Firefighters are fighting a blaze at the abandoned Pines Resort site in South Fallsburg the Catskills were a popular place for NYC Jews to visit were what the summer resorts of the Catskill Mountains in Sullivan Orange and Ulster Counties were referred to as as many as 500 resorts catered to guests of various incomes The resorts and Borscht Belt bungalow colonies began to lose popularity by the late 1950s with most gone by the 1970s but a few major resorts continued to operate into the 1990s New York was established in the 1950s and gained a reputation for its picturesque setting The resort closed in 1998 when a developer purchased the property and it had been abandoned since 2009 often reminisced about in the context of nostalgic summer vacations The property however had been in disarray and had become a popular spot for urban exploring The Pines has been the scene of a couple of suspicious fires over the years Reports came in of another fire at the site late Tuesday afternoon from the Woodridge Fire Department reporting that they were on the scene of a structure fire in their fire district The Woodridge Fire Department posted to social media Tuesday that they were currently on the scene of a working structure fire in the Fallsburg Fire District Multiple mutual aid agencies were also on the scene working to contain the blaze Gallery Credit: Karolyi Firefighters fighting blaze at the abandoned Pines Resort site in South Fallsburg, NY.\nRead More Get important news about your town as it happens Get the top stories from across our network Are you sure you want to unsubscribe from daily updates Emergency crews are battling a fire at a Hudson Valley gas station Firefighters in Sullivan County responded to the Gulf Station in South Fallsburg located at State Route 42 and Russell street Photos shared by the Woodbridge Fire Department showed a residential building adjacent to the convenience store on fire It was not immediately clear whether flames had spread to the Gulf Station State Route 42 was closed in both directions near the scene It was not immediately clear whether anyone was injured or what sparked the fire Daily Voice has reached out to fire officials for comment FALLSBURG - A Monticello man was charged with assault after he allegedly stabbed another man during an altercation on Main Street on Friday an officer was conducting a foot patrol on Main Street in the South Fallsburg area when he saw a fight in progress on the sidewalk near Gombo's Bakery The officer quickly responded and was able to break up the fight The officer noticed that one of the people who was involved in the fight had been stabbed multiple times with pruning shears in the back and arm and patrol officers recovered the weapon he allegedly used on the scene Cnnabis sales: These Orange County stores are on the list of illegal marijuana shops NY shuttered Molina was charged with second-degree assault and third-degree criminal possession of a weapon He was arraigned before Fallsburg Town Justice Jamie Kaminski and sent to the Sullivan County jail The amount of his bail and the name of his attorney were not immediately available There also was no further information on the condition of the victim on Tuesday morning Mike Randall covers breaking news for the Times Herald-Record and the Poughkeepsie Journal The Orange County Interscholastic Athletic Association recently honored its top senior student-athletes for each high school Fallsburg High School selected Angelina Levner and Isaiah Young Varsity Sports: Cross Country; Indoor and Outdoor Track and Field Academic Honors/Extracurricular Activities: Valedictorian; National Honor Society; Band; Student Government; LEO's Club Secretary; OCIAA Scholar-Athlete for Cross Country Indoor Track and Field and Outdoor Track & Field Athletic Honors: Team Captain for Cross Country and Outdoor Track and Field; three Varsity Letters in each sport  Community Service: LEO Club; Food Pantry volunteer; Food Drive Volunteer; Allyson Whitney Foundation volunteer; Humane Society volunteer  Varsity Sports: Football; Basketball; Outdoor Track and Field Academic Honors/Extracurricular Activities: National Honor Society; U.S National Tae Kwon Do member; OCIAA Scholar-Athlete in Football and Basketball   Athletic Honors: Team Captain for Football and Basketball; Section IX All Eight-Man Football Team; Class B Sullivan County Basketball All-Star Team; Tae Kwon Do national champion; Tae Kwon Do Nationally Ranked No Future Plans: University of North Carolina Charlotte Put another tally on the board for the New York State Police as earlier this week Troopers out in Pleasant Valley were successful in arresting a suspect traveling through the region for possession of highly dangerous narcotic The incident question took place on Tuesday when State Troopers conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle on the Taconic State Parkway in the town of Pleasant Valley. The vehicle was a 2018 Jeep Cherokee and Troopers pursued and successfully stopped the vehicle for what was called "violations of the vehicle and traffic law" Upon stopping the vehicle, Troopers began an investigation starting with identifying the driver of the vehicle. The driver was identified as 33-year old Larrington G. Henry of the Bronx, NY. Troopers continued their investigation which included a search, and according to the press release from the New York