Orange County NY Archives

August’s Citizen of the Month Award

August 22, 2017 By Taylor Dickson

County Executive Neuhaus presents Rick Walls with August’s Citizen of the Month Award for his support of local military

Town of Woodbury resident helps organize Iron Chef BBQ Competition and Towns 4 Troops Fundraisers

*Press Release from Orange County Government

Goshen, N.Y. – Orange County Executive Steven M. Neuhaus has recognized Rick Walls, a Town of Woodbury resident, as the Citizen of the Month Award winner for the month of August.

Walls helped organize the Marines vs. Firefighters Iron Chef BBQ contest four years ago. That event led to the creation of Towns 4 Troops, which supports Orange County’s local active duty military members and their families with a variety of events and donations.

“Rick has worked tirelessly as an advocate for our service members,” Neuhaus said. “His passion for serving these men and women is evident in everything he does. Rick’s hard work and dedication has raised awareness about our service members and the challenges they face. Rick proudly works behind the scenes, but he deserves this recognition.”

Under Walls’ guidance, the Marines vs. Firefighters Iron Chef has grown to include law enforcement agencies, the U.S. Army and local ambulance services, raising approximately $20,000 for active duty military members and their families since its inception. According to Walls, Towns 4 Troops assists local military with social needs.

Towns 4 Troops sponsors barbecues, a variety of Holiday dinners, Easter egg hunts and Monday Night Football events for troops. The non-profit also prepares care packages for service members that are deployed, and arranges travel assistance and childcare. Towns 4 Troops has played an integral role in supporting the families of the U.S. Marine Corps who were killed in the KC-130T Hercules crash in Mississippi last month.

“We have a wonderful core group that is dedicated to this mission and I couldn’t do this without them,” Walls, 62, said. “I couldn’t serve as a young man because I was in a car accident, so this is how I serve. I just don’t think some people realize the sacrifices that our servicemen and servicewomen make. They miss being home for the holidays and watching their children grow up. We just support them in any way that we can.”

Walls thanked County Executive Neuhaus for his support of the Marines vs. Firefighters Iron Chef BBQ contest, Towns 4 Troops and other veterans causes in Orange County.

“Steve has assisted us with whatever we need from the beginning,” Walls said. “He always wants to know what projects we have going on and how he can help. We appreciate the County Executive’s support of our program.”

Walls is also a supporter of the Better Opportunities for Single Soldiers program at West Point, which supports the overall quality of single soldier’s lives. He worked as a manager with the U.S. Postal Service, retiring after a 35-year career. Walls is now a tour guide at West Point and serves as the Town of Woodbury’s Program Director of Adult Services. He has been a volunteer firefighter for 44 years, including the last seven with Harriman Engine Company.

Neuhaus introduced his Citizen of the Month Award, which acknowledges outstanding Orange County residents, in January. To nominate someone for the Citizen of the Month Award, please email ceoffice@orangecountygov.com or mail a letter to “Citizen of the Month” at 255-275 Main Street Goshen, N.Y. 10924. Be sure to include the nominee’s name, hometown, a list of their accomplishments, why you are nominating them and any other pertinent information. Nominees must be from Orange County.

For more information, contact Justin Rodriguez, Assistant to the County Executive for Communications and Media Relations at 845.291.3255 or jrodriguez@orangecountygov.com.

Opening of New Orange-Ulster BOCES

July 28, 2017 By Taylor Dickson

County Executive Neuhaus celebrates opening of new Orange-Ulster BOCES Adult Education Learning Center in Newburgh

*Press Release

9,000-square foot facility features seven classrooms, six administrative offices and a conference room

Goshen, N.Y. – Orange County Executive Steven M. Neuhaus participated in a ribbon cutting on Wednesday to celebrate the opening of the new Orange-Ulster BOCES Adult Education Learning Center in Newburgh.

“As part of our ongoing commitment to job creation and retention, the County has made a significant investment in BOCES’ Adult Education Learning Center,” Neuhaus said. “This partnership provides another example how by working together with our partners we continue to move the County forward. I am especially proud of DPW Commissioner Chris Viebrock, Deputy Commissioner of Buildings and Grounds Jim Brooks and their staff for their hard work and effort in completing this project. This is a fantastic use of a space that had not been utilized for several years.”

