Advocate News, Spring Valley and NY State Corruption news

7:08

The #1 Judaica source in Rockland27 Orchard St. 845-352-7792

The FBI arrested Village of Spring Valley Mayor Noramie Jasmin and Deputy Mayor Joseph Desmaret Tuesday morning in connection with a bribery scheme that spanned as far as Queens. Jasmin and Des-maret are accused of taking bribes in exchange for backing the sale of village land to a private developer, who turned out to be an undercover FBI agent.The most audacious of the plots allegedly was masterminded by State Senator Malcolm Smith also arrested Tuesday, who hoped to bribe his way into the Republican primary for mayor later this year. City Councilman Dan Halloran was arrested as well by the FBI in the

corruption probe. The reports Tues-day said they're accused of plotting to "rig this year’s mayoral election through fraud and bribes." The poli-ticians allegedly formed an alliance built on cash payments and fraud to get Smith — one of the state’s top Democrats — placed on the GOP mayoral ballot.Two others, identified as Vicent Ta-bone and Joseph Savino, are also facing charges in the corruption probe. Savino is the current chair-man of the Bronx Republican Party. Tabone in the vice chairman of the Queens Republican Party. Savino worked in Clarkstown up until yes-terday in the Town's tax office.

Vol. 28 No. 14 • Rockland’s Independent Jewish Community Newspaper Since 1985 • 25 Nissan 5773 • April 5 2013 free weekly

A. Moeller

Every April during National Autism Awareness Month, the department of Health and Human Services rec-ognize the special challenges faced by those living with Autism Spec-trum Disorders (ASD) and refocus our efforts on the best ways to sup-port them and their families.Autism is a developmental disability characterized, in varying degrees, by difficulties in social interaction, ver-bal and nonverbal communication, and repetitive behaviors. The latest figures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) leave no doubt that autism is a critical public health issue that deeply affects the lives of millions of Americans.Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and autism are both general terms for a group of complex disorders of brain development. These disor-

ders are characterized, in varying degrees, by difficulties in social interaction, verbal and nonverbal communication and repetitive be-haviors. They include autistic disor-der, Rett syndrome, childhood dis-integrative disorder, pervasive de-velopmental disorder-not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS) and Asperger syndrome. With the May 2013 pub-lication of the new DSM-5 diagnos-tic manual, these autism subtypes will be merged into one umbrella diagnosis of ASD.ASD can be associated with intel-lectual disability, difficulties in mo-tor coordination and attention and physical health issues such as sleep and gastrointestinal disturbances. Some persons with ASD excel in vi-sual skills, music, math and art.Autism appears to have its roots in very early brain development. How-ever, the most obvious signs of au-

cont on health news see page7

Rockland County Legislators Ilan Schoenberger and Phil Soskin are calling on the com-munity to join him and the County Legislature in support of a local family and their mis-sion to request the NYS Parole Board to deny parole to the two men who brutally attacked and killed a family member

in October of 1980. A local peti-tion drive is begin-ning in an-ticipation of upcom-ing parole board hearings

Homeowners in Rockland County who have illegally obtained a STAR property tax break – leading to a re-duction in the school tax bills – now have until April 15 to contact their town as-sessor’s office and make

arrangements for restitu-tion. During the past elev-en months, detectives in the Special Investigations Unit have already uncov-ered more than $679,000 in improperly or fraudulent-ly claimed STAR exemp-

LegisLator schoenberger Urges PUbLic to sign his Petition

to oPPose ParoLe For KiLLers

Da ZUgibe extenDs amnesty Program For iLLegaL

tax breaK

שמיני

cont. Page 11

cont. Page 17

cont. Page 5

NatIoNal autISm awaReNeSS moNth

eyebrow shaping

Monsey FaMily Medical center highlights

8:39

spring village politicians arrestedcrime crosses party lines in major corruption case

across new york state

After a two year investigation by the FBI, U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara announces charges against New York state Sen. Malcolm Smith, New York City Councilman Daniel Halloran, Vicent Tabone,

Joseph Savino, Spring Valley Mayor Noramie Jasmin, and Deputy Mayor Joseph Desmaret. Bharara showed reporters a chart, illustrating the conspirators' connections.

assembLymember eLLen JaFFee:

FooD, Farm & nUtrition Programs in state bUDget

see page 14

Monsey 845-444-2453

THE ADVOCATE April 5, 2013דער אדוואקאט שמיני תשע״ג 2

Dear Editor, Healthy and clean communities are the

bedrock of prosperity

As a New York state senator, the most important priority I have is to protect the health, safety and welfare of the people of the Hudson Valley and of New York. I want to discuss two steps that I am taking and to ask for your support to help make them a reality.

The first deals with our most precious resource, our drinking water.

The decision whether to allow high-vol-ume hydraulic fracturing is coming — and it rests squarely on the shoulders of Gover-nor Cuomo. The deadline for his decision is scheduled for later this month. As have other senators, I have pressed the gover-nor to strongly consider the long-term negative effects that allowing this practice would bring to our communities.

A popular "solution" to the toxic frack-ing wastewater problem is to sell it for the manufacture of road de-icing prod-ucts. I have submitted a bill, the NY Clean Street Act, which will ban these products from being used on New York roads, thus preventing toxic runoff from coming into direct contact with our children, leaching

into our water supply and infesting the crops raised on roadside farms.

The health of the people of our region is also threatened by the acceleration of tick borne illness such as Lyme. We must re-spond to these complex and debilitating diseases with every resource at our dis-posal. My bill, TickBITE, (Tick Borne-Illness Treatment and Education Act) provides funding for tick-borne illness prevention and education programs. It will also hold insurance companies accountable for cov-ering treatment costs.

Protecting our health, safety and en-vironment is a key to economic devel-opment in our region, a priority all of us share. Healthy and clean communities are the bedrock of pros-perous communities. My two bills will help lay a foundation for strong, economic growth.

Senator Terry Gipson, Senate District 41

Dear Action Desk,

SITE: Kearsing Parkway (see below) This is an accident waiting to happen!

This has been an embarrassing scene for almost two years now.

Not only is this in the center of town, it is where everyone in the neighborhood goes to Tashlich.

The spring is coming, people will be walking around, (with young children)now is the time to finally fix this danger-ous situation. Is the town waiting for a lawsuit?

Please I hope someone fixes this mess soon.

STATEMENT FROM GOVERNOR ANDREW M. CUOMO ON PASSAGE

OF CONNECTICUT GUN LAW

“I applaud Governor Malloy and the Connecticut legislature for taking bold new action to protect the peo-ple of their state. Today, Connecticut joins New York and a growing collec-tion of states that are proving we can pass tough, common sense gun con-trol laws that protect our citizens and make us safer. The horror of the New-town tragedy instilled a new urgency across our entire nation that we can no longer accept the unforgivable violence caused by allowing deadly weapons to fall into the hands of the most dangerous elements of our so-ciety. Now we need Congress to show the same courage as Connecticut, Colorado and New York, as well as fol-low the will of the American people, by taking strong action to stop these tragedies in our country.”

Rockland Community Development Center Inc.22 Main Street • Monsey, NY 10952

Tel (845) 770-1950 Fax (845) 746-2203e-mail: [email protected]

*******Mendel Hoffman | President & Publisher

Aaron Moeller *Editor-In ChiefMichael Anderson *News Room Jason Klien *ProductionMindy Rubin *ContributorAbe Karpen *Distribution Stanley Cohen *Advertising Manager

**********•THE VOICE OF THIS PAPER DOES NOT REPRESENT ANY GROUP. •THE ADVOCATE IS AN INDEPENDENT ENGLISH NEWSPAPER.•THE ADVOCATE IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE KASHRUS OF ANY PRODUCT IN THE NEWSPAPER.

• COPYRIGHT 2013 ISSN 1055-9132• All material in this paper is the exclusive property of THE ADVOCATE and cannot be reproduced without the consent of the pub-lisher. The views and opinions expressed by our columnists do not necessarily reflect the publisher’s.• Any article submitted to the newspaper can be edited at the discretion of the publisher.• The newspaper will not be liable for errors appearing in an advertisement beyond the cost of space occupied by the error. The ad-vertiser assumes the responsibility for errors in telephone orders.• In-house design: All advertisements de-signed and prepared by The Advocate are the property of the newspaper and cannot be reproduced without consent of the pub-lisher.• The health information articles contained in this publication are for information only and not intended as medical advice. For health care advice and information contact your health care provider.• Editorials related to political endorsements or support are written by an independent committee. They do not represent the views of The Advocate staff. It should not be considered as endorsements or support by this paper.

as we go to press Publisher's Deska weekly editorial By:

WRITE TO USThe Advocate welcomes Letters to the Editor & the Action Desk about relevant topics and issues. Letters must include the writer’s name, address and phone number, although the name may be withheld from publication at the writer’s request. The Advocate reserves the right to edit for clarity and good taste. To voice your opinion, call: 845-770-1950, Fax: 845-770-1983, or e-mail [email protected]

Mendel Hoffman

letters to the editor

פדיון שבוייןhelp

POLLARD & RUBASHKIN. contact the White House between 9am-5pm

phone @ 202-456-1414 or fax @ 202-456-2461every call makes a difference

Monsey before Passover (Pesach) as all the residents know is a busy time of year. It takes time to clean, prepare, and burn all the left over chametz. Thanks to our Town, things went as smooth as ever. The Town of Ramapo Supervisor Chris St.

