Ramapo Justice Court’s session on town violation cases – mostly housing cases – lasted about seven minutes Tuesday, with Justice Rhoda Schoenberger and Assistant Town Attorney Anita G. Conklin handling 10 cases.

Only two of the 10 names listed on the calendar showed up for court. The lack of defendants led to a smooth session after judge took the bench at 1:37 p.m., though court had been scheduled to start at 1 p.m.

Schoenberger told one man the violation he faced for allowing a dog run free would be dropped if it doesn’t happened again within the next six months. He walked out happy – and didn’t even have to pay a fine.

A representative of Binyan Torah Inc. in Monsey appeared for violation charges that were brought in 2006, according to the court calendar The congregation, at the time, lacked a certificate of occupancy, no site plan, and did construction without a permit.

Schoenberger adjourned the 6-year-old case until May 21. The representative told her the congregation is before a town board that reviews site plans. There was no mention whether the judge would fine Binyan Torah.

Binyan Torah likely represents the typical of housing violation case in Ramapo.

People or groups often open schools or houses of worship without permits from the town or required safety and fire equipment. When they are caught, administrators then spend the money installing the proper equipment and then file site plans.

In other cases, houses are subdivided illegally into small apartments to accommodate more people and added rents for landlords.

Firefighters have started demanding faster actions from inspectors and tougher penalties from judges in local courts across the county. They are monitoring cases.

Aside from those two cases, Schoenberger and Conklin agreed on sending letter warrants to the congregations and people who failed to attend court.

Most of the cases involved construction without permits. A few also involved refuse and debris, and one involved soil erosion.

One case – Divora Ben-Shimon – dated to 2010 for construction without a permit, while the others were from 2011 and 2012.

It was not clear what stages of the planning and zoning process the cases were or when the court or town would remedy the violations.

Former Airmont Mayor John Layne has pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of official misconduct involving his former job as Sloatsburg village building inspector.

Layne, who did inspections for Wesley Hills and private work, was sentenced to a year’s conditional discharge and must repay one of his victim’s $350 during a court hearing Wednesday in Sloatsburg Justice Court.

The misdemeanor charge concerned his work as a private electrician while also working as building inspector.

Read more at lohud.com

Daniel Jean-Baptiste, 69, of Spring Valley faces 12 years in prison Tuesday when he’s sentenced for orchestrating the killing of Rene Charles in 1994 in the driveway of his Spring Valley house.

Jean-Baptiste pleaded guilty in January to first-degree manslaughter. He admitted convincing another man to shoot Charles, who apparently was having an affair with Jean-Baptiste’s wife. The manslaughter count carries a sentence of five to 25 years.

During his January guilty plea, Jean-Baptiste identified the shooter as Mouchy Toussaint, as did prosecutor Stephen Moore. Toussaint, who lives in Haiti, has not been charged and has twice denied any role in the killing when questioned by the Spring Valley.

Jean-Baptiste will be sentenced by County Court Judge William Nelson. Charles’ son, Yanel, is expected to speak for his family, including his three sisters and mother.

Parveen Jagota’s resentencing for assaulting her daughter-in-law and treating her as a slave was rescheduled Tuesday for Jan. 29 by Rockland County Court Judge William K. Nelson.

Nelson already has sentenced Jagota’s daughter Rajani, 31, to prison for 1 to 3 years on the same charges of assault  and labor trafficking.

Parveen’s Jagota had been sentenced to the same prison term as her daughter but Nelson decided to reconsider after her lawyer, Daniel Bertolino, raised questions about the assault portion of the sentence.

The sentencing has been delayed for a variety of reasons. Tuesday’s sentencing was adjourned because the interpreter had traveled to India.

Nelson asked about the status of Rajani Jagota on Tuesday. Prosecutor Arthur Ferraro told still has time left to serve on her sentence and would still be in prison when her mother was sentenced in January.

Following a non-jury trial, Nelson found that the mother once burned the young woman with an iron as punishment for poor work.

The victim came to the United States in 2008 following her marriage to Vishal Jagota, which was arranged by her relatives in the United States and India. Her identity has been withheld by the Journal News/LoHud.com based on her father-in-law being accused of sexually abusing her. He was found not guilty of the charges.

The victim’s husband was sentenced in May to three years’ probation and 220 hours of community service for third-degree assault, a misdemeanor carrying a maximum sentence of a year in jail.

