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07-03-09
NYS COMPTROLLER LOOKS TO WITHHOLD STATE SENATORS’ PAY
State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli is moving to withhold pay from members of the state senate, who’ve done little if anything, legislatively, for much of the past month. DiNapoli jumped into the fray yesterday, saying, whether or not the senate deadlock is an internal, legislative matter, it’s time that his stepped in on behalf of New York taxpayers. In a written statement, DiNapoli said he’s asking the State Supreme Court for a ruling on whether he can, in fact, stop the senate paychecks.
PATERSON LOOKS TO MEDIATE SENATE DEADLOCK
The man who first floated the stop-pay idea, Governor David Paterson, was to sit down today with key members of the senate’s warring Republican and Democratic factions. His goal: to mediate a leadership agreement that would bring the senate back to work as a full body – and without a court order -- for the first time since June eighth. Meanwhile, Paterson is keeping the 62 state senators in Albany, on orders to convene each day right through the July 4th weekend, if necessary.
ST. LAWRENCE SAYS AIRLINE OVERFLIGHT BATTLE STILL WINNABLE
Ramapo Supervisor Christopher St. Lawrence says the county’s airline-overflight battle is not lost. A federal court last month dismissed Rockland’s initial suit against the Federal Aviation Administration’s plan to re-direct hundreds of flights daily over the county. Rockland officials pledge to appeal that ruling. St. Lawrence told WRCR listeners this morning the FAA can be convinced there are better alternatives to the Rockland overflights.
”TEA PARTIES” TOMORROW IN NEW CITY & NANUET
Two “taxpayer tea parties” are scheduled in Rockland tomorrow – one, at ten a.m., outside the county courthouse in New City – the other, at 12 noon, on the corner of Rt. 59 and Middletown Road in Nanuet. Both protest rallies reportedly will target the Obama administration’s economic stimulus policies, which protest organizers condemn as wasteful, unconstitutional and socialistic.
AIRMONT MAN HELD IN ALLEGED RAPE OF UNDERAGE GIRL
Ramapo police have charged an Airmont man with raping an under-age girl. Twenty-four year-old Juan Pablo Guaman-Pesantez is in County Jail following his arrest Sunday in Spring Valley. Police are releasing few details of the case, saying only that the alleged rape or rapes occurred sometime in the last year.
NJ PARKS POLICEMAN ACQUITTED IN 2006 SHOOTING DEATH OF MONROE, NY, MAN
A New Jersey parks policeman is free after his acquittal on reckless manslaughter charges in the shooting death of a New York man three years ago. Yesterday’s verdict in Hackensack cleared parks officer Chad Walder in the 2006 killing of 45-year-old Emil Mann of Monroe during a confrontation in Mahwah. Walder’s attorney had argued that his client shot Mann in self-defense after Mann tried to take the officer’s gun. Mann worked for the Town of Ramapo at the time of the shooting.
NJ MAN LOSES LUNCH, BUT NOT LIFE, TO BEAR
It was a case of man versus bear -- and they both won, even though the bear took home the prize. Police in Vernon Township, NJ, say the confrontation happened last Saturday. The man, Henry Rouwendal was in his driveway, standing behind his car, when he was knocked to the ground. When he looked up, a black bear was standing over him. Fortunately, Rouwendal’s trunk was open -- and luckier still, there was a sandwich inside the trunk. The bear hesitated. Rouwendal let loose a kick. Then they both ran off – in opposite directions. Police say Rouwendal escaped with cuts and bruises. The bear got away with the sandwich.
07-02-09
STATE SENATORS HELD OVER FOR HOLIDAY WEEKEND
July Fourth shapes up as a working holiday for New York State Senators. Governor David Paterson has ordered the lawmakers to convene each day through the weekend, in hopes they’ll finally get down to business. Senate Democrats and Republicans have been in legislative lockdown for more than three weeks, in a bitter and relentless leadership dispute.
SENATE REPUBLICANS SAY DEMOCRATS BROKE THE LAW
In the latest salvo, senate Republicans say the Democrats broke the law in their attempt to regain senate control after the June-eighth Republican-led coup. As it stands, the two parties are deadlocked with 31 senate votes each. A court order brought them back into full session on Monday, but they’ve refused to work together on pending legislation in any of the sessions since then.
ARMY PANEL URGES DISMISSAL OF GAY WEST POINT GRAD
U.S. Army Lieutenant Daniel Choi says he’ll appeal an army panel’s ruling in a case involving the military’s “Don’t ask, don’t tell” policy. The panel Tuesday recommended Choi’s dismissal from the National Guard for publicly acknowledging his homosexuality. Choi came out earlier this year, when he helped form a gay alumni group at West Point, from which he graduated in 2003. Army officials say it could be years before a final ruling comes in Choi’s case.
ORANGE COUNTY REPORTS FIRST SWINE FLU DEATHS
Two Orange County women have become that county’s first confirmed swine flu fatalities. Officials say the women, both in their 30’s, died at St. Luke’s Cornwall Hospital – one on June 22nd, the other last Wednesday. They’re not believed to have had contact prior to becoming ill. Elsewhere in the region, two swine flu deaths have been confirmed in Westchester County. New Jersey health officials say a Bergen County woman was the state’s sixth and latest to die of the H1N1 virus. There have been no confirmed swine flu fatalities here in Rockland, where 14 mild cases have been reported, officially, to date.
SPRING VALLEY POLICE ARREST DRIVE-BY SHOOTING SUSPECT
A suspected Spring Valley drive-by shooter is in jail after his arrest yesterday by village police. The unidentified suspect is being held for allegedly shooting a 21-year-old man in his leg on Tuesday. A 31-year-old man was discovered elsewhere in Spring Valley two days earlier with chest and side wounds also believed to have resulted from a drive-by shooting. There have been no arrests in that case, and police say they don’t think the two shootings are related.
POMONA MAN CHARGED IN ALLEGED SAMSONDALE PLAZA ASSAULT
A Pomona man has been charged with holding a woman against her will inside a parked car in West Haverstraw. Police arrested 19-year-old Frank Alliano Tuesday night in the Samsondale Plaza parking lot. That’s where they say the alleged incident took place, during an argument between Alliano and the unidentified woman. Alliano is charged with several felonies in the case, including assault and unlawful imprisonment.
SCULPTURE REPORTED STOLEN FROM NYACK ART CENTER
Orangetown police are on the lookout for a work of art – and for the thief or thieves who made off with it over the weekend. Employees at the Edward Hopper House Art Center in Nyack say the sculpture by Rade Vilotijevic was there, in an outdoor exhibit, when they left work Friday. But when the Center re-opened Monday, the work, valued at $12,000, was gone. The sculpture, described as free-form, weighs about 200 pounds – no doubt considered “heavy” in the worlds of both art and art theft.
FIREWORKS TONIGHT IN HAVERSTRAW, SATURDAY NIGHT IN PEARL RIVER
Here’s a rundown of Rockland’s scheduled Independence Weekend activities. They start tonight in Haverstraw with a concert and fireworks at Bowline Point Park. A gathering is scheduled at Helen Hayes Hospital in West Haverstraw as well, featuring food, fun and a view of the Bowline Park fireworks. Pearl River’s annual Fourth of July concert and fireworks display is on tap Saturday night at the East Central Avenue green. And a family concert is scheduled the same night at the Stony Point Battlefield site, replete with music, cannon fire and a reading of the Declaration of Independence.
07-01-09
MORAHAN PLEDGES STATE SENATE ACTION SOON
State Senator Thomas Morahan says the senate will get its work done this year despite the deadlock that’s brought business to a virtual halt for more than three weeks. The Rockland Republican told WRCR listeners this morning that work actually began yesterday with the passage of scores of pending bills. The votes came after a Republican senator, Frank Padavan of Queens, walked into the Senate chamber while the Democrats were holding their own, separate session. As Morahan explained, Padavan’s presence inadvertently created the quorum needed to pass legislation. Morahan also predicted that a bi-partisan agreement would come soon on a leadership plan that would break the current deadlock.
MORAHAN TO OPPOSE SAME-SEX MARRIAGE BILL
Among the State Senate’s pending bills is one that would legalize same-sex marriage in New York State. Up until now, Rockland senator Morahan hasn’t taken sides on the controversial legislation. But when asked on WRCR this morning how he’ll vote when the measure comes up, Morahan came right to the point, saying, “I will vote against it.” However, he added, the same-sex marriage bill isn’t likely to come up for a vote until it stands a better chance of passing.
SPRING VALLEY SHOOTER STILL AT LARGE
Spring Valley police say they’re still looking for clues and a suspect in a weekend shooting that left a 31-year-old man seriously injured. It’s not clear what led up to the shooting. The victim, who was not identified, was found Sunday morning at the corner of Rt. 59 at Dutch Lane. Police say he was bleeding, with gunshot wounds to his chest and side. He’s listed in critical condition at Westchester Medical Center, reportedly unable to give police any details of the shooting.
HEARING TO CONTINUE IN RAMAPO ANIMAL CRUELTY CASE
A pre-trial hearing will resume Monday for a Ramapo woman charged with animal cruelty. Authorities say 74-year-old Karol O’Connell kept more than 20 dogs at her home on Spook Rock Road in crates filled with the animals’ own waste. The hearing, in Wesley Hills, opened yesterday with testimony from animal control agents who were called by a tipster to O’Connell’s home last December. In all, 23 dogs were removed and taken to the Hi-Tor Animal Care Center in Pomona.
DRINKING CHARGES COULD KEEP SUFFERN H.S. STUDENTS OFF PLAYING FIELDS
Suffern high school students picked up in a Jersey Shore police raid ten days ago may not be allowed to play sports this coming school year. The raid came during a noisy house party at Point Pleasant Beach following complaints of under-age drinking. Ramapo School officials say student anti-drinking rules remain in effect during the summer. And, if it turns out that the teens had, in fact, been drinking at the party, they could lose their sports eligibility for one year.
CLARKSTOWN FIREWORKS POSTPONED
Threatened thunderstorms postponed tonight’s scheduled fireworks display at Germonds Park in Clarkstown. Town officials say the show will take place next Wednesday night at Nanuet High School, along with the Town’s regular weekly concert, and a drop-in visit by members of the Square Chuters sky-diving team.
06-30-09
MORAHAN SAYS ARBITRATION NEEDED TO END STATE SENATE STALEMATE
State Senator Thomas Morahan says it will take more than a court order to bring the Senate back to working order. The Senate met in full session this morning, for the first time in three weeks. But the session ended as quickly as it started – adjourned with no action taken on pending legislation. A State Supreme Court judge ordered the full session yesterday, a week after senate Democrats and Republicans began meeting separately – thus, with no quorum present for voting. Meanwhile, bi-partisan talks have failed to produce a power-sharing arrangement that would break the Senate’s 31-to-31-vote deadlock. A spokesman for Morahan says the Rockland Republican favors putting the dispute up to BINDING ARBITRATION. Pending legislation includes bills that would allocate more than $7-billion in federal funds to various state projects – and an extension of mayoral control over New York City schools past its scheduled expiration at midnight tonight.
HEARING ON NEW SQUARE CHICKEN SLAUGHTERING PLANT POSTPONED
A public hearing that WAS scheduled for tonight on a proposed food-processing plant in New Square has been postponed. The 50,000 sq.-ft. facility would be used for slaughtering chickens. That’s raised the ire of New Hempstead village residents who live across Rt. 45 from the planned site and fear it would create a lingering smell of poultry. New Hempstead mayor Larry Dessau told WRCR News yesterday that traffic and odors caused by the plant would bring nearby residential property values down. New Square officials refute that claim and say the plant would help keep local business – and local employment -- alive.
SERVICES HELD FOR HAVERSTRAW TEEN WHO DROWNED IN WESTCHESTER QUARRY
Funeral services were held today at St Peter’s Church in Haverstraw for 17-year-old Victor Polanco. The Haverstraw teen Drowned last Thursday while swimming at a quarry across the Hudson in Verplanck. The quarry, on private property owned by Con Edison, reportedly had signs posted declaring it off-limits to the public.
MONSEY TODDLER IN CRITICAL CONDITION AFTER SWIMMING POOL ACCIDENT
A two year-old Monsey boy pulled from a back-yard swimming pool Sunday is reported in critical condition at Westchester Medical Center in Valhalla. Ramapo police say the toddler had snuck back to the pool during a break in a swimming party and was discovered face-down in the water several minutes later.
SPRING VALLEY POLICE NAB EIGHT IN DRUG RAID
Spring Valley police say they netted some $8,000 in cash and a large quantity of marijuana in a raid last Friday. Eight people, all from Spring Valley, were arrested in the raid -- at a Ewing Avenue strip mall where drug dealing had been reported.
WOMAN RECANTS SPRING VALLEY RAPE ACCUSATION
There’s a twist in the case of a Spring Valley man accused of raping a local woman at his Rose Avenue home ten days ago. Officials say the unidentified woman has recanted her accusation against 31-year-old Abraham Wilson. At the time of the alleged attack, Wilson was on parole after serving time on a drug conviction. He’s in County jail now, and reportedly will stay there pending an investigation of the facts behind the woman’s recantation.
WOMAN SOUGHT IN ATTEMPTED NANUET HOLD-UP
Clarkstown police are on the lookout for a woman who tried to rob a Nanuet check-cashing business. The unidentified woman reportedly walked into the establishment just before noon yesterday, claiming to be armed, and ordered an employee to fill a bag with the morning’s proceeds. But in the end, police say, the woman left empty-handed -- except for the pair of green latex gloves she was wearing.
06-29-09
NEW HEMPSTEAD MAYOR CRIES “FOWL” OVER PROPOSED FOOD PROCESSING PLANT
New Hempstead Mayor Larry Dessau says a proposed food processing plant for neighboring New Square would be harmful to residents of both villages. Dessau says the 50,000 sq.-ft. plant would actually be used to slaughter chickens. That, he adds, would make it not only too big for a residential area, but a facility that would, in his words, “negatively affect traffic, air quality, and ultimately, residential property values” throughout the area. If approved, the New Square plant would go up on Rt. 45 opposite Rovitz Pl. in New Hempstead. The public hearing is set for 7 p.m. at the Gruss School, 16 Prospect Ave., New Square. It’s reportedly to be followed immediately by a zoning board of appeals meeting on the proposal. Dessau says this suggests that the project is being rushed through. He was scheduled to meet today with New Square Deputy Mayor Israel Spitzer to find out what’s behind the proposal and the apparent fast-track timing.
HERMAN’S HERMITS TOPS BILL AT RAMAPO FIREWORKS
The 1960’s rock group Herman’s Hermits headlined last night’s Celebration of Liberty and Pride in Ramapo. The town-sponsored event drew a crowd estimated at 20,000 to the Rockland Community College campus. The weather was warm and the sky clear enough for a spot-on landing by four precision parachutists from the group, Square Chuters. There was plenty of local musical talent on hand, from a young rock group to the octogenarian father of a son killed on 9-11, who sang “The Impossible Dream.” Fireworks BY THE FAMED Zambelli family capped off the night in style, but not before Peter Noone and the Hermits wowed the crowd. Thousands of Baby Boomers, along with their children and even grand-children, clapped and swayed to a medley of hits from the Hermits and other famed British Invasion groups of the 60’s.
Nighttime fireworks are scheduled elsewhere in the county this week – notably, in Clarkstown on Wednesday and in Pearl River on Saturday, July 4th.
06-26-09
REPORTED DEAL AT HAND TO RE-START NYS SENATE
Republicans and Democrats in the state Senate are reported close to a power-sharing agreement that would get them back to work. Both sides convened separately – and briefly -- again yesterday, fulfilling only their duty to show up. For his part, Governor David Paterson slammed both sides, and again threatened to withhold the senators’ pay. Today is the fourth day of the special, post-adjournment session called by Paterson in hopes the senators could solve the leadership issue themselves and complete work on pending legislation. As it stands, the chamber is deadlocked with each side claiming 31 votes.
ASSEMBLYWOMAN RABITT IN ON GREENWOOD LAKE RESCUE
Members of the State Assembly went home after Monday’s adjournment, and that turned out very well for six boaters on Greenwood Lake. The woman and five children, all from New Jersey, were thrown overboard on Tuesday when their small motorboat capsized near the lakeside home of Assemblywoman Annie Rabbit, whose district includes parts of Ramapo. Rabbit and her husband Bobby, the local police chief, quickly made their way out to the overturned boat and, with the aid of a neighbor, pulled all six people safely from the water.
JURY WEIGHING VERDICT IN 2006 N.J. PARK KILLING
The fate of a New Jersey parks policeman is in the hands of a Hackensack jury. The officer, Chad Walder, is charged with shooting an unarmed Orange County, NY, man during an altercation in Ringwood State Park three years ago. In closing arguments yesterday, Bergen County prosecutors said Walder was not in danger when he pulled his gun and fired at Emil Mann of Monroe. The defense maintained that Mann was reaching for Walder’s gun when the officer fired in self-defense.
POSTPONMENT IN CASE OF ALLEGED STONY POINT NAIL-THROWER
The case of a Stony Point man accused of throwing handfuls of nails on his neighbors’ driveways has been adjourned until July 23rd. Police say 60-year-old Michael Delisio caused more than $2,000 in damage, mostly in blown tires, in the nail-throwing spree this past winter. Delisio reportedly was acting on grudges he held against those neighbors, including one of his own relatives.
ORANGETOWN WEIGHING LONGER TERMS FOR TOP TOWN OFFICIALS
Debate his been renewed in Orangetown on a plan to double the term-lengths of three top town officials. The Town Board this week scheduled a public hearing for July 20th on the proposal, which would increase the terms of the Town Supervisor, Town Clerk and Highway Superintendent to four years from the current two.
06-25-09
STATE SENATE TO MEET IN FULL SESSION
The New York State Senate is expected to meet today in its first full session in more than two weeks. Senate Democrats and Republicans agreed to meet jointly after Governor David Paterson threatened them with a possible court order – and a possible hold-back of their paychecks. The Senate hasn’t acted on legislation since June 8th. That’s when a Republican-led coup erased the Democrats’ narrow majority, eventually leaving the chamber deadlocked at 31 votes for each party. Paterson held members over after the Senate adjourned Monday for the summer, but since then, Democrats and Republicans have been holding separate sessions.
N.J. WHITE SUPREMACIST CHARGED IN JUDGE-THREAT CASE
New Jersey internet radio host Hal Turner is under arrest. FBI agents picked up the outspoken white supremacist yesterday at his home in North Bergen. Turner is charged with threatening to murder three Chicago-based federal judges who voted to uphold local handgun bans. Prosecutors say Turner posted a map showing the judges’ homes on his website, along with the words: “These judges deserve to be killed.” Turner has a long history of similar activity. He was arraigned Monday in Connecticut for allegedly urging his website readers to take up arms against state legislators there. If convicted in the Chicago case, Turner could go to prison for ten years.
PAROLEE CHARGED IN SPRING VALLEY RAPE CASE
A Spring Valley parolee is in County Jail, charged with raping a local woman at his home. Village say 33-year-old Abraham Wilson grabbed the unidentified woman off the street and brought her to his Rose Avenue apartment, where he raped her over a period of several hours over the weekend. Wilson has been convicted of felonies three times in the past. He was paroled from last September from state prison, where he was serving time on a drug conviction. He’s in Rockland County jail now, facing charges of rape, assault and unlawful imprisonment.
PASKACK LINE TO ADD WEEKEND EXPRESS TRAINS
A bit of good news for Rocklanders who ride the Pascack Valley line on weekends. Express trains have been added to the Saturday and Sunday schedules starting July 12th. Metro North says the two new morning rides each day will pick up passengers in Spring Valley, Nanuet and Pearl River and head straight to Hoboken with no New Jersey stops en route. Two trains will make the reverse trip from Hoboken on Saturday and Sunday afternoons. The express rides will save Rocklanders an estimated 23 minutes each way.
06-24-09
STATE SENATORS IN DAY TWO OF SPECIAL SESSION
It’s Day Two of the State Senate’s special summer session, and voters are hoping it’s more productive than Opening Day. Democrats and Republicans held simultaneous but separate sessions in the senate chamber yesterday. Rockland senator Thomas Morahan told WRCR this morning that each side made progress on a number of pending bills. But with the senate still deadlocked in a leadership dispute, nothing was brought before the full membership. Governor David Paterson is pressing for action on an agenda of what he considers key legislation. But, despite his power to call this special session, Paterson can’t compel the senators to vote. Meanwhile, leaders of both parties are reportedly weighing at least one proposal for a power-sharing agreement.
DAY ASKS ALBANY TO FORCE MTA PAYROLL TAX ROLLBACK
County Legislator Ed Day is offering state lawmakers a chance to do something good for the lower Hudson region. Day yesterday submitted legislation to require the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to roll back its much-criticized payroll mobility tax for Rockland, Orange, Dutchess and Putnam Counties. Day says the MTA can use just a small part of its recently-awarded $1.2-billion federal stimulus package to cover the rollback. The four counties share a single vote on the MTA Board, and Day wants the state legislature to step in on the district’s behalf.
CHESTNUT RIDGE MAN INDICTED IN TEEN-RAPE CASE
A Chestnut Ridge man has been indicted for raping a teen-age girl. Sixty-one year-old Hopeton Gordon is in county jail on $250,000 bond after his arraignment Monday in County Court. Police say Gordon engaged in sex with the unidentified 13-year-old girl several times from January to June of this year. He was arrested June 8, reportedly after a witness caught him in the act of sexually abusing the girl. Gordon faces a variety of charges including three counts of second-degree rape.
ACCUSED SCHOOL GUNMAN TO UNDERGO PSYCH TESTS
Accused South Orangetown school gunman Peter Cocker will undergo psychiatric tests before his case goes forward. The 37-year-old Tappan resident and a former New York City policeman is charged with holding schools superintendent Ken Mitchell at gunpoint June ninth inside Mitchell’s office at South Orangetown Middle School. Cocker’s attorney, Gerald Damiani, says results of the psychiatric exam should help the judge, prosecution and defense in discussions on a possible plea agreement. Cocker’s case was adjourned in State Supreme Court yesterday until July 14th.
06-23-09
ST. LAWRENCE SUES RIVAL OVER “CORRUPTION” CHARGE
Ramapo supervisor Christopher St. Lawrence is taking fellow Democrat Bruce Levine to court. St. Lawrence has filed suit in State Supreme Court against Levine and his town board running mates for calling the St. Lawrence administration “corrupt.” Levine will face St. Lawrence in September’s Democratic primary. The incumbent has long been under fire from critics in both parties, primarily over zoning issues involving the Town’s Jewish community. In his suit, which reportedly does not seek monetary damages, St. Lawrence says the “corruption” accusations have exposed him to “public contempt, ridicule … and disgrace.”
S. ORANGETOWN SCHOOLS SUPT. HAILED AS HERO
South Orangetown school superintendent Ken Mitchell says he’s no hero, but he had a hard time convincing district residents who showed up to honor him last night at Orangetown Town Hall. Mitchell earned nationwide praise for his actions on June 9, when he subdued and disarmed a gunman who had stormed his office at South Orangetown Middle School. No one was injured in the confrontation, as all of the school’s students remained safely in their classrooms. Also cited at last night’s gathering were members of the Orangetown police department, for their action in bringing the incident under control safely. The gunman, Tappan resident Peter Cocker, faces kidnapping and firearms charges.
REPORT: NO PHYSICAL INJURIES IN HAVERSTRAW POLICE CUSTODY DEATH
Haverstraw police appear to be off the hook for the death of a Spring Valley man who died in their custody over the weekend. County Medical Examiner Mark Taff says in a preliminary autopsy report that 42-year-old Antonio Garmon did not die from physical injuries after his arrest Saturday on a misdemeanor drug charge. Police say Garmon appeared to suffer a seizure while being fingerprinted. He died a short time later at Nyack Hospital. Taff says the exact cause of Garmon’s death won’t be known until the results of toxicology tests are in.
SPECIAL STATE SENATE SESSION UNDER WAY
Today is the first day of the rest of the session. The special State Senate session, that is – after Governor David Paterson ordered members to remain in Albany for as long as it takes to “discharge the work of the State.” The Senate adjourned yesterday having failed to hold a session in two weeks. Democrats are boycotting the body because of a Republican-led coup that erased the Dems’ majority and left the Senate deadlocked at 31 votes for each side. Paterson says he’ll keep the senators in Albany every day – including the July 4th weekend – until they work out a leadership plan that moves pending legislation forward.
06-22-09
SPECIAL SESSION TO SPOIL STATE SENATORS’ SUMMER?
The New York State Senate adjourns today, but its members may not be heading home for awhile. Governor David Paterson yesterday ordered them back into special session, starting tomorrow. At issue is the power struggle that has Democrats and Republicans deadlocked, each with 31 votes in the chamber. Paterson says he’s prepared to call a special session every day – including Saturdays, Sundays and the Fourth of July – until both sides can agree on a power-sharing plan. The two-week-old stalemate has stalled action on a range of legislation, including bills to help local governments meet their budgets, to extend mayoral control over schools in New York City, and to legalize same-sex marriage.
AUTOPSY ORDERED FOR S.V. MAN WHO DIED IN HAVERSTRAW POLICE CUSTODY
An autopsy has been ordered in the death of a Spring Valley man while in the custody of Haverstraw police. The otherwise unidentified man died Saturday after his arrest on a drug charge. Police say he suffered an apparent seizure while being fingerprinted and died at Nyack Hospital a short time later.
VALLEY COTTAGE MOTORCYCLIST KILLED IN RT. 9-W CRASH
Clarkstown police have identified a motorcyclist killed in a Congers accident over the weekend. Police say 46-year-old Richard White of Valley Cottage died early Saturday after he lost control of his cycle on Rt. 9-W and was thrown into the guide wires for a utility pole.
TRIAL STARTS TUESDAY FOR ACCUSED SPRING VALLEY RAPIST
Jury selection starts tomorrow in the trial of a Spring Valley man charged with raping a 14-year-old girl. Twenty-year-old Ariste Adonis is accused of engaging in sex with the underage girl several times throughout much of last year. Adonis won an apparently minor court victory last week, when County Court Judge Victor Alfieri ruled as inadmissible an incriminating statement made by Adonis to village police after his arrest. But Alfieri also ruled that tapes of conversations between Adonis and the girl prior to his arrest can be used as evidence in the trial.
N.J. WOMAN JAILED IN HIGH-HEAL SHOE ATTACK
A New Jersey woman is due in court Wednesday to answer charges she attacked a Rockland woman with a high-heeled shoe. Haverstraw police charged 36-year-old Shakonda Lindsey of Morristown with assault and criminal possession of a weapon after the alleged assault last Thursday outside a West Haverstraw bar. The victim, identified only as a 25-year-old Haverstraw woman, was taken to Nyack Hospital for stitches after the incident. Lindsey was taken to County Jail and held on $10,000 bail.
MULTILINGUAL HUDSON FISHING WARNINGS ON TAP
With fishing season at hand, officials are renewing – and extending -- warnings about eating fish caught in the Hudson River. The county health department says the continuing problem is PCB’s, suspected cancer-causing industrial chemicals that have been contaminating the river for at least three decades. Officials say an increasing number of people fishing the Hudson River are immigrants -- many of them non-English speaking -- who might not have understood previous warnings. So the County has started a new campaign that eventually will include multilingual warnings.
T-Z BRIDGE, ROCKLAND LEGISLATOR ON HISTORY CHANNEL TONIGHT
The Tappan Zee Bridge will be a featured subject on the History Channel tonight. The Channel’s Modern Marvels series looks critically at parts of the nation’s infrastructure in an episode entitled “The Crumbling of America.” Among those to appear on the Tappan Zee segment is County Legislator Ed Day, a long-time advocate for structural upgrades on the half-century-old bridge. Tonight’s program airs at nine o’clock on the History Channel and re-airs Sunday at 5 p.m.
06-19-09
N.J. MAN ARRESTED IN NANUET RECRUITING STATION BREAK-IN
Details of Monday night’s break-in at the military recruiting station in Nanuet are finally out. The man arrested in the incident is identified as 47-year-old Brian Lang of Mahwah, New Jersey. He reportedly was nabbed by a Marine recruiter angered by a series of burglaries at the station. The Marine, Sergeant Tintu Parameswar, says he returned to the site on Rt. 59 after the station closed on Monday and waited some distance away. When Lang showed up and somehow got inside the station, Parameswar raced to the scene and confronted Lang, eventually subduing him before Clarkstown police arrived. Lang remains in county jail on charges of burglary and possession of stolen property. The Journal News says the items stolen include Army backpacks, Navy cups, Marine Corps hats and American flags.
PEARL RIVER TEEN KILLER DENIED PAROLE
The second of two men who brutally killed a Pearl River teen-ager nearly three decades ago has been denied parole. A state parole board this week rejected Robert McCain’s third bid for early release. He and Richard Labarbera were convicted of the 1980 rape and murder of high-school junior Paula Bohovesky as she walked home from the Pearl River library. Both men were sentenced to 25 years to life in prison. LaBarbera was denied parole for a third time last month. Both he and McCain are eligible to apply again in two years.
STONY POINT "FEDEX POT DEALER" ARRESTED AGAIN
Stony Point’s FedEx pot dealer reportedly has been at it again. Town police say they arrested 65-year-old Dennis Dillon after a search of his Wayne Ave. home on Wednesday. Dillon pled guilty just a month ago to selling marijuana, reportedly in FedEx packages he sent weekly to an address in Ohio. Police say they found three ounces of pot and more than $56,000 in Wednesday’s search. And, they say, a FedEx employee found both marijuana and cash in a suspicious-looking package they believe was sent by Dillon.
THOMPSON ENTERS SPRING VALLEY MAYOR’S RACE
Former Spring Valley mayor Allan Thompson, Sr., has made it official. Thompson announced formally yesterday that he’s running for the post he held from 1993 to 2001. Thompson says, if elected, he’ll bring new business to Spring Valley and revitalize the village’s downtown renewal project. Current mayor George Darden has said he won’t run for re-election. Thompson joins at least two other hopefuls in the race to succeed Darden.
06-18-09
RAMAPO YESHIVA PROJECTS UP FOR ZBA HEARING TONIGHT
The town of Ramapo takes up two controversial yeshiva projects tonight. The proposals – one for a yeshiva and dormitory on Camp Hill Road, the other for a day school on Route 306 – have drawn stiff opposition from neighboring residents. And Ramapo’s zoning board of appeals is said to be bracing for a long session tonight. One of the petitioners, the Bobover Yeshiva, has come under additional criticism in connection with the slaughter of a cow last month on the Yeshiva grounds in Monsey. The slaughter, carried out in full view of neighboring homes, cost the yeshiva a $5,000 fine.
S.V. PROSTITUTION STING NABS SIXTEEN
Sixteen men were picked up in a Spring Valley police sting over the weekend. Village police say all 16 were charged with patronizing prostitution, and that the woman they offered to pay for sex was actually a police decoy. The men, who range from 19 to 45 years old, are Ramapo residents, all but two of them from Spring Valley.
HISTORY CHANNEL TO FEATURE T-Z BRIDGE, COUNTY LEGISLATOR
The Tappan Zee Bridge gets a once-over on network television next week. The History Channel will feature the T-Z among several bridges and roadways as part of its Modern Marvels series – this one entitled “The Crumbling of America.” County Legislator Ed Day will appear on the program. He’s been a leader of efforts to make the ailing, 54-year-old bridge safer for the thousands of commuters and others who drive over the bridge every day. The program airs Monday night at eight o’clock on the History Channel.
NY SENATORS OPPOSE GOVT. JOB CUTS AT WEST POINT
The fight to save hundreds of government jobs at West Point has reached Capitol Hill. Both New York senators, Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, question the results of a government study that would eliminate the jobs of more than 450 federal public works employees at the academy. The efficiency study calls for the workers to be replaced by employees of a private firm. Schumer and Gillibrand say it’s not at all clear that the switch will, in fact, save taxpayers money. And they’ve now petitioned the Senate Armed Services Committee to drop the study provisions from an upcoming defense bill.
SECOND SWINE FLU DEATH IN NEW JERSEY
A second swine flu death has been confirmed in New Jersey. State health officials say a 15-year-old Somerset County boy died of the flu at home on June 8th. The state reported its first fatal case of the H1N1 virus on Monday, that of a 49-year-old northern New Jersey man who died this past Saturday at a Montclair hospital. Here in Rockland, there have been at least eight confirmed swine flu cases –none of them fatal.
06-17-09
CLARKSTOWN SCHOOL BUDGET APPROVED
A big “Vote Yes” effort by supporters of the Clarkstown school budget has paid off with a big victory at the polls. School officials tally yesterday’s vote at 3,900 “Yes” to 2,471 “No.” The total represents a much larger turnout than for the May 19th vote, in which the initial package was rejected by only 52 votes. That was the county’s only school budget rejection this year, and the first for Clarkstown in 15 years. Officials say the $163,800,000 budget approved yesterday will raise the average household tax bill by about $10
NOT-GUILTY PLEA IN O’TOWN SCHOOL GUNMAN CASE
Accused school gunman Peter Cocker remains in county jail after pleading not guilty to a variety of felony charges, including kidnapping and illegal use of a firearm. Cocker’s attorney, Gerald Damiani, entered the plea yesterday, saying the 37-year-old Tappan resident suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder. Cocker is a former New York City policeman who, according to Damiani, had once been involved in a shootout, and also had searched for bodies in the days after 9-11. Cocker was arrested June 9th at South Orangetown Middle School, after allegedly holding schools superintendent Kenneth Mitchell at gunpoint. He reportedly was angry at Mitchell over issues involving the swine flu, from which Cocker’s seventh-grade son is said to have been suffering. Cocker faces up to 25 years in prison if convicted on all charges.
WEST NILE VIRUS ON HEALTH DEPT. RADAR
County health officials say the swine flu is not their only concern right now. Due in part to the recent wet weather, they’re turning their attention to the West Nile virus as well. Testing has already begun on mosquitoes collected in Rockland, reportedly on the assumption that some will test positive for the virus. If so, it’ll be the eleventh straight year that West Nile has been found in Rockland, although there have been no confirmed human cases here. The virus, transmitted by birds and mosquitoes, was blamed for more than 40 deaths in the United States last year.
STATE SENATE SESSION STILL STALEMATED
The State Senate deadlock remains unresolved, after a judge refused to make it the court’s problem. The question of who leads the Senate was thrown into limbo earlier this month when two Democrats said they would vote with the then-Republican minority. That gave the Republicans an effective, 32-30 majority in the chamber. But one of the dissident Dems jumped back, creating the current 31-31 deadlock. It’s not known whether the two sides will try to work out a power-sharing agreement to deal with pending bills before the Senate’s scheduled adjournment next Monday.
STILL NO DTV? CALL THE FCC
Help is still available for Rocklanders who haven’t made the switch to direct television yet and, therefore, can’t watch TV. The Federal Communications Commission says it’s answered nearly a million calls nationwide so far, for help in setting up converter boxes for homes without digital televisions. If you need help to make the DTV switch, the number to call is 1-877-229-3889.
O6-16-09
ALLEGED O’TOWN SCHOOL GUNMAN ARRAIGNED
Former New York City policeman Peter Cocker was arraigned this morning for threatening to shoot South Orangetown School Superintendent Kenneth Mitchell. Cocker was arrested last Tuesday at the district middle school, where he had confronted Mitchell with what turned out to be an unloaded handgun. Mitchell was able to subdue and disarm Cocker inside his office – as students were kept safe inside their classrooms. The 37-year-old Tappan resident is charged with several felonies in the case, including coercion and kidnapping. He reportedly was upset with a letter Mitchell had sent to district parents about swine flu. Cocker’s son is one of five Rockland students confirmed to have come down with the flu in the current outbreak.
BREAK-IN REPORTED AT NANUET RECRUITING STATION
A break-in was reported last night at the military recruiting station on Rt. 59 in Nanuet. Clarkstown police say they were called to the scene about nine p.m., after what they describe as an “unauthorized male” was discovered inside the station, which reportedly was closed and locked at the time. No other details of the case were available as of noon today.
SECOND CLARKSTOWN SCHOOL BUDGET VOTE TODAY
Clarkstown residents are voting today on a school budget – their second such vote in less than a month. The initial, $164,000,000 package went down on May 19th – but barely – losing by a slim, 52-vote margin. A concerted poster campaign has been under way by supporters of the slightly smaller revised package. Today’s voting is open until 9 p.m. at four Clarkstown polling places.
SMALL TURNOUT AT O&R RATE-HIKE FORUM
Rocklanders got a second chance last night to sound off on Orange and Rockland’s proposed gas-rate increase. The public forum, at Orangetown Town Hall, drew a small turnout, with fewer than a dozen residents speaking out. Those comments go now to the state Public Service Commission, which will have the final say on O&R’s request. They’ll be added to the estimated 50-60 comments filed at a public hearing in Ramapo last Thursday night. That session was televised on local cable, enabling viewers to comment by phone and e-mail.
STONY PT. MAN CHARGED IN UNEMPLOYMENT FRAUD CASE
A Stony Point man is among 30 past and present state workers charged with illegally claiming thousands of dollars in unemployment benefits while on the job. He’s identified as 33-year-old Joel Babcock, a former aide at the New York State Office of Parks and Recreation. Babcock is charged with falsely claiming 11-hundred dollars in jobless benefits two years ago while still on the state payroll. He faces up to four years in prison, if convicted.
06-15-09
HEARING TONIGHT IN ORANGETOWN ON O&R RATE-HIKE REQUEST
Rocklanders get a second chance tonight to sound off about Orange and Rockland’s proposed 5.5% gas-rate increase. A public forum is scheduled for 7:45 p.m. at Orangetown Town Hall. Residents’ comments will be recorded and then filed with the state’s Public Service Commission, which has the final say on utility rate-hike requests. O&R customers got their first chance to make their feelings known to the PSC last Thursday at a hearing televised on local cable from Ramapo Town Hall. The state agency had raised the ire of many Rocklanders when it announced early on that no public hearings would be held on the O&R request.
COUNTY SET TO APPEAL RULING ON AIRLINE OVERFLIGHTS
The county may take its case against additional airline overflights to court again. The U.S. Court of Appeals dismissed Rockland’s initial case against the Federal Aviation Administration’s airspace redesign plan last week. County Executive Scott Vanderhoef calls the dismissal “shocking,” saying the justices ignored valid concerns about the overflights’ impact on Rockland’s quality of life, including noise and air pollution. But Vanderhoef says the battle is not over. He plans to petition the court for a hearing to appeal last Wednesday’s ruling.
SECOND VOTE ON CLARKSTOWN SCHOOL BUDGET SET FOR TOMORROW
Clarkstown residents head for the polls tomorrow – for a second vote on this year’s school budget. Clarkstown was the only district in Rockland to reject its budget on May 19th, doing so by a slim, 52-vote margin. The school board is offering a slightly less costly version of the original $164-million budget, hoping that plan’s near passage signaled a likely “yes” vote this time out. If approved, the revised budget will increase Clarkstown’s average residential tax bill by about 110 dollars annually.
COUNTY TO PICK UP FULL PAYMENT FOR LOCAL POLICE ASSIGNED TO COUNTY UNITS
Rockland County reportedly has agreed to pick up the full cost of paying local police officers who serve on county law enforcement units. The county now pays up to $74,000 a year for each town or village officer assigned to the county’s drug task force and intelligence unit, with the rest of the officer’s salary, plus benefits, picked up locally. But it’s reported now that County Executive Scott Vanderhoef has agreed to put the entire bill on the county’s tab.
06-12-09
NO DTV CONVERTER? YOU’RE A RADIO-HEAD AS OF TODAY
The switch-over to DTV takes place today, with television stations across the country converting to digital instead of analog signals. That means homes without cable, satellite or digital converters will lose reception. The Federal Communication Commission is offering free in-home converter installation for those still behind the digital curve. If you need that free in-home visit, the number to call is 1-877-229-3889.
RESIDENTS BLOW OFF STEAM AT O&R GAS-RATE HIKE HEARING
The Public Service Commission came to Rockland last night. Some 30 county residents were on hand at Ramapo Town Hall to sound off about Orange and Rockland’s proposed rate hike. The utility wants to charge natural gas customers five and a-half percent more – and Rocklanders cried foul when the PSC said at first there would be no public hearings on the request. The clamor – and pressure from local officials – changed the commission’s mind on that. It’s not clear whether the turnout at last night’s hearing was enough to sway the PSC to vote “no” on the rate hike. But the hearing was televised on local cable – and in addition to the public on hand, viewers were able to comment for the record by phone and e-mail.
COUNTY CLERK: ONE GOOD DEED FROM SCAMMER GETS YOU TEN FROM US
County Clerk Paul Piperato warns Rocklanders to beware of the deed-copy scam. Piperato says a number of county residents have called in about mailings they’ve received from a concern calling itself “New York Retrieval, Inc.” The letters offer to provide the residents with certified copies of the deeds to their property – at a price of $60.00 each. Piperato says that’s on average about ten times what it costs to get a certified deed through his office – which charges at a rate of $1.25 per page. If you’ve been contacted by New York Retrieval – or have any questions about how to secure a copy of your deed – Piperato says to call his office at 638-5221.
CLARKSTOWN SCHOOL BUDGET RE-VOTE SET FOR TUESDAY
Clarkstown residents next week will vote for the second time in a month on a proposed school budget. Clarkstown was the county’s only district to reject its budget in voting May 19th. The school board agreed a week later to submit a slightly-less-costly version. That one-point-five million-dollar package comes up for a vote next Tuesday.
SWINE FLU CASES ON RISE IN REGION AND WORLD-WIDE
The swine flu is back in the headlines throughout the region. Health officials report what seems to be the first swine flu death in Westchester County – that of a 29-year-old Yonkers woman. Final confirmation on that awaits the results of an autopsy. The woman is said to have had a medical condition that could have contributed to her death Tuesday night.
The Monroe-Woodbury school district reports a rash of absences, many involving students with flu-like symptoms. School officials say nearly a-quarter of the entire student population stayed home last Friday – with the number of absentees down this week, but still much higher than normal.
Elsewhere in the region, Sullivan County reports its fourth confirmed case the H1N1 virus. And New York City Health officials say the swine flu breakout has cost the city some $4,000,000 so far. The five-borough death toll from the flu is now at 15, more than half the total nation-wide.
All of this comes as the outbreak spreads across the globe. The World Health Organization yesterday declared a swine flu pandemic – the first global flu epidemic in more than four decades. Officials note, however, that the vast majority of cases reported so far are mild. That’s been the case in Rockland, where the number of confirmed cases remains at eight.
06-11-09
GOP CROSS-ENDORSES DEMS ST. LAWRENCE, GROMACK & PIPERATO
Ramapo Supervisor Christopher St. Lawrence has picked up a key endorsement in his re-election bid. The town Republican Party – with the County committee’s okay in a vote this week – has placed the long-time Democrat on the GOP line in November’s election. The cross-endorsement has drawn fire from St. Lawrence’s critics. They suggest the GOP committee vote in his favor smells of a deal to ensure St. Lawrence a spot on the ballot in case he loses a primary fight with Democratic challenger Bruce Levine in September. Two other Democrats picked up cross-endorsements at Tuesday night’s Republican convention – Clarkstown Supervisor Alex Gromack and County Clerk Paul Piperato.
DARDEN WON’T RUN FOR RE-ELECTION
Spring Valley mayor George Darden says he won’t run for re-election this November. The four-term Democrat’s tenure has been marked by controversy, including lawsuits and criminal investigations, and criticism over rising taxes and his hiring of illegal immigrants to work on at least one village project. But Darden says he’s leaving Spring Valley a better place than it was when came to office – thanks, in good part, to the downtown urban renewal plan he instituted. In announcing his decision to step down, Darden endorsed deputy mayor Noramie Jasmin to succeed him. She’s in a four-way primary fight for the Democratic nomination – running against village trustee Demeza Delhomme, former trustee Margareth Jourdan, and Bernard Charles, Jr.
HEARING IN RAMAPO TONIGHT ON O&R RATE-HIKE BID
A public hearing is set for tonight on Orange and Rockland’s proposed rate increase on gas delivery. The 8 p.m. hearing, to be televised locally, will take place at Ramapo Town Hall. At least one representative of the state Public Service Commission will be at the session to field residents’ questions – and hear their comments – on the five-and-a-half percent rate hike O&R seeks. It’s the first of two sound-off sessions in the works in Rockland. A public forum is slated for next Monday night at Orangetown Town Hall. Tonight’s hearing in Ramapo can be seen live on CableVision channel 77 and Verizon Fios channel 32.
SWITCH-OVER TO DIGITAL TV TOMORROW
The mandatory switch-over to digital television is just one day away … and last-minute help is on the way for Rocklanders unsure of how to make the switch. The Federal Communications Commission says a team of workers will be on hand to make free house-calls to some 200-thousand homes nationwide, to set up digital converter boxes for those with non-digital televisions. As of tomorrow, all full-power TV stations will have switched BY LAW to digital transmission, making the older, analog sets obsolete without those boxes. The FCC says, if you need one of the free how-to visits, the number to call is 1-888-225-5322.
06-10-09
TAPPAN MAN CHARGED IN ORANGETOWN SCHOOL GUN INCIDENT
An Orangetown man is in county jail, charged in connection with yesterday’s armed confrontation inside the South Orangetown Middle School. Police say Peter Cocker of Tappan burst into the school just before noon yesterday and pulled a gun on district superintendent Kenneth Mitchell. As Orangetown police raced to the scene, Mitchell was able to subdue and disarm Cocker. The 36-year-old Cocker is a former New York City policeman who has been active in local affairs. He reportedly threatened to shoot Mitchell because of a letter the superintendent had sent to district residents about swine flu. Cocker -- whose son reportedly is suffering from the flu virus -- is charged with several felonies including kidnapping and criminal use of a firearm. He reportedly claimed that he had meant only to threaten Mitchell, not shoot him.
COUNTY OFFERS COUNSELING IN O’TOWN SCHOOL CASE
The county mental health department says its emergency response team is ready to assist students, school personnel, parents and any residents affected by the South Orangetown Middle School incident. The team is available for counseling any time, day or night. The number to call is 845-364-2200.
PUBLIC TO SOUND OFF TOMORROW NIGHT ON PROPOSED O&R RATE INCREASE
A public hearing is set for tomorrow night to sound off on Orange and Rockland’s proposed rate increase for gas delivery. The hearing, to be televised on local cable, will take place at Ramapo Town Hall. Supervisor Christopher St. Lawrence says representatives of the state Public Service Commission will be at the session to field residents’ questions about the five-and-a-half percent rate hike O&R seeks. It’s the first of two sound-off sessions in the works in Rockland. A public forum called by all five town supervisors is slated for next Monday night at Orangetown Town Hall.
D.A. PROBING MONSEY VOTER ENTICEMENT CHARGES
County District Attorney Thomas Zugibe is probing allegations that some Ramapo residents were illegally enticed to vote in a primary election four years ago. The allegations stem from offers of free ice-cream makers to Monsey residents who would then vote in that 2005 primary. The offers did not openly promote specific candidates, but many considered them an attempt to bolster the vote of a traditionally Democratic bloc. State election law prohibits the use of money or valuable goods as an inducement to vote, even if not for a particular candidate. No legal action was taken initially on the allegations. Zugibe says his office investigating them now at the request of the state Education Department.
DEBT PAYMENT THAWS COURT-ORDERD FREEZE ON S.V. VILLAGE BANK ACCOUNTS
Spring Valley has access to its municipal funds again. A court froze the village’s bank accounts yesterday for non-payment of a nearly- $200,000 debt. At issue was Spring Valley’s loss in a law suit by a firm whose Main Street property the village had bought for an urban renewal project under rules of eminent domain. The firm sued successfully two years ago, claiming the price it was paid was well below fair-market value. But the village stalled on paying the difference – which had grown with interest to more than $197,000. Spring Valley officials decided to pay off the debt yesterday, after the State Supreme Court ordered its bank accounts frozen.
06-09-09
GUNMAN ARRESTED AT S. ORANGETOWN MIDDLE SCHOOL; NO INJURIES REPORTED
South Orangetown schools superintendent Kenneth Mitchell is being hailed as a hero for subduing a gunman inside South Orangetown Middle School this morning. Police say Dr. Mitchell had tackled and disarmed the gunman, identified only as a former New York City police officer, by the time they arrived at the scene. No injuries were reported – either to Mitchell or to any of the students. The incident took place at about 11:30 a.m. As many as three shots might have been fired, one of them reportedly lodging in the ceiling of Mitchell's office. Police say the gunman had ties to the school, but gave no details of what his motives might have been.
STORM BLACKS OUT ABOUT 2,000 ROCKLAND HOMES
A violent thunderstorm knocked the lights out for several hours today in nearly 2,000 Rockland homes. Orange and Rockland says Ramapo was hardest hit, with more than 1,500 customers left without power in Spring Valley alone. O&R spokesman Mike Donovan says downed power lines and lightning strikes caused most of the problems. The storm raged through Rockland for well over an hour before calming down around ten a.m. Power was back in all of the affected homes by mid-afternoon.
O&R WORKERS TO VOTE ON NEW CONTRACT BY END OF WEEK
Orange and Rockland’s 657 unionized workers are slated to vote on a new contract by the end of the week. O&R and the electrical workers union, IBEW Local 503, reached tentative agreement last Friday on the local’s first new contract in five years. Details of the package were not released publicly. The union membership is reviewing the pact this week and could vote up or down on it by Saturday.
”COUP” GIVES GOP CONTROL OF STATE SENATE
Republicans have regained control of the State Senate, thanks to a coup, of sorts, that involved two Democrats. The takeover came late in yesterday’s session, when Republicans called a surprise vote to re-organize the Senate leadership. The two dissident Democrats -- Pedro Espada of the Bronx and Hiram Monserrate of Queens – gave the Republicans an effective majority of 32-to-30. The vote topples Malcolm Smith as majority leader and Senate President, replacing him in the latter role with Espada. Long Island Republican Dean Skelos takes over as Majority Leader. He says the coup had been in the works, secretly, for about two months. It comes with two weeks left in the legislative session and a number of controversial bills, including one to legalize same-sex marriage, still on the table. Democrats, including Smith and Governor David Paterson, say they’ll challenge the Republican takeover, but it’s not clear if they have grounds to do it.
S.V. ASSETS FROZEN IN DEBT-NONPAYMENT CASE
The courts have frozen the village of Spring Valley’s bank accounts for non-payment of a nearly-$200,000 debt. At issue is the village’s defeat two years ago in a lawsuit by NBW Enterprises of New City. Spring Valley had used eminent domain in an urban renewal project to take over a Main Street rental property owned by NBW, but the firm sued, claiming the $165,000 it was paid was too low. The State Supreme Court ruled that the village should have paid the property’s fair-market value of $325,000 instead. Spring Valley Mayor George Darden says the village will move quickly to settle the debt – which, with interest, now stands at more than $197,000.
APPEAL REJECTED IN 2001 NANUET DRIVE-BY KILLING
The state’s second-highest court says “no” to a Bronx man convicted of a drive-by killing in Nanuet. The state Supreme Court’s Appellate Division rejected an appeal by 57-year-old Gilberto Olibencia to overthrow his conviction. Olibencia was sentenced to 25 years to life for the two-thousand-one shooting-death of a 26-year-old woman. She happened to be standing between Olibencia and his ex-girlfriend, who allegedly was his intended target.
TRUCKER HURT IN RT. 304 ROLLOVER
A Pennsylvania truck driver was seriously injured yesterday when he rolled his tractor-trailer over on Route 304. The driver, identified as 36-year-old Fausto Penos, suffered head injuries in the 4 p.m. accident, near Rt. 59 in Nanuet. Traffic in the area was tied up for more than four hours as emergency workers cleared the scene of diesel fuel and hydraulic fluid spilled in the rollover.
06-08-09
MORE ROCKLAND SWINE FLU CASES THAN REPORTED?
The swine flu may be more prevalent in Rockland County than figures show. Health officials place the number of confirmed cases of the H1N1 virus in Rockland at eight. But they say the actual count is probably higher, as schools throughout the county report more and more students absent with flu-like symptoms. Those symptoms – as with the standard seasonal flu -- include high fever and body aches. So far, all the confirmed swine flu cases in Rockland, five of which involve children, have been mild. At least 930 New Yorkers state-wide have come down with the virus.
MASSACHUTTS WOMAN JUMPS TO HER DEATH FROM T-Z BRIDGE
Divers pulled the body of a New England woman from the Hudson River yesterday, about 24 hours after she jumped from the Tappan Zee Bridge. State police say 33-year-old Saige Reisler of Northhampton, Massachusetts, jumped to her death from the bridge Saturday afternoon. Family members say Reisler had been despondent over personal problems. She was an administrator at the University of Massachusetts and, according to her family, an ardent advocate for public waterways.
ARREST IN FIELDSTONE SCHOOL BOMB SCARE
A Haverstraw teen-ager has been charged with leaving bomb-threat notes at the Fieldstone Secondary School two weeks ago. The suspicious notes led to the evacuation of Fieldstone and the Willow Grove Middle School alongside it on May 29th. No bombs were found at either school. The 15-year-old boy arrested in the case was not identified publicly because of his age. Police say another bomb scare at Fieldstone last Friday does not appear to be related to the May 29th threat.
HUDSON RIVER ANNIVESARY FLOTILLA STOPS AT HAVERSTRAW
The weekend just ended was one for celebrations and memorials throughout Rockland. Tall ships – including replicas of centuries-old vessels – stopped at Haverstraw Saturday on their way up the Hudson. Hundreds were on hand to help the ships and their crews celebrate the 400th anniversary of Henry Hudson’s voyage up the river that now bears his name.
PUERTO RICAN PARADE DRAWS HUNDREDS IN HAVERSTRAW
Hundreds lined the streets of Haverstraw yesterday for the 14th annual Puerto Rican Day parade. The five-hour parade featured a range of marchers, including bands and dance groups, along with rides, circus clowns, and an array of foods and merchandise celebrating the Puerto Rican culture.
FIRE-FIGHTER MEMORIAL HELD IN POMONA
Fire-fighters from across Rockland gathered yesterday for the 28th annual All-Faiths Memorial Service. The sundown gathering at the county fire-training center in Pomona honored the memory of all Rockland volunteer fire-fighters killed in the line of duty.
NYS-PUBLIC EMPLOYEES PACT REPORTED
Public employees in New York State reportedly have agreed to a plan that will head-off thousands of potential layoffs. Governor David Paterson announced the agreement over the weekend, saying it includes pension cutbacks and reductions in the state workforce tied to $20-thousand buyouts. He said the pact will save the state some $440-million in the next two years while avoiding nearly 9,000 layoffs in the ranks of two unions, the Civil Service Employees Association and the Public Employees Federation.
