Port Jervis Pride Blog

Two competing ads

2013-05-18T11:40:00.000-04:00

I take a look and offer my thoughts...

The Witherow, McElroy, Zappolo Ad:

The ad, it states 'Special Treatment will not be supported, especially to those in influential positions...'
Really? One of these candidates received special treatment in 2004 - ( see here ) Do as I say, not I do?

The ad talks about reserve funds.
This is a red herring, a trick to distract you and make you angry. Reserve accounts have been set up over the years by numerous school boards. They are designed to address a specific need. It is illegal to use them for any other purpose. To suggest to the public that it is possible to do so is irresponsible and, in my opinion, negligent. I've tried to explain reserve funds here the past, contact me if you don't understand.

The ad also states they are committed to safety. Of course they are committed to safety! Who isn't? That's just feel-good talk. Everyone is invested in the safety of the kids, not just these guys. Geez, I'm not falling for it again.

The Onofry, Walker ad:

They talk about unsustainable spending. Could they mean, among other things, the $7,000 soundproof door? Possibly.
Two of the other candidates running for re-election thought that was a wise use of your money, they both voted for it. A $7,000 soundproof door! Really?

The ad states the new superintendent was hired without any other interviews being conducted.
That's true. 37 individuals applied, ZERO were interviewed. Two of the other candidates running for re-election thought that was wise. What would have been the harm to just take a look?

The ad states that ten C-Tech vocation training slots were cut.
That's true. MOST of the increase in this budget is for teacher salary and benefits. Screw the struggling student, six figure salaried teachers needed a bonus.

The ad states that 60% of our teachers live outside the district. What does that mean?
In terms of numbers, it means that last year Port Jervis and Deerpark residents surrendered 18 million of their dollars to support the tax base of other towns. We don't get that back. It goes away. And we are about to do it again this year.

I've said my peace, the decision is yours, I pray you choose wisely.

Have a question/comment, email: comments@pjpride.com. Or use the anonymous web form.

Censored

2013-05-14T16:17:00.000-04:00

If they can't control it, they'll silence it. The Port Jervis School District has successfully petitioned the court ( see here ). I will immediately begin removing access to the specific content they found offensive.

Have a question/comment, email: comments@pjpride.com. Or use the anonymous web form.

Port Jervis School District to Seek Injunction

2013-05-13T09:32:00.002-04:00

I have just been informed by the district's attorney that the school will be going to court today to seek a preliminary injunction against this blog. Boy, I must have really struck a nerve.

If they can't control it, they'll silence it.

Have a question/comment, email: comments@pjpride.com. Or use the anonymous web form.

[Censored Content] Reader Feedback

2013-05-12T09:08:00.002-04:00

A selection of reader email:

reader feedback: If certain people in this town truly cared about this town then they would address the concerns that have been brought up concerning the school district. Here's a news flash the state of the district is easy to find out. All a parent has to do is to go to the numerous websites like schooldigger etc.. There a parent can find out the most recent NYS and Regents test scores. Parents can even compare tests score against 3-4 school districts. Sorry to inform the school district but they cannot fool anyone. The information is out there and trying to threaten you with legal action will not stop a person who wants this information from getting it. Hey I know maybe the people with their head in the sand can blame the creation of the Internet for their failures.

No wonder Montague is desperately trying to send their children anywhere but Port. I personally know at least 3 families who live in Port that send their children to other districts. It speaks volumes when people have to do this because they feel that they have no choice. Your being harassed because what you are doing is finally waking people up in town. Keep it up. It's only libel or slander if you are not telling the truth!

[ When shopping around for a new home to raise a family, that's one of the things people do, they compare school districts. Ours always comes up lacking. Why do you think enrollment is dropping year after year? Who wants to raise their kids in a school district that ranks *consistently* on the bottom?

Thank you for the kind words. It's not so much libel or slander, but their perception I broke a municipal law by posting certain information. It's interesting to note, if they pursue the fines and possible jail time associated with those allegations, just how far they will go to cover up their own misconduct.

I should thank them for sending that letter (see here). In one fell swoop they have legitimized *everything* I have been saying and have driven more visitors to this website than it has ever seen in its history. ]

reader feedback: Is there any proof that the district spent thousands to get rid of Case? Documentation?

[ None that I can get my hands on, yet. They are writing up employees who are fulfilling FOIL requests without the Superintendent's OK.

