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IN THIS WEEK'S LOCAL -- Jan. 30

Village residents to see increase in taxes

A 2.825 percent increase in taxes was on the table at Thursday night's public hearing for the 2009-10 village budget. A hearing was held last week, but residents protested the cuts to the police and fire departments. The Board of Trustees met with the four department heads Police Chief Charles Williams, Fire Chief Jeff Armitage, Water Superintendent Robert June and Department of Public Works Superintendent David Halvorsen during two special work sessions Jan. 23 and 27. Williams and Armitage were able to negotiate some money back into their budgets, but still had to make some concessions. Page 1.

Civic groups may pay for police coverage at special events

The Village Board of Trustees is considering a new policy requiring civic groups to pay for police coverage during special events they sponsor in order to cut the amount of overtime paid to full time police officers. A new policy may require groups to pay 50 percent of the cost for police coverage beyond the first officer. Last year officers were paid $68,000 in overtime, but only $10,000 of that total was offset by a grant for the Stop DWI program. Page 1.

Local is sponsoring a candidates' forum

Cornwall-on-Hudson Mayor Joe Gross and challenger Peter Neuman will meet for a candidates' forum at 7 p.m. on Friday, March 6 at Munger Cottage. Ken Schmidt, principal at Cornwall-on-Hudson Elementary, will serve as moderator. Attendees are asked to come early so they have a chance to write down questions for the candidates The opponents will take turns answering questions and will be allowed to rebut one another's comments. Page 1.

Blending the mind of an artist with the spirit of a dance

Elizabeth Muise, who formerly played Dorothy in the high school production of "The Wizard of Oz," eight years ago, currently teaches a form of bellydancing called "Tribal Fusion"at Stuido 208, Brid's Closet and Mount Saint Mary College. She's traveled to Italy and painted pastel landscapes with Gayle Clarke Fedigan, who has an art gallery in the village. Her pastels are scheduled to be on display at Vino 100 on Front Strett in Newburgh. Page 1.

Half dozen enter trustees' race

During the last week Maryanne Rose O'Dell, James Kane and Dennis Wood have picked up petitions to get on the ballot for two open spots on the Cornwall-on-Hudson Board of Trustees. Page 1.

Book inspires honor society project

Katie Krieger, a student at Cornwall Highschool, was so influenced by a book titled "Three Cups of Tea" that she convinced other members of the National Honor Society to make "Pennies for Peace" their winter project. The fund raiser will help kids in schools in Afghanistan or Pakistan. The drive begins on Feb. 2. Page 1.

New chamber president takes the helm

Julie Bush quietly became the Greater Cornwall Chamber of Commerce's new president in November. She had worked with the Orange County Chamber before getting involved in Cornwall. Bush and her husband Ralph run a handyman service known as Jack of all Trades. Because of the holidays, her first official meeting was Jan. 27. She has many new ideas, but first wants to get to know all the members of the chamber. Page 8.

Hudson-Fulton Group calls urgent meeting

The Cornwall Quadricentennial Committee is holding an urgent meeting at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 5 at Munger Cottage. The group needs to submit a calendar of events to the state by Feb. 9. Three events which will have a Hudson-Fulton flavor include RiverFest and the Fourth of July Parade. All residents are welcome to attend and offer their suggestions. Page 8.

SPECIAL NOTICE

The Village of Cornwall-on-Hudson Board of Trustees will hold special work sessions at 6 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 23 and Tuesday, Jan. 27 at Village Hall in order to conduct budget discussions with department heads. A public hearing on a revised budget is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 29.

