Hello New Windsor. My wife and I are very proud of our nine-year-old son Mattingly who recently made the 9U baseball All-Star team. We named him after my all-time favorite player Don Mattingly who was a great baseball player for the Yankees in the 80’s and 90’s and has gone on to be a great Major League manager for the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Miami Marlins for the last seven seasons.

The New Windsor Police Department recently achieved agency re-accreditation through the New York State Law Enforcement Accreditation Program. The re-accreditation certification is good through June of 2026. The Police Department has been continuously accredited since 1996. What does maintaining NYS Law Enforcement Accreditation mean and why is it important?

The NYS Law Enforcement Accreditation Program provides formal recognition that an agency meets or exceeds general expectations of quality in the field. The program has four principal goals:

• To increase the effectiveness and efficiency of law enforcement agencies utilizing existing personnel, equipment and facilities to the extent possible;

• To promote increased cooperation and coordination among law enforcement agencies and other agencies of the criminal justice system;

• To ensure the appropriate training of law enforcement personnel; and

• To promote public confidence in law enforcement.
In essence, accreditation acknowledges the implementation of policies that are conceptually sound and operationally effective. The cornerstone of the Accreditation Program lies in established standards that contain a clear statement of professional requirements. Agencies participating in the program conduct a thorough analysis of their organization to determine how existing operations can be adapted to meet established standards. When an agency adopts policies and procedures that meet the standards, a team of independent professionals conducts an on-site assessment to verify that all applicable standards have been successfully implemented. This process culminates with a decision by the NYS Law Enforcement Accreditation Council that the agency is worthy of accreditation.

The Town of New Windsor Nancy Pullar Summer Concert Series is ongoing on Wednesday nights from 7 - 8:30 p.m. on the New Windsor Town Hall Lawn and gazebo. The Hurley Mountain Highway Band will be performing on Wednesday, July 14 for the third concert of the eight-week series. Make sure to bring a lawn chair, blanket, and your own food and drink to enjoy and great fun filled family night out. To see the schedule for the full eight series visit the New Windsor Recreation Department Website at nwrecisfun.com .We hope to see everyone there!

Parents are you looking to keep your kids active this summer? After a long school year kids need to be outside and playing and the Town of New Windsor has just the thing for that. Registration is ongoing for the Town of New Windsor Summer Camp Program which is a weekly program from July 5 - August 13 for ages 3-12. Camp locations are at the Ruscitti Park for ages 3-5, and 6-12, and at Kristi Babcock Memorial Park for ages 6-12 for camp. Space is limited so don’t hesitate sign up today! For all camp information please visit www.nwrecisfun.com or call the Recreation Department at 845-565-7750.

What would you do in an emergency if someone close to you needed first aid or CPR? The Town of New Windsor Recreation Department is offering two classes on Sunday August 15 from 9 to 1 p.m. with Community CPR class which is the general class and is being offered for $60, and then on from 1 to 5 p.m. the Basic Life Support (BLS) course for healthcare workers, trainers, etc. will take place for $70. Both classes are being held at the Marasco Senior Center which is located in the Town Hall Complex at 555 Union Avenue, New Windsor, NY 12553. For more information please call the Recreation Department at 845-565-7750.

The Town of New Windsor Community Day will be held on Saturday August 21 from 4 - 9 p.m. at Kristi Babcock Memorial Park. After 11 successful years we are very happy to be able to bring it back this summer after canceling last years event due to the pandemic. There will be great food, music, entertainment, rides, vendors and fireworks with free parking and free admission. Limited vendor spots are available please visit newwindsorcommunityday.com or call the Recreation Department at 845-565-7750. We hope to see everyone on Saturday August 21.

Birthday shout outs this week go to Jack McCaffrey and Joe Garzione whose birthdays are on July 8, to Clay Faris whose birthday is on July 11, to Patty Kiley, Joe Peyton, and Nick Dean whose birthdays are all on July 12, to Tony D’Angelo, Vincent Schara, and Matt Deloughery whose birthdays are all on July 14, and to and to anyone else out there celebrating birthdays this week. Happy Birthday! If anyone has a birthday or other special event you want mentioned in my column, or have anything going on in New Windsor that you want the world to know about you can reach me at mveronesi@optimum.net or by calling 845-629-1260. Have a great week.