Mid Hudson Times Dec. 20 2017 | Page 4

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Mid Hudson Times , Wednesday , December 20 , 2017

Feds devote $ 7 million to study PFOS , PFOA

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and PFOA from 200 to 70 parts per trillion in August , 2016 .

A state-sponsored , region-wide blood testing program has so far shown City of Newburgh residents to have four times the national average level of PFOS in their blood streams . However , due to limited studies , overall data is lacking on the effects of PFOS and other perfluorinated chemicals in humans .

When residents asked what their test results meant in terms of their health , they received few answers . “ It was very hard for us to tell people whether they would have any long-term health effects as a result of their exposure to PFOA and PFOS ,” Maloney said . “ There is no reason to believe that anybody will have any long-term health effects . But we don ’ t want to happy talk it . We want to know what the best health science would say .”

According to the New York State Department of Health , high levels of exposure to perfluorinated chemicals have been linked to problems in fetal development , liver damage , high cholesterol , testicular and liver cancer .

“ On a national level , we need to understand what is in our drinking water ” Maloney said , noting some communities have had to find out the “ hard way ” what was in their water . “ There are hundreds of communities dealing with these compounds in their water supplies ,” he said , that are also located near military bases that have contaminated local water systems .

“ I want to stress that the water is safe to drink in Newburgh ,” he added , since the city switched over to using Catskill Aqueduct water last year .

Work is currently wrapping up at the City of Newburgh water treatment plant on the installation of a mammoth granular activated carbon filtration system , designed to remove PFOS , PFOA and other chemicals from drinking

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When I come to the City of Newburgh , I see what Beacon had a decade ago . I realize this can be done here on a much larger scale .”

However , the announcement was made with the caveat that the City of Newburgh Civil Service Commission must first approve his appointment . “ I ’ ve been encouraged by our corporate council that the appointment first be presented to the civil service commission so they can review his qualifications ,” Ciaravino said .

Solomon has served as a police officer , lieutenant and police chief in the Village of Monticello , a position he held for more than 23 years . In March 2012 , he began serving as police chief in the City of Beacon .

Ciaravino pointed out that Solomon has worked in diverse communities , earning a 2010 achievement award from the Sullivan County NAACP . Notably , he said , Solomon had “ addressed a gang problem in Monticello .”

Solomon also has extensive experience in grant writing and managing overtime , Ciaravino said . He also worked with building departments to address code violations and other housing-related issues , according to the city manager . “ I believe he will continue in the tradition and

Congressman Sean Patrick Maloney calls on the federal government to fund a study on the human-health effects of exposure to PFOS and PFOA at a press conference at St . Luke ’ s Cornwall Hospital in October last year .

water .

Maloney is working on a separate piece of legislation to have the EPA require testing for unregulated contaminants , such as PFOS , in drinking-water systems in communities with less than 10,000 people . “ EPA tests water supplies for communities over 10,000 residents ,” the congressman said . “ Because of that , we found out we had a problem in Newburgh .”

City plans to hire Beacon police chief

integrity that Dan Cameron brought to the position ,” Ciaravino said .

He was referring to former acting City of Newburgh Police Chief Dan Cameron , who , along with Ciaravino , clashed with the city civil service commission after it refused to promote Cameron , a 20-year veteran of the city police force , to the position of permanent police chief .

According to his LinkedIn profile , Solomon currently serves as treasurer of the Dutchess County Association of Police Chiefs and on the advisory board for New York State Crimestoppers .

Ciaravino , on Tuesday , released a copy of a letter he had submitted to the City of Newburgh Civil Service Commission in support of Solomon ’ s candidacy .

“ I am requesting your assistance pursuant to the City of Newburgh Civil Service Commission Rules and Regulations in reviewing the qualifications of the candidate for the position of the City of Newburgh Police Chief ,” Ciaravino wrote . “ Specifically , I am requesting the Commission ’ s opinion about whether the civil service examination that the candidate took as a predicate to becoming Chief in Monticello will be acceptable to the Commission in support of his candidacy in Newburgh .”

In Brief

Firefighters battle Plattekill blaze

Plattekill and Modena firefighters fought a stubborn blaze , Friday afternoon in the Town of Newburgh .

Plattekill Assistant Chief Cristopher Mancuso reported that the call came in shortly after 1 p . m . at 43 Forrest Road . Modena and Cronomer Valley Units were first on the scene , before a second alarm , indicating an active structure fire was turned in at 1:13 p . m . Mancuso said all occupants had escaped the fire by the time the trucks arrived at the scene .

Departments from Ulster and Orange counties , including Orange Lake , Walden , Coldenham and City of Newburgh were called to the scene , along with Town of Newburgh Police and Central Hudson . The fire was reported under control at 1:55 p . m ., with the last of the responding units reported back in service at 3:30 p . m .

The cause of the fire is under investigation by Town of Newburgh and Ulster County Fire Investigation units .

Newburgh man sentenced in sex trafficking case

A Newburgh man was sentenced in Orange County Court on Thursday to 12 years in state prison and five years of post-release supervisor for the felony of sex trafficking .

Theodore Edwards , 50 , was charged with kidnapping , four counts of rape , three counts of sexual act , 12 counts of sex trafficking , five counts of promoting prostitution , four counts of coercion , two counts of kidnapping , sexual abuse , stalking , assault and unlawful imprisonment .

The charges stem from allegations that he kidnapped or unlawfully imprisoned four women at 222 Broadway in the City of Newburgh , subjected them to assaults and other physical abuse , and forced them to perform sex acts on him , and in the case of three women , on other individuals as well .

Edwards posted Internet ads to have sex with three of the victims .

On October 27 , he pled guilty to sex trafficking .

Cabbie charged with rape

A New Windsor man , who worked as a cab driver for Yellow Cab in the City of Newburgh , has been arraigned in Orange County Court in connection with two rapes he is charged with committing in Newburgh .

Javier Vilchez-Salazar , 34 , was remanded to the Orange County Jail in lieu of $ 500,000 cash bail or $ 1 million bond .

Vilchez-Salazar allegedly picked up the women as fares on September 3 and November 12 outside a bar on the Newburgh waterfront . He dropped them off in the same area of New Windsor . In the November 12 incident , Vilchez-Salazar left the victim naked with no shoes , until she was picked up by a Good Samaritan who drove past her as she was walking down the road .