TIMELINES 11/8/18

Deadly Car Accident on Palisades Pkwy

A Spring Valley woman was killed in a car accident on Thursday Nov. 1 after her husband’s car hit a deer and rolled over. Miriam Kofi, 50, was pronounced dead at Nyack Hospital after the accident near Exit 10 on the Palisades Parkway. The couple was driving down the Palisades Parkway when a deer entered the parkway and the Nissan Altima veered left onto the median where it overturned into the woods. According to police Kofi was unconscious when state troopers arrived. 

Police Chief’s Brother Resigns

A Clarkstown cop who has been out on disability for almost 10 years has retired after Orangetown police charged him with drunken driving last month. James McCullagh is also the Clarkstown police chief’s brother. He resigned after more than 20 years as an officer and after being paid tax-free with benefits since August 2008. In 2008 he claims he injured his back when assaulted by a resident trying to commit suicide. In 2015 he was ordered to work on restricted duty by then-Police Chief Michael Sullivan, but his refusal led to the town holding a civil service hearing on his disability retirement. McCullagh was paid more than $150,000 a year and faces a misdemeanor charge of driving while intoxicated. 

Stony Pt. PD says Razor Blade Found in Halloween Twix 

On Halloween a North Rockland trick-or-treater told police they received a piece of candy with a razor blade inside it. The Stony Point Police said someone found a mini Twix bar with a blade but are unsure if the candy came from a store, or from trick-or-treating. Police said the investigation is ongoing and the candy could have come from the following streets in Stony Point: Walter Drive, Miller Drive, Cross street, Heights Road, Ethan Allen Drive, Franklin Road and Van Buren Street. 

New Monitor for East Ramapo

East Ramapo has a new monitor to focus on restoring full-day kindergarten, strengthening financial management practices, hiring a new director of special education and English language learning according to LoHud. The new monitor, Denise Lowe, a veteran school administrator who replaces one of the original state monitoring team members, John Sipple, will report into State Education Commissioner MaryEllen Elia. Lowe recently served as assistant superintendent of the Central Islip school district in Suffolk County for five years before taking on this new role. In 2015 the Education Department first appointed a three-person team to monitor the district’s operations and finances. 

Spring Valley Man Arrested in 

Drunk Driving Accident 

After a drunk driving incident in Wesley Hills, a Spring Valley man has been charged with felony drunk driving. The driver lost control of the car and struck a guardrail on Grandview Avenue. Police located the car about 6:20 a.m. and he was arraigned in Sloatsburg Village Court. 

Carton Found Guilty 

Craig Carton, former WFAN radio host who co-hosted alongside ex-NFL quarterback Boomer Esiason, was convicted of fraud on Wednesday Nov. 7. Sentencing will take place on Feb. 27 for charges of conspiracy, wire fraud and securities fraud. These types of charges combined carry a possible 45 years in prison, but Carton’s sentence will likely be way less. Carton, 49, a New Rochelle native, was accused of swindling investors in a ticket reselling business. The jury came back after five hours of deliberation. Carton’s lawyers argued he was victimized by his former business partner Joseph Meli who was sentenced to six and a half years in prison after pleading guilty to fraud. 

New York Records Highest Midterm Voter Turnout since 1994 

Almost half of all registered voters in New York cast their ballots on Tuesday Nov. 6, marking the highest turnout for a midterm election in more than 20 years. According to state statistics, 49 percent of active voters participated in Tuesday’s election. This number is far beyond the 2014 midterms in which 31.5 percent voted. In Rockland County, 49 percent voted and across the Hudson Valley region more than half of all registered voters participated. Political analysts were anticipating higher-than-average turnout and the “blue wave” of Democrat wins that did not fully materialize nationally, was evident in New York.

Mahwah Mayor Recalled 

Mahwah Mayor Bill Laforet was recalled from office on Election Day, which was a shocking defeat after he won reelection twice, most recently in 2016. He is the first public official in Bergen County to be recalled in the last 25 years. While residents recalled Laforet, they also voted in a new mayor, John Roth. Roth is a former councilman who will take offer shortly. Laforet was popular among residents but continuously clashed with Township Council members over spending and faced criticism for adopting allegedly discriminatory regulations against the Orthodox Jewish population in Rockland.

Spanish Restaurant Attracts 

Celebrities to Rockland

Basque Tapas in Piermont is a new hotspot for celebrity sightings in Rockland. Since it’s opening on Oct. 26, actress Brooke Shields and actor Aidan Quinn have both dined there. Shields had dinner with friends on Nov. 1 with friends and told owner Benny Castro that she will be returning. Basque Tapas is a 50-seat restaurant primarily open for dinner and serves more than 15 types of tapas, eight traditional entrees and paella. 

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