Poughkeepsie Journal from Poughkeepsie, New York • Page 1B

ML Ml ml Technology section Mml 9,1 OB Poujjhkeepme 3oumal MID HUDSON Our Towns 3 Obituaries 4,5 Business 6 JOHN FERRO, CITY EDITOR 845 437 4834 lferropoughkee.gannett.com TUESDAY, JANUARY 13, 2004 IN BRIEF Vehicles damaged In fire at movers Several vehicles were damaged Monday evening by a fire in the Haul Moving Center on Route 9, Arlington Assistant Fire Chief John Richardson said. No one was hurt in the 730 p.m. fire, which was confined to the north end of the building and several vehicles in side, Richardson said. Firefighters do not know how the blaze began, but it is not considered suspicious. A small amount of magnesium was burning inside the building, a substance that most likely came from one of the vehicles inside the building, Richardson said.

About 40 firefighters responded to the blaze, which was under investigation. Man Is accused of mistreating dogs UNION VALE A Union Vale man faces misdemeanor charges for allegedly not feeding his dogs and keeping them outside during the recent cold spell, the Dutchess County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals said. Responding to complaints about barking, dog control officers from Union Vale and Beekman discovered nine hypothermic and emaciated dogs, the SPCA said. The officers Contacted tfie SPCAIs the clogs and took them to" a local veterinarian, where they were treated. The dogs are expected to recover.

The 41 year old man was charged with nine counts of cruelty to animals, a misdemeanor. If convicted, he could face a year in prison and up to $1,000 in fines. No ruling yet In case of profane calls Jurors will return to county court today to deliberate in the trial of a Westchester man who allegedly violated a court order by making expletive laced phone calls to his ex girlfriend. Joseph Foisy, 21, of Mount Kisco, is charged with first degree criminal contempt, a felony. The charge is related to phone calls Foisy made June 15 Father's Day to Shannon Cooke of Stanfordville, with whom he has a son.

The jury deliberated for more than 2 hours Friday and continued deliberations Monday afternoon, after court was delayed for two hours due to snow. Jurors were shortly befoxe 5 p.m. and will return to at 9 am. today. First degree criminal contempt is a Class felony punishable by up to four years in prison.

City approves raises for top officials Common Council votes on pay By Michael Valkys Poughkeepsle Journal Three top City of Pough keepsie professionals received raises Monday night after a vote by the Common Council at city hall. The raise proposal was first introduced Jan. 2 at the council's reorganization meeting, but was postponed to give council members more time to consider them. Mayor Nancy Cozean said the three deserved the pay hike, calling the staff members "quite helpful and quite fervent in terms of their activities" in their posts. Council Chairman Frank Mora, lst Ward, agreed.

'These are the top officials in our city government," Mora said. "They (the raises) are in my opinion, well deserved." No members of the public spoke on the increases before they were voted on. The city staff and pay changes from 2003 to this year include: City Administrator James Marquette, $90309 to $93,921. Corporation Counsel Stephen Wing, $84,864 to $95,000. Assistant Corporation Counsel Paul Schwerman, $72,573 to $74,750.

Marquette runs the day todaytoday operations at city hall while the counsels are the city's legal team. Staff retained Cozean announced last month she would retain the key city staff members from former Mayor Colette Lafuente's administration, pledging a theme of conti The City of Poughkeepsle Common Council is set to meet again at 6:30 p.m. Jan. 20 on the third floor of city hall off Civic Center Plaza. For Information, call 845 431 4200.

nuity as the city must handle a number of development projects this year that began under Lafuente. Those include the proposed development of the southern waterfront, new housing and businesses along Main Street and the ongoing renovation of the Luckey Piatt building, which officials hope can also be developed. Wing had served as assistant corporation counsel under Peter McGinnis, who left city hall when Lafuente departed Jan. 2 to become Dutchess County clerk. Officials stressed that Wing's job is full time, prompting the increase in his pay "We know how important the corporation counsel's office is," Mora said.

A part time corporation SPEAK UP OVERSTEPPING CITED Monday's question 23 responses Are New York City Department of Environmental Protection police overstepping their powers around the Catskills area watershed? Yes: 14 Another example of the socialist, police state that we live Leave the tickets to state police and others who have authority there Just like the EPA did in the Adiron Maybe Dutchess County sheriffs ought to go down to New York City and write some tickets. No: 9 They should be watching the watershed and the people to keep us all These police officers have the right to arrest criminals. Today's question Do you support President Bush's vision of a space station on the moon and sending astronauts to Mars? (Please see story, page 3A) "Speak Up" is your chance to express opinions on a variety of topics. Call 845 437 4923 between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m Please call only once.

