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Rockland's Award-Winning News
02-03-12
ST. LAWRENCE REFUTES STATE COMPTROLLER’S REPORT ON BASEBALL STADIUM
Ramapo supervisor Christopher St. Lawrence came out swinging today in response to a highly critical report by State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli. The report, following a state audit, says St. Lawrence’s financing plan for Provident Bank park put Ramapo taxpayers in jeopardy for tens of millions of dollars. The plan relies on the town’s sale of units in the Elm Street Housing Project. DiNapoli says that could turn out to be a $30-million loss. But St. Lawrence told WRCR listeners this morning that assessment is “absolutely false,” because the project is being done in phases, a method which he says drastically lessens the risk. Provident Bank Park is home to both the Rockland Boulders baseball team and WRCR Radio.
N.R.C. REJECTS INDIAN POINT FIRE-SAFETY EXEMPTION REQUESTS
Indian Point opponents are applauding a ruling by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The N.R.C. announced this week it had rejected most of the exemptions sought by Indian Point officials to the plant’s fire-safety requirements. It was the second N.R.C. decision affecting the Buchanan nuclear plant in recent days. The federal agency ordered Indian Point earlier this week to upgrade its ability to withstand earthquakes.
ACCUSED R.P.C. KILLER TO BE ASSESSED AT UPSTATE PSYCHIATRIC FACILITY
Accused Rockland Psych killer Curtis Wilson has been sent upstate for observation. The 52-year-old Wilson, of Newburgh, is charged with beating fellow R.P.C. outpatient Vincent Knadler to death with an iron rod January 16th on the psychiatric center grounds. Wilson is to appear in court February 22nd. Until then, his mental state will be assessed at a Rochester psychiatric facility.
CLARKSTOWN NORTH GRADUATE KILLED IN HEAD-ON COLLISION BURIED
New City college student Jacob Halle was buried yesterday – two days after the head-on car crash that killed him. The 22-year-old Halle died Wednesday at a New Jersey hospital. The collision Monday was on Route 202 in Mahwah, not far from Ramapo College, where Halle was a junior. He was also a 2008 graduate of Clarkstown North High School.
DAUGHTER OF FORMER S.V. MAYOR BURIED, A VICTIM OF CANCER
Funeral services were held yesterday for the daughter of former Spring Valley mayor Joel Rosenthal. Forty-one year-old Beth Rosenthal-Isaacs succumbed to cancer on Wednesday. In addition to her parents, who now live in Florida, Rosenthal-Isaacs is survived by her husband and four children.
COUNTY CIVIL RIGHTS HALL OF FAME INDUCTS FIVE
Rockland’s Civil Rights Hall of Fame has five new members, all of them inducted yesterday at a luncheon ceremony in Stony Point. Of the five, former county legislator Bernard Charles was the only living inductee. The four posthumous honorees were his wife, Eleanor Charles, former Spring Valley mayor William Darden, and former Nyack N.A.A.C.P. officials Bernice Glass and Lawrence Holland.
CONGERS RESIDENT WINS $1-MILLION IN STATE LOTTERY GAME
A Rocklander was one of six New Yorkers featured at a state lottery ceremony in Brooklyn yesterday. Joe Cunnane of Congers was there to accept the $1-million jackpot he won recently by spending a mere $3.00 on a Sweet Million ticket.
02-02-12
STATE COMPTROLLER SLAMS RAMAPO OVER STADIUM FINANCING
The state comptroller is blasting the town of Ramapo, saying it played fast and loose with the financing of Provident Bank Park. In an audit released yesterday, Thomas DiNapoli says the town improperly used its Local Development Corporation, the RLDC, to handle the financing, and to run up a bill that could approach $60-million. That’s at least $20-million more than the town estimates it spent on the stadium, which is home to WRCR Radio. And the audit slams the town for its plan to pay off the stadium with profits from the Elm Street housing project, a plan which the audit says can leave town $30-million in debt. Ramapo Supervisor Christopher St. Lawrence says the audit is rife with misunderstandings, and he continues to deny that Ramapo taxpayers could be left holding a multi-million-dollar tab.
NEW SQUARE ARSON TRIAL SET TO BEGIN NEXT WEEK
Jury selection starts next Tuesday in the New Square arson case. Eighteen year-old Shaul Spitzer is charged with attempted murder in what prosecutors call a religious-based arson attack on a neighbor. The victim, 44-year-old Aron Rottenberg, was burned over more than half his body in the attack last May. Rottenberg and his family reportedly had been ostracized by many in New Square over their refusal to attend the Hassidic village’s main synagogue.
POMONA MAN CHARGED WITH RAPING TEEN; OTHER VICTIMS SOUGHT
Police are looking for other possible victims of a Pomona man they’ve charged with raping a teen-age girl. Fifty-four year-old Jacques Menos was arrested Tuesday and charged with second-degree rape. Police say he attacked the girl early in 2010, when she was 14 years old. Menos is at county jail, held on $100,000 bail. And Clarkstown police are urging other possible victims of Menos to call them at 639-5835 or 639-6233.
NEW CITY COLLEGE STUDENT DIES OF COLLISION INJURIES
A young New City man has died of the injuries he sustained in a two-car collision in Bergen County. Twenty-two year-old Jacob Halle died yesterday at a New Jersey hospital where he was taken following Monday’s accident. The head-on collision occurred on Route 202 in Mahwah, near Ramapo College, where Halle was a student. College officials say they’ll hold a memorial service for the Clarkstown North High School graduate next Monday.
PFIZER LAYS OFF 71 IN PEARL RIVER AS DOWN-SIZING CONTINUES
The Pfizer layoffs continue. The pharmaceutical firm says it’s letting another 71 employees go at its Pearl River plant between now and the end of June. It’s all part of a major down-sizing that Pfizer says will result, eventually, in the loss of more than 1,200 jobs at the site. Meanwhile, Pfizer says it’s looking to sell off or lease parts of the Pearl River facility.
02-01-12
PHILLIPS: I EARNED MY RAISE
Haverstraw Supervisor Howard Phillips says he earned his 2% pay raise. He spoke this morning in response to a Journal News report that he was the only elected official in Haverstraw to take a raise this year. Phillips told WRCR listeners he has opted for no raises at times in the past, just as his fellow town councilmen did this. Phillips said he earned the raise by putting in 60 to 70 hours a week on the job and holding the line on town taxes. The increase raises Phillips’s supervisor’s salary by about $2,000 to a still-comparatively-low $104,000 annually.
INDIAN POINT ORDERED TO TIGHTEN EARTHQUAKE SAFETY STANDARDS
Indian Point has been ordered to upgrade its ability to withstand earthquakes. That’s thanks to a Nuclear Regulatory Commission study that shows an increased likelihood of earthquakes in the central and eastern parts of the United States. Indian Point officials say it could take seven years to determine what safety upgrades are needed, based on the study’s findings. Meanwhile, the NRC report has rekindled debate among environmental and energy-industry officials. The pro-industry New York Affordable Reliable Electricity Alliance says the clean-water group Riverkeeper is using the NRC earthquake-readiness report to continue a pattern of what it calls “fear-mongering” against Indian Point.
LEGISLATORS MEET TONIGHT ON M.T.A. TAX AND N.Y.-N.J. FLOOD-PREVENTION
The county legislature’s Environmental Committee meets tonight. On its agenda: a proposal to ask the state assembly to pass a Rockland-Bergen Flood Prevention Act. Environmental groups have long sought a co-ordinated water management effort between New York and New Jersey. The Environmental Committee meeting starts at 6 p.m. The legislature’s Economic Development Committee meets a half-hour earlier and takes up a proposal for the state to exempt non-profits from the controversial M.T.A. Payroll Mobility Tax.
RAMAPO OFFICER SLIGHTLY INJURED IN COLLISION
A Ramapo police officer was slightly injured in a Montebello car crash yesterday. The two-car accident happened about 10:30 a.m. on North Airmont Road. The officer, Yolanda Tyson, was driving eastbound when she collided with a westbound vehicle and wound up off the road in a group of trees. Officer Tyson was treated at and released from Good Samaritan Hospital, The other driver was not injured. No tickets were issued. Ramapo police are investigating.
LIGHTS OUT – FINALLY – AT NANUET MALL
The Nanuet Mall is finally closed. The lights went off for the last time at midnight this morning, as the last of the mall’s remaining tenants locked up for good. Demolition work on the half-century-old shopping center is expected to begin in March or April, with a new, Main Street-type mall to open in its place late in 2013. The current mall’s independently–run anchor stores, Sears and Macy’s, will stay open during the re-construction.
01-31-12
CARLUCCI TO PRESS FOR NO CHANGE TO HIS DISTRICT LINES
State Senator David Carlucci says he’ll do what he can to keep his district intact, and entirely in Rockland County. The state legislature’s proposed redistricting plan divides Rockland into two State Senate Districts and re-shapes Carlucci’s to include a small piece of Westchester County. Critics say the plan is a strictly partisan move by the Senate’s Republican majority. Democrat Carlucci, on WRCR this morning, acknowledged that there’s little he can do to keep the district lines as drawn – other than speaking out at public hearings around the state. And he’s hoping for support from Governor Cuomo, who has threatened to veto any partisanly-drawn plan. Meanwhile, Carlucci is backing an amendment to the state constitution requiring that future re-districting be handled by an independent agency rather than the legislature.
NEW SUIT FILED AGAINST PATRICK FARM DEVELOPMENT
Opponents of Ramapo’s Patrick Farm housing development have gone to court yet again. Members of the environmental group ROSA filed suit in county court to overturn last month’s Town Planning Board approval of the project. ROSA and other critics say the development, to include some 500 housing units on the 200-acre site, would, among other things, damage a major aquifer. The lawsuit is the eleventh filed against the controversial project. None previously has succeeded.
ALLEGED VICTIM: I SERVED THREE YEARS IN SLAVERY
Testimony is expected to continue this week in the slave-labor trial of four members of a Ramapo family from India. The alleged victim, now 25, claims her arranged marriage to Vishal Jagota in 2007 resulted in three years of hard labor, as well as beatings and even sexual abuse by Jagota and members of his family. The four defendants are charged with labor trafficking and each faces a minimum of seven years in jail if convicted. County court judge William Nelson presides over the non-jury trial.
”BOUNTY HUNTER” ARRESTED FOR MENACING PAIR WITH HANDGUN
Ramapo police have leveled gun-possession and menacing charges against self-styled bounty hunter Scott Bernstein. Police say the 53-year-old Bernstein waved an unlicensed pistol at two intern applicants he was interviewing at his Wesley Hills office. Bernstein is a private investigator, but, because of prior convictions in California and New York, he has no gun permit. He made news nationally some years ago when he was arrested for posing as a police officer in the Laci Peterson murder case.
01-30-12
WORK STARTING ON NEW NANUET MALL
The new Nanuet Mall heads closer to becoming a reality. Clarkstown Supervisor Alex Gromack says he’s “very excited” about how quickly the long-delayed project is now moving along. Gromack told WRCR listeners this morning that work on the new facility is already under way. He said mall-owner Simon Properties has signed contracts with several of the as-yet-un-named but upscale stores expected to move into the new mall. The outdoor-access mall is expected to open in time for the 2013 holiday shopping season.
GRAND JURY WILL HEAR EVIDENCE IN GAS-LINE EXPLOSION CASE
That gas-line explosion in West Haverstraw two weeks ago will go to a county grand jury. That’s according to District Attorney Thomas Zugibe, who says investigators continue to probe whether the blast involved any criminal wrong-doing. The explosion leveled one home in the Village Fairgrounds-Two condominium site and seriously damaged at least one other. A Verizon sub-contractor is believed to have ruptured the gas line while digging to install an underground cable. West Haverstraw firefighter Kenneth Patterson, thrown some 40 feet by the explosion, continues to recover from the broken bones and other injuries he sustained.
PAIR BUSTED FOR STEALING COPPER TUBING FROM ORANGETOWN SITE
Two Ramapo men are in county jail this morning, accused of stealing copper tubing from an Orangetown construction site. Twenty-five year-old Anton Naumkin of Suffern, and 19-year-old Maury Pagan face felony burglary and robbery charges in the case. Police say the two were spotted just after noon Saturday taking the copper from outside a home on Bluefield Drive. After an argument in which Naumkin allegedly punched a neighborhood resident, he and Pagan fled the scene but were arrested later at their homes.
MIDDLETOWN WOMAN, ARRESTED IN NYACK, KICKS HOLES IN POLICE CAR ROOF
Nyack police got more than they bargained for when they arrested an Orange County woman at a Main Street bar early Sunday. Twenty-three year-old Heather Lockowitz of Middletown reportedly got angry when officers confronted her for allegedly punching a bar employee. They say Lockowitz kicked and spat at an officer – and then, when corralled into a police car, kicked holes through the car roof with her stiletto heels. Lockowitz is charged with several misdemeanors, although one of them could be raised to a felony if the car damage turns out to be more than $250.
SHUT-DOWN NEW HEMPSTEAD SCHOOL WORKING ON SAFETY ISSUES
New Hempstead Mayor Lawrence Dessau goes to school today – the school that he ordered to be SHUT DOWN. The religious Ohr Torah School, on Route 306, had been operating despite complaints from Hillcrest fire officials that it failed to meet fire-safety standards. Dessau will stop by at Ohr Torah and discuss the matter with school administrators today, in hopes that an agreement can be reached this week on how the school can meet those safety standards and be re-opened.
HUDSON RIVER BRIDGE TOLLS INCREASE TODAY
If you’re heading across the Hudson from North Rockland, get ready to pony up an extra two bits. Tolls on the five Hudson River crossings, including the Bear Mountain Bridge, were raised by 25-cents as of today. That makes the one-way toll a dollar and a quarter with E-ZPass, and $1.50 without it. The New York State Bridge Authority says it’ll use the extra revenue to help pay for $100-million worth of capital projects.
01-27-12
VANDERHOEF: WE CAN’T GIVE TOWNS BIGGER BITE OF SALES TAX
County Executive Scott Vanderhoef says it’s not gonna happen – a suggested increase in the percentage of sales tax receipts that the county kicks back to the towns and villages. Clarkstown Supervisor Alex Gromack MADE the suggestion recently, as an alternative to Clarkstown’s applying to be made a CITY. Rockland currently gives less than 7% of its sales tax collections back to the municipalities – unlike some counties that kick back as much as 50%. Vanderhoef told WRCR listeners this morning that he and county legislature agree – now is not the time to change the formula. Said Vanderhoef, “We need every dollar we have,” to pay for the services the county provides.
BAIL DENIED FOR BOHOVESKY KILLER
Parole has been denied again for one of the two men who murdered Pearl River teen Paula Bohovesky more than 30 years ago. Robert McCain saw his latest bid turned down yesterday by the state parole board in Albany. He and Richard LaBarbera were convicted of beating and stabbing Bohovesky to death as she walked home from work in October of 1980. Both men are serving 25-year-to-life sentences. They became eligible for parole in 2005 and have been denied it repeatedly since. In rejecting McCain’s latest application, the parole board said he continued to show no remorse for the crime.
TRIAL STARTS FOR RAMAPO FAMILY ACCUSED OF KEEPING A SLAVE
The trial of four members of a Ramapo family accused of forcing a young Indian woman into slavery got under way today in New City. Prosecutors say the Jagotas brought the then-20-year-old woman to their home two years ago, then used threats, violence and sexual abuse to coerce her to work, often around the clock, at the family’s home on Butternut Drive. Each of the four Jagotas, ranging in age from 31 to 62, is charged with labor trafficking and faces a minimum of seven years in jail, if convicted. County Court Judge William Nelson presides over the non-jury trial.
NEWBURGH MAN CONVICTED IN 2009 MURDER OF GIRLFRIEND’S SON
A jury in Goshen took less than five hours yesterday to convict a Newburgh man of killing his girlfriend’s 4-year-old son in December of 2009. After finding Cory Byrd not guilty of the top charge, intentional murder, the jury then ruled him guilty of killing young Marc Bookal with depraved indifference. Prosecutors said Byrd beat the boy to death for soiling his pants, then buried his body. It was discovered more than three months later, in the spring of 2010.
GAS-LINE BREAK IN HAVERSTRAW; NO DAMAGE, NO CASUALTIES
There was another gas-line break in Rockland yesterday – this one in Haverstraw -- but there was no explosion. Orange and Rockland says gas escaped into the air for about two hours after the break occurred during a repair job. But no one was evacuated from the neighborhood, and there were no injuries or property damage. A gas-line break in West Haverstraw early last week led to an explosion that completely leveled a home and sent four people to the hospital.
01-26-12
CLARKSTOWN GIVES PRELIMINARY APPROVAL TO NEW NANUET MALL PLAN
The town of Clarkstown has issued the go-ahead for work to begin on a new Nanuet Mall. The town Planning Board last night gave Simon Properties its preliminary approval to start construction on what’s envisioned as a high-end, outdoor-access mall. Demolition plans already have been approved, and work is expected to begin in March. It’s still uncertain what specific stores are destined for the new mall. So far, Simon is saying only that they expect to open for business in time for next year’s holiday shopping season.
LEGISLATORS: COUNTY MUST SOLVE ANIMAL CONTROL PROBLEM
Two county legislators are pressing for action on animal control in Rockland. In a press release, Republican Ed Day and Democrat Alden Wolfe say conflicts between town and county governments, along with four years of budget cuts, have placed Rockland in jeopardy of losing Hi-Tor, the county’s only animal shelter. Day and Wolfe are asking the county legislature to work out a plan for Hi-Tor, and for an animal control system that protects both the animals and Rockland residents.
STATE AUDIT: NANUET DOCTORS’ GROUP OVER-CHARGED INSURANCE CARRIER BY MORE THAN SUSPECTED
A Clarkstown-based medical group is under new scrutiny in connection with an alleged over-charging case. In an audit released yesterday, the state comptroller now says Nanuet Medical Services owes insurer United HealthCare more than $960,000. Nanuet Medical HAD BEEN on the hook for about $600,000 since a 2009 audit found that it had been billing United repeatedly for expensive medical procedures that, in fact, had not been performed on the insured patients. The Journal News says it’s been unable to locate the offices of Nanuet Medical or reach anyone at the firm for comment.
PROSECUTORS: FATHER HELPED DAUGHTER DEFRAUD HER CHIROPRACTOR HUSBAND
Prosecutors say it was one of those “Daddy and Me” schemes: A 34-year-old West Haverstraw woman, allegedly conspiring with her 60-year-old father to rip off her estranged husband. A news release from D.A. Thomas Zugibe says the woman, Gabby Hilario, took two checks, totaling $1,750, from her husband Alex’s chiropractic office, then had her father, Daniel Hernandez, endorse the checks in Hilario’s name and cash them. Both father and daughter have been charged with forgery and larceny. They’re due in court March 20th.
AUTOPSY RESULTS AWAITED IN DEATH OF MONSEY WOMAN
Autopsy results are due soon in the death of Marlene Thompson. The 55-year-old woman was found dead Tuesday morning outside the Monsey apartment building where she lived. Ramapo police say the death does not appear suspicious. They speculate that Thompson died either before or during last Saturday’s snowstorm, and then lay buried under the snow until Tuesday’s thaw.
01-25-12
PHILLIPS: VERIZON PARTLY AT FAULT IN GAS BLAST CASE
Haverstraw Supervisor Howard Phillips says Verizon bears some responsibility for the gas-line explosion that one of its sub-contractors touched off last week in West Haverstraw. The blast leveled a home in the Village Fairgrounds-Two condominium complex and seriously damaged at least one other. The subcontractor reportedly carries about $2-million in liability insurance. That’s probably not enough to cover the damages, says Phillips. And he told WRCR listeners this morning that, in his view, Verizon should have required that the firm had at least a $10-million policy. West Haverstraw fireman Ken Patterson, who was thrown some 40 feet by the explosion, is recovering from his injuries at Helen Hayes Hospital.
N.Y.S.: TAPPAN ZEE RE-BUILD COULD START BY AUGUST
Work on a new Tappan Zee Bridge could begin as early as August. That’s according to the draft environmental impact statement issued yesterday by New York State. The document shows no environmental issues remaining, to slow the start of construction. It envisions a 4-1/2- to- 5-1/2-year project that would cost between $4-1/2 and $5 billion. Public hearings on the impact statement are scheduled for February 28th in Rockland County and March 1st in Westchester.
LAU TO GET NEW ROUND OF COMPETENCY TESTS IN TEACHER-SLAY CASE
Accused murderer Eric Lau has won still more time before any trial can begin. Lau, of Valley Cottage, is charged with the brutal slaying of his next-door neighbor, elementary school gym teacher Jamie Erlich, in November of 2009. Since then, Lau has been tested several times by both defense and prosecution psychologists. And, yesterday, state Supreme Court justice William Kelly ordered yet another round of tests to determine if Lau is mentally competent to stand trial. He’s also been charged, twice since his arrest, with attacking guards at county jail.
MONSEY WOMAN FOUND DEAD IN SNOW OUTSIDE APARTMENT
A 55-year-old Monsey woman has been found dead outside her apartment on Elish Parkway. Ramapo police say a neighbor spotted the woman’s body yesterday morning in the back yard of the house. They speculate she died before or during last Saturday’s storm, her body covered until the snow-melt revealed it. A police spokesman says foul play is not suspected, and that investigators believe the woman, who lived alone, died of natural causes.
LODI MAN CHARGED IN SYNAGOGUE ATTACKS
New Jersey police have charged a young Lodi man in connection with a string of attacks on Bergen County synagogues. Nineteen year-old Anthony Graziano faces attempted murder, arson and bias charges. Police identified Graziano from surveillance tapes which, they say, showed him buying components of a firebomb used in an attack on a rabbi’s living quarters in Rutherford on January eleventh. Police speculate that Graziano rode his bicycle to the scene of at least two of the four attacks that have plagued Bergen synagogues since early December.
01-24-12
N.Y.S. OFFERS $50-MILLION IN IRENE DAMAGE AID TO SMALL BIZ
Rockland businesses that didn’t get FEMA funding for Tropical Storm Irene damages are getting a chance for help from Albany. State Senator David Carlucci says owners of small businesses, small farms, non-profits and multiple-dwelling rentals all have a shot at the funding under recently-passed legislation. The grants, up to $20,000 per business, come from a $50-million state-wide pool. Scores of Rockland properties, including an entire small-business complex in Garnerville, were heavily damaged by the late-August storm. Carlucci says those seeking the state grants should call his office, at 623-2637, for help with the application process.
WEST HAVERSTRAW FIREMAN HURT IN GAS EXPLOSION BACK IN ROCKLAND FOR TREATMENT
Ken Patterson is back in the county. The West Haverstraw fireman was brought yesterday from Westchester Medical Center to Helen Hayes Hospital. He’ll continue treatment there for injuries sustained in last Monday’s gas-line explosion at a West Haverstraw condominium complex. Patterson suffered burns and broken bones when he and a fellow fireman were thrown some 40 feet by the explosion. The blast leveled one home at the Village Fairgrounds-Two development and seriously damaged at least one other. A Verizon sub-contractor is believed to have hit the gas-line and touched off the explosion while digging in the complex.
MELE PLEADS GUILTY O MANSLAUGHTER IN GARZA KILLING
A surprise turn of events in the Michael Mele case. The former Rocklander pleaded guilty in an Orange County court yesterday to manslaughter in the killing of aspiring dancer Laura Garza. Mele told the court he smothered Garza at his home in Wallkill hours after meeting her at a Manhattan nightclub on the night of December 3rd, 2008. Garza’s body was found last year in rural Pennsylvania – where Mele now admits he took it after the killing. All of it, he claims, stemmed from Garza’s demand to be taken back to the city after discovering that Mele had a girlfriend. With the manslaughter plea, Mele gets a 23-year sentence – but, with good behavior, could be out in less than 20. The original, murder charge carries a 25-year-to-life sentence.
NO JAIL FOR MONSEY WOMAN IN $72,000 MEDICAID FRAUD CASE
A Monsey woman has been spared jail time after pleading guilty to grand larceny in a welfare fraud case. Forty-five year-old Edith Wagschal was sentenced in county court yesterday to a conditional discharge following the guilty plea. Wagschal and her husband were charged with illegally taking more than $72,000 in Medicaid payments after failing to report that they owned property. The Wagschals, parents of 16 children, reportedly have paid back all but about $2,000 of the total.
01-23-12
WARMER, WETTER WEATHER: WORTH THE WAIT?
Temperatures in Rockland were expected to top 50 degrees this afternoon as the rain continues. The roadways have been slippery most of the day, following widespread black-ice conditions early this morning. The 5-6-in. snowfall that hit us Saturday morning remained on the ground through the weekend as temperatures stayed above but close to the freezing mark. And a light drizzle put a slick coating on the roadways this morning. A series of weather-related accidents tied up a section of Route 202 in Ramapo for two hours or so, beginning at about 6 a.m. Four to five cars were involved, and there was at least one injury, according to town highway superintendent Tony Sharan.
GROMACK: TOWNS, VILLAGES SHOULD PRESS COUNTY FOR LARGER SALES-TAX SHARE
Clarkstown Supervisor Alex Gromack says the towns and villages of Rockland should stand together to get more sales-tax money from the county. For his part, Gromack is floating the idea of Clarkstown applying to the state legislature to become a city. He says that would give Clarkstown, home to the Palisades Mall, about $50-million more in annual sales-tax collections. Gromack acknowledged on WRCR this morning that there’s little chance the state would approve such a plan. But he said a co-ordinated local effort could convince county officials to at least raise the proportion of the sales tax it gives back to the municipalities. Rockland currently keeps more than 93% of the sales tax collected county-wide, leaving the towns and villages with less than 7%. Others, like upstate St. Lawrence County, share the collections, 50-50, with the municipalities.
LAWYER: GAS-BLAST CONTRACTOR PROBABLY NOT WELL ENOUGH INSURED
It’s reported today that the Verizon sub-contractor that touched off a gas-line explosion in West Haverstraw last week might be under-insured. The Journal News quotes an attorney for the Village Fairgrounds-Two home-owners’ association as saying the contractor has up to $2-million in liability insurance. But the attorney, Brian Condon, says that’s not likely to cover the damages to the homes involved. One home in the development was leveled and one or two others seriously damaged by last Monday’s explosion. West Haverstraw fireman Ken Patterson, who was thrown 40 feet by the blast, continued treatment at Westchester Medical Center over the weekend.
R.P.C. BEATING-DEATH SUSPECT INDICTED FOR MURDER
Alleged Rockland Psychiatric Center killer Curtis Wilson remains under suicide watch at county jail. A Rockland grand jury indicted the 52-year-old Newburgh man on Friday for second-degree murder, in the beating death last Monday of a fellow outpatient there on the R.P.C. grounds. The victim, 45-year-old Vincent Knadler, died of injuries that police say were inflicted by Wilson with a three-foot-long metal object. It’s still not clear what touched off the alleged beating.
HAVERSTRAW WOMAN ACCUSED OF RAPING 15-YEAR-OLD BOY
A Haverstraw woman has been charged with raping a teen-age boy. Police say 33-year-old dental assistant Viviana Urbino had sex with the 15-year-old four times at her apartment, beginning early this month. The boy’s mother reportedly filed the complaint against Urbino, who is herself a mother of two pre-teens. So far, police have provided no details of the alleged sexual encounters.
01-20-12
OVERNIGHT SNOW TO LEAVE 2-4 INCHES ON GROUND TOMORROW
Winter finally arrives in Rockland County tonight. Forecasters say the snowfall will start sometime after midnight and leave two to four inches on the ground by the end of the day tomorrow. If so, it’ll be the first ground-covering snow we’ve had since that freak autumn storm at the end of October. There is at least one postponement due to the weather: the Golden Gloves tournament slated for tomorrow at the St. Lawrence Center in Ramapo has been re-scheduled for next Saturday.
GRAND JURY GETS ROCKLAND PSYCH BEATING-DEATH CASE
The Rockland Psychiatric Center killing went to a county grand jury today. Fifty-two year-old Curtis Wilson faces indictment for second-degree murder in the beating-death Monday of fellow out-patient Vincent Knadler on the psych center grounds. Prosecutors say Wilson pummeled the 45-year-old Knadler repeatedly with a three-foot-long piece of metal. Knadler died of blunt force trauma at Nyack Hospital shortly after the incident. Wilson remains under suicide watch at the county jail.
W. HAVERSTRAW: GAS BLAST CONTRACTOR DIDN’T NEED VILLAGE PERMIT
The Verizon sub-contractor that allegedly touched off Monday’s gas-line explosion in West Haverstraw didn’t need a village permit. That’s according to village officials, who note that the work was being done on a privately-owned road. The blast leveled one home in the Village Fairgrounds-Two condo complex, seriously damaged at least one other, and sent four people to the hospital. One of them, West Haverstraw volunteer fireman Ken Patterson is still under treatment at Westchester Medical Center. Whether or not the contractor needed a village permit to dig at the site, county, state and federal investigators are probing other possible illegalities in how the work was carried out.
THIELLS CONTRACTOR SENTENCED IN $5,000 HOME-IMPROVEMENT NO-SHOW
A Thiells contractor is heading to jail for five months, part of his sentence for stealing $5,000 from a Nyack home-owner. Jerry Cioffi was convicted in October of taking that amount as a down-payment for a home-improvement job that his company, Cioffi Services, never performed. In addition to the jail-time, Cioffi was slapped with a $1,000 fine at his sentencing Wednesday in state Supreme Court.
HAVERSTRAW HOME-CARE PROVIDER SENTENCED FOR ENDANGERING DISABLED MEN
A Haverstraw woman has been sentenced to 60 days in jail for endangering the welfare of three disabled men in her care. Sixty-four year-old Vanessa Sortano, a licensed family-home provider, pleaded guilty in November to placing the three men in an Orange County home where they lived on their own under conditions described as “deplorable.” Prosecutors say Sortano had been paid about $1,000 by the Rockland County department of social services to take care of the men at her home in Haverstraw.
01-19-12
N.Y.S. NEARING DECISION ON DESALINATION PLAN
A decision from New York State is near on United Water’s proposed Hudson River desalination project. The Department of Environmental Conservation says it has enough information from the water company’s pilot-project testing for a final review. The next step – a public hearing, February 28th at Haverstraw Town Hall. Written comments can be filed until March 19th. Meanwhile, United Water’s test findings will be open for public review, along with draft versions of the permits it seeks from the state. Critics say desalination would be both costly and dangerous to the public. United Water says it would provide a clean and safe water supply. As for cost, company spokesman Steve Goodsmith told WRCR this morning, it would raise the average customer’s bill by an estimated $16-$20 a month, at most.
FEDS JOIN W. HAVERSTRAW GAS EXPLOSION PROBE; FIREMAN STILL IN HOSPITAL
Local, county, state and now federal investigators have all joined in the probe of Monday’s gas-line explosion in West Haverstraw. The blast leveled a home in the Fairgrounds-Two development, seriously damaged at least one other, and sent four people to the hospital. One of them, West Haverstraw fireman Ken Patterson, is still being treated at Westchester Medical Center. The focus of the investigation: a Verizon sub-contractor, digging outside one of the homes, reportedly without a site map showing the location of underground gas lines.
R.P.C. BEATING VICTIM IDENTIFIED; SUSPECT UNDER SUICIDE WATCH
The victim in Monday’s fatal beating at the Rockland Psychiatric Center has been publicly identified. Orangetown police say 45-year-old Vincent Knadler was killed by a fellow outpatient at the Center, 52-year-old Curtis Wilson. The alleged murder weapon – a three-foot length of metal, repeatedly applied to Knadler’s head during a fight outside one of the R.P.C. buildings. Wilson is charged with second-degree murder. He’s under suicide watch at County Jail, awaiting a hearing tomorrow in Orangetown town court.
JURY SELECTED IN GOSHEN MURDER TRIAL OF EX-ROCKLANDER MICHAEL MELE
In Goshen, jury selection is now complete for the murder trial of former Rocklander Michael Mele. He’s accused of killing 25-year-old aspiring dancer Laura Garza after the two met at a New York City nightclub in December of 2008. Prosecutors say Mele murdered Garza in Walkill, where he lived, then transported her body to Pennsylvania, where it was discovered in April of last year. Mele is listed as a sex offender in Rockland County, convicted in 2008 of flashing women outside the Palisades Mall.
GARNERVILLE’S MARTY SPRINGSTEAD, LONG-TIME M.L.B. UMPIRE, DIES AT 74
Former Rockland resident and Major League Baseball umpire Marty Springstead has died. The 74-year-old Garnerville native was found dead Tuesday night at his home in Florida. Springstead umpired in the American League for 20 years, beginning in 1966, then became the league’s executive director of umpires. He retired from baseball in 2010.
01-18-12
PHILLIPS: CHARGES LIKELY IN W. HAVERSTRAW EXPLOSION
Haverstraw Supervisor Howard Phillips says charges are likely to be filed soon in connection with Monday’s gas explosion in West Haverstraw. The blast brought down one home, severely damaged at least one other, and sent two firefighters and two Orange & Rockland workers to the hospital. O&R blames the explosion on a Verizon sub-contractor. The Westchester-based firm, FGC Communications, reportedly began digging without first obtaining a required map of utility lines in the area. Two of the four injured in the explosion, West Nyack volunteer fireman Ken Patterson and O&R employee Ian Mackey, remain hospitalized at Westchester Medical Center.
N.Y.S. PROBING BEATING DEATH AT ROCKLAND PSYCH
State investigators reportedly are joining the probe of Monday’s fatal beating at Rockland Psychiatric Center. Meanwhile, 52-year-old Curtis Wilson of Newburgh stands charged with murder in the beating, which took the life of a fellow out-patient at the Center. Police say the victim, identified only as an adult male, died after being struck repeatedly in the face with a metal object. It’s still not clear what touched off the fight. Rockland Psych board member and County Legislator John Murphy calls the tragedy a “devastating blow” and says it’s re-opened for investigators the issue of patient safety.
REWARD OFFERED IN NANUET BANK ROBBERY
A $2,500 reward is being offered for information on last week’s armed bank robbery in Nanuet. New York State Crime Stoppers offered the reward as police continued to search for the gunman caught on tape last Tuesday at the Palisades Federal Credit Union bank on Route 59. He’s described as a short, stocky black man with a bushy beard. Police say he made off with $30,000 after holding the bank’s employees at bay with a handgun. It was the bank’s second robbery in less than a year, possibly by the same man, say police. The numbers to call with information: 639-5800 for Clarkstown Police … and (866) 313-8477, the Crime Stoppers toll-free tip line.
01-17-12
MURDER AT ROCKLAND PSYCHIATRIC
State Police responded to a “fight in progress” on Monday evening at approximately 5:30 pm outside the Rockland Psychiatric Center, Orangeburg, involving two outpatients resulting in the death of one. State Police Captain Joseph Tripolo told WRCR Radio - Curtis Wilson, age 52 was arrested and charged with 2nd degree murder after allegedly striking the victim in the face with a metal object. The victim was transported to Nyack Hospital where he was pronounced deceased.
EXPLOSION IN WEST HAVERSTRAW
Shock waves hit West Haverstraw yesterday when a gas leak caused a house to explode. The homeowners and their two children were safely out of the house, however, two firefighters – Capt. Kenny Patterson and Fire Instructor Jerry Knapp suffered fractures with 1st and 2nd degree burns. Both were taken to Westchester Medical Center. Knapp was released while Capt. Patterson remains hospitalized. Six others (including two O&R employees) suffered minor injuries. Officials are investigating the gas line rupture by a Verizon crew that occurred around 12:15pm in the rear of a townhouse on Zarriello Lane in the Fairgrounds Two Housing Development. About 90 homes were evacuated as a precaution, most of which are now returned home.
COUNTY DEFICIT 80 MILLION VS. 60 MILLION
Today Rockland County Legislators will vote on a plan to borrow 80 million dollars to balance out the deficit. However, two legislators disagree with that number and think the deficit is closer to 62 million. According to a Journal News Report, Legislators Ed Day and Chris Carey oppose the plan in addition to a plan to increase the county’s sales tax by 0.375 percent. They do support a 0.25 percent increase to pay back the loan. The 18 million dollars in dispute was borrowed in the anticipation of selling Summit Park. Day and Carey side that taxpayer revenue will help pay off the loan, it should therefore not be included in the deficit.
MEETING IN SUFFERN FOR FLOOD VICTIMS
There will be an informational meeting tonight at Village Hall, 61 Washington Avenue starting at 6:00pm for residents affected by flooding in the area. The purpose of the meeting is to review the FEMA Letter of Intent and the Tax Abatement Program.
01-16-12
MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. DAY
Today is the 3rd Monday in January, marking the federal holiday “Martin Luther King Jr. Day”. King’s actual birthday is January 15th – the chief spokesman for nonviolent activism in the civil rights movement - King’s life and legacy will be celebrated at several events throughout Rockland including:
The Nyack NAACP 32nd Annual Commemorative Service at Pilgrim Baptist Church – 80 N. Franklin St. beginning at 2pm.
The Martin Luther King Multipurpose Center of Spring Valley will host the second annual celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. at Ramapo High School, 400 viola Rd. at 4:30pm.
INDUSTRIAL PARK FIRE, ORANGE COUNTY
In Orange County a four alarm fire at Cornwall Industrial Park, 2 Mill Street was reportedly still smoldering this morning. The fire began around 11am Sunday. WRCR listeners have reported being able to see the smoke from various locations in Rockland. The cause is under investigation.
BURGLARY IN MONTEBELLO
Ramapo police are investigating a reported burglary in the Village of Montebello that took place on January 12th. A white female approached the residence of a 74 year old widow in the afternoon under the pretense of inspecting the property line on behalf of the town and that a neighbor was putting up a fence. As the woman accompanied her to the property border, the house was robbed.
The suspect is reported as a white female, thin build, dark hair – the vehicle was described as a black van or sport utility type vehicle with no front license plate.
Anyone with information should call the Ramapo police at 357-2400.
GOVERNOR CUOMO 2012-13 BUDGET PROPOSAL
Tomorrow Governor Cuomo will share his plan on how he will keep his pledge to close a 2 million dollar budgeT gap without raising taxes. The 2012 budget proposal seeks to support funding for major infrastructure projects and the reorganization of state government.
The Governor has agreed to provide 4 percent increases in education and Medicaid spending. According to state budget officials 1.5 billion in revenue will be provided by his decision to retain higher income taxes on millionaires.
The key issues at hand are education, state spending, government reform and mandate relief.
ROCKLAND REPRESENTED AT MISS TEEN NY USA
Rockland County was represented at the Miss Teen New York USA pageant yesterday held at the Performing Arts Center, SUNY Purchase by Julie Patadia, 15, who was born in New Hempstead, Ramapo. Although she didn’t make it to the final rounds, she was honored with the People Choice Award
01-13-12
VANDERHOEF: ANTI-COUNTY TALK “NONSENSE”, BUT UNDERSTANDABLE
County Executive Scott Vanderhoef is pushing back against some of the criticism leveled at him and the county legislature over Rockland’s financial woes. Haverstraw Supervisor Howard Phillips complained earlier this week that the county has been asking the towns and villages to bear more and more of what used to be county expenses. Phillips wondered aloud whether county government itself could be viewed as no longer essential. Responding this morning on WRCR, Vanderhoef called such suggestions “pure nonsense” but understandable unless and until the state relieves the county of its Medicaid burden. Under the current system, Rockland spends more than 100% of its property tax revenues to pay for Medicaid.
INDIAN POINT OFFICIALS: REACTOR #2 TO BE BACK ON LINE NEXT WEEK
Indian Point officials say the Buchanan nuclear plant’s Number-Two reactor should be back on-line by the end of next week. It was shut down Tuesday after a containment-dome water pump failed. Technicians had to wait until yesterday to assess the damage, as temperatures inside the reactor cooled. The plant’s other operating reactor, Indian Point Three, has been handling the load since Tuesday, and plant officials say there’s been no loss of power output to the region. All of this comes as state lawmakers weigh the very future of Indian Point. Plant critics, including Governor Andrew Cuomo, are calling for its total close-down, citing the population of millions surrounding it and the geological fault line that runs beneath it. Advocates pro and con argued the issue yesterday at a state-assembly committee hearing in New York City.
NYACK TO BEGIN TESTING WATER FOR LEAD
Nyack officials say they’ll begin testing the local water supply for lead next week. High levels of lead were found late last year in the water of several of the 15,000 homes and businesses served by the Nyack Water Department. No cause was found at the time. Department officials say they’ll begin collecting water samples from throughout the system next Monday, the testing procedure to continue through the middle of next year. In the meantime, customers are being advised to run their water for 15 to 30 seconds before drinking or cooking with it.
ANNIVERSARY VIGIL HELD IN S.V. FOR HAITI QUAKE VICTIMS
About 40 people held a vigil in downtown Spring Valley yesterday, to mark the second anniversary of the earthquake that devastated Haiti. A moment of silence punctuated the vigil just before six p.m., the time at which the 2010 quake struck, leaving some 300,000 Haitians dead and hundreds of thousands more homeless. Since that time, leaders of Rockland’s large Haitian community have spear-headed numerous relief efforts, and brought hundreds of Haitian victims here, some for life-saving medical treatment.
POMONA MAN CHARGED IN ALLEGED ID-THEFT OPERATION
A Pomona man faces federal conspiracy charges after his arrest in connection with an alleged identity-theft ring. Forty-four year-old Francis Hidalgo is accused along with six others of using stolen identities to purchase more than $1-million in goods from major stores including Home Depot, Kohl’s and Sears. Prosecutors say more than 180 people were victimized by the ring over the past three years.
01-12-12
CORNELL DEFENDS COUNTY ON VALUE OF ITS SERVICES
County legislative chairwoman Harriet Cornell is defending the county today against criticism that it’s giving short shrift to its towns and villages. One critic, Haverstraw Supervisor Howard Phillips, complained yesterday that the county has been shirking more and more of its RESPONSIBILITIES while asking for more tax revenue from its local governments. Phillips wondered, in fact, whether county government at this point is even necessary. Cornell responded here on WRCR this morning, saying the county still performs many services, from running the county courts and jail to inspecting restaurants, that the municipalities couldn’t afford to take on.
REUBEN GITTELMAN SCHOOL TO CLOSE AT END OF YEAR
One of Rockland County’s landmark schools will close at the end of the school year. Officials at the Reuben Gittelman Hebrew Day School in New City blame financial problems and declining enrollment. The county’s only non-Orthodox Jewish day school reportedly is down to 157 students, less than half its enrollment ten years ago. Unlike Orthodox schools, Gittelman provides its pre-kindergarten–to-eighth-grade students with both secular and Jewish education. Its nearest counterparts are in Westchester County. But Gittelman parents say they’re encouraged to learn of a new non-Orthodox school scheduled to open later this year in West Nyack. That one, though, reportedly goes only through the fifth grade.
BRONX MAN ARRESTED IN NANUET HOLIDAY PARTY ROBBERY
Police have arrested a Bronx man for robbing several people at a New Year’s Eve party in Nanuet. Thirty-year-old Duvar Ayers was nabbed yesterday at a Yonkers motel, as police from several venues including Clarkstown continued to search for a second alleged gunman in the case. It’s not clear what charges Ayers faces, but police say he was out on parole for a variety of convictions including robbery and assault. He’s said to have held his New Year’s Eve party victims hostage before fleeing with their money.
SEARCH CONTINUES FOR GUNMAN IN NANUET BANK ROBBERY
No arrest has been made yet in Tuesday’s robbery of the Palisades Federal Credit Union bank in Nanuet. Clarkstown police seek information on the man who they say made off with $30,000 from the Route 59 bank after holding its employees at bay with a silver handgun. A surveillance video shows the suspect to be a short, stocky black man wearing a black hooded sweatshirt. Police say they think he’s the same gunman who robbed that same bank last April. The number to call with information on the robbery or the suspect is 639-5800.
NUKE OFFICIALS: NO OUTPUT LOSS FROM INDIAN POINT DURING REACTOR SHUT-DOWN
Officials say there’s been no loss of power-output from Indian Point since its number-2 reactor was shut down on Tuesday. A water-pump failure at the Buchanan nuclear plant prompted the shut-down, and plant officials are still not sure how long the repairs will take. They do say that no radiation was released into the Hudson by the pump failure. In the meantime, the plant’s other working reactor, Indian Point 3, has been handling the load.
01-11-12
PHILLIPS SLAMS COUNTY FOR TAKING MOE TAX REVENUES FROM TOWNS
Haverstraw supervisor Howard Phillips unloaded on Rockland County this morning over its appetite for tax dollars that, he said, should go to its towns and villages. Setting Phillips off was a report that the county may now seek an $80-million debt-reduction loan, $20-million more than at first thought. An increase in the county’s share of the sales tax would be used to pay the loan back. Phillips told WRCR listeners it’s the latest example of the county taking money collected locally while passing such things as elections costs and a variety of service fees down to its towns and villages. If that continues, said Phillips, Rockland residents might well wonder, “What do we need county government for?” The County Legislature is expected to approve the $80-million loan plan when it meets next week. The State Legislature must approve its request for a .375% increase in the sales tax.
PUMP BREAKDOWN FORCES SHUT-DOWN OF INDIAN POINT REACTOR
Indian Point’s Number-2 reactor is down indefinitely. It was shut down early yesterday after a water pump in a containment dome failed. Plant officials say no radiation was released into the Hudson. They say they won’t know how long the reactor will be off-line until it cools down. In the meantime, the plant’s other reactor, Indian Point 3, continues to operate as normal. The two reactors have a history of problems, including a broken transformer which last closed-down Indian Point 2 about eight months ago. The Buchanan plant has been under heightened public scrutiny since last year’s earthquake in Japan caused a near-nuclear-disaster there. Governor Cuomo, among other officials, wants Indian Point shut down permanently because of the huge population surrounding it. Opponents also cite its location near a geological fault line.
NANUET BANK ROBBED … AGAIN
A Nanuet bank has been robbed for the second time in nine months. Clarkstown police say a gunman made off with some $30,000 from the Palisades Federal Credit Union bank on Route 59 yesterday morning, after ordering employees to lock the bank’s front door. A security camera reportedly caught all the action. Police describe the suspect as a short, stocky black man with a beard. He wore a black, hooded sweatshirt at the time of the robbery – and may have driven off in a black SUV. In addition, police say he may be the same gunman who robbed the bank last April.
01-10-12
CARLUCCI: HOME RULE THE ANSWER TO “FRACKING” CONCERNS
State Senator David Carlucci says communities should have a clear path to say “no” to hydraulic fracturing even if New York State gives it a final go-ahead. The controversial method of extracting underground natural gas, known as “fracking,” has become a major issue in New York since the state proposed regulations governing its practice. Critics such as Ulster County Congressman Maurice Hinchey are calling on state officials to withdraw those proposed regulations, indefinitely delaying the start of any fracking operations. Their concern is that it poses too many threats to the people of New York, including contaminated drinking water, air pollution, and even earthquakes. Carlucci told WRCR listeners this morning the remedy for individual communities is home rule. That, he said, would allow communities to reject fracking even if the state allows it. At the same time, though, he acknowledged that home rule would also allow communities to embrace fracking even if it threatened the environment of neighboring communites.
