September 2008

Stolen Paintings - Tracy Baxter @ 11:29 am EST
If you know the whereabouts of two paintings....one called "Side Show at Coney Island" and the other..."Witches Tea Room", the Ulster County Sheriff's Department wants to hear from you. Police say the paintings were stolen by 54 year old Otto Klotz Jr. of Stone Ridge. He's accused of taking them from his roommate when he moved and then selling them at a local art dealer's shop. Klotz has been charged with felony grand larceny. There was no word on how much the paintings are worth.

Monday, September 29, 2008

Pedestrian Killed - Tracy Baxter @ 10:59 am EST
A young woman from the Town of Montgomery was killed Sunday night after she was hit by a police patrol car. Town police say Village of Maybrook police officer John Bennett was responding to a call of a fight-in-progress in Maybrook when he hit 19 year old Tiffany Weddle. She was reportedly standing in Route 208 near Neelytown Road. Weddle was rushed to St. Luke's Cornwall Hospital where she was pronounced dead. Town of Montgomery police had not released any further information pending the results of their investigation.

Dutchess Teen Death - Tracy Baxter @ 10:40 am EST
A Dutchess county high school student died after the car he was in, crashed into a tree early Saturday morning in the Town of East Fishkill. 16 year old Christopher Ulanmo of Hopewell Junction was one of three teens who were coming home from a party following John Jay High School's homecoming football game. The driver, 17 year old Patrick Alvarez of Stormville, was not seriously hurt. Another passenger was hospitalized with non-life-threatoning injuries. Police say Alvarez had only recently gotten his license and that he may have been speeding on wet roads.

Friday, September 26, 2008

Tappan Zee Bridge - Tracy Baxter @ 12:29 pm EST
After nearly a decade-long multi-million dollar study of the Tappan Zee Bridge, state officials have decided to replace the 53 year old span. The State Transportation Department has announced a plan to build a new span over the Hudson connecting Rockland and Westchester counties. The existing bridge is used by 140 thousand vehicles every day. With the Tappan Zee under constant repair, DOT officials have said it would cost about as much to keep fixing it as it would to build an entirely new span. A public information meeting on the bridge construction plan will be held on Thursday October 30th at 4:30pm and 7pm at Central Valley Elementary School.

Strip Mall Fire - Tracy Baxter @ 12:17 pm EST
A fire of undetermined origin damaged 3 businesses in a strip mall near Stewart Airport early friday morning. The fire broke out shortly after 4:30am at the Stewart Mall on Little Britain Road. Initial indications were that the fire began in the roof of the Bright Star Liquor store and spread to an adjoining nail salon and driver training business. No one got hurt but the fire did extensive damage. A passerby reportedly saw the flames and called 9-1-1 on his cell phone. More than 40 firefighters from Vails Gate and vicinity responded to the scene. As for the possible cause, its under investigation but officials were looking at the possibility that it could have started from the liquor store's electrical sign.

Thursday, September 18, 2008

Local Soldier Killed - Tracy Baxter @ 10:33 am EST
The family of a soldier from the Hudson Valley is reporting that he was killed in a roadside bomb attack in Afghanistan. Second Lieutenant Mohsin Naqvi of the Town of Newburgh died Wednesday while leading a patrol of 4 other soldiers who were also killed. Nagvi's relatives say he was a graduate of Newburgh Free Academy who enlisted in the Army Reserve right after September 11th, 2001. After serving a tour in Iraq, he earned a college degree and then enlisted in the Army. He left for Afghanistan in June. U.S. military officials had yet to release details. The family is waiting for more information before planning funeral services.