“She was selected as a servant, not as a bride,” Nelson told the defendants in June. “It was his mission to find a young Indian woman from India, not one raised in the United States, … For three years, (the victim) lived a life of involuntary servitude, waiting hand and foot for you and your family.”

The Hillcrest Fire Co. will hold its annual children’s Christmas party on Sunday at the Mount Ivy Firehouse, 16 Thiells-Mount Ivy Road, Pomona.

The volunteers’ party starts at 3 p.m.

Aside from gifts, food, drink and entertainment, the hightlight of the party is Santa Claus visting the firehouse in his firetruck and talking to the children.

Read more about the Hillcrest Fire Department.

Rockland Jewish Community Center members and widows of two slain Israeli Olympians continued to pressure the  International Olympic Committee to approve a minute of silence in honor of the 11 Israelis murdered by terrorists at the 1972 Munich games.

A JCC contingent and the widows held a news conference in London seeking to ratchet up the pressure on  IOC President Jacque Rogge, who has rejected the latest calls for a special observance at the opening ceremonies on Friday.

Rogge acknowledged the 1972 murders on the 40th anniversary with an impromptu tribute on Monday during an event in the Olympic Village.

Advocates were not satisfied.

The JCC members were joined by two leading advocates -  Ankie Spitzer and Ilana Romano, widows of two of the slain Israelis. The two women have been seeking a tribute at the Olympics for close to 40 years. The JCC contingent in London includes the movement president Steve  Gold, JCC-CEO David Kirschtel, and members Micki Leader and Joe Allen.

The JCC members, Spitzer and Romano also were armed with a petition carrying more than 107,000 signatures seeking a minute of silence on Friday, as well as support from President Barack Obama and Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney.

Rockland Congress members -  Reps. Eliot Engel and Nita Lowey – also added their voices again.  Their resolution has passed the House Foreign Affairs Committee and awaits the Republican Majority placing it on the agenda for a full House vote.

Engel and Lowey released the following statement:

“With the Olympic Games beginning this week, the IOC has a chance to honor the memories of their fallen heroes and mark the 40^th anniversary of the murder of 11 Israeli athletes and coaches.  This is not a political issue, but a matter of human decency.  The Munich 11 were part of the Olympic family, and IOC’s rejection thus far of a minute of silence is unacceptable.  The list of those who agree that a minute of silence is the right thing to do continues to grow – President Barack Obama added his voice to the chorus of world leaders who have supported this cause. Even the voice of the Olympic coverage, Bob Costas, has called for the IOC to change their minds.  While the IOC held a moment of silence at a private speech in front of 30-40 people this week, we believe that this message must be delivered before billions, not dozens. 

“We applaud the efforts of JCC Rockland who have traveled to London and joined with the Israeli Ambassador to Great Britain and the families of the victims to personally urge the IOC to change their mind.  The Olympics provide a unique opportunity to send a message that reaches billions of people from every corner of the globe. The clock is ticking on the IOC to do the right thing, and we remain hopeful that they will.”

Back in 1972, the murders and live telecast of the standoff at the airport shocked the world.  The Palestinian terrorist group “Black September” – tied to PLO chief Yasser Arafat – took nine hostages after killing two Israelis in the initial attack at the Olympic village.

All but three of the Palestinians were killed with their Israeli hostages during the German attack on the airplane. Three PLO survivors were released by the West German government on October 29, 1972, in exchange for a hijacked Lufthansa jet. Two of the three were later hunted down and assassinated by Israel’s Mossad.

The International Olympic Committee hardly slowed down the 1972 games, even as Israelis buried their dead Olympians back home. Avery Brundage, then the International Olympic Committee president, declared that “the games must go on,” 24 hours afters after a memorial ceremony in Olympic stadium.

The families of the Munich 11 have been asking the IOC to commemorate the deaths of their loved ones since the attack nearly 40 years ago, first seeking recognition at the 1976 Olympics in Montreal.

The IOC and its president have  claimed holding a minute if silence would bring politics into the Olympic games. Gold said the IOC fears the Arab nations would boycott the Olympics if the Israelis were honored.

Politics has been a stable of the Olympics.

During the 1936 Berlin Olympics, American Jewish Olympians were told not to participate because it might offend the Nazi government and Chancellor Adolf Hitler. Brundage led the U.S Olympic Committee in 1936.

The 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles were boycotted by the Soviet Union and 13 communist-supported nations. The protest came four years after the United States boycotted the 1980 Moscow Olympics in response to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.

Gold said the JCC would continue its advocacy for a minute of silence at the 2016 games in Brazil.