GROUND BROKEN FOR NJ-NYC COMMUTER RAIL TUNNEL
Construction starts today on a new tunnel to New York City, this one between North Bergen, New Jersey and Manhattan. The commuter-rail tunnel, expected to open about eight years from now, is billed as the nation’s largest transportation project, with an $8.7-billion price-tag. By contrast, the Holland Tunnel – opened in 1927 – cost $54-million. And the Lincoln Tunnel opened ten years later at an initial construction cost of $75-million.
06-05-09
KLEINER GETS DEMS’ NOD FOR COUNTY EXEC
The stage is all but set for this year’s County Executive election. Rockland Democrats have nominated Orangetown Supervisor Thom Kleiner to face Republican incumbent County Exec Scott Vanderhoef. Both men are running uncontested, so, unless there’s a primary upset, theirs will be the names on November’s ballot. Kliener is stepping down after his seventh term as Orangetown’s supervisor to challenge Vanderhoef, who’s in his fourth term as County Executive. Kleiner’s nomination – along with that of incumbent County Clerk Paul Piperato – came last night at the Democrats’ county convention in New City.
HAVERSTRAW APPROVES LIBRARY BUDGET
Haverstraw voters have approved a nearly-$5,000,000 library budget. That’ll raise the annual tax bill for library district residents by about $10. Also in yesterday’s voting, Library Board Trustee Stephen Cobb was elected to a second five-year term.
HELP ON THE WAY FOR DIGITAL SWITCH-OVDER
The mandatory switch-over to digital television is just eight days away, and last-minute help is on the way for Rocklanders unsure of how to make the switch. The Federal Communications Commission says a team of workers will be on hand to make free house-calls to some 200-thousand homes nationwide, to set up digital converter boxes for those with non-digital televisions. On June 12th, all full-power TV stations will switch by law to digital transmission, making the older, analog sets obsolete. The FCC says, if you need one of those free visits, the number to call is 1-888-225-5322.
ENGEL PUSHING FOR LAPTOP SECURITY BILL
Congressman Eliot Engel says the nation should balance two crucial concerns -- border security and the rights of its citizens. The Democrat Engel -- who represents Rockland, Westchester and the Bronx – is urging the House to approve his proposed legislation, the Securing our Borders and Data Act. Under current law, border agents can confiscate travelers’ laptop computers and other electronic devices containing personal information. Engel says his so-called “laptop bill” would tighten those security procedures in order to protect the privacy of law-abiding Americans.
06-04-09
ROCKLAND SWINE FLU COUNT AT SEVEN
Rockland County’s swine flu count is now up to seven. County health officials say the latest case involves a 38-year-old man. He’s the third Rockland adult to test positive for the H1N1 virus. All seven cases – including two students and two pre-schoolers -- are reported to be mild. In related news, officials say recent rumors of a shortage of the flu-fighting drug Tamiflu in Rockland are untrue. A spokesperson for County Executive Scott Vanderhoef says there’s plenty of Tamiflu on hand for the current swine flu breakout.
ORANGETOWN POLICE SEEK SANDAL IN FATAL HIT-RUN CASE
The victim’s missing sandal might be the clue that cracks the case of a fatal hit-and-run in Pearl River. Orangetown police say the sandal was gone from the scene early Sunday morning, after 36-year-old James McNicholas of Garnerville was killed while crossing North Middletown Road near Washingon Avenue. A search has been on since then for the hit-and-run vehicle, believed to be a dark-colored SUV. The Journal News says police think McNicholas’s right-foot sandal might have caught onto the vehicle and then fallen somewhere along the escape route. Anyone with information on the hit-and-run – or the sandal – is urged to call Orangetown Police at 359-3700.
RAMAPO MAY TAKE OVER SPRING VALLEY POOL
Spring Valley residents may have their village pool back this summer, after all. The 20-year-old pool, off Memorial Drive, was closed LAST summer due to structural problems. And Mayor George Darden said recently it would stay closed this year because the village can’t afford the $800,000 it would cost to repair the pool. But now, Ramapo supervisor Christopher St. Lawrence says the town expects to take control of the pool – and the repair job -- and he says the pool could be fixed and re-opened by the Fourth of July.
S.V. NATIVE IN LINE FOR TOP STATE DEPT. ANTI-PIRACY POST
A former Spring Valley resident is in line for a key post in the nation’s effort to combat piracy on the high seas. Forty-one year-old Andrew Shapiro – a graduate of Spring Valley High School -- has been nominated for the post of assistant Secretary of State for political-military affairs. If approved by the Senate, he will, among other things, be the department’s liaison with Pentagon efforts to stop the Somali-based pirates that have been hijacking freighters – and taking their crews captive -- off the coast of Africa. Shapiro pledged at his confirmation hearing yesterday he’ll continue America’s “no ransom, no concessions” policy in dealing with pirates.
06-03-09
LONG-TIME CLARKSTOWN COUNCILMAN RALPH MANDIA DIES
Funeral services for former Clarkstown councilman Ralph Mandia are scheduled for Saturday at St. Anthony’s Church in Nanuet. The 64-year-old Mandia died yesterday at Nyack Hospital after a long battle with neuro-muscular disease. Mandia retired this past January after 20 years on the town board, during which he championed a variety of causes and constituencies, from parks to senior citizens and emergency-service volunteers. Mandia is survived by his wife, two sons and a sister.
O&R UNION: NO STRIKE SET … FOR NOW
The clock ran out at midnight on the latest round of contract talks between Orange and Rockland and its 657 union workers. O&R spokesman Michael Donovan says the utility’s final contract offer remains on the table, and that the current contract will be extended until the dispute is resolved. IBEW Local 503 President Brian Scott tells the Journal News the union won’t strike for now, but that its members at O&R are ready to walk out at any time. O&R reportedly seeks a range of cutbacks in employee benefits. Donovan says the cutbacks are required to meet the needs of O&R’s customers, stock-holders and employees.
N. ROCKLAND PICKS NEW SCHOOLS SUPERINTENDENT
North Rockland has a new superintendent of schools. The current deputy superintendent, Ileana Eckert, was appointed last night by the North Rockland school board. The 52-year-old Eckert, of Garnerville, will move up to the $195,000/yr post on July first, when the current superintendent, Brian Monahan, steps down.
YESHIVA SETTLES WITH RAMAPO OVER COW SLAUGHTER
The case of the slaughtered cow has been settled, with Monsey’s Bobover Yeshiva agreeing to pay the Town of Ramapo $5,000. The yeshiva was cited last month for violating town regulations following complaints that the slaughter was performed in full view of neighboring residents. Yeshiva officials quickly apologized, saying the slaughter, part of a lesson in dietary laws for rabbinical students, was mis-handled by a rabbi unfamiliar with town laws.
DRIVER IN FATAL PEARL RIVER HIT-RUN STILL AT LARGE
Orangetown police continue their search for a hit-and-run driver who killed a man in Pearl River over the weekend. The victim, 36-year-old James McNicholas or Garnerville, was run down early Sunday morning as he crossed North Middletown Road near the Shoprite intersection. Pearl River residents received a taped telephone message from police last night urging anyone who saw or heard anything at the time of the hit-and-run to call them at 359-3700. The vehicle involved is believed to have been a dark-colored SUV.
06-02-09
INDIAN POINT TEST SIRENS TO SOUND TOMORROW
County officials say, Don’t be alarmed when the alarm goes off tomorrow morning – that is, the long, loud siren blast you’ll most-likely hear if you’re in northern Rockland. It’ll be the latest test of Indian Point’s new alert and notification system. County Fire and Emergency Services director Gordon Wren says the alert will sound in one continuous four-minute-long blast between 10:30 and 11 a.m. Wren says there are 56 sirens in Rockland, almost all of them within a ten-mile radius of the Buchanan nuclear plant, across the Hudson from Stony Point. The new alarm system was mandated by testing failures in the old system.
MORAHAN WANTS LAW FIXED TO KEEP DRUG CONVICTIONS ON PUBLIC RECORD
Rockland State Senator Thomas Morahan wants a newly amended drug law fixed to remove a key protection for some convicted drug felons, including dealers. The amended law allows courts to seal the records of those with up to three misdemeanor drug convictions who apply for jobs at schools, day-care facilities and nursing homes. Morahan is among several state lawmakers sponsoring new legislation to remove that provision before it goes into effect next Monday. In a statement today, Morahan says it’s especially important that such records be available to facilities where children could be at risk.
INJURIES SUSTAINED IN BARDONIA ACCIDENT
At least one person was injured in a multi-vehicle accident on Route 304 in Bardonia this morning. There was no immediate word on what caused the crash, or on the number or extent of the injuries, although police say they appeared to be minor. Rush-hour traffic on 304 slowed down for about an hour as police and emergency vehicles worked at the scene, near Eastland Drive.
SEARCH STILL ON IN FATAL PEARL RIVER HIT-AND-RUN
The search is still on for a hit-and-run driver who killed a Garnerville man over the weekend. The victim, 36-year-old James McNicholas, was run down early Saturday morning as he crossed North Middletown Road in Pearl River. Orangetown police are viewing tapes from nearby security cameras in hopes of identifying the vehicle, believed to be a dark-colored SUV. McNicholas reportedly was visiting a friend in Pearl River – and walking to a deli -- when he was struck and killed. Orangetown detectives assigned to the case are asking anyone with information about the hit-and-run to call them at 359-2121.
SEX OFFENDER’S NEIGHBORS THREATEN TO WITHHOLD RENT
Some neighbors of a registered sex offender at a Hillcrest apartment complex say they won’t pay their rent until he’s evicted. The man, 46-year-old Michael Fonti, served jail time twice since the early 1980’s for sex-related crimes, including the abuse of a ten-year-old boy in Peekskill. The Journal-News quotes a spokesman for Eckerson Village as saying a background check failed to turn up Fonti’s convictions when he applied for an apartment earlier this year – and that they’re taking steps to evict him. At least three residents told the paper they’ll withhold rent payments until he’s gone. Under the law, registered sex offenders are barred from living in federally-funded housing such as Eckerson Village.
SIXTH SWINE FLU CASE CONFIRMED IN ROCKLAND
There are now six confirmed cases of Swine Flu in Rockland. County health officials say the latest to test positive for the H1N1 virus is a student at West Haverstraw Elementary School. Of the remaining five Rockland cases, one is a student, two are pre-schoolers, and two others are adults. None of the cases is considered serious. And none of the schools the students attend has plans to close. Of the just-over-ten-thousand confirmed swine flu cases nationwide, more than 640 are in New York State.
06-01-09
WEEKEND HIT-AND-RUN KILLS PEARL RIVER MAN
A Pearl River man was killed by a hit-and-run driver over the weekend. Orangetown police identify the victim as 36-year-old James McNicholas. He sustained fatal head- and bodily injuries early Sunday morning when he was struck while crossing North Middletown road in Pearl River. The vehicle, described as a dark-colored SUV, left the scene. Detectives assigned to the case are asking anyone with information about the hit-and-run to call them at 359-2121.
LIKELY T-Z SUICIDE AVERTED
Another potential suicide was averted on the Tappan Zee Bridge over the weekend. State Police say they grabbed the person, identified only as a 69-year-old Suffern woman, as she walked Friday night from her parked car out onto the bridge near the Westchester end. Police reportedly had been tipped off by a phone call from the woman’s family. It was the third reported incident in the past two months in which would-be Tappan Zee suicides FAILED. In the two EARLIER incidents, the jumpers were saved in the Hudson River.
RAMAPO DEMS SET TO CHALLENGE ST. LAWRENCE
Democrats opposed to Ramapo Supervisor Christopher St. Lawrence kicked off their campaign yesterday. Spring Valley village attorney Bruce Levine, who seeks to unseat the incumbent, told a crowd of about 200 outside Town Hall it’s time to put an end to “St. Lawrence patronage jobs” and “no-bid conracts.” Others who spoke at the rally slammed St. Lawrence as being partial to the town’s large Orthodox Jewish community at the expense of the general public. That’s the so-called “bloc vote” issue that’s long driven political debate in Ramapo. Levine will face St. Lawrence in the September 15th Democratic primary.
SUFFERN DEMS SKIP CONVENTION, AWAIT PRIMARY
Suffern Democrats have bypassed the usual May convention this year, in a reported move to limit party infighting. The Journal-News says the leadership decided to let all village Democrats pick the party’s nominees for mayor and two trustees in the September primary, rather than risk a divisive convention six months before Election Day. As it stands, two distinct camps have emerged among Suffern Dems. Incumbent mayor John Keegan is up for re-election with two newcomers, Rosemary Collins Schultz and James DeStefano, running alongside him for the trustee posts. Challenging Keegan for mayor is current trustee Dagan LaCorte, with incumbent Patricia Abato and village planning board member Bruce Simon rounding out that slate. Democrats outnumber Republicans in Suffern by a nearly-two-to-one margin, an advantage that presumably could have been undermined by convention infighting among party committee-members.
KAVESH GETS DEMS’ NOD FOR NYACK MAYOR, FACES PRIMARY FIGHT
A Democratic primary fight is likely in Nyack, as well, despite last week’s convention there. Village Trustee Richard Kavesh won the party’s nod for mayor, taking nine of the 17 votes cast last Tuesday by members of the party committee. Two other Nyack trustees, Marie Lorenzini and Denise Hogan – along with restaurant owner Marianne Olive – all say they’ll challenge Kavesh for mayor in September’s primary.
05-28-09
ONE INJURED IN THRUWAY ROLLOVER
One person was reported injured this morning when his car overturned on the Thruway in Nanuet. Police quote the unidentified driver as saying he lost control of the car, which was traveling north and towing a trailer, when another car cut him off. The 8:15 a.m. accident – near Exit 13-North -- snarled rush-hour traffic both ways on the Thruway for more than 90 minutes. Nyack Hospital would not immediately release the injured driver’s name or the extent of his injuries.
NANUET STUDENTS ESCAPE BUS FIRE
A close call for some seventh-graders from Nanuet. Officials say a bus carrying some 40 MacArthur Bar middle-schoolers caught fire on Route 684 in Armonk yesterday, as it headed toward Boston on a class trip. The Journal-News says all of the students were evacuated from the bus safely, and continued their trip later on a new bus. There was no immediate word on what caused the fire.
AMENDED SCHOOL BUDGET TO GO TO CLARKSTOWN VOTERS NEXT MONTH
Clarkstown residents will vote June 16th on a new proposed budget. School board members agreed on the package last night after a heated debate. The compromise plan avoids potential staff and school-supply cutbacks, but would save the district an estimated $103,000 by slashing equipment purchases for the district offices. Clarkstown was Rockland’s only town to reject its proposed budget this year, turning the original $1.6-million package down by a slim, 52-vote margin.
WIDOW OF SLAIN SUFFERN SOLDIER CAMPAIGNS AGAINST GENERAL
The widow of slain Army Captain Phillip Esposito is campaigning to block the appointment of a general whose staff investigated the killing. Siobhan Espositio of Suffern says Major General Joseph Taluto mishandled the probe, and she’s is urging the U.S. Senate to reject Taluto’s nomination to the top post in the Army National Guard. Captain Esposito and another officer were killed in Iraq in 2005 – in an explosion believed to have been set by a soldier in their command. That soldier, Staff Sergeant Alberto Martinez, was acquitted in a military trial this past December.
RABBI TO APPEAL SEX-ABUSE CONVICTION
A Monsey rabbi is set to appeal his conviction on charges he molested his daughter. Rabbi Israel Weingerten was sentenced earlier this month to 30 years in prison. He was found guilty of sexually molesting his then-teen-aged daughter in 1997 as they traveled to Israel and Belgium. In papers filed this week, Weingarten seeks to appeal the conviction on grounds he was not represented well by his original attorneys.
05-28-09
CLARKSTOWN SCHOOL BOARD TO MEET TONIGHT ON BUDGET
Clarkstown residents will find out tonight if they’ll need to vote again on the school budget they rejected nine days ago. The school board meets in special session to decide whether to resubmit that $164-million package, or to adopt an austerity budget that would cost Clarkstown taxpayers, on average, some $37 a year less. Clarkstown’s budget was the only one in Rockland rejected this year, losing by just 52 votes after weeks of contentious debate. That debate is expected to continue at tonight’s meeting, scheduled for 8:30 at the Chestnut Grove Administrative Center.
COUNTY CONSIDERS CALORIE-COUNT BILL
Would you still buy that Big Mac if you knew it contained more than 500 calories? Well, the county legislature is considering a bill that would require fast-food restaurants to post calorie counts on their menu boards. Legislator Joseph Meyers, who proposed the measure, says it’s patterned after the ones Westchester and other suburban counties recently adopted. If approved, the Rockland law would affect fast-food chains with more than 15 establishments nationwide. A public hearing on the measure is slated for July seventh at the County Office Building in New City.
CAUSE OF POMONA FIRE UNDER INVESTIGATION
Police are investigating a fire that extensively damaged a Pomona house yesterday. No injuries reported in the blaze, on Old Pomona Road. Officials say the building, which was vacant and up for sale, was engulfed in flames when they arrived. Ramapo police and the County BCI reportedly are looking for clues as to what touched off the mid-afternoon fire.
HISTORIC CAROUSEL LEAVING PALISADES MALL
The Palisades Mall is bidding farewell to its 102-year-old carousel. A management spokeswoman tells the Journal News the mall decided not to renew the carousel lease, and the attraction will close down after its last day of operation, June 14th. The poor economy – and resulting low attendance – are believed to have been key factors in that decision. The carousel is one of only 140 or so of its age made entirely of wood that still exist world-wide.
05-27-09
PSC AGREES TO HOLD PUBLIC HEARING ON O&R RATE HIKE
Rocklanders will get a public hearing on Orange and Rockland’s proposed gas-rate increase after all. The state Public Service Commission has agreed to hold a televised session, allowing viewers to call or e-mail comments during the live cable-cast. The paper says the deal was brokered by Ramapo Supervisor Christopher St. Lawrence. He’ll host the televised session, slated for June 11 at Ramapo Town Hall. That’s four days before a scheduled public forum at Orangetown town hall called by all five Rockland town supervisors in response to the PSC’s initial decision NOT to hold public hearings on the proposed 5.4% rate-increase on gas deliveries.
W. HAVERSTRAW MAN FOUND GUILTY IN ANIMAL CRUELTY CASE
A six-member justice court jury found West Haverstraw animal breeder Robert Everle guilty yesterday on 13 counts of animal cruelty. Everle was charged after a police raid last July found hundreds of farm animals at his North Wayne Ave. property, many of them caged, often in filthy conditions, some dehydrated and under-fed. Everle faces fines and even jail time on the convictions when he’s sentenced August 11th.
S.V. COP SAID TO GIVE CIVILIAN RIDES IN POLICE CAR
A suspended Spring Valley police officer heard some unwelcome testimony from a fellow cop yesterday. It was the second day of a disciplinary hearing for officer David LeBron, who faces departmental charges of misconduct. Officer John Vespucci testified that Lebron often gave rides in his police car to a civilian who wore a shield and carried a fake gun. Other charges against Lebron allege falsifying records and sexual misconduct – charges which Lebron denies, and for which he was previously acquitted at a criminal trial.
SWINE FLU CASES SOAR IN NYS; 2ND DEATH REPORTED IN NYC
Health officials say the number of swine flu cases rose by nearly a hundred in New York State over the weekend – to a total of more than 460. At the same time, New York City recorded a second swine flu death among its more than 300 cases. So far, there are just two confirmed cases in Rockland, both pre-school children reported recovering at home.
BEARS SPOTTED IN HAVERSTRAW NEIGHBORHOOD
It seems the three little bears have come to Rockland County. Haverstraw police say several residents in the Halley Drive area reported seeing an adult black bear and three cubs in their backyards last evening. The Journal News quotes officials as saying the bears are probably not dangerous and are likely to return to the woods nearby. Meanwhile, they advise residents not to leave garbage out in the open.
05-26-09
CLARKSTOWN SCHOOL BUDGET MEETING THURSDAY NIGHT
Clarkstown residents may find out this week whether they’ll have to vote again on the school budget they narrowly rejected last week. The board of education meets in special session Thursday night to discuss whether to resubmit the failed, $164-million budget, or to adopt a slightly less-expensive austerity package. Thursday’s special session is slated for 8:30 p.m. at the Chestnut Grove Administrative Center.
ROCKLAND HONORS SLAIN WAR VETERANS
Thousands of Rocklanders were out over the weekend to pay tribute to the nation’s fallen war veterans. Memorial Day parades and ceremonies were held in communities throughout the county, honoring those who fought and died for America. Among those taking part in the weekend observances was Rockland’s Veterans Services director Jerry Donnellan, who himself was seriously injured in Vietnam. The Journal News says Donnellan offered an important reminder about Memorial Day: it’s not about veterans like him, who returned from war, but rather “for those who didn’t come back.”
JURY MAY GET W. HAVERSTRAW ANIMAL CRUELTY CASE TODAY
Final arguments were slated in West Haverstraw today in the animal cruelty trial of Robert Everle. He’s accused of keeping hundreds of farm animals at his North Wayne Avenue property, many in overcrowded conditions, often with little food or water. Testifying Friday in his own defense, Everle told the six-member Village Court jury he’s been raising animals with proper care since 1961.
NEW CITY MAN CHARGED WITH ASSAULTING ORANGETOWN POLICE OFFICERS
A New City man is due to appear Thursday in West Nyack village court, on charges he assaulted Orangetown police officers over the weekend. Police say 20-year-old Christopher Thom resisted arrest – and had to be subdued with a taser -- when police confronted him early Saturday morning after a street brawl in Nyack. Two officers injured in the arrest were treated at Nyack Hospital. Thom is charged with two felony counts of second-degree assault.
STATE REPUBLICANS CALL FOR AUDIT OF MTA BOOKS
Republicans in Albany say the state should take a closer look at how the Metropolitan Transportation Authority spends its money. Assembly Minority Leader Brian Kolb called Friday for a comprehensive audit of MTA’s books, to make sure the agency isn’t wasting funds. The call comes weeks after the state’s latest MTA bailout was passed, imposing among other things a controversial payroll mobility tax on employers.
05-22-09
ROCKLAND SWINE FLU CHILDREN RECOVERING
Two Rockland pre-schoolers continue to recover at home from the swine flu. The unidentified youngsters are the county’s first confirmed cases in the current H1N1 outbreak. It’s hit New York hard, with more than 330 confirmed cases state-wide, and at least two swine flu deaths reported in New York City.
DISCIPLINARY HEARING FOR S.V. POLICE OFFICER
A Spring Valley police officer recently cleared of corruption charges is still fighting to keep his job. A disciplinary hearing began yesterday for 40-year-old David Lebron on departmental charges of official misconduct involving allegations that he made inappropriate advances toward a woman involved in a domestic dispute two years ago. Lebron maintains his innocence. He’s also suing the Village of Spring Valley in a separate, civil-rights matter, claiming he had twice been wrongly denied promotions to the rank of sergeant.
INJURIES MINOR TO FIREFIGHTER HURT ON WAY TO ORANGEBURG FIRE
An Orangeburg fire-fighter was treated for minor injuries suffered yesterday en-route to a fire. The unidentified volunteer was treated at Nyack Hospital for cuts and bruises sustained in a fall as she and fellow-firefighters sped to the blaze. The fire, at Base Plastics on Glenshaw Road and Route 303, was brought under control with no injuries at the scene. A reported 20 fire trucks from seven departments were on hand to battle the blaze.
HAPPY BIRTH DAY, MICHAEL ANDREW KELTER
Rockland County welcomes a new resident. He’s young Michael Andrew Kelter, born last night at Good Samaritan Hospital in Suffern. Michael’s mother, former WRCR on-air personality Sophia Salis Kelter, reports that Michael weighed in at 8 lbs., 15 oz. and “huge hands and feet.” Michael, Mom and Dad, Jason Kelter, were are reported doing well this morning.
05-21-09
ORANGEBURG FIREFIGHTER INJURED EN-ROUTE TO RT. 303 BLAZE
An Orangeburg fire-fighter was taken to Nyack Hospital with head injuries suffered this morning on her way to a fire. Officials say the volunteer was thrown from her fire truck as it rounded a corner en-route to a blaze at Aluf Plastics on Rt 303 and Glenshaw St. in Orangeburg. As of early afternoon, there was no word on the victim’s identity or condition.
SUPERVISORS TO HOLD PUBLIC HEARING ON O&R RATE-HIKE PROPOSAL
Rocklanders will get a chance to sound off on Orange and Rockland’s proposed gas-rate increase, even if it’s not before the state Public Service Commission. The P.S.C. raised the county’s collective ire last week, when it said no public hearings would be held on the rate-hike proposal. Now, the county’s five town supervisors say they’ll hold a public forum on the matter. It’s scheduled for June 15th at Orangetown Town Hall. If the P.S.C. approves the 5.5% increase, it will take effect November first, raising O&R customers’ bills by an estimated $145 dollars, on average, over its three-year phase-in period.
SWINE FLU COMES TO ROCKLAND; TWO PRE-SCHOOL CASES CONFIRMED
Two pre-schoolers are the first confirmed swine flu cases in Rockland. Officials won’t identify the children, or say what pre-school program they attend. But it’s reported neither child was hospitalized, and both are said to be recovering from the H1N1 virus at home. Health officials say the two children are not related to each other, and that neither has traveled to Mexico, where the swine flu outbreak is believed to have started. No Rockland schools have been closed as a result of the local cases.
CLARKSTOWN SCHOOL BOARD FACING DECISION ON BUDGET AFTER TUESDAY’S DEFEAT
What’s next for the Clarkstown school district now that voters have rejected its proposed budget? School board officials will meet next Thursday to take up that question. Clarkstown’s $164-million package was the county’s only school budget defeated in Tuesday’s voting. The board now must decide whether to adopt a slightly smaller austerity budget, or to put the original one up for a re-vote – a distinct possibility since Tuesday’s rejection was by a mere 52 votes.
TRUCK FIRE SLOWS MORNING-RUSH THRUWAY TRAFFIC
A truck fire stalled traffic for well over an hour this morning on the New York State Thruway in Rockland. The incident occurred on the northbound side of the Thruway near the College Road overpass in Ramapo. No injuries were reported, but two northbound lanes were closed – and traffic squeezed into the remaining lane for more than 90 minutes – making for a slow ride both northbound and, thanks to rubber-necking, southbound as well.
FIREFIGHTERS GET “RIGHT-TO-DRIVE” GIFT FROM ALBANY
Firefighters in Rockland and throughout the state are celebrating a victory in Albany. The state legislature voted yesterday to exempt firetruck DRIVERS from having to hold a commercial drivers license in all instances. The measure allows firefighters with regular, Class-D licences to drive the trucks for official duties such as training exercises, funerals and parades. The bill was pushed through with bi-partisan support just in time for next Monday’s Memorial Day parades.
05-20-09
ALL BUT ONE ROCKLAND SCHOOL BUDGET APPROVED
With one exception, Rockland school districts all have new budgets. The exception: Clarkstown, where voters rejected a proposed $164-million package and voted incumbent board member Rhea Vogel out of office. She was the county’s only sitting board member to lose.
Budgets in all seven other districts were approved … including East Ramapo, where, as in Clarkstown, the budget debate had been especially contentious. East Ramapo voters said yes, narrowly, to that $196-million package – Rockland’s largest – while rejecting a controversial proposition to trim down the district’s all-inclusive busing plan.
Here’s a district-by-district rundown on yesterday’s voting:
East Ramapo: budget approved; candidates Elihu Solomon, Morris Kohn and incumbent Richard Stone elected.
North Rockland: budget approved; Mary Romano and Elliot Gillies elected.
Clarkstown: budget rejected; Donna Ehrenberg, Phillip DeGaetano and Douglas Katz elected.
Ramapo Central: budget approved; incumbents Thomas Bollatto, Jr., William Gonzalez and Teresa Monahan all returned to the board.
South Orangetown: budget approved; candidates Annmarie Uhl and Guy DeVincenzo elected unopposed.
Nanuet: budget approved; incumbent board members Sarah Chauncey and Dr. Harold Fogelman re-elected.
Nyack: budget approved; incumbents Claudette Clarke and Michael Lagana re-elected unopposed.
Pearl River: budget approved; incumbents Bruce Bond and Jackie Curtiss re-elected to the school board.
ORAL ARGUMENTS TODAY IN TARTIKOV CASE
Oral arguments were scheduled this afternoon in a two-year-old dispute between the village of Pomona and the Rabbinical College of Tartikov. The college brought suit in 2007 for the right to build an educational facility in Pomona with housing for up to a thousand rabbinical students and family members. When Pomona rejected Tartikov’s request for an exemption from village codes to build the facility, Tartikov sued. Today’s oral arguments, in U.S. District Court in White Plains, are on Pomona’s petition to dismiss the suit.
SLAUGHTERED COW, CHICKENS CASES CONTINUED
There’s news from Ramapo in two Town Court cases involving religious practices. In one case, the owners of a yeshiva where a cow was slaughtered in full view of neighboring homes were granted more time to answer charges they violated zoning laws. In the other, the organizer of a parking-lot ceremony in which thousands of chickens were killed was allowed to withdraw a guilty plea and face a jury trial.
DAY-THREE IN W. HAVERSTRAW ANIMAL CRUELTY CASE
It’s day-three in West Haverstraw justice court for the animal cruelty trial of village resident Robert Everle. Prosecutors yesterday showed jurors photos of animals allegedly abused at Everly’s N. Wayne Ave. property. Everle is accused of keeping more than 100 animals inside and outside his home in filthy conditions, often with little food and water. In his opening statement Monday, Everle’s attorney called the case against his client a frame-up.
05-19-09
ROCKLAND SCHOOL DISTRICTS VOTING TODAY
Voters are out in all eight of the county’s school districts, giving thumbs up or down to school-board candidates and proposed budgets. A total of 30 candidates are running for 19 open board seats county-wide, with budgets for the upcoming year ranging from less than $60-million to more than $190-million in East Ramapo.
DISTRICT-BY-DISTRICT BREAKDOWN
Clarkstown voters will decide on a $163.9-million budget that would increase spending by just under two percent and, among other things, freeze the school superintendent’s salary. Five candidates are running for three open seats on the Clarkstown Board. The candidates: first-timers Donna Ehrenberg, Phillip DeGaetano, Douglas Katz and Daniel Ross, and the only incumbent running, Rhea Vogel.
Voters in East Ramapo look at the county’s largest proposed budget. The $193.3-million package calls for a nearly two-percent tax increase, the elimination of more than eighty school staff positions, and the controversial closing of Merrill Colton Elementary School. Seven candidates are vying for three East Ramapo school board seats. Incumbent Richard Stone takes on challenger Emilia White for one seat; Leonardo Vera and Morris Kohn square off for a second seat; and thre candidates -- Carolyn Watson, Margaret Hatton and Elihu Solomon – seek a third East Ramapo board seat.
North Rockland hands voters a proposed $187.6-million budget that cuts 58 positions, freezes the school superintendent’s pay and holds spending to less than a-half percent higher than the current budget. District residents still face a sizeable tax increase, as they continue to pay off their $10-million share of the Mirant settlement. Four candidates are up for two seats on the North Rockland board. Mary Romano and Peter McIntyre square off for one seat, Elliot Gillies and Brion Hayman for the other.
Nanuet residents vote on a $60.4-million package that would increase spending by about two percent and raise district taxes by an estimated two-and-a-third percent. Three candidates are on the Nanuet ballot, seeking two open board seats. Incumbents Dr. Harold Fogelman and Sarah Chauncey are challenged by newcomer Scott Walters.
Voters in the Nyack school district look at a $69.3-million budget that comes in at about a half-percent higher than the current spending plan and freezes salaries for teaching assistants and some administrative staff. Two incumbents, Claudette Clarke and Michael Lagana, are running unopposed for re-election to the two open Nyack board seats.
Pearl River residents vote on a $57-million school budget, the county’s smallest. It would increase spending by just over two-and-a-half percent and raise district taxes by just over two-and-three-quarters percent. Three school board seats are up in Pearl River, with three candidates on the ballot. They’re incumbents Jackie Curtiss and Bruce Bond, and challenger Michael Mandel.
Voters in the Ramapo Central school district look at a proposed $120-million budget that increases spending by just over two-and-a-third percent and raises taxes by just under two percent. Four candidates are vying for the district’s three open board seats. They’re incumbents Thomas Bollatto, Jr., William Gonzalez and Teresa Monahan, and challenger Maureen Danzig.
In South Orangetown, voters get their say on a $76.4-million budget that comes in about one and a-third percent above the current spending plan and would raise taxes by about two-and-three-quarters percent. Two school board seats are open, with the two incumbents -- Annmarie Uhl and Guy DeVincenzo -- running unopposed for re-election.
MADOFF PROSECUTORS SEEK DELAY IN FRIEHLING CASE
Bernie Madoff’s Rockland County auditor has won a delay, in a possible bid to stay out of jail. Federal prosecutors filed yesterday for a 30-day extension in the case against New City accountant David Friehling. He’s accused of filing false financial reports as cover for Madoff’s alleged $65-billion Ponzi scheme. The delay holds off any indictment in the case against Friehling, and could mean he’s talking his way to a plea bargain that would keep him out of prison.
W. HAVERSTRAW ANIMAL CRUELTY TRIAL CONTINUES
Today is day-two of a West Haverstraw man’s animal cruelty trial. The defendant, Robert Everle, is accused of neglecting hundreds of animals – including birds, rabbits and even a ram – inside and outside his North Wayne Avenue home. A six-member village court jury heard opening arguments yesterday – the prosecution saying Everle kept the animals in small cages and boxes, providing them with little water and poor health care. Everle’s lawyer called the misdemeanor animal cruelty charges a frame-up, the result of a failed earlier attempt to pin Everle with cock-fighting charges.
RCC PROF WINS PRESTEGIOUS NYS AWARD
A Rockland Community College professor has won a top award from New York State. SUNY officials this week bestowed a coveted Distinguished Service Professorship on Elaine Padilla of Suffern. She’s been with RCC’s Social Sciences department for some 30 years. During that time Padilla has, among other things, developed programs for student assessment and sexual-harassment prevention -- and served outside the school as president of the Rockland County unit of the American Cancer Society.
05-18-09
SCHOOL BOARD/BUDGET VOTES SET FOR TOMORROW
School budgets and board seats are up for votes tomorrow throughout Rockland, with hotly-debated issues in several districts. The big issue county-wide this year is school spending, with everyone’s eye on tax rates in this continuing economic slowdown. Voting is scheduled throughout the day in all districts. A reminder to East Ramapo residents: no still or video cameras are allowed within 100 feet of any of the district’s ten polling places. It’s been an especially contentious lead-up to the vote there, and school officials say they’re worried that some voters might stay home for fear of finding themselves on YouTube.
DEER HUNTING IN COUNTY PARKS PROPOSED
Deer hunting in Rockland County parks? With bows and arrows? That’s what county legislator Gerold Bierker is proposing. Lawmakers in New City will give the idea a first look when they meet tomorrow and consider calling a public hearing on the issue. Bierker says the current over-population of deer makes hunting in at least some of the county’s 28 parks necessary. And he says the county’s small size and spreading population make bow-hunting a safer – and less noisy – alternative to guns.
”CLICK-IT OR TICKET” CRACKDOWN STARTS TODAY
Click it or ticket … so don’t forget to buckle up. That’s the advice – and warning – from safety and law enforcement officials. Beginning tomorrow, police will be out locally throughout the county – and along the Thruway – to make sure you’re complying with the state’s 25-year-old seat-belt law. That means potential fines of up to 100 dollars and three license points for the worst infractions. So if you’re driving, make sure you’re clicked in, along with your front-seat passenger and anyone under 16 in your back seat – with appropriate restraints for younger children. The state’s annual seat-belt crackdown will run through the end of the month.
SWINE FLU WOES: UP IN NYC; STILL NONE IN ROCKLAND
The number of New York City schools closed by the swine flu is up to nine now, with the addition of three schools to the list over the weekend. Hundreds of city school kids have come down with symptoms at least resembling the H1N1 virus in recent weeks. Several cases have been confirmed in Westchester county, as well. So far … no confirmed swine-flu cases in Rockland. But as you keep your fingers crossed about that, health officials say, take at least one positive step to head off the flu: continue washing your hands several times daily with soap and warm water.
TASK FORCE URGED IN STATE SENATE TO PRESS MTA ON SERVICE
Lawmakers in Rockland and neighboring counties are stepping up efforts to deal with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. State Senator Thomas Morahan and colleagues from other Hudson Valley counties have called for the creation of a regional task force on MTA service to the region. Morahan says the task force would make specific recommendations on service improvements. Both Rockland and Orange counties are threatening to pull out of the MTA district as a result of the so-called “payroll mobility tax” that many feel puts an extra, unfair burden on the suburban counties. But a growing number of legislators say an actual pull-out is much less likely than getting concessions from the MTA on improvements to service.
05-15-09
CAMERAS BANNED AT E. RAMAPO SCHOOL BUDGET VOTE
Tuesday’s vote on the East Ramapo school budget might be worth a thousand words – but NO PICTURES allowed. The school board has placed a ban on still and video cameras within 100 feet of each of the district’s ten polling places. The East Ramapo budget debate has been especially contentious this year, with videos of some school board meetings making their way to YouTube. School officials say they were concerned that some voters might be intimidated by cameras.
TWO-WEEK THRUWAY SEATBELT CHECK STARTS MONDAY
A reminder to Rockland motorists. Starting Monday and for the next two weeks, state police check-points will be set up along the full length of the Thruway. The object: to make sure drivers are complying with the state’s 25-year-old seatbelt law. That means all drivers and front-seat passengers, along with all rear-seat passengers under 16 years old must be buckled in. If not, you’ll be fined up to 50 dollars – or up to 100 dollars plus three points on your license for not properly restraining young children.
CONGERS WOMAN ARRESTED AFTER PALISADES MALL INCIDENT
A Congers woman has a date in town court Monday, to answer charges of disorderly conduct and resisting arrest. Clarkstown police say the 41-year-old woman was causing a scene at T.G.I. Friday’s in the Palisades Canter Mall Wednesday night – allegedly shouting at staffers, other patrons, and eventually even mall security guards. When police arrived, the woman allegedly became abusive to them and resisted arrest, at which point she was subdued with a taser.
BLAUVELT MAN SUES NYACK HOSPITAL OVER MASTECTOMY
A mistaken male mastectomy has Nyack Hospital on the wrong end of a lawsuit. The plaintiff, 28-year-old Scott Aprile of Blauvelt, allegedly was mis-diagnosed last December with breast cancer, which is a rarity in males. Doctors at Nyack removed Aprile’s right breast a few weeks later, whereupon Aprile was told the original diagnosis was wrong – there was no cancer. Aprile is suing the hospital and several of its doctors for negligence. He seeks an unspecified amount in damages.
05-14-09
NO HEARINGS SET FOR PUBLIC COMMENT ON O&R GAS-RATE HIKE
The state Public Service Commission is taking public comment on Orange and Rockland’s proposed rate increase for gas delivery. But this time, there won’t be the usual public hearings. The PSC says only written comments will be taken, a commission spokeswoman noting that Rocklanders “won’t have to be inconvenienced by coming in person.” It’s actually the second go-round for the proposed increase. O&R initially sought a gas-delivery hike of just under four percent, but then raised its request to nearly five and a-half percent. That rate would add close to 145-dollars to the average O-and-R customer’s yearly bill. The public has until July 30th to comment in writing to the PSC.
TWO-WEEK NYS SEATBELT CHECK STARTS MONDAY
A word to the wise for Rockland drivers. The state’s about to begin a two-week stop-and-check campaign to promote the use of seatbelts – which is, after all, required by law in New York. Starting next Monday and continuing through the end of the month, state troopers will staff check-points along the full length of the Thruway to make sure all drivers, all front-seat passengers and rear-seat passengers under 16-years-old are buckled up. If they’re not, those drivers will face fines of up to 50-dollars – and up to 100-dollars plus three points on their licenses – for not properly restraining young children.
SWINE FLU UPDATE: ROCKLAND COUNT STILL AT ZERO
A half-dozen new cases of swine flu have brought the New York State total to more than 210. State health officials say 167 of those are in New York City. Several new cases are reported in Westchester County this week, bringing the number there to twelve. As yet, there are no confirmed cases of the H1N1 virus in Rockland,
SUFFERN VILLAGE SALARIES: POLICE AT TOP
A report today says the top municipal salaries in the Village of Suffern go to police. No difference there from much of the rest of county. But unlike several other Rockland municipalities, Suffern police aren’t at the top of the overtime-pay list. The Journal News says 19 of Suffern’s 135 village employees earned more than $100-thousand last year – all but one of them police officers – with Chief Clarke Osborn topping the list at $163-thousand. The paper says Suffern water- and sewer-department workers took in the most overtime pay – about a-third of the total $301-thousand paid out. It’s the latest in the Journal-News Freedom-of-Information series on municipal salaries.
COUNTY YOUTH FORUM AWARDS TONIGHT IN HAVERSTRAW
Rockland young people who give their time to others will be honored tonight. The 29th annual Youth Forum and Awards ceremony is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. at Terrace on the Hudson restaurant in Haverstraw. The county Youth Bureau says tickets are still available – for $35 each – either at the door, or by calling the bureau’s executive director, Dennis Fleming, at (845) 638-5166.
05-13-09
MTA WITHDRAWAL SOUND-OFF TO AGENCY REP TODAY
Rockland takes another small step toward a possible withdrawal from the Metropolitan Transportation Authority today. Clarkstown legislator Ed Day says an MTA representative will be on hand when the legislature’s Economic Development Committee meets this afternoon. It’s billed as an informational session – to hear more on Rockland’s threat to pull out of the MTA. The flashpoint for that threat: the new payroll mobility tax that Rockland employers will pay to help keep New York City subway fares down. Day says the public is invited to sit in on the session, which starts at 5:15 p.m. in the county legislative chambers in New City.
ROCKLAND COACHES: HIGHER FARES, LESS SERVICE AHEAD
A double-whammy from Rockland Coaches: fares are going up, and service is coming down. As of June first, it’ll cost Rockland Coach commuters three percent more for their rides to and from New York City. And they’ll have to do it on an abbreviated schedule – with fewer buses running during both daily rush hour periods. A spokesman for the line says the changes are necessary because ridership has been down, and the number of empty bus seats has been growing.
ASSEMBLY GIVES GAY MARRIAGE A THUMBS UP
The New York State Assembly votes “yes” on same-sex marriage. The 89-to-52 vote came late yesterday after four hours of debate. The Assembly passed a similar measure two years ago, but that bill never made it to the then-Republican controlled Senate. Its fate in the Senate this year remains uncertain. The Democrats now control that body, but by a slim margin. Governor David Paterson spearheaded this second go-round for a same-sex marriage proposal and succeeded in the Assembly on a near-party-line vote. If the State Senate takes up and approves the bill, New York will be the sixth state to legalize same-sex marriage.
ENGEL PLEDGES MORE HELP IN FIGHT TO STOP ROCKLAND OVER-FLIGHTS
Congressman Elliott Engel has pledged his continued support for efforts to block the Federal Aviation Administration’s air-space redesign plan. That plan would re-route hundreds of flights daily over Rockland and other suburban counties in Connecticut and Pennsylvania. Engel says he’s petitioned Transportation Secretary Ray Lahood – and even President Obama – to stall the plan. Rockland made its case at a federal court hearing on Monday. The court is expected to rule on the plan by the end of the year.
FUND-RAISER TONIGHT FOR YOUNG STONY POINT HEART PATIENT
A fund-raiser is scheduled tonight for ten-year-old heart transplant patient Lauren Shields. The Stony Point girl is recovering at a New York City hospital from the March 19th transplant – the result of a two-year battle with a virus-induced heart condition. The fundraiser is set for 7:30 tonight at the Patriot Hill golf course clubhouse in Stony Point. Admission is $25 per person. For more information, call 942-3140.
05-12-09
ECONOMIC WOES TOP CONCERN IN UPCOMING SCHOOL BOARD/BUDGET VOTES
The countdown continues with just one week left for school board elections and budget votes throughout Rockland County. Taxes and spending are especially big issues this year, as school districts face spiraling economic woes. A statewide business research group, the Public Policy Institute, says school officials are holding the line in their budget proposals. The group’s annual “School Tax Watch” report says districts are requesting an average per-pupil spending increase of just three percent, the lowest in recent years.
COLTON SCHOOL CLOSING OKAYED BY NYS – FOR NOW
A lost battle in the fight to keep East Ramapo’s Colton Elementary School open. State education commissioner Richard Mills has rejected an appeal by district parents for a stay that would keep the school open. Mills’s ruling isn’t the final word on Colton. That will come from the state education department when it votes up or down on the closing, that decision not expected for several months.
S.V. DEMOCRAT TO CHALLENGE DARDEN’S PRESUMED RE-ELECT BID FOR MAYOR
A challenge to Spring Valley Mayor George Darden from inside his own camp. Deputy Mayor Noramie Jasmin has announced she’ll run for Mayor this year. Darden says he hasn’t decided yet whether to run for re-election. If he does, he could face a primary against Jasmin and fellow-Democrat Demeze Delhomme. Former mayor Allan Thompson – a Republican who ran as a Democrat and lost to Darden in the 2001 primary – is expected to join the race, officially, in a few days.
ROCKLAND CHALLENGES F.A.A. OVERFLIGHT PLAN IN COURT
Rockland County took its case against those feared airline overflights to federal court yesterday. Rockland and counties in Connecticut and Pennsylvania told the U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington the Federal Aviation Administration violated its own rules two years ago when it approved the re-routing of hundreds of flights daily over the suburban counties. Residents say the noisy overflights would, among other things, increase air pollution and decrease property values. A court ruling on the plan is expected later this year.
05-11-09
T-Z BRIDGE: 2-WAY OVERNIGHT LANE CLOSURES THIS WEEK
Overnight lane closures in both directions are scheduled this week for the Tappan Zee Bridge. The state Thruway Authority says the installation of new joints, deck plates and asphalt ramps on the aging bridge continues on schedule. And now, as it expands to the Rockland-bound side, some of those lanes will be closed along with the 2-3 Westchester-bound lanes that have been shut down at night since work on the T-Z resumed several weeks ago.
MTA BOARD SIGNS OFF ON REDUCED NYC TRANSIT-FARE HIKE
New York City bus and subway riders can officially thank Rockland taxpayers now. The board of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority was scheduled to vote today to approve the city’s reduced transit-fare increases, those fare hikes kept down thanks to the controversial Payroll Mobility Tax. That tax is expected to cost Rockland businesses more than $18-million this year. Rockland and other counties in the MTA region say it’s unfair to tax the suburbs for the primary benefit of city commuters. Several county legislatures, including Rockland’s, are threatening to pull the counties out of the MTA.
E. RAMAPO SCHOOL BOARD CANDIDATES WANT OVERSIGHT FOR NEXT WEEK’S ELECTION
Can the East Ramapo School Board hold fair elections to the board next week without oversight? Three board-of-ed candidates say, “No, it can’t.” Margaret Hatton, Leonardo Vera and Emilia White say past elections in the district were rife with irregularities that opened the way to potential voter fraud – and they want court-appointed personnel to supervise this year’s vote, which is scheduled for next Tuesday. A state Supreme Court hearing on a petition to that effect is set for tomorrow in New City.
RABBI GETS 30 YEARS FOR SEXUAL ABUSE
A Monsey rabbi convicted of sexually abusing his daughter gets a 30-year prison term. Rabbi Israel Weingarten was sentenced Friday in Brooklyn federal court. He was found guilty in March of taking his then-15-year-old daughter out of the country in 1997 in order to abuse her sexually. One of Weingarten’s younger children, all of whom supported their father during the trial, tells the Journal News they expect Weingarten to appeal his conviction.
CONTROVERSIAL RAMAPO YESHIVA ASKS FOR CONSTRUCTION VARIANCES
Representatives of the Bobover Yeshiva will ask the Ramapo zoning-appeals board on Thursday to approve variances for a planned new building at the Monsey school site. It’s the latest action in an ongoing dispute over construction at the school. And it comes just days after the Yeshiva drew strong criticism from town residents outside and inside the Jewish community – over the ritual slaughter of a cow on the school grounds, in full view of neighboring homes.
05-08-09
O&R SEEKS GAS RATE HIKE, TAKES HEAT
Orange and Rockland is asking the state to approve a sizeable increase in gas delivery rates. O&R says the plan would mean a rate increase to customers of 13.6 percent, starting in November. But critics say that figure is deceptively low. And they claim the utility is hiding plans to use the new revenues, in part, to fund its employees’ lagging retirement account. O&R says the rate increase is designed to keep its natural gas delivery system running smoothly and efficiently.
RESIDENTS SOUND-OFF ON DESALINATION PLAN
The public had its say twice yesterday on the proposed Hudson River desalination plant. A representative of the state Department of Environmental Conservation was on hand for afternoon and night-time sessions at Haverstraw Town Hall, They were called to collect public input on what factors the DEC should consider in its environmental impact study on United Water’s controversial plan. Rocklanders now have until May 22nd to send written comments on the proposal to the DEC.
M.T.A. CHIEF STEPS DOWN, BUT NOT BECAUSE …
May 22nd is Ellliot “Lee” Sanders’s last day at the helm of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Sanders announced yesterday he’s stepping down as the MTA’s CEO and Executive Director after two years in office. Sanders says the resignation was in the works for several weeks – and NOT related to the just-approved MTA Bailout bill and the furor surrounding the Payroll Mobility Tax it contains.
…COUNTIES SEEK EXIT FROM MTA OVER PAYROLL MOBILITY TAX
The Payroll Mobility Tax will cost employers in Rockland and the rest of the MTA region 34 cents for each $100 of payroll. Critics see it primarily as a way to keep a lid on fare-increases for New York City subways and buses at the expense of the suburbs. Rockland and Orange county legislatures both have asked Albany for the go-ahead to pursue withdrawing the counties from the MTA.
RABBI APOLOGIZES FOR YESHIVA COW SLAUGHTER
An apology issued in Ramapo. Rabbi Gershon Bornfreund, who heads the Bobover Yeshiva in Monsey, reportedly has written a letter to neighboring residents apologizing for the slaughter of a cow on school grounds this week in full view of nearby homes. The Journal News quotes Bornfreund as saying the person conducting the slaughter did so without permission of Yeshiva officials, and adding: “There aren’t even words to say how sorry we are.”
05-07-09
TWO PUBLIC SOUND-OFFS ON DESALINATION PLANT
The public gets its say today – twice -- on the proposed Hudson River desalination plant. Representatives of the state Department of Environmental Conservation will take questions and advice from Rockland residents at two sessions at Haverstraw Town Hall in Garnerville – a chance to tell the agency what factors it should consider in its environmental-impact review of United Water’s desalination plan. The first session was scheduled for 1:00-4:30 this afternoon. The evening session runs from 6:30 to 9:30.
PAYROLL MOBILITY TAX OKAYED …
The MTA Payroll Mobility Tax is a done deal. State legislators approved the controversial tax yesterday, over the objection of Rockland’s contingent. Employers in Rockland and other suburban counties will now pay 34 cents for each $100 of their payrolls – a part of the MTA bailout designed to minimize the fare hike for New York City buses and subways.
… AND WE’RE NOT AMUSED
The County Legislature voted unanimously this week to pursue the idea of Rockland withdrawing from the MTA. The resolution seeks new legislation from Albany allowing Rockland to begin the withdrawal process. The cost of the mobility tax to Rockland businesses will be an estimated $18.5-million annually. New City Legislator Ed Day says it could also add eight to ten percent to the cost of living in Rockland.
ROCKLAND SWINE-FLU FREE, SO FAR
County Health officials say three suspected cases of the swine flu in Rockland have tested negative. Two more cases are BEING tested for the H1N1 virus, those patients said to be recovering as well. In the meantime, the Health Department says: stay away from coughing or sneezing people; cover your nose and mouth when YOU cough or sneeze, and most important, wash your hands thoroughly and often with soap and warm water.
DMV: INSPECTION STICKERS MAY NEED TAPE OR GLUE
If your inspection sticker isn’t sticking to your windshield, you’re not alone. The Department of Motor Vehicles says it’s received a lot of complaints from motorists that their 2010 stickers are pulling free of the glass. Commissioner David Swartz says his agency is working to improve the stickers’ adhesive coating – but in the meantime, he adds, there’s an easy do-it-yourself solution: reattach your loose sticker with transparent tape or other adhesive.
CIRCUS TO ROCKLAND: SEE YA NEXT YEAR, MAYBE
Finally … those clowns at the Big Apple Circus won’t be heading our way, at least for this year. A spokesman tells the Journal-News even the Circus has to pinch pennies these days – so the 2009 tour schedule had to be shortened in order to cut costs. That means no Big Apple Circus at the Palisades Center Mall this year. Can you believe those Bozos?
05-06-09
MTA BAILOUT SET FOR PASSAGE IN ALBANY; ROCKLAND LEGISLATORS OPPOSED
State legislators were set to vote today on the MTA bailout bill. Legislative leaders and Governor David Paterson reached a deal on the controversial measure yesterday – the most contentious issue being the proposed Payroll Mobility Tax. That would require employers in the MTA region, including Rockland County, would be taxed an additional 34 cents per one-hundred dollars of payroll. Both the State Senate and Assembly were expected to approve the two-and-a-quarter billion-dollar package over the objection of Rockland legislators. Both Democrat-controlled chambers are dominated numerically by legislators from New York City, which arguably benefits most from the bailout plan.
ZEBROWSKI INTRODUCES “BAILOUT INTEGRITY” BILL
Assemblyman Kenneth Zebrowski says federal bailout funds should not wind up in political coffers. The New City Democrat introduced legislation this week to bar bailed-out businesses from contributing to political campaigns. Zebrowski told WRCR this morning his so-called “Bailout Integrity” bill was prompted, in part, by the fact that companies receiving bailout funds have given more than $100-million dollars, nationwide, to political parties and campaigns so far.
KNIFE-POINT THEFT REPORTED IN NANUET
A Nanuet teen-ager was arraigned today on charges that he and an accomplice robbed a man at knife-point last night. Police say 16-year-old Johnny Sok and 19-year-old Steven Gage of New York City approached the victim on Church Street in Nanuet, then held a knife to the man’s throat and stole his cellphone. Sok and Gage were charged with two counts of robbery each. Gage was also charged with felony weapon-possession and also cited for possession of marijuana.
COW SLAUGHTER SHOCKS YESHIVA NEIGHBORS
Ramapo officials say they’ll serve a violation notice on a yeshiva where a cow was slaughtered on Monday in full view of neighboring residents. A teacher and students at the Bobover Yeshiva on Rt. 306 reportedly hung the slaughtered cow from a tree and butchered it – as part of a lesson on food preparation according to Jewish law. Witnesses reportedly told Town Police they were “shocked” by what they had seen.