To The Rescue - Tracy Baxter @ 10:23 am EST
Back on Tuesday, Cable 6 News brought you the heartbreaking story of the 86 year old Campbell Hall woman who was victimized in a home improvement scam. Three men came to the home of Melas Wright and told her that her driveway and walkway needed blacktopping. What they did was spray seal-coat the surfaces and for the work that should have cost about 500 dollars, they charged her 8 thousand dollars. They then followed her to the bank to get the cash. And while police continue to look for the scammers, there is some good news. Workers with Wallkill Paving of the hamlet of Wallkill will be at Wright's home Friday morning to do a real blacktopping job for Melas, free of charge. And Til-Con Asphalt Company of Maybrook is providing the blacktop for the work also free of charge.

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Abduction/Robbery - Tracy Baxter @ 12:49 pm EST
Monticello police have arrested one man and are looking for two others in connection with an abduction and robbery Sunday night in the village. Police got a 9-1-1 call from a 23 year old Monticello man who told them he was approached by 3 men in a mini-van while he was in the Broadway/Liberty Street area. They identified themselves as undercover police officers and pulled him into the vehicle where he was handcuffed and driven to a secluded area and then robbed. Police say the victim was then driven back to Broadway where he was dumped out of the vehicle. Police later located the mini-van and arrested 25 year old Charles Wyche of Monticello on charges of kidnapping, robbery and criminal impersonation. Wyche was on probation for a prior felony drug conviction. The search continues for the two others involved.

Debate Call - Tracy Baxter @ 12:43 pm EST
The man who is running against incumbent Hudson Valley Democrat Congressman John Hall this Fall is challenging Hall to 5 debates. Republican challenger Kieran Lalor says debates are ideal ways to bridge the divide between voters and their elected officials. Hall was elected to serve the 19th Congressional District two years ago. Lalor says 5 debates would be fitting because that's the number Hall was calling for, but didn't get, when he successfully challenged Republican Congresswoman Sue Kelly in 2006.

Saturday, September 13, 2008

Hurricane Ike - Tracy Baxter @ 11:20 am EST
Do you have friends or loved ones in the path of Hurricane Ike? If you live in the Hudson Valley and have any connection with people who've suffered damage or know of any area relief efforts that are being organized, we'd like to hear from you. Contact our news phone at 845 692-7333 or email to tracybaxter@cable6tv.com

Friday, September 05, 2008

Grand Larceny - Tracy Baxter @ 12:22 pm EST
It began as a routine traffic stop. A state trooper pulled a car over on Route 209 in the Town of Rochester for having only one lit headlight. A check of the vehicle's license plates showed that they'd been stolen from a damaged vehicle at C&J Auto in town. The driver, 42 year old Timothy Best of Brooklyn, was charged with driving while intoxicated. But his troubles didn't end there. State Police say Best had two diamond rings worth 47 hundred dollars in his possession that had been stolen from Camp Rov Tov in the Town of Rochester. The list of charges against Best include grand larceny and criminal possession of stolen property.

Hummer Torched - Tracy Baxter @ 12:18 pm EST
A week ago, the Arlington Fire Department responded to a call of a car on fire on Manchester Road. The 2006 Hummer was engulfed in flames and was destroyed. But Town of Poughkeepsie police had their suspicions and they've since charged the vehicle owner and an accomplise with intentionally setting the vehicle on fire for financial reasons. 31 year old Eric Koski of Cortland Manor, the owner of the Hummer, and 34 year old Craig Hitchcock have been charged with arson and conspiracy.

Thursday, September 04, 2008

Chief Charged - Tracy Baxter @ 12:10 pm EST
The Fallsburg fire chief has been arrested for having a role in an arson fire that destroyed a bungalow building at an Orthodox Jewish bungalow colony last week. 33 year old James Smith of Fallsburg was charged with arson, burglary, criminal mischief, official misconduct and criminal solicitation. Town of Fallsburg police say he assisted his uncle, Edward Smith, with setting the fire at the Skopps Bungalow Colony at Laurel Avenue and Brickman Road. Edward Smith was arrested earlier in connection with the arson fire and for allegedly spray-painting prejudice slurs along Westwood Drive.