“The Godfather of Soul” Has Died

James Brown, known as the “Godfather of Soul,” died of heart failure early Monday morning at Emory Crawford Long Hospital in Atlanta. He was 73.
According to his agent, Frank Copsidas, Brown was initially admitted to the hospital with pneumonia but seemed to be fine. He even told people that he planned to perform in New York for New Year's Eve.

James Joseph Brown was born in Barnwell, South Carolina on May 3, 1933. Abandoned at the age of 4 by his parents, Brown overcame poverty and even prison to become one of the most popular, most influential musicians of the modern music era and an icon of African-American pride.
Brown had recorded well over one hundred songs with 94 of them reaching the Top 100, and he had more Top 20 singles than any other recording artist. Only Elvis Presley had more records make the music charts than Brown.
Some of Brown’s hit songs include “Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag,” “It’s a Man’s Man’s Man’s World,” “I Got the Feelin’,” and “Cold Sweat.”

He was one of the figures most responsible for turning R&B into soul; he was, most would agree, the figure most responsible for turning soul music into the funk of the late ‘60’s and early ‘70’s.

“He was an innovator, he was an emancipator, he was an originator. Rap music, all that stuff came from James Brown,” entertainer Little Richard, a longtime friend of Brown, said in an interview on MSNBC.

As charter member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Brown added to his collection of accolades when he received a lifetime achievement Grammy Award in 1992.

James Brown’s music will continue to influence new generations of musicians for generations to come with his funk grooves often being used as samples on rap recordings. Pictured Above Top Left: James Brown, known as “The Godfather of Soul” died Monday at the age of seventy-three.

Arts Academy making Some Noise

By Jennifer L. Warren

(Newburgh) - It’s a late Saturday afternoon in the City of Newburgh, and inside the walls of 64 Grand Street, it’s loud...very loud. Twelve first-grade students are tapping away to Rhiannon’s “S.O.S.”

Meanwhile, over in a neighboring studio, seven teenaged girls are fine tuning their jazz dance skills, as they rhythmically float around the room to Christina Aguilera’s “Back in the Day.”

One of the instructors, Kim Turner-White, leading over the first year seven-nine year old class, is dancing in snyc with her young charges, shouting out reminders, “Come on.” “You can do it.” “Nice job,” encourages Turner-White.
Her students respond, smiling, laughing and eagerly stepping up their tapping game.

Ever since September, 2004, this same energy can be felt at the Newburgh Performing Arts Academy. A non-profit organization providing quality, formal training in the creative arts to youth ages three-eighteen, the Academy was the brainchild of Turner-White, a former dancer who trained at Howard University and the Dance Theater of Harlem. Both she and her husband, Kevin White, who serves as Executive Director for the Academy, shared a vision of making the arts available to all, regardless of financial barriers.

“I wanted to open a place like this where kids could come and learn how to dance without astronomical fees; it’s been my dream to make professional dancing available to all,” says Turner-White, clad in dance gear and tap shoes. “When we first opened the doors here, we were expecting 60 students to sign up; we got 180 and now have waiting lists.”

That number has now ballooned to over 500. Each week 400 kids pass through the doors of NPAA while another 100 plus are involved in the community program. Pre-professional Friday and Saturday classes, along with home schooling offerings are available on-site; while the arts and education program reaches out to the community, bringing classes into the schools.
Very reasonable rates, scholarships, instruction by highly qualified professionals, and expanded curriculum have all contributed to the population hike. Whereas dance was the sole curriculum two years ago, visual arts, theater and music classes have all been added. Now, students can choose from such titles as; ballet, sculpture, set design, Suzuki violin, and voice. Other options, such as the new keyboards and recording studio engineering courses, are attracting boys to the once virtually all-female clientele. The numbers keep climbing, but funding remains hard-pressed to keep pace.

“Everyone chips in here as much as they can,” says White as he glances over at one of the dance students vacuuming the front lobby rug. “People see the high numbers we are attracting and think we are making tons of money; the truth is we are barely getting by and have to rely a great deal on fund raisers and grants.”

Those monies are especially vital come spring time when the NPAA struts their stuff in full costume at the end of the year recital. Here, all of the hard work comes together. It’s a time for many to witness just how much the Academy has affected these young lives.

“Coming here has allowed me to learn more about dance than ever before,” says Amanda Baker, a junior at Newburgh Free Academy who aspires to a career in dance choreography. “When I first came here, I only took the two dance classes; now, I take four...and in things I wouldn’t normally have considered, like tap and ballet, allowing me to really open my horizons.” Heading back to get in some final jazz dance practice, rounding out her three plus hours for the day, she adds, “I’ve taken all the dance classes here, but honestly, if they had any more, I would take them too.”

Pictured Above: 7-9 year-old tap students along with their teacher & Academy co-owner Kim Turner-White.

Howland Library Honors Local Artist

(Beacon) - Bill Neary was born in Beacon, and spent most of his life in the family home on Oak Street . William, his father, was a draftsman by trade, but also sketched cartoons and other subjects in his free time. Young Bill’s talent emerged early, and he is remembered sitting at the kitchen table drawing, drawing, drawing. He dedicated his life to working at his art, and as a student at Saint John the Evangelist School he was known as the class artist. By the time he graduated from Beacon High School, everyone knew Bill as an artist.

At 18, Bill joined the Navy just as World War II was coming to a close. After two years in the service of his country, he used the G.I. Bill to enter Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, NY. He stayed briefly, coming back to Beacon to work for the U.S. Postal Service. He juggled a fulltime postal job and a career in art for many years. Bill continued his studies at the Art Students League in Manhattan, squeezing in classes when he could. Flexibility is the hallmark of the ASL and that has been an advantage to the many famous artists who have studied there. Eventually, Bill was able to leave the Post Office and work fulltime as an artist.

Bill worked in many media: oil, charcoal pencil, acrylic, watercolor, mosaic, and pen and ink. He was a sculptor. He designed stained glass windows and church interiors. He was a published illustrator and created murals. His eclectic style and range of work were largely a result of his desire to learn and explore on his own. His work lives on in many private collections and public places: Holy Eucharist Chapel in Letchworth Village, St. Columba’s Church and Convent in Manhattan, Immaculate Conception Church in Westerly, RI, Transfiguration Church in Tarrytown, and Holy Trinity Church in East Hampton, LI house his work.

Bill loved his hometown and helped to make it a better place. He exhibited at the Howland Cultural Center in a solo show, yet allowed his work to be displayed at the Howland Public Library in a large group show. A selection of Bill’s sketches and other works on loan from his family are now on display at the Howland Public Library, located at 313 Main Street, Beacon.
Bill succumbed to cancer in the late ‘80s. He is survived by siblings Suzanne Fahlman and Robert Neary, and by many nieces and nephews who loved him dearly. On Tuesday, December 5, 2006, the Neary family came to the library to talk about Bill and his work. Muralist Rick Price showed his work-in-progress: a mural celebrating the Howland Public Library and community. Bill’s niece, Amy Fahlman Supple, has donated three prints for the Friends of the Howland Public Library to raffle on behalf of the Howland Public Library Mural Fund.