CHARGES FILED IN ALLEGED SPRING VALLEY SEX ATTACK
A Spring Valley man has been charged with sexually abusing a Dominican College student after serving the underage woman liquor. Village police say 28-year-old Joseph Morris and another man, identified as Robert Berry, got the alleged victim and a friend drunk at Berry’s home last Friday. Then, they say, one of the women passed out – and woke up later in bed, with Morris molesting her. In addition to felony sexual abuse, Morris – along with Reed – is charged with serving liquor to minors.
05-05-09
COMPROMISE MTA BILL DOESN’T SPARE ROCKLAND ON PLANNED PAYROLL TAX
There’s a tentative agreement in Albany on the MTA bailout bill, but there’s not much for Rocklanders to cheer about. State Senate Democrats say they’ve got the votes to approve the pact, which includes a compromise formula for the proposed Payroll Mobility Tax. Rates for that controversial tax would be graduated county-by-county throughout the MTA region, diminishing outwardly from New York City. The plan would tax businesses in Orange and Dutchess counties, for example, 20 cents per hundred dollars of payroll – while Rockland employers would pay 34-cents per hundred. Once approved by the Senate, as expected, the plan then goes to the State Assembly. That body is also Democrat controlled, and is expected to pass the measure.
DAY WANTS STATE TO TOUGHEN SEX OFFENDER GUIDELINES
Clarkstown legislator Ed Day says it’s time the State of New York steps up on the issue of violent sex offenders. The New City Republican says a recent court decision effectively strips municipalities of the power to set local guidelines on the behavior and residency of convicted sex offenders -- for instance, the Sex Offender Free Zone law that Day pushed through the county legislature two years ago. With that authority now resting solely with the state, Day is pressing legislators in Albany to approve six pending bills which he says will toughen state sex-offender guidelines.
NEW THINKING ON SWINE FLU: KEEP SCHOOLS OPEN
Federal health officials say they’re re-thinking their earlier advice to schools regarding the Swine Flu. That advice was to consider shutting schools down for up to two weeks to avoid spreading the virus among children. But the AP quotes a Centers for Disease Control official as saying it appears the swine flu typically has been taking hold communities outside of their schools.
LABOR PROTEST TO PRECEDE GATES ADDRESS AT WEST POINT
Workers at West Point aren’t happy with the academy’s choice for this year’s commencement speaker. That honor goes to Defense Secretary Robert Gates. He’ll headline the May 23rd graduation ceremony … but not before the union representing West Point employees has its say. Workers will set up informational picket lines the day before, protesting decisions Gates has made, which they say have cost the union some 400 jobs at the academy.
05-04-09
TOWN OF HAVERSTRAW COPS TOP SALARY LIST
The top-salaried Town of Haverstraw employees reportedly are police officers -- among them, 46 who make more than $100-thousand a year. The Journal News says Police Chief Charles Miller is tops on the list at $171-thousand. This is the latest in a Journal News series of Freedom-of-Information reports on highest-salaried town employees. So far, police salaries have topped the list in Clarkstown, Orangetown and now Haverstraw.
CLARKSTOWN EMPLOYEE HIT BY CAR, SUSTAINS HEAD INJURIES
A Clarkstown Highway Department worker is in Nyack Hospital today with head injuries sustained when he was hit by a car. Police say 52-year-old Thomas Garboletto was struck on Route 304 in West Nyack Saturday. The car reportedly was turning left off West Nyack Road onto Rt. 304 as Garboletto crossed the highway. He was last reported in critical condition. No charges have been leveled against the driver, who was not injured.
FOUR INJURED IN 3-CAR CRASH ON THRUWAY EXIT
A three-car accident on the New York State Thruway sent four people to Nyack Hospital Saturday. State police say the incident began when a Suffern woman, feeling ill, pulled over onto the Exit 14 off-ramp in Spring Valley. When another vehicle pulled over and two people got out to help the woman, a third car reportedly lost control and plowed into the scene, knocking the two good Samaritans to the ground. All three drivers and a passenger in the second car suffered minor injuries. The third-car driver was charged with speeding.
TWO ARRESTED IN THRUWAY POT BUST
A traffic stop on the Thruway yielded more than a speeder yesterday. State Police say they found $5,000 worth of marijuana in a car they had stopped for speeding on the highway in South Nyack. Two people in the car, both of Troy, New York, were charged with criminal possession . The driver was also charged with driving while impaired.
APPEAL FILED IN COLTON SCHOOL CLOSING
The East Ramapo School District apparently isn’t through defending its decision last month to close Spring Valley’s Colton Elementary School. The Journal News says a district parent, Margaret Hatton of Chestnut Ridge, filed a legal appeal last week calling on State Education Commissioner Richard Mills to keep the school open. The Colton closing has fueled tensions between many residents and Ramapo’s Orthodox Jewish community over town and school-district matters.
05-01-09
VANDERHOEF KICKS OFF RE-ELECTION CAMPAIGN
County Executive Scott Vanderhoef says new jobs and fiscal restraint are what Rockland needs, and he pledges to work for both if re-elected. Vanderhoef made it official yesterday – he’s running for a fifth term – and then joined WRCR by phone this morning. The 60-year-old Republican, who took office in 1994, says he has the experience the job requires but also recognizes the need for change, especially in these difficult economic times. Orangetown’s Supervisor, Democrat Thom Kleiner, threw his hat into the County Exec ring last month. He and Vanderhoef will square off on Election Day in November.
SALINATION OPPONENTS SOUND OFF IN NEW CITY
Opponents of drinking Hudson River water made their feelings known in New City last night. The public forum at Clarkstown Town Hall, sponsored by the Rockland Coalition for Sustainable Water, was the latest protest against United Water’s proposed desalination of the river. Opponents say the Hudson’s just too polluted to drink even after desalination. United Water says a pilot project could resolve that issue before any final decision on its plan is made.
EARTH DAY CELEBRATION IN NYACK SATURDAY
Earth Day clean-up efforts continue locally this weekend throughout Rockland. And the County Solid Waste Management Authority will REWARD those efforts with an Earth Day celebration tomorrow in Nyack. The day-long event will include yard and sidewalk sales throughout the village, a recycling awards ceremony, and a parade ending at Memorial Park.
SPECTATORS WATCH FARLEY BRIDGE GO DOWN
Scores of people were on hand in Stony Point yesterday to watch the Farley Memorial Bridge come down. And it did -- in what’s called a “controlled demolition” that brought the 87-year-old structure down in few dust-filled seconds. The new bridge is expected to be in place – and traffic re-routed back onto Route 9-W -- by the end of the year.
NJ GAMBLING PROBE NETS TWO ROCKLAND MEN
Two Rockland County men have been charged in a crackdown on illegal gambling in New Jersey. Forty-year-old Cornelius O’Suillivan of Nyack and 55-year-old Patrick Cuomo of Congers were charged with promoting gambling, for their alleged role in a Mob-run betting ring that police say took in more than a million dollars a week. More than 30 others – all from outside Rockland – face charges in the same case.
SWINE FLU UPDATE
There’s one new suspected case of the swine flu in Rockland County. Health officials say it’s another mild case involving someone who traveled to Mexico recently. At the same time, tests on one of the two original suspected Rockland cases turned out negative. Residents are advised to continue to take precautions against the flu virus – primarily by washing our hands thoroughly, and often, with soap and warm water.
04-30-09
DESALINATION OPPONENTS TO MEET TONIGHT IN NEW CITY
Opponents of United Water’s proposed Hudson River desalination project are expected to be out in force tonight – at a public forum called by the Rockland Coalition for Sustainable Water. It’s scheduled for 7 p.m. at Clarkstown town hall in New City. Critics of the desalination plan say, among other things, that it wouldn’t work, because Hudson River water is just too toxic. Proponents say desalination is worth considering, at least, with a try-out like the pilot project proposed by United Water.
TEST RESULTS DUE SOON IN SUSPECTED ROCKLAND SWINE FLU CASES
County health officials say they should know in a few days whether two suspected Swine Flu cases in Rockland are actual cases. Both patients traveled to Mexico recently and now have mild flu-like symptoms. Neither has been hospitalized. That’s typical of the nearly-100 confirmed cases nationwide – the glaring exception being one fatal case in Texas: a child who had just returned from Mexico with his parents. The Mexico connection is important, since the outbreak apparently started there, and doctors say it’s not easy to differentiate swine flu symptoms from those of standard seasonal strains that kill some 36,000 Americans each year.
S.V. DOG CATCHER KEEPS JOB, BUT WITH PAY CUT
The Spring Valley Village Board adopted the local budget last night. And with it came a reduction in work-hours for animal control officer George Bernhardt from 35 to 30 hours a week – and a salary cut from $42-thousand to $36-thousand annually. The long-time village employee had been slated to be fired -- a controversial decision by Mayor George Darden that many residents slammed as a personal vendetta.
RAMAPO POLICEMEN CLEARED IN FATAL CHRISTMAS EVE SHOOTING
A Ramapo policeman no longer faces charges in the shooting-death of a man at his home on New Hempstead Road last Christmas Eve. The panel found that Officer Edward Pascocello acted within the law when he shot 41-year-old Thomas Jackson as he came toward Pascocello with a knife and refused to drop it. Pascocello and his partner had been called to the scene by Jackson’s girlfriend, who said he had been acting suicidal.
04-29-09
VANDERHOEF TO SEEK FIFTH TERM
County Executive Scott Vanderhoef is running for a fifth term. He’ll make the formal announcement tomorrow in Blauvelt. That’s on the home turf of Vanderhoef’s only announced opponent so far, Orangetown Supervisor Thom Kleiner. Vanderhoef is slated to appear Friday morning on WRCR.
KLEINER TO INTERVENE IN TOWN POLICE DISPUTE
Orangetown supervisor Thom Kleiner made his weekly call-in appearance on WRCR this morning and fielded questions about another hot topic: his decision to meet with town police brass and police union representatives in hopes resolving a continuing feud between them. The union is calling on Police Chief Kevin Nulty to resign. Nulty says that won’t happen. Kleiner told WRCR this morning he has confidence in Nulty but hasn’t ruled out asking the chief to step down if necessary.
TWO SUSPECTED SWINE FLU CASES IN ROCKLAND
The Swine Flu apparently has hit Rockland. The County Health Department says two suspected cases of the virus have been found here. Both involve residents who traveled – separately – to Mexico recently. Both Rockland patients are reported to be recovering, and neither has been hospitalized. The news comes as scores of new cases are found in New York and at least five other states. So far, there has been one reported swine-flu death in the United Sates. But in Mexico, where the outbreak started, the death toll is about 160 and rising.
SPRING VALLEY FIRE VICTIM IDENTIFIED
Spring Valley police say the fire that killed anelderly man this past weekend appears to have been accidental – but arson hasn’t been ruled out. The victim has been identified as 67-year-old Henry Lewandowski. A manager at Regency Village, where the fire occurred, told The Journal News that Lewandowski had been evicted from his apartment four months ago but broke back in several times since then.
A BOOST FOR NYS CONSUMERS
New York State residents will get a boost from new legislation approved by the State Senate. The measure quadruples penalties -- from $100 to $400 – against creditors who fail to respond quickly to consumers who claim to be victims of billing errors. It’s the first increase in the penalty since 1973.
04-28-09
W. NYACK CAR-TRUCK CRASH INJURES WOMAN
A woman was seriously injured when her car collided with a garbage truck in West Nyack this morning. Clarkstown police say sun glare might have been a factor in the crash, in front of the Salvation Army building on West Nyack Road. The driver of the garbage truck was unhurt. The accident and resulting police investigation slowed traffic to a crawl for much of the morning between the crash scene and Rt. 304.
MAN RESCUED AFTER T-Z BRIDGE LEAP
A suicide leap … and a rescue in the waters off the Tappan Zee. It happened about 8:30 last evening. A man parked his car at the center of the span, and, as Thruway workers approached, he jumped off the north side of the bridge. Rescue units from Rockland and Westchester sped to the scene. And, minutes later, the man was pulled from the river -- alive and reportedly alert -- by a member of the Tarrytown fire department. It’s not clear why the 28-year-old man, whose name was not immediately released, took the near-fatal leap.
T-Z PLATE RAMPS EARN DRIVERS’ KUDOS
Repair work on the Tappan-Zee is getting better marks from Rocklanders than it got last year. That’s when Thruway workers began installing thick metal deck plates on the 54-year-old bridge, jarring vehicles and slowing traffic to a crawl. This year, workers are laying in 50-foot asphalt ramps onto and off the plates – and all reports suggest the ramps are smoothing the ride as planned. The T-Z deck repair is expected to continue through August.
THREE SENTENCED IN 2006 TRUCK HIJACKING
Three men who hijacked a truck in Blauvelt three years ago are heading for long prison stretches. The three were sentenced yesterday in U.S. District court to federal prison terms ranging from 27 years to 55 years. The men were convicted last June of hijacking a truck loaded with more than $500,000 worth of beauty products from a Blauvelt warehouse after beating the driver. Six other men, all of whom pled guilty in the case, remain to be sentenced.
PROBE OF FATAL SPRING VALLEY FIRE CONTINUES
Was it arson or an accident? That question remains as authorities investigate Sunday’s fatal fire in Spring Valley. One as-yet-unidentified man died in the fire at the Regency Village apartment complex. There were no other casualties, but several residents of the complex were evacuated because of the heavy smoke. No word on when they’ll return to their apartments. It’s still not clear who or what caused the fire, but police say there was evidence of a missing smoke detector.
04-27-09
ASPHALT RAMPS SMOOTH THE WAY OVER T-Z
The Tappan-Zee Bridge is back on its routine week-day maintenance schedule. That means roadwork and day-to-day lane closures both north- and south-bound during off-peak hours – 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The deck plates that caused so much trouble for drivers last year seem to be working out much better this year. That’s thanks to the 50-foot asphalt ramps – installed this past weekend -- that drivers say smooth the ride over the thick metal plates. Thruway officials say the deck work should be over by the end of August.
TWO-WEEK THRUWAY LANE CLOSING AT HARRIMAN
If you’re heading home from points north on the Thruway, heads-UP when you get close to Harriman. One southbound lane at the Exit 16 toll booths was shut down for repairs today, and will remain closed for the next two weeks or so.
MORE THAN 180 TICKETED ON THRUWAY IN 4-DAY CELL PHONE CRACKDOWN
If you were on the Thruway over the weekend and used your cell-phone, it had better have been hands-free. New York Sate Police say they gave out more than 180 tickets on the Thruway as far north as Sloatsburg during “Operation Hang Up” -- a four-day clamp-down on hand-held cell-phone users. By law, drivers in New York State CAN make hands-on cell calls -- but only in emergencies. Thruway violaters face fines and fees of up to $160.
FATAL FIRE IN SPRING VALLEY; MISSING SMOKE DETECTOR SUSPECTED
A missing smoke detector might have contributed to the death of a man whose Spring Valley apartment caught fire yesterday. Firefighters found the man’s body at the scene of the late-afternoon fire on Fletcher Road. No other casualties reported in the fire. A witness told WRCR this morning it seemed as though a smoke-detector had been installed in the apartment, but then removed at some time before the fire.
GUN RIGHTS ADVOCATES SLAM ASSEMBLY LEADERS FOR RE-SCHEDULING “GUN DAY”
Gun advocates are slamming the Democrat-controlled state legislature for moving “Gun Day” ahead one day – from Wednesday to tomorrow. The State Rifle and Pistol Association says the Assembly majority made the last-minute switch in order for pro-gun-control legislators to avoid a protest by gun advocates scheduled for Wednesday in Albany.
NY STATE HEALTH EMERGENCY PLAN IN EFFECT FOR SWINE FLU
New York State’s health-emergency preparedness plan is in effect, as new cases of the Swine Flu are confirmed in several states. So far, eight cases of the virus have been confirmed in New York – although they’re much milder than the ones that have left more than 100 dead in Mexico. The state preparedness plan is aimed at identifying and treating new cases quickly. New Yorkers are advised to keep our hands clean – by washing often with soap and warm water, or with alcohol-based cleaners.
04-24-09
T-Z ASPHALT RAMPS TO BE INSTALLED THIS WEEKEND
Workers on the Tappan-Zee Bridge are ready to lay-in those ramps – the 50-foot asphalt ramps that will smooth the ride over those new 2.5-inch-high metal deck plates. The ramps are scheduled to go down this weekend. And, once again, two to three Westchester-bound lanes of the bridge will be closed to traffic overnight. That’s tonight and tomorrow night, from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m.
ANOTHER “GREAT AMERICAN CLEANUP” WEEKEND
Rocklanders will be wielding rakes and shovels for a second straight weekend, as the Great American Cleanup continues. The local effort is headed by the non-profit agency Keep Rockland Beautiful. Among the local officials calling on residents to turn out in force is County Legislator Douglas Jobson of Stony Point. He calls the clean-up program “a wonderful community activity” that has a “trickle- down effect” on Rocklanders’ attitudes toward the environment.
FOOD DRIVE SET FOR TOMORROW AT LOCAL GROCERIES
Students of Rockland Community College will stage a food drive tomorrow. Volunteers from the school will be out at seven local grocery stores from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. They’ll collect non-perishable foods from shoppers, then pass the donated items on to the charitable Nanuet food pantry, “People to People.”
”TAX FREEDOM DAY” RENEWS CALLS FOR RELIEF
Tomorrow is Tax Freedom Day, nation-wide, and that has local lawmakers renewing calls for tax relief. A Washington based tax-monitoring group – the Tax Foundation – says New Yorkers are the third-most-heavily-taxed Americans, each of us working an average of 115 days last year to pay federal, state and local taxes. Reacting to the report, Greenwood lake Assemblywoman Annie Rabbit slammed the recently-enacted state budget and challenged fellow lawmakers to bring down the tax burden on middle-income earners.
EAST RAMAPO BOARD APPROVES BUDGET; MAY 19TH VOTE SET
East Ramapo residents have a budget to vote on -- and they will, on May 19th. The school board adopted the hotly-debated $196-million package yesterday. If it’s approved by district voters, it’ll bring some controversial cutbacks, including the loss of 88 district jobs and the closing of Colton Elementary School.
NICHOLSON INDICTED ON FRAUD CHARGES
Financial advisor and former Rocklander James Nicholson is due in Manhattan federal court Monday – to answer charges he bilked investors of more than $160-million. Nicholson, who grew up in Haverstraw, was indicted yesterday on a variety of fraud charges. If convicted, he could spend 65 years in jail and pay more than $6-million in fines.
04-23-09
T-Z WORKERS TO INSTALL ASPHALT PLATE RAMPS THIS WEEKEND
Another weekend of lane-closings on the Tappan-Zee Bridge. Two to three Westchester-bound lanes will be shut down overnight for another three nights starting tonight. Thruway workers are preparing the bridge surface for the installation of new modular joints on the main span. They’re scheduled to spend tomorrow and Saturday night laying down 50-foot asphalt ramps onto and off of the two-and-a-half-inch-high metal deck plates on two of the joints.
FARLEY BRIDGE RE-BUILD, 9-W DETOUR UNDER WAY
Traffic to and through Stony Point is detouring off Route 9-W at the Farley Memorial Bridge for the first full day of a months-long project to rebuild and replace the 86-year-old structure. The new bridge is expected to be up and running by the end of the year.
INDIAN POINT ANTI-TERROR TRAINING CONTINUES
Gunshots heard near Indian Point? Don’t be alarmed. The nuclear power plant across the river from Tompkins Cove is not under attack; it’s just training its security personnel how to handle one – an attack by terrorist, for instance – if that should ever happen. Indian Point’s operator, Entergy, says the training exercises, replete with simulated gunshots, will continue for several weeks.
REV. LOWERY TO SPEAK AT NAACP EVENT IN PEARL RIVER
A major civil rights figure comes to Rockland County next week. The Rev. Joseph Lowrey will be on hand next Thursday as the Nyack branch of the NAACP celebrates its 50th anniversary. Lowery, who co-founded the Southern Christian Leadership Conference with Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., will be the guest speaker for the civil rights group’s fund-raiser in Pearl River. As you might recall, it was Lowery who gave the benediction at President Obama’s inauguration in January.
CAMP VENTURE TO CELEBRATE ITS 40TH
Camp Venture celebrates its 40th anniversary this weekend. As part of the festivities, residents of the Nanuet facility for the physically and developmentally disabled will stage a multi-media presentation on the camp’s history. That’s Saturday from 2 to 4:30 p.m. at the Cultural Arts Theatre Center at Rockland Community College in Suffern.
FINKELSTEIN LIBRARY BUDGET OKAYED
Efforts to defeat the Finkelstein Library budget have fallen flat. East Ramapo voters approved the $7,000,000 budget yesterday by a margin of better than two-to- one. That’s a huge turn-around for district voters, who had rejected last year’s proposed budget for the Spring Valley facility. Opponents of this year’s package were unable to convince voters the spending increase was unjustified in the current economic climate.
PROSTITUTION ARREST IN NEW CITY
A New City health spa reportedly has been offering more than simple back rubs. Clarkstown police say the masseuse they arrested yesterday after an investigation at the New City Spa on South Main Street had been offering clients higher-priced front rubs. The Queens woman is due to appear in Clarkstown Justice Court May 13th. She faces several charges, including one misdemeanor count of prostitution.
04-22-09
TRAINING DRILLS AT INDIAN POINT TO USE SIMULATED GUNFIRE SOUNDS
If you’re in northern Rockland today, you might hear gunshots across the Hudson at Indian Point. But there’s no need to duck for cover. Those sounds are likely to be nothing more than SIMULATED gunshots. Indian Point’s operator – Entergy -- says it’s conducting security training-drills at the nuclear facility – things like how to protect it from a terrorist attack. The training exercises – including periodic shoot-‘em-up sound effects -- are expected to continue for several weeks.
FARLEY BRIDGE DOWN FOR THE DURATION
Traffic to and through Stony Point is detouring off Route 9-W today – and will be for the next eight months or so, as the Farley Memorial Bridge gets a major make-over. The 86-year-old bridge was shut down for the reconstruction job this morning. The new span, with an $11,000,000 price-tag, is expected to open for traffic by December.
FINKELSTEIN LIBRARY BUDGET VOTE TODAY
East Ramapo residents are voting today on a new budget for the Finkelstein Memorial Library in Spring Valley. The proposed nine-million-dollar budget is up about six percent from the current package, which itself is a holdover from 2007 since last year’s proposed budget was rejected. Critics told WRCR this morning the new budget has too much fat. Proponents say the proposed spending increase is necessary, in part because the library must meet the needs of an especially diverse district population.
ORANGETOWN’S TOP-PAID: POLICE AND SEWER OFFICIALS
Police and Sewer Department officials earn the highest salaries on Orangetown’s municipal payroll. This from the Journal News today, as it continues its Freedom-of-Information probe of top salaries paid to town employees in Rockland. The paper says 40 of the top 50 Town of Orangetown salaries go to police officers, the highest earning just over $188,000 last year. Six of the remaining ten top-paid positions were in the Sewer Department, the highest earning just under $170,000. The Journal News reported last week that the top 2008 salaries in Clarkstown also went to police officers, topping out at well over $300,000.
MORAHAN HONORED FOR MENTAL HEALTH LEGISLATION
State Senator Thomas Morahan has been honored for his efforts to promote mental health care for all New Yorkers. The Federation of Mental health Centers cites Morahan for leading the passage of legislation to make quality mental health care more affordable and accessible. The Rockland Republican is a ranking member of the state senate’s Committee on Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities.
04-21-09
NORTH ROCKLAND INSPIRES SCHOOL-AID SUPPLEMENT BILL
New help for the North Rockland school district? That could come with passage of a bill introduced in the House today by Congressman John Hall. The bill would allow districts that have been hit by sudden, large losses of tax revenues to apply for special funding. Speaking in Stony Point yesterday, Hall said the legislation was inspired by the plight of North Rockland, which lost ten-million tax dollars in the Mirant settlement. If the bill becomes law, the district could pick up 75 % of the tax shortfall in the first year of the program.
SOCIAL SECURITY SAYS BOOSTER CHECKS ARE DUE NEXT MONTH
Rocklanders are finding out from notices in the mail: If you get a Social Security check every month, expect an EXTRA check NEXT month. The Economic Recovery Act includes a one-time, $250 payout to all Social Security and S-S-I recipients. The first of those checks are schedule to be mailed in late May. Husbands and wives who both are on Social Security will receive two separate checks.
FARLEY BRIDGE TO CLOSE TOMORROW MORNING
If you take Route 9-W to or through Stony Point each day, get ready to take a detour starting tomorrow. The Farley Memorial Bridge is scheduled to close down at 9 a.m. for repairs that will amount to a virtual reconstruction of the 86-year-old span. Local officials say the new Farley Bridge could be up and running by October, but New York State officials insist that December is a more likely re-open date.
T-Z REPAIR WORK RESUMES
Deck-repair work on the Tappan Zee Bridge resumes this week, with daytime work slated for today through Thursday and overnight lane-closings on the weekend. Bad weather last weekend postponed what had been slated for the completion of asphalt ramps for the thick metal plates being installed at the bridge joints. That work resumes Friday night and continues Saturday night, with two to three Westchester-bound lanes closed from ten p.m. to 8 a.m.
STATE ISSUES COLD WATER SAFETY REMINDER
New York State is reminding boaters: It’s spring, but the state’s waterways are still winter cold – cold enough to kill anyone who falls and stays in the water. The state Office of Parks and Recreation says if you’re taking a small engine-less craft such as a rowboat out, be especially sure to carry life jackets and other safety gear – including a distress-call device, if possible. If you should capsize and find yourself in the cold water, stay with the boat, preferably on top of it. And don’t try to swim to shore unless you’re sure you can make it.
COUNTY UPDATES HEALTH-WELLNESS WEBSITE
Rockland County is offering residents a one-stop health-and-wellness data bank. The county health department says, if you need health-related information, including educational videos, a list of upcoming family-related events, and even free classes on how to manage an illness, go to the department’s newly-updated website, www.rocklandsteps.org.
04-20-09
AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS TOPIC AT S.V. MEETING TOMORROW
New York’s top housing official comes to Rockland for a meet-and-greet tomorrow. State Housing Commissioner Deborah VanAmerongen will join representatives of civic and business groups, developers and government for a discussion of how to create and preserve affordable housing in Rockland. The session is slated for 12:30 to 2 p.m. tomorrow at the county’s Office of Community Development at 185 North Main St., Spring Valley.
TOP COPS ARE HIGHEST-PAID PUBLIC SERVANTS IN CLARKSTOWN
Who are the highest-paid public officials in Clarkstown? The Journal News says the top 50 are ALL members of the town police force, with at least three officers earning more than $300,000 last year. That’s twice the salary of the town supervisor. One Clarkstown police captain reportedly drew more than $335,000 in wages and benefits despite working just two days a week due to a disability. The Journal News gathered the data in a Freedom of Information probe of top municipal salaries in Rockland.
STAC STUDENT CHARGED IN ORANGEBURG HIT-AND-RUN
Orangetown police have charged a St. Thomas Aquinas college student in a hit-and-run incident that sent two people to the hospital. They say 19-year-old Daryl Harris of the Bronx was turning off Kings Highway onto Rt. 303 in Orangeburg late yesterday afternoon when he struck a motorcycle. At that point, according to a witness, Harris backed up over the cycle and fled. Two people on the motorcycle were taken to Nyack Hospital, where they complained of leg pains. Harris will face leaving-the-scene charges, among others, when he’s arraigned in town court May 19th.
HOLOCAUST REMEMBERED AT RCC
A full house turned out at Rockland Community College yesterday for Holocaust Remembrance Day ceremonies. It was the 65th anniversary of the day, established to honor the six-million Jews killed by the Nazis in World War Two. Speakers at RCC’s Cultural Arts Center urged those on hand not only to remember the Holocaust but to fight against what was pictured as growing anti-semitism and Holocaust denial.
04-17-09
ROCKLAND CHILD-CARE DIRECTOR ON LEAVE, FACING LARCENY CHARGE
The director of a Ramapo child-care center has been placed on leave as she faces a grand larceny charge in Orange County. Twenty-eight year-old Stacey Swinkunas is charged with stealing $7,000 last year from a New Windsor child-care facility, where she was a book-keeper prior to becoming director of the KinderCare Learning Center on Route 59. A KinderCare spokeswoman declined comment on the reasons for Swinkunas’s leave. Nor would she say if KinderCare is checking its books for possible foul play.
DONATIONS DROP THREATENS MLK CENTER PROGRAMS
A drop-off in contributions reportedly threatens children’s programs at the Martin Luther King Center in Spring Valley. The center’s Board President Winsome Downie-Rainford tells the Journal News reductions in County and local government funds, combined with a drop in private contributions, have left the center with a $75,000 shortfall for the coming year. Downie-Rainford says that could mean cutbacks in youth-employment programs and its popular six-week summer day-care program. A dinner and auction are scheduled tomorrow night to raise funds for the Center, on Bethune Boulevard in Spring Valley.
RAMAPO UPHELD ON TARTIKOV TAX-EXEMPTION DENIAL
A State Supreme Court Judge has upheld the Town of Ramapo’s denial of a tax exemption for property owned by a Pomona religious school. The Congregation Rabbinical College of Tartikov sued the Town of Ramapo two years ago, seeking the same tax exemption granted to a previous owner. But in his ruling yesterday, state Supreme Court Justice John La Cava agreed with the Town that the Tartikov facility’s profits from a summer camp program negated its tax-exempt status.
SUFFERN PLEASED WITH NEW LICENCE PLATE SCANNERS
Police in Suffern say they’re making the most of village’s new license-plate reader. So far, after three weeks of operation, the reader reportredly has scanned more than 50,000 license plates and resulted in more than 30 arrests, mostly for suspended licenses and registrations. The plate reader – similar to those already in use by police elsewhere in the County – involves two cameras on the back of a patrol car, linked to a computer database on license-and-registration suspensions, stolen cars and open arrest warrants.
04-16-09
USAG HOLDER PLEDGES RULE OF LAW WILL GOVERN NATIONAL SECURITY EFFORTS
A three-day conference on the rule of law continues today at West Point. In opening-night remarks yesterday, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder pledged the Obama administration would follow the constitution, even in matters involving national security. Holder told the gathering of cadets, lawyers and rights advocates that, whatever the cause, violating rights in its pursuit would “make us weaker” as a nation. Though not mentioned specifically, the remarks appeared to respond to the Bush Administration’s emphasis on tough measures to identify and capture potential terrorists.
TAX DAY PROTESTS IN NANUET AND NEW CITY BRING OUT ANGRY ROCKLANDERS
More than 100 demonstrators turned out for yesterday’s Tax Day Tea Party on the corner of Rt. 59 and Middletown road in Nanuet, and then later at the County Courthouse in New City. “No more taxes” was the specific theme of the day-long event, yesterday being the Income Tax filing deadline. But demonstrators carried signs protesting related issues as well, such as bank bailouts, defense cuts and big government.
ROCKLAND CLEAN-UP EFFORT STARTS THIS WEEKEND
Thousands of Rocklanders are expected to be on hand Saturday for the start of the Great American Clean-up. It’ll be the first of several weekends for volunteers to come out and help spruce up more than 200 designated sites around the county. The local effort is spearheaded by the group, Keep Rockland Beautiful.
HOLOCAUST REMEMBRANCE DAY SLATED FOR SUNDAY AT R.C.C.
Sunday is Holocaust Remembrance Day, memorializing the 6,000,000 Jews who died in Nazi death camps during World War Two. The theme this year is Holocaust Denial. Activist and Touro College professor Rabbi Israel Singer will be the guest speaker at the event, scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Sunday at Rockland Community College’s Cultural Arts Center.
SEX OFFENDER BACK IN ORANGE COUNTY JAIL
Convicted sex offender Michael Mele is back in Orange County jail after another appearance in a Rockland courtroom. The Newburgh man is accused of masturbating in front of a female tanning-salon employee in Nanuet last summer. He was convicted previously of performing lewd acts in the Palisades Mall parking lot. Mele gained notoriety last December when he was named a person of interest in the disappearance of a young Brooklyn woman, Laura Garza.
04-15-09
COUNTY BUS FARES TO INCREASE MAY 1
Bus fares inside Rockland are headed up, starting May first. The county Public Transportation Department is set to announce the hikes today. They include a $.50 fare increase – up from $1.00 TO $1.50 – for all Transport of Rockland, TRIPS, and Spring Valley Jitney rides ... and a $.60 fare increase for Clarkstown Mini-Trans rides, up from the current $.90 TO $1.50. County Transit officials say they kept the increases as low as they could, given the economic downturn, while managing to avoid cuts in bus services.
“PANTHER” SIGHTING AT ROCKLAND LAKE PARK
The Journal News calls them UFO’s now – Unidentified Furry Objects. Yet another dark-colored cat, described as larger than a house pet, has been seen prowling the County – this time, at Rockland Lake State Park. Two park workers say they saw the animal early yesterday, chasing a deer into the woods off the park’s north golf course. It’s the latest in a string of big-black-cat sightings in Rockland – up to now, mostly from in and around Tallman State Park in Orangetown. Though witnesses have been calling them “panthers,” it’s still not clear just what the feline park prowlers are.
FIRED SCHOOL TEACHER CLAIMS RACIAL DISCRIMINATION
A former Clarkstown school teacher says she’s the victim of job discrimination. Edna Marilyn Vernon-Buffa, who substitute-taught at Clarkstown South High School this year, filed a complaint this week with the state Division of Human Rights, claiming she was fired March 12th – in front of a classful of students – for no reason other than her Hispanic heritage. The complaint cites the district’s recent firing of two other Spanish-speaking teachers. Clarkstown South officials say there’s no basis for Vernon-Buffa’s discrimination claims
JOB FAIR DRAWS MORE JOB-SEEKERS, BUT FEWER RECRUITERS
As predicted, attendance at yesterday’s Job Fair at Rockland Community College was up from last year while the number of potential employers was down. Job Fair officials say more than 400 job-seekers were on hand, but fewer recruiters were there to greet them. It’s all thanks to the economic downturn, which, among other things, kept reduced the number of bank representatives at this year’s fair to zero.
04-14-09
T-Z DECK-PLATE RAMPS TO BE LAID IN THIS WEEKEND
Those much-touted asphalt ramps are scheduled to be installed this weekend on the Tappan-Zee Bridge. The 50-foot ramps will ease the way over the newly-installed metal deck plates that can wreak havoc on cars hitting them head-on. Workers will install the ramps this coming Friday and Saturday nights. Over time, enough asphalt will be added to bring the road surface up flush with the 2.5-inch-high deck plates.
ROCKLAND E-Z PASS OFFICE MOVES TO NANUET
If you’re planning to visit E-Z Pass today, take note. The Rockland office has moved – from its old Spring Valley location to Rockland Plaza across Rt. 59 from the Nanuet Mall. Some county drivers are complaining – not about the move itself, but because it wasn’t publicized. The first notice most of the public was given, apparently, was on the signs posted on the doors outside the closed Spring Valley office. E-Z Pass officials explain the late notice as the result of a last-minute decision on when the move would take place.
RAMAPO MAN SENTENCED IN BEER-FIGHT KILLING
A young Spring Valley man gets eleven years behind bars for killing another man last September in a fight over beer. Twenty-year-old Manuel Vazquez-Castro pled guilty to first-degree manslaughter in the stabbing death of Jose Luis Buezo-Perdomo in the yard of a Spring Valley home. Vazquez was sentenced yesterday in County Court. A co-defendant, who pled guilty to taking part in the killing, will learn his fate next Monday. The stabbing followed an argument over who would pay for the beer they were drinking.
HAVERSTRAW BRUSH FIRE BURNS TWO ACRES ON HIGH TOR MT.
A stubborn brush fire kept nearly 50 fire-fighters busy in Haverstraw yesterday. The fire – on High Tor Mountain off Rt. 202 and Larkin Lane -- burned about two acres over a three-hour period before it was brought under control. Fire officials say they’re not sure how the fire started. They’re listing the cause, for now, as accidental.
04-13-09
STONY POINT’S FARLEY BRIDGE TO CLOSE THIS MONTH FOR OVERHAUL
If you drive to or through Stony Point regularly, find a detour around Rt. 9-W soon or face big traffic delays. Supervisor Phil Moreno says he got the word from the state Transportation Department: The Farley Memorial Bridge will close for repairs by the end of this month, and, if all goes well, will re-open as early as mid-October. The $11-million project will essentially replace the Farley bridge with an entirely new structure.
FORECLOSURE RELIEF FOR ROCKLAND $$-STRAPPED HOMEOWNERS
Some Rockland property owners who face foreclosure may have won some breathing room from the County Legislature. An estimated 500 Rocklanders are currently in danger of losing their homes for failure to pay county taxes. That’s more than ten times the normal number, thanks to the current economic slump. Current law offers a payback program – easier terms for homeowners who can deposit 20% of the taxes they owe. But county legislators voted last week to lower that buy-in amount to 5% through the end of this year.
STATE PARKS IN ROCKLAND TO SHORTEN SUMMER HOURS
The budget crunch will mean fewer hours of fun-in-the-sun at state parks in and around the county. The Journal-News says about a hundred parks and historic sites around the state will cut summer hours this year, to save an estimated five million dollars in operating costs. Among the changes locally – Bear Mountain State park will open three weeks late, on June 20th instead of the normal Memorial Day opening, while Rockland Lake State Park will open on weekends only, instead of seven days a week as in past years.
DISTRESS CALL SPURS HUDSON RIVER SEARCH
A brief scare on the Hudson yesterday. The Coast Guard said what appeared to be an emergency message came in at about 2 p.m. from a young girl on a boat in the river. That sent rescue boats out to search the Hudson from Fishkill to Dobbs Ferry. But officials called off the search after a few hours, saying the distress call was likely not serious.
FORMER RAMAPO SUPERVISOR MORTON BARON DIES
Funeral services will be held tomorrow in West Palm Beach, Florida, for former Ramapo Supervisor Morton Baron. The Journal-News says Baron died last Thursday at the age of 90. He was suffering from Alzheimers Disease. Baron served two terms as Ramapo’s supervisor from 1974 to 1981.
04-10-09
SAMSONDALE DMV RE-OPENS
Surprise, surprise. The motor vehicles office in West Haverstraw is back in business. Doors at the Samsondale Plaza D-M-V re-opened yesterday, one month to the day after closing for what started as water-leak repair and ended as a mold-removal project. The shut-down forced thousands of Rockland residents to use D-M-V’s in Orange and Westchester counties. As late as the start of this week, state D-M-V officials were suggesting the Samsondale office would be closed indefinitely. But the regional director now says all the mold has been removed.
SEX OFFENDER ARRAIGNED IN NANUET LEWDNESS CASE
Bail has been set at a half-million dollars for registered sex offender Michael Mele on charges of public lewdness at a Nanuet tanning salon. The former Rocklander, who’s also been accused of groping women outside the Palisades Mall, was arraigned yesterday in Clarkstown Town Court. Mele’s name came to prominence in the case of Laura Garza, a Brooklyn woman whose disappearance made headlines last December. Although believed to have been one of the last people to see Garza alive, Mele has not been charged in that case.
RAMAPO BRUSH FIRE BURNS 100 ACRES
Firefighters from all five Rockland towns fought a brush fire on a mountainside near the Ramapo Equestrian Center yesterday. The Journal News says the wind-driven fire burned about 100 acres before it was brought under control. There were no injuries, and the Equestion Center was NOT forced to evacuate its stable of 55 horses.
RAMAPO CENTRAL DISTRICT BUDGET UNVEILED
Ramapo Central residents are getting a first look at the proposed school budget. District officials released details of the $120-million package yesterday. It calls for an array of cutbacks on spending for new teachers, technology upgrades and athletics. But it INCREASES spending OVERALL by about 2.4 percent from the current budget … and asks for a tax increase of just under two percent to pay for it. District residents get to VOTE on the package May 19th.
4-09-09
INTERNET A FACTOR IN ”BLACK SUNDAY” APPEAL
Defense attorneys appealing the so-called “Black Sunday” convictions say the Internet may provide grounds to throw those convictions out. The owner and manager of a Bronx building where two firemen jumped to their deaths in 2005 were found guilty in February of criminally negligent homicide and reckless endangerment. Jurors agreed that maze-like walls, built illegally inside the apartment that burned forced the two fire-fighters to jump from the advancing flames. The Journal News quotes defense lawyers as saying a juror contacted a witness on-line during the trial, and that that could be grounds for the convictions to be over-turned. One of the men who jumped and died in that Sunday fire was a young husband and father from Pearl River, John Bellew.
NO TEMPORARY ROCKLAND DMV OFFICE LIKELY DURING SAMSONDALE SHUTDOWN
New York State says “probably not” to County Executive Scott Vanderhoef’s plea for a temporary DMV office to be set up in Rockland. The Samsondale Plaza office is down for the foreseeable future as mold, discovered last month, is removed from the building. The shut-down has forced Rocklanders to use DMV offices in Orange and Westchester, a continuing hassle that Vanderhoef calls “intolerable.” Now, a spokesman for the state DMV says it would cost too much to outfit a temporary office with the required data-secure computers -- and that there’s “no plan … at this time” for a temporary Rockland office.
VILLAGES’ SUIT OVER RAMAPO RELIGIOUS HOUSING BACK ON TRACK
A victory for four villages suing the Town of Ramapo for creating zones where religious schools can legally build student and adult housing units. The state Court of Appeals ruled this week against Ramapo’s attempt to block the suit by Chestnut Ridge, Montebello, Pomona and Wesley Hills. The villages are suing to force Ramapo to explain if and how well it had weighed the environmental impact of creating the housing zones. The decision allows the case to proceed after a five-year delay.
RAMAPO GETS $35-MILLION IN STIMULUS FUNDS FOR TREATMENT PLANT
A big chunk of money from Washington is headed for Ramapo, to help pay for its new sewage treatment plant. Officials say the town has been awarded $35.2-million in federal stimulus funds – more than a-quarter of the West Ramapo project’s total cost. The treatment plant is scheduled to open in June. Officials say it will, among other things, offer sewer service to Hillburn and Sloatsburg residents whose older homes have failing septic systems.
04-08-09
VANDERHOEF SEEKS TEMPORARY DMV OFFICE IN ROCKLAND
County Executive Scott Vanderhoef says it’s time Rockland drivers got some help from the State DMV. Vanderhoef called on Albany yesterday to open a temporary Motor Vehicles office in Rockland County while the office at Samsondale Plaza remains closed for mold removal. Rocklanders have been traveling to the DMV’s in Orange and Westchester since the Samsondale office closed a month ago.
PATERSON TOUTS STATE BUDGET IN ROCKLAND VISIT
Governor David Paterson paid Rockland a visit yesterday to promote the state’s new budget. Paterson told a gathering at Congers Elementary School that students there and around the state will benefit from school-funding increases included in the two-year budget hammered out last week in Albany.
OVERNIGHT T-Z RESURFACING CONTINUES
A reminder to Tappan-Zee Bridge travelers. No regular daytime maintenance is scheduled for the rest of the work-week … but overnight surface work continues. Three Westchester-bound lanes will be closed again tonight for the on-going deck repair project. Exit Ten southbound will be closed overnight, and on-bound traffic re-routed to Exit Eleven, from 10 p.m. to 6 o’clock tomorrow morning. The two-year project is expected to wind up in August.
SUFFERN HIGH: BUSINESS AS USUAL, EXCEPT FOR CAR FIRE
The good news from Suffern High School is that reason apparently has trumped rumors of oncoming student violence. Peace reigned at the school again yesterday, amid fears that the off-campus beating of a Hispanic student two weeks ago, allegedly by white students, would lead to a retaliatory attack on school grounds this week. The school day did end, however, with an incident of sorts, when a car burst into flames in a school parking lot. There was some damage but no one was hurt. Police said an overheated engine probably caused the fire: no connection to the beating incident.
04-07-09
ANIMAL CONTROL FIRING TO SPARK S.V. VILLAGE BOARD MTG
The fate of the village dog catcher is the hot item on tonight’s Spring Valley Village Board meeting agenda. Supporters of long-time animal-control officer George Bernhardt are expected to be out in force to confront village mayor George Darden, who announced in the Journal News last week his intention to fire Bernhardt. Darden says Bernhardt isn’t earning his nearly-$42,000 annual salary. But, as you’ve heard her on WRCR, a lot of village residents say Bernhardt earns his pay, and that Darden’s trouble with him is personal.
AIRMONT WEIGHS GOING PRIVATE FOR ROAD WORK, SNOW REMOVAL
The village of Airmont may turn its road-repair and –maintenance work over to a private contractor. Mayor Dennis Kay says he’s not sure the Town of Ramapo earns the half-million dollars Airmont pays it annually for road and storm-drain maintenance and snow removal, so he’s seeking bids for the work from private contractors, which Kay says could well result in faster service than the Town provides. A decision is expected sometime next month.
STUDY ESTIMATES $4.5-MILLION TAX BOOST FROM PLANNED O’TOWN DEVELOPMENT
A new study finds that a private housing development planned for Orangetown will pump nearly $4,500,000 a year in new tax revenues to the Town and Pearl River schools. The $300,000,000 project headed by Hovnanian Homes is the largest by a private developer in town history. The Hovnanian-funded study, released to the Town Board last night, projects a $3,100,000 boost in annual tax revenues to the Town of Orangetown and an extra $1,300,000 for the Pearl River school district. The plan is for 575 adult-living units to be built on 80 acres of former Rockland Psych Center land.
SUFFERN H.S. SECURITY UP AFTER RACIAL ATTACK SPURS FEARS OF NEW VIOLENCE
Security was up, but attendance was down, at Suffern High School yesterday, as a result of rumors of possible retaliation for an alleged March-28th attack on a Hispanic student by a group of white students who reportedly shouted “White Power” as they punched and kicked the victim. Five suspects are charged with hate crimes in the downtown-Suffern attack. When rumors of possible payback violence on school grounds surfaced on Face Book, local police stepped up their presence at Suffern High for Monday’s return to classes. School officials say attendance was off by about 20% for the day, which, they add, ended without incident.
THIEVES STRIKE ROCKLAND VICTORIA’S SECRET AGAIN
This time it was lip gloss – some $1,200 worth – swiped from the Victoria’s Secret store at the Nanuet Mall. Police say the thief or thieves struck Saturday, making off with 74 tubes of the glossy stuff. It’s the latest in a string of robberies at Victoria’s Secret stores in and around Rockland. Up to now, the crooks have limited their theft to bas, panties and lingerie.
04-06-09
T-Z OVERNIGHT REPAIR WORK RESUMES TONIGHT
A reminder that the Tappan-Zee Bridge repair-and-resurface project resumes tonight. Two Westchester-bound lanes of the bridge will be closed from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. both tonight and tomorrow night, as work crews continue to prepare the 53-year-old bridge for new deck joints. Thruway officials say travel across the T-Z should be smoother this time than in phase-one last year when exposed metal deck plates on the bridge gave drivers a slow and jarring ride.
BIG BOOST IN NYACK PARKING FINES
Starting today, the cost of parking in Nyack is up. And if you park there illegally, you’ll pay a lot more. The cost of regular, on-street and lot parking in Nyack bumps up by 25 cents an hour. But if you park in a loading zone, you could get a $50 fine instead of the $25 fine you’re used to paying there. Parking in a cross-walk jumps from $50 to $100. And if you park in a “handicapped” or “Police Only” zone, you risk a $200 fine – four times the current $50. It’s all part of Village Hall’s effort to meet the local budget. But some shopkeepers say the prospect of a $200 fine is more likely to send shoppers out of Nyack and right to the malls.
COUNTY LEGISLATOR WANTS FREE RCC TUITION FOR IRAQ & AFGHANISTAN VETS
A Clarkstown lawmaker says Iraq and Afghanistan War veterans should get free tuition if they attend Rockland Community College when they come home. Clounty Legislator Frank Sparaco says the gesture would encourage veterans to stay in Rockland at a time when the cost of living here is driving younger people out. R-C-C tuition is currently 33-hundred dollars a year.
BIG JOB FAIR TURNOUT EXPECTED
With unemployment up and the economy down, a large turnout of job-seekers is expected at next Tuesday’s Job Fair at Rockland Community College. But officials say the number of recruiters at the one-day affair is likely to be off from last year, as ailing businesses continue to keep payrolls down. Unemployment for Rockland and the lower Hudson Valley is up to 7.3%. Joblessness nationally is now at 8.5%.
ANTI-SEMITIC GRAFFITI IN STONY POINT
A Stony Point man says it’s the victim of hate-style vandalism. Franklin Drive resident Matthew Peltz reportedly awoke this morning to find a swastika and a racial slur spray-painted on his pickup truck. Peltz, who’s Jewish, told the Journal News he “almost fell over dead” when he saw the graffiti. He says he and his family have lived in Stony Point for more than 20 years.
04-03-09
SPRING VALLEY FIRING HAS RESIDENTS UP IN ARMS
Cats and dogs are in the news today. In spring Valley, lots of controversy over the projected firing of Village Animal Control Officer George Bernhardt. Village Mayor George Darden set off the furor when he announced the decision to fire Bernhardt in the Journal News earlier this week, saying Bernhardt wasn’t earning his $42-thousand salary. A number of callers told WRCR listeners this morning the firing is a bad move. They say Bernhardt does his job well. And they portray Darden’s move as the result of a personal conflict with Bernhardt.
”PANTHER” WATCH CONTINUES IN ORANGETOWN
It’s big black cats that have Orangetown residents on the lookout. A number of Palisades residents have sighted the cats in and around Tallman State Park in recent days. For lack of an exact I-D, the cats are being called “panthers” because of their size and color. Orangetown police say, whether they’re panthers or not, they’re worth staying away from. And if you do see one of the big black cats, call town police at 359-3700.
MORE FALLOUT OVER FATE OF RAMAPO’S COLTON SCHOOL
As you heard first here on WRCR, East Ramapo’s Colton Elementary School is slated to be shut down at the end of the school year. And a lot of Ramapo residents aren’t happy about yesterday’s decision by the school board. Some opponents of the shut-down say the answer is to vote “no” on the district budget. Others say it’s time to vote the current board out of office. The board says the Colton decision will save the district nearly $1.5-million.
NANUET HIGH GIRLS BASKETBALLERS FETED
Parents in the Nanuet school district are still smiling about yesterday’s parade honoring the Nanuet High School girls basketball team. The Golden Knight girls finished a dream season over the weekend, taking the state-wide Class-B Federation championship in that Glens Falls tournament. A week earlier, the team won the state championship.
BAIL FOR CABBIE BEATING SUSPECTS TOUCHES OFF RALLY
A different sort of rally was held in New City yesterday – this one, spurred by the March-21st beating in Nanuet of taxi driver Freddie Rodriguez. Two men arrested in the beating are free after posting $25-thousand bail each. Demonstrators circled the County courthouse at yesterday’s rally, protesting the bail decision … and the fact that it put the two suspects back on the street.
04-02-09
SECOND NIGHT OF T-Z LANE CLOSINGS AHEAD
A reminder to Rockland commuters who use the Tappan Zee Bridge: Two Westchester-bound lanes will be closed for a second night tonight – from eight o’clock to six tomorrow morning. If you’re heading across the T-Z tonight, remember to get on the Thruway above Exit Ten. That east-bound interchange will be closed for a second overnight.
HAVERSTRAW-NYC RIVER COMMUTES TO END NEXT MONTH
Service ends May 1 for Rocklanders who’ve been using the New York Water Taxi to commute each day from Haverstraw to Manhattan and back. The ferry service says ridership has been too low – about 250 passengers a month, compared with nearly a thousand on the Yonkers-Manhattan route – to pay for the Haverstraw runs to continue. This ends a two-year pilot program that’s cost nearly $7.5-million dollars so far.
SCOTUS RULES ON INDIAN POINT COOLING TOWERS
Indian Point gets some breathing room from the Supreme Court. The justices ruled yesterday that federal regulators looking to impose new fish-protection rules on the Hudson River nuclear plant may consider the cost of such efforts. The ruling could mean Indian Point won’t need to build those cooling towers that environmentalists say would protect aquatic life in the Hudson. Indian Point officials say construction of the towers would cost a billion dollars and pollute the river at the same time.
O’TOWN PANTHER WATCH CONTINUES
Orangetown Police are still on the lookout for panthers. Residents report seeing one or more big cats – which they describe as panther-LIKE – in the vicinity of Tallman State Park in Palisades. A police spokesman says, keep your eyes open … and if you see something that looks like a panther, call the Orangetown police department at 359-3700.
NICHOLSON DIVORCE PAPERS FILED
More charges of cheating have been leveled at investment guru James Nicholson, the Rockland native accused of bilking clients out of more than 160-million dollars. The charges come in divorce papers from Nicholson’s wife, Donna, who claims he had a year-long affair with another woman that included trysts in several locations across the United States and Canada. Nicholson was arrested in February on securities and bank fraud charges. Donna Nicholson says her husband’s legal problems have left her and her children with no means of support.
04-01-09
T-Z DECK REPAIR RESUMES TONIGHT
Tappan Zee Bridge repair work resumes tonight, with the closing of three Westchester-bound lanes, starting at 8 p.m. The lanes will reopen at 6 a.m. tomorrow, then close again for at least one more night tomorrow. Meanwhile, the Thruway entrance at Interchange Ten will be closed, and east-bound cars re-routed through Nyack to Interchange eleven. The repair job, involving the replacement of deck plates and joints on the half-century-old bridge, is expected to take another five months. When the work began last year, it drew angry complaints from motorists who were jolted repeatedly as their cars hit those two-and-a-half-inch-thick metal deck plates. Thruway officials say workers will put down asphalt ramps leading to and from the plates this time. And THAT, they say, should make the T-Z trip a lot smoother than last time.
ROCKLAND DMV CLOSED INDEFINITELY FOR MOLD REMOVAL
If you're waiting for the Motor Vehicles office in West Haverstraw to re-open, it'll be a longer wait than you might have expected. DMV officials now say the Samsondale Plaza office will remain closed indefinitely. The problem is mold, which was discovered after a water leak on March ninth prompted what was expected to be a two-day close-down of the office. While the mold removal continues, Rocklanders are being urged to use the DMV bureaus in Orange or Westchester Counties. More information on the West Haverstraw closing are available on the Department's website -- www.nydmv.state.ny -- and on the D-M-V Information phone line at 718-477-4820.
CLARKSTOWN STUDENT CHARGED IN BASEBALL BAT INCIDENT
A 16-year-old New City boy has been charged with a misdemeanor in what's being called a stalking incident. The unidentified youth was stopped by a security guard Monday at Clarkstown North High School after the student reportedly took an aluminum baseball bat from his locker and began searching classroom-to-classroom for another student. The two are said to have argued previously over a girl.
