TIMELINES 10/26/17

Rockland County is preparing to conduct a count of local farmland that could potentially be included in a yet-to-be-created Agricultural District. For several years, the Rockland Farm Alliance, a non-profit dedicated to preserving farmland, has advocated for creating such a district. Rockland is one of the few counties in New York without an agricultural district – of the 62 counties in New York, 53 have agricultural districts.

Rockland has gone from more than 17,000 acres of farmland in the 1950s to less than 520 currently, which has made locally grown food harder to come by. Land owners with properties associated with agricultural activities have already been contacted about the count, according to McDowell. About 30 properties across 500 acres were asked to participate, he said. On October 26, the Rockland County Agricultural and Farmland Protection Board will hold a meeting for the public to learn more about agricultural districts.

Vincent Gubello died peacefully on Saturday, Oct. 14 at his home in Congers at the age of 43. Gubello graduated from Clarkstown North High School, where he was a standout third baseman. He went on to become a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) in Hyde Park. He is survived by his mother, Annamarie Ninivaggi, his stepfather John Ninivaggi and his sister, Winter Rose Ninivaggi. The Wanamaker & Carlough Funeral Home – 177 Route 59 in Suffern – will hold a visitation on Friday, October 20 from 5 pm to 9 pm.

Isiah Styles, 27, of Yonkers was tracked down by police and was charged with public lewdness, obstructing governmental administration and resisting arrest. A woman called the police on Wednesday to report that a naked man was performing lewd acts even after realizing she had seen him.

Police responded to the area near Neperan Road and Sunnyside Avenue. The woman informed police that the man had fled on foot down the fitness trail and into the wooded area. Officers searched the area but were unable to locate him. Styles was arrested after officers managed to track him to a home in Valley Cottage where they found him hiding in the ceiling. He is being held pending arraignment in the Village of Tarrytown Justice Court.

Clarkstown Police are looking to crackdown on complaints of drag racing in an area around Nanuet. According to Officer Peter Walker, the problem lies at a local shopping center near Route 59 where care enthusiasts in the area have met for about 20 years. These gatherings are in no way illegal; however, some of these individuals have been known to head for the highways late at night for a short race at high speeds.

The groups often video the races and post them on YouTube or to share with each other. Unless the owner of the shopping center complains, the police cannot act because the individuals are allowed to be there. The department has added extra patrols to monitor the roadways for races, but the best way to stop the problem is for any driver who sees drag racing to notify authorities.

Christopher Holland who is the chef at D’Vine Kitchen and Bar in Sparkill, appeared on “Chopped: Alton’s Challenge” on Tuesday, Oct. 24. Appearing on “Chopped,” was something Holland, a Fort Lee native, always wanted. He sent in his application many times before producers finally gave him a call. Holland told the North Rockland Daily Voice that Alton Brown is his idol.

Although it was nerve-wracking, it was one of the best experiences of his life. Holland said he aims to make D’Vine one of the best restaurants in the area, stating that the restaurant offers “fun flavor combos that you won’t get anywhere else.” On “Chopped,” four chefs attempt to make meals through three rounds of elimination out of unusual combinations of ingredients in a short amount of time. Dishes in each round are evaluated by three judges, with one contestant being eliminated each round until an eventual winner is declared.

President Trump said he would allow the release of confidential files related to the assassination of former President John F. Kennedy. Thousands of documents related to the assassination are already set to be released by the National Archives in compliance with the President John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act of 1992, which states that the federal government must release them by Oct. 26, 2017. Some Trump administration officials were concerned that some of the documents created in the 1990s contain information on recent U.S. intelligence programs. White House spokeswoman Lindsay Walters told Politico that the White House is aiming “to ensure that the maximum amount of data can be released to the public” under the act.

Governor Andrew Cuomo signed the Elephant Protection Act on October 19 prohibiting the use of elephants in entertainment acts, including circuses, carnivals, parades or trade shows. A civil penalty of up to $1,000 can be assessed per act that violates the law. Cuomo stated that the use of elephants in these settings is dangerous to the animal’s health and could potentially be abusive.

The legislation was signed in an effort to combat animal cruelty. Elephants used for entertainment purposes often suffer physical and psychological harm due to the living conditions and treatment to which they are subjected, resulting in increased mortality with life spans only one-half as long as wild elephants. The legislation was advocated for by students, staff and faculty of the Pace University Environmental Clinic.