There will be three opportunities to win. The three prints of Beacon scenes: Main Street , Four Corners Diner, and the River, are on display at the library. Tickets are being sold at the library’s front desk, at Beacon Reads, the Friends’ New and Used Bookstore at 309 Main Street, and by Friends throughout the community.
Pictured Above: Amy Fahlman Supple, Suzanne Fahlman, Patricia Neary and Robert Neary; muralist Rick Price in front are gathered together for a photo as they were socializing.

A Day in Clay”

(Newburgh) - The Newburgh Enlarged City School District’s Temple Hill Academy recently celebrated “A Day in Clay,” a multicultural ceramic-arts demo and hands-on program featuring artists-in-residence Cliff Mendelson.
In three 75-minute workshops for about 75 students each, Mendelson used his potter’s wheel to demonstrate how to make various types of pottery. During the third workshop, he allowed students to sit at the wheel and get their hands into the clay.

“The pottery demonstration focuses on Greek culture,” said Mendelson. “This includes the display of large photographs of a variety of Greek pottery. The emphasis is on the patterns and how they related to Greek cultural forms and techniques,” he said.

“This is a very inspiring and educational program,“ said Temple Hill Academy art teacher Elizabeth Mills. “But the best part is having the kids try their hand at shaping the clay. That’s what it’s all about,” said Mills.

Pictured to the Left is, ceramic artist, Cliff Mendelson helping a Temple Hill Academy student shape a clay bowl during the school’s recent “Day in Clay.”

Been Rich All My Life DVD Now Available

They filled the dance halls of Harlem in its Golden Age, performing at the famed Apollo Theater and Cotton Club with legendary bandleaders like Cab Galloway and Duke Ellington. They led the first strike by African American performers when they walked out of the Apollo one night in a successful bid for higher wages, establishing AGVA, an integrated performer’ union. They danced on the first black USD tour, stealing the “for colored only” signs off the trains they rode through the American South. That was 65 years ago, and today they’re still hoofin’ and living it up. They are the Silver Belles, the sassy, classy chorus line dancers still filling the concert halls well into their eighties and nineties. Meet them in BEEN RICH ALL MY LIFE, the delightful film by Sundance Award winning director Heather Lyn MacDonald, now available on DVD.

Director MacDonald has created a stereotype-busting portrait of age-defying women who have never wavered in their love of dance or of each other. At the core of the film is a friendship that has continued for seventy years, and the film sparkles with their candor. BEEN RICH ALL MY LIFE also offers the rare opportunity to see a century of history through the eyes of the last surviving dancers of Harlem’s 1930’s heyday. These colorful characters and their stories are accompanied by a treasure trove of archival film and photos, as well as a music score spanning eight decades of evolving jazz styles. “The right music will just push you,” says 87 year’s old Fay Ray. “I light up like a Christmas tree when I go out there!”
DVD Bonus Features: Dance Class: Learn the Shim Sham Shimmy

* Bonus Scenes with Director’s Commentary
* Interview with Composer
* Original Music Tracks
* Photo Gallery

Reviewing Your Asset Allocation this year

One of the best ways to maximize the long-term performance of your investment portfolio is through proper asset allocation. The term asset allocation refers to how you divide your investments among the three key asset classes - stocks, bonds, and cash-equivalents. In other words, it means not putting all your eggs in one basket.

According to the New York State Society of CPAs, research has shown that 90 percent of overall portfolio performance is determined by asset allocation - and not by the actual investments you select or your ability to time the market. Thus, asset allocation is essential to building your financial future.

Why asset allocation is important
Asset allocation works because each of the three key asset classes tends to react differently to economic events and market conditions. In some years, stocks fare better than bonds. In other years, bonds may outperform stocks. Determining which asset class will do best in a given year is difficult - even for professional investors. But by dividing your assets among the three major asset classes, you spread out both your opportunities and your investment risk.

Let your needs drive the process
The proper asset allocation for you depends on a number of factors including your age, financial goals, risk tolerance, time frame, and overall financial situation. Taking all of these factors into consideration helps to ensure that your asset allocation strategy is appropriate for you - neither too aggressive nor too conservative.

Generally, younger investors can allocate more of their investments to stocks, because they have more time weather short-term drops in the market. Investors with a longer investment time horizon should consider investing 80 percent of his or her assets in stocks and 10 percent each in bonds and cash.

On the other hand, if you plan to retire in a few years, are likely to need your money in the short-term, or have a very low tolerance for risk, you might take a more conservative approach. For example, you could invest 40 percent of your portfolio in stocks, 40 percent in bonds, and 20 percent in cash. Since some growth is important in all portfolios, CPAs generally advise that even conservative investors and those in retirement keep some percentage of their assets in stocks.

Diversify within asset categories
After you allocate your investments over the three broad asset classes, you need to go a step further and diversify the investments within each asset class. For example, your stock portfolio should include investments in several different industries and sectors, such as technology, healthcare, financial services, and consumer products. It�s also a good idea to include both domestic and international investments, since different economies may experience ups and downs at different times.

Rebalance regularly
The beginning of the New Year is an opportune time to review your asset allocation. Revisit your investments and goals regularly to determine whether your asset allocation still makes sense. For example, as you move closer to retirement, you may want to begin to gradually move some - but not all - of your assets out of stocks and stock funds.
Over time and as a result of performance, the value of the various assets within your portfolio will change. For example, if your stocks do particularly well one year, your portfolio may turn out to be more heavily weighed toward equities than you originally intended. To rebalance, you may want to sell some stock and reinvest the money in bonds or cash. Or if you have additional money to invest, you can invest those dollars in bond or cash funds.

Consult With A CPA
Make an appointment with a CPA today. He or she can help you review your asset allocation and make any necessary adjustments.

Consumer Files Federal Lawsuit

(Middletown) - Hoping to strike a blow for consumer rights, Jacquelynn Vance-Pauls, a Middletown real estate attorney, has filed a federal lawsuit against a debt collector, a credit reporting agency and a hospital for violating her rights under federal law. Vance-Pauls� ordeal was chronicled in two recent articles by Times Herald Record consumer reporter Christine Young.

