News Archive
• June, 2009
• May, 2009
• April, 2009
• March, 2009
• February, 2009
• January, 2009
• December, 2008
• November, 2008
• October, 2008
• September, 2008
• August, 2008
• July, 2008
• June, 2008
• May, 2008
• April, 2008
• March, 2008
• February, 2008
• January, 2008
• December, 2007
• November, 2007
• October, 2007
• September, 2007
• August, 2007
• July, 2007 |
COMMUNITY NEWS -- June 30 Leak in town pool draws a crowd More than 30 residents (parents and children) packed the Town Hall conference room tonight for an emergency meeting on the leak that has temporarily closed the town pool. Supervisor Kevin Quigley indicated that the pool has been losing 18 inches of water a day. As a result, he has arranged for Leakfinder.com (a New Windsor company that uses sonar to detect leaks) to examine the pool tomorrow. Members of the audience suggested that the town board should contact NYMA, if the pool can't be fixed quickly, to see if an arrangement can be made where NYMA will honor Town of Cornwall pool passes. Another person asked if the money paid for season passes would be refunded. The supervisor said he would look into it. The pool is 58 years old, and as one problem is fixed another arises. Deputy Supervisor Mary Beth Greene Krafft said that during her 10 years in office, the town has spent $40,000 in pool repairs. Kevin Quigley indicated that ignoring the leak and constantly refilling the pool was not an option.
COMMUNITY NEWS -- June 30 Cornwall resident to appear on History Channel Sam Soto of First Rate Exterminators will appear on Monsterquest on the History Channel at 9 p.m. on Wednesday, July 2. Mr. Soto, who was featured in The Cornwall Local on June 20, helped the program hosts search for the largest rat in New York City.
IN TODAY'S LOCAL -- June 27 Cornwall English and math scores improve It's hard to keep a secret when the news is good. Early in the month, the school district got its scores on the statewide English and math tests, but it couldn't divulge the results until the state said it was OK on June 23. Cornwall scores improved in six out of six grades in math, and in five out of six grades in English Language Arts. At Willow Avenue School every third-grader had a passing mark (three or above) on the math test. At Lee Road School, a whopping 61 percent of the fourth-graders scored in the top level in math. No other fourth grade in the county did as well. See page 1 of today's Local for details.
Kent to lead Independence Day Parade The Cornwall Independence Day Committee has chosen Jimmy Kent as Grand Marshall for this year's parade in recognition of what he and his family have done for the youth in the community. The Cornwall native has worked with countless boys and girls as a baseball and basketball coach and as the director of the Town Recreation Department. In 1969, he became the first president of the Cornwall Youth Football Program. See page 1 of today's Local for details -- and for the parade lineup and a list of July 4 events.
Everything's new at Drew's Restaurant Andrew Doehla and Alexis Raccasi opened their restaurant at 2 Idlewild Avenue in May, and are offering French-inspired American cuisine. The couple met during orientation on their first day in the Culinary Institute of America and are planning a September 2009 wedding. See page 2 of today's Local for details.
Bernicker Dodge offers gas saving deal People who buy a new car at Bernicker Dodge can pay $2.99 a gallon for gas over the next three years. The dealer on Main Street has been participating in Chrysler's nationwide "Let's Refuel America" program, which will continue until July 7. Marie Bernicker commented that gas prices are the main concern of potential buyers. "They're doing less driving. A lot of them have talked about not going on vacation," she said. "Smaller cars are selling like hot cakes." See page 3 of today's Local for details."
SFC Lau comes home for July 4 After two tours in Iraq, Sergeant First Class Frederic Lau is back in town before heading to an assignment in Sacramento. Sgt. Lau joined the Army shortly after he graduated from Cornwall Central High School in 1985. In addition to his tours in Iraq, he has served for 13 years in Germany. See page 5 of today's Local for details.
Article 78 allies meet to discuss strategy Representatives of the Town, Village and Board of Education met in the town attorney's office on Thursday, June 26 to discuss a lawsuit to overturn the Woodbury local laws that would allow a developer to increase the number of homes planned for Legacy Ridge by more than 100. While the development would be located in Woodbury, the Legacy Ridge children would be eligible to attend Cornwall schools. See page 9 in today's Local for details.
Assessment Review Board kept extra busy For three days, the Board of Assessment Review listened to people who were appealing their property assessments. On a fourth day, the board members reviewed cases where people filed grievances but did not want to appear in person. Overall, the board heard from 172 people and reduced 32 assessments. See page 9 in today's Local for details.
