Septemberfest, a street fair hosted by the Chamber of Commerce of the Nyacks, will take place — rain or shine — on Sunday, Sept. 13 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

A large portion of Main Street will be closed for the event to let an expected 25,000 pedestrians stroll around downtown.

The festival this year will include the local Amazing Grace CIRCUS! and a table providing information on the Hudson River Quadricentennial.

For more information, go to www.NyackChamber.com or call Briana Ryan at 845-353-2221.

Dozens of people met at the Nyack Center last week to look over the redesign plans for Memorial Park, a 5-acre patch of green space along the Hudson that is Nyack’s only public park. The $7 million to $15 million project would take 10 years to complete and would revamp the park with more open space, a new bridge to the neighboring marina, a larger beach and butterfly garden. Here’s the original story I wrote about the project.

And here’s a PDF of the park plans: memorial-park

Doug Foster, webmaster of NyackNewsandViews.com, has the plans up on his blog too and the Nyack Park Conservancy is welcoming suggestions and comments at Doug’s site. (Thanks for the PDF, Doug.)

Tomorrow’s expected rain has pushed three Halloween celebrations to Sunday:

• The Chamber of Commerce of the Nyacks’ annual Halloween parade begins assembling at 3:15 p.m. Sunday — bands, floats and marchers assemble at the upper level of Memorial Park, at the corner of DePew and Piermont avenues.

• Haverstraw’s annual Halloween festival has been moved to noon to 4 p.m. Sunday at Bowline Point Park.
• Sloatsburg’s annual Halloween parade has costume judging beginning at 4 p.m. and the parade at 5 p.m., at the entrance to the community fields by Route 17. The parade goes up Route 17 to the elementary school.

Pomona’s not changing its Halloween party, scheduled for 1 to 3:30 p.m. Saturday at Village Hall.

Suffern’s parade was already planned for 2 p.m. Sunday at the corner of Orange and Lafayette avenues, so it’s not changing. Costume judging, cider and donuts immediately follow the parade at the Virginia Menschner Gazebo on Washington Ave.

Have fun!

YEAH BOY-EE! After months of trying, Vinny Raffa, local Internet radio host and East Coast skateboarding scene godfather, snagged his first big “get” for his Thursday night show — Stephen Baldwin, the virtuoso in such stoner classics as Bio-Dome and Half Baked. For Thursday’s interview, Raffa and Baldwin, a Grandview resident, sat down at Rockland World Radio’s HQ in Nyack and talked about Baldwin’s Christian works, his latest projects and his brother Alec.

Probably the funniest quote of the night came when Baldwin’s daughter called him mid-interview:

Stephen: Vinny Raffa’s gonna drive you to school tomorrow.

His daughter: Who?

Here are some more photos of the historic meeting:

A whole lot of Ramapo news for this Week in Review.

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County Democrats abandon meeting

Motorcyclist who hit Nyack restaurant suffers leg injury

Ramapo police commission grants officer’s request for Sabbath off

Ramapo cop wants same religious consideration as collegue

Vendetta Paintball fills void in Rockland

Ramapo mom gives birth before rescuers arrive

Back-to-school edition for the Land of Rock podcast. Enjoy, friends.

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Burning tugboat disaster averted on river

S. Nyack family accuses sheriff’s office of racial profiling

Smooth opening for Rockland schools

Scenery businesses put Rockland on the map

 This week, I host the Rockland review from a pier in Nyack. Which one? Well, I’m none too sure, but if anyone finds a microphone in the water, please call me.

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Rockland Republicans open McCain campaign headquarter

Obama’s Rockland campaign headquarters opens in Montebello

Man held in Sloatsburg weapons discovery

Community group to address youth issues in Nyack

Central Nyack gas station robbed for second time in a week

Learning the lessons of war

9:31 p.m., Thursday, July 24: At this moment, I am on my way to Morristown, N.J., to see my first EVER nephew, born 7:20 p.m., weighing in at 7 pounds, 4 ounces. Shai Rubin, welcome to Earth!