State Police Troopers discovered Larrington to be in possession of approximately 103 grams of fentanyl Troopers placed Larrington under arrest and later was officially charged in the town of Pleasant Valley Court with both Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the 3rd degree and Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the 3rd degree with Intent to Sell Both charges are classified as class B felonies however he was issued an appearance ticket returnable to the court Harrington's next appearance in court is scheduled for later this month on November 21 fentanyl has become increasingly prevalent in numerous narcotics related crimes arrests and drug busts not just in the Hudson Valley but across New York State and throughout the U.S.A According to the United States Drug Enforcement Administration fentanyl is.. a synthetic opioid typically used to treat patients with chronic severe pain or severe pain following surgery....it's similar to morphine but about 100 times more potent fentanyl by itself clearly has a medical use and is not illegal the problem with fentanyl is how it has been used and incorporated into the illegal drug market Because of fentanyl's incredible potency it has been used as an additive to many illegal narcotics like heroin The fentanyl then makes what it's mixed with more powerful and also increases the likelihood of fatal interaction it takes an incredibly small amount to be considered lethal two (2) milligrams of fentanyl can be lethal to individual though it can vary based on ones own body size synthetic opioids like fentanyl contributed to the majority of overdose deaths in the United States between January 31 overdose deaths involving opioids rose 38.1 percent and overdose deaths involving synthetic opioids (primarily illicitly manufactured fentanyl) rose 55.6 percent the fact that it's cheap and its prevalence that America's opioid crisis has only grown more severe over the recent years Gallery Credit: Karolyi This particular narcotic has been front and center for the ongoing opioid epidemic across the United States.\nRead More Upon stopping the vehicle, Troopers began an investigation starting with identifying the driver of the vehicle. The driver was identified as 33-year old Larrington G. Henry of the Bronx, NY. Troopers continued their investigation which included a search, and according to the press release from the New York State Police According to the United States Drug Enforcement Administration fentanyl is.. A devastating Christmas night car crash in the region claimed the lives of two teens from Orange and Sullivan counties including one who was preparing to celebrate his 16th birthday Middletown resident Hannah Reggio (left) and Fallsburg resident Joseph Young (right).  The crash, which happened in the Sullivan County village of Liberty on Wednesday, Dec. 25 claimed the lives of 17-year-old Orange County resident Hannah Reggio of Middletown and 15-year-old Sullivan County resident Joseph Young of Fallsburg when a 2017 Dodge Ram 2500 pickup truck collided with a 2003 Toyota Corolla according to the Village of Liberty Police Department was airlifted to Westchester Medical Center was transported to Garnet Health Medical Center - Catskills but also died of his injuries was treated for injuries at Garnet Health Medical Center and later released Hannah’s family is now mourning her sudden loss and has since started a GoFundMe campaign to raise funds for her funeral services. In the fundraiser her family describes her as a "radiant light” who touched countless others with her warmth and kindness Hannah was eagerly anticipating her upcoming graduation from Middletown High School and looking forward to attending college to pursue her dream of becoming a police officer “Hannah’s impact on those around her was immeasurable,” her family shared through the fundraising campaign the fundraiser had collected over $8,400 out of a $20,000 goal Those wishing to donate can do so by clicking here.  who would have turned 16 the day after Christmas is remembered by his family as a loving and independent young man who was always ready to lend a helping hand They also started a GoFundMe page to collect donations for his services “He adored his little brother and sisters,” his family wrote in a fundraising campaign to cover his funeral costs you know how big his heart was and how good his intentions He was the center of our world even when he didn’t want to be.” The family asked the community to keep them in their prayers during this unimaginable loss the page had raised over $7,900 out of a $13,000 goal Those who want to contribute can do so by clicking here.   