PUBLIC HEARING ON O&R RATE-HIKE REQUEST SET FOR JAN. 31 IN RAMAPO
Representatives of the state Public Service Commission will come to Rockland at the end of this month to hear what residents have to say about Orange & Rockland’s latest rate-hike request. The public hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, January 31st, at Ramapo Town Hall. Ramapo officials have been among the most active opponents of utility rate-hikes in the county.
AVILES FOUND GUILTY OF MANSLAUGHTER BUT NOT MURDER IN BABY’S DEATH
Forty-two year-old Michael Aviles was convicted yesterday of manslaughter and negligent homicide in the death of his 5-month-old daughter, Michelle. But county court judge William Nelson found both Aviles and the baby’s mother, 22-year-old Lissette Capellan, not guilty f murder in the non-jury trial. Prosecutors had charged both defendants with beating Michelle to death last January at their Haverstraw apartment. Both pleaded not guilty, saying they were drunk or asleep at the time and couldn’t recall HOW the girl died. Aviles faces a jail term of 3-1/2 to 15 years when he’s sentenced April third.
TRIAL OF GARZA SLAY SUPECT MICHAEL MELE UNDER WAY IN ORANGE COUNTY
Jury selection began yesterday in Goshen in the murder trial of convicted sex offender Michael Mele. The 26-year-old former Rockland resident is charged with killing aspiring dancer Laura Garza after meeting her at a New York City nightclub in December of 2008. Garza’s body was found last April in rural Pennsylvania. Prosecutors speculate that Mele killed the 25-year-old woman at his apartment in Wallkill and transported her body some time later. Mele was listed as a sex offender nine months before Garza’s death after his conviction for exposing himself to women on two occasions outside the Palisades Mall.
CHRISTIE POSTPONES STATE-OF-STATE ADDRESS AFTER DEATH OF LONG-TIME ASSEMBLYMAN
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie has postponed tonight’s State-of-the-State message, due to the death of long-time Assemblyman Alex DeCroce. The 75-year-old Republican leader collapsed and died inside the Trenton Statehouse last night, following the outgoing Assembly’s final session. The cause of death was not immediately known.
01-09-12
GROMACK: CLARKSTOWN DESERVES FAIR SHARE OF COUNTY SALES TAX
Clarkstown Supervisor Alex Gromack today is standing behind his plan to consider making his town a city. At the root of Gromack’s idea is the issue of sales tax – how the county distributes it, and how much of it Clarkstown deserves. Gromack told WRCR listeners this morning it’s a matter of recognition for Clarkstown’s big role in collecting the sales tax – reportedly up to 70% of the county’s $175-million annual total. Under Rockland’s current distribution formula, the towns get only 4% of the total collected while the county keeps 94%.
LOCAL EVENTS TO COMMEMORATE HAITIAN EARTHQUAKE, RAISE RELIEF FUNDS
It was two years ago Thursday that an earthquake killed more than 300,000 people in Haiti, leaving hundreds of thousands more homeless and hungry. And this week, Rockland’s large Haitian community will stage a series of events to remind people that Haiti still needs help. The fundraisers begin Thursday, Haitian Solidarity Day, with an appeal to all students in the county to wear the Haitian colors, red and blue, and to donate $2 each to the continuing relief effort. The events end next Sunday with a $100-a-plate fundraising dinner at the Crowne Plaza in Suffern.
DEMONSTRATORS GATHER IN PEARL RIVER TO OPPOSE PAROLE FOR BOHOVESKY KILLER
More than 150 people turned out Saturday in Pearl River for a demonstration protesting the possible parole of convicted murderer Robert McCain. He and another local man, Richard LaBarbera, are serving 25-year-to-life sentences for the brutal slaying of Pearl River High School student Paula Bohovesky in 1980. Both men have been denied parole several times since 2005. McCain’s next parole hearing is scheduled next week. His bid is expected to be denied, as was LaBarbera’s last May.
POLICE; UNDER-AGE DRINKERS ARRESTED AFTER DISTURBANCE AT NYACK BAR
Two Rockland 20-year-olds were arrested early Saturday at a Nyack bar for using false-ID’s in order to drink. Dominic Campitiello of West Nyack and Peter Retigliano of New City reportedly scuffled with police following a disturbance at the Pour House Bar. Police say they found both of the young men carrying other people’s driver’s licenses. Campitiello was released on $1,000 bail after his arraignment on a variety of charges including a felony, assaulting a police officer. Retigliano was freed on $200 bail.
NYACK LIBRARY TRUSTEE ELECTION TODAY
Nyack residents vote today in the village library’s board of trustees election. Four of the board’s eleven seats are up. The polls opened at 10 a.m.; they’ll close at 7:45 p.m.
01-06-12
RAMAPO POLICE OFFICERS PRAISED FOR FIRE RESCUE ATTEMPT
Five Ramapo police officers were injured in an Airmont fire-rescue attempt yesterday. Officials say the injuries were minor – just smoke inhalation -- and also unnecessary, since the woman they hoped to rescue was already safe outside the burning residence. Fire-fighters brought the Darby Road blaze under control quickly, with all eight residents evacuated safely. The five police officers – Christopher Hudak, Jack Kane, Michael Minervini, Daniel Murphy and Morgan Tighe – drew praise for their quick action, entering the burning building as they did even without protective equipment.
SCHOOL BUS REAR-ENDED; NO SERIOUS INJURIES
No serious injuries were reported in an East Ramapo school-bus accident yesterday. Police say the bus was rear-ended at the intersection of Route 306 and Second Street in Monsey as it headed for the Beth Mikroh School on Viola Road. All 72 students aboard the bus were taken to Good Samaritan Hospital for evaluation; none was admitted. Police are investigating the accident. No charges were filed against the driver of either the bus or the car that rear-ended it.
POLICE PESSIMISTIC ON FINDING CAR THAT CAUSED PRISON BUS TO OVERTURN
State police probing the overturning of a prison bus on the Thruway Wednesday say they may never find the culprit who caused it. Sixteen inmates were aboard the New York City Corrections Department bus when it struck a guardrail near Exit 14A and flipped over. The bus driver says he was forced off the roadway by a car that swerved from another lane. But he reportedly was unable to provide a description of the car, or its license-plate number. And a state police spokesman tells the Journal News that’ll make the chance of finding the car “very slim, if not impossible.”
EMOTIONS SPILL OVER AT CLARKSTOWN SCHOOL BOARD MEETING
Harsh words were spoken, and tears shed, at last night’s Clarkstown School Board meeting. At issue: rumors that one faction of the board tried, illegally, to force out a district school principal who’s married to an opposing board member. Tempers flared when trustee Diane Hoeneveld asked fellow board member Donna Ehrenberg if the rumor was true. Ehrenberg reportedly replied with a tearful accusation that she was being repeatedly and unfairly attacked. It was the latest dust-up on a school board rife with dissension on a number of issues, including whether to re-hire schools superintendent Margaret Keller-Cogan when her contract expires in June.
DISCENZA TO RESIGN FROM COUNTY HEALTH BOARD
County Board of Health member Dr. Ronald DiScenza is stepping down after eight years on the board. DiScenza says he’ll call it quits when his term expires at the end of next month. He was appointed to the board by County Executive Scott Vanderhoef in 2003. He’s currently under investigation for allegedly failing to file income tax returns from 2002 through 2007.
01-05-12
CAUTIOUS PRAISE, LOCALLY, FOR CUOMO’S ADDRESS
Governor Cuomo’s State-of-the-State address gets generally good marks, locally, but with some reservations. County Executive Scott Vanderhoef gives Cuomo “an A for delivery.” Westchester’s Rob Astorino calls Cuomo’s vision for a revitalized New York State “grandiose” and “ambitious.” But both county leaders tell the Journal News Cuomo’s speech lacked specifics, particularly on how to pay for that vision. It includes a $25-billion makeover of the state’s highways and bridges, including the Tappan Zee; a $2-billion state-wide commitment to new and renewable energy; construction in New York City of what would be the nation’s largest convention center, and a billion-dollar revitalization package for the city of Buffalo. One thing both Vanderhoef and Astorino say they would have liked to hear about in Cuomo’s address yesterday is mandate relief for counties struggling to meet their Medicaid, education and pension bills.
COUNTY LAYOFFS TO BEGIN JANUARY 28TH
All of this comes as Rockland County prepares to lay off some of its workers. As many as 48 county employees face getting pink slips on January 28th. In all, 29 positions are being phased out under terms of the county’s 2012 budget. Saved for at least a year are the jobs of more than 400 employees who would have been laid off under the original budget’s plan to cut loose Summit Park Hospital.
SWERVING CAR MAY HAVE CAUSED BUS TO OVERTURN ON THRUWAY
New York State police say a swerving car probably caused that prison bus to overturn on the Thruway yesterday morning. Nineteen people, including 16 prisoners, were injured when the northbound bus tipped over between Exits 14A and 14B. The bus driver reportedly told police he veered to the right and clipped a guard rail when another car swerved into his lane. The accident tied up traffic on the Thruway for several hours. Police say none of the injuries was serious.
TWO ACCUSED OF STEALING JESUS STATUE FROM PEARL RIVER NATIVITY SCENE
Orangetown police nabbed two men in Pearl River yesterday, after the pair allegedly stole a statue of the baby Jesus. Twenty-six year-olds Vincent Pizzoli of Pearl River and Nicholas Easterday of Brooklyn are charged with petty larceny for taking the Jesus figurine from a nativity scene on Central Avenue at about 4:30 a.m. Both men are thought to have been drunk at the time. Police say Pizzoli and Easterday were collared moments after the alleged theft by an officer called to the scene by a witness. They were released without bail and face a January-25th Town Court appearance.
01-04-12
BUS OVERTURNS ON THRUWAY
An overturned bus slowed traffic on the New York State Thruway for several hours today. Witnesses say the New York City Corrections Department bus flipped over around ten a.m., on the north-bound side of the Thruway near exit 14. Reports said more than a dozen passengers – presumably prisoners -- remained in the bus for some time as it lay on its side. There was no initial word on casualties or on the cause of the accident.
COUNTY LEGISLATURE GREETS 2012, NEW MEMBERS TONIGHT
The County Legislature welcomes its four new members tonight. Democrats Nancy Low-Hogan, Aney Paul and Aron Weider, and Republican Christopher Carey join the legislature – all for the first time -- following their election in November. Tonight’s re-organization meeting starts at 7 o’clock.
HAVERSTRAW BABY-MURDER TRIAL RESUMES
The defense case resumes today in county court for accused baby killers Michael Aviles and Lissette Capellan. The Haverstraw couple is charged with beating their 5-month-old daughter, Michelle, to death last January. Defense attorneys have sought to convince trial judge William Nelson that their clients were drunk on the night of Michelle’s death and unaware of how she died. Prosecutors say the head and body injuries she sustained are evidence of a severe beating.
TWO SOUGHT IN NEW YEAR’S EVE PARTY THEFTS
Clarkstown police are on the lookout for two men who they say relieved guests at a Nanuet New Year’s Eve party of more than $3,000 worth of cash and valuables. The pair reportedly waved handguns as they held the party guests at bay. Police surrounded the house following initial reports of a hostage situation – but they say the thieves and all but one of the party-goers were gone by the time the two-hour “standoff” ended. No one was injured. And no arrests have yet been made, as the search for two men with handguns continues.
CAR-TRUCK COLLISION INJURES THREE
Three people including a rescuer were injured as the result of a car-truck collision in Monsey yesterday. Police say it happened at about 1:30 p.m. near the intersection of Route 59 and Augusta Avenue when the car made a U-turn and was hit broadside by the box truck. Both of the car’s occupants were treated for cuts and bruises. A Monsey fire-fighter injured his back as he helped extricate the driver from the car.
01-03-12
IT’S BACK TO WORK AS NEW YEAR OFFICIALLY BEGINS
Government got back to work today in Rockland as elsewhere. The county’s top two law enforcement officials were sworn in last night, District Attorney Thomas Zugibe for another term and Sheriff Louis Falco for his first. Also taking their oaths at the New City ceremony were county family court judge Sherri Eisenpress and Ramapo town justice Alan Simon. The county legislature welcomes its four new members at a swearing-in ceremony tomorrow night. Rockland’s two new town supervisors, Andrew Stewart in Orangetown and Geoffrey Finn in Stony Point, also take over this week.
HAVERSTRAW BABY-DEATH TRIAL RESUMES TOMORROW
The trial of a Haverstraw couple accused of beating their infant daughter to death resumes tomorrow. Michael Aviles and Lissette Capellan are charged with second-degree murder in the death last January of five-month-old Michelle Aviles. Both deny the charge as defense attorneys wind down their case before County Court Judge William Nelson in the non-jury trial.
CAR CRASHES INTO CONGERS HOME, INJURES TEEN
A Congers teen-ager was slightly injured yesterday when he was hit by a car -- inside his home. Clarkstown police say it was just before 5 p.m. when the car, traveling down Ridge Road, reportedly went out of control and crashed into the house. Police speculate the driver suffered a seizure or other medical emergency.
FIRE CALL LEADS TO BURGLARY PROBE
It was a fire call that brought volunteers to a beauty supply store in Nyack early yesterday. But it was evidence of a burglary that they found -- a front window smashed in, an open cash register, and – yes – a small fire, possibly set as a diversion. Fire-fighters put that out in a few minutes, leaving the shop on Route 59 with only minor damage. It’s not clear how much cash was taken. Police are investigating the incident.
”MOVE OVER” LAW EXPANDED TO INCLUDE TOW TRUCKS
Finally, a word to the wise: If it’s flashing red or amber now, move over. The new year rings in a new and expanded “Move-Over” law in New York State. It requires motorists to change lanes, if possible, to give a wide berth not only to police and emergency vehicles – the red-flashers – but also now to tow trucks and other maintenance vehicles when their amber lights are flashing. Violators face fines of up to $275, plus a surcharge and, in some cases, even jail time.
01-02-12
FOUR NEW COUNTY LEGISLATORS TO BE SWORN IN WEDNESDAY
The County Legislature gets back to business this week with four new members taking their seats. The swearing-in ceremony for Republican Christopher Carey and Democrats Nancy Low-Hogan, Aney Paul and Aron Wieder is slated for 7 p.m. Wednesday at the county office building in New City.
HAVERSTRAW BABY-DEATH TRIAL RESUMES WEDNESDAY
The murder trial of Michael Aviles and Lissette Capellan resumes Wednesday in County Court. The Haverstraw couple is charged in the alleged beating-death of their five-month-old daughter, Michelle, last January. Judge William Nelson presides over the non-jury trial, with the defense winding down ITS case this week. Aviles and Capellan say they were drunk on the night of the baby’s death and can’t remember how she died. Prosecutors say her bruises and brain injuries show she was beaten to death.
NEW CITY WOMAN CHARGED AFTER NYACK BAR FIGHT
Holiday revelry kept police in the county busy over the weekend. A New Year’s Eve bash at the Pour House Restaurant in Nyack turned violent early Sunday morning when a fight broke out among four women. Orangetown police say one of them, 22-year-old Mary Cipriano of New City, became combative with them when they broke up the fight. They charged Cipriano with resisting arrest and disorderly conduct. She, in turn, reportedly filed an unwarranted-arrest complaint against the arresting officer.
WEST NYACK TEEN CHARGED AFTER ALLEGED UNDER-AGE DRINKING PARTY
Orangetown police were also called to West Nyack at about the same time – just before one a.m. Sunday – following reports of a large, loud house party taking place. They arrived, they say, to find several teen-agers fleeing the home and plenty of beer and beer bottles inside. The 18-year-old alleged host of the bash was charged with a misdemeanor involving underage drinking. His parents, who were out of town on New Year’s Eve, say the party was news to them.
HUNDREDS ATTEND FUNERAL FOR MAN SHOT BY S.V. POLICE OFFICER
Hundreds of mourners paid their final respects to Herve Gilles in Spring Valley on Saturday. The 48-year-old Haitian immigrant was shot and killed by a village police officer December 14th, during what the officer says was a physical confrontation. Gilles’s family says although he was emotionally disturbed, he was not violent. And they’ve been promised a full investigation by county prosecutors.
12-30-11
ST. LAWRENCE, CRITICS SPAR OVER PATRICK FARM
Opponents of Ramapo’s Patrick Farm development are predicting victory despite its approval this week by the town planning board. Writing on the Preserve Ramapo website, opposition leaders say the Department of Environmental Conservation and other state have pledge to consider all of their arguments against the project before issuing necessary permits. In the meantime, they say, the state has barred developers from touching a single tree on the 200-acre property outside Pomona. The project calls for some 500 housing units to go up on the site, and critics say it would cause major damage to the county’s water supply. They’re also charging the project is part of an overall campaign by town supervisor Christopher St. Lawrence to draw big campaign contributions from favored developers. St. Lawrence denied both assertions this morning on WRCR, calling them part of a campaign of misinformation.
SEARCH FOR T-Z JUMPER WINDS DOWN
State police have all but given up their search for the body of a Hawthorne man who jumped this week from the Tappan Zee Bridge. Twenty-four year-old Scott Uzzo is said to have been depressed over drug and unemployment problems when he leapt, presumably to his death, Wednesday afternoon. The search, involving police diving teams and helicopters failed to find Uzzo’s body as of sundown yesterday, and the search was believed unlikely to continue today.
FOUR NEW CITY TEENS CHARGED IN OVERNIGHT BURGLARIES
Clarkstown police have charged four New City teens with staging at least two overnight burglaries in the town. The 18-year-olds were arrested in connection with those two burglaries early Wednesday morning, in which a television and other electronic devices were taken. The four, identified as Victor Lleshaj, Michael Volosyuk, Jean Zuleta, and Timothy Mekhlin, face a variety of felony and misdemeanor charges when they return to town court next Tuesday. And police say they’re probing whether the teens are responsible for other recent burglaries in the town, as well.
WEST NYACK MAN CHARGED WITH COLLECTING ON BOGUS MEDICAL CLAIM FROM N.Y.C.
New York City authorities have accused a West Nyack man of faking details of a workplace injury in order to collect benefits. Forty-nine year-old former city sanitation worker Ricky Cernera reportedly received more than $7,600 in compensation for a broken wrist he claimed to have suffered outside the doorway of a city-run clinic. But investigators say a surveillance video shows Cernera already examining his wrist as he approached the building. Cernera is free on bail after pleading not guilty to grand larceny, perjury and other charges.
MARCH TO PRECEDE FUNERAL FOR HAITIAN MAN KILLED BY S.V. POLICE OFFICER
A funeral service for the Haitian man fatally shot by a Spring Valley police officer two weeks ago is scheduled for 10 a.m. tomorrow. Members of the county’s Haitian-American community plan to gather an hour earlier in the parking lot where 48-year-old Herve Gilles was killed, and then march to the service at the French Baptist Church. Friends of Gilles are questioning whether his shooting, reportedly during a scuffle with the officer, was justified. County prosecutors promise a full investigation.
12-29-11
HAWTHORNE MAN JUMPS FROM TAPPAN-ZEE; SEARCH IN SECOND DAY
A search resumed this morning for the body of a Hawthorne man who jumped from the Tappan Zee Bridge. State police say 24-year-old Scott Uzzo leapt over the bridge railing at about 3 p.m. yesterday, immediately after stopping his car mid-span. A police spokesman says Uzzo’s brother arrived at the scene shortly thereafter and was questioned, presumably about what may have led Uzzo to jump. Uzzo is believed to have been suffering from depression since recently losing his job.
NEW CITY ATTORNEY CHARGED WITH STEALING FROM CLIENTS IN MALPRACTICE CASE
A prominent New City lawyer has been accused of stealing $70,000 from a couple he represented in a medical malpractice case. Joel Grossbarth was charged yesterday with grand larceny and other offenses in connection with the alleged theft in July of last year. Grossbarth, whose practice is located in Stony Point, also serves as an attorney for the villages of Airmont, New Hempstead, and Sloatsburg. His license was suspended recently in connection with a separate case of alleged misconduct.
SEARCH ON FOR ALLEGED HIT-AND-RUN DRIVER
Ramapo police are searching for the driver of a car that allegedly struck and injured a young boy in New Square earlier this week. The 11-year-old says he was brushed by the car as he stepped off a curb on Jefferson Avenue at about 6:30 p.m. Tuesday. The youth, who was knocked to the ground and suffered mostly bruises, says the dark-colored car sped away without stopping. Police say he was unable to describe the driver. The number to call with information, if you have any, is 357-2400.
12-28-11
PATRICK FARM OPPONENTS VOW TO KEEP FIGHTING DESPITE TOWN’S APPROVAL
Opponents of Ramapo’s Patrick Farm development project are vowing to carry their fight to the end despite its approval by the town planning board. Last night’s unanimous approval gets developers a giant step closer to building some 500 housing units on the 200-acre site outside Pomona. But some hurdles remain, including the need for permits from a number of state agencies, including the Department of Environmental Conservation. And opponents of the project vowed last night to pressure those agencies to put a tight rein on it. Their main concern is environmental, since the development would sit on a major aquifer. Many residents are also worried about its impact on the East Ramapo school district. And some have complained that its layout, as planned, could pose safety problems for both residents and fire-and-emergency crews. The developers reportedly did promise last night to meet with local officials to address those safety issues.
HAVERSTRAW’S PHILLIPS: MOVE TO CHANGE TAYLOR COULD TAKE HOLD
Haverstraw Supervisor Howard Phillips says the time may be right for changing the law that governs police contract negotiations in New York State. Phillips told WRCR listeners this morning there’s a new effort by supervisors and mayors around the state to amend that part of the Taylor Law that calls for binding arbitration as a last resort in settling contract disputes. Phillips said the hope is that Governor Cuomo would use his popularity to get state legislators to make the arbitration process, which generally favors police wage demands, less one-sided.
BROTHERS FIRED BY STONY POINT FOR USING TOWN VEHICLES TO PULL CAR OUT OF SNOW
Stony Point officials have fired two brothers employed by the town for the unauthorized use of town vehicles during a snow storm. The town board voted unanimously yesterday to dismiss 28-year-old Charles and 25-year-old James Bruntfield, both grounds-workers at the town golf course. They’re accused of staging a wild car ride through a town park during the October 30th snow storm, and then, after the car became stuck in the snow, commandeering a town pickup truck and tractor to pull it free. A spokesman for the local C.S.E.A. branch says the union will file a grievance for wrongful termination in the case.
NEW CITY MAN ACCUSED OF DRIVING DRUNK WITH CHILDREN IN CAR
Clarkstown police have charged a New City man with driving drunk with three of his children in the car. Forty-six year-old Nat Azznara reportedly had a blood-alcohol level of 0.18, or more than twice the legal limit, following a collision Monday morning in West Nyack. No one in either car was seriously injured. But because two of Azznara’s three children were under 15 years old, he was charged under the state’s so-called “Leandra’s Law” with a felony, rather than a misdemeanor. Azznara was taken to county jail and held without bail.
12-27-11
PATRICK FARM VOTE EXPECTED TONIGHT, AFTER OPPONENTS PROTEST
Opponents of Ramapo’s Patrick Farm development project have called a demonstration outside Town Hall this evening. It’s set for 6:30, an hour before the town Planning Board is to meet inside, presumably to green-light the controversial project. A “yes” vote will allow developers to move ahead with the plan, to build some 500 housing units on the 200-acre site outside Pomona. The town has been locked in legal wrangling with project opponents for several years, the key issue being the development’s location over a major aquifer. Town officials have largely dismissed that environmental argument but say they’ll consider adjusting the plan’s design to meet safety concerns raised by fire and emergency officials.
PUBLIC VIEWS SOUGHT IN PLAN TO REPLACE CLARKSTOWN SCHOOLS CHIEF
Two meetings are scheduled in Clarkstown early in January to sound out residents on what qualities they’d like in a new superintendent of schools. A majority on the school board wants to replace the current superintendent, Margaret Keller-Cogan, when her contract expires next June. But she’s generally popular with district residents, and large turnouts are expected for the meetings. They’re set for January 4th at Clarkstown High School North, and January 9th at Clarkstown South.
”MOVE OVER” LAW TO BROADEN JANUARY 1ST
New York’s so-called “Move Over” law gets toughened next Monday. As it stands, the law requires motorists to change lanes when they come upon a stopped police or emergency vehicle with its red lights flashing. And, starting January first, we’ll have to move over for tow trucks and maintenance vehicles as well, when their amber lights are flashing. Violate the Move Over law and face a fine of up to $275 plus an $85 surcharge, a three-point license citation, and, in some cases, up to 15 days in jail.
12-26-11
APPROVAL EXPECTED TOMORROW ON PATRICK FARM HOUSING PROJECT
The Ramapo planning board is expected to give the Patrick Farm development project a go-ahead when it meets tomorrow night. The board meeting follows a series of public hearings on the controversial plan to build some 500 housing units on the 200-acre site outside Pomona. Critics fear the project would cause both environmental and safety problems. Their efforts to kill the project in court have failed. And they say they’re hoping the board will at least modify it before giving the go-ahead. For their part, town officials have said they’d consider tweaking the plan to meet at least some of the safety concerns.
OUSTATCHER SUES E. RAMAPO OVER SALARY
East Ramapo’s former schools superintendent, Ira Oustatcher, is suing the district in a salary dispute. The suit, reportedly filed ten days ago, claims Oustatcher is owed at least $97,000 under terms of his original contract. Oustatcher was hired as superintendent in 2008 at a salary of $252,000, then demoted last March to a school principal’s position. And in September, the board reduced his salary to $154,000 to reflect the change. Oustatcher tells the Journal News his original contract makes it clear that “they can put me in any position they like, but the salary remains the same.” The district’s lawyer, Albert D’Agostino, says he’ll respond formally to the lawsuit in January.
COACH U.S.A. LIKELY TO GET SIX-MONTH EXTENSION TO RUN COUNTY BUS LINES
The county is expected this week to extend its contract with Coach U.S.A. to run the T.O.R. and Tappan-Zee Express bus lines for at least six more months. A state court recently blocked the County’s effort to seek a new operator for the lines on a technicality. County officials say they’ll work out a new legal strategy to make the change. In the meantime, they’re expected to extend the Coach U.S.A. contract, which expires at the end of this week, until at least next June.
VOLUNTEER INJURED FIGHTING SLOATSBURG FIRE
A Christmas-Day house fire sent a Sloatsburg fire-fighter to the hospital with a minor injury. Police say the mid-afternoon fire, on Johnstown Road, was put out quickly and the only resident of the house safely evacuated. The firefighter was treated at Good Samaritan Hospital for a lacerated hand. The house suffered smoke and structural damage. The fire is under investigation, with an initial finding that a candle or other Christmas decoration touched it off.
FIRE DAMAGES E. RAMAPO MAINTENANCE BUILDING IN NEW HEMPSTEAD
That was Rockland’s second Christmas-Day fire. Volunteers from Hillcrest, Spring Valley and New City were called to action just before 7 a.m. at an East Ramapo school-district maintenance building in New Hempstead. No one was injured in the fire, which severely damaged the building’s roof and workshop area. The cause of that fire, as well, is under investigation.
12-23-11
S.V. POLICE ARREST MAN FOR 1994 MURDER OF HAITIAN LEADER RENE CHARLES
A not-quite-cold case is cracked in Spring Valley. That’s according to village police, who say they’ve made an arrest for the murder 17 years ago of Haitian community leader Rene Charles. He was mowed down as he stepped from his car in the driveway of his home. Charged Wednesday in the 1994 shooting was 68-year-old Jean Baptiste of Spring Valley. Baptiste’s name reportedly came up shortly after the murder. Prosecutors aren’t saying what led them back to him now. Baptiste is in Rockland County Jail, charged with second-degree murder.
ATTORNEY FOR S.V. POLICE-SHOOTING VICTIM SAYS OFFICER MUST PROVE HE FEARED BEING KILLED
The lawyer for the family of a man killed by a Spring Valley police officer in a village parking lot last week is publicly questioning whether the shooting was justified. Attorney Sanford Rubenstein declared at a news conference yesterday that the officer must show that he feared for his life when he shot 48-year-old Herve Gilles in the head and face. The as-yet-unidentified officer claims he fired the deadly shots after Gilles took his nightstick and began beating him with it. Addressing the claim, Rubenstein told reporters, “I don’t know that (that) justifies shooting someone in the head.” Rubenstein is well-known for the high-profile cases he’s taken, representing, among others, New York City police-brutality victim Abner Louima. Gilles reportedly was known in Spring Valley’s Haitian community as emotionally unstable but not violent.
PSYCHIATRIST SAYS DEFENDANT’S DRUNKENNESS NO EXCUSE IN HAVERSTRAW BABY-SLAYING.
A forensic psychiatrist yesterday disputed accused Haverstraw baby-killer Michael Aviles’s claim of innocence on grounds that he was drunk and blacked-out at the time the 5-month-old girl was beaten. Aviles and the child’s mother, Lissette Capellan, are both charged with murder in baby Michelle’s death last January. Psychiatrist Alan Tuckman testified yesterday that even if Aviles had been drunk, any blackout would have followed such a violent act, not prevented it. County Court Judge William Nelson is presiding over the non-jury trial.
RAMAPO POLICE: TWO WOMEN ROBBED AFTER TAKING RIDES TO BOGUS "HOUSEKEEPING” JOBS
Ramapo police are warning women to be careful who they talk to -- this, following two robberies on the streets of Monsey. In both cases – the first, last month; the second, this week – women reportedly were approached by a man in a car, offering to hire them to clean his house. Police say, when the women got into the car, the man asked them for sex -- and when they said “no,” he robbed them, in each case taking the woman’s cell phone and pocketbook. Both women were let go unharmed. The suspect is described as a white male in his 20’s or 30’s, driving a four-door sedan. The number to call with information is 357-2400.
NANUET WOMAN CHARGED WITH STEALING $600,000 FROM MOTHER’S TRUST FUND
A former Nanuet school board candidate has been charged with stealing $600,000 from her deceased mother’s trust fund. Police say 52-year-old Rhonda Weiss took the money over a two year period ending this year after linking the trust fund to her personal bank account. Weiss, who ran for the school board unsuccessfully in 2002 and 2005, served more recently as Nanuet High School’s P.T.A. president, She faces a charge of second-degree grand larceny when she returns to court the second week of February.
12-22-11
GRANDFATHER TESTIFIES: FATHER OF SLAIN BABY “APOLOGIZED”
A prosecution psychiatrist was to testify today in the trial of a Haverstraw couple accused in the beating death of their baby daughter. The child’s grandfather, Lino Capellan, testified yesterday that her father apologized to him shortly after the baby’s death last January. Capellan’s 22-year-old daughter, Lissette, and her 42-year-old boyfriend, Michael Aviles, are charged with second-degree murder. Prosecutors say both are equally guilty, Aviles for actually beating the 5-month-old girl, and Capellan for not stopping him. The two are represented separately, each claiming innocence. On the stand yesterday, the elder Capellan said Aviles told him on the day baby Michelle was pronounced dead, “Sorry, Lino, for what I did.” Today’s scheduled witness, Dr. Alan Tuckman, was to testify about blood-alcohol levels. Aviles claims he was too drunk to remember what happened on the day of Michelle’s death.
NEW CITY MAN CHARGED WITH DISTRIBUTING CHILD PORN
A New City man has been charged with distributing child pornography. Prosecutors say 54-year-old John Zerega had pictures of young children engaging in sex, and being sexually abused, on his computer when police searched Zerega’s home on Tuesday. Zerega answered the charges yesterday in federal court in Newark. Police say he distributed the porn on the Internet, beginning in October. If convicted, Zerega could face up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
PATRICK FARM: WRITTEN COMMENTS FILED, DECISION DUE NEXT WEEK
A decision is due next week from Ramapo’s Planning Board on a go-ahead for the Patrick Farm development project. The deadline for written comments on the controversial project passed yesterday, and the board is expected to green-light it at next Tuesday night’s meeting. The plan calls for some 500 housing units to be built on the 200-acre site outside Pomona. Opponents, who have failed in court to kill the project, say they’re hoping at least for some concessions on its size and design in order to meet environmental and safety concerns.
ATTORNEY: CLARKSTOWN SCHOOL OFFICIALS “ILLEGALLy” THREATENED KELLER-COGAN
Details are surfacing in the controversy surrounding the Clarkstown school board and schools superintendent Margaret Keller-Cogan. A majority on the board wants Keller-Cogan to step down, and the remaining board members are suing to oust them for their efforts to oust her. The Journal News quotes Keller-Cogan’s attorney as saying in a written affidavit that school officials illegally threatened his client last March. According to the affidavit, the threat – sign a buyout agreement or be summarily fired – was made on the weekend that Keller-Cogan’s elderly mother had died.
12-21-11
FAMILY OF S.V. MAN KILLED BY POLICE OFFICER HIRES ATTORNEY
The family of a Haitian man shot to death by a Spring Valley police officer last week has hired a prominent attorney. Sanford Rubenstein is a former county legislator, and is perhaps best known as the lawyer for New York City police-brutality victim Abner Louima. His hiring comes as police investigate the death of 48-year-old Herve Gilles early last Wednesday morning in a Village parking lot. The officer involved reportedly claims he shot Gilles during a violent struggle in which Gilles beat him with his police nightstick. Skeptics, including many in Spring Valley’s Haitian community, say that Gilles, though emotionally unstable, was not violent. Rubenstein says he took the case to “make sure that justice is done.”
TWO EMPLOYEES ARRESTED, CHARGED WITH VICTORIA’S SECRET THEFTS
Two Victoria’s Secret employees have been arrested and a third is sought in an alleged series of robberies at the chain’s Palisades Mall store. The two, 24-year-old Emanuel Jimenez of Garnerville and 22-year-old Shavon Pressley of New City, are charged with grand larceny in the case. Police say they and an accomplice stole some $58,000 worth of lingerie from the store over a period of several months this year. A series of robberies at Victoria’S Secrets throughout the region in recent years has netted about $100,000 in cash and merchandise.
FOUR CHARGED IN NOVEMBER HILLBURN STABBING
Ramapo police say they’ve cracked the case of a month-old stabbing in Hillburn with the arrests of four suspects. The four, all Ramapo residents in their early 20’s, are charged with attempted murder and assault in the November 24th attack on 20-year-old Hillburn resident Alonzo Loaiza. He survived the attack after surgery for multiple stab wounds to the stomach.
O’TOWN POLICE PROBE DEATH OF WOMAN FOUND IN PARKED CAR
Orangetown police are probing the death of a woman who was found unconscious in a Blauvelt parking lot early this month. The unidentified woman died December third, hours after she was found in a car outside Bailey’s Smokehouse on Erie Street. Police say they’re awaiting autopsy and toxicology results to determine whether the death was an accident, a suicide, or a homicide.
NOVEMBER UNEMPLOYMENT DOWN IN REGION
Some upbeat news from the State Labor Department: Unemployment in the Lower Hudson Valley was down sharply last month from a year earlier. The latest figures show joblessness in the region at 6.3% -- a drop of seven-tenths of a point from November of 2010. Officials say this makes Rockland, Westchester and Putnam counties – along with those on Long Island – the least unemployed region in New York. Joblessness state-wide stands at 7.9% and at 8.2% nation-wide.
12-20-11
ZUGIBE PROMISES THOROUGH PROBE OF S.V. POLICE SHOOTING
Rockland District Attorney Thomas Zugibe is appealing for patience in connection with the shooting-death of a Haitian man by a village police officer last week. Forty-eight year-old Herve Gilles died early last Wednesday morning during a confrontation with the officer in a village park. The officer, who hasn’t been identified publicly, reportedly says Gilles was attacking him with a stick at the time of the shooting. But many residents, particularly from Spring Valley’s Haitian community, say although Gilles was unstable, he was not violent. Speaking this morning on WRCR, District Attorney Zugibe promised a thorough investigation and asked for anyone in the public with information on the shooting to come forward.
POMONA WOMEN FOUND GUILTY IN 2008 HIT-RUN DEATH
A Pomona woman faces up to 25 years in jail for the hit-and-run death of a White Plains woman three years ago. A Westchester jury yesterday found 40-year-old Sheldene Campbell guilty of second degree murder for running down the 65-year-old victim as she took her morning walk one day in October of 2008. Campbell ran down a second woman about a half-hour later, also in White Plains, leaving that victim alive but injured. For that, the jury yesterday found Campbell guilty of attempted murder, as well. Campbell’s attorney says his client is mentally unstable and, immediately after her conviction, asked that she be kept on suicide watch. Campbell will be sentenced February 7th.
SENTENCING FOR ROTHSCHILD IN MONSEY FRAUD CASE SET FOR NEXT MONTH
January 18th is sentencing day for former Monsey fire commissioner Nathan Rothschild. He pleaded guilty in July to mail fraud in a 2009 scheme to pay off a personal debt using fire-district funds. Rothschild, who’s also a former East Ramapo school board president, faces a $250,000 fine as well, when he’s sentenced next month in federal court.
REPORT: MOODY’S WORRIED ABOUT ROLLBACK OF M.T.A. PAYROLL TAX
It seems that not everyone is happy with the M.T.A. Payroll Tax rollback. The Journal News says Moody’s Investors Services is warning that the move could jeopardize the transportation agency’s finances. The rollback, part of the recent bi-partisan tax deal worked out in Albany, exempts about 80% of businesses in the MTA region from the payroll tax. The more than $200-million annual revenue loss from the rollback is to be made up from a tax hike on wealthy New Yorkers. In a report issued this week, Moody’s voiced concern that slashing the tax just two years after it was implemented suggests a shift in the state’s support for the M.T.A.
12-19-11
HUNDREDS MARCH IN S.V. OVER POLICE SHOOTING
About 500 demonstrators marched in Spring Valley yesterday, protesting the shooting-death of a Haitian man by a village police officer. Forty-eight year-old Herve Gilles died early last Wednesday during a confrontation with the officer in a village parking lot. The officer says Gilles came at him with a stick. But many who knew Gilles say, although he was unstable, he was not violent. Several of yesterday’s demonstrators demanded what they called “justice” in the case, while most said they just wanted answers, including the name of the police officer, who has not yet been identified publicly.
PATRICK FARM CRITICS FILING WRITTEN COMMENTS THIS WEEK
Ramapo residents have until 5 p.m. Wednesday to submit written comments on the Patrick Farm development project. The Town Planning Board is expected to decide next Tuesday on whether to green-light the controversial plan. It calls for some 500 housing units to be built on a 200-acre site outside Pomona. Critics condemn the project on a variety of grounds, including its density and its potential for environmental damage. Supervisor Christopher St. Lawrence promises the town will consider changing parts of the project’s design to address safety concerns raised by county emergency officials.
POLICE: N.J. PAIR CAUGHT STEALING MACHINE PART IN MONSEY
Ramapo police say they caught two New Jersey men yesterday in the act of stealing part of a large appliance. The arrests came after police were called to a property on Route 59 in Monsey and arrived to find the pair ready to make off with the compressor from a refrigeration unit. The two men, both from Patterson, face grand larceny and other charges when they return to Ramapo Town Court on Thursday morning.
REPORT: SHOPLIFTING TRENDING HIGHER IN REGION
The alleged theft comes amid reports that shoplifing is up in the region, continuing a five-year trend. Figures from Orange County, for instance, show the number of shoplifting incidents rose from 1,264 in 2006 to 1,781 last year. Communities with malls and downtown shopping districts fared the worst. Police speculate the increase is probably fueled by the economic downturn. And they note as well that the number of in-store thefts by young people is growing.
LIFE-AND-DEATH DRAMA UNFOLDS IN FT. MONTGOMEREY
The Orange County hamlet of Fort Montgomery found itself in the midst of a real-life crime drama on Friday. Police and the media arrived there en masse, on reports that a man believed to have killed his wife was holed up at the Bear Mountain Bridge Motel with their two young daughters. Police say the stand-off ended with the two girls freed unharmed, but with their father taking his own life.
12-16-11
WRCR CALLERS CHALLENGE ST. LAWRENCE ON PATRICK FARM
Following two heated public hearings this week, opponents of Ramapo’s Patrick Farm development project have until next Wednesday to file written comments on the controversial plan. Critics have long opposed the housing project on environmental grounds. But some also contend that the nearly-500-unit development would largely house members of the Ultra-Orthodox Jewish community, who might then, say the critics, seek to avoid paying taxes on religious grounds. After a number of WRCR callers said as much this morning, Ramapo Supervisor Christopher St. Lawrence denied the contention and offered a civics lesson, of sorts. Declaring, “This is the United States,” St. Lawrence went on to say that the development would house a variety of people and become a model of diversity. Ramapo’s Planning Board is expected to vote on the Patrick Farm project on December 27th.
S.V. POLICE CHIEF APPEALS FOR PATIENCE AFTER POLICE SHOOTING OF HAITIAN MAN
Spring Valley Police Chief Paul Modica is calling for patience following the fatal shooting of a Haitian man by a village police officer. Scores of residents, many from the Haitian community, gathered to demand answers yesterday in the parking lot where 48-year-old Herve Gilles died early Wednesday morning. The unidentified officer says he shot Gilles during a scuffle, as Gilles beat him with a stick. But many of those questioning the shooting say they knew Gilles as unstable and loud, but not violent. In appealing for patience, Chief Modica promised a thorough investigation.
DEFENSE BEGINS CASE IN HAVERSTRAW BABY-MURDER TRIAL
The trial of a Haverstraw couple charged with beating their infant daughter to death continues in New City today with the defense making ITS case. Attorneys for 42-year-old Michael Aviles and 22-year-old Lissette Capellan failed yesterday to get a dismissal on grounds that the prosecution had failed to prove which, if either of the defendants actually killed the child. Five-month-old Michelle Aviles died last January 16th, hours after sustaining severe head and bodily injuries. County Court Judge William Nelson is presiding over the non-jury trial.
TEQUILA TAX-AGENT BRIBER AVOIDS JAIL
No jail time for the West Nyack woman who tried to bribe an IRS agent with tequila. Forty-two year-old Chinh Tran was sentenced in federal court yesterday to two years of supervised release, the first year under home confinement. Tran pleaded guilty in August to offering the agent $18,000 and a bottle of tequila in return for dropping an audit of her tax returns. In sparing Tran jail time, the judge noted her continuing charitable contributions to such things as leprosy camps and orphanages in her native Vietnam.
CORNELL, DAY PRAISE CUOMO FOR HELPING ROLL BACK M.T.A. TAX
Kudos for Governor Andrew Cuomo are coming from both sides of the County Legislature. Chairwoman Harriet Cornell, a Democrat, and Republican legislator Ed Day issued a joint statement yesterday thanking Cuomo for helping to at-least-partially roll back the MTA payroll tax. At the same time, both noted their own efforts to secure a complete rollback and pledged to keep working for that.
12-15-11
VANDERHOEF APPROVES BUDGET WITH “SERIOUS RESERVATIONS”
County Executive Scott Vanderhoef has approved the county legislature’s version of next year’s budget, but not without what he calls “very serious reservations.” The $701-million budget, as amended by the legislators last week, calls for a county sales-tax increase to pay for a $60-million deficit-reduction loan. At the same time, it would save for at least a year more than 500 county jobs that Vanderhoef’s original budget would have eliminated. In his note to the legislature yesterday, Vanderhoef warned, among other things, that the sales-tax increase might not be approved by the State Legislature, and that if might not produce enough added revenues even if it IS approved in Albany.
RAMAPO BOARD POSTPONES PARTICK FARM DECISION UNTIL END OF MONTH
Last night was another long one for the Ramapo Planning Board – and for those who came out to say, “Hold off on green-lighting Patrick Farm.” The controversial project calls for some 500 housing units to be built on a 200-acre tract outside Pomona. Among other objections, critics say the development, which would rest on a major aquifer, is rife with environmental danger. As with Tuesday night’s opening session of the planning board meeting, last night’s session heard objections from dozens of residents. The session reportedly ended with no decision on the project, but with a promise that a decision would come at the board’s December 27th meeting.
NEW CITY, WEST NYACK LIBRARY BUDGETS APPROVED
Clarkstown residents voted yesterday to APPROVE the New City and West Nyack library budgets. The combined, $6.1-million package increases spending by about 2% and reportedly adds about $10 to the average homeowner’s 2012 tax bill.
SPRING VALLEY MAN SHOT, KILLED DURING CONFRONTATION WITH POLICE OFFICER
Spring Valley police say they’re investigating the fatal shooting of a Haitian immigrant by one of their own. Forty-eight year-old Herve Gilles was shot during a confrontation with the officer in a village parking lot early yesterday morning. Police Chief Paul Modica says initial reports indicate that the unidentified officer acted properly after Gilles attacked him with a stick. Friends of Gilles reportedly dispute that contention, saying Gilles was emotionally unstable and loud, but not violent.
NEW SQUARE MAN CHARGED WITH SEXUALLY ABUSING YOUNG BOY
Ramapo police have charged a New Square man with child sexual abuse. Thirty-eight year-old Hershel Taubenfeld is charged with repeatedly abusing a young boy at Taubenfeld’s home over a five-month period this year. No details were released on either the boy or the nature of the alleged abuse. Taubenfeld was released on $15,000 bail after pleading not guilty to the charges.
PATHOLOGIST, ON STAND, SAYS BEATING WAS LIKELY CAUSE OF HAVERSTRAW CHILD’S DEATH
A pathologist testified yesterday that a beating likely caused the death of five-month-old Michelle Aviles last January. The testimony came at the murder trial of the child’s parents, Michael Aviles and Lissette Capellan. Prosecutors say one or both of the defendants beat Michelle on the night of January 15th, causing severe head and bodily injuries. The non-jury trial began two weeks ago before County Court judge William Nelson.
12-14-11
It’s Round Two tonight at Ramapo Town Hall: a continuation of last night’s Planning Board meeting, with Patrick Farm at issue. The board adjourned last night without a decision on whether to approve the controversial project and scheduled the session to resume tonight at 8 o’clock. The plan calls for nearly 500 housing units to be built on the 200-acre site off Routes 202 and 306 outside Pomona. Opponents say the development, on a major aquifer, would diminish the county’s water supply and cause other environmental damage. And county fire officials have objected to the development’s layout on safety grounds. Scores of Ramapo residents turned out last night to speak against the project. Opponents are calling for a big turnout tonight, as well.
CALHOUN, PHILLIPS: BRING ON THE GAMING TABLES (AND BOATS)
Should New York State get into the gaming business? Voters in the state will get a chance to decide that question in 2013. Assemblywoman Nancy Calhoun raised the subject on WRCR this morning, saying she’ll all for the idea of state-operated gambling casinos in New York. Haverstraw’ Supervisor Howard Phillips followed up with his own, concurring view, saying he’d like to see riverboat gambling on the Hudson, with a stopover at the Haverstraw Marina.
