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REMINDER -- Oct. 31

Set clocks back an hour this weekend

On Nov. 2 daylight savings time ends and standard time resumes. Don't forget to set clocks back an hour at 2 a.m.

IN TODAY'S LOCAL -- Oct. 31

Students taught to make good choices

High school students from the Safe School Ambassadors club visited elementary school students to teach them about making good choices as a part of Red Ribbon Week. Page 8.

Purple Heart honors WWI vet 89 years later

Cornwall resident, Vivian Yettru, received her father's Purple Heart 89 years after he was discharged from the United States Army. Although her father came home with signs of being wounded, William F. Sheldon never talked about the war. Yettru's son thought it would be a good idea to obtain the commendation as a way to honor Sheldon. Page 1.

District receives positive grade on report

The Board of Education approved its 2007/08 audit report on Monday. A short presentation of the report revealed the district has been able to keep a hard line on spending. Revenue was over what was budgeted and spending was under what had been allowed. Page 1.

Master plan seeks to maintain character

At its Oct. 20 meeting, the village planning board reviewed the master plan. The goal of the plan is to protect the character of the neighborhood by addressing subdivisions and the sixe of homes built in the future. Page 1.

Town Board to unveil budget

Town taxes will be going up if the proposed budget is approved, but they will still be lower than they were a year ago. The Town Board will unveil its budget at a public hearing on Thursday, Nov. 6, at 7 p.m. Page 1.

Progress foreseen on Canterbury Green

The next two months could be extra busy at Canterbury Green -- the three story building on Quaker Avenue that is due to become a community for active seniors.

On Oct. 27, Tom Scarpulla, the project supervisor, said he expects to be done by the end of the year. "It's beginning to look like something," he told the Local. Page 1.  

October storms hit Cornwall

Mother Nature hit Orange County with a one-two punch last week. A Saturday evening rain storm with high winds was followed by an all-day soaker. Several events were canceled. A large tree knocked out a power in the village and residents in one portion of Cornwall-on-Hudson were without electricity for almost 24 hours. Page 3A

Several polling sites have changed

Hopefully, you saved the post card that came from the Board of Elections in August. Some of the polling places have changed and you may not be voting where you did last year. People who used to vote at Lee Road School or Town Hall will now vote at Munger Cottage. Former Storm King Engine Company voters will go to Village Hall. And people who voted at the Highland Engine Company will now vote at COVAC. Page 5A

Kids to tour Half Moon in Newburgh

A group from Storm King School will get a head start on the quadricentennial experience. The students will head to the Newburgh waterfront on Nov. 3 for a tour of the Half Moon -- a replica of the ship that brought Henry Hudson to the New York harbor in 1609. Page 7A.

Peoples and Citizens Parties get ready

As the two major political parties get ready to duke it out, the Peoples and Citizens Parties are waiting in the wings. They are made up of high school students from all over the county who are in the Youth in Government Program. This year their steering conventions will be held in Cornwall on Nov. 20. Page 9A.

More work and play in full-day K

This is the first year that Cornwall kindergarten students are going to school for a full day. The kids are moving at the same pace as their predecessors, but their teachers believe they'll be better equipped to enter first grade next year. Page 11A.

Martial arts students moving up

Monday was moving up night at Black Belt USA, a martial arts school that meets on the second floor of the NYMA gym. Twenty-five students were tested and earned a higher-level belt. Page 11A.

Sports Roundup

Led by Aisling Cuffe, the girls cross country team won the OCIAA meet for the first time in the event's 42-year history. The football varsity ended its regular season with a 42-0 win over Goshen. The girls soccer team swamped Sullivan West to stretch its winning streak to 17 games. The volleyball varsity entered the postseason as the top seed in its class. Section B.

