COVID cases slowly rising, hospitalizations aren’t

LIBERTY, NY — COVID-19 continues to be prevalent in New York, with cases slowly increasing again, but the cases are not resulting in an increase in hospitalizations, notes Sullivan County Public Health Director Nancy McGraw. “There have been no COVID-related hospitalizations in Sullivan County for several weeks now,” McGraw says. “Nevertheless, the Sullivan County Public Health Department recommends that local businesses and employers continue to follow COVID-19 safety precautions, including recommending indoor masking during meetings, events and gatherings, increased spacing where possible and providing hand sanitizer.”

Several national and global research studies have found that those who became infected after being fully or partially vaccinated were more likely to have a milder and shorter illness compared to those who were unvaccinated.

Drug bust leads to lengthy sentence

HONESDALE, PA — Darnell Moment of Tobyhanna, age 31, was sentenced by President Judge Janine Edwards on April 7, to a total of five to 10 years in a state correctional institution.

Pennsylvania State Police Troopers made contact with the defendant at a gas station while he was attempting to deliver drugs to a confidential informant who had made arrangements to buy heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine. The troopers took the defendant into custody, as well as a firearm that had been reported stolen and which the defendant’s criminal history prohibited him from possessing.

Legislation advanced to prevent dependent care sexual assault

HARRISBURG, PA — The Pennsylvania State Senate voted on April 5 to advance bipartisan legislation introduced by Sen. Lisa Baker, who represents Wayne and Pike counties among others. The legislation will expand institutional sexual assault to include assaults by caregivers on care-dependent individuals.  

Current law against sexual assault applies to institutions such as prisons, schools and law enforcement. It is premised on the fact that truly consensual sexual acts are not possible where someone is in a position of power over another.  

Wolf administration highlights importance of environmental justice for Pennsylvania

HARRISBURG, PA — Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) secretary Patrick McDonnell encourages people to review and comment on the draft Environmental Justice policy, open for public comment until May 11. The draft policy includes several sections to expand and improve upon the existing policy, which has been in effect since 2004. The new policy will attempt to integrate environmental justice into more aspects of the DEP’s work to benefit communities.

“Low-income communities and communities of color have borne disproportionate levels of pollution for generations, and the draft Environmental Justice policy is one step toward ensuring that does not continue,” said McDonnell.

CASA holds first swearing-in ceremony

MILFORD, PA — The Pike County Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) program held its first swearing-in ceremony on April 4 at the Pike County Courthouse. Eleven individuals were sworn in during the ceremony and are now able to serve local children in dependency court proceedings as volunteer advocates.

National CASA is a nonprofit organization that aims to connect children being served by dependency courts with volunteer advocates who collect pertinent information about a child’s case to help the court act in the best interest of the child.  

Lumberland man falls to death at Hawks Nest

DEERPARK, NY — On April 5, New York State Police (NYSP) responded to a fatal fall at the Hawk’s Nest in the Town of Deerpark. A preliminary investigation revealed that Lumberland resident Binh Ledinh, age 42, was flying a drone on State Route 97/Hawk’s Nest. At approximately 7:32 a.m. the drone crashed 17 feet down an embankment. Ledinh attempted to retrieve the drone and fell approximately 250 feet.

NYSP Troopers located his vehicle, a 2010 Honda CRV, at the Hawk’s Nest at approximately 1:45 p.m. and located Ledinh a short time later.The Orange County Technical Rescue Team lowered themselves to Ledinh and determined he was deceased. He was then lowered into a rescue boat in the Delaware River where he was then transported to the Orange County Medical Examiner’s Office.

NYSEG to permanently close Liberty walk-in office

LIBERTY, NY — New York State Electric & Gas (NYSEG) announced on April 6 that it will permanently close its Liberty walk-in office located at 26 Wierk Ave., effective April 18. The office has been closed since February 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then, customers could drop off payments outside the building, but over time, more and more customers have chosen to pay their bill online, over the phone or at another location, the company said.

Interstate task force on illegal guns kicks off

ALBANY, NY — Gov. Kathy Hochul announced on April 8 that 1,753 firearms have been removed from the state’s streets in the two months since she convened the Interstate Task Force on Illegal Guns. There was a 20 percent increase in the overall number of guns seized, due to increased cooperation and communication from the state and regional partnership.

From January through March, according to a news release, the NYSP has doubled the numbers of guns seized and increased the number of gun-tracing investigations by 75 percent. New York State Police, New York City Police Department, the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and law enforcement agencies from New York, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Vermont, Ohio, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New Hampshire continue to meet and share information to stop the flow of illegal guns across state lines and prevent further gun violence that is plaguing cities across the country.