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Police/Fire/EMS

Canadian Wildfire Smoke Brings Hazy Skies to Rockland County

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Smoke from ongoing Canadian wildfires is creating hazy skies and reducing air quality across Rockland County today, prompting health officials to advise caution for sensitive individuals.

People with asthma, heart disease, lung conditions, as well as older adults, young children, and others who are especially sensitive to smoke, should consider limiting prolonged outdoor activity until air quality improves.

Wildfire smoke can contain fine particulate matter that may irritate the eyes and throat, trigger asthma attacks, and make it more difficult to breathe, particularly for those with underlying health conditions.

Residents are encouraged to monitor local air quality conditions throughout the day and reduce strenuous outdoor activities if smoke becomes more noticeable.

Photo by Brian Duddy – Congers Lake.

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Police/Fire/EMS

Ramapo Police Halt Test of Advanced License Plate Reader Cameras

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Ramapo Police Chief Daniel Hyman announced that the department will not move forward with a planned test of a new generation of automated license plate reader (ALPR) cameras, citing privacy concerns and the need to balance law enforcement technology with constitutional protections.

Hyman said the technology being considered goes beyond the department’s existing fixed license plate readers. While current cameras primarily capture license plates to help identify wanted or stolen vehicles and assist with criminal investigations, the newer systems include advanced investigative analytics and vehicle-identification capabilities.

“Those capabilities can provide tremendous value to law enforcement, but they also raise legitimate questions about privacy and the appropriate limits of government technology,” Hyman said.

Hyman emphasized that the decision does not affect the traditional fixed LPR cameras currently used by the Ramapo Police Department and does not represent a rejection of license plate reader technology overall.

Instead, he said the department is exercising caution because of the expanded capabilities of the newer systems.

“Our responsibility is to protect both” public safety and constitutional protections, Hyman said.

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Police/Fire/EMS

Two Hospitalized After Crash on Kings Highway in Valley Cottage

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Emergency crews responded to a motor vehicle collision Sunday morning on Kings Highway, where two people were transported to the hospital.

Medic 5, RPS 8, Congers-Valley Cottage Ambulance and the Valley Cottage Fire Department responded to the scene.

Two patients were transported to Montefiore Nyack Hospital in stable condition.

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