The crash remains under active investigation by the Village of Liberty Police Department with assistance from the New York State Police Collision Reconstruction Unit A brush fire has burned through over 1000 acres near Butternut Ski Area It seems like we can't go a day without hearing about brush fires. Here in the Hudson Valley area, sadly, the lack of rain has led to a dangerous situation with brush fires igniting all over, with the latest major incident being a brush fire ripping across the Hudson River Evacuations have been set in place and there seems to be no end in sight due to the record-setting dry weather in the region The Greenwood Lake fires in Orange County, NY claimed a life, a recent brush fire in Poughkeepsie consumed a golf course, and another large brush fire in Dutchess County near Wingdale/Pawling, NY occurred recently as well Just outside the Hudson Valley area is Great Barrington Great Barrington is a cool little college town I've made some road trips out to Great Barrington during my time I've always said that the Route 22 corridor from Millerton to Hillsdale has to be one of the most beautiful stretches of road in the country When you get to Hillsdale you take Rt 23 East and that will bring you into Great Barrington There's a great dispensary there that I've visited on may occasions Ski Butternut is " A true family mountain and family gem" located in the nearby Berkshire Mountains of South Western Massachusetts (Great Barrington, MA) that offers 1000ft of vertical corduroy skiing heaven. Its one of the most popular ski spots in the area A massive fire reportedly broke out overnight on Tuesday near the ski area and over 1000 acres have burned In an update posted earlier today from Eastern Dutchess County Fire and Rescue they stated that the major brush fire has burned over 1000 acres and that multiple departments from Massachusetts are on the scene as well as the National Guard doing water drops They also say that smoke from the fire is drifting into Eastern Dutchess County Ski Butternut also issued an update earlier stating that as of 11am staff was safe and there had been no damage to the ski area A brush fire has burned through over 1000 acres near Butternut Ski Area.\nRead More It seems like we can't go a day without hearing about brush fires. Here in the Hudson Valley area, sadly, the lack of rain has led to a dangerous situation with brush fires igniting all over, with the latest major incident being a brush fire ripping across the Hudson River The Greenwood Lake fires in Orange County, NY claimed a life, a recent brush fire in Poughkeepsie consumed a golf course, and another large brush fire in Dutchess County near Wingdale/Pawling, NY occurred recently as well Ski Butternut is " A true family mountain and family gem" located in the nearby Berkshire Mountains of South Western Massachusetts (Great Barrington, MA) that offers 1000ft of vertical corduroy skiing heaven. Its one of the most popular ski spots in the area Update: The East Mountain Wildfire has burned approximately 1000 acres near Ski Butternut A Christmas night car crash in a Sullivan County village claimed the lives of two teens on Route 52 near Sullivan Avenue in Liberty identified as 17-year-old Orange County resident Hannah Reggio of Middletown was airlifted to Westchester Medical Center but later died of her injuries was transported to Garnet Catskill Medical Center was treated for injuries at Garnet Catskill Medical Center and later released The names of the deceased were released on Thursday The cause of the crash remains under active investigation by the Village of Liberty Police Department “Our thoughts and condolences are with the families and loved ones affected by this devastating incident,” police said in a statement A Hudson Valley man wanted for a slew of alleged crimes in the region has been extradited after being arrested out of state Joseph Michael Flood being escorted back to jail in Sullivan County.  Orange County resident Joseph Michael Flood was returned to Sullivan County on Thursday after failing to show up in court in 2023 for a crime spree said Sullivan County Undersheriff Eric Chaboty Chaboty said Flood was picked up from the Morris County Jail in New Jersey and returned after being arrested by the New Jersey State Police Flood was initially scheduled to appear on Friday 2023 for sentencing in Sullivan County Court when he skipped town Chaboty said Flood was convicted of felony reckless endangerment and fleeing a police officer after striking a Sheriff’s detective car and leading deputies on a 25-mile chase in August 2022 He is also currently wanted by the New York State Police in Wurtsboro and the Port Jervis City Police on outstanding warrants Flood was arraigned and sent to the Sullivan County Jail in the village of Monticello without bail pending sentencing on his original charges Sullivan County Sheriff Mike Schiff said that Flood’s “crime spree” and lengthy criminal record are good arguments for repealing bail reform .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Advance Local Weather AlertsThe National Weather Service issued a weather alert at 6:38 p.m on Wednesday for heavy snow until 7:30 p.m an area of heavy snow was along a line extending from near Willowemoc to Equinunk and moving southeast at 35 MPH," says the weather service Locations impacted by the alert include Rockland This includes the following highway exits: Interstate 86/Route 17 between 94 and 114 "Use extra caution if you must travel into or through this area of heavy snow Rapid changes in visibility and potentially slick roads may lead to accidents." 