That said, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to make a decent estimate. I know of several phone calls, a letter and at least one all day interview of district employees. At $550/hr, I can low ball the total at around $3,000 - $5,000 ]

reader feedback: My prediction. Pat Witherow asst. supt Business, Benedict or Cancredi asst Supt. Bongiovi stated in Gazette that he wanted someone with experience in Elem and secondary as asst supt Kahmar filling which ever moves up. they want him as a Principal

[ The name that's getting floated most for ASI is Cancredi. But yeah, your prediction is dead on. Expect a half-assed search for candidates, if they even bother. As we know from the first ASI search and the recent Superintendent search, apparently there are no qualified people out there. At least that's what they tell us. ]

reader feedback: you call this Port Pride.com ??? wow and then all you do is bash the school district! Where is YOUR Pride? stop looking for problems and publish the positive! Really, a recliner chair bothers you that much? Suck it up, it was NOt bought with school funds and personally it is none of your buss. Do we bash what furniture is in your work place?

[ I am very proud of Port Jervis and want it to be the best it can be. But it will *never* be a great town with a failing school. No young, family-minded couple will move into an area with high taxes and a poor school. Your kind of ignorant, head-in-sand mentality holds us back. We have a failing school system in Port Jervis, yet people like you would rather live in a happy-time, feel-good, lollipop and unicorn world. Grow up and face reality. *Nothing* will improve if you choose ignorance. And yes, a recliner in your office is ridiculous. ]

Have a question/comment, email: comments@pjpride.com. Or use the anonymous web form.

So It begins...

2013-05-10T09:35:00.000-04:00

If they can't control it, they'll silence it.

They've just proven all my points about Retribution and Retaliation.
This is no surprise to me. The people running the district trade in secrecy and paranoia.
Why else would they purchase a $7,000 soundproof door for the Superintendents office?
Oddly enough, the purchase was approved 6-3 wtf?.
$7,000 for a soundproof door. 6 members of the school board thought this was a wise use of our money.
Unreal.

Don't let fear and intimidation be the rule, use the anonymous feedback form.

This Just In...

2013-05-08T09:19:00.002-04:00

A little bird has just informed me that the school district's attorney is reviewing this website...

Some early feedback from our readers...

reader 1: Why is the Port Jervis community not up in arms about this? It seems to me the Superintendent and the board are doing whatever they want and being allowed to do so. Who are they answering to? No one else has a problem with whats going on in this district? The Port Jervis community needs to be heard......your children deserve better! Say something!
reader 2: I have not been permitted to speak up at Board meetings due to the fear of retaliation to my wife who is a teacher at Port Schools
reader 3: I watched the School Board meeting that made Bongiovi the new superintendent. The whole thing was a farce. I totally agree with the 2 board members that was against his appointment. He is not qualified for the position! The fix was in way before Xanthis retired. This is an injustice to the town and the children of Port Jervis. Our school district deserves better.
Do not let anyone stop you from writing your blog. You and a few others are the few sane and decent people left in this town. At some point other people in this town will revolt and not allow themselves to be intimidated anymore. By staying silent things have only gotten worst not better. Thank you for being a true patriot.
reader 4: oh to believe that anything in this dystopia is anonymous would be bliss. i have since heard that miss case was heavily involved with this "cabal" and has sinced formed her own and is doing rather well in the power grab department with the help of recruited minions. perhaps with some public relations help she can straighten this mess out.
[ Actually, it is quite anonymous. I don't even see your IP address in the email I receive from the form host. Further, I don't blame Ms. Case for trying to protect herself. Before Bongiovi was promoted, the district had spent thousands of dollars in legal fees in an attempt to remove her from her position. From what I understand, even the school attorney said it was a fools errand.]
Thousands of dollars. How many text books could that have purchased?

Don't let fear and intimidation be the rule, use the anonymous feedback form.

[Censored Content] Retribution and Retaliation at the Port Jervis School District, part 2

2013-05-07T17:06:00.001-04:00

Don't let fear and intimidation be the rule, use the anonymous feedback form.

Retribution and Retaliation at the Port Jervis School District, part 1

2013-05-01T11:54:00.000-04:00

Below is an email exchange I had with a reader:

Reader: Good idea this anonymous feedback...
Me: People are still skittish about sending information. There is a very real fear of retribution.
Reader: Yes, It's like they have internalized the fear... it has become a reflex...

Indeed it has. I have had numerous employees and parents thank me for this blog. I have been told I am posting things that they want to say, but are afraid to.

Consequently, I would say that a large amount of the trouble I am having with my youngest child and the school district may be the direct result of petty retribution by the private clique, or cabal, that runs our school.

Someday I will outline in great detail the nightmare we have been subjected to, but not until our attorney has reviewed it and any possible state action we may undertake has concluded.

