GNH Lumber & Home Legacy of the Catskills

Wanted man surrenders at Livingston barracks

0
Share

By DIANE VALDEN

LIVINGSTON—Wanted man William M. Metz, 34, of Claverack turned himself in at the State Police Livingston barracks January 18.

Investigators charged Mr. Metz with first degree gang assault, a class B felony, and second degree assault, a class D felony.

Arraigned in Claverack Court, Mr. Metz was sent to the Columbia County Jail in lieu of $25,000 cash bail or $50,000 bond.

State Police sought the public’s assistance in locating Mr. Metz, a suspect wanted for his involvement in an alleged gang assault that occurred January 10 in Philmont. They issued a warrant for his arrest on the above charges.

Troopers from SP Livingston responded to reports of an assault on Main Street in the Village of Philmont, January 10, at 2:40 a.m. When troopers arrived they found a single victim with multiple injuries, who reported that he was assaulted by four suspects who fled the scene. The victim was taken to Albany Medical Center for treatment.

The investigation led to the arrest of the following individuals January 11 for their roles in the assault:

*Victoria F. Mannino, 51, of Germantown on charges of first degree gang assault, first degree robbery and fourth degree criminal mischief

*Andrea R. Bogucki, 46, of Claverack on charges of first degree gang assault, driving while ability impaired by drugs, third degree unlawfully fleeing, seventh degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and multiple vehicle and traffic law citations

*Natasha Montague, 41, of Catskill on one count of first degree gang assault.

All three were arraigned in Claverack Court and ordered held in the Columbia County Jail.

Niverville

Volunteers from the Hudson Valley Chapter of the American Red Cross provided immediate emergency aid to six people after a fire Tuesday night, January 7 at 14 Beach Avenue.

County 911 initially dispatched Niverville firefighters and the Valatie Rescue Squad for a structure fire at 8:42 p.m.

Stockport, Valatie, West Ghent, Red Rock, Tri Village, South Schodack and Nassau firefighters responded to provide mutual aid. National Grid and the building department were called to the scene. Fire departments were back in service at 10:19 p.m.

The Red Cross provided financial assistance which can be used for necessities such as shelter, food, and clothing to three adults and three children. Volunteers also offered health services, comfort kits containing personal care items, and stuffed animals for the children. In the coming days, Red Cross staff and volunteers will remain available to help those affected by the fire as they navigate the road to recovery.

To contact Diane Valden email dvalden@columbiapaper.com

Franceschi honored for dog rescue
The Columbia County Sheriff’s Office recently recognized first responders and in particular A.B. Shaw Fire Company (Claverack Fire District) Captain Matt Franceschi, who was one of many who responded to a house fire at 101 Route 217 in his district January 5. After learning from the homeowner that there was a pet inside, Capt. Franceschi entered the burning residence and successfully retrieved this family pet, which most certainly saved Bailey the dog’s life. “We recognize that 50% of U.S. households say pets are as much a part of their family as a human member. Capt. Franceschi’s efforts undoubtedly saved a member of this gentlemen’s family,” said the post. Pictured is Sheriff Donald Krapf (l) and Capt. Franceschi. /Sheriff’s Office Facebook Post

Park police candidates sought by state parks

ALBANY—The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (State Parks) is recruiting its next class of State Park Police Officer Trainees to help provide safe and enjoyable recreation to the state park system’s record 84 million annual visitors. State Parks provides outstanding outdoor and cultural experiences while offering some of the safest beaches, trails, golf courses, pools, picnic areas, and entertainment venues in the nation. Applications for park police officer trainee positions will be accepted until February 28 and women are strongly encouraged to apply.

“Our attendance figures show just how much people rely on and love our parks and sites, we also want to find the next group of recruits with a calling for state service and the outdoors. Our New York State Park Police are among the first law enforcement agencies in the nation, and we are committed to the growing movement of 30×30—the New York initiative to reach 30% of women in recruiting classes by 2030. Advancing women in policing is critical to improving public safety,” State Parks Commissioner Pro Tempore Randy Simons said in a press release.

