The Southern Dutchess News - Printers & Publishers
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office (845) 297-3723
Southern
Dutchess News
This Week...
The Southern Dutchess News has served the area south of Poughkeepsie with news and features since 1959. It is an official newspaper of Dutchess County by vote of the Dutchess County Legislature. The Southern Dutchess News serves Spackenkill, Wappingers Falls, East Fishkill, Fishkill and Beacon. Coverage includes local town, village and school news and features, Dutchess County Legislature, county legal notices, obituaries, plus coverage of arts and entertainment, hospitals and health, education, libraries and local businesses and organizations.
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12/21/11 Highlights of this week's edition...
Volunteer help drives Salvation Army kettle campaign
Salvation Army volunteer Tom Williams plays the trumpet during the
annual Red Kettle Campaign outside of Wal-Mart in Fishkill last
week. Photo by Kristine Coulter
By Kristine Coulter, Staff Writer
DUTCHESS COUNTY -- Stormville resident Tom Williams sat outside of Wal-Mart in Fishkill playing a trumpet. Williams has been volunteering for the Salvation Army Red Kettle Campaign since the 1990s.
“I love to play and I know I make people happy. The economy, the
way it is, I’m pretty sure I can make them happy,” said Williams.
Williams, 69, retired from Con Edison after working there for 34
years. He has been married for 46 years.
Williams said he would like for people to know that the Salvation
Army is “always there in the time of need.” He added “at all times,
all year.”
“They’re key because this is our main fundraising effort at this
time of year,” stated Major Doris Gonzalez, Corps Officer/Pastor for
the Salvation Army Beacon Corps, recently about the approximately 30
volunteers helping with the Red Kettle campaign for the surrounding
area.
The Salvation Army also offers summer camps, programs for seniors,
women’s groups and Christian services.
According to the Salvation Army “Red Kettle FAQs,” the Salvation
Army Red Kettles have been “an American tradition since 1891,
helping raise financial support for critical Salvation Army programs
and services year round.”
There is now a campaign that allows individuals to host their own
Red Kettle online.
For those that have been donating, Major Gonzalez said, “Be assured
(The Salvation Army) is being responsible handling in a responsible
manner the (donations) which are entrusted to us.”
For more information about Operation Christmas Child, contact
Samaritan's Purse, Franklin Graham, President, P.O. Box 3000, Boone,
North Carolina 28607, 1-800-353-5949, or
www.samaritanspurse.org/occ.
For more information about Chapel Falls Christian Fellowship, call
845-223-3763, or www.chapelfalls.org.
Steinhaus vetoes sustained
By Rich Flaherty
POUGHKEEPSIE - An effort by some Dutchess County
Legislators to override one of two vetoes made by Dutchess County
Executive William Steinhaus regarding the 2012 county budget failed
at Monday night's final legislative meeting of the year.
The Republican majority decided not to challenge the vetoes made by
Steinhaus for next year. The total amount of money, regarding two
salary adjustments, was $24,082.
During the recent budget process, the Dutchess County Legislature
added $8,830 for a part-time Legislative Attorney for next year.
Steinhaus vetoed that decision and county lawmakers did not attempt
an override vote on that matter this past Monday evening. Both
vetoes were sustained by the county legislature.
The county legislature adopted the $411 million budget earlier this
month and it's estimated that the average homeowner in Dutchess
County will pay about $50 more in county property taxes in 2012.
Wappinger working to correct HVAC problems
By Rich Flaherty
WAPPINGER - The Wappinger Town Board was updated
last Monday evening on the heating, ventilation and air-conditioning
issues plaguing the town hall on Middlebush Road and the Wappingers
Falls State Police substation next door. The town is the landlord of
the state police substation.
Town Buildings and Grounds Director Steve Frazier informed the town
board about a "series of sensors and controls that are not operating
properly" in the town hall. He said the entire system in the town
hall needs to be evaluated to restore the operation for efficiency.
Some sections of the building are either too warm or too cold at
times, with no continuity.
Town of Wappinger Supervisor Barbara Gutzler said temporary fixes
have been made for the last 20 to 25 years, but permanent solutions
need to be made to rectify the ongoing problems.
"We are going to be proactive and try to take care of this. It's
just ridiculous."
The swearing-in ceremony for members of the Wappinger Town Board
will be held on Monday, January 2, 2012 at 1pm at Wappinger Town
Hall. The public is invited. The Wappinger Town Board
reorganizational meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, January 4, 2012
at 7:30pm at town hall.
Also in the December 21-27 issue:
- Pagones recalls 20 years of leading Town of Fishkill
- Legislature approves additional funds to house out county inmates
- Oak Grove, WJHS boast top spellers in WCSD
- Revolutionary War soldiers who served locally honored
- Van Wyck Jr. High 1st quarter honor roll
- Movie review, “Twilight”
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