April 2006

Child Porn Sentence - Tracy Baxter @ 1:46 pm EST
A Bloomingburg man was given a prison sentence of from 6 to 12 years Monday. 44 year old Eugene Greco had pleaded guilty to the charge of promoting an obscene sexual performance by a child. He was arrested after investigators seized child porn videos and photos during a raid of his home. Local police were tipped after Greco sent obscene material to a person who turned out to be an undercover detective in New Hampshire. Greco had been convicted of molesting a boy in Ulster county in 1998.

Friday, April 21, 2006

Hit & Run Arrest - Tracy Baxter @ 3:51 pm EST
Town of Ulster police have made an arrest in connection with the fatal hit and run incident Wednesday night. Friday afternoon, town police charged 40 year old Joseph Gilsinger of the Ulster county community of Chichester with leaving the scene of an incident without reporting. Gilsinger is accused of driving off after hitting 43 year old Richard Shultis ...who was riding a bicycle on Route 28 in the town of Ulster. Shultis later died of his injuries. Gilsinger was to be arraigned Friday on the felony charge.

Assault - Tracy Baxter @ 11:48 am EST
A dispute between two brothers escalated into serious violence Thursday night in the Town of Lumberland. State Police responded to a 9-1-1 call at a residence on Forestburgh Road. That's where they found 30 year old Anthony Abenante. He'd been shot in the leg and beaten with the stock of the 22 caliber rifle. He was taken to Westchester Medical Center for treatment of the gunshot wound and serious head injuries. Investigators arrested his brother...46 year old James Abenante ...and charged him with first degree assault. State Police say the attack came after Anthony threw rocks through windows at James' residence.

Motorcycle Fatal - Tracy Baxter @ 11:39 am EST
A Middletown man was killed late Thursday afternoon when his motorcycle collided with a mini-van on Route 211 in the Town of Mount Hope. State Police say 42 year old Eugene Lawrence was dead at the scene. His motorcycle hit the on-coming mini-van as it was turning in front of him onto Tally Ho road. The mini-van driver....42 year old Richard Woeckener of Slate Hill...was not seriously hurt. An investigation is continueing.

Info Session - Tracy Baxter @ 11:34 am EST
Orange county residents will get the chance to learn more about a proposal to run a new high voltage power line into the county. The company, New York Regional Interconnect, wants permission from the State Public Service Commission to build a 200 mile electrical transmission line from Utica to a substation in Rock Tavern in the Town of New Windsor. The company will outline its plans and answer questions during a public information session Thursday April 27th from 7pm to 9pm at New Windsor Town Hall. Another public meeting will be scheduled in the Town of Mount Hope.

Tuesday, April 18, 2006

Water Pipeline - Tracy Baxter @ 12:48 pm EST
The water should be flowing this Fall. Dutchess county officials say all the pipe is in place for the 13-mile Central Dutchess water pipeline. The 33 million dollar project will link the Poughkeepsie City/Town water system and its Hudson river tap to the towns of LaGrange, Wappinger and East Fishkill including an IBM facility at the Hudson Valley Research Park. The pipeline will be able to carry up to 10 million gallons of water a day.

Rate Agreement - Tracy Baxter @ 12:44 pm EST
Rate increases for Central Hudson Gas and Electric customers will begin in July under terms of a deal reached between the utility and the Public Service Commission. The agreement allows Central Hudson to phase in rate hikes during the next three years. They will total 11 percent for electric customers and 9 and a half percent for natural gas users. Central Hudson originally filed for a 13 percent electric rate hike and a 15 percent boost for gas. Central Hudson Vice-President Arthur Upright says the rate hike request settlement will provide the necessary funds to cover increased costs, with a three-year phase-in period preventing undue impacts on customers.

Kirkland Hotel - Tracy Baxter @ 12:40 pm EST
The face-lift at the historic Kirkland Hotel in Kingston is now underway. The turn-of-the-century hotel at Clinton and Main streets is being renovated and the almost 4 million dollar project will include creation of a first floor restaurant as well as office and retail space. Officials with the Rural Ulster Preservation Corporation say the architectural integrity of the former hotel will be respected. Space is expected to be available in the Spring of 2007. City officials are hoping the revitalized hotel will serve as a catalyst to expand Kingston's uptown business district.