In her lawsuit, Vance-Pauls claims that her good credit rating was damaged by an unscrupulous Monticello debt collecting law firm, Michael Zager, P.C., and the negligence of the Experian credit reporting service. In May 2006, Zager�s firm mistakenly reported to Experian that Vance-Pauls owed Arden Hill Hospital $62. The bill had actually been paid by her insurance company five years earlier. Vance-Pauls first learned of her alleged debt over the summer when she had trouble refinancing her mortgage and received a copy of her Experian credit report. When she protested to Zager and Experian, her troubles only worsened. According to her complaint, rather than fix the error, Zager�s office pressured her to sign a release of claims and pay money she did not owe. When Vance-Pauls refused, Zager again falsely reported to Experian that Vance-Pauls owed the Arden Hill bill. As a result, her credit was further damaged. Because Vance-Pauls owns her law practice, Zager�s negative report also affected her business credit.

According to Vance-Pauls� attorney, Michael Sussman, both Zager and Experian violated federal laws protecting consumers. �Zager�s firm appears to have acted with utter contempt for the law. Under federal law, debt collectors are prohibited from this type of abuse of power. Consumers need to know they are not powerless in the face of deceptive practices and misconduct. Experian also dropped the ball. When Ms. Vance-Pauls protested her report, it failed to do any due diligence and ignored her proof that Zager�s report of a debt was in error. Unfortunately, this type of experience is not an isolated one. Consumers must know that if they find mistaken items on their credit reports and those mistakes are not corrected, they have rights under the law.�

Because Zager was acting on behalf of Arden Hill Hospital, the Orange Regional Medical Center is also named as a defendant. Vance-Pauls is seeking both punitive and compensatory damages from Zager and compensatory damages from Experian and the Medical Center.

Emergency Bridge Repair Complete

(Poughkeepsie) - Dutchess County Executive William R. Steinhaus announced the completion of emergency repairs to the bridge on County Route 43, DeGarmo Road, over Wappingers Creek in the Town of Poughkeepsie. The bridge is owned and maintained by the Dutchess County Department of Public Works.

In October, a routine bridge inspection performed by the New York State Department of Transportation found that the currents in the Wappingers Creek had severely undermined the north abutment of the bridge. According to Commissioner of Public Works Michael Murphy, �The discovery resulted in the NYSDOT�s issuance of a �Red Structural Flag� warning, which requires the County to promptly repair the bridge or provide other corrective action. Because of the nature and severity of the problem, the bridge needed immediate repair or temporary closure.�

Steinhaus said, �County Route 43, DeGarmo Road, is a heavily used connector highway for passenger vehicles, public transportation, school buses, and commercial traffic between Route 55 and Route 44 between the Town of Poughkeepsie and LaGrange. Immediate closure of this bridge would have required long detours and caused major inconvenience to motorists not only between Poughkeepsie and LaGrange but also the thousands who use it has a north-south artery. Closing the major county connector would have been a nightmare to the residents of the county as well as the commercial business users. Certainly, a disaster would get more headlines, but in this case it�s a �good news story� thanks to our terrific county staff.�

According to Greg Bentley, Director of Engineering, �Based upon the overall age and condition of the bridge, the County had previously requested federal funding for a future bridge replacement project. The traditional method of repairing the undermined bridge foundation, the red-flagged condition, would involve driving sheet piling which can only be accomplished after the bridge superstructure has been removed. Thus, the larger bridge replacement project would be required in order to address the structural red flag.� That project will not occur for several years and would be too late to address the worsening foundation problem.

DPW structural engineers teamed with Modjeski and Masters Consulting Engineers to produce an innovative design contract to repair the bridge foundation without removing the superstructure. The repair contract was assembled, advertised and let in just over one month. Bids were opened on November 13, 2006. The low bidder, A. Colarusso & Son, was awarded the contract one day later. Murphy said, �The work was completed in three days in the last week of November without ever closing the road or causing any significant inconvenience to the motoring public. The cost of the work was approximately $100,000 of county money.�

The work was performed from hanging scaffolds over the creek. Fiber reinforced polymer sheet piling was hand driven around the bridge abutment with minimal disturbance to the stream. Special underwater concrete was pumped beneath the structure through custom manufactured pipes, which accessed the void beneath the structure and were left in place. Work quality was assured through the use of an underwater camera. The bridge abutment was protected with large stone rip-rap to prevent future reoccurrence of the problem.

Director Bentley said, �The completed abutment repair allows the bridge to remain open and preserves the bridge foundation so that the larger bridge project can retain the existing abutments. The County now has the time to advance the bridge replacement project, thus providing federal and state funding for 80-95% of the bridge replacement cost.�

The County Executive concluded, Everyday I am impressed and inspired by the innovative and creative effort of our county employees. This great success is just one more example of the high value taxpayers get from our dedicated county staff.

John Hall Receives Key Assignment

Congressman-Elect John Hall, who will represent New York�s 19th Congressional District in January, was chosen by Democratic leaders in the House of Representatives to serve on the powerful Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. The Transportation Committee has jurisdiction over highways, turnpikes, rail systems and other related systems. The Committee, which will serve under Chairman James Oberstar (D-MN), will have a key voice in the upcoming debate on energy independence and will play a vital role in transportation issues in the Hudson Valley. Having a voice on the Transportation Committee is a big victory for Hudson Valley residents, who have seen population and economic growth as well as growing challenges with traffic, energy prices and flooding in the area.

�The Transportation and Infrastructure Committee is losing two New Yorkers� my predecessor, Rep. Sue Kelly, and retiring Rep. Sherwood Boehlert in the next Congress,� said Hall. Rep. Kelly recognized the importance of this Committee to the District, and so do I. New York�s 19th Congressional District is located in the most rapidly growing part of upstate New York, the Hudson River Valley, directly north of New York City. It is a major transportation corridor with a large number of commuters and an aging and inadequate infrastructure.

�A position on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee allows me to play a key role on the issues faced by my District as a result of its economically strategic location and growing population,� continued Hall. And so I am honored to have been selected by the congressional leadership to serve on this Transportation Committee because it gives me the opportunity to work on the legislation that is truly important in securing our present and future transportation future while also preserving our quality of life.

Rail, highway, and bridge links connect the Hudson Valley to New York City, the metropolitan area, and the major markets of the Eastern U.S. and Canada. Interstates 87 (north-south) and 84 (east-west), major arteries for truck transport, intersect in the District. One of Amtrak�s most successful lines runs through the Hudson Valley between New York City and Albany. Stewart International Airport, the nation�s only privately operated airport, is key to the region�s future prosperity, and may well become the fourth major airport in the greater New York City area. The Hudson River remains a significant commercial waterway, with ships and barges carrying fuel oil and other vital supplies year-round. Finally, rapid suburban growth is driving demand for protection of water resources in the District, including the watershed for New York City�s drinking water.

The Democratic Caucus is expected to vote in early January to make all committee appointments official. To read more about the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, please visit the following wedsite http://www.house.gov/transportation.

