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170,000. That’s how many doses of the vaccine New York will get when it’s expected to roll out in about two weeks. In his daily press briefing yesterday, governor Andrew Cuomo said federal officials came to that number based on the percentage of each state’s population. Cuomo laments there is skepticism among many about this vaccine and vaccines in general…

Nanuet attorney Patricia Finn, host of “The Good Health Lawyer” here on WRCR, says the governor underestimates just how many people won’t be interested in taking the vaccines…

If all goes as planned and the approvals go through, Cuomo expects the first doses of the vaccine to arrive in New York on December 15th. The CDC’s advisory committee on immunization practices has recommended front line healthcare workers and elderly people living in long term care facilities get the first doses available.

The rising number of COVID cases isn’t the only concern, the economy is subject to more shutdowns and slowdowns as hospitals take on more and more patients. Rockland Sheriff Lou Falco says evictions could pose a problem as well…

The governor’s most recent extension on some tenants’ evictions is set to expire January first.

COVID-19 by the numbers now, here in Rockland, the number of deaths here since the pandemic began has risen to 704, adding two more since yesterday. We’ve got four in the hospital being examined, another 56 there have been confirmed with coronavirus, and a total of 1,828 active cases. The state says since the crisis began, we’ve had a total of 22,048 reported cases, 203 more than Wednesday.

The consultant that studied the potential dissolution of the village of South Nyack and absorption into the town of Orangetown is hosting a Zoom meeting tonight on the issue. The workshop and Q&A session will focus on CGR’s findings. A petition this summer called for the elimination of the village, with taxes and the potential Nyack College sale the central concerns. Orangetown supervisor Teresa Kenny says she’s met with the consultant, but says she’s not weighing in either way on what village residents should or will do…

The referendum vote will be held on December 17th. The consultant’s report is posted on the village’s website. The Zoom presentation is tonight at 7:30.

Call it an early holiday gift. Rockland legislators unanimously voted 16-0 last night to adopt an amended version of the 2021 County Budget. As approved the budget lowers property taxes to less than one percent next year, and has no sales tax rate increases, layoffs or program cuts. The budget included an amendment approved in a legislative committee the night before, covering final health insurance rates from New York State’s Empire Plan for next year, which Rockland County Executive Ed Day said came in much less than expected. Day says the rates are around $2 million less than what was included in the proposed 2021 budget…

The adopted budget now goes back to the County Executive for review, and he has five working days to issue any vetoes. The Legislature then has until December 20th to override any vetoes.