Poughkeepsie: Police Arrest 10 on Gun, Drug Charges
The state attorney general on Wednesday (Feb. 14) announced the arrest of nine Dutchess County residents on charges they were part of a network that sold untraceable “ghost” guns, assault weapons and counterfeit oxycodone pills that were actually fentanyl.
Authorities seized 31 firearms, hundreds of rounds of ammunition, 5,000 counterfeit pills and $55,000 in cash. Six suspects live in Poughkeepsie, two in Lagrangeville and the other two in Verbank, New York, and Florida. They range in age from 24 to 53.
The investigation began in April 2022 into activities of a suspect who allegedly sold firearms and drugs from a Valero gas station in Lagrangeville. The Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office assisted the New York State Police in the case.
Hopewell Junction: Man Arrested by FBI
The FBI arrested a 32-year-old man on Feb. 8 on felony charges related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.
Christopher Douglas Finney was charged in federal court in Washington, D.C., with felony counts of obstruction of an official proceeding and civil disorder, along with five misdemeanors, according to an FBI news release.
According to the agency, Finney was recorded at the Capitol saying: “We’re storming the Capitol right now. We just broke over the fence.” He entered the building and later was among the rioters pushing against a police line in a tunnel on the grounds, the FBI said.
Highland Falls: State Announces Grant Winners
New York State on Feb. 8 announced the Mid-Hudson winners of the Downtown Revitalization Initiative and NY Forward grants: White Plains, Highland Falls and Montgomery.
White Plains will receive $10 million to spend on energy-efficient affordable housing, community centers, pedestrian and bike infrastructure and connections between its downtown and an adjacent low-income neighborhood.
The Village of Highland Falls will get $4.5 million to improve traffic flow and safety, renovate facades and expand access to the waterfront. Montgomery will also get $4.5 million to improve connections between its parks and green spaces, improve safety and walkability, preserve historic structures, enhance entrances into the village and support signs and branding.
Middletown, Kingston, New Rochelle, Peekskill, Haverstraw, Ossining and Port Jervis won grants in the first six rounds of the Downtown Initiative, while Sleepy Hollow and Cornwall were first-round winners in NY Forward.
New York: Record Year for State Parks
The New York state park system, which this year celebrates its centennial, had a record number of visits in 2023, at 84.1 million.
That was a 6 percent increase over the previous year, or an additional 4.7 million visits. It was the 11th consecutive year of growth.
Hudson Valley: Seven ‘Pro-Housing’ Communities Named
New York State on Feb. 7 named the first 20 “pro-housing communities” as part of a campaign to increase the number of affordable homes in the state. The certification gives communities priority consideration for up to $650 million in funding.
The Hudson Valley municipalities that received the designation are Croton, Kingston, New Rochelle, Newburgh, Poughkeepsie, Red Hook and White Plains. To qualify, downstate localities must submit documentation that their stock has increased by 1 percent in the previous year or 3 percent over the previous three years, or they can pass a pro-housing resolution.
