Nora Mishanec is reporting for Columbia-Greene Media that a rally organized in support of a man alleged to have been severely beaten at a party in Kinderhook July 4, has been canceled. The planned event was scheduled to take place in the village square, but was canceled at the request of the man's family, Village Clerk Nicole Heeder said July 17. The man, Harold Handy, a local auto mechanic, was the victim of a brutal assault that allegedly took place at the Kinderhook residence of ClubLife and Fitness owner Alex Rosenstrach. Following the execution of a search warrant at Rosenstrach's home, the Columbia County Sheriff's office subsequently announced that Deputy Kelly Briscoe Rosenstrach, Alex's wife, was placed on administrative leave, effective July 9. Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Lt. Louis Bray said July 17, “The investigation is very active. Alongside the state police we are working very hard to conclude this investigation as soon as possible and as thoroughly as possible.” Bray declined further comment, except to say that “nothing has changed” with respect to the sheriff department’s July 9 press release denying that any other deputy sheriffs were present at the party at the time of the incident other than Kelly. State police likewise have consistently denied that any state police personnel were present at the gathering that night. “There were no state troopers at the residence, period,” State Police Director of Public Information Beau Duffy said. The sheriff’s office remains the lead agency investigating the assault, with assistance from the state Police Special Investigations Unit, Duffy said, although he failed to provide the number of state police actually involved in the probe. Read the full story at HudsonValley360 [dot] com.