The Sullivan Times

The Sullivan Times We cover and uncover the big stories in Sullivan County, NY.

Friday, September 28, 2018 - Issue 4

Man Arrested In Jeffersonville Charged With Raping Two 15-Year-Olds JEFFERSONVILLE​ - Miguel A. Ramos, 22, was arrested Wednesday (September 26) and faces multiple federal charges in connection with the alleged rape of two 15-year-old victims. It’s unclear at press time when or where the incidents occurred.

Ramos was arraigned late Wednesday in Town of Callicoon Justice Court and remanded by Judge Edward T. McKenner to the Sullivan County Jail.

The Sullivan Times​ can confirm that the suspect lived as a tenant in a house on Jefferson Avenue. A neighbor interviewed on the street Thursday said who did not want to be identified said she heard about the arrest but did not know the suspect and had no details about the alleged incidents. Attempts to reach District Attorney Jim Farrell and Undersheriff Eric Chaboty on Thursday and Friday were unsuccessful.

Look for updates on our Facebook page (@SullivanCatskillsTimes) on this developing story. -- Rich Klein

Ellenville Shooting Suspect Settled Lawsuit With State, Ulster Police From 2009 Incident The Sullivan Times ​has learned exclusively from court documents that Joshua Stuart, the man wanted in connection with a shooting in Ellenville around 1 a.m. today, actually settled a lawsuit in 2014 with six law enforcement officers that included members of both New York State Police and the Ulster County Urgent Task Force.

Stuart’s attorney, Michael Sussman, today urged his former client to surrender peacefully. “I’m appealing to

Mr. Stuart to please call me and I can help you,” Sussman said. In an exclusive interview, Sussman added: “I know he (Stuart) would be concerned about being retried.” Stuart did serve time for the January 2009 incident that involved allegations of police brutality, according to Sussman. He said that on January 8, 2009, State Police and the Urgent Task Force set up a sting operation because they thought Stuart was dealing marijuana. But according to Sussman, Stuart brought food to the “buy” and had no marijuana on him when he was arrested.

Tavern on Main Owners Get Construction Permit For Bakery/Cafe L-R: ​Lauren Seikaly with Board members Roseann Brewer and William Parkinson. At right is architect ​Karl Wasner (photo by Rich Klein)

JEFFERSONVILLE​ - Michael Huber and Lauren Seikaly, owners of Tavern on Main as well as 52nd and Vine on Route 52 here, have received a construction permit from The Village of Jeffersonville Planning Board so they can begin building a bakery/cafe/event space across the street from the Jeffersonville Firehouse.

With Wednesday’s green light, the new café building will be erected on the site of the house and law office that for years was owned by attorney Jacob ‘Jay’ Epstein, who died a little more than a decade ago of a sudden heart attack.It was in that very building in 2002, Seikaly and Huber closed on their purchase of their first Sullivan County Catskills’ weekend home, in Ferndale, with Epstein as their attorney. It was also in front of that building that Huber proposed to Seikaly“That office had a very special place in our hearts,” Seikaly said. “So it made me sad every time I walked by that office (in recent years) that it had fallen into disrepair and has basically been abandoned for 10 years.”

Sometime in 2016, Seikaly walked out of Peck’s Market in Jeffersonville and found herself staring at the Epstein property across the street.

“There’s a building smack in the middle of Main Street and, what’s going to happen to this building?,” she thought. “It’s falling apart and it doesn’t seem like anybody is going to come in and take care of it.” So the couple bought it.

Seikaly said this week that the design of the new structure is based on the Jeffersonville Supply Company.

Jeffersonville Code Enforcement Officer ​Gary Amerbach and the drawing of the future venue on Route 52

The Planning Board Wednesday voted to declare itself the lead agency for SEQR (State Environemtal Quality Review) and minutes later issued a negative declaration for the project. And right after that, the Board voted to approve the construction permit. The fast -moving action by the Board came after a public hearing just prior to the meeting about the project. But no residents appeared to speak for or against the development. - Rich Klein

Arrest Made in Murder of Lorraine Gempler; Funeral Tomorrow KENOZA LAKE - ​The tragic, violent death of Lorraine A. Gempler, 83, on September 24 has shaken the Kenoza Lake/Jeffersonville community and beyond. The suspect in custody who is now facing 2nd degree murder charges is Toby J. Smith. Law enforcement officials said that Smith lived in the neighborhood. At press time, ​The Sullivan Times​ learned exclusively that Tim Havas,​ ​executive director​ of

Sullivan ​Legal Aid​ Panel, Inc., has been assigned to represent Smith.

