This week in the Villages: Nyack opens a community refrigerator that comes with 24-hour access and no questions asked. Meanwhile, parents confront the East Ramapo school board with rotten food and serious allegations. Plus, we have the newly proposed Rockland County legislative district map, your weekly weather prediction, healthy updates, upcoming meetings and much more!
Note to readers: We want to hear from you and welcome your input! What do you think we should be covering in your Rockland County village? Let us know at info@nyacknewsandviews.com. Send us story ideas, issues to investigate, letters, reviews, photos, videos, feedback and news tips. And read about our vision for delivering high-quality, hyper-local journalism and how you can help us fulfill our mission going forward.
The Lede: A Fridge for All
Let’s begin with this heartwarming tale of a community taking care of itself.
While there are a handful groups tackling hunger by providing timely meals and supplies here in Nyack, people with immediate needs can now access free fresh food at an officially unofficial and beautifully decorated Community Refrigerator — located in the back of Nyack Center off of South Broadway.
A collaborative effort by the nonprofit groups Nyack Center and Proyecto Faro (Project Lighthouse), the idea behind a Community Refrigerator (proper noun) is simple: provide people who need it with 24-hour access to fresh food, no questions asked, no identification needed.
The free fridge combats dual needs.
For starters, a remarkable 15.8 percent of Rockland children were recently identified as “food insecure” (and that was in 2020, before inflation super-sized our grocery bills), so there are clearly people, especially young, growing people, who need the food.
The “no questions” part is important as well.
Proyecto Faro is a group working on behalf of immigrant rights and quality of life here in Rockland County. Because they are deemed illegal, many immigrants lack access, or are scared to access, government programs. This fridge gets food directly onto their plates, so they can focus on other pressing issues.
Already, local groups and individuals are pitching in, including the Nyack Community Garden, which has pledged to provide extra produce. Anybody can donate. Just bring fresh fruits or vegetables — or packaged food with original labels on them — to the back of Nyack Center. (Unfortunately, for credibility purposes, no homemade goods.)
Read all of this inspiring story at LoHud and support local journalism.
Stay tuned …
Quote of the Week
The monarch butterfly symbolizes the beauty of migration, and the right of living beings to traverse borders in search of safer habitats.
-LoHud reporter Nancy Cutler, contextualizing why the new Community Fridge in Nyack is painted with butterflies
Clip of the Week
In other relevant news
- Speaking of our bravest, Spring Valley firefighter Jared Lloyd — the young dad who died in March of 2021 while trying to rescue people at a nursing home during a raging fire that prosecutors say could have been prevented — was enshrined into the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation’s nation memorial in Maryland over the weekend. LoHud’s Steve Liebman points out that while more honors await Lloyd, there are also significant questions remaining about the ongoing investigations into the circumstances surrounding Lloyds untimely and tragic death. [LoHud]
- Something did smell right to parents and they expressed it at a recent East Ramapo school district meeting that led to a restraining order and a malodorous glimpse into life inside an East Ramapo public school. So much to unpack in here. We’ll need more time. [LoHud]
- A little update on a previous politics story. A month ago, we reported on the redistricting effort underway at the Rockland County legislature. There have been a couple of meetings since then and perhaps a vote, but we hadn’t been able to find an actual copy of the map. Laura Incalcattera, the communications director for the Rockland County legislature, let us know that “there are no maps as of yet. Once there are, we will make them public on the website for all to view.” Well, we managed to get a hold of one!
ICYM NNV’s weekly features: Bill Batson’s latest “Nyack Sketch Log”, Mike Hays’ most recent “Nyack People & Places”; and our coverage in last week’s “The Villages”. If you haven’t read it yet, please check our vision for the future of Nyack News & Views and how you can help build our coverage and capacity.
Weather prediction
Mostly clear until Wednesday; then a run of rain until the weekend, when, hopefully, we’ll have a couple of crisp, fall days in the low-60s. [click here for National Weather Service‘s latest 7-day forecast for Nyack]
Covid Update
Severe Covid cases and hospitalizations in the greater Nyack area have essentially leveled off, but there’s been a slight uptick in positive cases. As of Oct. 3, the CDC is classifying Rockland County as a “low” Covid threat level.
- The county is reporting 1.96 gross hospitalization per 100,000 people (up from 1.9 on Sept. 26)
- Hospital capacity, however, is not threatened.
- A total of 23 people (last updated Oct. 3) in Rockland County were hospitalized for Covid related issues; 8 of those patients were symptomatic.
- With two new deaths recorded recently, Rockland’s Covid-related death total is at 1,215.
- To find out what case and hospitalization trends look like in your town, click here.
- Here’s the CDC’s data on Rockland.