Friday, April 14, 2006

Tax Deadline - Tracy Baxter @ 10:55 am EST
Those of you who put off filing your income tax returns until the last minute are getting some extra minutes...actually 72 hours. Procrastinators are getting an additional three days to file because April 15th falls on the weekend and then there's Patriot's Day, which is observed Monday in Massachusetts. Federal tax returns from New York state are processed in Massachusetts. Returns going there should be postmarked before midnight Tuesday. Not all taxpayers have been dragging their feet. The I-R-S says about six million of an expected eight million returns from people in New York state have already been received.

Vehicular Assault - Tracy Baxter @ 10:52 am EST
A Monticello woman is facing a felony vehicular assault charge after...police say...she hit a boy with her car Thursday night. The 12 year old Monticello boy was standing near the curb on Terry Lane in the village when he was struck. The boy suffered a leg injury and broken ankle. Monticello police have charged 27 year old Shatoya Grant with vehicular assault as well as driving while intoxicated and endangering the welfare of a child.

Laid To Rest - Tracy Baxter @ 10:29 am EST
Maggie Dixon was laid to rest Friday morning at West Point Cemetery. The former Army women's basketball coach died last week from a heart arrhythmia at the age of 28. She had led the team to its first NCAA tournament appearance in March. During her funeral earlier this week in California, a member of the team...Ashley Magnani.... told mourners that Dixon had made reality out of their once-intangible dreams.

Thursday, April 13, 2006

Bush Visit - Tracy Baxter @ 2:04 pm EST
The normally tight security at West Point will be even tighter next month due to a special guest. It was announced Thursday by the White House that President Bush will be at the U-S Military Academy to deliver the commencement address to members of the Cadet Class of 2006. Graduation ceremonies will be held Saturday May 27th at West Point.

Fines Paid - Tracy Baxter @ 12:55 pm EST
The Target Department store chain has paid more than 90 thousand dollars in fines for allowing young employees to operate hazardous machinery in our area. The Labor Department said it found more than two dozen minors operating power-driven hoisting and baling equipment. Federal regulations prohibit workers under the age of 18 from operating that machinery. The violations occurred in 7 Target stores including the ones in Middletown, Kingston and Poughkeepsie.

Wednesday, April 12, 2006

False Reports - Tracy Baxter @ 12:25 pm EST
The manager of the Town of New Windsor's water filtration plant is facing felony charges for allegedly filing a bogus report with the Orange County Health Department. 50 year old Richard Johnson of Newburgh resigned from the manager's position after being charged with offering a false instrument for filing and falsifying business records. Town police say Johnson put false numbers on a water turbidity level report to the county last July. The submitted false report showed acceptable readings when the actual readings were in excess of permitted levels set by the county. The town would have faced a violation if the true readings were submitted. Police are investigating to determine if other false reports were submitted by Johnson. Police say they don't believe that Johnson's actions put any New Windsor water users at risk.

Villa Roma Fire - Tracy Baxter @ 12:19 pm EST
An investigation has begun into the cause of the fire that destroyed the main building at the Villa Roma resort hotel near Callicoon. It's believed the fire that broke out late Tuesday night began in the bakery area of the kitchen. Guest rooms were not damaged and guests...many there for Passover...were being taken to other area Catskill hotels. The fire reportedly destroyed the kitchen, main lobby, nightclub and dining room.

Friday, April 07, 2006

Arson Indictment - Tracy Baxter @ 12:50 pm EST
An Ulster County grand jury has indicted a Pine Bush man for setting fire to his home while his former girlfriend was inside. Lee Anderson Junior was indicted for arson for setting fire to the house at 193 Ulsterville road in the Town of Shawangunk last November. The woman wasn't hurt. Police say the incident grew out of a fight between the two.

Do Not Call - Tracy Baxter @ 12:47 pm EST
The state's "Do Not Call" law just got a little tougher on telemarketers. More sales calls are now prohibited under the law, including ones that seek a "face-to-face" meeting with customers. More than 7 and a half million phone numbers are registered statewide on the "Do Not Call" list.

