Sullivan West election on September 18

LAKE HUNTINGTON — Sullivan West board members have set a date for the public to elect new members to fill the two vacant seats. The election will be held on Tuesday, September 18, from 12:00 noon to 9:00 p.m. at the Delaware Youth Center in Callicoon, the Tusten-Cochecton branch of the Western Sullivan Library in Narrowsburg and the Jeffersonville Elementary School in Jeffersonville.

The decision was made at a board meeting on July 3, when the board also voted for Richard Sandler to become the temporary president of the board, and for Shaun Sensiba to become the temporary vice president. The positions are temporary because the sharply divided board could not get the five votes needed to elect the two leaders to full terms. In a compromise move, the board voted to have the position filled until September 20, when the new board members will be able to vote.

The suggestion of the compromise came from the district’s new superintendent, Dr. Kenneth Hilton, who was participating in his first official board meeting.

Low-cost health program expanded

ALBANY, NY — Governor Eliot Spitzer has signed legislation to provide access to low-cost health insurance for tens of thousands of New Yorkers under the Family Health Plus plan.

This new law helps to address the challenge of keeping private employer dollars in the health care system, as health care costs continue to rise, making it harder for businesses to remain competitive. Under the law, private employers and Taft-Hartley funds will be given the option of participating in the state’s Family Health Plus insurance program, which is currently available only to New Yorkers who meet income eligibility requirements and who lack other coverage. For those employers who opt into the program, the state will pay a portion of the insurance premium for eligible employees.

Spitzer also signed a second law that will allow self-employed farmers to exclude the value of depreciated business assets from their gross family income in determining their income eligibility for Family Health Plus. This amendment, which is contingent upon federal approval, will allow more farm families to obtain vital health insurance coverage.

Siptroth named honorary major

HARRISBURG, PA — State Rep. John Siptroth, D-Monroe/Pike, a former member of the Civil Air Patrol (CAP), was recently appointed as an honorary major in the organization.

He and other legislators are members of the Legislative Squadron, a squadron reserved for those who support the Commonwealth’s CAP volunteer responders, who assist in emergency services and who work on youth leadership development.

“As a former senior and cadet member of the Civil Air Patrol Squadron 805, I am honored to be given this distinction,” Siptroth said. “I have been a long-time supporter of its role and duties as an auxiliary of the Air Force. I definitely enjoyed my time in the patrol, which sparked my interest to join the military. I am grateful for this recognition. ”

Siptroth joined the Civil Air Patrol before joining the U.S. Navy in 1966.

Pennsylvania is home to 2,400 CAP members in 74 squadrons. Today, CAP conducts 95 percent of all inland search-and-rescue missions and also serves the nation in homeland security and disaster relief, Siptroth said.

Bridge crew rescues 14-year-old from river

BARRYVILLE, NY — A bridge crew working on the Barryville-Shohola bridge rescued a 14-year-old girl from the Delaware River on July 10, at about 11:45 in the morning.

Cliff Daniel, a law enforcement supervisor of the National Park Service, said the men from the crew “deserve a lot of credit.” If they had not noticed the problem, and traveled the 100 yards down the river to aid the girl, the situation could have been much worse.

The girl was canoeing down the river with a group of young women from Camp Oneka in Tafton, PA, when her canoe was swamped and capsized in Shohola Rapids. The girl, whose name has not been released, was traumatized and sustained injuries to both legs.

Clifton said about five men from the Fahs-Ralston bridge construction company were instrumental in assisting in the rescue, and helping her 10 or 12 companions reach the shore.

The girl was transported to Bons Secours Community Hospital in Port Jervis.

Sullivan added to disaster declaration

ALBANY, NY — Sullivan County has been made eligible for disaster aid to state and local governments and certain private non-profit organizations affected by flooding on June 19, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has announced.

At the request of Governor Eliot Spitzer, President Bush signed a major disaster declaration for New York State on July 2. The aid supplements state and local recovery efforts in Delaware and Sullivan counties. The program provides reimbursement for eligible emergency work such as overtime and debris removal, as well as the repair of damaged public facilities not covered by insurance. Certain private non-profits that provide government services can also be eligible, and FEMA funds 75 percent of the cost.

The Public Assistance program is administered by the New York State Emergency Management Office (SEMO).

Motorcycle crash kills two, injures one

DEERPARK, NY — Two people died and one was injured on Sunday, July 1 when a motorcycle collided with a car on Route 97 in Deerpark.

According to police, 55-year-old Joseph Burke of Winona Lakes, PA, was driving a motorcycle south on Route 97 with passenger Cheryl Burke, 49, at 6:48 p.m., when he veered into the opposing lane and struck a Buick driven by Terrence Smith, 60, of Honesdale, PA.

Both Cheryl and Joseph Burke were pronounced dead at the scene. Mary Smith, 58, of Honesdale, a passenger in the Buick, was taken to Bons Secours Community Hospital with shoulder pain.

SPCA runs afoul of building department

ROCK HILL, NY — The Sullivan County SPCA must appear in court on Monday, July 23 to answer charges that it has erected structures without permission from the Town of Thompson Building Department.

Included in the structures are an addition built onto the main shelter referred to as “the cat room,” and kennels grouped together under a roof, which have a fence around them. Under Thompson’s building code, being roofed and enclosed makes construction “structures” for which town permission must be given.

The SPCA was given a choice of getting permission for the structures from the planning board, as well as a variance on one structure that is too close to Rock Hill Drive from the zoning board, but said they couldn’t afford it. A notice of violation was then issued.