Congressman-Elect Hall completed his freshman congressional orientation recently and embarked on a �listening tour� of the 19th Congressional District that included stops at a community health clinic in Beacon, Lakeland High School in Westchester and meetings with �first responders� and emergency management officials in Rockland and Orange counties. Hall has met with a number of elected government officials, labor leaders and healthcare professionals during the week as well.

Hall recently also announced that Jean Bordewich, the Hudson Valley district director for Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY), had agreed to become his congressional chief-of-staff. Pictured Above: Congressman-Elect. John Hall

Local Police Substation Has Opened

(Newburgh) - On December 15, thanks to a unique partnership with St. Luke�s Cornwall Hospital (SLCH), the City of Newburgh Police Department (NPD) expanded their presence in a critical part of the City with the grand opening of a new police substation.

Funding for the new substation at 184 Broadway came through the Department of Criminal Justice Services Youth Violence Reduction Strategy. The Detective Youth Division will be operating out of the new facility along with an Orange County Probation officer.

�This facility, which was generously leased to the City by SLCH for $1/year, will be used as an additional location to enhance police operations and services on the Broadway/Dubois Street corridor. This partnership demonstrates SLCH�s commitment to the revitalization of the Dubois Street Corridor,� said Mayor Nicholas Valentine.

NPD Chief Eric Paolilli commented, �The Community Resource-Police Office at 184 Broadway will house Community Resource Officers, Juvenile Aid Bureau and Orange County Probation. This is an extension of policing and related services, and will de-centralize some functions and provide a community presence in the area. Detectives will be working days, along with the Community Resource Officers from this facility. Also, the �night-time� probation officer will be meeting with clients and working with police from the facility. The new substation will allow youth to interact with police in a less intimidating environment than the main facility.�

�This is another example of the importance of public-private partnerships,� said City Manager Jean-Ann McGrane. �The City recently received funding from Restore-NY for the rehabilitation of 17 properties in the Dubois Street Corridor, in partnership with SLCH and HOGAR. This substation will not only provide a presence in this very important corridor, but it will enable our police to build on other community partnerships, including You-Turn, the Community Accountability Board, the Probation Department, and other county and state agencies to address youth-related crime in our City. The new police substation is an added boost to our commitment to improve and revitalize the City, one neighborhood at a time.�

�SLCH is proud to partner with the City of Newburgh on this important initiative,� said Robert S. Ross, SLCH Vice President of Operations. �It is gratifying to work with the City in revitalizing this corridor. It is an important gateway to the hospital as SLCH continues to enhance health care facilities, programs and services for our community.�
Chief Eric Paolilli (center) cuts the ribbon for the new police substation at 184 Broadway. (l-r) Robert S. Ross, SLCH Vice President of Operations, Senator Bill Larkin, Councilman George L. Bowles, Jr., Mayor Nick Valentine, and Officer Thomas Gleason.

People not getting enough magnesium

Eating on the run? Trying out a new fad diet? Forgetting to eat your veggies? If you�ve answered yes to any of these questions, you aren�t alone. Busy schedules, fad diets and bad eating habits get in the way of proper nutrition. The good news is that nearly 80 percent of Americans are taking mineral supplements and multi-vitamins to help replace much-needed nutrients including calcium, potassium and magnesium. Some people, including those with diabetes and cardiovascular disease, are at even greater risk of a nutrient deficiency because of the nature of these conditions.

Magnesium is an important mineral that is often overlooked. In fact, up to 90 percent of Americans don�t get the recommended daily allowance (RDA) of magnesium from their diet alone. This might account for the fact that the amount of magnesium people are getting has plummeted over 50 percent over the last century! If you aren�t getting enough magnesium, you might be experiencing symptoms of magnesium deficiency. Symptoms can include leg cramps, migraines, fatigue, loss of appetite, depression, nausea and vomiting or high blood pressure.

The RDA of magnesium is 320 mg/day for women and 420 mg/day for men. In order to get the recommended amount, you�d have to eat large quantities of foods high in magnesium. To make up for not getting the right amount through their diet alone, many people take magnesium supplements. Renal failure patients should not take a magnesium supplement. As with any supplement, you should consult your physician.

�Not getting the right amount of magnesium is a growing concern for everyone�s vital to overall health, especially for those people with certain medical conditions,� says Andrea Rosanoff, co-author of a consumer education book titled �The Magnesium Factor.� �Eating foods like leafy greens, mixed nuts and whole grain foods that contain a lot of magnesium is a good start, but it�s also important to take a magnesium supplement, like Mag-Ox 400*, to make sure you are getting the right amount.�

So why is magnesium so important? It plays a big part in keeping the heart healthy, making sure bones are strong and helping the body absorb other important minerals such as calcium and potassium. Magnesium supplementation also helps people with type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease maintain adequate magnesium levels which is especially important for these patients. Magnesium is also important to women who are pregnant, experience menopause or are at risk for osteoporosis. Getting the right amount of magnesium daily can help prevent leg cramps, migraines and fatigue.

It is estimated that up to 80 percent of those with type 2 diabetes have a magnesium deficiency. This happens when high glucose levels make the body flush magnesium from its system. In diabetes those who took magnesium supplements had improved insulin and glucose levels.
Magnesium is also good for the heart. People with heart conditions, including heart attacks, high blood pressure, abnormal heart rhythms and coronary artery disease, are more likely to be magnesium deficient. In fact, studies show that people with low amounts of magnesium in the body are twice as likely to develop coronary heart disease, and that magnesium supplementation can lower cholesterol by as much as 20 percent. Magnesium supplementation can increase individuals magnesium levels and minimize the risks associated with heart disease.

Women of all ages can benefit from magnesium-it�s been shown to help build and maintain strong bones, relieve symptoms of menopause and premenstrual syndrome (PMS), and minimize the risk of premature labor. A recent study showed that pregnant women with pre-eclampsia (a condition marked by water retention, high blood pressure, and protein in the urine) taking magnesium supplements had a 58 percent lower incidence of eclampsia, which are seizures associated with pre-eclampsia.

Magnesium is an essential mineral to maintaining a healthy lifestyle. It�s important for people with certain medical conditions, as well as anyone who may have a magnesium deficiency with symptoms including leg cramps, migraines and fatigue, to take a magnesium supplement.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.

* This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Westchester's 911 system is upgrading

Local police systems for answering 911 calls from hard-wired phones (not cell phones) throughout Westchester are getting a $4 million major upgrade - but this is one change no one should notice. Calls will still be handled the same way, by the same law enforcement dispatchers - just on newer, higher-tech equipment.

