News

The New York State Public Service Commission yesterday approved new three-year delivery rate plans for O&R’s electric and natural gas services. O&R spokesman Mike Donovan says the utility will be making major improvements in its service areas including more eco-friendly electrical technologies…

The new natural gas rates will be about 1.5 percent lower in the first year, but 0.6 percent higher next year and 0.8 percent higher again in the third year. Electric rates go up about 2.4 percent higher this year, and then another 2.5 percent in the next two years. The new rates will be effective from January first, 2019 through December 31, 2021. Donovan says under the PSC’s order, the electric rate increase and gas rate decrease for 2019 will be reconciled for customers between April and December. 

Suez New York has filed a $31.5 million rate hike request with the Public Service Commission that would reportedly increase bills for Rockland and Putnam customers, but some in Westchester could see their rates go down. Rocklanders could see their bills jump in the first year of the plan more than $10 a month, while residents of New Rochelle, Pelham Manor, Dobbs Ferry and other towns would see their bills go down about four-and-a-quarter each month. The rates would go into effect next February, but they’d have to be approved by the PSC first.

Rockland now has 147 confirmed cases of measles. If you think you have measles or need the vaccine, contact your healthcare provider. For information on the measles, click here, or call the State Department of Health’s toll-free Measles Information line at 1-888-364-4837

The Rockland County Ancient Order of Hibernians St. Patrick’s Day Parade kicks off Sunday in Pearl River, the same day as the actual Saint Patrick’s Day. Stony Point supervisor Jim Monaghan is marching in the parade this year, but he fondly recalls the days when his parents took him as a youngster…

The parade kicks off Sunday at 1:30 from the Pfizer parking lot. It’ll head East on Crooked Hill Road, then turn right on Middletown Road, right down Central Avenue and then a left on Main Street ending near the Post Office and train station. If you are driving to get there, get there early and expect lots of traffic when you leave.

The “10-Point Plan to Transform and Fund the MTA” put out by New York’s governor and New York City’s mayor is being slammed by Rockland’s County Executive as “severely lacking” that would only make Rockland’s commuter issues even worse. Ed Day says rail service west of Hudson is abysmal, and as such, Rockland riders should not be forced to support the MTA’s financial burden…

The governor has said he won’t sign a budget that doesn’t have congestion pricing included. The budget is due April first.