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Rabbi on state police payroll

ALBANY -- New York State has been paying a Brooklyn rabbi $76,000 a year as a "spiritual advisor" to the state police, according to a Times Herald-Record report.

Rabbi Bernard Freilich was paid by the Health Department and drove an unmarked state police car, but neither agency is saying exactly what he was doing.

Others say the rabbi acted as cultural and language interpreter for the Hasidic and ultra-Orthodox Jewish communities, but no similar interpreters are maintained for other religious or cultural groups.

Freilich was recently suspended from the job after New York City police charged him with intimidating a woman who planned to testify in support of her charge that she was raped by her father.

New firehouse dedicated

LACKAWAXEN -- The Lackawaxen Township Volunteer Fire Department dedicated its new Rte. 590 station at ceremonies earlier this month.

The 120-foot by 80-foot building was completed in the fall of last year and is situated on a seven-acre tract that was purchased by the department's Ladies Auxiliary and donated to the department. In addition to housing equipment, the new building at the corner of Beck-Beisel Road has a meeting hall with seating for 300 and is equipped to serve as an emergency shelter in times of disaster.

Prison gets opposition in Wayne

WAYMART -- After months of regional efforts to bring a federal prison to Wayne County, local residents spoke out in opposition at a public hearing on May 19.

Residents reportedly objected to a Bureau of Prisons plan to locate a minimum-security area much closer to Rte. 296, evictions related to federal plans to obtain additional property and the lack of local public hearing before a decision to site the prison.

The only other public hearing was held in Archbald, which officials said was then the center of areas being considered. Speakers at that hearing lauded the Waymart site.

Sullivan gets new grant for corporate park

ROCK HILL -- Sullivan County has received a $1 million federal grant for the construction of the planned Emerald Corporate Center.

Rep. Maurice Hinchey, who helped secure it, announced the Economic Development Administration grant on May 19.

The $2.2 million park is to be built on some 60 acres near Route 17 opposite Frontier Insurance, which the county acquired in March for $340,000. The first 5000 square-foot building is being built by the county and is expected to be ready for occupancy in the spring of next year.

With the new announcement, Sullivan has received over $1.5 million in grant assistance for the project and expects additional state funding.

Home health aides get free nursing training

MONTICELLO -- Sullivan County and Wellness Home Care have started a pilot program providing free Licensed Practical Nursing training for qualified Wellness home health aides.

Program participants must make a two-year commitment to work as home health aides for Wellness and demonstrate a strong work ethic. In addition to their aides salaries, participants will receive paid tuition to Sullivan BOCES training as an LPN. Six to ten applicants will be selected for the program and classes begin in the first week of September.

Orientation classes are scheduled in early June. For more information call Wellness at 914/292-2127.

New tax base lowers school levy

WESTFALL -- New Pike assessment figures showing growth in the county's tax base will decrease the expected individual tax increase for the 1999-2000 Delaware Valley Schools budget.

Initially the new $38 million budget, with its 3.4 percent spending increase, was expected to cause a 3.59 percent tax increase.

New assessment figures indicated a $132,000 growth in assessed value, based on .25 on the dollar of market value, which decreased the tax increase to 3.09 percent or $80.12 mills.

Well George, how about it

MILFORD -- Governors from New Jersey and Pennsylvania have now reportedly taken canoe trips on the Delaware.

The Hawley News Eagle reported that Pennsylvania Governor Tom Ridge and some of his cabinet members took an unpublicized river trip with their families last October. Kittatinny Canoes owner Ruth Jones guided the Ridge party downstream from Milford as she did when New Jersey Governor Christie Whitman paddled the river earlier.

Both states feature the river prominently in their tourism promotion campaigns.

Concord tag sale under way

KIAMESHA -- Some 300,000 pieces of hotel furnishings are to be sold in a Concord Hotel tag sale, which began yesterday.

Furnishings of the bankrupt hotel, including everything from flatware to a grand piano, will be available to shoppers seven days a week over the next two months. Some 1000 color televisions, for example, are priced at $59 each.

The hotel will be open for the sale from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from noon to 5:00 p.m. on Sundays.

Highland man indicted for arson

MONTICELLO -- A Sullivan County grand jury last week handed up indictments against a Highland Lake man related to three fires he allegedly set.

In the May 19 indictment, Eric Hofaker, 27, was charged with felonies including second and third-degree arson and willfully setting forest lands on fire.

Charges involve a 60-acre forest fire on April 1, and house fires at a vacant Eldred residence on March 24 and at the Springhouse Apartments in January 1998.

Hofaker, who was an active volunteer firefighter, is currently in the Sullivan County Jail in lieu of $35,000 bail.

Student charged in bomb threat

GRAHAMSVILLE -- A Tri-Valley student last week was charged with making a false bomb threat which lead to the evacuation of the school on May 12.

State police did not identify the student, who is under 16. The student reportedly was suspended from school for five days and issued an appearance ticket for Sullivan County Family Court.

Domestic violence support group

MILFORD -- Survivors Resources of Pike County has announced that an eight-week support group for domestic violence victims is starting on June 4.

The group is free, participation is confidential and childcare is available. Classes run between 9:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. For more information, call 570-296-2827.

Retired state police commander indicted

MONTICELLO -- A retired state police major and former Troop F local commander has been indicted for manslaughter in the April 1 shooting of his 37 year-old son, Christopher Colberg.

Carl Colberg, 62, of Mongaup Valley allegedly shot his son four times with a handgun following a family argument at the Colberg home.