In a scary case that reminds one of the Arthur Miller play “All My Sons,” Gideon Vaisman, 73, was arrested Monday on federal charges of wire fraud conspiracy for allegedly conspiring to sell airplane parts that had been previously scrapped and lying about it.
The Edgewater, New Jersey man, owner of Tara Technology Corp. in Ridgefield, and others are accused of using Suffern-based Shelby Enterprises to buy airplane engine parts which previously were deemed to not meet standards, and then resell them on the open market. Allegedly Vaisman and his fellow assailants sanded and cleaned the rejected parts and then created a false paper trail making the parts appear viable.
Tara Technology’s general manager, Carmine Coviello, who has already pleaded guilty to wire fraud, was the owner of Shelby Enterprises. The fraud has allegedly been occurring since 2005. It has not been reported yet whether the illicit parts have caused any malfunctions or crashes.
The 1947 play “All My Sons” by Arthur Miller, dramatized a true story, of how “In 1941-43 the Wright Aeronautical Corporation based in Ohio had conspired with army inspection officers to approve defective aircraft engines destined for military use.” The play was later adapted into a famous Hollywood movie starring Burt Lancaster.
11 A.M. Senior Citizens Honoring All U.S. Veterans, sponsored by Clarkstown Parks Board and Recreation Commission. At Street Community Center “Promenade of Heroes.” Program: Honoring all our Veterans – that have fallen in defense of our country. Guest Speaker: Reverend Robert F. McKeon, St Francis of Assisi.
Monday, May 27
9 A.M.
Town of Haverstraw Memorial Day Services Starts at Town Hall. The VFW Post 2803 will have a ceremony at 9:15 a.m. at the memorial at Town Hall, followed by the American Legion Leo Laders Post 130 and its Ladies Auxiliary having a ceremony at 9:40 a.m. at Calico Hill Memorial, the Elks and Elks Ladies of Club 877 will have a ceremony at 10:05 a.m. at the Civil War Monument on Hudson Avenue, then at 10:30 a.m. Post 130 will hold a ceremony at the WWII Monument, finally all groups will have a ceremony at 11 a.m. at the World War I Monument at the Mount Repose Cemetery at Route 9W and Route 202. If it rains, the ceremony will take place at 11 a.m. in Haverstraw Town Hall.
Hillburn Memorial Day Parade
From the Ramapo Central School District Administration Building, through the village to the World War I Monument at Lake Avenue and Fourth Street for the Memorial Day Ceremony.
9:30 A.M.
Stony Point Memorial Day Parade
Begins on Teneyck Street to Routh 9W to Smith Street to Hudson Ave and ends on East Main Street to Town Hall.
10 A.M.
Pearl River Memorial Day Parade The parade will start at the former HSBC Bank, now Niagra First Bank, across from the bowling alley on North Middletown Road, march South to East Central Avenue and then down East Central Avenue to Braunsdorf Park in the heart of Pearl River.
Piermont Memorial Day Parade Start in front of the VFW post at Piermont Avenue and Kinney Street. Following the parade, a program will be held at the Post Memorial at Kennedy Park. After the program a brief ceremony will follow on the Piermont Pier.
New City Memorial Day Parade From Cavalry Drive, south on Main Street to the Rockland County Courthouse. A ceremony will be held following the parade.
11 A.M. Suffern Memorial Day Parade The Ramapo Valley Veterans of Foreign Wars Post #2973 and the Fromm-Maxwell-DeBaum American Legion Post #859 will hold the Memorial Day parade in the Village of Suffern on Monday, May 27th. Joining the Veteran’s will be The Ladies Auxiliaries, the Girl and Boy Scouts, Suffern Police and Fire Departments, Suffern High School Marching Band, and Elected Officials. The parade begins at the intersection of Orange and Lafayette Avenues, marching on Lafayette Avenue to the Soldiers Monument at Washington Avenue. The Parade is scheduled to begin at 11:15 a.m. The Ceremony will start around 12 noon. In the event of rain, the ceremony will be held in Village Hall.
Nanuet Memorial Day Services
The Naurashank Post 794 of the American Legion and the Nanuet Fire Department will be observing Memorial Day, rain or shine. Services will be at the Nanuet Veterans Monument located on Prospect Street across from the Nanuet Post Office. Parking is available in the commuter parking areas. All residents and community organizations are invited to attend. Refreshments will follow at the Nanuet Fire Station.
West Nyack Memorial Day Parade The parade starts from Western Highway and proceeds down Klein Avenue to West Street to Strawtown Road ending at the West Nyack Hamlet Green Park. Free hot dogs and water will be served. The Korean War Veterans are collecting toiletries for troops abroad.
Tappan Memorial Day Parade and Ceremony Starting from the Masonic Camp Grounds on Western Highway, traveling down Old Tappan Road to the memorial triangle in front of the Tappan Reformed Church. Following the ceremony, refreshments will be served.
2:45 PM Stony Point Battlefield Mourn Firelocks
Participate in a Memorial Day commemoration of fallen soldiers from all wars with a presentation of an 18th century military ceremony to honor the dead, followed by an artillery demonstration and firing of the six- pounder cannon.
