Severe thunderstorm watch issued across New York State

By Lissa Harris
5/21/13 - 1:53 pm

The National Weather Service's Storm Prediction Center has issued a severe thunderstorm watch, effective until 9pm, for 45 counties in New York State as well as northwest Connecticut, western Massachusetts, and southern Vermont.

The NWS warns that thunderstorms in the region may be accompanied by large hail -- up to two inches across - and winds of up to 70 miles per hour.

The alert was issued at 1:40pm. Included in the severe thunderstorm watch are all five counties of the Catskills region: Delaware, Greene, Schoharie, Sullivan and Ulster. 

A Facebook page to keep an eye on as the storms develop: Hudson Valley Weather, whose readers often submit reports of conditions on the ground when severe weather develops.

Let us know, too: Post your weather reports in a comment below, or email them to editor@watershedpost.com. (If you've got hail, send us photos!)  Read more

Arkville antique shop destroyed in fire

By Lissa Harris
5/21/13 - 12:11 pm

Photo from the scene posted on Facebook by the Fleischmanns Fire Department.

An early-morning fire destroyed an antiques and jewelry store on Route 28 in Arkville on Tuesday.

Local fire departments responded around 3:45am to the fire at Goldking Bennett Ace Bloom, at 45315 Route 28 just east of the hamlet, according to a post on Facebook by the Fleischmanns Fire Department.

Official information about the fire was not immediately available. Calls to several local fire departments were not returned, and neither the Delaware County Sheriff's Office nor the county Department of Emergency Services gave any information about the fire.

Contacted by phone, the business's owner, Bill Bloom, said that he did not know what had caused the fire. He found out about the fire around 6am, he said, when a Delaware County police officer called him.  Read more

Emerald ash borer found in Delaware and Otsego counties

By Lissa Harris
5/20/13 - 4:35 pm

Above: A state Department of Environmental Conservation map showing emerald ash borer distribution in New York State. For a larger version, visit the DEC's website. 

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) announced Monday that emerald ash borer has been found for the first time in Delaware and Otsego counties. The emerald ash borer, a Asian beetle that was first found in the U.S. in 2002, is poised to virtually eliminate ash trees from Northeastern forests, including New York State's more than 900 million ash trees, if allowed to spread unchecked.

The beetles were recently found in an area near the village of Unadilla, which lies on the border between Delaware and Otsego counties. The infestation was reported by a timber harvester working in a private woodlot, the first report of the insect from a commercial woodlot.  Read more

Hurley paramedic critically injured in crash on Route 32

By Lissa Harris
5/20/13 - 2:39 pm

A head-on collision between an ambulance and a pickup truck on Route 32 left a paramedic seriously injured early Saturday morning .

The Mobile Life ambulance was traveling northbound on Route 32, driven by 43-year-old William Spadafora of Hurley, around 6:55am, when it collided head-on with a 2002 Dodge pickup truck driven by 18-year-old Marco Ochoa of Kingston, according to a statement from the Ulster County Sheriff's Office.

Two passengers were also involved in the crash: EMT Gigi Williams of Hurley, who was in the ambulance, and 21-year-old Reyes Lucero, in the pickup truck.   Read more

Two men marry at O'Connor Hospital

By Lissa Harris
5/20/13 - 2:19 pm

Above: A mini-documentary on the wedding of William Warren and Renard Latour, shot by local filmmaker Jessica Vecchione of Vecc Videography.

New York State law barred William Warren and Renard Latour from marrying for almost four decades. 

But when the couple decided to marry this spring, it wasn't the law that stood in their way. It was less than a mile of road between O'Connor Hospital and the Delhi town clerk's office -- a road that 75-year-old Warren, paralyzed in all four limbs, could not travel without medical help.

On Wednesday, May 8, Warren and Latour were married at O'Connor Hospital, in front of a small group of witnesses that included doctors, nurses, hospital staff, family and friends, a documentary filmmaker, and Warren's former hospital roommate, who showed up with his wife.

The wedding might never have happened without the intervention of Warren's doctor, Alberto Gaitan.  Read more

All aboard

By Lissa Harris
5/20/13 - 10:11 am

Ready for another season on the rails: The Delaware & Ulster Railroad's gleaming art deco Rip Van Winkle Flyer, photographed recently in the railroad's Arkville depot by Christopher Mooney. 

This weekend, train season begins again at both Catskills tourist railroads, the Delaware & Ulster Railroad in Delaware County and the Catskill Mountain Railroad in Ulster County. Both railroads will begin running trains on Saturday, May 25. 

Photo shared in the Watershed Post's Flickr group pool.

Delhi and Walton schools placed on lockdown after threats

By Lissa Harris
5/17/13 - 5:45 pm

The Delaware Academy Central School District in Delhi was placed on lockdown briefly this afternoon after a threat was left on an online message board.

According to a statement from Delhi village police chief Michael Mills, school officials discovered the online message Friday afternoon, initiated lockdown procedures, and contacted Delhi police. The statement did not reveal what the message said, or where on the Internet it was found.

Delhi village police responded to the school around 1:50pm and searched the campus, aided by New York State, Delaware County and SUNY Delhi University Police. The campus was declared to be safe, and students were dismissed at 3pm.

Mills said the incident is still under investigation, and asks anyone with information to contact village police at 607-746-2249. 

In March, two young students at Delaware Academy were charged with making a terroristic threat after a vaguely threatening message was found scrawled in a textbook.  Read more

Body found in Delaware River identified from dental records

By Lissa Harris
5/17/13 - 4:31 pm

A man whose body was found floating in the Delaware River near Tusten on Saturday, May 4 has been identified from dental records.

Police say the man, whose body was found by canoeists, is 56-year-old James Estes of Nicholson, PA. Estes was reported missing to Pennsylvania state police on April 25.

An autopsy conducted by Dr. Margaret Prial on May 5 was unable to determine the cause of death. Police do not suspect foul play in Estes's death.

Earthquake in Canada rattles upstate NY

By Lissa Harris
5/17/13 - 10:39 am

Above: A screenshot of the USGS's "Did You Feel It" map for an earthquake that struck northwest of Ottawa on Friday morning.

Update, 10:43am: The USGS has revised their initial 5.0 estimate for the earthquake down to 4.4. 

A 4.4 earthquake that struck northwest of Ottawa, Canada at 9:43am on Friday, May 17 was felt far and wide. 

Dozens of upstate New Yorkers are chiming in on the National Weather Service in Binghamton's Facebook wall to report feeling tremors. Reports of the quake are also flooding in on Twitter. A few:

   Read more

Margaretville man charged with Woodstock burglaries

By Lissa Harris
5/17/13 - 9:35 am

A Margaretville man is facing burglary charges for allegedly breaking into two Woodstock businesses and stealing property. 

On Wednesday, May 15, state police arrested 25-year-old Joshua Nava, who is charged with burglary in the third degree. Police did not name the businesses, but said the burglaries occurred on Sunday, May 12. The stolen property was recovered, police said.

Nava was arraigned in the Town of Woodstock Court and released on his own recognizance. Town of Woodstock police officers assisted with the investigation.