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All rights reserved (About Us) The material on this site may not be reproduced except with the prior written permission of Advance Local Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site YouTube's privacy policy is available here and YouTube's terms of service is available here Ad Choices FALLSBURG — More than five weeks after the Nov the undecided race for Fallsburg town supervisor has come down to 402 absentee ballots that the incumbent is contesting in court and that his challenger wants opened and counted Supervisor Steve Vegliante has led Kathy Rappaport by a large margin of 406 votes since the election but could still lose once hundreds of absentee and affidavit ballots are added to the tallies Some 990 voters in all cast absentee ballots many of them Brooklyn residents whose families have summer homes in the Sullivan County town In papers filed this week in state Supreme Court Vegliante's lawyer gave more details about his objections to the disputed ballots They include allegations that voters were registered to vote in both Fallsburg and New York City; gave incomplete or unknown addresses on their registrations; or were given ballots despite missing the application deadline Court fight: Ballot dispute delays absentee count in Fallsburg supervisor race Unresolved: Supervisor race turns on 990 absentee ballots, many from Brooklyn COVID rule: Fallsburg supervisor suspends permits for summer bungalows Among the new claims by attorney Joshua Ehrlich: the state Board of Elections found at least four voters who cast ballots in both Sullivan County and New York City for the Nov a spokesman for the state board, told the Times Herald-Record in response on Thursday that records show five people voted in both places two of whom cast absentee ballots for the Fallsburg races and then voted by affidavit ballot in Brooklyn on election day Both county election commissioners have agreed that 395 of the 402 disputed ballots were valid and disagreed on the remaining seven a deputy county attorney urged acting state Supreme Court Justice Mark Meddaugh to allow all 402 to be opened and counted Rappaport's attorney hasn't submitted a response yet to Ehrlich's latest filing in the case Also at stake in the ballot count are two other Town Board seats that could determine its control State law allows New Yorkers to register to vote at their vacation homes instead of their year-round homes significant and continuing attachments” to those residences But Ehrlich questioned whether some voters had lasting ties or even real addresses in Fallsburg, pointing out that several registered at the address of a supermarket. An attached court exhibit listed 11 voters at 404 Laurel Ave., where Skopps Supermarket is located The exhibit listed 151 voters in all whose addresses Ehrlich had challenged They included 13 people who had registered at one home on Edgewood Road that none of them appeared to own County records indicate the home is a condominium Ehrlich also claimed that three men had solicited the votes of people who would normally vote in New York City elections and then delivered their completed absentee ballots - "at least 166" - to the Sullivan County Board of Elections He argued that a "serious breach of fair elections" would occur if the 402 disputed ballots were counted without further review in court Conklin said state law doesn't limit how many absentee ballots someone can collect and deliver — "as long as they are specifically named in the applicant’s absentee application." Fallsburg has long been a popular destination for Orthodox Jewish families from New York City who spend their summers in the Catskills Vegliante contends that some Orthodox leaders organized the absentee-ballot campaign to oust him because he supported development restrictions and tried to keep summer bungalows closed when the COVID-19 pandemic began Harold’s history is bound up with the town square A white building with green trim over on Main Street is the place where Harold was born on the top floor At the entrance to the police station is a small monument that commemorates the memory of his recently deceased brother He looks over to the grassy ridge where the train tracks ran and he informs me that the town was originally called Fallsburg Station after the railroad station located in the town center “This was the main depot for the whole county Including Harold Gold who back in the early 1940s stepped off the train as a returning soldier “Was it possible to be a feeling Jew in 1942 and not enlist in the army?” he asks A block away is the cemetery where his parents brothers and wife rest along with a century of Fallsburg’s Jewish citizens Back on Main Street we take a look at some of the stores The owners are people whose lives have been bound up with the life of the Jewish community for decades such as the Levine family of Fallsburg Lumber Over at Smith’s Shoes the family has always insisted that the rabbi accept his shoes for free But the most dominant feature of the Fallsburg skyline is the Magen Dovid peeking out from between the wooden buildings marking the site of the Fallsburg shul The shul is also the setting for our story the story of Harold Gold since this story of a Jew from Fallsburg is the story of the shul We sit down to chat in the welcoming home of the shul’s present rabbi Rabbi Yaakov Barros The rabbi a pleasant and energetic young man suggests: “Harold tell him the story of your father Then he’ll understand what you’re all about.” “My father was from Vilna Lithuania” he begins “His brothers went to the yeshivah in Volozhin.” He looks at me seriously “That was like the ‘Columbia’ of yeshivos you understand But my father wanted a life different from the hunger and persecution of Europe He traveled to America where he settled on the Lower East Side of Manhattan One day he saw an ad in