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NEW YORK — Family members of recovery workers who died after digging through smoldering ruins joined city officials Thursday at a dedication ceremony for a new section of the Sept. 11 memorial at the World Trade Center in lower Manhattan. They were joined by recovery workers who themselves are ill.The 9/11 Memorial Glade honors rescue and recovery workers who were sickened or died after responding to the Sept. 11 attacks.The grassy clearing on the southwest corner of the [...]

MONTICELLO — The new Sullivan County Jail is substantially complete, but connecting it to sewer and water systems has taken longer than expected, delaying its opening.Initially, the county planned to move inmates from the state’s oldest operating jail around January, but later decided it didn't want to transfer them in the winter and aimed for this spring."It’s still a couple months before we will be done to make sure everything is proper and [...]

CITY OF NEWBURGH — At age 19, Itzel has been her family's main breadwinner since her stepfather was deported in January, earning about $400 a week at a cable company to cover rent for the Newburgh apartment she shares with her mother and 11-year-old stepsister.She knows firsthand the struggles of working as an undocumented immigrant who is forbidden to have a driver's license, despite her having been in the country since she was 9 months old. Itzel, who asked that her [...]

NEWBURGH – Mount Saint Mary College honored 134 graduates of its prestigious Nursing program at a pinning ceremony on May 17.It was one of the largest Nursing classes the Mount has ever pinned, said Christine Berté, assistant professor of Nursing, director of the graduate Nursing program, and chairperson of the college’s School of Nursing.The nurse pinning has long been a prelude to the Mount’s annual Commencement ceremony. The next day, May 18, the [...]

When my Mom reached her early 90s, she started pushing me to help plan her funeral. Always very practical, she wanted me to learn about her financial stuff - where all the accounts were, how to pay her bills."You have to know this for when I’m gone," she would say.I didn’t want to face up to it, so I dragged my feet.When she was 96, Mom landed in the hospital with pneumonia. It was New Year’s Eve. One of the nurses said she’d be gone [...]

Ed Brennan of Tuxedo was a devoted volunteer fireman. But at 79, he concedes he’s not suited for that sort of work these days.He’s pleased, however, to remain actively involved in the safety and security of his community as a member of the Sterling Forest Fire Company fire police. Those are the folks who direct traffic around fire scenes, making sure the roads are safe for passersby and for emergency vehicles. They also manage crowd control and area security, when [...]

VILLAGE OF FLORIDA – ShopRite announced its Veterans Fundraising Campaign will return this Memorial Day Weekend. Held at 35 stores throughout New York and New Jersey, the 11th annual campaign began on May 24, and will run through Aug. 3. Donations will be collected at ShopRite stores throughout the Hudson Valley and New Jersey, with all proceeds benefiting local veterans organizations.In addition to the donations ShopRite collects at checkout, its annual Veterans Fundraising [...]

NEW WINDSOR — The Town of New Windsor, annual Memorial Day Ceremony and Parade was blessed to have a beautiful day on May 19. Traditionally, the Town hosts these festivities one week prior to the actual official Memorial Day program.Since the surrounding communities also celebrate Memorial Day with parades and a host of varying activities, New Windsor chose the earlier date. Prior to the 11 a.m. Fire Siren alerting the community to the start of the ceremony, marchers and [...]

The sky is a brilliant blue as Kenneth Grunenberg is wheeled into the batter’s box at Daniel Fratto Memorial field at Wickham Woodlands Park in the Town of Warwick.He swings once and misses the ball. He swings again and it’s a foul tip. On his third swing, he makes solid contact and the ball leaps off his bat. His sister Emma pushes him around the bases - smiles all around and high-fives at third base - and then across home plate.Home run!Welcome to the [...]

NEWBURGH - For more than 30 years, veterans have come together in the City of Newburgh around Memorial Day to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice with a motorcade to place new American flags at monuments and in cemeteries.But as the region's veterans get older and membership of veterans organizations dwindles, there are fewer people to uphold this tradition.The starting point of this year's motorcade is emblematic of that, a former American Legion post on Grand [...]