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Rockland BOCES Capital Project Referendum on March 6th

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WEST NYACK, NY – On March 6, 2024, voters in Rockland County will be asked to approve the construction of a new, 52,000 square foot, two-story building to support current and future growth of Rockland BOCES Career and Technical Education and STEM programs in West Nyack. The new construction will also allow for additional classroom space in our renowned Jesse J. Kaplan School for students with exceptional needs.

On November 15, 2023, the Rockland BOCES Board of Education unanimously approved the proposal of a bond program for the March 6 ballot. The proposition will authorize capital work to construct additional space for student programs and operations, including:

The addition of four, large classrooms in the Jesse J. Kaplan School following relocation of the existing Culinary Arts facility
One commercial and one standard kitchen for the Career and Technical Education Center (CTEC) Culinary Arts program
Two specialized Culinary Arts classrooms
15 STEM classrooms (11,300 square feet) for continued growth of Hudson Valley P-TECH (Early College High School)
Cafeteria: approximately 5,000 square feet with storage area for tables and chairs
A regulation-size gymnasium/basketball court and fitness area

“Simply put, Rockland BOCES is running out of space,” said Rockland BOCES District Superintendent Christopher D’Ambrese. “Enrollment in our Special Education, Career and Technical Education (CTE) and Early College High School (P-TECH) programs continues to soar. There are student waiting lists today and enrollment in our programs is expected to increase nearly 20% in the next decade. In order to meet the increasing needs of our local school districts, we must expand,” said D’Ambrese.

The $47.9 million project cost, which will be paid over a 25-year period, will be shared by the eight component districts that make up the Rockland BOCES Supervisory District. Each school district’s share of the cost is determined by the number of students that reside in that particular district compared to the other component school districts. This is referred to as Resident Weighted Average Daily Attendance (RWADA). The average cost to a Rockland County residential property per month will be $2.36. (Average based on a property assessment of $500,000)

The construction will be financed by the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York (DASNY) and will be offset by a portion of Rockland BOCES current capital budget. A significant portion of the project – between 50% and 70% – will qualify for State Aid at the local school district’s aid ratio.

Rockland BOCES currently spends more than $1.5 million annually on leases for rented classroom space in four locations: the former Tappan Zee Elementary School in Piermont, the former Gerald F. Neary Elementary School in Haverstraw and the former Hilltop School and the former Nyack High School in Nyack. Adding learning space to our West Nyack campus will eliminate leasing costs, help to consolidate programming and staff, reduce transportation costs and build equity and long-term wealth for the agency.

Work would start in Spring 2026 (pending NYSED approval) and would be completed in phases with an expected opening in the Fall of 2027. KSQ Design has been contracted by Rockland BOCES to oversee design and construction of the capital project.

Because the “Building For Excellence” project involves a new structure on the agency’s main campus in West Nyack, it is required that the community approve the project via a referendum.

Voters cast their ballot on March 6, 2024 between 12 p.m. and 8 p.m. at the Rockland BOCES Jesse J. Kaplan School, 65 Parrott Road, West Nyack, New York 10994. Anyone 18 or older who is a United States citizen living in Rockland County for at least 30 days preceding the vote date is eligible to vote.

Voters who wish to vote by absentee ballot because of disability, illness or travel must first request a ballot application. To request an absentee ballot application, contact the Rockland BOCES District Clerk at (845) 627-4702 or via email at esussman@rboces.org by February 28, 2024. Once your application is received, an absentee ballot will be mailed to you. Completed absentee ballots must be returned to Rockland BOCES District Clerk by March 6 at 5 p.m.

Photo by Rockland Boces

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Clarkstown Town Clerk Lauren Marie Wohl Celebrates Over 118 Weddings in 2025, Honors June Newlyweds

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NEW CITY, NY — Love is in the air in Clarkstown, where Town Clerk Lauren Marie Wohl has been busy helping local couples say “I do.” As of this year, Clerk Wohl has already officiated more than 118 weddings, marking a record pace in 2025.

Most recently, Wohl presided over a series of May ceremonies, celebrating couples who chose to begin their lives together in the heart of Rockland County.

“I’m honored to celebrate the May newlyweds who are embarking on an extraordinary journey together,” said Clerk Lauren Marie Wohl. “Thank you for trusting me to be part of your unforgettable day.”

Known for her warm, personal approach, Wohl continues to be a popular choice for Clarkstown couples looking for an officiant who brings both professionalism and heartfelt care to their ceremonies.

Residents are encouraged to reach out to the Clarkstown Town Clerk’s Office for information on scheduling marriage ceremonies and obtaining marriage licenses.

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After 32 Days on the Run, Lost Dog “Peaches” From Rockland County Rescued After Epic Survival Journey

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New City, NY (June 2025) — After 32 harrowing days on the run — crossing highways, dodging traffic, and even joining a roaming group of foxes — Peaches, a beloved dog from New City, has finally been safely captured and reunited with her family, thanks to the persistence and expertise of Buddha Dog Rescue Rescue and Recovery and the compassion of the Nanuet community.

Peaches went missing on May 17, 2025, and within ten days had already traveled nearly three miles. Early rescue efforts, though well-intentioned, were hampered by missteps — including placing a trap that caught wildlife instead of the dog. This frightened Peaches and made her wary of further attempts at capture.

Her incredible survival instincts kicked in, and Peaches began traveling with a group of foxes, often seen lounging in medians and grassy knolls along the Palisades Parkway — an extremely dangerous area where speeds exceed 70 mph. Each time someone attempted to call out or chase her, she would return to the highway, making the situation increasingly perilous.

