ScienceNow Daily News says the NYC area is due for an earthquake. Yes, *this* New York City.

Geoscientists at Columbia University’s Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory in Palisades, NY count 383 sesmic events in our area since 1677. The research was compiled as part of studies for a new Tappan Zee Bridge and re-licensing Indian Point. You have to go back to 1884 to find a quake of magnitude five or greater. But in geological terms, that’s a blink of an eye.

Perhaps this is good material for a Nyack area author with writer’s block looking for their next best seller. If you someday soon see titles like

Panic in The Palisades,
Hudson Horror or
Nyack, The Village Under The Hudson try not to be too surprised.

Source: ScienceNow Daily News, August 22

United Water customers will be getting more information than requested in upcoming bills. But they might not be getting the news that they need to know.

The state Department of Environmental Conservation says the utility released more water than allowed between June and September 2007 and has levied a $10,000 fine on United Water for allowing too much water out of the Lake Deforest Reservoir in Rockland County. Another $7,500 will be suspended as long as United Water adheres to the agreement. Continue reading →

County Executive C. Scott Vanderhoef will talk about taxes and the Tappan Zee Bridge on Cablevision Channel 118 at 7:30a and 10a, and 2p, 6p and 10p. The program airs from August 3-9.

Source: Journal News

The Nyack Center has received a $46,000 grant to implement a gang-prevention program in Nyack. Twenty children, from grade 5 through high school, have been chosen to participate in the program. The initial funding was provided by the Rockland County Youth Bureau and Senator Thomas Morahan. Nyack Mayor John Shields has promised an additional $10,000 of funding if this offer is matched by the South/Upper Nyack and Orangetown.

Continue reading →

Announcing a brand new breed of Mommy support groups.

West Nyack mom Laura Rose has created an online support and social group for moms of babies and toddlers that combines play dates, potlucks, and stroller walks with discussions about reducing our environmental footprint, teaching children about the natural world, and being community activists. “We don’t just talk about our lovely children, we talk about what local bills are coming up in Clarkstown Chamber that we moms have a say in,” says Rose, the mother of a three month old. All moms and moms-to-be are welcome to join.

For more information about the group and to join, visit http://moms.meetup.com/3463/

You miserable vomitous mass. Everyone is entitled to be stupid, but you’re abusing the privilege. I can’t believe you came to this page, you web surfing, right-clicking great pillock of a poster! I wave my private parts at your aunties. Go and boil your bottoms, sons of a silly person. I blow my nose at you. Repeatedly.

On the subject of freedom of speech, what’s the difference between saying someone is:

• Entering a battle of wits half-prepared, or
• Calling them Stupid?

The opening barrage, care of Monty Python and InsultFinder.com, is of course, a silly attention grabber. But it raises a point. Most of us would agree that it’s irresponsible to yell Fire! in a crowded theatre just because you feel like it. It’s the kind of thing someone might do to get attention. And there are laws against that kind of thing.

When social Websites put limits on the tone of public discussions, is that an infringement of Freedom of Speech? Or is keeping the discussion focused on the topic and not the tone keeping the discussion on track? Are those who use insults attempting to distract from the real issue as a tactic to discredit the other side? Or are they responding in kind to perceived insults previously received? Continue reading →

Urban planning can be alot like fashion: what was once old is now new, again.

Transit Villages are designed to build shops, housing, and offices together in areas that are well served by public transportation, much like older downtown districts. An alternative planning approach which avoids urban sprawl, transit villages uses past experiences building towns and cities before automobiles created the suburbs we know today.

The updated transit village version, moderate- to higher-density development is directed to areas within an easy walk of public transportation with special attention is given to the needs of pedestrians.

The main benefits of transit villages stem from more efficient land use and more compact building. Building up uses far less land than building out and allows for growth without using open space. Building more compactly means there are more destinations at each transit stop within easy walking distance. As a result transit can run more frequently and thus be more convenient for more people.

This LoHud story talks about using the transit village concept to incorporate some of the ideas mentioned in the Riverspace Downtown project, especially as it pertains to increased density and a friendly pedestian enironment.

Sources: Sierra Club, NJDOT, Federal Highway Administration (Bay Area Fruitvale Transit Village Project

Nyack Mayor John Shields is asking Orangetown, South Nyack and Upper Nyack to contribute funds to a community gangs-prevention program for The Nyacks at The Nyack Center. The funding will double the number of participants who can join the program. The program is in response to the April 16 mini-riot in South Nyack. Shields said the village would only contribute if the other communities agreed to chip in, too.

The Rockland County Youth Bureau has contributed $46,000 to fund 20 participants in the Youth Outreach gang-prevention program.

Source: Journal News, April 17

If you have been out of the loop on the plans, cost and possibilites of the Riverspace Downtown project, the Journal News offers a concise summary of what has been proposed.

How much is 4 acres worth in downtown Nyack? Should Nyack demand fair market price for its market share? No question here, responsible leadership needs to be clearer when identifying its goals and objectives. Continue reading →