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Remediation Set For Former Suffern Dry Cleaner Site on Lafayette Avenue
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) announced an Interim Remedial Measure (IRM) for the American Two Cleaners site at 43–45 Lafayette Avenue in the Village of Suffern.
The IRM is intended to address soil contamination associated with historical dry-cleaning operations at the site. The expedited cleanup activities will be performed by Red’s Crib, LLC.
Interim Remedial Measure Work Plan An IRM is a cleanup activity that may be performed when a source of contamination or exposure pathway (the way in which a person may contact contamination) can be effectively addressed without extensive investigation and evaluation.
The IRM work plan describes cleanup activities that will focus on removal of contaminated soil in the basement sump area of the building. The IRM activities include:
- Removal of a portion of the basement slab to access impacted soil;
- Excavation and off-site disposal of contaminated soil from the sump area;
- Management and off-site disposal of contaminated materials;
- Collection of post-excavation soil samples to confirm cleanup objectives are achieved; and
- Backfilling and restoration of the excavation area with clean material.
- Implementing a Health and Safety Plan and Community Air Monitoring Plan during all ground intrusive activities.
The site is an approximately 0.09-acre commercial property developed with a one-story building divided into two tenant spaces. The property was historically used for dry-cleaning operations.
Investigations identified chlorinated volatile organic compounds in soil associated with the basement sump area, which is the focus of the IRM.
Additional site details, including environmental and health assessment summaries, are available on DEC’s Environmental Site Remediation Database (by entering the site ID, C344085) at: https://appfactory.dec.ny.gov/DERExternalSearch/ERDSearch
Brownfield Cleanup Program New York’s Brownfield Cleanup Program (BCP) encourages the voluntary cleanup of contaminated properties known as “brownfields” so that they can be reused and redeveloped. A brownfield site is any real property where a contaminant is present at levels exceeding the soil cleanup objectives or other health-based or environmental standards, criteria or guidance adopted by DEC that are applicable based on the reasonably anticipated use of the property.
23rd JCC Rockland International Jewish Film Festival Begins March 19
JCC Rockland will hold its 23rd International Jewish Film Festival from March 19th to April 26th.
Continuing our partnership, films will be screened at Regal Nanuet. The festival will screen 12 masterful, innovative, and creative films from across all genres-comedy, romance, coming of age, documentary, drama, and combos of all types; there is a film for everyone!
The film festival is one of the largest cultural arts events in the tri-state area. Due to last year’s success, this year’s event has added matinee screenings at Regal Cinemas and screenings at JCC Rockland.
The lineup includes Charles Grodin: Rebel With a Cause, directed by James Freedman, an acclaimed documentary following the laughter filled life of famed actor Charles Grodin. The film not only celebrates Charles Grodin’s hilarious acting career, but also his remarkable, decades-long, successful fight to get wrongly convicted people — most of whom were mothers of color with young children — out of prison. The film stars actors Robert De Niro, Steve Martin, Martin Short, Elaine May, and Carol Burnett who share Grodin’s remarkable life achievements.
The festival will host filmmakers, actors, writers, and experts in various fields such as law, politics, and culture. Among them is Andrea Winograd, Executive Director of the Holocaust Museum & Center for Tolerance and Education in Suffern, and Co-Founder of Better Together, where she works every day to help people stand up to injustice and treat one another with understanding and respect. She has spent more than a decade leading HMCTE and building a stronger, more compassionate community.
During Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day), Winograd will be speaking following the screening of Elie Wiesel: Soul on Fire taking place on Tuesday, April 14 at 7 PM at Regal Nanuet. The panel will contextualize the films in post-screening forums, engaging with our audiences, including a Q&A session.
For the full list of films and their trailers and to purchase tickets, please visit jccrockland.org/film-festival or contact 845-362-4400.
Beth Am Temple Hosts Rockland Screening of Holocaust Documentary
Beth Am Temple will screen the first installment of “The Last Survivors: Never Again is Now” on Sunday, April 12 at 3 pm. The documentary features witness testimony of Holocaust survivors, including that of survivor Evelyne Appel, who will share her personal history.
The free screening is being held in connection with Yom HaShoah also known as Holocaust Remembrance Day which falls on April 14. It commemorates the anniversary of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising and is in remembrance of the six million Jewish lives lost during the Holocaust and the millions of other victims persecuted by the Nazis.