IN TODAY'S LOCAL -- Oct. 24

Dump truck flips; man dies in crash

On Monday, Oct. 20, a motor vehicle accident resulted in a dump truck overturning and spilling its load on top of a car driven by Howard Seaman, age 94 of Cornwall. Mr. Seaman was pronounced dead at the scene. The accident occurred at the intersection of Route 32 and Quaker Avenue at 11:30 a.m. PAGE 1

Police seek records system

Twenty-four of 27 Orange County police agencies have access to a records management system that allows the departments to obtain county-wide information. Cornwall-on-Hudson Police Chief Charles Williams has been trying to get approval from the Board of Trustees to have the system installed in the village. PAGE 1

Placemaking visitors view Main Street

On Oct. 18, County Planner Ed Garling and visitors from several communities walked from Quaker Avenue to Town Hall and back. Three members of the Town Board served as their hosts. The purpose of the visit was to see what's working and what problems are being faced. The visitors are compiling data and will share their observations in March. The event, known as "placemaking," was organized by the Orange County Citizens Foundation. PAGE 1.

School district plans for future enrollment

If enrollment grows at the rate predicted by a demographic study, the school facilities may soon be overtaxed. Tim Rehm, the superintendent of schools, addressed the issue at the Board of Education's Oct. 20 work session. He called his presentation, "Preparing to Plan." PAGE 1.

Can school fields be improved?

Cornwall fields are being overused. Besides the school teams there are recreational leagues that use the fields and the gyms throughout the year. In the discussion of what to do about the fields, the words "alternative funding" were repeated several times.PAGE 3A.

Drainage project near completion

The Hazen Street drainage project is a couple of weeks away from completion, meaning flood relief for residents living on Main Street, as well as the elimination of icy conditions along the town's main thoroughfare. PAGE 3A

Butterhill babies get a place of their own

The sign in front of the building reads "Butterhill Infant and Toddler Center," but Helen Bunt refers to her new day care service as "Butterhill Babies." The addition to Butterhill Day School opened on the corner of Torrey Lane and Clinton Street on Oct. 3. The service, which accepts children between the ages of six weeks and three years, is already filled to capacity. PAGE 5A.

Cornwall welcomes Sgt. Eddie Ryan

Between 250 and 300 people (most of them residents of Cornwall) showed up at the Black Rock Fish and Game Club on Oct. 11 to welcome Iraqi vet Sgt. Eddie Ryan. The benefit was arranged to help him pay his medical and rehabilitation expenses. His ambition is to some day be well enough to rejoin the marines. PAGE 6A.

Cornwall turns colorful for Halloween

The Lions Club hosted its annual window art contest on Saturday morning, Oct. 18. Kids from kindergarten through the sixth grade were able to enter. Their work is displayed on shops on Main Street and Hudson Street. PAGE 8A.

Planning Board rejects need for an alternate member

On Oct. 20, the Cornwall-on-Hudson Planning Board received a letter from Mayor Joe Gross, which asked for input on whether the board members felt an alternate member should be appointed to the board.

The Planning Board believed that an addition would not be necessary. Chairperson Mary Aspin said that maybe once in 20 years has the board been short of having a quorum. PAGE 9A.

Status of Hudson-Fulton committee unknown

The Cornwall-on-Hudson Board of Trustees has not received updates from the Hudson-Fulton Committee since February. As a result, the mayor has suggested a joint meeting with the Town Board to see if other steps should be taken. PAGE 9A.

New book about Constitution Island

The little island in the Hudson River is not far from Cornwall. In July, Highland Falls resident Ronnie Coffey wrote a book about it that was included in the Arcadia Publishing Series. PAGE 1B.

A history lesson from Eleanor Roosevelt

When Enzio Napoli was an 18-year-old high school senior, he met the former First Lady on the subway. At the time, he was reading about the United Nations in a history book, and Mrs. Roosevelt helped him understand what really happened. PAGE 1B.