NJ MAN JAILED FOR CHESTNUT RIDGE BANK ROBBERY
A River Vale, New Jersey man is being held in federal detention, after his arrest yesterday by Ramapo police and the FBI. The man -- 23-year-old Sonny Desposito -- is charged with robbing the M-and-T Bank in Chestnut Ridge AT GUNPOINT back in January. More than ten-thousand dollars in cash and checks was taken. Authorities say DNA and other evidence led them to Desposito, who was, at the time, free on bail for an earlier robbery in New Jersey.
TAPPAN ZEE REPAIRS TO RESUME THIS WEEK
Those construction plates on the Tappan Zee Bridge are back in the news, as work to replace them resumes this week. Two Westchester-bound lanes will be closed Wednesday and Thursday nights from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. the following mornings. A third lane – on the Rockland approach to the bridge – will close starting at 10 o’clock on those nights. The Thruway entrance at Interchange 10 will also be shut down, with Rockland traffic re-routed through Nyack to Interchange 11. Thruway officials say this new work will give travelers a less bumpy ride over the bridge than they endured during last year’s T-Z repair work.
GOP LAWMAKERS SLAM THE NEW STATE BUDGET PLAN
Republican lawmakers in Albany are calling the new state budget plan a “betrayal” of New York taxpayers. The budget package, which was unveiled Monday, calls for some $7-billion in state tax hikes, along with increases in a variety of state-charged fees, for such things as drivers licenses and car registrations. The budget approval deadline is April first. Assembly Republican leader Jim Tedisco told reporters at an Albany news conference yesterday the package amounts to a “bad April Fools joke.”
GAY WEST POINT GRADS WANT MILITARY’S “DON’T ASK, DON’T TELL” POLICY DUMPED
A group of gay and lesbian West Point graduates is urging the U.S. military to repeal its “Don’t ask, don’t tell” policies. The group, which calls itself “Knights Out,” also wants the military academy to train cadets on diversity issues. One of the Knights Out founders, 2003 graduate Dan Choi says, “The West Point honor code is not just for straight cadets.” An estimated 65,000 gay men and women now serve in the U.S. armed forces.
3/30/09
STATE BUDGET PROPOSAL UNVEILED
Details of the new state budget proposal are out. As expected, it relies on both spending cuts and higher taxes, primarily for the state’s wealthiest wage earners. The agreement was worked out behind closed doors over the weekend by Governor David Paterson and state legislative leaders.The budget deadline is tomorrow night at midnight, but the new fiscal plan is not expected to pass before that deadline.
COUNTY AND TOWNS SPAR OVER PEST CONTROL
Clarkstown supervisor Alex Gromack says he’s hopeful the County Health Department will continue to pay for local pest control throughout Rockland. County Executive Scott Vanderhoef has proposed shifting the costs to each town, village and school district, and – needless to say – local officials prefer the status quo. For Clarkstown alone, the town would have to pick up a $44-thousand pest control tab. Gromack says that’s double-taxation, since town residents already pay taxes to fund the County Health Department.
NYACK PARENTS TO GET EARFUL ABOUT UNDERAGE DRINKING
“Parents who host lose the most.” That’s the anti-drinking message behind a new public awareness campaign for parents of Nyack school students. They’ll hear DETAILS of the campaign at a meeting Wednesday evening at Nyack Middle School. The Nyack program is funded by a 52-hundred-dollar state grant aimed at combating underage drinking. The ”Parents Who Host” campaign warns of the risks that they – and their children – face when they serve alcohol to minors or provide it for parties minors attend.
BIG TURNOUT AT FUNDRAISER FOR RAMAPO POLICEMAN WHO LOST HIS WIFE IN CHILDBIRTH
Some 15-hundred people were on hand yesterday in Montebello to show their support for Ramapo police officer Christopher Hudak. Hudak’s wife, Michelle, died in January during the birth of the couple’s fifth child. The fundraiser brought in an estimated $45-thousand for the Hudak family. Hudak called the turnout at the Holiday Inn “just overwhelming.”
NANUET HIGH GIRLS BASKETBALLERS END DREAM SEASON WITH SECOND STATEWIDE TROPHY
Nanuet High School is celebrating a double victory by its girls basketball team. The Golden Knights closed out a dream season Saturday in Glens Falls, taking the state Federation tournament’s Class B title with a 60-45 win over Long Island Lutheran. The federation win comes a week after the Nanuet girls won the state championship following a 23-and-6 season.
3/27/09
SPRING VALLEY MAN TURNS HIMSELF IN AFTER TWO-TOWN POLICE CHASE
Ricardo Gauvin of Spring Valley turned himself in last night after leading police on a chase through Clarkstown & Ramapo. The twenty-seven year-old father had his three year-old son in his Ford Expedition as he attempted to escape authorities, smashing into three patrol vehicles in the process. It all started with a call of a domestic dispute at Gauvin’s Dunlop Drive residence, during which Gauvin allegedly slashed his wife in the face with a knife. Police say the toddler was shaken up but uninjured. His father was held overnight at Spring Valley police headquarters pending arraignment. Gauvin faces charges a multitude of charges from both Clarkstown and Ramapo P.D.
DAY WITHDRAWS FROM COUNTY EXEC RACE
Thanking the community for their encouragement, Ed Day has announced he will not be running as a republican candidate for County Executive. Day, who represents New City and parts of Haverstraw in the Rockland Legislature, says now’s just not the time to enter this particular race. He is, however, leaving the door open to the potential of running for higher office sometime in the future.
Day’s called New City home for the last twenty-five years. He currently works as Senior Security Consultant with a major New York City firm after having served as a Detective Commander with the NYPD and Chief of Detectives for the Baltimore Police Department.
PEARL RIVER SCHOOL SUPER FORGOES 2009-2010 PAY RAISE
Pearl River School Superintendent Frank Auriemma will not be taking a pay raise next school year. The gesture will save the district $15,000. Auriemma’s decision comes as district residents prepare to vote on a $57.2 million dollar 2009-2010 budget. This spending plan would increase taxes 2.81%, a rate below what’s allowed under an austerity budget. Austerity budgets are what districts revert to when a budget fails two consecutive elections. That allowed increase is tied to the Consumer Price Index. Superintendent Auriemma currently makes almost $268,000.
CHOCOLATE EXPO RETURNS TO PALISADES CENTER
The Chocolate World Expo returns to the Palisades Center Mall 11AM-7PM this Sunday as a benefit for Camp Venture. Proceeds of the event will support more than 1500 children and adults with developmental disabilities in Camp Venture’s programs and community residences. Sunday’s expo, one of the largest of its kind in the country, will feature over fifty vendors of chocolate, specialty foods, wine and more. For additional information, visit www.ChocolateWorldExpo.com.
MTA FARE HIKES TO TAKE EFFECT IN JUNE
Traveling into and within New York City will soon cost more. Metropolitan Transportation Authority board members yesterday approved a schedule of fare hikes and the elimination of several bus and train routes. Under the plan, rate increases ranging as high as 30% will take effect June 1st and service cuts in July. The cost of one-way bus or train rides will rise to $2.50 and 30 day Metro Cards will be going up to $103 dollars.
ROCKLAND CONSERVATORY FEATURES “EAST MEETS WEST”
Performing arts dominate this weekend in Rockland County. The Rockland Conservatory of Music tomorrow presents “East Meets West,” a show featuring classical Indian & Bollywood music accompanied by traditional dance performed by Sonalee Vyas. Tickets to this event are $55 per person and support the Rockland Conservatory of Music on Perlman Drive in Spring Valley. For additional information, call 845-356-1522.
3/26/09
STATE WORKERS FEAR MASSIVE LAYOFFS
It’s been a difficult forty-eight hours for some 3000 Rockland workers who fear losing their state jobs since Tuesday’s announcement of potential large-scale layoffs. Governor David Paterson says he’s considering eliminated 9,000 positions in efforts of addressing a growing $16.2 billion dollar budget deficit. Representatives for the Governor said the drastic measure’s being considered after negotiations with labor unions failed to yield a compromise.
NY LEGISLATORS FEEL SHUT OUT OF BUDGET NEGOTIATIONS
Legislators in Albany are criticizing budget negations for, once again, breaking down to the “three men in a room” scenario- the three men being Governor David Paterson, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and SenatE Majority Leader Malcolm Smith. Figuring out how to handle budgeting fiscal year 2009-2010, which begins April 1st, has stalled movement of legislative initiatives. In 2007, 182 bills were passed in the first 27 session days. The number’s dwindled to just 54 in the first 31 days of the 2009 session, according to Senator Tom Morahan.
D.E.C. INITIATES “DON’T FLUSH YOUR DRUGS” CAMPAIGN
“Don’t Flush Your Drugs.” That’s the message coming out of the state’s Department of Environmental Conservation. DEC Commissioner Pete Grannis says recent data underscores how important it is to raise public awareness over the dangers of not properly disposing of pharmaceuticals. Recent studies have detected an array of medicines in rivers, streams and drinking supplies in and around U.S. cities.
Outside the unknown cumulative effect this may have on humans, these drugs are known to be negatively impacting aquatic life. Many pharmacies feature take back programs for expired drugs. If this is not offered in your neighborhood, place unwanted, unused or expired drugs in the trash.
It was a traffic nightmare as accidents this morning snarled the upper and lower decks of the George Washington Bridge. The upper in-bound level was completely shut to traffic for over an hour after two tractor trailers collided with a passenger vehicle shortly after 5AM. Thankfully, no serious injuries related to this accident were.
NEW CITY MAN TO BE SENTENCED FOR STEALING FROM EMPLOYER
A thirty-eight year old New City resident yesterday pled guilty to stealing approximately $2800 dollars worth of merchandise from Home Depot in Nanuet. District Attorney Tom Zugibe says Douglas Delice was working as a cashier last September, when most of the items were taken. Delice is scheduled to be sentenced in May on one count of fourth degree Grand Larceny.
ANOTHER PIPE LIFTER PLEADS GUILTY
Meanwhile, a Stony Point man will be sentenced early June after pleading guilty to stealing copper piping from a building in Letchworth Village. Fifty-five year old Richard Garrison is the second person this week to answer to charges of removing copper piping from former state-operated facilities. On Monday, Sean Tully of Pearl River plead guilty to taking $1000 worth of piping from Rockland Psychiatric Center.
FINKELSTEIN LIBRARY BUDGET VOTE SET FOR APRIL 23RD
East Ramapo School District residents have until April 17th to register to vote in the upcoming Finkelstein Memorial Library budget election. Voters who are not yet registered can call the library for additional information at 845-352-5700. The $7 million dollar spending plan will be presented to voters on April 22nd with polls open at the library from 7AM to 9PM. Voters have rejected the last three Finkelstein budgets, which has prompted the library to eliminate summer weekend hours.
3/25/09
CORNELL CALLS FOR MORE DEFINED VOICE ON PANY & NJ BOARD
Echoing a recent request made by NY Senator Tom Morahan, Rockland Legislative Chairwoman Harriet Cornell is calling on Governor David Paterson to strengthen Rockland’s voice within the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. County legislators have unanimously supported the resolution, which asks Paterson to establish an executive policy appointing a Rockland or Orange resident to one of the two undesignated seats on the authority’s Board of Commissioners.
Rockland’s stake in PANY’s operations grew when the authority in 2007 acquired a 99 year lease on Stewart Airport. Cornell argues Rockland will be impacted by the related infrastructure layouts being considered as part of developing Stewart into a fourth regional airport and, therefore, should be more intimately involved in the planning processes.
MTA TO VOTE ON MAJOR FARE HIKE
New York City transit riders are bracing for a fare increase of at least 23%. Metropolitan Transportation Authority board members tomorrow will vote on raising the cost of a one-way bus or train ride to $2.50. Metro cards would go up $22 dollars to $103 dollars covering thirty days. The board’s also expected to eliminate several bus and train routes, along with 1100 transit workers to help fill a $1.2 billion dollar budget gap. Details are available online at www.MTA.info.
The MTA’s move to raise fares follows a lack of NY legislative action on a proposal to bail the authority out of its debt. Part of the plan involves establishing a payroll mobility tax on West of Hudson service areas. This idea has received bipartisan disapproval among many state legislators representing Rockland, Orange and Putnam counties.
3 SEX OFFENDERS MOVE INTO E. RAMAPO DISTRICT
East Ramapo schools have been alerted to the addresses of three sex offenders who’ve recently moved into the area. These three men between the ages of 37 and 46, have been identified at Keith Meyers, David Cohen and Ricardo Acosta. They’re required to register as sex offenders after each being convicted on charges of sexual behavior or abuse involving children. Meyers is registered as a level 1 offender, indicating a lower risk to the community. Cohen and Acosta pose a greater threat as designated level 2 offenders. Parents can call or visit the East Ramapo School district online for additional information.
S.S. # NO LONGER NEEDED TO GIVE BLOOD
It is no longer necessary to provide your social security number when donating blood. The New York Blood Center has begun using a new identification system, which tracks through a combination of name, address and birth date. They’re hoping this will make people more comfortable with the process.
For additional information on local drives or to find out more about hosting one, call 1-800-933-BLOOD.
MISSING HAVERSTRAW TEEN LOCATED
A sixteen year-old Haverstraw girl has been located after going missing for the second time in less than six months. Saphona Dorcelian was found unharmed. No further information regarding her time away from home’s been released.
3/23/09
ASSAULT INVESTIGATION LEADS TO DISCOVERY OF WEAPONS
Clarkstown police have confiscated a stash of firearms from the homes of two men accused of beating a cab driver late Saturday night. An investigation into the assault led police to discover an assortment of guns and other weapons in the vehicles and homes of Michael Poluha and Justin Smith, both twenty-two. According to police, the Haverstraw taxi driver took the men from the Palisades Mall to Normandy Village in Nanuet, where both alleged assailants began beating him about the head.
The victim was treated at Nyack Hospital and released. In addition to attempted robbery and assault, Poluha was brought up on counts of resisting arrest and assaulting a police officer. Both could also face weapons charges depending on whether or not the guns were appropriately licensed and registered.
PEARL RIVER MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO STEALING COPPER PIPES
Meanwhile, forty-five year old Sean Tully of Pearl River has plead guilty to stealing copper piping from Rockland Psychiatric Center. District Attorney Tom Zugibe says the man from Crooked Hill Road last July joined others in stealing about $1,000 worth of piping from the Orangeburg facility. Tully will be sentenced for fourth-degree grand larceny in May.
BOIL WATER ADVISORIES LIFTED IN SLOATSBURG AND HAVERSTRAW
Boil water advisories that had in been in effect for parts of Sloatsburg and Haverstraw have been lifted. Samples taken from those areas have cleared the Department of Health for meeting or exceeding water quality standards. Boil water advisories are often issued when the flow of the water is suspended for a period of time due to a main break.
MIRANT TAKES STONY PT. TO COURT OVER RECLAMATION LAW
Stony Point is being taken to court over a town law that cracks down on the extent of environmental cleanup a business is responsible for prior to leaving the property they operated on. Mirant, owner and operator of the now-demolished Tompkins Cove Lovett Power Generating Station, says the town’s law is vague, overbroad and unconstitutional.
Stony Point approved the “Environmental Protection and Abandoned Commercial Property Reclamation Law” in February with the blessing of the State’s Department of Environmental Conservation, which offered to support the town in enforcing the new guidelines. Board members say they modeled their local law after measures adopted among other municipalities in our region.
NEW FEDERAL WITHHOLDING DEADLINE SET FOR 4/1
Haven’t had a pay raise but noticing a little more money in your pay check? Well, that’s because many employers, including New York State, have beat the new reduced federal withholding deadline. All employers as of April 1st are required to implement the new rates under the Making Work Pay provision of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The tax credit is $400 for single workers who make $75,000 or less and $800 for married workers who have a joint income of $150,000 or less each year.
NY Comptroller Tom DiNapoli says now would be a good time for high-income individuals and couples, along with employees working multiple jobs, to consider submitting a revised W-4 form to ensure sufficient federal taxes are being withheld.
3/20/09
RAMAPO PEDESTRIAN STRUCK BY DRUNK DRIVER
An elderly Ramapo woman is recovering from minor injuries today after being struck by a drunk driver while attempting to cross North Main Street in Hillcrest. Investigators say the unidentified female victim was jaywalking at the time of the accident. She was taken to Nyack Hospital for a medical evaluation. Michael Goodger of Hillcrest was brought to police headquarters where he was processed and charged with DWI and third degree assault. He’s been released on his own recognizance pending a future court date.
A.O.H. HOSTS 47TH R.C. ST. PATRICK’S DAY PARADE
Tens of thousands will gather in Pearl River this Sunday for the Ancient Order of Hibernians’s 47th annual Rockland County St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Step off is scheduled for 1:30PM on Middletown Road. Marchers will proceed down Middletown and hang a right onto Central Avenue. Those who can’t make it to the parade can listen in on AM 1300 or on wrcr.com as Carmel Quinn and Uncle Floyd Vivino co-host a live broadcast from 1-3PM.
TOR #92 DETOURED DURING ST. PATRICK’S PARADE
Sunday’s parade will cause TOR #92 to bypass Central Avenue between 12:30 and 5:30PM. Eastbound buses from Spring Valley to the Palisades Center will, instead, take Highway 304 south to Kinderkamack Road. From there, buses will turn onto East Grand Avenue and then onto Middletown Road to reconnect with their normal route. For more information, public transit users can link up with Rockland Department of Public Transportation through our website at www.wrcr.com.
STONY PT. P.D. TO CONDUCT WEEKEND ROAD CHECKS
Stony Point police this weekend will conduct several traffic road checks as part of the Governor’s “Buckle Up New York” program. Officers will be assessing driver and passenger compliance with seat belt laws and will also be issuing summonses for improperly restrained child and infant passengers. Caregivers are always invited to call their local police department to make an appointment for a car seat inspection. A study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found 72 percent of the 3500 restraint systems used are not being used properly.
REPAIRS TO WATER MAIN TRIGGER GAS MAIN BREAK
A Haverstraw gas main was ruptured near the intersection of Westside Avenue and Pratt Street yesterday during the course of repair work to a broken water main. Twenty homes were evacuated for several hours and some 180 had their gas service temporarily interrupted. The intersection was shut down until 11AM as crews from both utilities worked to fix the problem.
Meanwhile, several homes along Archer, George and Pratt streets today are under a boil water advisory. A handful of Sloatsburg residents living on Orange Turnpike, Station Road and Mill Street have also been advised to boil their water until further notice due a main break in that area.
3/19/09
“BLACK PANTHERS” SPOTTED AT TALLMAN MT. STATE PARK
A Palisades man this week contacted Orangetown police after running into what he says looked like two black panthers. Dorian Tunell was biking with his son at Tallman Mountain State Park in Sparkill Tuesday afternoon when they almost crossed paths with the large cat-like creatures. Tunell told police he and his son quickly fled the area when they saw the animals about 25 yards or so ahead of them. An investigation turned up nothing more than large animal prints that have not been positively identified.
This sighting comes just months after a Tuxedo woman reported spotting a mountain lion in Harriman State Park. So far, there’s been no conclusive evidence supporting the existence of mountain lions in Rockland or the rest of the lower Hudson Valley.
LAWMAKERS SAY “STATE OF THE COUNTY” LACKED DETAIL
Rockland County Executive Scott Vanderhoef last night described the state of the county as being in “guarded condition.” Although there was a shortage of positive economic news to report in his 16th “State of the County” address, Vanderhoef attempted to rally confidence in new initiatives aimed at job growth and stemming local foreclosure rates. To that end, he suggested creating economic development and housing workforce focus groups to lay out action plans. Several legislators criticized Vanderhoef for not offering specifics on how he intends to steer the county through this economic downturn.
INCUMENTS SUPPORTED IN EVERY VILLAGE ELECTION
Incumbents yesterday were overwhelmingly supported in a handful of largely uncontested village elections that drew several thousands to the polls. Incumbent mayors and trustees were all reelected without contest in Chestnut Ridge, Upper Nyack, South Nyack, Grandview, New Square and Kaser.
In Airmont, Ralph Bracco and Dennis Cohen held on to their board seats against challenger Larry Weinstein with Anthony Benedict chosen as Village Justice.
Montebello incumbents Marc Citrin and Lance Millman were selected over Adam Berliner and in Pomona, trustees Ian Banks and Alma Sanders Roman secured another term against a challenge from Jay Helfgott and write-in candidates Peter Benario and Leon Harris.
Hlilburn incumbent Mayor Bernard Jackson retained voter support against write-in candidates Craig Flanagan and Penelope Mann with Bonnie O’Blenis elected to one open seat Hillburn’s board.
NEW CITY MAN CHARGED FOR ENABLING MADOFF SCAM
A New City man yesterday was released on a $2.5 million dollar bail bond after being arrested on charges he falsely certified audits of Bernard Madoff Investment Securities LLC. Rockland’s District Attorney’s office has over the past several months assisted in a federal investigation into David Friehling’s dealings with Madoff. Representatives of the Securities Exchange Commission say the 49 year old auditor more or less sold his license to Madoff between 1991 and 2008, enabling the Ponzi scheme to mushroom. Madoff just last week plead guilty to orchestrating the $65 billion dollar investment scam. Freihling faces six felony counts of securities fraud, aiding and abetting advisor fraud and filing false audit reports.
HAVERSTRAW DMV OFFICES TO REOPEN ON MONDAY
New York’s Department of Motor Vehicles has extended the closure of its West Haverstraw offices through Friday as it continues to repair water damage from an overhead leak. The DMV is expected to reopen the Samsondale location on Monday barring any further construction delays. People can stay updated through the DMV’s website or by calling 1-718-477-4820.
3/18/09
VANDERHOEF TO DELIVER 16TH STATE OF THE COUNTY ADDRESS
Rockland County Executive Scott Vanderhoef tonight is expected to detail lawmakers on new initiatives regarding property taxes, housing and jobs during his 16th “State of the County” address. The annual update is open to the public and will be presented before the full legislature beginning at 7 o’clock in the Allison-Parris County Office Building on New Hempstead Road in New City.
ONGOING REPAIRS DELAY REOPENING OF W. HAVERSTRAW DMV
New York’s Department of Motor Vehicles has extended the closure of its West Haverstraw offices through Friday as it continues to repair water damage from an overhead leak. The DMV is expected to reopen the Samsondale location on Monday barring any further construction delays. People can stay updated through the DMV’s website or by calling 1-718-477-4820.
D.A. CONSIDERS PLEA BARGAIN FOR MAN CHARGED WITH SABOTAGING LOCAL DRIVEWAYS
A court hearing in the case of a sixty year-old West Haverstraw man accused of repeatedly dumping nails into the driveways of neighbors and relatives has been delayed as the D.A.’s office addresses concerns over leniency of a potential plea bargain. Michael Delisio was charged with 117 counts of third-degree criminal tampering, fourth-degree criminal mischief and second-degree harassment after a police officer caught him in the act. One relative who had been targeted says sentencing Delisio to a probation period is simply not enough. Rockland’s District Attorney’s office will be reviewing these concerns before finalizing a plea deal.
NORTH ROCKLAND SUPER PRESENTS $187.6M SCHOOL BUDGET
North Rockland School Superintendent Brian Monahan last night presented a $187.6 million dollar budget proposal that cuts 58 positions and slightly increases the average size of elementary school classes. The plan is less than a half a percent more than the current year’s with the board working on exactly how that will impact property taxes. North Rockland schools are the hardest hit from the reduction in tax revenue resulting from Mirant closing its Lovett power plant. This adds unto the strain the district is already under in having to reimburse Mirant about $220 million dollars in overpaid taxes going back as far as the mid 1990s.
2 PROPOSITIONS TO APPEAR ALONGSIDE CLARKSTOWN SCHOOL BUDGET ON 5/19 BALLOT
Meanwhile, Clarkstown Central School board members are combing through a $165.2 million dollar budget proposal that would raise taxes by 2.6%. The plan submitted by Superintendent Margaret Keller-Cogan does not include funding for maintenance as sought in the $187 million dollar bond voters last week rejected by an over 50% margin. Among other cuts, her proposal saves $680,000 by offering early retirement incentives to 14 teachers.
Although state law prevents the same bond from being reintroduced within 90 days of the first vote, there will be two other propositions appearing alongside the budget on the May 19th ballot. One requests approval of an $880K dollar bond for three buses, nine vans and Smartboards for the 1st grade. The second proposition asks voters to allow the district to start a capital fund account so that it can begin saving monies to cover the cost of capital improvements.
JCC LAUNCHES 6TH ANNUAL FILM FESTIVAL
JCC of Rockland today launches its 6th annual Jewish Film Festival. The series begins at Riverspace in Nyack with “Blessed is the Match,”. Visit jccrockland.org for the entire list of films and locations.
3/17/09
NYC HOSTS 248TH ST. PATRICK’S DAY PARADE
Hundreds of Rocklanders today join some two million people crowded along 5th Avenue for New York City’s 248th St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Lead by Grand Marshal Michael Gibbons and dedicated to the Sisters of Charity, the parade stepped off at 11AM and runs the length of 5th Avenue from 44th to 86th streets until early evening.
Rockland’s Chapter of the Ancient Order of Hibernians will host their 47th annual parade this Sunday, March 22nd, beginning 1:30PM on Middletown Road in Pearl River. WRCR will be broadcasting live from 1-3PM.
ENGEL SAYS HOUSE BILL WILL ENHANCE U.S. WATER QUALITY
A bill to enhance our nation’s water quality has passed the U.S. House of Representatives by a vote of 317 to 101. Congressman Eliot Engel co-sponsored a portion of the measure aimed at giving communities a right to know about incidents of sewage overflow. There is currently no public notification requirement for sewer overflows, which often allows contamination of waterways to go undetected. The bill includes almost 16 billion dollars for water quality initiatives spanning the next five years; something Engel says could lead to the creation of 480,000 jobs.
The Environmental Protection Agency estimates sewer overflows each year discharge roughly 850 billion gallons of raw or partially treated sewage into local waterways.
RAMAPO HOSTS HEARING ON AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT
Ramapo town board members tonight will hear residents comments on a proposed affordable housing development that would bring 138 condo units to the Monsey-Spring Valley border. Sketches of the plan call for ten buildings of four bedroom units and another two buildings accommodating three bedroom units. Traffic congestion and potential flooding top the list of concerns expressed, particularly among Spring Valley village officials. This evening’s hearing will begin at 7 o’clock in Town Hall, along Route 59 in Suffern.
TZ BRIDGE REPAIRS CONTINUE
Routine repairs to the Tappan Zee Bridge will shut the right Rockland bound lane today between 9:30AM and 2:45PM. The right southbound lane into Westchester will be closed from 9:30AM until early afternoon tomorrow through Friday. A complete work schedule is available online at www.nysthruway.gov.
VANDERHOEF PREPARES FOR 16TH STATE OF THE COUNTY ADDRESS
Rockland County Executive Scott Vanderhoef tomorrow night will deliver his 16th “State of the County” address. He’ll present the annual update before the full legislature beginning at 7PM.
FED TO RELEASE FEB. C.P.I.
The federal government tomorrow is also scheduled to release February’s Consumer Price Index, which measures changes in the average cost of a basket of consumer goods.
JCC OF ROCKLAND LAUNCHES 6TH ANNUAL JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL
JCC of Rockland tomorrow launches its 6th annual Jewish Film Festival. The series begins at Riverspace in Nyack with two showings of “Blessed is the Match” at 6 and 7:30PM. Visit jccrockland.org for the entire list of films and locations.
3/16/09
ACCIDENT SHUTS WESTBOUND RT. 59 IN MONSEY
An 8:30AM accident involving a car and garbage truck shut westbound Route 59 between Saddle River Road and Remsen Avenue. Traffic was being diverted around the scene as a police investigation into the crash continues.
BLOOD DRIVES RUNNING IN NEW CITY AND CONGERS
There’s ample opportunity to donate blood today with two concurrent drives running in New City and Congers. United Hospice of Rockland and the County’s Masons are co-sponsoring a drive 3-7PM at Hospice’s New City headquarters on Stokum Lane. Donors can also give blood from 4-9PM at the Congers Volunteer Fire Department on North Harrison Avenue. Additional information on donating or hosting a local drive is available online at www.nybloodcenter.org.
TZ BRIDGE REPAIRS CONTINUE DURING OFF-PEAK HOURS
Routine repairs to the Tappan Zee Bridge will shut the right Rockland bound lane today and, again, tomorrow between 9:30AM and 2:45PM. The right southbound lane into Westchester will be closed from 9:30AM until early afternoon Wednesday through Friday. Spanning over three miles, the fifty-three year old bridge now requires regular maintenance to preserve its integrity.
ST. PATRICK’S DAY STOP-DWI CRACKDOWN UNDERWAY
State, county and local law enforcement agencies have joined forces in planning a St. Patrick’s Day STOP-DWI Crackdown. This marks the second of seven annual statewide crackdown periods. Drivers can expect to be stopped at scattered sobriety checkpoints any time through Wednesday morning.
Although people are advised not combine drinking and driving to any degree, an alcohol content of .08 or higher is illegal and will lead to arrest. All 62 counties throughout New York are participating in this St. Patrick’s Day crackdown.
WEST HAVERSTRAW DMV REMAINS SHUT
The Department of Motor Vehicles in West Haverstraw remains shut today as the state works to repair water damage. A leak emanating from offices above the DMV’s Samsondale location was cited as the source of the problem. Until our local DMV reopens, people can visit facilities in Middletown, Goshen and White Plains. For general assistance, call 1-718-477-4820.
AARP VOLUNTEERS OFFER FREE TAX AID
AARP Volunteer Tax Aides are available today to help low to moderate income taxpayers file their 2008 income taxes. On Mondays, services are offered 10AM-2PM at both the Nyack and Finkelstein Memorial libraries. Tax Aides will also be standing by 4-8PM today at North Rockland High School.
Those participating in this free program are assisted on a first come-first served basis and are asked to bring along all pertinent documents including W-2 forms, 1099s, unemployment compensation statements and a copy of last year’s tax returns. Participants should also know the exact amount of their stimulus payment.
WEBSITE OFFERS INFO ON COMMON CANCERS AND FREE SCREENINGS
County health officials are hoping a new website will help better educate the community on the most common types of cancer among Rockland residents. www.RocklandCancerInfo.com not only offers cancer data, but information on how those without health insurance can access free diagnostic screenings and exams.
3/13/09
BOYS ICE SKATES RECALLED DUE TO LEAD
County health officials are reaching out to the public with information on another lead-related recall involving 600 pairs of DBX Glide Boys Ice Skates. This product was manufactured in China, distributed by Pronto Sports of Anoka, Minnesota and sold nationwide September through December 2008 in Dick’s Sporting Goods for $30-$60 dollars. Consumers can contact Pronto Sports for a full refund at 1-877-755-4882.
CLARKSTOWN BOARD DISCUSSES NEW BOND ACT
Clarkstown’s school board returned to the drawing board last night to pair down the cost of a $187 million dollar maintenance bond district voters rejected Tuesday. Superintendent Margaret Keller-Cogan introduced an alternative that cuts the price tag by about 35%; one that puts the most needed repairs first and eliminates things like locker replacement and bathroom renovations.
The reworked bond proposal will not make its way back to the polls anytime soon; certainly not in time to join the district budget on the May 19th ballot as state law requires the district wait at least 90 days between bond votes.
SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT AUTHORITY NAMES NEW DIRECTOR
Rockland Solid Waste Management Authority’s Comptroller Anna Roppolo has been selected to replace former Executive Director Andrew Lehman. Roppolo is no stranger to the county’s recycling efforts, having been a Ramapo town employee when the idea of an authority was touted by Herb Reisman- Supervisor Christopher St. Lawrence’s predecessor. The forty-three year old Stony Pointer has been acting as interim director since Lehman left in 2007. She’ll continue to make the $125,000 dollars she’s earned as finance director until the authority’s board decides on a new salary.
FAMILY DANCE SPONSORED BY BARDONIA ELEMENTARY PTA
Bardonia Elementary School’s PTA tonight is hosting a Family Dance. Tickets can be purchased at the door and run $7 for individuals and $20 for families. Music, refreshments, prizes and raffles are all part of the evening’s festivities, which begin 7PM at Bardonia Elementary on Bardonia Road.
SUPERVISOR GROMACK OFFERS COFFEE HOURS
Clarkstown Supervisor Alex Gromack 9-11AM tomorrow will sit down for coffee with constituents at the New City Starbucks. It’s the first in a series of planned “Coffee with the Supervisor” events aimed at enhancing residents’ access to their town leader.
SUFFERN HOSTS GREEN EGGS & HAM, PANCAKE BREAKFAST
This Sunday, families are invited to join the Suffern Rotary and Village Government as they co-sponsor a Green Eggs and Ham, Pancake Breakfast. The event will run 9AM-noon at the George Parness Suffern Community Center on Washington Avenue. Children five and under will be admitted for free. Organizers are anticipating a visit from the Cat in the Hat, who plans on reading to the children at 10AM and, again, at 11AM. Proceeds of the breakfast will support Suffern community projects.
3/12/09
PROSPECT STREET REOPENED TO TRAFFIC
Prospect Street in Nanuet has been reopened. Traffic was diverted from Prospect during this morning’s commute due to malfunctioning train gates. A similar problem was also reported in Orangeburg.
POLICE ASK PUBLIC FOR HELP IN AIRMONT BURGLARY INVESTIGATION
Public assistance is being sought as Ramapo police work to identify the burglar or burglars responsible for vandalizing an Airmont home under construction. Damage to the Biret Drive house is estimated at approximately $3000. Investigators believe it occurred sometime between the afternoon of February 20th and the following morning. Anyone with information regarding this break in is asked to contact Ramapo P.D. at 845-357-2400.
WEST HAVERSTRAW DMV SHUT FOR REPAIRS
The Department of Motor Vehicles in West Haverstraw is closed through early next week for repairs. This unexpected shut-down results from water damage wrought by a leak emanating from offices above the DMV’s Samsondale location. People who can’t wait for our local DMV to reopen can, instead, visit facilities in Middletown, Goshen and White Plains. For general assistance, call 1-718-477-4820.
CONSUMER PROTECTION OFFICE OFFERS DONOR TIPS
Rockland’s Office of Consumer Protection is warning residents to be on guard against fundraisers alleging to be collecting for injured first responders. Many of these so-called “charities” are contributing a very small percentage of donations to the actual program. One group that had collected over $2.2 million in Rockland alone had forwarded just 5.7% those funds to the actual program with the rest sucked up in administrative and fundraising expenses.
Donors are encouraged to always ask for information in writing and inquire about how much of their contribution will actually go to the population it’s intended to help. Also, check to make sure the charity is registered with the Better Business Bureau by visiting their website www.bbb.org.
MONSEY RABBI FOUND GUILTY OF SEXUALLY ABUSING HIS DAUGHTER
A fifty-nine year old Monsey rabbi yesterday was convicted on charges he sexually abused his daughter. Israel Weingarten faces up to seventeen years in prison when he’s sentenced on April 3rd. His daughter, now twenty-seven, testified to being abused in 1997 while traveling with her father to Belgium and Israel. Weingarten has so far been convicted on two of five counts with the jury deadlocked on the rest.
3/11/09
ORAL ARGUMENTS ADJOURNED IN TARTIKOV VS. POMONA
Oral arguments in the case of the Rabbinical College of Tartikov vs. the Village of Pomona have, once again, been adjourned. U.S. District Court Judge Kenneth Karas postponed proceedings due to scheduling conflicts with an ongoing criminal trial he’s been presiding over.
Tartikov is suing Pomona for zoning regulations affecting their proposal to build and operate a rabbinical college and dormitories that would house 250 rabbis and their families over a 15 year-course of study. The campus would sit on a parcel of property near the intersection of routes 202 and 306.
RULING RESTORES SPECIAL PERMIT TO SPRING VALLEY CONGREGATION
Meanwhile, State Supreme Court Judge William Kelly has ruled against the Village of Spring Valley for denying Congregation Kolel B’nei Brak a special permit to build on to a Morris Road home. The village last year rescinded its initial approval of the special permit once it realized the applicant did not disclose the fact that the property lies on a flood plain. Although the village disagrees with Judge Kelly’s decision, they will not appeal it, according to an article in today’s Journal News.
Spring Valley Attorney Bruce Levine says the village will, instead, work to tighten its laws regarding new construction in flood plains. The plaintiff has filed a separate $6 million dollar suit against the village, alleging it violated the congregation’s civil rights by denying the permit.
CLARKSTOWN VOTERS TURN DOWN $187M SCHOOL BOND
Fearful of the tax implications, Clarkstown voters by a two to one margin yesterday sank a $187 million dollar capital projects school bond. About 6,100 residents flocked to the polls with over 4,000 casting their ballots against the proposal and just under 2,000 voting to support it. The “Infrastructure, Accessibility, Energy Efficiency and Renovation Bond” sought to cover maintenance and repairs to a total of sixteen district buildings and facilities, putting emphasis on the long-troubled Clarkstown North High School.
Clarkstown School Superintendent Margaret Keller-Cogan says she will work with the school board to come up with a plan B to prioritize and address the most needed repairs.
$57.2 M SCHOOL BUDGET PROPOSED FOR PEARL RIVER SCHOOLS
Pearl River School Superintendent Frank Auriemma has released a $57.2 million dollar 2009-2010 budget. His plan would bring with it a 2.81% tax increase, a rate below what’s allowed under austerity, which is tied to annual changes in the consumer price index.
Auriemma yesterday presented the spending sketch before a sizeable crowd, saying the economy pushed him to focus on preserving existing programs, allowing very little elbow room for growth. Most of the increase covers contractual salary obligations and was offset by savings made in the form of cuts to overtime and the paying off of two bonds.
NEW CITY CHAMBER HOSTS “STATE OF THE TOWN” EVENT
New City business leaders tonight will gather for their chamber’s annual “State of the Town” address. Clarkstown Supervisor Alex Gromack and County Executive Scott Vanderhoef will both present updates on the progress of hamlet revitalization. All those with a vested interest in New City, the county’s seat, are invited to participate. This “State of the Town” event will begin 7PM at the New City Library.
MID-HUDSON CHAMBERS RALLY AGAINST PROPOSED MTA PAYROLL TAX
Chambers of Commerce across the mid-Hudson Valley are asking state legislators demand an MTA audit before voting on its proposed payroll mobility tax. Business leaders say it's only fair the state see a complete accounting of the authority's finances before even considering a bailout- one that would largely come at the expense of West of the Hudson government, business and not-for-profit agencies. The Rockland Business Association estimates a payroll tax would cost the county an addition $18 million dollars each year. This would be added on to an existing $40 million dollar loss to Rockland in terms of payments versus services.
STONY POINT FREEZES HIRING OF NEW POLICE OFFICERS
Stony Point board members have agreed to freeze hiring within the town’s police department. The motion was accepted last night in efforts of cutting back on spending in respect to shrinking revenues. Stony Point’s greatest challenge moving forward is making up the $2 million dollar gap left behind in the closure of the Lovett power generating station.
ROUTINE REPAIRS SHUT WESTCHESTER BOUND T.Z. BRIDGE LANE
Drivers heading into Westchester today may experience delays as routine repairs will shut the far right lane of the Tappan Zee Bridge from 9:30AM through early afternoon. The same closure will be in effect until Friday. A complete work schedule’s available online at www.nysthruway.gov.
3/10/09
13 RAMAPO STUDENTS CHARGED FOR CAFETERIA RIOT
Thirteen Ramapo High School students yesterday were arrested and charged with second degree riot. Multiple units responded to the Viola Road school at approximately 11AM after administrators phoned police for assistance. Several students were also charged with reckless endangerment and eighteen year-old Jepthe Louis-Jost is being accused of inciting the cafeteria riot. Three of those arrested were treated at the scene for minor injuries. The fight’s believed to have been caused by a dispute that began sometime over the weekend. An investigation continues.
SAFETY MEASURES ENFORCED AT NORTH ROCKLAND H.S.
Meanwhile, there are special procedures in place today at North Rockland High School. Added safety measures are being enforced in response to a threat made by one student against another. Access to the building has been limited to the main doors with students prohibited back outside until dismissal. Additional security and local police have been standing by through the day. Superintendent Brian Monahan says the issue has been addressed and these step were only taken as an added precaution.
$187M CLARKSTOWN SCHOOL BOND UP FOR VOTE
Clarkstown voters today go to the polls to determine whether or not a $187 million dollar capital projects bond proposal sinks or floats. If approved, this large loan would cover maintenance and repairs at all fourteen school buildings and other district facilities, with most attention to Clarkstown North. Polls are open and will remain open until 9PM.
Questions regarding polling locations can be directed to the District Clerk at 845-639-6455. The entire “Infrastructure, Accessibility, Energy Efficiency and Renovation Bond” proposal can be read online at www.ccsd.edu.
COMPTROLLER TO RELEASE RESULTS OF PENSION FUND REVIEW
New York Comptroller Tom DiNapoli today will release the findings of a task force review into the state’s Common Retirement Fund. Chaired by former Massachusetts Treasurer Shannon O’Brien, the group was established to review current practices and policies and make recommendations on how New York can better maintain a solvent, well-run pension fund. DiNapoli commissioned the task force in the aftermath of alleged corruption that took place during Alan Hevesi’s administration.
FIGHT AGAINST PROPOSED MTA PAYROLL MOBILITY TAX CONTINUES
The fight against the MTA’s proposed payroll mobility tax continues. In a letter sent to Governor David Paterson and state lawmakers, Rockland Legislative Chairwoman Harriet Cornell accuses the Ravitch Commission suggestions as further driving the gap between monies contributed to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and services provided to our area. The commission has suggesting the MTA be allowed to institute a payroll tax on business, government and non-profit agencies headquartered on the west bank of the Hudson. Being underrepresented on the MTA’s board has also been a sore point for local officials who criticize the system as only giving Rockland one quarter of one vote.
3/9/09
ROUTINE REPAIRS SHUT RIGHT T.Z. BRIDGE LANES
Routine Tappan Zee Bridge repairs today shut the right northbound lane into Rockland between 9:30AM and 2:45PM. The same closure will be in effect again tomorrow. Wednesday through Friday, the right Westchester-bound lane will be closed from 9:30AM through early afternoon. A complete work schedule’s available online at www.nysthruway.gov.
POLICE INVESTIGATE MYSTERIOUS PICK UP TRUCK ACCIDENT
Ramapo and Suffern police are asking for the public’s help in finding the driver involved in a Saturday night pickup truck accident near Montebello and River roads. Police were called to the scene early yesterday when a man living along River Road awoke to find an abandoned truck flipped upside down in his yard. Police believe the driver did not cut the wheel enough through a sharp curve on Montebello Road and ended up hitting and flipping over a rock retaining wall.
An interview with the vehicle’s owner lead authorities to believe he and another frequent driver were not involved in the crash. Anyone with information regarding the identity of the driver who was or any passengers in the truck at the time is asked to contact Ramapo P.D. at 845-357-2400.
MONSEY PEDESTRIAN STRUCK ALONG ORCHARD STREET
Meanwhile, a Monsey man is recovering from leg injuries this morning after being struck as he was walking along Orchard Street. The accident was reported at approximately 7:30 last night. Hatzolah ambulance brought the 63 year old victim to Westchester Medical Center with what appeared to be a broken leg. Police identified the driver as a middle aged woman, also from Monsey. Charges have yet been filed against her.
LOCAL LIBRARIES GET $224K IN STATE GRANTS
Some good news today for Nyack, Valley Cottage and New City libraries. Each will be getting a boost of funding through a combined $224K state grant. The monies come from $14 million in funding earmarked in the 2008 budget specifically for public library capital improvements. This allocation will go towards upgrades to things like fire alarms, heating, cooling and ventilation systems.
CLARKSTOWN SCHOOL BOND VOTE SET FOR TOMORROW
Meanwhile, Clarkstown voters tomorrow will go to the polls to vote on a $187 million dollar capital projects bond proposal. If approved, the loan would cover maintenance and repairs at all sixteen district buildings, with most attention to Clarkstown North. Polls will remain open from 7AM-9PM. Questions regarding polling locations can be directed to the District Clerk at 845-639-6455.
FREE TAX AID OFFERED BY AARP VOLUNTEERS
AARP Volunteer Tax Aides are available today to help low to moderate income taxpayers file their 2008 income taxes. On Mondays, services are offered 10AM-2PM at both the Nyack and Finkelstein Memorial libraries. Tax Aides will also be standing by 4-8PM today at North Rockland High School.
Those participating in this free program are assisted on a first come-first served basis and are asked to bring along all pertinent documents including W-2 forms, 1099s, unemployment compensation statements and a copy of last year’s tax returns. Participants should also know the exact amount of their stimulus payment.
NEW YORKERS MAIL PAPER RETURNS TO NEW ADDRESS
Speaking of taxes, the IRS today is reminding New Yorkers that they’ll be sending their returns to a new address. State returns will this year be processed at the IRS Kansas City Service Center in Kansas City, Missouri. Paper filers in New York previously mailed their returns to Andover, Massachusetts.
3/6/09
POLICE INVESTIGATE MISSING LITTLE LEAGUE FUNDS
Stony Point police today continue their investigation into funds reported missing from local Little League coffers. The Board is conducting its own internal investigation and has taken steps to restructure its financial reporting procedures. Barbara O’Dell has been designated interim treasurer. She’ll be reporting to Bill Madden, whose lead the finance committee during much of his one year tenure as board member. Madden, in turn, will report to Stony Point Little League President John Rotella.
Exactly how much money’s disappeared is still unclear. What is clear is town residents’ support of the program. People have so far donated$5000 dollars to help see Little League through this difficult time.
SEARCH FOR ALLEGED STALKERS UNDERWAY IN S. NYACK
Meanwhile, South Nyack police are trying to identify and locate two men who yesterday allegedly stalked a teenager as he was walking along Washington and Glen Byron avenues. They boy told authorities the men followed him in a van. The driver’s described as a white male in his sixties and the passenger a forty-something year-old Hispanic man. Anyone with information is asked to contact South Nyack Grandview P.D. at 845-358-0206.
PEARL RIVER SCHOOLS TO BETTER ENFORCE PROCUREMENT POLICY
The Pearl River School District is working to better enforce its procurement policy following the recommendations of a recent audit by the New York State Comptroller’s Office. The review found the district has not implemented its own policy. According to Comptroller Tom DiNapoli, contracts worth a combined $585K were awarded to fifteen professional service providers without the use of RFPs or “Requests for Proposals.” The services ran the gamut from architectural to legal. A complete copy of the audit is available on the comptroller’s website www.osc.state.ny.us.
$76.4M BUDGET PROPOSED FOR S. ORANGETOWN SCHOOLS
South Orangetown School Superintendent Ken Mitchell this week rolled out his proposed $76.4 million dollar 2009-2010 budget. The plan is about one million dollars more than the current year’s, translating to what’s been referred to as a conservative 2.78% tax increase. Mitchell says his budget anticipates a reduction in state aid while taking into account higher pre-school special ed costs. He’s also looking to eliminate fifteen jobs through retirement and attrition.
T.Z. BRIDGE POTHOLE REPAIR PLANNED FOR OFF-PEAK HOURS
Tappan Zee Bridge commuters enjoyed a quicker ride over the span this morning after yesterday getting caught in massive traffic tie up resulting from emergency repairs. Thruway crews have temporarily covered the large pothole with a steel plate and will over the next several days continue their work during off-peak hours.
The portion of the deck under repair was replaced some ten years ago and is not part of the current $147 million dollar re-decking project.
3/5/09
LEGISLATORS ASK OBAMA TO RECONSIDER AIRSPACE REDESIGN
Rockland County legislators have approved a resolution asking the President reconsider implementation of the Federal Aviation Administration’s Airspace Redesign Plan. Local lawmakers last night unanimously supported the measure, which also requests the plan not be funded under the 2009 FAA Reauthorization Bill now under committee review in the U.S. House of Representatives.
In 2007, Rockland filed suit to stay the implementation of the FAA’s airspace redesign, claiming the attending environmental impact review to have been incomplete. The suit calls into question whether or not the agency followed proper procedure as required under National Environmental Policy Act review. It also seeks to determine to what degree the FAA addressed noise mitigation regulations set forth in the federal Airport Noise and Capacity Act of 1990.
2009 BRINGS NEW LEADERS TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT/AGENCIES
2009’s assured to bring a change of guard to several local municipalities and agencies. Residents of at least two of Rockland’s five towns will choose a new supervisor this year as Stony Point’s Supervisor Phil Marino has announced he will not seek reelection and Orangetown Supervisor Thom Kleiner, has opted, instead, to run for County Executive. Nyack Mayor John Shields is also stepping down from his post.
North Rockland School Superintendent Brian Monahan has announced he’ll be retiring at the end of the current academic year. Meanwhile, the search for a new Superintendent of Rockland B.O.C.E.S. culminates next week as board members interview two finalists for the position. Leading the search is James Langlois, interim Super and head of the Putnam Northern Westchester B.O.C.E.S.
Turning to TZ Bridge oversight, Ted Nadratowski’s been recently chosen to head up the Thruway Authority’s New York division. He’ll be officially approved as Ramesh Mehta’s successor when agency board members gather March 18th.
FREE COLORECTAL CANCER SCREENINGS OFFERED TO UNINSURED
March is national Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month and the county’s health department is offering free screenings to uninsured or underinsured residents. Rockland Health Commissioner Dr. Joan Facelle says, when detected early, colorectal cancer is easily treated and often curable. Ninety percent of cases are diagnosed in men and women fifty and over with the disease usually presenting itself in the form of a polyp or small growth on the lining of the colon or rectum. To find out whether or not you qualify for free colorectal cancer screening, contact the Rockland Cancer Services Partnership at 845-369-0742.
CONTEST PROMOTES SAFE FUN IN THE SUN
In other health news, kindergarten through eighth grade students are invited to enter the free national “SunWise With Shade” poster contest. The event is aimed at reinforcing the importance of skin cancer prevention and is co-sponsored each year by the state’s Health Department and the non-profit SHADE Foundation. Studies indicate only a few blistering childhood sunburns are enough to double the risk of skin cancer as an adult. Poster submissions are due in by April 13th. Visit www.shadefoundation.org. for contest guidelines and prizes.
FLIP-FLOPS RECALLED FOR LEAD CONTENT
The Consumer Product Safety Administration has announced another lead-related recall involving 210,000 children’s flip-flops manufactured in Brazil by Alpargatas USA Inc. of New York. These items were sold nationwide between November 2006 and this past February under over a dozen model names. They should be immediately taken away from children and returned to the manufacturer for replacement. Additional information can be obtained by contacting the manufacturer toll-free at 1-888-289-5306.
3/4/09
ROCKLAND-BASED HOMELESSNESS & HOUSING PROGRAMS GET $1.4M BOOST
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act will bring over $1.4 million dollars to Rockland-based programs directed towards homelessness prevention and community development. Congresswoman Nita Lowey says Rockland and Westchester counties will benefit from a combined $20 million provided through the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development.
The lion-share of the aid will support Westchester communities with Rockland getting approximately 7% of these earmarked dollars. Funding must be specifically applied to homelessness prevention, placement and increased housing opportunities for low-to-moderate-income individuals.
ORANGETOWN SEEKS NEW CUTS TO COUNTER REDUCED REVENUE
Orangetown is considering new cost-saving measures in anticipation of lower than hoped for 1st quarter revenue. The town board is considering, among other things, a hiring freeze and the elimination of travel expenses for discretionary conferences. Supervisor Thom Kleiner says the town is also investigating ways to cut back on overtime pay.
Sales and mortgage tax revenues are expected to fall short of the town’s conservative projections. Orangetown has already budged on $100,000 fewer mortgage tax dollars and a $70,000 dollar year-over-year decline in sales tax revenue.
FATHER & SON BUSTED FOR D.W.A.I. & POSSESSION OF HEROIN
A father and son busted for speeding along the New York State Thruway in Clarkstown yesterday were found in possession of 119 packets of heroin. State troopers arrested Michael Day Potts from Red Hook and his son Michael John, charging the father for driving while ability impaired and the son for criminal possession of a controlled substance and hypodermic instruments. The heroin discovered in their vehicle has an estimated street value of $2500 dollars.
ALLEGED CAR THIEVES INDICTED IN ROCKLAND COUNTY COURT
Two alleged car thieves yesterday were indicted in Rockland County court for stealing seven vehicles, most of them from Spring Valley. Although the men, identified as thirty-two year old Rolykens Dorceley of Willingboro, New York and forty-two year old Edison Charles of Haverstraw, did not know one another they were striking the same area last summer, with incidents in some cases reported just a few days apart. Both face multiple counts of second-degree grand larceny, among other charges.
INDIAN POINT SIREN SYSTEM BROUGHT INTO FULL COMPLIANCE
Representatives of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission say Entergy has completed all necessary actions related to fully instituting its new emergency siren system. This brings Indian Point’s siren network into full compliance with NRC regulations, preventing owner and operator Entergy from facing any additional fines. The company had been fined a total of $780,000 for failing to have the system fully operational by its original January 2007 deadline and another subsequent deadline. Portions of Rockland lie within a 10-mile radius of the Buchanan nuclear reactors.
3/3/09
COUNTY DROPS HOTEL/MOTEL TAX PROPOSAL
County Executive Scott Vanderhoef has abandoned a proposal to tax Rockland’s hotels and motels. A public hearing on the measure had been part of this evening’s legislative agenda. Federal stimulus dollars heading our way, according to Vanderhoef will, instead, help close the gap left by shrinking mortgage and sales tax revenues. As proposed, the six percent county tax would have been added to the regular sales tax on Rockland hotel accommodations.
ORANGE COUNTY COMES OUT AGAINST MTA’S PAYROLL MOBILITY TAX
Metropolitan Transportation Authority board members last night got an earful during an Orange County public hearing on a plan to increase fares 30 plus percent and institute a payroll mobility tax. As a sign of protest, several participants brought along tea bags, which were thrown in a large basket and set down near the podium. The plan locally was met with as much distain during an early February hearing at the Palisades Center Mall. Local business leaders and government officials argue the payroll mobility tax would only serve to grow an already significant value gap.
MAN GETS 2 YEARS IN THE SLAMMER FOR AIRMONT BAR BRAWL
Thirty-one year-old Sean Weidman will spend the next two years in state prison for assaulting a man during an Airmont bar brawl. On September 30th, 2007 while at the Roadhouse Bar & Grill, Weidman punched the victim in the face with a beer mug, sending him to hospital with a broken nose and several facial lacerations. Apparently, the physical attack followed a verbal disagreement between the two men. Weidman yesterday was also sentenced to an additional three years post release supervision.
