Residents of the village of Suffern could see their property taxes go up 14 percent. The Journal News reports the mayor’s proposed increase in the $15 million spending plan is due to rising police costs, village retirement payouts combined with less revenue. There’s a public hearing tonight at 7pm at Village Hall.
NYS Senate Creates Black Youth Suicide Prevention Task Force
The New York State Senate has created a black youth suicide prevention task force to look at and help prevent suicides among black children, 5 to 18 years old. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the suicide rate for black children went up 77 percent since 2006. Rockland State Senator David Carlucci calls it a silent crisis in the black community…
If approved, the task force would bring in experts in the field who would hold public hearings and provide a report with recommendations to the governor within 13 months.
Clarkstown Board Vote on Former Police Chief Put on Hold
The re-vote by the Clarkstown town board for the former police chief is on hold and under appeal by the town. Clarkstown supervisor George Hoehmann says though the judge ordered the re-vote, he threw out other claims that former chief Michael Sullivan made…
Hoehmann says all of this could be appealed by the former chief, as well. Sullivan could not be reached for comment.
South Nyack Community Meeting Being Held Tonight
The Village of South Nyack is holding a Community Meeting tonight to review various local projects. Mayor Bonnie Christian says the agenda includes the shared use path, the new Thruway exit, the conversion of street lighting to LEDs, and the status of the Nyack College property…
The meeting is being held tonight at 7pm on the second floor of the fire house at 90 Depot Place in South Nyack.
County to Continue Vigilance but Won’t Resort to Quarantines Despite Judge’s Measles State of Emergency Reversal
Rockland’s County Executive held a news conference yesterday in the wake of a judge’s lifting of the measles state of emergency last week and said it plainly and simply. He disagrees with the judge and measles are an emergency and an imminent threat to the public health. County Executive Ed Day says schools with fewer than a 95% vaccination rate must still keep unvaccinated kids home or face significant fines. Day added that the county won’t be quarantining anyone…
Commissioner of Health Dr. Patricia Schnabel Ruppert said getting as many people to get vaccinated as possible is vital to preventing the spread of the disease…
Rockland State Senator David Carlucci says he supports a bill that would ban non-medical exemptions to getting vaccinated…
New York City meanwhile has declared a public health emergency for certain areas of Williamsburg in Brooklyn. The mayor’s office said unvaccinated people there will be required to get the MMR vaccine to protect others in the community and stop the outbreak.