www.preserve-ramapo.com
Shaya Lichtenstein (center) leaves Federal Court after arraignment Photo: Matt McDermott/New York Post
Alex Lichtenstein of Pomona, a volunteer for the Brooklyn Borough Park Shomrim, sold the licenses for up to $18,000 each, prosecutors said.
“A Pomona man admitted in federal court Thursday that he bribed New York City police officers with thousands of dollars to obtain gun licenses he sold for up to $18,000 each, federal prosecutors said. [Read more…]
Photo by Peter Carr/The Journal News
In a Community View published in The Journal News, the President of the Rockland C0unty Teachers Association calls on the state to change the rules for funding private-school programs.
“As representatives of public school teachers throughout Rockland County, we’d like to express our support for the efforts of Assemblywoman Ellen Jaffee, Assemblyman Ken Zebrowski, and state Sen. David Carlucci to remedy the situation in the East Ramapo Central School District. Several reports by state monitors came to similar conclusions about the grave challenges facing East Ramapo and it’s clear that government action is needed to keep East Ramapo financially viable. [Read more…]
Unofficial Results reported by the Board of Elections.
Ramapo Town Council
William Weber 12,998
Michael Rossman 23,969 w
NY State Assembly
Ellen Jaffee 27,573 w
Joseph Chabot 16,692
NY State Assembly
Ken Zebrowski 31,987 w
Ran unopposed
NY State Assembly
Karl Brabenec 27,266 w
Aron Wieder 18,846
NY State Senate
Thomas DePrisco 39,044
David Carlucci 71,622 w
Rockland Court Justice
Patrick Loftus 50,292
Howard Gerber 7,511
Kevin Russo 65,500 w
Larry Schwartz 66,300 w
We ask that you support: William Weber for Ramapo Town Council; Ellen Jaffee for State Assembly; Ken Zebrowski for State Assembly; Thomas DePrisco for State Senate; Pat Loftus and Howard Gerber for County Court Judge. It is critical that you show up and vote–especially for Weber for the Ramapo Town Board where the indicted still have control. [Read more…]
“The anticipated federal corruption trial against Ramapo Supervisor Christopher St. Lawrence and a former top economic development aide has been rescheduled for April, with the judge promising no more delays, court documents say.
St. Lawrence, a Democrat and the town’s 16-year supervisor, and former deputy town attorney Aaron Troodler face charges of securities and wire fraud and conspiracy involving the financing of the town’s baseball stadium and other projects developed through the Ramapo Local Development Corp. Troodler served as the quasi-government’s executive director, while St. Lawrence chaired the agency’s three-member board. [Read more…]
The second shoe has dropped. As the County Legislature prepared to make way for the removal of the auditing firm tainted by the federal fraud charges filed against Ramapo, the company decided to quit before they could be fired. Next is an account that needs some serious additional scrutiny. O’Connor Davies has done the East Ramapo audits for a school board already accused of misplacing millions. [Read more…]
County Exec Ed Day Press Conference
Photo Ricky Flores/ The Journal News
Apparently, the stink attached to Ramapo’s auditor fraud, made redolent with fines and sanctions from the SEC, has motivated other local clients of O’Connor Davies to skip the clothespins and go directly to showing the auditing firm the door. In a press release yesterday, County Executive Ed Day is asking the County Legislature to open the windows and fire PKF O’Connor Davies. The company has three contracts with the County for $1 million. [Read more…]
“Ramapo Central officials plan to render a decision sometime next month as to whether they will seek permission from the state to change the district’s name to Suffern Central as a way to differentiate itself from East Ramapo.
During a public hearing Tuesday evening on the idea, the school board heard a mixed reaction from the community, ranging from those who believed the district should move forward and longtime residents who believed eliminating the word “Ramapo” would be a blow to the area’s heritage. [Read more…]