BROTHERS REMAIN LOCKED UP FOR ASSAULTING POLICE OFFICER
Two brothers remain in county jail after yesterday pleading not guilty to beating a town police officer. The Batista brothers, ages 30 and 27, are each being held on a $150,000 bail, tied to a February 1st, incident in which they are accused of repeatedly beating Officer Matthew Galvin about his face. Galvin had been responding to a call of a domestic dispute.
A District Attorney’s Office investigation into counter-allegations of police brutality has found them to be unsubstantiated. Jose and Jason Batista, both Spring Valley residents formerly from Haverstraw, face a number of felony charges, including second-degree assault, attempted aggravated assault on a police officer and a misdemeanor charge of resisting arrest.
COUNTY QUICKLY REBOUNDS FROM EARLY MARCH SNOW STORM
Local roads were in better than expected shape this morning with everything off to an on-time start. The second of two fronts that moved through our area yesterday brought less precipitation than expected. Total accumulation in Pearl River was recorded at 4.5 inches. Northwestern parts of the county received a bit more with two thirds of a foot registered in some neighborhoods.
Today, we're looking at nothing more than sunny skies and below freezing temperatures. If you plan on being outside for an extended period of time, bundle up to reduce the threat of hypothermia as today’s high will only reach the low twenties. Factor in the wind chill and it’ll feel like single digits out there. Stay tuned to WRCR following the local news for your three day Rockland weather forecast.
3/2/09
STORM SHUTS SCHOOLS & CANCELS MOST MEETINGS
As many as nine inches of snow will cover the county by the time this storm heads out of our area later today. This wintry weather has shut all Rockland County public schools, along with Rockland Community, St. Thomas and Dominican colleges.
Click on “Emergency Announcements” for a complete list of closings, cancellations and delays.
Rockland Meteorologist Mark Hanok says the snow will clear out of our area this afternoon, making way for sunny skies and freezing temperatures for the rest of the week. Stay tuned to WRCR following your local news for a complete Rockland weather forecast.
OFFICE FOR THE AGING INITIATES HUNT FOR “OUTSTANDING” SENIORS
The hunt for super seniors is underway as Rockland’s Office for the Aging has begun accepting nominations for 2009 Senior Citizen of the Year and Outstanding Contribution by a Senior Citizen awards. Only people sixty and over are eligible. Nominations must be submitted by March 31st. For more information or to obtain a nomination form, contact the Office for the Aging at 845-364-2110.
LOWEY & SCHUMER ANNOUNCE ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR INTEROPERABILITY SYSTEM
Congresswoman Nita Lowey and Senator Chuck Schumer have announced another $250,000 worth of federal funding for
Rockland’s interoperability communications system. The monies bring total federal support for this project to $1.4 million. Rockland has bonded to cover the cost of the $30 million dollar project, which, when completed, will allow all emergency responders to communicate across municipal lines. The new frequency and attending infrastructure promise to help police, along with volunteer firefighters and EMTs, to respond more quickly and effectively to all emergencies.
FOUR TEENS ARRESTED FOR STIFFING/THREATENING CAB DRIVER
Ramapo police have arrested four teenagers who allegedly smashed a taxi cab windshield after attempting to stiff the driver. The cab driver told authorities he picked the four passengers up from the Palisades Center Mall Friday night and drove them to South Pascack Road. Once they arrived at their destination, they told the driver they were going to get money and would return with their fare. When they did not, the driver confronted them at which point two of the passengers threatened him with knives and a third with what appeared to be a handgun. All four, ranging in age from fifteen to seventeen, will return to court later this month to answer to menacing, theft of service and criminal mischief charges.
2/27/09
E. RAMAPO SUPERINTENDENT RELEASES PROPOSED 2009-2010 BUDGET
East Ramapo School Superintendent Ira Oustatcher Wednesday presented a $201 million dollar 2009-2010 budget that favors shutting the Lime Kiln Elementary School and eliminating 60 jobs. The spending plan reflects the third of three options previously laid out by the district in its attempt to close a deficit while addressing the challenges of a shrinking student body.
A total of 35 teachers and 25 staff members would be laid off should the budget be approved by the school board and, again, by the public on May 19th, when district budgets across the state are set before voters. Updates on the East Ramapo budget process can be obtained through the district’s website: www.eram.k12.ny.us.
WESTGATE PRESIDENT ALLEGEDLY LIVED THE HIGH LIFE ON INVESTORS’ $$$
A closer look at the life of alleged securities scammer James Nicholson of Westgate Capital Management shows him to have been living high on the hog while stealing from investors hand over first. The forty-two year old North Rockland native had just last month purchased a $27 million dollar Southampton property. This followed him turning in his Stony Point home for a Saddle River, NJ mansion. Rockland’s District Attorney’s Office, which assisted in the federal investigation that led to Nicholson’s arrest, estimates he stole over $100 million from hundreds of local investors.
LOWEY SAYS OBAMA’S BUDGET TAKES “REALISTIC APPROACH”
Congresswoman Nita Lowey says the President’s fiscal 2010 budget provides a realistic approach to the challenges facing our nation. Obama yesterday began unveiling the three and a half trillion dollar plan, which reduces taxes for 95% of Americans and raises the federal income tax by the year 2011 to nearly 40% for couples whose annual earnings exceed a quarter million. According to Lowey, the President’s plan puts federal funding where it’s needed most: healthcare reform, education and energy independence. Lowey represents portions of Rockland County in the 18th congressional district.
WARM HOMECOMING PLANNED FOR 812TH MILITARY POLICE CO.
Ninety soldiers from our area will return home tomorrow after a ten month tour of duty in the Iraqi cities of Fallujah and Mosul. It will no doubt be a much anticipated homecoming for these men and women, who make up part of the Army Reserve’s 812th Military Police Company. Family, friends and community supporters are expected to line the entrance of the Route 303 Orangeburg Reserve Center in welcome. There are currently no plans to redeploy this company any time in the near future.
DAY SEEKS STEPPED UP PARENTAL NOTICE OF SEX OFFENDER INFO
Rockland Legislator Ed Day is asking local schools reach out to parents with a reminder on how they can find out more information about sex offenders living in their neighborhoods. While schools are required under Megan’s Law to inform parents of registered sex offenders who’ve moved into the area, families who themselves have just moved into the district are often left in the dark. Day is advising districts direct parents at the start of each school year to www.sheriffalerts.com/cap. This website offers a list of registered sex offenders searchable by neighborhood.
2/26/09
NEW YORK’S IDAs SPENDING MORE BUT CREATING FEWER JOBS
New York Comptroller Tom DiNapoli reports the state’s 115 Industrial Development Agencies are spending more money on job creation but actually creating fewer jobs. His study shows the cost per job created grew from $4,195 dollars in 2006 to $4,527 dollars in 2007 with total project funding up 48% year over year to $61 billion. The review of New York’s IDAs comes in efforts of determining whether they’re a good deal for taxpayers.
By law, IDAs are required to file annual audited financial reports with the Comptroller’s office. This self-reported data is reviewed not audited by the Comptroller, which has led some to question the accuracy of jobs and tax exemption figures. Complete details of this IDA review are available online at www.osc.state.ny.us.
NICHOLSON ARRESTED FOR “MADOFF-STYLE” SCAM
A forty-two year-old former Stony Point resident has been arrested for operating a “Madoff style” fraud that affected hundreds of local investors. James Nicholson, president of Westgate Capital Management with offices in New York City and Pearl River, faces charges of securities and bank fraud. Rockland’s District Attorney’s Office assisted in the FBI investigation that led to his arrest. D.A. Tom Zugibe says Nicholson since 2004 handled at least $100 million dollars invested in various Westgate Funds.
Nicholson, who now resides in Saddle River, N.J., is accused of seriously over exaggerating the value of assets under his management and misrepresenting fund performance in marketing brochures. Federal investigators also allege he set up a make-believe accounting firm he told investors was responsible for independently auditing the Westgate Strategic Growth Fund.
SCHOOL LAYOFFS MAY COME DESPITE STIMULUS $$$
Results of a recent “pulse poll” conducted by the New York State School Boards Association indicates many board members believe federal stimulus dollars will not prevent layoffs. One third of the 605 board members polled said they didn’t think the added aid would rescue their districts in time to stop job cuts in the 2009 to 2010 academic budget. New York school boards are currently working on their spending plans, which will be presented to voters statewide on May 19th.
ASSEMBLYMAN ZEBROWKSI SPEAKS TO ROCKLAND SENIORS
Assemblyman Ken Zebrowksi tomorrow will speak about how the state’s budget affects Rockland seniors during a Senior Action Council meeting set for 2PM at RCC’s Spring Valley Campus.
ORANGETOWN SEEKS NEW SUPERINTENDENT OF PARKS & RECREATION
Orangetown’s board Saturday will hold job interviews for candidates interested in becoming the town’s next Superintendent of Parks & Recreation. Interviews will begin 9:30AM Saturday in Town Hall at 26 Orangeburg Road.
2/25/09
MONAHAN TO RETIRE AS NORTH ROCKLAND SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT
North Rockland School Superintendent Brian Monahan last night announced he’ll be retiring from his post effective August 1st. Monahan broke the news during the school board meeting, saying he’s enjoyed working for the district in various capacities over the last fourteen years. He became Superintendent of the district in the 2006-2007 academic year. Prior to that, he served as Deputy Superintendent under Dodge Watkins.
SPEED AND FAULTY TIRES FAULTED FOR FATAL TUXEDO ACCIDENT
Speed and bad tires are being faulted for an accident that yesterday afternoon claimed the life of a nineteen year old man and injured his female passenger. Tuxedo police say the young man was traveling along the north side of Route 17 when he lost control of his car, sailing off the road and striking two trees.
The driver’s condition deteriorated so quickly that a Stat-Flight helicopter bound for Westchester Medical Center, instead, brought him to Good Samaritan Hospital, where he was pronounced dead a short time later. His seventeen year-old passenger was also taken to Good Sam with undisclosed injuries. Their names have been withheld pending family notification.
S. NYACK WOMAN CHARGED WITH D.W.I. AFTER CRASHING INTO UTILITY POLE
Meanwhile, a twenty-five year old South Nyack woman will return to court next month on charges she was drunk early Monday morning when she crashed into and snapped a utility pole near Route 9W and Foltim Way in Congers. Nicole Carr failed a field sobriety test at the scene and subsequently took a blood-alcohol test that placed her B.A.C. in excess of the legal limit. Police say no one was injured in the crash.
40-DAY VIGIL FOR LIFE BEGINS TODAY
Today is the first of a forty-day vigil for life participants hope will help put an end to abortion. People of all faiths are invited to join in the non-stop prayer relay, which begins 3PM today outside of Planned Parenthood in Spring Valley and runs right on through Easter Sunday. The vigil each day will be moved indoors through the overnight, from 8PM to 8AM- during those hours prayers will continue at St. Gregory Barbarigo’s chapel on Cinder Road in Garnerville.
MASTERSON NAMED ROCKLAND’S 1ST POET LAUREATE
Dan Masterson of Pearl River has been named Rockland’s first “Poet Laureate.” Chosen by Rockland’s County Executive and Legislative Chairwoman, Masterson is recognized as having given nationally over one thousand poetry readings, lectures and seminars. He’s spread his love for poetry and literature locally during his forty-five year tenure as English teacher at Rockland Community College. Masterson’s authored four publications: On Earth As It Is, Those Who Trespass, All Things Seen and Unseen and World Without End. His work’s been featured in Esquire, the New Yorker and The London Magazine.
ROAD WORK CONTINUES IN RAMAPO
Ramapo’s Maple Avenue reconstruction project continues this week, with one lane open to east or Spring Valley-bound traffic. Construction crews will be installing curbs and sidewalks on the north side of Maple Avenue from Phyllis to Maple terrace. They’ll also be replacing underground pipe at the corner of Monsey Boulevard and Maple Avenue. Residents and area drivers can contact Ramapo Town Hall for more information.
Drivers are also reminded that a drainage project shuts Memorial Park Drive in Spring Valley today from Maple Avenue through Clinton Street. Only residents living in that area will be granted local access.
2/24/09
CORNELL ESTABLISHES “ECONOMIC STIMULUS WORKING GROUP”
Over a dozen local business, government and non-profit leaders met for the first time yesterday in efforts of developing a plan to stimulate Rockland’s economy. County Legislative Chairwoman Harriet Cornell is looking to this working group for advice and insight on how the legislature can foster business growth in efforts of stemming Rockland’s unemployment rate. Cornell last month highlighted the need for a more organized public-private partnership during her annual legislative address.
KLEINER SEEKS COUNTY EXECUTIVE SEAT
Ending months of speculation, Orangetown Supervisor Thom Kleiner tells Journal News reporters he will be running for County Executive. The forty-nine year old Sparkill resident is expected to make an official announcement Sunday outside the Allison Parris County Office Building in New City. When questioned about a possible run on WRCR’s morning show, Kleiner, a democrat, earlier this month said only that he was seriously thinking about it but was leaving all options open.
District 5 Rockland Legislator Ed Day has also been named as a potential contender for County Executive Scott Vanderhoef’s seat. As a republican, Day would face a primary should Vanderhoef decide to run for a fifth four-year term.
ARCHBISHOP DOLAN TO BECOME NEW YORK’S NEXT ARCHBISHOP
Known for his amicable nature, Archbishop Timothy Dolan yesterday quipped about the Pope’s infinite wisdom in choosing him to replace Cardinal Edward Egan as 13th bishop and 10th archbishop of New York. Those close to Dolan say his humor should not be confused for lax practice. To the contrary, Dolan is known for demonstrating a more Orthodox interpretation of church doctrine. The Irish-American Archbishop from Milwaukee will officially be installed here in New York April 15th when he celebrates his first mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral.
SPRING VALLEY MAN INDICTED FOR ROBBING PIZZERIA
A twenty year-old Spring Valley man has been indicted on charges he robbed a Maple Avenue pizzeria of approximately $10,000 dollars. Police say Evelio Rivera broke into Shelly’s Pizza at around 12:30AM May 29th, taking money from the safe and cash register. Rivera is scheduled to return to court in April.
ROAD WORK/DRAINAGE PROJECT SHUTS RAMAPO ROADS
Ramapo’s Maple Avenue reconstruction project continues this week, with one lane open to east or Spring Valley-bound traffic. Construction crews will be installing curbs and sidewalks on the north side of Maple Avenue from Phyllis to Maple terrace. They’ll also be replacing underground pipe at the corner of Monsey Boulevard and Maple Avenue. Residents and area drivers can contact Ramapo Town Hall for more information.
Meanwhile, a drainage project shuts Memorial Park Drive in Spring Valley today and tomorrow from Maple Avenue through Clinton Street. Only residents living in that area will be granted local access.
OBAMA TO ADDRESS CONGRESS TONIGHT
President Barack Obama 9 o’clock tonight will address Congress and the American public, outlining his plans to steer the nation through this troubled economy. Although it’s technically not being considered a “State of the Union” address, the pressure of inspiring the country is as great as ever given rising unemployment rates and a slumping stock market. Obama’s speech will be carried live on all major broadcast T.V. networks.
2/23/09
3 CHARGED FOR POSSESSION OF CRACK WITH INTENT TO SELL
Three out-of-towners yesterday were arrested for possessing over forty grams of crack valued at five thousand dollars. They were pulled over for speeding in Chestnut Ridge and arraigned in Ramapo Town Court on felony counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance and third degree possession with intent to sell. The driver, twenty-two year-old Tina Delcastillo of Shirley, NY was also charged with driving while ability impaired by drugs.
LOCALS URGED TO JOIN NATIONAL WAR ON EATING DISORDERS
Senator Tom Morahan today is asking the public to join in a national war against eating disorders. As former chair of the Senate’s Committee on Mental Health, Morahan points out the fact that anorexia has the highest mortality rate of any mental illness. The National Eating Disorders Association estimates nearly 10 million females and another one million males in the U.S. are battling eating disorders like anorexia and bulimia. Peak onset for these illnesses occurs during puberty and the late teen/early adult years.
Morahan has secured a $200,000 state grant he hopes will help through early intervention. The funding supports a pilot program that trains outreach specialists with the Mental Health Association of Rockland County to go into local schools and educate staff on how to identify students at risk. This is National Eating Disorders Week. To learn more, visit www.nationaleatingdisorders.org.
NEW WEBSITE OFFERS ROCKLAND-SPECIFIC CANCER DATA
In other health news, the county has launched a new website to help better educate the community on the most common types of cancer among Rockland residents. www.RocklandCancerInfo.com not only offers cancer data, but information on how those without health insurance can access free diagnostic screenings and exams. Details on cancer related health programs can also be obtained by calling the Rockland County Cancer Institute at 845-364-3865.
MOTHER & CHILD RECOVERING AFTER BEING STRUCK BY CAR
A mother and her two year old child are still recovering today after being struck last Thursday while walking along Route 306 near Phyllis Terrace. Police are investigating the accident, which involved three vehicles, one of which jumped the curb and hitting 39 year old Henny Gefner and her young son Mendy shortly after 9AM. Both were transported to Westchester Medical Center with non-life threatening injuries. One driver was also taken to Good Samaritan Hospital with a head injury.
The accident occurred when a Honda Odyssey rear-ended an Accord stopped on a red light. Police say the force of the impact pushed the Accord into oncoming traffic, striking a Chevy Cobalt and sending it up unto the curb. Charges have not yet been filed against any of the drivers.
RAMAPO OFFERS FREE SAFETY SASHES
In efforts to enhance pedestrian safety, Ramapo is offering free reflective sashes to all town residents. These safety sashes can be picked up from Town Hall along Route 59 in Suffern Monday through Friday between 9AM and 5PM.
MAPLE AVENUE RECONSTRUCTION PROJECT CONTINUES
Meanwhile, the Maple Avenue reconstruction project continues this week, with one lane open to east or Spring Valley-bound traffic. Construction crews will be installing curbs and sidewalks on the north side of Maple Avenue from Phyllis to Maple terrace. They’ll also be replacing underground pipe at the corner of Monsey Boulevard and Maple Avenue. Residents and area drivers can contact Ramapo Town Hall for more information.
COUNTY HOSTS NEW CITY BLOOD DRIVE
Another opportunity to give blood is coming up 11:30AM-3:30PM today in front of the Allison-Parris County Office Building on New Hempstead Road in New City. Walk-ins are welcome. The county will be offering refreshments to all participating donors.
2/19/09
PEDESTRIAN ACCIDENT SHUTS RT. 306 AT PHYLLIS TERRACE
A police investigation into a pedestrian/motor vehicle accident shut the intersection of Route 306 and Phyllis Terrace in Ramapo shortly after 9 o’clock this morning. Unconfirmed reports indicate the accident involved two pedestrians- a mother and her child. Information on the identity or condition of the pedestrian has not yet been released. We’ll have more information as it becomes available.
FREE REFLECTIVE SASHES OFFERED TO RAMAPO PEDESTRIANS
In efforts to enhance pedestrian safety, Ramapo is offering free reflective sashes to all town residents. These safety sashes can be picked up from Town Hall along Route 59 in Suffern Monday through Friday between 9AM and 5PM.
JURY CONVICTS BRONX BUILDING OWNER & MANAGER FOR NYFD DEATHS
Weeks of deliberation culminated yesterday with jurors finding a Bronx building owner and manager guilty of criminally negligent homicide. Both were charged with allowing the construction of illegal walls that ended up trapping New York City firefighters, causing two to jump from the fourth floor to their deaths. John Bellew of Pearl River and Lt. Curtis Meyran perished. Two others survived the fall, one of them being Pomona’s own Jeffery Cool. Cool has endured over a dozen surgeries since that tragic day, January 23rd, 2005.
DONORS URGED TO PARTICIPATE IN LOCAL BLOOD DRIVES
Rockland residents later today have an opportunity to assist in retaining a healthy community blood supply by donating at St. Paul’s Parish on Lake Road in Congers. The drive will run from 3:30-9PM. Panera Bread in Nanuet will be hosting a blood drive between 10AM-2PM tomorrow. Complimentary pastries, coffees and teas will be offered to all participating donors. P>
Area hospitals rely on a steady stream of blood donations in order to meet the demands of emergencies, surgeries and cancer treatments. For more information on giving blood, visit www.nybloodcenter.org or call 1-800-933-BLOOD.
H.S.R.C. TO EXHIBIT T.Z. BRIDGE’S IMPACT ON ROCKLAND
It was the 1989 film Field of Dreams responsible for the classic premise, “if you build it, he will come.” The message has its local application as county residents will soon be able to look back in time on the growth Rockland’s seen since the 1955 completion of the Tappan Zee Bridge. Curators at the Historical Society of Rockland County are in the home stretch of a project they say will clearly depict how the span assisted in replacing agrarian life with suburban development. The exhibit is set to open May 24th and will run through autumn.
Replacing the Tappan Zee Bridge is one of the leading challenges on the horizon for our region. Many have criticized the lack of a clear action plan following over a decade of study and debate on how the task should be handled- and most importantly funded.
I.R.S. SEEKS REVENUE OFFICERS
I.R.S. is reaching out to job seekers with local employment opportunities. The agency is currently accepting applications for revenue officer positions. Interested candidates must submit their applications online at www.usajobs.opm.gov by tomorrow, February 20th.
2/18/09
RAMAPO P.D. INVESTIGATES HILLCREST GANG MUGGING
Ramapo police today continue their investigation into a Monday night gang mugging along South Oak Street in Hillcrest. Two teenagers were attacked at approximately 6PM by a group of as many as six men, who rushed them from behind a vacant home, stuck a gun to the back of one of their heads and slapped the other to the ground. The thieves fled with about thirty dollars in cash, a debit card and wallet. Both teens escaped serious injury but were unable to give a detailed description of their attackers. Anyone who witnessed this mugging is asked to contact Ramapo P.D. at 845-357-2400.
NEW CITY MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO USING STOLEN DEBIT/CREDIT CARDS
Meanwhile, a thirty-three year old New City man has plead guilty to criminal possession of stolen property. District Attorney Tom Zugibe says the charge against Ruben Vega stems from three incidents in which the Clarkstown Road man attempted to purchase electronics with debit and credit cards that did not belong to him. On November 8th Vega unsuccessfully tried buying with a Washington Mutual Debit Card over $700 dollars worth of IPods and PS3 games from Target in the Palisades Center. Less than two weeks later he returned to the same Target location, where this time he succeeded in completing his purchase with some else’s Bank of America Mastercard. From there, he continued his fraudulent shopping spree with an HSBC debit card he was not authorized to use. Vega is scheduled to be sentenced on April 1st.
WOLFE ASKS STATE TO PICK UP TOTAL COST OF HOUSING ITS INMATES
County Legislator Alden Wolfe is seeking state relief from the cost of housing parole violators and state-ready prisoners. According to Wolfe, Rockland’s Correctional Facility receives $40 a day for each of these inmates when the cost of caring for them is closer to $242 dollars. This deficit last year alone amounted to over $210,000 dollars. It could be even greater in fiscal 2009-2010 as Governor David Paterson’s budget cuts out all such reimbursement to counties. Wolfe argues Rockland taxpayers should not have to foot the bill of this state expense at all.
OVER THREE DOZEN PROPERTIES TO SAVE $250K IN FIRE TAXES
A handful of Spring Valley residents will see their taxes reduced as they are officially removed from the Moleston Fire District. Redrawn boundaries affect a total of thirty five homes and three apartment complexes, including Avalon Gardens and Spring Valley Towers. Spring Valley Deputy Village Attorney Ryan Karben says these properties were wrongfully taxed by the district since, under state law, fire protection responsibilities for the affected area always belonged to the village. This change is expected to save taxpayers about $250K dollars over the next ten years.
RESIDENTS URGED TO PARTICIPATE IN LOCAL BLOOD DRIVES
Rockland residents today have an opportunity to assist in retaining a healthy community blood supply by participating in drives at Helen Hayes Hospital and the South Orangetown Ambulance Corp. Donors can give blood from 10AM-4:30PM at Helen Hayes along Route 9W in West Haverstraw and from 3-8:30PM at the Ambulance Corp on Independence Avenue in Tappan.
Area hospitals rely on a steady stream of blood donations in order to meet the demands of emergencies, surgeries and cancer treatments. For more information on giving blood, visit www.nybloodcenter.org or call 1-800-933-BLOOD.
2/17/09
NEW YORKERS CAN TRACK STIMULUS $$$ THROUGH STATE WEBSITE
New York Comptroller Tom DiNapoli today is urging New York lawmakers not to regard the stimulus package as a bail out. DiNapoli says the state must identify long-term solutions to align spending with revenues; a task that doesn’t dissolve with a one-time infusion of added federal funding. New Yorkers will be able to track federal stimulus dollars as they course through the state by visiting DiNapoli’s website www.openbooknewyork.com.
There taxpayers will be able to view the contracts awarded and the companies receiving those contracts. The site currently features searchable databases of more than 60,000 active state contracts and spending for more than 100 state agencies and 3100 local governments.
HALL TO TOUR DISTRICT WITH STIMULUS DETAILS
Congressman John Hall, who represents the towns of Stony Point and Haverstraw in the 19th district, yesterday began a weeklong tour of his territory to better explain the stimulus plan. President Barack Obama is expected to sign the $787 billion dollar American Recovery and Reinvestment Act into law today. Hall says the plan should create 1.2 million jobs nationwide by June 1st and will have an almost immediate effect on reducing payroll taxes. Funding for specific infrastructure projects is expected to be laid out within the next 120 days.
STATE POLICE INVESTIGATE R.P.C. FIRE
A cigarette’s to blame for a fire that yesterday forced a partial evacuation of Rockland Psychiatric Center. About a dozen people were safely removed from the wing surrounding the fourth floor bedroom where the fire started. That portion of the building suffered some water damage but, thankfully, no injuries related to the blaze were reported. State police are investigating the incident.
C.E. TO MAKE CASE FOR HOTEL/MOTEL TAX
Representatives of the County Executive this evening are preparing to present to the full legislature a proposal aimed at creating a six percent county hotel/motel tax. This new tax plan comes as the county searches for additional sources of revenue with sales and mortgage taxes last year continuing to fall short of projections. County Executive Scott Vanderhoef believes a hotel/motel tax could this year raise an additional $2.5 million. The current year budget counts on legislators phasing in the tax at 3% by February 1st and 6% as of July 1st.
2/13/09
MEYERS ASKS COUNTY TO CONTINUE FUNDING MOSQUITO CONTROL
Rockland Legislator Joe Meyers is asking the county continue funding mosquito control treatments throughout our towns and villages. To cut county costs, the Health Department has opted to eliminate funding of this program and, instead, wants to charge municipalities $7 for each catch basin treated.
Some have criticized the department for marking up the material cost to treat each basin by over $130%. Proponents of the plan, however, say taxpayers should keep in mind the charge covers not only materials but the manpower needed to administer the treatment. Municipalities can opt to have a vendor of their choice preside over mosquito control.
COUNTY LEGISLATORS SUPPORT ASSEMBLY BILL A.668
Meanwhile, Rockland’s legislature is backing a local resolution offering support to an Assembly bill that mandates the reporting of abuse among residents of adult care facilities. Introduced by Legislator Alden Wolfe, the resolution extends a local voice of approval for A.668. The measure seeks to broaden the state’s Social Services and Education laws to require reporting of suspected abuse beyond nursing homes to other care facilities like assisted living communities.
STIMULUS COMPROMISE TO BRING ADDED FUNDING TO N.Y.S. SCHOOLS
Timothy Kremer, executive director of the New York State School Board Association, says the congressional stimulus plan compromise will bring breathing room to this year’s school budget process. Under the current proposal, New York’s schools stand to receive $2.7 billion in education stabilization funding. It would also bring with it an additional $1.8 billion in Title I and special education funding over a 27-month period.
LOWEY OUTLINES THE STIMULUS PLAN’S LOCAL BENEFITS
Meanwhile, 18th District Congresswoman Nita Lowey, who represents portions of Rockland, today has released a report detailing how the House and Senate’s consolidated $787 billion dollar stimulus plan will impact our area. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act will bring tax relief to 95,000 households in Rockland County, according to Lowey’s outline. It specifically aids individuals earning less than $75,000 a year and married couples whose combined annual income is less that $150,000.
The stimulus plan puts an additional $87 billion federal dollars into Medicaid, something Lowey says will further relieve New York’s burden to the tune of about $10.5 billion. It also patches the Alternative Minimum Tax for another year. This will save an estimated 20 million taxpayers an average of $2000 per household.
WINDS RATTLE TREES & UTILITY LINES
High winds that rocked the county yesterday littered the area with downed tree limbs and interrupted power to approximately 3000 costumers. Over half a dozen scattered outages were reported in portions of Piermont, Clarkstown, West Haverstraw, Suffern, Spring Valley and along Kings Highway in Orangetown. Most of the damage was done in the earlier part of the day with service restored to all but a handful of customers as of last night.
49 PERISH IN PLANE CRASH JUST OUTSIDE BUFFALO
A Continental Express twin-engine turboprop last night crashed just outside Buffalo, killing all aboard and one person on the ground. Air traffic controllers say the Bombadier Q400 dropped off the radar at around 10:15PM, falling out of the sky and unto a Clarence Center home, claiming one of the home’s three occupants. Forty-four passengers and four crew members also perished. Staff at the Eerie County Medical Center was initially asked to stay late to treat any survivors but it quickly became evident that would not be necessary.
There was no communication between Flight 3407, which departed from Newark Airport, and air traffic control indicating any mechanical trouble prior to the crash.
2/12/09
MICHEL PROPOSES COUNTY DEVELOP SURPLUS REGISTRY
One Rockland lawmaker’s suggesting the county develop a surplus inventory registry to aid municipalities working to reign in spending. Shrinking revenue has all levels of government searching for ways to cut back and Legislator Jacque Michel says a surplus registry can really help. The on-line inventory would allow government agencies to share resources by posting their excess materials, supplies and equipment for departments in need of those very same items. This proposal will be reviewed in the Government Operations Committee before being presented to the full legislature.
BILLIARD GAMES RECALLED DUE TO HIGH LEAD CONTENT
Caregivers today are being alerted to another lead-related toy recall. This latest recall involves 2300 Golfer’s Billiard Games manufactured in China and imported by Dick’s Sporting Goods of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. These billiard games, which were sold nationwide between October and December of last year for about $30 dollars, should immediately be removed from your child’s possession. Consumers can return the toy to where it was purchased for a full refund.
“MOTHERS MILK PROJECT” REPS TO TESTIFY BEFORE NRC
Representatives of “Mothers Milk Project” today will testify during an NRC hearing into the draft environmental impact study conducted as part of Indian Point’s 20 year relicensing application. They’ll be armed with evidence they argue proves the impact the Buchanan facility has on the human body. Of thirty milk samples from breastfeeding mothers and goats living within fifty miles of Indian Point, nearly all they say reveal levels of the radioactive isotope strontium-90. They’re study shows the highest concentrations in those living closest to the reactors. Some samples also turned up traces of strontium-89.
More information on this study is available online at www.mothersmilkproject.org. The Nuclear Regulator Commission today will accept public comment in a two-part hearing set for 1:30 and 7PM at the Colonial Terrace in Cortlandt Manor.
STONY PT. ASKS BUSINESS TO CLEAN UP BEFORE LEAVING
Meanwhile, Stony Point’s town board this week unanimously approved a measure aimed at safeguarding land from environmental contaminants. The law requires businesses remove all regulated and non-regulated materials like coal from the land they occupied before leaving the area. Mirant, the owner of the Lovett power plant, which was recently demolished, is calling the law unnecessary. The state’s Department of Environmental Conservation has agreed to work with Stony Point in ensuring this new law is enforced.
60 YR. OLD NANUET MAN CHARGED WITH SEXUALLY ASSUALTING CHILD
Clarkstown police have arrested a sixty year-old Nanuet man, charging him with sexually abusing a seven year old girl. The allegation stems from a relationship Rafael Morato had with the child between the years 2000 and 2001 and follows a six month investigation within the town’s Juvenile Aide Bureau. Police say the alleged victim is now fourteen. Morato’s been released on a $5000 bail and is due back in court March 4th.
CAUSE OF KUCZYNSKI’S DEATH REMAINS UNDER INVESTIGATION
An investigation into the cause of Andrzej Kuczynski death continues today, although police have ruled out foul play. The fifty-two year old Polish immigrant’s body was found late Tuesday afternoon lying motionless along Viola Road, near Ramapo High School. Efforts to revive him were unsuccessful. His coworkers told investigators they saw him wander away from a home construction site nearby.
Authorities believe Kuczynski was homeless.
County officials earlier this week released the results of their “Point in Time Survey,” which classified 192 Rocklanders as homeless; 71 of those living in makeshift outdoor encampments. No word on whether or not Kuczynski was counted among them.
Representatives of Rockland’s Department of Social Services are encouraging those in need of housing to call for assistance at 845-364-2000.
2/11/09
MAN FOUND DEAD NEAR RAMAPO HIGH
An initial investigation indicates the man found dead near Ramapo High School yesterday died of natural causes. Town police were called to the scene at around 4:30PM. Laborers working on a home near school property say they saw their co-worker wander off. Authorities have ruled out foul play. The man is described as being in his fifties but no further information regarding his identity has been released pending family notification.
JUDGES NEEDED FOR SCIENCE, INVENTIONS & TECHONOLOGY EXHIBITION
Organizers of Rockland’s 22nd annual Science, Inventions & Technology Exhibition are seeking educators and others whose work involves science and math to volunteer as judges. Projects will reflect the work of fifth through twelfth graders from across the area. Their projects will be on public display at North Rockland High School from noon-5PM Sunday, March 1st. A portion of the exhibit will be dedicated to those high school students who are preparing for the Intel Competition.
This free event is open to the public. Would be judges should contact Joanne of the Nyack Teacher’s Center at 845-353-7060 for more information.
SENATE PASSES $838B STIMULUS PACKAGE
U.S. Senators yesterday approved an $838 billion dollar stimulus package 61 to 37, following last week’s House passage of an $819 billion dollar bundle. Both arms of Congress will now have to reconcile their bills before setting one consolidated plan before the President-a task which could prove difficult given a number of major discrepancies.
ENGEL SEEKS TO PRESERVE STIMULUS FUNDS FOR CLEAN ENERGY
Congressman Eliot Engel, who represents parts of Rockland County, wasted no time pointed out one key difference between the two versions passed. He’s asking House leaders to preserve investments in clean energy programs left out of the Senate’s “American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.” The cuts include $5 billion for retrofitting federal buildings and public housing to be more energy efficient. The Senate’s bill also cuts a billion in loan guarantees for wind and solar projects, including transmission line upgrades.
FED EXPANDS PLAN TO “THAW” CREDIT
To help further thaw consumer and small business credit, the Federal Reserve this week also committed to expanding five-fold a current program aimed at these specific sectors. This decision grows funding from two hundred billion to a trillion. In another move to boost confidence, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner says the administration intends to release the remaining half of the $700 billion dollars in bailout monies passed last year under President Bush.
All this news, however, hasn’t impressed Wall Street, reflective in the Dow Jones closing down more than 300 points yesterday.
2/10/09
INDIAN PT. TO TEST EMERGENCY SIREN NETWORK
Indian Point’s emergency alert sirens will be tested between 10-11AM tomorrow. Entergy, the owner of the Buchanan nuclear reactors, plans to conduct a full volume test that’s expected to last approximately four minutes. Residents living within the ten-mile radius of Indian Point are reminded that tomorrow’s sounding requires no public action. In the event of a real emergency, the siren sounding would be the signal to tune into the emergency alert system broadcast on this station for further instructions.
192 ROCKLANDERS CLASSIFIED HOMELESS
There are seventy-one people living in makeshift encampments in wooded areas across the county. This figure was released yesterday following our county’s recent “Point in Time” survey, which attempted to count Rockland’s homeless population. In addition to those living outdoors, the Department of Social Services reports another 69 people in emergency shelters and 52 in transitional housing, bringing the total population of those classified as homeless to 192.
Social Services representatives are encouraging the homeless or those in danger of becoming homeless to contact the department for assistance in locating housing at 845-364-2000.
ORAL ARGUMENTS ADJOURNED IN CASE OF TARTIKOV VS. POMONA
Oral arguments in the case of the Rabbinical College of Tartikov vs. the Village of Pomona have been adjourned to the beginning of next month. The case is being heard in the U.S. Supreme Court in White Plains before Judge Kenneth Karas. It’s centered on Tartikov’s proposal to build and operate a rabbinical college and dormitories that would house 250 rabbis and their families over the 15 year-course of study. The campus would sit on a parcel of property near the intersection of route 202 and 306.
CHLAMYDIA TOPS THE LIST OF REPORTED INFECTIOUS DISEASES
Chlamydia and Lyme top the charts of infectious diseases reported in the county last year. The number of people treated for Chlamydia, a sexually transmitted disease, rose by fifty year over year to 592 cases. Lyme disease, a tick borne illness, climbed at an alarming rate, up about 240% to 489 people diagnosed. Health officials attribute the huge spike to enhanced reporting of the disease. Coming in third and fourth place respectively were shigellosis and hepatitis C. Depite it making it the top five, hepatitis C cases actually declined by about half compared to 2007.
NEW GRAND JURY TO HEAR EVIDENCE IN LARCENY FORGERY CASE
The evidence that indicted a Spring Valley couple for attempting to steal a Decatur Avenue home from a retired school bus driver will be presented before a new Grand Jury, along with new information one county court justice says was intentionally left out. Judge Victor Alfieri yesterday found Gary Lee Heavner, an assistant district attorney involved in the case, guilty of prosecutorial misconduct.
He maintains Heavner intentionally withheld details that could have assisted Michael and Chaya Goldstein in defending themselves. Alfieri says Heavner did not present all the background requested by a grand juror regarding a previous state Supreme Court ruling that upheld the contract the couple had entered into with Venera Held. The Goldsteins are being charged with second-degree grand larceny and forgery.
TASTE TESTINGS OFFERED AS PART OF ONGOING “STEPS” CAMPAIGN
Making better dietary choices is at the heart of a campaign the county Health Department hopes will drive down rates of a host of illnesses and conditions including, diabetes, obesity, cancer, high blood pressure and cholesterol. To this end, the department this afternoon is offering free food demonstrations and taste testings at the Avenue Deli on Samsondale Avenue in West Haverstraw. They’ll be doing the same on February 17th at Jose’s Grocery along Railroad Avenue, also in West Haverstraw. Tips on adapting to a healthy lifestyle are available online at www.rocklandsteps.org.
2/9/09
ROCKLAND D.A. FILES 700 FELONY CASES IN 2008
Rockland District Attorney Tom Zugibe reports his office filed 700 felony cases last year, yielding a 98% conviction rate. Zugibe says over his thirteen months in office, he’s placed renewed emphasis on prosecuting armed violent felons, along with major drug dealers. New additions to the D.A.’s office over the last year include a Special Investigations Unit that has established a Real Estate Fraud Investigation Task Force and an Asset Forfeiture Unit.
A welfare fraud amnesty program was also developed in coordination with the county’s Office of Social Services but so far less than half a dozen people have turned themselves in. The amnesty program was created on the heals of 43 local felony welfare fraud arrests.
PUBLIC HEARING SET ON PATERSON’S PROPOSED $121B BUDGET
Public comment on Governor David Paterson’s proposed $121 billion dollar budget will be accepted this Thursday during a hearing at the Suffern Library. Rockland’s entire state legislative delegation will be present to listen to residents’ thoughts on the spending plan, which is about one percent heftier than the current year’s and includes an assortment of nearly 90 new or added taxes and fees. Thursday’s budget hearing will run 2-4PM at the Suffern Library on Lafayette Avenue. Each participant will be given three minutes to comment.
NRC TO HOST HEARING ON INDIAN PT. LICENSE RENEWAL
A two-part public hearing on the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s draft environmental impact study for Indian Point’s license renewal will be also be held Thursday. Comments will be heard 1:30PM and, again at 7PM, at the Colonial Terrace on Oregon Road in Cortlandt Manor. The NRC’s study concludes there are no environmental impacts that would preclude Indian Point from obtaining a 20 year license extension.
DOCTORS VOLUNTEER TO FILL VOID LEFT IN CLINIC CLOSURE
The closure of a general medical clinic at the Robert Yeager Health Complex has left hundreds of people without adequate access to health care. A major cut in state funding was responsible for shutting the clinic effective January 1st, according to an article in today’s Journal News. One of the doctor’s who had for years been treating patients through the clinic is now reaching out to the county in efforts of establishing one to take its place.
Dr. Lloyd Hamilton is asking the county’s permission to provide the free service through “Doctors Within Borders,” a non-profit group of doctors he’s brought together- a coalition willing to volunteer their time to treat those without health coverage. County Executive Scott Vanderhoef’s office tells Journal News reporters the proposal is being investigated.
THREE NAMES CIRCULATING AS POTENTIAL COUNTY EXEC CANDIDATES
Rockland County Executive Scott Vanderhoef this election season will likely see contest from within and outside his party if he chooses to seek a fifth four year term. Although official announcements of candidacy have yet been made, there are three major contenders who seem most likely to stake a claim to the seat. Democratic Orangetown Supervisor Tom Kleiner and Republican Legislator Ed Day are rumored to be the most likely to challenge Vanderhoef’s incumbency. If Vanderhoef decides to run again, Day would have to primary him in order to secure the Republican line in the upcoming November 3rd general election.
ORANGETOWN CLERK OFFERS SATELLITE OFFICE HOURS
Orangetown Clerk Charlotte Madigan this Wednesday will offer satellite office hours out of the Pearl River Library. She’ll be on hand to assist those interested in obtaining commuter parking and handicap permits as well as dog licenses and vital statistics. These services will be offered from 10:30-12:30PM at the Pearl River Library on Franklin Avenue.
ORANGETOWN BOARD MEETS TONIGHT
Orangetown’s board will meet 7:30 tonight. Members will continue to hear comment on a proposed amendment to town code regarding the Planned Adult Community Floating Zone.
2/6/09
VOLUNTEERS BATTLE WASHINGTON AVENUE INFERNO
Volunteer firefighters from close to a dozen departments last night battled a blaze that consumed a 30,000 square foot warehouse on Washington Avenue in Suffern. The eleven-hour fight to extinguish the flames came along with challenging weather conditions. Frozen sidewalks and streets impeded traction as volunteers scurried to keep the water pumping into the heart of the inferno. Conserv Construction was gutted in the blaze, the cause of which remains under investigation.
MICHEL & MEYERS ASK EAST RAMAPO TO KEEP SCHOOLS OPEN
Two Rockland legislators who represent portions of Ramapo are asking Superintendent Ira Oustatcher and the rest of the East Ramapo school board not to shut two elementary schools. Legislators Jacque Michel and Joe Meyers have introduced a legislative resolution formalizing their request. The closure of Lime Kiln and Hempstead elementary schools has been suggested as a way for the district to seal a gap and save between $1.2 and $1.4 million.
Michel and Meyers say the district should fully explore other cost-saving methods before resorting to such an extreme measure, one they’ve referred to as “draconian and intrusive.” The East Ramapo board is expected to vote on the school closings proposal by month’s end.
MARONEY & JACKSON EXTEND WORDS OF WELCOME TO PFIZER C.E.O.
Meanwhile, another two county legislators representing portions of Pearl River and Nanuet are reaching out to Pfizer with words of welcome as they announce they’re imminent acquisition of Wyeth Pharmaceuticals. In a letter to Pfizer’s CEO Jeffrey Kindler, Legislators Pat Moroney and Bob Jackson praised the county’s 100 year relationship with the facility and offered Pfizer assistance during this transition period.
As Rockland’s largest private sector employer, Wyeth currently provides 3100 jobs out of its Pearl River campus. Many are hoping Pfizer’s post acquisition plan to cut 15% of its total company workforce will not have a significant local impact. The $68 billion dollar takeover is not expected to begin until late third quarter.
156 NEW CITIZENS NATURALIZED IN POMONA
One hundred and fifty-six people from forty-two countries this morning became U.S. citizens. The naturalization ceremony was held at the Fire Training Center in Pomona. Rockland Legislator Ed Day delivered the keynote address with the oath administered by Rockland County Clerk Paul Piperato. Supporters of legal immigration point to those naturalized today as reflecting the commitment to this nation that made our country great.
PUBLIC COMMENT SOUGHT ON INDIAN PT. DRAFT ENVIRONMENT IMPACT STUDY
A two-part public hearing on the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s draft environmental impact study for Indian Point’s license renewal will be held next Thursday. Comments will be heard 1:30PM and, again at 7PM, at the Colonial Terrace on Oregon Road in Cortlandt Manor. The NRC’s study concludes there are no environmental impacts that would preclude Indian Point from obtaining a 20 year license extension.
HAMLETS HOST EVENING BLOOD DRIVE
The Hamlets along Kings Gate in Nanuet is hosting a blood drive 5-9 this evening. People are invited to drop in and donate. All blood types are urgently needed.
2/5/09
MOST WON’T QUALIFY FOR RECOVERY REBATE CREDIT
Tax filing season is upon us and the Internal Revenue Service says most taxpayers who received the economic stimulus payment last year will not qualify for the recovery rebate credit on their 2008 federal income tax return. Early sampling of tax returns shows about 15% have errors involving the recovery rebate credit. To avoid refund delays, I.R.S. Spokesman Kevin McKeon suggests taxpayers be clear about the exact amount of their stimulus payment in order to fill out the worksheet that will help determine whether they qualify for the recovery credit. You can look up the amount of your stimulus payment by visiting www.IRS.gov or by calling 1-866-234-2942.
I.R.S. SEEKS TO FILL REVENUE OFFICER POSITIONS
Meanwhile, the I.R.S. is reaching out to job seekers with local employment opportunities. The agency is currently accepting applications for revenue officer positions. Interested candidates must submit their applications online at www.usajobs.opm.gov before February 20th.
COUNTY HELPS SECTION 8 RECIPIENTS BECOME HOMEOWNERS
It may seem like a huge leap for many families but the county is offering Section 8 recipients guidance on how to transition into a home of their own. Established and funded through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Renewal, the Housing Choice Voucher program is free and open to all Section 8 beneficiaries. The first of eight weekly classes is being offered this afternoon. The Housing Choice Voucher Program helps Section 8 families become first-time homebuyers by treating their monthly subsidy as income to qualify them for a mortgage.
People can find out more about the program by contacting the Housing Opportunities for Growth, Advancement and Revitalization, known as HOGAR, at 845-429-1100. Rockland’s Office of Community Development reports five families have become homeowners through this Housing Choice Voucher program.
MARINO CHOOSES NOT TO RUN FOR 3RD TERM
Stony Point Supervisor Phil Marino will not seek reelection to a third term. The sixty-two year old retired school teacher did not elaborate on the decision, except to say there were other things he wanted to get involved in that would require more of his time. In just over three years at the helm, Marino, along with the rest of the town board, helped reverse the town’s finances, turning debt into a $4 million dollar surplus despite significant reductions in taxes paid by power-generator Mirant.
Nyack Mayor John Shields last month announced he would not run for a fifth term, inviting new blood to the village helm. Both Marino and Shields say they chose to make their announcements early enough to give others time to prepare for a shot at their respective positions.
COUNTY RESIDENTS INVITED TO COMMENT ON $121B STATE BUDGET
County residents one week from today will have an opportunity to comment on the Governor’s proposed $121 billion dollar state budget. Rockland’s entire state legislative delegation is sponsoring the public hearing, which will begin 2PM Thursday, February 12th at the Suffern Library. Participants will each be given three minutes to speak.
State lawmakers are now struggling to approve spending cuts for the next fiscal year as they wrestle with ways to make up for a $15.4 billion dollar current year deficit. Both houses Tuesday agreed to $1.6 billion in cuts to plug up an addition budgetary shortage spanning 2007-2008.
NO BOIL WATER ADVISORIES RESULT FROM RT. 202 MAIN BREAK
United Water crews early yesterday afternoon completed repairs to a water main break that shut Route 202 in both directions near Wilder Road in Ramapo. Service was completely restored to the surrounding area by 1:30PM. Crews responded to the break at around 6AM, at which point water pressure had been significantly reduced throughout portions of Monsey, Wesley Hills and Pomona. By 10AM the break had been isolated with pressure restored to all but thirty living adjacent to the site. The problem was fixed fast enough as not to prompt any boil water advisories.
2/4/09
WATER PRESSURE RESTORED TO MOST RAMAPO RESIDENTS
United Water crews have been able to isolate a water main break along Route 202 near Wilder Road in Ramapo, restoring normal service to all but approximately thirty homes. Crews responded to the break at around 6AM, at which point water pressure had been significantly reduced throughout portions of Monsey, Wesley Hills and Pomona. United Water Spokesman Steve Goudsmith tells WRCR no boil water advisories had been issued as of noon. If that changes through the day, the utility will directly contact affected customers with instructions.
PERTH AVENUE WATER ADVISORY LIFTED
Meanwhile, the boil water advisory for Perth Avenue in Chestnut Ridge has been lifted. The advisory was issued Saturday due to a main break in the area. United Water only declares a boil water advisory if the necessary repairs are not able to be made within four hours of isolating a main break.
LEGISLATOR DAY CALLS FOR ZERO-BASED BUDGETING
Rockland Legislature’s Minority Leader Ed Day last night challenged county leaders to commit to zero-based budgeting. Day, a Republican, used his annual minority report to call for heightened fiscal prudence. He says it’s time every government office justify every cent of funding; adding none should enter the budget process with the feeling of entitlement. He also reiterated his ongoing disapproval of the imbalanced nature between what Rockland pays into the MTA and what it gets back in services; suggesting the county consider withdrawing from the agency altogether.
PUBLIC COMMENTS ACCEPTED AT WWW.MTA.INFO
Residents who were unable to make it to Monday’s MTA public hearing can submit their comments online at www.MTA.Info. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority is entertaining a plan that incorporates both a schedule of sizeable fare hikes and a payroll mobility tax.
DUTCHESS COUNTY BOY RECOVERING FROM SALMONELLA INFECTION
A Dutchess County child is recovering from a case of salmonella poisoning. Although the strain is not the one usually associated with the ongoing peanut butter recall, health officials say he very well could of contracted the bacteria from eating peanut butter cookies. They will not be able to conclusively determine the source as they couldn’t test the cookies since the young child has consumed them all before falling ill. Caregivers can read up on the latest peanut butter related recalls by visiting the U.S. Food and Drug Administration online at www.fda.gov.
TURKEY HILL RECALLS SIX FLAVORS CONTAINING PEANUT PIECES
Meanwhile, Turkey Hill Dairy has announced a voluntary recall of six ice cream and frozen yogurt flavors containing peanut pieces. The Lancaster, Pennsylvania company says these products, which were sold in New York, contain peanut pieces purchased from Peanut Corporation of America, the current focus of the ongoing federal Salmonella investigation. Turkey Hill’s recall does not include any products that contain peanut butter since the company uses a different supplier for that ingredient.
BEWARE OF SALMONELLA SYMPTOMS
Salmonella is an organism that poses the greatest threat to the very young, elderly and those with compromised immune systems. Symptoms include fever, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal pain. People with these symptoms should contact their doctor immediately.
RAMAPO FAULT ZONE BLAMED FOR CENTRAL N.J. EARTHQUAKE
Although the earth did not quake beneath our feet Monday, seismologists say the related fault zone does run just under our toes. The earthquake felt in parts of central New Jersey measured a 3 on the Richter scale and emanated from the Ramapo fault zone that runs through Rockland- it actually starts in eastern Pennsylvania and continues right on through the mid Hudson Valley. This seismic event is being investigated by scientists at Columbia University’s Lahmont Doherty Observatory in Palisades.
2/3/09
HOUSE TO TAKE 2ND VOTE ON DIGITAL T.V. DEADLINE EXTENSION
The U.S. House of Representatives this week is expected to take action to delay the February 17th digital T.V. deadline. This would mark the second time the bill’s gone before the House for a vote. Last time it fell just short of receiving the two-thirds majority needed. It has, however, already received passage in the U.S. Senate. Rockland’s 17th district Congressman Eliot Engel tells WRCR he’s optimistic his House will approve the extension this time around.
According to Nielsen, the nation’s chief television rater, 6.5 million households across the U.S. would be affected by the transition from analog to digital television signal transmission.
NYACK HOSPITAL HOSTS TWO-PART BLOOD DRIVE
A two-part blood drive begins at Nyack Hospital today. Qualified donors are invited to drop in anytime between 2:30 and 8PM today and, again, from 10AM-3:30PM tomorrow. New York Blood Center is requesting all those able to give blood to do so as soon as possible to help counter our region’s shortage. Through the holidays, supplies fell below safety levels and donations of all types are urgently needed. Visit the www.nybloodcenter.org for more information on giving blood and hosting local drives.
SCHOOLS START ON TIME DESPITE LIGHT SNOW DUSTING
Schools were off and running on time this morning despite a light dusting. More snow, but not much, will accumulate before this storm exits our area. Meteorologist Mark Hanok says light flurries will continue on again and off again into the evening hours delivering no more than an inch to three.
There are a few weather-related announcements to report:
The American Cancer Society has cancelled today’s Breast Cancer Support Meeting.
Good Samaritan Hospital’s Heart Club meeting set for 6:30 tonight has also been rescheduled. Members should contact the hospital for additional information.
HAVERSTRAW BRAWL REMAINS UNDER INVESTIGATION
A Haverstraw police officer is recovering today from a weekend brawl during which he alleges he was attacked by two brothers. Thirty-year old Jose Batista and his younger sibling Jason were also injured during the incident. Some family members, in turn, are claiming both brothers were the victims of police brutality. The unidentified officer, who received 21 stitches to his face, had responded to a domestic call in which the mother of Jose Batista’s children told police Jose had threatened her life.
Haverstraw’s police chief says there was no police brutality involved and that it was the brothers who attacked the officer. Both brothers yesterday plead not-guilty to felony assault charges. An investigation into this incident continues.
PORTIONS OF PERTH AVENUE REMAIN UNDER BOIL WATER ADVISORY
Meanwhile, a boil water advisory is still in effect for portions of Perth Avenue in Chestnut Ridge. Customers in that area should continue to boil their water for one minute before consuming. No action at all is required prior to showering or washing clothes. This advisory was issued Saturday as a result of a neighborhood main break.
2/2/09
HEARING ON MTA PROPOSAL RUNS 6-9PM IN WEST NYACK
Rockland residents, employers and elected officials tonight are invited to comment on an MTA proposed thirty-plus percent fare hike and payroll mobility tax. This evening’s public hearing runs 6-9PM at the Palisades Mall Raso Community Room in West Nyack. Metropolitan Transportation Authority board members will be on hand to hear comments on the controversial plan many say will penalize both area train riders and employers whose workers do not even use the MTA’s infrastructure.