Testing Info
- Get free at-home Covid tests sent to your home, visit Covidtest.gov. Or pick them up at Village Hall in Nyack, Monday through Friday, 9 am to 5 pm.
- More than 82.2% of eligible people in Rockland County are vaccinated with at least one dose. To schedule an appointment for a 1st dose, 3rd dose (for immunocompromised), or booster COVID-19 vaccine from any Rockland County Department of Health Clinic visit rocklandgov.com/departments/health/. To search for additional COVID-19 vaccination opportunities nearby visit vaccines.gov.
- Find a COVID-19 testing site near you, by visiting coronavirus.health.ny.gov. Individuals who have questions regarding eligibility or access for testing should call the New York State COVID-19 Hotline at 1-888-364-3065 or visit the NYSDOH website covid19screening.health.ny.gov.
Village updates
Nyack
- Here’s the list of all upcoming meetings posted for the Village of Nyack.
- Powell Sensei of Karate Nyack has announced that his Karate School is offering an “Intro to Karate” program Thursday’s & Saturdays. All are welcome! Seniors, Teens & Adults. For more info, text Powell Sensei at 917 627 8199. Karate Nyack is located at 85 South Piermont Avenue, Nyack, NY. karatenyack.com
- Put it on your calendar: The Halloween Parade is back! Oct. 29 this year.
- If you haven’t seen it, take a look at the second draft of Nyack’s Appropriations budget (what they plan to spend). And the second draft of their Revenue budget (how they make their money). Not clear how or if it all those numbers have changed, but we’ll keep you updated. As of now, the budget is $6,055,600.91 coming in and going out 2022-2023.
- Drop off humanitarian aid for victims of the war in Ukraine (, including first aid, painkillers, blankets, baby food, diapers, non-perishable food, antibiotics and more, at Village Hall, 9 N. Broadway (or at the Orangetown town hall, 26 W. Orangeburg Rd.).
Upper Nyack
- Click here for updates from the Village of Upper Nyack.
South Nyack
- Due to reader request, we have re-added South Nyack, which dissolved as an official village earlier this year. Please send us info about what’s going on in South Nyack at info@nyacknewsandviews.com.
Orangetown
- Check out the draft chapters of Orangetown’s new 2022 Comprehensive Plan.
- ICYMI: Here’s the official resolution Orangetown enacted with regards to the sale of two South Nyack properties, which appears to say the proceeds will go toward wiping out South Nyack’s debt, which is what South Nyack officials were lobbying for as the dissolution date approached.
- Help limit greenhouse gasses and curb pollution by joining this new food scraps recycling program.
- Check out the Orangetown YouTube channel.
Clarkstown
- The Technical Advisory Committee, which “evaluates the technical adequacy of land development applications and decides their readiness for Planning Board review,” meets most Wednesdays, including this Wednesday, from 10 am to noon, in the town hall’s Historic Map Room.
- For a calendar list of all Clarkstown meetings and events, click here.
Other Local Updates
South Nyack advocates have filed a petition with the town of Orangetown seeking to show support for a new Elizabeth Place Playground — the grassy play area and dog park just south of 87 and right off the Esposito trail. After South Nyack dissolved in March, the town found the playground equipment at Elizabeth Place was unsafe and not compliant with ADA regulations and removed it. A new ADA compliant park has been proposed and advocates want to see the proposal approved and implemented. Click here to read and/or sign the petition.
Nyack Schools
- Recently, we reported that Nyack Schools were hoping to have a new superintendent in place by January 2023.
- Check out our latest Nyack Schools Report, a new regular feature we will be posted every couple of weeks or so.
- Find out what else is going on in Nyack-area schools at Home Page – Nyack Public Schools (nyackschools.org)
Rockland-wide
A rare polio case was recently discovered in Rockland County. Here’s some info on how to protect yourself:
- New Yorkers can pre-register for a free polio vaccination appointment here or call 845-238-1956 to schedule. Walk-ins will also be accepted.
- Vaccines are also available through local healthcare providers, including Federally Qualified Health Centers.
- For more information on polio including symptoms and spread, visit NYSDOH’s page here.
- New Yorkers can learn more about the polio vaccine available in the U.S. at CDC’s page here.
- The Reviving Rockland Restaurants Grant Program will reimburse businesses between $5,000 and $25,000 for past expenses or fund future expenses for eligible outdoor dining COVID-19 mitigation equipment. Eligible entities include restaurants, food stands, food trucks, bars, saloons, lounges, taverns, bakeries, delis, cafes, breweries, wineries, and other similar places of business. For more information and to download an application visit rocklandgov.com.
- Fill out this survey to help the county provide better digital services.
Connect with Nyack News and Views
We want to hear from you! Send thoughts, ideas, news tips, as well as meeting and events announcements to us at info@nyacknewsandviews.com.