Lawrence,the municipal waste department, Highway Department, and local law enforcement all deserve a big thank you. The Town's residents were fortunate enough to benefit from extra services on the days leading up to Pesach.We also need to mention the Monsey Fire Department. There was once a time where the day before Pesach meant fires across the town. Now with the central Chametz burning, one can easily perform the ceremony safe and securely. We appreciated their help.We should not loose sight of the fact when politicians work for their constituents. We do not take these services for granted. It is indeed a courtesy for those in the town and in the fire department to go out of their way to make accommodations for the Passover (Pesach) lifestyle. The entire community appreciated the spring cleaning help.

printed on minuimum 45% recycled paper

Hon. Alfred J. Weiner (Ret.)

Attorney At Law/MediatorFormer Supreme Court Justice/Surrogate Court Judge

•Wills •Estate Administration

•Estate Planning•Surrogate Practice

210 Route 303 Valley Cottage 10989Phone: 845 639 7800 Fax: 845 639 7850

E-mail: [email protected]

THE ADVOCATE April 5, 2013 3דער אדוואקאט שמיני תשע״ג

albany

rockland

advocate action Desk845-770-1950

PHONE

E-Mail

[email protected]


PHONE

E-Mail

[email protected]


PHONE

E-Mail

[email protected]

the advocate is exPanDing the Action DeskTo voice your opinion! please write, to the Action Desk at: editor@ AdvocateNews.org or call Action Desk Hotline @ 845-770-1950

The Honorable Michael Kohut

40 North Main Street,

Haverstraw NY, 10927

Dear Mayor,

Thank you for hosting the press confer-

ence last month.

We congratulate the stance you took at

the press conference in Haverstraw.

You presented a fine argument on the

pressing issue of gun control. It is truly

an honored to have you serve our com-

munity. It is important to everyone that the gov-

ernment has the constitutional right to re-

strict the types of arms citizens can bear,

and it can prohibit the sale and possession

of assault weapons and high-capacity

ammunition magazines as currently pro-

posed. The claim by gun enthusiasts that

their Second Amendment rights are be-

ing infringed on is unsupported by facts.

We at the Advocate Action Desk support

your position to regulate gun ownership,

and believe that these measures you have

spoken out about will save lives. We hope

to work together with your office in the

future, and strive to maintain a safe and

civil county and the overall country.

Advocate Action Desk Editor

The Honorable Ellen Jaffee

LOB 530

Albany, NY 12248

Hon. Assemblywoman Jaffee:

We would like to take this opportunity to

congratulate you on your appointment as

the Chair of the New York State Assembly

Task Force on Food, Farm and Nutrition

Policy.The Action Desk was proud to read about

your appointment in different sources, in-

cluding the Legislative Gazette, the most

widely-read publication covering Albany

politics. We have recently included the story

in our community newspaper as well.

Throughout your career, you have demon-

strated all of the important qualifications of

being a representative for all of New York’s

people, including an emphasis on women

and children, making you superbly qualified

to carry out the responsibilities of being the

Chair of this Task Force.


The Honorable Jacob Lew

1500 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washing-

ton, DC 20220

Dear Treasury Secretary:

On behalf of the Advocate Action Desk

in Monsey NY, we would like to send

you our heartfelt congratulations on

your appointment to be our United

States Treasury Secretary. It is an enor-

mous achievement, and a pinnacle in

your public service career.

As we reflect on the challenges and

successes of your career enmeshed

in community service, we are struck

by the qualities you’ve demonstrated

already. Whether it being the biparti-

sanship you have shown in your public

service, or with the White House staff,

these are qualities that are indicative of

a true public servant, and are necessary

to achieve success in the position you

have now been appointed to.

Congratulations Again,


Washington

THE ADVOCATE ACTION DESK


NatIoNal &INteRNatIoNal NewS updateS

albaNy &waShINgtoN NewS bRIefS

North Korea Ups The Ante Says It Has "Ratified" Nuclear Strike Against U.S.North Korea said it had “ratified” a merciless attack against the Unit-ed States, potentially involving a “diversified nuclear strike”.“We formally inform the White House and Pentagon that the ever-escalating U.S. hostile policy toward the DPRK (North Korea) and its reckless nuclear threat will be smashed by the strong will of all the united service person-nel and people and cutting-edge smaller, lighter and diversified nuclear strike means of the DPRK and that the merciless operation of its revolutionary armed forces in this regard has been finally ex-amined and ratified,” a spokesman for the General Staff of the Korean People’s Army said in a statement carried by the English language service of the state news agency KCNA.

President Shimon Peres: Mis-take To Announce Gas Flow On SabbathPresident Shimon Peres acknowl-edged Sunday during a meeting with Chief Rabbis Shlomo Amar

that to continue drilling for gas on the Sabbath and to also make the announcement of the flow of natural gas into Israel on the Sab-bath had been a mistake.Natural gas from the Tamar field off Israel’s Mediterranean shores began flowing on Saturday, the head of a partner in the field said in a statementIn meetings with Amar, Yona Metzger, as well as with Shas spiri-tual mentor Ovadia Yosef, Peres spoke of the importance of main-taining Jewish values.Israel, once energy poor, is ex-pected to become a gas exporter by the end of the decade, with the Tamar field holding enough reserves to meet the country’s gas needs for decades.

UK Parliamentarian Apologizes For Anti-Jewish SlurThe British parliamentarian who complained of a Jewish conspira-cy after being jailed for his part in a fatal car crash has apologized for his remarks.Nazir Ahmed, a member of the House of Lords, had said that a prison sentence he served was a

result of pressure applied on the court by Jews “who own newspa-pers and television channels.”The Labor party member, who has been suspended by the party pending an investigation, told The Huffington Post last week that he completely and unreservedly apologizes.He said he had the “greatest re-spect for the Jewish community and that his comments were “com-pletely wrong”, “unacceptable” and “the product of a twisted mind.”He said he took full responsibil-ity for the “bigoted and stupid” remarks.He also claimed that the judge in the case was appointed after he helped a “Jewish colleague” of Blair during an important case, and that Jewish-owned media or-ganizations pressured the courts to charge him with a more seri-ous offense. Ahmed maintained that the plot to stemmed from Jewish disapproval of his support for the Palestinians in Gaza. The Times had originally reported on the comments last month, which Ahmed made during an interview in Pakistan last April.

Obama Presses For Gun Control In Colorado: We Will Not Just 'Wait For The Next Newtown'President Barack Obama on Wednesday appealed for com-mon sense in the debate over gun control legislation, and urged Americans to read the proposals for themselves. Citizens need to "get the facts," Obama said at the Denver Police Academy in Colo-rado. "We're not proposing a gun registration system. We're propos-ing background checks for crimi-nals."Obama praised Colorado for re-cently passing a gun buyer back-ground checks law that he said both respects individual gun rights and keeps communities safer. He also made an impas-sioned plea for Congress to pass gun control measures that include a Senate bill that would expand background checks to cover near-ly all gun sales. The president said background checks have "already prevented more than 2 million people from getting guns," and encouraged Americans to contact their elected representatives and to press those who oppose the bills for an explanation.

"Find out where your member of Congress stands," Obama urged. "If they’re not part of the 90 per-cent [who support universal back-ground checks], ask them, why not? Why wouldn’t you want to make it more difficult for a danger-ous criminal to get his or her hands on a gun?" Obama also jabbed at the powerful gun lobby, led by the National Rifle Association, which he said stokes fear among gun owners and misleads the public."The opponents of some of these common sense laws have ginned up fears among responsible gun owners that have nothing to do with the facts," Obama said. "'We can't do background checks be-cause the government's going to come take my guns away,'" Obama offered as an example. This isn't true, he said. "The government is us. These officials are elected by you. "Nobody’s talking about cre-ating a new system –- we’re talk-ing about plugging holes, sealing a porous system," he said. The cur-rent system, which only requires background checks from federally licensed gun sellers, "is not safe, it’s not smart, and it’s not fair to re-sponsible gun sellers who play by the rules."

ObAMA TO RETURN 5% OF HIS SAlARy IN RESPONSE TO FEDERAl FURlOUGHSThe White House says President Barack Obama will return 5 percent of his sal-ary to the Treasury in light of automatic spending cuts that have led to furloughs for thousands of federal workers.A White House official says Obama de-cided to return part of his salary each month for the rest of the year to share in the sacrifice that government employees are making. The official wasn’t authorized to discuss the decision publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.The president makes $400,000 per year. A 5 percent pay cut amounts to a little less than 1,700 per month.STATEMENT by SENATOR DAvID CAR-lUCCI ON TODAy’S ANNOUNCEMENT OF PUblIC CORRUPTION CHARGES FIlED AGAINST NEW yORK STATE AND CITy OFFICIAlS“Like many New Yorkers, I am shocked and outraged over the alleged misconduct undertaken by various public officials at the state, city, and local government. This conduct is reprehensible in its entirety, and public corruption in any form cannot be tolerated at any layer of government. “I look forward to hearing the details of

this wide-ranging investigation as they begin to unfold. As the United States At-torney had indicated, in no way whatso-ever was I, or any member of my staff, in-volved in the alleged criminal misconduct and subsequent charges filed this morn-ing. On the contrary, these actions speak to a broader, more fundamental reason as to why I ran for office in the first place – to clean up the culture of corruption that pervades our politics.”“Three years ago I came to Albany to shake up the status quo and bring change to our State Capital. While we have made great strides since, there clearly remains much more work to be done. I am committed to working to reform our system of govern-ment in a way that increases transparency and holds public officials accountable to the people they serve.”Cl ARKSTOWN TOWN bOARD RESPONDS TO AllEGATIONS FIlED AGAINST JAy SAvINOOn April 2, 2013, the Clarkstown Town Board held a special Town Board meet-ing to discuss the continued retention of the Law Office of Joseph J. Savino to rep-resent the Town in tax certiorari matters, in light of the recent charges filed against Mr. Savino. After a brief executive session, the Town

Board unanimously voted to terminate the contract, effective immediately. The Town Board expressed that the firm would not be able to fulfill its contractual obligation to the Town under the present circumstances. For the time being, the Town Attorney’s Office will cover pending court appear-ances while replacement counsel is sought.

blOOMbERG blASTS lAWMAKERS OvER SPEED CAMERASMayor Michael Bloomberg has lashed out at New York lawmakers for blocking a proposal for speed-tracking cameras in New York City. Bloomberg on Wednesday called them “reckless and negligent.He said the next time a child is killed by a speeding vehicle “call your state senator and ask why they allowed that child to be killed?”Bloomberg singled out GOP leader Dean Skelos and two Brooklyn senators — Re-publican Martin Golden and GOP-allied Democrat Simcha Felder.Golden said more police and prosecution of reckless driving was the most effective way to reduce speeding.

