The New York state Democratic Party is allegedly recruiting people to oppose the fusion voting system that’s been in place for decades in the state, and that has an area lawmaker seeing red. According to a recent article on Politico.com, the Public Finance Reform Commission, which is supposed to be studying and fixing how elections are funded, has been asking committee members to speak out against fusion voting, the process by which major party candidates can also run on minor party lines at the same time. Assemblyman Colin Schmitt says the commission is trying to do the state legislature’s job…

Schmitt notes that the chairman of the State Democratic Committee, Jay Jacobs, is also on the public financing commission. Schmitt, a Republican, says the entire commission should be dissolved.

The Rockland County Office for the Aging’s senior picnic is being held tomorrow in Haverstraw, after being cancelled last week due to rain. Rockland County Executive Ed Day says he’ll be there keeping busy…

It runs from 11:30 to 1:30. There’s still time to register if you’d like to go to the picnic tomorrow. Call 845-364-2110.

The Cuomo administration has put the brakes on the controversial plan that would have forced New York motorists to replace older license plates. That’s according to the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle. A recent Siena College poll found 75% of voters thought the $25 license replacement fee was unfair. Rockland State Senator David Carlucci says it wouldn’t have been right to force motorists to get new license plates when the ones they had were just fine…

North Rockland state senator James Skoufis said “New Yorkers are already nickeled and dimed to death” and is pleased the proposal is dead, calling it “a win for hardworking New Yorkers.” The state estimates the 3 million plates that are ten years or older out there would have brought in 75 million dollars. The plan was to have gone into effect in April.

The Town of Orangetown held the first in a series of public hearings last night to discuss the potential re-zoning of downtown Pearl River as part of a revitalization project. A report released in July had various suggestions for a re-vamped train station area, and improvements that could be made to the downtown business district and in housing. Several speakers were concerned about the lack of parking in the report. Mary Dolan of Pearl River was concerned the lack of public transportation options makes the housing plans unnecessary…

Another speaker was concerned about how increased housing might affect the school districts. No decisions were made at last night’s hearing, there will be other hearings over the next several months. The transit-oriented development report can be found here.

Residential properties owned by anonymous limited liability companies, or LLCs, will now be required to share the names and contact information for all owners, managers, and agents associated with the company at the time of a real estate transaction. North Rockland state senator James Skoufis says the governor signed the bill Monday, and without it, municipalities weren’t able to easily hold anyone responsible for code violations, illegal building or fines…

Rockland Assemblyman Ken Zebrowski says LLC rules were originally designed to help small businesses…

The law takes effect immediately and applies to one-to-four family residential real estate transactions involving LLCs.

The Town of Orangetown is holding the first in a series of public hearings tonight to discuss the potential re-zoning of downtown Pearl River as part of a revitalization project. Supervisor Chris Day says they’ll l discuss the report released this summer about the various suggestions for a re-vamped train station area, improvements that could be made to the downtown business district, and housing…

The hearing is being held tonight at 8pm at Orangetown Town Hall. More information on the transit-oriented development report can be found here.

A Blauvelt woman was arrested for drunk driving in Orangetown Sunday. Police say two cars were engulfed in flames after a three-car accident that sent two to the hospital. Police say 34 year-old Tiffany O’Connor faces vehicular assault and DWI charges stemming from the crash near Blue Hill Plaza on Veterans Memorial Drive in Pearl River Sunday evening. Two people were taken to Nyack Hospital with serious injuries. O’Connor was released on bail and is due back in court next month.

New York’s U-S Senators are leaning on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to take up gun legislation. At a press conference Sunday, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand both lamented that while the House has passed several gun measures and are considering several others, the Senate hasn’t done anything…

35 year-old Robert Gaafar of Rockville Center, Long Island, a survivor of the 2017 Las Vegas massacre that killed 58 and wounded more than 400, will be among those telling their stories to the Senate…

A White House spokesman said the president is interested in finding a bipartisan legislative solution to the issue of mass gun violence.

If you’d like to learn about, or even be inspired by, the story of how a poor family from a 19th century German ghetto rose to become among the most powerful families in all of Europe, you’ll want to head over to the JCC in West Nyack tomorrow. Lou Morris of the local chapter of the AARP says Dr. Marty Cohen will explain how the Rothschilds rose to escape Frankfort and become rich and powerful movers and shakers…

The event is being held at the JCC in West Nyack tomorrow at 12:30. The event is free and open to everyone. For more information, call 845-623-7606.