Further, it may be no coincidence that the majority of the troubles began with this posting:

Important advice for Port Jervis parents

They took me into Xanthis's office and tried to convince me that I was violating nine district policies and several federal and state education laws (see here). I refused to remove the post and simply censored the offending sections, leaving the gist intact. Since they couldn't get to me, they began to find excuses to antagonize my youngest child.

The difficulties between the district and my middle school aged child were heightened with this series of posts:

Port Jervis Among Highest in Per-Pupil Spending
PJTA Ad Number Four
PJTA Ad Number Three
PJTA Ad Number Two
PJTA Ad Number One

Given that some of the instructors were Port Jervis Teachers Association members and one a former PJTA president, it was no surprise my child was having difficulty with these individuals. It has since escalated with each subsequent post and my unwillingness to play the game their way.

Since the top administrators and board president are in bed with the PJTA, no relief from the persecution of my child is forthcoming.

It is no wonder education is failing here. It is no wonder our graduation rate and test scores make us the laughing stock of Orange County and have contributed to the collapse of relations with the Montague School District (see here). Parents and employees are terrorized by the retribution of a select few. They refuse to speak out. They are intimated by the possibility of losing their jobs and of having their children become the subject of retaliation.

Retribution and Retaliation seem to be common practice at the Port Jervis School District if you dare to speak your mind, ask questions, and reveal truths.

Don't let fear and intimidation be the rule, use the anonymous feedback form.

An open invitation to all applicants

2013-05-01T08:02:00.000-04:00

In a recent article of the Pike County Dispatch, Port Jervis Board of Education president Cathy Sadaghiani was quoted as saying "...it was scary to see who felt qualified to be superintendent in Port Jervis"

I would like to invite every applicant to send me a copy of their resume. I would like to post them here, alongside Mr. Bongiovi's, and let the public decide.

I feel it's almost criminally negligent to the community, students and taxpayers that 37 people applied for the job, ZERO were interviewed and only TWO board members thought it was wrong.

Shameful.

If you are comfortable doing so, send an exact copy of the resume you supplied to the Port Jervis School District to: sjdoss@pjpride.com

I will redact your name and contact information before posting them on this website.

[Censored Content] Port Jervis School Superintendent to Retire, I have Predictions - CALLED ALL THREE!

2013-04-17T07:57:00.000-04:00

L eaving behind a legacy of low graduation rates and poor test scores, Tuesday, March 5th, John Xanthis will present his retirement letter to the Board of Education, effective for August 31, 2013.

I have three predictions...

One: The Board will accept Xanthis's retirement.

Called It! That was an easy one. If it's on the agenda, it gets passed.

Not because of his years of overseeing a failing district, or his soft touch with the teachers union, or that, under his watch, a century of parntership with the Montague school district fell apart. But simply because it's on the agenda. As with previous school boards, mine included, they rubber stamp anything on the agenda.

Two: Sometime before August, they will promote Thomas Bongiovi to Superintendent.

Called It! During an untelevised 'secret' evening meeting on Tuesday 4/16 at the district offices on Thompson Street, the board has promoted Tom Bongiovi to Superintendent. (they'll formally announce it soon.) I'm not surprised. He was the handpicked favorite. From what I understand, they never interviewed all those who were interested in the job. Further proof that our district is the private playground of a select few.

Not because he earned it, but because he is the hand-picked favorite of John Xanthis and Cathy Sadagihani.

How can I say that?

When hired as the Assistant Superintendent for Instruction he was one of only two candidates. No others were ever considered. John Xanthis, Cathy Sadagihani and their willing associates on the board, never looked outside the district. They flat out refused to even consider the idea and this leads to my third prediction...

Three: If there is a search for a new superintendent, it will be a half-assed search.

Called It! In today's Gazette (see here), it was mentioned that the board... "came to no agreement about whether to hire from within the district or bring in someone from outside." Looking outside increases the pool of candidtates you can pick from, thereby increasing the chance you'll find someone comparable or better. If they are waffling about that this early in the game with only six months to search, yeah, it's already a half-assed attempt. Xanthis and Sadagihani have already picked their guy. All else is a formaility. What's best for the district be damned.

How can I say that? Four reasons...

First: John Xanthis is retiring in six months. Ideally you should take a full year to perform a proper search when filling the top seat.

Second: See the above hiring practice for the Assistant Superintendent for Instruction. Xanthis and Sadagihani did nearly the same thing when replacing the High School principal. They told us they interviewed other candidates but it felt rushed and we never saw a single resume. They had already hand-picked their guy and damn anyone else. Tom is their guy, he'll get the job.