Oh, and here’s the Week in Review…

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Passer-by’s face slashed in Nyack brawl, cops say

Witness: 20 involved in Nyack fight

Hydrogen fuel cell SUV makes rounds in Rockland

Employee lived in paint shed at Rockland Psychiatric Center, report finds

Two more charged with burglary in Haverstraw, bringing total to 4

312 step out for glory

Nyack changes its mind, a lot.

In the past year, the Village Board reversed a decision on parking rates and postponed the date that new rates would take effect. In its most recent about-face, the Nyack board voted last week to change the structure of parking penalties, just three months after new penalties were set.

Some business owners were upset in April, when the Nyack Village Board decided to raise the penalties for parking tickets from $12 to $25, or $15 if a person paid within two days. The new rate structure was supposed to take effect Sept. 1.

Though their pleas didn’t work back then, merchants were successful last week is getting the board to change its decision on penalties. The board voted 3-1 to lengthen the time in which drivers could still pay just $15. Richard Kavesh voted no, and Denise Hogan was absent.

Now, drivers can pay $15 up until the day of their court appearance. After that, they must pay $25. A court appearance can be scheduled anywhere from two weeks to five weeks from the day the ticket was issued, depending on how busy the courts may be.

Richard Kavesh and Louise Parker have filed petitions with the Rockland County Board of Elections to run for re-election to the Nyack Village Board.

Kavesh filed to run on the Democratic and Working Families party lines, while Louise filed on the Democratic line only.

No surprise here: No GOP candidates have filed to challenge the incumbents. Nyack, which is known as a liberal-leaning village, has a Democratic mayor and all-Democratic board.

Still, candidates have until the end of the work today to file. So we’ll check back in to see if there are any anomalies.

Here’s the newest Week in Review.

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3 killed, 11 hurt in van crash on Thruway

Nine women in stable condition after Thruway crash

Police: Alcohol may be a factor in fatal Thruway crash

Construction worker hurt at W. Nyack store

Inspector: Steel beam wasn’t secured

Nyack mayor seeks support for gang-prevention program

Beekeeper’s backyard is buzzing

Spring Valley bridge club celebrates member’s 100th birthday

Happy Friday the 13th! Here’s the latest Week in Review.

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Did swindler jump off Bear Mt. Bridge or fake it and flee

Heat: 5 Rockland districts, 13 in Westchester dismissed early; Greenburgh 7 closed

Activist priest arrested after police use Taser in Nyack standoff

A crowd of spectators turn out for Soap Box derby in Pearl River

Riverspace Arts in Nyack estimates it will cost $100 million to fulfill its lofty plans to build a new arts, retail and residential complex in downtown Nyack.

The catch  is they want about a quarter of that funding to come from taxpayers, via support from state and local government. Riverspace, a not-for-profit organization, also wants to negotiate a lower tax rate by entering into tax agreements with municipalities.

Nyack Mayor John Shields said he would support an agreement letting Riverspace pay taxes equal to what is currently owed on the four-acre site, even after new real estate is developed.  He believes the benefits – revitalizing downtown and supporting the arts – would outweigh the  cost.

Here’s more details on Riverspace’s plans, which were discussed at a meeting last night: Riverspace reveals plans for Nyack arts and retail complex.

The Rev. Patricia Ackerman has pulled plans to hold a second “Healing the Moment: Reclaiming our Youth” rally on June 7.

Terri Kayden, who handled public relations for the first “Healing the Moment” rally on April 27, said the event would not be held that day and has not been rescheduled. “As far as I know, it’s just on hold,” Kayden said.

Ackerman had pledged to hold the rally on June 7 at Memorial Park in Nyack, even though village officials said she could not use the park because two other events were being held there that day.

The first “Healing the Moment” at Memorial Park sparked controversy because Ackerman did not seek permission from the village before organizing and advertising for the event. Also, some organizations were listed as sponsors without their permission.

The rally was organized in response to a street brawl April 16 that involved 40 to 50 young people, some of whom had bats, hammers and knives. Ackerman, an ordained Episcopal priest and peace-and-justice activist, said at the time that Nyack Mayor Shields had verbally agreed to let her use the park.

A public meeting will be held at 7 p.m. Thursday (June 5) where you can see architects’ plans and hear about plans to revitalize downtown Nyack.

