by Michael Weiss
As Memorial Day approaches, area officials have been stressing the importance of boater safety. This week is National Boaters Safety week, held annually prior to Memorial Day, the biggest boating holiday of the season. Orange County Undersheriff Ken Jones reported 118 people were injured and 18 killed statewide in boating accidents, as reported by News 12. Jones added there were 192 boating related accidents during 2021. If you plan to go boating this season make sure you have proper training and avoid using any substances such as drugs or alcohol.
Following the tragic Texas school shooting, area police agencies are assessing security risks at schools locally. On Wednesday’s “Morning Show” we spoke with Rockland County Sheriff Lou Falco about the shooting and what will be done within the county moving forward.
The Orange County Sheriff Department is doing security assessments for schools to identify risks and educating students, teachers, and staff what they can do to stay safe should the necessity arrive. Here in Rockland, security issues have been heightened following recent allegations of racial incident by Pearl River students towards Nyack students, and an incident in East Ramapo in which a student reportedly drove a dirt bike in a school building during class hours as a prank. He was subsequently arrested. News 12 reported last week of an incident at North Rockland High School in which a student from a separate school was let in and proceeded to bludgeon a North Rockland student with a glass liquor bottle. The alleged assailant was arrested in that case, as well. Up in Newburgh, several students were assaulted when a group entered the school last December.
News 12 reported yesterday that, in light of the recent shooting in Buffalo, the New York State Regents exam in U.S History and Government has been canceled. The State Department of Education said they are “committed to supporting our students and fellow community members following the heinous mass shooting in Buffalo.” The department stated that content on the exam could potentially bring up trauma of the violence. The exams had already been printed for the June 1st test date, and state officials felt there wouldn’t be enough time to produce and distribute new ones.