Man sentenced to 8 ½ years in connection with Shop Rite robbery in Liberty
Sullivan County District Attorney Jim Farrell announced today that James Taurino, 39, of Liberty, N.Y. was sentenced in Sullivan County Court to 8 ½ years in state prison and 5 years of post release supervision for Robbery in the 2nd Degree.
According to Farrell, Taurino admitted to forcibly stealing property from the Shop Rite on Route 52 in the Village of Liberty on August 28, 2011, and during the course of the robbery causing injury to an employee of the store. Taurino had stolen a shopping cart full of meat when he was approached by the store manager, in an attempt to get the stolen property back. Taurino drove his vehicle at the manager who had to jump on the hood to avoid being run over and was injured, sustaining a broken ankle, when he was thrown from the vehicle in the parking lot. Taurino fled and was later involved in a vehicle pursuit in the same car in the Town of Newburgh the next day.
Taurino crashed the vehicle and fled on foot and was not apprehended by Town of Newburgh officers who tracked him with a K9. Village of Liberty police responded and found the hat that Taurino was wearing at the time of the robbery and a package of meat that was left in the vehicle from the Liberty Shop Rite. Officers also noted damage to the vehicle consistent with the events in the parking lot in Liberty as well as the NY plates. Taurino was ultimately arrested by City of Newburgh Police after a disturbance at a Rite-Aid in the City of Newburgh on September 7, 2011, and turned over to Liberty Police on the robbery.
Farrell said that Taurino was sentenced as a second felony offender having a prior conviction for Criminal Possession of Stolen Property in the 4th Degree in March of 2011 and was on parole for that charge at the time of this crime. “The Village of Liberty Police worked very hard to put this case together though interviews and following up on leads and as a result this man has been removed from our society for an extended period of time.”, Farrell said.
Police Roundup – May 16th 2012 Edition
NYSP Liberty: Roscoe Man Arrested for Burglary
On May 15, 2012, State Police in Liberty received a report of a one-car accident on Riverside Drive in Roscoe. Responding Troopers were quickly redirected to a nearby residence for a report of a male subject who had just broken into an occupied home. Upon arrival, Troopers located DAVID TEIPELKE, 41 of Roscoe, NY, on the roof of the residence. TEIPELKE was unable to keep his balance and subsequently fell from the roof. He was taken into custody and was transported to Catskill Regional Medical Center in Harris where he was treated for lacerations incurred while breaking windows at the residence.
TIEPELKE was released to State Police custody and was charged with Burglary in the 2nd Degree, Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the 7th Degree and Driving While Ability Impaired by Drugs. Investigation revealed that TEIPELKE had driven his 1987 Honda off the roadway and become stuck prior to breaking into the home on Riverside Drive. He was arraigned in Town of Rockland Court and remanded to the Sullivan County Jail with no bail set.
Liberty PD: Liberty Man Arrested for home invasion burglary.
On 5/11/12 Village of Liberty Police detectives arrested Robert Serrano, 32 of Liberty, after an investigation into a home invasion burglary. Village Police were called on 05/10/12 after a Liberty resident reported that a man was climbing through their bedroom window. The man fled after being discovered by the homeowner and was arrested the next morning after being located by Village of Liberty police.
After his arrest Serrano was linked back to two prior burglaries at the same residence over a period of several months. Each time Serrano had taken change from the residence totaling over $400.00.
Serrano was charged with three counts of Burglary in the 2nd degree, felonies, two counts of petit larceny and one count of attempted petit larceny, misdemeanors. Serrano was arraigned in the Town of Liberty Court and was remanded to Sullivan County Jail to re-appear in Town of Liberty Court on 05/15/12.
Voters approve 2012-2013 LCSD Budget, cuts on the way
The 2012 – 2013 Liberty Central School District budget was approved by voters tonight. The budget includes many cuts across various departments:
Staffing:
2.9 Teaching Positions (1.5-thru Attrition (Guidance & .5 Driver’s Ed)), .4 Phys Ed., .4 Reading,
.4 Science & .2 French.
3 Teacher assistants
3 Teacher Aides
1 Clerk/Typist
1 Technical Data Specialist thru attrition
1 Custodian thru attrition
We made additional cuts totaling $239,641 in the following areas:
- Reduction of summer school from 6 weeks to 4 and elimination of Pre-k Summer
program.
- Summer music lessons.