the Forverts about a job opening for a plumber in South Fallsburg — twelve dollars a week plus room and board He came down here and met his new employer Mr In time the new plumber married his employer’s sister-in-law so Willie Mankus became Uncle Willie Mankus it seems was a unique figure in the Jewish community “Uncle Willie was tall and strong and he’d been a soldier in England If anyone bothered the Jews around these parts he was there “My father established himself as a local plumber He would order his supplies from Sultzer Brothers on the Lower East Side My father joined the US Army and was dispatched to Europe with the 101st regiment He was the last soldier from Sullivan County to serve in France “The army paid thirty dollars a month but you got thirty-three dollars a month if you went overseas My father owed Sultzer Brothers thirty-five dollars and so he took his entire first month’s salary and mailed it to them from France He wrote that he wanted them to have the money in case he would be killed in battle He didn’t want to owe any money.” After the war ended in 1918 Harold’s father returned to Fallsburg The post–World War I era was the beginning of a boom time for the Catskills The first of the big resorts were being built — the Concorde and Grossingers would come later — and Harold was offered work doing all the plumbing It was a big job that involved laying lots of pipe Since he didn’t have the money or supplies he went to the Lower East Side to ask if the Sultzer Brothers would give him the supplies on credit “When my father said his name there was complete silence There framed on the wall was the check he had sent from Europe They advanced him thousands of dollars worth of plumbing material With that he prospered becoming the main plumbing contractor in the vicinity “I always tell my grandchildren this story to teach them that if you do the right thing — if you do what the Torah says — you’ll never lose.” To read the rest of this story please buy this issue of Mishpacha or sign up for a weekly subscription SOUTH FALLSBURG - Coming off a one-year building moratorium the Fallsburg Planning Board revved back up this month to give conditional approval to several seasonal housing developments that will add about 300 homes to the growing town the Planning Board gave conditional approval to several housing developments part of a backlog that grew under a moratorium that ended on June 27 Planning Board member Irv Newmark said although some of the developments had received approvals in the past He said he believed that many of the developers were ready to start building "Some were held up by the moratorium," Newmark said Projects given conditional approval include: n Rachves II is a 99-unit development that would disturb 18 acres of a 51-acre parcel on Route 42 in Woodbourne The project is proposed as 49 two-family seasonal homes within two structures which received site plan approval in 2008 and has already built 118 seasonal condominiums on County Route 52 was approved last week for an additional eight units n 290 Laurel Ave LLC plans to develop 22 seasonal duplexes divided into 11 buildings on 10 acres on Lauren Avenue in South Fallsburg plans to add 35 additional mobile homes to its 18-unit mobile home park on Mountain Crest Road LLC plans to build 140 units in 128 buildings near County Routes 56 and 54 in Mountaindale The project would place the buildings on 40 acres of an abandoned baseball stadium Many of the developers had made applications to the town during the moratorium saying the building freeze had been a burden and asking for relief from the freeze Fallsburg officials have proposed a new comprehensive plan and code that discourages high-density development outside town hamlets changes the allowed type of camps and retreats in town and deals with congested traffic on Route 42 especially in the hamlets of South Fallsburg and Woodbourne in the summer The moratorium was enacted in the wake of a seasonal housing boom much of it driven by people from New Jersey and New York City The town issued 165 new home permits in 2014 and 224 in 2015 about 2,700 new residential units have been proposed according to Code Enforcement Officer Mollie Messenger Steve Gordon is a Hurleyville resident who helped found the group Fallsburg Future which has pushed the town to tighten rules on high-density housing in rural areas over concerns with water and sewer use He said the latest round of housing approvals was expected "We understood that this was going to happen and we didn't have any tension over that," Gordon said Gordon said his group has been happy so far with proposals for the town's comprehensive plan that would lower housing density in the rural areas and maximize space in the hamlets Gordon said he believes those who want seasonal homes in Fallsburg also want to preserve the character of the town and that it doesn't matter that many of them are Orthodox and Hasidic people from New York City and New Jersey We just want to follow the guidelines to preserve the rural character." jnani@th-record.com Sullivan County election workers continued counting hundreds of Fallsburg absentee ballots on Tuesday to determine the outcome of a town supervisor race that has been in limbo for four weeks since the Nov enough to shrink or overcome the huge lead of 406 votes that town Supervisor Steve Vegliante held over his challenger Many