POUGHKEEPSIE – The Dutchess County Bar Association recently screened five judicial candidates to evaluate their qualifications for election to the office they are seeking.  This year, candidates for Family Court and Supreme Court were screened for the November elections.

The screening process includes a questionnaire of several pages that are reviewed by a panel of six practicing attorneys.  For judges seeking re-election, they are required to submit ten decisions that they have authored, that are reviewed by the panel.  Candidates that are not judges submit ten writing samples that are reviewed by the panel of their peers.

The Dutchess County Bar Association has four levels of ranking qualifications that are used to grade the candidates:  Highly-qualified, Well-qualified, Qualified, and Not-qualified.

The ratings of the 2021 judicial candidates are as follows:

• The Hon. Denise Watson, Dutchess County Family Court Judge has been rated “Highly-qualified”.
• Rachel Saunders, Watson’s opponent has been rated “Qualified”.
• Thomas Davis, Esq. candidate for the Supreme Court has been rated “Well-qualified”.
• Hon. Christie D’Alessio, Greenburgh Town Justice is running for the Supreme Court, has been rated “Well-qualified”.
• James Hyer, Esq., President of the Westchester County Bar Association, has been rated “Well-qualified”.

YONKERS – City police are investigating an apparent suicide of a 25-year-old man that also claimed the life of a 61-year-old bystander.  The incident occurred Monday evening at 77 Locust Hill Avenue.

Police say their preliminary investigation revealed that the September 20 tragedy occurred when a distraught 25-year-old man jumped off of the roof of the 12-story building towards the roof of the parking garage below when he landed on a 61-year-old man.  Both men died at the scene.

Yonkers Police Investigators are interviewing witnesses and family members at this time and reviewing surveillance video. “The incident appears to be a tragic situation and the investigation is ongoing. The City of Yonkers and Yonkers Police Department offer their sincere condolences to the families of both men,” said a statement issued by the police.

MIDDLETOWN – Assemblywoman Aileen Gunther (D,I,WF-Forestburgh) announced Monday that she has secured $1 million in funding to expand crisis intervention services in communities around  Orange County. According to Darcie Miller, Commissioner of Orange County Social Services and  Mental Health, the money will be used to bolster services in the cities of Middletown and Port Jervis,  and the towns of Wallkill and Mount Hope. 

Gunther, Chair of the Assembly’s Mental Health Committee, said the county will be able to upgrade equipment and hire additional personnel who are suited to deescalate crisis situations. “We wanted to work with our partners in law enforcement and mental healthcare to ensure that people who need help are able to get it,” she said. 

The county will hire a full-time Crisis Intervention Team Coordinator who will identify residents who have frequent interactions with police departments. This will allow the Coordinator to build engagement and rapport with these individuals to explore unmet needs. Advocates of the program say this will help bring together police and the community in focusing on how to better serve individuals living with mental illness. 

Assemblywoman Gunther said, “This expansion of crisis intervention services will make a  tremendous difference in our communities. More than one in five people experience a mental illness in a given year. It could happen to any of us. We need to make sure our communities are safe and that people have access to mental health services. This funding will help accomplish that.” 

Commissioner Miller said, “Orange County is grateful for Assemblywoman Gunther’s understanding of the community needs and the support of the expansion of our crisis continuum. Building off the foundation of decades of work, this expansion will allow our partners additional staff in order to co-respond with law enforcement to people in crisis. The opportunity that this funding affords our community will improve quality response and safety for all involved in the intervention. We must  work together to ensure that people with mental illness get the help they need and the follow-up support to maintain stability.”

MIDDLETOWN – Assemblywoman Aileen Gunther (D,I,WF-Forestburgh) announced Monday that she has secured $1 million in funding to expand crisis intervention services in communities around  Orange County. According to Darcie Miller, Commissioner of Orange County Social Services and  Mental Health, the money will be used to bolster services in the cities of Middletown and Port Jervis,  and the towns of Wallkill and Mount Hope. 

Gunther, Chair of the Assembly’s Mental Health Committee, said the county will be able to upgrade equipment and hire additional personnel who are suited to deescalate crisis situations. “We wanted to work with our partners in law enforcement and mental healthcare to ensure that people who need help are able to get it,” she said. 

The county will hire a full-time Crisis Intervention Team Coordinator who will identify residents who have frequent interactions with police departments. This will allow the Coordinator to build engagement and rapport with these individuals to explore unmet needs. Advocates of the program say this will help bring together police and the community in focusing on how to better serve individuals living with mental illness. 

Assemblywoman Gunther said, “This expansion of crisis intervention services will make a  tremendous difference in our communities. More than one in five people experience a mental illness in a given year. It could happen to any of us. We need to make sure our communities are safe and that people have access to mental health services. This funding will help accomplish that.” 

Commissioner Miller said, “Orange County is grateful for Assemblywoman Gunther’s understanding of the community needs and the support of the expansion of our crisis continuum. Building off the foundation of decades of work, this expansion will allow our partners additional staff in order to co-respond with law enforcement to people in crisis. The opportunity that this funding affords our community will improve quality response and safety for all involved in the intervention. We must  work together to ensure that people with mental illness get the help they need and the follow-up support to maintain stability.”

MOUNT PLEASANT – A New Rochelle man was arrested on September 18 after leading police on a high-speed car chase.  New York State Police say the incident began on the Taconic State Parkway.

On September 18, Troopers attempted to initiate a traffic stop of a 2021 Dodge Charger for violations of the vehicle and traffic law southbound on the Taconic State Parkway near the Franklin Delano Roosevelt State Park.  The operator of the vehicle failed to comply and accelerated to speeds over 100 miles per hour.

Troopers terminated their response in the area of Exit 6 (Pleasantville Road) and lost sight of the vehicle.  State Police dispatch then received calls for a motor vehicle crash on the entrance ramp from State Route 9A.  The investigation determined that the suspect, Shanime Williams, entered the State Route 9A ramp to the Taconic State Parkway southbound and headed north, the wrong way, striking two southbound vehicles.  The operators of the struck vehicles sustained minor injuries.

The 22-year-old Williams was charged with felony Reckless Endangerment, Unlawful Imprisonment, a felony, and Unlawful Fleeing an Officer in a Motor Vehicle, a misdemeanor.

Williams was released on his own recognizance to reappear before the court on September 30, 2021, at 9:30 a.m.