Fourth: they already moved Bongiovi into Xanthis's office! And I’ve heard it comes compete with a recliner (no shit, a recliner!). Rumor says a building principal also has one. Unreal.

(The actual recliner in Bongiovi's new office... lol.)

So before the interview process to replace Xanthis even begins, I would like to welcome Thomas Bongiovi as the new Superintendent of the Port Jervis school district. I am positive he will continue Xanthis's legacy and carry on in the same tradition we have come to expect.

What a scam/shame/mockery (pick one).

Have a question/comment, email: comments@pjpride.com. Or use the anonymous web form.

Ladder Truck Referendum - May 7th

2013-04-13T18:57:00.000-04:00

May 7, 2013
12noon - 9:00pm
Engine 2 Fire Station

Mark your calendars...
Call 248-1622 if you need a ride

The Port Jervis Fire Department would like your support in the upcoming referendum on May 7th.

The City of Port Jervis is in need of a new ladder truck for our fire department. The present truck is 23 years old and the City can no longer sustain the repairs necessary for this piece of equipment.

The city will be retiring debt in 2013 of $89,000 per year and in 2014 of $90,000 per year. The debt incurred by the new ladder truck would be approximately $64,750 per year. The city can afford a new ladder truck without increasing the property taxes.

The referendum will be held on May 7th from 12 noon to 9 P.M. at Delaware Engine Co. #2.

So please get out and vote in favor of the ladder truck. This new ladder truck has been recommended by our paid consultant EVR.

Your Port Jervis School Budget

2013-02-28T06:49:00.002-05:00

Montague to Leave Port Jervis

2013-02-24T13:55:00.001-05:00

Under the neglectful/incompetent/indifferent (pick one) oversight of Superintendent John Xanthis and School Board President Cathy Sadaghiani, nearly 100 years of cooperation between the two districts is ending. Montague is leaving.

According to a plan submitted by the Montague School District to the Port Jervis School District, by 2018 Montague students will no longer be attending Port Jervis schools.

The plan calls for no change in the 2013-2014 school year
a 50% reduction in 2014-2015
25% in 2015-2016
25% in 2016-2017
2018 Montague will have no students in the Port Jervis school district

Why are they leaving?

It's a combination of money and the lackluster performance of Port Jervis schools. They are under the same 2% tax cap constraints we are and they want the best value for their money. They want the best education for their kids that their money can buy and Port Jervis no longer provides that.

Port Jervis consistently performs low in both graduation rate and test scores. Montague plans to place their children in High Point and Frankford school districts. Both of which outperform Port Jervis to the point of embarrassment.

While we are forced to pay top dollar for an underperforming school district they have a choice, they can leave and they are. After almost a century of partnership we are being told our schools are no longer adequate for Montague children.

It should become a red flag for us, a warning we need to change, but will it? Somehow, I truly doubt it will. We have a Board of Education who is more interested in being buddies with school administration and less interested in requiring top performance for the top dollar we pay.

Have a question or comment... email: comments@pjpride.com. Or use the anonymous feedback form.

Bus Accident - UPDATED 4/12

2013-02-14T15:48:00.001-05:00

from News 12:

UPDATE 3: 4-12-2013: Based on the investigation by the New York State Police, RAILO was arrested by troopers and charged with vehicular assault in the first degree, a felony, as well as endangering the welfare of a child and driving while ability impaired by drugs, both misdemeanors.

UPDATE 1: (jump to UPDATE 2) This whole incident has the stench of incompetence - from the inane way the district notified parents, to the failure of both the school district and bus company to investigate complaints. Now we learn the driver of the bus may have been involved in a 2005 hit and run accident!

According to this article from Mid-Hudson news, in 2005 the bus driver, Caitlin Railo. left the scene of an auto accident to avoid being arrested for violating her probation.

The school district and Board of Education seem all too happy to fiddle while the district burns.

Creepy doublespeak. A terrible bus accident today on RTE 209 was classified by the school district as 'a traffic backup'.

from the Times Herald-Record and YNN:
A Goddefroy teen was seriously injured Thursday afternoon when a school bus driver failed to yield the right of way to his vehicle, smashing into the front end, police say.

Justin Maher, 19, was flown by helicopter to Westchester Medical Center in Valhalla after having to be extricated from his green, 1995 Honda Del Sol by Huguenot Fire Company firefighters, said state police Capt. Joe Tripodo.

At about 2:45 p.m. the 2003 Quality Bus Service bus from Sparrowbush was going north on Route 209 when the operator, 32-year-old Caitlin Railo of Port Jervis, failed to yield the right of way to Maher while she was trying to take a left onto Peenpack Trail, Tripodo said.