Former Rockland District Attorney Michael Bongiorno is making a come-back.

He’s returning to the courtroom, announcing in an e-mail to friends and supporters that he’s starting a private law practice – the Law Office of Michael E. Bongiorno.

Bongiorno, a Republican,  served as district attorney from 1995 until November 2007, when he lost  close race to Democrat Thomas Zugibe.

Bongiorno, a career prosecutor working in the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, tried one case during his tenure – the prosecution of an illegal immigrant who murdered a New City mother of two young children. He worked with his chief assistant at the time, Louis Valvo.

Bongiorno, who is married with two sons, had been appointed Rockland’s top prosecutor by then-Republican Gov. George Pataki upon the resignation of Kenneth Gribetz  following his two federal convictions. Bongiorno targeted violent criminals, repeat felons, and drug dealers as prosecutor, as Rockland’s reported crime rate decreased.

After losing to Zugibe, Bongiorno spent several years working for the state Attorney’s General’s Office Organized Crime Task Force in White Plains. Andrew Cuomo, now governor, was attorney general at the time.

As a defense attorney, Bongiorno can pick and choose his cases, unless he’s appointed to represent a defendant by a judge.

One potential irony that could develop: He and Gribetz could have co-defendents and go to trial together. Two former district attorneys for the defense.

Below is Bongiorno’s announcement sent out Monday.

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

Over the past decade I have appreciated your help and friendship.  It has now become a time for change in my life.  It may be hard to believe, but after 30 years of public service I am opening a private law practice, the Law Office of Michael E. Bongiorno.  The attached announcement contains additional information.  Please do not hesitate to contact me if you think I can be of assistance.

I wish everyone a safe and happy summer.

Mike

Law Office of Michael E. Bongiorno
455 Route 304
Bardonia, NY 10954

Office:  (845) 521-3104

Fax:  (845) 215-9587
mbongiorno@gmail.com

UPPER RIGHT: Michael Bongiorno

The good news is Spring Valley will get $135,500 in state funds toward crime-fighting.

The bad news is Spring Valley is one of 17 jurisdictions across the state that qualifies for Operation IMPACT money based upon a level of drug dealing and violent crime.

The program,created in 2004, is a partnership among the primary police department and the District Attorney’s Office, Sheriff’s Office and Probation Department in each county, as well as state and federal agencies, including Parole, the New York State Police, and the United States Marshals.

And making matters worse is Spring Valley’s share has decreased abouty $20,000 annually for the past five years, Police Chief Paul Modica said.

Modica said the village’s reported crime rate can’t compete with the large cities also seeking a cut of the $13 million in state funding. Spring Valley is about 2-square-miles

“We’re competing with bigger jurisdictions like Syracuse and Buffalo,”  Modica said. “We get 50 robberies  but that doesn’t compare to 450 robberies the larger cities are getting. We don’t stack up to them. We’ve been getting less money, though ours needs are just as high.”

Overall, Rockland got $185,900 in funding, with the largest secondary shares going to the Rockland District Attorney’s Office with $45,000 and Probation Department with $9,000.

The grants, which are administered by the state Division of Criminal Justice Services, fund personnel and technology that allow the IMPACT partners to fight, reduce and prevent crime through the analysis of data and trends, development and sharing of intelligence and targeted enforcement efforts.

The state has awarded $13 million to 17 jurisdictions that report 80 percent of the crime outside New York City. State and local officials claim Operation IMPACT has lower the crime rates 3.8 percent in those areas. Funding has been decreasing over the the years.

Below is the news releases on Operation IMPACT funding

GOVERNOR CUOMO ANNOUNCES $13 MILLION IN CRIME FIGHTING GRANTS

17 counties receive funding through Operation IMPACT to target violent and gun crime, and domestic violence

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that nearly $13 million has been awarded under Operation IMPACT to 17 counties to target violent and gun crime and domestic violence. The IMPACT jurisdictions receiving funding today report 80 percent of the crime in the state outside of New York City.

Operation IMPACT consists of a partnership among the primary police department and the District Attorney’s Office, Sheriff’s Office and Probation Department in each county, as well as state and federal agencies, including Parole, the New York State Police, and the United States Marshals. The grants, which are administered by the state Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS), fund personnel and technology that allow the IMPACT partners to fight, reduce and prevent crime through the analysis of data and trends, development and sharing of intelligence and targeted enforcement efforts.