of those ballots had been cast by Brooklyn residents whose families have summer homes in the Catskills town The vote count was held up for two weeks by court cases both candidates brought after the election. In court papers filed Monday Vegliante's attorney questioned the legitimacy of votes by Brooklyn residents who allegedly switched their voting addresses to Sullivan County before the November election and then "immediately re-registered in New York City" afterward Undecided: Fallsburg supervisor race hinges on a flood of 990 absentee ballots South Blooming Grove: Requests for 718 ballots at one home prompts DA probe COVID order: Vegliante suspends occupancy of bungalow colonies also claimed some Fallsburg homes had more registered voters than could plausibly be living in them or had voters "who were unrelated to each other and could not all be living in the same household." The court papers provided no examples or said how many registrations he was contesting for those reasons How many ballots had been disputed and whether any were invalidated was unclear on Tuesday In a statement issued through a county spokesman the county election commissioners said only that the counting continued and that the results will be reported on the county website when completed and certified Rappaport said by email on Tuesday that Vegliante had challenged ballots and she had not "My campaign has not objected to a single ballot while my opponent has challenged the right to vote of roughly 60% of the outstanding voters," she said. "We hope that common sense and the rule of law will prevail in seeing that every legal vote is counted and Fallsburg voters’ sacred right to participate in our democracy is not violated." State law allows New Yorkers to register to vote at their summer homes instead of their year-round homes state Board of Elections spokesman John Conklin told the Times Herald-Record by email citing a series of court decisions on that issue Fallsburg has long had a large Orthodox Jewish community that flocks to the Catskills from New York City in the summer for seasonal homes and camps According to a Sullivan County Board of Elections list obtained by the Times Herald-Record, 852 Fallsburg voters – about 69% of the 1,234 town voters who applied for absentee ballots – had their ballots mailed to Brooklyn addresses who has been supervisor for 12 years, contends some Orthodox leaders were determined to oust him because of two actions he took as supervisor: his attempt to keep summer bungalows from opening after the pandemic began in 2020; and his support for zoning changes that restricted housing development in rural and agricultural areas In videos posted online the day before the election Vegliante accused Rappaport of courting Orthodox voters by claiming he was "anti-development antisemitic," while Rappaport accused her opponent of running a campaign based on fear - "a fear of change." The absentee ballots also will decide races for two council seats that could determine control of Fallsburg's five-member Town Board. Two Democrats Councilman Nathan Steingart and Michael Bensimon, led by substantial margins in machine-cast votes over Republican Sean Wall-Carty and third-party candidate Miranda Behan both of whom ran on a slate with Rappaport NEWARK -- Licking County Sheriffs Office deputies are investigating a fatal motorcycle crash Tuesday afternoon in the 2200 block of Fallsburg Road died in the one-vehicle crash that occurred about 12:30 p.m A preliminary investigation indicates Davis lost control of the motorcycle on a curve while traveling south on Fallsburg Road Davis ran off the right side of the roadway Deputies continue to investigation the crash Fallsburg School District has delayed bringing students into its buildings for 10 weeks while it fills several vacant positions giving it one of the longest stretches of fully remote learning this fall among the region's school districts The 1,400-student school system had planned to begin its school year next week with a hybrid schedule offering students two days of in-school instruction and three days of at-home learning each week But the administration announced in late August that students will work entirely from home for the first marking period meaning they won't set foot in school before Nov Ivan Katz attributes the decision to a series of critical job openings the district couldn't fill before students would have returned They included nurses for each of Fallsburg's two schools; a director of facilities who will oversee the vital task of cleaning and disinfecting; and a replacement for the junior-senior high school principal safety and welfare of students and staff as our number one priority," Katz told parents in a letter on Aug 25. "It came down to balancing the equally important concerns of providing each and every child with the very best education possible given the resources and conditions at our disposal." Many districts in the Hudson Valley and Catskills started bringing students into their buildings with social-distancing adjustments this week or plan to do so later this month or in October Some schedules remain uncertain as districts struggle to adapt to the new pandemic constraints FAQ: Here's everything you need to know about the start of the school year in New York More: Monroe-Woodbury schools set for students to return will be fully remote for all of