Skelos’s office said no one has worked harder than Senate Republicans to ensure the safety of New York City children and their families.

bARbARA bUONO: CHRIS CHRISTIE'S RECORD MAKES HIM bEATAblENew Jersey Democratic gubernatorial candidate Barbara Buono, lagging far be-hind Gov. Chris Christie (R) in polls, said she remains confident she can defeat the popular incumbent. Buono, a state senator from Metuchen, said polls that show her trailing Christie by 35 percentage points re-flect her low name recognition compared with the universally known Christie. Buono said her travels around the state and the growth of her campaign infrastructure have positioned her to improve her poll standing."It is a slow process, we are see-ing a groundswell building," Buono told The Huffington Post, sitting in a Starbucks blocks from the Rutgers University cam-pus. "We are in the field already." Buono, traveling the state by herself, said she hasn't given much thought to a lieutenant gov-ernor running mate. She said she'll make a choice after the June primary election. Spec-ulation has centered on Belmar Mayor Matt Doherty, Essex County Freeholder Brendan Gill, Fanwood Mayor Colleen Mahr and Roselle Mayor Jamel Holley.


tions from 2012 representing a grand total from Rockland’s five towns.District Attorney Zugibe said, “STAR is only available on your primary residence, but our investigation has identi-fied dozens of individuals who own two homes and get the exemption on both. Our fig-ures represent the tip of the iceberg. Those who double-dip STAR exemptions are cheating the system, at a time when the state’s finite resources are of critical importance.”STAR is New York's version of a homestead exemption or a property tax discount for an owner-occupied primary residence. The state provides homeowners with two levels of partial exemptions from school property taxes: Basic STARBasic STAR is available for owner-occupied primary resi-dences where the homeowners' and their spouses’ income is $500,000 or less. Under the ba-sic exemption, $30,000 is tak-en off the assessed value of the primary residence for the pur-poses of school taxes, which in many locations is the largest component of the property tax burden. Enhanced STARof-living adjustment. To be eli-gible for Enhanced STAR, the combined income of all own-ers and their spouses must be $79,050 or less.STAR exemptions apply only to school district taxes. They do not apply to property tax-es for other purposes, such as county, town or city, except in New York City, Buffalo, Roch-ester, Syracuse and Yonkers, where city property taxes fund public schools.Because STAR homeowners are taxed at the lower value, their bill is reduced, often by

thousands of dollars. New York State makes up the difference to local school districts. The program costs about $2.66 bil-lion annually.A homeowner may have either a Basic or Enhanced STAR exemption, which is applied to a primary residence only. Not all of the owners must use the property as a primary resi-dence, just the one applying for STAR. You can only have one primary residence.As part of the STAR exemp-tion crackdown, subpoenas were given to local assessors’ offices for STAR locations that were believed to be non-owner occupied. Additionally, the District Attorney’s Office received addresses that were the subject of building code and fire code complaints. As a result, 516 locations were pre-liminarily identified as being in violation of STAR qualifications with many more locations to be investigated.A software program utilized by the Town of Ramapo’s asses-sor offers the ability to cross-reference exemption locations with other municipal databases. With the help of this technology, more than 75 homeowners were identified during this process as living out of state or overseas, while illegally receiving the STAR exemption. A confirma-tion process is currently under-way to positively corroborate these suspicions.In the Town of Ramapo alone, the STAR program costs taxpay-ers about $26 million annually.If the cross-reference techniques applied by Ramapo were uti-lized by other municipalities, the number of possible STAR violators would increase expo-nentially across the county. The savings statewide could reach

into the hundreds of millions of dollars.as part of the extended period of amnesty, those who have wrong-fully taken exemptions have until april 15, 2013 to take corrective measures and make good on their financial obligations. Those vio-lators who fail to take advantage of the amnesty face considerable consequences, including crimi-nal charges of theft, potential ar-rest, sizable fees and court costs and a criminal record.“Misuse and abuse of STAR ex-emptions is a statewide problem. We believe this unique effort to discover and eliminate fraud in the program will cut down on the number of violators, while recouping hundreds of millions of dollars for the state,” said Zugibe. “Our program presents offenders with an opportunity to correct the tax rolls and make a new start.”

Free Mulch AvAilAble For rAMApo residents At provident bAnk pArkFree, untreated root mulch will be available for pick-up by ramapo residents at Provident bank Park starting tuesday, march 12th through sunday, march 17th from 9:00 am to

dusk, while supply lasts.Provident bank Park (west side of the park-ing lot) Fireman's memorial Drive (off rte. 45), Pomona, ny 10970

Monsey Family Medical Centeris pleased to welcome Soren White, MD

to the Department of Dermatology

For an immediate appointment call 845-352-6800 ext 6824

Monsey Family Medical Center Spring Valley Family Medical Center

Ramapo Town Supervisor Chris St. Lawrence (L) with Rockland County District Attorney Thomas Zugibe speaking in Ramapo last month

Da ZUgibe extenDs amnesty Program For iLLegaL For tax breaK FiLe cont. from front page

phot

o: A

aron

Moe

ller

ADULT MEDICINEdr. James Israeldr. arthur landaudr. debra grohmandr. delatre lolodr. manoj pulicottilelana Klein, PAerick araujo, PAbrian blitz, PA

FAMILY MEDICINEDr. Jamie Giraldo

OB/GYNdr. Joel w. allendr. debra Kirschnermelissa a. Carco, PAayelet honig, Np

DENTALdr. genady benyaminovdr. Sarah hannadr. david horowitzdr. Ramin Kashanidr. Stacey lubetskydr. Jacklyn tadros

SPECIALTYdr. harry baldinger - Podiatrydr. michael ginsburg- Podiatrydr. david Schwalb - Urologydr. Renata witkowska - Allergydr. Samuel wong - Ophthalmologydr. Soren white - Dermatologydr. philip fried - Dermatologyhanna Raice mS, Rd, Cde- Nutrition Counselingaaron muller, Speech Therapymelech Karp, Speech Therapy

Family HealtH talk

ם לי חו פא רו

MONSEY FAMILY MEDICAL CENTER

Ben Gilman Spring Valley Family Medical Center175 Route 59, Spring Valley NY 10977

Monsey Family Medical Center40 Robert Pitt Dr.

Monsey, NY 10952

schedule your appointment

today:

Monsey Family Medical Center

40 Robert Pitt Dr. Monsey, NY 10952

(845) 352-6800

page 6 health talk

PEDIATRIC MEDICINEdr. esther bekritskydr. gerson gluckdr. Rafael Nunez

Ask the Doctordr. James IsraelDept of Internal Medicine

Q: what is high blood pressure?

a: "High blood pressure (HBP) is a serious condition that can lead to coronary heart disease, heart failure, stroke, kidney failure, and other health problems."Blood pressure" is the force of blood pushing against the walls of the arteries as the heart pumps blood. If this pressure rises and stays high over time, it can damage the body in many ways.

About 1 in 3 adults in the United States has HBP. The condition itself usually has no signs or symptoms. You can have it for years without knowing it. During this time, though, HBP can damage your heart, blood ves-sels, kidneys, and other parts of your body."

Africa

Europe

The Americas

Southeast Asia

Western Pacific

Eastern Mediterranean

Second-hand killerOne third of adults and 40 percent of children worldwide are exposed yearly to the deadly toxins in second-hand tobacco smoke.

Second-hand toxins

Source:World Health OrganizationGraphic: Lee Hulteng © 2009 MCT

Of the 4,000 chemicals in tobacco smoke, 50 are known carcinogens, including:

Children suffer

78%

28%

38%

41%

34%51%

Percentage of 13- to 15-year-olds living with smokers, 2008

Exposure affects everyone

Female child

Male child

Adultmale

Adultfemale

Known diseases caused by second-hand smoke among:

• Middle ear

disease• Upper

respiratory impairment• Sudden

Infant Death Syndrome

(SIDS)• Lower

respiratory illness

• Middle ear

disease• Upper

respiratory impairment• Sudden

Infant Death Syndrome

(SIDS)• Lower

respiratory illness

• Nasal irritation• Lung cancer

• Heart disease

• Lower birth

weights for babies

• Nasal irritation• Lung cancer

• Heart disease

Methane

Cadmium

Tolulene

Carbon monoxide

Butane

MethanolNicotine

Aresenic(Poison)

(Insecticide) (Rocket fuel) (Solvent)

(Lighterfluid)

(Exhaust gas)

(Toxic metalused in batteries)

(Sewer gas)

Health Matters

how ouR eyeS age

You may barely notice the changes at first. Maybe you’ve found yourself reaching more often for your glasses to see

up close. You might have trouble adjusting to glaring lights or reading when the light is dim. You may even have put on blue socks thinking they were black. These are some of the normal changes to your eyes and vision as you age.

