And that was the race at Palisades Autobahn Indoor Speedway last night between Rockland County Executive Ed Day and Orange County Executive Steve Neuhaus. They and pro racers from Autobahn, the Orange County Fair Speedway and other groups helped to raise money for the Nyack Penguin Plunge group, which helps local kids with high medical bills. For more information visit their website www.penguinplungeny.com.
Orange County Man Charged in Fatal Hanukkah Stabbing in Ramapo Declared Unfit for Trial
The Greenwood Lake man charged with the fatal Hanukkah stabbing spree in Ramapo two years ago has again been found incompetent to stand trial on murder and attempted murder charges. The Journal News says a Rockland judge decided yesterday that 38 year-old Grafton Thomas will be confined to a mental health facility. A federal judge made a similar ruling last year. An indictment charging him with second degree murder and other charges was unsealed in court yesterday. The Journal News said Thomas had been held in a federal mental-health facility in Missouri since 2020, though he was recently returned to New York. Thomas could face trial when and if he is found competent to do so, he could be held for treatment for at least two more years, but it could last the rest of his life.
Officials Concerned Over Increased Crime, Shootings in NYC, Hudson Valley
A rash of shootings in the city has tensions running high with the mayor looking to make changes in the police force, more aggressively get guns off the streets, get bail and criminal justice reforms fixed, possibly revive a controversial anti-crime unit and force city cops to live in the city. Escalating crime has struck the Hudson Valley as well. On Tuesday, in New Rochelle, a 17-year-old was shot and killed, allegedly at the hands of a 16-year-old suspect who was in custody after a shooting in New Rochelle. Whatever the reasons are that people are using guns more often and killing more police and civilians, Rockland County Sheriff Lou Falco says, the blame-games and finger-pointing have got to stop…
Many issues have over the last few years led to recruitment issues for city police departments. Over in Orangetown supervisor Teresa Kenny says her department has no problem recruiting, but she feels diversity is more of an issue…
New York Governor Kathy Hochul, in her state budget address earlier this month, said New Yorkers deserve to feel safe…
Hochul yesterday led the first meeting of the Interstate Task Force on Illegal Guns, a multi-state group designed to share intelligence, tools, tactics, and strategies to combat gun violence, and gun trafficking. Rockland police departments have worked with the state attorney general and other police agencies to get guns off the streets. Sheriff Falco says any gun turned in, is a gun that can’t ever be used to kill anyone ever again.
County’s COVID Death Toll Remains Steady, Hospitalizations and Cases Continue to Fall
The county’s latest COVID-19 update shows the death count remaining steady at 1,090, and the number of hospitalizations and total cases continue their downward trend. Thursday’s report from the health department shows the number of active COVID cases is down about 1,400 to 7,736, and the number of residents hospitalized with confirmed cases of coronavirus is down nine for a total of 90.
County Continues Moving Forward with New Animal Shelter Plans, Gets Update from Board of Directors
The county is moving forward with the new animal shelter in Pomona despite the indictment of its board president earlier this month. Rockland County Executive Ed Day says the board of directors updated the county on their plans for the continued operation of the Hi-Tor shelter…
Rockland County’s D-A says the President of Hi-Tor was charged with 17 counts of filing false documents on several animals in the shelter’s care. Day says the indictment is not related to any shelter funding or finances. The county has committed more than $8 million in funding for a new animal shelter facility, on top of the various grants and donations the shelter has been given over the years. The Hi-Tor Animal Shelter has been in operation since 1973.