September and plans to bring elementary students to school in six phases in October and November No plans have been announced for starting in-school instruction for the middle and high schools Newburgh School District students also will learn from home in September Administrators plan to begin in-school instruction for the lowest grade levels in each school in October The timetable for upper grades has not been announced Monroe-Woodbury School District started full remote school last week and will continue until Sept when hybrid instruction will begin with one day of in-school instruction per week for each student In-school learning is set to expand to two days per week on Oct Personnel setbacks delay openingIn Fallsburg's case Katz outlined in an interview this week the sequence of personnel setbacks that finally triggered a 10-week delay in in-school classes The school board hired two nurses at its Aug 26 meeting to fill those required positions at the two schools the board accepted Dawne Adams' resignation as principal of the junior-senior high school That unexpected departure and the district's decision to start a second search for a new director of facilities after failing the first time tipped the scales against starting hybrid instruction this month He said the district delayed that start by 10 weeks to avoid switching instructional models during a marking period Starting remote: More districts buying time before bringing students back to schools More: Schools plan for quarantine ripple effect if student or teacher tests positive for virus More: A new school year unlike any before. Remote learning starts with just a few glitches. who has three kids attending Benjamin Cosor Elementary School said this week he was disappointed they must go that long without the educational and social benefits of learning in a classroom with their teachers and classmates "My three children's education is extremely important to me," Odom said "My three children's social development is extremely important to me." Katz said other parents had misgivings about their kids returning to school and expressed relief that the opening had been delayed About half of parents surveyed this summer said they preferred fully remote schooling for their children "There is no perfect model that is going to support every family with their particular challenges," Katz said FALLSBURG — A town supervisor race that stretched almost six weeks past the Nov 2 election has finally ended with a victory for the challenger after a judge ordered the counting of 402 disputed absentee ballots.  wound up losing to Kathy Rappaport by 275 after Sullivan County election workers tallied a flood of absentee ballots from Brooklyn residents with second homes in the town Vegliante had unsuccessfully challenged the legitimacy of many of those ballots in court.  The absentee ballots also provided victories for two councilman candidates who had run on a slate with Rappaport and who also had trailed by large margins in votes cast in person at the polls The election of Sean Wall-Carty and Miranda Behan gives them and Rappaport a majority on the five-member Town Board.  Rappaport won 86% of the 949 total absentee- and affidavit-ballot votes for supervisor counted after the election according to results from the Sullivan County Board of Elections The board counted the votes on Monday but didn't disclose the final counts until after 5 p.m Ballot fight: Fallsburg election case is narrowed to 402 disputed absentee ballots Lingering race: Absentee count delayed by court fight in Fallsburg supervisor contest Absentee flood: Uncounted ballots could shrink Vegliante's 406-vote in Fallsburg The candidates had already released statements a day earlier based on the expected outcome Rappaport and her two running mates said their races were like "countless others" that have been decided by absentee ballots and they declined to address their opponents "legally dismissed and baseless claims" about questionable votes counting every legal vote and declaring duly elected winners," they said. "Ultimately we all want what is best for the Town of Fallsburg and the public decided – through a secure and fair process – who is best for the job. It is a responsibility we do not take lightly and we look forward to working with the current town board on an orderly transition." an attorney who has held the part-time supervisor job for 12 years issued a statement that said he expected most of the absentee votes to be cast for his challenger and he accepted the results "however unfair." He said appealing the judge's decision would have been "cost-prohibitive." as I do not believe in celebrating a win gathered through immoral practices," he said He also said he expected the new board members to make many changes and urged residents to attend meetings and get involved "While I hope that their allegiance will be with our entire community their behavior in the last six months does not bode well for the Town our team has fought so hard to protect these past 12 years," he said.   The outcome reflected the voting clout of the large community of Orthodox Jewish families who spend their summers in the Catskills town Vegliante has said some Orthodox leaders sought to oust him because he supported development restrictions they opposed and had tried to prevent summer bungalows from opening after the COVID-19 pandemic struck in 2020.  