Buddha Dog Rescue and Recovery, a seasoned lost dog recovery team, took over the operation despite complications caused by earlier efforts. Their approach: no chasing, no yelling — just careful strategy, tracking, and trust-building. After relocating to Nanuet, Peaches encountered a community that followed these guidelines perfectly. Residents observed silently, reported sightings, and helped the team establish her movement patterns.

To overcome her fear of traps, BDRR used an enclosure trap and spent days conditioning her to enter safely. On a rainy night, with her fox companions close behind, Peaches finally stepped into the trap — and was safely captured after more than four weeks on the run.

VIDEO – Watch Peaches enter the trap

“This wasn’t just a rescue — it was a battle of patience, compassion, and perseverance,” said the BDRR team. “Peaches is a true survivor, and we’re endlessly grateful to the Nanuet community for helping bring her home.”

Read the full story below from Buddha Dog Rescue and Recovery

After 32 Days on the Run, Peaches is Finally Safe!

New City, NY — Buckle up, buttercups. What you’re about to read isn’t just a story, it’s a heart-stopping, fox-chasing epic story of survival, instinct, and sheer determination. This isn’t just a lost dog tale. This is The Odyssey: Suburban Canine Edition.
Let’s rewind.

On May 17th, Peaches went missing in New City, NY. It took just ten days for her to cover nearly three miles We, at BDRR, were called in ten days later. Normally, we don’t take on cases where another party is already involved , not out of ego, but because we end up untangling a web of good intentions gone sideways. And in this case, well… that web was practically a net.
We debated taking it on. But after nearly two decades in the world of lost dog recovery, something in our gut said if we don’t step in, Peaches won’t make it. So we did.

Those ten day: A Trap, Wildlife, and Rookie Mistakes

Before we got involved, a trap had already been set in an area crawling with wildlife, in the middle of baby season. Our first question we asked, “Was anything caught in the trap?”
“Yes,” they said. “A fox. And a raccoon.”
Well, that explains a lot.

Dogs are smart. When they see another animal caught in a trap, struggling, scared…they learn. And what they learn is: stay away. Peaches did just that. So, thanks to that initial trap, we were already starting five steps behind.

The Fox & the Hound — Literally

As if the odds weren’t steep enough, Peaches decided to join forces with a roaming fox gang. Yes. Foxes. Plural. She traveled with them, played with them, like a Disney movie directed by Quentin Tarantino. It was cute…until she started using the Palisades Parkway as her personal thoroughfare. We’re talking median lounging, grassy knoll napping, and dangerously close encounters with passing cars going 70 plus mph. One misstep, and it would’ve been tragedy for Peaches and passing motorists.

When Help Hurts

Over and over, we warned: Do not chase Peaches. Do not call out to her. Do not approach.
And yet…people did.
One woman, after promising not to engage, ran through the woods screaming Peaches’ name, terrifying the dog and blowing an operation we’d spent hours preparing.
How do we know? Because she ran right into us. On site. In real time.
Every time someone chased Peaches, her next known location was back on the Palisades Parkway. It became her safety zone…the one place she knew humans wouldn’t follow. And that, my friends, is exactly how dogs get killed.
This work isn’t glamorous. It’s not just cute reunions and “happy tails.”
It’s death threats from locals who “don’t believe in trapping.” It’s strangers who think a scared, exhausted dog is choosing them like some sort of four-legged soulmate. It’s ER visits, sleepless nights, cold all nighters in car seats, poison ivy, ticks and the gut-wrenching fear that you might not get there in time.
And yet… we press on.

The Turning Point: Nanuet

Peaches crossed the Palisades again, five miles from her last sighting and landed in a neighborhood that finally listened.
No chasing. No yelling. No vigilantes. Just quiet support and eyes out of sight that reported sightings
With cooperation (hallelujah!), we established her pattern, pinpointed her schedule, and confirmed her new hangout spots… still rolling with her fox crew.

We strategically placed cameras. We monitored every move. When Peaches finally approached the trap, she watched. She paced. She knew what it was. Her previous trauma with traps had turned her into a cautious, street-smart trap savvy survivalist. We needed a new plan.

Enter: The Enclosure Trap.
Slowly, patiently, we conditioned her. First, to sniff. Then, to step in. Then, to walk all the way to the back. It took days and gallons of coffee and bags of sour patch kids …but we got there.

Last night in the pouring rain.
Peaches appeared like clockwork, flanked by foxes, like tiny red-tailed bodyguards.
She sniffs.
She cautiously steps in.
And BOOM
We got her.

After 32 days.
Countless crossings of the Palisades Parkway.
More than a few brushes with disaster.
Sleepless nights. Threats. Tears. Foxes. ER visits.
Peaches is SAFE.
Alive. Loved. And home.

This was no ordinary rescue.
This was a war fought with compassion, strategy, and more emotional roller coasters than a soap opera marathon. But it was worth every mile.

Welcome home, Peaches. You wild little legend.

To Sharon and Jim Gordon, Joyce, Anthony, Isabel and the entire Nanuet community…thank you from the bottom of our hearts. Your willingness to listen, to hold back when every instinct said to run forward, and to allow us the space to work methodically and carefully made all the difference.

Because of your compassion and cooperation, Peaches is safe today.

This rescue wasn’t easy but knowing we had a community standing behind us made it possible. We are deeply grateful for your support and will never forget the role you played in bringing Peaches home.

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