Check out the new frights at the Corn House

Folks who want a good scare can visit the Corn House of Horrors at 55 Duncan Avenue in Cornwall-on-Hudson. There's no admission fee. Charlie Quinn and Russell Dreher have written a new script and have created all new frights. PAGE 2B

Board considers Maple Avenue turnaround

At its Oct. 13 work session, the Cornwall-on-Hudson Board of Trustees discussed the need for a place for drivers to turn around on Maple Avenue -- the dead-end street next to the post office that is across the road from the elementary school. There's not enough room to create a cul-de-sac, but there could be a T-turnaround that by law would have to be 70 feet deep. PAGE 3B.

DARE Officer leaves town police department

When George Patsalos resigned from the Town of Cornwall Police Department, it left the town without a certified DARE officer. Since the state no longer supports the program, there's no opportunity to have another officer trained. Police Chief Todd Hazard is looking into other programs. PAGE 4B.

Town increases building permit fees

Building permit fees have been the same since 1995. Since then the building department has expanded and the cost of maintaining it has increased. Following a public hearing on Oct. 24, the Town Board voted unanimously to increase the fees. PAGE 4B.

Residents cope with falling Walnuts

Walnuts are dropping in huge quantities at this time of year. Deke Hazirjian (the owner of Woody's All Natural Burgers) is collecting them and planning to make walnut cookies. PAGE 4B.

Sports Roundup

The girls soccer varsity was one win away from finishing the regular season with a perfect record. Soccer player Tim Brennan scored three goals in the first half of a game against Port Jervis -- they were the first goals of his career. Aisling Cuffe won a big cross country race in Dutchess County and her team moved up in the state rankings. Kevin Arduino was responsible for six touchdowns (three running and three passing) as the Dragons beat Highland 41-0. Results are included for the Laurel Crest 5K, the Armitage Softball Tournament and the Chamber of Commerce golf outing. PAGES 7B-10B.

BREAKING NEWS -- Oct. 23, 1:30 p.m.

Man arrested for child endangerment

The Town of Cornwall Police Department arrested Michael Melucci, 56, of Cornwall, and charged him with Endangering the Welfare of a Child, a Class A misdemeanor. Melucci, the owner/operator of The Canterbury School of Music, was arrested after police conducted an investigation into the allegation that Melucci had made inappropriate comments to a student who was taking lessons at the music school. The incidents reportedly occurred at Melucci's Cornwall home where he runs his music school. Melucci was released to reappear on Nov. 20 in the Town of Cornwall Justice Court.

COMMUNITY EVENT -- Oct. 22

Come visit the haunted house

The annual COVAC haunted house will take place from 7 to 9 p.m. on Oct. 24 and 24. It will be held at the ambulance bay and is free to the public.

COMMUNITY ALERT -- Oct. 20

Entergy to test Indian Point sirens

The Indian Point Energy Center will test all of its sirens on Wednesday, Oct. 22 between 10:30 and 11 a.m. The sirens will be sounded at full volume for four minutes in Westchester, Rockland, Orange and Putnam Counties. WHUD (100.7 FM) will check the Emergency Alert System as soon as the siren test is over. No response is required from the public.

BREAKING NEWS -- Oct. 20, 1:20 p.m.

Accident results in fatality

The driver of one motor vehicle was found dead as a result of a motor vehicle accident on Route 32 and Quaker Avenue at approximately 11:30 a.m. A woman driving a second vehicle was taken to St. Luke's Cornwall Hospital with minor injuries while the driver of a dump truck also suffered minor injuries.

According to eyewitness Jeff Benezra, who provided a statement to police, a dump truck from C & L Construction in Mineola, was heading north on Route 32 . At the same time a car heading southbound was making a left onto Quaker Avenue.

Benezra believed the truck had the right-of-way and the car was trying to beat the truck. He said the truck hit the car and tipped over on top of the vehicle dumping its load of dirt.

Quality Towing was called in to prop up the dump truck as Cornwall Fire Department Rescue team hastily dug the victim from underneath the dirt.

Two hours later, Route 32 and Quaker Avenue were still shut down as police tried to recreate the scene.