The project is called The Riverspace Downtown Project, and you can find out lots about it on the group’s website (a page on the Riverspace website).

The meeting will be at Riverspace, 119 Main St., and there’s free babysitting available from the Rockland Parent-Child Center (137 First Ave.), but there are limited spots and you have to call to register for it (845-358-2702)

Here’s a pdf of the flyer, if you want to download it and print it out.

The “mini-riot” caused  by two street gangs fighting in Nyack on April 16 has had some positive results.

Nyack School District hierarchy  – ie Superintendent Valencia Douglas – has been talking to Orangetown Police Chief Kevin Nulty and his brass about gangs on the streets and in schools, along with other issues in Nyack. Clarkstown police cover the high school and elementary schools, and South Nyack-Grand View  police cover the middle school.

A Spring Valley gang came to Nyack after a girl’s red bandanna was yanked from her neck at Nyack High School. The girl’s boyfriend apparently was a gang leader in Spring Valley.

And the fighting got Nyack officials talking about recreation for young people – an issue thrown on the backburner in favor of strategies to promote tourism and finding parking in the village.

On Thursday night, the issue of criminal street gangs drew 40 adults and young people to the Nyack Center. They were shown by police experts how to identify gang signs and  signs children have gang ties, including dress, jewelry and speech. They include anger management and resolving conflicts.

Sheriff Detective James Behrens, a gangs expert assigned to the Rockland Intelligence Center. He demonstrated the difference between groups and gangs as the element of illegal activity. He showed how young people get involved in gangs for reasons of personal safety, caring, financial gain.

Audience members were told that children as young as 10 years old are recruited for gangs and gangs  exist in Rockland County.  The Rockland gangs include the Bloods and the Crips, rivals, along with the  Latin Kings, or affiliates. There are the MS-13, an El Salvadoran gang, alogn with other ethic gangs.

James Williams, who is with Creative Response to Conflict, led parents and community members in a discusion of how we keep our children out of gangs.

One parent shared their own story of her son’s involvement in gangs, saying he was the one child she would never have picked to be involved in gangs. She called him a B student, well liked by everyone.

Williams talked about how her belief in her child was what made it possible for him to get out of the gang. Listening and connecting to our children is what we need to do, Williams said, adding, We can never give up on our children.”

This week, I’m hosting an election special. Feel free to leave a comment.

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Lawyer elected to South Orangetown school board charged with DWI

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East Ramapo students plea for programs, board delays a week deciding on second budget vote, austerity

East Ramapo’s budget fails by big margin

Clarkstown: Budget, propositions pass; incumbent Davidson ousted

Nyack school district: budget passes, Burrell, LaColla and Jimerson elected

Rockland synagogue touts new Torah

Hey everyone, I’m heading off but our new MoJo, Ben Rubin, will be hosting the week in review podcast from now on. Check out his very first one below and feel free to leave a comment!

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4 face felonies in Nyack gang fight

Here is the statement that Nyack Mayor John Shields gave at the start of a community forum Wednesday that was organized to discuss recent gang-related violence and ways to help young people:

Rockland County is a large, diverse community that must strive to meet the needs of its diverse constituents. The recent fight on Franklin Street is not an isolated incident but rather a symptom of larger problems. Gangs and other forms of youth unrest are not restricted to Nyack, Spring Valley or Haverstraw, but exist throughout the county in all schools and in all of the neighborhoods. The solution, then, must include all of us in Rockland — the county, towns and villages.

Certainly anyone who is part of a street fight, endangering the lives and well-being of citizens, must take responsibility for it. This may include criminal charges and the consequences of these charges.

That said, we understand that the issue of gangs and why people join them has much deeper causes. Gang membership is indicative of disenfranchisement, alienation and “not knowing a better thing to do.”

To that end, we met with local community leaders who recommended the following:

1. An athletic/community center so that youth in the community would have a safe place to “hang out” and engage in positive activities.

2. A stronger police presence.

3. More jobs.

All these proposals are important in addressing the issue of gangs. The Village of Nyack does not have the resources to do any of this alone. As I said, this is a county-wide issue and should include county-wide cooperation.