BREAKING NEWS

Cornwall teen suffers head injury in accident

At 5:30 p.m. on Jan. 20 the Town of Cornwall Police Department investigated an accident that occurred at Quaker Avenue and Oak Street. Amanda Wilson, 18, of Newburgh was operating a 1995 Toyota northbound on Quaker towards the traffic circle. An uninvolved vehicle was traveling southbound on Quaker. The uninvolved vehicle went into the left turn lane to make a turn into the Cornwall Plaza and Wilson began to make a left onto Oak Street. Wilson did not see a second vehicle that was traveling southbound on Quaker; a 1980 Chevrolet operated by Christopher Houck of Newburgh. Houck collided with Wilson as she made her left turn. A passenger in Wilson’s vehicle; Anthony Lodato, 17, of Cornwall suffered a head injury and was flown to Westchester Medical Center. Wilson and another passenger were taken to the Cornwall Hospital for minor injuries.

IN THIS WEEK'S LOCAL -- Jan. 23

Crowd packs hearing

A crowd filled Village Hall on Jan. 17 for a public hearing on the Master Plan. The purpose of the hearing was for the Board of Trustees to gather information as they prepare to review the plan. Among the topics discussed were plans to reduce the Storm King Engine Company fire siren, the Duncan-Hudson intersection, consolidating with the town, zoning and the view preservation laws. Page 1.

Museum kicks of Hudson-Fulton series

An "Evening Speaker Series" organized by the Hudson Highlands Nature Museum will focus on the Hudson Valley and its history in chronological order. This year New york will be celebrating the discovery of the Hudson River in 1609 and the first voyage of Robert Fulton's steamboat in 1807. Presentations will begin at 7:30 p.m. and be held at the Cornwall Presbyterian Church. Lectures will be held on Feb. 3, 10, 17 and 24. Page 1.

Doug Vatter joins race

Doug Vatter, president of the Storm King Engine Company, joins Deputy mayor Mark Edsall and Planning Board member Andrew Argenio in a battle for two open seats on the village board. Page 1.

Three nominated to Ethics Board

Anne Duignan, Elizabeth Hellwege and Thomas Bailey have been appointed to serve on,e two and three years respectively on the village's Board of Ethics. The board will be responsible to enforce the code of ethics, establish rules and regulations for proceedings and appeals, as well as review disclosure forms from all the people that are affected by the ethics law. Page 1.

Last man's lost wine recovered

Since the early 1980s a group of former classmates gather anually in January. They pruchased a bottle of wine and the last two survivors will share the bottle. The 1982 bottle of Mouton Rothschild is usually the centerpiece of the Last Man Dinner, but did not appear last year. The bottle made it to the Jan. 10 gathering and it is believed that Jim Kline was safeguarding the bottle since he was unable to make it to last year's gathering. Page 1.

MacDonald siblings want your blood

Ian and Isabelle Kelly MacDonald, students at Cornwall Central High School, have organized a blood drive as a tribute to their father and grandfather who have both been diagnosed with incurable cancers. The drive will be held from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Saturday at the Salisbury Mills Fire House. Page 1.

Familiar face in new role at library

Reference librarian Stella Denton will serve as the interim director of the Cornwall Public LIbrary until the Library Board of Trustees appoints a new director. Denton has worked at the library part time since March. Page 2.

 Storm King fire siren hot topic at hearing

At last week's Master Plan hearing, there was some debate about the fate of the fire department's siren. Lee Murphy considered the volume to be a health issue to children playing in front of the school across the street. Fire Chief Jeff Armitage said the siren is needed as a backup to the radio and paging system. Page 8.

Couples choose Cornwall for matrimony

Every year a few couples choose to get married in Cornwall and have the ceremony performed by a local official. As a result, our mayors, supervisors and judges have some interesting stories to tell. Page 9.

A new era for Village Planning Board

Jeff Small replaces Mary Aspen as the head of the Planning Board. Aspen had been on the board for 27 years and had been its leader for most of that time. Small is a 10-year village resident with experience on the Planning Board and the Master Plan Committee. Page 9.

IN THIS WEEK'S LOCAL -- Jan. 16

Cuts in school budget may mean loss of staff

Facing the potential loss of $2.1 million in state aid, Cornwall Central School District Superintendent Timothy Rehm didn't rule out the possibility of laying off staff as the district prepares the 2009-10 budget. Also subject to cuts are school programs, extracurricular programs and athletic programs. Page 1.