Cornwall Volunteer Ambulance Corps., New Windsor EMS, Highland Fire Department, Vails Gate Fire Department, Mountainville Engine Company, Cornwall Fire Department, Cornwall Police Department, Cornwall-on-Hudson Police Department and New York State Police responded to the scene.

IN TODAY'S LOCAL -- Oct. 17

School district tracking growth

Enrollment in Cornwall schools changed almost every day during September. The administration watched the numbers closely and compared the pattern to a demographic study it received a year ago. On Oct. 20, the administrators will share their findings with the school board at a 7 p.m. meeting at Lee Road School (page 1).

Keeping the noise down in Cornwall

The Town of Cornwall Police Department has received 66 noise complaints -- 16 for loud parties and 50 general noise complaints, which could include music, industrial equipment or yard equipment. Without a noise ordinance, police can only address a complaint by seeking voluntary cooperation. That's why local resident Gerry Wagner contacted Cay Riviello of Noise Free America. She will be addressing the Town Board at its November meeting (page 1).

Village barn may get a home

One of the wooden structures on the old DPW property may eventually be moved to the riverfront and reassembled near the seaman's chapel. Doug Cooper, of the Cornwall Historical Society, told the Village Board of Trustees that he has a patron who is willing to pay toward the purchase of the old blacksmith shop. If the sale goes through, the trustees would be interested in disassembling the structure, storing the planks, and eventually reassembling the building between the stream and the yacht club (page 1).

Hearing scheduled for Maple Street

The Town Board will meet at 6:55 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 21 to hold a public hearing on a resolution to restrict parking on Maple Street during the work day. In recent weeks, Maple Street has been getting an overflow of cars from the hospital parking lot. If the resolution is passed, parking on Maple Street would be prohibited between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. on Monday through Friday (page 1).

COVAC addresses new plan concerns

The Cornwall Volunteer Ambulance Corps (COVAC) held a public meeting in Munger Cottage on Monday night, Oct. 13, to answer questions about its recent proposal to bill insurance companies to help cover costs. Only three members of the public showed up for the meeting, but the corps received several questions via e-mail (page 1).

Popular principal stars at pep rally

Many schools have pep rallies but only in Cornwall is the loudest ovation reserved for the principal. The rally was held at the end of the school day on Oct. 10. Dr. Frank Sheboy told the audience what it means to be a Dragon, and commended two students who stopped to help a motorist change a tire (page 3A).

Sun shines on Cornwall's 21st Fun Run

Each year on Columbus Day, the high school cross country team hosts races for kids in kindergarten through the sixth grade. The winning times and pictures of the winners appear on page 1B.

Academy teaches young chefs how to cook

The Young Chef's Academy on Route 32 will be celebrating its second anniversary at the end of October. The students range in age from 3 to 14. "I love working with children," the owner (Joe Alfieri) told The Local. "It's gratifying for me and for them. I couldn't imagine not doing this now" (page 2B).

Former classmates meet at the Powelton Club

The first class to graduate from the school on Main Street gathered at the Powelton Club in Balmville for its 50th reunion. The event attracted 49 guests from eight different states and Nova Scotia. The organizers worked for a year to contact people and make the arrangements (page 3B).

A new command for General Petraeus

After 19 months in Iraq, General David H. Petraeus left his post as commander to lead the U.S. Central Command, which oversees U.S. forces in East Africa, the Middle East and Central Asia. The command has its headquarters in Tampa, Florida (page 3B).

Sports Roundup

The football team clinched its league title by pouncing on Port Jervis 42-3. The girls soccer team remained undefeated with an exciting victory over Warwick. The volleyball team was surprised by Goshen; it was the girls' first loss of the year. Aisling Cuffe ran three times during the week and won all three races. The girls medley relay team qualified for the state swimming championships (pages 8B-10B).