“We must do all we can to ensure that New York State is a safe place to live, raise a family and do business,” Governor Cuomo said. “This funding through Operation IMPACT will provide much-needed resources so that local law enforcement partners can develop community-specific strategies designed to prevent and reduce crime. By working together and encouraging collaboration across all levels of government, we will be able to make communities across New York a safer place for all.”

New York’s Deputy Secretary for Public Safety Elizabeth Glazer said, “Local governments must constantly do more with less. Funding available through Operation IMPACT provides agencies in the state’s urban centers – some of which have been hit harder by the financial crisis – with additional resources to fight violent crime that destroys families and communities.”

DCJS Executive Deputy Commissioner Michael C. Green said, “As a former District Attorney, I know first-hand the importance of Operation IMPACT. The program is effective because partners work together, using intelligence-driven policing, data and technology to address persistent and emerging crime through strategies designed to both prevent crime and hold those who commit crimes accountable.”

The following jurisdictions and counties received funding through the program:

• ·Albany Police Department/Albany County: $873,400
  · Binghamton Police Department/ Broome County: $377,700
  · Jamestown Police Department/Chautauqua County: $226,100
  · Poughkeepsie Police Department/Dutchess County: $339,375
  · Buffalo Police Department/Erie County: $1,494,500
  · Rochester Police Department/Monroe County: $1,723,300
  · Nassau County Police Department/Nassau County: $971,400
  · Niagara Falls Police Department/Niagara County: $611,900
  · Utica Police Department/Oneida County: $436,300
  · Syracuse Police Department/Onondaga County: $1,093,300
  · City of Newburgh Police Department/Orange County: $676,850
  · Troy Police Department/Rensselaer County: $488,700
  · Spring Valley Police Department/ Rockland County: $185,900
  · Schenectady Police Department/Schenectady County: $721,900
  · Suffolk County Police Department/Suffolk County: $1,170,580
  · Kingston Police Department/Ulster County: $249,300
  · Yonkers Police Department/Westchester County: $1,347,450

The grants are awarded competitively, with priority given to those jurisdictions with the highest volume of crime. Nine counties received an increase in funding over last year’s awards: Erie, Monroe, Niagara, Oneida, Onondaga, Rensselaer, Schenectady, Ulster and Westchester. The total amount available for the program this year was about 1 percent less than last year’s figure of $13.06 million.

In 2011, the total number of index crimes reported by the 17 primary police departments that participate in Operation IMPACT – 109,233 – was at its lowest in 10 years. Seven index crimes are used by the state and FBI to monitor overall crime trends and give law enforcement a tool to gauge their effectiveness and drive decision-making about staffing and day-to-day agency operations. Four index crimes are classified as violent: murder, forcible rape, robbery and aggravated assault, and three are classified as property: burglary, larceny and motor vehicle theft. The percentage of firearm-related violent crime peaked in 2006, at 26.2 percent; last year, 23.6 percent of violent crimes involved a firearm.

Last year, IMPACT jurisdictions experienced a 3.8 percent reduction in crime, with decreases reported in every crime category except burglary, when compared to 2010. Violent crime was down 6 percent, and property crime down 4 percent.

The New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services is a multi-function criminal justice support agency with a variety of responsibilities, including collection and analysis of statewide crime data; operation of the DNA databank and criminal fingerprint files; administration of federal and state criminal justice funds; support of criminal justice-related agencies across the state; and administration of the state’s Sex Offender Registry and a toll-free telephone number (1-800-262-3257) that allows anyone to research the status of an offender.

A Rockland woman who found an Internet photo of herself having sex with a former boyfriend has spurred a proposed law banning such postings without the consent of the adults involved.

State Sen. David Carlucci, D-Rockland, says he will be joined by Rockland County District Attorney Thomas Zugibe, local law enforcement officials and advocacy organization representatives at 11 a.m today in Clarkstown police headquarters  to announce legislation that will close a loophole in New York State law and further protect people’s privacy.

In a news release, Carlucci said the bill stems from an incident that occurred involving a woman who approached the Clarkstown police after discovering a picture of her engaged in a sexual act on the Internet—without her consent. The image posted online showed her and the sexual parts of the other individual, but since the victim’s own sexual parts were not exposed, police lacked the legal authority to pursue the suspect.

With the rapid advancement of new technology and mobile devices, Carlucci said the bill will update New York’s surveillance laws to protect future victims from having themselves viewed, broadcast, or recorded in an inappropriate manner.

