By Jay Braman Jr.
In his state of the state address last Wednesday, Governor Andrew Cuomo called for the development of no less than three and as many as seven new casinos in Upstate New York, calling the Catskills an “obvious area” for location.

And, according to the folks behind the proposed Belleayre Resort slated for Highmount, their place won’t be one of them.

By Joe Moskowitz
It happened in the quiet, safe community of Newtown, Connecticut, and now schools across the country are re-examining their safety plans just in case someone in their community is considering the unthinkable.

Margaretville Central School District Superintendent Tony Alabanese says, “In one blink of an eye all that is common that you believe in, becomes uncommon.”

By Joe Moskowitz
An Academy Award. An “Oscar.” The best there is in the world of motion pictures. There is no higher honor. On February 24, a part-time New Kingston resident may take home the most coveted statuette in the entertainment world. And he gives a great deal of credit to having a conversation in Roxbury on a summer day a few years ago.

By Brian Sweeney
Roxbury Central School is among the districts that have been awarded a Virtual Advanced Placement (VAP) Grant.

The New York State Education Department grant offers funding that allows students to participate in online Advanced Placement (AP) courses.
There are several major goals for the VAP grant:
• To improve targeted access to virtual AP courses and increase AP opportunities for low-income students;
• To provide professional development to teachers, administrators and technical staff with regard to development, instruction and support of VAP courses;

By Jay Braman Jr.
With all the talk on the national news about the current flu epidemic, it appears that many in the region have heeded the warnings and gotten a flu shot to prevent getting the nasty virus.
But unfortunately it appears that the shortage of the vaccine has also hit some parts of the region.

On Monday staff at Margaretville Hospital reported that while they saw an increase in flu cases at the emergency room a couple of weeks ago, that has leveled off.

By Karen Hinkley
The Grand Gorge Fire Department hosted a surface ice rescue drill on Saturday and Sunday with training provided by Team Lifeguard Systems Inc. of Shokan.

Almost 40 volunteer firefighters and EMS participated in the two-day weekend training session from Grand Gorge, Roxbury, Margaretville, Stamford and Halcottsville.

By Joe Moskowitz
It’s in the country, so it’s rural. It doesn’t cost anything to watch, so it’s free. And it has sound and video, so it’s TV. It’s Rural Free TV, or RFTV. It’s the brainchild of Margaretville resident Vic Tannenberg.

Tannenberg, who spends what he considers an inordinate number of hours in front of a computer screen, owns Vicware, a one-man company that designs software, or if you prefer, apps. He decided to use his technical skills to create RFTV, his own Internet and sometimes cable-based television network.

By Joe Moskowitz
The New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has taken another step toward allowing the public expanded recreational use on some of its water-supply reservoirs.

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.

Staff report
With a newly improved wastewater treatment facility, a new health clinic and cell phone service on the horizon, Andes Supervisor Marty Donnelly says that it looks as though 2013 is shaping up to be a good year for the town.

The malfunctioning eight-year-old wastewater treatment system has finally been overhauled. “I’m very, very pleased,” said Donnelly. “Sometimes, you have to really step back and look at these things. The city is actually using this new type of system that we’re getting.”