A 12-year-old girl, the only student on the bus, was uninjured, said Tripodo. read more...

from News12 Long Island

School district was warned about possible improprieties at the bus company, but failed to act:

Case in point: Former Mayoral candidate Stanley Cohen makes a public comment regarding his concern that students are standing and carrying on while school buses are in motion. The district contacts the bus company, the bus company replies with Mr. Cohen’s ‘colorful’ work history.
It is my opinion that regardless of Mr. Cohen’s difficulties at the bus company, the claim should have been investigated. Better to err on the side of safety, correct? No. The district and board chose otherwise. The bus company chose to impugn Mr. Cohen and his claim, the district and school board chose to accept it. Why investigate when it’s easier to ignore it as the ramblings of a disgruntled employee?*

UPDATE 2: Click here to see the memo. Please note, I have redacted contact information and the information about Mr. Cohen's employment difficulties. This memo is where the matter ended for the bus company, the board of education and the school district and it proves all three considered Mr. Cohen's warnings as nothing more than the ramblings of a disgruntled employee.

The failure to even consider Mr. Cohen's claims has resulted in the serious injury of a teenager and may have exposed both the bus company and the school district to a lawsuit.

The district heard from Mr. Cohen last year during the November 13th meeting. It is not impossible to consider that if they had properly investigated the claim, they might have uncovered deficiencies in certain drivers which could have resulted, at the very least, in refresher training of NYS driving laws. It may have prevented this horrible accident and this behavior observed by one our readers:

From a reader:the school should the investigate the rest of the bus driver's. I personally have clocked different buses driving 30 mph in a school zone when it's posted 20 mph from 7:00 am to 6:00 pm and doing 50 mph on rt 209 when the speed limit is 40 mph, also puling out of lakewood estate's when there is barely enough room I have had this done and had to be on the brake's. good thing that I pay attention to what I am doing .

But we'll never know because it didn't happen.

Perhaps the administration and school board need to spend more energy and attention on the basic fundamentals of running a school district and less energy trying to convince the public of the need for a shiny new school building. It's starting to become dangerous.

It is interesting to note that five days later, during the first board meeting after this accident, not one board member offered a single word of condolence to the injured teenager. Port Pride indeed.

Have a question or comment... email: comments@pjpride.com. Or use the anonymous feedback form.

New School Poll

2013-02-13T08:22:00.000-05:00

Over the past 14 days, the PJ Pride Blog ran an informal poll of our readers.

Out of 200 respondents:
75% said NO to building new school at this time
20% favored building a new High School
and 5% supported the contruction of a new Middle School
no one supported the building of new Elementary School.

According to this news article - see here, the school district has taken the position that they can no longer educate our children properly without a new school building.

"The square footage doesn't fit," Xanthis said of the middle school. "It's dark, dreary, and lacking amenities, compared to other middle schools in the region."
He explained that even with a $27 million renovation, the middle school would still be only a two-year school, giving the district only two years to fulfill requirements that should be spread across three years for health, home and careers, and foreign language. Xanthis said these requirements could not be provided to sixth-grade students in elementary schools.
"We don't have time or wherewithal. And kids should be in a school for three years to build culture and community," said Xanthis.

But just a few months ago Superintendent Xathis said this about the Middle School: "The building is safe and well maintained," he said. "Roofs, cracked floors, and heating systems have been replaced at no cost to taxpayers, as part of a five-year plan." It would appear our top administrator has given up on Port Jervis, unless we spend tens of millions of dollars on a shiny new building.

However, if you take this poll as a cross-section of the community, any referendum the school board puts up for a vote may very well be defeated. Perhaps it's time to stop this fool’s errand and focus on the poor state of education in Port Jervis.

We are already one of the top five spenders per pupil in Orange County, while being almost dead last in graduation rates - see here and underperforming in test scores - see here

Rather than spending millions of dollars on the hope everything will become magically better by constructing a new building, let's instead focus on the fundamentals and fix the damn system before asking us all to shell out $30-$70 million dollars.

Have a question or comment... email: comments@pjpride.com. Or use the anonymous feedback form.

Board considering building a new school

Family visits Port Jervis murder scene

2013-02-01T18:04:00.001-05:00

from the Record Newswatch:
Relatives of TyRochelle Haughton talk about their quest for justice during a visit to the site of her murder in Port Jervis:

Unreal

2013-02-01T09:11:00.000-05:00

With two important services gone, quality of life in town is lessened. Yesterday the Senior Shuttle became unavailable to to Port Jervis residents and today we learn the city is OK with shipping pregnant mothers out of town. Unreal.