Scheduled to attend the news conference with Carlucci and Zugibe are Clarkstown Police Chief Michael Sullivan, Phyllis B. Frank, assistant executive director of Volunteer Counseling Services, and Carolyn Fish, executive director of the Rockland Family Shelter.

At upper right, Sen. David Carlucci

Rockland County Clerk Paul Piperato is the new president of the New York state Association of County Clerks.

The ceremony took place Monday night during the organization’s annual legislative conference in Albany.

Piperato was elected to the post by his colleagues, his deputy clerk, Debbie Vobroucek, said Tuesday. There are 62 county clerks in New York state.

The 53-year-old Piperato, a Democrat from Thiells, was elected county clerk in 2005 and re-elected in 2009. He previously served as a deputy county clerk for 16 years.

The Rockland County Clerk’s Office serves as clerk to the County and Supreme courts, and is the custodian of all county records, including the filing, recording and storing of millions of court and real property documents.

The office administers several services, including U.S. passports, U.S. Department of Homeland Security naturalization ceremonies, New York state notary publics, business certificates, pistol licenses and an archives building.

Piperato told The Journal News that to assist customers with accessing records, navigating filing requirements and fees, and understanding application procedures, the office has developed a comprehensive web site, www.rocklandcountyclerk.com.

The site contains instructions, downloadable forms, and links to other sites, as well as free access to view and print records.

In 2008, Piperato launched the FAVOR program to provide discounts for services and purchases to veterans. It has since been adopted by 31 other counties.

In 2009, with other local organizations, Piperato began promoting a series of ongoing workshops for people interested in starting their own small business, offering tips on registering a business, creating a business plan and obtaining financial support. The action was in response to public inquiries for such information, he said.

In 2011, Piperato embraced the electronic filing of records as Rockland became a test site for such filings.

He continues to stress support for e-filing, as he did during remarks to his colleagues Monday.

“We are now clearly at an important turning point in how we conduct business,” Piperato said. “Technology will drive our future and we must be ahead of the curve. So together let us share ideas and look at ways to continue to excel given the current economic conditions.”

His list of priorities for the year include expanding the electronic filing of court records, launching the electronic filing of land records, hosting additional business seminars, increasing organ donor network efforts and developing a FAVOR program in every New York county.

Students and staff at Thiells Elementary School held a blood drive in honor of fourth-grader Sean DePatto who has leukemia.

The event provide the Hudson Valley Blood Services with 99 pints of blood from 113 donors during the drive on Jan. 13 at the North Rockland School District school, Assistant Principal Angela Sullivan said.

The North Rockland community, including the little league and other organizations have rallied around Sean DePatto since he was diagnosed with the cancer.

To prepare for the blood drive the fourth-grade classes participated in the “Little Doctors Program,” presented by the Hudson Valley Blood Services, the nonprofit agency provides blood for area hospitals, Sullivan said.

The students helped recruit parents, neighbors and other community residents to attend the blood drive. and the school’s student government helped out.

The “Little Doctors Program” provided a unique blend of classroom instruction and the opportunity for students to learn leadership skills, Sullivan said.

The blood drive honoring DePatto marked the fourth year that donations and Little Doctors Program were held at Thiells Elementary, through the efforts of school nurse Margaret Variuer, in conjunction with Hudson Valley Blood Services.

Photo: Students, staff and parents of Thiells Elementary School at blood drive

The first political clash of 2011 is taking shape in the race to success James Kralik as Rockland County sheriff.

Two long-time Rockland police officers —Sheriff’s Chief Louis Falco and Clarkstown Detective Sgt. Tim O’Neill — will be declaring their intentions of running for sheriff.

Falco, 52 of Blauvelt, will kick off the 2011 election season with his announcement at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at Casa Mia Manor House, 557 Route 303, Blauvelt.

O’Neill’s official announcement comes at 5:30 p.m. April 14 at La Terrazza, 291 S. Main St., New City.

Now, O’Neil, 56. of Stony Point,l could — and probably will — argue he announced first, that being the night he lost to Kralik four years ago come November.

Both O’Neill and Falco seeking to succeed Kralik, a member of the Sheriff’s Department for 46 and the sheriff since 1991. Kralik announced four years ago he would not seek another term.

Kralik defeated O’Neill after a tough fight in which O’Neill won four of the county’s five towns but lost Ramapo by enough to allow Kralik to squeeze through. The Orthodox Jewish and Hasidic bloc vote proved to be the difference for Kralik. O’Neill was highly critical of the religious community and Kralik and it remains to be seen what his strategy will be this time.

