With the world seemingly roiling around it, the Ramapo Central School District has been a refuge of academic excellence and diverse student activities and programs. Parents and students alike have enjoyed the fruits of state grants and federal grants, as well as expanding school budgets. Now the cuts are coming. Continue Reading

Local media operative Richard Gandon apparently knows a good story when he sees one. Gandon has booked Julie Wiener and Hella Winston for his Friday Ramapo Times/Rockland Star Community News Hour on WRCR AM1300. The writers are behind the months-long investigative three-part article now running in the Manhattan-based The Jewish Week that delves into possible chicanery involving E-rate funds for private schools — including Rockland County. Continue Reading

In a case of dueling releases, Rockland County Legislature Chairwoman Harriet Cornell (D) and Legislator Ed Day (R) took whacks at each other this week. The topic was gun control. Continue Reading

Now Rockland County pistol permit holders can just say no. Or at at least they can officially request that their personal information remain exempt from public disclosure.

After public upheaval and outcry following The Journal News’ December article that included an online version with interactive map of Westchester and Rockland pistol permit holders, the New York State Legislature took action. Continue Reading

It might be a slow shuffle in slippers but Sloatsburg is inching into the internet age. For the local digerati, the village just hooked up the Municipal Building and Municipal Pool with wifi hotspots. Continue Reading

Haas Pharmacy, located in the center of Sloatsburg, looks perfectly positioned. The business has a convenient drive-thru window, ample signage and personalized service for walk-in customers. But owner Larry Haas would like a little more. He wants his pharmacy to be top of mind for village residents whenever they think prescriptions, because that’s the lifeblood of any pharmacy. Continue Reading

The Rumor Mill: An odd bit of news began leaking its way to the public Saturday evening when News12 anchor Tara Rosenblum tweeted around 7 P.m. that a Suffern Middle School student was “caught with a ‘hitlist'”. By 11 p.m. News12 reported the news online with the following headline: “Sources: Suffern Middle School student caught with hit list.” Continue Reading

When spring comes early this year — and it will according to Phil the groundhog — Sloatsburg Elementary School will be in full bloom. Thanks to the efforts of Matthew Leanza, a sophomore at Suffern High School and a member of Boy Scout Troop 2146 Sloatsburg/Tuxedo, the school’s garden center is cleaned, equipped and ready for green growth come the March thaw. Continue Reading

Eric Albert has been been quietly building a comedy home base in Sloatsburg, and Friday night will be the one year coming out celebration for Characters Comedy Night.

On the last Friday of the month for the last year, Albert has turned the upstairs room at the restaurant into a laugh factory, attended by an enthusiastic hometown crowd and people who come in for the shows from the surrounding area. Continue Reading

All those Sloatsburg Community Pool members out there, here’s a chance to have your two cents counted. Sloatsburg Village Trustee Peter Akey, who shares village cultural and recreational oversight, is soliciting community advice on tree replacement at the village pool. Continue Reading