Scientists expect the number of people with age related eye problems to rise dramatically. You can’t prevent all age-relat-ed changes to your eyes. But you can take steps to protect your vision and reduce your risk for serious eye disease in the future. Effective treatments are now available for many disorders that may lead to blindness or visual impairment. You can also learn how to make the most of the vision you have.

“Vision impairment and blindness are among the top 5 causes of disability in older adults.” according to Dr. Samuel Wong, Ophthalmologist at Monsey Family Medical Center. “The clear, curved lens at the front of your eye may be one of the first parts of your body to show signs of age,” he ex-plains. The lens bends to focus light and form images on the retina at the back of your eye. This flexibility lets you see at different distances—up close or far away. But the lens hard-ens with age. The change may begin as early as your 20s, but it can come so gradually it may take decades to notice. Even-tually, age-related stiffening and clouding of the lens affects just about everyone. You’ll have trouble focusing on up close objects, a condition called presbyopia. ‘Anyone over age 35 is at risk for presbyopia according to Dr. Wong. You might find you’re holding your book farther away to read it. You might even start thinking your arms just aren’t long enough.

A good and simple treatment for presbyopia is reading glass-es. Cloudy areas in the lens, called cataracts, are another common eye problem that comes with age. More than 22 million Americans have cataracts. By age 80, more than half of us will have had them. Some cataracts stay small and have little effect on eyesight, but others become large and inter-fere with vision. Symptoms include blurriness, difficulty see-ing well at night, lights that seem too bright and faded color vision.

There are no specific steps to prevent cataracts, The passage of time can also weaken the tiny muscles that control your eye’s pupil size. The pupil becomes smaller and less respon-sive to changes in light. That’s why people in their

60s need 3 times more light for comfortable reading than those in their 20s. Smaller pupils make it more difficult to see at night. Trouble seeing at night, coupled with a normal loss of peripheral,vision as you age, can affect many daily activi-ties, including your ability to drive safely. Loss of peripheral vision increases your risk for automobile accidents, so you need to be more cautious when driving. It really does be-come a safety issue. You may want to have your eyes checked out if you have trouble driving, or while doing any other nor-mal activities.

To discuss this and other healthcare issues with Dr. Samuel Wong in the Department of Ophthalmology Please call the Medical Center at 845.352.6800

Family HealtH talk

PROJECT OHRDepartment of

Behavioral Health

psYCHIatrYSeymour Kushnir, mdADULT PSYCHIATRYZvi weisstuch, mdADULT and CHILD

PSYCHIATRY

soCIaL worKIndividual, Couple

Child & Family Therapy

malka harris Susswein LCSW, Clinical Director Project Ohr, Indi-vidual and Family Therapist

gelly asovski LCSW, Play Therapist

Sharon Kronenberg LCSW, Individual Therapist Adults

Chana Simmonds LCSW, Family and Individual Thera-pist- Adults gila Zelinger LCSW, Family and Individual Therapist, Teens and Adults

Rabbi aryeh frankel LMSW, Individual & Couples Therapist, Teens & Adults

Naomi franklin LMSW, Child Therapist

yael Kahan LMSW, Family and Individual Therapist, Teens and Adults esther Rothbaum LMSW, Child Therapist

toby Spitzer LMSW, Individual and Family Therapist

tziporah Spira LMSWFamily and Individual Thera-pist, Teens and Adults

aviva Cohen LMSW, Therapist Pre-Teens, and Teens

Rabbi moshe abramczyk LMSW, therapist, males, ages 12 and above

gitty Kleinman, MSWIntern

Family HealtH talk

ם לי חו פא רו

MONSEY FAMILY MEDICAL CENTER

Ben Gilman Spring Valley Family Medical Center175 Route 59, Spring Valley NY 10977

Monsey Family Medical Center40 Robert Pitt Dr.

Monsey, NY 10952

page 7 health talk

NatIoNal autISm awaReNeSS moNthconTinued from fronT pAge.

tism and symptoms of autism tend to emerge between 2 and 3 years of age. Autism Speaks continues to fund research on effective meth-ods for earlier diagnosis, as early intervention with proven behavioral therapies can improve outcomes. Autism statistics from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Pre-vention (CDC) identify around 1 in 88 American children as on the autism spectrum–a ten-fold increase in prevalence in 40 years. Careful research shows that this increase is only partly explained by improved diagnosis and awareness. Studies also show that autism is four to five times more common among boys than girls. An estimated 1 out of 54 boys and 1 in 252 girls are diagnosed with autism in the United States.Rabbi Aryeh Frankel, LMSW, a social worker at Project Ohr has also noticed an increase in cases over the years.

What causes autism?

Not long ago, the answer to this question would have been “we have no idea.” Research is now delivering the answers. First and foremost, we now know that there is no one cause of autism just as there is no one type of autism. Over the last five years, scientists have identified a number of rare gene changes, or mutations, associated with autism. A small number of these are sufficient to cause autism by themselves. Most cases of autism, however, appear to be caused by a com-bination of autism risk genes and envi-ronmental factors in-fluencing early brain development.In the presence of a genetic predisposi-tion to autism, a num-ber of nongenetic, or “environmental,” stresses appear to fur-ther increase a child’s risk. The clearest evi-dence of these autism risk factors involves events before and dur-ing birth. They include having children at an advanced age, maternal illness during pregnancy and certain difficulties during birth, partic-ularly those involving periods of oxygen deprivation to the baby’s brain. It is important to keep in mind that these factors, by themselves, do not cause autism. Rather, in combination with genetic risk factors, they appear to modestly increase risk.

What Does it mean to be “on the spectrum”?Each individual with autism is unique. Many of those on the autism spectrum have exceptional abilities in visual skills, music and aca-demic skills. About 40 percent have average to above average intel-lectual abilities. Indeed, many persons on the spectrum take deserved pride in their distinctive abilities and “atypical” ways of viewing the world. Others with autism have significant disability and are unable to live independently. About 25 percent of individuals with ASD are nonverbal but can learn to communicate using other means. Autism Speaks’ mission is to improve the lives of all those on the autism spec-trum. For some, this means the development and delivery of more ef-fective treatments that can address significant challenges in communi-cation and physical health. For others, it means increasing acceptance, respect and support.

DID YOU KNOW......1 in 5 nyc preteens struggle

with Mental illnessA new study has found that about one in five New York City preteens struggle with mental illness or other emo-tional problems.a city health department survey found that children be-tween the ages of 6 and 12 have been diagnosed with depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety and other behav-ioral problems.a survey of parents also found that 14 percent of undi-agnosed children have difficulties with emotions, con-centration, behavior or getting along with others.the Child Community health Survey data didn't capture the full extent of the problem because many cases of mental illness are underreported.the survey was based in 2009 data. It was funded with support from singer paul Simon's Children's health fund.


agudah notes bus bill also helps public school students for years, agudath Israel of america has pressed new York State law-makers to address the inequitable and dangerous denial of transpor-tation services for new York city’s school children – including many Yeshiva students – who are dismissed from school in the late afternoon.The failure to provide busing for such children, requiring them instead to use public transportation, posed significant safety concerns for the youngsters – especially during the winter months when dismissal takes place after nightfall. The other alter-native required parents to pay out of pocket for private transportation services or personally car pool their children, which created significant expense or hardship.Agudath Israel’s advocacy led to a number of stop-gap measures that partially addressed the problem over the past several years. However, seri-ous gaps of service remained.Those gaps were finally closed last week, when Governor Andrew Cuo-mo signed off on a new budget bill that once and for all addresses this serious problem. Agudath Israel ex-pressed appreciation to the Gover-nor, the Senate and the Assembly for amending the state’s school transpor-tation law in a manner that will be welcomed by yeshiva and day school families throughout New York City.The new law does three things: It guarantees transportation from New York City public or private schools for all children from kindergarten to sixth grade, even those dismissed after 4 pm; it mandates that all bus stops be no more than 600 feet from a child’s house; and, in the case where two or more school-age children in a family attend more than one school, it authorizes the family to pick one bus stop for all children involved.Rabbi Shmuel Lefkowitz, Agudath Israel’s Vice President for Com-munity Services, said getting these changes approved is an outstanding achievement for long-suffering fami-lies. It demonstrates the sensitivity that the legislature has for the safety of our children.State Senator Simcha Felder made this an issue of high priority, and with diligence and determination was able to deliver it. Working closely with veteran askonim Shi-mon and Shiya Ostreicher, whose role in promoting the new law was pivotal, the important issues were identified, the wording of the bill was drafted and support was gener-ated. “Senator Felder’s stature, and his recent appointment by Senator Skelos as the Chairman of the Senate New York City Education Subcom-mittee, proved critical in driving this forward,” said Rabbi Chaim Dovid Zwiebel, Agudath Israel’s Executive Vice President. “We could not have done this without him.”The transportation issue was brought to the attention of the State govern-ment leaders at the annual Agudath

Israel mission in February and am-plified to Senate Majority Coalition Leader Dean Skelos at a recent Agu-dath Israel Community Breakfast in his honor. “Senator Skelos under-stood the importance of this issue and went into the ’budget negotiation room and fought for our communi-ty,” Rabbi Lefkowitz commented. Working together with Senator Skel-os were Senate Co-Leader Jeff Klein, Senators Martin Golden, John Flana-gan and Andrew Lanza.In the Assembly, under the leadership of Speaker Sheldon Silver, veteran Assemblymember Helene Weinstein undertook to get a transportation bill passed that addressed the safety needs of children and families. As-semblymember Weinstein, working together with Agudath Israel activ-ist and board of trustee member, Chaskel Bennett, drafted and shep-herded a bill that was supported by Speaker Silver and her colleagues. Assemblyman Dov Hikind was in-volved in the process and pushed it because he said that he did not want to ever see another Leiby Kletzky tragedy again. Also strongly support-ing the bill were Assemblymembers Phil Goldfeder, Michael Simanowitz, and Steven Cymbrowitz. “Speaker Silver’s determination to make this happen proved critical in the budget negotiation process,” commented Rabbi Lefkowitz.In yeshivas and day schools, where dismissals often occur after 5 pm and sometimes much later, the lack of district busing has made life rather difficult for many parents. Families face three choices: have their chil-dren use public transportation, often after dark, creating serious safety concerns; pay for private transporta-tion, which adds a financial burden to families already struggling to pay tuition; or car pool, sometimes forc-ing parents to leave work early to make the pickups. In addition, large families with multiple school-age children may have younger children at home who need care, making car pool obligations difficult or impossi-ble. The new law, once implemented, will remove these financial and/or lo-gistical burdens from these families.The law addresses additional safety concerns of large families who may have several children in different schools, waiting at bus stops that are often blocks apart. Limiting the distance of a bus stop to the child’s residence and making sure that every family has only one bus stop simpli-fies life considerably, and eliminates the need for children to walk home alone.

