December 2007

Mamakating Audit - Tracy Baxter @ 1:58 pm EST
Insufficient oversight and extremely weak controls over financial operations in the Town of Mamakating led to the town's fiscal problems which included overstating the town's cash balance by 1.25 million dollars and not collecting 144 thousand dollars in fees. That's according to an audit released Friday by State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli. The audit cited outgoing Town Supervisor Charles Penna with being at the head of a town government with deficiencies in internal controls and a lack of board oversight. DiNapoli's audit recommends the supervisor and board members in Mamakating attend training on the financial operation of towns.

Grow House - Tracy Baxter @ 1:53 pm EST
Firemen came to the house to deal with a reported chimney fire but what they found instead means a reported illegal business in the house has gone up in smoke. It happened Thursday afternoon when firemen came to a house on Route 209 in the Ulster County Town of Rochester to check out a report of a chimney fire. They didn't find any fire but in their search, State Police say they discovered a marijuana-growing operation that included equipment and 28 pot plants. 23 year old Ernie Ferreira of Allentown Pennsylvania was charged with felony marijuana possession and possession of a handgun.

Tuesday, December 18, 2007

Kidnap Indictment - Tracy Baxter @ 2:19 pm EST
She says it was an incident blown out of proportion...that she brought the young girl into her condo after the child had almost been hit by a car while waiting for a school bus. But despite Tonia McHenry-Bailey's account of the November 26th incident, an Orange County grand jury has handed up an indictment against the Chester woman, charging her with second degree kidnapping, unlawful imprisonment and endangering the welfare of a child. Police say the 11 year old girl was shaken up but not harmed while in the woman's Whispering Hills condo for about 30 minutes. McHenry-Bailey said the girl was in her home for less than 10 minutes.

Port Protest - Tracy Baxter @ 2:15 pm EST
When members of the Port Jervis School Board arrive for a meeting Tuesday evening at the high school, they can expect to be greeted by protestors. A group of parents and students will be picketing outside the school. They're upset over the forced retirement of High School Principal Tony DiMarco, who says he doesn't know the reason why the school board voted not to retain him. On Monday a group of students were given suspensions after refusing to end an in-school sit-in ...in support of DiMarco.

Arraignment - Tracy Baxter @ 2:12 pm EST
More information is expected to be released Wednesday in the Cosimo DiBrizzi murder case when the man arrested for the crime appears in an Orange County courtroom. Dennis Sweeney of Walden is due to be arraigned Wednesday morning in Goshen on charges that are included in an indictment that'll be opened. Sweeney was arrested earlier this month after D-N-A evidence reportedly linked him to the 2004 fatal shooting of area restauranteur Cosimo DiBrizzi during a break-in at his Balmville home. The indictment is also expected to include charges for the wounding of DiBrizzi's son Nicholas during the same incident. Sweeney has been held without bail in Orange County Jail.

Friday, December 14, 2007

Campaign 2008 - Tracy Baxter @ 12:22 pm EST
It looks like Congressman Maurice Hinchey will have some competition next year. George Phillips, a Republican from Endwell near Binghamton, has announced that he'll seek the Republican nomination to challenge Democrat Hinchey in 2008. Phillips is a teacher and former Congressional aide. He says he'll run a grassroots campaign to try to offset his financial disadvantage. Hinchey is expected to announce his decision to seek a 9th, two year term. He ran unopposed in 2006.

Merger - Tracy Baxter @ 12:18 pm EST
In Dutchess county there is word of a planned merger of two ambulance companies. Northern Dutchess Paramedics and Alamo Emergency Medical Services have filed a request with the Hudson Valley E-M-S Council to merge the two organizations. Northern Dutchess Paramedics President Ed Murray says the affiliation makes financial sense and will allow them to modernize equipment and better serve the region. It's hoped the merger can be finalized within the next 6 to 12 months.

Thursday, December 13, 2007

Gang Guilty Plea - Tracy Baxter @ 12:59 pm EST
Sullivan County District Attorney Stephen Lungen says they are Monticello members of the "Bloods" street gang and now they're headed to prison after pleading guilty to weapons charges. 19 year old Richard Montiero, 21 year old Randy Mack and his 17 year old brother Mark are expected to get 3 and a half years in prison when they're sentenced in February. Monticello police arrested them last June while they were putting stolen and loaded guns in a car. Lungen says the arrests averted an act of violence since they were preparing to retailiate against others.

