The State Education Commissioner has approved the East Ramapo school district’s $241 million budget for next year. That’s despite changes being made to the district’s busing schedule. The Journal News reports some schools will be starting the day earlier, and there will be more kids on each bus. Voters rejected two budget proposal earlier this year.
News
More Obstacles for Chestnut Ridge Church Looking to Convert New City Single-Family Home
A Chestnut Ridge church looking to convert a vacant single-family home in New City on Route 304 into a satellite location was removed from last night’s Clarkstown zoning board meeting. Supervisor George Hoehmann says local law requires the group to go through the planning board and environmental review first…
It’s not clear what the property owners are going to do next. The property is owned by Gibson Meeting Halls, and affiliated with the Foster Church, a non-denominational Christian church in Chestnut Ridge.
Rockland’s Congresswoman Visits Spring Valley Head Start, Pushes Bill for $20B in Funding
$20 billion in federal funding for early childhood programs will be considered by the House Appropriations Committee this week. Rockland Congresswoman Nita Lowey chairs that committee, and says children who have high-quality child care and go to preschool or programs like Head Start are better prepared for school and have greater chances of succeeding as adults…
The bill would be an increase of $4 billion over current funding levels. Head Start of Rockland has 25 sites, serves about 1,200 kids, and has about 700 children on a waiting list. Lowey toured the Spring Valley site yesterday.
NY Lawmakers Pass Green-friendly Legislation
The state legislature recently passed a series of bills designed to protect the environment. Rockland State Senator David Carlucci says the bills add green teeth to the state constitution…
The various bills next go to Governor Andrew Cuomo to be signed or vetoed. Among them, according to the Buffalo News, a bill that offers new consumer warnings on jewelry containing a certain level of lead, another that designates June 8th as Dragonfly Day, and one that would try to prevent bird deaths by flying into buildings.
Art Honoring First Responders to be Unveiled
The Rockland County Art in Public Places Committee this week will be dedicating two commemorative benches at the Fire Training Center in Pomona honoring our first responders. Judy Esterow is with the committee, and says the benches were created by sculptor Eric David Laxman…
Laxman also created the 9/11 Memorial at RCC, the Munich 11 Memorial at the JCC in West Nyack and the memorial bust of Army Corporal Manny Lopez in Haverstraw. The ceremony is being held Wednesday morning at 11 at the Fire Training Center in Pomona.