Most candy, high-calorie drinks and greasy meals could soon be on a food blacklist in the nation’s schools. For the first time, the government is proposing broad new stan-dards to make sure all foods sold in schools are more healthful.Under the new rules the Agriculture De-partment proposed Friday, foods like fatty chips, snack cakes, nachos and mozzarella sticks would be taken out of lunch lines and vending machines. In their place would be foods like baked chips, trail mix, diet so-das, lower-calorie sports drinks and low-fat hamburgers.The rules, required under a child nutrition law passed by Congress in 2010, are part of the government’s effort to combat child-hood obesity. While many schools already have improved their lunch menus and vending machine choices, others still are selling high-fat, high-calorie foods.

Under the proposal, the Agriculture De-partment would set fat, calorie, sugar and sodium limits on almost all foods sold in schools. Current standards already regulate the nutritional content of school breakfasts and lunches that are subsidized by the fed-eral government, but most lunchrooms also have “a la carte” lines that sell other foods. Food sold through vending machines and in other ways outside the lunchroom has never before been federally regulated. The food industry has been onboard with many of the changes, and several companies worked with Congress on the child nutri-tion law two years ago. Major beverage companies have already agreed to take the most caloric sodas out of schools. But those same companies, including Coca-Cola and PepsiCo, also sell many of the non-soda options, like sports drinks, and have lob-bied to keep them in vending machines.

a neW PUsh For heaLthFUL FooDs in schooLs

Dr. Esther Bekritsky, Dr. Gershon Gluck, and the Staff of the

Monsey Family Medical Center Welcomes

Dr. Rafael Nunez to the

Department of Pediatrics


Heimish && Healthy Fitness Advice

By Shmuli Zema,ACSM-CPT

Today we are finally going to learn what it means to “count calories.” Below are the nutrition facts for my guilty pleasure: Macaroni & Cheese. On all food packages, you will find a label containing basic information on food components that could be beneficial or deleterious to your health such as total fat, saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, sodium, and even nutrients that we tend to lack such as vitamin C, calcium, iron, and dietary fiber. It’s imperative to note that nutrition fact labels follow a 2,000 calorie standard daily diet. For a sedentary individual this is an accurate number, but for a more active individual, a 2,000 calorie diet would not suffice, in which case one needs to consume more foods. The first step is to analyze the serving size of the food product. These sizes are generally listed in units such as cups or pieces and also include the weight of the serving size in grams. For macaroni & cheese, 1 serving size cup is 228 grams (see chart) and since there are 2 servings per container, there are 2 cups worth 456 grams in the entire package. Therefore, this box of macaroni and cheese contains 500 calories in total. Contrary to popular belief, the word “calories” is not a shunned anathema. We all need calories for our bodies to carry out activities of daily living. The real question is which type of calories to consume? By definition, the unit of measure for energy in a food is a “calorie,” and the total number of calories in 1 of 2 servings of this Macaroni and Cheese is 250. Because it is unhealthy for humans to chronically consume more than 30% of total calories from fat, the food label also indicates

the calories from fat from one serving of food. In our case, if 110 of 250 calories are derived from fat, 44% of this delicious Macaroni and Cheese is purely fat calories! This is far greater than our 30% limit, and although this should not immediately deter one from eating this product, one should consume less fatty foods during the rest of the day. After watching for calories and fat from calories, % daily value (DV) is the next precaution to take. It is crucial to note the following contrast: A DV of 100% represents the maximum limit for total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium. Typically, 5% DV or less is low and 20% or more is high in terms of fats (see chart). So when you reach for a bowl (1 serving of 228 grams) of macaroni & cheese, you’re eating 18% of your daily total fat (based on a 2,000 calorie diet), which is alright. But eating the whole package (2 servings of 456 grams) means you’re eating 36% your DV in fat, which is very high for a single food. In terms of blue nutrients listed on the label, you want these numbers to be high, at least a% DV of 20 or better. Unfortunately, there is no dietary fiber in macaroni & cheese, and with the exception of calcium, this food is very nutrient depleted. Also, an interesting trick to note is when fat from calories isn’t written on a label, you can determine this value by multiplying the total grams of fat in a serving (in our case 12g) by the number 9; e.g. 12x9=108, approximately 110 as aforementioned. Well, now that everyone is an expert at deciphering food labels, please snack healthily and happily!

Seniors saved over $6 billion on prescription drugs as a result of the health care law

As the third anniversary of the Affordable Care Act approaches, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced today more than 6.3 million people with Medicare saved over $6.1 billion on prescription drugs because of the health care law.

“By making prescription drugs more affordable, the Affordable Care Act is improving and promoting the best care for people with Medicare,” Secretary Sebelius said.

The Affordable Care Act makes Medicare prescription drug coverage (Part D) more affordable by gradually closing the gap in coverage where beneficiaries must pay the full cost of their prescriptions out of pocket. This gap is known as the donut hole.

People with Medicare in the donut hole now receive discounts when they purchase prescription drugs at a pharmacy or order them through the mail, until they reach the catastrophic coverage phase. The Affordable Care Act gave those who reached the donut hole in 2010 a one-time $250 check, then began phasing in discounts and coverage for brand-name and generic prescription drugs beginning in 2011. The law will provide additional savings each year until the coverage gap is closed in 2020.

In 2013, the health care law increases the discounts and savings to 52.5 percent of the cost of most brand name drugs and 21 percent of the cost of covered generic drugs.

Alfentanil (oral)Amiodarone

ApixabanAtorvastatin

BuspironeClopidogrel

CrizotinibCyclosporine

DarifenacinDasatinib

DextromethorphanDomperidoneDronedarone

EplerenoneErlotinib

ErythromycinEverolimusEverolimusFelodipine

Fentanyl (oral)FesoterodineHalofantrine

Ketamine (oral)Lapatinib

LovastatinLurasidone

MaravirocNifedipine

NilotinibOxycodonePazopanib

PimozidePrimaquineQuetiapine

QuinidineQuinine

RilpivirineRivaroxaban

SilodosinSimvastatin

SirolimusSolifenacin

SunitinibTacrolimusTamsulosin

TicagrelorTriazolam

VandetanibVenurafenibZiprasidone

Drugs, grapefruit clashGrapefruit eaten in ordinary amounts can interact harmfully with some common prescription drugs, a new study found.

It blocks an enzyme

Science Matters

© 2012 MCT

Source: David Bailey of Lawson Health Research Institute (London, Ontario), Canadian Medical Association Journal Graphic: Helen Lee McComas

*Grapefruit has less serious interactions with 42 additional drugs

2 Grapefruit contains furanocoumarins, which deactivate CYP3A4

3 Eating a few servings of grapefruit while taking certain drugs causes the same effect as taking multiple doses of the drug

1 A liver enzyme, CYP3A4, normally inactivates about half of all drugs that enter the body

Standard drug dosages take account of this effect

Drugs most affected*

CYP3A4

Drug

Weakened drug

Furanocoumarin

Tuesday, April 9th 8:30pm – 9:45pm

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Smith was once the head of the State Senate's Democrats but joined an in-dependent group of Democrats that al-lowed Republicans to take control. Last summer, he was mentioned as a mayoral hopeful to run on the Republican ticket. Smith would have needed considerable help from the majority of the boroughs to win the party line. Halloran is accused of arranging the bribes [to help Smith], which were to be hidden in consultant contracts. The NY Post was outside Smith's home when he was arrested, they claim he didn't say anything—but outside Halloran's place, the cuffed Councilman said, "I have no idea" why he was arrested, declaring, "I’m sure the truth will come out once I have an opportunity to find out what’s go-ing on."Much more closer to home in Rockland both the Mayor and Trustee, Deputy Mayor Desmaret where held on 250,00 bail. Desmaret who also works at the Town of Ramapo has been suspended from his job as a data technician for the Ramapo As-sessor’s Office.The Rockland County corruption charg-es, according to federal court papers, involved bribery in connection with a real estate project in Spring Valley. The complaint alleges Spring Valley Mayor Noramie Jasmin and Deputy Mayor Jo-seph Desmaret approved a property sale in the village at the request of an under-cover agent and the cooperating witness. Desmaret allegedly accepted more than $10,000 in cash in exchange for his fa-vorable vote on the sale and Jasmin alleg-edly demanded part-ownership.The Spring Valley community is shocked by the scandal. Spring Valley Trustee Anthony Leon says he had no idea this investigation had been going on for more than a year. "Mayor is in jeopardy and the deputy mayor is in jeopardy right now," said Leon. Leon, who hopes to win in the Mayoral seat in November said the two should resign from office. Mayoral Candidate for the Village Daniel Fried-man said in reaction to the allegations, “Like many Spring Valley residents, I am deeply disturbed by the federal charges

