Services Held for MurderSuicide Victims Page 11 VOLUME 135 — WHOLE 7140
Walton Firefighters Smother Townsend Street Fire Page 10 WWW.THE-REPORTER.NET
On Patrol: Unadilla Teen Is Honorary Deputy Sheriff for the Day By Rosie Cunningham
nervous - you bet,” he said. The opportunity began with a letter. Karleen DuMond, owner and trainer at the Golden Gait Farm in Masonville, has known Jackson for two years, ever since he became a rider in her therapeutic riding program. See On Patrol page 7
DELHI - Less than a half hour after Unadilla’s Jonathan Jackson was sworn in as an honorary Deputy Sheriff for the day by Delaware County Sheriff Craig DuMond, he made his first arrest. It was a busy day for Jackson, a 15 year-old who is on the autistic spectrum and has Asperger syndrome (AS). AS is a developmental disorder characterized by significant difficulties in social interaction and communication, along with restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior and interests. However, Jackson had no problem vocalizing how he Rosie Cunningham/The Reporter felt about the deputy Jonathan Jackson was all smiles after he arsheriff experience. “I am excited and rested his suspect.
Body Recovered from Del Co Plane Crash Near Cannonsville Reservoir By Lillian Browne TOMPKINS - An explosion that shook the homes on Wakeman Brook Road in Walton near the Cannonsville Reservoir alerted area residents to a twin engine plane crash on steep, heavily wooded, vacant New York City (DEP) ownedland near Readburn Road near the borders of the towns Lillian Browne/The Reporter of Hancock, TompDEP Spokesman Adam Bosch released dekins and Walton in tails of a twin-engine plane crash on Friday, Delaware County on Nov. 9 near the Cannonsville Reservoir in Friday, Nov. 9 at apDelaware County at the DEP Beerston Barproximately 3 p.m. racks on Saturday, Nov. 10 at noon. A distress call was issued by the pilot, who has been identified as Dan- Buffalo to Teeterboro, N.J., miniel Drew, age 65 of Buffalo, who utes before the crash. had filed an FAA flight plan from Members of rescue and recovery crews on the scene said it was likely that the pilot was redirected to the White Birch landing strip off Sands Creek Road in Hancock, not far from the crash site, following the distress call. A former New York State Department of Environmental Conservation “fire-spotter” that manned the Rock Rift Fire Tower when it was operational, who resides on Readburn Road, heard the low-flying plane and saw what appeared to be smoke coming from the wing of the plane. Within moments of spotting the plane, the witSee Body Recovered page 10
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Mic Drop
Walton Radio Personality Retires After 47 Years By Lillian Browne WALTON - The key to good communication, according to long-time Walton radio personality Ron Galley, is to be a good listener. More importantly, he said, “If you have nothing to say - say nothing.” He is a man of few words, allowing his guests to shine with well-thought out questions and an encouraging smile. People want to talk to him. He’s become a trusted voice of the community with an uncountable number of fans. Host of WDLA Big Kat County’s 92.1 FM radio station, with a studio located on Delaware Street in Walton, Galley’s voice has become synonymous with Walton Warrior High School football games. His knowledge of the game is surpassed only by his experience in anticipating upcoming plays. He can easily recite statistics from specific games, players - their numbers and positions, coaches’ favored plays, the weather during the game, and the pulse of the fans. After all, he is the sport’s biggest fan. After 47 years in radio, Galley announced his plans to retire on Nov. 9. His last day at WDLA will be on Nov. 15. He will miss the excitement, the unexpected nature of not knowing what someone is going to say and the ever-changing nature of the profession. One thing that has not changed since he entered the studio in 1971, is his work ethic, his values and his respect for people. The key to his longevity in the profession, he said, is his passion for the work. “It’s addictive.” When he began his radio career, he planned to stay for five years. He got comfortable, he
Lillian Browne/The Reporter
WDLA radio personality Ron Galley will finish his 47-year career as a morning show radio host mid-November. said, but he didn’t get rich. There is not a lot of money to be made as a program host in small, local radio. In addition to his on-air job, he works for The Arc of Delaware County, as a custodian at the United Presbyterian Church in Walton and as a freelance writer. Complaints from Galley are non-existent. He is a devote parishioner, deeply grounded in his faith; which, he said, has been a guiding force in his life. There have been innovations
in technology and equipment that have changed the way Galley delivers the news, does interviews and brings his audience their morning radio programing on weekday mornings. Gone are the days of playing music on turntables - there used to be three in the studio - with vinyl records. In order to play music on the radio he had to learn the art of queuing to avoid the arch-enemy of radio - “dead air.”
can Legion Post and Veterans of Foreign Wars, stood at attention with the color guard, as Kent Terchunian, pastor at Walton’s United Methodist Church, gave an invocation. Retired National Guard Lieutenant Colonel Guard Joe Cetta performed commander duties for the parade and ceremonies outlining the adoption of Armistice Day, which coincides with Veterans Day, with the cessation of World War I on Nov. 11, 1918. A formal peace agreement, known
as the Treaty of Versailles, was signed the following year, Cetta told the crowd. The Walton Central School Marching Band provided patriotic ensembles with a somber playing of “Taps” by trumpet player Tommy Maguire, following the three-volley salute. Also participating in the parade were Boy Scout Troop 45 and Pack 45, as well as members of Walton Daisies, Brownies and Girl Scouts and the Walton Fire Department’s Ladies Auxiliary.
See Mic Drop page 4
Walton Honors Veterans By Lillian Browne WALTON - Crisp weather and clear blue skies provided the backdrop for Walton’s Veterans’ Day Parade and ceremony on Monday, Nov. 12. The parade kicked-off at Gardiner Place, traveling along Bridge Street to stop at the former Walton Armory and Memorial where members of Walton’s American Legion Color Guard gave a three-volley salute as part of the day’s celebration. Members of Walton’s Ameri-
See Walton Honors Veterans More Photos page 7
Lillian Browne/The Reporter
Walton Veterans of Foreign Wars and American Legion Post members participated in the Veterans Day parade on Nov. 12 which wound its way from Gardiner Place to Bridge Street, to Stockton Avenue.