Letters to the Editor: A tribute to Mayor Judith Kennedy and Assemblyman Frank Skartados
Friday, April 27, 2018
graphic provided
I assume you must know by now, but just in case I want to share.
There was no way for me to prepare myself for what I was about to hear on a normal Sunday evening as I reached out to the County LegislatorKevinDarren Lujan to set up a meeting for the upcoming week. When he told me this would be a tough week because of Judy ( Mayor Kennedy) and Frank (Assemblyman Skartados), I had to pause. There was no way he could be saying what I thought he was saying. Yes he was, they both died same day, within hours of each other. It could not be true, not both on the same day. My reaction distraught!!! That is why I hate texts and emails, cold and blunt. This was truly an unfortunate political phenomenon
I have never met anyone like Judy, I will never forget her. As a person and apolitician my respect for Mayor Kennedy ran deep. She was an exceptional person. The day after learning the seriousness of her condition, she and her son Kyle came and danced at my Newburgh Jazz-Go-Round concert held on the Colonial Terrace greens. The summer of 2017,even in a weakened state, she made her way down to the waterfront for the Newburgh Jazz Series. She told me the doctors told her to take it easy, but she had to come to the concert. Judy's mantra was always the same, we the people must unite for the greater good.
As for Frank I will always have special memories. Frank was everywhere. I am not kidding, there was not a place or event which I would go that he was not there. He seemed to love interacting. He was truly the eyes and ears of the people. He would use all that first-hand insight when traveling up to Albany, securing the much neededdollars for so many community projects. He was our voice in Albany.
Judy and Frank were friends, allies and pillars of the community. They had a shared mission; a constant desire to improve the lives of the people in the communities which they served. The city of Newburgh and region has lost two great voices of principle and reason. They will surely be missed, RIP and God Speed.
There is a great article in the Tmes Herald Record, please share it.
Restoring the Magic
Aquanetta, yourferry Godmother