Gempler, who worked as an administrative assistant at the Community General Hospital in Callicoon for many years until retirement, is survived by her children Susan Bodenstein (David), Joy Finn, and David Fitch (Robin), her grandchildren Jason Ahnstrom (Sandy), Michael Ahnstrom (Kate), Jimmy and Erin Finn, Todd Fitch (Samantha) , Justin and Kaitlyn Fitch and many great grandchildren. According to her online obituary, Gempler also leaves behind “Jim Finn, Paul,Linda ,Glenn Ahnstrom and Dave Slater, who were very dear to her heart.” The notice said Gempler “most of all loved spending time with her family. She loved to read, knit, and take care of her flowers. Lori and (late husband) John spent many years raising their beautiful American-British White Park Cattle and met many good friends along the way. “ “Lori will be deeply missed by many people. Her family will find strength in knowing that she is reunited with their Pop,” the family said.

In lieu of flowers, the family said that Gempler’s favorite charity was St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital. She was was also a member of the Grover Hermann Hospital Auxiliary in Callicoon since 1984. Donations can also be made to the Jeffersonville Volunteer First Aid Squad, they said. Friends may call on Friday September 28, 2018 from 4 to 7 PM at Stewart-Murphy Funeral Home Jeffersonville, NY. A funeral mass will be held on Saturday September 29, 2018 at 12:30 PM at St. Georges Church Jeffersonville, NY. Father Ignatius Vu will officiate.

Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Stewart-Murphy Funeral Home Jeffersonville, NY 845-482-4280. For directions or to send condolences please visit stewartmurphyfh.com.

Congressional candidates Delgado, Faso In Sullivan On October 6-7 Democrat Antonio Delgado and Republican incumbent John Faso will be in Sullivan County the weekend of October 6-7 as their campaign for the 19th Congressional District seat hits the final stretch. On Saturday, October 6, Delgado is appearing for a town hall in Monticello from 7 pm to 8 pm at the Ted Stroebele Center at 10 Jefferson Street. That same evening of October 6, Faso is scheduled to attend the Federation of Sportsmen’s Clubs of Sullivan County Annual Banquet, which begins at 6 pm and is being held ​at the Rockland House in Roscoe. ​On Sunday, October 7, from 10:30 am to noon, Delgado will be at Tavern on Main on Route 52 In Jeffersonville followed by an appearance at the Callicoon Farmers Market from 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm. ​The candidates will square off in a just-announced debate that will be held October 23 at an event hosted by Spectrum News. ​ ​A recent poll showed the race extremely close and both have significant war chests that will make the race one of the most expensive and closely watched in the nation. Gareth Rhodes, who finished second to Delgado in the Democratic primary, penned an Op-Ed in The Gotham Gazette this week calling on Faso to reject ads run on his behalf.

“The barely veiled implication of the language that Delgado isn't “like us,” serves a simple purpose: to stir up fear in Upstate New York that a man born and raised in this community couldn’t possibly share our values simply because he is black and once was a music artist,” Rhodes wrote. “It’s hard to see the feigned shock over Delgado’s lyrics as anything more than what it clearly is — race-baiting, and relying on the color of a candidate’s skin, rather than any policy or political differences, to convince the voting public (approximately 85% of which is white in NY-19) that Delgado is not deserving of support.” Asked to react to Rhodes’ column, Faso’s spokesperson, Joe Gierut said: ​"It is up to candidate Delgado to explain what his own words mean. His past comments are hostile towards law enforcement, disparaging towards women by calling them "trick ass hoes", and smear the founding principles of America. It is up to him to explain to voters if he still believes these statements."

EDITORIAL The Village of Jeffersonville, like towns and villages in Sullivan, has been coming back in recent years. But in a span of 72 hours his week, the community was rocked by a violent murder of a well-liked woman and then news immediately following that a suspect was arrested and charged with raping two 15-year-olds. Our hearts go out to the families and friends impacted by these two violent, heinous crimes. In Liberty, a series of car robberies have taken place in recent weeks, prompting the Sullivan County Sheriff to issue a warning about safety. In Monticello last week, there was a threat by a juvenile (arrested quickly) to “shoot up” schools in Monticello plus an arrest of a major heroin dealer in the same Village.

As Sullivan County emerges as a crown jewel of “I Love NY” destinations, these are not the kind of headlines we want to attract tourism and investment in our communities. While we applaud the great work by local law enforcement to quickly apprehend and get dangerous felons off our streets, we need to do more to prevent such crimes in the first place. That’s one reason it’s imperative for all citizens do their fair share to keep their neighborhoods safe. In New York City soon after 9-11, the slogan became, “if you see something, say something.” We all have a stake in being the eyes and ears of our neighborhoods...where we live, where work and where we play. That means seasonal homeowners and summer visitors, too. We are all in this together to protect our neighbors and the future of our communities. In the case of the Kenoza Lake incident, a Good Samaritan did come upon the suspect in the home and reportedly pummelled him, then held him until police arrived.