According to data provided by the MTA, Rockland is one of only two member counties that experience a value gap- each year paying out $40 million more than what it receives in the form of funding and services. If the mobility payroll tax is approved, the gap would grow by forcing Rockland business, not-for-profits and government agencies to contribute an additional $18 million in taxes annually.
MANDIA RESIGNS AFTER TWENTY YEARS ON CLARKSTOWN BOARD
Republican Clarkstown Councilman Ralph Mandia has officially resigned his seat on the town board due to his battle with long-term illness. Mandia, who’s served as councilman since 1989, will be replaced by appointment at the next board meeting. Town residents will be able to elect a candidate to fill his seat this November.
MAIN BREAK ON GRANT ST. LOWERS AREA WATER PRESSURE
A water main break on Grand Street is causing reduced pressure along Clarkstown Road in New City. Crews are working to make the necessary repairs. United Water service reps do not believe the break will prompt a boil water advisory. However, if one is ultimately issued United Water will directly contact all affected costumers. Anyone experiencing service-related emergencies should contact United Water New York toll-free at 877 426 8969.
PERTH AVENUE BOIL WATER ADVISORY STILL IN EFFECT
Meanwhile, a boil water advisory is still in effect for portions of Perth Avenue in Chestnut Ridge. Customers in that area should boil their water for one minute before consuming. However, no action at all is required prior to showering or washing clothes. The advisory was issued Saturday as a result of a neighborhood main break.
PUNXSUTAWNEY PHIL PREDICTS ANOTHER SIX WEEKS OF WINTER
People throughout the region earlier today turned their attention to Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania where a groundhog named Phil ventured out of his hole and saw his shadow; something the 123 year-old tradition regards a sign of a longer winter- six weeks longer to be exact. Over the years, Punxsutawney Phil’s seen his shadow about 85% of the time. 1999 was the last time he did not.
RAIN TURNS TO SNOW IN TIME FOR TOMORROW’S COMMUTE
Well, winter won’t be making a fast exit here in Rockland County. Meteorologist Mark Hanok says a storm will head into our area later today bringing rain through the night, which will change over to snow just in time for tomorrow morning’s commute. No more than an inch or two of snow’s expected before skies clear just before noon. A complete Rockland weather forecast follows the news. You can also get updated forecasts by calling the WRCR/Keller Williams weather phone at 845-623-1400.
257 PEOPLE PARTICIPATE IN 10TH ANNUAL POLAR PLUNGE
The air was warmer than the waters of the Hudson yesterday when 257 people took part in the 10th annual Stony Point Seals’ “Polar Plunge.” About 600 spectators crowded the seawall to watch the annual event. All proceeds of this year’s plunge will be equally divided between the families of 4 year-old Lexi Manning and 3 and a half year-old Danielle Swoboda; two young Rockland girls who suffer from rare neurological disorders. Visit www.stonypointseals.com to learn more about Polar Plunge, this year’s beneficiaries or to make a donation.
1/30/09
LOCAL BUSINESSES RECOGNIZED FOR ALCOHOL SALES COMPLIANCE
Ramapo and Clarkstown businesses this week have been recognized for their compliance with alcohol sales laws. Names of the establishments who passed compliance tests were forwarded from both town police departments to the Rockland Council on Alcoholism and Other Drug Dependency. The agency, in turn, granted certificates to those retailers as part of its “Unstung Heroes Program.” Ramapo reports heightened alcohol sales enforcement has enabled the town to achieve a 99% compliance rate.
COUNTY HONORS BOBBY YOUNG, SR. WITH BUFFALO SOLIDER AWARD
Rockland’s 2009 Buffalo Soldier Award yesterday was bestowed upon seventy-one year Bobby Young Sr. of Hillcrest. Young, a 26 veteran of the New York Army National Guard, for the last three years has continued his service to the local community by organizing the annual Four Chaplain’s Service. He’s the 28th honoree to receive the Buffalo Soldier Award and was chosen by a panel of past recipients.
The award is named for the soldiers of the 10th Black Calvary Regiment who earned their legendary reputation during 23 years of undefeated battle waged as part of the Indian Wars spanning 1867 to 1890.
ROCKLAND PAYS TRIBUTE TO FOUR CHAPLAINS
Rockland’s annual Four Chaplains Memorial Service will be held 9AM Sunday in Marian Shrine’s new chapel along Filors Lane in Stony Point. Each year, residents across the area gather to honor the memories of four WWII chaplains who gave up their life jackets to save others aboard the sinking U.S.S. Dorchester. Sunday’s service is being jointly sponsored by the Leo Ladders and Rockland County’s American Legion.
POMONA PEDESTRIAN STRUCK & KILLED ON RT. 202
A Pomona man last night was fatally hit by a car while walking along Route 202 with his wife. EMTs with the Spring Hill Volunteer Ambulance Corp. tried resuscitating Ernest Stedge at the scene and transported him to Good Samaritan Hospital where he was pronounced dead. A portion of Route 202 near the Mount Ivy Diner was shut down shortly after the 7PM accident. The driver of BMW convertible that hit Stedge was questioned at the scene but no charges have yet been filed against him.
An investigation into the tragic accident continues and Ramapo police are asking anyone who witnessed it to contact the department immediately at 845-357-2400.
TEMPERATURES TO DIP AND PEAK
Snow flurries will move in and out of our area tonight but Mark Hanok says even a potential snow squall will not contribute any significant accumulation. Temperatures today will hover a degree or two above freezing and then plunge down into the twenties tomorrow. But just in time for the Stony Point Seals 10th annual Polar Plunge, Sunday gets a high of forty. A complete Rockland weather report follows the local news.
STONY PT. SEALS READY FOR 10TH ANNUAL “POLAR PLUNGE”
The Stony Point Seals are gearing up for their traditional Super Bowl Sunday Polar Plunge. Sunday’s event marks their 10th consecutive offbeat fundraiser with all proceeds raised this year split evenly between the families of two young Rockland girls who suffer from rare neurological conditions. All donations will go to the families of Lexi Manning and Danielle Swaboda. To sponsor the plunge, particularly WRCR’s Liz Possell, write a check payable to the Stony Point Seals and send it to P.O. Box 654; Stony Point, NY 10980.
Those who’d like to take the plunge or watch it happen should get to the Grassy Point Seawall in Stony Point by noon this Sunday. Participants and spectators alike are encouraged to park either in the old CVS lot along 9W or the commuter lot near Noel’s and hop a bus down to the seawall. The last bus will leave the CVS lot at 12:15PM. Remember, passenger vehicles will be barred from the seawall during the event.
1/29/09
RESIDENTS REMINDED TO FILE FOR E.I.T.C.
Assemblyman Ken Zebrowski today is reminding low-income workers to apply for the federal and state Earned Income Tax Credits. Each year, many eligible taxpayers lose out by fail to claim these credits. For more information on EITC qualifications, contact the IRS toll-free at 1-800-829-1040 or visit www.irs.gov.
LONGHI SUCCEEDS MCMAHON AS O&R’S NEW PRESIDENT & CEO
William G. Longhi has been chosen to succeed John McMahon as CEO and President of Orange & Rockland Utilities. The fifty-five year old Katonah, NY resident has served at Senior V.P. of Central Operations at O&R’s parent company Con Edison, where he’s been employed since 1976. McMahon returns to Con Ed as Executive V.P. after six years of overseeing its Rockland and Orange territory. Longhi will officially assume his new position February 1st.
STUDENTS MUST WAIT ‘TIL JUNE TO MAKE UP MISSED REGENTS EXAMS
The snow is over for now but drivers are advised to watch out for black ice, particularly on side streets. Schools opened on time today. Students who missed Regents exams yesterday due to countywide school closures have some extra time to study. June marks their next opportunity to take a variety of Regents, including Earth Science, U.S. History and some foreign languages. Those who yesterday were set to take part II of their English Regents have to retake the entire exam later this year.
Active Golden Seniors of Spring Valley and Foster Grandparents have cancelled their meetings for today.
ICE SUSPENDS HAVERSTRAW FERRY SERVICE
Meanwhile, ice on the Hudson this week continues to keep the Haverstraw-Ossining ferry at bay. Despite the mid-winter, albeit, temporary inconvenience of having to find alternate transportation, commuters are warming up to the service with a reported six percent rise in ridership between 2007 and 2008. The Newburgh-Beacon ferry has grown even more popular with a near 30% spike in ridership over the same period.
EX-NYC P.D. SERGEANT & NANUET RESIDENT PLEADS GUILTY TO SODOMY
A thirty-nine year old Nanuet man this week resigned his post as a NYC police sergeant after pleading guilty to first-degree attempted sodomy. Jaime Katz, a ten year veteran of the force, had been accused of sexually abusing over the course of six years a 12 year old boy that had been adopted by a family member. The young boy and his older brother were adopted after losing their mother.
Katz decided to plead guilty to a lesser charge just one day before he was scheduled to stand trial on 31 counts of sex abuse. County Court Judge Victor Alfieri accepted the plea bargain to spare the now- 18 year-old victim from having to testify. Katz could get up to five years in state prison when he’s sentenced on March 23rd. He still, however, must next month answer to similar charges in Manhattan court.
1/28/09
SNOW SHUTS SCHOOLS, CANCELS PROGRAMS/MEETINGS
Snowy weather has shut all Rockland public schools, colleges and most daycares centers today.
Camp Venture Day Programs, Jawonio and Meals on Wheels Senior Centers and Adult Programs have all been cancelled, along with
St. Anthony’s Senior Club, Senior Net, Conger’s #1 and Foster Grandparent meetings.
The Torne Valley Senior Group meeting has been rescheduled for February 11th.
Suffern’s Senior Exercise Program at the Community Center has been cancelled.
Ramapo Catskill Library System is closed. All deliveries have been cancelled.
T.R.I.P.S. bus system started rolling at 11AM. The Mental Health Association, however, has cancelled all transportation for the day.
STORM TO EXIT AREA LATE AFTERNOON
Snow has turned to freezing rain throughout the area with precipitation expected to taper off late this afternoon. All said and done, the storm’s dropped between three and four inches across the county. Drivers are advised to allow extra time in their travels as black ice could become a concern with temperatures hovering in the mid-thirties through the day and falling below freezing overnight. Stay tuned for your updated weather report following the local news.
SPRING VALLEY MAYOR NAMED IN SEXUAL HARASSMENT SUIT
Spring Valley Mayor George Darden has been named in a sexual harassment lawsuit filed by a village employee. Monique Anderson claims Darden repeatedly passed obscene innuendos aimed at developing a sexual relationship. The forty-three year old runs the Village’s Section 8 Office, which has been the focus of a federal investigation that’s found it to be poorly managed. Darden maintains his innocence, saying the suit is just Anderson’s attempt to redirect attention from her incompetence. Both parties are scheduled to appear in court mid-March for a pretrial conference.
POSEN CHARGED FOR POLICE CHASE
Twenty-three year old Charles Posen of Spring Valley has been released on an $82,000 bail after being arrested for fleeing the scene of an accident that ended a New Jersey police chase. Bergen County authorities say Posen ran away from the crash site, leaving behind a sixteen year old passenger. The passenger did not suffer injury. His name has not been released due to his juvenile status. Posen gave chase 8PM last Thursday when police attempted to pull him over for speeding near southbound P.I.P. exit 2. Two New Jersey officers endured leg injuries in the course of their pursuit.
A Journal New article identifies Posen as an unemployed Israeli student, who now faces a multitude of charges including, eluding authorities, resisting arrest, endangering the welfare of a juvenile and aggravated assault on an officer.
DINAPOLI RELEASES 12/08 PENSION FUND REPORT
New York Comptroller Tom DiNapoli yesterday publicly released last month’s pension fund report. The $153.9 billion dollar common retirement fund last December closed five real estate transactions worth $16.3 million. DiNapoli’s report also disclosed details of eight private equity commitments made in the sum of $76.8 million euro. Complete monthly reports going back to February 2007 are available on the Comptroller’s website: www.osc.state.ny.us.
BIG BONUSES REDUCED IN 2008; SOME HELD OFF TO NEW YEAR
Meanwhile, DiNapoli today reports Wall Street bonuses fell forty-four percent last year. The bonus pool paid by the securities industry to its employees was down from $32.9 billion in 2007 to $18.4 billion in 2008. Some critics, however, argue the figures are off since some companies did not cut back so much as they were shamed into delaying 2008 bonuses to the first quarter of the New Year. Despite the timing, there’s still an overall reduction in bonuses- the exact amount of which is not yet know. What the Comptroller does know is that any reduction is going to have a ripple effect on tax revenue into state coffers, putting further stress on the ongoing 2009-2010 budget process.
1/27/09
PFIZER TO BUY OUT WYETH IN $68B DEAL
Wyeth Pharmaceuticals has agreed to a $68 billion dollar Pfizer buyout; a move that may threaten jobs at the company’s Pearl River factory. As Rockland’s largest private sector employer, Wyeth contributes 3100 jobs to the local economy. No one’s sure how many of those will be eliminated in Pfizer’s post acquisition plan to cut 15% of its workforce- that's a total of 19,000 positions. The takeover’s not expected to officially begin until late third quarter.
SPARKILL MAN TO BE SENTENCED FOR KICKING FOOT THROUGH PATROL CAR WINDOW
A thirty-four year old Sparkill man will be sentenced in March for kicking his foot through a passenger window of a Clarkstown police patrol car. Jason Feddeck has plead guilty to one count of third degree criminal mischief tied to the August 1st incident. Feddeck had been arrested after impeding a police investigation into a domestic dispute. The officer who responded to the call said Feddeck got in the way of routine questioning by shouting obscenities and refusing to remain seated.
19 YEAR-OLD GUILTY PLEADS GUILTY TO CASHING FORGED CHECK
Meanwhile, a nineteen year-old Bronx woman has plead guilty to third degree grand larceny. Natesha Prince was taken into police custody last September when she attempted to cash a forged check made out for $7,652 dollars at the Washington Mutual Bank in Nanuet. Prince is scheduled to be sentenced March 18th.
S. MONSEY RD. FIRE UNDER INVESTIGATION
Monsey’s volunteer firefighters last night extinguished a blaze that gutted a South Monsey Road bungalow. The fire was reported at 6:35PM and by the time police and volunteers arrived the home was completely engulfed in flames. Thankfully, no one was injured in the blaze, the cause of which remains under investigation today. Rockland Sheriff’s BCI Unit and Ramapo Police have been investigating a series of arsons in the town. No word on whether or not their considering last night’s fire suspicious.
MISSING HAVERSTRAW TEEN LOCATED
Some good news to report: A sixteen year-old Haverstraw girl yesterday was found one week after going missing. Police have not released any further information regarding Saphone Dorcelian’s time away from home.
G.E. MUST PAY FOR ALTERNATE WATER SOURCE DURING DREDGING
After years of legal holdups and environmental impact studies, the dredging of PCBs from the Hudson River is scheduled to begin this spring. The Environmental Protection Agency, which is charged with overseeing the process, yesterday announced a federal ruling requiring General Electric to pay $7 million towards the cost of protecting nearby water supplies for the duration of the project. Communities in Halfmoon and Waterford, NY that currently get their drinking water from the Hudson River will have to revert to alternate sources when dredging begins.
A 2006 consent decree forces G.E. to remove the polychlorinated byphenols it dumped into the Hudson River through the mid-1970s. More information on this project and an aerial view of the affected portion of the Hudson River are available online at www.epa.gov.
SNOWSTORM TO BRING 3-5 INCHES
Three to five inches of snow will begin falling on Rockland midnight tonight, with the heaviest accumulation expected through tomorrow morning’s commute. This storm brings with it the first significant snowfall of the New Year. Stay tuned to WRCR through the day for updated forecasts and the latest weather-related closings, cancellations and delays.
1/27/09
FREE RADON TESTING OFFERED TO ROCKLAND HOMEOWNERS
January is Radon Action Month and the county’s Health Department is offering free testing to low to moderate-income homeowners. Exposure to radon, a naturally occurring odorless, colorless, radioactive gas, is believed to cause an estimated 20,000 U.S. lung cancer deaths each year. Radon is most commonly found in basements as it enters through cracks and openings in a home’s foundation. Contact the Rockland County Department of Health for more information on free radon testing.
SEARCH FOR M&T BANK ROBBER CONTINUES
An extensive search for the man who Friday robbed M&T Bank in Chestnut Ridge at gunpoint has so far turned up nothing. Eyewitnesses say the thief approached a bank teller at around 11:15AM took out an automatic handgun and demanded cash. Thankfully, no was injured. Authorities have not yet publicly disclosed the amount of money stolen.
The suspect’s described as a light-skinned male wearing sunglasses and dressed in a dark hooded sweatshirt. He fled by foot but was later seen getting into a dark Cadillac. Police are working to determine whether or not a burning pile of clothes reported on Beckerlee Drive approximately a half hour after the robbery could’ve belonged to the thief. Anyone with information regarding this robbery is asked to call Ramapo P.D. at 845-357-2400.
HELICOPTER BLOCKS NYS THRUWAY EXIT 10
Ramps unto the New York State Thruway near Exit 10 were shut for a couple of hours Saturday night after a helicopter fell off a flatbed truck. Apparently, the helicopter was on route to a Parksville, NY museum when it struck the Broadway overpass in South Nyack shortly after 7PM. Both the craft and the overpass endured damage in the accident. The flatbed truck driver was ticketed at the scene.
CORNELL COMMENDS PATERSON ON CHOOSING GILLIBRAND
Governor David Paterson’s selection of Congresswoman Kirsten Gillibrand to fill a vacant U.S. Senate seat is being met with support from Rockland’s Legislative Chair Harriet Cornell. Cornell describes the 20th district representative from Hudson, NY as a prototypical public servant who’s used her effective and powerful voice to promote initiatives aimed at keeping America safe, cutting taxes for middle class families and bringing jobs and federal funding back to the state.
New York’s Comptroller Tom DiNapoli has also expressed enthusiasm for the Governor’s choice, saying Gillibrand will no doubt be the same kind of fighter as her predecessor.
ROCKLAND LAKE HOSTS HUDSON RIVER QUADRACENTENNIAL KICK-OFF
Freezing temperatures over the weekend did not keep people away from the 3rd annual Knickerbocker Ice Festival. Families from across the area converged on Rockland Lake to help kick off the Quadricentennial celebration marking the discovery of the Hudson River. Crowds were particularly drawn to the giant carved ice replica of Henry Hudson’s ship the Half Moon, which sailed down the river for the first time in 1609.
MORE SNOW WORKS ITS WAY INTO OUR AREA
Snow is on the way again. Rockland Meteorologist Mark Hanok is calling for 3-6 inches beginning to fall overnight tomorrow. Some other parts of the region could get more snow later in the week, but Hanok says in our area it will amount to very little if anything. Stay tuned to WRCR through the day for updated Rockland weather forecasts.
1/23/09
ROCKLAND LAUNCHES HUDSON RIVER QUADRICENTENNIAL CELEBRATION
Ice sculptures, hot air balloon rides, fireworks and steaming winter favorites like soups and stews are all part of the annual Knickerbocker Ice Festival, which this weekend returns to Rockland Lake. In its third year, the 2009 festival also couples as the official kick-off the quadricentennial celebration marking the 400th anniversary of Henry Hudson’s maiden voyage up the river valley later named in his honor.
BURIAL SERVICE FOR ALEYRIS MARTINEZ TO BE HELD TOMORROW
The North Rockland community today will gather to pay their respects to young Aleyris Martinez, who perished Monday in a snow tubing accident. A wake for the thirteen year-old West Haverstraw girl will be held 2-4PM and, again from 7-9PM today in Haverstraw’s George Holt Funeral Home. Aleyris will be laid to rest tomorrow in St. Peter’s Cemetery following a 10AM service.
This tragic accident is still being investigated and Haverstraw officials remind families that the Phillip Rotella Golf Course and other town properties have been and remain off-limits to winter activities like sleighing and tobogganing.
HAVERSTRAW P.D. SEARCH FOR MISSING 16 YEAR-OLD
Meanwhile Haverstraw police today continue their search for sixteen year-old Saphone Dorcelian. Saphone was last seen Monday afternoon in Garnerville, wearing blue jeans and a brown coat. She’s described as a 120 pound black girl with a dark complexion, brown eyes and black hair. Anyone with information regarding Saphone’s whereabouts is asked to immediately contact Haverstraw P.D. at 845-354-1500.
CLARKSTOWN INTRODUCES “TRAFFIC CALMING” INITIATIVE
Clarkstown is renewing its focus on traffic calming in neighborhoods prone to speeding. Supervisor Alex Gromack and Superintendent Wayne Ballard are asking residents to fill out an Application for Evaluation Form, which includes a petition of a minimum of ten households or 25% of homes on the street requesting help. To be eligible for traffic calming devises like speed bumps, daily traffic volume along the street must be within 500 and 8000 vehicles. The road itself must be at least 600 feet long. Residents are advised to contact Clarkstown Hall for program details.
CONGRESSMAN ENGEL SWORN IN TO 11TH TERM
Meanwhile, 17th district Congressman Eliot Engel this weekend will be sworn in to an 11th term representing portions of Rockland and the Bronx. Sunday’s service begins at 2PM in Rockland Community College’s Technology Building.
MEMORIAL SERVICE HELD FOR 1906 LANDSLIDE VICTIMS
Nineteen lives lost in the 1906 Haverstraw landslide will be remembered Sunday during a memorial service at the Haverstraw Brick Museum. Historian and Museum Director Pat Gordon recounts the events leading up to that tragic day, saying one of the victims had, in fact, long protested the methods being employed to excavate the clay utilized by the brick yards. Sunday’s service is set for 2PM at the Haverstraw Brick Museum, located on Main Street in Haverstraw.
ROCKLAND CONSERVATORY PRESENTS “SOUNDZ OF WINDS”
Rockland Conservatory of Music 3PM this Sunday presents the “Soundz of Winds with Quintet Tabor.” This concert is part of the conservatory’s ongoing “Soundz Series” and is free to students eighteen and under. Tickets are $12 for adults, $7 for seniors and can be purchased at the door of Simons Hall on Perlman Drive in Spring Valley.
1/22/09
ROCKLAND REPRESENTED IN 36TH ANNUAL MARCH FOR LIFE
Bus loads of Rockland residents today join throngs of Americans at our nation’s capital in petitioning the federal government to reverse the Roe vs. Wade Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion. The 36th annual March for Life marks the anniversary of that controversial ruling and puts focus on respecting life from conception to natural death. Pro-life advocates wish to see an end to legalized abortion in the United States, while pro-choice supporters feel it’s up to the individual to decide whether or not to carry their pregnancy full term.
KENNEDY DROPS OUT OF SENATE RACE
Caroline Kennedy is no longer seeking appointment to the senate seat vacated by now Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton. The surprising announcement came in a statement released just after midnight. Kennedy, along with New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, had been repeatedly named a key contender for the prestigious position.
A recent Marist Institute Poll shows New Yorker’s favor the prospect of Cuomo over Kennedy 40 to 25 percent. Nassau County Executive Tom Suozzi and Congressional Representatives Carolyn Maloney and Steve Israel have also expressed interest. The poll shows each of them receiving only single-digit approval ratings. Governor David Paterson says he will go public with his selection for the senate seat sometime before Saturday.
RAMAPO POLICE SEARCH FOR ECKERSON ROAD ARSONIST
Ramapo police this week continue to search for the arsonist behind a New Year’s Eve house fire. Four apartments inside the two story Eckerson Road home suffered extensive damage in the fire, which investigators say was set beneath the first floor stairwell. Authorities believe the blaze to have been the result of arson after finding evidence of an accelerant. Three people trapped on the second floor at the time of the fire were rescued. Thankfully, no one was seriously injured. Anyone with information regarding potential suspects should contact Ramapo police at 845-357-2400.
FELIX FESTA STUDENT ARRESTED FOR MAKING BOMB THREATS
Clarkstown police have arrested a twelve year old Felix Festa student they say left a written bomb threat in a school bathroom on two separate occasions; once in December and the second time earlier this month. Authorities found a third letter in the New City boy’s possession when he was taken into custody. His name has not been released due to his juvenile status. However, we do know he’s being charged with felony first degree filing of a false report.
MICHEL’S MONTHLY COMMUNITY MEETING SET FOR SUNDAY
Rockland Legislator Jacques Michel 3PM Sunday will host his monthly “Community Informational Meeting.” New York Assemblywoman Ellen Jaffee has arranged as guest speaker Linda Bridgewater of the NYS Higher Education Services Corporation. Bridgewater will present information on the Tuition Assistance Program, known as TAP, and other state grants and scholarships available to college-bound students. Sunday’s meeting will be held in the Finkelstein Memorial Library at the corner of Madison and Route 59 in Spring Valley.
1/21/09
ROCKLANDERS GATHER TO WATCH OBAMA “MAKE HISTORY”
Eyes and ears were fixed on the nation’s capital yesterday as men, women and children across the county tuned in to watch history in the making. At noon, Illinois Senator Barack Obama took the Oath of Office, becoming the 44th U.S. President and our country’s first African-American Chief of State. It was an intergenerational experience for students at East Ramapo’s Summit Park Elementary School, whose parents and grandparents were invited into the classroom to watch the inauguration with their youngest family members.
Challenging Americans to pick themselves up and dust themselves off, Obama’s first words spoken as President were aimed at inspiring citizens to play an active role in the massive task of rebuilding our nation’s economy.
PATERSON TO ANNOUNCE SENATE PICK BY SATURDAY
Meanwhile, Governor David Paterson says he will officially announce his pick to take Hillary Clinton’s senate seat sometime in these next three days. Caroline Kennedy and New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo have been repeatedly named the key contenders for the prestigious position.
A recent Marist Institute Poll shows New Yorker’s favor the prospect of Cuomo over Kennedy 40 to 25 percent. Nassau County Executive Tom Suozzi and Congressional Representatives Carolyn Maloney and Steve Israel have also expressed interest. The poll shows each of them receiving only single-digit approval ratings.
STATE REVOKES NYACK DOCTOR’S LICENSE
A Nyack doctor has lost his privilege to practice in New York after the state judged him to possess a “complete lack of integrity.” Prem Nath, who’s being investigated in three other states, had been on probation since 2005 for gross incompetence. During this time he was barred from practicing chronic pain management. The Office of Professional Medical Conduct determined Nath had violated the terms of his probation on a number of occasions and also found him to be billing insurance companies for procedures he never performed. Nath has maintained his innocence. He says he’s been targeted for using unconventional modalities.
ALEYRIS MARTINEZ TO BE LAID TO REST SATURDAY
An investigation into the tragic snow tubing death of a West Haverstraw girl continues today. The thirteen year old Fieldstone Middle School student has been identified as Aleyris Martinez. Authorities say she and a friend were sharing a snow tube Monday afternoon, when they hit a tree at the bottom of a steep slope near the fifth hole at the Phillip Rotella Golf Course. Martinez was pronounced dead a short time later. Her friend, whose name has not been released, was taken to Good Samaritan Hospital where she was treated for head injuries. She’s recovering at home today.
North Rockland School Superintendent Brian Monahan assures parents grievance counselors will continue to be available at both Fieldstone and Farley middle schools to assist Aleyris’ friends and classmates.
A wake for Aleyris Martinez will be held 2-4PM and, again, from 7-9PM Friday in Haverstraw’s George Holt Funeral Home. She will be laid to rest Saturday in St. Peter’s Cemetery following a 10AM service.
MONSEY MAN CONVICTED OF STEALING HOME FROM WIFE
Rockland prosecutors specializing in mortgage and real estate fraud yesterday succeeded in convicting a Spring Valley entrepreneur for stealing a Monsey home. Jurors found Egon Linzenberg guilty on seven felony charges, including grand larceny and multiple counts second degree forgery and criminal possession of a forged instrument. The D.A.’s office supplied evidence that Linzenberg stole the Regina Road home from his common law wife by forging her signature in order to gain power of attorney over her and put her portion of the home in his name. Linzenberg co-founded the Ramapo Valley Brewery, which produces kosher beer.
MTA PROPOSES FARE HIKES, “MOBILITY” TAX & SERVICE CUTS
Paying more for less seems to be the theme these days, at least when it comes to Metropolitan Transportation Authority. The agency, which contracts with NJ Transit along the Pascack Valley line, is simultaneously proposing 33% fare hikes, a “mobility” tax on payroll and weekend cuts in train service. These controversial plans will be discussed at a public hearing set for 6-9PM February 2nd in the Palisades Mall Raso Community Room. Details on proposed fare increases and service cuts can be obtained online at www.mta.info.
1/20/09 OBAMA BECOMES 44TH U.S. PRESIDENT
N.Y.S. DEPARTMENT OF TAXATION MODIFIES SEASONAL MAILING
In a cost-saving effort, New York’s Department of Taxation announces it will no longer be mailing out personal income tax forms. Instead, residents this tax season can expect a postcard in the mail with instructions on how to obtain the necessary paperwork. Forms can either be downloaded from www.nystax.gov or picked up at your local library. By enacting this change, the Department of Taxation expects to save about one million dollars in printing and postage expenses.
WESTCHESTER/PUTNAM B.O.C.E.S. INITIATES VOLUNTARY SALARY FREEZE
The Superintendent of B.O.C.E.S. servicing parts of Westchester and Putnam counties will not be getting a pay hike this year. Dr. James Langlois says the freeze on his income is state ordered but the rest of his district’s top-level employees have also agreed to a voluntary salary freeze. This includes program supervisors, directors and coordinators. Superintendent Langlois concedes the move comes in response to the economic stress which has befallen his district’s service area. Some are hoping other districts will adopt similar measures in respect to struggling taxpayers.
WEST HAVESTRAW TEEN KILLED IN SNOW TUBING ACCIDENT
A snow tubing accident at the Phillip Rotella Golf Course yesterday claimed the life of a young West Haverstraw girl. The thirteen year Fieldstone Middle School student was apparently sharing a snow tube with a friend when the two struck a tree at the bottom of a steep slope near the fifth hole. Both girls, whose names have not been released, were taken to Good Samaritan Hospital where one was pronounced dead and the other treated for serious head injuries.
North Rockland School Superintendent Brian Monahan says grievance counselors today will be available at both the Fieldstone and Farley middle schools to assist the girl’s classmates.
ONE INJURED IN 9W/GURNEE ROAD HEAD-ON COLLISSION
Meanwhile, a 47 year old Haverstraw man was hospitalized yesterday after enduring a head on collision at the intersection of Route 9W and Gurnee Road. Police say the man’s injuries were not life threatening and that the driver and three passengers in the second vehicle refused medical attention. The cause of the accident remains under investigation.
BEREAVEMENT SUPPORT SERVICES OFFERED TO ROCKLAND FAMILIES
Losing a child is regarded by many as the worst thing that can happen to a family. Here in Rockland, there is variety of resources offering support to parents in this situation. H.A.N.D.S., standing for Healing & Nurturing Distraught Survivors, meets 6:30-8PM tonight in the organization’s headquarters at 9 Scott Drive in New City. Pre-registration is not required and there’s no charge to participate. Information on H.A.N.D.S. bereavement support groups can be obtained by contacting the organization’s founder Ann Carucci at 845-634-6706.
“The Compassionate Friends,” an international support network, is also locally headquartered in Nyack and can be reached at 735-4157.
YESHIVA PLAN MODIFIED TO PRESERVE 18TH CENTURY LANDMARK
The main structure of an 18th century Ramapo home will be salvaged in a plan to develop a yeshiva and 100 units of student housing. Local historians believe the structure, near Camphill Road and Route 202, to have been the headquarters of Revolutionary War General Gilbert du Montier Lafayette. Areas of the home which were later added onto the main building, however, will be demolished.
Ramapo’s Planning Board last week said they did not believe Congregation Mesifta Beth Shraga’s development would cause any significant environmental impacts and expressed willingness to grant the necessary zoning variances.
FALL PREVENTION COURSES OFFERED TO LOCAL SENIORS
Rockland’s Department of Health has released its winter-spring schedule for courses focused on senior citizen fall prevention. The “Matter of Balance” program offers two-hour sessions that run once a week for eight weeks. Classes will be held at convenient locations across the county. Residents are advised to contact the Department of Health for more information or to register.
1/19/09 KEEP THE DREAM OR DR. KING ALIVE!
EVENTS FOCUS ON SUPPORTING DR. KING’S “BELOVED COMMUNITY”
Organizations across the county today join forces to help reinforce the beloved community Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. spoke so fondly of. His memory is honored in Rockland this day through a series of planned community initiatives, ranging from a blood drive to volunteer coordination centers. A breakfast at the St. Charles AME Zion Church in Sparkill this morning kicked off the day’s worth of commemorative events, which culminates tonight with a Jazz concert at Riverspace in Nyack. For details, visit www.nyack.edu.
SLIGHTLY OVER TWO INCHES OF SNOW FALL OVER WEEKEND
Longtime weather observer Pete Wasniak over the weekend measured two and quarter inches of snow in Pearl River. So far this month, Rockland’s seen total accumulation of 1.75 inches. Despite these so called nuisance flurries that have moved through our area, the county’s still far from achieving its monthly precip average of 3.89 inches.
Temperatures today are holding below freezing. Twelve degrees were measured in Nanuet at 6 o’clock this morning. Ice on the Hudson continues to keep the Haverstraw ferry at bay today.
Information on alternate transit routes can be obtained by linking up the Rockland Transit Information Center through our website at www.wrcr.com.
COUNTY TO TAKE HOMELESS COUNT
County officials next week will begin taking a count of Rockland’s homeless population. The survey is expected to give the Department of Social Services and other local agencies like Helping Hands a baseline on the number of people living outdoors or in makeshift shelters. County Executive Scott Vanderhoef says collecting this kind of data at regular intervals will help Rockland track progress towards reducing homelessness, understand the root causes and develop more effective ways to assist.
FUNDING OFFERED TO FAITH-BASED OUTREACH EFFORTS
Meanwhile, faith and community-based organizations throughout the area this Friday are invited to learn more about obtaining grant dollars through the U.S. Compassion Capital Fund Demonstration Program. This federal funding has been extended to Rockland through the Administration for Children and Families and, in turn, will be distributed to local agencies who service specific audiences such as the homeless, elderly, at risk youth, families in poverty, children of prisoners and prisoners re-entering the community.
Only groups with an annual operating budget of half a million or less qualify. For additional information, call the Department of Social Services’ Health and Human Services Unit at 845-638-5865.
RALLY HELD IN PROTEST TO PROPOSED EAST RAMAPO SCHOOL CLOSINGS
Residents and faculty of the East Ramapo School District gather today in protest of a proposal to shut two district elementary schools. The noontime rally is being held at the corner of Brick Church and Union roads.
District Superintendent Ira Oustatcher earlier this month detailed the community on his plan that, if approved by the board, would shut both the Lime Kiln and Hempstead elementary schools. The move, he says, comes in response to reduced enrollment in public schools and a growing budget gap. Opponents of the proposal, however, argue the benefits of these closures do not outweigh the costs with projected savings estimated at less than 2% of the district’s total budget.
1/16/09
HUDSON USED AS MAKESHIFT RUNWAY IN EMERGENCY LANDING
After losing both engines, Chesley Sullenberger yesterday used the Hudson River as a makeshift runway, in a move that saved every life aboard his U.S. Airways Airbus. The California native is being credited by flight passengers and the public alike for exercising the greatest discretion and skill in the face of what could have been an extremely tragic situation. Initial reports indicate a double bird strike disabled the aircraft within a minute of its 3:26PM takeoff from LaGuardia.
Commercial boats of all kinds congregated at the site moments after touchdown, rescuing passengers in a manner commended by both the state’s Governor and New York City’s Mayor. No fatalities or serious injuries resulted from the emergency landing.
LOWEY ASKS FOR DIGITAL TRANSITION DEADLINE EXTENSION
Congresswoman Nita Lowey is calling on the fed to push back the deadline for the nationwide digital television transition. She says broadcast T.V. consumers need more assistance to prepare for the February 17th analog shutoff. In addition to a converter box, many are only now realizing they need costly rooftop antenna upgrades in order to receive digital broadcast transmissions.
Consumers Union estimates 19 million American households rely exclusively on over-the-air reception. The organization has joined Lowey in requesting a delay in the mandated switchover. Selling off the analog frequencies has made the federal government approximately $19 billion dollars. For guidance or to secure a converter box coupon, consumers can call 1-888-DTV-2009. Information’s also available at www.dtv2009.gov.
STUDENTS SAFELY EVACUATED FROM SMOKING SCHOOL BUS
Sixty-two school children this morning were temporarily stranded when their Yeshiva school bus caught fire at the intersection of Maple Avenue and N. Cole in Ramapo. Eyewitnesses say none of the children were injured. No word yet on what sparked the bus fire.
KEEGAN AND LACORTE ANNOUNCE CANDIDACY FOR SUFFERN MAYOR
Suffern Mayor John Keegan has announced his intentions of seeking a third two year term. Running alongside Keegan for village board are James DeStefano and Rosemary Collins Schultz. Deputy Mayor Dagan LaCorte last November announced his resignation from the post but maintains his trustee seat. LaCorte last night confirmed he will primary Keegan for Mayor.
WEST POINT WORKER ARRESTED FOR STEALING $3M
A fifty year-old Highland Mills woman will return to court later this month to answer to federal charges she attempted to defraud the federal government of almost $3 million dollars. Investigators say Bobbie Ryan, who worked for West Point’s Information, Education & Technology Division, used her purchase card to authorize $2.9 million in payments to CWG Enterprises for onsite training services that were never provided. She then transferred the monies from the make-believe company’s account to her own personal account, from which she made cash withdrawals.
THRUWAY OFFICIALS DETAIL SPRINGTIME BRIDGE WORK
Speaking to the Journal News editorial board, NYS Thruway officials yesterday outlined plans to install thicker plates along the Tappan Zee Bridge. The springtime installation of these 2 ½ inch thick plates will, according to the paper, worsen the conditions drivers complained of in the latter part of 2008. Thruway reps argue these heavy plates are a necessary part of ongoing joint replacement.
DAY BEGINS WITH SINGLE DIGIT TEMPERATURES
Temperatures this morning plunged into the single digits, making for the chilliest day of this weeklong cold spell. Rocklanders today and, again tomorrow are invited to almost a dozen warming centers established throughout the county’s towns and villages. We remind you that Town Halls in Stony Point, Ramapo and Haverstraw are coupling as warming centers. Orangetown’s Court Room has also been designated in addition to each of Clarkstown’s community centers, as well as the Palisades Center Mall’s community room. Suffern and Nyack village halls, Sloatsburg’s Senior Center and Haverstraw’s village community center are also open as warming centers today through tomorrow. Information on overnight shelter can be obtained through Helping Hands at 845-709-2415.
1/15/09
MORAHAN TAKES OATH FOR 6TH SENATE TERM
Tom Morahan this evening will be sworn in for a sixth term as New York Senator representing Rockland and parts of Orange County. New York’s Mental Health Commissioner Michael Hogan is scheduled to deliver the keynote address and acting Supreme Court Justice William Nelson will administer the oath of office. Tonight’s ceremony begins at 6PM in Jawonio’s New City headquarters. Music will follow the service with performances from a half dozen artists and ensembles, including Suffern High’s Chamber Orchestra and the A.O.H. Pipe Band.
STATE GRANT SUPPORTS NYACK HOSPITAL’S N.I.C.U.
Prior to this evening’s swearing-in, Morahan today will pay a visit to Nyack Hospital where he’ll view the latest technological additions to its Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. The specialized equipment is used to support newborns who are born prematurely, have difficult births or show signs of post birth health issues. Among the items secured with the $141,000 state grant are temperature control units, bilirubin lights and infant warmers.
SCHOOLS OPEN ON TIME DESPITE LIGHT SNOW
Rockland public schools opened on time today despite an early morning snow dusting. Just about an inch covered most parts. Major roads were in good shape through the commute but drivers are still being advised to take it slow down slippery side streets. Tune in for Mark Hanok’s detailed weather forecast following the local news.
St. Joseph’s, Nanuet #1, Active Golden and Monteray senior club meetings for today have been cancelled due to the weather.
WARMING CENTERS ESTABLISHED COUNTYWIDE
This deep freeze has prompted the opening of warming centers in each of the county’s five towns and in some villages. Town Halls in Stony Point, Ramapo and Haverstraw are coupling as warming centers now through Saturday. Orangetown’s Court Room has also been designated in addition to each of Clarkstown’s community centers, as well as the Palisades Center Mall’s community room. The public is also invited to thaw at Suffern and Nyack village halls, Sloatsburg’s Senior Center and Haverstraw’s village community center. Information on overnight shelter can be obtained through Helping Hands at 845-709-2415.
STONY PT. & RAMAPO SUPERVISORS DELIVER “STATE OF THE TOWN”
Supervisors this week joined their counterparts in delivering their state of the town addresses. All five supervisors seem squarely focused on contending with the depressed revenues being suffered during this economic downturn. Keeping 2010 tax increases as low as possible will be the challenge in every municipality.
In Stony Point, Supervisor Phil Marino Tuesday said his town heads into this New Year with the advantage of a $4.6 million dollar fund balance- something he argues demonstrates extreme prudence in light of higher fuel costs and a slowed revenue stream. Marino concedes one of the greatest tasks ahead would be making up the loss in assessed valued of Mirant’s Lovett property; a parcel that has made up over 14% of the town’s total tax levy.
In Ramapo, Supervisor Christopher St. Lawrence boasted of his town’s zero percent tax increase for the current year and highlighted costs saving measures he’s be employing through 2009. Stay tuned to WRCR 8:45AM tomorrow when Supervisor St. Lawrence joins the program with more on what was covered during last night’s address.
FUNDRAISER TO BENEFIT MATTHEW LUPO
The public tonight is invited to help raise funds for a North Rockland man who was paralyzed from the waist down in a swimming pool accident. A group of fifteen correction officers, who call themselves “The Turnkeys,” has organized this evening’s benefit, which will begin 6PM at Noles on Route 9W in Stony Point. All the proceeds will be donated to Matthew Lupo as he saves to buy a specialized exercise machine to help him develop his upper body strength.
1/14/09
NYBC ISSUES EMERGENCY APPEAL FOR BLOOD DONATIONS
New York Blood Center has issued an emergency appeal for blood and is asking qualified people to consider donating as soon as possible. Supplies have dropped below the five-day safety level; levels for some types have fallen below a two-day supply. As a result, rationing has been imposed upon the 200 hospitals served by the blood center.
In addition to making an appointment with the Rockland Donor Center in Nanuet, area residents this coming Monday can donate in the memory and spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Monday’s drive has been scheduled as part of a series of events commemorating the life and ministry of Dr. King.
Stay tuned to WRCR tomorrow morning for details on that upcoming drive and other activities that have been planned for Martin Luther King Day. For more information on giving blood or hosting a drive visit www.nybloodcenter.org or call 1-800-933-BLOOD.
NYACK MAYOR WILL NOT SEEK 5TH TERM
Nyack Mayor John Shields yesterday said it was time for new blood at the village’s helm. The sixty-five year old four-term democrat told villagers he chose to make the announcement early in order to give others time to prepare to run for the seat. He also mentioned his intentions of withdrawing enrollment in the Democratic Party, saying neither major party was doing enough to support the nation’s gay and lesbian community. Prior to being elected Nyack Mayor in 2001, Shields had served three terms as village trustee.FRIGID TEMPERATURES MOVE INTO OUR AREA
The weather outside is, indeed, frightful- frightfully cold. Many began their commute in the six o’clock hour with temperatures in the low teens. It will not get much warmer as we’re only due a high of twenty. Anywhere between one and three inches of snow will fall during the overnight hours. Your complete Rockland weather report follows the local news.
St. Joseph’s Senior Club meeting set for tomorrow in Spring Valley has been cancelled due to the weather. Stay tuned to WRCR for the latest on weather-related closings, cancellations and delays.
BITTER COLD PROMPTS HYPOTHERMIA/FROSTBITE WARNING
Meanwhile, these arctic temperatures have prompted the county’s Office of Fire & Emergency Services to issue a hypothermia and frostbite warning. They advise people limit their time outdoors today. If you expect to be outside for longer than a few moments, make sure to cover up all exposed skin. Remember, early stages of frostbite are often not felt immediately. Danger signs include numbness and loss of color.
EMERGENCY OFFICIALS OFFER TIPS TO PREVENT FROZEN PIPES
Emergency officials are also offering tips to help prevent freezing pipes. They say it’s a good idea to open up kitchen and bathroom cabinet doors to allow heat to get to non-insulated pipes. Since running water does not freeze as quickly, you can also let the hot and cold taps run a trickle. Make sure you’re familiar with how to turn off you home’s water valve in case a pipe does break. Stopping the flow can significantly minimize damage.
M.H.A. HELPS FAMILIES MANAGE STRESS
Families under financial strain tonight are invited to attend a presentation aimed at managing stress. The event, sponsored by the Mental Health Association of Rockland County, is free and open to the public. In addition to stress management, MHA President Dr. Karen Oates will also address the importance of maintaining a positive sense of self and preserving family relationships in these difficult economic times.
This evening’s presentation is set to begin 6:30 at the Mental Health Association’s headquarters on Executive Boulevard in Valley Cottage. For more information, call 845-267-2172, extension 322.
SUPERVISOR TO DELIVER "STATE OF RAMAPO" ADDRESS
Ramapo Supervisor Christopher St. Lawrence tonight will deliver his “State of the Town” address during the town board’s reorganizational meeting, which starts at 8 o’clock. Those who can not make it over to Town Hall, can tune into a live broadcast on Cablevision channels 75,77 and 78 and FIOS channel 32. The meeting will also be streamed live at www.ramapo-ny.gov.
1/13/09
TEDISCO WANTS NEW YORKERS TO CHOOSE CLINTON’S SUCCESSOR
New York Assembly Minority Leader Jim Tedisco today will address the press on his request that a special election fill the soon-be-be vacated U.S. Senate seat. The upstate Republican says New Yorkers, not the Governor, should determine who succeeds Hillary Clinton once she’s sworn in as Secretary of State. Supporters of the proposal point to the ongoing controversy surrounding the Governor of Illinois’ methods of choosing Senator Barrack Obama’s successor as good reason to reconsider the process.
JUDGE LETS MADOFF STAY ON HOUSE ARREST
A federal judge yesterday ruled Bernard Madoff is not a flight risk and poses no danger to himself or the public. The decision stirred the ire of those who say Madoff should not be free on bail after defrauding investors of as much as $50 billion dollars. Madoff’s house arrest was challenged after investigators found he had been mailing out checks and valuable personal affects to friends and relatives; something argued to have been in violation of a court-ordered asset freeze. Judge Ronald Ellis, however, yesterday supported the defense’s counter-claim that Madoff didn’t know personal items were subject to that court order.
The tentacles of Madoff’s scheme stretch round the globe and very close to home. In addition to Rockland investors having lost large sums of money in their dealing with the 70 year-old, a New City agency is under federal scrutiny for having audited Madoff’s business.
FATAL THRUWAY ACCIDENT REMAINS UNDER INVESTIGATION
An investigation continues today into a tragic NYS Thruway accident that claimed the life of a Long Island man. State troopers are working to reconstruct the scene. They say twenty-four year old C.J. Gerrard was driving with a friend when their Jeep broke down near Exit 17 in Newburgh. Apparently, Gerrard and his passenger got out of the car and were heading north on foot along the Thruway when Gerrard was mortally struck from behind. The driver of the vehicle that hit the young Miller Place man has been identified at Michelle Squillante. The thirty-eight year old Tompkins Cove resident endured minor injuries and was treated and released from St. Luke’s in Cornwall. Gerrard was taken to the same hospital where he was, sadly, pronounced dead just hours after the accident.
HAVERSTRAW MAN SENTENCED FOR STREETSIDE SALE OF FIREARM
Thirty-six year old Jose Rodriquez will spend the next two years in state prison for selling firearms off a Haverstraw street. Rodriquez, who also lives in the town, plead guilty to second degree criminal possession of a weapon. Police busted him November 17th, 2007 on Liberty Street where they caught him accepting $700 dollars for a loaded .40 caliber handgun.
PRESENTATION TO HELP RESIDENTS MANAGE FINANCE-DRIVEN STRESS
Families under financial strain tomorrow are invited to attend a presentation aimed at managing stress. The event, sponsored by the Mental Health Association of Rockland County, is free and open to the public. In addition to stress management, MHA President Dr. Karen Oates will also address the importance of maintaining a positive sense of self and preserving family relationships.
Tomorrow’s presentation is set to start at 6:30PM at the Mental Health Association’s headquarters on Executive Boulevard in Valley Cottage. For more information, call 845-267-2172, extension 322.
1/12/09
RIVER ICING SUSPENDS HAVERSTRAW FERRY SERVICE
Ice on the Hudson River has prompted the seasonal suspension of Haverstraw ferry service. Below freezing temperatures are expected to grip Rockland through the week. Representatives of the ferry service are hoping a bit of a thaw will help to restore service out of Haverstraw in time for next week’s commute. However, the likeliness of that happening is slim, as temperatures will only get colder over the next seven days. Local residents can obtain information on alternate routes by linking up the Rockland Transit Information Center through our website at www.wrcr.com.
NO ONE INJURED IN S. SERVEN STREEET BLAZE
An investigation into a weekend fire that damaged a three-story apartment building along South Serven Street in Pearl River continues. The fire, apparently, started in a second floor bedroom. Volunteers confirmed no one was injured in the blaze.
A.G. WARNS OF FRAUDULENT CHECK SCAM
New York’s Attorney General today is urging people to be on the lookout for fraudulent checks in the mail. The scam, which is believed to be run out of Canada, requests people cash the forwarded check and mail a portion of the money back in order to qualify for more funds. People are advised to consider the age-old premise, “if it sounds to good to be true, it probably is.” If you have any questions or have encountered an offer that fits this description, contact the AG’s toll-free help line at 1-800-771-7755.
ROCKLAND TO COMMEMORATE THE LIFE OF DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.
The memory of Martin Luther King, Jr. will be remembered and honored next Monday during a community breakfast that kicks off a series of commemorative events. From a blood drive to Riverspace’s showing of an A&E biography on the life and ministry of Dr. King, organizers are hoping residents participate in some or all of the daylong activities.
Stay tuned to WRCR Thursday morning when a committee rep joins the program with details of the upcoming celebration.
RALLY PLANNED IN PROTEST OF HEMPSTEAD SCHOOL CLOSING
Meanwhile, residents and faculty of the East Ramapo School District will gather one week from today to protest a proposal to shut the Hempstead School. Monday’s rally will begin at noon just outside the school building on the corner of Brick Church and Union roads.
District Superintendent Ira Oustatcher last week detailed the community on his plan that, if approved by the board, would shut both the Lime Kiln and Hempstead elementary schools. The move, he says, comes in response to reduced enrollment in public schools. Opponents of the proposal argue the benefits of these closures do not outweigh the costs with projected savings estimated at less than 2% of the district’s total budget.
SENIORNET OFFERS ANOTHER ROUND OF COMPUTER COURSES
Seniors wishing to sharpen their computer skills in this New Year are invited to enroll in the upcoming session of SeniorNet courses. Classes range from Introduction to the Internet to Digital Imaging. One of the most popular delves into web-based genealogical research. Each class runs two hours once a week for eight weeks and costs $65 dollars.
For more information or to secure you seat in any of the seven course offerings, leave your name and number with SeniorNet at 845-623-5467. The deadline to register is tomorrow.
1/9/09
WOLFE APPOINTED DEPUTY MAJORITY LEADER
Rockland Legislative Majority Leader Michael Grant has chosen Alden Wolfe to serve another term as Deputy Majority Leader. Legislator Wolfe represents the 6th district; covering parts of Suffern, Airmont, Montebello, Hillburn, Chestnut Ridge, and Monsey. After being appointed in 2006, he was elected in 2007 to serve a full four-year term.
MEYERS CONDEMNS SWASTIKA VANDALISM
Meanwhile, Legislator Joe Meyers is publicly condemning three incidents of swastika graffiti discovered over the last couple of months. Most recently, three were found carved into the ice on Foxwood Pond in Suffern. The swastika has come to represent hate and religious intolerance the world-over as it is associated with the Nazi regime, which during World War II was responsible for the deaths of 6 million Jews and 5 million people of other faiths. Meyers calls the acts of vandalism “shameful,” adding, they fly in the face of the diversity that is bedrock of our American way of life.
ROCKLAND PREPARES FOR ANOTHER SNOW STORM
Yet another storm is heading our way, bringing with it between 2-5 inches of snow. Flakes will begin falling at around 4 o’clock tomorrow with the heaviest accumulations expected between six o’clock and midnight. Tomorrow’s storm follows a very sudden but short-lived snow squall that early yesterday covered North Rockland with about two inches. As high winds were blowing snow around Stony Point and Haverstraw, the sun was shining over the rest of the county. This very isolated squall started shortly before 9AM was over by 11AM.
W. HAVERSTRAW MAN CHARGED WITH PLANTING NAILS IN DRIVEWAYS
People throughout the New York metro-area last night got a glimpse of a West Haverstraw man who’s been making headlines for booby-trapping local driveways. Sixty- year old Michael Delisio’s face got primetime coverage after he was arrested for throwing nails on people’s property, something police say he’s been doing for about two years. Authorities caught him in the act Tuesday. He was arrested and is due back in court February 5th to answer to 39 counts of second-degree harassment, criminal tampering and criminal mischief. Apparently, Delisio knew his victims but the extent and nature of these relationships are unclear.
POTASSIUM IODIDE PILLS AVAILABLE FOR PICK-UP
Town clerk offices throughout Rockland this month are distributing free potassium iodide pills to county residents. Potassium iodide helps protect the thyroid in the event of a radiological release. One pill will be offered per household member. Clarkstown residents can also pick up potassium iodide pills during Town Clerk David Carlucci’s mobile office hours 11AM-1PM tomorrow, January 10th outside Pathmark in Nanuet.
SUFFERN VILLAGE & CHAMBER SPONSOR FAMILY MOVIE NIGHT
The Village of Suffern and the Suffern Chamber of Commerce tonight are inviting families to enjoy a free night at the movies. This evening’s presentation of “Dr. Seuss’ Horton Hears a Who!” begins at 7 o’clock in the Suffern Community Center. Children must be accompanied by adults. For more information, call 845-357-7943.
ST. LAWRENCE PREPARES FOR “STATE OF RAMAPO” ADDRESS
Ramapo Supervisor Christopher St. Lawrence next Wednesday plans to deliver his “State of the Town” address. The presentation will be part of the board’s reorganizational meeting, which starts at 8PM.
1/8/09
SHORT-LIVED SQUALL CONTAINED TO NORTH ROCKLAND
About an inch and a half of snow covered North Rockland this morning in an unexpected but short-lived squall. No more precipitation of any kind is expected until Saturday, when the county could get anywhere between 2-3 inches.