O’Neill and Falco will likely be going head-to-head for the Democratic line during a September primary in advance of the November election.
Rockland Republicans have not chosen a candidate. Kralik, a Republican not pleased with O’Neill, has endorsed Falco, a longtime adi to the sheriff who has become the face of the Sheriff’s Department during the past few years as Kralik has taken a back seat.

Most people in politics expect Kralik will use his influence among the Republicans to try and get Falco the GOP nomination and ballot line in November.

There’s been no word on a any challenger — Republican or Democrat — to Rockland District Attorney Thomas Zugibe, who will be seeking his second, four-year term in November.

Saving the county $3,000 a day, Rockland officials got a comatose inmate released from custody on drug charges without bail. The decision allowed jail officials to remove correction officers from watching the inmate at Nyack Hospital after just one day and stopped the cost at $3,000.

Nathan G. Patnode of Vermont remains comatose today after trying to hang himself in his jail cell on Tuesday night, Sheriff James Kralik said.

The jail is required by law to watch any inmate in the hospital, Jail Chief William Clark said. The $3,000 daily cost pays for overtime for six officers across 24 hours. Kralik said the county paid for one day before getting a judge to release the man without bail.

Patnode was found with a bedsheet around his neck hanging from the bunk bed in his cell on Tuesday. A?correction officer found him and with the help of other officers cut him down. Patnode had been in jail since Sunday on felony drugs charges. He and another Vermont man were arrested Saturday by state troopers on the New York State Thruway in Clarkstown.

Who pays for Patnode’s hospital costs is another question. In the past, the bills went to the patient’s insurance company, family or the hospital.

In 1998, David Haylis remained hospitalized for more than eight months after trying to hang himself in the jail, with the county only paying for eight days when he was under the jails care.

In 2002, another inmate spent six months in the hospital after a suicide attempt, with the jail officers guarding him for a week.

The Rockland Holocaust Museum and Study Center celebrates Black History Month at 3 p.m. Sunday with a film about the Mississippi community where three civil rights workers were murdered in April 1964.

The film NESHOBA tells the story of two Jews from New York and an African-American from Mississippi who went to Philadelphia, a small Mississippi town in Neshoba County, to register black voters and investigate a church burning.

The Klu Klux Klan members and local police killed Michael Schwerner, Andrew Goodman, and James Chaney and buried them in a earthen dam. Their bodies were found after 44 days and extensive search by the FBI and national guard. The tragedy became one the major events of the civil rights movement, drawing attention to the racism and violence against blacks and advocates in Mississippi and the south

The film looks at the community from 1964 until 2005.

The presentation is free, though donations to the center will be accepted.

For more information on the murders go to The Mississippi Burning Trial.

For more information on the film, call the center at 845-356-2700 or see Holocaust Museum and Study Center.

A college faternity in Rockland is holding a blood drive from 4 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Friday  in Pilgrim Baptist Church at 80 N. Franklin Ave. in Nyack.

The blood drive marks the 100-year birthday of the Omega Psi Phi Inc. Xi Lambda Lambda Chapter.

The fraternity’s blood drives also honor Dr. Charles R. Drew, a fraternity brother who is the inventor of the blood bank, said Richard Clarke, the chairman of the blood drive committee for the fraternity.

He said the fraternity’s goal is to reach 100 pints of blood for the New York Blood Center.

The fraternity is  active in Rockland working with young men and women through mentoring programs, job opportunities and helping children.

For more information on the blood drive,  call Clarke at 917-882-7241 or go to Rockland Ques

Rockland police unions are in fund-raising modes.

• The Clarkstown PBA is holding 3.1-mile walk and/or run for  Oct. 2 in memory of Jami Erlich, a Ramapo Central School District elementary school gym teacher murdered inside her Valley Cottage apartment in November 2009. The man accused of killing her is being held in the county jail awaiting trial. The run will be held at Rockland Lake State Park on Route 9W, where Erhlich often ran. Proceeds from the run will go to the Jami Erlich  Sunshine Memorial Fund.  The fee is $30. For more information call 845-639-5829 or send an email to jamierlich5k@yahoo.com.

• The Rockland PBA is raising money Oct. 16 on behalf of the children of Ramapo Central School District special education teacher Sue Coyle, who died of cancer on July 24. Her husband is South Nyack-Grand View Police Detective James Coyle. The fund-raiser for the children and family medical bills will be held from 6 to 10 p.m. at the Haverstraw Elks Lodge, 877 Elks Drive, Haverstraw. The event will cost $40 per person and featuyre music by Joe D’Urso and Stone Caravan Band.?For more information call either PBA officials Cyrill Kerr, 914-262-3618; Brent Newbury, 845-304-7392 or James Sullivan, 845-548-2040.

