TOWN OF FISHKILL – Police officers and detectives from the Town of Fishkill have arrested 27-year-old Valmar “Val” Muriqi of Beacon on the felony charge of Disseminating Indecent Material to a Minor.  Muriqi was arrested on September 17, arraigned in Beacon City Court, and released on his own recognizance.

Town of Fishkill Police Lieutenant Paul Schettino said his agency received a complaint from a 15-year-old male who received unwanted texts from Muriqi that included nudity.  The department investigated the complaint, reviewed the evidence, and subsequently arrested Muriqi.

POUGHKEEPSIE – The Common Council voted to hire an outside consultant for the Local Waterfront Development Revitalization Plan (LWRP) in March.  Mayor Rob Rolison vetoed the bill.  The council attempted to override the veto but fell one vote short, creating tension between the council chair, Sarah Salem, and the city’s administration.  Salem once again is attempting to hire an outside law firm to provide advice to the lawmakers.

The council is set to meet on Monday at 5:00 pm for the public hearing regarding the creation of a Civilian Review Board and then the regular meeting is slated for 6:00 pm.

At the regular meeting, Salem is introducing a resolution to hire a law firm from Long Island to provide legal advice to the council.  The cost is not to exceed $25,000 for this fiscal year.

The resolution is critical of both Rolison and the city’s attorney, Paul Ackerman.  “The Mayor has willfully impeded the functioning of the legislative branch of city government and thereby has threatened the fabric of our local democratic structures,” the bill says in part.  The language takes the stance that the mayor is not authorized to veto legislation from the council when they sought to hire outside counsel.  The resolution also says that the city’s attorney offered an opinion on the matter that is contradictory to the council’s authority.

Rolison was out of town this week and has not had the opportunity to review the resolution.  When briefed on the bill, Rolison said he is “upset” that members of the council question the accuracy of city employees.  “When the council asks for an opinion from city staffers and they don’t get the response that fits their agenda, they question the integrity of the employees, and that is insulting.”

Asked if he would veto the resolution to hire an outside law firm, Rolison said “If the resolution passes on Monday night, I will review it and consider my options,” adding “Given the current budget deficit, I need to look at the fiscal impact of the proposal.”

Sarah Salem did not return numerous requests seeking comment.  Councilman Chris Petsas indicated that he is still researching the topic and has yet to decide if he will support it. Matt McNamara, who represents the 8th ward on the council, opposes the plan.  “Not for the first time, some members of the Council want to hire staff, retain outside counsel, and increase costs at a time of great financial pressure on our city. Notably, none of the Councilmembers who support this latest proposal ran for office on such a platform. If they had, they wouldn’t be on the council today.”  If the resolution does get approved, McNamara is urging the mayor to deny it. “Thankfully, our Mayor has veto power, and I urge him to use it, just as he has in the past when it comes to unnecessary spending requests from Chair Salem.”

POUGHKEEPSIE – The successful Law Enforcement Explorer Program sponsored by the Dutchess County Deputy Sheriff’s PBA, with the support of Sheriff Butch Anderson, began in September of 2019 and is once again seeking new recruits by holding an open house on Saturday, September 19, from 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm.  Applications must be received prior to the start of the open house.  Requests for applications can be made by emailing DCExplorer108@gmail.com.

The PBA provides an innovative program for high school students grades 9-12, that attend Dutchess  County schools. The Law Enforcement Explorer Program is a nationwide program chartered through the Boy Scouts of America & Learning for Life. This Youth Program is offered by hundreds of Law Enforcement Agencies nationwide and has been designed to establish a positive relationship between Law Enforcement and the community while providing hands-on training and experience in the field of Law Enforcement to young people in our area. 

Second-year Cadet Raquan White speaking about the program said “I really enjoy this program because it really shows you all the hard work police officers actually do on a day to day basis. It’s not all car chases and foot pursuits, the instructors teach us how to talk to people and use our critical thinking skills to solve problems. This program has definitely changed my life for the better and I recommend it to anyone who is even thinking about a career in law enforcement because I promise you it’ll make you a better person in the end.”

The Explorer Program is a multi-phase, year-long program that coincides with the school year.  Cadets will attend Explorer Post Meetings twice a month at the Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office Law Enforcement  Center in Poughkeepsie. Meetings will usually be held on Monday evening between 6:00 pm and 8:30 pm.  