Neuhaus was joined at the event by Orange County Director of Operations Harry Porr, District Attorney David Hoovler, Legislators Curlie Dillard and Jim Kulisek, Department of Public Works Commissioner Chris Viebrock, Employment and Training Director Steve Knob, Orange-Ulster BOCES District Superintendent William J. Hecht, Orange-Ulster BOCES Assistant Superintendent for Instruction Terry Reynolds, Orange-Ulster BOCES Director of Adult Education Dr. James DelViscio, Orange-Ulster BOCES Director of Operations Mark Coleman, Orange

County Chamber of Commerce President Lynn Cione and Orange County Partnership Director of Business Retention and Expansion Amanda Dana.

“I am excited for our Adult and Continuing Education students and the opportunities that this new location will offer them,” Hecht said. “Thanks to the collaborative efforts of County Executive Neuhaus, his staff and the BOCES staff, our Adult Programs now have a new home in Newburgh that will allow us to continue providing affordable and conveniently located career and technical education programs for adult learners for many years to come.”

The 9,000-square foot facility, known as the Maple Building, was refurbished by the County’s DPW department in three months. The prime space had been unused for approximately a decade. Located at 3 Washington Center with a view of the Hudson River, the new Adult Education Learning Center features seven classrooms, six administrative offices and a conference room.

“This was a great project for Orange County’s DPW department and it was finished in an efficient manner,” Viebrock said. “I appreciate that County Executive Neuhaus gave us the opportunity to demonstrate how well we can perform on important community projects such as this.”

The Adult Education Learning Center was previously located at 39 West Street in Newburgh. BOCES Adult Educational Services offers comprehensive technical and vocational programs with courses designed for those who seek to enter an occupation or desire to upgrade skills in their present occupation. This program accepts adults, recent high school graduates and students that have been out of school for six months or more.

Approximately 625 students attend the Adult Education Learning Center each year.

“County Executive Neuhaus and his team always get it done when it comes to projects such as this,” Cione said. “His approach has created a wonderful environment for economic development and job creation.”

For more information, contact Justin Rodriguez, Assistant to the County Executive for Communications and Media Relations at 845.291.3255 or jrodriguez@orangecountygov.com.

Orange County Sheriff’s Office holds K-9 Academy graduation

July 12, 2017 By Taylor Dickson

*Press Release

Orange County Sheriff’s Office holds K-9 Academy graduation

The Orange County Sheriff’s Office hosted its K-9 Academy graduation on Friday, July 7th at the County’s Emergency Services Center in Goshen.

Orange County Executive Steven M. Neuhaus, Sheriff Carl E. DuBois, Undersheriff Kenneth T. Jones, Assistant Undersheriff Anthony Weed, Legislator Jim O’Donnell and several local law enforcement officials attended the event. The graduates were Deputy Kevin Golden from the Rockland County Sheriff’s Office and his K-9 Lennon, Town of Woodbury Officer Jahn Farrell and K-9 Zeke, Town of Wallkill Officer Ian Holmes and K-9 Argo, City of Port Jervis Officer Andrew Haniuk and K-9 Roan and Village of Goshen Sergeant John Manna and K-9 Melville.

The K-9’s and their handlers were trained by Sergeant David Campbell and Sergeant Dustin Palen from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. The 16-week training included instruction on obedience, tracking, agility, suspect searches, apprehension techniques and handler protection.

“We are all proud of the wonderful work that the Orange County Sheriff’s Office K-9 unit performs on a daily basis,” Neuhaus said. “Sergeant Campbell and Sergeant Palen are true professionals and did a superb job preparing the K-9’s and their handlers for patrol operations. We wish them the best of luck and will continue to support law enforcement in Orange County.”

Added DuBois: “The graduates will be assets to their police departments and the communities that they serve. This collaboration between the Orange County Sheriff’s Office and our local police departments help to make our communities more safe and secure for all of our residents.”