5 P.M. Special Screening of “The Ghost Army”
At the Nyack Center, 58 Depew Ave., 5-7 p.m., see “The Ghost Army.” It’s the Summer of 1944 and an odd group of American G.I.s land in France armed with dummy tanks, fake artillery, and a few tricks up their sleeves.
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.Suffern – Normally, hockey injuries occur on the ice, but according to a lawsuit from Suffern village trustee and 2013 mayoral candidate Trish Abato, a longstanding fan tradition at sporting events was enough to inflict injuries for which she filed suit against various parties, including charitable ones.
According to court documents from Abato’s 2008 lawsuit, she claimed to be injured during a joint FDNY/NYPD charity game at Nassau Veterans’ Memorial Coliseum. Abato’s claim alleged that she was standing up when T-shirts were thrown over the rink’s glass, causing a “stampede.”
“They tossed a t-shirt over the glass and a bunch of spectators that were behind me jumped for the t-shirt and jumped on top of me, knocked me down under the seats, knocked me out, broke my cheekbone, and dislocated my shoulder,” claims Abato in an interview with the Rockland County Times.
In response, Abato filed suit against Nassau County, the City of New York, both the FDNY and NYPD, the Long Island Industrial Hockey League, and others associated with the incident. Among the defendants, the Long Island Industrial Hockey League is a not-for-profit organization which was formed specifically to raise money for a variety of causes, including a fund for widows and children of 9/11 widows.
The practice of filing suit against a number of marginally involved parties to an incident is a legal tactic sometimes used to maximize the chance of a court’s acceptance of at least one dispute.
As Abato explained it to the Rockland County Times this week, the lawsuit was not for personal gain, but to prevent similar injuries in the future. She said ultimately she received a small settlement drawn exclusively from Nassau Coliseum, not the 9/11 fund.
She did not provide any records to display these claims. In the settlement no fault was admitted by any of the defending parties.
“It really upset me horribly that children and adults were getting hurt because of [the shirt throwing],” Abato said.
Tossing T-shirts into the audience has become a popular tradition at sporting events, including hockey. However, Abato claimed at the time in 2007, she had never been to a hockey game or any other event where shirts were thrown into the audience, and was given no prior notice that the alleged “stampede” would occur.
Abato claimed first aid personnel told her they themselves believed the practice was dangerous and had caused injuries in the past. However, this charge was disputed by other witnesses to the case who explained they had no knowledge of other injuries.
“There was really no understanding,” FDNY Lieutenant Michael Rossidis said in court testimony. “It was just something that was done for years. It was something that you assumed was going to be done.”
In spite of this, the state Supreme Court upheld the validity of the lawsuit, denying Nassau County’s motion to dismiss the case. The Appellate Court upheld the decision, agreeing with Abato’s contention the shirt-throwing was not one of the “known, apparent or reasonably foreseeable consequences” of a hockey game.
No other witnesses in the case could be reached for comment at this time.
Legislative press release from the Office of Assemblywoman Ellen Jaffee
Assemblywoman Ellen Jaffee (D-Suffern ) helped the Assembly pass the New York State Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act (A.2597). In addition to creating a private scholarship fund (the DREAM Fund), this legislation would, for the first time ever, allow undocumented immigrant students to apply for state scholarships and the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) to help them pay for their higher education.
“By increasing financial aid opportunities for immigrant students, the DREAM Act takes monumental steps forward in making sure all students in New York State can obtain a college education,” Jaffee said. “The Assembly has a long legacy of championing equal educational opportunities, and as the immigration debate comes to the forefront of the national spotlight, New York must once again take the lead on this important issue – as we did with the groundbreaking NY SAFE Act to combat gun violence and when we raised the minimum wage.”
Since 2002, undocumented immigrants have been allowed to pay in-state tuition rates at SUNY and CUNY colleges and universities. The DREAM Act goes a step further by increasing access for undocumented youth to a broad range of state educational assistance programs, including:
· Higher Education Opportunity Program (HEOP);
· Educational Opportunity Program (EOP);
· Collegiate Science and Technology Entry Program (C-STEP); and
· Opportunity programs available at community colleges.
The passage of the DREAM Act would make New York one of four states – including Texas, New Mexico and California – to offer state financial assistance to children of undocumented immigrants.
“New York State – with its long, proud history of eliminating barriers – should lead the way,” Jaffee said. “Immigration status is an unjustifiable barrier that, for far too long, has kept young, motivated immigrant students from growing, learning and achieving their dreams.”
The bill would require undocumented immigrant students to satisfy certain conditions to be eligible for state tuition assistance and educational opportunity programs, including having attended high school in New York State for at least two years and having graduated or received an equivalency certificate in-state.
In addition to increasing access to state aid, the DREAM Act sets up the DREAM Fund, an initiative that would raise private funds to provide scholarships for eligible college-bound children with at least one immigrant parent. The DREAM Act would also expand access to the New York State College Tuition Savings (529) Program through family tuition accounts. The family tuition accounts would be available to anyone who provides a valid taxpayer identification number, and would significantly help families save for their children’s future over an extended period of time, Jaffee noted.
