Orange County, NY, Middletown | featured news

WARWICK – Orange County could become a state leader in producing and researching a medically promising hemp chemical, if a local economic development agency has its way.The Orange County Industrial Development Agency’s Accelerator recently announced plans to create a new $2.1 million branch focused on fostering the production of the hemp compound cannabidiol, or CBD, at the former state prison site in the Town of Warwick.The Orange County IDA is a nonprofit [...]

CITY OF NEWBURGH - Declining literacy scores on state exams have some Newburgh school board members worried about the success rate of the district's students.Proficiency in English and Language Arts on the state Regents exams has trended downward for the past three years.Data presented at Tuesday's board meeting show 67 percent of students tested proficient in English last year. Those scores are down from 76 percent in the previous year year and 88 percent in 2015-16.ELA [...]

WALLKILL – Town of Wallkill leaders have restarted the municipality’s industrial development agency, to help capitalize on Orange County’s tourism industry growth.Wallkill Supervisor Ed Diana pushed the local IDA’s resuscitation after four years of inactivity.Deputy Supervisor Mark Coyne is serving as board chairman of the nonprofit public service corporation, which considers tax breaks to promote development.“Wallkill has either the [...]

PORT JERVIS - Police arrested a Port Jervis man on felony drug charges following a monthlong undercover investigation.Richard McInturff, 28, faces three felony counts of third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell, according to a news release from Port Jervis police.Police charged McInturff on Tuesday after undercover surveillance on Jersey Avenue found him in possession of ten packets of heroin and fentanyl mixed together, the news [...]

The win puts "Black Panther" squarely in contention for best picture at the Academy Awards where it's nominated for seven honors including best picture.

KINGSTON – Ulster County Legislative Chairwoman Tracey Bartels and Legislator Laura Petit, chairwoman of the Recycling Oversight Committee, want Ulster County residents to re-educate themselves about recycling.“'Wish-cycling' is the practice of putting questionable items in the recycling container in the hopes that they will ultimately be recycled,” Bartels said. "The tragic irony is that due to strict regulations, wish-cycling can ultimately contaminate otherwise [...]

SLATE HILL – A three-alarm fire Thursday night destroyed a former farmhouse that had been converted into apartments.Slate Hill fire Chief Jim Gayler said former chief Phil Camerlingo was driving past the house at 150 McBride Road on his way to work shortly before 7 p.m. when he saw the fire. Camerlingo stopped, got all the residents safely evacuated and called 911.Gayler said one resident suffered superficial burns. No other injuries were reported. [...]

A winter storm could drop up to a foot of snow and ice on parts of the region between Saturday afternoon and Sunday afternoon.Then it will turn bitterly cold.The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning for Orange, Ulster and Sullivan counties from Saturday afternoon until late Sunday afternoon. Sullivan and Ulster are likely to see the heaviest snowfall amounts.AccuWeather meteorologist Rob Richards said how much accumulates depends on when, [...]

ALBANY— Towns around New York state are objecting to a budget proposal from Gov. Andrew Cuomo that would cut nearly $60 million in funding to local governments.The state Association of Towns on Friday called the cut "disrespectful" and said it could force local officials to trim services or dip into reserves.Cuomo, a Democrat, inserted the reduction in a $175 billion state budget proposal submitted to lawmakers this week.More than 1,300 towns will lose [...]

MONTICELLO — For the first time in 20 years, ice skating is returning to Broadway in Monticello.Using grants from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Sullivan County, Monticello will soon receive what is essentially the frame to set up an ice rink, according to Mayor Gary Sommers.The rink costs about $6,000, of which the village contributed a third of the money, Sommers said.Sommers was also mayor the last time Monticello had ice skating on [...]