Child saved after fall

HONESDALE, PA — A former New York City firefighter was credited with saving an eight-year-old girl who fell into the Carley Brook Falls early this month.

Kathryn Allessandro reportedly was visiting relatives on Mother’s Day when the early evening incident occurred.

The child fell some 15 feet but was unhurt. After Kathryn’s eight-year-old cousin Edwin summoned relatives, they returned to find Joe Cavanaugh carrying the wet, but otherwise unhurt child up from the water.

Cavanaugh told the Wayne Independent that he heard the boy’s cries for help and automatically responded.

Society honors former historian

SHOHOLA, PA — The Shohola Railroad and Historical Society is planning to honor longtime former Town of Highland, NY historian, the late Austin D. Smith.

Society spokesman Elliot Zucker said Smith was a founding society member who was always there to help.

At the July 13 annual commemoration of Shohola’s Civil War train wreck, the society will dedicate a 25-foot flagpole near the society’s caboose home on Route 434 in Shohola. The flagpole was a particularly appropriate honor for Smith, who for many years raised the flag on daily basis at Barryville’s triangle park.

The society is seeking donations to support the flagpole memorial, which may be sent care of the society to Box 79, Shohola, PA 18458.

Lottery scholarships awarded

ALBANY, NY — Nine Sullivan County scholars were among the 1,181 Leaders of Tomorrow scholarship winners announced by Governor Pataki last week.

The four-year-old, $4-million program is funded by the New York State Lottery.

Each scholarship winner will be awarded a $4,000 scholarship, paid annually in $1,000 increments and applied toward tuition costs at an accredited New York college, university, community college or trade school.

Sullivan County winners included Christian L. Bowers and Kelly P. Mullally of Sullivan West, Peter J. Meyer of Eldred, Julianne Porter of Fallsburg, Jessica E. Scheibling-Kelly of Liberty, Jillian L. Hoag of Livingston Manor, Matthew D. Gottlieb of Monticello, Cheyenne A. Smith of Roscoe and Cheryl A. Shelton of Tri-Valley.

Wood runs for county legislature

ROSCOE, NY — Roscoe resident Elwin Wood has announce his intention to run for the District 3 seat in the Sullivan County Legislature.

The seat is currently held by Republican Greg Goldstein.

Wood is a past chairman of the Town of Rockland Democratic Committee and served as a Sullivan County Coroner for most of the 1990’s.

Wood, 44, is a life-long resident of Sullivan County. He is married with three children and resides in Roscoe.

Commissioners okay hospital bond

HONESDALE, PA — The Wayne County Commissioners have guaranteed $22 million in bond funding for the refinancing and expansion planned at Wayne Memorial Hospital.

The commissioners adopted an ordinance for the bond measure at their May 22 meeting, allowing the hospital to begin remodeling, equipment purchases and associated land purchases.

The project includes a new physical rehabilitation unit, expanded parking in Honesdale, proposed physicians’ offices and outpatient services at Stourbridge Mall, a new MRI unit and nuclear medicine camera, third floor construction for radiology expansion and the construction and furnishing of physicians’ offices in Lords Valley.

Former resident charged in children’s deaths

MONTICELLO, NY — State police and Sullivan County District Attorney Stephen Lungen last week announced the arrest of a former Kauneonga Lake woman who has been charged with second-degree murder in the death of three of her infant children.

Authorities say Diane Odell, 49, of Rome, PA, saved the mummified remains of three babies, who were believed to have been born while Odell resided in Kauneonga Lake between 1981 and 1984. The remains were found in a storage shed in Arizona.

Odell, who has three grown children, was also questioned in the death of another child some 30 years ago. She then claimed the child had been stillborn.

State grant for Grey Towers held up

MILFORD, PA — Governor Ed Rendell’s chief budget advisor has informed officials at Grey Towers that a $2 million grant slated for the Forest Service’s Pinchot Estate facility will be reviewed by the General Assembly.

The grant, part of a series funding convention centers, museums, libraries, community theaters and zoos, had been announced in the final weeks of the outgoing Schweiker administration.

Budget Secretary Michael Masch wrote that the review was necessary to be certain that limited commonwealth funds were targeted to projects with the best outlook for economic returns.

Video lottery terminals
approved with budget

MONTICELLO, NY — The newly approved New York State budget authorized the installation of up to 1,800 video lottery terminals at Monticello Raceway.

Supporting legislation provides a 10-year program, which would prompt year-round operations and extended hours, with percentages of the revenues going to the track, horsemen, breeders and for increasing prize purses for the raceway.