On April 1 the Suffern Village Board unanimously adopted our budget for the 2013-2014 budget year beginning June 1. I brought up the fact that there was no provision in the capital budget for the proposed emergency crossing of the railroad at Orange Avenue connecting Orange with the West Ward community at Dunnery Court. This project is of growing importance with the increasing frequency of major storms and the flooding of both underpasses that lead to the West Ward neighborhood. Through the work of Police Chief Osborn and former Fire Chief Dan McInerney, the village has been able to obtain the necessary permits from NJ Transit to accomplish this project.
I proposed adding this to the capital budget to insure that the project went forward. Mayor La Corte agreed with the importance of the project but was hopeful that he would be able to obtain state funds and thus opposed making an amendment to the capital budget. Failing to obtain an amendment I proposed a resolution that it was the goal of the Village Board to complete the project with or without funds from the State of New York. I am pleased to report that this resolution was unanimously adopted.
Dr. Weiss, Dr. Rivera, Philip Patterson, Dr. Kwon, and Dr. Ostrowitz, with Dr. Kwon
Some people cannot lose enough weight with diet and exercise. Some people have tried so many times and in so many different ways, they have given up. The Surgical Weight Loss Institute, part of Bon Secours Charity Health System, is giving these people new hope to make a change. On Friday, May 31, the institute had its grand opening for a brand new satellite office in Suffern.
“It’s an exciting time for us. Our practices got together, Recover Health and Tri State Bariatrics. We decided to bring in and create a bigger practice with in-house surgeons, nurses, dieticians, radiology and more,” explained Dr. Ramon Rivera.
The office is used for consultations with patients, testing, follow up appointments, and adjustments for certain procedures. The procedures themselves are done down the street at Good Samaritan Hospital. This office is the closest to the hospital where the procedures are performed. There are many different rooms set up to meet the needs of the patients and staff. Some of the rooms have beds that can hold up to 1000 pounds and can adjust many different positions for the comfort of the patients and access for the doctor.
Dr. Ramon River, Dr. Wayne Weiss, and Dr. Matthew Ostrowitz are the surgeons for the Suffern office. Dr. Peter Kwon is the medical director and the man who started it all. May marked the 10th anniversary of the surgical weight-loss program opening at Bon Secours Community Hospital, in Port Jervis. Dr. Kwon was the one to perform the first three Lap-Band surgeries at the hospital, with a total of fifty to be done that year. In 2008 gastric bypass surgery began at the hospital, followed by gastric sleeve in 2010.
“We’ve grown from our original staff of about four to about 40,” said Dr. Kwon. “We are close to Good Samaritan Hospital where we hope that we can increase the access of bariatric surgery for all the severely obese persons of this region in Rockland County and the surrounding areas as well.”
The program has received the American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery recognition as a Center of Excellence. This is the highest recognition for a bariatric program in the industry.
When a person is considering weight loss surgery, the first step is to attend a seminar about the three different options. The Lap-Band is band placed around the stomach and restricts the amount of food required to make the person feel full. This procedure is done laparoscopically, making it the least invasive and safest method. It can be adjusted with just a long needle in the future to loosen or tighten the band. The sleeve gastrectomy works by removing a large part of the stomach, which causes a reduction in the hormone that makes a person hungry. The gastric bypass or Roux-en-Y creates a stomach pouch by stapling shut a small portion of the stomach and the small intestine is divided and reconnected to the new stomach.Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.
“There are some risks, but we mitigate them. Right now we have the largest group of bariatric specialists in this office. We have combined probably more than 20 years of experience. We’ve been doing surgeries over 10-15 years and we’ve done over 4,000 surgeries, so we have the expertise,” said Rivera.
After the seminar, each potential patient meets with the team members, starting with the nurse practitioner, then the dietitian, the insurance specialist, and the bariatric coordinator for surgery. After surgery is completed, the patient’s relationship with the office is not over. There are post-operative care visits, plus support groups to keep the motivation high.
“I no longer worry about every aspect of every single solitary thing to consider in every single place I go, like if the restaurant has stools or booths or tables, extra seat belts on the plane, things like that,” said Steve who had the sleeve by the institute. He had his surgery less than 11 months ago and has already lost over 100 pounds.
“You can just live your life without having to plan it out. You can just get in a car and go,” added another patient, Rebecca.
The Village of Suffern invites couples living in Suffern to renew their wedding vows at Village Hall at a ceremony where Mayor Dagan Lacorte will officiate. The vow renewal event will happen July 4 at 10 a.m.
“We could always use more love in Village Hall,” Lacorte said, “So grab your partner, come down to Village Hall and tell everyone you would do it all again.”
Lovebirds on hand will share a complimentary wedding cake from Crumbs after he performs the ceremony. Couples that want to participate in the ceremony must contact Cathy Mills at cathym@suffernvillage.com or 357-7943 by June 28.