• The Ramapo PBA and its officers were raising money among their own for Officer Richard Dube, who suffered from heat stroke and needed a liver transplant. Dube, a weight-lifter and basketball player who stands at 6-feet-6-inches, 26o pounds, became ill while taking the physical tests for the Rockland emergency response team.

Clarkstown Detective Sgt. Tim O’Neill has been honored for his work on Irish causes by the Irish Echo newspaper. O’Neill was selected with 35 others in law enforcement across the United States.

The newspaper cited O’Neill’s trips to Northern Ireland on missions for peace and rconcilliation and his involvement with local issues of the Ancient Order of Hibernians. Others selected include New York City Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly, Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley, Brooklyn District Attorney Charles Hynes. and New York-New Jersey Port Authority Lt. Sean Horan.

And you can bet this honor will somehow pop up during the next campaign for Rockland County sheriff.

O’Neill, who oversees the school resource and DARE officers, is a candidate for sheriff on the Democratic line, having lost a close contest two years ago to Sheriff James Kralik. O’Neill won four of the county’s five towns – losing Ramapo bigtime, mostly through the Hasidic and Orthodox Jewish bloc vote. Of course, O’Neill accused Kralik of overly catering to the community. Kralik denied the charges.

Sheriff’s Department acting Chief Louis Falco also is running for sheriff’ with Kralik’s support.

Dear readers,

The Inside Rockland blog has now become the Rockland Express blog, which can be found at http://rockland.lohudblogs.com/ as part of our efforts to enhance our news coverage and conversation about Rockland County.

Please bookmark the address and visit us often, and let us know your thoughts.

Due to the threat of inclement weather on Saturday and the forecast of better weather on Sunday, the Richard Kavesh “friend-raiser” has been rescheduled to 2 p.m. Sunday.

It will be held at the Artopee Esplanade, right outside 100 Depew Avenue in Nyack Plaza in downtown Nyack.  It should last about two to three hours. Kavesh is running for Nyack mayor against fellow Village Trustee Denise Hogan

My colleague, Khurram Saeed, asked me to post the following information.

Richard Kavesh, the Democratic candidate in the Nyack mayoral race, will host a thank-you party for all village voters at 3 p.m. Saturday at Nyack Plaza. It will be held on the Artopee Esplanade right in front of the Depew Senior building at 100 Depew Ave. The rain date is 2 p.m. Sunday. Free food and beverages will be served at the party, which is expected to last about two to three hours. Kavesh, a village Trustee, is opposing fellow Trustee Denise Hogan, who is running on the Preserve Nyack and Independence lines in the Nov. 3 election.

The Dancing Under the Starts and International Food Walk will be held tomorrow in Haverstraw villages downtown.

The free dancing event will be from 7:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. in front of Haverstraw Village Hall at 40 New Main St., and the food event, where people can try samplers at participating Haverstraw restaurants starting at $5 will be held from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m.

In case of rain, the dancing event will be moved to the River Stone Antiques place at 37 W. Broad St.

Prior to the event, a candlelight vigil to remember those who died in the 9/11 tragedy will be organized from West Haverstraw to Haverstraw. The silent procession will start at 6:30 p.m. tomorrow at Babe’s Bar & Grill at 73 Railroad Ave. in West Haverstraw.

Crazy season has begun as campaigns gear up for primary election in September and the November general election.

In Spring Valley, mayoral candidate Bernard Charles Jr. screamed foul with he said 80 of his campaign signs were removed from the streets.

Charles claimed Mayor George Darden, who is not seeking re-election, order the DPW to cherry-pick his signs, while leaving those for five others untouched. He said he confronted Darden on Thursday and  gave a vocal complaint to Officer Jorge Marciano on Friday.

“Darden told me he didn’t know what happened and didn’t know where my signs were,” Charles said. “He told me my signs were not put down legally. There was no real explaination why.”

Darden responded today that Charles paid his $100 sign permit fee late Wednesday afternoon and the deputy clerk didn’t add his name to the list until the next day.

The early list of permit-holders used by the DPW didn’t contain his name on Thursday morning and crews removed his signs.

Darden said an honest mistake was made and Charles was not singled out.

