Southern Ulster Times Jul. 04 2018 | Page 4

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Southern Ulster Times , Wednesday , July 4 , 2018

Highland honors top students

Briefs

New Paltz woman killed in Lloyd crash

Valedictorian Arianna Ranalli and Salutatorian Dean Riley were honored recently by the Highland Board of Education for their achievements . They stand beside Superintendent Thomas Bongiovi ( L ) and board President Alan Barone .

Manley throws hat into Assembly race

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Woosley , who passed away in 2015 , Manley was elected to the position later that year . He was appointed deputy town supervisor in 2017 .

Manley is a retired Town of Newburgh police sergeant . He currently works as an assistant to funeral directors at Engel Funeral Home and Doulin Newburgh Funeral Home . “ At first , I was very hesitant about it ,” Manley said regarding his run for the seat . “ There were so many people running ,” he said of a small crop of Democratic candidates who quickly announced their candidacies .

“ Frank ’ s chief of staff , Steve Gold , had gotten some endorsements right away ,” said Manley . “ I felt , if Steve Gold came in , he would be just like Frank in the way he worked with the Town of Newburgh government . Once Steve Gold dropped out of the race , I took the idea of running much more seriously .”

And , Manley said there are problems he would like to see addressed . “ There were things that frustrated me with the state ,” he said , such as the state retirement system . “ When an officer is injured and waiting to hear from the state retirement system to retire them , the state is taking two to three years to retire that officer ,” Manley explained . “ The problem is the local departments are paying salary and benefits the whole two-three years . When there are several people out , that means there is also overtime to be paid to cover the shortage of officers on the street .”

Another concern is property taxes , he said , which are depended on to fund large portions of school budgets in the state . “ Gil Piaquadio has been pushing an alternative school tax ,” Manley said , regarding the Town of Newburgh supervisor ’ s proposal to use state income taxes instead of property taxes to fund school budgets . “ I ’ d like to see that pushed more .”

Manley referred to the recent Supreme Court decision South Dakota v . Wayfair Inc ., in which the court ruled 5-to-4 that states can collect sales tax from Internet sales even if an online seller has no physical presence in the state . The U . S . Government Accountability Office estimates that state and local governments could benefit by $ 8 billion to $ 13 billion a year .

“ If we just take $ 1 billion and give it to Upstate schools , maybe school taxes would go down ,” Manley said . Some of the money could also be used to pay for improvements to infrastructure , he said . “ I ’ d also like to get involved with increasing school safety ,” said Manley , who retired from the Town of Newburgh Police Department in 2008 .

“ I have no problem with armed security ,” he said bluntly , citing a bill that passed in the state Senate shortly after the mass school shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland , Florida in February . The bill provides guidance and funding for retired police officers to work in schools as armed security guards . Manley said he also supports the bill ’ s proposal to increase the current $ 30,000 income limit for these jobs to $ 50,000 .

“ I ran for town council because there were things I wanted to get involved with , things I wanted to help change ,” Manley said . “ I was taught you don ’ t just sit there and complain , you take action . So , that ’ s what I ’ m doing .”

In addition to running as the Republican candidate , Manley said he also intends to secure the Conservative and Independence Party nominations . The 104th Assembly District includes the cities of Newburgh , Beacon and Poughkeepsie , and the Towns of Lloyd , Marlborough and Newburgh .

A New Paltz woman was killed Sunday night after her vehicle was struck by a car traveling at a high rate of speed .

At approximately 7:30 p . m ., the Town of Lloyd Police Department responded to a report of an erratic operator . An officer from the Town of Lloyd PD located the vehicle , a 2008 Porsche Cayenne , and attempted to stop the vehicle . The vehicle failed to comply and fled westbound on State Route 299 at a high rate of speed . Members of the state police assisted the Town of Lloyd PD with the pursuit . As the vehicle approached the intersection at South Street , it struck the side of a 2008 Ford . The Porsche then crossed over into the eastbound lane striking a 2018 Ford pickup head on . A 2016 Toyota then struck the rear of the Porsche .

The driver of the Porsche , Ryan B . Williams , 29 of Poughkeepsie , was transported to Westchester Medical Center and is listed in critical but stable condition . The operator of the 2018 Ford pickup truck , Danielle M . Pecoraro , 39 , of New Paltz , was pronounced deceased at the scene by the Ulster County Medical Examiner ’ s Office . The passenger in the 2018 pickup truck , Mercedes Rosato , 24 , of New Paltz , was transported to Mid- Hudson Regional Hospital and is listed in stable condition .

This is an ongoing investigation with the Ulster County District Attorney ’ s Office where criminal charges are pending . Anyone with information pertaining to this incident is asked to contact the state police in Highland at 691-2922 .

Pair arrested with five pounds of coke

A traffic stop on the Thruway in the Town of Plattekill early Wednesday morning resulted in the arrests of two Albany residents on drug charges .

The driver , Measia Brown , 27 , and passenger , Devon Richards , 25 , were both found in possession of approximately 2,357 grams of cocaine – over five pounds of the drug .

Both were charged with two felony counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance , one of which was with intent to sell . Brown was also charged with vehicle and traffic violations .

Brown and Richards were sent to the Ulster County Jail without bail .