Orange County Executive Steve Neuhaus

Incumbent Republican Orange County Executive Steve Neuhaus is running for a second term. He faces political newcomer Patrick Davis, a Democrat. The two will face off in a debate Wednesday night in Middletown. WAMC’s Hudson Valley Bureau Chief Allison Dunne spoke with Neuhaus about his first term and his vision for another four years.

New York Congressman Sean Patrick Maloney stood with local leaders in Newburgh Thursday, announcing legislation to help turn so-called zombie homes into housing for homeless veterans.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo delivered the third of his six regional State of the State addresses today in the Hudson Valley. One of his proposals got positive feedback while another is facing some criticism, as he predicted.

Orange County is rolling out free holiday bus service for the greater Newburgh area.

U.S. Senator Charles Schumer stood on a train platform in Orange County Thursday. He was in Tuxedo calling on New Jersey Transit and Metro-North to improve emergency communications with passengers following last week’s train crash in Hoboken, New Jersey. A Metro-North spokesman is responding.

A number of elected officials in the Hudson Valley plan to draw attention to national Hunger Action Month by lending a hand Wednesday at local supermarkets.

Democratic New York Congressman Sean Patrick Maloney was in Orange County Thursday, urging the passage of nearly $2 billion in emergency funding to combat the Zika virus. County officials joined him at Orange County Community College in Newburgh, supporting his call. 

With statements coming in Friday from local elected officials in the Hudson Valley about the fatal shooting of five Dallas police officers Thursday night, one of the officials has announced his county will hold a vigil next week.

The public has gotten its first taste of what a planned Legoland New York would look like. The English company behind the proposed theme park for Orange County delivered a presentation Tuesday night to the Goshen Town Board and an overflow audience.

A Hudson Valley county and union have reached a tentative agreement after four years without a contract.

Orange County Executive Steve Neuhaus and CSEA President Sabina Shapiro Monday announced that a tentative contract agreement has been reached between the county and the Civil Services Employees Association. The previous CSEA contract expired in 2011. CSEA is Orange County’s largest employee union representing about 1,550 county and college employees. The terms of the tentative contract include a 1.75% wage increase this year; 1.5% in 2016 and in 2017; and 1.25 % in 2018.

The Orange County executive held a public forum last night as part of the county’s parallel review of the controversial annexation proposal from the Hasidic Jewish village of Kiryas Joel. The forum drew several hundred residents and elected officials.

Following three carbon monoxide deaths in Newburgh in March, county and city officials recently gathered to talk about preventing such a tragedy from happening again. They visited some of the city’s residences to encourage the use of carbon monoxide detectors.

Lander Street in the City of Newburgh is where officials say three residents died from carbon monoxide poisoning in a building with a clogged chimney and no detectors. Michael Vatter is Newburgh Fire Chief.

A lawsuit brought by three Orange County residents against the county executive and a county legislator seeks to halt the demolition of an architecturally significant building. That building, the Orange County Government Center in Goshen, has been the subject of debate for more than three years.

Goshen attorney Michael Sussman represents the plaintiffs. He says the suit seeks injunctive relief to halt the demolition. Sussman also alleges it’s a waste of taxpayer money.

A public comment session on the Hudson Valley Hasidic Jewish village of Kiryas Joel’s controversial annexation proposal was held Tuesday evening — despite calls from some elected officials and area residents to postpone the session because of inclement weather. A village spokesman is defending the decision to press forward.

There are two public hearings Monday in Orange County, and the county executive is providing additional public comment time because he expects a lot of interest.

There is a “Trees for Troops” donation drive Thursday in Orange County.

Moody’s Investors Service has downgraded Orange County’s bond rating for the second time in six months.

Moody’s Investors Service Tuesday downgraded Orange County’s bond rating from Aa2 to Aa3 and assigned the county a negative financial outlook. This is the second time Moody’s has downgraded the county’s bond rating this year. In March, Moody’s lowered the county’s rating two notches. Republican Orange County Executive Steve Neuhaus, who took office in January, had expected the downgrade this week after a recent meeting with Moody’s officials.

A few companies angling to be part of the forthcoming medical marijuana business in New York are expressing interest in Orange County.

A Hudson Valley county could be facing another downgrading of its bond rating.

Moody’s Investors Service in March downgraded Orange County’s bond rating two notches - to Aa2 from Aaa. Orange County Executive Steve Neuhaus believes another downgrade is imminent.

“I think we’re going to get downgraded on Monday, just a lot of negative stuff coming back, and rightfully so," says Neuhaus.

He says he met with Moody’s officials recently. Neuhaus says continued economic development will help as would landing one of the six casinos proposed for Orange County.

Elected officials gathered in Orange County this morning to announce the start of reconstruction of a bridge damaged by Hurricane Irene in August 2011. They say the lengthy process of securing funding to get construction off the ground needs to be streamlined.

Three years after Hurricane Irene hit the Hudson Valley and destroyed the Forge Hill Bridge over Moodna Creek in New Windsor, elected officials stood in front of the site, announcing that bridge construction begins next week. Here’s Republican state Senator Bill Larkin.

A HAZMAT exercise is taking place Saturday morning in Orange County.

Elected officials say an airport in Orange County will receive funding to upgrade its runways.

The Republican candidate for New York state attorney general stopped in Orange County Thursday. He was in Newburgh to talk with local elected officials about what is needed to cut down on the city’s crime.

Orange County has a new program as part of its economic development strategy.

A county executive in the Hudson Valley says his county is the first in New York State to adopt a certain clean energy program.

Orange County Executive Steve Neuhuas says his county is the first to launch Energize NY. He also announced during an Orange County Chamber of Commerce breakfast that a recently received grant will go toward a solar farm at the county’s 9-1-1 center.

The Orange County executive is looking at cost-cutting measures to help plug a $60 million budget gap next year.

In New York, the Orange County legislature Thursday supported a resolution for the license approval and operation of casinos in its county.

The vote was 20-to-1. Republican Orange County Executive Steve Neuhaus says the overwhelming support for the resolution sends the message that the potential for gaming as an economic catalyst across the region is great. He describes the casino proposals for Orange County as coming from Class A casino companies.

The operator of the Resorts World Casino New York City at Aqueduct Racetrack has taken the wraps off its proposed casino development for an Orange County town. Several area residents spoke in opposition of the proposal, but the town board has not yet taken a position.

(from video presentation) "...We would like to introduce the next chapter in this 238-acre site’s storied history – the world-class Sterling Forest Resort. Located on a remote site buffered by over two miles of forest from the Town of Tuxedo and Tuxedo Park, residents will see minimal impact from the resort…”

A town board in Orange County is backing the concept of locating a casino minutes from the New York State Thruway. This came during a special board meeting Thursday evening to hear a presentation from the developer.