against the mayor. The public deserves a government that will never abuse its trust. I will continue to fight for a more honest and open government that places the in-terests of residents above all else.”Senator David Carlucci said, “Like many New Yorkers, I am shocked and outraged over thealleged misconduct undertaken by various public officials at the state, city, and local government. This conduct is reprehensible in its entirety, and public corruption in any form cannot be toler-ated at any layer of government.”District Attorney Zugibe released the fol-lowing statement Wednesday to clear up any confusion as to who the ‘NY Senator' involved in this probe was. It read as follows; {As made eminently clear by United States Attorney Preet Bharara and con-firmed by my office, Senator Carlucci was not involved in any wrongdoing whatsoever. Unfortunately, as a result of a reference in the Federal corrup-tion indictment of six public officials and public figures, questions have been raised about the potential involvement of Senator Carlucci. When approached by the undercover FBI agent, Senator Carlucci acted appropriately, and in a manner one would expect from an elect-ed official carrying out his or her sworn duties. During the course of this investi-gation, Senator Carlucci was clearly act-ing in the best interest of the public and the people he serves.}

Assemblyman Ken Zebrowski said learn-ing about the accusations was disappoint-ing to say the least. “There’s no place in government for this type of behavior,” he said. “There’s no place in it for personal advantage or personal gain."

"The two men sat in the state senator’s parked car in suburban Rockland Coun-ty, but New York City was at the front of their minds and the focus of their con-versation."- -Reads the first line of the New York Times, regarding the scandal that shook NYC, Albany and seeming-ly centered around the small village of Spring Valley.

Federal prosecutors said that more than $100,000 in bribes changed hands in three schemes tied to the proposed Spring Valley Community Center and 2 Hold-ings LLC, the company incorporated last year to build the center.The company was actually a front for in-vestigators, its principals consisting of an FBI agent and an informant working for the FBI and the Rockland County District Attorney’s Office. The cooperative wit-ness is seeking a more lenient sentence on federal charges.FBI New York Assistant Director in Charge George Venizelos made the fol-lowing comments on the arrests. “Elected officials are called public servants be-cause they are supposed to serve the peo-ple. Public service is not supposed to be a shortcut to self-enrichment. People in New York, in Spring Valley—in any city or town in this country—rightly expect their elected or appointed representatives to hold themselves to a higher standard. At the very least, public officials should obey the law. As alleged, these defen-dants did not obey the law; they broke the law and the public trust. There is a price to pay for that kind of betrayal” The phony developers are said to have agreed to bribe New York City Repub-lican leaders to back Smith’s run for mayor, paid off New York City Coun-cilman Daniel Halloran in exchange for $80,000 in city funds, and bribed Jasmin and Desmaret to gain their support for the community center. Smith offered the de-velopers $500,000 in state road construc-tion funds for the Spring Valley project, according to the 28-page complaint un-sealed Tuesday.Venizelos said Jasmin didn’t know she was dealing with FBI agents. She knew, through her private meetings, that the three contractors for the project had worked together in some way. Venizelos said Jasmin and Desmaret were acting in-dependent of one another, but they sold their votes and influenced the other board members.She suggested the witness use the name of one of her relatives on the limited li-ability company to hide her involvementDistrict Attorney Zugibe, said the “whole community center idea was fictitious.”Zugibe said the FBI came up with the idea of undercover agents and a cooper-ating witness financing the center dur-ing the investigation, which came during a time of major construction of housing and storefronts as part of an urban renew-al project across the village’s downtown.The Spring Valley investigation began with a real estate deal not involving vil-lage officials, the DA said. The FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office were brought in later when the conspiracy moved south and beyond Rockland.The cooperating witness lives in Rock-land, Zugibe said. He’s pleaded guilty to federal charges and agreed to work with the agents in hopes of a lenient sentence, the federal complaint says.George Venizelos, the assistant director of the FBI’s New York office, said during

the news conference that Jasmin conned fellow trustees, who were unaware that she had a financial stake in the sale, into voting for a favored developer.“Today’s (Tuesday’s) charges demon-strate, once again, that a show-me-the-money culture seems to pervade every level of New York government. The com-plaint describes an unappetizing smor-gasbord of graft and greed involving six officials who together built a corridor of corruption stretching from Queens and the Bronx to Rockland County and all the way up to Albany itself, " US Attorney Preet Bharara said in a statement."We will continue pursuing and punish-ing every corrupt official we find, but the public corruption crisis in New York is more than a prosecutor’s problem.”Bharara showed reporters a chart, illus-trating the co-conspirators and their ties to Smith, who allegedly tried to "bribe his way to City Hall.""The culture has to change," Bharara added, blasting the "lack of transparency" and "lack of self-policing."Sen. Smith and Halloran, if convicted, could be looking at up to 45 years in prison. Tabone and Savino are facing 25 years each. the Spring Valley mayor and trustee are looking at a possible prison sentence of 20 years.On April 2, 2013, the Clarkstown Town Board held a special Town Board meet-ing to discuss the continued retention of the Law Office of Joseph J. Savino to rep-resent the Town in tax certiorari matters, in light of the recent charges filed against Mr. Savino. After a brief executive session, the Town Board unanimously voted to terminate the contract, effective immediately. The Town Board expressed that the firm would not be able to fulfill its contractual obligation to the Town under the present circumstances. For the time being, the Town Attorney’s Office will cover pending court appear-ances while replacement counsel is sought. In a press conference which lasted a few minutes,Wednesday, Mayor Noramie Jasmin announced, "We will vigorously defend against those charges to restore my good name"Rockland GOP Chairman Vincent Reda said he’s surprised about the charges against Savino and the other Republicans“I am very, very shocked,” Reda said. “It’s never good when any politician gets arrested, whether it’s a Democrat or Re-publican. New York State Republican Chairman Ed Cox Tuesday said in a statement, "The arrest of elected and party officials this (Tuesday) morning is deeply concerning. I urge federal and state law enforcement officials to do their jobs as thoroughly and expeditiously as possible to determine the guilt or innocence of those accused."The integrity of the electoral process for the voters of New York City must be pre-served," Cox concluded.

Until the police took this sign down as evidence in the case against Spring Valley Mayor Jasmine, there hung a 20 foot banner on the above frame. The sign, which is just at the entrance to Spring Valley Village Hall was a colorful represen-

tation of plans for a community center built into the core of the fictitious scheme.

spring village politicians arrested CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

phot

o: A

aron

Moe

ller


HEALTH NEWS

© 2012 MCTSource: Johns Hopkins Thyroid Tumor Center, American Thyroid Association

Thyroid cancerThyroid cancer is a treatable disease that affectsa butterfly-shaped gland that is part of the endocrine system.

Thyroid glandMakes thyroid

hormones,which control metabolism,

other body functions

Windpipe (trachea)

Main typesand occurrence • PapillaryMost common (70-80%)and treatable• Follicular (10-15%)• Medullary (5-10%)• Anaplasticthyroid carcinoma(less than 5%)Least common,most deadly

Tumor

Treatment optionsSurgery to remove partor all of thyroid gland; often followed by radioactive iodine; external radiation, chemotherapy in severe casesAfter surgery, patient must take thyroid hormone replacement for entire life

DiagnosisThyroid nodule (swelling)may be felt in neck; needle biopsy, ultrasound to determine if it is cancerous; surgery may be only definitive diagnosis Only about 5% of thyroid nodules are cancerous

• Typically no symptoms;tumor may inhibit breathing, swallowing• Prognosis best for those younger than age 40

hhs Finalizes rule guaranteeing 100 percent

Funding For new Medicaid beneFiciaries

Health and Human Servic-es (HHS) Secretary Kath-leen Sebelius announced a final rule with a request for comments that pro-

vides, effective January 1, 2014, the federal government will pay 100 percent of the cost of certain newly eligible adult Medicaid beneficia-ries. These payments will be in ef-fect through 2016, phasing down to a permanent 90 percent matching rate by 2020. The Affordable Care Act authorizes states to expand Medicaid to adult Americans under age 65 with income of up to 133

percent of the federal poverty level (approximately $15,000 for a single adult in 2012) and provides unprec-edented federal funding for these states.

“This is a great deal for states and great news for Americans,” HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said. “Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, more Americans will have access to health coverage and the federal government will cover a vast major-ity of the cost. Treating people who don’t have insurance coverage rais-es health care costs for hospitals, people with insurance, and state budgets.”

Today’s (Wednesday) final rule provides important information to states that expand Medicaid. It describes the simple and accurate method states will use to claim the matching rate that is available for Medicaid expenditures of individu-als with incomes up to 133 percent of poverty and who are defined as

“newly eligible” and are enrolled in the new eligibility group. The system is set up to make eligibility determinations as simple and accu-rate as possible for state programs.

Under the Affordable Care Act, states that cover the new adult group in Medicaid will have 100 percent of the costs of newly eli-gible Americans paid for by the federal government in 2014, 2015, and 2016. The federal government’s contribution is then phased-down gradually to 90 percent by 2020, and remains there permanently.

For states that had coverage expan-sions in effect prior to enactment of the Affordable Care Act, the rule also provides information about the availability of an increased FMAP for certain adults who are not newly eligible.

