by Michael Weiss
In the wake of the May 14th mass shooting in Buffalo, NY, the NAACP in Rockland County held a community vigil this past Monday. Attending the event were representatives of the local Muslim, Jewish, and Christian Communities, as well as Haverstraw Supervisor Howard Phillips and Rockland Legislator Toney Earl. They both spoke at the event and talked about not only the atrocities of the incident but also the need to stand in unity. Many reportedly left the vigil feeling inspired and hopeful, but also with the understanding that this could happen anywhere, any time.
Following last week’s release of the new election district maps, Rockland County is now part of the 17th district. Several area politicians who represented portions of other districts until now have indicated they would be running in the newly created 17th district. Confirmed candidates include upper Hudson Valley representative Sean Patrick Maloney, the chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, Bronx and /Westchester state senator State Senator Alessandra Biaggi and just recently Rockland assemblyman Mike Lawler, who had just announced running for reelection for his Assembly seat, announced Monday that he would be joining the congressional race.
The seat they’re all vying for is currently held by Congressman Mondaire Jones, a Democrat, but he opted instead to run in the newly-created 10th district.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul last Tuesday signed the Adult Survivors Act into law. This law will open a one-year “look back window” suspending the statute of limitations for survivors who were sexually abused as an adult. The act was passed in the state Assembly after a unanimous Senate vote last month. News 12 also reported that the Child’s Victim Act opened a window from 2019 to 2021 for people who’d been sexually abused as a child.