IN TODAY'S LOCAL -- Oct. 10

COVAC seeking more revenue

The Cornwall Volunteer Ambulance Corps (COVAC) was at the Town Board work session on Oct. 6 to present a proposal that would allow the unit to bill health insurance carriers directly and collect co-payments from patients.

Although the ambulance corps is under budget, Captain Mike Bigg said that it is spending most of its donation money on day-to-day services rather than community programs.

If the proposal were accepted by the Town Board, COVAC would continue to provide the services it has offered in the past. See page 1A.

Cornwall Commons review goes on

Cornwall Commons was the last item on the agenda when the Planning Board met on Oct. 6. The developer is hoping that by December the board will be ready to act on the Final Environmental Impact Statement. Once the environmental review is over, the board would be free to make final approvals. See page 1A.

Stressed about the economy?

The Local visited David Holstein of the Hudson Center to get recommendations for people who are trying to cope with the financial crisis. The center at 276 Hudson Street offers counseling and meditation. David Holstein believes that by focusing on the mind, body and spirit, he can help patients relieve anxiety, deal with depression, and eliminate the stress associated with economic hardship. See page 1A.

Town Board will act on Maple Street parking

At its Oct. 14 meeting, the Town Board will consider a proposal to make parking illegal on Maple Street between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. on workdays. Several employees of the Medical Arts Pavilion have been parking on the street instead of in the hospital parking lot. See page 1A.

Mystery signs all over town

Tony Tucci, a village resident and a retired state employee, put up 25 signs that say "Vote; two terms are enough; no more incumbents." He did it as a way of getting people to think about their choices. See page 3A.

Willow kids do real science at the river

Willow Avenue School fourth-graders were one of 65 groups that participated in Hudson River Snapshot Day on Oct. 7. There were students from New York City to Troy collecting data and conducting experiments at the same time. See page 5A.

Senator Larkin receives labor endorsements

The senator's office announced that he had received the endorsement of 10 different labor organizations. The Local published a time line of the senator's career on page 6A.

Cornwall's fire companies win awards

The Highland Engine Company was named the best overall unit at the county parade. The Storm King Engine Company received a trophy for having the best appearing apparatus. The engine that won the award was a 1973 Mack Tower Ladder. See page 8A.

Canines lend a paw to help kids read

Milo and Elvis are visiting the Cornwall Public Library on Friday afternoons. The two dogs have been trained to sit and listen while children read to them. The experience helps young readers establish confidence. See page 9A.

Families flock to high school's fair

Over 730 people attended the Free Family Fun Day at the high school on Oct. 4. Besides making the fair an enjoyable event for the community, the organizers wanted to provide information to the parents of students with special needs, and wanted to show the community that the special education kids can be the same as everyone else. See page 1B.

Local senior wins nine medals at games

Marie Strano, the president of the Cornwall Golden Age Club, won nine medals at the Orange County Senior Games. "After all I've been through health-wise, I was just glad to be there," she told the Local. See page 5B.

Sports Roundup

The soccer and volleyball teams continued their season-long winning streaks. The football team downed Colonie 26-7. Carly Marshall qualified for the state championships in swimming. See pages 6B, 7B and 10B.

IN TODAY'S LOCAL -- Oct. 3

Ribbon cut, but road stayed shut

They cut the ribbon for the new road at the Outdoor Discovery Center, but motorists soon learned that the road wasn't completely open. It was blocked by the tent used for the opening ceremonies. About 100 people were on hand for the event on Saturday, Sept. 27. Now that the tent is down, people can drive from Angola Road directly to the old Kenridge farm house. See page 1.

Main Street gets new business

While some businesses have left Main Street for other locations, Bruce Bryan is traveling in the other direction. He's moving his State Farm office from Quaker Avenue to 269 Main Street. Bryan has been in business for 27 years. "I think it's a good thing he's coming back to town," Supervisor Kevin Quigley said. See page 1.

Michael Raab launches rock & roll museum

Michael Raab, a former Cornwall resident and a member of The Jelly Bean Bandits, recently launched The Rock & Roll Museum of the Hudson Valley. The web site is dedicated to area bands from the 1960s to the early 1980s. Mr. Raab now lives in North Carolina. See page 1.

