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While we still have yet to hear reports of any cicadas here in the county, mosquitoes are doing their best to multiply. Amy Eisenberg is an environmental health specialist with the county health department, and says one of the most effective ways to keep their numbers down is to target them when they’re young…

Eisenberg says Rocklanders should check their own properties and get rid of any areas of standing water, like in wheelbarrows, bird baths or even bottle caps. Rockland County Executive Ed Day says proactive efforts have helped keep the mosquito population down…

If you have lots of mosquitoes on your property and need help figuring out how to get rid of them, call the health department at 845-364-3173 or visit http://rocklandgov.com/departments/health/environmental-health/mosquito-control.

The governor of New York signed the “Gender Recognition Act” yesterday, on the tenth anniversary gay marriage was made legal in the state. Governor Andrew Cuomo says the bill eliminates discrimination against people because of their gender and makes New York more inclusive…

The bill allows parents named on a child’s birth certificate to identify as being a “parent” rather than “father” or “mother.” They can also identify as “X” on legal documents, instead of choosing between “male” or “female.”

Funeral services are being held this weekend for a former police chief from our area who died just five years after his retirement. Former Tuxedo Police Chief Patrick Welsh died Saturday, the cause of death was not made public. Welsh graduated from Rockland Community College with an associate’s degree in Criminal Justice. Welsh joined the Tuxedo Police department as a part-time dispatcher in 1994 and worked his way up to chief in 2009. He was also a member of the Sterling Forest Fire Company and past Chief of Tuxedo Joint Fire District. He retired in 2016 from line of duty injuries. Visitation will be from 2 to 6 p.m. on Sunday at Smith, Seaman & Quackenbush Funeral Home in Monroe. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10 a.m., Monday at Sacred Heart Church, also in Monroe. Welsh is survived by his wife, four daughters and his parents. He was 48 years old.

The town of Orangetown voted unanimously this week to opt out of pot sales, for now. Several speakers at Tuesday’s town board meeting, including Michael Mandel of Pearl River, agreed that sales of pot should be banned…

Orangetown supervisor Teresa Kenny says the state gave them no other choice but to opt out, and reserve the right to later opt in, because the state hasn’t revealed critical details on how sales will be managed yet…

The opt-out would only cover the unincorporated areas of the town. Regardless of from where it is purchased, pot can be smoked in public where other forms of smoking are already permitted.