HIGH WINDS PROMPT REDUCTION IN TZ BRIDGE SPEED LIMIT
Just under an inch of mixed precipitation fell in Rockland during yesterday’s storm. Roads are much clearer today throughout most of Rockland but drivers are still being warned to watch out for the occasional patch of black ice. High winds this morning prompted the Thruway Authority to reduce the speed limit along the Tappan Zee Bridge to 45. Meteorologist Mark Hanok says winds will gust up to 30 miles per hour through much of the day. Stay tuned for a detailed forecast following your local news.
The only weather-related cancellation to report involves the Active Golden Senior Club of Spring Valley, which has called off today’s meeting.
EAST RAMAPO CONSIDERS SHUTTING TWO ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS
Weeks after releasing a proposal to close the Lime Kiln Elementary School, East Ramapo’s Superintendent last night said he’s now considering shutting a second elementary school. Hempstead Elementary now sits on the chopping block as part of a proposal Ira Oustatcher has developed to contend with a serious reduction in public school enrollments. More and more East Ramapo children are attending private schools- something that’s halved the public school population since 1970s.
There is a silver lining in the plan, according to Oustatcher, who says the trade-off would be about $1.3 million in savings, a full-day kindergarten, as well as added funding for other programs. East Ramapo’s school board is scheduled to vote on the proposal early February.
HAVERSTRAW FOCUSES ON TAXES AND NEW DEVELOPMENTS
Haverstraw Supervisor Howard Phillips tonight will deliver his “State of the Town” address. The presentation is part of the Town Board’s reorganizational meeting, which will begin at 7PM. Phillips told WRCR’s Steve and Sophia Morning show that keeping taxes in check will be his primary focus through 2009. This will rely, in part, on the revenues brought in by new developments, including the one being proposed for the old sand and gravel pit on Route 202, just west of the Exit 13 PIP overpass. The 63,000 square foot anchor lot, according to the Supervisor, might accommodate a Lowe’s or Home Depot.
SPARKILL GETS GLIMPSE OF REDEVELOPMENT PLANS
Sparkill residents tonight get a glimpse at what’s being planned as part of their hamlet’s downtown redevelopment. Many are anxious to view the configuration of a new commuter lot that would bring with it about 60 spots to accommodate daylong parking. Tonight’s meeting begins at 7 o’clock in the George Stayton Center along Route 340.
GOVERNOR PATERSON PRESENTS “STATE OF THE STATE”
Rockland’s entire state legislative delegation gathered in Albany yesterday to begin reorganizing for the ’09 session. Governor David Paterson greeted returning lawmakers with his “State of the State” address, using words like “perilous” to describe New York’s fiscal condition. Despite significant spending cuts, Paterson’s budget proposal is still heftier than the current year’s, coming in at $121 billion.
MORAHAN CRITICIZES NEW TAXES & FEES
The Governor’s budget incorporates raising $6 billion in additional revenue from nearly ninety new or higher taxes on things like non-diet sodas, beer, wine, cigars, massages, haircuts, movie tickets, downloaded music and cable and satellite television services. Responding to the plan, Republican Senator Tom Morahan argues these kinds of taxes and fees should be the state’s last resort, not the first. Morahan contends the key to closing New York’s over $15 billion dollar budget gap lies in new job creation.
Paterson yesterday also reiterated his call to the legislature to get the budget passed by March 1st, something that could save the state as much as $1.3 billion.
Reorganizational proceedings gave Democrats control of the Senate for the first time in over forty years.
ENGEL APPLAUDS PATERSON’S ENERGY PLAN
Meanwhile, Congressman Eliot Engel today is crediting Governor David Paterson for putting focus on renewable energy. Engel says the Governor’s forward-looking plan dovetails with his Open Fuel Standards Act to require 80% of new cars sold in 2015 to operate on flex fuel systems. That’s the same deadline Paterson’s set for the state getting 45% of its energy through clean renewable sources.
POTASSIUM IODIDE PILLS AVAILABLE FOR PICK-UP
Town clerk offices throughout Rockland this month are distributing free potassium iodide pills to county residents. One pill will be offered per household member. Clarkstown residents can also pick up potassium iodide pills during Town Clerk David Carlucci’s mobile office hours 11AM-1PM this Saturday, January 10th outside Pathmark in Nanuet.
1/7/09
DRIVERS CAUTIONED OF ICY ROAD CONDITIONS
Drivers are advised to watch out for icing through the day as temperatures continue to hover around freezing. Although nothing more than rain will be falling from the sky, the precipitation is turning to ice on impact, especially along less frequently traveled roads. Stay tuned for Mark Hanok’s complete Rockland forecast following your local news.
Nyack and South Orangetown schools, along with St. Catherine’s Early Education Center, are closed due to the weather. All other Rockland public schools, including BOCES, were on a two-hour delay.
Ramapo Catskill Library System will be closed and all deliveries to local libraries have been cancelled.
Haverstraw Brick Museum is closed for the day.
Today’s Forever Young Senior Club meeting has also been cancelled.
CORNELL REAPPOINTED ROCKLAND’S LEGISLATIVE CHAIR
Legislator Harriet Cornell last night was unanimously reappointed to a fifth term as Chair. Her legislative address, in part, focused on exploring public-private partnerships in the New Year to expedite key projects and further the success of Rockland’s business community. Cornell also vowed to continue developing strategies aimed at enabling Rockland’s senior population to age in place. This year marks her 25th as a sitting member of the county’s legislature.
LOCAL BRIDGES PROMISED TLC IN THE NEW YEAR
With a new year comes a range of projects focused on building new bridges and reinforcing old ones. Haverstraw this year will see significant work done to construct a new bridge at the intersection of Route 9W and Short Clove Road. The state this March also plans to restart reinforcement of the P.I.P. overpass at Route 202 and Theills Mount Ivy Road. In Stony Point, the Farley Bridge will be completely overhauled by year’s end.
Turning to the southern part of the county, residents living in Central Nyack are preparing for summer detours that will accompany repairs to the Mountain Avenue Bridge. That span, which runs across the Thruway, is scheduled to be shut July 1st with the project due to be completed by the beginning of September.
When it comes to the largest bridge servicing our area, there’s still no concrete timeline in place. Optimists are hoping work on a new Tappan Zee bridge and rail line will commence by 2011. The state is struggling with identifying funding sources for the massive $16 billion dollar project.
PHILLIPS TO DELIVER “STATE OF THE TOWN”
Haverstraw Supervisor Howard Phillips tomorrow will deliver his “State of the Town” address. The presentation is part of the Town Board’s reorganizational meeting, which will begin at 7PM. Phillips told WRCR’s Steve and Sophia Morning show that keeping taxes in check will be his primary focus through 2009.
Haverstraw this year will be working on a proposed development at the old sand and gravel pit on Route 202 just west of the Exit 13 PIP overpass. The 63,000 square foot anchor lot, according to the Supervisor, might accommodate a Lowe’s or Home Depot.
GOVERNOR PATERSON PRESENTS “STATE OF THE STATE”
Rockland’s entire state legislative delegation is in Albany today to begin reorganizing for the ’09 session. In that spirit, Governor David Paterson today will deliver his State of the State” address, outlining the fiscal challenges to be faced in working out a 2009-2010 budget. Despite significant spending cuts, Paterson’s budget proposal is still heftier than the current year’s, coming in at $121 billion.
20 YR. OLD ADMITS TO SEXUALLY ASSUALTING YOUNG GIRLS
Twenty year-old Darius Williams of Spring Valley will spend the next two years behind bars after admitting he sexually assaulted two young girls. According to the D.A.’s office, Williams abused the girls, aged 9 and 14, between December of 2006 and May of this past year. He’ll also be sentenced to five-year post release probation when he goes before Judge Victor Alfieri on March 9th.
NEBRASKA MAN SENTENCED FOR POSSESSING A POUND OF COCAINE
Meanwhile, a Nebraska man yesterday was sentenced to a year in the slammer for carrying a pound of cocaine. On August 21st, twenty-four year old Rigoberto Ruballos was stopped by Clarkstown police for speeding along Route 9W. Upon further inspection, officers found he was driving with an expired registration and transporting approximately a pound of cocaine.
1/6/09WINTER WEATHER WATCH IN EFFECT FOR ROCKLAND
A winter weather watch has been issued for Rockland. Meteorologist Mark Hanok says 1-2 inches of snow and sleet will fall over night before turning to rain between 8-9AM. Drivers are advised to watch out for very slippery road surfaces as temperatures will remain at or below freezing through much of the day. Road conditions could prompt delayed school openings. Stay tuned to WRCR for updated forecasts and the latest announcements of weather-related delays and cancellations.
FOUR VEHILCE PILE-UP INJURES FOUR
A four-vehicle pileup at the intersection of Route 304 and Goebel Road yesterday sent four people to the hospital. The first of the three- part accident occurred at around 1PM. Volunteers with the New City Fire Department and three local ambulance corps responded to the scene. Jaws of Life were required to extricate one of the drivers, whose legs were pinned beneath the dash board. None of the injuries were believed to be life-threatening. Charges related to this accident have not yet been filed but an investigation continues.
LEGISLATURE REORGANIZES TONIGHT
Rockland’s Legislative Chairwoman Harriet Cornell tonight is schedule to deliver her 5th Annual Legislative Address. This comes as county representatives gather in the legislative chambers for their reorganizational meeting. Residents are invited to attend this evening’s session, which starts at 7 o’clock.
GROMACK TO DETAIL “STATE OF THE TOWN”
Meanwhile, Clarkstown Supervisor Alex Gromack tonight address resident and fellow board members with the annual State of the Town Address. The presentation will be made during the town board’s 2009 reorganizational meeting, which is set to begin at 8PM. Supervisor Gromack is expected to review the status of the town’s new master plan and update residents on ongoing drainage and revitalization projects.
VARGAS APPOINTED CLARKSTOWN DIRECTOR OF FINANCE
In other news out of Clarkstown, the Supervisor has appointed thirty-three year old Aimee Vargas to replace Ken Seltman as the town’s new Director of Finance. Although Vargas does not have a degree in finance, she takes the $110,000 a year position with a law degree and background in communications. Much of the detailed financial planning, according to the Supervisor, remains with the town’s Comptroller Ed Duer. In addition to supplementing Duer, Vargas will also be overseeing the town’s ongoing drainage projects. It’s not clear whether or not Aimee Vargas is related to Sabrina Vargas, the town’s Director of Operations.
KLEINER VOWS TO WORK ON STABILIZING TAXES
Orangetown Supervisor Tom Kleiner last night vowed to pay special attention to keeping taxes as low as possible. The promise was made during his State of Town Address. Kleiner pointed to the national economic downturn as the impetus steering local governments to refocus on reigning in spending. He said he would be especially open to cost-saving suggestions as proposed by town residents and also agreed to investigate ways of sharing resources with other municipal agencies, including local school districts.
Keeping green was also a major theme highlighted last night. Kleiner suggested possible tax incentives for residents who invest in energy saving measures and also mentioned potential upgrades to conserve energy at Town Hall.
200 MONSEY RESIDENTS REMAIN WITHOUT PHONE SERVICE
Three hundred Monsey residents remain without phone service this morning. Verizon reported the problem on December 29th and says it stems from an underground cable along Maple Avenue being struck by construction equipment. The contractor, Morano Brothers Corp, which is handling part of the town’s Maple Avenue project, contends Verizon had given the green light to dig. This incident remains under investigation. Verizon says it will continue to work on repairs until all service is restored. No word yet on exactly when that will be. Initially, 800 customers were affected.
1/5/09
TZ TOLLS RISE WITH NEW YEAR
Those traveling the Tappan Zee Bridge are being asked to fork over more this New Year. As of yesterday, cash fares are up fifty cents to $5 dollars with the EZPass rate increased to $4.75. Commuters who travel the span twenty or more times each month have had their discounted toll rise by 50% to $3 dollars.
STONY POINT TO DEDICATE NEW EMERGENCY CENTER
Stony Point this Friday will dedicate a new emergency response center to the memory of Bill Serra. Town representatives point to Serra, former councilman and chair of the Emergency Operation Committee, as the driving force behind the initiative. The center this Friday officially moves from the Letchworth Town Court building to the basement of Stony Point’s Police Department.
State grants totaling $13,000 have been appropriated to the project, which is designed to better coordinate town responses to all kinds of emergencies. A dedication service is set for 2:30PM. In the meantime, tune in 9:30 Wednesday morning when Supervisor Phil Marino joins the program with details.
RAMAPO POLICE BUST UNDERAGE DRINKING PARTY
Ramapo police early Saturday busted an underage drinking party along Frontier Lane in Airmont. The eighteen year-old host was arrested and charged with criminal nuisance and providing alcohol to minors. A seventeen year-old resident was also taken into police custody and later released on his own recognizance to an adult family friend. Police say all ten people at the party were underage and had been consuming alcohol. Safe transportation home was arranged for all of them. Apparently, the parents of the teen hosts were out of town at the time of the party.
WET WEATHER MOVES IN LATE TOMORROW
The stretch of dry weather the county’s enjoyed so far this New Year will be broken late tomorrow with a mix of snow flurries and rain. Meteorologist Mark Hanok anticipates temperatures will rest above freezing, turning any snow to rain rather quickly. Stay tuned to WRCR for updated weather forecasts throughout the day.
POLICE CHASE LANDS THREE IN THE HOSPITAL
A twenty year-old Spring Valley man remains in critical condition today after being involved in a high-speed crash. Jawan Thomas endured serious injuries Saturday afternoon when the Honda Civic he was riding in collided with a Cadillac Escalade. The driver of the Civic, 21 year old John Savas of New City, had been attempting to escape a Sheriff’s Department vehicle. Savas is reportedly in stable condition at Westchester Medical Center. The woman operating the Escalade at the time of the accident was taken to Good Samaritan Hospital, where she was treated and released. Authorities say the chase commenced just moments after Thomas and Savas left the Sheriff’s Department, where they had completed court-ordered community service.
GROMACK PREPARES TO DELIVER STATE OF CLARKSTOWN ADDRESS
Clarkstown Supervisor Alex Gromack tomorrow night will deliver the annual State of the Town Address. The presentation will be made during the town board’s 2009 reorganizational meeting, which is set to begin at 8PM. Supervisor Gromack is expected to review the status of the town’s new master plan and update residents on ongoing drainage and revitalization projects.
M&T BANK CONTRIBUTES TO R.C.C. SCHOLARSHIP FOUNDATION
Despite the faltering economy, scholarship opportunities are being maintained at Rockland Community College thanks to the donations of local business. M&T Bank has recently contributed $4300 towards the RCC Foundation. Since its inception in 1982, the Foundation has awarded almost two million in scholarships based on scholastic excellence and/or financial need. Students interested in applying for a scholarship can contact the Foundation’s Executive Director Don Cairns at 845-574-4576.
12/31/08 HAPPY, PEACEFUL NEW YEAR!
SNOWY WEATHER CANCELS PROGRAMS ACROSS THE AREA
Snowy weather has canceled transportation to non-public schools within the East Ramapo district. West Nyack and Finkelstein public libraries and the Ramapo Catskill Library System are also closed due to the weather. Meals on Wheels Seniors Centers, Adult Daycare and Senior Net have been shut but meal deliveries will still be made. All Camp Venture Day Programs have been canceled as of 1:15PM.
Snow will continue falling until about 2PM. Drivers are advised to proceed with caution through the day as temperatures will hover well below freezing, making for slippery road conditions.
BABY JESUS STATUE STOLEN FROM OUTSIDE STONY PT. TOWN HALL
Baby Jesus has been reported stolen from Stony Point Town Hall’s nativity. Supervisor Phil Marino says a town employee noticed the statue was missing Monday morning and believes it had to have been removed sometime overnight Sunday. This comes less than a week after the Nanuet Hebrew Center’s menorah was discovered toppled. Anyone with information on either incident is urged to confidentially contact local police.
DINAPOLI CONTINUES STATEWIDE SCHOOL DISTRICT AUDITS
New York Comptroller Tom DiNapoli says his office is on track to complete a statewide school district audit by the end of March 2010. Since 2005, 548 districts have gone under the comptroller’s fiscal and administrative microscope- 216 of those over this last year alone. Residents can look up the results of their district’s audit by visiting www.osc.state.ny.us.
NEW YEAR’S INCENTIVES AIMED AT KEEPNG ROADS SAFE
New Year’s revelers tonight can take a free cab home courtesy Dana Distributors. The Goshen business is once again sponsoring the Alert Cab Program in hopes of keeping drunk drivers off the road. Dana Distributors will cover the cost of the ride up to a 10-mile radius. Request a ride by simply mentioning the program to your host or bartender.
Meanwhile, over two-dozen New York State Thruway plazas tonight will be offering free coffee and tea to travelers. This has been done annually for about four decades now as a way to encourage fatigued drivers to take frequent breaks. Researchers say drowsy driving is just as dangerous as driving drunk.
COUNTY CONTINUES TO COLLECT “CELLS FOR SOLDIERS”
Rockland County announces the continuation of a program aimed at supplying phone cards to U.S. troops serving overseas. Nationally, “Cell Phones for Soldiers” has purchased and donated half a million calling cards by selling off old cell phones. So far, Rockland’s contributed 1,000 to the effort. Residents can still donate their used phones at the Allison-Parris County Office Building in New City and the Fire Training Center in Pomona.
12/30/08
POLL SHOWS AMERICANS APPROACH 2009 WITH OPTIMISM
Results of a Marist Institute Public Opinion Poll reveal more than half of America is optimistic about the New Year. Fifty-six percent said they anticipated good things to come in 2009, compared to forty percent whose outlook was not as rosy. Women and younger people on a whole showed greater enthusiasm for a better year ahead than men and those over 45. The Poughkeepsie college also questioned Americans on whether or not they plan on making a New Year resolution. Less than half of those questioned said they would. Twenty percent of those surveyed agreed they’re focus in 2009 will be shedding extra weight.
ROCKLAND HOMES SALES/VALUES FARE BETTER THAN STATE AVERAGE
Statewide existing home sales have plummeted 23 percent this November compared to last- that’s according to the most recent data released by the New York State Association of Realtors. Rockland fared far better than the average, experiencing a 12% reduction in sales and a near 8% decline in sale price. The association reports Orange and Westchester county home sales saw a 44 and 37 percent loss, respectively. Columbia County suffered the sharpest drop in sales, with the market performing less than half as well as it did this time last year.
DANA DISTRIBUTORS OFFER FREE CAB RIDES ON NEW YEAR’S EVE
An Orange County beverage business this year will once again sponsor the Alert Cab program. This means New Year’s revelers in Rockland, Orange and Sullivan counties will be able to call for a free cab home. Dana Distributors will cover the cost of the ride up to a ten-mile radius. The program is designed to keep drunk drivers off the road. Representatives of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration say each year, most alcohol related accidents happen during the last two weeks of December. To participate in the program, just tell your bartender to call a cab and mention the Alert Cab program.
$5K IN SUPERMARKET GIFT CARDS DONATED TO LOCAL PANTRIES
Five thousand dollars worth of supermaket gift cards will be helping to stock ten local food pantries. The donation results from a matching grant between Rockland Community Foundation and Rockland Shoprite stores operated by Inserra Supermarkets. John Eccleston, executive director of the RCF says each pantry will get a $500 dollar gift card good for both grocery and non-grocery items. This marks the partnership’s third consecutive year of contributing to Rockland pantries. To locate a pantry near you, visit Rocklandgives.org.
ALL WELCOME TO WRCR’S 6TH ANNUAL HOLIDAY PARTY
WRCR Radio Rockland today is inviting residents throughout the area to join the station for its 6th annual holiday party. Festivities will run 11AM ‘til 3PM at Banchetto’s Feast, located just below WRCR’s studios on the 1st floor of the Nanuet Mall. All attendees will be eligible to enter a drawing for prizes, including a pair of Westchester Broadway Dinner Theater tickets and a $50 gift certificate for a massage at Yemaya Wellness in New City. Live music will be provided by Milton Koja with an open mic offered for those who’d like to sing a song or shout out holiday wishes to family and friends. For those who can’t make it, the party will be broadcast live on AM 1300 and streaming at WRCR.com.
Also, keep in mind, today’s the final day WRCR will be collecting children’s hats, gloves and scarves in support of the Haverstraw Elks Drive. Items can be dropped of during the party and will be distributed to local children.
POTASSIUM IODIDE PILLS DISTRIBUTED THROUGH CLERKS’ OFFICES
Town clerk offices throughout Rockland beginning next month will distribute free potassium iodide pills to county residents. One pill will be offered per household member. Clarkstown residents can also pick up potassium iodide pills during Town Clerk David Carlucci’s mobile office hours 11AM-1PM Saturday, January 10th outside Pathmark in Nanuet.
12/29/08
FREE DINNERS OFFERED TO FINANCIALLY DISTRESSED FAMILIES
North Rockland families in financial distress will be able to enjoy free dinners on Tuesday and Thursday evenings beginning January 13th. The offer is an expansion of a program initiated by the Community Action Partnership of Rockland. Meals will be provided out of the Sons of Jacob Synagogue at 37 Clove Avenue in Haverstraw from 5:30-7PM. CAP already provides free hot lunches noon to 2PM Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at its Community Kafé.
The dinner program will get a start up boost of $25,000 in federal funding but CAP is accepting private donations to keep their soup kitchen open through the New Year. For more information or to make a donation, call 845-352-4167.
COUNTY RESIDENTS URGED TO FOCUS ON HEALTH IN 2009
With 2009 just a few days away, local health officials are urging county residents resolve to make their health a priority in the New Year. Rockland’s Department of Health to that end has announced a series of free self-help programs. Some involve walking through malls and along county park trails. Another is a self- monitored 8-week program in which participants pledge to walk thirty minutes a day five times a week. Those interested in registering for this program will receive a free pedometer. Additional information can be obtained by contacting the Health Department (845-364-2500). Weight loss and smoking cessation courses are also available.
FINAL 2008 LEGISLATIVE MEETING SET FOR THIS AFTERNOON
County legislators will meet today for the last time in 2008. The special session has been called for 1PM in the legislative chambers on New Hempstead Road in New City. On the agenda is a motion to transfer money from the surplus account to cover pay raises to certain union employees. Legislators will also finalize tax rates for sewer and recycling collection and reappoint Ann Marie Kelly as a Rockland Elections Commissioner.
SUICIDAL MAN PERISHES IN POLICE SHOOTING
Two Ramapo police officers were given paid time off this weekend after being involved in a tragic Christmas Eve shooting. Both responded to a Hempstead Road address Wednesday night on a call from a woman who said her boyfriend had threatened to kill himself. The man, identified as Thomas Jackson, had locked himself in the bathroom with a knife. When police broke down the door, Jackson allegedly moved toward them with the knife and that’s when the officer fired the deadly shot.
Jackson, who apparently had a history of alcoholism and mental health issues, was taken to Good Samaritan Hospital and was pronounced dead early Christmas Day following emergency surgery. Rockland’s District Attorney’s Office will be conducting a Grand Jury investigation, which is matter of course in all police-related fatalities.
HAVERSTAW P.D. INVESTIGATE DOWNTOWN STABBING
Haverstraw police today continue their investigation into a downtown stabbing. One man endured a wound to his arm but has not been cooperating with authorities. Investigators believe Saturday’s stabbing could have resulted from an ongoing dispute and are asking those who witnessed it to contact the department at 845-354-1500. Calls can be kept confidential.
12/24/08
SLIPPERY WEATHER CAUSES DANGEROUS MORNING COMMUTE
Slippery weather this morning shut East Ramapo non-public schools for the day.
The Ramapo Catskill Library System is also closed and all deliveries have been cancelled.
Freezing rain made for a very difficult morning commute with black ice reported throughout the area. Temperatures will warm up through the day, reaching the low forties. Rain is expected to continue through midnight. Stay tuned to WRCR following your local news for a complete Rockland weather forecast.
FIVE ARRESTED IN HAVERSTRAW DRUG BUST
Five people have been arrested in Haverstraw on an assortment of drug charges stemming from a raid on a Railroad Avenue home. Over two-dozen officers from eight departments were involved in Monday’s raid and confiscated unspecified amounts of crack and marijuana. Four men in their early twenties and a seventeen year-old woman were taken into custody and held on 25-30 thousand dollar bails.
FUND MANAGER SUICIDE BLAMED ON MADOFF SCAM
The repercussions of Bernard Madoff’s monumental Ponsey scheme are deepening. New York City police report a sixty-five year-old fund manager from New Rochelle who lost a billion dollars worth of his clients’ money in Madoff’s scam was discovered dead at his Manhattan desk. Rene-Thierry Magnon de la Villehuchet’s wrists were slashed and a bottle of pills found within arms reach. Federal investigators are apparently working to seize Madoff’s assets in efforts of recovering some $50 plus billion.
VALLEY COTTAGE WOMAN SUES S.E.C.
Meanwhile, a Valley Cottage woman who allegedly lost over $1.5 million to Madoff is suing the Securities Exchange Commission for damages. Sixty-one year old Phyllis Molchatsky is seeking $1.7 million from the agency, claiming it was negligent in its oversight as many believe the to have been decades in the making.
DONOR CENTER NO LONGER REQUIRES S.S. #
It is no longer necessary to provide your social security number when donating blood. The New York Blood Center announces it has begun using a new identification system, which tracks through a combination of name, address and birth date.
Donors are asked to schedule an appointment or participate in one of several upcoming local drives. ASHAR will be hosting a drive next Tuesday, December 30th from 4-9:30PM. ASHAR’s is located at 70 Highview Avenue in Monsey.
MEMORIAL SCHEDULED FOR GOLDIE HUT
The East Ramapo community today mourns the passing of retired schoolteacher Goldie Hut. Goldie taught in the district for 38 years and is remembered fondly by both her colleagues and students. A memorial service for Goldie Hut will be held 12PM Friday at Temple Beth El.
12/23/08
N..R.C. REPORT BODES WELL FOR INDIAN POINT RELICENSING
Indian Point poses no environmental impacts that would prevent its relicensing. That’s according to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s recently released draft impact statement. Despite the concerns of residents who live within the 10 mile radius of the reactors, one agency argues the report reflects an important milestone. Paul Steidler, director of communications for the New York Affordable Reliable Electricity Alliance says it’s encouraging to see the facility is meeting “rigorous scientific and engineering scrutiny.” In the past, Rockland has refused to sign off on its Indian Point emergency evacuation plan, citing an independent study that deemed it inadequate.
Entergy, the owner of the Buchanan nuclear facility is seeking the NRC’s approval to keep its two operational reactors active through the years 2033 and 2035.
FORECLOSURES POSE FURTHER STRAIN ON LOCAL BUDGETS
With a 10% Rockland property tax hike looming in the New Year, residents are anxious to see how the county can keep from instituting further hikes in the future- a challenge that will only intensify with decreased mortgage and sales tax revenues, not to mention related reductions in revenue stemming from growing foreclosure and mortgage delinquencies.
A report out of NY Comptroller Tom DiNapoli’s office estimates property tax revenue could fall by up to $1.3 billion if statewide property values decline to the same extent as experienced in the early ‘90s recession. DiNapoli says as many as 50,000 New Yorkers this year have foreclosed on their homes. Orange County and Staten Island posted the state’s highest third quarter foreclosure rates. Rockland’s neighbors to the north are reporting 1 in 205 property owners in foreclosure.
TZ BRIDGE TOLLS GOING UP IN 2009
Property taxes are not the only cost rising in the New Year. Those traveling the Tappan Zee Bridge beginning January 4th will fork over up to a dollar more. Cash fares will go up fifty cents to $5 dollars and EZPass will rise to $4.75. Commuters who now pay $2 dollars for making twenty trips or more per month will see their toll increase by 50% to $3 dollars.
LAST DAY TO COMMENT ON PROPOSED BUS FARE HIKE
Today’s the last day for the public to comment on a proposal to raise county bus fares by fifty cents. The increase would raise fares on TOR, Clarkstown Mini Trans, Spring Valley Jitney and T.R.I.P.S. paratransit to $1.50. Riders can comment by calling the Rockland Department of Public Transportation at 845-364-3333 or by linking up with their website through www.wrcr.com.
RT. 304 CRASH UNDER INVESTIGATION
Two drivers are recovering today from injuries endured yesterday in a crash along Route 304 in Pearl River. Orangetown police believe the driver of the Buick ran a red light at Washington Avenue at around 2PM, striking and flipping a Hyundai SUV traveling with the right of way. Both drivers were transported to Nyack Hospital with what appeared to be minor injuries. Route 304 was shut for about an hour between Washington and Central avenues as part of what’s become an ongoing police investigation. Charges have not yet been filed.
RESCHEDULED SENIOR MEETING
The Forever Young Senior Club meeting that was cancelled last week due to the weather will, instead, be held 11AM tomorrow.
12/22/08
STORMS DELIVER A FOOT OF SNOW IN SOME PARTS OF ROCKLAND
Two in a series of three storms have already hit Rockland, bringing with them about a foot of snow to the western portions of the county and slightly less to the south. Longtime weather observer Peter Wozniak of Pearl River registered ten inches of snow between both…that’s about 1.2 inches of melted precipitation, bringing total accumulation for the month of December to 5.2 inches; blowing away the month’s average of 3.96. Temperatures today will remain well below freezing and drivers are advised to watch out for black ice.
Meteorologist Mark Hanok says a third storm will find its way to our area Christmas Eve, but temperatures will be mild enough to turn any snow into rain very quickly. Stay tuned to WRCR following your local news for a complete Rockland weather forecast.
MAN TAKEN TO W.M.C. AFTER GETTING HAND STUCK IN SNOW BLOWER
A Montebello man was rushed to the hospital yesterday after getting his hand stuck in a snow blower. The sixty-two year old and a part of the blower were taken to Westchester Medical Center. Volunteers with the Tallman Fire Department, Rockland Paramedics and Ramapo Valley Ambulance Corp assisted at the scene. The man told first responders he was leaning over the machine when he accidentally stuck his hand inside the chute. Thankfully, he was not seriously injured.
COUNTY DISTRIBUTES FREE SMOKE DETECTORS
Public awareness regarding the importance of smoke detectors has almost cut the number of fire deaths in half since the 1970s. In hopes of lowering that number even further, the county is distributing free smoke detectors out of the Office of Fire & Emergency Services. Fifty detectors will be given out to residents, one per household, on a first come first served basis beginning this morning. The office is open 9-5 Monday through Friday, but will be closed this Thursday due to the Christmas holiday.
HAVERSTRAW VILLAGE TO EXTEND WATERFRONT PROMENADE
New York’s Environmental Protection Fund has granted $1 million dollars to the Village of Haverstraw. The monies will go towards extending the waterfront promenade that runs parallel to the 850 unit Harbors at Haverstraw condo development. Haverstraw Village plans to stretch the walkway just south of Emeline Park towards Bowline Point. Eighty-eight communities across the state were funded through the program. The Village of Haverstraw received the third largest grant.
POLICE SEARCH FOR TD BANK ROBBER
The search continues today for a man who robbed Montvale’s TD Bank. Police say their suspect is a five-foot-eleven inch tall dark skinned male in his mid-thirties. He was seen fleeing to the CVS parking lot just across the street from the Chestnut Ridge Road bank. Authorities have been investigating the suspect or suspects involved in a spree of hits on TD Banks in New York and Connecticut. No was injured during yesterday’s robbery but anyone who witnessed it is asked to contact Montvale P.D. at 201-391-5760.
12/19/08
SNOWSTORM PROMPTS SCHOOL/DAYCARE CLOSURES
What will shape up to be the first significant snowstorm of the season has prompted the closure of all public schools countywide.
The East Ramapo School District has also cancelled all weekend activities.
Additionally, Dominican and Rockland Community colleges are also shut, along with Haverstraw and Spring Valley Head Starts, St. Anthony’s in Nanuet, St. Catherine’s Early Education, Rubin Gittelman, Temple Beth-El in Spring Valley.
Also closed today, Child Development Center of Pomona, Cornerstone in Haverstraw, A Starting Place of Pearl River, Robin Hill, Ages and Stages Nursery & Daycare, Vicki’s Studio & Creative Kids and the Sunshine Community Center.
Jawonio, ARC of Rockland and Camp Venture programs are cancelled today but administrative offices are open.
Rockland Foster Grandparents will not meet today and the Meals on Wheels Senior Centers, Bobby Lewis Intergenerational Center and SeniorNet are all closed. However, meals will still be delivered. People with vehicles that handle well in inclement weather are needed to help get meals out and can volunteer by calling, 845-624-MEAL.
STORM TO PEAK THIS AFTERNOON
Up to a half a foot of snow will fall, with the most accumulation expected in the county’s northern and western parts. The peak of the storm will occur between 1-5PM. During that time, people are advised to stay put as travel may be very dangerous or impossible. Stay tuned to WRCR following your local news for a complete Rockland weather forecast.
ROCKLANDERS ASKED TO GIVE BLOOD
Snowy weather has prompted the cancellation of blood drives across the region and the New York Blood Center is urging qualified donors to make an appointment to donate soon after the weather clears. Blood supplies usually slip below safe levels during the winter months, putting a strain on area hospitals and, at times, forcing the postponement of elective surgeries.
To make an appointment to donate during or after the holidays, contact the New York Blood Center toll-free at 1-800-933-BLOOD. County residents need not travel far. The Rockland Blood Center is located on Smith Street in Nanuet.
O&R GIFT CARDS AVAILABLE
With chilly winter weather settled in for the season, O&R is inviting holiday shoppers to gift their loved ones with Energy Gift Certificates. The gift cards are available in many denominations, can be purchased by phone or online and are accepted year-round as payment towards a customer’s utility bill. People can contact Orange & Rockland Utilities for more information on the program.
NYSBA DIRECTOR COMMENTS ON GOVERNOR’S PROPOSAL
Tim Kremer, the executive director of New York State School Boards Association, says Governor David Paterson’s proposed cuts to education will come with serious consequences. According to Kremer, the Governor is attempting to eliminate several grant programs and pass along to districts the additional costs related to preschool special ed. He also points out that there are many fixed costs that continue to rise, including pensions, health insurance, utilities and contractual obligations to employees and transportation contractors. But critics argue these costs are born of negotiations carried out by the district itself and cannot be blamed on the state.
Kremer concedes, there is a silver lining in the budget, that is, Paterson has maintained universal kindergarten funding, as well as building and transportation reimbursement levels. This means local communities that have already supported construction bonds with the expectation of a certain level of state aid will not be penalized.
DINAPOLI URGES STUDENTS TO BUY TEXTBOOKS ONLINE
Meanwhile, NYS Comptroller Tom DiNapoli is urging SUNY and CUNY college students to buy their textbooks online. Doing so, he says, can save students as much as 40% or an average $245 dollars a semester over the prices offered in campus bookstores. A typical undergraduate can expect to pay as much as $4,000 for textbooks over the course of a four-year degree program.
The advice comes on the heals of the State University of New York announcing a $600 tuition increase.
D.A. & GOOD SAM DEVELOP SPECIAL VICTIMS CENTER
Rockland’s District Attorney’s Office and Good Samaritan Hospital have joined forces in developing a “Spirit of Rockland” Special Victims Center. The 3,000 square foot facility on the hospital’s Suffern campus will provide both medical and legal care and support to special victims including children, the elderly, those who’ve suffered domestic violence and sexual assault. It’s being leased to the county at no cost to local taxpayers.
12/18/08
TOY TIPS OFFERED TO HOLIDAY SHOPPERS
December is Safe Toys and Gifts Month and the Health Department is urging those buying toys make sure the gifts they’re purchasing this season are child-friendly. While shopping, read labels to make sure the item is age appropriate, lead-free and doesn’t pose choking or strangulation hazards. If you’re gifting electronics, make sure the product is “UL Approved.” For more tips, visit the Consumer Product Safety Commission online at www.cpsc.gov.
ENGEL SAYS NEW BILL HELPS SENIORS RETAIN 401K VALUE
Congressman Eliot Engel has joined the rest of his House and Senate in agreeing to a bill that offers some economic protection to retired Americans. H.R. 7327 institutes a one-year suspension of an IRS requirement that forces 401K-styled account holders to withdraw a minimum amount of money every year after they reach 70 ½ years of age. Engel says this will keep seniors from being forced to take a hit in their savings value during this economic downturn. Currently, seniors who do not make these minimum withdrawals are subject to a 50% penalty.
STORM WATCH ISSUED FOR ROCKLAND
A winter storm watch has been issued for Rockland beginning tomorrow morning. The storm system could bring with it up to a half a foot of snow, according to Meteorologist Mark Hanok. Flakes will begin to fall during tomorrow morning’s commute and continue through the afternoon. Stay tuned to WRCR following your local news for Hanok’s detailed weather report.
RESIDENTS URGED TO PREPARE FOR WINTER WEATHER
Rockland’s Office of Fire and Emergency Services advises residents prepare for this and other winter storms by stocking enough food and prescription medication to last for one week. It’s also smart to have a supply of dried and canned food items in case the power goes out. Can openers, flashlights, a battery operated radio and extra batteries are items every household should have. Some of these items, along with heavy blankets and distress flares, should also be kept in the car should you become stranded on the road during a storm.
TILCON EXTENDS SEASONAL SUSPENSION OF TOMPKINS COVE QUARRY OPERATION
As North American auto manufacturers plan temporary factory shutdowns to contend with shrinking demand, a North Rockland business plans to do the same. Tilcon will suspend its Tompkins Cove quarry operation for seven weeks, beginning this weekend. The company usually shuts the quarry down one week each winter season, taking advantage of the seasonal slowdown to perform annual maintenance. Extending the closure results from a steady decline in the construction industry and affects about fourteen workers.
LEGISLATORS APPROVE ROCKLAND TEXTING BAN
County legislators have outlawed text messaging while driving. The ban, introduced by Legislative Chairwoman Harriet Cornell, passed 16 to 1. It prohibits drivers from composing, reading or sending text messages on any public street or highway countywide. Rockland is the fourth county in New York to approve the ban, following Nassau, Suffolk and Westchester. The idea is reduce driver distraction. In 2006, a joint study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and Virginia Tech Transportation Institute found nearly 80% of crashes involved a driver distracted in the three seconds prior to the accident. Rockland’s text banning bill now heads to the County Executive’s desk for approval.
WOLFE SEEKS TO STOP HANDBILL DISTRIBUTION ON CARS
Meanwhile, Legislator Alden Wolfe has introduced a local law prohibiting the placement of handbills, excluding tickets, on or in cars parked along public streets, county-owned and private property. Wolfe says the advertisements and flyers placed beneath windshield wipers too often end up littering the streets. Penalties for breaking the law might include up to a $100 dollar fine and/or a maximum of 15 days behind bars. The proposal will be discussed in the Public Safety Committee before it goes to the full legislature for a vote.
12/17/08
TUBMAN ONE OF SIX 2008 INDUCTEES TO THE CIVIL RIGHTS HALL OF FAME
Harriet Tubman is among six inductees who today will officially become part of Rockland’s Civil Rights Hall of Fame. Tubman’s great grand nieces from Auburn and Rochester, NY will join Human Right’s Commissioner Ram Nagubandi during the induction ceremony, which is being held at Nanuet’s Comfort Inn. The Human Right’s Commission this year celebrates its 45th anniversary of ensuring fairness and equality in all aspects of life in Rockland, from employment to housing. Also honored today as the newest members of the Civil Rights Hall of Fame are Dorothy Theresa Baptist, Dr. Willie Bryant, Rev. Dr. Richard Deats, Rabbi Louis Frishman and June Shagaloff. WRCR congratulates these men and women as they are recognized for their dedicated service to the people of our community.
WET WEATHER PROMPTS FEW DELAYS
A half an inch of frozen precipitation was measured in Pearl River, bringing total accumulation for the month of December so far to four inches. Temperatures will continue to climb through the day reaching the low forties. There’s more slippery weather ahead. Stay tuned for a complete Rockland weather forecast following your local news.
Fortunately, Rockland roads were in better-than-expected condition this morning, making for a relatively trouble-free commute.
South Orangetown and St. Catherine’s were the only schools on a two-hour delay.
Due to inclement weather, Rockland Jewish Family Services and ARC Hanukah Party set for last night will, instead, be held 7PM tomorrow at the New City Jewish Center.
PATERSON PROPOSES $121.1B 2009-2010 BUDGET
STAR Property Rebate Checks are not part of Governor David Paterson’s proposed $121.1 billion dollar 2009-2010 budget. His controversial spending plan, which aims to close a $15.4 billion dollar budget gap, also cuts aid to schools by almost $700 million, offers lower than expected Medicaid reimbursements, dissolves the sales tax exemption on clothing and shoes under $110 dollars and calls for increases in an assortment of taxes. The nearly ninety new or higher taxes are sought on non-diet sodas, beer, wine, cigars, massages, haircuts, movie tickets, downloaded music and cable and satellite television services.
As the Governor released his budget one month ahead of schedule, he’s calling on legislators to do the same in approving the plan. Traditionally, state representatives have until March 31st to reach a consensus, with April 1st marking the official start of the next fiscal year. Paterson says getting the budget passed by March 1st will save the state $1.3 billion.
LOCAL INVESTIGATION INTO MADOFF’S AUDITOR CONTINUES
The mastermind behind the largest Ponzi scheme of all-time is due in court today. Bernard Madoff will appear before a federal judge in New
York, supplying co-signers to his $10 million dollar bail bond.
Meanwhile, an investigation into a New City business’ connection to Bernard Madoff continues today. Rockland’s D.A. Office has refused to publicly comment at this stage in the investigation. We do know that the D.A., along with Clarkstown P.D., is closely examining Friehling & Horowitz, the business that has been auditing Bernard Madoff Financial Securities LLC. Friehling is believed to have authorized the company’s annual financial statements through the fourth quarter of 2006.
Seventy year-old Madoff, a former chairman of NASDAQ, last week was arrested on one count of securities fraud and admitted he orchestrated the $50 billion dollar bogus international operation. Private investors and banks round the world have hundreds of millions at stake and are wondering how much of it will be reclaimed.
HEARINGS HELD ON PROPOSED COUNTYWIDE BUS FARE HIKE
A two-part public hearing will be held today on a proposal to raise county bus fares. Riders are invited to comment on a proposed 50-cent increase to the cash fare for TOR, Tappan ZeeExpress, T.R.I.P.S., Spring Valley Jitney and Clarkstown MiniTrans. This means the cost to ride would rise to $1.50. Thirty-to forty percent discounts will still be available under the plan on most lines through purchasing strips of twenty, referred to as SuperSaver tickets. Today’s hearing will run 2-4PM and, again, from 6-8PM in the Palisades Center Mall’s 4th floor Adler Community Room.
LEVEL ONE SEX OFFENDER MOVES BACK TO STONY POINT
Another registered sex offender has moved to the North Rockland area. The school district has contacted parents, informing them that forty-five year old Todd Campos is now living in Stony Point. Campos, is registered as a level one sex offender, related to his conviction on charges he disseminated indecent material over the Internet. Level one represents the lowest of three assigned recidivism risk levels.
12/16/08
NEW CITY FIRM UNDER INVESTIGATION IN CONNECTION WITH MADOFF
A New City accounting firm is being investigated in connection with Bernard Madoff’s monumental Ponzi scheme. Friehling & Horowitz, the business that has been auditing Bernard Madoff Financial Securities LLC, is believed to have authorized the company’s annual financial statements through the fourth quarter of 2006. Madoff last week was arrested on one count of securities fraud and admitted he orchestrated the $50 billion dollar bogus international operation. Private investors and banks round the world have hundreds of millions at stake and are wondering how much of it will be reclaimed. The 70 year-old former chairman of NASDAQ has been released on a $10 million dollar bond. Rockland’s D.A. Office has refused to publicly comment at this stage in the investigation.
HEIGHTENED ROAD PATROLS PLANNED THROUGH HOLIDAY SEASON
Police across the tri-state area are stepping up road patrol and sobriety checkpoints to ensure road safety through this holiday season. Statistics show driving while ability impaired by drugs or alcohol rises through the months of December and January as people travel home from parties and gatherings. Last December, 992 people were killed nationwide in crashes involving a drunk driver with a blood alcohol concentration of .08 or higher, which is the legal limit in every state.
PATERSON RELEASES PROPOSED 2009-2010 BUDGET
Governor David Paterson today presents his proposed 2009-2010 state budget. With a growing budget deficit, spikes to certain taxes and reductions in spending are certain. A series of briefings will be held throughout the afternoon to expand on the budget’s impact on education, healthcare and the cost to local government.
COMPTROLLER SAYS THERE’S NO $$$ FOR “BUSINESS AS USUAL”
Meanwhile, State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli yesterday released his November Cash Report, revealing revenues falling $204.6 million short of the yearly projections set for the current budget year. Although revenues are coming in below expectations, in many cases they still represent a year-over-year increase. For example, General Fund personal income tax collections through November were $14.4 billion- that’s $1.6 billion over last year for the same period. Unfortunately, revenue growth is declining rapidly as the year progresses and projections are expected to fall sharply in
December and January.
In light of this trend, DiNapoli is crediting Paterson for beginning the budget process a month ahead of schedule. He’s encouraging legislators use the time wisely as he says New York simply doesn’t have the dollars to pay for “business as usual.”
STONY POINT CALLS EMERGENCY BOARD MEETING
The Town of Stony Point has called a special emergency board meeting to address the economic downturn. Board members will gather 7PM Monday in the Rho Building on Clubhouse Lane in Stony Point. They’ll be discussing and making motions to enact budgetary saving measures.
SLIPPERY ROADS EXPECTED OVERNIGHT
Temperatures countywide are dropping dramatically and are expected to settle below freezing today- quite the contrast to yesterday’s unseasonably mild weather. Pedestrians and drivers are advised to exercise caution in their travels through the evening and overnight as rain turns to a mixture of freezing rain and snow. Stay tuned to WRCR following your local news for a complete Rockland weather forecast.
12/15/08
HIKERS DISCOVER DEAD BODY IN HARRIMAN STATE PARK
It was a dreadful discovery yesterday for two hikers who happened upon a dead body along a trail at Harriman State Park. The man, who’s identity has not yet been confirmed, was described a Caucasian in his mid sixties. Authorities believe he had been living outside for some time. He was found inadequately dressed for the weather; wearing socks on his hands to keep warm. The hikers who discovered him believe he might have fallen off a slope and died from related injuries. Police are waiting on the results of an autopsy to determine the cause of death.
PROPOSED STATE BUDGET TO BE UNVEILED TOMORROW
As New York’s fiscal troubles deepen, the Governor and Legislature will be searching for new revenues to fill a growing budget gap and they will likely come in the form of selective tax increases. Governor David Paterson tomorrow plans to release his proposed 2009-2010 budget, which is expected to include tax hikes on gasoline and clothing while closing up income tax loopholes. Sources close to the Governor, however, say there will not be an increase in the state income tax.
On the spending side, his sketch includes raises to the welfare benefit, enhanced access to health care for the homeless and youth ages 18 and 19 and more monies towards an obesity prevention program. The plan comes a month ahead of schedule, jumping starting an early budget season as part of Paterson’s efforts of getting a head start of what promises to be a monumental task. New York, according to the Governor’s office, is on track for a three-year cumulative $47 billion dollar deficit.
SHORTLINE MAKES NEWS STOP OUTSIDE NANUET MALL
Rockland residents commuting to Manhattan via Short Line bus can now catch their ride in front of the Nanuet Mall. Beginning today, the bus line will service patrons from a new park and ride on Mall property, with pick-ups set for 8:15, 8:35 and 9AM. For more details on transit schedules residents can link up with the county’s Department of Public Transportation through our website at www.wrcr.com or by calling the Transit Information Center during normal business hours at 845-364-3333.
PUBLIC HEARING ON BUS FARE HIKES SET FOR WEDNESDAY
Meanwhile, a two part public hearing on a proposal to raise county bus fares is set for this Wednesday. Riders are invited to comment on a proposed 50-cent increase to the cash fare for TOR, Tappan ZeeExpress, T.R.I.P.S., Spring Valley Jitney and Clarkstown MiniTrans. This means the cost to ride will rise to $1.50. Thirty-to forty percent discounts will still be available on most lines through purchasing strips of twenty, referred to as SuperSaver tickets. Wednesday’s hearing will run 2-4PM and, again, from 6-8PM in the Palisades Center Mall’s 4th floor Adler Community Room.
12/12/08
GARNERVILLE FIREFIGHERS PAY TRIBUTE TO DEPARTMENT FOUNDER
Members of Garnerville’s S.W. Johnson Fire Company tomorrow will journey to Fishkill to pay respects to their founder. Volunteer firefighter and local historian Matthew Mann says the planned service falls exactly 127 years to the day of Samuel William Johnson’s death. Johnson, a supervisor at the Garner family’s textile mills, founded departments in Wappinger Falls and what became known as Garnerville. Mann was able to locate Johnson’s great granddaughter and, through further research, discovered Johnson’s burial site. Tomorrow’s service will begin 1PM at the Fishkill Rural Cemetery on Route 6.
NYSHIP LOWERS ROCKLAND EMPLOYEE HEALTH CARE PREMIUMS
After years of overcharges, NYSHIP (N.Y.S. Health Insurance Plan) has lowered Rockland’s 2009 county employee health care premiums. Taxpayers next year are expected to save as much as $2.5 million. There may be another $4-$5 million dollars in the queue to make up for overcharges to reserve accounts. Employees are assured that changes in premiums will not impact health benefits. Next year’s reduction in the county’s pay-in reflects statewide overcharges totaling $540 million.
HIGHER TEMPERATURES PREVENT OVERNIGHT ICING
It’s been a very wet 48 hours in Rockland with 3.6 inches of rain falling in this last storm, which began Wednesday. The good news- temperatures were mild enough to prevent overnight icing, making for a much safer than expected morning commute.
Rockland’s received fifty-seven inches of precipitation this year; over seven inches more than the county’s annual average. There’s much sunshine to be had through the weekend. Stay tuned to WRCR throughout the day for updated weather forecasts.
KARBEN SERVES 10 HOURS IN JAIL FOR D.U.I.A.
Thirty-four year old Ryan Karben fulfilled his two-day prison sentence yesterday after spending a total of 10 hours in county jail for driving while impaired by alcohol. Apparently, the law states that serving part of a day is the equivalent of serving the entire day. After multiple delays in pretrial proceedings and hours worth of jury selection that required two jury pools, the former Assemblyman Wednesday chose to bypass the trial and, instead accept a plea bargain of two days imprisonment and $500 in fines.
Karben had previously maintained his innocence on a drunk driving charge stemming from his January 30th arrest. Ramapo officers say Karben failed multiple field sobriety tests when they pulled him over on Brick Church Road, less than a mile from where he crashed his car into a utility pole. After being freed from jail, Karben yesterday returned to his job as Spring Valley deputy village attorney.
ROCKLAND GETS $1M ANTI-TERROR GRANT
Rockland has been awarded one million dollars in funding from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Sheriff James Kralik says the monies will be distributed to police, fire and EMS services and will be applied towards emergency preparedness and anti-terror efforts. A portion of the grant will also be allotted to the county’s Health Department.
VOTERS APPROVE $5.5M NEW CITY/W. NYACK LIBRARY BUDGET
Seven hundred and fifty-five residents Wednesday turned out to vote on the combined $5.5 million dollar New City/West Nyack library budget. A final count out of the Clarkstown Central School District shows the budget passed 450 to 305. Those who voted at Link Elementary School and the New City and West Nyack libraries favored the budget with the majority of those who voted at Congers Elementary School rejecting the plan.
Some voters complained over having to fill out a separate ballot to vote for library board members and only being able to fill out that ballot in one of the four polling locations. Poll workers tell WRCR the problem arose from a delayed submission of board candidates. Of five in the running, Douglas Albrecht, Olahannan Poulose and Martus Granirer won the three open seats on the board.
12/11/08
DAY SAYS NOW’S THE TIME TO REINSTATE GAS TAX CAP
Rockland Legislator Ed Day says now’s the time to reinstate Rockland’s $2.00 sales tax cap on gasoline. With gas prices falling below $2.00 a gallon, Day argues it’s the perfect to time to wean local government off the tax since the county’s currently realizing no revenue from it. Back in July of 2006 Day sponsored the legislation that capped Rockland’s gas tax at the same level as the state’s. The combined legislation saved county drivers a minimum of 10 cents per gallon. The state has since continued the cap, whereas, Rockland chose not to renew its own after the attending legislation expired in November of 2007. County officials said they needed the extra $1.8 million worth of projected revenues for the 2008 budget year.
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FOR ROCKLAND
A winter weather watch is currently in effect for Rockland County. Temperatures will hover below freezing with severe icing expected in the northern and northwestern parts of the county. According to the National Weather Service, Stony Point and areas with an elevation above 500 feet could receive a quarter to a half-inch of ice before the freezing rain turns over to snow at around 1AM. A combination of sleet, freezing rain and winds between 15-20 miles per hour brings with it the possibility of power outages.
Residents should report electrical interruptions to Orange & Rockland Utilities immediately at 1-877-434-4100. People are warned to stay clear of any downed wires and wait for trained crews to arrive. Stay tuned to WRCR throughout the day for updated weather forecasts with veteran Rockland meteorologist Mark Hanok.
KARBEN PLEADS GUILTY TO DRIVING WHILE IMPAIRED
Thirty-four year old Ryan Karben spent the night in jail after pleading guilty to driving while impaired by alcohol and across hazard markings. On the last day of jury selection for his drunk driving trial, the former Assemblyman yesterday decided, instead, to bypass the trial and accept two days imprisonment and $500 in fines. Karben had previously maintained his innocence on a drunk driving charge stemming from his January 30th arrest. Ramapo officers say Karben failed multiple field sobriety tests when they pulled him over on Brick Church Road, less than a mile from where he crashed his car into and snapped a utility pole.
SLIPPERY SURFACES MAY HAVE CAUSED FATAL P.I.P. ACCIDENT
Slippery road surfaces are believed to have played a role in a fatal Palisades Parkway collision that yesterday claimed the life of a 46 year-old Newburgh man. The accident occurred shortly after 2PM along PIP southbound lanes near Exit 13, shutting the parkway in that area for almost five hours. Both the driver and passenger of the second vehicle were taken to local hospitals with back and neck injuries. Information regarding the Newburgh man’s identity has not been released pending family notification.
2 DOZENS DOGS/CATS RESCUED FROM WESLEY HILLS HOME
Over two-dozen dogs and several cats yesterday were rescued from a Wesley Hills home authorities say was in absolutely deplorable condition. Ramapo P.D. responded to the Spook Rock Road address at around 11:30AM on a report of animal cruelty and found the dogs sleeping in kennels atop eight inches of compacted feces. The pets were taken to the Hi Tor shelter and the home’s 73 year-old female occupant transported to Good Samaritan Hospital for evaluation.
