Breaking News

A state lawmaker from the lower Hudson Valley thinks the new gun laws the state enacted earlier this month will fall victim to the courts. Assemblyman Karl Barbenec covers portions of western Ramapo and Orange County, and says the new laws signed by the governor to counter the Supreme Court’s move striking down the state’s concealed carry law are unconstitutional…

Earlier this week, New York governor Kathy Hochul said the new laws prioritize life over guns…

Brabenec says he expects the new laws to face a court challenge and eventually be overturned. The new gun laws are scheduled to take effect September 1st.

Area police are pleased that there was no overflow of Independence Day revelers at Rockland Lake after Lake Welch had to be closed for the holiday weekend due to a harmful algae bloom. Rockland sheriff Lou Falco and others were concerned Rockland Lake would be bursting at the seams, as it did four years ago, causing parking and other issues in area neighborhoods. Sheriff Falco says, though, everything went smoothly…

Rockland County Executive Ed Day says the chaos four years ago at Rockland Lake resulted in an improved team effort by all public safety agencies in the county. Lake Welch remains closed until further notice.

A local lawmaker is hopeful the governor soon signs a bill that could give area volunteer firefighters and EMS workers a ten percent property tax exemption, if local municipalities opt-in to the program. State senator Elijah Reichlin-Melnick says for an area like Rockland, which depends on its volunteers, the alternative could be disastrous…

Meanwhile Rockland fire companies are looking for more volunteers. A vehicle fire Sunday started a small grass fire on the Thruway near the north end of Sloatsburg. No one was reported injured, but it prompted the local fire department to put out a call for more volunteers. Anyone who might be interested can simply show up at the firehouse on Wednesdays between 7 and 9pm to learn more. The firehouse is located at 96 Orange Turnpike – Route 17 in Sloatsburg, or call 845-753-5575.

Following an extended session last Thursday and into Friday, New York’s governor on Friday signed legislation to strengthen the state’s gun laws and beef-up restrictions on concealed carry weapons. Governor Kathy Hochul said the emergency session and the package of new laws were necessary after the U-S Supreme Court last month overturned New York’s long-standing concealed carry law…

The new laws expand eligibility requirements in the concealed carry permitting process and now include completed firearm training courses for applicants, they restrict the carrying of concealed weapons in sensitive locations including Times Square, subways and mass transit, and create a statewide license and ammunition database. They also bar gun permits for people with a history of dangerous behavior, and bans guns in bars and restaurants unless they specifically choose to allow them. The laws will take effect on September first.

The legislature is also looking to strengthen the state’s equal rights and abortion laws by making them part of the state constitution. An equal rights amendment could be voted on by the legislature next year before a public referendum in November 2023.

The Rockland County Legislature held the last of their redistricting public meetings yesterday in Ramapo. Rockland’s 17 legislative districts will be redrawn based on the data from the 2020 census. Legislator Lon Hofstein is on the Legislature’s Special Committee for Redistricting, and he’s hoiping they get this right…

Redistricting occurs every ten years based the Census. New district boundaries also reflect their communities, and take things like similar social, cultural, religious or economic interests into account. Hofstein says it likely won’t be until after Labor Day that the lines are officially finalized and released. Click here for more information about the redistricting process.