Dixon Death - Tracy Baxter @ 12:45 pm EST
A memorial service was being held Friday afternoon in the Catholic Chapel at West Point for Maggie Dixon, the Army women's basketball coach who died Thursday night after collapsing a day earlier. Army officials say the 28 year old Dixon died shortly after 8pm at Westchester Medical Center. Dixon had been admitted in critical condition after suffering what was described as an "arrhythmic episode to her heart." Just last month Dixon led Army to the NCAA women's tournament. Her brother Jamie Dixon is men's coach at Pittsburgh. They're believed to have been the first brother and sister to have coached in the NCAA tournament in the same year.

Thursday, April 06, 2006

Indictments - Tracy Baxter @ 1:55 pm EST
A Sullivan County grand jury has indicted two teens for a B-B gun shooting that left the victim with a serious eye injury. 17 year old Reynaldo Ortiz of Monticello was indicted on felony assault and weapons charges for shooting a 14 year old boy in the eye with a B-B gun last month. Ortiz was ordered held on ten thousand dollars bail. A friend...16 year old Jorge Perez of Monticello...was indicted for tampering with physical evidence. Police say he hid the gun after the shooting.

Chase - Tracy Baxter @ 1:50 pm EST
A man with 28 suspensions on his driving record is now in Sullivan County jail without bail following his latest brush with the law. County Sheriff's deputies say 29 year old Joseph Goldstein of Swan Lake was pulled over Wednesday after he ran a stop sign in Swan Lake. But Goldstein sped off and during the chase, police say he almost hit two road repair flagmen and ran some vehicles off the road. Police later arrested Goldstein at his home and he's been charged with the felonies of reckless endangerment and aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle.

Tuesday, April 04, 2006

Extension - Tracy Baxter @ 12:15 pm EST
Good news for all you procrastinators. You can now get an automatic six month filing extension if you can't meet the April 15th tax filing deadline. Starting this year the extension period increases from 4 months to 6 months. Taxpayers will have to file form I-T 370 either online or on paper. The filing is free. The I-R-S also has a 6 month period for federal returns.

I-84 Crash - Tracy Baxter @ 12:12 pm EST
State Police say they don't know why Brian Sheehan's car veered off Interstate 84 and slammed into a bridge abutment Monday afternoon in the Town of Wallkill. The 28 year old Monroe man was airlifted to Westchester Medical Center for treatment of undisclosed injuries. Investigators say Sheehan was heading westbound when the car ran off the road and hit the bridge support at the Ballard road overpass.

Monday, April 03, 2006

Expansion - Tracy Baxter @ 12:11 pm EST
Armor Dynamics will be investing more than 20 million dollars by building a new 58 thousand square foot manufacturing facility in Kingston Business Park. The expansion is expected to create 570 news jobs over the next 5 years. The Kingston-based company manufactures products for homeland security and military uses. They use a material called Magmacore, a light-weight material that provides a barrier against high-veolcity artillery rounds and explosives.

C-5 Crash - Tracy Baxter @ 12:05 pm EST
The crash of a C-5 cargo plane at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware Monday morning was not...in any way...connected with the Air National Guard Base at Stewart Airport. Officials at the Stewart Base say the Galaxy aircraft was not from Stewart and no personnel from the local 105th Airlift Wing were involved. No one died in the crash. 17 people were on board and at least 10 of them were being treated at a local hospital.

Completely Destroyed - Tracy Baxter @ 12:02 pm EST
Fire Sunday afternoon totally destroyed a house in the Ulster County Town of Plattekill. The woman who lived there was able to get out OK but the flames claimed the two-story residence on Blossom Court. Investigators say the fire began in the front of the house but the cause hasn't been determined.

Toy Recall - Tracy Baxter @ 12:00 pm EST
The Consumer Product Safety Commission has recalled several million magnetic building sets. The sets were imported into the states by Rose Art Industries from their maker in China. An estimated 3.8 million sets have reportedly been sold. The recall came after more than 30 children in the U-S fell ill and one died after swallowing the tiny magnets that came out of the toys.