News

Rockland County is looking to its residents to help ease the tensions that have flared up of late, culminating in what the feds are calling a hate crime attack in Monsey last month. Rockland Commissioner on Human Rights Constance Frazier announced yesterday that there will be a meeting this March with local officials, schools, and community-, religious- and ethnic groups to hear their needs, concerns, ideas and recommendations to figure out how to calm the waters…

County Executive Ed Day said the problem is not unique to Rockland…

The next annual Rockland County Human Rights Symposium will be held at 6:30 pm on Wednesday March 25th in the Cultural Arts Center at RCC in Suffern.

Meanwhile, the 37 year-old Greenwood Lake man faces new charges following a federal indictment that was handed down yesterday. Grafton Thomas now faces five counts of “willfully causing bodily injury to five victims because of their religion.” That’s on top of the five federal counts of obstructing the free exercise of religion in an attempt to kill. Each count carries a maximum of life in prison. At least five people were hospitalized with serious injuries, including slash wounds, deep lacerations, a severed finger, and a skull fracture. One remains hospitalized.

The Rockland County Legislature held its organizational meeting last week and filled its leadership posts. Jay Hood was elected Majority Leader, Phil Soskin was appointed Deputy Majority Leader, Alden Wolfe was elected Chairman and Aney Paul was elected Vice-Chair. Vincent Tyer is Deputy Minority Leader and Lon Hofstein continues as Minority Leader…

In a statement, Chairman Wolfe said in 2020 he hopes to find common ground on a comprehensive Human Rights Law, and conduct an analysis on using county property more efficiently, including allowing nonprofits to co-locate on county property.

An archeologist who’s written four books on the Ramapough Lenape will be at a fundraising event Sunday at Harmony Hall in Sloatsburg. “Friends of Harmony Hall” curator Geoff Welch says Ed Lenik’s presentation will discuss how the Native American seasonal ceremonial site is related to the positions of the constellations…

Lenik will also be signing copies of his latest book, “Ramapough Lenape Heritage.” The presentation is Sunday from 2-4 at Harmony Hall in Sloatsburg. For more information visit FriendsOfHarmonyHall.org.

New York’s governor gave his State of the State yesterday. Right at the beginning, after he expressed support for the earthquake-ravaged Puerto Rico, governor Andrew Cuomo gave a shout-out to Rabbi Chaim Rottenberg of Monsey, who was hosting a Hanukkah party last month at his home when an alleged knife-wielding attacker stabbed five people…

Rottenberg gave the invocation before the governor’s address. Cuomo then recognized Monsey’s Josef Gluck, who fought back against the attacker and got his license plate…

During his speech, Cuomo appeared to take aim at those who would like to see the state carved into separate entities, upstate and downstate. What benefits one part of the state, he said, is good for everyone…

Cuomo then promised to resurrect last year’s failed attempt to legalize recreational pot…

Cuomo also proposed creating a cannabis and hemp research center. The governor didn’t say he’d do it, but western Ramapo and Orange County assemblyman Karl Brabenec continues to push for a moratorium or a full repeal of all the criminal justice reforms that took effect January first…

The governor also called for a new domestic terrorism law, the prohibition of foam cups and flavored e-cigarettes, and a bill to allow more movie theaters to sell alcohol.

The Nauraushaun Presbyterian Church in Pearl River has a new full-time pastor. Doctor Reverend Gregory Simpson completed both Master of Divinity and Master of Sacred Theology degrees in New Testament Bible and Ethics at New York’s Union Theological Seminary. Reverend Simpson says in addition to the ministry, he likes to advocate for STEM education in minority student populations, environmental justice and immigration issues…

Reverend Simpson interned at The Riverside Church and later at Broadway Presbyterian Church in the city. Nauraushaun Presbyterian Church is located on Sickletown Road in Pearl River. For more information visit their website, www.NauraushaunChurch.org.