A Bronx woman was arrested after allegedly stealing a car from a North Rockland motel and then getting into a crash on the Palisades Parkway in the stolen car. Stony Point Police Lieutenant Daniel Schoales says 36 year-old Kayla Jones faces grand larceny charges after surveillance video allegedly showed her stealing the car from the Stony Point Budget Motor Inn last week. While police were investigating the theft, the car was involved in a single car crash on the Palisades Parkway. Jones was taken to Nyack Hospital where she was treated for injuries and arrested. She was due back in court yesterday. No additional information was available.
Rockland State Lawmaker Calls Governor’s Inflation Rebates a “Political Stunt”
While New York’s governor continues pushing her $300 and $500 inflation rebates thanks to a higher amount of sales tax revenue collected this past year, a local lawmaker is calling it nothing more than a gimmick. Governor Kathy Hochul was touring Crossgates Mall in Albany yesterday talking to shoppers and handing out literature explaining the program she hopes to pass in the 2025 state budget…
Rockland State Senator Bill Weber of the 38th District says it’s a typical political stunt…
The governor’s proposal is part of her 2025 State of State’s affordability agenda. Governor Hochul will present the State of the State on January 14th in Albany.
News Briefs: RCC Gets New President, Nanuet Vote Passes, South Orangetown Schools’ New Board Member, Clarkstown New Councilman
Rockland Community College has selected a new president, but his start date isn’t yet known. Dr. William Mullaney was selected at a special board meeting earlier this month by the RCC Board of Trustees, and he was approved yesterday by the State University of New York as the college’s ninth president. Mullaney previously served as president of SUNY Corning Community College. RCC’s last president, Dr. Lester Edgardo Sandres Rápalo, and the school ended their partnership in June less than a year into his term. RCC had been grappling with financial issues, layoffs and various cost-cutting measures after an $8 million shortfall was discovered.
Clarkstown Gets New Councilman
The town of Clarkstown has a new Town Councilman. Bob Axelrod was appointed to represent Ward 4 at the final Town Board meeting of 2024 last night. Axelrod is a retired Speech and Communication Professor at RCC, a member of the New City Library Board, and a former member of the Camp Venture Foundation board. Axelrod replaces Pat Carrol, who was elected last month as the District 96 representative in the state Assembly, replacing Ken Zebrowski who stepped down from that position in July to join an Albany-based law and lobbying firm, and become president of the Rockland Business Association.
Schools News: Nanuet Passes Referendum, South Orangetown Elects New Board Member
Yesterday’s Nanuet Union Free School District special Property Purchase Referendum passed with flying colors. The vote was 493 for the proposal, 181 against. The district will now move forward with buying a residential home at 32 Highview Avenue in Nanuet for $577,000. It’s right next door to the Highview Elementary School. The home will be converted into a “reimagined outdoor education space and learning commons” designed for students in the 3rd and 4th grades. The district says they do not expect the project to add any cost to taxpayers. Also yesterday, the South Orangetown Central School District elected John Robert Coleman to the Board of Education in a special election. Coleman was elected to fill a seat vacated due to resignation and will serve the duration of the unexpired term, which ends June 30th, 2027.
Pedestrian Killed After Being Hit by NJT Train Near Ramsey
A pedestrian was killed after being hit by a NJ Transit train yesterday morning, causing a suspension in service in both directions between Suffern and Waldwick on the Port Jervis/Main/Bergen County Lines. DailyVoice.com reported the incident happened in Bergen County just east of the Ramsey station around 9:15AM yesterday. Train number 56 on the Port Jervis Line had left Port Jervis at 7:39am and had been scheduled to arrive in Hoboken at 9:52. There were reportedly no injuries to the 10 customers and crew on board. New Jersey Transit Police are investigating. No other information was available.
Rockland Officials Slam NY Governor, Ask Her to Stop Unfair Congestion Pricing Plan
With just a few weeks before the launch of congestion pricing, Rockland’s County Executive is blasting the governor, calling on her to stop it in its tracks for West-of-Hudson commuters, this time for good. He held a press conference yesterday with the county attorney and Rockland’s state senator to remind the governor of the unfairness of the plan on Rockland and other suburban commuters. Senator Bill Weber of the 38th District said though legal challenges could still prevent congestion pricing from going into effect, motorists could still use some help…
County Attorney Thomas Humbach said one of the problems with congestion pricing is it’s making people pay for services they don’t use…
Rockland’s County Executive Ed Day said Governor Kathy Hochul did the right thing by freezing the plan last June, but this time, she should do it permanently…
Unless legal actions brought by Rockland, New Jersey and other plaintiffs succeed, January 5th will see the start of congestion pricing, which is going to charge most drivers an extra nine dollars daily, for now, to get into the city and drive below 60th Street.