News

Renewing a threat from his first term, president Trump said he could fire Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell for not cutting interest rates, if he wanted to. That’s according to the Associated Press, which said Thursday the threat runs counter to the Central bank’s long-standing political independence. WRCR’s chief market analyst Ken Mahoney of Mahoney Asset Management says the president should leave Powell alone…

The Dow Jones tumbled again yesterday for the third straight day of losses. Despite expressing the desire to fire him, president Trump reportedly can’t fire Powell, whose term as Fed chair ends in May 2026. Powell was first nominated by then-president Trump in 2017 and then appointed to another four-year term by then-President Joe Biden in 2022. 

As the weather starts to warm up, the street fairs and farmers markets return to the county. Nyack got it going with their Springfest earlier this month, and their next one will be May 18th, criss-crossing the village’s Main Street and Broadway. Orangetown Supervisor Teresa Kenny says Pearl River’s popular Farmer’s Market returns to the Central Avenue Field on Saturday, May 3rd, and the town is considering making it even bigger than it is…

The village of Suffern will hold its first street fair of the season on Sunday, May 4th. It’ll feature rides for the kids, food and craft vendors, and live music by Billy Joel tribute band, River of Dreams.

The town of Ramapo is hosting a defensive driving class later this month. Ramapo supervisor Michael Specht says it’s a great class, and it’s good for anyone to get a refresher on driving safely, whether you’re new to the roads or have been at it for decades…

Specht says taking the class can lower your insurance premium 10 percent. It’s being held at Ramapo Town Hall on Monday April 28th from 9:30am – 4:30pm. It costs $30 for residents and $35 for non-residents. For more information and to register, call 845-357-6100.

Stocks dropped again Wednesday on concerns about the economic impact of tariffs from Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell. Rockland Business Association CEO Al Samuels says many members of his group feel the tariffs address legitimate matters, but the government isn’t going about it the right way…

The Dow Jones plunged 700 points, the S&P lost 2¼ percent, and the NASDAQ closed down three percent.

Economic pressures due to tariffs and a possible looming recession aren’t yet having an effect on town governments, but they could, and many are preparing just in case. Haverstraw Supervisor Howard Phillips says his experience in down-times years ago have prepared him for potential woes today or in the future…

Phillips says it’s important for municipalities to have a healthy surplus, not too much so taxpayers aren’t overburdened, but enough in case expenditures get too high.