Breaking News

As we reported this morning on “The Morning Show with Jeff & Will,” the Haverstraw Police Department is on the scene after a truck was struck by a train near the intersection of Route 9W and New Main Street. The railroad crossing will be closed until further notice. Police advise motorists to use an alternate routes.

“I want to thank the Haverstraw Police Department for its swift action this morning in making sure the driver of the truck that was caught on the railroad tracks was out of the vehicle before the train collided with it. A video of the accident shows it may not have been a survivable crash. This could have been a horrific tragedy, but smart thinking and quick action, including blocking other cars and pedestrians from entering the area, prevented that outcome. I’m sure the driver of the truck and the driver of the train are shook up and I hope they’ll both be okay. Thank you to everyone who went to the scene in case there were other victims. It’s no surprise to me, and I’m sure many others, that the community really pulled together because that is what Haverstraw is all about,” said Rockland County Legislature Chairman, Jay Hood Jr.

Rockland County and the town of Orangetown are the latest municipalities to join the state’s new law that would give volunteer EMS and firefighters a break on their taxes. Rockland County Executive Ed Day says the legislation was passed Tuesday night…

The town of Orangetown did that as well Tuesday night, also approving new income eligibility rules for seniors that qualify for a tax deduction. Supervisor Teresa Kenny says for volunteers to qualify, they must have served for at least five years…

Qualifying seniors and volunteers should get in touch with the Orangetown tax assessor as soon as possible. If you live and volunteer in other towns or villages, check with them to see if you qualify and to get the paperwork started. The deadline to apply is March 1st.

A former village mayor in the town of Ramapo has decided he wants his old job back. Former Airmont mayor Ralph Bracco says he is throwing his hat into the ring to run again for the village’s top spot…

Bracco served as Airmont’s mayor from 1993 to 1995. Election Day in Airmont is March 21st. Nathan Bubel is Airmont’s current Mayor.

A Democrat is throwing his support behind a legislative attempt in Albany to rename the new bridge connecting Rockland to Westchester with the same name the old bridge had. A late-night, back-office deal with the former governor resulted in the new bridge being called “The Mario M. Cuomo Bridge,” but since no one much uses that, and calls it by the former bridge’s name, many feel renaming it to “The Tappan Zee Bridge” is more appropriate. The New York Post says former Rockland State Senator James Skoufis, whose district now represents other Hudson Valley counties, says he’s on board with Rockland Assemblyman John McGowan’s bill, which he picked up from former Assemblyman Mike Lawler’s bill introduced two years ago. Skoufis is the first Democrat in the State Senate to support the bill, which he is hoping passes before this legislative term ends in June.

A Spring Valley man was arrested last week suspected in a fatal hit-and-run in Ramapo earlier this month. Ramapo Police say 26 year-old Bryan Castillo-Solorzano left the scene after striking an 82 year-old woman on Hempstead Lane in Hillcrest on Saturday, February 11th. Castillo-Solorzano was arraigned, and bail was set at $75,000. He was taken to the Rockland County Jail. No other information was available.