The rule builds on several years of work that HHS has done to support and provide flexibility to states’ Medicaid programs ahead of the 2014 expansion, including:

•90 percent matching rate for states to improve eligibility and enroll-ment systems;

•More resources and flexibility for states to test innovative ways of de-livering care through Medicaid;

•More collaboration with states on audits that track down fraud; and

•Specifically outlining ways states can make Medicaid improvements without going through a waiver process.


RCDC HOUSING DEPARTMENTThe following information is provided to the community by the RCDC Housing Department as a public service

FORECLOSURE COUNSELING

RCDC Housing, Inc.would like to help you...

We have a certified foreclosure counselor on staffwho can assist you

Call us for more information

(845) 352-1400 ext. 3243

Neighbor Fund Please note: If you have a turn off notice from Orange and Rockland you can contact RCDC Housing for help signing up for the Neighbor Fund for some monetary assistance.call 845-352-1400 ext 3240.

governor cuoMo announces housing eXtension For sandy

victiMsTransitional Sheltering Assistance Program Extended in NY for an Additional 14 DaysGovernor Andrew M. Cuomo announced that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), at the request of the State of New York, has approved a 14-day extension to the Transitional Sheltering Assistance (TSA) program, which allows eligible survivors from Superstorm Sandy who cannot return to their homes to stay in participating hotels or mo-tels.The new checkout date for those in the TSA program is April 14, 2013. FEMA will call ap-plicants eligible for the extension to notify them of the new checout date.“The Transitional Sheltering Assistance pro-

gram continues to be an essential resource for the New Yorkers who were hit hardest by Sandy,” Governor Cuomo said. “This exten-sion allows them to have a temporary place to stay and more time to get their lives back to normal.This is a short-term program that places fami-lies in hotels while they work toward a longer-term housing plan. To be eligible for TSA, survivors must first apply for federal assistance through FEMA by:·Registering online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov; ·Registering via smartphone or tablet by us-ing the FEMA app or going to m.fema.gov; or·Registering by calling 800-621-FEMA (3362) (TTY 800-462-7585).

Your home is one of the major contribu-tors to where your money is spent monthly. In order to save money, home

energy efficiency is crucial and it isn’t hard to learn. From the extra lamp that you leave on in the bedroom to the 20 minute shower each of your family members take, it’s time to start becoming more efficient. Here are 10 home energy efficient tips that will help your family and your wallet.

1.) Take shorter baths and showers: The amount of water a person wastes in the bathroom is the largest contributor of water consumption on your water bill. Fill the tub with less water and don’t want wait until it’s hot before you put the tub stopper in! Reduce your showering time by 40-50% to see marked difference in your water bill. Have all family members do this daily.

2.) Set lawn irrigation timers to shorter time: When watering your lawn conserve water by shortening the time for each zone of your yard. Instead of only relying on your irrigation timer, look at the weather and turn off the sprinkler when it has rained or it is anticipated. Water lawns in the early morning or late afternoon to reduce water evaporation throughout the day.

3.) Turn off extra lights: Every time you leave a room, turn off the light, it is that simple. The reality is, you can only be in one room at a time, so why light the entire house?

4.) Wash your car less often: If you wash your car at your home, try and use less water to wash your car, and wash it less often. Consider paying a car wash facil-ity to wash your car. Most facilities will have water saving features in their equip-ment and in turn may save you time and energy washing your own car.

5.) Install a tankless water heater: Tankless water heaters only heat water when it is turned on, and will stop when the water is turned off. Therefore, a large pool of water isn’t sitting to be heated and you will never ‘run out’. Tankless water heaters are more expensive than traditional tank water heaters but the long term investment is worth it.

6.) Install energy efficient appliances: Throughout your home appliances con-sume a large amount of electricity to run them. Consider switching out older models with energy efficient models. Visit appliance stores for discounts on floor models and discontinued models. This will help save you money and get your home new appliances that will save energy.

7.) Turn off computers and electronics daily: Do you leave your laptop and com-puter always on? Believe it or not they consume a large amount of energy, espe-cially older laptops batteries that are not as earth friendly as newer models. Turn them off daily to conserve electricity and to extend the life of your laptop battery.

8.) Turn off ceiling fans: Similarly to lights, we tend to leave ceiling fans on con-tinuously when we aren’t in the room. Ceiling fans that are left on for hours on end can consume wasted energy. In the winter months reverse the fan to pull warm air from the ceiling and do the opposite in the summer. This will help you leave your thermostat alone too!

9.) Colder climates – install radiant heat flooring: If your climate is predominantly cold the majority of the year, radiant heat flooring can keep your heating bill down. Flooring has radiant heat cables installed over the concrete floor and under your finish resilient floor. This can save on your energy bill and keep your home warm.

10.) Sunny climates – consider solar panels: If you live in a warm climate that receives sunny conditions the better part of the year, installing solar panels is a good idea. Solar panels convert the sun rays into energy and can be used in numerous applications in your home. From heating the water your home uses to powering electricity. Solar panels will help you harness the suns energy for the better!

save money-save energy

Is your home drafty?Is it cold in your home during the winter?

Are your heating bills high?If you answered YES to any of these questions

then give us a call to find out if you are eligible for theNew York StateWEATHERIZATION Program

Weatherization is a New York State funded program open to income eligible homeownersand renters. If eligible, you would receive a home energy audit to determine how yourhome’s efficiency could be improved. We replace windows and doors, insulate attics andwalls (all determined at your audit) as well as do overall measures to better airseal yourhome. Weatherization works! Call today for an application.

RCDC Housing, Inc. at 845-352-1400 ext. 3240


news from the AssemblyassembLymember eLLen JaFFee: FooD, Farm anD nUtrition Programs in state bUDgetFunding for agriculture programs restored; new programs added. Budget preserves separate funding to fight hunger and prevent childhood obesity and diabetes.(Albany) - Assemblymember Ellen Jaffee (D-Rockland), Chair of the Assembly's Task Force on Food, Farm and Nutrition Policy

announced that the Assembly successfully restored or increased funding for agriculture in the recently passed state budget and fought to maintain individual nutrition programs that were threatened.Jaffee stated, “This week we will pass a bud-get that supports our most vulnerable citi-

zens, children, struggling working families and seniors. For food and nutrition programs the final budget will provide individual pro-gram funding for health and nutrition pro-grams that were proposed to be lumped to-gether and cut. The nutrition programs, such as WIC for families with young children and emergency food for those without enough re-

sources to make it through the month, faced unknown funding cuts in the Governor’s proposal. Programs that prevent nutrition-re-lated problems such as diabetes and obesity, which help reduce spending on hospital and doctor visits, were also threatened. The Leg-islature was able to keep any spending reduc-tions to a minimum and even add funds for food banks. And we helped our state’s farm-ers by continuing the modest programs that help them through tough times and restoring funding for programs to help them provide us with locally-grown food.”The 2013-14 State budget increased fund-ing for school meals and eating disorder programs and maintained level funding for nutrition outreach activities, senior meals for frail elderly, and summer meals for school children. The State budget includes over $113 million in State dollars for food as-sistance and close to $8 million for fighting nutrition-related health problems such as obesity and diabetes.The legislature added about $4 million in new and restored funding for agriculture to the Governor’s proposed budget, including: funds for the apple industry devastated by last year’s weather; research monies to im-prove farm viability and fight plant diseases; and support for preserving farms threatened by development.“Although I am pleased at the budget in-creases for food and agriculture programs, I know we need to do more, especially for families who rely on assistance to help their children reach their full potential. The As-sembly’s budget plan would have fully re-stored cuts to human and health services and provided a better minimum wage. We will continue to advocate for more resources to assist our neighbors in need as well as farm-ers, businesses and consumers who rely on a vibrant local food economy,” said Jaffee.

Source: March of Dimes, Purdue University, MCT Photo Service

© 2012 MCT

Pregnant women can eat up to 12 oz. (340 g) of these fish per week; omega-3Õs in 3.5 oz. (100 g) of cooked fish

Omega-3 count

Brain food for babiesEating fish that is high in omega-3 fatty acids and low in mercury while pregnant helps support the babyÕs brain and eye development.

Healthy Living

Atlantic herring

Freshwater trout

Atlantic salmon (farmed)

Sardines (canned)

1.7

2.0

1.4 g

1.9

Windmills warm nightsA new study found that wind turbine farms may disrupt overnight cooling patterns, keeping the ground slightly warmer.

Source: Liming Zhou of State University of New York/Albany, MCT Photo Service Graphic: Helen Lee McComas © 2012 MCT

Science Matters

1 Sun warms ground

4 Each night, ground radiates energy upward

2 Ground warms low-lying air

3 Warm air rises 5 Low-lying,

then higher air cools

How radiative cooling worksPattern explains why each dayÕs high temperature usually occurs in early afternoon

Apparent effect of wind turbinesStudy found that ground around turbines warmed 0.7 degrees C between 2003 and 2011

Turbulence from turbines apparently pulls warmer air downward at night

Cooling is strongest on cloudless nightsCooling is strongest on cloudless nights

Study’s limitsResearchers examined just one region in TexasGeneral warming of EarthÕs climate 2003-11 was larger


New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and leg-islative leaders announced a “concep-tual” agreement on a state budget last week.Budget legislation was still being printed this morning, setting up votes over the weekend.Here are a few important highlights for business, though even these are still in-complete as of now:New York’s minimum wage would grow 25 percent over three years, rising from the present $7.25 an hour to top out at $9 as of the start of 2016. Cuomo and legisla-tors have not agreed whether the base wage for tipped workers, such as waiters, will also increase.

