Weekender
Monica Graff was recently covering the New York City St. Patrick's
Day Parade when lo and behold, who should she spy but our own
Onteora Marching Band stepping lively down the avenue. According
to others who caught them, crowds treated our local faves as
one of their highlights, as well.
Heralded,
Sight Unseen
Legislators Resolve To Help Resort Along
Despite New Plans Staying Undisclosed
3/25/2010
By Brian Powers
Crossroads
Ventures' proposed Belleayre Resort project moved front
and center twice this month before the county legislature,
creating plenty of controversy and leaving lots of folks
wondering what if anything it all means.
On March 9, developer and Crossroads principal Dean Gitter
addressed an "informational meeting" of county
lawmakers and while his prepared remarks on the project's
merits went smoothly, a subsequent exchange with the two
legislators representing our district quickly turned bizarre.
Continue>>>
Nothing
New Being Built
Shandaken Planners, ZBA Mull New Ways To Deal With Dearth
Of Local Activity
3/25/2010
By Phoenicia Times Staff
According to town Building/Code Enforcement Officer Gina Reilly,
only 14 building permits have been issued for 2010 as of April
23. And those are for little things like woodstove installations,
interior renovations and small additions.
"No new houses are being built," she said.
The good news is that things are no worse at this point then
at the same time last year. In 2009 only 13 permits had been
issued.
Continue>>>
A
Jar Of Olives...
-Simple-
3/25/2010
By Carol LaMonda
People who know me well would probably label me an optimist.
Sometimes I even tilt over to Pollyanna-ism. In an observation
of a glass being half empty or half full, mine is sloshing
over most of the time. I can muddle through most situations
with a smile on my face and hope in my soul. I recreate
my world to an acceptable level of niceness and civility.
I love all creatures, big and small, except for hairy
spiders. I can eat and thoroughly enjoy most food except
tofu. Like Will Rogers, I never met a man or woman I
didn't like, except those who insist on talking with
their mouths full. If I find someone disagreeable, I
would rather ignore him than engage in a battle of personalities.
Mellow would be my color. Mediation is my manner. Vanilla
is my fence-sitting flavor.
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SNOWICANE
Ashokan
Center On Hold
Planning Board Proposal Awaits Better
Funding Climate, Like The Rest Of Us
3/25/2010
By Olive Press Staff
At the March 2 Olive Planning Board
meeting, a brief discussion was held
about putting plans for new building
at the Ashokan Center on hold for the
foreseeable future. The Center had been
on schedule to get plans finalized for
their new buildings, and had hoped to
be able to go to Public Hearing sometime
in April. However, due to estimated
costs coming in much higher than had
been anticipated, they are taking a
step back and reviewing their options.
Continue>>>
USPS
Mulls Closings
Big Indian & Willow
Are First To Face Negation
In New Lease Negotiations
3/25/2010
By Paul Smart
14 years ago when anti-governmental
sentiments started rising,
heavy floods and a strong
response from the Federal
Emergency Management Agency
(FEMA) helped quiet things
down a notch, as if by
reminding everyone how
government could play
a role in their lives.
Now, a similar move seems
possible with the threat
of closure to what is
at least 200 and possibly
several hundred post offices
around the nation... including
Big Indian and Willow
here in the Catskills.
Continue>>>
Easing
The Big Cuts
Onteora Board Given Little
Choice But To Ease The Pain
As School Aid Falters
3/25/2010
By Lisa Childers
Proposed
cuts to the 2010/2011
Onteora district budget
brought out high emotions
at the school board's
last two meetings on March
16 and March 9.
At a special budget forum
in the central office
at the Middle/High School
on March 9, Superintendent
Leslie Ford announced
that a new state formulation
had revealed $845,525
less in Federal funding
for Onteora over the coming
2010/2011 school year.
This is on top of a $658,000
less in State aid and
a projected loss of $100,000
in income interest revenue.
If the board maintained
their target of a four
percent levy, Ford noted,
they would now face a
$2.3 million budget shortfall
instead of initial projections
around $1.5 million.
The district would still
receive $434,643 in federal
stimulus money, but that
money runs out after the2010/2011
school year. This is coupled
with a loss of gap funding
between State and Federal
Government, Ford said.
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