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.Suffern – Amid a chorus of disapprovals from both elected officials and frustrated residents, the Suffern branches of Avon Cosmetics and Novartis Pharmaceuticals stand out as two groups with the political and economic clout to prevent any building near the former Tilcon Quarry site.
Tilcon gifted the quarry to the Town of Ramapo. Though it was initially slated as open space and parkland with drainage uses, Ramapo sold the property to Quarry Bridge LLC for $4.4. million.
Quarry Bridge had previously announced it would use the land to build housing units, but has had to scale back the number of units several times since the initial announcement in 2008. In response, Novartis Pharmaceuticals-which is adjacent to the quarry site-had threatened to sue to prevent any building at the quarry.
Former Suffern Mayor and current Democratic candidate John Keegan explained that if Novartis left the area, Suffern would face a tremendous economic setback.
“Novartis is paying a tremendous amount of taxes to the Village of Suffern. If Novartis decided all of a sudden, ‘You know what? There’s housing in there, we didn’t want it, we had enough and we’re getting out,’ we wouldn’t be able to live in Suffern because taxes would go up astronomically,” Keegan said.
Keegan added that Suffern residents had no say on the transference of the property to the Town of Ramapo and the overwhelming majority of commentators in the community opposed residential, commercial or industrial construction.
“There’s really been no public forum on it and there’s really been no public vote on it,” Keegan stated.
Roy Tschudy of Concerned Citizens of Suffern stressed that not only Novartis but also Avon have specifically challenged the quarry-owners’ ability to build ingress and egress for residential construction.
“Both Novartis and Avon have refused them that privilege,” Tschudy explained.
Flood remediation measures, however, have seen almost universal support and may be the one project all parties can agree upon. Keegan explained that flood remediation has been a priority for both residents and politicians, but has been attempting to contact Novartis owns part of the quarry to confirm their involvement in flood remediation.
This is all assuming the project goes ahead as anticipated. According to Suffern Planning Board Clerk Joanne Cioffi, the village had a meeting with Brooker Engineering in January. Since then, the quarry project has been “at a standstill,” with virtually no progress.
“They really didn’t even get far enough to come before the board,” Cioffi explained.
In contrast, flood remediation has seen some progress in the past few months. Brooker Engineering presented revised plans at a meeting with officials from both Ramapo and North Jersey in May. Their most recent plans include siphons which will move runoff to the quarry, where it will be diverted to a separate reservoir and incrementally released into the Mahwah River after flooding dies down.
However, the plan itself has hit significant snags. The Department of Environmental Conservation determined earlier this year that the town engineer’s permit was incomplete because the plans did not address issues such as sediment deposition.
Ramapo has also had problems contacting the Goldstein Family, which owns Quarry Bridge LLC, the group contracting Brooker to build the flood remediation structures. Without dialogue between the two parties and the Goldsteins’ approval, implementing a final design is impossible.
Novartis and Avon did not reply to requests for comment.
New City – The Rockland County Legislature approved funding for several projects aimed at minimizing flood damage in Rockland at their August 6 meeting, but in spite of the wishes of legislators and activists, did not move forward on proposed remediation in Suffern and other areas impacted by flooding.
The resolutions addressed issues in the towns of Ramapo and Orangetown. The proposed Pascack Brook Culvert Project in Spring Valley was approved for $794,000 in engineering inspection funds and an $8.9 million contract with Metra Industries of Little Falls, New Jersey.
In addition, a capital project and $100,000 bond resolution were passed financing preparatory work for both flood mitigation of Muddy Creek near Route 304 Orangetown. A capital project and $50,000 in bonds were also approved for embankment restoration and stream improvements for Tappan’s Sparkill Creek.
Advertising for bids was also approved for an embankment stabilization project at Nauraushaun Brook on Sickletown Road.
Though the projects were all unanimously approved, some legislators expressed concerns that there was too little focus on other longstanding flooding issues such as flooding in the Squire’s Gate area of Suffern. Legislator Ed Day requested the addition of the Pascack Brook project to capital projects, which Legislator Alden Wolfe pointed out occurred in 2001.
Legislator Ilan Schoenberger agreed the project could be added to next year’s capital budget, but explained that though legislature was willing and able to fund flood control anywhere it is needed, it is up to the county executive to implement the programs.
“I firmly believe people should not have to live with constant flooding in their homes, diminishing the value of their property while we as responsible governmental officials don’t address the problem,” Schoenberger explained.
Representatives of Concerned Citizens of Suffern, a group formed to address flooding in the village, attended the meeting to urge the legislature to revisit the funding when the Mahwah River project, arguing inaction reflected a neglect of longstanding flooding issues.
“I realize that money is tight and there are other things on the agendas to take care of, but not to be included in this particular bill is upsetting,” Roy Tschudy of Concerned Citizens of Suffern stated.
Flood remediation on the Mahwah has seen some slow progress in 2013 with a Mahwah River cleanup and brainstorming sessions in March and May. However, efforts have been slow since early summer due to an inability to schedule meetings between the Town of Ramapo and the owners of the site where a siphoning project is planned.