The multi-year project will replace existing 911 call answering equipment at police and fire departments throughout the county. Westchester County has contracted with Verizon to change over 43 municipalities, as well as the county�s �60 Control,� which dispatches fire departments and emergency medical service agencies countywide.
The current equipment, which indicates to the dispatcher who is calling and from where, is still functioning well, but is nearing its life expectancy of about 15 years. Replacement parts for the existing system are getting harder to find and manufacturers are discontinuing production.

�The time is right for an upgrade,� said County Executive Andy Spano. �We haven�t had any problems but that�s why we want to address the situation now. When it comes to emergency response, Westchester should continue setting the standard with top-notch capabilities and state-of-the-art equipment.�

Emergency calls are routed directly to the local police jurisdiction, and fire or EMS agencies are alerted as needed. The county will fund the $4 million project. Westchester oversees the hard-wired 911 call answering service countywide and is responsible for routing calls to the appropriate law enforcement agency.

The new computerized systems are server-based using digital technology that includes many time-saving features that allow police departments to more efficiently answer and dispatch responses to emergency calls. For example, dispatchers will answer phone calls using a mouse to click on a screen icon rather than by pushing a button on a phone. They will instantaneously be able to call up a particular screen, open a drop-down box of all calls taken that day (instead of searching a database), and play back entire recorded calls with no delay.
In a recent letter to Spano, Bronxville Police Chief Brian Downey, president of the Westchester County Chiefs of Police Association, agreed that �wear and tear� and the �obsolete make-up� of the current system made it time for change. He said he has gotten positive feedback from law enforcement officials about the more user-friendly system and that the conversions have been �smooth and virtually seamless.�
So far, upgrades have been completed for five departments: Elmsford, Pleasantville, Ossining Village, Peekskill and Yorktown. New Rochelle is scheduled to be next and the rest will be staggered over the next several years.

Helping to Prevent Drunk Driving

After leaving a holiday party, the bright lights you see should be from decorations, not from police cars or a hospital emergency room. The Medical Society of the State of New York (MSSNY) urges you not to let drunk driving ruin the holiday season for you and for others. Be a responsible driver and a responsible party host.

Since the mid-1990s, nearly 17,000 Americans have been killed and more than 700,000 have been injured in alcohol-related traffic crashes, according to the National Commission Against Drunk Driving (NCADD). During the month of December the NCADD, along with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and other concerned organizations, therefore, step up efforts to educate the public on ways to avoid such accidents by sponsoring National Drunk and Drugged Driving Prevention Month.

In addition to participating in this campaign, MSSNY supports efforts to identify impaired drivers to make the highways safer and to achieve earlier treatment and rehabilitation of alcohol-abusing drivers. NCADD estimates that one out of every seven adults is a problem drinker and thus a potential drunk driver. The group advocates that everyone arrested for drunk driving should be screened for underlying alcohol problems.

The Three Most Critical Skills for Driving
The three most critical skills for safe driving are judgment, vision and reaction. Alcohol is a depressant which impairs critical driving skills, even at a blood alcohol level well below the legal limit.

Each year, police arrest more than 1.5 million drivers for driving under the influence of alcohol. Three out of 10 Americans face the possibility of being directly involved in an alcohol-related crash during their lifetimes.

You can be a responsible drinker by sipping your drink, consuming food along with it, and then switching to a non-alcoholic drink. If you do drink to the point of impairment and have not designated a driver ahead of time, take a cab or public transportation to get home, or ask your server about getting a ride home. Never take a ride, however, with anyone else who has been drinking to the point of impairment. You may also consider making a room reservation or finding another responsible way to spend the night.
Hosts Have to Be Responsible Too

If you are hosting the holiday party, it does not mean you can act less responsible just because you do not have to drive home. Quite the contrary, your responsibility as a host means not only having a festive get-together, but making sure guests get home safely.
MSSNY urges all party hosts to adhere to the following recommendations of the NCADD:

* Encourage your guests to designate a driver ahead of time.

* Have a key basket and collect keys as your guests arrive. Keep tabs on the condition of your guests and be sure they are good to go before returning their keys.

* Plan activities that take the focus off of drinking.

* Serve a variety of foods and include non-alcoholic drinks.

* If you are serving punch that contains alcohol, mix it with a non-carbonated base like a fruit juice. Carbonated bases can speed up the absorption of alcohol into the blood stream.

* Designate one person to serve as the bartender. This will help control the number of drinks served and the amount of alcohol in each drink.

* Stop serving alcohol at least 1 hour and preferably 1-1/2 hours before the anticipated end of the party. Serve coffee and other non-alcoholic beverages with dessert.

* Be prepared to arrange for a ride home for guests if necessary or invite them to spend the night.
Remember, as an individual you have choices not to drink, not to drink to impairment, not to drink and drive, not to let others drink and drive, and not to serve alcohol to anyone who has had enough. What can you do to stop drunk driving? You can act responsibly and make the right choices.

This information is provided by the Medical Society of the State of New York (MSSNY). For more health-related information and referrals to physicians in your community, contact your local county medical society.

Sewage plant meets high standards

Westchester County’s wastewater treatment plant in Yonkers has become the first such plant in the state to obtain the prestigious certification to the ISO 14001 Environmental Management System Standard.

The designation means that the environmental management system of the plant meets internationally recognized standards. The county intends ultimately that the entire Department of Environmental Facilities (DEF), which operates all of the county’s seven wastewater treatments plants, pumping stations, trunk sewers, the solid waste district and three water districts, will be certified as well. (Previously, the Westchester County Airport became one of just a few airports in the country to be so certified.)

“We hold our sewage treatment plants to a high standard,” said County Executive Andy Spano. “This important recognition means we have in place the system to make sure that we do everything possible to continually improve plant management to protect the environment.”
In addition to the wastewater treatment plants and sewer and solid waste districts, the department operates 42 pump stations, two overflow retention facilities, 20 storm flow regulating chambers and about 194 miles of trunk sewers. The Yonkers Joint Wastewater Treatment Plant is the largest of those managed by DEF with the largest workforce and the greatest operational complexity. Consequently, the Yonkers plant was chosen as the first facility for development and implementation of the ISO 14001 environmental management system. The county intends to obtain certification of the remaining six wastewater treatment plants in 2007 and of the entire department in 2008.

ISO - or the International Organization for Standardization - is a non-governmental organization, with representatives from 157 countries. ISO develops standards for both quality and environmental management systems. The ISO 14001 standard, finalized in 2004, is centered around the “plan-do-check-act cycle of continual environmental improvement.” Soon thereafter, the county airport became only the 3rd airport in the nation to have its environmental management system certified to have met this internationally recognized standard.

To obtain certification, an organization must commit to complying with all applicable legal requirements aimed at preventing pollution and to constantly improving its environmental work. The ISO 14001 standard is recognized by government organizations, including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, as well as corporate and environmental organizations worldwide, as an effective method to improve an organization’s environmental performance.