Monument fees were almost painless

The town paid for the new monument park with money from a developers' trust fund account that is earmarked for the establishment and improvement of parks. Developers pay $2,000 per lot into the fund once their plans are stamped with approval. This year the town dipped into the fund on two occasions. It spent $13,500 to fix the pool and $29,000 for the monument and surrounding improvements. As of Oct. 1, there was $46,332 left in the parkland fund. See page 1.

Maple Avenue attracting many parkers

Workers in the Medical Arts building behind the hospital are having a tough time finding places for their cars in the hospital parking lot, so some of them are parking on Maple Avenue. On two mornings in September, police asked these employees to move their cars. See page 3.

Cornwall resident helping Sgt. Eddie Ryan

Cornwall resident John Murray never met Marine Sgt. Eddie Ryan, but he knows about him and he wants to help him out. Murray is one of the people organizing a benefit for the wounded veteran at the Black Rock Fish and Game Club on Saturday, Oct. 11, from 2 to 6 p.m. See page 5.

Cornwall shows that it's a community that cares

While baby Nick Miele was in a New York City hospital following heart surgery, a group of neighbors took turns providing meals for the Miele family. Heather and Mike Miele moved to the corner of Orrs Mills Road two years ago. "This was the right place for us," Heather Miele told The Local, "I don't think we'd have that close community around us anywhere else." See page 6.

Cornwall firemen take top award

The Highland Engine Company was named the best overall unit in the Sept. 26 Orange County Volunteer Firefighters Parade and received a six-foot high trophy. The Mountainville Engine Company placed third in its class. See page 7.

Kids to build small homes with sticks and stones

The library will be hosting a special program on Saturday, Oct. 4. Children and their families will be asked to bring a bag of supplies that includes anything from nature that's dead -- such as sticks, twigs, stones, leaves or acorns. They will use these items to build miniature shelters. See page 8.

Village athletes capture the Battle of the Arc

The town and village employees played their seventh annual softball game at the Little League complex on Sunday, Sept. 29. The village won 17-2 in a game that may be remembered as the Battle of the Arc, because of the high arc thrown by village pitcher Matt Clancy. See page 8.

Cornwallites thrived when the economy was bad

Like everyone else, residents of Cornwall were affected by the Great Depression. But they still shared their meals with the homeless people who came up the hill from the railroad tracks. See page 10.

Chamber head will be stepping down

Bob DeWit has been president of the Greater Cornwall Chamber of Commerce three different times. He's about to turn the job over to someone new, but he's still eager to talk about business in Cornwall. Yes, there's still business in Cornwall. The chamber now has 72 members. See page 10.

Coach K puts Green Dragon Review on the air

For years, Mike Kroemer has been the voice of the Dragons. He's in the press box for football games and he's in the gym to welcome fans and visiting teams during the winter. Now people can hear him at home on their iPods or their computers. On Sundays he prepares his Green Dragon Review, which is an update on Cornwall's high school sports. See page 11.

Family Fun Night explodes onto the scene

Willow Avenue School held its first Family Fun Night on Sept. 26 at the Middle School and the event was a sell out. After the Mad Science group provided the entertainment, kids had a chance to make necklaces, sand art and flubber. See page 13.

Six churches to open their doors on Saturday

Six churches will hold open houses on Saturday. Guests will have a chance to see the inside of the buildings, hear the history of the congregation and enjoy refreshments. The open house is an outreach of the Greater Cornwall Ministerium that organizes several interfaith services during the year. See page 13.

Sports round-up

The high school football team scored four touchdowns in the second half to down Wallkill. The girls' soccer and volleyball teams remained undefeated. Aisling Cuffe set a course record in winning a cross country meet in Carlisle, Penn. Cornwall's swimmers defeated Minisink Valley. See pages 14 and 16.