Other projects have seen similar delays. The Pascack Brook Culvert Project is particularly notable in that an issue has existed with flooding in Spring Valley for over a decade, but prior efforts to fix the problem have progressed slowly. Flood study updates were unanimously approved as a capital project in 2001, but actual work was never implemented in a pattern of inaction on county projects which stretches back to the 1970s.
“Just to give you an idea, the Pascack, Nauraushaun, Cedar Pond Brook, Minisceongo and the Mahwah River were first added to the capital projects budget in 1972,” Schoenberger said. “Nothing went forward from there.”
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.The dog paddle took on real meaning at the Spook Rock Pool in Suffern on Sunday, Sept. 8 as hundreds of dogs took to the water at the Town of Ramapo’s 10th annual “K-9 Pool Party.”
While some smaller breeds, like yorkies and beagles, were hesitant to jump in the water, larger dogs, like golden retrievers and labs, were splishing and splashing with delight. Rocco Guglielmo, of Suffern, for instance, brought his 4-year-old chocolate lab, Ike, to the doggie swim, who was joyously jumping in and out of the pool. “We come every year, and [Ike] loves it,” Guglielmo said. One piece of advice he and his wife learned over the years: “Don’t feed the dog beforehand!”
Trish Sandford, owner of Suffern-based Ruff Cuts Pet Grooming, and Dr. Larry Ness of Airmont Animal Hospital
Gail Sheama, of Suffern, also spent the afternoon throwing balls into the water for her golden retriever, Casey, to fetch. “She looks forward to this each year,” said Gail’s sister, Janet, about Casey. “You’re not getting her out of the water!”
Not only does the event allow the pooches to have fun and socialize with other dogs, swimming also provides great therapeutic benefits, without negatively impacting their joints.
More than 2,600 pooches have participated in the doggie swim over the past decade—with only one bite mishap, noted Ramapo Town Supervisor Christopher St. Lawrence.
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.Many local businesses and vendors were present as well. Trish Sandford, the owner of Suffern-based Ruff Cuts Pet Grooming, and Dr. Larry Ness of Airmont Animal Hospital, were selling raffles for their latest fundraiser called “Rollie’s Paw Prints,” in honor of Sandford’s lhasa apso, who passed in May. “The money we raise is to provide medical care and procedures to pets whose families otherwise couldn’t afford it,” said Dr. Ness.
Other vendors included the Hudson Valley Humane Society and Hi-Tor Animal Care Center.
Whether big or small, it appeared that all the dogs—and their families—enjoyed the day as if they were celebrating the end of the “dog days of summer.”
The Village of Suffern is currently in a stage of overdeveloping the village. Within the last few years the village has changed zoning and policies to allow for mass development. Two zone changes allowed 24 town houses to be built on Wayne Avenue and another zone change allowed around 50 condos to be built on Washington Avenue.
This allows around 75 new units to be built in the village within a few short years. If this rate of expansion continues it can result in property values dropping in the area. This current administration also lowered the fees builders pay for recreation. They made it so that as a builder builds more units they pay less money for each unit to the village. This policy is specifically designed to increase development in the village.
Now there is a proposal for 111 apartments to be built on Orange Avenue. In this current market it will be difficult to rent out these apartments. If the builder can’t rent them they will either use it for section 8 housing to make their money back or sell it to a non-profit which will take it off the tax roll. This has happened before where a non-profit bought a building complex at chestnut gardens and took $56,000 off the tax roll.
It is time this board stood up for the residents and not the developers. If you wish to see this project stopped join me at Suffern Village Hall on October 15, at 7:30 p.m. and let our elected officials know that if they vote yes to this project we will vote no to them.
Residents offer cautious support, hearing to be continued
BY CHERYL SLAVIN
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.A lively and lengthy discussion took place Tuesday night at Suffern Town Hall as residents, elected officials and a prospective developer shared information and debated divergent viewpoints about the proposed zoning change and subsequent development of Suffern’s urban renewal district bordered by Orange Avenue and Chestnut Street.
As originally envisioned in the urban renewal plan of 2008, the blighted parcel consisting of 7 lots bounded by Orange and Chestnut, totaling about 1.7 acres, would be rezoned to permit as many as 60 housing units per acre with a mandated parking allowance of at least 1 spot per unit. With the support of the Suffern Planning Board, Orange Avenue Developers, the current development corporation, is seeking to construct a 111 unit multiple dwelling on 1.49 acres with a minimum of 1 parking spot per unit on site and a second optional spot off site. In order to do so they are applying for a brand new zoning designation, a “Transit Development District.”
At the public hearing, David Smith of VHB Engineering and Joshua Goldstein representing the developer described the proposed construction as a state of the art luxury rental offering one and two bedroom apartments ranging from $1500 to $2500 per unit. Additionally the building would include a gym, a community room and a 2500 square foot roof deck for the enjoyment of the tenants. Smith and Goldstein both pointed to Suffern’s changing demographics, including the increase of both aging baby boomers and young “millenials” more interested in improved lifestyle than homeownership. Village planning consultant John Lange stated that a preliminary planning survey revealed the construction would not place any additional strain on village resources or services, although he did admit that the increase in traffic would definitely impact the already difficult traffic issues within the village.Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.