Town and Village Boards have a role to play as well. They can make sure they are consistently lobbying hard for the Sheriff’s Office and State Police for more regular patrols in zones that require it. Municipalities around the County that do not have their own police departments might also consider establishing their own constable force, something the Town of Tusten considered last year. An auxiliary police force is another option. We won’t let these recent crimes define our communities. But they should motivate all of us to be more aware and more vigilant. -- Rich Klein (Editor & Publisher) The Sullivan Times Editor & Publisher: Rich Klein PO Box 502 Jeffersonville NY 12748 sullivancatskillstimes@gmail.com On Facebook and Instagram

Town of Tusten and Town of Bethel Boards Recognized by DEC as Climate Smart Communities (contributed photo) (Following is a partial news release issued by the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation) Towns of Tusten and Bethel Achieve Bronze Certification for Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Energy Use The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has announced that two Sullivan County towns, Tusten and Bethel, have earned designation as New York's 19th and 20th State-Certified Climate Smart Communities, respectively. ​DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos​ said, "Across the state, New York communities are already experiencing the effects of climate change, ranging from extreme storms like Sandy and Irene to rising sea levels. Thanks to efforts like Climate Smart Communities, New York is out in front, building resiliency to our changing climate county by county, town by town, and village by village, helping local governments, business owners, and residents reduce energy use and greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to climate change. I applaud these communities for their commitment to reducing energy use in government operations. These communities are models for others to follow, with committed teams who bridge the gap between traditional government silos and achieve an exceptional level of integration of climate concerns into daily decision making. The towns of Bethel and Tusten are demonstrating what is possible with committed leadership and serve as examples to the rest of the state." At an event in Narrowsburg, DEC Regional Director Kelly Turturro congratulated Bethel Town Supervisor Daniel Sturm and Tusten Town Supervisor and Energy Committee member Carol Ropke Wingert for their municipalities' achievements. Turturro presented each with street signs declaring the town of Bethel and the town of Tusten Certified Climate Smart Communities. The ​town of Bethel​ has undertaken several initiatives to encourage the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy and lower its greenhouse gas emissions. It has incentivized renewable energy projects by adopting a solar law that encourages both residential and commercial solar

installations throughout the town. In addition, working with the federal EPA and graduate engineering students of Cornell University, the town secured a report assessing the feasibility of installing a commercial solar installation on its capped landfill. This community solar project, scheduled to be completed next year, will supply town government operations, residents and businesses with renewable energy at a sizable discount. Besides transitioning to renewable energy for its municipal operations, the Town has worked to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by revising its zoning code to establish a Forest Conservation District, conducting extensive energy audits of its buildings, adopting a vehicle fleet policy, purchasing its first fully electric vehicle and installing an EV recharging station in its public parking. "We are thrilled to have achieved this important milestone," ​Bethel Town Supervisor Daniel Sturm​ said. "Our Bronze Certification recognizes the significant projects that our town has undertaken to conserve energy, move to renewable energy, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and otherwise make Bethel a more environmentally sustainable community. And it will also favorably position the Town to secure grants in the future to undertake additional projects."

Tusten's​ climate smart actions began with installing a solar array to supply power for all town buildings and facilities with no cost to the taxpayers. This spring, the town is replacing all of its streetlights with energy efficient LED lights. In addition, the town has educated residents about environmental dangers of plastic bags and plastic straws, and provided free tote bags made of recycled material to each household in the town. In addition, the town of Tusten spoke to every restaurant in town about replacing plastic straws with paper, metal, or pasta straws and is now almost entirely plastic straw free.

The town has also labeled every trash receptacle with Tusten Recycles stickers, and all electronic waste, paper, plastic, glass and cans is recycling in its government offices and facilities. As a result of these efforts, Tusten has reduced its carbon footprint and is now "carbon neutral." The town pledged to be a "Climate Smart Community," to reach energy efficient goals throughout town. ​Town of Tusten Supervisor and Energy Committee member Carol Ropke Wingert​ said, "In 2012 I realized that I had a unique opportunity to reduce our town's carbon footprint. It was then that I appointed the Town of Tusten's Energy Committee and soon thereafter our town board voted to adopt the Climate Smart Community Pledge. With Brandi Merolla leading the way as Chair, our committee has worked tirelessly toward the goal of being declared a Certified Climate Smart Community. A greater reward than this recognition though is in the knowledge that we are making a significant impact on reducing our communities' carbon footprint, thus making a difference for generations to come. We are very proud of this accomplishment and thank all who have been involved with these goals."

Monticello School District Putting up $54 Million Bond on November 14 The Monticello Central School District will ask residents to vote on a ​$54 million Capital Improvement Projec​t that it says has zero

percent impact on the tax levy and makes critical repairs throughout the district. ​The vote is on November 14 from 8 am to 8 pm.

Narrowsburg-Callicoon Connection?

A week after Narrowsburg’s Honey Bee Fest, looks like some bees migrated to Callicoon for some fresh baked good at Sunday’s Callicoon Farmer’s Market. (photo by Rich Klein)