City won't appeal decision to close maternity ward
By Jessica Cohen For the Gazette

The Port Jervis Common Council has decided not to initiate a legal challenge in response to the state Health Department's decision allowing Bon Secours Community Hospital to close its maternity ward, a council member and a community activist confirmed this week.

However, civil rights attorney Michael Sussman said he is preparing an Article 78 proceeding to appeal the decision on behalf of women who might be harmed by the closure...

At a strategy meeting of community activists and elected officials early in January, city councilmen had indicated interest in challenging the state's decision, and in asking neighboring communities to help.

But this week, Anne Horsham, a member of Citizens for Our Healthy Community, said that after the Jan. 14 Common Council meeting she waited while council members went into executive session.

After the executive session, Horsham said, Councilman-at-large Kelly Decker told her the city would not initiate a challenge to the decision. ...read more

The closure of the maternity ward at Bon Secours reflects a failure to this community by its representatives - in Deerpark, Port Jervis and Matamoras. It is profit motivated and places mothers and their unborn children at great risk. And although I don't necessarily agree with the way John Wortmann presented his thoughts (see here), he is absolutely correct in this one: ”The first infant that dies, it’s on your doorstep.”

Have a question or comment... email: comments@pjpride.com. Or use the anonymous feedback form.

Port Jervis man indicted on murder and arson

2013-01-29T16:51:00.000-05:00

from The Times Herald-Record - By James Nani

A Port Jervis man is being indicted for slashing his girlfriend's throat then starting a fire to cover the murder on Jan. 15, according to the Orange County District Attorney's Office.

An Orange County grand jury filed an indictment Tuesday against David Stevenson, 38, alleging that he intentionally caused the death of his girlfriend Tyrochelle Haughton, 35, by slashing her throat with a sharp object. read more...

See Also:
Port Jervis House Fire, Murder

Port Jervis in the News...

City of Port Jervis Police Department Press Release
Tuesday, January 29, 2013 at 3:40 PM
Press release issued Re: Port Jervis Homicide Arrest: An 8 count indictment was unsealed in Orange County Court today charging DAVID STEVENSON, d.o.b. 8/3/74, of 8 Mountain Avenue, Port Jervis, N.Y. with multiple felonies committed on Jan. 15th, 2013, in the City of Port Jervis.
The Grand Jury has filed an indictment charging him with one count of Murder in the 2nd Degree, alleging that on January 15th, 2013, he intentionally caused the death of TYROCHELLE HAUGHTON, by slashing her throat with a sharp object. Sentence range 15-Life to 25-Life.
The indictment also includes a lesser count of Manslaughter in the 1st Degree, alleging that, with the intent to cause serious physical injury to TYROCHELLE HAUGHTON, he caused her death. This is a different legal theory from the crime of Murder 2nd. Sentence range 5-25 Years.
It is further alleged that STEVENSON committed the crime of Arson in the 2ndDegree, in that he intentionally started a fire at a residence at Mountain Ave., Port Jervis, knowing that another person was in the building at the time. Sentence range 5-25 Years. The indictment includes a lesser count of Arson in the 3rdDegree.
He’s also charged with two counts of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the 3rdDegree, one count of Animal Cruelty, and one count of Tampering With Physical Evidence.
The Tampering count alleges that he started the fire in order to cover up evidence of the homicide.
The investigation of this case was conducted by the Port Jervis Police Department with assistance from NYSP Troop F, Orange County Fire Investigation Unit, Orange County Medical Examiner's Office and the Orange County DA’s Office.
STEVENSON has been in the Westchester County Medical Center since January 15th for treatment of burn injuries. Police have been at the hospital since January 15th and today have a formal arrest warrant issued by County Court Judge Jeffrey G. Berry. Stevenson was arrested by Port Jervis City Police Detectives this afternoon and will be arraigned, as soon as is medically possible, at the hospital where he will continue to be held under police guard. When he is discharged from the hospital he will be transported to the Orange County Jail.

Port Jervis House Fire, Murder

2013-01-18T19:41:00.001-05:00

From Mid-Hudson News and YNN
Woman found dead in Port Jervis house fire was murdered, police say
Multiple blunt and sharp force injuries.

PORT JERVIS – The Orange County Medical Examiner’s Office has ruled that a woman whose body was found in a burning house in Port Jervis was murdered.

The body of Tyrochelle Haughton, 35, was found inside the residence at 8 Mountain Avenue in the city late Tuesday morning. Police said Friday that based on an autopsy conducted by the medical examiner, her death has been ruled a homicide. read more...

The New Jersey Herald has a bit more about that day.

