The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Rockland will host a 5K Run/Walk for Wellness on Sunday, September 18th at Rockland Lake State Park.
NAMI Rockland walk/run September 18th
Rockland County
Allison-Parris County Office Building
11 New Hempstead Rd
New City, NY 10956
Phone: (845) 638-5122
Website
Looking for Events? Visit the Rockland County Tourism Map
BACK-TO-SCHOOL BUS SAFETY
NEW CITY, NY, – Rockland County Executive Ed Day and County Health Commissioner Dr. Patricia Schnabel Ruppert remind residents to share a few simple bus safety tips with their children to help them stay safe when traveling to and from school. With the start of the new school year, many students rely on school buses to get them to and from school safely. More children and vehicles on the roads make this time of year particularly dangerous.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, students are 70 times more likely to get to school safely when taking a school bus instead of traveling by car. Most school bus related fatalities occur outside the school bus when children get on and off the bus. According to research by the National Safety Council, most children who lose their lives in bus-related incidents are 4 to 7 years old and walking when they are hit. Help your children be careful by following a few safety tips.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the New York State Education Department (NYSED) recommend that motorists and children follow these safety tips:
- Safety starts at the bus stop: Your child should arrive at the bus stop at least five minutes before the bus is scheduled to arrive. Show your child where to wait for the bus: at least three giant steps (six feet) away from the curb. Remind your child that the bus stop is not a place to run or play.
- Get on and off safely: When the school bus arrives, your child should wait until the bus comes to a complete stop, the door opens, and the driver says it is okay before approaching the bus door. Your child should use the handrails to avoid falling.
- Use caution around the bus: Your child should never walk or cross the street behind a school bus. If your child must cross the road to get to the bus, tell them to walk on a sidewalk or along the side of the street, at least five giant steps (10 feet) in front of the bus before crossing. Your child should also make eye contact with the bus driver before crossing to make sure the driver can see them. If your child drops something near the school bus, like a ball or book, the safest thing is for your child to tell the bus driver right away. Your child should not try to pick up the item because the driver might not be able to see them.
- Practice safe driving in school zones: Always stop for school buses that are loading or unloading children. When driving in a school zone, never pass other vehicles, obey the posted school zone speed, obey the “flashing signal light system” that school bus drivers use to alert motorists of pending actions, and follow any signals given by crossing guards.
“Let this school year be a safe and healthy one for everyone. We all have a responsibility to make sure children make it to and from school safely. Let us work together to have a safe back to school season. Respect safety practices to make school bus transportation safer,” said Dr. Ruppert.
“Please slow down and prepare to stop whenever you see a school bus with its flashing lights on. Drivers have a responsibility to protect our children. One mistake while driving distracted or rushing to your destination can claim a life and nothing can ever be done to undo that,” said County Executive Day.
For more information, visit the NHTSA website at https://www.nhtsa.gov/road-safety/school-bus-safety and http://www.nysed.gov/common/nysed/files/programs/reopening-schools/nys-p12-school-reopening-guidance.pdf.
New Advanced Imaging System at Good Samaritan Hospital Provides Enhanced Clarity for Disease Identification
SUFFERN, N.Y. (August 25, 2022) – Good Samaritan Hospital, a member of the Westchester Medical Center Health Network (WMCHealth), announced today that an expanded radiology department with advanced imaging technology is now open and serving patients at the hospital.
A new, low dose computed tomography (CT) scanner and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with real-time patient monitoring highlight the renovated 5,000 square-foot department.
The new Spectral CT 7500 system captures inpatient scans quickly with enhanced clarity, for improved disease identification . In addition, the department’s new MRI system scans 50 percent faster than earlier generations of the technology with little to no image quality degradation.
Patient Experience Enhancements
Good Samaritan Hospital strives to make the imaging experience pleasant for each patient. To help accomplish this the upgraded radiology department now features ambient lighting and acoustic noise reduction for a more relaxing sensory experience as well as voice guidance and calming visuals. The expanded space also includes four ambient patient bays, six dressing rooms with handicapped access and seven lockers.
“Our patients are the true beneficiaries of this upgrade at Good Samaritan Hospital because it gives them access to many of the same advanced medical technologies found in large medical centers,” said Mary Leahy, MD, MHA, CEO of Bon Secours Charity Health System, a member of WMCHealth. “This modernization project is a component of WMCHealth’s commitment to the residents of Rockland County and surrounding area who rely on our hospital for care.”
The new Radiology Department at Good Samaritan Hospital is part of a long-term, multi-million-dollar strategic partnership between WMCHealth, Bon Secours Charity Health System and Philips, to support transformation of patient care in our communities.
For more information about the new Radiology Department at Good Samaritan Hospital, visit
MTA Congestion Pricing Public Hearings Begin August 25th
Residents Urged To Speak Out Against $23 Commuting Charge
New City, NY – On Thursday MTA Public Hearings begin for the Congestion Pricing Plan, which could result in commuters paying an additional $9 to $23 to drive into the city.