This is a beginning. We as a community need to work together to expand these ideas by supporting positive programs like Head Start, the Youth Bureau and the Nyack Center, by helping families in need, and by sharing responsibility for the future of our youth and our village.

For tonight, however, we’ll focus on the local and immediate.

I’m back again with the latest Week In Review podcast. Remember, you can view this podcast on your iPod or mobile phone through iTunes.

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Spring Valley man in good condition after colliding with police car in Central Nyack
Rockland legislators, administration quarrel over confusing budget numbers
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EMT work can sometimes be dangerous
Paralyzed cop prays at Nyack church

The repercussions continue from a Spring Valley gang attacking Nyack gang members as a result of a gang-related bandanna snatching at Nyack High School.

Five Nyack High School students face disciplinary action for violating the district’s “Code of Conduct.” All five face superintendent’s hearings after being suspended from daily classes, district spokeswoman Gail Fleur said today. Fleur said she cannot disclose the names of the students, the potential lengths of suspensions or specifically how they violated the district’s “Code of Conduct.”

In a letter to the parents dated May 1, Nyack Schools Superintendent Valencia F. Douglas offers some vague insights. She discussed the Code of Conduct violations in terms of the students’ actions “apparently helped to fuel the fight in the village.” The letter goes on to state that, “We continue to have zero tolerance for students wearing any gang related apparel or expressing affiliation with a gang.”

Douglas’s letter also says only seniors will be allowed off campus during the day for the rest of the school year; students must wear their ID badges; and three additional security officers have been hired for the high school. She also wrote to parents that, “We will continue to work with the suspended students and their parents/guardians to ensure that our students are able to come to the campus in ways that are safe to everyone.”

The superintendent’s letter doesn’t discuss the issue of gang members attending district schools, but it is step up in reality from her initial e-mail to parents a day after the gang fight in the village of Nyack. In that e-mail, she assured parents that Nyack students weren’t involved in the fight. But she also said the high school would be a closed campus and security would be heightened in light of the fight.

Orangetown police burst that bubble by reporting the fight involved gangs from Nyack and Spring Valley. The police also stated the fight precipitated at the high school when a young woman wore a red bandanna around her neck, apparently boasting of affiliation with a Bloods street gang. A young man from a rival gang from Nyack yanked off the bandanna – a sign of disrespect and a gang challenge.

The girl called her Spring Valley boyfriend, a reputed gang member. By mid-afternoon, Spring Valley gangstas cabbed it over to Nyack, armed with bats, hammer claws and other weapons. Nyack’s gang members quickly organized and fights broke out, bringing in police from Orangetown, South Nyack, Clarkstown, the Sheriff’s Department, including officers on horseback. Police even set up a command post.

Among the five young men arrested, two attended Nyack High School.

Spring Valley and Nyack youths have a history of confrontation dating decades, regardless of gang affiliations.

Orangetown police were continuing to investigate the fight, looking for the young men who injured two Nyack residents with hammer claw blows and knifes. Detective Lt. James Brown said progress is being made and said the school district is cooperating, even though Orangetown police don’t have jurisdiction at any of the district schools. Clarkstown police have officers inside the Upper Nyack high school and the Middle School is under South Nyack-Grand View.

Another result of the gang fight has mobilized some Nyack elected officials and civic leaders to come up with programs for youths in the village – especially those who live in the Nyack Plaza apartments, which  has one basketball court. A meeting with the public is scheduled for 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Nyack Center on Broadway.

Nyack will hold a community forum Wednesday to talk about the gang fights that took place on village streets last month involving between 40 and 50 teenagers.

The meeting was supposed to be held Monday, but was changed to accommodate the schedules of public officials. Nyack Mayor John Shields, the Nyack Village Board of Trustees, Orangetown Supervisor Thom Kleiner, and Orangetown Police Chief Nulty among others will answer questions and hear comments and solutions from the public.

The meeting will be held at 7 p.m. at the Nyack Center, 58 Depew Ave. For more information call Nyack Village Hall at (845) 358-0229 or the Nyack Center at (845) 358-2600.

This community forum comes about two weeks after Nyack leaders held a closed meeting about the fighting. Some members of the public wanted to attend, but were shut out. So was the press.

