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Orange County Exec Address Vandalism, Re-Opening And Readiness

Orange County Executive Steve Neuhaus at the podium; Congressman Sean Patrick Maloney of the 18th District
Courtesy of the Office of Congressman Sean Patrick Maloney
Orange County Executive Steve Neuhaus at the podium; Congressman Sean Patrick Maloney of the 18th District

Orange County Executive Steve Neuhaus spent Thursday in several places for different reasons.  WAMC’s Hudson Valley Bureau Chief Allison Dunne caught up with him in New Windsor to talk about vandalism in a nearby village, mall re-openings and more.

Republican County Executive Neuhaus joined Democratic Congressman Sean Patrick Maloney for a press conference in New Windsor about the House-passed $1.5 trillion infrastructure package that would deliver funding to repair bridges like the one crossing Moodna Creek, which stood behind them.

They then headed to Washingtonville, where, earlier in the week, someone sawed off a flagpole at a 9/11 firefighter’s memorial and vandalized a sign at Saint Mary’s Parish Center.

So far, he says there is no video of the incident caught by any neighbors. The Parish Center operates as a food pantry and a sign was damaged. Firefighters have been keeping watch overnight at the memorial. A reward that started at $3,000 is being offered for information leading to an arrest. Meantime, Neuhaus says the county has been losing $1 million a week in sales-tax revenue. With the Mid-Hudson region having entered Phase Four July 7, it remains to be seen whether consumers feel comfortable returning to retailers and restaurants in high enough numbers.

Malls were permitted to open Friday, with an air filtration caveat.

Woodbury Common Premium Outlets have been open. In neighboring Rockland County, the Palisades Center mall in West Nyack reopened Friday, and Rockland County Executive Ed Day was scheduled to hold a press conference with the Center’s general manager Friday afternoon. In 2019, the Palisades Center paid $21.4 million in property taxes and generated more than $22 million in local sales tax revenue.

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