Police/Fire officials upset over village spending plan

A public hearing for the Village of Cornwall-on-Hudson is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 21. Included in the $6.6 million spending plan are proposed cuts to the police department ($48,000) and the volunteer fire department ($27,550). Specific cuts include a crossing guard, the firehouse custodian and mechanic and fire equipment. To view the entire budget, click Village Budget. Page 1.

Scott Strine wins national photo contest

The Local's part-tim photopgrapher, Scott Strine, finished first in the adult feature category for his entry "Come on coach, let me play." The photograph was taken during halftime of the Cornwall-Wallkill high school football game. Two mighty mite football teams had provided the entertainment during the intermission. When it was time for the kids to leave the fireld one of them didn't want to go. Page 1.

Bill Fogarty is stepping down as trustee

Bill Fogarty, who served as a Cornwall-on-Hudson trustee from 1980-1996 and returned to the board in 2004 as a replacement for the late Anthony Ferraro, will not be seeking re-election in March. Instead, he said he'll "Spend more time spoiling his grandchildren. Page 1.

Hours could be changing for the Town of Cornwall Police

Town of Cornwall policemen may be working different hours next month. The Town Board has agreed to the chief's proposal, which still needs approval from the police union. If approved, the proposed one-year trial would begin Feb. 1. At present, officers rotate between day, evening and midnight shifts. The new plan would allow officers to regularly work one shift. Shifts would be picked based on an officer's seniority. The three shifts the officers work at 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., 4 p.m. to midnight and midnight to 8 a.m. Page 1.

Author's first book takes place in Cornwall

First-time author Maryann Paige's new novel, "Hidden Shadows" takes place in Cornwall and makes a number of references to sites in both the town and village including Main Street, Routes 9W and 94, the library and hospital. Although her novel is based on the folklore of shadow-like creatures called Shadow People, it's also partially based on a true story. Page 1.

Resident to pursue town noise ordinance

Town resident Gerry Wagner said he will pursue a noise ordinance after Kay Riviello of Noise Free America said that for personal reasons she would be unable to attend future council work sessions unless there's a public hearing. Wagner has had his problems with noise when his next door neighbors would come and go at all hours of the night. The town does not have a noise ordinance and without one police can only mediate a situation by seeking voluntary cooperation. Page 5.

New walkway will connect playground to pools

Two years ago when the playground was replaced adjacent to town hall a walkway was installed leading from the parking lot to the playground. Because it's helped maintain the property, the town is moving forward to complete the walkway which will connect to the wading pool and large pool. The cost of installing the path will be covered by a $25,000 member-item grant from Senator Bill Larkin. Page 10.

Viewers pick old photos over NY Giants

While New York Giants fans were glued to their televisions on Jan. 11, several long-time Cornwall residents could be found at Munger Cottage viewing a series of photographs taken by Walter "Snapper" Earl. He had photographs for the newer pictures (mostly WWII vintage) and glass negatives for the older ones. There were pictures of Main Street when the sidewalks were narrow and there was more room on the streets for cars and even an aerial photo before the creation of the traffic circle. View more of Earl's photos at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 8 at Munger Cottage. Page 11.

Craig Zuzek is named football team's MVP on offense

The football team's end-of-season awards were given to Kevin Arduino as the most valuable player, Craig Zuzek as the most valuable player on offense and R.J. Roth received the honors for defense. Page 11.

Corey Picciuto qualifies for the Section 9 diving meet

On Jan. 8 sophomore Corey Picciuto scored 136.05 points to qualify for the season-ending met at Valley Central. He joins Steve Ring, Jens Versland, Jimmy Browne and Wiliam Roth who have already qualified for the section meet. Page 11.

Arduino best in class-A

Kevin Arduino, a three-year member of Cornwall's varsity football team, was named the Football Player of the Year for Class-A schools in New York State. He was an all-state defensive back last season and took over as quarterback this summer leading the Dragons to a section title. Page 14.