- Field Trips
- Newsletters reduced by 1
- Public information officer .2 FTE reduction
- Varsity Girl’s Tennis
- Basketball Chaperones reduced by 1 for girl’s games & 2 for boy’s games
- Cheerleading at away games for football
- Travel for wrestling matches – all will be held at home district
- 4:00 bus runs reduced from 3 days to 2
- Supplies have been cut 10%
Voters also voted in a fresh new face to the board – Shelia Parks.
Below is the ‘everything is going to be alright’ press release from the School District regarding the budget vote outcome:
Liberty voters approved the proposed 2012-13 Liberty Central School District budget on Tuesday night, with the final count of 303 yes votes to 133 no votes. The total proposed budget amount, $40,205,667 calls for a 0.5% increase in spending over last year and will increase the tax levy by 2%, which is less than the maximum allowable by New York State for this district.
Three Board of Education seats were also filled by the three eligible candidates: incumbents Daniel Parkhurst (251 votes) and Cindy Prince (239 votes) as well as newcomer Sheila Parks (245 votes). Board members serve three year terms.
“This budget represents some very difficult decisions that had to be made,” explains Superintendent Vanyo. “However, I am confident moving forward that the cost saving measures will not have a negative impact on student programs.”
The current budget proposal involved closing a $2 million gap created by the end of a $541,000 federal Education Jobs Fund grant and the increasing costs for state-mandated pension contributions and contractual salaries and benefits. The district has seen a $1.3 million loss in combined state and federal aid in the last three years. Additional state aid received this year was used to reduce taxes.
“The Board of Education works very hard to ensure that they are making the best decisions for our students,” explained Vanyo. “I am grateful that the voters took the time to come out today and that they trust in our planning and commitment to the district.”
Soap Box Derby Meeting this Wednesday, May 16th
Meeting for Sullivan County Soap Box Derby Volunteers this Wed., May 16, 2012 at 7pm. Liberty Firehouse, Sprague Avenue, Liberty, NY.
If you are interested in volunteering for this event please attend! This event has gained countywide support. Kids will be racing from all over Sullivan County. You won’t want to miss it! For information call 845-292-5807.
Book Talk & Signing at Liberty Public Library
Anita Page, a former Liberty resident now living in Orange County, will be reading from her debut crime novel, Damned If You Don’t (L&L Dreamspell) at the Liberty Public Library on Tuesday, May 22nd from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.
The book features community activist Hannah Fox, daughter of sixties radicals, who battles the power brokers in her Catskill Mountain town when they attempt to seize a friend’s land in a fraudulent eminent domain scheme. When the scheme ends in murder and her friend becomes a suspect, Hannah probes the victim’s past hoping to uncover the killer. As she untangles a web of secrets and lies, she becomes convinced the murder was a heroic act, even when it’s clear she may be the next victim.
Page lived in Sullivan County in the seventies when she worked as a freelance feature writer for the Times Herald-Record. Her short stories have appeared in journals, webzines, and anthologies including Murder New York Style: Fresh Slices (L&L Dreamspell) and the MWA anthology The Prosecution Rests (Little, Brown). She received a Derringer Award from the Short Mystery Fiction Society in 2010 for “‘Twas the Night,” which appeared in The Gift of Murder (Wolfmont Press).
She can be found online at http://www.womenofmystery.net and http://www.anitapagewriter.blogspot.com.
Liberty Woman Stabs Acquaintance at Chestnut St Apartment
On Monday May 1st 2012 Village of Liberty Police arrested Cora Ayers, 47 of Liberty after an incident in which she stabbed a 29 year old male acquaintance in his apartment.
Police were called to Chestnut Street in the Village of Liberty shortly before 3:00pm for reports of a stabbing victim. A brief investigation revealed that Ayers had stabbed the victim one time with a kitchen knife in the back. The victim was airlifted to Westchester Medical Center, although his injuries were believed to be non-life threatening.
Ayers was charged with Assault in the 2nd degree, criminal possession of a weapon in the 3rd degree, both felonies and criminal mischief in the fourth degree a misdemeanor. Ayers was held at the Liberty Police Department pending arraignment in the Town of Liberty Court.
I’M BORED: LibertyBikeTrail.org
We’d like to introduce you to our new column, I’M BORED. A day doesn’t go by when I don’t hear someone say “There’s nothing to do up here” followed by incoherent sobbing about how boring their life is in Sullivan County. Well I’m here to help you find something to do that will be keep you busy beyond one afternoon. Each week we’ll take a look at a different community organization, project, business, park, etc… that will provide you with what you need to get off your butt and bring some non-boring to your I’m bored Sullivan County life.
