People, wine, candy and news bites

(Contributed photo) - A customer fills out a raffle ticket for a gift basket at Cornwall Wine & Spirits.

WINE & CHOCOLATE
Cornwall Wines & Spirits hosted a wine and chocloate tasting event on Valentine’s Day and sold raffle tickets to benefit the Hudson Valley SPCA.

“Animals have been popular,” owner Kenn Brodmerkel said on the day of the event. He’s had donation cans at his store in the past.

On Feb. 14, people paid $5 to take a chance on gift baskets. Despite an all-day snow storm, the raffles raised $525.

PEOPLE
Mark Edsall has become the president and CEO of McGoey, Hauser and Edsall Consulting Engineers. Based in New Windsor, the firm was established in 1978.

Founding partners Richard McGoey and William Hauser will remain on staff as principals emeritus.

Gary Haugland received a certificate of thanks from the Town Board on Feb. 11. After 20 years, he is leaving the Cornwall Conservation Advisory Council.

Helen Murphy was the guest of honor at a birthday party hosted by the Catholic Daughters and Junior Catholic Daughters of America.  The juniors submitted questions for her to answer about the 1920s  and the Great Depression. Mrs. Murphy has a vivid memory of those eras. She is now 104.

Sheriff Carl DuBois is considerably younger than Mrs. Murphy. But his birthday did not go unnoticed. He was feted with a chorus of “Happy Birthday” (as well as a cupcake and candle) at a Media Day breakfast at Orange/Ulster BOCES.

PUBLIC SAFETY
Kurt Hahn and the Cornwall Office of Emergency Management hosted a safety conference on Feb. 13.

The group focused on traffic accidents on Storm King Mountain. One recommendation was to create landmarks so motorists could identify their location when they call for help. Legislators, police officials and emergency responders attended the meeting.

TOWN TRIPS
The Town Recreation Department has planned a vacation trip to Wildwood, N.J. from Sept. 28 to Oct. 2. For prices and information, call 534-2070 or visit the department in the one-story building behind Town Hall.

There are still a few openings for the March 2 excursion to the Philadelphia Flower Show.