Orange County, NY | featured news

ALBANY — A New York state senator is urging her colleagues to set aside more state money for the fight against Lyme disease.Republican Sen. Sue Serino says investments in research, treatment and prevention are working to protect New Yorkers from the tick-borne illness, and that more funding is needed.Serino is planning to detail her request during a press conference Monday at the state Capitol, which will be followed by an expert panel on the disease and efforts [...]

WEST POINT— The U.S. Military Academy at West Point is mourning the death of a cadet who suffered fatal injuries while skiing.West Point officials say Cadet Peter Zhu died Thursday of injuries he sustained while skiing on Feb. 23 at Victor Constant Ski Area on the academy grounds.The 21-year-old Zhu was found unresponsive by a fellow skier and was later airlifted to Westchester County Medical Center. His death is under investigation.West Point [...]

ALBANY — In New York government news, the liberal Working Families Party is fighting what it says is an effort by Democrats to weaken third parties in the state.Top Democrats could soon consider a party resolution supporting the elimination of so-called fusion voting, an odd ballot rule that has allowed third parties to proliferate in the state.Meanwhile, Gov. Andrew Cuomo is ticking off his priorities for the rest of the legislative session.Here's a [...]

NEW YORK (AP) — A group of business leaders, elected officials and others haven't given up on Amazon building a headquarters in New York City, and are sending an open letter to CEO Jeff Bezos urging him to reconsider the decision to abandon the effort.In the letter, expected to appear in The New York Times on Friday, the group acknowledged the loud opposition to the project, saying the public debate "was rough and not very welcoming.""Opinions are strong in New [...]

ALBANY - Federal law enforcement officials have charged Dutchess County man with mailing white powder and notes that said "ANTHRAX" to multiple Social Security Administration offices and federal court offices.Federal prosecutors said Jason Pantone, 34, of Hyde Park was charged on Wednesday with conveying false information and hoax. According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York, in February Pantone used the U.S. Postal Service to mail envelopes [...]

CATSKILL – A dentist from Saugerties was charged Wednesday with possessing a sexual performance by a child in Greene County.State police said Trevor H. Keller, 52, has been a practicing dentist at Greene Pediatric Dentistry in Catskill for three years.Keller was arrested following a two-week investigation by state police and their computer crimes unit, assisted by the Greene County District Attorney’s office.At 11 a.m. Wednesday, state police [...]

Congressional lawmakers have pitched legislation to fuel investment in drinking and wastewater infrastructure projects and address drinking water contamination.The bill would provide communities with federal resources to update treatment systems and find alternative water supplies when water systems and wells are contaminated with per- and polyfluoroalkyl, or PFAS, chemicals, like what happened in the City of Newburgh."Clean drinking water is a human right and it's [...]

Florida Circuit Judge John Kastrenakes said he was glad to hear from family and friends who know Palm Beach County pastor James Jackson as an encouraging, positive light in so many peoples’ lives. He said he was a well-thought out and articulate man, as demonstrated in court Thursday and over the course of several letters Jackson has sent to the judge since his arrest in 2016.And, Kastrenakes said, he thinks Jackson can do good and changes lives. But, he continued, it will be [...]

Rep. Antonio Delgado endorsed Pat Ryan for Ulster County executive this week, lending his support for the fellow Democrat and former competitor who finished second behind Delgado in a seven-way primary last June for the 19th Congressional District seat. "I’ve gotten to know him well over the last few years, and it's clear he has [...]

Orange County Republicans this week endorsed Wawayanda Town Justice Timothy McElduff Jr. over Port Jervis Judge James Hendry to run for the county Surrogate Court judgeship that Robert Onofry will vacate at the end of this year after reaching the mandatory retirement age of 70. McElduff, a partner at the New Windsor law firm Drake [...]