Mid Hudson Times Apr. 20 2016 | Page 2

2 Mid Hudson Times, Wednesday, April 20, 2016 IN THIS ISSUE Calendar. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 City of Newburgh.. . . . . . . . . . . 26 Classifieds. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Crossword. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Letters to the Editor. . . . . . . . . . 8 Meadow Hill. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Town of Newburgh. . . . . . . . . . . 27 Newburgh Heritage. . . . . . . . . . . 10 New Windsor.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Obituaries. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Opinion. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Police Blotter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Service Directory. . . . . . . . . . . 40 Sports. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 PUBLIC AGENDA THURSDAY, APRIL 21 Newburgh City Council Work Session, 6 p.m. City Hall, 83 Broadway. Town of Newburgh Planning Board, 7 p.m. Town Hall, 1496 Route 300, Town of Newburgh. MONDAY, APRIL 25 Newburgh City Council meeting. 7 p.m. City Hall, 83 Broadway. Town of New Windsor ZBA, 7:30 p.m. Town Hall, 555 Union Avenue. TUESDAY, APRIL 26 Newburgh Enlarged City School District Board of Education, 6-9 p.m. Board of Education Auditorium, 124 Grand St., Newburgh HOW TO REACH US OFFICE: 300 Stony Brook Court Newburgh, N.Y. 12550 PHONE: (845) 561-0170, FAX: (845) 561-3967 E-Mails may be directed to the following : ADVERTISING [email protected] CALENDAR SUBMISSIONS [email protected] TO REACH THE EDITOR [email protected] FOR THE SPORTS DEPARTMENT [email protected] PUBLIC NOTICES [email protected] WEBSITE www.timescommunitypapers.com The Mid Hudson Times, (USPS 000-5947) is a weekly newspaper published every Wednesday at Newburgh, N.Y. 12550, with offices at 300 Stony Brook Court, Newburgh, N.Y. . Single copy: $1 at newsstand. By mail in Orange, Ulster or Sullivan Counties: $40 annually, $44 out of county. Periodicals permit at Newburgh, N.Y. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Mid Hudson Times, 300 Stony Brook Court, Newburgh, N.Y. 12550 Forum focuses on preventing gun violence Continued from page 1 city resident was shot twice in the back. That shooting followed others which saw the shooting of an 11-year-old girl in February, and another that took the life of a 51-year-old man as he exited a car with his son on Benkard Avenue last month. City of Newburgh Police Chief Dan Cameron said a small number of people are responsible for the majority of the violence. “Just because we don’t have enough probable cause to charge somebody doesn’t mean we don’t know who it is,” he said, but people need to come forward with information in order to make arrests. “In the meantime, we focus our intention on whoever is the most violent group.” Omari Shakur, whose grandson was among the shooting victims, called on parents to become more proactive and police their own children. “We are responsible, the parents are responsible,” he said. “Don’t let kids in the house with guns.” Newburgh City Councilwoman Hillary Rayford suggested a curfew for residents under age 18. “We want them to live,” she said. “These young people need employment,” said Councilman Torrance Harvey, whose student was also one of the shooting victims. “They need mentors and sponsors who will help them transition out of poverty.” Cameron said community policing is key in addressing the swell of gun violence in the city. “We are increasing all of our community policing,” he said, including foot patrols and youth outreach. Without community policing, officers are dealing with the community “in bad times” only, he said. “If we don’t all work together, we’re not going to accomplish anything.” Among other projects, the City of Newburgh Police have implemented the Group Violence Intervention Program, which zeroes in on specific criminals. The program, he