T IMES
MID
HUDSON
Vol. 30, No 16
APRIL 18 - 24, 2018
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Music for
Humanity
Page 19 Page 16
SERVING NEWBURGH AND NEW WINDSOR
Mayor Judy Kennedy succumbs to cancer at 73
By SHANTAL RILEY
[email protected]
A city champion
Condolences poured in from around
ONE DOLLAR
My
Brother’s
Keeper
Newburgh mourns its champion
The City of Newburgh is in mourning
this week following the passing of
Newburgh Mayor Judy Kennedy, who
died on Sunday following a two-year-
long battle with cancer. “We love you,” a
message posted to the City of Newburgh
website simply read that day.
Kennedy was well-known for
her coalition-building and dogged
determination in tackling the city’s
many socio-economic challenges. First
elected mayor in 2011, Kennedy was
reelected to a second term four years
later. She died at the Kaplan Family
Residence Hospice surrounded by her
family and friends on Sunday morning.
She was 73.
Kennedy was diagnosed with cancer
in May, 2016. She kept a busy schedule
in the last two years, despite her failing
physical health. The mayor presided
over city meetings and functions as
recently as last month, when she led a
Newburgh City Council meeting at City
Hall. In signature fashion that evening,
she called for civility in debating various
issues.
“Be impeccable with your words,” she
said in a thin voice. “If we’re going to
pull this city together and we’re all
going to do what we need to do, then…
we must figure out a way to solve conflict
and resolve these issues in a way that is
civil, in a way that is respectful of other
people that don’t agree. We can put all
the facts on the table and discuss them
with each other.”
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Skartados
mourned by
colleagues
and
constituents
By MARK REYNOLDS
[email protected]
Judy Kennedy at her mayoral inauguration in 2015.
the state this weekend. “Her passion
was seen by all through her activism
and through her constant persistence
on the issues that mattered most to her
residents,” New York State Senator Bill
Larkin Jr. said in a statement Sunday.
“As a person, she had a heart of gold.”
Many comments about the mayor were
posted to social media sites. “Thanks for
appreciating this city as much as you
did,” Felixia Hodges wrote on Facebook.
“It is an honor and privilege to have
received words of wisdom, advice and
counseling from this lady, my beloved
friend, my mayor, Judy Kennedy,”
Anthony Grice wrote.
In a cruel blow, the community also
learned over the weekend that New York
State Assemblyman Frank Skartados
had succumbed to cancer on the same
day. He was 62.
“Today was a double loss for the
Hudson Valley,” U.S. Senator Charles
Continued on page 3
WWW.MIDHUDSONTIMES.COM
For Newburgh residents, Sunday was a
day of two great losses, with the death of
Assemblyman Frank Skartados
In January Skartados was diagnosed
with stage IV pancreatic cancer and was
admitted to the hospital on March 24
because of pain and respiratory issues
due to his illness. His death came at 2 a.m.
on Sunday, according to Chief of Staff
Steve Gold.
Skartados, the seventh of eight
children, was born on the Greek island
of Astypalaia in the Aegean Sea. He grew
up on a small farm where he helped his
father with a variety of chores.
On July 4, 1970, at the age of 14,
Skartados arrived in New York City with
his mother.
He graduated from George Washington
High School in the Washington Heights
section in upper Manhattan. He
eventually owned a restaurant, which
provided the needed funding for him to
to attend SUNY New Paltz, graduating
with honors with a degree in Political
Science. While earning his degree,
Skartados worked at the Commandant’s
Office of the New York Military Academy
in Cornwall. He continued his education
Continued on page 2