Margaretville

By John Bernhardt
On the soccer field, it’s almost as if Kyle Short and Matt VanValkenburg can read each other’s minds. The Margaretville strikers work in unison perfectly executing give-and-go touch passing sequences and choreographing well timed lead passes to vacated spots on the field.
The end result: the dynamic Blue Devil duo has teamed to net 10 goals in Margaretville’s first three contests.

Margaretville — A year ago Hurricane Irene put the Margaretville Food Bank out of business for more than three months. But thanks to the Interfaith Council and devoted volunteers it was up and running, in a somewhat diminished capacity, in November of last year serving their client base.
Under direction of new coordinators, Joyce St George and Frank Canavan, the Margaretville Food Pantry reopened on August 20 at a new location on Route 28 under a new name, “The Community Pantry.”

Helping others

By Geoff Samuels
The Village Pub in Margaretville is open again, thanks to the great renovation efforts of Robin and Nadine Tischmacher.

Children and families in the community can look forward to an array of high-quality, award-winning hardcover books to read in the children’s and young adult sections of the Fairview Public Library, thanks to a grant received from The Libri Foundation. Children’s books with a total value of $1,050 will arrive at the Fairview in December.

Staff Report
As Margaretville prepared to mark the one-year anniversary of Tropical Storm Irene, a new effort was underway to help revitalize the flood-damaged village. The goal is to get the village’s picturesque stream, known as “The Binnekill,” flowing again after it started  to run dry about five months ago.

According to Mayor Bill Stanton, village officials signed an agreement last week with landowner Lauren Davis, that would allow workmen to enter the stream from his property in order to clear flood debris that was deposited there by Irene.

Margaretville — In its continuing support of local playwrights, and expanded programming for audiences in the Western Catskills, The Open Eye Theater presents a developmental reading of “Truce...?,” a new play by Wilma Mazo of Andes, on Tuesday, Sept. 4, at 7 p.m. The rehearsed reading will take place on stage at The Open Eye Theater, 960 Main Street, Margaretville.

Aaron Engel, owner of a new small business Autumn Peaks Guide Service in Margaretville, recently led a group of students on plant identification hike.

During the August 19 excursion, the hikers learned how to identify wild herbaceous plants of the Catskill Mountains. The students who participated in the hike are studying acupuncture and herbology in New York City.

Following the six-hour hike, the participants enjoyed a meal at the Bun-n-Cone where they recounted their adventure.

Margaretville — A reward fund for the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for vandalism at the Margaretville Cemetery on or about August 6 has grown from $600 to $800 over the past week.

The reward fund started when Margaretville Mayor Bill Stanton offered $100, which was then matched by the Catskill Mountain News. Margaretville resident Steve Meinstein read the story of the cemetery damage in last week’s paper and called Friday to add his $100 to the fund.

Margaretville — To ensure that library materials are more readily available to the many people waiting for them, starting September 1, the Fairview Public Library in Margaretville will be re-instituting the assessment of fines to patrons who return their library materials past the dates they are due.

Margaretville — Businesses on the “Cheese Barrel Block” in the Village of Margaretville will receive more than $300,000 in flood recovery funds, it was announced last week.

A grant of $307,940 will be used to create a grant fund to be administered by the Arkville-based MARK Project to support the final stages of rebuilding and rehabilitation of six contiguous historic buildings in a single target area known as the “Cheese Barrel Block” on Main Street in downtown Margaretville.