Breaking News

With the Orange County fires more than 90 percent contained and rain here and more on the way, officials are breathing a little easier now. In an update yesterday afternoon, New York Governor Kathy Hochul said more than 400 fire departments statewide with over 1,300 personnel have fought the fires across the state, including National Guard Blackhawk and Chinook helicopters that conducted more than 550 water drops with 500,000 gallons of water just for the Jennings Creek wildfire in Sterling Forest. Clarkstown supervisor George Hoehmann says after a few smaller fires in his town, the rain that’s here is a welcome sight for the Lake Deforest reservoir, which is hurting…

Today’s rain is helping to put the remaining fires out, but it’s not likely to make much of a dent in the drought situation. The State of New York has upgraded the Hudson Valley from a Drought “Watch” to a Drought “Warning.” That means while there are no water usage restrictions in place, residents are asked to voluntarily conserve water. A Drought “Warning” is the second of four levels in the state’s drought advisories. Third level is “Emergency,” and fourth would be “Disaster.”

Keep an eye out for bears…the weather is turning colder and they’re due to hibernate, but they may be packing in one last meal or two before they head indoors. Mike is a “Morning Show” listener, and he works at the Rockland Motel on Route 202 in Garnerville, where he says a bear was recently spotted…

Ramapo’s chief of staff, Mona Montal, told “The Morning Show” earlier this month that bear straps, designed to keep bears from getting into garbage cans, are available from Ramapo town hall, and they are very helpful…

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation advises if you see a bear, you should stay calm, make loud noises, shout, or bang pots and pans together to scare the bear away, or, if you see a bear before it notices you, stand still, then move away quietly in the opposite direction. Click here for more bear safety tips.

The financially-troubled East Ramapo Central School District has apparently been sitting on a pile of money, more than $30 million, and area lawmakers want to know how this happened and whether it’s happened before. According to the Journal News, a recent external audit discovered the money, and now demands are being made for the state comptroller to step in and figure it all out. The new Interim Superintendent is blaming the situation on the district’s previous administration. In a statement, Rockland State Senator Bill Weber of the 38th District, a Certified Public Accountant by trade, demanded the state board of education refund the money to East Ramapo taxpayers who had their school taxes raised earlier this year when the district was believed to be in a financial deficit. He’s also calling for a complete investigation.

Fire Dwindling in Orange County

Manpower’s been reduced, hot-spots are fewer, and residents of Greenwood Lake in Orange County are returning home. This after more than a week of fighting brush fires in Sterling Forest. That’s according to News 12. Thousands of acres of woods were destroyed, area schools were shut for days, and a life lost, 18 year-old Ramapo High School graduate Dariel Vasquez, who was memorialized in a funeral service Monday. Rain is in the forecast so that should help, but the work’s not completely over yet. Ground efforts to fully extinguish the fires, which are 90% contained, are reportedly going to continue for a week or more.

Roundabout Partially Opens in Haverstraw

The new roundabout at the intersection of Suffern Lane – Hammond Road – Letchworth Village Road in Haverstraw has been partially opened for vehicular traffic. Haverstraw Police say it’s temporary as construction will continue through the winter, eventually adding the intersection of Thiells Mt. Ivy Road to the roundabout.

A funeral service was held yesterday in Haverstraw for the 18-year-old Parks and Recreation aide and Ramapo High School graduate who was killed last weekend while helping create a fire line at the Jennings Creek wildfire in Sterling Forest. Governor Kathy Hochul commended Dariel Vasquez of Pomona for his bravery in protecting New Yorkers and had ordered flags around the state to be flown at half-staff, in his honor.The fires haven’t come into the Town of Ramapo, but Ramapo supervisor Michael Specht says his town’s police department offered their assistance to Orange County…

Rockland County Executive Ed Day says a fire that sparked up over the weekend at Rockland Lake State Park is under investigation…

No one was injured in that blaze and the blaze was quickly contained. Rain is in the forecast and that should help out, at least somewhat.

The Jennings Creek / Sterling Forest fire is now reportedly about 90% contained, but Orange County remains under a state of emergency, and the Greenwood Lake School District remains closed today. The town of Warwick said East Shore Road from Sterling Road at the intersection of Wah-Ta-Wah Drive to the north entrance of Woods Road would be closed due to the fires, and the town was asking residents in the voluntary evacuation area to continue sheltering so that crews can effectively suppress the fire. They said there is no threat to structures. On Friday’s “Who Wants to be a Volunteer” program, Kurt Mulligan of the Stony Point Fire Department said some of the sections being threatened by the fires pose major challenges for firefighters…

Though the major brushfires haven’t hit Rockland, Director of Fire and Emergency Services, Chris Kear, said area volunteers have been hard at work…

Rockland volunteers still have other fires to deal with, including a small brushfire that hit Rockland Lake State Park on Sunday near the trail along Hook Mountain which is now 90% contained, the origin of the fire is under investigation. Rain later this week could provide some much-needed relief, with more than 6,000 acres of forest having been consumed so far. Meanwhile, funeral services are set for today, and flags around the state will be flown at half-staff, in honor of 18-year-old Parks and Recreation aide and Ramapo High School graduate, Dariel Vasquez of Pomona. Vasquez was killed last weekend, while helping create a fire line at the Jennings Creek wildfire in Sterling Forest. Governor Kathy Hochul commended him for his bravery in protecting New Yorkers. He worked as an aide at the State Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation Department. He is survived by his mother, Miosotis, and his father, Juan.