Soccer trial back to square one A state appeals court issued a ruling on the Jasmin Crespi case last month, but the Orange County district attorney doesn't think that much was accomplished. "It was a long journey to get to the same place, Frank Phillips told the Local. Crespi, who punched a Cornwall team member after a playoff game in 2006, was charged with second degree assault under a law that makes it a felony for an outsider to enter a school and attack a student. But Judge Robert Freehill ruled that the law doesn't apply to a visiting athletic team. The appellate court didn't uphold or overturn the ruling. Instead, the court indicated that before judges can deem a law unconstitutional, they must give the attorney general an opportunity to defend it. See page 16 of today's Local for details.
Kelsey Branch wins Kent Award Kelsey Branch (a pole vaulter, long jumper and diver) won the 46th Butch Kent Award -- the highest honor the high school gives to a graduating athlete. See page 16 of today's Local for details and a list of past winners.
LOCAL NEWS -- June 24 Sixtus Petraeus dies at 92 Sixtus Petraeus, a retired mariner and Central Hudson Employee, died in Valencia, Calif. on June 19. He was 92. Mr. Petraeus was born in the Netherlands on Sept. 23, 1915. He came to the United States in 1940 and served in the Merchant Marines during World War II. He was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal, the second highest honor given by the Merchant Marines, for single-handedly extinguishing a fire that could have destroyed his ship and its dock. Mr. Petraeus moved to Avenue A in Cornwall-on-Hudson in 1950 and became a member of the Cornwall Yacht Club, the Cornwall Presbyterian Church and (eventually) the Over- 70 Ski Club. He is survived by his daughter, Carol Morton, of Valencia, Calif., and his son, Gen. David Howell Petraeus, of Fort Myer, Va. and Iraq. Those wishing to make a memorial contribution, can send whatever amount they choose to Molly Robbins, Cornwall Public Library Director Petraeus Fund, 395 Hudson Street Cornwall, NY 12518-1562 The fund will provide parent and child "read together" chairs for the children's library area, and the most comfortable chairs available for the adult reading room.
LOCAL NEWS -- June 20 Two Cumberland employees arrested Two employees of Cumberland Farms on Route 94 were arrested after a month-long investigation by Police Officer Douglas Schofield of the Town of Cornwall Police Department. Jennifer Conley (age 19 of Mountainville) and Heather Shutter (age 22 of Poughkeepsie) were charged with grand larceny and falsifying business records. They were arraigned in front of Judge Navarra and released to appear at a later date. The store estimated its losses at $4,600.
IN TODAY'S LOCAL -- June 20 School district leaders get raises At a June 16 meeting, the Board of Education approved salary increases for the school district's three top administrators. Tim Rehm's salary for being superintendent of schools was bumped up by 5.78 percent. The assistant superintendents received increases of 5.85 percent. The preliminary results of a survey done by the Local suggest that the administrator's salaries are in line with other school districts in the county. See today's Local for details.
Face lift for Village Square? Susan Gagliardo of the Village Square Improvement Committee read a list of recommendations at the June 16 Board of Trustees meeting. The proposals would affect three intersections, the municipal parking lot and the bandstand area. "I think you guys have hit a home run" was Trustee Bill Fogarty's reaction after the entire plan was presented. The trustees will now review the report, and adopt resolutions (and hold public hearings) for any changes they want to implement. See today's Local for details.
Cornwall gathers at the river on prom night The spectators outnumbered the prom-goers on June 13 for the traditional picture taking at the riverfront. It was peaceful on the shores of the Hudson, but up the hill motorists fretted as a line backed up from the entrance to the park. Some people, assuming that there was no more room, pulled over to the side and walked the rest of the way. The police did a good job and somehow everyone managed to fit. See today's Local for pictures and details.
Mystery selection pleases prom-goers Faculty members select the king & queen and the royal court at the Cornwall Central High School senior prom. No one knows how the panel makes its selections, but the students are always pleased with the results. This year's prom was held on June 13 at the Officers Club at West Point. Steve Henderson and Jill Roth arrived at the event together and went home as the king and queen. See today's Local for pictures and details.
Two farewells at St. Thomas graduation Principal Dennis Costello had two candidates to give farewell speeches at the St. Thomas of Canterbury graduation on June 13. He didn't know which one to choose, so he picked both and it proved to be a good decision. A day after the ceremony, Mr. Costello was still marveling over the speeches delivered by his two eighth-graders -- Marina DiCocco and Meghan Vreeland. See today's Local for details and pictures.
Vassar donates docks to Cornwall-on-Hudson "Once we get them started, they'll float without much trouble," John Wenz said about the docks that he'll be moving from Poughkeepsie to Cornwall-on-Hudson. Mr. Wenz is the head of the Riverfront Revitalization Committee. A year ago he learned that Vassar College was replacing its rowing docks and looking to give them away to a worthy recipient. Mr. Wenz intends to use a few privately owned small boats to tow the docks in either late July or early August. Where the docks will be positioned once they arrive is still up for discussion. See today's Local for details.