SPECIAL NOTICE

An issue with our server has prevented updates to the web site over the previous two weeks. The Cornwall Local staff apologizes for this inconvenience. Copies of the Dec. 26 and Jan. 2 newspapers are still available at The Local.

IN THIS WEEK'S LOCAL -- Jan. 9

Master plan to go under public scrutiny

Residents will have a chance to give their thoughts on the village’s master plan at a public hearing scheduled for 11 a.m. next Saturday. Without being too specific on areas he liked or thought needed more work, Mayor Joe Gross said he doesn’t anticipate dramatic changes to the plan, but he does want to pay particular attention to zoning including lot sizes, building sizes and lot coverage. The county planner made a few recommendations concerning open space, pedestrian traffic and the business district. Page 1.

Village races begin

Incumbent Joe Gross and challenger Peter Neuman have picked up petitions for the mayoral race. Mark Edsall, deputy mayor, has also picked up a petition with the intent of running for re-election. The filing deadline is 4 p.m. on Feb. 10. Candidates must obtain 75 signatures to be on the March 18 ballot. Page 1.

Home assessments cut in village

Fifteen Cornwall-on-Hudson residents requested a reduction in the full market value of their homes and nine of them were granted their request by the Grievance Board. The reduction resulted in a $578,460 decrease in assessed values of the nine homes. Page 1.

Fulton’s book comes out

Collette Fulton, Cornwall-on-Hudson historian, will be signing her new book Feb 16. at the Cornwall Presbyterian Church and Feb. 23 at the Historical Society meeting. Her book, “Cornwall-on-Hudson,” is part of Arcadia Publishing’s “Images of America” series. The book includes more than 200 photographs taken around the turn of the last century. Page 1.

Younger crowd sees frigid ball drop

A crowd stretched from Storm King Theater to the other side of Hudson Street to see the ball drop New Year’s Eve in spite of the cold weather. The crowd was younger than usual leading some to believe the older folks stayed home where it was warm. The festivities began at 11:30 p.m. with an Elvis impersonator followed by the ball drop, which went off without any problems. The crowd dispersed at 12:45 a.m. when police officers began shooing them off the streets. Page 1.

Cornwall woman makes a lifetime commitment

On Jan. 3 Cornwall resident Jenna Cooper made a public commitment to a life of chastity and service to the Church during Mass at Sacred Hear Church in Newburgh. Cooper was 12 when she first felt that she was being called to a religious vocation. By the age of 18 she became more serious. Cooper is currently working toward her master’s degree and would like to eventually get a doctorate and word for the church. Page 1.

Building slowing to a crawl

Although the pace of development has slowed, construction continues in Cornwall. Canterbury Green and the Cancer Treatment Center are nearing completion. The Planning Board approved the environmental statement for Cornwall Commons but the target date to break ground is 2010. Work continues on Stone Hollow, a 29-unit residential development located off Willow Avenue. Page 3.

Even the judge enters the miniature art show

A recent competition at the Hudson Valley Gallery in Cornwall-on-Hudson featured 144 paintings that were done on a one-inch-by-two-inch stretched canvas. Magnifying glasses allowed people to examine details of the paintings, some of which contained text that could not be read with the naked eye. The exhibit may be the first of its type and details have been sent to the Guinness Book of World Records. Page 5.

Dragons defend basketball title

The Dragons won their holiday basketball tournament for the third year in a row, beating Washingtonville 70-54 on Dec. 30. Kyle Bradley, who has played on all three championship teams, won the MVP award. Page 16.

Cadets lure Malone from warmer climates

Becky Malone will be swimming for the United States Military Academy next year. Malone swam for Cornwall as a freshman, winning a section title in the breaststroke and was part of Cornwall’s dream team that was undefeated in a dozen dual meets. The next September she enrolled in the Peddie School in Hightstown, N.J. where the swim team is ranked among the top teams in the country. Malone swims two-and-a-half to four hours daily, weight-lifts twice a week and runs three days a week. Page 16.