NEW CITY-WEST NYACK LIBRARY VOTE TODAY
The joint-New City-West Nyack library budget comes up for a vote today. The combined plan weighs in at $6.1-million and shows a spending increase of just under two percent. Among the voters, New City residents will also vote to fill three seats on that library’s board of trustees. The polls are open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
SEE A COUNTER-TERROR AGENT AT PALISADES MALL? THEN, SAY SO
Shoppers at the Palisades Mall, be advised: The feds are on their way. No, not I.R.S. agents tracking shopping patterns, but so-called “counter-terrorism action teams,” members of which will be at the mall this afternoon to educate the public on the ins and outs of the “See Something, Say Something” program. Some 60 team members will be in Rockland from 2-7 p.m. today, both at the mall and at train stations around the county.
12-13-11
PACKED HOUSE EXPECTED FOR RAMAPO MEETING ON PATRICK FARM
A large turnout is expected for tonight’s Ramapo Planning Board meeting. The board will consider final approval of the controversial Patrick Farm development project. The plan calls for nearly 500 housing units on a tract off Routes 202 and 306 outside Pomona. Opponents have gone to court several times – and in vain, so far – to block the project, mostly on environmental grounds. And, despite its inclusion of housing units for volunteers, fire officials have questioned its design, citing safety concerns.
POLICE: NANUET OCTOGENARIAN VICTIM OF CAR-REPAIR SCAM
Another elder-abuse case is in the news today. Clarkstown police say an 80-year-old Nanuet man was bilked out of nearly $1,000 last Friday by a man who promised to repair a dent in his car. Police arrested 39-year-old Nicholas Laray of Hollywood, Florida, on Saturday when he met with the elderly man, ostensibly to finish the repair work. By that time, say police, Laray had taken a total of $956 from the victim, including a $556 A.T.M. withdrawal using the man’s bank-card. Laray is being held on $15,000 bail and faces a court hearing tomorrow on a petty larceny charge that was upgraded to hate-crime status because of the alleged victim’s age.
The Nanuet case follows yesterday’s news that an Orangeburg man was sentenced to 33 months in jail for bilking an elderly Nyack couple out of $850,000. Fifty-seven year-old Vincent DeVuono had pleaded guilty to defauding the couple over a six-year period by pocketing tax-payment checks that they believed he was sending to the Internal Revenue Service.
N.Y.C. MAN ROBBED, SLASHED IN SPARKILL; TWO SOUGHT
Orangetown police are on the lookout for two men who robbed and slashed a man in Sparkill Sunday night. The victim is identified as a 25-year-old New York City man who works in Rockland. Police say he had just arrived from the city by bus when the pair accosted him and grabbed for his cell phone. When he resisted, one of the men reportedly slashed him across the face with a steak knife. Police describe the suspects as Hispanics in their 20’s, both between 5’-8” and 5’-10” tall and weighing around 180 lbs.
SPRING VALLEY POLICE: MONTHS-LONG DRUG-GUN SWEEP RESULTS IN 140 ARRESTS
Spring Valley police are touting the results of a 10-month-long drug-and-illegal-gun sweep in the village. Police displayed evidence from the sweep yesterday. They say they’ll reveal the names of about 140 people arrested during the joint local-state-and-federal operation next Tuesday.
12-12-11
ORANGEBERG MAN SENTENCED IN ELDER FRAUD CASE
An Orangeburg man has been sentenced to 33 months in prison for defrauding an elderly Nyack couple out of $850,000. Fifty-seven year-old Vincent Devuono pleaded guilty in April to mail fraud, in connection with his handling of the couple’s income tax returns from 2002 to 2009. Federal prosecutors say DeVuono routinely pocketed checks that the couple believed he was sending to the Internal Revenue Service. In addition to the prison term followed by two years probation, DeVuono was ordered to repay the couple’s $850,000.
PIERMONT MAN WANTED IN N.J. ROBBERY ARRESTED IN POLICE RAID
Police raided a Piermont home over the weekend, and arrested a young village man charged in a New Jersey robbery case. Twenty year-old Devon Bronster was wanted on a variety of robbery, assault and weapons charges in connection with the New Jersey incident. He’s said to have robbed his victim while holding a handgun to the person’s head. More than 20 officers from three Rockland police departments and a county-wide counter-terrorism team took part in Saturday’s raid. Bronster spent the rest of the weekend in County jail, awaiting extradition to New Jersey.
OKLAHOMA MAN JAILED AFTER NYACK BAR FIGHT
Also in county jail is an Oklahoma man arrested early Saturday morning after a Nyack bar fight. Orangetown police say 25-year-old Ryan Oliver attacked an Upper Nyack man at the Luna Lounge on Franklin Street, leaving the alleged victim with cuts, bruises and a fractured ankle. Oliver,from Edmond, Oklahoma, reportedly fled the scene after the 3:50 a.m. incident and was nabbed a short time later in South Nyack. He’s being held without bail, due to prior convictions. His alleged victim was treated at Nyack Hospital.
STONY POINT WOMAN FOUD DEAD IN BATHTUB
A Stony Point woman was found dead in her bathtub on Saturday. Police say they’re investigating to determine whether the death was a suicide, accident or homicide. The victim is identified only as a 40-year-old woman who lived on Brainard Drive.
SPRINKLER SYSTEM SAVES RAMAPO FAMILY FROM CANDLE-LIT FIRE
A sprinkler system may have averted tragedy in Ramapo on Friday. Police say they responded to a report of an apartment fire in Kaser, to find the flames already extinguished by the sprinkler system. The tenant, 24-year-old Feiga Tirnauer, and her three children reportedly had escaped the fire shortly after it was touched off by a lit candle. No one was injured in the fire.
12-09-11
N.Y.S. COMPTROLLER: VANDERHOEF, LEGISLATURE BOTH TO BLAME
A report from the state comptroller’s office says the county legislature owns part of the blame for Rockland’s fiscal crisis, a crisis that many legislators have blamed solely on County Executive Scott Vanderhoef. In dividing the blame, Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli said, “Rockland needs to live within its means for the sake of its taxpayers.” The report comes as Vanderhoef weighs a 2012 budget amended by the county legislature this week. It restores more than 500 county jobs Vanderhoef would have eliminated, calls for the county to float a $60-million deficit-reduction bond, and would increase the county sales tax to pay for it. Vanderhoef is quoted this morning as calling the comptroller’s report fair and accurate.
PATHOLOGIST AT MURDER TRIAL: SLAIN BABY GIRL HAD PRIOR INJURIES
A pathologist has offered potentially damning testimony at the trial of a Haverstraw couple accused of killing their infant daughter. The defendants, 42-year-old Michael Aviles and 22-year-old Lissette Capellan, are charged with beating five-month-old Michelle Aviles to death at their apartment last January. On the stand, Dr. Aleksander Milovanovic testified yesterday that he found prior injuries including fractured ribs on Michelle when he examined her following the alleged beating. She died hours later of multiple injuries to the head and body. Both defendants are charged with second-degree murder. Prosecutors say Aviles actually inflicted the baby’s injuries while Capellan stood by and did nothing.
CAR HITS TREE IN NANUET YARD; DRIVER DIES
Clarkstown police say a one-car accident in Nanuet last night claimed the life of the driver. The car reportedly careened across a yard on Drayton Place at about 11 p.m. and hit a tree. The driver, identified only as a male, reportedly died at the scene.
12-08-11
COUNTY LEGISLATOR: I MIGHT CALL FOR STATE TAKE-OVER OF ROCKLAND FINANCES
County legislators who voted “no” on the county budget this week are considering another way to dig Rockland out of its financial hole. Ramapo legislator Joe Meyers was one of four legislators on the short side of Tuesday’s vote approving the $701.8-million budget, the lynch pin of which is a proposed increase in the county sales tax. Meyers told WRCR listeners this morning the tax hike, as planned, is a short-sighted measure destined at best to pay only this year’s bills. And Meyers said he and some others on the legislature are willing to try one draconian measure to get Rockland back on track: a temporary state take-over of county finances.
COUNTY SALES-TAX HIKE NO FAIT ACCOMPLI IN STATE LEGISLATURE
Rockland’s state legislators are no keener than Meyers is on the proposed sales-tax increase. The increase would require approval by the state legislature. But Rockland’s state senator, David Carlucci, and Assembly-members Ellen Jaffee and Kenneth Zebrowsky say they’ll need more information before they consider supporting the increase. Meanwhile, a spokesman for the state comptroller’s office says another key element of the Rockland plan, the use of a proposed $60-million deficit-reduction loan, would require annual reviews by that office. The budget is now on County Executive Scott Vanderhoef’s desk, with a December 20th deadline for enactment.
M.T.A. PAYROLL TAX ON SMALL BUISINESS REPEALED
On the upside of Rockland’s financial news is word of a reversal on the much-reviled M.T.A. Payroll Mobility Tax. The two-year-old tax duns all employers in the region $.30 for every $100 they spend on employee salaries. The good news came with the state legislature’s approval last night of Governor Cuomo’s tax-overhaul plan. Among the provisions: a full repeal of the payroll tax for small businesses and private schools in the region.
MOTHER OF BABY GIRL BEATEN TO DEATH IN HAVERSTRAW: “I WAS ASLEEP” AT THE TIME
The Haverstraw woman charged with her boyfriend of beating their infant daughter to death told police on videotape that she, herself, was asleep during the fatal beating. The tape was played yesterday in the County Court trial of 22-year-old Lissette Capellan and 42-year-old Michael Aviles. Both are charged with second-degree murder in the death last January of five-month-old Michelle Aviles. Prosecutors say Capellan was present and knew that Aviles was beating the child but did nothing to stop it. The girl died at Westchester Medical Center several hours after the alleged beating. The defendants have opted for a non-jury trial. Judge William Nelson will render a verdict after hearing evidence in the case.
GUILTY PLEA IN RAPE OF COUNTY MENTAL PATIENT
A former patient at the county health complex pled guilty yesterday to sexually abusing a female patient there last February. In making the plea, 21-year-old Michael Charles admitted having forcible intercourse with the 28-year-old woman, who prosecutors describe as mentally ill. Charles faces six months in jail and ten years’ probation. Prosecutors say they made the plea deal in order to spare the victim from having to face what was expected to be tough questioning by the defense.
12-07-11
COUNTY LEGISLATURE ADOPTS BUDGET, SENDS IT TO COUNTY EXECUTIVE
Legislators in New City adopted a county budget last night. But the more-than-$700-million spending plan is not the bare-bones package that County Executive Scott Vanderhoef had proposed. This one breaks through the 2% Cuomo tax cap and raises the county sales tax to pay for a $60-million deficit-reduction loan. At the same time, it saves Summit Park Hospital for at least a year, and keeps 568 county employees threatened under the Vanderhoef plan on the job. It also folds Vanderhoef’s suggested one-time-only surcharge of $160 into the county property tax, effectively raising it by 30%.
Approval of the budget came on a 16-to-4 vote. Among the dissenters, Ramapo’s Joe Meyers blasted the $60-million loan as a near-sighted quick fix for a budget deficit that’s expected to increase to more than $80-million by the end of the year. It’s up to Vanderhoef now to either approve the amended budget, reject it or veto specific items IN it. The legislature can over-ride any vetoes. However it goes, the budget must be enacted by December 20th.
PALISADES MALL MOLESTER GETS SEVEN-YEAR STRETCH
The so-called Palisades Mall Preditor, Elio Pintado, has been sentenced to seven years in prison. Pintado pleaded guilty in September to sexual assault in the New Year’s Day 2010 molestation of a 7-year-old girl in a bathroom at the mall’s cinema complex. County Court Judge William Nelson handed down the sentence yesterday, calling Pintado a career criminal, a reference to his previous sex-crime convictions in New Jersey. Nelson also sentenced Pintado to a concurrent term of three years for assaulting officers at the county jail.
PARTY CHAIRWOMAN PLEADS GUILTY TO PERJURY
County Independence party Chairwoman Debra Ortutay pleaded guilty to perjury yesterday in connection with about a dozen falsified petitions she signed-off on during the 2010 campaign season. The 57-year-old Ortutay faces up to seven years in prison when she’s sentenced next February.
MORE PARKING-LOT BREAK-INS, THEFTS ALONG ROUTE 59
Clarkstown police are increasing patrols along Route 59 following the latest in a rash of parked-car break-ins. Three cars were broken into Monday evening in the parking lot outside the Lucille Roberts Club in Nanuet. In each case, the driver’s side window was smashed in and property including purses and electronic equipment stolen. Police say the M.O. was similar to that of several car break-ins along Route 59 in recent months.
12-06-11
LEGISLATORS TO VOTE ON COUNTY BUDGET TONIGHT
The 2012 county budget comes up for approval tonight by the County Legislature. Last night, the Budget and Finance Committee came up with a package that purportedly would pay off the county’s huge budget deficit while saving hundreds of jobs. The plan would raise the county’s portion of the sales tax from the current 3.75% to just over 4%. In theory, that would offset a $60-million loan the county would take to meet the deficit. Legislators say the plan would keep the county’s hospital complex at Summit Park running and spare all but about 40 of the more than 500 jobs that would be eliminated under County Executive Scott Vanderhoef’s proposed budget. The vote tonight will follow public hearings on some key issues. Among them is the question of how and whether to apply Vanderhoef’s suggested one-time-only $160 property-tax surcharge, which, in effect, would amount to a 30% tax increase.
REPORT: ARCHITECT SUES RAMAPO DEVELOPMENT CORP. FOR $62,000
An architectural firm that worked on Provident Bank Park is suing the Town of Ramapo’s local development corporation for $62,000. The Nebraska-based firm, DLR Group, says that’s the amount the RLDC owes on a contract of more than $1.5-million. An RLDC official tells the Journal News the final payment remains unmade because the corporation may not be responsible for the extra, unexpected work it covers. The $39-million stadium outside Pomona is the home of both the Rockland Boulders baseball team and WRCR Radio.
O’TOWN OFFICIAL CHARGED WITH DWI
Orangetown’s receiver of taxes, Robert Simon, has been charged with drunk driving. Clarkstown police say they spotted the 64-year-old Simon driving erratically on Route 9-W in Upper Nyack early Sunday morning and pulled him over. He reportedly failed both a field sobriety test and a breathalyzer test. Simon is due in court January 3rd to answer a misdemeanor D.W.I. charge.
CARLUCCI: LEGISLATION TAKES AIM AT AUTO INSURANCE FRAUD
State Senator David Carlucci is aiming to crack down on auto insurance fraud. Carlucci called a news conference in West Haverstraw yesterday to unveil an anti-fraud bill he’s co-sponsoring. Among other things, it would prevent New York Sate residents from illegally registering their cars in other states in order to pay lower premiums. Carlucci says the practice costs New York State millions of dollars annually.
12-02-11
VANDERHOEF: CONSULTANTS WRONG ABOUT NEED TO BORROW
County Executive Scott Vanderhoef says the consulting firm brought in to assess Rockland’s financial situation was way off base in some of its main findings. The firm told the County Legislature this week that Rockland needs to borrow $60-million in order to dig out from under a deficit that’s at $52-million and growing. Vanderhoef told WRCR listeners this morning he believes the short-fall can be met over the next 4 or 5 years without borrowing. One other bone of contention is Vanderhoef’s proposed phase-out of the county’s hospital and nursing home services at Summit Park by the end of next year. The consultants’ report challenged that assessment, saying the phase-out would take several years longer. The county legislators will vote on Vanderhoef’s proposed budget, or an amended one with their revisions, next Tuesday.
DETECTIVE TESTIFIES IN HAVERSTRAW BABY-MURDER TRIAL
Murder defendant Michael Aviles reportedly told a Haverstraw police detective he might have dropped his 5-month old daughter on the night of last January 15th, hours before the infant died. The detective, Terry Colazzo, testified yesterday in Rockland County Court, where Aviles and the infant’s mother, Lissette Capellan, are on trial for second-degree murder in the girl’s death. Colazzo told Judge William Nelson that Aviles stopped short of admitting responsibility for the death, denying that either he or Capellan had hit the child. Prosecutors say Aviles beat baby Michelle that night while Capellan stood by, making her equally culpable.
PROSTITUTION ARRESTS MADE AT AIRMONT SPA
Ramapo police say they broke up a sex-for-pay operation yesterday and arrested two women in the process. The alleged prostitutes, both from New York City, are to appear tonight in Airmont Justice Court. Both are employees of the N&Y Ultimate Service Spa in Airmont, where the raid took place.
BOULDERS TO ADD DOUBLE-A MINOR LEAGUE GAMES TO SCHEDULE
Rockland baseball buffs will get a chance to se some Double-A teams at Provident Bank Park his coming season. The Rockland Boulders say they and the other Canadian-American League teams each will play 20 games against teams from the American Association. Among them are some of the most popular teams in the minor leagues, including the Kansas City T-Bones and the St. Paul Saints. The Boulders will play ten of the Double-A games on the road and host ten here at Provident Bank Park.
12-01-11
CONSULTANTS TO COUNTY: BORROW $60-MILLION TO MEET DEBT
A consulting firm told county legislators last night that Rockland should borrow $60-million to balance its budget. The assessment was offered during a special session of the legislature’s Budget and Finance Committee. County Executive Scott Vanderhoef’s proposed 2012 budget, at $701-million, projects $80-million deficit by the end of the year. The Westchester-based consulting firm recommended a borrowing plan that would stretch the re-payment out over ten years, the payments to be funded by a .25% increase in the county sales tax. The legislature will act on the budget next Tuesday, with a separate vote possible on whether to over-ride Governor Cuomo’s 2% property-tax cap.
NANUET MALL PLANS UNVEILED
The public got its first official look last night at plans for the new Nanuet Mall. As expected, they call for an outdoor Main Street-type mall featuring a 12-screen movie complex, restaurants, a high-end supermarket and upscale stores. A spokesman for mall-owner Simon Properties told the Clarkstown town board the project would create some 2,000 construction jobs – and then up to 1,200 permanent jobs once the mall opens in the fall of 2013. As for what specific stores are headed to the new mall, the spokesman said those details will be released in the spring, once contracts are signed.
JUDGE DENIES DISSMISSAL MOTION IN HAVERSTRAW COUPLE’S MURDER TRIAL
The trial of a Haverstraw couple charged with killing their baby went into its second day today. Attorneys for 42-year-old Michael Aviles and 24-year-old Lissette Capellan moved for a dismissal as the trial began yesterday – but the motion was denied. Both Aviles and Capellan are charged with second-degree murder in the beating-death last January of their five-month-old daughter, Michelle. In seeking the dismissal, defense attorneys argued, in vain, that prosecutors can’t say for sure which one of the defendants actually killed the baby. As it stands, Aviles is charged with the beating itself and Capellan, with being present but not stopping the beating. At the defendants’ request, this is a bench trial, with no jury. Judge William Nelson will render a verdict after hearing the case.
H.I.V. TESTING OFFERED AT R.C.C. WORLD AIDS DAY EVENT
Today is World Aids Day, and the county health department is sponsoring a day-long program at Rockland Community College. Among the services offered is Free Rapid H.I.V. Testing. Sponsors say the tests, which take about 20 minutes, are being conducted in a private area of the R.C.C. Student Union.
11-30-11
PLANS FOR NEW NANUET MALL TO BE UNVEILED TONIGHT
The public will get a long-awaited look at what’s in store for the new Nanuet Mall tonight. Owner Simon Properties will make its first official presentation on the project to the Clarkstown Town Board at its meeting this evening and then, later, to the town planning board. Clarkstown supervisor Alex Gromack is urging Rocklanders to attend one or both of the meetings – and to ask questions. Simon reportedly plans an outdoor, Main Street-type mall featuring up-scale stores.
”FRACKING” HEARINGS SCHEDULED TODAY IN MANHATTAN
State Senator David Carlucci is among the Rocklanders in Manhattan today for hearings on hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking.” That’s the controversial method of extracting natural gas from underground that was recently sanctioned by New York State. Critics say it threatens the environment and public health. And Carlucci says he’s concerned that the state’s Department of Environmental Conservation is too under-funded and short-staffed to handle the job of regulating the fracking industry.
FAMILY OF RAMAPO MAN KILLED BY NJ PARK POLICEMAN IN 2006 AWARDED $2.1-MILLION
A Bergen County jury has awarded the family of a Ramapo man killed by a park policeman five years ago $2.1-million. The award followed a three-week civil court trial. The defendant, now retired parks officer Chad Walder, was acquitted in 2009 of manslaughter charges in the shooting death of Emil Mann three years earlier. The shooting took place during a confrontation outside Ringwood State Park. The civil court jury on Monday found that Walder had used unnecessary force in subduing Mann, who was a heavy-equipment operator for the Town of Ramapo. The jury now must decide whether Mann’s family is entitled to punitive damages, as well.
BANK OFFICER FROM CONGERS SENTENCED IN FRAUD CASE
A Congers man was sentenced yesterday to 33 months in prison for defrauding the bank he worked for out of $673,000. Thirty-four year-old Shawn Reilly also must pay the full amount back to the Union Bank of Switzerland. Reilly was an executive with UBS in Stamford, Connecticut, when he made fraudulent money transfers to his own account over a two-year period ending last April. Reilly blamed his actions on a $500-$1,000/day gambling habit.
HAVERSTRAW TEEN CLAIMS ORANGE-GLOVED MAN ATTACKED HER IN WOODS NEAR HER HOME
Haverstraw police are investigating an alleged attack on a teen-age girl. The 16-year-old, whose name has been withheld, says she was dragged along the ground yesterday morning in the woods near her home by a man wearing orange gloves. Police say they got a frantic cell-phone call from the girl, who was still in the woods more than four hours after the alleged attack. She reportedly provided no other description of the man.
FREE H.I.V. TESTING OFFERED TOMORROW AT R.C.C. AIDS DAY EVENT
Tomorrow is World AIDS day. The County Health Department will take part in the annual observance with a day-long program at Rockland Community College. Among the items slated for the event – Free Rapid H.I.V. Testing. Sponsors say the tests, which take about 20 minutes, will take place in a private area in the Student Union. Doors open at 10 a.m. and close at 3 p.m.
FLOOD DAMAGE REPAIRED, W. NYACK POST OFFICE TO RE-OPEN MONDAY
The West Nyack Post Office will re-open next Monday. That’s the word from Congressman Eliot Engel, who had pressed for the re-opening to take place in time for the holiday season. The post office branch was shut down in late August by flood damage from Tropical Storm Irene. Engel says it will provide the same services it offered in the past when it re-opens.
11-29-11
CARLUCCI: ATTEND FRACKING HEARINGS TOMORROW IN MANHATTAN
Public hearings are scheduled tomorrow in New York City on Hydraulic Fracturing, the controversial method of extracting natural gas from under ground. Critics say the procedure – known as fracking – threatens both the environment and public safety. Speaking this morning on WRCR, State Senator David Carlucci urged Rocklanders to attend the hearings in Tribeca and to express their concerns. For HIS part, Carlucci questions whether New York’s under-funded and short-staffed Department of Environmental Conservation can handle the job of regulating the fracking industry. Tomorrow’s hearings are scheduled for 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. at the Tribeca Performing Arts Center on Chambers Street in Manhattan. Written comments can also be made. One way to do that is on the Internet, by going to Carlucci’s website, www.senatorcarlucci.com.
HAVERSTRAW COUPLE GOES ON TRIAL TOMORROW IN DAUGHTER’S DEATH
The trial of a Haverstraw couple accused of killing their baby opens tomorrow in New City. Michael Aviles and Lissette Capellan are charged with second-degree murder in the beating death last January of their 5-month-old daughter, Michelle. It won’t be a jury trial. County Court Judge William Nelson agreed yesterday to a defense motion for a bench trial, in which he, rather than a jury, will hear the case and render a verdict. Aviles is accused of actually beating the young girl; Capellan, of being there but not stopping the beating.
TEEN-AGE PROSTITUTE SUES LAWRENCE TAYLOR
The teen-aged girl who had sex for pay with Lawrence Taylor in a Rockland hotel last year is suing the former New York Giant. Eighteen year-old Cristina Fierro seeks an as-yet-undetermined amount in the suit, filed yesterday in Manhattan federal court. Taylor is serving six years probation after pleading guilty to sexual misconduct. Fierro was a 16-year-old Bronx runaway at the time of the May-2010 sexual encounter at the Holiday Inn in Montebello. The pimp in the case is serving a seven-year federal-prison stretch.
BRONX WOMAN CHARGED WITH PASSING COUNTERFEIT BILLS IN ROCKLAND
A hearing was scheduled in Clarkstown Town Court today for a Bronx woman charged with using counterfeit $100 bills at the Palisades Mall and other Rockland stores. Twenty-four year-old Geraldine Cepeda was arrested Saturday in a car leaving the mall parking lot. She’s charged with a variety of crimes including possession of a forged instrument and stolen property. Police say they found more than $500 in legitimate cash in the car, presumably change from the counterfeit hundreds. The driver of the car, 27-year-old Christopher Santiago, also of the Bronx, was charged with possessing stolen property.
RAMAPO OFFICIAL CHARGED IN UNDER-AGE DRINKING CASE
A Town of Ramapo official has been charged with allowing under-age drinking to take place in his home. Fifty-one year-old Liborio Derario was arrested in connection with a weekend party at his home in Montebello. Police say they arrived at the scene after a phone call and found two people under 21 years of age drinking alcohol. Both are charged with alcohol-related violations. Derario is Ramapo’s Director of Municipal Development and Asset Management.
RIVER VILLAGES DEBATE CONSOLIDATION OF SERVICES
Five Rockland County villages reportedly are talking consolidation. The Journal News says leaders of the river communities – Nyack, Upper Nyack, South Nyack, Grand View and Piermont – have agreed to consider partnering in such areas as public works and police. Nyack Mayor-Elect Jen Laird-White tells the paper the move would save money for the villages by eliminating at least some overlapping services. The next step: applying for a New York State study grant to determine how much the savings would be.
11-28-11
NANUET MALL PLANS TO BE UNVEILED THIS WEEK
Rocklanders will get their first look at what may be in store for the new Nanuet Mall this week. Clarkstown supervisor Alex Gromack told WRCR listeners this morning that mall-owner Simon Properties will make its first formal presentation to the town Wednesday night – first to the town board and then to the Planning Board. Gromack urged residents to attend one or both of the meetings and ask questions. Simon reportedly plans an outdoor, Main-Street-type mall with sidewalks connecting upscale stores. A fall-2013 grand opening is envisioned.
PORT JERVIS LINE BACK ON FULL SCHEDULE AFTER STORM REPAIRS
The Port Jervis line is back on line. Metro North re-opened the commuter rail line to full service today, for the first time since Tropical Storm Irene. The late-August storm wiped out several miles of track north of Sloatsburg. The repair work went quickly, and today’s reopening comes about a month ahead of schedule. Some 2,300 commuters from Orange and Rockland counties ride the Port Jervis line each weekday.
COUNTY LEGISLATURE READIES FOR VOTE ON BUDGET
County Legislators have just over a week to act on the proposed county budget. The $701-million spending bill from County Executive Scott Vanderhoef is a bare-bones document designed to stay within Governor Cuomo’s 2% property-tax cap. It calls for the elimination of hundreds of county jobs, big program cutbacks, and the defunding of Summit Park, the county’s hospital-nursing home complex. The legislators are expected to vote on the budget next Tuesday, December 6th. They can approve it, reject it, or amend it, possibly after voting to over-ride the Cuomo tax cap.
ORGANIZERS VOW TO KEEP OCCUPY ROCKLAND MOVEMENT ALIVE
There was another Occupy Rockland demonstration over the weekend. Some 35 people showed up for yesterday afternoon’s gathering at Nyack’s Veterans Park. It was a smaller turnout than at previous demonstrations, but local leaders of the anti-Wall Street movement tell the Journal News they’re determined to keep it alive here in Rockland.
TWO MORE FLU-VACCINE CLINICS SCHEDULED FOR DECEMBER
County Health officials have scheduled two additional flu-vaccine clinics at the Yeager health Center. They’re on successive Fridays, December 9th and 16th, from 1-to-4 p.m. Officials say the flu season is under way, with a number of cases already reported in New York and nation-wide. So far, no flu cases in Rockland. The county clinics offer the vaccinations free-of-charge to county residents at least 60 years old and for $25 each to all others.
11-25-11
ROCKLAND PARENTS START PETITION DRIVE TO RESTORE STATE SCHOOL AID
A petition drive is under way in Rockland to bring state aid back to the county’s schools. The petitions, drawn by a group of parents in Nyack and Valley Cottage, ask Governor Cuomo to restore school funding to pre-recession levels, in part by retaining the so-called Millionaires Tax. The Journal News says some 475 people have signed the petitions so far. The group reportedly hopes to take its case – and presumably the petitions – to a meeting with Rockland’s state lawmakers.
HILLBURN MAN STABBED DURING BRAWL THANKSGIVING MORNING
A young Hillburn man spent Thanksgiving Day at Good Samaritan Hospital, recovering from wounds he sustained in an early-morning brawl. Ramapo police say they were called to the scene just after midnight Thursday morning and found 20-year-old Alonzo Loaiza bleeding from two stab wounds to his stomach. Loaiza reportedly underwent surgery yesterday. As yet, no arrests have been made in the case.
NANUET WOMAN RUN OVER BY OWN CAR IN DRIVEWAY
It was a tragic Thanksgiving for the family of an elderly Nanuet woman. Seventy-nine year-old Clare Turchin was found dead in her Crabapple Lane driveway Wednesday morning – pinned beneath a front wheel of her car. The driver-side door reportedly was open and the engine turned off. Clarkstown police say no foul play seemed to be involved. A neighbor reportedly told police that Turchin had recently bought the car and was still learning how to drive it.
COATS FOR KIDS PROGRAM UNDER WAY; RUNS THROUGH DECEMBER 23RD
Rockland’s 2011 Coats for Kids program is under way, aiming to make it a warmer holiday season for children in need. The Town of Clarkstown sponsors the program, which is now in its 22nd year. It works this way: A resident who wishes to donate a coat takes it to one of several designated cleaners, where it’s cleaned free-of-charge and sent to one of the county’s distribution agencies, such as People to People, the Martin Luther King Center and the Spring Valley and Haverstraw Community Action centers. The program runs through December 23rd. Participating cleaners include June French Cleaners in Congers, Fine Line Cleaners in New City, Personal Touch Cleaners in Spring Valley, and Tiffany Cleaners in Chestnut Ridge.
11-23-11
HOLIDAY UNDER WAY; HEAVY TRAFFIC EXPECTED
The Thanksgiving holiday starts today, and traffic on county roadways will show it. It’s a gridlock day in New York City, and except for working commuters, motorists are advised to stay out of the city. Here in Rockland and elsewhere, the experts say traffic will be up by 4% from last Thanksgiving, with more than 42-million people nation-wide travelling more than 50 miles from home.
All the safety rules apply, of course – motorists advised to stay sober, awake, buckled-up, and under the speed limit.
Gasoline prices are higher this year – averaging about $3.64-a-gallon state-wide – up 50-cents from last Thanksgiving.
The transit lines are on holiday schedule. Tappan Zee Express and Coach USA are adding extra runs this afternoon. Metro-North and New Jersey Transit will have early-getaway trains in operation, as well.
Locally, tomorrow, Transport of Rockland will operate on its regular Sunday bus schedule. TRIPS buses will offer ADA service only. And there will be NO service tomorrow on the T-Z Express, Clarkstown Mini-Trans and Spring Valley Jitney lines.
Those who take the Haverstraw-Ossining ferry will get an extra, early-afternoon return run today – but no service tomorrow.
COMPTROLLER: $11-MILLION COUNTY FUNDS TRANSFER WAS LEGAL
County Executive Scott Vanderhoef gets a vote of confidence, of sorts, from Albany. The Journal News says the state comptroller’s office has found that the disputed transfer of more than $11-million to the county’s general fund was legal. County Legislators had called for an investigation of the transfer, which involved funds from an employee-vacation account. A spokesman for Vanderhoef tells the newspaper the comptroller’s ruling vindicates the county executive’s financial practices.
UNEMPLOYMENT IN REGION DOWN TO 6.2%
Unemployment in the Lower Hudson Valley took a plunge last month – to 6.2%. That’s down seven-tenths of a percent from last October’s jobless rate for Rockland, Westchester and Putnam counties. And, says the N.Y. State Labor Department, it’s the region’s lowest rate since 2008. Aside from that, it’s a lot better than most areas, with the state-wide unemployment rate at about 8%, and the nation-wide rate at about 9%.
11-22-11
CARLUCCI: “FRACKING” NEEDS STRICT REGULATION
State Senator David Carlucci is pressing for tough regulations on hydro-fracturing in New York. Better known as “fracking,” it’s a process for drawing natural gas, in part by pumping chemicals underground. Like other states, New York has given fracking a go-ahead despite critics’ claims that it contaminates water supplies. Carlucci told WRCR listeners this morning he’ll testify at a hearing on fracking next week, calling for strict oversight of the process: “innovative” regulation that can serve as the national standard.
LAWYER SAYS ARSON SUSPECT SHAUL SPITZER DID NOT VIOLATE PROTECTION ORDER
The lawyer for Shaul Spitzer has filed for dismissal of contempt charges against the New Square teen-ager, whose alleged arson attack on a neighbor last spring drew national attention. Attorney Kenneth Gribetz says Spitzer did not violate a protection order when he walked past the home of that alleged victim, Aron Rottenberg, last month. Prosecutors say the order contained a verbal instruction to use another route to the village synagogue, avoiding the Rottenberg home. Meanwhile, Spitzer remains free on $300,000 bail, facing attempted murder charges in the arson case. The May 22nd attack, which prosecutors say was religiously motivated, burned Rottenberg over more than half his body.
CARS ROBBED IN NANUET PARKING LOTS
A spate of thefts from parked cars kept Clarkstown police busy last night. The seven break-ins, all reported around dinner-time, took place in commercial parking lots in Nanuet. The M.O. in all seven thefts reportedly was the same: the car’s window smashed in and items inside the car taken. Police say they have no suspects yet. Meanwhile, they’re warning drivers to take valuable items out of their parked cars, or at last hide them from view.
HAVERSTRAW POLICE: CAB DRIVER ROBBED
Haverstraw police are working a reported taxi-cab robbery. The unidentified cab driver says a fare he had just driven to Garnerville early Sunday morning held an object -- possibly a weapon -- to his head and grabbed $180 and the driver’s cell phone. No suspect has been named in the case.
METRO-NORTH: PORT JERVIS LINE BACK ON FULL SCHEDULE MONDAY
Metro-North’s Port Jervis line gets back to full-service on Monday, three months after Tropical Storm Irene tore up miles of track north of Sloatsburg. Train-line officials say the repairs were completed about one month earlier than anticipated. The Port Jervis line carries about 2,800 riders from Orange and Rockland counties each weekday.
11-18-11
KRALIK: BUDGET CUTS COULD SET CRIME-FIGHTING BACK “50 YEARS”
Rockland Sheriff James Kralik says proposed budget cuts would – in his words – “set law enforcement in the county back 50 years.” Kralik and a host of other police and prosecution officials used a New City news conference yesterday to blast the more-than-$7-million in law enforcement cuts included in County Executive Scott Vanderhoef’s proposed 2012 budget. If approved, the cuts would cost dozens of jobs and cut-back or eliminate a range of law enforcement programs. The County Legislature could move to restore those funds on December 6th, when it votes on whether to over-ride Governor Cuomo’s 2% tax cap.
UP TO 16 ARRESTS EXPECTED IN PRESCRIPTION DRUG RAIDS
One of the law enforcement arms that would be lost to the proposed budget cuts is having a good day today, anyway. The county Narcotics Task Force continued a months-long series of raids this morning and was expected to net up to 16 arrests. Officials say the raids focused on prescription drugs, the use and sale of which is said to be a growing problem among young people in particular. Thirty-four arrests were made in the last two raids, in October and earlier this month.
BRIDGE DANGLER TO JUDGE: “SORRY!”
A former Rockland County employee who’s been protesting his 2008 dismissal has apologized for his latest action. Fifty-four year-old Michael Davitt made headlines 12 days ago when he lowered himself from the Tappan Zee Bridge and dangled there for nearly four hours. The stunt was costly, both in traffic delays on the bridge and in law-enforcement rescue efforts. Davitt apologized yesterday in a Westchester courtroom as he pleaded not guilty to criminal charges but offered to plead guilty to some of the misdemeanor charges that were also leveled against him.
REPORT: REGION ADDED 6,500 JOBS IN LAST 12 MONTHS
Rockland and the rest of the Lower-Hudson region gained 7,000 private-sector jobs in the past 12 months, but lost 500 public-sector jobs. That’s according to State Labor Department figures released yesterday. Unemployment in the region, including Rockland, Westchester and Putnam counties, stands at 6.5% -- well below the 7.9% state-wide and 9% nation-wide rates.
11-17-11
COKER: LEGISLATURE MAY VOTE TO OVER-RIDE 2% TAX CAP
The County Legislature may be ready to over-ride Governor Como’s 2% property-tax cap. That’s according to Orangetown Legislator Connie Coker, at least. She told WRCR listeners this morning she was moved to tears at this week’s budget hearings over the prospect of more than 500 county employees losing their jobs because of the belt-tightening. Coker, who’s not running for re-election this year, says she favors the over-ride. We’ll find out whether her colleagues share that view on December sixth, when the County Legislature votes on the over-ride question. The proposed county budget stands right now at just over $701-million.
RAMAPO BUDGET IS IN, UNDER CAP, AFTER BOARD APPROVAL
The town of Ramapo won’t need to over-ride Cuomo’s tax cap. So says supervisor Christopher St. Lawrence following approval of the town’s $84.4-million budget. The approval came last night after a last-minute move by the town board to add $2.4-million to the “Revenues” line. That brought the town property-tax increase down to the peak of Cuomo’s cap: 2%-even. St Lawrence says the new funds will come from two controversial areas: profits from Provident Bank Park, and from the sale of units at the Elm Street Housing Project, which the town says will also help pay for the ballpark.
FLOOD VICTIMS TO MEET TONIGHT ON CHANGING U-W’S WATER-RELEASE POLICIES
United Water customers from Rockland and Bergen Counties will gather this evening at the West Nyack Fire House to hear from attorney Kenneth Mulhearn, a long-time court-room advocate against the water company’s policies. He’ll outline a plan to force United Water to adopt what meeting sponsors call “more neighbor-friendly” water-release policies. Critics blame the area’s extensive flood damage from Tropical Storm Irene in good part on U-W’s delayed release of water from Lake DeForest as the storm approached.
STATE OFFERS NEW FLOOD DAMAGE AID TO RESIDENTS, BUSINESSES
Mulhearn reportedly will also discuss legal options for residents who suffered flood damage. This comes as Governor Cuomo pledges an additional $3-million in state aid for homes and businesses damaged during Irene. The funds will come in the form of grants to counties including Rockland. They’re aimed at helping businesses pay for storm-related repairs, lost equipment and inventory, and helping residents replace damaged furnaces.
CUOMO ASSAILED ON SCHOOL FUNDING
Governor Cuomo is under fire from a labor-friendly education advocacy group. The Alliance for Quality Education says funding cuts during Cuomo’s first year in office unfairly targeted New York’s neediest schools. According to the alliance report, the state’s wealthiest schools lost $269 per pupil in funding this year, while the poorest schools lost more than twice that: $547 per pupil. A Cuomo spokesman challenges the report, and dismisses the Alliance as simply “a group funded by the teachers’ union.”
HAVERSTRAW TOWN EMPLOYEE SUES OVER ALLEGED SEXUAL HARASSMENT
A woman employed by the Town of Haverstraw reportedly is suing a male co-worker for alleged sexual harassment. According to the Journal News, the unidentified woman claims the co-worker, Stephen Loblanco, repeatedly made sexually-explicit comments to her throughout this year. Also named as a defendant in the suit is the town itself, which the woman says failed to act on her complaints about Loblanco. Haverstraw Town Attorney William Stein denies that charge. Loblanco also faces misdemeanor criminal charges in the case.
11-16-11
HAVERSTRAW, ORANGETOWN BUDGETS APPROVED
The last two of Rockland’s 2012 town budgets have been approved, one of them after a vote to over-ride Governor Cuomo’s 2% property-tax cap. That was Haverstraw’s $37-million budget, approved Monday, raising taxes by 2.9%. Haverstraw Supervisor Howard Phillips told WRCR listeners this morning it came to a choice between the higher tax and painful cutbacks including police layoffs and the closing of Bowline Park. Phillips says about three-quarters of the town’s $2-million spending increase for next year was mandated by the state.
The Orangetown Town Board approved a trimmed-down town budget last night, keeping it just within Cuomo’s tax-cap limits. The $64-million budget calls for a tax increase of 1.97%. It also manages to avoid police layoffs, but slashes the police budget by nearly $180,000.
VANDERHOEF TAKES HEAT AT COUNTY BUDGET HEARING
An overflow crowd filled the County Legislative chambers last night, to slam officials over proposed budget cuts and layoffs. Speaker after speaker at the public hearing urged the legislators to re-write County Executive Scott Vanderhoef’s proposed 2012 budget. The $701-million spending plan calls for well over 500 layoffs of county workers, and the possible loss of hundreds more with a closing of the county’s hospital complex at Summit Park. Vanderhoef himself took the brunt of the criticism for the budget deficit, which is heading upward from the current $52-million. Vanderhoef has turned much of the criticism toward Albany, citing a pullback of state funds in general and the Cuomo tax cap in particular. The county legislators have about three weeks to approve or amend the budget. Or they can simply not vote on it, in which case it goes into effect automatically.
ABSENTEE BALLOTS LEAVE RESULTS OF THREE CLOSE RACES UNCHANGED
Orangetown Supervisor Paul Whalen’s narrow re-election defeat was affirmed yesterday when absentee ballots were opened. The final count left Whalen about 240 votes short of now-supervisor-elect Andrew Stewart. Two other incumbents in the county squeaked back into office after the absentee count. Stony Point Town Board member James White wound up about 70 votes ahead of challenger Edward Onderdonk. And in Spring Valley, incumbent trustee Anthony Leon held his seat, beating challenger Moshe Hopstein by about 120 votes.
STALKING OF PEARL RIVER H.S. STUDENT REPORTED
Parents in Pearl River have been warned of a possible child-stalking incident. Officials say a Pearl River high school girl was followed by a masked man last Friday on a hiking trail outside the district middle school. The girl reportedly made her way to safety without incident, and no suspect has been identified. This comes only a few days after a Mahwah, New Jersey teen allegedly was accosted by a man in a car who offered her $1,000 to get into the vehicle – an offer she turned down.
11-15-11
CARLUCCI: VETERANS’ JOB PROSPECTS TO IMPROVE IN N.Y.S.
State Senator David Carlucci says returning war veterans in New York State can look forward to better job prospects than they’ve had. Carlucci told WRCR listeners this morning the unemployment rate for veterans in New York is twice the national average – but that a new campaign launched by Governor Cuomo should improve that picture. Carlucci says the campaign, called “Experience Counts,” is aimed at helping veterans use the skills they learned in the military to find better civilian jobs. And, for his part, Carlucci has introduced legislation in the State Senate to give tax credits to businesses for employing veterans.
CLARKSTOWN OFFICIALS: TOWN TAX-RATE INCREASE TO BE SLIMMER THAN EXPECTED
Clarkstown officials say they under-estimated the amount of revenue the town will take in next year by some $350,000. And that cuts the projected 2012 tax-rate increase from .8% to .44%. If the proposed $130-million budget is approved, the average Clarkstown homeowner will pay about $12.30 more next year, instead of the $23.00 increase initially estimated. Town officials say the new-found revenues will come from increased mortgage-tax collections.
ORANGETOWN LOOKING TO CUT $2.5-MILLION FROM PROPOSED BUDGET
The Oangetown town board meets again tonight in an effort to cut some $2.5-million from next year’s budget. The board voted last Wednesday not to break Governor Cuomo’s 2% property tax cap. And it began discussions last night on how to bring Orangetown’s projected $65-million budget in line with that. Among the spending cuts officials are considering are some $300,000 from the highway department and more than $600,000 from the town police department.
NYACK TO WATER CUSTOMERS: RUN TAP WATER BEFORE DRINKING
Nyack residents using the village water supply are being advised to run their tap water for 15-to-30 seconds before drinking it. Officials say elevated levels of lead have been found in more than 20% of the homes tested. They say the lead is not in the water supply itself, but in the homes’ plumbing and street-connection lines. Some 15,000 customers tap into the village supply. It’s not clear how long the “run-your-tap-water” advisory will last. Officials say boiling the water won’t help, since boiling doesn’t affect lead levels, and that using water from the hot-water tap could actually hurt, since hot water draws even more lead from plumbing as it passes through.
11-14-11
PUBLIC HEARING ON COUNTY BUDGET SLATED FOR TOMORROW
The Rockland County budget goes before the County Legislature and the public tomorrow night. The $701-million budget, offered up by County Executive Scott Vanderhoef, stays within Governor Cuomo’s 2% tax-increase limit, but at a cost of more than 500 jobs. Those layoffs, along with the proposed slashing of several popular programs, is expected to dominate the public-comment part of the hearing. Vanderhoef and the legislators have been trading accusations over responsibility for cutting the county’s $52-million deficit. Tomorrow’s hearing at the County Office Building in New City, starts at 7 p.m.
SUSPECTS SOUGHT IN SERIES OF WEEKEND ROBBERIES
An early-morning robbery call yesterday brought Clarkstown police to Second Avenue in Nanuet. A resident there reported being robbed at gunpoint outside his car after returning from work. The thief, described as a black man wearing dark clothing and carrying a handgun, got away with an undisclosed amount of cash.
This came shortly after two thieves were reported to have tried to rob a man outside the Chase Bank in Hillcrest, where the victim had just made an ATM withdrawal. Ramapo police say the men, described as Hispanics in their 20’s, fled by car, empty-handed, after two employees of a nearby business came out and broke up the robbery.
And Ramapo police are investigating a Sunday purse-snatching, as well. The victim, a woman, reportedly was approached on the street in the Spring Valley area by a man who grabbed her purse and made off with it on foot. The purse reportedly contained an undisclosed amount of cash. The thief is described as a thin, white male about six-feet tall, who was wearing a black jacket and black pants at the time.
ARMED MAN ARRESTED ON T-Z BRIDGE TALKED OF JUMPING
Saturday morning brought state police to the Tappan Zee Bridge, where a Congers man apparently was considering a suicide leap. The man, whose name was not released, reportedly had driven back and forth on the bridge several times, and finally ran out of gas in a Rockland-bound lane. When Thruway employees arrived with gas to refill his tank, the man reportedly told them he intended to jump or shoot himself with a handgun, which was later found in the car. The man was taken to Westchester Medical Center for observation. He faces charges including possession of a stolen car -- the one he was driving -- which he reportedly told police he had taken from a friend in Suffern.
