New Sullivan aging office director

MONTICELLO, NY — Sullivan County Manager Josh Potosek announced that current Public Health Services employee Stephanie Brown will become the Office for the Aging’s new director effective July 2. She replaces Deborah Allen, who is retiring today after nearly 40 years of service with the county.

“Stephanie brings tremendous skills and experience to this leadership role, and I am confident she will carry on Debi’s accomplished legacy,” Potosek noted. “It is always gratifying to nurture talent by promoting from within.”

“The Office for the Aging is a critical component of the public outreach the Division of Health & Family Services offers,” explained Joe Todora, commissioner of the division. “Having Stephanie—already a member of our team—serve as the office’s leader is appropriate and beneficial to those we serve. She will be fantastic in this position.”

“I am so encouraged to know that the vacuum created by Debi’s retirement will be instantly filled by Stephanie, one of our most capable and dedicated employees,” said District 2 Legislator Nadia Rajsz, chair of the Legislature’s Health & Family Services Committee. “She is approachable, wise, experienced and enthusiastic, and I very much urge citizens to meet her in the weeks and months ahead.”

Pike Chamber partners withLehigh Valley Chamber

MILFORD, PA — The Pike County Chamber of Commerce on July 2 announced a partnership with the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce. In 2018 the Pike chamber made several commitments to the community, including the commitment to identify and pursue partnerships that it believes will provide value to its members, to the business community and to future members. President Derek Bellinger said, “We believe that Pike County will benefit from the experience and expertise of partnering with a best-practice chamber, and by partnering with the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber, our members and future members will have access to greater resources and expertise.”

Marlyn Kissner, executive vice president of the Greater Lehigh Chamber of Commerce, who will be a key resource in the new partnership, said, “We are very excited to support the Pike Chamber as we serve and help the businesses and communities in Pike County.”

Monticello man arrested for assault

MONTICELLO, NY — Monticello Police arrested James E. Martin, aka “Butterball,” age 46, of Monticello, on June 28. Martin was charged with felonies for assault and criminal possession of a weapon.

At 8:30 a.m., police responded to a report of a male assault victim at the Broadway Mobil mart in the Village of Monticello. Officers found a 30-year-old Monticello man inside the store, bleeding from a laceration to the head. The victim was transported by Mobile Medic Ambulance to Catskill Regional Medical Center for medical treatment.

Officers reviewed video surveillance that showed the victim standing at the store counter, when a man they identified as Martin came up from behind and struck the victim in the head with a bottle of soda. The attacker pushed the victim to the floor and repeatedly punched him about the head and face, then grabbed two glass bottles of wine from a display and with apparent deliberation smashed them over the head of the victim. The attacker then fled the store prior to officers arriving on scene.

Martin was arrested at 4:30 p.m. later that day. He was arraigned before Town of Thompson Justice Sharon Jankiewicz and remanded to the Sullivan County Jail on $20,000 bail pending further court action.

PA to continue drug treatment

HARRISBURG, PA — The PA Department of Human Services (DHS) received approval on July 2 from the federal government for a waiver amendment allowing DHS to continue to receive federal Medicaid funding to be used for the treatment of individuals in substance-use disorder (SUD) treatment facilities.

The Section 1115 Demonstration Waiver Amendment was developed in collaboration with the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs to continue more than $55 million per year in federal funding to provide more than 12,000 individuals access to medically necessary treatment for SUD across the commonwealth.

“This waiver continues the funding that helps Pennsylvanians suffering from substance use disorder receive the full treatment continuum they need to recover,” Gov. Tom Wolf said. “We would not have allowed anyone to be removed from treatment, but this goes a long way in relieving some of the financial burden of that care.”

“A full continuum of treatment services, including residential care, is essential to an individual’s ability to effectively fight addiction,” said DHS Secretary Teresa Miller.