A Stony Point man was arrested by New Jersey Palisades Parkway police after allegedly beating an Uber driver Friday night. Published reports said 44 year-old Joseph Coyle tried to choke the driver, a 21 year-old Haverstraw man, with a seat belt. Coyle was charged with aggravated assault, resisting arrest and trespassing and taken to the Bergen County Jail.
News
Chestnut Ridge Passes Law Governing Houses of Worship
The village of Chestnut Ridge has adopted a zoning law that allows houses of worship in residential neighborhoods. The Journal News reported Mayor Sam Presti said the new law passed Thursday night considers the increased Orthodox and Hasidic Jewish population in the village. Presti said the law met both the village’s needs and constitutional freedom of religion requirements. Chestnut Ridge had reportedly been threatened with legal action by an Orthodox Jewish group prior to the law’s passage. CUPON, a village residents’ group, is reportedly planning on challenging the new law.
Rockland Moving Forward with Litigation Against Opioid Pharma Companies
Rockland County is moving forward with litigation against pharmaceutical companies that made and sold prescription opioids, leading to an epidemic of abuse. County Executive Ed Day says he’s not anti-pain medication, but the marketing and prescribing of opioids in many cases have gone too far…
The county has hired a law firm based in Nashville that specializes in class-action lawsuits. Day says costs will be paid from any settlement reached on the County’s behalf, if there is one, otherwise the county doesn’t have to pay attorneys’ fees, so there will be no negative impact on Rockland taxpayers. 38 drug-related deaths occurred in Rockland County in 2018, down from 40 in 2017 and 2016. There have also been an unknown number of NARCAN saves in recent years.
Rockland Assemblywoman Thinks Legal Marijuana Could Make it into this Year’s State Budget
An Albany lawmaker from Rockland thinks recreational marijuana will make it into the budget this year. Assemblywoman Ellen Jaffee says while there are minor concerns about legalized pot, it makes sense to turn the corner…
Rockland’s sheriff, however, is concerned that if it is legalized, that could impact his staff and the tasks they are assigned to if they participate in legal drug use. Sheriff Lou Falco made his pitch to keep marijuana from becoming legal at the Rockland Business Association’s monthly luncheon last week. Sheriff Falco said it’s not clear that the law would hold police, EMS or other public safety professionals to a different standard and prevent them from smoking pot…
RBA CEO Al Samuels said the threat of having employees become drug users could also impact businesses across the state…
The governor has been pushing for a law to be included in the upcoming budget due April first, but it’s not clear whether legislators will come to an agreement in time for that.
New Charges Added to Suspect in Garnerville 7-Eleven Murder
Haverstraw police have added new charges on top of the murder and attempted murder charges for the man who allegedly ran over a family, backed up, and ran over them again at the Garnerville 7-Eleven Wednesday afternoon after a dispute over smoking. 35 year-old Jason Mendez of Washingtonville now also faces menacing, criminal possession of a weapon and resisting arrest. Haverstraw Supervisor Howard Phillips told “The Morning Show” yesterday he couldn’t believe something like that could happen…
32 year-old Melissa DeLoatch of Stony Point, who was reportedly pregnant, was killed in the incident. Husband Shawn DeLoatch and three of their children suffered serious injuries, though they were not considered life-threatening. A GoFundMe has been set up by Melissa’s cousin – to see it click here.