A teaching assistant at the Jesse Kaplan school in West Nyack has reportedly been arrested and charged this week with two counts of endangering the welfare of a child. That’s according to News 12. They report that Catherine Rios is expected back in Clarkstown Justice court next week. She allegedly pushed two students’ heads under water while they were in a therapeutic pool, leaving one of the students gasping for air. Neither student was injured, but after an internal investigation was done by Rockland BOCES, and reports were filed with Clarkstown Police and the State Education Department, Rios was placed on administrative leave. In a statement sent to parents, Rockland BOCES said the incidents were isolated, and they are fully cooperating with Clarkstown Police as the investigation continues.
Two Rockland Men Charged in Connection with Hoax Bomb Threat in Suffern
Two Rockland men were arrested yesterday in connection with a hoax bomb threat over the weekend in Suffern. Ramapo Police say 21-year-old Francky Charles of Spring Valley and 22-year-old Roosevelt Depas of Nyack were each charged with Making a Terroristic Threat. They’re accused of walking into the Walmart off Route 59 Sunday night and suggesting that they had a bomb. They left before police arrived, causing the evacuation of the store. The building was searched by K9s that specialize in explosive detection, but nothing was found. The Ramapo Police Investigations Division tracked Charles and Depas down and arrested them yesterday. They were arraigned in the Village of Airmont court and released without bail pending future court appearances.
Rockland Sheriff Rejects State Request to House State Prisoners Post- Correction Officers Strike Settlement
The New York State correction officers strike may be over but the headaches for the Rockland County jail and other local jails around the state persist. Rockland County Sheriff Lou Falco says the state asked him to take in prisoners that can’t be handled in the state prison system after two-thousand state correction officers were fired for not returning to work. Falco says he told the state, he can’t do that…
As part of the agreement reached over the weekend, the state will be working towards eliminating 24-hour mandatory overtime, and a committee will be established to analyze each facility’s staffing and operational inefficiencies with the goal of providing more relief to existing staff.
NY Mourns Loss of Civil Rights Icon Hazel Dukes
Civil rights icon Dr. Hazel Dukes was memorialized at a funeral service yesterday in Harlem. The civil rights activist died on March first at the age of 92. Dukes led the New York State NAACP for nearly five decades, fought for voting rights, fair housing, and education throughout her career. Haverstraw supervisor Howard Phillips says he had met Dukes several times…
In January 2023, Dukes performed the swearing-in ceremony for New York governor, Kathy Hochul…
Dukes also served as the head of the national NAACP from 1989 to 1992.
Tariffs and Taxes Escalate between the US, Canada and Europe, WRCR Analyst says Market Dislikes the Chaos
President Trump’s move yesterday to boost tariffs in aluminum and steel imports brought a swift response from Canada and Europe. The Associated Press reported Canada said Wednesday they’re adding a 25% reciprocal tariffs on steel products and would also raise taxes on multiple items, including tools, computers, display monitors and sports equipment. Likewise, the European Union said they’d raise tariffs on American beef, poultry, bourbon, motorcycles, peanut butter and jeans. WRCR market analyst Ken Mahoney of Mahoney Asset Management doesn’t recommend Trump’s chaotic approach to tariffs…
Combined, the new tariffs will cost companies billions of dollars, and further complicate relationships with global trading partners. The AP says companies will either take the losses and earn fewer profits, or, more likely, pass costs along to consumers in the form of higher prices.