By Tina Traster

“It’s kinda like the Wild West up here,” the town official said, shaking his head. “It’s remote. It’s an old road. People do what they want to — and they usually get away with it ’cause no one’s minding anyone’s business.”

Except me, that is.

On this occasion, I was standing with the town environmental officer at the end of my driveway. We were discussing a slipshod demolition going on across the street. Continue reading →

Rockland County, September 2 — With heavy rains in the forecast for Thursday night and Friday from the remnants of Hurricane Earl, Orange & Rockland has declared a storm watch. Preparations include prepping overhead line crews and coordinating with contractor line and tree teams, underground line crews and gas department crews.

To help its customers prepare to weather a storm, O&R offers these tips:

• If you experience a power outage, don’t assume that O&R automatically knows about it or that someone else will report it. To be sure the outage is reported, call O&R at 877-434-4100. Continue reading →

by Dave Zornow

Nyack, Sept 1 –  Nyack Schools has set aside $300,000 for the current school year to end the open campus program for freshman and sophomore students. Part of those funds will be used to support a pilot program in September and October to revoke off campus lunch privileges for 9th and 10th graders. Nyack’s Board of Education will decide in November whether to make the test program permanent.

The funds will cover adding ten additional security cameras to the 24 already in place and the hiring of up to eight more security staff.

Continue reading →

Pearl River, August 31 — Orange & Rockland has declared a Summer Heat Watch for today with a predicted high temperature of 94 degrees in the Lower Hudson region.

A Heat Watch means non-emergency work on the electric distribution and transmission systems will be deferred and system engineers will closely monitor the loads throughout the electrical distribution system.

Today’s scorching forecast will require 1,307 megawatts of power. A typical day requires about 1,000 megawatts of power. The all-time one day O&R record load was 1,617 MW set on Aug 2, 2006. Continue reading →

by John Patrick Schutz

Nyack’s Village Code is 59 chapters and sub-chapters of ordinances, building codes and zoning regulations filled with the rules and regulations governing our community. It’s a fascinating read which gives us insights to the history of our village.

For instance, did you realize Nyack has a curfew after 10 PM for those under the age of 17? Owning a rooster is illegal? Are you aware that property owners who have not cleared the sidewalks abutting their property of snow by 11 AM (or salted, if the storm is continuing) are liable for a substantial fine? How about the restriction of ALL pets from attending the street fairs – not just dogs as many seem to think, but kitties, birdies and SNAKES too (Remember the guy with the python wrapped around his neck at all the street fairs? Obviously, he freaked out one too many people!)

Continue reading →

By Peter Klose, in Kefalonia, Greece

Last night we had the good fortune of stolling down the esplanade under a full moon.   The kids were on scooters, the sidewalks packed with families walking “downtown” in search of dinner, dessert, or just company.

Summertime in Greece, and all over Europe, includes these evening strolls as part of the daily ritual of friends, family and social commradarie.  Around eight in the evening, people put on their slacks, dresses and their walking shoes, and head out to the village square (in Greece its called the “platia”), but the sentiment is the same– see and be seen.

Continue reading →

Three  inches of rainfall yesterday evening overloaded Nyack’ s storm sewer system, flooding the streets and basements in homes and businesses.

Main Street between the Catherine St lot and Park was closed by the Village Fire Department until 3am.

The backup of the drainage system caused flooding in basements.  The department estimates that they pumped over 100 residence basements.  Most Main Street businesses east of the Catherine Street lot took significant amounts of water in basements.

Rockland, August 22, 9p — The National Weather Service has issued a Flood Advisory for Rockland County with predictions of up to four inches of rain.

At 907 pm EDT heavy showers with embedded thunderstorms were moving Northeast across portions of the Lower Hudson Valley and Southwest Connecticut around 20 mph. Continue reading →

by Samuel Anderson

Nyack’s mayor Richard Kavesh spoke about the recent appointees to the Nyack Housing Authority, Marie Lorenzini and Cara Bristol. Founded in 1960 The Housing Authority owns and operates Nyack’s three low-income properties, Waldron Terrace, Depew Manor and the Nyack Senior Center.

Continue reading →

If you think about where your food comes,  then prepare your favorite healthy dish using locally grown foods and bring it to a fun gathering of like minded individuals.

We are the Rockland County chapter of the Weston A. Price Foundation, and will be meeting this Sunday at 4pm. RSVP information below.

Continue reading →