Today we’ll start with a group that has opened the rail trail in Liberty, brought relevance back to the biking trails at Walnut Mountain, and has a great racing team that rides across the tri-state area for fitness and most importantly – fun. The group is LibertyBikeTrail.org. Now it may be a little unfair to start with LBT because I founded it years ago, but after I’ve met yet another Liberty resident that has no idea Walnut even exists – I have to get it out of the way! Ha!
LibertyBikeTrail.org was founded in January 2007 with the goal of bringing the Rail Trail to life, make residents aware of the benefits of bicycles, hold events where all skill levels and all ages can participate, and promote bicycle riding to the youth of Sullivan County. Over the years the organization held multiple mountain bike and music events with mixed success in the Town of Liberty. But forget all of these goals and events, their biggest achievement is getting the word out about Walnut Mountain, the Liberty Rail Trail, and their Team LBT Mountain Bike Team.
It doesn’t matter if you Bike or just like to go out for a leisurly walk or hike, the Rail Trail and Walnut Mountain provide a perfect outlet to not be bored anymore. The Liberty Rail Trail runs for 3.1 miles from the Chestnut St trail head to the location of the old railroad trestle in Ferndale. The surface is mixed grass/cinder/paved, sneakers are fine on the trail. As for bikes – you should use a Mountain Bike style bike. The trail is open year round and is maintained by volunteers and community members who walk it. There are several benches along the trail to take a break on. The trail is rich with history, at one time the O&W Rail Line used to run on the trail. For decades trains ran through Liberty on this path.
Liberty Rail Trail Information: http://www.libertybiketrail.org/liberty-rail-trail/
Walnut Mountain offers the widest array of walking, hiking, and mountain biking in Sullivan County. With over 200 acres the park is the largest mountain biking destination in Sullivan County. Carriage trails criss-cross the mountain and features over 6 miles of single track. Renegades Bike Club out of Wawarsing, NY is currently in the process of cutting another 5 miles of single track trails up at Walnut. Mountain Bikes are a must, some of the climbs could be challenging for the novice rider. Hiking with your family or family dog is another great use for Walnut Mountain. The scenery is wonderful featuring a lookout where you can see nearby Swan Lake, and wooded areas where you feel like you’ve escaped into nature.
There are two picnic areas, a baseball field, and a soccer field. Over the summer a civil war reenactment is held at the park.
Walnut Mountain Information: http://www.libertybiketrail.org/walnut-mountain/
Their Mountain Biking Team is open to anyone. The group posts rides on their facebook page and races together at races across the tri-state area. It’s all about fun really, with riders of all levels and ages just getting out and riding together. Team members ages range from 12 to 50. You never feel left out and there is never any pressure to perform, everyone cheers and supports each other. It’s really a fun group to be a part of. For more information ‘like’ the LibertyBikeTrail.org page on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/libertybiketrail
There’s three wonderful things to work into your boring life, making it a little less boring. Even if you are not into fitness, just the ability to go out and enjoy a peaceful walk on a trail will lower stress and bring a smile to your face. For more information on the trails, locations, Team LBT, or how to get involved visit: http://www.libertybiketrail.org or visit their facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/libertybiketrail
Skate Park: Location Raises Questions, Answers, and Activism
The Liberty Skate Park, once only a dream of Skateboarders in the Town of Liberty, is now almost ready to be built. But it’s original planned location has come under scrutiny.
The park was to be built at the Lake Street entrance to Walnut Mountain but after review the park is gaining more momentum to be built inside of the Village of Liberty near Main Street. We caught up with Town of Liberty Supervisor Charlie Barbuti and asked him his thoughts on where the skate park should be located:
I believe that the key to the success of the skate park is that it be available for use by the largest number of skate board enthusiast. I think that a skate park in the Village at the new proposed location would provide our downtown kids a premier recreation destination. It would also encourage kids to do their skateboarding off of the more dangerous streets. Based on demographics I would say that at least 1/3, maybe as high as 1/2 of the potential users of the skate park would be within walking distance. A skate park located at Walnut Mountain Park would be much less accessable to the average resident skateboarder.
I can see no advantage to locating the park on Walnut Mt, while I see many advantages to locating it in the Village. If there are advantages to the Walnut Mt. site, I would be interested in hearing them.
