Around the Region

Peekskill: Judge Will Retire After Charges

A Peekskill City Court judge will retire on Monday (Sept. 30) after being accused of unethical behavior by the State Commission on Judicial Conduct, according to the Peekskill Herald. 

In August, Judge Reginald Johnson was served with a complaint that alleged, among other charges, that he dismissed 11 traffic tickets based on his relationships with the defendants, made sexual innuendos and other inappropriate remarks, caressed another judge’s arm and berated court staff.

Johnson, a Peekskill judge since 2014, would have served through 2033. His early departure prompted a public fight among the seven members of the all-Democratic Peekskill Common Council, according to the Herald. One of the people named in the complaint was Council Member Ramon Fernandez, who allegedly got a ticket fixed for a friend. Mayor Vivian McKenzie said on Sept. 24 that most of the council believes Fernandez should resign.

Carmel: Fentanyl Dealer Gets Six Years

Brandon Gatling, 30, of Waterbury, Connecticut, will serve six years in state prison after pleading guilty Sept. 3 to selling fentanyl that led to a fatal overdose.

Sheriff’s Office investigators arrested Gatling in June 2023 after finding his contact information on the victim’s cellphone and arranging an undercover buy, according to the Putnam County district attorney. The officers found more than 200 glassine envelopes containing a mix of heroin and fentanyl in Gatling’s vehicle.

Poughkeepsie: Central Hudson Moves to Monthly Readings

Central Hudson said on Sept. 17 that it had transitioned all customers to monthly meter readings ahead of schedule. The utility had told state regulators it would finish the job by the end of October. 

Central Hudson earlier this year agreed to pay $64.59 million as part of a settlement over its billing problems. The agreement included $8.2 million to launch monthly meter reading to replace bi-monthly estimates for its 309,000 electric customers.

Fishkill: Police Arrest Daredevil Riders

After receiving multiple 911 calls, several police agencies on a Sunday afternoon (Sept. 8) chased a group of 30 to 40 dirt bikes and ATVs through Fishkill, Wappingers Falls and the Town of Poughkeepsie and on Route 9 and Interstate 84.

According to Mid Hudson News, videos show the riders taunting officers, including one biker who stole a trooper’s uniform hat from a squad car. The bikers rode across lawns and throughout village streets, and one person was injured during a collision. Police made a handful of arrests but most of the riders escaped. 

Fishkill: Developer Proposes Medical Park

The Town of Fishkill Planning Board has been asked to approve the construction of a medical park on Snook Road in Fishkill adjacent to Route 9 and Interstate 84. 

The proposal was presented to the board on Sept. 12 by Kirchhoff Property Management, according to The Journal News. 

The park would include a two-story building with 30,776 square feet and a single-story building with 11,310 square feet. See fishkillmedicalpark.com.

Newburgh: Orange County Upgrades Stadium

Orange County on Sept. 18 approved granting $160,000 to upgrade Ice Time Sports Complex, which this year became the home of the Hudson Valley Venom professional ice hockey team.

The Town of Newburgh complex will receive new bleachers and bathrooms with money provided by the Orange County Funding Corp., according to Mid Hudson News. The team also contributed $150,000 for improvements to the restaurant and food kiosk, the county said.

The Venom opens its season Oct. 12 hosting the Danbury Hat Tricks. See hudsonvalleyvenom.com. 

Ulster County: Resident Dies from Rare Virus

An Ulster County resident who was New York’s first victim of Eastern equine encephalitis since 2015 has died, according to the state health department.

There is no vaccine for the virus, which is spread by mosquitoes.

The victim was not identified; it was the second U.S. fatality this year following a death in New Hampshire. About a third of patients who develop EEE die, and many patients who survive have neurologic impairment. People over age 50 and younger than 15 are particularly at risk.

Eighteen cases of EEE have been identified in horses in 12 counties in New York, including an animal that died last month in the Town of Newburgh.