A COVID-19 testing site is opening in Spring Valley at the Martin Luther King Multi-Purpose Center. Spring Valley leads the county with the highest number of positive cases, and the most deaths with 125. Testing will start on Monday, June 1st, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and continue every day through June 12th. They’ll test not only for COVID-19 but for antibodies as well. To schedule an appointment, regardless of insurance or immigration status, call 1-833-422-7369.
$139 Million in Federal Grants to Improve MTA and NJ Transit
May 29, 2020 By
Travel could get easier and safer in the metro area thanks to $139 million in federal grants for the MTA and New Jersey Transit. Rockland and Westchester Congresswoman Nita Lowey says the Federal Transit Administration’s State of Good Repair program is part of the Gateway Project, which is set to expand and renovate the Northeast Corridor rail lines, including the Pascack Valley line…
$30 million is going towards an MTA Penn Station Access project, while another $55 million will fund repairs of Amtrak’s Portal North Bridge project.
New Jersey Botanical Garden Holds Annual Fundraising Plant Sale
May 29, 2020 By
The New Jersey Botanical Garden is now holding their annual plant sale fundraiser, but it’s a little different this year, as you might expect. NJBG volunteer Maja Britton says though you can’t wander among the gardens’ tables of various plants, you can simply place your order online today or tomorrow and arrange for socially-distant curb-side pickup at the gardens in Ringwood, New Jersey…
If you’re interested check out their website, NJBG.org. There’s an order form and complete instructions explaining how and when to pick your order up.
Mother, Daughter Killed in Valley Cottage Identified
May 28, 2020 By
The two women killed Tuesday morning in Valley Cottage have been identified but there’s no additional information yet available about who killed them or why. Clarkstown Police say 63 year-old Wanda Castor and her daughter, 27 year-old Kathleen Castor were fatally shot. Kathleen’s infant daughter was placed in the custody of Child Protective Services. Police said they had spoken with a man about the incident but he is not considered a suspect. The Clarkstown Detective Bureau is continuing to investigate and asks anyone with information to please contact them at 845-639-5840.
Orangetown Sup: Next Year’s Budget Could Cause “Major Shock”
May 28, 2020 By
Area municipalities are looking at next year’s budget and preparing for the worst, as the COVID-19 pandemic has shut down many towns’ and villages’ revenue streams. In Orangetown, with no filming taking place in town and other revenues down, supervisor Teresa Kenny says the numbers for next year’s budget could come as a major shock. Kenny says the board is looking for ways to tighten the belt and part of that is cutting back on overtime in the police department…
Despite rumors to the contrary, Kenny says cops are not being fired from the force.
NY Gov Fires Back at GOP for Playing Politics with Nursing Homes
May 28, 2020 By
New York’s governor shot back at Republicans who are, in his words, making nursing homes a political issue. In his daily coronavirus press briefing yesterday, Andrew Cuomo said New York’s policy in dealing with the nursing homes during the COVID-19 pandemic was based on guidance they got from the CDC…
While Governor Cuomo has generally been praised for his efforts to stem the pandemic, Bobbie Sackman, with the group New York Caring Majority, believes his ten years as governor and four years as attorney general before that laid the groundwork for the massive toll COVID-19 has taken on New York…
Vigils were held at nursing homes over the Memorial Day weekend across the state demanding added protections for workers and residents. So far in the pandemic, New York nursing homes have seen more than 58-hundred confirmed and probable COVID-19 deaths. The state has confirmed around 365,000 total cases of COVID-19 and more than 23,600 deaths. In Rockland, the state says we’ve got over 13,000 reported cases, and the Rockland Health Department confirms 626 fatalities here in the county.
“Tuesday was Hillburn’s Saddest Day” as Village Mourns Death of Former Long-time Mayor, Legislator
May 28, 2020 By
Hillburn’s mayor, the village board, and the entire village is devastated and in mourning following the passing of long-time former mayor Brian Miele on Tuesday. Hillburn’s current mayor, Joseph Tursi, ran down a long list of Miele’s accomplishments, including building a new youth center, improving the area’s water system and standing up to former governor Mario Cuomo who at one time wanted to completely shut down the 4th Street Bridge for repairs. Mayor Tursi called Tuesday “Hillburn’s saddest day”…
Miele was a trustee from 1975 to ‘77, then served as mayor from ‘77 to 1998 and again from 2003 to 2009. He also served in the legislature from 1991 through ’99. He was 70 years old.
NY Boulders President: Games Could Start Mid-July
May 27, 2020 By
We hear this question every day…when is baseball coming back? Shawn Reilly is the New York Boulders’ president and says games in Pomona could start up in mid-July, though nothing’s been decided yet, but the team, he says, is anxious to get out on the field…
Reilly says the season could even start as late as August first, but again, nothing’s been decided just yet. In the meantime, you can still vote for their All-Decade team, this week it’s for top third baseman. You can vote through Thursday on the team’s website, NYBoulders.com.
Two Valley Cottage Women Shot and Killed in Home, Child Taken to Hospital; Police Searching for Suspect
May 27, 2020 By
Two women were killed yesterday in their Valley Cottage home and police are calling it an isolated incident. The two unidentified women, 63 and 27 years-old, were found in their Lake Road home with gunshot wounds. A child at the scene, believed to be the daughter and granddaughter of the two women killed, appeared to be uninjured but was brought to the hospital for evaluation. The Clarkstown Detective Bureau does not believe the public is in any immediate danger. They said they had spoken with a man about the incident but he is not considered a suspect. Police are asking anyone with information to contact them at 845-639-5800.
South Nyack Village Board Rejects Nyack College’s Special Permit Request
May 27, 2020 By
The South Nyack village board last night unanimously rejected Nyack College’s application for a special permit, but the college could come back and try again. The special permit would have let an un-named developer build single and multi-family housing where student housing now stands. Village attorney James Birnbaum said the application was rejected on technical legal grounds…
Area residents were concerned about the project because the college wouldn’t reveal who the buyer is. During last night’s meeting several residents expressed concern the village still would not identify the buyer.
