Sullivan awarded $1.7 million for bus facility

WASHINGTON, DC — Rep. Maurice Hinchey (NY-22) announced last week that $1,732,909 that he secured through federal spending bills has been awarded to Sullivan County for the construction of a bus facility. Some $1,237,894 for the project in the Fiscal Year 2001 Transportation Appropriations bill and the remainder was funded from Fiscal Year 2002.

County’s plans for a new transit system include the design and construction of bus facility/garage and the purchase of new buses and other related equipment. The new system will meet the needs of transit

Currently the county has extremely limited capital resources available to support the operation and maintenance of an extensive public transit system.

Cashier sentenced in donation jar theft

HONESDALE, PA —An Equinunk woman last week pleaded guilty to facilitating the theft of donation jar benefiting a sick child.

Wayne County Judge Robert Conway sentenced Kimberly Smith 24, to one year probation, a $200 fine and 75 hours of community service on a second degree misdemeanor charge of Criminal Conspiracy to Commit Theft and Receive Stolen Property.

The incident occurred on June 8 in Texas Township where Smith worked at a convenience store as a cashier. Smith’s boyfriend was seen on a videotape taking a donation jar for a 5-year-old leukemia victim. Smith admitted to having the cash at her house when questioned about the missing jar.

Wallenpaupack schools expansion

LAKE WALLENPAUPACK, PA — With district enrollment topping 4,000 this fall, Wallenpaupack school officials last week discussed building projects that would add 22 new classrooms.

Ten of those classrooms would be built starting next month to house transferred third-grade classes at the North Intermediate School.

Another 12 classrooms are planned for the high school and a new cafeteria is to be added at the Hawley Kindergarten Center. Bids for those projects were to be opened this week.

Additionally, the district is seeking a $300,000 grant for drainage improvements for the high school athletic fields.

Wayne county man gets jail for animal cruelty

HONESDALE, PA — A dead kitten could cost a Honesdale man up to one year in jail.

Brian Rex Gager, 32, pled guilty to Cruelty to Animals, a second-degree misdemeanor on August 12, based on a May 9 incident when Gager beat a small kitten with a stick and left it to die. A Humane Society officer subsequently took the kitten to a veterinary clinic where it eventually had to be put down.

Wayne County Judge Robert Conway sentenced Gager to the Wayne County Prison for 30 days to 1 year and required that Gager perform 100 hours of community service and make restitution in the amount of $222.00.

Governor seeks federal assistance for storm victims

ALBANY, NY — Governor George Pataki on Monday asked President Bush to declare a major federal disaster for Delaware, Sullivan, Orange and 13 other counties to aid with widespread flood damage resulting from a series of storms extending from mid-August into September.

Although state law would have allowed it, Pataki did not include the past weekend’s Delaware River flooding incidents in the declaration.

The aid request calls for public assistance to reimburse communities for debris removal, emergency response efforts and to restore public infrastructure; individual assistance for citizens who suffered losses; disaster unemployment insurance; and Small Business Administration loans.

Pataki’s request, which took three weeks to be generated, was criticized in comparison to New Jersey and Pennsylvania disaster requests that have already been made for the September 18-19 flooding.

Special casino committee meeting

MONTICELLO, NY — A Special Meeting of the Sullivan County Casino Gaming Committee has been called for Tuesday, September 28 at 2:00 p.m. in the Legislative Committee Room of the county government center.

The committee will meet to receive a project update from the Stock Bridge-Munsee Tribe Band of Mohican Indians and review any other business that may come before them.

Bethel, Liberty get $800,000 in state grants

ALBANY, NY — The Town of Bethel and the Village of Liberty will each receive $400,000 in economic development grants amid a $6 million grant distribution announced last week.

The Small Cities Community Development grants are targeted to help create jobs, provide affordable housing, support housing rehabilitation efforts and improve public services.

Smallwood, White Lake and Kauneonga Lake, each have seasonal homes that have been converted into year-round housing and now need rehabilitation. Funds will cover moderate and extensive rehabilitation of 25 of these homes.

Liberty is funding public infrastructure improvements on Webster Avenue and Lake Street, including water and sewer mains, storm drainage mains and catch basins. The project will benefit 30 households including 101 people.

Equine encephalitis detected in Sullivan

LIBERTY, NY — State health officials informed Sullivan County Public Health Nursing last week that mosquitoes from the Tannery Brooke area in the Village of Monticello have tested positive for the viral disease, Eastern Equine Encephalitis.

The virus is dangerous to horses and rare but serious in humans.

Residents should continue with mosquito precautionary actions similar to those practiced against West Nile Virus. For more information contact Public Health Nursing at 845/292-0100, ext. 1.