Many Rockland County residents are forced drive into Manhattan due to the scarcity of transit options available, compounded by the sub-par, and often unreliable, rail service operated by NJ Transit via contract with Metro-North, which is extremely limited in quantity and dismal in quality.
The MTA established its Central Business District (CBD) Tolling Program’s Traffic Mobility Review Board (TMRB), tasked with recommending a plan for credits, discounts and/or exemptions for tolls, but without any representation of MTA’s West of Hudson service region, which includes Rockland County.
Rockland is the only County in the MTA region that has a value gap, meaning residents pay more than we receive in transit service and funding. The last formal study placed that gap at about $40 million each year and growing, equating to over $400 million.
“Rockland County cannot support MTA’s proposed Central Business District Tolling Program (CBDTP) unless our commuters are provided a CBD toll exemption or significant discount and a toll credit for the Hudson River crossing tolls they already pay to enter Manhattan,” said County Executive Day.
Since that analysis, MTA has made zero improvements to the Pascack Valley Line rail service schedule and zero significant capital improvements to facilities, equipment, or service in Rockland County, except for the Nanuet Train Station shelter.
Rockland residents are urged to speak out at upcoming MTA Public Hearings on the project’s Environmental Assessment which begin Thursday.
The hearings are scheduled as follows and will be held online, accessible via the project’s website: NYC Central Business District Tolling Program (mta.info):
Thursday, Aug. 25, 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Saturday, Aug. 27, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Sunday, Aug. 28, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Monday, Aug. 29, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Tuesday, Aug. 30, 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Wednesday, Aug. 31, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
“I and my fellow elected officials are fighting against this travesty with every tool at our disposal,” said County Executive Day. “Your voices are critical to a victory as the MTA needs to see a loud and united front if we are going to stop this plan. Please support us in our fight to protect you and make your voices heard by the MTA.”
Reichlin-Melnick and Zebrowski Slam Congestion Pricing Plan as Unfair for Rockland, Plan Legislative Fix
ROCKLAND, NY – Senator Elijah Reichlin-Melnick (D-Rockland/Westchester) and Assemblymember Kenneth Zebrowski (D-Rockland) joined with local officials in opposition to requiring Rockland residents to pay congestion pricing–the MTA’s plan to charge drivers additional tolls to enter parts of Manhattan which is proposed to go into effect in 2023.
The legislators announced they will be introducing a bill to ensure Rockland residents aren’t “double tolled” by being forced to pay to get to Manhattan by bridge or tunnel then charged again to enter the congestion pricing zone. Unlike other parts of the metro area, Rockland residents have no quick or easy way to get into NYC by mass transit.
The event was also a call-to-action for Rockland residents. On Thursday, August 25 public hearings about the proposed congestion pricing plan, also referred to as the Central Business District (CBD) Tolling Program, begin. Individuals can sign-up to speak during any of the six virtual public hearings scheduled to take place from August 25-31. Written comments can be submitted online at any time through September 10.
Senator Elijah Reichlin-Melnick said, “Charging Rockland drivers a huge new toll to get to Manhattan without quick and easy mass transit alternatives will be worse than useless for reducing congestion. It will force people to pay an unfair tax that could run to thousands of dollars a year for commuters to subsidize a transit system that doesn’t equitably serve our community–frankly, it’s bullshit.”
The Senator continued, “As an environmentalist and a former regional planner, I strongly support investment in public transportation, but we can’t put the cart before the horse and try to get people out of their cars when there are no good alternate options for Rockland residents to get to NYC.”
Assemblymember Ken Zebrowski said, “There is no question that congestion pricing would disproportionately impact Rockland County residents, who continuously face limited transportation options to get into the city. The legislation we’re introducing will ensure that Rocklanders don’t face double tolling by the congestion pricing zone for using bridges or tunnels when traveling into Manhattan. I’ve fought against congestion pricing since it was first proposed, and I will continue to do so while working to bring more options for commuters from this side of the Hudson.”
Haverstraw Town Supervisor Howard T. Phillips, Jr said, “At a time when New Yorkers are paying some of the highest prices in the nation and with the cost of everything rising and thousands of New Yorkers leaving the state, it is insane to pass this legislation which will only hurt the taxpayers and businesses. It is a major disincentive to go to Manhattan, which still has not fully recovered from the Covid-19 crisis. Additionally, burdening the businesses and residents is not a solution that we should be pursuing.”
Representatives from the Villages of Haverstraw and West Haverstraw attended the press conference, and the mayors reflect the concerns of their constituents in the below comments.
Haverstraw Mayor Michael Kohut said, “Rockland, and in particular North Rockland, continues to be underserved by the MTA, yet we continue to have to pay the surcharge. Now, to add insult to injury, we are to be hit with congestion pricing. Enough is enough. We deserve more and better service from these people or stop hitting us with more costs.”
West Haverstraw Village Mayor Robert D’Amelio said, “Traveling to and from Manhattan is already a financial burden to the residents of West Haverstraw. Adding any additional costs would be detrimental and, in my opinion, unacceptable.”
Watch here