LONG-TIME RAMAPO POLICE CHIEF JOSEPH MIELE DIES AT 84
A funeral mass is scheduled tomorrow at St. Joan of Arc Church in Sloatsburg for retired Ramapo Police Chief Joseph Miele. The 84-year-old Miele died Friday at Good Samaritan Hospital, days after suffering a stroke. Miele retired in 1997 after serving 47 years on the Ramapo force, 33 of those years as chief. He’ll be buried tomorrow at Marycrest Cemetery in Mahwah following the 10 a.m. mass in Sloatsburg.
11-11-11
VANDERHOEF, LEGISLATURE SPAR OVER BUDGET WOES
The County Legislature is accusing County Executive Scott Vandrehoef of spending county funds without the legislators’ approval, in violation of the County Charter. The accusation comes in response to a recent state audit of Rockland finances. The audit identified several factors contributing to the County’s more-than-$50-million budget gap. But the legislators say it should have directly criticized Vanderhoef for moving funds between accounts without their say-so. Speaking this morning on WRCR, Vanderhoef said he was surprised by the finger-pointing, since the county charter holds both the Executive and the Legislature responsible for budget matters.
DRUG RAIDS NAB 12 IN ROCKLAND
Drug raids throughout Rockland yesterday resulted in 12 arrests. Police say most of those collared in the early-morning raids were under the age of 22. Among the substances they’re accused of selling are prescription drugs. Prosecutors say the home medicine cabinet is increasingly a starting point for drug trafficking by young people.
VETERANS HONORED IN ROCKLAND TODAY …
Today is Veterans Day. The village of Suffern held its annual parade this morning. And ceremonies were scheduled at several other locations in Rockland, including Piermont, Sparkill, Tappan, Garnerville, West Nyack, and Rockland Community College.
… AND TOMORROW
A memorial to the four Rocklanders killed in the Iraq War will be dedicated tomorrow in Haverstraw. It’ll take place at the ball field named after the FIRST of those to die, Army Corporal Manny Lopez of Haverstraw. The three others to be honored: Army Captain Phillip Esposito of Suffern, Army Specialist Justin Garcia of Valley Cottage, and Marine Corporal Steve Vahaviolos of Airmont – all killed in the line of duty in Iraq.
ROCKLAND ARMY UNIT HEADS FOR AFGHANISTAN
As the Iraq War winds down, American troops continue to be sent to Afghanistan, among them the Army’s 668th Engineer Company, located in Orangeburg. A send-off ceremony was held yesterday at the Crowne Plaza hotel in Montebello. The unit heads out today for Fort Bliss, Texas, where it’ll train for the next month before deployment to Afghanistan.
11-10-11
ORANGETOWN TO KEEP TAX INCREASE BELOW 2% CAP
The Orangetown Town Board has voted to keep the town budget in compliance with Governor Cuomo’s 2% tax cap. The board voted 3-2 last night not to break through the cap – a surprise move, since town officials had been saying a tax-increase of up to seven percent might be needed to balance the budget. As it stands now, the town must trim just under $2.5-million in spending from the proposed $65-million budget in order to comply with the cap. The deadline for that is a week from tomorrow, November 18th. By the way, last night’s budget hearing in Orangetown was Paul Whalen’s last as Supervisor. He lost his re-election bid on Tuesday to Democrat Andrew Stewart.
STONY POINT’S SHERWOOD: CONSERVATIVE ENDORSEMENT DECISIVE IN OPPONENT FINN’S VICTORY
Stony Point’s William Sherwood is the other incumbent supervisor in Rockland to be defeated on Election Day. Asked about HIS loss, Sherwood told WRCR listeners this morning he thinks the vote was less about local issues than about party-line voting. And, he said, the party line that counted in Stony Point was the Conservative line. Sherwood’s successful opponent, Democrat Geoffrey Finn, got the Conservative Party endorsement this year.
LEON NEEDS ONE ABSENTEE VOTE TO RETURN TO SPRING VALLEY BOARD
One Democrat who won on Tuesday unofficially will have to wait until next week to claim victory. And that seems almost certain for Anthony Leon in his re-election bid for Spring Valley village trustee. When the more than 3,000 Election Day ballots were counted, Leon was 68 votes ahead of challenger Moshe Hopstein. That’s a narrow margin normally but one not likely to be reversed in this case, since there are exactly 68 absentee ballots outstanding. So, if just one of them goes his way, Leon is back in office. Election officials will open those ballots next Tuesday.
RECALL OF TAINTED CHICKEN LIVERS TOUCHES FOUR ROCKLAND STORES
Four Ramapo food businesses are among those that sell a brand of kosher chicken livers that have been tainted with salmonella. More than 50 people in New York City have come down with salmonella poisoning after eating broiled chicken livers prepared at the MealMart Company in Maspeth, Queens. There have been no cases reported here in Rockland. But county health officials say they’re making sure the four local establishments comply with a recall of those chicken livers. The four are Kosher Castle and Nussy’s Cuisine in Monsey and two in Wesley Hills, the Wesley Kosher Supermarket and Meal Market Wesley.
11-09-11
DEMOCRATS ROMP IN ROCKLAND ELECTIONS
Democrats are the big winners in Rockland. All five town supervisors are now Democrats, after voters in Orangetown and Stony Point ousted their Republican supervisors, both after one term. Incumbent District Attorney Thomas Zugibe is back for a second term. Fellow-Democrat Louis Falco is Rockland’s new sheriff after winning a three-way race to succeed the retiring James Kralik. Democrat Sherri Eisenpress won her three-way race for county family-court judge.
LEGISLATURE GETS FOUR NEW MEMBERS
The County Legislature remains in Democratic hands – with an 11-6 majority – after all but one incumbent who ran for re-election won. In that contest, Democrat Aron Wieder toppled Republican Jacques Michel. Four other newcomers were elected to the legislature – Democrats Toney Earl, Aney Paul and Nancy Low-Hogan, and Republican Christopher Carey. Returning incumbents include Democrats Michael Grant, Jay Hood, Ilan Schoenberger, Alden Wolfe, Philip Soskin, Harriet Cornell and Joseph Meyers, and Republicans Ed Day, John Grant, Douglas Jobson, Patrick Moroney, and Frank Sparaco.
BOTH REPUBLICAN SUPERVISORS LOSE RE-ELECTION BIDS
Orangetown voters gave a narrow victory to Andrew Stewart in his bid to topple Republican Supervisor Paul Whalen. Stony Point voters made their Republican Supervisor, William Sherwood, a one-termer, handing Democratic challenger Geoffrey Finn a solid victory. The county’s three incumbent Democratic supervisors – Alex Gromack in Clarkstown, Howard Phillips in Havrestraw and Christopher St. Lawrence in Ramapo – all were handily re-elected.
LAIRD-WHITE TOPPLES NYACK MAYOR KAVESH
One big upset on the village level: In Nyack, newcomer Jen Laird-White – a Democrat – toppled incumbent mayor Richard Kavesh. Suffern’s incumbent mayor, Democrat Dagan LaCorte, won re-election – as did Democratic incumbents Michael Kohut in the village of Haverstraw and John Ramundo in West Haverstraw.
BALLARD BACK, ETELSON OUT
In two other closely-watched races, Clarkstown voters re-elected highway superintendent Wayne Ballard. And Ramapo voters handed long-time Town Justice Arnold Etelson a re-election DEFEAT at the hands of Alan Simon.
BOULDERS’ 2012 SEASON OPENS MAY 25TH
The Rockland Boulders have announced their 2012 schedule. Opening Day at Provident Bank Park is May 25th, Rockland hosting the New Jersey Jackals. That’s the first of 48 home games on the schedule -- among them, holiday contests on Memorial Day, July Fourth and Labor Day weekends. The Boulders went 40-and-52 this year in their inaugural season.
11-08-11
ELECTION DAY: ALL TOWN SUPERVISOR, COUNTY LEGISLATIVE SEATS UP FOR VOTES
All five of Rockland’s town supervisors are up for re-election, four of them against challengers and Haverstraw’s Howard Phillips running unopposed. All 17 county legislative seats are on the line, 13 of them in contested races. Town and village trustee seats are up throughout Rockland, as well, along with races for town clerks, judgeships and highway superintendents. At the county level, District Attorney Thomas Zugibe is unopposed for re-election, and there are three-way races for sheriff and family court judge.
CARLUCCI WANTS NEW EMPLOYMENT BENEFITS FOR VETERANS
Friday is Veterans Day. State Senator David Carlucci says more must be done for our returning vets, who face, among other things, an unemployment rate of some 30% -- more than three times the national average. Carlucci told WRCR listeners this morning he’s sponsoring legislation that would give incentives to employers for hiring veterans. And he’s working on legislation to give tax credits to vets unemployed for more than 60 days.
MAN DANGLES FROM T-Z IN BIZARRE PROTEST
Television viewers all over the region watched a bizarre scene play out at the Tappan Zee Bridge yesterday. All eyes were trained not on a jumper but on a hanger. A Garnerville man, 54-year-old Michael Davitt was the star – after lowering himself from the bridge on a rope, and dangling there for more than three and a-half hours. A protest sign hung beneath Davitt, accusing Rockland County officials of a “cover up” and “retaliation.” Of and for what were not clear. But Davitt reportedly has had a history of problems since losing his job at the county mental health department three years ago.
SENIOR CITIZEN SPARED IN APPARENT SUICIDE ATTEMPT
In the town of Ramapo, a mentally disabled senior housing resident is recovering from a reported suicide attempt. An attorney for 55-year-old Stephen Ripanti says his client overdosed on an unspecified drug last Thursday after a judge ordered him evicted from his apartment at the Spook Rock senior-citizen complex. Police say Ripanti has had a history of unruly and even violent behavior for several years.
11-07-11
MONSEY BOY HIT BY VAN DIES OF INJURIES
A young Monsey boy hit by a van near his Decatur Avenue home over the weekend has died. Ramapo police say the boy – nine-year-old Moishe Gruber, was struck at about 8:30 a.m. yesterday as he ran into the street toward a school bus. Gruber was taken by ambulance to Westchester Medical Center with severe head trauma. Doctors there say he died of his injuries at about 3:30 this morning. Police investigating the death say no charges are likely to be filed against the driver of the van.
ELECTION DAY RUNDOWN
Tomorrow is Election Day. The big, county-wide contests are for Sheriff, District Attorney and Family Court Judge. All 17 county legislative seats are up. So are all five town supervisor posts. There are town board, clerk, justice and highway superintendent race in all five towns, and contests for village mayor and trustees as well.
District Attorney Thomas Zugibe is running unopposed for re-election. Three candidates square off for Sheriff: Louis Falco, Timothy O’Neill and Matthew Brennan. The three-way race for county Family Court Judge pits Sherri Eisenpress against Karen Riley and Paul Chiaramonte.
In Clarkstown, incumbent Supervisor Alex Gromack faces a challenge from Ralph Sabatini. And Clarkstown voters will pick or help-pick winners in six county legislative races.
In Haverstraw, Supervisor Howard Phillips is unopposed for re-election. And there are contests for two seats on the County Legislature. In the village of Haverstraw, Mayor Michael Kohut is being challenged by Christopher Ernst.
In Orangetown, Andrew Stewart tries to block Supervisor Paul Whalen’s re-election bid. And voters there will fill three county legislative seats. Nyack Mayor Richard Kavesh takes on challenger Jennifer White. Piermont Mayor Christopher Sanders is unopposed.
In Ramapo, there’s a three-way race for Supervisor, as incumbent Christopher St. Lawrence takes on Robert Rhodes and Marino Fontana. And Ramapo voters will settle or help-settle five county legislative races. Suffern Mayor Dagan LaCorte takes on challenger Joseph Brennan.
In Stony Point, Geoffrey Finn challenges the re-election bid of Supervisor William Sherwood. And there are races for two posts on the county legislature.
Polls across Rockland open at 6 a.m. tomorrow. They close at 9 p.m. If you’re not sure where your polling place is, call the county Board of Elections at 638-5172.
11-04-11
O&R: COUNTY MOSTLY BACK ON-LINE AFTER STORM
The lights are back on in most of the Rockland homes darkened by last Saturday’s snowstorm. As of this morning, some 4,000 Orange & Rockland customers here were still without power. That’s way down from the 20-to-30,000 that were off-line for five days. O&R calls the October snowstorm its worst event ever, in terms of downed power lines and outages. But that’s not softening criticism of the utility, partly over the slow recovery, but more-so over what’s seen as O&R’s poor post-storm communications with the public. Demonstrators rallied outside the utility’s Spring Valley headquarters for a second day yesterday. And there are increasing calls for the Public Service Commission to investigate O&R’s response to the storm.
CLARKSTOWN SCHOOL BOARD CRITICIZED AFTER SPECIAL MEETING
Dissention on the Clarkstown Board of Education deepened yesterday at a special meeting called to deal with it. So did public criticism of the board, after it voted to use public funds to defend two board members from efforts to oust them. At issue is whether the two, Douglas Katz and Phillip DeGaetano, offered to buy out the contract of schools superintendent Margaret Keller-Cogan without board approval.
JUDGE HEARS PRE-TRIAL TESTIMONY IN INFANT BEATING-DEATH CASE
Pre-trial testimony is under way in the case of a Haverstraw couple accused of beating their five-month-old daughter to death. The two, 42-year-old Michael Avilas and 23-year-old Lissette Capellan, were charged last January after the child died at Nyack Hospital of multiple injuries including a fractured skull. County Court Judge William Nelson is hearing testimony to decide whether initial statements Avilas and Capellan gave to investigators can be used at trial. Also to be decided is whether the two will be tried together or separately.
ANOTHER TEEN ARRESTED IN STONY POINT BURGLARIES CASE
Stony Point police say more arrests may come in connection with a string of burglaries and vandalism in the town. A seventh teen-ager was arrested in the case Tuesday, a 17-year-old charged with criminal mischief. Police say the burglaries , which took place from this past August to October, targeted cars, primarily. The loot was mostly electronic equipment and some cash.
FOUR CHARGED WITH SHOPLIFTING AT KOHL’S
And Clarkstown police have charged four people with grand larceny in a shoplifting case. The four, including three Haverstraw residents, were arrested Wednesday, allegedly after stealing more than $1,000 worth of clothes from the Kohls department store in Nanuet.
11-03-11
O&R: SATURDAY’S STORM OUR “WORST EVENT EVER”
Orange & Rockland spokesperson Sophia Salis confirmed for WRCR listeners this morning what many already suspected: Last weekend’s snowstorm was O&R’s worst event ever, in terms of damage to the system. It’s Day Five of the storm recovery, and thousands of Rocklanders are still without electricity. The outage has apparently caused its first death in the county. And frustration and anger, particularly at O&R, are boiling over – among residents and local officials.
STORM TOLL: ONE DEAD IN CHESTNUT RIDGE FROM CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING
The body of a Chestnut Ridge man was found yesterday inside his home on Wilshire Drive, a victim of carbon monoxide poisoning. Ramapo police say 59-year-old Norman Durham apparently died of fumes from a generator being used to heat the house. If so, Durham is the first Rockland resident to die as a result of Saturday’s snowstorm. Eight people in Spring Valley, including six children, were taken to Nyack Hospital on Monday for treatment of carbon monoxide poisoning. Four Westchester County residents have died as a result of the storm – three in a car accident, one crushed by a fallen utility pole.
AS FRUSTRATION BUILDS, FINGERS POINT TO O&R
Here in Rockland, O&R says 90% of the 20,000-or-so homes knocked off-line by the storm will be back on-line by midnight tonight. That’s a day later than the original target, and frustration is building. A second protest demonstration is slated this afternoon outside O&R’s headquarters in Spring Valley. Ramapo Supervisor Christopher St. Lawrence has called on the Public Service Commission to deny the utility’s latest request for a rate-increase. And Clarkstown’s Alex Gromack is calling for a P.S.C. investigation of what he calls O&R’s “incompetence” and “utter ineffectiveness.”
NYACK SCHOOLS TO OPEN ON ELECTION DAY TO MAKE UP FOR SNOW CLOSING
Students at Nyack schools won’t get Election Day off this year. District officials say the schools will be in session next Tuesday – to make up for their closing on Monday due to the weekend storm.
POLICE: PALISADES MALL DEATH AN APPARENT SUICIDE
A young Spring Valley man was found dead early yesterday at the Palisades Mall, apparently a suicide. Clarkstown police say the 23-year-old man, whose name was not immediately released, apparently jumped to his death from a fourth-floor atrium railing. His body was discovered at about 5:30 a.m. by a mall employee arriving at work. Police say the man was a musician with medical problems but no apparent history of depression. His is the third death-by-jumping case at the Palisades Mall since it opened more than a decade ago.
11-02-11
O&R: POWER RESTORATION GOING MORE SLOWLY THAN ANTICIPATED
The job of clearing limbs and restoring power lines after last Saturday’s nor’easter is going more slowly than expected. Orange and Rockland now says it’ll have most of the homes that lost electricity back on line by midnight Thursday night – a day later than at first promised. As of this morning, just over 21,000 customers in Rockland were still without power. O&R spokesperson Sophia Salis says the number of homes without electricity actually grew a bit as areas were taken off-line temporarily during the repairs. Speaking this morning on WRCR, Salis placed the number of workers on this restoration job at 1,750.
Most of the schools in Rockland that were closed Monday and yesterday re-opened today. And temperatures in the upper 50’s are expected to melt away all but the highest MOUNDS of plowed snow. But with thousands still without power, most of the warming centers set up on Monday will stay open. And Orange and Rockland will continue to distribute ICE today at Provident Bank Park – WET ice from 2-4 p.m., and DRY ice from 6-8 p.m.
ST. LAWRENCE TO P.S.C.: O&R HASN’T EARNED A RATE HIKE
Ramapo Supervisor Christopher St. Lawrence says Orange and Rockland doesn’t deserve a rate hike this year. In a letter to the Public Service Commission, St. Lawrence says he’s “appalled” by the slow pace of the power-restoration and “deeply disturbed” by O&R’s failure to communicate with the public. He wants the PSC to hold back on O&R’s request for a $25-million rate increase until there’s a thorough investigation of its performance in this storm situation.
TWO STABBED, ONE CHARGED IN STONY POINT FIGHT
A Stony Point man remains in county jail after his arrest over the weekend for stabbing two men during a fight. Police say 25-year-old Gregory Michel stabbed one of the men in his neck and the other in his arm. The fight broke out early Saturday morning outside a Stony Point restaurant where Michel and his alleged victims were attending a Halloween party. Michel is charged with assault and weapons possession. The man stabbed in his neck was admitted to Nyack Hospital. It’s not clear what started the fight.
11-01-11
SOME SCHOOLS STAY CLOSED, STILL WITHOUT POWER
The cleanup from Saturday’s nor’easter continues. Highway and utility crews are out for a fourth day, clearing fallen limbs and downed power lines. Thousands of Rockland homes and businesses are still without electricity, as are a number of schools. That gave students in East Ramapo, North Rockland, Clarkstown and at Rockland B.O.C.E.S. a second straight day off today. Scores of roads throughout the county remain closed – blocked by trees and, in some cases, power lines still alive and sparking. That dangerous situation kept thousands of would-be Halloween trick-or-treaters home last night.
Orange and Rockland says most of the 20,000-or-so homes without power in the county will be back on-line by midnight tomorrow, the rest by midnight Friday. Meanwhile, residents are growing increasingly impatient. An O&R spokesman says the utility has received as many customer phone calls as it did two months ago during Tropical Storm Irene.
Warming centers for people without heat in their homes have been opened in several Rockland locations, including the RCC Fieldhouse. And O&R began distributing dry ice last night at Provident Bank Park.
There have been no storm-related deaths or serious injuries in Rockland. But the death toll in Westchester is now listed as four – this, after a woman’s body was found Sunday crushed to death under a utility pole in the village of Kent. Three people were killed Saturday in a White Plains car accident blamed on the storm.
For all of it, the white stuff will be gone from the ground by the end of the week. Sunny skies and temperatures in the 50’s returned today. And forecasters say readings on Thursday will top 60 degrees.
10-31-11
CLEANUP UNDER WAY AFTER STORM KNOCKS OUT POWER TO THOUSANDS IN ROCKLAND
Thousands of homes in Rockland are still without power after the weekend snowstorm. Orange and Rockland says most of them will have service restored by midnight Wednesday, the rest by midnight Friday. In the meantime, warming shelters are being opened throughout the county for people who’ve been waiting in their heatless homes for power to return. In Ramapo, the centers are located at the St. Lawrence Center in Hillburn, Suffern Village Hall and Rockland Community College. Clarkstown shelters are at the Congers and Pascack Community Centers. In Stony Point – Row Cottage at Letchworth. And in Orangetown – South Nyack Village Hall. In addition, O&R will be distributing dry ice to residents from 7-9 p.m. today at Provident Bank Park.
Meanwhile, highway and utility crews are clearing the roadways of tree limbs brought down by Saturday’s wet, heavy snow. All of Rockland’s public school districts called off classes today, as fallen limbs left roads impassable across the county.
The amount of property damage from the early storm is still unknown. No fatalities were reported in Rockland County, but three people were killed in White Plains Saturday, in a car accident blamed on the storm. Officials are urging residents to stay clear of downed power lines, on the roadways and elsewhere – and to assume that all such lines are live. Of special concern is the fact that tonight is Halloween night, and young trick-or-treaters need to be kept away from those downed wires. All in all, some six inches of snow fell on Rockland in Saturday’s nor’easter.
LAST DAY TO FILE IRENE DAMAGE CLAIMS
Today is the deadline for filing damage claims from Tropical Storm Irene. The late-August storm unleashed rivers of flood-water, swamping homes and businesses throughout the county. Damage claims should be made to FEMA – and again, today is the last day to do so. FEMA’s help-line is 1-800-621-FEMA. That’s 1-800-621-3362.
WESLEY HILLS WOMAN CHARGED IN KNIFE ATTACK ON FAMILY MEMBERS
A Wesley Hills woman faces attempted murder charges after a weekend knife attack on members of her own family. Ramapo police arrested 23-year-old Alicia Singh early Saturday morning after being called to the family’s home on Park Terrace. No one was injured in the alleged attack. No motive was given.
10-28-11
VANDERHOEF ON T-Z PLAN: WON’T WORK WITHOUT MASS TRANSIT COMPONENT
County Executive Scott Vanderhoef says the Tappan-Zee bridge replacement plans, as outlined, are a good start but won’t meet the region’s needs. In a statement delivered last night at a “scoping session” in West Nyack, Vanderhoef said Rocklanders won’t benefit much from a new bridge that has no mass transit component. The plans call for a two-span, eight-lane bridge with breakdown shoulders and the capability for adding commuter bus and rail components later on. Vanderhoef said those mass-transit elements are needed now, to bring down both air pollution and commuter travel times.
VANDERHOEF: SUMMIT PARK PATIENTS WILL BE TAKEN CARE OF EVEN IF HOSPITAL CLOSES
Vanderhoef also commented this morning on another critical matter -- the proposed county budget he sent the county legislature this week. In addition to wide-ranging job cuts, it calls for a close-down of the county-run hospital complex at Summit Park. That would eliminate hundreds of jobs. But it also has people wondering about the fate of Summit Park’s patients. Vanderhoef assured WRCR listeners that, by law, the County must make sure those patients are taken care of. But he added, he still hopes the county legislature will agree to his earlier proposal to sell Summit Park to a public benefit corporation. If so, he said, the patients would stay where they are. The legislature has until December 7th to approve, revise or reject Vanderhoef’s $701-million budget.
SNOWY SATURDAY, SUNNY SUNDAY ARE FORECAST
The weather returns to the front page, with winter’s first blast heading for the region tomorrow. Here in Rockland, Mark Hanok is calling for two to four inches of snow. Other forecasts say areas to the north and west – and even at higher elevations here -- could wind up with as much as six inches. All of this comes as temperatures tomorrow drop into the 30’s. But forecasters say it’ll all be over by Sunday, when sunshine and temperatures in the 50’s will return.
TWO MORE TEENS ARRESTED IN STONY POINT BURGLARY SPREE
Stony Point police have made two more arrests in connection with a burglary-and-vandalism spree in the town. That brings to six the number of teen-agers charged so far in the spree, which began in August. Police say the investigation continues and more arrests could be made.
CONGERS MAN ACQUITTED OF MOLESTING TWO YOUNG GIRLS
A county court jury yesterday found a Congers man not guilty of molesting two young girls. Forty-one year-old Michael Toomey had been accused of touching the nine- and 11-year old girls inappropriately on several occasions. Toomey Aacknowledged the touching incidents but said they were accidental. After the not-guilty verdict, D.A. Thomas Zugibe said the conflicting testimony from the girls and Toomey probably left jurors with “reasonable doubt” about what actually happened.
10-27-11
T-Z BRIDGE PLANS UNVEILED TODAY AT PALISADES CENTER MALL
Plans for the Tappan-Zee bridge replacement project are being unveiled in Rockland today. The so-called “scoping session” runs from 4-9 p.m. in the Adler Room at the Palisades Center Mall. County Legislative chair Harriet Cornell will be among those who’ll voice concerns to project officials. She told WRCR listeners this morning one concern is the fact that the new plan would put off indefinitely any placement of commuter rail tracks on the new bridge. That, said Cornell, would be a costly mistake since tomorrow’s price tag on the work would surely be higher than today’s.
NEW SQUARE ARSON SUSPECT CHARGED WITH VIOLATING STAY-AWAY ORDER
The young man charged with setting a New Square man on fire earlier this year has been arrested again, this time for violating an order to stay away from the man’s home. Ramapo police say a photograph of 18-year-old Shaul Spitzer walking past the Truman Avenue home of fire victim Aron Rottenberg on October 4th led, after an investigation, to Spitzer’s arrest yesterday. He was released on prior bail posted after his arrest for attempted murder in the alleged May 22nd arson attack. Rottenberg, who’s recovering from extensive burns, claims he was targeted by Spitzer on behalf of New Square’s grand rabbi, David Twerski, for not attending the village’s main synagogue. Spitzer is scheduled to appear in state supreme court in the arson case on January 11th.
WOULD-BE T-Z JUMPER RESCUED AFTER SLASHING SELF
State police rescued a knife-wielding would-be jumper on the Tappan Zee Bridge yesterday evening. The unidentified Connecticut man reportedly was tasered and pulled from the rail after he began cutting himself. He was taken to Westchester Medical Center for treatment of superficial wounds. Police say he gave no reason for his actions.
SCHUMER IN TAPPAN FOR HOMES FOR HEROES GROUND-BREAKING
Construction on Rockland’s Homes for Heroes project gets under way following today’s ground breaking ceremony. Senator Charles Schumer came to Tappan for the 10:45 a.m. event, to turn the first shovel. The project will eventually provide 52 apartments for homeless veterans from throughout the Hudson Valley. Schumer was instrumental in keeping Homes for Heroes alive despite delays and funding shortfalls. The project was spearheaded locally by County Legislator John Murphy.
REPORT: ONE IN TEN ROCKLAND MOSQUITOES TESTED POSITIVE FOR WEST NILE VIRUS
More than 10% of the mosquitoes in Rockland County reportedly carry the West Nile virus. The Journal News says that figure comes from county health department records on the past year’s mosquito testing. Despite the finding, there were no confirmed West Nile cases in Rockland this year. Three people were infected in Westchester. And two of the 40 people who contracted the virus state-wide died.
10-26-11
T-Z BRIDGE PLAN GETS MIXED REVIEWS FROM LOCAL OFFICIALS
Rockland officials are weighing in on plans for the new Tappan Zee Bridge. The plans got their first public once-over yesterday in Tarrytown. And they’ll be unveiled in Rockland tomorrow. The now-$5.2-billion project, a scaled-down version of earlier models, is being fast-tracked by the Obama administration and could start as early as next August. The plans detailed yesterday show a bridge with separate spans for eastbound and westbound traffic. Room would be left for a commuter rail line, should that be added sometime in the future, but no tracks would be laid initially. Assemblywoman Ellen Jaffee told WRCR listeners this morning one certain benefit from the new bridge is the 20,000 or more jobs the project will generate. Haverstraw supervisor Howard Phillips told us that’s all well and good. But he said the scaled-down, no-train-line plan is way out of date. Phillips wants the bridge to connect to a commuter rail line on THIS side of the Hudson -- possibly along the Thruway corridor -- linking New York City and Albany. Tomorrow’s scoping session on the T-Z bridge plan is scheduled to run from 4-to-9 p.m. in the Adler Room at the Palisades Center Mall.
NANUET MALL PLANS GO TO CLARKSTOWN BOARD
Rocklanders get their first look at plans for the new Nanuet Mall today. Mall owner Simon Properties goes before the Clarkstown Planning Board to detail the site plan. It’s expected to show an outdoor, Main Street-type mall with sidewalks between stores. The current mall’s independent anchor stores – Sears and Macy’s – reportedly would remain in place.
CSEA: VANDERHOEF’S BUDGET A UNION-BUSTER
A spokesman for Rockland’s public employees union calls County Executive Scott Vanderhoef’s proposed 2012 budget a union-buster. The $701-million spending plan unveiled Monday calls for the elimination of some 800 county jobs, more than half of them at Summit Park Hospital, which would be closed. Local CSEA president P.T. Thomas says members of the union will meet tomorrow to map its strategy for saving those jobs. Some of them might be saved by the County Legislature, which has until December 7th to approve, revise or reject Vanderhoef’s budget.
TRAFFIC STOP LEADS TO BURGLARY ARRESTS IN STONY POINT
A traffic stop last Wednesday may have helped Stony Point police put an end to a months-long spate of burglaries in the town. Police say, when they pulled the car over, they recognized it from the description provided by a burglary victim. A search of the car reportedly turned up a quantity of marijuana, for which the teen-aged driver was charged. Further questioning of the driver led police to three other teens who they then charged, along with him, in connection with the string of burglaries.
COMMUTER BUS RIDES TO WALL STREET MOVING TO NEW STARTING POINT
Starting Monday, Rocklanders who commute by bus to Wall Street will do so from a different starting point. Shortline service to downtown Manhattan will move from the Exit-14 park-and-ride lot in Nanuet, two miles east to the Smith Street lot off Routes 59 and 304. Fleet owner Coach U.S.A. says the move was prompted by crowded conditions at the Exit-14 lot, which now will handle buses to midtown only.
10-25-11
VANDERHOEF BUDGET WOULD ELIMINATE 800 JOBS
County Executive Scott Vanderhoef has unveiled his proposed 2012 budget – and it won’t make many happy. The $701-million spending plan is about $7-million smaller than this year’s, and it would keep the property tax increase to 2%, in line with the Cuomo Cap. But it calls for the elimination of 800 jobs, more than half of them at Summit Park Hospital, which would be closed down. And each property owner in te county would pay a surcharge averaging about $160 to help pay off an $18-million loan in connection with that county-run facility. Vanderhoef outlined the budget plan at an afternoon news conference yesterday, before submitting it to the County Legislature.
TOURISM DEPARTMENT WOULD GO; MILLER WOULD STAY ON PAYROLL
No salary increases are included in Vanderhoef’s budget. But it would create one new position in the county finance department. And, as proposed, the job would go to C.J. Miller, who now heads the county tourism department, which would be de-funded under the austerity budget.
ORANGETOWN BUDGET CALLS FOR 7% TAX INCREASE; PFIZER TAX SETTLEMENT CITED
Two of Rockland’s five towns apparently can’t stay within the state’s property tax cap. The proposed budgets in Clarkstown, Ramapo and Stony Point do come in with increases under 2%. But Haverstraw officials are struggling to keep the tax increase there to single digits. And Orangetown’s spending plan would raise taxes by about 7%. Town officials tell the Journal News the increase is necessary to pay off a $2.4-million tax-settlement with Pfizer.
STATE JUDGE: RAMAPO WITHIN THE LAW IN APPROVING PATRICK FARM DEVELOPMENT
A state judge has thrown out three lawsuits aimed at stopping development of Ramapo’s Patrick Farm. Acting Supreme Court Justice Thomas Walsh says the town followed all land-use and environmental regulations when it approved the nearly-500-unit development outside Pomona. The ruling allows builders to start the permit process. Opponents of the development, including the village of Pomona, are expected to appeal Walsh’s decision.
SELF-DESCRIBED MONSEY “RABBI” CHARGED WITH SEXUALLY ABUSING TEEN
A Monsey man has been charged with sexually abusing a teen-age boy. Ramapo police say 58-year-old Moishe Turner engaged in sexual acts with the 14-year-old on seven occasions and may have abused other victims, as well. Turner, a self-described rabbi, is being held at County Jail on $75,000 bail. His attorney says he’ll plead not guilty when he appears in Town Court on Thursday.
STONY POINT TEEN ACCUSED OF RAPING 3-YEAR-OLD GIRL
In Stony Point, a 14-year-old boy is ACCUSED of raping a 3-year-old girl. Police say the attack took place locally but give no specifics on where or when. Neither the boy, who’s charged with first-degree rape,nor his alleged victim has been identified publicly.
10-24-11
VANDERHOEF TO UNVEIL HIS PROPOSED 2012 BUDGET
Rocklanders get a first look at County Executive Scott Vandrehoef’s proposed 2012 budget today. Vanderhoef submits the austerity plan to the County Legislature this evening after unveiling it at a press conference at his office. The package is expected to reflect his plans to meet a $50- to $100-million deficit. The legislators have been reluctant to consider any of Vanderhoef’s suggested program and spending cuts so far, saying they need first to hear more details on the county’s financial situation.
T-Z BRIDGE PLAN TO BE DETAILED PUBLICLY THIS WEEK
The new Tappan Zee Bridge plan goes before the public at a pair of forums – in Tarrytown on Tuesday and then, on Thursday, at the Palisades Center Mall. The $5.2-billion project is said to focus on the bridge’s replacement with a new, eight-lane span. It reportedly leaves space for a future commuter rail line, but, in a scale-back of original plans, won’t include the tracks themselves. The White House is making the T-Z project a top priority. Critics say it sounds more like an election-year make-work project that won’t do much for Rockland’s commuters.
PLANS FOR NEW NANUET MALL TO BE UNVEILED THIS WEEK
The public gets its first look at the new Nanuet Mall this week. Mall owner Simon Properties goes before the Clarkstown Planning Board on Wednesday to give details of the site plan. Earlier reports suggest the new mall will be of the outdoor-Main Street type with sidewalks between stores, which will lean toward the upscale. The target date for completion of the new mall is expected to be sometime in mid- or late-2013.
PRO-SANTANA RALLY SET FOR TONIGHT BEFORE EAST RAMAPO BOARD MEETING
Supporters of East Ramapo school administrator Pedro Santana will rally on his behalf this evening. Santana’s future with the district has been uncertain since he was reassigned to principal’s duty from his previous position as assistant superintendent. His supporters have
lashed out at the school board, citing Santana’s popularity with East Ramapo’s students and parents. Tonight’s rally, at the district administration building in Spring Valley, begins at 7 o’clock – a half-hour before the school board’s scheduled meeting.
SUSPECTS SOUGHT IN REPORTED BEATING-ROBBERY OF CAB DRIVER
Ramapo police are on the lookout for two suspects in a weekend taxi-cab robbery. It happened early Saturday morning. The cab driver says two passengers he picked up in Hillcrest turned violent when they arrived at their destination, assaulting the driver and making off with an undisclosed amount of cash. The driver was treated at the scene for minor injuries. The suspects got away on foot.
R.C.C. COLLEGE NIGHT TO DRAW MORE THAN 250 INSTITUTIONS, THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS
Representatives of more than 250 educational institutions will be at Rockland Community College tomorrow for RCC’s 39th annual College Night. The event is open to the public at no cost, and thousands of high school students from around the county are expected to attend. They’ll get on-site counseling and a range of financial-aid and other information about the colleges and technical schools taking part. The doors open at 7 p.m. tomorrow at the RCC fieldhouse. For more information, call 627-4784.
10-21-11
BUDGET HEADING TO LEGISLATURE; BATTLE WITH VANDERHOEF EXPECTED
County Executive Scott Vanderhoef submits his 2012 budget to the County Legislature next week – and a battle is expected over how to balance it. Vanderhoef says it can’t be done without cutting programs – even popular ones like the county’s Narcotics Task Force and Intelligence unit. Opposition to such cuts is coming from all quarters, including town governments, which are re-imbursed by the county for the use of town police on the drug and Intel units. Ramapo Supervisor Christopher St. Lawrence told WRCR listeners this morning it may be up to the people to demand that the legislators keep those units remain intact.
SIX-VEHICLE PILE-UP ON THRUWAY STALLS RUSH-HOUR TRAFFIC
The Ramapo ARM of the New York State Thruway continues to be a difficult and dangerous one for drivers. A six-vehicle accident just north of Exit 15-A in Sloatsburg tied up southbound traffic throughout much of this morning’s rush hour. At least one person was injured and taken to Good Samaritan Hospital for treatment.
An Orange County woman was killed on that same stretch of the Thruway yesterday when she slammed into a parked truck. State police say the 20-year-old woman, from Middletown, was heading north near Exit 15 when she suddenly swerved across two lanes of traffic and hit the truck, which was parked on the shoulder. The late-model Honda is said to have hit with such force that it lodged beneath the truck. The woman was pronounced dead at the scene. The truck driver was not injured. State Police are investigating the cause of the accident.
SEPTEMBER GAINS BRIGHTEN REGION’S EMPLOYMENT PICTURE
The jobs picture for the Lower Hudson Valley seems to be brightening. The state Labor Department says the region added some 8,000 private-sector jobs since September of last year. That’s a 1.7% improvement, as compared to a slight decline in employment the previous year. The biggest employment gains in the region were in the health-care and leisure-and-hospitalities sectors, with solid gains reported in a variety of others including retail trade. At the same time, there was a 9% DECLINE in computer-and-electronic manufacturing jobs. And the number of goverment employees in the region – local, state and federal – decreased by 800.
ENGEL, IN RAMAPO, SAYS WASHINGTON $$$ NEEDED FOR PUBLIC WORKS, JOBS CREATION
Congressman Eliot Engel says the federal goverment can help get people back to work with public works projects. Engel came to Rockland yesterday to draw attention to the region’s crumbling roads and bridges – and the need to repair them. Speaking at the site of Ramapo’s now-closed Montebello Road Bridge, Engel acknowledged that President Obama’s jobs bill is probably dead in Congress. But he said federal funding for projects like Montebello is still necessary and would be a boon to local employment.
10-20-11
MISSING NEW CITY TEACHING ASSISTANT FOUND – TIRED, WET, BUT SAFE
Missing educator Denise Gruffi has been found, alive and apparently well. The 57-year-old Gruffi, a teaching assistant at Link Elementary School in New City, had been last seen on Tuesday by her husband. She was found early this morning on a West Nyack street near the Lake Deforest dam. Clarkstown police say Gruffi was tired and wet but appeared unharmed. She was taken to Nyack Hospital to be treated for exposure. Gruffi’s husband reportedly told police that she had left a note indicating she might be suicidal.
COUNTY LEGISLATURE ASKS STATE TO MAKE WATER COMPANIES LIABLE IN SOME FLOOD CASES
Rockland County is asking New York State to make local water companies liable for flood damages that could have been prevented. The County Legislature approved the resolution this week – in response to the heavy damage caused by Tropical Storm Irene. United Water released millions of gallons of water from the Lake DeForest reservoir during the storm, flooding out scores of homes in West Nyack. Critics say the water company could have prevented much of the damage by acting sooner. The legislative resolution says holding United Water and other companies financially responsible in such cases could head off Irene-like devastation in the future.
RIVERSPACE SITE OWNER SUING NYACK, O’TOWN OVER JUNE FLOOD DAMAGE
The owner of Nyack’s Riverspace site reportedly is suing the village of Nyack and the town of Orangetown over flood damage. Heavy rains in June unleashed a tidal river that left the downtown Nyack arts center under seven feet of water. The Journal News says the lawsuit – by the owner of the strip mall that houses Riverspace – blames inadequate sewage and drainage systems for the devastation. And it calls on the town and village to buy the Riverspace building for what it calls a fair market price of $6.7-million.
N.R.C. FAST-TRACKING POST-FUKUSHIMA UP-GRADES AT INDIAN POINT
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission voted yesterday to fast-track improvements at Indian Point to meet post-Fukushima standards. The earthquake and tsunami that struck that Japanese nuclear plant last March left tens of thousands dead or homeless and spewed an as-yet-unknown amount of radiation into the atmosphere. An N.R.C. task force then found deficiencies throughout the U.S. nuclear grid in such things as emergency planning and evaluating earthquake risk. Several plants, including Indian Point, were targeted for improvements. The fast-tracking approved yesterday calls for those improvements to be made over the next five years.
INSPECTORS: RENOVATION WORK CAUSED FATAL ROOF COLLAPSE IN RAMAPO
It was the renovation itself that led to the collapse of a shed under repair that killed animal-welfare advocate Raymond Mundy. So say Ramapo officials after inspecting the site outside Mundy’s home where he died Sunday under the shed’s collapsed roof. The long-time president of the Hudson Valley Humane Society was working on the shed when it collapsed. Inspectors say the structure had been weakened by the removal of the sheathing that held it together. Funeral services are to be held for Mundy next week.
BRINKS TRAGEDY: 30 YEARS AGO TODAY
It was 30 years ago today that Nyack police officers Waverly Brown and Edward O’Grady were killed, gunned down by revolutionaries in the infamous Brinks robbery case. They’re being remembered at an afternoon ceremony today at the site of the shooting, the Thruway entrance on Mountain View Avenue in Central Nyack. Brinks guard Peter Paige was killed during the robbery itself, which led to the roadside confrontation in which Brown and O’Grady were shot to death.
10-19-11
COUNTY HIGHWAY SUPERINTENDENTS SPEAK OUT AGAINST CLARKSTOWN BALLOT ITEM
The county’s highway superintendents association has entered the fray over efforts to make that post in Clarkstown an appointed position. Town residents will vote in November on whether to depart from the standard practice of electing its highway superintendents. In a press release, the Association says the current system ensures the people’s right to keep or vote out a highway chief based on his or her performance. The release is signed by the superintendents of Haverstraw, Orangetown, Ramapo and Stony Point. The name of the one superintendent the ballot issue involves directly, Clarkstown’s Wayne Ballard, does not appear on the document.
GOOD SAM ELIMINATES 46 POSITIONS IN CORPORATE RE-STRUCTURE
Good Samaritan Hospital eliminated 46 staff positions yesterday in a re-structuring move by its parent company. A hospital spokesperson says most of the cuts involve management positions in accounting, house-keeping and other non-patient care services. The parent company, Bon Secours Charity Health System, eliminated a total of 150 positions yesterday throughout its three-hospital system. Its 3,400 person workforce at Good Sam makes it one of Rockland’s largest employers.
PROMINENT CIVIL SERVANT, ANIMAL ADVOCATE RAYMOND MUNDY, DIES IN YARD ACCIDENT
A shed collapse has claimed the life of prominent animal-welfare advocate Raymond Mundy. The 68-year-old Mundy – a long-time president of the Hudson Valley Humane Society -- was killed yesterday outside his Ramapo home when the roof of the shed he was dismantling came down upon him. His wife reportedly found his body pinned beneath the collapsed building. In addition to his work for animals, Mundy served on Ramapo’s Planning and Zoning boards for the past 20 years.
CLARKSTOWN TEACHING ASSISTANT MISSING; HUSBAND SAYS SHE LEFT NOTE
The search is on for a Clarkstown educator, a day after she went missing from her New City home. Police say 57-year-old Denise Gruffi – a teaching assistant at Link Elementary School in New City – was last seen yesterday morning. Her husband reportedly told police he found a note from Gruffi indicating she might be suicidal.
WRCR TO AIR DEBATES TONIGHT AND TOMORROW NIGHT
Tonight is the first of two consecutive Debate Nights here on WRCR. Candidates for Orangetown supervisor and town board square off at 7 p.m. at Orangetown town hall. Then, at the same time tomorrow night, we’ll be live in New City for Clarkstown’s candidate debate. Moderating both events will be Art Aldridge of Our Town newspapers, which set up the debates.
10-18-11
CLARKSTOWN H.S. STUDENTS’ ALLEGED DRINK-FUELED TRIP UNDER INVESTIGATION
A chartered bus was the scene of what’s reported to have been a wild party for students from Clarkstown North High School over the weekend. At least one teen reportedly was treated at a hospital for alcohol poisoning. Some 200 to 300 students were aboard several buses on the trip to Manhattan for a midnight cruise on the Hudson. One of the buses reportedly had to pull over en route to the city while students inside vomited. The privately-funded trip followed a home-coming-weekend dance at which, school officials say, all students were checked for sobriety. District Attorney Thomas Zugibe told WRCR listeners this morning a major focus for investigators now is whether any of the students’ parents supplied the teens with alcoholic beverages.
FIVE INJURED IN BUS-TRACTOR TRAILER COLLISION ON THRUWAY
There were no fatalities, but a number of people were seriously injured aboard a Trailways bus that collided with a tractor-trailer on the Thruway this morning. It happened sometime after 5 a.m. in the southbound lanes near Exit 15-A in Suffern – the bus, apparently rear-ending the truck. Several people had to be extricated from the bus. Five of them, the driver and four passengers, were seriously injured. The accident backed-up southbound traffic on the Thruway for five miles or more, and forced the shutdown of Exit 15-A for most of the morning. The bus was bound from Kingston for Manhattan. The cause of the collision is under investigation.
WOMAN FOUND DEAD IN HUDSON WAS ASSISTED LIVING RESIDENT
The woman whose body was discovered in the Hudson River in Haverstraw over the weekend has been identified. Haverstraw police say the death of 66-year-old Joanne DeLoatch, a resident of the Green Hills Estate assisted-living facility, appears to have been accidental or medically-related. A nine-year-old girl came upon DeLoatch’s body Sunday afternoon while playing with friends at Haverstraw’s Emeline Park.
10-17-11
WRCR TO CARRY ORANGETOWN, CLARKSTOWN DEBATES THIS WEEK
Several candidate debates are on tap this week here in Rockland. Stony Point candidates will debate tomorrow night at 7:30 in the Rho Building at Letchworth Village. Then come two debates to be broadcast live. Candidates for office in Orangetown square off Wednesday night – and those in Clarkstown, Thursday night. The moderator for each of those will be Art Aldrich of Our Town newspaper, which arranged the debates. And both will air live at 7 p.m. here on WRCR.
BODY FOUND IN HUDSON AT HAVERSTRAW PARK
The body of a middle-aged woman surfaced in the Hudson River in Haverstraw yesterday. A 9-year-old girl playing with her friends at Emeline Park discovered the body a few feet off the shoreline. Police say the body was clothed but carried no identification. The woman, described as about 5 feet tall and with a “medium” complexion, is believed to have been about 40 years old. Autopsy results are expected to show the cause of her death.