Holiday Gift - Tracy Baxter @ 12:55 pm EST
You could call it an early Christmas present for the Bullville Fire Department. There is word out of Washington that the department has been awarded an almost 125 thousand dollar grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Congressman Maurice Hinchey says the Bullville Fire District will use the money to buy 20 new self-contained breathing apparatus units, worn by firemen to provide breathable air while fighting fires.

Serial Burglar - Tracy Baxter @ 12:52 pm EST
Police in the city of Middletown believe they've taken a major bite out of crime with the arrest of a local teen who they say was responsible for at least 11 daytime burglaries not only in Middletown but in the towns of Wallkill, Crawford and Mount Hope as well. They broke the case Tuesday night when 18 year old Brendon Boria of Middletown was pulled over for a traffic violation. Officers later determined that he was driving with a suspended registration and that he was wanted on a warrant for littering. An interview led to his arrest for the break-ins which included the burglary at the home of Middletown mayor Marlinda Duncanson. Police have recovered some stolen jewelry as well as computer and electronic equipment. They say Boria would knock on doors and if no one was home, he would break in through a rear window or door. Middletown police think Boria may have had help so their investigation is continueing.

Wednesday, December 12, 2007

Oldest Inmate - Tracy Baxter @ 2:24 pm EST
New York State's oldest inmate was paroled from an area prison Tuesday. 89 year old convicted killer Dr. Charles Friedgood was released from Sullivan county's Woodbourne Correctional Facility, ending more than 30 years behind bars. Friedgood was a Long Island heart surgeon who was convicted of killing his ailing wife Sophie with a lethal overdose of the painkiller demerol. He was sentenced to 25 years to life. He was arrested at Kennedy Airport. He was fleeing the country with cash and his wife's jewelry and was headed to Europe to join his Scandinavian mistress.

Ulster Highway Death - Tracy Baxter @ 2:19 pm EST
State Police in Ulster County believe the driver involved in a fatal crash Tuesday evening in the Town of Rosendale may have suffered a heart attack just prior to the collision with another vehicle. 79 year old Ann Jerkowski, a resident of the Rosendale area, was pronounced dead at Kingston Hospital. Investigators say her car was weaving before it crossed the double yellow line on Route 32 and collided with a Jeep. The driver of the Jeep was not seriously hurt.

Teen Charged - Tracy Baxter @ 2:15 pm EST
Town of Newburgh investigators say it was the result of an argument over the playing of video games that led an 18 year old to try to kill his parents by setting fire to their Forest Road home early Tuesday morning. Bail was set at 100 thousand dollars for David Lee after he was arraigned on charges of attempted murder, arson and reckless endangerment. Police say he set a fire in the kitchen of their first floor apartment shortly before 1AM. All the residents of the two-story building got out OK. Police say a second floor tenant smelled smoke and called 9-1-1.

Wednesday, December 05, 2007

DiBrizzi Murder Arrest - Tracy Baxter @ 12:24 pm EST
One of the Hudson Valley region's biggest unsolved mysteries has apparently been solved. Town of Newburgh police were holding a news conference Wednesday afternoon to announce the arrest of a Walden man for the fatal shooting of area restauranteur Cosimo DiBrizzi at his Balmville home in May of 2004. 58 year old Dennis Sweeney of Walden was arrested at his home early Wednesday morning and charged with second degree murder. DiBrizzi's son Nicholas was wounded during the home invasion attack. Forensic evidence found at the residence reportedly linked Sweeney to the crime scene.

Tuesday, December 04, 2007

Another Look - Tracy Baxter @ 1:52 pm EST
It's encouraging news for those fighting the proposed New York Regional Interconnect power line that would run through our area. Federal Energy officials say they'll reconsider their earlier decision to create an electric transmission corridor along the East Coast including our region. That designation could pave the way for construction of the 190 mile transmission line from Central New York through communities in the Catskills and Orange County. The U.S. Energy Department says it'll grant a re-hearing on its October decision to create the corridor as a way to promote power line construction and reduce future blackouts.

Identity Scam - Tracy Baxter @ 1:41 pm EST
State Police have arrested two people in connection with a complex scam that resulted in the theft of more than 15 thousand dollars from a Town of Rochester woman. 42 year old Ruth Ellen Quinn-Janney of Kerhonkson and 58 year old James Quinn from the state of Florida were charged with grand larceny and forgery. Police say the pair was able to gain access to the 63 year old victim's checking and credit card accounts then made purchases without her knowledge. The investigation began after it was determined that the woman's bank account had been compromised.