Some residents, like village fixture chef Marcello Russodivito, enthusiastically supported the change without reservation. Most of the villagers, however, applauded the development while voicing concerns about the size and scope of the project, the choice of rentals over condos and most of all, the increase in traffic problems. While Jon Paul Molfetta, a longtime resident and real estate broker explained that in today’s market rentals make more economic sense, others like Jack Rosenberg voiced the belief that homeowners make better and more responsible neighbors. Jim Giannettino, the Suffern Republican mayoral candidate, voiced the common theme that the building was simply too massive, and that most residents would support the current plan if the scale were reduced.
The overwhelming concern for most homeowners, however, was the acknowledged exacerbation of an already intolerable traffic sitution within the village. Many speakers described how they cannot even get out of their driveways or off their blocks during peak hours and days of the week, let alone when there’s a problem with the Thruway. Addressing this concern, planner Lange assured the residents that the Village Board was working on a solution, not just in light of the proposed zoning change and development, but as a much needed plan overall. The Planning Board was considering options, including reducing the number of traffic lights within the village and lowering speed limits so as to keep traffic flowing at a regular pace, but the full report would not be completed until November.
Some residents voiced suspicions about the Village Board’s ulterior motives or ability to actually achieve the promised urban renewal. Mayor Dagan LaCorte assured the audience that this has been an ongoing process of over 10 years and that nothing was happening without public input. Trustee Patricia Abato, Democratic candidate for mayor, sharply responded that she at least has not made up her mind about anything, and that she has closely examined the developer’s plans and demanded answers to such concerns as whether the project will remain a market rate rental project and whether the builders will keep to the building limit of six stories or 70 feet high.
After two and a half hours of input, Abato pointed out that more time was needed for the Board to review all the information and the residents’ concerns. The Board ultimately decided to continue the public hearing on Tuesday, October 22 at 7:30 pm. Information about the proposed zoning changes and the Orange Avenue development proposal can be found on the village’s website at www.suffernvillage.com.
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.SUFFERN – The Rockland Development Council (RDC), the professional trade association of 55 Rockland County nonprofits, will hold its 14th Annual Philanthropy Day & Awards Breakfast on Thursday, Nov. 7, at the Crowne Plaza in Suffern. Registration and breakfast opens at 8:30 a.m. and the program will begin at 9 a.m.
The breakfast keynote speaker is Liz Scott, Co-Executive Director, Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation. Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation emerged from the front yard lemonade stand of cancer patient Alexandra “Alex” Scott (1996 – 2004) and Liz’s daughter. In 2000, 4-year-old Alex announced that she wanted to hold a lemonade stand to raise money to help find a cure for all children with cancer. Since Alex held that first stand, the Foundation bearing her name has evolved into a national fundraising movement, complete with thousands of supporters across the country carrying on her legacy of hope. To date, Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation, a registered 501(c)3 charity, has raised more than $60 million toward fulfilling Alex’s dream of finding a cure, funding over 300 pediatric cancer research projects nationally. For more information on Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation, visit AlexsLemonade.org.
The event will culminate with the presentation of the Rockland Development Council’s 2013 Awards for Outstanding Philanthropist – S. Lisa Hayes, president and founder of Creative Financial Planning, Inc.; Not-for-Profit Fundraising Professional – Stacey Kirschenbaum, executive director, Foundations Charity Health systems at Bon Secours Health System; Corporate Leadership – Better Homes and Gardens/Rand Realty Rand Family; Outstanding Youth- Ashley May, Aliyah and Angel Schwartz, and Outstanding Volunteer – Roberta Leitner.
Tickets are $25 for Rockland Development Council members and their guests; $30 for non-members. Tables of ten are $250. For tickets and more information contact RDC member Courtney Boniface at rsvp@caneboniface.com. For additional information please contact Judy Perrin at 845-398-4045.
Prize winners with Dr. Dennis Mao, who was also one of the judges of the competition and a Emergency Room physician at the hospital
The Good Samaritan Hospital in Suffern, NY kicked off the holiday cheer with their annual Tree lighting celebration last Wednesday. This is the fourth year the event has been held and also the fourth year Tuxedo Park School Glee and Gleeful performed at the event, led by teacher Mena Albert.
Hospital administrators highlighted the expansion of the Pediatric Emergency Treatment area, which has grown from 19 to 32 rooms. To honor the new pediatric emergency department spaces, The Good Samaritan Foundation held an art competition for the students at Tuxedo Park School. Naturally the theme for the artwork was “good Samaritans.”
According to their campaign director, Amanda Levin, there were more than 50 students who entered the competition where second graders Brandon Murphy and Jonathon Stone and fifth graders Katherine Parry, Rachel Griegel, and Rebecca Weinstein won. As a prize, their work will hang on the walls of the new emergency department spaces once they open. The artwork was judged by five panel members, “We wanted diversity on the panel,” Levin explained, as the panel consisted of two TPS representatives, two physicians from the hospital, and one member from Ambulance Care.
