State confirms West Nile virus found in 4 county birds

By DIANE VALDEN

HUDSON–Hudson Police arrested Bernardo E. Centeno, 70, of Hudson on an active felony arrest warrant out of Hudson City Court, October 17. Mr. Centeno was arrested on two counts of third degree criminal possession of a weapon, previously convicted / a class D felony and second degree menacing with a weapon, a class A misdemeanor.

On October 10, the Hudson Police Department detective’s division received information from a social media post that Mr. Centeno allegedly deliberately destroyed the artwork of a local female artist, an act that was witnessed and recorded by another community member.

Mr. Centeno’s response to the confrontation was one of violence, police said, allegedly threatening a man with a bat and knife while using racist language. HPD spoke with the victim who said that October 8, he saw Mr. Centeno allegedly peeling paint off of an artist’s murals on the 400 block of Prison Alley. When the victim questioned Mr. Centeno, he allegedly grabbed a bat and swung it at the victim and then allegedly grabbed a knife and threatened the victim, who was not injured during the incident. Charges relating to the destroyed artwork are pending.

Mr. Centeno was arraigned in Hudson Court before Judge Cheryl Roberts. He was released on his own recognizance. He returned to Hudson City Court October 19 and is to return again at a later date.

To contact Diane Valden email dvalden@columbiapaper.com

Hudson men plead guilty to robbery

HUDSON—Two men were convicted by plea in Columbia County Court October 17, for committing a violent robbery in Hudson, according to a press release from the Columbia County District Attorney’s Office.

Cain Carothers, 23, and Eugene Cobbins, 43, both of Hudson, pleaded guilty to first degree robbery, a class B violent felony; second degree robbery, a class C violent felony; two counts of fourth degree grand larceny, a class E felony; third degree assault, a class A misdemeanor; and petit larceny, a class A misdemeanor.

Mr. Carothers also pleaded guilty to third degree criminal possession of a weapon with a previous conviction, a class D violent felony. Mr. Carothers was convicted of second degree burglary and fourth degree grand larceny in Columbia County Court October 22, 2018.

Hudson Police officers arrested Mr. Carothers September 8 and Mr. Cobbins September 10, 2022. Through their investigation, police determined that the men forced their victim to hand over his wallet, including his credit cards, and telephone on North Seventh Street, September 8, 2022.

Mr. Carothers brandished a knife at the victim until he complied with the defendants’ demands.

Columbia County Court will sentence both defendants November 22.

William Galvin represents Mr. Cobbins and Dennis McEvoy represents Mr. Carothers.

No traffic allowed on Kinderhook St. for Halloween

CHATHAM—On Halloween, Tuesday, October 31, there will be Limited/No Thru Traffic on Kinderhook Street from about 4 to 10 p.m. Exact times will be based on the number of people on the streets and weather.

The Chatham Fire Department will not be hosting the drive-through at the fairgrounds, but they will instead be relocating to the corner of Woodbridge Avenue and Kinderhook Street to participate in the Halloween activities.

Don’t get tricked, follow safety tips for fun Halloween

GHENT—For this week’s “Tuesday’s Tips,” the New York Department of State’s Division of Consumer Protection reminds New Yorkers to stay safe during Halloween activities with health, treat, costume, décor and traffic safety tips. Children and adults can celebrate this traditional festivity and enjoy the activities by following these tips:

*Health—Be aware of any food allergies your child might have and avoid accepting candy that might not have proper labels, are repacked or homemade

*Have an honest conversation and set expectations on what a healthy amount of sweetness your child can eat from trick or treating. Consider spacing the consumption of treats over several days for long-lasting enjoyment

*Talk about donating or trading some of the candy. Many hospitals have Halloween candy exchange activities during the month of October

*Treats—Examine any toys or small items for young children under three years of age. Pay attention to small parts or items that can detach that may pose a choking hazard

*Examine all treats. Although instances are rare, be aware of the possibility of tampering. Any treats that are unwrapped, unsealed, repacked, mislabeled or seem suspicious should be thrown away

*Costumes—Look for fabrics labeled “flame resistant,” such as nylon or polyester, when purchasing costumes, beards, wigs and masks. Flame-resistant materials are not flameproof, but they will resist burning and can be extinguished quickly

*Purchase or make costumes that are light-colored, bright and clearly visible to motorists. Dark-colored costumes are hard to see at night. Costumes should also have adequate ventilation, have eye holes large enough to allow full vision and should not limit hearing

*Be wary of costume contact lenses. The Federal Trade Commission previously warned that selling contact lenses—even cosmetic contacts—is illegal to consumers without a prescription, as these items should be purchased only if medically necessary

*Decorations—Pumpkin carving is a fun activity, but it only takes a few seconds for an injury to occur. Remember to leave the carving to adults, and never let kids do the actual carving. Instead, for pumpkin carving safety, have them draw the pattern and clean out the pulp and seeds after

*Use battery operated tea-lights, LED lights or glow sticks instead of an open flame candle for your Jack-o-Lanterns. If using a candle, keep your decorated Jack-o-Lanterns away from curtains, decorations or other flammable objects that could be ignited. Do not leave an open flame candle unattended

*Keep any candles or Jack-o-Lanterns away from landings or doorsteps where costumes could brush against the flames and place them on a sturdy table

*Trick-or-Treaters—Young children should be accompanied by an adult while trick-or-treating. If children will be trick-or-treating on their own, consider safety rules like staying with a group, reviewing their route, safety check-ins and agreeing on a time to return home

*Use reflective tape as a trim for costumes, outerwear and even treat bags to make them visible to motorists at dusk and in the dark. Reflective tape is found in hardware, bicycle and sporting goods stores

*Cross the street on corners, use crosswalks and adhere to traffic signals

*Teach children to make eye contact with drivers before crossing in front of a motorist

*Walk on sidewalks or paths and, if there are no sidewalks, walk facing traffic as far left as possible

*Put electronics down, keep your head up and walk (don’t run) while crossing the street

*Drivers—Be careful when passing stopped vehicles. They may be stopping to let trick-or-treaters cross the road or unloading passengers. The visibility of trick-or-treaters and other pedestrians may be obstructed.