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Mid Hudson Times , Wednesday , November 2 , 2016

PUBLIC AGENDA

WEDNESDAY , NOVEMBER 2 New Windsor Town Board , Town Hall , 555 Union Ave ., New Windsor .

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MONDAY , NOVEMBER 7

Newburgh Town Board , 7 p . m . Town Hall , 1496 Route 300 , Town of Newburgh .

WEDNESDAY , NOVEMBER 9

Town of New Windsor Planning Board , 7 p . m . Town Hall , 555 Union Avenue .

THURSDAY , NOVEMBER 10

Newburgh City Council Work Session , 6 p . m . City Hall , 83 Broadway .

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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

“ Let ’ s clean up this city and get rid of these thugs ,” Schnekwa McNeil shouted at an anti-violence rally at NFA on Monday .

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in front of Newburgh Free Academy on Monday .

About 150 friends , family , teachers and students stood hand-in-hand in prayer for the dead and wounded . Rallygoers then marched to Delano-Hitch Park , waving anti-violence banners and signs . “ We shouldn ’ t be burying our kids ,” said community organizer Joe Alvarez . “ We ’ re better than this .”

Alvarez appealed directly to young people at the rally . “ We need to keep the peace in our streets ,” he said through a bullhorn . “ We can ’ t wait for the older generation … we need you to step up .”

It was Tabitha Cruz who stood up at a Newburgh City Council meeting in September , shortly after the shooting death of her friend , 18-year-old Keyshan Gayle . “ She asked them to stop the violence … to keep them safe ,” said Schnekwa McNeil . “ For her to meet the same fate that she pleaded against is insane .”

The community appeared before the council that night to demand better street lighting and video cameras to help make Newburgh streets safer . Cruz was one of many of Gayle ’ s friends to speak .

Friends and family of Omani Free hugged at the rally . “ We got a call in the middle of the night saying my cousin was shot ,” said Chandra James . “ It ’ s been rough .”

The anti-violence rally was at least the third held in the city this year , as gun violence appears to be on the rise : Glenton Wright was gunned down on Benkard Avenue in March ; Deandrick Little , 29 , was fatally shot on Aug . 1 ; Gayle was shot on Fullerton Avenue on Aug . 30 , just weeks after graduating from NFA .

Devin Isaac , charged in Little ’ s death , was taken in by New York City Police on Sept . 22 ; In October , Tyler Castro , 22 , was charged with second-degree murder in connection with Gayle ’ s .

The city has since repaired more than 100 non-working street lights . In September , $ 150,000 in federal funding was reallocated for the upgrade of the city surveillance system . The city has also applied for a federal Bureau of Justice Assistance grant that would pay for a “ ShotSpotter ” system to instantly notify police of shooting activity with real-time data .

“ It really does pain our hearts that we have to be here ,” said Newburgh Superintendent of Schools Roberto Padilla on Monday . “ Two more of our children will soon be buried .”

Padilla encouraged the students attending the rally to lean on school staff for emotional support . “ We love you , we need you to come to school every day , we need you to confide in us . That is our job ,” he told the young people . “ Please reach out to us and let us know what we can do to help you .”

City Councilman Torrance Harvey urged anyone who knows anything about shooting to contact authorities . “ If we see something , we must say something ,” he said .

The New York State Police , the Orange County District Attorney ’ s Office and city police continue to investigate .

Anyone with information about the shooting or whereabouts of Nija A . Johnson is urged to contact City of Newburgh Police at 845- 561-3131 or New York State Crime Stoppers at 1-866-313- TIPS / 8477 . Calls may be made anonymously . Crime Stoppers is offering $ 2,500 for information that leads to Johnson ’ s location , arrest and conviction .