Local man will be leading Monsterquest Cornwall resident Sam Soto, the proprietor of First Rate Exterminators on Route 32 in Cornwall, will appear on the History Channel's Monsterquest this summer. The television show asked Mr. Soto to find the largest rat in New York City. A camera crew followed him for two days as he planted traps in basements and alleys in the Bronx and New York City. His biggest catch was about 50 percent larger than the average rat. See today's Local for details.
New one-day passes issued at Donahue Park The first single-day permits for Donahue Memorial Park were issued on Saturday, June 14, as John Gilardo started his new job as weekend parking attendant. He will be working 10 hours a day on Saturday and Sunday through the summer. During his first weekend on the job, he issued eight $5 parking passes. See today's Local for details.
Kids go the distance in St. Thomas 5K St. Thomas of Canterbury School hosted a 5K and a fun run on Saturday, June 14, but most of the kids picked the longer race and ran alongside one of their parents. Jillian Kelly, a sophomore at Cornwall Central High School, had the fastest time among the women. See today's Local for details and results.
IN TODAY'S LOCAL -- June 13 Rumors on Quaker Avenue When a Kingston-based real estate agent contacted several property owners on Quaker Avenue, people wondered what was happening. Was the man really representing an unidentified developer or was he secretly connected to Kiryas Joel? The agent, Win Morrison, soon became aware of the suspicions, and he was obviously distressed. "My reputation is very important to me," he told the Local; "I will guarantee in what ever ways I have to that I have no affiliation with Kiryas Joel." The inference was that he wouldn't claim to represent one party while secretly negotiating on behalf of someone else. See today's Local for details.
School kids beat the heat at home The dismissal bell rang early for Cornwall students on Tuesday, June 10. The middle schoolers called it a day at 10:15 a.m. Superintendent of Schools Tim Rehm said it was the first time he could remember a heat wave prompting an early dismissal. See today's Local for details.
Grand jury to evaluate Jones case After Daniella Jones was arraigned in the City of Newburgh Court on June 9, her case was assigned to a grand jury for evaluation on July 22. She is charged with continuing to receive unemployment checks while she was employed by the Cornwall Central School District. See today's Local for details.
New sandwich debuts at Danny's Lunch Box Danny Randazzo introduced a new sandwich, "the Cornwallian," when he opened his Main Street store on May 21, and it's become his biggest seller. Randazzo will be holding a grand opening on June 21. See today's Local for details.
Tarzan-type weather at RiverFest June 7, 2008, will be remembered as the day the weather overcompensated for all the years of rain. It was hot -- so hot that kids were wading in the Hudson River. It was the kind of afternoon that Tarzan might enjoy. "This is still better than rain," Wynn Gold philosophized as he looked at the lines queued up for ice cream and cold drinks. Mr. Gold has been the head of the organizing committee since the event debuted in 1998. This year the pedometer on his belt indicated that he had walked 11 miles without ever leaving Donahue Memorial Park. See today's Local for details.
Roads being resurfaced It's that time again. The Town Highway Department will be resurfacing five miles of local roads this summer, which is the last year of the town's five-year plan. Next summer the Highway Department will return to the roads it worked on in 2004. Bob Conley ( the Highway Department superintendent) and Mark Edsall (the town engineer) have been compiling information so the Town Board can compare the cost of blacktopping instead of using oil and chips. On June 10, Bob Conley said that they were about half way through the study. See today's Local for details.
Chamber hoping to pitch a tent The Greater Cornwall Chamber of Commerce is hoping to pitch a 30-by-40-foot tent on Town Hall property this summer. The merchants aren't planning on camping out, but they do have some special events in mind. Under-the-tent activities might include a farmer's market, concerts, and a reception to conclude the Art Walk. See today's Local for details.
Student-built shed still standing Eva Whorley's Computer-Assisted Design class assembled a storage shed for the organic garden at the high school. A big storm hit the area on a Saturday night before the job was finished. But then the students returned to school on Monday morning, the shed was still standing. See today's Local for details.
SPORTS -- June 10, 7:35 p.m. Dragons downed in extra innings Cornwall battled into the eighth inning before losing 5-3 to Maine-Endwell and exiting the state tournament. It was just the second loss of the year for Coach Tom Fanning's team and both defeats came in extra innings. Craig Zuzek started on the mound for Cornwall and pitched well. He was relieved by Greg Kumpel and Scott McClennan. Two potential Dragon rallies were thwarted by double plays. The Dragons finished the season with a record of 24-2. For almost the entire year, they were ranked first among Class A schools in New York State.
