West-of-Hudson rail riders got a break yesterday from the MTA. The board voted to waive fare increases, based on the poor service they’ve been treated to lately by New Jersey Transit on the Pascack Valley and Port Jervis lines. Positive Train Control installation forced the elimination of two express trains on the Pascack Valley Line last summer, along with other routes. Recurring equipment failures and staff shortages have also resulted in spotty service for the last few years. The MTA, however, also raised subway fares, with a weekly MetroCard hiked a dollar to $33 and a monthly pass up 6 bucks to $127. The new fares start April 21st. Tolls on most MTA bridges and tunnels will go up about 36 cents.
News
Rockland Sheriff Encourages Residents to Dispose of Prescription Drugs Properly
Rocklanders are doing their part to dispose of drugs properly. Sheriff Lou Falco says in the last five years, area police agencies have collected and destroyed around 12-hundred pounds of prescription medication…
When old medications are left around the house someone can find them and start abusing them. Falco says you can bring old medication to any police station no questions asked, and occasionally they will hold drop-off days at area pharmacies.
Friends of Harmony Hall to Host Mardi Gras-Themed Fundraiser Saturday
A Mardi Gras-themed fundraiser is being held Saturday night to benefit Harmony Hall in Sloatsburg. Andrea LaMantia is with Friends of Harmony Hall, and says the event features a New Orleans-style buffet and Jazz music…
The event is $40 per person, with the money going towards the restoration of the house. For more information visit their website, FriendsOfHarmonyHall.org.
12th Annual Penguin Plunge to Benefit Orangetown Children Sunday
The twelfth annual Penguin Plunge is being held this Sunday in Nyack. The event features scores of people braving the frigid Hudson River waters to raise money for area children and their families who need help with medical bills. Founder Barbara Noyes says the group has raised around 380,000 dollars since 2008 for families in need…
The plunge will be benefiting 2½ year-old Riley Reynolds of West Nyack who has Craniosynostosis, and 9 year-old of Pearl River who has autism and PANDAS, a pediatric neuropsychiatric disorder associated with strep infections. If you’re interested in participating in the plunge, or simply watching others do it, just head down to Memorial Park in Nyack at noon Sunday. They ask for a $20 donation. For more information visit PenguinPlungeNY.com.
Haverstraw Town Councilman Announces Retirement
A Haverstraw town councilman has announced he is stepping down. Town Supervisor Howard Phillips says Hector Soto will be missed…
Soto was born in Puerto Rico and came to Haverstraw when he was fourteen. He served in the Air Force in the Philippines and Vietnam, and then worked in the Town of Haverstraw Police Department for 36 years. He was first elected as a Councilman in 2007. Phillips says Johnny Ortiz will be running for Soto’s seat on the town board.