NANUET MAN CHARGED WITH RAPING 19-YEAR-OLD WOMAN
A Clarkstown man is accused of raping a 19-year-old woman in an early-morning attack last Thursday. Police say 25-year-old Mainor Lemus-Beza knew his victim, a waitress in Spring Valley, and had invited her out to breakfast when her late-night shift ended. But instead, they say, he drove the woman to his Nanuet apartment, where he raped her. She managed to flee afterwards and called police, who then arrested Lemus-Beza at his apartment. He reportedly had bite marks on his body consistent with the woman’s description. Lemus-Beza is charged with first-degree rape. He’s being held at County Jail on $250,000 bail.
10-14-11
VANDERHOEF QUESTIONS PROPOSED CAP ON COUNTY GASOLINE TAX
Drivers could see the price of a gallon drop a bit at Rockland gas stations. The County Legislature will vote Tuesday on a proposal to cap the county’s portion of the gasoline tax. The cap reportedly would save motorists ten cents or so per gallon at current prices. But County Executive Scott Vanderhoef says it could cost the county about $3-million a year in tax revenues. The legislation’s sponsor, Ed Day, says keeping Rocklanders in the county, rather than chasing them to the lower pump prices in New Jersey, would add to county coffers.
RAMAPO APPROVES $1.6-MILLION IN NEW PAYMENTS FOR WORK AT BALLPARK
The price tag for Provident Bank Park rose this week by $1.6-million. The Town of Ramapo approved payments totaling that amount to three firms, mostly for last-minute work on the ballpark. This brings the estimated cost of the stadium to just under $40-million. The work involved a retaining wall and sidewalks along Firemen’s Memorial Drive. And an extra $50-thousand went to soil-testing ordered by the N.Y.S. Department of Environmental Conservation. Ramapo Supervisor Christopher St. Lawrence says the sidewalks and retaining wall had not been anticipated initially but became necessary, largely for safety reasons.
NEW JERSEY MAN CHARGED IN SEPTEMBER SLOATSBERG FIRE
A New Jersey man has been arrested for arson, in a September fire in Sloatsburg that destroyed several trucks and a trailered boat. Twenty-one year-old Frank Segreto of Wanaque was arraigned yesterday on five felony counts of arson. Segreto is in jail on $50,000 bail now, but Ramapo police say he was out of jail on bail from a previous arson charge in New Jersey at the time of the Sloatsburg fire.
HOME SALES IN REGION UP IN THIRD-QUARTER, BUT SALE PRICES DROP
The number of home sales in the Lower Hudson region is increasing. New real-estate industry figures show a 7% increase in third-quarter sales here in Rockland last month from a year earlier. Increases in Westchester and Putnam counties were in the 9-10% range for the same period. At the same time, though, the median sale price of homes in the region continues to decline, by 2% in Rockland to $418,000, and by 6% in Westchester, to $684,000.
TEA PARTY, OCCUPY WALL STREETERS TO RALLY IN ROCKLAND THIS WEEKEND
Demonstrations on both sides of the political spectrum are slated for Rockland County this weekend. Tea Party groups will gather at noon tomorrow at the Platzl Brauhaus in Pomona for a kick-off, of sorts, of the upcoming campaign season. Then on Sunday, the Occupy Wall Street protest comes to Suffern for a late-afternoon rally. Both groups call themselves “populists.” The Tea Partiers fear the country is heading for socialism, and they want the federal government and its regulations out of our lives. The Occupy Wall Streeters say it’s all about greed, and they want more government regulation and higher taxes for corporate America.
WEEKLY FLU VACCINE CLINICS AT COUNTY HEALTH CENTER EXTENDED THROUGH NOVEMBER
The county health department is holding flu vaccine clinics today and every Friday through next month at least. The flu shots will be available at the Yeager Health Center in Pomona from 1-4 p.m. each Friday. They’re free to Rockland residents who are at least 60 years old. All others, from age nine to 59, pay $25 for the vaccination.
10-13-11
WE’RE #4! ROCKLAND PROPERTY TAXES 4TH HIGHEST IN NATION
Rockland County home-owners remain among the most taxed Americans. New 2010 census figures showproperty taxes in Rockland were the fourth-highest in the nation, up 4% from 2009 with a median residential tax bill of $8,861. Bad as that is, it worse across the Hudson. Westchester remained the nation’s highest-taxed county, after a 10% increase raised the median bill there to $9,945.
T-Z PROJECT DETAILS TO BE UNVEILED LATER THIS MONTH
Details of the recently-modified Tappan-Zee Bridge replacement project will be unveiled formally in less than two weeks. State and Federal transportation officials will hold two briefings on the plan – the first, in Tarrytown on October 25th -- the second, at the Palisades Center Mall in West Nyack on the 27th, two weeks from today. What’s known so far is that the federal government has taken over the project and slashed it in both scope and cost. The new price-tag is $5.2-billion, down from $16-billion. That would involve replacing the bridge only, leaving the 30-mile corridor upgrade and mass transit component for later. The public will have a chance at the briefings to comment on the plan, both verbally and in writing. President Obama announced this week he’s fast-tracking the project, with work to begin as early as next year.
O’TOWN TRAILBLAZER BEN LAWSON DIES AT 94
The town of Orangetown has lost a trailblazer. The town’s first African-American police officer, Ben Lawson, died yesterday at Nyack Hospital at the age of 94. Lawson joined the Orangetown force in 1950, rising eventually to the rank of sergeant. He retired in 1977, after losing a leg to cancer. Services for Lawson are scheduled Sunday at Sparkill’s AME Zion Church, with burial Monday at the nearby Rockland Cemetery.
T-Z STUMPER: THUMPER GOES BUMPER TO BUMPER
A pit bull named Thumper is a celebrity of sorts, remarkably safe after a harrowing romp on the Tappan Zee Bridge. Thumper jumped from the cab of a truck yesterday morning when the driver got out to retrieve a toll receipt. He was rescued some time later after dodging scores of cars on the bridge – basically unharmed, but shaken, with enough cuts and bruises to testify to his terrifying brush with traffic.
10-12-11
T-Z BRIDGE PROJECT TRIMMED IN SCOPE AND PRICE
There’s word today that the Tappan Zee Bridge project will be a scaled-down version of the $16-billion bridge-and-corridor project that’s long been envisioned. The plan now is to replace the bridge first at the much-lower cost of $5.2-billion and leave other aspects of the original plan for later. Those include an upgrade of the 30-mile Thruway corridor and a commuter rail line across the bridge. President Obama announced this week the T-Z project is on the federal government’s fast-track for approval, and it could get under way as early as next year. Washington reportedly will provide $2.2-billion for the project, with the remaining $3-billion to be raised by the state, possibly through a toll hike on the bridge.
BEAR MOUNTAIN BRIDGE TOLL TO RISE NEXT FEBRUARY
Tolls on the Mid-Hudson crossings, including the Bear Mountain Bridge, are heading higher. So says the New York State Bridge Authority, which operates the five bridges from Bear Mountain north to the Rip Van Winkle. The tolls will go up next February from the current $1.00 to $1.50 for cash customers, and to $1.25 for E-ZPass users. The Authority says its revenues are down nearly a half-million dollars so far this year due to declining commuter traffic during the economic downturn.
TEA PARTIERS, OCCUPY WALL STREETERS TO RALLY HERE THIS WEEKEND
Two self-described “people’s protests” are on tap for Rockland County this weekend. Tea Party groups will gather Saturday at noon at the Platzl Brauhaus in Pomona to kick off the 2012 campaign season. A day later, on Sunday, an arm of the Occupy Wall Street movement will hold a demonstration in downtown Suffern. Both groups call themselves populists. The Tea Partiers fear the country is heading toward socialism, and they want the federal government and its regulations out of our lives. The Occupy Wall Streeters say they’re protesting against greed, and they want more government regulation and higher taxes for corporate America. A similar event in Nyack last weekend drew some 300 demonstrators.
FEMA TO CLOSE POMONA OFFICE TOMORROW
Tomorrow is FEMA’s last day at Provident Bank Park. The federal disaster relief agency set up temporary quarters at the stadium outside Pomona on September tenth. It’s been open seven days a week since then, taking applications from homeowners who suffered damage from Tropical Storm Irene. Those who can’t make it to the center by tomorrow, still have until October 31st to apply for relief by contacting FEMA.
10-11-11
OBAMA PUTS T-Z BRIDGE PROJECT ON FAST TRACK
Good news from Washington. President Obama last night named the Tappan Zee Bridge replacement as one of his top-priority projects for federal approval. And it’s reported this morning that work on the project could begin as early as next year. The bridge replacement and 30-mile corridor upgrade would cost an estimated $16-billion. State Senator David Carlucci told WRCR listeners this morning the fast-tracking is important because it suggests the federal government would step in with money – possibly from a proposed $50-billion bridge and highway construction fund – to help New York pay for the bridge project.
COUNTY LEGISLATORS TO PRESS FOR STATE SCRUTINY OF UNITED WATER ON IRENE FLOODING
The County Legislature takes on United Water tonight on the issue of flooding. The legislature’s Planning and Public Works Committee takes up two resolutions stemming from Tropical Storm Irene. Overflow from Lake DeForest caused extensive flooding in West Nyack after the late-August storm. One resolution tonight would bring New York State in to investigate whether United Water’s operation of the Lake DeForest Dam contributed to the flooding. The other calls for legislation making private water companies liable for flood damages downstream from their dams and reservoirs. Critics have slammed United Water for not releasing enough water from Lake Deforest in the days before Irene hit.
RAMAPO, STONY POINT BUDGETS IN UNDER 2% TAX CAP
Two more Rockland towns have brought their proposed 2012 budgets in under the state-wide 2% property tax cap. Stony Point’s $18.6-million budget would increase taxes by 1.9%. And Ramapo’s proposed $82-million package would raise them by 1.95%. That brings to three the number of Rockland towns to comply with the tax cap. Clarkstown earlier managed to bring in a preliminary budget with a tax increase of just eight-tenths of one percent. At last word, Orangetown was flirting with breaking the cap with an increase of just under 3%. And Haverstraw was struggling to keep its projected tax increase in the low single digits.
10-10-11
VANDERHOEF, COUNTY LEGISLATURE JOUST OVER REAL ESTATE TRANSFER TAX
A new skirmish is shaping up between County Executive Scott Vanderhoef and the county legislature – over his proposal for a 2% real estate transfer tax. Vanderhoef says the tax would raise $4-million a year for the county. But the legislature’s Budget and Finance chairman, Ilan Schoenberger, says it won’t even come up for discussion at the committee’s meeting tomorrow. Schoenberger says the legislators won’t consider a new tax until Vanderhoef outlines his full plan for the county’s financial recovery, including spending cuts. Vanderhoef is to unveil his proposed 2012 budget on October 24th, two weeks from today. He and the legislature have been at odds for months over the county’s budget deficit, estimated at more than $50-million and growing.
NYS COURT: SHERWOOD CAN STAY ON INDEPENDENCE PARTY LINE
Stony Point’s Republican Supervisor, William Sherwood, will remain on the Independence Party line come Election Day. A state appeals court has thrown out a challenge to the nominating petitions for Sherwood and Town Council candidate James White. The action was brought by Democrat Stephen Cole-Hatchard, who seeks a council seat.
E. RAMAPO, TEACHERS AGREE TO RAISE CLASS-SIZE LIMITS
Class sizes may increase this year in East Ramapo. The school district has agreed to allow up to three more students per middle- and high-school classroom for this year. That would raise the limit from 24 to 27 students in regular classes, and from 28 to 31 students in advanced placement classes. The East Ramapo Teachers Association endorses the plan – under which district teachers would earn $12 per extra student per day. School officials say it’ll cost the district $30,000 to $50,000 for the upcoming year.
CAR CRASHES INTO S.V. HIGH SCHOOL; DRIVER INJURED
A car crashed into Spring Valley High School last night. Ramapo police say the driver apparently lost control of the Honda as he drove past the school on Route 59. He suffered neck and back injuries. The extent of damage to the high school is not yet known.
O&R STARTS 10-WEEK DIG-UP OF ROUTE 59 TO REPLACE GAS LINE
Work begins today on a stretch of Route 59 in Ramapo. Orange and Rockland says it’ll dig up and replace some 7,000 feet gas main between Airmont Road and Good Samaritan Hospital. The $650,000 project is expected disrupt traffic on the busy roadway for the next ten weeks or so.
HUNDREDS ATTEND “OCCUPY WALL ST.“ RALLY IN NYACK
Occupy Wall Street came to Nyack yesterday. Some 300 people turned out for the evening rally at Veterans’ Park, carrying signs such as “People Over Profit,” and “I Want My Job Back.” The rally was part of a growing grass-roots movement protesting disparities between the nation’s rich and poor.
10-07-11
PAPER: E. RAMAPO ABOUT TO FIRE CONTROVERSIAL ADMINISTRATOR
There’s more controversy in East Ramapo. The Journal News says the school district is about to fire controversial administrator Pedro Santana. Santana reportedly was notified of the decision in a letter sent two weeks ago by Schools Superintendent Joel Klein. The paper says it has obtained that letter. Santana has been a lightning rod, of sorts, between the East Ramapo school board and its increasingly vocal opponents. The board says its objection to Santana, who’s popular among district students and parents, is his lack of certification to serve as an administrator. Santana’s backers argue, among other things, that by firing him, the racially-diverse district would lose its only non-white administrator.
MONSEY HIT-RUN INJURES TEEN-AGED CYCLIST
A hit-and-run accident in Monsey has sent a teen-aged bicyclist to the hospital with head injuries. Seventeen year-old Isaac Pinrovics was struck at about 7 a.m. yesterday on North Saddle River Road. Police say the silver-colored vehicle, possibly a Lincoln Town Car, sped from the scene and has not been found. Its right-side mirror reportedly is missing. Doctors at Westchester Medical Center say Pinrovics’ injuries are serious but not life-threatening. The incident was Ramapo’s second cyclist hit-and-run in as many days. A Spring Valley man was injured Wednesday by a pickup truck while biking on Route 59 near Robert Pitt Drive.
ORANGETOWN BOY SAFE AFTER RUNNING FROM WOULD-BE ABDUCTOR
A ten-year-old Orangetown boy made it home from school safely yesterday after an encounter with a would-be abductor. Town police say the boy was on his way home from Cottage Lane Elementary just before 4 p.m. when a truck pulled up and the driver told him to get in. The young boy didn’t. He kept walking and then ran to a friend’s house nearby. Police say they’re looking for a dark-blue, two-door truck, driven by a white male in his 30’s with short brown hair and a goatee. Anyone with information is urged to call 359-2121.
SON OF EX-SUPERVISOR CONVICTED OF HARASSING FAMILY
The son of former Clarkstown Supervisor William Vines faces a two-year jail term after his conviction on charges of harassing family members, including his father. Forty-nine year-old James Vines will be sentenced December 12th on the misdemeanor convictions, stemming from an incident at his parents’ West Nyack home last year. District Attorney Thomas Zugibe describes Vines as “a one-man crime wave,” who’s been charged with at least 30 similar crimes involving family and neighbors in recent years.
FEMA OFFICE IN ROCKLAND TO STAY OPEN FOR IRENE CLAIMS THROUGH NEXT THURSDAY
If you still haven’t filed for federal disaster funds in the wake of Tropical Storm Irene, you’re getting a break. The FEMA office set up at Provident Bank Park was supposed to close up shop this weekend. But that coincides with Yom Kippur, the highest of Jewish Holy Days. And Congressman Eliot Engel says he’s persuaded the federal agency to stay open here until next Thursday, providing more time for residents who can’t do so this weekend to file claims.
10-06-11
SHERWOOD SAYS, NO SECRET, HE PAID FOR LETTER CRITICIZING COLE-HATCHARD
Stony Point Supervisor William Sherwood denies a charge that he secretly paid for a mailing to voters criticizing town board candidate Stephen Cole-Hatchard. The mailing was sent out last May in the form of a letter signed by Stony Point resident Richard Eggers. It slammed Cole-Hatchard for his previous term on the board and said he didn’t deserve another one. Cole-Hatchard sued Eggers for defamation, and he now says the letter was secretly funded by Sherwood. Sherwood took issue with that on WRCR this morning, saying there was nothing secret about: he paid for the mailing -- with his own, personal funds – as a private citizen who agrees with everything Eggers wrote about Cole-Hatchard.
METRO-NORTH: PORT JERVIS LINE TO BE BACK ON TRACK IN DECEMBER
There’s good news for Rocklanders who commute to work on the Port Jervis line. Metro North says the storm-damaged line will fully re-open by December. A 14-mile stretch of track, between Sloatsburg and Harriman, was heavily damaged by flooding from Tropical Storm Irene in late August. A Metro-North spokesman tells the Journal News the repair work will go ‘round-the-clock to get the track on-line by the end of the year. When completed, the repair job is expected to cost more than $50-million. Port Jervis line commuters in Ramapo have been taking buses provided by Metro North to the train station in Ramsey, New Jersey, since the wash-out.
OVER-CHARGING PROBE RECOVERS FUNDS FOR PEARL RIVER SCHOOL DISTRICT
The Pearl River school district will get a $2,100 payback from its food-service provider, thanks to a state investigation of over-charging. Attorney General Eric Schneiderman says the provider, Whitson Culinary Group, broke the law when it failed to pass the savings from discounts it received from its vendors along to its school-district clients. The $2,100 is Pearl River’s share of a $1.6-million overall settlement, which includes 13 school districts in Westchester. In agreeing to the settlement, a spokesman for Whitson says the over-charging was a “good faith” error involving the mis-reading of an unclear law.
SCRATCH-OFF TICKET WINS $3-MILLION FOR ROCKLAND WOMAN
One person’s decision not to buy a lottery ticket paid off handsomely for a Rockland woman. Twenty-six year-old physical therapist Seema Dhimmer is $3-million richer after purchasing the once-spurned scratch-off ticket – at her parents’ deli on Main Street in Nanuet. Dhimmer will receive her winnings in annual installments of $150,000 – just under $100,000, after taxes -- for the next 20 years.
10-05-11
LEGISLATORS BLAST VANDERHOEF ON BUDGET FUNDS TRANSFER
County Executive Scott Vandrehoef is under fire from all sides today on his handling of county finances. Two key county legislators say the Vanderhoef administration has “misappropriated” more than $11-million in budgeted funds by moving them from an earmarked account into the county’s general fund without informing the legislature. Chairwoman Harriet Cornell and Budget and Finance Committtee chairman Ilan Schoenberger – both Democrats -- make the accusation in a letter to state comptroller Thomas DiNapoli asking him to step in. Republican legislator Ed Day, a vocal Vanderhoef critic from inside his own party, seemed to endorse the idea here on WRCR this morning, agreeing that there was no notification of the transfer. And later came some critical words from Haverstraw’s Supervisor, Democrat Howard Phillips. He’s not happy with Vanderhoef’s recent suggestion that the legislature consider eliminating such things as the county’s Narcotics Task Force in order to balance the budget. Phillips told WRCR listeners the suggestion displayed “the opposite of leadership.”
CLARKSTOWN’S PROPOSED BUDGET: TAXES WOULD RISE BY LESS THAN 1%
The town of Clarkstown’s proposed 2012 budget is out – and it stays well within the state’s new 2% cap on property tax increases. The $130-million package calls for an increase of .8%. If approved, it’ll be Clarkstown’s third straight budget with a tax increase of less than 2%. That includes this year’s budget, which required no increase in town property taxes.
STATE COURT JUSTICE DISMISSES SUIT AGAINST RAMAPO ON BALLPARK SPENDING
The town of Ramapo has scored a key court victory on its financing of Provident Bank Park. State Supreme Court Justice Linda Jamieson has dismissed a lawsuit challenging the town’s approval of a $25-million bond for construction of the baseball park outside Pomona. In her ruling, Jamieson said the town acted within the law in approving the bond. But she found the town remiss for not giving the public sufficient notice of the meeting in which the approval came. A spokesman for Preserve Ramapo, the civic group that filed the suit, says Jamieson’s findings are contradictory, but it’s not clear whether an appeal will be filed.
MONTEBELLO ROAD BRIDGE TO REMAIN CLOSED UNTIL SOMETIME NEXT YEAR
It reportedly will be several months before Ramapo’s Montebello Road Bridge is reopened. County highway officials tell the Journal News it’s still uncertain whether damage to the bridge’s underpinnings during Tropical Storm Irene can be repaired, or whether a new bridge needs to be built. In either case, they say the bridge will remain closed to traffic until sometime next year. It’s the second of Montebello’s three bridges to be closed this year. The Mayer Drive Bridge has been down for repairs for several months.
10-03-11
REPORT: AUDITS SHOW SUMMIT PARK $31-MILLION IN DEBT
Two separate audits reportedly show the county hospital-nursing home at Summit Park is sinking ever deeper into debt. The Journal News says the audits show the facility now has a $31-million deficit and is a big contributor to the overall county deficit, which one of the audits projects to be more than $80-million by the end of this year. County Legislator Ed Day says the new figures put the lie to suggestions by County Executive Scott Vanderhoef that Summit Park is a money-maker. Vanderhoef has proposed selling the facility to a public benefit corporation in order to wipe out part of the county’s deficit. As for the audits’ findings, Vanderhoef tells the paper he’s always made it clear that Summit Park has a history of both profits and losses.
STONY POINT SUPERVISOR ACCUSED OF SECRETLY FUNDING CAMPAIGN SMEAR
Stony Point Supervisor William Sherwood is taking heat over a letter sent to town residents critical of a town board candidate. The letter was mailed out in May over the signature of a resident, Richard Eggers. It slams Stephen Cole-Hatchard for his previous stint on the town board and says he doesn’t deserve a second one. Cole-Hatchard responded with a lawsuit charging Eggers with defamation. And now, he says he’s discovered that the letter was secretly paid for by Sherwood. In response, Sherwood dismisses the charge as a “conspiracy” theory. But the Journal News says he does not directly deny financing Eggers’ letter.
DEADLINE FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO APPLY FOR IRENE DAMAGE AID EXTENDED
The deadline for Rockland municipalities to apply for damage relief from Tropical Storm Irene has been extended to October 28th. That’s the word from both the New York State Office of Emergency Management and FEMA. Those eligible for the funds are local governments, state agencies and certain non-profits who suffered damage in the late August storm.
ROCKLAND TO GET FEDERAL AID FOR JAILING ILLEGAL ALIENS CONVICTED OF FELONIES
Rockland County is in line for a half-million dollars in new federal law-enforcement aid. That’s according to Congressman Eliot Engel, who says the funds are to be used to help local authorities pay the cost of incarcerating illegal aliens who have committed felonies. In all, the Justice Department funds to Rockland, Westchester and New York City total well over $13-million. The city will get more than $12-million of that, Westchester about $1- million, and Rockland some $497,000.
NEW JERSEY CRACKING DOWN ON TOLL CHEATS
If you owe the state of New Jersey toll money for traveling on the Turnpike or Garden State parkway, you’d better pay up soon. New Jersey officials say revenue from both highways is down, and that part of the problem is people who drive through toll lanes without paying. That’ll change on October 17th, when the State raises its penalty fee from $25 to $50 per violation. And the officials say continuing violators will face license suspension, vehicle impoundment, and even arrest.
09-30-11
BIDS TOO HIGH: RAMAPO PUTS OFF WORK ON TOWN POOLS
Ramapo is saying “not now” to planned upgrades to the town’s Spook Rock Pool. The town board voted 4-0 this week to reject both bids it’s received for work on Phase Two of the project, saying the bids are too expensive. Supervisor Christopher St. Lawrence says the lower bid is more than a-half million dollars higher than the $2.5-million the town wants to spend. The town has already spent $2.6-million on Phase One of its project to upgrade both the Spook Rock and Saddle River pools. St. Lawrence told WRCR listeners this morning the work will get done, but he expects it to start in September of next year, about a year later than expected.
STATE SEEKS TOLL HIKE FOR BEAR MT. AND OTHER MID-HUDSON BRIDGES
A toll increase may be in the works for the Bear Mountain Bridge. A spokesman for the New York State Bridge Authority says the poor economy and high gas prices have combined to reduce traffic on all five mid-Hudson bridges. And the Authority wants to raise tolls from the current $1.00 per car to $1.50, or $1.25 with E-ZPass, to make up the loss of revenue. If approved after a period of public hearings the toll hike would take effect next January.
MEDICAID DRUG COVERAGE CHANGES FOR MILLIONS OF NEW YORKERS
Some 3-million New Yorkers face a big change in their Medicaid coverage this weekend. As of tomorrow, prescription coverage for Medicaid recipients will be switched to managed care plans. It’s all part of the state’s health-care overhaul. Critics say the prescription switch-over came too suddenly, without proper notice to recipients. And they’re concerned because, under the managed-care system, drugs that are not on the insurers’ approved lists won’t be covered.
CUOMO STANDS PAT ON TALKS WITH PUBLIC EMPLOYEES UNION
New York is continuing to send pink slips to thousands of state employees. And Governor Andrew Cuomo wants their union, the Public Employees Federation, to take another vote on the state’s contract offer. Members voted Tuesday to reject the contract, which would have frozen wages for three years and increased the workers’ health-care contributions. Some 3,500 of the Federation’s 56,000 members are in line for the layoffs, the bulk of them from the state’s correctional and mental health services.
09-29-11
NO SHIRT!! VIDEO SHOWS BARE-CHESTED MAN STARTING SLOATSBURG FIRE
Surveillance video shows that arson caused the weekend fire that destroyed several trucks and a trailered boat in Sloatsburg. The video, taken early Sunday morning in a construction-firm parking lot, shows a thin, white male, shirtless but wearing jeans and a baseball cap, setting fire to the boat. Minutes later, the boat and five trucks were consumed by flames. Ramapo police are investigating. They say the as-yet-unidentified man might have been an angry former worker at the firm, Conserv Construction.
THIEVES IN ORANGETOWN TARGETING HIGH-TECH, HIGH-END CARS
Over in Orangetown, it’s fancy cars that have been attracting thieves. Police there say the bad guys have been targeting cars with electronic key fobs that allow them access to the cars’ push-button ignitions. Some of the car owners are apparently making it easy for the thieves by leaving the key fobs inside their car with the doors unlocked. Otherwise, windows are being broken to gain access. A police spokesman says high-end cars such as Porsches, BMWs and Lexuses are the new targets.
VANDERHOEF: FINANCES THREATEN FUTURE OF COUNTY NARCOTICS FORCE
Police work at the county level reportedly faces an uncertain future as the economy continues to falter. The Journal News quotes County Executive Scott Vanderhoef as saying Rockland’s Narcotics Task Force and Intelligence Center may have to be eliminated, eventually, in order to save the county $2.5-million a year. Vanderhoef says the anti-drug and crime analysis units are funded for THIS year – but the County has been late in re-imbursing the local police departments that supply the officers for their salaries.
COUNTY SLOW IN PAYING DAY-CARE PROVIDERS; NEW COMPUTER SYSTEM CITED
The Journal News says local day-care providers employed by the county haven’t received their latest reimbursements. The pay-outs are said to be two weeks behind at this point thanks to a new state computer system that county employees are learning to use. A spokeswoman for the Department of Social Services says the employees are working overtime to get the payments out.
STAFF SHORT, ORANGETOWN LETTING TRAFFIC CASES PILE UP
A staffing issue is being blamed for a backlog of traffic cases in Orangetown. Town officials say a retirement and other staff losses in the Town Clerk’s office have made it impossible to hold regular traffic-court sessions, and that some 3,900 traffic tickets remain unpaid. So far this summer, Orangetown is about $50,000 short of its traffic ticket collections from last summer.
NYACK HOSPITAL CITED BY HEALTH INDUSTRY GROUP
Nyack Hospital gets a pat on the back. A major health-industry accreditation agency ranks Nyack a “top performer” among hospitals nationally, One of only eight in New York State to achieve that ranking. The agency, known as the Joint Commission, gives Nyack high marks for its surgical care and for its performance in treating heart attacks, heart failure, and pneumonia.
09-28-11
STONY POINT SUING STATE OVER TAX EQUALIZATION RATE
Stony Point is suing New York State over school taxes. At issue: the state’s denial of the town’s request for a special equalization rate for part of the North Rockland school district. The change would shift some of the tax burden from Stony Point to the Town of Haverstraw. The Stony Point town board voted last night to file suit challenging the GROUNDS on which the state denied its request. For his part, Haverstraw Supervisor Howard Phillips told WRCR listeners this morning the school-tax issue has long been a win-one-lose-one situation for both North Rockland towns. He called the lawsuit “one of the most frivolous” he’s ever heard of.
THREE INJURED IN CHESTNUT RIDGE COLLISION
Three Spring Valley residents were injured yesterday in a head-on collision in Chestnut Ridge. It happened just before 3 p.m. on Chestnut Ridge Road. The three victims were taken to Good Samaritan Hospital with a range of injuries. All are said to be in stable condition. Police are investigating the cause of the accident. They say no charges have been filed.
DAMAGED WALL SIGNALS BURGLARY TRY AT NANUET BAGEL SHOP
Clarkstown police are probing a possible burglary attempt at the Nanuet Bagel Boy. A spokesman says someone tried and failed to knock down a connecting wall between the Middletown Road bakery and the vacant store alongside it. No suspects have been named in the attempted break-in, which took place sometime last week.
CAR ROBBED, OTHERS VANDALIZED OUTSIDE ROCKLAND BAKERY
There was a successful robbery this week outside another Nanuet bakery. Police say someone broke into a car in the parking lot of Rockland Bakery yesterday morning, and stole a G.P.S. device. Other cars in the lot were vandalized. No suspects have been named.
D.M.V. TO LICENSE RENEWERS: “LOOKIN’ GOOD?”
New York State has made a major change in the rules for renewing a driver’s license. Renewal applicants no longer need to have their eyes re-examined but can submit a letter personally certifying that their eyesight is still good enough for them to drive. License renewal in New York State typically comes up every eight years. Opponents of the rule change say it’ll keep some drivers on the road long after their eyesight has gone bad.
09-27-11
PETITION SEEKS TO BLOCK HILLCREST SCHOOL LEASING TO YESHIVA
Another petition has been filed against the East Ramapo school district. This one, by a New Hempstead resident, aims to block the continued leasing of Hillcrest Elementary School to a New Square congregation. Robert Forrest says the lease RATE of $4.22 per square foot is less than half the school property’s appraised value. The petition accuses East Ramapo officials of giving preferential treatment to the Congregation Yeshiva Avir Yakov and, beyond that, charges that the Yeshiva owes $3,500 in back payments. The state recently voided a deal to sell the Hillcrest school to the same Yeshiva for $3.2-million after a similar petition was filed, citing an appraised sale value of $10.2-million.
NEW CITY MAN TO BE CHARGED UNDER LEANDRA’S LAW AFTER D.W.I. ARREST WITH CHILDREN IN CAR
A New City man faces prosecution under Leandra’s Law after crashing his car into a tree with his four children inside it. Clarkstown police charged 52-year-old Matthew Ouseph with drunken driving after the Sunday accident in West Nyack. It was his second D.W.I. citation in the past ten years, making the charge this time a felony. All four children were taken to Nyack Hospital, apparently with minor injuries. Police say Ouseph also will be charged under the 2009 law named for Leandra Rosado, an 11-year-old New City girl killed in a D.W.I. accident. The law, among other things, requires alcohol-sensing ignition locks for the cars of convicted drunk drivers.
POSTAL EMPLOYEES TO RALLY TODAY AT NEW CITY POST OFFICE
Postal workers will rally outside the New City Post Office this afternoon. Members of the postal UNION say the rally will be informational only, to let the public know about the plight of the U.S. Postal Service. Some 3,700 local offices are in line for possible closings, and some 35,000 employees face layoffs, as the service deals with an $8.5-billion debt. The postal workers seek public support for their interests in Congressional negotiations to re-structure the service.
MONTEBELLO BRIDGE CLOSED INDEFINITELY DUE TO STRUCTURAL PROBLEMS
Ramapo’s Montebello Bridge is out – closed indefinitely because of what are being called “structural deficiencies.” Divers from the state D.O.T. inspected the bridge underpinnings yesterday in a follow-up to Tropical Storm Irene. They found the structure in danger of collapse, with exposed pilings at both ends. County Highway Superintendent Skip Vezzetti says it’s not certain how long the bridge – at Montebello and Lake Roads -- will be out. But in the meantime, traffic will be re-routed – to Route 202 north of the bridge and Hemion Road south of it.
PORT JERVIS LINE TO BE BACK IN OPERATION IN DECEMBER
The Port Jervis train line will be back on line in December, four months after parts of it were washed out by Tropical Storm Irene. But Metro North says the commuter line won’t be fully repaired until next spring, after an estimated $50-million repair job. Buses have been taking Port Jervis-line users in Sloatsburg and Suffern to and from the Ramsey, New Jersey train station since the August 28th storm.
09-26-11
WE’RE NUMBER FOUR! ROCKLAND HAS FOURTH HIGHEST PROPERTY TAXES IN AMERICA
Property taxes in Rockland County are the fourth-highest in the nation. The latest census figures show the median tax bill for Rockland home-owners in 2010 was $8,861, a 4% increase from 2009. That’s bad enough, but Westchester topped us – and every other county in America – with the nation’s highest property taxes. The median amount: an estimated $9,945 last year.
POLICE: SLOATSBURG FIRE “SUSPICIOUS”
Arson might have been involved in a weekend fire in Sloatsburg that destroyed two trucks and a boat on a trailer. It happened at about 6 a.m. yesterday on Sterling Mine Road, on the property of a business, Conserv Construction. Volunteers from the Sloatsburg Fire Department put out the fire, and no one was injured. But Ramapo police are calling it suspicious – and they, along with the county sheriff’s department, are investigating.
COUNTY LEGISLATURE APPROVES LAW MANDATING SMOKING POLICIES AT RENTAL PROPERTIES
A law awaiting County Executive Scott Vanderhoef’s signature would require the owners of multiple-dwelling rental properties to establish smiking policies. The measure was approved by the County Legislature last week. It requires rental owners to provide current and prospective tenants with details of the policies they set, including when and where smoking is permitted. The County Health Department would have the power to enforce the policies for properties with more than five units. Sponsors Alden Wolfe and Connie Coker say their concerns about the dangers of second-hand smoke prompted them to propose the measure.
THRUWAY CELL PHONE CRACKDOWN STARTS TODAY
“Operation Hang Up” starts today. The four-day crackdown targets illegal cell phone use on the New York State Thruway. That means texting or talking on a hand-held phone while driving. Violators face a maximum fine of up to $100 plus a $60 surcharge.
LETTERMAN TO APPEAL FOR UPSTATE NEW YORK FLOOD-RELIEF DONATIONS
David Letterman is reaching out to help an upstate town recover from Tropical Storm Irene. The late-night TV host will appeal on his show tonight for Americans to donate funds to Schoharie, one of the New York State communities hardest hit by flooding from Irene. Many Schoharie residents were caught by the freak storm without flood insurance. Letterman’s relationship with Schoharie goes back to 2002, when he bused nearly half the town to New York for his show. Schoharie responded by naming a street for Letterman – one that leads to the town dump.
09-23-11
ACCUSED MALL MOLESTER PLEADS GUILTY
The man accused of molesting a young girl at the Palisades Mall early last year has pleaded guilty to sexual abuse and assault. Thirty-eight year-old Elio Pintado of Summit, New Jersey, entered the plea yesterday. Pintado was caught on tape on New Year’s Day, 2010, entering and leaving a ladies’ room at the mall movie theater. It was while he was inside the bathroom that he molested the 7-year-old girl. A Rockland grand jury indicted Pintado a month later. But the case has been on hold since then while prosecutors tied up previous cases against him, including a conviction this past January for trying to lure a young girl into his car.
ST. LAWRENCE: TOWN CAN HELP RE-LOCATE FLOOD-HIT SQUIRE’S GATE RESIDENTS
Residents whose homes in Suffern’s Squire’s Gate development were flooded out during Tropical Strom Irene may get some support from the Town of Ramapo. The 45-year-old development is in a flood plain. Supervisor Christopher St. Lawrence says it shouldn’t have been located there in the first place. And, speaking this morning on WRCR, St. Lawrence said he thinks the town, FEMA, local banks and insurance companies can work together to come up with a buy-out or re-location package for the Squire’s Gate residents.
SHERIFF’S OFFICER NABS WANTED MAN IN NANUET
A Rockland sheriff’s officer’s eagle eye has helped put a wanted man behind bars. Officer Patrick Gallagher was in the parking lot of the Comfort Inn in Nanuet yesterday morning when he spotted – and arrested -- 40-year-old Francis Joyce, a fugitive wanted in New Jersey and South Carolina on a variety of charges including stalking and making terrorist threats. Police were on the lookout for Joyce here because he has relatives in Pearl River. He’s being held without bail in county jail, awaiting extradition to New Jersey.
FUGITIVE LOOSE AFTER SEARCH OF QUARRY FAILS
A New Jersey man convicted of attempted murder is still on the loose after a search of Ramapo Quarry failed to find him. Thirty-two year-old Paul Kramer of Mahwah was awaiting sentencing for a 2009 stabbing when he cut off a monitoring bracelet early yesterday. That triggered the futile day-long search of the nearby quarry.
PAIR SOUGHT AFTER STEALING SAFE FROM SPARKILL HOME
Orangetown police are on the lookout for two men who robbed a Sparkill home yesterday. The pair allegedly entered the home through an unlocked door and made off with a safe containing nearly $10,000. Three women at home at the time of the mid-afternoon incident were not harmed. The suspects are described as black men in their 20’s or 30’s, one of whom has a goatee and moustache. Police say they may be armed and may be driving a red or maroon mid-sized car.
09-22-11
STONY POINT BURN VICTIM PLACED IN COMA
A Stony Point woman badly burned in a kitchen fire this week has been placed in a coma. Sixty-two year-old Mary Minella was burned over 40% of her body Monday night when fire broke out while she was cooking in her River Road apartment. Minella has been in critical condition since then at Westchester Medical Center. Doctors induced a coma in order to protect Minella’s brain functions while she’s treated for her burns.
CLARKSTOWN LAYS DOWN NEW LAW TO GRAFFITI ARTISTS
Spray paint, Magic Markers and etching tools. Those are three of the items that stores in Clarkstown can no longer sell to minors, under the town’s new anti-graffiti law. It passed unanimously at this week’s town board meeting. The law prohibits hardware stores, home centers and similar stores from selling graffiti implements to people under 18 years old. Violators face fines of up to $500. Opponents of the law say it unfairly burdens stores with a job that should be left up to parents.
JAPANESE FAMILY TO VISIT INDIAN POINT TO WARN OF NUKE DANGER
A Japanese family from the Fukushima region is headed for Indian Point with a warning: It could happen here. “It” being a nuclear disaster like the one in Fukushima triggered by an earthquake and tsunami last March. Members of the family will be at the Buchanan nuclear plant tomorrow to describe the plight of farmers and others in Fukushima since the melt-down contaminated the region with radioactivity. Sponsoring the talk is the Indian Point Safe Energy Coalition, which wants the plant shut down.
THRUWAY POLICE TO CRACK DOWN NEXT WEEK ON CELL PHONE USE BY DRIVERS
It’s time again for “Operation Hang Up.” The four-day campaign against cell-phone use while driving on the New York State Thruway comes up next week. Troopers will be on the lookout for phone-using drivers along the full length of the Thruway from Monday through Thursday. Nearly a thousand drivers were ticketed during last year’s inaugural Operation Hang Up. It’s illegal to use a hand held phone while driving in New York State, either to talk or to text.
COUNTY OFFERS SEASON’S FIRST FLU VACCINE CLINIC
The county health department has scheduled the season’s first flu vaccine clinic. It’s tomorrow from 1-to-4 p.m. at the Yeager Health Center in Pomona. A SECOND clinic is scheduled NEXT Friday, same time and place. The vaccinations are offered free-of-charge to people aged 60 and over – and for $25 to all others. No appointments are necessary.
09-21-11
ZEBROWSKI, DAY TO QUESTION O&R ON IRENE RESPONSE
How well did Orange & Rockland perform during Tropical Storm Irene? O&R representatives were to answer that question this afternoon in a meeting with Assemblyman Kenneth Zebrowski and County Legislator Ed Day. Both of them have praised O&R crews for their work during the late-August storm, but both have faulted the utility itself for a lack of clear communication with the public. One topic that was likely to come up at the meeting – the death of five year-old Reuven Herbst, electrocuted during Irene by a downed power line outside his home in Spring Valley. Zebrowski suggested on WRCR this morning that O&R might avert such tragedies in the future by issuing clear safety guidelines on dealing with downed lines.
CLARKSTOWN BOARD VOTES AGAINST PUBLIC HEARING ON TERM-LIMITS
There are some angry voters in Clarkstown today. The town board voted last night not to hold a public hearing on term limits. Thirty-five hundred residents had signed a petition to limit elected officials, including Supervisor and Town Board members, to eight years in office. A member of Clarkstown Taxpayers, the group spearheading the term-limits move, calls last night’s 3-2 vote denying a public hearing “unconscionable.” Town attorney Amy Mele says New York State law prohibits the board from putting a term-limits referendum on the ballot.
SPRING VALLEY, SUFFERN TRUSTEE PRIMARIES SETTLED
The village board primary races in Spring Valley and Suffern appear to have been decided. Unofficial results following yesterday’s opening of absentee ballots put Spring Valley trustees Anthony Leon and Demeza Delhomme on the Democratic line for re-election. Suffern Democrats gave the nod to incumbent Patricia Abato and challenger Bruce McClintock.
JOBLESS RATE DOWN IN AUGUST
Unemployment in the region continues to drop. The latest figures put the jobless rate for the Lower Hudson at 6.5% in August -- down from 6.7% in July, and from 7.7% last August. Rockland stands at 6.4%. A state labor department spokesman says job growth in New York has been broadening, with more and more sectors on the rebound.
STATE REPORTS SUCCESS IN CRACKDOWN ON TEXTING DRIVERS
Some big numbers are being put up in the state-wide crackdown on texting drivers. The Journal News says the number of tickets issued in the state since the texting ban went into effect in July has increased by some 43%. Ticketing in Rockland more than tripled, with 71 citations issued so far this year compared with 21 last year. The new rules allow police to pull a car over specifically for driver texting. And the punishment is heavy: a fine of up to $150 and three points on a license.
09-20-11
VIOLENT CRIME UP IN ROCKLAND
Violent crime may be on the rise in Rockland County. That’s according to new F.B.I. figures, released yesterday. They show the number of assaults, robberies and rapes increased here by more 25% in the first six months of this year as compared to last. Still, crime overall in Rockland is down by 10%. A state-wide decrease of 4.4% puts the crime rate in New York at its lowest level in 26 years and makes it, statistically, the safest large state in the country. But Rockland County District Attorney Thomas Zugibe says the seemingly improving crime figures here and around the country may be misleading. Zugibe told WRCR listeners this morning the F.B.I. index used to compute major crimes statistics doesn’t include identity theft and Internet-based crimes, which are rising sharply.
SHERIFF’S DOG GETS HIS MAN IN FIRST DAY ON JOB
One crime on the books in Rockland may have been solved yesterday, thanks to a rookie police dog named Shadow. A sheriff’s department spokesman says Shadow was on his first day of work when called to track down a man who had fled from police on foot after a traffic stop in West Nyack. By the time Shadow ran 20-year-old Rafael Navas Huertas down in the woods nearby, police had learned that the car he was driving had been stolen. Huertas is in jail this morning, facing a court appearance tomorrow on a variety of charges. Police say it took Shadow only 10 minutes to corner his man.
RIVERSPACE CAMPAIGN SIGN DRAWS CRITICISM
Putting up a big campaign sign is no crime, but it has some people in Nyack crying foul. The Journal News says tongues and fingers are wagging over the marquee at Riverspace reading, “Jen White for a Better Nyack.” Jen Laird-White is challenging Mayor Richard Kavesh’s re-election bid. And the paper says Kavesh is miffed because, as a non-profit organization, Riverspace should not be involved in politics. For their part, Riverspace officials say they’re just renting out sign space, not endorsing a candidate. It’s not clear whether state election officials will look into the matter.
UNCONSCIOUS WOMAN PULLED FROM BURNING STONY POINT HOME
Paramedics revived a woman found unconscious in a burning Stony Point home last night. The unidentified woman was pulled by fire-fighters from the burning building and taken to Westchester Medical Center for treatment. And a Stony Point police officer was treated for smoke inhalation and released from Nyack Hospital. Two other people inside the River Road home managed to escape the flames uninjured. The fire reportedly started in a second-floor rug.
POST OFFICE BRANCH RENAMED FOR LATE ASSEMBLYMAN
The New City post office has a new name, the Kenneth Peter Zebrowski post office. It was re-named yesterday at a ceremony honoring the late state assemblyman. Zebrowski died of hepatitis-C in 2007, after serving Rockland in the county and state legislatures for nearly 30 years. His son, Kenneth Zebrowski Jr., now holds his old seat in the Assembly.
09-19-11
COMPTROLLER FAULTS RAMAPO ON STADIUM FINANCING
The state Comptroller’s office reportedly is ready to slam the town of Ramapo on its financing of Provident Bank Park. The Journal News says a draft report from that office calls the financing plan, using a local development corporation, “inappropriate.” It criticizes the town for acting “in contradiction to the expressed will” of Ramapo residents, who voted in August of last year against the town’s initial financing plan. And it predicts the stadium won’t generate as much revenue as the town expects. Ramapo officials have one month to respond to the draft report before it becomes official. Supervisor Christopher St. Lawrence says the response will detail a number of “errors,” “misunderstandings,” and “unsupported inferences” in the draft document.
PORT JERVIS LINE RE-OPENS NORTH OF HARRIMAN
Metro-North re-opened a stretch of its Port Jervis line today. Service between Port Jervis and Harriman was restored this morning, three weeks after flood-waters from Tropical Storm Irene washed out miles of track along that commuter line. There’s still no train service in New York below Harriman. Metro-North is running buses from there, through Sloatsburg and Suffern, to the train station in Ramsey, New Jersey.
W. HAVERSTRAW MAYOR TALKS STORM DAMAGE WITH GARNERVILLE BUSINESSES
West Haverstraw Mayor John Ramundo meets this afternoon with tenants of the Garnerville Arts and Industrial Center. The center, which houses more than a hundred businesses, was heavily damaged in flooding from Tropical Storm Irene. State Senator David Carlucci spearheaded today’s meeting, scheduled for 2 p.m. at Village Hall.
SHERIFF’S DOG TRACKS DOWN SUSPECTED CAR THIEF
Score one for the Sheriff’s department’s new tracking dog. The canine cop tracked down a suspected car thief this morning when he fled from Clarkstown police after a traffic stop on Route 303. Police didn’t identify the man, or the charge against him, saying only that the car he was driving had been stolen.