Speak Up is not intended as a scientific survey. Work in progress mimn iH Iff VHF HHrK iH rMHF mmM'WM? mK fir 'v BKmfflM iLHF If Sm. aaaaaaaaaaaaw llBaaaaaaaaaB'liSTll 2" a. jr I il AHR BaaaaawBHMBMrM im mru. Kathy McLaughlinPoughkeepsie Journal Plywood covers the former brick facade of the New Hamburg train station.

The station was damaged in March when a freight train door blew off as it passed by. New Hamburg commuters get shelter Metro North fixes some damage By Michael Valkys Poughkeepsie Journal NEW HAMBURG With biting cold weather over the past week, Metro North commuters here are happy that a shelter has finally been repaired, nearly a year after a freight train door blew off and heavily, damaged the station. Wappingers Falls resident Juan Cabrera was waiting for a Manhattan bound train Monday in the repaired glass shelter after a morning of snow showers. "It wouldn't be too nice standing out there," Cabrera said as he waited for his train. Another rider said she would have liked the shelter to be repaired sooner.

"You're talking almost a year," Wappingers Falls resident Glenda Timberlake said. But Timberlake said she was not complaining. "I'm glad to have what we have," Timberlake said of the recently reopened shelter, which still needs some finishing touches. While the shelter has been reopened, the station is still not 100 percent repaired. Plywood encloses a platform section once used by riders.

More work needs to be done to repair the brick facade in front of the stair case that runs underneath the tracks. Nine months after the accident, orange and black tarp cover the area and yellow caution tape hangs next to the stairway. Metro North officials said they hope to begin work soon on the more extensive brick repairs near the staircase. Bidding caused delay They said the heavy damage along with the need to go out to bid for contractors and materials has delayed the project. Metro North spokesman Dan Brucker acknowledged the situation is not the best, but said at least there is comfort for those waiting for trains.

"We made it usable, not attractive," Brucker said of the platform. "There is a warm enclave for customers." 'You're talking almost a year. I'm glad to have what we Glenda Timberlake Wappingers Falls on the newly repaired shelter at New Hamburg station He said the brick portion of the station will be restored to its original condition. "We want to bring it back to its 1929 design," Brucker said. Brucker estimated the total repairs at the station could cost nearly $400,000.

Metro North had hoped repairs would be completed before the end of last year. Brucker said there are a limited number of suppliers of needed materials, another reason for the delay. The accident that destroyed the shelter and caused other damage at the station occurred in March when a CSX freight train came through and a 1,000 pound door flew off. The mishap left a large hole in the station's brick platform facade, shattering a glass shelter and shearing light poles. Brucker said CSX will pay for the repairs.

The accident could have been worse. But luckily, it occurred at 2:17 when there was apparently no one on the southbound platform. As a result, no one was injured. The CSX freight train was traveling north from New York City to Selkirk on the southbound Hudson Line when the accident occurred. Freights sometimes use the tracks during off hours.

The door jettisoned after it was apparently not secured somewhere earlier in the trip. After the accident, Metro North began inspections of all freight cars that used the railroad tracks. Those inspections are still taking place, but not on a 100 percent basis as before, Brucker said. CSX Corp. moves freight across the United States and the world.

Established in 1980, CSX Transportation runs the largest rail network in the eastern United States, according to the company's Web site. counsel spot still must be filled. Wing said that position could be filled by a recent law school graduate. "We do have flexibility there," Wing said. The meeting marked the first under the new schedule set up since Cozean took office.

Common Council meetings now begin at 6:30 p.m. after years with a later starting time. Officials said they hope the early starting time will allow the council to cover more items before the hour becomes too late. Growth is still a challenge for Arlington 2 new schools to ease crowding By Erlkah Haavie Poughkeepsie Journal Growth in the Arlington school district is expected to continue in one direction up. While the opening of two new Union Vale schools on East Noxon Road in the fall will bring relief to overcrowding, it likely won't be long before thoughts turn toward future building.

"We open and we're full," Superintendent Frank Pepe recently told teachers when releasing the new redisricting plan. School boundaries have been redrawn to prepare for the opening of Union Vale Middle and Vail Farm Elementary schools, which will house about 2,000 students. When all district elementary schools open in the fall, they'll be from 88 percent to 93 percent full. Middle schools will be from 91 to 99 percent full. Elementary and middle schools are expected to stay between 90 and 95 percent capacity in the next five years.