“He slipped through the cracks,” Darden said. “He came in here yelling and screaming. There was no way to reason with him. So I just told him I didn’t know. I looked into it later. This was nobody’s fault.”

Darden said the village regulations on signs are there to keep the streets clean and campaign signs off village property. He noted he helped another candidate get her signs off village property.

Most first-time candidate – like Charles – get angry when their signs are taken, Darden said, noting Deputy Mayor Norami Jasmin already has had close to 150 signs pilfered.

Darden said he will make all candidates live to the letter of the law when it comes to campaign signs.

Above, Bernard Charles with some of his campaign signs returned to him by the Spring Valley DPW.

With Nyack Mayor John Shields stepping down at the end of his term, four Democrats have sought to take his place, forcing a competitive primary.

To supplement a candidates forum held earlier this week, the Friends of the Nyacks posted questionnaire responses from all four Democratic candidates running for mayor. The primary is Tuesday, Sept. 15.

The questionnaire answers are available here.

Three members of Rockland’s state legislative delegation have urged Gov. David Paterson reconsider his decision to close the state police laboratory in Newburgh.

Law enforcement in Rockland, Westchester, Putnam, Orange, Dutchess and Sullivan counties depend on the laboratory for analysis on evidence for criminal cases and prosecutions. The lab has serviced the lower Hudson Valley for 31 years. Nearly 15 tro 20 years ago efforts by some to build a Rockland County forensic lab never got off the ground.

The Newburgh-based lab’s closure puts more work on the state police lab in Albany and would add another 90 minutes of travel if officers have to drive to the Albany to pick up or deliver evidence, instead of Newburgh, contend the trio of legislators – Sen. Thomas Morahan, R-New City, and Assembly members Ellen Jaffee, D-Suffern, and Kenneth P. Zebrowski, D-New City.

They also emphasize how much work the crime lab does for the region and Rockland law enforcement. In 2008, the laboratory handled analysis for 2,414 drug cases and 765 toxicology cases.

…Thomas Morahan          Ellen Jaffee             Ken Zebrowski

Below is a copy of the letter from the three lawmakers to Paterson, released to the public this week:

August 25, 2009
Governor David A. Paterson
State Capitol
Albany, NY 12224

State Legislators Protest Newburgh Lab Closure

Dear Governor Paterson,
We write today to ask you to reconsider the closure of the State Police Lab located in Newburgh, New York. While we recognize the financial situation the State is facing, closing this lab will, in the long-term, adversely affect residents of Rockland County and the Hudson Valley and greatly impair our county’s law enforcement agencies’ ability to protect those who live and work in Rockland County.
A study completed in 1972 found that more than one-third of drug evidence submissions to the New York State Police Laboratory System originated from the Mid-Hudson region. In response to the this demonstrated need, the Mid-Hudson Regional Crime Laboratory opened in 1978, and has, for the last 31 years, served law enforcement agencies in Rockland, Orange, Dutchess, Westchester, Sullivan, and Putnam Counties, as well as New York State Parole and Corrections, and various federal government agencies.
The regional need for this laboratory has not diminished since its inception. In fact, we can expect the need to continue to rise due to increased arrests and prosecution for drug and alcohol related-incidents, most of which require the expertise of the Mid-Hudson Regional Crime Laboratory. In 2008, this translated to 2,414 drug cases and 765 toxicology cases.
In addition, further taxing police departments’ already stretched resources by forcing officers to travel to Albany, an additional 90 minutes each way from Rockland County, will take officers out of the communities where they do the most good and have them traveling on the New York State Thruway for nearly an entire shift. This will inevitably impact scheduling for police departments and result in additional overtime pay – a burden to the taxpayers.

Kenneth Byman, a veterinarian with the North Rockland Animal Hospital in Stony Point, wanted to remind people that rabies virus was real.

The veterinarian yesterday spotted a rabies-infected stray cat.

Byman said a Stony Point resident rescued a stray cat about two or three weeks ago because it was injured. She took the cat to another vet to be treated. And yesterday, she brought the cat to Byman’s office because the cat presented a central nervous system disease.

The cat was euthanized. The autopsy conducted by the county Health Department showed that it was infected with rabies virus.

Those residents who were exposed to the animal were also treated for a possible infection. Employees at the vet are in the process of confirming that their vaccination titles are adequate.

Byman said he wanted to remind people that a stray cat was no different from other wild animals — raccoons, bats, or skunks — that can be a carrier of rabies virus.

“From a public health stand point, I thought it would be nice to alert the general public that rabies virus is real,” Byman said.