News

Drug-policy reform advocates say New York’s marijuana decriminalization law doesn’t do enough to address discriminatory drug law enforcement. The bill was signed into law Monday by the governor, and makes possession of less than two ounces of marijuana a violation subject to tickets and fines, and includes automatic expungement of past convictions for low-level offenses. Melissa Moore of the Drug Policy Alliance says the new law still gives police wide discretion to continue making arrests…

Moore advocates for legalization and regulation, as does Rockland State Senator David Carlucci, who says the prison population needs to be reduced…

Although full legalization failed to clear the Legislature this year, Moore is confident that a legalization bill could pass next time around. The decriminalization law takes effect at the end of August.

Rockland’s Congresswoman is on a crusade against teen vaping. That’s done with those handheld battery-powered vaporizers, also known as e-cigarettes, which simulate smoking without burning tobacco. Their use has been at the center of many healthcare concerns. Congresswoman Nita Lowey held a roundtable discussion in Westchester about the dangers of vaping earlier this week, and says e-cigarettes make it easier for kids to turn to tobacco …

Lowey chairs the House Appropriations Committee, and included an increase of $40 million for the Office on Smoking and Health in the House-passed spending bill for next year.

A Rockland investment broker and former Rockland Republican Party official faces nearly 20 years in prison today and $20 million in penalties for running an $11 million Ponzi scheme for 25 years. The Journal News says 77 year-old Hector May of Orangeburg will be sentenced after pleading guilty in December to wire and investment adviser fraud. Federal officials are recommending May serve 10 years in prison.

Rockland lawmakers are looking to strengthen laws in New York State to prevent child murderers and rapists from ever getting a chance at parole. The law they are proposing is an expansion of Joan’s Law, signed into law and named 15 years ago for a seven year-old New Jersey girl who was raped and murdered in New Jersey in 1973, her body found at Harriman State Park. The new law would be named for Paula Bohovesky, the 16 year-old Pearl River teen who was murdered in 1980 on her way home from the library. One of her two killers was released earlier this month, but he’s back behind bars after he violated parole, reportedly by getting drunk. At a press conference yesterday, Joan’s mother, Rosemarie D’Alessandro, says the new law would help keep other moms from suffering in the same way she and Paula’s mother have…

Rockland state senator David Carlucci’s new bill would deny parole to anyone convicted of murdering and sexually assaulting a child under 18 years old, where current law stops at children under the age of 14…

And that was North Rockland state senator James Skoufis, and Assembly members Ken Zebrowski and Ellen Jaffee. Two years ago, New Jersey became the first and only state to expand Joan’s Law to age 18.

The consultant looking at potential ways Ramapo can cash in on its ballpark isn’t done with the report just yet, but they have given the supervisor a summary of ideas. Supervisor Michael Specht says they called the ballpark one of the best minor league facilities in the country, said it has lots of potential, but it is clearly under-utilized…

They also suggested bringing in a soccer team that would play at times when the Boulders weren’t using the field. Stadium downtime could also be filled with other events such as carnivals, craft fairs, or antique markets for the spring and fall. They also suggested considering putting in an artificial surface instead of maintaining natural grass.