Business digest

Captain’s Table to host North Main PTA benefit on Jan. 17 Monroe — The North Main PTA is holding a fund-raising day at the Captain’s Table on Route 17M in Monroe all day on Monday, Jan. 17. The Captain’s Table will donate 10 percent of all food sales to North Main Elementary School on that day. Coupons are not necessary. PTA officials said the funds raised will provide additional programs and events for students. They are hopeful parents will support the PTA’s work and take their families out to eat, particularly since school is closed that day. For additional information, e-mail to northmainpta@yahoo.com or visit the “North Main PTA” page on Facebook. Assemblywoman Rabbitt will head labor committee Albany — Assemblywoman Annie Rabbitt (R-C-Greenwood Lake) has been appointed as the Ranking Member of the Assembly Labor Committee. The appointment was made by Assembly Minority Leader Brian Kolb and means that Rabbitt will lead the committee for the Minority Conference. “Creating jobs, strengthening our state’s ability to grow and maintain a highly skilled workforce, and negotiating with labor unions are some of the most pressing issues facing our state, and I am honored to have been appointed to this task. I look forward to working with members from both sides of the aisle to address the needs of and support our state’s workforce,” said the assemblywoman, who has previous experience serving as a member of the Labor Committee. In addition to her new appointment, Rabbitt has been appointed to serve as a member of the Veterans’ Affairs and Economic Development committees and will continue to serve on the Consumer Affairs and Protection along with the Local Governments committees. Habitat for Humanity open house is Feb. 5 Newburgh — Habitat for Humanity of Greater Newburgh will hold a volunteer open house on Saturday, Feb. 5, from 9 to 11 a.m. at its headquarters at the Kimball Building on Washington Street in Newburgh. The group is seeking volunteers with all different kinds of skills. To learn more, call 568-6035 or e-mail to: cdalton@habitatnewburgh.org. Sugar Loaf Mountain Herbs hosts free demonstrations Sugar Loaf - Sugar Loaf Mountain Herbs will host a series of free demonstrations on Saturdays during January at the shop, located at 1361 Kings Highway in Sugar Loaf. Each demonstration will be held from 1 to 2 p.m. The schedule is: Jan. 15: Brewing loose leaf teas. An informative session covering the many health benefits of drinking the various teas, including Black, Green, Red and Oolong as well as additional information steeping and brewing methods. Jan. 22: Growing you own sprouts. A how-to guide with tasting to learn the different seeds for sprouting. Jan. 29: Elderberry syrup. A delicious way to boost the immune system and to help your family during the cold and flu season. For more information, call 469-6460 or visit online at www.sugarloafherbs.com. O&R shareholders donate $20,000 to The Neighbor Fund PEARL RIVER — Due a decline in customer contributions to The Neighbor Fund, O&R’s emergency home energy assistance fund, the company is making an additional $20,000 contribution from shareholder funds to help support it. The fund provides home-heating assistance for O&R customers who find themselves unable to pay their home-heating fuel bills because of emergency financial conditions. That dollar-for-dollar match is made by the shareholders of Consolidated Edison, Inc., O&R’s parent company. The fund provides a one-time grant for electric customers of $250 and for heating fuel customers of $250. Grants are awarded to pay for home energy costs no matter what type of fuel is used: electricity, oil, natural gas, propane, wood or coal. The grant money does not have to be repaid, and there are no age limits or income guidelines to be met. Since 1983, the fund has awarded nearly $4 million in grants to about 15,000 households. To qualify for the grant, individuals must have an account with O&R, or Pike County Light and Power Co. (PCL&P) for Pennsylvania customers, and must already have exhausted all governmental resources available for financial assistance. They must also provide supporting documentation of emergency/crisis circumstances (medical bills, unemployment notification, etc.) The Salvation Army administers the program, evaluates applications and makes the grants. For additional information, contact The Salvation Army offices in Middletown at 343-0821 or Port Jervis at 856-3214. Historic track to complete 'shed row’ Goshen — As Historic Track embarks on its 101st Anniversary of Grand Circuit Racing, it is also poised to complete the construction of a new 19-stall “shed row” barn to replace the 100-year-old structure that was recently razed on a lot adjacent to the BOCES barn. During 2010, the building site was excavated and a concrete foundation and retaining wall was poured. This process led to an extensive and unforeseen, but necessary drainage remediation project. This in turn led to a budget overrun and construction delays which, however, permanently solved a decades-long flooding problem that will benefit both our present and future tenants. A membership drive is currently underway to help defray some of these cumbersome building costs. To learn more, call General Manager Chris Tully at 294-5333 or e-mail to: ChrisTully@GoshenHistoricTrack.com.