SPORTS -- June 9, 9:10 p.m. Cornwall nine advances in state tournament The Dragons moved a step closer to the state final four by beating Somers 7-6 at Pace University this afternoon. Reliever Greg Kumpel took the mound with bases loaded and two outs in the final inning and ended the game with a strikeout. Sophomore Scott McClennan was the winning pitcher. The Dragons will play Maine-Endwell at SUNY New Paltz tomorrow afternoon. A victory would put Coach Fanning's team in the state semifinals. Cornwall's record is now 24-1.
COMMUNITY News -- June 9 Middle school to close early on June 10 Students in grades 5 through 8 will be leaving Cornwall Central Middle School at 10:15 a.m. on Tuesday, June 10. A bulletin from the school district indicates that the purpose of the early dismissal is to send the students home before the heat of the day sets in. The other schools will have normal hours.
IN TODAY'S LOCAL -- June 6 Hearing set for Cornwall Commons The Town Planning Board has scheduled a July 7 public hearing on the site plan and preliminary environmental review for the residential portion of Cornwall Commons -- a 490-unit development for residents who are age 55 and above. The public hearing is a step forward for the project that has been in front of the Planning Board for eight years. See today's Local for details.
New home planned for stray dogs Cornwall's stray dogs may soon have a different home. The town is working on an agreement where the Canine Sanctuary (a not-for-profit organization) would pick up stray dogs during the day and board them at Colby Kennels on Route 94. The dogs would remain in the kennel until the Canine Sanctuary could find people to adopt them. See today's Local for details.
Hospital hosts May 30 groundbreaking St. Luke's Cornwall Hospital hosted a ceremonial groundbreaking for its Comprehensive Cancer Treatment on May 30. The two story structure is expected to be open in the latter part of 2009. It will enable more Orange County cancer patients to get treatment closer to home. The center is expected to include radiation oncology, a conference suite, infusion/chemotherapy, physicians' offices, and a retail shop to serve the special needs of oncology patients. See today's Local for details.
Former Cornwall teacher arrested A week after Daniella Jones was cleared of harassment charges, she was arrested for allegedly receiving unemployment funds while she was gainfully employed. She is due to be arraigned in the City of Newburgh Court on June 9. See today's Local for details.
Tree stolen from the Village On Friday, May 23, the Cornwall-on-Hudson police were informed that a pine tree had been removed from the ground near the Dock Hill Extension. The tree had been recently planted following the reconstruction of the bridge at Dock Hill. The tree was about seven high and heavy enough that it would take two or three men to load it onto a truck. See today's Local for details.
Six companies drill at Village school The Storm King Engine Company and five other units practiced a search and rescue effort at Cornwall-on-Hudson Elementary School on May 28. "We wanted the companies to familiar with the school in case there was ever an emergency," Chief Jeff Armitage of the Storm King Engine Company said. See today's Local for details.
COMMUNITY NEWS -- June 4 School district teachers in Relay for Life A group of teachers from the Cornwall Central School District will be participating in the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life at 3 p.m. on Saturday, June 7. The event, which is being held in Cronomer Park in the Town of Newburgh, includes food and games. The teachers are inviting the community to come out and support them.
SPORTS NEWS -- June 3 Cornwall wins baseball championship The Dragons defeated Saugerties 7-5 at SUNY New Paltz this afternoon to win the Section 9 Class A baseball championship. Greg Kumpel homered in the first inning to tie the game 2-2. And Dylan Babcock broke the tie several innings later with a suicide squeeze bunt. The Dragons entered the final frame ahead 7-2, but Saugerties scored three runs on a bases loaded double to make it close. Sophomore Scott McClennan allowed just two runs in six innings, and was the winning pitcher. Kevin Arduino worked the seventh and ended the game with a strikeout. Cornwall is due to play in the state tournament on Monday, June 9.
Lady Dragons advance to softball semifinals Cornwall came from behind this afternoon with four runs in the bottom half of the sixth inning to beat Port Jervis 5-3. Second baseman Kerrianne Hogan ended the game with a running catch in foul territory. Pitcher Jess Wood, working in front of a Cornwall crowd, gave up six hits in gaining a complete game victory. Danielle Johnston smacked a triple for the Lady Dragons, who scored all their runs on infield ground balls. The girls play a semifinal game on the road on Thursday.
NEWS -- June 3 Former teacher arrested Daniella Jones, the teacher who was dismissed by the Cornwall Central School District in January, has been arrested and charged with larceny of funds. She allegedly received unemployment benefits for several months while she was gainfully employed by another business. The New York State Police investigated the case in collaboration with the Department of Labor. Miss Jones is due to be arraigned in the City of Newburgh Court on Monday, June 9. |