Here are a few stories about the melee:

In wake of gang fights, Nyack leaders ask how to help youth

Gang fights quelled by police

Police will show ‘colors’ as Nyack confronts gang issues

All together now: Awwww!

Meet Nyack, the new lion cub at the San Diego Wild Animal Park (totally cool place —  go if you’re ever out that way!):

This photo, shot by Ken Bohn for the San Diego Wild Animal Park, is of four-month-old Nyack (to the right). That’s his cousin, Ingozi, he’s saying hi to.

A boy, Nyack just moved to the park’s Lion Camp, having spent his life until now at the park’s nursery, where he was hand-raised. He was “born Dec. 6 following a difficult delivery.” Here’s a link to the video about how he was hand-raised and introduced to his fellow lions.

Any votes on what the next baby lion born at the park should be dubbed? Sparkill? Pomona? Tomkins? Leave your suggestions below!

Orangetown Police Chief Kevin Nulty and Nyack schools Superintendent Valencia Douglas have met to discuss Wednesday’s gang-related incident at the high school that percipitated the mini-riot and gang fight in downtown Nyack.

Nulty and Orangetown Detective Lt. James Brown described the meeting at Orangetown Police Headquarters as productive. They said Douglas was opened to discussing the issues and what the school district could do on its end to assist. Nulty said the Rockland Intelligence Center gang unit detectives also took part in the discussions.

“This was productive and I think both sides are willing to work together and try and solve the problem,” Brown said. “The problems will not be solved by just the police. We need the support of the school and the community. ”

In the past, Nyack and other school districts have been reluctant, with the notable exception of North Rockland school district, to acknowledge problems or issues with street gangs. At the same time, school districts, including Nyack, have dress code policies banning gang wear, like bandannas, beads, and all one-color outfits.

As a follow up, Nyack officials met with community leaders, schools officials and police on Monday night to prepare an agenda for a public meeting in two weeks on expanding youth programs, recreation activities and increasing police presence – much of which is geared toward diluting the influence of gangs and improve the quality of life for residents.

A mini-riot erupted Wednesday along Franklin Street between gang members from Spring Valley and Nyack. The young men were armed with bats, an axe and knives. Two people were stabbed and five people arrested as police from several departments chased 40to 50 young people across Franklin Street and up some nearby streets.

The fights occurred when Spring Valley street gang members came to Nyack to seek retribution against a young man associated with a Nyack street gang who ripped a girl’s red bandanna from her neck at Nyack High School, police said. The girl called her boyfriend, a purported Blood street gang member who lived in Spring Valley. The red bandanna apparently represented a street gang, possibly the Bloods. The girl accosted was associated with members of the Spring Valley group, police said.

Police were still investigating and looking for the people who stabbed the two young people. Nulty said a gang fight of such magnitude like on Wednesday are not common in Nyack and was caused by the outside influences. Still, Nulty said the problem with gangs must be confronted by the police, the village, the community and the schools.

One issue is that three police departments cover Nyack schools. Clarkstown police are responsible for the high school and South Nyack-Grand View police cover the Middle School. Orangetown police cover Nyack streets. Nulty said the three police departments will work together and develop a plan. Nulty said his department doesn’t have jurisdiction over the high school so he encouraged Douglas to work with the Clarkstown police and its school resource officers.

“I think it’s clear we have an issue of gangs to some degree in downtown Nyack,” Nulty said. “They are young and more than likely some of them attend the high school.”

Is Nyack Mayor John Shields back on the market? Looks that way.

The 64-old mayor, whose hobbies include cooking, working out and resolving parking conflicts, was featured in a photo in a recent singles-themed issue of New York magazine. In the photo, Shields is standing at a phone booth and an arm is extended over his head, holding a small white board that gives his email with the text “dinner & conversation.”

In 2004, Shields and his partner Bob Streams famously sued the state and the Orangetown Town Clerk for the right to get married. Shields also led a group of same-sex couples dubbed “The Nyack 10” in that lawsuit, which they lost.

Asked about the photo, Shields replied: “Let me put it to you this way. I’m single.”