For the Department of Environmental Facilities, the effort to develop and implement its Environmental Management System (EnvMS) began in August 2004 with the adoption of an environmental policy and development of procedures to meet the ISO 14001 requirements. As part of the resulting improvements to environmental performance at the Yonkers Joint Wastewater Treatment Plant, this year’s objectives are the following:

- Reduce the potential impact to the surrounding neighborhoods by improving odor collection systems and improving treatment equipment,
- Reduce potable water usage by recycling treated water and using it for process cleanup,
- Reduce potential impact of process upsets on soil by adding overflow protection to equipment,
- Reduce Yonkers Joint sludge production through use of innovative treatment techniques,
- Reduce air emissions by installing new high-efficiency burners and new boilers,
- Remove mercury-containing devices from the Yonkers plant,
- Recognize outstanding environ- mental performance of contractors working at the plant.

Newburghs’ Heat Hotline reactivated

(Newburgh) - The City of Newburgh Codes Compliance Department has announced that the Heat Hotline is in service for the winter season.

This innovative program not only helps residents in the City with heating emergencies during the winter but also makes negligent landlords more accountable for their properties.

Here’s how it works:

Tenants should always attempt to contact their landlord to notify them of a problem. If they get no response from their landlord contact the Codes Compliance office through the Heat Hotline Phone Number: 569-7495.
Upon receipt of a call on the Heat Hotline, Codes Compliance officers investigate and notify the property owner if a heating emergency exists. If the landlord does not address the problem within a set amount of time, the City calls a contracted vendor to make the repairs, and sends the bill to the landlord.

Office for the Aging Announces New Director

(Kingston) - Registered nurse Anne L. Cardinale of Kingston has been appointed as Ulster County’s Office for the Aging Director, it was announced recently by Ulster County Legislature Chairman David B. Donaldson.

Cardinale will replace outgoing Office for the Aging Director Kathryn M. Puglisi on January 8, 2007.
Cardinale, 59, has been a Senior Care Specialist for Benedictine Hospital since July, 2001. In that position, she was responsible for the coordination of senior care services, inclusive of acute care, long-term care and community outreach programs. She founded the popular BeneCare Program while at Benedictine, which provides wellness courses for seniors throughout Ulster County.

Chairman David B. Donaldson said, “Anne Cardinale was chosen among many applicants and is very well known among the senior population. Her enthusiasm and drive along with her diverse background working with seniors was a perfect match. Chairman Donaldson further pointed out, “We are fortunate to get someone of Anne’s caliber to fill the shoes of retiring Director Kathryn M. Puglisi. Kathy did a wonderful job. She brought the Office for the Aging to the forefront in Ulster County and her dedication to seniors was second to none.”
Susan Zimet, Chairman of the Arts, Education, Tourism and Community Relations Committee, is delighted with the appointment of Anne Cardinale. “Her background and enthusiasm will serve the seniors of Ulster County well. Anne will have big shoes to fill when she takes over for Kathryn Puglisi, who was beloved among the senior population.”

Cardinale said she was “thrilled” with her new position and was anxious to get started. “I am so delighted and honored with the opportunity to work for all the residents of Ulster County,” said Cardinale, who has been a member of Ulster County's Office for the Aging Advisory Board since 2002. “I have a passion for working with seniors, since I have been doing it most of my professional career. I have been doing it on a smaller level at Benedictine Hospital and now I am looking forward to working with seniors Countywide.”
Cardinale is particularly proud of her work with the BeneCare Program, which started out with two or three seniors walking at the Hudson Valley Mall to a current turnout of 75 or more. She said, “It’s important to keep senior citizens active with educational programs. Seniors love to learn and they are very astute. It’s good to keep them informed so they can remain healthy in their homes.”
Cardinale’s other positions at Benedictine Hospital were as the Care Coordinator for the Care Coordination Department and a staff nurse for the Emergency Department. She began at Benedictine in February, 1996.

Cardinale worked as a nurse manager from 1986-1996 at the Ulster County Residential Health Care Facility, a 40-bed skilled nursing unit in Kingston. She was responsible for the supervision of a professional and auxiliary staff of 30 registered nurses, LPNs and nurses aides.
Cardinale is currently president of the New York State Nurses Association - District 11. She is also active in United Way, is a member of the Ulster County Program Advisory Council - Alzheimer’s Association and is a member of the Ulster County Memory Walk planning committee for Alzheimer’s.

Cardinale’s annual salary is $64,228. She resides in Kingston with her husband Frank, who is well known in the community as the longtime manager for the Kingston Legion baseball team.

This Week in Orange County by County Executive Edward A. Diana

Although the weather has been unseasonably warm this December we know that it will not last. Now is an excellent time to finish winterizing your home for the cold weather. Orange County, like many Counties throughout the State of New York, is facing rising energy costs as well as rising energy usage. Installing additional insulation around doors and windows, using florescent light bulbs, and water saving showerheads will save on home heating costs and reduces energy usage.

For more information regarding weatherization, energy savings and energy services offered throughout the County please visit our website at www.orangecountygov.com and click on “Energy Conservation”. These services include the Home Energy Assistance Project (HEAP) and Weatherization Programs.

The holiday season is here and consumers are doing their shopping. Each year the Orange County Department of Consumer Affairs receives numerous complaints about returning holiday purchases. To help avoid problems I’d like to share with you some of your rights as a consumer. Most customers are surprised to learn that a store is not obligated to take any merchandise back from a dissatisfied shopper, but New York State General Business Law requires that the merchant let you know that. In New York State merchants can establish their own refund policy. The policy can vary widely from store to store. Some stores may choose to offer no returns (all sales final), while other stores may allow you a store credit to purchase something else of equal or greater value; and still other stores will take your merchandise back and offer your money back.

Unfortunately when purchasing gifts, the recipient, many times, will not like the color of the tie or the shirt may not fit. Therefore being a smart consumer can save you a lot of grief at a time that should be joyous. Always know what the store refund policy is before you purchase.

The following are highlights of the New York State Refund Policy Law:

New York State General Business Law § 218-a requires retail mercantile establishments to post conspicuously their refund policy on all merchandise offered for sale by any of the following means:

(a) On a sign attached to the item itself; or
(b) On a sign affixed to the cash register or point of sale; or
(c) On a sign so situated as to be clearly visible to the buyer from the cash register; or
(d) On a sign posted at each store entrance used by the public.

Establishments which have a policy of providing a cash refund for cash purchases, or a credit to the buyer’s account for up to twenty days after the purchase when unused and undamaged merchandise is returned are not required to post their refund policies.
A retailer can limit refunds or credits for returns to a period of time shorter than twenty days as long as the refund policy is properly posted. If a store does not post its refund policy, the buyer is entitled to a cash refund or a credit, at the buyer’s option, for a period of up to twenty days after the sale, when merchandise which has not been used or damaged is returned by the buyer.
Being an informed shopper is a satisfied, smart shopper.

