New County Executive Ed Day has changed Rockland County — well, at least he’s changed the rocklandgov.com site. Continue Reading

This past week saw a double whammy of snow fall on Sloatsburg and the whole Lower Hudson Valley. With the village Department of Public Works pushing snow to the side of the roads, as well as NY State and Rockland County services, snow banks along road shoulders are now nearly head high.

             Photo courtesy TrendPhotos.org

If there’s one thing a snow storm leaves in its wake, beside lots of snow, it’s transportation problems and the terrible condition of roads. Continue Reading

Update: With the mini mountains of snow shoveled from walkways this past week, area emergency services have requested some community assistance.

Sloatsburg’s All Volunteer Fire Department members are making an effort Sunday to clear the village’s 140 hydrants. Residents can help by clearing a hydrant closest to your home. Continue Reading

By evening on Thursday, many in Rockland County had just finished digging out from the snows of the nor’easter. Then the second part of the storm passed through, dumping additional snow over the Lower Hudson Valley. Continue Reading

The Town of Ramapo will remain open Thursday, February 13, until the regularly scheduled closing time of 5pm.

In the meantime, Superintendent Christopher St. Lawrence urged residents to “Stay Safe…Stay Home!”

Ramapo Highway Superintendent Tony Sharan reported that main roads are passable but very slippery, while some side-roads have 6-7 inches of accumulated snow. Sleet will begin mixing with snow this afternoon and early tonight. An additional 3 to 6 inches of snow is expected to fall after midnight.

Ramapo Police Officer Captain Brad Weidel reported that roads are getting more treacherous by the hour.

“Our new marked police cars are able to travel with ease in the heavy snow,” said Weidel about the Ramapo Police Department weatherizing some of their vehicles. “We are in the process of installing chains on our older cars, and deploying them to strategic locations throughout the town.” he added.

Highway Superintendent Sharan said forecasts show that snow will continue today as an icy mix until early Friday morning with total accumulations between 12-14 inches.

For emergencies please call 911 and/or the Ramapo Police Dept. My office number is 845 357 5100 ext 201.

Sloatsburg Department of Public Works making a plow run through the village Thursday afternoon, Feb. 13.

The weather outlook for Thursday’s nor’easter is snow, wintry mix, rain, snow. Snow accumulation is expected to get worse. In the words of NY Governor Andrew Cuomo:

Under a state of emergency, critical resources normally restricted to State use are mobilized to assist local gov’ts: http://t.co/fEVetHPM4Y

— Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) February 13, 2014 Continue Reading

The Suffern Police Department posted a dramatic account of a police officer doing his job while perhaps saving a baby’s life — all over the phone

Police Officer Tim Dunn was on communications duty when a 911 call came through. A Parkside Drive mother was frantic and believed that her baby was choking — the child apparently was not responding. Officer Dunn, “in a calm manner,” talked the mother through emergency procedures over the phone. Continue Reading

The annual Pinewood Derby wooden track race took place at George Grant Mason in Tuxedo.

Long wooden track Pinewood Derby racing took place at George Grant Mason school in Tuxedo this past Sunday. Scouts from Cub Scout Pack 2146 have been working since December to whittle small wooden cars into speed machines. The payoff was to test them with a run down the  the long track over the weekend. Continue Reading

Local photographer Geoff Welch recently captured a clip of a Red Tailed Hawk keeping watch for prey from a tree on Liberty Rock in Sloatsburg.

An announcement came over the Ramapo Central School District email blackboard this past Friday. Sloatsburg Elementary School Principal Eric Baird will be moving on and over to Cherry Lane, beginning in July.

The news came from Ramapo Central Superintendent Dr. Douglas Adams through the district’s internal parent email communication system known as Blackboard — the district uses the system to communicate news to whole segments of parents and staff. Continue Reading