Some 990 absentee ballots in all had been cast by voters with Fallsburg registration addresses Both supervisor candidates filed lawsuits after the election so a judge would decide any ballot disputes Vegliante ultimately lodged objections to 402 ballots.  acting state Supreme Court Justice Mark Meddaugh dismissed the case on technical grounds without taking up any ballot challenges Both Sullivan County election commissioners had agreed that 395 of the 402 ballots were valid and a deputy county attorney had asked the court to allow them all to be counted FALLSBURG — Daniel Redmond could hear the frustration in his player’s voice “I just know what I can do,” Amanda Zeno told her head coach when the heartbeat of the Fallsburg basketball team envisions herself in the spot she should have been Zeno was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia a treatable form of cancer that has kept her in the hospital ever since a fractured basketball team has been tasked with moving forward honoring all that Zeno represented in her three years at Fallsburg while wishing she was there for the senior send-off she deserves “It’s hard without her,” senior Shauna Bellacicco said Bellacicco transferred to Fallsburg last year from Tri-Valley She wanted to be around someone who poured her soul into her craft someone who garnered the adulation of coaches the respect of teammates and the eyeballs of college scouts has struggled to press on with the constant reminder of the girl who is missing Bellacicco is proud she has only cried at two games “You can’t play basketball if you can’t see Amanda wouldn’t want you crying on the court.” As much as Bellacicco hopes Zeno can come back to Fallsburg before the season closes she doesn’t know if she’d be able to hold it together with Zeno watching There are six girls on the varsity squad this year with Redmond serving as a fifth in drills whenever necessary The team is winless and it may continue that way for a while “We don’t have the same advantages as the other team,” junior Essence Jackson said because every girl in the lineup has become acutely aware that the ability to play basketball is a gift Zeno has taught her teammates that valuable lesson Though she remains supine in a hospital bed Poring over film from a loss against O’Neill Zeno noticed a tweak she would’ve made if she had been on the floor “We made a nice little run,” Zeno told Redmond “We got it to within three and we should’ve went (man-to-man defense).” Not only are his players less experienced than past girls he’s coached a failed exam there and Fallsburg wouldn’t be able to compete But each athlete is committed to completing this journey conditioning themselves to withstand the added minutes and maintaining an “A” average in Zeno-like fashion Kaitlyn Cross doubted that she could be an asset on a depleted varsity roster Redmond heard Cross telling this story in his classroom not only in Fallsburg but throughout Section 9 girls hoops The Fallsburg girls break the huddle with “Team Zeno,” the same message on T-shirts worn by athletes around the area they use the meeting as an opportunity to honor all that Zeno has accomplished thus far the Goshen point guard who played AAU ball with Zeno speaks about her friend’s return to the court as a certainty It is more a nod to Zeno’s character than the hopeful outlook of the disease she’s fighting “She’s one of the strongest people I know,” Smith said She would usually sit in the corner and take stats but this time she found a spot close to the Fallsburg bench everyone who has gotten to know Zeno has searched for answers trying to understand why the girl engineered for productivity has been rendered sedentary during such a pivotal time in her life As basketball has continued in Fallsburg without its most recognizable face everyone affected has asked themselves what more they can do to emulate the qualities of Zeno not dwelling on past failures and making progress each day “We’re going to be so much better,” Bellacicco said FALLSBURG - A Woodbourne man has been accused of murdering his girlfriend's 2-year-old daughter earlier this week Town of Fallsburg police Chief Simmie Williams announced the arrest of Brian Owsinski Williams said that between Monday and Tuesday Owsinski allegedly inflicted injuries on the toddler Police and EMTs who responded to a 911 call at a Phoenix Lane address in Woodbourne a hamlet in Fallsburg, at about 5:40 p.m She was taken to Garnet Health Medical Center - Catskills in Harris Sentenced: Gang member pleaded guilty in 12-year-old Kingston girl's death Reopening date: Legoland New York announces start of 2022 season Padilla probe: Investigators paid $30K for sexual harassment probe of Newburgh school superintendent Police said Owsinski is the boyfriend of Amara's mother Williams said Owsinski was charged with second-degree murder following a joint investigation by his officers state police and the Sullivan County District Attorney's Office and a completed autopsy of Campbell Owsinski is being held without bail in the Sullivan County Jail pending an appearance in Fallsburg Town Court He is represented by the Sullivan Legal Aid Panel whose executive director Tim Havas declined to comment on Thursday "We mourn the loss of Amara and extend our deepest condolences and heartfelt sympathy to those who loved this innocent child," Williams said in a statement.