By Taylor Sterling

Save for one, who entered very late – She WILL Win This Election…

Dorey Houle is repeating her run for State Senate in the 42nd District against incumbent Democrat Senator James Skoufis.  Houle narrowly lost the race in 2022 and announced her 2024 candidacy last year.  Houle has been endorsed by the Republican and Conservative parties and this past weekend opened a campaign office in the Village of Florida.  Having attended this grand opening I was amazed at the turn out which had a room and street overflowing with supporters and elected officials including Orange County Sheriff Paul Arteta, Assemblyman, Karl Brabenec, Legislator Glenn Ehlers, Kathy Stegenga, and Paul Ruszkiewicz as well as Courtney Canfield-Greene, the Republican Election Commissioner, Flo Santini, Town Clerk of Deerpark. Over the past six years, Houle has served on the Village of Monroe Board, and presently serves on the Monroe Town Board and as Acting Supervisor.  Houle’s key issues include crime and public safety, mental health, drug addiction, cost of living and state spending, and protecting local elections. Dorey Houle’s husband is retired after 20 years in the NYPD, her older son did a tour in the Middle East, she has a 21 year old son in SUNY,  a daughter who is a sophomore in HS, plus she has 11 year old twins. Yes, folks she does it all and with great grace, intelligence and compassion. Dorey is your next State Senator.

I was in attendance as Assemblyman Brian Maher of Montgomery announced this past Sunday that he is seeking a second term in November.  Maher previously was elected as the supervisor of the Town of Montgomery and served as the mayor of the Village of Walden.  He currently represents the 101st District which next year will include portions of Orange, Ulster, Sullivan, and Delaware counties.  Recently, Maher signed into legislation targeted at reducing fentanyl and opioid overdoses and previously entered bills that would designating Xylazine as a controlled substance and establish a ‘Death by Dealer’ statute which would allow prosecutors to seek bail for certain offenses.  Maher’s family was in attendance in Pine Bush where he packed the room with supporters including Orange County Sheriff, Paul Arteta, Orange County District Attorney, Dave Hoovler, Orange County Clerk, Kelly Eskew, and Assemblyman Karl Brabenec. Also in attendance was the invincible Pat Larkin, Senator Bill Larkin’s wife who is one of the most special women you will ever know. Brian worked for Senator Larkin for many years, and he shared during his speech of how he learned the quality and passion for working for the people of all the communities he represents from Senator Larkin. Personally I still have an article Senator Larkin sent to me regarding one of the many charities I work with, he simply said,  “thank you for all you do.” I cherish that note. Senator Larkin was one of a kind and will be missed forever.

Attorney Richard Guertin, who has served for many years as Middletown City Court judge, was administered the oath of office as Orange County’s newest county court judge. The ceremony in Goshen on Friday was attended by several judicial colleagues, family, and friends. In his remarks, Guertin said he is going to look at both the law and his faith to guide his decisions on the bench as he presides over felony criminal cases.  He said that he believes central to being an effective judge is to show compassion to those who appear before him. “I have a sign hanging in my office, the saying is from a famous Tim McGraw song, ‘Always be humble and kind’,” he said, noting “those are words that I try to live by.” (my favorite Tim McGraw song is Live Like You Were Dyin’ 🙂 Retired State Supreme Court Justice Joseph Owen and Middletown Mayor Joseph DeStefano, both of whom worked with Guertin for decades, consider him to be a professional and good man and offered remarks before a packed courtroom on his behalf. With his wife of 38 years by his side, Guertin took the oath of office while holding a Bible given to him by his late parents more than 40 years ago. “Having all of my family and friends here with me is such an honor,” concluded Guertin.  A good man on the Bench.