It was a complaint made by someone who doesn't complain

2013-01-17T18:50:00.000-05:00

It was one of those, off the cuff remarks that just sits in your head and bugs you...

I was watching the PJ council meeting and Councilman McCarthy was talking about the crosswalks and how someone was trying to cross and one of the three cars was a police vehicle. But what was telling was how he finished the statement: "It was a complaint made by someone who doesn't complain." As if that alone gave it more weight than someone who consistantly voices a concern.

In that one sentence, he solidified, in my mind, a problem with our elected officials. And one I had noticed during my time on the school board. Our local officials tend to marginalize and push away those in our community who cry the loudest. The squeaky wheel does not get the grease, it gets ignored until it goes away.

At this point, I'll let you in on a 'secret' - some of your elected officials really, really, like their perceived power and despise those who question it. If you speak your mind often, or loudly, you are branded as a loon or crazy and referred to as 'oh, that guy/girl/nut again'.

It's sad really. Rather than addressing a problem, especially one that is repeatedly dimissed by the particular council or board to which it has been brought, an elitist mentality is instead formed as certain elected individuals wrap themselves in a cloak of superiority. A cloak that is a false as the power they feel they are entitled to, forgetting that they are charged with service to the people and not its opposite.

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A Failure On Every Level

2013-01-17T11:54:00.000-05:00

The closure of the maternity ward at Bon Secours reflects a failure to this community by its representatives - from the hospital board to every local government official who kept silent or secretly supported the move, including those in Orange and Pike Counties. And although I don't necessarily agree with the way John Wortmann presented his thoughts, he is absolutely correct in this one: ”The first infant that dies, it’s on your doorstep.”

From the Pike County Dispatch
Shouts, Tears Greet Decision To Close Maternity Ward
By Ken Baumel
PORT JERVIS — The formal closing of Bon Secours Community Hospital’s maternity ward on Saturday prompted thunderbolts of comments and tears at the Common Council meeting on Monday.

At the meeting held at City Hall on Monday, former Councilman John Wortmann yelled at Mayor Potter and council members, blaming them for not doing enough lobbying to prevent ward closure.

New York State Dept. of Health (DOH) approved the closure, contingent on Bon Secours meeting four conditions and submitting a comprehensive plan to address DPH conditions.

Wortmann raised his voice to maximum decibel during the public-comment period. He said, “I am disappointed. You should have called the governor. I blame the council. You are inept and incompetent… The first infant that dies, it’s on your doorstep. You failed and you failed miserably. You allowed this to happen. Also, you didn’t make one phone call to Sen. John Bonacic through your corporation counsel.”

Wortmann then suggested that the council did not get grants to help the elderly and handicapped, who need good sidewalks. He said that the council also endangered pregnant mothers and babies by failing to get DOH to prevent ward closure. He then stormed out of the council chambers.

Councilman Frank Bell said, “I guess that’s the first political speech of the year.”

Councilman-at-large Kelly Decker yelled at Wortmann to come back and take his punishment, which was to hear council members respond to Wormann’s diatribe.

One by one, council members then defended their actions regarding their lobbying efforts the past year trying to prevent closure. Jerry Oney said, “It was a done deal last year. We (many council members and Potter) went to Albany to plead this case.”

In Public Comments, healthcare advocate Annie Horsham said, “It grips my heart that it’s (closure) already happened.”

She suggested that even before the formal closure and even before the hospital submitted a formal plan, pregnant women about to give birth are already being redirected to Orange Medical. She said, “I never cried here before, but I will tonight.” She then openly wept.

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Port Jervis in the News...

2013-01-15T19:51:00.000-05:00

The Times Herald-Record's Newswatch reports on PJ...

House Fire on Mountain Ave.:

Det. Worden is writing a new book:

New School for Port Jervis? No.

2013-01-12T10:41:00.000-05:00

I can't support building a new school at this time.

With our test scores consistently low, with our graduation rate second to last in the county, with bullying rampant and mostly ignored in the higher grades, with students and teachers alike stressed by the new common core standards, I feel there is too much on our plate, too much that needs to be addressed. I don't subscribe to the 'Field of Dreams' principle, if you build it, everything will magically improve.

Building a new school, at this point, would be like buying a new car and putting the old, broken down engine from the old car under the hood. Education in Port Jerivs is broken. We must first fix it, before we spend tens of millions of dollars on the naive hope that a new building will make it all better.

Further NYSED isn't putting any pressure on the district to expand or replace the current middle school building. What does that mean? Well, numbers quoted here say that

'$5 million of the $17 million would be for structural and safety repairs to the school while $12 million would be used to bring the classrooms up to New York State Education Department standards'.

