The Spring Valley Democratic Committee had not met for years, and that was the first thing that made the Presidents Day meeting unusual. But what made it alarming was the way it was conducted, behind closed doors with a significant reorganization voted on by committee members who were nowhere to be seen, not even in the very room where the vote was taken. Also absent was the architect of the takeover. This is not the first time the Ramapo Democratic machine has deployed its network of ghost puppets to extend its control. [Read more…]
Archives for February 2017
Minisceongo developer to meet with neighbors
We have learned that the Minisceongo Golf Course developer has sent out an invitation to neighbors to discuss the future plans for the project. Apparently not all received the mailing. If you are one of those, you might send an email to request an RSVP and print a copy of the flier below to take with you. The email address is info@lantreedevelopments.com
Minisceongo invitation
Developers should fix Route 59 traffic mess
This letter from Ian Diamond was published in The Journal News on Sunday February 26.
“When I was growing up, my family’s vernacular was peppered with Yiddish words and phrases. Whenever standard English failed to capture the nuance of a situation, we defaulted to Yiddish. When I read about developer Joseph Brachfeld’s plans, terms like “nerve,” “audacity,” and “gall” were inadequate. The suggestion that the state should pay for expansions to the congested corridor of Route 59 in Monsey? Once again, Yiddish rode to the rescue: “Chutzpah.” [Read more…]
NAACP, builder settle HUD housing discrimination case in Spring Valley
Parkview Condos Spring Valley Photo: John Meore/The Journal News
“The NAACP and Park View Condominiums have reached a financial settlement on the civil rights organization’s allegations that only religious Jews were offered housing in the complex on Main Street and Maple Avenue.
The NAACP filed a complaint in 2013 with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development alleging that Route 45 LLC discriminated against potential buyers who were not ultra-Orthodox Jews based on their race, religion and national origin. [Read more…]
Metal detectors use approved in East Ramapo schools
“East Ramapo officials are adding metal detectors at schools throughout the district, a move they said was precautionary and did not come in response to an uptick in incidents.
On Tuesday, the school board unanimously approved the use of handheld devices at district-sponsored events, in school buildings and on school grounds to screen for guns, knives and other weapons.
Although other districts in Rockland have, at various points, discussed implementing similar policies, there are currently no other schools in the county authorizing use of the devices. [Read more…]
Chestnut Ridge: Jade Village’s owner to level building, leave land undeveloped
The Pascack Brook runs over a dam where a mill once stood on the Haring Homestead property (Photo: John Meore/The Journal News.)
“The new owner of the Jade Village restaurant and the historic property it sits on plans to demolish the building, which retains little of its original features, and restore the land to a natural state.
Robert Asselbergs said Friday that his review of the three-story structure determined almost nothing remained of the circa 1780 one-story Dutch sandstone dwelling, known as the Haring Homestead. [Read more…]
Joe Chajmovicz resigns from East Ramapo school board
“For the second time in 10 months, the East Ramapo school board has a seat to fill — and it’s the same seat.
Joe Chajmovicz, who was picked in July 2016 to fill the remainder of Yakov Engel’s term, submitted his resignation in a letter, dated Jan. 31, to the district clerk, stating he was no longer able to serve.
His resignation is effective Feb. 1, according to the letter. [Read more…]
Ramapo Central seeks state’s OK for name change
“Ramapo Central school officials are seeking the state’s OK to rename itself Suffern Central in hopes it’ll clear up confusion with the neighboring East Ramapo School District.
Superintendent Douglas Adams was authorized by the school board to pursue permission from the state Department of Education to formally change the name of the district. The vote at the Feb. 7 school board meeting was unanimous. [Read more…]
A founder of Preserve Ramapo dies
Amy Helck died on Saturday. She had been in declining health for several years, and she died peacefully. Amy was one of the founders of Preserve Ramapo, and she served as its first chairperson. At the time that Amy chaired Preserve Ramapo, she was a high-level advertising account executive in Manhattan, and Andy, her husband, did computer and mechanical design for leading shows on Broadway.
When they gave up the rat race in Manhattan, they moved first to Telluride, Colorado and then about an hour away to Ridgway. Amy had decided that cooking was her thing, and she trained in Europe for a career as a chef. While in Telluride, she baked for one of the town’s two leading restaurants, and she worked as an accountant. After they moved out of town, she did catering for folks in the Telluride area. Andy found employment in Telluride’s wonderful library. He worked at the help desk and did computer programming. He now maintains and is expanding the library’s computer system. [Read more…]
Mallia ‘helped’ developers who donated to St. Lawrence
Anthony Mallia arrest photo
“Three of the developers allegedly given breaks on permit fees by Anthony Mallia, Ramapo’s building inspector, were major donors to the campaign committees of Mallia’s boss, town Supervisor Christopher St. Lawrence.
Mallia was indicted last week on charges that he bilked the town of $150,000 by falsifying records so that he could reduce the permit fees on 39 projects from late 2014 through 2015. He also allegedly overcharged the Moleston Fire District in Ramapo by tens of thousands of dollars on its permit fees for the new Hillcrest fire station. Mallia has been suspended since his arrest in the case in October. [Read more…]