Tuxedo Park School choir and their teacher Mena Albert
Local member of the community Eric Honor thought, “the event was great” as it was his third year attending. To top the night off Mrs. Green’s Natural Market donated bagged goods for the attendees at the celebration.
Head of Guest Services at the hospital Penny Mann explained that there will be a number of carolers from different schools coming to the hospital throughout the holidays. For another chance to see the Glee and Gleeful choirs, Mrs. Albert will be leading them again at Tuxedo Park school’s winter concert on December 19 at 6:30 p.m.
Novartis Pharmaceuticals has notified local officials that they will be closing their Suffern plant over the course of the next three years, County Executive Ed Day confirmed with the Rockland County Times. Employees of the company received the news during their 2 o’clock shift, Day said.
The company will attempt to relocate as many of the plant’s 521 employees as possible to two plants in Long Island and one in East Hanover, New Jersey. Of the 521 men and women employed at the Suffern plant, 283 are New York residents. As of Tuesday evening, it is unconfirmed how many of those are Rockland residents.
Novartis is one of Rockland’s largest employers and provides millions in property taxes to school, village, town and county coffers.
Day said the pharmaceutical giant informed the county and the Village of Suffern that they intend to level the existing facilities in 2017. Day, however, said he asked the company to keep their options open and consider working to transfer the property and building to a potential new occupant.
Day said the county will be reaching out to the business community, working with the Rockland Economic Development Corporation as well as the Village of Suffern, to find an interested party who can move into the location in 2017.
Suffern Police Chief Clarke Osborn broke the bad news of the plant closure on his Facebook page Tuesday evening. Osborn, who recently resigned from Ramapo Central School District’s Board of Trustees, lamented, “Hopefully a good ratable takes its place and that all of the hundreds of employees who work at this site find employment in a place that they desire. We have a great community, great schools and an awesome village in Suffern, we need to keep it that way.”
Day said the loss of Novartis highlights the need of the county to develop a positive business environment. “This is a perfect example of why it’s essential we engage in an effective economic development program. Sometimes things will hit on the negative end of ledger, so it is essential to make things happen on the positive end of ledger. We will try to make the best of the situation and bring a ratable back to county [to replace Novartis]. And we will engage in a general course of action to bring ratables to Rockland.”
Day and Osborn both said the Novartis closure is a surprise and appears to be related to corporate strategy and not in reaction to any particular external event.
Julie Masow, a spokeswoman for Novartis, released the following statement explaining the company’s decision:
“Novartis continually reviews its manufacturing infrastructure and capacity, including number and size of its sites. This is part of our global strategy to create designated Manufacturing Centers of Excellence worldwide to better support the future Novartis product supply chain and maximize productivity. This ongoing evaluation helps to ensure we have the right production capacity in place to meet market demand and support our products and pipeline.
“Novartis has a robust pipeline for the US market however changes in our current portfolio, namely the loss of exclusivity of Diovan®, have significantly reduced the future production demand on the Suffern site. Consequently the site’s future volumes would be significantly below the minimum required to operate it cost effectively. As such, Novartis has made the difficult, but necessary, decision to close pharmaceutical operations in Suffern. The closure process will begin in the second quarter of 2014 and will be completed over the next two to three years. All positions (~525) on the site will be impacted. Some necessary functions may be transferred to other Novartis sites depending on the business needs.
“All impacted associates will be treated fairly and with respect. Where possible, associates will be redeployed to other Novartis sites. A comprehensive support package aligned with the company policy will be available as well as outplacement and other support services. Suffern has supplied the Novartis network, its customers and patients with quality products for many years and we acknowledge and appreciate the significant contributions our associates have made to the organization. This difficult decision was a strategic choice made to optimize our manufacturing infrastructure.”
In 2010 Rockland County also lost jobs in the pharmaceutical industry when Pfizer Pharmaceuticals purchased the former Wyeth/Lederle plant in Pearl River and fired over 1,200 employees over the course of four years.
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.By Rockland County Executive Ed Day
We have spent the last 4 years fighting our way back from the brink of bankruptcy. We have paid off the $138 million deficit, that existed when I took office, much faster than anyone thought possible. The renaissance of Rockland County is well underway.
Today we take our next steps to continue improving and enriching life in our community. Thanks to the efforts of Lucy Redzeposki, our Director of Tourism and Economic Growth, 21 nonprofit Rockland organizations are receiving a total of $215,115 in tourism grants.
That’s $15,000 more than we received last year so clearly, we are going in the right direction. These funds are going to organizations that bring arts, music, theater and culture into Rockland County.
They include such groups as Rockland Center for the Arts, Garner Arts Center, Edward Hopper House, Haverstraw River Arts, the Historical Society of Rockland County, the Penguin Players, United Latin Festival of Haverstraw, the Rockland Bergen Music Festival and so many others.
Funding is also being awarded to Visit Nyack and the Chambers of Commerce in Suffern and Nanuet. Groups that work to bring people into the community. It’s not just about enriching our community with festivals, theater and art. It’s about bringing visitors and the money they spend into Rockland.
