Rasmussen building purchased

NARROWSBURG, NY — Three years after a two-alarm fire consumed Rasmussen’s Furniture Store on Main Street in Narrowsburg, the historic building has new owners. The Santana family, which owns the Muse building at the corner of Bridge and Main streets, has purchased the building.

Laura Santana confirmed the purchase but didn’t have many details about what was to come just yet.

“Stay tuned,” she said. “But right now, we’re just focusing on cleaning out and repairing the building.” 

Police chase ends in charges

SULLIVAN COUNTY, NY — A man from Rowland, PA faces charges after refusing to stop when ordered to by the Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office.

While trying to evade police, the man reportedly crashed into law enforcement vehicles, though no injuries were reported. The suspect, identified as Louis Didonna, 42, of Rowland, PA, was taken into custody without further incident.

Didonna was charged with the felonies of aggravated unlicensed operation first degree, reckless endangerment first degree, criminal mischief second degree and misdemeanors for driving while intoxicated, fleeing police and reckless driving. Further investigation revealed that the suspect was wanted on a warrant from the Town of Thompson for DWI and criminal possession of a controlled substance and was subsequently charged with misdemeanor bail jumping.

Louis Didonna was arraigned before Town of Highland Judge Anthony LaRuffa and remanded to the Sullivan County Jail in lieu of $100,000 bail pending his next court appearance.

DRBC official testifies on reservoir study

TRENTON, NJ — Kristen Bowman Kavanagh, P.E., deputy executive director of the Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC), provided written testimony to the Pennsylvania House Majority Policy Committee reaffirming DRBC’s position that the F.E. Walter Dam’s existing, congressionally authorized purposes of recreation and flood risk management should be protected.  An ongoing study of the Caron County, PA dam was the subject of a committee hearing March 18, sponsored by state Rep. Doyle Heffley.

“Short-term weather patterns and longer-term climate patterns are changing and affecting the water cycle in the basin.  It is prudent to begin to evaluate and plan for…  these changes.  At the same time, DRBC supports maintaining the existing uses of the reservoir for flood risk management and recreation and recognizes their value to the region. These uses should be protected,” said Kavanagh in her written remarks.

Sullivan hires HRC director

MONTICELLO, NY – Sullivan County has welcomed Wurtsboro resident Adrienne Jensen as the executive director of its Human Rights Commission (HRC).

“Upon meeting Adrienne, I was immediately impressed, and I think the residents of Sullivan County will be too,” said Julie Diescher, Commissioner of the Division of Human Resources. “Her skill set includes the ability to communicate in a variety of languages, including sign language, Norwegian, French and Spanish. She is a sympathetic and open-hearted listener; and she is very much interested in working with the community to achieve fair and just outcomes in every situation.”

Jensen attended the University of California with a concentration in law, is scheduled to complete her degree in Public Advocacy and Communication in May and has done work conducting investigations and conflict resolution.

“It is really important to me to involve myself in my neighborhood,” Jensen said. “It’s vital to me to help people bridge that gap, to see our similarities.”