The public is welcome to attend. Advance reservations are required by Friday, April 10 and can be made at info@bethamtemple.org. The program will begin with Evelyne Appel giving her testimony, followed by a brief question and answer session, the 40-minute film screening, remarks from Beth Am Temple Board President Sid Slotnick about his family’s experiences during the Holocaust and a second question and answer period. Light refreshments will be provided.
The Last Survivors is a three-part docuseries that chronicles the stories of survivors told alongside their grandchildren and great-grandchildren. The docuseries tracks the rising tide of antisemitism through the personal retrospective of different generations. The second and third installments are being completed and may be presented by Beth Am Temple in the future. Watch the first film trailer here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6jM3iBXarUM.
Beth Am Temple is a reform temple, which embraces tradition and draws its congregation from throughout Rockland County, NY and northern Bergen County, NJ. It is located on the New York/New Jersey border at 60 East Madison Ave in Pearl River, NY. Its website is: https://www.bethamtemple.org.
Senator Bill Weber Announces $16 Million Route 304 Repaving Project to Begin in Spring
The long-anticipated repaving of State Route 304 is scheduled to begin this spring, representing a $16 million infrastructure investment following advocacy by Senator Bill Weber’s office.
The New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) has confirmed plans to begin a milling and resurfacing project along Route 304 from the pavement joint south of West Nyack Road to U.S. Route 9W. Construction will take place during the spring 2026 and will be performed overnight to minimize disruptions to motorists and nearby businesses.
“For years, residents have raised concerns about the poor condition of Route 304,” said Senator Weber. “The potholes, uneven pavement, and overall safety of the roadway have been a constant complaint. I am pleased to see this $16 million investment moving forward and to know that relief is on the way for the thousands of drivers who rely on this road every day.”
Senator Weber began advocating several years ago for improvements to the roadway in response to concerns from constituents and local officials.
“We pushed for this project because our residents deserve safe and reliable infrastructure,” Weber said. “Route 304 is finally being paved, and I am proud that our advocacy helped make this $16 million project a reality.”
According to NYSDOT, the project will include milling the existing roadway surface and applying a new asphalt overlay. The work will also include targeted concrete repairs, monitoring of drainage conditions, restoration of pavement markings, and the installation of audible roadway delineators to enhance safety for motorists.
Senator Weber also said there will be additional infrastructure improvements in the 38th Senate district, including a $9 million improvement project on Route 303 from Al Foxie Way to Route 9W in the Towns of Clarkstown and Orangetown. That project is currently underway and is expected to be completed by next winter.
“Safe roads are not a luxury — they are essential to our daily lives, our local economy, and the well-being of our community,” Senator Weber said. “I will continue working with state and local partners to ensure that Rockland County receives the infrastructure investment it deserves.”
Sherri Eisenpress, Who Has Stepped Down From New York Supreme Court, Establishes Scholarship for LGBTQ+ Students
Sherri Eisenpress, New York State Supreme Court Justice and former Family Court Judge and Acting Supreme Court Justice who will leave her post in late April following formal charges of misconduct, has established the Sherri Eisenpress Scholarship for LGBTQ+ Students, a $1,000 annual award recognizing undergraduate leadership, academic excellence, and sustained commitment to advancing LGBTQ+ equality.
The scholarship reflects Sherri Eisenpress’s decades of public service in the New York State Unified Court System and her longstanding leadership within LGBTQ+ community institutions. Throughout her judicial career, Sherri Eisenpress has handled thousands of complex family and Supreme Court civil matters and has presided over various specialty courts including the Integrated Domestic Violence Court and the Family Drug Treatment Court. As Rockland County’s designated Youth Part Judge during implementation of New York’s Raise the Age legislation, she played a central role in guiding how adolescent cases were administered locally, helping ensure that statutory reform translated into structured, consistent judicial practice.
In addition to her judicial service, Sherri Eisenpress has served as Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the Rockland County Pride Center, contributing to organizational growth, program expansion, and strategic development supporting LGBTQ+ youth and families. The Sherri Eisenpress Scholarship for LGBTQ+ Students continues that institutional focus by investing directly in emerging leaders pursuing higher education.
Scholarship Eligibility and Requirements
- The scholarship is open to currently enrolled undergraduate students who identify as LGBTQ+ or who demonstrate meaningful leadership and advocacy in support of LGBTQ+ equality.
- Applicants must submit a 750 to 1,000 word original essay responding to the following prompt:
- How can education, leadership, and community engagement advance equity and long-term institutional growth for LGBTQ+ individuals, and how do you envision contributing to that future?
- Applicants must also provide proof of current undergraduate enrollment.
- Submissions must be emailed to apply@sherrieisenpressscholarship.com.