State Parks maintains a welcoming environment and offers new recruits hands-on training and classroom education in Criminal Procedure Law, Penal Law, Vehicle and Traffic Law, Park and Recreation Law and criminal investigations. Recruits will also receive training in firearms, first response, snowmobile and ATV operation, emergency vehicle operation, and a wide variety of other law enforcement-related topics and skills.

Once training and a competitive process including a New York State Civil Service exam is complete, appointments to the State Park Police Officer position are made. State Park Police Officers are permanent, full-time police officer positions, dedicated to preserving the peace in a wide variety of park environments around the state.

Typically, the State Park Police handle very large crowds, assist park goers, search for and rescue missing persons, make arrests, conduct criminal and non-criminal investigations, and provide emergency services wherever and whenever they are needed. Special services the State Park Police also offer include marine law enforcement and education duties on New York waterways, snowmobile enforcement and education, and high angle and swift water rescue teams.

In January 2025, the State Park Police Academy will graduate 29 new officers who will be assigned to serve New York’s state parks and historic sites. Graduates reinforce what is learned in the classroom through field training during the first months of their new assignments. After that training, pay ranges from $73,796 to $93,129, based on work location, with performance-based salary increases to follow.

Go to https://parks.ny.gov/park-police/park-police-officers/new-applicants.aspx for more information regarding the application process, agility testing, screening requirements and written exam.

The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation oversees more than 250 parks, historic sites, recreational trails, golf courses, boat launches and more, which saw a record 84 million visits in 2023.

State warns of SAT prep scams

ALBANY—As high school students prepare for the next round of Scholastic Aptitude Tests (SAT), the New York Department of State’s Division of Consumer Protection is warning both parents and students about SAT prep scams. SAT scores can influence college admissions and scholarship rewards, and as a result, many parents and students seek out tutors and test prep materials to help prepare for the exam. In a new scam, parents are receiving calls claiming to be from the College Board or other educational institutions about prep materials their child requested at school. Often, the caller may have the student’s name and the school they attend, making the caller seem legitimate, but the caller asks for an address and a credit card number for a deposit, claiming the deposit will be refunded once the test prep material is returned. According to the Better Business Bureau’s scam tracker, parents who gave their information never received material and lost their deposit, and now the scammer has their credit card information as well.

“Prepping for and taking the SATs can be stressful enough without having to worry about scammers taking advantage of you with new, convincing tactics that seem legitimate,” said Secretary of State Walter T. Mosley, in a press release. “As young New Yorkers prepare for the upcoming round of tests, we are urging both parents and students to be vigilant in protecting their sensitive information. Do your research before offering any payments and remember, you should not share personal or financial information over the phone with unsolicited callers.”

To avoid SAT prep scams understand the College Board’s practices:

*The College Board is the organization responsible for the SAT exams. They offer free materials to prepare for the SATs on their website. You can find the information at https://satsuite.collegeboard.org/practice

*The College Board will call to follow up on student inquiries but does not make unsolicited calls or ask for your credit card/bank information or passwords over the phone. You can find out more information on how they operate at https://satsuite.collegeboard.org/practice

Check with your child:

*If the caller says they are calling about a request from your child, let the caller know you need to confirm with your child before you talk to them

*If you need to call the College Board back so you can confirm with your child, contact them directly at 866-680-9990. Do not trust unknown phone numbers provided by an unsolicited caller.

Confirm the legitimacy of the organization and always be wary of unsolicited calls:

*If the caller claims to be with another educational organization besides the College Board, research the organization before deciding to work with them

*Search for the organization name and reported scams or complaints

*Ask other parents if they have worked with the organization.

Sign up to receive consumer alerts directly to your email or phone at their website www.dos.ny.gov/consumerprotection.

Related Posts