“I enjoyed getting a better look at law enforcement, learning the requirements it takes to work in the field and receiving some training on different aspects of police work before joining the academy. Most importantly, It is a great way to build a positive relationship between officers and young teens,” said second-year Explorer Sandra Ksar.

The program has been designed to be a hands-on interactive experience for motivated youth considering a career in law enforcement. Attendees have the unique opportunity to interact and learn in a safe environment with law-enforcement officers. Attendees, through team-building exercises, classroom instruction, physical fitness training, and numerous hands-on training activities will receive an appreciation for the challenges facing law enforcement and how they attempt to successfully accomplish their mission in our community. 

Participants must fill out the Application Packet and complete the Health and Medical forms; have a good school record, a clear criminal background, and parental permission. This program is not intended or designed for children with disciplinary problems. The Explorer Program is not a “boot camp” for troubled youth. Youth interested in joining should contact DCExplorer108@gmail.com to request a Cadet Application Packet.  

All submitted applications will be reviewed in the order they are received to ensure that each applicant meets the requirements. A background check will be conducted on each applicant who submits a complete application and a  waiting list will be established. Limited positions are available. 

HYDE PARK – The Dutchess County Fire Training Center located at 392 Creek Road in Hyde Park has been placed on the State’s Superfund site due to water contamination from poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances, known as PFAS, which are chemicals used in firefighting applications. The State says that the site presents a significant threat to public health and/or the environment.

According to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), sampling of on-site groundwater and soil, surface water, and sediment of the Fall Kill Creek and nearby drinking water wells indicates the presence of PFAS. DEC indicated that additional investigation is needed to define the nature and extent of contamination, evaluate associated human exposure pathways, and, determine the appropriate actions that will need to be implemented to prevent and mitigate potential exposures.

Dutchess County officials say that the DEC has been undertaking testing at fire training sites throughout the state relating to possible PFAS contamination, including the Dutchess County fire training center.  This follows a 2016 survey conducted by the DEC asking about the use of Aqueous Film-Forming Foam Concentrates (AFFF) at fire training centers.   The only documented use of AFFF (a source of PFAS) at the Dutchess County fire training center was during Firefighter II courses coordinated and run by officials from the NYS Office of Fire Prevention & Control (a total of 12 classes/events).

Dutchess County Commissioner of Public Works Robert Balkind said, “We are pleased the DEC is taking these steps to investigate and understand the full extent of any possible contamination.   We will continue to follow DEC guidance, including the recommendation to close off culverts that lead to the FallKill Creek.   However, at this time, DEC has not advised of any other restrictions or concerns, which is reassuring for those utilizing or working on-site or who live in the area.”

The Inactive Hazardous Waste Disposal Site Program (the State Superfund Program) is the State’s program for identifying, investigating, and cleaning up sites where the disposal of hazardous waste may present a threat to public health and/or the environment. The DEC maintains a list of these sites in the Registry of Inactive Hazardous Waste Disposal Sites (Registry).  Additional information can be found here.

GOSHEN – Orange County District Attorney David Hoovler announced the indictments of 40 people for drug related offenses on Thursday.  While many of the individuals have been taken into custody, law enforcement officials are seeking assistance in learning the whereabouts of the following individuals who have active arrest warrants.

NAME                      AGE            RESIDENCE                        AGENCY

George Powell*       41                   Newburgh                          Drug Task Force

Jamal Frazier*        41                   Newburgh                          Drug Task Force

Oscar Brown          51                   Newburgh                           Drug Task Force

Darryl Stewart*     22                   Newburgh                           Drug Task Force

Gregory Defreece  50                   Newburgh                           Drug Task Force

Tiffany Simmonds 28                   Newburgh                           NYSP

Carlos Agosto-Colon* 45              Middletown                        City of Middletown

Erik Bailey         30                     Newburgh                          City of Middletown

Deanna Olenick 40                     Port Jervis                          City of Middletown

Dominique Thomas  20              Middletown                         City of Middletown

Micah Williams  43                    Middletown                         City of Middletown

Marilyn Estrada  35                  Middletown                          City of Middletown

Daniel Webster  45                  Middletown                         City of Middletown

Michael Warner 54                  Middletown                         City of Middletown

*Indicates a defendant who has a prior felony conviction within the past ten years who is eligible for an enhanced sentence.

Hoovler is asking that anyone with information regarding the location of the above individuals to call the police agency listed next to the subject’s name above.