Children’s vaccination clinics in Sullivan County

MONTICELLO, NY — In an effort to continue quickly and effectively rolling out COVID-19 vaccines, Sullivan County Public Health Services has scheduled three clinics for families who’d like to have their five- to 11-year-olds inoculated with the FDA-approved Pfizer COVID vaccine.

Clinics are currently scheduled as follows: Friday, November 19 at the Monticello Firehouse, 23 Richardson Ave., Monticello, from 2 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., with a second-dose clinic on Friday, December 10; Tuesday, November 23 at the Delaware Youth Center, 8 Creamery Rd., Callicoon,  from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m., with a second-dose clinic on Tuesday, December 14. The third clinic will be held on Wednesday, November 24, at Sullivan County Public Health Services, 50 Community Ln., Liberty, from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m., with a second-dose clinic on Wednesday, December 15.

Pre-registration is required; to pre-register, visit https://sullivanny.us/Departments/Publichealth/COVIDvaccines/clinics or call 845/807-0925. A parent or guardian of the child must be present at the clinic.

Rep. Delgado’s bills included in infrastructure legislation

WASHINGTON, DC — On Friday, November 5, U.S. Rep. Antonio Delgado (NY-19) voted to send the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to President Joe Biden’s desk. The bill includes Delgado’s BuyAmerica.Gov Act, which would  establish a centralized online hub to increase transparency and help ensure federal agencies prioritize the purchase of American-made goods.

The bill also includes Delgado’s provisions to strengthen limo safety, in response to a limo crash in Schoharie that killed 20 people. It establishes a program to provide funding for states to impound unsafe vehicles and mandates that limo operators conspicuously share their vehicle inspection history with prospective customers. It would also require a formal definition of a limousine in federal statute, making it easier, for example, to create safety standards for this type of vehicle.

PA schools participate in COVID-19 testing program

HARRISBURG, PA — The Pennsylvania Department of Health (DOH) announced on Wednesday, November 10, that information on schools participating in a free and voluntary COVID-19 screening and testing program is now available on the DOH’s website at https://bit.ly/3wSg8Zt.

The information includes the names of schools that are participating in the onboarding process and identifies schools that have already begun testing in the program. DOH will also provide summary state-level data from the testing program, such as the total number of positive cases, the number of tests conducted, the approximate number of people tested and the average turnaround time from when testing occurs to when results of the testing are available.

Wayne County sets procedure for state-ordered recount

HONESDALE, PA — Secretary of the Commonwealth Veronica Degraffenreid has ordered a statewide recount and re-canvass of all votes cast for the Office of the Judge of the Commonwealth Court, to be conducted by the county boards of elections. In Wayne County, the recount will begin on Wednesday, November 17 at 9 a.m. in the commissioners’ meeting room on the third floor of the Wayne County Courthouse. It will continue until completed.

The Wayne County Board of Election has decided to manually recount the paper ballots, using county employees. Each person will be assigned one ballot box at a time to open and manually record the votes cast for the office of Judge of the Commonwealth Court.

Cochecton opts out of dispensaries, on-site consumption

COCHECTON, NY — Following a Wednesday, November 10 public hearing, the Cochecton Town Board voted 3-0, with Dr. Paul Salzberg abstaining and Sean Nearing absent, to opt out of the state’s licensing program for cannabis dispensaries and on-site consumption establishments, effectively banning both businesses within the town. In speaking of the pros and cons of the decision, Salzberg weighed the possible business opportunities cannabis could bring the town against the current ambiguity and uncertainty of the state’s rules for the industry, and said that the implementation of legalization ought to be delayed on the state level.

Multiple officers injured at Sullivan Correctional Facility

FALLSBURG, NY — Three more attacks occurred the first week of November at Sullivan Correction Facility, injuring 10 officers.

“As the state arbitrarily announced the closure of six more prisons, they continue to ignore the violent attacks against staff, despite an inmate population that continues to decrease. They simply have turned a blind eye to the fact that violence has increased over the last five years and they have taken no significant action to address the safety of staff,” stated Chris Moreau,  Mid-Hudson region vice-president of the New York State Correctional Officers and Police Benevolent Association.

PA State Police charge Honesdale Corporal

HARRISBURG, PA — Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) Corporal Brian Rickard was charged on Friday, November 12 with crimes related to obtaining possession of a controlled substance by misrepresentation, forgery, tampering with records and evidence, theft, obstructing administration of law, and unlawful use of a computer. Rickard is accused of stealing heroin from the Troop R, Honesdale evidence room, ingesting it while at work and home, and using work computers and programs to cover up the thefts.

Correction

A brief in the November 11 to 17 edition of the River Reporter reported that proof of vaccination and masks would be required for the upcoming Tusten Repair Café; masks will be required, but proof of vaccination will not be.