TWO RAMAPO MEN CHARGED IN SEPARATE DOMESTIC DISPUTES
A Ramapo man faces assault, menacing and other charges after allegedly attacking his aunt with a vase and a machete. Thirty year-old Kirk Brown was arrested Friday night at his home on Oxford Court after the attack on the 53-year-old woman. She was treated and released from Good Samaritan Hospital. It was Ramapo’s second domestic dispute to result in violence on that day. Police arrested a Suffern man, 46-year-old Edward Bauer, for allegedly punching and kicking a woman outside his home on Oak Terrace. The 56-year-old woman was treated for head and face injuries. Bauer is charged with assault and harassment.
09-16-11
METRO-NORTH ASSESSES STORM DAMAGE TO PORT JERVIS RAIL LINE
Metro-North says it will take 100,000 tons of stone to repair the damage that Tropical Storm Irene did to its Port Jervis line last month. A 14-mile stretch of the rail line from Suffern to Harriman has been down since August 28th, knocking out service to some 2,300 commuters, including 70 in Sloatsburg. Buses have been shuttling them since then to and from the train station in Ramsey, New Jersey. Metro-North says the track repairs will continue indefinitely and cost tens of millions of dollars. A final damage assessment is expected at the end of this month.
MONSEY POST OFFICE MAY LOSE SORTING OPERATION; SOME JOBS AT STAKE
Some changes, and maybe some job losses, reportedly are in line for the Monsey post office. The Journal News says the Postal Service is considering moving the mail sorting operation at Monsey across the river to Harrison. The paper quotes postal officials as saying the Monsey office would stay open and offer the same services to customers. But an unknown number of jobs would be affected. It’s all part of a nationwide cost-cutting effort by the financially-ailing mail service, aimed at saving up to $3-billion a year. On a related note … the officials tell the newspaper the West Nyack Post Office will re-open, but they still don’t know when. It’s been closed for repairs since it was flooded by Tropical Storm Irene.
MT. IVY STAB VICTIM’S EX-GIRLFRIEND ARRAIGNED FOR MURDER, ARSON
The Manhattan woman accused of killing a Rockland man in his Mt. Ivy apartment last month has been arraigned on murder and arson charges. Prosecutors say 23-year-old Jody-Ann Hemmings stabbed her former boyfriend, 37-year-old Jason Ognenoff, to death on August 18th and set fire to his apartment to cover up the crime. Volunteer fire-fighters discovered Ognenoff’s body, riddled with stab wounds to the chest. The victim had lost the use of one of his arms in a motorcycle crash some 20 years earlier. If convicted of the second-degree murder and arson charges, Hemmings could spend up to 25 years in jail. She’s in county jail now, facing an October 12th court appearance.
VALLEY COTTAGE ROBBERY UNDER INVESTIGATION
Clarkstown police are investigating a daytime robbery at a Valley Cottage home. Police say it happened Wednesday on Casper Hill Road, while the home-owners were out. When they got home, they say, a lap-top computer was missing, the bedroom had been ransacked and a bag of gold jewelry was gone along with hundreds of dollars in cash. No suspects have been named in the case.
IMMUNIZATION CLINIC SCHEDULED
The county Health Department is offering an extra immunization clinic for school-aged children next week. It’s scheduled for 4-6:30 p.m. Monday at the Yeager Health Center in Pomona. The vaccinations, covering measles, mumps and chicken pox, will be available FREE to young people 5-18 years old. This is in addition to the REGULAR, DAYTIME clinics offered every Wednesday morning for the same age group … and to the department’s Child Health Clinic for children from birth to five years old. To make an appointment for Monday’s evening clinic, call 364-2497.
09-15-11
ABSENTEE BALLOTS TO DECIDE SPRING VALLEY, SUFFERN VILLAGE BOARD RACES
Tuesday’s village trustee primaries in Spring Valley and Suffern remain undecided – too close to call until absentee ballots are counted next week. As it stands, Demeza Delhomme and Jacques Charlot have the lead in Spring Valley’s Democratic contest for two board seats with 773 and 765 votes respectively. But Anthony Leon is close behind with 746 votes, and election officials say there are 60 absentee ballots yet to be counted. The Democratic primary leaders for Suffern’s two board seats are Bruce McClintock, with 403 votes, and Patricia Abato, with 398. But candidates Steven Alpert and Bruce Simon are close behind with 395 and 378 votes, respectively. And there are 47 outstanding absentee ballots. Election officials will open those ballots next Tuesday.
NRC: NO INDIAN POINT SHUT-DOWN FOR FUKUSHIMA ASSESSMENT
There’s been a setback for Indian Point opponents. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission says it will not shut the Buchanan nuclear plant down until the impact of Japan’s nuclear disaster earlier this year is fully assessed. Environmental groups including the Hudson River Sloop Clearwater called for the suspension of all nuclear-plant licenses, including Indian Point’s, pending the Fukushima assessment. But in a written decision, the NRC says Indian Point poses “no imminent risk” to the public as the re-licensing process continues.
RABBI WEINGARTEN RE-SENTENCED TO 30-YEARS FOR MOLESTING DAUGHTER
Monsey Rabbi Israel Weingarten has been re-sentenced to 30 years in prison for molesting his teen-aged daughter. Weingarten was convicted in 2009 of sexually abusing the girl while traveling with her to Israel and Belgium in 1997, when she was 13 years old. An appeals court later reversed the verdict on one of the counts against Weingarten and ordered him to be re-sentenced. And this week, the original sentencing judge, in U.S. District Court in Brooklyn, did just that, handing Weingarten the same, 30-year sentence.
NYS OFFERS RESIDENTS $$$ FOR LOSS OF APPLIANCES DURING IRENE
Rocklanders who lost major appliances during Tropical Storm Irene can now get at least some of replacement costs back from New York State. A program launched this week makes New Yorkers eligible for grants covering the loss of a range of appliances. The grants range from $100 each for dehumidifiers to $2,500 each for boilers and furnaces. Other appliances covered include refrigerators, washers, dryers, and hot water tanks. For more information on how to apply for a grant, call 877-697-6278.
SLOATSBURG WATER MAIN BREAK: TRAFFIC SLOWED, BUT SERVICE MAINTAINED
United Water says this morning’s water main break in Sloatsburg caused n disruption of service. The break, on Orange Turnpike-Route 17, occurred shortly before 4 a.m. and caused the closing of one northbound lane for repairs.
COUNTY TO HOLD SEASON’S FIRST FLU VACCINE CLINICS THIS MONTH
The county Health Department has scheduled the season’s first flu vaccine clinics. They’re set for Fridays September 23rd and 30th – 1-4 p.m. – at the Yeager Health Center in Pomona. The vaccinations are offered free-of-charge to people aged 60 years and older – and for $25 to all others. No appointments are necessary.
09-14-11
MOST INCUMBENTS SCORE IN PRIMARIES; UPSETS IN NYACK (MAYOR) AND RAMAPO (TOWN JUSTICE)
It was a good, but not perfect primary day for incumbents in Rockland. Supervisors Paul Whalen, Republican of Orangetown, and Christopher St. Lawrence, Democrat of Ramapo, won their parties’ nominations for re-election. And Haverstraw’s Howard Phillips, a Democrat, captured the Independence Party line.
There was one upset at the town level – in Ramapo. Long-time Town Justice Arnold Etelson lost both the Democratic and Working Families’ races to challenger Alan Simon.
In the village mayoral primaries …
Incumbent Suffern mayor Dagan LaCorte narrowly retained the Democratic line. And incumbent Michael Kohut did so easily in Haverstraw. But in Nyack, Mayor Richard Kavesh, was handily upset by challenger Jen Laird-White for the Democratic nod. Kavesh will appear on November’s ballot on three smaller-party lines.
At the county level …
Louis Falco took the Democratic race for Sheriff. And Sherri Eisenpress easily won both the Democratic and Independence Party lines for Family Court Judge.
There was one upset in the primaries for County Legislature – Ramapo incumbent Jacques Michel losing to Aaron Weider in the Democratic race. But four other incumbent Democrats won their races: Michael Grant of Garnerville, Haverstraw’s Jay Hood, Joe Meyers of Airmont and Harriet Cornell of West Nyack. And Republican John Murphy of Orangeburg won the GOP nod for re-election.
Here’s a list of winners and leaders in primaries for other town and village offices:
Ramapo Town Board: Daniel Friedman (D) and Brendel Logan (D)
Orangetown Town Board: Robert Dell (D) and Elijah Reichlin-Melnick (D)
Clarkstown Town Board: Shirley Lasker (WF) and Frank Borelli (WF)
Clarkstown Town Clerk: Justin Sweet (WF)
Clarkstown Town Justice: Howard Gerber (I) and Antonio Reda (WF)
Clarkstown Highway Superintendent: Wayne Ballard (I, WF)
Haverstraw Town Board: Lynn Teger (I) and John Gould (C)
Haverstraw Village Mayor: Michael Kohut (D)
Haverstraw Village Board: Thomas Watson, Jr. (D) and Rafael Bueno (D)
Haverstraw Village Justice: Ronald DeCaprio (D); Victor Daly-Rivera (WF)
West Haverstraw Village Board: David Barbera (C,I)
Spring Valley Village Board: Demeza Delhomme (D)(leading) and Jacques Charlot (D) (leading)
Spring Valley Village Justice: Christine Theodore (D)
Suffern Village Board: Patricia Abato (D) (leading) and Bruce McClintock (D) (leading)
ST. LAWRENCE TO TESTIFY IN CASE BROUGHT BY EX- TOWN EMPLOYEE
Ramapo Supervisor Christopher St. Lawrence was to testify in federal court today in a case brought against him by a former town employee. Timothy Cronin claims in his suit that he was forced to quit his groundskeeper’s job in 2006 because he had refused to post a St. Lawrence sign on his lawn during the 2005 election campaign. The town contends Cronin resigned on his own, to avoid a disciplinary hearing for taking an unauthorized vacation.
BLOOD DRIVE AT CONGERS FIRE HOUSE HONORS 9/11 HEROES
The Congers Fire Department is holding a blood drive today in honor of those who died on 9/11. The drive runs from 4 to 8:30 p.m. at the firehouse at 40 North Harrison Street in Congers. Donors must be at least 16 years old and weigh at least 110 pounds. A parent’s signature is required for those under 18. All donors will receive a 9/11 remembrance pin. For more information, call the New York Blood Center at 1-800-933-2566.
PRIMARY RACE IN SPRING VALLEY GETS PHYSICAL
There was one unscheduled primary battle in Rockland yesterday. Spring Valley trustee candidates Jacques Charlot and Anthony Leon, vying for the Democratic vote, wound up in a fist-fight outside the polling place at Kakiat Jr. High School, in a dispute over the distribution of campaign materials at the site. Ramapo police broke up the fight, leaving both candidates with minor injuries. Charlot and Trustee Demeza Delhomme went on to win the nods for the two seats up for grabs. No one’s saying who won the fist-fight.
09-13-11
PRIMARY VOTING UNDER WAY; POLLS OPEN UNTIL 9 P.M.
Today is Primary Day, and the polls are open until 9 p.m. Voters enrolled in all parties – major and minor – get the chance to pick their party’s candidates for the November elections. Here in Rockland, there are two county-wide races, both among Democrats. Louis Falco and Tim O’Neill square off for that party’s nomination for Sheriff. And there’s a three-way race, among Democrats Sherri Eisenpress, Karen Riley and Edward Kallen, for county Family Court Judge. A fourth candidate whose name is on the ballot, Itamar Yager,has dropped out of the race. District-wide, ten incumbent county legislators are in primary fights, in most cases for third-party lines. And there are dozens of races at the town and village levels, as well.
CARLUCCI: FUNDS OWED BY STATE NOT SOLELY RESPONSIBLE FOR ROCKLAND’S FISCAL WOES
A dispute, of sorts, seems to be at hand between County Executive Scott Vanderhoef and State Senator David Carlucci. At issue, the REASONS behind the county’s need to borrow $40-million, which it just did to help pay its bills. In announcing the borrowing, Vanderhoef pointed, in part, to a shortfall of millions of dollars owed to Rockland by New York State. But Carlucci told WRCR listeners this morning the state has been paying Rockland back on time, and that the County’s financial problems must also be dealt with though fiscal practices such as long-range planning.
NEW NANUET MALL TO BE SMALLER, MORE UPSCALE
Some details are in on plans for the new Nanuet Mall. The site plan from owner Simon Properties shows an outdoor, Main Street-type mall with sidewalks between stores, and canopies to provide rain- and snow-cover. As for the stores themselves, none are named yet, but they’ll reportedly be higher-end. And the overall footprint of the new mall will be slightly smaller than the current one. The anchor stores – Sears and Macy’s – will remain in place, the new mall to be built between them. Assuming timely approval by the town, demolition is expected to start by this fall, and the new mall would open by the fall of 2013.
ROCKLANDER’S LAWSUIT CLAIMS WHITE CASTLE’S SEATS ARE TOO SMALL
An Airmont man reportedly is suing White Castle over the size of its seats. The Journal News says 64-year-old stockbroker Martin Kessman, who weighs 290 pounds, claims the hamburger chain’s booth-style seating is too small. The lawsuit, fled in federal court in Manhattan, says Kessman’s struggles to squeeze into the booths at the Nanuet White Castle in front of other customers are “extremely embarrassing.” And it accuses the chain of violating the Americans With Disabilities Act. A White Castle spokesman says the chain gave Kessman a list of other locations with different seating arrangements, and offered, alternatively, to provide him with a larger, free-standing seat in Nanuet.
09-12-11
RACES FOR SHERIFF, COUNTY FAMILY COURT AND LEGISLATURE HIGHLIGHT TOMORROW’S PRIMARIES
Tomorrow is Primary Day in Rockland and throughout New York State. There are two county-wide races, both among Democrats. Louis Falco and Tim O’Neill square off for that party’s nomination for Sheriff. And there’s a three-way race, among Democrats Sherri Eisenpress, Karen Riley and Edward Kallen, for county Family Court Judge. A fourth candidate, Itamar Yager, dropped out of the race too late for his name to be removed from the ballot. Ten incumbent county legislators are also in primary fights, in most cases for third-party lines. And there are dozens of races at the town and village levels, as well.
SITE PLAN FILED FOR NEW NANUET MALL
Rockladers may learn soon what the new Nanuet Mall will look like. Clarkstown Supervisor Alex Gromack says mall-owner Simon Properties hopes to start demolition on the current mall by November, although the demolition plan hasn’t been filed yet. But the site plan has. Gromack says it calls for individual stores connected by outside walkways with canopies for rain-and-snow cover. Simon reportedly s shooting for a grand opening in the fall of 2013, assuming the construction is not slowed or stopped by challenges. The current anchor stores, Sears and Macy’s, are to remain in place, the new mall to be built between them.
HUNDREDS ATTEND COUNTY’S 9-11 OBSERVANCE
Hundreds gathered at Haverstraw Bay County Park yesterday for Rockland’s tenth-year observance of the 9-11 terrorist attacks. The names of 80 Rocklanders killed in the attacks were read aloud, some by family members. The readings were interrupted by two moments of silence – at 8:46 a.m. and 9:03 a.m. – corresponding to the times the hijacked jetliners struck the World Trade Center towers. Bells tolled four times at the end of the ceremony in tribute to those who died in both towers, the Pentagon and aboard Flight 93, which went down in a Pennsylvania field. There were candle-light vigils and ceremonies elsewhere in the county, as well. In Orangetown, four names were added to the town’s 9-11 memorial, recognizing four Rocklanders who died from the effects of their work at the Trade Center site in the days and weeks after the attacks.
MOTORCYCLIST LOSES LEG DURING 9-11 TRIBUTE RIDE
A motorcyclist from Queens taking part in yesterday’s 9-11 observances was struck by a car on the Thruway in Spring Valley. Doctors amputated 39-year-old John Motta’s leg at the scene before taking him to Westchester Medical Center, where he’s in serious condition. The incident occurred as Motta and hundreds of other bikers took part in a 9-11 tribute ride from Newburgh to New York City.
RAMAPO BOY ELECTROCUTED DURING IRENE DIES
The young Spring Valley boy who was electrocuted outside his home during Tropical Storm Irene has died. Five year-old Reuven Herbst died of his injuries late last week, nearly two weeks after the August 28th incident. A neighbor, 50-year-old David Reichenberg, was killed when he tried to pull the boy free of the downed power lines that were electrocuting him.
09-09-11
SKIES CLEARING; TOWNS, RESIDENTS ASSESS STORM DAMAGES
What’s left of Tropical Storm Lee is just about gone from the region. And that means the wet weather is just about over for now. Rockland is headed for a mostly-sunny weekend – the first in several weeks. Many Rocklanders are still digging and pumping their way out of the flood damage left by Tropical Storm Irene nearly two weeks ago. One of the worst hit areas is the low-lying Squire’s Gate development in Ramapo – a constant victim of flood-waters. Much of Squire’s Gate remains flooded – families evacuated -- with little, if any, relief in sight. And many of the home-owners are wondering if they’ll ever return. Ramapo Suprevisor Christopher St. Lawrence told WRCR listeners this morning the town will put together a re-location package for Squire’s Gate residents that might include some measure of tax relief.
STORM-STRUCK RESIDENTS TO GET HELP FROM WASHINGTON AND (MAYBE) RELIEF FROM ALBANY
It’s not yet known how much property damage the county suffered, but Rocklanders were made eligible for federal disaster relief this week. FEMA is set to open a Rockland claims office soon, reportedly at Provident Bank Park. And Assemblywoman Annie Rabbit has asked Governor Cuomo to give financially-strapped home-owners some breathing room by pushing the October-first deadline for New Yorkers’ property-tax payments back to October 31st.
PESKY NEW MOSQUITO ARRIVES IN ROCKLAND
All of this wet weather is giving aid and comfort to a new enemy – the so-called Asian Tiger mosquito. The County Health Department says the insect was discovered here for the first time about two weeks ago. There is some health concern, since this particular mosquito can carry diseases such as the West Nile Virus, and loves biting people. Residents are advised to have plenty of repellant containing the insecticide DEET on hand.
PRE-TRIAL HEARING UNDER WAY IN LAU-ERLICH MURDER CASE
A pre-trial hearing continued today in New City for Eric Lau. He’s accused of beating and stabbing to death his next-door neighbor, Jami Erlich, inside her Valley Cottage condominium in December, 2009. Lau is challenging the police search of his condo following the murder, and the admissibility of his initial statement to police. No date has been set as yet for the start of Lau’s trial.
ROCKLAND FIREFIGHTERS HOLD ANNUAL PARADE TOMORROW, REMEMBER 9/11 ON SUNDAY
Rockland’s volunteer fire-fighters hold their 99th annual “Day” tomorrow. Host company for the event is Spring Valley’s Columbian Engine Company, which is celebrating its own 150th anniversary this year, as well. WRCR’s Steve Possell and Kerry Potter will be on hand at 2 o’clock for the parade down Main Street. This year’s event will be bitter-sweet – coming, as it does, one day before Rockland and the rest of America observe the tenth anniversary of the 9-11 terrorist attacks.
09-08-11
VALLEY COTTAGE MAN INDICTED FOR NEIGHBOR’S SHOOTING
Accused attempted murderer Eric Goods is in County Jail on $1-million bail today. The 53-year-old Valley Cottage man was indicted yesterday for the shooting two weeks ago of his neighbor, Edward Kern. Prosecutors say Goods unloaded several shots from a handgun at Kern on the morning of August 23rd, as Kern walked his dog outside his condominium. Kern survived the shooting. Goods faces up to 25 years in jail if convicted on the attempted murder charge. Police say they have no motive in the case.
CLARKSTOWN DEER DEATHS LINKED TO VIRUS
A virus is being blamed for the deaths of nearly 100 white-tail deer in the town of Clarkstown. State environmental officials say the deer, whose bodies were found over the past two weeks, were killed by Epizo-otic Hemorrhagic Disease, or EHD. It’s an insect-born virus that’s deadly to white-tail deer but NOT DANGEROUS to humans. Residents who spot ill-looking deer are advised to report the sighting to their regional DEC office. Officials say EHD is not uncommon; outbreaks come about once a year, usually in late summer or early fall.
RAIN BEGINS TO TAPER OFF; SOME AREAS STILL FLOODED
Clear skies are forecast for tomorrow. There was more rain today, but it wasn’t enough to add much to Rockland’s flooding problems. Some roads are still closed, and some commuter rail service remains shut-down. But Rockland is no longer under a state of emergency; County Executive Scott Vanderhoef lifted that yesterday.
SLOW-GOING IN EFFORTS TO RESTORE PORT JERVICE LINE
Commuter rail service for about 70 Metro-North riders in Sloatsburg will be out for the indefinite future, thanks to the shut-down of the Port Jervis Line. The company says it’ll have a schedule for replacement bus service out by next Monday. Metro-North officials say they won’t even know the extent of damage to the Port Jervis line from Tropical Storm Irene for several days, possibly until early next week. And then, months of repair work will follow, with a re-opening of the line reportedly not likely before winter.
SCHUMER PLEDGES TO EXTEND FUNDING FOR STATE’S BRIDGE-REPAIR PROJECTS
Senator Charles Schumer is promising more federal funds to repair scores of bridges throughout the Hudson Valley, some of them damaged further by Irene. Schumer says he’ll vote to extend funding for a bridge- and road-repair program that brought nearly $2-billion to New York State this year. Some 2,000 bridges in the state, more than 160 of them in the Hudson Valley, have been labeled “structurally deficient.”
REPLACEMENT FOOD STAMPS OFFERED TO THOSE WHO LOST FOOD DURING IRENE
Some welcome news for Food Stamp recipients who LOST food during Irene. State officials are offering replacement stamps. They’re available only to replace food that was originally purchased with stamps, and recipients must apply for them through their local social services office.
DEMS DEBATE TONIGHT IN SPRING VALLEY
Tonight is Debate Night in Ramapo. Democrats vying for local and county-wide offices will square off at the Luis Kurtz Center in Spring Valley, starting at 6:30 p.m. The opening debate pitts Ramapo Supervisor Christopher St. Lawrence against his primary opponent, Bob Rhodes.
09-07-11
MORE RAIN AND FLOODING, BUT THEY’RE ABATING
Rockland is recovering today – slowly -- from the latest round of rain and resultant flooding. Clarkstown and Orangetown got the brunt of it yesterday: deep water forcing closures of Route 303 just south of Route 59 and at Mountain View Avenue in Orangeburg. And there were street closures in Nyack, Tappan and Sparkill as well. Westchester was hit even harder, with parts of the Bronx River, Hutchinson, Cross County and Saw Mill Parkways closed at various times. Up to two inches of rain hit the region, along with temperatures down in the 60’s – all part of a cold front pushed in by Tropical Storm Lee. More rain is forecast today, but not as much as yesterday, and the flood watch that covers the region is set to expire at noon.
SLOATSBURG MAYOR: FUEL COMPANY WILL MAKE GOOD ON DIESEL SPILL DAMAGES
Sloatsburg Mayor Carl Wright met with the owners of a Tuxedo fuel company yesterday on the effects of last week’s diesel spill into the Ramapo River. More than 75 Sloatsburg and Suffern homes were contaminated by the fuel, which was carried south by the river during Tropical Storm Irene. Wright says the fuel company, SOS, is taking full responsibility for the spill and has offered to have the damages evaluated. Affected home-owners should call Town Hall at 351-4700 to set up an appointment.
DEMS SCHEDULE CANDIDATE FORUM TOMORROW IN SPRING VALLEY
Next Tuesday is Primary Day. And Democrats have scheduled a candidate forum in Ramapo this week. It’s set for tomorrow, 6:30 to 9:30 p.m., at the Luis Kurtz Center in Spring Valley. Democrats vying for County Sheriff, County Legislature, Ramapo Supervisor, Town Board, and Spring Valley village board, have been invited to take part.
LOWEY CALLS FOR BOARD TO FINANCE JOBS-CREATING PROJECTS
Congresswoman Nita Lowey is in Westchester County today, calling for new efforts to put Americans back to work. Lowey and a group of labor, business and local government leaders was to gather at noon in Tarrytown to call for the creation of a National Infrastructure Bank to finance jobs-creating projects.
09-06-11
SCHOOLS OPEN THIS WEEK; CARLUCCI HOLDS BACK-TO-SCHOOL DRIVE
Today was opening day for two of Rockland’s eight school districts – students in Clarkstown and South Orangetown getting the early call. Classrooms open tomorrow in Nyack, Pearl River, East Ramapo and Ramapo Central. Nanuet and North Rockland open their school doors on Thursday. Students are being asked to bring more and more school supplies with them this year, as school budgets are stretched to the limit. State Senator David Carlucci told WRCR listeners this morning he’s staging a back-to-school drive this week, to help Rockland school children get the supplies they’ll need. Residents are asked to drop off such things as pencils, erasers and notebooks at Carlucci’s local office – at 95 South Middletown Road in Nanuet. For information, call 623-3627.
FLOODING A CONCERN AS TROPICAL STORM LEE SENDS RAIN AND COLD TO REGION
Today’s rain and cool temperatures are part of the cold front that Tropical Storm Lee has brought to the region. And, with the ground still saturated from Irene’s visit last week, the big concern today is flooding. In fact, Rockland is on a flash flood watch through this afternoon. Meanwhile, residents are cleaning up after Irene, and toting up damages, as well. The Federal Emergency Management Agency has declared Rocklanders eligible for Individual Assistance. This includes home-owners, renters and small business owners who suffered damage during Irene. And County Executive Scott Vanderhoef says FEMA plans to open a Disaster Recovery Center in Rockland, the location to be announced this week.
WEEKEND BEAR SIGHTINGS IN PEARL RIVER AND POMONA
The wet weather is bringing the wildlife out. There were at least two bear sightings in Rockland over the weekend. The first, Saturday evening, was in a residential neighborhood of Pearl River. The second, on Sunday evening, was a bit of a crowd pleaser – two black- bear cubs climbed a tree in a Pomona neighborhood and, once police dispersed the crowd that had gathered, climbed back down and ambled off into nearby Harriman State Park.
BOULDERS END SEASON WINNING THREE OF LAST FOUR GAMES
The Newark Bears helped the Rockland Boulders end the season on a successful note over the weekend. The two teams squared off for the last four games of the year. Rockland took the first two games in Newark on Friday and Saturday, then made it three in a row with a victory over the Bears on Sunday here at Provident bank Park, before losing the Labor Day season finale yesterday. The Boulders end the season with a 40-and-52 record. That wasn’t good enough to make the Can-Am League playoffs, which start tomorrow night with the Brockton Rox at the Quebec Capitales and the Pittsfield Colonials at the New Jersey Jackals.
09-02-11
N.Y.S. INSURANCE REP IN ROCKLAND TO HELP IN FILING IRENE CLAIMS
Rocklanders are getting first-hand information today on how to make insurance claims in the wake of Tropical Storm Irene. A representative of the New York State Insurance Department is in the county to take questions and help residents fill out insurance claim forms. The official and State Senator David Carlucci were to appear first, until 1 p.m., at 1 Lonergan Drive, in Suffern’s heavily damaged Squire’s Gate development ... and then, until 6 p.m., outside the West Nyack Post Office at 720 West Nyack Road.
LIGHTS-OUT LIST UNDER 600 AS IRENE RECOVERY CONTINUES
Rockland’s recovery from Tropical Storm Irene continues, with the number of homes without power down to less than 600 this morning. Orange and Rockland says the whole county should be back on line by the end of the weekend. Meanwhile, United Water says tests show the fuel from a Tuxedo diesel spill has not contaminated the water supply in neighboring Sloatsburg.
SLOATSBURG GETS TEMPORARY BUS SERVICE FOLLOWING TRAIN-LINE SHUTDOWN
The county begins free feeder-bus service today to parts of Sloatsburg heavily damaged by Irene. And New Jersey Transit is posting new schedules to help Sloatsburg commuters deal with the indefinite shut-down of its Port Jervis line.
CUOMO: ROCKLANDERS ELIGIBLE FOR FEMA FUNDS
National Guard troops brought in to help Sloatsburg and Suffern dig out of the post-Irene mess have completed their mission. But much work remains to be done there and elsewhere in the county – flood drainage; road and bridge reconstruction; and repairs to damaged homes and businesses. The good news on that front: Governor Andrew Cuomo announced yesterday that Rockland residents and business-owners are eligible for federal disaster aid through FEMA.
ZEBROWSKI RENEWS CALL FOR NY-NJ WATER COMMISSION
Assemblyman Kenneth Zebrowski says the massive flooding from Irene in the region proves the need for New York and New Jersey to co-operate on flooding and other water issues. And Zebrowski is renewing his call for a bi-state water commission. Legislation to that effect, introduced by Zebrowski several years ago, is still mired in the Assembly. Rockland’s David Carlucci sponsors a companion bill in the State Senate.
N.Y.S. AUDIT: EAST RAMAPO LOST TRACK OF $2.4-MILLION
An audit by the state comptroller reportedly finds that the East Ramapo school district has lost track of millions of dollars through poor book-keeping and other mis-management. The Journal News says the audit shows, among other things, that the district kept no records on the $2.4-million worth of textbooks it loaned to private schools during the 2008-2010 audit period. East Ramapo officials dispute a number of the audit’s findings.
09-01-11
POST-IRENE POWER BACK ON IN MOST OF COUNTY
Orange and Rockland says the county should be fully back on line by the end of the week. Fewer than 1,400 O&R customers in Rockland remained without power this morning. That was down from the 30,000 knocked off-line Sunday, as Tropical Storm Irene made its way slowly through he Hudson Valley.
UNITED WATER DEFENDS SIZE OF PRE-STORM RELEASE FROM LAKE DEFOREST
Meanwhile, Rockland’s other major utility, United Water, is defending its actions during the run-up to Irene. The company released some 120-million gallons of water from Lake DeForest into the Hackensack River late last week – to lessen the lake’s expected over-flow of flood waters into neighboring areas. But the flooding turned out to be extensive anyway. And critics blamed U.W. for not pre-releasing more water. But United Water spokesman Steve Goodsmith told us this morning said the storm caused an over-flow of more than one billion gallons. And that, he said, was much more than could have been off-set by a pre-release of any reasonable amount.
SLOATSBURG BETTER, BUT STILL SUFFERING EFFECTS OF IRENE
Some parts of the county are still reeling from the storm – Sloatsburg, in particular. Power is back in most of the 300 homes that lost it there. But many residents say they can still smell diesel oil, the result of an Orange County spill that sent thousands of gallons of fuel down the Ramapo River and into the flooded basements of Sloatsburg and Suffern. One bit of good news for Sloatsburg: Transport of Rockland bus service to the village is back for the first time since Sunday.
COUNTY EXEC SETS UP DATA-GATHERING SYSTEM FOR APPLYING TO FEMA
The cost of Irene to Rockland homes and businesses is still anyone’s guess. County Executive Scott Vanderhoef has asked each municipality in the county to collect local damage estimates. That information then will go to the county Department of Fire and Emergency Services, which will co-ordinate applications for state and federal disaster funds. Damage-assessment and aid-application forms are being made available at all town and village halls – for return by residents and business-owners to the county no later than next Tuesday, September 5th.
QUESTIONS REMAIN ON CAUSE OF MARINA FIRE
Police reportedly are suspicious about what touched off a fire at the Haverstraw Marina early yesterday morning. The pre-dawn fire started aboard a yacht and spread to two other boats, one of which eventually sank along with the yacht. The Journal News quotes a Haverstraw police lieutenant as saying: “It’s 5:30 in the morning and supposedly no one is on the boat, so what causes the fire?” No one was killed or injured in the blaze, which sent up 30-foot flames and set a cloud of noxious smoke adrift over a wide area. The multi-million-dollar yacht, named “On the Mark,” reportedly has been up for sale for several years.
08-31-11
YACHT, OTHER BOATS BURN IN FIRE AT HAVERSTRAW MARINA
There was a boat fire at the Haverstraw Marina this morning. It started before 6 a.m. in an 85-foot yacht and spread to other boats, at least one of which eventually sank along with the yacht. Volunteers from Haverstraw, West Haverstraw, Stony Point and as far south as Piermont battled the fire for well over three hours, managing to protect the marina’s diesel fuel tanks in the process. But there was smoke, enough to darken the sky from Haverstraw south toward the Tappan Zee Bridge and over other parts of the county, as well. Along with it was the foul smell of burning fiberglass, which is a major pleasure-boat component. No casualties were reported to boat owners, fire-fighters, haz-mat crews or investigators at the scene. It’s still not known what touched off the blaze, or how extensive the damage was.
COUNTY ON MEND AFTER IRENE; GARNERVILLE, SLOATSBERG AND SUFFERN HIT HARDEST
Rockland county is still reeling from the effects of Tropical Storm Irene. Bridges are down and roads are closed throughout the county, which remained in a state of emergency this morning. Among the worst-hit communities is Garnerville, where flood-waters from the Minisceango Creek heavily damaged the industrial terminal known as GAGA, closing more than 130 businesses.
Also hit hard by Irene were the villages of Sloatsburg and Suffern, where National Guard troops have joined the emergency effort. Adding insult to injury: fuel from an Orange County diesel spill on Sunday has made its way down the Ramapo River and into the flooded homes of BOTH Rockland villages.
IRENE DAMAGE CLOSES PORT JERVIS COMMUTER RAIL LINE INDEFINITELY
Sloatsburg residents face one other storm-related hardship – the loss of direct, Metro-North train service to New York City. Extensive damage from Irene caused the close-down of its Port Jervis line, and Metro North says the commuter line could be down for several months. Most of the line’s 2,400 regular users are from Orange County. But for the 70 or so who get on and off in Sloatsburg, the shutdown will mean a short commute by car to Suffern before a longer one via New Jersey Transit’s Bergen County train line to the city.
POWER RESTORATION CONTINUES; O&R DISTRIBUTES ICE
Meanwhile, power is being restored gradually to areas that LOST it during the storm. Orange & Rockland said about 4,000 customers in the county, including about 300 in Sloatsburg, remained in the dark this morning. That was down from 30,000 without power, county-wide, at the height of the storm. As road crews continue to bring the county back on line, O&R is distributing ice this afternoon to residents still without refrigeration. The hand-off was scheduled from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. in the parking lot at the Boulders’ stadium, Provident Bank Park.
08-30-11
O&R: POWER LIKELY TO BE FULLY RESTORED BY WEEK’S END
The lights may be out much of this week for thousands of Rocklanders who lost power during Hurricane Irene. Orange and Rockland says most of the 30,000 customers still in the dark, including some 9,000 in Rockland, should have their electricity back by midnight Friday – the rest, by the end of the weekend. Some 110,000 O&R customers system-wide lost power at one point or another during Irene, which departed Rockland Sunday night as a tropical storm.
RESIDENTS, OFFICIALS SLAM O&R ON KEEPING PUBLIC INFORMED
A lot of people are unhappy with how well O&R kept the public informed during the storm. Many complain they couldn’t reach the utility by telephone for much of the day Sunday. And that resulted in a scolding of sorts from local officials. County Legislator Ed Day, for one, called it one of the worst responses to a disaster in Rockland history. And he slammed O&R for its rotating work schedule, which allowed up to two-thirds of its field staff to be off-duty during parts of the storm. He also noted that Irene’s arrival was no surprise, so the utility should have had its lines of communication open by the time the storm hit. For its part, Orange and Rockland says much of the communications problem stemmed from a break-down in Verizon phone service.
S.V. BOY ELECTROCUTED BY DOWNED POWER LINE STILL IN CRITICAL CONDITION
The young Spring Valley boy who was electrocuted during the weekend storm remains in critical but stable condition at Westchester Medical Center. Five year-old Reuben Herbst was severely burned Sunday when he touched a metal fence on which a fallen power line had landed. A neighbor, 50-year-old David Reichenberg, was electrocuted and killed when he went to the boy’s rescue. Some are questioning whether Orange and Rockland should have cut power to the downed line immediately, before such a tragedy could occur. But O&R spokesman Mike Donovan told WRCR this morning that standard procedure calls for power to stay on to affected neighborhoods unless and until there’s a dangerous situation.
BUSINESSES ASSESSING IRENE DAMAGE; LOWEY CALLS FOR SPEEDY FEDERAL ASSISTANCE
Businesses throughout the Lower Hudson Valley estimate the loss and damages from Irene to be in the millions of dollars. Congresswoman Nita Lowey has called on FEMA to speed up its damage-assessment procedure and set up regional response offices to process local claims.
08-29-11
ROCKLAND STORM STORY: FLOODING, EVACUATIONS, ONE DEATH
It’s all over but the cleanup. Hurricane Irene hit Rockland hard Saturday night, weakened to a Tropical Storm by the time it left last night, and caused plenty of damage on the way. Orange and Rockland says more than 100,000 customers lost power at one time or another during the storm. Scores of roadways and thousands of homes were flooded in the region, with an untold amount of property damage and loss the result. There were evacuations and travel restrictions throughout the county. The National Guard was deployed to help flood-stranded residents in Suffern and Sloatsburg. And there was at least one storm-related death: a Spring Valley man, electrocuted as he tried to rescue a child.
OUTSIDE CREWS HELPED O&R DEAL WITH IRENE
Orange and Rockland had to bring in field crews from as far away as Michigan in order to deal with Irene. Some 24,000 Rocklanders were still without electricity at 9 o’clock this morning. Hundreds remain evacuated from their homes in low-lying neighborhoods. And there are shut-downs, delays and cancellations reminiscent of winter snow-storms. For example: Rockland Community College cancelled today’s classes, and there was no TRIPS bus service all day.
SPRING VALLEY STORM VICTIM WAS FATHER OF FOUR
A funeral service was held last night for David Reichenberg. The 50-year-old Spring Valley man died yesterday when he ran to the aid of a five-year-old boy who had grabbed a downed power line. The boy survived but was critically burned. Reichenberg was a father of four.
N.Y.C. BREEZES THOUGH STORM; MAYOR SLAMMED
New York City was spared from much of the storm damage officials had worked so hard to prepare for. Hundreds of thousands of residents evacuated from low-lying areas of the city are returning to their homes today. And Mayor Michael Blumberg, who was chastised for being on vacation during a major storm last winter, is being criticized this time for over-preparing.
08-26-11
PLANS IN PLACE FOR GREETING IRENE
Rocklanders are filling up, stocking up and battening down today as Hurricane Irene steams up the east coast. The current Category-Two storm is expected to reach us sometime tomorrow with winds of up to 50 miles an hour or more. Forecasters say, if it hits on target and on schedule, Irene could drop four to eight inches of rain on the region.
Motorists concerned about short fuel supplies and gas-station shut-downs during the storm were filling their tanks late into last night. Supermarkets were packed as shoppers stripped the shelves bare of essential items. And municipalities throughout Rockland threw together emergency plans for dealing with the storm. County, town and village officials met this morning at the Fire Training Center in Pomona to co-ordinate those plans.
LAKE DEFOREST SPILL-OFF PART OF EMERGENCY PLAN
Orange and Rockland and United Water are readying equipment and beefing up work crews in anticipation of Hurricane Irene. A major concern is flooding, with Rockland’s key water-supply basin, Lake DeForest, already filled to capacity. United Water’s Steve Goodsmith, told WRCR listeners this morning his company will release 60-million gallons of water from Lake DeForest into the Hackensack River each day through the end of the storm.
GIRLFRIEND CHARGED IN STABBING DEATH OF MT. IVY MAN
The girlfriend of a Mt. Ivy man found dead inside his burning
apartment last week has been charged with his murder. Haverstraw police say 23-year-old Jody-Ann Hemmings bludgeoned and stabbed 37-year-old Jason Ognenoff to death last Thursday, then set fire to his Palisades Garden apartment to cover up the crime. Hemmings was arrested at her Manhattan home and arraigned in Haverstraw yesterday, not long before Ognenoff was buried.
LOWEY, HAYWORTH VOICE VIEWS ON REPAIRING ECONOMY
Divergent views on how to mend the nation’s ailing economy are coming in from two of Rockland’s representatives in Washington. Congresswomen Nita Lowey and Nan Hayworth are back in the region this week. Speaking yesterday in Tarrytown, Democrat Lowey called for a reduction of payroll taxes for small businesses as a means of encouraging them hire new staff. Meanwhile, Republican Hayworth told the Journal News the key to a rebound is in more government spending cuts, along with a new and simplified tax code.
BOULDERS, FEDERALS PLAY TWO TODAY
The Boulders take on the New York Federals in a double-header today, after beating the Brockton Rox 8-6 last night. Game-time for today’s opener is 5:05 p.m. The pre-game show from Provident Bank Park goes on the air at 4:45 p.m. here on the Boulders’ flagship station.
08-25-11
ROCKLAND BRACING FOR HURRICANE IRENE WEEKEND
After surviving Tuesday’s east-coast earthquake, Rockland is bracing for Hurricane Irene this weekend. The Atlantic storm is expected to hit the region Saturday night with winds of 50 miles an hour or more and up to six inches of rain by the time it moves out on Sunday. Governor Cuomo has ordered up a state-wide emergency plan. And here in Rockland, county officials are warning residents to prepare for the possibility of a long power outage.
QUAKE PROMPTS CUOMO TO ORDER INFRA-STRUCTURE REVIEW
Governor Cuomo has ordered a full review of the state’s infra-structure, including Indian Point. This comes in response to Tuesday’s earthquake, which was centered in Virginia but shook buildings throughout the Hudson Valley. For their part, Indian Point officials say, if anything, the quake proved that the Buchanan nuclear plant is safe. A plant spokesman says neither of Indian Points two reactors was damaged, and that both are operating at full power.
COUNTY LEGISLATURE WANTS VANDERHOEF TO SUBMIT MULTI-YEAR FINANCIAL PLANS
The County Legislature moved last night toward legislation requiring County Executive Scott Vanderhoef to submit a multi-year financial plan for Rockland along with his annual budget. The county faces a deficit of $50-million or more and has been hit hard by state budget cuts. Vanderhoef is pressing for a new hotel-occupancy tax and a mortgage-tax increase to meet the shortfall. But the county legislature failed to take up either measure at last night’s Budget and Finance Committee meeting.
LOWEY SEEKS TAX BREAKS FOR LOCAL BUSINESSES TO SPUR EMPLOYMENT
Congresswoman Nita Lowey is calling today for reductions in payroll taxes for local businesses, along with new federal investments in research and development. Speaking this morning in Tarrytown, Lowey said such measures will be a boon to local employment. We’ll hear more from the Congresswoman when she joins us here on WRCR tomorrow morning.
VALLEY COTTAGE MAN PLEADS NOT GUILTY TO NEIGHBOR’S SHOOTING
The case against a Valley Cottage man accused of shooting his neighbor goes to a county grand jury next Monday. Fifty-three year-old Eric Goods pleaded not guilty to attempted murder yesterday and remains jailed on $1-million bail. His alleged victim, 33-year-old school-teacher Edward Ker, is recovering from multiple gunshot wounds to the head, back and arm. Police say they still don’t know what prompted Tuesday’s shooting on the grounds of the condominium complex where both men live. But Goods reportedly is having legal and financial problems, including a prior drunk-driving charge and possible foreclosure on his condo.
BRITISH CHAIN MAY RE-OPEN RED APPLE REST
The Red Apple Rest might be back in business before long. It’s reported today that a British restaurant chain, the motorcycle-themed Ace Café of London, has its eye on the long-dormant Route 17 eatery north of Sloatsburg, a popular spot in the 1940’s and ‘50’s. If all goes well, says the report, a new Red Apple Rest could be opening its doors sometime next year.
BOULDERS RALLY TO BEAT ROX
The Boulders battled to a 6-5 victory over the Brockton Rox last night at Provident Bank Park. Brockton took an early 2-0 lead and held it until the seventh inning, when the Boulders scored three times. The Rox came back with three in the eighth – only to lose it right back when Ree-day Rodriguez crushed a three-run homer to put Rockland ahead for good. It’s the Boulders and Rox again tonight – game time 7:05. The pre-game show gets under way at 6:45 p.m. here on the Boulders’ flag-ship station.
08-24-11
QUAKE RATTLES ROCKLAND, RE-IGNITES INDIAN POINT DEBATE
Rocklanders rattled through yesterday’s earthquake and emerged to hear new calls for a shutdown of Indian Point. The 5.8 quake, centered in Virginia, caused only minor damage to a handful of buildings in the Lower Hudson Valley. Even so, long-time opponents of the Buchanan nuclear plant used the earthquake as an “I told you so” moment. Among them, Congressman Eliot Engel said it demonstrated just how vulnerable even the relatively-quake-free East Coast can be to a nuclear accident. But speaking this morning on WRCR, Assemblywoman Nancy Calhoun took a different view, saying the quake proved that Indian Point is, in fact, safe.
VALLEY COTTAGE MAN CHARGED WITH ATTEMPTED MURDER IN CONDO-COMPLEX SHOOTING
A Valley Cottage man has been charged with attempted murder in yesterday’s shooting at the Mountainview condominium complex. Fifty-three year-old Eric Goods is being held on $1-million bail. Police say he shot his neighbor at the complex, 33-year-old Edward Kern, just before 6 a.m. as Kern walked his dog. Kern reportedly took five bullets from the handgun – in his head, back and arm – but was taken,conscious and talking, to Nyack Hospital, where his injuries are described as non-life-threatening. Goods was apprehended by police about five hours after the shooting in a wooded area near the condominium complex.
MT. IVY STAB VICTIM TO BE BURIED TOMORROW
A Mount Ivy man found dead in his burning apartment last week will be buried tomorrow after a funeral mass at St. Peter’s Church in Haverstraw. The body of 37-year-old Jason Ognenoff was discovered Thursday, riddled with stab wounds. Haverstraw police are calling it a homicide. And it’s believed the killer may have set fire to the apartment at the Palisades Garden complex to cover up the murder. No suspect or motive has been named in the case.
UNEMPLOYMENT IN REGION DIPS IN JULY
Unemployment in the Lower Hudson stood at 6.7 % last month – down from 7.3% last July. The latest figures are even more dramatic for Rockland specifically. Joblessness in the county fell to 6.6% from 7.4% a year ago. In hard numbers, there were 46,900 people without work in the Lower Hudson last month, about 5,000 fewer than were jobless in July of last year.
BOULDERS LOSE, MEET ROX AGAIN TONIGHT
The Boulders dropped their series opener with the Brockton Rox last night, losing 6-1 at Provident Bank Park. Will Hassett took the loss for the Boulders, his sixth of the season. Julian Sampson notched his ninth win for the Rox. Game Two of the three-game set is tonight at 7:05. The pre-game show starts at 6:45 p.m. here on the Boulders’ flagship station.
