RADIO UNSCRIPTED!
by Jeff Lewis
A record number of Rockland Tourism grants were handed out earlier this month to 36 organizations. Rockland County Executive Ed Day says the $316,000 in grants provide funding to them to help promote, outside of Rockland, upcoming programs and events that increase visitor spending locally…
Tourism has been a focus of the county’s since 2014.
by Jeff Lewis
A statue of Thurgood Marshall, the first African-American member of the U.S. Supreme Court, will be relocated from its New City location to one that gives more people a chance to see it, but that new location hasn’t yet been determined. The statue was unveiled in September 2021 near the Rockland County courthouse, opposite Demarest Avenue off Main Street. In 1943, Marshall won a prominent school desegregation case in the village of Hillburn, and that case paved the way for the landmark 1954 decision Brown vs. the Board of Education, which declared segregation in public schools unconstitutional. The legislature voted unanimously last week to begin the process of taking the steps to move the statue to a new location.
by Jeff Lewis
A Spring Valley man has been charged with second-degree murder after a dead body was found in an abandoned building in the village two days ago. Spring Valley Police say the body of an unidentified victim was found in a commercial property at 10 Centre Street Wednesday morning, he was pronounced dead at the scene. Police say it was apparent the man was the victim of a homicide, and police picked up twenty-six-year-old Christian Guzman-Loera later that night. He was charged with second degree murder, arraigned Thursday morning in Spring Valley Justice Court, and sent to the Rockland County Jail. Police are asking anyone with information to call them at 845-356-7400 or by email, Tips@VillageSpringValley.org.
Report: Accused Killer in Spring Valley Double Homicide Prevented Victims from Calling 911
More details are coming to light about a double homicide from over the weekend in Spring Valley. DailyVoice.com reported that murder suspect Alan Abad of Westwood, New Jersey, who also reportedly identifies as “Alina,” made TikTok dance videos and another sharing pizza with the victims just prior killing them. The two victims were reportedly the aunts of the suspect. Abad reportedly fatally beat both of them before they could call 911. The women were found inside a Gesner Drive home around 8:30 Saturday night. Abad was charged with first degree murder, arraigned and sent to the Rockland County Jail without bail. Anyone with additional information should contact the Spring Valley Police Department at 845-356-7400 or by email, Tips@VillageSpringValley.org. A GoFundMe page posted to help with funeral costs has so far raised more than $13,000.
Congers Man Sentenced to 21+ Years in State Prison
A Congers man will be spending the next 21 years in state prison after he was sentenced yesterday for distributing fentanyl and causing the deaths of three people who overdosed on the drug. Matthew Podolsky, the Acting U-S Attorney for the Southern District of New York, says the sentence for 26 year-old Justin Turnick comes after pleading guilty last summer to distributing fentanyl, resulting in three fatal poisonings and three non-fatal incidents involving teens and young adults beginning in February 2020. In addition to the prison sentence, Turnick got five years of supervised release.
Spring Valley Teen Arrested, Charged with Arson
A Spring Valley teen has been arrested and charged with arson after a fire at a local construction site, and it’s not the first time he’s been accused of setting a fire. That’s according to DailyVoice.com. The incident reportedly took place last week at 22 Memorial Park Drive in the village where there was an active structure fire around 7:30pm. No injuries were reported, but police arrested 18 year-old Carlos De Leon Cordero on Monday. He was charged with fourth-degree arson, arraigned, and released on his own recognizance. Cordero was also reportedly accused of setting a fire last month at an abandoned building on North Madison Avenue. Anyone with additional information should contact the Spring Valley Police Department at 845-356-7400 or by email, Tips@VillageSpringValley.org.
by Jeff Lewis
Congestion pricing remains thanks to legal challenges even though the plug was pulled Wednesday by the U.S. Department of Transportation. New York Governor Kathy Hochul and the MTA filed suit to keep the tax going, from which they’re hoping to raise $15 billion to fund mass transit improvements. Area political leaders have universally been against the tax. Assemblyman Chris Eachus of the 99th District, covering Stony Point and parts of Orange County, says the MTA needs to make improvements to the suburban public transit system…
Rockland County Executive Ed Day continues to insist MTA chairman Janno Lieber resign and the MTA be audited. Launched in January, the MTA’s congestion pricing plan charges most drivers an extra nine dollars daily to get into the city and drive below 60th Street.
by Jeff Lewis
Funeral services are being held for last year’s recipient of the Rockland County 2024 Buffalo Soldiers Lifetime Achievement Award. Grady Anderson Jr. died Saturday. He joined the army in 1959 and served overseas in Germany for four years. He became an advocate for military veterans, and served as Post Commander for Moscarella 199 Spring Valley American Legion, and as a member of Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 333. Viewing is tonight from 6 to 8pm at the First Baptist Church in Spring Valley. A second viewing is being held tomorrow at 8:30am followed by a funeral service at 9:30. Anderson will be buried at Frederick Loescher Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Spring Valley. He was 84 years old.