Until next week…

Pictured Above: Executive Edward A. Diana

Newburgh Water Front Caroling Festival

(Newburgh) - The Newburgh-Beacon Ferry is completing its first year, complete with holiday magic as caroling groups and church choirs warmly welcomed home ferry riders last week.

Ferry Godmother Productions presented a community candlelight that conveyed the holiday spirit with an abundance of holiday cheer, using colorful decorations, holiday music, and caroling. The ferry family disembarked their floating “Winter Wonderland” to caroling and hot spiced cider, while the smell of roasted chestnuts filled the air.
Ms. Wright describes the tradition of caroling as, “quite universal and is intricately connected to the very survival of a community. Caroling serves the function of having neighbors visit each other to bestow blessings, check in, share and exchange food, money, and other resources... reinforcing relationships in the community. Caroling is a time for reflection and celebration - a time to express hopes for the return of the light, health, wealth, and fertility in the year to come.”

Pictured above, members of the St. Mary Roman Catholic Church Youth Choir perform peaceful and joyful hymnals as ferry riders arrive home Friday evening.

Annual Christmas Party at Hebron Lodge

(Beacon) - The Hebron Lodge #48 hosted it’s annual Christmas Party at the Beacon Community Center on Saturday December 16th from 12 to 3 p.m. More than 200 parents and children gathered to enjoy a holiday luncheon followed by a visit from Santa Clause.

Santa mingled with the children while handing out toys to each and every child that attended the party. Many of the toys that Santa gave out were donated to the Hebron Lodge from local businesses throughout the area.

Pictured to the Left is one year old Jaquan Jackson, sitting on Santa’s lap at the Beacon Community Center during the Hebron Lodge #48 annual Christmas Party.

Remembrance Tree has been Decorated

Father Bill Scafidi gave the church’s youth group some craft supplies and asked them to come up with ideas for a Christmas tree by the river. What they did, according to Scafdidi, was, “phenominal.”

The youth group designed white ornaments, with red, white and blue ribbon. From a distance they look like snow flakes. However, that wasn’t the “wow factor” for Father Bill. It was what the children put on the ornaments.

When you get closer to the tree, you can see that the children created hundreds of ornaments in memory of military personnel who have died during the Iraq/Afghanistan War. Each holds the names and pictures of those who have died from the tri-state area. There are currently about 400 ornaments hanging from the tree.

St Mary’s Youth Group joined with their families and friends to place the ornaments on one of the evergreen tress by UNICO Park by the waterfront for the holidays. The circular ornament represents unity and everlasting life.

When the decorating was complete, Father Bill Scafidi asked everyone to bow their heads as he blessed the Remembrance Tree - for those who have died in the Iraq/Afghanistan War.

Ward Connerly’s Mass Distortion

By George E. Curry

After Proposition 209, the anti-affirmative action ballot initiative passed in California, the number of African-Americans enrolled in public universities dropped to about half of its previous levels. There was also a dramatic decline in the number of government contracts issued to people of color and women as a result of the ban on considering one’s race, gender or ethnic origin along with other factors when evaluating qualified applicants.

Now, Ward Connerly, the chief architect of Prop 209, is leading another crusade in Michigan to replicate what he did in California and the state of Washington. And like those previous campaigns, he is proving again that he will go to any length to distort the definition and benefits of affirmative action.

Let’s start with the definition of affirmative action. The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights defines it as a contemporary term that encompasses any measure, beyond simple termination of a discriminatory practice, which permits the consideration of race, national origin, sex and disability, along with other criteria, and which is adopted to provide opportunities to a class of qualified individuals who have either historically or actually been denied those opportunities, and to prevent the reoccurrence of discrimination in the future.

Admittedly, that’s a long definition, but it is a clear one that strips the debate of inflammatory buzz words calculated to turn the public against affirmative action. That’s why it was misleading for President Bush, in announcing his opposition to the two University of Michigan cases that found their way to the U.S. Supreme Court, to characterize them as “quota” programs. In fact, Executive Order 11246 specifically forbids quotas. So, it should not even be part of the debate.

The point should not be lost that even though the Supreme Court struck down Michigan’s numbers-oriented undergraduate admission, the Repub- lican-dominated court upheld the concept of affirmative action and approved of the University of Michigan’s Law School approach to affirmative action. But you’d never know that judging by the comments of President Bush, Ward Connerly or their Right-wing allies.
Not surprisingly, Connerly has linked up with Jennifer Gratz, the lead plaintiff in the Michigan undergraduate suit, as they campaign in support of Proposal 2, which was on the ballot. In railing against affirmative action, Connerly and Gratz have become weapons of mass distortion.
They consistently portray the Michigan undergraduate admissions process as being race-based. Of course, affirmative action has never been only for African-Americans. As the official definition makes clear, it seeks to benefit women, the disabled, immigrants and people of color. More important, unlike alumni preference programs, it seeks to benefit only those who are qualified for college enrollment, government contracts and employment.

Even the University of Michigan program struck down by the Supreme Court was not race based, though one might not know it from media’s coverage of the issue. Nor has the cause been helped by news media’s willing use of “preferences” and other loaded language that obfuscates the real issue.

A guide used by the University of Michigan at the time presents a clearer view of the admissions process. Yes, African-Americans could get 20 points toward admissions. But that was only part of the story. Twenty points were also awarded to any disadvantaged student, regardless of his or her color. Thus, a disadvantaged White applicant could get the same number of points as the Black applicant. Scholarship athletes were automatically awarded 20 points under the plan. The provost could award a discretionary 20 points as well. Yet, the undergraduate admissions program was portrayed as being race-based when nothing could be further from the truth.

But Ward Connerly is not interested in the truth. He doesn’t even like to admit that before he became an opponent of affirmative action, he personally benefited from a California set-aside program. In fact, in the 1970s, Connerly & Associates, a housing and community development consulting firm, which he owns with his wife, who is White, received more than $1 million in state business after he signed up as a minority contractor. Of course, he is not the only Black Republican to ride the affirmative action train, only to jump off after they’ve reached their desired destination. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas and HUD Secretary Alphonso Jackson followed similar paths.
But affirmative action is not about Ward Connerly, Clarence Thomas or Al Jackson, though they clearly benefited from it. It’s about opening up the doors of opportunity to all, not just a select group. If women and people of color were excluded simply because of their race, gender or national origin, it only stands to reason that those same factors should be considered, along with other qualifications, so that they can finally realize the American Dream.