We also caught up with a member of Team Skate. Team Skate is a group that was founded to raise money and awareness to build a skate park within the Town of Liberty. Although this member does love the idea of building it at Walnut Mountain, he was open to other locations:
…the ground behind the stage has clearly failed to support it’s own weight, let alone the weight of a solid concrete structure. I’m not saying the ground at walnut mountain is ideal either, it isn’t. personally I’d have located the park across the street from the tennis courts at Hanofee park, the underlying bedrock is much closer to the surface there and there’s virtually no chance of the ground becoming saturated or flooded. that being said, there are MANY such locations in liberty, all better than either location being discussed. if we’re really serious about picking a better location, bring in third and fourth options…
Other members of Team Skate have been more vocal in their opposition to a downtown location:
They are trying to stop us from building at our original location based on false pretenses. They are now trying to put our park smack dab in the center of town where there is no beauty, no space for growth, and no hope for these kids to stay out of trouble. Essentially they are trying to fix the pot holes out back of the old parks and recreation spot…
After polling some property owners in the community we found that their answers to a location we’re generally split. The overwhelming answer for Walnut was “These kids have had their sites set on Walnut for Years, you can’t just take it away”. While the opposition was concerned about bringing trouble into their neighborhood, and the safety of getting to the Lake Street entrance of Walnut from downtown.
Others were convinced that the money for the park will just be used to fix a sink hole in the downtown location. But after speaking the Liberty CDC officials, and Town Officials – that is simply not the case.
Skate Park companies have already submitted rough plans to the Liberty CDC for the park at Walnut Mountain. Here is one of those plans:
So what are your thoughts on the park? Reply on our facebook page or in the comments area below. We’ll keep updating this story as more information becomes available this week. Take the Poll!
Loading ...“INSPIRATIONAL ART SHOW” Saturday, April 21st at Days Inn Liberty
Painter/Poet Clyde Washington will give a rare performance , The Inspirational Art Show, at the Days Inn in Liberty on Saturday, April 21st.
South Carolina native and long-time Liberty resident, Washington presents a unique combination of his stunning surrealistic/primitivistic paintings accompanied by readings of his own poetry. Washington has written a poem that specifically enhances the message of each painting, and his dramatic reading of each poem as he passes in front of the artwork is an unforgettable experience.
Washington will be displaying a number of new, never-before-seen paintings, each exploding with symbolism, conflict, humor and hope. The show is at once challenging, inspiring and, ultimately, life-affirming.
The show will be held Saturday, April 21st,at the Days Inn on Sullivan Street in the village of Liberty. Clyde’s performance will begin at 5:30 PM. The artwork will be on display from noon until 8 PM. Admission is $10 with half of the proceeds going to the Recovery Center in Monticello. For more information, call Clyde Washington at (845) 292-1226 .
Later library hours, budget vote & much more
Tuesday & Thursdays Open 10 am to 8 pm – begins Tues. April 3rd
It’s officially Spring and the library will now be open later on Tues./Thurs. night. We hope you’ll take advantage of the extra hour of computer use, or a change to pick out some great new materials.
Pajama Story Hour – Every Tues night at 6:30 pm through April 24th
Our spring session of pajama story hour runs for 4 more weeks, so don’t miss out on great stories, songs and crafts with Miss Vicey!
Sun. April 15th 2 – 4 pm An English Tea at Lazy Pond Bed & Breakfast
Sponsored by Friends of Liberty Library, this special fundraiser was a big success last year! The cost is $15 per adult and $8 per child. Registration and payment must be made in advance. Only 10 seats remain, so if you are interested, don’t delay in getting your payment in! Register at the library.
Tues. April 17th 11:00 am – 7:30 pm Library Budget Vote & Trustee Election
Please see our attached annual report & budget vote brochure for the details. If you are a resident of the Liberty Central School District make sure to make your vote count!
Thurs. April 19th 6:30 – 7:30 SCCC Information Session at the Library
Sari Rosenheck, Director of Admissions from the Sullivan County Community College will be present an informative information session about the college and answer questions from prospective students.
Thurs. April 26th 1:00 pm Book Discussion:
Eighty-Dollar Champion:Snowman the Horse that Inspired a Nation by Elizabeth Letts
Join us for a fun, informative discussion of this heartwarming, true story!
Ongoing Weekly Events:
Tuesdays at 10:15 Crochetty Knitters
Bring some knitting or crocheting project and joins our group for some conversation and a chance to swap tips, and patterns, too.
Weds at 11:00 am Drop-In Stories
Stories, games, songs & toys for little ones.
Provided by Liberty Library