08-23-11
VALLEY COTTAGE MAN SHOT; NEIGHBOR SOUGHT
A Valley Cottage man was taken to Nyack Hospital with multiple gunshot wounds this morning. Clarkstown police say the shooting took place just before 6 a.m. at the Mountainview Apartment complex on Sierra Vista Lane, where the victim lives. Police combed the area for several hours in search of the man’s neighbor, who’s believed to have fired the shots. No motive for the shooting was given. The victim’s condition is unknown.
DEATH OF MT. IVY MAN FOUND IN BURNING APARTMENT RULED HOMICIDE
The death of a Mount Ivy man whose body was found inside his burning apartment last week has been ruled a homicide. Haverstraw police say 37-year-old Jason Ognenoff was stabbed to death. There were multiple stab wounds in his torso when the body was discovered Thursday morning at the Palisades Garden complex. No suspect or motive has been named in the case. It’s not clear whether the killer set Ognenoff’s apartment on fire to destroy evidence of the murder. Ognenoff made news as a 17-year-old in 1991 when he awoke from a weeks-long coma suffered in a motorcycle accident.
POMONA MAN CHARGED IN INCIDENT AT AIRMONT SUPERMARKET
A Pomona man faces assault, robbery and other charges after pushing a Shoprite guard through the Airmont supermarket’s front window during an alleged robbery attempt. Ramapo police arrested 54-year-old David Butterfield Sunday afternoon. Employees say the security guard had approached Butterfield after he was seen shoplifting cold-cuts at the market – and that a fight ensued, ending with the window broken and the 56-year-old guard bleeding from a lacerated hand. Butterfield is being held at county jail on $10,000 bail. Police value the meat and cheese he allegedly shoplifted at about $15.00.
POLICE: PEARL RIVER WOMAN EMBEZZLED $30,000 FROM LOCAL INSURANCE AGENCY
A Pearl River woman has been charged with embezzling the insurance company that employed her as a book-keeper. Orangetown police say 49-year-old Lynn Kavenagh stole nearly $30,000 from the Griffith Agency over a two-year period ending in June of last year. The money, much of it in cash, was allegedly taken from customers’ insurance premiums – and used by Kavenagh to pay her own premiums. Police say the thefts left some of those customers with reduced coverage, and others with none. Kavanagh was released without bail after her arrest last week. She’s due to answer a grand larceny charge October 18th.
ARGUMENTS IN PATRICK FARM CASE TO RESUME TOMORROW IN ST. SUPREME COURT
Arguments in Ramapo’s Patrick Farm development case are scheduled to resume tomorrow in State Supreme Court in New City. Acting Justice Patrick Walsh opened the hearing yesterday in an effort to narrow the issues in the controversial case. An environmental group is spear-heading local opposition to the development, which envisions nearly 500 single- and multi-family homes on the 200-acre site near Pomona. At issue in the case is the major aquifer that runs beneath the site, and whether the town of Ramapo ignored it and other environmental concerns when it approved the project.
EVENING CLINIC SCHEDULED FOR BACK-TO-SCHOOL VACCINATIONS
The county health department is offering back-to-school vaccinations to all children 5-18 years of age. And a special evening clinic has been scheduled this year. It’ll be held Monday, September 19th from 4:00 to 6:30 p.m. at the Yeager Health Center in Pomona. That’s in addition to the vaccination clinic that’s held at the center every Wednesday morning. All shots are free-of-charge. To make an appointment, call 364-2497.
BOULDERS HOST ROX AT PROVIDENT BANK PARK TONIGHT
The Boulders host the Brockton Rox at Provident Bank Park tonight, following a night off. Sunny skies and warm temperatures are forecast for the game, which opens a three-game series with the Rox, managed by former Boston Red Sox star Bill Buckner. Game time tonight is 7:05. The pre-game show gets under way at 6:45 p.m. on WRCR.
08-22-11
VERIZON STRIKERS BACK ON THE JOB; TALKS CONTINUE
Striking Verizon workers in Rockland and throughout the northeast will return to work tonight -- still without a contract. Phone company and union negotiators did agree over the weekend to narrow the range of issues as contract talks continue. But the big issues of health-insurance contributions, pensions and work rules remain. The company says the give-backs are necessary to streamline its dwindling land-line business. Some 45,000 Verizon workers from Massachusetts to Virginia have been on strike since August 7th.
PATRICK FARM CASE IN COURT TODAY
Legal arguments are scheduled in state supreme court today on Ramapo’s controversial Patrick farm development. Opponents say the high-density housing project off Routes 202 and 306 threatens a major aquifer – and that the town hop-scotched environmental regulations to approve it. The project calls for nearly 500 single- and multi-family homes to be built at the 200-acre site. Legal actions have long-stalled the development. This latest action is spearheaded by the environmental group ROSA, which advocates for a sustainable water supply in Ramapo.
GROMACK: SIMON AIMS NEW NANUET MALL OPENING FOR LATE-2013
Plans are proceeding more-or-less on schedule for the construction of a new Nanuet Mall. Clarkstown Supervisor Alex Gromack says it’s been hard to pin down site-owner Simon Properties on exact dates for the start of demolition and re-construction. But Gromack told WRCR listeners this morning there is an opening day in Simon’s sights: the 2013 holiday shopping season.
STOLEN DUMP-TRUCK LEADS ORANGETOWN POLICE ON SLOW-SPEED CHASE
An Orangeburg man led police on a wandering, slow-speed chase over the weekend in a dump-truck that police say he stole. Twenty-four year-old Daniel Russo faces a range of charges, from grand larceny to driving while intoxicated. Police say Russo stole the truck from a Tappan landscape company Saturday morning, then drove – erratically – on a route that took him and the police chasing him along Route 9-W, the Palisades Parkway and Route 303, where he was finally pulled over. At that point, two explosions reportedly went off in the under-carriage of the truck, slightly injuring seven police officers at the scene. They were all treated and released from Nyack Hospital. A mechanical problem apparently caused the explosions. Russo is being held on $100,000 bail.
BOULDERS OFF TONIGHT; HOST BROCKTON ROX TOMORROW
Tonight’s an off-night for the Boulders after their 8-4 victory over the New Jersey Jackals in Montclair last night. A two-run, seventh-inning home run from Barry Wesson helped Jonathan Velasquez notch his seventh victory of the season. It came a day after the Jackals took both ends of a double-header from the Boulders at Provident Bank Park. The Brockton Rox come to town tomorrow night for the start of a three-game series. Air-time for the pre-game show is 6:45 p.m. on WRCR.
08-19-11
BUS CO. OWNER ACCUSES COUNTY OF BID-RIGGING
A local businessman accuses Rockland County of wrong-doing in its search of a company to run its buses. Richard Brega, who owns Brega Transport Corporation of Valley Cottage, filed court papers this week accusing the county of bid-rigging, favoring a California-based company for the four-year contract worth up to $70-million. County Executive Scott Vanderhoef and four other county officials are named in the action, which seeks to re-start the bidding process. A county attorney says Rockland will “vigorously oppose” the application. And, speaking this morning on WRCR, Vanderhoef called the bid-rigging allegation “nonsense.”
RAMAPO TAKES MANSION-DORMITORY OWNER TO COURT
The town of Ramapo has gone to state supreme court, hoping to evict students from a Monsey mansion being used illegally as a dormitory. Town officials say there are health and safety issues at the Whisper-Lane mansion to be resolved, and an application to be made for dormitory use, before any students should be allowed to return. Attorney Ryan Karben, who represents the building’s owner, says his client has been co-operating with the town, but Ramapo officials dispute that.
BODY FOUND IN BURNING HAVERSTRAW APARTMENT
A man’s body was found inside a burning apartment in Mt. Ivy yesterday. Haverstraw police say the man had been stabbed and they’re treating his death as a possible homicide. There reportedly was no identification on the body. Firefighters found it yesterday morning in the living room of the burning, smoke-filled apartment at the Palisades Garden complex. The cause of the fire is under investigation. No suspects have been named in the victim’s death.
NYACK MAN PLEADS NOT GUILTY TO FATAL BEER-BOTTLE STABBING
A Nyack man pleaded not guilty to murder yesterday in the stabbing-death of a former local athlete two months ago. Twenty-seven year-old John Desir was arrested June 25th after a bar fight in Nyack in which former Nyack High School football player Wykeme Corker was stabbed to death with a broken beer bottle. Prosecutors say Corker and Desir had had a history of bad blood.
BOULDERS IN MONTCLAIR TONIGHT AFTER HOME LOSS LAST NIGHT
The Boulders had to Montclair tonight for the start of a three-game series with the New Jersey Jackals. The Rocklanders lost a 3-to-2 squeaker at home last night to the Pittsfield Colonials. Game time tonight from Yogi Berra Stadium is 7:05. The pre-game show gets under way at 6:45 p.m. here on the Boulders’ flagship stadium.
08-18-11
E. RAMAPO SETS 2.1% TAX-LEVY INCREASE
The East Ramapo school board voted last night to set a 2.1% increase in the district’s tax-rate this year. That brings the rate to just under $108 per $1,000 of assessed value for district home-owners. The board also approved more than $900,000 in school spending cuts, trimming the district budget to $198.9-million. The district lost 86 staff and teaching positions when that contingency budget was adopted earlier this year.
LOWEY SAYS SHORTER LICENSING TERM WOULD EASE INDIAN POINT OUT
Congresswoman Nita Lowey says the Nuclear Regulatory Commission should drastically shorten Indian Point’s licensing term. Critics of the Buchanan nuclear plant want the N.R.C. to refuse its re-licensing bid altogether. But plant supporters say that would leave the region without a sufficient alternative power source. In a letter to the N.R.C., Lowey says approving a five-year licensing term instead of the current 20 would provide the time and flexibility to make a switch to non-nuclear power.
DESMARET ENDS COUNTY LEGISLATOR BID, ENDORSES MICHEL
Spring Valley’s deputy mayor, Joseph Desmaret, dropped out of the race for County Legislator yesterday and endorsed the incumbent, fellow-Haitian-American Jacques Michel. Desmaret was set to take Michel on in next month’s Democratic primary. But he says the entry of a third candidate, Aron Weider, into the race means the likely-split Haitian vote could lose that community its cherished seat on the legislature.
SLOATSBERG JUDGE LOSES DRIVER’S LICENSE FOR YEAR AFTER D.W.I. ARREST
Sloatsburg village justice Thomas Newman is losing his driver’s license for one year. That’s his penalty for refusing to take a sobriety test after a minor accident earlier this week. The 56-year-old Newman has been an elected judge in Sloatsburg since 1992. He was charged Tuesday with driving while intoxicated after his car rammed into another vehicle on Route 17. No one was injured in the collision. Newman is due in court a week from today. Even if convicted, he’s not likely to lose his judgeship, since the D.W.I. charge is a misdemeanor.
BOULDERS WIN, TAKE ON COLONIALS AGAIN TONIGHT
The Boulders may be on another win streak after beating the Pittsfield Colonials last night, 3-to-1, at Provident Bank Park. It was the Rocklanders’ second straight victory after losing to the Colonials Monday night. That loss followed a four-game Boulders’ winning streak. Game time tonight is 7:05. The pre-game show with Seth Cantor and Carmine Vetrano starts at 6:45 p.m.
08-17-11
NO CHARGES LIKELY IN NEW SQUARE TODDLER’S DEATH
No charges are likely to be filed in the death this week of a young New Square girl. Two-year-old Gittie Schwartz was playing with her father outside their home on Clinton Lane Monday evening when she darted into the street and was hit by a neighbor’s minivan. Ramapo police say all evidence suggests it was accidental. Gittie Schwartz was buried yesterday. Her father, Moshe Chaim Schwartz, is New Square’s village school principal.
POLICE: MEDICAL CONDITION LIKELY CAUSED DRIVING DEATH OF SPRING VALLEY WOMAN
A Spring Valley woman died, apparently of natural cause, while driving in Ramapo yesterday. Police say 64-year-old Esther Gdanski suffered what they describe as a medical attack just before 6 a.m. as she drove on Spook Rock Road near Topaz Court. The car came to rest in bushes along-side the road. Gdanski died about an hour later at Good Samaritan Hospital. She reportedly had suffered from an undisclosed medical condition. Her son, Paul Gdanski, is Suffern’s planning board chairman.
SLOATSBURG JUDGE CHARGED WITH D.W.I.
A Sloatsburg village justice has been charged with drunk-driving after a minor collision last night. Ramapo police say the judge, 56-year-old Thomas Newman, was driving south on Rt. 17 at about 7:30 p.m. when he rammed into the back of another vehicle. No one was hurt. Police charged Newman with D.W.I., tail-gating, and a third misdemeanor, failing to submit to a breath test. He’s due in Ramapo Town Court a week from tomorrow.
HAVERSTRAW TRIO ACQUITTED ON ASSAULT CHARGES
Three Haverstraw men are free after their acquittal this week on charges they beat and robbed a neighbor. A county court jury on Monday found David Rizzotti and his brothers, Brandon and Mark Moe, not guilty in the alleged March, 2010 attack on their next-door neighbor, Ray McKimmie. Defense attorneys had argued that McKimmie, not the defendants, was the instigator. McKimmie also reportedly changed his account of the confrontation a number of times.
WOMAN CHARGED WITH ATTACKING HAVERSTRAW POLICEMAN WITH BASEBALL BAT
A Haverstraw policeman faces possible surgery after being attacked with a baseball bat. Police say the un-named officer was injured late Monday night while trying to break up a fight on South Street. One of the fighters, 19-year-old Carol Fernandez of West Haverstraw, reportedly set upon the officer with the baseball bat, possibly breaking a bone in his right hand. Fernandez faces assault and weapons charges. She’s out on bail. Police say the officer may need surgery to repair his injured hand.
BOULDERS WIN, FACE COLONIALS AGAIN TONIGHT
The Boulders are back in the win column after last night’s 7-5 victory over the Pittsfield Colonials. Jon Velasquez pitched eight solid innings for the Rocklanders in which he gave up three unearned runs. He’s now gone 25 innings without allowing an earned run. The Boulders and Colonials face off tonight in Game Three of their series at Provident Bank Park, after splitting the first two. Game-time tonight is 7:05. The pre-game show with Seth Cantor and Carmine Vetrano gets under way at 6:45 p.m. here on the Boulders’ flag-ship station.
08-16-11
TAXPAYERS GROUP TO PETITION CLARKSTOWN BOARD ON TERM LIMITS TONIGHT
Proponents of term-limits for Clarkstown officials will present the town board with petitions tonight. They’d limit the town’s top officials to eight years in office, or four terms for the supervisor and two terms for members of the board. Spearheading the term-limits drive is the group Clarkstown Taxpayers. They say some 3,400 residents have signed the petitions, which are not binding but, presumably, would give the board a sense of the public mood. Tonight’s meeting at Town Hall in New City is slated for 8 o’clock.
PUBLIC TO COMMENT TODAY ON PROPOSED G.W.B. AND TUNNEL TOLL INCREASES
There are public hearings today on the Port Authority’s proposed toll and fare increases. Comments will be taken either on-line or in person at any of eight hearing sites in the region. Under the PA plan, peak-hour tolls on the George Washington Bridge, and the Lincoln and Holland Tunnels would increase from the current $8 to $12 for E-Z-Pass holders and to $15 for cash-payers. The P.A.’s board of directors will vote on the hikes Friday. The closest hearing location for Rocklanders today is the G.W.B. administration building in Fort Lee. That hearing starts at 6 p.m.
TWO-YEAR-OLD NEW SQUARE GIRL KILLED BY MINIVAN
A 2-year-old girl was stuck and killed by a minivan in New Square yesterday. Details are still unclear, but the unidentified child reportedly died of head injuries at Nyack Hospital a short time after the 6:45 p.m. incident on Clinton Lane. The minivan driver was not identified. Ramapo police say the investigation continues and that no summonses have been issued. A similar incident in New Square this past April took the life of another 2-year-old girl.
VERIZON STRIKERS HONOR ROCKLAND PHONE-WORKER WHO DIED DURING 1989 WALKOUT
Striking Verizon workers in the region briefly put down their picket signs yesterday to gather in memory of a fallen comrade on the 22nd anniversary of his death. A ceremony in Valhalla honored Edward Horgan, a Valley Cottage cable-splicer who was hit and killed by a car during a strike against NYNEX on August 15th, 1989. As for the current, nine-day-old strike by some 45,000 Verizon workers on the East Coast, no progress is reported.
CUOMO HAILS STATE’S PACT WITH C.S.E.A.
Governor Andrew Cuomo calls the new contract with the state’s largest public-employees union a win-win situation: a victory for both the Civil Service Employees Association and the people of New York. The C.S.E.A. announced its approval late yesterday, its members agreeing to a three-year wage freeze and give-backs on health-insurance and other benefits. Cuomo had threatened to lay off about 10,000 state workers if the contract talks failed.
BOULDERS SNAP 4-GAME WIN STREAK, HOST COLONIALS AGAIN TONIGHT
The Boulders take on the Pittsfield Colonials at Provident Bank Park tonight in the second game of a four-game series. The Rocklanders snapped a four-game winning streak last night, falling to the Colonials 5-to-1. Game time tonight is 7:05. The pre-game show with Seth Cantor and Carmine Vetrano starts at 6:45 p.m. here on the Boulders’ flagship station.
08-15-11
CLARKSTOWN TAXPAYERS GROUP TO PRESENT TOWN BOARD WITH TERM-LIMIT PETITIONS
Some Clarkstown voters want to limit how long town officials can stay in office. A local tax-payers group will present the town board with petitions tomorrow night to set eight-year limits on how long the Town Supervisor and trustees can serve. In Clarkstown, that would be four two-year terms for the Supervisor and two four-year terms for the board members. Supervisor Alex Gromack told WRCR this morning he opposes term limits because they restrict voters’ freedom to choose. It’s up to the town board itself to decide on term limits. A spokesman for the PRO-limits group Clarkstown Taxpayers says he expects some 400 people to show up for tomorrow night’s town board meeting, to present the board with petitions bearing some 3,400 signatures.
LOTSA RAIN YESTERDAY … A BIT MORE TODAY
A water-logged commute greeted the Lower Hudson Valley this morning after yesterday’s record-setting rainfall. Westchester got the worst of it, locally, with nearly three inches of rain recorded for the day. Well over seven inches fell on JFK Airport by 5 p.m., easily topping New York City’s old record of 6.3 inches in one day. And a record of nearly eleven inches hit Long Island’s Lido Beach. Locally, the rainfall has stopped for now, but more is expected later today and tomorrow. And after a dry day on Wednesday, more rain is in the forecast for the end of the work week.
NO LANE-CLOSING, OVRENIGHT DECK WORK ON T-Z BRIDGE THIS WEEK
One bit of traffic relief is in store for SOME local commuters. Night-time deck-replacement work on the Tappan Zee Bridge is taking the week off. So, no lane closures are scheduled through the weekend – the deck-work to resume next Monday. The New York State Thruway Authority says routine daytime repair work on the bridge will continue as needed throughout the week.
REPORT: NYS POLICE SECOND-HIGHEST PAID IN NATION
The police who patrol the T-Z and the rest of the Thruway are under a spotlight of sorts this morning. The Poughkeepsie Journal says New York State Police are the second-highest-paid force in the country, averaging more than $112,000 each last year, slightly less than their counter-parts in number-one ranked New Jersey. The average salary for a state police officer working in Rockland County was just over $117,000, about $6,000 less than in Westchester.
CUOMO’S USE OF STATE AIRCRAFT EYED
Budget-watchers are focusing this morning on Governor Cuomo himself. The Associated Press says Cuomo has used state aircraft at least 16 times so far this year to fly home from state-wide speaking events in which he promoted school- and other budget cuts. But the AP report says there’s no evidence that Cuomo used any of the 16 trips in question for politicking or fund-raising. As the state’s Attorney General in 2007, Cuomo criticized the over-use of state aircraft by officials under then-Governor Elliot Spitzer.
08-12-11
OSSINING SEWAGE SPILL PROMPTS NEW HUDSON RIVER WARNINGS
Another sewage spill, this one in Ossining, has led to another advisory to stay out of the Hudson. It’s the result of a sewer main break that’s pouring one and a-half million gallons of sewage daily into the river. Beaches on the Westchester side were closed yesterday. And now, with the sewage spreading, Rockland health officials are warning residents HERE not to swim, fish or even BOAT on the river until further notice. Beaches along most of the Lower Hudson were closed for several days late last month, thanks to a massive sewage spill in Manhattan.
SCHUMER ASKS COAST GUARD TO CO-ORDINATE BOAT SAFETY INSPECTIONS ON HUDSON
Boaters on the Hudson have been complaining about safety-inspection stops: too many of them, they say, by too many agencies, including local police departments up and down the river. Boaters say they’re often stopped and boarded three or four times a day for inspections that take up to 45 minutes each. Now, to the boaters’ rescue, comes New York Senator Charles Schumer. He’s asked the U.S. Coast Guard to co-ordinate the inspections, making them fewer in number, and giving recreational boaters more time for recreation.
N.Y.C. RALLY CALLS FOR INDIAN POINT CLOSE-DOWN
That nuclear plant across the Hudson is in the news again. A coalition of anti-nuclear groups rallied in Manhattan last night, calling for the shut-down of Indian Point. About 150 protesters took part in the 90-minute rally. Speakers, including Congressman Jerrold Nadler, raised the specter of Fukushima, likening Indian Point to the Japanese nuclear plant that was heavily damaged by an earthquake and tsunami earlier this year. In response, a state-wide pro-nuclear group released a statement declaring Indian Point a safe and economical power source and the provider of hundreds of high-paying jobs that would be lost in a close-down.
RAMAPO SUPERVISOR HOPEFUL TREATED FOR FOOD POISONING
One of the candidates for Ramapo supervisor reportedly is suffering from food poisoning. Robert Rhodes, who’s running under the Preserve Ramapo banner, fell ill over the weekend, possibly from eating seafood, and spent the last few days at an upstate hospital. A Preserve Ramapo spokesman says Rhodes is recovering and will soon be back to work, on a limited schedule.
BOULDERS ROMP, SHUT OUT BEARS ON VELASQUEZ 4-HITTER
The Boulders had a great night last night, posting their first shut-out – an 8-0 rout of the Newark Bears. Pitcher Jon Velasquez picked up his fifth win of the season with a complete-game four-hitter. The Boulders take on the New York Federals tonight at Provident Bank Park. The pre-game show with Seth Cantor and Carmine Vetrano starts at 6:45 p.m. on the Boulders’ flagship station, WRCR.
08-11-11
LAU RULED COMPETENT IN ERLICH MURDER CASE
The accused murderer of grade-school teacher Jami Erlich will go on trial, and soon. Thirty-two year-old Eric Lau was ruled mentally competent yesterday in New City. State Supreme Court Justice William Kelly set September eighth as the date for pre-trial hearings. Lau is charged with beating and stabbing Erlich to death in November of 2009 inside her Valley Cottage condo, next door to his own. He’s said to have been obsessed with Erlich, who was a phys-ed teacher at Suffern’s Connor Elementary School. Defense and prosecution psychiatrists offered conflicting views of Lau’s competency for several months before Kelly’s ruling.
PIMP GETS SEVEN YEARS IN LAWRENCE TAYLOR SEX CASE
The PIMP in the Lawrence Taylor sex-with-a-minor case is headed for jail. Thirty-eight year-old Rasheed Davis was sentenced yesterday to seven years in prison. Davis Pleaded guilty to transporting the teen-aged girl to a Ramapo hotel on May 5th, 2010, for a night of sex with the former New York Giants star. Taylor, who paid Davis $300 for the encounter, claimed he was told the girl was over 18. She turned out to be a 16-year-old Bronx runaway. Taylor pled out in the case: no jail time, but he’s listed now on the state’s sex offender registry.
17-YEAR STRETCH FOR VICTORIA SECRET ARMED ROBBER
The Mount Vernon man who robbed Victoria’s Secret at the Palisades Mall last year has been sentenced to 17 years in jail. Twenty-nine year-old Christopher Fountain was convicted in May of stealing $16,000 from a safe at the clothing store in June of last year while holding the staff at gunpoint. He’s also awaiting trial for allegedly robbing a Wal-Mart store in White Plains of more than $230,000.
CLARKSTOWN BOARD VOTES TO START SEARCH FOR KELLER-COGAN SUCCESSOR
The Clarkstown school board is starting to search for a new district superintendent. Last night’s vote made it clear the board will not renew the contract of the current schools chief, Margaret Keller-Cogan. She’s had run-ins with the board on a number of issues in recent months, but remains popular with district residents. And they showed their support last night, chanting “Shame on you!” to the board after its 4-3 vote put Keller-Cogan on notice. Her contract runs out next June.
VERIZON ACCUSES STRIKERS OF SABOTAGE
Verizon is accusing its striking employees of sabotage. The phone company says the workers cut phone lines in the county twice this week, knocking out service to a medical-office complex in West Nyack and then to the state-park police headquarters at Bear Mountain. A spokesman for the Communications Workers of America denies the allegations, saying Verizon has falsely claimed sabotage before. Meanwhile, the Palisades Interstate Park Commission, which overseas Bear Mountain, says it was a downed tree that knocked out phone service there. Some 45,000 C.W.A. members are on strike against Verizon from Maine to Virginia over a number of contract issues.
BOULDERS HOST BEARS AGAIN AFTER SPLITTING TWIN-BILL
The Boulders got back into the winning column last night, taking the second game of an at-home double-header against the Newark Bears. The 9-to-8 victory came after a 6-to-1 loss in the opener. Game three of the Bears series gets under way at 7:05 tonight at Provident Bank Park. The pre-game show with Seth Cantor and Carmine Vetrano starts at 6:45 p.m., here on the Boulders’ flagship station.
08-10-11
ZEBROWSKI CALLS MANDATE RELIEF SUMMIT
Assemblyman Kenneth Zebrowski says it’s time for some new ideas on how to make the state’s 2% property-tax cap work through mandate reform. And Zebrowski has called a two-day public forum here in Rockland later this year to bring together some of the region’s top idea people. The so-called “Targeted Mandate Relief Summit” is scheduled for October 4th at Rockland Community College and October 5th at the New City Library. Zebrowski says leaders from business, labor, education, government and other fields will be invited to contribute their cost-saving ideas at the summit.
VERIZON WORKING TO RESTORE DISRUPTED SERVICE …
A handful of Verizon customers in Rockland had no phone service again this morning, thanks to a blown generator. A company spokesman says the problem was touched off by a power outage near Route 59 in West Nyack. Among the customers affected by the so-far-two-day loss of phone and Internet service – the Crossfield Avenue office park, home to a number of medical practices. Doctors there said they were worried the problem could be keeping patients from getting through in emergency situations.
… AS EAST-COAST WALKOUT CONTINUES
Meanwhile, striking Verizon workers continue to picket here and throughout the northeast -- this, following the weekend breakdown of contract talks. Members of the Communications Workers of America are balking at company demands for concessions on health care coverage, pensions and other benefits. Verizon says its profits are down and that its employee benefits need to be brought in line with other union workers.
RIVERKEEPER: HUDSON NOT SAFE FOR RECREATIONAL USERS
A clean-water advocacy group says the Hudson River isn’t quite safe for swimming. In a study-report released yesterday, Riverkeeper says one out of five swimmers, fishers or boaters on the river between New York City and Troy are likely to encounter sewage. A Riverkeeper spokesman calls the risks “significant,” not only for the Hudson itself, but for its tributaries. Among them, according to the study, Sparkill Creek in Orangetown tests high in contaminants. The report comes just weeks after beaches along the lower-Hudson were closed due to a massive sewage spill at a Manhattan water-treatment plant.
LIGHTNING HITS MAN AT WEST NYACK QUARRY; HE’S OKAY
A Sullivan County man was hit by lightning here in Rockland yesterday – and lived to tell about it. Clarkstown police say the 45-year-old Narrowsburg man was struck at about 3:30 p.m. while working at the Tilcon quarry in West Nyack. He complained of some leg and arm pain but suffered no apparent injuries.
BOULDERS PLAY TWO TODAY AFTER RAINOUT LAST NIGHT
The Boulders play a double-header against the Newark Bears today at Provident Bank Park. Game one, a makeup for last night’s rain-out, gets under way at 5:05 p.m. The pre-game show with Seth Cantor and Carmine Vetrano starts at 4:45 here on the Boulders’ flagship station.
08-09-11
FATHER OF NEWBURGH DROWNING VICTIMS TO SUE CITY
The Newburgh man whose three children drowned in the Hudson River with their suicidal mother four months ago is said to be SUING the city of Newburgh. The man, Jeanne Pierre, lost two sons and a daughter when their mother, former Garnerville resident LaShanda Armstrong, drove her minivan off a river-front boat ramp on the night of April 12th. One other son, a ten-year-old, was the only one in the vehicle to survive. Pierre’s suit reportedly holds the city of Newburgh at fault for permitting a dangerous condition on the ramp. It also names Orange County as a defendant for not properly monitoring Armstrong’s custody of the children.
LOCAL PICKETING AGAINST VERIZON CONTINUES
Striking Verizon workers continue to walk the picket lines today in Rockland and elsewhere in the northeast. Some 45,000 Communications Workers of America from Maine to Virginia walked out after contract talks broke down over the weekend. The union is balking at Verizon’s demands for concessions on health care coverage, pensions and other benefits. Verizon says its profits are declining and that the company needs to bring its employee benefits in line with those of other union workers.
ONE-THIRD OF REGION’S PRE-HIGH SCHOOLERS FALLING SHORT ON N.Y.S. MATH AND ENGLISH TESTS
One out of three elementary and middle-school students in the region reportedly failed to meet state testing standards in math and English last year. The Journal News says the 66% pass rate on state tests in Rockland, Westchester and Putnam was slightly above New York State’s as a whole. But it remains down from average performance levels prior to 2009, when New York toughened the scoring system on state mandated tests.
COUNTY LEGISLATOR TO GOV. CUOMO: REJECT PORT AUTHORITY’S PROPOSED TOLL HIKES
County Legislator Ed Day wants Governor Cuomo to reject the Port Authority’s latest rate-hike request. Among other things, the agency wants to boost the George Washington Bridge toll from the current $8 to $12 during peak hours. In a letter to Cuomo, Day calls the request an “unconscionable” and “duplicitous” effort to “penalize” the working class. Cuomo and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, both of whom will act on the Port Authority request later this month, have expressed concerns about the size of the increases.
EX STONY POINTER CHARGED IN ALLEGED INSURANCE CHECK SCHEME
A former Stony Point man has been accused of swindling more than $10,000 out of a West Haverstraw check-cashing business. Prosecutors say Robert Ascolillo cashed a workman’s compensation check for $10,455 at David’s Money Center before a “stop payment” that he, himself had requested from his insurance company could go through. Some time later, Ascollilo reportedly deposited a newly-issued insurance check for the same amount, thus illegally doubling his money. Ascollilo faces a felony grand larceny charge in the case. He’s due in court September 7th.
BOULDERS AT HOME TONIGHT AGAINST NEWARK BEARS
The Boulders open a ten-game home stand tonight with the start of a Three-game set against the Newark Bears. The Rocklanders are hoping to turn things around at Provident Bank Park after losing four straight to the Brockton Rox on the road. Game time tonight is 7:05 p.m. The pre-game show with Seth Cantor and Carmine Vetrano starts at 6:45 here on the Boulders’ flag-ship station.
08-08-1
C.W.A. STRIKERS PICKET NANUET VERIZON FACILITY
There’s picketing going on in Rockland County today. Striking members of the Communications Workers of America have set up lines at Verizon facilities around New York and New Jersey. Here in Rockland, picketing outside the FiOS garage on Route 304 in Nanuet started at 7:30 a.m. The C.W.A. is protesting Verizon’s contract demands, which the union says include cutbacks in members’ job and pension security, paid sick leave, and on-the-job injury coverage.
COUNTY LEGISLATURE URGES “NO” VOTE IN ALBANY ON CONSOLIDATION MEASURE
State legislators in Albany are getting an earful from Rockland County on a proposed bill affecting local consolidation efforts. The County Legislature passed a resolution last week urging a “NO” vote on the measure, which is now in the state Assembly. It would make the process of consolidating local government operations as a tax-saving tool more difficult and time-consuming to use. And opponents say -- even worse – it would effectively add a layer of government at a time when municipalities around the state need to streamline.
WESLEY HILLS MAN CHARGED WITH SEXUALLY ABUSING WOMAN IN HIS HOME
A Wesley Hills man faces felony sex-abuse charges after an alleged incident at his home. Ramapo police arrested 58-year-old Isaac Frances early last week after a woman who works at Frances’s home accused him of sexually assaulting her there while, effectively, holding her captive. She says Frances allowed her to leave the room only after the alleged assault. Frances is out on bail. Police have not identified the woman.
BRONX MAN DROWNS IN LAKE WELCH
A New York City man drowned yesterday at Lake Welch. State park police say the 31-year-old Bronx man was pulled from the lake at about 11:30 in the morning and pronounced dead at Nyack Hospital about an hour later. It’s not clear what caused the drowning, which reportedly took place inside the lake’s designated swimming area.
HAVERSTRAW SHOOTING INCIDENT: NO ONE HURT, NO SUSPECT OR GUN FOUND
Haverstraw police are investigating a weekend shooting incident that shook up a village neighborhood but caused no injuries. It happened early yesterday morning -- one shot fired; a man with a handgun then seen entering a building on South Street. Local police and a County Sheriff’s team surrounded the building – but found neither suspect nor gun when they got inside. Neighborhood residents, freightened by the gunshot and the police activity, were kept inside their homes during the search.
BOULDERS SET FOR HOME RETURN AFTER LOSING BROCKTON SERIES
The Boulders have a night off tonight -- and, some might say, not a moment too soon. Their weekend trip to Brockton, MA, was, no doubt, one that the Rocklanders would like to forget. Four straight losses to the Rox, ending with a 9-to-2 defeat last night. The Boulders will be back at home at Provident Bank Field tomorrow night to start a three-game set against the Newark Bears. Coverage starts at 6:45 p.m. with Seth Cantor and Carmine Vetrano here on the Boulders’ flagship station, WRCR.
08-05-11
CUOMO MOVES STEP CLOSER TO POSSIBLE INDIAN POINT SHUT-DOWN
A bill signed yesterday by Governor Andrew Cuomo could speed the way to an eventual shut-down of Indian Point. The new law gives the state more power to keep nuclear plants OUT of densely-populated areas. Cuomo has vowed to close down Indian Point, citing its location amid a population of millions. Plant supporters say Indian Point is safe, provides affordable power, and, with about 1,300 employees, is a boost to the region’s economy. The plant’s two main reactors come up for re-licensing in 2013 and ’15.
CLARKSTOWN’S VARGAS TAPPED AS STATE’S REGIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR
Clarkstown’s former finance director, Aimee Vargas, is taking a high-level economic-development post with New York State. Vargas was named yesterday the Mid-Hudson regional director for the Empire State Development Corporation. She’ll oversee development plans in Rockland and six other counties, from Westchester north and west to Dutchess and Sullivan. Vargas left her post in Clarkstown earlier this year and has close ties to Governor Cuomo. She calls her new job an “exciting” opportunity to help bring business and jobs to the region.
REGION’S FOOD-STAMP USAGE DOUBLES SINCE 2006
The number of food stamp recipients in the Lower-Hudson reportedly has nearly doubled in the past six years. The U.S. Agriculture Department says a record number of Rockland, Westchester and Putnam County residents – just under 114,000 – used food stamps this past May. That was a 91% increase from the May-2005 figure of less than 60,000.
JOSH BERG NOW IN GOOD CONDITION FOLLOWING ALASKA BEAR ATTACK
The condition of New City bear-attack victim Josh Berg has improved. The 17-year-old Berg is recovering from the attack at an Anchorage, Alaska, hospital. He and three other teens taking part in a wilderness training course were mauled by the grizzly bear July 22nd, when they encountered her and her cub at an Alaskan river crossing. Berg is now listed in good condition. Neither his doctors in Anchorage nor his family here in New City are discussing the nature or extent of his injuries.
RULING ON LAU COMPETENCY MAY COME NEXT WEEK
Valley Cottage murder suspect Eric Lau is due back in State Supreme Court next Wednesday for a possible ruling on his mental competency. Lau is accused of beating- and stabbing-to-death his next-door neighbor, elementary school phys-ed teacher Jami Erlich, in November of 2009. Doctors at an upstate psychiatric hospital where Lau has been held say he’s competent to stand trial. Defense psychologists say he isn’t. State Supreme Court Justice William Kelly will decide.
08-04-11
ACCUSED CHILD-KILLER LEVI ARON ARRAIGNED
Today was arraignment day for Levi Aron. He’s the man accused of killing eight-year Brooklyn boy Leiby Kletsky after taking him on a visit to Rockland County last month. Kletsky’s dismembered body was found in and near Aron’s Brooklyn apartment July 13th, two days after the boy was abducted outside a Borough Park day camp. Aron reportedly has admitted to killing Kletsky in a panic after returning with him to Brooklyn from a New Square wedding. Aron was arraigned this morning in Brooklyn. He’s pleaded not guilty to the murder charge, and he’s undergoing psychiatric tests on his competency to stand trial.
CONSUMER CONFIDENCE DOWN IN N.Y.S. AS RESIDENTS REACT TO JOBS STANDSTILL AND D.C. DEBT-LIMIT CIRCUS
New Yorkers don’t think much of the state’s economic future. The latest Siena College poll shows consumer confidence here fell nearly two points last month, to 63%. That’s better than the nationwide drop: consumer confidence down nearly eight points from June to July, to just under 64%. Fears about jobs, or the lack of them, and the recent debt-ceiling fight in Washington are the reported culprits in the latest polling. Respondents say they’re afraid to make big-item, pay-on-time purchases -- such as cars and furniture -- with the economic future so uncertain.
COUNTY-C.S.E.A. TALKS TO RESUME TOMORROW
Meanwhile, here in Rockland, negotiations continue tomorrow on the county’s contract with its main public employees union. County Executive Scott Vanderhoef says the C.S.E.A.’s 4%-a-year pay hike demand violates a “shared sacrifice” understanding both sides had. His counterpart, C.S.E.A. local president P.T. Thomas, calls the demand a “starting point,” and scores Vanderhoef for taking the contract fight public.
GANNON TO PLEAD GUILTY, LOSE TEACHING JOB, IN CENTRAL RAMAPO CREDENTIALS CASE
Uncertified Central Ramapo gym teacher Matthew Gannon is likely to be without a job by the end of the day. The 43-year-old Sloatsburg resident is expected to resign after pleading guilty to falsifying his records to show that he was certified to teach. Gannon has been on leave from his teacher’s post at Cherry Lane Elementary School since March, when he was charged. Prosecutors say they’re likely to reduce the larceny charge against him to a misdemeanor in return for a guilty plea.
BOULDERS OPEN SERIES IN BROCKTON TONIGHT AFTER HOME RAIN-OUT YESTERDAY
The Rockland Boulders are in Brockton, Massachusets, tonight for the start of a four-game series against the Rox. The Boulders got a night off last night when the rain washed out their game against the Worchester Tornadoes. They’ll make that up as part of an August-29th double-header in Worchester.
08-03-11
ST. LAWRENCE TO P.S.C.: SAY ‘NO’ TO O&R RATE HIKE
Ramapo Supervisor Christopher St. Lawrence is taking steps to block Orange and Rockland’s latest rate-hike request. In a letter yesterday to the state Public Service Commission, St. Lawrence calls the proposed $17.7-million rate increase “outrageous.” And he demands that the P.S.C. reject the request, which he says would boost the average O&R customer’s electric bill by 3.2%. This comes one month after the P.S.C. approved a 2.7% increase for the current year. The latest requested increase would take effect next July.
NYACK OFFICIALS: FLOOD-DAMAGED RIVERSPACE MIGHT NOT RE-OPEN
The flooding that hit Rockland six weeks ago is still taking its toll. Nyack officials say the Riverspace Theater, hit hard by the flood-waters, probably won’t ever re-open. The theater, which was expected to be a key part of Nyack’s downtown re-vitalization plan, sustained an estimated $100,000 in damage in the June 23rd flood. Now, say Nyack officials, the theater-building’s Long Island-based owner not only isn’t paying for the repairs, but is threatening to sue the village for damages.
HEAT WAVE’S ICY NEW WRINKLE: THE HAIL, YOU SAY?
There’s been a new wrinkle in the region’s summer heat-wave – hail. It was the size of golf balls in some places hit yesterday by the frozen pellets. Here in Rockland, the afternoon hail-storm lasted about 15 minutes, a quarter-hour pounding that brought down tree limbs and sent people running for cover and driving off roads. At least one car – passing through Valhalla, over in Westchester – wound up with a hail-smashed windshield.
08-02-11
VANDERHOEF, CSEA HEAD CLASH PUBLICLY ON CONTRACT TALKS
County Executive Scott Vanderhoef is trading barbs with the head of the main county employees union. Local Civil Service Employees Association President P.T. Thomas drew Vanderhoef’s ire by calling for four-percent annual raises in the CSEA’s four-year contract now under negotiation. Vanderhoef condemned the demand yesterday, saying it violated a “shared sacrifice” understanding both sides had reached. Thomas responded by saying the demand was intended as a starting point for negotiations and should not have been, as he put it, “bashed” publicly by Vanderhoef. More negotiations on the CSEA contract are scheduled this Friday.
MORE HOT WEATHER ON TAP
Rockland is in the midst of another blast of extreme summer weather. Temperatures in the 90-degree range continue, a day after bringing a round of thunderstorms that downed trees and closed roadways throughout the county – particularly in Clarkstown. Some 400 homes were left briefly without power during yesterday’s wind-driven storm.
WEST NILE FOUND IN ROCKLAND MOSQUITOES
Tainted mosquitoes apparently like the weather here. The county health department says testing has turned up Rockland’s first round this year of mosquitoes infected with West Nile Virus. Officials say four groups of the insects, two in Clarkstown and one each in Ramapo and Haverstraw, tested positive for the virus within the past two weeks. A bite from a West Nile-infected mosquito could lead to serious illness or even death. Residents are urged to get rid of any standing water outside their homes, such as in open cans, discarded tires, or other places where mosquitoes breed.
HSBC BANK TO SELL ALL NINE ROCKLAND BRANCHES
If you’ve got a bank account at HSBC here in Rockland, you’ll be dealing with another bank soon. The British-based institution says it’s selling nearly 200 of its branches in the United States, including all nine in Rockland County, to Buffalo-based First Niagara Bank. It’s all part of a global down-sizing at HSBC, one that will leave some 30,000 of its employees world-wide without jobs.
ACCUSED CHILD MOLESTER IS BROTHER OF CONVICTED SEX OFFENDER
The Monsey man charged over the weekend with sexually abusing two young local boys is himself the brother of a registered sex offender. That’s according to Ramapo police, who arrested 31-year-old Schmul Dym last Friday. He’s charged with several counts involving sexual activity with the two boys, both under eleven years old. Police say Dym’s younger brother, Betzalel, was convicted five years ago of having sex with a ten-year-old Monsey boy.
NYACK MAN ACCUSED OF MAKING UP BURGLARY TO COVER FOR ACCIDENTAL SHOTGUN BLAST
It wasn’t a big lie, but Clarkstown police say it was serious enough for them to bring charges against a young Nyack man. Twenty-One year-old Eric Walther told police last Friday that the gun blast he fired inside his family home on Fairmont Terrace that day was at a would-be burglar. Turns out there had been no intruder, and that the newly-purchased 12-gauge shotgun went off accidentally as Walther toyed with it. The shot put a hole in the wall. No one was injured. And Walther faces a misdemeanor charge of falsely reporting an incident.
08-01-11
MONSEY MAN CHARGD WITH SEXUALLY ABUSING CHILD
A Monsey man has been charged with sexually abusing a local child. Thirty-one year-old Schmul Dym was arrested Friday after police received a complaint of possible sexual abuse. Dym was released on $30,000 cash bail. The child involved is said to be a pre-teen. No other details of the case have been released.
POLICE: ARMED TRIO BURGLARIZES HILLCREST HOME
Ramapo police are on the lookout for a trio of late-night burglars who hit a Hillcrest home over the weekend. The three, described as tall, thin black men armed with weapons and wearing bandanas over their faces, reportedly broke into the Headden Drive home at about 10:15 Friday night. They fled on foot with an undisclosed amount of money allegedly taken from the residents. No injuries were reported in the incident. Anyone with information on the suspects is urged to call Ramapo Police at 357-2400.
EVACUATIONS, BUT NO CASUALTIES, IN SPRING VALLEY FIRE
Four fire companies responded to the scene this morning when fire damaged Spring Valley’s Hickory Village apartment complex. No casualties were reported as volunteers from the Spring Valley, Hillcrest, Monsey and Nanuet companies managed to confine the fire to one apartment. Residents of the North Main Street complex were evacuated during the fire, the cause of which remains unknown at this time.
NYACK HOSTS SAME-SEX WEDDINGS
Same Sex Marriage came to Rockland over the weekend, with a handful of ceremonies held Saturday at Nyack’s Memorial Park. The Reverend Sala Saran of Valley Cottage performed them, as promised – her first gay weddings. Making the day possible was the recent passage of New York’s Marriage Equality Act, legalizing same-sex marriage in this state for the first time.
PUBLIC HEARING SLATED AS COUNTY EYES HYBRID BUS PURCHASE
There’s a public hearing this week on whether the county should buy two new hybrid transit buses. Rockland has the money to buy them. It came in a grant from the federal government. Tuesday’s hearing, scheduled for 7:10 p.m. at the County Office Building in New City, will give residents a chance to decide how the grant money is spent.
BOULDERS OPEN HOME SERIES AGAINST WORCHESTER TONIGHT
The Rockland Boulders host the Worcester Tornadoes tonight at Provident Bank Park. The Boulders lost a 6-to-5 SQUEAKER last night to the league-leading Quebec Capitales, who took TWO out of THREE games from the Rocklanders over the weekend. The Boulders TOUCHED OFF that series with a come-from-behind 6-to-3 victory Friday night.
07-29-11
MAN KILLED IN ONE-CAR ACCIDENT IN RAMAPO
There was a fatal one-car accident in Montebello this morning. Ramapo police say the driver was killed just after 8 a.m. when his car veered off Route 202 near Kings Gate Road, hit a tree and then a stone wall. The victim, described only as an elderly man, was pronounced dead at the scene.
NEW SQUARE ARSON ATTACK CASE ADJOURNED UNTIL OCTOBER
The case against accused New Square arson-attacker Shaul Spitzer has been adjourned until October 12th. The adjournment came yesterday in State Supreme Court. The 18-year-old Spitzer is charged with attempted murder and arson in the alleged May-22nd attack on New Square plumber Aron Rottenberg. He says he and his family were targeted by Spitzer and other followers of the Hasidic village’s grand rabbi for not attending HIS synagogue. Rottenberg suffered burns over half his body. Spitzer remains free on $300,000 bail.