The lack of extra space will prevent the district from reducing class sizes or implementing full day kindergarten. Space Is scarce Despite the educational benefits, there simply isn't room, Pepe said. Schools are keeping the modular classrooms they have and class sizes are staying constant, an average of 23.5 in kindergarten through fifth grade. LaGrange Elementary School is looking forward to a break in the crowding for the time being. It will drop from 770 students to between 520 and 540 students, as children move to other schools.

They'll also be able to use their cafeteria for lunches instead of classroom space and take classrooms out of the small gym. I ifiVliiliifilri The next regular meeting of the Arlington school board will be conducted at 7:30 tonight today in the high school auditorium. For information, call 845 486 4460. 'We open and we're Frank Pepe Arlington school district supenntendent 'They're going to need a (second) high Debbie Flshberg Town of Poughkeepsie "Every year, it's a struggle" to find space, but teachers and parents make do, Principal Jo Anne Mahar said. Arlington High School is expected to have the most growth overall, with enrollment predicted to rise 14.7 percent in the next five years.

Pepe said Monday the high school will be one of the first things the district will consider as part of its strategic planning beginning this fall. Local involvement As part of the effort, the community will be involved in discussions on education programs and services, enrollment growth and future construction and repair projects. Parent Debbie Fishberg of the Town of Poughkeepsie said she never thought the community would grow by such leaps and bounds. With her son going to high school next year, she is concerned about the high school getting too crowded. "It is a very large school" already, she said.

She is concerned about both safety and class size in fhe building. "They're going to need a (second) high school," Fishberg said. Local events provide chance to help community Ever built a house? Rich Taylor and his cohorts are offering you a chance to do so. On June 15, Taylor and an army of volunteers from the Dutchess County chapter of Habitat for Humanity will "blitz build" a two story, four bedroom hquse on a lot on Garden Street in the City of Poughkeepsie. Habitat for Humanity is a nonprofit group that builds homes all oyer the world for those who otherwise cannot afford them.

This home's prospective owner, city resident Alicia Brown, has already logged hundreds of hours of "sweat equity" doing various chores for Habitat, LARRY FISHER HERTZ Kk Bjl 'JwBH COMMENTARY and she and her five children ages 8 to 18 will be there on blitz build day. "I never dreamed I could afford my own home," said Brown, who works for the Dutchess County Community Action Agency, a nonprofit group that serves low income families. "It's still hard for me to believe if finally going to happen." Taylor said he had no doubt it would happen. He said Brown and her kids and dozens of volunteers would begin preparing the site and the foundation in March or April. But the plan is to build the house itself in about 15 hours June 15.

"We'll frame the house and build the walls," he said. "Then we'll build the roof and hoist it up with a crane." Taylor said the plan is for the house to be in m.ove in condition seven days later. Volunteers' needed If you'd like to help Taylor make Brown's dream come true, he'd like to hear from you. He's looking for two people 'I never dreamed 1 could afford my own Alicia Brown City ol Poughkeepsie from the construction trade to act as house leaders to oversee the blitz build, as well as coordinators for other aspects of the project, including registration and publicity, communications and transportation, and perhaps the most important component food. If you don't believe a group of volunteers could build a house in one day, you'd be wrong.

Habitat volunteers have done it thousands of times on one occasion in less than 4 hours. If you'd like to volunteer on any of these committees, lead a committee or be a house or crew leader or for further information, contact Rich Taylor at 845 221 2099 or by mail at Shelter3 aol.com. Please place "Blitz Build" in the subject line. Those who would like to volunteer on the blitz bi)ild site or work on the pre build, contact Lauri Taylor at ltay lor89hotmail.com. If you'd like to support a worthy cause while checking out some young musical talent, Jon Zamborski has organized an event for you.

The Roy C. Ketcham High School senior will present a concert featuring 13 local bands Friday, starting at 6:30 p.m. at the high school on Myers Corners Road in Wappinger. All proceeds from the show (admission is $5) will be donated to Dutchess Outreach, a Poughkeepsie based agency that provides food, clothing, counseling and other services to low income families and individuals. Larry Fisher Hertz covers the criminal justice system and social issues.

His column appears Tuesdays. Write to him at P.O. Box 1231, Poughkeepsie, NY 12602. His phone number is 845 437 4824 and his mail address is Lherfz(d) poughkee.gannett.com. aniMiiiiiiiii i i JiiigMiii.jMimiJiaMmiiJiaMaflriwitJiratMiiWBMiAmagMW IJxSbSJSB.