T IMES
MID
Unforgiving
Cuomo veto denies
school district amnesty
for $13 million fine
HUDSON
Vol. 31, No. 2
3
JANUARY 9 - 15, 2019
Giving
Saturday
Page 18
3
ONE DOLLAR
Goldbacks
bruise
Warwick
Page 36
SERVING NEWBURGH AND NEW WINDSOR
Junior Cadet program awarded $5,000
By KATELYN CORDERO
[email protected]
On December 28, 2018, Governor
Andrew Cuomo’s vetoes affected seven
school districts across New York State
including the
Newburgh
Enlarged
City
School
District. The
veto of bill
A.1174 denies
N E C S D
amnesty from
the $12,747,495
the district was
fined for an
administrative
error in May
of 2004.
The district
DR ROBERTO PADILLA
failed to file
SUPERINTENDENT
a final cost
report of a
capital project
for the remediation of fuel storage tanks
and for work at Newburgh Free Academy
on time.
“We strongly believe this alleged
error does not justify the current
assessed penalty from the state,” said
Superintendent Dr. Roberto Padilla.
“However, since we were informed of the
penalty, we have worked with bipartisan
support to advocate for our scholars and
began to make payments toward this
penalty. We are doing our due diligence
to rectify this matter as quickly as
possible. The fiscal health of our district
“ W e strongly
believe this
alleged error
does not justify
the current
assessed penalty
from the state”
Continued on page 4
Katelyn Cordero
The Cadets lined up to accept the check from the County Executive.
By KATELYN CORDERO
[email protected]
The Junior Police Cadet Academy
Program received a $5,000 check on
Thursday presented by Orange County
Executive Steven Neuhaus. The program
is a continuation of the Youth and Police
Initiative and the Youth Police Academy
over the summer.
Orange
County
Legislator
Kevindaryan Lujan pushed for the
contribution from the county for months
until is was finally approved this month.
“This program speaks to the fact
that the city of Newburgh has been
doing so many great things over the past
few years,” said Lujan. “I think it’s so
important to recognize the people who
do great things for us, they don’t always
get attention for it. You want to know
why we reduced crime, it’s because we
focus on the community policing. I want
to show the partnership of the county,
the county executive and the police
department and say we’ve got your back
just like you have ours.”
The program was initiated by Chief
Doug Solomon but run by Lt Joseph
Cortez and Officer Dan D’Elicio.
Students are given their own uniforms
and equipment, they receive hands-
on field training as well as lectures to
prepare them for the police academy
and for the police tests.
“I grew up in this community and
WWW.MIDHUDSONTIMES.COM
went through a similar program,” said
D’Elicio. “The most rewarding part is
showing them skills and techniques
and watching them apply it with other
students. These were things I learned
as a kid and now watching them go
through it brings everything full circle.”
Since their graduation from the
Youth Academy students have met
weekly in the cadet program, doing
lectures, tactical and physical fitness
training. There are currently 20 high
school students currently involved with
the program, some with the hopes of
going into law enforcement or into the
military.
Continued on page 2