TIMES
WALLKILL VALLEY
Vol. 34, No 12 3 WEDNESDAY, MARCH 23, 2016
3
ONE DOLLAR
Wallkill
softball
Page 46
www.WallkillValleyTimes.net
Valley Central suspends superintendent search
By JANE ANDERSON
John Xanthis, interim superintendent for Valley
Central schools, will continue leading the district for now
after the Board of Education failed to reach consensus on
a permanent candidate for the position.
The board had narrowed its search down to two candidates: Joseph Prisinzano, Assistant to the Superintendent
Caring
neighbors
for Administration, Research, Innovation and Common
Core for the Jericho School District; and Stephen Walker,
Deputy Superintendent for the Ramapo Central School
District.
At its regular meeting on Monday, March 14, and in a
posting on its website, the board announced that it “cannot reach a consensus on the position of Superintendent
of Schools. At this time, we will continue with our inter-
im superintendent, John Xanthis, and will re-open a
Superintendent search in the future.”
Board President Brad Conklin said in a telephone call
that Xanthis’ contract with the district runs until June
30. He couldn’t comment on whether Xanthis had been in
the running for the permanent spot.
Continued on page 5
Not so
clear cut
Sweet Gesture
Walker Valley fire sparks
outpouring of help
Debate over Crawford
tree-cutting law
reaches state level
By JANE ANDERSON
A devastating fire tore through a
Walker Valley home on Saturday, March
20, leaving a family of five with nothing
but the clothing on their backs. But the
community has rallied around them just
as fiercely, raising more than $16,000 as of
Monday night.
Denise Greer was home with two of
her boys in the cape-cod style log home
on Marl Road when the fire erupted in
the kitchen around 6:40 p.m., according
to Walker Valley Fire Chief David Grass.
Greer’s husband Allen and another son
were not at home when it began, Grass
said.
The Walker Valley Fire Department is
less than a mile from the home; however, firefighters couldn’t begin an interior
attack until power was cut to the home,
Continued on page 2
By RACHEL COLEMAN
J.P. Aponte
A parade helper hands out candy during Sunday’s Saint Patrick’s Parade in the hamlet of
Wallkill. More photos of Wallkill’s Parade are on page 26, while Montgomery’s Saint Patrick’s
Parade photos on are page 24.
According to the NYS Department of
Agriculture and Markets, the town of
Crawford’s law regulating timber harvesting and prohibiting clear-cutting may
violate state law.
“In the Department’s view, farm
operations within an agricultural district should be allowed the maximum
use of available land, consistent with the
need to protect public health or safety,”
said Director Michael Latham of the NYS
Department of Agriculture and Markets
in a letter to the town received on March
1.
Continued on page 2
SERVING CRAWFORD, GARDINER, MAYBROOK, MONTGOMERY, PINE BUSH, SHAWANGUNK, WALDEN AND WALLKILL