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Going strong
Celebrated farm-worker housing program marks its 15th year
By BRYAN F. YURCAN

Orange County’s nationally renowned Farmworker Housing Rehabilitation Program was initially born as a reaction to negative news stories in the media about the state of farm labor housing.

“The program was started in 1992 and it was started because all the bad publicity about farm worker housing in Orange County and other areas of state,” said Vince Poloniak, former director of the Orange County Office of Community Development and architect of the program. “The community asked if there was something they could do to help out.”

Top Stories

Kingston’s hospitals move ahead with consolidation
By LYNN WOODS

Since adopted into law at the end of last year, the recommendations of the Commission on Health Care Facilities in the 21st Century, or the Berger Commission as it’s better known, have triggered a number of lawsuits from health-care employee unions and facilities that have been slated for closing or downsizing.

Energywise, U.S. has a lot of catching up to do
Environmentalists and homeowners want to learn more about renewable energy and how they can save money either at home or business.
BY KATHY KAHN

U.S. Rep. John Hall is going to make renewable energy one of the “hallmarks” of his new position in Congress. He kicked off his renewable road trip at Beacon’s Howland Theatre April 9 and then took it on the road with several like-minded organizations, joining a roundtable discussion on energy choices to the Hudson Valley April 12.

Second Saturday on Beacon’s Main Street
Promotion boosts foot traffic and cash registers
BY KATHY KAHN

Cities along the Hudson River have been rejuvenating their business districts by celebrating shops and restaurants on a selected Saturday (www.artalongthehudson.com) each month. Stores and galleries keeps their doors open late each Saturday. April 14 was Beacon’s “Second Saturday” event, designed to showcase its growing art and restaurant thoroughfare.

Act to benefit dairy farmers
By BRYAN F. YURCAN

Members of the state Senate majority conference announced April 13 the approval of the Dairy Investment Act, which will provide $30 million in the 2007-08 state budget for financial relief for New York dairy farmers.

Brokers, agents weigh on ‘real deal’ in buyer’s market
BY KATHY KAHN

Need to sell your house? Now is not the best time, Realtors in the valley say. The housing market hasn’t stabilized. And, they say, they are putting in longer hours dealing with clients who wonder why their house is not going to fetch a higher price than they’re being told it’s worth.

Seminar provides wake-up call to tourism officials
By LYNN WOODS

Everyone knows Oak Ridge, Tenn., is where the atomic bomb was born, but for years town officials were at pains to sweep that information under the rug.

Farmers urged to record, report damages caused by flooding
By BRYAN F. YURCAN

Many Hudson Valley farmers felt the storm’s wrath, too. Some said they cannot plant crops and those who have planted may have lost all of that investment.

Subprime lenders go belly up, taking homeowners with them
By KATHY KAHN

Congress blames Wall Street. Wall Street blames banks. But no matter who is to blame, hundreds of Hudson Valley homeowners are missing home payments and facing foreclosure now that subprime lenders have gone out of business.