Those numbers came from a counsulting firm hired by the district. Absent something formal from NYSED requiring the district either replace or expand the middle school, $12 million of the $17 million would not have to be spent.

I was at the first presentation of this to the Buildings and Grounds Committee. The number originally quoted was around 3-5 million dollars to fix the middle school building. I mentioned to those in the room, that if they wanted to sell a new building to the public, the numbers needed to be much, much higher. Everyone agreed and so the numbers grew to include the cost of renovating the building to meet state standards, even though it isn't required spending.

The district is intentionally inflating numbers to scare the public into supporting a new school.

Indeed, in a recent newspaper article, Superintendent Xanthis stated:

...$3 million-$4 million has been invested in repairs over the last five years, including recent repairs to the roof, ventilation systems, lighting, floor and bathrooms.
"The building is safe and well maintained," he said. "Roofs, cracked floors, and heating systems have been replaced at no cost to taxpayers, as part of a five-year plan."
The middle school is not in danger of closure for hazardous conditions, he confirmed later. And he said the school population has declined since the recession began, as people have lost their homes or moved away in Port Jervis as well as the rest of Orange County.

In these tough ecomomic times, it doesn't make sense to divert the resources and attention that will be necessary in order to build a new school, when we should first use all of our focus on resolving the substantial problems the district currently struggles with year after year.

In my opinion, only then can we ask the taxpayers to foot the 30-70 million dollar bill for a new building.

Regards,
Steve Doss

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School Board advertising to fill vacant seat

2013-01-09T16:52:00.000-05:00

Please note: This notice was taken directly from the PJ School District website today 1-9-2013. I have edited it to reflect the correct spelling of my first name. After 3 1/2 years you would think they could have gotten that right... it's no wonder our test scores are so low, when even the small details are allowed to slip through their fingers. - Regards, Steven Doss

Port Jervis School District Board of Education member Steven Doss has resigned from his position. His term was due to end June 30.

The School Board accepted Doss’ resignation January 8 and voted to begin advertising immediately for candidates to fill the seat until the May 21 election.

Interested district residents should apply in writing for the non-paid position by contacting District Clerk Dawn Lasch at 9 Thompson Street, Port Jervis, NY, 12771, by 4 p.m. on January 25.

To be eligible to serve as a member of the Board of Education, a candidate must be at least 18 years old, a legal resident of the Port Jervis School District for at least one year; and cannot be a District employee, related to a School Board member, or hold any City office other than serving as a policeman or fireman. Candidates should be available to attend the scheduled board meetings, which are posted on the district web site.

The individual selected and appointed by the Board to fill this open position will serve through the May 21 election.

(pssst... I predict the board will assign the seat to Earl Walker Jr., like they did the last time - claiming he was the only applicant (we never saw any applications, not even his). Earl's a friend to certain board members and will fall in lockstep quite nicely.)

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For Shame...

2013-01-07T14:25:00.000-05:00

It's a sad time for Port Jervis - Bon Secours has abandoned pregnant mothers. A local group fought hard to stop them from closing the Maternity Unit, and although they lost the fight, they are still trying to get the message out:

But I wonder how many of us really care that the hospital has shut the Maternity Unit?

At the very beginning of the fight, the activists asked the two local governments and the school board to write a letter protesting the closing. It was wonderful they all took the time.

However something always stuck with me in regards to the letter written by the school board. And it does, yet again, provide a very deep insight into the mindset of those who run the Board of Education and school district...

I felt the school board's letter should have mentioned teen pregnancy:

From: SJ Doss
To: Cathy Sadaghiani
Sent: Wednesday, November 23, 2011 9:33 AM
Subject: Re: Please give your input on this letter
I would have put something in there about the high number of teen pregnancies in our school district and the dangers associated with them. To me that seems to be where our responsibility falls and should be our main concern. But other than that, it's a great letter.

The reply I received was shocking:

From: Cathy Sadaghiani
To: SJ Doss
Sent: Wednesday, November 23, 2011 9:53 AM
Subject: Re: Please give your input on this letter
Our numbers are way, way down in that department, so that part of it really is a non-issue.

This person now sits in charge of the school board and holds a great deal of influence with the district's top administrators.

In my mind, if there is only one pregnant teenager, it's still an issue to be concerned with. Apparently I was alone in this thinking as it was never mentioned in the letter and none of our top educators gave one damn thought about it.

When some of us can call teenage pregnancy a non-issue or ignore it all together, because only a handful of girls are pregnant, it's no wonder the local hospital felt it could close its maternity ward. Who would really care?

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