JUDGE CALLS FOR MEDIATION IN SPRING VALLEY WATER-BALLOON CASE
A Spring Valley judge has set up a mediation panel in the so-called water-balloon case that’s heightened tensions between the village’s black and ultra-Orthodox Jewish communities. Village Justice Alan Simon says it’s time to bring some measure of peace and understanding between the two sides. Meanwhile, District Attorney Thomas Zugibe says he’ll continue to prosecute two members of a Jewish community-action group charged in the case. They’re accused of chasing-down and physically threatening an 11-year-old black girl who had thrown a water balloon at a Jewish man’s van, touching off the June 15th incident.
SPRING VALLEY MAN CHARGED WITH REPEATEDLY RAPING WOMAN ACQUAINTANCE OVER NINE-MONTH PERIOD
A Spring Valley man has been charged with beating and repeatedly raping a female acquaintance over the past nine months. Police say 66-year-old James Cala began sexually abusing the un-named woman last October. She came forward this past Saturday, after Cala allegedly tried to choke her in public. After interviewing the woman, police charged Cala with ten counts of rape along with assault. He’s out on $25,000 bail and under court orders to stay away from the woman.
TEEN’S RECOVERY CONTINUES AFTER ALASKA BEAR ATTACK
The New City teen-ager who was mauled by a bear in Alaska last week continues to recover at an Anchorage hospital. Seventeen year-old Josh Berg was severely injured in Saturday’s attack. It occurred when he and other students in a wilderness training course came upon the grizzly bear and her cub at a river crossing. Berg’s condition was initially listed as serious but later upgraded to fair. Three other students were less-severely injured in the attack.
BOULDERS BACK HOME AFTER TAKING THREE OF FOUR FROM PITTSFIELD
The Rockland Boulders return to Provident Bank Park tonight after a successful series in Pittsfield. The Boulders took three of the four games in that series, beating the Colonials in both ends of a double-header Wednesday and in the first game of yesterday’s twin bill. The Boulders host the league-leading Quebec Capitales tonight in the first of a three-game set. You can hear all the action here on WRCR, beginning at 6:45 p.m.
07-28-11
HUDSON RIVER POLLUTION ADVISORY LIFTED
It’s safe to swim or otherwise frolic in the Hudson River again. So says the county Health Department in lifting the Don’t-Swim advisory that went into effect after last week’s sewage spill in New York City. There are no public beaches on the Hudson here in Rockland. But the advisory covered any direct contact with the river water, so its lifting means it’s now officially safe to fish, boat or enjoy any other recreational activity on or in the Hudson.
CUOMO UNVEILS REGIONAL BUSINESS COUNCILS
Governor Andrew Cuomo ventured down into the Hudson Valley yesterday – not to swim, but to unveil his patchwork quilt of regional business councils. Speaking in New Paltz, Cuomo declared that the state is, in his words, “once again open for business.” The councils -- ten of them, state-wide – will be made up of local business and government leaders, and overseen by Lieutenant Governor Robert Duffy. Marist College president Dennis Murray and Pharmaceutical company president Leonard Schleifer will head the Mid-Hudson Council, which covers Rockland County.
INVALID PETITIONS KNOCK OLIVE OUT OF NYACK VILLAGE TRUSTEE RACE
NYACK business woman Marianne Olive is out of the race for a seat on the Village Board. County elections officials have disqualified Olive’s nominating petition on grounds it contains too many invalid signatures. Olive owns two Nyack restaurants, Olive’s and Sour Kraut, and serves on the village parks commission. Her removal from the ballot leaves incumbent trustees Doug Foster and Marie Lorenzini running uncontested for re-election.
MAJOR CRIMES IN ROCKLAND DOWN FROM LAST YEAR
Major crime in Rockland County dropped by nearly 7% in the first five months of this year, compared with the same period last year. Figures released this week in Albany show crimes such as murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault were down state-wide, although they rose slightly in Westchester and Putnam counties.
BOULDERS TAKE TWO IN PITTSFIELD, PLAY ANOTHER PAIR TODAY
The Rockland Boulders evidently needed the rest. After a rain-out in Pittsfield on Tuesday, the Boulders came on to beat the Colonials twice yesterday, 5-3 in the fist game and 9-2 in the night-cap. The two teams square off for a second straight twin bill this afternoon. The Boulders return to Provident Bank Park tomorrow night against the league-leading Quebec Capitales. You’ll hear all the action live here on WRCR with Seth Cantor and Carmine Vetrano in the broadcast booth.
07-27-11
VANDERHOEF CALLS FOR DRASTIC MEASURES TO CLOSE BUDGET GAP
County Executive Scott Vanderhoef says the axe has to fall if Rockland is to close its $50-million budget gap. Vanderhoef told reporters in New City yesterday the combination of less state funding, the 2% property tax cap and existing mandates requires drastic measures for the county to stay afloat. Among HIS proposals -- eliminating a half-dozen county programs, consolidating others, and establishing a hotel-motel tax. County legislative leaders say they’re willing to work with Vanderhoef on the rescue plan. Public-employee union officials say they’re not happy with the estimated 40-to-100 layoffs Vanderhoef’s proposals would mean.
ROCKLAND UNEMPLOYMENT DECLINES IN JUNE
There’s better news for the Lower Hudson Valley as a whole: Unemployment here was down last month, giving the region its best June in three years. State Labor Department figures put joblessness in Rockland at 6.7%, one of the lowest rates in the state. Westchester and Putnam lagged a bit behind, at 6.8%.
LAU COMPETENCY DECISION PUT OFF AGAIN
There’s still no decision on Eric Lau’s mental competency to stand trial for the murder two years ago of elementary school teacher Jami Erlich. Lau’s competency hearing was adjourned yesterday until August 4th. And it’s not certain that a ruling on Lau’s mental state will come even then. State and defense psychiatrists have offered conflicting opinions on whether Lau is capable of assisting in his own defense. He’s accused of beating and stabbing Erlich to death in her Valley Cottage condominium, next door to his, in November of 2009.
STONY POINT HIT BY GAS LINE AND WATER MAIN BREAKS
Stony Point was hit twice by major utility problems this morning. The first, not long before sun-up, was a water main break on East Main Street that closed roads and disrupted traffic west of Route 9-W all morning. Then, at about 9 a.m., came a gas main break that forced the evacuation of Foxwood Lane for about an hour until Orange & Rockland turned the gas off and made the repair.
COURT PANEL BLOCKS CONTEMPT CITATION AGAINST RAMAPO IN GRANDVIEW AVENUE CASE
The Town of Ramapo got some breathing room in the legal fight involving the controversial Grandview Avenue student-housing project. A state appeals court this week temporarily blocked a lower-court justice’s contempt order against the Town for approving the project without a proper environment-impact study. The case – against the Yeshiva Mosdos Chofetz Chaim project – now goes to the State Supreme Court’s Appellate Division.
NYACK HOSPITAL EMPLOYEES VICTIMIZED BY THEFT OF COMPUTER FILES
Nyack Hospital reportedly has been hit by a techno-thief. The Journal News says a computer hard drive was stolen -- and along with it, sensitive information on the hospital’s employees, including Social Security numbers. In a letter to the employees, hospital officials reportedly offer to help them deal with the identity theft, such as providing free credit checks for one year. It’s not clear how many Nyack Hospital employees were victimized.
07-26-11
VANDERHOEF HOLDS NEWS CONFERENCE ON COUNTY BUDGET DEFICIT
County Executive Scott Vanderhoef went before the media this morning with a message: Rockland needs to cut and consolidate services and to find new revenue sources. Vanderhoef spoke at an 11:30 news conference focusing on the county’s $50-million budget deficit. This comes as Westchester County gets bad news about its financial picture. Moody’s Investor Services announced yesterday it was lowering Westchester’s Triple-A bond-rating outlook to negative. That’ll make it more expensive for the county to borrow money. In lowering the bond rating, Moody’s cited Westchester’s growing deficits and resultant loss of reserve funds used to meet them.
TEEN MAULED BY GRIZZLY STILL IN SERIOUS CONDITION
The New City teen who was mauled by a bear in Alaska over the weekend remains in serious condition at an Anchorage hospital. Seventeen year-old Josh Berg was one of four young people in a wilderness training course who were attacked Saturday when they encountered the Mama Grizzly and her cub at a river crossing. Berg’s parents say the Clarkstown South High School student is recovering from his wounds, the extent of which remains unclear.
FIVE-YEAR PROBATION FOR GARNERVILLE PASTOR IN CHURCH FUND THEFTS
Former Rockland church pastor Thomas Kreiser was sentenced yesterday to five years probation for stealing more than $25,000 from his parish. Kreiser pleaded guilty last month to taking the funds from St. Gregory Barbarigo parish in Garnerville over a two-year period – to support an Internet gambling habit. He had paid back most of the money and begun treatment for the habit by the time he was charged last year.
SUIT FILED TO OVERTURN STATE’S GAY MARRIAGE APPROVAL
Religious groups in New York filed suit yesterday to reverse the state’s recent legalization of same-sex marriage. The suit, filed in Albany, says the State Senate violated its own open-meeting rules when it adopted the Marriage Equality Act last month. Meanwhile, hundreds of same-sex New York couples have taken advantage of the new law – including Garnerville residents Barbara Lahiff and Kathy Chandler. Their wedding Sunday in Nyack is believed to have been Rockland’s first same-sex marriage.
SPEAKING OF WHICH …
Nyack will be the place to get married this coming weekend if you’re a same-sex couple. The price will certainly be right. The village has given a local pastor approval to perform a dayful of weddings -- free -- on Saturday in the gazebo at Memorial Park. The Reverend, Sala Saran of the Interfaith Temple of New York City, says she’ll perform a ceremony every half hour, beginning at 9 a.m., with time enough for up to 16 weddings.
07-25-11
ROCKLAND TEEN MAULED BY BEAR IN ALASKA
A New City teen-ager remains hospitalized in serious condition in Anchorage, Alaska, two days after being mauled by a grizzly bear. Seventeen-year-old Josh Berg was taking part in a month-long outdoor leadership course when Saturday’s attack occurred. He was one of four students mauled when the group encountered the bear and her cub at a river’s edge. Two of the teens suffered minor injuries. But Berg and a student from Colorado took the brunt of the attack. The full extent of their injuries is unclear at this time.
HEAT WAVE BREAKS … FOR NOW
Here in Rockland County, the hot, steamy weather has finally broken – for the time being, at least. Temperatures that topped the 100-degree mark on Friday tapered off into the 90’s over the weekend. There was even some rain yesterday to cool things down – and more is likely today, as temperatures top off in the low 80’s. But forecasters say the oppressive heat and humidity we had so much of last week might well be back by the end of this week.
HUDSON RIVER CLEARING AFTER NEW YORK CITY SEWAGE SPILL
It’ll soon be safe once again to beat the heat with a dip into the Hudson. That sewage spill from a fire-stricken waste-water treatment plant in Manhattan was finally stopped over the weekend, but not before some 200 million gallons of untreated waste poured into the river. Warnings were issued and river-side beaches closed in Rockland and Westchester on Friday. City officials say the plant is now back in operation, pumping clean water into the river.
CLARKSTOWN BOARD TO REVIEW SCHOOLS SUPERINTENDENT’S PERFORMANCE AT SPECIAL MEETING
There’s a special meeting of the Clarkstown board of education tonight, in part to review the performance of schools superintendent Margaret Keller-Cogan. She’s had a stormy relationship with the board but has kept her job thanks in good part to her popularity with district residents. Board officials say tonight’s meeting is part of an annual review, and that no vote will be taken on whether to let Keller-Cogan go when her contract expires next June.
HBO TO AIR DOCUMENTARY TONIGHT ON WRONG-WAY TACONIC CRASH
It was two years ago tomorrow that a Long Island woman drove the wrong way down the Taconic Parkway in Westchester, slamming head-on into another vehicle. Eight people were killed, including the woman, Diane Schuler, her two-year-old daughter, three of her nieces, and three Yonkers men in the other vehicle. Tonight, HBO will air a documentary on the tragedy, entitled, “There’s Something Wrong With Aunt Diane.” Network officials say it will explore, in part, the question of whether Schuler was, in fact, high on drugs and alcohol at the time of the accident, as tests reportedly showed.
07-22-11
SUMMER HEAT WAVE: MORE OF THE SAME TODAY, ONLY WORSE
It’s a triple-digit day, with temperatures here in Rockland at or above 100 degrees. And once again, there’s oppressive humidity to go along with the heat. Orange and Rockland says air-conditioning drove the demand for power to a near-record level yesterday, and there’s little hope for a back-off today. Meanwhile, the air quality advisories and summer heat alerts that have been in effect the past few days continue. And today, there are additional weather-related advisories:
SWIMMERS WARNED TO STAY OUT OF THE HUDSON
The first is a warning to swimmers trying to beat the heat to stay out of the Hudson River. That’s because of a fire that shut down a waste-water treatment plant in Manhattan on Wednesday, forcing the city to release millions of gallons of sewage into the Hudson. Health officials here and in Westchester are testing the water for bacteria – and urging residents to stay cool in a pool for now, instead of the river.
SNAKEBITE PROMPTS RATTLER ALERT
The second new advisory is a rattlesnake alert. It’s been issued in Stony Point, after a Tompkins Cove man was bitten Wednesday. Police say the extreme heat causes timber rattlesnakes, which populate the region, to be more active. They’re poisonous, of course, and they can be deadly. As for the man bitten Wednesday, he’s okay after a brief hospital visit for treatment.
RAMAPO TO PAY $50,000 FINE FOR ECO-DAMAGE DURING BALL PARK CONSTRUCTION
The Town of Ramapo will pay a $50,000 fine to New York State for erosion control violations during the building of Provident Bank Park. Supervisor Christopher St. Lawrence says the town negotiated the fine down from the original $75,000 consent order issued in March. Payment of the fine is due before the end of this month as part of the agreement. Officials say the money probably will come from the town attorney’s budget.
N.A.A.C.P. CALLS MEETING ON RUMORED CUTS TO E. RAMAPO SCHOOL BUDGET
The Spring Valley branch of the N-Double-A-C-P has called an EMERGENCY meeting -- to kick off a campaign to prevent further cuts in the East Ramapo school-district budget. There have been rumors the board of education is planning to slash an additional $6-million from the austerity budget adopted in May. N.A.A.C.P. officials say that’s likely to mean more program cuts and teacher layoffs – an “intolerable situation,” as the group puts it. The meeting is slated for next Monday. Officials say they’ll hand out informational materials for volunteers to distribute to district residents, urging the board to stop the cutbacks.
KOREAN VETERENS CEREMONY SLATED SUNDAY AT RAMAPO CEMETERY
Rockland will honor its Korean War dead this weekend. Sunday’s ceremony at the Onderdonk Veterans Cemetery in Ramapo will commemorate the 27 Rocklanders who died in Korea some 60 years ago. Of those who survived that war, only 170 or so from Rockland are said to be still alive.
”PSYCHO” TO BE SHOWN OUTDOORS IN NYACK MONDAY NIGHT
Monday night will be Fright Night in Nyack. The village will stage a drive-in showing, of sorts, of the classic Alfred Hitchcock film, “Psycho.” It’ll be projected onto the wall of the Verizon Building, making it visible from the parking lot on Artopee Way to residents who come by car or on foot with lawn chairs in hand. Roller-skating car-hops will be there to serve refreshments as they did in the good-old days. That’s Monday night in Nyack; the fun starts at 9 p.m.
07-21-11
HOO, BOY! IT’S HOT, HOT HOT!
Hazy, hot and humid are the by-words for Rockland, at least through tomorrow, when temperatures will approach 100 degrees and the so-called “real feel” will be more like 110. State health officials have issued another Air Quality Health Advisory for today as ground-ozone levels remain high. And Orange and Rockland has upgraded its Summer Heat Advisory to “alert” status for today, tomorrow and Saturday. By mid-weekend, temperatures are expected to have dropped, but only to the low 90’s. And O&R is bracing for a near-record air-conditioning power drain over the next three days.
NYPD: ARON DID BRING LEIBY KLETSKY TO ROCKLAND BEFORE BROOKLYN BOY’S MURDER
New York City police say they’ve all but confirmed that accused murderer Levi Aron DID bring young Leiby Kletsky to Rockland County after abducting him from a Brooklyn sidewalk. Aron claims he brought the 8-year-old boy to a wedding in New Square and killed him on their return to Brooklyn a day after the July 11th abduction. Leiby Kletsky’s dismembered body was found later in and near Aron’s Brooklyn apartment. Aron, who was indicted yesterday, is believed to have suffocated Kletsky after giving him a mixture of pain-killers and muscle relaxants. Police are investigating now whether Aron had killed before.
TWO MASKED MEN SOUGHT IN SUFFERN HOME ROBBERY
Suffern police are on the lookout for two masked men who they say punched, slapped and robbed a village man inside his own home early yesterday. The two are believed to have entered the Willow Drive home through an unlocked door. The unidentified 19-year-old home-owner says it was about 3 a.m. yesterday when the pair came in, roughed him up, and made off with his laptop computer and video-game console. Police say they believe the alleged victim was targeted personally, but no suspects have been named so far.
CLARKLSTOWN POLICE GET 2.5% RAISES THIS YEAR AND NEXT
Clarkstown police have agreed to 2.5% raises this year and next. This follows two annual increases of 3.4% each, granted by an arbitrator. And town officials say they were lucky to avoid arbitration this time out. For their part, police say Clarkstown’s ranking as one of the safest towns in New York State justified their salary demands.
U.S. ATTY GEN. HOLDER TO MEET WITH 9-11 VICTIMS’ FAMILIES OVER PHONE-HACKING CONCERNS
U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder will meet soon with 9-11 victims’ family members concerned about the possible hacking of their loved ones’ cell-phone records by a British tabloid. The families are alarmed by reports that money was offered to a former NYPD officer – on the day of the terrorist attack – for access to victims’ phone records. The reports followed breaking news from Britain last week that the tabloid, News of the World, had long engaged in hacking including the phones of crime victims. Since then, the News of he World has been shut down. And its owner, Rupert Murdoch, has been questioned publicly about alleged payoffs to British officials and police. It’s not clear whether Holder will provide the 9-11 families with ANY evidence that the paper had, in fact, engaged in a hacking scheme here.
07-20-11
COOLING CENTERS OPEN AS HEAT WAVE HITS COUNTY
Another hot, humid day is in store for Rocklanders. And forecasters say it’ll only get worse as we head into the weekend. Cooling centers have been made available around the county, at least through Friday. Most town and village halls will be open to heat-fleeing residents during regular business hours. Most local community centers will open early and close late to accommodate the walk-ins. Meanwhile, Orange and Rockland will brace for an expected spike in air-conditioner usage. And the county Health Department is warning residents to take extra care to beat the heat, especially senior citizens and those with chronic heart and breathing conditions.
ERLICH MURDER: LAU COMPETENCY TALKS EXTENDED
The question of accused killer Eric Lau’s mental condition remains unanswered after a hearing in State Supreme Court. Lau is charged with the beating- and stabbing-death of his next-door neighbor in Valley Cottage, grade-school gym teacher Jami Erlich, in November of 2009. He’s been under observation at an upstate psychiatric center for the past four months, and doctors there say Lau is mentally competent to stand trial. His attorney told Justice William Kelly at yesterday’s hearing he needs more time, and a defense psychologist’s review, before deciding whether to challenge the finding. In response, Kelly adjourned the hearing until next Tuesday.
EARLY-MORNING THIEVES PUNCH SUFFERN RESIDENT, STEAL HOME COMPUTER
There was a violent robbery early this morning in Suffern. Two masked men reportedly burst into a Willow Drive home, slapped and punched the resident, and fled with a laptop computer and an XBox.
CEMENT TRUCK LOSES CONTROL ON THRUWAY, HITS GUARDRAIL
There were a couple of CLOSE CALLS on Rockland’s major roadways yesterday. The first came just after noon on the Thruway near Airmont Road. A cement truck loaded with the makings for concrete blew a tire, swerved across four northbound lanes and slammed into a center guardrail. No other vehicles were hit, and the driver suffered only minor injuries. Police say it could have been much worse – if the guardrail hadn’t been there to keep the truck out of the on-coming southbound Thruway traffic.
S.U.V. FLIPS OVER, GOES UP IN FLAMES ON P.I.P., INJURING STONY POINT WOMAN
The second close call occurred about six hours later, when a Stony Point woman lost control of her S.U.V. on the Palisades Parkway, between Exits 12 and 13. The Chevy Tahoe flipped over and caught fire on the Parkway median. And police say it was only the quick action of passers-by that saved the woman’s life, pulling her out of the vehicle less than a minute before it exploded in flames. The woman did suffer leg and facial injuries and was taken to Westchester Medical Center for treatment.
STONY POINT POOL DELAY BECOMES POLITICAL ISSUE
Maybe the heat’s making matters worse, but a political battle is shaping up in Stony Point over the town pool. It still hasn’t opened this summer because of a broken filtering system. Supervisor William Sherwood says town employees are working on it, and that the pool should be open by this coming weekend. But town board member Geoffrey Finn, who’s running to unseat Sherwood in November, says the supervisor is dragging his feet while the sweltering – and voting – public is just dragging.
07-19-11
NEW SQUARE RABBI SEEKS TO STOP LAWSUIT IN ARSON CASE
New Square’s embattled grand rebbe, David Twersky, is fighting back against accusations implicating him in the arson attack on Aron Rottenberg. Twersky’s lawyer asked a state judge yesterday to dismiss Rottenberg’s $18-million lawsuit in the case. It claims that Twersky condoned the May 22nd attack, which left Rottenberg burned over half his body. The alleged attacker, 18-year-old Shaul Spitzer, worked for Twersky. The suit says he was doing Twersky’s bidding, harassing Rottenberg and his family for worshiping outside the Hasidic village’s main synagogue. Twersky’s attorney calls the lawsuit nothing more than a “smear tactic” against his client.
JUDGE HEARS MORE ON LAU COMPETENCY TO STAND TRIAL FOR ERLICH MURDER
Today is another court date in the case against accused murderer Eric Lau. He’s charged in the Novermber-2009 beating-and-stabbing death of his neighbor, grade-school gym teacher Jamie Erlich, inside her Valley Cottage condominium. Lau was to appear in state supreme court as Justice William Kelly considers the latest psychiatric finding on Lau, which declares him competent to stand trial.
ZEBROWSKI INTRODUCES LEGISLATION TO LOOSEN MANDATE ON SCHOOL DISTRICT AUDITS
Assemblyman Kenneth Zebrowski has introduced what he describes as new cost-cutting legislation on school-district mandates. If enacted, the bill would reduce the number and frequency of audits most districts are required to conduct. Zebrowski says the reduction would save schools throughout New York State about $25-million over the next three years.
DRIVER AND PASSENGER NABBED FOR DRUNK DRIVING
Orangetown police scored a rare two-fer early yesterday – when they arrested two people in one car for drunk driving. It happened on the Palisades Parkway, near Exit 5 in Orangeburg, while the officers were assisting New Jersey State Police on a separate matter: A car whizzes by at about 100 miles an hour. Town cops give chase … pull the car over … then watch as the driver and passenger switch seats. One of them throws a beer can out the window, nearly hitting an officer, then drives the car a few feet and stops. Both men, 48-year-old Yul Patrick and 42-year-old Maurice Brown, fail sobriety tests, and both are charged with felony counts of Driving While Intoxicated.
07-18-11
MISSING SUFFERN MAN FOUND BEATEN IN BARCELONA
A Suffern man missing in Spain for three days has been found, alive but severely beaten. Twenty-four year-old Jeffery Capalbo and a friend were vacationing when they were separated Thursday night at a Barcelona dance club. The friend, Matt Beck, was returning to the United States after more than two days of searching yesterday when he spotted Capalbo at Barcelona Airport. Capalbo reportedly had been beaten badly and robbed of his passport and other possessions. Details of the apparent attack and the extent of Capalbo’s injuries are still not clear.
SON OF FORMER SUFFERN MAN DIES AFTER FALL IN SAN DIEGO
A double tragedy involving a former Suffern man took place at his San Diego home over the weekend. Six-year-old Max Shacknai, the son of drug-company executive Jonah Shacknai, died yesterday of injuries sustained in a fall last Monday down stairs at the Coronado mansion. News of the boy’s death came four days after Shacknai’s girlfriend was found hanging from a balcony there. San Diego police say it could have been suicide, although the woman was bound hand and foot. It’s not known if her death was related to the boy’s fall. Jonah Shacknai is a 1974 graduate of Suffern High School. He heads Arizona-based facial-treatment maker Medicis Pharmaceuticals.
PEARL RIVER MAN CHARGED AFTER RAMMING POLICE CAR
A Pearl River man faces a variety of charges after an apparent domestic dispute landed him in County Jail overnight. Twenty-nine year-old Matthew Schmidt was due in County Court today. Orangetown police arrested him yesterday outside his Oriole Street home, after Schmidt reportedly drove his pickup truck into a police cruiser. Police were there after Schmidt’s wife reported that he had threatened to drive the truck into the home and burn it down. It’s not clear what set Schmidt off. Meanwhile, he’ll have to answer, among other things, for the marijuana that police say they found in his truck.
STATE SETTLES WITH PUBLIC EMPLOYEES FEDERATION
New York State has reached a tentative contract agreement with the state’s second-largest public employees union. The pact reportedly involves concessions saving the state nearly a half-billion dollars and will, in turn, save nearly 1,000 members of the Public Employees Federation from threatened layoffs by Governor Cuomo. New York’s LARGEST public workers union, the CSEA, settled with Cuomo several weeks ago.
HEAT WATCH ADVISORY IN EFFECT; TEMPS TO APPROACH 90’S
Orange and Rockland has issued a Summer Heat Watch Advisory, as temperatures today head up toward the 90’s. The utility expects air conditioning to ramp usage up to more than 1,350 megawatts for the day, not too far below the record set five years ago. O&R says you can help matters by setting you’re a/c thermostat to kick in at a higher temperature than usual – say, 78 degrees.
07-15-11
POLICE PROBING ACCUSED CHILD KILLER’S CLAIM HE BROUGHT VICTIM TO ROCKLAND
Investigators are still trying to determine whether the accused killer of Leiby Kletsky brought the young Brooklyn boy to Rockland County hours after abducting him on Monday. Levi Aron reportedly has told police he killed Kletsky after returning to Brooklyn with him from a relative’s wedding in New Square. So far, police say, they can confirm only that Aron was at the wedding. And they speculate that the murder may have taken place before he came to Rockland. It’s an important question, since Aron reportedly claims he intended to return young Kletsky to his parents but panicked when he got back to Brooklyn and he saw missing-child flyers about the abduction. The boy’s dismembered body was found Wednesday in and near Aron’s apartment.
HATE CRIMES IN STATE HEAVIEST IN N.Y.C. AND SUBURBAN COUNTIES
Downstate counties lead New York State in hate crimes. A report released yesterday by the state’s Division of Criminal Justice says the number of hate crimes reported in New York City was up 27% last year over 2009. And it says five counties – including Rockland, Westchester, Nassau, and Suffolk -- accounted for 63% of bias crimes reported outside New York City last year. The groups most often targeted – Jews, gays, African Americans and Hispanics. In releasing the report, officials note that hate crimes make up only a tiny percentage of all crimes in New York State.
REPORT: INDIAN POINT AND OTHER U.S. NUKE PLANTS NOT PREPARED FOR MAJOR DISASTER
The federal government says Indian Point and other U.S. nuclear plants aren’t fully prepared for a major disaster like the recent Japanese earthquake. A report by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s so-called Japan Task Force says safety regulations nationwide need to be toughened and standardized. The N.R.C. will take up the 96-page report’s recommendations next Tuesday with an eye toward doing just that. Meanwhile, anti-nuclear groups are complaining that the recommendations don’t go far enough. The March 11th earthquake and subsequent tsunami heavily damaged Japan’s Fukushima nuclear plant, releasing an untold amount of radiation into the atmosphere.
FOUR N.Y.C. MEN CHARGED IN SPRING VALLEY DRUG BUST
Spring Valley police broke in on an apparent drug deal this week. As a result, four New York City men are charged with drug-related felonies. Police say the bust went down Wednesday evening when they stopped the men’s car on Route 59 and found a large quantity of heroin and $15,000 cash in the car – all part of what they say was a drug deal in progress. Three of the four men charged were taken to county jail. The fourth apparently was released for reasons unknown at this time. The bust reportedly was a co-ordinated effort involving Spring Valley police, the county District Attorney’s office and federal drug agents.
07-14-11
ACCUSED KILLER MAY HAVE TAKEN BROOKLYN BOY TO MONSEY BEFORE MURDER
There’s a purported Rockland County connection to the murder of eight-year-old Brooklyn boy Leiby Kletsky. Local news reports in New York City say Kletsky’s accused murderer, 35-year-old Levi Aron, told police that he drove the boy to Monsey to attend a wedding on Tuesday, one day after abducting him from a Brooklyn sidewalk. Kletsky’s dismembered body was discovered yesterday in and near Aron’s Brooklyn apartment. Aron reportedly said he intended to RETURN Kletsky to his family yesterday, but that he panicked and killed the boy after seeing missing-child flyers that had been distributed in the neighborhood. One report today says police don’t believe there was a trip to Monsey and suspect that the murder actually took place on Monday.
RAMAPO POLICE LINK THEFTS OF TRUCK AND LUNCH WAGON
Ramapo police are investigating two apparently-related vehicle thefts. Officials say the first theft, of a dump truck, took place late Tuesday night in Hillburn. And they say the thieves then apparently used the truck to steal a trailer in nearby Sloatsburg that had been converted to a lunch wagon. Owner John Nahas of Congers says that surveillance cameras captured the theft and show that at least three people were involved in it. The 26-foot-long trailer is red and bears the name “A & J Lunch Wagon.” The dump truck is dark-green and bears the name “Helmke Landscaping.” Anyone with information on the theft is asked to call the Ramapo police department at 357-2400.
POLICE CHARGE 12-YEAR-OLD BOY IN STRING OF PROPERTY THEFTS IN SLOATSBURG
A 12-year-old boy reportedly is the chief suspect in a string of thefts in Sloatsburg over the last three weeks. Ramapo police say they charged the unidentified youth in connection with eleven thefts of property from parked cars and residences. Because of the boy’s age, HIS case has gone to Rockland County Family Court. And police say they’re investigating whether he or a second person is responsible for the rest of the 25 similar thefts reported by Sloatsburg residents this month.
WEIDER CLEARED OF ELECTION-TAMPERING CHARGE
Former East Ramapo school board president Aron Weider has been cleared of election-tampering charges. Weider was accused of blocking the entrance to a polling site at Hillcrest Elementary School Iin New City during the school district election on May 19th. But a Clarkstown judge dismissed the charge yesterday after prosecutors said their investigation turned up no corroboration of the alleged action. Weider served as East Ramapo’s school board’s interim president earlier this year.
07-13-11
TOUGHER ANTI-TEXTING LAW TAKES EFFECT IN NYS
A tougher law against texting-while-driving goes into effect in New York State today. Governor Andrew Cuomo SIGNED the legislation yesterday. It makes texting or using other portable electronic devices while driving a primary offense – punishable by a fine of up to $150 and three points on the driver’s license. The initial anti-texting law made it a secondary offense, meaning a driver could not be cited for the infraction unless he or she was stopped for a primary offense, such as speeding.
SURVIVOR OF PAIR WHO LEAPT FROM T-Z BRIDGE IN CRITICAL CONDITION
An upstate New York man who leapt with a woman from the Tappan Zee Bridge yesterday remains in critical condition. Forty-four year-old Christopher Shears of Ithaca reportedly underwent surgery at Nyack Hospital hours after he and 29-year-old Alfa Choice jumped, naked and holding hands, into the Hudson. Choice died in the apparent suicide plunge, the third person to die this year in a leap from the Tappan Zee. It’s still not clear what was behind the couple’s action. Meanwhile, police in Orange County are investigating the fatal leap by a Middletown man off the Newburgh-Beacon Bridge yesterday, about an hour after the Tappan Zee incident.
FORMER ROCKLAND DAY-CAMP EMPLOYEE PLEADS GUILTY IN INTERNET-SEX CASE
A former Rockland County day-camp employee will be registered as a sex offender after pleading guilty in Westchester County following an Internet sex sting. Police say 62-year-old Howard Hochman, of Harrison, solicited sex from an undercover agent who he thought was a 15-year-old girl. Hochman was arrested in White Plains, at a spot where he and the young woman had agreed on-line to meet. Officials at Camp Ramaquois in Pomona, where Hochman had once served as transportation co-ordinator, say he passed background checks and had a clean record while there. His guilty plea, yesterday, reportedly spared Hochman a possible 5-year prison sentence.
ROCKLAND HOME SALES DOWN IN SECOND QUARTER
Second-quarter home sales in Rockland County were down by 32% from last year. They fell 22% for the entire Lower-Hudson Valley, which also includes Westchester and Putnam Counties. Real-estate Industry officials say the downswing was expected, and that home sales in the region continue to outpace performance at the height of the housing recession in 2009.
07-12-11
TAPPAN ZEE INCIDENT
A man and a woman jumped from the southbound side of the Tappan Zee Bridge around 9 am this morning. According to the Journal News report, the woman was pronounced dead at the scene. The man survived and was taken to Nyack Hospital.
MOODY’S ROCKLAND REPORT
A recent report from Moody’s Investor Services names Rockland County as one of the areas of “particular concern” regarding the residual impact of the New York state tax cap legislation. Effective January 1st, the law will limit annual property tax increases to 2% or the inflation rate, whichever is less. Schools can override the tax cap with support from a 60 percent budget vote. For municipalities, it would require 60 percent support from the governing board. While tax relief for Rockland is welcomed, the effects on the Rockland’s 50 million dollar deficit, funding of state mandated programs and possible change in municipal bond ratings are yet to be determined. However, the Moody’s report has put the County on a negative watch.
Orangetown Supervisor Paul Whalen credits Orangetown sewer director Scott Burtons efficiency for the ability to meet the state deadline to reduce odors. Appointed to the position in September Scott Burton died un-expectantly on Sunday.
HEAT ADVISORY
An Ozone Air Quality and heat advisory is in effect today. It is advised to limit outdoor activities during peak hours. For updated information you can call the NY state Air quality hotline at 1800-535-1345
BEAR SIGHTINGS IN NYACK
There have been recent bear sightings in Nyack. Yesterdays sighting in a residential yard drew a crowd when DEC Animal control officers sedated a cub resting in a tree. The bear will be released and relocated away from the suburban area.
BOULDERS IN QUEBEC
Tonight the Rockland Boulders will play The Capitales for a 7 inning double header against in Quebec. Yesterday’s game was postponed due to inclement weather. They will be returning to Provident Bank Park to host the Pittsfield Colonials on Thursday.
07-11-11
OZONE HEALTH ADVISORY
The Rockland County Health Department has issued an Ozone Air Quality health advisory for today. Residents should limit outdoor activities during peak hours and you can stay informed by calling the NY state Air Quality hotline at 1800-535-1345
NEW CHURCH IN CHESTNUT RIDGE?
Plans are being reviewed for a 780 seat church in Chestnut Ridge. The Brethren Church Gospel Hall would be relocating from Valley Stream long Island to 6 acres along South Pascak Road. Some Residents in Chestnut Ridge are opposing the proposed church with concerns on how it will impact the residential area. There are five zoning variances needed from the Zoning Board of Appeals. Planning Board Chairman Al Rubin stated in today’s Journal news. "We're still in the stage where we're reviewing the plans that have been submitted and listening to the public and applicant,
SCOTT BURTON
Orangetown Sewer Director, Scott Burton died Sunday. Scott Burton was appointed to the position in September. Supervisor Paul Whalen told the Journal News that Burton apparently had a heart attack while vacationing in Vermont with his Wife and three children. Whalen recalled Burton as a high-achieving former executive with a master's degree in engineering who remained true to his blue-collar background.
”A LARK IN THE PARK”
The Ancient order of Hibernians will be hosting a 4 day state Convention this week in Pearl River beginning on Wednesday. Pearl River Chamber of Commerce and Rockland County Tourism are promoting a free concert – “A Lark in the Park” at the Central Avenue Field at 5:30 on Thursday. After the concert, there will be discounts and specials offered in the down town area.
07-08-11
COUNTY LEGISLATOR CALLS FOR PROBE OF COUNTY FINANCES
County Legislator Ed Day is calling for a bi-partisan investigation of county finances. In a release issued yesterday, Day says County Executive Scott Vanderhoef has offered misleading figures about the state of Rockland’s economic health. In particular, Day questions Vanderhoef’s conflicting statements about the county-run hospital and nursing home at Summit Park. After years of claiming the facility was solvent, Vanderhoef now says it’s losing money, to the tune of $10-million last year. Day says Rocklanders “can no longer merely accept” Vanderhoef’s claims about county finances. For his part, Vanderhoef explains that counties’ red- and black-ink figures typically fluctuate from month to month. And he says Day should have done more homework before rushing to judgment.
REPORT: INDIAN PT. CLOSE-DOWN WOULD BOOST POLLUTION AND UTILITY RATES
A report commissioned by New York City finds that the proposed shut-down of Indian Point would come at a price – namely, dirtier air and higher electricity rates. Governor Andrew Cuomo has made such a shut-down a priority, citing the dangers of having a nuclear plant in such a populous and vulnerable place: on a fault line just 35 miles from New York City. But New York’s mayor, Michael Bloomberg, is trumpeting the new report, which says switching to a fossil-fuel-burning power supply would increase not only pollution but electricity rates by 5% or more in the region. Locally, Stony Point Supervisor Bill Sherwood has suggested just such a switch-over, to a gas-fired facility in the old Lovett plant.
BOIL-WATER, BEAR INCIDENTS PROMPT NYACK MAYOR TO CALL FOR VILLAGE TO ADOPT PHONE-NOTIFICATION SYSTEM
Nyack Mayor Richard Kavesh says it’s time the village had its own reverse 911 telephone notification system. Two recent incidents prompted his call: a boil-water advisory, sent through the county notification system, that went out late to thousands of Nyack Water Department customers; and a bear sighting in Nyack that the Town of Orangetown decided was not dangerous enough to warrant notification by the town. Kavesh says Nyack should “seriously look into” the cost of having its own notification system.
BOIL-WATER ORDER ISSUED FOR PARTS OF RAMAPO
On a related note, the County Health Department has issued a Boil-Water order for parts of Ramapo where water-main REPAIR work has been under way. The order, which typically lasts three days, affects over 100 addresses along Saddle River Road, Old Nyack Turnpike, and several connecting streets. For information on specific addresses, residents are urged to call either the Health Department at 364-2608, or United Water at 623-1500.
07-07-11
REPORT: LAU FOUND MENTALLY COMPETENT TO STAND TRIAL IN ERLICH MURDER
Accused murderer Eric Lau reportedly has been found mentally competent to stand trial. The Journal News says court-appointed psychologists have issued that finding following three months of OBSERVING Lau at an upstate psychiatric facility. Lau is charged with murdering his Valley Cottage neighbor, elementary school gym teacher Jamie Erlich, inside her condominium in November of 2009.
STATE BLOCKS SALE OF COLTON SCHOOL
New York State has blocked the sale of East Ramapo’s Colton School. The state Education Department reportedly issued the stay after an appeal was filed on grounds the $6.6-million sale price is well below the school’s market value. At issue are conflicting assessments of the school property – the first, by the Town of Ramapo last July for nearly $12-million, and the second, by a New Jersey appraiser this February, for under $7-million. This is the second time in as many months that the state has blocked an East Ramapo school sale. Both the Colton and Hillcrest Elementary Schools were to have been sold to yeshivas.
E. RAMAPO SCHOOL BOARD ELECTS MORRIS KOHN AS BOARD PRESIDENT
East Ramapo’s school board elected member Morris Kohn as its president last night, replacing Aron Wieder. Kohn has been on the board since 2009, and has been considered a member of its ultra-orthodox Jewish majority. He pledged last night to promote unity on the often-contentious board.
POLICE: “TRAFFIC TICKET” E-MAIL CONTAINS COMPUTER VIRUS
New York State Police are warning e-mail users about a new computer virus. A spokesman says the virus is contained in an e-mail that’s been making the rounds, primarily of those with Yahoo accounts. Its subject line says “UNIFORM TRAFFIC TICKET,” and once it’s opened, the virus goes to work. Its full impact is still not known. State Police say the tip-off is that subject line – because traffic tickets in New York are never issued on-line.
NEW JERSEY MAN CHARGED IN CAR THEFT
A New Jersey man was arrested after a car chase in Ramapo this week. Police say Yoel Quis Dume-Gonzalez of Passaic was a passenger in a car stolen two weeks ago in Garfield when an officer spotted the vehicle on Monday near the town pool on Saddle River Road. After a brief chase, both Dume-Gonzalez and the driver fled on foot. The driver got away. Dume-Gonzalez is charged with possession of stolen property. He’s out on $5,000 bail, awaiting a hearing in Ramapo Justice Court.
BEAR IN TREE ATTRACTS CROWD IN NYACK
A black bear stole the show in Nyack yesterday. Police say the young bear climbed a tree at Sixth Avenue and Front Street at about 7 p.m., drawing a small crowd of onlookers. The bear eventually climbed down and left without incident, only to be spotted later in Upper Nyack. Residents were warned about the bear through reverse-911 calls, urging them to close their garbage cans and bring other sources of food, including bird feeders, indoors.
07-06-11
CLARKSTOWN POLICE AWARDED 3.4% RETRO PAY RAISE
Clarkstown police have won a 3.4% retroactive pay raise. A state arbitration panel awarded the raise, covering 2009 and 2010, after hearing the case. At the same time, it rejected the town’s demand that new police HIRES be made to contribute 15% of their health insurance premiums. In finding against the town, the panel did concede that Clarkstown police are among the nation’s highest paid, with an average salary of $142,000.
ARSON ATTACK VICTIM ADDRESSES COUNTY LEGISLATURE
New Square arson attack victim Aron Rottenberg addressed the County Legislature last night. The 43-year-old plumber told the lawmakers he was there to uphold every citizen’s right to worship when and where he or she chooses. Rottenberg is recovering from extensive burns sustained in the May 22nd attack outside his home. He claims the attack was part of a campaign endorsed by New Square’s grand rebbe to punish Rottenberg and his family for not attending the Hasidic village’s main synagogue. For THEIR part, the legislators moved to consider in committee whether to formally ask the FBI to take over the investigation. Rottenberg’s alleged attacker, 18-year-old Shaul Spitzer, has pleaded not guilty to attempted murder and arson.
COUNTY LEGISLATURE APPROVES RCC BUDGET
In other action, the county legislature approved Rockland Community College’s $65-million budget. The spending plan is expected to result in a tuition increase of $150 per semester for R.C.C. students.
HOT, HUMID WEATHER PROMPTS HEALTH ADVISORIES
07-06-11
CLARKSTOWN POLICE AWARDED 3.4% RETRO PAY RAISE
Clarkstown police have won a 3.4% retroactive pay raise. A state arbitration panel awarded the raise, covering 2009 and 2010, after hearing the case. At the same time, it rejected the town’s demand that new police HIRES be made to contribute 15% of their health insurance premiums. In finding against the town, the panel did concede that Clarkstown police are among the nation’s highest paid, with an average salary of $142,000.
ARSON ATTACK VICTIM ADDRESSES COUNTY LEGISLATURE
New Square arson attack victim Aron Rottenberg addressed the County Legislature last night. The 43-year-old plumber told the lawmakers he was there to uphold every citizen’s right to worship when and where he or she chooses. Rottenberg is recovering from extensive burns sustained in the May 22nd attack outside his home. He claims the attack was part of a campaign endorsed by New Square’s grand rebbe to punish Rottenberg and his family for not attending the Hasidic village’s main synagogue. For THEIR part, the legislators moved to consider in committee whether to formally ask the FBI to take over the investigation. Rottenberg’s alleged attacker, 18-year-old Shaul Spitzer, has pleaded not guilty to attempted murder and arson.
COUNTY LEGISLATURE APPROVES RCC BUDGET
In other action, the county legislature approved Rockland Community College’s $65-million budget. The spending plan is expected to result in a tuition increase of $150 per semester for R.C.C. students.
HOT, HUMID WEATHER PROMPTS HEALTH ADVISORIES
07-05-11
SURVEY: ROCKLAND YOUTHS ABUSING PRESCRIPTION DRUGS
Rockland’s young people reportedly are abusing prescription drugs at an increasing rate. A survey of the county’s 5,000 fifth, eighth, and tenth graders finds the misuse of Xanax, Vicodin, Oxycontin and Oxycodone is up two-to-four percent in the higher grades. And, the so-called PRIDE survey finds, alcohol remains too easy for underage people to get. On the upside, both cigarette smoking and non-prescription drug use continue to decrease among the county’s young people.
BRONX MAN NABBED WITH SHOPLIFTING DEVICE AT PALISADES MALL
A 26-year-old Bronx man faces robbery and other charges when he appears in Clarkstown Town Court tomorrow. Nicholas Evans was arrested Friday at the Palisades Mall as he left Lord and Taylor after trying on a shirt in a fitting room. Police say a body search found that Evans was wearing a girdle-like device and wire cutters – items often used in shoplifting. Evans is being held at county jail on $5,000 bail.
PUBLIC HEARING TONIGHT ON R.C.C. BUDGET, TUITION HIKE
A public hearing is scheduled tonight on Rockland Community College’s proposed budget for the upcoming year. The $65-million spending plan – a roughly two-and-a-half percent increase – would boost tuition at R.C.C. by $150 per semester. School officials say cutbacks in state aid make the increase necessary. The budget hearing is scheduled for 7 p.m. at the county legislative chambers in New City.
N. ROCKLAND SCHOOLS CHIEF TO FOREGO RAISE
North Rockland schools superintendent Ileana Eckert is taking a pay freeze for the upcoming year. That’s part of the five-year contract extension that Eckert signed this past week. It maintains her current $195,000 salary for the first year but entitles Eckert to annual increases of up to 2% thereafter. The signing comes as North Rockland prepares to slash more than a hundred staff positions, including 50 teachers.
SPRING VALLEY MAN HELD IN HILLCREST CARJACKING
Ramapo police say there was a car-jacking in Hillcrest on Sunday. Twenty year-old Edwin Diaz-Perez of Spring Valley was arrested after a brief car chase and jailed on $50,000 bail. The alleged car-jack victim says he was at a gas station filling his tires with air when Diaz Perez approached, pushed him down and drove off with his car.
FOUL PLAY NOT SUSPECTED IN DEATH AT HARRIMAN STATE PARK
Police say it doesn’t appear that foul play was involved in the death of a Philadelphia man at Harriman State Park over the weekend. The body of 26-year-old Clayton Dunn was found Sunday morning at the park’s Beaver Pond campsite. A final ruling on his death awaits toxicology tests. Dunn reportedly suffered from asthma.
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