The budget will extend, for at least three more years, higher tax rates for million-aires, impacting 32,000 tax returns. This is a development that caught business lobbies by surprise.The budget will include tax credits and tax breaks for businesses valued at $300 million a year—when fully put in place. It appears that will not occur until three or four years from now.For one more year, the budget keeps alive higher taxes on utilities, which are passed on to consumers, adding $500 million to their bills each year. The tax would then gradually go away starting in 2014, even though it was supposed to be totally gone by that point.

bloomberg's cigarette Display ban Plan gets big step Forward

New York, NY - A proposal to keep ciga-rettes hidden away in New York City stores is starting its way through the City Council.The plan was officially introduced in the council Wednesday after Mayor Michael Bloomberg unveiled it Monday. The intro-duction is a brief procedural step without discussion. It's not clear how soon there might be a hearing.Stores would have to keep tobacco prod-ucts in cabinets or drawers, under the coun-ter or otherwise concealed.

Anti-smoking advocates and health experts say the proposed ban on displaying ciga-rettes would keep them out of sight and out of mind for teenagers and smokers who are trying to quit. Tobacco companies, conve-nience store owners and some smokers call it overreaching.The council also introduced a proposal to stop shops from taking cigarette coupons or giving discounts.

cuomo Defends changes to recently Passed gun Law

Gov. Andrew Cuomo said last Wednesday the state is not rolling back the nation’s most stringent gun control measure by keeping 10-bullet magazines legal, even though they would have been outlawed in a bill that passed earlier this year.Cuomo and legislative leaders in state bud-get talks plan to change the law that was passed in January before a provision kicks in banning the sale of 10-bullet magazines. The gun measure outlaws the purchase of any magazines that carry more than seven

bullets, the nation’s most stringent limit. That would have put a severe limit on the sale of guns with industry standard 10-bul-let magazines when the provision of the law will go into effect on April 15.“There is no such thing as a seven-bullet magazine. That doesn’t exist, so you really have no practical option,” Cuomo said. He told reporters that any suggestion this will be a rollback of the law is “wholly without basis.”

new yorkers must register again for school tax break after rockland abuse

New Yorkers receiving the STAR property tax rebate will have to reregister for the lo-cal school tax breaks because of reports of widespread abuse and fraud.The law concerning the $3 billion New York State School Tax Relief program is part of

the state budget bills now being passed in Albany.Homeowners will have a year to reapply for the program, with a deadline of April 1, 2014.

ny budget deal coMpleteMiniMuM wagE TO inCREasE TO $9

Weedwacked: the Politics of Pot

an op-ed by ryan KarbenAt the time of this writing 51% of the state's voters back full legalization of marijuana. Approval numbers for "medical marijuana" are even higher.But unlike gun control where law-makers acted decisively on issues that normally give risk-averse legislators heartburn-- the apparent consensus across party, geography and race for more liberal drug laws is stuck in Al-bany's legislative rut. The Republican Leader of the State Senate is worried that looser pot laws could turn New Yorkers into green goblins, with "10 joints in each ear." The Assembly approved medical mar-ijuana last year for the third time 90 to 50; a clear but not overwhelming majority. The Governor, Andrew M. Cuomo, who championed reform of the man-datory minimum sentences in the state's notorious and racist Rockefeller Drug Laws, has been noticeably cool to legal weed, even by doctor's pre-scription. He has passionately cham-pioned drug sentencing reform.So, no pending plans for a Joint Con-ference Committee on pot reform.It's not for lack of trying. The Mari-juana Policy Project keeps it New York advocacy page up-to-date. The Drug Policy Alliance, instrumental in the Rockefeller Drug Law Reform battle, spent $135,000 on lobbying by two prominent firms-- in 2012 alone. Out-of-state companies are lobbying too.And yet, while Colorado and Wash-ington voters authorized taxed and regulated weed in separate referenda this past November-- and New Jer-sey's conservative sensation Chris Christie signed a medical marijuana bill in 2010-- New York remains no place for The Dude.New York's "med mar" discussion has been sidelined by the debate over the New York City Police Department's controversial "stop and frisk" policy which arrests thousands of black men when they produce small bags of weed in response to police orders to empty their pockets. Concealed marijuana, a non-criminal violation that would never have been charged because the cops did not know the weed was there, becomes pot in public view-- a mis-demeanor. Arrests and confinement follow-- before most criminal charges are tossed.Blacks are 8 times more likely than whites to be arrested for weed, even though statistics irrefutably demon-strate more whites are toking than blacks. "Stop and frisk" has been rightly tagged as a flawed, racist pol-icy (90% of those stopped are black). It's also the reason drug law reform is stalled.The racial argument for drug law re-form worked once. George Pataki, seeking to a cast a more moderate im-age and open the GOP tent, ultimately embraced sentencing reform designed to end racial disparity in drug sentenc-

es under the Rockefeller Laws. An-drew Cuomo teamed up with Russell Simmons to press the cause. Rockefeller reform was a chief legis-lative priority of the State Legislature's Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic and Asian Caucus. The State's District At-torneys Association, which resisted re-form, was a lonely opponent (causing grief for Nassau DA Kathleen Rice in her unsuccessful 2010 Attorney Gen-eral campaign). Rockefeller reform passed (twice), but its primary impact was on those who had already been in-carcerated for a long time for old drug offenses.The controversy over "stop and frisk" implicates the current conduct of thou-sands of beat cops who work the city's streets but live in the politically influ-ential suburbs. To them (and louder voices like Mayor Bloomberg and Police Commissioner Kelly), New York's legislative debate over mari-juana has ceased to be about compas-sionate care or the discredited war on weed-- it's become a referendum on cop conduct and safe streets. So while 72% of voters 18-34 believe public puffing should just be a viola-tion, and Republican voters agree 50% to 47%-- that question is getting asked in a vacuum. In Albany, it's become a cops vs. robbers contrast. That can be immensely frustrating to medical marijuana champions like As-sembly Health Committee Chairman Dick Gottfried and Senator Diane Sa-vino. They know the effective argu-ments for liberal pot laws suggest reg-ulated marijuana as tool to fight crime, not encourage it. As this television ad for Colorado's winning Proposition 64 asked voters, do you want revenue from marijuana sales to build schools or go into the "pockets of criminals"?In early March, New York budget negotiators floated a compromise proposal that would lower pot penal-ties in New York City-only. The pro-posal was criminal justice politics, not thoughtful policy. There is no distin-guishable public health or safety jus-tification for regulating the same half ounce of pot differently in Brooklyn than in Batavia. The "compromise" was a response to "stop and frisk" that glossed over the actual public consensus-- most New Yorkers just don't think adults getting buzzed on a little pot is a big deal. And they definitely have ideas about how their communities could spent the estimated millions in new revenue regulated reefer would generate.New York City's "stop and frisk" pol-icy must end because it is discrimina-tory and intrusive whether the person stopped is stoned or stone cold sober. And the state's marijuana policies should change as a reflection of a so-cial consensus that includes the Gold-en Ganga Girls profiled by the Times.But mixing the politics of law enforce-ment and race with the healthcare and social policy arguments of (medical) marijuana is a bad trip for drug policy reform in Albany.


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for the two killers.The two men attacked and killed sixteen-year-old Paula Bohovesky of Rockland County on October 28, 1980. Evidence led to their arrest shortly thereafter and both were charged with the murder. At trial, both men denied guilt, pointing the finger at each other. In June of 1981 both were found guilty of second-degree mur-der and sentenced to prison terms of 25 years to life.Both men first became eligible for parole in October of 2005 and were denied re-lease, but continue to be eligible for pa-role every two years. Both were denied parole at subsequent hearings in 2007, 2009 and 2011. In all instances, commu-nity leaders and residents rallied to sign petitions and write letters in opposition to parole. “I think it is important that residents everywhere support the greater Rock-

land County community, and speak out to ensure that these vicious criminals never see the light of day,” said Legisla-tor Schoenberger. He has urged residents to write directly to the NYS Division of Parole at 97 Central Avenue, Albany, NY 12206.When writing to oppose parole for these individuals, it is important to reference their names and state identification num-bers. They are Richard LaBarbera, NYSID#32268395H: DIN#81A2806, and Robert McCain, NYSID#4638442M: DIN#81B1327.

“We must all make our voices heard and stand for justice in this incredible trag-edy,” added Legislator Soskin.

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ramapo press release

news From the supervisor town of ramapo Date: april 4, 2013 Christopher P. St. Lawrence town Board supervisor yitzchok ullman Daniel Friedman Patrick J. Withers Brendel logan-charles Deputy supervisor & councilman

Supervisor Christopher P. St. Lawrence Announces therapeutic riding program will start on april 7th

program services children & adults with special needs

Suffern, N.Y. – Town of Ramapo Supervisor Christopher P. St. Lawrence announced today that the Town of Ramapo Equestrian Center will once again play host to the Full circle therapeutic riding program, every Sunday from 8:30 AM to 3:00 PM. Under the leadership of Lynn Kuropatkin, equine activities are used to develop increased levels of self-confidence, improved physical strength, balance, mobility, self-coordination, concentration and verbal skills. The mission of the program is to improve the quality of life for children and adults with special needs, through innovative equine actitivities and therapies. “I urge residents to stop by the Equestrian Center and see this inspirational program, which greatly improves participants’ confidence, mobility and self-esteem” said Supervisor St. Lawrence. The Ramapo Equestrian Center is located at 1152 Route 202, Suffern, N.Y. For further information on the program, call Lynn Kuropatkin (914) 261-6989. *************************************************************************

(Ramapo Media Contact: Phil Tisi (845) 357-5100 ext. 201)


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Documents

Advocate News, Spring Valley and NY State Corruption news