10.

By John Bernhardt
It would be hard to overstate Sami Hunt’s value to the Margaretville Junior Varsity Girls’ basketball team. Hunt played brilliantly in Wednesday’s Delaware League championship game scoring 15 points, dominating the backboards, and altering countless South Kortright shots. The stellar effort was not enough as SK edged the Blue Devils, 53-48, in double overtime.

By John Bernhardt
A nearly full-court underhand pass. A three-point field goal that started with the shooter’s back to the basket. Both played critical roles in the unprecedented rise of the Margaretville Junior Varsity Girls’ Basketball team to the Delaware League’s Championship game. Margaretville will square off against South Kortright on Wednesday, Feb. 15 at 5:30 p.m. on their home court in the opening round of a junior varsity championship doubleheader.

Miraculous comeback