George E. Curry is editor-in-chief of the NNPA News Service

School Board Honors Senator Bill Larkin

The Newburgh Enlarged City School District’s Board of Education honored Sen. William J. Larkin recently with a plaque and a proclamation that describes him as “a friend, supporter, and benefactor of the Newburgh Enlarged City School District throughout his meritorious career.”

The proclamation goes on to read that Sen. Larkin “has enthusiastically and successfully represented the interests of the Newburgh Enlarged City School District at all levels of state activity” and has worked with district administration and staff “in the development of special legislative projects for the 2005-2006 school year.”
These “special legislative projects” include $50,000 for the Newburgh Teachers Association (NTA) Homework Assistance Project, $40,000 for the purchase and installation of surveillance cameras on school buses, $25,000 for the Young Parents’ Day Care Program/Center, $10,000 for the Newburgh Free Academy (NFA) AARTS Academy , and $10,000 for the Universal Ropes Program at Heritage Junior High School

Sen. Larkin’s assistance to the district through grants and awards during the 2006-2007 school year include $5,178,621 in continued annual BOCES aid for the district’s Career and Technical Education Program, $40,000 for individual $4,000 grants to the district’s elementary schools for the Kids Count Program which are renewable each year, $50,000 for the NTA’s Homework Assistance Program, $80,000 for the new NFA Construction Career Academy, $20,000 for the NFA Crew Team, $30,000 for the Horizons-on-the-Hudson Magnet School playground, and $12,000 to purchase smart boards for Heritage Junior High School.
“We are very fortunate to have Sen. Larkin in our corner,” said Superintendent of Schools Dr. Annette M. Saturnelli. “He is certainly a key player on our team.”

“When we’re talking about education,“ said Sen. Larkin, “we’re talking about the future. We’re talking about how to prepare our children for the future. We have a responsibility to help every child find a career and become a productive citizen.”
Pictured: On behalf of the Newburgh Enlarged City School District’s Board of Education, Board President Runston T. Lewis (left) and Superintendent Dr. Annette M. Saturnelli honored Sen. William J. Larkin recently with a plaque and a proclamation that describes him as “a friend, supporter, and benefactor of the Newburgh Enlarged City School District.”

Christmas at St. Francis Hospital

(Poughkeepsie) - The New Directions Youth Build Partnership participated in Christmas at St. Francis Hospital. The group acted as John Flowers Elves and wrapped and distributed presents to the patients. Pictured to the Left are Robert Wright Executive Director of Nubian Directions, Shawn Hibbert, (front) Erica Pickney and Tiffaney Drake. Executive Director Wright said, “This is part of giving back to the community,” and the youth group were excited about being apart of the Christmas Party.”

Holiday Party Collaboration For the Youth

(Newburgh) - Newburgh APPS (Adolescent Pregnancy and Prevention Services) and Planned Parenthood of the Mid-Hudson Valley TASA & GOALS hosted a holiday party in the City of Newburgh for pregnant, parenting and at risk youth in the City of Newburgh on December 15.
The event was held at Calvary Presbyterian Church and was attended by approximately 40 area youth and their children. “Everything came together very well,” said APPS Coordinator Jennifer Howard.

The children were treated to pizza, soda and snacks. There were several arts and crafts projects for the kids surrounding the holidays. One project involved making a Christmas ornament that could be hung on the Christmas tree.
There was even a surprise visit by Santa Claus. Jolly Saint Nick gave out gifts and took photos with the children, as he listened to their holiday wishes. The children received toys which were donated by Toys for Tots, the Orange County Parks Department, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Orange County and Maternal Infant Services Network.

Not to be called Ebenezer Scrooge, Howard made sure that everyone at the party was given a gift. “We didn’t leave the parents out,” Howard said, “we gave them little holiday gift bags.” They included nail polish, body scrubs, pens and of course literature from APPS, TASA & Goals. Howard also discussed relaxation technique’s parents could use to reduce the level of stress. “This can be one of the most stressful times of the year,” Howard said. “As parents, its important to know how to deal with it in a constructive manner, so it doesn’t affect the children in a negative way.”

One of the stress reduction techniques was demonstrated by Robin Pettway. She was set up at a table in the back of the room, giving free hand massage’s, which help reduce one’s stress level. “Massage is a wonderful way to relax,” Pettway said. She also brought along oils and soaps for demonstrating.

Newburgh APPS is funded by the New York State Office of Children and Family Services and provides pregnancy prevention programming and parenting services to youth in the Greater Newburgh Community. For free information about free or low cost health insurance, prenatal care or breastfeeding support, call Maternal Infant Services Network at 1-800-453-4666.

Pictured Above: Child at party tells Santa what he wants for christmas.
Pictured to the Right: Zi’are and his mother were making picture frames during the event.

NFA Students Give Back For The Holidays

By Chuck Stewart, Jr.

(Newburgh) - “It’s the most wonderful time of the year,” goes one Christmas song. However, there are some in the community who wouldn’t feel that way if it weren’t for the students at Newburgh Free Academy (NFA).

Karen Stafford, a fashion teacher in the Liberal Arts & Applied Science House of NFA, came up with the idea of creating Christmas stockings for the less fortunate in the community. She recruited hundreds of students who began working on the project in November. They raised over $600 for the supplies they would need to create the stockings and the gifts to go with them.
Each home room participated by adopting a stocking and making sure it was filled with the requested items, which included gift cards to Target, Wall-Mart, or the Newburgh Mall. Barry Cosmetics donated products for the stockings as well. In the end, the students had created 150 Christmas stockings.

Stafford and the NFA students would need a home for the stockings, so they called upon Safe Homes and Elant to create a holiday partnership.

Safe Homes of Orange County works to eliminate all forms of domestic violence through education, outreach, and provision of services to individuals and families affected and displaced by domestic abuse. “This can be an especially difficult time of year for those affected by domestic violence,” said Eunice Cunha of Safe Homes.

“While the smaller children and adults usually receive Christmas donations, the teenagers are often over-looked,” Cunha said. That’s where the partnership became obvious to Stafford. “Who knows better than teenagers what other teenagers want,” Stafford said. “It’s perfect.”
But the students didn’t want to stop there. So they reached out to the seniors at Elant in the Town of Newburgh. Elant provides quality care and lifestyle options to persons of diverse generations, cultures and needs, with a special emphasis on the elderly and their lifestyles. As the students would learn, if it weren’t for their Christmas stockings, some residents wouldn’t receive a holiday gift at all.

“The students worked so hard on this project,” Stafford said. “They gave their time and money to make other people’s holiday brighter.”

Pictured Above: Mollie DeMeio, Ebony Sumner, Amy Lau, Eunice Cunha of Safe Homes, Cindy Castro, Kristin Principato, and NFA fashion teacher Karen Stafford.

Pictured to the Right: NFA students handed out Christmas stocking to Elant Residents for the holidays.