COMMUNITY ASKED TO SUPPORT OPERATION REINDEER
Residents wishing to contribute to the Mental Health Association’s Operation Reindeer have until tomorrow to drop off their donations. The drive seeks an assortment of gift items like slippers, puzzles, stamps, books and CDs for both children and adults participating in the MHA’s outpatient and residential programs. For gift ideas or more information, call 845-267-2172, ext. 322. Donations are being accepted at the MHA’s headquarters at 706 Executive Blvd.; Suite F in Valley Cottage, NY.
12/9/08
NY LAWMAKERS QUESTION PROPOSED TAX ON LIVESTOCK FLATULENCE
Two New York lawmakers are urging the EPA to halt consideration of a proposal that would tax the flatulence of livestock. Still in its preliminary stages, the measure attempts to charge farmers an annual fee per animal. It applies only to those ranches with over 200 hogs, 50 cattle or 25 dairy cows. Representatives of the Environmental Protection Agency are considering the new tax under the Clean Air Act and cite a 2007 U.S. Supreme Court ruling stating livestock gaseous emissions may contribute to global climate change and thus constitute a form of air pollution. Assembly representatives Jim Tedicso and Cliff Crouch say the new tax would only hurt New York’s already beleaguered family farmers.
MELE REMAINS IN LOCK UP; CASE ADJOURNED TO 12/22
Registered sex offender Michael Mele remains in Rockland County Jail today on a $50,000 bail. He’s being held for violating the terms of his probation and for his potential involvement in the disappearance of a 25 year-old Brooklyn woman. Mele was seen leaving a Manhattan nightclub with Laura Garza early Wednesday morning. Garza was last spotted later that morning in the neighborhood of Mele’s Newburgh residence. Mele has a history of lewd behavior and was previously arrested for sexually harassing women in the Rockland area. Rockland’s District Attorney’s office confirms Mele’s case has been adjourned to December 22nd.
Investigators are asking any woman who’s come in contact with Mele this last year or anyone who might have information regarding the man’s whereabouts over these last five days to contact the New York State Police Bureau of Crime Investigation at 845-344-5300.
MONSEY TEENS HELD ON ROBBERY, WEAPON CHARGES
Meanwhile, two teenage boys from Monsey are scheduled to appear in Wesley Hills Court tomorrow on weapon, robbery and grand larceny charges. Seventeen year-old Austin Elkaim and nineteen year-old Eric Schecter have each been held on a $50,000 bail since being arrested Friday. The two were taken into custody behind the Grandview Elementary School and have been tied to an armed robbery of a taxi cab driver and the destruction of residential property. Authorities say Elkaim and Schecter shot out windows in at least two Wesley Hills homes. They’re advising anyone else in that area who’s experienced similar property damage to contact Ramapo police immediately.
HEARING TO FOCUS ON COUNTY FEE FOR PLASTIC & PAPER BAGS
A public discussion on a legislative proposal to charge county consumers a quarter per plastic and paper shopping bag has been set for 7:30 tomorrow night. The measure, authored and introduced by Legislator Connie Coker, is aimed at eliminating free disposable bags in efforts of encouraging the use of reusable ones. Coker points to the environmental consequences of choosing disposable bags, including its impact on wildlife and overall garbage production.
On the other hand, many residents argue they recycle their plastic and paper as garbage bags and would otherwise be buying them in the store. They also say the county’s proposed fee is too high and would contribute to the ever-escalating cost of living in Rockland.
TOYS FOR TOTS DONATIONS CAN BE DROPPED OF AT ZEBROWSKI’S OFFICE
Local residents interested in participating in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve’s annual Toys for Tots Program can drop off items at Assemblyman Ken Zebrowski’s local office. New, unwrapped toys can be brought to 67 North Main Street in New City weekdays between 9AM and 5PM. Donated items will then be distributed as Christmas gifts to needy children in the community.
HAVERSTRAW ELKS COLLECTING CHILDREN'S HATS, GLOVES, SCARVES
WRCR is also serving as a collection site for children's gloves, hats and scarves. These items will be brought to the Haverstraw Elks and handed out to local school children. Each year, the Haverstraw Elks’ drive helps hundreds of Rockland children stay warm through the winter months.
12/8/08
IRON LIKELY CAUSE OF DANA DRIVE BLAZE
Almost three-dozen Spring Valley volunteers yesterday responded to a fire in a three-story home along Dana Drive. The blaze was contained to the home’s laundry room and, thankfully, did not result in any injuries. Although an investigation continues, an initial inspection pointed to an iron left on as the likely cause.
SLOATBURG FIRE VICTIM RECOVERS AT WESTCHESTER MEDICAL
Meanwhile, a Sloatsburg man remains hospitalized today with injuries endured Friday in a fire that gutted his Richard Street home. Volunteers with Sloatsburg, Hillburn and Tuxedo fire departments worked to extinguish the 9PM blaze. By the time they arrived, the home’s sole occupant, fifty-seven year old Carlos Padilla, had evacuated to a neighbor’s home. From there, Padilla was taken to Good Samaritan and later to transferred to Westchester Medical Center with serious burns to his hand and scalp. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
D.E.C. ASSESSES CONTAMINATED STONY POINT PROPERTY
Additional information on a Stony Point environmental cleanup is currently available at the Rose Memorial Library. Residents can obtain documents regarding assessment of the Gabriel Manufacturing Site on South Liberty Drive. Contamination of the property predates the current operation. In 1988, a production well at the site was sampled and tested positive for volatile organic compounds, primarily chlorofluorocarbons. Nearby residents are assured the contamination poses no health threat as they do not draw from wells but are supplied with municipal water.
ANGRY TAXPAYERS INITIATE CALL CAMPAIGN
A group of displeased property owners are asking Rockland residents join them in letting elected representatives know how they feel about a 10% 2009 county tax hike. The coalition is encouraging taxpayers to phone the county executive’s office at 845-638-5122. Once you’re done, they say it’s a good idea to ask to be connected with the legislature’s office and let them know your thoughts as well. Legislators last week approved the tax increase as proposed in the county’s executive’s plan. Rockland’s $714.5 million 2009 budget is $30 million dollars heftier than the current year’s.
STATE POLICE INVESTIGATE FATAL P.I.P CRASH
State police today continue their investigation into a fatal Friday morning accident along the northbound P.I.P. A thirty-six year old off-duty New York City police detective from Newburgh was pronounced dead at the scene. It took the Jaws of Life to extricate Christopher Morelli from his Honda, which crashed into the backside of a state DOT truck at around 6:30AM. The accident investigation shut Palisades Interstate Parkway northbound lanes between exits 9W and 10 for almost four hours.
COMMUNITY SHOCKED OVER SUDDEN DEATH OF BOBBY CAGGIANO
Special Blend bandleader and Clarkstown Highway Department employee Bobby Caggiano will be laid to rest tomorrow. Bobby died suddenly of a heart attack Friday night at the age of 62. He had quite a fan base as Special Blend enjoys countywide popularity as one of the most requested acts for both public and private engagements. A wake for Caggiano will be held 2-4PM and, again 7-9PM, today at the Higgins Funeral Home on Lake Road in Congers. The funeral service is set for 10AM tomorrow at St. Paul’s, also along Lake Road in Congers.
LOCAL CLEANERS PARTICIPATE IN 19TH ANNUAL COATS FOR KIDS DRIVE
The 19th annual Coats for Kids drive is well underway. Residents can bring well-worn coats to anyone of these participating cleaners:
June French Cleaners in Congers, Bon Aire Cleaners of Suffern, as well as Personal Touch and Tiffany cleaners, both in Spring Valley.
These businesses have volunteered to clean the coats free of charge and deliver them to local distribution sites. Families in need of children’s coats can contact the People to People in Nanuet and the Community Action Programs in Haverstraw and Spring Valley.
12/5/08
ACCIDENT SHUTS PORTION OF P.I.P. FOR FOUR HOURS
An accident investigation this morning shut Palisades Interstate Parkway northbound lanes between exits 9W and 10 for almost four hours. Volunteers with the Nanuet Fire Department were called to the scene at around 6:40AM for vehicle extrication. No information has been made public regarding the number of people in the car and the extent of injuries.
ESPOSITO FAMILY SHOCKED OVER FRAGGING VERDICT
Family and friends of the late Army Captain Phillip Esposito of Suffern are shocked over a not-guilty verdict handed down to the man alleged responsible for his death. After two days of deliberation, a fourteen member military tribunal found forty-one year old Staff Sergeant Alberto Martinez not guilty of premeditated murder in the fragging deaths of Esposito and 1st Lt. Louis Allen. Martinez had been accused of rigging a mine in an attempt to kill or seriously wound both superiors. Testimony of dozens placed Martinez near the crime scene. Several spoke of an ongoing feud between Martinez and Esposito, including passing threats made by Martinez on Esposito’s life. One witness said Esposito asked for a list of who could replace Martinez in overseeing the supply room the day before he was killed.
The prosecution, however, argued much of this testimony was circumstantial and pointed to an incomplete military investigation immediately following the grenade explosion. Martinez could have faced the death penalty if found guilty.
MOTHER ACQUITTED ON CHARGES SHE SHOVED HER SON IN AN OVEN
Charges have been dropped against a mother accused of putting her son in an oven as punishment. Twenty-six year old Tiffany Fraser of Airmont was acquitted after a complete investigation by the D.A.’s office and at the recommendation of Child Protective Services. However, child endangerment charges are still pending against Fraser in Ramapo. The young mother was taken into custody and indicted by a grand jury after her son told police his Mom put him in the oven and burned him. She maintained her innocence from the very beginning and claimed her son lied because she wouldn’t let him go trick-or-treating.
DEMOCRATS REELECT VINCE MONTE PARTY CHAIR
In the second part of the county’s Democratic Convention, Vince Monte last night was reelected as the party’s Chair 285 to 200. Committee members in Haverstraw and Clarkstown overwhelmingly supported Monte with the majority of Ramapo and Orangetown committee members throwing their votes to challenger Greg Julian. Stony Point’s vote was reportedly split.
POPULAR LOCAL BANDLEADER DIES UNEXPECTED AT THE AGE OF 62
Clarkstown Highway employee and Special Blend bandleader Bobby Caggiano passed away unexpectedly last night at the age of 62. Bobby had quite a fan base as his band gained countywide popularity as one of the most requested at both public and private engagements. Funeral arrangements have not yet been made.
SUFFERN HOSTS SERVICE IN COMMEMORATION OF PEARL HARBOR
The Village of Suffern this Sunday, December 7th will host a service in commemoration of the attack on Pearl Harbor. All are invited to attend the program, which begins 3PM Suffern Village Hall’s auditorium.
12/4/08
TZ BRIDGE PLATE REMOVAL BEGINS TONIGHT
The gradual removal of reinforcement plates on the Tappan Zee Bridge is expected to begin tonight. Thruway Authority Executive Director Michael Fleischer tells Senator Tom Morahan three of the plates that have been significantly contributing to rush hour delays will be the first to go. Two feet of asphalt will be installed leading up to the remaining four northbound plates. Fleischer says this should help make for a smoother and swifter ride for drivers traveling into Rockland County. No specific word on when southbound plates will be lifted. Although, we’re told all plates should be gone by month’s end.
EAST RAMAPO CONSIDERS SHUTTING LIME KILN
East Ramapo School Superintendent Ira Oustatcher last night detailed a controversial plan that involves shutting the Lime Kiln Elementary School. The trade-off… full day kindergarten. Oustatcher addressed the board and about 250 attendees, promising the district would not sell the building but lease it out, redistributing the current student body by reconfiguring the grades housed in the remaining schools.
Due to a growing number of East Ramapo children attending private schools, the public school population today is less than half of what it was in the early ‘70s. The East Ramapo School Board will further research and debate the plan and will not vote on it until the New Year.
UNARMED ROBBER STEALS $2K FROM SPRING VALLEY BANK
No one was injured yesterday during an unarmed robbery of the TD Bank in Spring Valley. Authorities have yet to identify the man but caught a pretty clear look at him through surveillance cameras. They say they’re suspect is a 25 to 30 year old five foot eight inch tall bald Hispanic man, weighing about 170 pounds. The robber made off with almost two thousand dollars in cash and likely fled west on New Clarkstown Road. Anyone who might have witnessed the robbery or believes they can identify the man caught on camera is asked to contact Spring Valley P.D. at 845-356-7400.
HAVERSTRAW MAN SENTENCED FOR SELLING COCAINE IN SPRING VALLEY
A twenty year-old Haverstraw man will spend the next two years in state prison for vending cocaine. Omar Rodriquez was caught this past April selling the drug out of a Spring Valley bar. Rodriquez was charged with two counts each of possession and criminal sale. State Supreme Court Justice William Kelly also sentenced the young man to three years post release probation.
SANTA EXPECTED AT SUFFERN TREE LIGHTING
The Village of Suffern tonight is inviting the community to attend its annual Christmas tree lighting ceremony, featuring music by the Salvation Army and the Suffern High School Select Choir. Festivities will begin at 6:30PM at the Virginia Menschner Gazebo. Mayor John Keegan will light the tree at 7PM at which point Santa is expected to make a guest appearance. Hot chocolate, cookies and pictures with Santa will be offered following the ceremony inside the community center.
PART II OF ROCKLAND DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION TO BE HELD TONIGHT
Rockland’s Democratic Committee will attempt to reconvene tonight at Clarkstown Hall. The party’s annual convention was adjourned in September when tensions escalated over disputes within the Ramapo Democratic Committee. Disagreements within the town’s committee will be settled in court. A decision can be handed down any day now.
Meanwhile, there’s talk of a potential challenge to sitting County Democratic Committee Chair Vince Monte. Stony Point Democrat, Greg Julian, has been mentioned as a possible candidate.
SMOKE TESTING CONTINUES IN RAMAPO
Smoke testing within Ramapo’s sewer system continues today underneath Crikki Lane as well as Pearlman, Hope and Elise drives. Residents in those areas should not be alarmed if they see white smoke emanating from manhole covers and possibly drains inside their homes.
12/3/08
LEGISLATURE ADOPTS 2009 ROCKLAND BUDGET
After three hours of debate, the county legislature last night adopted a $714.5 million 2009 budget 13 to 4. Legislators Ed Day, Joe Meyers, Frank Sparaco and Jacques Michel voted no on the spending plan that brings along with it a 9.85% county tax hike. Comparing county tax bills year over year, many residents say this year they paid more than the 7-plus percent increase that was publicized last budget season by the legislature and county executive’s office. Some are afraid the same thing will happen again next year.
Legislators did make additional cuts to the budget proposed by County Executive Scott Vanderhoef, but instead of passing them along in the form of a smaller tax increase, they’re planning to bank the difference to cover a deficit that could continue to grow through 2009. Vanderhoef’s budget included funds from a new hotel occupancy tax and additional ticket revenue through the installation of cameras on county intersections. However, neither measure was voted on as legislators agreed to first hold public hearings on both bills.
About forty residents attended last night’s legislative session. Of those who addressed the budget during the public comment period, not a single participant spoke in its favor.
GAS PRICES IN ROCKLAND DIP BELOW $2/GALLON
For the first time in well over two years, Rockland gas prices this week have dipped under $2.00. Costco in Nanuet as of noon yesterday was selling regular at $1.89 a gallon and West Nyack’s Fuel Depot was offering the same for $1.99. Falling gas prices have been attributed to a global economic slowdown and the related reduction in demand. Rockland may see a reduction in revenue as prices plummet given it never renewed the temporary $2 dollar gasoline sales tax cap.
SEWER SMOKE TESTING CONTINUES IN RAMAPO
Smoke testing within Rockland’s District #1 sewer system is being conducted in the area of Merrick and Jacaruso drives and along Union and Viola roads in Ramapo.
Affected homeowners should receive notice by mail several days in advance of planned testing in their neighborhood.
ASSEMBLY MAJORITY CONFERENCE UNDERWAY IN NYC
New York’s democratic Assembly representatives remain in New York City today for the second of a three-day majority conference. 94th District Assemblyman Ken Zebrowski tells WRCR the economy has been front and center on the agenda as legislators have been hearing from numerous financial analysts attempting to paint an accurate picture of how New York is fairing during this national downturn.
Major disruptions on Wall Street have caused a huge reduction in the tax stream into state coffers; a problem the Governor and the State Legislature will be forced to contend with next budget season. Governor David Paterson is expected to present his proposed 2009-2010 budget on December 16th. State lawmakers have until the end of March to massage the plan as April 1st marks the start of the state’s budget year.
ROCKEFELLER TREE LIGHTING SET FOR TONIGHT
A seventy-six year old tradition continues at Rockefeller Center this evening. The mammoth 8 ton, 72 foot tall Norway spruce from Hamilton, NJ will be lit for the first time at 8:55PM, following a star-studded celebration, including performances by Biance, Harry Connick, Jr., Faith Hill and the Jonas Brothers. The tree was donated by the Varanyak family who tells reporters the spruce was a family Christmas tree replanted 77 years ago. Resting atop the splendid specimen stands a 550 pound, 9.5 foot tall Swarovksi crystal star, bejeweled with 25,000 crystals. The tree will be on display through January 9th.
If you’re heading into the city today, keep in mind this is one of the city’s official gridlock alert days. Travel by transit is suggested, as streets will be closed 3-10PM from 48th and 52nd between Fifth and Sixth avenues.
SUFFERN TREE LIGHTING CEREMONY BEGINS 6:30PM TOMORROW
The Village of Suffern tomorrow night will be hosting its own Christmas tree lighting ceremony, featuring music by the Salvation Army and the Suffern High School Select Choir. All are invited to join in the festivities set to start at 6:30PM at the Virginia Menschner Gazebo. Major John Keegan will light the tree at 7PM at which point Santa is expected to make a guest appearance. Hot chocolate, cookies and pictures with Santa will be offered following the ceremony inside the community center.
12/2/08
PATERSON TO DETERMINE WHO SUCCEEDS CLINTON
With Senator Hillary Clinton being offered and accepting the position of Secretary of State in president-elect Barack Obama’s administration, the question remains- who will join Chuck Schumer in representing New York in the U.S. Senate? That choice lies squarely with Governor David Paterson. In a letter to the Governor addressing this process, Assembly Minority Leader Jim Tedisco is asking Paterson exercise the highest level of transparency and public openness as he works to select a qualified replacement. Governor Paterson says he will not name Clinton’s successor until she officially vacates her post, which will not likely happen in advance of Obama’s January 20th inauguration.
FOUR INJURED IN CENTRAL NYACK CRASH
Four people yesterday were taken to Nyack Hospital with an assortment of non-life-threatening aches and pains after being involved in a crash that blocked up Route 59 for almost four hours. The collision occurred at around 9:30AM yesterday when a tractor- trailer driver lost control of his rig and slammed into a Brinks armored car and an SUV just outside the Hub Shopping Center in Central Nyack. Westbound Route 59 in that area was shut until 2 o’clock as volunteers with the county’s HAZMAT team worked to clean up a sizeable amount of diesel fuel and battery acid. An investigation into what caused the tractor-trailer operator to lose control continues. No tickets have yet been issued.
COUNTY NAMED IN WRONGFUL DEATH LAWSUIT
Summit Park Hospital, the County of Rockland and its employees are the subject of a wrongful death lawsuit stemming from an incident that allegedly led to the death of 90 year-old patient. Sister Mary Daniel died of a fractured skull on September 7th, one week after a 200-pound wardrobe fell on her during her stay at Summit Park. Her family is accusing the county of gross recklessness and negligence in a lawsuit that does not specify damages sought. Prosecutors point to similar incidents having occurred at the hospital prior to the one they claim caused the nun’s untimely death.
COALITION PROPOSES DEPARTMENT CONSOLIDATION
Prior to tonight’s legislative vote on a proposed $714.5 million dollar 2009 county budget, a bipartisan coalition of county legislators plans to propose a measure they say could save the county $2.5 million dollars. Legislators Joe Meyers, Frank Sparaco and Jacques Michel will ask their colleagues to consider rolling the departments of Tourism, Human Rights and General Services into the County Executive’s office. They argue only significant spending cuts will save the county from facing another sizeable tax hike next year. The 2009 budget, as proposed, would bring with a 10% county tax increase. Critics of the budget believe the spending plan, in part, is predicated on inflated speculative revenues that, given the deepening economic downturn, will not likely be realized; Something they say could further drive up Rockland’s deficit and the need to raise taxes again in 2010.
Tonight’s legislative session is set to start at 8 o’clock in the legislative chambers on New Hempstead Road in New City.
SMOKE TESTING CONTINUES
It’s been going on for almost a month and continues today. Smoke testing within Rockland’s District #1 sewer system is being performed beneath dozens of Ramapo roads. Today, residents living along Brick Church, E. Fessler, Union and Viola roads may notice white smoke emanating from manhole covers and potentially drains inside their homes. The entire Village of New Hempstead, save for one street, is within the boundaries of today’s testing.
Sterns & Wheeler, the civil engineering firm overseeing the project, ensures residents the smoke is non-toxic and poses absolutely no public health threat. Affected homeowners should receive notice by mail several days in advance of planned testing in their neighborhood.
12/1/08
MAJOR ACCIDENT SHUTS ROUTE 59 IN CENTRAL NYACK
It took over three hours to clean up the scene of an accident involving a Brinks armored car and an industrial vehicle. The collision occurred shortly after 9 o’clock this morning just outside the Hub Shopping Center in Central Nyack, shutting Route 59 in both directions. HAZMAT crews were called to the scene to attend to a sizeable spill involving diesel fuel and battery acid. Numerous injuries but no fatalities have been reported. We’ll have more information for you as it becomes available.
RAMAPO POLICE CONTINUE SEARCH FOR HIT & RUN DRIVER
Ramapo police today continue their search for a hit and run driver that Friday night left a 77 year-old man lying seriously injured along Route 45, just north of Washington Avenue in the Village of New Hempstead. The elderly Spring Valley man was treated at the scene by Rockland Paramedics and transported to Good Samaritan with wounds to his head and body. Detectives with Ramapo’s Accident Investigation Unit say the vehicle, likely a Dodge or Plymouth minivan with passenger side front-end damage, fled north on Route 45 immediately following the 5:50PM accident. Anyone who witnessed this hit and run is asked to please contact Ramapo P.D. immediately at 845-357-2400.
YEAR TO DATE RAINFALL HIGHER THAN AVERAGE
Rockland’s total rainfall for 2008 thus far is coming in substantially higher than average despite a slightly drier than average November. Longtime weather observer Pete Wozniak of Pearl River last month measured 3.81 inches, exactly a half an inch less than the usual monthly downfall. So far this year we are about four inches over the 49.8- inch annual county average. Skies promise drier weather today on this first day of December. Stay tuned to WRCR following your local news for a complete Rockland weather forecast.
LEGISLATURE SET TO VOTE ON 2009 BUDGET TOMORROW
Rockland’s legislature tomorrow night will vote on a proposed 2009 county budget that will raise property taxes by 10%. Taxpayers that have been unable to make it to the public hearing on the budget can still contact the County Executive and Legislature to voice their support or opposition to the spending plan. County Executive Scott Vanderhoef can be reached at 845-638-5122 and the Legislature at 845-638-5100.
THREE LEGISLATORS SUPPORT DEPARTMENT CONSOLIDATION
Meanwhile, a bi-partisan coalition of legislators is asking the county consider saving substantial funds by rolling the Departments of Tourism, Human Rights and General Services into the County Executive’s office. Legislator Joe Meyers say the county’s proposed $714.5 million dollar budget is predicated on speculative revenues many believe will not be realized given the deepening economic downturn. He believes without serious cutbacks, Rockland homeowners next year will be in for another sizeable tax increase. Tomorrow’s legislative session is set to start at 8 o’clock in the legislative chambers on New Hempstead Road in New City.
SEWER SMOKE TESTING CONTINUES
Smoke testing within Rockland Sewer District #1 continues today. The sewer system beneath dozens of Ramapo roads will be tested, most notably, along Brick Church, Fessler, Union and Viola roads. Residents should not be alarmed if they see the white non-toxic smoke emanating from manhole covers and, in some cases, drains inside their homes.
DRUNK DRIVERS NABBED IN COUNTYWIDE HOLIDAY ROAD PATROLS
Stepped up holiday weekend road patrol nabbed numerous drunk drivers countywide. Four of the county’s police departments, along with officers from the Rockland Sheriff’s Department report a total of nine DWI arrests within just four hours on Thanksgiving eve. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration cites drunk driving as the number one cause of fatalities on America’s roadways. Last year, 12,998 people were killed in crashes involving drunk drivers. Enhanced enforcement has helped consistently reduce that number year over year.
11/26/08
SCAM ARTISTS TARGET INTERNET RENTAL HUNTERS
Beware of submitting payment or personal information to people trying to rent properties over the Internet. That’s the word of advise today from Naomi Streicher, founder of Pomona-based Realty Teams. Streicher yesterday uncovered an online scam, in which a person in England was fraudulently soliciting rent for a Congers property that’s actually up for sale. This unidentified individual does not own or manage the property and, apparently, copied pictures of the three-story unit from a legitimate realtor. He then posted the pictures online, requesting a $900 monthly rent.
One man, attempting to take advantage of what was believed to be a “good deal,” wired the scam artist two months rent, accompanied by personal identification information. Streicher says the best way to avoid being taken by such scams is to deal with the agent or landlord in person.
TRANSIT SCHEDULES MODIFIED THANKSGIVING DAY & FRIDAY
Tomorrow, Thanksgiving Day, TOR, Coach USA Red & Tan and Shortline buses will operate on Sunday schedules. There will be no service at all on the TZEXpress line, T.R.I.P.S. paratransit, Coach USA Exit 14 Express, Clarkstown MiniTrans and Spring Valley Jitney. Ferry services and the TOR Ferry Express shuttle bus will also be suspended.
In addition to the Transit Center phone number at 845-364-3333, public transit patrons can get all the details of planned schedule modifications by linking up with Rockland Department of Public Transportation through our website www.wrcr.com.
HUNGER ACTION NETWORK SPONSORS FOOD STAMP HOTLINE
Hudson Valley residents worrying about putting food on the table through this holiday season can now call a toll free number to find out about food stamps and other services to assist low-income individuals and families. Hunger Action Network of New York is inviting people to call their confidential hotline at 1-866-526-2978 now through the end of December to find out if they’re eligible for government aid. County residents can also contact the Rockland Department of Social Services directly for counsel and information on local food pantries.
RITA AVENUE FIRE UNDER INVESTIGATION
Volunteers with the Monsey and Tallman fire departments 11:30AM yesterday responded to a structure fire along Rita Avenue in Monsey. The person who reported the fire told the emergency dispatcher that there was a female trapped on the roof but a search of the building turned up no occupants. Detectives with Ramapo P.D. and the Rockland County Arson Unit are investigating the cause of the blaze. Meanwhile, the Village of Kaser’s Fire Inspector has deemed the building “unusable” due to multiple violations.
TWO RAMAPO STUDENTS ARRESTED FOR WEAPON POSSESSION
Later in the day yesterday, officers were called to Ramapo High School on a report of a fight involving a handgun. The school’s Student Resource Officer was first informed of the altercation and called for back up. Police recovered an unloaded .32 caliber handgun and arrested two seventeen year olds; one male and one female. Both have been brought up on fourth degree criminal possession of a weapon, among other charges. Apparently, all six students involved in the incident were participating in an after school program.
UHR OFFERS BEREAVEMENT DISCUSSION GROUP
Do you spend your holidays mourning loved ones that have passed on? If so, United Hospice of Rockland invites you to join a free discussion focused on “Coping with the Holidays.” The program, which begins 1:30PM Tuesday, December 9th, will be presented by UHR bereavement social worker Marlene D’Alvia at the agency’s headquarters on Stokum Lane in New City. For more information on this discussion or other UHR bereavement support groups, call Eileen at 634-4974.
“SALUTE TO VETERANS” CONCERT TO BE REBROADCAST
The Jewish War Veterans and Town of Ramapo-sponsored “Salute to Veterans” concert will be rebroadcast 8PM tonight on Cablevision Channel 77 and Fios Channel 32.
RAMAPO HOSTS TELEVISED BINGO
Tomorrow night, the Town of Ramapo will be hosting televised BINGO live from town hall. Bingo cards can be picked up from town hall until 5PM today and can also be downloaded off Ramapo’s website. Bingo will also be broadcast on Cablevision Channel 77 and Fios Channel 32.
11/25/08
PUBLIC TRANSIT PATRONS ADVISED ON HOLIDAY SCHEDULE CHANGES
Extra TZExpress buses tomorrow will meet Rockland-bound travelers at the Tarrytown Rail Station in anticipation of an early holiday rush hour. Riders can call the Rockland Transit Information Center at 845-364-3333 for details. On Thanksgiving Day, TOR, Coach USA Red & Tan and Shortline buses will operate on Sunday schedules. There will be no bus service at all on the TZEXpress line, T.R.I.P.S. paratransit, Coach USA Exit 14 Express, Clarkstown MiniTrans and Spring Valley Jitney. Ferry services and the TOR Ferry Express shuttle bus will also be suspended.
In addition to the Transit Center phone number, public transit patrons can get all the details of planned schedule modifications by linking up with Rockland Department of Public Transportation through our website www.wrcr.com.
BYE, BYE LOVETT TOWER; HELLO HUDSON VIEW
Mirant’s 475-foot Lovett smoke stack this morning was safely toppled to the ground. Although state and local authorities assured Stony Point residents the demolition posed no threat to the public or their property, people living in close proximity to the Tompkins Cove tower were evacuated as a precaution. Mirant’s Lovett plant ceased operations last year after the company decided it would be too costly to retrofit the coal burning power plant in order to bring it up to current emission standards.
SCHUMER & MURPHY PLAN TAPPAN VETERAN HOUSING
NY Senator Chuck Schumer joined Rockland Legislator John Murphy yesterday in detailing plans to convert a parcel of Tappan property into veteran housing. The stretch of land, which was formerly a part of Camp Shanks, runs along Western Highway near Independence Avenue. Murphy, himself a veteran, has had his sights set on the property for some time and is hoping the fed will help fund its development into fifty garden apartments reserved specifically for homeless veterans disabled in the line of duty. Studies, according to Schumer, reveal veterans account for one quarter of the homeless population with an estimated 7,000 in the lower to mid-Hudson Valley alone. Schumer believes the site will qualify for funding under the proposed federal “Homes for Heroes Act.”
U.S. CITIES SURVEY CITES RAMAPO FOR LOWEST CRIME RATE
Judging Ramapo as a city, a national survey found it to have the lowest crime rate last year. The Annual City Crime Rankings for 2008-2009 published by the CQ Press analyzed 397 areas with populations of at least 75,000. Crime rate rankings were calculated using six crime categories: murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary and motor vehicle theft. Last year, a total of 688 such crimes were reported townwide, placing Ramapo at the top of the list, along with Newtown, Massachusetts and four cities in California.
N.R.C.S.D. UPDATE / DRILL REMINDER
Troubles with Willow Grove Elementary School’s heating system yesterday prompted the North Rockland School District to transport students to Fieldstone. Superintendent Brian Monahan said the building was not terribly cold but that children were moved to ensure their comfort for the remainder of the school day. The problem’s been fixed and students returned to Willow Grove this morning for a regular school day.
Meanwhile, all public schools throughout the North Rockland Central District tomorrow will be dismissed on a minimum day schedule. The district will be testing its Emergency Response Drill and, as a result, there will be no district-wide after-school activities, NORSAC, PM school or PM BOCES at the High School.
DAY CONDEMNS SWASTIKA GRAFITTI
Rockland Legislator Ed Day says the weekend discovery of two red swastikas painted on Clarkstown trees contradicts the spirit and cohesive atmosphere of his district. Formally condemning the act of vandalism, Day assures district 5 constituents a police investigation into the matter continues. The swastikas were found Saturday morning on South Mountain Road trees lying in a vacant lot. They were reported to Clarkstown P.D. and believed to have been painted sometime late Friday night.
MULTI-SERVICES COMMITTEE MEETS TONIGHT
The Multi-Services Committee of the County Legislature will meet 6 o’clock tonight in the Allison-Parris County Office Building on New Hempstead Road in New City. Committee members this evening will be discussing the acceptance of $165,000 in grants from Tomorrow’s Workplace to cover a summer time youth employment program. The committee will also be reviewing a measure sponsored by Legislator Alden Wolfe requesting the Senate pass legislation prohibiting the display of social security account numbers on Medicare cards.
INTERFAITH THANKSGIVING SERVICE HELD IN HILLBURN
Also coming up tonight, the Village of Hillburn will host its 29th annual Interfaith Thankgiving Service. This year the service begins 7PM at the Brook Presbyterian Church on Sixth Street in Hillburn.
11/24/08
FURNACE PROBLEMS MOVE WILLOW GROVE STUDENTS TO FIELDSTONE
Willow Grove Elementary students have been transported to the Fieldstone Secondary School due to a problem with the school’s heating system. Caregivers picking up children after 11AM can do so at 3:14PM from Fieldstone. Superintendent Brian Monahan assures families that Willow Grove is not terribly cold but that children were moved to ensure their comfort for the remainder of the school day.
D.A.’S OFFICE GETS GRANT FOR “COMMUNITY PROSECUTION”
Rockland’s District Attorney’s office has received $100,000 in state funding for the creation of a Community Prosecution program. Community Prosecution, according to D.A. Tom Zugibe, will allow for the development of a seamless relationship between prosecutors, police departments and the neighborhoods they serve. The program, which is being launched in Haverstraw, offers special focus on street-level drug dealing, property theft, prostitution, truancy and graffiti.
POMONA MAN ARRESTED FOR FATAL HIT & RUN
State police have arrested a twenty-three year old Pomona man on charges he fatally struck a motorcyclist and fled. Investigators traced Herman Neff to the scene of the tragic October 10th accident that left Jon Singer of Congers lying mortally wounded between P.I.P. exits 12 and 13. Singer was airlifted to Westchester Medical Center shortly before 6 o’clock that morning and declared dead nearly twelve hours later. Neff has been released from the county jail on a $15,000 bail and is scheduled to appear before a Rockland Grand Jury.
COUNTY ATTEMPTS TO EXTEND PAY PERIOD FOR BACK TAXES
Rockland is attempting to extend the property tax payment schedule to assist the growing number of people facing foreclosure for failing to remit their taxes. There are 40% more people already participating in the county’s payment plan compared to what had previously been considered average. County estimates place another 385 property owners on the brink of foreclosure.
Under the county executive’s proposal, the down payment for the installment plan would be reduced to 20% and the payment period stretched from two years to three. Both the county and state legislatures must approve the proposal before it can take effect.
ELLIS ISLAND LIBRARY DEDICATED TO BOB HOPE
The Ellis Island research library today will be officially renamed the Bob Hope Memorial Library. 17th district Congressman Eliot Engel sponsored legislation allowing the library’s rededication at the suggestion of Norman Liss, chair of the Ellis Island Restoration Committee. Hope’s daughter Linda will join Engel at today’s ceremony, during which planners will open a temporary exhibit featuring photographs, videos, documents and jokes from the life of an American regarded “the greatest funnyman of the 20th century.” The U.S. Postal Service will also be unveiling a Bob Hope commemorative stamp, which will be issued May 28th, 2009.
COMMITTEE SEEKS 500 ELECTRICIAN APPRENTICES
There’s some potentially good news for the growing number of job seekers out there. The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Joint Apprenticeship Committee today has opened its recruitment period for 500 electrician apprentices. Qualified candidates must be at least 18 year old, have one year of algebra or High School Regents Math and reside for the last two years in the Greater New York Metropolitan Area, which includes Rockland.
Applications may be obtained by sending a request by registered letter, along with a $25 dollar non-refundable application fee, to the Joint Apprenticeship Committee: P.O. Box 560249; College Point, NY 11356. For more information, contact Tomorrow’s Workplace in Spring Valley at 845-356-5100.
11/21/08
ROCKLAND’S UNEMPLOYEMENT RATE ON THE RISE
Rockland’s unemployment rate is slowly creeping closer to New York City’s at 4.9% for the month of October. This latest Labor Department report reflects a 1.2% rise year over year. Figures for the month of November may go up further in light of this week’s layoff announcements out of Wyeth Pharmaceutical of Pearl River and U.S Gypsum of Stony Point. The city still leads most Hudson River counties with at 5.7% jobless rate.
MTA PROPOSES 23% FARE HIKE FOR 2009
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority yesterday released a 2009 transit budget plan that sharply raises fares for bus, subway and train riders. MTA’s proposal incorporates a 23% fare hike and 2700 job cuts to cover a growing $1.4 billion dollar budget gap. While most public transit patrons seem very concerned over paying more to ride, other options proposed as alternatives to an across the board hike would hurt Rocklanders even more. Some NYC reps are urging the MTA to lobby, instead, for a commuter tax on those traveling into the city from the suburbs. It’s still not clear exactly how the 23% increase will shake out in bus, subway and train fares. MTA board members are scheduled to vote on the agency’s 2009 budget December 17th.
YOUNG VOLUNTEER RECOVERS FROM VERY SERIOUS INJURIES
Very serious injuries yesterday were endured by a 19 year-old Hillcrest volunteer firefighter when his Buick and a Spring Hill Ambulance collided at the intersection of Route 45 and Harmony Road in Hillcrest. Apparently, the ambulance had been in the process of responding to an emergency call at the time of the 10:15AM accident. After being extricated from his vehicle, the young driver was airlifted to Westchester Medical Center with extensive external and internal injuries. He underwent seven hours of surgery and was listed in very critical condition last night. The man’s father, who was in the passenger’s seat was first taken to Good Samaritan and later airlifted to Westchester Medical Center. The ambulance corp. volunteers, according to the police report, were seemingly uninjured but were taken to the hospital for a cautionary check-up. An investigation into the cause of the crash continues. No traffic summonses have yet been issued.
SIX JURORS SELECTED FOR KARBEN’S DRUNK DRIVING TRIAL
Three and a half hours into the second consecutive day of jury selection, four women and two men last night were chosen to hear the drunk driving case involving former Assemblyman Ryan Karben. Four alternate jurors must also be selected before the trial begins. Since the first two jury pools have been exhausted, the court last night ordered notice be sent out to a third panel who will be screened 6PM December 4th.
O&R’S NEIGHBORHOOD FUND OFFERS BILL PAY ASSISTANCE
In its 25th year, Orange & Rockland Utilities’ Neighbor Fund this winter will again extend one time bill pay assistance to residents in economic distress. Last year, $60,000 dollars worth of grants were bestowed upon residents throughout the utility’s service area.
Customers can contribute to the fund by simply adding one dollar to their energy bill payment with O&R matching all costumer contributions. The Salvation Army administers the Neighbor Fund so those needing to take advantage of the $250 dollar one time grant should call their Spring Valley office directly at 845-352-9577.
FOOD COLLECTIONS SCHEDULED THROUGH THE WEEKEND
Not every Thanksgiving table will be well-appointed this year and collections are being taken countywide to ensure everyone ends the day with food in their stomach. Rockland B.O.C.E.S. members of Skills USA will be collecting canned and dry food items to benefit People to People 8AM-2PM this Sunday outside Nanuet’s Pathmark.
The Knights of Pythias will be taking cash donations to purchase food gift cards 8:30AM-4PM Saturday and Sunday outside the New City, West Nyack and Garnerville ShopRites.
11TH ANNUAL “MITZVAH DAY” PLANNED AT THE O.J.C.
Those in the spirit of giving are also invited to join the Orangetown Jewish Center this Sunday for the 11th annual Mitzvah Day. The OJC is planning over a dozen charitable events, including recording tapes for tots and making pillows for heart patients. For more information, call Diana Hess at 845-639-3295.
11/20/08
AMBULANCE & PASSENGER VEHILCE COLLISSION CAUSES SERIOUS INJURIES
Serious injuries resulted from a 10:30AM accident involving an ambulance and a passenger vehicle. This morning’s crash occurred at the intersection of Route 45 and Harmony Road. Apparently, the ambulance had been in the process of responding to an emergency call at the time of the accident. Two STAT-Flight helicopters landed on the grounds of a New Square school shortly before 11AM to airlift the injured parties to Westchester Medical Center. No further information is available at this time.
TODAY MARKS 31ST GREAT AMERICAN SMOKEOUT
Put down that cigarette and join the Great American Smokeout. That’s the call resounding across the nation today as health officials highlight community services available to help smokers kick the habit once and for all. Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer death in the U.S. among both men and women. Not smoking and avoiding second hand smoke are the best ways to prevent lung cancer.
From the moment you quit, your body enjoys enhanced blood circulation and a reduced risk of developing cancer, heart disease and lung disease. Fringe benefits also include better tasting food and more money in your wallet. Rockland residents can obtain all the help they need to quit, including nicotine patches and lozenges, by calling the “Put It Out Rockland” smoking cessation program at 845-364-2633.
USG LAYS OFF 45 STONY POINT PLANT WORKERS
U.S. Gypsum yesterday announced an over 30% reduction in its Stony Point workforce. The sheetrock producer pointed to a significant decline in demand for building products as reason for eliminating one of two production lines- and with it 45 jobs. Gypsum is scaling back on production and staff at over twenty North American plants. In addition to letting go a sizeable percentage of its factory workers, the company will be laying off nearly 900 salaried employees in management and its marketing and research departments. Those 45 Stony Point factory workers will be out of their jobs before the end of the year. Gypsum says they will be offered severance and job-search assistance.
JURY SELECTION FOR KARBEN’S DWI TRIAL CONTINUES
Former Assemblyman Ryan Karben returned to South Nyack Village Court last night for jury selection in his drunk driving trial. The prosecution and defense spent three hours attempting to select jurors but none were chosen. They need six jurors and two to four alternates. Jury selection continues 6:30PM tonight. Ken Gribitz and co-counsel Deborah Lowenburg are representing Karben, who is being charged with driving drunk this past January. Ramapo officers arrested Karben along Brick Church Road, less than mile from where he crashed his car into a utility pole.
SUMMIT TO FOCUS ON PLANS FOR NEW TZ BRIDGE & I-287 CORRIDOR
Rockland Legislative Chairwoman Harriet Cornell tomorrow is hosting a Tappan Zee Bridge and I-287 Corridor Public Summit. NY Comptroller Tom DiNapoli will present on the current economic downturn and how it will impact financing for the new $16 billion dollar bridge and mass transit structure. Speakers will also discuss the proposed locations for public transit hubs that will line the Thruway corridor leading to the new bridge, which will be constructed 300-400 feet north of the current span.
Tomorrow’s summit is open to the public and set to begin 8:30AM in Rockland Community College’s Technology Center. Those interested in attending should RSVP to the legislature at 845-638-5269.
PRESENTATION ADDRESSES USES, ABUSES AND COSTS OF PRESCRIPTION DRUGS
Coming up at 2PM tomorrow, Steve Seeberger, Good Samaritan Hospital’s assistant prescription drug director, will address the use, abuse and cost of prescription drugs. Seeberger’s presentation is part of New York Statewide Senior Action Council’s regular Friday afternoon meeting. All council meetings are held in Room 103 of RCC’s Spring Valley campus at 185 North Main Street.
SUPPORT HOSPICE WITH HUGS
November is National Hospice Month and residents can support United Hospice of Rockland by participating in their annual Hugs for Hospice campaign. All the proceeds of the fundraiser benefit the agency’s local programs and services to terminally ill individuals and their families. For a donation of a dollar or more, people can purchase a hug in tribute to a loved one. This year, hugs are being sold at a variety of vendors, including all three Drug World locations, Premier Fitness and select dentists offices throughout the area. For a complete list of vendors, visit www.hospiceofrockland.org.
11/19/08
STONY POINTERS CONCERNED OVER LOVETT TOWER DEMOLITION
Stony Point residents living near Mirant’s Lovett smoke tower are voicing concerns over its planned demolition. The 475-foot tower will be toppled 10AM next Tuesday and some property owners are afraid the impact of its fall could cause structural damage to their homes. Maryland-based Controlled Demolition Incorporated has been hired to handle the project. State legislators representing the North Rockland area have promised to follow up with the Department of Environmental Conservation to ensure Mirant’s demolition plans are safe and pose no threat to the public or their property.
VOLUNTEERS FIGHT TWO FIRES AT THE SAME ADDRESS JUST HOURS APART
A rekindled single-family structure fire yesterday sent volunteers back to the same Route 306 address eight hours after they initially responded to the blaze. Firefighters from Monsey, Hillcrest and Tallman arrived on the scene shortly after 3PM to find the home completely engulfed. At around 11:15PM, volunteers with the Monsey Fire Department were called back to the same home and extinguished the blaze for the second time. It’s believed the second fire erupted from the embers of a hotspot resulting from the initial fire, the cause of which has not yet been determined. Ramapo police report the fire did not appear to be suspicious. There were no injuries associated with either blaze.
NO CONCENSUS REACHED ON ADDITIONAL STATE BUDGET CUTS
Yesterday’s emergency legislative session yielded no agreements on additional spending cuts Governor David Paterson says are essential for New York to operate in light of a large and growing budget deficit. Income and business tax revenue has been trickling into state coffers, falling far short of previous years as our state stutters through this bleak economic landscape. Paterson chastised members of the state Senate and Assembly yesterday for not reaching an accord. Lawmakers, in turn, faulted the Governor for pulling his proposed bill before they could vote on it.
He had hoped they’d work out $2 billion dollars worth of their own spending cutbacks for the current fiscal year to match the estimated current year shortfall, which will contribute to a cumulative rolling $15 billion dollar deficit. All parties walked away from the bargaining table agreeing to one thing- that is, the legislature will wait for the mid-December release of Paterson’s proposed 2009-2010 budget before pulling the paring knife back out on the current budget, which ends March 31st.
ENTERGY TO TEST INDIAN POINT SIRENS
Entergy, the owner of Indian Point, tomorrow will conduct a test of its new emergency siren network. Residents living within ten miles of the nuclear reactors should be prepared to hear the sirens sound at full volume for four minutes between 10:30 and 11AM tomorrow morning. Of the 172 sirens that cover the four counties lying within the emergency evacuation zone, 56 are located here in Rockland. Emergency planners remind residents tomorrow’s siren sounding is only a test and requires no public action.
In the event of a real emergency, the sirens going off would be your prompt to tune into the emergency alert system broadcast on this station for further instructions. Remember, siren soundings ARE NOT an automatic signal to evacuate. For more information, call Rockland’s Office of Fire & Emergency Services toll-free at 1-800-942-1450.
11/18/08
LEGISLATORS RETURN TO ALBANY TO WORK OUT MORE CUTS
New York’s budget takes center stage in our state’s capital today. Lawmakers have returned to Albany for a special emergency session called by Governor David Paterson. Paterson is asking the state’s Senate and Assembly to agree to spending cuts that can be applied to the current year budget. The Governor last week suggested slashing $585 million in state aid to schools, which means a combined loss of $11.4 million to Rockland districts. New York this year alone is operating in a $1.5 to $2 billion dollar hole.
DINAPOLI’S CASH REPORT SKETCHES DIM PICTURE
Meanwhile, a report released yesterday by State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli further reinforces the Governor’s budget concerns. DiNapoli’s October 2008 Cash Report found growth in personal income tax collections continues to decline. Business taxes are still falling far short of last year’s levels and are expected to continue to diminish through the remainder of the fourth quarter. The numbers get worse with every announcement of layoffs affecting New York City based corporations. At a NYC “town hall” meeting, CitiGroup yesterday detailed plans to reduce its workforce by nearly 20%- representing a net loss of 52,000 jobs by the end of the quarter.
CUOMO ASKS CITIGROUP EXECS TO FORGO BONUSES
Amidst news of additional layoffs at CitiGroup, New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo urged the corporation’s top executives to forgo their bonuses this year. Cuomo called the announcement “sad and disturbing,” adding that “after four consecutive quarterly losses, it seems only fair that top executives should shoulder their share of these difficult economic times.” Citigroup’s board of directors has postponed a decision on the structure and level of bonuses until early next year.
LEGISLATURE HOSTS PUBLIC HEARING ON PROPOSED BUDGET
Rockland property owners tonight will have an opportunity to comment on the county’s proposed $714.5 million dollar 2009 budget. The spending plan increases the county’s share of property taxes 9.85%. Budget & Finance Committee members last night continued their item by item review- looking specifically at funding to contract agencies and not-for-profits. They’ll reconvene tomorrow at 3PM and 7PM to comb through spending within the departments of Social Services and Tourism, respectively. Seven o’clock Thursday night, committee members will meet again to review funding to the Department of General Services.
SPRING VALLEY MAN INDICTED FOR STEALING CLASS RING
A thirty nine year old Spring Valley man will stand trial for allegedly breaking into a village home and stealing the resident’s class ring. James Nelson was indicted in Rockland County Court yesterday for two counts of second-degree burglary. According to the D.A.’s office, Nelson was seen fleeing from the victim’s home and arrested a short time later. He was found hiding behind a neighborhood shed. When arrested, police found the woman’s class ring in his possession.
TEEN ALLEGEDLY ROBS HOME FOR X-BOX
Meanwhile, a Chestnut Ridge teen’s been indicted for stealing an X-Box console and over a dozen video games. Sixteen year-old Anton Gibbs faces two charges of second degree burglary for breaking into a neighborhood home October 14th and making off with several hundred dollars worth of recreational material.
SEWER SYSTEM TESTING CONTINUES IN CLARKSTOWN
Sewer system smoke testing continues today in parts of Clarkstown and Ramapo. Residents in the test areas should not be alarmed if they see the non-toxic white smoke emanating from manholes and, in some cases, drains in their homes. Today, testing will occur along dozens of streets, most notably Route 303, Kings Highway, Goebel, Congers and Strawtown roads. Sterns & Wheeler, the firm overseeing the project, says affected residents should be receiving notice in their mailboxes several days in advance of planned testing in their neighborhood.
11/17/08
HEARING ON COUNTY’S PROPOSED $714.5M BUDGET SET FOR TOMORROW
Rockland Legislature’s Budget & Finance Committee meets tonight for the final time before the scheduled public hearing on the county’s proposed 2009 budget. Property owners tomorrow night will have an opportunity to comment on the $714.5 million dollar spending plan, which raises the county’s share of property taxes 9.85%. Budget & Finance Committee members this evening continue their item by item review and will be looking specifically at funding to contract agencies and not-for-profits.
LAWMAKERS RETURN TO ALBANY TO WORK OUT NEW SPENDING CUTS
New York’s budget will take center stage in our state’s capital tomorrow. Lawmakers will return to Albany for a special emergency session called by Governor David Paterson. Paterson will be asking the state’s Senate and Assembly to agree to spending cuts that can be applied to the current year budget. The Governor last week suggested slashing $585 million in state aid to schools, which means a combined loss of $11.4 million to Rockland districts. New York this year alone is operating in a $1.5 to $2 billion dollar hole.
REDUCED STATE/FED FUNDING MAY LEAD TO LOCAL TRANSIT FARE HIKES
Going up? That very well may be the direction of Rockland’s public transit fares. County officials are citing reductions in state and federal funding in their proposal to raise the cost of boarding public buses. Under the plan, TOR and TRIPS fares would increase by fifty cents to $1.50. TappanZee Express would rise to $2.00. Hikes would be less for those who purchase monthly blocks or strips of twenty tickets.
Public hearings on the proposed fare increase are planned for 2-4PM and, again, from 6-8PM Wednesday, December 17th in the Palisades Mall community room. If approved, the public transit fare hike would be the first since 2002. Bus fares collected account for less than 17% of total operational costs.
BLOOD DRIVE RUNS 4-8PM TODAY AT THE NANUET MALL
Masonic lodges throughout the county today are coming together along with a dozen other local organizations in efforts of helping the community maintain a healthy blood supply. Today’s blood drive runs 4-8PM just next door to WRCR’s upper level Nanuet Mall studios. Donations will be accepted from people between the ages of 18 and 76. Individuals ages of 16 to18 and those over 76 can also give blood if they bring along a doctor’s note. For more information on giving blood or to schedule an appointment for this evening’s blood drive, call the New York Blood Center toll-free at 1-800-933-BLOOD.
NY BLOOD CENTER ANNOUNCES WINNERS OF VACATION SWEEPSTAKES
Meanwhile, the New York Blood Center has announced the winners of their “Choose Your Get-A-Way Vacation,” sweepstakes. James Mitchell and Joseph Panico get to choose between a Royal Caribbean cruise, a trip to Disney World or a custom vacation of their choice. Everyone who gave blood between June 20th and September 14th had a chance to win. New York Blood Center has recently kicked off a new promotion called the Advantage Program. The Advantage Program allows donors to accrue points that are accumulated and redeemable for an assortment of gifts or gift cards.
SMOKE TESTING CONTINUES WITHIN SEWER DISTRICT #1
Smoke testing within Rockland County Sewer District #1 continues today. Residents in Clarkstown and Ramapo may see the non-toxic white smoke emanating from manholes and, in some cases, drains in their homes. Today, testing will occur along dozens of streets, most notably Route 303, Lake, Strawtown, Mountainview, Ridge and Christian Herald roads in Clarkstown. Sterns & Wheeler, the firm overseeing the project, says affected residents should be receiving fliers in their mailboxes several days in advance of planned testing in their neighborhood.
TEEN CHARGED WITH UNSAFE DRIVING FOLLOWING HEAD-ON COLLISSION
Two male drivers are recovering today from non-life-threatening injuries endured last Friday in a head on collision along Mile Road in Montebello. Ramapo police have charged the 17 year-old Saturn S.U.V. operator with crossing over the double yellow and operating at an unsafe speed. The young man apparently lost control of his vehicle and crashed into a 2004 Lexus S.U.V. driven by a 52 year-old male. No summonses were issued against the Lexus operator.
11/14/08
NEW WATER TANK BRINGS BETTER PRESSURE TO HILLCREST & NEW SQUARE
A new water storage tank in New Hempstead promises to increase water pressure throughout that part of Ramapo. United Water says Hillcrest and New Square will experience a stronger flow, which will better serve both residents and firefighting efforts- especially during summertime’s peak demand days. The 400,000 gallon tank is part of $14 million dollars in water infrastructure improvements made over the last two years. It holds twice as much water as the previous tank and represents the second phase in the creation of the Summit Park Pressure District.
BRADLEES DEMOLISHED TO PAVE WAY FOR NEW SUPER STOP & SHOP
After years of waiting, New City residents are one step closer to seeing the redevelopment of the old Bradlees Shopping Plaza. The building that housed Bradlees was wrecked yesterday, making way for a new Super Stop & Shop. Clarkstown Supervisor Alex Groma
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