Tag: Orange County NY

Deerpark Christmas Market Brings Joy and Festivity to Locals

Residents from the tri-state area enjoyed a festive holiday market with music, lights, and food in the town of Deerpark in western New York on Dec. 3. The market attracted about 2,000 residents, according to the host organization, New Century. Jin Pang, the event organizer at New Century, told The Epoch Times: “It is a…


Orange County, New York, Legislature Adopts 2023 Budget

The Orange County legislature on Dec. 1 unanimously adopted a budget of $897.6 million for next year.  The budget is up 8 percent compared with last year, whereas the property tax levy is down $9.6 million.  The county can take on a bigger spending plan without raising tax levy largely because of the booming sales taxes,…


Houle Concedes to Skoufis in New York 42nd Senate District Race

Republican candidate Dorey Houle conceded to Democrat James Skoufis on Nov. 30 in the New York 42nd Senate District race, following fresh results of absentee ballots and affidavits.  The final tally shows Skoufis got 49,720 votes—1,434 more than Houle.  “I’d like to take this opportunity to congratulate Senator Skoufis on his win,” Houle said in a…


Author Unearths the Forgotten History of Port Jervis Lynching

It is the only lynching in New York state since the Civil War, a story that Michael Worden grew up hearing about from his grandma. It happened 130 years ago on the streets of his hometown, Port Jervis, a then-bustling industrial city in the North. An African American man named Robert Lewis was accused of…


Port Jervis School District Levied $23 Million Excessive Taxes in Four Years, State Audit Says

The Port Jervis School District in New York consistently levied millions of dollars more property taxes than needed and put an unnecessary burden on taxpayers, according to a newly released audit by the State Comptroller’s Office.  During the past four fiscal years, the district overestimated spending by an average of $5.8 million a year, resulting in…


Number of Catalytic Converter Thefts Is Up in Middletown, New York: Police

Over the past six weeks, the city of Middletown has seen 10 catalytic converter thefts, a significant jump from before, according to Police Lieutenant Jeffry Thoelen.  These crimes were committed randomly on the street or in a public parking lot between midnight and five o’clock, he told The Epoch Times on Nov. 28. Some were…


After Two Years, Some New York Nurses Still Haven’t Seen Hazard Pay for COVID Duty

Goshen, N.Y.—As the pandemic fades away and society opens up, nurses at Valley View Center are still wearing masks and caring for COVID-19 patients every day. The center is the only county-owned nursing home in Orange County, New York. The masks serve as a daily reminder to Doreen Tice, a veteran licensed practical nurse at…


Middletown, New York, Warming Station Shelters Homeless From Cold Nights

Alexis Dunning works at a Family Dollar store, but her back pain and anxiety make it hard for her to do long hours. She struggles to make ends meet. As winter inches closer, she finds herself homeless again. She was among 17 homeless people who took shelter at the only overnight warming station in Middletown…


Sheriff Carl DuBois Reflects on 20 Years Service For Community

Orange County’s longest-serving sheriff Carl DuBois said he made the office a better place than he found it. First elected in 2002 as a change agent on the Republican ticket, DuBois turned a scandal-burdened office into a nationally accredited operation, securing the recognition of standard-setters in almost every facet of the profession. He sailed to…


Coach Devotes His Time Building Little League in Otisville, New York

Three years ago, when board member Brian Lattimer stepped up to take charge of the Otisville Little League in New York, it had no programs past coach pitch and was on the brink of dissolution. In three years, he and a group of volunteers transformed the dying league into a thriving community, setting up divisions…