Upstate News

MONTICELLO – The months of July and August typically mean the population of Sullivan County triples as summer visitors move to the Catskills from the City of New York.

Five teens have been charged with a hate crime after sheriff’s deputies say they spray painted swastikas and other graffiti in several buildings at the Kaiman Bungalow colony on Mount Hope Road.

MONTICELLO, NY [CHI] — With summer drawing to a close, families packed up and enjoyed their last Motzai Shabbos in the Catskill Mountains. One bungalow colony marked it with a 45 minutes fireworks show followed by a Kumzitz Bon Fire.

Route 52 rises out of Pine Bush, crosses into Ulster County, climbs through Walker Valley and Warwarsing, and, before descending sharply into Ellenville, offers expansive views of Highland Lakes State Park and the Catskill foothills.

It’s a beautiful drive, and more and more often, a deadly one.

WOODRIDGE, NY [CHI] — A tragic one-vehicle accident upstate New York left one Bochur dead, and a seriously injured passenger after the driver apparently fell asleep at the wheel. The incident took place on Route 58, Glen Wild Road near Woodridge in Sullivan County, right across from the Skvere Camp Beis Yitzchok.

Yeshiva World News reported that the Niftar is 19-year-old Yeshaya Dovid Eckstein OBM who lived on 8th Street in the Kensington section of Brooklyn.

MONTICELLO, NY — Volunteer paramedics who wear long curling sideburns and black hats sat down Sunday with state agency representatives for breakfast and a side order of understanding.

The goal: coordinate efforts for the summer when the population and emergency calls rise dramatically.

S. FALLSBURG, NY — The Fallsburg fire chief has been arrested in connection with the August 29 arson of a bungalow at a Jewish summer camp in Sullivan County.

FALLSBURG, NY — A Fallsburg man was charged with felony arson and hate crimes on Tuesday in connection with a bungalow fire and spray-painted slurs in his Sullivan county town.

Town of Fallsburg Police said Edward Smith, 44, allegedly started a fire at Skopps Bungalows on Seldon Road and also spray painted slurs and threats.

WOODBOURNE, NY — Bakery workers scraped mounds of poppy seeds into trash bins.

Fathers strapped luggage and toys to the roofs of minivans. Mothers were too busy hosing off chairs and folding the last of the laundry to talk about the exodus.

This scene has repeated for decades now. The day before Labor Day, Sullivan County’s Hasidic Jewish communities pack up and vanish. Shops close, bungalows empty, summer ends. Many return to the bustle of Brooklyn.

“It’s unbelievable,” bakery owner Levi Gombo said. “In three hours, everybody’s gone.”

MONTICELLO, NY [CHI] — Three perpetrators were arrested following the beating of Lubavitcher Bochurim. Charged were William Harrison, 18, of Livingston Manor, Sean Gadsen, 16, of Youngsville, and Matthew Alcivar, 17, of Queens, and all three were charged with second-degree assault as a hate crime, gang assault in the second degree, aggravated harassment and disorderly conduct, they were arraigned and remanded to the Sullivan County Jail without bail.

The incident took place on last week on Thursday night, beginning inside the Monticello Wal-Mart where the two groups first came into contact where racial slurs and taunts were shouted at the Bochurim, then in the parking lot into a assault where one of the Bochurim sustained fractures to his face.

More pictures in the Extended Article.

SOUTH FALLSBURG, NY — Fallsburg police removed anti-Semitic graffiti on Wednesday on a road in South Fallsburg.

Police found swastikas and nooses drawn on Westwood Drive near summer bungalows where orthodox Jews vacation.

“It was just somebody venting,” Chief Simmie Williams said. But Rabbi Yakov Barros said the matter should be investigated fully.

More pictures in the Extended Article.

S. FALLSBURG, NY [CHI] – In the Catskill Mountains the nights grow cold and family’s in the Mei Menuchos (pleasant waters) Bungalow Colony gathered around a warm fire in a kumzitz, some baking potatoes and marshmallows and sharing stories of the Baal Shemtov.

More pictures in the Extended Article!

RUNNING SPRINGS, CA [CHI] — Less than two months after the devastating California wild fires in Running Springs, Camp Gan Israel Running Springs is up and running. Children came from all over California and other Western states. The 6 day camp for the girls and 6 days for boys were highlighted by unforgettable unity Shabbatons, with additional children joining together in a true spirit of Achdus.

Just two weeks after its installation, a median guardrail on Route 17 stopped a car from crossing over into oncoming traffic.

“You can say it works, and that it saved a life today,” said state Trooper Jason Grabowski of the new guardrail installed near Exit 130.

According to state police, the driver of a westbound white 2003 Chevrolet Cavalier bounced off the newly installed rail after the driver lost control trying to pass another car on its left. The car then came back onto the highway, flipped and came to rest upside down on the right shoulder of the road, police said.