We want people to come here, spend the day in downtown Nyack or Suffern, go to the Haverstraw River Arts Festival, go to a theater performance. While they are here they can eat at our restaurants, shop in our stores and find other ways to spend money. Money that will fuel our renaissance.
If not for tourism generated sales and local taxes the average household in Rockland would have to pay an additional $555 in yearly taxes to maintain current services. That is a lot of money saved thanks to the efforts of Lucy Redzeposki.
When I took office, I vowed to make tourism a priority in my administration. I made good on that pledge by bringing Lucy on board to reinvent and reinvigorate our tourism and filming efforts.
The tourism funds we announced come from a combination of county money and from the statewide I Love New York program. These are competitive grants; a set of performance expectations are attached to every dollar given to these nonprofits.
We have every confidence that the organizations receiving this funding will use it to bring tourists here to see all that Rockland has to offer. Our music, theater, art, riverfronts and downtowns will keep them coming back.
That is the way forward. That is the mission of government, to create an environment where businesses thrive and jobs are created. Congratulations to the organizations who have won these awards, we know you will do us proud with your efforts.
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.Rockland Youth and Professionals Come Together to Plan for Sustainable Communities in Rockland
How do we build economically and socially vibrant communities we where we will want to live and work? How can we plan for development that addresses the critical need to conserve water, save energy, and reduce the fossil fuel emissions that are contributing to climate change? How can I make a difference today and into the future?
These are the questions that 135 high school students participating in Rockland P.L.U.S. (Planning Land Use with Students) will address when they gather for the program’s culminating symposium at St. Thomas Aquinas College this Friday, March 23, 8:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. Students from seven participating high schools – Albertus Magnus, Clarkstown North, Hudson Valley P-TECH, North Rockland, Nyack, Spring Valley, Suffern – will present their visions for the redevelopment of 13 different local sites now under consideration for redevelopment.
Their redevelopment plans were mapped out during several classroom workshops. In these workshops, students explored the perspectives and needs of community members at different ages and stages of life. They weighed and considered a variety of specific smart building and green infrastructure design features, while looking for ways to promote a balance of Social Connections, Economic Opportunity & Environmental Sensitivity (S.E.E.) – to see their community in a whole new way.
On March 23, participating students will gather further input from 35 local professionals who are volunteering as mentors for the project. Following their poster presentations, the students will work collaboratively in mixed school teams to apply what they’ve learned to a new redevelopment site – portions of the new NY Center for Innovation on the former Pfizer campus in Pearl River.
Rockland P.L.U.S. is a partnership of Keep Rockland Beautiful, Columbia University LamontDoherty Earth Observatory, Rockland Conservation & Service Corps, Rockland Economic Development Corporation, and St. Thomas Aquinas College. This program is made possible with funding from lead sponsor, SUEZ Foundation, as well as generous support from Old York Foundation, Peoples United Community Foundation, Orange & Rockland, Rockland Municipal Planning Federation, M & T Charitable Foundation, and Rockland County.
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.Governor Andrew Cuomo joined Rockland County Executive Ed Day at 2 p.m., Wednesday in Suffern to address the incoming nor’Easter. Following a series of storms that wreaked havoc and caused long-lasting blackouts, political officials assured the public that extra precautions were being taken in case the worst-case scenario hit Rockland and the region again. In the end, the storm was no dud, but middle and northern Rockland emerged from the chaos with only minor snowfall. Areas south received well over a foot of snow.
Joseph Pirro of Suffern was among 40 SUNY Oneonta students who traveled to New Orleans recently to attend the American Marketing Association’s 40th Annual International Collegiate Conference. Pirro, who is majoring in Business Economics, is a member of SUNY OnMark, SUNY Oneonta’s chapter of the American Marketing Association. The club was awarded seventh place in the “Chapter of the Year” competition out of about 400 colleges and universities. SUNY OnMark also received an honorable mention for the excellence of its website, and several members were chosen to speak about their quality in membership recruitment.
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.Rowers Jordan Irving , Jake Hoffman, Danny Kaufman, Matt Dain and Sarah Dobkin, who served as coxswain [steerer] for the boat.
Suffern High School rowersJordan Irving , Jake Hoffman, Danny Kaufman and Matt Dainwere impressive in postseason competition this year.
The four senior boys won the Hudson Valley Rowing League championship and placed sixth in national competition. They will be attending Marist, Stanford, Northeastern and Bucknell this fall.
Their run for glory started with unassuming beginnings. In 2015, Freshman Jake Hoffman wrote to Senator David Carlucci requesting assistance for the crew program. Senator Carlucci was moved by the letter and found a $100,000 state grant with which the Suffern rowing team was able to purchase four new boats.
On top of being the Rockland County Champs this year, this spring season the Boys placed second at the NYS championship in Saratoga Springs and moved on to SRAA Nationalswhere they placed sixth in the nation after coming in first and second in the semifinals.
Congratulations to Suffern rowers on their success.
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