Construction workers may have inadvertently hit a gas line while installing lighting at a Nanuet residential rental community, igniting a blaze that took out eight units. That’s according to DailyVoice.com. No one was reported injured in the Tuesday blaze at the complex behind Costco, the building itself is now slated for demolition. Rockland County Director of Fire and Emergency Services Chris Kear said the official cause of the fire is still being investigated. A dog is still reported to be missing. The Red Cross is helping displaced families find housing.
Breaking News
Monsey Man Charged with Hate Crime After Police Say He Tried to Spray Paint an Israeli and American Flag
A Monsey man was arrested early Tuesday morning and charged with a hate crime after he was suspected of spray-painting an American and Israeli flag outside a business located at 45 Main Street in Monsey. Ramapo Police say 33-year-old Benzion Rivlin, wearing a mask, was spotted around 4:18am Tuesday morning attempting to spray paint the flag. An officer attempted to intervene, and were it not for a malfunction in the spray can, the damage to the flag would have been worse. A brief chase occurred, and police say Rivlin was quickly caught and charged with Criminal Mischief as a Hate Crime, Making Graffiti, and other charges. He was released on an appearance ticket. He is due back in Town of Ramapo Criminal Court at a future date.
Hate Crimes in Rockland Down Over the Last Few Years
Despite this latest incident, the second reported hate crime in Ramapo in less than two weeks, Rockland’s sheriff says these types of incidents are few and far between. Sheriff Lou Falco told “The Morning Show” Wednesday there have been few serious incidents in the county in years…
On Saturday, August 26th, Ramapo Police said they arrested 31 year-old Yitzchok Zucker of New City and 31 year-old Moshe Pepper of Mad River, California. Both were accused of striking a UPS delivery man with a water bottle and attacking him as he was doing his job on Spook Rock Road in Montebello.
Fire Destroys 8 Units at Rental Housing Community in Nanuet, No One Reported Injured
A fire late yesterday afternoon destroyed eight units at The Peaks, formerly known as the Avalon Gardens rental housing in Nanuet behind Costco. In a post on social media yesterday, Clarkstown supervisor George Hoehmann said the cause is under investigation and preliminary reports indicated no one was injured. Power and gas services had to be shut down to the area as the blaze was put out. News 12 says a dog is missing. The Red Cross is offering help for families who have been displaced due to the fire. If you are among those who need help, contact the Red Cross at 1-877-RED CROSS or 877-733-2767.
Rockland Kids Back in School Starting Today, Officials Warn to Pay Attention Around Stopped Buses
It’s back to school today for kids in the Clarkstown, North Rockland, Nyack, Pearl River, and South Orangetown school districts. East Ramapo, Nanuet and Suffern return tomorrow. With kids back in school that means more school buses on the roads, so you might need to start your day a little earlier to make sure you get where you’re going on time, because you can’t be passing stopped school buses with their red lights flashing and those stop signs and stop-arms sticking out of them. If you do, Rockland County Executive Ed Day says you’ll be caught by the cameras mounted on the school bus…
Ryan Monell is Vice President of Government Operations at BusPatrol, the company behind the technology each bus is equipped with to catch those who violate the law. Monell says it’s not about the money…
There are financial penalties, however, the first violation is $250, the second is $275, and a third will set you back $300. During the last school year, more than 17,000 citations were issued to drivers for passing a school bus right here in Rockland. We have a link to videos of some of the violations right here.
Haverstraw Teen Pleads Not Guilty to Pomona Man’s Murder
A Haverstraw teen pleaded not guilty yesterday in connection with the fatal shooting of a Pomona man nearly two months ago. 18 year-old Yandie Martinez is charged with Second Degree Murder and two counts of Criminal Possession of a Weapon. Rockland County D-A Tom Walsh says 29 year-old Christian Alvarado was found in his car July first with two gunshot wounds, one to the left arm and one to the left side of his chest which perforated his lung and heart, and was later pronounced dead at Montefiore Nyack Hospital…
About four weeks after the shooting, Martinez was located at an AirBNB in Piedmont, South Carolina. At a press conference a few weeks ago to announce the capture of Martinez, Haverstraw Police Chief John Gould said they found his location through his use of social media…
Martinez is being held at the Rockland County jail without bail. He’s due back in court on September 11th. Alvarado is survived by his wife, Yaneth, and two young sons.